《1 Second Invincibility in the Game》


 Chapter 1

    An unbelievable event has occurred.Where should I start the story?


    Yes, it would be best to begin with the background.


    Let¡¯s talk about my school days first.


    Like other boys of that time, I too enjoyed games.


    They were a great topic for conversation and subtly sparked a sense of competition, drawing us in naturally.


    Most of the joys of school life came from games.


    Indeed, we were captivated by them.


    As time passed, more games were released, and we followed the trends, letting them come and go like the seasons.


    We completed many games, all except one.


    There was one game that even we, confident in our gaming skills, could not conquer.


    The name of that notorious game was ¡°Chronicles of Asares.¡±


    The genre was an otherworldly fantasy set in the medieval era, featuring nobles, monsters, swords, and magic.


    You could choose one of over a hundred playable characters, then select a few others to form a party, with the main content being to clear the main scenario.


    Each character had their own independent storyline, and those not chosen by the player would proceed automatically via AI.


    As the characters cleared stages, they would gradually share common scenarios, culminating in a final scenario that the party would clear together. This was the game¡¯s identity.


    With such vast character narratives and what was considered high-quality graphics at the time, along with excellent musical direction, the game was momentarily in the spotlight, but the enthusiasm soon faded.


    The reason was simple.


    The most notorious element was that if you died, your save data would disappear.


    Ironically, this made it easier to play other characters.


    It was so ruthless that it erased even the attachment one had built up.


    As a result, in hopes of finding an easier character to clear, we tried all of them, but the outcome was always the same.


    Game over before we even got a clue about the final boss.


    Because of this, my friends started placing bets, and I, recalling all the games I had cleared, accepted out of pride.


    So, did I clear this terribly difficult game that no one else could?


    No.


    Despite staying up nights for months, I couldn¡¯t clear the game. Fortunately, like most bets among our peers at that age, it fizzled out.


    This is a part of my school days¡¯ memories.


    Next, let¡¯s talk about a more recent story.


    Eight years later, I was working in information security at an IT company.


    The salary was good, but job satisfaction was low.


    There were frequent late nights and constant nagging.


    It was far from my dreams.


    I had learned coding because I loved games since childhood and wanted to create one.


    However, by then, the Korean package game market had already collapsed.


    This job was a compromise with reality, a safe haven after changing my path.


    Having set aside my cherished dreams, I could never be fully satisfied.


    What could I do?


    This was the reality of being an adult, and it became a natural course of events, making me indifferent over time.


    The silent commute and the lonely footsteps had become familiar and monotonous, as they are for most.


    Then, one day, during my routine commute, I received a text message. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A typical message about a class reunion.


    Then, I suddenly remembered the bet from back then. A good idea came to mind as well.


    What if I cleared Asares by the time the reunion happens, which is in a month?


    ¡°It¡¯s an old bet that everyone has forgotten. It would be perfect to revive the memory and use it as a conversation starter.¡±


    A week passed since I dedicated myself to Asares.


    I died midway through.


    Another week passed.


    I died just before the final scenario.


    With no progress, I had no choice but to compromise.


    I decided to use my skills and hack the game.


    So, did it work out well?


    This turned out to be harder than I thought.


    For a game that¡¯s over ten years old, its security was surprisingly robust.


    Driven by stubbornness, I secretly wrote code on my personal laptop at work and continued to work on it at home, barely sleeping.


    After all that effort, I created a code engine that could penetrate even the most secure defenses.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean I could manipulate the game like a god.


    Due to my limited skills, I could only tweak one thing.


    That was invincibility.


    With over a hundred characters, there were many unique traits.


    These traits could be seen as skills or quirks, but none were related to invincibility.


    That means I possessed an unofficial trait that didn¡¯t exist in Asares.


    I planned to use this to aim for a clear.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t intend to lie at the reunion and say I cleared it with pure skill.


    I just wanted to ask if they remembered the bet from back then and share the ending of the game.


    I planned to prepare a story that could serve as a good conversation piece.


    With a heart full of anticipation, I entered the final scenario with my invincible character.


    That¡¯s as far as the story goes.


    Well¡­ as you can see, the result is this.


    Right now, I¡¯m inside the game.


    When I opened my eyes, I found myself as a tall, handsome guy with blonde hair.


    Judging by the situation, it seems I was punished by something unknown for hacking the game.


    No, I¡¯m certain of it.


    If you ask how I know, the trait window in front of my retina will explain it.


    ¡óEmbers of Noble Blood¡ó


    Enhances dignity in front of others.


    Exudes noble charisma in front of others.


    Ah, my mistake.


    This is the insignificant trait that the original owner of this body had.


    What I wanted to show is this.


    ¡ó1 Second Invincibility¡ó


    Nullifies any threat for 1 second.


    Cooldown: 60 seconds.


    Without any offensive traits, it¡¯s just 1 second.


    Looking at it the other way, it¡¯s like being told to survive without offensive traits in 59 seconds of danger.


    I¡¯ve repeatedly asked myself why I¡¯m in this absurd situation, but the answer that comes to mind is only one.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a cheater who used the invincibility hack.¡±


    Therefore, the 1-second invincibility trait is a fitting punishment for my crime, as it clearly reflects malicious intent.


    Anyway, it¡¯s clear that this is a bad situation.


    But, I¡¯ll figure something out¡­


    After all, the body I possess is the eldest son of a great noble family.


    ¡°As the young master of a wealthy family, what danger could there possibly be?¡±

 Chapter 2

    I woke up to the lingering aroma. The candle had long since melted away overnight.


    Still, I wasn¡¯t used to this smell.


    In my room, it usually smelled strongly of Downy.


    ¡°They say it has a calming effect. It¡¯s not bad¡­¡±


    I pushed aside the slippery blanket that seemed as if a fly would slip off it and approached the mirror to check my face.


    A towering height, soft blond hair, and a handsome Western face with striking features.


    This is me.


    When I woke up, I had become this blond handsome guy.


    Having seen it yesterday, it wasn¡¯t particularly shocking, and only a sincere exclamation lingered in my mind.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m good-looking.¡±


    Is this really me?


    Entering the game was surprising, but look at these sculpted features and perfect body proportions.


    If I were born with this body in reality, I¡¯d have started as a child model and ended my days in old age as a flower boy.


    I am the owner of this body.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    The room was filled with luxurious furniture and decorations.


    For a mere personal room, it was on par with a suite in a luxurious hotel.


    Of course, I am also the owner of this room.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m from a rich family.¡±


    So what is the identity of this character who has it all?


    In truth, I don¡¯t know much either. However, I could confirm at least the name through the status window.


    [Hersel Ben Tenest]


    ? Blessing


    -None-


    ? Traits


    ¡óThe Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡ó


    ¡ó1 Second Invincibility¡ó


    No blessing at all.


    It¡¯s so absurd that I can¡¯t even laugh.


    Because blessings are talents.


    Main characters, and even some supporting characters, often have top-tier talents.


    Even at a basic level, having a talent for knitting or farming is considered normal.


    Thus, Hersel is a talentless individual who has nothing¡­


    But the attached name negates all such disadvantages.


    Tenest is a name of a significant noble family in the Asares world.


    According to the servants¡¯ chatter outside the door yesterday, Hersel is the eldest son of the family.


    So it¡¯s strange.


    Even though he¡¯s from a famous family, the name Hersel feels unfamiliar to me.


    The Tenest family is also connected to some of the hundred or so main characters.


    Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s not enough information.


    Or¡­


    He might be a hastily created character to be the vessel for someone transmigrating into the game.


    One thing that bothers me is that the name feels familiar somehow.


    For now, information gathering is the priority since I¡¯m not sure.


    As I made up my mind, my stomach growled.


    Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday, right?


    Right on cue, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Young master, are you alright? You¡¯ve been cooped up in your room all day, how about having a meal?¡±


    This voice belonged to a cheeky little maid I saw yesterday. The mention of food in my famished state made my mouth water.


    I rang the bell on the table.


    This was a signal that she could come in.


    Jingle-


    With a clear sound of the bell, the door opened.


    A small child, about half the height of the door, blinked while dressed in a maid¡¯s outfit.


    I remembered asking her name for the first time yesterday, and she had widened her eyes, asking me to refrain from drinking too much.


    Her name was surely Selly.


    She soon smiled warmly and parted her lips to speak.


    ¡°Is there anything you wish for?¡±


    ¡°Bring me something to eat.¡±


    The casual command came out naturally.


    I¡¯m not used to this refined, mid-range voice.


    It¡¯s also different from the way I usually speak, which makes it feel even more strange.


    I know the reason.


    It¡¯s because of one of the auxiliary traits possessed by a few of the hundred or so characters, ¡®The Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯.


    ¡óThe Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡ó


    It enhances dignity in front of others.


    It exudes a noble charisma in front of others.


    A trait that is always activated in front of others.


    Both the tone and accent change at will.


    Thanks to this, even though the content is different, the people around don¡¯t seem to feel much disparity.


    ¡°Yes, young master. I will inform them to prepare it immediately.¡±


    Quite some time passed after the little child disappeared.


    The door opened again with another knock. This time, it was a maid I hadn¡¯t seen before.


    She approached, pushing a cart filled with silver-covered dishes, and moved the plates onto the large table.


    ¡°The main dish is veal steak. We have also prepared fresh vegetables brought in today and the wine you favored, young master.¡±


    Although she smiled, her tone was quite businesslike.


    When she opened the lids, the fragrant aroma of the food hit my nose. But for some reason, I didn¡¯t feel like eating.


    Maybe it was because I¡¯d been fasting all day.  S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly having greasy meat is a bit much¡­


    I want something easier to digest.


    It feels a bit apologetic, but¡­


    Can I ask for a change?


    ¡°I made a mistake. I should have told you my preferred dish in advance.¡±


    ¡°Do you not like it?¡±


    ¡°My stomach is unsettled. Do you have any soup?¡±


    I looked at her with guilt, my eyebrows drooping.


    For a moment, the maid¡¯s eyes widened, then she responded with a gentle smile.


    She seemed to be displaying professional service, but it must still be a hassle.


    I was about to just eat when the maid moved the plates back onto the cart.


    ¡°Sorry for not being attentive. I will prepare it right away.¡±


    If she could do that, it would be great for me.


    ¡°Even something simple is fine. It doesn¡¯t have to be elaborate. I just need something that will sit well in my stomach.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. You must be hungry, so I¡¯ll prepare a quick dish. Of course, it will be something befitting your status, young master.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    The maid crossed the threshold with the cart, still smiling.


    Such kindness.


    Some more time passed.


    Soup was placed on the table.


    This time, it seemed to have taken quite a while, but given that I was the one being picky, I was grateful even for this.


    I scooped up the unknown soup with a silver spoon and brought it to my lips.


    An intriguing taste.


    A deep flavor that wasn¡¯t unpleasant.


    Even though I was used to instant food, it was not too stimulating and had a balanced taste.


    I slowly moved the silver spoon around.


    As the bottom of the bowl became visible, the maid carefully picked up the wine bottle.


    ¡°No wine for me. It¡¯s daytime, and drinking alcohol seems inappropriate.¡±


    Besides, soup with wine?


    I might not know much, being a Korean who only drank soju with pork belly, but does that really go well together?


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, young master. You said your stomach was unsettled, and I foolishly made a mistake. I apologize. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°People make mistakes. I¡¯ve finished eating, so you may go and rest.¡±


    The maid left the room.


    Having satisfied my hunger, I decided to get up and explore the mansion.


    As I stepped into the hallway, I encountered Selly, who was waiting outside the door.


    This tiny maid, always ready to serve, greeted me with a bright smile.


    ¡°Young master, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I want to see the family tree. Can you guide me?¡±


    Every noble family has a family tree. It is a genealogy that traces the family lineage from the ancestors to the present.


    Was it strange to ask to see it?


    Selly tilted her head slightly, perhaps feeling a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Let¡¯s see¡­ I should choose a good route for your convenience. Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Is it that far?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Oh, no. It¡¯s not far. I just thought it should be a pleasant experience for you.¡±


    It was a somewhat meaningful response, but I didn¡¯t mind. I followed Selly down the hallway. As we passed, the mansion staff smiled and greeted me.


    ¡°Good morning, young master.¡±


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°How about a stroll in the garden on such a fine day?¡±


    I responded to them with a simple wave of my hand.


    The atmosphere inside the mansion was very harmonious.


    Of course, from their perspective, this was all to serve me, a noble, but the liveliness around me was uplifting.


    A smile spread across my face.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t live like this forever.


    The game¡¯s scenario involved preventing the world¡¯s destruction, and it was uncertain if the game would clear itself without a player.


    However, according to the world setting, most of the outside world was a demon realm, and staying here in this frail body with no combat skills was the safest option for now. R?


    I needed to adapt to my identity and situation first. Checking the scenario could come later.


    Moreover, being the eldest son of the Tenest family was akin to being the son of a conglomerate chairman.


    I might as well enjoy it for a while.


    When else would I get to live as a second-generation chaebol?


    ***


    Upon stepping outside, I realized the mansion wasn¡¯t just one building.


    It turned out that the place I was in was exclusively for me, Hersel.


    Beyond the garden path, there was another grand mansion where the head of the Tenest family resided.


    Following Selly¡¯s guidance, I walked through the vast, park-like grounds and arrived at a special room where the family tree was kept.


    Portraits of ancestors adorned the walls. I sat down and familiarized myself with their faces and the family tree.


    When I reached Hersel¡¯s time period, a sense of melancholy filled me.


    [Lisean Ben Tenest. 767-09-11 ~ 789-08-17]


    The numbers next to a woman¡¯s name indicated the beginning and end of her life.


    This meant that Hersel¡¯s mother had died at a young age.


    And right next to it was another name.


    [Ahille Ben Tenest.]


    This was the name of Hersel¡¯s stepmother, and below it were the names of his half-siblings.


    This wasn¡¯t good¡­


    A sense of foreboding made my fingertips tremble.


    Even in modern times, stepmothers and half-siblings don¡¯t usually have great relationships.


    In a noble family where various political intrigues unfold, having half-siblings was even more problematic.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, I looked at Selly, who was standing beside me.


    Could it be that when she mentioned planning the route earlier, she meant to avoid running into my half-siblings?


    Since I had to leave my personal residence to get here, my guess was probably right.


    In that case, it would be safe to consider Selly as being on my side.


    After all, the fact that Hersel, the first in line for succession, was still alive was proof that even the servants in the residence could be trusted.


    As I gazed endlessly at Selly, the little girl approached and examined my face.


    ¡°Young master. You don¡¯t look well, just like yesterday. Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been cooped up in my room.¡±


    ¡°Then how about getting some fresh air? I know a place with a nice view.¡±


    ¡°A view? Do you mean outside the mansion?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no need to worry. We¡¯ll have reliable guards with us, and if anything dangerous happens, I, Selly, will protect you with my life.¡±


    Selly placed a fist on her chest and her eyes sparkled.


    Should I say she¡¯s bold?


    With this little girl saying that, I couldn¡¯t refuse.


    In truth, I also wanted to take a look outside.


    I wanted to get some fresh air and satisfy my curiosity about whether the world of Asares, which I had only seen in the game, was properly realized.


    ¡°Is it nearby?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s just a few minutes away once we leave the mansion.¡±


    ***


    Hersel¡¯s uneaten steak and wine.


    The maid who had brought the food pushed the cart with graceful movements.


    As she walked down the hallway to dispose of the food on the plate, she heard the familiar voice of the head maid.


    ¡°There¡¯s a rat in the storage?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Recently, the flour sacks have had holes in them. It was so unsettling that I kept quiet, but then I heard the squeaking of a rat.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear¡­ We should have managed it better.¡±


    ¡°What should we do? There are also food supplies for the employers there¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand. Just continue with your work. As I¡¯ve always said, the lady¡¯s tasks take priority. I¡¯ll have other maids take care of this issue.¡±


    The maid pushing the cart wore a serene smile as she approached the two distressed women.


    The head maid¡¯s command was already causing the other maid to turn away.


    ¡°Hello, head maid. I didn¡¯t mean to overhear, but there¡¯s a rat in the storage?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, Mirei. I was just about to call for you. Could you let the others know to come to the storage?¡±


    ¡°Is that necessary? Everyone seems busy. I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡±


    ¡°By yourself?¡±


    Mirei responded with a subtle gaze, her eyes widening slightly at the head maid¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°I happen to have some good rat poison.¡±


    Her gentle hand caressed the lid of the plate.


    The head maid looked at Mirei and smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already started, Mirei.¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I failed. Now it¡¯s Selly¡¯s turn.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean Selly? Now that you mention it, she said she was going out with the young master. It¡¯s a shame if it ends as soon as it starts today.¡±


    ¡°Well, it might not be that easy¡­¡±


    Mirei trailed off and fell into thought.


    The image of the young master¡¯s face when he refused the veal steak lingered in her mind.


    The expression he had, lowering his eyebrows and narrowing his forehead¡ªwhat did it mean?


    If he knew there was poison.


    And if that¡¯s why he chose the soup that required a silver spoon, then it certainly wouldn¡¯t be an easy task.


    ¡°This festival might last longer than we thought.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    The head maid chuckled and glanced around.


    When Mirei joined her in looking around, she saw some amusing sights.


    In the high window of the opposite mansion, a maid was practicing how to drop a flowerpot so it would look like an accident.


    In front of the incoming supply cart, a butler hurriedly packed shiny knives and wires into a box.


    While everyone in the mansion was busy, a young butler passing through the hallway approached them. He was holding a small box in his hand.


    ¡°Head maid, Miss Mirei. Hello?¡±


    ¡°Ho ho, what¡¯s in that little box?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it contains a venomous spider. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use it just once and then kill it right away.¡±


    The three of them smiled softly.


    It was a bright yet malicious smile.


    They weren¡¯t the only ones.


    The entertainment of hunting a single prey kept everyone in the mansion constantly amused.


    The head maid clasped her hands together as if in prayer and spoke in a gentle voice, like telling a story to her grandchild.


    ¡°Let¡¯s thank the mistress for hosting this festival.¡±

 Chapter 3

    People look as small as fingernails. Even from this distance, it¡¯s possible to infer what¡¯s happening. It¡¯s currently sunset. Judging by the occasional fluttering of cloth, they¡¯re probably taking down the laundry before it gets dark.


    From the cliff, I looked down at one of the villagers and was amazed.


    This is fascinating.


    In the game, such distant objects weren¡¯t even rendered. This is a common trick used by game developers to conserve PC resources.


    This level of detail is almost indistinguishable from reality.


    Even if I, the observer, am not consciously aware of it, someone somewhere is living in the same moment.


    After a brief observation, I enjoyed the gentle breeze and warm sunlight.


    This place is truly a spot that purifies the heart.


    ¡°This is nice.¡±


    As I immersed myself in the view, Selly beside me smiled sweetly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? This is the secret place I often visited with my mother.¡±


    ¡°Your mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you might not remember, but my mother worked here in the mansion from long ago. She found this place around the time I was born and would always come here to find peace.¡±


    ¡°I see, it certainly does put one at ease.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s story melted my heart. Is this a sense of kinship?  sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both she and I must be thinking of our mothers.


    We stood silently for a few seconds, a cool breeze blowing. I shivered slightly. Was it because of the wind, or because Selly¡¯s voice came from slightly behind me this time?


    ¡°But young master,¡±


    Her tone was quite cold. It¡¯s getting a bit chilly as the sun sets. Did she feel the cold?


    ¡°Have you decided on your last words?¡±


    Oh, last words. That thing you say before you die. It¡¯s normal to think about it once in a while in life, so it¡¯s not strange to have one. Although it¡¯s vague and unclear, I can¡¯t say it definitively.


    Let¡¯s see. I vaguely remember thinking about that folder on my hard drive that shouldn¡¯t be opened¡ª


    Wait. What did she just say?


    I turned my head and looked at Selly blankly.


    ¡°Why do you look so surprised? Don¡¯t you understand why I¡¯m doing this?¡±


    Suddenly, my body twitched.


    When our eyes met, I felt a chill down to my core. Despite the bright sunset, her pupils were filled with shadows with no hint of light.


    ¡°My mother devoted her life to the Tenest family. She fell ill and retired.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your mother, Lady Rissean, was very kind. But you never treated me that way, did you? Do you understand now?¡±


    There was a glint in the girl¡¯s eyes. I involuntarily clenched my fists defensively.


    Why am I feeling intimidated by a girl who barely reaches my chest?


    It¡¯s probably because of this. The backdrop of the cliff behind me amplifies my fear.


    Surely, it¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, right? Like dragging me here for revenge and pushing me off the cliff.


    But then again, what could she possibly do?


    She¡¯s just a small girl. If I grab her by the cheeks, I can easily subdue her. A good scolding would be enough to stop her from playing such pranks again.


    That¡¯s what I thought¡ªuntil a dagger appeared in her hand.


    ¡°Oh no, a knife is cheating!¡±


    A chill ran down my spine. You might think it¡¯s easy to handle a small girl with a dagger, but I know from watching videos on NewTube. Even a professional fighter, vastly superior in size, can end up with countless knife wounds against an ordinary person wielding a fake knife.


    Besides, I¡¯m an honor student who¡¯s never been in a fight.


    Meanwhile, the opponent was playing with the dagger as if it were a fidget spinner. My instincts warned me that I¡¯d get stabbed if I rushed in!


    I gulped. That little brat was licking the side of the knife like a crazed killer.


    The small monster in front of me grasped the dagger firmly and advanced towards me, fully aware of my fear.


    I decided to try to resolve this through conversation, keeping my composure.


    ¡°What do you want to say to me?¡± I asked again in a gentle manner, but the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ trait unintentionally made me come across as arrogant.


    Selly, seemingly amused by my bravado even in this situation, let out a scornful laugh.


    ¡°Ha! You still don¡¯t get it? Well, you always looked at me like I was a bug, so it¡¯s no wonder.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what crime warranted being killed by the girl in front of me, but she was targeting the wrong person. This was Hersel¡¯s fault, not mine. You¡¯re about to kill an innocent person!


    ¡°¡­That day, when I begged to go home because of an urgent matter. I even knelt and cried, begging to go home¡­¡±


    I get it, just stop. It wasn¡¯t me!


    ¡°Wait. Stop right there.¡±


    ¡°My sick mother died that day. It was our last moment together. I wanted to hold her hand one last time, but because of you¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s nose was wrinkled in anger, her teeth gritted hard enough to crack, and her eyes were filled with malice.


    I realized I had to do something to defuse the situation and said the first thing that came to mind.


    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s been some misunderstanding¡ª¡±


    ¡°Was that chore so important that it mattered more than my mother¡¯s deathbed?¡±


    This isn¡¯t working. There¡¯s no sign of dialogue even being possible. And no wonder. From what she¡¯s saying, she missed her mother¡¯s final moments because of Hersel.


    This was a line crossed way beyond forgiveness. Not even a seasoned animal trainer could calm this beast.


    So, what should I do? There must be some way out¡­


    That¡¯s right, I had two bodyguards. I should quickly get them to knock out this brat.


    I looked towards the guards, who were supposed to be keeping watch nearby, but I blinked in disbelief at their incredible behavior.


    I saw a glint of metal between the bushes. Even in this life-threatening situation, they were just silently observing with bated breath.


    And they were smiling broadly, showing their white teeth¡­


    As my mind went blank for a moment, Selly responded with a sneer.


    ¡°Idiot. You still don¡¯t get it?¡±


    ¡°It was all ordered by the mistress. I just joined in because it was a great opportunity, and I even got paid for it. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±


    The mistress? Money?


    So, my stepmother put a bounty on my head. Judging by the way they¡¯re smirking, they¡¯ve agreed to share it amongst themselves?


    Anger boiled within me.


    No matter the reason, I won¡¯t die just to make them happy. In this situation, I need to fight to the death. I won¡¯t die alone¡ªI¡¯ll take them with me.


    ¡°Not just the mistress. Everyone in the mansion wants you dead.¡±


    I should have realized this sooner. Before I could even steel myself, Selly¡¯s hand was already in motion.


    The dagger was a fake. Distracted by it, I didn¡¯t notice her other hand approaching.


    That damned brat looked ecstatic, as if she had achieved her life¡¯s goal, smiling with a face of serene satisfaction.


    ¡°Goodbye, you piece of trash.¡±


    Thud¡ª


    I felt the palm of her hand against my chest.


    Like a small domino toppling a larger one, my body was pushed off the cliff by that tiny hand. I watched the cold sweat on my cheek as it flew upward, fixating on the existence of Hersel.


    How did he live such a reckless life to end up like this? I¡¯m dying to know.


    Who knows, maybe he¡¯s someone I¡¯ve forgotten.


    In the extreme fear, my brain strained. The lines of dialogue from over a hundred player characters flashed by in an instant. I fixed a few of their conversation logs in my mind like photographs.


    ¡ª Hersel? I know him well. He was forced into an engagement he didn¡¯t want because of the family¡¯s position. I hated it. Why does he tell girls to wear dresses instead of armor?


    ¡ª That¡¯s not all. He always reeked of alcohol. No manners, no effort, and constantly annoying the servants. Once during a meal, he threw a plate out the window because he didn¡¯t like the food, telling us to feed it to the pigeons.


    ¡ª I went to his funeral once, and it was the same. The mansion servants were secretly grinning. Of course, I laughed with them. I went there to do just that. He once poured wine on my head at a ball, calling me a short idiot from the countryside. This is all karma, pure and simple.


    Hersel was by no means an impromptu character. He existed from the start.


    However, he was a character who died before the game¡¯s storyline even began.


    It¡¯s natural that I had forgotten about him.


    The important thing is that the body I possess is known among the playable characters and NPCs as a delinquent and a scoundrel.


    Realizing this, my heart sank.


    Even so, my face didn¡¯t show any hideous expressions, probably due to the trait. I merely narrowed my eyes, watching Selly grow distant.


    As the distance increased, the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ deactivated, and my face contorted with genuine emotion.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    A completely useless, trashy ability.


    What should I do?


    There is one thing I can rely on, but I¡¯ve never used the one-second invincibility before.


    This means I don¡¯t know how to activate it.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    A pure scream that belonged to me, not Hersel, burst from my throat.


    The barrier of air slapped against my skin. The cliff felt much higher than it looked.


    In the unexpectedly prolonged fall, my brain struggled to find a way to survive.


    ¡ó1-second invincibility¡ó


    Nullifies any threat for 1 second.


    Cooldown: 60 seconds.


    An ability that makes me invincible for only one second.


    In that case, I need to use it just before hitting the ground.


    There¡¯s no keyboard here, and I don¡¯t know the activation conditions even if I wanted to.


    Should I shout the skill name like a childish anime character?


    It¡¯s embarrassing, but I have no other choice!


    I gulped and glared at the ground as I fell.


    Not yet.


    The cooldown for the one-second invincibility is 60 seconds.


    If I miss the timing even slightly, I might die instantly.


    At the critical moment¡ª


    Finally, the expected height arrived. Trembling with tension, I opened my lips.


    ¡°One, one-second¡ª¡±


    Bang!


    ***


    The main gate of the Tenest estate.


    Today¡¯s guards on duty were the two soldiers who had been escorting Hersel. Normally, this wasn¡¯t their job, but they volunteered to discuss their dirty plans.


    They stood in front of the main gate, talking about what happened today.


    ¡°Jack, I feel a bit bad about this. If we write the report like that, he¡¯ll be dead.¡±


    ¡°Come on, what¡¯s there to feel bad about? That brat wanted to take 80% of the reward for himself.¡±


    They had recorded Hersel¡¯s death as a murder, not an accident. They planned to send this report to the mistress at dawn. The young soldier, feeling a tinge of guilt and uncertain fear, confirmed again.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°I asked the mistress myself. If the person who killed him dies, who gets the reward? She said it goes to the other contributors. So, all the money will be ours.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but what if we get in trouble for failing to protect him?¡±


    Though it was a festival hosted by the mistress, it still involved killing a noble. Not just any noble, but the eldest son of the Tenest family.


    Even though nobles often kill each other over power struggles, the Tenest family was not an ordinary family. This would inevitably draw public attention.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The mistress will be pleased.¡±


    Even if the mistress used her power to cover up the truth, an official cause of death would still be necessary.


    Accident or suicide¡ªsomething that doesn¡¯t involve foul play.


    So Selly had conspired with them to stage an accidental fall.


    But by writing the report as a murder motivated by revenge, the story changes.


    If the report reaches the chief magistrate, Selly will be executed.


    The fact that Hersel¡¯s death was murder isn¡¯t the problem. Hersel was despised by everyone in the mansion.


    Considering the mistress¡¯s temperament, she would likely welcome this conclusion.


    Eliminating the perpetrator would reduce future risks, and the official reason would be flawless.


    The scenario of the most hated scoundrel in the mansion being killed by a close servant¡¯s grudge was convincing enough.


    ¡°The dead can¡¯t speak. Even if she blabbers about the mistress ordering it before her execution, it¡¯ll be ignored. We just need to take care of our own futures.¡±


    ¡°I just hope everything goes well.¡±


    At worst, they might get dismissed for dereliction of duty.


    But they¡¯d have all the money.


    ¡°By the way, Jack. You know, right? 50-50.¡±


    ¡°50-50¡­¡±


    The young soldier¡¯s face, which had been excited a moment ago, quickly turned pale.


    It wasn¡¯t Jack¡¯s voice beside him.


    It was a familiar voice, but it shouldn¡¯t have been heard. The voice of a dead man.


    Turning his head, he saw Jack sweating profusely, and then his gaze locked onto a tall man with disheveled hair and covered in dust.


    Despite his disheveled appearance, there was an undeniable air of dignity about him. The two soldiers trembled in disbelief.


    ¡°How¡­how is this possible¡­¡±


    The cliff was smooth with no branches sticking out. There was nothing to grab onto, not even a ledge to briefly support a body.


    And the ground below was so distant it appeared hazy.


    Falling from such a place and coming back alive seemed impossible, sending chills down their spines.


    While their minds were paralyzed with shock, his lips moved.


    ¡°Which one of you wants the first 50?¡±

 Chapter 4

    I thought I was dead when I fell off the cliff. My sense of rhythm was paralyzed by the fear of the fall, causing me to react half a beat too late. Yet, the reason I survived was incredibly simple. ¡°One second invincible!¡±


    Bang!


    [Impact detected.]


    [One second invincibility trait activated.]


    [Cooldown for one second invincibility: 59 seconds.]


    ¡°Seriously¡­ if it¡¯s a passive trait, they should at least mention it.¡±


    Anyway, I didn¡¯t want to stay in that eerie thicket, so I struggled to find my way up. My destination was that house swarming with the people who tried to kill me.


    It might seem crazy to walk there on my own, but I had no choice. Could the dangers of the mansion compare to those outside? If I left with this body, I wouldn¡¯t last long before starving to death or being sold at a slave market. With only one second of invincibility, I wouldn¡¯t survive long enough to find any means of livelihood. Even if I learned swordsmanship and became a mercenary or explored the demon realm, I¡¯d die quickly. If they discovered I was alive, the mistress would have me killed since my survival would keep the succession rights intact.


    Thus, returning to the mansion was the best way to reduce my chances of dying. With the information I gained from conquering hundreds of characters and my one second of invincibility, I could manage somehow.


    With this thought in mind, I arrived at the front gate late at night.


    But what¡¯s this?


    ¡°The dead don¡¯t speak. Even if you babble that the mistress ordered it before your execution, it¡¯ll be ignored. We just need to look after our own interests.¡±


    ¡°I just hope it works out.¡±


    The despicable guys who watched when I was pushed off the cliff were now the gatekeepers.


    ¡°But, Mr. Jack, you know, right? It¡¯s fifty-fifty.¡±


    Hearing this and the mention of fifty-fifty, I got a hunch. They were planning to betray the kid and pocket the money.


    Thud-thud, click-clack, click-clack.


    I approached with a weary gait. Just then, the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ activated, causing my back to straighten gradually, and I began walking with the characteristic stride of a noble.


    ¡°Fifty-fifty, huh¡­¡±


    As I arrogantly raised my chin and muttered, the faces of the two men turned ghostly pale as they looked at me.


    ¡°Which one of you wants the first 50?¡±


    I asked the two detestable men irritably. The young man still couldn¡¯t utter a sound, frozen stiff like a mute who¡¯d eaten honey, but the middle-aged man was different. His complexion returned to normal as if nothing had happened, and he emanated a killing intent.


    He reached for the longsword at his waist.


    Of course, they wouldn¡¯t let me live. This is right in front of the mansion. I foolishly thought they wouldn¡¯t kill me here because if I screamed, the servants would rush out. That¡¯s why the middle-aged man hurried to slit my throat. If he finished me off quickly, there would be no time for my screams to escape.


    Ping!


    Before I could grasp the situation, a flash of light appeared. In an instant, his sword was at my neck.


    Clang!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [The trait activates.]


    [One second invincibility: Cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    Naturally, the passive trait activated, so I wasn¡¯t hurt. Instead, my body was so tough that it broke his sword. As his strike failed, the middle-aged man¡¯s face filled with shock.


    ¡°Wh-what is this¡­¡±


    I straightened my chest as if nothing had happened. Although my heart was pounding, I tried to appear composed.


    Wow, that really scared me. Even with one second of invincibility, who wouldn¡¯t be terrified of a sword coming at their neck?


    By the way, this guy is scary. No matter how flea-like Hersel is, not even seeing him draw his sword is astonishing. He must be no ordinary person to be chosen as a guard for the Tenest family.


    But now is not the time to be dazed. If I don¡¯t do something quickly, a follow-up attack will come. In my urgency, I blurted out some bravado that came to mind.


    ¡°Swinging a sword without warning¡­¡±


    At times like this, it¡¯s necessary to raise your defenses high enough that no one dares to touch you. As I leisurely approached, his eyebrows twitched. I prayed inwardly that he wouldn¡¯t attack.


    Click-clack, thud-


    As I stopped right in front of him, the middle-aged man¡¯s shoulders twitched. He seemed quite scared. Surviving a cliff fall and breaking his sword with my body, approaching nonchalantly, anyone would be terrified.


    Seizing the moment, I decided to use my momentum and spoke while intensifying the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ to the maximum.


    ¡°There¡¯s still half a sword left. Why not try swinging it again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already given you two chances, one at the cliff and one here. You should brace yourself for the third.¡±


    Seeing him drop the broken sword and staring blankly at the ground, it seemed he had no intention of attacking further.


    Things were looking good. Although the text on my retina still signaled danger.


    [One second invincibility: Cooldown: 32 seconds]


    Thank goodness for my quick talk. If he had attacked again during the cooldown, what would I have done?


    Now, there was only the young man who had fallen on his butt in surprise. Even if one sword was broken, his sword was still intact.


    Hoping desperately that he wouldn¡¯t do anything, I glared at him.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°He-hek!¡±


    He shrieked and backed away. As I continued to glare at him, he pressed his sword to the ground and hurriedly bowed his head.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve committed a grave sin, young master!¡±


    Good.


    It seemed he also had no will to fight.


    I took my gaze off him and placed my hand on the shoulder of the middle-aged man, as if dealing with a subordinate.


    ¡°?!¡±


    He flinched slightly, and I felt him stiffen like a wooden puppet. I twisted my lips into a sardonic smile.


    Now I could finally say what I hadn¡¯t been able to due to the surprise attack from the beginning.


    ¡°Do you know why I arrived so late at night? I could have easily caught up with you.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean, sir?¡±


    ¡°I stopped by the village on the way here.¡±


    Of course, this was a lie. I was sweating bullets just to get here, and I didn¡¯t even know the way to the village.


    Even so, the lie had a clear effect, as the middle-aged man¡¯s face twisted in fear.


    ¡°C-could it be¡­ Did you report our actions?¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s face turned pale as if he were on the brink of death. No wonder he was scared. Killing a noble means execution, and aiding and abetting carries the same penalty.


    If this fact leaked out, it would go to the chief magistrate who enforces the law, and they wouldn¡¯t escape execution.


    ¡°Do you understand if I say it¡¯s a will?¡±


    He would understand with just that. I stopped by the village and wrote about today¡¯s events in a will. But it hasn¡¯t been disclosed yet. It will be revealed the moment I die. That¡¯s what a will is.


    And the moment it¡¯s revealed, we all die. You, me, him, and Selly.


    Of course, it¡¯s all a lie.


    ¡°Do you expect us to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Do you?¡±


    The middle-aged guard¡¯s expression grew complicated. I looked at him steadily and gave him a deliberately meaningful smile.


    As if I had someone backing me up. As if I had plotted some scheme in the village. The soldiers¡¯ expressions grew complicated. They must be imagining all sorts of scenarios in their heads.


    Of course, as I said before, it¡¯s all a bluff.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that. If anything happens to me again, your lives will not remain intact.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Upon driving the point home, the middle-aged soldier let out a heavy sigh. This lessened the chances of them assassinating me. I had also instilled a sense of shared fate, which might help in the future.


    ¡°So¡­ are you saying you¡¯ll spare us for now?¡±


    In my heart, I wanted to send them to hell. But yes, I¡¯ll spare them.


    And me¡­


    Even if they fought me with one hand, I¡¯d get beaten. Wow, look at those forearms. They look like they could crush watermelons with a headlock.


    I imagined my head being squeezed by those forearms. My temples throbbed. I hurriedly walked towards the dark garden path, not looking back, and said,


    ¡°Are your lives worth me taking with my own hands?¡±


    Anyway, with this, the crisis was averted.


    As the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ effect faded, a wave of relief and embarrassment washed over me, making me squirm for a while.


    Look at these lines.


    Ugh, my hands and feet.


    ***


    Jack sat down, reflecting on the unknown phenomenon.


    They had thoroughly checked the bottom of the cliff beforehand. It was a sheer cliff with no branches to grab or footholds.


    Before he could even think about how he survived, he quickly drew his sword, but the mystery was soon solved. It must have been one day in his youth. After finishing his mercenary work, he entered a tavern.


    An old veteran, who had taught him many things, was always there, downing strong liquor and babbling.


    ¡°There is an extreme level. The level where one can cut through even the hardest diamond stone in the world, and the level where one can block all attacks with their bare body. A swordsman of this level can split the ocean, and a warrior of this level can withstand a storm of arrows without spilling a drop of blood.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it was¡­¡±


    Jack had to admit it. He had made a mistake in thinking Hersel was just an ordinary scoundrel.


    Outwardly, Hersel had only spent his time in debauchery, but he must have been secretly training.


    Jack clicked his tongue, thinking life was unfair. The person who had achieved the level he had longed for was a madman who spent two-thirds of his day drinking, sleeping, and tormenting the people in the mansion.


    ¡°Indeed, he must have inherited that talent too.¡±


    He must have had such a different quality of talent that what took others a hundred hours of effort, he could achieve in just one. Even if he spent most of his life meaninglessly, he could still reach the level of invincibility.


    And when he brought up the will, it made Jack question if this was the same empty-headed fool he had known.


    Historically, many of the strongest people of their time had died from poisons or diseases. Hersel knew this and used the will to block any assassination attempts from various angles.


    ¡°Living with such skills hidden¡­¡±


    Who will be the first to kill Hersel and claim the reward?


    He had thought it was a simple game about who would do it first.


    But now it wasn¡¯t.


    The festival, which he thought would go smoothly, was now experiencing a terrifying upheaval.


    ***


    This is so damn scary. As I pass through the garden path, the night guards keep glancing at me. They won¡¯t try to kill me like that middle-aged guy earlier, right? I pretended to be calm and headed toward my lodgings.


    I was getting closer to a familiar building, glancing at the first-floor windows as I walked by.


    ¡°There, there it is!¡±


    I stopped in front of one of the windows that didn¡¯t have the curtains drawn. Thanks to my height, I could see the face of that wretched kid sound asleep on the bed.


    Thud.


    I pressed my fingers against the window so hard that my fingerprints were left behind. Hugging a big doll, she looked just like an innocent kid, but it was all an act. No matter how much you hold a grudge, do you push someone off a cliff?  sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How can she sleep so soundly after doing that?


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she feel any guilt? She¡¯s definitely a psychopath¡­¡±


    She¡¯s so infuriating. I want to barge in and give her a piece of my mind right now, but it¡¯s not the right time.


    I want to see her face twist in utter despair when she thinks she¡¯s hit the jackpot the next day, only for me to show up and drag her to the depths of hell. Just like how rice tastes best when you let it steam for a while.


    And right now, I just want a drink and a shower. My sweaty, damp back from getting here felt unpleasant. I quietly entered the building and approached a maid on night duty.


    ¡°I want to bathe right away. Prepare some water. Oh, and bring me something to drink too.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Her eyes widened in shock. Part of it must have been due to my filthy appearance, but it seems that brat Selly had been bragging about killing me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, sir. I¡¯ll prepare the bathwater immediately. Should I bring the drink you usually enjoy?¡±


    A drink?


    I don¡¯t usually drink, but today was a terrible day. Just for today, it should be fine. I nodded.


    ¡°One more thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Ah, yes. What is it, sir?¡±


    I raised my index finger to my lips. Smiling gently, I signaled to her.


    ¡°Shh¡ªmake sure Selly doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I-I¡¯ll keep it a secret even if I die.¡±


    I was trying to appear friendly, but why is she trembling so much? Is it because it¡¯s chilly at night?


    As I walked through the mansion, I repeated the same smile and words to each night staff member I encountered. Each time, they reacted with surprise and fear, their bodies trembling.


    Then, standing in front of a window with a clear reflection, I realized why.


    The smile I was wearing looked like the smile of a devilishly handsome villain. Combined with my refined demeanor, I looked like a high-level boss.


    They say if you live badly, your face follows suit.


    I should avoid smiling like this for a while. It looks too suspicious.

 Chapter 5

    As soon as I sank into the bath, a sigh escaped my lips. The scenes from before vividly played out on the water¡¯s surface, and the words Selly had spoken before pushing me off the cliff echoed in my ears, pitch-perfect.-It¡¯s all the mistress¡¯s doing. I just thought it was a good opportunity and joined in. Thanks to that, I even got paid. Isn¡¯t that great?


    It seems my stepmother had placed a bounty on my head. I wanted to report her to the guards, but I had no allies. Even if I had, someone as powerful as the mistress of the Tenest family could easily deny everything and get away with it.


    -Not just the mistress. Everyone in the mansion wants you dead, young master.


    What troubled me most was the deep-seated resentment directed at Hersel that permeated the mansion. Financial motives and past grievances. It was no surprise that there were numerous people who wanted me dead. Remembering this again sent chills down my spine.


    Instinctively, my eyes darted to the bathroom entrance. Could there be some danger I hadn¡¯t noticed? I scanned my surroundings nervously. These assassination attempts would continue. I couldn¡¯t even spare a thought for the scenario of a game meant to preserve the world. Dealing with the imminent threat of death was my priority. With only the meager traits of ¡®One Second of Invincibility¡¯ and ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember,¡¯ I had to make do somehow.


    ¡°The first thing I must do¡­¡±


    As soon as dawn breaks, I must report Selly¡¯s treachery to the mistress. Though I wanted to resolve it immediately, it was too late. The mansion was silent enough to hear the chirping of crickets in the middle of the night. They would likely try to disguise my death as an accident, but with so few people awake at this hour, they might attempt to handle it quietly if I showed myself.


    The guards had already tried to kill me earlier. Additionally, entering the tiger¡¯s den without punishment was a kind of warning. A warning that I knew who was after my life. Even if mentioning a will had minimal effect, it would make it harder for them to act openly. It might even buy me some more time.


    My head felt dizzy, whether from the multitude of thoughts or the bath¡¯s heat. I finished bathing and returned to my quarters. As I was drying off and enjoying the pleasant coolness, I noticed the bottle of alcohol on the table. It seemed to be the one the attendant mentioned preparing earlier. The condensation on the bottle reminded me of a commercial I¡¯d seen on TV.


    One glass should be fine, right? Today has truly been hell.


    * * *


    Early morning.


    Selly made her way to see the mistress. Her face was pale, and she looked uneasy. Perhaps she had seen a hallucination in her sleep, but she thought she had seen Hersel¡¯s eyes gleaming at her from the window, covered in dirt. When she got up and inspected the window, there were even deep fingerprints there.


    ¡°Damn ghost. Come at me if you dare. I¡¯ll sprinkle holy water all over you.¡±


    Shaking off the uneasy feeling, she arrived at the mistress¡¯s mansion. The head maid opened the door for her.


    ¡°It must be true if you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Has the rumor spread already?¡±


    ¡°In a place full of gossipy maids, how could it not?¡±


    She had only given a hint to one or two people, yet someone must have spread it.


    ¡°But Selly,¡± the head maid said.


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    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ª!¡±


    Selly suddenly recalled the hallucination from earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s certain. That cliff is so high.¡±


    ¡°If Selly says so, it must be true. I was just worried. Old age brings needless worries.¡±


    Selly tried to shake off her uneasiness as she followed the head maid up the lobby stairs. Just then, a man blocked their path. A young face, barely past adolescence, with sharp eyes. It was Erucel, the third son of the Tenest family. ?


    ¡°Good day, Young Master Erucel,¡± Selly greeted.


    Erucel did not respond. He just looked at the head maid and tilted his head.


    ¡°Is this the one spreading nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her.¡±


    As soon as the words left her mouth, there was a sharp sound.


    Slap¡ª


    Blood trickled from the corner of Selly¡¯s mouth. Erucel had slapped her with his palm. Selly blinked in shock and looked at the head maid, who remained calm. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Selly quickly bowed her head.


    ¡°Young Master Erucel, I¡¯m sorry, but why are you doing this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. I heard clearly that you¡¯ve been spreading rumors about my brother¡¯s accidental death.¡±


    Was it because she had spoken lightly? Was it because she hadn¡¯t reported immediately? The only thing clear was that groveling and sticking to the truth was her only chance of survival.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Young master Hersel fell off the cliff¡­¡±


    ¡°Do dead men drink? The steward said he emptied several bottles of that strong liquor yesterday.¡±


    Hersel is alive?


    Something had gone terribly wrong. Selly shivered with confusion.


    ¡°What were you thinking, spreading such lies? Lies that are easily uncovered.¡±


    ¡°No, Young Master Erucel! Young master Hersel fell off the cliff! I swear, on the mistress¡¯s orders!¡±


    ¡°¡­Orders?¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Selly realized she had misspoken. The festival hosted by the mistress was an open secret. Erucel¡¯s anger grew more intense.


    ¡°You are to be executed immediately. The charges: deceiving and insulting a noble.¡±


    Shing¡ª


    Erucel¡¯s eyes gleamed as he drew his sword from his waist. Selly thought as she looked at Erucel¡¯s raised sword. Hersel couldn¡¯t be alive. There¡¯s no way he came back and drank like before.


    As death approached with each second, Selly¡¯s body shook. Just as Erucel was about to bring down the sword, there was a loud bang.


    The door burst open behind them. Selly reflexively turned her head.


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    The man who entered had a flushed face, reeking of alcohol even from a distance. Still groggy from the liquor, he staggered toward them. The closer he got, the more Selly¡¯s legs gave way until she collapsed to the floor. It was someone who should not be there.


    ¡°What are you doing to my servant, Erucel?¡±


    A low, resonant voice filled the hall. It was Hersel.


    * * *


    ¡°Ugh¡­ my head.¡±


    I grabbed my throbbing head as I got out of bed. The floor was littered with empty bottles. I had forgotten that Hersel was an incorrigible alcoholic. One drink, and I had lost all control. Never drinking again.


    Since it wasn¡¯t too late, I quickly dressed and headed to the mistress¡¯s mansion. What I saw there shocked me.


    Selly, with one cheek swollen and bleeding from her mouth, stood before Erucel, the third son, holding a sword.


    This wasn¡¯t a welcome situation. My plan was to report the mistress and Selly before they could come up with a countermeasure. But here we were.


    These people have no manners, always resorting to swords.


    I spoke to grasp the situation.


    ¡°What are you doing to my servant, Erucel?¡±


    ¡°Hersel¡­.¡±


    ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m executing her on the spot. She insulted and deceived a noble, your worthless servant.¡±


    But why is he speaking informally to me? He¡¯s of lower rank. So rude.


    ¡°Watch your tone.¡±


    My remark caused a twitch in Erucel¡¯s face, more fearful than hateful. He seemed a bit scared. Just the right atmosphere.


    I invoked ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ and walked toward Erucel.


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    With each step, Erucel broke out in a cold sweat and stepped back. His reaction¡­ he¡¯s definitely scared of me. Maybe a childhood trauma? Given my reputation, he probably didn¡¯t treat his half-brother too kindly.


    Right now, I¡¯d lose in a fight, but he must have had plenty of beatings growing up.


    ¡°By deception, you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°What deception?¡±


    ¡°Well, you see. She was spreading lies about your death.¡±


    What is he saying? Decide between formal and informal language already¡­


    Regardless, I got the gist. They failed the assassination, so they wanted to cut ties. Selly, who had pushed me off the cliff, could become my only ally now.


    Might as well use her.


    I looked at the bewildered Selly, then back at Erucel, smiling as if with a hidden agenda.


    ¡°It was my order.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you deaf? I told her to spread the rumor that I had died.¡±


    Erucel¡¯s face showed utter confusion.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t it make people happy to hear I was dead? I heard there were many who would rejoice.¡±


    He flinched. Realizing I knew about the stepmother¡¯s assassination attempts must have unnerved him.


    Feigning innocence, I smiled at the trembling Erucel.


    ¡°Judging by your expression, you didn¡¯t like it. Surely, no brother would be happy to hear about his sibling¡¯s death. Right?¡±


    I approached Erucel. Though I got closer to his sword, I remained unconcerned. I still had ¡®One Second of Invincibility¡¯ if things went south.


    Patting Erucel¡¯s stiff shoulder, I concluded the matter.


    ¡°It was just a childish prank from an older brother. Please forgive me, Erucel.¡±


    Framed as a prank, he wouldn¡¯t pursue it further. The servant was just following orders. All responsibility was mine. He could accuse me if he wished, but could he punish someone of higher rank?


    ¡°Tch¡­.¡±


    Erucel lowered his sword completely, possibly out of fear or because of my unexpected behavior.


    Leaving the now speechless Erucel behind, I turned to Selly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Selly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, young master Hersel.¡±


    She stood up quickly, realizing my intentions and moving accordingly.


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    As we left the mansion, Selly asked.


    ¡°What will you do with me?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize or thank me first?¡±


    An apology for pushing me off the cliff. A thanks for saving her from Erucel. Though I didn¡¯t elaborate, she seemed to understand.


    ¡°Thank you for earlier, but you should apologize, young master¡­¡±


    Her eyes were filled with resentment, no longer hidden. No flexibility, this one.


    Sighing, I said.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡±


    I stopped and turned to face Selly.


    ¡°I understand your resentment regarding your mother. But I feel no guilt or sorrow over that.¡±


    Selly¡¯s expression turned to one of scornful disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s not my doing.¡±


    Her face showed confusion. I delivered the final blow.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Hersel.¡±

 Chapter 6

    ¡°I¡¯m not Hersel.¡±Is this really possible? In most games or web novels, the moment someone talks about regression or possession, a fourth wall appears to filter the conversation and prevent such statements.


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it in detail, but¡­ I was originally someone else. Somehow, I ended up in this body.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you mean someone else is inhabiting the young master¡¯s body right now?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°I see. But why are you saying this all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. I need your cooperation.¡±


    At this point, the scenario hasn¡¯t even started. Not knowing the world before the game is frustrating enough, but everyone in the mansion is insane and trying to kill me. It¡¯s like being dropped in the middle of a dark forest without a lantern. I desperately needed even a small light, like a firefly, to illuminate my surroundings.


    ¡°Cooperation?¡±


    So, in an attempt to improve our relationship, I grabbed at straws. As expected, Selly¡¯s gaze turned icy, her lips drooping, and her entire complexion seemed to wilt.


    ¡°How much have you drunk?¡±


    Of course. If I were in her shoes, I would also think it was the ramblings of a madman. Damn it, was the fact that I could even make such a statement proof that I had no one to trust, allowing me to speak freely?


    ¡°Well, never mind. You don¡¯t have to believe me. You¡¯ll end up helping me anyway.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I will?¡±


    ¡°Just continue doing your job. It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    Selly bit her lower lip. Her eyes, filled with suspicion, bore into me as if trying to decipher my intentions.


    ¡°You¡¯re not punishing me or kicking me out? You just want me to continue serving you? Even though I might try to kill you again?¡±


    ¡°Have I died yet?¡±


    Selly looked bewildered. She scrutinized my body, inspecting it like a buyer checking for scratches on a second-hand item.


    ¡°How can you be completely unscathed? You fell off a cliff¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a secret. A secret to not dying.¡±


    Only for a second, though.


    ¡°What nonsense is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said all I wanted to say. If you have no business, you can leave.¡±


    ¡°I was planning to anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait. Before you go.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    After pushing me off a cliff, she thinks she can just leave? She should be punished for her crime. I gave her a good flick on the forehead.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Selly teared up, clutching her head. Seeing her like that, I felt a sense of relief. Ah, refreshing.


    ¡°Alright. You can go.¡±


    Selly turned and stormed off, fuming. I chuckled at her retreating figure. The rest would be resolved with time; I just had to wait.


    * * *


    Two days passed. Selly couldn¡¯t shake the tension from the change in atmosphere.


    ¡°My laundry is missing? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What can I do, Selly?¡±


    The maid responded with a stiff posture and a blank face, showing no hint of remorse. Her attitude was more infuriating than the mistake, but Selly couldn¡¯t say anything more. ??


    It didn¡¯t help that the other servants stopped to watch, their faces devoid of any emotion, just blankly staring.


    Since yesterday, something felt off. The mansion was busy as usual, but no one gave her any tasks. The usual friendly greetings were gone, replaced by cold indifference. The faces that once smiled warmly now looked as lifeless as a burned-out field.


    ¡°Selly?¡±


    Hearing her name, Selly turned reflexively.


    ¡°Head maid?¡±


    ¡°Are you busy right now?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m free. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°The mistress wants to see you.¡±


    Selly¡¯s eyes widened. It was rare for the mistress to summon a servant who wasn¡¯t directly under her. She wanted to ask why, but the expressionless gazes around her kept her silent. She followed the head maid without a word.


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    They arrived at a sunlit terrace. There, a woman sat, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sipping tea gracefully.


    ¡°Mistress, I brought Selly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Elma.¡±


    The high-pitched, yet elegant voice added to Selly¡¯s nervousness. As the head maid left, Selly composed herself and greeted respectfully.


    ¡°Selly Daelden. It is an honor to meet you, mistress.¡±


    Achille von Teneste. This woman before her was the true power. With the duke away, she ruled the mansion and had hosted the festival to hunt Hersel. Selly couldn¡¯t help but feel tense.


    Trying to read her expression was useless, hidden as it was by the hat¡¯s wide brim. All Selly could see was the lipstick stain on the teacup.


    The mistress took a sip and spoke.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been working here a long time. I thought it polite to meet you in person.¡±


    Polite? Selly¡¯s face asked the question, but the mistress simply waved a hand, signaling there was nothing more.


    ¡°Good work. You may go.¡±


    Confused, Selly bowed and prepared to leave.


    ¡°It was an honor to meet you, mistress. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    As Selly walked away with the head maid, she tried to speak, but the head maid spoke first.


    ¡°Selly, I thought you were smart. Why did you make such a choice?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡±


    With wide eyes, Selly was stunned into silence as the head maid slapped her. The slap was hard enough to make her head turn, and her cheek, already bandaged, bled again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. Rumors say you sided with the hunted!¡±


    The head maid¡¯s shout snapped her back to reality.


    Sided with Hersel? Why would the head maid think that?


    It dawned on her. During her confrontation with Erucel, Hersel had defended her, claiming he had ordered it. Though she had genuinely pushed Hersel off the cliff, to others, it must have looked different.


    Despite being ordered, falsely reporting Hersel¡¯s death could be seen as an insult to the mistress. Yet, she obeyed Hersel¡¯s suicidal command, appearing loyal in the eyes of others.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡ª¡±


    Selly tried to explain, but the head maid was already leaving. She reached out, then let her hand fall. Even if she ran after her now, would she be believed?


    She genuinely pushed Hersel, but he didn¡¯t die and even saved her. Who would believe such a story? Not even she could fully believe it yet. Realizing the futility of her situation, Selly¡¯s face turned pale. The changing attitudes of others were the least of her problems; her life was in danger. The mistress would never let someone perceived as siding with Hersel live.


    ¨C ¡°Good work. You may go.¡±


    The mistress¡¯s parting words sent chills down her spine. Was it a farewell? Could she, just a maid, survive the mistress¡¯s wrath? Her face lost more color. Then, Hersel¡¯s words came to mind.


    ¨C ¡°Never mind. You don¡¯t have to believe me. You¡¯ll end up helping me anyway.¡±


    * * *


    I was reading by candlelight with the curtains drawn. The book in my hands was filled with fanciful ancient tales.


    ¡°Splitting a mountain? Seriously.¡±


    The exaggerated stories were laughable. No one would believe tales of creating plains with a single sword strike. Even with maxed-out character stats, it would be impossible. As I turned the page to read another tale, the door suddenly opened.


    ¡°Young master.¡±


    I put down the book as Selly entered without knocking. Her rudeness irked me, but her appearance stopped me from scolding her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wipe the blood from your mouth first?¡±


    I handed her a handkerchief. Even such a small gesture was met with wary acceptance.


    ¡°Why is the room so dark? And a candle in broad daylight?¡±


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s a reason.¡±


    ¡°Things are really strange lately.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get to the point?¡±


    Selly hesitated, then cautiously spoke.


    ¡°Did you know this would happen?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    It was inevitable. I had essentially declared her as my ally. Naturally, the others wouldn¡¯t take kindly to it. So her only remaining option was me.


    ¡°So, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that is¡­¡±


    Selly clenched her fists and looked down. Finally, she spoke, squeezing out the words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept your offer¡­ I will help you¡­¡±


    Why was it so hard for her to say that? It must have felt like making a pact with the devil to her. Still, this was crucial.


    ¡°Speak clearly. Otherwise, leave.¡±


    She shut her eyes and shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept your offer, young master!¡±


    She should have done that from the start.


    ¡°Is that so? Too bad, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±


    Her eyes widened.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even thanked me or apologized yet.¡±


    I pointed to the floor and spoke calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance. Kneel and apologize properly. Then I¡¯ll accept.¡±


    Selly¡¯s eyes trembled. Asking for forgiveness was humiliating, but what choice did she have? She had to swallow her pride to survive.


    ¡°Or leave and die.¡±


    I pushed her harshly. Slowly, her head bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pushing you off the cliff. I won¡¯t do it again. Please, forgive me, young master¡­¡±


    Eventually, her forehead touched the floor. I considered giving her another flick on the forehead but stopped when I heard her sobbing. I waited until she calmed down, continuing to read.


    Ten minutes later, she seemed composed, so I asked.


    ¡°Alright. First, I need information. You said everyone in the mansion wants me dead?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve made a lot of enemies.¡±


    If that were the only reason, I would have died long ago.


    ¡°The bounty the mistress placed on my head. Is that why everyone is after me now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The mistress promised a huge reward for your assassination in front of everyone in the mansion.¡±


    Publicly ordering the death of a noble family¡¯s heir? She was either crazy or had enough power to lose nothing from such an act. Definitely the latter.


    ¡°They¡¯ll try to disguise it as an accident, right?¡±


    ¡°Preferably. She warned that obvious methods wouldn¡¯t be protected, as killing a noble is a serious crime.¡±


    No blatant attacks, then. This was crucial information. The worst-case scenario was continuous assassination attempts, which even my one-second invincibility couldn¡¯t handle.


    ¡°Do you think I can survive?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll likely die¡­¡±


    Her answer was bleak. She must have come to me, seeing a one percent chance as better than certain death.


    ¡°But if you can hold out until the duke returns, it might be possible. The mistress¡¯s deadline is then.¡±


    That piqued my interest. The duke was Hersel¡¯s father, Aol von Teneste. The mistress must be acting while he¡¯s away.


    ¡°When is he returning?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s on an expedition to subdue a demon territory. It should take just over two months.¡±


    An expedition¡­ If he returns, this situation will end.


    ¡°I have a condition if I¡¯m to help you until the duke returns.¡±


    ¡°A condition?¡±


    ¡°When you leave, take me with you.¡±


    Where to?


    ¡°If I stay here alone, I can¡¯t guarantee my life. If you can¡¯t agree, then forget this conversation.¡±


    ¡°Take you where?¡±


    I stared at her. She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You promised the duke you would go to the academy.¡±


    The academy? A headache began to form. The academy was where the stories of thirty playable characters unfolded, a perilous place.


    Never mind. I¡¯ll deal with it later. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Fine. You can come.¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem reassured.


    ¡°Do you have a plan to survive until then?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Just as I was about to explain, the candle burned out. The room¡¯s only light source gone, I moved to the window and threw open the curtains.


    Bright sunlight flooded the room, revealing the scenery outside. Maids cleaning windows, gardeners tending trees, and butlers bustling about. All eyes seemed to be on my room. They quickly averted their gazes.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you kept the curtains closed.¡±


    ¡°The attention is overwhelming.¡±


    I handed Selly an illustrated book.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? The Arrogant Immortal? A myth?¡±


    This was why I was reading ancient tales. I found a story that suited my one-second invincibility: the tale of a half-human, half-god who couldn¡¯t die. In Asare¡¯s world, religion was pervasive, with firm beliefs in divine retribution and myths. I planned to use the guise of a mythical figure.


    ¡°I am the reincarnation of the Arrogant Immortal.¡±


    My voice, combined with ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember,¡¯ was solemn. Selly looked at me with a mix of awe and disbelief.


    ¡°Crazy bastard, we¡¯re doomed.¡±

 Chapter 7

    The dissolute young master had been hiding in his room for two days. The restless servants in the mansion thought to themselves that Selly, who had sided with him, must have told him everything about the festival. Thus, unless Hersel had gone mad, he would not come out. For those who had been preparing for the festival, this was truly a troublesome matter. However, just when the talk of changing their plans to a locked-room murder was circulating, something unexpected happened.He walked out of his fortress on his own two feet.


    ¡°Is everyone ready?¡±


    In the three-story high main hall, mainly used for entertaining guests, a maid asked. The butlers mopping the floor and the maids sweeping it nodded simultaneously.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    By now, the bait must have been thrown to Hersel, and he would have taken it in no time. The bait, of course, was the rare liquor brought into the main hall. Hersel was infamous throughout the territory, known even to three-year-olds, for being a drunkard.


    ¡°But will he really come? If he¡¯s been holed up in his room all this time, he might have figured something out¡­¡±


    ¡°A sparrow can¡¯t pass by a mill without stopping.¡±


    No more dissenting voices were heard. They shook their heads, recalling the madness the alcoholic often showed when it came to liquor, but the servants had smiles blooming on their lips. They all looked up at the ceiling as if on cue. The chandelier sparkled with crystals.


    ¡°We agreed to split the prize, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, equally.¡±


    Their laughter didn¡¯t last long because the door opened at that moment.


    ¡°Shh, here he comes. Act normal, everyone.¡±


    Screeeech¡ª Clack, clack, echoed the sound of neat shoe steps. A maid approached the elegant man, exuding noble grace, with a bright smile.


    ¡°Young master, what brings you to the main hall?¡±


    As expected, despite his noble appearance, his words were far from refined.


    ¡°I heard that Balram¡¯s liquor has arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it arrived just last evening.¡±


    ¡°Then bring it to me, will you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it right away. Please wait a moment, young master.¡±


    The maid turned around and winked with one eye. The butler, having received the signal, approached Hersel with a chair for distinguished guests.


    ¡°Young master, please have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The butler was slightly dazed by the unfamiliar gratitude that came from his mouth.


    ¡°Yes? Oh, yes¡­ You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Hersel sat in the chair without any suspicion. The butler quickly regained his composure and, fearing he might notice something, diverted his attention with his usual eloquence. ?


    ¡°How do you find it? Even without a theater, there¡¯s plenty to see, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    The butler guided his gaze to the sculptures by famous stonemasons and paintings by great artists displayed in the main hall. Hersel followed his hand gestures with his eyes.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Then, he suddenly looked up.


    ¡°Especially that chandelier is truly beautiful.¡±


    At his words, the servants swallowed their saliva in unison. They were nervous, thinking he might have figured it out, but he soon lowered his gaze and only looked at the paintings. The butler, who had been entertaining him, started to back away with a superficial smile.


    ¡°Haha. There are many new artworks, so I¡¯d love to explain more, but it¡¯s unfortunate that I have an errand from the mistress to attend to.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a signal. The maid, who had been repeatedly cleaning the already spotless railing on the third floor, glanced down. As the butler moved to a safe distance, she pulled a thin wire tightly.


    Click¡ª


    The metallic sound of a latch on the ceiling disappeared, and the chandelier began to fall to the floor. Because of the densely attached crystals, it looked as if a shower of glass was pouring down only where Hersel stood.


    With a diameter of five meters, weighing as much as two sacks of flour, and hanging from a ceiling higher than three stories, being crushed under this siege weapon-like menace would turn even a bull into mush. A mere human would be unrecognizable.


    Boom!


    A heavy crash resounded. Dust rose, obscuring any sight of blood, but one thing was certain. Hersel, who had been staring at the paintings, hadn¡¯t noticed the falling chandelier. He couldn¡¯t have reacted or evaded it and would have died instantly.


    Yet, an unexpected anomaly reached their ears.


    Clack, clack¡ª


    The sound of shoe steps and a restrained cough that shouldn¡¯t be heard echoed.


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    The servants doubted their ears and rubbed their eyes as if seeing an illusion. Emerging through the dust was the man, walking nonchalantly, brushing off the debris on him. He reached the maid, who was trembling as if she might collapse, holding the liquor meant to be poured over his corpse at the festival finale.


    ¡°But you know.¡±


    As Hersel snatched the liquor, the servants snapped back to their senses with a chill. The unbelievable events were not over.


    ¡°I recently quit drinking.¡±


    The liquor, which they expected him to gulp down, only trickled out drop by drop until it wet the floor.


    ¡°Why would you mention alcohol to someone like me, who¡¯s trying to quit, instead of helping?¡±


    The empty bottle rolled on the floor. Hersel began to examine the faces of the servants in the hall.


    ¡°Why the long faces?¡±


    Hersel smiled wryly. It might have been a light-hearted laugh to him, but to others, it was a visage reminiscent of a demon king.


    ¡°Is there any law that says I can¡¯t quit drinking?¡±


    After this whimsical remark, Hersel left. The servants, gripped by an unknown fear and the impossible anomaly, couldn¡¯t utter a sound for a while. Only the small muttering of the maid who handed him the liquor echoed in the silent hall.


    ¡°What on earth just happened¡­¡±


    * * *


    A middle-aged man escorted Hersel to the riding arena. His position was that of a horse trainer. The bait to lure Hersel this time was a warhorse that no man could refuse. It was a famous and precious horse from the North, so rare that even young masters of wealthy families couldn¡¯t easily ride it. However, Hersel¡¯s reaction was somehow unsatisfactory, making the trainer scratch his head.


    Anyway, the trainer, who had briefly wondered, fixed his gaze ahead and smirked.


    He had trained the warhorse to go wild the moment anyone put their foot in the stirrup. Additionally, he had taught it to kick at the chest with its muscular hind legs repeatedly. As a high-quality warhorse, one kick could dent even armor.


    Soon, the two men arrived at the riding arena, and the trainer brought out the muscular horse, stopping it in front of Hersel.


    ¡°Please, give it a try. Its endurance might be low, but its speed is truly phenomenal.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, could you give me a demonstration?¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve ridden, so I might be a bit rusty.¡±


    A challenge arose. Did he notice something?


    In the trainer¡¯s memory, Hersel was good at riding to the extent that he could ride a horse even after getting drunk.


    ¡°Haha, what a funny joke. Please, go ahead. If you have any difficulties, I¡¯ll gladly assist with some advice.¡±


    The trainer averted the crisis with his skilled speech. Hersel, watching him with a meaningful look, opened his lips.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re prepared, it¡¯s only polite to give you a chance.¡±


    ¡°Sorry? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    The trainer broke into a cold sweat at Hersel¡¯s ominous remark but ignored it as Hersel placed his foot in the stirrup. At that moment, the horse, breathing heavily, reared up on its hind legs. Hersel, who hadn¡¯t even mounted yet, fell to the ground. The horse¡¯s forelegs stomped down, followed by a powerful kick from its muscular hind legs.


    With a loud crack, the trainer smiled satisfactorily, convinced that the broken rib must have pierced his lung. At least, that¡¯s what he thought.


    ¡°Puheheheh!¡±


    ¡°What, what is this?!¡±


    The one presumed dead, Hersel, was unscathed. Rather, it was the horse, with its hind leg bent at an awkward angle, screaming in pain. While the trainer shuddered at the bizarre phenomenon, Hersel dusted himself off and stood up.


    ¡°Why? Did you think I would die from just this?¡±


    The trainer, realizing the situation, quickly bowed his head to the ground. Even if he couldn¡¯t be tied to an assassination attempt, the rogue Hersel would show no mercy. He would use the excuse of improper training to have his head cut off.


    ¡°I-I apologize! It was my mistake to train the horse poorly! Please, spare my life!¡±


    Knowing it wouldn¡¯t work, the trainer pleaded for a miracle, crying out. He already predicted his fate, imagining himself in a coffin. As expected, an eerie remark came from Hersel.


    ¡°Since its leg is broken, should I put it down humanely?¡±


    The trainer knew nobles loved to speak in roundabout ways. Hersel, who enjoyed tormenting people, was no exception. So, ¡°putting down¡± surely meant his own life.


    ¡°N-no, if we treat it, it can live. So please, don¡¯t put it down¡­¡±


    Praying for mercy, he pleaded, rubbing his trembling hands together. Hersel, glancing at the horse, said something that made the trainer doubt his ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. If it can be saved, treat it well.¡±


    There was a god. That day, the trainer experienced a miracle.


    * * *


    I opened the notebook in my pocket. It contained information I had written down based on rumors about those who had been preparing for my assassination for a long time. The chandelier falling and the horse trainer plotting to kill me had all been detailed.


    ¡°This is indeed helpful.¡±


    The informant Selly was in the same predicament as me, so with communication cut off, there would be no recent information for a while, but it would suffice for now.


    Suddenly, my body began to feel heavy. This business was quite tiring. As I stepped into the mansion to take a short rest, my foot slipped as if butter had been spread on the floor.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I started seeing the ceiling, and a sensation transmitted from the back of my head as my hair touched the ground. Normally, I would hear the sound of my skull shattering, but I was different. What I heard was the crushing sound of a stone floor.


    Thud¡ª


    [Impact detected.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    ¡°These bastards?¡±


    More than that, how should I interpret this? It was dangerous, but it seemed too ambiguous to be an assassination attempt. Well, many people have died slipping in the bathtub.


    I steadied myself and stood up. A maid, carrying a feather duster, was about to clean a nearby window.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    ¡°Could you tidy up my clothes?¡±


    The maid approached me hesitantly. However, her movements were unnatural. She had wasted several steps to avoid the spot where I had slipped. Clearly, she was the culprit. Look at her, her hands are even trembling.


    ¡°The floor was slippery.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes? What do you mean by that?¡±


    Seeing her feigning ignorance, I gave her a stern look. The maid, startled, flinched and slipped on the same slippery spot, ending up falling on her buttocks. She seemed to know it was slippery, as she managed only to fall lightly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, young master! Please, spare me!¡±


    ¡­Look at her jumping to conclusions. Anyone would think I¡¯m about to devour her. I had no such intention. Seeing them huddled together, expanding their imaginations, was exactly what I wanted. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t punished them for previous attempts either.


    ¡°Just make sure to clean it up so no one else gets hurt.¡±


    With that, I turned away.


    Clack, clack¡ª


    I walked down the corridor without any particular destination. I repeated to myself that this was how I should act, waiting for other assassination attempts. Even if I fell off a sheer cliff, even if a sharp blade cut my neck, even if a chandelier fell from a three-story height, even if a one-ton warhorse kicked me, even if I slipped¡­ Ah, was that one too mundane?


    Anyway, no matter what I went through, I didn¡¯t die. They might chalk it up to luck once or twice. But if this kept happening?


    Could they comprehend a situation where I don¡¯t die despite countless attempts to kill me?


    Humans fear the inexplicable. It¡¯s well known that ancient people thought thunder, which is just a weather phenomenon, was the anger of gods.


    By facing these assassination attempts head-on and becoming a legend, I aim to make them give up on trying to kill me. That was the survival strategy I chose.


    Clack¡ª


    I had just reached the end of the stairs when a neat-looking butler greeted me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look well. I have some skill in medicine. Would you allow me the honor of serving you?¡±


    I smiled at him.


    Their attempts would be my nourishment. I would devour it and sever the chains that bound me.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    There was no reason to refuse.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°Did you hear? The butler on that side failed as well.¡±The candle flames flickered. Several servants were whispering in the dimly lit break room. They had gathered to discuss why their methods had failed and to talk about their failed assassination attempts. The servants who had dropped the chandelier were the first to express doubt.


    ¡°Could it have missed?¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s the only explanation.¡±


    ¡°Must be, he¡¯s one lucky bastard.¡±


    The trainer joined the conversation, his face showing unease.


    ¡°Is that really it? It¡¯s hard to say it was just luck.¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you have any clues?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something we¡¯re missing. He took a direct hit to the chest from the horse¡¯s hind legs and was unscathed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, wasn¡¯t it a baby donkey?¡±


    The maid laughed, misunderstanding it as a joke, but the trainer furrowed his brows in frustration.


    ¡°Ugh, it was a warhorse. And the only thing that broke wasn¡¯t Hersel¡¯s ribs but the horse¡¯s leg. If you don¡¯t believe me, come to the stables. I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    The listeners¡¯ eyes widened. It seemed unbelievable, but his serious expression carried a strange conviction.


    ¡°Maybe he was hit by the chandelier¡­ or did he use some kind of trick?¡±


    ¡°Did he put something like a thick iron plate under his clothes?¡±


    ¡°Would that be enough? Even armored, it would have been dented.¡±


    ¡°Right. A horse¡¯s hind kick can¡¯t be stopped by mere armor. There must be something else.¡±


    They had no way of figuring out what that ¡®something else¡¯ was. The only plausible thought was that Hersel might be some higher-order knight who had transcended human limits. This speculation seemed like the most natural thought process they could muster.


    It was absurd.


    The butler shook his head. Judging Hersel as a powerful being just because he inherited the blood of the revered warrior Aol was baseless. Hersel had spent his days drinking and idling rather than training. In reality, he had a body that looked so frail it seemed like even a common soldier could easily knock him down.


    ¡°Come to think of it, that¡¯s not the only strange thing. He¡¯s been doing uncharacteristic things lately. Haven¡¯t you all noticed?¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement with the butler¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yes. Suddenly, he declares he¡¯s quit drinking, even though he would drink regardless of a prohibition.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t thrown any dishes either.¡±


    ¡°And, believe it or not, he actually thanked someone.¡±


    Although it was common for nobles to be well-mannered, refraining from excessive drinking, and not breaking dishes or furniture unless something really bad happened, and expressing gratitude to their servants, the fact that Hersel had adhered to these ¡®basics¡¯ was too significant to ignore.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s had a change of heart?¡±


    The maid voiced her thought, making the listeners puff their cheeks and suppress laughter.


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Probably ate something bad or is trying to get in good with the gods before he dies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more likely, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop with the useless talk. So, who¡¯s going to try next?¡±


    After a few more rounds of conversation, the break room emptied out. As silence fell, the cabinet under the shelf cautiously opened. Inside, squeezed tightly, was Selly. ????


    ¡°Ouch, my back¡­¡±


    There was a sad story behind her hiding in the cabinet. Hersel was wary of poison. As he said, the safest food was the kind that even the servants could eat. While fetching such food, Selly had hidden in a hurry when the servants suddenly entered.


    ¡°Did he really do that?¡±


    Unable to communicate with people after being marked by the mistress, Selly hadn¡¯t even heard rumors. The unintended eavesdropping on their conversation left her mind in turmoil. Seeing Hersel wandering the mansion unscathed amidst attempts on his life made her wonder if perhaps his earlier claim wasn¡¯t just a self-absorbed delusion.


    -¡®I am the reincarnation of an arrogant immortal.¡¯


    Though what the others said might have been a misunderstanding, she herself had seen it. Hersel, who had fallen from a sheer cliff, came back unscathed. The more she thought about his claim of being an ¡®immortal,¡¯ the more it started to make sense. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    * * *


    I was exhausted from wandering around the mansion and surviving assassination attempts. Whether it was the accumulated fatigue or something else, I quickly fell asleep. But I had to wake up soon.


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    What? Hastily, I lit a candle and jumped out of bed, pulling the blanket away. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Two spiders, each the size of an adult male¡¯s palm, were crawling around. Their color was a foreboding purple, clearly venomous.


    ¡°Crazy¡­¡±


    One spider seemed to be missing a fang, possibly broken from biting earlier. The other, driven by an aggressive instinct, continued to approach me. Cold sweat ran down my back. Originally, I had a near-phobic fear of spiders rather than mere disgust.


    When working overtime once, I had a dark moment when I begged a female colleague to remove a tiny spider that had crawled onto my shoulder like a scared puppy.


    Stay calm. There¡¯s no Ms. Miran here to catch cockroaches with her bare hands. I looked around for something that could be used as a weapon and spotted a shining piece of metal. Quickly, I grabbed the bell from the table and shook it with all my might. Then I hid in the closet.


    My frame was large, but not so much that I couldn¡¯t fit into the closet. To be safe, I used my pajamas to block the gaps. Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps and the rough opening of the door was heard.


    ¡°Why are you ringing the bell in the middle of the night?¡±


    The high-pitched voice, sharp and rude, didn¡¯t irritate me. Selly would soon become my Ms. Miran, ending the current situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    I quickly opened the door a little to reveal myself. Hiding in the closet, I must have looked ridiculous. Maybe ¡®The Embers of Noble Blood¡¯ was unwilling to acknowledge my shameful appearance, or perhaps I was too aware of others¡¯ gazes. Either way, I started to burn with shame.


    ¡°There are two bugs in this room. It¡¯s only right that a servant like you should handle it.¡±


    My voice, unnecessarily noble, sounded even more foolish. Selly¡¯s cold eyes seemed to agree, looking at me as if I were an idiot.


    ¡°One on the floor. One on the bed.¡±


    Sighing, Selly grabbed two pens from the desk. The fountain pens turned into daggers, piercing the spiders¡¯ bodies. One stuck to the floor, and the other to the white bed, oozing thick fluid from their bellies.


    ¡°These sheets were cleaned just recently¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your fault. Clean that up and bring new sheets.¡±


    Selly¡¯s fist trembled. It made sense; accumulating work in the middle of the night would make anyone angry. She looked like she was ready to hit someone, but in a world where rank is power, all she could do was glare and grumble under her breath.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even catch a spider, so much for the arrogant immortal.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    As Selly went to fetch new sheets, I fell into thought, staring at the disgusting spider corpses.


    ¡°Venomous spiders¡­ What if I had been bitten¡­?¡±


    No, that¡¯s a moot point. Fangs themselves count as damage.


    My curiosity, which I had suppressed in favor of eating safe food, resurfaced. What would happen if I were exposed to poison through ingestion? The ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ was supposed to nullify any threat for one second. Cliff falls and single attacks like sword strikes were proven ineffective through experience.


    Let¡¯s think further. What about persistent and delayed damage?


    I pulled out my notebook filled with assassination plans. Poisoning was a frequent method. I intended to avoid it as much as possible, but I was reaching my limit. I hadn¡¯t had a proper meal in days, surviving on crumbs. The immediate stress of it was almost deadly.


    ¡°Should I test how I react to poison?¡±


    Determined, I tore a sheet from the notepad and started listing the necessary items from my memory. Time passed, and the paper was filled with scribbles. Now, all I needed was someone to fetch the items. But the person supposed to receive my orders was late. I tapped my foot impatiently, glaring at the clock.


    ¡°Is she making the sheets herself?¡±


    * * *


    A woman was busy in the kitchen. Noticing the sudden request for a special meal from the young master, who had been skipping meals for a while, she sensed something suspicious. The menu was elaborate and time-consuming: oily steak and various dishes she excelled at, minus the wine.


    Despite the hard work, Mirei felt slightly elated. After all, the pinch of powder she added would work its magic. The colorless, odorless, and tasteless powder would cause a heart attack upon ingestion, sprinkled liberally on the steak.


    It wasn¡¯t uncommon for nobles to die of heart attacks. It would easily be accepted. The mistress only seemed to care about obvious murders, so there was no problem.


    After carefully inspecting the plating and closing the dish covers, Mirei moved the cart to Hersel¡¯s room.


    ¡°Dinner is ready, young master.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    After a brief greeting, Mirei placed the dishes on the table without a trace of hesitation. Although Hersel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t show hunger, his gaze fixed on the meat indicated his craving.


    If he knew what was in it, his thoughts would surely change.


    ¡°My stomach feels a bit heavy¡­ I think it¡¯s better to start with something refreshing.¡±


    Hersel grabbed a fork and chose the salad first. Next were the fried dishes and seafood. He didn¡¯t touch the main course, the steak, as if deliberately avoiding it.


    Mirei glanced at him, her face betraying her confusion. She met his blue eyes.


    But as if mocking her thoughts, Hersel picked up the knife and sliced the steak like a piece of cake. Mirei internally wiped her sweat. As a piece of meat entered his mouth, her eyes stayed glued to his throat.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    He chewed and then, seemingly parched, took a sip from his glass. Mirei closely observed Hersel¡¯s reactions, but he appeared perfectly normal. Time passed, and still, there was no change.


    The only odd thing was that he took his time, spacing his bites about a minute apart. In the end, only a small piece of steak remained.


    ¡°It melts in the mouth. How long does it take to make something like this?¡±


    Despite the ominous look in his eyes, Mirei maintained her composure.


    ¡°The aging process takes 14 days. We have plenty of extras prepared, so you can have it anytime.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Especially the tangy taste is superb. Did you use some secret seasoning?¡±


    His knowing comment made Mirei flinch slightly. Hersel, giving her a sidelong glance, deliberately put the last piece in his mouth.


    [Poison detected. (Type: Yutulip poison)]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ nullifies any threat for one second. Hersel had sought various slightly toxic herbs based on his game knowledge to test the limits of this ability. Through experiments with prolonged and delayed toxins, he discovered it could nullify any damage or status effect as long as it lasted a second.


    However, this invincibility only applied to his body¡¯s internal damage, not to continuous external damage like standing in a damaging zone, which it could only block for a second. This was concluded by burning his finger with a candle.


    Despite that, it changed the situation considerably. Further tests for the utility of his invincibility were lined up, but those could wait. For now, Hersel wanted to savor the look of shock on Mirei¡¯s face for as long as possible.

 Chapter 9

    They say humans are creatures of adaptation. It was about the time when repeated assassinations started to feel like part of my daily routine. I set foot in the mistress¡¯s mansion. If you ask why I was doing something so crazy, it¡¯s because no matter how much you hear about the enemy, it¡¯s just an inference formed from others¡¯ evaluations. I needed to see it for myself.¡°M-Master. May I ask what brings you here?¡± The butler, who was opening the door, was startled and bowed his head. His severe trembling was evident in his voice as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s mealtime, so I came. Why, is it so strange for a family to eat together?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    The original Hersel would have eaten alone, holed up in his room. It was hard to imagine a brat who would dine merrily with his family. Moreover, no matter how clueless he was, he must have known that the mistress and his half-siblings disliked him. It¡¯s no wonder the butler was surprised that such a person suddenly showed up talking about family meals.


    ¡°Is there a problem? Surely there¡¯s enough time to set another place at the table.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, of course¡­¡±


    The reactions of the other servants were the same. Those I passed whispered behind their covered mouths as I walked. They were clearly agitated, which worked in my favor. It would be hard for them to decide whether to attempt an assassination here and now. They couldn¡¯t have anticipated such a sudden, unexpected move.


    Of course, there are exceptions for those who are thoroughly prepared.


    ¡°Greetings, Master. Your seat is always prepared.¡± She was the head maid.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you get ready for dinner.¡± The head maid glanced at a nearby maid. The maid approached with a graceful step and greeted me. The head maid then quietly left the scene as if it wasn¡¯t her concern.


    ¡°This way, please. I will guide you to the bath.¡±


    It was obvious what they intended to do, so I decided to play along for a bit.


    ¡°Is it really necessary? I¡¯ve already freshened up before coming.¡±


    ¡°This is the mistress¡¯s mansion. You must follow the rules. Not only you, Master Hersel, but the other family members also adhere to these rules.¡±


    The maid showed no intention of backing down. Since both the mistress and the half-siblings insisted on bathing before meals, there was nothing more to say.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll bathe alone. Don¡¯t even think about assigning anyone to me.¡±


    Nothing happened until I immersed myself in the bath. However, I was amazed by the mansion. While wandering the corridors, I noticed that there were a lot of doors, and from the scent of soap wafting through the gaps, it was clear there were many bathrooms.


    With no particular thoughts, I finished my bath and moved on. Dressing alone was impossible. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the order of putting on the clothes, nor the location of the buttons.


    ¡°Is it too tight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    The maid finished fastening the belt and then brought out a box of appropriate size. When the lid was opened, simple cosmetics were revealed. I could tell that this was just the beginning. ??


    ¡°This lotion is excellent for moisturizing.¡±


    ¡°No need to explain every little thing.¡±


    As I felt the damp cotton on my skin, a system window appeared.


    [Poison detected. Type: Deadly venom of Killer Frog]


    [1-second invincibility trait activated.]


    Just as Selly had informed me, the lotion was laced with poison. Poisoning right from the first step¡ªI hesitated because of this.


    ¡°It¡¯s very effective. My skin feels rejuvenated.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    Seeing my calm reaction, the maid¡¯s eyes trembled slightly. Feeling a bit mischievous, I wiped my face with a towel and said,


    ¡°Would you like to try it? It¡¯s really good.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t much to say this to a woman who tried to kill me.


    ¡°Thank you, but this is a premium product. It does not suit someone lowly like me.¡±


    ¡°Your skin is too good to be called lowly. Should I apply it for you?¡±


    As I grabbed the cotton pad with a kind smile, the maid¡¯s face turned pale, and she burst into tears. She crouched on the floor, her shoulders shaking violently.


    I glanced at the mirror. The reflection in the dressing room mirror showed a bully tormenting a powerless woman. Even though she was the one at fault, why did it feel like I was the bad guy? S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Regardless, I had to offer her a handkerchief.


    ¡°¡­Stop crying. It was just a joke.¡±


    However, she seemed confused by the white color, identical to the cotton pad, and in her panic, she screamed and eventually fainted. She probably couldn¡¯t distinguish objects due to her tear-filled eyes.


    Voices whispered beyond the door.


    ¡°There was a scream just now¡­. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Emil come out yet? She went in with him.¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­?¡±


    It seemed there were some absurd misunderstandings. It was urgent to clarify the situation. I opened the door and, with a concerned expression, said lightly as if nothing serious had happened,


    ¡°She suddenly fainted. She seemed unwell. Can someone take her to the infirmary?¡±


    Seeing their shocked faces, I realized my mistake. Now that I think about it, would this notorious rascal really show a concerned face?


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t lay a finger on her.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ Of course. I believe you, Master.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Emil has always been a frail child. Yes, that¡¯s right¡­.¡±


    But why are you avoiding my gaze?


    ¡°U-Understood.¡±


    ¡°Understood?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I meant to say that the Master¡¯s words are correct, but I was so startled that I misspoke.¡±


    The more I tried to explain, the more it seemed to complicate things. It would settle once the maid woke up. While pondering who to ask for directions in place of the fallen maid, the dressing room door at the end of the corridor opened. I saw the back of a silver-haired man. A maid was whispering something in his ear. His shoulder shook and he shouted loudly.


    ¡°He¡¯s invaded? And not only that, he harassed someone? Is he declaring war against our mother?¡±


    I quietly approached him from behind. The maid noticed and stepped back in surprise, but the furious Erucel kept grumbling.


    ¡°There seems to be a very nasty fellow here. Who is it? I will help deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is¡­¡±


    He turned around. His eyes widened like a goldfish when he saw me. I put my hand on his shoulder and enjoyed his trembling.


    ¡°Perfect. I needed someone to guide me. You¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, I¡¯m also busy¡­¡±


    Trying to run away?


    ¡°I know you¡¯re going to eat. I thought it¡¯d be nice to have a family meal together after so long. Won¡¯t you join me?¡±


    He tried to back away. Each step he took backward, I matched by stepping forward. Erucel was sweating profusely, his eyes shaking like there was an earthquake.


    ¡°Do you want to talk to me face-to-face while walking backward? It¡¯s touching, but be careful not to fall. Unless you have eyes on the back of your head.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t let him escape. Right now, in front of me was a free pass ticket that would guide me to the dining room, bypassing all future assassination attempts.


    ***


    As expected. There were all sorts of threats like poisoned darts and collapsing statues, but the servants must have hesitated, fearing that the attached Erucel might get caught instead. Thanks to that, I reached the dining table without incident.


    ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡±


    Erucel, who was seated opposite me, asked.


    ¡°I already told you. To eat.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ You must have some ulterior motive. What is it?¡±


    I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of people they were. But that wasn¡¯t an appropriate answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it? I thought I¡¯d come by before I completely forgot the faces of my family.¡±


    Making a vague excuse, I stared at Erucel like an artist drawing a portrait. He gritted his teeth and muttered, not liking my brazen attitude.


    ¡°Do you expect me to believe that? Don¡¯t you have any conscience?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing.¡±


    I pouted as I looked at the large table. It was time, but only Erucel and I were present.


    ¡°They¡¯re late. It¡¯s rude.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you came early to drive them out.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing.¡±


    With nothing else to say, I closed my mouth, and an awkward silence fell. It was Erucel who first broke the long silence.


    ¡°If you were going to release them, you should have done it at your mansion. Why come here? Even though they are servants, they belong to our mother. Are you declaring war?¡±


    It was unfair, but explaining would only deepen the misunderstanding, just like with the servants.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out later.¡±


    With a simple answer, Erucel frowned. But I couldn¡¯t focus on him anymore because the closed door had opened.


    ¡°Long time no see, Eldest Brother.¡±


    A man with a scholarly appearance and quite a handsome face entered. He also had silver hair, and though the foundation was similar to Erucel, his voice, devoid of tension, gave a sense of being a superior version.


    Judging from the portrait and the family tree, his name was undoubtedly Deisel.


    ¡°You¡¯re late for the meal.¡±


    ¡°I always arrive at the designated time. It will be served soon. Please wait.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But why haven¡¯t the other siblings arrived yet?¡±


    ¡°They have engagements outside. It¡¯s unfortunate you came for a family meal and they couldn¡¯t join.¡±


    His manner was businesslike, revealing no emotion. Like a well-sealed perfume bottle that doesn¡¯t reveal its scent until opened, his true feelings were inscrutable. He made Erucel seem less wary in comparison.


    ¡°It¡¯s a lonely setting. In fact, I¡¯ve prepared some entertainment for your visit, Eldest Brother. How about it?¡±


    ¡°Entertainment?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the game we used to play with our father when we were young?¡±


    He snapped his fingers. A butler carefully brought a cushion with a single orb on it. I knew exactly what this orb was without asking.


    The Eye of the Abyss. It was an orb that measured the power level of whoever touched it. Only the largest guilds, which employed monster hunters, possessed such expensive items. Using this as a toy? Truly a wealthy family.


    ¡°To bring back memories, why don¡¯t we enjoy it after a long time? How about you, Erucel?¡±


    ¡°N-No¡­ You two enjoy it.¡±


    I turned my gaze from the shaking Erucel and looked closely at Deisel. His intention was clear¡ªto understand why I was still alive. Just as I came to understand them, our objectives matched. It was inevitable.


    They must be desperate to know why a worm like me hadn¡¯t died. Deisel probably suspected it was due to some physical enhancement.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Deisel placed his hand on the orb. Five colors swirled in a mysterious light. The strength indicator had five colors, and Deisel displayed the second strongest, a golden light.


    ¡°As expected, I¡¯m still far from being like our father.¡±


    The top tier was an immeasurable black. It was a status reached only in the mid to late stages of the scenario. Despite his young age, Deisel had achieved the level just below, showing his prowess.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, Eldest Brother.¡±


    With the untrained body of the worm Hersel, the lowest tier, brown, was expected. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    The weaker I appeared, the more they would let their guard down. The assassination attempts would remain at beginner level. Even if they found out I was weak, they wouldn¡¯t understand the concept of ¡®1-second invincibility.¡¯


    I had nothing to lose.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I placed my hand on the orb. But then, the damn system window popped up.


    Could this power measurement be considered a ¡®threat¡¯?


    [Magic detected. (Type: Insight)]


    [1-second invincibility trait activated.]


    The result was so shocking that Erucel almost fell off his chair.


    ¡°B-Black¡­¡±


    Suddenly, hard mode opened. This really is a crappy game.


    What a lousy game.

 Chapter 10

    Hardcore mode can also be quite an enjoyable challenge. In games, if you get a game over, you just restart from the save point. But this is reality. If you¡¯re willing to choose a perilous path where your life is at stake, you¡¯re simply a madman. I quickly placed my hand back on the orb. Now that the ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ cooldown was active, a proper evaluation would appear.¡°Why don¡¯t you check it again?¡±


    Fortunately, the orb emitted the lowest tier, a brown light.


    ¡°Well, now it shows that, but just a moment ago¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to confuse the colors. Black and brown can look quite similar.¡± I interrupted Erucel¡¯s rebuttal with shameless logic.


    Suspicion remained on his face but soon faded. The idea that the usually drunk Hersel was actually an immeasurable powerhouse was far less plausible. Even Deisel seemed to nod slightly, not considering the recent event significant.


    ¡°Sometimes the color can appear different depending on the angle or intensity of the light. Or perhaps it was just a misperception due to one¡¯s condition that day.¡±


    He added an explanation to my insistent reasoning.


    It would have been fine if he had stopped there.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a bit surprising. Like Erucel, I too saw a glimpse of black for a moment.¡±


    He viewed this situation as quite troublesome. A slight tension arose. Was I about to face a balance patch? Just then, Deisel placed the orb back on the cushion held by the butler.


    ¡°The orb must have malfunctioned temporarily.¡±


    A sense of relief washed over me. But I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. The person who stood to gain the most from my death was right in front of me. I had to stay constantly alert.


    Deisel Ben Tenest, the second in line for succession. According to what Selly told me, his evaluation within the mansion was respectable, his martial prowess exceptional, and there were rumors that he was secretly receiving heir training. Trained and educated from a young age, with careful image management, Deisel required my death to secure his position as head of the family.


    I had to resist to prevent that from happening.


    Tap-tap¡ª


    The sound of heels made my ears twitch. It came from beyond the door. The mistress¡¯s entrance was imminent. Both Deisel and Erucel stood up as if trained, watching the door open. Out of respect for a superior, I also stood.


    A woman, dressed neither too flashy nor too plain, appeared. When I looked at her face, I doubted my eyes. The mistress¡¯s face retained the exact appearance from her portrait. Despite the early childbearing age in this world, she had two almost grown sons. Her appearance made it impossible to believe she was a middle-aged woman who had given birth to four children.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Hersel. How have you been?¡±


    The mistress greeted me. But I couldn¡¯t think of an appropriate title to call her. Selly, who thought of me as crazy, said that even the delinquent Hersel wouldn¡¯t call her an old lady or a stray cat bitch to her face¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve been well.¡±


    So this was all I could say.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you visited. Family should see each other often, and you look well, which is fortunate.¡±


    Her tone and expression were as kind as if she were welcoming a precious guest. Anyone else watching wouldn¡¯t believe she was a woman trying to kill me. I felt a slight chill at the facade that didn¡¯t seem like a facade at all. ????


    If someone asked who was good and who was evil, the world would probably side with her. She was a noblewoman renowned for her kindness and elegance, while I was known as the scoundrel Hersel.


    Tap-tap¡ª


    Dishes were placed on the table one by one. But in front of me was a particularly elaborate dish, its meat looking especially vibrant. The mistress gestured for me to eat with a warm smile.


    ¡°I asked the chef to put extra care into the dish, knowing you would come, Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    I wondered if it was poisoned, but no system window appeared. My slight disappointment was replaced by the high-quality flavor of the meat and the tang of the tomato-infused sauce. The mistress¡¯s eyes crinkled in delight as she watched me eat the meat.


    ¡°Does it suit your taste? It¡¯s a breed that can¡¯t be raised here, so it¡¯s quite difficult to get it fresh.¡±


    Her words felt thorny. She referred to me as a breed and implied that now, before the festival ended, was the fresh period. I decided to play along.


    Looking directly at her face, I replied, ¡°It does taste different from other meats.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. It would have been nicer if the Duke could join us¡­¡±


    Liar. If Aol returned, the festival would end. Unlike this liar, I spoke sincerely.


    ¡°I also wish Father would come soon. So we can enjoy a family meal together.¡±


    Even this small exchange seemed like a battle of nerves. It wasn¡¯t advantageous for me to provoke them, but I couldn¡¯t just sit quietly either. Acting like the loudmouthed scoundrel they knew was the right approach.


    So I played the part of the impudent young master.


    ¡°But, I wonder if that day will come. Lately, I¡¯ve seen flocks of crows pecking at corpses often. It¡¯s a bad omen. When Father returns, I intend to suggest bringing hunters.¡±


    Crows pecking at corpses meant you and your servants.


    ¡°Really? I haven¡¯t seen a single bird lately.¡±


    The mistress¡¯s skillful, seemingly innocent response was audacious. Her composure, even if she stood next to a bloodied corpse with a knife, declaring, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± would be believable for at least three seconds.


    A small flame flickered in my chest. Ah, the feeling of blood boiling. The look that seeks to demean everything, the arrogant chin rising of its own accord. The trait ¡®Embers of Noble Blood¡¯ seemed to recognize the mistress¡¯s provocation as fuel. To appear more like Hersel, I let go of the reins I had firmly gripped with my willpower.


    Thus emerged a haughty yet dignified brat.


    ¡°We¡¯re among ourselves here, so speak freely.¡±


    My disrespect ended the pretense of a warm family gathering in an instant. Erucel, recalling ingrained fears, broke into a cold sweat but soon scowled fiercely. Deisel, who had been silently eating, glared at me with unprecedented ferocity. The mistress calmed her two sons with a mere gesture.


    After a few seconds, the mistress spoke.


    ¡°Do you want an honest answer? Even if you die, no one will be sad. Because no one loves you. So just step aside and die. Is that the answer you wanted?¡±


    There was no hint of agitation. Her expression revealed nothing, and her tone was extremely elegant. This woman was extraordinary.


    ¡°What else would Hersel want to hear? I can¡¯t think of anything. Would you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Mother is asking, Hersel. What else do you want to hear?¡±


    When the mistress looked into my eyes, the atmosphere changed. The source of this unsettling fear seemed to stem from her eyes, which seemed to look deep within. Despite this, I had to keep staring into her hawk-like eyes that seemed to prey on rabbits.


    Instinct read one clear signal.


    This woman. If she deems you insignificant, she¡¯ll tear out your throat anytime, even now.


    ¡°¡­Haven¡¯t there always been opportunities to kill me?¡±


    In hindsight, yes. There had been plenty of chances long before now to strangle the young Hersel.


    The fact that she hadn¡¯t taken those chances only supported my theory that she saw it as amusement. The mistress smiled gently at my question.


    My suspicion was correct.


    ¡°Since I married the Duke. And even now.¡±


    A chill ran down my spine. My senses screamed that if I wanted to survive, I had to maintain her interest. Of course, that meant not appearing weak.


    ¡°You asked what I want to hear? Not something I can tell you now.¡±


    I smiled to stay alive. Then I stood up.


    ¡°The words ¡®forgive me¡¯ will come from your mouth later.¡±


    My heart pounded furiously. Time to get out of here.


    ***


    The mistress let Hersel go. He had come this far because he was confident he could leave. Besides, she didn¡¯t really want to stop him.


    She sat in her office, enjoying a lemon tea.


    The mistress found this peculiar. From childhood, Deisel had thoroughly beaten Hersel in sword training, yet how could he¡­?


    She had ensured Deisel instilled fear so deeply that Hersel would lay down his sword early, recognizing his brother as an object of terror. How could this change?


    There were many other mysteries.


    When Hersel ate the meat, why didn¡¯t he show any distaste?


    The mistress had served him a special dish with a tomato-based sauce. Yet he ate it with apparent enjoyment. This was the same Hersel who, in the past, openly expressed his hatred for tomatoes, even in front of the family head.


    ¡°Elma.¡±


    The mistress called for the head maid.


    ¡°You¡¯re still recording what he eats, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress. Mirei has documented everything. I¡¯ll bring it right away.¡±


    The report handed over by the head maid showed no mention of tomatoes. It was too short a time to assume his tastes had changed. These accumulating facts brought forth one thought: The being inside that shell might not be the chick they knew.


    It seemed like the same appearance and atmosphere, but the core had changed entirely¡­


    The mistress stored this suspicion deep in her heart. She put down her teacup and looked at the head maid, who seemed to have something to say.


    ¡°Is there something you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Is it really alright to have them move? There are many with dubious backgrounds. I¡¯m worried something might go wrong.¡±


    The mistress responded with a faint smile.


    ¡°Do you know the saying, ¡®The longer the tail, the more likely it is to be stepped on¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know it.¡±


    ¡°But their tails were too long. If it weren¡¯t for one stroke of bad luck, they would have kept their tails well hidden for who knows how long.¡±


    The head maid stopped speaking. Seeing the faint smile, she knew the mistress would not suffer any harm even if things went awry.


    Historically, such incidents were common in noble families. Those who seemed fine would quickly turn insane, fall into deep depression, commit suicide, or go missing. These were common tragic human affairs. However, some people made it look that way.


    Those people were now occupying the old warehouse of the mansion. In the dilapidated building, dust rose with every card played on the table. The dust swirled around the conversation between a maid and a middle-aged butler.


    ¡°I was starting to like this life¡­ But it¡¯s ending now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. There were many kind people here. If I¡¯d grown up in such an environment, I might have lived a proper life.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But who cares? Once the job¡¯s done, we get paid and no longer live as fugitives. Look, I won this round!¡±


    The maid¡¯s face filled with delight as she saw her cards. However, the butler¡¯s revealed hand showed a straight flush, higher than hers.


    ¡°I won again.¡±


    He swiftly collected the money from the table. The maid, having lost her entire month¡¯s salary, twiddled her fingers and pouted.


    ¡°But when this job¡¯s done¡­ how about we blackmail the mistress for more money? If we threaten to expose her, she¡¯ll pay whatever we ask.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know her well. She¡¯s not someone to mess with. Even the slightest provocation could make you disappear without a trace.¡±


    His serious tone made the maid scoff. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To her, it sounded like a ridiculous joke.


    ¡°What? Assassins? We do the killing, not the other way around. What nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Then try it. Too bad you¡¯ll be giving up more money.¡±


    The butler¡¯s unwavering attitude slightly diminished her confident grin. He wasn¡¯t joking.


    The man shaving beside them with a dagger soaked in the smell of blood was the same. Despite having killed countless nobles, why did he treat the mistress differently?


    There must be a reason.


    The maid organized her thoughts and asked,


    ¡°So, who¡¯s going first to kill that guy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    The man with the clean-shaven face raised his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve played with someone.¡±

 Chapter 14

    The carriage began to move away from the residential area.Hersel, lying back in the rear seat, was draped in an old robe, the kind a monk might wear.


    Apparently, one should dress accordingly when receiving punishment. Such was the tradition of the Tenest family.


    As Hersel¡¯s eyelids began to droop, Selly, who was sitting opposite, opened her eyes half-way and asked, ¡°Why are you taking me along?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Usually, you don¡¯t take anyone besides a couple of guards.¡±


    Selly was puzzled.


    Whenever Hersel visited the mines, he took only the minimum number of guards. Despite the servants¡¯ objections, he insisted on going alone, which made everyone in the mansion suspicious.


    After thinking for a moment, Hersel responded indifferently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come, get off.¡±


    ¡°¡­No. If I stay here alone, I won¡¯t see anything good, so I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    After the brief conversation, there was a moment of silence.


    Hersel, in a languid, sleepy tone, said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit sleepy¡­.¡±


    With those words, he fell completely asleep, and Selly shook her head as she watched him.


    The reality that this man was the only one she could trust made her feel pathetic.


    Even when she needed to be alert, Hersel had become somewhat lax after returning from the armory.


    However, there was nothing particularly dangerous.


    The road to the mine was well-maintained, and it was a safe area with rare monster sightings.


    Besides, they had an escort.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ª


    Jack, who had been scouting ahead, appeared, kicking up a bit of dust. He rode his horse alongside the carriage and laughed heartily.


    ¡°Hahaha, I found some bandits hiding up ahead. But when they saw the crest on our armor, they ran off in fear!¡±


    Jack thumped his chest, showing the Tenest crest on his armor. It was understandable. The Tenest family was one of the most renowned in the empire, and this area was directly under their control.


    Rodel, who was sitting at the back of the carriage, chuckled.


    ¡°Idiots. How many were there?¡±


    ¡°About a dozen or so? If they hadn¡¯t been so cautious, it would¡¯ve been quite the spectacle.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I would have liked to see the young master¡¯s skills in action.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a pity. Seeing him handle it would have spread good rumors and boosted the people¡¯s morale.¡±


    ¡°When the young master becomes the head of the family, there would be fewer complaints, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course~ The higher the people¡¯s favor, the better for us.¡±


    Although Hersel had personally chosen these men as ¡°trustworthy guards,¡± Selly was incredulous listening to their conversation.


    Hersel, who couldn¡¯t even catch a spider, showing his skills against a dozen bandits? She could only imagine his face being pummeled.


    They were clearly chosen for their flattering words.


    Not wanting to be part of this sycophantic contest, Selly moved to the coachman¡¯s seat for a new conversation partner.


    ¡°So, your name is Rendal, right? It¡¯s my first time working with you.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selly squeezed herself into the coachman¡¯s seat and spoke to the middle-aged coachman holding the reins, but he remained silent.


    Selly felt uncomfortable with the silence. She had heard that Rendal was a man of few words, even though she had only seen him a few times.


    However, Hersel had insisted on bringing the longest-serving coachman from the mansion, so she had no choice but to include him.


    ¡°Here, have some.¡±


    Selly took some snacks from her bag and offered them to the coachman, trying to break the silence.


    But the coachman didn¡¯t turn his head; he just glanced at the jerky Selly was offering. She wondered if he was avoiding her because of that incident.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    One of the hands holding the reins reached for the jerky. Just as Selly¡¯s face brightened slightly¡ª


    ¡°Slow down, I can¡¯t sleep with all this shaking¡­.¡±


    Hersel suddenly stuck his head out towards the coachman¡¯s seat.


    His appearance made the coachman¡¯s hand awkwardly stop in midair, and Hersel¡¯s gaze fixed on the scene.


    After a moment of awkward silence, Hersel spoke.


    ¡°¡­Do only you have a mouth? Bring that over here.¡±


    Selly snorted at Hersel¡¯s arrogant attitude, handed the jerky to Rendal, and returned to her seat.


    As she rummaged through her bag to check for anything damaged, Hersel spoke.


    ¡°That coachman, you said he¡¯s been around a long time?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Oh, yes. He¡¯s been here since I first arrived at the mansion. I heard he had already served Tenest for over 20 years back then¡­.¡±


    From then on, Hersel didn¡¯t attempt to sleep again.


    The carriage slowly made its way to the mine.


    ***


    Outside, there were buildings like dormitories or annexes for the workers, but this place wasn¡¯t for working on the outskirts of the quarry.


    We had to enter like moles into a tunnel.


    Thud, thud¡ª


    The uneven stones pricked at my soles. The sharp fragments of the quarried rocks seemed ready to draw blood if I were barefoot.


    Entering the mine¡¯s entrance with the group, dusty air swirled around.


    The temperature was uncomfortably high, and the sticky humidity quickly clung to the skin.


    Holding my breath against the thick air, I glanced around to see small tunnels branching out from within the cave.


    What am I supposed to do here?


    I¡¯ve never done physical labor before.


    Just as my temples began to throb, Jack grinned slyly.


    ¡°Well, as usual, we¡¯ll act like we know nothing. Rodel, the young master is busy. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s been a while since we had a good drink.¡±


    Huh?


    What do they mean by ¡°act like we know nothing¡± and ¡°have a good drink¡±?


    Selly looked at me with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°What are those men talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no idea.¡±


    I wanted to question Jack, but a middle-aged man running towards us interrupted.


    He forced a smile.


    ¡°Haha¡­ Young master, we¡¯ve been waiting for you. How have you been?¡±


    I gave a simple nod and nudged Selly¡¯s shoulder, whispering quietly.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Judging by his attire, he seems to be the person in charge here.¡±


    His clean appearance, unlike the workers, made it clear.


    Just as I was about to ask for an easy job, he said something unexpected.


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared plenty of liquor for the guards¡¯ quarters. They¡¯ll drink until they can¡¯t remember a thing, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As expected¡­


    I suspected it, but those two guards had really left to drink.


    ¡°Young master, this way. I thought about bringing some serving girls, but it was hard to find anyone willing to come here¡­¡±


    Serving girls?


    I stared blankly at him, feeling slightly dazed.


    The person in charge fidgeted, gauging my reaction as if he had made a mistake.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, young master. But we have plenty of fine liquor, so please don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    It was absurd. Even though Hersel came here to receive punishment, he was enjoying indulgence instead of reflecting.


    The person in charge was both catering to and covering up for him.


    Selly looked at me with disgust, as if staring at something revolting.


    ¡°No wonder there were strange rumors. Is this why you always came alone?¡±


    Really, there seemed to be no end to the tales of this character.


    Having no excuse, I shifted the conversation to the person in charge.


    ¡°Forget the liquor. I¡¯m here for punishment, so let¡¯s get to work. What do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°Work, you say?¡±


    The person in charge looked surprised for a moment, then his face brightened.


    ¡°You arrived early, and someone has been waiting for you. The young lady also mentioned she wants to finish quickly, so this is perfect.¡±


    What is he talking about? Young lady?


    Selly sighed in frustration.


    ¡°Hmm~ A young lady¡­¡±


    Should I just leave her here after the work is done?


    ***


    Following the person in charge, we arrived at the annex outside the mine.


    ¡°This way, please.¡±


    As we entered the annex, the creaking hallway revealed a man leaning against the wall by a door.


    Long black hair reaching his waist was his distinguishing feature.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    No, it must just be someone who looks similar.


    What are the chances he¡¯d be here?


    As I walked closer, the more certain I became that I wasn¡¯t mistaken.


    He looked at me with a blank expression. His head turned, revealing his pale face.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, young master. The young lady is inside.¡±


    His lazy demeanor shattered my disbelief, sending a slight chill down my spine.


    His long hair wasn¡¯t a fashion statement but simply neglected out of laziness.


    This extremely negligent man was unmistakably a playable character.


    Ashen Dellerger.


    One of the hardest difficulty characters in the game, rated as a ¡°very difficult¡± storyline.


    He always ranked high in player performance tier lists on the Asares community due to his strength.


    But did he just say it¡¯s been a while?


    Did he have a connection with Hersel?


    Even though playable characters¡¯ scenarios start at different times, Hersel was always dead before any scenario started, so it was understandable that I wouldn¡¯t know.


    Anyway, if this is Dellerger, the ¡°young lady¡± inside must be¡ª


    Creak.


    Entering the room, a woman sat at a table.


    Her pale blond hair tied back shimmered.


    ¡°It¡¯s unusual to see you not drenched in liquor.¡±


    Her noble appearance and jade-colored eyes matched the figure I had in mind.


    One of the major NPCs of Asares, the merchant¡¯s daughter, Aria del Orbella.


    According to the settings, she was served by Dellerger, so it was easy to guess even before opening the door.


    But the surprise didn¡¯t fade.


    Why was such a woman waiting for Hersel as if they had an appointment?


    Oh, come to think of it¡­


    In one of Dellerger and Aria¡¯s conversation logs, Hersel¡¯s name was mentioned once.


    When Aria bought a sword for Dellerger.


    -You bought all this, miss. You must have a lot of money.


    -I bought it with the money I made by hoarding before the announcement.


    -It¡¯s all thanks to that young master.


    -Yes, I ripped off that fool Hersel quite a bit.


    Remembering Hersel¡¯s name was unusual for players since it was rarely mentioned.


    ¡°Hersel, is something wrong?¡±


    Aria asked as I remained silent, organizing my thoughts.


    How should I respond?


    Despite merchants being looked down upon in this era, Orbella was a noble family.


    In the past, they became nobles by lending a huge sum to the emperor during a financial crisis.


    Later, they even married into the royal family, so their descendants carried royal blood.


    Their status matched mine, and in this world, the idea of ¡®ladies first¡¯ was deeply ingrained.


    According to etiquette, I should also use honorifics.


    But I¡¯m a scoundrel.


    ¡°No, nothing in particular.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. We can finish quickly.¡±


    Her casual response indicated it was the right answer.


    Aria smiled and handed over a document.


    ¡°The terms remain the same.¡±


    It was a contract.


    The terms were simple. The Orbella Merchant Guild would purchase byproducts from the mine.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Accepting that Hersel, who was exiled, would be involved in such a contract was one thing.


    It wasn¡¯t a significant matter, just a contract for handling byproducts.


    The payment was made to the Tenest mansion, not Hersel, indicating it wasn¡¯t done arbitrarily.


    But something felt off.


    I didn¡¯t know the market price or value of byproducts to judge if this deal was fair.


    Aria, whom I knew, wouldn¡¯t engage in a scrap-dealing business.


    And I doubted Hersel would conduct a legitimate transaction.


    -Yes, I ripped off that fool Hersel quite a bit.


    Recalling that conversation log reinforced my suspicion.


    To uncover the truth of this contract, I decided to probe Aria.


    ¡°The terms are lacking.¡±


    I pushed the contract back. Aria looked slightly flustered.


    ¡°What do you mean? The terms are no different from last month.¡±


    ¡°The contract itself is fine. I want to talk about the ¡®between the lines¡¯.¡±


    The spaces between the lines.


    In the game, Aria often referred to hidden, secretive deals in contracts as ¡°between the lines.¡±


    Aria flinched slightly, then sighed deeply.


    ¡°This is a continuation of that previous conversation. As I said then, the end of the war between Antore and Sidiril has caused iron ore prices to drop steadily. Recently, new minerals discovered in the southern continent are expected to completely replace iron ore. I can¡¯t offer you a higher price.¡±


    Talking about iron ore out of nowhere during a discussion about byproducts?


    Okay, noted.


    Now, what should I say next? Let¡¯s just say something and see what happens.


    ¡°Still, this seems like a pretty poor deal.¡±


    ¡°If you need money, the only way is to increase the transaction volume. But that carries risks for you too.¡±


    The contract stated all byproducts were to be traded.


    The term ¡°transaction volume¡± wasn¡¯t appropriate here.


    And what risks are there in a byproduct deal?


    I pieced it together.


    Hersel and Aria had been trading iron ore, not byproducts.


    Hersel had no right to sell ore, and Aria¡¯s contract didn¡¯t include buying ore.


    It was a secretive deal, hence the ¡°risk.¡±


    Let¡¯s dig deeper into what kind of deal they had.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of business if you¡¯re afraid of risks? Let¡¯s increase the volume.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll need additional personnel to transport the ore besides the manager.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Just hire more people.¡±


    ¡°The more ears listening, the more mouths to keep shut.¡±


    ¡­So that¡¯s how it was.


    I finally understood the nature of Hersel and Aria¡¯s contract.


    Hersel, conspiring with the manager, secretly diverted a portion of the ore, treating it as byproducts.


    And Aria bought this ore, disguised as byproducts, at a low price.


    Hersel would then receive kickbacks from Aria.


    I felt a headache coming on. Hersel, even in exile, was siphoning off the family¡¯s assets.


    Oh, seriously¡­ Hersel¡­


    ¡°You damn¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? Damn?¡±


    ¡°This deal is garbage.¡±


    I let out a long sigh and said.


    ¡°No more games. I¡¯ve changed my mind about this deal. It¡¯s off.¡±


    ¡°What? No, what are you saying¡­¡±


    Continuing this deal would eventually be discovered, leading to assassination attempts, and putting my life at risk. It would give my enemies a perfect excuse to target me.


    Aria, squinting her eyes, reluctantly spoke.


    ¡°Fine. I can¡¯t agree to increase the volume, but I can increase your share, Hersel. But¡­¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand. As I said, this deal is off. From now on, there¡¯s no deal.¡±


    Realizing my firm stance, Aria¡¯s face turned blank. Then she suddenly smiled meaningfully.


    ¡°Hm, trying to back out now? You don¡¯t hold the initiative in this deal. I do.¡±


    Feigning confidence, she looked at her nails and continued.


    ¡°Oh¡­ what should I do? If the Duke finds out, he¡¯ll be furious, the people¡¯s morale will plummet, and you might even lose your inheritance rights?¡±


    Her sudden threat felt almost amusing.


    Not doing the deal was fine, but treating me like a fool was laughable.


    I twisted my lips into a smile.


    ¡°Go ahead, try it.¡±


    Let¡¯s show her what happens when you mess with someone who knows a lot.

 Chapter 15

    ¡°Go ahead, give it a try.¡±Aria blinked at the spiteful words.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I said give it a try. I¡¯m curious to see what happens.¡±


    ¡°No, really¡­ I just told you. The Duke won¡¯t let you off. You¡¯ll lose your inheritance rights. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    ¡°Will you even be able to say anything?¡±


    Aria clamped her mouth shut, as if daring him to speak more.


    ¡°Your family¡¯s secret might leak, you know.¡±


    Even though the current timeline couldn¡¯t be seen by a player, I knew Aria¡¯s weak spot. Why was she making dangerous deals with someone like Hersel to secretly buy iron ore? There was a line in Aria¡¯s previous dialogue log that went like this:


    ¨C I bought it with the money I earned by hoarding before the announcement.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hiding something? Like the Dungeon Tower.¡±


    The Dungeon Tower, which, once discovered, brings prosperity to the surrounding area.


    According to the timeline, it will be publicly announced a year from now. The lore of Dellerger started from the bustling Dungeon Tower, just like an amusement park that had just opened.


    Currently, they were hiding the existence of the Dungeon Tower discovered in the barren land of their territory. Once announced, adventurers would flock there, and the demand for weapons and armor would surge, causing the price of iron ore to skyrocket several times over.


    Orbella, who had a keen nose for money, wouldn¡¯t stay idle. She would have seized this opportunity to stockpile iron ore at current prices and sell it at high prices a year later for immense profit.


    ¡°If I start blabbing, wouldn¡¯t it be difficult for you to hoard?¡±


    If it became known that a noblewoman from a trading family like Aria was secretly buying up iron ore, wouldn¡¯t the leeches smell it and swarm?


    This was why Aria had chosen an easy-to-handle fool like Hersel and was secretly hoarding a large quantity of iron ore. I looked into Aria¡¯s eyes and ignited the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡¯ to the maximum.


    ¡°Go ahead, speak up. It might be fun to die together.¡±


    Aria was in a similar predicament. If the secret leaked, her position within the family would be greatly shaken.


    ¡°Or should I speak for you?¡±


    Aria bit her lip hard.


    ***


    Just as he said, the family was hoarding iron ore.


    Quietly buying it up below the surface, waiting for demand to spike, and then selling it at the right time would generate massive profits. If the demand was due to the Dungeon Tower, the financial value would be immeasurable.


    It might just be a guess. He had simply attached a plausible reason to the unnatural purchase of iron ore, and it happened to be correct. But for that drunken fool to come up with such a deduction¡­


    It was like discovering that the town idiot was actually a genius and that everything had been an act. That was exactly how Aria felt.


    ¡°You¡¯re making wild assumptions. How could something as big as a Dungeon Tower be hidden? That¡¯s not possible.¡±


    She brought up realistic grounds to deny Hersel¡¯s conjecture, but his smile didn¡¯t fade.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible if it¡¯s in a barren area. Isn¡¯t there an abandoned mountain range in the southwest of Orbella¡¯s territory?¡±


    Aria¡¯s eyes wavered.


    As Hersel said, the Dungeon Tower had appeared in a worthless mountain range with no usable resources and shrouded in thick fog where people seldom went. She had to admit that the man in front of her knew everything.


    Questions could come later. The important point was that the other side held the upper hand. If the secret was exposed, Hersel might be pushed down the succession line, but he would still retain his noble status.


    However, Aria would lose everything. She had complex circumstances.


    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯m not trying to gain the upper hand in negotiations or extort something from you. I genuinely want to end this deal.¡±


    Aria sighed deeply, sounding as if she had given up.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gathered all the money you needed. Fine. This deal is over.¡±


    Fwoosh.


    Aria burned the contract with a candle. It was a pity, but she could find another route. More urgently, she had to silence him.


    ¡°But you must answer one thing. Where did you get the information about the Dungeon Tower?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it even if I told you.¡±


    ¡°What kind of answer is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you something. How did you know I was gathering money?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    As Aria tilted her head, Hersel hesitantly spoke with an embarrassed face.


    ¡°Well¡­ I mean the money from the rebates. Isn¡¯t it common to think that a scoundrel like me would spend it all frivolously instead of saving it?¡±


    ¡°You have quite a clear view of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and answer.¡±


    For Aria, it was an unpleasant question.


    Who does he think he¡¯s treating like a fool?


    ¡°You received gold bars. If you intended to spend it immediately, you would have taken notes instead.¡±


    Insisting on high-value gold with low volume clearly indicated it was meant for hoarding. It was an obvious deduction and answer, but Hersel seemed to be lost in thought after hearing it.


    Finally, Hersel spoke.


    ¡°Aria. How long are you planning to stay here?¡±


    ¡°I planned to leave as soon as the deal was done, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It would be a shame to leave empty-handed, right? Wait until tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s make a new deal.¡±


    Scrape.


    The sound of the chair being pushed as Hersel stood up.


    ¡°W-wait a minute. You have to answer about the Dungeon Tower! Where are you going?¡±


    Aria called out urgently as he exited the room, but Hersel only left a brief remark.


    ¡°To find treasure.¡±


    ***


    I went straight to the person in charge. In the cafeteria of the dormitory where the workers stayed, he was leisurely drinking alone, likely because it was working hours.


    The person in charge greeted me with a displeased face as I approached.


    ¡°Welcome, young master. Did the deal go smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    The abrupt question left him bewildered, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°The place where I hid my slush fund. You must know it.¡±


    ¡°W-what? Oh, my, young master. What are you talking about? My share is enough for me!¡±


    It was a simple question, but the person in charge kept bowing and trembling, seemingly afraid I suspected him of coveting my slush fund.


    But he didn¡¯t deny knowing. Shall I push a bit further?


    I put on a fierce expression and twisted my face. I let the embers flare up as well. I felt a bit sorry but grabbed the overseer by the collar.


    ¡°Stop pretending and tell me. Do you think it makes sense that the person in charge here wouldn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°A- no, not at all! I know the young master visits the abandoned mine every night, but I never had such thoughts!¡±


    ¡°The abandoned mine?¡±


    ¡°I warned the miners to stay away from it because it¡¯s dangerous. It¡¯s true!¡±


    As expected, Hersel hid his slush fund in the abandoned mine. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to bring the hidden money to the mansion.


    But why did a rich young master like him gather a slush fund? He solved his needs for alcohol and women with family money, so what was his purpose?


    Though it was likely for something nefarious, I couldn¡¯t guess it at the moment.


    I let go of the overseer¡¯s collar and wiped my face to clear my mind. The slush fund was a physical evidence and a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.


    Yes¡­ a bomb that could kill me.


    I couldn¡¯t calm down.


    What choice did I have?


    Luckily, Aria, my bomb disposal squad, was here. I had to find it quickly and use it beneficially.


    Though I genuinely disliked using slush funds as a decent member of society, I had no choice.


    ¡°Did something good happen?¡±


    Selly asked, looking appalled. Ah, was I smiling without realizing it?


    ¡°Nothing. I need to look around the mine a bit. Where are the guards?¡±


    ¡°Those two? They¡¯re already drunk and wobbling around.¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They left their posts not long ago, and they¡¯re already drunk? I felt a headache coming on.


    ¡°And the coachman?¡±


    ¡°He went straight to his room, but when I went to give him a snack, he wasn¡¯t there.¡±


    Not good. Who knows what dangers lurk in the abandoned mine, and my guards are drunk. I can¡¯t bring this little girl to such a secluded place¡­


    What should I do?


    ¡°Is the treasure hunt over?¡±


    Aria¡¯s voice came from behind.


    She must have been searching for me, as her forehead was sweaty.


    ¡°This is more of a hide-and-seek than a treasure hunt.¡±


    She mumbled as if it were bothersome.


    Aria suddenly grabbed my sleeve.


    ¡°Whatever the deal is, I¡¯m not letting go until you explain!¡±


    Oh?


    Then so be it.


    There wasn¡¯t any proper lighting in the mine, but we each had lamps, so moving wasn¡¯t an issue.


    Only the sound of four people¡¯s footsteps echoed through the mine when Aria grumbled.


    ¡°Why did you come in here? There was a no entry sign¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who insisted on following.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d leave once you tell me how you knew.¡±


    That¡¯s not happening. Even if she didn¡¯t believe it, I couldn¡¯t leave after showing everything. This was more about Dellerger than Aria.


    ¡°Young master, the lady is quite stubborn. Just answer her. It¡¯ll be better for both of you.¡±


    Dellerger yawned lazily as he spoke. His expression showed he wasn¡¯t loyal but merely wanted convenience for himself.


    I knew his character from the game, but meeting him in reality was peculiar.


    [Dellerger Radis]


    ? Blessing


    King of Laziness Atapate¡¯s Blessing


    ¨C The quicker you finish, the more you can rest.


    ¨C Stats grow at twice the speed.


    ¨C He always falls into a languid state for 10 hours daily.


    ? Traits


    ¡ó Crescent Slash ¡ó


    ¡ó Cat¡¯s Footsteps ¡ó


    ¡ó Killing Intent Detection ¡ó


    There were bizarre blessings from lunatics like Atapate, who only gave peculiar blessings.


    Dellerger, whose personality was also affected by such blessings, was one of those victims.


    Due to his unique growth background, he starts as a fully developed character from the beginning of the scenario.


    He wasn¡¯t a preferred character in the game due to his many behavioral restrictions, but at this moment, he was a reliable ally.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    As we passed a large cave and reached a fork, I saw a wooden box among the piled materials.


    Could it be? No, it¡¯s too obvious¡­


    I approached and opened the box to find something wrapped in paper. Unwrapping the paper, I found several fist-sized spherical objects.


    Aria came up behind me and spoke.


    ¡°It looks like blasting explosives. What are these for?¡±


    Explosives?


    Are they used to expand the mine?


    It wasn¡¯t the slush fund I was looking for, but I had a good idea.


    ¡°How do we set this off?¡±


    Aria picked up a fuse from inside the box.


    ¡°Attach it here and light it up, and it will explode.¡±


    ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t bring me here for some weird hobby of yours, did you?¡±


    Did she think I was some mad bomber?


    Well, this wasn¡¯t the first time Selly treated me like this, so I ignored her and stood up.


    I noticed Dellerger looking back towards the entrance we came from. There was no light, but his dark eyes were quietly staring at something.


    He murmured softly.


    ¡°A treasure hunt, you say.¡±


    He must have sensed something with his killing intent detection. Without answering, I quickened my pace, and Dellerger whispered in my ear.


    ¡°If you think about using me, don¡¯t. I don¡¯t like troublesome things.¡±


    His sinister voice sent chills down my spine.


    But it didn¡¯t matter. Dellerger¡¯s presence was enough to exert pressure.


    Besides, if push comes to shove, I had a trump card to use this lazy guy as my defense.


    I just shrugged in response.


    We walked through several paths, encountering dead ends and returning to forks to choose different paths. Eventually, Selly, leading the way, spoke.


    ¡°Young master, this path is blocked.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Instead of a dead end, we found a tunnel blocked by planks.


    It looked like it was blocked for a reason, but¡­


    I approached and peeked inside. Though empty, there was a suspicious-looking blanket spread on the floor.


    Hersel, you hid it in such a crude place.


    What should I do now?


    I couldn¡¯t let the mistress discover the slush fund, so I needed to distract her. But Dellerger seemed to be on guard, showing no sign of revealing himself.


    I have to take some risks. I have a trump card that can be used now.


    I turned and spoke to the group.


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to the quarters.¡±


    ¡°What? After dragging us here¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain the source of the information tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    Though dissatisfied, Aria clicked her tongue and turned away, knowing it was pointless to argue.


    ¡°Dellerger.¡±


    I called Dellerger, who was about to follow, and whispered something in his ear.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    His always sleepy eyes widened like lanterns. His dark eyes were devoid of laziness.


    ¡°Hope you¡¯re not joking, young master.¡±


    Late at night, I returned to the abandoned mine to continue the operation.


    Carefully tying the explosives with rope, attaching them to the concave walls, and placing the charges.


    I muttered as if hypnotizing myself, and Donatan asked.


    -What are you doing, Hersel?


    I must have inadvertently spoken to him. After the contract, I could differentiate between monologues and conversations through practice, but¡­


    I still made mistakes occasionally.


    -I refuse to sully my honor with such trivial tasks.


    Why interfere then?


    You can¡¯t help anyway.


    Though not a time-consuming task, I hurried and ended up sweating.


    After finishing, I waited for a while.


    Step, step.


    I heard heavy footsteps, likely from an adult man.


    I brought the lamp forward and saw a familiar middle-aged man walking slowly toward me.


    ¡°Finally alone.¡±


    ¡°I made sure to be alone.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised.¡±


    The coachman took out some jerky and chewed on it naturally, as if having a snack while doing chores.


    ¡°I saw it when Selly handed over that thing. Your hands were too clean for holding reins.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ it seems my disguise was a bit sloppy. I¡¯ll keep that in mind for next time.¡±


    He brought his hand to his chin and peeled off his face, revealing another face underneath.


    It was expected, so I wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°Will there even be a next time?¡±


    I tightened my grip on the lamp.

 Chapter 16

    As the assassin turned towards me, I threw the lamp and sprinted back. The lamp struck one of the explosive charges, scattering fragments and igniting a flame. Since I had already soaked the area with lamp oil, the fire quickly spread to the explosives, and a deafening explosion echoed through the cave.BOOM


    The explosion engulfed the assassin. There were still two more charges planted. Being close enough to the first blast, they triggered a chain reaction.


    Even if I got caught in the blast, I calculated that I would be fine.


    [1-Second Invincibility: Usable]


    Perhaps it was because I retreated just in case. The ¡®1-Second Invincibility¡¯ did not need to be activated.


    However, there was one miscalculation.


    Step


    The assassin, who should have become a ghost, was approaching me, holding up a staff.


    ¡°A mage, huh¡­?¡±


    A barrier surrounded the assassin, causing the rocks piled on it to slide off. My heart shrank at the appearance of a formidable enemy.


    To defeat a mage, the minimum requirement was aura that could cut through magic.


    This wasn¡¯t fair. Shouldn¡¯t there be a proper sequence? The second assassin should be about 40% stronger at most.


    If he could survive the explosion, he would have had plenty of chances from the beginning.


    Attacking now was simply strange.


    ¡°With that level of skill, you could have attacked while we were in the carriage.¡±


    ¡°The mine is a more advantageous location.¡±


    The tip of his staff became a pen, drawing geometric shapes in the air. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I have thoroughly prepared to kill the young master known as the Immortal.¡±


    Rumble


    The cave began to shake as if an earthquake had struck. I wondered if he was trying to bury me alive, but that wasn¡¯t it. The floating spells in the air attracted rocks like a magnet. ?


    Thud


    The rock masses slowly began to take the shape of a human figure, like clay being molded.


    It was a golem.


    Not a simple summoning spell, but a high-level creation spell.


    Did he think I would just let him do that?


    He was currently focused on creating the golem and couldn¡¯t cast other spells simultaneously.


    This was the chance.


    I pulled out the dagger from my pocket and spoke to Donatan.


    ¡®Can I really trust your former master¡¯s dagger skills?¡¯


    -He could cut through rocks with a blade of grass.


    But this guy¡¯s boastfulness made me uneasy¡­ I¡¯ve never fought for real before, so I wasn¡¯t sure.


    Buzz


    Electric currents stimulated my muscles. As I relaxed, my hands and limbs moved into a form independent of my will.


    Following Donatan¡¯s guidance, a plausible stance was achieved.


    As I held out the dagger, the assassin narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never learned swordsmanship, but your stance is flawless.¡±


    I charged at the mage, aiming for close combat, his greatest weakness.


    Once within his range, I executed the precise and deadly dagger techniques according to Donatan¡¯s instructions.


    Clang


    The swiftly swung staff blocked the first attack. The second strike aimed at his neck, and the third attack intended to stab his spine, all met the same fate.


    Each time the dagger was deflected, my wrist tingled painfully.


    Was I doing this right?


    The only swordsmanship I knew was from watching game characters¡¯ motions.


    I knew nothing about real swordsmanship.


    Even to me, these dagger techniques seemed just¡­ fancy.


    Better than my pure skill, but look at the results. The mage, who wasn¡¯t even a swordsmanship master, easily deflected my attacks. Clearly, Donatan¡¯s former master was no genuine sword saint.


    I took a step back and retreated. The mage, looking puzzled, spoke.


    ¡°Your movements show achievement, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using aura?¡±


    It was irritating.


    Was he taunting me?


    ***


    The mage felt a chill run down his spine.


    The dagger techniques he barely managed to fend off were unsettling.


    Precise and fluid, the movements were devoid of unnecessary flourishes. Even as he twisted mid-swing to create new variables, the attacks accurately targeted vital points, making it feel like he had been cut.


    If he hadn¡¯t had experience assassinating knights or cast a protective spell on his staff, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to block them.


    The mage found this even more terrifying.


    He briefly doubted if he couldn¡¯t use aura, but it was a foolish question. Mastering one¡¯s skills also involved developing other abilities.


    Someone who could execute such swordsmanship surely had learned aura.


    If he intended to kill, he would have done so already.


    If he was toying with close combat, then he was simply passing time until the golem was ready.


    The mage, thinking he had prepared well from the start, swallowed hard.


    Gripping his staff tightly, the mage spoke.


    ¡°I will attack with all my might. I hope you are satisfied even when you close your eyes!¡±


    Hearing his sincerity, Hersel glared sharply.


    ***


    I stared blankly at the mage, surprised.


    Blocking all my attacks with just a staff?


    This guy was definitely a crazy mage without mercy.


    I glanced at the golem. It was still about the size of a child.


    The golem¡¯s formation was still in progress.


    It would take a bit more time.


    Meanwhile, what should he do¡­


    The mage created a giant spear from the rocks.


    It flew towards me with terrifying speed.


    Ping


    Donatan shouted a warning. I couldn¡¯t even react.


    -Don¡¯t just stand there, move! Hersel!


    BOOM


    A loud noise echoed through the cave.


    The rock arrow shattered into pieces and scattered into the air.


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [1-Second Invincibility activated.]


    [1-Second Invincibility cooldown: 58 seconds]


    Dust covered the surroundings. Donatan wailed. I silently listened.


    -Damn! Am I to spend the rest of my life trapped here? To die in such a place, you wretched worm!


    This was getting noisy.


    ¡®Who said I was dead?¡¯


    -What? How are you still alive?


    I didn¡¯t respond to Donatan.


    Light was leaking from the pile of rocks blocking the explosion.


    Shing


    Each time the aura-coated sword cut through the rocks, it left a trail.


    It was the familiar effect of ¡®Crescent Slash¡¯ seen every time I played as Dellerger.


    That lazy bastard finally showed up.


    The mage frowned as Dellerger appeared.


    ¡°Are you here to interfere?¡±


    The mage swung his staff to create another giant spear and shot it towards Dellerger like an arrow, but it was cut down effortlessly by Dellerger¡¯s aura-coated sword.


    Click


    ¡°That depends on the young master¡¯s answer.¡±


    Dellerger said to the mage, then swiftly sheathed his sword. Realizing Dellerger¡¯s skill, the mage lowered his staff, thinking it was better to wait and see than to provoke him.


    I stared at Dellerger in disbelief.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I guess I should listen to it first.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You never know. After working hard, what if the young master doesn¡¯t tell me anything? Or maybe that¡¯s all you know?¡±


    I understood his suspicion. The information I whispered to provoke him was extremely limited.


    -Clues about those who ruined Grey Knights. Come back if you hear an explosion.


    Thanks to that, Dellerger had come here as intended, but he didn¡¯t seem willing to act according to my plan.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, I¡¯ll just leave. After all, this is overtime.¡±


    Dellerger yawned lazily. But I knew he was faking it.


    I spoke irritably.


    ¡°If everything is so bothersome, give up on revenge. The traitors are living well. If you stay quiet, everyone will be happy.¡±


    Dellerger glared at me as if he wanted to kill me. It was natural. I had brutally ripped open a painful memory.


    ¡°You think you know anything?¡±


    ¡°I know it all. The one who deceived Redenic and led him to his death. The one who poisoned Redenic¡¯s drink. The one who stabbed Redenic¡¯s corpse. All those who ruined the Grey Knights.¡±


    The Grey Knights.


    A mercenary group composed of knights from a fallen empire.


    Redenic, their leader, had raised Dellerger, who was abandoned as a baby, as his own son.


    When Dellerger became an adult, Redenic was brutally killed by traitors bought by those who feared the Grey Knights.


    The mercenary group, losing its leader, scattered and fell apart. Dellerger, having lost his family and home, swore to find and punish the traitors.


    Only Aria, who knew this background and had a contract with Dellerger to help with his revenge, should have known this.


    Thus, Dellerger¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s a hint. If you don¡¯t hear anything from me, one of them will die before your sword reaches him.¡±


    I threatened, and Dellerger¡¯s pupils shook.


    ¡°Choose wisely. I could easily handle someone like him, but I¡¯m giving you the chance because I pity you.¡±


    Dellerger narrowed his eyes and observed me for a moment.


    ¡°Redenic.¡±


    As if to steady himself, he muttered the name like a sigh.


    When he opened his eyes again, they were cold.


    Shing


    Dellerger drew his sword roughly. As he closed in, the mage narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a foolish choice. If you meddle, you¡¯ll pay dearly.¡±


    The word ¡®dearly¡¯ almost made me laugh.


    The mage was strong by my standards, but could he even scratch Dellerger?


    One of the top-tier playable characters.


    He had grown up in harsh conditions, wielding a sword from a young age.


    This meant his foundation was solid from the start of the scenario.


    The mage fired spells with his staff.


    Rocks flew towards Dellerger¡¯s entire body.


    Tatata


    Instead of dodging, Dellerger charged forward, creating numerous afterimages. The mage¡¯s attacks only cut through the afterimages created by ¡®Cat¡¯s Footsteps¡¯.


    As he fired rock after rock like a machine gun, the mage created a giant spear with his free hand. The same attack that almost pierced my stomach earlier.


    Whoosh


    The giant rock spear shot towards Dellerger with a tearing sound. But Dellerger, without breaking his stride, simply tilted his head to avoid it. His long black hair fluttered in the wake of the spear.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    As Dellerger closed in, the mage hastily raised his staff like a shield, a bluish aura enveloping it.


    It had been an excellent defense against my dagger, but it was useless against Dellerger.


    With a swift slash, Dellerger cut the mage and his staff. The aura-coated ¡®Crescent Slash¡¯ drew a red line on the mage¡¯s neck, faster than sound.


    Shing


    Dellerger effortlessly dispatched the mage. This had gone according to plan, but now what?


    I had boasted too much. Giving too much information could complicate the narrative, but saying nothing might get me killed.


    Why did it suddenly feel darker?


    ¡°Young master! Above!¡±


    At Dellerger¡¯s urgent shout, I looked up. The ceiling seemed to be falling on me. To be precise, a giant golem¡¯s fist was descending towards me.


    Did the golem finish while I was distracted?


    It was too late to dodge.


    [1-Second Invincibility: Usable]


    ¡­Well, no problem.


    ¡°Do you want to see something interesting?¡±

 Chapter 17

    ¡°Young Master!¡±It was a clear mistake. In his focus on dealing with the mage, he had failed to notice the completion of the golem summoning spell. Though visibility was poor due to the dust, it was clear that he would have been crushed to death. The impact was enough to cause an earthquake, and even with aura protection, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could have withstood such a blow. A young master without any noticeable aura wouldn¡¯t have survived that attack.


    At that moment, a strange sound pricked Dellerger¡¯s ears.


    Crack


    The sound of rock splitting. The noise came from the golem¡¯s fist, which was now cracking. The cracks spread from the fist up to the chest, like tree roots.


    A faint light emanated from the golem¡¯s chest. The light, moving as if alive, was undoubtedly a spell embedded in the body.


    In the reflected light through the dust, the silhouette of a man standing firmly became visible. Dellerger rubbed his eyes. He wasn¡¯t seeing things.


    The deep voice that echoed was undeniably his.


    ¡°This¡­ dust will pour out when I wash my hair.¡±


    At his nonchalant remark, Dellerger shuddered as if struck by lightning.


    The words Hersel had said earlier echoed vividly in his mind.


    -Choose wisely. I can easily handle someone like him, but I¡¯m giving you the chance out of pity.


    Perhaps, what he had said was indeed true.


    Surviving that blow without a scratch despite not emitting any aura indicated a level far beyond ordinary.


    It reminded Dellerger of a story about when the former leader of the Grey Knights, Redenic, had challenged a certain man to a duel.


    Renowned as one of the most skilled knights of his time, Redenic had been utterly defeated by that man.


    The man, who had turned Redenic into a humiliated figure, had left these words as a lesson while talking about the fun of the duel:


    -Aura is not something to be released but to be contained.


    He had demonstrated by driving a real sword into his skin, breaking the blade, leaving a lasting impression.


    -The more you accumulate and compress it, the harder it becomes than steel.


    True to his words, the man had a peculiar characteristic: he never released even a trace of aura, appearing to be an ordinary strong person on the surface.


    Like father, like son, it seemed. The man before him was the same.


    But why did he ask for help then?


    Dellerger was curious but could infer the reason from Hersel¡¯s next words.


    ¡°I wanted to avoid making things messier.¡±


    It seemed that he had shared this task simply to keep busy. There was no other explanation that came to mind.


    Thud


    The golem, now missing one arm, began to stir again, and Hersel locked eyes with Dellerger.


    His expression was unreadable. Dellerger hesitated, thinking of helping, but worried it might be rude.


    The golem¡¯s weak spot was the spell.


    It was akin to exposing a human heart outside the body; interfering would be like stealing prey someone else had caught.


    Besides, it was a hassle.


    Whoosh


    The golem¡¯s remaining arm swept through the air in a wide arc. Simultaneously, the dagger in Hersel¡¯s hand flew like a deadly missile, stabbing precisely into the exposed spell on the golem¡¯s chest.


    Crunch


    The golem¡¯s fist stopped short of Hersel and, like a house of cards, its body crumbled.


    ***


    Rocks tumbled to the ground. It felt like watching a stone tower collapse at an archaeological site during a school trip.


    My heart still hadn¡¯t calmed down.


    Seeing the golem¡¯s fist up close made me think I was really going to die.


    [1-Second Invincibility Cooldown: 43 seconds]


    I managed to destroy the spell through a narrow gap.


    If I hadn¡¯t thrown the dagger precisely as Donatan guided, I would have surely met my end.


    Despite being uneasy about the alleged skill of Donatan¡¯s former master, his throwing techniques seemed impressive, like hitting an apple on someone¡¯s head with a knife.


    And that damn guy¡­


    Despite my hints, he did nothing but watch?


    I almost cursed out loud at Dellerger¡¯s negligence.


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    But where was he looking now?


    Dellerger was closely examining the wall. Curious, I picked up a fallen lamp and approached him.


    Between the rocks, a wooden wall was visible. The rocks torn away by the golem revealed it.


    It was the barricaded tunnel I had seen during the preliminary survey.


    ¡°Clear this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Dellerger slashed the boards with his sword. Inside, removing the blanket on the floor revealed a large hole filled with neatly stacked gold bars, enough to cover a double bed.


    Sweat trickled down my back at the unexpected quantity, and I felt my lips quiver.


    Even Dellerger¡¯s black eyes glinted gold.


    Covering his eyes with his hand, he spoke.


    ¡°These are the same as what we gave you. But why did you come here during the day?¡±


    ¡°I forgot where I put it.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Dellerger tilted his head in confusion but seemed to accept it. After pondering my intentions, he muttered, ¡°Alcoholic dementia,¡± and spoke to me.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten the information you promised to share.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Now, it was time to handle the slush fund. Before these beautiful gold bars disappeared, I gazed at them longingly.


    I smelled and felt the touch of real gold.


    It was genuine. And there was a lot.


    Feeling like I had won the best reward in a random box, I couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    From now on, I would cast a spell.


    A spell to turn this time bomb into the grand prize.


    ***


    After the commotion settled, in the annex.


    Aria, gesturing, caused the negotiation table to shake slightly.


    With eyes wide as saucers, she spoke with dissatisfaction.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying you want to buy that.¡±


    Given the nature of what I wanted, her reaction was understandable.


    ¡°The recommendation letter I have?¡±


    As a child of Orbella, she always carried it like a talisman given by her father.


    Its value was such that it had ensured her release when captured by bandits.


    Furthermore, whenever she visited other prominent territories, their lords would beg to have their children¡¯s names added to the recommendation letter, treating her as an honored guest.


    This is why I was willing to trade all the gold bars here for a mere piece of paper.


    ¡°Do you realize what kind of person you¡¯re seen as in noble circles?¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to answer that.


    If the head of the Orbella family¡¯s most cherished daughter added the name ¡®Hersel,¡¯ how would people perceive it?


    ¡°Even if I agree to add your name, do you think it will be accepted? Do you know what my father is like?¡±


    Ordinarily, he would probably tear up the recommendation letter at the sight of my name. If not, it would be a miracle.


    The ¡®Edel Klais¡¯ Club, known as the club of nobles above nobles. Gaining membership was notoriously difficult, and so was the rejection of recommendation letters.


    Its members included royals, heads of prestigious families, and individuals with remarkable achievements.


    These days, if you apply without a recommendation, you¡¯re lucky not to be laughed at.


    A scoundrel like me would be immediately rejected by the head of Orbella¡­


    But there was a way.


    I had made two-thirds of the playable characters in the game join Edel Klais.


    That meant I had done it for all characters except those the developers had explicitly blocked.


    In the game, I had to meet and build a certain level of trust with the Orbella child who would write the recommendation letter.


    Having achieved the requirements of meeting and showing sincerity (money), I smiled broadly.


    ¡°Your recommendation is different, right?¡±


    ¡°True, but¡­ Don¡¯t smile like that. You look like you¡¯re plotting something.¡±


    Looking in the mirror on the wall, I realized Hersel¡¯s smile resembled a scheming boss¡¯s smile. Not good for building trust.


    I wiped my face, returning to my usual expression. Aria cleared her throat and looked at me sharply.


    ¡°But let¡¯s be clear. I¡¯m here to find out how you learned about the Dungeon Tower¡¯s secret, not to talk about the recommendation letter.¡±


    There was a slight anxiety in Aria¡¯s voice. If the business failed, the head of Orbella would not remain idle, so it made sense.


    ¡°There must be others who know this, right? You wouldn¡¯t have personally set foot on that land to investigate.¡±


    To alleviate her concerns, I put on the rogue¡¯s mask.


    ¡°Of course there were. But not anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­Not anymore?¡±


    ¡°The fewer people who know, the more the profit is mine.¡±


    Adding Hersel¡¯s trademark wicked smile made Aria inhale sharply. She probably had some wild thoughts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve silenced all the mouths that needed to be shut. I wouldn¡¯t want this deal to go wrong after planning it for so long.¡±


    I nodded toward the gold bars. Aria¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Did you start this deal with me just to buy the recommendation letter from the beginning?¡±


    Even the dust-covered gold bars at the bottom were there, suggesting that every penny from the rebates had been meticulously saved.


    Though I still didn¡¯t know what Hersel was planning with this money, it didn¡¯t matter.


    I became the scheming villain, and such a villain saying ¡®everything is going according to plan¡¯ made Aria trust my previous statements


    .


    ¡°No wonder¡­ Even if you¡¯re known as an ignorant young master, it was strange that you stayed still despite being swindled. It seems we were the ones caught in the trap.¡±


    Her additional remark was a bonus.


    Aria sighed as she glared at me. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s talk seriously about the recommendation letter.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s my recommendation, there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll be accepted.¡±


    She said it casually.


    It might seem arrogant to others, but I understood her confidence.


    Currently, Aria was the most cherished child of the head of the Orbella family.


    The Orbella family adhered strictly to meritocracy.


    The head of the family had publicly declared that the next head would be the descendant who brought the most wealth, regardless of rank or succession order.


    At this point, Aria was the legitimate daughter leading the competition, outpacing her other siblings.


    ¡°That means, if you persuade me, it¡¯s possible¡­¡±


    Aria glanced at the gold bars again as she spoke.


    ¡°This seems insufficient. Even if my influence is strong and my father agrees, adding your name could damage my reputation. It might even be recorded as a stain.¡±


    Aria clasped her hands, a gesture she often showed when expecting something. She seemed quite intrigued by the situation.


    ¡°You need to provide more value for the trust I¡¯ll lose.¡±


    ¡°Value¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the price you think my credibility is worth.¡±


    As the awaited moment arrived, I gazed deeply into Aria¡¯s eyes. Her pupils slowly dilated, indicating that she sensed my confidence.


    ¡°I have an offer you can¡¯t refuse. A proposal that would persuade your father even if it came from another sibling.¡±


    As mentioned earlier, I had made all the playable characters join Edel Klais, except for those blocked by the developers.


    It was possible because of a near-cheat strategy.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you searching for it? The ledger recorded by your ancestors.¡±


    Aria¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    It was no surprise. Revealing the secret of the Dungeon Tower was one thing, but this was another level.


    The lost family heirloom that even Orbella¡¯s descendants couldn¡¯t find, coming from an outsider like me.


    Her voice grew urgent.


    ¡°Be specific. Are you referring to the ledger left by my family¡¯s ancestors?¡±


    The ancestor¡¯s ledger.


    In the game, it was an item obtained through a hidden quest, requiring players to navigate a maze that changed each playthrough.


    But this was reality.


    Freedom of speech and choice was abundant.


    Just mentioning the location was as good as delivering it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the location in exchange for adding my name. How about that? Won¡¯t this increase your reputation rather than decrease it?¡±


    Aria¡¯s smile stretched to her ears.

 Chapter 18

    Birds join the race the moment they break out of their eggs. To receive the food from their mother¡¯s crop, they push their beaks in and cry out loudly. There¡¯s no sharing. The brutal truth of survival of the fittest pushes any thought of defying this instinct to the back.If there are two siblings, they cry louder. If there are three, they push each other. If there are four, they peck each other. If there are five, they drop one to the ground. The competition among siblings continues until their feathers fully grow. Though it eventually comes to an end¡­


    Humans, however, never graduate from the competition of the nestling birds even after becoming adults. Because people leave behind wealth even after death. Both Hersel and Aria were like that. The difference being, Aria had nine more half-siblings, and her father was someone who would bequeath his assets based on their value.


    I looked at Aria, the greediest among the nestlings and the most loved among the siblings. She waved her hand and got on the carriage. I responded with a simple nod and ended the meeting. The deal was safely concluded for now.


    ¡°Really¡­ You will tell me where the ancestors¡¯ ledger is buried?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, never mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ No, who said I didn¡¯t want it?¡±


    Even though she tried to hide it with a fake cough until the end, Aria couldn¡¯t manage her expression. The reaction would be the same if I gave the ¡®ancestors¡¯ ledger,¡¯ an heirloom lost to one of the Orbella¡¯s children, to someone else. It was rare to find an item that could grab the mother¡¯s attention so strongly. Recommending Hersel¡¯s name on the recommendation letter was a risk worth taking. Anyway, securing a membership was a foregone conclusion.


    And Edel Klais. Honestly, I didn¡¯t really want to join. The place was filled with the upper crust of society, with an older age group, making it feel like a young person visiting an old dance hall. The reluctance to step into the elegant interactions of nobles, seen only in movies by a modern person like me, was just an added bonus.


    Nonetheless, the reason I aimed for membership was due to benefits incomparable to card or telecom discounts. Among them, the one I coveted the most was the entrance privilege to the VIP auction house owned by the Orbella family. A place where relics that couldn¡¯t be compared to market goods were put up for auction. To supplement my lacking specs, I needed to snatch up something useful before someone else did.


    And as promised, I gave Dellerger a clue about the traitor. I worked hard to deduce clues that would have minimal impact, avoiding information related to the main storyline quests.


    ¡°Shires is in Edelie¡¯s eastern region, Haeyok Village.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. That guy is already dead by my hand.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re free to be mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Mistaken?¡±


    Shires, the insignificant traitor. Although he was one of the people who drove Grey Knights to despair, he was merely an errand boy. The main figures were elsewhere. He was just a prop to show what kind of narrative Dellerger had and his desire to punish the traitor.


    ¡°By now, it should be completed. If you trace the recently opened orphanage, you can find him easily.¡±


    Shires had been running an orphanage for quite some time after his betrayal, so its location would be accurate now. Of course, it was a fake orphanage for human trafficking or money laundering, a worthless scum. When encountered during Dellerger¡¯s playthrough, there were options to either kill him or just cut off his limbs. Whatever the choice, it only triggered a few cut scenes, having little impact, so it didn¡¯t matter if he died early. ?


    Dellerger seemed to guess, easily accepting. The Shires he recalled always blabbed about how orphanages were the best for money laundering, adding credibility. He probably didn¡¯t realize the guy¡¯s true nature then.


    And Dellerger took care of the assassin¡¯s body well. I don¡¯t know how, though. I didn¡¯t watch because it seemed too revolting.


    Next was the explanation about the disturbance in the mine. The explosion heard at night was explained as a precautionary measure to remove falling rocks.


    ¡°The young master personally did it for your safety. Please keep this in mind and avoid accidents in the future, considering his kind heart.¡±


    Still, the murmurs didn¡¯t subside easily. It was natural they couldn¡¯t believe Hersel did it. But the manager¡¯s next words shut them up.


    ¡°If you want a more accurate explanation, please write a request and deliver it to the young master. He has agreed to review it himself, so please, don¡¯t hesitate to put it in the suggestion box. Mekdoel, you, your voice was the loudest, why not try suggesting right now?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it wasn¡¯t me? My throat is sore, so I can¡¯t speak loudly. Ahem. Ah, ah, my throat is still¡­¡±


    The workers turned pale and the situation quickly ended. Later, I privately called the manager to talk about the secret deals. As he was also a co-conspirator, he needed to be gagged and informed about the end of the transactions.


    ¡°There will be no more transactions mixed with by-products from now on.¡±


    The manager accepted without difficulty. He was quite an honest and simple man.


    ¡°I have mouths to feed too¡­ I need to buy land, look after a horse, and I was looking at a five-story house¡­ If you suddenly say this, what do you want me to do?¡±


    His conscience button was so large it could easily be pressed with a finger.


    ¡°You¡¯ve eaten so much that your belly is bulging.¡±


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    With a humble heart, a single threat was enough to end it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to cough up what you swallowed, do as I say.¡±


    Lastly, Jack and Rodel were punished for dereliction of duty, having gotten drunk when they should have been guarding me.


    ¡°Get your knees off the ground. Straighten up.¡±


    With their hands behind their backs and heads bowed to the ground, they were being punished. This wasn¡¯t satisfying enough. Thinking something was missing, I looked at Selly, who was snickering beside me.


    ¡°You, get on there.¡±


    ¡°Get on? There?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you need to breathe high air too.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Selly jumped up excitedly, placing a foot on each of Jack and Rodel¡¯s backs. Growing about 40 centimeters taller, her smile didn¡¯t fade.


    ¡°Hey, lift your backs higher.¡±


    When they didn¡¯t move, Selly started bouncing in place.


    ¡°Ugh! Stop! Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Ahh! My back¡¯s breaking, kid!¡±


    Ah, come to think of it, those two. They tried to pocket the money and hit this little kid when I fell off the cliff. Selly, unaware, was now taking partial revenge.


    Indeed, those who commit sins must be punished somehow.


    ¡°Kuh¡­ Y-young master. W-we weren¡¯t just playing around.¡±


    Jack squeezed out, his voice trembling as he gritted his teeth.


    ¡°What are you saying? Kneel and speak properly. Rodel, take a break. You can get down now.¡±


    Selly, with a disappointed look, hopped to the ground. Rodel trembled as if paralyzed, and Jack rubbed his reddened forehead, tears welling up.


    ¡°Young master, we weren¡¯t just fooling around¡­¡±


    A grown man whining was uncomfortable, but any hint of pity quickly vanished. It was probably because his sensitivity heightened due to lingering intoxication.


    ¡°The smell of alcohol is overwhelming, yet you say you weren¡¯t playing around¡­ You sure talk nonsense well.¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t just fooling around. Huff!¡±


    Jack pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose. Disgusting.


    ¡°Fine, go ahead. But if it¡¯s nothing significant, you know you¡¯ll be back to the original position.¡±


    Jack, showing his experience, immediately turned serious.


    ¡°We were exchanging drinks with the locals, gathering information. Isn¡¯t that important for someone like you, young master?¡±


    Not wrong. As the family¡¯s successor, understanding the people¡¯s sentiments and international situation was crucial.


    I gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°We heard some ominous rumors.¡±


    ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°Yes, rumors. Recently, the Grand Duke had some territorial disputes with another family, leading to talks of possible war.¡±


    A territorial dispute among families, but did such an event occur in Tenest? Even though it was in the past, as someone who played all the characters, I had never heard of such an incident, suggesting it might not be significant.


    Could the family head go hunting in the Demon Realm amidst such talks?


    ¡°In this situation, he left for a hunt in the Demon Realm¡­ Does he have something to rely on?¡±


    ¡°¡­That I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I heard enough.¡±


    I gestured to Jack and Rodel. They stared blankly at me.


    ¡°What are you doing? Bow your heads to the ground.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Y-young master¡­ Isn¡¯t this useful information?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    It had nothing to do with me. As a player, if I didn¡¯t know about it, it meant it was either an inconsequential event or resolved inconspicuously.


    Perhaps my existence could change things, but that would be a delusional self-awareness.


    If something happened, I could think about it then. For now, it was hard enough managing myself.


    Whoosh-


    A cool breeze blew. I wanted to close the open window but lacked strength. The view from the highlands of the mine was breathtaking without any glass.


    The lush greenery and the lake, bathed in the sunset light, were mesmerizing. It felt like a reward for finishing my work here.


    I picked up the telescope near the window. A swan floated gracefully in the middle of the lake. Thinking about the rough paddling under the water in contrast to the calm appearance made me empathize.


    I probably looked like that to others too, amusingly enough. Desperately struggling to survive beneath the surface.


    Ah.


    The swan caught a big fish.


    ***


    When the mistress stirred her spoon, a storm brewed in the teacup. Seeing a slightly tilted picture frame, the maids adjusted it to be level.


    The news was still unclear. Considering the assassin sent to the mine, it could be concluded as a failure.


    Thus, the festival days began to decrease one by one. The mistress grasped the letter on the desk. The wax seal bore the eagle emblem of the Schweike family, with whom there had been recent territorial disputes.


    As she read the letter, her grip tightened. The maid in charge stood still, not moving until the mistress spoke.


    ¡°He¡¯s really cruel, leaving this matter unattended¡­¡±


    Leaving the task to her. It wasn¡¯t a difficult job, and it was for the family¡¯s safety, so she could gladly handle it. The only regret was giving up the plan to personally kill Hersel.


    The mistress was irritated by Aol¡¯s clear intentions. The timing was intentional, no doubt. He must have meddled to prevent direct involvement.


    With her eyes blazing with anger, she burned the letter.


    ¡°With the festival approaching, I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±


    The maid swallowed hard, remaining expressionless. But that changed when she saw the circle marked on the calendar. The twins sent to her parents¡¯ house would return soon.


    ¡°Mircel and Niasel must have departed by now, right?¡±


    The maid replied naturally, swallowing a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Yes, Madam. They requested to stay a few more days, but we politely declined.¡±


    ¡°Father is so¡­ He promised to keep the date.¡±


    ¡°Of course, seeing Master Mircel¡¯s talent, how could he want to let him go?¡±


    A mother¡¯s smile spread across her face. The maid thought it fortunate to have Mircel. For the mistress, the youngest son was a tranquilizer, quickly calming her no matter how angry she got.


    The mistress slowly shook her head.


    ¡°I should love all my children equally, but it¡¯s not easy¡­¡±


    The maid silently agreed.


    ¡°Why do I get so excited just thinking about Mircel? Is this how he feels?¡±


    ***


    At this time, deep in the northeastern Demon Realm. Poisonous air spread through the valley beneath the sheer cliffs.


    Splurt-


    In the dense purple mist, a muscular man twisted his sword.


    ¡°Not much of a challenge¡­¡±


    Calm, echoing voice. The knights watching swallowed hard. He was standing on the head of a giant lizard the size of a three-story house. The bizarre beast, which couldn¡¯t be caught even by a group of the strongest hunters, was now dead in silence.


    ¡°He took it down alone¡­¡±


    ¡°Even as a Grand Duke, I doubted it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of my caution.¡±


    A skinny old man in light armor pushed through the frozen crowd. Jumping in place, he quickly reached the man sheathing his sword in the mist.


    Laughing heartily, the old man opened his wrinkled mouth.


    ¡°By now, Master Mircel must have returned. How time flies. I wish he would grow up quickly to join us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you can achieve by living long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to die soon, envious of you, Grand Duke.¡±


    The old man chuckled, stepping on the lizard, and spoke about the cherished other son.


    ¡°You seemed in a hurry, Grand Duke?¡±


    ¡°Just boring, so I finished quickly.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, not honest at all.¡±


    The old man swallowed his words about the bet with the mistress. He couldn¡¯t say such things casually in front of the knights. But the man before him would understand from just these few words. As expected, the man spoke.


    ¡°If he fails, his fate ends there. If he can¡¯t prove his worth, he can¡¯t take my place.¡±


    ¡°Haha, it¡¯s just that for you. But for the young master, it isn¡¯t. Is that why you left such a task for the madam?¡±


    ¡°If I delay, the madam might finish her homework and go out to play.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyebrow twitched at the whispered words. The old man skillfully soothed his sharp gaze.


    ¡°Oh, my back¡­ Suddenly hurts¡­ Actually, Grand Duke, I¡¯m so sick I want to go back quickly. Can we return now that we¡¯ve caught this nuisance?¡±


    ¡°No choice.¡±


    The old man swallowed his playful remark about returning alone.


    ¡°He¡¯d get really mad if I said that, right?¡±


    While the old man lamented inwardly, the man stepped off the lizard and ordered the knights.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back. To the mansion.¡±

 Chapter 19

    After a good rest, it was more travel fatigue than labor fatigue. It didn¡¯t take long to regain my energy. I could sit leisurely at a garden table, enjoying the scenery and savoring delicious tea and snacks. I hate to admit it, but the mistress did a great job with the garden. If this well-maintained stone path and flower arrangement were moved to the modern world, it might become a tourist attraction. It would probably cause a stir on social media.¡°There¡¯s a lot of talk these days, I wonder if everything¡¯s alright?¡±


    As I added sugar to my cup, I overheard the maids gossiping in the distance. One maid met my gaze.


    ¡°Well¡­, it seems there¡¯s going to be a meeting with the Schweike family, so if it goes well, everything should be fine.¡±


    My ears perked up. It seemed to be a continuation of the story Jack had mentioned at the mine. The family was in a cold war with the Schweike family, and it appeared a meeting was being held to resolve the situation. I wanted to hear more, so I waited for the maids to continue talking. Then, one of them noticed me.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­ Let¡¯s take another path.¡±


    The maids, sweating nervously, quickly turned their backs and walked away briskly.


    In the past, they used to approach me awkwardly to attempt assassination. But ever since someone died in my quarters and I was exiled to the mine, their visits had stopped. Now, whenever we met, they would flee as if they had seen a ghost. Thanks to this, I could enjoy tea in the garden safely, but it still hurt. After all, who would want to approach me? I had built such an image of terror that it was only natural for them to be scared.


    Yet, there was someone. A girl who looked about ten years old.


    ***


    The girl, clutching a bundle of papers, limped towards me. It wasn¡¯t the first time I had seen her. It was around the time I returned to the mansion yesterday. I had heard that the twins who had been at their maternal grandparents¡¯ place had returned while I was at the mine. The girl with light beige hair and green eyes was the youngest daughter of this family. She had waved from a distance. How did I react then? I had thought she was greeting the nearby servants and ignored her. She was the mistress¡¯s daughter, after all. I didn¡¯t think she would greet a scoundrel like me.


    But now, she was walking towards me. Her gait was odd, clearly dragging one leg. This girl¡¯s name was Niasel. She finally reached me and pointed at the cookies on the plate. Without saying a word, she gestured that she wanted some. Seeing her smiling face, I answered bluntly.


    ¡°Eat.¡±


    Niasel pulled out a pen and started writing on the paper she brought.


    Scribble scribble.


    [Thank you.]


    Unsure of how to respond, I paused, but then I heard Donatan¡¯s voice.


    -This child seems unable to speak and is also lame¡­?


    -Born into such a family is fortunate. Had she been born into a commoner household, she wouldn¡¯t even be treated as a human. She must have grown up receiving a lot of love, as she doesn¡¯t have a single wrinkle of resentment. ?


    That, I¡¯m not so sure¡­ Even though she¡¯s the daughter of a prestigious family, having a physical disability would not have made her life all sunshine and rainbows. Even in our advanced, civilized modern times, discrimination against those different from oneself persists. It goes without saying for this place with its medieval mindset. I couldn¡¯t understand why Niasel was approaching me so casually. I couldn¡¯t picture Hersel getting along with this little girl.


    Scribble scribble.


    But my doubts quickly faded with Niasel¡¯s new note.


    [Big brother, last time you said to go to the ball and do that thing. Teach me again.]


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    [You know, the thing. When you see a handsome man, you drink and act coquettishly. Was it like this?]


    Niasel loosened her grip on her hand, letting only her pinky finger extend slightly, then mimicked a delicate, drunken woman.


    [Oh, my¡­ It seems alcohol doesn¡¯t agree with me. What was next?]


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    [Oh, right. You said to lay my head on a handsome man¡¯s chest. That¡¯s what a woman should do at a ball.]


    Hersel suddenly felt like an absolute scumbag. From what I had gathered living in this body, Hersel was not your average rogue. He had a natural talent for ruining people¡¯s lives. Even if she was a half-sibling with only half the blood relation and the daughter of the estranged mistress, she was still just a child. A pure, innocent girl at an age where she should only be learning good things. Hersel had poisoned this girl¡¯s pristine heart with such venom, undoubtedly aiming to ruin her life with his serpentine tongue.


    As someone who grew up understanding the value of children in a low birthrate country, I had to step in to rectify this. It was my duty as a proper adult!!


    ¡°Everything I said was a joke, so don¡¯t do such things. Just forget everything I told you.¡±


    Niasel¡¯s eyelids drooped as if she was losing interest. To this girl, Hersel¡¯s presence seemed to be like a cheap, yet strangely stimulating junk food.


    ¡°If you¡¯re bored, why don¡¯t you ask your real brothers to play with you? There are plenty of snacks in the mansion too.¡±


    After all, she was the mistress¡¯s child. My inner discomfort showed, and she looked dejected.


    Oh well. What did she do wrong¡­?


    ¡°Never mind. Do as you please. There¡¯s too much for me to eat alone anyway.¡±


    Niasel¡¯s face lit up.


    Crunch crunch.


    She started eating the cookies without saying a word. She ate them really well. I was worried she might choke. I poured tea into the empty cup. Niasel eagerly brought the cup to her lips and gulped it down.


    Then, she planted her head on the table. For a moment, I suspected poison, but it was tea from the same pot. That couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    [Pretending to be drunk.]


    Ah, she¡¯s completely corrupted. By Hersel¡¯s poison.


    ***


    Deisel wiped his thigh with a handkerchief as soon as he sat on the living room sofa. His pants were spotless, but he felt as if they were dirty.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    It happened while he was walking through the corridor to get here. When he encountered his limping half-witted younger sister, he pretended she didn¡¯t exist and tried to walk past without even glancing at her. But Niasel tripped and bumped into his knee.


    He could have helped her up, but he didn¡¯t out of disgust. Instead, he strengthened his knee, causing her to fall. Since there were onlookers, he made sure it was subtle¡­ As Niasel struggled to get up on her own, Deisel helped her up while muttering under his breath to vent a little of his anger.


    -Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you couldn¡¯t use your other leg too? Then you¡¯d never bump into me again.


    Recalling this, Deisel looked at the hand that had touched Niasel¡¯s arm. He pulled out a new handkerchief and vigorously wiped it, frowning.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Deisel? Did you get something dirty on you?¡±


    Deisel turned his head at the voice behind him. A boy who looked almost exactly like Niasel, but with shorter hair, was glaring at him. It was Mircel, Niasel¡¯s fraternal twin brother. Deisel forced a smile and tried to greet Mircel warmly.


    ¡°Long time no see. Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°You did it on purpose to Niasel, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    But the face of his much younger brother¡¯s continuous disrespect twisted his composure.


    Deisel retorted sharply.


    ¡°I told you to respect your elders, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°And I told you, if you keep bullying Niasel, I won¡¯t let it slide.¡±


    Bang.


    Mircel took a step forward. Simultaneously, Deisel felt a prickling sensation all over his body, like needles piercing him. It was a terrifying aura, strong enough to paralyze. He suddenly realized again that this boy, at an age where he should be playing with wooden swords, was a monster beyond imagination.


    Despite the murderous intent, Deisel managed to speak.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop. It¡¯s a rare occasion for brothers to reunite, and it would make mother sad to see us quarreling.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How touching, Deisel, that you care so much about your mother.¡±


    Fortunately, their mother appeared behind Mircel to prevent it from escalating to sword fighting. She smiled warmly at the two.


    ¡°Have you two caught up? Mircel, come here. I want to hug you after so long.¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­ I¡¯m ten now. That¡¯s double digits.¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mircel grumbled, speaking childishly, while Deisel bit his tongue in silence. He resented Mircel for being so free to talk casually with their mother. Sometimes he even resented their mother for indulging Mircel¡¯s whims.


    Mircel had an exceptional talent for swordsmanship, surpassing even their father. Would his position remain secure when Mircel grew old enough to take the head¡¯s position? It was an anxiety he had harbored for a long time. The suspicion that perhaps the head¡¯s seat was meant for Mircel, and he was just a placeholder, seemed evident from their mother¡¯s favoritism.


    Leaving the picture-perfect reunion of mother and son behind, Deisel left the room.


    ***


    Having finally escaped from his mother, Mircel walked down the corridor, trying to calm his anger. Since long ago, Deisel had been cold towards him, as if wanting to freeze him to death. He had a foolish second brother, Erucel, who followed Deisel. Even though they were blood brothers, Mircel could tolerate their hostility. However, he could not accept their cruelty towards Niasel.


    And sometimes, even his mother.


    -You must walk on your own two feet, Niasel. If you can¡¯t even do that, you¡¯ll live a life stuck in one place.


    He understood she wanted to raise her strong, but she could have been a little more considerate. There were times when her strictness seemed to be effective; whenever faced with unfair treatment, Niasel would stand firm. But Mircel knew very well that it was all an act of pretending to be okay.


    -Every night she cries alone, locked in her room. It¡¯s so noisy from the room next to mine¡­


    Despite that, Niasel was different. She was considerate and respectful towards others. That made Mircel wonder if his own bad personality might have caused Niasel¡¯s condition back when they were in the womb together.


    With a headache-inducing thought, Mircel searched for Niasel. Through the window, he spotted her blonde head. She was following Hersel uncomfortably close behind him in the garden.


    ¡°Damn it¡­ I told her not to get close to him.¡±


    Mircel narrowed his eyes as he watched.


    Just then, a butler passed by. Mircel called out to him.


    ¡°You there, bring me two wooden swords.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Wooden swords?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sturdy ones.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll fetch them right away, young master!¡±


    The butler¡¯s eyes shone as if honored. As he walked away briskly, Mircel pondered.


    ¡°Why is that guy still alive?¡±


    Hadn¡¯t there been talk of a festival or something?


    Suddenly recalling, Mircel tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Well, never mind. Let¡¯s go help mother.¡±

 Chapter 20

    In RPG games, there¡¯s always an NPC who plays a significant role by accompanying the player through important story arcs or by giving frequent and bothersome tasks. Think of Tyrael from Diablo or someone like Nara in Mabinogi. In Asares, Mircel Tenest played a similar role. Known as the Sword Saint, he was crucial in introducing the player to the Tenest family. However, Mircel¡¯s significant role in the game came in the later stages when he was an adult, making him quite different from the young version I knew from the game¡¯s illustrations.¡°Brother. Your cute little brother is asking for a favor. Play with me just once, okay?¡±


    He never spoke in such a cutesy manner. Although I had expected to encounter him eventually since seeing the family tree, I didn¡¯t anticipate him making such a request right off the bat, which left me slightly flustered. Playing sword fights with a little kid might not seem like a big deal, but Mircel was practically a monster.


    [Mircel Ben Tenest]


    ? Blessing


    ¡¤ Sword Saint, Reincarnation of the Demon Sword Akulas


    ¡°There is only one thing I cannot cut. Everything else can be sliced through.¡±


    He can learn all swordsmanship except for those requiring a bloodline succession.


    ? Attributes


    ¡ó Body of the Martial God ¡ó


    ¡ó Lethal Trajectory ¡ó


    ¡ó Perception Beyond Recognition ¡ó


    Blessings are usually something you¡¯re born with, so this little boy probably has all the ones I remember. In this situation, it felt like an ordinary adult facing the junior world boxing champion. If I didn¡¯t end up as a punching bag, I¡¯d consider myself lucky.


    While I was lost in thought, staring at the wooden sword Mircel handed me, Donatan¡¯s laughter echoed in my mind.


    -Puhahahaha! Hersel! Are you scared of that little kid?


    ¡®Your master is clearly a pseudo Sword Saint.¡¯


    -How dare you! If I were to fight that child, I could cut him down in a second!


    ¡®I don¡¯t expect that, but you could at least buy me some time.¡¯


    With my resolve firmed, I took the wooden sword Mircel offered.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s see if I can act like an older brother for a change.¡±


    Mircel made a peculiar expression, probably not expecting me to accept so easily. Usually, I would have run away, but Donatan could be useful as long as I didn¡¯t have to win. Moreover, this monster¡¯s reputation within the mansion would help build the image I was aiming for. Despite being a future Sword Saint, he¡¯s still a child now. Plus, with wooden swords, what could possibly go wrong?


    However, Mircel¡¯s words to Niasel were odd.


    ¡°Niasel, stay here.¡±


    [Why? Can¡¯t I follow?]


    ¡°Yeah. There might be a lot of blood.¡±


    Was this a mistake?


    So, we arrived at the training ground. Given the circumstances, I would have preferred a larger audience, but only a few soldiers training and some passing servants were present. Of course, once Mircel and I stepped onto the training ground, all eyes were on us.


    Mircel and I faced each other on the training ground. Standing a good distance away, Mircel held his wooden sword with both hands, assuming a stance. I pondered how to make my stance look convincing before deciding to let my hand holding the wooden sword hang loosely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go first.¡±


    I added a relaxed comment, but internally, I was jittery.


    ¡®Are you ready, Donatan?¡¯


    -I always give my best, no matter who the opponent is, even if it¡¯s a ten-year-old child.


    Well, that¡¯s not exactly reassuring, but let¡¯s hope for the best this time.


    ¡°Here I come, brother.¡±


    Tap!


    Mircel stomped the ground fiercely. At that moment, his figure disappeared from my sight. As I tried to track his movements with my eyes, his wooden sword was already at my neck.


    Thud!


    The wooden swords collided with a dull sound right in front of my nose. Despite Donatan¡¯s fluid movements, my wrist felt numb. But it wasn¡¯t time to relax; Mircel¡¯s sword was immediately aimed at my crown.


    Swish!


    I barely twisted my body to avoid it as Mircel¡¯s wooden sword sliced through the air with a menacing whoosh. Mircel¡¯s relentless assault continued. Luckily, Donatan dodged or deflected all the attacks by a hair¡¯s breadth, but watching this close-up was a terrifying experience.


    ¡®Ouch! Do it right, you fake Sword Saint!¡¯


    -It¡¯s because of your rotten body!


    Our silent cries echoed in my head.


    ***


    Mircel was confused by a strange sense of unease.


    Neither his arms nor hands were particularly fast. There were gaps due to the speed difference, yet they were invisible. Every time he aimed, Hersel¡¯s sword was already there to intercept it.


    Thud!


    It was as if he could foresee every move.


    It was unbelievable. He had heard Hersel was an amateur with no knowledge of swordsmanship.


    Frustrated, Mircel swung his sword with all his might again.


    Thwack©¤!


    Perhaps because it was an emotion-driven strike, it wasn¡¯t read this time. Mircel¡¯s attack finally hit Hersel. Hersel managed to block it with his wooden sword but couldn¡¯t deflect it like before. Feeling the solid impact on his fingertips, Mircel grinned inwardly while watching Hersel¡¯s reaction.


    However, Hersel remained motionless. Instead, his expressionless face was so cold it sent chills down his spine.


    While Mircel hesitated about whether to continue his attack, Hersel yawned widely.


    Tap!


    Mircel instinctively leaped back at the strange behavior.


    ¡°Yawn¡­ This is boring.¡±


    But it was just a yawn. Hersel held the wooden sword in one hand, covering his mouth as he yawned lazily.


    Pop.


    Mircel felt a vein pop on his forehead.


    Trying to calm his boiling emotions, Mircel heard Hersel speak again.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to drag this out.¡±


    Clunk¡ª


    Hersel¡¯s wooden sword fell to the ground. He then raised a finger towards the bewildered Mircel.


    ¡°One hit. I¡¯ll take your best shot head-on.¡±


    Hersel stood defenseless, without any protective stance. His tall but slender frame looked frail without any armor. It was obvious that landing a significant blow on him would be fatal. But Mircel¡¯s determination didn¡¯t waver. In training duels, accidents were common. Even if it wasn¡¯t during the festival, it could end as a tragic accident between brothers.


    Mircel¡¯s eyes gleamed with a different kind of resolve. Retrieving his wooden sword, he lowered his stance and spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t regret it, brother.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°The weather is so nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hersel looked up at the sky, and Mircel followed suit. Indeed, it was a clear, sunny day without a cloud in the sky. But what did that have to do with anything?


    ¡°It¡¯s too nice a day to waste on two men sweating over wooden swords. There could be more fun things to do.¡±


    Hersel took a deep breath as if savoring the natural ambiance. It sounded like he was counting something.


    Finally, Hersel refocused his gaze and said, ¡°Alright. Come on now.¡±


    Though puzzled by Hersel¡¯s behavior, Mircel refocused. Whether it was for Niasel, to assist his mother, or any other excuse, the truth was, he realized he couldn¡¯t win without a killer instinct.


    Tap tap¡ª


    Mircel rushed towards Hersel. His speed increased with every step, transforming him into a streak of lightning shooting straight ahead. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, and static electricity crackled from his hand, flowing through the wooden sword, uniting the weapon and his arm in one fluid motion.


    The most powerful move Mircel could currently perform, ¡°Thunder Draw,¡± was unleashed towards Hersel.


    Ping!


    A horizontal slash aimed at his neck. As the silver line drew near, Mircel saw it.


    Eyes unshaken, devoid of any disturbance.


    A chilling sensation ran through him, slightly halting his wrist. The strong warning signal spread through his body, and as the wooden sword¡¯s surface touched Hersel¡¯s downy hair, Mircel was certain.


    He had to let go of the sword!


    Bang.


    The wooden sword didn¡¯t just break but exploded, scattering in all directions. Mircel gasped for breath, struggling with the backlash of his aura.


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­?¡±


    Manipulating the aura that flowed through his arm had caused a strain on his veins. It was fortunate it ended there; if he had held on to the sword, his wrist would have broken along with it.


    More pressing, however, was the consequence of revealing his intent to kill. Hersel must have noticed his intent to kill with that technique.


    As Hersel approached the kneeling Mircel, he couldn¡¯t move and closed his eyes tightly.


    Tap.


    He felt a light touch on his hair. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Hersel¡¯s dark silhouette and gleaming blue eyes, exuding an overwhelmingly arrogant gaze.


    ¡°See? It¡¯s not that fun, right?¡±


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    ¡°If you want to play, I¡¯ll always play with you. But let¡¯s do something more age-appropriate.¡±


    Mircel watched in a daze as Hersel walked away, without even wiping his sweat. His pride was severely wounded, but he eventually accepted the outcome. It also made sense why Hersel was still alive. There was no way the servants could kill such a monster.


    As one question was resolved, another arose.


    If his intentions were ill, it could endanger not only Niasel but everyone. Even more so if he aimed to become the head of the family.


    Mircel swallowed hard.


    -If you want to play, I¡¯ll always play with you. But with something age-appropriate.


    Play? If there was such a gap between them, a different approach was necessary.


    Mircel thought, deciding to observe and probe with an innocent guise.

 Chapter 21

    The next morning, on the ground of the garden path.A large moth was being devoured by a swarm of ants.


    As I watched it silently, I felt even more miserable myself.


    The moth¡¯s wings, disguised with the fierce eyes of a predator, seemed to symbolize me.


    Yesterday, I was just a moth pretending to be tough, cowering in front of a mere child.


    But at least I wasn¡¯t dead. If I had failed, I would have ended up like that moth.


    Deciding to live a long and thin life rather than a short and thick one made me feel somewhat better.


    -Why are you sitting there with such a pitiful look, Hersel?


    ¡°Shut up, you fake.¡±


    At my retort, the defeated Donatan sighed bitterly.


    -Grr¡­


    ¡®Donatan, who is all talk, must be feeling like death right now. After boasting that he could easily beat a kid, he was utterly humiliated. It¡¯s only natural to feel ashamed.¡¯


    -What did you say?


    ¡°Nothing. I was just talking to myself.¡±


    -You¡­ You bastard! ¡­Huff!!


    Donatan, who had been grinding his teeth, suddenly swallowed hard.


    -Hersel, be on guard! That damned kid is here again!


    It seemed he had developed a trauma from his defeat.


    In any case, a shadow was cast over the moth that had lost its life to the ants.


    Clack.


    Was he here for revenge?


    Or perhaps he had realized that I was no big deal¡­


    Narrowing my eyes, I spoke.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    But Mircel¡¯s reaction was somewhat unexpected. His eyes sparkled, and the corners of his mouth lifted, making him look like an innocent child.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say big brother would play with me anytime? Did you already forget?¡±


    ¡­It seemed like he had taken my words literally when I was trying to naturally flee.


    Despite his monstrous skills, he was still just a child.


    So, what should I do?


    Should I actually play with him¡­?


    While I was conflicted, Mircel blinked his eyes.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, this is the first time I¡¯m playing with a sibling.¡±


    Given their personalities, it made sense. They probably found this kid, who shone like a pearl, annoying.


    ¡°Those mama¡¯s boys probably want to play with their mom.¡±


    ¡°Mama¡¯s boy? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It means a fool who, despite being grown-up, is still mentally immature and still looks for his mother¡¯s milk.¡±


    ¡°Pfft. Anyway, I¡¯m looking forward to it. There¡¯s a rumor that big brother is the only one who knows how to play properly.¡±


    Isn¡¯t it that they said I¡¯m always playing rather than knowing how to play properly?


    Anyway, Mircel seemed to take it for granted that I would play with him.


    Well, I guess it¡¯s not a big deal.


    I¡¯m also curious about the expression of the mistress.


    But what should we play?


    While rummaging through the storage of childhood memories, Niasel approached with a difficult gait. She had a bundle of papers like yesterday, but today she also had a book.


    [Read me the fairy tale book brother gave me. The maids won¡¯t read it even if I ask.]


    ¡°A book?¡±


    [Yes. The book you lent me before going to our maternal house.]


    Niasel handed me the book as if she was pushing it onto me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you read it yourself?¡±


    [There are too many difficult words, so I can¡¯t read it.]


    A fairy tale book with difficult words? Curious, I opened the book.


    ¡°This, this is¡­¡±


    I immediately closed the book. I had only read the first page, but the sentences were vivid in my mind.


    [Blushing]


    [Juicy like a peach]


    [Her waist bent like a bow.]


    These sentences were blatantly written on the first page. It was a book for adults with a courtesan as the main character.


    No wonder the maids wouldn¡¯t read it to her.


    Giving such a thing to a child¡­


    Hersel, you crazy bastard.


    ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you going to read it?¡±


    ¡°You can read this later when you grow up.¡±


    As I slipped the book into my pocket, the kids pestered me.


    ¡°What is it that you can¡¯t read it?¡±


    [What is it?]


    I need to give them some suitable plaything to quiet them down.


    But having spent my childhood playing games, I had no idea about kids¡¯ games¡­


    Ah, there was a time when I played physical games instead of video games.


    I joined a club named ¡°Classic Arcade Club,¡± attracted by the idea of playing with 8-bit and 16-bit consoles, only to end up playing traditional games like spinning tops and hacky sack after school.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a game more fun than this boring book.¡±


    No experience is ever useless.


    I chose kite flying. I wanted to do it again after a long time, and I made a kite shaped like a stingray with materials collected by the servants. Mircel looked at me with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the shape used by the army¡­¡±


    There were kites here too.


    In ancient Rome, kites were flown for weather forecasting and military position identification.


    The only difference was the shape, being Korean-style.


    However, the problem was¡­


    ¡°Hey, what is this! It doesn¡¯t fly!¡±


    [Big brother tricked us!]


    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s no wind. This place is annoyingly calm.¡±


    We had no choice but to move. I crouched down and assumed a piggyback position.


    ¡°Get on.¡±


    It¡¯s going to be quite a walk, and it would be hard with her uncomfortable legs.


    Niasel timidly got on my back. As I stood up, Mircel looked at me with a strange expression.


    ¡°You walk on your own.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Outside the mansion, I also brought Jack and Rodel with us midway.


    We arrived at a place that held bitter memories for me.


    With a beautiful sunset, a cool breeze, and a view of the commoners¡¯ homes, it was the cliff where that psychopath Selly had tried to push me to my death.


    ¡°Keep a close watch. As you know, this place is quite dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Understood, young master!¡±


    Though I had no intention of going near the cliff, it was different for the two kids. Jack and Rodel, who probably thought I was mocking them by mentioning the previous incident, nodded stiffly with rigid faces.


    I let the kite go in the wind. As the string unraveled and the kite floated into the air, the four of us gaped.


    ¡°It¡¯s really flying?¡±


    [Mine is still not flying.]


    I also flew Niasel¡¯s kite and handed her the string. Mircel, determined to do it himself, kept throwing his kite towards the cliff. Each time he pulled the string and retrieved it, the play turned into something else.


    ¡°Is he fishing or something?¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    He¡¯s good with a sword but terrible at this? No, if he had good senses, he should easily be able to feel the direction of the wind.


    Observing Mircel closely, I noticed his hands were trembling. It seemed his wrist was damaged when he tried to cut my neck the other day.


    Though I wanted to help, seeing his sweaty and earnest face, I decided to just watch.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    This time, the kite lifted a bit. Mircel¡¯s lips trembled slightly, tasting joy, and he became more absorbed.


    After a few more tries, adjusting to the wind, Mircel¡¯s kite flew the highest among the three. Jack and Rodel, who were watching, cheered loudly.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°It looks strange, but it flies well!¡±


    But I couldn¡¯t remain carefree. While the others were focused on the kites, Niasel had gotten dangerously close to the cliff.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    It seemed she was distracted by the kite flying and moved unconsciously. With her uncomfortable legs, her body kept swaying precariously.


    Approaching her slowly to avoid startling her, I reached out just as she fell.


    I grabbed her by the neckline and pulled her back. But my body, propelled by inertia, lurched forward.


    ¡°Oh, brother?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ young master¡­?¡±


    Noticing the commotion, Mircel and the guards looked our way with wide eyes.


    I glared fiercely at Jack and Rodel.


    ¡°You two, we¡¯ll see about this.¡±


    That was the last thing I saw as I braced myself.


    Ah, seeing my hair flailing upwards like seaweed, this was my second fall off a cliff.


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    Mircel, looking at the trembling Jack and Rodel, couldn¡¯t believe it. Their response was even more absurd.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about young master Hersel. He¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°¡­He¡¯ll be back?¡±


    Falling off a sheer cliff and surviving, is he even human? Mircel thought the guards must be insane, looking at them curled up and whining like that.


    ¡°Last time it took 3 hours, right?¡±


    ¡°Rodel, you¡¯d better beg for forgiveness when he returns. He might knock 30 minutes off your punishment.¡±


    Eventually, Mircel decided to go himself.


    ¡°Tch, you two watch Niasel. I¡¯ll go check it out myself.¡±


    Mircel ran down the steep slope but halted suddenly.


    Thinking about it, it was odd. Shouldn¡¯t it be a relief if he¡¯s dead? Hersel was a snake that slyly approached Niasel.


    -Regardless of who becomes the head of the house, the treatment won¡¯t change, right?


    -It¡¯s the same even if Young Master Deisel becomes the head.


    -Indeed, who would take care of her? At best, they¡¯d lock her in the basement out of sight.


    Some months ago, while passing by, Mircel overheard such gossip. He wanted to scold the maids, but Niasel stopped him.


    However, an outsider was different.


    -So noisy. Why make a fuss about a mute? Isn¡¯t it enough that a woman knows how to lie in bed?


    -Young Master Hersel¡­


    -It¡¯s actually better if she¡¯s quiet, don¡¯t you think? Hmm, the vocal cords can be ruined even after birth, right?


    -Sorry. It won¡¯t happen again¡­


    Clearly not defending her, Hersel¡¯s outburst seemed like a fit of unnecessary anger. But Niasel started following him since that day.


    Mircel repeatedly warned her to stay away, but she didn¡¯t listen. He ended up personally warning Hersel.


    -You really are ignorant, kid.


    -What?


    -Do you think any man would take a half-wit? Maybe some fool would if she could act cute. It¡¯s better to sell a burden if you can.


    After hearing those harsh words, Mircel was sure. This guy was an irredeemable piece of trash.


    However, watching Hersel up close, his actions were completely different from his harsh words.


    He willingly made time to play with her, carried her on his back when no one else would touch her for fear of bad luck, and treated her well in general. He even read her fairy tales, although he didn¡¯t know the content.


    Most importantly, he risked his own safety and jumped off a cliff to save her.


    So, Mircel started to think.


    Maybe he got angry because someone insulted his sister.


    Maybe those harsh words were because he was embarrassed that his true feelings were revealed.


    Perhaps he was just someone very bad at expressing himself.


    Thud-thud.


    His pace quickened again. Mircel ran faster, his speed increasing. He saw a wagon in the distance. It was a supply wagon heading to the mansion. Mircel ignored it and was about to pass by when a familiar voice stopped him.


    ¡°Hold on, stop the wagon.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My little brother is here to greet me.¡±


    Creak.


    The wagon stopped. Sitting in the open back of the wagon was Hersel.


    ¡°What are you doing? Get on.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­?¡±


    Mircel looked at his face. Covered in some dust but not a scratch on his skin.


    ¡°Are you walking back?¡±


    Hersel patted the seat next to him. Mircel, bewildered, sat beside him. Even up close, Hersel had no injuries.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Well, no injuries but it¡¯s unpleasant. Even the second time, I can¡¯t get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Second time? Has this happened before?¡±


    Hersel nodded. Mircel now understood why Jack and Rodel had said those things.


    Clip-clop clip-clop.


    The wagon moved again. For a while, only the sound of hooves and wheels filled the air. Yet the atmosphere wasn¡¯t cold. Sitting in the wagon, staring at the scenery, and feeling the cool wind made the skin tingle.


    ¡°The weather is nice.¡±


    At Hersel¡¯s words, Mircel looked up at the sky. It was sunset. The warmth of the sunset¡¯s glow seeped into the skin, making his chest feel warm.


    In the intense crimson light, Mircel blinked.


    ¡°Brother, will you play with me again?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s late today.¡±


    ¡°Not today, but tomorrow. But let¡¯s not fly kites, it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    It was a trivial conversation that siblings might have. Mircel hoped such conversations would continue, but Hersel suddenly crossed his arms and frowned.


    Then, Hersel spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play with spinning tops.¡±


    A smile spread across Mircel¡¯s face.


    ***


    The faint sound of clattering dishes echoed.


    The mistress, surveying her children at the silent dining table, spoke.


    ¡°Is it because it¡¯s been a month and a half since we¡¯ve been together? It¡¯s too quiet.¡±


    Deisel paused his fork and cleared his throat.


    ¡°I was lost in thought.¡±


    ¡°Thought?¡±


    ¡°You must know as well, mother.¡±


    Deisel glared sharply at Mircel.


    Mircel quickly chewed and swallowed the meat in his mouth.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Why did you follow that guy around all day?¡±


    ¡°I was just curious why he¡¯s still alive and wanted to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Investigate?¡±


    Mircel tapped his neck with the edge of his hand.


    ¡°But now I understand. I tried my best to break his neck, but the wooden sword broke instead. If I had kept holding it, my wrist would have been severed.¡±


    Deisel¡¯s eyelids twitched. Erucel, flustered, asked in surprise.


    ¡°Did, did the sword break? Did you use aura?¡±


    ¡°I said I tried my best, don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±


    Deisel was at a loss for words.


    It was unbelievable. The kid was only ten years old but had the skills to face an imperial knight. Even with his golden aura, Deisel couldn¡¯t be sure he could match him. And yet, Mircel was defeated so completely?


    Looking at the caviar on his plate, Deisel briefly recalled Hersel creating a black aura with his sword.


    ¡­No, it couldn¡¯t be. He had shown a brown aura soon after.


    Even if he¡¯s a genius swordsman, he¡¯s still just a child. It¡¯s probably just exaggeration, typical for his age. He must have hit the wrong spot and the sword broke.


    Trying to dismiss his unease, Deisel forced himself to relax.


    Mircel, having finished the last piece of meat, showed his empty plate to their mother.


    ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve finished eating. May I be excused?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you ate well.¡±


    ¡°Niasel, you¡¯ve finished too? Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Niasel nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin. As Mircel passed by, the mistress called out in a slightly stern voice.


    ¡°Mircel, did you say you followed him to investigate?¡±


    Her tone was somewhat sharp. Mircel nonchalantly nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And what? I told you I was curious why big brother was still alive.¡±


    ¡°Big brother?¡±


    Realizing his slip, Mircel covered his mouth with his hand. The mistress masked her expression. Mircel, too, slowly removed his surprised look, meeting her icy gaze with his own cold eyes. The atmosphere turned as cold as ice. Niasel and Erucel broke into a cold sweat, while Deisel watched with keen interest.


    ¡°I wanted to know what you think of him, seeing him up close.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡±


    Mircel replied bluntly, and the mistress raised her hand. In the breathless silence, her children¡¯s eyes followed her hand, which reached toward Mircel¡¯s face.


    Swoosh.


    She gently stroked Mircel¡¯s soft cheek and smiled faintly. Mircel¡¯s eyes sparkled with life, returning to his innocent child¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead. You need to sleep early to grow tall.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mircel led Niasel out. The tension evaporated. The mistress looked at her two sons with a slightly displeased expression.


    ¡°It must not sit well with you that I didn¡¯t scold him. Honestly, I do have a bit of favoritism. But know that my concern is greater.¡±


    Deisel spoke with a slightly emotional voice.


    ¡°If he shows defiance, I won¡¯t stand idly by.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re approaching it the wrong way, Deisel.¡±


    The mistress scolded him before giving both sons a deep look.


    ¡°When I spoke of concern, it wasn¡¯t about Mircel.¡±


    Deisel swallowed his saliva silently.


    ¡°Mircel is a child you should embrace, not alienate. Remember that, Deisel.¡±


    The mistress resumed her meal, indicating the conversation was over. Maintaining a harmonious relationship rather than making enemies was her wish, considering Mircel¡¯s talent.


    Deisel had no intention of leaving his rival alone.


    The mistress picked up the last letter on her desk. The wax seal bore an eagle emblem. She hesitated, remembering Mircel¡¯s words calling Hersel ¡°big brother.¡±


    It was indeed a troubling matter. In time, Deisel would also have no choice but to embrace Mircel.


    Even if he disliked it, circumstances would force it, hence she hadn¡¯t pushed for improving their relationship.


    People who attract others are always troublesome.


    Putting that aside for now, she opened the letter. It was from the Schweik family, with whom there had been recent territorial disputes.


    The letter contained formalities and details of the meeting¡¯s location and time. The one-sided notification made the mistress sneer.


    ¡°Elma.¡±


    When she rang the bell, the head maid approached nervously, sensing her displeasure.


    ¡°You called, madam?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, I have an outing. We need to make preparations.¡±


    The priority was to protect the family¡¯s safety. Hersel¡¯s matter had to be set aside. That was the duty of an adult.


    ***


    The sound of birds chirping was unusually pleasant. Perhaps because I don¡¯t usually hear them well.


    The evil, nasty cat having left, they probably sensed peace and returned.


    I picked up the half-finished spinning top. Selly stood beside me holding the tool box.


    ¡°Hammer number 2.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m making a spinning top.¡±


    ¡°But why¡­ are you only putting an iron core in your top, young master?¡±


    Selly looked at me disapprovingly. I ignored her and hammered the iron core into the center of the top.


    ¡°Sometimes, even a child needs to taste the bitterness of life.¡±


    It had been a while since I last made one, so quite some time had passed. The weak light filtering through the window indicated it was already nearing evening.


    I looked out the window and my eyes gleamed. There was a carriage at the main gate. I carefully observed the carriage with a telescope from the table and confirmed the scale emblem of Orbella.


    Finally, they arrived.


    But why is Deisel greeting them?


    ¡°Did that guy also apply for Edel Klais membership?¡±


    ¡°Deisel? Of course. He applied a year ago. Why?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    When a man got out of the carriage and Deisel smiled broadly, I couldn¡¯t help but smile too.


    ¡°That guy, his stomach will soon be burning.¡±

 Chapter 22

    ¡°The Orbella family is expecting a guest to visit.¡±Upon the butler¡¯s report, a gleam appeared in Deisel¡¯s eyes. There was only one reason for a sudden message from Orbella on the day of their visit. Deisel suppressed the blooming joy within him and calmly took a sip of tea.


    Being a strong candidate for the next head of the family and having built up a decent career, he met all the qualifications.


    However, many unqualified people had also applied, which prolonged the time it took for the review results to come out.


    But to think that the membership of ¡®Edel Klais,¡¯ known as the nobles¡¯ nobles, would be issued in just a year. Even his butler was understandably excited.


    ¡°The time is 6 PM.¡±


    ¡°6 PM¡­¡±


    ¡°They must have sent someone urgently. They seem to think highly of you, Master Deisel.¡±


    Ignoring the butler¡¯s flattery, Deisel checked the time. There wasn¡¯t much left.


    ***


    The air was rather chilly. It was around sunset.


    Hearing the news of the carriage¡¯s arrival, Deisel quickened his steps to the main gate.


    The carriage door opened, and a middle-aged man in a neat outfit stepped onto the ground.


    Clack¡ª


    On his chest hung a badge with a finely crafted scale emblem.


    He introduced himself briefly with a bow.


    ¡°Greetings. I am Alkai from Orbella.¡±


    ¡°I am Deisel Ben Tenest. Pleasure to meet you, Sir Alkai.¡±


    The man looked around the mansion grounds and expressed his admiration.


    ¡°Ho¡­ As beautiful as they say.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment. But¡­¡±


    Deisel, with a hint of regret, showed a wry smile.


    ¡°If you had informed us earlier, we would have prepared properly. I apologize for the hasty reception.¡±


    ¡°Ha-ha, your words are more than enough. However, there¡¯s no need for Master Deisel to worry. We are here to urgently deliver the membership card and then leave immediately.¡±


    The man smiled kindly and took out an elegant box, looking around.


    Soon, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ But where is Master Hersel?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    The unexpected name made Deisel blink.


    The man bowed his head apologetically.


    ¡°Actually, the recipient must collect it in person. Though I greatly appreciate Master Deisel coming out, it¡¯s against the rules to have a proxy receive it¡­¡±


    At that moment, the man¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked into the distance. Soon, the sound of footsteps could be heard. Deisel also followed his gaze.


    Click-clack, click-clack¡ª


    With a haughty lifted chin and blue eyes looking down, exuding elegance in his walk, Deisel felt a chilling sensation as if all the warmth was draining from his body.


    Tap¡ª


    Hersel, with a crescent-moon smile, placed his hand on Deisel¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks for coming out to greet him, Deisel.¡±


    After patting his shoulder twice, Hersel¡¯s hand left, sending a shiver down Deisel¡¯s skin.


    That ¡®no way¡¯ was correct. As Hersel approached, the man bowed respectfully and greeted him.


    ¡°Greetings, Master Hersel. Congratulations on becoming an honored member of Edel Klais.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you. But you¡¯re late, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? Ah, no¡­ This issuance is actually extraordinarily fast¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s hands holding the box were trembling nervously. Hersel, noticing this, scoffed casually.


    ¡°Hmph, weren¡¯t you boasting about time being money?¡±


    ¡°Of course, time is money. But there was a lot of internal discussion regarding this¡­¡±


    ¡°Why? Did seeing my name give them a stroke?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, ahem. No, of course not. That would never happen¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop the teasing. Is that mine?¡±


    Hersel snatched the box. A subtle red light seeped out from the gap in the box.


    Click.


    Inside was a card finely crafted from metal. Deisel¡¯s eyes widened gradually. It was unmistakably the ¡®Edel Klais¡¯ membership card he had only seen in his parents¡¯ possession.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s even more radiant in person. Thanks for your effort. You can go now.¡±


    Waving his hand as if the matter was settled, Hersel dismissed the man. The man, bewildered, gave his farewells and got back on the carriage.


    Ignoring Deisel, Hersel walked past him.


    Deisel grabbed Hersel¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What did you do¡­ How could someone like you get into Edel Klais!?¡±


    Deisel, narrowing his eyes in disbelief, was met with Hersel¡¯s smug grin.


    ¡°Think about it on your own.¡±


    Watching him leave with a smirk, Deisel ground his teeth so hard it made a noise. The indescribable humiliation of being overtaken by someone he had considered a mere bug was unbearable.


    ¡°Found you! Brother! Over here!¡±


    To make matters worse, another infuriating figure appeared. Mircel ran up to Hersel and glanced at Deisel.


    ¡°Brother, that guy is glaring at you like he wants to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Mircel, at times like this, you should pretend not to notice.¡±


    ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to describe how pitiful it is.¡±


    As he watched the two who grated his nerves from top to bottom, Deisel suppressed something within him.


    A vicious intent that seemed ready to spill out at any moment if he let his guard down.


    ***


    Thud¡ª


    A spinning top bounced out of the mortar, and Mircel, frustrated, panted heavily.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, why won¡¯t brother¡¯s top get pushed?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a trick to it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we switch tops this time?¡±


    ¡°Who was it that insisted on competing with what we made ourselves?¡±


    Seeing no hope, Mircel sighed deeply, as if the ground would cave in.


    Feeling it was about time to tell him, I handed over the top.


    ¡°Pick it up.¡±


    Mircel, dumbfounded, grabbed his own top with one hand and compared the weight.


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yep, I put a bit of iron in mine.¡±


    Seeing Mircel puffing in frustration made me feel a bit nostalgic. Playing with kids wasn¡¯t so bad after all. The feeling I had when playing with my nieces and nephews seemed to raise my self-esteem as an adult.


    It made me feel my position as an adult.


    Like this.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this kind of cheating, brother?¡±


    With one eyebrow twitching, Mircel drooped his lips, and I imparted the lesson of adulthood.


    ¡°The world will cruelly stab at you with hidden blades like this. If you want to survive this harsh world, remember this, Mircel.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­?¡±


    Mircel looked dazed, as if he had just realized a great truth.


    A person like me, who puts a bulletproof vest on children¡¯s tender hearts to protect them from the harsh realities of life.


    Now that we¡¯ve played enough, it¡¯s time to leave.


    As I turned to leave, I felt my collar being tugged. It was Niasel.


    ¡­When did she get here?


    ¡°Brother, since Niasel is here, let¡¯s go test our courage. We decided to do that today.¡±


    ¡°Test our courage?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, in the basement, where Dad keeps his treasures.¡±


    I was intrigued. If it was Aol¡¯s trophies, they must be very valuable.


    If I could sneak one or two, it would be great¡­


    But a test of courage?


    Suddenly, I felt a chill. Something came to mind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you mean that place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, where Dad keeps the heads of the monsters he¡¯s captured.¡±


    Mircel grinned mischievously. This little brat must have held a grudge for the prank with the spinning tops. This was definitely revenge.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be prepared. There¡¯s still some that are alive and moving.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Okay?¡±


    [Let¡¯s go together.]


    Ignoring them and walking away, Mircel and Niasel tugged on my collar. How could these little kids be so strong that I couldn¡¯t shake them off?


    Stop it. My clothes are stretching¡­


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Suddenly, I remembered my uncle and sighed. Come to think of it, I¡­


    Used to pester my uncle every holiday by following him around and annoying him.


    I would press the power button on his computer and run away.


    Behead the figures he cherished and leave them on his desk.


    Screen his hidden CDs as his treasure in front of the family.


    ¡­Damn it.


    I was really a bad kid.


    Maybe I¡¯m receiving my punishment now for tormenting my uncle as if he were a toy.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    A life full of sins.


    Today, I¡¯ll atone for those sins.


    ***


    A musty smell emanated from the lower floor.


    The damp bricks exuded the feeling of a basement. As I descended the stairs, the heat from the lamps on the walls brushed my cheeks. The eerie atmosphere transmitted Niasel¡¯s trembling to my back.


    Grooooaaarrr¡ª


    The sound of a grotesque creature¡¯s wail added to the feeling of entering a dungeon. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite this, Mircel was smiling as if enjoying the situation.


    ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t the atmosphere chilling? Niasel, you should get off brother now.¡±


    Niasel shook her head vigorously.


    Even so, I gently put the frightened child on the ground. She looked at me with resentful eyes.


    Understand, if you wet yourself, my back will get soaked.


    Niasel held out her hand. Although there was no paper, the phrase [Hold my hand then] seemed to float in the air.


    ¡°Do as you like.¡±


    We held hands. Niasel¡¯s expression softened a little.


    But what is it?


    Mircel kept glancing back at me, which bothered me.


    ¡°What? Do you want me to hold your hand too?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m not a child.¡±


    Mircel turned his head away with a pout. I followed his lead and walked down the corridor.


    Clink¡ª


    Niasel¡¯s grip tightened as a metallic sound came from ahead.


    ¡°Ah¡­, Hersel, what brings you here?¡±


    It was Jack and Rodel. The previous noise seemed to come from their armor.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡­ We are on duty today, so we¡¯re guarding this place.¡±


    They were short-staffed because Aol had taken many knights to the demon realm.


    Mircel pointed at the exhibition hall door.


    ¡°Open that door for us.¡±


    Jack and Rodel scratched their heads, looking troubled.


    ¡°Well, the thing is, young master Mircel, it¡¯s a bit difficult.¡±


    ¡°If the mistress finds out, we¡¯ll be in big trouble¡­¡±


    Mircel pouted and asked.


    ¡°But you let us in last time, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because the Grand Duke was with you. You know how dangerous it is beyond this door¡­¡±


    Jack said in a coaxing tone. For once, these two guys seemed likable. It would be great if we turned back now.


    There was a very troublesome monster related to the scenario sealed here.


    Although the incident where the seal was broken wasn¡¯t due yet, there¡¯s no benefit in poking around.


    It¡¯s also scary.


    However, Mircel looked at me with expectant eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous. Brother is here too.¡±


    Damn it¡­


    I desperately hoped Jack and Rodel would stick to the rules, but they nodded, pursing their lips.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true. If young master Hersel is with you, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°If you keep it a secret from the mistress¡­¡±


    Click¡ª


    Thinking they had done well, they giggled and opened the door with the key. Mircel took the lamp and led the way.


    Holding Niasel¡¯s hand, I glared at Jack and Rodel as we entered the exhibition hall.


    ¡°Rodel, did we make a mistake?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    Useless guys.


    **


    After the Orbella carriage left, the mansion was in an uproar.


    ¡°Really¡­ it wasn¡¯t Master Deisel but that brat?¡±


    ¡°I told you, the man from Orbella was extremely polite to him.¡±


    ¡°I clearly saw him receiving the card!¡±


    The servants were astonished that Hersel had gained membership in Edel Klais. Such sensational news spread like wildfire.


    ¡°Ahem, but what¡¯s with calling him a brat? You should say Master Hersel. Ahem.¡±


    ¡°Are you already lining up?¡±


    ¡°What if the mistress hears you?¡±


    In the midst of their chatter, the butler urgently turned his head. Those gossiping about Hersel did the same.


    ¡°¡­Quiet. The head maid is passing by.¡±


    Given the mansion¡¯s atmosphere, the head maid sighed deeply.


    A meeting was scheduled soon. It was hard to inform about this ahead of such an important event. But it couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    While she was fretting, a carriage arrived at the main gate. The head maid bowed and greeted the returning mistress.


    ¡°How was your outing? Any good news?¡±


    ¡°Everything went well. But it¡¯s tiring, meeting people after a long time.¡±


    Walking along the garden path, the mistress spoke, and the head maid followed. The servants, realizing who the real master of the mansion was, bowed their heads politely.


    ¡°Elma, could you tell the children to attend this meeting too?¡±


    ¡°The young masters?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I thought I¡¯d let them observe. Such opportunities are rare.¡±


    The head maid shuddered slightly.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, the head of the family himself is coming.¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    The head maid tried to calm her surprise. It was natural to worry as a servant when Heinrich, the head of the hostile family, was personally coming.


    At that moment, they reached the main hall. Voices of the maids gossiping seeped through the still-closed door.


    ¡°Hersel really joined Edel Klais?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just now, someone from Orbella came and¡­¡±


    Ultimately, the maids¡¯ chatter reached the mistress¡¯s ears. The mistress asked in a gentle tone.


    ¡°Elma, could you tell me in detail what they are talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The head maid cautiously explained the entire situation.


    ¡°I see? Interesting news. That place isn¡¯t somewhere just anyone can enter.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he used the money he stole from the mine to buy his way in¡­?¡±


    The mistress was already aware that Hersel had smuggled goods from the mine and maintained dubious dealings with Orbella¡¯s young lady.


    ¡°Well. I don¡¯t think Orbella would be swayed by such money¡­ Our eldest son must have some skills I haven¡¯t grasped. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to see for myself.¡±


    ¡°See for yourself?¡±


    With an intrigued look, the mistress smiled softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of letting him participate in the meeting. Not as an observer, but as a representative.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Click-clack, click-clack.As soon as we entered Aol¡¯s trophy room, the split face of a monster greeted us.


    Various monster heads were mounted and displayed on wooden plaques. I was once again reminded of the eccentricities of the rich.


    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go all the way to the end of the hallway. I¡¯ve never been that far.¡±


    Mircel said excitedly. On the other hand, Niasel looked utterly terrified.


    Following Mircel, we walked down the hallway. The deeper we went, the more the stuffed monsters glared or flicked their tongues.


    Clack, clack, clack!


    ¡°Ah, geez! What is this thing?¡±


    Mircel stumbled back as a giant snake skull snapped its jaws in front of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Grommar. Judging by the bones, it must have been burned to death.¡±


    ¡°Oh, brother, you know quite a lot.¡±


    I muttered absentmindedly, having recognized the monster from the lore book, and Mircel looked at me with admiring eyes.


    Meanwhile, Niasel, clinging to my side, trembled even more. Using this as an excuse, I asked Mircel,


    ¡°Should we turn back?¡±


    Realizing my concern, Mircel scolded Niasel.


    ¡°What¡¯s so scary about this? It¡¯s just a bit further!¡±


    Niasel shook her head, clearly unable to go any further.


    ¡°Fine! Then wait here. Brother, let¡¯s go on our own.¡±


    Despite his confident tone, Mircel¡¯s steps were slightly cautious. Wanting to get it over with quickly, I took a step forward. Then my collar stretched.


    Grab¡ª


    Seeing Niasel¡¯s tearful, trembling face softened my heart. Leaving a child here alone didn¡¯t seem right.


    ¡°¡­Then hop on.¡±


    I prayed the disaster I had thought of earlier wouldn¡¯t happen as I hoisted Niasel onto my back.


    Passing between the monsters¡¯ heads, a sudden flash of three glowing eyes appeared at the dark end of the hallway.


    ¡°?!¡±


    Every hair on my body stood on end.


    A dreadful feeling that seeped into my very bones¡­


    Mircel¡¯s steps halted, and his shoulders slightly trembled. I could even hear him gulp, showing he was extremely cautious.


    But it seemed he couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity. Firmly gripping the lamp handle, Mircel approached cautiously. Then, a bizarre scream echoed through the basement, mixing various animal cries into one.


    Screeeeaaach!


    With black feathers and three eyes, a beak lined with fangs that showed whenever it opened its mouth, and chained and locked even though it was just a head, it was undoubtedly the ¡®Blackbird of Resentment.¡¯


    The beast shrieked and struggled as if trying to escape its decorative plaque.


    Screeeeeech¡ª


    Thud!


    Like a wild animal, Mircel swiftly hid behind my back. I had noticed his heightened tension earlier; he must have sensed it before me due to his good instincts.


    ¡°Brother¡­ how can you stay calm after feeling that¡­?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that I wasn¡¯t afraid; it was just that the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ prevented me from outwardly expressing fear. My mind was still screaming at me to run away.


    I knew well what kind of disaster would ensue if those chains broke.


    The Blackbird of Resentment.


    A demon beast sealed within the Tenest family¡¯s mansion for a long time. The seal would be broken later due to the machinations of secret societies wishing for the world¡¯s end.


    It¡¯s a boss monster appearing in the scenario where the playable character teams up with Aol to reseal it after arriving at a mansion turned into a scene of hell.


    The subjugation difficulty is extreme.


    Destroyed buildings, blazing flames, pools of blood, and countless corpses strewn about. I had seen numerous playable characters ripped apart by the beast¡¯s maw.


    ¡°Did you know, brother? This monster has killed thousands of people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot. Wasn¡¯t it subjugated in the demon realm?¡±


    Having only seen the scenario where the seal was broken, I didn¡¯t know the details of how it was sealed, so I asked.


    ¡°Yes. This monster rampaged through the village of Melbra, and it was dealt with alongside the Schweike family.¡±


    Sweat beaded on Mircel¡¯s temples as he glared at the Blackbird, not wanting to be outdone.


    ¡°It was a two-night battle. Many subjugation squad members died or were maimed, and even a high-ranking member of the Schweike family was gravely injured. In the end, Dad slit its throat, and here it is.¡±


    Screeeech!


    Perhaps recalling the memories, the Blackbird shrieked more savagely, and Mircel clung tighter to my back, startled.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Mircel no longer insisted. Instead, he clung to my hand with a frightened face.


    The fact that such a monster was under the mansion where I stayed was unsettling, but the secret society would only swap the seal¡¯s key with a fake and break it in the mid-scenario event.


    By then, I would surely escape this cursed mansion.


    I trudged back, thinking of this, despite the Blackbird¡¯s cries sounding increasingly vivid as we moved away.


    Calming my pounding heart, I sent the twins back and was heading to my building.


    Reaching my doorstep, I saw someone sitting at a garden table.


    A woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat deeply and a few servants attending her.


    It was the mistress.


    ¡°Where are you going after coming all this way, Hersel?¡±


    I tried to turn back naturally¡­ but I was caught by the mistress.


    Sighing inwardly, I walked over to the table.


    It was the middle of the day in the garden, so she couldn¡¯t do anything rash. Running away wouldn¡¯t solve anything either.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I have something to discuss, so sit down first.¡±


    At her gesture, a servant pulled out a chair across from her.


    ¡°I have nothing to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s not bad news.¡±


    There was a peculiar persuasion in her smile. Given that she was straightforward enough to say she wanted to kill me to my face, it didn¡¯t seem like she was hiding any ill intentions.


    Sitting down, a servant poured tea. Seeing me staring at the tea, the lady gestured as if urging me to drink.


    I took a sip of the tea. And there was no system message¡­ As expected, she hadn¡¯t prepared any shallow tricks like that now.


    ¡°How is it? It was specially prepared.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Relaxing a bit, I spoke kindly, and the lady smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot, Hersel. You used to have fits if it was chamomile.¡±


    The hand holding the teacup flinched. It was a moment that reminded me that this seat was no different from a tiger¡¯s den.


    The lady leisurely sipped her tea and continued.


    ¡°People say one doesn¡¯t change, but I don¡¯t believe that. Especially with men, they say they change remarkably even if you don¡¯t see them for three days. Compared to that, eating tomatoes or changing your tea preference is a trivial change.¡±


    It seemed the lady assumed that a series of events had caused some changes in me.


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t have the means to understand the nature of those changes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not trivial but rather something you don¡¯t care about. My succession rank remains the same.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite my sharp words, the lady just smiled and changed the subject.


    ¡°Have you heard the news about the meeting with the Schweike family?¡±


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to hear, you should¡¯ve told the servants to keep quiet.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s not what I meant. Anyway, in two days, there will be a public meeting about the territorial dispute. The location is Arzel.¡±


    Arzel was the midpoint between Tenest and Schweike.


    ¡°The Empire will only provide a venue for the meeting, and the two families will resolve the issue themselves. The problem is that it¡¯s a public meeting.¡±


    A servant refilled the empty cup, and the lady spoke as she watched the yellow tea pour.


    ¡°At a public meeting, families related to the issue or their subordinate families are allowed to attend. Of course, they don¡¯t have voting or speaking rights, but the Schweike family will surely bring all their subordinate families.¡±


    ¡°Since they can¡¯t stop their mouths, they¡¯ll use rumors to sway public opinion.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It would be good for us to bring our subordinate families too, but with the Grand Duke absent, it¡¯s difficult to move them. So, this mother is in a bit of a bind?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dragging out the introduction. Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Attend the meeting, Hersel, as one of Tenest¡¯s representatives.¡±


    Does she want to borrow even a baby¡¯s hand? Or is she testing me?


    Whatever the reason, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant proposal, so I narrowed my eyes.


    ¡°You said it would be good news for me?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, what could be better than an opportunity to serve and dedicate yourself to the family?¡±


    Scrape!


    I pretended to be annoyed, scraping the chair as I stood up. I was about to turn my back and leave when the lady¡¯s words stopped me.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll grant one of Hersel¡¯s requests. As long as it¡¯s within my power.¡±


    Within her power.


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t grant something like ¡®stick your face in that tea and die¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯ll be a good son, so please spare me.¡¯


    While pondering what I could extract from this cunning woman, I eventually thought of something and spoke.


    ¡°Rather than a request, I have something to ask.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with that then. What is it?¡±


    ¡°How much longer until Aol, I mean, Father returns?¡±


    Knowing when this farce would end was what I needed most right now.


    Knowing or not knowing when an extreme situation will end has a significant impact on survival.


    The lady hesitated for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°A carrier pigeon arrived recently. He said he had defeated the target monster. It also included the expected date of arrival at the mansion.¡±


    ¡®Though it¡¯s just an expected date,¡¯ she added, pulling out a letter with the Tenest seal from her pocket and placing it on the table.


    When I reached out, she pulled it back towards her.


    ¡°If you arrive at Arzel, I¡¯ll hand this letter to you. How about it?¡±


    As expected, she wasn¡¯t going to make it easy.


    ***


    The next day, the public meeting venue in Arzel.


    On the stage were the meeting seats divided into two sides, and above it were observer seats that could hold about 200 people.


    Soon, the doors of the meeting hall opened, and the observers began to enter first.


    The observer seats were simply for observation, unlike the meeting seats, so they weren¡¯t divided into factions, but the visitors naturally sat closer to the side they belonged to.


    As the start approached, the Schweike side seats were packed with nearly a hundred heads of subordinate families and their representatives, while the Tenest side looked empty, with only a few nobles involved in the territorial dispute or seeking gossip.


    ¡°With the Grand Duke absent, their side is sparse too.¡±


    ¡°We never had the numbers to begin with.¡±


    ¡°The prestige of Tenest has fallen.¡±


    Naturally, such whispers arose.


    Time passed, the secretary took his seat, and the Imperial mediator stood in the center, looking up at the observers.


    As the atmosphere quieted, the meeting seats began to fill. First to appear was Heinrich von Schweike, a middle-aged man with neatly trimmed facial hair and sharp eyes.


    He sat at the table with his representatives. The observers gulped, waiting for the Tenest representatives to appear.


    When the mistress, Ahille, appeared, accompanied by two young men and a small child, the observers couldn¡¯t help but snicker.


    ¡°Ha! Does Tenest have no one better?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh. And what¡¯s with that kid? Do they think this is a joke?¡±


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the crazy dog of Tenest?¡±


    Thud, thud!


    As the sneers grew louder, the mediator pounded his gavel with an embarrassed face. Despite the signal to be quiet, the mockery didn¡¯t subside until Heinrich scanned the observers. Silence quickly followed.


    ¡°Ahem. Apologies for the disturbance.¡±


    His voice, thick and muddy, echoed through the hall.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t call for a public meeting to mock you.¡±


    Heinrich eyed the Tenest representatives.


    ¡°But you must understand. One looks decent, but did you bring that little one here to nurse him? And what about that brat? Here to cause trouble?¡±


    Occasional chuckles erupted around him.


    Yet the mistress remained composed and greeted him gracefully.


    ¡°Hello, Count Heinrich. How is your health?¡±


    It seemed like a simple greeting, but Heinrich¡¯s face twisted, and he sat without a word.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Once both sides were seated, the mediator announced the opening of the meeting with a gavel and began his opening statement.


    As the mediator¡¯s voice echoed quietly, Hersel glanced at Ahille beside him.


    Ahille pulled a small envelope from her pocket and handed it to Hersel.


    It wasn¡¯t a noticeable action. Those who saw it assumed it was a document related to the meeting and didn¡¯t react.


    Only Hersel, who opened the envelope and read its contents, curled one corner of his mouth into a smile.


    ¡°¡­Now, Schweike side, briefly state your claims before the meeting begins.¡±


    As the mediator finished his opening statement, Heinrich raised his voice.


    ¡°The Schweike family asserts the following: according to the Empire¡¯s revered and merciful laws, Grendel rightfully belongs to our family!¡±


    Clap, clap, clap.


    Applause erupted from the Schweike side, but it was inappropriate for a dispute meeting, so the mediator pounded his gavel again to stop it.


    ¡°Next, the Tenest side.¡±


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    When it was Tenest¡¯s turn, the mistress quietly called his name.


    Hersel whispered in a low voice only she could hear.


    ¡°You made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You should never let go of the reins until the end.¡±


    Bang!


    Hersel slammed his feet onto the table with a loud noise. Almost reclining in his chair, he raised his head high and spoke in a deep voice.


    ¡°Is that so, with all your grumbling? If you¡¯re so unhappy, stop whining and come at us.¡±


    The hall fell dead silent. Hersel looked around at the stunned audience.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to clap for me?¡±


    The unbridled brat¡¯s chaos had begun.

 Chapter 24

    The first to break the silence was Deisel.¡°To act like a beast even in such a setting, it seems our elder brother needs to be re-educated in manners.¡±


    His voice was sharp and mocking. For him, the current situation must be satisfying. The words I had spoken in front of Tenest¡¯s retainers clearly revealed my childish behavior.


    But did I have any image left to tarnish?


    Looking down at Deisel, I retorted,


    ¡°Is it your idea of manners to stand idly by while your kin is insulted to their face? Pathetic.¡±


    He remained silent, like a mute who had swallowed his tongue. It was amusing, given how he had glared at me as if to kill when I disrespected the mistress. Now, he remained silent.


    Realizing the situation, loud voices erupted from the observer seats.


    ¡°How dare he act like this in public!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors, but this is too much!¡±


    ¡°What a rascal!¡±


    The outbursts reminded me of a chaotic marketplace. Amidst the noise, one of Schweike¡¯s representatives shouted at me.


    ¡°Even if you are the Grand Duke¡¯s son, this rudeness cannot be tolerated. Apologize immediately!¡±


    I half-opened my eyes and answered bluntly,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the ones who first showed disrespect by calling us brats and ruffians?¡±


    ¡°That was not from our side, but from the observers¡­¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous. You brought them all here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The loud outbursts subsided a bit. They must not have expected someone to point out their manipulation so directly.


    I glanced at our side. Deisel¡¯s face was twisted with anger, Mircel was covering his grinning mouth with his hand, and the mistress¡­


    She had turned her head and her shoulders were slightly shaking, as if stifling laughter.


    Bang!


    A dull sound echoed as Heinrich slammed his heavy fist on the table.


    ¡°¡­You are indeed an arrogant wretch. You are just like your father.¡±


    His voice was calm yet filled with anger. Heinrich¡¯s weighty gaze fell on me. I raised my chin arrogantly and spoke.


    ¡°Sorry, but this is not a family trait. It¡¯s a natural inclination. That¡¯s why my family doesn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that the prestige of being the Grand Duke¡¯s son will carry outside the mansion, boy.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Count, don¡¯t think you can act high and mighty just because my father isn¡¯t here. My prestige is right here.¡±


    When I didn¡¯t back down, Heinrich¡¯s face twisted with fury. After a moment of controlling his anger, he leaned back in his chair, as if refusing to engage further. The mistress then spoke with a warm smile. ??


    ¡°Hersel? You should start taking this seriously.¡±


    Just when it was getting interesting, I guess it¡¯s time to stop.


    The mediator furiously pounded his gavel, and once the commotion subsided a bit, I got to the point.


    ¡°Our stance is firm. We cannot cede Grendel.¡±


    The gist of the meeting¡¯s dispute, as I roughly understood it, was this:


    Grendel was geographically within Tenest territory, but technically, it wasn¡¯t part of Tenest¡¯s domain. It had been granted to the Grendel family by one of Tenest¡¯s ancestors long ago.


    But the current owner had recently died of a sudden heart attack, leaving behind a massive debt to the Schweike family.


    ¡°Hmph, since he died owing me money, Grendel¡¯s ownership falls to Schweike.¡±


    With no heirs and no other assets to repay the debt, Schweike¡¯s claim to the land seemed reasonable.


    ¡°It¡¯s a generous offer to repay the principal and interest.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason for Tenest to take on that debt. They might change their tune later. The Grand Duke is known for flipping his stance.¡±


    The issue was that Grendel had originally been granted by Tenest, and despite our offer to repay the debt, Schweike insisted on the land.


    Even though the land could be rendered useless to them.


    ¡°The moment it falls into your hands, it might lose all its value.¡±


    ¡°Ho, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s not part of our territory, it¡¯s only natural to impose trade tariffs. We might even raise tariffs specifically for Grendel.¡±


    There were murmurs from the observer seats, but I continued.


    ¡°Not to mention droughts or floods could occur. The reservoir is on our side. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be intentional; we would just be adjusting the water levels during the agricultural season.¡±


    As my threats ended, there were mixed reactions from the observers.


    ¡°He¡¯s not as foolish as the rumors say.¡±


    ¡°Do you think those ideas came from him? That woman must have coached him.¡±


    They acted as if what I had said was something extraordinary, seeing me as nothing more than a talking monkey.


    I had hoped that pointing out such weaknesses would change the dynamics, but Heinrich merely sneered.


    ¡°Hmph, such vile thoughts are indeed worthy of the Grand Duke¡¯s son. But do you know this? People are people because they serve the law. Those who try to seize everything by force, like you, are no better than beasts.¡±


    He implied that the law was on their side. Heinrich looked around the observer seats.


    ¡°I have the right to choose. I have the authority to reject Tenest¡¯s offer.¡±


    His speech continued in a grandiose manner, but there was no need to delve deep into it.


    In summary, they were here to show the absurdity of the situation, to emphasize that inaction had consequences, and to rally against the tyranny of power.


    Yes, it was propaganda.


    Their claims were valid, but the people here had also risen to power by imposing injustice on others.


    Their speech continued without substance. No matter what we offered, they refused to consider it, sticking to their stance.


    ¡°My resolve is firm. Even if you pile up wealth like a mountain, I will not bow to the oppression and tyranny of the Grand Duke. That is the righteous cause!¡±


    Clap, clap, clap!


    While the audience applauded Heinrich¡¯s speech, I half-listened and muttered to myself.


    ¡°That man keeps bringing up my father, does he have some personal grudge¡­¡±


    I wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, but the mistress responded.


    ¡°They have a long history. The Count once fought alongside the Grand Duke to subdue the Blackbird of Resentment. He was severely injured and blames the Grand Duke for it, harboring resentment to this day.¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, Mircel had said something similar. I didn¡¯t expect that man to be Heinrich. It seems he holds a grudge for a petty reason¡­


    But I couldn¡¯t understand why he was garnering so much support from his subordinates for such a personal vendetta.


    As a family head, would he really forsake potential gains just for personal feelings? This seemed excessive for mere loyalty.


    Feeling frustrated, I asked the lady amidst the ongoing commotion,


    ¡°What do they want from me?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a matter that can be negotiated. I don¡¯t have the authority to offer anything more, and even if I did, they¡¯re not listening.¡±


    I pointed to Heinrich, who was alternating between making speeches and conversing with his delegates, reminiscent of a filibuster.


    ¡°Well, I never said to reach an agreement.¡±


    ¡°Surely, you didn¡¯t just bring me here to mess around?¡±


    The mistress smiled as I glared at her.


    ¡°Think carefully. There must be something you can do, Hersel.¡±


    Something I can do?


    This sudden puzzle had me thinking hard.


    What does Schweike want?


    Grendel is just an ordinary farmland. Accepting money and stepping back would be more profitable. There must be a hidden reason for coveting it.


    So, what if we refuse to give it?


    Claiming territorial rights without actual control is meaningless. Grendel is within Tenest territory, and occupying it would require invading our land. That would inevitably lead to¡­


    I suddenly voiced my thought.


    ¡°Does Schweike want war?¡±


    The hall fell silent. Gaining confidence, I glared at Heinrich.


    ¡°Demanding Grendel is just a pretext for war. You aim for supremacy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an assumption. We respect the mediation provided by the Empire and seek a peaceful resolution between our families.¡±


    Heinrich, who had been speaking dispassionately, suddenly grinned.


    ¡°But if Tenest remains uncooperative, war may be inevitable.¡±


    The Schweike side¡¯s observer seats remained relatively quiet, suggesting this was a known matter.


    Finally, I understood what the lady meant.


    Schweike had a hidden agenda, so negotiation was impossible. The meeting was doomed from the start.


    If that¡¯s the case, then what she said about what I can do¡­


    Oh, I get it.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    I chuckled, unable to contain my amusement. The silence in the hall made my laughter echo.


    ¡°When the tiger is away, the fox becomes king.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It seems you tried to act like the ruler in my father¡¯s absence, but it¡¯s unfortunate for you.¡±


    I stood up and pulled out the letter I had received from the lady, waving it.


    ¡°If it¡¯s war, you¡¯d better hurry. You have only seven days.¡±


    The observers¡¯ eyes fixated on the letter, curiosity etched on their faces.


    ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s a letter from my father, saying he¡¯s returning after the subjugation. If you want to act, do it quickly. Let¡¯s see, if you march your entire army on horseback for seven days and nights, you might make it.¡±


    It would take them at least ten days to mobilize their forces, and that¡¯s assuming they commandeered all the horses in the country for their soldiers.


    I grinned and closely observed those who had slandered me.


    ¡°The mustached one. The one with narrow eyes. The one with four chins. You all had a lot to say earlier, didn¡¯t you? And there¡¯s the big-headed one.¡±


    Each time I pinpointed someone, they lowered their heads or hid behind the person in front of them. The front person kept shifting their position, exposing the one hiding.


    Eventually, ripples of trembling voices spread through the hall.


    ¡°How can he be back so soon from the demon realm?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything about the Grand Duke returning so quickly. The war was only feasible because he was absent. I¡¯m withdrawing.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call off this matter as well.¡±


    At the news of the tiger¡¯s return, the rabbits started to leave one by one. Counting the marked individuals, I sighed heavily.


    ¡°Too many to remember. Better to hold everyone accountable. Can I get the attendance list?¡±


    I looked at the mediator. Those trying to flee stopped in their tracks and turned to look at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s with those faces? Should I erase your names from the list I give to my father?¡±


    Many nodded eagerly, like men seeing a lifeline from heaven. They glanced between Heinrich and me.


    ¡°Relax. I was just joking.¡±


    As I spoke casually, the observers wiped their foreheads in relief. The mistress, having watched, complimented me.


    ¡°More than I expected, Hersel.¡±


    Her initial goal was to dissolve the chains binding Heinrich¡¯s subordinates.


    Even if they showed hostility, acting rashly wasn¡¯t an option. So I struck the right balance, leaving room for reconsideration.


    If they truly believed our side to be tyrants, Tenest would be isolated.


    However, if they still rebel after being given a chance, it would justify our actions against them.


    I scoffed at the mistress.


    ¡°Hmph, were you testing me? Are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°Why does Hersel think so? I only brought you in because I needed help.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses. You had means to handle this even without me.¡±


    Her eyes widened slightly, perhaps surprised that I realized she had another plan. But her lower lips curled up in satisfaction.


    ¡°It seems entering Edel Klais wasn¡¯t just luck. You have a keen eye.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t anything special.


    Ordinarily, Hersel wouldn¡¯t be here, having died, and I knew a war hadn¡¯t broken out.


    With this knowledge, it was natural to assume the lady could handle things without me.


    Still, it was annoying.


    She must have heard about my entry into Edel Klais and gotten curious.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. I won¡¯t be toyed with anymore, so handle the rest yourself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve done more than enough.¡±


    The mistress relaxed her expression and looked at Heinrich. His face was stiff, clearly not expecting this outcome.


    She shrugged her shoulders and stood up, addressing him.


    ¡°It seems the negotiations have failed. We¡¯ll take our leave now, Count Heinrich.¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll meet again soon.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps sooner than you think.¡±


    With a courteous bow, we left the meeting hall.


    ***


    Rain splashed against the carriage wheels. The drizzle that started as we left the meeting hall had turned into a downpour by dawn.


    Heinrich peered through the foggy window, sighing heavily.


    Messages from promised reinforcements were pouring in, retracting their support. The reason was that wretched brat who resembled his mortal enemy.


    ¡°When the tiger is away, the fox becomes king.¡±


    That arrogant tone and expression. Everything about him reminded Heinrich of Aol.


    Though a brazen and shameless brat, he had both wit and natural charisma.


    In that aspect, he wished his son would take after him¡­


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Sudden pain in his lower abdomen made Heinrich clutch his stomach. The shattered energy center from long ago seemed to whip him, reminding him of who the brat¡¯s father was.


    ¡°Aol¡­ Yes, that cursed man¡¯s bloodline¡­ Soon, you¡¯ll die just like your father.¡±


    Heinrich gritted his teeth. In his mind, the image of the man looking down on him was still vivid.


    Years ago, when the Blackbird of Resentment attacked Melbra village, a subjugation squad led by Schweike and Tenest was formed to stop the beast.


    Given the urgency and the proximity to Schweike¡¯s territory, Schweike¡¯s forces took the lead. But Tenest did not show up.


    Even as night fell and the moonlight illuminated the blood of fallen soldiers, Tenest¡¯s banner was nowhere to be seen.


    Heinrich showed up at dawn, on the verge of annihilation. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aol and his troops coldly passed the bodies of Schweike soldiers, swiftly beheading the exhausted Blackbird with ease.


    Arriving late, Aol offered no excuses, merely gazing indifferently at the pathetic sight of Heinrich on the ground.


    It was likely a move to check Schweike¡¯s power. Although unable to wield a sword any longer, Heinrich had been sharpening his blade of revenge ever since.


    Then the opportunity came. Aol left the territory to subjugate the demon realm.


    To create a pretext, Heinrich tricked the owner of Grendel into debt and had him killed. He quietly amassed troops and issued conscription orders to his subordinate families.


    ¡°Seven days¡­ No, it¡¯s already a new day, so six.¡±


    Though preparations for war had encountered a setback, it didn¡¯t matter.


    A key capable of turning Aol¡¯s territory into rubble before his return would soon arrive.


    ¡°You¡¯ll weep over your family¡¯s corpses, Aol¡­¡±


    The carriage reached the inner gate as Heinrich¡¯s thoughts trailed off. As usual, the gate began to open as he approached.


    As the gap widened, Heinrich¡¯s shoulder twitched. Inside, familiar crimson eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Yo


    Heinrich stepped back unconsciously, his mind swirling with questions.


    Why was this woman here? How did she arrive before him? Why did the servants let her in?


    None of it made sense.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    A quiet, alluring voice. Ahille von Tenest, the lady of Tenest, smiled.


    ¡°We might meet sooner than you think.¡±

 Chapter 25

    SwooshThe rain showed no sign of stopping even at dawn. I watched the raindrops forming on the window as I sipped my tea.


    ¡°¡­Brother, what are you doing up?¡± Mircel approached, rubbing his sleepy eyes. I had only lit one lamp and stayed quiet to avoid waking him, but it seemed to be in vain.


    What could I do? It was your fault for deciding to stay here for the night instead of going home. I answered nonchalantly, ¡°Just thinking.¡±


    ¡°Thinking about what?¡±


    ¡°Just this and that.¡±


    After the meeting ended, the Empire provided us with lodging, saying that traveling in the rain would be difficult. Conveniently, the mistress and Deisel had left for other matters, and since we were in the Empire¡¯s territory, I thought nothing would go wrong.


    Seven days. No, now six days since the day had changed. Even if it only buys us a day, they say you should be cautious in your final days, even of falling leaves.


    I shook my head to dispel my loosening thoughts. Seeing my gesture, Mircel laughed as if he had misunderstood something.


    ¡°No matter how much you act like it doesn¡¯t bother you, it still does, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you anxious? That count looked like he wanted to kill you on the spot.¡±


    I replied casually to his concern, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about regarding that.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Because he will die soon. I swallowed the latter part of my sentence. The Schweike family name, though not as frequent as Tenest, often appeared in the game. In none of the timelines I played was Heinrich ever the lord of Schweike.


    The background story I remember described him as a weak young lord who lost his father early and took his position at a very young age. He would not become a static enemy that would haunt me continuously.


    Likewise, as I mentioned before, no war would break out. I¡¯ve never heard of a war between these two families.


    However, as I organized my thoughts, a sudden suspicion arose. Could Heinrich¡¯s death be deeply connected to the mistress?


    ***


    ¡°Please come inside, Count.¡±


    Ahille walked ahead through the castle¡¯s corridors as if it were her own home. Servants, attendants, and soldiers lined up on either side of the path, resembling a welcoming parade for the master¡¯s return.


    Heinrich, who had been standing still, followed her with complicated feelings while his eyes busily scanned the surroundings.


    There was not a drop of blood on the floor, and there were no signs of battle on the soldiers. Given the situation, he could only think it was all due to persuasion. Ahille stepped back behind Heinrich and spoke.


    ¡°Please take a seat, Count. You¡¯re not well.¡±


    Her words acted as a signal, and Heinrich felt a burning pain in his solar plexus. He collapsed weakly onto the throne.


    ¡°¡­What is going on here? Someone answer me!¡±


    He shouted so loudly that the audience chamber seemed to shake, but no one answered. They all just bowed their heads in shame. The response came from Ahille.


    ¡°Are you surprised? Everyone ignores your words.¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡±


    Heinrich let out a hollow laugh and roared once more at the courtiers lined up below the throne.


    ¡°Who? Who among you decided to hand over Schweike to this fox? Who led this rebellion? Was it you, Chancellor? Or you, Knight Commander?¡±


    When no one answered again, Ahille spoke with a seemingly pitiful expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Count. Everyone here is helping me as individuals.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous! What did you promise them in return?¡±


    Ahille put her finger to her lips.


    ¡°They agreed to keep their mouths shut. Each had a secret to hide.¡±


    Heinrich¡¯s eyes widened in confusion, and Ahille continued. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A shame they¡¯d like to erase. A crime they¡¯d be judged for. An unrequited love. A confidential matter. Everyone has something they want to keep hidden.¡±


    Heinrich¡¯s face twisted in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Are you saying everyone here is corrupt?¡±


    ¡°There may be clean individuals, but rarely are their surroundings spotless. People are sad creatures tied by relationships. For example, spouses, parents, children, and siblings.¡±


    Everyone has a painful secret. Yet, Heinrich, who had many under his command, couldn¡¯t accept it.


    ¡°Just by blackmail? You think they¡¯d betray me without any promises of wealth or honor?¡±


    Ahille shook her head at Heinrich¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just blackmail. Everyone has at least one secret they¡¯d do anything to keep hidden. Isn¡¯t it the same for you, Count?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°During the Blackbird of Resentment expedition, you claimed the Duke arrived late, but that wasn¡¯t the case, was it?¡±


    Heinrich¡¯s eyes quaked, but Ahille continued calmly.


    ¡°It was true the Duke and his forces were supposed to arrive before sunset. But as a newly appointed lord, you wanted to claim all the credit for defeating the demon. So you sent a message to Tenest before the expedition, saying the battle was over and you needed help with the aftermath by noon the next day.¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°The Duke arrived earlier than planned, sensing something was wrong, and led his forces before dawn. Your reckless decision led your kin to their deaths. It¡¯s also your fault your dantian was shattered, preventing you from wielding a sword.¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Why do you aim a sword at your savior? To hide your shame? Afraid of being judged if the truth comes out?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ahille¡¯s eyes seemed to see through him, and Heinrich struggled to suppress his anger. He wanted to scream out the truth he had held back.


    ¡°Heh¡­ It¡¯s that important to you, huh? Fine, I have nothing to hide now.¡±


    In front of the courtiers who were already controlled, Heinrich decided there was no point in keeping secrets.


    ¡°Why do I resent him? Because he never said a word. He didn¡¯t rebuke my foolish decision or hold me accountable. He just looked at me with those indifferent eyes like I was a worm!¡±


    Heinrich shouted as if pouring out everything inside him, then caught his breath and continued.


    ¡°So, I thought I had to kill him before he could ever speak.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s how deeply people want to hide their secrets.¡±


    Ahille¡¯s expression showed no emotion toward her own secret. Seeing her calmly reveal people¡¯s secrets, Heinrich retorted sarcastically.


    ¡°Where did you hear that story? From the Duke? He must be another man swayed by a woman¡¯s charm.¡±


    ¡°The Duke is not that kind of person, and you know it. I heard it from one of your loyal subordinates who knew the secret.¡±


    When Heinrich glared, one of the courtiers lowered his head even further.


    Ahille spoke as if advising Heinrich.


    ¡°People who swear loyalty to protect their secrets wouldn¡¯t hesitate to betray a lord. Confiding a secret or two isn¡¯t a big deal for them.¡±


    He finally realized. The secrets revealed were not only his own.


    ¡°Heh¡­ Indeed, you wove this web well. A true witch¡­ a man-eating witch.¡±


    Heinrich, adept at various schemes and plots as the head of a renowned count family, had never heard or experienced such comprehensive manipulation.


    He could only sense that there was no way to escape her grasp. Heinrich lowered his shoulders in defeat and asked.


    ¡°So, what do you plan to do now?¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to be a warning.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Ahille¡¯s smile vanished.


    ¡°I intended to end it with a warning.¡±


    At her nod, a servant approached with a box. As he opened it in front of the throne, a sharp blade glinted and a sickening smell of blood filled the air.


    ¡°This is¡­?!¡±


    Heinrich¡¯s face turned pale.


    Inside the box were the severed head of an old man and a sharp dagger.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look familiar? I believe you ordered this.¡±


    Ahille pulled out a shiny metal object from her bosom and continued.


    ¡°I was curious about why you were so confident. So I investigated and found out about this audacious plan.¡±


    The item in her hand was a counterfeit key to the seal of the ¡°Blackbird of Resentment,¡± hidden beneath Tenest Manor, the core weapon to win the war.


    Heinrich nearly gasped in shock.


    It was a plan to release the monster and create chaos, a secret kept from even his loyal subordinates.


    Ahille, aware of everything, spoke as she toyed with the key.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit different from the original, but the patterns engraved are the same. It seems the maker left blueprints before being eliminated.¡±


    She knew everything.


    The plot to unleash the monster at Tenest Manor, the plan to use the chaos to win the war, and the hidden whereabouts of his son.


    Aol¡¯s revenge no longer mattered. Heinrich grabbed the dagger from the box, intending to slit Ahille¡¯s throat if her answer warranted it.


    ¡°What about Adero?¡±


    Unable to control his emotions, Heinrich asked urgently. Ahille¡¯s expression softened as if thinking of her child.


    ¡°Rest assured. I, too, am a mother with children. I have lines I won¡¯t cross.¡±


    Heinrich looked at the dagger. Understanding immediately, he chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°Heh, heh, you want me to kill myself with this dagger right here, for the sake of my son¡¯s uncertain fate?¡±


    Ahille stepped closer, making it easier for him. Her composed, superior gaze angered Heinrich, and he gripped the dagger tightly.


    ¡°Daring to look down on me like that, you truly are an arrogant woman.¡±


    He reached out his arm, the dagger aimed at her heart. Despite his shattered dantian, he thought he had more than enough strength to kill a mere woman.


    At that moment, a beam of light pierced through the partially open inner door, illuminating the throne like a sharp spear.


    Thud!


    With a short, wet sound, blood splattered onto the floor. The dagger had found its mark in Heinrich¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    Heinrich groaned in pain as he pushed the dagger deeper into his own flesh.


    The courtiers, witnessing the gruesome scene, bowed their heads in dismay, but Ahille kept her eyes fixed on him, watching his final moments.


    ¡°It¡¯s all going to be okay, Count. Your son will inherit the lordship of Schweike, never knowing the dishonorable past of his father who made such an extreme choice.¡±


    As his vision darkened, Heinrich¡¯s face twisted with agony and regret, but strangely, her words sounded like a sweet whisper.


    ***


    Deisel welcomed her mother as she returned from her errands at the front gate.


    ¡°So, once we deliver this key, my son¡¯s job will be done,¡± she said, handling the key her mother had given her.


    Even though it was a counterfeit, it was made from a special material that was not easy to destroy, being a key used to seal the Blackbird of Resentment.


    However, there was someone capable of handling it. That person was Aol, who possessed the original key.


    ¡°I received a letter saying he would pass through the Athera Fortress. We have agreed to meet there, so you should go first.¡±


    Athera was not far from here.


    ¡°I have some matters to attend to here, so I entrust the rest to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother. I will take care of it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve seen your father, hasn¡¯t it, Deisel?¡±


    Ahille moved to handle the aftermath of Heinrich¡¯s death. Deisel, feeling she had more to say, called after her mother.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much time left to kill him. But if father returns, will it still be possible?¡±


    He was indirectly expressing that it would be best to act now. Ahille looked at her son and spoke.


    ¡°Hersel will not become the lord. Even if he is around, there are still plenty of opportunities.¡±


    Her voice was flat and emotionless. Deisel felt unsure and lowered his gaze.


    His mother was hesitating. Though she could have killed Hersel at any time, she hadn¡¯t done so yet, which was proof enough.


    The same went for his father. He didn¡¯t think Hersel was suitable for the lordship. His mother merely outlined the plan, but it was his father who first proposed the wager. Of course, it was to dilute his mother¡¯s intent to kill Hersel preemptively. There was no doubt about that. He openly stated it was to spare Hersel¡¯s life.


    ¨C That boy had no one to guide him. As a father, it¡¯s my fault. So I want to give him one last chance. If he comes to his senses through this, watch over him a little longer. That¡¯s what family is supposed to do.


    Even if he was a blood relative, Hersel was a worthless son. Handing over power that could turn the territory into hell just for the sake of sentimentality.


    ¡°Deisel.¡±


    Deisel lifted his head at his mother¡¯s call.


    ¡°From your expression, it seems my answer wasn¡¯t satisfying. I¡¯d like to explain more clearly, but there isn¡¯t enough time.¡±


    Ahille sighed and then smiled as if remembering something.


    ¡°Do you remember when you were four? On your birthday, when you said you wanted to take your father¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±


    ¡°You were such a clever child, even at that young age.¡±


    Deisel smiled faintly at the memory, his voice softening.


    ¡°You promised to let me sit in that seat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t worry. I only make promises I can keep.¡±


    Ahille gave him a meaningful look before walking away. Deisel watched her retreating figure, letting the fake smile fade from his face.


    ¡°¡­I wonder if she still means it.¡±


    Recently, Deisel had noticed his mother¡¯s growing interest in Hersel. If his mother, who he trusted, hesitated, there was no telling what could happen.


    The thought of Hersel taking the lordship made Deisel¡¯s insides churn.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept it.¡±


    The fact that someone like Hersel, who was no more than dust to him, had become a member of Edel Klais before him, the arrogance he displayed during the meeting¡ªit was all unacceptable.


    But most of all, the feeling of inferiority Hersel evoked in him was intolerable.


    Everything felt unstable. The source of his anxiety wasn¡¯t just Hersel. Mircel, who was rising from below, was also a threat.


    He doubted it whenever he saw her eagerly waiting for Mircel to grow.


    Each time, Deisel thought that sitting on the throne was a temporary position, something he held for Mircel. Given his lifelong focus on this goal, the current situation was unbearable.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s tried the hardest. Not those two damned brats.¡±


    As he muttered in anger, blood dripped onto the floor. He had squeezed the key so hard that its jagged edge had cut into his hand.


    Staring blankly at the key, Deisel felt a soothing sensation spread through his dry thoughts.


    The anxiety that had plagued him could be resolved directly. There would be no need to watch out for Mircel, nor feel the humiliation caused by Hersel.


    In his hand, he held the key to making that possible.


    ***


    Chirp, chirp¡ª


    A bird called out in the night.


    Aol stood on the Athera Fortress wall, waiting for his son.


    But as dawn approached, there was still no sign of anyone.


    As the first light of dawn began to rise, Koullo spoke.


    ¡°Young Master Deisel has not arrived.¡±


    Originally, they had planned to rest for two or three days, but now they needed to move sooner.


    ¡°Tell the knights to prepare to leave in an hour.¡±


    ***


    As we traveled back to the estate by carriage, a flock of crows cawed. Mircel, yawning next to me, asked out of boredom.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°That crow we have at home¡ªcan you beat it?¡±


    What a ridiculous question.


    But since the monstrous bird wouldn¡¯t be resurrected, I could bluff a little. Might as well strike a pose.


    ¡°If I fought it, one of us would die.¡±


    -Pfft.


    Donatan clicked its tongue.


    -You¡¯re just a snack for that thing, Hersel.


    Annoyed by its mockery, I replied confidently. It was an overly dismissive statement.


    ¡®No? More like a two-bite snack.¡¯


    I had ¡®one-second invincibility¡¯ after all, so two hits would do it.


    -¡­That¡¯s quite the boast.

 Chapter 26

    The mistress had not yet returned. Only Hersel had arrived.It was a night with little time left until the festival.


    The dilapidated warehouse had long become desolate. Left alone after the two assassins had disappeared, Peren repeatedly opened and closed the box.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to take action. If she acted hastily, she would likely vanish without a trace like the two men before her.


    However, only three days remained. If she didn¡¯t achieve results, she would be erased from the world, or spend her life as a servant. The thought sent chills down Peren¡¯s spine.


    ¡°Ugh, this damned fate.¡±


    The urgency finally pushed her to gather the staff and tools from the box and move towards her target¡ªHersel¡¯s annex.


    Entering wasn¡¯t too difficult.


    Though the night guards and servants of the annex saw her, they only whispered in surprise that someone was still attempting assassination.


    ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t she the maid who used to do the laundry at the dormitory? What¡¯s she doing at the annex?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s making a last-ditch attempt? There¡¯s not much time left.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk, she must have never faced real danger before.¡±


    ¡°Ha, she¡¯s just another one of those small fries who¡¯s never even killed anyone properly.¡±


    Peren scoffed at the servants¡¯ whispers as she walked by.


    However, the servants seemed curious and started following her from a distance. The crowd grew, with even some yawning servants in pajamas joining in, having just woken up.


    ¡°Yawn, what¡¯s all the fuss about?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on that so many people are gathering?¡±


    ¡°Look over there. That lady¡¯s going to make an attempt. This might be the last one.¡±


    Peren was astounded by the stares from the crowd.


    ¡­It¡¯s like something out of a novel, with a hero going to slay an evil dragon.


    In a way, it was enjoyable. How often does an assassin get treated like this?


    Feeling confident, Peren took out the magical key hidden in the pocket under her skirt. The crowd gasped in awe, like primitive people seeing fire for the first time.


    ¡°Whoa, that blue-tinged key looks quite peculiar.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Normally, you¡¯d struggle to pick a lock with a wire¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems she¡¯s prepared thoroughly. She must be determined.¡±


    Click!


    The door opened. As soon as Peren stepped into the dragon¡¯s lair, she pulled out her staff and cast a Silence spell, then closed the door with all her might. Not even the sound of an ant¡¯s breath could be heard.


    Hersel was sleeping soundly, unaware of anything. Peren carefully placed a vial from the strap on her thigh on the floor and used her staff to cast telekinesis. The cap popped off, and the green liquid began to move like a living snake.


    The contents were a corrosive poison extracted from the Viper Silus.


    Just pour this down his throat, and even an imperial knight will die instantly.


    As she prepared, Peren noticed something odd. The bed was empty. At that moment, she realized that the shadow on the floor was larger than her own.


    Gasp!


    Peren quickly tried to turn and swing her staff, but before she could, Hersel grabbed her wrist and twisted it.


    Thunk!


    The staff fell, breaking the Silence spell. A hand pressed on the back of her head, forcing her face into the floor.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Dull pain shot through her wrist and cheekbone. Realizing the plan had gone awry, she looked up at Hersel. He said nothing, only increasing the pressure on her wrist. Despite the pain, Peren¡¯s attention was elsewhere.


    A burning smell filled the air. The corrosive poison floating in midair had soaked into her sleeve.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    The fabric soaked up the poison like cotton. It would soon reach her skin. Peren¡¯s eyes widened with panic, sweat breaking out as she pleaded.


    ¡°Wait, please! Don¡¯t let it touch my skin!¡±


    Hersel answered by tearing off her poisoned sleeve.


    Relieved, Peren sighed, thinking this was her chance. She smiled slyly, as Hersel was defenseless while throwing away the poisoned fabric. She already had a dagger from her pocket in hand.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Peren twisted her body, aiming the dagger at Hersel¡¯s neck. But the sensation in her wrist was heavy, like striking a solid rock with a steel rod.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The sharp pain of a fracture accompanied by the cracking sound of the dagger. Peren dropped the broken dagger, clutching her wrist and screaming.


    ¡°Ow! It hurts! It hurts!¡±


    She rolled on the floor in pain but had to endure it. Hersel was looking down at her with cold eyes.


    ***


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Skill activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 57 seconds]


    I opened my eyes to the system notification.


    A familiar-looking maid was rolling on the floor, clutching her wrist and crying.


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    When the maid only moved her lips silently, Donatan answered in her place.


    [She tried to kill you.]


    That was enough to understand the situation.


    Donatan had once mentioned he was known as the sleeping sword among his former master¡¯s demon swords. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His previous master, surrounded by enemies, entrusted Donatan with his protection while he slept. Donatan learned techniques to ensure his master¡¯s restful sleep. This was the greatest merit that led me to contract with him.


    So, while I was asleep, Donatan protected me from the assassin.


    [¡­ That¡¯s an insult to this body. You miserable fool.]


    What should I do with her then?


    Judging by her appearance, she was different from the servants I had spared. The floor was littered with a magic staff and vials emitting a strange smell. She was clearly an assassin.


    ¡°Well then, what punishment should I give you? I¡¯ve killed every assassin so far, so execution seems fair.¡±


    The assassin shivered at my narrowed eyes.


    Donatan, sounding excited, spoke up.


    [This is a good opportunity, Hersel. There are many people outside. If you show your might by holding her head high, it would be a good example.]


    Looking at her tear-streaked face and smudged makeup, my intention wavered.


    She seemed rather foolish.


    She looked weak and might be useful later.


    Moreover, instilling too much fear could be problematic. If I became too infamous, righteous playable characters might come after me.


    With the festival ending soon, I needed to moderate my actions. It was time to shed the monstrous image and return to my true self.


    The diligent and well-regarded person I used to be.


    After weighing the pros and cons, I relaxed my expression.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tremble. I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that true?¡±


    I helped the assassin to her feet. Her eyes, previously filled with fear, softened slightly. But that wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°Of course. But you need to fulfill one condition.¡±


    In this world, if you try to take a life, you must pay a price. I grinned as I spoke.


    ¡°Hand over everything you have.¡±


    What would she give me?


    The last assassin had only a staff. And Donatan had sliced it along with his neck, making it useless. So, my expectations were high.


    The assassin looked uneasy at my demand.


    ¡°Excuse me? Everything I have¡­ I don¡¯t have anything you would want.¡±


    ¡°Why not? You have something under your skirt, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Pointing to the pocket on her thigh, I made my demand. The assassin blushed and pulled her skirt down, thinking something else.


    Look at her.


    Does she think I¡¯m a pervert?


    Annoyed by the misunderstanding, I grabbed my head.


    ¡°You idiot, take out what¡¯s strapped to your thigh.¡±


    Realizing her mistake, the assassin sighed in relief and handed over the pocket and vials.


    ¡°If I give you this, will you really spare my life?¡±


    Just this?


    Scoffing, I shook my head.


    ¡°Are you naive? You tried to kill me, so you must give everything you have.¡±


    I pointed to the staff lying on the floor. Even a low-grade magic staff was valuable. The assassin paled and stammered.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s my only valuable tool. If you take it, I¡¯ll be left with nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    It¡¯s an opportunity to get a more honest job.


    I wasn¡¯t so heartless as to ignore someone¡¯s chance for rehabilitation. This wasn¡¯t extortion; it was doing the right thing.


    ¡°Tough luck.¡±


    Snatch!


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    I roughly took the staff, making the assassin cry. Ignoring her, I gathered all the seemingly useless tools.


    Oh, there¡¯s a timer seal with the Viper Silus poison?


    I might need this.


    The assassin, thinking it was over, wiped her tears and bowed.


    ¡°¡­Excuse me. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Where do you think you¡¯re going?


    I stopped her, as I wasn¡¯t finished.


    ¡°Wait. Shake yourself right there.¡±


    ¡°Shake? How?¡±


    ¡°Up and down.¡±


    I gestured with my hand.


    ¡°Keep repeating it.¡±


    Understanding my order, the assassin reluctantly jumped up and down like she was skipping rope. It was pathetic, like someone about to lose their last coin.


    Clink¡ª


    Coins mean little to a wealthy noble like me. But I had to take them all to prevent her from buying weapons during the remaining festival time. It was a profound reason, not just extortion.


    ¡°I knew it. I heard coins. Take them out.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me, but these are silver coins. They mean nothing to you. So, please, let me keep them. They¡¯re my living expenses¡­¡±


    The assassin begged, smiling foolishly. Softened, I looked at the coins and took them.


    She gaped like a fish out of water.


    ¡°I told you to hand over everything. If you don¡¯t want to die, keep shaking.¡±


    The assassin, looking like she¡¯d rather die, continued jumping. I sat with one leg crossed, listening carefully.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Huff. How much longer? I¡¯m already¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re distracting me.¡±


    I made her continue until the sound of coins completely disappeared. Whenever she tried to hide something by jumping lightly, I scolded her, eventually taking everything she had.


    I felt satisfied, having guided someone¡¯s life onto the right path.


    If there were another person like me, the world would be peaceful.


    ***


    Peren cried bitterly as soon as she left the room.


    All her valuable tools, saved for this day, were taken. Even the last coin was gone. When she checked her pockets, she found only lint.


    Having never been robbed before, she felt humiliated and empty.


    ¡°Sniff¡­¡±


    Her shoulders trembled as she sobbed, and people sympathetically draped blankets over her.


    In a daze from the shock, Peren didn¡¯t hear the murmuring around her.


    ¡°Oh my, her clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Quiet, show some respect.¡±


    Someone handed her a handkerchief. Wiping her tears, her smudged makeup made her look even more pitiful.


    ¡°Oh dear, she must be in shock.¡±


    ¡°I heard he told her to jump up and down. Disgraceful.¡±


    ¡°He took her money too!¡±


    ¡°What a villain!¡±


    As Peren moved away, the murmuring grew louder. The noise in the corridor caused a door to open.


    The servants froze, staring in fear at Hersel.


    ¡°There are a lot of people here today.¡±


    His low voice spread in the silence.


    ¡°Good. I was thinking of having a chat with you all.¡±


    The servants, faces pale, whispered among themselves. Then they quickly covered their faces and fled, some even running to avoid being targeted.


    Unaware of their escape, Hersel closed his eyes and spoke in a soulless voice.


    ¡°I will not hold you accountable when I become the lord. Sparing the woman was a show of mercy. I¡­¡±


    Noticing the unnatural silence, Hersel opened his eyes. The corridor was empty.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    ***


    Morning came.


    Peren, who hadn¡¯t slept a wink, couldn¡¯t close her eyes. An unexpected visitor had arrived at the shabby warehouse.


    ¡°Is this really the document that will erase all my sins?¡±


    At her question, Deisel, who had just arrived, nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s signed and sealed. It¡¯s yours now.¡±


    He placed a sheet of paper on the desk. The pardon she had longed for was within reach, and her eyes trembled. But she couldn¡¯t touch it.


    No noble would guarantee freedom without completing a mission.


    As expected, the situation she often encountered during her active years followed.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t give it to you without a favor.¡±


    Thunk!


    He placed a small box on the desk. Peren checked its contents with a puzzled look. The geometrical patterns etched on the blade glowed softly; it was a complex, top-tier key.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t for ordinary use. What do you want me to do with it?¡±


    Deisel spoke with a heavy expression.


    ¡°Release the monster sleeping underground. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±


    ¡°M-Monster?¡±


    Sweat trickled down Peren¡¯s forehead at the unimaginable request.


    There were many monsters sealed underground. But only one required such a key.


    The Black Swan of Resentment, the grand beast that wiped Melbra village off the map.


    This man was asking her to release a horrific disaster in the middle of a crowded mansion.


    Even if it was to kill Hersel, could she do it? He was truly mad.


    Yet Peren grabbed the pardon with a determined face.


    ¡°I will do it. Today.¡±


    Raised in a harsh environment, she knew that feeding off others was the most satisfying way to fill her own hunger.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, farewell.¡±


    The deal done, Deisel left the warehouse.


    Under the sunlight, the servants moved busily. A passing maid bowed her head in greeting.


    Deisel, masking his intentions, nodded back with a calm expression.


    As she left, his face turned grim.


    But that was momentary.


    Seeing Mircel heading to Hersel¡¯s annex in the morning, his eyes gleamed with a sharp killing intent.

 Chapter 27

    The underground reeked of the musty smell of beasts. A single flame flickered to life in the darkness. Peren flinched as the monster¡¯s fangs glinted in the light.


    ¡°Damn it, that scared me.¡±


    Seeing that it posed no threat, she brought the lamp closer to check the state of the creatures. Their necks were properly secured. As long as she didn¡¯t get too close, it would be fine.


    Peren walked down the corridor, stopping before the face of a woman with moth eyes, the size of a bust.


    ¡°Y-Yuurana?¡±


    Muttering the name of the monster from the childhood horror stories, she once again realized what kind of person the master of this place was.


    Swallowing nervously at the sight of a monster she had dismissed as fantasy, Peren was once again reminded of the power of the man who captured it.


    From the very beginning, she felt uneasy; at the end of the corridor was the most dangerous monster among those the man had captured.


    The ¡°Black Swan of Resentment,¡± a grand beast that inscribed its disastrous presence in modern history as a true calamity.


    Click, click¡ª


    As she neared the end, three red crescent moons formed a circle. With each step, the dark energy in the air pricked her skin like needles.


    ¡°Disgusting¡­ ugh.¡±


    For a wizard sensitive to mana, the presence of this dark energy was nauseating.


    Suppressing her gag reflex, Peren took out a key and a piece of paper with a long arrow drawn on it. It was the item Deisel called a Timer Seal.


    [Rotating Seal Talisman]


    The attached object rotates. It can be torn for use and the timing can be adjusted based on the paper¡¯s area. For light objects only.


    Peren tore off enough paper for six hours and attached it to the key. She then carefully inserted it into the lock hanging from the black swan¡¯s neck.


    But the key began to turn on its own.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The paper attached to the key started decaying as if the dark energy was alive.


    Realizing something was wrong, Peren abandoned even the lamp on the floor and ran for her life.


    Three minutes later, the sound of the lock opening echoed through the basement.


    Click!


    ***


    The sky was a thick purple.


    Servants, with faces filled with fear, were running toward the main gate.


    Watching from the window, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like I had just woken up from a coma and was seeing the future unfold before my eyes.


    Is this real?


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I pinched my cheek, hoping it was a dream, but it hurt.


    Once again, I asked myself. The familiar sight of livestock trapped within the purple barrier. The scene I had seen countless times in the game over and retry sequences of the ¡°Black Swan of Resentment¡± scenario. ?


    Is this really happening?


    ¡°Ha, ha.¡±


    Laughing like a madman, I sank into my chair and told Donatan to stop this childish hidden camera prank.


    ¡®Enough with the jokes.¡¯


    [Jokes?]


    ¡®You can tell me now. How long was I unconscious?¡¯


    [What nonsense are you talking about?]


    ¡®If you want to keep lying, go ahead. I¡¯m not falling for it.¡¯


    Sometimes I sound like a lunatic.


    Common sense dictates that events that should occur years later couldn¡¯t possibly be happening now, before the scenario even started. So, I should be safe. The playable characters who had grown stronger while I was out would take care of it. I just had to watch like I was at a movie.


    What a great opportunity.


    If only I had popcorn and cola, it would be perfect.


    As I was thinking of enjoying some tea and snacks instead, a sound came from behind me.


    Mircel approached, his face pale with fear. It seemed he had appeared while I was laughing to myself.


    Wait a minute.


    Why is he still the same height?


    I wanted to believe it was because his growth plates had closed, but that was clearly a denial of reality.


    ¡­Wasn¡¯t I in a coma?


    So, this is real¡­


    I don¡¯t know why the Black Swan woke up, but it¡¯s probably because of me. But that doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is finding a way to survive this life-threatening situation.


    While I racked my brain, Mircel seemed relieved.


    ¡°Even in this situation, you¡¯re smiling, Brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m excited. I wonder how you¡¯ll defeat it.¡±


    Defeat it? Me?


    I thought of the standard ¡°Black Swan of Resentment¡± scenario.


    This region has the best of both worlds¡ªcool breezes from the north in summer and mild winters from the east, making it an ideal place for people. The land is vast and the population sparse, with a high density of playable characters. Given their dramatic lives, incidents and accidents were common.


    Heroes, I should say.


    They would handle the problems that arose, and eventually, the time would come for them to be rewarded. Naturally, the land¡¯s owner would be the one to acknowledge their achievements.


    But it was never a simple matter.


    A busy Aol couldn¡¯t individually reward each hero, so he organized a grand banquet to honor them all at once. That¡¯s when the incident occurred.


    Where there is light, there is also shadow.


    As they shone brightly, there were those who suffered in the darkness. These people, known as the Guardians of the Shadows, wanted to eliminate the playable characters before they became even more of a nuisance.


    Conveniently, the banquet presented a perfect opportunity. They unleashed the Black Swan of Resentment to create chaos.


    In short, it was a boss battle that required a group of protagonists to overcome.


    To defeat the Black Swan, you needed the special weapon called the Holy Sword.


    Thus, the child¡¯s innocent expectations were met with my awkward reluctance.


    How could I possibly handle that monster?


    I, who had less power than an extra, without even the Holy Sword¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to defeat it.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even our father couldn¡¯t kill it; he could only seal it.¡±


    ¡°¡­So we¡¯re all going to die?¡±


    I placed my hand on the trembling Mircel¡¯s head.


    ¡°No, we can survive. If you help me.¡±


    There was a 99% chance I was lying, but 1% was true. The Black Swan scenario wasn¡¯t always about defeating the boss.


    If you couldn¡¯t obtain the Holy Sword, there was another method. Breaking the barrier around the mansion would also be recognized as clearing the scenario.


    There are five barriers in total.


    To break them, you need to find and remove five Feathers of Restraint hidden around the mansion.


    If we do that, a cutscene would play showing Aol arriving to slash the Black Swan¡¯s neck and seal it, ending the scenario.


    Of course, given the different circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t appear out of nowhere, but we could at least escape outside.


    So, we could survive.


    If this talented kid and I played our parts well enough.


    ¡°Mircel, get a sword and search the mansion. You¡¯ll find a feather as tall as you somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Should I cut it?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t cut it immediately.¡±


    Feathers appear in random locations, so finding them can take some time.


    But I had a tip thanks to a playable character¡¯s monologue about the keen sense needed to detect them.


    ¡°There will be a strange aura flowing from the feather. Learn to sense that first. It¡¯ll make finding the next feather easier. Only cut it after you¡¯ve done that.¡±


    In this desperate situation, if Mircel could sense it even once, it would save time.


    And my job¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some time, so focus on the feathers and ignore the monster. Got it?¡±


    Sadly, I was to be the bait for the Black Swan.


    Somehow, it¡¯ll work out.


    I have ¡°1-second invincibility.¡±


    ¡°Got it. You be careful too, Brother.¡±


    Mircel handed over a warning before leaving. I approached the drawer and rummaged through it for anything useful.


    I can¡¯t use the cursed giant¡¯s skull or staff because I can¡¯t use magic.


    But this should be quite handy.


    [Viper Silus¡¯s Poison]


    A corrosive toxin with particles finer than mercury, with deep penetration.


    [Talisman with Alarm Function]


    Used to automatically turn doorknobs. The timer can be adjusted based on the length of the string.


    As I stuffed the items into my pocket, the door suddenly opened, and Jack, Rodel, and Selly burst in.


    ¡°Hurry up, Rodel! Ahem, are you okay, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Ha, I was bringing the sword. Anyway, I rushed here to protect you, Young Master. Hehe, I did well, right?¡±


    Jack and Rodel wiped the sweat from their foreheads and grinned stupidly. Selly, as usual, grumbled and put down the baggage she was carrying.


    ¡°You dragged me along, but what difference does it make being here?¡±


    Looking at the three who had become dear to me, I felt a strong emotion. I didn¡¯t want to leave them to be killed by the Black Swan.


    ¡°Stop lying. You were running for the main gate without even looking back.¡±


    Because I had to kill them myself.


    ¡°Young Master, we were just trying to assess the situation¡­¡±


    ¡°I saw it all. You had bags hanging all over you and were sprinting away. You didn¡¯t even glance at my window.¡±


    You¡¯re here because you had nowhere else to go, yet you¡¯re shameless.


    ***


    The fountain in the center roared louder.


    Swoosh¡ª


    The ground trembled. Cracks appeared in the fountain, and black liquid seeped out. It gathered into a form.


    Black feathers covered its skin. Its body was like a pot-bellied drunkard, and its head was that of a crow with three eyes.


    Inhaling deeply, the Black Swan savored the fresh air, then looked up at the sky. Half-obscured by the purple barrier, the sun still shone above.


    The Black Swan closed its eyes, enjoying the brilliant sunlight.


    After a few minutes, soldiers armed with swords and spears approached. The soldier who seemed to be their leader shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t retreat! Our duty is to protect this place!¡±


    No one dared to advance. They kept their distance, forming a net around the creature. The Black Swan remained still, eyes closed.


    A young soldier behind it smirked.


    Despite its fearsome reputation, its size seemed no larger than a person, making it look easy to handle.


    Thinking that the rumors were exaggerated, the young soldier, dreaming of glory, stabbed his sword into the back of the Black Swan¡¯s head.


    Thunk!


    It struck solidly. The soldiers¡¯ faces brightened. They continued to stab the unmoving creature.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so weak. It must have rusted being underground for so long.¡±


    ¡°Step aside, let me cut off its head.¡±


    The captain, exuding aura, prepared his stance. At that moment, the Black Swan extended its arm and lightly tapped the captain¡¯s helmet with its index finger.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡±


    One second later.


    His head exploded.


    Boom!


    As the headless captain¡¯s body collapsed, the Black Swan opened its eyes. The soldiers, splattered with blood and brains, froze.


    ¡°W-What happened?!¡±


    While one soldier shouted in a trembling voice, the young soldier who had first stabbed the creature began to back away. Once he thought he was out of reach, he threw his sword aside and ran.


    Even though he heard the short cries behind him, he didn¡¯t look back and ran at full speed. As he neared a barn where he could hide, his view shifted upward.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t feel his legs. No, his legs were gone. Where did they go?


    As he pondered, his upper body fell to the ground.


    Chomp, chomp¡ª


    Hearing the chewing sound beside him, the young soldier turned his head.


    He met the eyes of the Black Swan, which was munching on a long piece of flesh.


    The Black Swan grabbed the soldier by the hair, dragging him along. Seeing his own thick blood streak on the ground, the soldier struggled.


    ¡°Let go! Let go of me! Aaargh!¡±


    Clawing, pinching, and hitting the Black Swan¡¯s hand was useless. By the time his nails started coming off, the creature stopped. They had reached the broken fountain.


    The young soldier saw other soldiers who had lost their legs, groaning in pain, and muttered.


    The question didn¡¯t last long.


    As the Black Swan held a living soldier, opened its beak wide, and took a big bite, the young soldier realized.


    The creature was just gathering its prey in one place.


    To eat fresh, living humans.


    Meanwhile, a maid watched from afar, holding her breath. She glanced at the mansion. The old butler inside signaled her. He gestured for her to crouch lower and approach slowly.


    The maid, holding her breath, moved carefully. But she stepped on a twig. The crackling sound caught the Black Swan¡¯s attention, and it assumed a posture ready to leap.


    The maid, thinking she would be hunted like the soldiers, froze and shut her eyes.


    ¡°You could easily dodge from this distance. What are you doing?¡±


    Startled, the maid opened her eyes. Hersel, who had appeared without her noticing, pulled her by the shoulder.


    At that moment, the massive black body flew past where she had been standing.


    Whoosh¡ª


    The heavy wind from the Black Swan blew the sweat off her forehead. If she had stayed, she would have been crushed.


    While the maid calmed her racing heart, Hersel chuckled.


    ¡°Why? Not so fun when your life¡¯s on the line, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll give a signal. If you want to live, run to the mansion or do whatever you want.¡±


    Hersel looked away from the maid, focusing on the Black Swan embedded in the wall. He took a few steps back, then started walking toward the broken fountain.


    The Black Swan charged at him instantly.

 Chapter 28

    As the Black Swan moved before my eyes, it reminded me of an illustration that appeared when the boss battle began.[Phase: Glutton]


    It depicted the Black Swan, drawn in a cute style, sticking out its tongue and using a fork and knife to devour a person. Personally, I found the image quite disgusting, but such things were nothing compared to reality.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. Please save me. Save me.¡±


    Instead of thinking about whether I could save the dying soldiers, all I could think about was not ending up like them.


    [Hersel, it¡¯s preparing to attack. Get ready.]


    [I¡¯ll say it again: your body is slow. Don¡¯t think you can dodge its attack at close range.]


    There was a reason I came to the broken fountain. The area around it was wide open, providing about 200 meters of clear space. I needed the Black Swan to fly far off into the distance when I dodged its charge.


    I reminded myself to avoid its charge.


    ¡®Stay relaxed, keep your feet light.¡¯


    [Good, just like that.]


    Donatan and I focused solely on our legs and feet. It was most efficient to move in sync by imagining the same actions in our minds, enabling us to move our bodies as quickly as possible.


    [Here it comes!]


    At Donatan¡¯s signal, I gestured to the maid watching from a distance to start running.


    Bang!


    The sound of the wall crumbling reached my ears just as the Black Swan¡¯s beak appeared before me. I had already started moving, barely managing to step aside and avoid its beak aimed at my legs.


    Whoosh


    My feet landed on the ground, carried by the gust of wind. I had been uncertain, but now I was confident I could handle this. I clenched my fists.


    [You gain a sense through experience. You¡¯ll dodge the next attack even quicker.]


    The Black Swan charged again, and then a third time. Dodging became a little easier with each attempt. Annoyed by my agility, the Black Swan narrowed its three eyes. ?


    Watching it, I knew this would be its final charge.


    From experience, I knew that when its eyes changed, its attack pattern would shift. This meant my time at the fountain was up.


    ¡®Time to take a hit.¡¯


    [¡­Did I hear that right? What did you say?]


    ¡®This time, I¡¯m not dodging. You¡¯ve seen it once, right? How I was fine after taking a Golem¡¯s punch?¡¯


    Donatan asked in an exasperated voice.


    [Yes, you were. But do you think a mere stone punch compares to this monster?]


    ¡®Just watch.¡¯


    I reached into my pocket and taunted the Black Swan.


    ¡°Are you worthy of being called a grand beast? To me, you just look like a fat pigeon.¡±


    Though the bird-brained creature couldn¡¯t understand human language¡­ or could it?


    The Black Swan¡¯s feathers bristled with rage.


    I boasted to Donatan, but honestly, I was terrified. Even with ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ facing a charging monster like a racing car took immense courage.


    ¡°Huff¡ªcome at me.¡±


    Bang!


    Before I could finish, the Black Swan¡¯s body turned to liquid and splattered everywhere. It had rammed into me and burst. Donatan, seemingly unable to believe what had just happened, spoke in a dazed voice.


    [This¡­ this can¡¯t be!]


    ¡®See? It¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Though it lasted only one second, ¡®invincibility¡¯ was an immutable law. It had proven time and again that I couldn¡¯t die for one second, no matter what.


    [Did you kill it? This monster?]


    ¡®If only it were that easy.¡¯


    The Black Swan¡¯s only weakness was the ¡®Holy Sword.¡¯ This monster wouldn¡¯t die so easily. So, I pulled out a vial from my pocket.


    [Viper Silus¡¯s Poison]


    A highly corrosive toxin with particles finer than mercury, capable of deep penetration.


    I poured the deadly poison, which could penetrate even rock, onto the splattered remains of the Black Swan.


    Drip!


    The poison wouldn¡¯t kill it, but it would cause pain and buy me some time.


    ¡°Well then, time to run.¡±


    The next place to buy time was the mansion.


    However, I realized something was wrong. I had ordered the trio to evacuate everyone in the mansion while I bought time, but I hadn¡¯t seen a single person come out.


    ¡®Donatan, did you see anyone leave the mansion?¡¯


    [I was focused on the monster. But given the noise inside, it seems your guess was right.] sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised. This was predictable, and I could only sigh in resignation.


    ***


    ¡°Why should we follow his orders?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ because, head maid, the situation is dire. We need to follow the young master¡¯s orders to survive.¡±


    In the first-floor hall of the mansion, Jack was sweating and practically begging. But the head maid¡¯s expression remained cold and unyielding.


    ¡°Jack, I¡¯ve heard rumors that you¡¯ve been getting close to him. It seems they were true. Enough nonsense. If you¡¯re not going to hide here, just leave.¡±


    Convincing the head maid was incredibly difficult, especially since she had a valid reason. Jack glared at the old butler who was standing behind with an apologetic look.


    Damn, this is all because of that old man.


    The old butler was one of the few survivors from the massacre in Melbra village by the Black Swan. The head maid had sought his advice, and he had said he survived by hiding and waiting for external help. The result was this: they intended to hide here until someone came to save them.


    While Jack was pondering how to fulfill Hersel¡¯s orders, Selly stepped forward.


    ¡°Given the situation, can we stop this foolish political squabble?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    At the head maid¡¯s incredulous response, Selly looked at the old butler and the barricaded door and spoke.


    ¡°Head maid, you know well that Harthon survived purely by luck. How many residents were in Melbra village? Did someone survive by dancing in front of the Black Swan? That¡¯s nonsense. The people who died probably also barricaded themselves and prayed for the disaster to pass. Right, Harthon?¡±


    ¡°¡­I cannot deny that.¡±


    ¡°See? Everyone knows it¡¯s foolish to stay here. Only an idiot would think otherwise.¡±


    The others glared at Selly, but she didn¡¯t flinch and looked straight at the head maid. The head maid¡¯s expression turned grim. Selly¡¯s words had crossed a line, and she moved to slap Sally.


    Slap!


    But Sally caught her wrist.


    ¡°Do you think we don¡¯t know? I know everything. You¡¯re risking everyone¡¯s lives just to look good in front of the mistress! Is that really what a sane person would do?¡±


    Ignoring Selly¡¯s outburst, the head maid ordered the nearby soldiers.


    ¡°What are you standing there for? Escort them out by force.¡±


    The three were surrounded by soldiers.


    Bang!


    The loud noise made everyone flinch.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°The disaster¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doomed. Doomed!¡±


    Bang!


    After the second loud noise, the front door opened. A tall man with blue eyes looked at the table blocking the entrance and muttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? How cumbersome.¡±


    Jack¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Young Master. We were trying to follow your orders, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need for explanations. I can see what¡¯s going on. That old hag is being stubborn, right?¡±


    Click, click.


    Hersel stopped in front of the head maid. She held her head high, showing no intention of backing down.


    ¡°You heard my orders from Jack, right? Are you refusing them?¡±


    The head maid swallowed nervously under Hersel¡¯s cold and arrogant gaze.


    ¡°Are you higher in rank than me?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, but managing the servants is my duty.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then you¡¯re responsible for their lives. Good. Go out alone and hold back the monster¡¯s legs. Or better yet, kill it.¡±


    The head maid hesitated, unable to speak.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t do it? But guess what? I can. I can at least buy some time, which is more than you can do hiding here. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Hersel looked around with a chilling smile.


    ¡°You all know I don¡¯t die easily, even when you wish I would.¡±


    The people nodded weakly.


    ¡°Good, then follow Jack and Rodel to the designated place. Selly, take care of Niasel.¡±


    Hersel clapped his hands loudly, making the hall echo.


    ¡°Move quickly, don¡¯t dawdle.¡±


    At his signal, the old butler hesitated but then started moving, followed by the others who gathered around Jack and Rodel. The head maid, realizing she had no choice, followed reluctantly.


    Just then, a soldier peeking through the curtains shouted urgently.


    ¡°The monster is looking this way!¡±


    Realizing the delay, Hersel sighed.


    ¡°¡­Hold on. We need to revise the plan.¡±


    ***


    Things never go as planned.


    I ran up the mansion¡¯s stairs at full speed. My poor physical condition made breathing difficult, but the urgency of the situation pushed me beyond my limits. Somehow, I managed to reach the top floor.


    ¡°Huff! Huff!¡±


    I felt like my lungs would burst.


    [Tsk tsk, your stamina is worse than a common soldier.]


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    [So, what are you planning now?]


    ¡°What else? What I do best.¡±


    To execute my plan, I needed supplies.


    I rushed into Aol¡¯s room and searched the wardrobe.


    [What do you need those clothes for?]


    ¡®There¡¯s a reason.¡¯


    The Black Swan¡¯s sense of smell was extremely keen. Its moniker ¡®Resentment¡¯ came from a story where it chased its target to the ends of the continent to kill them, all based on scent.


    And currently, the one it hated the most was Aol, who had cut its neck and sealed it here. Carrying Aol¡¯s clothes would naturally draw its attention.


    This was a tactic often used with a tank among playable characters, utilizing its aggro effect.


    With the bag full of clothes, I prepared to move.


    I opened the window and waved Aol¡¯s coat.


    The Black Swan¡¯s eyes widened. It sniffed the air and furrowed its brow.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Can you even fly with that body?¡±


    Bang!


    It soared at an angle. It was actually jumping. I stepped back, causing it to crash into the ceiling. I then threw myself out the window.


    Thunk!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Special trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 60 seconds]


    As soon as I landed, I shouted to everyone in the first-floor hall.


    ¡°Now! Run!¡±


    Jack and Rodel led the people out.


    Selly followed closely behind a soldier carrying Niasel, and people began pouring out of the main gate.


    ¡°We¡¯ll move in two lines. Follow Rodel and me!¡±


    ¡°Young Master, good luck.¡±


    ¡°Jack, Rodel, we¡¯ll talk about you trying to abandon me later.¡±


    Jack and Rodel pretended not to hear and ran off. How annoying.


    I navigated through the split crowd toward the main hall. By now, the Black Swan would have trashed Aol¡¯s room and would soon be coming down.


    [Watching your fights is quite entertaining. What¡¯s next?]


    ¡®Well, I planned to run around the mansion, but that¡¯s impossible with my stamina. I need to rest a bit.¡¯


    I rummaged through my pocket. Five vials of poison left. I should use them all. I needed to buy a lot of time.


    The next place to buy time was far.


    ¡°Time for a big stomachache.¡±


    Bang!


    The Black Swan crashed through the ceiling and landed in the main hall. I hid in the rising dust and threw Aol¡¯s clothes on the ground. Realizing that a direct attack wouldn¡¯t work, the Black Swan pounded the ground with its fists, where Aol¡¯s clothes lay.


    Crack!


    Unaware that five vials of poison were hidden in the pockets.


    Screeech!


    Now, I could walk leisurely to the next place while regaining my strength.


    I took a deep breath and left the mansion. The purple sky had lightened. It dimmed even more.


    The speed was astonishing.


    Even on a speed run, it would usually take a while to remove one barrier. That¡¯s if you were lucky.


    But already, two barriers were down?

 Chapter 29

    Sss-! The iridescent feather was sliced in two.


    Mircel bristled at the sight of the second feather disintegrating into powder.


    Honestly, he had doubts initially, but as Hersel said, the feathers were indeed there. On top of that, there was a faint shimmering sensation, like a mirage.


    Mircel closed his eyes and focused the aura into his right hand. He recalled the conversation he had with Aol.


    -In the Demon Realm, monsters attack unpredictably. Hasn¡¯t Father ever been in danger?


    -Not particularly. That¡¯s because I go through a series of processes before entering. Like this.


    Following what Aol had shown, Mircel pressed his aura-infused palm against the ground.


    He heightened his senses to the point where he could feel even a single speck of dust settling on the back of his hand.


    Then, he felt the touch of three thin threads emanating from his palm.  S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the same sensation he felt from the feathers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, he said there were five feathers in total. Since I¡¯ve already cut two, three remain. It matches perfectly.¡±


    Mircel looked around the area where the threads extended.


    One led to an annex, two to the training ground. The last and thinnest thread pointed in the farthest direction.


    The place it led to was the servants¡¯ dormitory located in a corner.


    ***


    Since there were many people, it seemed to take some time for the servants to evacuate.


    Still, they seemed to have some leeway, and if they reached the servants¡¯ dormitory, there would be no danger.


    In my experience from the game, it was the location furthest from the battle with the monstrous bird.


    Yet, Mircel, this remarkable child, performed exceedingly well. The thought that had once seemed unlikely now felt differently.


    [Hersel, he¡¯s on the move.]


    ¡°Already?¡±


    I urgently turned my head to watch the mansion. Seeing the increasingly cracking building, I realized just how futile my recent sense of relief was.


    I couldn¡¯t see him due to the wall, but the sound of the building collapsing suggested that he had somehow recovered.


    Bam!


    I had used all my venom, yet how could he still be this strong¡­


    From behind the fluttering curtain, the monstrous bird¡¯s red eyes glinted fiercely. It was glaring at me with a murderous look, advancing towards me.


    [The distance is close¡­ and your stamina hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. Do something now!]


    I want to. But with no strength to dodge, what could I possibly do¡­


    Grr-


    The monstrous bird growled like a beast and charged. Its speed surpassed human capabilities, and all I could do was watch its full swing punch.


    Boom!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Special ability activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    I was doomed.


    Even though its right arm exploded into liquid, it didn¡¯t matter. Because its left fist, ready for a follow-up attack, was still intact!


    Grunt!


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    What is this sound?


    It sounded pained¡­ but why is my head still attached? Opening my tightly shut eyes, I witnessed a surprising scene.


    The monstrous bird¡¯s left fist, which had aimed to crush me, was clutching its own bloated belly.


    Grrrr¡­


    The creature¡¯s eyes twisted in pain as it dropped to its knees.


    Then, it spewed out the toxic liquid inside its body like a waterfall.


    Fortunately, it seemed the poison finally took effect, albeit late.


    I took a step back, wary of the splattering poison, and looked down at the creature.


    ***


    ¡°Hey, look over there.¡±


    Among the group following Jack and Rodel, the butler at the very end pointed a trembling finger towards the monstrous bird and Hersel.


    The people stopped and began murmuring. Jack and Rodel, leading the group, walked back to assess the situation.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly stop? Come on, hurry up.¡±


    ¡°No, look over there.¡±


    ¡°Huh, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    Jack¡¯s squinted eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    The monster that had terrified the world was on its knees, writhing in pain, spewing blood from its mouth.


    And Hersel, calmly stepping back, watched the creature. Despite the monster being defenseless, Jack¡¯s mouth fell open at Hersel¡¯s composed actions.


    ¡°Did the young master do that?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­?¡±


    Listening to the two men¡¯s conversation, Jack felt a sensation as if his head was spinning. Thinking back, they were unaware of Hersel¡¯s strength.


    If his reputation increased in this situation, wouldn¡¯t it benefit those who bet on Hersel?


    Having finished calculating, Jack brushed his hand over his face, adopting a serious expression.


    ¡°Huh, so that¡¯s how it was. It wouldn¡¯t be visible to ordinary eyes.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? What wasn¡¯t visible?¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I would have seen it. The young master¡¯s lightning-fast punch.¡±


    Jack¡¯s confident voice made people exchange incredulous glances.


    ¡°Are you kidding? What skills would the young master have?¡±


    Many nodded in agreement with a butler¡¯s words. Jack¡¯s shoulders slumped at their dismissive reactions.


    Then, Selly, who had been silently watching, sighed reluctantly and spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen his skills often enough. Even when trying to kill him, he remained unscathed.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°He was fine after being kicked by a warhorse.¡±


    ¡°And stabbed with a sword.¡±


    The momentum shifted. Seizing the opportunity, Jack delivered the final blow.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s proof of his strength! It means the young master has reached an indestructible state!¡±


    Pointing at the still bleeding monstrous bird, Jack passionately argued.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? Do you think that monster has some kind of illness? Even a drunkard in a bar wouldn¡¯t say something so foolish! Anyone with common sense would think it was struck by a powerful blow!¡±


    One by one, people started nodding. A monster called a disaster wouldn¡¯t suffer from an upset stomach.


    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t hit by something heavy, this situation is unexplainable.¡±


    Jack smiled in satisfaction. However, the atmosphere he desired didn¡¯t last long. The elderly butler, trembling, broke the mood.


    ¡°Now is not the time to be leisurely¡­ We must hurry. You haven¡¯t yet fully experienced the terror of that creature.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Harden, what do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not its true form. It hasn¡¯t yet shown its ferocious fangs. Hurry before the disaster strikes!¡±


    His terrified words turned everyone pale.


    The atmosphere that had elevated Hersel¡¯s reputation plummeted in an instant. Jack, feeling it was hopeless, turned his back sharply and spoke harshly.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Yes, let¡¯s go, listen to the experienced.¡±


    Jack was annoyed with the old butler.


    ***


    After a brief rest, I had just finished preparing at the third location for stalling time.


    This place was an arboretum filled with blooming trees. The rare flowers meant to be shown to guests were crushed under the weight of Aol¡¯s clothes I had hung.


    Considering how valuable those flowers were, I hoped the timer seals attached to the fabric would work well.


    [Rotating Spell Seal]


    The attached object rotates. It can be torn and used, and the timing can be adjusted based on the paper¡¯s size. For lightweight objects only.


    Normally, it suppressed the force, but when the set time was reached, it would activate.


    [Here it comes.]


    Hiding behind a rock, I smiled confidently. I might be able to end it here. With the third barrier just erased, the sky¡¯s purple hue had faded, and I fixed my gaze on the monstrous bird.


    The third feather had vanished. Achieving the condition for the next phase, changes would soon follow.


    Blub-


    The scattered liquid coalesced, forming a slender body. The arms turned into wings, and the creature took on the complete form of a bird.


    [Phase II: Bird Guarding the Nest]


    The key point here was that if the aggro (game term for attracting the enemy¡¯s attention) was lost even once, Mircel would die.


    With over half of the barriers gone, a pattern to protect the feathers had been added. The creature would no longer overlook any intruders trying to unlock the gate.


    Whenever I had assigned the aggro to a tank character and searched for the feathers, the sudden appearance of the creature led to a game over.


    But this time was different.


    This place was saturated with Aol¡¯s scent, which the creature was desperate to kill, and I was hiding behind a rock, making it impossible to be found unless seen with the naked eye.


    Moreover, the timer seals were about to activate. With these conditions, Phase 2 was practically a free pass.


    While I waited leisurely, one of the timer seals activated.


    Whirr!


    As Aol¡¯s garment spun in the air, the monstrous bird flapped its wings, tearing through the fabric with its sharp beak.


    Next, another piece of clothing hidden in the bushes started spinning and rustling. The bird launched sharp feathers in a single wingbeat.


    Shh-shh-shh-shh!


    The force was enough to pierce through trees, but not the thick rock I was hiding behind.


    Aol¡¯s clothes, scattered everywhere, continued to move like a flying squirrel, shaking branches and bushes, continuously attracting the bird¡¯s attention.


    Everything was going smoothly. The clothes were shredded by the bird¡¯s feathers, but with the fourth barrier just erased, only one remained.


    And then, it would be the monstrous bird¡¯s final form.


    [Phase III: The Fighting Crow]


    The creature¡¯s body started bubbling and swelling. Muscles bulged and veins pulsed as it transformed into an even larger and more muscular form.


    After the transformation, the bird¡¯s eyes bulged as it let out a deafening roar.


    Screeeeeeech!


    The bone-chilling scream made me gulp. Its final form boasted power on a completely different level; even wielding the Holy Sword with precision wouldn¡¯t guarantee a victory.


    In front of this monster, designed to make you flee, my only choice was to hold my breath and run. But that was easier said than done. Filled with rage and a heightened intelligence, it sliced through the trees around me with the mere force of its kicks. Even the rock I was hiding behind.


    Ssshhh!


    The once dense shelter turned into an open field, and Donatan shouted in shock.


    [With that level of power, it must have been the master of the Demon Realm.]


    The monstrous bird cracked its neck and rolled its shoulders.


    Crack!


    With my hiding place gone, I sprinted towards the bird. It responded by charging at me with thundering steps that shook the ground.


    Whether it was a punch or a kick, I intended to use my whole body to deflect the blow and move to the next stalling location. By then, the final barrier should be gone. Using my recovered strength, I would escape outside and clear the challenge.


    I could finally see the end.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    However, something was off about the bird¡¯s gaze. The previously furious eyes now seemed calm. Was it just my imagination?


    No, it wasn¡¯t.


    Grab!


    Instead of attacking, it grabbed my ankle and hurled me into the air with all its might.


    Whoosh!


    It must have learned. It realized it couldn¡¯t kill me with its usual methods.


    That¡¯s why it used its brains.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    As I reached the peak of my ascent, the monstrous bird passed me. It used the barrier¡¯s ceiling as a platform, launching itself to kick me in the stomach with both feet.


    Bam!


    Before I knew it, I was slammed into the ground.


    Crash!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Special ability activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    I quickly got up to flee, but the realization of my location stunned me.


    I had landed in the front yard of the servants¡¯ dormitory, where the last feather hovered in mid-air.


    The bird had gathered everything it needed to protect, kill, and consume in one place.


    This was an unprecedented situation, even for someone like me who had retried countless times. It sent shivers down my spine.

 Chapter 30

    The monstrous bird descended from the sky, its red eyes narrowing as it growled. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡±


    The old butler clutched his head with both hands, recalling the most horrifying moment of his life.


    The night that had turned white as the day, the pure white blaze descended, and even the sturdy cathedral crumbled like lava.


    People nearby were melted from flesh to bone.


    Watching the bird gnawing on the heads of people of all ages in the middle of the square, he thought:


    There¡¯s no hope for mercy. This is a calamity devoid of good and evil.


    There¡¯s no hope for help. No human exists who could deal with this.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s here, the demon of destruction has come to take the life it couldn¡¯t claim that day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that old man is at it again.¡±


    Jack was about to move the old butler when¡ª


    Thud!


    The monstrous bird grabbed Hersel¡¯s ankle with its cauldron-sized hand and flung him away.


    His body rolled on the ground like a pencil.


    Thud.


    He came to a stop, lying still as if dead, even blood trickling from his forehead.


    Jack¡¯s eyes widened as he shouted.


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    Meanwhile, the monstrous bird lifted its head and inhaled deeply.


    Seeing this, the old butler spoke in a resigned voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s all over. The fire demon will arrive. Hellfire that will melt everything!¡±


    Fwoosh!


    Dark magic flared around the bird.


    * * *


    After a quick lunch at the company cafeteria, I started typing on my laptop.


    I had connected the gaming mouse and keyboard I brought from home because this was a crucial moment.


    ¡°¡­Deputy Manager, you even brought those things now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to face a boss battle.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If I die, the save file gets erased, and I have to start all over again. I need to play seriously.¡±


    The scenario was at the midpoint, and the characters¡¯ abilities were at their peak for this point in the game.


    Though I¡¯m not a beginner, and progressing through chapters wasn¡¯t too difficult, I was so tense and using familiar equipment for one specific challenge.


    [Phase III: The Fighting Crow]


    This monster was designed by the creators to be unkillable. Could I, with pure skill, defeat it? I wanted to prove it.


    Tatata¡ª


    Click, click!


    ¡°Wow¡­ Your hands are really fast.¡±


    The bird¡¯s punches, kicks, and grappling attacks were hard to deal with even if you memorized its patterns, requiring quick reflexes.


    What I was doing went beyond blocking; it was complete evasion.


    Argh!


    Ah, dead again.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    Despite showing off my divine control, it was game over.


    Mirei looked puzzled as she asked,


    ¡°You were at full health, but died from just one laser beam?¡±


    ¡°That was an instant death move.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t get hit. I saw you dodge it perfectly. What kind of game is this?¡±


    As Mirei said, I hadn¡¯t even been touched by a pixel. Many users had complained to the developers about this, but the response was outrageous.


    [The breath attack is an ultra-high-temperature attack that melts everything around it. Even if you avoid the direct hit, it¡¯s intended to be fatal. This is not a bug.]


    In simpler terms:


    [This is meant to kill you. It¡¯s designed to kill you.]


    But seriously, setting a death judgment at 180 degrees around it?


    Those lunatics¡­


    ¡°Poorly made games are always like this.¡±


    I closed my laptop roughly.


    Failed again.


    While packing up with weakened hands, I heard a strange sound from the laptop speakers.


    [Hersel!]


    [What are you doing? Get a grip! Get up quickly!]


    Blinking in surprise, I saw the system window upon opening my eyes.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 39 seconds]


    That¡¯s right, I had become Hersel.


    Just moments ago, I had been flung by the monstrous bird while in cooldown state.


    So that was a memory¡­ no, more precisely, a life-flashing-before-my-eyes experience.


    [You survived because you were thrown to the ground. But the impact was severe.]


    My right eye saw only red.


    I wiped the blood from the corner of my eye and stood up, though my body ached.


    Thanks to the trait ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ that made me want to maintain composure even in times like this, my posture was straight.


    Which made it more painful.


    [Now is not the time to be whining, Hersel! Look over there!]


    At Donatan¡¯s warning, I looked at the monstrous bird.


    The shimmering air and its puffed-up chest were familiar sights.


    Damn, it¡¯s preparing its breath attack?


    This is crazy.


    Given how swollen its chest was, the breath attack would soon be launched.


    With my heart shrinking, I alternated my gaze between the bird and the system window.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 29 seconds]


    In this state, from my experience, it would fire in about 20 seconds.


    There wasn¡¯t enough time for the invincibility to re-activate.


    ¡®But where is Mircel? I thought he¡¯d be here by now.¡¯


    [Look to the 7 o¡¯clock direction.]


    I looked beyond the bird at the servants¡¯ dormitory.


    Mircel was perched on the top floor window sill, ready to jump down at any moment.


    The last feather floated about 15 meters high, so he must have needed to get to a high spot.


    Swoosh!


    I pointed at the bird.


    Then I pointed at myself.


    Next, I pointed at Mircel.


    Finally, at the feather.


    My signals were telling him to cut the feather and run after the breath attack was fired.


    Mircel seemed to understand, nodding with a complex expression.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 15 seconds]


    ¡°Whew~¡±


    I sighed as I looked at the monstrous bird, holding dark magic at its beak.


    What could I do to buy time right now?


    There must be something¡­


    As I racked my brain, a metallic object flew through the air, gleaming as it cut through the space.


    Clang!


    It was a helmet.


    The helmet struck the bird¡¯s head and bounced off.


    ¡°Hey, old man! I don¡¯t plan to die doing nothing like you! Got it? I want to enjoy myself before I go!¡±


    It was Jack¡¯s voice.


    He threw the steel gauntlets he was wearing at the bird and shouted towards the dormitory.


    ¡°Are you all just going to stand there like this useless old man? Don¡¯t you want to use the money you worked so hard to earn? You hate the thought of dying without spending it, right? Then throw something! You never know, you might blind it!¡±


    ¡°Do you have a grudge against me or something?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Maybe Jack¡¯s words had an effect.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve saved a lot of money!¡±


    Led by an angry-faced Selly, knives, shields, glass bottles, and even dolls were hurled at the bird from the dormitory windows.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Someone threw a shoe at my head.


    It felt intentional, but I let it slide.


    It bought us an extra turn.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 1 second]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: Available]


    The bird, eyeing the dormitory, opened its beak wide.


    Inside, a completed white sphere radiated heat.


    This was the breath attack about to be launched.


    ¡°Where are you aiming that beak?¡±


    I smirked at the bird, taunting it while sticking the coat I had taken off earlier onto its back.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that prepared for me?¡±


    The bird glared at me, then unleashed a beam of light with a roar.


    Kiiiiii!


    They say white light is the hottest when it burns.


    Just as the scenery turned white, Mircel cut the last feather.


    That was all I saw.


    The intense light that could melt steel completely burned my vision.


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Special ability activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]   S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fwoosh!


    After the fire demon passed, I stood in the thick smoke, covering my now naked body with the coat I had stuck to my back.


    As I leisurely buttoned it, my hands slipped due to the blood from wiping my forehead.


    ¡­Strange. I thought I got hurt just from being thrown, but I wasn¡¯t fazed by the truly dangerous attack.


    Anyway, I had used up the extra life I received as a bonus.


    With the barriers down, the only thing left to do was to run outside, but I wondered if that was possible.


    According to the original plan, I would take the bird to the next stalling location and look for an escape opportunity.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    The only positive thing was that I had imprinted on the bird that physical attacks and even its strongest breath attack were useless against me.


    What would it do next?


    Wild beasts generally avoid creatures like armadillos that they can¡¯t hunt.


    I wished it would react that way¡­


    Unfortunately, it was a vain hope.


    Whoosh!


    The bird approached me without hesitation, drooling.


    Its predatory gaze made my insides churn.


    Feigning composure, I hid my inner turmoil and fueled the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ trait.


    ¡°Why? Do I look that tasty? Try taking a bite if you want your beak broken.¡±


    My bluff didn¡¯t work at all.


    The bird found me amusing and let out a bizarre laugh.


    Kikikiki!


    Feeling an ominous chill, sweat trickled down my back.


    Its crescent-shaped eyes seemed to say, ¡®You¡¯re definitely edible.¡¯


    At that moment, a stream of red rain fell, reflected in my right eye.


    Drip!


    Hearing the sound of water hitting the ground, I cautiously rolled my eyes.


    Countless red dots appeared on the ground.


    It was my blood from the wounds I got while rolling on the ground earlier.


    I had appeared invincible to the bird until now, but I had shown it my bleeding form.


    This was highly significant.


    Though the bird wouldn¡¯t know about the ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ its wild instincts would make it highly perceptive of an enemy¡¯s weakness.


    Now, it would think of me as edible meat.


    It might have also found my running away suspicious.


    My heart pounded, and my breath became short.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 23 seconds]


    As I watched the system window, the bird opened its beak wide.


    Despite knowing I couldn¡¯t dodge, I moved my trembling feet.


    The bird followed me leisurely, beak open, mocking me.


    Kiiiikkki!


    As I staggered back, dizziness hit, and I nearly blacked out.


    Maybe it was anemia.


    Yet the pain in my ankle was starkly clear.


    Honestly, I just wanted to rest now.


    Surviving this long with such a weak body was a miracle.


    However, my pride wouldn¡¯t let me leave like this, so I clenched my fist.


    Seeing myself cowering before a monster I had killed countless times, I decided not to go out pathetically.


    ¡°Huff!¡±


    Just as I was about to punch the bird¡¯s beak, the surroundings were engulfed in white light.


    The light lasted only for a blink of an eye.


    Boom!


    A thunderous sound erupted from the clear sky.


    My eyes, which had been half-closed, slowly opened wide in surprise.


    Before me stood a man, holding the bird by its neck.


    Kieeek!


    ¡°You¡¯ve wrecked my house quite thoroughly.¡±


    Hearing the familiar voice, I realized that the thunder earlier was no natural phenomenon.


    Though it was hard to believe, the man before me made it possible.


    He was a man who had reached a level of power that combined extreme speed, strength, and skill, rivaling the forces of nature.


    He turned his head slightly, showing his neat upper teeth, and looked at me.


    ¡°Hersel, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    The complex charisma in his voice made me feel a sense of reverence, and I closed my tired eyes.


    The man standing before me was Aol Ben Tenest, one of the strongest in the Asares world.


    With him back at the mansion, there was nothing more for me to do.

 Chapter 31

    ¡°D-Duke¡­?¡± Jack uttered his master¡¯s title in a low, shocked voice, while the servants stood there, stunned and not even blinking.


    At that moment, a frail old man grabbed Jack by the ear.


    ¡°Ouch! What, what¡¯s going on!¡±


    ¡°You little rascal. Look at the state of the mansion! Half of it is gone!¡±


    ¡°Gah! Sir Coulot.¡±


    Coulot, the knight commander of the Tenest family.


    When he shot a disapproving look, Jack shuddered as if he had seen a ghost, tears welling up as he rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°S-Sorry, Sir Coulot. Ahh. My ear is going to rip off. Please, just this once, let me go, yes?¡±


    ¡°Hm, should I just tear it off? The soldiers have gotten too lazy lately. Maybe taking an ear as an example would set them straight.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Coulot chuckled as if satisfied and let go of Jack¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Just kidding. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect much. How could you guys handle that kind of monster? It¡¯s a miracle you¡¯re even alive, and that half the mansion is still standing.¡±


    It was indeed close to a miracle.


    As soon as they set foot on the estate, they saw the circular purple barrier surrounding the mansion, and by the time they hurriedly arrived, it had just crumbled.


    As he was recalling the events, something fell to the ground with a thud, kicking up dust.


    Thud.


    Coulot raised an eyebrow, looking at the monstrous bird that Aol had thrown to the ground.


    Considering the barrier was broken, it wouldn¡¯t have been an ordinary person.


    Coulot glanced around, searching for anyone who might have fought the monster.


    The only person nearby was Hersel, who had collapsed midway.


    There was one possibility, but the young master was too young.


    Then who on earth could it have been?


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re here?¡±


    Mircel greeted with a wave, limping slightly.


    ¡°Oh, young master. What happened to your leg?¡±


    ¡°Just jumped from a high place, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Coulot sighed, thinking of the mistress.


    As the knight commander, soldier management was his responsibility. Though he had been away to the Demon Realm, the lady wouldn¡¯t let it go easily since Mircel was hurt. ?


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ll have to discipline the soldiers again. Anyway, come sit here. You¡¯ll want a good spot for the show that¡¯s about to start.¡±


    The monstrous bird bristled its feathers, its eyes filled with bitter tears of resentment towards Aol. The grudge from being sealed was palpable, the dark magic it emitted made the air feel chilling.


    Meanwhile, Mircel looked curiously at Coulot sitting beside him.


    ¡°But, Grandpa, shouldn¡¯t you help?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Help?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t seal it alone, right? Grandpa and the knights helped too.¡±


    Coulot chuckled at the unnecessary worry.


    If Aol was an unrefined raw gem during the first subjugation, now he was a nearly perfected masterpiece.


    In contrast, the monstrous bird¡¯s time had remained stagnant.


    ¡°Back then, the duke was around 22 years old, wasn¡¯t he? If you think he¡¯s the same as he was back then, that¡¯s a big mistake.¡±


    Aol lightly stroked the hilt of the sword hanging from his waist.


    Coulot squinted, focusing on Aol¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Watch closely now. That¡¯s the sword you¡¯ve wanted to hold so badly.¡±


    ¡°¡­But I can do that too, you know?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get overconfident. Real combat is incomparable to what you¡¯ve seen in training.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Just as Mircel was watching Aol¡¯s hand with a disgruntled face¡ª


    Clang¡ª


    By the time the metal sound rang out clearly, the monstrous bird¡¯s head was already sliding off at an angle.


    The bird¡¯s body kept running towards Aol, oblivious that its neck had been cut.


    Thud.


    The lifeless body of the monstrous bird collapsed and slid across the ground.


    Seeing this, Coulot had a satisfied expression.


    Although Mircel looked bewildered, his pupils were dilated.


    ¡°How about it? Did you see it with your eyes?¡±


    ¡°I only saw him draw and sheathe the sword. It was as if there was no middle process at all¡­¡±


    Coulot¡¯s lips curved upwards at the honest answer.


    ¡°Good. At least you saw that much.¡±


    ¡°But the sword wasn¡¯t even close to the bird. How did he cut its neck from there?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s for you to figure out. You¡¯ll improve by pondering and struggling on your own.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so unfair.¡±


    Coulot, leaving Mircel pouting, got up from his seat.


    Aol was carrying the bird¡¯s head and heading towards the basement. He had the key, so he would handle the sealing himself.


    ¡°Hm, this wraps things up neatly.¡±


    Just then, an unresolved question resurfaced in Coulot¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Oh, right. Young master, did we have any notable guests staying here? Someone well-known with a sword, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°A guest? A swordsman?¡±


    ¡°There must have been someone who fought the monster. Breaking the barrier too, it couldn¡¯t have been an ordinary person.¡±


    Mircel pointed to himself with his finger.


    ¡°I broke the barrier.¡±


    Coulot¡¯s eyes widened.  S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°I just cut the feathers like my big brother said, and the barrier disappeared. It was my brother who fought the monster.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! You can¡¯t fool an old man like me!¡±


    ¡°Geez, whatever.¡±


    Mircel ended the conversation in annoyance and turned his back.


    Coulot looked at Jack, who was standing at attention, and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You answer me.¡±


    Jack flinched and stammered.


    ¡°Wh-what Young Master Mircel said is all true.¡±


    Coulot¡¯s expression grew serious.


    No soldier would dare lie to the knight commander unless they had a death wish.


    Jack, driven by dreams of wealth and fame, would never do that.


    ¡°Sir Coulot, shouldn¡¯t we check on Young Master Hersel instead of standing around?¡±


    Jack cautiously added.


    Coulot was stunned by his next words.


    ¡°He took the breath attack directly and must be in critical condition¡­¡±


    Took the breath attack? And survived?


    Coulot looked farther than the half-destroyed mansion grounds.


    Originally, there was a huge mountain behind Tenest.


    But now it was a flattened mess, lava bubbling and smoldering, no longer recognizable as a mountain.


    The brat survived¡­??


    Coulot was so flabbergasted his mouth hung open.


    ***


    The smell of disinfectant hit my nose.


    I was covered in a white cloth that allowed for good ventilation.


    These were my first sensations as I woke up in bed.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Selly, who had been sitting in a chair, greeted me and closed her book.


    ¡°How long was I asleep?¡±


    ¡°A day and a half straight.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, at least I survived.¡±


    I should have been happy with the unexpected luck, but I felt dazed.


    I never expected Aol to arrive so early, two days ahead of schedule.


    The reality was so far removed from my expectations that it left me in a stupor.


    Who would have guessed this would happen?


    Seeing a scene from the game¡¯s cutscenes play out in real life¡­


    Putting my thoughts aside, I checked the clock.


    9 o¡¯clock.


    A late morning.


    ¡°I should get up.¡±


    ¡°Wait, your ankle!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The pain in my ankle felt like it had been hit with a hammer, forcing me to sit back down.


    This was bad; I needed to be on the move. Today was the last day of the festival, the most dangerous time, and I was stuck like this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just rest. Jack and Rodel are keeping watch outside, and the Duke is here too. No one would dare try anything foolish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯s true.¡±


    The festival ends with Aol¡¯s return, not on a set date.


    So, is the festival really over now?


    For the past two and a half months, I¡­


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel real.¡±


    ¡°¡­Honestly, I feel the same. I never thought you would hold out, young master.¡±


    ¡°Selly.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Selly turned around, maybe to hide her expression.


    Surely, this little one had been through a lot in ways I didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    At that moment, the curtains fluttered.


    The smell of burning wafted in, and Selly closed the window.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more surprising thing I need to tell you.¡±


    What could be more surprising than what had happened?


    I relaxed and nodded.


    ¡°Well then¡­¡±


    What Selly recounted was quite a gossip-worthy event among the servants.


    Last evening, the mistress returned.


    Deisel and Erucel came later.


    But while Deisel was greeting the lady at the front gate, something happened¡­


    ¡°The lady slapped Young Master Deisel. The sound was so loud even the maids far away turned to look.¡±


    Compared to the monstrous bird, it seemed trivial, but it was still unusual.


    Deisel was vying persistently for the heir position.


    The lady had been supporting him.


    And she had slapped Deisel, in front of everyone.


    ¡°So, where is he now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ He walked off with a red face.¡±


    Ran away, did he?


    A late rebellious phase, perhaps.


    ¡°Oh, and wait a moment.¡±


    Selly remembered something and quickly left the room.


    She returned with her arms full of baskets, making several trips.


    ¡°¡­What is that?¡±


    ¡°People asked me to give these to you. As thanks.¡±


    The baskets contained everything from food to books with a new smell.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t poison the food, or curse the books, did they?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. As I said, the Duke is here too.¡±


    So, it was genuine. But those people?


    ¡°The same people who wanted to kill me are now buttering me up because they think Deisel is out of the picture? Ridiculous.¡±


    Selly squinted at me, seeming exasperated.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I got into that mess because of my bad attitude?¡±


    ¡°No? Not at all. Not in the slightest.¡±


    Her flippant denial irritated me.


    I covered myself with the blanket and waved her off.


    ¡°Enough. Leave me alone. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Get well soon.¡±


    After Selly left, I closed my eyes and started to think.


    Now was the time to address the problems I had pushed back.


    Surviving was my priority until now, but I had to ask myself.


    ¡­I had planned to go to the academy.


    Not a bad starting point.


    The academy was like an incubator for playable characters with narratives of becoming stronger.


    There were those like Dellerger, high-spec from the start, but also those who weren¡¯t.


    You know, the protagonists who take their first steps towards becoming knights or mages.


    ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no better place to turn this weak body into something better.¡±


    ¨C At least you¡¯re aware of it.


    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m going to sleep, don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    The best part was that the academy¡¯s narrative difficulty was relatively easy and safe.


    As long as it wasn¡¯t that one academy among the five.


    ¡°OF, OFLI¡­ Ah.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, greetings. Madam, what brings you here at this late hour?¡±


    I woke up to the commotion outside the door.


    It was still midnight.


    I spoke nonchalantly to Jack and Rodel.


    ¡°Let her in.¡±


    It was perfect timing.


    I had questions for the mistress.


    And it was time to settle this damned feud.

 Chapter 32

    The first thing I saw when the door opened was a bouquet of flowers.¡°Is this a hospital visit? How inappropriate.¡±


    The mistress smiled gently and placed the bouquet in an empty vase.


    ¡°Unfortunately, these aren¡¯t flowers for a get-well visit.¡±


    If she intended to give them, she should have done so silently. Her thorny words made me narrow my brows. The phrase ¡°unfortunately¡± sounded as if she regretted not bringing a wreath for condolences.


    As I glared sharply, the lady spoke.


    ¡°Congratulations, Hersel, you¡¯ve won.¡±


    So, the flowers were indeed a wreath.


    Regardless, her taunting didn¡¯t make me relax my frown.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t let you in to receive congratulations from you. Have a seat.¡±


    Once she sat down, I began to recall the things I had pondered alone. These were topics I had put off while surviving the disaster.


    I wanted clear answers about who released the monstrous bird and where the key came from. While I had made reasonable guesses, it was necessary to confirm them.


    ¡°Who released the Blackbird of Resentment?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The lady remained silent, just staring into my eyes. That alone was enough of an answer, so I voiced the name of the culprit behind this mess.


    ¡°It was Deisel.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°There are only two people who would do something like this: you or Deisel. The twins were here, and it¡¯s unlikely you did it.¡±


    Another silence.


    This woman had nothing to gain by answering since it wouldn¡¯t benefit her son. She probably disposed of all the evidence while I was unconscious.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s settled. What I¡¯m more curious about is how the bird was released. Where did the key come from? I have a feeling you¡¯d know. Am I wrong?¡± ??


    ¡°If it¡¯s that¡­¡±


    The source of the key, as revealed by the lady, was a bit unexpected.


    ¡°It¡¯s from the Schweick family. Their excessive confidence seemed suspicious, so after some investigation, we got our hands on it.¡±


    I had assumed the key came from the ¡®Guardians of the Shadows,¡¯ the enemies of the player characters.


    Though the key used by the Guardians of the Shadows was also a replica, it wasn¡¯t surprising another fake existed.


    ¡°It makes sense. Originally, they probably intended to dispose of it. Then, due to various events, the key ended up in Deisel¡¯s hands¡­¡±


    As I spoke, I recalled that Heinrich had acquired the key, making my skin crawl. A person preparing for war wouldn¡¯t have just handed it over.


    I didn¡¯t know what method she used, but it must have been unconventional. To end this troublesome relationship as quickly as possible, I spoke calmly, presenting the proposal I had prepared.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked enough. Now, let¡¯s make a mutually beneficial agreement. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°An agreement?¡±


    The lady chuckled.


    ¡°This is why you¡¯re interesting, Hersel. Your reactions are always unexpected and intriguing.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to mock me, forget it.¡±


    ¡°Mock you? Not at all. Alright, let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡±


    As she leaned in, I took a deep breath and spoke.


    ¡°I have no intention of becoming the head of the household. Your precious son can take that position.¡±


    The lady¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment. This declaration was unexpected. Before I took over this body, Hersel would have been desperate for the head position. Suddenly giving up the position? Anyone would experience a moment of brain freeze.


    ¡°Why do you say that so easily?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Hersel had survived under this woman¡¯s care since childhood. This lends credibility to the theory that the assassination attempt wasn¡¯t driven by personal feelings. It was merely an attempt to eliminate an obstacle for her son¡¯s future. Thus, if I remove her motive to target me, that¡¯s enough.


    ¡°To be honest, you could have killed me anytime. But you didn¡¯t. Your relaxed demeanor suggests you won¡¯t cause trouble in the future either. Am I wrong? I don¡¯t want to deal with such nuisances one by one.¡±


    Besides, I knew that taking the head position wouldn¡¯t help my survival.


    ¡°There are many reasons. Initially, I aimed for the head position to have the power to punish you. But as I grew older, I realized it was impossible.¡±


    I had vaguely suspected it before, but now I was certain. The idea of executing a woman who could manipulate the Schweick family was unrealistic.


    ¡°Even if it were possible, I don¡¯t want to see the twins whining because their mother is gone. It would be noisy.¡±


    Handling the complaints of the little ones was too much.


    ¡°Overall, it¡¯s just a hassle. I didn¡¯t want the position to take on tedious tasks.¡±


    Asares isn¡¯t a game about managing an estate.


    For someone like me who needs to ensure the narrative flows well, the head position would be a shackle.


    ¡°In short, there¡¯s no point anymore, so I¡¯m stepping down.¡±


    While my words might have seemed a bit embellished, they were sincere.


    However, given the suddenness, this woman would find it hard to believe.


    My task now was to make my claim credible.


    ¡°It sounds plausible, but it¡¯s hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°I thought so. But you know what? Words are fascinating. Their weight changes with timing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Understanding my words, the lady blinked.


    If I had said this earlier, it would have sounded like nonsense. But now, after the festival, it carried more weight.


    ¡°Think of it simply. I¡¯m stepping down as a racehorse right before the finish line. Of course, I¡¯m not handing it over for free.¡±


    To drive my point home, I grabbed the paper and pen on the table and wrote down a number conspicuously.


    This act wasn¡¯t for personal greed but to add persuasiveness.


    With pure sincerity,


    With my crystal-clear soul at stake.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Her expression suggested it was acceptable.


    Let¡¯s add one more zero.


    ¡°The inheritance share should be this much. The timing can be when your precious son takes the position.¡±


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    ¡­Did I go too far with tenfold?


    As she called my name sharply, I hesitated to erase a digit. Instead, she looked deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    That sudden question caught me off guard.


    This woman, more than anyone, seemed to sense that the essence of this body wasn¡¯t Hersel himself.


    Still, I laughed off her question with a response I once heard.


    ¨C People say you can¡¯t change, but I don¡¯t believe that. Especially with men, they can change dramatically even if you don¡¯t see them for three days. Compared to that, starting to like tomatoes or changing tea preferences is a trivial change.


    ¡°You said I changed. It¡¯s as you see.¡±


    Hearing that, the lady¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Still, your obsession with money remains unchanged. It would have been nice if that changed too¡­.¡±


    ***


    According to the doctor, my leg would fully recover in a week. After two days, I was able to walk, so I limped out of the annex.


    I came out to get some fresh air, but the smell of burning made me cough.


    ¡°Cough!¡±


    The area where the breath attack had swept through had become a charred plain.


    The mansion, the lady¡¯s cherished art gallery, and everything else had turned to ashes.


    At least my private residence remained undamaged, which was fortunate.


    Or maybe not?


    Since Aol and the lady, along with their children, would be staying at my annex for the time being, having nowhere else to go.


    ¡°Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°You planned this, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The annex is intact.¡±


    Selly¡¯s baseless accusation made me shake my head.


    The last place I stalled was my private annex, my home ground.


    I was prepared to offer it as a sacrifice, so how dare she see me as such a petty person.


    ¡°Be quiet. We¡¯re short on hands. Go help clean up the debris.¡±


    ¡°I was going to, since I feel out of place.¡±


    Selly rolled up her sleeves and ran towards the servants cleaning up the rubble.


    I wandered aimlessly around the now desolate estate and sat on a suitable rock.


    Then I recalled the recent events.


    The agreement with the lady was mostly smooth.


    Except for one requirement I had to accept, nothing changed significantly.


    The added clause stated that if I went back on my word, everything would return to how it was.


    This meant she would keep an eye on me.


    Even so, I considered it smooth because my decision would not change.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve secured funds for my old age.¡±


    The remaining task was preparing to go to the academy.


    Deciding whether to focus on swordsmanship or magic didn¡¯t take long.


    ¡°¡­Magic is the only thing I can learn.¡±


    Personal preferences didn¡¯t matter. This body¡¯s dantian was damaged.


    There were no other options from the start.


    Although it wasn¡¯t a decision but a compulsion, Donatan seemed displeased with my vision.


    ¨C It¡¯s hard to accept. You, who contracted with me, the avatar of lightning and former guardian of the sword saint, want to learn mere sorcery?


    S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C That¡¯s impossible.


    I was tired of hearing complaints without alternatives.


    Ignoring him as not worth responding to, Donatan persistently continued.


    ¨C Then how about cultivating your body? Even if being an aura knight is out of reach, you could sweep away those below.


    ¨C At least call yourself the head of a snake.


    Enough. Let¡¯s drop it.


    I stopped the pointless conversation and looked up at the sky.


    Watching the sunset, I turned at the sound of footsteps.


    Mircel and Niasel were limping towards me.


    ¡°Brother, what are you doing here? Father is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s looking for me? Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go back together.¡±


    I felt uneasy.


    To be precise, uncomfortable.


    Though I knew who Aol was, calling someone who had no memories of raising me ¡®Father¡¯ felt highly repulsive.


    That¡¯s why I wandered around even though my body hadn¡¯t fully recovered.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go back together.¡±


    Having no choice again, I led Mircel and Niasel back to the annex.


    Servants whispered as they watched the three of us limp along.


    ***


    ¡°Erucel, carry me.¡±


    In front of the annex steps.


    I stopped Erucel, who was passing by like a legendary horse, and spoke.


    ¡°Brother, go up yourself. Why act so undignified?¡±


    He defended himself, seemingly incredulous.


    I started my rebuttal with evidence.


    ¡°My ankle hurts. Just carry me up.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Erucel resisted again.


    But it seemed he¡¯d give in with a bit more pressure.


    ¡°You¡¯re freeloading in my house and can¡¯t even do that? Useless.¡±


    ¡°Let the soldiers¡­¡±


    ¡°The soldiers are out there clearing debris. You just eat here and do nothing?¡±


    Erucel¡¯s face twitched, and sweat formed.


    I looked down at him with contempt, burning the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember.¡¯


    He sighed deeply and surrendered.


    ¡°Fine. Just get on.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the reception room where Father is.¡±


    ¡°The top floor. Damn it¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Riding the legendary horse Erucel, I headed for a new ordeal.

 Chapter 33

    One day, having a suddenly expanded family is not an easy matter to handle. Fortunately for me, the mistress was my stepmother, so I could keep my distance. As for my siblings, treating them with love, like nieces and nephews, wasn¡¯t too difficult.¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ I was just resting after training, and I feel like I¡¯m going to die. If you need support, I can help you. Please, get off.¡±


    ¡°Hang in there, Erucel. We¡¯re almost at the top floor.¡±


    But dealing with the presence of a father was different. I had my real father, and calling a stranger ¡®father¡¯ felt sinful. If he had been as abrasive as the mistress, it might have been easier. But despite his hatred for the festival, he wasn¡¯t a stepfather.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    If this were reincarnation, I might have had time to adapt and accept it. But since I wasn¡¯t ready for this emotionally, every step up the stairs felt heavy. Still, I had my reasons for this uncomfortable encounter and couldn¡¯t avoid it forever. I steadied myself and made my way up to the top floor.


    ¡°Phew, even getting here is exhausting¡­¡±


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ It was truly exhausting.¡±


    ¡°No, not you. Me.¡±


    Just as Erucel collapsed in the hallway, an elderly voice sounded.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. Still bullying your younger brother, I see.¡±


    To accuse me of mistreating my brother like that was annoying. I narrowed my eyes in displeasure. However, upon seeing the frail old man in front of me, my anger dissipated into a neutral expression.


    It was the knight commander, Coulot.


    After Aol, he was the strongest in the world.


    Unsure of how to address such a man, I stayed silent. But since he spoke first, I couldn¡¯t remain silent forever. Watching Erucel for cues, I played it wisely.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel like I¡¯m dying, Sir Coulot¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, you think I¡¯m taking your side? Good grief, the third young master is too dramatic. Now, get up!¡±


    Coulot lightly kicked Erucel¡¯s rear. As a knight commander, and an incredibly strong man, even Hersel would have given him some respect. Thus, I figured I should do the same.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking healthy, Sir Coulot. May you live long.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Perhaps my polite greeting was over the top, for his eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Well, yes¡­ It seems you¡¯ve recovered quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I have business to attend to, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Afraid of making another mistake, I turned to leave. But Coulot narrowed his eyes and offered a word of caution.


    ¡°Mind you, the Duke is in a foul mood. Don¡¯t do anything to aggravate him. Don¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Is something bothering Father?¡±


    ¡°Well, the second young master has left the house, so it¡¯s only natural he¡¯s upset. And the trophies in the basement¡­ It seems the monstrous bird ate them all, adding to his fury.¡± ????


    Damn, that¡¯s bad news. Feeling even more tense, I deliberately walked more slowly, pretending to be in more pain.


    ***


    Coulot watched Hersel¡¯s back with a bewildered expression, then turned to Erucel.


    ¡°Am I getting old and losing my hearing? That insolent brat actually said something polite, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°You heard correctly, Sir.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Erucel didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Coulot, taken aback by the upside-down world, unconsciously stepped back.


    ¡°That loose tongue actually said something polite?¡±


    Given that Hersel used to constantly spew insults like ¡°boastful old man¡± or ¡°bubble-blowing geezer,¡± Coulot couldn¡¯t help but be astonished.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything this bizarre in my life. What¡¯s been going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it seems he¡¯s been mentally unstable lately.¡±


    Erucel massaged his trembling legs from the exhaustion.


    ¡°But don¡¯t let your guard down, Sir Coulot. He¡¯s still rotten at his core. I swear I¡¯ll¡­?¡±


    Coulot nodded at Erucel¡¯s determined words.


    There was no other way to explain the earlier situation except to think that Hersel had gone mad.


    ¡°I thought I had lost a gem, but it seems there was no point in waiting¡­¡±


    Coulot had been waiting to assess Hersel¡¯s capabilities as a knight.


    After gauging him, it seemed his personality had slightly changed, but the content remained the same.


    ¡°Well, this is turning out interesting in its own way.¡±


    Coulot chuckled as he watched Hersel enter the reception room. He was curious about what would happen if Hersel entered the academy in this state.


    * * *


    As I stepped into the reception room, the first thing I noticed was a bottle of alcohol and two glasses on the table.


    Aol, seated at the head of the table, began speaking as he looked at the shelves filled with bottles.


    ¡°Not much has changed since my time here.¡±


    I heard that this was the annex where Aol lived before becoming the head. Now, he was voicing his reflections. I greeted him.


    ¡°You called for me, Father.¡±


    Though calling him ¡®Father¡¯ felt awkward, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to say. Perhaps it was thanks to the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ trait.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    Aol pointed to the seat with a glass on it.


    The atmosphere suggested he wanted to drink together.


    I didn¡¯t like the idea since I had decided to quit drinking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve actually stopped drinking.¡±


    Aol blinked at my honest reply.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    He seemed genuinely pleased and poured himself a drink.


    Pour¡ª


    One glass, two glasses,


    He drank alone continuously.


    Eventually, he emptied an entire bottle¡­


    Pop!


    When he opened the second cork, I wondered if I had made a mistake by saying nothing while he drank in silence.


    Finally, his heavy lips opened.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    His deep, calm voice started with an ambiguous question, making my head spin. Was he referring to past conflicts I wasn¡¯t aware of, or the fact that he had ignored the lady¡¯s murderous rampage?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re referring to¡­¡±


    ¡°Anything, really. But I¡¯m specifically talking about the times I tested you with your life.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Not knowing how to respond, I stayed silent.


    Aol seemed to interpret my silence as he wished and downed another drink.


    ¡°To be honest, our relationship has always been one of love and hate. If you died, it would be your fate.¡±


    This seemed a bit harsh.


    ¡°Still, you were like a sore thumb to me. Blaming you was like blaming myself. I also wandered like you and had no right to be strict with you. As my first child, I didn¡¯t know how to raise you. Despite that, I was always disappointed in you, though I had no right to be¡­¡±


    Listening to his continued words, I felt awkward.


    It seemed he wanted to apologize, fueled by alcohol, but I could only see it as his circumstances rather than resentment.


    Hersel must have caused considerable trouble for him.


    Aol laughed bitterly as he poured another drink.


    ¡°But it seems I was wrong. Maybe I didn¡¯t even try to understand you.¡±


    At this point, I felt I should say something, so I opened my mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t dwell on past events.¡±


    It was an honest sentiment.


    Though it was frustrating to be in Hersel¡¯s body, it wasn¡¯t Aol¡¯s fault.


    Aol¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and he smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown to be quite a broad-minded person.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is a drinking session, but we¡¯ve only talked seriously. Hersel, do you have anything you want to say to me?¡±


    With the alcohol setting in, the mood felt right.


    It was a good time to bring up my request.


    Giving up the position of head could come later. First, I needed to talk about magic.


    ¡°Actually, about the academy¡­¡±


    ¡°Feel free to speak comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    With no more hesitation, I spoke clearly.


    ¡°I want to enroll in the magic department this time. Could you find me a skilled magician to teach me the basics?¡±


    Thud!


    The reception room door closed.


    I had just been flatly rejected and thrown out.


    In truth, his reaction was within my expectations.


    ¨C The Tenest family was built on the sword. What would they say if the eldest son wanted to learn magic?


    As they say, what is planted is what grows.


    Whether it¡¯s swordsmanship or magic, a family established with one discipline doesn¡¯t permit the other, according to this world¡¯s lore.


    ¨C Though I don¡¯t look down on magic, it doesn¡¯t suit our lineage.


    With Mircel, who would later make the Tenest name famous, there was hope that they might overlook the wayward son.


    But the monstrous bird incident shattered that hope.


    -You are expected to contribute greatly. I heard you helped capture the bird. So, focus on the sword and don¡¯t waste time on nonsense.


    For someone with a damaged dantian, it was a painful reality.


    Being forbidden to study magic, which I was forced to learn, made me genuinely want to pursue it.


    The biggest motivation was Aol¡¯s pitiful reaction.


    ¨C And Hersel, though it¡¯s awkward to say, you learning magic¡­ That requires intelligence. Never mind, just leave.


    Comparing my intelligence to Hersel¡¯s?


    I had never felt such an insult to my pride.


    To equate me with that primitive fool who wasted his time drinking and reading obscene stories was to say I had no worth.


    I had to prove it. I would become a magician.


    ***


    ¡°What do you think about him learning magic?¡±


    Aria asked, rolling her pen, as Dellerger scratched his head from the couch.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s already as strong as he can be, so it¡¯s natural to look at other things.¡±


    Aria looked skeptical.


    ¡°¡­I still can¡¯t believe it. Hersel is really stronger than you?¡±


    Though she had heard about the incident in the mines from Dellerger, it was hard to believe. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Dellerger answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Yes. Incomparable, really.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Aria was speechless at his firm response.


    Dellerger, sensing her unease, added an explanation.


    ¡°You heard about him surviving that monster¡¯s breath attack, right?¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it. Isn¡¯t that an exaggerated rumor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an exaggeration. Even the townsfolk saw the mountain melt. Plus, there are eyewitness accounts.¡±


    Aria rested her chin on her hand, falling silent. The evidence was clear.


    ¡°But I wonder if it¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°His request for a magician. The Duke wouldn¡¯t allow it in a family known for swordsmanship.¡±


    That was a headache.


    Despite the many eccentric magicians, few were crazy enough to teach the Duke¡¯s son.


    But with enough money, nothing is impossible.


    Aria smiled slyly.


    ¡°We could do it secretly. I have the means.¡±


    ¡°Secretly? Is there really a magician willing to do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and they¡¯re top-notch in their field.¡±


    ¡°Surely not a magician from the Magic Tower? That would cost a fortune.¡±


    Dellerger blinked in surprise as Aria took out an old book from a drawer. It was the ¡°Ancestor¡¯s Ledger¡± she found thanks to Hersel.


    ¡°If I receive something, I should repay generously, don¡¯t you think?¡±

 Chapter 34

    If you were to ask a bird how it flies, it would answer, ¡°Just like that.¡± Of course, this assumes the bird can understand and speak human language, but anyway. The same goes for wizards. A born genius can cast spells as easily as breathing, and this is considered the origin of magic. However, the title of genius implies rarity. Just as there are few rare gems, there are many who admire them like grains of sand. Humans are curious and envious creatures. Observing this, ordinary people questioned how geniuses performed magic and, after countless attempts, established the principles. Through sheer determination, the efforts of many ordinary people bore fruit over time.


    While geniuses cast magic instinctively, the ordinary folks created formulas and calculations. Geniuses had a natural affinity for mana, but the ordinary ones developed training methods to acquire it. Thus, modern magic is essentially a mimicry of innate genius.


    Of course, this field still heavily relies on talent¡­


    I was sitting outdoors, enjoying a drink and reading when¡­


    ¡°Oh my, look at that.¡±


    ¡°Reading that in broad daylight?¡±


    Passing maids blushed upon seeing the cover of the book, which had a suggestive title. However, they didn¡¯t seem too surprised. It seemed Hersel often did such things.


    ¡°Back to his old self, it seems.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering, he seemed normal lately.¡±


    The reactions of passing servants were similar. I paid them no mind and confidently turned the page. In reality, I was reading a magic book hidden inside the cover of a sensational novel.


    ¡°¡­The lines of an array are broadly divided into parallel and serial¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to boast about just understanding basic theory, but it wasn¡¯t too difficult. In the game, one could learn a skill with a single mouse click, but here, I had to learn the principles and the process of drawing an array in detail. Although it was a new field, understanding it indicated that my brain hadn¡¯t rusted.


    As I turned the page, a heavy, imposing shadow loomed over me.


    ¡°Ah, Father¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you reading?¡±


    ¡°¡­A literary piece about the deep love between a man and a woman.¡±


    ¡°Good. Stick to reading such things.¡±


    His muscular hand reached into the book and pulled out the hidden magic text.


    ¡°Stop reading this useless magic.¡±


    He then crumpled the book with both hands and tossed it onto the table. I looked at the now-candy-like book and thought. If my body were crumpled by those hands, how much would it shrink?


    ¡°This is a warning. Don¡¯t let me see this again.¡±


    Aol shot me a fierce look before turning away. My guts were tied in knots as I watched him disappear, my eyes trembling.


    ¨C Hersel, if you want to live, give up now.


    ¨C Then die.


    Come to think of it, it¡¯s all his fault. The thought of risking my life just to learn magic made me grind my teeth in anger.


    Deisel.


    The scoundrel who unleashed the monstrous bird, causing unnecessary misunderstandings, and who further upset Aol by running away. Because of him, I couldn¡¯t even bring up the topic of giving up the head position. ????


    ¡°Thanks to that bastard, I have a long way to go.¡±


    I had about six months left until the academy entrance. To survive among the player characters swarming with monsters, I needed to at least meet the average standards. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste time.


    I got up and looked at the clock. It was time for the magician sent by Aria to arrive.


    ¡°Time to go.¡±


    I was curious about what kind of person they would be.


    The place was an ordinary house. Aria had rented it as a secret classroom to avoid Aol¡¯s eyes. My excitement quickly faded upon meeting the magician.


    ¡°Charles¡¯s body was about to be torn apart by three goblins. Elri watched and said, ¡®Oh, Charles¡¯s body is 21 kilograms. How many grams should be divided equally among the goblins?¡¯ Elri was puzzled.¡±


    Charles and Elri were like the typical names used in textbooks. But wasn¡¯t Charles in trouble?


    ¡°Can you solve Elri¡¯s question, young master?¡±


    I stared blankly at the magician. He was a man with striking glasses and a sharp, narrow gaze named Carmelo. According to Aria¡¯s letter, he was a skilled magician¡­


    ¡°Hmm. It seems this problem was too difficult for you. Let me break it down step by step.¡±


    Carmelo assumed my stunned silence meant I didn¡¯t know the answer. He began writing equations with his pen.


    ¡°Divide 21 by 3 like this¡ª¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Oh, was that too fast? Shall I go slower?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a fraud, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    At my blunt question, Carmelo looked dumbfounded. He cleared his throat and spoke slightly irritated.


    ¡°May I ask why you think so?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re proudly presenting such a simple problem, so it¡¯s natural to be suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the problem is indeed easy. I didn¡¯t expect you to know basic math.¡±


    His condescending gaze irked me. Whatever he had heard about me, he seemed to think I was an ignorant fool. As I wondered how to fix his attitude, Carmelo narrowed his eyes and spoke in a stern tone.


    ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a fraud.¡±


    He swung the staff beside him.


    Whoosh!


    The room dimmed as the curtains closed. Simultaneously, the candlewick on the table lit up. Carmelo adjusted his glasses as if asking if I saw that.


    ¡°Does that answer your question?¡±


    ¡°¡­You are a wizard, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Then, young master, prove yourself as well.¡±


    He smirked, rummaging through his bag before pulling out a piece of paper.


    ¡°This is a basic wind magic formula. Controlling the wind¡¯s volume to ignite flames and manipulate water. Today, instead of a lesson, let¡¯s gauge your level.¡±


    His tone carried an undertone of ¡®let¡¯s see what you can do.¡¯ There are many eccentric wizards, and it seems calling him a fraud had severely bruised his ego.


    A wind manipulation formula? That sounded difficult, but starting strong showed his disdain.


    At least I wouldn¡¯t be stuck doing simple arithmetic.


    I grabbed the pen.


    ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡±


    I swallowed hard, feeling nervous as I looked over the problem. The pen slipped from my grasp.


    Is this real?


    ¡°Do you need an abacus?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I alternated my gaze between Carmelo, who looked smug, and the problem.


    Then,


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    I solved it in less than a minute.


    ¡°Of course, this would be too¡­ wait, done?¡±


    Carmelo, who had been nodding, snapped his head up, eyes wide.


    I simply nodded in response.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ the formula looks a bit unconventional, but the answer is correct.¡±


    The problem I solved was at a level a sixth grader could handle. If he seriously posed such a problem and acted haughty, he might indeed be a fraud.


    Well, he did prove he was a wizard.


    Let¡¯s give him a chance.


    ¡°This is too easy. Bring something harder.¡±


    My words, meant to avoid wasting time, seemed to provoke him. Carmelo frowned and started pulling more problems from his bag.


    ¡°Alright, try this one.¡±


    What followed was a series of problems. Each time he presented one, I solved it. The difficulty gradually increased, but I kept writing down the answers, even though the problems were advancing by grade level.


    However, the endless progression of problems eventually hit a snag. Suddenly, a much more challenging problem appeared, seemingly ten levels higher.


    ¡°¡­This seems way too advanced all of a sudden, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    The lines of the formula were not just one-dimensional but three-dimensional. Though it was a wind-related problem, it required detailed calculations of both volume and angle, including calculus and vector calculations.


    Does this fit within this world¡¯s standards?


    Indeed, this world might be more advanced than mine when it comes to mathematics due to the requirements of magic. Many more wizards would have devoted themselves to mathematical studies than mathematicians.


    Given this, the level of mathematics here might be on par with or even surpass modern standards. If such difficult problems are presented just to gauge a beginner¡¯s level, it speaks volumes.


    ¡°Can¡¯t solve it?¡±


    Carmelo smirked.


    ¡°You seem eager for me to fail, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, of course not.¡±


    His blatant denial annoyed me, so I grabbed the pen again.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll solve this one too.¡±


    My head ached as soon as I looked at the problem. Fortunately, there were hints provided in the formula. Still, it was tough. By the time I finished, it was already night outside. I briefly greeted Carmelo and dragged my exhausted body back to the mansion.


    ¡°Magic is no joke.¡±


    ***


    Normally, a wizard from the Magic Tower wouldn¡¯t stoop to teaching a noble¡¯s child. It was a matter of pride.


    Let alone the idea of teaching the Duke¡¯s son. If caught, it would be certain death for an average wizard.


    Even if safety were guaranteed, no one from the Magic Tower accepted the job.


    Carmelo, too, would have refused had he not urgently needed research funds.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Carmelo pondered as he organized the answers Hersel had written.


    ¡°I heard he survived the breath of the monstrous bird, but is that really important? Is he really the famous dullard?¡±


    Doubt gnawed at him. Typically, these types struggled with basic arithmetic. But Hersel¡¯s calculations were at an intermediate level, as taught in the academy.


    ¡°Being a rich kid, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he had a high-level tutor. Still, it¡¯s annoying.¡±


    The type who pretends to be a genius in front of a new teacher, having already received high-level tutoring. In the field of magical studies, Carmelo often encountered such inflated egos.


    ¡°Acting like a genius when you¡¯ve had extensive private lessons¡­¡±


    Carmelo was about to tear up the answers when he noticed the strange symbols on the last page.


    ¡°Heh, just showing off¡­¡±


    These were advanced, beyond high-level, problems meant for Magic Tower researchers.


    ¡°A pathetic attempt at looking knowledgeable¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, he planned to teach half-heartedly and kill time. But since the educational material was already solved, he had to change tactics. The last set was meant for personal use but seemed like a good way to trap Hersel.


    He almost discarded the paper but decided to check the answers out of curiosity.


    ¡°¡­Hm?¡±


    Carmelo trembled as he verified the answers.


    They matched.


    No ordinary person could solve these problems, not even with private tutoring.


    Was his tutor from the Magic Tower?


    He dismissed that thought, shaking his head. If Hersel¡¯s tutor were from the Magic Tower, he would have known.


    This left only one possibility.


    ¡°He¡¯s got some natural talent, it seems. I thought I¡¯d be wasting time teaching calculations, but it might be interesting after all.¡±


    Carmelo smiled as he burned the papers.

 Chapter 35

    There are also grades in magic.Grades are divided into lower, intermediate, and advanced, while ranks are divided into elementary and high. Beyond that lies a realm only accessible to great magicians, the superlative high rank.


    Carmelo, who had just become a high-rank magician, organized the research journals he intended to explore here and took out a blank sheet of paper.


    What he was now preparing was a lecture curriculum. It was a rapid course, faster than the general level. Just learning the formulas to the academy admission standard usually took about three years. Excluding that part drastically shortened the time.


    The time it took for Hersel to become a magician was surprisingly¡­


    ¡°Goodness, to think it takes only this much time to become a magician.¡±


    Four years.


    * * *


    I was tense, worried that he might ask me to solve another difficult problem. But for some reason, Carmelo said that the calculations were sufficient and suggested we move on to theoretical lessons. I didn¡¯t ask why, fearing he might give me another brain-busting problem like yesterday.


    Since it seemed I barely passed, skipping mathematics should be fine.


    ¡°Inserting the sum of opposite elements into a single formula is generally said to be impossible in most textbooks, but I want to tell you it depends on the situation.¡±


    Carmelo explained while drawing a formula with his staff. I, intrigued by the practical nature of the theoretical class, naturally asked a question.


    ¡°In real battles, you can¡¯t always draw the formula perfectly, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Sometimes, when using fire magic and failing to control the intensity, you can add a water-type formula to adjust the power. Ideally, you would erase and redraw it, but in a situation where the enemy is right in front of you, this kind of modification is the right decision.¡±


    As he swung his staff, flames rose, and then steam surged.


    Fsssss!


    Watching the blazing fire transform into a moderate-sized candle flame, my mouth slightly gaped open. It really felt like I was learning magic.


    ¡°Though I don¡¯t like it, these trashy textbooks are the standard for academy entrance exams. Just write the answers as indicated here and tear them apart after you get in.¡± ??


    It became clear why Aria wrote in her letter that Carmelo was a highly skilled magician. The content he taught was more detailed and extensive than what was described in the textbooks. Besides this, I learned tips on efficient line composition and the manifestation and combination of elements.


    On the fifth day, during a casual conversation, I realized that Carmelo was no ordinary magician.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re affiliated with the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°This is surprising. I thought you considered me a mere third-rate magician.¡±


    ¡°Well, who would imagine a magician from the Magic Tower would come here to tutor? Even you must find it unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Ha, research requires substantial funding. To secure a lacking budget, one must earn directly by working on their feet. If it weren¡¯t for that, I wouldn¡¯t have come here.¡±


    After the conversation, his expression remained unpleasant for days. Although his tone was harsh, he diligently completed the intermediate theory lessons required for academy admission.


    Considering it took only three weeks, it was rather unsettling¡­


    ¡°The progress is so fast it¡¯s suspicious. Isn¡¯t there anything I¡¯ve missed or need to learn more about?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Are you bragging about being good at calculations?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Speak up a bit louder. I can¡¯t hear your mumbling well.¡±


    ¡°I said you understand all the theory I taught you immediately, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it more concisely?¡±


    And then came the much-anticipated lesson. ¡®Practical Application of Magic¡¯ was the last subject. While calculations and theories were listening lessons, this one was about making a body capable of using magic. Calming my pounding heart, Carmelo cleared his throat. The real lecture was about to begin.


    ¡°Do you remember the five senses of mana sensitivity well?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Mana sensitivity involves feeling mana through the five senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. A magician is recognized once even one of these senses awakens. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Do you also remember the five talents of magic?¡±


    ¡°No. You said you¡¯d explain that properly today.¡±


    From what I heard briefly, there are five branches in magic, and everyone has an affinity for one of these branches. This is called talent.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I must have delayed it because there¡¯s a connection between talent and mana sensitivity.¡±


    ¡°Connection?¡±


    As I asked out of curiosity, Carmelo chuckled.


    ¡°Yes. Strangely, the first sense that awakens is determined by your talent.¡±


    Thud!


    Carmelo placed five books on the table.


    ¡°Then let me explain the correlation between the five talents and mana sensitivity.¡±


    Without even opening the books, Carmelo pointed to one with his finger. It was a magic book of the elemental branch.


    ¡°For those who deal with wind, fire, lightning, and water, the magicians who first awaken the sense of touch are naturally talented. The proportion of magicians in this category is overwhelmingly high, and hence, the developed formulas are also the most extensive.¡±


    Simply put, it seems to be a versatile talent. It¡¯s common, but because of its prevalence, the number of developed magic spells is the greatest.


    Next, Carmelo pointed to the book of the formation branch.


    ¡°The formation branch is a talent for those who first awaken the sense of sight. Illusion magic is commonly developed in this category, but if mastered, it can also create tangible objects or artificial life.¡±


    When Carmelo swung his staff, a butterfly appeared in the air and landed on the book. Seeing the butterfly flap its wings as if alive, I hoped my sense would awaken through sight. With this, I might even be able to create gold¡­


    ¡°The next branch is curses. This talent is for those who first awaken the sense of hearing. It is rare, about one in a hundred, but because of the hateful world we live in, some develop this branch even if they are not naturally talented. Usually criminals, for instance.¡±


    With another swing of Carmelo¡¯s staff, the butterfly decayed.


    It seemed to have died from a curse.


    ¡°Next is the breaking branch. This talent is for those who first awaken the sense of smell. It is the most valuable among the five.¡±


    ¡­ I¡¯d bet all the money in my pocket that this guy awakened through the sense of smell.


    ¡°In terms of rarity, it occurs in one in a thousand. The greatest magicians recorded in history mostly fall into this category. Because it¡¯s such a useful talent, it also shines in other professions.¡±


    Breaking seems to be a talent for understanding magic instinctively. Knowledge is power, as they say. According to Carmelo¡¯s detailed explanation, this talent influences not just magic but other abilities, making it an all-rounder.


    No wonder some magician characters in games are exceptionally versatile and skilled; they belong to this category¡­


    ¡°For example, a magic swordsman who nullifies spells by instinctively understanding magic.¡±


    Carmelo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he performed telekinetic magic. Another staff flew out of his bag and autonomously drew a spell.


    Seeing the glowing air and the shapes of the formula, it was evident it was elemental fire magic.


    Whoosh!


    The fire surged toward Carmelo like a water cannon. But when Carmelo flicked his staff, the fire disappeared without a trace.


    Being able to observe magic more precisely allows one to nullify the spell without any backflow, much like safely disarming a time bomb. This was just one of the many remarkable abilities of the breaking talent.


    ¡°Additionally, there are revolutionary researchers from the Magic Tower or alchemists who create magical tools by imbuing objects with magic, or those who preemptively find and disable traps in dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Enough bragging, move on to the next.¡±


    Cutting off his boasting, Carmelo frowned displeasedly. He definitely awakened through the sense of smell.


    ¡°Ahem, finally, the peculiar branch. The first sense to awaken is taste. This branch gathers and classifies indeterminate types of magic. Telekinesis falls under this, as well as recovery magic or magic that lightens the weight of objects.¡±


    Indeed, the telekinesis and recovery magic Carmelo mentioned didn¡¯t fit into any of the previous categories.


    ¡°Though rarer than the breaking branch, this talent is paradoxically the least valued currently.¡±


    Carmelo pointed to the thinnest book. It was clear what he meant.


    ¡°Because there are so few of them, there isn¡¯t much developed magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. Although the breaking branch is also small in number, it has extensive documentation due to the efforts of geniuses in the field, but the peculiar branch is different. Its ambiguous nature makes research difficult. The practical uses verified so far are telekinesis for convenience and recovery magic.¡±


    In simple terms, it¡¯s a field with untapped potential, but it¡¯s not shining due to a lack of development.


    ¡°While research is active, it may take at least the next century to fully realize its potential.¡±


    ¡­ I hope this isn¡¯t my talent.


    Carmelo, looking thirsty, emptied a glass of water and asked me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve explained the overview. When do you plan to enter the academy?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention?¡±


    ¡°No, but at this pace, you might reach your goal faster than you think.¡±


    Naturally, it had to be next year, not the year after. To match the narrative of playable characters, I must enter the academy next year.


    ¡°Six months.¡±


    ¡°¡­Six, six months?¡±


    Did I do something wrong? Carmelo¡¯s face showed shock as he adjusted his glasses and glared sharply.


    ¡°Young master, do you think becoming a magician is like baking bread in a bakery?¡±


    ¡°Wasn


    I inadvertently asked back, and Carmelo slammed the table and shouted.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only just begun, and you speak such nonsense!¡±


    Damn, that startled me.


    ¡°Even excluding the time for calculations and theory, it takes at least four years for the first awakening. The following awakenings take even longer. This is the normal speed. Six months? You must think a bit of fast learning has made you all-knowing!¡±


    I didn¡¯t realize magic took so long. Playable characters seem to enter just fine¡­


    ¡°If you really plan to enter next year, why not find a magician to take the entrance exam for you!¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    They were naturally talented geniuses, so they were exceptions. But I am not, damn it.


    The situation was grim. If I missed this year¡¯s academy entrance, I couldn¡¯t match the timeline of the playable characters. Even if I learned magic and entered late, the world would already be doomed.


    I waited for Carmelo to calm down and cautiously spoke, grasping at straws.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a magician from the Magic Tower. Try to make me an intermediate magician within six months, somehow.¡±


    With just one more subject to achieve, it felt too regretful to give up.


    Carmelo, shaking his head as if there was no answer, suddenly made an intriguing remark.


    ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t no way at all¡­ but it¡¯s rather¡­ hmm.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°There is an old hypothesis about a shock therapy to forcibly awaken senses. It¡¯s a field I¡¯m currently researching, but all the subjects¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°¡­all died.¡±


    Human experimentation? This guy¡¯s ethics are twisted. But thinking it might be a chance for revival, I decided to ask further.


    ¡°How did they die?¡±


    ¡°Shock death. Forcibly drawing 70 formulas into the body like tattoos, the body couldn¡¯t handle it. The longest surviving subject managed 37 formulas but eventually became part of nature¡­ It¡¯s a pointless story.¡±


    ¡°Try it.¡±


    Carmelo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at my casual remark.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I said, try forcibly drawing the lines. If it succeeds, the senses awaken, right?¡±


    ¡°You want me to do that to you, the eldest son of the Tenest family?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­If it fails, I will also die by the duke¡¯s sword.¡±


    When he raised an eyebrow and showed reluctance, I smirked and explained why it was okay.


    ¡°If I die, no one will know you were here except me. And did you know? I survived the breath of the giant bird. How about this body, different from the ones who died? Worth experimenting, right?¡±


    His eyes widened momentarily before he grinned menacingly.


    Many magicians are eccentrics. The Magic Tower selects the most extreme ones among them. It was natural for a magician from the Magic Tower, driven by curiosity, to accept.


    ¡°Indeed, that makes sense. But, don¡¯t you need time to settle your affairs?¡±


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡±


    A mere shock death.


    Compared to what I¡¯ve faced, it¡¯s a laughable way to die.


    ¡°I know I won¡¯t die.¡±


    I figured it would work out somehow.


    I have ¡®1-second invincibility.¡¯


    ***


    It was already evening. We decided to start the experiment tomorrow, and I was on my way back to the mansion.


    ¨C I decided not to say anything more. Your desire to learn magic is so strong, how can I stop you?


    Donatan¡¯s nonchalant remark made me even more uneasy. The guy who constantly disparaged magic had suddenly gone quiet¡­


    It seemed like he had some plan, but I had no way of finding out, so I kept silent.


    As I approached the main gate, my legs ached, and I stopped walking.


    ¨C ¡­


    ¨C Indeed, your physical strength was so poor that must be the case.


    I was narrowing my eyes suspiciously when Aol approached with a doubtful look.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been going out a lot lately, Hersel.¡±


    Recalling what Hersel might have said, I answered nonchalantly.


    ¡°I went to the red-light district, Father.¡±


    Aol¡¯s suspicious gaze softened, and he raised an eyebrow.


    My answer was evidently convincing.


    ¡°¡­Ahem, I¡¯m speechless because you¡¯re so brazen. Well, fine. Once you enter the academy, you¡¯ll have to live a celibate life, so play as much as you want now.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll accept your offer. Can you give me some allowance for gambling tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°¡­ . . . .¡±


    Without further proof, this cheat-like alibi would prevent anyone from discovering I was learning magic. The key was how shameless I could be.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°It was a good idea to bring these, just in case.¡±Carmelo spread out the research materials and calmed his expression. These were documents pertaining to the ancient study of mana sensitivity.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Having awakened all five senses, Carmelo was a high-rank magician. However, he was not satisfied with this. Although this was a realm achievable only by those with genius talent, it was nothing but a faded shell compared to a single superior talent.


    Even though he was recognized in the Magic Tower, he was ultimately an acquired genius following in the footsteps of the innate geniuses. Compared to those who awakened their senses on their own without learning, his talent was insignificant.


    Especially those who self-awakened all five senses were on a different level. The moment they became interested in magic, it was their fate to awaken the sixth, almost transcendent sense, like a caterpillar naturally becoming a butterfly. Those who fell into this category were the noble beings recorded in history as great magicians.


    Carmelo, who was obsessed with magic, knew it was impossible to reach that level, but he harbored a peculiar anticipation as he scrutinized the old documents.


    ¡°As expected, even the average geniuses born thousands of years ago were the same. They must have also wanted to awaken the sixth sense, like me.¡±


    Were there always similar people in every era? There were those in the past who engraved spells into the bodies of living humans to forcibly awaken the sixth sense. It was the dream of geniuses regardless of the era.


    And maybe, the hypothesis that had remained theoretical for nearly a thousand years might finally be proven, Carmelo thought with a shiver of excitement and a sly smile.


    ¡°Hehe, this is exciting. If he survived the breath, he would be a much better test subject than mere prisoners.¡±


    He meticulously reviewed the research journals and awaited the arrival of tomorrow. According to Carmelo, it took about a month and a few weeks to imprint 70 lines onto the body. Half of that time had already passed.


    ***


    Fifteen cooldowns. I had avoided death a total of fifteen times.


    ¡°Thirty-seventh line¡­ This is usually the critical point, but the young master is handling it very well.¡±


    Although I felt like a lab rat, I had agreed to this, so I couldn¡¯t complain. Therefore, I enjoyed it.


    ¡°Is it a new record?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡±


    Let¡¯s stop this. I feel sorry for myself for pretending to be okay.


    ¡°But it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? After reaching halfway, I should feel some noticeable change, but everything¡¯s the same.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural. The 69 spells are processed separately without being connected. It¡¯s only normal that you don¡¯t feel any different until the seventieth spell, which links everything together, is engraved.¡± ?


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Just as I picked up a cup of water, my arm trembled slightly, causing a drop to splash onto the back of my hand. It happened often lately, so I didn¡¯t think much of it, but I asked Carmelo just in case.


    ¡°But is there any chance of side effects from the experiment? I don¡¯t know why, but I can¡¯t shake off this fatigue, and my body feels a bit heavy.¡±


    Carmelo¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Side effects? Please describe your symptoms in more detail.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like feeling lethargic. I fall asleep early and eat a lot more.¡±


    It¡¯s strange. I fall asleep as soon as I lie down, and my usual portions aren¡¯t satisfying, so I eat twice as much. Especially craving meat.


    I voiced my concerns, but Carmelo chuckled dismissively. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I thought it was something serious. That¡¯s probably due to changes in your lifestyle. It has nothing to do with magic, so I won¡¯t address irrelevant matters.¡±


    ¡°Take it seriously. It could be something harmful to my body.¡±


    Carmelo, looking annoyed, waved his staff. The curtains drew back, revealing the falling leaves outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s autumn. Does this answer your question?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Autumn is indeed a season of laziness and increased appetite. When I lay back on the bed, I thought about it again. There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.


    Let¡¯s say my sudden increase in appetite is due to autumn as Carmelo said. But isn¡¯t my body feeling unusually tired? Could I be ill? My brow furrowed with unease when the in-body machine spoke to me.


    ¨C Hersel, your body is in a state of fatigue. You should sleep.


    Yes, I should ask it.


    ¨C Hmm, you are actually in better condition than before. So don¡¯t worry and get some sleep.


    Donatan¡¯s words reassured me a bit. However, realizing that this machine was not a doctor, I got up from bed.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    I stood in front of a full-length mirror, checking my body. I hadn¡¯t gained weight. However, there seemed to be some faint muscles I hadn¡¯t seen before. It might be a trick of the light since they weren¡¯t that noticeable.


    ¡°Maybe it is a side effect of the experiment.¡±


    When I said that, Donatan shouted with joy.


    ¨C Yes, it could be a side effect. There are all sorts of strange things in the world of magic. Do you know about sadomagic? It¡¯s a hodgepodge of pursuits without any expertise. Even if he is from the Magic Tower, unproven experiments are nothing but hodgepodge.


    Though his reaction was odd, his words weren¡¯t wrong. I had never heard of such bizarre theories while playing Asares.


    Indeed, I should visit a professional doctor tomorrow and get a proper check-up. With that thought, I lay back on the bed.


    ¨C Yes, sleep well, Hersel. Sleep soundly.


    As Donatan¡¯s words murmured like a lullaby, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.


    ***


    It had been three months and a few days since Donatan made a contract with Hersel. It was enough time to understand the neural circuits tied to his body.


    After much effort, he learned how to move through electrical impulses when Hersel was asleep.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    Late at night.


    Donatan was doing push-ups while Hersel¡¯s eyes were closed.


    After about ten minutes, he paused as sweat dripped onto the floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough arm exercise for now. He¡¯s starting to notice¡­¡±


    This time, Donatan made Hersel¡¯s body hang upside down from the curtain rod and repeatedly performed abdominal exercises. He recalled the fight with the giant bird and murmured unpleasantly.


    ¡°His lung capacity is worse than a sickly person¡¯s. I¡¯ll fix that for him.¡±


    Moreover, he had nearly reached a near-death state just from being thrown once.


    Thinking of the pathetic state of his body spurred Donatan on.


    ¡°This wretched fellow. And he¡¯s obsessed with magic?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t accept it.


    Even if his dantian was damaged, the fact that his master didn¡¯t wield a sword was a denial of his very existence.


    Seeing Hersel absorbed only in magic made him furious.


    With a spark of electric current, he vented his frustration.


    Crackle


    ¡°Just as you can¡¯t give up magic, I can¡¯t give up the sword.¡±


    As the exercises continued, there was a knock at the door.


    Knock, knock!


    If he manipulated Hersel¡¯s vocal cords, he would surely wake up.


    Donatan remained silent.


    Then came an impatient knock and an angry voice.


    Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock!


    ¡°Young Master! What are you doing at this hour? The vibrations are reaching the lower floors!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll come in!¡±


    Donatan glanced at the lock on the door.


    ¡°Damn, I forgot to lock it!¡±


    His heart sank. He prayed she would leave, but cruelly, the door swung open.


    Bang!


    ¡°Young¡­ What?¡±


    Selly¡¯s angry face turned to one of bewilderment. She shook her head and sighed deeply.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing surprising now.¡±


    ¡°I almost had a heart attack. Why are you hanging from the curtain rod in the middle of the night?¡±


    Selly looked at me as if he were crazy. It was a look Donatan often saw directed at Hersel. It seemed she considered this a usual occurrence.


    ¨C Indeed, this girl always treated him like a lunatic. I can get away with this.


    Thinking it was a fortunate stroke of luck, Donatan descended from the curtain rod.


    Thud!


    Selly approached cautiously, eyes wide.


    ¡°What? Why are your eyes closed?¡±


    ¡°Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Hello? Are you okay?¡±


    At that moment, Donatan flipped Hersel¡¯s body onto his back and manipulated his limbs to crawl like a spider. Approaching her bizarrely with his head dangling, Selly screamed and fled.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    Watching her pale-faced retreat, Donatan locked the door and smiled contentedly.


    Click!


    ¡°That should do it. She¡¯ll think he¡¯s crazier than ever.¡±


    Feeling reassured, he knew it would be disastrous if Hersel discovered this.


    [Subordinate Donatan must not do anything the superior Hersel does not want. If the subordinate violates this, a compulsory clause will be added. This clause is decided according to the superior¡¯s proposal.]


    The most severe unfair trade clause.


    Threatened with being thrown into the river if he didn¡¯t accept, he had no choice but to agree.


    Donatan shivered at the memory from that day until now.


    ¨C Have I ever seen anyone as ruthless as him in my life?


    Even in the mines, the look in his eyes when searching for money was like a wolf stalking prey.


    When an assassin appeared, he was no different from a local thug who extorted pocket money from children, and when the opportunity came to score big with the mistress, he squeezed out every drop of oil.


    Each time, Donatan could feel the twitching facial muscles of Hersel struggling to contain himself.


    ¨C I can¡¯t even imagine the horrors if I fall into the hands of this ruthless fellow¡­


    Since Hersel held the sword, Donatan carefully trained.


    Moving his body to the point of near exhaustion, morning soon broke.


    As he lay Hersel back in bed to return to his place, Hersel woke up.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Did he get caught?


    ¡°Yawn, no matter how much I sleep, I¡¯m still sleepy¡­ I need more sleep.¡±


    ¨C Yes, sleep well, Hersel. You need to rest thoroughly.


    Though he might feel fatigue, Donatan¡¯s manipulation of his nerves meant Hersel wouldn¡¯t even feel muscle pain.


    ***


    The medical check-up revealed no issues.


    The doctor said to keep up the new body management regime.


    Since the only exercise I did was walking to learn magic, it was hard to shake off my doubts.


    However, feeling slightly better lately, I didn¡¯t think much of it.


    Three weeks passed since putting my worries to rest.


    Carmelo, with a tense face, took a deep breath.


    Despite gulping down water, his voice trembled with excitement.


    ¡°¡­Finally, today is the day. To think the day would come to engrave the final, seventieth spell.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean I¡¯ll officially be an intermediate magician if I succeed?¡±


    Enjoying the moment, I asked, and Carmelo quickly looked away.


    ¡°Ahem, yes. You will meet the requirements of an intermediate magician.¡±


    His reaction seemed suspicious. He wasn¡¯t usually this easily flustered. Perhaps something was wrong, but I brushed it off, thinking he was just nervous.


    After all, nothing had gone wrong so far.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin then.¡±


    ¡°By the way, young master, is it just my imagination, or have your clothes changed often lately?¡±


    ¡°Ah, these? The old ones didn¡¯t fit well anymore, so I replaced them.¡±


    I could still wear the old ones, but they were tight. They were so tight that the threads would tear if I moved too much, so my wardrobe was filled with newly fitted clothes.


    ¡°Hmm, you seem to have a more robust build than before.¡±


    ¡°Side effect of the experiment.¡±


    I said with squinted eyes.


    Carmelo, veins popping on his forehead, shouted.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you it¡¯s not!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get mad. It¡¯s the only suspicious thing.¡±


    ¡°I have explained with data that none of the test subjects exhibited such symptoms. Do you know how many times you¡¯ve said this?¡±


    ¡°Only thirty-seven times.¡±


    Touchy.


    Considering how much money I¡¯ll get from the mistress, I need to stay healthy.

 Chapter 37

    Carmelo placed his staff down with trembling hands and asked me, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±His voice was thick with tension. It was understandable, given that we had just completed the final procedure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel much different from usual. Hold on a moment.¡±


    I clenched and unclenched my fist, delving into the sensations throughout my body. It felt like the blood coursing through my veins reached even the fine hairs on my skin. My whole body seemed to become an antenna, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°¡­This is a strange sensation.¡±


    The difference between the 69th line and the 70th line was stark, like completing the last piece of a puzzle to reveal the whole picture.


    ¡°Was the room always this cool?¡±


    My skin felt cold, as if touched by rain. It seemed that my sense of touch had awakened first.


    As I proudly showed off my bristling fine hairs, Carmelo approached the window.


    ¡°Oh, the window was open. How do you feel now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hold on again.¡±


    I closed my eyes and heightened my senses once more. Surprisingly¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you feel the mana?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Carmelo looked shocked and stared blankly. Then, as if in denial of reality, he asked desperately.


    ¡°What about your hearing? Do you hear anything?¡±


    ¡°Only your voice¡­¡±


    ¡°Is your vision blurry?¡±


    ¡°Just the messy room.¡±


    ¡°What about your sense of smell?¡±


    ¡°It smells like a stuffy old man¡¯s room.¡±


    With each honest answer, Carmelo¡¯s expectant gaze dimmed. He finally slumped his shoulders and asked one last question.


    ¡°¡­How about your sense of taste?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    I opened my mouth and licked the air with my tongue. The taste was peculiar, like a mix of grapes and bananas, causing my eyes to widen.


    ¡°¡­I can taste something.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be happy. Having the sense of taste awaken first was like winning the worst lottery.


    ¡°It tastes like some strange fruit¡­¡±


    Carmelo blinked in surprise, seemingly astonished.


    ¡°To think I¡¯d witness someone awakening their sense of taste first.¡±


    My talent was in the peculiar category. Among curses, elements, breaking, and formation, I would learn any magic slower and with less power than anyone else. The only benefit was the use of a few unusual spells. A memory of being praised as an average talent suddenly came to mind, and I muttered quietly.


    ¡°¡­You called me an average talent.¡±


    An average talent should at least awaken the sense of touch first. That was the standard, the middle ground. But seeing Carmelo¡¯s actions, I couldn¡¯t help but keep my mouth shut.


    ¡°Damn these primitive idiots! What¡¯s the point of awakening the sixth sense!¡±


    Carmelo tore the papers in his bag while screaming like a madman.


    ¡°These stupid chicken-brained bastards wasted my precious time with their false hopes! I¡¯ll curse their graves! I¡¯ll erase all their names engraved in the Magic Tower, those bastards!¡±


    ¡°Why, why are you like this? Calm down.¡±


    Seeing his bloodshot eyes gave me chills. I stepped back and spoke in a soothing tone.


    ¡°Still, you succeeded, right? The hypothesis wasn¡¯t a failure. So put those papers back in your bag. You might regret it later. You can still read them if you glue them back together.¡±


    Carmelo stopped and approached me with hollow eyes.


    ¡°Success? Do you think this experiment was merely about awakening a single sense?¡±


    Didn¡¯t he say it was? He must have hidden something from me.


    ¡°¡­You told me it was just an experiment to awaken one sense.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, the purpose of this experiment was to awaken the sixth sense. But now, it¡¯s proven that this theory is pointless.¡±


    I furrowed my brow in anger. This crazy magician¡­ I asked for an appendectomy, and he gave me circumcision?


    ¡°You damn bastard¡­ You should have explained that from the beginning!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Then let me explain now! Awakening the five senses is secondary; the true goal is to transcend the boundary of mana! And that requires the sixth sense! Are you satisfied now?¡±


    His outburst left me speechless. There was no point in arguing with a madman obsessed with magic. I decided to be content with meeting the admission requirements.


    Sighing, I sat in a chair and waited for Carmelo to calm down.


    ¡°Huff. Huff¡­¡±


    After turning all the papers into ashes, he caught his breath.


    I calmly waited and then asked the questions I had been formulating.


    ¡°So, it failed, right? There won¡¯t be any side effects, will there? Like blocking the path to becoming a high-level magician?¡±


    Carmelo, exhausted, answered with his temper cooled. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I can¡¯t give a definitive answer since there are no successful cases, but it shouldn¡¯t hinder your growth. The spells etched into your body are just drawings unless they function.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I swear by mana.¡±


    So, all the lines of spells that only awakened my sense of taste were just doodles.


    ¡°Okay, then that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll hold you responsible if something goes wrong.¡±


    As long as there were no side effects, I had achieved my goal. Despite the lingering unease, I was somewhat satisfied with the result. After all, I had accomplished in three months what normally took four years.


    ***


    Carmelo left after finishing the remaining two weeks of lessons. During that time, I learned how to grip a staff, control my wrist movements, and coordinate my strength. I also picked up tips on how to use my senses and draw precise spells.


    In short, it was practical training for magic implementation.


    Those days passed quickly, and on the last day, Carmelo and I had this conversation.


    ¡°Before I leave, let me be honest. Your understanding and calculation skills are decent, but your innate talent is at best average.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that now because you¡¯re leaving?¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention. I was just pondering. I¡¯ve never seen an average talent achieve such rapid growth in what should take seven years, regardless of the process.¡±


    Carmelo¡¯s sharp gaze seemed slightly gentler. Despite the ups and downs, it seemed he had developed some affection.


    ¡°By the way, since proving that the theory was wrong, I¡¯m not leaving empty-handed.¡±


    Carmelo¡¯s face looked somewhat relieved as he said this. That was the last I saw of him.


    Three months later.


    The renovation of the mansion was nearly complete. The main mansion, prioritized for work, was perfectly restored, and Aol and the mistress had moved back in with the twins.


    I thought these peaceful days would continue, but they came to an end.


    Deisel returned.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡±


    ¡°Are you deaf? I said you don¡¯t need to frown since I¡¯ve given up the position of the family head.¡±


    I felt it was necessary to inform him, so I called him to the backyard and explained my deal with the mistress. But he didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already settled with the mistress. We¡¯ll explain to Father slowly, and you can just boast and laugh.¡±


    Deisel glared at me murderously. I calmly looked down at his hostile eyes and spoke.


    ¡°Why the face? Isn¡¯t this the position you wanted so badly that you were willing to trade the lives of the people here? Then you should smile. It¡¯s hard to keep up with my little brother¡¯s whims, no matter what I do.¡±


    He clenched his fists tightly and ground his teeth.


    ¡°How dare a worm like you keep talking. You still don¡¯t get it. I want not only the position of the family head but also your neck.¡±


    This confirmed that Deisel¡¯s hatred was not just about jealousy over the family head position. He simply hated me and wanted to kill me. If given the chance, he might repeat the same actions.


    I felt the need to suppress him so he couldn¡¯t try anything like this again. I took a step forward.


    ¡°Is that so? Then go ahead and try.¡±


    Donatan showed signs of bewilderment.


    -Hersel, what are you doing? Even with magic, you can¡¯t win against him. Step back now.


    ¡®¡­Fight? Am I crazy?¡¯


    -Then why are you doing something so reckless?


    ¡®Watch carefully. I have a plan.¡¯


    As Deisel watched my eyes, I subtly drew a simple spell with my right index finger. It wasn¡¯t as precise as with a staff, but it was enough.


    ¡°Are you pretending not to know? No, it¡¯s more accurate to say you¡¯re deceiving yourself. Deisel.¡±


    I called his name and approached slowly. When I got close, I ignited the ¡®Embers of Noble Blood¡¯ to its maximum and lowered my voice.


    ¡°You cannot kill me.¡±


    At the same time, I activated the telekinesis spell I had drawn with my finger. Using all my strength, I pulled down all the leaves from the surrounding trees.


    Rustle.


    As the leaves fell and turned into a pile, sweat dripped from Deisel¡¯s forehead. I passed by his frozen figure, as if I had no more business with him. Then I stopped and spoke in a calm voice.


    ¡°I went a bit too far. I didn¡¯t intend to show killing intent.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I lightly patted his shoulder and walked away leisurely. I knew this would work.


    Unlike before, my body now had a decent amount of muscle. Moreover, I had survived the breath of the giant bird. Given a little performance, it was only natural for my opponent to be scared.


    -¡­Did you learn magic just to show off like this?


    ¡®Of course not. I learned magic because I had no choice.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t as if I had a choice.


    Magic was something I was forced to learn. However, I always thought that magic was more impressive than a sword.


    Aside from ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ I also had the ¡®Embers of Noble Blood.¡¯ I had long known this could serve as a shield if used well. Even if I didn¡¯t have many talents, I planned to make the most of them.


    ***


    White frost formed on the window. Absent-mindedly, I drew the number 6 with my index finger. It was likely because I realized how quickly time had passed.


    I had been so immersed in magic for the past six months that I hadn¡¯t noticed time flying by. It felt like the festival period, where I walked on thin ice, had just happened yesterday.


    Of course, it was all in the past now.


    They were memories I could consider nostalgic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown a bit, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    I was reminiscing about the past when the door suddenly opened.


    ¡°Young Master! A letter from the academy has arrived!¡±


    Selly rushed in with a stack of letters.


    Come to think of it, today was the day the acceptance letters were due.


    I quickly grabbed the letters from Selly and opened them one by one.


    ¡°¡­Why are there so many letters?¡±


    ¡°Well, I applied to four places. Now be quiet, I¡¯m going to read.¡±


    I nervously searched for the word ¡®accepted.¡¯ But all I saw were formal lines.


    [The admissions committee recognizes your academic achievements and various experiences, but the competition for admission is very fierce. We regret to inform you that we cannot accept your application.]


    It was the same for the others.


    [It is always difficult to deliver the news of rejection.]


    [Thank you for your interest.]


    [After careful consideration, we regret to inform you¡­]


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    I had been rejected by all the places I applied to.


    I knew it would be challenging to get in. The academies I applied to were top-notch, guaranteeing prestigious positions in the Empire or Kingdom upon graduation. They were selective.


    They wouldn¡¯t accept an arrogant brat who spent his time drinking and harassing women.


    Despite this, I applied to all of them, hoping at least one would accept me. After all, I was the eldest son of the prestigious Tenest family.


    Damn.


    I thought at least one place would accept me based on my family name.


    ¡°How did it go? You must have gotten into at least one.¡±


    ¡°¡­I was rejected.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was rejected from all of them.¡±


    Selly¡¯s face turned pale. She pointed to the one unopened letter with a hopeful look.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to open that one? There¡¯s still one left.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this?¡±


    It was also a letter from an academy. But I hadn¡¯t applied there for one reason.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even need to look. It¡¯s an invitation.¡±


    The name of this place was Frost Heart. It was close to a demonic region in a snowy mountain, frequently attacked by monsters and bone-chilling cold. They built the school on a dungeon, leading to constant unrealistic events and no peaceful days.


    But what could I do? If this was the only place that accepted me, I had no choice but to accept it.


    Hiding my true feelings, I smiled at Selly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing. Getting into the best place.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then the living conditions must be nice. I heard the academy treats servants well too.¡±


    Cool private rooms and winter clothes provided.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about making friends there.¡±


    You¡¯ll quickly make friends huddling together for warmth.


    ¡°Should I start buying makeup and taking care of my skin?¡±


    No need. The cold will keep you fresh like mackerel in a freezer.


    ¡°Are you that happy?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Following a master to the academy means being recognized by the family. It¡¯s great for my career.¡±


    Seeing Selly happy made me happy too.


    ¡°Oh, but Young Master, aren¡¯t you going to read the other papers attached?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    There were two more papers attached behind the invitation. One was an application for the magic department, and the other for the knight department.


    I crumpled up the knight department paper and checked the magic department form. At the bottom was a large box for a guardian¡¯s signature.


    One person came to mind, and my expression darkened.


    ¡°Magic department?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Young Master in the magic department¡­ But the Duke wouldn¡¯t allow it.¡±


    Noble students needed their family¡¯s seal for admission. But it wasn¡¯t a big concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s another person besides Father who can sign.¡±


    I headed off to see the mistress.

 Chapter 38

    ¡°¡­The kid¡¯s getting bulkier by the day.¡±Aol said, watching Hersel pass by from a distance, laying down his sword. Coulot scratched his head with the handle of his wooden sword and replied.


    ¡°Indeed. His arms seem almost twice as big now.¡±


    ¡°Did you train him?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. But his physique is something else.¡±


    Upon closer inspection, Aol couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.


    ¡°Ho¡­¡±


    Hersel¡¯s muscles had grown in balanced proportions, perfectly fitting his body. It was clear that this wasn¡¯t the result of mindless bulk-up training but a strategic enhancement for both agility and strength.


    Coulot, noticing this, narrowed his eyes at Aol.


    ¡°He¡¯s been going out a lot lately. It seems he¡¯s been training under someone else. How does that make you feel, Duke?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite the disappointment of his son seeking training elsewhere instead of learning from a father renowned as one of the greatest swordsmen, Aol¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile.


    ¡°He¡¯s always been uncomfortable around me. It doesn¡¯t make me sad.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taking it lightly.¡±


    Coulot shook his head and scratched his chin. After all, it was admirable that Hersel had been secretly training his body instead of engaging in useless activities outside.


    ¡°The young master I knew was a man who never finished anything he started. This is quite unexpected.¡±


    ¡°He must be taking his admission seriously.¡±


    Although still skeptical, Coulot nodded in agreement as there was no other plausible explanation.


    ¡°Hmm, I look forward to seeing what kind of knight he¡¯ll become after graduation.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have to worry about passing my position to him.¡±


    ***


    I had avoided the scrutinizing gaze of the two monstrous swordsmen and arrived in front of the mistress¡¯s office. Seeing the door already open, I raised an eyebrow. The maid, noticing my arrival, tactfully withdrew, leaving me alone with the mistress.


    ¡°Did you know I was coming?¡±


    ¡°I happened to see you entering through the main gate while looking out the window.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling, knowing she expected my visit out of all the possibilities in the large mansion.


    ¡°I could have come to see the twins.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem likely given the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What circumstances?¡±


    I asked, caught off guard, and the mistress replied in her usual composed tone.


    ¡°The timing of the arrival of the admission letter, the fact that you¡¯ve been secretly learning magic, and the timing of your entry while the Duke is away.¡±


    My trips to meet Carmelo had been long, genuinely passing through red-light districts and gambling dens to throw off any potential pursuit. Donatan had even been watching my back. How did she figure it out?


    ¡°How did you know I was learning magic?¡±


    The mistress, avoiding answering, picked up her seal and changed the subject.


    ¡°Is that important right now? Your business must be about the guardian consent form.¡±


    I needed her seal, so I decided not to press further. It wasn¡¯t wise to irritate her unnecessarily.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Hersel learning magic¡­ There will be much prejudice, I imagine.¡±


    As she skimmed through the documents, I realized I needed to explain the benefits of the situation to her, but it seemed unnecessary.


    Thump!


    Without any hesitation, she stamped the papers.


    ¡°That was too easy.¡±


    ¡°You probably would have said that entering the magic department would keep you out of your father¡¯s sight and away from the family head position.¡±


    ¡­Was there some kind of telepathy involved here?


    ¡°Were you planning on entering with a donation or using a proxy for the exam? Either way, you¡¯re quite an expensive son.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think like that?¡±


    ¡°Even though you¡¯ve shown unexpected sides before, it¡¯s hard to believe you could learn magic in just six months¡­¡±


    The mistress trailed off, her eyes widening in realization. When she calmed down, I used my index finger to summon a small flame from the elemental magic category, which I had no talent for.


    Whoosh!


    It was a small flame, about the size of a matchstick. The mistress chuckled.


    ¡°How did you manage that? You¡¯re quite a curious person.¡±


    With my business concluded, I wanted to leave, so I picked up the documents. Despite the many close calls, the most nerve-wracking moments had always been facing this woman. It was no different now.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    As I was about to leave the office, a sudden question stopped me.


    ¡°Come to think of it, I never asked.¡±


    Since the festival had ended, the only way to get answers was to ask her directly. All the previous assassination attempts had been carried out by servants, not the mistress herself, and the conflict with the Schweike family had erased any chance for confirmation.


    I was curious.


    ¡°How did you plan to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡±


    Watching her lips closely, I faintly ignited the ¡®Embers of Noble Blood¡¯ within me, wanting to hide my trembling nerves. The method she had conceived was one that even ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ couldn¡¯t counter.


    ¡°¡­Drowning. It¡¯s not as imaginative as others, but for some reason, it felt like the right answer.¡±


    Even though we were now neutral, my dislike for her would likely never change.


    ***


    Deisel handed Erucel a pen with a serious look in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can ask for this favor, Erucel.¡±


    Erucel, sweating in his predicament, glanced at the admission form for Frost Heart Academy. While knowing little about it, he was aware that it wasn¡¯t a prestigious path to success, making him hesitant.


    ¡°I planned to enter next year, but this isn¡¯t the place I wanted, and it¡¯s a bit early.¡±


    ¡°I understand it¡¯s a lot to ask. But you¡¯re the only one I can trust.¡±


    ¡°The eldest brother, that man, gave up his position as family head, didn¡¯t he? Is this really necessary? I¡¯m sure mother agreed.¡±


    Deisel narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Do you trust his words? Have you forgotten what kind of person he is?¡±


    Erucel fell silent. Looking back, the eldest brother had never kept a promise since childhood. He would promise to stop bullying in exchange for something but later call Erucel an idiot for believing him.


    ¡°Even so, still¡­¡±


    Erucel understood Deisel¡¯s intention. Graduating from the academy was essential for becoming the family head. Preventing admission or ensuring expulsion would solidify his success.


    ¡°But to enroll just to keep an eye on him¡­¡±


    Just as he was about to refuse, Deisel whispered sweetly.


    ¡°Erucel, trust me. I am not like that trash. I promise to secure your position as soon as I become the family head.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to stay long. Just make sure he fails the entrance exam and you can come back immediately.¡±


    The tempting offer made Erucel¡¯s eyes waver. Realistically, accepting Deisel¡¯s proposal was the right choice. Unlike Mircel, he had no notable talent for swordsmanship, and his succession rank was third. If one of his brothers became the family head, he would have to leave the family.


    After much thought, Erucel grabbed the pen. But then, a question popped into his mind.


    ¡°Is it the knight department you want me to enter?¡±


    Deisel sighed tiredly.


    ¡°¡­Why are you asking such unnecessary questions? Our family is known for swordsmanship.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve often heard about father tearing up magic books he found the eldest reading. Just checking.¡±


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s an idiot, he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to defy father¡¯s orders.¡±


    Erucel nodded immediately.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t commit such a suicidal act. Besides, there was no way the eldest could have learned magic in such a short time.


    Eventually, Erucel was convinced by Deisel¡¯s words and filled out the knight department application.


    ***


    On the day of departure, I found it hard to move my feet. Two tiny hands clung to my pants.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I gently patted Niasel, who had buried her face in my thigh.


    ¡°Someone might think you¡¯re sending me off to die. Lift your head.¡±


    ¡°Leave a portrait so I can see how you¡¯ve grown.¡±


    As I playfully ruffled her hair, Niasel forced a smile and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket. On it were the words ¡°Have a good trip.¡±


    ¡°Cute. I¡¯ll bring you a present next time. Goodbye.¡±


    Niasel seemed unusually attached, making it hard to leave. With Aol back, Deisel wouldn¡¯t dare cause trouble, but¡­


    I had the strange feeling I was trying to find excuses to avoid leaving. Steeling myself, I took a step forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Take care.¡±


    As I passed the main gate of the annex, the garden still showed traces of winter. From afar, Mircel approached, crunching through the snow.


    ¡°Leaving already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long journey, so I have to hurry.¡±


    Mircel pouted in disappointment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be bored without you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll write you letters. There will be plenty of interesting things to tell you from there.¡±


    Mircel¡¯s mood lightened, and he smiled and waved.


    ¡°Really? That sounds much better. Take care and keep in touch.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye for now. Stay healthy.¡±


    Mircel muttered as he looked at the snowy ground.


    ¡°Who knows? It might be a short while, depending on the season.¡±


    Although his reply felt slightly off, I didn¡¯t think much of it. Perhaps he was considering the possibility of early graduation.


    After waving to Mircel, I stopped again at the front gate. Aol and the mistress were there, waiting to see me off.


    Aol patted my shoulder lightly.


    ¡°Frost Heart will be quite an experience.¡±


    Oh, right. He was a graduate of that academy. With his numerous achievements, his name and portrait were displayed at the academy, which I knew well.


    ¡°That sounds promising.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯re there. Life in the knight department will be unforgettable.¡±


    I felt a pang of guilt. He would find out eventually, but it didn¡¯t have to be now. As I pondered how to respond naturally, the mistress handed me a wrapped box.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°An entrance gift. Open it on the carriage.¡±


    The mistress winked.


    Feeling suspicious but holding the gift, I bid them farewell and boarded the carriage. Selly, following behind, bowed to Aol and the mistress before climbing aboard.


    Snap!


    As the coachman flicked the reins, the carriage started moving. Listening to the rattling sound, I wiped the foggy window with a handkerchief. The mistress kept waving until she became a dot in the distance.


    Was my unease showing on my face?


    Selly asked, ¡°Young Master, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious how the mistress planned to kill me?¡±


    Selly pursed her lips, then nodded.


    ¡°Of course. I bet it would have been different from what the servants tried.¡±


    Recalling the conversation with the mistress, I began to speak.


    -How did you plan to kill me?


    -Oh, that. It was ¡®drowning.¡¯ It¡¯s not as imaginative as others, but for some reason, it seemed like the right answer.


    ¡°Drowning.¡±


    It was something even ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ couldn¡¯t counter, unlike being stabbed, poisoned, or facing the giant bird¡¯s breath.


    Unaware of the gravity of my thoughts, Selly remarked casually.


    ¡°I expected something more elaborate and meticulous¡­ It¡¯s rather plain.¡±


    Her reaction wasn¡¯t surprising. Out of all the possible methods, she chose something seemingly simple. Even though it was based on intuition, knowing it was the right answer made it chilling.


    If Heinrich hadn¡¯t declared war on Tenest¡­


    ¡­Well, it¡¯s in the past. The important thing is I survived.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to open that box?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, I was just about to.¡±


    Opening the thin, luxurious metal box, I found a pair of gloves inside.


    [Blessed Gloves of Mana]


    [Attribute: Blessing.]


    [Crafted by artisan Horutu and enchanted by alchemist Haili, these gloves increase mana capacity by 10%, spell accuracy by 10%, and greatly enhance the durability of held items. They can also be engraved with spells.]


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Seeing the true value of the item, I swallowed hard. The gloves not only boosted mana capacity and spell accuracy but also significantly increased durability, making it almost impossible to break a magic staff. The most crucial feature was the ability to engrave a spell, allowing for permanent spell storage.


    ¡°These must have cost a fortune.¡±


    ¡°Are they expensive?¡±


    ¡°About the price of a mansion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Selly seemed skeptical, unable to comprehend the value. After all, even high-end stores didn¡¯t sell items this expensive.


    ¡°But, Young Master, there¡¯s a paper underneath.¡±


    ¡°A paper?¡±


    Beneath the gloves was a note.


    [Take care of Erucel, Hersel.]


    I pointed to the trailing carriage and asked Selly.


    ¡°Why is he following us?¡±


    ¡°Erucel? Didn¡¯t you know? He¡¯s entering the knight department.¡±


    I had a rough idea. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention due to my magic studies, but I had a feeling.


    ¡°Clearly, Deisel ordered him to sabotage my entrance exam. So why is he entering the knight department?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Selly mumbled, touching her cheek as if recalling a past slap.


    ¡°He does seem a bit simple-minded.¡±


    ¡°That explains a lot.¡±

 Chapter 39

    The white citadel hidden in the eternal snow, Frost Heart.The reason why there¡¯s little information about this place is partly because there are five academies, but also because it¡¯s located in a remote area. Furthermore, the school itself was reluctant to reveal much about daily life, so in an era without TV or social media, obtaining credible information was nearly impossible.


    However, having played Asares countless times, I knew it very well. This place is an institution that specializes in training exploration teams for the demon realm, rather than academic achievements like a magic tower or official positions like imperial knights. It was also the academy with the highest death rate among its students and graduates. If this fact got out, no one would come, so they collaborated with the Empire to keep it quiet. In the end, someone had to do it.


    ¡°The winter I felt outside was just spring¡­¡±


    As I arrived to take the exam, I firmly grasped my thick robe that covered me from head to toe at the entrance exam site prepared at the foot of the mountain.


    ¡°It¡¯s so cold, young master.¡±


    ¡°At least you have warm clothes thanks to me. Look at those people over there. We¡¯re better off, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    I pointed at the people huddled together, warming themselves by a bonfire in the severe cold. They were so close to the flames that it seemed like they might get burned. Selly frowned, covering her face with the hood of her robe.


    ¡°But young master, this is very different from what you initially said.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°You said it was a prestigious academy. Why are we taking the entrance exam in such a cold place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s winter, so it¡¯s cold everywhere. Didn¡¯t I tell you to bring warm clothes?¡±


    As I brushed off her concerns, Selly, still chattering her teeth from the cold, voiced her suspicions.


    ¡°Then, who are those people over there?¡±


    The group Selly pointed to were unsavory-looking individuals blowing on beer bottles and smoking pipes. They looked like real troublemakers who wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone.


    I shook my head as I watched them make crude jokes about passing women or pick fights with some weak-looking men.


    ¡°Every place where people live is the same. There are good people and bad people everywhere.¡±


    Selly nodded in agreement, looking up at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Except for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem, anyway, there are so many of them. Look over there. A third of them are similar types.¡±


    The group of ruffians was numerous enough to create a gray cloud of smoke from their cigarettes. The acrid smoke, mixed with the smell of alcohol, made it hard to breathe as it blew towards us. ?


    ¡°Cough! Ugh! Isn¡¯t an academy supposed to be attended by people from cultured families?¡±


    Well, I guess it¡¯s okay to tell her the truth to some extent.


    ¡°Cough. They are all donation admissions. All of them. Damn, what a strong smell.¡±


    I was about to explain more when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw Erucel, shivering in the cold and speaking in a near-pleading voice.


    ¡°Brother, if you have any more clothes, could you lend them to me? This little brother is freezing to death.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d¡­¡±


    I was about to refuse reflexively but sighed deeply instead.


    ¡°No, never mind. I¡¯ll lend you a set.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re lending it to me?¡±


    As Erucel widened his eyes, Selly frowned and handed over a thick piece of clothing from her bag, seemingly reluctant but wanting him to leave quickly.


    ¡°Ahem, thank you.¡±


    He gave a small nod of gratitude. This poor fellow must have planned to come and quickly leave after completing his task, unaware of what was to come.


    Crunch!


    Click!


    Just then, figures wearing thick coats adorned with crow feathers approached, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. These were the professors from Frost Heart, who had come to oversee the entrance exam, their sheaths and staffs holstered at their waists. The elegant aura they exuded against the snowy white backdrop silenced even the ruffians.


    At the forefront, a black-haired man with slightly curly hair opened his mouth.


    ¡°Attention.¡±


    His voice was harsh and deep. His name was Rockefeller, one of the influential magic professors at Frost Heart.


    ¡°Donation admissions, follow me.¡±


    At Rockefeller¡¯s command, the ruffian group hesitantly gathered. Some professors hovered around them, repeating the same question.


    ¡°Is there anyone among you who wishes to take the entrance exam?¡±


    Why would anyone who paid a large donation bother to take the entrance exam? Most of them scoffed, but some raised their hands. I smirked as I watched them. They either knew something or were quick-witted.


    ¡°Knighthood admissions, this way.¡±


    Now, they called for the knighthood admission candidates.


    ¡°Our turn. Let¡¯s go, brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­Go ahead first.¡±


    Erucel looked at me with a doubtful gaze as I waved him off. I looked at him with a deep gaze.


    ¡°Erucel.¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Erucel looked puzzled, but he had no choice but to follow the professor¡¯s lead. After Erucel disappeared, I headed toward the magic department¡¯s exam room.


    As I handed my entrance examination documents to the reception desk, the reception professor stared at the papers for a while and then glanced at the professor next to him.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Are you really Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it seems you took a wrong turn. Let me guide you.¡±


    He got up from his seat and told the professor next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take him to the knighthood department, so handle things here for a while.¡±


    It seemed they were mistaken because of my family background.


    ¡°I want to join the magic department. Is there a rule against knight families applying?¡±


    I stated my intention clearly, and the reception professor blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Magic department?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the magic department.¡±


    He scratched his head and then sharpened his gaze.


    ¡°Show me your identification and take off your robe.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Even after complying, he still looked suspicious.


    ¡°The features match, and the ID isn¡¯t fake¡­ but something seems off.¡±


    ¡°What seems off?¡±


    ¡°Lately, there have been quite a few people taking the exam on behalf of others.¡±


    Things were getting tricky from the start. Was this the prejudice the housemistress had mentioned?


    Hersel practicing magic¡­ the prejudice won¡¯t be easy to overcome.


    I was deep in thought about how to handle this situation, but my identity was unexpectedly confirmed by the surrounding applicants.


    ¡°Wait a minute, that person.¡±


    ¡°Her, Hersel¡­ why is he here?¡±


    The applicants around me murmured. The snippets of conversation I caught were all about how they had suffered because of me and the terrible things I¡¯d done.


    I was amazed, in a way, at how notorious I had become.


    ¡°This should be enough proof, right? Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine, you may proceed.¡±


    The professor said this with a frown and quickly walked off somewhere. I was curious about his reaction but shrugged it off and headed to the written exam room.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The room was like a lecture hall made of marble. I sat alone, isolated like a flower petal in the middle of a pond, away from the others.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the guy who was causing a ruckus outside?¡±


    ¡°¡­No doubt. He¡¯s the scoundrel from the Tenest family.¡±


    To avoid the noise, I pulled my hood over my head. Then Donatan started chattering.


    -The looks people are giving you are mixed with fear and loathing. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re seeing a plague.


    ¡®Let them stare all they want.¡¯


    Then, footsteps approached, and I looked up to see a man smiling broadly as he walked toward me. He looked like a noble young master with an air of importance.


    ¡°It¡¯s really Hersel. I¡¯m so glad to see you here.¡±


    He seemed to know Hersel. Not knowing how to respond, I felt awkward just as the professor entered the written exam room.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll greet you properly later. Please make sure to pass, haha.¡±


    He laughed like a sycophant and returned to his seat. I felt like I had seen him somewhere before.


    *He must be a playable character, but it must be my imagination.*


    I listened attentively to the professor.


    ¡°The exam consists of three stages. The first is the written exam. The second is to demonstrate the magic presented to prove you¡¯re a mage. And the third is a joint practical exam with the knighthood department¡¯s successful candidates.¡±


    After the explanation, the professor waved his staff, and the test papers floated in the air, landing in front of each seated person.


    ¡°The difficulty of the exam is random. Each of you will receive different test papers, so don¡¯t bother trying to cheat.¡±


    The test paper in front of me seemed to be of the lowest difficulty. It would be easy to solve, I thought, smirking. Then the main gate suddenly opened, and five professors entered and stood on the platform. Among them was Professor Rockefeller, who scanned the candidates and spoke.


    ¡°I am Rockefeller Den Harman, tasked with supervising during the exam. Recently, there have been many cheaters employing various methods. For example¡­¡±


    Rockefeller waved his staff, and my eyelid twitched. A note flew from another student¡¯s pocket into his hand.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a cheat sheet.¡±


    The real culprit was someone else, but why had he glared at me earlier?


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Everyone assumed the cheating student would be disqualified and swallowed nervously, but Rockefeller smiled and spoke lightly.


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s lost his means, he can¡¯t cheat anymore. Do your best.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean¡­ he can still take the exam?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Some candidates gave disapproving looks, but most sighed in relief. They probably thought he was gentle despite his stern appearance. They would realize after the exam that it was just a facade¡­


    I picked up my pen to start the test when a shadow fell over me. I looked up and asked.


    ¡°Professor, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. Just focus on your test.¡±


    Rockefeller stood unmoving, watching my test paper closely.


    Shak shak.


    I quickly solved the problems. They were too easy.


    ¡°Hmm, I can¡¯t understand the symbols well, but your answers are correct.¡±


    ¡°If I passed, could you step aside? I need a nap.¡±


    ¡°Your written exam is good. Very good, but you still have one more hurdle to clear.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need him to explain.


    ¡°How will you handle the magic demonstration? I¡¯ve heard you have no experience.¡±


    I lowered my voice, reaching the limit of my patience.


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage. Mind your own business.¡±


    Rockefeller whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Even now, join the knighthood department. This place isn¡¯t for you. If you do, I¡¯ll guarantee your acceptance.¡±


    Hearing his true feelings made me laugh.


    This man wanted me in the knighthood department because I was the child of Aol and had survived a griffon¡¯s breath. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just about my aptitude for being a knight.


    ¡°Our professor doesn¡¯t want to recognize me as a mage, I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. Just your presence here annoys me. I wish you¡¯d leave.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mages tend to be quirky. His continued harassment made me decide to go all out.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s have the second exam right now.¡±


    Rockefeller, with a blank expression, curled his lips into a smile.


    ¡°Want to be humiliated in front of everyone? Fine. Let¡¯s see your capabilities.¡±


    He stopped whispering and addressed the candidates with a smooth smile.


    ¡°Attention. The written exam will pause. Don¡¯t worry; you¡¯ll have plenty of time.¡±


    The candidates put down their pens.


    ¡°One candidate wishes to take the second exam here, under my supervision.¡±


    All eyes turned to me. I felt like an outsider, hearing their mocking whispers and realizing they were waiting for me to fail.


    Many had spent years preparing to be here, while they viewed me as an uneducated fool trying to prove his magic in a short time. But they should know:


    Even in just six months, I bled every night, studied relentlessly, risked my life to learn, and trained until my hands were calloused.


    I would prove that I am a mage right now.


    ¡°What is the second exam?¡±


    ¡°Light flames of different colors on each of your five fingers. That is the test.¡±


    I took out the magic staff I had taken from an assassin.

 Chapter 40

    It¡¯s a difficult task to conjure five flames at my level. Even more so if they are to be multicolored. However, I had the technique of handling a staff that Carmelo had taught me, and I was wearing the ¡®Gloves Blessed with Mana¡¯ that the housemistress had gifted me. With the accuracy of the spell being compounded successively, it was entirely possible.Fwoosh!


    Five colorful flames ignited at the tips of my left fingers. Rockefeller¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and the onlookers were utterly silent. Then a stifled laugh broke out.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    ¡°Haha, what is that?¡±


    Well, that¡¯s understandable. The flames on my fingertips were tiny, barely the size of ants. But I didn¡¯t care.


    As I¡¯ve said many times, one must be shameless.


    ¡°The conditions have been met, so I¡¯ve passed. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could supervise the other examinees now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve passed. Quite impressive. Here, I¡¯ll give you this award.¡±


    Rockefeller gave a fake smile. What he handed over was a consent form listing three provisions that only those who passed the second exam could receive. The contents were brief:


    ¨C This academy does not expel students.


    ¨C Student withdrawals are not recognized.


    ¨C We are not responsible for deaths during enrollment.


    These ominous provisions were filled with foreboding. It¡¯s just an academy, like a university, so one might think nothing serious could happen. But I knew why such clauses existed.


    ¡°I hope you can all refrain from laughing. Hersel has passed the exam. I expect you to work hard and follow his example.¡±


    Rockefeller moved away, hiding his true feelings. Just before he exited the gate, he shot me a meaningful look over his shoulder. I had a bad feeling that he wasn¡¯t going to give up easily.


    ***


    Rockefeller walked down the corridor, ruffling his hair in frustration.


    What on earth is going on?


    He had been confident that Hersel would apply for the knighthood exam and had left it at that. But then the professor handling the magic department documents came to him, expressing concern that Hersel had come to this department.


    He had repeatedly asked if he was lost or if he was a stand-in for someone else, but his answers were always the same.


    -He applied to the magic department, Professor Rockefeller. His identity has also been verified. With no grounds to argue further, I had him take the written exam.


    Things were getting complicated. Thus, Rockefeller went to the written exam room himself to monitor for any cheating, keeping his eyes wide open.


    At that moment, he was certain Hersel would fail.


    Just in case, he had even instructed the professor to choose the most difficult calculation problems for him. Normally, that would have been enough. But he didn¡¯t get a single question wrong and even passed the second exam, which seemed impossible.


    But for him to¡­ This is impossible.


    From the moment the headmaster showed interest in him, Rockefeller had gathered evaluations and minor rumors about him. Not only was he a notorious troublemaker and the son of Aol, but there were also credible rumors that he had survived the breath of a monstrous bird. There was not a single mention of magic in any of it.


    Naturally, it seemed obvious that he would apply for the knighthood department.


    Sometimes, there were mistakes where only the magic department recommendation was sent to a knighthood student. To avoid such administrative errors, they had sent both notifications, which had led to this mess.


    Rockefeller calmed his tense chest and took a deep breath in front of the headmaster¡¯s office in the academy¡¯s main building.


    ¡°Headmaster Arkandric, I need to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Rockefeller? Come in.¡±


    As soon as he entered the office, faint sounds of dying could be heard from beyond the window.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Rockefeller asked while looking at a student tied to a cross in the middle of the training ground.


    ¡°Is that a deserter?¡±


    A muscular old man with a scar over one eye clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Tsk, you still can¡¯t adapt after spending so much time in the military. He¡¯s just a student trying to escape the school.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Headmaster. That was a slip of the tongue.¡±


    Rockefeller bowed his head, and Arkandric stroked his white beard with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Indeed. This is an educational place where we teach with love. Unlike other wretched academies that expel students once they accumulate enough demerits, we end with simple punishment. The spirit of not giving up on students is the true example of an educator. Never forget that spirit. Now, what brings you here?¡±


    Rockefeller cautiously spoke, gauging his reaction.


    ¡°Actually, Hersel Ben Tenest has entered the magic department. He passed the standards, so I let him through¡­¡±


    Arkandric ground his teeth and spoke in a chilling voice.


    ¡°Let me ask you one thing, just in case. Was the duke the type to allow his son to learn magic?¡±


    ¡°The Duke is a pure-blooded swordsman to the core. He would never allow it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s a real pain, as the rumors say.¡±


    Regardless of whether there was malice, Arkandric would have been infuriated by the decision to admit Hersel into the magic department. He had gone to great lengths to get him into the knighthood department.


    ¡°But, Rockefeller, you know that once the news of his survival from the griffon¡¯s breath spread, other academies were eager to recruit him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±


    ¡°So what did I do?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to say with my own mouth.¡±


    Bam!


    Arkandric¡¯s fist, as big as a pot lid, shattered the desk in two.


    ¡°I met those wretched headmasters and bowed to them. That¡¯s not all. I even used the school¡¯s operating funds to bribe them. And what¡¯s the result? Huh? Answer me. You were in charge of admissions, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s eyes bulged, and Rockefeller wiped his face with one hand, speaking calmly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t make excuses. I¡¯ll keep trying to get him into the knighthood department.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yes. People can make mistakes. The important thing is the will to correct them. But it must be done cleanly.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll apply pressure within the allowed regulations.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. You know I trust you, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Under Arkandric¡¯s pressure, Rockefeller felt like dying. He understood the frustration. With all the talented students going to better academies, this place was left with poor quality students. The headmaster was often mocked by other headmasters, so it was understandable that he was furious.


    Desperate to recruit talent, he had placed his hopes on promising candidates, only to have them go astray.


    Watching the headmaster¡¯s extreme patience, Rockefeller sighed in relief.


    ***


    After the second exam, I approached Selly, who was waiting in the lounge.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Well, I passed, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    I squinted at Selly¡¯s small sigh.


    ¡°You wished I¡¯d fail and go home, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m glad you passed.¡±


    I wondered whom she took after to be so shameless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Depending on the final third exam, we could have a decent life here.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Even here, privileges exist, more clearly than in other academies. To receive good benefits, I needed to score high in the third exam.


    ¡°Grab our luggage. We need to move.¡±


    ¡°Already? Everyone else is resting.¡±


    It¡¯s crucial to get there first.


    ¡°Stop talking and move. Don¡¯t you want to live in a nice dorm?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    As we moved, the noble-looking young master from the exam room blocked our path.


    ¡°Hersel! I was so surprised. When did you learn magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you pass too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been learning for a long time. But what you did earlier was amazing. When those fools laughed, and you lit the flames on your fingers, I got chills.¡±


    Although a bit awkward, he was showing goodwill. I should respond politely.


    ¡°Calm down. We¡¯ll be learning together in the magic department, so let¡¯s get along.¡±


    He seemed genuinely moved.


    ¡°Really? You mean that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored¡­ I¡¯ll do my best too.¡±


    I had other places to be, so I ended the conversation there. I was about to tell Selly to move when I noticed she seemed different. Stiff, unlike usual.


    ¡°Selly, long time no see. Are you still taking good care of the young master?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Sir Rendel.¡±


    ¡°You know, our maid owed you a lot back then.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°No, no. As Hersel¡¯s maid, that was expected.¡±


    Their conversation felt odd. One side seemed friendly, but Selly seemed scared.


    ¡°Wait, Rendel? Step aside. I need to talk to her alone.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Take your time.¡±


    As Rendel stepped back, I asked Selly.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°¡­Why ask when you know?¡±


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not Hersel. I¡¯m someone else in his body. Explain it to me like you would to a madman.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Selly answered. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He¡¯s a member of the club you created.¡±


    ¡°Club?¡±


    ¡°You know, the one you formed with your friends.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡±


    ¡°The Lethe of Oblivion.¡±


    Time seemed to freeze for a moment. I knew what the Lethe club was. And realizing that Hersel was the founder was shocking. Rendel, oblivious to my thoughts, approached us with a grin.


    ¡°Did Selly take a while to answer? So, Hersel, how about it? How about playing that game you invented?¡±


    ¡°¡­Game?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you know. Betting on fights between maids. There¡¯s nothing more exciting than a catfight. I¡¯ve even brought a maid who¡¯s good at fighting this time.¡±


    I gestured for him to come closer with my finger.


    ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Rendel, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an honor to be called by name.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cut off.¡±


    After saying that, I expanded my muscles and slammed my fist into his face.


    Bam!


    Without exaggeration, Rendel¡¯s body spun in the air. With my muscles developed as a mage, my punch was too much for him.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ My teeth!¡±


    As Rendel picked up his teeth from the ground, I lowered my voice.


    ¡°Tell the others clearly. We¡¯re done with those childish games.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. Unless you want another hit.¡±


    Rendel, confused and furious, showed a hint of murderous intent. Ignoring him, I spoke to Selly.


    ¡°What are you doing? We need to move.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Selly blinked, still looking at me, even as we walked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just wondering if this is okay. Friends are important at the academy, right?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s better to cut ties with those kinds of people.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Selly chuckled and walked ahead. I don¡¯t know what she was thinking, but I meant every word I said.


    The Lethe club was named after the river of oblivion, symbolizing drinking until you forget everything. It was a group of ruffians, serving as comic relief, getting beaten by playable characters throughout the game.


    If I didn¡¯t want to be a joke, I needed to cut ties early.


    We arrived at a snow-covered field, where a long marble table and a single professor stood out. The professor pointed to a building on the side as he saw Selly.


    ¡°Servants go over there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As Selly took the luggage and left, the professor pointed to the marble table without further explanation. On it were wooden plaques numbered from 1 to 70.


    ¡°Pick one.¡±


    I chose the plaque with the number 7. This would give me the best position for the upcoming third exam.


    The next task was a joint exam with the knighthood department. The goal was to escape from the dungeon.

 Chapter 41

    The joint exam is conducted in teams of three. Only the first 70 people to pass the previous exam can select a token, and those with a token become team leaders. Naturally, those who do not make it into the top 70 are out. With around 300 people passing the second exam, it means that over 90 people won¡¯t even get a chance to participate in the third exam. Having secured a token, I checked the time leisurely. There were 40 minutes left until the start of the third exam. Although few, examinees began to enter, including Erucel.


    Erucel started complaining immediately.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you anywhere. You could have waited at the second exam site if you were done. I was just standing there aimlessly!¡±


    He still didn¡¯t know I was in the magic department. With so many examinees, the knighthood department must have also divided people for the exam.


    ¡°Stop talking and grab a token.¡±


    ¡°A token? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    When Erucel picked up a token, I faintly smiled. Now, he became the leader of another team. Since we¡¯re not on the same team, he won¡¯t be able to mess things up properly.


    ¡°It¡¯ll start soon.¡±


    I was observing the people entering when I locked eyes with a woman who was glaring at me intensely.


    Feeling uneasy, I kept my mouth shut, and she quickly turned her head and disappeared. Erucel, oblivious, mumbled next to me.


    ¡°Oh, come to think of it, we met by chance during the exam.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and focus on the exam.¡±


    As time passed, the entire hall filled with examinees. While everyone waited with puzzled expressions, Professor Rockefeller appeared and scanned the crowd.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡±


    He maintained his sharp gaze, forcing a smile. The examinees, thinking he was being kind, gave him some mild compliments. Little did they know he would soon drop the act. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Those who arrived early received a token numbered from 1 to 70. Congratulations. You are qualified to form a team. Each team consists of three members. Once the token holders recruit two people, you are permitted to take the third exam.¡±


    More than half of the examinees started murmuring. Their faces clearly showed they didn¡¯t understand what he meant. A female examinee raised her hand and asked Rockefeller a question.


    ¡°So, what about those who don¡¯t have a token?¡±


    ¡°Beg to join someone who does. For you empty-handed ones, that¡¯s the only way to take the third exam.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ There are 70 teams, and each team has only three members. Can we accommodate everyone here?¡±


    Rockefeller sighed in annoyance and answered.


    ¡°There are 323 people who passed the second exam. Only 210 will take the third exam. The remaining 113 who aren¡¯t chosen by a leader will be eliminated.¡±


    A male examinee raised his hand and began to protest.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Professor! Is it fair to give such benefits just for arriving early?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes, which had been gentle, began to sharpen.


    ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°Of course! None of us were late, and we arrived exactly on time. This is unfair!¡±


    His expression fully transformed into that of a sly fox.


    ¡°Answering the questions of these blockheads one by one is tiresome.¡±


    His irritable tone and expression shocked the examinees who had thought he was a kind professor.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Alright, since teaching is my job, let me explain kindly. But first, let me ask you this: Do you rush to a battlefield where life and death are at stake without any preparation, just to arrive on time?¡±


    Rockefeller conjured a chair with magic and leaned back into it.


    ¡°A soldier might. All they need is a head to take orders and a body to carry out missions. But a leader is different.¡±


    He continued his explanation.


    ¡°A leader must prepare in advance, know the dangers of the place, and devise strategies. The ones with tokens demonstrated these qualities by arriving early.¡±


    ¡°But if you had told us beforehand, I would have gotten a token too¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? If this answer isn¡¯t satisfactory, let me ask you.¡±


    Rockefeller sneered at the examinee.


    ¡°Do you think you would perform well if you got a token now? You likely wasted time chatting and barely made it on time because it was cold, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The examinee flinched, his shoulders trembling.


    ¡°Do you think subordinates would follow a leader who carelessly rushes to the battlefield without preparation? I wouldn¡¯t even want you as a subordinate. Someone like you, who only complains and disrupts the atmosphere, is just a pest.¡±


    Token holders gave the questioning examinee cold stares. Watching this, I thought Rockefeller was incredibly ruthless. He had publicly declared that the examinee was unfit to be a leader or even a soldier. After this, no leader would want to team up with that examinee.


    Meanwhile, Erucel spoke to me.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll drop my token. Will you take me on your team?¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s right for siblings to take the exam together.¡±


    I sneered at the transparent idiot.


    ¡°Why? So you can follow me and get me eliminated too?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    His face fell as if the world had collapsed. It must have been a shock. He had probably planned to sabotage me in both the first and second exams, but now, his last chance, the third exam, was slipping away too.


    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know? You really are stupid.¡±


    I turned away from my foolish brother, who was gasping like a goldfish, and listened to the rest of Rockefeller¡¯s speech.


    ¡°Now, you have 1 hour and 40 minutes to form your teams. Once your team is complete, request a professor to guide you.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, examinees began gathering around those with tokens. Even after 30 minutes, no one approached me. Some looked interested but quickly turned away with disgusted or fearful expressions.


    But I was confident. As time passed, the available spots would dwindle, and eventually, someone would come to me as a last resort. I only needed one useful person. The other spot could be filled with the one I had already considered.


    An hour passed as I waited.


    ¡­Why isn¡¯t anyone coming?


    They¡¯d rather be eliminated than join me. Looks like it.


    With only 5 minutes left, I anxiously moved to scout team members myself. I had someone in mind, even though I was reluctant to involve him, fearing it might ruin the story. He was a playable character, after all.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    There shouldn¡¯t be any issues. If the player didn¡¯t pick or control him, he would fail on his own. Even if he died, it wouldn¡¯t impact the main scenario.


    ¡°¡­No, I really don¡¯t want to meet him. Should I give up?¡±


    Tick-tock


    The ticking of my pocket watch felt unusually loud.


    The person I was looking for was a short man named Limberton. It wasn¡¯t difficult to find him. As expected, he was acting like a creep, hitting on a woman.


    ¡°Seems like neither of us will take the third exam. How about a cup of tea together?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a common excuse women use to brush off guys, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t believe it anymore.¡±


    The woman made a face of disgust. Then, a man, presumably her boyfriend, approached and kicked Limberton in the head.


    ¡°I can hear that disgusting voice from a mile away.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, he¡¯s gross. Ignore him. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After they left, I approached Limberton.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    ¡°Are you conscious?¡±


    ¡°Ow! My head!¡±


    I extended a hand to the guy clutching his head in pain, speaking softly.


    ¡°Let me help you up.¡±


    But his response was so disgusting that I almost retracted my hand.


    ¡°So, 73 women left to hit on.¡±


    Just hold on a little longer.


    Despite the physical revulsion, I had to endure. Even though he was repulsive, he was a playable character and better than an average person. I helped him up and made a proposal.


    ¡°Seems like no one is accepting you. Want to team up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that. Do you have a token?¡±


    As he dusted off the snow from his face and met my eyes, his expression turned to shock, and he stepped back.


    ¡°H-Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, my ass! Are you here to torment me again?¡±


    Oh, right. I had forgotten. When I first fell from the cliff, his recollection also surfaced.


    ¡®I attended that jerk¡¯s funeral, and the staff at the mansion were all smirking. Of course, I laughed too. That¡¯s why I went. At a ball, he called me a hick and poured wine on my head. It¡¯s all karma.¡¯


    He must still resent me deeply.


    ¡°So, will you join me or not?¡±


    ¡°What? Am I crazy to join your team?¡±


    I tried to be charitable and threw a bait for this disgusting guy, as he had some decent skills for the third exam.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity. I have some valuable information. The better you do in the third exam, the better the dorms. There are many pretty women, especially this year. A lot of talented female applicants.¡±


    I planted the bait and turned my back. True to form, the woman-crazy Limberton took the bait.


    ¡°Ahem, considering the situation, I¡¯ll accept your proposal. If that¡¯s the only way to pass.¡±


    He pretended to be serious but couldn¡¯t hide the twitching of his lips.


    ¡°Remember, I can¡¯t forgive you. I¡¯ll tolerate you only for a while, okay?¡±


    Reaching the limit of my patience, I narrowed my eyes and snapped.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re tolerating me?¡±


    This guy was hopeless. I moved to find someone else, but he scurried after me like a fly.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so harsh. I admit I was wrong. Just give me a chance, Hersel!¡±


    ¡°This is your last chance. Annoy me again, and you¡¯re out. Got it?¡±


    Limberton nodded vigorously, keeping his mouth shut. Despite being disgusting, he was easy to handle.


    ¡°Alright, just follow me.¡±


    ¡°Is it just the two of us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re going to get someone I have in mind.¡±


    I took Limberton and approached a tall man in a full robe standing alone in the corner. Recruiting the last person wasn¡¯t difficult. Showing him the token, he nodded in agreement.


    With the team formed, a professor guided us to an iron door marked with the number 70.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    After stepping through the door, it shut firmly behind us with a bang.


    ¡°Hersel? I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    At that moment, Professor Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed from all directions.


    ¨C You took your sweet time. Team 7, you¡¯re the last ones.


    Did he have to point that out specifically?


    ¨C Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll explain the third exam once, so listen carefully.


    Even though I knew it, I paid attention to remind myself of its seriousness.


    ¨C Your task is to escape from here within three days. Collect hidden coins along the way. Both escape time and the number of coins collected will be scored.


    ¨C Good luck surviving in the dungeon. Try not to die from monster attacks or traps.


    It was a real dungeon where one could die from monster attacks or traps.


    Fwoosh!


    Torches on the walls flared to life. Simultaneously, high-pitched screams echoed through the walls.

 Chapter 42

    ¡°No way! This is a dungeon? It must be all stage props, right? The academy is really something.¡±Limberton was trembling, caught in denial. To snap him out of it, I rummaged through the box on the floor. It contained weapons like swords and shields, as well as three days¡¯ worth of dried rations.


    ¡°Limberton, this sword is real. This isn¡¯t a play. If monsters appear, you¡¯ll need to protect yourself with this.¡±


    After putting on my light armor, I grabbed a large shield and handed it to the robed man. He nodded in acceptance. Next, I picked up a bow and quiver and handed them to Limberton, who grimaced.


    ¡°What? A bow and arrow? That¡¯s not cool. I¡¯m supposed to be a knight; give me a sword.¡±


    Not a surprising reaction. In this world, knights don¡¯t favor bows and arrows, often looking down on those who use them, calling them hunters. Aura often deflects arrows, and some can even cut them down or repel them before they hit.


    But Limberton¡¯s only path was as an archer.


    [Limberton Bel Delsi]


    ? Blessing


    Blessing of the Wind Hermit


    Don¡¯t ask about me. I am no one.


    Accuracy is enhanced by the wind.


    ? Traits


    ¡ó Sharpshooter ¡ó


    ¡ó Hawk¡¯s Eye ¡ó S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His blessings and traits were tailored for archery, so there was no escaping it. His destiny was already set.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish. This is a matter of life and death. Use what you¡¯re skilled with.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? How do you know I¡¯m good with a bow?¡±


    ¡°Just take it and be quiet.¡±


    Fortunately, I chose the most comfortable number, 7. With these guys, who are above average compared to normal people, we could easily pass the third exam in first place.


    ¡°But why is that big guy only holding a shield? Shouldn¡¯t he have a weapon too?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    When I offered him a sword, the robed man shook his head.


    ¡°He says he¡¯s fine.¡±


    I strapped a longsword to my waist and handed Limberton three backpacks filled with essential supplies.


    ¡°Can you carry all these?¡±


    ¡°These are heavy. Am I supposed to carry them all alone?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much, give one to that guy.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead from the front and light the way. I need to stay agile, so I have to keep my load light. He¡¯ll cover the rear. You just need to assist from the center; you won¡¯t have to move much.¡± ?


    Limberton nodded, looking a bit puzzled. I picked up a torch from the wall and stepped into the dark corridor.


    Seeing a thin, translucent thread reflecting ahead of my shins, I stopped.


    ¡°Hold up.¡±


    If triggered, spears would shoot out from both walls.


    ¡°Limberton. You saw this too, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, I saw it.¡±


    ¡°This is a trap. With your good eyes, report anything suspicious immediately. Now, carefully pass through without touching it.¡±


    I felt uneasy and narrowed my eyes. Was there always a trap made of thread at the beginning? As I advanced cautiously, Limberton suddenly shouted from behind.


    ¡°Wait! There¡¯s a woman lying ahead!¡±


    Impressive. Despite only the shoulder of her armor being visible in the light, he correctly identified her gender. It must be the ¡®Hawk¡¯s Eye¡¯ trait.


    A woman, really?


    ¡°Limberton¡­¡±


    I was about to tell him who she was but decided to stay silent. It would be better to teach him a lesson in vigilance.


    Limberton approached her cautiously, with me following close behind. The woman was unconscious, bleeding from her head.


    ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡±


    As Limberton extended his hand, her mouth split into a long, sticky grin, revealing rows of sharp teeth.


    ¡°Ssssss!¡±


    I grabbed Limberton by the scruff and yanked him back.


    ¡°Wham!¡±


    He tumbled to the ground as I pointed at the monstrous figure with a cross-shaped mouth full of fangs. It was a mirror demon, a creature that mimics human appearance to prey on the unwary.


    ¡°Does that still look like a lady to you?¡±


    ¡°H-holy!¡±


    Thump-thump-thump-thump!


    The mirror demon lunged at us. Following Donatan¡¯s lead, I thrust my sword into its open mouth.


    Schlick!


    The blade pierced through to the back of its head, and blood and brain matter oozed down the blade. The demon¡¯s feeble struggles ended with a short scream.


    ¡°Limberton, be wary of anyone you encounter here.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, I will¡­ Since they might be monsters like this¡­¡±


    ¡°No, even if they look human, be suspicious and cautious.¡±


    Limberton blinked in confusion. I went back to the demon¡¯s original position and picked up a blue coin from the floor.


    ¡°You know these coins are worth points, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then do you think the professors will count coins taken by force?¡±


    Understanding dawned on Limberton¡¯s face.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be wrong? If that¡¯s allowed, people might fight over coins. I doubt the exam allows that.¡±


    ¡°The professor only said coins count as points. He didn¡¯t care about their source.¡±


    Other teams would soon realize this too. By now, they¡¯d have dealt with the initial monsters and traps and found their first coins.


    As if on cue, Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed.


    -Oh, I forgot to mention the rewards. Those with high scores will live in the finest dorms and have a good academy life. Don¡¯t think of coins as mere points.


    This was why the third exam was crucial.


    -They are the only currency accepted within the academy. For food, clothes, or anything else, no other money will be recognized.


    -And if you don¡¯t want to start with nothing, you must gather your initial funds here.


    -Lastly, the coins have no names engraved on them. That should be enough motivation. Good luck.


    Rockefeller blatantly raised the dungeon¡¯s difficulty by emphasizing that the origin of the coins didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°That sly bastard¡­¡±


    I hoped it would end there. Given that we encountered a mirror demon right away, we were actually in the hardest starting point, number 44, not the easiest, number 7.


    That bastard must have swapped the maps. As the head of the entrance exam, he had the authority to do so.


    ¡°That damn guy.¡±


    His attitude towards me had been unsettling since the second exam. For some reason, he seemed determined to make things as difficult as possible for me, hoping I¡¯d beg for mercy. But that wouldn¡¯t happen.


    I¡¯d show him. I¡¯d thrive in this dungeon.


    ***


    A dungeon is like a living organism. It can be tamed and communicated with. All it needs is regular feeding, and in return, you get rewards.


    Rockefeller handed an orb reflecting a dead examinee¡¯s corpse to the professor beside him.


    ¡°I want to check the status of the donation admissions.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡±


    The professor, trembling, handed over an orb containing the gruesome scene.


    Rockefeller smiled as he looked at the donation admissions¡¯ status.


    ¡°Well, it seems some of them are overindulging.¡±


    Most of the delinquents were bloodied and lifeless. The survivors were fighting desperately, pulling out monsters¡¯ eyes with their bare hands or strangling them with their arms while biting off their ears.


    ¡°Those five will survive.¡±


    They had been dragged into the dungeon without weapons, serving as its fodder. In return, Rockefeller had swapped the paths of the easiest, number 7, and the hardest, number 44.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡±


    Rockefeller smirked as he looked at the orb closest to him, labeled 7.


    ¡°You picked the best token, but it¡¯s meaningless in your hands.¡±


    Besides tending to the dungeon, breaking in rebellious soldiers was one of his favorite pastimes.


    However, the scene he expected to see from orb 7 wasn¡¯t there. Instead, it annoyed him.


    While other teams were struggling and looking miserable, Hersel¡¯s group appeared clean and relaxed. They even seemed to be enjoying themselves.


    ¡°Do they think this dungeon is a playground?¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re killing the monsters with traps.¡±


    Rockefeller almost slammed his fist on the table but restrained himself.


    ¡°Let them enjoy it while they can. The path to hell awaits.¡±


    ***


    A minotaur charged at us. I instructed Limberton.


    ¡°See that thread we left alone? Cut it with your arrow.¡±


    ¡°Why me again?¡±


    Ping!


    The arrow hit the thread, triggering spears to shoot out from both walls.


    ¡°Grrrahh!¡±


    The minotaur died instantly. Thanks to knowing the layout of path 44, we rarely encountered monsters.


    We¡¯d sometimes wrap poisonous traps in a backpack and throw it at monsters or push them into spiked pits hidden down slippery slopes. For fun, we¡¯d leave jerky to make monsters fight each other and watch from afar.


    Despite the relentless walking, Limberton panted and grumbled.


    ¡°Huff! Huff! You said you¡¯d lead and that mobility was key, but I¡¯m doing all the work!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ignorant. The fact that we¡¯re proceeding without major issues means everyone is doing their part.¡±


    I pointed ahead at the slowing Limberton.


    ¡°Just a bit further, and we¡¯ll reach a safe zone. We¡¯ll rest there, so hang in a little longer.¡±


    Even dungeons have blind spots¡ªareas where its influence doesn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°How do you know the path so well? You even know where the monsters are.¡±


    ¡°¡­Call it intuition.¡±


    Limberton shot me a suspicious glance and whispered.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t that big guy spoken since the beginning? Is he mute or something?¡±


    ¡°Could be.¡±


    I glanced at the robed man trailing us silently. He continued to follow without a word.


    After walking a bit further, we arrived at a place covered in moss and flowers.


    ¡°¡­This is the safe zone?¡±


    ¡°You know dungeons are alive, right? This is its stomach. It eats intruders like us and turns them into monsters to kill more intruders, thus nourishing itself.¡±


    Limberton, eyes wide with surprise, nodded as if hearing this for the first time.


    ¡°But it even digests bones, so if moss is left, it means its stomach doesn¡¯t reach here. Get it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know so much¡­¡±


    The fact that Limberton didn¡¯t know was odd. As a knight candidate, he should be aware of this. It was a topic on the knighthood department¡¯s written exam. How did he pass?


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    I emptied the backpack of its dried food, water, and bread.


    ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t we supposed to ration this for three days? You¡¯re eating it all now?¡±


    Well, partly because I wanted to show Rockefeller we were having a picnic, and partly because the difficulty would spike later, making it grueling.


    I swallowed my words and responded casually, squinting.


    ¡°For some reason, I have a feeling it¡¯s best to replenish our energy now. We¡¯ll face unavoidable enemies ahead.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you some kind of prophet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the leader¡¯s decision. Just eat.¡±


    Although a bit hesitant, Limberton took a big bite of the bread. The robed man, not liking the bread, chewed on jerky from afar.


    Everyone had a hearty appetite, and the first day¡¯s rations were gone quickly.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯m so full I might not be able to move properly.¡±


    An hour passed since the meal. Occasional sounds of battle and screams echoed in the dungeon, but I ignored them and focused on my reading. Unable to bear it, Limberton spoke up.


    ¡°Resting is fine, but aren¡¯t we too relaxed? We only have a few coins, and others probably have a bunch by now. We should do something.¡±


    At this point, our situation was ideal. Skilled playable characters would be hunting monsters fiercely, their eyes burning with determination. However, we, traversing path 44, needed to conserve energy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    We¡¯d collect plenty of coins.


    ¡°Limberton, do you know?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±


    ¡°Life is all about the big score.¡±


    I checked my pocket watch. It was time to make a move, so I stood up.


    ¡°Wait here for 15 minutes.¡±


    ¡°What? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To multiply our funds.¡±


    Each team entered through their designated entrances and advanced toward the exit. Eventually, paths narrowed, and teams would inevitably cross each other¡¯s way¡ªa prime spot for those with bad intentions to ambush.


    I walked down a clean corridor cleared of traps and monsters by earlier teams. Then, I encountered a group blocking the way.


    ¡°Are you alone? Did your teammates die?¡±


    ¡°Well, hand over your coins if you want to live.¡±


    There were three in front and two behind¡ªfive in total.


    ¡°I have just a few coins. You¡¯d be better off robbing a beggar.¡±


    I crossed my staff and sword, gripping both handles.


    I recognized one of the faces and blinked. He also recognized me and scowled.


    ¡°Hersel¡­¡±


    His nose was bandaged, and several of his teeth were missing, leaving gaps.


    ¡°Nice to see you again, Rendal.¡±


    Oh, right. In the original scenario, you encounter Lethe members here. No wonder he looked familiar¡ªI¡¯d seen him here before.


    Upon hearing my name, the Lethe thugs began to panic.


    ¡°Wait, if he¡¯s Hersel¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he our president?¡±


    ¡°You idiots! I told you he quit!¡±


    This was getting amusing, so I shook my head.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t quit.¡±


    Rendal shouted in frustration.


    ¡°He broke my nose and says he didn¡¯t quit! Kill him! He¡¯s not one of us anymore!¡±


    ¡°No, you hurt yourself tripping, remember?¡±


    The four men glanced at each other, confused. Now was the time to drive in the wedge.


    I activated my ¡®Noble Blood Embers¡¯ to the maximum, speaking in a dignified tone.


    ¡°Beat him up.¡±


    ¡°Wh-who should we believe?¡±


    One of them wavered, so I approached menacingly.


    ¡°Will you trust this guy or me, your president? Decide.¡±


    One thug grabbed Rendal by the collar.


    ¡°Of course, we should trust the president!¡±


    ¡°No, you idiot! I told you he quit!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Rendal. I never believed that nonsense. Bite down hard!¡±


    One thug¡¯s fist started it, and the rest joined in, stomping on Rendal.


    Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!


    Even as Rendal was beaten, he glared at me with tears of resentment, making Donatan exclaim in horror.


    -There must be a demon in your lineage.


    ¡®It¡¯s all strategy. We subdued one without lifting a finger.¡¯


    Rendal foamed at the mouth and passed out. The four men approached me obsequiously, likely hoping for a reward.


    I grinned and drew my staff and sword.


    ¡°Actually, I did quit.¡±

 Chapter 43

    This isn¡¯t about extorting money.What¡¯s in the wallets of third-rate thugs isn¡¯t just simple coins, but the helplessness and despair of the original owners who were robbed by these scoundrels. Therefore, it¡¯s better for their stolen goods to fall into someone else¡¯s hands rather than those despicable villains.


    What I am doing is a noble service, fulfilling the wishes of the victims.


    ¡°Empty your pockets. If I find anything after searching, it¡¯s one hit per coin.¡±


    The piggy banks began to whisper among themselves. Still trying to figure out the situation, they exchanged glances. Realizing they¡¯d been tricked, one of them scrunched up his face.


    He then pointed a knife at me.


    ¡°What are you idiots doing? If it¡¯s not Lethe, there¡¯s no problem killing him!¡±


    Following his lead, others raised their swords, axes, and staffs and surrounded me.


    I wasn¡¯t afraid.


    In the past, I might have been terrified, but compared to the enemies I¡¯ve faced, these guys looked utterly insignificant.


    ¡®You should know how to fight against multiple opponents, right?¡¯


    ¨C Against rookies who can¡¯t even handle their aura properly, a single-handed sword will suffice.


    Trusting Donatan¡¯s confident words, I dashed towards the gap between the man with the ax and the one with the staff.


    Thud!


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    The thug swung his ax vertically down. I easily sidestepped, dodging it. As debris scattered on the ground, I thrust the staff loaded with an electric spell at the thug¡¯s neck.


    Zap!


    The thug, momentarily paralyzed, dropped his ax. I smoothly stabbed his foot with my longsword. As he bent over, I struck the back of his head with the sword hilt.


    Wham!


    Then, with the staff in my left hand, I smacked the wizard¡¯s staff. The thug¡¯s wind arrow shot harmlessly towards the ceiling. I stabbed his hand with the longsword, causing him to drop the staff.


    ¡°Aagh! My hand!¡±


    While he was clutching his bleeding hand, I pressed the sword to his neck.


    ¡°You two, drop your swords before I slit his throat.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, I¡¯ve been caught. Let¡¯s just do what he says¡­¡±


    True to form, they cared nothing for their comrades.


    The thug with the greatsword got into position to slash at me diagonally and charged.


    I had loaded telekinesis magic into my staff and met the thug¡¯s heavy attack intended to cut through both of us at once.


    Clang!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Attribute activated.]


    [One-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    The longsword aimed at my shoulder shattered in two.


    Furthermore, the thug¡¯s wrist dangled grotesquely from the exertion.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    With the telekinesis spell loaded, I lifted fist-sized rocks from the debris left by the previous fallen thug¡¯s ax attack.


    Even though it was my specialty magic, maybe because of the low mana, it seemed to drain all my energy just to shoot them.


    Pew!


    A rock shot towards the thug¡¯s face. However, it curved and slowly descended, causing a ridiculous scene.


    All of us, except for the unconscious thug, gasped.


    Smack!


    -No way, was that on purpose?


    ¡­Of course not.


    The thug clutched his crotch with his broken wrist and collapsed.


    The hostage shook even more violently, and the thug with the longsword squeezed his legs together in shock.


    ¡°That was an accident. It wasn¡¯t intentional at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­D-Don¡¯t come closer!¡±


    The thug looked at me like I was some kind of monster devoid of empathy, threw down his weapon, and ran away.


    While pondering what to do with the now-useless hostage, the wizard spoke in a trembling voice.


    ¡°You¡­ are the rumors true?¡±


    ¡°What rumors?¡±


    ¡°The one where you survived a breath attack¡­¡±


    ¡°What does it matter to you?¡±


    With my staff-wielding hand, I smacked the thug on the back of the head repeatedly.


    This made it four unconscious.


    When I leisurely searched their wallets, countless coins spilled out.


    Clink!


    This was money filled with the unjust feelings of the innocent. The coins, oppressed by the wicked, found freedom and piled up comfortably in my backpack.


    Donatan, seemingly unable to understand my peaceful disposition, asked in a dubious tone.


    ¨C They tried to kill you. Are you still going to let them live?


    ¡®What do you take me for? Of course, I¡¯m going to let them live.¡¯


    ¨C That¡¯s quite unexpected¡­


    So I can rob them again next time.


    I looked at the spot where the fleeing piggy bank had been.


    There was no need to rush since their escape route was obvious.


    It just meant I had some troublesome tasks ahead.


    ¡°Heh, Hersel, you¡¯re finished.¡±


    Rendal, who had been the first to pass out, woke up, smirking with blood dripping from his mouth.


    ¡°You better start begging for your life now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many Lethe members are here?¡±


    ¡°Thirty-seven.¡±


    Rendal widened his eyes, surprised at how I knew.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re as good as dead. The guy who just escaped will gather the members to execute you.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    It was expected that they¡¯d swarm me since the one who escaped was a leader.


    They had the means for it.


    How else could they have reunited so quickly in a dungeon they barely knew?


    The answer was simple.


    ¡°You have a means of communication.¡±


    I grinned and punched Rendal¡¯s face again as he tried to act tough.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go catch the one who got away.¡±


    As I walked down the hallway, I saw a room without a door to the side.


    Inside, I heard hushed whispers.


    ¡°¡­Rendal was right! You idiots!¡±


    I quietly approached the thug.


    The thug, unaware of my presence, kept talking to a small orb.


    It was a magical communication tool often carried for staying in touch with team members in the dungeon.


    A communication orb embedded with magic stones.


    It resonates sound over long distances.


    In emergencies, it can send coordinate signals.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll send the signal, so gather immediately!¡±


    -Wait, I see that fool Limberton at the safe zone. Isn¡¯t he in the same team as Hersel?


    I responded to the orb instead of the thug.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s on my team.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    The thug, startled, dropped the orb. I ignored him and stabbed his thigh.


    The thug rolled on the floor, screaming into the orb.


    ¡°Aaagh! Kill those bastards first! Kill them now!¡±


    Sure, understood.


    I kicked him until he stopped squirming and then took his wallet.


    ¡°As expected, your pockets are the fullest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this¡­ They¡¯ll tear you apart and feed you to the monsters¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Smack!


    I hit him once more to knock him out.


    I chuckled, remembering his words.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine the guy beside Limberton losing.


    ¡°Tearing him apart?¡±


    The robed figure was, like Mircel, a strong ally of a playable character.


    A hidden NPC that could only be recruited in Frost Heart.


    [Aslay Tortamaktura]


    ? Blessing


    ¡ôBlessing of the Earth Giant


    -Is there anyone stronger than me? No. I¡¯ve crushed them all with these hands.


    -Displays superhuman strength beyond that of a normal human.


    ? Attribute


    ¡óBetter Than Average¡ó


    As long as he isn¡¯t torn apart, he¡¯ll be fine.


    ***


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t come closer. One more step and I¡¯ll shoot!¡±


    Limberton aimed his bow alternately at the Lethe members blocking his front and back.


    When a fully armored guy clanged closer, Limberton, with shaking hands, aimed an arrow at his neck and fired.


    Clang!


    However, the arrow bounced off the raised shield.


    ¡°He¡¯s still a fool.¡±


    The fully armored guy smirked, and the onlookers chuckled.


    ¡°What, you know him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s Limberton, famous for being a bit slow, making him perfect for playing with.¡±


    Limberton, caught off guard, dropped the arrow he was trying to load.


    As they said, arrows were almost useless against knights.


    They couldn¡¯t hold aura, and they just bounced off steel armor.


    As he slumped his shoulders, the huge man in a robe lifted his fallen bow.


    ¡°Hey, big guy. Even if you¡¯re good at fighting, you¡¯re outnumbered. Just surrender and save yourself.¡±


    The man ignored him and planted a triangular shield much taller than Limberton in the ground.


    ¡°But you only have a shield!¡±


    Limberton tried to say more but couldn¡¯t.


    The enemies were charging at him.


    ¡°Screw it, I don¡¯t care anymore!¡±


    Limberton fired arrows at the charging enemies.


    But they either bounced off swords or slid off smooth armor.


    ¡°That tickles, you idiot!¡±


    The guy at the front slashed his sword down vertically, and Limberton closed his eyes tightly.


    At that moment, a rough wind brushed his left cheek, as if burning his skin.


    Limberton slowly opened his eyes and gaped.


    Through the robe, a muscular leg emerged.


    At its end, the guy held the descending sword blade between his thumb and forefinger.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡±


    Had he been walking around barefoot all this time?


    No, that wasn¡¯t the point.


    The man lifted the sword with his toes and kicked it into the ceiling.


    Crash!


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Just charge in!¡±


    The man caught a descending morning star¡¯s shaft with his rough hand. The thug struggled, but it didn¡¯t budge. The man then crushed the thug¡¯s helmet like a fruit with his bare hand.


    ¡°Aaagh!¡±


    As more attacks followed, the man twisted the wrist of the swordsman attempting a diagonal slash as if snapping a twig. Another thug, seeking an opportunity, approached Limberton. The man pulled the thug¡¯s ankle and slammed him to the ground.


    Bang!


    Faced with such raw, primal power, Limberton gulped.


    However, the number of enemies surrounding them was too many, and it was impossible for the large man to dodge every attack in such a narrow corridor.


    Focusing all his nerves, Limberton shot an arrow into the shoulder of a knight trying to stab the man¡¯s back with a spear.


    Thwack!


    Another arrow hit the thigh of a thug preparing to cast a spell, making the man¡¯s assault even fiercer. It was like watching an ogre slaughter a horde of goblins. He grabbed limbs, crushed bones, slammed enemies into the ground, and smashed their armor with interlocked hands.


    ¡°Retreat.¡±


    ¡°But what about them?¡±


    ¡°Does that matter? Stop dawdling and run!¡±


    As the mob around them turned into half-wrecks in an instant, the remaining thugs fled without looking back. It wasn¡¯t until the man turned around that Limberton understood why they ran.


    Through the robe, his eyes glowed with a savage, wolf-like ferocity.


    Despite being on the same team, Limberton felt his legs go weak from the overwhelming presence.


    The man extended a hand to help him up.


    Limberton, feeling embarrassed, awkwardly smiled and offered praise.


    ¡°Thanks. But you¡¯re so strong, it¡¯s like you didn¡¯t need any weapons from the start.¡±


    Just then, flames erupted from the man¡¯s back.


    ¡°What?¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the man twisted his body, Limberton realized it was the wizard on the floor who had done it. He was about to grab an arrow when a lanky blond guy stomped the wizard¡¯s head.


    ¡°Tut-tut, you need to finish the job properly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Hersel, what took you so long? We were struggling while you were gone.¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d be back soon.¡±


    Hersel proudly displayed a hefty bag of money.


    ¡°But this friend¡­¡±


    At Hersel¡¯s words, Limberton raised his head and gasped.


    The man¡¯s black hair was tied back in a bridge style, and he wore nothing but a wolf pelt, leaving his upper body exposed.


    He was definitely a barbarian.


    Limberton wondered how someone like him had managed to enter the academy, reserved for nobles. But considering he had saved his life, Limberton didn¡¯t care.


    The bigger issue was Hersel, a staunch noble supremacist. Even if not him, it was common among nobles to regard those living in the wild as beasts.


    The fact that this barbarian had been wrapped in a full robe and remained silent was likely to avoid discrimination.


    As Hersel approached the barbarian, Limberton felt his heart race with anxiety and decided to intervene.


    ¡°Wait, Hersel. At least¡­¡±


    ¡°Only one robe, and it¡¯s burned to a crisp. What now?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Contrary to Limberton¡¯s expectations, Hersel extended his hand towards the visibly nervous barbarian.


    The barbarian muttered something in an unfamiliar language.


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know a handshake? Now that your identity is revealed, you should at least introduce yourself. I¡¯m Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    Realizing it was an introduction, the barbarian responded with his name and accepted the handshake.


    ¡°Aslay Tortamaktura.¡±


    Limberton cautiously asked.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re shaking hands with a barbarian? Why?¡±


    Hersel replied, frowning as if looking at garbage.


    ¡°Limberton. Don¡¯t call a foreign friend a barbarian. Embrace diversity.¡±


    ***


    ¡°That guy¡¯s Limberton Bel Delsi. As you can see, he¡¯s a nasty noble supremacist.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±


    Limberton quickly approached and offered his hand to Aslay.


    The barbarian blinked in surprise before smiling gently.


    ***


    We finished looting the fallen thugs¡¯ wallets. After stuffing ourselves with their provisions, Limberton pointed at Aslay.


    ¡°But what about this bar-¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    ¡°I mean, foreign friend. Since his identity is revealed, is it okay for him to take the test?¡±


    ¡°There must be a reason. The academy probably knew and let him in.¡±


    ¡°Really? How did he pass the written exam?¡±


    ¡°No idea. I¡¯m surprised he passed.¡±


    Pretending ignorance, I answered nonchalantly.


    ¡óBetter Than Average¡ó


    Fixes hit rate at 60%.


    Aslay¡¯s trait, ¡®Better Than Average,¡¯ means he has a 60% chance of hitting anything in any situation, whether it¡¯s a target in battle or an exam question.


    ¡°Of course, I passed confidently. I scored 63!¡±


    ¡°The passing standard is too low¡­¡±


    This trait is why Aslay only resorts to grabbing attacks instead of weapons or punches, which guarantee a 100% success rate. If not for this cursed trait, arming his hands would have made him invincible. It¡¯s a pity.


    We smacked our lips and walked towards the next stage.


    ¡°How far did we walk?¡±


    Limberton babbled on about nothing in particular.


    ¡°With this many coins, our future looks bright.¡±


    ¡°Bright future?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, rich men are always popular. You too, huh? Wait, Hersel.¡±


    Suddenly, Limberton stopped and stared ahead with trembling eyes.


    Footsteps and a faint female voice echoed from a distance. Squinting, I saw a silhouette dragging something towards us.


    ¡°Give up, let me out. I want to give up, let me out¡­¡±


    To avoid startling her, I spoke quietly to the frantic woman.


    ¡°Let go. He¡¯s already dead.¡±


    She had been dragging the lifeless body of a man whose lower half was severed. Her face was pale, and her bloodied hands covered her face.


    Just as she seemed about to burst into tears, I covered her mouth.


    ¡°Looks like we took the wrong path.¡±


    So the monster beyond wouldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°Everyone, stay alert. Even if we expend all our stored energy, I can¡¯t guarantee survival up ahead.¡±


    If this was just the entrance, now we were about to find out why Path 44 was considered the hardest.


    Because midway through Path 44 lies the hunting territory of a dungeon guardian, ¡®The Watcher.¡¯

 Chapter 44

    The dungeon is like a sophisticated living organism.Inside, it consumes corpses and uses lost souls as materials to birth new life.


    ¡°The dungeon not only consumes corpses but also precious metals and equipment, transforming them into rare tools. Treasures that lure humans.¡±


    The types of treasures varied beyond gold. There were unique magic tools that humanity couldn¡¯t create, or jewels crafted solely for aesthetics with no functional purpose.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cunning hunter. Even knowing the danger, it makes it impossible to resist.¡±


    ¡°Hersel, could you tone down the scare tactics? It¡¯s dampening the mood¡­¡±


    The dungeon was an intelligent entity that understood human psychology.


    Though this particular dungeon no longer produces treasures thanks to Rockefeller¡¯s intervention, it still wasn¡¯t satisfied with the donation-entry students. To feast on the high-quality nutrients of the third test examinees, it began using its Watchers more aggressively, who were supposed to guard the treasures.


    ¡°Limberton, I¡¯m not trying to scare you unnecessarily. The Watcher up ahead is genuinely that dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Well, can¡¯t we just take another route?¡±


    ¡°I wish it were that simple.¡±


    I paused mid-sentence, staring blankly.


    ¨C It¡¯s the second day. Some have started reaching the mid-zone.


    Rockefeller¡¯s annoying announcements continued.


    ¨C This is the final notice. Don¡¯t think all units can escape through the same exit. There are seventy exits, and you can only escape through the one matching the number on your token.


    If you had the number 7 token, you had to escape through exit 7.


    In my case, my path was changed to 44, so I wasn¡¯t sure if the exit number changed too, but¡­


    ¨C Keys needed for escape are hidden in the mid-zone. Find them.


    The key for path 44 was unfortunately hidden in the corridor where the Watcher resided.


    Given how Rockefeller had altered the path to mess with me, it was likely he manipulated the key so that only the corridor¡¯s key would open my designated exit.


    He would love to see me struggle against the Watcher.


    ¨C And don¡¯t give up even if a team member dies. The test ends when you open the door matching your unit¡¯s number, regardless of the leader¡¯s fate.


    That¡¯s all.


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    Limberton nodded, then slumped his shoulders, speaking in a dejected voice while looking at the first corpse he had seen here.


    ¡°Is it really okay to go this far just for a test?¡±


    Limberton was clearly frightened.


    He clutched his arms, trying not to show it, but his hands trembled.


    He must be having all sorts of thoughts.


    These examinees are mostly nobles¡¯ children; aren¡¯t they afraid of such harsh treatment? What grand purpose necessitates this?


    However, there was a valid reason behind it.


    For various tangled reasons, the Empire allowed it, and those aware of the truth had enough reason to keep silent.


    ¡°If I had known, I would¡¯ve listened to my mother and taken over the family business¡­¡±


    He would understand the reason in due time, so I didn¡¯t bother explaining now.


    I could only say this much:


    ¡°Even knowing this, there are those who still apply.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How many years has Frost Heart been around? Do you really think they can completely hide a test like this?¡±


    No matter how much the Empire and the Academy tried to keep it secure, it was nearly impossible to silence everyone.


    Yet people still came every year because¡­


    ¡°Graduating from here grants privileges incomparable to the other four academies. Some families reveal the truth to their children and train them specifically for this. Most, like you, apply without knowing, but some come to test their own limits.¡± §²


    I placed a hand on Limberton¡¯s shoulder and asked,


    ¡°Now you know. Limberton, which side are you on? Will you continue to whine and stay undecided, or will you decide to act?¡±


    Limberton looked pensive.


    I turned my gaze to the now somewhat calm woman.


    ¡°What unit are you?¡±


    ¡°31.¡±


    ¡°Then head straight from here, turn left at the corner. The key is there. From there, walk until you see the exit.¡±


    The woman widened her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it. I won¡¯t go¡­¡±


    I looked at the corpse of the man with his lower half severed and spoke somberly.


    ¡°Is that so? Do as you wish. But know this: if you stay here, you¡¯ll regret it. In many ways.¡±


    She seemed about to say something but then closed her mouth.


    Whether she heeds the advice is her choice.


    I turned to Limberton and Aslay.


    ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The woman, enraged, shouted,


    ¡°You keep acting like you know everything, but do you even know what¡¯s up ahead? You¡¯ll die in minutes! Don¡¯t come crying to me!¡±


    ¡°The thing up ahead, it¡¯s a skeletal lizard, right?¡±


    I cut her off with a smirk, and her expression shifted to one of confusion.


    ¡°Does my credibility increase now?¡±


    With that, I stepped into the Watcher¡¯s territory.


    ***


    Upon reaching the mid-zone, the corridor-like path disappeared, revealing an open hall.


    To get there, we had to cross a stone bridge suspended over a dizzying chasm. The sight made Limberton gulp.


    ¡°If we get attacked here, we¡¯d be dead without a fight.¡±


    There¡¯s a way.


    The method to cross the bridge safely without being attacked by the Watcher was simple.


    Hide in the darkness.


    ¡°Limberton, I¡¯m turning off the lights now. Tell me when your eyes adjust.¡±


    I extinguished the torch and tied the team in a line with a rope from my backpack.


    Naturally, Limberton was at the front.


    ¡°Damn it, why am I in the front¡­¡±


    ¡°You have decent night vision, don¡¯t you?¡±


    After his eyes adjusted, Limberton cautiously began to move forward.


    The rope transmitted his trembling fear.


    We crossed the bridge, and just then, Limberton whispered,


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s something up ahead. Ugh, it¡¯s eating a corpse. Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Quietly head to the right. There should be a series of openings like ant holes. Go to the fifth one.¡±


    We walked as silently as possible.


    Occasionally, we heard crunching sounds, but we ignored them and entered the fifth hole.


    ¡°Limberton, do you see a small box?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s one on the altar. But how did you¡ªnever mind. It must be your hunch again.¡±


    ¡°Glad you understand.¡±


    Limberton handed me the box.


    Inside, I found a key marked as number 7 but covered with the number 44.


    ¡°We found it. Limberton, you hold onto it.¡±


    ¡°Am I just a pack mule?¡±


    Limberton carefully took the key, and at that moment, blue flames flickered from the torches on the walls.


    Whoosh!


    The creature must have finished its meal.


    I quickly untied the ropes and reached for my weapon, shouting,


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    Then I called Aslay¡¯s name and pointed ahead.


    ¡°Aslay.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand his words, but seeing him advance with his shield, I knew he got my meaning.


    Following him, Limberton and I exited the hole where we found the key.


    As soon as we stepped out, a long, bony tail slammed into Aslay¡¯s shield.


    Clang!


    Sparks flew as the shield grated against the tail. The force was enough to push the boulder-like Aslay back.


    The skeletal lizard¡¯s blue eyes flared, and Limberton gasped.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Even lying flat, it was a massive three-meter-long skeleton.


    A black heart beat within its ribcage.


    It looked like a dragon made of bones, but it was smaller than a real one.


    It was merely a replica of a bone dragon, one of the highest-tier monsters created by the dungeon.


    ¡°A d-dragon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared. It doesn¡¯t even have wings. It¡¯s just a crude fake.¡±


    However, its power was close to that of a real bone dragon.


    No current playable character at the academy could defeat it.


    Well, there was one, but my number got switched with theirs¡­


    ¡°Hersel, what do we do now?¡±


    Crack!


    Watching Aslay¡¯s shield get shredded like paper, I replied to Limberton¡¯s question.


    ¡°What else? We run.¡±


    I patted Aslay¡¯s back, pointing to the escape route.


    He seemed to understand and nodded.


    Just as the Watcher began to spew blue flames from its mouth, I shouted,


    ¡°Now! Run!¡±


    Aslay and Limberton sprinted.


    Meanwhile, I stood still, adjusting the gloves my landlady had gifted me.


    [Gloves Blessed by Mana] Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ñ Attribute Series: Blessing.


    [Master craftsman Horutu made them, and alchemist Hailey imbued them with attributes.]


    [Increases mana capacity by 10%.]


    [Increases spell accuracy by 10%.]


    [Greatly enhances the durability of items held.]


    [Allows spells to be inscribed on the gloves.]


    ¡°Hersel! Why aren¡¯t you coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy us some time, so run with all your might.¡±


    I spoke confidently, though my heart was pounding with fear.


    The Watcher¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t a laser breath like a monster bird¡¯s but more like a flamethrower, covering a wide area.


    ¡®One-second invincibility¡¯ wouldn¡¯t save me from the blue flames.


    But that was in the past.


    I activated the spell inscribed on my gloves and aimed at the Watcher.


    Then I recalled my conversation with Carmelo.


    -Telekinesis and healing magic have been established, so why isn¡¯t there a lightweight spell? Isn¡¯t that developed too?


    -It was discovered by accident. More research is needed to understand its principles and effects.


    -Hmm, it just seems to make things lighter. What more is there to study?


    Carmelo had demonstrated by inscribing a fire magic spell with telekinesis.


    -I¡¯ll show you one of the phenomena. If you lighten the flame elements gathered around the fire like this¡­


    When he cast the lightweight spell on the staff he had levitated with telekinesis, the room filled with flames in an instant.


    -It ignites immediately and burns brightly. Though the flames last shorter, they burn stronger than usual.


    I didn¡¯t fully understand if the lightweight spell amplified volatility, but I had thought it was a good way to overcome the ¡®one-second invincibility¡¯ flaw with area attacks like flames and inscribed it on my gloves.


    I cast the lightweight spell on the flame elements gathering in the Watcher¡¯s mouth.


    Whoosh!


    The blue flames intensified, engulfing the Watcher¡¯s head.


    Without looking back, I sprinted towards Limberton and Aslay, who were crossing the stone bridge.


    Just as they reached two-thirds of the bridge, a streak of blue fire streaked towards them, making my heart sink.


    Whoosh¡ª


    The Watcher, with flames in its mouth, dove from above, slamming into the bridge.


    Bang!


    The bridge collapsed with a thud, and the Watcher fell into the abyss but didn¡¯t die¡ªmerely disappeared from view.


    Aslay and Limberton, who had reached the other side, turned and looked at me.


    ¡°Hersel¡­¡±


    This was just another unpredictable twist in my life.


    I always managed to overcome such situations.


    So I will this time too.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I survived the bird monster. So wait for me over there.¡±


    I turned my gaze from Limberton to the abyss.


    Sure enough, blue eyes glowed.


    The Watcher was climbing up the wall, but I had a plan, so I chuckled.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    There was no need to cross that broken bridge.


    There were many paths to the exit.


    With the key in hand, all I had to do was retrace my steps and find another way.


    ¡°Goodbye. See you later.¡±


    But misfortune struck again.


    The Watcher, instead of climbing, leaped into the air and hurled itself at the opposite bridge.


    I could only watch helplessly as my last hope crumbled.


    Bang!


    The final bridge shattered, and I reflexively let out a sigh.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ***


    Damn it.


    Limberton gritted his teeth and ran.


    People believed he survived the bird monster¡¯s breath, but Limberton didn¡¯t.


    Hersel was just a weakling who relied on power to harass women and crack bad jokes.


    ¡°Pant, pant¡­¡±


    Limberton stopped before the 70 holes branching out like an ant nest.


    People were shouting their numbers, indicating they were indeed the exits.


    ¡°This is exit 27. Does anyone know where exit 3 is?¡±


    ¡°Exit 3 is here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. That was already checked.¡±


    ¡°What? 27? You¡¯re the liar!¡±


    No one was trying to steal coins here, but the competition continued.


    The faster the escape, the higher the score?


    Teams were playing mind games to delay each other¡¯s escape.


    ¡­No one here will help that guy.


    Let alone a regular person, and definitely not Hersel.


    Limberton pondered and then his eyes sparkled.


    He grabbed the coin-filled pouch and looked at Aslay.


    Aslay nodded.


    ¡°Whew!¡±


    Limberton took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could.


    He didn¡¯t care about the coins. Helping Hersel wasn¡¯t out of affection.


    He just didn¡¯t want to owe anything to such a scoundrel.


    ¡°I have a job! If you¡¯re interested, come over! The pay is generous!¡±


    People started gathering, including a man holding the number 44 token.

 Chapter 45

    It didn¡¯t take long for people to gather.Limberton¡¯s coin pouch was hefty enough to be hard to ignore. However, as soon as Hersel¡¯s name came up, the reaction was cold.


    ¡°Is your leader Hersel? That scoundrel from the Tenest family?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh, who would bother saving him? No fool would go after that bastard, but here we have one.¡±


    Every time they mocked, Aslay glared at them, his fierce gaze silencing them, while Limberton continued explaining the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a dragon made of bones. It destroyed the stone bridge, leaving Hersel isolated. If we don¡¯t help him soon, he¡¯ll be in danger.¡±


    Hearing that the stone bridge was destroyed, the examinees seemed to understand the gravity of the situation but still hesitated. A monster with that kind of power could only be a Watcher.


    Money was one thing, but their lives came first.


    Just as they were about to leave, someone approached.


    ¡°Limberton, is what you said true?¡±


    Recognizing the face, Limberton¡¯s expression brightened with relief.


    ¡°Erucel? Thank goodness you¡¯re here. Your brother¡¯s in danger. Can you come with us?¡±


    Even if they were half-brothers, there should be some familial loyalty.


    However, contrary to Limberton¡¯s expectations, Erucel looked incredulous and asked,


    ¡°Me? Why?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Even if you begged and offered all your coins, who would help such trash?¡±


    ¡°But he seems to have changed. A lot, actually¡­¡±


    Erucel shook his head in disbelief and scolded Limberton.


    ¡°Get a grip! He probably just said some nice words to use you. People like him don¡¯t change. Tsk.¡±


    Limberton couldn¡¯t argue and slumped his shoulders.


    He knew very well that he was just a filler in their team because they lacked members.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this better? We can just take his share and cross the gate ourselves.¡±


    As Erucel smirked wickedly, others began to agree.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d leave him. Honestly, who wants to go to the academy with him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t make a stupid choice. Fill your pockets. If you feel bad, donate some coins.¡±


    It was a tempting offer.


    Given all the troubles Hersel had caused, there was no reason to stay loyal just because he seemed slightly different now.


    ¡°Fine. Erucel, why are you so obstructive to your brother?¡±


    Yet, despite the logical conclusion, Limberton¡¯s words came out differently, spurred by a sudden realization.


    Hersel had offered a handshake to a barbarian and stayed behind as bait at a critical moment.


    ¡°In my opinion, he¡¯s really changed. In the past, he would¡¯ve thrown one of us as bait and fled.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t for Hersel¡¯s sake.


    Limberton just didn¡¯t want to owe anything to someone like Hersel.


    ¡°Is that true? How do you know? This foreigner saw it too.¡±


    ¡°What? Foreigners? Like savages?¡±


    Limberton, confirming his decision was right, looked around at the examinees busy deceiving each other and fixed his gaze on a familiar woman.


    ¡°Hersel helped people in distress, even if they weren¡¯t on his team. Unlike you all, he did.¡±


    The woman nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Thanks to him, I got this far.¡±


    With a witness stepping forward, Erucel turned away in frustration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you stay here, you¡¯ll be eliminated. It¡¯s up to you.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Despite the troublemaker leaving, the examinees still showed no interest, thinking they were wasting time. Only a man with a large sword on his back remained. ?


    Limberton felt unsure about what to do next, scratching his head, when a hoarse voice called out to him.


    ¡°Are you Limberton? Why are you supporting that infamous scoundrel?¡±


    The gaunt man with sunken eyes was the only one who had stayed.


    His dull, dark eyes gave Limberton an uneasy feeling, causing him to step back instinctively.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s intriguing. With that many coins, you could score highly. Why don¡¯t you and your friend just take them and leave?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said, we¡¯re using them to hire someone to help.¡±


    The man¡¯s cracked lips twitched into a faint smile.


    ¡°Do you know that coins are only useful at the academy? You can buy anything with them. What do you want so badly?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that? If you¡¯re not going to take the job, then leave.¡±


    The man, seemingly enjoying the situation, didn¡¯t move. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are you sure? Humans are selfish by nature. Even you, deep down, feel morally superior and congratulate yourself for your nobility.¡±


    Irritated, Limberton snapped at him and turned to Aslay.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aslay. This crazy guy is driving everyone away.¡±


    However, the man¡¯s persistent voice stopped him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we test your claim? I¡¯ll take the job, but you¡¯ll have to give me all your coins. Every last one.¡±


    Clearly without any companions, Limberton was skeptical about his offer.


    He considered leaving, but the man continued.


    ¡°See? You¡¯re just like everyone else, driven by greed. You¡¯re no different from those hypocrites.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is this guy?¡±


    Aslay grabbed Limberton¡¯s shoulder and shook his head seriously.


    ¡°Huh? You want to trust this guy?¡±


    Aslay nodded.


    Although Limberton didn¡¯t like it, he had no better options.


    Reluctantly, he approached the man with the coin pouch.


    ¡°Here, take it. You seem insane, but better than nothing.¡±


    The man looked surprised and tilted his head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you scared now that you¡¯ve accepted?¡±


    The man asked, confused.


    ¡°¡­Does Hersel have more coins?¡±


    ¡°No? I¡¯m the pack mule, so he¡¯s broke.¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    The man seemed genuinely puzzled, making Limberton sigh.


    ¡°Haa¡­ I¡¯ve said it before. We¡¯re using the coins to hire someone to save him. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The man seemed lost in thought, stroking his chin and narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°Hmm, fine. I don¡¯t need your help. I¡¯ll go alone. Just find the exit here.¡±


    ¡°What? The exit?¡±


    ¡°Exit 44.¡±


    Leaving those words, the man turned away.


    Limberton watched him go, murmuring to himself.


    ¡°Who the hell is that guy¡­¡±


    The coin pouch was gone from his hand.


    ***


    Both escape routes were cut off.


    Even if I failed the third test, I¡¯d have to survive here for a whole day before being let out. But staying in the corridor with the Watcher for so long was unthinkable.


    ¨C Hersel! He¡¯s coming!


    ¡°Ugh, damn it!¡±


    I ducked or jumped high every time the lizard tried to swipe at me with its tail. If I dodged too well, it would disappear and reappear unexpectedly, startling me.


    Each time a crisis approached, I survived using my ¡®one-second invincibility,¡¯ buying time bit by bit.


    But it was reaching its limit.


    ¨C Do something! You¡¯re out of stamina!


    ¡°Pant! Pant!¡±


    Do something? With what?


    This wasn¡¯t home with all the tools I needed. All I had was the stone floor and some ant holes where the key was hidden.


    Surviving this long was a miracle.


    ¡°You, do something! Huff! Huff!¡±


    ¨C Even with improved stamina, you¡¯re still useless!


    While bickering with Donatan, I ducked into an ant hole.


    It wasn¡¯t a dead end, so I could escape if the Watcher followed.


    Catching my breath, I wracked my brain for a strategy.


    To survive, I had to kill it.


    The weak point was the black heart hidden in its ribcage.


    Regular attacks wouldn¡¯t work.


    The original playable character, Riamon, should have faced this with an aura-imbued attack or meticulously chipped away with magic.


    Creeeak!


    The Watcher forced its head into the ant hole, kicking up dust.


    Its jaws snapped menacingly as I sketched a basic water spell, the least mana-consuming element.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The stream of water aimed at its black heart.


    ¡­A water gun would have been more effective.


    ¨C Your spell is weaker than a piss stream.


    Maybe minus one?


    Crunch!


    The lizard thrashed, causing cracks in the ant hole. I quickly slipped out into the corridor.


    It was pinned under the rubble.


    Now was my chance.


    I drew the water gun spell again, aiming at the black heart.


    Splat.


    Once more!


    Splat.


    Despite the serious fight, Donatan kept making annoying remarks.


    ¨C How much longer are you going to play around?


    ¡®Just 5,371 more hits. Don¡¯t distract me.¡¯


    ¨C You¡¯re serious? My God¡­


    I was about to cast another spell when someone called my name, distracting me.


    ¡°Are you Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


    A gaunt man with a mummy-like face.


    He was undoubtedly the strongest playable character among the Frost Heart examinees.


    [Riamon Sel Rebeqtura]


    ? Blessing


    ¡ô Blessing of the Fallen Reclusive Swordsman


    -I won¡¯t be deceived by lies anymore.


    -The tenth attack is always a critical hit.


    ? Trait


    ¡ó Swallow¡¯s Balance


    ¡ó Contortionist


    From beyond the broken bridge, he spun a dagger with a rope and threw it toward the corridor¡¯s stone bridge.


    Thunk!


    After securing the rope, he balanced on it and ran toward me like a circus performer.


    I couldn¡¯t watch his approach as the Watcher body-slammed my back.


    Crunch!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Attribute activated.]


    [One-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    I didn¡¯t know why he was here.


    It didn¡¯t matter.


    He seemed to be here to help, and survival was paramount.


    Yet, something about this situation irked me.


    ¡°Seeing him in person makes me want to puke¡­¡±


    I gritted my teeth, filled with anger.


    The Watcher should have been his problem, not mine.


    ***


    Riamon scratched his cheek, confused.


    The Tenest family was famous for swordsmanship.


    Yet here he was, wielding a staff and shooting water streams.


    Though curious, he focused on the task at hand.


    He dragged his greatsword toward the Watcher.


    Hersel scowled and asked,


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Limberton sent me.¡±


    ¡°For free¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, for coins.¡±


    ¡°Figures¡­¡±


    Hersel growled as Riamon passed by.


    ¡°Why are you so hostile? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Just earn your pay. I¡¯ll watch from here.¡±


    Hersel sat down while Riamon faced the now-alert Watcher.


    As Limberton described, it felt different from ordinary monsters.


    Still, it didn¡¯t seem to hurt Hersel despite ramming him full force.


    Thinking the task would be easier than expected, Riamon approached the Watcher without much defense.


    He focused all his aura into the greatsword, aiming to pierce the black heart.


    Clang¡ª!


    The greatsword shattered from a single tail swipe.


    Shock spread across Riamon¡¯s face.


    ¡°What?¡±

 Chapter 46

    Riamon watched his trembling wrist, cold sweat dripping down his face.If he hadn¡¯t loosened his grip on the greatsword, his wrist would have broken too. With that kind of power, even a glancing blow would sever limbs. Realizing he might die, Riamon heightened his focus and leaped back to create distance.


    Thud!


    The Watcher filled its maw with blue flames.


    ¡°Damn, a breath attack.¡±


    If it¡¯s an area attack, there¡¯s no way to avoid it. The greatsword was now reduced to the size of a face, utterly inadequate for blocking flames. As Riamon frantically searched for a new strategy, the Watcher¡¯s head was engulfed in blue flames.


    Whoosh!


    The Watcher thrashed about, trying to extinguish the flames, and Riamon¡¯s eyes widened in confusion.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    The mystery was soon resolved. Hersel, who had been sitting at a distance, aimed his hand at the Watcher.


    ¡°I can handle the flames. You deal with the rest.¡±


    Riamon swallowed nervously and glared at Hersel.


    First, he had seemed to play around with water streams. Then, despite taking a blow that shattered a greatsword, he walked away unscathed. There was much that Riamon didn¡¯t understand, but one thing was clear.


    He should have been more than capable.


    At that moment, Hersel threw a longsword, and Riamon caught it with a start.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    ¡°Gah.¡±


    Riamon¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Hersel chewed on jerky, watching leisurely as if this were a mere pastime.


    To Hersel, this was just entertainment. The way he had seemed to be playing earlier was like a well-fed cat toying with a mouse until it was hungry enough to eat it. The abundance of coins with Team 7 also made sense now.


    ¡­Who¡¯s helping who here?


    Riamon thought Limberton was a fool for giving all his coins to such a man.


    ***


    I felt a bit disoriented.


    Riamon had approached the Watcher without considering his best attribute, his unique trait, and ended up in this situation¡­ He had broken his greatsword for nothing and was now glaring at me, perhaps wanting me to lend him a weapon.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    Despite some reservations, I threw him the longsword. Given that he could imbue a sword with aura, he should be able to handle it this time.


    ¡°Gah.¡±


    As Riamon grabbed the sword, I decided to watch the show, chewing jerky like popcorn.


    Suddenly, he started nodding to himself, eyes wide open.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking, but I had no time to ponder.


    The Watcher had extinguished the flames on its head and now glared with its glowing blue eyes.


    Even though the greatsword, meant to block the breath attack, was unusable, with a bit of help from me, dealing with the Watcher should be¡­


    ¡­Should be easy, right?


    Thud! Thud!


    The Watcher crawled toward Riamon. This time, he raised the longsword, ready.


    Whoosh.


    The tail whipped through the air.


    Riamon dodged with a jump, lightly tapping the tail with the longsword as it passed. The Watcher swiped its sharp claws.


    Riamon leaped again, horizontal in the air like a pole-vaulter.


    Thud!


    He flipped through the gaps in the Watcher¡¯s ribcage like a dolphin through a hoop.


    The combination of his traits, ¡®Swallow¡¯s Balance¡¯ and ¡®Contortionist,¡¯ allowed him perfect control in mid-air and the flexibility of an invertebrate.


    With these traits, Riamon had near-max evasion, capable of dodging attacks from all directions except area attacks.


    Thud.


    Again, he lightly tapped the Watcher¡¯s bones with the longsword.


    When the Watcher began to gather breath, I used my lightweight spell to set its head ablaze again.


    Whoosh!


    This was the perfect moment for Riamon to achieve the required conditions.


    Riamon rapidly tapped the Watcher¡¯s bones with the longsword, finally reaching the ninth strike. Now, his sword carried the blessing ¡®Fallen Reclusive Swordsman¡¯s Grace,¡¯ which ensured a critical hit on the tenth strike.


    As an aura swirled around his sword, I dusted myself off and stood up.


    This was it.


    The Watcher raised a forelimb to crush Riamon. He deftly weaved left and right, avoiding the attack, and thrust his sword between the Watcher¡¯s ribs.


    Thud!


    The sword pierced the black heart, which exploded with a dark, muddy liquid splattering everywhere.


    Thud.


    The Watcher collapsed lifelessly, and Riamon emerged from between the bones, shaking off the blood.


    I waited at the broken bridge connected by ropes and commanded the approaching Riamon.


    ¡°Carry me.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Do you expect me to cross this myself? You were paid; consider this part of the job.¡±


    He glanced between the ropes and my face, then chuckled as if he¡¯d understood something, crouching to let me climb on his back.


    ¡°You seem to want to blend in with ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°Ordinary?¡±


    ¡°Did you come here to experience life at their level for fun?¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wasn¡¯t wrong.


    If I could rise to a normal level, I could at least be a decent member of society. That would indeed be fun and satisfying.


    But was this the right context for such a discussion?


    With an inscrutable mindset, I nodded.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    Riamon, with me on his back, stepped onto the rope.


    Halfway across, he asked another odd question.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like to see from such a height?¡±


    Just a dark abyss.


    It was another strange question, given we were crossing together.


    Still, being on his back, I decided to answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s dizzying. Unless you go down, you see nothing.¡±


    He paused, turning his head slightly toward me.


    ¡°Living alone at such heights must have been dull. I understand wanting to see what¡¯s below.¡±


    What nonsense. Who would want to go down there?


    Was he planning to drop me?


    I ignited the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯ and warned him coldly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. If you want to live long.¡±


    If I were to fall, I¡¯d take him with me.


    He flinched and answered, sounding slightly flustered.


    ¡°Ahem, understood. You¡¯ll have your life at the academy as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you better.¡±


    After that, he fell silent, and we crossed the bridge without further incident.


    We reached the exit safely.


    I narrowed my eyes, looking at Limberton waving from afar.


    ¡°Hersel!¡±


    When I reached him, I relaxed my frown. Despite him using the coins I¡¯d told him to guard with his life, he had saved my life, which was something.


    ¡°Well, did you find exit 7?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I did.¡±


    Limberton said, pointing Riamon to another ant hole.


    ¡°Exit 44 is over there. You can go that way.¡±


    ¡°¡­Limberton, you fool.¡±


    ¡°Why are you picking a fight now?¡±


    Riamon muttered something and crawled towards exit 44.


    I also went to exit 7, inserted the key, and opened the door.


    Beyond was a snowy landscape.


    At the end stood the magnificent white citadel of Frost Heart.


    Black-clad professors stood on the wide stairs, looking down at the third test¡¯s passers.


    There were about 150 of us.


    There wouldn¡¯t be any more passers.


    The clock on the citadel would soon strike twelve, and the bell would ring.


    Clang.


    As the time arrived, Rockefeller spoke.


    ¡°The third test is over. The number of coins each of you has is recorded, so no need to confirm it.¡±


    He unfurled a long list and began reading the ranks.


    ¡°Team 44. Only survivor is Riamon Sel Rebeqtura. You¡¯re first place.¡±


    Suddenly, anxiety washed over me.


    If he escaped around the same time as us, it meant he scored a ton of points with coins.


    I felt a chill and looked at Limberton.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give him all those coins, did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, I did?¡±


    ¡­Limberton, you fool.


    ¡°Coins aren¡¯t more important than our lives. Don¡¯t hold a grudge.¡±


    That¡¯s true, but giving all of them away!


    Imagining a future of hardship, my blood pressure surged. Most infuriating was that he did it to save my life, leaving me no grounds to be angry.


    While I was inwardly lamenting, Rockefeller spoke again.


    ¡°The top ten teams are assigned to the top dorm, Adelle Hall.¡±


    ¡°¡­Team 39. The next thirty units go to Buerger Hall.¡±


    Our Team, 7, wasn¡¯t mentioned.


    ¡°The rest¡­ you know your dorm is over there.¡±


    Rockefeller pointed to a pitch-black, eerie building outside the citadel.


    The worst dorm, Schlaphe Hall.


    Known for harsh conditions and strange occurrences, many students ended up hanging themselves there.


    Rockefeller looked at me with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Announcing the lowest rank, Team 7. You¡¯re last.¡±


    Come to think of it, my anger should be directed at him.


    I clenched my fists, glaring at Rockefeller.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rockefeller snorted and turned away.


    Professors started leading the students into the citadel.


    ¡°The entrance ceremony will start soon. Gather in the hall.¡±


    As students moved, Limberton asked, pale-faced.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we screwed? Last place means the worst treatment.¡±


    I composed myself and voiced a new goal for the academy.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Limberton. No matter the obstacles, we will enter Adelle Hall.¡±


    I vowed to make it happen and stepped into the citadel.


    As we moved, the passing students¡¯ eyes widened in surprise.


    The second test passers, presumed failed, were waiting, including five survivors among the donation entrants, covered in frozen blood.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    The professor¡¯s voice led us to a large auditorium, capable of holding 300 people.


    A muscular old man with a scar over one eye stood on the platform, lips curling in amusement.


    ¡°This year, there are many talented newcomers.¡±


    From now, the significance of Frost Heart and its purpose would unfold from the mouth of the renowned Frost Sword Master.

 Chapter 47

    The floor of the auditorium was covered with a red carpet. While the third test passers glanced at the groups across from them, I kept my eyes on the floor. Limberton scratched his head and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t they supposed to fail?¡±


    I took my eyes off the floor and answered, ¡°They¡¯re going to the same dormitory as us.¡±


    In truth, from the moment one passed the second test, admission was inevitable. The consent form we received upon passing the second test had a small clause: [We are not responsible for death during enrollment.]


    They didn¡¯t care if there were casualties during the third test. Signing that consent form was a tacit agreement to this reality.


    ¡°So, what about them? Where did all those people go, and why are there only five left? And why do they look like that?¡±


    Limberton pointed to the donation admissions but couldn¡¯t get an answer.


    The elderly man on the podium clapped his hands, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The sound was so heavy it echoed through the eardrums. The murmurs quickly subsided.


    The intimidating presence of the burly, muscular old man with a scar etched near one eye made even the distant onlookers feel like herbivores.


    ¡°My name is Arkandric Al Oddman, the headmaster of this institution. This year, there are a total of 250 successful candidates. I am very pleased to see so many capable individuals gathered here.¡±


    His name elicited gasps from various corners. They must have been from the north, astonished by the legend of the man who earned the title of Frost Sword for his efforts in repelling monster invasions from the northern border near the demonic lands.


    ¡°Many of you must be confused, not knowing much about Frost Heart or finding the entrance exam far removed from what you expected,¡± Arkandric continued as many nodded.


    The first part of his explanation was about Frost Heart¡¯s purpose and founding principles.


    ¡°Unlike other academies focused on producing civil servants, our Frost Heart aims to train the Demon Realm Suppression Squad. The test you underwent was to gauge your basic survival skills in the demonic lands. But didn¡¯t you find it odd? Why is there a dungeon below and the academy built on top of it? It¡¯s symbolic. The founder wanted to impart the noble pioneering spirit to future generations.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± someone interrupted, raising their hand high, cutting off Arkandric¡¯s speech. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are graduates from here really going to the demonic lands?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no need to graduate from an academy, is there?¡±


    ¡°Right. Any adventurer can go if they want to.¡±


    Arkandric glared at the three who spoke out.


    ¡°Do you really think where those adventurers go is the true demonic land? Land already trampled by others? Hah, that¡¯s just a paved path. In a little while, the demonic lands you know will become a homeland. They¡¯re practically conquered. But what does this academy produce? Not those trifling things but¡­¡±


    Arkandric squinted and raised his voice.


    ¡°Pioneers who will tread unknown lands, Pathfinders!¡±


    A hush fell over the crowd as he introduced the imperial institution, Pathfinder, a term familiar to some but unknown to most due to the Empire¡¯s secrecy.


    ¡°Let me show you,¡± Arkandric gestured, and professors used projection magic to display a giant map in the air.


    The sea covered the largest area, followed by a continent painted in black, and the smallest was the combined territories of all the world¡¯s nations, barely a tenth of the total area.


    ¡°Human territory is significantly smaller compared to the demonic lands. As we enter an era of unprecedented prosperity, conflicts over land will only intensify. The mission of the Pathfinders is to conquer the demonic lands for humanity¡¯s prosperity.¡±


    The Empire and a few aware of this had kept it quiet to avoid international conflicts.


    ¡°The demonic lands hold immense value: ancient relics, secret magic tomes, elixirs of longevity, herbs that cure all diseases, and countless treasures. Revealing this would lead to internal competition.¡±


    Thus, secrecy was maintained, driven by human greed.


    ¡°Fewer people know, the more they get,¡± he concluded.


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± A woman, raised in luxury, asked boldly, ¡°Where do I file for withdrawal?¡±


    Given the ongoing deaths in the demonic lands, asking to go deeper was akin to suicide, so rejection was expected.


    Arkandric clenched his fist in anger.


    ¡°This is the second time someone dared interrupt me,¡± his voice was icy.


    Hands quickly lowered, and he continued, ¡°Remember, I let it slide the first time thinking you were unaccustomed.¡±


    ¡°Now, let me explain the benefits upon graduation. Frost Heart graduates will receive the Empire¡¯s unwavering support and access to the maps recorded by previous Pathfinders.¡±


    Some eyes lit up with interest.


    Arkandric smirked, ¡°Those keen enough realize the value of these benefits is immeasurable.¡±


    Those benefits included information on hidden treasures.


    I pondered the value of such benefits, almost memorizing the maps myself.


    One of the donation admissions stepped forward, glaring.


    ¡°Oh, here we go. Limberton, were you wondering why the donation admissions looked like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was.¡±


    ¡°Watch closely.¡±


    The man approached Arkandric and shouted, ¡°Hey, you senile old man. You threw us into the dungeon without weapons? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much money my family donated?¡±


    Arkandric listened quietly before responding with a stern look, ¡°You still don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re nothing but trash your family discarded for some money.¡±


    This was the answer I wanted Limberton to hear.


    Most donation admissions were family rejects: misbehaved individuals, illegitimate children, or unwanted heirs.


    ¡°I scour the Empire for such troublemakers and send them a notice, offering to resolve their issues here,¡± Arkandric continued.


    The academy made money, and¡­


    ¡°I tell them they¡¯re not trash. I¡¯ll reward those who prove otherwise.¡±


    Arkandric approached the man, who retreated but was grabbed by the shoulder.


    Eventually, the man¡¯s well-groomed head was forcibly patted.


    ¡°Ah! What are you doing! Stop it, old man!¡±


    ¡°Haha, such a shy child.¡±


    The man was so embarrassed that he kicked and punched Arkandric, who didn¡¯t flinch.


    ¡°Despite my warnings, you interrupted me. You need the rod of love.¡±


    Arkandric lifted the man and threw him against the wall.


    Bang!


    The man¡¯s upper body was embedded in the wall. He might have survived, but to others, he appeared dead.


    Students were terrified. What use were rewards if you could die?


    ¡°That crazy old man. I¡¯m going home,¡± some murmured.


    Arkandric turned to the professors, ¡°Begin.¡±


    The professors aimed their staffs at the red carpet, and a large magic circle glowed, swallowing the students.


    A system window appeared in my vision.


    [Threat detected. Type: Curse of Control]


    [Attribute activated. 1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    The curse was the Curse of Control. A demonstration would soon show its effects.


    I waited for the first victim to try escaping the auditorium. To my surprise, it was Erucel.


    Rockefeller blocked his path.


    ¡°There seems to be a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t intend to pass.¡±


    ¡°Return to your place.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow the withdrawal procedure. Can you tell me where to do that?¡±


    ¡°I said, return.¡±


    Erucel scratched his head and frowned. I thought he was an idiot.


    ¡°Are you ordering a Tenest? Aren¡¯t you afraid of my father?¡±


    ¡°Second warning,¡± Rockefeller snapped his fingers.


    Erucel screamed and collapsed, foaming at the mouth.


    The curse was the Control Covenant.


    Students were horrified, and Arkandric advised, ¡°Follow the professors¡¯ instructions. The curse left by the academy¡¯s founder can only be lifted by becoming a mage on par with the faculty, graduating, or dying.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t cursed, but I planned to graduate, so it didn¡¯t matter.


    Rockefeller approached me with a sneer, ¡°Are you displeased with your brother¡¯s treatment, Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Your eyes show defiance. Fix it.¡±


    These are my natural eyes, always looking fierce. No matter how kindly I smile, it looks like a villain¡¯s grin. What does he expect?


    ¡°Show respect to your teacher.¡±


    ¡°Respect?¡±


    ¡°Second warning. Smile.¡±


    Rockefeller smirked. I decided to fake being cursed as a sign of respect.


    ¡°Ouch it tickles.¡±


    Standing straight, without flinching, I pretended to be in pain.


    I couldn¡¯t act as pathetically as that idiot on the floor.


    Rockefeller seemed frustrated by my lack of reaction.


    ¡°Hmm, that concludes our introduction. Go to your assigned dormitory and rest. Classes begin tomorrow.¡±


    ***


    As soon as Arkandric finished, Hersel left the auditorium.


    Rockefeller, watching him, felt a vein throb on his forehead.


    he wondered.


    He knew Hersel survived a guardian¡¯s strike. But that was external.


    Internal nerve pain was different. He was eager to see Hersel collapse but got only a weak reaction.


    He remembered Arkandric¡¯s similar case, frowning.


    ¡°He said it tickled.¡±


    Rockefeller watched Hersel¡¯s disappearing figure.


    ¡°Is it the bloodline?¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s glare made Rockefeller¡¯s heart pound. Ashamed, he looked down.


    He had boasted about transferring Hersel to the knight division but had no results yet.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll get scolded again because of that guy¡­ I¡¯ll make him regret this.¡±


    His method would be harsh.


    Rockefeller plotted Hersel¡¯s suffering as he left the auditorium.


    ***


    I felt a prickling on my neck. I had sensed a strange gaze for a while now¡­


    ¡°Who¡¯s glaring at me?¡±


    ¡°A woman in armor,¡± I motioned Limberton and Aslay to go ahead.


    ¡°Go shower first.¡±


    ¡°Uh? Okay, see you later.¡±


    Limberton glanced back and left. Aslay followed, puzzled.


    The woman spoke, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    I turned to see a familiar woman with red hair and brown eyes, staring blankly.


    But I sensed her underlying anger.


    I sighed deeply.


    ¡­She came.


    The unavoidable moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re late. You could¡¯ve asked before the third test.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d fail.¡±


    Her eyes twisted slightly.


    I wanted to leave quickly. She was the character who hated Hersel the most.


    And she was awkward for me, too.


    ¨C Hersel? I know him. We were forced into an unwanted engagement for our families. I hated it. He told me to wear dresses instead of armor.

 Chapter 48

    There was a time when it was allowed to wield a sword. As she improved day by day, her parents watched her progress with joy.


    She herself found joy in discovering the fun of swordsmanship.


    Naturally, the girl¡¯s path became that of a knight.


    Leana thought that if it weren¡¯t for this man on that day she turned fifteen, her parents would have gladly supported her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around brandishing a sword just because you¡¯re a girl.¡±


    Recalling that voice that remained vividly in her memory, Leana asked coldly, with a detached expression.


    ¡°So, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll assume whatever I want.¡±


    Thinking it was not worth speaking to, Leana turned away. But then, a lingering question she had been holding back resurfaced, and she spoke again.


    ¡°By the way, what did I do wrong?¡±


    She had always been curious.


    She had never made any mistake towards Hersel, who had visited her family as a guest that day.


    She hadn¡¯t even tried to meet him, instead swinging her sword where no one could see her.


    Even when he suddenly approached her and picked a fight¡­


    ¡°If it makes you uncomfortable to watch, I can do it somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I want. I¡¯m telling you not to touch a sword at all. Ah, it¡¯s no use saying you¡¯ll give up here and now. You¡¯ll just pick up the sword and mess around where I can¡¯t see, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Thinking they would never see each other again, she didn¡¯t bother to respond.


    ¡°You seem to want to become a knight. How about we make a bet? Let¡¯s see if you can continue holding that sword.¡±


    Until she found out what method he had in mind¡­


    ¡°Why did you arrange an engagement without my consent? Why?¡±


    Compared to the Tenest family, the Derevian family was merely a common noble house.


    There was nothing to gain from it.


    However, for her family, an arranged marriage with a grand noble like Tenest was an opportunity they couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°Because of you, my family kept opposing me. I was forced to take bride lessons that didn¡¯t suit me, and now I¡¯ve been disowned.¡±


    Her career path was blocked, and even the only person who had secretly approved her academy admission, her mother, had been sent away to her maternal family.


    While much of it was due to her stubbornness, the one who had caused this was the man in front of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of some petty bet, is it?¡±


    Surely, he wouldn¡¯t have done all this for such a trivial reason.


    No matter how she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°¡­Stop keeping your mouth shut and say something.¡±


    A bit of emotion slipped into her voice.


    Then, Hersel, who seemed like he would never open his mouth, spoke.


    ¡°Shall I answer honestly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    Strength surged into Leana¡¯s hand, but soon dissipated.


    Whether this man interfered or not, she just needed to keep doing what she always did.


    ¡°It seems you have no intention of letting me go until the end. Do as you please. Things won¡¯t go the way you want them to¡­¡±


    Leana turned her back.


    Then Hersel called out.


    ¡°Leana.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Of all things, I can¡¯t let your last statement pass. You definitely have princess syndrome. Get treatment.¡±


    As if to preempt her, Hersel started to leave.


    As she chewed over his words, Leana felt dazed.


    At that moment, Selly approached from a distance and greeted.


    ¡°Master¡¯s test¡­, oh. Lady Leana, hello? I am Selly Daylden.¡±


    Selly lifted her hand, pinching her skirt lightly.


    Hersel, indifferent, continued on his way.


    ¡°By any chance, did our master make any mistake?¡±


    Leana responded with her eyes.


    Understanding instantly, Selly wore an apologetic expression and whispered quietly.


    ¡°Please forgive him. Actually, Master sometimes loses his mind due to a Mania¡­¡±


    ¡°Mania?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been about eight months now.¡±


    Leana blinked as she watched Hersel disappear into the distance.


    -¡°I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±


    Maybe what Selly said was true.


    ***


    At first, I had no choice but to listen quietly.


    In the original story I knew, her mother wouldn¡¯t have been chased away.


    That was probably because this guy died, losing his value in the arranged marriage, leading her father to allow it.


    My own survival must have had some influence as well.


    While sorting things out in my head, a slightly excessive statement slipped out.


    Being treated like a stalker had irked me.


    The more I heard about his misdeeds, the more fresh and shocking they seemed, but none of it was my fault.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Maybe it was a good thing.


    Her feelings for me would only worsen, and she would avoid me on her own.


    If so, the forced connection would naturally dissolve.


    Reassured, I entered the Schlaphe Hall.


    The first floor resembled a hotel lobby.


    The walls and floor were all dark-colored marble.


    Though it had an antique feel, the cracks and uneven spots made it seem like an old building.


    People were lined up waiting.


    At the front, dormitory supervisors checked the identities of new students and handed out rules and keys.


    Seeing it would take a while for my turn, I observed the first-floor lobby.


    The chandelier hanging from the ceiling flickered.


    Half-melted candle wax repeatedly lit and extinguished.


    On the desk, there were pots with bizarre plants, and the furniture was all wooden with eerie patterns as if ghosts were screaming.


    The most eye-catching thing was a long grandfather clock, as tall as myself.


    A black cat trapped inside the clock poked the swinging pendulum.


    Ah.


    As soon as our eyes met, the cat turned into smoke and disappeared.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest!¡±


    Oh, it was my turn already.


    A middle-aged man in a suit and monocle, with a stern expression, handed over the rules and key, made of a mirror.


    ¡°Building 3, Room 303, your luggage has been delivered to your room. If you want to shower, refer to the map in the hallway.¡±


    When I saw my face in the mirror, the rules were listed.


    They changed daily, and today they were like this:


    [Do not pay any attention to the woman crouching in the corner of the landing. Building 3 is a male-only dormitory with strict female entry prohibition.]


    [Lock your door at exactly 11:37 PM and do not come out. If you hear the lock being undone, lock it again. This only needs to be done once.]


    [The dorm supervisor has a colored band on their right arm. Supervisors never wear red bands. If you see even a small red stain, do not approach. If witnessed, report it by morning.]


    The biggest downside of Schlaphe Hall was this.


    Situated above a dungeon, the dormitory experienced daily paranormal phenomena.


    With warning signs changing daily, the stress was overwhelming.


    Despite the stifling environment, there was no choice but to cope.


    If it was too much, I could move to the safer fortress of Adelle Hall or the less paranormal Buerger Hall.


    After showering, I looked around my assigned room.


    It was only as big as the dressing room in my mansion.


    The only furniture was an old desk, chair, bed, and wardrobe.


    I found an old piece of paper while rummaging through the drawers.


    It was a roughly drawn pamphlet map.


    At the bottom, it listed purchasable living supplies, with a key point on basic expenses.


    Monthly heating costs: 10 coins.


    Monthly dormitory maintenance fee: 5 coins.


    Monthly living expenses given to Schlaphe Hall students: 30 coins.


    It implied students here had to work like slaves to make ends meet.


    Suddenly, reality hit me hard.


    From living well as a rich man¡¯s son, I was back to the struggling days of a young adult starting out, worried about living expenses.


    No, this wasn¡¯t the time for self-pity.


    I recalled the plan I had set upon entering the academy.


    The goal was to clear the scenario and survive.


    The key players were, of course, the playable characters.


    But there was a major headache here.


    Random elements could result in some dying or living ordinary lives due to twisted narratives.


    I needed to increase the survival rate of playable characters as much as possible for a higher chance of clearing.


    I opened the curtain and gazed blankly at the fortress beyond the window.


    Leaning against the window sill, I thought of Adelle Hall where many playable characters gathered.


    And I ground my teeth.


    ¡°If only it weren¡¯t for that guy¡­¡±


    Originally, I planned to enter Adelle Hall from the start.


    Living in the same building was the best way to monitor if their narratives flowed well.


    However, my plans were set back a step by Rockefeller¡¯s interference.


    Using my seething anger as fuel, I clenched my fist.


    No matter what obstacles that guy placed, I would enter Adelle Hall.


    Definitely.


    Adelle Hall¡¯s facilities were overall luxurious.


    Clean carpets, shiny porcelain, and paintings on the walls.


    Plus, all sorts of conveniences.


    ***


    Riamon wandered aimlessly until reaching a spacious area.


    Sofas and bookshelves were scattered around.


    At the counter, a middle-aged woman brewed tea, and the freshmen he had seen before were receiving trays and taking seats.


    As he turned to leave, a maid sent by his family approached.


    ¡°Oh, young master Riamon. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    Riamon frowned.


    ¡°¡­So you followed me all the way here. Why don¡¯t you just live in the same room?¡±


    ¡°How could a woman enter there? More importantly, you should come over and socialize with the others.¡±


    He had no good memories of mingling with people.


    Ignoring her, he tried to walk away, but the maid called softly.


    ¡°Young master? The head of the family wishes for you to graduate with top honors. To do that, it¡¯s fundamental to form ties with capable people.¡±


    Riamon stopped and sighed deeply.


    Just then, a short-haired woman who had been watching approached.


    ¡°Hi? Are you Riamon who ranked first in the entrance exam?¡±


    Not answering, he stood still, prompting the maid to glare at him.


    Reluctantly, Riamon nodded and replied.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t stand here. Come over. We were just introducing ourselves.¡±


    When she pointed to a table, Riamon¡¯s usual dark thoughts took over.


    The maid gently pushed him, and he awkwardly joined the dozen people at the table.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Riamon of the Rebetura family. Thanks for inviting me.¡±


    Forced into formal gestures, he pretended to be polite, and conversations flowed.


    Simple questions, mostly about how the exam was.


    Riamon found it all uninteresting and answered briefly, losing their interest quickly.


    Gradually excluded, they began whispering among themselves.


    Then, a name pricked his ears from the bespectacled man.


    ¡°By the way, why did Hersel enroll here?¡±


    Riamon glanced at the red-haired woman who flinched at the name.


    Others¡¯ gazes also fixed on her.


    Her name was Leana, if he remembered correctly.


    ¡°Leana, do you know why? You should know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. We weren¡¯t exchanging letters or anything.¡±


    Her emotionless voice dampened the mood.


    But the bespectacled man felt compelled to speak seriously.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all heard it. The rumor that six months ago, he survived a griffon¡¯s breath.¡±


    Riamon tilted his head.


    So that rumor was about that man.


    While he was understanding, the short-haired woman asked doubtfully.


    ¡°I heard that too, but¡­ wasn¡¯t it a lie?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either. But he passed the third test. Knowing his usual stamina, it¡¯s hard to think the rumor is completely false.¡±


    ¡°Really? But he¡¯s still last. I think he passed thanks to that big barbarian. He must have held him back, right?¡±


    Riamon blinked at her confident statement.


    That human held him back?


    He couldn¡¯t help but speak.


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Then he swallowed his words.


    He recalled their conversation while crossing the cliff with that guy on his back.


    -What does the view look like from up there?


    Curious about his real skill, he had asked, and the guy answered¡­


    -It¡¯s dizzying. You can¡¯t see anything unless you go down there yourself. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Trying to probe further, he had said¡­


    -Being alone up high must be lonely. I can somewhat understand wanting to go down.


    Then he had threatened to shut up¡­


    -Don¡¯t have strange thoughts. Unless you want a short life, I¡¯ve heard the strong often find life boring.


    He came to the academy to find rivals because there were none to match him.


    Realizing this, the guy seemed to hide his true worth, seeking new fun by blending in with ordinary people.


    ¡°Hey, Riamon? Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    If he interfered with that act, he would die.


    Riamon swallowed nervously and stammered.


    ¡°¡­Ah, no. Just wanted to say you might be right.¡±


    Then Leana spoke.


    ¡°Still, he¡¯s much more built than before. His walk was well-balanced, and I almost mistook him for someone else.¡±


    The bespectacled man asked Riamon.


    ¡°Come to think of it, Riamon, you escaped around the same time as Hersel. Do you have any insights?¡±


    As he tried to fabricate an answer, he was interrupted.


    ¡°Can¡¯t ignore hearing that guy¡¯s name so much.¡±


    A silver-haired man who often bothered Limberton approached.


    He remembered the guy¡¯s name was Erucel.


    The bespectacled man pointed to an empty seat.


    ¡°Perfect timing, Erucel. Sit down. You lived with him, so you must know. Is it true he survived the griffon?¡±


    Erucel snorted.


    ¡°Still believing that nonsense? Knowing him well, he must have forced the servants to spread that lie. He loves showing off.¡±


    No matter what anyone said, they were family under the same roof.


    Seeing others nod, Riamon eyed Erucel.


    As family, he must know his brother well.


    ¡­Maybe he was downplaying everything to protect his brother¡¯s secret.


    Realizing this, his perception of their seemingly bad relationship changed.


    His acting seemed real though.

 Chapter 49

    Meeting Limberton and Aslay wasn¡¯t particularly difficult.Same building 3, same floor, walking through the dormitory hallway, Limberton¡¯s stomach growled loudly.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry. Surviving on bread and jerky in the dungeon, I want warm food. When do they serve meals here?¡±


    I gestured for Aslay and Limberton to follow me. It was perfect timing since I had something to show them.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    We arrived at the dining hall. Seeing the seniors enjoying their greasy food, Limberton and Aslay started to drool.


    Of course, a proper meal was out of reach for us.


    ¡°Do you have any coins?¡±


    ¡°Where would we get coins¡­?¡±


    ¡°I figured.¡±


    Even the cheapest meal cost one coin. We had given all our collected coins to Riamon, leaving us penniless. Limberton¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the prices on the menu and then drooped.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Do they really expect us to buy food? Does the academy not provide meals¡­?¡±


    Aslay seemed to catch on too, reacting similarly.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not free. But don¡¯t worry about it now.¡±


    I had seven coins in my pocket. I had taken them from a member of the Lethe group I had encountered while walking with Riamon towards the escape route.


    ¡°Hand over your coins.¡±


    ¡°I-I will.¡±


    Indeed, it¡¯s foolish to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.


    I decided to invest the coins I took into these guys.


    ¡°Choose something under 2 coins.¡±


    As I held up two fingers, Aslay and Limberton gulped and picked from the menu. They devoured their meals as soon as they were served.


    As Limberton swallowed his last bite of meat, I asked him.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to eat like this three times a day?¡±


    ¡°What a silly question. Of course, everyone would.¡±


    ¡°But in Schlaphe Hall, people are grateful to get even one meal a day. Do you know why?¡±


    Limberton shook his head.


    ¡°Because they only get 30 coins a month.¡±


    The guys in Buerger Hall get 150 coins a month, and those in the best dorm, Adelle Hall, receive 300 coins.


    ¡°Only 30?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. After deducting dormitory heating costs and other expenses, half of it is gone. The seniors in Schlaphe Hall barely get by with cheap and plentiful dried food from the store.¡±


    Limberton picked up his plate and licked the remaining sauce.


    ¡°So, I have a good proposal for you guys.¡±


    To get into Adelle Hall, solving the immediate living expenses was crucial. I had thought of a trick for this. A method that could be used only once, on the first day of admission.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re full, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll explain on the way.¡±


    It might seem a bit harsh depending on the perspective, but that¡¯s not my concern.


    We arrived at a bulletin board plastered with papers. Limberton looked at a request pinned to it with a puzzled face.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­ a foot massage for 5 coins?¡±


    The request sheets ranged from errands to collecting research materials and organizing documents.


    ¡°Wait, this one just has a name on it?¡±


    ¡°The requesters aren¡¯t just professors. Even the arrogant bourgeoisie post here.¡±


    ¡°Wow, this one pays 50 coins for just having dinner together. But it¡¯s for women only.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, looks like we have a senior with similar tastes.¡±


    Limberton stopped salivating and frowned.


    ¡°So, your plan is to take on these requests and make money?¡±


    Not at all.


    I started tearing off various requests, from foot massages to miscellaneous tasks.


    ¡°Are you really going to do this as a noble?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking and start tearing.¡±


    I handed the stack of requests to Limberton. Then I took all the requests with relatively high difficulty and high pay, except one, and gave them to Aslay.


    ¡°What are you planning to do with all these?¡±


    ¡°Follow me if you want to earn money.¡±


    I headed to a nearby reception desk with the stack of requests. Dumping them in front of the professor in charge, he widened his eyes and then frowned.


    ¡°¡­If this is a joke, put them back immediately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m accepting all these requests.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Seeing my serious expression, the professor looked at me like I was a lunatic. However, there was nothing against the rules, so he stamped each request.


    I checked my pocket watch.


    Soon.


    Until the end of class.


    ¡°Return to the bulletin board now.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    People began to swarm the once empty spot. They ran desperately, like hungry beasts seeking prey. Seeing Limberton¡¯s dumbfounded face, I explained what they were witnessing.


    ¡°Limberton, take a good look. Those insects are our proud seniors of Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Soon, the freshmen will look like that too.¡±


    The people of Schlaphe Hall are all untouchables. Nobles who were born into wealth, massaging stinky feet for a coin, sometimes even playing the clown for lesser noble families¡¯ children. The environment here shapes people that way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re thinking at all¡­ Wait. You¡¯re not thinking what I think you are, are you?¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes twitched, and he broke into a cold sweat. I smirked and replied.


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Get ready.¡±


    The second-year seniors¡¯ faces turned pale when they saw the empty bulletin board. Approaching them with the stack of requests, their eyes lit up.


    I let my voice drip with arrogance, fueled by my noble blood.


    ¡°1-coin requests go to this small guy. 5-coin ones go to me. 10-coin requests go to the big foreign friend. Line up if you need something.¡±


    As expected, the seniors¡¯ reaction was explosive.


    ¡°A new face, are you a freshman?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll overlook your impudent tone this once. Hand over those requests¡­¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard, seen it all now.¡±


    As they approached with threatening expressions, Limberton whimpered.


    ¡°You insane bastard! Why provoke the seniors like this!¡±


    ¡°Limberton, don¡¯t sympathize. If they knew this trick from day one, they¡¯d have done it too.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean!¡±


    I glanced at Aslay and pointed to the bulletin board.


    ¡°Start, Aslay.¡±


    Aslay¡¯s massive hand effortlessly pulled out the bulletin board and swung it around like a club. The approaching seniors fell on their backsides, eyes wide in fear.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    ¡°Put that down, junior.¡±


    ¡°No, why is a barbarian¡­?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. Extras without playable characters, still stuck at the bottom of Schlaphe Hall, dared to challenge me?


    ¡°This is your only warning. Defy us again, and we¡¯ll double the fee.¡±


    The threat worked; they changed tactics. Like true scum, they ditched their pride and appealed to emotions.


    ¡°But taking such fees¡­ I¡¯ll starve for three days if I don¡¯t work today.¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll be in real trouble if I don¡¯t get a request. I have debts to pay today.¡±


    ¡°Still, we¡¯re seniors. Can¡¯t you cooperate a bit?¡±


    Their pitiful pleas annoyed me.


    ¡°Shut up, you worms!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back my contempt.


    ¡°You¡¯re losers. After a year here, you¡¯re still trash. Now you sell your pride to me, a freshman?¡±


    Their mentality was already slave-like.


    ¡°Do you call yourselves nobles? The Empire¡¯s future looks bleak if people like you are its future. You come here to serve, and that¡¯s the future?¡±


    And they failed to escape being slaves despite having the means.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand you. Why didn¡¯t you save your money? If you had saved and invested in your future, you wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡±


    Frostheart is a free market. Students are allowed to make and sell their own goods. These are often led by clubs, essentially running as businesses.


    ¡°Making money through requests is outdated. First-years should stop this nonsense; there are many stable ways to earn money.¡±


    With money and proper use, even without high academic scores, they could buy their way into Buerger Hall. But they didn¡¯t do this simple thing. They deceived themselves, claiming it was impossible, making excuses, and avoiding reality.


    If they endured a bit more hardship, their future would have been easier.


    ¡°How long will you crawl out when you run out of money? Repeating this life?¡±


    ¡°Do you think we live like this by choice?¡±


    ¡°Why? Am I wrong? Look at you. Even today, you were stripped of requests by a freshman. You¡¯re exploited every day, and it won¡¯t change. You¡¯ll soon forget because you¡¯ll be exploited tomorrow and the day after.¡±


    The guy stood speechless, his expression vacant. Around him, the others whispered angrily but quietly, venting their frustration.


    Bored with the argument, I lit a flame on my finger and brought it close to the requests.


    ¡°Hersel, are you a mage?¡±


    ¡°Surprised you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t shown them magic before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t freeze out here. If you don¡¯t want the requests, get lost. I¡¯ll use them as kindling.¡±


    Bringing the flame closer, some murmured nervously.


    Eventually, a few started to line up, and soon, all the requests were sold out.


    ¡°Easy to handle.¡±


    I took the coins from the pouch and distributed them to the two.


    ¡°I got 120. You each get 90. Good job, Limberton, Aslay. You can keep the remaining two coins.¡±


    Aslay silently accepted the pouch. Limberton, however, hesitated, feeling a twinge of conscience.


    ¡°¡­This doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Limberton, with that mindset, you¡¯ll remain a slave forever.¡±


    ¡°No, but shouldn¡¯t seniors give advice to juniors? We live in the same dormitory; we should get along.¡±


    I felt the need to crush his na?ve mindset and impart a life lesson.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mingle with them. Unless you¡¯re a tough guy, you¡¯ll end up like them.¡±


    They are a swamp, pulling each other down. Whenever someone tries to do something worthwhile, they say, ¡°That can wait!¡± and waste time, dragging others down and finding solace in not being alone.


    Eventually, they forget that they shouldn¡¯t live like this. They think life is like this because everyone around them lives the same way.


    ¡°They¡¯re only there to be used. Draw a line, or you¡¯ll be used too.¡±


    Seeing his still hesitant face, I decided to hammer the point home with a sweet lie.


    ¡°By the way, did you know women prefer moderately bad guys with money?¡±


    ¡°R-really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Even in Buerger Hall, Schlaphe women would want to have tea with you.¡±


    In reality, they¡¯d just exploit him.


    ¡°Now imagine if you get into Adelle Hall. Buerger Hall women would be the same.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s grin stretched to his ears.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    Simple-minded.


    With living expenses covered, we had spare coins left. Now, we just needed to grow this.


    Before that, I pulled out a request for 100 coins I had set aside.


    [Required item: Merilly Root.]


    [Reward: 100 coins]


    [Requester: Rockefeller Den Harman.]


    Tomorrow¡¯s first class was herbology. With that subject, I should be able to gather the herbs listed here.


    ***


    Rockefeller enjoyed a steaming cup of tea, watching the morning through the window.


    Though he got scolded by the headmaster yesterday, he talked his way out.


    ¡°¡­He won¡¯t adapt to life in Schlaphe Hall. Hungry beasts are easy to tame. I¡¯ll offer irresistible terms then.¡±


    The more luxurious the past, the harder it is to live a bottom-tier life. The thirty coins given today would likely be spent in a day. No, he might even end up in debt.


    If I lure him into joining the knight department then¡­


    ¡°Adelle Hall. I don¡¯t want to offer such conditions to that detestable guy, but I have no choice.¡±


    Rockefeller stretched.


    In about three days, he¡¯ll be begging for mercy like the Schlaphe slaves. When that day comes, I¡¯ll make him lick my shoes with a smile.


    ***


    The first class was herbology. The location was an outdoor area covered in white snow. The female professor showed us an herb.


    ¡°Familiarize yourselves with this. It¡¯s a task to collect one root. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve chosen an easy-to-find Merilly root for you beginners.¡±


    ¡­That swindler.


    Merilly root is an expensive herb. It¡¯s hard to find.


    ¡°But don¡¯t let your guard down. Monsters appear near the snowy areas, so be cautious.¡±


    I knew where it was located. I planned to give the thinnest roots to the new students trying to cheat, and sell the rest myself.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go find the herbs with your assigned partners.¡±


    A girl approached me with a tearful face. She wasn¡¯t being sacrificed, so why was she so scared?


    I forced a smile and greeted her.


    ¡°I¡¯m Hersel Ben Tenest. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Gasp¡­¡±


    I forgot, my smiling face looks more terrifying.

 Chapter 50

    For some of the theory subjects, joint classes were held. Most classes, however, were conducted separately by dormitory. In the case of herb gathering, only the Schlaphe Hall¡¯s magic department participated. And among the Schlaphe people¡­¡°Hmph, you took all our coins and now you¡¯re here?¡±


    There were plenty of Lethe members who had generously ¡®gifted¡¯ me their coins. I stared at the ground, feeling a bit guilty for not meeting their expectations.


    ¡°Damn, I have no face to show. Even after you all helped me so much¡­¡±


    When I expressed my regrets, Rendal, still with some swelling, gritted his teeth. Fortunately, it seemed he had managed to reattach his lost teeth.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Who, argh!¡±


    He probably still had toothache.


    ¡°You¡¯d better brace yourself, Hersel! I¡¯ll show you hell throughout your academy life!!¡±


    ¡°This place is already hell, Rendal. You must have gotten an idea of what it¡¯s like after staying here for a day, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Unable to find the right words, Rendal glanced at the Lethe members behind him. When I glared at them too, those who still had bruises on their faces avoided eye contact nervously. Having experienced it themselves, they were cautious. In a way, Rendal was admirable for being the only one to put on a brave front.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    I clicked my tongue as I watched him lead his group away. This wasn¡¯t an exam, it was a class, so I couldn¡¯t take their harvests like I did their coins.


    ¡°Um, excuse me¡­¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, shouldn¡¯t we start too?¡±


    I looked at the girl who was my partner. She kept her distance, looking scared.


    Her name was¡­ I clearly heard it but I¡¯m confused.


    ¡°What was your name again?¡±


    ¡°K-Klabe Don Gravel.¡±


    Ah, Klabe. I recognized her face, but names often slipped my mind. Understandably so, given her timid nature and lack of presence. Yet, she was an acquaintance of a playable character from Schlaphe Hall¡¯s magic department.


    ¡°Everyone else is moving now, you know?¡±


    I glanced at the man with the ponytail. He looked at Klabe and me with wary eyes.


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s get moving too.¡±


    First-year Schlaphe students were not entirely without hope, unlike the second and third-year losers. The condition for passing the third exam was being among the top 70 teams, so they hadn¡¯t yet proven their abilities. About a fifth of them would move to Burger Hall next semester, and that guy was expected to rise directly to Adelle Hall.


    Since this girl was his friend, I needed to make a good impression.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite pretty, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Her indistinct features suggested otherwise, though.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Klabe flinched and stepped back. Maybe that compliment was something a more flirtatious guy would say¡­


    ¡°Ahem, no, nothing. Follow me. I have a rough idea where the Merilly root is.¡±


    When I pulled out the prepared rope, Klabe turned pale.


    ***


    Rendal frowned as he watched the three of them.


    ¡°Are you that scared of that guy?¡±


    These guys were truly pathetic. After suffering that much, they should be thinking about revenge.


    ¡°Rendal, you were unconscious back then, right? You didn¡¯t see how cruel he was¡­¡±


    One of them crossed his legs. The other two hadn¡¯t even been hit by him.


    ¡°Ugh, I still tremble at the thought of that barbarian.¡±


    ¡°Rendal, if you saw your helmet get crushed like we did, you wouldn¡¯t want to get involved with them again either.¡±


    Rendal spat in disbelief.


    There were ranks within the Lethe members. Explaining Hersel¡¯s actions to the first-rank officers had earned Rendal permission to handle him and a promise of promotion if he succeeded. These guys knew that too.


    ¡°Did you forget the benefits of becoming an officer? You could build connections with the Imperial family! Don¡¯t you realize how great that is?¡±


    Every noble child had a longing for the Imperial family. Even if they were cast out by their families, having those connections guaranteed success. And Lethe made that possible.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, leave. I¡¯ll handle him alone.¡±


    Rendal angrily followed Hersel¡¯s tracks in the snow. The others, unable to resist the temptation, slowly followed.


    The cold wind bit at their noses. As they walked, breathing out clouds of vapor, they reached a place filled with Merilly roots.


    ¨C Hersel, the girl behind you has been aiming her staff at your back for a while.


    ¡­I noticed too.


    As expected of a snowy mountain, the cliffs were scattered everywhere. I stopped at the edge of a drop-off.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    I pulled out the rope and checked Klabe¡¯s expression. She looked terrified and started drawing a spell formula in the air. I frowned.


    ¡°So, you really brought me here to¡­ There aren¡¯t any roots, right?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just keep watch.¡±


    Ignoring the misunderstanding Klabe had, I drove a large stake with a loop into the ground. After securing it tightly, I tied the rope to it and threw it over the cliff.


    Below was a fairly wide area, the entrance to a cave.


    With a thud, I grabbed the rope and descended the cliff. I had overcome my fear of heights long ago after falling off cliffs twice. Sliding down almost effortlessly, I looked at the cave filled with Merilly roots.


    At that moment, Klabe¡¯s scream erupted from above.


    ¡°W-Wait, what are you doing¡­ Aaaah!¡±


    Klabe, tears streaming, fell towards the ground. Just before she was about to hit, I quickly activated the lightweight magic in my gloves.


    Her body, feather-light, landed gently in my arms.


    ¡°I warned you to brace yourself, Hersel.¡±


    Looking up, I saw Rendal arrogantly raising his chin. His group was murmuring behind him.


    ¡°Rendal¡­ Even if it¡¯s Hersel, what about the girl? What if something happens to her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be treated as an accident.¡±


    Rendal lit the end of his staff with a flame and brought it close to the rope. Watching his infuriating face, I pulled out my staff.


    Ah, magic.


    Grant me the power to drag that bastard to hell.


    With my mana nearly depleted from the lightweight spell, I could still cast my specialty magic. I weakly pulled Rendal¡¯s ankle with it.


    He slipped on the snow.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    Rendal began sliding down the cliff, grabbing the rope. The flame at the end of his staff¡­


    Whoosh!


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    Halfway down, Rendal screamed, clinging to the burning rope. It snapped under his weight.


    Thud!


    I approached the snow-covered Rendal. Though injured, he raised his head, looking grim.


    ¡°As a captive, I have one request.¡±


    Captive. Though his actions were foolish, he understood his situation well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t hit my face.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡±


    I stepped on him repeatedly and gave him a solid knock on the head. With each strike, he curled up and whimpered.


    Feeling much better, I shouted to the people above.


    ¡°If you want to save Rendal, bring another rope immediately!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he already dead?¡±


    ¡°N-no, he¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll bring one. Wait there.¡±


    While they fetched the rope, I decided to gather the roots.


    ¡°Klabe, over here. Help me out.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ okay.¡±


    Klabe, more terrified than ever, followed slowly. As we entered the cave, a sound like a beast snoring echoed.


    Snort.


    A giant white fox was hibernating. I stopped Klabe, who was aiming her staff at the fox.


    ¡°Klabe, don¡¯t provoke it unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°But what if¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t wake up even if we make noise. Just don¡¯t touch it.¡±


    Walking confidently, Klabe seemed relieved and followed me.


    The cave grew darker as we went deeper. I was about to pull out a torch when Klabe swung her staff, and flames erupted.


    Whoosh.


    The size of the flames was no joke¡­


    ¡°Oh? It really is here! Just like the professor showed us.¡±


    Klabe¡¯s eyes sparkled at the sight of a single sky-blue flower. She was thrilled over such a small thing.


    ¡°Bring the fire closer.¡±


    Maybe she was starting to trust me. She hesitated less. After a few more steps, Klabe¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°Wow¡­ Is this all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Merilly flowers.¡±


    Flowers hidden all around. There must be about 15 in total. At 100 coins each, they were worth 1500 coins. I¡¯d give the worst one to the professor for grading, and another to Klabe as a reward for her help.


    ¡°You stay here and light the area.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Carefully, I packed the roots into my collection bag. As I was about to leave, I heard the sound of static electricity.


    Crackle.


    Looking towards the entrance, my jaw dropped. Rendal was crawling on the ground, holding the staff in his mouth, a rope wrapped around his waist.


    ¡­Rendal is as tenacious as you are.


    His poorly drawn spell shot off-target, but the static seemed to flow through the ground, waking the giant fox.


    ¡°It¡¯s awake! What do we do¡­¡±


    As Klabe panicked, Rendal smirked.


    ¡°Heh heh, I¡¯ll explain to the professor that you were killed by a monster. Goodbye.¡±


    As his group pulled him up, Rendal began ascending. I quickly grabbed a rock and threw it.


    Thwack!


    ¡°Pull¡­ Ooof!¡±


    It hit him right in the crotch. He went limp and was dragged out of sight.


    -Damn you¡­


    ¡®It was an accident.¡¯


    But what about this yawning fox? As it sniffed the air, it growled, baring its teeth.


    Standing on its hind legs, the 3-meter-tall creature wasn¡¯t a sandbag like the Lethe members, but a real monster. I was genuinely scared, having never faced a monster alone.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Glancing at Klabe, who was now crying and sitting on the ground.


    I had to rely on my magic.


    ***


    While the servants swept the garden path, watching the changing seasons filled my lonely hours. The mistress set down her teacup on the terrace.


    ¡°Without them, it feels somewhat empty.¡±


    Aol bared his teeth in a faint smile.


    ¡°Now that they¡¯re gone, their absence is keenly felt.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if they¡¯re doing well¡­¡±


    ¡°Erucel is a child taught by Sir Kaulro. Hersel, even if isolated, will manage on his own.¡±


    The mistress smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. There can¡¯t be anything more dangerous than the giant bird there.¡±


    Seeing her relieved expression, Aol blinked slowly.


    ¡°Speaking of which, as Mircel wishes-¡°


    ¡°I told you he¡¯s still too young.¡±


    The mistress¡¯s response was cold. Showing no signs of compromise, Aol left the terrace. Mircel, who had been waiting eagerly, brightened.


    When Aol shook his head, Mircel¡¯s hopeful expression turned sullen. The mistress¡¯s voice startled them.


    ¡°Mircel? How many times do I have to tell you that it¡¯s too early to go to the academy?¡±


    Aol patted the despondent Mircel on the back.

 Chapter 51

    As always, I habitually scanned my surroundings. Inside the cave, there wasn¡¯t even a way to utilize the traps like in a dungeon. Still, considering it wasn¡¯t even a match for the watcher, let alone the monstrous bird, there was a chance of winning. I raised the staff, the only weapon I had.The giant fox¡¯s paw flew towards me immediately. Following Donatan¡¯s lead, I dodged it with minimal movement. Seeing an opening, I extended my arm and jabbed the fox¡¯s neck with the end of the staff.


    Thwack!


    ¡­As expected, it was still a monster. Unless it was a sword, penetrating that thick hide with a staff was impossible. Nonetheless, it seemed to cause some pain, making it close its eyes tightly.


    The fox lunged at me with its teeth. I avoided it with a backstep and thrust the staff into its forehead like a fencing move. This time, the thrust contained a tiny electric orb.


    Zap! Crackle.


    If I kept accumulating damage like this, it would eventually die.


    Grrrr?


    Judging by the deepening frown on its face, it seemed to be getting angrier. The fox began swiping wildly with no regard for what was in front of it. I dodged by ducking with all my might or stepping into places where I wouldn¡¯t get hit.


    ¨C Hmm, Hersel.


    ¨C Don¡¯t you feel ashamed calling yourself a magician?


    Perhaps it was due to the lack of energy after just waking from hibernation. After repeatedly dodging with cold sweats, the fox¡¯s movements began to slow down.


    Huff, huff¡­


    At that moment, a sudden exclamation from behind made my shoulders flinch.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Turning my head, I saw Gravel with her mouth wide open as if she had witnessed an acrobatics show. ¡­Seriously, she¡¯s such a forgettable woman. So immersed in the battle that she quickly forgot¡­


    ¡°Hey, hey, over there¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, over there.¡±


    I looked where Gravel was pointing. The giant fox, after catching its breath, was climbing the wall on all fours. Its target wasn¡¯t me but Gravel.


    Thud! Thud!


    The giant fox charged at Gravel, swinging its arm broadly. True to her timid and cowardly nature, Gravel closed her eyes tightly regardless of the approaching threat. Having rushed forward earlier, I blocked the fox¡¯s claws with my back.


    Clang!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Invincibility for 1 second cooldown: 59 seconds]


    The sharp claws made a ripping sound as they fell to the ground.


    Squeal!


    The giant fox let out a monstrous scream and backed away from me with cautious movements, likely due to the considerable pain from losing its claws. Fueled by this momentum, I stepped forward, igniting the ¡®Noble Blood Ember.¡¯ ?


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s not fun anymore. I¡¯ll spare you, so get lost.¡±


    I intended to use the ¡°1-second invincibility¡± as a last resort. Since the opponent was a monster, there was no certainty that bluffing would work. However, the monster I faced this time seemed to be an instinct-driven beast that had no intention of retreating.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± It was time to execute the ultimate move: cooling down and falling off the cliff with Gravel. At that moment, Gravel squeezed out a voice.


    ¡°Move, move away.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    When I glanced back, Gravel was drawing a spell with her staff. It was quite surprising, as it was a high-difficulty spell that Carmelo had demonstrated. It was a mixed spell that simultaneously utilized elemental and embodiment magic.


    Whoosh!


    Five fiery pigeons flew at lightning speed and pecked at the fox. Astonished, I looked at Gravel, who had her eyes wide open. If the previous impression of her was monochrome, now she was alive like a vibrant photo of fresh fruit.


    ¡°Have you been casting a spell on yourself all this time?¡±


    Among embodiment magic, there were spells that used surrounding mana to diminish one¡¯s presence. According to Carmelo, it wasn¡¯t hypnosis but camouflage. It seemed the camouflage spell was dispelled while she was casting the fire pigeon spell.


    ¡°Uh, yes¡­¡± No wonder her presence was abnormally faint¡­


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Gravel turned her head quickly and murmured softly.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to get noticed by you¡­¡±


    I wonder what she sees me as. The giant fox, repeatedly attacked by the fiery pigeons, eventually collapsed to the ground. I blinked, looking at the neatly roasted fox. ¡­She was quite a formidable magician after all. Well, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for a playable character¡¯s acquaintance to be stronger than an ordinary person.


    ¡°More importantly, Hersel, are you okay where the fox scratched you?¡±


    Gravel ran over with a worried expression, holding a handkerchief.


    ¡°Let me see your back for a moment¡­¡±


    Showing her my coat, shredded at the back, Gravel widened her eyes and wiped non-existent blood. Seeing the still-clean handkerchief, she looked bewildered.


    ¡°How is it possible to have no wounds at all?¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be impressed. Finding a way out is the priority.¡± Gravel looked up the steep cliff with a troubled expression.


    ¡°But what should we do? We don¡¯t have a rope¡­¡±


    Of course, the rope was gone.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do something with embodiment magic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that skilled.¡±


    Seems like her innate talent lies in elemental magic. In that case, we have to find another way.


    ¡°No need to worry.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you know how to use embodiment magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­I know a better method.¡± I picked up the claw the fox had dropped. With its thickness, suitable for gripping, and needle-sharp tip, it could be used to climb the wall.


    ¡°You¡¯re not planning to climb the wall with that, are you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ¡°Will you carry me, or should I wait here until you bring a rope?¡±


    As Gravel hesitated, fiddling with her fingers, the surroundings lit up. The light gradually transformed into a long shape, forming a wooden ladder.


    ¡°¡­Come up, Gravel.¡±


    Looking up, I saw a man with a ponytail holding a staff.


    ¡°Ricks?¡±


    The playable character, Ricks Don Orien. He had created the ladder with embodiment magic. Gravel motioned for me to go up first.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ¡®ladies first¡¯ at times like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­You really don¡¯t understand women, do you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing, nothing.¡±


    As I climbed the ladder, I saw the fallen Rendal gang. Judging by Ricks¡¯ appearance, he had been observing Gravel from afar. His cold gaze swept over me, fixing on the bag full of Merilly roots.


    His eyes became meaningful. Seeing Gravel coming up, he reverted to his sharp expression.


    ¡°Gravel, you shouldn¡¯t have followed me here.¡±


    Ricks spoke sharply and began to leave. Gravel dropped her shoulders dejectedly. I took the worst-quality root from the herb bag and threw it.


    ¡°Catch.¡±


    Ricks caught the root and stared at me.


    ¡°¡­Why are you giving this to me?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as payment for the ladder.¡±


    Unable to refuse the temptation, he silently put the root in his herb bag. After Ricks left, Gravel and I walked toward the professor¡¯s location.


    There was no conversation. It was probably due to Gravel¡¯s timid nature and the hurt she felt.


    ¡°Do you care about what he said?¡±


    ¡°A little¡­¡±


    It was understandable. Gravel had followed Ricks here, but why¡­?


    ¡°Hmm, you followed him here. Did you enroll here because of him?¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s my friend, so I wanted to attend the same academy.¡±


    ¡°There were no other places you got accepted?¡±


    ¡°No, I got into another place too.¡±


    ¡°That other places are expensive. Considering you had that option, you must come from a well-off family.¡± I started to understand.


    She has no friends.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s too much. He changed completely since coming here.¡±


    Unlike the past when Ricks used to take care of everyone.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of your personality?¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something about you that¡¯s frustrating to watch.¡±


    Not born into a wealthy family, Ricks tried to enroll here cheaply, and Gravel must have followed on her own. Ricks would have opposed it, and Gravel must have insisted. Besides, knowing Ricks, once he realized the environment here, he would have felt a sense of responsibility and thought he shouldn¡¯t indulge her whims anymore. If Gravel remained timid and unchanged, she wouldn¡¯t adapt here.


    ¡°Still, you don¡¯t need to worry about what he said. Despite his cold exterior, he seemed concerned enough to come here.¡±


    Though he seems prickly, he has a deep and tender side. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so popular. The reason his friends followed him here.


    ¡°And isn¡¯t there someone else who followed him here besides you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you should be grateful he¡¯s worried about you enough to come here to help.¡±


    Gravel¡¯s eyes widened in gratitude.


    ¡°¡­What, grateful? Hersel, do you realize how harsh you¡¯re being?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve grown a lot, talking back to me already.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve only been together for 40 minutes¡­¡±


    ¡°In that 40 minutes, you¡¯ve grown. Be proud.¡±


    After exchanging such small talk, we arrived in front of the professor.


    ¡°Mr. Hersel, Ms. Gravel, you two arrived first?¡± Gravel blinked and asked.


    ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t Ricks arrive yet? I thought he would be here first¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mr. Ricks hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    According to the professor, Ricks had asked his partner to wait for a moment and then left again to find more roots. True to his loyal and steadfast nature, he seemed to be looking out for his partner¡¯s share as well.


    ¡°But Mr. Hersel, you have a lot of roots in your bag. Can you give them all to the professor?¡± The female professor smiled slyly. I quickly hid the herb bag behind me.


    ¡°You clearly said we only needed to collect one root.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, can you give me at least the best one¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll give it?¡±


    As I refused immediately, the professor made a tempting offer.


    ¡°Come on, just one more. I¡¯ll give you an A+ in the next class.¡±


    ¡°If you insist, professor.¡± I glared at Gravel. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You know what to do, right?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Gravel, don¡¯t tell the other students.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say anything.¡±


    With that, nine roots remained. I whispered to the professor, suggesting I sell the nine roots wholesale.


    ¡°800 coins. It¡¯s a good deal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That sounds tempting, but can¡¯t you sell the remaining root too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this one belongs to someone else¡­¡± I took out the request from my pocket and showed it to the professor, who widened her eyes in shock.


    ¡°Gasp, it¡¯s from Professor Rockefeller? Pretend I didn¡¯t see that.¡±


    She must have realized she couldn¡¯t handle something from the highest-ranking professor.


    ***


    The strings of a violin played a sweet melody through the friction of the bow. Rockefeller didn¡¯t stop there, using telekinesis magic to play the keys of a small organ while blowing into a bassoon with his mouth.


    Feeling the stress from the principal¡¯s scolding melt away, Rockefeller poured his heart into playing the most important part. He had another reason to be happy. He had heard that Hersel, Schlaphe¡¯s slave, had taken the request for the Merilly root, known for restoring energy, so he would soon be able to get some. As the grand music filled the professor¡¯s office, the sound of the door being forcefully opened shattered the flow.


    Bang!


    ¡°How rude. Don¡¯t you know to knock¡­ Huh?¡±


    ¡°I knocked, but there was no response, so I just came in. May I proceed?¡± Rockefeller frowned. He didn¡¯t like having his sweet time interrupted, but he could guess the reason for the visit.


    ¡°Alright, Hersel Ben Tenest. What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I want to talk about the Knight Department.¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s lips curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Have you come to transfer to the Knight Department?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°I never expected you to show such a pitiful sight in just one day. I thought you¡¯d last at least three days.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°But what can we do? There are more successful applicants than expected, so I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a spot for you. The carriage has already left.¡± Rockefeller continued, feigning indifference as he inspected his nails.


    ¡°Still, making one spot is easy for me. At first, I considered placing you in Adelle Dorm, but that¡¯s a bit difficult. You¡¯ll go to the Buerger Dorm instead.¡±


    Hersel¡¯s eyes widened with joy.


    ¡°Is that true? Buerger Dorm?¡±


    Rockefeller smiled cynically, lowering his gaze to his shoes.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to show some sincerity first. Bow your head and lick my shoes.¡±


    The slaves of Schlaphe Dorm would bow their heads for far less. Hersel, still holding onto his pride, didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t do it? You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to. Just remember, this is your last chance.¡±


    Rockefeller expected Hersel to surrender. When Hersel slightly lowered his head, Rockefeller smiled in triumph. But when he saw Hersel¡¯s blue eyes gleam, his smile faded.


    ¡°I said I wanted to talk about the Knight Department, but you keep saying strange things. I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re so obsessed with it. Seeing your state, it seems like a normal conversation isn¡¯t possible.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°By the way, the answer is still no. I¡¯m not joining the Knight Department. Besides, you don¡¯t look well. You should take this.¡± Hersel had lowered his head to take out a piece of paper with Rockefeller¡¯s familiar handwriting.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? It¡¯s the Merilly root you requested.¡± Hersel presented the thick Merilly root. Rockefeller gulped, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°You¡­ you dare play with me!!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, just say so. Don¡¯t waste my time with nonsense. I¡¯m busy.¡± Hersel put the root back in his bag.


    Feeling a vein pop on his forehead, Rockefeller threw a pouch containing 100 coins at Hersel.


    ¡°Take it and get lost!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, professor.¡±


    Another scolding from the principal was inevitable. Better to replenish his energy instead. Rockefeller watched Hersel disappear and then savagely bit into the root.


    He chewed the root with rage. Feeling his energy replenishing, Rockefeller wiped his face.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll acknowledge your talent for getting under people¡¯s skin, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡± Rockefeller picked up the orb on the desk.


    ¡°Hamendal, are you the professor on duty tonight? At 3 AM, release the outer barrier.¡±


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller, what do you mean by releasing the barrier?¡±


    ¡°Consider it a training exercise close to real combat. Don¡¯t give any hints to the Schlaphe students.¡±


    ¡°But sir, it¡¯s only been a day since the new students arrived. Are you serious?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Of course, we have a very competent student who seems to enjoy showing off.¡±


    At 3 AM, the invasion of monsters was scheduled.

 Chapter 52

    In just one day after entering the Schlaphe Dormitory, I had amassed 1,150 coins, of which I had spent roughly 800.¡°Master, this way,¡± Selly called out, waving her hand with the ordered items piled behind her in the first-floor lobby.


    ¡°You got everything I asked for?¡±


    Frost Heart operated on a free-market system, making it not too difficult to purchase various items since there was a market selling all sorts of goods.


    ¡°Of course. But why do you need a longsword after joining the Magic Department?¡±


    ¡°¡­I just think it might be necessary.¡± After all, a staff couldn¡¯t penetrate a monster¡¯s hide.


    Shing¡ª


    When I drew the sword from its sheath, the blade gleamed. Despite the cross guard being slightly rusted, it seemed to be a good weapon.


    ¡°And these potions¡­ I bought them from the Alchemy Department as you said, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re exactly what you wanted because I¡¯m not familiar with them.¡±


    ¡°Did you show them the order form?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it was hard to pronounce.¡±


    I checked the sack Selly brought. The potions were correct, and the quantities matched.


    ¡°Hmm, they didn¡¯t try to cheat.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to use these for?¡±


    In the Schlaphe Dormitory, sudden mock training exercises simulating monster invasions, akin to a five-minute readiness alert in the military, are conducted. Though there¡¯s no immediate need to worry with the new semester just beginning, one can never be too sure. That man had a history of manipulating the third test.


    ¡°Consider it as being prepared. By the way, wasn¡¯t there more I asked for?¡±


    Selly scrunched up her face and pulled out something wrapped in paper. The fishy smell wafted from the slimy object.


    ¡°¡­I removed all the bones myself. But why do you need something like this? If you want to eat fish, you could just go to the cafeteria.¡±


    ¡°Cooking requires care.¡±


    Selly sniffed her hands and grumbled.


    ¡°Ugh, the smell won¡¯t go away even after scrubbing with soap¡­¡±


    Soap? She wouldn¡¯t have coins to buy it, so it must have been given for free. I suddenly became curious about how the attendants here lived. Contrary to my expectations, Selly seemed quite content.


    ¡°Do they give you soap?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes¡­ they provide various things.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Here, we have to buy everything.


    ¡°Food too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The meals are good. I was worried at first, but the bed is warm, and the room is comfortable. The people are kind too.¡±


    This was unexpected. I had always assumed the attendants were treated poorly. The nobles here were surrounded by people who starved from the cold and hunger. ?


    ¡°¡­Better off than some nobles.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Go rest now.¡±


    After sending Selly off, I gathered the items and took out the mirror with today¡¯s instructions written on it.


    [Do not use the stairs at the end of the right hallway. Use only the left hallway. If you mistakenly use the stairs, you will find the same floor repeating. Do not panic, stay calm, and wait. Someone will come to rescue you in the morning.]


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Today, I shouldn¡¯t use the right hallway.


    ***


    After arriving at Room 303 in Building 3, I unpacked and took a shower. The Knight Department¡¯s classes seemed to be running longer, as the shower room and hallways were eerily empty.


    Back in my room, I placed the fish Selly had prepared on a plate by the door and lay on the bed, recalling today¡¯s classes.


    The first-day class was solely about herbology. Professor Hall¡¯s herb gathering task took a staggering five hours. Only Gravel and I received an A+. Ricks, who split the roots with his partner, got an A, and the rest received Bs. Given that it was an arduous task for freshmen, the scores were generous, which still led to dissatisfaction among the peers.


    ¨C It must have been tough waiting. Hersel, go deliver it to Professor Rockefeller right away.


    On my way back from delivering to Rockefeller during class, I overheard the Magic Department students talking to Professor Hall from a distance.


    ¨C Did you give special treatment because he¡¯s from the Tenest family?


    ¨C Right, we haven¡¯t seen it for hours, isn¡¯t this too suspicious?


    It was obvious that the Lethe guys smirking from afar had set the mood like this. Because of them, Professor Hall was put in a difficult position.


    ¨C Ricks found one too, didn¡¯t he?


    ¨C Ricks said Hersel gave it to him.


    ¨C Why is he the only one who found it? Did the professor give him a hint?


    Ricks¡¯s face turned to one of bewilderment, as if blaming himself for the situation. Given his character, he couldn¡¯t take credit and had honestly stated the source.


    ¨C Right, Gravel.


    Naturally, the blame then shifted to the easy target, Gravel, who had partnered with me.


    ¨C Be honest, you were with him, weren¡¯t you?


    ¨C N-no, that¡¯s not¡­


    ¨C Why hesitate? Just tell the truth.


    ¨C So, you¡¯re in cahoots too, huh?


    Unable to watch any longer, Ricks intervened.


    ¨C Even if there are bad rumors about Hersel, stop making baseless assumptions. It¡¯s possible he found it by chance. Don¡¯t raise issues without proof.


    Though the Lethe guys hid in the crowd, making snide comments, Ricks¡¯s popularity ensured they didn¡¯t gain traction.


    ¨C Ricks wouldn¡¯t do that.


    ¨C Right, I¡¯ve known him since childhood, and you guys are mistaken.


    ¨C Some of you know, right? Didn¡¯t he lend you gloves when your hands were cold? And he carried me when I fell.


    With public opinion on Ricks¡¯s side, the situation seemed to settle down. Yet doubts persisted, and Gravel and I remained the subjects of gossip. At that moment, I approached and said,


    ¨C If you¡¯re going to gossip, don¡¯t do it behind my back. Say it to my face.


    When I confronted them, they started sweating and avoided my gaze. I sneered at them.


    ¨C Go ahead, keep it up. Most of you will be stuck in the Schlaphe Dorm for three years anyway. Your only joy will be gossiping and envying others.


    The group glared at me fiercely, but I smiled smugly.


    ¨C I have a conscience; I¡¯d feel bad taking even that from you. So, gossip all you want. You¡¯ll go crazy if you don¡¯t.


    ¨C H-Hersel¡­


    ¨C Don¡¯t pretend you know me, Gravel. You¡¯ve been a burden the whole time, and now it¡¯s the same.


    Surprisingly, timid Gravel wasn¡¯t disheartened. She just stared blankly at Ricks and me. That¡¯s what happened in today¡¯s class.


    ¨C Hersel.


    ¨C Do you enjoy making enemies?


    ¨C Even if you show kindness, don¡¯t expect others to recognize it.


    Donatan¡¯s words made me laugh involuntarily. He probably thought I was merely provoking my classmates and deflecting anger onto Gravel. But my actions were calculated.


    ¡°If a show-off like me shows kindness, there¡¯s always a reason.¡±


    Since being possessed, I was always the one taking the blame. Now, people¡¯s criticism barely fazes me. Given that, why would I refuse a reward in exchange for some criticism?


    [Ricks Don Orien]


    ? Blessing


    ¡ô Devoted Sage¡¯s Grace


    ¡ô Knowledge belongs to no one. It is for everyone.


    Magic power increases with the number of people showing favor to the owner.


    When defeating monsters, it slightly increases the mana of those who show favor.


    ? Traits


    ¡ó Mana Recovery ¡ó


    ¡ó Gentle Charisma ¡ó


    The ¡®Devoted Sage¡¯s Grace¡¯ was the most needed blessing for me. Even a slight increase in mana was permanent, allowing me to cast more spells. This was why I set up Ricks in the first place.


    ***


    Having just finished my shower, my hair was still wet. Ricks, with the string he used to tie his ponytail around his wrist, went down to the first-floor lobby. Gravel was sitting on the long seat.


    ¡°Ricks, over here, over here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°No, I just got here too. You wanted to ask me something?¡±


    Ricks nodded and asked in detail how she obtained the Merilly root. He heard some suspicious points.


    ¡°You prepared the rope from the start?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    That meant he knew in advance that it was in the cave under the cliff.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t get any hints from the professor. At that time, Hersel was dealing with the Lethe guys, so he didn¡¯t have the chance.¡±


    If not from the professor, there was a possibility he got the information from elsewhere. Ricks then felt what he was doing was ridiculous. The idea of considering it cheating was absurd. After all, many new students had sought advice from seniors.


    In essence, many had cheated, and the professor seemed to turn a blind eye. When someone sought help from a senior, the professor overheard but just walked by.


    ¡°Sorry for wasting your time, Gravel.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Is there something more?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ Others talk badly about Hersel, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s as bad as they say. He helped me when I was in danger.¡±


    Ricks blinked. Gravel, usually timid and always on the fringes, was rarely assertive.


    ¡°And he spoke harshly to the others probably to protect me from harm.¡±


    ¡°That might be how it seemed. But that guy¡­¡±


    The rumors about Hersel were all terrible deeds that Ricks couldn¡¯t understand. This made him even more suspicious. Maybe the way Hersel acted towards Gravel was just a fa?ade to win her favor.


    ¡°Be careful, Gravel. That might be his method. He has a bad reputation with women.¡±


    Ricks couldn¡¯t trust that man at all.


    ***


    It was a sound sleep until the horn and bell rang loudly. As soon as I opened my eyes, I said,


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±


    Was it real that there was a monster defense drill just two days after the new students arrived? It had to be Rockefeller¡¯s revenge. He had the authority to initiate it, and I had pissed him off a lot yesterday. Even so, I never expected he¡¯d order something like this without training the freshmen first. That bastard must have a heart as small as a needle.


    Fueled by hatred, I quickly moved. While packing the bag filled with the items Selly had bought, I saw a black cat eating the fish by the door. It turned to smoke as soon as our eyes met.


    ¨C Was the fish for that?


    ¡®It¡¯s said that befriending it brings luck.¡¯


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on that. I rushed out the door. In the hallway, Asle was yawning with his mouth wide open, and Limberton looked anxious. Then, urgent footsteps and loud voices from the stairs filled the air.


    ¡°W-weren¡¯t we not supposed to worry for a while?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that lunatic Rockefeller is starting drills already after just a few days with new students!¡±


    ¡°Wait, what was today¡¯s rule?¡±


    Judging by their talk, they had to be second or third years.


    ¡°Is it a war or what!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Limberton. You¡¯ll get used to it quickly.¡±


    ¡°What the heck is going on?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Just then, Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed through the dormitory.


    ¨C A swarm of monsters has attacked. Schlaphe Dorm students, arm yourselves immediately. This situation is both a drill and real.


    Frost Heart occasionally held such events without notice. It was supposedly to prepare for monster attacks in the heart of the labyrinth, but in this case, it was just petty revenge.


    ¨C The monsters are ice oxen, totaling 300. Good luck.


    After the announcement, Limberton sighed in relief.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s just a drill?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a drill that feels real. It¡¯s like the third test. It means we could die.¡±


    ¡°¡­I figured. I¡¯m too tired to be surprised. But Hersel, seeing you packed your bag well, you¡¯ve prepared something again, right?¡±


    Limberton raised an eyebrow, half-lidded eyes scrutinizing me. I chuckled.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve gotten used to it already.¡±


    The situation wasn¡¯t entirely unfavorable for me. Although the invasion was supposed to occur two weeks later, the time difference wasn¡¯t significant. The monsters were the same, and I was prepared.


    ¡°Shall we go make a haul then?¡±


    Time to double the 800-coin investment.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 53

    Although it¡¯s good that we¡¯ve prepared, it¡¯s a pity that it¡¯s a bit too early.If possible, I wanted to participate in the defense battle while enjoying the benefits of Ricks¡¯s blessing, ¡®Devoted Sage¡¯s Grace¡¯.


    It was a perfect opportunity to permanently increase my mana capacity, but currently, our relationship with him was only just getting started.


    Since we haven¡¯t built a strong connection yet, we can only look forward to the next opportunity¡­


    ¡°First, let¡¯s check your equipment before we begin.¡±


    Aslay only had a large shield strapped to his back.


    It probably wasn¡¯t bought with money.


    If it were the Knights Department, they would borrow weapons like swords or armor.


    In the Magic Department, they would borrow staffs or some tools.


    ¡°Aslay is confirmed.¡±


    Limberton had light armor and a medium sword.


    The peculiar thing was the bow slung on his back, which was smaller than a normal bow.


    ¡°Does the Knights Department have such small bows?¡±


    I asked, and Limberton proudly showed arrows that seemed slightly bigger than a crossbow bolt by spreading three fingers.


    ¡°I bought it for 30 coins, how about it?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you planning to just use a sword?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have something familiar.¡±


    ¡°Well, good job.¡±


    Aslay, wanting to show off as well, took out a thick book and pointed it at me with a clumsy pronunciation.


    ¡°The one who gives money. Boss.¡±


    The book was an imperial dictionary.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    I felt a slight sting in my nose.


    They are commendable kids.


    I thought they would waste the coins, but they invested in themselves¡­


    ¡°¡­Yes, call me boss. Aslay.¡±


    As the bell rang longer, the corridor became busier.


    I took Aslay and Limberton and headed to the lobby on the first floor, squeezing through the confused classmates.


    While walking down the stairs, I heard the pathetic voices of seniors from the second-year dormitory.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going? Going to die with the fledglings?¡±


    A man in pajamas, even carrying a pillow, asked, and an armed man blinked.


    ¡°Huh? Why are you dressed like that?¡±


    ¡°Sigh, you slowpoke. Didn¡¯t you read today¡¯s rules?¡±


    The man in pajamas pushed the rule mirror.


    The armed man giggled happily.


    ¡°Wow¡­ Sometimes these damn rules are actually useful?¡±


    Today¡¯s rule was like this:


    [Do not use the stairs at the end of the right hallway, only use the left hallway. If you do not hear this correctly and use the stairs, you will end up on the same floor repeatedly. Do not panic, and wait calmly at that spot. Someone will come to rescue you tomorrow morning.]


    Pathetic fools.


    They intend to enter the place where strange phenomena occur just to slack off.


    ¡°¡­What the heck. Why are the seniors doing that? You shouldn¡¯t enter the left staircase today.¡±


    ¡°They know. They¡¯re trying to slack off and pretend they had an accident until someone comes to rescue them in the morning.¡±


    They are really good at slacking off.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t treat them as human.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always felt like you talk as if you¡¯ve graduated from here.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s just my good instincts and those guys are obvious at a glance.¡±


    If I wanted, I could prevent them from pulling such tricks.


    I had the necessary item in my backpack.


    [Anti-demon Potion]


    It restores phenomena caused by magic to their original state.


    But it was too precious to use on those idiots, so I continued my way.


    The first-floor lobby was a mess.


    There were women wearing armor over pajamas, men with empty scabbards despite properly wearing armor, and people who hadn¡¯t prepared anything.


    Half were scared and panicked, and the rest seemed clueless and were yawning.


    They were all faces I had seen somewhere before.


    ¡°Hersel, they all look like freshmen.¡±


    ¡°¡­You noticed too?¡±


    ¡°I already memorized all the girls¡¯ faces.¡±


    Ignoring Limberton¡¯s nonsense, I counted the number of people.


    Approximately a total of 250.


    About 170 were first-year students, so only around 80 second and third-year students gathered in total.


    Though I expected it, the number was still excessively small.


    A single ice ox was worth 50 coins, and defeating the warlord¡¯s leader would end the situation, offering a reward of 1,000 coins.


    Even so, the low participation rate of seniors was because they didn¡¯t want to work with newbies¡­


    While staring blankly at the freshmen, the dormitory supervisor cleared his throat.


    ¡°Ahem, attention.¡±


    His face showed clear discomfort.


    Though he was experienced, this unprecedented situation must have flustered him.


    ¡°Just in case, I ask. Have any freshmen undergone defense training?¡±


    When most shook their heads, the supervisor sighed deeply.


    The second and third-year students stared with expressions of shock.


    ¡°¡­To put it simply, it is training to defend against monster invasions. You just need to prevent them from entering the outer fortress and eliminate them. There will be rewards for subjugating monsters. For instance, the ice ox has two horns, and each horn will earn you 25 coins. So¡­¡±


    The supervisor looked at the seniors with a guilty expression and pleaded.


    ¡°¡­I earnestly request the seniors of Schlaphe Hall to guide the juniors who are still inexperienced.¡±


    Of course, the reaction from the seniors was intense.


    ¡°Are you joking, supervisor? You want us to teach them and fight monsters at the same time? With these numbers?¡±


    ¡°Hey, call Rockfeller out immediately! This is all his doing!!¡±


    Even the supervisor seemed ashamed of saying such pathetic things, as he tightly closed his eyes.


    The poor man.


    He was merely passing on additional announcements¡­


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Regardless, I watched the scene leisurely as if it was someone else¡¯s business.


    My target was only the warlord¡¯s leader.


    Naturally, I didn¡¯t consider the second and third-year students as part of my forces, nor did I need them.


    One of the advantages of fighting warlords was that if you took down the leader, the remaining troops would scatter and run in panic.


    And I had a way to approach the leader at the center of the forces.


    ¡°Ah, I won¡¯t do it. I thought I could make some money, but what is this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sit this one out too. Trusting my life to them? Am I crazy? I don¡¯t want to risk my life for some coins.¡±


    As the poor supervisor remained silent, the few gathered second and third-year students started leaving one by one.


    Ignoring those people, I spread a paper on the floor.


    ¡°Aslay, Limberton, I¡¯ll explain from now, so pay attention.¡±


    As they lowered their heads, I drew the plan for subjugating the leader with a pen.


    While doing so, I saw someone walking urgently toward the seniors and paused my hand.


    It was Ricks.


    ***


    The Orien family is well-known among the residents for their kindness.


    The story of them sharing food with the villagers until their storeroom was empty during a poor harvest is famous.


    It was the same during large public construction projects like clock towers or churches.


    The construction project that everyone advised against as impossible.


    They spent a lot of money, but when it was completed, people called it a miracle.


    The head of the Orien family believed in doing his best to improve the quality of life for the residents, and he always created miracles in this way.


    Thus, while they didn¡¯t live a prosperous life, Ricks, who grew up watching such a father, always felt secure.


    The residents also reciprocated by voluntarily donating and participating in construction, and the sense of unity felt on the day they completed the clock tower remains even now.


    ¡°I should go and sleep on the stairs.¡±


    ¡°I saw them gathering like a swarm of bees earlier, I wonder if there are any spots left?¡±


    As the seniors walked towards the left staircase, Ricks quickly approached and blocked their way. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Please wait a moment, seniors.¡±


    The seniors frowned at Ricks¡¯s sudden action.


    ¡°An unfamiliar face, are you a freshman?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Ricks Don Orien. Please, I beg you. Please help us. We freshmen know nothing. But we know it will be disastrous without your help. Please guide us.¡±


    As he bowed his head, a few seniors, feeling pity, softly consoled him.


    ¡°Well, we understand your difficult situation¡­ but honestly, it¡¯s too much to ask. Collaborating with untrained freshmen¡­¡±


    ¡°I was hoping to earn some coins this time too. But with so many bailing out, it¡¯s not possible. Sorry.¡±


    A senior patted Ricks¡¯s shoulder and tried to pass by.


    ¡°¡­Even so, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible if we all work together. I know it¡¯s hard to say this, but I¡¯m confident in magic. I won¡¯t be a burden. Also, I have competent friends who¡­¡±


    ¡°Competent?¡±


    At that moment, a senior interrupted Ricks¡¯s words.


    Ricks flinched at their suddenly cold eyes.


    ¡°Well, good for you. If you¡¯re competent, you might go to the Buerger Hall.¡±


    ¡°Is he bragging?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s always one every year. The ones who make it obvious they¡¯ll leave soon.¡±


    The seniors pushed Ricks¡¯s shoulder and walked away.


    ¡°Move.¡±


    ¡°Do your best with your friends.¡±


    Watching them leave, Ricks drooped his shoulders.


    However, as his friends approached, he had no choice but to raise his head as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Ricks, why did you follow the seniors? We were worried when you suddenly ran out.¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to persuade them. As you can see, it didn¡¯t work out well¡­¡±


    Gravel hesitantly spoke with a worried look.


    ¡°¡­The atmosphere seemed bad earlier, didn¡¯t anything happen to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Gravel. Rather, can you guys wait in the lobby? I think I need to try persuading them again.¡±


    As he followed the seniors, Gravel¡¯s strained voice was heard.


    ¡°Ricks!¡±


    All attention was instantly drawn to her.


    It was a rather courageous act on her part.


    ¡°How about asking Hersel for help if things don¡¯t work out?¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re going to say that again, I don¡¯t have time, Gravel.¡±


    ¡°But, but he looked really strong back then.¡±


    Thinking it was some nonsense, the friends sighed deeply at the mention of the incident with the giant fox, where Hersel emerged unscathed, even breaking the fox¡¯s claw, an unbelievable story she kept repeating.


    ¡°See you.¡±


    Ricks took his eyes off Gravel.


    The friends scolded Gravel.


    ¡°That again? We know you want attention, but tone it down.¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s no way someone that strong would get the last place in the third test, Gravel.¡±


    Ricks glanced sympathetically at the disheartened Gravel.


    Reaching the left staircase, the seniors were gathered in a cluster.


    Seeing them breaking today¡¯s rule and trying to enter, Ricks had a vague idea.


    At that moment, the seemingly empty left staircase turned into a swirl of mixed colors.


    A few seconds later, through a translucent barrier, the densely packed crowd occupying the stairs became visible.


    It seemed they were seniors who had secured their spots first.


    ¡°Ah, no more space.¡±


    ¡°Someone needs to leave, it¡¯s overcrowded.¡±


    ¡°The stairs are full.¡±


    Complaints arose among those who couldn¡¯t enter.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all that ponytail bastard¡¯s fault for making us late.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Didn¡¯t he follow us here?¡±


    One senior, frowning, grabbed Ricks by the collar.


    ¡°You brat, how will you take responsibility for this?¡±


    ¡°Please, seniors, I ask you once more. Please guide us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The seniors inside and those right in front of Ricks sneered.


    Nonetheless, Ricks believed they would help and pleaded with everyone.


    ¡°To the seniors inside, I earnestly request your participation in the defense.¡±


    ¡°Is this kid crazy?¡±


    The senior holding his collar gritted his teeth and raised his hand to slap him.


    Just as his palm was about to swing, a low voice echoed.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the scum.¡±


    Blonde hair and long legs.


    It was Hersel.


    ¡°Aslay, those are scum. Repeat after me. Scum.¡±


    A hulking barbarian and a short man stood behind him.


    ¡°Scum.¡±


    ¡°I told you not to provoke the seniors. Aslay, you¡¯re the same.¡±


    The senior who had grabbed Ricks¡¯s collar, seemingly familiar with them, released his grip and stepped back with a sweaty, confused expression.


    ¡°Y-you are¡­¡±


    Others reacted similarly.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the guy who forced us to take the request back then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember their faces clearly. They are the ones.¡±


    The senior who had grabbed Ricks asked Hersel.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Hersel smiled sharply, taking something out of his backpack.


    ¡°To save you, seniors.¡±


    The glass bottle he held sparkled, and the seniors hiding on the stairs screamed in horror.


    ¡°Gasp! The Anti-Demon Potion.¡±


    ¡°Please, calm down and put that thing down, junior.¡±


    Wondering why they reacted that way to the potion, Hersel called out to Ricks.


    ¡°Ricks, some people don¡¯t understand unless you use a stick. Like this.¡±


    He threw the opened potion at the stairs.


    Soon, a whale-like wailing sound echoed through the dormitory.


    Ughhhhhhhh


    The translucent barrier between the stairs and the corridor disappeared completely.


    As the seniors on the stairs stood shocked, Hersel exuded an imposing aura.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s not an accident, you know it¡¯s mandatory participation, right? If you don¡¯t want to get punished by the professors, gather in the lobby.¡±


    The seniors gritted their teeth and moved quickly.


    They cursed and swore along the way, saying things like they¡¯d remember this and calling him crazy.


    Once the stairs were empty, Hersel turned his back.


    ¡°W-wait.¡±


    Ricks unknowingly called out urgently.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you think my method was wrong?¡±


    Lowering his head, Hersel asked in return.


    ¡°Let me ask first. Is this your first time seeing such people?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, being from a renowned family, you¡¯ve likely met kind people. With your gentle nature, you¡¯ve probably only attracted good friends, and this is your first encounter with such hopeless folks?¡±


    Ricks felt his chest tighten at his perceptive gaze.


    It felt like he knew Ricks from the beginning because he was spot on.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t wrong. They were.¡±


    Ricks lifted his head.


    Hersel continued with a serene smile.


    ¡°You did what you could, and I did what I could. Next time, your way might be the right answer.¡±


    Ricks felt his narrow perspective broadening with his words.


    And he realized that his assessment of Hersel had been biased.


    Paradoxically, he had witnessed someone who would hurt others for the sake of others.


    He was willing to be hated for this.


    In a way, it was closer to sacrifice.


    Perhaps the bad rumors about him stemmed from such behavior.


    ¡­Was he not just pretending to care for Gravel back then?


    Recalling the events during the Gravel incident, Ricks was convinced that his assumption was correct.


    At least, he wanted to defend him when others criticized him.


    ¡°Follow me, Ricks. If we don¡¯t hurry, the fortress will fall.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Oh, by the way, I feel bad for not properly thanking you when we first met. Thanks for helping me get an A.¡±


    With a human interest in Hersel, Ricks followed him to the lobby.


    The ground trembled from the horde of white oxen rushing forward.


    At the forefront, a senior woman, fully armed, drew her sword and stood firm.


    She had introduced herself as the representative of Schlaphe Hall earlier.


    ¡°The shield squad will hold the front. When the ice ox sticks to the shield, those with swords should stab through the gaps. Mages, prepare your spells from the back. And freshmen in the shield squad, don¡¯t expect too much, just hold your shields properly if you don¡¯t want to die, understood?¡±


    One of Ricks¡¯s friends in the front shouted loudly, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Remember, all we can do right now is defend. If we keep taking down the leading ones, they¡¯ll eventually retreat. So let¡¯s give it our all.¡±


    Ricks took her words to heart and gripped his staff tightly.


    ¡°And even if they retreat, don¡¯t try to act recklessly. It takes three people to take down one ice ox. The ones sticking together are hard to take down because there are no openings to attack. So don¡¯t risk your life for some coins.¡±


    At that moment, the senior woman¡¯s eyes widened.


    She spotted three people wandering around the perimeter, away from the tightly formed line.


    ¡°What are you doing? Are you crazy? Join the line immediately!¡±


    They were Hersel and his companions.


    Ignoring her shouting, Hersel calmly said his piece.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to hunt the leader now. Anyone want to come? It¡¯s a chance to earn some coins.¡±


    ¡°A leader? You, a freshman?¡±


    Naturally, no one volunteered.


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, then forget it.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You crazy bastard! Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Then, good luck.¡±


    ¡°Hey!!¡±


    He completely ignored her and walked away.


    Gravel timidly suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s a chance to earn coins. Shouldn¡¯t we follow?¡±


    His friends were skeptical.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I hate to say this, but please, just be quiet.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    Ricks chuckled at Gravel.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good offer. I feel like we could really earn some coins.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious, Ricks?¡±


    ¡°I want to earn too, but trusting Hersel? That¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    Despite his friends¡¯ concerns, Ricks started walking.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, stay. Come on, Gravel.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Okay!¡±


    Following suit, his friends awkwardly trailed behind.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come too!¡±


    ¡°Ricks, wait, I¡¯m coming too!¡±


    The senior woman shook her head, seeing more freshmen leave.


    ¡°¡­This year¡¯s freshmen are really crazy.¡±


    ***


    A smile spread on my face at the system window on my retina.


    [You are under the influence of the blessing.]


    [Devoted Sage¡¯s Grace]


    [Additional effect activated.]


    [When those with goodwill subjugate monsters together, mana capacity slightly increases.]


    At best, I could only use magic twice with my current mana capacity.


    I wonder how much it will increase this time!


    ¡°Hersel, is this really going to work?¡± Limberton asked worriedly as the horde of ice oxen charged.


    I answered by throwing a glass bottle from my pocket at the herd.


    ¡°Limberton, you¡¯ll know if it works once you hit it with an arrow.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Limberton aimed at the falling glass bottle with his bow, drawing a parabola.


    The arrow shattered the bottle.


    Red powder spread widely and landed on the ice oxen.


    The sound of horns clashing rang out.


    The oxen hit by the powder started fighting among themselves.


    This disrupted the formation of the charging herd.


    Limberton¡¯s eyes sparkled as he saw the new glass bottle I took out.


    ¡°Wow, what¡¯s in that powder?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a drug that makes monsters fight each other.¡±


    [Powder of Madness]


    Inhaled monsters become extremely aggressive.


    However, it doesn¡¯t work on some monsters.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw all I have, Limberton. Keep hitting them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    While Limberton was busy pulling the bowstring, I patted Aslay on the back.


    ¡°Aslay, get ready.¡±


    Aslay gripped his shield tightly and began to advance.


    ¡°Limberton, keep shooting at the eyes of those attacking the shield as we move forward. You can do it, right?¡±


    ¡°Move forward like this? Wait, what about attacks from behind?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Ice oxen don¡¯t care about those who¡¯ve passed them.¡±


    Though there are exceptions.


    The exception showed up about 100 meters ahead.


    An ice ox, its eyes bloodshot, snorted at me.


    It seemed to be affected by the powder.


    At that moment, Aslay was busy blocking the herd with his shield, and Limberton was focused on shooting at the front.


    While keeping an eye on them, the crazed ice ox charged at me.


    I stretched my arm towards it.


    These guys are great at charging straight.


    Pop!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Attribute activated.]


    [1-second invulnerability cooldown: 59 seconds]


    Like it impaled its head on a well-fixed skewer, the ice ox died instantly with its head pierced by my index finger.


    I decided to collect the horn later and looked up to hear a distant gasp.


    ¡°See, I was right. Ricks.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry for doubting you, Gravel.¡±


    ¡°With just a finger?¡±


    ¡°¡­Gravel¡¯s story was true. Unbelievable.¡±


    It was Ricks¡¯s group.


    There are actually some who followed.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 54

    The ground was torn apart as white snow was being trampled everywhere.Rockfeller stood on the wall, looking down at the scene with his staff in hand.


    Ice oxen, with their crystal-like horns shining, were charging like waves.


    Schlaphe Hall students stood with their backs to the wall, preparing for the defensive battle.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The second and third-year students held their stances skillfully.


    The first-year students, as expected, were clumsy, but for those who hadn¡¯t even been trained, they didn¡¯t look too bad.


    At this rate, they might not be able to subjugate the enemy, but they could at least manage the defense without significant damage.


    If they killed about 40 of the leading ice oxen, the rest would likely retreat.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t look like they need help.¡±


    The dawn air was cold.


    Rockfeller turned to head towards the warm shelter with a stove.


    But then, a woman¡¯s sharp voice pierced his ears, making him turn around again.


    ¡°What are you guys doing? Are you crazy? Join the formation immediately!¡±


    It was Athera, the representative of Schlaphe Hall and a third-year student from the Knights Department.


    She was yelling at three men who were leaving the formation.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to hunt the leader now. Anyone want to come? It¡¯s a chance to earn some coins.¡±


    ¡°The leader? You, a freshman?¡±


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You crazy idiot! Didn¡¯t you hear me? Stop fooling around and join the formation now!¡±


    ¡°Good luck, then.¡±


    ¡°Hey!!¡±


    Rockfeller¡¯s eyes glinted with a cold light as he watched the golden-haired head shining even from the top of the wall.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest¡­¡±


    He called out his name like an enemy, veins bulging on his forehead.


    Rockfeller conjured a chair with shaping magic, sat down, and gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how good you really are.¡±


    He had confirmed through his orb that this guy was fine even after taking a hit from a sentinel.


    With his skills, he could easily take down the leader, but Rockfeller was curious about what kind of outrageous things he would do to annoy people this time.


    He wouldn¡¯t be doing something ridiculous like spraying water again, would he?


    Ricks ran through the snowfield.


    His friends, following behind with frightened faces, also traced the footsteps of those who had gone ahead.


    ¡°Ricks! It¡¯s not too late to turn back now!¡±


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you come to earn some coins?¡±


    ¡°Coins? We¡¯re here to drag you back, man!¡±


    If things look too bad, they can retreat then.


    Ricks grinned at his friends.


    Just then, Gravel, who was running beside him, stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°Hey! There¡¯s red smoke over there.¡±


    ¡°Smoke?¡±


    As Gravel said, there was red smoke in the sky.


    The smoke began to settle quietly, landing over the herd of ice oxen.


    Then, the leading ice oxen stopped and started banging their heads against each other.


    But it was an opportunity to attack.


    The herd of ice oxen now had clear openings.


    The friends who were following behind said with wide eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ If we handle this well, we can catch them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Look, their formation is broken.¡±


    Ricks smiled satisfactorily and spoke.


    ¡°Felix is right. If we surround and attack one by one, it won¡¯t be too difficult.¡±


    Ricks said this while observing the scattered charge of the ice oxen.


    Their terrifying feature was that they charged like a solid wall without giving any gaps.


    From the opponent¡¯s perspective, they had no choice but to take the full frontal attack with the ice ox¡¯s weight behind it, which was a disadvantageous structure.


    Normally it would be like that, but now it was different.


    You just needed to dodge the frontal attack and surround them to attack their bellies.


    Ricks joked to his friends.


    ¡°You said you came to drag me back? Should we head back now?¡±


    His friends shook their heads frantically with urgent faces.


    ¡°N-no. I was going to say we came to earn coins and drag you back.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, you weren¡¯t wrong after all. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Thank that guy.¡±


    Finally, while running, Ricks saw Hersel throwing a bottle in front of him.


    When the small guy shot the bottle with an arrow, red smoke spread again.


    He approached to greet them.


    One ice ox, breathing roughly, charged at Hersel.


    But he didn¡¯t even think of drawing a weapon, simply extending his bare hand.


    Thunk!


    The ice ox fell to the ground without even making a sound.


    Blood mixed with brain matter flowed from a hole in its head.


    Hersel nonchalantly wiped the blood off his index finger.


    Ricks got goosebumps all over his body.


    Is that even possible?


    He hadn¡¯t heard of such a magic spell.


    And since there was no mana visible, it was purely physical skill.


    While Ricks was in a mental turmoil, Gravel spoke.


    ¡°See, I was right, Ricks.¡±


    Eventually, Gravel¡¯s words turned out to be true.


    Ricks apologized with a face full of shame.


    ¡°S-sorry for not believing you, Gravel¡­¡±


    His other friends seemed equally astonished by the sight.


    ¡°Did he do that with just one finger?¡±


    ¡°Gravel¡¯s words were true. Unbelievable.¡±


    Then, Hersel looked this way.


    All of them froze in place.


    ***


    Limberton spoke, sensing that this moment would be a story he¡¯d tell for the rest of his life.


    ¡°There¡¯s a woman¡¯s scent. Hersel, are there girls behind you?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, there aren¡¯t. They¡¯re all guys, so focus and don¡¯t look back.¡±


    Despite being told there weren¡¯t any, he wanted to show off and his arrow-firing speed increased.


    At first glance, it looked like he was shooting haphazardly, making me want to say something.


    But every arrow he shot landed precisely in the eyes of the ice oxen.


    He was hitting them incredibly well¡­


    While the two focused, I approached Ricks¡¯s group.


    But they all seemed a bit stiff.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you come to earn coins? If that¡¯s the case, you can¡¯t just stay put here.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡±


    Gravel mumbled, and Ricks snapped out of it.


    ¡°Ahem, sorry for tagging along.¡±


    He smiled, but he still looked a bit flustered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened and just hunt.¡±


    That way, my mana will increase quickly.


    [Devoted Sage¡¯s Favor]


    When those with goodwill subjugate monsters together, mana capacity slightly increases.


    ¡°Oh, and when you catch an ice ox, retrieve the horns immediately. Anything left on the ground afterward will be ours. Understood?¡±


    Ricks nodded seriously and took out his staff.


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. I appreciate your consideration.¡±


    Then, Ricks¡¯s group began slaughtering the scattered ice oxen one by one.


    Blocking the charge with shields and repeatedly stabbing with swords and magic from the sides.


    Dividing into three teams of three, they hunted, and joyful notifications kept appearing on my retina.


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    If Ricks had taken the third exam, he would have gone straight to the Adelle Hall.


    Well then, shall we start moving too?


    ¡°Aslay.¡±


    When called, Aslay slammed his shield into the ground, leaving just enough to cover Limberton¡¯s entire body.


    ¡°Limberton, remember to support Aslay from behind the shield.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hersel, are you really going to do this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who said I¡¯d do it. I need to set an example.¡±


    Of course, it was also to monopolize the 1,000 coins given exclusively to the one who takes down the leader.


    I passed Limberton, who was shooting arrows, and Aslay, who was overpowering ice oxen with sheer strength.


    The ice oxen in front were too busy fighting each other to charge at me.


    As I walked, the number of fallen ice oxen, trampled and collapsed while fighting, began to increase.


    Since they were all money, I happily looked for gaps in their formation and moved forward.


    Finally, I spotted the leader standing tall in a spacious area.


    It was larger than the others, with thick horns and white fur like a lion¡¯s mane around its neck.


    The leader stood alone in the open space, snorting roughly.


    Fwoosh!


    The ice oxen around it formed a circle, surrounding us.


    It was a common sight in warlord battles.


    The leader needed to prove its strength.


    If the enemy came alone, the leader would also fight alone to show its dominance.


    That¡¯s why it was respected by its subordinates.


    In this world, it was called the ¡°Leader Battle.¡±


    ¨C Oh, so there are monsters that know this tradition even now.


    ¨C Not always. But those forming warlord groups often had Leader Battles.


    Listening to Donatan¡¯s historical lecture, I approached the leader.


    It scraped the ground with one front hoof.


    Just like before, I intended to pierce it with my index finger.


    Wham!


    The leader charged, putting its massive weight behind it.


    I extended my finger towards its head.


    But an unexpected pattern emerged.


    Fwoosh!


    The leader easily twisted its neck to avoid my finger and struck me with its massive horn.


    Crack!


    [Physical attack detected.]


    [Attribute activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    Naturally, one of its horns broke.


    Yet, as befitting a leader, it seemed indifferent to pain and began to lift me with the other horn.


    Oh, damn it.


    In a desperate attempt to survive, I leaped and placed my foot on its horn.


    Feeling my weight shift upward, I jumped again.


    The higher I soared, the smaller the ice oxen below appeared, like ants.


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    Donatan asked, seemingly confused.


    I smiled in response.


    As I reached the peak of my ascent, I pulled out my staff and began drawing a spell formation.


    I checked the notifications I had been ignoring.


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    [Mana capacity slightly increased.]


    The mana, which had been almost nonexistent, now felt more substantial.


    I could use it now.


    The unique spell that only a few could perform due to its high mana requirements.


    ¨C Recovery magic is a unique spell, right?


    When I asked, Carmelo had replied:


    ¨C Even if you draw the spell formation precisely, there are inherent spells that you cannot perform. Elemental magic, for example, is typical of those whose senses have blossomed first. Your unique magic, Master, would be recovery magic.


    Before that, I quickly drew a telekinetic spell to adjust my landing point towards the leader.


    Holding my staff in my mouth, I drew my longsword.


    To pierce through its head, I positioned the blade downward and gripped the hilt with both hands.


    As my body accelerated downward, the ground came closer.


    I drove the longsword straight into the leader¡¯s forehead as it looked up at me.


    Thunk!


    With the weight of the fall behind it, the longsword pierced through its skull.


    Despite its hard skull, it was only natural that it would be pierced.


    Additionally, one of the gauntlet options was ¡®Significantly increases the durability of items held,¡¯ making the longsword incredibly sturdy.


    Before my feet even touched the ground, I activated the lightweight magic engraved on the gauntlets to mitigate the fall¡¯s impact.


    Still, the pain in my ankles was intense enough to crack the bones.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    To heal quickly, I drew a recovery spell hastily.


    A warm sensation enveloped my ankles, and the pain disappeared in an instant.


    Of course, the mana consumption was so high that it quickly drained my reserves¡­


    ¨C Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You killed it with a sword!


    The first and last steps were magic, so it counts as magic. The sword was just an accessory.


    Therefore, it was a magical attack.


    ¡°Regardless of the process, the subjugation is successful.¡±


    I pulled out the longsword embedded in the leader¡¯s head.


    As it lay dead with its tongue out, the surrounding ice oxen quickly retreated.


    In the distance, voices could be heard.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    ¡°Hersel! Are you alive?¡±


    It was Aslay and Limberton.


    I gestured to the leader¡¯s corpse to indicate I was okay.


    ¡°What the hell happened? You suddenly flew into the air, and it scared the hell out of me.¡±


    ¡°It was magic. I used magic to kill it.¡±


    ¡°Is there really flying magic¡­?¡±


    ¡°By the way, did you have a good hunt?¡±


    Limberton hesitated and pointed back the way we came.


    There were crushed and arrow-riddled ice oxen corpses everywhere.


    While calculating how much we would earn, Ricks¡¯s group approached, looking at the fallen leader and me in shock.


    ¡°Hersel, there was a girl here, right¡­¡±


    ¡°Limberton? I always thought you were a cool guy. You might seem pathetic sometimes, but when it matters, you do your job.¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop saying such embarrassing things.¡±


    ¡°But when you talk about girls, it¡¯s just off-putting.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    While Limberton wisely kept quiet, I approached Ricks.


    ¡°Did you collect the horns?¡±


    He smiled faintly, shaking off his stunned expression.


    ¡°Thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, now that it¡¯s over, let¡¯s head back.¡±


    I took out a rope from my backpack and tied it around the leader¡¯s body.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    Aslay shook his head as if to say it was unnecessary and simply slung the leader¡¯s body over his shoulder.


    With the subjugation complete and the horns collected, we walked back toward Schlaphe Hall.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Athera, the third-year knight representative of Schlaphe Hall, stared blankly at the ice oxen.


    ¡°What¡­ What is this number?¡±


    Only 19 ice oxen had made it this far.


    Even then, they all had arrows stuck in one eye and were staggering.


    The poor students wouldn¡¯t have left them alone.


    It was more of a one-sided slaughter than a defensive battle.


    When the last ice ox fell weakly, Athera realized what this situation meant.


    The group that had left the formation was returning.


    The leader¡¯s corpse was tied to a huge barbarian¡¯s back, who looked at the blond man with reverent eyes.


    Straining her ears, she heard their chatter.


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d actually do it alone.¡±


    ¡°Limberton, Aslay. This one¡¯s mine. Remember that.¡±


    Did he really take it down alone?


    ¡°Who the hell is that guy¡­¡±


    Although she wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, someone spoke.


    ¡°Ah, that guy is Hersel Ben Tenest, the eldest son of the Tenest family.¡±


    Athera¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Is he the one rumored to have survived that monster?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are such rumors.¡±


    At first, she didn¡¯t believe it, but maybe there was some truth to it.


    A freshman took down the leader.


    Athera couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly.


    It had been a while since Schlaphe Hall had such a valuable asset.


    With him, they might just win against the duo bringing disaster soon.

 Chapter 55

    [Theory of Aura and Mana]The words written on the blackboard.


    As the name of the subject suggests, today¡¯s class was held together with the Knights Department and the Magic Department.


    Sitting in the very back seat, I looked around the circular hall.


    The structure of the building, with the seats lowering in height the closer they were to the front, reminded me of a concert hall. The lecture hall was huge, packed with students from both the Buerger Hall and Adelle Hall.


    The elderly professor on the stage adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Ahem. It seems I brought the wrong textbook. My eyesight isn¡¯t what it used to be. Please wait a moment.¡±


    While the professor went to fetch his book, I felt a peculiar sting of eyes on me.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to find the owner of the gaze.


    While others chatted with their friends, a few people were looking up at me.


    ¡°Hersel, you don¡¯t seem to get along well with your fianc¨¦e,¡± Limberton said, glancing at Leana.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing good or bad about it.¡±


    We¡¯re practically strangers.


    ¡°But why has Riamon been staring at you since earlier?¡± Limberton asked, noticing Riamon also keeping an eye on me.


    Our eyes met.


    He gave a slight nod.


    What¡¯s with him?


    Ah, maybe it¡¯s that.


    Before entering the lecture hall, when we accidentally ran into each other, he had said something to me.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    If by enjoying he meant catching the leader and making a lot of money, then sure.


    ¡°It seems he might have heard about the recent defense battle. Maybe he¡¯s interested,¡± I said.


    The coins I made amounted to around 3,000.


    A thousand was the prize money, and some of it was from selling the leader¡¯s corpse.


    Unlike regular monsters, leader monsters have high-quality materials or structurally different organs, making them highly sought after.


    The leather was purchased by the embroidery department, and the entrails were entirely bought by the alchemy department.


    Additionally, Aslay and Limberton¡¯s share of the money brought it up to 3,000.


    Each of them made 1,000 coins, and Ricks¡¯s group, who joined later, shared about 300 coins each due to their larger number.


    ¡°Anyway, be careful of Riamon, Limberton. He might be eyeing our coins.¡±


    Limberton frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m already wary. He seems like a twisted guy.¡±


    Ricks, sitting next to us, joined the conversation.


    ¡°Is that Riamon the guy who ranked first in the entrance exam?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you should be cautious too.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the top-ranked student to be like that. I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    Just then, the professor returned with his book. The gazes that had been fixed on me started to fade, eventually disappearing altogether.


    All except for one persistent stare¡­


    The person sitting among the donation students had black hair with a hint of red.


    When our eyes met, he smiled softly.


    It wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    This man was the boss of Frost Heart Act 1 and the current president of Lethe.


    Originally, he should have been inaugurated right after Hersel¡¯s death.


    Why is this fearsome guy smiling at me?


    No, think positively.


    This scene was the result of my departure from Lethe, returning the story to its proper course.


    Since I was the founder and former president, there might be future interactions, but there shouldn¡¯t be much to worry about.


    Donation students live under strict supervision in the special hall.


    Even now, a black-robed professor was watching them.


    When the time comes, the main characters of Adelle Hall will retire him, so as long as I stay away, there should be no problem.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m quite late. Let¡¯s proceed with the class quickly.¡±


    I shifted my gaze back to the professor.


    ¡°To explain the basics of the relationship between aura and mana, the origin of aura is mana. The human danjeon (dantian) is a special organ that absorbs mana from nature and transforms it into a new power. This sometimes results in strange magical phenomena when using aura. Some mistakenly consider it mystical¡­¡±


    As he covered familiar ground, my eyelids grew heavy.


    ¡°Aura can become as solid as armor with training, but because its source is mana, it¡¯s vulnerable to magic. Simply put, to withstand a fifth-level spell, your aura needs to be at least at the tenth level. This principle works as¡­¡±


    As the tedious explanations continued, students from Schlaphe Hall began to close their eyes one by one.


    Well, considering they fought a defense battle early this morning, it was no surprise they were tired.


    The professor glared at the sleeping students, sighed deeply, and began to write large letters on the blackboard using telekinesis magic.


    ¡°Aura is¡­¡±


    Given the special circumstances, it seemed he was willing to overlook it this time.


    So, I decided to enjoy the benefit as well, falling asleep to the sound of chalk.


    I was leaving the lecture hall after class ended.


    ¡°Think about it again, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Athera clung to me, being annoyingly persistent.


    Originally from Buerger Hall, she took up the role of Schlaphe Hall representative for a fee, but she had become quite influenced by the Schlaphe lot.


    There was no need to treat her well.


    ¡°I said no.¡±


    So, what exactly was she asking me to do?


    ¡°Those troublesome duo, we need to deal with them somehow. If not, even you will be affected.¡±


    She wanted me to beat someone up.


    ¡°¡­Do I look like a thug to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, to be honest¡­ a bit? A lot?¡±


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    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hear any harsh words, just leave. Besides, aren¡¯t you a third-year? Shouldn¡¯t you be busy with other things?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Athera¡¯s expression was priceless after I lectured her about being a role model when she thought I was a thug.


    ¡°So! You¡¯re really not going to do it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but know this: those duo are getting out today. You might be safe, but your friends won¡¯t be. The rumor about your coin earnings is all over the place.¡±


    Athera snorted and left.


    She seemed to think I wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid clashing with them.


    The truth is, those guys are a real headache if you live in Schlaphe Hall.


    The duo, Makdal and Bidon.


    They caused trouble in their third year at Adelle Hall and were expelled to Schlaphe Hall.


    They were enemies you¡¯d encounter if you started as a playable character in Schlaphe Hall.


    And they were infamously strong.


    Even Ricks and his friends would get beaten up if they ganged up on them.


    That¡¯s the early story, of course, and those guys would later be defeated by the grown playable characters.


    Considering the situation, am I supposed to deal with them just two days after entering?


    ¡°Paying them protection money is a better option.¡±


    It only costs 10 coins a month.


    For someone like me with 3,000 coins, it¡¯s a small price to pay for security.


    Even though they¡¯re trash, they do their job of keeping Buerger Hall guys from messing with Schlaphe Hall folks.


    ¨C Disappointing, Hersel.


    Here he goes again.


    ¨C I thought you had grown a bit seeing you teach those ruffians a lesson. But refusing a woman¡¯s plea for help? How disgraceful.


    Donatan expressed his disappointment, and I responded with a smirk.


    ¡°I only fight against those I can beat.¡±


    Exceptions are those who try to cross my line and take what¡¯s mine.


    In those cases, I¡¯ll defend it fiercely.


    ***


    Beneath the fortress, in the underground detention center, the punishment wing.


    It¡¯s a place for those who couldn¡¯t be disciplined even after receiving control curses from professors.


    Rendal, dragged here for pushing Gravel off a cliff, managed to stand up with his body wrapped in bandages, except for his face.


    Grinding his teeth, cursing Frost Heart internally, hunger set in.


    Rendal gulped down the cold soup and licked the bowl clean.


    Then, he heard voices from the cells around him.


    ¡°Ah, five more minutes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to lick a freshman¡¯s neck.¡±


    ¡°I hope there¡¯s a cute one among this year¡¯s freshmen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like a handsome guy to come, too. Huhu.¡±


    The lunatics were awake.


    Except for sleeping, they would constantly spew dirty jokes.


    Rendal, wary of the particularly effeminate voice talking about men, held his breath, keeping as quiet as a mouse.


    As he slowly put down his bowl, his ears perked up at a name he loathed.


    ¡°Hey, Makdal, did you hear the news? Our hall¡¯s president has moved into Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that guy who kicked us out? Hersel, wasn¡¯t it? Hehe, time to pay him a visit.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, you can¡¯t. The vice president is there too. Do you want to get beaten up again?¡±


    Wait, Makdal?


    Rendal realized who they were.


    Former Lethe executives, Makdal and Bidon.


    Their expulsion reason was clear.


    Makdal was expelled too for being an accomplice.


    Of course, they were thwarted by the vice president, who had anticipated the situation, and were terribly punished.


    Listening to their conversation, Rendal had an idea.


    This could be useful.


    ¡°Hey, seniors? No need to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t you mute?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, why hide such a good voice?¡±


    ¡°No, ahem, the important thing is that Hersel is no longer the president. He quit on his own. And to top it off, he beat up our members, so even the executives are after him now.¡±


    The two men¡¯s voices rose with glee.


    ¡°What? Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Really? Oh, I like this.¡±


    Their excitement was short-lived.


    Bidon¡¯s tone suddenly turned cold.


    ¡°But you know, I feel like it¡¯s best to leave him alone. The vice president, Luon, is fiercely loyal to him.¡±


    ¡°Right. He¡¯s definitely different from those who are just in it for personal gain.¡±


    ¡°What to call it¡­ Admiration?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, his eyes always had that look when he saw him.¡±


    Rendal smirked.


    Even Luon, now president, was silent about this situation.


    As long as the first-class executives were after Hersel, he couldn¡¯t act either.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. The executives have promised a reward for taking him down. So, it¡¯s almost like the president tacitly approved it, right? Haha.¡±


    Makdal and Bidon laughed heartily.


    Then a professor walked past the bars.


    ¡°Makdal, Bidon, you¡¯re being released. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Of course, professor. We¡¯ll be model citizens.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The cell door opened, and the two men walked out.


    The burly Makdal ignored Rendal, but the heavily made-up, bearded Bidon stopped and scrutinized his face.


    ¡°Hmm, nice voice but¡­¡±


    Bidon spat in Rendal¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ugly face.¡±


    Bidon left with a disinterested look.


    Rendal felt humiliated but also relieved.


    At least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that pervert after his release.


    ***


    The lobby of Schlaphe Hall looked like a refuge.


    Seniors were in a frenzy, shouting about the duo coming, while freshmen looked on in confusion.


    However, for me, it was a positive sign.


    The useless seniors would work harder because of them.


    That would improve Schlaphe Hall¡¯s economy, make me richer, and ultimately, benefit everyone.


    Moreover, with low grades and always working like slaves, Schlaphe Hall students were often bullied and mocked by Buerger Hall students as beggars.


    The duo, for a fee, did a good job protecting Schlaphe Hall residents from such abuse.


    They were a necessary evil.


    Just then, I heard fearful voices in the hallway and someone knocked on my door.


    It must be them.


    Knock! Knock!


    I got up from my chair and grabbed the 10 coins I had prepared on the desk.


    It was my contribution to national defense.


    When I opened the door, as expected, Makdal and Bidon stood there.


    ¡°Here are your 10 coins.¡±


    I held out the coins, and Bidon spoke meaningfully.


    ¡°Oh, they were right. Hello? President. Or should I say, former president, since I¡¯m no longer with Lethe either?¡±


    So, he was from Lethe?


    No matter, it¡¯s all in the past since we both left.


    The big Makdal pulled Bidon back by the shoulder.


    ¡°Wait, Bidon. Remember, I got beaten up because of you. This time, I¡¯ll do things my way.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. So, we¡¯re just saying hello today.¡±


    Bidon winked.


    I wanted to kill him, but I held back.


    ¡°Take your coins before my arm falls off.¡±


    Makdal¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the coins in my hand.


    ¡°Just 10 coins?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem? Everyone else pays this much.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re different. I heard you¡¯ve got over 3,000 coins?¡±


    Makdal smiled nastily.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got talent. So, you¡¯ll pay 1,000 coins a month.¡±


    I guess there¡¯s no choice.


    I¡¯ll have to bite back at these guys, even if it means dying.


    I called the secret weapon staying in the next room.


    ¡°Aslay.¡±


    The door to the next room opened with a bang.

 Chapter 56

    If the starting point is Schlaphe Hall, then hell unfolds.The seniors scam the freshmen, obstructing their paths while not making any effort themselves.


    Sure, you can tolerate that. As long as you¡¯re not directly affected.


    But these bastards test the limits of patience no matter how hard you try to endure.


    The tyrants of Schlaphe Hall.


    The money-loving giant Makdal, and¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s collect the advance payment first, shall we?¡±


    The effeminate pervert Bidon, who only loves men.


    ¨C Especially this guy, he¡¯s the most dangerous.


    ¡°Oh, Makdal, that¡¯s too harsh.¡±


    Even the most talented playable characters are like unbloomed flowers.


    In front of the third-year duo from Adele Hall, the natural course of action is to endure and survive the years of hardship.


    But I decided to resist their tyranny.


    ¡°The rich should pay more taxes, right? Now, quickly, hand over 1,000 coins.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stand by while the oppressed suffered, driven by deep compassion and a strong sense of justice.


    And with friends who understood loyalty, my heart was always fortified.


    ¡°Hmm? Suddenly, a shadow looms over us?¡±


    ¡°Look behind you, Bidon. I¡¯ve never seen someone bigger than me.¡±


    Aslay, with a fierce look, was towering over them.


    Even the visibly scared Limberton was with him.


    ¡°Look at those chiseled muscles. Such wild charm in a man.¡±


    ¡°And the little guy next to him is just the right size to be used as a cup table.¡±


    The moment Makdal reached to touch Limberton¡¯s head, Aslay grabbed Makdal¡¯s wrist.


    Squeeze!


    ¡°Heh, looks like you have some strength. Grr!¡±


    The veins in Makdal¡¯s arm bulged as he tried to resist.


    However, Aslay wasn¡¯t even using his full strength, slowly increasing the pressure.


    ¡°Ug


    As Aslay twisted Makdal¡¯s arm slowly, sweat started to drip from Makdal¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°B-Bidon, you might have to handle this one!¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, why is a magician showing off strength?¡±


    At that moment, Limberton widened his eyes and asked in surprise.


    ¡°A magician? That giant?¡±


    ¡°Kiddo, you shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover. Someone who looks tough on the outside might be gentle inside, and someone who seems elegant could be hiding a beast.¡±


    Bidon said, raising his index finger in a familiar gesture that made my eyebrows twitch.


    I urgently burned the ¡®Noble Blood Ember.¡¯


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t talking to Bidon, but to Aslay.


    ¡°Aslay, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Aslay released Makdal¡¯s wrist, and Bidon squinted and smirked.


    ¡°Heh, looks like a lot has changed since we last met? You¡¯ve become a more impressive man.¡±


    I was now certain.


    Aslay might be able to beat Makdal, but Bidon would be too much¡­


    ¡°Well, okay. We just came to say hello, so we¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    Bidon¡¯s victory gesture was something he only showed to those he was certain he could defeat.


    From experience, I knew that I had never won a fight after seeing that gesture.


    Bidon patted Makdal on the back.


    ¡°Makdal, you went too far. 100 times is too much.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, Bidon. Didn¡¯t we agree to do things my way this time?¡±


    Makdal looked at Bidon with a childish expression.


    Then Bidon¡¯s atmosphere turned frighteningly serious.


    ¡°Makdal.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. It was a joke.¡±


    Just by calling his name, Makdal backed down immediately.


    Though they were both second-in-command, Bidon was clearly a step above Makdal.


    ¡°Hmm, but that wild-looking guy isn¡¯t skilled at using aura. He¡¯s too raw.¡±


    Bidon commented, passing by Aslay.


    Once the duo had disappeared, Aslay approached me with a puzzled look.


    His expression seemed to ask why I had stopped him.


    ¡°Aslay.¡±


    I pointed to his arm, and his eyes widened.


    His forearm had a deep indent where the skin was pressed in.


    It must have been Bidon¡¯s doing when he passed by.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Aslay grabbed his left arm with his right hand, but as soon as he let go, it fell limp.


    His left arm seemed paralyzed.


    Sweat started to drip from his forehead.


    ¡°Now you see? You would have lost if you fought.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Then, suddenly, Aslay looked at me with an intense gaze.


    A look full of expectation.


    Ever since I caught the leader, he occasionally gave me that look.


    Surely, he doesn¡¯t think I can beat Bidon, does he?


    The main characters would need at least three months of intense training to beat that Bidon¡­


    ¡°¡­We need to go to the infirmary first.¡±


    And maybe get his head checked too.


    ***


    Having just gotten out of the punishment wing a day ago, the fresh air outside was still intoxicating.


    Makdal and Bidon wandered aimlessly around the academy.


    ¡°But Bidon, why did you back off?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, that? I got more intrigued than before.¡±


    ¡°You mean Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the moment I showed my killing intent, he stopped it. Has he been training? He seemed to know how it would end.¡±


    ¡°So you backed off¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, he still wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against me.¡±


    Makdal scratched his cheek with his index finger in confusion.


    ¡°Then you could¡¯ve just smashed him there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why would I ruin such a handsome face?¡±


    Makdal made an ¡°ah¡± sound and nodded.


    ¡°Right, Bidon, you¡¯ve wanted him for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so this time, I¡¯ll take it slow. You¡¯ll help, right?¡±


    Makdal chuckled.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be careful not to mess with him.¡±


    At that moment, they heard harsh words coming from near Burgher Hall.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? Pretending to earn money while flirting with men!¡±


    ¡°If you live in a filthy place, know your place.¡±


    Two women were surrounding a third with menacing faces.


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­ I was just here to do some sewing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie till the end!¡±


    One of the attackers poured a drink over the victim¡¯s head.


    The assailants laughed gleefully.


    ¡°Tasty, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Drink it up. When else will a beggar like you get to taste something like this?¡±


    The victim was a second-year from Schlaphe Hall.


    ¡°Are you going to intervene, Bidon?¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re collecting taxes, we should work for it. And make a point.¡±


    ¡°True, that makes sense.¡±


    Bidon started walking stealthily.


    The two women gasped and trembled when they noticed him.


    ¡°B-Bidon.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s your release day?¡±


    Bidon narrowed his eyes and grabbed the two women by their heads.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    The women screamed from the pressure.


    Bidon spoke softly.


    ¡°How could ladies do something so vulgar?¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­ that girl¡­¡±


    ¡°And spilling sticky drinks on the ground attracts bugs.¡±


    Bidon pressed their heads towards the wet floor.


    ¡°You know I hate bugs, right?¡±


    ¡°P-Please forgive us¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t do it again, please¡­¡±


    Bidon stood them up and sent them away.


    After the commotion settled, the second-year girl thanked Bidon with a rigid face. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°T-Thank you, senior.¡±


    ¡°Not senior, call me big sister. But dear, you must¡¯ve suffered while I was in the punishment wing. Such a delicate thing. This won¡¯t do.¡±


    Bidon smiled radiantly, causing the girl to break out in cold sweat.


    ¡°Tell everyone to gather by 6 PM tonight. You know what that means, right?¡±


    The girl nodded, trembling as if recalling a dreadful memory.


    At 6 PM, the freshmen and even the third-years gathered in front of the dormitory for training disguised as punishment.


    Of course, this was nothing but torture to satisfy the duo¡¯s sadistic pleasure.


    The tyrannical duo were cunning.


    Externally, Burgher Hall kept an eye, but Schlaphe Hall, always at the bottom, remained a blind spot for the professors.


    It was the perfect condition for them to openly extort money under the guise of protection fees and commit character assassinations and physical assaults.


    Within the closed environment, their justifications, although flimsy, kept dissenters quiet.


    They minimized friction with external forces and presented themselves as necessary evils to stifle complaints.


    Additionally, in a positive light, the punishments could be seen as training.


    They crushed the students¡¯ spirits with force and, if there were complaints, told them to get stronger.


    And the professors viewed this favorably.


    ¡°To the professors, it just looks like they¡¯re training the students of the lowest-ranked dormitory. Unless we present strong evidence, they¡¯ll just keep turning a blind eye.¡±


    I spoke to Ricks, whose face was still swollen from being beaten.


    As someone with a relatively upright character, he had resisted the duo¡¯s injustice yesterday and got thoroughly beaten for it.


    His entire group had been trashed¡­


    Such upright fellows.


    At that moment, Bidon¡¯s loud voice echoed, even reaching us.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re a magician, doesn¡¯t mean you can neglect physical training. What will you do if I approach like this?¡±


    Bidon shouted, slapping a female student¡¯s cheek.


    Makdal, meanwhile, was laughing as a male student tied to a post was getting hit by other students in a line.


    The one getting hit was the one who had reported the duo, sending them to the punishment wing.


    Hell was unfolding on the ground.


    Unable to bear it, Athera, who had lost her authority, spoke.


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep getting you out of this for long.¡±


    Thanks to Athera, the representative of Schlaphe Hall, Aslay, Ricks, and I were able to avoid the training.


    The official reason was that we were assigned to repair the fortress wall.


    Since the duo extorted 30% of the daily wage as a fee, they generously allowed outside work.


    More money meant more profit for them.


    ¡°Remember, I¡¯m only helping because you promised to get rid of those guys.¡±


    She was really rubbing it in.


    I had intended to survive using a similar method from the start.


    It didn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t here.


    ¡°And that little guy, Limberton, right? If he keeps making weird comments, he¡¯ll be kicked out immediately!¡±


    Poor Limberton had been berated by Athera for making creepy comments.


    ¨C Your muscles seem really stiff. Can you take off your armor? I¡¯ll give you a massage. And when it comes to it, you¡¯ll undress the rest yourself.


    Now he was walking around with a cup on his head, serving as Makdal¡¯s walking cup table.


    Despite being beaten, Ricks hadn¡¯t lost his resolve, clenching his fists.


    ¡°Why do the seniors keep enduring this? If we all work together and report them to the professors, they¡¯ll go back to the punishment wing¡­¡±


    Athera sighed, as if too tired to explain, so I answered instead.


    ¡°Those guys are smart. They never get caught openly.¡±


    Even during fake sparring, they hit inconspicuous areas like the belly or thighs.


    When using excessive violence, they frame it as students fighting among themselves, slipping through like eels.


    ¡°Of course, some might have evidence. But the scariest thing is they work as a duo. If one goes to the punishment wing, the other won¡¯t leave the informant alone. And even if both are sent, the victim might be too scared of retaliation to speak.¡±


    Given the atmosphere, no students would dare oppose them.


    Ricks dropped his shoulders and said.


    ¡°So, we have no choice but to use force.¡±


    Then, they all looked at me with eyes full of expectation.


    It seemed they genuinely believed I could defeat Bidon after the leader¡¯s subjugation.


    Maybe the rumors of me surviving the giant bird added to it.


    I glanced at Limberton, who had become a walking cup table.


    ¨C If I told the truth, would I get kicked out immediately?


    Better to dodge the topic for now.


    ¡°Ahem, even if I crush them, it¡¯ll be a problem. They¡¯ll just hide and do the same things in secret. It¡¯ll be harder to catch them then.¡±


    Ricks nodded in understanding.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. They¡¯ll still stay in Schlaphe Hall even if we beat them¡­¡±


    Athera also agreed.


    ¡°Hmm, Hersel makes sense. Poking the bear might backfire. We should start by gathering solid evidence. And we need to convince the victims that we have the means to send them to the punishment wing.¡±


    It would have been better if she had stopped there.


    ¡°And if Hersel beats them badly enough to send them to the hospital, their reputation will be ruined. The victims will no longer be afraid and will come forward to expose their crimes.¡±


    Ricks exhaled in admiration.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ If we have someone to protect us from retaliation, we can unite.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they won¡¯t believe us just by words. We need to show them that someone has defeated those guys.¡±


    ¡°If the entire Schlaphe Hall rises, the duo¡¯s punishment wing stay will be extended¡­ Hersel, this is a great plan. So, you¡¯ll wait until we gather evidence.¡±


    Ha, no, you demonic bastards.


    You guys need to endure for three months, train, and then beat them with your numbers.


    That¡¯s the proper way.


    Ricks asked Athera.


    ¡°Senior, how do we gather evidence? I don¡¯t think the victims will just hand it over. It would be good to have material evidence.¡±


    ¡°Material evidence? They keep a ledger in their room for those who didn¡¯t pay taxes.¡±


    ¡°Getting it would be a suicide mission¡­¡±


    Why does it feel like my improvised plan is getting more convoluted?


    ¡°¡­Indeed. This seems impossible from the start.¡±


    Actually, if you beat the two guys so badly that they can¡¯t even lift a spoon, the victims will come forward with evidence on their own.


    They¡¯re just too scared to report, but if safety is ensured, they¡¯d be the ones who want those guys dead the most.


    Then there will be a thorough investigation, and their ledger disguised as a book with lewd illustrations will be found.


    They¡¯d rot in the punishment wing for at least six months.


    But they started coming up with convoluted strategies instead of the straightforward way.


    ¡°Ah! I have a good idea.¡±


    Athera scanned the men with innocent eyes.


    ¡°One of you could pretend to like Bidon and let him attack you on purpose. Then, gather evidence and report him.¡±


    All the men, except me and the clueless Aslay, grimaced.


    Honestly, it was a pretty good idea.


    Sexual harassment is taken very seriously, so even the professors wouldn¡¯t stay quiet.


    That would surely send Bidon away.


    Makdal, who even loses to Aslay, could be beaten and sent away once the victims are safe.


    Then Bidon¡¯s sentence would naturally be extended.


    This seemed like a solid plan.


    ¡°Of course, I recommend Hersel. Bidon seems particularly fond of him.¡±


    But it was the wrong method.


    ¡°Peace built on sacrifice is fake.¡±


    My words made everyone solemn.


    After a few seconds of silence, Ricks spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think deeply about that, senior. And Hersel, just wait a bit. We¡¯ll gather the evidence somehow.¡±


    This place is definitely a madhouse.


    Five days later, there was an announcement for a tree-planting event organized by a professor.


    I decided to endure here just until then and then move to another safe place.


    Late at night, Limberton was serving as a cup table in Makdal¡¯s room.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Makdal, lying on the bed, drank a gulp of water.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a bit warm.¡±


    ¡°Should I get more?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. You can leave now.¡±


    As Limberton was about to leave, a sketch on the desk caught his eye.


    A drawing of a woman changing clothes.


    ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t get paid, so I guess I can borrow one book?¡±


    Besides, there were plenty of similar books on the shelf.


    Thinking it wouldn¡¯t be noticed, Limberton secretly took it.


    Not realizing it was the tax ledger¡­

 Chapter 57

    Today, I realized that there are no normal people around me. The very idea that I could defeat Bidon is laughable. And evidence? With their history of tyranny, do you think they¡¯d be so careless? Even if I search for days, I won¡¯t find anything. Though the meaningless struggles are a bit bothersome, I¡¯m not too worried. In three months, Ricks and his group will have grown stronger, and if I push them to eliminate the duo, everything will be resolved. So, what I need to do is stay away from Athera and Ricks¡¯s group as much as possible and let them handle it themselves.For now, I¡¯ll endure the repair work on the wall, filled with lunatics, for just five days. After that, a new construction project led by the professor will start, which will be perfect. By wandering around like this and working just enough for three months, peace will return to the Schlaphe Hall without me.


    ***


    Limberton left the dormitory of Makdal and headed toward the freshman dormitory. As he descended the stairs, he ran into Aslay and Ricks¡¯s group at the corner.


    ¡°You guys¡­ did you enjoy banishing me?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Still, why did you have to make such advances¡­¡±


    When Ricks¡¯s group averted their eyes, Ricks apologized with a remorseful expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t resent us too much. We were worried about you and waited here until now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Limberton frowned, noticing someone missing.


    ¡°But where¡¯s Hersel?¡±


    ¡°¡­He said he was tired and went to bed early.¡±


    ¡°Heartless bastard.¡±


    Limberton massaged his stiff neck, probably from having a water cup placed on his head for over three hours. Ricks asked, concerned.


    ¡°It seems you had a tough time, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Me? Oh, I¡¯m fine. Compared to those who rolled in the yard, I had it easy¡­¡±


    Limberton thought of his classmates and seniors who suffered terribly, and he slumped his shoulders.


    Violence disguised as training. Especially among those who didn¡¯t pay taxes, they were made to fight until one of them passed out under the guise of a sparring match. What was even more chilling was that even the passing professors didn¡¯t take this situation seriously and went on their way.


    ¡­This place is truly insane. Limberton shivered at the thought that it might get even worse. He hoped this tyranny would end as soon as possible. And the one to end it would likely be that guy. He has always acted like he knew everything and resolved it, so he¡¯ll probably do the same this time.


    ¡°By the way, what did Hersel say about this matter?¡±


    Ricks smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. He said to just gather the evidence, and he¡¯d handle the rest.¡±


    ¡°As expected, I knew he had a plan.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Limberton sighed in relief, patting his chest. Just then, a book hidden inside his shirt fell to the floor. It was a book he took from Makdal¡¯s room, depicting a woman changing clothes.


    ¡°Oops. I need to return this later, hopefully it¡¯s not damaged.¡±


    As he flipped through the pages to check its condition, Ricks blinked.


    ¡°What¡¯s that book?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? I borrowed it from the Makdal guy without permission because he didn¡¯t pay me. Huh? But what¡¯s this? It¡¯s just names and numbers¡­¡±


    At that moment, Ricks snatched the book with a shocked expression.


    ¡°You like this kind of stuff too? Well, it¡¯s common for guys. But it¡¯s a shame there¡¯s nothing interesting in it.¡±


    However, as he flipped through more pages, Ricks¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The names of the delinquents are recorded here. This is definitely an account book¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ricks smiled, a drop of sweat trickling down his face.


    ¡°With this, we can drive them out. Limberton, you¡¯ve done something big.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste. Let¡¯s go to Hersel right away.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡±


    Limberton followed Ricks¡¯s group, feeling that something good was happening, judging by everyone¡¯s cheerful mood. They arrived in front of Hersel¡¯s room.


    Knock, knock!


    Despite Ricks¡¯s knocking, there was no response.


    ¡°¡­Is he already asleep?¡±


    Limberton perked up his ears.


    ¡°No? I hear something. It sounds like the floorboards creaking. Hold on.¡±


    Limberton raised his voice at the door.


    ¡°Hersel, are you awake? Can we come in?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t answer, we¡¯re coming in.¡±


    The door wasn¡¯t locked. Carefully opening the door, Limberton blinked. Ricks exclaimed in surprise.


    Hersel, who they thought was sleeping, was doing push-ups with his eyes closed.


    Although he was frozen like an ice block, the sweat pooled on the floor suggested he had been training for quite a while. Ricks closed the door softly with a bitter smile.


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s training to drive out that duo. We shouldn¡¯t disturb him.¡±


    Then, he picked up the account book and turned away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this to Senior Athera.¡±


    Limberton scratched his head with a puzzled look and asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it late?¡±


    ¡°If we tell the dormitory warden, she¡¯ll come out immediately. You guys go to sleep first. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Ricks headed to the lobby on the first floor. Athera came out to the lobby quickly. Ricks¡¯s face lit up at her reaction upon receiving the account book.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this illustration before. It¡¯s definitely the account book those guys were keeping.¡±


    ¡°Then, we should tell Hersel this news tomorrow morning.¡±


    Ricks was excited at the thought of driving out the duo faster than expected. However, Athera shook her head.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s hold off. I have a feeling we shouldn¡¯t tell him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who said he¡¯d take down the leader by himself. And remember the confidence he showed on the wall. Hersel did say, ¡®Even if I crush them, it¡¯s a problem.''¡±


    Ricks recalled Hersel¡¯s words, which sent chills down his spine.


    ¡°Do you mean Hersel intends to face the two alone?¡±


    ¡°I think so. He said he doesn¡¯t want any sacrifices.¡±


    When Athera mentioned sacrifices, Hersel had indeed insisted.


    He doesn¡¯t want sacrifices. This only adds credibility to Athera¡¯s assertion. If someone fought Hersel instead of one of those guys, they would be seriously injured. Ricks remembered getting beaten up with his friends. Seeing Hersel¡¯s determination in his midnight training confirmed it.


    ¡°Certainly, if it¡¯s Hersel, that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Ricks, I think this is our last chance. So I don¡¯t want you to tell him. Understand?¡±


    Ricks, taken aback by Athera¡¯s bold suggestion, asked again.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d lose even if he faces the duo alone. But just in case. It¡¯s best for a guaranteed victory to fight one-on-one. I can manipulate the situation to make that possible.¡±


    Athera¡¯s logic made sense. It was a reasonable explanation. Ricks nodded, touching his swollen cheeks.


    ¡°I agree. And I don¡¯t want to burden him with everything. We should handle one of them ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Right, even if we lose, we¡¯ll fight one-on-one and defeat him.¡±


    Ricks asked Athera seriously.


    ¡°Who should fight Hersel first?¡±


    ¡°Bidon. He¡¯s stronger than Makdal. If we deal with him first, Makdal¡¯s morale will drop. And it¡¯s easier to lure Bidon.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll make sure to keep it a secret from everyone but Hersel.¡±


    Ricks ran back to the dormitory and informed everyone except Hersel.


    ***


    6 PM


    While the Schlaphe Hall guys were being tortured, I headed to the wall for the repair work. However, Athera took Aslay and Ricks¡¯s group to get materials, telling me to go ahead and rest. Though I felt uneasy, I gladly accepted. Lately, I was exhausted every morning when I woke up.


    ¡®I should ask them to lower the boiler temperature in the dormitory. I must be sweating a lot while sleeping.¡¯


    ¨C Hmm. Yes, it is quite warm.


    I climbed the wall and sat at a suitable spot, watching the entrance for their arrival. After a few minutes, the sound of footsteps echoed.


    ¡°You came sooner than expected.¡±


    ¡°Well, you called, so of course I¡¯d come right away.¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    I doubted my ears at the delicate voice. Hoping it was a hallucination, I stared at the entrance. But reality, as always, was merciless.


    ¡°Hello? Darling.¡±


    Bidon appeared with a creepy grin, holding a letter.


    ¡°Surprised? I was planning to approach slowly, but you called me so eagerly.¡±


    ¡­Did I call you?


    At that moment, I saw Athera and Ricks¡¯s group hiding by the entrance, watching. Those bastards! They sold me out!! I wanted to kill them right now, but my priority was to handle this situation.


    As usual, I improvised, lighting the ¡®Noble Blood Flames¡¯.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Call you? Me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t be shy. You sent this letter, right?¡±


    ¡°Someone must¡¯ve written it as a joke. I never sent such a thing. But I have an idea who did. Look behind you.¡±


    Bidon turned his head. Those annoying guys quickly hid.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing? Ah, I get it. You¡¯re setting up some sort of game, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Bidon chuckled and approached me.


    ¨C Does Hersel know he¡¯s no ordinary guy?


    ¡®¡­?¡¯


    ¨C Do you have any idea how to escape this?


    ¡®¡­Don¡¯t talk to me. I¡¯m thinking¡­¡¯


    As Bidon got closer, I desperately said whatever came to mind.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s a joke. I didn¡¯t send that letter.¡±


    ¡°Repeating the same thing is boring. Ah, you¡¯re just embarrassed. That¡¯s why you¡¯re denying it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I have no interest in you at all! So get lost!¡±


    Bidon¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡°¡­You mean it, you bastard.¡±


    Suddenly, he started laughing maniacally.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Right now, it¡¯s just you and me. This moment is all that matters. Now, let¡¯s do what we couldn¡¯t before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning, but if you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better not try anything foolish.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll be worth it.¡±


    Don¡¯t come any closer. I hurriedly pulled out my staff and loaded a spell. Despite this, Bidon approached confidently, causing me to back away instinctively. As he got close enough for me to see the stubble on his chin, I thrust my staff charged with electricity at his neck.


    Crackle!


    The professor explained that to perfectly block a magical attack with aura, you¡¯d need at least double the amount of aura. And it was a surprise attack before he could properly coat himself in aura. Judging by the smoke coming from Bidon¡¯s body, it seemed effective. However, Bidon, eyes wide open, muttered creepy words.


    ¡°Ah, hide and seek, fun. I¡¯ll come for you once the paralysis wears off. Now, I¡¯ll give you time to run.¡±


    His counting sent chills down my spine.


    ¡°Three.¡±


    Running from him?


    ¡°Two.¡±


    That¡¯s impossible.


    ¡°One.¡±


    Then what¡­


    ¡°!¡±


    Bidon spread his arms to embrace me. Panicked, I took a step back, only to step into thin air. I must have stepped into an unfinished section of the wall.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    It¡¯s human instinct to grab something when falling. I grabbed Bidon by the collar. But he, not fully recovered from the paralysis, easily leaned towards me.


    ¡°W-Wait. Below is a cliff¡­¡±


    Losing our balance, Bidon and I began to fall from the ten-story high wall.

 Chapter 58

    Of course, I¡¯m not afraid of falling. At this point, I even consider it a kind of recreational activity, like bungee jumping. Yet, what truly terrifies me is Bidon¡¯s determination to cling to my body even while plummeting.¡°Aaaah!¡±


    I resisted his monstrous grasp, protecting myself from his clutches. Luckily, I had long limbs. Stretching out the hand that gripped his collar, his attempt to hug me only swiped through the air. But Bidon didn¡¯t give up and struggled even more fiercely.


    ¡°You persistent bastard, just give up already!¡±


    ¡°Even if I die, I will!¡±


    With Bidon flailing like a live fish, our weight balance got tangled. Now, I was above, clutching his collar, while Bidon was beneath, facing the ground. The ground was already close. The relative positions no longer changed. Bidon¡¯s back slammed into the ground, and dust spread with a tremendous noise.


    BOOM!


    [Impact detected.]


    [Trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    ***


    Hersel fell off the wall, clutching Bidon¡¯s collar. Watching this, Athera, Aslay, and Ricks¡¯s group stood wide-eyed and gaping.


    ¡°D-double suicide¡­?¡±


    Athera muttered in a dazed voice, and Ricks sweated nervously.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just stand here! We need to check if they¡¯re okay!!¡±


    Ricks moved quickly, as if dancing on hot coals. The others, realizing the urgency, hurriedly followed.


    At the bottom of the wall, only dust hung thick in the air. A breeze blew just then. Athera rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Bidon was embedded in the ground, unconscious. And on top of him, Hersel still clutched his collar, pressing down on his neck.


    The clear distinction between the winner and the loser made Athera¡¯s eyes twitch.


    Dusting himself off nonchalantly, Hersel stood up, as if it was nothing. His dignified appearance made Athera gulp. The others seemed equally incredulous, expressing their admiration.


    ¡°How is he unscathed?¡±


    ¡°No, more importantly, with such a brute method¡­¡±


    At that moment, Hersel looked up.


    ¡°Gulp.¡±


    Everyone swallowed nervously, and he shouted fiercely.


    ¡°When the investigation comes, tell them clearly! This was self-defense! Testify that it was an accident that occurred during that process! Understood?¡± ?


    Athera felt a chill. If Hersel had beaten the duo one-sidedly from the start, it could have violated the school rules. So, he must have waited until they provoked him first. To ensure he could kill them without any repercussions¡­


    While marking him as a person of interest, Ricks¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°I-is he dead?¡±


    Bidon wriggled in pain, showing he was alive. Hersel answered indifferently.


    ¡°He¡¯s still alive.¡±


    As expected of a third-year from the Adelle Hall. Thanks to covering himself with maximum aura, he didn¡¯t die. But judging by his condition, his bones seemed to have shattered¡­


    Ricks turned with a sudden realization.


    ¡°Senior, we can¡¯t stay here. We need to deal with the other one ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Oh¡­¡±


    Athera, leading the way, rushed to subdue Makdal. Dragging the half-conscious Bidon along, they left him on a path professors frequented.


    ***


    Cutting through the underbrush, I hid upon hearing Makdal¡¯s raving.


    ¡°In the Adelle Hall, every day is a competition. If you neglect training for even a day, you¡¯ll immediately fall behind. The same goes for mages. No matter how good you are at magic, without basic physical strength, you¡¯ll face many hardships.¡±


    His words were quite educational. If only he weren¡¯t grinning perversely at a girl soaked in sweat from doing push-ups, it might have felt genuine.


    ¡­But Limberton was grinning foolishly too.


    Just then, Athera, Aslay, and Ricks¡¯s group passed by me. I discreetly called Aslay¡¯s name, beckoning him into the bushes.


    ¡°Aslay.¡±


    He quietly left the group, who were still focused on Makdal, not noticing his absence.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just going to watch here.¡±


    To be clear, this isn¡¯t revenge for them selling me out. It¡¯s not because Aslay can¡¯t fully understand Imperial language. It¡¯s simply that the outcome would be too predictable with him involved.


    The duo exists to make playable characters in Schlaphe Hall grow. They provide motivation for training for more than three months, and through combat, they offer valuable experience. It would be a waste to get rid of them without letting the characters benefit.


    So, this isn¡¯t petty revenge, but a dedication to their growth.


    ¡°What are you guys¡­¡±


    Makdal raised his staff. As expected, Athera and Ricks¡¯s group were pummeled by his magic.


    ¡°Wait! Where¡¯s that big brute?¡±


    Athera¡¯s expression was priceless when she noticed Aslay¡¯s absence.


    ¡°Senior! This is no time to be distracted! Ugh!¡±


    Ricks was struck in the abdomen by a pumpkin-sized water orb. The rest of the group was electrocuted by a mix of elemental and curse spells. Watching them, I inwardly cheered for Makdal.


    Just like a lion throws its cubs off a cliff to make them stronger, so do I. They will train hard until their hands are calloused and their muscles sore, thanks to Makdal. It¡¯s harsh, but inevitable. For the sake of clearing the scenario, I must be a heartless person.


    ¨C You¡¯re smiling happily even as your comrades are suffering.


    ¡®My heart is crying.¡¯


    Anyway, it would be too wasteful to let Makdal go now. Only by making the most of him will everyone grow and I will be satisfied. With a sudden idea, I snapped my fingers.


    Hmm, this might turn out to be quite profitable.


    ***


    A week passed. During that time, the rumor spread that I defeated Bidon. As for the duo¡¯s fate, Bidon was sent to the punishment cell due to his severe injuries and the overwhelming evidence from the reporters. Meanwhile, Makdal was allowed to stay after a private conversation between me, Athera, and the Shulafe Hall representative.


    ¨C What are you going to do next? Are you planning to take down Makdal too?


    ¨C No, I¡¯ll leave Makdal to Ricks¡¯s group.


    ¨C What? You¡¯ll leave him to them? Did you forget they were completely beaten up last time?


    Despite some opposition, I managed to convince them by citing my reasons.


    ¨C I plan to train them. Makdal will be a suitable opponent. However, there¡¯s a condition. If Makdal is defeated within a set period, you can send him to the punishment cell.


    Originally, Bidon should also have been used for growth, but unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible now. Makdal will have to play the role of two people. It will be hellish enough for him to beg to be sent to the punishment cell.


    I also reached an agreement with Makdal. After hearing the rumor that I defeated Bidon, his attitude changed drastically. He became much more humble.


    ¨C You want the coins I¡¯ve collected?


    ¨C Just pay 10,000 coins as compensation for mental damage. It¡¯s not a bad deal, considering I¡¯ve kept you from being sent to the punishment cell.


    The duo had accumulated roughly 60,000 coins. When the righteous Ricks wins, all those coins will return to their rightful owners. Before that, I¡¯ll take my share.


    ¨C But 10,000 is a bit¡­


    ¨C If you don¡¯t like it, then fine. I heard many people are gunning for you. You¡¯ll rot in the punishment cell with Bidon, penniless.


    Makdal, seemingly moved by my generosity, paid the 10,000 coins willingly.


    ¨C By the way, you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight in the past few days.


    ¨C Ricks and his gang keep attacking me. Of course, I¡¯d lose weight. So, Hersel, could you please tell them to go easy on me? I might not survive otherwise¡­


    ¨C Isn¡¯t this the training you were talking about? Keep it up. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite my words, Ricks¡¯s group¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t cease. Sometimes, he even stormed into the third-year showers, swinging his staff. His unwavering integrity and determination made him keep challenging until he succeeded.


    ¨C It seems like an obsessive madness, but as long as he grows, it¡¯s fine.


    ***


    Currently, I was filling out a form on my desk. The pen¡¯s writing quality was different, perhaps because it was a high-quality one.


    ¡°Indeed, expensive things have their reasons.¡±


    What I was writing was the application for after-school classes, now open to first-years as well. These weren¡¯t mandatory but could be chosen according to the student¡¯s will. The variety of subjects was wide, including combat techniques like hand-to-hand combat and crossbow for the knights, and aura meditation or various niche magics for the mages.


    Since I am far from conventional magic, Limberton is only good with a bow, and Aslay only uses grappling attacks, these were essential subjects for us. The after-school classes, meant for supplementary learning, were an excellent opportunity for me, given my short learning period.


    ***


    The next day.


    I was on my way to the reception desk with my after-school class application. My chosen subjects were niche magic and mana meditation. Niche magic included the eccentric spells that Donatan often mentioned. Unregulated and non-systematic spells fell under this category, making it worthwhile to apply in hopes of finding magic compatible with my unique abilities. Mana meditation was to increase my already scarce mana even a little. Since there wouldn¡¯t be a daily defensive battle, the benefits of Ricks¡¯s blessings were limited.


    There was a long line at the reception desk. Familiar faces from Schlaphe Hall were nowhere to be seen. Most of them seemed to be from Burger Hall and a few from Adelle Hall, making me feel out of place.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Perhaps the first-year Schlaphe Hall knights haven¡¯t finished their classes yet. Aslay and Limberton, who were supposed to meet me here, were nowhere in sight. Having nothing else to do, I decided to stand in line.


    But then, someone blocked my way.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before. Where are you from?¡±


    Three flashy-looking guys approached me. They scrutinized me intensely, and I responded bluntly.


    ¡°Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    The guy with a slicked-back hairstyle, who seemed to be their leader, smirked.


    ¡°¡­If you were a second or third-year, I¡¯d know you. So, you must be a freshman.¡±


    He then shrugged and looked at the person behind him.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he might not know the rules. Right?¡±


    ¡°Hadal, let¡¯s just explain it briefly and let it slide this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. No need to establish dominance with someone we¡¯ll use soon enough.¡±


    They pretended to care about me, but their smirks betrayed them. Hadal, the leader, spoke with a sneering tone.


    ¡°Ugh, it smells like a rag. Not only do we have to take combined classes with these bums, but also extra classes¡­ Sorry, I have a weak stomach.¡±


    When I remained silent, Hadal waved me away.


    ¡°If you understand, get lost.¡±


    At this point, I was curious. Could this guy be from Adelle Hall?


    ¡°Where are you from?¡±


    Hadal blinked, as if he had misheard me.


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking rather informally.¡±


    The two guys behind him chuckled.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s cocky because of that duo.¡±


    ¡°Bidon, that perverted bastard, got beaten by a freshman and sent to the punishment cell, didn¡¯t he? And Makdal looks like he¡¯s caught a terminal illness lately.¡±


    I got it. These guys were from Burger Hall. Now that the duo was gone, these punks were strutting around.


    Anyway, they weren¡¯t worth engaging with.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done, move aside.¡±


    Even though I spoke politely, they just stood there with playful expressions. As I was about to walk around them, a kick flew out of nowhere and hit Hadal¡¯s stomach.


    WHACK!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Hadal clutched his stomach and fell to his knees. Turning around, I saw a man with black hair tinged with red looking down at him coldly. Behind him stood a professor in a black robe, who looked shocked.


    ¡°L-Luon Al Banas! What are you doing!¡±


    Despite the professor¡¯s shout, the man didn¡¯t reply, just smiled faintly at me.


    ¡°How have you been, Hersel?¡±


    This guy was a donation student. The current head of Lethe and the first-act boss of Frost Heart. His epithet was the Mad Aristocrat, Luon.

 Chapter 59

    Luon Al Banas.It wasn¡¯t easy to determine how to deal with this man. I had left Lethe, and Luon was the current president. For the sake of my safety, Hersel¡¯s remnants had to be cut off, and he was a formidable opponent not to be underestimated. Lethe, despite being a third-rate villain mercenary company, had top-tier members who were undeniably strong. In Frost Heart, Luon, along with three first-grade officers who were donation students, formed the top echelon. And now, I found myself facing the most dangerous among them, one who was under special supervision.


    Since he greeted me with a smile, it seemed appropriate to maintain a neutral attitude for now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had no significant issues, Luon.¡±


    Luon blinked slowly. As befit someone with the epithet of a nobleman, even his smallest gestures appeared refined.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. But were you serious about leaving Lethe?¡±


    ¡­It seems I must draw a clear line here. Getting involved would only bring trouble to me. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, that decision hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    I expected Luon to show hostility. However, his face remained unchanging, as if he could understand.


    ¡°If you ever change your mind, feel free to return. I will take care of the matter with Rendal myself.¡±


    His friendly demeanor made me doubt if this was the same man I remembered. Outwardly, he maintained his dignity, but hadn¡¯t he just kicked someone in front of a professor? The calm madness hidden beneath his handsome exterior was like the surface of water, expressing itself explosively when disturbed. Though my decision to leave should have provoked him, his eyes only reflected genuine goodwill.


    Therefore, a non-committal response seemed best.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    Luon nodded with a gentle smile. Then, the professor pointed his staff at Luon¡¯s neck.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve said everything you needed to, come with me. We¡¯ll address what happened just now this evening.¡±


    ¡°Then, I shall take my leave. Until we meet again.¡±


    Luon said this and left. Watching his retreating figure, I felt a twinge of sympathy. Although donation students lived in better conditions than those in Schlaphe, being under such constant supervision from professors must be uncomfortable. Yet, what choice did they have? These students were marked for disposal by their families. From what I heard, the special hall was created because some expressed their betrayal through extreme anger or even committed suicide out of despair.


    After a year without major incidents, they would be freed from surveillance, but Luon would never truly enjoy freedom. Like most bosses, he was destined to be defeated by the main characters. I turned my thoughts away from Luon and back to what I needed to do. Right, I was about to stand in line to register for classes.


    As I turned, something tripped me, drawing my gaze downward.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    A guy with a parted hairstyle was sitting on the ground, looking up at me in fear. The reactions of the two behind him were similar. Oh, right. There were those guys who picked a fight.


    ¡°H-Hersel¡­ The freshman who supposedly threw Bidon off the wall?¡±


    ¡°And the eldest son of the Tenest family. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, back off quietly.¡±


    The two left their leader behind and disappeared quietly. I addressed the remaining guy in a gruff tone.


    ¡°I was going to register for a class. Did you have any objections?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ nothing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I remember there being something, but you say there wasn¡¯t. Are you calling me senile?¡±


    ¡°It was a joke, just a joke.¡±


    Feeling suddenly bored, I made a slight feint as if I would knee him. The guy flinched, spreading his palms in a defensive gesture and groaning.


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    This was surprisingly fun.


    ***


    The special hall was directly below the principal¡¯s office. Occasionally, Principal Arkandric would come down with snacks and take care of things, but those who rebelled faced severe punishment. The traces of this were hidden behind the paintings hanging on the walls.


    ¡°Luon Al Banas. You dared to commit violence with a professor watching?¡±


    As Arkandric grabbed Luon¡¯s head, the students in the special hall thought another painting would be added.


    ¡°Yes. I accurately struck his solar plexus with my foot.¡±


    Luon¡¯s indifferent tone, as if having a casual conversation, made Arkandric¡¯s forehead veins bulge.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s good to admit it right away, but it seems you need some discipline.¡±


    Arkandric threw Luon against the wall.


    Bang!


    Luon hit the wall like a nail. He then pulled himself out and nonchalantly brushed the debris off his head and shoulders. Satisfied, Arkandric picked up a large basket from the floor.


    ¡°Today¡¯s snacks are here.¡±


    The large basket placed on the table was filled with a variety of snacks, from cookies to bread.


    ¡°And Luon, don¡¯t be late for today¡¯s training.¡±


    Arkandric, who believed Luon was a suitable candidate to learn his swordsmanship, dragged him to train every day. Despite this, Luon shook his head.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d come when I feel like it.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. Others are begging me to teach them, yet you¡¯re so indifferent.¡±


    Clicking his tongue, Arkandric left the special hall. Only the students remained.


    Excluding one person standing apart, three people approached Luon. The man standing apart glanced at those approaching Luon, then left the room.


    ¡°Are you okay, Luon?¡±


    ¡°Besides a slight headache, nothing much.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, that brute. He was practically trying to kill you.¡±


    The man seemed to recall being slammed into the wall during the entrance ceremony, clutching his head tightly. Luon turned his gaze from him to the basket filled with snacks.


    There was a hint of genuine affection in Arkandric¡¯s violence. Seeing him cut through steel during training made it clear that slamming someone into the wall was like tossing a misbehaving child onto a bed. Luon picked up a warm piece of bread from the basket with a soft gaze.


    ¡°Arkandric is sincere. He wants to reform us.¡±


    The bread still retained its warmth. Savoring the warmth transmitted to his hands, Luon traced a graceful curve with his eyes. But his gaze remained clouded.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not our style.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, Luon. I don¡¯t want to stay here for a year.¡±


    ¡°The surveillance is killing me. So, what¡¯s your plan?¡±


    In response to the men¡¯s questions, Luon bit into the bread and answered succinctly.


    ¡°First, we need to earn the old man¡¯s favor. His swordsmanship is quite useful.¡±


    After swallowing the bread, he continued.


    ¡°Besides, we can¡¯t harm him with our current skills. Unless we find a special method, we should quietly bide our time.¡±


    ¡°A special method?¡±


    ¡°There must be one. This place is strange. I¡¯ve heard many odd stories, like graduates hiding unusual tools or secret spaces, and even students occasionally disappearing.¡±


    Some even claimed that the academy hid cursed items created by dungeons. Though it sounded far-fetched, this place was atop a dungeon. Moreover, occasional warnings about something to be wary of appeared in the rule mirrors, so it was worth checking if the rumors were true.


    ¡°First, we need to find a way to neutralize the old man. Until then, sharpen your skills. This place is filled with whetstones, perfect for getting stronger.¡±


    The academy was a place determined to raise students¡¯ levels, even if they resisted. It offered knowledge hard to obtain outside and ample time for training all day. The two men nodded obediently. However, the man who had been silently listening spoke in an uncomfortable voice.


    ¡°I understand your plan. But why are you leaving Hersel alone? Do you really intend to reinstate him as president?¡±


    The other two agreed on this point.


    ¡°I think the same. Even if we overlook his departure, Hersel messed with our subordinates. If we leave him be, there won¡¯t be any order.¡±


    ¡°Right, Luon. We said we¡¯d handle this. But if you intervene like this, it¡¯ll be troublesome.¡±


    Luon replied with a relaxed gaze.


    ¡°He has a unique charisma. Even with his meager strength, he has a talent for swaying people. Moreover, he¡¯s now strong enough to easily defeat Bidon. The rumor that he survived the monstrous bird might also be true.¡±


    The initially opposing man frowned.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll admit that. But in truth, you¡¯ve built Lethe to what it is today. It ran smoothly even without a word from Hersel for nearly a year. I¡¯m against his return.¡±


    Luon looked at him with cold eyes. The man flinched and closed his mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s still uncertain whether he¡¯ll return. It¡¯s too early to discuss this. If he accepts the offer, we¡¯ll talk about it then. For now, don¡¯t mess with him.¡±


    The three nodded slowly. Luon probably had his own thoughts, but hopefully, it wasn¡¯t out of some misplaced affection.


    ***


    It had only been two weeks since I enrolled. Exhausted by the string of incidents since the start, I decided to empty my mind for a while.


    Despite that, thoughts kept surfacing. From being marked by Rockefeller during the entrance exam to joining Schlaphe Hall, enduring a defense battle after just two days, and defeating Bidon. And now, I had caught Luon¡¯s attention, making it impossible to relax.


    ¡°I already miss the mansion.¡±


    It was tough for just two and a half months, but it was peaceful after the festival. I needed a stress-free, peaceful daily life. Fortunately, I held papers that would let me taste such a life, even briefly. Letters from Mircel and Niasel.


    ¡­Good kids.


    It was gratifying to see my efforts rewarded. It seemed my letter had made it through Frost Heart¡¯s harsh censorship and reached them properly. Feeling a bit emotional, I decided to set everything aside for a moment and read Niasel¡¯s letter first.


    But the hallway grew incredibly noisy.


    ¡°Found him! We found Makdal! He¡¯s here, Ricks!!¡±


    ¡°Aaargh! Leave me alone, you lunatics!¡±


    Patience. They¡¯ll pass soon.


    ¡°H-Hersel! Please open the door!¡±


    Makdal was banging on my door. My stress peaked, and I placed the letter on my desk, opening the door to shout.


    ¡°Quiet!!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. But there¡¯s a reason. Please let me in for a moment. I have something urgent to tell you¡­¡±


    Makdal pleaded with teary eyes, clasping his hands together. More concerning were his dark circles and even more sunken cheeks.


    ¡°You seem in worse shape than before.¡±


    ¡°D-don¡¯t even ask. They now invade even at dawn, tormenting me.¡±


    Just then, Ricks and his gang crowded in front of my door. They didn¡¯t look well, with bruised eyes and swollen cheeks. Yet, their eyes shone with a fervent glow, like that of a fanatic believing in their righteousness.


    I had no choice but to speak to Ricks calmly.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Hersel? You told us to get stronger by fighting him. We¡¯ve been training daily, seeing progress. We can¡¯t waste a single day.¡±


    The others supported Ricks.


    ¡°Yeah, we even came up with a new strategy.¡±


    ¡°This time, it feels good. I think we can win.¡±


    ¡°Makdal, come out from behind there!¡±


    These crazy guys. I had to side with Makdal, fearing they¡¯d break my combat training device.


    ¡°Are you trying to wear Makdal down to death rather than beating him in skill?¡±


    Ricks looked down at the ground, ashamed.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Attacking day and night, he must be exhausted. Maybe we thought we were getting stronger, but it was an illusion.¡±


    I encouraged Ricks, making sure not to demoralize him completely.


    ¡°No, you are getting stronger. Just look at him, fleeing all the way here. Isn¡¯t that proof?¡±


    Then, I subtly nudged Makdal.


    ¡°Y-yes. I almost got beaten up today, you jerks!¡±


    Ricks and his group lifted their heads, smiling creepily at Makdal. Feeling pity for Makdal, who was experiencing hell without Bidon, I added.


    ¡°Take a rest today, Ricks. Inform the others too.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll withdraw for today.¡±


    As Ricks and his gang left, Makdal started to complain.


    ¡°Those guys are crazy. Especially that Ricks, he¡¯s a complete lunatic. He keeps bringing his gang, no matter how much I beat them up, they never give up¡­¡±


    Ricks indeed had a stubborn streak. It meant he could turn any necessary task into a daily routine. He also had a trait called ¡®Gentle Charisma¡¯ that motivated his group.


    ¡°Just relax and rest in your room. You have a break today.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but can I ask you a favor?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Could you please tell them to stop tormenting me?¡±


    ¡°No. Go away.¡±


    This guy was now trying to shirk his duty just because I sided with him once.


    ¡°T-then, can you at least accompany me to the cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°Cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been unable to even lift a spoon because they keep barging in.¡±


    So that¡¯s why he lost weight.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Ricks? They won¡¯t bother you today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust them. I just want to have a peaceful meal this once.¡±


    He seemed paranoid, almost to the point of neurosis. I reluctantly took him to the cafeteria and bought him everything he wanted. Makdal cried like a child, thanking me repeatedly.


    Having regained some peace, I returned to my dorm room and read Niasel¡¯s letter. The first page was filled with childish drawings. No, the next page was also a drawing, so it seemed to be a picture diary.


    ¡°Oh, they started raising a parrot?¡±


    The next drawing depicted Niasel learning magic. I clicked my tongue, observing the pictures closely.


    ¡°Seriously, they must have turned a blind eye because she¡¯s a girl. I had to enroll in the magic department secretly.¡±


    Yet, a smile crept onto my face. Just hearing about these mundane things felt purifying. My mind, soaked in the harsh environment here, also felt clearer.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Unfortunately, the picture diary ended there. Next, I decided to read Mircel¡¯s letter.


    My expression drooped as soon as I opened it. It was just one page with a single large sentence.


    But the sentence Mircel wrote was quite troubling.


    [Brother, how have you been? I¡¯m bored to death. I want to go there too.]


    He wants to come here?

 Chapter 60

    While I was perplexed by Mircel¡¯s letter, the outside became noisy. It was probably Makdal and Ricks causing trouble again. I frowned and opened the door. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t them but Limberton and Rockefeller, with Rockefeller shouting at Limberton.¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, Limberton Bel Delsi, trying to send this letter to Lady Lulen.¡±


    Rockefeller was reading aloud a letter, presumably written by Limberton, in a monotonous voice as if reciting from a book.


    ¡°Mom, this place is crazy. Please take me away immediately. The professors don¡¯t care if students die. I¡¯m digging a tunnel, so please send even a single horse. Limberton.¡±


    People in the hallway came out, stifling laughter at the spectacle.


    ¡°Oh, look, there are watermarks. Did you cry while writing this?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not that, Professor.¡±


    ¡°I warned you already. All letters about the academy are subject to censorship.¡±


    ¡°P-please, just this once¡­¡±


    Limberton was begging with his hands clasped together. Rockefeller, showing no sign of sympathy, pulled out another letter from his pocket and started reading it, this time with added commentary.


    ¡°Hmm, ¡®It¡¯s too cold here. I need the scarf mom made for me. I should have stayed home as mom said. Why did I go to the dungeon? This one¡¯s outright revealing everything.¡±


    Rockefeller then cast a ¡®Curse of Restraint¡¯ on Limberton with his raised staff.


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    Limberton collapsed to the floor, foaming at the mouth. Watching this, I deduced the reason for Rockefeller¡¯s visit. It was absurd for the top-ranked professor to personally come just to punish someone for breaching censorship. There was only one possible purpose.


    ¡°How have you been? Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    He came to pick a fight with me.


    ¡°Do you have any business with me?¡±


    I asked sharply, and Rockefeller approached with a smirk. His trembling lips and the vein bulging on his forehead made it obvious that his smile was forced. Why was he acting like this?


    Hot¡­ Could it be¡­


    ¡°Ah, I just wanted to talk about Mircel Ben Tenest¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not interested.¡±


    I cut him off and slammed the door shut.


    Bang!


    As expected, my bad feeling was right. The professors had read Mircel¡¯s letter through their censorship. They must have urgently informed Rockefeller, causing him to come here. Even just Mircel expressing a desire to come here was enough to set off alarms. Considering Mircel is the top recruitment target for other academies and even the royal family, it¡¯s no wonder the professors were on edge. ?


    ¡°No matter how talented the kid is, bringing such a young child here is insane¡­¡±


    I blocked my ears and tried to sleep, ignoring Rockefeller¡¯s persistent knocking until he gave up.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest! I need to talk to you for a moment!¡±


    Keep knocking, I won¡¯t open the door.


    Although Rockefeller¡¯s hour-long knocking disturbed my sleep, I managed to protect Mircel from these child abusers. What was the mistress doing while the kid was causing such trouble?


    ***


    ¡°I told you it wouldn¡¯t work.¡±


    These days, it¡¯s normal for Mircel to reject everything.


    Aol sighed deeply as he watched Ahille.


    ¡°The boy¡¯s stubbornness is just like yours. Plus, he¡¯s also like me, always wanting to do what he¡¯s told not to. You know this well.¡±


    Caught in the middle, Aol was just frustrated. His wife was cold, and Mircel had been sulking, making excuses to avoid training. Occasionally, they would glare at him like cats from both sides. For the sake of peace, he needed to find a compromise.


    ¡°Besides, even if he¡¯s still a child, he has two older brothers, so there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Here, he has his parents, so there¡¯s even less to worry about.¡±


    ¡°If you keep refusing, he might rebel.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Hersel also go astray because the Grand Duke spoiled him too much?¡±


    ¡°That boy was strange from the start.¡±


    The energy-draining argument continued. Ahille, tired of the meaningless conversation, let her shoulders slump. She must have been exhausted, too. Despite her efforts to cheer Mircel up, she only received sullen responses in return.


    ¡°At this rate, our relationship with Mircel might be ruined forever. Think carefully.¡±


    Eventually, Ahille sighed deeply and seemed to give in.


    ¡°They say parents can¡¯t win against their children. I never thought I¡¯d experience it myself.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aol smiled inwardly at her positive response.


    ¡°But there¡¯s a condition.¡±


    ¡°Condition?¡±


    ¡°If Mircel wants to come home, make arrangements for him to return immediately. You can handle that, right?¡±


    Aol nodded. Although Frost Heart had no formal expulsion procedure, if the student was Mircel, it was a different story. If the academy refused the condition, he could just cancel the whole thing. If they changed their mind after admission, he could lead his knights to make trophies of Arkandrik and the professors in the basement.


    But Ahille¡¯s demands didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°Once a month, let Mircel visit home, and send a personal maid. Also, I think Erucel should have a maid too.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, Erucel said he didn¡¯t need one.¡±


    ¡°Forcing a maid on a child who doesn¡¯t want one is not right, right?¡±


    Suddenly, the mistress seemed to have a bright idea and widened her eyes.


    ¡°And please stop keeping those creepy things in the basement. It¡¯s not good to live above such things. It doesn¡¯t look good to visiting guests either.¡±


    Stop collecting trophies? Aol was about to say something when Ahille preemptively called out.


    ¡°Mircel? I know you¡¯re eavesdropping. Come here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom.¡±


    Mircel peeked out from behind the wall and ran to Ahille, hugging her. She stroked his head and looked at Aol.


    ¡°Your father has given up his precious hobby for you. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, dad.¡±


    Mircel looked up at him with expectant eyes. Reluctantly, Aol squeezed out words he didn¡¯t mean.


    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Aol¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he looked at Ahille and Mircel, who exchanged knowing glances.


    ¡°?!¡±


    Seeing their exchanged looks, a feeling of unease crept over him. The suspicion that they might have been plotting this all along crossed his mind. Perhaps Ahille had always intended to send Mircel and saw this as an opportunity to get what she wanted. She might have made a secret agreement with Mircel, promising to send him if certain conditions were met, including making Aol stop his trophy collection.


    ***


    Yesterday, I lost some sleep due to the black devil¡¯s knocking. But surely, Mircel wouldn¡¯t come here so young. Feeling relieved, I headed to the first-floor lobby for class. I was chatting with the two knights from the club when Limberton asked.


    ¡°Club? Is there one you want to join?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to join. I¡¯m just looking to invest from a business perspective.¡±


    ¡°Invest?¡±


    There are various clubs, from alchemy to clothing production, and many are essentially groups that generate profit from students. Due to the nature of their business, developing and producing items incurs significant costs, and many fail even when they launch products. For them, investment is something to welcome with open arms.


    ¡°If you invest money, you get dividends. It¡¯s better than just sitting on the coins I¡¯ve saved.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ that sounds interesting.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested, come with me after class. The quality of their goods is decent enough to be worth a look.¡±


    For student-made items, the quality wasn¡¯t too bad. The clubs passed down the knowledge from their seniors like a legacy, and the wisdom of their supervising professors was deeply ingrained.


    Aslay, also interested, opened his Imperial language dictionary. His finger pointed to the word ¡®investment.¡¯


    ¡°Investment means earning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, investment. It means you put in money to get more back.¡±


    Then he pointed to the word ¡®loss.¡¯


    ¡°Loss means losing.¡±


    ¡°Correct. If you¡¯re not careful, you can lose money. You have to be cautious when choosing where to invest.¡±


    Aslay nodded in understanding. I felt a bit proud of him. Such a diligent student.


    ***


    The club building was inside the fortress. The academy had dedicated two entire floors to club activities, and the scale was almost like a market. As soon as we entered the first floor, Limberton looked at the rows of signs and questioned.


    ¡°I came here once before, but why are there so many clothing clubs?¡±


    ¡°There are at least seven clothing production clubs.¡±


    ¡°Seven? How is that allowed?¡±


    ¡°The academy permits clubs with overlapping themes, especially those like clothing production that require few members.¡±


    The minimum number of members needed to start a club was three. After clothing production, food-related clubs were likely the next most numerous.


    ¡°I want to get a suit made, but I don¡¯t know which one to go to¡­¡±


    As Limberton said this, the members of the clothing clubs¡¯ eyes lit up. They looked at us like predators eyeing prey, silently pleading for us to choose their club. Limberton approached the booth with the most women.


    ¡°Hey, you three. New students?¡±


    ¡°Wow, look at the long legs on that blonde freshman. Mind if I take your measurements?¡±


    Two women swarmed Limberton, who winked and made a crude joke.


    ¡°Can you take my measurements instead? Not that size, though. Haha!¡±


    The women recoiled as if they¡¯d seen a cockroach, eventually being replaced by a male member, causing Limberton to sigh deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your measurements, shorty.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Since we were here to buy clothes, I decided to get Aslay fitted for a suit as well. I couldn¡¯t have him walking around in animal skins forever.


    ¡°Aslay, you should get a suit too. If the environment changes, you need appropriate attire.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Aslay nodded and took the measuring tape. He flinched at its unfamiliar texture, making the women laugh softly.


    ¡°Wow, look at those muscles.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re touching too much.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes grew teary watching this scene. While the two got their suits fitted, I decided to find a club to invest in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be upstairs for a bit. See you later.¡±


    Saying this, I climbed the stairs. The clothing of the people on the second floor looked expensive, even the fabrics. The booths were decorated with sophisticated wood and signs, almost blindingly bright. The second floor was for those with money, where poor students from Schlaphe couldn¡¯t dream of going. But I had over 13,000 coins. I was the wealthiest first-year, having converted some of my coins into black coins worth 1,000 each.


    Now, let¡¯s invest.


    ¡­Let¡¯s see, I have some ideas. The alchemy club? It has the lowest risk but also the smallest returns. Still, it¡¯s the best choice.


    Food clubs are too high-risk, high-reward. Trends change too quickly, and any hygiene issue could ruin them.


    Clubs making school supplies or fancy items have moderate risk. There¡¯s always a steady demand.


    With so many clubs, it¡¯s hard to remember where I invested each time I restarted at Frost Heart. The names are all similar, so I need to check them directly.


    As I walked, reading the signs, I occasionally felt sharp gazes. Passersby chuckled at my attire, and the vendors seemed to hope I wouldn¡¯t approach. It was understandable. With the freshmen having just arrived, my unfamiliar face and first-year status were obvious.


    Naturally, they thought, ¡®What¡¯s a first-year doing here without money?¡¯


    Except for the Adella Hall students, who were already known as future big spenders by the club members.


    Ignoring them, I continued until something caught my eye.


    [Nille¡¯s Alchemy Workshop]


    It was a shop with windows, not just a booth. A premium spot. I was surprised to see the ice beast hide I had once captured hanging there.


    Why is that here in an alchemy club?


    Selly had told me she sold it to a textile club. As I looked on, a familiar face popped out.


    ¡°Welcome.¡±


    My eyes widened in recognition. This was the very alchemy club I had invested in each time I started at Frost Heart. The most stable and highest-paying of all the alchemy clubs.


    ¡°Hmm? A freshman?¡±


    She scrutinized my appearance, raising an eyebrow. I nodded in response.


    Then she asked again.


    ¡°Which hall are you from?¡±


    ¡°Schlaphe.¡±


    She smiled brightly but her words were harsh.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Clearly, she regarded me as one of those worthless Schlaphe scum. Little did she know how much money I had.

 Chapter 61

    ¡°What are you doing? Get lost.¡±¡°Me? Why should I do that as a customer?¡±


    When I retorted sharply, she looked at me as if she were seeing something strange.


    ¡°¡­Look at this? Talking to a senior like that?¡±


    ¡°Your attitude towards an investor is quite flawed.¡±


    ¡°Hah, seriously. Now even freshmen are trying to deceive.¡±


    As she stepped inside the store, she appeared holding a large club.


    At that moment, a man grabbed the club, his eyes wide with surprise, as if to take it away from her.


    He must be the representative of the [Nille Workshop] alchemy club.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, let go, senior. These beggar bastards need to be taught a lesson so they don¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°You punk. Still, you can¡¯t treat a customer like that!¡±


    ¡°Move aside? This guy, he¡¯s a first-year from Schlaphe Hall! Do you want to get ripped off like last year?¡±


    She seems to have some grudge against the Schlaphe Hall guys.


    Well, considering the notorious behavior of our proud Schlaphe Hall seniors, it¡¯s understandable. They often don¡¯t pay their debts, scam others frequently, and probably thought I wouldn¡¯t have money as a freshman. To her, I must have appeared like a new parasite.


    There¡¯s always a reason for being disliked.


    ¡°Even so¡­ he¡¯s still a freshman and has a chance. He might move to Buerger Hall soon. He could become a potential customer then.¡±


    Despite that, the club representative spoke optimistically.


    It¡¯s rare for one in ten to make it, so why risk losing nine times? Normally, I would have laughed it off, but since I was the subject, I nodded.


    This only made her glare at me more angrily.


    ¡°Oh, you annoying bastard¡­ picking up bad habits from beggars, ah, senior, move aside. This all happened because you¡¯re known as a pushover!¡±


    Ignoring the commotion, I asked the representative something I was curious about.


    ¡°By the way, was the ice cowhide sold by that small maid?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes. We bought all the innards and everything from her. The person she serves bought a lot of stuff from us too.¡±


    He proudly pointed to the hide.


    ¡°Do you like this hide? I actually promised to pass it to the embroidery club, but it looked so good as a decoration that I didn¡¯t want to sell it.¡±


    This place must have been where they sold to me at a fair price the day before the defense battle, without trying to scam me.


    ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t come to buy anything. I was thinking of investing. Can we talk inside?¡±


    ¡°Invest?¡±


    The representative scratched his head.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before. Do you really have that much coin?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t so naive as to be completely trusting.


    Instead of words, I answered with the contents of my wallet.


    I placed five black, glossy metal coins in my palm. Each was worth 1,000 coins.


    When I showed them, the woman who had been glaring at me as if to kill me suddenly smiled.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness. I¡¯ll bring out our best tea. Please come in and have a seat.¡±


    Her attitude changed in an instant, like flipping a hand. Having money certainly makes things easier. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the representative, being too kind-hearted, gave me some foolish advice.


    ¡°I see you have a lot of coins, but are you sure about this? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to invest a bit more cautiously? Think it over before you decide.¡±


    Hearing this, the woman rushed at the representative with an angry face.


    ¡°Senior! After the third-years graduated, all our investment funds dried up! We can¡¯t just miss this chance to get such a large sum at the start of the new term!¡± ?


    Her reaction was normal. For clubs, this time of year is like a tough march.


    Graduating students can exchange their coins for currency used in the Empire, so they would have withdrawn all their investments. Freshmen wouldn¡¯t have enough to invest.


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you frustrating man. 5,000 coins is enough for 16 months¡¯ worth of allowances for the guys in Adelle Hall. We need to gather capital now to get ahead of other alchemy clubs!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Their combination was reassuring for an investor.


    One had a gentle nature but exceptional skills in crafting. There wasn¡¯t a single defective product in the last defense battle. The other, though ill-tempered, prevented the representative from being too naive, thus ensuring solid profits.


    Regarding money, she was practical.


    The representative sighed, as if he had given up, and nodded.


    ¡°Alright, alright. By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment. The contract¡­ hold on, Hersel?¡±


    ¡­Why is he acting like this suddenly?


    ¡°If you¡¯re Hersel, are you the one that little maid serves?¡±


    ¡°Did she mention my name?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just curious. You spent a whole 600 coins here at once.¡±


    The man kept rambling excitedly, like he had found something interesting.


    After hearing stories about capturing the ice cow leader and defeating the Bidon, he finally brought out the contract, and I could sign it.


    After setting a cup of tea before me, he ran towards a bubbling pot.


    ¡°Oh, almost burned it.¡±


    I sipped the tea and looked around the store. The display cases were full of various kinds of potions.


    There were potions for dyeing hair or pills to change your voice, suitable for a bit of fun.


    Another shelf displayed the potions I had bought, mainly used during the magical training courses and selling like hotcakes during practice periods.


    Though the variety was limited now, during practice periods, they sold out quickly, making for substantial dividends.


    The best part of investing here was this:


    ¡°If I bring materials, could you make something custom?¡±


    ¡°Of course. If you invest that much, I¡¯ll even use my personal time to make it.¡±


    Normally, only near-mass-produced items are made, but not here.


    Rare items not made due to low demand can also be custom-made.


    It will be greatly helpful later on.


    ***


    Leana stroked her armor. The surface was rough, with deep dents and scratches from blade impacts.


    It looked too worn to be usable. But she didn¡¯t throw it away.


    It wasn¡¯t anything special, just an ordinary piece of armor easily obtainable.


    However, it was something she had kept since being told to lay down her sword by her family.


    It was precious because of that.


    With no support from her family, the armor had become imbued with her own convictions.


    It wasn¡¯t usable in its current state, but¡­


    Leana gently set the armor aside and picked up her wallet from the desk.


    She paused in front of a full-length mirror.


    The reflection showed a figure completely stripped of any remaining girlishness.


    ¡°¡­It was getting tight anyway.¡±


    She needed slightly larger armor.


    After finishing her tea, she was on her way back, looking for a new investment opportunity, when she made eye contact with a woman with long red hair.


    ***


    ¡°Hersel¡­¡±


    Leana looked at me with a nonchalant expression.


    It was clear this was a coincidental encounter, and it would be best not to get involved.


    I tried to pass by indifferently.


    While others might approach cautiously to avoid ruining the narrative, Leana was different.


    As a swordswoman, her biggest obstacle was me.


    Keeping our relationship distant was the right thing to do, and she probably wanted that too.


    However, she blocked my way.


    ¡°Do you have any business?¡±


    When I asked calmly, Leana nodded.


    ¡°I want to talk for a moment.¡±


    Her usually indifferent eyes seemed somewhat softened.


    Well, she might only be trying not to show it.


    She had a soft side despite her exterior, so expressing emotions wasn¡¯t strange.


    But if her target was Hersel, shouldn¡¯t she be showing some hostility?


    It was odd indeed.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, so keep it short.¡±


    Leana¡¯s gaze turned calm.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t remember. Is it the same now?¡±


    It seemed to be about her previous question.


    ¨C Why did you arrange our engagement without my consent? Why?


    I had answered that I didn¡¯t know.


    Well, if it were Hersel, it would be roughly guessable.


    As someone obsessed with women, he enjoyed messing with lives, so it seemed he had picked Leana as his victim. That was my conclusion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    When I repeated the same answer, Leana gave me a look that reminded me of Selly¡¯s peculiar gaze.


    It felt like being treated as a madman.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    This was the second time for the same question.


    Naturally, curiosity arose.


    Why was she so obsessed with Hersel¡¯s motive?


    Since she had cut ties with her family, there was no obligation to marry.


    With her entry into Frostheart, she was guaranteed the means for self-reliance.


    ¡°Why are you so fixated on this? You and I are practically strangers now.¡±


    When I hinted at my question, Leana coldly replied and turned away.


    ¡°My father didn¡¯t tell me anything. So I asked.¡±


    The cause seemed to be her father, the head of the Derevian family.


    Maybe Leana was holding onto hope.


    She probably wished her father wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would sell his daughter for the benefits of the Tenest family.


    In her memory, her father was a loving man who cherished her before Hersel appeared.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Understanding this, Leana¡¯s obsession with the same question made sense.


    When someone involved in arranging her engagement appeared, she naturally wanted to ask about it in detail.


    Knowing the background made Leana¡¯s seemingly light question feel heavier.


    ¨C Why did you arrange our engagement without my consent? Why?


    But wasn¡¯t her question slightly off?


    She probably wanted to know the conversation that led to this, trying to steer it towards her father¡¯s reasoning after hearing Hersel¡¯s motive.


    Instead of going in circles, if she had directly asked, ¡®Do you know why my father did that?¡¯ she might have gotten a higher chance of a helpful answer.


    Of course, even then, I wouldn¡¯t have answered.


    After the encounter with Leana, I reunited with the two guys.


    Since they only came for the request, they were dressed the same.


    My main purpose here was investment, so I took them around various places.


    Currently, we were at a skewer club, chewing on meat.


    There was no special sauce, just the taste of smoked meat and some salt.


    I asked them.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Limberton, a gourmet, closed his eyes to savor the taste, while Aslay, satisfied with everything, devoured whatever was in his hand.


    ¡°Hmm, 80 points.¡±


    ¡°Delicious.¡±


    There seemed to be many regulars; should I invest 1,000 coins here?


    I invested the entire 10,000 coins I extorted from the guy in various clubs.


    Word must have spread because people offered free samples or explained the benefits of their products everywhere we went.


    Even a Schlaphe Hall student gets respect if he has money.


    As we made our way out of the crowd and left the citadel, Limberton muttered.


    ¡°But, where do they get these materials from? Like clothes or food supplies?¡±


    ¡°Well, you order, and the logistics wagon delivers.¡±


    Despite being a closed-off place, you could still order basic necessities and various tools.


    Of course, it had to pass strict inspection by the faculty.


    I think the merchant group contracted here was from Orbella¡­


    ¡°Why? Are you thinking of starting a business?¡±


    I asked, just in case, and Limberton¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    His words revealed his sticky desires.


    ¡°Right. How about opening a women¡¯s lingerie shop or an adult store?¡±


    ¡°Main items would be garter belts! We could hang sensual drawings on the stands. For that, we¡¯ll need the right tools.¡±


    His expression was serious as he envisioned the business.


    At that moment, the clouds parted, and the intense red sunset made me squint.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Not for any significant reason.


    Just because, after a hearty meal, chatting about random things while heading home under the evening glow felt nostalgic, like being back in school days.


    For now, enjoying this peaceful daily life seemed fine.


    Just as I was about to say something to Limberton walking ahead, laughter stopped us in our tracks.


    ¡°Give it up. If you don¡¯t want to be arrested for public indecency.¡±


    Hearing the commotion from passersby, my laughter vanished.


    ¡°Another second-year from Buerger Hall has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Again? Ugh, will we even survive until graduation?¡±


    Seeing them shiver, Limberton asked curiously.


    ¡°Huh? Did they break the rules or something?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    I acted nonchalantly and walked on.


    ¡°It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    Yeah, peace isn¡¯t in my cards.


    I should stay sharp.


    Someone must have untied the golden thread; I can¡¯t let my guard down.


    Restless spirits are still wandering the academy, gnawing at the cracks in one¡¯s sanity.

 Chapter 62

    The occasional sound of scribbling could be heard. Even though the professor was conducting the class from the podium, the students were murmuring due to the recent incidents.¡°Up to here, we¡¯ve described the expressions of magic before the Age of Change¡­ Hmm.¡±


    The professor scanned the students and sighed deeply.


    ¡°It seems you can¡¯t concentrate because of recent events.¡±


    First, it was a first-year student from Adelle Hall. Next, a second-year from Buerger Hall went missing. Today, it was a third-year from Schlaphe Hall.


    There were even rumors of strange ghost sightings outside the dormitories, and the chaos showed no signs of subsiding.


    ¡°Regarding that, our professors are working on it, so you can relax. It¡¯s something that happens occasionally.¡±


    When the professor spoke nonchalantly, Ricks raised his hand.


    ¡°Occasionally¡­ What happened to the people who went missing before?¡±


    ¡°They usually come back.¡±


    ¡°Usually?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Last year, about seven people went missing, and six were found.¡±


    ¡°What about the one who wasn¡¯t found?¡±


    The professor replied in a relaxed tone.


    ¡°They were found dead.¡±


    The students¡¯ reactions grew colder. The only ones who remained unfazed were those who had taken the third exam.


    Being exposed to deadly trials, they had already realized that common sense from the outside world didn¡¯t apply here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. You know the professors are searching tirelessly, right? And, the ghosts you¡¯re talking about aren¡¯t as dangerous as you think. They are more like explainable natural phenomena.¡±


    The professor continued, ¡°They are essentially something created by the mana or magical energy combined with the lingering thoughts of dead humans. We¡¯ve researched these phenomena academically, so there¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡± ?¨¢


    ¡°Being incorporeal, they can only influence the mind. They seep into weak mental gaps and brainwash, only to fulfill their unrealized desires from life.¡±


    A student at the front asked, ¡°Desires? Does that mean they¡¯re alive?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re just memories. Think of them like a diary where people write down their plans and wishes.¡±


    The professor scratched his head as he looked at the students.


    ¡°But still, stay alert. Especially those with weak minds should be careful. Even the professors can¡¯t guarantee they can deal with these spirits.¡±


    Unlike dealing with monsters, the method to handle them is different and tricky, but at the professor¡¯s level, it¡¯s possible to manage them.


    ¡°Though the spirit we¡¯re dealing with this time is a bit special.¡±


    ¡¾Fela of Loss¡¿


    Fela was a troublesome disciple whom Frostheart¡¯s founder, Feldy, imprisoned in the special hall.


    A woman twisted enough that her master had no choice but to do so. Her end came as a sorrowful suicide. However, Fela didn¡¯t leave quietly; she vowed revenge on her master just before dying.


    She chose the forbidden magic of splitting her soul and hiding it in cherished objects, hoping for eventual resurrection.


    That created the scenario we¡¯re facing now¡ªa dark and ugly lingering thought. The catalyst for its release was Lethe, who, under Luon¡¯s guidance, was stirring up the academy.


    ¡°By the way, one of the scales in the apothecary broke. Please handle the items here carefully during class. They are all historic pieces. Got it? Now, let¡¯s resume class.¡±


    Well, what could go wrong? No matter how strong she was in life, she¡¯s just a typical ghost without a body. The disappearances are her attempts to find a suitable host, but she would need a playable character¡¯s level of strength to be satisfied.


    Those with a strong mind won¡¯t get brainwashed, and when the time comes, the professors will re-seal her.


    After all, this isn¡¯t a scenario for playable characters but a plot device to give Luon more freedom.


    ***


    The professor inserted the key into the hole on the iron bars blocking the corridor, causing the wall-mounted lamp to flicker out. This was the special hall for students admitted through donations.


    Scrape.


    Luon sat in his private room, carving a stone with a chisel. The surface shaved away like sawdust as it absorbed his aura. Despite the darkness, the details of the horse¡¯s four long legs, muscular chest, mane, and tail were vividly expressed.


    Scrape.


    Gradually, the horse¡¯s form emerged.


    After even sculpting the eyes, Luon headed to the living room with the completed piece.


    Sniff.


    The thick smell of mana tickled his nose, emanating from under the carpet. Carefully lifting it, a faint bloody scent spread.


    ¡°It¡¯s done, Fela.¡±


    When he spoke, the red blood on the stone floor began to wriggle.


    It soon formed lines and then letters.


    [Thank you, Master.]


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not your master.¡±


    [Lies. No one else would come to see me but you, Master.]


    Luon placed the horse sculpture on the floor and began organizing the information he had gathered through their conversations.


    This special hall was originally a prison for this woman alone. He didn¡¯t know what crime she committed.


    As she had no awareness of it herself, he couldn¡¯t get an answer from her.


    What he did know was that she was the disciple of the great wizard who founded Frostheart and that she had bled herself to death here.


    ¡°What gift would you like next?¡±


    [A horse. A horse with a mane.]


    She couldn¡¯t update her memories.


    Thus, the information he could glean was limited to what she remembered before dying.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare it. But you¡¯ll do me a favor in return, right?¡±


    [Of course, it¡¯s a request from Master.]


    Last time, he had asked where another part of her lingering thought was sealed.


    It was the apothecary¡¯s scale.


    Now that it was broken, he needed more information.


    ¡°That necklace you hid. Where is it?¡±


    The answer took a while.


    [¡­I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorry, Master.]


    It was the same answer as yesterday.


    But through their conversations, Luon knew she was lying.


    ¡°Fela, you have a habit of pausing when you lie.¡±


    [Are you calling me a liar?]


    ¡°The word ¡®accuse¡¯ isn¡¯t used like that. Because you are a liar.¡±


    [Master, I hate you.]


    The blood on the stone floor receded.


    Luon got up, unconcerned.


    After all, once he placed the horse sculpture on the floor again, she would respond as if nothing had happened.


    Forgetting the entire previous conversation¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s happening outside.¡±


    Luon walked to the window and looked down through the iron bars.


    This place was situated high up in the citadel. The ground below seemed very far away.


    However, the black-clad professors stood out clearly against the white background, moving around like a swarm of ants.


    Previously, each professor would monitor one person. Now, one professor was handling two.


    This was because personnel had been reassigned to search for the missing students.


    Luon memorized where they were going.


    It wouldn¡¯t be to a common place. If it were, they would have found the missing students already.


    It would be somewhere seldom visited, possibly one of the secret spaces rumored to exist.


    As expected, a few groups headed toward the wall and then disappeared.


    That area was an empty lot he had visited while exploring the academy.


    But they didn¡¯t come out even after some time had passed.


    Luon began mapping the professors¡¯ movements.


    He marked locations like the storage room where they spent 15 minutes, the door leading underground, the dense forest path, and the small buildings, noting places that took longer to search.


    Finishing his work, the pen rolled off the desk.


    From tomorrow, he could investigate more actively.


    ***


    Today, the lobby of Schlaphe Hall was peaceful.


    The lazy seniors demanded escort fees from the juniors, boasting about their purification magic.


    ¡°If you get brainwashed by a ghost, I¡¯ll save you with my purification magic.¡±


    Listening from afar, I was astonished.


    Maybe the top student from Adelle Hall could do it, but a third-year from Schlaphe Hall? It was clearly a scam.


    ¡°Are you going to scam us again like last time?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you can, show us right now.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve used up all my mana today. I¡¯ll show you next time.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk.¡±


    It was a beautiful sight to see the freshmen glaring at such seniors like trash.


    And then, another piece of trash, Makdal, slipped and fell with a crash, as if he had stepped on an oiled floor.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    Hiding behind the desk and pots, Ricks and his group sprang out like bees, wielding staffs and wooden swords, ready to strike at the groaning Makdal.


    ¡°Makdal!!¡±


    Watching Ricks wave his staff with a face full of righteousness, Donatan commented.


    ¨C There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than a man with blind faith who has lost his way. He seemed like a righteous man at first, but how did he become so vile?


    He wasn¡¯t always so ruthless. How did he end up like this?


    ¨C He must have been corrupted by you.


    I am a walking moral textbook. He should have become more virtuous.


    Just then, the Schlaphe Hall representative, Athera, clapped her hands in the lobby.


    ¡°Attention, everyone. Ricks¡¯ group, leave that for later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, senior.¡±


    As Ricks put away his staff, Makdal sighed in relief.


    ¡°You all know the atmosphere on campus is unsettling lately. Especially for the freshmen, it must be quite shocking. Strange phenomena, ghosts wandering around¡­ it must be scary. And you should be scared. Keep being scared.¡±


    Those listening expressed confusion with an ¡°Uh?¡± sound.


    ¡°This situation is serious. Professors who are adept at finding hidden troublemakers haven¡¯t found a single missing student yet. This is extremely rare. The second and third years know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    The seniors nodded.


    No wonder there were so many of them around; they sensed something was different about this incident compared to previous ones.


    ¡°So, what I¡¯m saying is, from now on, you should always move in pairs. That way, your chances of survival will be higher.¡±


    Athera spoke practically, fitting for a representative. However, she had already been corrupted by her regained power.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to start a fundraiser. That¡¯s actually why I gathered you all here.¡±


    ¡°A fundraiser?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as your representative, I¡¯m the most important person here. There¡¯s someone in Adelle Hall who can use purification magic, but they¡¯re asking for a lot of money. So, show some sincerity.¡±


    She was rotten to the core.


    It was wrong of her to come down from Buerger Hall just to enjoy being the head of the snake here.


    Unsurprisingly, no one offered any money to the collection box she held out.


    ¡°Nothing? Really¡­ Not a single person cares about their representative¡¯s life?¡±


    Athera spoke in a disheartened voice.


    ¡°Anyway, especially you Schlaphe Hall guys, be extra careful since you¡¯re all rotten to the core. Always go in pairs, and remember the dorm curfew is now at 7 PM. Be back on time.¡±


    Now bored, she yawned and scratched her rear.


    ¡°Yawn¡­ Oh, and club activities are banned for now. You can¡¯t take on any requests either. Use the coins you¡¯ve saved to get by. That¡¯s all, dismissed.¡±


    Apart from the pair rule, she showed no concern for the students¡¯ wellbeing.


    The Schlaphe Hall students looked exasperated at the lack of practical measures.


    ¡°All we have is debt, and now we can¡¯t take requests?¡±


    ¡°¡­What is this? How long will it last?¡±


    ¡°What about people like me who live day by day?¡±


    They should have saved some money earlier.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in the Adelle Hall dormitory, Leana closed her door excitedly. She held a letter from her father, who had declared their estrangement.


    She hadn¡¯t expected a reply.


    Feeling down with nothing going right, she had forgotten to buy new armor because of Hersel last time and had planned to do so today, only to find all the clubs closed temporarily¡­


    Though her trip was in vain, the letter lifted her spirits.


    Leana gently put down her old armor and opened the letter.  sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What would it say?


    She hoped her father had accepted her mother back and acknowledged her desire to become a knight¡­ It was a moment of tense anticipation.


    However, the moment she read the first line, her grip tightened.


    [It¡¯s good news that he entered Frostheart. If he doesn¡¯t mind you wielding a sword, you must be satisfied. But don¡¯t let your guard down. You must strive to keep his attention away from other girls.]


    Rustle¡ª


    The subject was neither her mother nor herself but some other man.


    It was always like this.


    During meals, she was told to go meet him; when she chose clothes, she was told he wouldn¡¯t like them. Whatever she did, it was always about Hersel, Hersel, Hersel.


    Even in letters now¡­ Hersel.


    The memories of the father she loved seemed to be shrinking.


    She could no longer recall the smile he had when he looked at her with pride or the excited tone he had when he said he was proud of her.


    All she could remember was his icy expression and formal voice¡­


    ¡°I was a fool to expect anything.¡±


    So, Leana buried her emotions.


    If you expect recklessly, you¡¯ll only be disappointed recklessly.


    Better to become indifferent.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Her clothes stuck to her sweaty skin.


    Leana suppressed her expression and grabbed her washing basket.


    Entering the private shower room and closing the door, the curtain fluttered.


    Tap¡ª


    A red glare flashed beyond the window.


    It stared persistently at the old armor in the corner.

 Chapter 63

    Naturally, the after-school classes were postponed. With the dormitory curfew moved up, the time spent in Schlaphe Hall increased. And now, I was just staring at a black cat gnawing on a fish in my room.Rip!


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been feeding it every day without fail. The cat, indifferent to my gaze, continued to comfortably eat the fish.


    Donatan watched with a pleased expression.


    ¨C It doesn¡¯t run away anymore.


    ¡°Soon, we¡¯ll be able to pet it.¡±


    ¨C Hmm, it¡¯s surprising. I didn¡¯t think you liked cats.


    I smiled at Donatan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yeah, I actually like cats.¡±


    ¨C What are you plotting now?


    ¡°Plotting? What do you mean?¡±


    The cat vanished into thin air, leaving only the fish bones behind.


    Fsssh¡ª


    With nothing else to pass the time, I took out the rules mirror.


    [The hot water in the showers will not be available for the time being. If you see steam, leave immediately.]


    Today, while others nearly froze to death in the showers, only the magic department students secretly used warm water. Indeed, nothing enhances the quality of life like magic.


    [Today¡¯s knock is always three times. If it¡¯s not three times, no matter how familiar the voice, do not open the door.]


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Re-reading the content I had already seen was getting boring. Bored, I left the room. The hallway was completely silent as if everyone had disappeared¡­ Most people were probably in the first-floor lobby.


    Before entering Schlaphe Hall, Athera had frightened everyone with stories of seeing something terrifying.


    -I saw it! It was different from what I saw before. Its eyes glowed red.


    As more and more students added their own sightings, the scared ones ended up clustering together.


    ¡°If you keep your mind healthy, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Turning around the stair corner and descending, I saw the first-floor lobby crowded with people. They were sitting huddled together, and at that moment, a mischievous guy was pointing at the air, trying to scare them.


    ¡°It¡¯s here! A wraith!¡±


    The girls screamed, and even Limberton joined in.


    ¡°Haha, gotcha!¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s a time and place for jokes?¡±


    The guy grinned mischievously and was kicked by the surrounding people. As the guy writhed on the floor, someone dragged a chair over and sat down.


    ¡°Well, since there¡¯s nothing to do, how about we tell some interesting stories? I¡¯ll start.¡±


    Feeling lonely holed up in my room, I decided to pass the time here. As I approached the group, the guy on the floor pointed at me and pulled the same prank again.


    ¡°A wraith! It¡¯s a wraith!¡±


    How dare this guy try to prank me. I was about to hit him when everyone¡¯s eyes focused on me. They gaped like goldfish, looking as if they had seen something unbelievable.


    ¡°What? Did you all plan this together?¡±


    ¡°Be-behind you¡­¡±


    When I turned at Limberton¡¯s words, there was nothing to see. Ah, so this is the kind of joke they play on newcomers. I started to sit down on the floor.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t come closer!¡±


    ¡°This is getting boring; can you stop?¡±


    Just then, something brushed my cheek¡ªa feelingless touch. It was just something I noticed with the corner of my eye.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Looking up at the ceiling, I met the gaze of two blood-red eyes. A woman in a white dress, old-fashioned and elegant, with pale skin, was looking down at me.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    I was a bit surprised, but not scared. After all, I had ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ and, more importantly, a healthy mind.


    To me, people are scarier than ghosts.


    ¡°Limberton, should I introduce you to a girl?¡±


    ¡°How can you joke at a time like this?¡±


    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s gone. I guess she didn¡¯t like you.¡±


    As the wraith vanished, people crowded around Limberton.


    ¡°We might be safe around this guy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, even ghosts seem to have good taste.¡±


    Limberton trembled, looking displeased.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit much?¡±


    Anyway, with nothing else to read and bored out of my mind, I hoped this would end soon. Should I give the professors a clue about where the missing students are hiding?


    -No, I shouldn¡¯t mess with the scenario. They¡¯ll find them eventually.


    ***


    The wooden floorboards of the walkway stretched out. In the center was a long staircase leading up to the citadel, flanked by statues of the founder Merlin and large monuments. Under a professor¡¯s supervision, Luon and another donation-admitted student were enjoying the fresh air.


    ¡°You look tired, professor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t talk to me, Luon.¡±


    Only one professor, who was supposed to supervise two students, was with them. This was due to the increased personnel allocated to find the missing students. As they walked, Luon spotted a man in the distance walking towards them with his hands in his pockets.


    Noticing Luon¡¯s signal, his companion stopped and drew the professor¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Is that the rumored wraith?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As the professor looked seriously, Luon discreetly exchanged a note with the man walking past him.


    ¡°Oh, my mistake. It was just a piece of cloth.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, enough with the jokes, Felcion.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too harsh. What if it had been real?¡±


    While the professor glared at Felcion, Luon quickly scanned the note¡¯s contents.


    [The item you requested is placed by the window. I regret to inform you that the other item has not been found yet.]


    Luon crumpled the note and discreetly discarded it in the snow. After finishing his outdoor activity, he returned to his room. The shelf was full of pigeon-shaped stone statues, and a chisel and hammer lay on the desk.


    He passed by them and approached the barred window.


    Tonight, the professors were too preoccupied with searching for the missing students to notice the item hanging on the bars.


    Luon brought the cloth-wrapped item inside and unwrapped it. Inside was a dark steel piece about the size of a candle, a bluish-green mana stone, and a pouch of white powder.


    Luon took out a pocket watch and dipped his finger in the powder.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Ten seconds had passed, but to Luon, it felt like only a second.


    [Thought-paralyzing powder]


    A powder that temporarily disrupts cognitive processes. Its fine particles can even penetrate the skin.


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s too much of it. I need to reduce the amount.¡±


    Luon adjusted the powder to be almost invisible. Though the effect would be lessened by using only a quarter of the amount, it would suffice.


    Just then, the professor announced lights out.


    ¡°After this time, no one is allowed to go out. Sleep well.¡±


    Luon watched the professor¡¯s back as he walked down the hallway. The only way out was through the stairs at the end of the corridor, blocked by iron bars.


    This prison was enforced by high-level magic. The only way to unlock it was with the professor¡¯s key.


    As the professor inserted the key to lock the door, Luon closely observed its shape. Having seen it many times, he memorized every notch and the shape of the mana stone at the end of the key.


    Luon returned to his room, picked up the chisel, and channeled his aura. He carved the steel piece into the shape of the key, recalling its details. After engraving the mana stone to match, the fake key was almost indistinguishable from the real one, only the color slightly different.


    Lastly, he engraved a crack into the bluish-green mana stone at the end of the key.


    Crack.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    If he swapped the professor¡¯s key with this fake one, the professor wouldn¡¯t notice and would discard it, thinking it was broken.


    Since it was likely that Arkandrick carried a spare, obtaining the real key would greatly expand his range of movement.


    Swish¡ª


    Luon approached the bars and sprinkled the powdered drug onto the handle. He stayed awake until morning.


    When the professor approached with a weary expression, he spoke.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Luon Al Barna?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to get some fresh air as soon as possible.¡±


    Smiling gently, the professor looked at him strangely before taking out the key. As the professor habitually touched the handle, Luon swiftly snatched the key with one hand while dropping the fake one.


    When the professor came to his senses, the fake key had fallen to the floor, drawing his attention. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ping!


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The professor picked up the fake key and blinked.


    ¡°Ah, the mana stone broke. Wait here. I¡¯ll get a new key.¡±


    Thus, Luon gained his freedom.


    Even if it was just for a late-night venture, it was enough time.


    ***


    The next evening, the dormitory buzzed with heated gossip.


    ¡°She was found in Adele Hall.¡±


    ¡°A first-year dormitory, they said?¡±


    The missing third-year girl from Schlaphe Hall had been found there.


    Apparently, a student residing there was subdued by the missing girl who had invaded, and she was caught by the professors.


    I sensed something had gone wrong at that moment. Limberton approached me with a worried expression.


    ¡°Did you hear? The injured person is Leana.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard¡­¡±


    This wasn¡¯t in the original scenario. There was no sudden appearance of the missing person, nor an invasion of Leana¡¯s room.


    -This is clearly an anomaly.


    But the shocking news didn¡¯t end there. Leana, who was supposed to be recovering, went missing.


    She shouldn¡¯t have been brainwashed, so why?


    There was no time to ponder the cause. The more important thing was what would happen next.


    ¡¾Fela of Loss¡¿


    A lingering thought that enhances the host¡¯s physical abilities to their utmost limits. Even an average student¡¯s end-specs would fall short against the experienced professors¡¯ concerted efforts.


    But it¡¯s a different story if the host is a playable character.


    Although Leana is a swordswoman, Fela¡¯s magical knowledge wouldn¡¯t enhance her technical skills.


    Yet, Leana¡¯s high potential means she could become a top-tier swordswoman if she grows. Her physical abilities surpass Arkandrick¡¯s, and ordinary professors would struggle against her.


    ¨C Ordinary professors, that is.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    The thought of someone unpleasant crossed my mind, making me sigh.


    Rockefeller. I left Schlaphe Hall to find him.


    **


    The professors had gathered in front of the citadel.


    Unlike the previous day, when they were relatively relaxed, their expressions were now filled with urgency, sweating profusely. They looked ready for battle, with swords and staffs in hand.


    I observed from afar, listening in on Rockefeller¡¯s instructions as he coordinated the situation.


    ¡°A second-year from Burger Hall and a first-year from Adele Hall have returned voluntarily. I¡¯ll address your incompetence later. The target seems to be the Forbidden Library. I don¡¯t know why the wraith is targeting it, but you all know what will happen if an intruder steps in there.¡±


    Speaking in a calm voice, he looked at the professors disdainfully.


    ¡°Ah, and please, make sure not to disturb the headmaster¡¯s sleep. Capture them quietly.¡±


    As Rockefeller waved them off, the professors quickly dispersed. He had no intention of getting involved directly. If all the professors died in the initial encounter, future storylines would be disrupted.


    ¡°A rat breaking curfew, I see.¡±


    He scowled as I revealed myself. I remained unfazed and asked, as usual.


    ¡°Professor, are you not going to intervene?¡±


    ¡°Me? Restrain some students? You should be more concerned about your punishment, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°You can punish me later. Shouldn¡¯t you help the professors first?¡±


    He smirked, raising his staff.


    ¡°Haha, sounds like you want me to deal with you right now.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect him to agree easily. I might have to manipulate him with the information I knew, just like with Deloger.


    But unexpectedly, there was no need. A voice came from his cross bag.


    ¨C Professor Rockefeller, we were ambushed on our way to capture the students.


    The word ¡®ambush¡¯ made Rockefeller¡¯s face contort with surprise.


    ¡°An intruder? How many?¡±


    ¨C No¡­ it was Leana Rel Derevian, a first-year knight from Adele Hall, alone!!


    Rockefeller growled in frustration, glaring at me with icy eyes.


    But I didn¡¯t care. My objective was achieved. The rest was his problem.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll return to the dormitory as a good student. Good luck, professor.¡±


    I quickly turned to leave for my safety. But a hand gripped my shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He stared at me for a long moment before muttering something peculiar.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re better than those incompetent fools.¡±


    Pretending not to hear, I tried to walk away. But his telekinesis lifted me, dragging me to the battlefield I wanted to avoid.


    Damn bastard. I had hoped he would call Arkandrick after getting beaten by Leana¡­


    **


    Meanwhile, Luon was stealthily following the two individuals, who were undoubtedly the ones who had returned from being missing.


    Where were they heading? According to the information from Fela in the special hall, her lingering thoughts were obsessed with the Forbidden Library.


    When asked what was there or their purpose, she always lied, so I couldn¡¯t find out.


    They had entered the citadel. Following them to the basement, the boy drew symbols with his hand and placed them on a brick wall. The bricks, which couldn¡¯t be considered a door, started to sink inward.


    Rumble.


    The bricks revealed a descending staircase. Luon waited until the footsteps faded before following discreetly.


    A new hallway appeared as he carefully descended. As he rounded a corner, a woman suddenly got close, sniffing the air.


    ¡°That faint magical energy¡­ Another Fela?¡±


    Though he was discovered, it didn¡¯t matter. Since the lingering thoughts were originally one, they would be on the same side.


    Luon smiled, thinking optimistically.


    ¡°Yes, a friend I recently made.¡±


    But the woman drew a longsword from her waist, berating her other self.


    ¡°You released a useless one.¡±


    With a belligerent attitude, Luon spread out the paper he held. The powder scattered.


    Luon blew into her face.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Swish!


    In an instant, he snatched her sword and pointed it at her neck.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I should be saying, don¡¯t you think?¡±

 Chapter 64

    Despite having a sword at her throat, her fist came flying at Luon.Smack!


    A sharp pain in his cheek. Luon quickly put some distance between himself and the woman. When he wiped his cheek with his hand, it came away bloody.


    It was a dodge based purely on prediction. Had he not anticipated the move, his facial bones would have been shattered.


    ¡°You nearly cut me. Are you handling your body so carelessly because it¡¯s not yours?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t follow, I won¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Nice to have choices.¡±


    Luon recalled his conversation with Fela in the special hall.


    [I hide in the scale to maximize the host¡¯s potential and make them stronger.]


    -Is that even possible?


    [I wanted to be recognized by my master, so I made it myself.]


    -Another lie.


    It was a lie that she developed it herself, but it seemed true that she made the host stronger. The attack just now had a speed that only a strong knight could achieve.


    Luon smiled faintly and threw his sword behind him. The woman relaxed her fighting stance.


    ¡°A good choice.¡±


    His role was to scout and return without leaving any trace. No matter how strong a student gets, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the professors subdue them, and things will return to normal. If they were found dead or injured, the professors would hunt down the perpetrator relentlessly.


    There was no choice but to subdue her without leaving any evidence.


    Dash!


    Luon charged at the woman. The first-year male from Adelle Hall had long since rounded the corner. In a one-on-one situation, there was a chance to win. The woman feinted a kick with her right foot.


    Whoosh!


    A sharp kick grazed Luon¡¯s hair as he ducked. Her fist then came straight at him, but he twisted his body to dodge.


    Her stance made it obvious where she would strike. The woman¡¯s fighting style was merely textbook moves. Even if her body rivaled a professor¡¯s, her skills were still those of the original owner.


    Approaching her, Luon threw a paper containing the ¡°Thought Paralyzing Powder.¡±


    Pop!


    The woman reacted immediately, breaking the paper with a punch, scattering the powder. But Luon was already behind her, executing a joint lock.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    She struggled, but the joint lock left her unable to shake him off. Luon, engaging in a struggle, moved like a snake and choked her.


    The woman tried to slam Luon against the wall.


    Bang!


    As she repeatedly bashed him against the wall, blood dripped from Luon¡¯s mouth. Yet, he smiled with the eyes of a viper.


    ¡°Heh heh heh.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    As she tried to twist her body, Luon relentlessly tightened his grip, perfecting the chokehold. This was a close combat technique he learned from Arkandrick. ?


    -The neck is often the weak point for knights. If their body is surrounded by aura, the neck is the easiest part to target.


    -A demonstration is unnecessary.


    -It¡¯s better to learn from experience.


    -Damn old man.


    After a few seconds, the woman went limp.


    ¡°She¡¯ll wake up on her own.¡±


    Luon propped her up against the wall and realized something new about the wraith.


    Fela in the special hall would reset if the conversation broke. If the wraith was the same, it would repeat the same words when it resumed. But this one retained memory and consciousness, meaning unconventional attacks would only work once.


    Luon sat down to regain his strength. His next opponent was the first-year mage from Adelle Hall. As Fela was a disciple of the Archmage, she could fully utilize the body¡¯s potential, requiring thorough preparation.


    ***


    Frostheart¡¯s citadel had two entrances, north and south. Students rarely used the north entrance, as most classrooms and facilities were accessible through the south entrance. The north entrance led to a corridor blocked by brick walls with a few doors. Professors used it for setting up exams and storing necessary tools, but the real reason was known to me.


    The Forbidden Library was hidden there. And now, Rockefeller was dragging me there.


    ¡°Stop being stubborn and call the headmaster.¡±


    I grumbled while floating in the air, suspended by Rockefeller.


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡±


    His pointless stubbornness was tiring. If Arkandrick learned of the professors¡¯ incompetence, this man would bear the consequences.


    ¨C It¡¯s not my problem as a student.


    But now I had a change of heart. The wraith aimed to reconstitute its original body to become human. The ingredients for that were stored in the Forbidden Library. Normally, they would be detected and resealed by the professors, but with the variable of Leana, their success was likely. It was necessary to assess the situation on site.


    ¡°Professor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is Leana really fighting the professors alone?¡±


    ¡°According to the report.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case¡­


    ¡°Then, the other two have already gone inside.¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s face showed a hint of panic. We began to see a professor lying on the floor, limbs twisted.


    Rockefeller stopped to check his condition. He was still breathing, so he wasn¡¯t dead.


    ¡°A professor getting bested by a student, pathetic.¡±


    Despite his harsh words, Rockefeller drew symbols with his staff that I recognized. They were healing spells only those with a special talent could use.


    ¡°Professor, did you awaken the taste perception ability?¡±


    When I asked, Rockefeller frowned.


    ¡°What does it matter to you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Thinking back, many of Rockefeller¡¯s spells were unconventional. I didn¡¯t realize it when I just clicked skills with a mouse, but now, formally learning magic, I knew he belonged to a rare talent category like me.


    It was unsettling to share this trait with him.


    Finally, we arrived near the north entrance. The red-haired woman swung her sword, creating a storm. Professors in black robes were being blown away like leaves in a blizzard.


    Leana approached a knight professor and struck vertically with her sword.


    Clang!


    The professor¡¯s sword, blocking hers, bent. He quickly retreated, dropping his arm.


    ¡°I think my wrist is broken¡­¡±


    ¡°Go rest over there!¡±


    Another professor, catching his breath, intercepted Leana. Yet, she bypassed him in an instant, aiming to finish off the injured professor.


    Just before she stabbed his heart, her movements slowed.


    Thud!


    Her sword struck the ground as the injured professor floated into the air.


    I watched as Rockefeller swung his staff.


    The spell was a combination of curse magic and telekinesis. Despite this, his telekinesis lifted not only the injured professor but also others who were hurt and gasping for breath, pulling them behind him.


    -Can telekinesis handle the weight of ten people?


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller¡­¡±


    ¡°I apologize.¡±


    Rockefeller clicked his tongue at the professors.


    ¡°Pathetic.¡±


    His face was serious. He had cast a high-level curse, but it barely restrained Leana for even a second.


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, he let me go.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest. You capture the two intruders in the Forbidden Library.¡±


    He used telekinesis to hand me a professor¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Capture?¡±


    ¡°Yes, capture. Do not kill, but capture them alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­Me?¡±


    Rockefeller drew symbols. A crow appeared, and my staff glowed white.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°The crow will guide you. And I have cast a purification spell on your staff. Touch their heads with it to break the brainwashing.¡±


    Enchanting another¡¯s staff¡­ A type of magic even Camelo hadn¡¯t mentioned. Curious, I stared at Rockefeller, who scowled.


    ¡°Again, capture them alive.¡±


    ¡°Why so insistent?¡±


    ¡°You should know better.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    I asked with my expression, and Rockefeller gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cripple them like you did to Bidon.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He turned to face Leana, looking quite formidable. Until he muttered softly.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, you must hurry¡­¡±


    Preparing to run, I retorted.


    ¡°I told you to call the headmaster.¡±


    Leana charged at him. As the crow took flight, I ran towards the north entrance.


    My task was to purify those two. Given the conditions, it was possible. I had the ¡®1-second invincibility.¡¯


    **


    Thanks to Rockefeller diverting attention, I made it into the citadel. I saw the secret staircase leading to the Forbidden Library, and Donatan evaluated Leana¡¯s combat.


    ¨C That woman, Leana. Her situation is the opposite of ours.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    ¨C I have the Sword Saint¡¯s skills, but your body is like a bug¡¯s. On the other hand, her body is exceptional, but her sword skills are lacking.


    He got beaten by a kid, Mircel. Fine, I¡¯ll let it slide.


    A swordsman¡¯s strength is defined by their training. Unique techniques are far superior to common manuals. Leana just hadn¡¯t found a proper teacher yet. She would soon in Frostheart, but that¡¯s a story for another time.


    I walked down the hallway to the Forbidden Library. It led to a maze-like structure, but thanks to the crow, I didn¡¯t have to remember the way.


    Turning a corner, I tripped over something.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A woman, slumped against the wall. One of the missing second-year students from Buerger Hall. A headache started to form.


    -Who knocked her out?


    If it were a professor, they would have reported it to Rockefeller. I sensed an uninvited guest and touched the unconscious woman¡¯s head with the purified staff.


    I gripped the sword handle. As I carefully approached the next corner, a soft voice made my heart jump.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Hersel.¡±


    A man, disheveled yet elegant, stepped out. His eyes, filled with aesthetic appreciation, watched me as he approached calmly, as if meaning no harm.


    ¡°Luon¡­¡±


    He was supposed to be investigating elsewhere, so why was he here?


    ***


    ¡°Huff!¡±


    No matter how hard Rockefeller tried to lift Leana with telekinesis, she wouldn¡¯t budge. She steadily closed the distance. Rockefeller gathered the snow around and blanketed the sky.


    A tidal wave of snow cast shadows as it enveloped Leana.  S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shooosh!


    He compressed the snow into hard ice to restrain her. But sheer force cracked and broke it apart.


    Leana charged, shattering the ice.


    Rockefeller melted the ice and refroze it into a flat ice field. Casting telekinesis on himself, he dodged her charge sideways. Leana slid forward but shattered the ice with her strength.


    Crash!


    As ice shards scattered, her lifeless eyes closed in. Rockefeller smiled, watching her sword swing.


    He cast multiple protective shields and lightened his body with magic.


    Whoosh!


    As her horizontal strike hit, he was flung far back. Three shields remained intact after the heavy blow, yet his smile persisted. His staff, glowing white, touched Leana¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    He used telekinesis to hold the staff in place. Moments later, Leana¡¯s dull eyes regained life.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Her shocked expression was brief. The surrounding malevolent energy darkened the white light, clouding her eyes again.


    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s stunned face echoed his internal scream.

 Chapter 65

    By the time the tea cup was empty, the mistress stamped the final document. The moon was already high outside the window. Seeing that she had finished her work, the head maid finally spoke up.¡°Madam, have you heard the news?¡±


    ¡°News?¡±


    ¡°It seems that the eldest son of the Banas family has been admitted to Frostheart.¡±


    The head maid cautiously watched the mistress¡¯s reaction. Bringing up the man who had often irritated her since the day of the festival. However, it was all in the past now. As expected, the mistress replied nonchalantly.


    ¡°I knew. He was destined to go there from the start.¡±


    The Banas family mansion was infamous for a series of unfortunate events. Tragedies such as people suddenly becoming vegetative, going insane, or dying of heart attacks. The common thread among the victims was that they were all half-siblings of the eldest son, Luon.


    Though there was no concrete evidence, the suspicion was enough. Luon¡¯s fate was sealed. The only plan was to erase him honorably.


    ¡°So, he achieved his wish after all.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    The mistress pretended to be deep in thought, then chuckled.


    ¡°Thinking back, it¡¯s a bit regretful. I considered it a kind of amusement, but in the end, it feels like he won.¡±


    The head maid remained silent, wisely. The mistress seemed to recall how he persistently tried to communicate, even when cut off from the outside world. He sent countless carrier pigeons and even tried to sneak letters through the supply wagons entering the mansion. There were also attempts to infiltrate the Tenest estate with members of the shady Lethe club.


    Eventually, when he crossed the line, the mistress contacted the Banas family to have him confined, ending the matter.


    ¡°To plan an invasion of the mansion, that was too much.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, a man who did not know his place.¡±


    The head maid smirked and nodded.


    **


    The mystery was quickly unraveled.


    Luon Al Banas, now free at night, was aware of Fela in the special hall. Seeing another person brainwashed by a wraith would have piqued his curiosity, leading him to follow them. It was plausible that he would be found in the Forbidden Library. ?????


    One thing remained puzzling: this place was an ideal maze for hiding. Despite these perfect conditions, he showed himself willingly, almost confessing.


    ¡­What if I reported him?


    ¡°I never imagined meeting you here.¡±


    Luon approached with relaxed steps. Though a sense of vigilance rose within me, he wouldn¡¯t make a sudden attack. If any injuries or bodies were left behind, it would only serve as evidence.


    Just to be sure, I looked at the woman slumped against the wall.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    ¡°I just choked her until she fainted. She¡¯ll wake up soon.¡±


    I sighed in relief. Luon asked with a curious face.


    ¡°So, what brings you here, Hersel?¡±


    Red alert. How should I explain this?


    Should I say I¡¯m also here to uncover the secrets of the Forbidden Library?


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm? Does that staff have a purification spell to break brainwashing?¡±


    Damn, this guy has sharp eyes.


    ¡°And the mana scent is foreign, almost like it belongs to someone else.¡±


    And a sharp nose.


    ¡°It must be a professor¡¯s spell.¡±


    Damn, he figured it out. I had no choice but to answer honestly, facing Luon¡¯s questioning gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m here at the professor¡¯s request to subdue the two missing students.¡±


    He smiled warmly.


    ¡°Ah, it seems we have the same goal. What a fortunate turn of events.¡±


    Why does he look so happy? His voice carried a hint of excitement.


    ¡°Why are you so happy about being with me, given my connection to the professor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we were together. We used to play a lot as kids.¡±


    Luon¡¯s face showed a bit of life, which made me curious about what connected these wicked men.


    I needed to understand his goodwill more precisely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you resent me for leaving Lethe?¡±


    When I prodded, he blinked as if puzzled.


    ¡°Do I have the right to blame you? I couldn¡¯t even contact you for the past year.¡±


    ¡°Contact?¡±


    ¡°The meddling of that stray cat was quite significant.¡±


    By ¡°stray cat,¡± he meant the mistress. He must have tried to reach out but was blocked by her.


    ¡°So, I think I should be the one feeling guilty. I can understand why you decided to leave Lethe.¡±


    So, he¡¯s blaming himself for my departure from Lethe.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    That¡¯s convenient for me.


    The second-year knight from Burger Hall is manageable, but the first-year mage from Adele Hall is a tougher opponent.


    If he plans to continue showing goodwill, I might as well use it.


    Finding the location of the Forbidden Library was only a matter of time for him anyway. I just needed to ensure he didn¡¯t take anything from there to mess up the scenario.


    Though I had to make a risky demand first¡­


    ¡°In that case, don¡¯t think about taking anything from the Forbidden Library. That¡¯s the condition for accompanying me.¡±


    I boldly made this demand to the Act 1 boss. But he nodded willingly.


    ¡°I intended to do that regardless of your request. I¡¯m only here to explore what¡¯s hidden today.¡±


    It seemed like unnecessary worry.


    Of course. If anything disappeared from the Forbidden Library, the professors would search for it intensely. He wouldn¡¯t want to take that risk either.


    He added another reason.


    ¡°Besides, I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡±


    That made me uncomfortable.


    ¡°If I took something, you¡¯d take the blame.¡±


    -Too friendly.


    Now I was curious. Why was the boss treating a weakling like me so kindly?


    I remembered that he wasn¡¯t like Bidon, but¡­


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Luon always had a demeanor suggesting he¡¯d give his all. There seemed to be some story behind it.


    For now, I decided to put off setting boundaries with him.


    ¡°We¡¯re late. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    We followed the crow without further delay. I asked him how he subdued the woman.


    ¡°You said you choked her. What did you use?¡±


    He opened his mouth in surprise.


    ¡°Thought Paralyzing Powder. So¡­¡±


    He muttered his plan to subdue the enemy.


    ¡°That was my plan.¡±


    He also realized that the enemies learned.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll match your strategy.¡±


    We ran through the maze, choosing the correct path thanks to the crow. I saw the man standing at the door, summoning a spell with his palm.


    Now was our chance as he tried to open the entrance to the Forbidden Library.


    I picked up speed, though Luon overtook me.


    The man opened the door and aimed his staff.


    Whoosh!


    The air swirled, showing the faint shape of a giant transparent spear. I grabbed Luon¡¯s collar and pulled him behind me.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    As he fell, the wind spear hit me full force.


    Bang!


    [Impact detected.]


    [Trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    Ignoring Luon¡¯s surprised voice, I ignited the ¡®Noble Blood Ember¡¯ and faced the man.


    ¡°That won¡¯t work on me. Show me something else, maybe a real trick.¡±


    Fela¡¯s specialty was curses. He learned that brute-force spells wouldn¡¯t work on me. I hoped my tactic had worked.


    The man began drawing a curse spell with his staff. I sighed in relief, turned slightly toward Luon, and reached for my staff.


    ¨C You may proceed.


    As I ran forward, a black mist of curse magic engulfed me. My heart raced, and the world turned red.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 43 seconds.]


    [Status abnormality: Blood Rage curse.] sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    My hand, guided by Donatan, drew the staff. The hidden white light emerged. As it touched my head, my heartbeat normalized and my vision cleared.


    I quickly touched Luon¡¯s head with the staff too.


    Tap!


    Luon sprinted toward the man as he threw the white powder. As the flour-like dust spread, the man smirked.


    ¡°Did you think the same trick would work twice?¡±


    His staff was charged with a wind spell.


    Whoosh!


    The gust blew the powder away, covering Luon. He stood paralyzed. The man aimed his staff at Luon, drawing a curse of explosive death.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of this leech first.¡±


    But Luon moved.


    Snap!


    He grabbed the man¡¯s staff with both hands.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Luon quickly disarmed him and put him in a joint lock. His arm choked the man. A mage couldn¡¯t match Luon¡¯s strength in close combat.


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    The man asked. Luon smiled softly.


    ¡°The powder was ground stone.¡±


    I approached the subdued man and tapped his head with the purified staff.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    Luon released the unconscious man and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you came, Hersel. I would have died alone.¡±


    Lies.


    If he were really in danger, he would have ditched the restraint of subduing and killed the man. Luon always found a way to win, his most terrifying trait.


    ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    Luon flinched. I pointed to the Forbidden Library.


    ¡°Shall we take a look?¡±


    He eyed the keyhole curiously.


    ¡°Why are there two ways to open the door?¡±


    The man had used a spell on the wall to open it, yet there was a keyhole too. It was puzzling.


    The spell to unlock it was lost over time, hence the keyhole.


    Frostheart was full of such hidden elements unknown even to professors.


    ¡°Who knows.¡±


    I feigned ignorance. These secrets were meant for the protagonists and him to uncover themselves.


    **


    Luon carried the mage and the knight on his shoulders. After exiting the maze, he handed them over to me. He gave me extra ¡®Thought Paralyzing Powder¡¯ as a gift and hid.


    As I left the north entrance, I approached the injured professors to draw attention. The area was a mess.


    ¡°Huff, huff. Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    I ignored Rockefeller¡¯s struggle with Leana, treating him like he was invisible.


    ¡°You dare ignore my orders?¡±


    ¡°I brought them.¡±


    The professors stared at the subdued students in shock. Luon took the chance to slip away.


    With the task done, I planned to return to Schlaphe Hall and sleep. But the professors¡¯ urgent voices stopped me.


    ¡°Where are you going without helping Professor Rockefeller?¡±


    ¡°I did what was asked. The rest is up to you.¡±


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, comply or face a curse of control.¡±


    ¡°Do as you wish. You professors expect a lot from a student.¡±


    As I pretended to leave, Rockefeller¡¯s dying voice called out.


    ¡°Hersel¡­ Ben¡­ Tenest, help me.¡±


    His stubborn refusal to summon Akandric¡­


    He was persistent.


    ¡°Who threatened to punish me for breaking curfew?¡±


    My joke made Rockefeller glare at me murderously. Briefly, before Leana charged with her sword, forcing him to concede.


    ¡°I rescind it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°I said I rescind it!¡±


    I smirked and drew the purified staff.


    The professors shook their heads.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller tried, but she quickly reverted to brainwashing.¡±


    So, it didn¡¯t work on Leana. This was troublesome.


    ¡°Professor, I don¡¯t think I can help.¡±


    ¡°Just buy me 3¡­ no, 2 seconds!¡±


    ¡°I can do that.¡±


    With ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ and ¡®Thought Paralyzing Powder,¡¯ it wouldn¡¯t be hard.


    I approached Leana, stopping to ask the plan.


    ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±


    Squeezing out his remaining magic, he answered.


    ¡°Memory Reading, a mental spell.¡±


    He hid in the snowstorm, quickly blown away by her sword wind.


    ¡°It fixes the weak mind from the inside. It¡¯s the only way to prevent re-brainwashing!¡±


    He steadied himself with telekinesis.


    ¡°Sending you in is the only way.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    His scolding response answered my dumbfounded question.


    ¡°Who else? Only you have a connection with her!¡±


    It might have the opposite effect, but¡­


    Leana aimed to pierce Rockefeller, so I hurried.


    As she appeared before me, attacking invisibly,


    Ping!


    [Impact detected.]


    [Trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    She had likely aimed to cut my neck horizontally. The sword was split in two. I threw the ¡®Thought Paralyzing Powder¡¯ given by Luon, looking at Rockefeller¡¯s prepared blue spell.


    ¡°Remember, Hersel Ben Tenest. You only get one chance.¡±


    With a trembling staff, he touched Leana¡¯s head and smacked mine.


    This bastard.

 Chapter 66

    The night sky was painted as if with a brush, the moon¡¯s strokes clearly visible. The surface of the grass was uneven, as if dried oil had coated it, and the gray buildings had an unnatural brightness. The whole world appeared like a picture. This was the result of combining image-based magic that paints the heavens and earth with curse magic that manipulates the mind. And it likely included a unique type of magic unknown to me.¡­ Where do humans even learn such things? Is this also part of forbidden magic?


    Seconds passed without a response.


    ¡°Donatan?¡±


    Even calling his name yielded nothing. It seemed he hadn¡¯t followed me here. Curious, I checked the system window visible on my retina.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 57 seconds]


    The countdown was the same as before Rockefeller hit my head. Despite feeling like several minutes had passed, time hadn¡¯t moved. No, to be precise, it was flowing very slowly.


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 56 seconds]


    Time in the mental realm must flow differently than outside.


    To understand more accurately, I opened my status window. But nothing appeared, even though it usually did.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Most notably, I felt a sense of freedom in my mind. It was as if the constant warm presence inside me had vanished.


    This was strange. The ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ was still there, but Donatan and that trait seemed left behind. It was unsettling, but I couldn¡¯t decipher this mystery immediately. I started walking towards the building on the hill, stepping on the winding dirt path.


    Yet, my pants were different from usual. Familiar texture and design. These were the dress pants I wore countless times while working at the company. The shoes were the same, and the watch on my left wrist matched my memories. I pulled my hair in front of my eyes, and it was blonde. When I touched my face, it still felt like Hersel¡¯s. It seemed my appearance was determined by my perception, combining elements of both identities.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Then, I focused on imagining myself as I was during my company days. I looked at the doorknob of the hall. In the metal reflection, my hair was black, and my face, though always handsome, now looked even more refined. Perhaps nostalgia had enhanced it.


    I was about to enter the mental world of a woman who hated Hersel. This way, I wouldn¡¯t be recognized as him.


    Creeeak-


    The hall inside resembled a long corridor art gallery. Pictures lined the walls, and the first frame caught my attention. It was an image of the infirmary at Frostheart, with familiar white beds, curtains, and tools. But the depiction on the bed was strange. It looked as if an invisible person lay there; the pillow was indented, and the blanket bulged as if covering an air doll.


    Out of curiosity, I touched the painting, and my finger slipped through it as if it were a doorway to another world. Startled, I pulled back, and sounds began to emerge.


    ¡°I heard she got beaten up by Buerger Hall? Isn¡¯t that a bubble?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what¡¯s Adelle Hall?¡±


    ¡°Was her family Derevian? I¡¯ve never heard of them. Did she even learn proper swordsmanship?¡±


    It was full of scornful comments. Somehow, the painting captured the sounds of the scene as well. I decided to look at other paintings.


    The other paintings were similar to the infirmary one. Teacups floated in mid-air, or knives appeared to be cutting meat by themselves, manipulated by telekinesis. Traces of people were present, but the actual figures were missing, like edited out.


    While pondering this oddity, Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed in the hall.


    ¨C Hersel Ben Tenest, find Leana in the paintings. She is the sole consciousness and the owner of this inner world. Do whatever it takes to wake her up and make her realize.


    ¡°I need more explanation¡­ Professor? Are you listening? Hey, Rockefeller.¡±


    No answer. It was a one-sided instruction.


    ¡­I guess I need to find Leana among these paintings.


    The task seemed daunting. The number of paintings, representing snippets of someone¡¯s life, was astronomical. Naturally, this place, displaying each scene of a person¡¯s life in frames, looked like an endless corridor.


    ¡°Find Leana among these¡­?¡±


    This was like searching for a needle in a haystack. My mind felt foggy, like I was in a dream, my consciousness floating.


    ***


    At that moment, Leana¡¯s wrist throbbed.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    The sensation was akin to when she had struck a rock with a wooden sword, inspired by a knight¡¯s tale. She opened her eyes wide, rubbing her wrist.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Leana¡¯s father gazed at her with concern, a fork with meat in his hand. It seemed to be mealtime.


    ¡°Oh, no, just a sudden sharp pain¡­¡±


    Beside her, her mother smiled kindly.


    ¡°You must have been swinging your wooden sword late into the night again.¡±


    Her mother¡¯s voice was soothing, like a lullaby. Brushing it off, Leana tried to cut the meat on her plate with a knife, but the plating included the carrots she disliked.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    As she scraped them off with a fork, her mother chided.


    ¡°You need to eat those too for your health.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Embarrassed, Leana put the carrots in her mouth, grimacing as if eating poison. Her father watched with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Chewing a few times, Leana¡¯s eyes widened. The bitterness she hated had mellowed, making it palatable. Her mother chuckled.


    ¡°I asked the cook to change the recipe this time.¡±


    ¡°¡­No wonder.¡±


    Leana blinked. Her mother had prepared the carrots so she could eat them, and her father watched, cherishing the memory. She vaguely remembered something similar from long ago.


    It felt like a submerged memory resurfaced. At the same time, her consciousness floated again. Leana excused herself from the table.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel well today, so I¡¯ll head in early.¡±


    Her parents looked at her with concern, a scene somewhat unfamiliar.


    ¡°The carrots were good. I ate them all.¡±


    Only then did they seem reassured. Leana left the table, walking towards her room.


    The creaking wooden floors and the walls worn by time were familiar. She arrived at her room in their modest home, heading to her desk to continue reading a book. Passing a full-length mirror, she stopped.


    ¡°Was I always this short?¡±


    She felt smaller than she remembered, her face seemed more mature. She touched the mirror, and a figure appeared behind her. A woman with long black hair in a vintage dress, looking at her expressionlessly.


    ¡°This memory must be getting boring too.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, remember. Who am I?¡±


    Despite the strange reply, Leana¡¯s lips spoke the name instinctively.


    ¡°Feldira?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Leana asked, surprised.


    ¡°How do I know your name?¡±


    Feldira gently held Leana¡¯s hand, explaining.


    ¡°You know it. You just hadn¡¯t recalled it yet.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as an old toy box. When you rummage through it for something, you find things you forgot were in there, right?¡±


    Leana blinked, not understanding. Feldira smiled.


    ¡°You can pull out memories you want to recall. This is your world, after all.¡±


    ¡°Pull out? What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    As curiosity about Feldira grew, a fact flashed through Leana¡¯s mind. This was an invading thought in her head.


    Leana¡¯s eyes filled with caution.


    ¡°What have you done to me?¡±


    Feldira shrugged.


    ¡°What could I do? I¡¯m not even a living being. Can the wind harm you? Can an earthquake harm you? Such expressions don¡¯t fit.¡±


    ¡°But if you had to define it, you should have said, ¡®Why did you help me?''¡±


    More memories surfaced for Leana. When she briefly regained consciousness in the real world, she saw injured professors, and her hands held a bloody sword. All of this happened after being taken over by Feldira.


    ¡°You took over my body, and you call it helping? Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±


    ¡°Well, I need something in return, right? But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just borrowing your body until I create my own. I¡¯ll return it in good shape.¡±


    Feldira chuckled, and Leana clenched her fist, approaching.


    ¡°Give it back now.¡±


    ¡°Do as you like. As I said, this world is yours, not mine. I¡¯m just here talking to you.¡±


    Feldira pointed to a door.


    ¡°Go ahead, leave if you want. This is your inner world. You can do it if you wish.¡±


    Leana opened the door without hesitation. Feldira followed, whispering.


    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to pass through painful memories.¡±


    Crossing the threshold, sweat droplets flew. Leana was swinging a wooden sword.


    A voice came from the side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t swing a sword if you¡¯re a girl.¡±


    It was Hersel, sitting on a rock. Leana¡¯s mouth automatically replied.


    ¡°If it bothers you, I¡¯ll do it elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Wrong. What I want is for you to stop wielding a sword altogether. Even if you give up here, you¡¯ll swing it somewhere I can¡¯t see, right?¡±


    This scene was their first meeting, and the start of her misfortune.


    ¡­So, these are the painful memories.


    Leana smiled faintly, thinking of Feldira.


    ¡°I¡¯ve overcome memories like these.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure. Then move on. Keep wishing for the reality you desire, and an exit will appear.¡±


    Feldira waved her hand dismissively. Leana squinted, focusing only on escaping.


    The next scene was her learning to dance in a dress, her father watching sternly.


    ¡°How many times do I have to repeat myself?¡±


    Her father scolded when she made a mistake. Leana frowned, bitterly commenting.


    ¡°It was hard, but it¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±


    The following memories were similar. She secretly bought armor and a wooden sword with saved money after all the swords in the mansion were disposed of. Her father burning the knight storybooks she cherished, making her cry. Her parents¡¯ constant arguments. Hundreds of days that gnawed at her spirit passed quickly, reaching the most recent memory.


    ¡°I finally made it.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is.¡±


    The setting was the Adelle Hall dormitory. Leana held a letter from her father in her room. She clenched it tightly, seeing it only mentioned Hersel.


    Letting her body act on its own, Leana watched herself mimic past actions.


    ¡°I was foolish to expect anything.¡±


    Next, she would look at her sweat-soaked clothes and head to the shower.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    After the shower¡­


    ¡°Why are you in my room?¡±


    A woman was in her room, holding her armor.


    ¡°¡­Put that down.¡±


    Leana approached menacingly.


    Crack!


    The armor crumpled like paper, and a sharp pain pierced her heart. The engraving inside, her constant support, was crushed. The steel that had been her pillar turned into mere scrap. The intruder threw it out the window like used tissue.


    ¡°My armor¡­.¡±


    The thread of her reason snapped. Leana lunged at the intruder, not caring about the glass shards on the floor, her eyes hollow. She threw a punch filled with emotion. But the intruder moved faster, landing a kick to her abdomen, making her kneel.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Leana stood up, wiping blood from her mouth. She grabbed the wooden sword from the wall, swinging it. The intruder dodged effortlessly, hitting her wrist with a palm strike.


    Thwack!


    As she looked at the sword stuck in the ceiling, a knife-hand strike hit her neck.


    Whack!


    Her consciousness faded, and the next memory was the smell of antiseptic. The white furnishings and fabrics indicated the infirmary. Struggling to rise, sharp voices pierced her ears.


    ¡°I heard she got beaten up by Buerger Hall? Isn¡¯t that a bubble?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what¡¯s Adelle Hall?¡±


    ¡°Was her family Derevian? I¡¯ve never heard of them. Did she even learn proper swordsmanship?¡±


    The intruder was from Buerger Hall¡­


    Leana felt the blood drain from her face.


    Were the calluses on her hands all an illusion?


    ¡­If this is the result, what was all my effort for?


    The cost of her stubbornness hit her.


    ¡°If this is how it¡¯s going to be¡­¡±


    She had lost so much. If she had put down her sword and listened to her father, she¡¯d still have so much. Tears of regret trickled down her cheeks.


    Drip.


    A tear fell on the blanket, and Feldira sat beside her, looking sympathetic.


    ¡°Buerger Hall¡¯s third-year. A perpetual failure. She always blamed herself for being stuck. Yet, even she trampled you.¡±


    ¡°Your peaceful family is in ruins, and this is the result of your stubbornness. The sense of loss is overwhelming, isn¡¯t it? But you must accept it. This is the result of your efforts.¡±


    Leana looked up. This woman was the cause of it all. Anger surged as she strangled Feldira.


    ¡°You did this! You broke my armor! You controlled that woman! It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    She shouted, teeth clenched, hands squeezing tight.


    ¡°So what? I was just the trigger. If you had truly achieved something, you would have won. And if you had been wise, who knows? Your parents might not have fallen apart.¡±


    Feldira continued calmly.


    ¡°Take out your anger if it helps. Break my neck or throw me out like your armor.¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    Suddenly, it felt like d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    This had happened before. Leana remembered doing this countless times already.


    ¡°¡­How many times?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you remember? This gets boring after so many repeats.¡±


    It was pointless. Leana loosened her grip, and Feldira straightened her wrinkled collar.


    ¡°But really, is counting the number important? What matters is whether you want to leave or return to that time when everything was perfect.¡±


    Feldira stroked Leana¡¯s cheek sympathetically.


    ¡°I understand. We have a lot in common. You wanted to be acknowledged through the sword, right? Your father praised you for that once. I was the same. I studied magic harder to be recognized by my beloved mentor. But I was condemned, locked away, and abandoned.¡±


    Feldira smiled bitterly.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t resent my mentor. If I get a body, I¡¯ll live like I did during those happy times. I want to fill my empty heart that way.¡±


    Leana looked at Feldira with cold eyes. Feldira¡¯s gentle gaze returned a spark of life to her.


    ¡°You already have something precious. Are you going to abandon it? Happiness is already within you.¡±


    Leana closed her eyes. If she wanted to forget her loss, she could return to that time. Everything was perfect and comfortable back then, without painful memories¡­


    As she focused on her parents¡¯ smiles, a man¡¯s voice caught her attention.


    ¡°Nice words.¡±


    Plain shoes crossed the threshold of the infirmary.


    A man in nondescript clothing and a white shirt with no individuality adjusted a long cloth hanging from his neck.


    ¡°But this nasty woman uses good words so cruelly.¡±


    This man¡¯s appearance felt unfamiliar. Feldira¡¯s bewildered expression confirmed it was their first encounter.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Feldira asked, and the man introduced himself.


    ¡°Ah, sorry for the late introduction. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Her¡­ ahem, my name¡¯s not important. Mind if I sit?¡±


    Leana nodded, taken aback. The man pulled a chair and sat down.


    ¡°I overheard your conversation outside. It was quite interesting. The topic is whether to stay in the happiest moments or live through a miserable reality. Right?¡±


    Leana, thinking deeply, nodded again.


    ¡°Then, may I join this debate?¡±


    Feldira glared at the man.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Just as you did, hush.¡±


    The man gestured to Feldira to keep quiet, looking at Leana.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Think of this mean lady and me as the devil and angel on your shoulders. You just decide whose opinion you agree with more.¡±


    He then pointed at Feldira with a mocking grin.


    ¡°You be the angel. I¡¯ll graciously let you have the good side, even though you look like you were made by Satan.¡±


    Leana blinked.


    The man leaned back leisurely.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the angel¡¯s opinion.¡±


    ¡°Leana, don¡¯t listen to him. Ignore him and let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Such harsh words. Back where?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I¡¯ll answer you?¡±


    ¡°Seems you¡¯re unprepared. That¡¯s why you¡¯re stuck from the start.¡±


    Intrigued by their bickering, Leana decided.


    ¡°I want to hear it, Feldira.¡±


    Feldira frowned at the absurdity but had no choice.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll play this stupid game.¡±


    She sighed deeply and started.


    ¡°My opinion hasn¡¯t changed. The moment you longed for is within you. Why take the long way around?¡±


    The man replied.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s boring. Going in circles gets dull, doesn¡¯t it? Even your favorite snack gets tiring after a month.¡±


    Feldira scoffed.


    ¡°You only know half. You return without remembering. I¡¯ll make it feel new every time.¡±


    The man chuckled.


    ¡°Help? Like giving someone dementia?¡±


    Feldira yelled.


    ¡°What do you know! There are memories people want to forget!¡±


    ¡°Of course. Everyone has them. But what can you do? That¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, if you talk so casually, it must be trivial. That¡¯s why you can say such things.¡±


    The man shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s less painful to joke about it. That¡¯s why satire is popular across ages. And don¡¯t belittle others¡¯ bad memories. They¡¯re painful to them, no matter what they say.¡±


    Realizing she was losing, Feldira turned to Leana.


    ¡°See? He¡¯s telling you to endure it without offering any real solution. Isn¡¯t that irresponsible?¡±


    Surprisingly, the man agreed.


    ¡°True. That¡¯s why life is often said to be painful.¡±


    ¡°Right, so leave it here and let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad idea, staying in the happiest time.¡±


    ¡°See? Even he¡¯s given up.¡±


    But Leana had already made her choice.


    She would rather stay in the perfect past than face the painful future.


    Imagining the good times, she closed her eyes, but the man spoke.


    ¡°But remember, satisfaction there means having already satisfied, not finding new satisfaction.¡±


    Leana glared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be satisfied with that time.¡±


    The man looked deeply into her eyes.


    ¡°Really? So, were you a knight in those memories?¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    A cold chill ran through her, her skin shivering, and her head ached like being hit with a hammer. The forgotten reality dawned on her, her eyes widening.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    It was unfulfilled dreams that she still yearned for. Goals unmet, absent from her memories.


    If she had accepted her father¡¯s wishes, she could have pleased him. She could have refused her mother¡¯s offer to join Frostheart.


    Yet, she refused because¡­


    ¡°Staying or leaving is your choice. I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    The man exited the infirmary. Leana rubbed her wrist, recalling the pain from striking a rock inspired by knights¡­


    *** S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back in reality, Leana peacefully slept. Professors sighed in relief, lying down from exhaustion. Rockefeller, head held high, looked down at me.


    ¡°Well done, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    My head throbbed where he hit me, and I frowned.


    ¡°Do you have something against me?¡±


    ¡°Hush. Step back. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±


    Rockefeller raised his staff. Floating above was the hideous remnant of Feldira.


    Finally, the end of this wretched spirit was near.


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you professors handle this without asking a student for help?¡±


    ¡°¡­Be quiet.¡±

 Chapter 67

    The smell of metal filled the air, stinging my nostrils. I was hammering away, working on some scrap metal. Clang!


    Sweat formed on my forehead. I took a break, sitting down to gather my thoughts.


    [Fella of Loss]


    Rockefeller easily sealed away any thoughts of the body he lost. The location of the seal was kept a secret for security reasons, and I was also sworn to silence for the same reasons. Rockefeller emphasized multiple times,


    ¨C If you reveal what happened today, I will follow you to the ends of hell and destroy you.


    His wariness stemmed from the Forbidden Library. It was Rockefeller who taught a student like me its location, essentially putting his life in my hands. Even so, knowing that he wielded such strange magic, I didn¡¯t plan on exploiting it. I feared that provoking him could lead to my brain being magically altered. Besides, he was a magician like me, belonging to a peculiar group.


    Rockefeller had reached an unknown level. It would be a waste to get rid of him now. Instead, I did receive some compensation for my efforts.


    ¨C Wasn¡¯t that tough work? Anything for me?


    -¡­You can use the cafeteria for free for three months.


    -Is that all?


    Perhaps feeling guilty, Rockefeller offered something decent.


    -Tch. Fine, if you cause any trouble next time, I¡¯ll pardon you once.


    So, I received three months of meal tickets and a pardon. And one very small favor.


    That was the outcome and the reward. Now, it was time to piece together the cause of this incident.


    The start of the incident was undoubtedly Leana being brainwashed, something she would normally never have succumbed to. She had a strong will, determined to become a knight against her family¡¯s opposition. How did she end up consumed by thoughts?


    The answer was surprisingly simple to find. In the Hall of Memories, aside from observing the painting of the hospital room, I also paid close attention to a painting of Leana¡¯s room.


    The content of the letter I read there would have shaken anyone¡¯s mental state. Leana read it with anticipation, hoping for her father¡¯s approval, only to find it full of hateful talk about Hersel. On top of that, the thoughts, sensing an opportunity, crumpled her armor, which she cherished and believed in. The incident of it being thrown out the window brutally crushed her spirit.


    Losing to the Schlaphe House on top of that likely plunged her into despair and doubt. Was this path right? Had she made an irreversible choice?


    Despite that, she unconsciously struggled to escape the comfortable illusion, driven by her unfulfilled desire. It was just that Feldira¡¯s tricks made her forget what her dream was.


    So, if we pinpoint the cause clearly¡­


    It¡¯s me who brought this body, which should have been dead, to this point.


    But what can I do? Enrolling wasn¡¯t a crime.


    ¡°Well, shall we continue?¡±


    The scrap metal I had been hammering was actually Leana¡¯s armor, which I had picked up from the junkyard. There wasn¡¯t any particular reason. It was just a piece of armor she held on to until the end of the story, and I thought it might cause a variable if it was missing, so I decided to fix it just in case.


    Clang!


    After a few more strikes, it looked pretty good. Well, that¡¯s just my amateur opinion.


    Satisfied, I took out the skull I had brought from the mansion.


    ¨C Hmm? What¡¯s that?


    [Cursed Giant¡¯s Skull]


    ¡ñ Attribute: Curse.


    Objects hit by light shrink. Shrunken objects return to normal when exposed to light again.


    A trophy from the first assassin. Now that I was a magician, I could handle it.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d make a miniature.¡±


    ¨C Mi-miniature? What¡¯s that¡­?


    ¡°It¡¯s a thing.¡±


    I aimed the skull at the chest armor and recalled the words Leana had engraved on it when she was full of girlish dreams.


    [Let¡¯s become a knight.]


    It didn¡¯t matter if it was unreadable. That sentence was already deeply engraved in her heart.


    * * *


    When Leana opened my eyes, she was in the infirmary again, surrounded by white furniture and sheets. Leana hurriedly got up, wondering if the same things were repeating.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Her muscles ached, especially her wrists. She had never been this injured before, so this must be reality. Still, why did her eyes keep drifting to the infirmary entrance?


    Even now, it feels like a man in plain clothes with simple shoes might cross the threshold.


    The new pains couldn¡¯t be explained away so easily. Those vivid memories were too real to be dreams.


    Leana placed her numb legs on the floor and struggled to get up.


    ¡°Le-Leana, you shouldn¡¯t be moving yet.¡±


    The medical professor approached, trying to stop her. Her knees buckled at his touch. Just as she was about to voice her confusion, the sound of footsteps echoed from afar.


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ve awakened, Leana Rel Derevian.¡±


    Rockefeller, with a bruise around his eye, glared menacingly. The medical professor, embarrassed by his presence, quietly retreated.


    ¡°I just remembered something urgent I need to attend to.¡±


    As the professor left, Rockefeller pointed his staff at her neck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this, but this is his request.¡±


    His face was full of humiliation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cast a healing spell, so relax.¡±


    Warm light seeped from the tip of his staff into Leana¡¯s body. The tingling pain remained, but the numbness in her wrists and muscle aches significantly subsided. Leana looked up at Rockefeller and asked innocently,


    ¡°Why is your eye like that?¡±


    Rockefeller, looking baffled, gritted his teeth and muttered, ¡®This girl¡­¡¯


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that! Instead, tell me exactly what you remember from yesterday. Every detail.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Remember?¡±


    Leana blinked and explained everything to Rockefeller. How Feldira had invaded the hospital room, how she was deceived and trapped in the past in a daze. She also described the man who came into her memory of the hospital room.


    ¡°He had black hair, plain clothes, and wore a unique watch on his left wrist.¡±


    ¡°A watch on the wrist? Can something like that even be attached to the wrist?¡±


    ¡°Who was that man?¡±


    When Leana asked, Rockefeller¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    His reaction confirmed that the man was a real person.


    ¡°Then, who was the person that asked the professor to help me?¡±


    ¡°Leana Rel Derevian, do you think a student like you can question me?¡±


    ¡°Stop these pointless thoughts. Focus on recovering and attending classes.¡±


    So, she called out to Rockefeller, who was about to leave.


    ¡°Professor, there¡¯s something important I need to say.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Leana took a deep breath and spoke with a serious expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I deserve to stay in the Adelle Hall. I¡¯ll move to the Buerger Hall and start from the bottom again.¡±


    The position didn¡¯t matter when it came to practicing the sword. Recognizing one¡¯s inadequacies and striving to improve was the true path of a knight. As long as she didn¡¯t lose the spirit of becoming a knight, she could always overcome obstacles.


    But unexpectedly, Rockefeller said something different.


    ¡°No, you are a fitting member of the Adelle Hall.¡±


    As he rubbed his bruised eye, he seemed to remember something and exclaimed,


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    He threw a small box onto the bed.


    ¡°This is something that person wanted you to have.¡±


    Ignoring Rockefeller as he left, Leana carefully opened the small box. Inside was a glass bottle with a miniature armor in it, still bearing its distinct engraving despite being badly dented.


    ¡°¡­This is.¡±


    It had been so long. Her face, usually set like a mask, broke into a broad smile.


    -You still want to become a knight? I¡¯ll be cheering you on from afar.


    Leana hugged the glass bottle close to her chest. Just then, professors began entering the infirmary in droves, each wearing a wary expression.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Argh.¡±


    Their faces were pale, and their behavior was strange. Some even had their hands on their sword hilts¡­


    Leana blinked, pretending to be oblivious.


    * * *


    I walked briskly towards the dining hall. With the meal tickets, I could choose anything. It made sense to pick the most expensive item.


    Today, as usual, the woman who worked at the Schlaphe Hall¡¯s dining hall greeted the regulars.


    ¡°The usual, please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it right over, miss.¡±


    The attendants here were personal servants who had followed the freshmen. In Frostheart, nothing was free, so even the servants had to work like this. However, since only elites were sent from the families, the food and service quality were top-notch.


    Once the line cleared, I handed my meal ticket to the dining hall lady.


    ¡°The most expensive one.¡±


    She looked at the meal ticket, then waved her hands in surprise.


    ¡°Ah, no. You can¡¯t use that here, sir.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I can¡¯t use it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for the dining hall managed by the Adelle Hall only¡­¡±


    In the end, it was a wasted trip. I had no choice but to head back to the castle.


    When I entered and ascended the floors, a professor blocked my path.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you before. Only Adelle Hall members can enter here. Show your student ID.¡±


    ¡­Are they telling me not to use my meal tickets?


    Just then, a professor next to him saw my face and spoke to the one blocking me.


    His lips were bruised.


    ¡°This is Hersel Ben Tenest. Professor Rockefeller has given his approval, so remember his face.¡±


    ¡°Pr-Professor Rockefeller?¡±


    To professors, Rockefeller was an awe-inspiring and fearsome presence. Just hearing his name made the professor smile and grant me entry.


    ¡°Hahaha, please go ahead. I¡¯ll make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Thus, I smoothly entered the dining hall managed by the Adelle Hall. Just stepping on the carpet made the grand doors automatically open. Inside, there was a chandelier sparkling above, swans carved from ice, and tables covered with expensive wooden furniture and snow-white linens like an opera house.


    A man who seemed to be a waiter looked me over and squinted his eyes.


    ¡°Excuse me, young sir, but may I ask what brings you here?¡±


    My clothes must have seemed suspicious to him. They were originally expensive, but living here had faded them, and they were now wrinkled and worn. Even Selly¡¯s diligent washing couldn¡¯t fix that.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to eat.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me once more, but may I ask how much coin you have?¡±


    I showed the waiter my meal ticket. He gasped and hurried towards the kitchen. About ten seconds later, he returned with a somewhat tense demeanor and guided me.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The table he led me to was quite surprising. It was the longest table, with a particularly different, well-cushioned chair. Moreover, it was located in a prime spot with a view of the landscape outside the window and the paintings on the wall.


    ¡­This was a VIP seat, rare even during gameplay.


    I never imagined the meal ticket Rockefeller gave me would be valuable enough to sit here.


    ¡°Senior, that table¡­¡±


    The Adelle Hall members eating there began to murmur.


    ¡°Why is he sitting there?¡±


    ¡°That seat is not just for anyone. The menu there is different. The base price is at least 800 coins.¡±


    ¡°800 coins?!¡±


    Three months¡¯ allowance from Adelle Hall for one meal; no wonder they were surprised.


    The waiter opened a menu with a gold cover in a refined manner.


    ¡°The standard is a course meal. What would you like to order?¡±


    ¡°The most expensive one.¡±


    ¡°It will take some time. But once you taste it, you¡¯ll understand why it¡¯s worth it. Please look forward to it.¡±


    Confidently, he left, and about an hour later, the food began arriving.


    ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡±


    The waiter brought a waitress along to carefully place each dish on the table. There were so many that the table legs seemed ready to break.


    When he opened each lid, the aroma made my mouth water.


    ¡°This is the finest coq au vin, made from the highest quality turkeys.¡±


    The sweet sauce and perfect cooking were incredibly delicious. It was comparable to the food I had at the Tenest mansion.


    ¡°Hmm, the slight tanginess eliminates any greasiness.¡±


    As I savored the meal with formality, the Adelle Hall members watching started to gulp and ignore their own food.


    ¡°This is bouillabaisse, made from fresh fish delivered directly by a magician.¡±


    After devouring the dishes one by one and finishing the meal, I started to rise from my seat. The waiter, surprised, asked why I was getting up so soon and mentioned that the course meal wasn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡°Was the meal not to your satisfaction?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, just a concern then. Please wait a little longer as more dishes are on their way. We¡¯ll also bring dessert when you¡¯re nearly done.¡±


    The plates were cleared, and more food arrived.


    ¡­These guys seemed to enjoy a bit of food torture.


    Just as I wondered how to handle this, the dining hall door opened, and Erucel walked in.


    I waved lightly at him, and he asked in surprise,


    ¡°B-Brother, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, perfect timing. Sit down. Let¡¯s have a meal together.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Eating with you?¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    I had intended to treat him since the lady of the house asked, but¡­


    [Take care of Erucel, Hersel.]


    However, as soon as the new dish¡¯s lid was lifted, Erucel¡¯s eyes lit up and he started drooling.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pretend to be crazy just this once.¡±


    ¡°Rude brat. If you don¡¯t want to scavenge my leftovers, speak nicely.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, alright, just give me that fish dish.¡±


    Well, this was a rare opportunity, so I might as well ask him about the current state of the Adelle Hall members.

 Chapter 68

    ¡°What Happened at the Adelle Hall?¡±¡°Nothing much, really. Everyone¡¯s just attending their classes as usual,¡± Erucel said while eating grilled oysters in butter.


    ¡°Is that so? So, they¡¯re all doing well.¡±


    The playable characters from Adelle Hall didn¡¯t have any significant storylines for a while, so there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. As I silently felt relieved, I suddenly realized a fact that had slipped my mind due to its natural progression.


    This fool is really in Adelle Hall? It was quite shocking to me, who had thought he¡¯d end up in the Buerger Hall at best. Although it¡¯s hard to believe, seeing him use this dining hall made it undeniable.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d end up in Adelle Hall.¡±


    ¡°Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?¡±


    I stared at Erucel blankly. Come to think of it, he wasn¡¯t originally supposed to enroll here either. Since he was another variable like me, I needed to pay more attention to him.


    ¡°Erucel, how is your life at the academy?¡±


    When I asked seriously, he suddenly choked as if something had caught in his throat and clutched his neck, coughing violently.


    ¡°Here, have some water.¡±


    He gulped down the glass of water I handed him, shuddering as his eyes widened in horror.


    ¡°B-Brother¡­ why are you suddenly so scary?¡±


    I replied calmly, making up a plausible excuse.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re my brother. It¡¯s not so strange for an older brother to take an interest in his younger sibling.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s making me feel sick, so stop it.¡±


    ¡°Even when I try to be nice, you respond like that, you rude brat.¡±


    ¡°Hah, that¡¯s better.¡±


    Seeing him relieved, I considered taking away the plate in front of him.


    ¡°But the food here is never boring. There¡¯s such a variety of dishes.¡±


    ¡°The dishes are made by servants from all over the empire. There are many dishes different from what you had at the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Ho, this spicy flavor isn¡¯t something you find in the north or east.¡±


    We continued to talk about trivial matters, devouring the luxurious dishes and even finishing the dessert.


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten well. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Big Brother.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Next time you come, call me along.¡±


    I stopped looking at him like a beggar and left the dining hall. The last dessert had left a dry feeling in my mouth, so I thought of having a cup of tea to cleanse my palate. ??


    Now that I think about it, I heard recently that Selly was assigned to work at the caf¨¦ here. Since I¡¯m here, I might as well check it out. I also have some tasks for her.


    ***


    Snowflakes fell off her boots with every step. The carpets, enchanted to remain clean despite any dirt or debris, maintained their pristine condition. Leana, walking through the lobby of Adelle Hall, seemed satisfied with her new armor. Occasionally, she blinked in response to the gazes of men.


    The woman walking with her, her hair flowing to her shoulders, turned to Leana.


    ¡°Why? Are you bothered by the men staring at you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes¡­¡±


    It was similar to when she first enrolled here. Men would look at her, but when she approached, they quickly averted their gaze and acted as if they hadn¡¯t been staring.


    She wondered internally, and the woman chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because of your recent injury.¡±


    Leana¡¯s shoulders drooped slightly at her words.


    ¡°Hey, Scylla¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t fit in here?¡±


    Scylla quickly shook her head as if embarrassed.


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it. I mean, you were hard to approach before, but seeing you get hurt might have triggered their protective instincts.¡±


    ¡°Protective?¡±


    ¡°Men are like that, you know? When they see a woman they want to protect, they get easily drawn in.¡±


    Leana tilted her head in confusion. Scylla looked at her with a somewhat drained expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought this, but you don¡¯t have any male friends, do you?¡±


    Leana denied it immediately.


    ¡°Of course not. I had my father and the butler.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, the butler¡¯s probably old, right? And?¡±


    ¡°¡­Other than those two, no one.¡±


    Swinging a wooden sword in a secluded area meant there were no points of contact. Even if there were, it was only the kind of attention where they looked but didn¡¯t speak to her.


    Suddenly, Leana¡¯s eyes widened with a realization.


    ¡°Scylla, do you think I lack charm as a woman?¡±


    Scylla scrutinized Leana¡¯s face before twitching an eyebrow.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that your face is always the same as if you¡¯re wearing an iron mask.¡±


    ¡°A mask?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you always look so stern. Sometimes even I find it a bit scary.¡±


    Scylla imitated Leana¡¯s usual expression before glancing at a group of men talking nearby.


    ¡°Oh, wait here for a moment? I see someone I know. I¡¯ll just say hi.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    Scylla sneaked up behind one of the men and surprised him. The man turned around in shock.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Scylla.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I came, and you didn¡¯t even say hi. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    The man next to him asked,


    ¡°Oh, is she a freshman? You know her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a relative.¡±


    ¡°She looks pretty cute.¡±


    Scylla greeted politely.


    ¡°Hello, senior.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled. She has a nasty personality.¡±


    Scylla stomped on the foot of the man she had called a relative.


    ¡°Aagh!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky just because you¡¯re a senior, you idiot.¡±


    Leana watched Scylla return with small steps, deep in thought. Thinking back, Scylla got along well with both men and women among her classmates. She seemed more knowledgeable about human relationships and men than Leana.


    ¡°Did I keep you waiting? That was my cousin who enrolled a year before us.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t gone long. But, Scylla, you seem to know a lot about men.¡±


    Scylla gave her a suspicious look.


    ¡°Are you still talking about men? Hmm, what¡¯s up with you today¡­?¡±


    She leaned in closer to scrutinize Leana¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your expression seems a bit more lively today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you meet someone who caught your interest?¡±


    When Leana shook her head, Scylla laughed and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ If there¡¯s a man you might have some connection with, hmm.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone.¡±


    ¡°Sure there is. Hersel.¡±


    Leana¡¯s eyes instantly turned fierce, causing Scylla to take a step back.


    ¡°¡­No need to glare like that.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I do have something I want to discuss about him.¡±


    Even if he doesn¡¯t remember, maybe this woman knows why he initiated the engagement without her consent¡­


    ¡°Really? Go ahead, tell me.¡±


    Leana hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. She explained how he had arranged the engagement without her consent and how she couldn¡¯t get an answer from him for some reason. Scylla responded nonchalantly,


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it because he¡¯s into you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Into me? We¡¯d only met once, and we barely talked.¡±


    ¡°People can fall in love at first sight, you know.¡±


    Leana suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Some knight¡¯s autobiographies included tales of love at first sight. Though most of them didn¡¯t end well¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. Since coming here, we¡¯ve barely even acknowledged each other.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s a shame.¡±


    ¡°A shame? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good-looking. And compared to before, he¡¯s much more subdued.¡±


    Stories of Hersel¡¯s antics still circulated in Adelle Hall. Beating up his classmate, Rendal, extorting money from Schlaphe Hall seniors, and even trying to push a man named Bidon off the wall.


    Compared to his past actions, he had become much calmer.


    ¡°Normally, he¡¯d gather those fools from Lete or whatever and cause trouble every day.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    Contrary to concerns that there would be daily victims, the frequency of incidents had significantly decreased. There were also no rumors of him harassing women.


    ¡°Anyway, he says he doesn¡¯t remember? I think he¡¯s just too embarrassed to admit it.¡±


    Leana pondered deeply, muttering that she didn¡¯t think so. Scylla glanced back at the path they had come from. The men quickly turned their heads, but their faces were all dazed.


    Her attitude was as impenetrable as the armor she always wore, and rumors about her engagement to that guy must have spread. Scylla stopped walking and they found themselves at the caf¨¦.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for today¡¯s coffee to celebrate your discharge.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You spent a lot on armor recently. If you feel bad, you can pay next time.¡±


    As they entered the caf¨¦, Leana suddenly stopped. Scylla, bumping her head against Leana¡¯s waist, asked tearfully,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop suddenly?¡±


    ¡°That person over there¡­¡±


    Scylla looked in the direction Leana pointed and chuckled. It was the blond-headed man chatting with the small maid who had recently started working there.


    Leana walked toward where Hersel was sitting. If Scylla¡¯s guess was right, she could ask him directly. Perhaps reminding him of his feelings would jog his memory. Plus, she was curious about why he had blocked her path in such a way.


    ¡°It seems they¡¯re filling in for the people who left. They¡¯re being quite generous with the compliments.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? That makes sense. The servants must have left with the graduates.¡±


    As they approached, Selly nodded in surprise.


    ¡°Ah, hello, Lady Leana.¡±


    Hersel looked up with a sullen expression. Selly, sensing the tension, quickly grabbed her tray and stepped back.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness. I should get back to work.¡±


    Leana looked down at Hersel and asked for his permission.


    ¡°May I sit here?¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stand and talk.¡±


    ¡°Just sit.¡±


    When he reluctantly allowed it, Leana sat down and stared at him.


    ¡°Do you have feelings for me?¡±


    Hersel, looking dazed, responded weakly.


    ¡°Feelings?¡±


    Leana wracked her brain for a description, desperately trying to find the words.


    ¡°Does your heart race when you see me, or do you want to be with me¡­ something like that.¡±


    Saying such things in front of this man was humiliating, but she managed to get it out. Hersel, however, remained expressionless and calmly replied,


    ¡°Are you asking if I¡¯m in love with you?¡±


    When she nodded, he blinked slowly.


    ¡°Another one of those pointless questions.¡±


    His eyes were serious as he looked at her closely. Hersel leaned in slightly, making Leana instinctively lean back.


    ¡°You must be out of your mind.¡±


    His voice, tinged with pity, made her head spin, but she clung to her sanity.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one saying that to you? Besides, I can¡¯t think of any other reason why you¡¯d arrange our engagement.¡±


    Hersel shook his head slightly.


    ¡°Neglecting treatment, you seem to have a terminal case of princess syndrome.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying nonsense and answer properly.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be honest. I admire your spirit to become a knight. People with goals shine brightly. But this is a caf¨¦. You¡¯re the only one wearing armor here.¡±


    He took a sip of tea and looked her over from head to toe.


    ¡°And you spend all day holding a sword. You never dress up. It¡¯s training, training, and more training. While some might like that, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Hersel, with a detached yet sincere look, said plainly,


    ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯re not attractive to me as a woman.¡±


    What?


    ¡°Given how quickly I forgot about it, the engagement must have been for a trivial reason. You¡¯re wasting time on something that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d appreciate it if you stopped bothering me.¡±


    Leana¡¯s eye twitched. Hersel, ignoring her reaction, got up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Leana stared blankly at his empty seat.


    ¡­The deep-seated feeling of humiliation welled up inside her. There had been moments when she doubted her appeal as a woman. But hearing it directly, especially from someone she hated, was a first.


    As the unbearable anger surged, Scylla rushed over.


    ¡°Leana, are you okay?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She frowned at Hersel¡¯s departing figure.


    ¡°That jerk. There are things you just don¡¯t say to a woman. His personality hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    She patted Leana on the back in encouragement, but Leana just looked down at her armor.


    ¡°Scylla, is it really strange for a woman to wear armor here?¡±


    Scylla met Leana¡¯s gaze but said nothing.


    ***


    Leaving the caf¨¦, I sighed. This was the third time she had asked the same question. Like a ditzy girl, she casually asked such things. Tired of it, I decided to raise my response level. If I could teach her that talking to me would only upset her, I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it again.


    As I left the Adelle Hall lobby, I thought about my schedule for the next few days. In a few days, the Monsterology class would begin. It was primarily about the ecosystem and habits of monsters, but it also included live demonstrations by professors handling real monsters.


    Then, a month later, the field training in the labyrinth would start.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    And tomorrow, the extracurricular activities would begin after classes. While the main characters would enjoy a peaceful life for a while, I, with so much to learn, couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time.


    I must stay sharp.

 Chapter 69

    The Schlaphe Hall lobby is as noisy as ever. The Ricks Corps lay sprawled on the floor, having been beaten like dogs again today, and Makdal was panting heavily. Interestingly, his usually mean expression seemed more relaxed than usual.¡°Phew¡­ you¡¯re getting better.¡±


    As Makdal laughed heartily, Ricks gritted his teeth and glared.


    ¡°¡­Are you mocking us right now?¡±


    Makdal casually wiped his nose and said something plausible.


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m saying it because I can see you¡¯re covering your weaknesses. You realized your techniques were slow, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Then he looked at the fallen members of Ricks¡¯s group with a thoughtful gaze.


    ¡°And the others are moving more systematically. Maybe it¡¯s because you all have good chemistry, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a group move as seamlessly as one organism.¡±


    Watching this, Limberton scratched his head.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that guy seem more relaxed lately?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    I asked Donatan,


    ¡®Is it just my imagination, or is that guy moving better than before?¡¯


    ¨C It¡¯s just as you saw. He¡¯s definitely gotten stronger since the first time we fought.


    Initially, the idea was to train Ricks¡¯s corps. But perhaps enduring all the fights alone without Bidon made Makdal stronger.


    ¡°Today¡¯s warm-up was just right. Kids, let me point out what you lacked as a reward.¡±


    Makdal pointed at Ricks.


    ¡°You there. For someone who¡¯s supposed to be the leader, you really can¡¯t position yourself. If your specialty is shaping magic, support from the back. Always charging in front just demoralizes your teammates.¡±


    Then he pointed at Gravel.


    ¡°And you, the invisible girl. Ambushes are good, but the problem is your teammates forget you exist. You canceled your spell because someone got in your way, right? It¡¯s a waste of your latent destructive power.¡± ?


    Finally, he clicked his tongue at the whole group.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, the rest of you are the biggest problem. Compared to those two, your abilities are seriously lacking. I thought you might be good enough for Adelle Hall with hard work, but maybe I was wrong?¡±


    As he talked so arrogantly, Ricks¡¯s corps lowered their heads to hide their bitter expressions.


    As I tried to pass by, Makdal bowed politely.


    ¡°Good morning, Lord Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    I walked past Makdal. Limberton, with a puzzled look, asked,


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he seem different? His expression is a bit softer too.¡±


    ¡°You noticed that too?¡±


    Makdal¡¯s expression seemed full of fulfillment. It looked like he¡¯d gone mad after enduring extreme neurosis.


    He¡¯s finally lost it.


    After magic class, I was on my way to after-school supplementary lessons. Limberton went to learn advanced crossbow techniques, and Aslay went for martial arts. I went to learn non-mainstream magic, and the classroom I arrived at was desolate. Only one man was there.


    When I sat down, the man glanced at me and sneered.


    ¡°Are you a freshman?¡±


    From my memory, he was a second- or third-year magic department student, but not from Schlaphe Hall. If he were, I¡¯d feel more familiar.


    ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you.¡±


    When I responded briefly, the man frowned in displeasure.


    ¡°I¡¯m a second-year, from Buerger Hall. Since you signed up for this class, you can¡¯t be from Adelle Hall. You must be from Schlaphe Hall, right? Come here.¡±


    The man gestured arrogantly like he was calling a dog. From his annoying expression, it seemed he thought he¡¯d found an easy target to bully. He wasn¡¯t worth engaging, so I ignored him and took out my notebook.


    ¡°¡­Are you deaf?¡±


    When I nodded, he ground his teeth and stood up.


    ¡°You little¡­!¡±


    At that moment, an old professor entered the classroom. The man, seemingly planning to get back at me later, glared and sat back down. The professor glanced at us and sighed deeply.


    ¡°Only two applicants. No need to check the attendance list.¡±


    The old professor set down the attendance book and shouted toward the entrance.


    ¡°Bring him in.¡±


    A scruffy man with handcuffs was dragged in by two professors. His hair was matted, and he wore a tattered prison uniform.


    ¡°This prisoner will be teaching you non-mainstream magic. He¡¯s an external invitee.¡±


    The second-year student¡¯s eyes widened in shock. On the other hand, I was indifferent, having applied for non-mainstream magic a few times out of curiosity in my novice days.


    Playable characters either couldn¡¯t learn these spells at all, or if they could, they were highly inefficient and soon forgotten.


    ¡°Professor, why is there a prisoner here? And how can that trash teach us?¡±


    ¡°Because most who know non-mainstream magic are criminals.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called non-mainstream magic, but it¡¯s really Fiend Magic. It¡¯s a discipline born in the shadows, far from formal magic. And who better to teach it than this expert?¡±


    The professor clicked his tongue at the prisoner.


    ¡°Tsk, he was supposed to be executed. Lucky guy. You two, make sure to come back later.¡±


    After the professors who brought the prisoner left, the old professor sat down, watching over us. The prisoner began swearing profusely.


    ¡°Hey, you. The one who called me trash earlier. You want to die?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a noble before I¡¯m a student. Shouldn¡¯t you show some respect?¡±


    ¡°What an idiot.¡±


    The second-year¡¯s face turned red with anger. The old professor lightly scolded the man.


    ¡°You can speak freely, but avoid disruptive comments. The only reason you¡¯re alive is because we found you useful.¡±


    The prisoner swallowed his resentment. The second-year continued to express his dissatisfaction to the professor.


    ¡°Professor, isn¡¯t this too much? How can we learn from such a criminal?¡±


    The professor stood up and approached the second-year. His previously kind grandfatherly demeanor vanished, replaced by fierce eyes glowing under shadowed brows.


    ¡°Are you dissatisfied?¡±


    Intimidated by the professor¡¯s presence, the man replied,


    ¡°N-No¡­ I mean.¡±


    ¡°If not, stop whining and focus on learning.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But what? In terms of skill, you can¡¯t even compare to him. If he weren¡¯t a criminal, he¡¯d have brought great honor to the empire. Consider yourself lucky to learn from him.¡±


    The second-year, looking shocked, cautiously asked,


    ¡°Who exactly is this prisoner?¡±


    ¡°Hetherson Aola. He¡¯s the man who killed the third knight commander of the empire.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the second-year¡¯s face turned pale.


    Hetherson Aola.


    A former high-ranking member of the infamous criminal organization, the Watchers of the Underworld. He was a big shot in the underworld, officially declared executed but actually held captive in Frostheart.


    ¡°Damn, I thought I¡¯d at least get to see some women here.¡±


    The handcuffs on his wrists were made of a special metal that suppressed both magic and aura. If those hands were freed, even the old professor couldn¡¯t stop him.


    ¡°Enough idle talk. Hetherson, get started.¡±


    The professor¡¯s command made Hetherson open his palms.


    ¡°You two, hold out your hands. Let¡¯s get this over with quickly.¡±


    While the second-year hesitated, I placed my hand on his palm. Hetherson, seeing my lack of resistance, smiled intriguingly.


    ¡°No fear, huh? I like that confidence, but¡­ you.¡±


    Hetherson sighed deeply.


    ¡°You have no talent for magic. Your mana is insufficient, and judging by your pulse, you¡¯re poor at manipulating it. It¡¯s surprising you even awakened your senses.¡±


    His assessment was accurate. In my case, it was thanks to Carmelo¡¯s bizarre experiments. If I had real talent, I would have blossomed immediately without needing such experiments.


    At that moment, the second-year proudly stepped forward.


    ¡°Move aside.¡±


    Seeing that I was fine and trusting the professor¡¯s presence, he thought nothing could happen to him.


    ¡°Hey, check me too. I¡¯ll show you how I¡¯m different from this low-level guy.¡±


    When his hand came up, Hetherson faintly smiled.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re definitely better than that blonde guy. You¡¯ve awakened two senses. But¡­¡±


    Hetherson pulled the second-year closer and headbutted him in the nose.


    Whack!


    ¡°Aagh!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a real jerk.¡±


    The second-year clutched his bleeding nose and urgently turned to the professor.


    ¡°P-Professor, this criminal dared¡­¡±


    The professor looked indifferently at Hetherson.


    ¡°So, will you teach these two or not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Otherwise, I¡¯ll just go back to prison, right?¡±


    Hetherson scattered the papers on the podium and grabbed a piece of chalk.


    ¡°The magic I¡¯ll teach is paper-folding.¡±


    The professor frowned.


    ¡°¡­Are you not going to teach proper magic?¡±


    ¡°Old man, we didn¡¯t specify what kind of magic I should teach. So it¡¯s my choice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Seeing the formula on the board, the professor dropped his stern facade and sighed.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    With an annoying smirk, Hetherson completed the formula.


    ¡°By the way, I hate nobles like you. You¡¯re all so full of yourselves it gives me hives. Look at my skin. It¡¯s breaking out just from touching your hands.¡±


    Despite his blatant contempt, I diligently copied down the formula.


    The lines and patterns were indeed different from traditional ones. The equations seemed more creative, almost like an IQ test where you have to deduce the rules to find the answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you rote-learning idiots will understand. Magic is like a language that can be expressed in various ways.¡±


    ¡°Like how the same object has different names in different languages?¡±


    Water is water. In English, it¡¯s ¡°water,¡± but the essence remains the same despite the different name. I think Hetherson¡¯s point is something like that.


    ¡°Ho, you¡¯re sharper than I thought.¡±


    Hetherson admired, but the second-year scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Magic just requires correctly copying the formula, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    The second-year drew the formula on the board with his staff. The paper Hetherson had tossed on the floor began to fold, but soon¡­


    Rustle!


    It turned into a crumpled ball.


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    I, too, sympathized with Hetherson and looked at the second-year with disdain. He ground his teeth in humiliation. Hetherson asked him a question.


    ¡°Do you know why Fiend Magic isn¡¯t part of formal magic?¡±


    ¡°Because it was created in filthy streets?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Magic Tower scholars avoid it for a reason. We use not just mana, but also magic power. Over time, that messes with your mind.¡±


    The second-year stuttered.


    ¡°M-Magic power?¡±


    ¡°Yes, see the inverted triangle at the end of the formula. The distribution is 9 parts mana to 1 part magic power. But you, not understanding the principle, just filled it with mana.¡±


    Hetherson clicked his tongue at the professor.


    ¡°Damn fools. Teaching students this. Do they think they¡¯re disposable?¡±


    The professor remained silent. Knowing the answer, I still asked Hetherson.


    ¡°So how do we handle this magic power?¡±


    Hetherson smirked.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll tell you?¡±


    Annoyed by his attitude, the professor explained instead.


    ¡°Precision telekinesis. Magic power can be moved telekinetically, unlike mana. It¡¯s about incorporating it into your body.¡±


    The professor swirled his staff, drawing magic power from the depths of Frostheart.


    Sssss


    Black mist gathered into a small cloud.


    Hetherson clicked his tongue and asked,


    ¡°Do you want to try incorporating this?¡±


    Magic power corrodes the mind. Holding it within oneself is something only a madman would willingly do, which is why playable characters in Frostheart reject it. Even if the user wants to, it only results in a monologue of refusal.


    But now, I could willingly accept it by moving my hand. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I used telekinesis to draw some of the magic power into my body.


    Sssss


    Because it was a small amount, ¡®1 Second Invulnerability¡¯ didn¡¯t activate.


    Following Hetherson¡¯s formula, I created a paper crane.


    Hetherson sighed in admiration.


    ¡°You really understood the formula.¡±


    Just copying the formula wasn¡¯t enough. Hetherson hadn¡¯t written everything on the board; there were missing parts that one had to figure out. If missed, the result wouldn¡¯t be a paper crane.


    Despite the simplicity, the magic Hetherson taught had depth. The second-year, ignorant of this, sneered.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I could¡¯ve done it right if I used magic power.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be cocky. Even if you had, you¡¯d have made something weird.¡±


    ¡°You said I have more magic talent than this guy. Are you drunk on magic power?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Shall we see if I¡¯m wrong? Let me shove magic power up your ass and find out.¡±


    Annoyed by his persistent whining, I approached the second-year and spoke coldly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to take this class seriously, why don¡¯t you just leave?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time.¡±


    ¡°You arrogant¡­!¡±


    The second-year clenched his fists, then glanced at the professor before storming out.


    Whatever. If memory serves, he wasn¡¯t going to last long anyway.


    There have always been plenty of Buerger Hall students who looked down on Schlaphe Hall. It¡¯s easy to vent stress here, and they can boss around the servants for a few coins, making it fun for them.


    Used to treating their servants harshly to feel superior, these so-called nobles liked to belittle those who couldn¡¯t talk back. The satisfaction from such bullying was enormous.


    ***


    The second-year, who was humiliated in the non-mainstream magic class, waited for his older brother in the Buerger Hall lobby.


    That first-year from Schlaphe Hall dared to look down on him. And even that criminal prisoner treated him like an idiot.


    What he couldn¡¯t stand the most was being talked down to with that condescending tone.


    Grinding his teeth in anger, his older brother approached.


    ¡°What happened to your nose?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask about that. Do you know someone named Makdal from Schlaphe Hall?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Makdal? We were close when he was in Buerger Hall. Why?¡±


    The younger brother smiled wickedly. He had messed with Schlaphe Hall before thanks to his brother¡¯s connections.


    Though recently he had been thoroughly defeated by someone named Hersel, he thought his brother would turn a blind eye to messing with a disrespectful first-year.


    ¡°I need to teach someone a lesson. Can you help?¡±


    His brother¡¯s expression became serious.


    ¡°Did the guy who did this to your nose also do that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was tricked into this. Can you help?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be tricky without Bidon, but it¡¯s not impossible. We¡¯ve been bothering Schlaphe Hall a lot lately, and they haven¡¯t said anything.¡±


    As the younger brother cheered internally, his brother grabbed a passing senior.


    ¡°Hey, Ebil. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°A first-year from Schlaphe Hall did this to my brother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The senior, thinking it was time to reassert the hierarchy, gathered others.


    ¡°Hey, a first-year from Schlaphe Hall broke Shubil¡¯s nose.¡±


    ¡°Shubil?¡±


    ¡°You know, Ebil¡¯s brother.¡±


    Word spread quickly, and a crowd gathered. Walking confidently, Shubil felt empowered by his brother¡¯s connections.


    That night, around 30 Buerger Hall students marched on Schlaphe Hall.

 Chapter 70

    Due to the sudden intrusion of the Buerger Hall students, the Schlaphe Hall lobby was noisy. Recognizing the familiar faces, the students were too scared to say anything. Buerger Hall had some decent guys, but the crowd here was full of really nasty ones.¡°Who¡¯s the one who did this to my brother? Come out now!¡±


    ¡°Have these bastards lost their touch? Aren¡¯t they training the freshmen properly?¡±


    As they threatened the passing students, Shubil, with his nose wrapped in bandages, puffed out his chest. The dormitory warden shook his head at them.


    Dormitory conflicts were supposed to be handled by the students themselves. In such cases, the representatives were supposed to mediate and resolve the issues.


    At that moment, Athera, who had heard the commotion, appeared.


    ¡°What are you guys doing here? Hey, Ebil.¡±


    ¡°¡­Athera.¡±


    Athera glared at Ebil and asked,


    ¡°Why are you causing a scene in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°One of your freshmen did this to my brother¡¯s nose. We¡¯re tired. Just gather the freshmen so we can deal with this quickly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Never mind. Just call Makdal.¡±


    Ebil waved his hand dismissively. Athera narrowed his eyes at Ebil¡¯s rude attitude.


    ¡°Does your representative know about this?¡±


    ¡°Hah, Athera, stop pretending to be the representative. Honestly, you only have the title; no one follows you. The real power was taken by Bidon, and now you¡¯re overshadowed by that freshman Hersel. Look around. No one¡¯s here to help you.¡±


    As Ebil said, the Schlaphe Hall students averted their eyes, pretending not to notice. Just as Athera¡¯s face darkened, Makdal appeared.


    ¡°Why the commotion? Oh, Ebil, long time no see.¡±


    Ebil greeted him cheerfully.


    ¡°Wow, look at you. Lost some weight? How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Healthier than ever. But what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    When Makdal asked, Ebil smiled.


    ¡°Well, one of your freshmen did this to my brother. So, I need you to gather the first-years.¡±


    Unlike with Athera, Ebil spoke in a friendly manner to Makdal. But Makdal¡¯s expression turned odd.


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s quite a serious issue. But it¡¯d be best to resolve it peacefully.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s with you all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just¡­¡±


    Ebil tilted his head, puzzled by Makdal¡¯s unusually gentle demeanor. The fierce impression he remembered seemed significantly softened.


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t have the authority to make that decision. The representative here does. Did you discuss this with Athera?¡±


    Athera snorted, raising his chin.


    ¡°So he says, Ebil.¡±


    Not understanding what was going on, Ebil reluctantly took a step back.


    ¡°Athera¡­ could you gather the freshmen?¡±


    ¡°Well? What should I do?¡±


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we resolve this issue?¡±


    ¡°We do need to hear from those involved, so I guess we should.¡±


    At Athera¡¯s command, the Schlaphe Hall freshmen started to come out one by one. Shubil scanned their faces, his eyes widening.


    ¡°Why all the fuss? I¡¯m tired as it is.¡±


    He came. The blonde with long limbs. Shubil whispered to Ebil.


    ¡°Brother, that¡¯s the guy.¡±


    Ebil smiled, thinking he¡¯d found the culprit and approached him. Makdal and Athera watched curiously.


    But when Ebil tried to flick his forehead,


    Wham!


    His wrist was grabbed by a hand the size of a pot lid. Aslay, who was standing beside the guy, glared down at Ebil.


    Squeeze!


    Despite the heavy grip, Ebil forced a nonchalant smile.


    ¡°What, what¡¯s this? Are you his friend? You should stop. With your build, you¡¯ll be in Buerger Hall soon enough. You¡¯d want to live comfortably, right?¡± ?


    The Schlaphe Hall students gaped in astonishment. Makdal¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and Athera muttered quietly,


    Aslay¡¯s calm voice resonated through the silence.


    ¡°Boss, should I break it?¡±


    ¡°No need. What do you want? I don¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    When Aslay let go, Ebil pointed hastily at Shubil.


    ¡°My brother says you broke his nose with some sly trick.¡±


    Hersel narrowed his eyes at Shubil.


    ¡°Oh, that? He got hit by the instructor for acting like an idiot.¡±


    Shubil scowled and protested.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You did this!¡±


    In a world where rank is everything, if a superior says something, it must be true. Shubil urged Ebil.


    ¡°Brother, can you believe this guy?¡±


    Ebil, feeling confident with his large entourage, ignored the large guy and said,


    ¡°Athera, we need to deal with this guy. Is that okay?¡±


    Athera, at a loss for words, remained silent. Ebil¡¯s group began to surround Hersel.


    Then, a dull thud echoed as Ebil¡¯s head was smacked from behind. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whack!


    ¡°You crazy bastard! Bow down and apologize!¡±


    The one who hit him was Makdal.


    ¡°M-Makdal, why¡­¡±


    Makdal forced Ebil¡¯s head down.


    ¡°Lord Hersel, please forgive us!¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Ebil was shocked. Hersel, the freshman who had taken down Bidon. The new ruler of Schlaphe Hall. So this was the guy?


    As his name was mentioned, the group hesitated and backed away, dumbfounded.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, bow down and apologize!¡±


    At Makdal¡¯s shout, they began to kneel one by one. Ebil, sensing the danger, followed suit. Only Shubil, still oblivious, remained standing, trembling.


    ¡°B-Brother¡­ what¡¯s going on¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up and kneel, you fool.¡±


    Shubil, scared, also knelt. The voice from above, deep and low, seemed to press down on them.


    ¡°So you came to avenge your brother for something I didn¡¯t do?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­ but now I understand it was a mistake. Isn¡¯t that right, Shubil? You lied, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Makdal smacked the back of Ebil¡¯s head again.


    Whack!


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak respectfully if you want to live.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was a mistake. My brother surely regrets it. Isn¡¯t that right, Shubil?¡±


    Shubil, sensing the danger, knew he was too scared to face death alone.


    ¡°B-Brother¡­¡±


    Hersel sat on the kneeling Shubil and spoke to Ebil.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a bad person. If your brother apologizes, I¡¯ll let it go.¡±


    Seeing a chance, Shubil quickly apologized.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t recognize you, Lord Hersel, and was rude!¡±


    But Hersel just looked at Ebil.


    ¡°It seems you have a rule. If someone from your dorm is hurt, you retaliate. Is that right? That¡¯s why you all came together.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then stand up. Since your brother apologized, I¡¯ll keep my word.¡±


    Ebil¡¯s group sighed in relief and began to rise. But Hersel turned to Athera.


    ¡°Senior, our people have suffered a lot at their hands, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Payback is the rule, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Understanding, Athera shouted.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the rule. Anyone who¡¯s been wronged, come forward.¡±


    The Schlaphe Hall students hesitated but, seeing Hersel, gained confidence. Soon, they surrounded Ebil¡¯s group.


    And the beating began.


    Kicks and punches rained down, and Ebil¡¯s group curled up like pill bugs.


    Whack! Wham!


    Ebil¡¯s group endured, gritting their teeth through tears and snot.


    ¡°This bastard always hit my head!¡±


    ¡°You, enough with the dirty jokes!¡±


    ¡°You messed with our coins? Think we¡¯re easy because we¡¯re from Schlaphe Hall?¡±


    The violence continued for over ten minutes. When the attackers finally tired, Ricks, who had been showering, arrived.


    ¡°Sorry for being late, Senior Athera¡­¡±


    ¡°Ricks, did you ever suffer at their hands?¡±


    ¡°No? I don¡¯t know these people. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Athera explained the situation to Ricks, who scolded them for their actions.


    ¡°We are noble people with intelligence. We should lead by example. This barbaric punishment is not right.¡±


    Hersel asked calmly,


    ¡°Really? Then what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Hersel¡­ a humane punishment is better.¡±


    Ricks pointed to a rule mirror, highlighting the guidelines.


    [Room 309 does not exist. Do not enter out of curiosity. If you do, remain silent for 24 hours until someone comes to rescue you at 6 PM.]


    Hersel was impressed.


    ¡°Oh, you mean imprison them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a time for reflection would be more effective.¡±


    Hearing this, Ebil cursed under his breath.


    ¡°That bastard¡­¡±


    To Ebil¡¯s group, Ricks seemed even worse. They were already beaten severely, with noses bleeding, eyes swollen, and bodies bruised¡­


    Meanwhile, Limberton, watching from afar, muttered to himself while reading an erotic novel.


    ¡°¡­There are no normal people here.¡±


    ***


    The next day, the Schlaphe Hall students looked at me like I was a hero. They seemed to think I stood up for them yesterday.


    That wasn¡¯t my intention at all. I didn¡¯t care about the worthless seniors as long as they didn¡¯t bother me. But if someone like Shubil caused trouble, it¡¯d be annoying.


    Memorizing faces now would make things easier in the future. But since he was too stupid, a lasting memory through violence was necessary.


    ¡°What, did he give up?¡±


    In the classroom, Hetherson looked at the empty seat. I explained,


    ¡°He¡¯s in the infirmary. He won¡¯t be back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was my head that hard?¡±


    Hetherson tapped his head lightly.


    ¡°Well, good. It¡¯ll be easier to teach. Now, we¡¯ve mastered paper-folding, so what¡¯s next¡­¡±


    After thinking for a moment, he snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Yes, this will do. Today, you¡¯ll be sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Sleeping?¡±


    Hetherson explained, relaxing his jaw.


    ¡°Yes, sleeping. But not regular sleep. Professor, bring a pillow.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The professor waved his staff, and a pillow flew in from the classroom entrance.


    ¡°Magic power is a force that corrupts the mind. It¡¯s like poison. It triggers a rejection reaction. So, the only black magic you can handle now is paper-folding.¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t handle much magic power?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. So you need to fall into a state where your consciousness is weakest: sleep. This way, your body can build some resistance.¡±


    Simply put, it¡¯s like alcohol. Your first drink gets you drunk quickly, but as you build tolerance, you can drink more.


    Similarly, magic power requires a certain resistance to handle more. Though the end result might be addiction¡­


    Hetherson handed me the pillow and drew a formula on the blackboard.


    ¡°Follow this exactly and enchant the pillow. You understood paper-folding, so you can do this. Professor, bring out some magic power.¡±


    The professor summoned the black magic power from the underground. Following Hetherson¡¯s instructions, I drew the formula with my staff.


    Ssssss


    The once white pillow turned pitch black as the magic power infused it.


    ¡°The formula makes the particles finer.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it increases penetration. Now, bury your head in it and sleep.¡±


    Though dubious, I had the ¡®1 Second Invulnerability¡¯ skill. If I got addicted to magic power, it¡¯d be nullified.


    I laid down on the floor, placing my head on the pillow.


    ***


    Watching him, Hetherson scoffed.


    The professor raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Hetherson¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to teach so diligently.¡±


    Hetherson scratched his chin, looking at the ceiling.


    ¡°Hmm, he¡¯s worth teaching.¡±


    The professor was puzzled.


    Magic and black magic are interconnected. Lacking magic talent, this student was the same.


    Naturally, the amount of mana he could absorb was low. His sense of mana manipulation was poor, leading to wastage. It was a near miracle he became a mage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Even if you know how to sail, you can¡¯t go to sea without a boat. Yet, you say he¡¯s worth teaching?¡±


    Hetherson smirked.


    ¡°Have you ever seen a noble accept magic power?¡±


    The professor realized what Hetherson meant by ¡®worth teaching.¡¯


    ¡°Indeed, he has no boat. But he threw himself into the sea. He chose to swim.¡±


    Occasionally, there were students like this. Despite knowing their limits, they kept trying, eventually earning the support of onlookers.


    ¡°And now, he¡¯s sleeping on a dusty floor in front of me.¡±


    ¡°No wonder you, who hate nobles, like him.¡±


    Hetherson scratched his head, embarrassed.


    ¡°He looks unpleasant, but his choices are admirable.¡±


    The professor¡¯s eyes narrowed at the favorable response.


    ¡°Then, will you teach him ¡®that¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Professor.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s smile vanished, and he answered coldly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know your intentions. I¡¯ll never teach anyone my secret magic. I¡¯ll take it to my grave.¡±


    The empire kept Hetherson alive not just to teach students but because of his unique black magic.


    ¡°Do you realize the magic you created is a groundbreaking discovery that could change civilization?¡±


    Hetherson named his magic Inventory. A black magic allowing items to be stored and retrieved anywhere, independent of space. If it could be standardized into formal magic, it would revolutionize the world.


    ¡°Transport, military supply chains, and countless other applications.¡±


    Hetherson laughed.


    ¡°Do I care? Professor, lend me your staff so I can get some cold beer.¡±


    The most amazing thing was that items inside the Inventory stayed fresh and preserved, as if in a time-stopped space¡­

 Chapter 71

    The lesson topic was the control of thunderclouds.As the professor demonstrated, the students of the Buerger Hall began creating clouds the size of cotton candy.


    ¡°If we talk about the most difficult power to control among the elements, it¡¯s lightning. Some of you must have experienced being struck by your own lightning magic a few times.¡±


    Many nodded in agreement.


    I, too, knew the pain, having been pricked by static electricity several times.


    ¡°But if you handle the thundercloud like this, it will move according to the caster¡¯s will.¡±


    The professor brought a cloud sparking with electricity close to the lightning rod next to her.


    Then, a thin bolt of lightning shot out.


    Boom!


    The lightning bypassed the rod and struck a male student directly.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    As his hair stood on end, the professor narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I told you not to daydream during class, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°S-sorry¡­.¡±


    The professor looked away from him with a dissatisfied expression and continued the explanation.


    ¡°If controlled properly, even with distractions, you can still reach your intended target. The important part is the shape of the cloud. Depending on its form, you can manipulate electricity more precisely, which you can only learn through practice. Now, let¡¯s start by making a cloud.¡±


    To create a cloud, you need fire to generate steam, water, and wind to shape it.


    Unable to handle all three elements simultaneously, I had no choice but to shape it with telekinesis as a workaround.


    The result


    ¡°Hey, look at that.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how did they make a cloud the size of a bed?¡±


    A huge cloud that looked like it was plucked straight from the sky.


    I wished it were mine.


    As I looked enviously, the owner of the giant cloud, Klabe, glanced at mine.


    A tiny fluff of cloud, barely the size of lint pulled from a po


    ¡°Do you want me to share some?¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡±


    Ricks, who was next to me, chimed in.


    ¡°Klabe, you should handle this yourself. Still, it¡¯s impressive. Your magic power has increased compared to the first day.¡±


    Ricks¡¯ sympathy was quite annoying.


    A cloud the size of a pillow floated above him.


    The others were similar.


    Even the next biggest cloud after mine was about the size of a shoe.


    After a minute, the professor looked at me and said.


    ¡°You there. I told you to make a cloud, but is it still not done?¡±


    ¡°I made it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When I used telekinesis to bring my cloud closer, she apologized.


    ¡°Ahem, sorry. I thought it was a fly.¡±


    ¨C Are there even flies in this cold place?


    ***


    It was just before the supplementary lesson began after class.


    While taking a break in the Schlaphe Hall lobby, I watched Limberton and Aslay. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They wore clothes I hadn¡¯t seen before, probably new tailor-made outfits.


    Limberton was dressed in slightly flashy clothes, and Aslay wore a clean jacket and pants, unlike his usual barbaric attire.


    ¡°You look good. Definitely better than what you used to wear.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Aslay seemed uncomfortable in his jacket, constantly fidgeting with his arms and shoulders.


    Limberton stood up proudly, showing off his height-increasing shoes.


    ¡°How do I look? Do my legs seem longer?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not planning to wear those during training, are you?¡±


    He flinched as if I had hit the mark.


    ¡°Ahem, should I not?¡±


    ¡°If you want to twist your ankle, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°¡­It might attract a kind girl with sympathy.¡±


    ¡°Enough useless talk. How¡¯s the class?¡±


    Their expressions turned gloomy.


    ¡°I¡¯m the bottom of the knights¡¯ division. Next is Aslay.¡±


    I knew it.


    Limberton is practically useless except for his archery skills.


    Low stamina, and his aura is severely lacking.


    And Aslay¡­


    ¡°Swordsmanship is hard. I keep missing.¡±


    ¡óBetter than average.¡ó


    With 40% of his strikes missing, he had a cursed trait.


    For a knight, where each move matters, Aslay had few opportunities to shine.


    Especially since he had never held a sword properly, his stance would have been poor.


    It was only natural for the professor to give him a bad evaluation.


    ¡°We¡¯re all in similar situations.¡±


    We were like rough stones, far from the mainstream education.


    Ironically, supplementary lessons were closer to regular classes for us.


    ¡°How about the supplementary lessons?¡±


    When I asked, Limberton grinned.


    ¡°They say the instructor is an outside expert. He has extensive knowledge of archery. I¡¯ve been praised a lot.¡±


    Aslay also answered in his awkward manner.


    ¡°I was told not to aim.¡±


    Judging by the smile on his face, he must have received good feedback too.


    I checked my pocket watch.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for class. Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    We, who were far from the norm, moved forward for our achievements.


    ***


    ¡°You want me to design the curriculum?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s asking you to organize what you can teach.¡±


    Hetherson scratched his head.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a lot I can teach. But the important thing is whether it¡¯s useful for you. First, demonstrate a spell from each category. I need to see your level in detail.¡±


    ¡°You want to streamline it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Start with the elemental magic.¡±


    I took out my staff and cast the water cannon spell, my most confident one in the elemental category.


    Sss-sss


    Hetherson watched expressionlessly without saying a word.


    ¡°Say something?¡±


    ¡°Stop with the piss stream.¡±


    Sss-sss


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s stronger than before. That¡¯s too harsh.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the other elements. What about conjuration magic?¡±


    ¡°Wait and see.¡±


    I focused and created an imaginary quill.


    Hetherson¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡°A dog¡¯s tail?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a quill.¡±


    Hetherson held the shimmering illusion in his hand with a doubtful expression.


    ¡°My goodness, there¡¯s no tactile sensation at all. Is this some mirage?¡±


    ¡°If it were, you wouldn¡¯t be holding it.¡±


    ¡°In a way, it¡¯s impressive. No one could make such a thing even if they tried.¡±


    Hetherson blew on the quill, making it vanish in a puff of smoke.


    ¡°Next, let¡¯s see some curses.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s hair, unwashed, had fruit flies circling it like satellites.


    He swiftly caught one and carefully placed it on the table, pulling off its wings.


    I used the basic curse of puppet control.


    ¡°As expected, this works. If you couldn¡¯t control even a fruit fly, that would be pathetic. Now, make it do a trick.¡±


    ¡°A trick?¡±


    ¡°Make it roll over.¡±


    Concentrating, I infused it with mana, making the fly flail and flip.


    But halfway through, it lost strength and fell limp.


    Hetherson looked at me like I was an insignificant bug.


    ¡°Sigh, I knew from the start you wouldn¡¯t be a prodigy.¡±


    Excelling in elemental, curse, peculiar, and conjuration magic is known as the ¡°Perfection.¡±


    Hetherson squinted at me and asked.


    ¡°Do you have an innate talent in the peculiar category?¡±


    I nodded, and Hetherson puffed his cheeks, trying not to laugh.


    ¡°Ha-ha!¡±


    He clutched his stomach, laughing uproariously.


    ¡°Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡±


    After a while, he caught his breath and exhaled deeply.


    ¡°Ha¡­ you¡¯re truly an odd one.¡±


    ¡°Have you never seen someone with an innate talent?¡±


    ¡°I have, but it¡¯s rare. How could I forget?¡±


    It seemed prudent to know their names. I might learn something useful if we ever met.


    ¡°Really? What are their names?¡±


    Hetherson smirked, but his eyes didn¡¯t follow.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. Anyway, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re peculiar?¡±


    He pointed to a chair, changing the topic.


    Though his response was awkward, I didn¡¯t pry further.


    He must have his reasons.


    ¡°Try lifting the chair with telekinesis.¡±


    That¡¯s my specialty.


    But a chair? Could I lift something that heavy?


    Yes, I can.


    Thanks to the mana accumulated from Ricks¡¯ characteristic.


    ¡°Huff!¡±


    Pouring all my mana into it, the chair began to float.


    ¡°Wow, this is actually useful. But why do you look like that? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    But the chair¡¯s height gradually lowered.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Already tired?!¡±


    Even though my hand holding the staff trembled from injecting mana, maintaining it wasn¡¯t easy.


    Still, I managed.


    I looked at Hetherson with pride.


    ¡°Huff, how was it?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t even hold it for a minute. What do you think?¡±


    Hetherson rubbed his face and spoke in a troubled voice.


    ¡°Your telekinesis is at the level anyone else can do. Even without innate talent, it¡¯s achievable with developed senses.¡±


    The old professor nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Frankly, teaching you might be pointless.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and asked.


    ¡°You think I can¡¯t learn?¡±


    ¡°No, with your academic abilities, you can. But you severely lack sensory skills.¡±


    Hetherson continued, looking deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°If you had naturally developed senses, you¡¯d have a foundation. You wouldn¡¯t claim this trickery as magic. And if you had trained rigorously, your mana control wouldn¡¯t be so poor. Sensory development grows alongside skill.¡±


    He hit the mark.


    ¡°So, here¡¯s my advice. If you want to be a true mage, give up on these classes and build from the basics. With your mind, two or three years should be enough.¡±


    I chuckled bitterly at Hetherson¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that time. I thought I¡¯d find something useful in Fiend Magic, but if not, I¡¯ll have to find another way.¡±


    Hetherson cursed under his breath, annoyed.


    ¡°You stupid brat. You don¡¯t understand good advice. Your head seems empty. Fine, I¡¯ll prove how wrong you are.¡±


    He raised his cuffed wrist.


    ¡°See this chain? It¡¯s called a mana suppressor. It suppresses aura and mana. Attack me. You won¡¯t harm me. If you do, I¡¯ll teach you everything about Fiend Magic.¡±


    The old professor¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll leave out one thing.¡±


    The old professor looked gloomy again.


    Ignoring him, I whacked Hetherson on the head with my staff.


    ¡°Ouch! Crazy bastard! Use magic!!¡±


    Hetherson clutched his forehead, glaring.


    ¡°You said to attack.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you did it on purpose¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°You should have said ¡®with magic¡¯ from the start.¡±


    I felt better after venting my annoyance.


    ¡°Sigh, fine. Attack with magic this time. Just magic.¡±


    As Hetherson emphasized again, I drew a fire spell.


    A flaming arrow in midair.


    Whoosh!


    A tiny arrow shot towards Hetherson¡¯s face.


    He blew it out with a breath.


    ¡°See? No matter how powerful your magic, it¡¯s as good as killing a fly.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t have time. Two years is too long.¡±


    I needed effective offensive skills urgently.


    I decided to find another way and stood up.


    Hetherson smirked and stopped me.


    ¡°Wait. There is a method. One that¡¯ll turn you into a mage worthy of curses in a short time.¡±


    Intrigued, I sat back down. Hetherson drew a formula on the blackboard.


    The old professor¡¯s face twisted in horror.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hetherson, are you trying to kill the student?¡±


    Curious, I examined the formula.


    It seemed like a peculiar type rather than an elemental, conjuration, or curse.


    I asked the old professor for clarity.


    ¡°What is this formula?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a self-destruct spell. It converts mana into opposing forces and collides them, creating a destructive effect.¡±


    Self-destruct?


    ¡°Die and be reborn, idiot. Maybe you¡¯ll have the qualities of a grand mage in your next life.¡±


    I approached the smirking Hetherson and asked.


    ¡°Will this cause damage to you?¡±


    Hetherson scoffed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be tough.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I drew the formula on the board with my staff.


    Hetherson didn¡¯t lose his composure, thinking I¡¯d stop midway.


    But his gaze was fixated on my staff.

 Chapter 72

    In the slums, there¡¯s no distinction between people and the sewer rats wandering the streets.On foggy days, they would puff on cigarettes until the smoke became even thicker, drink more alcohol than water, and the only remaining shred of humanity was covering roadside corpses with tattered cloth. Other than that, their lives were no different from that of a rat.


    When crumbs fell, they would snatch them up quickly, scratching and biting any other rat that came near until it retreated.


    A life where being underestimated meant starving to death, and being overly defiant meant dying. It was hard to tell if it was a rat¡¯s life or a human¡¯s.


    Starting from such a life, Hetherson became an executive known as the ¡®Shadow Sentinel¡¯ in the slums.


    Despite this, he found himself in a heart-pounding situation over a mere prank.


    To become a big shot in the slums, you had to go through all sorts of trials and tribulations.


    You had to meet all kinds of people, and naturally, your ability to read their minds improved.


    But this guy¡¯s eyes seemed endlessly calm.


    Hetherson had seen countless people charging at him as if they were going to kill him.


    Some even died trying, but they all showed a moment of hesitation.


    No matter how determined, humans instinctively reject death, making even a small hesitation inevitable.


    Hetherson chuckled as he looked at the chain on his wrist.


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m afraid of some brat?¡±


    He tried to act confident, but Hersel steadily continued drawing the formula.


    Even though it led to the path of suicide, the hand holding the staff was infinitely calm.


    Hetherson maintained a poker face, desperately trying to shake off his anxiety.


    Yet, as the formula neared completion, the worst-case scenario of ¡®what if¡¯ kept playing in his mind.


    Explosion death.


    If mana and magic energy were made to conflict and create a chain reaction, even a small amount would be dangerous.


    While it might not be a problem for the professor, with his magic and aura suppressed by the chain, his flesh would tear apart at this distance.


    Unswallowed saliva pooled in his mouth, betraying his agitation.


    Hersel, with a calm face, began to approach, drawing the formula with his staff.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s my first time, it¡¯s taking a while.¡±


    ¡°You idiot, do you think I¡¯ll fall for that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if it works.¡±


    What?


    At Hersel¡¯s reply, Hetherson instinctively sensed danger.


    It was as if Hersel didn¡¯t consider it a bluff from the start, only questioning its efficacy.


    ¡­He can¡¯t be serious, right?


    The staff¡¯s tip aimed at the final point of the formula.


    He unintentionally shouted.


    ¡°W-wait!!¡±


    Just as he was about to reach out and stop him, the formula started tearing apart.


    Zap!


    Turning his head, he saw the old professor panting heavily, aiming his staff.


    ¡°Huff¡­ That was close¡­!¡±


    ¨C If he had been even a second late, I would be dead.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest¡­ Were you really trying to die?¡±


    Despite the old professor¡¯s stern glare, Hersel responded calmly.


    ¡°I was just trying what I was taught.¡±


    Hetherson felt a chill watching Hersel lick his lips as if regretting it.


    This guy was serious.


    He really was going to blow himself up without hesitation.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Can¡¯t believe you actually tried it. Hetherson, enough with the pranks.¡±


    Despite the professor¡¯s scolding, Hetherson stared blankly at Hersel¡¯s face.


    A serene smile, as if he had transcended death itself, was on his face.


    ***


    Not like I¡¯d die anyway, right?


    I copied the formula written on the board into my notebook.


    This would be my ultimate move, a suicide spell.


    Seeing this, Hetherson was horrified.


    ¡°Why are you copying that! You madman!!¡±


    I grinned and replied.


    ¡°It might come in handy.¡±


    Hetherson backed away, shocked at my words.


    Even with my limited mana and magic energy, it seemed it would be quite painful.


    ¡°Using this on you might cause some significant damage, right?¡±


    As I grabbed my staff again, Hetherson stuttered.


    ¡°S-significant damage? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    Hetherson shook his head and looked at me seriously.


    ¡°Even a small amount of mana, if hit unguarded, is deadly. Do you realize you almost killed me?¡±


    I thought it would just be a painful hit like being struck by a hammer.


    ¡°Hmm, sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Though I felt bad about nearly blowing him up, knowing the spell had that much power made it quite useful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that half-hearted apology¡­ Say it without that smirk.¡±


    Hetherson slumped his shoulders, looking exhausted.


    ¡°Sigh, fine. I¡¯ll humor you.¡±


    ¡°But a promise is a promise. I still haven¡¯t hit you.¡±


    To learn the Fiend Magic I wanted, I needed to land a hit on this guy.


    As a person who values contracts, I couldn¡¯t let this slide.


    When I looked at him seriously, Hetherson narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He caught on.


    * * *


    Today¡¯s supplementary lesson ended a bit early.


    Hetherson said he¡¯d prepare a curriculum and told me to go back.


    He added that it was more efficient to focus on what suits me rather than comprehensive magical improvement.


    ¨C You should concentrate on perfecting one spell. Make sure it¡¯s something you excel in and master it to its fullest.


    The scope of Fiend Magic is so wide that it¡¯ll take some time, but he said he¡¯d call through a professor when ready, so I¡¯d probably have to wait a few days.


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s going to be relaxing.¡±


    ¨C If you have nothing to do, rest well. You¡¯ve been accumulating fatigue lately.


    Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t feel refreshed this morning either.


    The mild exhaustion I felt upon waking up suggested I needed to pay more attention to my health.


    As I left the fortress, I noticed the air was less chilly than usual.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Blowing out a breath to see, it was much lighter than usual.


    The snowflakes riding the wind had disappeared, and the height of the accumulated snow had significantly decreased.


    It was already early April.


    Enjoying the faint scent of spring, I walked towards the horizon.


    The foundation of the fortress was so high that there was a very steep staircase in front. I had to go down it to reach the gardens and walkways besides Schlaphe Hall.


    After spending just over a month here, my legs moved familiarly.


    Soon, the dungeon practice for first-year students who hadn¡¯t taken the third exam would start.


    Of course, there was a high chance of fatalities.


    While professors did their best to ensure student safety within the academy, they emphasized practical training, so it was a hands-off approach in the mazes and dungeons.


    However, in this storyline, Ricks, who started from Schlaphe Hall without taking the third exam, would be there.


    Already having left a strong impression on the Schlaphe Hall students, he would demonstrate leadership through his characteristic ¡®Gentle Charisma,¡¯ leading to a near-miraculous cohesion.


    His excellent grades, numerous companions, and strength revealed through fights with the outlaws made even the dissatisfied henchmen of Lethe initially rebel but soon succumb to the numbers.


    Ultimately, the professors would recognize Ricks¡¯ qualities, seeing his ability to quell coin disputes among students, and after the first semester, he¡¯d be assigned to Adelle Hall.


    It was no wonder that players called him ¡®Ricks of the Legion.¡¯


    Next were the students of Adelle Hall.


    They fit well with the regular curriculum, so they powered up naturally just by attending.


    The only exception was the slightly peculiar Leana, but soon a teacher suited to her would arrive, ensuring her growth.


    So I should worry about myself.


    ¨C Isn¡¯t the Monsterology class starting soon?


    A notice about the dungeon practice in a month.


    Since it was one of the subjects for the midterm exam in the first semester, I needed high marks to advance to Buerger Hall.


    But that was for later.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. The test is in three days, and tomorrow is the weekend, so I get five consecutive days off¡­¡±


    Thanks to the dungeon practice for the first-year students of Schlaphe Hall, those who took the third exam had some free time.


    Coincidentally, supplementary lessons would take a few days, so I could relax a bit.


    Tap-tap.


    Feeling like I was on vacation, my steps lightened.


    As I got closer to the stairs, I looked down.


    A subtle red-tinted black hair came into view.


    Even while under the professor¡¯s watch, Luon smiled gently and spoke to me.


    ¡°The scent of spring flowers has drifted here.¡±


    His endlessly calm tone.


    Hiding my discomfort, I replied briefly.


    ¡°It seems even in this cold place, pollen flies.¡±


    ¡°Are you looking forward to summer when the snow melts?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. If the snowy mountains turn green¡­ well, it would be nice to see.¡±


    As we talked calmly, the professor interrupted Luon.


    The conversation ended, and I stared blankly at Luon¡¯s back.


    Though recently caught up in my changes, there was no need to worry.


    Luon hadn¡¯t taken anything from the Forbidden Library.


    Moreover, the only way to enter was through a key strictly managed by the professor or a formula known only to Felia.


    As someone unfamiliar with magic, Luon had no way of accessing it.


    In the end, his fate to be killed by the playable characters remained unchanged.


    As a background character, I only needed to watch from a distance.


    I took my eyes off Luon and descended the stairs.


    With a busy schedule ahead, I should enjoy the peace for now.


    ***


    ¡°Emeric¡­.¡±


    ¡°Pathetic losers.¡±


    Emeric, a third-year from Adelle Hall and the representative of Buerger Hall, clicked his tongue as he looked at the returning Ebil and his group, who had been gone for half a day.


    ¡°You¡¯re the first in Frostheart¡¯s history to get beaten up and come back from Schlaphe Hall.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°We have no excuse. But there¡¯s a freshman who took down Bidon. And now even Makdal is his lackey¡­¡±


    The duo was formidable enough that even Emeric in the past couldn¡¯t be sure of defeating them.


    ¡°Emeric, you also turned a blind eye to their rampage.¡±


    But that was all in the past.


    Now a third-year, Emeric could easily take them both on.


    The duo, aware of this, had only acted within safe limits, instinctively knowing they would lose if they fought.


    ¡°It¡¯s amusing. You said you had a relationship with Makdal, so I let it slide. Have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s true, but you couldn¡¯t easily beat them either. What could we do?¡±


    ¡°Me not beating them easily? Nonsense. Even in the past, I would have destroyed them in a one-on-one.¡±


    Now, Emeric was strong enough to be considered for the top ten students, known as the Ten Masters, in Frostheart.


    He tossed a book he was holding and sliced it cleanly with just his index finger.


    Shing!


    Seeing it sliced so neatly, Ebil¡¯s group widened their eyes in surprise.


    ¡°Creating such a sharp aura without a weapon¡­¡±


    In Buerger Hall, only a few could use aura within their bodies, let alone project it like a weapon.


    Even in Adelle Hall, those who could wield it this proficiently were rare.


    ¡°But breaking the hierarchy can¡¯t be forgiven. Let me show you. Slaves have no right to resist.¡±


    It was a perfect time.


    Soon, the first-year students who hadn¡¯t taken the third exam would be starting their dungeon practice.


    Emeric looked at Ebil¡¯s group with a fierce gaze.


    ¡°Gather all the Buerger Hall students. I have orders to give.¡±


    This weekend, a storm was about to hit Schlaphe Hall.

 Chapter 73

    Saturday morning.Today, the lobby of Schlaphe Hall was as usual.


    The seniors were nervously pacing, stomping their feet, while my fellow freshmen whispered with worried expressions, saying, ¡°What should we do?¡±


    The seniors were always strapped for cash, so I could understand that.


    The freshmen were probably anxious about the upcoming dungeon practice.


    A month was enough time for students who had taken the third exam to inquire about the dungeon from the seniors out of curiosity.


    However, when they saw my face, their expressions brightened, and they started to crowd around me.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Hersel!¡±


    ¡°Hersel is here.¡±


    ¡°Hersel!!¡±


    They seemed crazed, like they¡¯d gone mad from hunger, picking random mushrooms in the mountains. Worried, I asked about their well-being.


    ¡°Have you all gone mad?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that a situation has come up that makes us feel like we¡¯re losing our minds.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on properly.¡±


    A senior, trembling with fear, was about to speak when Athera, unable to watch any longer, stepped in.


    ¡°The students from Buerger Hall have declared war on us.¡±


    ¡°War? Are they going to invade?¡±


    I chuckled, but Athera spoke in a serious tone.


    ¡°It would be better if that were the case. Most of us here rely on commissions to make a living, you know that, right?¡±


    I started to understand what she meant.


    The distribution of commissions was about 10% from professors, 30% from Adelle Hall, and a whopping 60% from Buerger Hall.


    Recently, we had a conflict with Buerger Hall because of the brothers, Ebil and Shubil, or whatever their names were.


    ¡°It seems they declared that they would no longer give us any work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Because of that, the atmosphere here isn¡¯t good.¡±


    This is a big problem.


    Losing half of the money needed for survival is a significant issue.


    As someone with an upright nature, I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch these pitiful souls.


    ¡°You should have saved some money when you had the chance.¡±


    Well, I¡¯ve given my advice, so I guess I¡¯ll go grab a meal now.


    ¡°Wait a minute! Are you just going to leave it like this?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re the representative, you should handle it yourself. Why keep asking me for favors?¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    I glanced at the annoying Athera and reassured her.


    ¡°This will only last a short while. How long do you think those pampered kids, who have been living like kings, can endure an uncomfortable life? An internal division will happen soon.¡±


    They are spoiled brats who even spend coins on trivial errands.


    How long can bourgeoisie accustomed to luxury cars endure a pedestrian lifestyle?


    ¡°And take this opportunity to wake up and stop living hand-to-mouth. Either start a business through club activities or focus on your studies to get into that prestigious Buerger Hall.¡±


    Having said what I wanted, I continued on my way.


    However, Athera¡¯s words made me stop.


    ¡°You know we¡¯re last in line for the weapons the academy rents out, right? The Buerger Hall kids insisted they needed everything and took it all. This was a deliberate move. Everyone knows the freshmen¡¯s dungeon practice is coming up soon.¡±


    My mind went blank for a moment.


    The Buerger Hall kids owned personal treasures with their allowance, so they didn¡¯t even need to rent equipment.


    Thus, the only ones renting equipment were the poor students of Schlaphe Hall, and since there weren¡¯t many of us, the academy didn¡¯t prepare enough.


    ¡°Did you bring this up with the professors?¡±


    ¡°Of course we did. There was a brief internal meeting, but nothing came of it.¡±


    I could easily imagine the professors shouting across a desk.


    They likely debated about what to do if students lacked equipment in real situations, arguing it was the students¡¯ responsibility to secure weapons in time.


    The academy focused so much on real-world practicality that they wouldn¡¯t intervene in students securing their own equipment.


    Athera, filled with anger, furrowed her brows.


    ¡°The professors are always like that, but those Buerger bastards¡­ Is this how they want to play it?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they¡¯ve crossed a line.¡±


    A serious one, at that.


    This was a matter of life and death, played as a joke.


    Few Schlaphe Hall freshmen had personal equipment.


    Many had sold theirs to stave off hunger.


    How could they face dungeon practice in this state?


    Even with Ricks, the mortality rate would spike.


    ¡°Wait, driving us into such a predicament means they must want something in return, right?¡±


    If you think about it, from their perspective, Schlaphe Hall students are slaves.


    There must be some benefit to keeping us, so they probably want to negotiate.


    I asked, and Athera gritted her teeth in response.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, there is something. They want every Schlaphe Hall student to prostrate in front of the fortress steps in their underwear by tomorrow morning.¡±


    It sounded absurdly cheap, almost acceptable.


    Given the conditions, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.


    With so many people, a few missing wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    ¡°This might be easier than I thought. Alright, everyone, go and beg well.¡±


    ¡°That includes you. Especially you, as the instigator of the incident, they want you to lick the shoes of their representative.¡±


    However, this was a brutal violation of human rights.


    Daring to trample on the dignity of others, under the same sky, was intolerable.


    ¡°Senior, gather all the people staying here.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, okay. But what are you planning to do?¡±


    I replied in a cold voice.


    ¡°A strategy meeting.¡±


    ¡°A strategy meeting?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that the best defense is a good offense. Tomorrow, we will strike the necks of the Buerger Hall students.¡±


    Tomorrow will be a day etched in the history of Frostheart.


    The day the slaves of Schlaphe Hall defeated the entrenched elites and regained their human rights, it will be known as the Slave Revolution.


    ***


    Sunday morning.


    In the Buerger Hall lobby, Emeric was sitting on a sofa, reading a book.


    Next to him, Ebil paced nervously and asked in a worried voice.


    ¡°Will this really be okay?¡±


    ¡°They will have no choice but to accept it to survive.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, but Hersel is there, you know.¡±


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried he might lead an attack.¡±


    Emeric took his eyes off his book and looked at Ebil.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will happen, Ebil.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That guy Hersel¡­ You think it¡¯s possible to survive a dragon¡¯s breath? Do you think that¡¯s a believable story?¡±


    Emeric didn¡¯t believe such an absurd tale.


    ¡°But defeating Bidon is true.¡±


    ¡°Hersel probably used some cunning tricks and exaggerated it. I¡¯ve heard Bidon fell off the wall. Maybe he pushed him while Bidon was off guard?¡±


    ¡°No, there were several witnesses. They said he grabbed Bidon by the neck and slammed him to the ground.¡±


    Emeric shook his head with a disdainful expression.


    ¡°Why do you think a guy like that ended up in Schlaphe Hall?¡±


    ¡°


    Ebil, stumped, couldn¡¯t say anything, so Emeric voiced his thoughts.


    ¡°Schlaphe Hall made up a fake idol. Those slaves dared to fabricate it to challenge us.¡±


    It seemed plausible enough that Ebil¡¯s group murmured in agreement.


    Emeric looked at the grandfather clock and closed his book.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time. They will soon raise the white flag.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, hurried footsteps were heard.


    The person who appeared was Shubil, with his face wrapped in bandages.


    ¡°Seniors! The Schlaphe Hall guys are kneeling in their underwear at the bottom of the stairs!!¡±


    Ebil ground his teeth in disgust.


    ¡°¡­Really, that bastard was a scammer. I¡¯ll be satisfied only after I chew him up.¡±


    ¡°Once things settle, you and your brother can do whatever you want.¡±


    As Emeric got up, the Buerger Hall students in the lobby started to gather.


    ¡°They must have heard that the others have surrendered.¡±


    That¡¯s good.


    It¡¯s the representative¡¯s job to ensure everyone knows their place.


    Of course, the upper hand belonged to Buerger Hall.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Emeric led the students out of the fortress.


    ***


    Thick fog had formed.


    Emeric walked ahead, cutting through the morning sunlight.


    The Buerger Hall students followed in pairs due to their large number.


    Ebil laughed as he looked at the Schlaphe Hall slaves kneeling in their underwear at the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°Look at the fog. The sky must pity those bastards, trying to hide them.¡±


    On the other hand, Emeric strained his eyes to scrutinize beyond the fog.


    Even in their underwear, they didn¡¯t move an inch in the cold.


    And the area towards the snow mountain was clear enough to see large rocks.


    As his eyes adjusted, the forms of the kneeling figures became clearer.


    Emeric¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trick!¡±


    Those were not people, but cleverly made figures using earth magic, painted and dressed in underwear.


    Therefore, the fog was likely a magical creation.


    ¡°What, a trick?¡±


    Ebil and the others reacted similarly.  S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took them a few seconds to process this.


    But by then, it was too late.


    Boom!


    A heavy sound echoed as the fortress door was forcefully shut by a hulking figure.


    Inside, there were frantic knocking sounds and confused voices from the Buerger Hall students who hadn¡¯t yet come out.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is the door closed!¡±


    ¡°Open it! Open it now!¡±


    Emeric narrowed his eyes, looking at the muscular figure blocking the door with a giant shield on his back.


    Now that he thought about it, Emeric had heard rumors about a barbarian joining Schlaphe Hall.


    ¡°They plan to disperse our forces.¡±


    This meant an ambush.


    The slaves dared to declare war on Buerger Hall. Emeric looked at the huge shield strapped to the barbarian¡¯s back with a sense of foreboding and shouted loudly.


    ¡°Take down that barbarian immediately!¡±


    The soldiers armed themselves and charged. The barbarian, exactly as Emeric feared, wedged his massive shield into the ground, effectively blocking the entrance.


    Crash!


    The entrance was blocked by the shield, and the exit was blocked by the barbarian himself.


    No matter how deeply the shield was embedded, pulling it out should be manageable.


    Just as the six sturdy men nearly reached the barbarian, someone shouted from afar, and Emeric¡¯s eyes widened once more.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    From all around the snowfield, Schlaphe Hall¡¯s slaves emerged, uncovering themselves from white tarps like blankets.


    Most of them were wearing shabby armor and wielding crude wooden swords that looked hand-carved. Some used branches with leaves as makeshift magic wands.


    And at the center of this group was a familiar face.


    ¡°Makdal¡­¡±


    Makdal pointed at the barbarian and ordered the slaves.


    ¡°Protect Asley!¡±


    The soldiers aiming to overpower the barbarian were quickly subdued by Makdal and a dozen slaves. Emeric started to move forward to handle the situation himself. Makdal stepped out from the crowd to meet him.


    ¡°Long time no see, Emeric.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight since I last saw you. But who came up with this strategy?¡±


    ¡°It all came from Hersel¡¯s mind.¡±


    So, it wasn¡¯t just a simple con artist¡­


    ¡°Indeed, being a great con artist requires a good head. But the cocky brat must be hiding somewhere safe.¡±


    Emeric sneered, but Makdal¡¯s eyes blazed with anger.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, Emeric. He is not someone your kind should disrespect.¡±


    ¡°The leader of cowards doesn¡¯t even show his face.¡±


    ¡°Enough talk. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Makdal raised his staff, and Emeric smirked.


    ¡°Oh? Without Bidon, you think you can take me on?¡±


    No matter what plans they had, the outcome was already decided.


    The main entrance was blocked, but soon reinforcements would come through the windows.


    Even with the current troops, wiping out Schlaphe Hall students wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    Even if they were raw gems, no first-year could defeat a third-year from Buerger Hall. Emeric unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Makdal, who was the strongest among the enemy forces.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll cut you down to break their morale.¡±


    ¡°If you can, try it.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll show you that all your tactics are useless against brute strength.¡±


    Makdal¡¯s staff twirled, and snow gathered to form snowmen.


    The puppets were controlled using a combination of elemental wind magic to mold them and curse magic to move them.


    Emeric admired the sight of Makdal controlling thirty snowmen at once.


    ¡°You¡¯ve improved, I see.¡±


    ¡°Well, circumstances forced it.¡±


    Emeric swung his sword and shattered the snowman puppet throwing a punch at him.


    Meanwhile, Ebil growled at the man with the ponytail.


    ¡°You bastard¡­ You had me starving in a cell all day.¡±


    Ricks blinked in confusion.


    ¡°They must have given you food.¡±


    ¡°You think the trash you beggars eat suits me?¡±


    Ebil shouted at his subordinates.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Attack them now!¡±


    His brother Shubil grabbed his staff. Ricks didn¡¯t miss the chance and quickly used his spell to chain Shubil¡¯s wrist with conjured shackles, weighted down by a heavy ball.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    As the knights charged, the soldiers of Schlaphe Hall began to move.


    ¡°I¡¯ll support from the rear. Fight without worries.¡±


    Ricks coordinated the battle, adjusting their formations.


    ¡°Binrel! Move a bit to the right. Keep the formation centered. Hapal, aim your electric orb at the left target, not the right.¡±


    Simply maintaining their positions became a barrier that the enemy hesitated to breach.


    While individual combat skills were uncertain, the enemy clearly outnumbered them.


    Sensing the difficulty of the fight, Ricks turned his attention to Klabe, who seemed to be erasing her presence.


    Klabe seemed faint, almost like a transparent ghost, making it hard to identify her clearly.


    But seeing her quietly preparing electric magic without anyone noticing confirmed it.


    Ricks chuckled bitterly.


    As Klabe completed her spell, her camouflage spell faded. Ricks immediately took action again, sending conjured eagles to harass the enemies Klabe had struck with her lightning.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Where did that come from?!¡±


    As the enemies looked around, Klabe was discovered.


    But Ricks had already sent eagles to protect her, and the birds began pecking at the foes.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is this?!¡±


    Once Klabe safely retreated, Ricks assessed the battle.


    The flow was good.


    Although the enemy¡¯s numerical advantage was troublesome, their quality was superior.


    Reluctantly, Ricks acknowledged that Makdal¡¯s efforts had made them stronger.


    Then he wondered about Makdal¡¯s fight with the Buerger Hall leader and glanced over.


    Ricks¡¯s eyes widened.


    Emeric was right in front of him, dragging the exhausted Makdal by his hair, casting a dark shadow over him.


    ¡°Where is your leader hiding?¡±


    The battle had barely begun, yet Emeric had already determined the outcome.


    Even if Makdal struggled to defeat him, he couldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 74

    Emeric recalled the overall situation of the battle when he was fighting Makdal, who remained composed. Contrary to his expectations, Ebil¡¯s gang was struggling. Especially the troops led by that man with the ponytail moved smoothly, like a living snake.


    Whenever there was danger, he manifested a temporary shield in the air and immediately replaced dropped weapons. He also created chains to fill in the gaps in their attacks.


    ¡°Where is your leader now?¡±


    Emeric released Makdal¡¯s hair and looked down at Ricks.


    Makdal, though slumped, managed to stand up again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet¡­¡±


    ¡°You still have some fight left in you. You¡¯ve become more resilient.¡±


    Emeric once again grasped his sword by the sheath, preparing his stance. Makdal swung his staff, and more snowmen appeared.


    ¡°Eat this!¡±


    Emeric effortlessly dodged the icicles shot by Makdal and destroyed the snowmen with his sword.


    Pop!


    While doing so, he kept an eye on the overall situation. Despite the disruption of their forces by the barbarian, the enemy should have been subdued by now.


    Yet, one by one, his comrades were falling.


    At that moment, Emeric heard the sound of an arrow slicing through the air.


    Whoosh!


    After the sound passed, a student from Buerger Hall fell. On the ground was a long stick with feathers attached.


    ¡°An arrow?¡±


    Observing carefully while dodging Makdal¡¯s attacks, he noticed the blunt tip.


    It wasn¡¯t meant to kill.


    Even if the tip were sharp, it wouldn¡¯t penetrate the armor and aura of a knight.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted again!¡±


    Emeric sliced through the cursed fog that Makdal sent with a gust of wind and quickly grabbed the arrow.


    It sparked with static electricity.


    Whoosh!


    Another student fell.


    Emeric tracked the trajectory of the arrows with his eyes.


    Two faint figures.


    They were shooting arrows from the roof of the Schlaphe Hall dormitory.


    The person beside the archer must be enchanting the arrows.


    Whoosh!


    Seeing more of his comrades falling, Emeric changed his thinking.


    Even if Ebil¡¯s gang held out, the additional forces joining them would soon turn the tide.


    However, if their troops continued to decrease like this, it would be futile.


    To reach the roof, one had to enter Schlaphe Hall, a place full of strange phenomena requiring a vigilant approach with the Rule Mirror.


    The archer was literally shooting from the safest fortress.


    Emeric momentarily abandoned his amusement and ignored the snowmen.


    Poof!


    The incoming punches were just snowballs, barely affecting his aura-clad body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you this. Your leader is quite the strategist. Perhaps defeating Bidon was indeed his skill.¡±


    ¡°Finally realized it?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll make sure to finish you, Makdal.¡±


    Emeric charged, evading various spells and cutting down the distance with his sword.


    Once within range, he swung his sword horizontally.


    ¡°Hut!¡±


    Makdal quickly ducked, avoiding a fatal blow.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only bought yourself a few more seconds, Makdal.¡±


    Emeric kicked Makdal in the solar plexus, followed by a punch to the jaw, and slashed diagonally with his sheathed sword.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    With a dull impact to the neck, Makdal passed out.


    The snowmen disintegrated into powder.


    At that moment, the reinforcements who had been cut off arrived.


    ¡°S-Sorry, seniors, we were a bit late getting out through the windows.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, what took you so long? Hurry and help!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    They replaced the front line, moving the injured to the back. As they regrouped, the once-confident Schlaphe slaves started to falter.


    An arrow from afar bounced off a second-year knight¡¯s armor.


    Clang!


    Emeric turned to look at the roof of the Schlaphe Hall dormitory.


    The man next to the archer was panting heavily, visible even from here.


    No more variables. Emeric raised a hand and shouted.


    ¡°Everyone, stop!¡±


    His booming voice made the fighting slaves and troops lower their weapons and focus on him.


    ¡°The battle is already decided. Surrender peacefully before you get hurt.¡±


    The key point was that these were slaves.


    The goal was to maintain the established order, not to render them useless.


    It was a concession because of this.


    However, the ponytailed man sneered.


    ¡°You think the battle is decided? Don¡¯t be mistaken.¡±


    His group shared the same sentiment.


    In no time, a relaxed smile spread across the slaves¡¯ faces.


    Emeric found it incomprehensible.


    At this point, they should raise the white flag, yet why¡­!!


    A certainty flashed through Emeric¡¯s mind.


    If morale wasn¡¯t broken even with the fall of their strongest, it meant he wasn¡¯t the real strongest.


    Moreover, if the leader was cowering in fear, they wouldn¡¯t look so confident.


    Emeric scanned the area and found where he was hiding.


    ¡°This is creative.¡±


    A fully intact snowman.


    Even with Makdal unconscious, this one remained untouched.


    Hiding in such a place.


    Emeric gripped his sword and smirked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, then. A real fight between the leaders.¡±


    He slashed the snowman¡¯s neck diagonally, and a metallic sound echoed.


    Bang!


    The snow exploded, revealing¡­


    ¡°Athera.¡±


    Fully armored in full plate, Athera blocked with her sword.


    ¡°Sorry, not the person you were looking for.¡±


    Athera shook her wrist, recovering from the impact.


    Emeric couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the ongoing twists.


    ¡°Ha. You really mess with people. Where is Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


    ¡°Before that, as the representative, I have a few things to say.¡±


    Athera raised three fingers.


    ¡°We demand three things. First, return the equipment you took. Second, stop looking down on Schlaphe Hall students just because you have money. And the last, most important thing¡­¡± ?


    Emeric blinked as Athera smiled.


    ¡°An increase in wages.¡±


    Emeric responded with a chilling voice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad hanging around slaves, Athera.¡±


    Athera retorted.


    ¡°Failed negotiations? Then prepare to get beaten up by him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love that. I¡¯ve never had such a hard time meeting someone.¡±


    Athera banged her armor and stepped back.


    ¡°Ugh, snow got inside. Anyway, he¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    She then shouted to the slaves.


    ¡°Everyone, retreat.¡±


    Athera ran off.


    The Schlaphe slaves stopped fighting, tending to the injured as they followed her.


    The students of Buerger Hall watched in astonishment.


    Emeric muttered to himself.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon?¡±


    Just then, a breeze sent chills down Emeric¡¯s spine.


    ***


    The Adellele Hall¡¯s exclusive floor was very high in the fortress.


    The terrace offered the best view, overlooking everything below.


    While it also restricted access to Schlaphe and Buerger Hall members, I had the professors¡¯ permission, so I was an exception.


    Watching the battle between the two factions from above, I backed away from the terrace railing about ten meters.


    Then I began drawing spells with my staff.


    ¨C You¡¯re doing something crazy again, huh.


    We both moved our bodies in sync, accelerating to our top speed.


    Racing past the terrace entrance, I planted my foot on the railing and leaped with all my might.


    Tuck!


    What I was about to do was a bombing run.


    The target: Emeric and his cronies.


    Their formation was tightly packed, perfect for a massive explosion.


    Thanks to the strategic positioning of the Schlaphe Hall humans, this was ideal.


    Moreover, they had drawn attention, increasing the success rate of the surprise attack.


    Falling towards the distant ground, I adjusted my position with telekinesis, feeling the cold air as I descended.


    As I neared Emeric¡¯s head, now appearing larger, I greeted him.


    ***


    ¡°Hello? Nice to meet you.¡±


    There he was.


    Hersel Ben Tenest.


    Right behind him.


    Emeric turned around hastily.


    He had no time to react.


    The world already filled with blinding light, and a ringing sound echoed in his ears.


    Beep.


    In the blocked-out senses, all he could feel was the dull pain throughout his body.


    Even though he wrapped himself in aura, the impact was enough to disrupt his thoughts momentarily.


    Emeric steadied himself, forcing his legs to support his weakened body.


    Ignoring the throbbing headache, he swung his sword to clear the rising smoke.


    ¡°Are you hiding again? Show yourself! Hersel Ben Tenest!!¡±


    After a moment of silence, Hersel¡¯s voice came through.


    ¡°Wait a bit. I need to pick up some clothes after using this spell.¡±


    As the smoke started to clear, Hersel was buttoning up his coat.


    Emeric adjusted his stance, while Hersel glanced around with a smirk.


    ¡°Give up, Emeric. You¡¯ve lost.¡±


    All the soldiers were unconscious, lying on the ground.


    Given the slight noise of the earlier explosion, the man in front of him must have used some bizarre magic.


    ¡°I admit it. Your tactics have completely defeated me. But how about this?¡±


    Blood trickled from Emeric¡¯s mouth.


    ¨C It felt like his core was tearing apart.


    The shock had caused a reverse flow of aura.


    Aiming his sword, Hersel suddenly turned his back on him.


    He seemed to be mumbling numbers, full of composure, which only heightened Emeric¡¯s wariness.


    Emeric took a step forward, braving the risk, and Hersel turned, asking in a heavy voice.


    ¡°Why go this far?¡±


    His eyes were sincere.


    Emeric pondered briefly, appreciating the chance to stall for time until he could use his aura again.


    ¡°Even among beggars, there¡¯s a hierarchy. No matter where you go, there¡¯s a pecking order.¡±


    Imposing ranks was a natural human instinct.


    ¡°If ranks are abolished, chaos would only ensue. It¡¯s better to draw clear lines and live within them.¡±


    ¡°Those with ability become nobles. What system could be simpler and more functional?¡±


    Even commoners could rise if they earned enough money or made significant achievements.


    If they failed despite their efforts, it was due to a lack of effort.


    ¡°If you choose to stay at the bottom despite opportunities, then fulfill your responsibilities at that level. That¡¯s the duty of your position.¡±


    Hersel nodded.


    ¡°I agree. The capable should be treated accordingly. That¡¯s right.¡±


    His words provoked Emeric. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Someone like him should have easily made it to Adelle Hall.


    ¡°Knowing that, why go to Schlaphe Hall? After taking the third exam, you still reject the natural order?¡±


    Yet he chose Schlaphe Hall, and despite declaring himself a slave, now stood here defying the rules.


    ¡°Enough of this mockery. Draw your sword! Let¡¯s settle this now!!¡±


    Emeric roared, filled with murderous intent, while Hersel asked Donathan.


    ¨C I said it¡¯s reversed, he can¡¯t use it, how many times must I tell you to believe it!


    ¨C This is the third time you¡¯ve asked, you insufferable¡­!


    Hersel picked up a wooden sword lying on the ground, igniting ¡®The Noble Blood Ember.¡¯


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure you rest soon.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Sunday morning.Rockefeller, who had come to pick up some documents on his day off, made a candid observation as he stood in front of the window.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a sight.¡±


    The rebellion of the Schlaphe Hall slaves was more impressive than he had expected. Not only were their strategies striking, but their group movements were commendable for mere students, likely due to their extensive experience in defensive battles.


    What was most surprising was how they endured, ignoring the overwhelming disparity even after gaining strategic superiority.


    ¡°¡­I thought they would be subdued in no time, but this is unexpected.¡±


    As he recalled the battlefield memories while watching the ongoing situation, there was a sudden knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    A professor entered hastily, eyes wide with surprise, and reported.


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller! The students are at war in front of the fortress right now.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m watching it as we speak.¡±


    As he interrupted, the professor asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Then, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Just leave them be for now. I want to see the outcome.¡±


    This was a rare opportunity. He had already assessed the individual strengths of the students, but now he could observe their cooperation in a battle between factions.


    Most importantly, this wasn¡¯t a common sight.


    There had been several attempts in the history of Frostheart, but all ended in failure. The result would be the same this time.


    Rockefeller turned his back as he saw the remaining Buerger Hall troops join forces with Emeric.


    Rustle.


    Just as he was picking up his documents and moving, a massive explosion shook the ground, accompanied by a faint earthquake.


    Rockefeller turned his head back, grinding his teeth. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the gradually dissipating smoke, a glowing blonde head stood out.


    ¡°That guy is up to something outrageous again¡­¡±


    Hersel had drawn his sword to fight Emeric.


    ***


    Emeric gulped.


    Clang!


    After just three exchanges of blows, he began to feel overwhelmed.


    ¨C The trajectory of his attacks is smooth.


    Whenever he deflected Hersel¡¯s strikes, the next move flowed in as if it were inevitable.


    It felt like swinging a sword at waves, no matter how much he cut, the water would keep coming.


    Emeric decided to completely abandon the idea of deflecting or parrying.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Evading with minimal movement was ideal, but the swordsmanship of the man before him didn¡¯t allow that.


    Even if he took a defensive stance, his retreat was blocked one step ahead.


    Eventually, it forced him to roll on the snowy ground.


    Puff.


    Hersel¡¯s wooden sword, which should have been deflected, accurately cut through the air where Emeric had just been.


    If he had tried to counter, he would have undoubtedly been struck.


    ¡°Hm, you dodged well.¡±


    Emeric looked up at Hersel, who was watching him leisurely, and broke into a cold sweat.


    With just four exchanges, his swordsmanship had been dismantled.


    Hersel probably thought so.


    However, he couldn¡¯t deny that the fight should have ended with the last strike.


    Emeric straightened his bent waist and asked.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use aura? If you had, the fight would¡¯ve been over.¡±


    If Hersel had increased his speed even slightly, he would have been hit before he could roll.


    A man who could wield such swordsmanship couldn¡¯t possibly be unable to use one of the applications of aura, Rapid Movement.


    As he voiced his curiosity, Hersel answered nonchalantly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use aura right now, can you? I matched the conditions.¡±


    Emeric laughed bitterly.


    ¡°I must look pathetic. Fine, let¡¯s stop the probing.¡±


    Sword ready, feet light.


    Emeric adjusted his stance, not to gauge his opponent anymore, but to execute his most confident swordsmanship.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Deep breath, then continuous strikes.


    Pop!


    The onslaught was as tight as a shield, leaving Hersel with no chance to counterattack.


    Tap!


    Even so, whenever Hersel broke through his defense and attacked, he would create distance to evade.


    Without giving himself any breathing space, Emeric pushed his muscles to their limits.


    Emeric poured all his strength into his sword, fighting in a state of no breath.


    Perhaps he overexerted himself.


    Unknowingly, the aura that had recovered seeped into his hand and sword out of habit.


    Realizing he had broken their agreement, he saw his sword already mid-swing.


    If it continued, he would end up breaking both the wooden sword and Hersel¡¯s neck.


    But then, Emeric¡¯s eyes widened.


    Crack!


    The sheath, along with the sword, began to split.


    The sword inside seemed to break as a sharp sound echoed.


    Finally, the sheath shattered into pieces and fell to the ground, and the broken blade stuck into the dirt.


    Feeling the pain in his wrist, Emeric released the sword handle he was gripping.


    He then trembled his fingers.


    With just one index finger.


    Hersel had destroyed the aura-clad sword with just his index finger while holding the wooden sword.


    Emeric looked at Hersel, who was raising his index finger, and had to acknowledge it.


    One of the uses of aura, the defense technique to its extreme, Indestructible.


    He couldn¡¯t win anything.


    Neither in leadership, swordsmanship, nor aura mastery and application¡­


    Emeric, feeling the disdainful gaze, slumped his shoulders.


    ¡°The fight is over. Will you accept our terms?¡±


    ¡°¡­I will.¡±


    For some reason, he didn¡¯t feel bad.


    It was a refreshing defeat, and there was no shame in losing to an unfathomable master.


    Therefore, it could be considered a good experience.


    Thinking that his name might be included in the stories about this man in the future, Emeric smiled with satisfaction.


    Just then, a window of the fortress burst open, and an old professor in pajamas shouted.


    ¡°You bastards!! What do you think you¡¯re doing in front of the fortress on a Sunday morning!!¡±


    ¡°Damn, time to run.¡±


    ***


    It was terrifying when Emeric used his aura.


    If I hadn¡¯t pulled off a great con, I would have probably bid farewell to the world with the second swing.


    But that was all in the past.


    I put aside thoughts of him for now.


    Sitting in my dorm room, I watched a black cat.


    The cat was devouring fish from a plate placed by the door.


    After finishing its meal, it disappeared in a puff of smoke.


    ¨C It seems to be eating more leisurely each day.


    ¨C But why do you take such care of that cat?


    I casually dismissed Donatan¡¯s question when there was a knock on the door.


    Knock, knock.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, you have a letter.¡±


    It seemed like it came from the twins.


    Feeling bored, I happily opened the door.


    I grabbed the letter handed over by the professor and quickly closed the door.


    Because the residents of Schlaphe Hall were lurking in the hallway.


    ¡°Oh? The door opened. Hersel! Can I leave the gift here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this? Show your face. We came to thank you.¡±


    Since the incident ended, they started treating me like a hero, spouting embarrassing compliments.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t blame them.


    Schlaphe Hall had undergone many changes. First, all the weapons confiscated by Buerger Hall were distributed to the first-years scheduled for dungeon practice.


    They also agreed never to call the Schlaphe Hall students slaves again, instead using the term workers.


    The most significant change was this.


    Minimum wage.


    Future commissions would start from a basic rate. Depending on the task¡¯s difficulty, they would earn about 30% more money than before.


    However, not everything was positive.


    When we defeated the Buerger Hall students, an incident occurred.


    ¨C Even if the leaders told us not to interfere, thinking we¡¯d join you is a mistake.


    Schlaphe Hall had a large number of Lethe members.


    Considering their position, it was unrealistic to expect their cooperation.


    They didn¡¯t participate in this battle.


    ¨C You rude bastard. Isn¡¯t it time to raise your voice?


    ¨C But¡­


    ¨C Senior, these guys are trying to get the benefits without doing anything. We should at least take a commission from them.


    ¨C That sounds good.


    Athera happily accepted my suggestion, and it was decided that from now on, half of the daily wages of Lethe members would go to public funds if they worked.


    They didn¡¯t intend to integrate into this place anyway, so it was better to at least take their money.


    That concluded the slave revolution.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s read the letter.¡±


    Seeing the name on the envelope, I felt a bit taken aback.


    I thought it was from the twins, but it was from Aol.


    Someone who had never sent a letter before¡­


    Carefully opening the envelope, I checked the contents.


    It was just one large, brief sentence.


    [Make sure to serve her well when you meet.]


    Meet who? And serve her well? I had no idea what it meant.


    Given that no names were mentioned, it seemed like someone I would recognize, so they didn¡¯t specify, but still¡­


    ¡°¡­Did he send it to the wrong person?¡±


    That seemed most likely.


    This was Frostheart, a place where even visits weren¡¯t allowed, an arena of human rights violations.


    ***


    Those who passed the third exam were free until Wednesday.


    With nothing to do, I decided to visit Nille¡¯s workshop for personal maintenance and was on my way back.


    As I walked through the fortress lobby to return to the dormitory.


    Click-clack- thud.


    I stopped in my tracks.


    In the middle of the lobby, a familiar woman stood, staring with wide eyes.


    She was so distracted she didn¡¯t notice me nearby.


    Leana was completely engrossed in something.


    It was the professors.


    Specifically, an old woman with a straight back despite her age among them.


    I chuckled, seeing Leana cautiously approach her.


    She must be wondering if this was a dream.


    The person who inspired her to become a knight was standing right there.


    Focusing my hearing, I heard Leana¡¯s strained voice.


    ¡°Uh, um¡­ Sir Bellen?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember me? I¡¯m Leana from the Delevian family.¡±


    I listened to their conversation as I walked.


    I knew it by heart since it was a crucial event that would significantly impact Leana.


    [Bellen Tol Arvana]


    In ¡®The Loss of Felia,¡¯ they probably did everything to make sure she wouldn¡¯t remember that memory from her childhood.


    Leana was a pretty little girl, famous within her territory even at seven.


    There are all kinds of perverts in the world, some even eyeing noble daughters with ill intent.


    Thus, kidnappings occurred regardless of status, and unfortunately, Leana was targeted.


    Terrified and clueless at that age, she was kidnapped by a human trafficking gang.


    But then, like a hero, the female knight Bellen appeared, rescued her, and they traveled together for ten days until she was safely home.


    This adventure became a cherished memory that shaped Leana¡¯s life.


    However, memories are best left as memories.


    ¡°Who are you? Hic. You there, get me some more booze.¡±


    She reeked of alcohol so much that it was noticeable from here.


    The professors next to Bellen were merely trying to support her, fearing she might collapse.


    The reason she was allowed to teach at Frostheart was ridiculous¡ªjust because they provided her with unlimited alcohol.


    She had become a ruined idol, beyond saving.


    ¡°Sir Bellen?¡±


    Leana seemed to sense something was off, looking visibly upset.


    Still, it was a trial she had to overcome.


    Turning that despairing, drunk woman into her mentor.


    If she couldn¡¯t, she¡¯d always remain a sidekick, never progressing beyond that.


    ¡°Hic, oh? Wait.¡±


    I averted my gaze from the hiccupping Bellen, blending into a group of students passing by, trying to quietly slip away.


    But then¡­


    ¡°Hey, you! Not even a hello to your great-aunt?¡±


    Bellen glared at me.


    To me, a great-aunt meant my grandfather¡¯s sister.


    Her name was Bellen Tol Arvana.


    Given the different surname, we were not related.


    I assumed it was just drunken rambling or she mistook me for someone she knew and kept walking.


    Just as I was about to cross the fortress gate, a hand landed on my shoulder.


    ¡°You rude brat¡­¡±


    I turned around to see Bellen, so I politely smiled.


    The legendary female warrior who had fought alongside Sir Coulot in her youth, Bellen Tol Arvana.


    Provoking her would be disastrous.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve mistaken me due to overdrinking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I¡¯d recognize your dirty face even if I were blind.¡±


    What?

 Chapter 76

    Sunday morning.In his mansion¡¯s office, Coulot asked with wide eyes as he sipped his tea.


    ¡°Bellen?¡±


    Aol responded in a bitter tone.


    ¡°She should have arrived at Frostheart by now.¡±


    ¡°I suppose the reason for her going there is obvious. It must be because of alcohol, right?¡±


    Alcohol was always the problem with her.


    Despite her past glory, serving other families was easy for her, but she was always driven out for being drunk.


    This had happened so frequently that no family was willing to take her in anymore.


    Coulot clicked his tongue in pity.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad to see the end of someone once called the Empress.¡±


    In her youth, Bellen Tol Arvana was a wandering knight known as one of the best swordsmen.


    The news of her complete downfall wasn¡¯t pleasant for someone who had once admired her.


    ¡°Do you think my decision was too harsh, considering she¡¯s family?¡±


    Coulot shook his head at Aol¡¯s words.


    ¡°You already gave her a chance, even bending the rules of the family. You let her back into the mansion despite her having abandoned her family name.¡±


    She had left because she was infatuated with a fallen noble, going against everyone¡¯s wishes.


    The head of the family at the time had stripped her of her status and completely disowned her.


    Even though they had become complete strangers, Aol had taken her back out of old affection.


    She was taken back when the twins were three years old, an adult who was not good for their emotional development.


    There were reasons for driving her out.


    ¡°If you think about it, Bellen might be the reason why your eldest son went astray. He was in his rebellious phase then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. He showed signs even before she came. He would always try to sneak into my liquor cabinet.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true. He had a mischievous streak from the start.¡±


    A person is born the way they are.


    Coulot and Aol nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Still, I have some hope. It¡¯s a miracle that he quit drinking. Maybe he¡¯ll have a good influence on her.¡±


    Coulot nodded vigorously at Aol¡¯s words.


    If you asked the people in the Northeast who the least likely person to quit drinking was, they¡¯d probably shout ¡®Hersel¡¯ in unison. Yet Hersel had quit drinking.


    ¡°Maybe he will come back a changed man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent a letter. Hopefully, he¡¯ll take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As you know, the eldest has changed a lot.¡±


    Aol smiled broadly.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I never thought I¡¯d be so proud of him¡­¡±


    Coulot didn¡¯t interrupt Aol, who seemed lost in his proud thoughts about his son.


    He didn¡¯t want to spoil the mood for a father proudly admiring his child.


    Aol must not discover that Hersel had entered the Department of Magic.


    ***


    I learned that Erucel had heard something from the mistress and had been keeping it quiet after our conversation in the dining hall.


    ¨C Brother, why did you join the Department of Magic? I was so surprised when I found out.


    ¨C Why? Are you going to tell Father?


    ¨C I wanted to, but Mother sent me a letter. I wish she had sent it earlier¡­


    Although it was inevitable that he would find out someday, it would be better if that time wasn¡¯t soon.


    Aol, being an alumnus, had the authority to visit anytime.


    If he found out before then¡­


    I imagined my head being crushed in Aol¡¯s grip.


    Given the circumstances, meeting someone related to Aol wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    Even if Bellen was nearly a wreck, there was a chance she might mention it to Aol.


    Of course, this was assuming she was indeed my great-aunt.


    ¨C It¡¯s best not to provoke her unnecessarily. Hersel, despite her age, she still has formidable aura flowing through her.


    Alright, let¡¯s test this.


    I smiled like a policeman dealing with a belligerent drunk.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve mistaken me due to overdrinking. My surname is Tenest, not Arvana.¡±


    Bellen stared at me incredulously.


    ¡°You insolent brat, now you¡¯re treating us like strangers just because I abandoned the family name?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and get me some alcohol. I bet you¡¯ve stashed away some expensive stuff.¡±


    Ah.


    I made a foolish mistake.


    In this world, there¡¯s a tradition of taking the husband¡¯s surname upon marriage, so not being called Tenest wasn¡¯t unusual.


    This meant Aol¡¯s letter wasn¡¯t sent by mistake, and the person I was supposed to serve was Bellen¡­


    While I pondered what to do, Leana squinted her eyes behind me.


    I wanted to get out without interfering with the event.


    ¡°I was just joking. I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    But Bellen didn¡¯t let go of my shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what your great-aunt is saying? Get me some good alcohol, now.¡±


    ¡°I quit a year ago.¡±


    She blinked at me in disbelief, then laughed.


    ¡°Yeah, right. The guy who¡¯d die with a bottle in hand says he quit?¡±


    I looked at her calmly and replied.


    ¡°I quit. You can do it too, for the sake of your health.¡±


    Bellen¡¯s expression turned puzzled as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She sniffed me and widened her eyes in surprise.


    ¡°What? You really don¡¯t smell like alcohol? Am I dreaming?¡±


    I guess the idea of me quitting alcohol was that far-fetched.


    ¡°You must have had too much drink today.¡±


    Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her for a while.


    She¡¯d probably stay drunk for the time being, not in a state to write letters.


    With letters being the only way to contact Aol, she wouldn¡¯t be able to send any.


    Of course, she¡¯d sober up and get back to her senses eventually, but that was a concern for later.


    I¡¯d think about how to deal with her mouth then.


    For now, I began to leave.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    But she continued with her drunken behavior, not caring whether this was a dream or not.


    ¡°Ah, perfect. I was feeling lonely without anyone I knew. Let¡¯s have a drink together, nephew.¡±


    Leana, behind her, looked at me and Bellen back and forth.


    Her eyes soon turned sad, like a puppy that had lost its owner.


    ¡°I told you I quit.¡±


    ¡°You brat. How dare you refuse alcohol from your elder?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I answered honestly, and Bellen¡¯s hand flew to my back.


    Slap!


    [Impact detected.]


    [Special trait activated.]


    [1-second Invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt.


    But Bellen clutched her wrist in pain.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    The hand she was supposed to teach swordsmanship with was not broken, but this was her own doing.


    Seizing the opportunity, I quickly made my escape.


    ***


    ¡°Ow, my hand¡­ How can someone¡¯s back be so hard?¡±


    Bellen groaned in pain.


    While the professors were bewildered, Leana approached her with a concerned look.


    ¡°Miss Bellen, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Ouch, my joints aren¡¯t good either¡­ By the way, why do you keep hovering around me? Hic.¡±


    Bellen hiccupped and leaned on the professor.


    ¡°My head hurts. Take me to my room. Bring some bandages and some alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Yes,


    Leana watched her leave, supported by the professors, with a blank look.


    She was shocked.


    This old woman was nothing like the hero who had wrapped her in a blanket on cold nights during their journey.


    More than anything, it was heartbreaking that she didn¡¯t remember her.


    Despite the disappointment, Leana smiled.


    Just as Bellen had rescued her back then, it was now her turn to help.


    But to do that, she needed to understand what had happened to her.


    Leana¡¯s gaze turned toward Schlaphe Hall.


    ¡°A great-aunt?¡±


    If he was her relative, he might know what happened to Bellen.


    She had no choice but to ask him directly.


    What had turned Bellen into an alcoholic wreck¡­


    Suddenly, she remembered the sight of Hersel walking away from the injured old woman without a second glance.


    ¡°He just left her? What a terrible person¡­¡±


    ***


    I approached the wardrobe to get my coat.


    Hetherson¡¯s summons had come earlier than expected, contrary to my thoughts that it would take a few more days.


    I hurried with anticipation about what magic I would be selected for.


    Creak¡ª


    Inside the shabby wardrobe, several clothes were missing.


    I had lost two outfits while testing the self-destruct magic and another during the actual battle.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It seemed like a useful attack, but the tests revealed many problems.


    Besides the clothes tearing apart in the explosion, it was difficult to use in real combat.


    The time it took to draw the spell made it easy to be intercepted, and without a surprise attack, it could be neutralized quickly.


    If the ¡®1-second Invincibility¡¯ went into cooldown from even a simple attack, it would be useless.


    The most critical drawback was that it took three hours to recharge after use.


    This meant it consumed all the mana and magic power in the body, requiring a long recharge time, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic during that period.


    Essentially, it was impractical and had too many risks.


    ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be using this much in the future.¡±


    I needed a more practical offensive technique.


    I walked toward the fortress to learn it.


    As I exited Schlaphe Hall, the front yard was bustling.


    Several men were hastily covering something large with a tent.


    ¡°It¡¯s Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    They were busy avoiding my gaze.


    They did the same yesterday, so I ignored them, not wanting to get involved in their nonsense.


    They were probably up to something trivial as usual.


    But a woman with red hair blocked my path.


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    Leana spoke with a bit of anger in her voice.


    Quite different from her usual cold demeanor.


    Sensing the unusual atmosphere, I decided to ask directly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Miss Bellen injured her wrist. How could you just leave her, being family?¡±


    I sighed inwardly. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°She¡¯s not an ordinary old woman.¡±


    ¡°Even so, isn¡¯t it right to worry about her?¡±


    ¡°And is it right for you to meddle in someone else¡¯s family affairs?¡±


    I was already busy. I tried to walk past her, ignoring her again.


    But Leana stepped in front of me again.


    Thud.


    I almost bumped into her this time.


    A sigh escaped my lips.


    ¡°To be honest, wouldn¡¯t it be more unnatural for you if I took care of my great-aunt?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    It was annoying that she agreed so quickly. Maybe I should tease her a bit.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. You wouldn¡¯t think I¡¯d change just because of a few words. So why come looking for me¡­ Could it be¡­¡±


    I trailed off and smirked.


    ¡°Are you regretting the broken engagement?¡±


    Leana stepped back, contradicting her stern expression with a firm gesture.


    ¡°Oh, I see. You¡¯ve been coming around too much. But sorry to disappoint you, as I said before, I don¡¯t see you as a woman¡ª¡±


    ¡°You better stop talking now.¡±


    Despite her threatening tone, I smiled leisurely.


    ¡°If that¡¯s not it, then you have no business with me.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I came more to ask you something than to scold you.¡±


    She seemed to think I was an encyclopedia or something, always wanting to ask me questions.


    But this one was surprisingly commendable, making me almost exclaim in admiration.


    ¡°Tell me what happened to Miss Bellen.¡±


    To take Bellen as her mentor, she had to change her heart.


    Gaining her recognition and opening her heart was the proper way.


    Nevertheless, Leana chose to seek clues directly from me instead of going the long way around.


    She probably thought a relative would know something.


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±


    Leana bit her lip.

 Chapter 77

    Of course, if we quickly complete the quest of accepting Bellen as a mentor, it will accelerate Leana¡¯s growth, which is beneficial for me as well. However, knowing the likely outcome, I hesitated to respond.¡°Are you suggesting we just leave Miss Bellen as she is?¡±


    ¡°Do you think telling you would change anything?¡±


    Comforting others is something that must be done with caution. Especially in Leana¡¯s case, since she has a bit of an awkward streak, there¡¯s a high chance she might make mistakes if she tries to do it clumsily.


    ¡°You won¡¯t know unless you try,¡± Leana said sharply.


    I looked at her, scrutinizing her intentions, and replied.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say I told you. What do you think you¡¯ll do next? You¡¯ll probably approach great-aunt and awkwardly sympathize, saying such sad things happened. Then you¡¯ll keep repeating to cheer up. You won¡¯t realize that you¡¯re roughly tearing open painful memories.¡±


    Leana¡¯s shoulders slightly flinched.


    ¡°I do have basic social awareness.¡±


    ¡­That¡¯s a lie. At least look me in the eye when you say that.


    ¡°Everything has a process. If you truly want great-aunt to function properly as a person, don¡¯t give up and ponder on your own. Who knows? Maybe she¡¯ll open up to you directly.¡±


    Still, I didn¡¯t want to give up on the rapid growth of a playable character.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s not much, but I¡¯ll give you some help.¡±


    However, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll expect some compensation.¡±


    Leana seemed intrigued, her eyes widening.


    ¡°Compensation?¡±


    ¡°When the time comes, just fulfill one request from me. It¡¯s a very simple task.¡±


    If Bellen stands up again, she might tell Aol about my admission to the magic department. To prevent this, having Leana¡¯s influence was the best option. By then, Bellen would consider Leana like a granddaughter and would easily comply with any request from her.


    In summary, I plan to ask Leana to ensure that the fact of my enrollment in the magic department remains a secret, even asking Bellen to keep it buried forever.


    However, Leana seemed very concerned about my request, her face showing clear distaste.


    ¡°A request? Surely, it¡¯s not something like¡­¡±


    Ah, right. If a request comes from my mouth, she probably thinks it¡¯s something vulgar.


    But I can¡¯t reveal something that might become my weakness before receiving a definite answer. I needed to reveal a bit about myself to persuade her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t know about the past, but now I live with basic common sense. I won¡¯t make any strange requests.¡±


    Since my reincarnation, I¡¯ve lived a decent life. I haven¡¯t particularly harmed anyone, and the only murder I committed was of an assassin who tried to kill me.


    Moreover, I¡¯ve done a lot of good deeds.


    When I smiled gently, Leana looked at me with wary eyes.


    ¡°I heard you hit a man on the day of the second test. I also heard that during the third test, you violently robbed coins from those you led and even dropped a third-year student off the wall. All this happened in less than a month.¡±


    Well, there were valid reasons for that.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to associate with bad groups. In the case of Bidon, he provoked me first. As for the incident at the Buerger Hall, I only fought back against their severe bullying.¡±


    All those incidents were unintended.


    In the case of Lethe, it was a coin snatching battle that was allowed. If they had been volunteers, I would never have touched them.


    Despite my fervent explanations, Leana¡¯s suspicion didn¡¯t seem to fade.


    ¡°It just sounds like a plausible excuse. Even if what you say is true, given your previous actions¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring proof before making such accusations. Prove I did anything with malicious intent.¡±


    Leana pointed her finger somewhere.


    ¡°Then what is that?¡±


    When I slightly raised my head, I was momentarily speechless.


    Leana was pointing at a five-meter-tall ice sculpture.


    A full-body sculpture that seemed to be modeled after my face.


    ¡­These bastards.


    No wonder there were so many ice sculptures piled up in the front yard on my way to the dormitory.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your face.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look anything like me.¡±


    I was about to brazenly move past it when some clueless guys shouted loudly, ruining the timing.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally done.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Hersel! Look at this! I was too shy to show you before, but this is the finished work! Doesn¡¯t it look just like you?¡±


    When our eyes met, the senior guys waved and shouted loudly.


    ¡°Of course, we need such a symbol.¡±


    ¡°Next, we should put a statue at Buerger Hall too, since they lost to us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. If we take over Adelle Hall as well, it¡¯ll be our third.¡±


    Leana asked me with a trembling eye.


    ¡°Are you here to conquer the academy?¡±


    Her gaze was mixed with contempt and disdain.


    ¡°As I said before, let¡¯s stop talking about this.¡±


    The deal with Leana was concluded. There was a condition that if it was a strange request, she could cancel and ask for something else, but that was fine.


    ¡°You just have to make sure that my enrollment in the magic department doesn¡¯t get leaked to my father.¡±


    I used the word ¡®cooperation¡¯ to bind not only Bellen but also Leana herself to keep this secret.


    And the help I was going to give was just some simple advice.


    ¡°From tomorrow, there will be classes hosted by my great-aunt. Start preparing for them.¡±


    ¡°Can Miss Bellen handle classes?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here as an instructor, so she has to at least pretend. Though there¡¯s not much to expect. She¡¯ll likely just kill time initially.¡±


    Bellen had no enthusiasm for teaching. Moreover, she was so eccentric that students who applied based on her past reputation all ended up fleeing.


    ¡°Still, do everything she asks. For a while, she might just tell you to bring large ice chunks from the snowy mountains. Bring the largest ones you can carry. Prepare gloves and spiked shoes. And hide them well.¡±


    With the right equipment, you can bring larger ice chunks. If Bellen finds out, she might nitpick, but as long as you¡¯re not caught, it¡¯s fine.


    The quest¡¯s concept was to increase her favorability. The more profound the impression, the faster you achieve it.


    It¡¯s a win-win for me. The rapid growth of a playable character who would struggle to prevent destruction is something I must welcome.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. How do you know about Miss Bellen¡¯s classes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see tomorrow.¡±


    ***


    That was the end of my conversation with Leana.


    And now, in the present.


    Arriving at the classroom, I stared intently at Hetherson, who was supposed to teach me.


    He seemed exhausted, with deep dark circles under his eyes and yawning repeatedly to the point of tears.


    He must have looked into it diligently, so I was curious.


    When I stared blankly, Hetherson pulled a grumpy face.


    ¡°I found it, but you might be disappointed.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes and asked.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s magic that can hardly be called magic.¡±


    I had no idea what he was talking about.


    In the end, isn¡¯t magic just magic?


    ¡°Don¡¯t stall and explain it in detail.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to teach you is magic I learned before I joined the Watchers of the Shadows.¡±


    Hetherson suddenly began recounting his past with nostalgic eyes.


    ¡°During my fiery youth, I went around conquering back alleys of cities and met a gang leader who claimed to be a magic swordsman.¡±


    A magic swordsman is a class achievable only by those who develop a rare magical talent first through their sense of smell. It¡¯s also a class that¡¯s more dedicated to the sword than magic, making it even rarer.


    It¡¯s said that they can cut without using a sword.


    Defeating such a person, indeed, not just anyone can become an officer of the Watchers of the Shadows.


    ¡°I was scared, but a man lives and dies by his pride. I didn¡¯t back down and raised my staff. Then suddenly, the guy cut my hair without even drawing his sword.¡±


    Hetherson pulled at his front hair with his index finger.


    ¡°He cut my hair like a fool, and I went crazy with anger. Moreover, the guy smugly asked, ¡®How was that? Did you see?¡¯ so I pounded him with magic and punched him in the face.¡±


    Suddenly, my interest waned. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He must have been a con artist.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. He was a con artist. But he was quite an intriguing one. He cut my hair without a sword or a spell. So I tortured him to find out.¡±


    Hetherson placed a small glass vial in front of me. The contents looked like milky white liquid, like diluted milk.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Liquid Gold, worth hundreds of gold. Open it.¡±


    When I brought it closer to my nose, there was no scent.


    ¡°In the slums, there¡¯s always smoke because of the drug addicts. He used this to cut my hair hidden in the smoke.¡±


    If it¡¯s neither a sword nor a spell, then it means¡­


    ¡°Can this be controlled without a spell?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Hetherson drew something wavy on the blackboard.


    A body with four long legs and dotted lines inside it.


    ¡°A jellyfish?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a human.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens.¡±


    After a brief cough, Hetherson insisted the jellyfish was a human.


    ¡°Ahem, look closely at the shapes inside the body. Listen carefully from now on.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s explanation was very basic.


    Just as a knight uses aura in their dantian, a magician uses mana in their brain to draw spells with intent. This was common knowledge.


    Though I found it odd, there was a reason for his basic explanation.


    ¡°After all, drawing a spell involves emitting mana imbued with your intent from your brain to your fingertips. Mana inside the body is like paint. A staff or your fingers are like the brush.¡±


    In simple terms, he was saying to use Liquid Gold as the brush.


    So, if we take a martial arts example, it¡¯s like using aura to control a sword.


    Except here, you use mana imbued with intent instead of aura, and it¡¯s water you control, not a sword.


    ¡°Of course, there are steps to this.¡±


    Hetherson pointed to the dotted lines, insisting it was the brain.


    ¡°When drawing a spell, mana from the brain is emitted through the fingertips, right?¡±


    He then pointed to the jellyfish¡¯s tentacles and continued.


    ¡°Put Liquid Gold into your hand. It will infiltrate as soon as it touches. Then, you can control it with your intent.¡±


    ¡°How is this different from telekinesis? Why not just float it with magic?¡±


    ¡°You know one thing but not the other. You¡¯re just like that con artist.¡±


    Hetherson closed his mouth, seemingly urging me to ponder the application.


    Wait a minute, if it¡¯s water, can¡¯t it change shape at will?


    ¡°Can you make tools with this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can shape it like clay into anything you want. It¡¯s incomparable to simply moving objects with telekinesis. Although it depends on your proficiency.¡±


    Surprisingly, it¡¯s quite a useful weapon.


    ¡°How about it? Even if you¡¯re terrible at mana control, this will work. It moves as you wish, without any waste.¡±


    That alone is impressive.


    But Hetherson surprised me even more.


    ¡°Moreover, you can draw spells. Liquid Gold is a rare metal that resonates with mana.¡±


    Draw spells with it?


    That means you can cast spells in mid-air, not just with a staff or hands. You could also launch surprise attacks.


    ¡°Do you have any more?¡±


    ¡°Greedy kid. I told you it¡¯s rare. I squeezed out everything from my body.¡±


    So it came from someone else¡¯s body.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Look at your face. Even when given something good, you react like this. If you don¡¯t want it, don¡¯t take it.¡±


    But it¡¯s a rare item.


    I carefully poured a single drop of Liquid Gold onto my right hand. If it were harmful, ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ would nullify it.


    Ssss.


    The Liquid Gold, like mercury, seeped into my skin. Fortunately, no system window appeared.


    It seemed it wasn¡¯t harmful to the body.


    Gurgle.


    I emptied the vial, imagining a ball. A ping-pong ball-sized object floated in the air.


    Hetherson grinned as if he had given a child a toy.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting.¡±


    Moving the ping-pong ball in the air felt like controlling a drone.


    ¡°Try shaping it into something.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I recalled the drawing on the blackboard.


    Then a jellyfish floated in the air.


    Hetherson was impressed.


    ¡°You imagined a jellyfish, huh.¡±


    ¡°No? It was your drawing.¡±

 Chapter 78

    Leana passed through the entrance of the wall with an ice block the size of a single bed on her back. She was almost the last one to arrive. In the training ground, the students who had signed up for Bellen¡¯s class were already there, busy glancing at Leana.


    ¡°Did she bring that here?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t she break it up and put it in a bag like we did?¡±


    Leana placed the ice block on the ground and panted heavily.


    Just as she was starting to catch her breath, Bellen appeared with two professors. She was holding a bottle of alcohol in her hand.


    ¡°Get ready.¡±


    At Bellen¡¯s brief command, the professors waved their wands, placing large metal basins in front of each student.


    The metal basins sizzled as soon as they touched the ground, as if they had been heated by fire.


    A student, wide-eyed with surprise, asked, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°Put the ice you brought into these.¡±


    ¡°Ice?¡±


    Bellen didn¡¯t bother to answer, simply taking another swig from her bottle.


    The students, still bewildered, placed the ice they had brought into the basins.


    Steam rose quickly as the ice melted.


    Ssssss!


    ¡°Hiccup, ugh¡­.¡±


    Bellen walked past the orderly rows of basins on the training ground, casting a glance at each one.


    ¡°Failed. You too.¡±


    The students pointed out by Bellen protested indignantly.


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°The basins aren¡¯t filled with water.¡±


    The basins of the students she had pointed at were only about half full.


    ¡°But then you should have set a standard from the start.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I said to bring as much as the basin could hold.¡±


    ¡°How were we supposed to know you meant these basins?¡±


    ¡°A basin is a container, too. Why are you arguing so much?¡±


    Ignoring the questions, Bellen continued to expel students.


    ¡°You¡¯re out, too. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you adding more ice just now. You can leave as well.¡±


    Students grumbled at the harsh disqualifications.


    ¡°What kind of class is this?¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­ I thought I¡¯d learn something from a famous knight, but all she¡¯s doing is making us do weird tasks.¡±


    Students gradually left.


    Bellen stopped in front of one basin.


    Ssssss!


    There was still ice melting, with water already overflowing onto the ground. As the steam cleared, Leana¡¯s face emerged.


    ¡°You brought an absurdly large piece of ice,¡± Bellen said curtly, narrowing her eyes.


    After inspecting all the basins, Bellen looked around at the remaining students, who were now less than half of the original number.


    ¡°The water quality is poor. Bring cleaner ice tomorrow.¡±


    The students grumbled in unison.


    ¡°Tomorrow as well?¡±


    ¡°Is there any point in bringing ice?¡±


    ¡°What should we do with the ice we worked so hard to get?¡±


    Bellen laughed.


    ¡°The water you brought was meant to make alcohol. But the quality is bad. Do whatever you want with it, dump it or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Alcohol?¡±


    Only then did the students realize that Bellen¡¯s actions were a form of harassment disguised as a class.


    ¡°Damn it, we wasted our time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done with this.¡±


    Another half of the students left voluntarily this time.


    Watching the departing students, Bellen finished her bottle with a satisfied look.


    Then, seeing the few remaining students, she turned her back.


    Leana was still dumbfounded. Bringing a large piece of ice was the correct answer, as he had said.


    -Just so you know, don¡¯t feel guilty. It¡¯s not a competition to trample on others. It¡¯s about having the qualities to complete that difficult task.


    The reliability of that statement was reinforced by the attitude of the professors supporting Bellen¡¯s so-called class. The academy must have had a good reason to accept it. ?


    Leana stood firmly in the training ground, looking towards the Schlaphe Hall.


    ¡­How does he know?


    He seemed a bit different. Maybe he was more attentive than she thought.


    Leana soon shook her head.


    That¡¯s too much speculation. It¡¯s more likely that he overheard something due to their family connection.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t deny the impression he left.


    ***


    Hetherson was being led down the corridor by an old professor.


    He stopped to look at the scenery outside the window. He saw Hersel receiving fish from a young maid.


    ¡°Something?¡±


    ¡°Just checking out what¡¯s outside.¡±


    His gaze remained fixed on the window. The old professor spoke in a puzzled voice.


    ¡°Hmm, but I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Liquid Gold was your prized weapon, wasn¡¯t it? You scoured the world to gather it. Why did you give it to a student?¡±


    Only then did Hetherson take his eyes off the window and look at the old professor.


    ¡°So what? It¡¯s mine to give, and I¡¯m about to die anyway.¡±


    The old professor lowered his voice.


    ¡°Did you know?¡±


    ¡°From the moment I set foot here, specifically after seeing that bastard¡¯s face.¡±


    Hetherson had realized Frost Heart was a death trap upon seeing the curly-haired, black-haired man.


    The old professor muttered softly.


    ¡°You saw Rockefeller¡­¡±


    Rockefeller possessed magic that could probe people¡¯s memories.


    Although they had set up a security barrier to prevent this, it was only a matter of time. The barrier would eventually be breached, and once the barrier was removed, they would discover how to extract memories.


    ¡°This is too cruel. Dying at the hands of a traitor is not enough.¡±


    ¡°Calling him a traitor is a bit much. At the time, Rockefeller was a soldier. He was just doing his duty.¡±


    Hetherson tapped his head and asked.


    ¡°So how long will it take?¡±


    ¡°A month.¡±


    Once again, his gaze turned to the window. Hetherson looked at Hersel and smiled.


    ¡°Idiots. They can search forever.¡±


    Liquid Gold had another secret: it could store memories, not just resonate with mana.


    The memory of Inventory Magic had already been transferred with Liquid Gold.


    He had used dark magic to store the memory in Liquid Gold in case of emergencies.


    ¡°Ugh, I haven¡¯t slept well lately. I¡¯m so tired. I keep yawning.¡±


    It had only taken time because he was carefully progressing with a tiny amount of mana due to the hexagonal curse.


    ¡°Hmm? Your nose is bleeding. Wipe it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, old man.¡±


    If Hersel drew the set code with Liquid Gold, the memory would be reproduced in that golden-haired head.


    Of course, Hetherson had no intention of giving him the key.


    He was merely a means to hide the secret magic, nothing more, nothing less.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the principal¡¯s office, Rockefeller calmly reported.


    ¡°Hetherson¡¯s case will be resolved in about a month.¡±


    Interpreting the complex security spells on his head was only a matter of time. Extracting his brain would be the only option, but the crucial part was the memory of Inventory Magic.


    The life of a condemned man was worthless.


    ¡°Good to hear we¡¯re making progress. His Majesty will be very pleased.¡±


    Arkandric smiled in satisfaction.


    Rockefeller internally sighed in relief. He had expected to be chastised about why that guy was still in the magic department, but recently, things had been quiet.


    ¡°By the way, did you notice any promising students among those who entered the dungeon practice?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is an outstanding talent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you rarely give praise. Explain in detail.¡±


    ¡°Ricks Don Orien. He has exceptional leadership skills. He even managed to foster unity, preventing a coin-snatching battle. The core members he leads are also not just suitable for Schlaphe.¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s face beamed with joy.


    ¡°A hidden gem, huh? This year has been exceptional.¡±


    Indeed, this year had been exceptional. There were twice as many talented students as usual, with eight particularly outstanding ones.


    ¡°One student from Adelle Hall is already aiming for a position in the top ten.¡±


    Riamon Sel Rebetura from Adelle Hall.


    A first-year who could already infuse aura into his sword.


    He might make it to the top ten before the end of his first year.


    ¡°I have high expectations. We need to push that kid harder.¡±


    The one Arkandric personally mentored was none other than the mentioned individual.


    ¡°And how is Luon Al Banas?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s growing well. He¡¯s a student I personally chose. I¡¯m excited about the prospect of our academy having a magic swordsman.¡±


    Recently, Arkandric had been heavily focused on Luon.


    He had awakened his sense of smell, the highest form of magical talent, without any training. It was understandable.


    Moreover, he was a rare talent who had chosen the path of the sword, not magic. His value was extremely high.


    However, there were many concerns.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. You know what kind of person he is.¡±


    Before recommending his admission to the Banass family, they had thoroughly investigated him.


    From his childhood, there were only bad stories, making a strong impression.


    A twisted person who turned his stepmother and half-siblings into that state and meticulously left no evidence.


    When Rockefeller first met him, he was convinced.


    Such a gaze had been seen countless times on the battlefield. A person who wielded the sword purely for pleasure, not driven by a sense of duty.


    With his qualifications as a magic swordsman and learning swordsmanship from the old master of the Frost Heart, the outcome was clear.


    After a long silence, Arkandric spoke.


    ¡°I understand your concern, but this is a place of learning. We will do our best to correct his nature before graduation.¡±


    Rockefeller could say no more.


    For Arkandric, he was an invaluable talent worth taking the risk for.


    ¡°I won¡¯t object to your decision. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he was about to leave, having finished his report, Arkandric called out.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s going on with Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


    Ah.


    Here it comes.


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Relax, relax. Just speak comfortably. I¡¯m not going to berate you about that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Rockefeller couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    The man who always pressured him as if he were about to devour him was now calm.


    ¡°Actually, thanks to that kid, something great happened.¡±


    Arkandric took out a letter from the drawer.


    ¡°Do you know what this is? It¡¯s a letter from the mistress of the Tenest family.¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes widened as he read the letter.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    It was about the admission of Mircel. Although there was an absurd condition to send him home once a month, his innate talent made it worth considering.


    The Tenest family was one of the empire¡¯s pillars, and the head of the family was a graduate of Frost Heart, ensuring security concerns would be addressed.


    Rockefeller understood Arkandric¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°That mischievous little kid wants to come here to see his brother. How could I hate him?¡±


    The number one recruit prospect sought after by other academies was coming voluntarily.


    Despite his young age, he was offered incredible benefits, with rumors of a strategic marriage by the royal family.


    With such a blessing, other principals would be envious and jealous.


    ¡°As disappointing as it is, Mircel is good enough. Let¡¯s set aside the matter of Hersel.¡±


    But this is not acceptable.


    ¡°I plan to transfer Hersel Ben Tenest to the knight department.¡±


    Although he held a grudge, it was a rational decision.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because he has the qualities to excel as a knight. No, he has already reached an extreme level. I¡¯ve witnessed it several times with my own eyes.¡±


    He might have even approached Aol¡¯s level.


    If so, he was already at the peak, merely a step or two away from becoming the strongest.


    Letting him stray into magic would be an unacceptable regression for an educator.


    He couldn¡¯t let such talent live as an unknown magician.


    ¡°Moreover, I don¡¯t recognize him as a magician.¡±


    Rockefeller finished speaking and cleared his throat, feeling embarrassed by his outburst.


    Fortunately, the principal seemed pleased and smiled.


    ¡°Do you understand why I can¡¯t give up on Luon?¡±


    Rockefeller realized.


    Arkandric had planned this all along, mentioning Luon before bringing out the letter.


    He was a cunning old man.


    ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s what you want, do it. But how will you do it? I heard rumors that he might go to Adelle Hall. Remember, keep it within the regulations.¡±


    Rockefeller calmly answered Arkandric¡¯s question.


    ¡°I plan to pull a stunt during the midterms in a month. I¡¯ll make sure he realizes that transferring to the Knight department is the only way.¡±

 Chapter 79

    ¡°Hmm, is it already time for the freshmen to go to the dungeon? Time sure flies.¡± Arkandric¡¯s low muttering made Rockefeller smile slightly. Hersel Ben Tenest was sure to get the worst score in the upcoming dungeon test.


    ¡°By the way, Rockefeller. What¡¯s with that sculpture over there?¡±


    The principal pointed out the window. Turning his head, Rockefeller frowned.


    There were unfamiliar ice sculptures erected next to the statue of the founder in front of the fortress. One of them looked like Hersel, daring to put his hand on the founder¡¯s shoulder, while another seemed to depict Emeric, crushed underfoot.


    ¡°How dare they place such things in plain sight where professors can see them? And from the principal¡¯s office, no less! This makes me doubt your capabilities as an educator.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remove them immediately.¡±


    This was a major incident. However, it was already too late. Arkandric frowned and unleashed a tirade of complaints.


    ¡°In my younger days¡­¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s grumbling stabbed at Rockefeller¡¯s ears incessantly.


    ¡°This is an issue of educational authority. With this kind of behavior, will students respect their professors? It seems you¡¯ve forgotten the basics of being an educator¡­¡±


    It felt like his mind was going blank. It would probably end around sunset since he had just started.


    It felt like he was going to have a nervous breakdown again.


    ¡°Are you listening properly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Rockefeller wanted to kill Hersel. He probably would feel this way for the rest of his life.


    ***


    The lobby of Schlaphe Hall was noisy as usual.


    ¡°Wow, you really went through a lot. How did none of you die?¡±


    ¡°Right? Normally, at least five people don¡¯t come back.¡±


    The seniors were holding a celebration for the freshmen who had returned alive from the dungeon practice.


    It was an unusual event, but it seemed the recent slave revolution and newfound unity had fostered a sense of camaraderie. However, there was no food, and the drinks were all water.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Ricks. When the Sentinels appeared, I thought we were goners, but we managed to take them down by working together.¡±


    A female student spoke, and a nearby male student approached sheepishly.


    ¡°Well, it was pretty impressive.¡±


    Judging by the glares from the Lethe group, he seemed to be one of their members. Most of them had taken the third test, but a few hadn¡¯t even made it that far.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to them, come here.¡±


    When they gave him a look, the man left the girl reluctantly. She also looked disappointed.


    It seemed they had grown close during the dungeon practice.


    ¡°Instead of studying, they¡¯re destined to stay in Schlaphe Hall. Tsk tsk.¡±


    Clicking my tongue at their pitiful behavior, Limberton began spouting nonsense.


    ¡°¡­Melphin is out of reach.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mess with women who are already taken. That¡¯s my rule.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s expression was as if he had just been dumped by a lover.


    ¡°Anyone would think you were dating her.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Poor guy, he¡¯s just jealous.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s shoulders shook. Considering his earnest efforts last time, I decided to offer some friendly advice.


    ¡°Limberton.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re trying too hard. Try thinking of women as prey. Stay still and one or two might approach you.¡±


    Limberton pondered deeply and murmured.


    ¡°That sounds good. Maybe I need to change my approach. If a guy who always hits on girls suddenly shuts up, it might make them curious.¡±


    Simpleton.


    At least it would be quieter now.


    While Aslay, who had been listening, yawned, the main players of the dungeon practice showed up.


    Ricks and his group appeared, their hair still wet from a recent shower.


    The seniors seemed to like them and approached them eagerly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit late, but I¡¯m sorry about before.¡±


    Ah, he was the guy who hid on the stairs during the defense. Ricks had asked for his help, but he had coldly refused.


    Ricks remembered him and responded.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Ironically, thanks to that, I made a good friend.¡±


    Ricks looked at me in an unsettling way.


    Come to think of it, he was one of the reasons I almost ended up in a terrible situation with Bidon. Instinctively, I felt I should keep my distance.


    ¡°You guys are really strong. Challenging senior Makdal like that, it seems it really had an effect.¡±


    ¡°We still have a long way to go.¡±


    The spotlight was on them.


    Curiously, Gravel Klabe wasn¡¯t getting much attention¡­


    Anyway, since I was here for the celebration, I decided it was time to leave.


    At that moment, someone tapped a glass with a spoon.


    It was Athera.


    ¡°Attention. Makdal has something to say to you all, so let¡¯s give him some space.¡±


    Makdal awkwardly scratched his head and stood in the center.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure how to say this¡­ but I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He looked at the ceiling, then bowed his head.


    ¡°Being isolated made me realize how hated I was. It made me think a lot, and I¡¯ve reflected on my actions. I¡¯m not asking for forgiveness, but I felt it was right to apologize.¡±


    He tried to sound calm, but his voice wavered a bit.


    Maybe because of his recent positive image, Ricks helped him stand up.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. I¡¯m sure everyone has already forgiven you.¡±


    ¡°Speaking formally makes me uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for my previous rudeness, Makdal. And thank you. I learned a lot from your guidance.¡±


    This unexpected scene made me shake my head.


    I guess I can really leave now.


    ¡°Oh, and since we didn¡¯t properly celebrate our victory due to the dungeon practice, how about we do that now, Athera?¡±


    ¡°Good idea. Alright, let¡¯s gather all the contributors.¡±


    As I tried to ignore it and leave, people started blocking my path.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave, man.¡±


    In the end, I was pushed to the center of the lobby by their insistence.


    Next to me were Limberton, Aslay, and Makdal.


    Athera looked at Ricks.


    ¡°You guys should come too.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ve already received enough attention.¡±


    Ricks¡¯s group exchanged glances and smiled, nodding.


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Athera pointed at Limberton.


    ¡°This short guy played a big role, didn¡¯t he? He hit targets from a distance with arrows, and every time the enemies fell, I was amazed.¡±


    People started murmuring in agreement.


    ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°I thought he was just an idiot, but he¡¯s got some skills.¡±


    ¡°Combining arrows with magic, who knew it would work like that?¡±


    Even the women were interested.


    Limberton seemed to be holding back a grin, taking my earlier advice to heart.


    ¡°Aslay needs no introduction. Who would have thought he could single-handedly block their reinforcements in front of that thick iron door?¡±


    People cheered loudly.


    Aslay raised his fist and shouted in a booming voice.


    ¡°Aleho!¡±


    People echoed.


    ¡°Aleho!¡±


    ¡°Aleho!¡±


    Some listeners looked puzzled.


    ¡°What does that mean? Ale? Aleho?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? It¡¯s the language of Aslay¡¯s hometown. It means ¡®blessings.''¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice.¡±


    Apparently, Aslay¡¯s popularity had grown significantly. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, his exotic appeal had drawn the attention of many, regardless of gender.


    ¡°Then next is Makdal?¡±


    ¡°No need, Athera. It feels awkward to speak right after an apology.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then lastly¡­¡±


    Athera pointed at me.


    I prayed it would end quickly, but this damned woman started spewing unnecessary words.


    ¡°Hersel has done a lot for Schlaphe Hall. You all know he joined us even after passing the third test.¡±


    Athera added more unnecessary explanations.


    ¡°Honestly, he could have gone to Adelle Hall right away, so why did he come here?¡±


    Encouraging responses, many people chimed in.


    ¡°To check out the bottom, of course!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He cleaned up the troublemakers and even declared war on the Buerger Hall guys, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Hersel! You¡¯re staying with us, right?¡±


    Pleased with the response, Athera smirked.


    I whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Senior. If you think I¡¯m someone who gets swayed by mere atmosphere, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    While Athera was dumbfounded, I shouted to the Schlaphe Hall residents with ¡®Noble Flame of Blood¡¯ blazing in my eyes.


    ¡°Let me make it clear. I¡¯m going to Adelle Hall, you worms.¡±


    These people were nothing but passing acquaintances. Cutting ties with these maggots was the way to secure my future.


    Still, out of some affection, I might use them for menial tasks if I went to Adelle Hall.


    ¡°Why the long faces? Follow if you want.¡±


    Of course, they couldn¡¯t follow.


    Smirking, I presented an unreachable goal.


    But their reaction was strange.


    ¡°Indeed, Hersel, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to conquer Adelle Hall too?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s serious.¡±


    Things were going wrong.


    I hurriedly tried to finish my sentence.


    ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Hersel is sincere!¡±


    Ricks cut me off loudly.


    ¡°The prevalent culture of discrimination in this academy. We understand differences in rewards based on dormitories, but actions of disdain and contempt should never be taken lightly. That¡¯s why we need to clearly convey our message to those at the top of Adelle Hall. Right, Hersel?¡±


    This crazy bastard.


    ¡°Even if you maggots were to die and come back to life¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course, as Hersel said, it wouldn¡¯t be enough even if we died and came back. The harsh reality is that only those with power are heard. To convey our message, we must strive to strengthen ourselves with all our might.¡±


    Ricks¡¯s fabricated speech received applause from the crowd.


    I felt my mind go numb at the disaster unfolding before me.


    ¡®What is happening?¡¯


    ¨C Intentional or not, Hersel, you¡¯ve achieved a lot. In their eyes, you¡¯re a hero. In this atmosphere, even if you curse them, they¡¯ll cheer.


    ¡®But still, does this make any sense?¡¯


    ¨C When people form a crowd, their intelligence diminishes. Nothing is scarier than mob mentality led by a foolish leader.


    At Donatan¡¯s words, I shook my head.


    ¡®No, these guys have no intelligence left to diminish.¡¯


    Resolutely, I decided to escape this madhouse as soon as possible.


    ***


    On a terrace, a man leaned against the railing, listening to a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Recently, the slaves of Schlaphe Hall have been shouting about overthrowing Adelle Hall.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°The dungeon practice will start soon, and I¡¯m worried. This year¡¯s freshmen are said to be capable, and there¡¯s Hersel, a wildcard. We might get stained with a blemish.¡±


    Adelle Hall always took the top spots in the tests.


    It had always been so, a tradition tied to their pride.


    Getting lower scores than the Buerger Hall or Schlaphe Hall would be a lifelong disgrace.


    ¡°We need to raise awareness.¡±


    The man, who had been merely listening, stood up from the railing and spoke to the woman.


    ¡°Gather all the freshmen in the lobby.¡±


    Bernthal, the representative of Adelle Hall, one of the top ten, began to move.

 Chapter 80

    Under the leadership of their seniors, the first-year students of Adelle Hall were subjected to additional nightly training sessions. They ran laps around the training ground, engaged in strength exercises, practiced swordsmanship, and trained in magic. Already overwhelmed by their regular classes, the first-year students found the continuous training sessions to be torturous.


    ¡°Huff huff, I¡¯m so thirsty¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I almost threw up what I swallowed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy. I even had after-school classes today.¡±


    They had no choice but to endure it. Although it was said to be voluntary, who could refuse when the representative of Adelle Hall was watching them with sharp eyes?


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me too much. It¡¯s not like I enjoy torturing people.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t argue with him, as he too participated in the training, setting an example. He did this while wearing what looked like heavy iron armor.


    ¡°The moon is already up? Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    Bernthal, the representative of Adelle Hall, sheathed his sword and gathered the students.


    Despite his friendly demeanor, his imposing presence made some students gulp nervously.


    ¡°As I mentioned before, you¡¯ll soon be taking the dungeon practice test. Some of you may have heard from your seniors that it¡¯s far more dangerous than the third test. But since you¡¯re from Adelle Hall, I¡¯m not too worried. I wasn¡¯t planning on this training, but¡­¡±


    Bernthal lowered the smile that had been on his lips.


    ¡°Recently, the Schlaphe Hall guys defeated the Buerger Hall. Now they¡¯re baring their teeth at us. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a first-year who even took down Emeric.¡±


    The first-year students of Adelle Hall, who lived with the goal of joining the top ten, had a vague idea of who Emeric was. It was rumored among the seniors that it was only a matter of time before he took one of the top ten positions.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to get lower scores than those Schlaphe Hall guys. Especially as your representative, I won¡¯t allow that guy to take the top spot in the dungeon practice. The top scores must always go to Adelle Hall. It¡¯s tradition.¡±


    Actually, losing a few other ranks to other dormitories wouldn¡¯t matter much.


    In the first semester of the first year, sometimes students from Schlaphe Hall would shine.


    However, Adelle Hall had never lost the top spot in any test throughout history.


    If such a mishap occurred, it would not only be a disgrace to the graduates but also to the future students.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Of course, training continues tomorrow. It¡¯s tough, but endure it for a month. If you must hold a grudge, blame those who caused this situation.¡±


    After Bernthal left, Silla collapsed onto the training ground.


    ¡°Ah, I feel like I¡¯m dying¡­.¡±


    Leana, who was next to her, wiped her sweat with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? You¡¯ve been climbing the mountain every day to fetch ice. It doesn¡¯t even seem like a proper class. If it were me, I¡¯d have given up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Silla. This kind of training is something I do every night.¡±


    Silla pouted at Leana¡¯s refreshed expression.


    ¡°Take it easy. Watching you work so hard makes me tired.¡±


    As Silla looked up at Leana, she noticed a tall man descending the stairs.


    ¡°Hey, your husband is walking by!¡±


    ¡°That joke doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    Despite her words, Leana¡¯s head turned slightly.


    Seeing her expression turn cold, Silla smirked.


    ¡°This time I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, Hersel and I are not like that!¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why do you keep looking at him?¡±


    Silla continued to watch Hersel.


    Sure enough, he was standing in place, just staring blankly.


    Then she saw a small man following him down the stairs.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Silla squinted at the flashy fashion and goofy hairstyle in the distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s too far to see clearly, but could it be¡­?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Leana blinked in curiosity.


    Silla stood up and closely observed the two men.


    The man next to Hersel was indeed who she thought.


    Silla smiled wickedly and asked Leana.


    ¡°Leana, did Limberton Bel Delcy, that duck, enroll here?¡±


    ¡°Your language is too coarse.¡±


    ¡°Okay. How about this? Did the empire¡¯s biggest idiot enroll here?¡±


    This seemed much milder.


    Leana, finding it acceptable, nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you know? He¡¯s always with Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Why would I notice? There was a joint class, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t see him because he¡¯s so short.¡±


    In fact, he was almost the same height as Silla, making him short for a man.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t he grown at all over the years? Still as pathetic as ever.¡±


    Silla erased the smile from her lips.


    If he was with Hersel, then he was definitely in Schlaphe Hall.


    Thanks to the Schlaphe guys, she had to endure this month of hardship.


    He was perfect to vent her stress on.


    ¡°Great. Time to beat him up a bit.¡±


    Silla cracked her neck audibly.


    Despite that, her eyes fixed on her target like a predator.


    Sensing something wrong, Leana asked with concern.


    ¡°Silla. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°Your expression¡­ never mind.¡±


    Leana swallowed her words.


    Although it was brief, Silla¡¯s expression had been as fierce as a lion¡¯s.


    ***


    Today¡¯s after-school class ended late.


    I paused in the middle of the stairs, feeling bemused by Limberton¡¯s presence, and stopped halfway down.


    The first-year students of Adelle Hall were collapsed on the training ground.


    It looked like they were doing some special training.


    Did this ever happen?


    No, I didn¡¯t recall it.


    Training late into the night a month before the dungeon practice was unprecedented.


    I shook my head, dismissing my worry.


    Then I remembered I was descending the stairs and spoke to Limberton.


    ¡°Sorry, I got distracted for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Limberton?¡±


    Why had he stopped without a word?


    I turned to look at him.


    His face was pale, and he was trembling as if in fear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Uh, nothing. Just checking out how the Adelle Hall girls look.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Curious, I followed his gaze.


    It was too far to see clearly, but I noticed a striking red-haired girl.


    That must be Leana, and the short girl next to her¡­


    Light purple hair.


    They were always together, so it must be her.


    ¡¾Silla En Lionheart¡¿


    Lionheart, symbolized by a lion.


    A renowned family known for their charging sword techniques.


    Silla, the eldest daughter, was a playable character and Limberton¡¯s nemesis.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hersel. It¡¯s getting late.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Limberton hastily descended the stairs.


    I sighed, looking at his head.


    Their meeting was inevitable.


    Playable characters often faced trials from interactions, and if Limberton didn¡¯t want to be written off in the narrative, he had to go through this.


    It was because of Limberton¡¯s blessing.


    ¡ô Blessing of the Wind Hermit


    [Don¡¯t ask about me. I am nothing.]


    The mysterious god who didn¡¯t even reveal their name had hidden powers that only appeared under specific conditions.


    Each playable character had different ways to unlock these powers, and for Limberton, the key was personal growth.


    The first step was Silla.


    To gauge his readiness, I asked him.


    ¡°Limberton, want me to introduce you to a girl? This time, seriously.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Sure. How about the girl next to Leana? If you play your cards right, I can introduce you.¡±


    As expected, Limberton quickly turned around and refused.


    ¡°No thanks. I suddenly feel tired. I just want to go rest.¡±


    ¡°Really? The guy who¡¯s obsessed with girls is refusing? That¡¯s strange.¡±


    I spoke with a teasing tone, trying to provoke him a bit.


    ¡°Do you know her?¡±


    As expected, it was still too much for him.


    I didn¡¯t want to dig up painful memories.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    I started down the stairs, thinking he would handle it when the time was right.


    But then Limberton, who had been silent, mumbled.


    ¡°¡­Well, I guess I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    This was surprising.


    Even though we had gotten closer recently, I was still someone who had given him bad memories.


    Limberton sighed deeply and continued.


    ¡°I was ten years old. There was an event at the court ballroom¡­ You know how noble children have separate gatherings? I attended one.¡±


    I knew all about this.


    Still, I pretended to hear it for the first time because he was speaking seriously.


    ¡°I was just a boy then. It was scary to talk to girls, but there was one I wanted to talk to. So, I mustered up the courage. But¡­ all I did was that¡­¡±


    Limberton spoke, almost on the verge of tears.


    ¡°She suddenly poured stew on my head. All I did was talk to her!¡±


    This was a distortion of his memory.


    In Silla¡¯s recollection, a ten-year-old boy approached her with a nauseating comment, so she rightfully punished him.


    If Limberton hadn¡¯t been ten, the police would have been involved.


    ¡°My clothes were soaked. I was worried about explaining it to my mom. Then she brought a pillow, tore it open, and covered me with duck feathers. That¡¯s how I got the nickname ¡®duck-pigeon Limberton.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Kids laughed at me, pointed fingers, and even cursed like commoners.¡±


    Limberton choked up, struggling to continue.


    Sure, it was too much for a ten-year-old to handle.


    After all, the court ballroom was a dream and a debut stage for young nobles.


    Getting labeled as a fool in front of peers and showing up to parents covered in feathers was too much.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s harsh. The feathers were too much.¡±


    ¡°Duck feathers.¡±


    ¡°Duck, chicken, same thing.¡±


    ¡°A chicken means coward. Ducks are better, right?¡±


    At least, seeing him talk so calmly, it didn¡¯t seem bad for him to face Silla now.


    A lot of time had passed, and his confidence had been on the rise recently.


    Even though it was limited to Schlaphe Hall, his popularity had increased a bit.


    ¡°By the way, Hersel, can I ask you something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask?¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    As we reached the dormitory, Limberton looked up.


    ¡°Why do you hang out with me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a broad question.¡±


    ¡°Well, you and I are from different worlds, right? Different families, and I hate to admit it, but¡­¡±


    Limberton traced his face with his hand.


    I found it amusing and chuckled.


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re really curious about that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stall, just tell me.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think I already told you the reason.¡±


    It was probably during the monster defense battle.


    I had been berating him back then, so it passed lightly.


    -Limberton? I think you¡¯re a cool guy. You may look pathetic sometimes, but you always do what needs to be done when it counts.


    -Oh, what a compliment.


    -But whenever you talk about girls, it¡¯s a total turn-off.


    -Hmph.


    It ended with a rebuke, but it was sincere.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember. What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself. But if I had to add something¡­¡±


    I paused and looked at Limberton.


    ¡°I respect your determination to pursue girls even after what you went through.¡±


    Talking to him just now made me think that maybe he was trying to overcome his trauma with girls by continuing to approach them.


    Or maybe not.


    ¡°See? My path is right.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s wrong. Keep thinking of girls as dragonflies. If you move too much, they fly away.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    I guess he¡¯s just naturally like this.


    (To be continued)

 Chapter 81

    After the after-school supplementary class ended, Limberton headed towards the Schlaphe Hall with arrows slung over his back. He couldn¡¯t hide his excitement, and his steps were light.The fatal flaw of the bow: aura. The bow cannot penetrate or contain aura. However, the chubby instructor said it was possible.


    ¨C It¡¯s possible, albeit briefly. Normally, the aura dissipates when it leaves the body. But, it lingers for a very short moment. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aura is like the flame of a wick. It extinguishes when it separates from the wick, but there¡¯s a moment when the flame lingers in the air.


    ¨C Of course, the time the aura lingers is extremely short, so you need to shoot the arrow quickly. You also need incredible strength because you have to use a bow with extremely high string tension. Additionally, the range is shorter. The conditions are demanding, and the advantage of the bow¡¯s long-range effectiveness is halved.


    But, there was a significant advantage to this.


    ¨C You can pierce even knights enveloped in aura in close combat. Of course, this requires reaching a high level of skill.


    This single fact cleared up any doubts about whether wielding a bow was the right choice.


    Limberton ran with joy, eager to share this information with Hersel.


    If I tell him that the bow he recommended was actually the right choice¡­


    As he rounded a corner, his footfalls echoing, a woman with light purple hair suddenly appeared.


    She greeted him with a nasal voice.


    ¡°Hi there, Limberton.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Yikes! Si-Silla!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting. I needed to see you because of your Schlaphe Hall friends.¡±


    Silla grabbed him by the collar with tremendous strength. Limberton couldn¡¯t resist and was dragged to a secluded place, his feet barely touching the ground. At that moment, the bow strapped to his back fell.


    Thud.


    A minute later, someone reached out to pick up the bow left on the ground. Hersel looked in the direction Limberton had disappeared and smirked.


    ¨C Are you going to help Limberton?


    ¨C Hmm, the opponent is a woman though.


    **


    ¡°See that mountaintop? This time, try bringing ice from there. It looks almost like glass.¡±


    This was said because I thought it would be enough to bring Bellen proper ice.


    The Dungeon has a unique water taste. Because of this, adventurers often seek out pubs near the Dungeon for its unique acidity in distilled or fermented drinks.


    ¡°If you bring that, she¡¯ll nod approvingly saying it¡¯s good enough for making fermented drinks.¡±


    Bellen not only bought drinks but also made her own, having learned various brewing methods as a wandering knight. Now, her skills were at a master level, and her standards were very strict.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Leana nodded with a skeptical look. She had asked several times how I knew these things. Each time, I had remained silent, and she seemed to have accepted that questioning me was pointless.


    ¡°But, I wonder if it¡¯s okay to know these things alone¡­¡±


    ¡°Again with that?¡±


    She was unnecessarily honest. I smiled gently for her sake.


    ¡°Do you want to back out now? Fine. Because of your inaction, my great aunt will continue living as a recluse for the rest of her life.¡±


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Leana flinched.


    I drove the point home.


    ¡°Because of your worthless conscience.¡±


    ¨C Tsk tsk, you look just like someone holding a hostage and making threats.


    ¡®Threats? It¡¯s called motivation.¡¯


    Leana reluctantly furrowed her brows and nodded. I turned my back, having accomplished my goal.


    But then I heard some bad news.


    ¡°By the way, is Limberton okay?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Why?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Leana explained that Silla¡¯s gaze towards Limberton was unusually suspicious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what their relationship is, but it didn¡¯t seem good. Recently, the Adelle Hall folks have had bad feelings towards the Schlaphe Hall people.¡±


    After the Schlaphe Hall people recently defeated Emeric from the Buerger Hall, the Adelle Hall folks seemed to resent them. To prepare for the upcoming Dungeon practice, they had been training every night, which was not a trivial matter.


    [Silla en Lionhart]


    ? Blessing


    Tyrant Abel¡¯s Blessing of Subjugation


    = Bow your head. If you don¡¯t want your neck cut by the wielded sword,


    Receive 1.2 times the stats when facing the weak. Strength slightly increases upon subjugating an opponent.


    Receive double the attack power when striking the neck.


    ? Traits


    ¡óFierce Charge¡ó


    ¡óSavage Strike¡ó


    Like Dellerger, who became lazy due to a blessing, ¡®Tyrant Abel¡¯s Blessing of Subjugation¡¯ tended to make one¡¯s personality more hot-tempered.


    Especially towards the weak, if they gave a reason to get angry, the latent sadism would awaken. Normally, this trait would shine in large-scale battles, but not now.


    If Limberton, who had decided to train seriously, were to be ruined, it would be a significant loss of strength, especially with the Dungeon practice a month away.


    ¡°Thanks for the info.¡±


    I spoke briefly and then ran to find Limberton¡¯s usual route. I found the bow on the ground while running along the sidewalk and soon saw Limberton being dragged away in the distance.


    ***


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it bring back memories? We often met in similar places.¡±


    In a secluded backyard, Limberton stood frozen, staring at Silla. Silla approached and compared their heights by placing her hand on his head.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m still taller. Your growth plates must be as stupid as you are.¡±


    Silla boasted about a mere 1-centimeter difference. Limberton barely managed to calm his trembling insides. The incident at the court ball was long past, but Silla¡¯s voice, tinged with a sneer, brought another vivid memory to life.


    ¡°Remember? During the summer camp at our house, you were always crying pathetically.¡±


    The swordsmanship lessons hosted by the Lionhart family were attended by nearby families who couldn¡¯t afford excellent swordsmanship instructors. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to go. But his father, unaware that the humiliation at the ball was Silla¡¯s fault, forced him to attend.


    Yet, Limberton summoned his courage and looked into Silla¡¯s eyes, thanks to Hersel¡¯s words that came to mind. He remembered Hersel¡¯s words when he was scared, seeing a woman dragging a corpse at the corridor¡¯s entrance.


    ¨C Now you know, Limberton. Which side are you on? Will you continue complaining and stay passive, neither here nor there?


    He came here to change and to make a girlfriend. If he remained pathetic, he would live and die alone.


    Limberton forced a smile and spoke.


    ¡°I cried? When you get snow in your eyes, of course, you cry.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Silla¡¯s foot swept his ankle. He lost his balance and fell.


    Thud!


    Silla glared down at Limberton with a vein throbbing on her forehead.


    ¡°Who gave you permission to talk?¡±


    Limberton smirked. Though Silla wasn¡¯t very feminine, she was biologically a woman. He relaxed and spoke tauntingly.


    ¡°Wearing a skirt instead of pants would¡¯ve been nice. This is a great angle to see your underwear.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad since I last saw you? I guess I need to re-educate that rotten head of yours.¡±


    ¡°In heat? Well, this is awkward. I wasn¡¯t being sincere. Even if I was, it¡¯s hard to see you as a woman now.¡±


    That seemed to snap something in Silla¡¯s head.


    ¡°You know, Limberton, here, even if I beat you half to death, the professors won¡¯t care. I¡¯m from Adelle Hall, and you¡¯re just a bug. Because of you guys, I had to suffer for a month. But I¡¯m kind-hearted enough to only punish you. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡±


    Silla¡¯s voice was filled with rage as she grabbed his collar and lifted him. Despite this, Limberton kept his nonchalant demeanor.


    ¡°Rough with the skinship?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t rough, you idiot!¡±


    Silla¡¯s fist struck his face.


    Crack!


    The brutal punch nearly knocked him unconscious. Silla smiled blissfully, trembling slightly with satisfaction.


    ¡°Hehe, should I mark your eye with a bruise? Feel free to report me. Getting beat up by a girl is your shame!¡±


    Bam!


    A heavy blow to his eye followed. Next was a burning pain in his solar plexus.


    Thud!


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    After just three hits, Limberton almost lost consciousness. However, his body, remembering the terror, went limp, losing all will to resist. As he lay with his cheek pressed to the ground, Silla clenched her fist. Limberton forced out his voice.


    ¡°You¡­ you won¡¯t find a guy because of your personality.¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Bam!


    Her fist smashed into his cheek. Limberton¡¯s consciousness faded. Silla looked down at him regretfully.


    ¡°What, it¡¯s already over?¡±


    She then kicked his bent arm straight.


    Silla raised her right foot high.


    ¡°I was only going to break one arm, but it seems I¡¯ll have to. You¡¯ll need someone to feed you for a while.¡±


    Just as she was about to stomp down and break his arm, she heard footsteps from afar.


    Clomp, clomp-


    A low voice followed.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing to our archer?¡±

 Chapter 82

    Silla put her foot down and turned her head.His gaze was sharp enough to send chills down her spine. Realizing he was the one who had recently taken down Emeric, a candidate for the Ten Greats, she stopped her foot mid-air. Nevertheless, Silla didn¡¯t lose her composure and sneered.


    ¡°This is a personal matter. Why don¡¯t you just get lost?¡±


    ¡°Did you just tell me to get lost?¡±


    Silla scoffed.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do? Hit a girl like me?¡±


    Hersel let out a slight sigh and calmly replied.


    ¡°Am I the type to go easy on someone just because they¡¯re a girl?¡±


    Thinking about it, that¡¯s true.


    But Silla had something else up her sleeve.


    ¡°If you want to touch me, go ahead. The Ten Greats have been keeping an eye on you anyway. Are you prepared for the consequences?¡±


    Emeric might be out of the picture after going to the Buerger Hall, but if Hersel laid a finger on even one Adelle Hall student, the Ten Greats wouldn¡¯t sit idly by. Silla felt confident as Hersel did nothing.


    As expected, handling ten people at once would be too much for him.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll assume there are no complaints. I¡¯ll take this arm.¡±


    Just as she was about to stomp down on Limberton¡¯s arm again, a static shock made her skin tingle.


    Zap.


    ¡°Ah, that stings!¡±


    ¡°Relying on the Ten Greats to act cocky?¡±


    When she turned her head, Silla¡¯s eyes widened. A blue-tinged mist was swirling calmly around him.


    Strangely, she couldn¡¯t feel its energy. It was probably due to the prickling sensation from the static electricity. For a moment, she suspected it was magic, but there was no staff in his hand.


    ¡°What a laughable misunderstanding.¡±


    Moreover, there were no signs of him having drawn any runes with his fingers.


    ¡°The one who needs to worry isn¡¯t me, but the Ten Greats. If you break Limberton¡¯s arm, they¡¯ll take it as a challenge.¡±


    Which means, ultimately, it all comes down to one thing¡­


    The prickling static electricity was proof.


    A question naturally slipped out of Silla¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°¡­Why did you come to the academy?¡±


    Someone at his level wouldn¡¯t need any formal education. He could easily secure a prestigious position and command the world beneath him. He might even rival his father, who was rumored to be untouchable by the royal family. ?


    ¡°Why should I answer that?¡±


    Hersel¡¯s eyes glinted coldly as he approached. Instinctively, Silla lowered her raised leg and took a step back. She quickly calculated her options.


    That would only damage the reputation of Adelle Hall. For now, retreating is the only option.


    Feigning nonchalance, Silla clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsk, fine. I won¡¯t take the idiot¡¯s arm. Is that good enough?¡±


    But Hersel, casting a glance at the fallen Limberton, spoke in a chilling voice.


    ¡°Good enough? Do you think this is a game?¡±


    Their eyes met, and Silla stuttered involuntarily.


    ¡°W-what, just because he¡¯s knocked out? I barely hit him!¡±


    ¡°Really? So, by your standards, knocking someone out is a light touch. Fine. I¡¯ll go easy on you too.¡±


    Hersel put his hands in his pockets and confidently shouted.


    ¡°Come at me. I¡¯ll knock you out.¡±


    The aura around him had dissipated. Silla squinted her eyes at Hersel¡¯s bizarre behavior and asked.


    ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t even use my legs. I plan to knock you out with a single strike.¡±


    Without using his hands or legs? How was that possible? It seemed he was underestimating her too much. Still, feeling uneasy, Silla turned sharply on her heel.


    It wasn¡¯t normal for someone who was supposedly the idol of delinquents to be cozying up to Limberton. Witnessing it herself made it all the more convincing. Silla decided she didn¡¯t want to engage any further and started to walk away.


    But his voice from behind made a vein pop on her forehead.


    ¡°Just as expected from someone as short as a walnut, your guts are just as small.¡±


    Silla froze and glared back at Hersel.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    He had touched a sore spot. The same words that had made her nearly kill a senior who teased her about her height on the first day of school¡­


    Whether he knew it or not, that damned mouth of his kept going.


    ¡°I said you¡¯re as small as a walnut. Want me to say more? You¡¯re also small-minded. That¡¯s why, as the eldest daughter, you¡¯re still outdone by your sibling.¡±


    Silla¡¯s eyes widened and then narrowed again.


    ¡°Not enough to mock my height¡­?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows it. The eldest daughter of the renowned Lionhart family, overshadowed by her sibling and sent to Frostheart Academy. Oh, your sibling is about to get into a prestigious academy, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve said something you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    He had crossed the line twice. Silla took a deep breath and assumed a charging stance.


    Tat-tat-tat!


    In an instant, she was in front of Hersel. She leaped, spun mid-air, and aimed a high kick at his neck.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    He was defenseless. No matter how skilled he was at aura manipulation, a blow to the vulnerable neck would surely break it. But Silla felt a dull sensation in her shin.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    At the same time, a shadow loomed over her face. Hersel had ducked and delivered a headbutt.


    Smack!


    The impact of his blond head against her forehead made her vision blur. Silla staggered, trying to maintain her balance, but soon collapsed, sprawled out.


    Thud.


    Hersel took out an ink bottle and smeared Silla¡¯s face with ink.


    Ink can change form and contain spells. Therefore, he made it into vapor and imbued it with elemental electric magic. Despite being in gas form, the metallic property allowed it to conduct electricity well. Additionally, he used blue light magic to mimic the visible aura smoke that Aol used to create a convincing effect.


    ¡°Limberton, wake up.¡±


    A month later, in the Dungeon practice, Limberton was needed. Therefore, he needed to give a severe enough punishment to ensure she wouldn¡¯t come near him again. Normally, this would have been impossible, but understanding Silla¡¯s traits made it manageable.


    ¡óFierce Charge¡ó


    : Speed increases by 1.5 times during a straight charge.


    When angered, Silla tended to charge straight ahead.


    ¡óSavage Strike¡ó


    : Attack power doubles during large movements.


    With no weapon, Silla was bound to use a large, high kick. And with her short limbs, a long-reach kick was inevitable. Thus, he prepared the headbutt.


    ¡°Get up, Limberton.¡±


    Slap!


    He slapped Limberton¡¯s cheek, bringing him back to consciousness.


    ¡°Ow¡­ Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°My solar plexus hurts, one eye is throbbing, and my jaw aches.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate.¡±


    ¡°And my cheek stings.¡±


    ¡°That woman must have slapped you too.¡±


    He pointed at Silla, sprawled out pathetically.


    Limberton jumped and gasped, ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°Consider it avenging you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great and all, but what¡¯s with the scribbles on her face?¡±


    He had inked her eyes and nose black.


    ¡°She¡¯s a panda.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite animal.¡±


    Hersel helped Limberton to his feet and started walking. Limberton, however, stood still, looking down at Silla.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡±


    ¡°The ground is cold. Are we leaving her like this?¡±


    ¡°If you want to take care of her, do it yourself.¡±


    Limberton hoisted Silla onto his back. It looked quite challenging, but Hersel didn¡¯t help.


    ¡°Ugh, she¡¯s heavy.¡±


    Maybe he was trying to overcome his trauma in his own way, proving he was a better person than his abuser. It seemed he was undergoing internal growth, and Hersel hoped Limberton¡¯s blessing, ¡®Wind Hermit¡¯s Protection,¡¯ would soon reveal its true nature.


    ¡°By the way, Limberton.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you studying properly?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a written exam before the Dungeon practice. If you want to leave Schlaphe Hall, you need good grades.¡±


    Limberton averted his eyes.


    ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t been studying, have you?¡±


    ¡°I was going to start now.¡±


    ¡°With your brains? How lucky.¡±


    ¡°From today, I¡¯m forming a study group. You must attend.¡±


    ***


    Bellen is an old woman who drowns her loneliness in alcohol. The silent, empty room filled only with bottles is the result of a life driven by youthful emotions.


    Ignoring her family¡¯s objections, she married out of stubbornness, and after suffering severe injuries in a fight with a powerful opponent, she became unable to have children. This was something she had accepted when she became a knight despite being a woman.


    However, living with it was a daily hell.


    She traveled the world seeking a cure for her ailing husband, but when she returned, he was already dead. The servants had fled with her wealth, leaving her without a home.


    Drinking poison to numb the pain was her only solace.


    Thus, she sat on her bed and tilted the bottle again.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    But the alcohol tasted particularly bad here. She never expected to see that child¡¯s face here.


    In a secluded alley at midnight, she was drawn by a weak pulse to overpower two men and open a suspicious box. Inside, a child with red hair was bound and crying.


    Bellen couldn¡¯t help but smile as she recalled that day.


    But seeing the room filled with scattered bottles, her smile faded.


    Claiming to have no memory was his way of avoiding embarrassment over his current pathetic state.


    But she realized there was something she had to do for that child.


    ¡°To survive, she must not become a knight¡­¡±


    This was agreed upon with the head of the Derevian family.


    Shortly after being expelled from the Tenest mansion. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bellen enjoyed a drink with Leana¡¯s father at the Derevian household. Of course, Bellen was holding a bottle of alcohol.


    ¡°If she hears you¡¯re here, my daughter will be delighted.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. I look too terrible to show myself.¡±


    The old woman, now an alcoholic, didn¡¯t want to disappoint the child. She had come to deliver a message.


    ¡°More importantly, how is she doing? She¡¯s not wandering outside, is she?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. Since that day, she¡¯s been determined to become a knight like you and has been focusing solely on swordsmanship at the mansion.¡±


    His flattery made Bellen¡¯s voice grow louder.


    ¡°Surely you¡¯re not planning to make her a knight?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking of it. But is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a foolish choice. Do you think she can escape that pig¡¯s grasp by becoming a knight?¡±


    His face filled with confusion.


    ¡°B-but I believe she¡¯ll be safe for at least three years if she gets into Frostheart.¡±


    Three years of safety, but only three.


    ¡°That¡¯s just buying a little more time. You¡¯re making it easier for him to take her.¡±


    The one who orchestrated Leana¡¯s kidnapping was a man with a vile nature. Bellen knew he was still biding his time, waiting for an opportunity. He couldn¡¯t be dealt with because he was the Empress¡¯s brother and held a significant position in the Empire.


    If Leana were to take an imperial post, she could be taken away with just one order.


    ¡°So what should I do?¡±


    ¡°I came here to discuss that. I have a nephew of similar age. I¡¯ll send him here. That fool should fall for your daughter quickly. Then you can propose an engagement.¡±


    The Tenest family was untouchable even by the Emperor. Entrusting her to such a noble family would ensure her safety.


    Understanding Bellen¡¯s intent, Leana¡¯s father¡¯s expression grew heavy.


    ¡°I understand your thoughts. But isn¡¯t your nephew notorious? That worries me.¡±


    ¡°The child will be unhappy, of course. He has a rotten nature. But his father is a decent man. I guarantee it¡¯s better than being taken by that scoundrel.¡±


    And now,


    Bellen drank while watching Leana bring the ice. The others would soon give up. But she had a peculiar determination and tenacity in her eyes, indicating she wouldn¡¯t quit easily. It was only a matter of time before she was left alone.


    Bellen stood by a basin filled with clear water, watching Leana.


    ¡°You brought something good. Now, show me your palms.¡±


    Leana, looking pleased, held out her palms. Bellen clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s clear you¡¯ve learned from a cheap swordsmanship manual. Your wrists lack flexibility. Your sense is slow. You took the wrong path from the start. Quit now.¡±


    She tapped Leana hands lightly, then eyed her.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re engaged to my nephew. Yet, you¡¯re here. He wouldn¡¯t allow a girl to wield a sword.¡±


    ¡°Hersel and I have no relationship. We¡¯ve agreed we¡¯re strangers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Bellen¡¯s face grew serious. This was bad.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s it for today.¡±


    The agreement with the Derevian family head had been ruined by that fool.


    Grinding her teeth, Bellen asked the professor,


    ¡°Where is Hersel ben Tenest, that bastard, right now?¡±


    It was a moment that sobered her up completely.

 Chapter 83

    I moved quickly in response to the sudden summons.Bellen stood in front of the Schlaphe building, clutching a bottle of alcohol in her hand, her expression twisted into a frown.


    ¡°Even though I have a lot to prepare for the upcoming exams, what¡¯s this about?¡±


    ¡°Hic, just follow me, you brat.¡±


    What¡¯s going on with her?


    As I was dragged to a secluded spot, Bellen finally opened her mouth.


    ¡°Why now? When you said she was the one you wanted as a partner.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Leana!¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    But why is this old lady talking about it?


    ¡°What does that have to do with you, Great-Aunt?¡±


    Bellen made a sharp noise and attempted to smack me on the back, but remembering a previous painful encounter, she quickly withdrew her hand.


    ¡°This brat, speaking so rudely to the one who arranged your meeting?¡±


    Arranged the meeting?


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t remember much since it was so long ago, but could you explain in detail?¡±


    ¡°Hah, are you young or senile already?¡±


    What Bellen explained next made me realize things I hadn¡¯t known before.


    The story of Leana that I was familiar with went like this: The one who orchestrated Leana¡¯s kidnapping when she was young was Prime Minister Gillum, one of the Empire¡¯s key figures. And because of his obsessive nature, even now that Leana is grown, he¡¯s still lurking, waiting for the right moment. The weak Derevian family didn¡¯t have the power to protect Leana, and in this situation, the Derevian head saw the unexpected visit from Hersel as the perfect opportunity and proposed an engagement. The purpose, of course, was to use the Tenest family as a shield. The name Tenest carried a power even the Emperor dared not challenge. £Ò


    However, Bellen claimed something different.


    ¡°I was the one who sent you to Derevian. Didn¡¯t I tell you back then? There¡¯s a fine young lady there.¡±


    It was a bit of a shock.


    Up until now, the role I had known Bellen to play was this: The Mentor. The hero who saved Leana as a child. The one who motivated her to pick up the sword. The messenger who informed the Derevian head about who was after Leana. That¡¯s it.


    It did seem a bit odd that Hersel would randomly visit the Derevian estate, but I dismissed it as a coincidence. The Derevian estate is quite far from Tenest, after all.


    ¡°But now you say she¡¯s just someone else? Do you want to cancel everything just because of a whim?¡±


    Isn¡¯t it strange that I, the player, don¡¯t know about this? Originally, this body should have died. I wasn¡¯t a character of much importance in the scenario, so this part of Leana¡¯s story was probably omitted. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡±


    To summarize, not only was I a pawn of the Derevian head but also a piece moved by Bellen¡¯s design. She probably thought that if she showed Leana to a womanizing scoundrel like me, I¡¯d definitely fall for her. Anyway, this was yet another moment that made me realize just how insignificant this body truly was.


    After organizing my thoughts, I fixed my gaze on Bellen and opened my mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening. And this isn¡¯t just some whim.¡±


    Bellen furrowed his brow.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about¡­?¡±


    If I didn¡¯t give a definite answer, she would undoubtedly keep bothering me in the future. So, to put an end to this, I had no choice but to make something up.


    ¡°Did you think I didn¡¯t know? That you used me to protect Leana from Prime Minister Gillum.¡±


    Bellen¡¯s eyes widened as if lanterns had been lit within them.


    ¡°How¡­ how do you know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of your unfortunate circumstances, so I played along. I willingly became your pawn.¡±


    ¡°And now you want to break off the engagement knowing that?¡±


    Despite Bellen¡¯s angry outburst, I calmly replied.


    ¡°Because I no longer feel the need for it.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a woman who came here prepared to sever ties with her family. Recently, she¡¯s been taking lessons from Great-Aunt, right? Then let me ask you, do you really think Leana will give up the sword?¡±


    Bellen pressed her lips tightly together.


    ¡°Of course, I understand what you¡¯re worried about. But don¡¯t worry. Leana will protect herself from Prime Minister Gillum. I know she will.¡±


    I was sincere in that statement. Even when this body died in the original scenario, Leana carved her own path. After that, she joined the other main characters in the grand finale. As the player, I was well aware of that.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    Of course, from Bellen¡¯s perspective, it must have sounded like nothing more than an uncertain story. But reminding her of an issue that neither of us could solve would likely cause her to back down.


    ¡°So, what will you do? Leana will never lay down her sword. Since there¡¯s no mutual affection, there won¡¯t be a marriage either. Do you have any brilliant solutions to this problem?¡±


    Here I am, Hersel, the scoundrel who refuses to listen. Leana is a woman so stubborn that she would sever ties with her family just to become a knight. Bellen, knowing this fact all too well, was left speechless.


    Then, suddenly, a good idea came to mind.


    This could actually be turned into something beneficial.


    ¡°Or.¡±


    I decided to use this opportunity to pull off a little trick.


    To accelerate Leana¡¯s growth a bit more.


    ¡°Teach Leana proper swordsmanship. So she can protect herself.¡±


    ¡°You mean to properly train her? To make her a knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Leana will become a knight anyway. It would be better for her to learn real swordsmanship. I believe that Great-Aunt is the best teacher for her.¡±


    Bellen lowered her gaze with a serious expression. She seemed to be contemplating deeply.


    She probably needed time to think it over.


    ¡°Tch, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Bellen turned on her heel.


    I celebrated inwardly.


    Then, suddenly, a point of caution came to mind, and I called out before she could leave.


    ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    ¡°One more thing?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Leana about this conversation we had today.¡±


    When I said that, Bellen looked at me with a puzzled expression.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what kind of misunderstanding I might have caused, but it was better than letting Leana find out that I had intervened.


    ***


    In the hallway of the dormitory where professors came and went, Bellen was returning to her room but couldn¡¯t shake off her complicated thoughts.


    This was something she hadn¡¯t even told Aol. Accepting someone who had abandoned their family as a guest was already breaking the rules; how could she possibly ask for their help? So it¡¯s even stranger.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Speculating won¡¯t lead to an answer.


    Bellen shook her head.


    There was something else that bothered her more.


    His appearance and impression remained the same. His tone and voice were also unchanged. It¡¯s hard to believe that the person had changed, but the words he said weren¡¯t something a scoundrel would say.


    This planted one thought in Bellen¡¯s mind.


    It made sense. At the time of the arranged meeting, Hersel was only 16. Yet he knew about the situation with Prime Minister Gillum and the Derevian family and claimed he played along because he felt sorry for them.


    This would mean he had been wearing the mask of a scoundrel while hiding his true intentions all along.


    Of course, she wondered if this speculation was a bit too much. But Hersel¡¯s last words before leaving had driven a stake into that doubt.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Leana about this conversation we had today.¡±


    Was he secretly looking out for her?


    Bellen chewed over those words with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Even though he looks like a scoundrel on the outside, he¡¯s actually quite a decent fellow.¡±


    It was the moment when Hersel began to appear different to her.


    ***


    The study group of Schlaphe Hall was huddled together in front of the lobby fireplace.


    Personal items such as small desks, cushions, and textbooks were scattered around. In the poor Schlaphe Hall, there wasn¡¯t even a proper study room.


    Woosh¡ª


    As Ricks added more firewood, Limberton asked.


    ¡°Why did you do that back then?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I mean, during the celebration, when Hersel was about to say something, you quickly stepped in and spoke for him. It seemed a bit unnatural. I thought you were his interpreter or something. Haha.¡±


    Ricks fell into deep thought.


    It seemed Limberton wanted to know about that incident.


    -¡°Of course, you can¡¯t come¡­¡±


    -¡°Hersel is serious!! Although the difference in rewards based on the dormitory makes sense in an academy steeped in discriminatory culture, we absolutely cannot overlook the acts of contempt and disregard. That¡¯s why we must make our intentions clear to those at the top in the Adelle Hall. Right, Hersel?¡±


    He even interrupted him like this and answered instead.


    -¡°You worms couldn¡¯t even¡­¡±


    -¡°Of course, as Hersel said, it¡¯s not enough to do it even if it kills us. The harsh reality is that only those with power are heard. So, at the very least, we must do everything we can to make our voices heard by strengthening ourselves.¡±


    Ricks responded to Limberton in a thoughtful tone.


    ¡°He¡¯s not good at saying things that please others. Maybe he¡¯s shy, but his words are always rough. So I wanted to convey his intentions properly. I guess I just wanted people to think better of him.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense. He¡¯s a bit like a porcupine, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fitting description. He¡¯s prickly on the outside, but soft like down on the inside.¡±


    Just as they were joking around, a shadow loomed over them.


    Hersel glared at them with a frown.


    ¡°Limberton, stop chatting and focus on your studies.¡±


    ¡°Why is it always me¡­?¡±


    ¡°You got more subjective questions wrong than Aslay, who¡¯s a foreigner.¡±


    There¡¯s less than a month left until midterms. While the practical exam in the magic realm was the most important, the written exam was also significant and couldn¡¯t be taken lightly.


    Ricks shifted his gaze away from them and looked around.


    ¡°What¡¯s this herb?¡±


    ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s poisonous. If you eat it, you¡¯re done for.¡±


    ¡°What was the right spot to catch it on a slope?¡±


    Perhaps the study group had more influence than expected. The lobby was bustling with students studying.


    Although most were first-year students, there were also a considerable number of seniors among them.


    Ricks smirked as he watched Hersel scold Limberton.


    The changes around them were probably thanks to this man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk back when you¡¯re at the bottom of the class.¡±


    ¡°That was during the entrance exam. I won¡¯t be at the bottom this time¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You probably will.¡±


    He¡¯s a strange person.


    He has a peculiar talent for drawing people in.


    For some reason, if he were to stay here, and he had to move to another dormitory, he¡¯d feel reluctant to leave.

 Chapter 84

    Bellen had set a condition with Frostheart Academy beyond just alcohol: she would only start teaching once there was just one student left. Today, that moment arrived.Sizzle!


    In the training ground, Leana put ice into a hot basin. Bellen approached her and asked,


    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly persistent. Why do you seek to learn from me?¡±


    Leana calmly answered,


    ¡°You may not remember, but you helped me when I was a child. I¡¯ve wanted to become a knight ever since. If I¡¯m going to learn, I want to learn your swordsmanship.¡±


    Bellen took a step closer and fixed her with a penetrating gaze.


    ¡°I know people like you. You won¡¯t put down the sword because of your stubbornness. I¡¯ve seen countless people die that way. Even if you survive, you¡¯ll end up like me. You¡¯ll spend your life as a knight and be left with nothing. If you don¡¯t want that, graduate half-heartedly and live as an ordinary noble.¡±


    Two professors who were assisting approached with troubled faces. They were probably here to object to the broken condition. Bellen gestured for them to stay back and listened to Leana¡¯s reply.


    ¡°I still want to become a knight.¡±


    Her unwavering eyes. Bellen had hoped she might change her mind, but she hadn¡¯t. She sighed.


    It was the same feeling she imagined her father had when looking at her.


    ¡°Fine. This ice was taken from the top of a snowy mountain, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few days now. Do you feel less cold than before?¡±


    Even with a thick coat, it was cold. But seeing that she wasn¡¯t shivering, it seemed she had adapted well to the cold.


    ¡°Take off your coat.¡±


    Without hesitation, Leana placed her coat on the ground. Even when Bellen¡¯s cold hand touched her stomach, she remained unfazed.


    With this level of cold resistance, she could be taught the basics. Bellen instructed the professors.


    ¡°Bring it here.¡±


    A long paddle flew over from the air.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to remove the impurities from the water you brought.¡±


    ¡°The water seems clean.¡±


    ¡°Ice from nature contains invisible microorganisms and dust.¡±


    To prove this, Bellen stirred the basin¡¯s water with the paddle like a sword. After repeating this a few times and removing the paddle, a drop of cloudy water clung to its tip. Leana¡¯s mouth dropped open. ?


    ¡°You lack wrist flexibility and sensitivity. You can¡¯t distinguish between water and dust. This training is perfect for you. Succeed in this, and you¡¯ll move on to the next stage.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you my swordsmanship.¡±


    Bellen smirked and lightly poked the snow with the paddle.


    Woosh!


    Heat radiated from the ground, melting the snow within a three-meter radius into steam.


    ¡°The swordsmanship I¡¯ve honed all my life, the Sword of the Fire Demon.¡±


    Leana¡¯s eyes widened.


    ***


    I was on my way back from learning how to handle Liquid Gold from Hetherson when I noticed steam rising from the training ground and stopped to watch.


    So, it¡¯s already started.


    I had sped up Bellen¡¯s decision, but witnessing it firsthand was quite a fresh shock. A quest that would normally take a month was completed in less than a week. The quest that would make Leana¡¯s hidden blessing shine¡­


    Blessing of Alkin, The Spirit King of Fire.


    Whether it would create warm heat or consuming flames depended on her choice. Fire attribute attacks would be three times more powerful, and her body would be immune to burning. With Bellen as the flint, Leana, who was like oil waiting for a spark, would shine brightly.


    This should help her navigate future scenarios well.


    But I can¡¯t worry about others right now. If I don¡¯t want to get caught in the crossfire, I need to handle the basics myself.


    I pulled out Liquid Gold. Adding the invisibility magic frequently used by Gravel made the already vaporized Liquid Gold nearly invisible. I picked up a shin-high rock in this state.


    ¨C It¡¯s definitely stronger than your telekinesis.


    With the rock in hand, I arrived at the front yard of the Schlaphe Hall. I was about to throw the rock at a statue modeled after me when Limberton emerged from the entrance.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    I¡¯ll have to destroy it another time.


    ¡°What are you doing out here instead of studying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to stay cooped up inside reading textbooks. Can¡¯t I take a break for a bit?¡±


    He was holding a thick belt in his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? The instructor gave it to me to build arm strength. The tension is insane. Eventually, I have to use this as a bowstring and pull it whenever I get a chance.¡±


    So that¡¯s what it was.


    Limberton stretched the belt like kneading dough. He couldn¡¯t even stretch it to his chest width, but over time, it would expand.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you working hard.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    I left the grinning Limberton and entered Schlaphe Hall. The lobby was packed with people studying, even more than yesterday. I moved quietly so as not to disturb their focus. Then I overheard Athera and Makdal talking.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he seem a bit unfit for good grades?¡±


    ¡°Well, Hersel doesn¡¯t seem like the type.¡±


    ¡°Why is he watching Limberton? He¡¯s the one who needs to study the most.¡±


    Their conversation grew loud enough for others to join in.


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m from the northeast, and Hersel doesn¡¯t have a good reputation there.¡±


    Even Lethe joined in.


    ¡°Remember when he beat up the innkeeper over change? He paid correctly, but he claimed the innkeeper cheated him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was hilarious. He can¡¯t even do simple math, but if he weren¡¯t the president, people would¡¯ve burst out laughing.¡±


    I sneaked up and knocked both of them on the head.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°My head!¡±


    Then I glared at Athera and Makdal.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m dumb?¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    ¡°H-Hersel¡­!¡±


    They recoiled as if they¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°No, not exactly dumb, just¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he meant you¡¯ll do fine, right? Makdal?¡±


    ¡°Right, Hersel can do well even without studying.¡±


    These guys seemed to think of me as some kind of idiot. Given Hersel¡¯s past behavior, it made sense, but it still annoyed me. I hate being seen as ignorant as much as I hate spiders.


    I spoke to them with irritation.


    ¡°Just fine?¡±


    I heard people gulping around me. Ignoring them, I surveyed the entire lobby with a grin.


    ¡°Shall we make a bet? The topic is whether I will get first place in the magic department in the upcoming written exam. If I don¡¯t, you win. How about it?¡±


    Athera tried to calm me down gently.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit¡­ We were wrong, so please calm down.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to say that, put your wallets down first.¡±


    Suddenly, everyone around pulled out their wallets and approached.


    ¡°Well, Hersel, I believe you¡¯ll get first place. But betting is more like charity. You know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m betting against you getting first. Don¡¯t be offended.¡±


    Athera held up a notebook and pen high and shouted.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this in an orderly manner. Those betting on Hersel getting first, go to the right. Everyone else, to the left.¡±


    Everyone moved to the left.


    I stared intently at Makdal, Ricks, and Gravel, who hesitated in the middle. They quickly averted their eyes and moved left. Only Aslay stood on the right. Limberton joined him after coming back from his walk, making it two people.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    ¡°I believe in the boss. Even if I lose everything, I¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Limberton looked confused, so Athera explained.


    ¡°We¡¯re betting on whether Hersel gets first place in the written exam. Limberton, where do you want to bet? By the way, that¡¯s the spot for betting on Hersel getting first.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°F-first place?¡±


    ¡°So, how much are you betting? The minimum is 10 coins.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, just 10 coins¡­¡±


    I suggested an amount to Limberton.


    ¡°Bet at least 1,000 coins, Limberton. And you too, Aslay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m betting 3,000 coins. It¡¯s my bet, so it doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡±


    Athera nodded.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s knees shook as he gripped them, sweating.


    ¡°T-three thousand?¡±


    Then, looking at Aslay¡¯s unwavering expression, he shut his eyes tight and shouted.


    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll stay here like Aslay!! That¡¯s what a team does!!¡±


    I looked at the crowd on the left and vowed inwardly. I¡¯d bankrupt these poor fools.


    ***


    Adelle Hall was noisy as ever. Bernthal had given the first-year students a break from training because Athera had come to talk. She held a ledger and a pen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to join the bet?¡±


    ¡°The odds are extreme, but there¡¯s some money on Hersel¡¯s side. What do you think?¡±


    Bernthal shook his head with a grim expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll entertain that nonsense, Athera.¡±


    ¡°Really? I just came from Buerger Hall. Emeric bet 10,000 coins on Hersel getting first.¡±


    Then Athera said something that would provoke Adelle Hall.


    ¡°If you¡¯re scared, forget it. But seeing Bernthal so scared makes me think he might actually get first.¡±


    Getting first in all exams was a tradition. As a representative, he couldn¡¯t ignore such a comment. Bernthal shouted at the first-year students to gauge Hersel¡¯s academic level.


    ¡°Hersel ben Tenest claims he¡¯ll get first place in the written exam! What do you think?¡±


    The response was ridicule.


    ¡°Hah! Hersel? First place?¡±


    ¡°Did I hear that right?¡±


    Leana barely suppressed a twitch of her lips. Erucel rolled on the floor, clutching his stomach.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! Him? That¡¯s hilarious.¡±


    Bernthal was puzzled by the echoing laughter.


    This seemed like a good chance to make a big bet.


    ¡°What are the odds?¡±


    ¡°Check this.¡±


    Athera showed the betting board.


    There were 81 first-year magic students. Everyone except the first-place slot had odds written in multiples of five.


    Most people bet on ranks 75-80, with fewer bets higher up.


    ¡°Betting on first place has odds of 89:1, the lowest is 1.3:1. The odds will keep changing since more people are betting.¡±


    Bernthal grinned.


    At 1.3:1, he could make a 30% profit. A chance for easy money.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bet 30,000 coins.¡±


    ¡°Wow, big spender. Shouldn¡¯t you tell the first-years? They¡¯ll work harder if their money¡¯s on the line.¡±


    Bernthal clenched his fist and shouted.


    ¡°Attention, everyone!¡±


    ¡°Your voice is too loud, I¡¯m leaving. Tell the second and third years to come to Schlaphe Hall if they want to bet.¡±


    Athera left as Bernthal explained the bet. She took out her notebook and smiled slyly.


    The names betting on Hersel getting first were Limberton, Aslay, Hersel, Emeric, and Athera herself. She had bet nearly all her money, 5,000 coins. She boldly placed this bet after overhearing a conversation in Rockefeller¡¯s office while reporting on Schlaphe Hall.


    ¨C Make the first-year magic exam as hard as possible.


    ¨C Is it because of Hersel?


    ¨C Yes. He aced the hardest questions in the entrance exam. Even if the average score drops, it doesn¡¯t matter. Expand the range and double the questions.


    Athera muttered with a sly smile.


    ¡°If even he acknowledges it, he must be incredibly smart.¡±


    This was the plan from the start. Feigning ignorance and prompting Makdal to initiate the bet was a ruse. It was surprising that Hersel suggested the bet first. Thus, an unprecedented scale of gambling was underway at Frostheart Academy.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 85

    Magical energy is like alcohol. If you overindulge, it damages your brain and shatters your mind, ultimately leading to death. Of course, this doesn¡¯t apply to me.[Excessive magical energy detected.]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 60 seconds]


    If I exceed my capacity, the ¡°1-second invincibility¡± will purge the magical energy from my body. Therefore, I need to know my limit. After countless attempts, I finally succeeded in sensing what it feels like to contain 97% of my magical capacity.


    ¡°This is impressive. It¡¯s rare for someone to sense their optimal capacity. Many go mad by overindulging in magical energy,¡± Hetherson said, releasing my hand.


    ¡°Is that a mistake people make often?¡±


    ¡°Magical energy is a deceitful force that tricks the brain. It¡¯s like a drug. Use it too much, and your senses go awry. You start questioning if you¡¯re using the right amount and end up increasing your intake little by little.¡±


    Well, I wouldn¡¯t know since I¡¯ve never done such wicked things. It seems similar to coffee addiction¡ªbuilding up a caffeine tolerance until you drink more. But that has nothing to do with me. Even if my senses go haywire, ¡°1-second invincibility¡± ensures I won¡¯t be harmed.


    ¡°By the way, did you bring it today?¡±


    Hetherson asked, licking his lips. I placed a bundle on the desk, contents filled with food from the cafeteria.


    ¡°Of course. They say even a ghost who died from overeating looks nice.¡±


    ¡°You cheeky brat. Always with the mouth¡­¡±


    I had been bringing food to Hetherson on class days as a token of my appreciation. After all, a death row inmate doesn¡¯t receive a salary. He needed some form of reward to be motivated to teach sincerely. Hetherson devoured the meat voraciously.


    ¡°Much better than cold bread.¡±


    The old professor cleared his throat.


    ¡°It¡¯s just food for a condemned man. You should be grateful for such luxuries.¡±


    Hetherson ignored the old professor¡¯s grumbling and finished the plate in no time. I handed him a bag of cookies for dessert.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Cookies baked by our maid who works at a caf¨¦.¡±


    They were ginger cookies, which didn¡¯t suit my taste. Since Selly made them using her mother¡¯s recipe, I couldn¡¯t refuse and had just one. Hetherson took a bite and puckered his lips.


    ¡°Oh, ginger cookies! Never thought I¡¯d taste home snacks here.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they common?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. They¡¯re traditional snacks from my region.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing him sucking on his fingers like that made me pity him. It stirred both sympathy and curiosity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any regrets?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°If you knew this would happen, would you have made different choices?¡±


    Hetherson snorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You¡¯re too young to understand how this country works. Even if I could go back, I¡¯d still kill that bastard.¡±


    He must be talking about the Imperial Third Knight Commander he killed. If only he hadn¡¯t meddled, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. From what I heard, he was captured shortly after, exhausted.


    ¡°But there is one thing I do regret.¡±


    Hetherson looked nostalgic and wiggled his pinky with a lecherous grin. It was a crude gesture, implying a girlfriend.


    ¡°There was a woman I lived with. Strong-willed and feisty, she was very attractive. Of course, she was too good for a guy like me.¡±


    ¡°So, she eventually left you because you were nothing but trouble?¡±


    ¡°Argh¡­¡±


    Hetherson grabbed his neck and sighed.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s pointless to get mad. You¡¯re half right and half wrong. She asked me to refuse the offer to become an underworld guardian executive. She wanted us to live an ordinary life. It¡¯s obvious what happened next. While I was working, she packed up and left, leaving a note saying I was a bastard she couldn¡¯t stand. If there¡¯s anything I regret, it¡¯s that decision.¡±


    ¡°Bastard she couldn¡¯t stand¡­ Is that some regional dialect?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡±


    His expression looked so troubled that I offered some comfort.


    ¡°She probably did well for herself. Strong-willed people adapt easily anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Fool. She died before me.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it would¡¯ve been better if she¡¯d lived well. Lately, I often wonder what would¡¯ve happened if I¡¯d listened to her.¡±


    Hetherson gave an awkward laugh as if uncomfortable with his confession.


    ¡°Talking nonsense to you. Maybe it¡¯s time for me to go.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad. It showed some humanity.¡±


    Hetherson looked away, glancing at the nearby object.


    ¡°It¡¯s holding up quite well.¡±


    The candelabrum made of Liquid Gold. The pillow-sized metal chunk on top began to lose its magical power. The candelabrum melted, and the metal chunk fell.


    Crash!


    It punched a hole through the desk and cracked the stone floor beneath.


    ¡°Phew, that¡¯s it for today.¡±


    ¡°Keep at it every day like building muscle. Soon you¡¯ll be able to shape it with the hardness of steel.¡±


    The old professor jumped up, furious.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to fix the desk? And the floor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your job, old man. I was just teaching.¡±


    Before he could demand compensation, I hurriedly left.


    ***


    Back in my dorm room, I left a plate at the door as usual. While the black cat ate, I opened my textbook. It was more of a review. I¡¯d already mastered the exam material long ago, having prepared for the second semester during my free time. The calculation problems seemed oddly easy, giving me more time for other subjects.


    With today¡¯s review done,


    ¡°Should I go check on Limberton¡¯s progress?¡±


    I picked up a novel and a chair. The black cat, which should¡¯ve disappeared by now, approached and rubbed against my leg.


    ¡°Oh, have you finally warmed up to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve fed you enough; a thank you is expected.¡±


    The cat meowed and vanished into smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be soon.¡±


    ¨C What?


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    As I descended the stairs, the air was already warm. The Schlaphe Hall lobby was filled with makeshift heaters. Everyone had brought portable heaters instead of studying in their rooms. The dormitory manager was calmly ventilating by opening windows as I headed toward Limberton.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Have you been studying well?¡±


    ¡°I feel like I hear that ten times a day. I¡¯m working hard, okay? Stop asking.¡±


    Confident, are we? Time for a surprise question.


    ¡°What¡¯s the protocol if you get separated from your unit in the labyrinth?¡±


    Limberton scratched his head and pretended to search his pockets.


    ¡°Break the signal stick.¡±


    Entering the labyrinth, we¡¯re given chopstick-sized signal sticks made of resonant mana stone. Breaking one releases mana, causing nearby signal sticks to flash. There are three colors.


    ¡°What color should you break if isolated?¡±


    ¡°Black.¡±


    ¡°Correct. What about red?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ danger signal?¡±


    Black indicates missing. Red signals danger or enemy sighting.


    ¡°And the last one?¡±


    ¡°Blue. It means the target has been found.¡±


    Blue indicates mission completion, usually upon finding treasure or a hidden dungeon. That¡¯s the pathfinder¡¯s job. Seeing blue meant you could head home and relax.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Limberton puffed his chest proudly. Showing off for knowing the basics, huh? Still, he must¡¯ve worked hard, so I didn¡¯t say more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. What you memorized in three hours, I could read once and remember.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Limberton opened his textbook with a downcast expression. I looked at Aslay, who was flipping pages seriously. He barely touched his Imperial dictionary anymore.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Given the circumstances, he has the toughest conditions for the exam. Besides struggling with Imperial, his trait prevents him from scoring above 60% on multiple-choice. He has to ace the subjective questions to pass, as his trait¡¯s curse doesn¡¯t affect written answers.


    I left the two to their studies and sat down with my book. The sounds of scribbling and muttering filled the air but didn¡¯t bother me. Except for the shadow cast by this girl.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be studying?¡±


    Athera asked in a trembling voice, her face full of anxiety.


    ¡°A genre novel.¡±


    ¡°What? Less than two weeks before the exam, and you¡¯re reading? Didn¡¯t you boast about getting first place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. Why?¡±


    I asked half-lidded, and Athera¡¯s pupils shook. Sensing something, I smirked.


    ¡°Did you bet on me?¡±


    ¡°¡­How did you know?¡±


    ¡°That makes me happy. Smart choice, betting on me. But still annoying. Trying to make money off me without permission?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m studying half an hour a day, but it¡¯s tough. Lots of difficult questions.¡±


    Athera¡¯s face turned pale. She must¡¯ve bet a significant amount.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you study harder? I¡¯ll help. Let¡¯s study 21 hours a day, with just 3 hours of sleep.¡±


    Athera pleaded desperately. I raised my chin arrogantly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your guidance. Give me half the profits, and I¡¯ll study.¡±


    ¡°Half?¡±


    ¡°Take it or leave it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just study.¡±


    I pretended to read my textbook. Athera kept glancing at me anxiously. She must be dying of worry. She invested heavily in this, so my winnings will be substantial.


    ***


    On the day of the written exam,


    In the first-year magic class, all dorm students were staring intently at their textbooks, trying to memorize one last thing. Rockefeller, who volunteered as the proctor, kept his eyes on the entrance.


    He included questions rarely on exams. Even with tutoring from seniors, they wouldn¡¯t manage. The questions doubled, and he made some himself. Even if Hersel scored well, there was nothing to worry about.


    Rockefeller looked at a man comfortably leaning back with his arms crossed, glasses on the desk, eyes closed. He was a prodigy who entered Adelle Hall. He might score perfectly again.


    Footsteps echoed, and the man opened his eyes. The hot topic of the academy entered. Whispers of ¡°Hersel¡± filled the room as students glanced at him and murmured.


    ¡°Did he really think he¡¯d get first? I thought he¡¯d make excuses and bail.¡±


    ¡°Good, more coins for us.¡±


    ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t cheat.¡±


    Hersel scanned them and spoke.


    ¡°Did you know? Our Schlaphe students have been studying hard lately. So¡­¡±


    He raised his chin and smirked arrogantly. His deep voice filled the room.


    ¡°Anyone who scores lower than us should hand over their dorm spot and die. You¡¯re not worth living.¡±


    Pens snapped all around.

 Chapter 86

    The exam began, and the sound of scribbling filled the room. But within ten seconds, it fell silent. The only thing most students had managed to write was their name. The first question left them stumped, making it impossible to confidently put pen to paper.[Describe the methods of preemptively identifying enemy magical abilities.]


    Despite training as pathfinders, the first question was about human combat tactics, specifically melee combat, which left the students bewildered.


    ¡°Professor, I think there¡¯s something wrong with the exam questions.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re including issues that aren¡¯t particularly important.¡±


    The professor cleared his throat before responding.


    ¡°Military tactics and personal combat skills were part of the curriculum. These are mandatory subjects in other academies, so it¡¯s not strange for them to be included.¡±


    ¡°But this academy teaches how to fight monsters in the Dungeon, not primarily for military ranks.¡±


    ¡°The point is, it was part of the lessons. These will all be useful eventually, so stop complaining and get to work.¡±


    The professor¡¯s tone was firm. The exam questions were not just difficult but seemed to have shifted the subject entirely. The students, with no other choice, turned their test papers hoping for easier questions.


    Rockefeller nodded slightly at the professor¡¯s answer and then glanced at the man with glasses. From the start of the exam until now, his pen had never stopped moving.


    His magic skills were average, but his academic prowess was extraordinary, almost professor-level at a young age. If not for his family¡¯s circumstances, he would have attended the prestigious ¡°Wisdom¡± academy as a scholarship student.


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes filled with anticipation, only to be interrupted by an irritable voice from below.


    ¡°Professor, why are you only watching me?¡±


    Standing before Hersel¡¯s desk, Rockefeller replied with irritation.


    ¡°¡­Be quiet and focus.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, just like during the entrance exam.¡±


    Muttering, Hersel resumed writing. Rockefeller found him more annoying than usual, as his speed in solving the questions was astonishing.


    Scribble, scribble.


    It was as if he was copying from an answer sheet.


    The academy¡¯s textbooks were more specialized than the general ones, containing distilled knowledge from countless real-world experiences. This knowledge wasn¡¯t easily accessible outside, meaning Hersel must have learned it here. Despite Rockefeller¡¯s keen observation for any cheating, none was found.


    Ancient magical hieroglyphics, runes, were subtly embedded in the calculation problem. Only by fully deciphering the runes, which contained multiple meanings in a single sentence, could one solve it. However, since this was beyond the academy¡¯s typical level, there was an alternative¡ªsolving it through sheer computational effort.


    With three hours remaining, the problem alone would take four hours to solve. It would be wiser to skip it and focus on the other questions for a better score. But Rockefeller had no intention of letting Hersel achieve a good grade.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this problem too much for someone like you, Hersel ben Tenest? I¡¯ll commend you for your spirit, though.¡±


    A provoking insult targeting his pride. Hersel looked up.


    ¡°Why are you distracting me during the exam, Professor? Is this even allowed?¡±


    Rockefeller was taken aback by Hersel¡¯s curt response.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Still, Hersel showed no intention of moving on from the problem. Bored, Rockefeller glanced around. The groaning faces of students brought a satisfied smile to his face.


    While pondering the questions for the next final exam, Hersel stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m done here.¡±


    ¡°Hersel ben Tenest, are you giving up?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Hersel said, climbing the stairs to the entrance. Belman also stood, having finished his exam.


    An hour had already passed. Rockefeller suspiciously examined Hersel¡¯s test paper, and his eyes widened.


    Though the paper was covered in incomprehensible symbols, the answers were correct. This meant he had matched the speed of deciphering runes through raw calculations, a feat that sent shivers down Rockefeller¡¯s spine.


    Compared to this, the rest of the questions were insignificant. Rockefeller, lost in thought, watched Hersel leave the exam hall.


    His academic talent was undeniable. Whether he developed his own calculation method or whatever, it was impressive. But he still didn¡¯t see Hersel as a true mage. The important thing was whether he could properly wield magic.


    ***


    Knowledge of melee combat and siege warfare was typically emphasized in other academies, not institutions focused on training pathfinders. However, they weren¡¯t entirely excluded here since some graduates did end up in government roles. Anticipating Rockefeller¡¯s trickery, I had already prepared for this.


    The exam material wasn¡¯t crammed at the last minute. I had been studying these subjects in advance, thinking it might be useful to have another option besides just heading into the Dungeon after graduation.


    ¡°Ugh, my head hurts. That was harder than I thought.¡±


    ¨C For something you solved easily.


    ¡®The runic problem was tough. I couldn¡¯t understand the annotations.¡¯


    The problem felt like reading a foreign language. If I had any basic understanding of runic structure, it would have been easier. But I hadn¡¯t studied runes yet, as that knowledge is mainly for excavating ruins after graduation.


    ¡®But you, Donatan, lived a long time. Don¡¯t you know runes?¡¯


    ¨C I used to.


    ¡®Forgotten, huh¡­¡¯


    ¨C It¡¯s an ancient language. It¡¯s natural for it to fade from memory.


    I had hoped he could help, but it looks like I¡¯ll have to learn runes myself.


    ¡®Typical.¡¯


    ¨C How dare you speak to me like that!


    ¡®Whatever. I¡¯m going to take a nap.¡¯


    ¨C Runes were already disappearing in my time! You don¡¯t even know the historical context!


    Ignoring Donatan¡¯s grumbling, I continued walking. Suddenly, a voice stopped me.


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    Turning around, I saw the man with glasses.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Did you give up on the exam?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you. If I said I finished, would you believe me?¡±


    Adjusting his glasses, he suddenly asked about the runic problem that had given me a headache.


    ¡°What¡¯s the answer to question 73?¡±


    Ignoring him might have made him pester me, so I sighed and answered.


    ¡°The type of magic is a curse. The formula has three parallel lines and one series line, with a mana ratio of 3:7. Is that sufficient?¡±


    His eyes widened in surprise. Leaving him behind, I walked away.


    ***


    The next morning, all the students gathered in front of the notice board. Their interest was obviously in the first-year magic department rankings. Many had bet all their living expenses for the month, some even their entire savings.


    Those at the front were gaping like fish.


    [1st Place, Belman Tol Gers]


    Because¡­


    [1st Place, Hersel ben Tenest]


    They realized they had lost their money.


    ¡°Co-co-first place?¡±


    They fell into denial.


    ¡°The professors must have made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Right? That has to be it. We should demand a correction.¡±


    But just then, a woman arrived to shatter any remaining hope.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Athera ran up, laughing and shouting triumphantly.


    ¡°Hersel got first in the magic department! I confirmed with Rockefeller that he scored perfectly!¡±


    Everyone stared at their trembling hands before collapsing. It was an economic depression. There would be desperate pleas for loans and even theft.


    Clap, clap.


    But amidst this tragedy, one man clapped.


    ¡°I thought you had a brilliant mind, but I didn¡¯t expect this.¡±


    It was Emeric, the biggest bettor. Athera mocked him.


    ¡°Going to make a lot of money, huh? Some of us have to give up half our profits.¡±


    ¡°It was a risk worth taking.¡±


    ¡°True. So, what will you do with the money?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll buy equipment and challenge the Ten Stars.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be something to see. Maybe I¡¯ll set up a betting pool.¡±


    ¡°Do as you wish.¡±


    In a sea of despair, two people laughed. The unprecedented capital shift caused wailing throughout the academy. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh no, my money!¡±


    ¡°I bet even my food expenses for the month.¡±


    ¡°What should I do? Should I take on a quest to earn money?¡±


    Meanwhile, Hersel observed the scene from the Schlaphe Hall terrace, sipping his tea.


    ¡°Aslay, Limberton, today is a joyous day. More people are beneath us now.¡±


    Aslay proudly pounded his chest. Limberton scratched his head in confusion.


    ¡°A lot of people seem to have bet everything they had. Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Limberton, they took the risk. If the economy collapses, that¡¯s good for us. The one with capital is king. Even against Adelle Hall.¡±


    Hersel laughed wickedly. Ricks and Gravel came to the terrace, asking for help with tearful voices.


    ¡°Hersel, can you lend us some money?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ We¡¯ll pay you back soon.¡±


    Hersel narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s annoying that you bet against me, but fine. I¡¯ll lend you money. But with interest.¡±


    Money begets money. Hersel turned his gaze back to the gloomy castle.


    ¨C Perfect for what?


    Thinking about future events, Hersel closed the curtain.


    With the Dungeon expedition approaching, Rockefeller listened to a professor¡¯s report in his office.


    ¡°We received another letter. They want a match against our students.¡±


    Pathfinders, the empire¡¯s Dungeon exploration organization, had such a long history that it often attracted attention. Some nobles knew vague details, while a few were aware of the priceless resources hidden deep in the Dungeon.


    Naturally, this information had reached the ears of a foreign king.


    ¡°A roaming band¡­?¡±


    The king of Bellam¡¯s imitation of the empire¡¯s Pathfinders, the roaming band. They didn¡¯t want the secrets of the Dungeon widely known, so they didn¡¯t announce the organization publicly. But they had a training school for their roaming band, just like Frost Heart.


    Rockefeller laughed derisively.


    ¡°Overconfident nobodies. They¡¯re challenging us again this year.¡±


    Frost Heart was an educational institution for nobles. In contrast, the roaming band¡¯s training school was for vagrants. Compared to the systematic education and pure talent at Frost Heart, they were pathetic.


    ¡°Shall we accept the challenge?¡±


    ¡°This is good timing. They¡¯ll be informed of the training location.¡±


    The upcoming training would be a battle for survival. The roaming band¡¯s test was to bring back the head of a Frost Heart student.

 Chapter 87

    On my way to class, I felt the sting of glares piercing my face. The atmosphere among the students was tense.I didn¡¯t understand.


    The losses from gambling were their responsibility, not mine.


    ¡°They all think they lost money because of me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it¡­¡±


    Limberton pointed to the skewer I was holding.


    It seemed that those who lost money couldn¡¯t even afford such a luxury and were filled with envious jealousy.


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why they¡¯re drooling.¡±


    ¡°You can be really nasty sometimes.¡±


    I smirked and took a bite of the skewer. The sight of me eating made those watching gulp and glare even more intensely. Once I finished, I waved the untouched skewer at them.


    ¡°Hmm, now I have trash. If someone throws this away for me, I¡¯ll give it to them.¡±


    They smiled brightly, acting like they hadn¡¯t been glaring just moments before.


    The competition was fierce.


    ¡°Me! I¡¯ll throw it away for you!¡±


    ¡°Move! I was here first!¡±


    After giving the trash and the skewer to the first person, I made my way to the classroom.


    Monsterology was a joint class for all first-year students, both knights and mages, regardless of dormitory. Everyone looked exhausted as they sat in their seats. A female professor stood on the podium.


    ¡°This will be our last class for a while.¡±


    In two days, all first-year students would head to the Dungeon.


    ¡°Feeling nervous? Don¡¯t worry too much. The place you¡¯re going to is near the entrance, so it shouldn¡¯t be too dangerous.¡±


    The professor twisted her braided hair with her finger and sighed.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s an unexplored area, so stay alert. Now, let¡¯s take a look at the map you¡¯ll be using.¡±


    She used a conjuration spell to project a large holographic map.


    Between the mortal realm and the Dungeon, there was a long boundary line, much like a national border. The entire line could be considered an entryway. ?


    ¡°As you can see, the path to the Dungeon is quite wide.¡±


    Markings along the boundary line indicated buildings, which served as entry points maintained for adventurers. The adventurers¡¯ guild even provided facilities nearby.


    ¡°These buildings mark well-maintained roads. Some roads are wide enough for carts to transport large monster carcasses. Nearby, the adventurers¡¯ guild offers convenience facilities. But what¡¯s our job?¡±


    Ricks raised his hand energetically.


    ¡°To pave the way so civilians can eventually create such facilities!¡±


    The professor clapped approvingly.


    ¡°Correct. As pathfinders, we explore uncharted territories. We don¡¯t take the easy paths. We¡¯ll be going through untouched land, and our destination will be in the wild.¡±


    The female professor glanced at a male professor standing by a black tent. He was a professor from the knight department.


    ¡°Please begin.¡±


    Without hesitation, the knight professor pulled back the tent.


    Inside was a wolf bound in chains. It had three heads and wore muzzles.


    Previously, in monsterology, we only covered theory, but this time, they brought in a dangerous specimen.


    ¡°This is a three-headed wolf from the Dungeon you¡¯ll be entering. I¡¯ll teach you how to handle it, so watch closely.¡±


    The knight professor dragged the chained three-headed wolf onto the podium. Limberton scoffed.


    ¡°Huh, it looks weak compared to what we saw in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances. The third trial was set to a beginner level by the professors.¡±


    For a first-year student to safely handle a three-headed wolf, it required at least two people working together. This standard was based on students from Adelle Hall; for Schlaphe Hall, it would take about five students to barely succeed in capturing one due to its challenging conditions.


    ¡°But the sentinels were on another level.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something even the professors can¡¯t control.¡±


    The sentinel was like the dungeon boss. Regular monsters were placed in manageable numbers and positions, but sentinels were untouchable even if the dungeon was tamed.


    ¡°Excluding the sentinels, the quality of the Dungeon monsters will be much higher than those we faced in the dungeon trial.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dungeon monsters moved like puppets. This varied by dungeon, but the ones we faced in the third trial fell into this category. Dungeon monsters, however, were relentless hunters with enough intelligence to retreat strategically or exploit weaknesses.


    ¡°Surviving in such an environment is no small feat.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    The knight professor wielded a wooden sword and removed the muzzles from the three-headed wolf. The wolf immediately lunged.


    Tack!


    The professor easily dodged the first head, countered the second with a strike, and kicked the third to create distance. He then expertly maneuvered the chains to subdue the beast.


    Donatan, impressed by the professional display, commented.


    ¨C His movements are better than expected.


    ¡®Well, he is a professor.¡¯


    Though I had a poor impression after seeing Leana defeat him, that wasn¡¯t entirely fair. She was a monster on par with Arkandric, and the professor had been tasked with capturing, not killing. Holding out until Rockefeller arrived was no small feat.


    ¡°The three-headed wolf is known for its rapid attack tempo. Always expect follow-up attacks when fighting it.¡±


    The female professor then took over to demonstrate handling the wolf with magic. She showed brief examples of using electrical magic to shock it and curse magic to silence it.


    This was just to prevent the wolf from howling.


    Awooooo!


    ¡°This is howling. It¡¯s a signal to call other wolves. To avoid being surrounded, you must incapacitate all three heads simultaneously. If even one is conscious, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    With that, the female professor killed the wolf, causing it to explode.


    Boom!


    Blood splattered on the students¡¯ faces, leaving them pale.


    Ignoring their discomfort, the professor offered some encouragement.


    ¡°Remember, anything you find in the Dungeon belongs to you, even during training. While some items might be claimed by the empire, the emperor will reward you generously.¡±


    Eyes lit up at the mention of rewards.


    ¡°Do you mean coins?¡±


    ¡°Coins? Usually, it¡¯s gold coins.¡±


    ¡°Could we get coins instead?¡±


    The students, preferring coins to gold they couldn¡¯t use, seemed even more excited.


    **


    After class, I headed to Nille¡¯s alchemy workshop. The representative greeted me warmly, while a woman stirring a pot looked displeased.


    ¡°Let me guess, you bet on me, and she bet against me?¡±


    The representative laughed good-naturedly.


    ¡°Ha ha, well, I had to support our workshop¡¯s investor, right? But Melda here thought it was nonsense and bet against you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in. I barely ate yesterday!¡±


    ¡°And I bought you lunch today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, thanks for that.¡±


    The representative turned to me, remembering something.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. You came for your items, right? Just a moment.¡±


    He placed a bag on the counter. It contained custom potions and other items I had ordered weeks ago.


    ¡°You¡¯re in luck. The creature you¡¯ll face in the Dungeon is a three-headed wolf, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got good timing. It takes about two weeks to make these potions.¡±


    The day before, the target monster had been announced, so it seemed like a stroke of luck to him.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll see you next time.¡±


    As I was about to leave, Silla spotted me and quickly hid behind Leana. Ignoring her, I picked up my bag and started to leave. Leana glared at me briefly before turning to the representative.


    ¡°Do you have any potions for bone health?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but if your friend is injured, it might be better to visit the infirmary.¡±


    Silla shouted in desperation.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t be able to go on the Dungeon expedition!¡±


    I paused to look at Silla. One of her legs seemed to be bothering her. The representative must have noticed and suggested the infirmary.


    -Possibly. Her shin might have cracked when she kicked you in the neck.


    Ah, that high kick to my neck. It happened a month ago, so it should be mostly healed by now¡­ unless¡­


    Lately, Adelle Hall¡¯s first-year students had been undergoing harsh training under Bernthal. Their bodies wouldn¡¯t have had time to recover.


    I noted this and left the workshop.


    ***


    Outside the citadel, Aslay and Limberton were waiting. They had bought better equipment with their recent earnings.


    Aslay had a thicker shield strapped to his back and wore rough-textured gloves. Limberton proudly showed off a special metal bow he was holding, following his instructor¡¯s advice.


    ¡°How do you like it? The draw weight is no joke.¡±


    His arms seemed more muscular than before.


    ¡°Your arm strength has improved.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I can only shoot three arrows with it. I¡¯ll save it for crucial moments.¡±


    As we headed to Schlaphe Hall, we chatted idly.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising how much the average rank of Schlaphe students has risen.¡±


    ¡°I heard some seniors even scored higher than those from Adelle Hall.¡±


    ¡°I heard Bernthal lost 30,000 coins. Adelle Hall must be in chaos.¡±


    As we approached the dormitory, Limberton asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for us? The seniors have been acting strange. They ignore me and didn¡¯t even reply when I talked to them today. Could they be upset about losing money?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    After entering the lobby, I surveyed the area. I saw a peer talking to a senior, who turned away coldly, leaving the peer embarrassed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about the expedition.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    A professor watched from beyond. This was on Rockefeller¡¯s orders, silencing the seniors. Plus, the seniors likely didn¡¯t want to help their juniors.


    Turning away from them, I asked Limberton.


    ¡°If someone tried to kill you, could you take their life without hesitation?¡±


    ¡°Uh? I¡¯ve never been in that situation, but I guess I would? I want to live.¡±


    ¡°What if it were a child?¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes shook, and he couldn¡¯t answer.


    ***


    In a dark basement, a single candle flickered.


    ¡°Sires was killed by a black-haired man.¡±


    ¡°Then how will we get more orphans?¡±


    Two men stood around a cot, discussing.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find another supply chain. There¡¯s never been a shortage of orphans.¡±


    ¡°Heh, true. There are always plenty of abandoned children.¡±


    The roaming band selected its students differently than Frost Heart. They prioritized quantity over quality, gathering orphans and training them. Only those who survived the Dungeon were chosen for further training.


    ¡°Just like us.¡±


    Knock, knock.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    A young woman, just past puberty, entered cautiously.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received the location from Frost Heart.¡±


    One man took the papers and grinned.


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s why I like Rockefeller.¡±


    ¡°He knows refusing is pointless. We always find their training sites.¡±


    The man left the room, walking down a long corridor. Beyond the iron bars lining the hallway were numerous young boys and girls, some as short as half the man¡¯s height.


    But their eyes were all fierce, like hungry beasts.


    The man looked over the orphans and shouted.


    ¡°Prepare yourselves. We¡¯re heading to the Dungeon! If you want to be taken in by the king, bring back their heads!¡±


    The eyes of the young roaming band members lit up with a dangerous glint.

 Chapter 88

    The day before the expedition.I successfully hardened the Liquid Gold into a metallic consistency. It took three weeks to get to this point. Today was the day to learn my ultimate skill.


    Swish!


    When I sliced the firewood with the hardened Liquid Gold, Hetherson ran his hand over the cut surface.


    ¡°Nice and clean. With this, even with your tiny mana pool, you should be able to scratch a knight with aura.¡±


    Aura is vulnerable to mana. If a knight wants to defend against a spell cast with a power level of 5, they need 10 units of aura. According to the professor, this is because aura, being a corrupted form of mana, causes a resonance effect. It¡¯s a complicated topic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve passed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Even so, knights are the toughest opponents for mages.¡±


    Even if magic works well, a knight is still a knight. They can slice through magic with their overwhelming physical abilities or simply dodge. Allowing a knight to close the distance spells certain death for a mage.


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I don¡¯t want you to die from overconfidence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve passed, let¡¯s get to teaching you the ultimate technique.¡±


    Hetherson wrote the incantation on the blackboard. Today¡¯s topic was coating weapons with the hardened Liquid Gold. It was the start of my ultimate skill lesson.


    ¡°To coat a weapon with this material, you need a specific incantation.¡±


    Hetherson taught me the adhesion spell to fix the Liquid Gold onto the weapon. The adhesive agent used was dark energy.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just wrap it around with manipulation?¡±


    ¡°Right. If you did that, it would scatter like dust when you swung your sword. Be happy. Once you learn this, your weapon will be better than one infused with aura.¡±


    It takes only 60% of the mana to penetrate 100% of the aura. The hardened Liquid Gold can hold mana. This was Hetherson¡¯s secret to killing the Empire¡¯s three knight commanders.


    ¡°Honestly, I was ready to die when that knight commander closed in. If this technique hadn¡¯t caught him off guard, he would have cut my head off.¡±


    Hetherson mimicked the move with a chalk in place of a dagger, reenacting how he killed the knight commander.


    ¡°When I stabbed him in the chest, he was stunned. He never imagined a mage¡¯s strike could be so strong. While he was momentarily paralyzed, I used that chance to put distance between us and survived.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s lips twitched, recalling the thrill.


    ¡°The principle is simple, but it¡¯s an impressive technique.¡±


    This guy is a genius. It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s a convict. Who would have thought to create a mana blade, a technique typically reserved for battle mages, using magic?


    ¨C That Hetherson is quite an extraordinary teacher,¡¯ Donatan remarked joyfully.


    For someone who can¡¯t use aura, this weapon would indeed give my swordsmanship a significant boost.


    ¡®Weren¡¯t you calling him a scammer and a lowlife before?¡¯


    ¨C Ahem.


    Even so, without the ability to strengthen my body with aura, I¡¯m just a child holding a chainsaw.


    ¡°Did you bring it?¡±


    ¡°You mean the lunchbox?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but I meant the dagger to be coated.¡±


    I placed a long object wrapped in cloth on the desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A longsword. Why?¡±


    ¡°A longsword?¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Why is a mage carrying this?¡±


    ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to become a battle mage this time.¡±


    Hetherson looked at me as if I were crazy.


    ¡°Are you insane? Do you think you can pull off something meant for those who can use aura?¡±


    A battle mage is someone who can fight without a sword. They can infuse both aura and mana into their weapon, making their attacks far superior to regular knights. This is why people fear battle mages.


    ¡°Why not? I can mimic it using this material.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy. Are you trying to be a scammer like that bastard?¡±


    Just as Hetherson finished his thought, the old professor spoke up.


    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting idea. Maybe it¡¯s possible for him.¡±


    ¡°What? Have you lost your mind, old man?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean he¡¯ll be a battle mage in the conventional sense, but in a different way. If he can wield both aura and mana, that¡¯s also a type of battle mage.¡±


    Hetherson asked, surprised.


    ¡°You, can you use aura?¡±


    No.


    ¡°Ha ha ha, Hetherson, you underestimate this student. We originally intended to place him in the knight department of Frost Heart. He has outstanding qualities as a knight.¡±


    No, I don¡¯t.


    ¡°I see, I thought he was just a weakling, but it turns out he¡¯s quite capable. No wonder he looks fit despite studying magic.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s gaze changed as he looked at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get on with the lesson.¡±


    ¡°Alright. If you think you can do it, why not? This might be thinner than a dagger, but it will still increase your cutting power significantly when combined with mana.¡±


    I can¡¯t use aura!


    ***


    The long table stretched out. Professors were seated in every chair.


    These were the ones overseeing the upcoming Dungeon expedition.


    Rockefeller, sitting at the head, surveyed the professors with a voice laced with annoyance.


    ¡°This time, one of the seven sparrow statues in the faculty building has gone missing.¡±


    He was returning from being scolded by the principal.


    ¡°Do you have any idea who might be causing these disturbances?¡±


    The tense professors swallowed hard.


    ¡°N-No, we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been monitoring any suspicious students as you instructed, but no one stood out.¡±


    Rockefeller sighed, a frustrated sound.


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll discuss this in detail after the expedition.¡±


    For now, there was something more important.


    Rockefeller looked around at the seated professors.


    ¡°As you know, while our internal training is like any other academy, outside is different. Even during an expedition, Frost Heart maintains a real-combat approach.¡±


    When outside, even if students died before their eyes, they wouldn¡¯t intervene. Protecting one¡¯s life was a key virtue for a Pathfinder. Professors had to steel their hearts for these expeditions.


    ¡°Remember, your role is to evaluate and prevent students from escaping.¡±


    However, there was one exception.


    ¡°If the instructors from the Roaming Band intervene, you may step in.¡±


    They wouldn¡¯t allow adult wolves to interfere in the fights of the pups. Frost Heart didn¡¯t want the students to face total annihilation. Whenever they identified exceptionally talented students, the Roaming Band often sent their instructors to eliminate potential future threats.


    ¡°This time, I want to make an exception.¡±


    Some professors looked puzzled.


    Rockefeller used conjuration magic to display the faces of the students.


    ¡°This year, we have too many talented students.¡±


    Pointing his staff, he highlighted Riamon, Silla, Leana, and a few others before stopping at Belman.


    ¡°If the Roaming Band instructors confront these students, let them handle the fight first. Intervene only if it becomes too dangerous. And these two¡­¡±


    Rockefeller zoomed in on the portraits of Luon and Hersel.


    ¡°They can handle the instructors on their own. I personally hope you create opportunities for these two to face the instructors.¡±


    A professor hesitantly spoke.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Let them experience the consequences of provocation. If students kill the instructors, it will be a great humiliation for them.¡±


    There was another reason for Rockefeller¡¯s decision.


    He couldn¡¯t let Hersel get good grades. Rockefeller still intended to transfer Hersel to the knight department. Therefore, he hoped for a poor performance like in the third trial.


    ***


    Late at night.


    Luon smoked a cigarette, looking out the window. He had collected many items during his nightly escapades.


    A black pebble from the fountain. A piece of glass from the mosaic of the founder¡¯s image, representing the eyes. A rusted metal headband he had dug up. A sparrow statue from the faculty building.


    These were all gathered based on information from the floor-bound consciousness of Felia.


    ¡°Cough, that smell is awful. Put it out immediately.¡±


    A female voice came from beside him. More accurately, it came from a pigeon with a headband around its ankle. The pigeon was normal; the headband contained another fragment of Felia¡¯s consciousness.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Luon extinguished the cigarette, then looked at the pigeon curiously.


    If it controls a host with a brain, does it retain memories? In that case, the floor-bound Felia might also have memory retention under the right conditions.


    ¡°How can we give it a body?¡±


    ¡°Why care about that deceitful woman?¡±


    Both the consciousness he met last time and the floor-bound Felia showed a belligerent attitude towards each other. Luon was curious about the reason but didn¡¯t ask.


    It would only create conflict.


    ¡°Not going out tonight?¡±


    ¡°I plan to rest. I have the expedition coming up.¡±


    Luon smiled gently, and the pigeon replied wistfully.


    ¡°That sounds boring.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the window open. Go play outside if you want.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is the expedition to the Dungeon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    It was Luon¡¯s first time entering the Dungeon. It excited him like a kid before a field trip.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have fun. Battle mages were exceptional in the past. No matter how many monsters come at you, you¡¯ll handle them easily.¡±


    Luon¡¯s eyes turned cold as he asked.


    ¡°Did you watch my training with Arkandrick?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t mentioned that to anyone. Yet, she knew.


    ¡°Would you be mad if I did?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I might just close the window.¡±


    ¡°Stingy¡­ Fine, I won¡¯t spy on you. Let¡¯s forget this happened.¡±


    Luon ignored the sulky pigeon and lay down on his bed. The upcoming Dungeon expedition was what mattered now.


    He closed his eyes, hoping it would be a satisfying experience.


    ***


    The chair rattled. We were moving in a wagon covered with a white canopy. Our destination was likely an untouched snowy field.


    I handed motion sickness medicine to Aslay and Limberton, who seemed uneasy.


    ¡°Drink this.¡±


    Aslay took the potion and gulped it down, looking relieved. Limberton waved it off, saying he was fine, and asked,


    ¡°It¡¯s so cramped in here. How long do we have to stay?¡±


    ¡°Probably over five hours. Just sleep as much as you can.¡±


    I handed them belts.


    ¡°Use these to secure yourselves to the seat. You won¡¯t fall over in your sleep.¡±


    The seats had short pillars like bars. Aslay and Limberton looped the belts through the pillars, securing themselves.


    ¡°Hersel, can¡¯t we at least get some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°The professors will wake us when it¡¯s time.¡±


    We repeated this process of waking up and sleeping through breaks. Eventually, we received the order to disembark.


    All first-year students, yawning, stepped into the dense vegetation.


    Crunch.


    The scent of damp foliage. Knee-high grass. The towering trees were thick. In the wilds, the professor scanned the students.


    ¡°Let me briefly explain the Dungeon expedition.¡±


    His monotone voice was amplified by magic.


    ¡°This test is also based on group performance. Points are awarded for the number and grade of monsters hunted and for gathering resources from the Dungeon.¡±


    In summary, it was similar to the third trial, with an added treasure hunt.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find more details in the pamphlet in your backpack.¡±


    Treasures included rare herbs, mana stones, and relics from ancient civilizations that lived here before the Dungeon. Finding a significant relic would warrant a personal invitation from the Emperor.


    Although unlikely to find anything significant, there was one notable relic: a stone tablet.


    ¡°You have five days. Good luck.¡±


    The professors left. I took out a compass and a blank map from my backpack.


    ¡°First, we scout. We¡¯ll record our position on this map, determine if it¡¯s an optimal location, and set up a base.¡±


    The two nodded. Explaining more as we moved, we entered the forest before anyone else.


    Rustle.


    There was no wind, yet the vegetation moved. The forest began to glow a dull purple.


    ¡°Hersel, the forest¡¯s color is changing.¡±


    ¡°Think of it as the Dungeon greeting us.¡±


    This was the Purple Forest, the entrance to an uncharted Dungeon.


    Rustle.


    A wolf¡¯s howl echoed as we took another step.


    Grrr¡ª

 Chapter 89

    The Purple Forest was the stage of many ghost stories that occasionally circulated among adventurers. Strange experiences recounted by those who had wandered and lost their way in the enchanted forest often came up in tavern conversations. One of the most common stories involved the eerie phenomenon of leaves turning a dull purple and sightings of fairies.Grrrrrr¡ª


    A fairy, no bigger than a thumb, fluttered its butterfly wings around a three-headed wolf. I spoke to the two individuals beside me.


    ¡°Stop it, Aslay. Limberton, put down your bow.¡±


    Aslay lowered his arm, encased in a metal gauntlet, and Limberton, after re-sheathing his arrow, asked me, ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°That is a fairy. You must have heard about them in class, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that!¡±


    Fairies are the guardians of the Purple Forest, neither enemies nor allies. They do not intervene in the battles between monsters and humans. They solely oversee the forest¡¯s ecosystem. However, there is one exception, which is the current situation.


    ¡°But it¡¯s rare to see one so easily, why now¡­¡±


    As Limberton expressed his doubt, I pointed to the three-headed wolf. ¡°Look at its belly.¡±


    The sagging belly, almost touching the ground, clearly indicated it was pregnant. The mother wolf was exuding killing intent not to attack but to defend.


    ¡°Is it pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The moment we attack, the fairy will become hostile.¡±


    There are two things to keep in mind when encountering a fairy. One must never harm a fairy, and one must not attack a pregnant creature. Violating either of these rules would make the entire forest unfriendly.


    ¡°Be careful not to offend them. We could get lost or buried by a sudden landslide.¡±


    ¡°A landslide? In such a densely wooded area, is that even possible¡­¡±


    ¡°Trees and the forest can move.¡±


    They have the power to manipulate the entire Purple Forest, from underground to the sky. They could turn the forest into a maze, make you wander in circles, and even summon storms or lightning to punish you.


    ¡°There¡¯s a famous story about people who went missing trying to capture and sell fairies because of these abilities. The rumor goes that the fairies ate their corpses.¡±


    Once the fairy realized we had no intention of attacking, it stared into the three-headed wolf¡¯s eyes. The wolf, like a tamed dog, retreated with its tail tucked.


    I took out a small pouch from my backpack. Inside were candies made with butter and honey, prepared by Selly.


    Crack!


    As I crushed the candy and approached the fairy, Limberton looked alarmed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give this to the fairy.¡±


    ¡°What? To those terrifying creatures?¡±


    ¡°Just watch.¡±


    I held out the candy crumbs on my palm. The fairy showed curiosity, placing a finger on its lips, then picked up a small crumb, sniffed it, and popped it into its mouth. ??


    Crunch.


    The sound of tiny bites ceased, and the fairy¡¯s eyes widened. Then it whistled.


    Wheee!


    Other fairies started gathering around. It seemed they liked the ratio of butter to honey.


    I gestured to Aslay and Limberton to follow and handed each of them a candy.


    ¡°Do as I do.¡±


    Aslay crushed the candy without hesitation, while Limberton reluctantly held out his trembling palm. In less than a minute, not a single crumb remained. The fairies circled us happily before waving and disappearing.


    ¡°Phew¡­ I thought I was going to mess up and die,¡± Limberton sighed in relief.


    I chuckled at his reaction.


    ¡°They¡¯re quite cute for such terrifying creatures, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Aslay nodded. ¡°Amazing. Nothing like this exists where I¡¯m from.¡±


    Limberton looked unconvinced. ¡°They seem like little demons to me, not cute at all. But why did you give them candy?¡±


    ¡°If you get on their good side, they¡¯ll provide some conveniences.¡±


    ¡°Conveniences?¡±


    ¡°The forest might arrange a prime spot for us to settle down.¡±


    Encountering a fairy right from the start was a stroke of luck. Preparing the candy in hopes of such a lucky encounter was a great decision. We received their blessing as a reward.


    [The fairy has shown favor to you.]


    [The Purple Forest¡¯s protection will provide conveniences.]


    Now, we would have a bug-free sleeping area, optimal humidity and temperature, and the forest¡¯s layout would adjust reasonably for us. The greatest benefit was that our aura and mana would increase by 1.2 times until we left the forest.


    ¡°A prime spot?¡±


    ¡°We are under the forest¡¯s protection. If we build a fortress, the leaves might even camouflage it for us.¡±


    ¡°¡­How do you know that? It¡¯s not in the textbooks.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. This is advanced information even active Pathfinders might not know. So keep it to yourselves.¡±


    Aslay and Limberton¡¯s mouths dropped open in amazement.


    ¡°But don¡¯t we need to know how to make that candy to use it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Can you teach us?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. I¡¯m planning to patent it if I run out of money.¡±


    Limberton gave me an exasperated look.


    ***


    The place we chose to set up our base was halfway up a mountain path. We marked our route by carving symbols into large rocks with a dagger. Using a compass on blank paper, I began drawing a map. Once we found a suitable location, a three-headed wolf appeared before us.


    ¡°Limberton, do you see any fairies around?¡±


    ¡°No. We can probably take this one down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s prey. Everyone, get ready.¡±


    Aslay took the lead, holding his shield. The wolf tried to attack from the side, avoiding a frontal assault, but Aslay¡¯s agile movements kept it at bay. Whenever the wolf attempted to pounce, Aslay swiftly changed direction, blocking with his shield each time. Limberton was amazed.


    ¡°His movements are much more refined now¡­¡±


    ¡°He learned proper techniques, of course.¡±


    What was once raw and primitive was now disciplined and precise. At this level, he could handle the wolf on his own. Aslay glanced at me.


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    As if his blood had started to boil, he seemed to seek my permission to go all out. I nodded, and he drove his shield into the ground.


    Thud!


    Aslay spread his arms wide, as if to catch the wolf in a net. The wolf, delighted, lunged at him, biting his gauntlets with its two side heads.


    Crunch!


    The wolf bit down on the gauntlets but couldn¡¯t penetrate them, likely due to the aura reinforcing them. The side heads refused to let go, while the middle head aimed for Aslay¡¯s neck. Aslay, using his brute strength, threw the wolf into the air, which still clung to his arms. He then swung his arms down like splitting wood with an axe.


    Boom!


    The wolf hit the ground with a wail.


    Whimpering.


    The heads loosened their grip on her arms. Aslay quickly climbed onto the wolf¡¯s back, choking all three heads at once. I admired his quick thinking.


    ¡°He¡¯s aware of the howling.¡±


    When in a disadvantageous situation, three-headed wolves summon their kin with a howl. This must have been taught by the professor. Aslay¡¯s learning ability was impressive. However, there was one thing he overlooked.


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    The necks of three-headed wolves are incredibly flexible. Even with its back held, the side heads could still turn to bite Aslay¡¯s face. The heads began to turn despite his chokehold.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Aslay tightened his grip to slow the turning. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, showing how strenuous it was.


    ¡°Limberton, you know where its heart is, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can see the chest swelling and shrinking.¡±


    ¡°Your eyesight is excellent. Now, shoot without hurting Aslay.¡±


    Limberton drew his special metal bow. Despite his lack of strength to fully draw it, he managed well enough. The arrow embedded deeply into the wolf¡¯s chest.


    Thunk!


    The wolf died instantly.


    ¡°Just one shot tires me out,¡± Limberton sighed.


    ¡°You said three shots mean an hour of rest, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s still awkward, but using strong force takes a lot out of me.¡±


    Strong Force („‚Á¦) is the power to enhance strength while manipulating aura. When Aslay blocked the wolf¡¯s teeth, he probably used an Unbreakable (²») technique for defense.


    ¡°Both you and Aslay seem to have trained hard. You¡¯ve definitely improved since the third exam.¡±


    They both grinned widely.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set up the base.¡±


    I took out a potion from my backpack, looking like a perfume bottle.


    [Scent Replicating Potion]


    This potion, when mixed with the target¡¯s blood, can reproduce their scent. I opened the cap and collected the blood dripping from the wolf¡¯s heart. After sealing and shaking it, Limberton asked, ¡°What does this do?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll cover ourselves with the wolf¡¯s scent.¡±


    ¡°Because they have a keen sense of smell?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    This was the territory of the three-headed wolves. Camouflaging ourselves as neighbors was the best strategy. Other wolves would avoid this area, recognizing it as the territory of the one we just killed. They usually act independently, only coming together when a significant external threat appears.


    ¡°Hold out your arms.¡±


    I sprayed the potion on all of us. Next, we needed to establish our stronghold. I took out a box the size of a small crate from my backpack, provided to each Pathfinder squad.


    [Multi Fortress]


    This magical tool constructs a temporary base using nearby materials. It disintegrates when the mana stone¡¯s power depletes, but can be recharged. I found a flat area surrounded by dense trees, just five meters ahead.


    ¡°Hmm, I wish the trees were a bit denser,¡± I complained.


    The trees moved closer together. Limberton¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Oh, the forest really does help us?¡±


    ¡°All thanks to getting on the fairies¡¯ good side.¡±


    I placed the box on the ground and tapped the diamond-shaped mana stone embedded on the top three times.


    Bzzzz¡ª


    The box emitted light, absorbing the surrounding trees. In a minute, it transformed into a two-story wooden house, with a triangular roof and a lookout space.


    Aslay marveled, ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s different seeing it up close compared to the professor¡¯s demonstration.¡±


    Their eyes sparkled. The mobile fortress must have ignited their sense of adventure. After all, camping stirs a man¡¯s blood. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Let¡¯s unpack first.¡±


    The two of them excitedly went inside. I also unpacked and leisurely took out a pamphlet. Limberton and Aslay quickly came over, showing interest.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t checked the pamphlet yet. Let¡¯s see.¡±


    I unfolded the paper with drawings of various monsters. The three-headed wolf was a C-rank worth 3 points. A leader with horns on its head was a B-rank worth 100 points. Occasionally, there were predators marked with question marks, classified as A-rank with a whopping 200 points.


    Limberton gasped, ¡°Wow, 200 points.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be targeting that,¡± I said firmly, and Limberton sighed in relief.


    ¡°Thank goodness¡­ I thought you were planning something risky again.¡±


    ¡°A big score, huh.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, but I kept that to myself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see the next page. I¡¯m curious about the resources we can gather.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Turning the page revealed various herbs and mana stones, along with detailed descriptions. Limberton pointed at a flower illustration.


    ¡°Pelleden Flower? Why is this worth 500 points?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s used to treat pneumonia. It¡¯s known to be more effective than any other remedy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean that potion worth 50,000 gold per bottle?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Although their medicine, enhanced by magic, was advanced, they couldn¡¯t access resources as abundantly as in modern times. Thus, even a common pneumonia cure was a luxury for the wealthy. A herb that could completely cure pneumonia was understandably priceless.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say rare herbs come from enchanted forests. That¡¯s why the Empire invests heavily in Pathfinders.¡±


    That concluded the detailed explanation about earning points. I closed the pamphlet and took out an unread book. Limberton squinted at me, seemingly irritated by my leisurely manner.


    ¡°Can you really afford to relax like this?¡±


    ¡°Rest well for now.¡±


    ¡°Rest? Others are probably busy earning points; we should hurry too.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, bloodthirsty for points, are they? I doubt they¡¯ll have such luxury.¡±


    I glanced at Limberton. ¡°You must realize we¡¯re enjoying a privilege right now.¡±


    ¡°Privilege?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, go to the second floor and check. Take the telescope too.¡±


    Limberton climbed the ladder. Soon after, a thud echoed from the ceiling.


    And then.


    Awoooooooo


    A howl echoed throughout the Purple Forest.


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 Chapter 90

    The students were gathered by dormitory. To prevent the surprise attacks from monsters that could appear at any time, it was good to have a large number of troops. The watch shifts could also be divided more efficiently. However, there were some drawbacks.¡°There¡¯s not enough wood.¡±


    ¡°We have to go and cut some down, what else can we do?¡±


    To accommodate everyone, they had no choice but to choose the lowland plains. Therefore, they had to walk to gather wood, and battles with monsters frequently occurred during those times.


    ¡°Ricks, that¡¯s already the sixth three-headed wolf¡­ Points are great, but I¡¯m getting exhausted.¡±


    ¡°No whining. Even now, the guys from Adelle Hall are chasing them to capture more.¡±


    Building the fortress on the first day itself took a lot of physical strength. And the more people there were, the more mistakes occurred.


    ¡°Uwooooo-¡°


    ¡°Howling?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thicket where the Lethe guys went!¡±


    ¡°Damn, it looks like they¡¯ve caused some trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do we do? Ricks!!¡±


    Ricks quickly gave orders with a serious expression.


    ¡°The Lethe guys are running towards us. The wolves will soon charge in too. Gravel and I will hold them off here. Haple, go and tell the guys resting inside the fortress to arm themselves immediately.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    ¡°Gravel, have you seen where Hersel went?¡±


    ¡°¡­He went into the thicket first, so I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. If he were here, it would be a big help¡­¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, the 26 members of Adelle Hall were returning to their units after hearing the wolf howls. Belman observed the two men. Riamon was cutting off the tail of a three-headed wolf with a greatsword. Erucel, who seemed dissatisfied with Riamon¡¯s nonchalance, shouted.


    ¡°Riamon, I¡¯m the captain. I said let¡¯s retreat!¡±


    ¡°Erucel, I won¡¯t say anything about you feeling superior now because you¡¯ve always lived like an accessory. It¡¯s probably due to some kind of deficiency. But remember, I gave you that position because it was cumbersome.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you twisted bastard.¡±


    The unit usually operated in teams of three. However, Adelle Hall had 26 students. Excluding the 24, those two were assigned to a single unit instead of being incorporated into another.


    ¡°Man, I thought you were normal at first, but the more I know you, the weirder you get.¡±


    ¡°Your true nature comes out eventually. If you hate it so much, just drop out. I won¡¯t blame you.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll hang out with you a bit longer, but let¡¯s catch just one more and go back.¡±


    Belman cleaned his blood-stained glasses and thought. Riamon, who achieved first place in the third test. And Erucel, who was once praised as the Sword King of the South and taught by Coulot. Their unit had the highest chance of placing first. This fact annoyed Belman.


    After all, their side only had two members. Meanwhile, his team was composed of the top three students. It was worth trying. Belman looked at Leana and Silla.


    ¡°By the way, Silla, isn¡¯t it inconvenient to fight with your hair in pigtails?¡±


    ¡°It sometimes hits my face. Should I tie it back like you?¡±


    Belman stopped walking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s delay our return. We¡¯ll continue fighting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to rest a bit first.¡±


    When Silla frowned, Belman explained logically.


    ¡°Howling means the leader of the three-headed wolves is coming. To hunt it, we need more information.¡±


    ¡°Hunt the leader?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best way to get the highest points. And don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t be fighting the ones that rush in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s easy to say.¡±


    Belman pointed towards the Schlaphe Hall camp.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite possible since the wolves are focused on the Schlaphe guys. We¡¯ll approach from the side to estimate their numbers and guess the leader¡¯s location. We can handle encountering a few on the way, right?¡±


    Belman looked at Silla provocatively. Silla gritted her teeth and answered.


    ¡°¡­I can kill a hundred more if needed.¡±


    Leana, who was next to her, pointed at Silla¡¯s leg.


    ¡°But Silla¡¯s left leg hasn¡¯t fully healed yet. Isn¡¯t it better to retreat to avoid any unexpected situations?¡±


    Belman narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did she come to the demon realm practice? She could¡¯ve told the professor and stayed back.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d be demoted to Buerger Hall, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your personal problem. I don¡¯t see why I should suffer because of it. Of course, that¡¯s if you¡¯re implying you can¡¯t do it.¡±


    Silla drew her heavy greatsword with a swish. The murderous intent was evident in her eyes. Belman casually looked away and entered the forest path.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as you can.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. My leg is fine, so don¡¯t worry, Leana. The pain¡¯s completely gone since I was in the carriage.¡±


    Leana reluctantly drew her sword as well. They carefully approached the wolves. They encountered three charging wolves along the way.


    Growl-


    The wolves bared their teeth and stopped in their tracks. Silla charged forward, swinging her heavy sword horizontally.


    Slash!


    The three-headed wolf¡¯s three necks were severed in one stroke. Belman admired as he drew a spell.


    Her talent was astonishing every time he saw it. To cut through such thick necks in one go. Leana¡¯s movements also caught his attention. Her swordsmanship, which had been simple during the third test, had improved significantly. The stance was the same, but her sword¡¯s trajectory had become much smoother.


    The transition of her attacks was seamless. She cut through the three-headed wolf¡¯s jaws and pierced its heart in one move. Belman trapped the remaining wolf with a barrier spell.


    Buzz-


    The trapped wolf howled, but the sound didn¡¯t escape the sealed barrier. When Belman clenched his fist, the circular barrier began to shrink. The wolf was crushed, and blood filled the inside.


    After a few more fights, they approached the wolf pack¡¯s vicinity.


    Growl!


    As expected, the wolves were surrounding the Schlaphe Hall camp. Belman gauged their numbers and fixed his eyes on the largest wolf. It was easy to spot with a horn on its middle head.


    ¡°That¡¯s our target.¡±


    When Belman spoke, Silla asked.


    ¡°But what good is identifying its location? Would a four-legged beast stay in one place?¡±


    ¡°The pack will soon retreat. We just need to confirm the direction they escape to.¡±


    ¡°Retreat? How do you know that?¡±


    Belman adjusted his glasses and answered.


    ¡°Just from observing their recent behavior. They¡¯ll realize they can¡¯t win and retreat.¡±


    Silla rubbed her forehead.


    ¡°¡­Ugh. As much as I hate to admit it, that¡¯s likely with that guy around.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Hersel.¡±


    Leana¡¯s face showed discomfort. Belman, unbothered, continued to stare at one spot.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just him. There¡¯s a guy named Ricks in Schlaphe Hall. The professors said he¡¯ll skip Buerger Hall and be promoted to Adelle Hall after the first semester.¡±


    Ricks was coordinating and leading the units from the rear. Their unified movements stood firm like a shield. Whenever there was any danger, Ricks¡¯s chains would bind it immediately.


    Growl.


    The approaching wolves fell to the ground as corpses.


    Keen observation of the battlefield, wise command, and an excellent sense of filling gaps with magic. He was indeed a worthy candidate for Adelle Hall.


    However, an unexpected situation arose. The leader did not retreat. Although the wolves stopped advancing, they did not withdraw either. Belman grew anxious.


    If that happened, things would get complicated. If Schlaphe Hall successfully hunted the leader, the first place would go to an unexpected team. Belman needed to change his plan.


    Silla smirked annoyingly.


    ¡°Look at that. They¡¯ve already wiped out a third of them, and they¡¯re not retreating. Different from what someone said, huh?¡±


    Belman didn¡¯t respond but made his decision.


    ¡°We need to push a bit more. Silla, Leana, we¡¯re going to ambush the leader from behind.¡±


    A frontal assault was a matter of time. Usually, the leader of a monster pack does not take the lead. It usually stays in the center or the rear of the pack.


    ¡°When the wolves charge at Schlaphe Hall, there will be a gap. We¡¯ll take that opportunity to decapitate the leader.¡±


    Belman led the unit in a wide circle to ensure a safe distance. Just as the wolves began to charge Schlaphe Hall, they heard rustling sounds from behind. Not just one, but countless footsteps surrounded them.


    Growl-


    Three-headed wolves encircled the unit. From afar, a majestic three-headed wolf with a horn on its left head approached.


    ¡°Belman, why is the leader here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    Belman carefully observed the leader. The one they saw in front of the Schlaphe Hall camp had a horn on its middle head. But this one had the horn on its left head.


    Belman hastily drew a spell.


    ¡°Silla, Leana, get ready to climb the steps.¡±


    Translucent green panels appeared in mid-air, forming a stairway. It was an application of the barrier magic. The unit quickly climbed the steps. But at the end, Silla screamed.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    Looking back, Belman saw Silla lying on the ground, clutching her leg.


    ¡°You idiot. Were you lying about being okay?¡±


    ¡°No! I looked into that leader¡¯s eyes, and my body stiffened! That¡¯s why I fell!!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Belman didn¡¯t bother to verify the fact by looking at the leader.


    ¡°Leana, continue climbing.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Silla will be fine.¡±


    Belman left the top step and concentrated barriers around Silla. Charging wolves slammed into the barriers with a loud crash. The leader, gazing up at them, casually walked away. Belman was convinced.


    The leader realized the barriers would break once the mana was depleted and left its pack to deal with them. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Belman, look over there.¡±


    Leana pointed at the leader with the horn on the middle head. It was leading its pack away. Sweat trickled down Belman¡¯s forehead.


    The leader hadn¡¯t retreated right away because it anticipated someone might try to ambush it. Its goal was to draw attention to itself, making it easier for the other leader to hunt.


    This was proof of their cooperation.


    ¡°Break the emergency signal rod immediately.¡±


    Leana snapped the red rod in half.


    * * *


    The territory of the three-headed wolves was vast. In proportion, there were many individuals, and the factions were divided. There were three leaders in total. Usually, they would be at each other¡¯s throats, but they would unite against an external threat.


    ¡°Got it? It¡¯s tough to earn points by hunting wolves. Even if we join Ricks in the lowlands, we¡¯ll only get mediocre points.¡±


    ¡°Then, how are we going to earn points?¡±


    I closed my book at Limberton¡¯s nagging and pulled out a pamphlet.


    ¡°We will achieve the top score through treasure hunting. With the wolves focused on the lowlands, half the forest is safe. It means we can gather materials comfortably.¡±


    Limberton made an admiring sound.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. So, what are we looking for?¡±


    ¡°Anything we can find. But my main target is this.¡±


    I pointed to the end of the pamphlet. There was an image of a black square with a question mark on it.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? And why doesn¡¯t it have a score?¡±


    This was the treasure I had been eyeing from the start. Although I knew Rockfeller would cause trouble, I had no idea what exactly it would be. Hence, I needed a sure-fire winning strategy, and this was it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a relic. It doesn¡¯t have a score because finding it grants maximum points.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°What? Maximum points?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an artifact of great archaeological significance. Of course, if we find it, the Imperial family might contact us. They could send a letter, invite us for commendation, or, if it¡¯s valuable enough, the Emperor himself might come to Frost Heart to present a plaque of appreciation.¡±


    Limberton seemed uninterested, as if it were just a dream.


    ¡°Oh, really? That sounds like a pipe dream. I mean, would it really be here?¡±


    Or maybe not. I could barely contain a smirk.


    ¡°If you understand, take a rest. The wolves will likely launch a surprise attack on the lowlands tonight. We will take that opportunity to gather.¡±


    Just as I reached for the book I was reading, one of the three-colored signal rods on the floor started blinking. It was the red one, signaling danger.


    ¡°Hersel, someone seems to be in trouble.¡±


    The blinking speed was fast. That meant they were nearby. The fact that someone had sent a distress signal on the first day meant things weren¡¯t going as I knew from the original scenario.


    ¡°Limberton, Aslay, we are heading up to the second floor immediately.¡±


    We needed to check what was happening.

 Chapter 91

    From the watchtower, I lifted the telescope.A man and woman were visible, isolated in mid-air among the leaves.


    And below them, wolves swarmed, drooling profusely.


    ¡°Is that Belman¡¯s unit¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it looks like there¡¯s someone down there?¡±


    Limberton pointed downwards.


    When I aimed the lens downward, a woman isolated within a green barrier amidst the prowling wolves came into view.


    A question arose here.


    Wasn¡¯t Riamon supposed to be part of Belman¡¯s unit?


    Originally, Riamon should have joined that group and wouldn¡¯t have been in such a dangerous situation.


    But there were only three people visible.


    I began to get a rough idea of why things had gone wrong, but now wasn¡¯t the time for idle speculation.


    We had to act before Belman¡¯s magic ran out.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to rescue them.¡±


    When I said that, Limberton was startled and asked.


    ¡°R-re-rescue them? Through those wolves?¡±


    The number of wolves was roughly sixty.


    Honestly, it was close to a mad act.


    The moment we approached, we¡¯d be torn apart and only bones would remain.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll explain the method now. Listen carefully, I¡¯ll only say it once.¡±


    Still, it wasn¡¯t an impossible task.


    We had the scent-confirming potion and the emergency smoke bombs distributed to all trainees.


    ¡ºSmoke Bombs ¨C They block vision with black smoke. Pathfinder is a very dangerous profession. A typical crisis is being surrounded by monsters. Hence, there were a few magical tools for escape, one of which was a smoke bomb.¡» ????


    ¡°First, we¡¯ll mask ourselves with the wolf scent. Then we¡¯ll use the smoke bombs to obscure their vision and proceed.¡±


    Tri-headed wolves perceive their kin if you mask their scent. But they weren¡¯t dumb enough not to distinguish between a human and a wolf right in front of them.


    ¡°¡­But if we use the smoke bombs, we won¡¯t be able to see either.¡±


    At Limberton¡¯s point, I squinted my eyes.


    This guy clearly didn¡¯t study properly.


    It was likely a question that even appeared on the exam.


    ¡°Limberton, that¡¯s what compasses are for in such situations. Looks like you¡¯ll need to study again when we return.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, take them out.¡±


    Limberton and Aslay grasped the compasses they each carried.


    ¡°The needles and the direction plates are painted with a dye that glows in the dark. Even if the smoke blocks our view, we can identify it by holding it close. The precision is incomparable to the ones available on the market, so remember the units accurately.¡±


    Seeing Limberton and Aslay nod, it seemed they thought it was feasible.


    I raised the compass and precisely aimed at where Belman¡¯s unit was.


    Northwest 292.5¡ã


    ¡°Their position is at 292.5 degrees northwest. Our fortress is at 112.5 degrees southeast from there. I¡¯ll take Leana and Belman back. Limberton, you rescue Silla.¡±


    Limberton looked distressed.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Whether you like it or not. Silla has the most wolves around her. This is the best scenario for you, with your small body, to weave through. I¡¯ll give you this entire bottle.¡±


    I handed a perfume bottle to Limberton.


    It was a backup scent-confirming potion.


    ¡°The wolf scent is already applied. Spray it thoroughly on Silla and return quickly. Aslay, you¡¯ll have to throw me up there.¡±


    I pointed at Belman and Leana, floating above the barrier.


    Aslay blinked.


    ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cast a lightening spell on myself, so I won¡¯t be heavy. Your strength should suffice.¡±


    Any trajectory errors could be corrected with telekinesis.


    ¡°Be cautious of your footing as visibility will be blocked.¡±


    The problem was visibility.


    Limberton had excellent eyesight, so the compass would be very clear to him.


    Additionally, his small size would help him navigate through the wolves.


    Donatan had that ability.


    During the interview, he must have said something like this.


    ¨C Honestly, I wasn¡¯t particularly remarkable with a sword. Compared to other ego swords the master had, I was just insignificant. My only other abilities were sensing someone nearby and serving my master¡¯s rest.


    The skill of sensing someone nearby relied on distinguishing objects through currents.


    ¨C It shouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    We hurriedly armed ourselves and opened the fortress gate.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    ***


    The education of the Gers family is quite pragmatic.


    While others read fairy tales to children, instilling in them the beauty of the world, the head of the Gers family was different.


    He always forced his children into moments of choice.


    Even on mere outings in a carriage.


    -Here is a coin. You¡¯re planning to give it to one of those two beggars. So, tell me, which one would be more efficient?


    An old woman on the left.


    A young girl on the right.


    -I believe it¡¯s right to give it to the young girl. The old woman will die soon anyway. Considering future labor, that¡¯s the correct choice.


    -I disagree with my brother. The old woman has a lot of knowledge. She can spread beneficial knowledge to the young buds. Besides, she¡¯ll die soon if not now. It¡¯s better to give her charity so she can do something beneficial before she dies. The young girl has a higher chance of receiving charity, so we can wait for the next opportunity.


    They always coldly suppressed their emotions and analyzed.


    This was the educational policy of the Gers family.


    -Lastly, Belman, what¡¯s your opinion?


    -I¡­


    -Don¡¯t hesitate, answer.


    -Yes. With this coin, I can buy bread. I would split it in half and give it to both. They wouldn¡¯t be full, but it would solve their immediate hunger.


    The head chose Belman¡¯s opinion.


    And, the next day,


    They heard the news that the old woman had died.


    The culprit was the young girl.


    The girl was executed for her crime, so both died.


    This fact was known thanks to the indifferent father.


    -According to the young beggar¡¯s confession, she killed to snatch the remaining bread. This is the result of your choice, Belman. If you had chosen one beggar and thrown the coin through the window, the other beggar wouldn¡¯t have known. Develop the habit of considering everything next time.


    It all happened because bread was chosen.


    In the process, the coachman had to get off the horse to enter the bakery, and unlike the coin, the bread was too large to conceal in a pocket.


    It blatantly showed that they had shared the bread.


    Belman, who had to bear the consequences, was just five years old.


    And now,


    Grrr-


    Wolves swarmed below.


    Belman sweated coldly and hesitated.


    At best, they might take down one each.


    He didn¡¯t even have the courage to fight.


    He had already sent a distress signal.


    But no one showed signs of coming to help yet.


    Because he had circled around for a surprise attack, the distance from the camp was too far.


    ¡°Belman, it seems they¡¯ve spotted us over there.¡±


    As Leana said, Schlaphe Hall¡¯s men were pointing and shouting from afar.


    They seemed willing to help.


    But calculating the time it would take for them to reach here, it was clear they would run out of magic before help arrived.


    ¡°¡­They can¡¯t help us. The timing is off. So,¡±


    Another choice time approached.


    ¡°We have no choice but to move the barrier to a safe place.¡±


    If he squeezed out the remaining magic, he could move the barrier as a stepping stone.


    Leana¡¯s face turned serious.


    ¡°That means leaving Silla¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, right. If the distance increases, the barrier on Silla will dissipate.¡±


    The range to maintain magic wasn¡¯t long.


    But there was no better option.


    It was more reasonable for two to survive than all to die together. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was just a matter of erasing emotions once.


    His family had done so, and Belman had grown up under their influence.


    Belman tried to move his trembling hand.


    But Leana just watched.


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you going to stop me?¡±


    ¡°You want me to stop you, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Belman shut his mouth tightly.


    Coming to Frost Heart was also because of his father¡¯s pressure to develop cold-bloodedness.


    This was an opportunity to prove he was a member of the Gers family.


    ¡­But then a foolish decision slipped out of his mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore. Let¡¯s trust the rescue team. I don¡¯t know if we can hold out, but I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Looking back, he was lacking as a leader.


    He hadn¡¯t assessed the condition of his unit, and his greed for points had led to a wrong outcome.


    Ultimately, he had to take responsibility.


    As he placed all his hopes on a sliver of hope,


    ¡°?!¡±


    Belman¡¯s eyes widened.


    Whoosh-


    Suddenly, black smoke began to engulf the ground.


    ¡°Smoke bomb?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡±


    Belman was bewildered.


    There seemed to be a unit nearby, but their number would be significantly small.


    Moreover, merely blocking vision wouldn¡¯t avoid wolf attacks.


    How could they deceive those identifying by scent?


    ¡°This is suicidal! A foolish choice!!¡±


    Belman shouted towards the ground.


    ¡°Retreat immediately!!¡±


    Then, through the black smoke emerged a blond head.


    ¡°The suicidal act was yours.¡±


    Hersel swung his staff and stepped onto the barrier.


    Tap!


    Then he waved his hand.


    ¡°Make some space for me.¡±


    Belman instinctively stepped back and made room.


    Hersel greeted them.


    ¡°Hi? Nice to meet you.¡±


    Leana squinted her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Because I received the signal.¡±


    Belman asked in a slightly urgent voice.


    ¡°Are you here to rescue us?¡±


    ¡°That depends on your answer. What are you willing to pay for being saved?¡±


    Leana showed a flustered expression.


    ¡°Pay¡­?¡±


    ¡°We used up all our smoke bombs. Naturally, we expect you to replenish them. It¡¯s like charging a fee.¡±


    Belman thought Hersel¡¯s request was reasonable.


    It was written in the manuals that Pathfinders demanded compensation when assisting other units.


    Moreover, coming here risked their lives, so it was only fair.


    ¡°We¡¯ll comply with your conditions as much as possible. So, what do you want?¡±


    Belman asked, and Hersel held up two fingers.


    ¡°Two days¡¯ worth of food.¡±


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll give you all the smoke bombs we have and two days¡¯ worth of food.¡±


    Handing over the smoke bombs, Hersel grasped them and took out a compass.


    ¡°How many soldiers are there?¡±


    ¡°Two. By now, Aslay should have returned, and Limberton is waiting below to rescue Silla.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Belman¡¯s heart sank.


    There was no doubt about his exceptional combat power.


    Defeating Emeric had proven he was the top first-year student.


    However, he was still just one person.


    ¡°What are you trying to do? We know you¡¯re strong. Maybe you can survive among the tri-headed wolves. But we can¡¯t. The moment we go down, we¡¯ll be devoured.¡±


    Belman frowned and asked, and Hersel took out a perfume bottle.


    ¡°That¡¯s just your unprepared thinking.¡±


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°A perfume with tri-headed wolf scent. Stop talking and hold out your arms. You too, Leana.¡±


    Hersel sprayed the perfume on them with a hiss-hiss sound.


    ¡°They won¡¯t attack you. Now, take this.¡±


    He handed them a rope.


    ¡°Our fortress is halfway up the mountain. I¡¯ll lead, so hold onto this rope tightly and follow. Be careful not to trip over anything.¡±


    Belman admired the perfume bottle internally.


    A potion widely used against monsters with developed senses.


    Though it was likely a stroke of luck to have it, his preparedness was commendable.


    Belman observed him closely.


    Hersel threw another smoke bomb onto the ground and brought the compass close to his face.


    ¡°Lower the barrier. I¡¯ll signal you when, so release the barrier on Silla then.¡±


    Belman gradually descended the barrier.


    When his feet touched the ground, Hersel spoke softly.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    Belman released the barrier, gripping the pulled rope tightly as he ran.


    Occasionally, wolf fur brushed against his cheek, but miraculously, he wasn¡¯t attacked.


    After running for a few minutes without looking back, Hersel said.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The wind started to clear away the black curtain.


    Leana, with a surprised voice, exclaimed.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Their fortress was hidden among the dense trees.


    If Hersel hadn¡¯t led them, they wouldn¡¯t have noticed it.


    Belman silently admired Hersel¡¯s back.


    ¡­Preparedness, power, decisiveness.


    In terms of objective evaluation, he was an ideal leader worth emulating.


    Hersel stopped and turned her head swiftly.


    ¡°Oh. Wipe the dirt off your shoes before coming in.¡±


    Inside the fortress, Aslay approached.


    Hersel asked.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Limberton returned yet?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good. I¡¯ll go up to the second floor for a while. You guys rest here. Prepare to leave once it¡¯s calm.¡±


    Hersel climbed up the ladder.


    Aslay, sitting cross-legged, shook a necklace made of animal teeth.


    Rustle rustle-


    Curious, Belman asked.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Praying for Limberton¡¯s safe return.¡±


    It seemed to be a tribal ritual.


    Having nothing else to do, Belman looked around the fortress.


    He had thought there would be a lot of tri-headed wolf tails, but there was only one.


    The location halfway up the mountain and not collecting tails meant¡­


    ¡°So, you guys were planning to earn points through treasure hunting.¡±


    When he guessed, Leana retorted.


    ¡°Did you plan to gather while we fought the wolves?¡±


    ¡°¡­Probably. If their attention was drawn, the forest would be quiet.¡±


    ¡°While others are suffering, how selfish¡­¡±


    Aslay glared at Leana.


    ¡°My boss is like a chieftain to me. And the wisest sage in the tribe. Do not insult him.¡±


    Leana stepped back awkwardly.


    Belman whispered softly in her ear.


    ¡°They worship him as a god. Don¡¯t provoke him.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know. That¡¯s why it¡¯s creepy.¡±


    ***


    The question of why Riamon hadn¡¯t joined Belman¡¯s unit would have to wait.


    I moved the telescope from the watchtower.


    The wolves, losing their prey, started to disperse slowly.


    Thanks to that, I could clearly see where Silla was.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    A single shiny object lay on the ground.


    It was a compass.


    Apparently, Limberton had lost his compass.


    I took out three signal rods.


    At that moment, the black rod glowed.


    It was a distress signal.


    ¡°This guy, always startling people.¡±


    Limberton and Silla were alive.

 Chapter 92

    Black smoke obscured the view ahead. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have been able to distinguish anything.


    However, Limberton¡¯s vision was exceptional enough to discern even the subtlest differences in brightness.


    Thanks to that, he could see the scene in front of him as if it were a painting in black and dark gray.


    Cough.


    He saw dust being pushed by a wolf¡¯s cough, and as the wolves moved, black clouds left shapes in their wake.


    Limberton cautiously followed the airflow between the wolves.


    Just then, a gentle breeze swept the smoke in a dome-like hemisphere.


    When he confirmed it by touch, the barrier vanished just in time.


    Limberton sprayed the perfume on Silla with a hissing sound.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Limberton grabbed Silla¡¯s hand and helped her up.


    She complied silently, keeping her mouth shut.


    After all, she probably didn¡¯t think a wolf had grabbed her hand.


    Now, all that was left was to navigate through the wolf pack, relying on the compass needle.


    However, the hand holding Silla was abruptly yanked.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Silla lost her balance.


    Thanks to her quick footwork, she didn¡¯t fall completely.


    But her footing was poor.


    She stepped on a wolf¡¯s tail.


    Grrr!


    The wolf let out a fierce growl, displaying its anger towards a random direction.


    The wolves, whose nerves were heightened due to the obscured vision, quickly got agitated.


    The wolf wrongly accused let out a growl, which spread like an infection, turning the place into chaos.


    Thud!


    During the commotion, Limberton, weaving through the wolves, was pushed and dropped his compass.


    He had to escape the area.


    Finding the compass amidst the raging wolves was impossible.


    Moreover, the smoke had a limited duration, so there was no time to linger.


    Limberton carried Silla on his back.


    He had been training his stamina.


    He could somewhat handle strength-enhancing mana, albeit imperfectly, allowing him to briefly dash swiftly.


    Tatata!


    As he sprinted with all his might,


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡±


    He got lost.


    Limberton panted, pushing through the bushes.


    His mana was depleted, and his leg muscles felt like they were tearing apart.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m dying.¡±


    Already exhausted, Silla¡¯s irritating voice grated his nerves from behind.


    ¡°Why did it have to be you? I didn¡¯t even know and grabbed your hand.¡±


    Silla leaned on a crude splint made from chopped wood.


    ¡°¡­And whose fault do you think that is?¡±


    When Limberton said that, Silla widened her eyes.


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to talk back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t stepped on the tail, none of this would have happened. It¡¯s your fault.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I injured my leg falling from a high place. It was already hurting because of your captain.¡±


    Now she was playing the victim.


    ¡°What did Hersel do wrong? She scolded you because you beat me up.¡±


    When he logically countered, Silla ground her teeth.


    ¡°A coward like you, talking back to me. If my leg were fine, I¡¯d kill you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Limberton grumbled and quickened his pace.


    From behind, Silla shouted urgently.


    ¡°Hey, hey. Slow down a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s good because I won¡¯t have to hear your annoying voice anymore.¡±


    Silla frowned but kept quiet.


    She seemed to have realized her situation.


    Limberton adjusted his pace to match hers and continued walking.


    ¡°Where are we going now? We don¡¯t have a compass, is it okay to wander around?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to higher ground. It¡¯s safer up there. The wolves are focused on the lowlands. We just need to wait for rescue in a safe place.¡±


    Silla¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Wait. With this leg, you¡¯re telling me to climb a mountain?¡±


    Limberton squinted.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t need to if you had just carried the compass. Why didn¡¯t you have it?¡±


    ¡°Belman took care of that stuff.¡±


    Silla was defiant.


    Limberton looked at her blankly.


    The habit of dumping all troublesome tasks on others hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me to carry you later. You¡¯re heavy.¡±


    Silla flared up.


    ¡°Heavy? Do you want to die? And I don¡¯t want to touch your disgusting back again either!¡±


    He had heard it too many times to respond.


    While pushing through the bushes, his eyes widened.


    Limberton urgently grabbed Silla¡¯s arm and threw himself to the ground.


    Rustle-


    Something was nearby.


    ***


    We formed a search party of four and decided on the search direction.


    The destination was higher ground.


    Belman and Leana had their doubts, but I quickly convinced them.


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple guess. Limberton would think that with the wolves focused on the lowlands, the chances of encountering them on higher ground are lowest. Besides, from a high point, it¡¯s easier to locate the camp. Especially since he has excellent eyesight.¡± ????


    But thinking it was safe was a mistake.


    There was a reason why we built the fortress halfway up the mountain.


    The higher ground was the most dangerous.


    I asked Belman.


    ¡°How long until your mana recovers?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take about 30 minutes to use any effective magic.¡±


    Perhaps understanding my question¡¯s implication, Belman¡¯s expression grew serious.


    ¡°So, asking that means higher ground isn¡¯t safe?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s where the leader resides.¡±


    ¡°I saw two leaders. They didn¡¯t go to higher ground though¡­¡±


    ¡°There are three leaders in total. One must be based there, which is why you didn¡¯t see it.¡±


    The wolves were divided into the lowlands, midlands, and highlands.


    As the mountain narrows higher up, the chance of encountering the leader is high.


    Belman pondered and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Why didn¡¯t that one participate in the attack?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain as we go.¡±


    The important thing was to rescue them as soon as possible.


    According to Belman, Silla was injured.


    Limberton was the only one able to fight.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already wasted a lot of time. Don¡¯t slow down.¡±


    As we picked up the pace, Belman spoke.


    ¡°But if Limberton wins the duel, maybe¡­¡±


    How optimistic.


    That was the confidence of someone who could handle the tri-headed wolves alone.


    If he had that much skill and the duel condition, he might win.


    But Limberton¡­


    ¡°¡­can only use a bow.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s specs were among the lowest of playable characters.


    In a world dominated by swords and magic, archery had little standing.


    He was vulnerable in close combat, and his ranged attacks paled compared to magic.


    He was always overlooked by players, only used as a support at best.


    Even if he had trained recently, unless the blessing ¡®Wind Recluse¡¯s Grace¡¯ manifested, he remained weak.


    ¡°And you think wolves are the biggest threat to them, but that¡¯s a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Mistake?¡±


    I glanced at Belman and explained what I had delayed.


    ¡°You asked why one leader didn¡¯t participate in the attack.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°The leader in the highlands was already captured.¡±


    Belman and Leana gulped.


    ¡°Captured? By people?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was no longer the territory of the tri-headed wolves.


    That meant wolves would have been preferable.


    ¡°The highlands are likely occupied. By just four people.¡±


    I checked the black rod.


    Its blinking had quickened.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    I hastened my pace to rescue Limberton before he encountered them.


    ***


    Limberton covered Silla¡¯s mouth and held his breath.


    Voices of men came from beyond the bushes.


    ¡°Ugh, disgusting. Why did you pull that out after already having fun?¡±


    ¡°Snicker, I¡¯m curious about what the fetus looks like.¡±


    Hearing human voices in a crisis should have been welcome.


    But not when those holding a wolf¡¯s fetus like a toy were the ones talking.


    Limberton frowned with caution.


    Those two were known for their cruelty as executives of Lethe.


    If they were discovered, things would not end well.


    ¡°Even monsters mate. What are we doing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been months since we had any fun.¡±


    ¡°Too bad. If it were a bit bigger, it would have been fun.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes trembled.


    Another man held a fairy in his hand, mocking it as he plucked its wings.


    ¡°But it feels like we¡¯re lost. We¡¯re circling back. I think I saw that branch before.¡±


    ¡°Could it be the fairy¡¯s curse is real?¡±


    ¡°Curse?¡±


    ¡°You know, the hunters who disappeared deep in the forest after hearing about fairies. So, it¡¯s your fault?¡±


    ¡°Curse? Ew. I don¡¯t like that.¡±


    The man forced a smile and gently set the fairy on the ground.


    ¡°Sorry about your wings. Hope they grow back? Go back to your family.¡±


    The fairy glanced at the man before running off.


    But the man¡¯s smile vanished, and he stomped the fairy like a bug.


    Crunch.


    The man dragged his foot to scrape off the blood on the dirt.


    His casual disdain for life was evident.


    Limberton thought hiding was the right choice.


    ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re not capable of good deeds.¡±


    ¡°Hey, curses are for fools. If the trees block our path, just cut them all down.¡±


    The two men vanished, cutting through thick trees with their swords.


    Trees that would take several ax blows to fell.


    Limberton broke into a cold sweat.


    When the men left, Silla pushed away Limberton¡¯s hand from her mouth.


    ¡°How long are you going to keep it shut!¡±


    Silla scrubbed her mouth with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Still scared of those guys, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­You saw them swing their swords.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about it? If my leg were fine, I could do that too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    Limberton moved cautiously.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go down. This place seems more dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Knew it. Trusting you was foolish.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just move quietly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give orders like a fool.¡±


    Silla¡¯s voice was filled with irritation.


    Being stranded with someone she despised made her edgy.


    But Limberton was equally stressed.


    ¡°Really? Forgot who saved you from the wolves?¡±


    ¡°The danger hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°You agreed to follow me, didn¡¯t you? Then just be quiet.¡±


    Silla¡¯s emotions intensified.


    ¡°Trust you twice? You know why you¡¯re called an idiot and why girls hate you? Because everything you do is disgusting. Even now. If you had followed the path correctly, we¡¯d be with the unit by now.¡±


    Listening to Silla¡¯s rapid-fire insults, Limberton sighed, thinking, ¡®I must be patient.¡¯


    ¡°Fine. Everything I do looks foolish to you. If you want to go separately, go ahead.¡±


    Despite her complaints, Silla followed.


    Limberton thought of saying something but kept silent.


    He didn¡¯t want to waste energy arguing.


    Hiss-


    Just in case, he sprayed the perfume while moving.


    Drip.


    A drop fell from the sky.


    ¡°Rain?¡±


    But the liquid was red.


    From behind, Silla¡¯s startled voice rang out.


    ¡°Hey, look up.¡±


    When he lifted his head, his heart sank.


    A man, shirtless and covered in blood, was perched on a tree.


    ¡°I smelled wolves and came, but it was humans.¡±


    Wiping the blood with wolf fur, he leaped to the ground.


    ¡°Lu-Luon¡­?¡±


    Unintentionally, Limberton muttered his name.


    At that moment, a dull pain hit his head.


    Limberton lost consciousness.


    ***


    Splash!


    Water poured over his head.


    The wet sensation woke Limberton.


    Whistle-


    A piercing whistle sounded in his ears.


    Luon put away the canteen and gestured around.


    ¡°What do you think of our base? Pretty well set up, right?¡±


    The place was a clearing, blocked by dense trees.


    Every branch held a tri-headed wolf¡¯s corpse.


    The overwhelming smell of blood made Limberton wrinkle his nose.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    His hands and feet weren¡¯t bound.


    He was kidnapped, but they left him relatively free.


    Luon stepped aside, revealing what he had been blocking.


    ¡°Is that girl your girlfriend?¡±  S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Limberton¡¯s eyes widened.


    Silla was chained and gagged, held by two men.


    One of them licked her cheek.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re not like that. And I asked, what do you want from me? That¡¯s why you brought me here.¡±


    Luon replied softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much. Just join our game.¡±


    ¡°Game?¡±


    ¡°Look to your left.¡±


    Limberton turned his head.


    A tri-headed wolf was chained to a tree, its heads covered in sacks, with a horn poking out.


    ¡°The leader?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was there when we set up here. It seemed wasteful to kill it, so we kept it. But now we¡¯re bored.¡±


    Limberton understood what Luon wanted.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not asking me to hunt it alone, are you?¡±


    Luon smiled softly.


    It seemed like a joke, but his dull eyes were serious.


    As Limberton reminded himself not to relax, Luon said.


    ¡°I found this among your belongings. Interesting. Here, take it.¡±


    He handed Limberton a bow and four arrows.


    Luon explained, sounding excited, as if explaining rules.


    ¡°See the circle on the ground? That¡¯s the wolf¡¯s range. You go in and hunt it with the bow. Simple, right?¡±


    ¡°This is a game? You¡¯re insane.¡±


    Ignoring him, Luon pointed at Silla.


    ¡°If you want to save her, you better comply. My men are getting restless from the professors¡¯ watch. They might go crazy without some relief.¡±


    Despite the threat, Limberton smirked.


    Even in this magical forest, professors were present.


    They were likely watching to prevent students from escaping, which meant they were observing this situation too.


    ¡°Professors know what you¡¯re doing. Stop before they send you to punishment. They could intervene any moment.¡±


    But Luon¡¯s words silenced him.


    ¡°Really? Then why didn¡¯t they intervene when we brought you here?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°As you said, they might be watching. But if it were the academy, they¡¯d step in immediately. Why aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Luon blinked and gave an answer.


    ¡°Just a guess, but maybe punishment happens after we return?¡±


    Limberton gulped.


    Having no one to stop them was a different matter.


    If punished after returning, it meant the crime would already be done.


    If he were dead, punishing the perpetrator was pointless.


    What mattered to them was mere pleasure.


    Luon whispered softly.


    ¡°Honestly, this situation isn¡¯t that fun. All these things are old news. Now they feel like kids¡¯ play. Those guys might settle for just a girl. So, if you don¡¯t want to, you can leave. But the girl stays.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s ears perked up.


    ¡°¡­I can go?¡±


    Luon grinned.


    ¡°Of course. I planned to let you go if you refused. Did I bind you?¡±


    Limberton coldly replied as he retrieved his belongings.


    ¡°You misunderstand. To me, you and her are all the same.¡±


    Limberton moved.


    Two men holding Silla smirked as they overheard.


    ¡°Looks like you got dumped. Shall I comfort you?¡±


    ¡°You seemed gutless anyway. Let¡¯s enjoy ourselves now.¡±


    Silla¡¯s eyes filled with fear.


    ¡°Mmph!¡±


    She headbutted the man holding her face.


    The man wiped his bloody nose, grinning.


    ¡°Strong, huh?¡±


    ¡°She seemed to hurt when we touched this leg. Wait a moment.¡±


    Amid her rough resistance, the man grabbed her injured leg.


    ¡°Mmpph!!¡±


    Her screams grew louder.


    ¡°Seems she likes pain?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start by stripping her armor.¡±


    Tears streamed from Silla¡¯s eyes.


    Yet Limberton kept walking.


    Thud.


    He stopped at the line marking the wolf¡¯s range.


    Limberton drew his bow and smiled.

 Chapter 93

    The mansion of the Delsi family was located in the remote coastal village. A humble location with no shipping routes, where fishing was the only livelihood in such a poor land.


    However, the head of the Delsi family was a remarkable man.


    With exceptional stamina, he cherished his territory enough to work as a fisherman himself, earning the deep trust of the villagers. His business acumen was so outstanding that he made it easier for people to live, even in that poor land.


    On the other hand, his son Limberton¡­


    ¡°Tsk tsk, if only he had inherited even half of his father¡¯s traits.¡±


    ¡°Seeing as how he has no luck with children, maybe the name Delsi is cursed?¡±


    He was small and weak, lacking courage. He would cry at the barking of passing dogs and, despite being a noble, was always ostracized by the village children.


    He was often regarded as a fool for his flirtatious attempts with women and looked down upon for showing pathetic behavior when he tried to follow his father onto the boat.


    Because of this, his mother, Lulen, always overprotected him.


    ¡°Hunting again? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to go?¡±


    ¡°But I need to do something.¡±


    ¡°Even so, look at your arms. Wild dogs would chew them up like bones.¡±


    ¡°Look at these arms. They¡¯ve become sturdier since I started learning archery.¡±


    ¡°They look thinner than my fingers.¡±


    Of course, this was a bit exaggerated, but they were thinner than the plump wrists of his mother.


    ¡°But archery is safe. I can shoot from afar and run away if things go wrong.¡±


    ¡°Your skin is softer than calfskin. What if you cut yourself handling arrows?¡±


    And every time he received such overprotection, Limberton would complain about his younger sibling.


    ¡°Mom, you let Selberton go to the back mountain without a word. Why are you only like this to me?¡±


    He always heard the same response¡­


    ¡°Your brother takes after your father.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s younger brother was tall and had a good personality.


    He was also handsome enough to receive letters from women frequently.


    While Limberton was proud of his brother, it also hurt his self-esteem as an older brother.


    ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ll go crazy if I stay here.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same, brother. It¡¯s tiresome when father drags me onto the boat. But at least there¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving here. You¡¯ll definitely become the head of the family.¡±


    The brothers often had a subtle rivalry about inheriting the poor land, but the younger brother had a clear vision for the future.


    He planned to graduate from the academy and get a government position, which would make their father agree to let him go without any complaints.


    ¡°¡­Did you get accepted? To the academy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, to Valiant, my first choice.¡±


    Limberton could never forget the shock of seeing his brother¡¯s acceptance letter.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that? Did you apply elsewhere?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s an invitation letter to Frost Heart Academy¡­ It looked suspicious, so I kept it to use as kindling.¡±


    ¡°Throw it away? If it¡¯s useless, give it to me. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    This required a guardian¡¯s signature, and Limberton¡¯s father was hesitant.


    ¡°¡­Frost Heart? What kind of place is that? Never heard of it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but it¡¯s an academy. Please let me go. Please?¡±


    ¡°How can I manage your mother if you go?¡±


    ¡°But if I stay here, my future is clear. If I don¡¯t leave and find a girlfriend, I¡¯ll die alone and lonely.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a wife you want¡­¡±


    ¡°The last marriage proposal was rejected as soon as they heard my name. No woman here wants to meet me!¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Fine. If that¡¯s what you truly want.¡±


    This was how Limberton got into Frost Heart.


    Compared to others, his reason for attending was light and pathetic.


    ***


    Limberton somewhat regretted his decision.


    Although he appeared calm, he was inwardly terrified.


    If Aslay hadn¡¯t been there, he would have done just that.


    Yet, why did he act so bravely?


    He must have been influenced a lot over the past few months.


    The delinquent, who seemed unlikely to change, had become impressive and achieved successive accomplishments.


    Aslay played his role with tremendous strength and even scored better than Limberton on the written exam despite not knowing the imperial language initially. ?


    For some reason, he felt he was the only one standing still while others moved forward.


    Limberton disliked this.


    He hated resigning himself with a ¡®this is how it is for someone like me¡¯ attitude and crawling to keep up with them.


    Perhaps these thoughts arose after hearing this statement.  sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C Limberton? I think you¡¯re a cool guy. Even when you seem pathetic, you always do what¡¯s necessary at the crucial moment.


    It was the first time he heard from someone else that he had such a positive trait.


    And now was the time to do what was necessary.


    ¡°But you know, you guys are really bad at handling women. So, how about some advice?¡±


    Limberton spoke to the two guys holding Silla.


    ¡°Think of women as dragonflies. If you stay still, they¡¯ll come to you.¡±


    Limberton drew his bow.


    Luon removed the sack from the leader¡¯s head.


    The tri-headed wolf squinted at the sudden burst of light.


    At that moment, Limberton¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What?¡±


    His hand weakened, and his body stiffened.


    Whizz!


    The arrow flew off aimlessly.


    Luon approached and spoke.


    ¡°Hmm, judging by your reaction, you didn¡¯t know.¡±


    Limberton forced out his voice.


    ¡°Wh-why is my body¡­?¡±


    ¡°When you make eye contact, you get paralyzed. But it¡¯s interesting, isn¡¯t it? An archer against an unseen monster. It¡¯s rare to see.¡±


    Limberton quickly closed his eyes.


    His body began to move again.


    Then he scoffed.


    ¡°Paralyzed by eye contact?¡±


    Then he just needed to avoid looking at the eyes.


    But the wolf¡¯s left head lowered, using its glowing eyes as a shield.


    Whizz!


    The second arrow flew uselessly.


    Luon opened his previously closed eyes and spoke.


    ¡°Two chances left.¡±


    The wolf, which had been slowly approaching, growled and charged.


    As a leader, it was much faster than ordinary tri-headed wolves.


    Thud!


    Limberton hastily closed his eyes and aimed his bow, predicting the wolf¡¯s movements from his last glimpse.


    He released the bowstring.


    The sound of the bow was still filled with despair.


    Thud!


    The third arrow struck a tree.


    His arm ached.


    Unfortunately, he had brought a bow with strong draw weight, making it hard to even pull the string properly.


    As he pondered, the wolf approached.


    Thud thud thud!


    Limberton changed his thinking.


    The closer the target, the easier to hit.


    Even if the power was weaker, it would penetrate at close range.


    Limberton used all his strength to draw the bowstring.


    The string was half-pulled when he closed his eyes, trusting his timing.


    -How will you hit the heart?


    A voice resonated deep in his chest.


    And a hand on his eyelids.


    Someone opened Limberton¡¯s eyes with their hand.


    A man covered in rags.


    His face was hidden in the shadows.


    More surprising, the wolf in front of him was frozen as if time had stopped.


    Limberton tried to speak, but his lips wouldn¡¯t move.


    -I don¡¯t feel like answering yet.


    It seemed he could communicate with thoughts.


    Stories often mentioned such phenomena.


    They usually involved extraordinary beings like fire-breathing humans, but there were also records of encounters with transcendental beings.


    Mystery was a broad term, encompassing such phenomena.


    -You make it sound trivial by lumping it together. That doesn¡¯t matter. What is that bow? It¡¯s pathetic.


    If he could stop time, he wasn¡¯t someone to take lightly.


    -There¡¯s no time for a long talk. I will disappear soon.


    The man adjusted Limberton¡¯s posture.


    Limberton¡¯s stance was corrected, the bowstring fully drawn, and his grip adjusted.


    -This is how you hold a bow. Find the heart yourself.


    The man closed Limberton¡¯s eyes with his hand.


    Limberton saw his orderly upper teeth and heard an excited voice.


    -Overcoming fear is good, but don¡¯t be reckless. I look forward to revealing my true name to you.


    After the mysterious man disappeared, Limberton¡¯s body moved.


    The wolf¡¯s heartbeat was loud, indicating it was close.


    Time resumed.


    Limberton instinctively lowered his left hand holding the bow and released the arrow.


    Thud!


    The sound of piercing flesh was unmistakable.


    However, Limberton was knocked down by the charging wolf.


    The wolf¡¯s jaws drooled above him, but its neck went limp.


    ¡°Huff


    Luon flipped the wolf¡¯s corpse with one hand.


    Limberton stood up, breathing heavily.


    If he hadn¡¯t received that strange help and hit the heart, he would be dead.


    There was no time to dwell on the strange occurrence because of Luon.


    ¡°Amazing. The arrow pierced through.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Look at the tree. Your final arrow went through the wolf¡¯s body.¡±


    The arrow was deeply embedded, with only the feathers sticking out.


    Luon asked with interest.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­Limberton. Limberton Bel Delsi.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Limberton, you can go now. I¡¯ll make sure she survives and returns.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes widened.


    Letting her go later meant something entirely different.


    ¡°Return her? Release her now. This isn¡¯t what we agreed on.¡±


    Luon blinked curiously.


    ¡°I intend to keep my promise.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I promised to save her, not release her immediately.¡±


    His tone was pure, devoid of malice.


    Limberton felt a chill at his incomprehensible demeanor.


    He had dealt with many ill-natured people, but this was new.


    ¡°Strange. Isn¡¯t returning her safely enough?¡±


    When Luon pondered, a man holding Silla approached.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is that little guy complaining?¡±


    The man glared threateningly, clenching his fist as if to hit.


    ¡°You¡¯re too gentlemanly. Sometimes, you need to show them their place.¡±


    As the punch was about to land,


    Slash!


    Blood trickled down the man¡¯s cheek.


    Luon, who had been pondering, made a sound of realization.


    ¡°He doubts I¡¯ll keep my promise. Right? Well, that¡¯s understandable. Don¡¯t worry, Limberton. If they try to hurt her, I¡¯ll stop them like this.¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Luon grabbed the man¡¯s ear, making him bleed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop them. Of course, you¡¯ll cooperate, right, Arsys?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then unclench your fist. I told Limberton he could leave anytime.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The man, Arsys, cowered like a frightened puppy.


    Luon turned his back to Limberton.


    Limberton swallowed his fear.


    Slashing without drawing his sword was proof.


    Magic swordsmen were feared and revered, capable of cutting through a knight¡¯s aura-clad sword and nullifying a mage¡¯s attack.


    Almost all historic figures of immense power were magic swordsmen.


    Luon likely single-handedly killed most of the wolves here.


    What if he asked Luon to release Silla?


    His invisible sword slash would decapitate him.


    Limberton felt helpless, unable to move his feet.


    When Luon perched on a tree, the two men noticed.


    ¡°That idiot is just standing there staring?¡±


    ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯ll leave after watching.¡±


    ¡°Mmmp!¡±


    The men continued to strip Silla.


    ¡°Hey, Arsys. What¡¯s with your cheek?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Arsys touched his cheek, finding blood on the other side.


    Only Luon could have done it.


    ¡°Luon, did I do something wrong again?¡±


    ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    Luon was looking at a man approaching from afar.


    He tapped the back of the frozen Limberton.


    ¡°Why are you standing there?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hersel?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, how¡¯s his face?¡±


    ¡°Heh, what did you do this time¡­¡±


    ¡°It looked empty, so I gave him some whiskers.¡±

 Chapter 94

    Hersel looked away from Limberton and lifted his head. The two men flinched.


    The skill they had witnessed was something only a magic swordsman could do.


    The situation was already difficult, and now Hersel¡¯s group had joined in.


    ¡°Who are those people to dare touch Silla¡­¡±


    ¡°Hersel, are those dangerous guys the donation entrants?¡±


    The two men glanced at Luon.


    Luon shook his head, seeming uninterested in a fight.


    ¡°Tch. If only those meddlers hadn¡¯t shown up¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was just getting heated. What a shame.¡±


    They released Silla from the chains, and she tore the gag from her mouth.


    Then she spat at the men.


    ¡°¡­You bastards. I remember your faces. Once my leg heals, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    Glaring fiercely, she limped away.


    ¡°But that red-haired girl, she¡¯s quite something.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? That¡¯s Leana, the former chairman¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡±


    While the two men licked their lips, Luon asked Hersel.


    ¡°Are Limberton and those behind you your friends?¡±


    His voice was emotionless and flat.


    Hersel answered coldly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say they are.¡±


    Luon let out a deep sigh, then smiled slightly as if relieved.


    ¡°Safe travels.¡±


    Hersel turned away.


    Despite some disputes among his group, they all agreed with his words.


    ¡°If you want to hold anyone accountable, do it later. We¡¯re still in the exam. Save your strength for when you¡¯ll need it.¡±


    He led his group away.


    Arsys, his cheek marked with cat-like scratches, asked Luon.


    ¡°Luon, you could have won. Is it okay to let them go?¡±


    Luon laughed scornfully.


    ¡°If he had shown his full strength, we¡¯d all be dead.¡±


    Luon recalled the incident in the forbidden section of the library.


    Even after being hit by magical spears filling the space, Hersel hadn¡¯t sustained a single injury.


    Moreover, who would have thought he was a magic swordsman?


    ¡°What are you saying? You know Hersel was just a poser. Even if he became a magic swordsman, could he be stronger than you?¡±


    Arsys stopped mid-sentence, realizing his mistake, and closed his eyes tightly.


    ¡°S-sorry. I take back calling him a poser.¡±


    Luon, who usually wouldn¡¯t tolerate insults about him, seemed indifferent today.


    He responded calmly, as if it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°There are six whiskers on your cheek. When I cut one, he cut five in an instant. This alone shows he¡¯s several levels ahead of me. Do you understand now?¡± ?


    Arsys gulped, sweating profusely.


    ¡°Yeah, I get it. But Luon, you seem different today¡­ Can I ask something?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Does the desire for Hersel to return as chairman still stand?¡±


    Luon chuckled at the cautious question.


    ¡°Seeing him today, I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want to come back. Forcing someone who doesn¡¯t want to return is pointless.¡±


    The two men smiled widely, relieved.


    Luon, ignoring their reactions, continued speaking.


    ¡°But for some reason¡­ I have a bad feeling he might interfere with our plans in the future.¡±


    Arsys asked excitedly.


    ¡°What if he does?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to kill him.¡±


    Luon¡¯s face was surprisingly gentle as he said this.


    Meanwhile, a bird that didn¡¯t quite fit in with the Purple Forest watched the scene with hollow eyes.


    A pigeon with a hair tie around its ankle.


    Felia whispered softly.


    ¡°The more I see him, the better he seems.¡±


    ***


    Two days had passed since the practical training in the enchanted forest began.


    Summarizing what I had learned so far¡­


    The reason Riamon hadn¡¯t joined Belman¡¯s unit was as I had suspected.


    At this point, there were 25 students in Adelle Hall.


    This would have been the case normally, but there was a variable.


    With the addition of Erucel, who wasn¡¯t originally expected to enroll, there were 26 students.


    Therefore, instead of assigning Riamon to another unit, they paired him with another student.


    This was within expectations.


    However, I hadn¡¯t anticipated things to become this complicated.


    I¡¯m not a fortune-teller; predicting this far was impossible.


    How could I have known Silla would injure her leg because of me and couldn¡¯t properly recover due to the month-long training at Adelle Hall?


    Or that Belman, fueled by competition, would recklessly hunt the leader because Riamon wasn¡¯t there?


    Or that Silla would fall and worsen her leg injury after being paralyzed from eye contact with the leader while stepping on the barrier steps?


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t deny being the root cause of all these events.


    Even so, my actions were merely desperate attempts to survive.


    It was unfair that these actions came back to bite me so severely.


    However, outside intervention wasn¡¯t entirely bad.


    ¡°Limberton, are you serious about seeing a man covered in rags?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it was right before I was about to die. Maybe it was a hallucination¡­ But why are you so happy about it?¡±


    Because it wasn¡¯t a hallucination.


    Sometimes, a god who grants blessings appears.


    This is a characteristic of blessings that conceal true names and can trigger events that grant new powers when conditions are met.


    Limberton¡¯s blessing was like that.


    ¡ô Blessing of the Wind Recluse


    ¨C Don¡¯t ask about me. I¡¯m nobody.


    Accuracy is corrected by the tailwind.


    This blessing probably changed to:


    ¡ô Blessing of the Wind Wanderer


    ¨C Wealth and honor are things to be laid down eventually. The only lifelong companion is oneself.


    Accuracy is corrected by the tailwind.


    Senses targets through sound waves.


    The true name hasn¡¯t been revealed yet.


    He¡¯s only just started to awaken, but it¡¯s still significant.


    What should have been achieved by the end of the first semester was already accomplished.


    Thanks to this, Limberton¡¯s accuracy had reached its peak, even with his eyes closed.


    Since the growth of playable characters is directly tied to my safety, it¡¯s something to be happy about.


    This warranted some praise.  S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d take down the leader alone. Here, have some jerky.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t you saving this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty. Got it from those guys.¡±


    I pointed to Belman¡¯s unit, huddled in a corner of the fortress.


    Leana licked her lips at the sight of the jerky in my hand, Silla glared daggers at Belman, and Belman silently read a book.


    ¡°How long do you plan to stay here?¡± I asked.


    Belman closed his book and answered.


    ¡°I proposed an alliance, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    His unit was lagging behind due to Silla¡¯s injury.


    Meanwhile, Riamon and that fool Erucel had hunted the leader.


    And Ricks had formed a unit to take down the remaining leader.


    As a result, the tri-headed wolves had lost their leaders and left the area.


    Their only chance to score points was through treasure hunting.


    In other words, Belman had a good nose for opportunities.


    He realized that this group had planned to score points through treasure hunting from the beginning and was ahead of the game.


    ¡°Why not hunt the remaining wolves?¡±


    ¡°¡­You know everything and still pretend to be clueless.¡±


    ¡°Right. And your situation isn¡¯t my concern.¡±


    It was indeed troublesome.


    They needed to remain in Adelle Hall for the storyline to progress properly.


    If they got demoted to Buerger Hall¡­


    So, I had to resort to clever tactics.


    Helping for free was out of the question.


    I smiled like an angel and extended a helping hand.


    ¡°If it were before, maybe. But I¡¯ll be generous this time. My heart is big now.¡±


    Leana¡¯s eyes widened.


    Silla looked incredulous, and Belman was equally stunned.


    ¡°Leana, look. He¡¯s really lost his mind, like you said.¡±


    ¡°Lately, he¡¯s been saying stuff like that more often.¡±


    ¡°Hersel, given how you look, your words lack credibility.¡±


    ¡­Should I just let them be demoted?


    ¡°Shut up and listen. Here¡¯s the deal. You join us in treasure hunting, and you can earn points. But after scoring, hand everything over to us.¡±


    Even in practical training, Pathfinder training rules apply.


    The treasures found in the enchanted forest, except for certain items, belong to the finder.


    This means that once graded, they can keep what they find.


    ¡°So, we give up our coins?¡±


    I nodded at Leana¡¯s question.


    Silla protested vehemently.


    ¡°Belman, don¡¯t listen. Our wallets are already empty.¡±


    ¡°Silla¡­ That¡¯s because of your unnecessary gambling. Leana and I aren¡¯t that desperate.¡±


    I glared sharply at Silla.


    This detestable thing. She must have bet that I wouldn¡¯t get first place in the written exam.


    ¡°But I¡­!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one against it. Just accept it quietly.¡±


    Despite some internal noise from Belman¡¯s unit, Silla finally kept quiet.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided by majority.¡±


    After the cooperation was settled, a few minutes passed.


    While reviewing the map, Limberton approached and asked,


    ¡°Hersel, can I share some of this with them?¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to ask?¡±


    ¡°Still, I should get the leader¡¯s permission.¡±


    Today, Limberton seemed particularly commendable.


    Rations are managed by the leader¡¯s decision.


    Knowing this meant he had been studying hard.


    ¡°Do as you like.¡±


    Limberton handed the jerky to Belman¡¯s group.


    Silla looked displeased, seemingly irritated by Limberton¡¯s actions.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you expecting gratitude?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t me who saved you, it was Hersel. So, it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t thank me. Don¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Silla scowled and bit into the jerky, looking humiliated.


    Perhaps out of embarrassment, she changed the subject to Aslay.


    ¡°But how did that savage get into the academy?¡±


    I raised my voice.


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Limberton narrowed his eyes and added,


    ¡°Don¡¯t use the word savage. It¡¯s a discriminatory term.¡±


    Aslay defined himself simply.


    ¡°I am a foreigner.¡±


    Belman¡¯s group looked at him with curious expressions.


    ***


    While they were joining our side at the fortress, we established a few rules.


    ¡°When returning, make sure not to reveal this location.¡±


    Though the environment was well camouflaged, it was best not to reveal it.


    Thieves driven by greed for points could appear, and it would be dangerous if our coordinates were marked by certain people.


    ¡°Never go out at night.¡±


    Belman asked,


    ¡°Why? The wolves are gone, so there¡¯s no danger.¡±


    I gave an excuse.


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely the problem. It¡¯s safe, so others will extend their activity into the night too.¡±


    ¡°¡­That makes sense.¡±


    Belman agreed readily.


    He was likely wary of Luon¡¯s group in the highlands.


    Knowing Luon was a magic swordsman had heightened his vigilance.


    It was convenient for me not to disclose future information.


    The Roaming Band lingering around must have gathered enough intel about our position, numbers, and strengths.


    They would probably attack tonight.


    Thus, treasure hunting could only be done now or after they were dealt with.


    There was no time to relax.


    ¡°You memorized the herbs we need to find, right?¡±


    Aslay nodded confidently.


    ¡°I will offer tributes to the boss.¡±


    Hearing his confident answer was reassuring.


    Having lived in nature, his gathering skills were unmatched.


    Though I roughly knew where the treasures were, finding them with my own eyes was a different matter.


    Aslay wouldn¡¯t miss a thing, gathering everything in his bag.


    I handed the map to Belman.


    ¡°See the marked areas? You search those to avoid overlapping routes.¡±


    ¡°Is this reliable? It¡¯s hard to believe you made this map so quickly.¡±


    Any doubts would vanish once they checked the locations.


    There was no need to persuade them with evidence.


    ¡°Do you have a choice to trust or not?¡±


    I applied a bit of pressure, and Belman fell silent.


    While preparing our gathering tools, Limberton whispered,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we aiming for relics? If we find those, it¡¯s over. Why put in so much effort?¡±


    What a thoughtful kid.


    He spoke discreetly, ensuring Belman didn¡¯t hear.


    Even though it was obvious, he seemed endearing today.


    ¡°So what? It¡¯s good to earn more coins.¡±


    ¡°You just scored big recently.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still thirsty.¡±


    While chatting, we finished our preparations.


    I opened the fortress gate and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±

 Chapter 95

    After parting ways with Belman¡¯s unit, we set out with Aslay leading the foraging activities.[Your mana has increased slightly.]


    The frequency of the system alert for Ricks¡¯s blessing, ¡°The Devoted Sage¡¯s Blessing,¡± had noticeably decreased. This likely meant that the wolves in the area had been nearly hunted down.


    Though it was a bit disappointing, my current mana had nearly doubled. It was initially so minuscule that even a slight increase seemed significant, but progress is progress.


    Limberton scanned the surroundings and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t see a single wolf around. How will the others earn points now?¡±


    ¡°Well, some might take the opportunity to rest, having earned enough points already, while others might venture out to hunt different monsters in the outskirts,¡± I replied. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The outskirts were naturally much more dangerous. The monsters there were on a different level, as they preyed on tri-headed wolves. The saving grace was that these monsters roamed individually, making them manageable.


    Still, I had described the area as extremely dangerous because of one particular reason: the presence of the roaming band¡¯s instructors and the young roaming band¡¯s base.


    ¡°Most of them will likely engage in treasure hunting like us. They wouldn¡¯t recklessly venture out without information on the monsters in the outskirts.¡±


    Limberton narrowed his eyes and smirked. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything on the first day because you were waiting for the wolves to be cleared out, right? To make treasure hunting easier.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why the second day is the perfect time. Others are probably just starting to map out the area.¡±


    Limberton waved the map I had drawn and asked, ¡°But when did you make this? Did you have the time?¡±


    ¡°When I went up to the highlands to rescue you,¡± I replied.


    There¡¯s nothing easier than getting a lay of the land from above. If you know where the sun rises, where the large rocks and mountains are, you can sketch a map pretty quickly. Then, it¡¯s just a matter of matching it with my memory from beyond the monitor and marking areas where treasures frequently appear.


    Of course, there might be discrepancies since this is reality, but I wasn¡¯t too worried.


    ¡°Found it,¡± Aslay announced.


    His skills would more than make up for any errors. I inspected the three mushrooms he handed over. They were golden, fibrous mushrooms.


    ¡°Shingum mushrooms, huh? Quite a rare delicacy. These are worth 30 points each.¡±


    The enchanted forest was a treasure trove, not just for medicinal herbs but also for rare insects and gourmet ingredients that food enthusiasts drooled over. Many ventured deep into these areas, risking their lives for such finds. Especially since the Purple Forest was part of an unexplored zone, it occasionally attracted greedy adventurers.


    The academy had chosen secluded locations for exams, considering such risks. Hence, vigilance was always necessary.


    ¨C Hersel, someone is watching us.


    Donatan warned.


    I asked.


    ¨C They look quite young. Their attire is shabby compared to yours.


    A young roaming band member. They were likely scouting to gauge whether they could handle us, preparing for tonight¡¯s attack.


    Leaving them alone would increase the risk of our base being discovered. We needed to drive them away.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out instead of hiding like a squirrel?¡± I called out.


    I heard a faint rustling of leaves.


    ¨C Not there, behind us.


    I turned and looked up at the trees. Limberton and Aslay also readied themselves. I kept my eyes on the spot, carefully conjuring a sharpened blade and quietly throwing it with precision.


    Slash.


    The branch was cut, and the startled forest squirrel darted away, causing leaves to rustle all around.


    ¡°We lost them,¡± Limberton said, lowering his bow.


    ¡°Could it be the highland guys?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    There was no need to explain. They¡¯d find out soon enough.


    ¡°Anyway, if there are Shingum mushrooms here, there should be more around¡­¡± I said, scanning the surroundings as Aslay continued his search.


    ¡°I found another one,¡± Limberton said, adding the mushroom to his pack.


    He glanced at the cut branch and asked, ¡°But why did you keep being a magic swordsman a secret?¡±


    Ever since encountering Luon, they had mistakenly thought I was a magic swordsman.


    It was more than just a misunderstanding¡ªI hadn¡¯t corrected them, and it was a deception on my part.


    There was a reason for this.


    Recently, I¡¯d been having nightmares. Nightmares of being surrounded and trampled by those I had deceived.


    In the dreams, they shouted at me, calling me a fraud and demanding all my coins, leaving me beaten and penniless.


    If they found out the truth, those dreams could become a reality. So, even now, I had to keep up the facade, burning the embers of noble blood and pretending.


    ¡°A talented hawk hides its talons,¡± I said.


    Limberton¡¯s eyes sparkled, and I felt a pang of guilt.


    ¡­How did I end up like this?


    In the estate, I did what I had to do to survive. But at the academy, there was no need for such deceit. I just needed to monitor the storyline and build enough strength to graduate safely. That was the original plan.


    But it all started with resisting Bidon to protect something precious.


    Then, opposing Buerger Hall because Ricks¡¯s group faced the dungeon trial without weapons.


    Defeating Emeric had led to this.


    I had eventually succumbed to the temptation of posing as a magic swordsman, looking at the blade Hetherson had given me.


    Reflecting deeply on myself, Donatan gave me some practical advice.


    ¨C Hersel, lies only cause problems. Haven¡¯t you experienced enough? Rescuing the red-haired woman because of Rockefeller was due to the mistaken belief that you were strong.


    Donatan was right.


    I had already faced the consequences, and more complications would arise in the future.


    But it was too late to turn back now.


    ¨C True. It¡¯s already too complicated to untangle.


    I felt a bit less guilty knowing I was doing my best. Even if I didn¡¯t meet their expectations, I was striving to become stronger.


    I sought out means and acted on them immediately.


    The proof of my efforts was the Mana Blade, which could cut through aura.


    It was a fake, crafted differently from a real magic swordsman¡¯s weapon, but it was better than nothing.


    If my deceit were exposed, I hoped they would be less disappointed.


    Aslay found something else.


    ¡°I think it matches the picture,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well done, Aslay. This one¡¯s worth 100 points. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d find the Sevila flower.¡±


    ¡°But Hersel, when are you going to search for the artifact?¡± Limberton asked.


    ¡°After we¡¯ve sorted everything else out,¡± I replied.


    For now, we needed to focus on the task at hand.


    ***


    Branches rustled loudly.


    A girl, not quite an adult yet, looked over her shoulder, sweating nervously.


    Seeing nothing behind her, she sighed in relief.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    She was the leader of the young roaming band.


    Her task so far had been to observe and assess the enemy¡¯s strength.


    But now, someone had noticed her presence.


    ¡­This has never happened before.


    She was quite flustered.


    Her sleeve, torn as if cut by a sword.


    There was a magic swordsman on the Frost Heart side.


    Two of them, in fact.


    The one in the highlands wasn¡¯t the only magic swordsman. She needed to inform the instructor.


    She quickly left the tri-headed wolf¡¯s territory and headed for the outskirts.


    The base was hidden in a thick mist.


    The interior was visible since the fog only enveloped the exterior.


    There were three multi-fortresses and several tables in the yard.


    The young roaming band members were sharpening their weapons on grindstones, and the instructor was talking to someone at a large table.


    As she approached, the instructor turned his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re late, Melin.¡±


    His expression was cold.


    Intimidated by his demeanor, Melin stiffened and quickly responded.


    ¡°S-sorry, Instructor. I was checking to make sure we didn¡¯t miss anyone.¡±


    ¡°I heard from another leader that we had already identified them all.¡±


    Melin knew that failing to provide a satisfactory answer would lead to trouble.


    The instructor was like a king to the children here, commanding both fear and reverence.


    Obedience was rewarded with food, while disobedience earned the lash, leaving scars as a reminder.


    Melin answered briefly and clearly.


    ¡°There¡¯s another magic swordsman.¡±


    The instructor¡¯s expression turned serious.


    He checked his watch and turned away.


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss that later.¡±


    The instructor called out to the children with a vigilant voice.


    ¡°All leaders, gather.¡±


    The children moved in unison.


    The instructor, looking satisfied, addressed the line of leaders.


    ¡°I will now give instructions.¡±


    He waved his staff, and a large map appeared in the air.


    It was a map compiled from the young roaming band¡¯s gathered information.


    Melin swallowed hard as she looked at the marked camps.


    We don¡¯t know the location of that newly discovered fortress yet¡­ I hope he doesn¡¯t ask me to pinpoint it.


    If he did, it would be a disaster.


    The instructor began explaining in a composed manner, waving his staff.


    The initial content was something they had already learned.


    Frost Heart categorized its forces into three levels: Adelle, Buerger, and Schlaphe, in descending order of strength.


    To pass the test, targeting Schlaphe Hall was the best strategy.


    However, some within Schlaphe Hall were just as strong as those in Adelle Hall, so underestimating them was dangerous.


    ¡°The guy with the ponytail specializes in manifestation magic. The instructors deemed his skills comparable to those in Adelle Hall.¡±


    The instructor enlarged the images of the ponytailed man and his followers.


    ¡°Those following him are also at a level beyond Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    That meant avoiding them and targeting the rest of Schlaphe Hall was the best approach.


    But the instructor dangled an enticing reward.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re all thinking of avoiding Adelle Hall. But if you succeed, there will be fitting rewards. The same goes for hunting the ponytailed man and his followers.¡±


    One of the leaders raised their hand.


    The instructor nodded.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°What is the reward?¡±


    ¡°You can make a request within reason.¡±


    ¡°A request?¡±


    ¡°Anything that doesn¡¯t involve leaving the roaming band or harming the kingdom.¡±


    The leader shuddered slightly.


    ¡°Then¡­ can we ask you to find our parents?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Melin¡¯s eyes widened.


    This was significant for the young roaming band.


    All the children here had been abandoned at orphanages and then brought to this place.


    Some harbored resentment, while others were indifferent, assuming their parents were dead.


    But some, like Melin, still yearned for their parents.


    Her mother had promised to return and had given her a doll before leaving her at the orphanage.


    But Melin had been sold to the roaming band and separated from her mother.


    Now, she had a chance to see her mother again.


    The wish she had kept hidden in her heart shone brightly, making her feel alive.


    My target is the ponytailed man¡¯s followers.


    As she steeled herself, the instructions ended.


    The raid would begin tonight.


    As everyone moved to prepare, the instructor called Melin over.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    It was time.


    Melin approached the instructor¡¯s table, her steps hesitant.


    Her gaze was fixed on his staff.


    Every tap of the staff on the table made her heart race with fear.


    ¡°You found a magic swordsman?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ he did this to my sleeve.¡±


    Melin showed the tattered sleeve, feeling anxious.


    The instructor raised his staff.


    ¡°Melin, you¡¯re the most honest but also the most foolish of the leaders.¡±


    Melin clung to his pants, pleading.


    ¡°P-please, Instructor, forgive me this once. They must have thought I was just an animal! I made sure they didn¡¯t see me. Please!¡±


    Her honesty seemed to work.


    ¡°You made a mistake that could have ruined the raid and want forgiveness¡­ Fine. I don¡¯t think you lied. So, I¡¯ll end it with a simple punishment.¡±


    The instructor put down his staff and picked up a whip from his belt.


    Whoosh!


    Long red welts appeared on Melin¡¯s body.


    Despite the pain, she bit her lip, relieved inside.


    As long as she survived, she could one day reunite with her mother.


    ***


    I picked up a telescope on the second floor of the fortress.


    Smoke was rising from the lowlands.


    I turned to Limberton and brought up an old question.


    ¡°Limberton, do you remember the question I asked you before? If the person trying to kill you was a child, could you take their life?¡±


    Limberton responded immediately.


    ¡°No. I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    His expression was firm.


    He had clearly given it some thought since I first asked.


    With unwavering eyes, Limberton asked me, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    My response reflected my true feelings.


    At some point, I must have realized that the minimum requirement for survival in the brutal world of Asares was ruthlessness.


    This also meant losing one¡¯s humanity.


    Could I really become merciless enough to kill a child?


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out when the opportunity arises.¡±


    ¡°What happens after that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you then. What I did.¡±


    I stood up and looked at the night sky.


    A large cloud covered the moon.


    This was Asares.


    Though it had felt light-hearted so far, it was a dark fantasy world where human depravity could be seen.


    In this world, those who lived in shadows took the easy path, while those who sought to be a beacon paid the price and met the necessary qualifications.


    Tonight, someone would stain their hands with blood, and someone else would bleed.


    ¡°What are those things?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, Limberton. Let¡¯s go down. The lowlands look dangerous. We should take a look.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 96

    It was common for the main characters of a narrative to be retired.It was an inevitable fact.


    With a hundred playable characters in a single world, the numbers were simply too high.


    Of course, significant figures would survive until the latter parts.


    But those who didn¡¯t were usually fated for different outcomes:


    Some were born sickly and died without timely treatment.


    Others lost opportunities due to the butterfly effect of the player¡¯s choices.


    And some perished fighting against hostile factions.


    This inevitable culling always arrived at some point.


    ***


    We chased after the smoke rising from the lowlands.


    Belman, running alongside me, spoke up.


    ¡°Hersel, we¡¯ll head toward the Adelle Hall.¡±


    Our paths diverged at a certain point. Belman¡¯s unit would want to check on their belongings left behind in their base.


    Meanwhile, I headed towards the Schlaphe camp.


    The current raid was orchestrated by the young roaming band.


    The Schlaphe Hall students were their ideal targets due to their perceived weakness.


    Limberton glanced at the backpack slung over my shoulders and asked,


    ¡°Why did you bring the entire backpack? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re fleeing.¡±


    ¡°Just in case,¡± I replied.


    Upon arriving at the Schlaphe camp, we saw them in the midst of firefighting efforts.


    Ricks was sweating profusely as he directed the efforts.


    His face was covered in sweat and soot.


    ¡°Magic Division, work in groups of four to extinguish one fortress at a time! Knights Division, fetch water from the nearby stream! And the rest of you, check if anyone might still be trapped inside!¡± R?


    Ricks darted around, using his magic to spray water.


    We joined in, helping to clear the debris.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    ¡°I saw the smoke and came to help.¡±


    Ricks cautiously asked,


    ¡°Where have you been all this time?¡±


    ¡°This is a competition. Even you don¡¯t get to know the location of our base.¡±


    Ricks let out a sound of frustration but seemed to understand, nodding in acceptance.


    Despite cooperating in the field, the test remained a test.


    It appeared he wasn¡¯t naive enough to deny that fact.


    As the firefighting efforts neared completion,


    ¡°Ricks! Oh? Hersel and the rest of you. When did you arrive?¡±


    Ricks¡¯s friend, Hadal, appeared, dragging a boy bound with ropes.


    I sensed it was time and quietly drew out my dagger.


    Ricks asked,


    ¡°Who is that? Why is there a child here¡­?¡±


    Hadal¡¯s expression turned grim.


    He pulled out a holder filled with sharp objects with his left hand.


    ¡°This kid started the fire. When I caught him trying to escape, I found these on him.¡±


    Ricks quickly approached the boy.


    The child¡¯s eyes were filled with fear, trembling.


    I urgently shouted,


    ¡°Get back! Hadal!!¡±


    I shoved the boy away with my dagger.


    As Ricks turned his startled gaze towards me, an explosion echoed around us.


    BOOM!


    Blood splattered across Hadal¡¯s face and clothes.


    The boy had left nothing behind but gruesome remnants of his existence.


    Limberton, shivering violently, murmured,


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you asked that question¡­¡±


    He seemed to recall the question I had posed to him.


    ¡°Indeed. Now you¡¯ll know if your choice was just empty words, Limberton.¡±


    There were two ways to deal with the young roaming band.


    Either hesitate to kill them and wait to be bombed, or send them off without pain.


    Both were equally cruel methods.


    ***


    I asked Ricks to gather the leaders of the Schlaphe camp.


    Since there were more children who had exploded, the others had already witnessed it.


    Additionally, the fire was still fresh in their minds, so they gathered without much resistance.


    The location was a slightly charred fortress.


    I shared my future knowledge, explaining what the roaming band was.


    ¡°According to what my father told me, the Kingdom of Bellam established an organization called the roaming band, modeled after the Pathfinders.¡±


    No one questioned this.


    My father was a well-known alumnus who frequented the enchanted forests as a hobby.


    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising to have rival organizations. The resources in the enchanted forests are no longer a secret.¡±


    I explained the existence of the young roaming band, their purpose, and the nature of their bomb-related curses.


    ¡°This is their test. Since they¡¯re orphans, it doesn¡¯t matter if they die. They¡¯re treated like bombs.¡±


    Ricks clenched his teeth and fists in anger.


    ¡°These bastards are using children¡­¡±


    The other leaders nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I always thought Frost Heart was abnormal, but this is even worse.¡±


    Realistically accepting the situation were the majority.


    The first to voice their opinions were the leaders from the Lethe division.


    ¡°So what now? If they try to kill us, we kill them. They burned all our supplies, after all.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Even if they¡¯re children, killing them in a battlefield isn¡¯t unusual.¡±


    Other leaders nodded in agreement.


    Honestly, I shared their sentiment.


    Even with a modern mindset, my values had adapted to this world.


    Children soldiers dying in battle was nothing new here.  S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they wielded weapons, they became the enemy, regardless of age or gender.


    It would have been strange if I rejected their opinion.


    But I disliked agreeing with them, not just for moral reasons but because there were also playable characters among the roaming band.


    These characters, if allowed to grow, could be significant allies in the future.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    This was natural.


    Just as some started their narratives in Frost Heart, it wasn¡¯t strange for others to begin in the young roaming band.


    They were also an academy for training talents to enter the enchanted forests, and there were many main characters.


    ¡°So we just kill them? Knights have a code of chivalry. If you aspire to be one, there are lines you shouldn¡¯t cross. Mages also have a responsibility to benefit others.¡±


    Ricks¡¯s opinion, though seemingly valid, swayed some leaders.


    His reasoning made sense, even if the origin of chivalry and mage ethics stemmed from the unruly behavior of ancient knights and mages.


    Over time, these ideas had become ingrained in societal perceptions, especially with religious influence.


    Regardless of the origins, the present norm dictated viewing child soldiers as prisoners, not criminals.


    Though killing was permitted in dire circumstances, alternatives were preferred according to the unwritten rules of knights and mages.


    In short, we had to at least pretend to consider all options.


    Although many ignored these rules, resulting in posthumous disgrace.


    Ricks¡¯s statement missed a crucial point.


    ¡°What if there¡¯s a way to save them?¡±


    First, suggest an alternative.


    ¡°If we kill them knowing there¡¯s a way, it¡¯s different, right?¡±


    Second, appeal to their remaining conscience.


    ¡°What happens tonight will be remembered, good or bad.¡±


    Third, use a threat.


    ¡°Future memoirs of a successful person might read that a certain noble killed a child despite having a choice. That would be a dishonor, something their descendants might want to erase from their family history.¡±


    The leaders flinched.


    ¡°Are you planning to become a whistleblower after succeeding?¡±


    ¡°Frost Heart is a secretive academy, even within the Empire. Do you think they¡¯d allow such revelations?¡±


    I looked at the leaders of the Lethe division with contempt and clicked my tongue.


    ¡°Do you think this secret will stay hidden forever? With imitation Pathfinder groups already emerging, the truth will come out someday. Maybe next year, or the year after. You might not face legal punishment, but your honor would be at stake. Think about it.¡±


    The aggressive leaders fell silent, and Ricks smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Your approach is always effective in these situations.¡±


    Dealing with naive noble heirs and young ladies wasn¡¯t difficult.


    Yet, I hesitated because¡­


    ¡°Although I said there¡¯s a way, I¡¯m not sure it will work. This is an untested strategy.¡±


    The method I thought of wasn¡¯t even an option in the game.


    It was a clever idea possible only in reality, so I had no certainty.


    Ricks¡¯s face fell as I gave my bleak answer.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need the cooperation of all the Adelle, Buerger, and Schlaphe Halls. That alone is a tall order.¡±


    I was just one person.


    Saving children intent on killing us would require significant manpower and risk.


    ¡°Moreover, I believe this decision should be made by a majority vote among all the leaders, considering the potential casualties. If we don¡¯t meet these conditions, I¡¯ll consider my moral responsibility fulfilled and follow your opinion.¡±


    Ricks asked,


    ¡°What exactly is this method?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long explanation. I¡¯ll tell you all at once when all the leaders are gathered.¡±


    I stood up and left the fortress.


    Outside, Aslay and Limberton were waiting.


    ¡°What¡¯s the decision?¡± Limberton asked.


    I gave a roundabout answer.


    ¡°You asked me before if I could kill a child trying to kill me.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Seeing Limberton¡¯s half-fearful face, I hoisted the backpack onto my shoulder.


    ¡°For now, we¡¯ve decided to try saving them.¡±


    Limberton sighed in relief.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    ¡°So, I need you two to do something for me.¡±


    The instructions I gave them were clear.


    ¡°By now, the students from Adelle and Buerger Halls are likely struggling with the same issues we are. Tell them we have a good solution. If they doubt, remind them that it¡¯s better to band together than to be hunted separately.¡±


    Aslay and Limberton nodded and quickly ran off.


    I reflected on the playable character in the young roaming band as I walked.


    Could a member of Frost Heart like me save Melin¡¯s life?


    No, pointless questions. I would find out soon enough.


    ***


    In the Adelle Hall, a meeting was taking place.


    Due to the small number of members, all were present, not just the leaders.


    After witnessing the child explosions and realizing through reconnaissance that the enemy moved in military-sized groups, they were on edge.


    ¡°There were countless footprints of varying sizes, and many broken branches indicated some were moving through the trees.¡±


    When the report ended, discussions on how to handle the situation began.


    The opinions were largely divided into two camps.


    Riamon sat with his greatsword stabbed into the ground behind him.


    ¡°So, we kill them, right? Our unit is in favor.¡±


    ¡°Riamon, I¡¯ve told you many times, I¡¯m the leader!!¡±


    ¡°You agreed with me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡±


    ¡°So why hesitate now? You were ready to kill a kid when you thought it was justified.¡±


    ¡°That was¡­ under different circumstances. If it wasn¡¯t for the intervention of my big brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, all talk, no action.¡±


    Some felt uneasy, but the majority leaned towards approval, including Silla.


    ¡°You all saw the explosions. Beheading them is more humane.¡±


    ¡°But Silla, we should be more cautious.¡±


    ¡°You almost got hurt too. If you hadn¡¯t quickly enveloped yourself in aura, you¡¯d have been fatally wounded.¡±


    While Silla and Leana discussed, Belman, who had been silent, spoke up.


    ¡°The discussion is too focused on whether to kill or not. We need to consider this from multiple angles.¡±


    Belman¡¯s voice held significant weight within the Adelle Hall.


    Riamon might be the top student, but his impulsive actions and twisted personality were problematic.


    As the second-best student, Belman was informally recognized as the leader for some time.


    Everyone listened attentively.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have enough information about those children. We don¡¯t even know why they want to kill us. As for the explosions, they seem like some sort of dark magic. If anyone here has knowledge about it, please raise your hand. We need to know if there¡¯s a way to break the spell.¡±


    If they had such information, it would help in gathering more intel and appeasing the dissenters.


    As they exchanged glances, someone raised their hand.


    ¡°Dalum, you¡¯re in the Knight Division, but you seem knowledgeable about magic.¡±


    Belman¡¯s tone was surprised as he spoke. Dalum scratched his head.


    ¡°No, not really. I just remember there being an extracurricular on dark magic.¡±


    ¡°¡­You mean non-mainstream magic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I saw the registration list by chance. Only one person signed up for that class.¡±


    Belman¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Who was it?¡±


    ¡°It was Hersel.¡±


    The students murmured amongst themselves. Erucel looked incredulous.


    ¡°My brother?¡±


    ¡°What? Your brother?¡±


    Erucel shouted at Riamon and then questioned Dalum again.


    ¡°Are you sure it was him?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s hard to miss such a notorious figure.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why him?¡±


    Despite Hersel¡¯s notoriety, they had to acknowledge his intelligence.


    ¡°Hersel tied for first in the written exam. Even though dark magic isn¡¯t a main subject, I believe he knows a fair amount.¡±


    Hersel had solved the difficult rune problems in the exam.


    His prowess during the wolf incident was no fluke either.


    Belman recalled the impressive display and continued.


    ¡°Perhaps he has already figured out a solution.¡±


    Belman picked up his staff.


    ¡°It¡¯s worth consulting him. I¡¯ll head to the Schlaphe camp right now.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Riamon, who had been mocking, stood up and drew his greatsword from the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to come along. Mind if I join?¡±


    The students stared at him. Belman was also surprised.


    Riamon¡¯s active participation was unusual.


    ¡°Do as you please.¡±


    As they started to leave, they saw Aslay and Limberton approaching.


    Riamon blinked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Limberton? That idiot¡­¡±


    ¡°You know him too?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Should I tell them?¡±


    Riamon looked at the sky and continued.


    ¡°During the third exam, that fool begged me to help Hersel. He ended up giving me all his coins. Without that, Hersel would have been the top student in the Adelle Hall.¡±


    The students¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°What? He would¡¯ve been the top student?¡±


    Riamon sneered.


    ¡°Yes. But for some reason, he gave up the first place. If he wanted to, he could have taken all my coins.¡±


    Belman wanted to ask more, but now wasn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear more about that later.¡±


    Limberton arrived, panting heavily.


    ¡°Huff. Huff. Hersel says to gather all forces at the Schlaphe camp.¡±


    ¡°Gather all forces? Hmm.¡±


    Belman nodded.


    ¡°Alright. Do you all agree?¡±


    He asked the leaders, who nodded in confusion.


    Limberton was surprised.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re all coming without asking why?¡±


    ¡°No need. You must be facing the same issue. Hersel has found the answer. Am I wrong?¡±


    Limberton blinked.


    ¡°¡­Yes, Belman, you¡¯re right. But how do we get the Buerger Hall kids to cooperate?¡±


    Belman answered nonchalantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If the Adelle Hall moves to the Schlaphe camp, the Buerger Hall becomes the target. Just tell them that.¡±


    Adelle Hall moving was convincing enough.


    If the top students were moving, there must be a good reason.


    As predicted, convincing the Buerger Hall was easy.


    Soon, all forces headed to the Schlaphe camp.


    ***


    The Schlaphe camp¡¯s activity was strange.


    They were all gathered, dismantling burnt ¡°multi-fortresses¡± to rebuild them.


    Melin asked the commander beside her,


    ¡°Can those really be reused?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Imperial technology. We only burned the structures, not the core. As long as that¡¯s intact, they can be recharged with mana and reused.¡±


    The fortresses were being reconstructed.


    The camp¡¯s layout seemed odd, forming a circular barrier around the main fortresses.


    The center was obscured.


    The commander cursed.


    ¡°¡­What are they planning?¡±


    ¡°No idea.¡±


    Growing impatient, the commander told Melin,


    ¡°We need to attack now.¡±


    ¡°Now? The raid was planned for the day after tomorrow. That¡¯s why we burned their supplies, right?¡±


    The original plan was to attack when they were weakened by hunger and relaxed towards the end of the test.


    The commander explained impatiently,


    ¡°Think. The longer we wait, the worse it is for us. They¡¯re preparing a large-scale assault, and they¡¯re all gathered, leaving no gaps.¡±


    ¡°I get that.¡±


    Despite the odds, their individual strength was incomparable.


    The roaming band¡¯s only chance was to catch stragglers with overwhelming numbers.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    The enemies were stronger than expected.


    Even the commander admitted they hadn¡¯t anticipated the wolves being wiped out in two days.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll almost be annihilated.¡±


    The commander sighed.


    ¡°Do you think time is on our side? They leave in two days, but we don¡¯t. We¡¯re in worse conditions.¡±


    Melin fell silent.


    She couldn¡¯t deny his logic.


    They had only two days to bring back their opponents¡¯ heads or face death.


    ¡°So now¡¯s the chance. Their knights are exhausted from building, and their mages are recharging mana stones, some even exhausted. Plus, their supplies are burnt. They must be hungry by now. Tomorrow, our chances decrease.¡±


    The argument made sense, and Melin nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. We¡¯ve always done this. Those who fall behind die. Look at the survivors. Ten times more have died.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Survival of the fittest was the roaming band¡¯s way, a truth Melin knew all too well.


    ¡°So, get ready. I¡¯ll inform the other commanders.¡±


    While he spoke to the commanders, Melin approached the instructor.


    He smiled approvingly.


    ¡°Starting now? Wise decision.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea, but yes. Instructor, I need the spell.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The instructor drew an electric rune and filled it with mana.


    Melin inhaled it.


    ¡°Huu.¡±


    ¡°Interesting talent, always. Remember, Melin, you¡¯re a commander because of this gift. Now, go use it.¡±


    The preparations were complete.


    The moon was high.


    Most of the Frost Heart students were asleep, save for a few guards.


    It was the perfect night for a surprise attack.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 97

    The power of Fiend magic was generally stronger than regular, mainstream magic. The synergy between mana and dark energy, even just for self-destruct spells, was immense. Despite this, Fiend magic was regarded as non-mainstream and often shunned for several reasons.Mental contamination? Among magicians, eccentrics were common. Many were already so obsessed with magic that they would sell their souls. But this wasn¡¯t the main reason Fiend magic was rejected and failed to become mainstream.


    The main reason was the critical weakness inherent in the dark energy that Fiend magic relied on.


    ¡ºAnti-Magic Potion¡»


    This potion could restore any phenomena caused by dark energy to their original state. And the primary ingredient for this potion was this:


    ¡ºHoly Herb¡»


    An herb containing components that suppress dark energy.


    Hetherson, an expert in Fiend magic, had said:


    If you encounter anyone with either of these two things, retreat immediately.


    There were only about ten sentries. The rest of the personnel were either in the fortress or resting in the open space beyond it.


    Melin looked at her teammates holding torches.


    ¡°After taking out the sentries, set fire to the fortresses. The enemies will panic and rush out one by one.¡±


    The enemy wouldn¡¯t expect an all-out assault, especially since they were also huddled together.


    ¡°When they¡¯re confused, quickly target their necks and then escape. Understood?¡±


    Her team members nodded. The young roaming band members approached silently, then suddenly increased their speed.


    Thump thump thump!


    A simultaneous assault.


    The yawning sentries opened their eyes in shock.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°An attack!¡±


    Melin didn¡¯t intend to take their heads. Her real targets were members of the Adelle Hall or the companions of the ponytailed man.


    As the units approached the sentries with their weapons, Melin felt a chill from their conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s happening tonight, just like that guy said¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s pull back for now.¡±


    Melin slowed her pace. The sentries didn¡¯t raise an alarm or even scream; they simply turned and ran away silently.


    That could only mean¡­


    ¡°An ambush!!¡±


    Another squad leader shouted as the fortress doors orderly opened wide. The enemies emerged swiftly and in perfect formation, even from between the fortresses due to limited space.


    As they drew their swords, the advancing children stopped abruptly. Melin, with a trembling voice, ordered her unit.


    ¡°Retreat!¡±


    Just then, the windows on the second floor of the fortress swung open, revealing figures with staffs. Among them, Melin noticed a familiar face next to a short man¡ªthe blonde man.


    The swordmaster. He was undoubtedly the one who had sliced her sleeve with his sword energy during reconnaissance.


    Melin turned and fled without looking back.


    Whoosh!


    The stinging smell of burning and the intense heat surrounded her. Sweat formed on her forehead.


    She was blocked by walls of fire.


    With no way out, her comrades started to panic. The enemy soldiers raised their swords and approached slowly. The significant difference in height only intensified the fear.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? We have to fight to the death.¡±


    ¡°Hey, commander? Give us some orders.¡±


    Despite her squad members calling her, Melin couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the window. The man jumped down from the railing, landing lightly as a feather before setting his feet on the ground.


    Thud.


    He stood at the front and scanned the young roaming band. Just his gaze made them feel oppressed. Melin was certain.


    Their eyes met, and Melin flinched, her ears perking up as he opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Squad leaders, throw down your weapons and step forward.¡±


    The term ¡®squad leaders¡¯ from his lips caused a stir among the young roaming band. Melin was also taken aback. This meant he knew the structure of their organization.


    Melin quickly dismissed the thought. Perhaps they learned it from their instructors. What mattered was that the blonde man was a swordmaster and that she had to comply with his demand. If he slashed with his invisible sword energy, her head would be lopped off.


    Thud.


    Leading the way, Melin stepped forward, and the other squad leaders followed, puzzled. In a low voice, she informed them.


    ¡°That¡¯s him. The swordmaster I mentioned¡­¡±


    The squad leaders flinched and dropped their weapons as they approached him. Melin, despite her seemingly compliant attitude, had other thoughts.


    If she could strike down that man, the instructors would be satisfied. Her wish could be granted. Moreover, if she could eliminate their strongest enemy, it would boost her comrades¡¯ morale.


    Thud.


    Melin showed her empty hands, indicating she was unarmed. The man shifted his gaze from the approaching squad leaders to Melin.


    In that moment, Melin¡¯s eyes flashed.


    Crackle¡ª


    Electric sparks erupted from her body. She activated the electric magic she had absorbed, empowering her entire body. Her current speed rivaled lightning, thanks to her mystical power.


    Zoom.


    Melin swiftly drew a hidden dagger from her chest and aimed it at the man¡¯s neck while he was off guard.


    Ping.


    All her aura was concentrated in that strike. However, she felt only a dull pain in her wrist.


    Crack!


    The sound of breaking echoed, and Melin¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The broken pieces of her dagger scattered. While she was bewildered, the man reached out and grabbed her by the collar, lifting her off the ground.


    Whoosh¡ª sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Throughout the process, Melin couldn¡¯t even think of resisting. What use was speed when she was already caught? Melin¡¯s body was thrown to the ground.


    Thud.


    The man applied a knee to her neck, preventing her from struggling further.


    Despite this, Melin mustered all her strength and flailed.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop wasting your energy. The same goes for the rest of you.¡±


    His words completely drained the squad leaders¡¯ will to fight.


    ¡°Melin¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    Their reaction was understandable. As a squad leader, Melin wasn¡¯t particularly capable. She held the position because she was the strongest. Now, seeing her utterly defeated, the children¡¯s faces contorted with fear. The man¡¯s next words were even more surprising.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spare you. Tell the others behind you to drop their weapons and surrender.¡±


    What a foolish statement. The instructor would be watching from afar. If he deemed her captured, he would likely trigger the bombs. Melin tried to rise, even if it meant breaking her neck.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    But the man¡¯s reply made Melin doubt her ears.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the explosions.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Begin!!¡±


    Seconds after his shout, white smoke enveloped the area. Coughing, Melin heard something from the man that made her ears prick up.


    ¡°This smoke contains the scent of herbs that suppress dark energy. You¡¯re safe from explosions for now.¡±


    ***


    I fanned away the smoke trying to penetrate my lungs. The smoke came from the ¡®holy herb¡¯ filling my backpack. This was something easily obtained from Nille¡¯s alchemy workshop, albeit at a considerable cost.


    ¡°Why do you need so much of this expensive stuff?¡±


    Anti-magic potions are costly because their ingredients are not cheap.


    ¡°Just in case. We can return what we don¡¯t use, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, we can stock up on them. It¡¯s not difficult.¡±


    Despite the high cost, it was a drop in the bucket for me after the recent windfall from gambling.


    Additionally, with the promise of a refund, I had nothing to lose.


    Coughing, Melin spoke.


    ¡°Cough. You expect me to believe that?¡±


    Bellam Kingdom opposed the Empire. The instructors had likely indoctrinated her thoroughly. A little persuasion might be necessary.


    ¡°Really? Then why are you still here? Your instructor would have activated the self-destruct curse by now. You were quickly subdued and are still in close proximity to me. This should have been the perfect opportunity.¡±


    Melin¡¯s hostile gaze faltered. Maybe the smoke really did work, and she was half-convinced.


    It was time for a bit more pressure.


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve done our moral duty. If you refuse, you¡¯ll be throwing away your rights as a prisoner.¡±


    Melin, seemingly resigned, said,


    ¡°Fine, just get your knee off me¡­¡±


    After that, the situation quickly stabilized. Melin led the other squad leaders to surrender. The children who followed them also dropped their weapons and raised their hands.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re out of ropes here.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you holding out your wrist? Want a beating?¡±


    One by one, the children were bound. I wondered if I was dreaming. I never imagined they would all comply. If even a few from the other dormitories had stayed behind, the roaming band¡¯s forces might have been divided, causing us significant trouble. According to Limberton, Belman played a significant role, and things seemed to have fallen into place miraculously.


    In any case, I pulled on the rope.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Melin stumbled but managed to keep her footing. What should I do with her now?


    I succeeded in saving her, but hadn¡¯t decided on the specifics yet.


    ¡ôBlessing of the Dark Dragon Alton


    ¡Ô There is no magic that you cannot taste.


    Grants special abilities based on the magic element consumed.


    Fire magic makes you a fire person, water makes you immune to physical attacks.


    The strongest element was electricity. Limited to one strike per charge, but unmatched in speed.


    It would be a waste to retire her. But her story involved growing stronger through the roaming band. If I let her go, she¡¯d be killed under the pretext of failing the exam.


    I organized my thoughts and spoke.


    ¡°Do you have any thoughts of becoming an Imperial citizen? If you accept, I¡¯ll request my family to look after you.¡±


    Leaving her at the family estate wasn¡¯t a bad option. With Aol and Coulot there, perhaps they could help guide her talents, which would benefit her story.


    But Melin refused.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d fall for that?¡±


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t trust an enemy. Even if she did, she¡¯d be concerned about her mother. Given the chance, she¡¯d likely try to escape back home.


    Returning home would reveal a harsh truth, but it was necessary.


    ¡°I won¡¯t force you to stay.¡±


    Even if I relayed her mother¡¯s passing from the estate, she probably wouldn¡¯t believe me.


    Directly witnessing it with her own eyes would be more convincing.


    ¡°For now, your safety will be under Tenest¡¯s care. If you want to leave, say so. We¡¯ll provide a carriage from the family. When you arrive, decide whether to stay with us or not.¡±


    Melin mulled over my words.


    ¡°¡­What do you hope to gain from me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I value your talent.¡±


    I led Melin to the designated prisoner holding area behind the fortress. At its center, a large pile of holy herbs burned brightly, emitting smoke.


    From the roof, Limberton called out to me.


    ¡°Hersel, they¡¯re starting to move. Looks like they¡¯re trying to find a spot to see this area.¡±


    His awakened blessing¡¯s detection ability was now comparable to a radar, an excellent skill for a long-range archer.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably checking why the explosion spell isn¡¯t working. We need to hurry.¡±


    The holy herb smoke was just a temporary measure to buy us time. The dark magic curse wasn¡¯t lifted.


    The only ways to break the self-destruct curse were purification magic, which we couldn¡¯t use yet, or killing the caster.


    We planned to deal with the instructors. The motivation had already been planted.


    ¡°I know everyone¡¯s hungry. The food given to us is just a handful, and you¡¯ve all lost money gambling because of my grades. None of us can remember the last time we had a full meal, right?¡±


    They gulped and their eyes gleamed.


    ¡°As I said, the enemies have food. Let¡¯s take it and eat like humans for the remaining time.¡±


    Dealing with hungry beasts is easy. Just throw them food.


    ¡°Prepare yourselves, and begin, Belman.¡±


    The children distanced themselves from me. The knights raised their shields and exuded aura. The magicians cast defensive spells, and Belman set up a barrier around me. Having previously cleared the smoke with telekinesis, I absorbed the dark energy rising from the ground.


    I was preparing a self-destruct spell. First, I needed to deceive the instructors.


    ***


    From this vantage point, the area beyond the fortress wasn¡¯t visible.


    Thump thump thump.


    The instructor moved quickly, feeling uneasy. There were many concerns.


    It was puzzling why the students didn¡¯t kill the captives but tied them up instead. Since the children were grouped together, it was a perfect opportunity, and he had activated the curse, yet there was no response.


    It was a situation he couldn¡¯t understand without seeing it firsthand.


    As he moved closer to the students¡¯ camp, a pungent smell hit his nose.


    Sniff sniff.


    It was a familiar scent. Any dark magic user would know this nemesis.


    His eyes widened in shock. He had never seen anyone bring such an amount to an exam.


    ¡°Which lunatic¡­!¡±


    As he cursed, a loud explosion rocked the forest.


    Boom!


    White light and black smoke spread in all directions.


    He didn¡¯t know the details, but the self-destruct curse seemed to have finally activated.


    ¡°Looks like they ran out of holy herbs!¡±


    The instructor smiled wickedly, hearing the successive explosions.


    ¡°The children are unfortunate, but rules are rules. If they wanted to survive, they should have passed like me.¡±


    Several figures emerged from the black smoke. This was within his expectations.


    Each year, there were always capable individuals who survived the explosions.


    He grabbed his staff. Those who survived would be troublesome opponents for the roaming band later.


    Better to eliminate them early.


    He looked around. Oddly, the professors were nowhere to be seen.


    Usually, they¡¯d intervene when he took action.


    That was concerning, but as long as he acted quickly, it should be fine.


    The instructor entered the Schlaphe camp. Two other instructors joined him shortly after.


    ¡°Ha, seems we all had the same idea.¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing with no interruptions.¡±


    ¡°But where¡¯s Amul?¡±


    ¡°He went to kill the swordmaster in the highlands.¡±


    ¡°Always full of pride.¡±


    ¡°Well, he does have the skill for it.¡±


    Instructor Berme, who had a scar on his lips, drew his sword.


    ¡°Still, that guy is beneath me. Foolish as always, focused on appearances.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that, Berme.¡±


    As they conversed, they arrived at their prey. Berme licked his scar as he eyed the leading man.


    Years of experience told him that the blonde man was the leader.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take those blue eyes.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 98

    A secluded fortress. Professors from Frost Heart were observing the situation through a crystal orb.¡°The extermination ended quicker than expected.¡±


    At the skinny professor¡¯s comment, the burly, hairy professor scratched his chin.


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a good thing. Professor Rockefeller wanted this to make sure Hersel Ben Tenest wouldn¡¯t score well.¡±


    The three-headed wolves had long since fled their habitat.


    ¡°Actually, the extermination wasn¡¯t really relevant. He wasn¡¯t interested in the three-headed wolves from the start. He¡¯s been focusing on gathering points through harvesting all along.¡±


    Given the circumstances, no suitable sabotage plan came to mind. Acting too overtly would appear too blatant. There seemed to be no effective way to lower Hersel¡¯s grades.


    ¡°Right? We¡¯ve completely struck out here.¡±


    ¡°At least we¡¯ve accurately assessed the students¡¯ strengths. We can see their growth clearly. Maybe even the instructors will reveal themselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. He did ask us to look into that.¡±


    Rockefeller had instructed them to observe quietly if the instructors targeted specific students. Normally, professors would intervene immediately if adults interfered in students¡¯ conflicts. This was clearly considered another aspect of their growth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not be complacent. He did tell us to assist if things became dangerous.¡±


    ¡°True, but there shouldn¡¯t be any immediate danger, right? They haven¡¯t even fought the roaming band yet.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The professors looked at the orb with surprised eyes. Students from Adelle Hall and Buerger Hall were moving en masse, heading toward the Schlaphe camp.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡±


    ¡°They must be trying to join forces.¡±


    ¡°That much is obvious. What I¡¯m curious about is why they¡¯re gathering at the Schlaphe camp.¡±


    The higher-ranked dormitories had more pride. Though they occasionally banded together for mutual benefit, Adelle Hall was always the central player, summoning others to come to them. Why now¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. Usually, Schlaphe would be the ones seeking help.¡±


    ¡°No, it must be that kid again. He¡¯s up to something, no doubt about it.¡±


    In the orb, Hersel was explaining something to everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What a baffling kid. He was like this during the entrance exam, and now he¡¯s up to some new trick¡­¡±


    The students began building fortresses again. Time passed, and the fortresses formed a circular formation.


    Just then, the orb showed the roaming band preparing to attack.


    The hairy professor¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Oh? Looks like it¡¯s about to start.¡±


    ¡°Smoke?¡±


    ¡°What are they burning?¡±


    The orb was filled with thick smoke, obscuring the view of what was happening.


    The professors stood up abruptly. Soon, an explosion occurred inside the circular fortress.


    ¡°The self-destruct curse has been triggered!!¡±


    ¡°Damn, if they let their guard down, the damage will be immense.¡±


    The roaming band would have been annihilated, and the instructors might target the surviving students. The professors hastily armed themselves.


    ¡°It seems the instructors are starting to move.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that guy with the scar on his lips¡­ Could it be¡­?¡±


    The hairy professor pointed at a man. The skinny professor gasped and widened his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s him! The Bloody Viper, Berme!!¡±


    Even among the roaming band, there were renowned adversaries. The Bloody Viper Berme was particularly infamous, having killed over a dozen Pathfinders. ?


    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry and grab your weapon!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s move immediately!¡±


    The hairy professor ran quickly, sighing with relief.


    Berme was a formidable opponent, but with Hersel Ben Tenest, things would work out somehow.


    ¡°Thank goodness. With Hersel Ben Tenest, things will be easier.¡±


    The crystal orb, now left alone, showed Hersel and his team emerging through the smoke.


    ***


    To lure the instructors, we needed suitable bait. Therefore, the combat team was composed of a small group of playable characters, including capable allies like Aslay and Gravel.


    But why was this oddball added to the mix?


    I glanced at Erucel.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Notably, Silla and Belman were excluded from the fight. Silla was injured, and Belman was tasked with maintaining a wide, thin barrier to keep the smoke from escaping, given our limited supply of holy herbs.


    Belman was inside with the children, effectively filling in for him.


    We faced three instructors in total.


    ¡°As I said, our top priority is the magician. If we don¡¯t take him down before our holy herbs run out, all of this will be for nothing. Remember, we¡¯re racing against time.¡±


    I looked at Aslay, Limberton, and the bob-haired woman.


    I had instructed those three to focus on tracking the magician if he tried to escape.


    ¡°Leana, Ricks, and Gravel. You remember your roles?¡±


    The three of them were assigned to match up against one of the instructors based on their strengths. Including me, Riamon and Erucel would face the remaining man.


    Our target was the Bloody Viper Berme, a foe formidable enough to challenge active Pathfinders. Even for playable characters, he was not an easy opponent.


    However, I believed we had a chance due to a reliable backup plan.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    I advanced through the dust curtain created by the self-destruct spell. The three instructors¡¯ eyes gleamed. The middle-aged man with the scar on his lips licked his lips.


    He was undoubtedly Berme.


    ¡°Hmm, all the targets have come out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. There was also that guy with glasses.¡±


    ¡°He can be dealt with later. More importantly, a man we must eliminate has shown himself.¡±


    Berme looked at me.


    ¡°Judging by your blond hair, you must be the swordmaster?¡±


    Unconsciously, I averted my gaze. The other two instructors chatted, unaware of my internal dilemma.


    ¡°So he¡¯s the swordmaster Melin mentioned?¡±


    ¡°Ha, Berme seems quite interested.¡±


    My head began to ache. My original plan was to let Riamon take the lead while I provided support. But now, due to the self-destruct spell, I couldn¡¯t use magic for approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes.


    Getting targeted by Berme wouldn¡¯t be beneficial.


    Swish¡ª


    When we drew our weapons, the instructors did the same, readying for battle.


    Just then, a breeze began to clear the dust. Berme looked toward the fortress and smirked.


    ¡°The self-destruct curse didn¡¯t activate.¡±


    Following his gaze, I saw the collapsing fortress. The explosion seemed to be starting now.


    Through the gap, the children inside the barrier became faintly visible.


    Berme spoke excitedly.


    ¡°The explosion smoke was your magic, huh?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. After my self-destruct, I had used minor explosion magic to stage the scene. Knowing that¡­


    ¡°The smoke in that barrier must be from burning holy herbs. Given how it¡¯s thinning, you must have a limited supply.¡±


    Too much information had been exposed.


    ¡°Then, the rest of the troops must be waiting nearby.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I shouted urgently.


    ¡°Attack! Now!¡±


    The students hidden inside the fortress rushed out.


    Berme sheathed his sword and stepped back.


    ¡°Retreat for now. It¡¯s a trap.¡±


    Berme turned, and the two instructors followed, looking alarmed.


    As we chased them, their voices echoed in my ears.


    ¡°Something seemed off. Toland, don¡¯t even think about fighting them.¡±


    ¡°Berme, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Heh, they plan to save the children by sacrificing themselves as bait.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, Toland. They set this trap to kill you and break the self-destruct curse. If we stay here, we¡¯ll be up against their entire force.¡±


    The two instructors laughed heartily.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! This is getting interesting!¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought these young ones could devise such a plan. We must kill them. Hurry up! If we¡¯re too slow, the children will blow up.¡±


    The Bloody Viper Berme.


    I knew he had sharp instincts. Even with bad luck, who would¡¯ve guessed he¡¯d figure out our most hated move so quickly?


    This is why I said there was no certainty in this plan. It could easily turn into a game of cat and mouse.


    Thump thump thump!


    We chased at full speed. But they had already disappeared into the thicket.


    I clicked my tongue involuntarily.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    I halted abruptly and signaled the others to stop.


    If we had launched a simultaneous ambush with 239 hidden students, we might have won. But as it stood, we failed.


    ¡°Ow. Why did you stop so suddenly? I bumped into you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous ahead, Erucel.¡±


    I told the group, except for the elite unit, to stay back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow us. This forest is dangerous. You¡¯ll only get in the way, so wait here.¡±


    Erucel asked in a bewildered voice.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Their skills match those of our professors. We¡¯re like chicks compared to them. Sending a large force into the thicket would only increase casualties.¡±


    Everyone looked tense. Facing enemies on par with professors was daunting, especially for first-year students in their first semester.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As I said earlier, we had backup.


    Our insurance was not the students preparing for the ambush, but the professors who would surely appear when the instructors showed up.


    The roaming band episode was actually a tutorial designed to teach playable characters how Pathfinders fought.


    ¡°They should be here soon.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, the professors appeared.


    Recently bested by Leana, but now reassuringly present, the hairy professor scanned the anxious students and grinned.


    ¡°The troop arrangement is good.¡±


    The hairy professor was the one to face Berme. I felt relieved, standing behind him.


    But then he did something outrageous.


    ¡°Hmm, but there are some wasted troops. You, move over there. You too.¡±


    Following his orders, Riamon and Erucel were reassigned to another group.


    I blinked in confusion at the odd situation.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve seen him. The man with the vertical scar on his lips. His name is Berme, the Bloody Viper. He¡¯s a formidable opponent, even among Pathfinders. The other two instructors aren¡¯t as strong, but they¡¯re still skilled.¡±


    This didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°So, Berme will be handled by one person, and the rest will split into two groups for the hunt. Of course, the one facing Berme will be¡­¡±


    Sensing imminent danger, I tried to sneak behind Erucel.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, you¡¯ll handle Berme alone, right?¡±


    Are you out of your mind, Professor?


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 99

    The hairy professor, Gomon, had heard countless stories about Hersel. Hersel was a topic of conversation even among the professors. Not only had he subdued a couple who had infiltrated the Forbidden Library, but he had also blocked an attack with his bare body¡ªan attack that even Professor Rockefeller found difficult to handle.Gomon liked Hersel. He took his eyes off him and looked at the assembled units.


    Gomon, as a professor, knew all the characteristics of his outstanding students. Their talents matched well with the enemies they would face.


    ¡°Alright then, Hersel Ben Tenest. I¡¯ll leave Berme to you. Let¡¯s go and chase down the other two.¡±


    Gomon waved his staff. Blue footprints began to appear in three directions along the forest path. This was a tracking spell that combined Earth Elemental Magic and Shaping Magic.


    Ricks¡¯ eyes lit up.


    ¡°Professor, you¡¯re incredible! When can I learn that magic?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn it in your second year. But don¡¯t get too excited. If your opponent is determined enough, they can erase their traces even with this magic. In this case, they left the traces on purpose, probably hoping you¡¯d follow.¡±


    At that moment, Hersel took the lead, walking ahead. Gomon liked that too, the way he took initiative. However, he was going in the wrong direction.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, the mage went to the right. Your target is to the left.¡±


    The professors led their students on the chase. Left alone at the edge of the forest, Hersel frowned as he watched Gomon¡¯s back.


    ¡°Does he have some grudge against me?¡±


    ***


    I stood idly at the edge of the forest, turning my head to look around. Then, I gazed at the Schlaphe camp, a clearing created through logging, with a distant look in my eyes.


    What would happen if I just turned back now?


    I cut off the pointless question. The chances of being discovered as an empty-headed fool would only increase. If I didn¡¯t want to contribute to bringing the nightmares I¡¯d been having for days into reality, I had to keep walking. Besides, the strategy I had devised was now completely messed up, so there was a need to supervise things directly.


    Ten minutes after entering the thicket, Donatan spoke up.


    ¨C The situation we feared came sooner than expected.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¨C You seem surprisingly calm. Do you have a plan?


    ¡°Of course. Just pretend I was chasing him and lost track. That should be enough.¡±


    Such neglect would inevitably introduce the variable of increased difficulty. But that was a problem to be dealt with when the time came.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s leisurely pretend to search.¡±


    Slowly, I cast the basic White Light magic at the tip of my staff. Nothing happened.


    ¡°What was I thinking?¡±


    I had momentarily forgotten that after casting a self-destructive spell, I couldn¡¯t use magic for three hours. I had no choice but to take out a small lantern from my backpack and light it.


    Ping!


    As expected, a transparent thread near my feet reflected the light. These guys were known for being good at setting traps to eliminate their competitors. It was a quickly set up trap.


    Hmm, even while fleeing, they set up something like this.


    ¡°They¡¯re experts at killing pathfinders. Crazy enough to develop their own tools.¡±


    Zap!


    There was a device embedded with magic stones at both ends of the thread, from which lightning was emitted. If not for my ¡®one-second invincibility,¡¯ my organs would have been fried.


    -¡­Why did you stop walking again?


    ¡°Just taking a minute¡¯s rest.¡±


    I planned to gather some excuses, like being caught in a trap, so I could say I lost them. I made my clothes look a bit messy and bought some time for my mana to recover. I kept walking, searching for traps like a treasure hunt.


    Whizz-


    There was even a beehive trap, which was difficult for knights to handle. These bees were raised on venomous honey, and their sting could be fatal. But as long as you knew how to deal with them, it was easy.


    Slash!


    I swiftly killed three scouting bees and pulled out a sack. I quickly covered the hive with the sack and brought the lantern¡¯s flame close to it. Listening to the crackling sound, I continued forward.


    -Your quick thinking always surprises me.


    ¡°One needs to know such things to survive, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    -Haha, I suppose so.


    I was a bit surprised because it was the first time Donatan had laughed.


    ¡°Why the sudden change? You¡¯re giving me chills.¡±


    -It¡¯s just that I realized something.


    ¡°What?¡±


    -Did you know? I used to think of you as nothing but a treacherous villain. All your schemes were cunning tricks far removed from honor.


    Now he was insulting me. I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    -But as I kept watching, I realized something. You were doing your best in your own way. Despite your poor health, you never despaired, nor did you become lazy. And in the end, you achieved something, didn¡¯t you?


    It seemed he was referring to the swordsmanship exclusive to mage-swordsmen.


    ¡°Are you talking about the Mana Blade?¡±


    -Yes. That is truly admirable.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who always complained that you had the wrong master.¡±


    -Which is why it¡¯s all the more meaningful.


    Donatan¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. Now that I think about it, when I first demonstrated it, he was happier than I was.


    ¡°But what does it matter? It¡¯s just an imitation that falls slightly short of the real thing. What I learned from Hetherson is nothing more than coating the sword with a small amount of mana.¡±


    -That¡¯s true. There¡¯s still a long way to go.


    ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s focus. The enemy isn¡¯t nearby, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I only sense small animals.¡±


    Next up was either a cursed talisman attached to a tree or an automated device that fired poisoned darts. Since they could be bypassed, there was no need to deal with them. I continued to follow the green footprints, dismantling similar traps along the way.


    Halfway through, the traps stopped appearing. The footprints of Berme veered sharply to the right.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I started to read his mind. Even after all this time, I hadn¡¯t shown myself. In this situation, the fugitive¡¯s thoughts would be something like this: They were wiped out by the traps, or the enemies never chased us to begin with. Or maybe, seeing that no one had come for so long, they were observing from afar, but then got scared and ran away when he saw someone crazily charging through the traps.


    In any case, all three guesses would lead to one course of action.


    ¡°The enemy must have joined the other instructor.¡±


    It was a simple deduction. If he thought we were wiped out, he had no more business here. If he concluded that no one had pursued him, it would naturally lead him to believe we were focusing on hunting the other two instructors. This would eventually drive him to go and offer support.


    Well, if he witnessed me breaking through the traps and felt threatened, he would probably say, ¡°That monster!¡± and run off to ask for help instead¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. This was the left path of the forest, right? Then he must have gone to the instructor fleeing towards the center.¡±


    -That sounds plausible. To join forces, they would need to pass through the center first.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    There was no reason for Berme to take a roundabout way to meet the right-side instructor. This meant that a battle was likely to occur soon.


    ¡°The center was led by that hairy professor, Gomon, wasn¡¯t it¡­?¡±


    It was a force that would struggle against two instructors. If left unchecked, they were likely to be wiped out.


    Swoosh-


    I took out my pocket watch. There were 17 minutes left until I could use magic again. I had bought enough time. I followed the footprints to go and help them.


    ***


    Berme was leaping from tree to tree, scowling. Only one was chasing him. It wounded his pride that the professors had only sent a single student to face him. But that was only momentary. When he checked the situation through his telescope, he couldn¡¯t help but agree.


    ¡°That absurd bastard¡­¡±


    Berme was at a loss for words. What kind of lunatic deliberately looked for traps just to step into them? That was horrifying enough, but there was something even more terrifying.


    ¡°How the hell is he unscathed?¡±


    Even if he had wrapped his entire body in aura, it didn¡¯t make sense. His legs should have been broken, or at least he should have sustained some fractures. At the very least, he should have had some scratches.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to face him alone.¡±


    Berme put the vial of pills he had been toying with back into his pocket. For now, it was better to join the instructors and deal with Hersel together. If the professors joined forces with that monster, it would become a nightmare.


    ¡°Magic swordsman, I¡¯ll take your head after I kill the others first.¡±


    Berme twisted his lips into a grin as he looked at the trees marked with signs of battle. He was close. It was unmistakable that the instructors were currently fighting the Frost Heart group nearby.


    ***


    Gomon wasn¡¯t doing anything. He just aimed his staff and watched in admiration.


    ¡°They¡¯re putting up a better fight than I expected.¡±


    The opponent was an instructor. Leana was clearly at a disadvantage in swordsmanship. But occasionally, she managed to advance a step forward, pressing the instructor. While she had recently grown rapidly, it was thanks to the support of Ricks and Gravel, who were backing her up with magic.


    The instructor, with shackles on his ankles, gritted his teeth. When he swung his sword, the shackles turned to dust and scattered. Though they were fake, created by Shaping Magic, they weighed as much as the real thing. The instructor readjusted his grip on his sword and pressed Leana again.


    Sshhng¡ª


    As he thrust his sword, Leana twisted her blade to deflect it. But her technique was still clumsy. The instructor saw an opening.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Without retracting his sword, the instructor followed up with a horizontal slash. He had wrapped his arm with aura, strengthening his muscles to make the swing as powerful as a full slash.


    Thunk.


    But then, his arm tingled with a sudden static shock, temporarily paralyzing him. Gravel had electrocuted him with an electric spell. Leana quickly leaped back, escaping the attack range.


    ¡°Troublesome brats¡­¡±


    The instructor swallowed hard.


    ¡°For their age, their achievements are impressive. Especially this red-haired girl¡­ doesn¡¯t she ever get tired?¡±


    Even an outstanding student should have been exhausted by now. Yet, Leana wasn¡¯t even panting. The instructor narrowed his eyes, releasing more aura.


    His attention wasn¡¯t on Leana but elsewhere.


    ¡°This is a troublesome situation.¡±


    Behind him was a professor, holding his staff at the ready, merely observing. If the instructor tried to kill the students with all his strength, the professor would intervene immediately. Ignoring the professor and going for the kill would expose a significant weakness to him. And that was no ordinary Pathfinder¡ªit was the infamous ¡°Stone Owl,¡± Gomon.


    But the instructor couldn¡¯t afford to fight on Gomon¡¯s terms. As time passed, his stamina would be drained. Caught in this no-win situation, the instructor had no choice but to reveal his trump card. It was a small box.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d have to use this precious thing here.¡±


    Gomon grinned as if he had been waiting for this.


    ¡°So you¡¯re finally pulling it out?¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Gomon. Now, let¡¯s have some fun, just us adults.¡±


    Crash!


    The instructor stomped on the box, shattering it. Smoke billowed out, seeping into the instructor¡¯s nostrils.


    ***


    Ricks asked Gomon.


    ¡°Professor, what is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like the trademark of the Roaming Band. A potion that allows you to use some of a monster¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Is something like that even possible?¡±


    ¡°The resources of the demonic realm are full of mysteries. You can¡¯t think in conventional terms. There are many substances that cause bizarre phenomena.¡±


    The existence of the life herb, which was said to extend a person¡¯s lifespan, had already been proven. That meant they had obtained and tested countless materials. Some of them reacted in strange ways when combined with parts of certain monsters.


    ¡°Anyway, as I explained about the traps earlier, the Roaming Band are a bunch of twisted people who only research perverse things. That potion was also achieved through human experimentation. But drinking it can cause permanent damage, so never touch that stuff.¡±


    Gravel, who had been nervous, became even more uneasy at Gomon¡¯s nonchalant explanation.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for a lecture, Professor.¡±


    Smoke poured out with every breath the instructor took. Seeing his bloodshot eyes, Gomon began to draw magic circles in the air. Rocks gathered around Gomon, forming a thick suit of armor.


    ¡°Ahem. Anyway, staying around here will get you hurt.¡±


    If the students were taken hostage, it would be problematic.


    ¡°You should join the unit on the right.¡±


    Ricks seemed to understand immediately, as he began to pull Gravel and Leana away. The students had almost disappeared into the distance when, in that fleeting moment, the instructor charged.


    Thud!


    The instructor¡¯s sword stabbed into Gomon¡¯s stone armor. Gomon grinned.


    ¡°Hmm, judging by its effect, that potion must be made from a Barrovite.¡±


    The Barrovite was a rabbit monster the size of a human. Given the instructor¡¯s eyes and bulging leg muscles, it was likely true.


    The instructor spoke.


    ¡°The name ¡®Stone Owl¡¯ suits you well.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I hate that name. There are so many cool names out there, but an owl? Really?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever looked in a mirror?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe if I lost some weight, I could have gotten a better nickname?¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever. In your next life, I hope you get a name you¡¯re satisfied with.¡±


    The instructor pushed his sword with all his might.


    Crack!


    The armor began to split. But something was off. The instructor noticed the strange texture and quickly pulled back his sword, retreating at once. He found that his blade was coated in lime residue.


    ¡°A petrification curse?¡±


    Who knew how many enchantments were layered on that stone armor? The instructor enveloped his entire sword in aura, shattering the curse.


    Gomon¡¯s expression turned serious.


    ¡°With that sword, you might actually be able to cut me down. In that case¡­¡±


    Stone spears shot up from the ground where the instructor stood.


    Whoosh!


    The instructor quickly jumped onto a tree. Gomon lazily waved his staff. Rocks shot out in a straight line like cannonballs, and trees began to fall one after another.


    Crack!


    The instructor desperately slashed at the stone spears rising from the ground. He used rapid aura manipulation to evade when possible and resorted to using invulnerability when he couldn¡¯t. As the reckless onslaught continued, sweat began to drip down the instructor¡¯s forehead. Meanwhile, Gomon, without showing any signs of fatigue, continued his magic as if he were playing a musical score.


    ¡°Damn it, his mana reserves are monstrous, just like the rumors say.¡±


    If this kept up, he¡¯d only be put at a greater disadvantage. The instructor released all the aura in his body. He intended to end this in one decisive strike, no matter who won. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gomon raised an eyebrow and asked.


    ¡°Oh? Ending it already?¡±


    ¡°It hurts my pride, but I must admit it. If it weren¡¯t for the potion, I¡¯d have died long ago.¡±


    The instructor channeled all his speed and aura into his sword as he charged.


    Tatatat!


    He narrowly dodged the stone spears and rock cannonballs. Just as his sword was about to pierce Gomon¡¯s throat, Gomon¡¯s stone armor melted and flowed like a wave, engulfing the instructor.


    Crack!


    In an instant, the stone solidified again. The instructor was trapped inside, with only his face sticking out. Gomon stared at him with cold, merciless eyes, pointing his staff at his forehead.


    ¡°This is a pity. It could have been a great opportunity to teach the students about combat.¡±


    The tip of his staff began to glow. The instructor squeezed his eyes shut, but then his eyes shot open at a voice from above.


    ¡°Use every ounce of strength for invulnerability, Gurt.¡±


    ¡°Berme?¡±


    The instructor¡¯s face lit up, and Gomon immediately stepped back, his eyes wide with surprise. Berme was descending from above, aiming to land on the stone trapping the instructor.


    Boom!


    Crash!


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 100

    With an overwhelming kick, the stone shattered into fragments. Though the instructor was freed, he coughed up a significant amount of blood, indicating severe internal injuries.¡°Cough.¡±


    ¡°Pathetic. Are you about to die from just this?¡±


    ¡°Y-You could have been a bit gentler¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, just rest for now. I¡¯ll need your help to kill the one trailing me.¡±


    Gomon asked in a startled voice, ¡°Are you talking about Hersel?¡±


    Berme scowled. ¡°That blonde guy¡¯s name is Hersel? I can¡¯t believe that monster is still a student¡­ What on earth is going on with this year¡¯s Frost Heart?¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t know the details, it seemed Berme had fled from Hersel.


    Berme drew his sword.


    Sssng¡ª


    The purple blade gleamed menacingly. It was a falchion, 70 centimeters long, with the blade widening towards the tip.


    Gomon could feel in his bones that Berme was no easy opponent.


    Spots began to appear on Gomon¡¯s skin. These formed lines that eventually merged into a magical pattern.


    Berme¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Is that Spirit Magic?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, say hello to Stone Bear.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the magical pattern on his skin, a bear made of stone emerged. The bear was small, barely the size of a palm, floating in the air. It had no intimidating presence, but Berme¡¯s expression remained serious.


    Spirit Magic¡ªhigh-level magic that only those with exceptional talent in elemental magic could achieve.


    ¡°It may look unimpressive, but I¡¯d be a fool to underestimate it.¡±


    Tatatat!


    In an instant, Berme closed the distance to Gomon, but the stone bear blocked his advance, forcing him to defend with his sword.


    Clang!


    The force of the impact made his wrist tingle. The weight behind that tiny bear was far greater than its size suggested.


    Berme felt a thrill. ¡°Interesting. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve faced a spirit.¡±


    Berme¡¯s sword emitted a sharp aura, and for a moment, his eyes widened. His sword cleaved through the bear¡¯s shoulder, slicing it smoothly.


    But then the blade stopped, stuck in the bear¡¯s chest, which had turned thick and viscous like mud.


    When Berme tried to pull his sword free, it wouldn¡¯t budge easily. Gomon grinned and fired a massive boulder like a cannonball.


    Boom!


    The boulder hit Berme square in the stomach, sending him flying backward. The impact was so strong that it yanked the sword out of the stone bear.


    Cough!


    Blood trickled from Berme¡¯s mouth. Yet Gomon didn¡¯t let his guard down. Berme, despite the blood dripping from his mouth, smeared it on his sword with a twisted grin. ????


    ¡°Heh, I needed some blood anyway, so this works out well.¡±


    Gomon hurriedly conjured stone pillars from the ground, lifting himself into the air while looking down at Berme.


    Berme was as infamous as he was well-documented among Pathfinders. He had survived a bite from the venomous snake monster, Viper Silus. Whether the venom had been neutralized or something was done to his body through some experiment, Berme¡¯s blood was now mixed with a corrosive venom.


    ¡°You don¡¯t plan on letting me get close, do you? Mages always try to maintain their distance.¡±


    Berme began leaping from tree to tree, his speed far exceeding that of the enhanced instructor from earlier. Gomon quickly showered him with stone spikes like rain.


    Crash!


    Berme cut down all the stones coming his way as he leaped towards the pillar. The stone bear moved to block him, but Berme¡¯s vertical slash sliced it in half with a sizzling sound.


    Gomon¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He hadn¡¯t just cut through the bear; he had melted it.


    Berme reached the top of the pillar, where Gomon hurriedly conjured ten layers of protective barriers. However, they only served to slightly slow down Berme¡¯s sword.


    Thud!


    Gomon quickly jumped off the pillar, creating a makeshift slide in midair. The situation was so urgent that he didn¡¯t have the luxury of creating proper stairs. His round body rolled down the slide, crashing into a tree.


    Thunk!


    ¡°Ugh. Was that an Aura Blade?¡±


    Gomon groaned as he rubbed his aching back but considered himself lucky. Berme¡¯s sword had cleaved through ten layers of barriers. It was better to be thrown around than to be sliced open.


    Gomon struggled to his feet, but Berme, who had already landed, sheathed his sword.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Berme¡¯s eyes lost their spark of excitement. ¡°The fight¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°What¡­!¡±


    Suddenly, Gomon¡¯s legs gave out. A sharp pain shot through his arm. Cold sweat ran down his face as he looked at his left arm¡ªa shallow cut in his clothes, just a minor scratch. Yet even that small cut had poisoned him.


    ¡°Gurt, have you recovered?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start, Berme¡­ Finishing it so quickly¡­¡±


    Gurt, still recovering, grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a bit much to expect me to be fully recovered already. Besides, his students are likely hiding around here somewhere. We should deal with them first.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an easy way to handle that.¡±


    Berme approached the barely-conscious Gomon. Gomon could do nothing to resist as Berme rifled through his pockets.


    ¡°Just as I thought.¡±


    Berme pulled out a red stick meant for signaling an emergency.


    ¡°Gurt, you know which direction they fled, right?¡±


    ¡°I do. But what are you planning to do with that?¡±


    Berme¡¯s eyes glinted like a snake¡¯s as he grinned. ¡°Before I face the blonde, it¡¯s best to eliminate all other obstacles.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I think I know what you¡¯re planning. But what about this fat guy?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll die on his own eventually. Leaving him here is better. If he¡¯s still clinging to life, he might slow down the blonde. He¡¯ll be here soon enough.¡±


    Guided by Gurt, Berme began tracking the three students. As they moved, a thought crossed his mind.


    ¡°By the way, have you heard anything about Amul?¡±


    ¡°Nothing yet. He must be struggling quite a bit. That magic swordsman up there isn¡¯t an ordinary opponent.¡±


    Berme glanced up at the high ground before continuing on his way.


    ***


    Limberton¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. The mage had cunningly erased all the green footprints.


    ¡°To track him, you need eyes that can see clearly even at night.¡±


    ¡°Professor, my eyes are killing me. Is there any other way to track him?¡±


    The young professor shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, no. Finding a mage who¡¯s determined to hide is always difficult. That¡¯s why we allocated the most people to this unit.¡±


    Limberton wet his eyes with water from his canteen.


    ¡°Hey, look! There¡¯s a broken branch up there too.¡±


    The young professor raised his hand. ¡°Professor, over here!¡±


    The skinny professor asked skeptically, ¡°There¡¯s a broken branch here too. Are you sure it¡¯s that way?¡±


    Limberton spoke up, ¡°The cut is too clean. It looks like it was done intentionally to mislead us.¡±


    The skinny professor jumped closer to inspect it. He shuddered.


    ¡°You¡­ you can see that from this distance?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I see. Everyone, gather up! We¡¯ve found the target¡¯s path!¡±


    The young professor looked at Limberton in awe. ¡°You¡¯re surprising me, Limberton Bel Delsi. You were always last in class, but it turns out you had a talent like this? No wonder you took down that three-headed alpha wolf. You¡¯ve grown a lot.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Wait, what? So, you saw everything that Luon¡¯s group did? What the hell were you doing? I almost died!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it was during the dungeon training too, wasn¡¯t it? We didn¡¯t intervene when you students fought each other. In training, we don¡¯t interfere in conflicts between students. If you want to blame someone, blame the school rules.¡±


    Limberton glared with resentment. The young professor chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°It¡¯s all for a reason. When you go deep into the demonic realm, you¡¯ll encounter truly bizarre things. Eventually, you¡¯ll realize that even fellow Pathfinders can become your enemies.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why would we turn against each other?¡±


    The professor glanced around at the gathering students, avoiding a direct answer.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re out in the field. But why on earth are so many of your batch such soft-hearted kids? Saving the roaming gang members? Really?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? They¡¯re still just kids, and it¡¯s all because they were pushed to the limit.¡±


    The professor spoke with a hint of concern. ¡°When you go active, you¡¯ll have the hardest time. Remember, mercy is something only those with the ability to grant it can afford.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯m only alive because of some lucky break.¡±


    A voice suddenly interrupted.


    Limberton flinched and turned to see Riamon looking down at him.


    ¡°Damn, you scared me. Give a warning before you sneak up like that.¡±


    Riamon ignored him and continued speaking. ¡°You talk about honor and whatnot, but honestly, isn¡¯t it just because you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to kill them? You¡¯re justifying it by telling yourself that you¡¯re noble because you did everything you could.¡±


    Limberton frowned. ¡°You¡¯re such a twisted guy.¡±


    ¡°And I can never understand you, Limberton. Showing mercy with that frail body of yours is as good as putting your life on the line. What¡¯s the point if you die? You¡¯ll just be a fleeting topic of conversation for a bit and then forgotten.¡±


    Limberton couldn¡¯t argue, knowing there was some truth to what Riamon said. Nobody was going to praise him for his actions, and there were few things more precious than his own life.


    ¡°Ah, whatever. We can think about the complicated stuff later. We¡¯re short on time, so let¡¯s get moving.¡±


    Limberton signaled the professor to lead the way. Just as they were about to cross through the underbrush, everyone¡¯s backpacks or pockets flashed with red light. The young professor pulled out a stick.


    ¡°A distress signal? Professor, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Judging by how fast it¡¯s blinking, it¡¯s not far. It¡¯s probably Gomon.¡±


    The skinny professor nodded and suddenly whipped his head around at the sound of rustling bushes.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    As everyone prepared for battle, Ricks emerged, holding a telescope. Leana and Gravel followed, all sweating profusely from the rush.


    Panting, Ricks spoke. ¡°Huff, huff. Professor Gomon is in danger.¡±


    The young professor asked for details. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I briefly saw it through the telescope¡­ but it looks like that guy, the Venomous Viper, has shown up¡­¡±


    Ricks held out the flashing red stick, and the skinny professor¡¯s expression grew grim.


    ¡°Damn, they¡¯re nearby. Gomon must be heading this way.¡±


    The skinny professor turned to the young professor. ¡°It could be a trap, so let¡¯s go check it out together. The rest of you stay here.¡±


    As the two professors left, Limberton scratched his head. It would be safer if they all went together. But this felt as if¡­


    ¡°Do they think we¡¯d get in the way?¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect an answer, but Riamon replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? This is no longer a test; it¡¯s a real battle.¡±


    Limberton nodded. After all, they were still first-year students, just about to finish their first semester. It was only natural that the professors didn¡¯t trust them completely.


    ¡°Still, is it okay for us to just stay here doing nothing when time is running out¡­ Who knows when the holy herbs will burn out?¡±


    Just as Limberton was feeling anxious, Riamon drew the greatsword strapped to his back.


    Sssng¡ª


    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? Why are you drawing your sword?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s coming, Limberton.¡±


    Limberton focused his hearing and heard the faint rustling.


    ¡°That Berme bastard, he¡¯s really enjoying this.¡±


    It was an instructor. The one who had gone to the central area was now smirking as he turned to look at them.


    ¡°Ah, there you are. You¡¯ve had a rough time tracking us down, haven¡¯t you, brats? Now it¡¯s our turn to be the hunters.¡±


    Everyone assumed a battle stance. Then, to make matters worse, a mage who had been hiding in the trees revealed himself as the trees rippled like water.


    ¡°Gurt. Is Berme planning to take on both professors by himself?¡±


    ¡°Heh, were you hiding in there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start. Their tracking speed was no joke. I was buried in that tree for so long, my whole body¡¯s cramping.¡±


    The mage glared sharply at Limberton. ¡°All because of that damn brat.¡±


    ¡°Eep!¡±


    Limberton quickly ducked behind Riamon. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? We walked right into a trap.¡±


    Leana, Ercel, and Aslay stood protectively in front of Limberton.


    ¡°Limberton, we¡¯ll need you to snipe.¡±


    ¡°But where¡¯s the big guy? Did he die or something?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak disrespectfully about the boss.¡±


    ¡°What? A savage talking back to me?¡±


    ¡°I am a foreigner.¡±


    The instructors chuckled.


    ¡°Good posture. The ones who followed you must be talented too.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re worthy of note.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, have you heard anything from Amul? Berme was curious.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s probably toying with him right now, but he¡¯ll show up soon. Alright, let¡¯s get started.¡±


    The instructor drew his weapon and began to approach.


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the high ground.


    Amul, the instructor who had gone hunting alone, trembled as he stared.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Blood trickled from the corner of Amul¡¯s mouth, and soon a chill ran through his gut.


    ¡°Damn bastard¡­ To think a magic swordsman already knows how to wield a Mana Blade.¡±


    Amul rolled his eyes to check on Luon, who had stabbed him in the stomach. Luon¡¯s shoulder sleeve was stained red, and his thigh bore a deep stab wound as well.


    Sssuk!


    Luon pulled out his sword. The blood on the blade froze, glittering like a ruby.


    Amul¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°He¡¯s freezing the blood!¡±


    He must have frozen the wound to stop the bleeding. Amul had to admit it¡ªthis wasn¡¯t prey in front of him but a monster.


    Luon spoke in a detached tone. ¡°It would be a waste if you died already. I¡¯ve finally found an opponent who¡¯s perfect for gauging my level.¡±


    Amul grimaced and shouted, ¡°Are you trying to humiliate me?!¡±


    Amul quickly reached into his pocket. When a glass vial popped out, Luon¡¯s eyes flashed. His hand shot forward like lightning.


    Pat!


    In an instant, Luon snatched the vial. He examined the purple pill inside with curious eyes.


    ¡°You kept reaching into your pocket, so I figured you were hiding something.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll tell you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to. I can experiment with it myself.¡±


    Just as Luon was about to pocket the vial, Amul stabbed his own throat with his sword.


    Thunk!


    A ragged voice escaped his mouth. ¡°I¡¯d rather¡­ die than¡­ be humiliated¡­¡±


    With his secret weapon taken from him, Amul knew he couldn¡¯t win. He preferred death to disgrace.


    Amul collapsed to the ground, twitching a few times before becoming completely still. As the battle ended, Luon¡¯s legs gave out, and he fell to the ground.


    The three who had been watching from a distance rushed over, pulling out bandages.


    ¡°Are you okay, Luon?¡±


    ¡°Damn, that bastard was insanely strong, but you took him down alone.¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for admiration! Start treating him already!¡±


    ¡°R-Right. Got it. Don¡¯t glare at me like that, Kruel.¡±


    They began treating Luon¡¯s deep wounds with herbs and bandages. Even as he was being treated, Luon wiped the blood off his sword, releasing a bit of cold air.


    ¡°Still far from the old man¡¯s Frost Sword.¡±


    A few minutes later, as his strength began to return, Luon stood up.


    ¡°Luon, don¡¯t push yourself. You should rest¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Kruel. I just have something to take care of.¡±


    Ignoring their protests, Luon walked into the bushes. He whistled, but there was no response. He whistled again, and finally, a pigeon flew down.


    ¡°You called, Luon?¡±


    Luon opened the vial and held out a pill to Felia.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±


    Felia, a disciple of the Archmage, was also a warlock knowledgeable in alchemy. But her answer was disappointing.


    ¡°Hmm, the scent is unfamiliar, and so is the color. I¡¯d need to run some reagent tests to figure out what it does.¡±


    ¡°So even you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°With the time gap between my knowledge and modern knowledge, how could I know everything?¡±


    Luon conceded the point and put the pill back into the vial before looking at Felia.


    ¡°But you¡¯re a bit late. Did you go somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did. Staying in one place is boring, so I went exploring.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, now that you mention it, I¡¯m curious. What¡¯s happening with the others down below?¡±


    Felia smirked and perched on Luon¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s some real fun going on down there. It¡¯s quite a sight.¡±


    As she whispered in his ear, a slow grin spread across Luon¡¯s face.


    ***


    It¡¯s been a long time since the green footprints disappeared. Just as feared, it seemed that Professor Gomon had either fainted or died. However, since the footprints had been heading straight all along, there was no worry of losing the way.


    -Hersel, someone is up ahead.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    I quickened my pace. In the distance, I could see Professor Gomon leaning against a tree. I hurried over and checked his complexion.


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡±


    His forehead was burning, and his breathing was faint, indicating a very serious condition. Still, there was no need for excessive worry. Knowing that the opponent was Berme, it was only natural to prepare for the venom of Viper Silus. I quickly pulled out an antidote and placed it in Gomon¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Swallow this.¡±


    The medicine seemed to take effect quickly, as his breathing gradually stabilized. If I had been even slightly later, he might have died. As I sighed in relief, Professor Gomon began to move his arm.


    ¡°Ugh¡­


    He struggled to extend his index finger and pointed in one direction. It seemed he was trying to tell me that Berme had gone that way and to hurry and assist¡­


    If I stepped in, there was a high probability that I would end up fighting him directly. The other instructors were one thing, but Berme¡­ Without Gomon, even if the two professors and the students worked together, they might barely manage to take him down. He was a formidable opponent.


    ¡®Are you sure you can win?¡¯


    -If you doubt me, look at your own arm.


    As Donatan suggested, I looked closely at my arm. It had become thicker, so much so that I could hardly remember when it had been so thin.


    ¡®It seems I¡¯ve gained a bit more muscle?¡¯


    -Well, in any case. The swordsmanship you could handle before was just the tip of the iceberg. But now, things are different. You¡¯ve grown enough to barely skim the surface.


    Tip of the iceberg, either way.


    ¡®Still, I can¡¯t help but find you unreliable¡­¡¯


    -Hmph, even after mastering the Mana Blade, your doubts remain.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 101

    Melin spoke with a serious expression.¡°You¡­ you¡¯re planning to sell us out, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Silla gave a sharp flick to Melin¡¯s head with a loud smack.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°Do we look like traffickers to you?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s suspicious. How can you say you¡¯ll let us live without asking for anything in return? Does that make any sense?¡±


    Silla scoffed.


    ¡°Even if we tried to sell you, your price wouldn¡¯t even cover my dog¡¯s food. Do you even know how well-off our family is?¡±


    ¡°¡­So then, what happens to us now?¡± Melin dropped her gaze helplessly, causing Silla to scrunch her face and scratch her head in frustration.


    ¡°You¡¯re set to join the Ben Tenest family, right? Well, that¡¯s great. There¡¯s a saying in the Empire: ¡®Even if you live like a flea, make sure it¡¯s on a rich man¡¯s bed.¡¯ That place is so sought after that even high-class commoners would do anything to get in. Consider yourself lucky and just keep your mouth shut.¡±


    Melin started to say something but hesitated, her lips trembling.


    Silla clenched her fist again, but Melin, mustering her courage, spoke.


    ¡°But what about the other kids? What¡¯s going to happen to them?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I mean, what¡¯s going to happen to them¡­?¡±


    Belman, who had been quietly listening, adjusted his glasses and looked at Melin. In his hand was a red rod, slowly blinking.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to you all. We¡¯re just students, after all. The academy will probably make the final decision.¡±


    The children¡¯s expressions darkened.


    Belman thought it was better to give them a straightforward answer. Sugar Coating would only breed suspicion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve answered everything I could, without any lies. Now it¡¯s your turn. How strong are those instructors?¡±


    Melin hesitated.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a tricky question to answer¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get training from the instructors? If so, you must have an idea of how proficient they are in Aura usage and what level their magic is. They must have set some goals for you.¡± ?


    Instructors are supposed to guide students, after all. In the Magic Department of Frostheart, professors even demonstrate high-level magic and the top-tier magic above it. It¡¯s much easier to understand when you see it in action than just hearing about it theoretically.


    Melin opened her mouth slightly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about that, I think the instructor who handled magic mentioned he was at an advanced level. He bragged about it a lot.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Belman thought it might be easier to deal with the mage. Even among the professors, some only reached the advanced level, and their status wasn¡¯t that high.


    ¡°The other three are swordsmen, and they all excel in Aura manipulation, with one of them¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, three? Weren¡¯t there four instructors in total?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I heard one of them went to eliminate a magic swordsman in the highlands.¡±


    It seemed likely they went to hunt down Luon¡¯s group.


    ¡°Alright, got it. Continue.¡±


    ¡°¡­Anyway, one of them is on a different level. His name is Berme, and he¡¯s a well-known figure in the Roaming Band for hunting down dozens of Pathfinders. I heard recently that he¡¯s become capable of using an Aura Blade¡­¡±


    ¡°An Aura Blade?¡± Belman¡¯s eyes widened.


    An Aura Blade is a sword that¡¯s completed by incorporating all three characteristics of Aura. It¡¯s a legendary weapon that accelerates on its own when swung, increases cutting power with immense strength, and has unparalleled durability. It¡¯s considered the pinnacle of Aura manipulation.


    This is dangerous¡­


    Even in the academy, there was a professor known for his prowess, Professor Gomon. But even he couldn¡¯t be sure he¡¯d win against a swordsman wielding an Aura Blade.


    The same went for Hersel.


    Belman looked around at the students from the Magic Department. They were all absorbed in following the barrier techniques he had taught them.


    ¡°Are you not done yet?¡±


    Belman asked, and the students responded with troubled faces.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s not easy.¡±


    ¡°I taught you the method, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it works just because you tell us to? This is the best we can do.¡±


    One student pointed to the barrier they had cast over the one Belman had made. Their barrier wasn¡¯t very solid. It wasn¡¯t even a neat square, but rather looked like a jellyfish, all wobbly and irregular.


    Belman quickly realized they had cut corners.


    Shield magic is a lower-grade spell than barrier magic.


    Nevertheless, the key was not the defense, but ensuring that the smoke from the magic herb didn¡¯t escape.


    Satisfied with this, Belman stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to scout the situation for a bit.¡±


    Silla, leaning on a splint, stood up as well.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going, I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°Injured people should stay put.¡±


    Belman left the sulking Silla behind and walked toward the bushes.


    Using the red rod as a compass, he set off to rejoin the others.


    ***


    Instructor Gurt¡¯s forehead was wrinkled with blood vessels bulging, a testament to his frustration.


    Facing two knights and two mages alone was no easy task.


    Dodging or deflecting the relentless attacks from the silver-haired man and the tireless red-haired woman, he was constantly under pressure.


    Zing!


    A bird made of electricity grazed his cheek.


    Meanwhile, the ponytailed man was busy supporting the other side.


    Gurt glanced at the other instructor.


    ¡°Is it still not done, Gurt? Hurry up and finish so you can help me!¡±


    The situation was just as tough for the other instructor.


    A black-haired man defended against magic with a large sword enveloped in Aura, while a brute forcefully subdued the magical tree monster.


    If they closed the distance any further, death was a real possibility.


    Gurt gritted his teeth and squeezed out the remaining Aura that had somewhat recovered.


    Now, he could win. No matter how skilled they were, they were still unripe flowers.


    Gurt had already figured out all their weaknesses after crossing swords with them a few times.


    Swish!


    He faked a thrust, causing Erucel to back off with a shocked expression.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Gurt kicked out, driving his foot into Erucel¡¯s solar plexus.


    Thud!


    With a heavy impact, saliva flew from Erucel¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Gurt charged at Leana, slashing his sword. A chain blocked his arm but he snapped it with sheer strength.


    As he delivered a horizontal slash, a shield conjured by the ponytailed man¡¯s magic intercepted it.


    Slice!


    But Gurt cleaved through that too, only to have Leana¡¯s sword block his strike.


    Clang!


    Gurt clicked his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got more stamina than I expected. You still have strength left¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I do practice ten thousand swings a day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurdly ridiculous. But it won¡¯t help you!¡±


    Gurt lowered his stance and swept at Leana¡¯s legs. She jumped back in a hurry.


    But Gurt¡¯s sword rose in a diagonal slash.


    Shk!


    Gurt grinned as his sword lodged into Leana¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re still just a beginner. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    As his sword tip aimed for Leana¡¯s chest, a fiery bird swooped in.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Gurt grabbed Leana by the throat and knocked her out, then threw his sword like a dagger.


    A short scream followed.


    ¡°Aagh!¡±


    It had struck Gravel directly in the thigh.


    ¡°Ah, found you at last. You were hard to locate, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gurt immediately charged at Gravel.


    But Ricks intervened, firing off a barrage of magical attacks.


    From flails to axes, various weapons rained down from all directions, but they were all illusions.


    Gurt enveloped his body in Aura, using its indestructibility to break through the attacks.


    He grabbed Ricks¡¯ staff, causing sweat to bead on Ricks¡¯ face.


    ¡°Got you, ponytail.¡±


    With brutal force, Gurt snapped the staff in half.


    He was about to drive the broken shard into Ricks¡¯ neck when¡ª


    Thwack!


    An arrow lodged into his back.


    Gurt was taken aback, surprised that the arrow had pierced his back, even though his indestructibility had been somewhat neglected.


    Regardless, an arrow was better than a broken staff.


    Gurt gripped the arrow tightly, ready to strike down Ricks.


    But his hand froze mid-air.


    Halt!


    A green glass-like barrier appeared between him and Ricks.


    Turning his head, Gurt saw a man panting heavily.


    ¡°Huff¡­ So the right path was the correct one after all.¡±


    Behind him, the red-haired woman who had been knocked out earlier seemed to have regained consciousness.


    ¡°Belman¡­¡±


    Gurt felt something snap inside him.


    He hadn¡¯t managed to kill a single one of these students. Every time he got close, he was interrupted. And now, even those he had knocked out were getting back up¡­


    ¡°¡­This is pointless. I¡¯m going to lose my mind.¡±


    Gurt¡¯s patience was at its limit. He glared coldly at the mage who was fighting four others.


    Gurt shouted at him.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to use the drug, give it to me! Wals!!¡±


    The monsterization drug was supposed to be used once a day. Anything more would be a reckless gamble.


    ***


    Limberton watched Gurt with growing unease.


    They had been tactically pushing him back, thanks to Aslay and Riamon leading the charge, while the short-haired girl beside them dispelled curses with magic.


    But no matter how much they seemed to break him down, the swordsman instructor held on with relentless tenacity.


    Relieved, Limberton aimed his bow at the mage.


    But then, he heard Gurt shouting something at the mage.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to use the drug, give it to me! Wals!!¡±


    ¡°What? Gurt, what about your own supply?¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and give it to me!!¡±


    ¡°Tch, looks like you¡¯ve already used it. Fine, do whatever you want.¡±


    The mage used a wall of earth to block Riamon and Aslay¡¯s advance. Beyond that, he tossed a small box to Gurt.


    Limberton tried to shoot it down, but he missed, dodging an arrow Gurt had thrown at him.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    The arrow whizzed right over Limberton¡¯s head.


    He breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that his short stature had saved him.


    But he couldn¡¯t stop Gurt from grabbing the box.


    Gurt pulled out a syringe from the box and laughed wildly.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha!!¡±


    At the ominous laughter, Limberton quickly fired another arrow.


    Thud!


    The arrow struck Gurt squarely between the eyes.


    But the syringe had already been injected into Gurt¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Gurt¡¯s eyes widened before he nonchalantly pouted his lips.


    ¡°Hmm, that tickles. Why don¡¯t you try shooting another one¡ªurk!¡±


    Gurt suddenly doubled over in pain, groaning.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡±


    Seeing the bizarre sight, Limberton began to sweat.


    Gurt¡¯s body started to bulge and then began oozing like slime.


    Gurt screamed and clawed at his own body in agony. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Aaaaargh!!¡±


    As his body twisted in pain, it grew larger, surpassing the height of the trees until it became a grotesque, gelatinous monster with only a human head remaining.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening to him?¡±


    Ricks approached during the chaos.


    ¡°I heard from Professor Gomon that it¡¯s a potion that borrows the power of monsters.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°The Roaming Band must have developed such things. But I also heard there¡¯s a severe side effect. Maybe this is one of those cases¡­¡±


    Belman urgently shouted.


    ¡°Save that for later and get ready to fight!!¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than the monster¡¯s body convulsed, and tentacles shot out.


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡ª


    Belman cast barrier magic on eight people, but the massive tentacles shattered them with a single strike.


    Everyone was sent flying, crashing into trees or rolling across the ground.


    Even as Limberton lay with his face pressed against the dirt, he kept his eyes on the mage.


    The monster seemed unable to distinguish friend from foe as it began attacking the mage as well.


    ¡°Gurt, you idiot! You¡¯ve been consumed by the drug!!¡±


    The mage desperately manipulated the giant tree he was perched on to evade the attacks.


    But the sprawling tentacles, like a vast net, eventually caught him.


    The mage thrashed about, foaming at the mouth, unable to breathe.


    Limberton saw this as an opportunity.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat¡­ Once the mage is dead, it¡¯s over. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but if we leave him, he¡¯ll die on his own.¡±


    Belman, who had collapsed nearby, nodded.


    ¡°Everyone, retreat!!¡±


    Just as Limberton turned to flee, his gaze locked onto the moon.


    More precisely, on the shadow within the moonlight.


    It was the figure of a man standing beside what was left of Gurt¡¯s head.


    Limberton heard the man speak.


    ¡°How pitiful, Gurt. Stacking doses isn¡¯t something just anyone can do.¡±


    Berme slashed Gurt¡¯s neck clean off with a 70-centimeter-long sword.


    Shk!


    Gurt¡¯s head tumbled to the ground.


    Simultaneously, the gelatinous mass lost its form and began to spill everywhere.


    Soon, it turned into a flood, threatening to engulf the group.


    Whoosh!


    Injured and unable to escape, they braced themselves. Fortunately, the flood level decreased as it approached, submerging only their lower bodies.


    Limberton tried to move his legs quickly, but the ooze began to harden rapidly.


    ¡°Wait, my legs¡­ they won¡¯t move!¡±


    As panic spread among them, Berme stepped onto the solidified ooze.


    Tap!


    ¡°Hmph, Gurt¡¯s sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain. At least now you can¡¯t run.¡±


    ¡°W-what happened to the professors?¡±


    Limberton asked, as Berme approached with echoing footsteps.


    ¡°Oh, you mean the professors? I cut off one¡¯s arm and the other¡¯s leg. Aren¡¯t you curious whether they¡¯ll die from blood loss or poison first?¡±


    Just as Berme was closing in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make you suffer like those professors.¡±


    Swish! Swish!


    A small stone golem appeared in front of them.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Limberton tilted his head in confusion as the mysterious stone golem stretched out its limbs.


    A second later, a stream of lime slurry shot out from its tiny body like a water cannon.


    Whoosh


    Berme leapt to the side to avoid it.


    ¡°Tch, that fat guy¡­ he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    Limberton turned his head in disbelief.


    He saw Professor Gomon being supported by Hersel.


    Gomon gasped for breath and let his staff droop as he spoke.


    ¡°¡­Hersel Ben Tenest, please take care of the rest.¡±


    Hersel furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Professors asking a student for help again. If you have any conscience, you should return your salary.¡±


    ¡°Y-you little brat¡­ Do you think we want to do this?¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to give me this time?¡±


    ¡°Give you? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, there has to be some kind of reward for me to do anything, right?¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 102

    Pure mana is akin to photon energy. It doesn¡¯t stay in one place but spreads out in all directions. Because of this nature, the moment you channel mana into a staff, it scatters like light. Therefore, when drawing a magic formula, you must continually release mana until it is completed. However, there was a technique to bind this photon-like energy so it couldn¡¯t escape. That technique was the Mana Blade, formed by concentrating mana.¨C A Mana Blade is a skill that only those who have awakened their Aura after developing the olfactory sense among the five senses of mana can use. Hersel, you should be eternally grateful to Hetherson for teaching you this.


    Just as Donatan had said, much of the credit went to Hetherson. The Liquid Gold, which naturally absorbed mana, and the magic he taught allowed me to recreate it.


    So, to illustrate how remarkable a Mana Blade is¡­ yes, it¡¯s like that great weapon from a famous movie¡ªStar War¡¯s lightsaber.


    ¡®But so what? I don¡¯t have Aura, which is the equivalent of the Force.¡¯


    ¨C What is this Force you speak of?


    ¡®It¡¯s a thing. Never mind.¡¯


    Even though it was just an imitation, its power was comparable to the real thing. It could slice through steel beams.


    ***


    The dull gray ground appeared to be solidified slime. As I observed the surroundings, I kept my eyes on Berme. While our gazes locked, the mage crawled on all fours, grabbing onto Berme¡¯s pants. The mage¡¯s complexion was pale, struggling to breathe.


    ¡°Air¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ b


    Berme looked down at him coldly.


    ¡°It seems the slime has entered your lungs.¡±


    His voice was devoid of any compassion. Berme¡¯s bloodstained sword came down on the mage¡¯s neck.


    Crunch!


    It was a brutal scene, but I inwardly rejoiced. With the mage¡¯s death, the Curse of Explosion would be lifted, leaving Berme as the only enemy.


    I nudged Professor Gomon, who was lying next to me.


    ¡°Professor, please wake up.¡±


    There was no response.


    ¡°¡­Professor?¡±


    Even after calling him again, he remained silent, so I glanced over at him. Gomon had his eyes closed, looking peaceful as if he were in a deep sleep. A second later, I frowned as I heard his snoring.


    ¡°Snore.¡±


    What a waste of an antidote. I withdrew my disdainful gaze and checked on the others. Everyone was stuck, their lower bodies trapped in the hardened slime, making them useless. That was true for the Knights, but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for the Mages since they only needed to wave their staffs.


    ¡­But¡­


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re saved¡­¡±


    Led by Ricks, everyone sighed in relief. Only Leana from the Knights and Belman looked at me with suspicion. As I glanced at Belman, pleading for help, he asked Ricks. ??


    ¡°You seem awfully relaxed all of a sudden. Are you confident we¡¯ll win?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you might not know this because you¡¯re from Adelle House, but Hersel is a man who defeated the senior Emeric with just a finger. He even shattered a sword enveloped in Aura.¡±


    ¡°With just a finger? That¡¯s absurd¡­¡±


    ¡°Even Professor Gomon said so, didn¡¯t he? He told us to leave the rest to Hersel. He must have had that much confidence.¡±


    No, you demon. Belman, don¡¯t listen to that devil¡¯s words¡­


    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true. If Professor Gomon guarantees it, then it must be so.¡±


    He¡¯s wrong. Seeing him adjust his glasses with arms folded, it seemed he had no intention of helping me. Meanwhile, Berme shook the blood off his sword and turned his gaze toward us.


    ¡°As expected¡­ I knew you were stronger than the professors since you came out of that trap unscathed.¡±


    I swallowed hard. The Berme I remembered from our first encounter had been incredibly relaxed. But now, seeing him take a proper stance, it was clear he intended to go all out from the start.


    Am I really supposed to face him alone? This is dangerous. I need to think of a new strategy.


    I decided to burn the ¡°Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡± to escape this crisis.


    ¡°Lay down your sword. Our only goal was to lift the Curse of Explosion. Now that the mage is dead, there¡¯s no point in continuing this fight.¡±


    As I spoke, trying to set the tone, Berme remained silent, listening.


    The next step was to appeal to his pride.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? The Viper of Roaming Band, Berme. I¡¯ve heard about you. I know you don¡¯t care about your comrades¡¯ deaths.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying you have no reason to fight. You don¡¯t have a sense of vengeance, do you?¡±


    I spoke as I scanned Berme¡¯s entire body, pretending to be calm. His outfit was torn and dirty with dust.


    ¡°And honestly, I don¡¯t want to fight you in your current state. Judging by your appearance, it seems you¡¯ve fought with the professors and look a bit tired. But if you still insist on fighting¡­¡±


    I trailed off my words and stared intently into his eyes.


    ¡°Come back when you¡¯re fully prepared. So that you won¡¯t have any regrets, even if you die¡ªwhen you¡¯re in your best condition.¡±


    Perhaps my bluff had worked. Berme slowly began to lower his sword.


    As expected, the ¡°Embers of Noble Blood¡± were an excellent defensive technique.


    But then someone had to ruin this promising situation¡­


    ¡°Yeah, Hersel¡¯s right. If you want to live, why don¡¯t you run away as fast as you can?¡±


    Good grief.


    Limberton, even you?


    In my heart, I removed the praise sticker I had mentally awarded Limberton. I couldn¡¯t believe he, too, had been corrupted by that ponytailed Satan¡­


    ¡°He rarely shows mercy, so you should apologize quietly and take this chance. Hersel can be very persistent when he¡¯s angry.¡±


    Everyone nodded at Limberton¡¯s words. Leana even added an unnecessary comment.


    ¡°If you knew his past, you¡¯d think this situation is a miracle. He used to reveal his savage nature even with the slightest provocation¡­¡±


    Belman chimed in as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Berme. Hersel is so infamous in the Empire that there¡¯s hardly anyone who doesn¡¯t know his name.¡±


    Just as I was about to stop them, my throat tightened as I overheard Ricks and Belman whispering.


    ¡°We¡¯ve pricked his pride enough. He won¡¯t run away now.¡±


    ¡°Smart move, Ricks. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better to eliminate the Viper of Roaming Band here. He could become a threat in the future.¡±


    So, it was Ricks, that devil, who devised this plan? I realized that if I didn¡¯t purify these demons and their followers soon, I would meet my end. I needed a substantial amount of holy water¡ªenough to completely cleanse all of them.


    ¡°Ha ha ha¡­¡±


    Berme laughed, a cold sweat trickling down my forehead. I cautiously observed his expression, feeling my heart race with anxiety.


    ¡°The more I listen, the more amusing this gets. Did you really think I would back down? I just needed a moment to catch my breath. Now, shall we begin?¡±


    It seemed he never intended to back down from the start. So did their trolling have no effect? No, that wasn¡¯t the case.


    Their antics had prompted Berme to pull out a glass vial filled with pills!


    In this dire situation, Donatan had the nerve to make an irritating comment.


    ¨C As I¡¯ve said repeatedly, the fate of a con man is never good.


    I didn¡¯t even have the energy to respond.


    Berme was already swallowing the monsterization potion that should have been his last resort. Moreover, it was a potion that granted him the strength of an Ogre¡­


    Gulp.


    Berme¡¯s veins began to bulge, his muscles swelling and then compressing back to their original size. Steam puffed out between his now-sharpened fangs.


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    Berme stabbed himself in the stomach with his sword.


    The strength of an Ogre is immense. Not only that, but they possess such regenerative power that they can survive unless their neck or heart is severed.


    Pluck.


    As he pulled out his blood-soaked sword, the wound on his abdomen rapidly healed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since my sword has been so drenched in blood.¡±


    This is bad.


    I was now up against someone who had killed countless Pathfinders and was doped up on top of that. The only thing I could rely on now was the Mana Blade that I had intended to use when fighting alongside Donatan and Professor Gomon.


    I drew my sword, fully aware of the vast gap between us.


    With things having reached this point, I had no choice but to fight.


    Shing¡ª


    I activated the magic formula I had prepared, turning my sword white. Berme, grinning, also ignited his Aura Blade.


    Boom!


    As he leaped into the air, the ground beneath his feet rumbled.


    As I prepared myself, Donatan spoke.


    ¨C Do you remember the day you first met me, Hersel?


    ¨C Then just listen quietly.


    I didn¡¯t have time to be distracted by anything else. Berme was now descending with his sword raised for a vertical slash.


    ¨C Back then, you were so weak that you couldn¡¯t even properly hold a single sword. Your arms were thin, and you couldn¡¯t even lift a short sword.


    Clang!


    I blocked his attack with my body, causing his arm to lift up into the air from the recoil.


    I didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and thrust my Mana Blade toward his heart.


    ¨C But now it¡¯s different. Your body has grown strong enough to wield a longsword with one hand.


    Thud!


    Unfortunately, Berme twisted his body, so the blade only pierced his lung.


    ¨C Now you can do it. One of the sword techniques of the Sword Saint.


    The single opportunity ended in failure. I could only sense my impending death as the follow-up strike came at me.


    Zap!


    I felt electricity course through my entire arm.


    Before I knew it, my sword was in one hand, and its tip was pointed at Berme¡¯s throat.


    Surprised, Berme quickly retreated.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    It was a natural reaction, given that the Mana Blade was burning right near his vital spot.


    -Do you see your arm, Hersel?


    Only then did Donatan¡¯s words start to make sense. As I looked at the arm I extended with the sword, an image of a spear formed in my mind. The difference in reach between Berme and me was significant, with mine being much greater.


    ¨C This is why I never gave up on swordsmanship, even though you can¡¯t use Aura. Your long arms and legs are ideal for a swordsman.


    His remark suddenly reminded me of my lineage.


    The strongest swordsman, Aol Ben Tenest. My skeletal structure was an exact match to his.


    ¨C Hersel, let me confess. I¡¯ve been training you all along, just like you. Every night, I¡¯ve been conditioning your body, enhancing its flexibility. I broke the contract, so I have no excuses, but know this: I will never let you give up wielding a sword.


    A smile spread across my face.


    My cryptic remark prompted Donatan to respond in a surprised tone.


    ¨C You knew?


    Of course, I had studied magic thoroughly. It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize that the phenomenon of my body strengthening on its own as a side effect of magic formulas was impossible. I just kept quiet because it was beneficial.


    More importantly, I was in the middle of a battle. Since earlier, Berme had been waiting for the right moment to strike.


    Each time he tried to advance, I pressed him back with the tip of my sword, surprising even myself.


    ¨C That¡¯s right.


    Berme was incredibly fast, using quick steps to dodge here and there. Despite not using Aura, I was able to keep up with him due to a simple principle.


    While I merely swung my arm, Berme had to move meters at a time.


    Tap tap tap!


    To give an analogy, it¡¯s easy to shine a flashlight on a person. But avoiding the light from that flashlight by moving around is extremely difficult. The difference in the distance that needs to be covered is enormous.


    ¨C Endless Shadow. You¡¯ve already demonstrated the Mana Blade and blocked his strike with your body. The conditions have been met since he now perceives you as a strong opponent. He won¡¯t be able to attack recklessly. This is a highly advanced defensive technique perfected through psychological warfare.


    Endless Shadow. The name might be a bit ambiguous, but it was fitting.


    Even when Berme tried to close in on a gap, the tip of my sword followed him like a shadow, aiming at his throat.


    But isn¡¯t this just like an aimbot? A cheat that auto-targets heads in FPS games¡­


    So, the Sword Saint was a cheater.


    ***


    Each time Berme tried to close in, his pupils shook in response to the pressing sword tip. Even when he used quick steps to dodge, trying to shake off the sword aimed at his throat, the result was the same.


    No matter what he did, Hersel was always one step ahead, moving into the direction he intended to go as if he had read his mind. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In reality, all Berme had to do was knock Hersel sword aside and charge in.


    But there was a reason why he hesitated.


    So far, Berme had only confirmed Hersel¡¯s incomprehensible level of indestructibility. He hadn¡¯t yet shown his ability to enhance his strength or speed.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but it didn¡¯t matter. It was safe to assume that Hersel¡¯s mastery of Aura manipulation was on par with his indestructibility. There¡¯s no way he would be exceptional at only one thing.


    Because of this uncertainty, he hesitated to break through his defense and rush in. Once he committed to an attack, Hersel would have an equal opportunity to strike back.


    If his judgment was even slightly off, his neck could be severed in the blink of an eye. And running away wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡ªHe rarely shows mercy, so you should apologize quietly and take this chance. Hersel can be very persistent when he¡¯s angry.


    According to the short guy, Hersel¡¯s nature wouldn¡¯t allow him to let him go easily. Even if Berme tried to retreat, he¡¯d catch up quickly.


    Caught in this dilemma, Berme decided he had no choice but to attack boldly.


    Berme squeezed out all the Aura in his body. Then, he stabbed his stomach again, soaking his sword in thick blood.


    Crunch!


    He was preparing for a final decisive blow.


    He wielded monstrous strength combined with all his Aura. Moreover, his sword was coated in deadly poison. If he could land even a minor wound, he would win.


    No matter how sturdy Hersel¡¯s indestructibility was, it had its limits. With such overwhelming power, Berme believed it would be more than enough to inflict a fatal injury.


    Berme¡¯s muscles began to swell. The outpouring of dark energy and Aura created a sharp gust of wind, making Belman swallow nervously.


    ¡°This¡­ this is dangerous¡­¡±


    Ricks asked anxiously.


    ¡°Why? Hersel took his last strike without a scratch.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think knights wear armor?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Because even indestructibility has its limits. If that monster strength and Aura-infused strike land, even Hersel could suffer a minor wound. That¡¯s why it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    Belman pointed to the mage¡¯s corpse with its severed neck.


    The blood that should have been red had turned black, bubbling, and his skin had decayed, turning pale.


    ¡°He deliberately stabbed himself to coat his sword with blood, so the blood itself must be poisonous.¡±


    ¡°It looks like some sort of poisoning¡­ but when did he apply the poison?¡±


    ¡°When he cut down the mage. The blood from his previous fight with the professors must have lingered on his sword. Anyway, even a small amount of that blood could be deadly. It¡¯s certain that even a minor cut would be fatal.¡±


    As soon as Belman finished speaking, Berme charged at Hersel. His speed was too fast to follow with the naked eye, but the force with which he kicked the ground caused a deafening noise that echoed through the area.


    Boom boom boom!


    As Berme rapidly closed the distance, Hersel swung his sword.


    Thud!


    His sword pierced through Berme¡¯s shoulder, but at the same time, Berme swung his sword diagonally.


    His arm twisted at an unnatural angle, making it look like he was wielding a whip.


    Swish¡ª


    His sword came crashing down on Hersel¡¯s neck.


    Clang!


    The impact was so powerful that it made the onlookers¡¯ hair flutter. Given the force, he should have been decapitated. Belman winced, anticipating the worst.


    Crunch.


    But when he heard the sound of bones breaking, he widened his eyes in shock.


    Berme¡¯s once-mighty arms were now broken and dangling limply below his elbows. In contrast, Hersel stood there, unharmed, staring indifferently at Berme.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Berme.¡±


    Hersel swung the Mana Blade embedded in Berme¡¯s shoulder.


    Shk!


    As the sound of cutting subsided, Berme¡¯s head dropped to the ground.


    Thud!


    His head rolled and finally stopped in front of Belman, leaving a trail of thick blood. Everyone held their breath as they looked away from the severed head. Hersel was shaking the blood off his sword before sheathing it.


    Clink.


    The metallic sound that shattered the silence caused the eyes of the onlookers to tremble.


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 Chapter 103

    My legs felt numb, still in disbelief. ¨C Ahem, to be honest, I thought it was over the moment your sword got stuck in Berme¡¯s shoulder.


    If Berme had relied solely on his regenerative power and hadn¡¯t unleashed that blow that broke his arms, I would have died. I was lucky to have even a moment¡¯s respite before his follow-up strike. Without that, or if he had just kicked me right after, my body would have been shattered.


    ¨C Silence. The speed of that last attack was beyond what I anticipated. You should be worshiping me for even managing to strike his shoulder.


    No matter how it happened, the important thing was that I was still alive. As I tried to calm my trembling insides, I noticed the devils with their lower halves trapped in the swamp of hell struggling to get out.


    ¡°Hersel, this stuff is too solid. Can¡¯t you just break it?¡±


    Ricks pleaded with me, causing a smirk to form on my lips. I briefly entertained the delightful idea of leaving them there for the rest of the trial period.


    But then, Belman took out a red rod from his pocket.


    ¡°No, before that, we should check if the professors are still alive.¡±


    I looked down at Belman with a stern face.


    [Belman Tol Gers]


    ? Blessing


    ¡ô Blessing of the Guardian Scaword


    ¨C If protecting something has meaning, then one can say they¡¯ve lived a good life.


    He receives double the defense boost when using defensive magic.


    Mana recovery speed increases by 1.2 times.


    ? Trait


    > Dexterity


    ¡ó Knowledge Acquisition ¡ó


    Despite having the supposed blessing of ¡®Guardian Scaword,¡¯ this fool didn¡¯t help me. He¡¯s an accomplice, too.


    I¡¯ll have to put him on the blacklist.


    With a wary glance at Belman, I walked over to where the fallen professors were lying.


    ***


    It was already dawn. The night had passed, and the cleanup was nearly complete. The devils were freed by Professor Gomon, who had regained consciousness. The salary-stealing professors, as unfortunate or fortunate as it was, were still alive. We had brought enough antidote to keep them from dying immediately, but severe blood loss was an issue. ?


    This is where Belman¡¯s knowledge came into play. He used rare herbs that should have been offered for points in the trial to create medicine. He even sterilized makeshift needles and thread to sew up the severed limbs. His traits, ¡®Dexterity¡¯ and ¡®Knowledge Acquisition¡¯¡ªwhich increased his knowledge with every book he read¡ªmade this possible.


    Of course, it was only a temporary measure given the harsh conditions, and that¡¯s where my own skills shone.


    Using the unique authority of my awakened taste sense, a power among the five mana senses, I cast a healing spell. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Belman was strangely astonished by this.


    ¡°You awakened your sense of taste before smell? And yet you became a magic swordsman? Is that even possible?¡±


    Well, it was a natural reaction. Only those with the talent for destruction can become magic swordsmen.


    I half-closed my eyes and shamelessly replied, ¡°Don¡¯t think that everything written in books is the full extent of knowledge. There¡¯s a whole world out there you don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t be a frog in a well, thinking you know it all.¡±


    I deliberately spoke in a prickly tone to keep some distance. But he just nodded with a look of sudden understanding.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ The world is full of things we haven¡¯t yet discovered.¡±


    This reaction. As I suspected, he¡¯s starting to fall under the influence of those Schlaphe types as well.


    I tore my gaze away from him and continued casting the healing spell. The surgery was well done, and with the added effectiveness of the herbs, the professors quickly regained their senses.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, my arm¡­¡±


    It would have been better if they had stayed unconscious. Without anesthetics, the pain from sewing up the severed limbs must have been excruciating. Even so, the thin professor showed his professionalism.


    ¡°Ugh, what about Berme? What happened to Berme?¡±


    I replied curtly, ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±


    But Belman couldn¡¯t resist adding an unnecessary detail.


    ¡°Hersel beheaded him in an instant.¡±


    The two professors looked at me in shock.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I expected as much, but to think it ended so quickly¡­¡±


    Now that I think about it, the spectral incident snowballed to this point. Things got complicated the day I enrolled and ended up visiting Rockefeller, turning the professors¡¯ minds into a field of flowers.


    In the end, whether it¡¯s the professors or the students, they¡¯re all dangerous to be around.


    Ah, I suddenly want to run away. I wish the academy would just shut down. With so many patients, they could turn the building into a mental asylum.


    ¡°Well, anyway, I¡¯m alive. Ugh, can someone help me up?¡±


    The professor, who had tried to get up, slumped back down, so I helped him to his feet.


    And then I asked, ¡°By the way, since I took down the Viper, is there any reward?¡±


    ¡°Reward? Well, the Pathfinder headquarters will probably give you a medal. Given that you¡¯re still a student, you shouldn¡¯t expect much in terms of money¡­¡±


    So, just a medal?


    ¡°W-wait! Ouch! Why did you touch the severed part?!¡±


    ¡°My mistake.¡±


    With Belman¡¯s help, I carefully assisted the two professors back to the group. The others were resting, and Professor Gomon was putting the instructors¡¯ heads into a sack. As I approached, Professor Gomon stood up and sighed in relief.


    ¡°Phew, you¡¯re all still alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to these two students.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I heard about it, Gomon. You got taken down by Berme, too?¡±


    Gomon scratched his head.


    ¡°Ha ha, yeah, it was tricky facing two instructors in a row. I almost died, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°But you survived, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. Anyway, Hersel Ben Tenest, you¡¯re quite the capable young man.¡±


    The professors seemed unusually excited, their smiles stretching wide.


    ¡°Ha ha, those Roaming Band guys are in for it now.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. They¡¯ll want to hide in a hole when they hear that the Viper was killed by a student.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ This might even draw attention from the higher-ups.¡±


    The ¡®higher-ups¡¯ that the skinny professor mentioned undoubtedly referred to the Pathfinder Elders, the top echelon. But I doubted they would actually come. Even if Gomon and another professor, with the help of the students, had managed to take down Berme, it wouldn¡¯t have garnered that kind of attention.


    I was planning to rest a bit longer.


    Plop.


    A drop of water hit the ground.


    Rumble!


    The sky flashed with lightning, and the sound of thunder followed. Then, rain started pouring down.


    Professor Gomon turned to the group and spoke.


    ¡°Well, this is sudden. It¡¯s starting to rain. We should get going. There might still be traps left, so let¡¯s keep moving. I¡¯ll take the lead, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    We walked in two lines, getting soaked by the rain. As Professor Gomon had predicted, there were still traps remaining, so we had to stop to dismantle them.


    With nothing else to do, I turned my head slightly and made eye contact with Leana. Her lips seemed to curve up into a slight smile. But when she quickly returned to a neutral expression, it was clear she didn¡¯t want me to see her smiling.


    It was likely that she was satisfied with having saved the kids, considering her nature.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After Professor Gomon finished dismantling the traps, I resumed walking, taking my gaze off Leana. The path we were on was far from the location of our fortress, so it wasn¡¯t exactly on the way back.


    I had decided to join them because I wanted to check the condition of the prisoners with my own eyes and discuss Melin¡¯s situation further.


    By the time we reached the Schlaphe camp, all the students were standing with their weapons drawn. Silla stood in the center, glaring at a certain spot with a murderous look in her eyes. The objects of their hostility were four men.


    ***


    ¡°Well, are we late?¡±


    ¡°Arsys, this is all your fault. We got lost because of that fairy¡¯s curse you were hit with.¡±


    It was the voices of Arsys and Aiman from Luon¡¯s group.


    As we joined Silla and the others, Professor Gomon asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Arsys scoffed.


    ¡°Just look at them. Those kids behind them¡ªthey¡¯re the enemy, right? So why haven¡¯t they been killed yet? I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    Aiman chimed in as well.


    ¡°You say they¡¯re from an enemy group, but are you all going soft? What if we let them live and they come back to kill us later?¡±


    On the surface, their logic seemed valid, but deep down, they were only acting this way for the thrill of it.


    They were maniacs, obsessed with killing kids.


    Most of the students glared at them, while Professor Gomon coldly said, ¡°The academy will handle that. You should step back.¡±


    It was a slightly surprising sight, and my mouth fell open a bit. Professors usually don¡¯t interfere in student conflicts during practicals.


    It was quite unexpected for him to take an interest and speak up in this situation.


    Arsys looked at him with wide eyes and asked, ¡°What? Why are you suddenly speaking up now when you¡¯ve been quiet all this time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking as a Pathfinder, not as a professor. Those kids behind you are prisoners, right? Then the ones who captured them have the right to decide their fate. But you didn¡¯t catch them, did you? So you have no say in what happens to them.¡±


    If word of this reached Rockefeller, they¡¯d probably get into serious trouble, but that was none of my concern. My focus was solely on Luon, who was staring at me silently.


    Step by step, he walked toward me.


    ¡°Hersel, I understand that saving those kids was your plan. Is that true?¡±


    I looked into his murky eyes and nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d advise against any foolish thoughts. Unless you want to die here.¡±


    I deliberately spoke harshly.


    Now was the time to sever all ties with him, whether or not he had any goodwill toward me, regardless of the past. Time was running out. The first act boss battle of Frostheart would start soon.


    As I drew a clear line, I heard Luon laugh.


    ¡°Hahhaha.¡±


    He covered his mouth with his hand and trembled slightly. Even as he looked at me, his eyes were filled with such madness that it made my skin crawl.


    Luon had an intensity about him that was terrifying to the point of being unsettling.


    ¡°Hoo~¡±


    Luon exhaled and suddenly opened his eyes wide. Then he leaned in close to my ear and began to speak, his words dripping with murderous intent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to you. But I know what your true nature was. This change in you isn¡¯t something that can be explained by saying a person has changed. It¡¯s enough to make me think you¡¯re not even Hersel anymore. Ah, but none of that really matters, does it?¡±


    Finally, he extended an invitation to the game he was planning.


    ¡°Whether you¡¯ve changed on the inside or truly transformed, I know now that you¡¯re an enemy who needs to die. So, things will be interesting. I¡¯ll send you an invitation when the time comes.¡±


    After speaking calmly, he gave me a sinister smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back. Arsys, Aiman, Kurel, think of it as savoring the moment. Bread always tastes best when you¡¯re starving.¡±


    Luon turned away abruptly, and the three men, looking bewildered, followed him.


    I stood there, watching them until they disappeared completely. Beside me, Limberton spoke up.


    ¡°He¡¯s really a creepy bastard. I¡¯ve seen plenty of scumbags, but there¡¯s something different about him¡­ something¡­¡±


    Indeed, Luon was different from those three, who acted out of pure pleasure. While those thugs hurt others, knowing they would feel pain, Luon felt no such concept or empathy.


    He also didn¡¯t derive satisfaction from feeling superior or flaunting his power. I suspected it had something to do with the fundamental difference in his motivations.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what that motivation was specifically, but¡­


    ¡°Everyone, be cautious of him.¡±


    I warned the playable characters and supporting characters around me.


    The Luon extermination battle was so difficult that multiple protagonists had to risk their lives to defeat him.


    ***


    My business at the Schlaphe camp was done.


    After discussing what to do with the remaining kids with Professor Gomon, I made a single suggestion.


    ¡°How about sending them all to the Ben Tenest family?¡±


    ¡°What? All of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the idea. Actually, our family runs several orphanages.¡±


    Our household¡¯s matron is known as a kind noblewoman, with a well-crafted reputation for being exceptionally good at maintaining appearances. Naturally, this image is supported by countless calculated acts of charity.


    It¡¯s not just the orphanages. There¡¯s also a scholarship program that binds talented individuals with shackles, and a free meal service that turns the poor into lazy, obedient cattle.


    ¡°Our matron will likely raise these kids to be laborers who will tend to the estate. If they¡¯re offspring of the Roaming Band, they¡¯ll be strong and well-suited for the work.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ that means you¡¯ll be granting them imperial citizenship. Why do you have to phrase it like that¡­?¡±


    ¡°A slave doesn¡¯t necessarily have the word ¡®slave¡¯ written on their forehead. That¡¯s the kind of woman our matron is. She commits evil deeds, but she does so legally.¡±


    That¡¯s the fate that awaits the offspring of the Roaming Band.


    Then, on the fourth day, no one moved to score points.


    After all, the events of the third day had left everyone exhausted. Besides, the recent losses from gambling, coupled with the burning of their food supplies, had left them starving.


    Even though we had salvaged and distributed the food from the Roaming Band¡¯s base, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to feed all the students and the captured members of the Roaming Band.


    With that, the fourth day naturally passed as a day of rest.


    On the morning of the fifth day, I woke up with the intention of tackling the task I had postponed.


    My plan from the start had been to find the artifact and score full marks in this trial.


    ¡°Limberton, Aslay.¡±


    I called out to the sleeping guys, but they showed no sign of waking up, probably because they were exhausted.


    With no other choice, I decided to head out alone in search of the artifact.


    The wolves and the Roaming Band had been dealt with, so there shouldn¡¯t be any danger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Leaving them to sleep a bit longer, I opened the gate of the fortress.


    But Belman was standing outside.


    He had a string of fish tied together in his hand, which he held out to me.


    ¡°Take this.¡±


    I looked at him warily. After all, he was already on my mental blacklist.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°All I gave you was jerky. I didn¡¯t provide the two days¡¯ worth of food I promised. Take this as compensation. I went all the way to the river to catch them.¡±


    It seemed he had been worried about it, even though I had forgotten.


    I accepted the fish, not wanting to outright refuse. Then, a thought crossed my mind, and I asked Belman a question.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, you know how to read runes, right?¡±


    The artifact contains runes that even I, a user, don¡¯t understand.


    I had always been curious, so this seemed like a good opportunity to learn more.


    I wasn¡¯t particularly keen on it, but maybe I should take him along.


    If he¡¯s around, I might be able to decipher it before the Empire gets their hands on it.


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 Chapter 104

    The eastern territory of the Three-Headed Wolf was bordered by a river that flowed in a straight line, marking the boundary with other monster territories. The journey there was smooth, thanks to the fairies of the Purple Forest who provided us with some conveniences.¡°I think I just saw a fairy waving at us. Did I imagine it?¡± Belman said as he adjusted his glasses, squinting his eyes as if trying to see more clearly.


    ¡°You must have seen wrong. It was probably just a smudge on your glasses,¡± I replied, pretending not to know the truth. If he realized that the fairies were showing me favor, he would likely start questioning me to figure out the secret behind it. Belman was a man with a strong academic fervor, after all.


    ¡°More importantly, remember that the treasure we¡¯re looking for is mine. If you accept that, I¡¯ll write off the cost of the herbs I used to treat the professors.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m not that greedy. I¡¯ve already scored enough points to be in the top ranks at Buerger Hall.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear, though I¡¯m not sure who you should thank for that,¡± I said, giving him a knowing look. Belman sighed, running his hand down his face.


    ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s thanks to you.¡±


    At least he knows the truth. Good, that means I don¡¯t have to worry about him suddenly turning into a bandit.


    ¡°Follow me.¡± I led him upstream along the river. As we walked, Belman¡¯s curiosity got the better of him.


    ¡°But why did you bring up the Rune language earlier?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I want you to translate.¡±


    Belman, puzzled, asked in a tone that suggested he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Why do you need my help with that? If it¡¯s translation, you can do it yourself. Why would you need my assistance?¡±


    It¡¯s understandable that he would be confused. After all, I had solved the Rune language problem during the written exam. But he wouldn¡¯t know that I had used brute-force calculations to solve it.


    I answered honestly.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t actually know Rune.¡±


    Belman suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°You solved it¡­ without knowing Rune?¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you before, don¡¯t try to fit everything into your narrow frame of understanding. The world is full of unknown knowledge.¡±


    Repeating the same line seemed to satisfy him, as he nodded in agreement. That¡¯s one of his redeeming qualities¡ªhe¡¯s willing to accept things without too much fuss.


    He¡¯s becoming a bit less annoying.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry. Let¡¯s finish this quickly and catch some fish to grill.¡±


    Seeming to feel the hunger himself, Belman focused on walking, and we soon reached the end of the river without further conversation.


    The sound of rushing water greeted us as a majestic waterfall showed off the grandeur of nature. Between the cliff and the waterfall was a narrow path¡ªa stone bridge that was clearly man-made.


    Belman¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°¡­This wasn¡¯t naturally formed.¡±


    ¡°They say people used to live in this demonic realm long ago. It¡¯s not surprising to find something like this here.¡±


    ¡°But how did you know¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I cut him off quickly and stepped onto the stone bridge. We squeezed through the inside of the waterfall, careful not to slip on the wet stones. As we walked, Belman pulled out his staff.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to walk here. Wait a moment.¡± With a wave of his staff, a green barrier appeared, forming a roof that shielded us from the water. We no longer had to cling uncomfortably to the wall.


    I chuckled and offered some praise.


    ¡°Thanks, this makes it much easier.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am confident in my barrier magic.¡±


    With our pace quickened, we soon arrived at the entrance of a cave beyond the waterfall. As we entered, our footsteps echoed.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    I pulled out my staff to light up the interior. My mana had increased recently, making the light incredibly bright. Next to me, Belman pointed at the small glowing orb I had conjured with his own staff.


    ¡°I¡¯ll light up the inside, Hersel.¡±


    Ah, so that was his doing. I put my staff away and began examining the surroundings. In a corner, I noticed a broken jar and a table carved from stone. On the table were remnants of what looked like black powder, likely the decayed remains of paper. Despite the passage of time, the artificial traces were still evident.


    The center of the room was cleared, seemingly designed for gathering in worship. The structure suggested this place had once been a shrine. A stone tablet at the far end of the wall supported this theory.


    Belman observed the jar and commented. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s too old. I can¡¯t tell what construction method was used.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not worth much. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still a relic, isn¡¯t it? It must have some value.¡±


    ¡°The Empire¡¯s museums are filled with jars in much better condition than this. Unless it¡¯s imbued with some mystical power, everything here is ordinary.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m interested in is that stone tablet. Go ahead and start translating.¡±


    I stopped in front of the tablet. Belman touched his chin and pondered for a moment.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Some of the characters are smudged, but I can infer the meaning from the context.¡±


    He stared intently at the tablet and continued.


    ¡°A child bearing life shall pass through this place. One who will strip away falsehoods and reveal the truth. The faith fronted by the vile god will be cast aside¡­¡±


    Belman¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and his voice began to tremble.


    ¡°¡­And the slanderous contempt imposed by false accusations will be undone.¡±


    His reaction caught my attention, but my mind was focused on one thing. Could it be that the reason the fairies of the Purple Forest were protecting the life they had conceived was related to this? It might be a clue connected to the main scenario of Asares.


    I was about to carefully pick up the stone tablet when¡ª


    Grab.


    Belman suddenly seized my wrist.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re thinking of stealing it, you¡¯d better be prepared to face the consequences.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Look at this.¡±


    Belman pointed to a pattern on the tablet with a serious expression.


    ¡°This writing that we thought was smudged¡­ It¡¯s not Rune, but a symbol. It¡¯s the emblem of a religion rooted in the Empire!¡±


    A chill ran down my spine as I listened to his now-loud voice. I immediately understood the implications of what Belman was trying to convey.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just pretend we never translated this. Hersel, you also shouldn¡¯t mention this to anyone. The Solaria Order has influence all over the Empire.¡±


    Blasphemy.


    That was what was engraved on the relic in the form of a prophecy. If it became known that we, as students, had deciphered it, we would undoubtedly face a lot of trouble. There was a reason why the Empire hadn¡¯t revealed the contents of the tablet when it was donated. Even the Emperor would want to avoid conflict with a religious order that half of his subjects belonged to.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say you never came here in the first place.¡±


    ¡°The professors might have been watching us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The two professors are still bedridden at Schlaphe Hall, and Professor Gomon is off in the forest gathering food.¡±


    ¡°Then we should separate and walk back on our own.¡±


    After exchanging a few brief words, I carefully packed up the stone tablet, wrapping it tightly in cloth to ensure it wasn¡¯t visible.


    ***


    Professor Gomon greeted us with a broad smile. He took the stone tablet from me, his voice filled with excitement as he exclaimed.


    ¡°You really found this here?¡±


    ¡°I stumbled upon it while taking a leisurely walk.¡±


    ¡°Wow, luck is a skill too, kid. You¡¯ve got the goods. Once you graduate, you¡¯ll be fast-tracked to promotion!¡±


    Although he kept praising me, saying things like ¡°this kid¡¯s got talent,¡± I now understood. He was acting surprised to hide his unease after reading the tablet¡¯s contents. But since the tablet was now out of my hands, I didn¡¯t need to worry about it anymore.


    ¡°So, did you arrange for enough carriages?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I made sure to contact the academy.¡±


    ¡°Does Frost Heart even have that many carriages?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll figure something out. Besides, they¡¯re still kids. You can fit more of them into a single carriage, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    It seemed like everything was wrapping up nicely. Tomorrow¡¯s return journey should go smoothly. Now, it was time to discuss my reward.


    ¡°So, Professor, how are you going to surprise me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Surprise you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Berme. You promised me a reward if I took care of it by myself.¡±


    Professor Gomon awkwardly cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes slightly before reluctantly nodding.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Alright, tell me what you want. I¡¯ll make sure Professor Rockefeller hears about it.¡±


    My request came out immediately.


    ¡°Graduation.¡±


    Professor Gomon broke out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°¡­Th-that¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Dropping out.¡±


    ¡°Kid, that¡¯s not an option either.¡±


    ¡°Then expulsion.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Just ask for money, will you?!¡±


    Maybe I should stop teasing him. I pulled out the old sword and showed it to Professor Gomon.


    Schwing¡ª


    Although it had always been slightly rusted, the blade had deteriorated even more after the battle with Berme. Even the enchantment on the gloves¡ª¡±significantly increases the durability of the item in hand¡±¡ªwhich was a gift from the mistress, had proven useless against the relentless force of the Mana Blade and Berme¡¯s blood. A normal sword couldn¡¯t withstand such power.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept a decent weapon as my reward.¡±


    Professor Gomon sighed in relief.


    ¡°Phew. I thought you were planning to run away. You almost gave me a heart attack.¡±


    Run away, huh? That might be a good option if they try to pull any more stunts.


    ¡°A decent weapon sounds fine. I¡¯ll make sure Professor Rockefeller knows. You can expect something good.¡±


    Professor Gomon seemed confident. If he was so sure, maybe I¡¯d really get a decent sword. That would be a pleasant surprise.


    ¨C I¡¯m moved, Hersel.


    ¨C The better the sword, the more enjoyable it is to wield. I¡¯m finally getting rid of this scrap metal for something worthwhile.


    Isn¡¯t it odd that Donatan, being a weapon himself, would be so interested in having another weapon? It¡¯s almost like a person acquiring a slave. As these thoughts ran through my mind, I heard voices chattering in the distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious! Just with swordsmanship alone, Berme was so scared he couldn¡¯t even enter. But of course, he charged in, using all his power to strike in the blink of an eye. And Hersel took it head-on. But amazingly, it was Berme¡¯s arm that broke.¡±


    I turned to see Ricks and his followers proudly recounting the story of how I killed Berme.


    ¡°And that¡¯s when Hersel swung his sword. It was dark, so I couldn¡¯t see clearly, but it might have even split the clouds.¡±


    Splitting clouds, huh? I¡¯m starting to fear you guys. You might actually drive me crazy.


    ***


    On the last evening of the test, we planned to return to the academy by carriage at dawn the next day. Perhaps because some of us were reluctant to leave just yet, Professor Gomon had gathered the students and started piling up firewood. Once the stack was completed, he called out loudly towards Schlaphe Hall.


    ¡°Alright, everyone gather around!¡±


    The students all started assembling with curious expressions, wondering what was going on.


    ¡°This is a Pathfinder tradition. I¡¯m making it sound fancy, but really, it¡¯s just a simple campfire. We light a fire at the spot we occupied and have some fun.¡±


    As Professor Gomon lit the fire, the crackling sound of burning wood filled the air, bringing a warm and comforting atmosphere that somehow made everyone feel a sense of camaraderie.


    Maybe it was the mood, but the students began to take out the food they had gathered from the demonic realm one by one. Professor Gomon chuckled heartily.


    ¡°Haha, this is amazing! I hadn¡¯t even told them that more supplies would arrive when the carriages get here.¡±


    His comment only made the students¡¯ efforts more enthusiastic. Feeling a bit generous, I decided to contribute some of the food I had taken from Belman. As I was about to share some jerky, a guy from the Lethe group hesitated and spoke.


    ¡°Hersel¡­¡±


    He was one of the guys who had drawn his sword when Luon¡¯s group tried to attack us. Although most of them had just been standing around, a few had actually joined in. I gave him a small smile.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been influenced by this place.¡±


    ¡°¡­I just realized that they were wrong.¡±


    ¡°Really? Weren¡¯t you the one beating up other students before? What changed your mind?¡±


    The guy looked embarrassed as he answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s an excuse, but¡­ If I had to say, I was lured in by the promise that joining Lethe would help my career. So, even though I didn¡¯t like it, I forced myself to do things I didn¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely an excuse. The people who suffered because of you wouldn¡¯t care if it was forced. It was still your choice.¡±


    After offering some advice, I noticed him narrow his eyes.


    ¡°And you, Hersel¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing.¡±


    This guy. He probably wanted to ask if I had the right to judge him, but decided against it.


    ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    I snatched the jerky he was about to offer and took a bite. After that, Professor Gomon started a singing session. He had a deep voice, likely due to his large frame, and he sang quite well. The students began clapping along in time with his rhythm, some even joining in the singing.


    The atmosphere heated up, and Professor Gomon decided it was time for a talent show, offering a bottle of liquor as a prize. Since alcohol was rare at the academy, especially the male students got fired up, throwing themselves into ridiculous dances or telling funny stories with all their might. Even in the midst of all this, Silla kept glaring at Limberton, and Leana kept glancing over at me.


    Actually, not just Leana, but everyone seemed to be sneaking glances at me. Sensing something bad was about to happen, I quickly turned my back, but Ricks ended up dragging me into singing anyway. Feeling awkward, I tried to use my shaping magic to create an acoustic guitar, but it turned into something that looked more like a broom. Ricks, unable to stand it, made a lute for me, and I had no choice but to use the unfamiliar instrument.


    Thankfully, after a few strums to match the chords, I started getting the hang of it. I chose a common campfire song from my college days. It seemed like a new kind of music to them, as their initially puzzled faces soon relaxed, and they began nodding their heads to the rhythm. Even those who had been on guard loosened up a bit as they listened to the song.


    The night sky of the Purple Forest was soon filled with music, and the moon began to wane.


    ¡­Well, it wasn¡¯t such a bad night.


    ***


    Perched on the highest tree of the highlands, Luon gazed down at the lowlands where smoke was rising. Felia flew to his shoulder and spoke with excitement.


    ¡°Look at them singing. They¡¯re pretty good.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always been good at drinking and dancing.¡±


    The corners of Luon¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Felia, noticing this, found it interesting.


    ¡°This is fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought you were just pretending to be human in front of others. But it seems you¡¯re actually showing emotion, at least towards Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Luon asked, and Felia confidently began explaining.


    ¡°You¡¯re more insensitive than most people. You can¡¯t empathize with others¡¯ pain and emotions. You only perceive them conceptually, right?¡±


    Felia had learned much through conversations with Luon. For this man, emotions were merely understood, devoid of empathy. Frowning meant pain. Tears meant sadness. But this was all just textbook knowledge to him, similar to a description in a book.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the ache of a wounded heart or the fluttering of excitement. Even if you wanted to, you couldn¡¯t, because your brain is wired wrong.¡±


    Felia had always thought of Luon this way.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not entirely true. These days, we call it hormones, I think? There are all sorts of them, but they¡¯re neurotransmitters that affect emotions. It¡¯s a problem when they¡¯re overproduced, but it¡¯s the same when they¡¯re as low as yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve picked up modern knowledge despite being an old soul.¡±


    ¡°Well, I used to read up on modern medicine whenever I was bored in the library. Anyway.¡±


    Felia hummed a tune as she looked into Luon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Judging by how you react to that Hersel guy, it seems you did feel jealousy. Remember that day when he came with his comrades to save the short guy? Didn¡¯t you feel a surge of anger?¡±


    Luon¡¯s pupils slightly dilated¡ªa sign that the part of his brain responsible for hormone production wasn¡¯t completely dead. Felia smirked and continued.


    ¡°Jealousy leads to anger, you know. That¡¯s why you went down to the lowlands and whispered your fury into his ear. Am I right?¡±


    Luon slowly closed and reopened his eyes without saying a word. Felia, trying to help him understand, simplified her explanation.


    ¡°You just didn¡¯t recognize it. It probably felt unfamiliar to you, so you couldn¡¯t identify it as jealousy or even anger.¡±


    Finally, Luon spoke.


    ¡°For some reason, I find this conversation uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a thought. You¡¯re feeling it.¡±


    Luon took out a cigarette from his pocket. He lit the end, and as he inhaled, the embers flared with a crackle.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Exhaling the smoke, Luon said,


    ¡°I need to focus on subduing Arkandric. If I can¡¯t handle that inspiration, I won¡¯t be able to move on to the next stage.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already figured out where the remaining materials are hidden.¡±


    As he listened to Felia¡¯s soft laughter, Luon puffed out more smoke. Then he alternated his gaze between the lowlands and the smoke rising in front of him.


    ¡°The campfire smoke is smaller,¡± he muttered. His hand snuffed out the cigarette butt on the damp tree trunk with a sizzle.


    ***


    Ch-ch-ch.


    The upperclassmen of Schlaphe Hall were bustling about.


    ¡°The kids will be here soon. Let¡¯s hurry up.¡±


    Under Athera¡¯s direction, the once-boring lobby was being filled with tables and food. They were preparing for a reception to welcome back the first-year students from their field training in the demonic realm. This tradition at Frost Heart began after the battle with the Roaming Band.


    Of course, all the expenses were covered by the dormitory¡¯s shared funds.


    ¡°If I see anyone grinning while stuffing their faces, I¡¯ll kill them myself. Got it? Eat up with a few tears in your eyes and offer some comforting words in a pitiful voice.¡±


    Many of them would be traumatized. Killing a child isn¡¯t a pleasant experience, and seeing your comrades die would leave a deep scar. Some might even try to commit suicide. That¡¯s why the upperclassmen needed to show extra care at times like this.


    Just as everything was getting ready,


    Creak¡ª


    The old, worn-out front door of Schlaphe Hall swung open. A long leg stepped through, followed by a voice that spread through the lobby.


    ¡°Did you all behave while I was gone?¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 105

    Athera¡¯s eye twitched as she watched the first-year students devour the feast laid out before them with wide smiles.All 136 students.


    Every single one of them had returned alive. While that in itself was remarkable, what was even more shocking was something else entirely.


    ¡°Hmm, Frost Heart must be struggling financially.¡±


    ¡°Right? I thought it would be nicer, considering it¡¯s where nobles go, but look at this place. The furniture is all old and worn out.¡±


    ¡°That fortress over there looks decent, but¡­¡±


    Mixed among the first-year students were unfamiliar small children, munching away like hamsters.


    Athera approached Hersel. Though it hadn¡¯t been confirmed that he was the ringleader of this situation, the chances were high that it was him.


    ¡°Hersel? Care to explain what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, these are the young Roaming Band members. We took them as prisoners.¡±


    It seemed the other second and third-year students were also listening in on the conversation, as startled voices emerged from various spots.


    ¡°P-prisoners?¡±


    ¡°Wait, did you say young Roaming Band members?¡±


    Athera was momentarily stunned. She didn¡¯t understand how it was possible, but the results were laid out right in front of her. However, this was bound to cause a huge problem. It wasn¡¯t like the second and third-year students would be happy about the presence of these children.


    ¡°Many of our peers died at the hands of the Roaming Band, and you decided this on your own?¡±


    ¡°Did they kill them? If you want revenge, wait until you graduate. By then, the ones who killed your friends will have probably moved up in the Roaming Band.¡±


    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡±


    As Athera trailed off, Hersel raised his voice to address everyone.


    ¡°I know these kids don¡¯t sit well with you. But they didn¡¯t wrong you. They wronged us. And it was horrific.¡±


    Some of the upperclassmen made confused sounds, but Hersel continued, his expression hardening as he pulled Melin¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Not only did these damn kids make everything difficult for us, but they also burned our food supply to try and starve us to death. So remember, only the first-years have the right to take revenge on them.¡±


    ¡°A-agh¡­ S-sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, this has been agreed upon with the professors. If you have any complaints, feel free to take them up with Professor Rockefeller¡ªthough I doubt you have the guts to do that.¡±


    No one could argue anymore. When you think about it, these kids weren¡¯t really at fault; they were just raised by those twisted bastards. And challenging the professors, whose word was law, could lead to serious repercussions. But as a representative, Athera had to address one crucial point.


    ¡°Ahem, I understand that part.¡±


    Athera scanned the lobby, roughly counting the number of children.


    ¡­There¡¯s definitely a lot of them.


    There seemed to be at least 150 of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to dump all these kids on our dorm?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. The fortress is full of classified materials. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d let outsiders in there.¡±


    So that¡¯s why Schlaphe Hall got stuck with them. After all, there was only this one building outside the fortress, so there wasn¡¯t much choice for space.


    ¡°But how are you going to manage all these kids? What about food? Do you even know how to take care of them?¡±


    As Athera fired off her questions, Hersel pulled out a sack that clinked with a metallic sound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that part.¡±


    ¡°W-what is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is the donation we got from the guys at Adelle Hall and Buerger Hall. We asked them to chip in since we¡¯re the ones taking care of the kids.¡±


    As Hersel revealed what must have been at least 10,000 coins, Athera thought to herself.


    But so what? This hefty sum had just entered the dorm¡¯s coffers. Athera swallowed her saliva and reached out to snatch the sack, but Hersel quickly turned his back and shouted to the entire lobby.


    ¡°The kids will be leaving in five days. Until then, I¡¯ll pay 50 coins to anyone who feeds and shelters them.¡±


    The monthly allowance for students at Schlaphe Hall was only 30 coins. The students¡¯ eyes lit up, and they began glancing at each other before turning their gaze toward the kids who were still focused on eating. Their expressions gradually changed, resembling those of hungry hyenas.


    While they were still sizing up the situation, Athera was the first to move. She slowly approached Melin, who was closest to her, and hugged her tightly to prevent her from running away.


    ¡°From now on, you¡¯re my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    When a nearby third-year student tried to approach Melin, Athera glared at them with a murderous look.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine. Go find someone else!¡±


    Her words were the starting signal. The students rushed in, surrounding the children and began claiming them one by one, with loud arguments erupting all over.


    ¡°Hand them over! This one¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Hey, I¡¯ll treat you better. Come here, okay?¡±


    ¡°I have cute dolls in my room! Oh, and this big sister has candy. Want some?¡±


    Frightened by the greed on their faces, the children tried to run away. But the students surrounded them, capturing them one by one.


    ¡°Hehe, you can¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°W-why are you doing this to us¡­?¡±


    Hersel approached Limberton, who was sweating and trembling.


    ¡°How¡¯s that? Solved it easily, right? Pretty clever, huh?¡±


    ¡°C-clever? The kids are running away crying! How are we any different from the Roaming Band¡­?¡±


    Hersel nodded in partial agreement. The current scene wasn¡¯t much different from a child kidnapping operation.


    ***


    After taking a warm shower for the first time in a while, I was reminded of what it felt like to be civilized.


    ¡°Ah, hot water really is the best.¡±


    As I walked into the room, drying my hair with a towel, I noticed a fish bone placed in front of the door. Smoke started seeping in through the crack, soon taking the form of a black cat, which then began devouring the fish.


    Flop!


    I flopped onto the bed, going over everything that had happened. Just like in the lobby, handling the kids was easier than I expected. The points we earned during the field training quickly turned into cash. With the substantial sum I extorted from the other dorms, I was able to cover the living expenses for the prisoners. And all without spending a single coin of my own.


    I also sent a letter to the mistress. I made sure to include a note that if she refused, I¡¯d spread rumors about her being a cold-hearted woman who discriminated against and abandoned children. It would be amusing if she rejected it.


    Next on the list is the matter of the exam results. As expected, I scored perfect marks in both the written and practical exams. If all goes well, I¡¯ll be promoted to Buerger Hall as soon as the first semester ends. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if I ended up in Adelle Hall, but given that guy Rockefeller, I shouldn¡¯t expect too much.


    Lastly, about the reward. Professor Gomon personally came to tell me that it was something worth looking forward to. In addition to the medal from Pathfinder, the royal family would also be sending a plaque of gratitude¡ªbut to me, those are just cumbersome decorations.


    What I want is money and a weapon. At least, they¡¯ll put some thought into choosing the weapon.


    That wraps up everything that happened today.


    ¡°Now, I can finally get some proper rest.¡±


    I relaxed my muscles and let myself go limp. In the meantime, the cat climbed onto my stomach and curled up. Donatan remarked in surprise.


    ¨C It seems all its wariness has finally disappeared.


    I stroked the cat¡¯s head with my hand. It didn¡¯t shy away and seemed to enjoy the touch. I wasn¡¯t entirely pleased about it, though. Growing this close to the cat meant that the grand finale at Frost Heart was drawing near.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t have any classes for a while, so I guess I can live with an empty head for a bit.¡±


    Not that I¡¯ll have nothing to do, though. The academy is planning a banquet for the students who finished the field training, where they¡¯ll serve alcohol and present awards. But that¡¯s still a few days away, so I don¡¯t need to worry about it right now.


    Donatan then brought up something important.


    ¨C Ahem, wouldn¡¯t it be proper to express your gratitude to that man, Hetherson? Without his teachings, you might not have made it back alive.


    ¡°Ah, Hetherson? I was planning to visit him anyway.¡±


    The Liquid gold and techniques he provided had become incredibly effective offensive tools.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll bring him plenty of food tomorrow. Yawn, but for now, let¡¯s just get some sleep.¡±


    With the cat still on my stomach, I closed my eyes.


    ***


    Hetherson walked down the corridor, gazing out the window. Normally, leaving the school grounds without permission wasn¡¯t allowed, but he had made the request just in case, and the old professor had granted him the exception. This was a sign that his time was running out.


    ¡°Old man, today was supposed to be the day he returned. So why hasn¡¯t he shown up yet?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve just returned from the field training. He¡¯s probably sore all over and went straight to sleep.¡±


    Hetherson clicked his tongue in disappointment.


    But if that was the reason, there was nothing he could do about it. As he continued to stare outside, he noticed a droplet of water trickling down the glass. It seemed the icicles hanging from the railing above had begun to melt.


    ¡°So even here, the snow starts to melt when spring arrives.¡±


    The old professor responded sympathetically.


    ¡°Yes, it does melt, though the snow-capped mountains remain, you¡¯ll start to see some greenery.¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you think it will all be gone in two days?¡±


    The old professor didn¡¯t say anything.


    Hetherson grinned.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be so serious. Lighten up.¡±


    Hetherson looked around for something else to distract him, eventually pointing outside at the children making snowmen with the students.


    ¡°¡­Am I seeing things, or are there tiny little kids playing out there?¡±


    The old professor finally laughed heartily.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a funny story.¡±


    He recounted everything Gomon had told him. How the young Roaming Band had attacked again, but this time the students had captured them instead of killing them. Hersel had been at the center of it all and had even defeated all the instructors, as unbelievable as it sounded.


    ¡°They say he did all that. Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d go to the demonic realm and even find a relic? He¡¯s truly rewriting history in unprecedented ways. I doubt we¡¯ll ever see another student like him.¡±


    Hetherson, not being a member of Pathfinder, didn¡¯t know the details, but the stories sounded amusing enough to make him shrug.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s to be expected from my disciple.¡±


    Then Hetherson suddenly realized something. He wasn¡¯t even involved, yet he felt a sense of pride in Hersel¡¯s accomplishments. His eyes widened.


    Of course, there were many things he admired about him, but Hersel was a noble. Even when interacting, Hetherson had always kept a clear line between them.


    Hetherson tried to suppress a chuckle, covering his mouth with his hand. The old professor looked at him curiously, but Hetherson eventually burst out laughing.


    ¡°Ahahaha!¡±


    He hated to admit it, but he had grown fond of him.


    A man who despised nobles had developed an attachment to one.


    ¡°H-Hetherson? What¡¯s got you laughing like a madman?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ those kids Hersel saved. Heh. They¡¯re all little beggars you¡¯d expect to find in the slums. He saved something with no value at all! And he¡¯s a noble! How is that not funny?¡±


    Wars had always been frequent because of the nobles. The consequences of their actions were often borne by innocent commoners. Losing parents, sending children to the battlefield, and dying under the weight of heavy taxes¡ªsuch was the life of a commoner. There were reasons for the rise of the shadowy Watchmen.


    But this guy was different.


    Perhaps that¡¯s why, without even realizing it, Hetherson had let his guard down. Unlike the smooth-talking con artists, Hersel¡¯s actions had a genuine sincerity to them.


    ¡°Haa.¡±


    Hetherson took a deep breath and finally calmed himself. Then he turned to the old professor.


    ¡°Tell him to come see me first thing tomorrow morning.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be difficult, but in the morning?¡±


    ¡°I should at least say goodbye, shouldn¡¯t I? There are many things I want to talk about.¡±


    Hetherson glanced at Schlaphe Hall, deep in thought.


    Considering the hundreds of gold coins he had given away, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he gave him the great discovery the others were trying to take¡ªthe Inventory.


    It wouldn¡¯t be easy, of course.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 106

    I was summoned early in the morning by the old professor to a secluded spot. Despite summer being just around the corner, each breath I exhaled came out as white mist, while Hetherson¡¯s breath emitted gray smoke.¡°Huu~¡±


    Hetherson, dressed in a thick coat, stood gazing at the slowly brightening sky. Each time he brought his pipe to his lips, the chain of his pocket watch clinked. I had never attended one of his classes until the end, so I wasn¡¯t sure how long he had left. But from the small freedoms he was granted, I instinctively knew that today was his last day.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here?¡±


    Hetherson greeted me with an awkward wave, and I responded as usual.


    ¡°You sure enjoy that stuff.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive, you know. Supposedly grown in the demonic realm¡ªunless the old man lied about it, right?¡±


    The old professor coughed awkwardly. Hetherson, in a display of bad taste, extended the pipe toward me, seeing the grimace on my face.


    ¡°Wanna try it?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. It just makes me cough.¡±


    Honestly, it¡¯s not even the Age of Exploration, but somehow they¡¯ve already discovered tobacco, and innocent non-smokers like me are the ones who suffer¡­


    ¡°The air outside is nice, so how about we just take a walk?¡±


    Hetherson, who seemed eager for a stroll, started walking with a slightly excited spring in his step.


    Crunch¡ª


    The snow underfoot was thin. It hadn¡¯t accumulated much since it had drifted in from the snow-capped mountains.


    ¡°I heard about it. You were flying high during the exam, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s words, spoken with an embarrassed smile, made me frown slightly as I responded.


    ¡°¡­That just happened by chance.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t planned for any of it during the field training. My goal had been to gather some useful herbs and find a relic or two before returning. As for the young Roaming Band and the fights with the instructors, my plan was just to watch from a distance and let things unfold. ?


    But Hetherson seemed to think I was being modest, and he chuckled.


    ¡°So those kids you brought in, they¡¯re all orphans, right? You won¡¯t gain much from picking them up, so why did you do it?¡±


    Once again, I answered honestly.


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll be useful, of course. Raise them, and they¡¯ll eventually pay taxes.¡±


    Melin, in particular, was too promising to let go.


    ¡°They¡¯re well-trained for kids and good for manual labor. They¡¯ll work without complaining.¡±


    I made it clear that my decision was purely calculative. But Hetherson, perhaps coming to some odd conclusion, suddenly stopped walking, his eyes widening in surprise.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­ you¡¯re planning to grant them Imperial citizenship, are you?¡±


    ¡°To collect taxes, that¡¯s the only way.¡±


    That¡¯s the law, after all.


    ¡°Well, the family will handle the rest. It just worked out that way, so no need to make a fuss about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure. You just happened to defeat the instructors, and just happened to rescue the kids. Quite the series of coincidences, huh?¡±


    Hetherson, with a mischievous grin like a playful five-year-old, mocked me with a sarcasm-laden tone. His narrow-eyed smile was so irritating that I unconsciously clenched my fist.


    ¡°If you keep teasing me, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡°Tch, fine.¡±


    After he agreed, the conversation turned to more trivial matters.


    ¡°That madam with the tear mole can really charm a person, can¡¯t she?¡±


    We talked about which cities were nice, the state of the red-light districts, and which gambling houses were the most honest¡ªtopics that had little to do with me.


    ¡°These topics don¡¯t interest me. A righteous man like me doesn¡¯t visit those kinds of places.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. You look like exactly the type who would.¡±


    ¡°Think what you want.¡±


    As we alternated between walking and resting, three hours passed. By now, we were discussing food.


    ¡°You want to eat something spicy? Then try going to Melbana. It¡¯s a southern town and my hometown. It¡¯s famous for adding strong spices to all kinds of dishes.¡±


    ¡°No wonder you like ginger cookies so much. But that¡¯s not the kind of spiciness I¡¯m after.¡±


    ¡°You mean something like the spiciness of stir-fried pork?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, they might have something like that. Maybe I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Before long, we ran out of topics, and only the sound of our footsteps filled the air. We were both likely avoiding heavier subjects, afraid to break the silence. Hetherson didn¡¯t seem to want that kind of atmosphere, and I was going along with his wishes, using my sense of tact.


    After a while, as the silence continued, Hetherson rubbed his stomach, indicating his hunger.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. How about we head back?¡±


    ¡°Sure, on the way, I¡¯ll tell my maid to bring some food.¡±


    Selly has the day off today, so naturally, I¡¯ll have to make things difficult for her.


    ¡°Oh, right. Speaking of ginger cookies, have her bring some of those too. And what else¡­ Peaches? Yeah, those would be nice too.¡±


    As Hetherson smacked his lips and spoke, the old professor gave him a sharp look.


    ¡°You¡¯re mean, Hetherson. You know I¡¯m allergic to peaches, and you still ask for them?¡±


    ¡°So what? That makes me want them even more.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, just a whiff of peach fuzz will give me hives.¡±


    And with that, our walk came to an end. On the way back, I stopped by Selly to give her some tasks and gifts before heading to the lecture hall. Once seated, I half-listened to Hetherson¡¯s ongoing chatter. It seemed he had packed a whole conversation into his bundle and didn¡¯t show any signs of stopping.


    ¡°Have you ever been on a boat? I was so hungry once that I picked up some bread, but a seagull snatched it right out of my hands. At that moment, Melissa, who was next to me, shouted in shock.¡±


    Melissa was probably the name of the woman who dumped him.


    ¡°You idiot. You should have caught it. Why did you just sit there staring? she said. And when I asked why she was so upset, she said she wanted to fry it and eat it. She was always such a frugal woman. But that was back when we were traveling with not a single coin to our names.¡±


    ¡°¡­She wanted to fry a seagull?¡±


    Hetherson seemed happiest when he talked about Melissa.


    ¡°Even though we were poor, those days were good. Melissa¡¯s skin was always so smooth. Even after ten years, not a single wrinkle appeared.¡±


    Maybe he was at peace because he knew he would be seeing Melissa again soon.


    Just then, I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. It seemed Selly had arrived.


    Creeeak¡ª


    The door opened, and Selly entered the lecture hall, carrying a basket full of items. As expected, her expression was sour, just like when I gave her a task.


    I teased her slightly.


    ¡°Look at that face.¡±


    Selly clenched her teeth and whispered quietly.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t make me do chores on my day off.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been resting while I was away for the exam.¡±


    ¡°I had to work at the caf¨¦ too, you know?¡±


    ¡°I know all about your days off.¡±


    Grumbling, Selly placed the basket on the desk. She glanced at Hetherson, who looked every bit like a criminal, and her expression didn¡¯t seem too pleased.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks.¡±


    After Selly left, Hetherson rummaged through the basket, commenting.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty casual with your maid.¡±


    ¡°She lacks proper manners, but since I¡¯m generous, I let it slide.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, got it.¡±


    Hetherson pulled out a peach, causing the old professor to recoil in fear.


    ¡°Ack, get that away from me! If you¡¯re going to eat it, at least turn your head away.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, leave.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to keep an eye on you! What kind of nonsense is that?!¡±


    Hetherson grinned mischievously and played with the peach. He then took a big bite, and the juicy flesh burst with moisture. The old professor, seemingly suffering just from the smell, teared up and began coughing.


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    I was about to test whether healing magic could cure allergies when Hetherson suddenly dropped his playful demeanor and leaned in seriously. His voice reached my ear in a low whisper.


    ¡°Check this when you get back.¡±


    He slipped a piece of paper between my coat and shirt.


    ¡°You bastard, Hetherson!!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, old man. Must have been the juice that splashed there.¡±


    As Hetherson continued his charade, I carefully tucked the paper into my pocket.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. You can go now. I¡¯ve got to have a chat with the old man here.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, you and I, talking?¡±


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve been listening all this time. Let¡¯s relax and chat.¡±


    Realizing he was eager to send me off, I rose from my seat. It must be something serious if he was in such a hurry to get rid of me.


    I thought about what to say as a parting remark¡­ After a brief moment of consideration, I spoke.


    ¡°Thank you, Hetherson, and I¡¯m glad I met you.¡±


    I wanted to say something more profound, but I wasn¡¯t good with emotions, so only simple words came out. I figured this would be the last time, so I stood there waiting for him to laugh at me.


    But to my surprise, Hetherson let out a deep sigh, then smiled brightly and waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m glad I met you too.¡±


    And so, I left my teacher, who had been like a death row inmate.


    ***


    As soon as I returned to my room, I pulled out the folded piece of paper. Donatan, who seemed to have taken a liking to him, made some uncharacteristically sympathetic remarks.


    ¨C I feel pity for his death. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C He was an evil man, but he never really seemed evil. He had a good heart.


    I sat down in a chair and unfolded the paper as I replied.


    ¡°Yeah? Maybe he would¡¯ve lived a decent life if he hadn¡¯t joined the Watchmen of the Shadows.¡±


    ¨C Who knows? I¡¯ve seen many people with outstanding talent held back by their social status.


    I half-listened to Donatan as I read the first page. My eyes widened in shock. I let the sweat drip down my forehead as I responded to him.


    ¡°If that talent is beyond what anyone could have expected, it¡¯s a different story.¡±


    ¨C What?


    ¡°Hetherson¡­ this guy¡­ academically speaking, he might be a once-in-a-lifetime genius.¡±


    What was written on the paper was something that appears so frequently in games that it might be dismissed as nothing special. But in a world where it doesn¡¯t exist, the significance of this discovery is unimaginable.


    Inventory.


    A magic that allows you to store items in a subspace, keeping them perfectly preserved and unspoiled.


    Flip.


    As I turned the page, a note came into view.


    [I¡¯m leaving you with one problem. When you turn the page, there will be blank spaces. I¡¯ve even left hints, so if you walk around and investigate, you should be able to fill them in. You¡¯re smart, so I figure it¡¯ll take you about ten years to solve it.]


    Below that was a complex formula, drawn as a puzzle. Just as Hetherson had said, there were blanks, with clues suggesting it was necessary to conduct some field research to fill them in. Otherwise, the puzzle couldn¡¯t be solved.


    This was a problem that needed to be completed first.


    [Once solved, you¡¯ll have the answer. Use that answer with the hundreds of gold coins I gave you, and the Inventory magic will be yours. Ah, but don¡¯t share this with anyone else unless you want to live a very complicated life.]


    ¡°¡­Hundreds of gold coins?¡±


    Wait, that¡¯s not the point. If it takes ten years, it¡¯s essentially telling me not to learn it. I don¡¯t have that much time¡­


    But when I turned the next page, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Hetherson, you really do love playing tricks on people.


    [But just in case, I¡¯ll give you a hint. Maybe I liked you so much that I already taught you the answer. Anyway, the answer is a name. The name of the woman I loved.]


    ¨C Hersel, didn¡¯t he mention that name earlier?


    ¡°Yeah, he did. No wonder he kept repeating it all day.¡±


    I used the hundreds of gold coins to write ¡°Melissa¡± in the air. Nothing happened at first, but just as I was about to reabsorb the coins, the room was suddenly plunged into darkness.


    Before me, a large canvas appeared, covered in intricate diagrams.


    ***


    Click.


    A manastone light flickered on. Hetherson lay bound to a bed, his face illuminated by the lamp overhead. He turned his head.


    Clomp, clomp.


    Rockefeller approached, wiping his hands with a towel.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Hetherson Aola.¡±


    ¡°¡­You disgusting traitor.¡±


    ¡°A traitor, am I? Heh, heh. That na?ve perspective hasn¡¯t changed. I was only doing my job. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves for not spotting the spy. Am I wrong?¡±


    At Rockefeller¡¯s sneer, Hetherson gritted his teeth and shouted.


    ¡°You were unfortunate, but at one time, I considered you a comrade. After all, you¡¯d suffered at the hands of the Empire just like I did! So why did you betray us?¡±


    ¡°Because the Empire granted me a title and helped me get to where I am today.¡±


    Rockefeller picked up an ink-stained pen and drew a dotted line on Hetherson¡¯s forehead. With each prick, Hetherson winced.


    ¡°Heh, heh. You said you once thought of me as a comrade? How laughable. I¡¯ve always seen you as nothing but a fool. Despite your reputation as an authority in Sadomachia, all you ever did was inflate others¡¯ egos and strut around arrogantly. There wasn¡¯t a single thing I liked about you.¡±


    As Rockefeller rambled on, he inserted the needle. Hetherson felt his consciousness fading and closed his eyes.


    Thunk!


    The knife pierced Hetherson¡¯s forehead. Rockefeller wiped the blood from his cheek and began to work with precise, slicing movements.


    ***


    In the lobby of Schlaphe Hall, Athera whispered to Ricks and his group.


    ¡°You guys are going to have a party soon.¡±


    ¡°A party?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a party. After the field training, the professors always prepare something to congratulate us. You¡¯ll even get to drink as much as you want! So don¡¯t forget to sneak me a bottle too.¡±


    The mention of alcohol made many students gulp audibly. Alcohol was not sold to students at Frost Heart, making it a rare commodity.


    ¡°And get some new clothes from the club. You must have earned quite a few coins from the last training, right? And¡­ Oh, right, you captured the leader, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯ll be getting a reward too.¡±


    Ricks asked, puzzled.


    ¡°We get rewards?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Those who contribute get recognized. Limberton caught someone too, didn¡¯t he? With two from Schlaphe Hall, Adelle Hall will be making a fuss.¡±


    Athera¡¯s expression was one of pure enjoyment.


    ¡°But what about Hersel¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, Hersel? Who knows? I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯ll do. Has there ever been a student who captured an instructor before? They might need to create a new award for that. But do you think he even cares?¡±


    Ricks nodded. Hersel was supposed to receive a medal, not just from the academy, but from the Pathfinder headquarters and even the royal family.


    ¡°Still, the professors will probably give him something just to save face. Anyway, I¡¯ve told you everything. Pass it on to the others.¡±


    Athera turned on her heel, as if to say she was done with them, her voice dripping with a noblewoman¡¯s elegance.


    ¡°Melin? Mother wants to have a meal. Could you fetch my coat? I¡¯m curious about the texture of the new fabric I bought.¡±


    Melin whispered to Ricks, pleading for help.


    ¡°¡­That woman is weird. Can¡¯t I get a different guardian?¡±


    ¡°Just hang in there a little longer. It¡¯s only a few more days.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    As Athera clapped her hands, Melin clicked her tongue and followed her sulkily. Klabe asked cautiously.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Senior Athera seem a bit more refined these days? That outfit looks new too.¡±


    ¡°There were rumors that she made a lot of money while we were away, and it seems they were true¡­¡±


    ¡°But if she¡¯s not in need, then why bother with Melin?¡±


    ¡°She probably wants to take her in as a maid.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 107

    Gomon¡¯s eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, his expression dazed. He couldn¡¯t help but think how dreary the atmosphere in Rockefeller¡¯s office was. The curtains were such a dark purple that it was difficult to tell if they were actually black. The paintings hanging on the walls were equally dismal in their color scheme, enough to make anyone who looked at them feel as if they were on the verge of depression. The candelabras, with their antiquated design, brought back memories of a museum visit.Just as Gomon was lost in thought, staring blankly at the flames, the candlelight began to flicker. A dull thud, as if someone was pounding on the desk, reverberated in his eardrums.


    Bang!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Gomon flinched and glanced at Rockefeller¡¯s face. His eyes were hollow and menacing. It seemed he had been caught daydreaming.


    ¡°Did you even hear a word I said?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course! I was listening carefully, Professor Rockefeller.¡±


    Gomon tried to cover it up, but Rockefeller narrowed his eyes as he asked,


    ¡°Really? Then tell me what I said.¡±


    If he couldn¡¯t answer, he would be grilled for the rest of the day. However, Gomon felt confident. Even though he had only half-listened to Rockefeller¡¯s nagging, he knew what the conversation was about.


    ¡°You were talking about how Hersel Ben Tenest received the highest score, weren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Rockefeller clicked his tongue and wrinkled his nose.


    ¡°The big brute sure knows how to slip through like an eel.¡±


    Gomon thought to himself, Of course. But Rockefeller, seemingly determined, showed no signs of stopping his criticism.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I gave you hints, but it seems you didn¡¯t catch on. I didn¡¯t feel the need to spell it out, but you knew what I meant, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know¡­ You wanted him to be transferred to the Knight Department, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°So, what did you do about it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Gomon felt bitterly wronged. In truth, he had planned to sabotage Hersel. The problem was that there were certain conditions that needed to be met to carry out the plan.


    ¡°I thought since he didn¡¯t seem interested in the Three-Headed Wolf Hunt, he would try to gain points through treasure hunting. So, I figured we could just burn whatever herbs or materials he had found.¡±


    Using fire tactics is a basic strategy for a Roaming Band. Just as they had burned food supplies, he expected everything to go up in flames. Even if by some chance it remained intact, they planned to set it on fire as soon as he stepped outside. Under the circumstances, everyone would assume it was the Roaming Band that committed the arson.


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t locate the base where they were hiding¡­¡±


    No matter how much they searched with the crystal ball, they couldn¡¯t find it. All they could do was occasionally confirm that the Roaming Band was moving around. If they let their guard down even slightly, it was as if the band disappeared into thin air.


    ¡°You know as well as I do, Professor Rockefeller, how hard it is for just three of us to monitor 250 students and keep an eye on the instructors.¡±


    As Gomon voiced his complaints, Rockefeller¡¯s murderous aura seemed to dissipate. He even began to smile, which made Gomon even more uneasy.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault? I¡¯ll admit it. I overestimated you all. I¡¯ll make sure that¡¯s reflected in your next performance review.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    When Rockefeller picked up his pen, Gomon¡¯s face fell. A few scribbles from that man could easily delay his promotion. If he wanted to avoid disaster, he had to keep defending himself.


    ¡°But, well, Hersel did find the artifact. Even if I had done my best to hinder him, the outcome would have been the same. His perfect score was guaranteed from that point on.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Rockefeller seemed to be deep in thought, his gaze drifting upward. It looked like he was considering various possibilities and calculations.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, no one could have expected him to find the artifact.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, there¡¯s nothing you can do about a prodigy.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s drop this topic for now. You can leave.¡±


    Rockefeller waved his hand dismissively, signaling for him to leave. Gomon seized the opportunity to move, but then remembered the promise he made to Hersel and stopped in his tracks. He knew he would get an earful, but a promise was a promise.


    ¡°Uh, Professor Rockefeller?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I promised Hersel that the academy would give him something in return for hunting down the Bloody Viper, Berme.¡±


    As expected, Rockefeller¡¯s eyes widened in anger.


    ¡°Who gave you the authority to make that decision?¡±


    Gomon grumbled internally, You did the same thing during the evil spirit incident¡­


    ¡°Well, the thing is, he¡¯s much stronger than I thought. If it weren¡¯t for him, I would have been dead.¡±


    Though he was prepared for a scolding, Rockefeller spoke calmly.


    ¡°I might not know about other things, but I do acknowledge your magical skills. I¡¯m well aware of how strong Berme was. The fact that Hersel Ben Tenest easily took him down¡­¡±


    There was a tinge of regret in his voice. Gomon, sympathizing with Rockefeller¡¯s feelings, nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yes, it does seem a waste for him to stay in the Magic Department.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve finally realized it. That kid¡¯s skills far surpass those of the professors, not as a mage but as a swordsman.¡±


    Gomon¡¯s eyes sparkled at Rockefeller¡¯s words. He thought the professor would be pleased to hear what Hersel had requested.


    ¡°Haha, but you don¡¯t need to worry too much. It seems he hasn¡¯t entirely given up on the sword.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°He asked for a sword. A good one, to be provided by the academy. Maybe he¡¯s warming up to the idea of joining the Knight Department?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes glinted with interest, though his tone remained harsh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Now, off you go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Gomon hurriedly left the office. Only after he had gone did Rockefeller lean back in his chair and smirk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t particularly want to, but I¡¯ll have to give him something good.¡±


    Thinking of the commotion likely happening at the Roaming Band¡¯s base, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°To think that the Bloody Viper, Berme, was killed by a mere student¡­¡±


    The news would undoubtedly spread among those who specialized in exploring the Demon Realm. Principals of other academies would be kicking themselves for letting Hersel go for such a cheap price. Even Arkandric would be smugly boasting about it. That¡¯s how valuable Hersel was.


    ***


    The lobby of Schlaphe Hall was noisy from the early morning. A large man in full armor was bellowing at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors. Let¡¯s see your skills, Hersel Ben Tenest!¡±


    As he removed his helmet, I cautiously backed away, trying to slip out unnoticed. I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but that face definitely belonged to Goren, the Saint of the South. But then Ricks shouted at the man and pointed directly at me.


    ¡°Hersel is right over there, Sir Goren. Even for someone like you, you¡¯d better be prepared. Right, Hersel?¡±


    No.


    I tried to flee, but somehow, Riamon, Belman, Leana, Silla, and Erucel from Adel Hall had gathered to block my exit. In the center of them all was Rockefeller.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, this is your guest. Handle it quickly.¡±


    With telekinesis, Rockefeller pushed me right in front of Goren. Goren unsheathed his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the first strike.¡±


    As he thrust his sword toward me, a system window appeared.


    [Impact detected.]


    [Activating trait.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    I watched as Goren¡¯s sword shattered, and I tried to bluff my way out. But he had another sword, which he quickly swung, slicing clean through my neck.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    I jolted awake to the sight of a white blanket. Sweat dripped down onto the sheets. My breath came out in ragged gasps.


    ¡°Hah, hah¡­¡±


    Was it just a dream?


    ¨C Hersel, did you have another nightmare?


    Donatan¡¯s concerned voice reached me. I barely managed to calm my racing heart as I replied,


    ¡°Y-yeah, maybe it was a prophetic dream¡­¡±


    This place was starting to scare me more and more. I was even beginning to think that the mansion was better. If I didn¡¯t do something soon, I felt like something truly terrible would happen. I needed to think deeply about this.


    Knock, knock.


    A sudden knock came from the door. It was morning already. A visitor at this early hour?


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest? Hmm, are you still asleep?¡±


    It was Gomon¡¯s voice. I got up in my pajamas and opened the door for him.


    ¡°Ahem, sorry for bothering you so early. But I wanted to deliver some news right away.¡±


    ¡°News?¡±


    ¡°Yes, about the sword. Professor Rockefeller has prepared it for you, so come and pick it up.¡±


    Did I really have to go there myself?


    ¡°You could¡¯ve just brought it with you.¡±


    I shot him a sharp look, and Professor Gomon gave me an awkward smile. He glanced around before whispering in my ear.


    ¡°Well, the thing is¡­ it¡¯s stored in the Treasure Hall. You know what that means, right? If word got out, it could cause quite a stir, so make sure not to tell any of the other students. It¡¯s something that¡¯s only given to the top graduates.¡±


    The Treasure Hall? I stared at Gomon in disbelief and asked again.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am. So hurry up and get ready.¡±


    The Treasure Hall was a vault filled with legendary swords donated by renowned Pathfinders before they died. Some of them might have been the final works of legendary blacksmiths. Not only were they top-tier in performance, but they were also priceless treasures that couldn¡¯t be measured in gold. I quickly showered, changed clothes, and followed Gomon.


    ***


    The Treasure Hall could only be reached by passing through the professor¡¯s quarters. On the way, I could feel the occasional gaze from the professors. They were probably curious why a student was wandering around here so early in the morning. Amidst it all, I heard a scolding voice coming from inside the faculty office.


    ¡°How could you do your work like this?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen someone mark a wrong answer as correct. Didn¡¯t you graduate from here? You should¡¯ve been able to solve it!¡±


    I peeked inside as we walked by. A young-looking female professor was being berated by an older colleague who seemed to be her senior. Gomon cleared his throat and redirected my attention.


    ¡°Ahem. There¡¯s plenty to see on the way to the Treasure Hall, so how about I give you a little tour?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±


    I was already familiar with everything here. But as we passed through the hallway and a new door came into view, Gomon¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, and he started playing tour guide.


    ¡°That room is responsible for the fortress¡¯s barrier. Whenever you¡¯re doing those monster defense training sessions, the equipment in there is what they use.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And here¡¯s something most of the other professors don¡¯t know: you can control the barriers inside the fortress from the headmaster¡¯s office. Isn¡¯t that amazing? You can even block off floors and stairs as you please.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that amazing. This academy was built in the heart of the Demon Realm, so of course, security would be top-notch. I kept my expression indifferent, but Gomon didn¡¯t stop his explanation.


    ¡°In the past, unlike now, the academy was often attacked by savage monsters. Plus, it was during a time of war, so there were always armies trying to raid us.¡±


    This place was incredibly remote. During wartime, it would¡¯ve been difficult for the empire to send proper troops here, so it was a prime target for hostile nations. But that was all ancient history.


    ¡°The Grand Mage considered all of this from the very start of the construction.¡±


    ¡°Should you really be telling this to a student?¡±


    I asked with a half-lidded gaze, and Gomon laughed sheepishly.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly a secret, you know.¡±


    Professor Gomon seemed to have a deep interest in the history of Frostheart. Given the many secrets of the fortress, it was no wonder someone as curious as he would be intrigued.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a shame. If it weren¡¯t for all the wars, the records would have been perfectly preserved.¡±


    After the Grand Mage died and centuries later, Frostheart had once fallen into the hands of a foreign nation. Much of what was lost back then is unknown even to me, the player. The only one who might know anything more is the woman in the moving portrait.


    Before I realized it, we had arrived at a hall filled with relics. I paused to look at the framed picture. It was closer to a video, showing the Grand Mage and three young apprentices smiling. Two were girls, and one was a boy with white hair. Gomon seemed pleased that I was interested in the picture and chuckled.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fascinating? A moving picture. But is it really a picture? It feels more like they captured a moment in time.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who those three are?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Well, I¡¯m not sure. They look like the Grand Mage¡¯s apprentices, but it¡¯s strange that not even their names were left behind.¡±


    Feeling playful, I pointed to the girl with the necklace and shared an eerie Easter egg that Gomon would likely enjoy.


    ¡°There¡¯s a ghost story about this picture. At exactly midnight, the girl with the necklace will glare at the other girl, the one with the ponytail.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    I chuckled and quickly waved it off.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. It just seems like something that could happen, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Gomon scratched his head. He pointed to the open door, signaling that our little tour was over.


    ¡°So, you have a sense of humor after all. Anyway, here we are at the Treasure Hall. I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯ll receive, but if anyone asks, just say it¡¯s a sword your family sent you. They¡¯ll believe it since your family¡¯s well off.¡±


    He walked off with a friendly grin. I didn¡¯t dislike him, really. He might talk a lot, but he was a likable person.


    ¡°Thank you for showing me the way.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I hope you get something good.¡±


    The Treasure Hall was softly lit, filled with glass cases holding armor, staffs, and swords.


    ¨C Choose wisely, Hersel. And remember, if you¡¯re not satisfied, ask to swap it out.


    I found myself eyeing a robe that greatly enhanced magical defense. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¨C You little¡­


    As I pondered how to irritate Donatan this time, I heard footsteps and a familiar, unpleasant voice.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve arrived, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    Rockefeller approached me. I refused to smile, not wanting to show any sign of submission. I assumed he would just toss me whatever weapon was convenient, but surprisingly, he seriously considered the options.


    ¡°You prefer longswords with a small cross guard and tend to choose blades with a standard thickness¡­ If I recall correctly, you picked such a weapon during the third trial.¡±


    In the dungeon practicals, we were free to choose our weapons. It seemed he had observed me closely and remembered everything. His obsession with transferring me to the Knight Department was palpable. It was a bit unsettling.


    ¡°In that case, this one should suit you. Would you like to try it?¡±


    Rockefeller waved his staff, and the glass disappeared as a longsword flew toward me. I looked at the sword thoughtfully.


    ¡ºSong of Flames¡»


    This sword temporarily enhances the wielder¡¯s defense upon attack. It can generate a flame shield that briefly blocks enemy attacks. When flames are ignited on the blade, its armor-piercing ability increases. By rank, it¡¯s one of the few S-grade magic swords here.


    To think he would offer me such a fine weapon. But it was a sword I shouldn¡¯t accept.


    ¡°May I choose a different sword?¡±


    This one was meant for Leana when she graduated.


    ¡°Hmm, are you serious? You must not realize the value of this sword.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware. But I have my heart set on another weapon.¡±


    I approached a glass case holding a black magic sword. The hilt and cross guard were both a dismal black, giving the sword a sinister appearance.


    ¡ºShadow Blade of Weakening¡»


    When imbued with magic, the sword¡¯s sharpness is amplified. It weakens the opponent¡¯s armor, dealing additional damage. One spell can be engraved onto the blade.


    It was an A-grade sword. A very good weapon, but it seemed somewhat inferior after seeing the top-tier weapon earlier. Still, I chose this one because it allowed for versatile use of magic and the engraving of a spell.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡±


    Rockefeller raised an eyebrow, then scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s Sir Beljamin of the Black Sea¡¯s sword. Choosing the weapon of a man who met a tragic end¡­ you¡¯ve got poor taste, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    As expected, this guy is as annoying as ever.


    ***


    Through the iron bars by the window, Felia flew in. Lying on the bed, staring at the mosaic glass shards, Luon asked,


    ¡°You¡¯re always flying out and back around this time.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a professor I¡¯m keeping an eye on. Been observing her closely.¡±


    ¡°A professor? Is that allowed?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just how life works? Even adults can get scolded and secretly cry.¡±


    Felia had been watching a young female professor who had only recently started working at the academy. Being new to the job, she often made mistakes and was frequently scolded by her senior. Her weakening spirit made her a prime target for malevolent spirits.


    ¡°By the way, could you help me cut this hairband tied around my ankle? I need it done, Luon.¡±


    Luon looked at her curiously.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it something precious?¡±


    ¡°Of course. But at the same time, I¡¯ve come to hate it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I find that hard to understand.¡±


    Luon got up and untied the hairband. The dove reverted to its wild state and flew out the window.


    Thunk!


    The metal hairband snapped, releasing a dark mist that began to form the shape of a woman.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 108

    There was no memory of inventory magic in Hetherson¡¯s brain. Rockefeller relayed this fact to Arkandric.¡°The royal family will be quite disappointed,¡± Arkandric clicked his tongue, clearly dissatisfied. Rockefeller offered some words of consolation.


    ¡°From the start, there was doubt whether such magic even existed, wasn¡¯t there?¡±


    Fraud runs rampant in the magical world. If someone wasn¡¯t even a proper mage, it was even worse. There were countless people who fooled ignorant commoners just to raise their own prestige.


    ¡°There were always suspicious aspects. During his time as a spy, he never showed that magic to anyone. And even those who claimed to have witnessed it were mostly people who had no connection to magic. So, I suspect he might have manipulated it with illusion magic, something like this.¡±


    Rockefeller used a materialization spell to create a pen, mimicking the scene of it entering a pocket dimension. Since it was all fake, the reproduced image was nothing more than an illusion. Still, it was convincing enough that Arkandric hummed in agreement.


    ¡°Hmm, it could certainly fool the eye.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a con artist. His understanding of magic is exceptional, but his arrogance knows no bounds. I suspect he did it to gain attention from the scholars at the magic tower.¡±


    Arkandric picked up the pen.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll report it to the royal family that way. The magic tower will likely make an official announcement soon, declaring that inventory magic is impossible.¡±


    Rockefeller smiled faintly. Hetherson had been known not only as a leader among the Watchers of the Shadows but also as a master of sacrificial magic. However, the truth that he was just a charlatan would soon spread, and his name would no longer be mentioned in the academic circles. For a mage, fraud is an unforgivable crime that can destroy even the reputation they had built. Given how much attention Hetherson had garnered, his disgrace would be even greater.


    Arkandric chuckled as he thought about those who had taken Hetherson seriously.


    ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no way such magic could exist. Storing and retrieving items at will? It¡¯s absurd if you think about it.¡±


    ¡°Quite right. If it existed, the grand mages of the past would have discovered it long ago.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Yet, what a commotion it caused. Seems there are fools in both the royal family and the magic tower.¡±


    The headmaster¡¯s office was filled with mocking laughter.


    ***


    ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m getting thirsty.¡±


    I picked up the staff I had placed beside my bed and began to draw a spell. The magic I was using now was inventory magic. The spell was extensive and incredibly complex, taking a full five minutes to cast. It seemed excessive and inconvenient just to get a glass of cold water.


    But my reason for doing this was simple: practice makes perfect. Although, as Hetherson had warned, this was something I should never show to anyone else¡­


    Whirrr


    A green-bordered square appeared in the air. With my limited mana, I could only create three slots. I reached into one of the slots and pulled out a glass of cold water, gulping it down. The refreshing coolness of the first sip spread down my throat.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    I placed the cup back into the slot and stared blankly at the inventory screen designed by Hetherson. No matter how many times I looked at it, it was far from the stylish UI of an in-game inventory. The lines were as simple as those drawn with a ruler¡ªso plain it was almost devoid of effort.


    ¡°It seems he completely gave up on design.¡±


    He really had no sense of aesthetics.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I flopped back onto the bed, thinking about what could be done with inventory magic. Despite the clear limitations of what could be stored, its utility was significant. I could use it to smuggle contraband, seal cursed items that should never see the light of day, or even threaten to lock away treasure if someone killed me. ?


    But the use I found most appealing was this:


    ¡°It should be ready by now.¡±


    I retrieved the bowl I had placed outside the window to chill. It contained ice cream made by mixing milk, sugar, and a few spices. Occasionally, I had stirred it telekinetically to keep it smooth. Donatan, intrigued, asked,


    ¨C What is that? I¡¯ve never seen it before.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dessert called ice cream. I might have just invented the first one.¡±


    Ice cream hadn¡¯t been invented in this era yet. At best, they had hard, icy treats. I scooped up a spoonful and tasted it. The flavor was a bit lackluster compared to what you could find at a convenience store, and the texture wasn¡¯t great, but it was edible. I decided to save the rest for later and put the ice cream back into the inventory. Its simplicity was astounding, but there was something more profound about it: just like time had stopped, the temperature remained the same, and there was no oxidation, meaning it could be preserved indefinitely.


    Being able to take out a preserved item anytime, anywhere, was a truly remarkable feat of magic. And the most fascinating feature was the stacking capacity. I didn¡¯t know exactly how much of the same item could be stored yet, but currently, I had 103 sandwiches stored in one slot. The combination of meat and vegetables counted as a single item.


    ¡°Maybe I should try storing a meal kit next?¡±


    It would be interesting to see if food stored together in a box would count as one slot. If that were possible, I could store the ingredients and later arrange them like unpacking a compressed file, cooking and enjoying a variety of dishes wherever I went. It might be worth taking up cooking as a hobby.


    How luxurious it would be to eat a proper meal in the middle of the Demon Realm.


    ¨C By the way, what does this ice cream taste like?


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet and cold, but honestly, it doesn¡¯t taste great. It¡¯ll need a lot of work.¡±


    ¨C ¡­You¡¯re going to waste time on something so trivial?


    ¡°I¡¯m human too. I need a hobby to relieve mental stress. And eating ice cream makes people happy.¡±


    I dismissed the inventory and looked down at the cat, who was licking its empty dish clean. It must have finished eating because it jumped onto my lap and nuzzled its cheek against my stomach. I petted its back and checked the calendar. The brats were leaving early tomorrow morning. The Mistress had said she¡¯d take care of things, so there wasn¡¯t much I needed to do. I decided to let go of that matter and focus on the day after.


    ¡°Not much time left.¡±


    The day after tomorrow would mark the beginning of a small welcome-back party for the students who had returned from the Demon Realm practicals. All the first-years would gather in one place, drink, and receive awards. Even Limberton, who had taken down the leader, would get some recognition.


    ¡°Guess I should get ready too.¡±


    I stood up and grabbed my wallet. I planned to visit the clothing club to get an outfit for the party.


    Meow.


    But before I could move, the cat leaped onto my shoulder.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Oh well, not a big deal. It was nice to have the cat warm up to me.


    ***


    The cat draped itself around my neck like a scarf. People in the lobby stared at me with envy.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the cat that used to disappear like smoke?¡±


    ¡°I wondered why I hadn¡¯t seen it lately.¡±


    I ignored them and kept walking when Athera greeted me. Her eyes grew wider as if she was surprised.


    ¡°Hi, Hersel. Uh¡­ is that cat by any chance¡­ Gonzales?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give it random names.¡±


    I frowned at the rustic name. Athera, seemingly hurt, tried to explain herself.


    ¡°I heard that name from an alum who graduated before me.¡±


    Athera spoke to me comfortably, and the girls who had been hesitating approached with questions.


    ¡°Hersel, um, can I pet the cat?¡±


    ¡°You should ask it for permission.¡±


    ¡°Kkamnyang, is that okay?¡±


    ¡­Kkamnyang? Another random name, huh? And calling the cat ¡°sister¡±? If they knew how long this cat had lived, they¡¯d probably faint.


    Hiss!


    The cat hissed when the girl reached out her hand.


    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s so temperamental¡­ and scary¡­¡±


    Athera, who had been watching, giggled.


    ¡°Gonzales has a really nasty temper. I bet all the girls who¡¯ve tried to pet it have had their hands scratched.¡±


    ¡°So how did Hersel manage to befriend it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Is there some secret to it?¡±


    Athera put a finger to her chin, staring at me as if asking for advice. Feeling annoyed, I answered truthfully.


    ¡°I just kept feeding it regularly. It started following me after that. Anyway, I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    With that, I continued on my way. Behind me, I could hear the girls and Athera talking.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that cat strange? It turns into smoke and vanishes. It¡¯s not like an ordinary cat. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? There are a lot of strange things in this academy. That cat¡¯s just one of them. But it¡¯s been around for a long time. You know that old professor who teaches the joint knight classes? He said the cat was here when he was a student.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    It¡¯s been around much longer than that.


    ¡°Some alums say it¡¯s the ghost of a dead cat, but no one knows for sure what it really is.¡±


    I don¡¯t know much either. All I know is that it¡¯s something the Grand Mage, who founded Frostheart, brought back from the Demon Realm. It¡¯s not a monster, but closer to a mystical creature¡ªan enigmatic being. Other than that, it occasionally helps out as a bodyguard.


    Feeling reassured, I exited Schlaphe Hall. Walking down the path, I looked up at the setting sun. My eyes drifted to the fortress, and I found myself staring at a window in the special dormitory.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Luon Al Banas. That guy would be finishing his preparations soon too. Thanks to ¡®Obsessive Felia,¡¯ who stuck to him like glue, he must have gathered most of the materials by now. In two days, on the day of the gathering for all the first-year students, the first act of the boss battle would begin. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To survive the impending crisis, I needed to be prepared.


    ***


    Three men sat in the lounge of the special dormitory, smoking and chatting. As usual for such unsavory characters, their conversation topics were far from clean. A man with thick eyebrows, Aiman, grinned as he bragged.


    ¡°There was this servant boy my age. One day, he had the nerve to talk back to me, telling me to mind my manners and whatnot. So I dragged his mother in and beat her to death. After that, the little bastard tried to stab me with a knife from the table.¡±


    Arsys, curious, asked,


    ¡°What did you do then?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­¡±


    Aiman seemed to shudder with delight as he recalled the event.


    ¡°I had him burned in the square to make an example of him. He tried to kill a noble, after all.¡±


    Arsys shook his head.


    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s not very impressive. I, on the other hand¡­¡±


    Before long, a competition began over who had committed the worst atrocities. Kurel, who had been quietly listening, waited until Arsys finished his story about sexual harassment.


    ¡°¡­I carved a score into her thigh afterward. Her lover killed himself the next day. Hehe.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop there. We¡¯ll be up all night if we keep going.¡±


    As they were getting ready to call it a night, Kurel found himself glancing toward the room at the end of the hallway. The owner of that room wasn¡¯t Lethe but an applicant who had gotten in with a donation. He had only left the guy alone because of Luon¡¯s orders.


    Arsys noticed and asked,


    ¡°Kurel, what are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking that things are about to start, and maybe we should deal with him too.¡±


    ¡°But who is that guy anyway? He didn¡¯t even show up for the practical.¡±


    He was a man of many mysteries. He barely attended classes. The professors, fed up, had sent him to the detention room under the ¡°Curse of Control,¡± but he still didn¡¯t change his attitude.


    ¡°He¡¯s one tough bastard. Maybe we should have a chat with him.¡±


    Kurel started walking toward the room. Just as he was about to reach the door, Luon¡¯s voice called out.


    ¡°Kurel, didn¡¯t I tell you not to mess with that guy?¡±


    Kurel turned to see Luon approaching. He was holding a square steel box in one hand, looking straight at Kurel.


    Kurel asked,


    ¡°Luon¡­ but what¡¯s that?¡±


    Luon bared his teeth in a grin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered all the materials. I¡¯ve been practicing how to use it.¡±


    Kurel grinned nervously, his voice trembling.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    ¡°In two days. Be ready.¡±


    Luon walked into his room, leaving one last remark in a low voice.


    ¡°The game will start soon.¡±


    The three men trembled with excitement, their lips curling into twisted smiles. The game Luon spoke of was a playground for desires, where they could manipulate Frostheart to their liking. Their suppressed lust and sadism began to bubble to the surface.


    ***


    I had just entered the fortress and was about to reach the club floor. The cat seemed disturbed by the noise around us and vanished into smoke. As I looked around, trying to decide where to get my clothes made, the smell of alcohol hit my nose.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get the clothes later.¡±


    I quickly turned to leave.


    A wrinkled hand grabbed my shoulder.


    ¡°Trying to run away again, eh? Erucel, why is your brother always like this?¡±


    When Bellen asked, Erucel hiccuped and answered,


    ¡°He¡¯s always been like this, Auntie. Hic.¡±


    His slightly flushed face indicated that he had been drinking. There¡¯s no way he got the alcohol himself, so Bellen must have given it to him.


    ¡°Students aren¡¯t allowed to drink, Erucel. Don¡¯t just accept it if it¡¯s offered to you. What if a professor catches you?¡±


    I scolded him lightly, and Bellen chuckled.


    ¡°What¡¯s the harm? We¡¯ll be drinking plenty soon anyway. But why is this kid such a lightweight?¡±


    Bellen tapped Erucel¡¯s side. Judging by his uncomfortable expression, Erucel seemed to find Bellen overwhelming.


    Not having much to say, I asked Bellen, even though I knew why she was here.


    ¡°What brings you and him here, Auntie?¡±


    ¡°I had some business here. There¡¯s been a lot of damage to the property lately, hasn¡¯t there? Arkandric asked me to keep an eye out, offering me some fine liquor in return.¡±


    There was a shortage of hands at the moment. With midterms over, the professors were busy grading and preparing for the gathering, so they were stretched thin. But there was another reason Bellen was called, one she seemed reluctant to reveal. At this point, a professor had likely gone missing, so it was understandable. Informing the students would only create chaos, and the faculty probably decided it was serious enough to bring in Bellen, who had once been known as the Empress.


    ¡°So, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I came to get an outfit for the gathering.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? At this hour?¡±


    Bellen gave me a suspicious look. She must have thought it was impossible to get something made in just two days. Normally, she would be right, but I wasn¡¯t planning on getting anything elaborate.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to get something simple made¡ªno frills or accessories, just fabric and buttons. Two days should be enough.¡±


    I had torn several outfits with my self-destruct magic, so getting something quick and cheap was more economical.


    ¡°I see. Well, go ahead then. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to bring back some liquor from the gathering. Erucel, you too.¡±


    ¡°Yes,


    Leaving them behind, I headed toward a suitable clothing club. On the way, I heard a strange cry.


    Clatter, clatter.


    From the club floor, an undead creature, exhaling white breath, began to charge forward.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 109

    Even when the undead appeared, no one screamed.Here at Frost Heart, a place that trains Pathfinders, people who slay monsters in the Dungeon, no one would be scared by a mere humanoid undead.


    Crrrr-


    If there were a large number of them, it might be different, but it was only one.


    ¡°Why is there an undead here? Did the Schlaphe guys miss something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They¡¯ve never attacked during the defense battles.¡±


    ¡­The reaction, at most, was a slight surprise at the presence of a monster here.


    ¡°So, who¡¯s going to take it down? I didn¡¯t even bring a weapon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is for sale. If I use it, it¡¯ll be second-hand.¡±


    Amid the atmosphere of everyone pushing responsibility onto someone else, the undead lunged toward a nearby female student, its mouth wide open.


    ¡°Eek, gross!¡±


    In the end, the one chosen to exterminate the undead was the female student. However, at that moment, Bellen quickly stepped between them and sliced off the undead¡¯s head.


    Thud.


    The undead¡¯s head hit the ground, splattering like a crushed tomato.


    Even though it was dealt with so easily, Bellen¡¯s expression remained endlessly serious.


    With strange events continuing to occur, even a simple incident like this could no longer be taken lightly.


    ¡°This is odd. There shouldn¡¯t be undead in this area¡­¡±


    Listening to her low muttering, I spoke to the member of the clothing club.


    ¡°I was thinking of getting some clothes tailored.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, uh¡­ shall we start with taking your measurements? So many strange things are happening. Even seeing something like that here is just¡­ wow.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Over the shoulder of the man measuring me with a tape, I looked blankly at the undead¡¯s corpse.


    It was nothing more than another of Felia¡¯s creations, made as a demonstration.


    Given the current situation, where she possessed the body of the recently missing female professor, it was possible.


    [Felia of Obsession]


    A thoughtform (??) that reads the memories of its target. The activation condition is to look into the target¡¯s eyes through the host¡¯s eyes. However, there was a limitation that it only worked on those without mental-type traits.


    It wasn¡¯t as overpowered as ¡°Felia of Loss¡± from last time.


    Of course, being a named thoughtform, it still had some tricky aspects.


    It had more extensive knowledge than other thoughtforms, thanks to its ability, and its behavior patterns were highly active, splitting into multiple directions.


    While ¡°Felia of Loss¡± would head straight for the Forbidden Library, this one could skillfully adapt to situations, attacking and retreating as needed.


    The potential for unexpected variables is a bit concerning, but I doubt there¡¯s much to worry about.


    The main title of the scenario, after all, is the Luon Suppression Battle.


    Felia of Obsession was merely an assistant to Luon, destined to be dealt with once the task was complete.


    All I had to focus on was whether the key players would successfully drive out Luon and his gang.


    ¡°Your proportions are good. Should I match the style of the clothes to suit you?¡±


    ¡°Do as you like.¡±


    After taking all the measurements, we discussed fabrics and accessories.


    When I said I didn¡¯t need any of those, the man seemed bewildered.


    Despite a few requests for reconsideration, the man eventually nodded in understanding.


    After finishing up, I headed back to the Schlaphe Hall.


    ***


    Late at night, in the first-floor storage room of the professor¡¯s wing, Felia, dressed in a black robe, brushed her hair back with her hand.


    Along the way, the bag strap slipped off her shoulder, and she readjusted it.


    ¡°Hmm, the hair¡¯s a bit short.¡±


    The current body belonged to the female professor she had marked earlier.


    Felia pouted her lips as she touched her face.


    The appearance wasn¡¯t great.


    Although dissatisfied with the body, it wasn¡¯t all bad. This body also had a natural talent for curses.


    The undead magic she cast as a test worked well.


    It matched the curse talent she had when she was still alive.


    ¡°Ah well, just endure a little longer.¡±


    Felia sighed deeply and used telekinesis magic to move the shelves.


    Thud.


    Behind the shelves, a plain wall was revealed.


    But when she drew a spell formula, the bricks split apart, revealing an entrance leading underground.


    Felia descended the stairs with familiar steps, her boots clicking on the stone floor.


    Click, clack-


    She fumbled along the wall, placing her hand on a dull skull.


    When she infused it with mana, the mana stones embedded in the ceiling began to glow.


    The stone door at the end of the corridor opened by itself after a moment.


    Creak.


    This was a space between the fortress and the underground dungeon.


    A secret lab Felia had secretly created long ago.


    As Felia looked around the dust-covered desk, a wave of nostalgia washed over her.


    ¡°Wow, I did a lot of thoughtform experiments here.¡±


    The wooden shelves and papers had all rotted and turned to dust.


    All the metal materials were too rusted to be usable.


    Only a few stone and glass tools and the desk remained functional.


    Felia pulled out modern tools and vials she had stolen from the instructor, one by one, from her bag.


    As she sprayed the solution into the test tubes and discovered a new substance, she grinned and became engrossed in her research.


    She considered how to apply her unique black magic and the modern knowledge she had obtained from the host¡¯s memories. It didn¡¯t take long to figure out the composition and combination of the pills.


    ¡°A substance that merges with the cells of monsters¡­ You¡¯ve discovered a lot of things in the Dungeon.¡±


    Compared to the distant past, the land had been more extensively explored, and many new substances had been found.


    With sufficient knowledge, the only thing she needed was materials.


    Fortunately, at this academy, professors often conducted research, so obtaining them wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    Felia smiled as she filled a blank piece of paper with writing.


    ¡°If I complete this, even Luon will be pleased.¡±


    Reconstructing her body would come later. For now, helping that man was her priority.


    Once Luon subdued Arkandric, the Forbidden Library would be hers.


    ¡°With the Red Ruby Grimoire, I can be reborn as a human.¡±


    Felia continued to write her bucket list of things to do once she became human.


    ***


    This morning, the little ones left.


    They seemed a bit uneasy about having to go to an unfamiliar place, but after glancing at the people from Schlaphe Hall, they sighed in relief.


    They must have thought it was better than staying with those people.


    As for Melin, a separate letter had been sent to the mansion.


    When I wrote to the lady of the house to say that I was entrusting the children to her, the professors once again allowed it to pass censorship.


    It¡¯s understandable that Aol, the head of the household, is a graduate of Frost Heart, but I¡¯m not sure why even the lady of the house is permitted.


    The professors seemed to have a strange belief that the lady of the house would handle things well on her own.


    ¡°Is there a connection I don¡¯t know about?¡±


    The next day, first-year students who had tailored new clothes started to appear here and there in Schlaphe Hall¡¯s lobby.


    Fancy suits and dresses were the main trend.


    Everyone seemed to think the banquet was a ball.


    Considering they¡¯ve lived such an ascetic life, it¡¯s understandable.


    With nothing much to entertain them and the promise of alcohol, they must have wanted to feel like nobles again for a while.


    But isn¡¯t it still midday?


    The banquet was supposed to start in the evening.


    I averted my gaze from the dreamers lost in their fantasies.


    That¡¯s when Limberton asked,


    ¡°But why did they ask us to bring bows and arrows?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out later. You know that high-tension bow you use? Bring as many arrows as you can for that.¡±


    Limberton looked at me with a puzzled expression but soon nodded.


    After returning to my room with him, I stood before a full-length mirror to check how the new suit fit.


    There were no frills or flashy decorations as requested, but it was still quite different from the suits I used to wear in my office worker days.


    The tailor must have found it impossible to make something completely plain, as he added a subtle cobalt blue to the black fabric.


    The buttons were made of slightly fancy metal, and a tie string was prepared.


    A small, diamond-shaped ornament was even embedded in the collar of the white shirt.


    ¡°Hmm, it still looks flashy by my standards.¡±


    ¨C I don¡¯t know much about modern clothing, but doesn¡¯t it look quite good?


    Hearing such praise, I started feeling regretful.


    In an emergency, all of this would be blown away with a self-destruct spell anyway.


    Growing attached to it might be a problem.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got money, so maybe I should get several more tailored.¡±


    I carefully folded the clothes and waited for Limberton to arrive.


    In the meantime, Limberton knocked, and I allowed him in.


    ¡°I brought it.¡±


    But his outfit sparkled like that of a trot singer.


    I wondered if it was really okay and asked Donatan.


    ¨C No one, regardless of era or race, would like something like that.


    As expected, he¡¯s a fashion terrorist.


    ¡°Limberton¡­ I¡¯m embarrassed to be seen with you. Go change into something else.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you pick something more appropriate. Let¡¯s head to your room.¡±


    It seems we¡¯ll need the help of some of the others as well.


    With more eyes on it, we can figure out what style works best.


    So, we gathered a few fashion-savvy guys and headed to Limberton¡¯s room, where we spent some time.


    ***


    At this time, Arkandric was smiling warmly in the headmaster¡¯s office.


    ¡°The banquet is soon, yet you¡¯re dressed the same as usual, Luon. I remember having suits tailored for you.¡±


    Luon, sitting with his legs crossed, resting his chin on his hand, replied,


    ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable to wear it too early.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    Luon uncrossed his legs, thanked Arkandric, and said,


    ¡°More importantly, thank you for delaying Arsys and Aiman¡¯s punishment, Headmaster Arkandric. Thanks to you, I¡¯ll be able to let them have a drink before they leave.¡±


    The two were supposed to pay for what they tried to do to Silla during the Dungeon practice.


    However, at Luon¡¯s request, their punishment was postponed until after the banquet.


    Of course, they couldn¡¯t attend the banquet and were currently under house arrest in the special dorm.


    However, they were allowed to have the alcohol from the banquet brought to them.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be easy for young people to be confined like this. However, this is something that cannot be tolerated. Keep in mind, Luon, that if any inappropriate behavior is detected again, you will also be held accountable.¡±


    As expected, Luon had to bear the burden of joint responsibility, but it didn¡¯t matter to him.


    Luon pulled out a black pebble from his pocket and placed it in front of Arkandric.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A gift from a friend. He told me to give it to someone I love.¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    ¡°Ahem, something must have gotten into my eye. Alright, I¡¯ll keep this with me.¡±


    As he put the pebble into his pocket, Luon glanced at the wall clock and made a suggestion.


    ¡°Are you busy? We still have time left. I¡¯d like to do some training.¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s face lit up.


    ¡°Training? That¡¯s a commendable idea. It¡¯s true that you haven¡¯t had proper training for a while due to the recent practical. Yes, you¡¯ve made a good decision, Luon. If you rest too long, your body will stiffen. Let¡¯s head to the training ground.¡±


    Luon followed Arkandric as they walked.


    As they were leaving the fortress, Luon asked,


    ¡°Why are you so kind to me?¡±


    Arkandric glanced at Luon and replied,


    ¡°Is it so strange to treat a disciple with love?¡±


    ¡°You must know by now that I¡¯m not someone who will change, yet I can¡¯t understand it at all.¡±


    Arkandric, who had been silent for a moment, finally spoke.


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t fully understand your own nature. I can see it. The only thing that tainted you was the environment you were in. I recognized that.¡±


    This time, Luon had no response.


    They arrived at a frozen lake, where the cold was so intense that the ice wouldn¡¯t melt even in the middle of summer.


    As Luon exhaled white breath, he spoke.


    ¡°Come to think of it, my friend told me something. He said to pass on these words to the person who receives this item.¡±


    Luon recalled what Felia had said and smirked.


    ¡°Keep it, stay, and be bound.¡±


    At that moment, Arkandric¡¯s eyes widened.


    Shraaaak!


    The pocket tore open, and the black stone turned into a liquid, beginning to envelop Arkandric¡¯s body.


    [Stone of Binding]


    A liquid shackle that slows down movement. The longer it lasts, the more it drains the target¡¯s stamina.


    Arkandric desperately tried to tear off the liquid clinging to his body.


    Luon quickly grabbed a steel box.


    As he was about to open the lid, his wrist was suddenly twisted.


    Crack!


    It happened so fast that Luon didn¡¯t even know if it was a strike or just brute force.


    Luon looked up at the old man with a shadow cast over him, cold sweat forming on his forehead.


    From under Arkandric¡¯s brows, a fierce glint flashed.


    He ignored the binding as if it didn¡¯t matter, and wrapped his arm around Luon¡¯s neck, choking him.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re in need of some discipline, Luon Al Banas.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Arkandric collapsed to the ground, pinning Luon into the snow, Luon could do nothing but lie on his back.


    He resisted with all his might, but Arkandric used his other arm to press down on Luon¡¯s arm that was choking his neck, locking him into a hold.


    It was a near-perfect cross choke.


    Even in that situation, Luon managed to squeeze out his words.


    ¡°I¡­ I never thought it would be easy¡­ You damn old man¡­¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 110

    As Luon¡¯s consciousness began to blur, hallucinations started to appear.The sky filled with clouds.


    Distant echoes reached his ears.


    ¡°Oh, Young Master Hersel. The young master and young lady you were supposed to meet are in the reception room, not here.¡±


    It was the voice of a servant who usually looked down on him. That meant today was that day.


    The summer when his family kicked him out of the house just because the eldest son of a great noble family had come to visit.


    While sitting idly in a secluded corner of the garden, he vaguely recalled hearing a deep voice.


    ¡°I have no interest in the offspring of stray cats.¡±


    Perhaps next, a shadow loomed over him.


    ¡°Are you Luon Al Banas?¡±


    The man looked down at him with an air of nobility, his brows furrowed in disdain.


    ¡°What a pathetic sight for the supposed eldest son.¡±


    He had no interest in responding, and no words came out. He simply thought that since this man had taken an interest in him, he would likely get beaten up later and miss another meal today.


    Perhaps feeling ignored, the man kicked him in the stomach.


    Thud!


    When Luon still didn¡¯t react, a hint of curiosity seemed to flash in the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re like a doll. Hey, is this idiot mute or something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it, young master. Ahem, Young Master Luon, you should say something.¡±


    The servant, who had long neglected him, finally lifted him up.


    When his mother was alive, she often did this for him, but Hersel ordered the servant to bring food.


    ¡°He¡¯s so scrawny. Go fetch some snacks and liquor.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯ll get it right away.¡±


    After the servant left, Hersel stared blankly at Luon¡¯s face.


    Grateful for the thought of being given something to eat, Luon expressed his thanks.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    But Hersel tilted his head and said,


    ¡°You fool. Did I say I was giving it to you? I¡¯m going to eat it all by myself right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Your expression is dull. Why? Do you want to eat too?¡±


    It was clear that he was being teased, just like everyone else did.


    Still, if he nodded, there might be a sliver of hope.


    ¡°I want to eat.¡±


    The response was as expected.


    ¡°I was just kidding.¡±


    But then, an unexpected comment followed.


    ¡°Of course, if you do something for me, I might give you some. Want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Smirking as if he found it amusing, Hersel whispered into Luon¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Punch your little sister in the face. Then you can eat to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯ll just get punished a bit. If you¡¯re not up for it, forget it.¡±


    Just then, his half-sister came down the stairs, seemingly concerned about Hersel being outside.


    Luon, driven by hunger, stood up and approached his sister.


    As usual, she frowned and spat out curses.


    ¡°Ugh, you stink, you piece of trash. Get out of my way!¡±


    He punched her in the face.


    Thud!


    Having been beaten by his father so many times, Luon was well aware of what made a punch hurt and what didn¡¯t. Though it wasn¡¯t intentional, it seemed his arm had gained some strength, making it a painful punch.


    Blood started to drip from his stunned sister¡¯s nose.


    Pffft!


    Hearing laughter behind him, Luon turned his head.


    Hersel was holding his mouth, stifling his giggles.


    Then, he abandoned all pretense of dignity and grinned wickedly.


    ¡°Ahaha, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually do it. Haha, you¡¯re a funny one.¡±


    Luon stared blankly at him.


    But then he felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth.


    Touching it with his hand, he realized that his lips were indeed slightly curled upwards.


    He didn¡¯t understand why.


    But for some reason, that day, he wished that this man would stay for at least one more day.


    Even as he was beaten by his father, that was the only thought in his mind¡­


    ***


    It was only after spending time with that man that Luon realized what he had felt back then was exhilaration.


    Shaking off his reminiscence, Luon smirked as he recalled what Felia had said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t feel the sting of emotional wounds or the thrill of your heartbeat, even if you want to. It¡¯s because your brain structure is inherently flawed.¡±


    Felia was wrong.


    The reason why he had found those moments with Hersel so enjoyable was simple.


    Those acts had been like sweet dew that quenched his parched spirit.


    ¡°¡­Ah, that was truly fun.¡±


    To feel that again, he had to break through the thick wall.


    Luon felt the sensation of his neck being squeezed.


    Arkandric¡¯s grip had slightly loosened, as if he had no intention of actually killing him.


    If he had intended to kill, Luon¡¯s bones would have been shattered long ago.


    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to knock me out, you should squeeze a bit harder.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve grown stronger since I last saw you, Luon.¡±


    Luon raised his broken wrist and touched Arkandric¡¯s face.


    He ran his hand up the bridge of Arkandric¡¯s nose, covering his eyes, and then quickly rummaged through his pocket with his free hand.


    He pulled out a vial of medicine.


    As he poured the contents into his mouth, Arkandric tightened his grip and asked,


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s already gone down my throat, you old fool.¡±


    Luon felt the drug taking effect.


    His blood heated up, spreading through his veins.


    It was the Monster Transformation Elixir that Felia had personally made for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an elixir made by combining the genes of an Evil Salamander. The downside is that it makes your skin slippery, but even if your limbs get severed, they¡¯ll regenerate quickly, so it¡¯ll be useful.¡±


    ¡°Why did you make something like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you expect in just two days? Gathering materials was hard enough. But I reduced the side effects a lot, so even this is impressive, got it?¡±


    Luon pulled his head downward, almost to the point of snapping his neck. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thanks to his now slippery skin, he easily slipped out of Arkandric¡¯s arm, though he had to endure the pain of his neck nearly breaking.


    ¡°Lu-Luon?¡±


    Arkandric called out worriedly.


    Luon swayed his limp neck as he stood up.


    Luon¡¯s head, now standing upright, was a grotesque sight that left Arkandric¡¯s mouth agape.


    ¡°D-disgusting¡­¡±


    Luon sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent.


    ¡°Old man, let me give you some advice. If you don¡¯t kill me with those hands, you¡¯ll never be able to stop me.¡±


    Luon took out a sparrow statue from his pocket.


    Arkandric quickly closed the distance and threw a punch.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you do something strange again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late, old man. I¡¯ve already done it.¡±


    As Luon gripped the sparrow statue with all his might, a faint green protective barrier formed around him.


    Arkandric¡¯s punch hit the barrier with a dull thud and bounced off.


    Thud!


    Luon quickly glanced at the location of the steel box he had dropped earlier.


    Arkandric seemed to realize that the steel box was the key to everything.


    Both of their gazes locked onto the steel box.


    Whoosh!


    Luon concentrated the aura of speed in his legs and sprinted.


    Arkandric did the same, but due to the continued stamina drain from the Stone of Binding, his speed was visibly slower.


    Luon struck Arkandric¡¯s back with an invisible slash.


    However, it only left a small scratch.


    Left with no choice, Luon aimed the slash at the steel box instead.


    Bang!


    The box slid to the left, closer to Luon.


    Sling-


    Luon drew his sword and ignited the mana blade.


    As Arkandric shifted to the left, Luon closed the distance to his back.


    He was within striking distance.


    Extending his arm, he stabbed Arkandric in the back, only to hear a dull metallic sound.


    Clang!


    Still, it was a blow delivered with a mana blade.


    Since Arkandric had focused a lot of aura on defense, his speed noticeably slowed for a moment.


    Taking advantage of this, Luon lunged forward, grabbed the steel box, and rolled across the ground.


    Both men panted heavily as they glared at each other.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­ You look exhausted, old man.¡±


    ¡°This leech stuck to my body¡­ What on earth is this? It feels like all the strength in my body is being drained¡­ Huff¡­¡±


    Both of them sensed it.


    The end was near.


    Arkandric¡¯s serious attack would be fatal even if it just grazed him.


    If Luon couldn¡¯t open the steel box¡¯s lid within range, he would lose.


    While Luon was considering this, Arkandric quickly charged at him.


    Whoosh!


    As Arkandric closed in, Luon deactivated the barrier and tried to open the steel box.


    Even at that moment, Arkandric¡¯s fist was hurtling toward him, emanating a dull aura.


    But it stopped.


    Arkandric¡¯s fist halted right in front of Luon¡¯s forehead.


    Smiling slyly, Luon finished opening the steel box.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d stop. You never intended to kill me from the start, not even a little.¡±


    Arkandric chuckled bitterly.


    ¡°You really are a sly one, Luon.¡±


    [The Prisoner of Steel]


    A mysterious box that turns anyone within its range into smoke and traps them.


    Arkandric¡¯s body began to turn into smoke and was sucked into the steel box.


    Luon watched the scene with a quiet smile.


    ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have stopped, barrier or not. You¡¯re strong but weak at the same time. It¡¯s ridiculous that you¡¯ve lost due to something like sentiment.¡±


    Clang!


    The smoke was fully contained, and the steel box¡¯s lid closed firmly.


    At that moment, a dull vibration emanated from the box.


    Bang!


    Luon¡¯s eyes widened.


    Bang!


    As if something was raging inside, a loud sound echoed, and fist marks bulged from the walls of the steel box.


    Bang!


    However, the strength gradually weakened.


    Thud.


    The intensity subsided, and things started to calm down.


    Realizing the battle was over, Luon collapsed onto the ground.


    ¡°What a terrifying old monster¡­¡±


    Luon decided to recover his strength before moving on to the next step.


    But had he fallen asleep for a moment?


    When he opened his eyes, Felia was leaning over him, staring down.


    ¡°¡­How long have you been there?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯ve been watching you for about 30 minutes.¡±


    Luon got up.


    The mucus and sweat on his skin had frozen, making it stiff.


    ¡°Felia, could you prepare some hot water? I¡¯d like to wash up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, perfect timing. I brought your dress with me. You can toss that dirty thing and change into this.¡±


    Felia waved her staff, melting a portion of the frozen ice.


    As the warmth enveloped him, Luon began to undress.


    A sly chuckle echoed.


    ¡°Heh, looks like you¡¯re naturally high in male hormones.¡±


    ¡°Turn your head.¡±


    ¡°Want me to make some soap too?¡±


    ¡°That would be nice.¡±


    After finishing his bath, Luon put on the dress.


    Felia adjusted his shirt and admired the outfit.


    ¡°You said that old man gave it to you? He¡¯s got good taste.¡±


    ¡°I chose the design.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? You did?¡±


    Luon asked, noticing Felia¡¯s surprised expression.


    ¡°Is that so surprising?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to match your usual taste in clothes.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean anything. I just wanted to wear something similar to what someone else once wore. Anyway, let¡¯s get going to the next task.¡±


    As they conversed, Luon and Felia headed toward the fortress.


    ¡°The invitations are ready. Once it starts, they¡¯ll arrive immediately.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re heading to the Forbidden Library now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Oh, right. Luon, since there are people watching outside, call me ¡®Professor¡¯ from now on. I¡¯m the professor sent to monitor you.¡±


    Felia puffed out her chest and raised her chin.


    Luon gave her a cold look, and she wrapped her arm around his shoulder.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to act a bit cuter.¡±


    As they approached the fortress, a man approached Felia.


    ¡°Redenic, what are you doing here? Everyone else is swamped, and you¡¯re just lounging around.¡±


    Felia glanced around and tapped him on the head with her staff.


    ¡°W-what are you doing? You¡­ How dare you hit your senior¡­¡±


    A second later, his head exploded with a pop.


    Luon, half-closed eyes, asked Felia,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were people watching?¡±


    ¡°Who cares? It¡¯s just the two of us here. Besides, this guy was awful to the original owner of this body.¡±


    Felia used telekinesis to bury the body in the ground.


    ***


    I changed into the outfit I had prepared once it was time.


    While waiting for Limberton and Aslay in the hallway, passersby kept glancing at me.


    I guess they thought I looked strange wearing such plain clothes.


    About a minute passed.


    Limberton and Aslay simultaneously opened the door and appeared.


    Thanks to the advice of quite a few people, Limberton¡¯s outfit looked pretty decent.


    As for Aslay, since he left everything to the designer, his was fairly neutral.


    But Limberton, too, seemed fascinated by my attire and stared at me, mouth agape.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen clothes like that before.¡±


    ¡°Why, do I look odd to you too?¡±


    ¡°No, no. You look really good. It suits you well!¡±


    ¡°Really? Well then, let¡¯s get going. I¡¯m starving; let¡¯s eat to our heart¡¯s content.¡±


    As we walked down the stairs and through the lobby, the stares, as if we were animals in a zoo, grew even more intense.


    It felt like I was the only one who had gotten the dress code wrong¡­


    In hindsight, maybe I should have gone with something more flashy like everyone else.


    We exited the Schlaphe Hall and entered the citadel.


    Click, click.


    Even as we ascended to the floor where the reception was starting, the stares didn¡¯t let up, and soon the entrance to the hall came into view.


    Chatting idly with Limberton as we walked, I turned my head towards the door.


    At that moment, I made eye contact with Leana.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Leana widened her eyes, scanning me from top to bottom.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 111

    Leana stared blankly at the entrance of the corridor. Feeling awkward after continuously making eye contact, I decided to tease her a little, glancing at her silk dress.


    It had a soft texture, like raindrops would just slide off it when wet.


    The subtle sheen of the fabric highlighted the curves of the dress.


    She had definitely put some effort into her outfit.


    ¡°Are you wearing thin armor underneath that?¡±


    I asked with a smirk.


    However, Leana¡¯s brows, which I expected to furrow, remained flat.


    In fact, her slightly open mouth made it seem like she hadn¡¯t even registered my teasing.


    She seemed distracted enough to let my remark slip by.


    ¡°¡­What style is that dress from?¡±


    ¡°The dress?¡±


    For a moment, I froze.


    Now that I thought about it, was this how I entered Leana¡¯s mental world through Rockefeller¡¯s magic?


    I must have faced her in the same business suit I wore when I was working at the company.


    Judging by how her attention was drawn to a similar outfit, it seemed she retained memories from that day.


    Internally, I thanked the designer.


    If he hadn¡¯t recklessly injected his aesthetics into the design, my excuse might have sounded less convincing.


    ¡°Since it was rushed, some parts were left out. They said they had no choice but to skip the more time-consuming elements due to the tight deadline.¡±


    The accessories on the shirt collar, metal buttons, and the necktie were all things that could be prepared quickly.


    When I claimed it was hastily made, Leana nodded as if she understood.


    ¡°But why the interest in the clothes?¡±


    I asked, and Leana turned her head away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you¡­¡±


    Then, she looked straight ahead and walked past me.


    I glanced at Aslay and Limberton, who had been watching from behind.


    But then Leana spoke again.


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Still facing away, Leana stopped in her tracks and then turned around.


    With a shy smile, she said,


    ¡°I know. That you were the one who led the effort to save the children. It¡¯s hard to put into words, but you seem like a better person now.¡±


    She added a pointless remark with a satisfied expression.


    ¡°Honestly, I kind of hope your madness isn¡¯t cured¡­¡±


    I stared blankly at Leana as she clicked her heels down the corridor of the hall.


    ¡®Did she just call me crazy?¡¯


    ¡®Hersel, that look she gave you seems oddly familiar.¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, Selly used to look at me like that. I guess she must have heard something from that cheeky brat.¡¯


    I¡¯ll make sure to give Selly a good scolding later.


    What a shame.


    I was actually thinking of making a wristwatch because I was getting tired of constantly pulling out my pocket watch.


    Now that Leana has taken an interest in that day¡¯s attire, if I add something as distinct as a wristwatch, I¡¯ll only draw more suspicion.


    In this world, it¡¯s doubtful that anyone would even be wearing something like that.


    I turned to the two guys who were still waiting awkwardly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Food is best when served right away.¡±


    I led the way down the corridor.


    Between the pillars, an indoor garden provided a pleasant view.


    I was enjoying the scenery when Limberton spoke up.


    ¡°Somehow, I¡¯m a bit nervous.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t have the best memories of balls.¡±


    It seemed that Limberton¡¯s trauma from that time had resurfaced.


    The memory with Silla when she poured stew and scattered chicken feathers.


    On top of that, whenever he went to a party, he always became the subject of mockery, so it seemed like he wasn¡¯t confident enough to pull off his usual Casanova act. ?


    I offered him some words of encouragement.


    ¡°Limberton, you know I¡¯m not someone who gives compliments easily, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t give a compliment even the size of an ant¡¯s eyelash.¡±


    Though his remark bothered me a little, I let it slide and continued the warm atmosphere.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel down. You look great. Look at your clothes¡ªyou don¡¯t look like an idiot for once. So enjoy the moment. It might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡±


    Limberton half-closed his eyes and nudged Aslay with his elbow.


    ¡°Aslay, did you hear that? Even when he compliments someone, he always throws in an insult.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that, Limberton.¡±


    After some casual chit-chat, we arrived at the end of the hallway.


    Beyond the door was the most luxurious place built within the fortress.


    It was the main hall, only opened to students on special occasions like today.


    Servants from the Adele Hall¡¯s exclusive dining hall were setting food on the tables.


    Waiters handed out drinks in straight glasses to passing students, while some, impatient to wait, grinned as they poured entire bottles of wine into their glasses.


    One girl, already drunk, her face flushed red, grabbed a nearby male student¡¯s hand and danced to the music performed by the choir on the stage.


    When I looked up slightly, I saw the faces of the students from the Adele Hall on the second-floor balcony.


    Portraits of graduates who had accomplished great feats were hung on the walls, and it seemed likely that one of them was Aol¡¯s, as Erucel stood proudly in front of a frame.


    His voice was so loud that his bragging could be heard over the music.


    ¡°Hahaha! My father¡¯s portrait isn¡¯t only hung here! Have you heard of the Hall of Fame? I visited out of curiosity, and behold, my father¡¯s statue is standing right next to the Grand Mage¡¯s!¡±


    Ah, it¡¯s embarrassing that this obnoxiously laughing guy is my brother.


    While clicking my tongue in dismay, our eyes met.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Erucel widened his eyes in surprise, then forced a smile and waved at me.


    Since returning from the recent demonic realm training, Erucel¡¯s attitude toward me had changed in an unsettling way.


    Before, he used to flinch and cower, but now it¡¯s as if¡­he¡¯s faking politeness, like entertaining a client he dislikes.


    I averted my gaze from him and focused on putting food on my plate.


    It was a buffet, so unlimited servings.


    Aslay piled his plate with whatever caught his eye, and Limberton only picked out the meat dishes.


    ¡°Hm, I like bread, but I guess I should eat more meat if I want to build muscle, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent choice.¡±


    When I agreed, Limberton set down his tongs and scanned the room.


    ¡°But, why do I feel like people have been staring at us for a while now?¡±


    I raised my head slightly as well.


    Men and women were glancing at us.


    Their gazes were fixated precisely on my clothes.


    ¡°Limberton, want to swap clothes with me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. My clothes would rip if you put them on.¡±


    ¡°What about my clothes, boss?¡±


    ¡°No, your clothes are way too big. And if you wear mine, they¡¯ll burst.¡±


    Not that I could just sit here in my underwear either.


    Ignoring the stares, I sat down and reached for my fork.


    Then, a sudden thought came to mind, and I stopped reaching for the fork, checking again to make sure the gloves inside my jacket pocket were still there.


    I also felt the leather holster strapped across my chest.


    Only after confirming that my magic wand was securely in place did I feel relieved.


    ***


    Leana looked down at Hersel from the second-floor railing, overhearing Erucel¡¯s chatter nearby.


    He was shivering, hugging his arms as if he had caught a chill.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s terrifying. Every time that guy beat me up, if he had even once been serious, ugh¡­¡±


    Riamon, standing next to him, smirked.


    ¡°Right? You¡¯re lucky you survived. If you were my little brother, I would¡¯ve hit you for real at least once. You have a knack for provoking a beating.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, the way you talk¡­¡±


    Leana shifted her gaze away from the two bickering men and looked back at Hersel.


    By then, Silla had approached her.


    ¡°What are you staring at like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious why everyone keeps looking at him.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Maybe it¡¯s the clothes? I hate to admit it, but honestly, it looks clean and sharp. The guy¡¯s got a good figure for it, too.¡±


    As Silla casually remarked, the conversation of passing men reached their ears.


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    ¡°I gotta say, I¡¯m jealous. He may be a slacker, but the guy sure has a good sense of style.¡±


    Silla took her eyes off them and gulped down a drink.


    ¡°Hm, seems like the fashion trends among the guys are going to shift a bit.¡±


    Leana¡¯s gaze remained fixed.


    Silla smirked with her eyes half-closed.


    ¡°But why are you staring so intently? What about that guy you mentioned before?¡±


    The man who had saved Leana during the malevolent spirit incident.


    Though she hadn¡¯t heard the full story¡ªsince Rockefeller had insisted on keeping it secret¡ªLeana had vaguely mentioned some details about him.


    Leana had apparently hoped to track him down, but her search had turned up nothing.


    Just as Silla was wondering if Leana had given up, Leana spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that lately, he doesn¡¯t seem as horrible as he used to.¡±


    Silla scoffed.


    ¡°Oh, is it because he saved the kids? That¡¯s just him trying to manage his image now. He¡¯s going to claim all the terrible things he did in the past were just mistakes of youth. Then he¡¯ll do a few good deeds and say he¡¯s reflecting, asking people not to hate him too much as he rises in status. It¡¯s a typical trick used by scoundrels as they age.¡±


    Leana nodded.


    ¡°I think so too. But in the end, if you look at the results, he did a good thing. Even if it was for his own gain.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe he was just insane.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Leana finally turned away from Hersel, intending to enjoy her meal.


    As Silla was about to follow her, she caught sight of a girl approaching Hersel.


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a fox heading towards your husband.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my husband. I¡¯m tired of even replying to that.¡±


    Without even glancing back, Leana took a step forward.


    Despite this, Silla remained frozen in place, her mouth slightly open, staring wide-eyed as if she had seen something unbelievable.


    ¡°Silla?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned, I¡¯ve seen everything now.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The girl who had seemed to be approaching Hersel was actually talking to Limberton.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Limberton. Now that you mention it, I¡¯ve heard rumors about him lately, that he¡¯s changed.¡±


    ¡°Changed? Look at him grinning just because he caught some leader. He¡¯s still a fool, and that girl¡¯s just blind.¡±


    Silla clicked her tongue and abruptly turned her back.


    Then, with a sharp look in her eyes, she glanced at the grandfather clock.


    ¡°Seriously, why are the professors taking so long to get here?¡±


    It was already past the time.


    Just as she was about to grab another drink, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed through the room.


    Curious, she looked over and saw a servant running in.


    But his expression was alarming.


    His face was pale, drenched with sweat to the point where beads of it dripped down his jawline.


    The servant anxiously glanced at the entrance door.


    Then, in a rush, he slammed the doors shut, and someone asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The servant¡¯s teeth chattered as he shouted,


    ¡°We have to close the doors immediately! There are monsters outside!!¡±


    At that moment, a dull, heavy thud sounded from the door, as if something had slammed into it with full force.


    Thud!


    And then, faintly, came a raspy voice.


    Gwoooor¡ª


    There was no doubt¡ªit was the undead.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    And not just one or two¡­ but dozens of them.


    ***


    While everyone¡¯s attention was on the servant, I had already slipped away to a quiet waiting room next to the stage.


    Thanks to countless practice sessions, I had managed to reduce the time it took to draw the inventory spell from five minutes to just three.


    Once the inventory opened, I pulled out the new sword I had received and Limberton¡¯s weapons.


    Three quivers filled with arrows, paired with a high-tension bow.


    With everything gathered, I stepped into the main hall and heard Luon¡¯s voice.


    ¨C Ah, you might be surprised since it¡¯s not Rockefeller speaking.


    It sounded like he was biting into a piece of fruit, as there were occasional crunching sounds.


    I listened carefully to his calm words, recalling what was about to unfold.


    ¨C Currently, the dormitories, the faculty building, and even the floors and stairs of the fortress are all sealed off. Don¡¯t expect help from the students and professors trapped within the barrier.


    Frostheart was equipped with protective barriers on each floor and in every room.


    Now that Luon had taken over the headmaster¡¯s office, he controlled the entire facility.


    This meant that we couldn¡¯t rely on the help of any students or professors, except for the first years.


    ¨C I understand if you can¡¯t make sense of the situation right now. I¡¯ll keep it simple. This is a game. The rules will make things more straightforward. So listen carefully while I explain.


    The next thing he mentioned was the penalty.


    ¨C My new friend will cast a very entertaining spell. I don¡¯t know much about it, but it¡¯s called the ¡®Crimson Grimoire,¡¯ right? With just that, they can sacrifice everyone here. Once the spell activates, it¡¯s your defeat.


    It was a forbidden spell, one that would inscribe a massive ritual across the surface and drain the life from all living things.


    ¨C But don¡¯t worry too much. Like I said, this is a game. Winning unfairly all the time is boring. I¡¯ve made sure there¡¯s a way for you to win, but you¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own. If you manage to find a way to cut off my head, you¡¯ll win.


    Our task was clear: raid the armory, fight our way through the undead, find the key to break the barrier, and reach Luon.


    ¨C The time limit is three hours. The invitation is in the servant¡¯s breast pocket, so check it carefully.


    Of course, the participants were the playable characters and a few important supporting roles.


    ¡°A-actually, I was sent here to deliver the invitation, so, ahem, if the following names are called, please come forward. Riamon Sel Rebeqtura. Erucel Ben Tenest. Aslay Torta Mactura. Limberton Vel Delcy. Ricks Don Orion. Silla En Lionheart. Bellman Toll Gers¡­¡±


    And finally, the extra who had received a special invitation.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    Thus, the battle to take down Luon had begun.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 112

    In Rockefeller¡¯s office, there was a loudspeaker adorned with beads.It was frequently used not only to announce things to the fortress but also to the Schlaphe district.


    Luon set the loudspeaker down and took a hefty bite of the last remaining apple.


    Crunch


    Felia, who was sitting at the desk, closed the magic book embedded with a red gemstone and spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, all set. In about three hours, the spell will spread across the entire site.¡±


    The magic Felia had crafted was a forbidden spell that sacrificed the living creatures above ground.


    The larger the scale, the more time it took.


    Luon glanced at the ¡®Ruby Grimoire¡¯ with an intrigued look in his eyes.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like your typical book filled with explanations. Is there something that amplifies power in it?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Some books can become weapons just by possessing them.¡±


    Felia stretched and stood up from her seat.


    ¡°Remember, Luon, if the mosaic you have gets destroyed, the spell will break. So, how about hiding it somewhere safe?¡±


    The mosaic was a magical stone that contained a mysterious power Felia had hidden while she was alive.


    If this, the core of the spell, were broken, everything would be for nothing.


    Despite that, Luon shook his head.


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be fun. After all, this is a game.¡±


    A game can only exist if both sides have a mechanism where they can lose.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t protect the mosaic, I lose. If they can¡¯t kill me and destroy the mosaic, they lose. Without even that simple sense of danger, it¡¯d just be boring.¡±


    Through this event, Luon wanted to experience the thrill he hadn¡¯t felt for a long time.


    But Felia looked at him with pity in her eyes.


    Though, she quickly returned to her usual mischievous expression.


    ¡°By the way, the invitation you gave to Hersel¡ªdid you prepare it with special care for any particular reason?¡±


    Luon responded in a calm tone while chewing the apple in his mouth.


    ¡°He¡¯s outside the norm. I thought he might ruin the game. That¡¯s why I needed your help.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Luon rubbed his neck as he answered.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t force you. If it feels too risky, you can leave anytime. It¡¯s fine if you refuse altogether.¡±


    Felia, now inhabiting a professor¡¯s body, had even removed the ¡®Curse of Control.¡¯


    She had also helped him in many other ways.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already done a lot for me.¡±


    Felia grinned.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll handle it my way. I guess I should finish my work and go make myself a body.¡±


    Luon nodded.


    Felia had long boasted that she had something to do after creating her new body.


    Suddenly, Luon grew curious about what that task was.


    ¡°Are you going to revive your master after all?¡±


    As he voiced his speculation, Felia chuckled.


    ¡°Fool. You can¡¯t bring the dead back to life. Even if it were possible, it¡¯d only be a fake. Look at me. I¡¯m not Felia; I¡¯m just a thought-form created by the original. Do you think someone like me would be obsessed with a fake? In fact, it¡¯s because I¡¯m fake that I¡¯m obsessed only with the real.¡±


    Luon tilted his head slightly, as if not understanding.


    If she claimed she was fake, wouldn¡¯t her new body also be fake, even if she gained her original form again?


    Her original body must have rotted away by now, and the body she was making would merely be a reconstruction.


    Still, he nodded, thinking she must have her own standards.


    ¡°Well, I should get moving too.¡±


    Luon stood up and grabbed his sword.


    This would probably be the last time he would ever see Felia.


    Still, it was only polite to say goodbye.


    ¡°Felia.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do, but I hope it goes well.¡±


    Felia hesitated for a moment.


    Then she smiled gently and waved her hand.


    ¡°Thanks for saying that. I really appreciate it.¡±


    With that, she turned her gaze away and started to leave the office.


    Luon waited for her to exit first.


    Thud.


    Suddenly, Felia stopped walking, and Luon looked at her curiously.


    Then she quickly turned her head and spoke in a slightly brusque tone.


    ¡°If you change your mind, come find me anytime. I¡¯ll be waiting by the fountain.¡±


    With those parting words, Felia left the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    Luon muttered to himself, his expression indifferent, as he headed towards the stage.


    ***


    The atmosphere in the main hall became chaotic.


    Some were too drunk to grasp the situation, but most sensed the seriousness and anxiously fidgeted.


    ¡°What are those things? And what are the professors doing¡­¡±


    ¡°You heard, right? The entire floor and the faculty wing are on lockdown. It seems like the only place left is the main hall.¡±


    While everyone was confused about what to do, I waited for Bellman to speak.


    ¡°As he said, the entire building seems to be under control. Otherwise, the professors wouldn¡¯t have allowed something like this to happen.¡±


    A student asked Bellman, ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡±


    ¡°The main hall is a special area, even within Frost Heart. Would they really allow undead to step foot in this place, known as the heart of the fortress, for just a prank?¡±


    Many nodded at Bellman¡¯s reasoning.


    ¡°If you understand, start blocking the doors. What you¡¯ve done so far won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    The so-called lock was just a candlestick wedged like a bar between the door handles on both sides.


    Scrape


    As Bellman pushed a table, the other students, realizing they needed to do something, began helping.


    Soon, a more solid barricade was set up in front of the door.


    ¡°Whew, this should buy us a little more time to think.¡±


    Bellman wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and approached the attendant.


    ¡°You mentioned an invitation?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I was only told to deliver one to each of the nine individuals whose names were called¡­¡±


    All eyes turned to us who had been named earlier.


    Normally, I would have viewed this situation negatively, but I had already thought that it was necessary to accept Luon¡¯s invitation.


    That way, I could confirm whether the scenario was flowing as intended.


    As expected, it was a good thing I provoked him when he came to execute the Roaming Band.


    But I wasn¡¯t the only variable. There was one more.


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    Erucel, who wasn¡¯t supposed to be part of the scenario in Frost Heart, had also received an invitation.


    ¡°There¡¯s a common factor. Everyone who received an invitation was part of the group that went into the forest to hunt the instructors that day.¡±


    As Bellman pointed out, Luon¡¯s selection criteria were the students who had gone to eliminate the instructors that day.


    In his eyes, they probably seemed like capable individuals, suitable for his game.


    ¡°¡­I was there too.¡±


    When I turned to the small voice, Gravel was raising her hand cautiously.


    To have such little presence that even Luon didn¡¯t notice¡ªimpressive.


    Bellman avoided Gravel¡¯s gaze and fidgeted with his glasses.


    ¡°W-well, I guess I was wrong.¡±


    He could¡¯ve just said it plainly.


    You were so invisible that no one noticed, huh?


    ¡°Ahem, in any case, things don¡¯t look good. He mentioned there was a time limit. So, Hersel, what are you planning to do now?¡±


    Bellman suddenly looked at me as he asked.


    Ricks and the others did the same.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising, as this was within my expectations.


    These guys always came to me first for everything.


    Still, there are boundaries that need to be set.


    The fight against Luon is meant to be a stepping stone for their growth.


    An extra like me shouldn¡¯t interfere too deeply.


    I looked down at them coldly and activated the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember.¡¯


    ¡°How long are you going to rely on me?¡±


    I spoke in a chilling tone.


    They gulped, perhaps taken aback by my unexpectedly firm attitude.


    Ricks, with widened eyes, spoke.


    ¡°Well, I thought things might go well again this time¡­¡±


    I responded firmly.


    ¡°Ricks, are you going to look for me every time a crisis arises?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think that¡¯s the best decision.¡±


    ¡°What will you do when I¡¯m not around?¡±


    From the look in his eyes, it seemed he had grasped my intent.


    I scanned the faces of the others as I continued, to make sure they understood as well.


    ¡°Think and decide for yourselves. If you keep relying on others, you¡¯ll never move forward. Sometimes I wonder why you even came to the academy.¡±


    I then subtly pointed to Limberton.


    ¡°In my eyes, the one who has been the most dedicated to his studies here is this guy. He came to the academy to grow, and he¡¯s proven through results that he¡¯s become a better person than before. But did none of you feel anything when you looked at Limberton?¡±


    Everyone averted their gazes in embarrassment.


    But Limberton, oblivious to the atmosphere, blurted out something unnecessary.


    ¡°Uh, well. Honestly, I owe a lot to you~.¡±


    ¡°Quiet, Limberton.¡±


    I cut him off while fully igniting the ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Ember¡¯.


    I¡¯ve been through enough to know that if I let such remarks slide, things would undoubtedly get tangled again.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Limberton quickly turned his head and shut his mouth.


    Now that the distraction was dealt with, it was time to wrap things up.


    ¡°So, I think this is an opportunity. It¡¯s a chance to think about what you¡¯ll do and how you¡¯ll handle it. This will be a valuable experience, because somewhere in that process, there will be clues for growth. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Bellman nodded seriously with a stern expression.


    ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯re absolutely right. I understand what you¡¯re saying, Hersel. If we¡¯re at the academy, we should be growing. Let¡¯s consider this situation as a stepping stone.¡±


    With his words, the atmosphere shifted, and everyone began to agree.


    I smirked inwardly as I grabbed the weapons I had taken out of the inventory earlier.


    None of them had brought weapons to the banquet, so these would certainly be helpful.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t plan to do nothing. If you need help, I¡¯m willing to assist. But you should take the lead, and I¡¯ll decide whether or not to follow.¡±


    I attached the sword I received from Rockefeller to my waist.


    As I handed over the bow and arrows, Limberton squinted.


    ¡°When did you manage to bring these? I guess you were fully prepared for anything, as usual.¡±


    I glared sharply at Limberton.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nothing, never mind.¡±


    Now, I had fully positioned myself as an observer.


    But I couldn¡¯t give off any impression of being weak or cowardly.


    To maintain a slightly more imposing presence, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall.


    Donatan, in an almost admiring tone, said to me, ¡®Your skills in manipulating morale have greatly improved, Hersel.¡¯


    ¡®If they come at me ruthlessly, I have to respond in kind.¡¯


    ¡®True, failure is far from being a word associated with you.¡¯


    After pulling off another successful manipulation, I suddenly realized just how much I had fallen.


    I had become so corrupted that I no longer felt even the slightest guilt.


    But this was a necessary virtue if I wanted to survive the devils.


    ¡®It¡¯s too early to feel relieved. This trick won¡¯t work many more times. They¡¯ll soon change their strategy. I always have to think one step ahead.¡¯


    ¡®Hmm. Thinking ahead, huh? Sounds great, but saying that in this pitiful situation makes you sound like a fool.¡¯


    ¡®Shut up.¡¯


    While I was bantering with him, Bellman was discussing what needed to be done with the other key players.


    ¡°First, we should check the invitations. Since everyone got one individually, the contents might be different. Let¡¯s take them out and see.¡±


    Luon¡¯s position was on the top floor.


    There were three staircases leading up, so the teams would naturally divide into three groups.


    Each invitation specified which staircase the recipient should take.


    Since I hadn¡¯t received my invitation yet, I approached the attendant who was delivering them.


    At the same time, I listened carefully to what the others were saying.


    ¡°Every game has its rules. If people who weren¡¯t invited start interfering, who knows what might happen. He might even consider it a breach of the rules. Remember, the control of the situation is still in his hands.¡±


    Ricks nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like he¡¯s taken over the whole fortress. We can¡¯t risk unnecessary dangers. I also think we should follow his requests as closely as possible.¡±


    Leana asked Bellman, ¡°But there are so many undead outside. And we don¡¯t have any weapons. All we¡¯ve got are Limberton¡¯s arrows. I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be enough to break through.¡±


    Ricks raised his hand eagerly.


    ¡°I can use conjuration magic to make weapons. We don¡¯t have staves, and I have mana limitations, so the duration won¡¯t be long, but it¡¯ll be useful for a while.¡±


    Bellman smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Our first destination is the armory. With Ricks¡¯s magic, we can hold out until we get there.¡±


    All the weapons borrowed for practice had been returned to the armory, so it was the perfect place to gather equipment.


    The route was also the shortest, making the armory the smartest first target.


    ¡°Good, that will save us time. Leana, Silla, after we gather the gear, we¡¯ll take the right staircase as the invitation says. Ricks, which way are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading up the left staircase. I¡¯m counting on you, Aslay, and Limberton.¡±


    Bellman looked at Erucel.


    ¡°You¡¯ll take the center, I assume.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve got Riamon and Edina on our side. Riamon is inconsequential, but Edina, you can trust me.¡±


    Despite all the back and forth, the narrative was progressing smoothly.


    After preparing at the armory, each group would tackle their assigned obstacles.


    I opened the invitation, wondering which of the three squads I would be assigned to.


    However, there was only one unexpected line written on it.


    I had no idea what Luon was planning, and a chill ran down my spine.


    Bellman, unaware of this, asked me, ¡°Hersel, which staircase are you assigned to?¡±


    I simply showed him the invitation.


    The message read:


    [To the dining hall of the Adele Hall.]


    This was a location unrelated to the scenario.


    It also meant that I wasn¡¯t to join any of the squads and was being summoned alone.


    I considered how to handle this unexpected situation, but unfortunately, there was no time for leisurely speculation.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Suddenly, a heavy tremor began shaking the floor, and the barricade we had set up in front of the main hall door shattered along with the door itself.


    Crash!


    Splinters of tables and limbs of thin undead scattered through the air.


    At the center of it all stood a massive skeleton clad in armor, its blue eyes glowing as it drew a rusted sword.


    Given that this place was once a battlefield, it wasn¡¯t surprising to see a knight-level undead appear.


    There had been many warriors buried beneath the ground.


    Even if they had awoken as weak undead, they could still use some of their strength from when they were alive, making them far stronger than typical undead.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The knight charged towards us.


    I advanced, igniting a mana blade along my sword.


    Clang!


    Its sword swung toward my neck, and at the same time, I thrust my sword toward its chest.


    Clang!


    The knight¡¯s sword was shattered by my ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ while my blade pierced deeply like a drill.


    Squelch!


    ¡ºShadow Blade of Weakening¡»


    [When imbued with dark energy, the sharpness of the blade is amplified.]


    [It weakens the opponent¡¯s armor, dealing additional damage.]


    [One technique can be engraved.]


    I had learned through experiments that even using dark energy as an adhesive for coating the blade triggered the weakening effect.


    This meant that simply by igniting a mana blade, the effects of increased sharpness and armor weakening were activated simultaneously.


    Thud!


    The undead knight collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, turning into dust along with its armor.


    Black liquid dripped from my sword.


    It was the blood from the knight¡¯s black heart.


    Undead disappear, leaving behind only their blood when they die.


    Ping!


    After flicking off the blood from my sword, I glanced at the weapons the others held.


    Ricks had conjured them without a staff, so they seemed a bit unstable, but they looked serviceable enough.


    Clatter!


    The undead charged toward the main hall.


    The one shining in this battle was Silla.


    ¡ôBlessing of the Subjugating Tyrant Abel


    = Bow your head if you don¡¯t want your neck cut by the swinging blade.


    Grants a 1.2x stat boost against weaker opponents.


    Increases strength when forcing an enemy into submission.


    Deals double damage when striking the neck.


    A trait that reveals its full potential in massacres.


    Without showing any signs of exhaustion, Silla cut through the hordes of undead like weeds.


    Whenever things got dangerous, Bellman cast barrier spells.


    Although the barriers were weaker without a staff, they were strong enough to block the undead¡¯s attacks.


    We quickly cut down the enemies in the hallway and crossed the threshold.


    We entered a corridor lined with windows.


    The swarming undead were similarly dealt with.


    Leana delivered the finishing blow to the last undead, stabbing its heart with her sword.


    Squelch


    Then, she slowly turned her head toward the window and widened her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Everyone, look outside.¡±


    Her voice trembled.


    Silla, wiping sweat from her forehead, furrowed her brow.


    ¡°No way¡­ Is that all of them?¡±


    The grounds of Frost Heart were covered in snow.


    But now, the ground was devoid of its pristine white color, replaced entirely by the blackened hue of undead.


    Creak


    The undead were swarming toward the fortress entrance like an army of ants.


    I shrugged off any thoughts of contemplation and pointed toward the direction of the armory.


    ¡°Are you going to stand there idly? We need to save as much time as we can.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 113

    The revival of the undead begins at the place where life ended.That¡¯s why the stronghold was nearly full of humanoid undead.


    It was likely because the ones who died inside during the battle were mostly soldiers and knights.


    On the other hand, the outer areas had a higher proportion of monster-type undead.


    Their sheer size meant they couldn¡¯t pass through the narrow entrance, and before the land was conquered, it was originally the habitat of monsters.


    !!!


    After piercing the forehead of an undead knight with an arrow, Limberton asked me,


    ¡°Will the Schlaphe guys be okay?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. You know it too. They¡¯re humans who are well-versed in defending against monsters and are excellent at protecting their own lives.¡±


    Moreover, just as the stronghold could autonomously manipulate barriers, there were also similar mechanisms set up inside the dormitory.


    By now, Athera must have deemed the situation an emergency and prepared accordingly.


    For the moment, we had to focus on our own survival.


    Silla and Leana took the lead.


    Silla swung her sword, severing their necks, while Leana stabbed those aiming at Silla¡¯s flanks with her sword.


    Thunk!


    Limberton aimed his bow from behind. Judging by how he only pulled the bowstring halfway, he seemed to be conserving his strength.


    Swish!


    Aslay grabbed the undead coming from the rear and slammed them into the ground, while Bellman intermittently turned the barrier magic on and off, providing them brief moments to catch their breath.


    At the center of the group, without a doubt, was Ricks, fully concentrating on his shaping magic.


    The remaining troops stood as human shields, ensuring Ricks wasn¡¯t disturbed.


    After clearing some of the corridor, Bellman spoke,


    ¡°Just in case you need to know, the armory is on the second floor.¡±


    Since Schlaphe guys weren¡¯t familiar with the layout, it was a considerate warning.


    It also served as a caution.


    ¡°Undead are still pouring in through the entrance, and there are likely revived monsters mixed in with them. It¡¯ll drain your stamina more than now. Ricks, do you have enough magic left?¡±


    Ricks forced a smile.


    Judging by the sweat dripping from his forehead and his slightly slumped shoulders, he was clearly exhausted.


    ¡°I can maintain it for another 40 minutes or so.¡±


    Shaping magic demands a lot of mana. It mimics not just the form but even the weight, making the fake appear real, so it¡¯s understandable.


    The blessing that increased his mana capacity was attached for this very reason.


    ¡°Hersel, I¡¯ll return your staff as soon as we reach the armory.¡±


    Thanks to the staff I lent him, he¡¯d gained an additional 15 minutes of maintenance time.


    A magic staff is a weapon that amplifies the power of spells and improves casting accuracy, reducing wasted mana.


    I smiled lightly to ease his concern.


    ¡°At this pace, we should reach the second floor in under 30 minutes.¡±


    Starting with real weapons instead of fakes was almost like cheating.


    Limberton¡¯s bow and the magic sword in my hand were proof of that.


    In the early part of the original scenario, the challenge was to make it through the gates without proper weapons.


    ¡°But I¡¯m getting kind of tired.¡±


    Silla, who had practically swept the hallway, wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    While Leana, who had been paired with her, still seemed full of energy, it felt wrong to keep relying on her.


    As we reached the entrance to the descending staircase, Bellman pointed to Riamon and Erucel.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn to take the lead now.¡±


    When Leana and Silla handed over the shaping magic swords, Riamon made a reluctant face.


    ¡°I prefer a greatsword.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I also prefer a bigger sword than this.¡±


    Erucel glanced at Ricks¡¯s tired face.


    Sensing their desire for newly created weapons, Silla shouted in frustration,


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m already on edge! Don¡¯t be so picky!¡±


    In the meantime, heavy footsteps echoed from the staircase below.


    Aslay looked at me, waiting for my signal.


    It seemed like he had a gut feeling that it was his turn to step up.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need my approval. I won¡¯t intervene, no matter what decisions you make. That goes for you too, Aslay.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aslay nodded and approached Riamon and Erucel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    Aslay walked past Riamon and a dumbfounded Erucel, keeping his eyes on the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°Wait, what nonsense are you spouting without a weapon? As expected, the intelligence of barbarians is on par with that of beasts, huh?¡±


    Erucel babbled some nonsense, and I kicked his shin,


    Wham!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and leave it to Aslay.¡±


    When Erucel hastily averted his gaze, I smirked.


    Would he really be at a disadvantage without a weapon?


    Of course not. In a narrow passage, long swords and spears are restricted by the walls.


    On the other hand, Aslay¡¯s attack style involved close combat using his hands.


    Among us, no one was better suited for fighting on the stairs than Aslay.


    Krrrlrrrlrr


    At the sound, a horde of undead rushed in like a pack of zombies.


    Aslay¡¯s large hand grabbed the nearest undead by the head.


    Crack!


    With a crushing force, the skull caved in.


    Then a soldier undead thrust a spear diagonally at him.


    Aslay twisted his body, dodging it effortlessly.


    Snatch.


    Then, with his left hand, he grabbed the spear and yanked the undead soldier toward him.


    The undead¡¯s feet lifted helplessly off the ground, as if uprooted.


    Aslay grabbed its neck with his right hand and slammed it against the wall.


    Bang!


    The already fragile armor crumpled like aluminum foil.


    He slammed it against the wall again, causing its contents to burst, and black blood splattered everywhere.


    Splat!


    With the space cleared, Aslay moved down the stairs, stepping steadily.


    At a glance, it seemed like he might fall, but he didn¡¯t.


    For Aslay, who grew up in the wild, stairs were far smoother compared to steep slopes filled with sharp stones.


    And what he had learned from his instructor wasn¡¯t mere sparring, but real combat techniques that took terrain into account.


    Tah!


    Despite taking a large stride, Aslay quickly regained balance on one foot.


    An enemy swung a sword to cut at his neck.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Aslay ducked naturally, dodging as smoothly as water flowing.


    His movement resembled that of an infighter boxer closing in on an opponent.


    Although he hadn¡¯t learned striking techniques from his instructor, he had been taught how to close the gap with footwork.


    Clang.


    Each time Aslay approached an undead, he would grab its armor, slam it to the ground, and break its arms when they attempted to strike him vertically with swords, throwing them aside.


    Crack!


    In the narrow space, his immense strength turned even the smallest movements into devastating blows, drenching the area in black blood.


    After Aslay quickly cleaned up and stepped onto the landing, a massive undead knight appeared, perfectly matching Aslay¡¯s enormous size.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The knight drew a mace that resembled an ogre¡¯s club from its back and approached Aslay.


    Whoosh!


    It swung the mace down, aiming for Aslay¡¯s head.


    Aslay grabbed the mace with both hands.


    Grab!


    The knight tried to pull the mace back, but it didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    Aslay, having won the test of strength, released the mace and ducked past the knight¡¯s side.


    In an instant, he was behind the undead knight, wrapping his arms around its waist.


    Thud!


    The massive body of the undead knight was lifted into the air.


    What followed was a perfect suplex.


    Boom!


    The impact was so powerful that cracks appeared on the landing, and the undead¡¯s head burst open.


    As everyone watched in astonishment, Aslay stood up and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the rest down below.¡±


    He turned and descended the adjacent staircase.


    As the sounds of undead being crushed continued, Riamon asked me in a curious tone,


    ¡°That guy¡¯s no ordinary fighter. If I were to fight him, who do you think would win?¡±


    A faint smile tugged at my lips.


    On the first day of school, Aslay couldn¡¯t have even been compared to Riamon.


    ¡°You¡¯d win.¡±


    But if I gave him just a little help, he might catch up.


    If we could mutate his cursed trait, that is.


    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy, and it required fulfilling some rather tricky conditions, but that was a matter for a distant future.


    ¡°For now,¡± I added.


    Riamon smirked.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to put in some effort.¡±


    That was music to my ears.


    If he grew stronger, it would benefit me as well.


    Crunch!


    ***


    The journey from the fifth floor to the second was quick.


    At every new staircase, undead roaming the halls would rush at us, but Riamon and Erucel easily took care of them.


    Even I, who had been watching leisurely, finally drew my sword.


    Sring¡ª


    The corridor of the second floor, where the armory was located, teemed with more undead than before.


    No matter how many we defeated, undead from within the stronghold continued to fill the vacant spots via three staircases¡ªright, center, and left.


    Krrrlrrrl!


    As expected, the corridor was packed with undead, like a highway during a holiday rush.


    Riamon and Erucel, swords in hand, stepped forward and swung their blades wide.


    I, too, ignited my mana blade, entrusting my body to Donatan as I slashed through them.


    Slice!


    It was as though I was cutting through air, the cutting power was that sharp.


    I had to check visually to confirm that I had indeed cut down an undead.


    After decapitating and slicing through their shoulders dozens of times, the floor was soon sloshing with black blood.


    Slice!


    With every undead that fell, we gained more space.


    Now, it was time for Bellman to shine.


    And as expected, he lived up to my expectations.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need some time to come up with a strategy.¡±


    Bellman blocked the central staircase leading down with barrier magic, preventing any more undead from coming up.


    He did the same with the left and right corridors, sealing them off as if with metal fire shutters.


    The undead, trapped on all three sides, pounded furiously on the barriers.


    ¡°Whew¡­ Without that barrier, we¡¯d all be dead by now,¡± Limberton commented.


    He was right.


    Even though we had all gathered together, we still lacked proper weapons.


    If we were surrounded here, it would only be a matter of time before we were killed.


    An overwhelming force of undead was truly terrifying.


    ¡°But why aren¡¯t there any people around? It¡¯s still before dorm curfew, so we should¡¯ve seen a few students by now¡­¡± Ricks voiced his concern, and Erucel nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Indeed. Although most professors would be in the faculty building at this hour, there are usually some wandering about.¡±


    Now wasn¡¯t the time to be worrying about others.


    Bellman¡¯s mana was depleting rapidly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but scold them.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to be wasting.¡±


    The first objective was to reach the armory and gear up.


    The second-floor corridor was where we needed to sprint with everything we had.


    The moment Bellman created the barrier, a 15-minute time limit began ticking.


    It was an extremely complex spell, and on top of that, he had cast it without a staff, making it enormous in size.


    And with the undead constantly battering at it, it was only natural that the duration would be short.


    Of course, I knew the fastest way to resolve this, but this was also an opportunity for them to grow.


    It was worth watching a bit longer.


    It was Silla who spoke first.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, this is strange. Why are students like us doing all this hard work? What are the professors doing right now?¡±


    Everyone nodded at her statement, which hit the core of the issue.


    Indeed, they were hardly earning their salaries.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the faculty building, the professors stared beyond the translucent blue barrier.


    A mass of undead swarmed outside.


    One of the professors gripped his sword and took a stance.


    His target was the barrier blocking the exit.


    He infused his sword with aura and slashed at full strength.


    Clang!


    The sword bounced off with a dull sound.


    Rockfeller, holding his staff, shook his head as he looked at the knight instructor.


    ¡°Pointless.¡±


    In the past, there had been many formidable enemies.


    This barrier was designed to withstand such attacks, and there was no way a single professor¡¯s strength could break it.


    The core mana stone came from an archmage¡¯s staff, a top-tier relic¡ªonly someone on the level of Arkandric could stand a chance.


    ¡°This barrier has protected the stronghold since it was built. It wasn¡¯t created by ordinary means.¡±


    With his eyes closed, Rockfeller traced magical runes and infused his staff with a large amount of mana.


    The wind stirred, strong enough to scatter the documents on the desk.


    Whoooosh¡ª


    When he opened his eyes, the staff shot forward like an arrow, propelled by telekinesis.


    Thud!


    The staff pierced halfway into the barrier, and Rockfeller let out a sigh of relief.


    Considering the strength of the barrier, even creating a small hole was something to be satisfied with.


    Normally, within a barrier that blocks all mana, even telekinesis wouldn¡¯t be able to move a pebble outside.


    But now, with the tip of his staff reaching outside, he could release mana beyond the barrier.


    ¡°Hmm, with this, we can establish contact with the outside.¡±


    Rockfeller then drew a spell with his bare hand and grabbed the staff lodged in the barrier.


    An undead from outside was forcibly pulled toward him by telekinesis.


    It was the one in the best condition among the horde.


    ¡°Hamendal.¡±


    When Rockfeller called out, a professor named Hamendal hesitantly approached.


    ¡°Yes, Professor? You called for me.¡±


    ¡°You specialize in curses, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Hamendal¡¯s eyes trembled as he sensed something ominous.


    Rockfeller, ignoring his reaction, pointed toward the staff.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 114

    In our current party, Bellman and Ricks are considered the de facto leaders. However, Ricks is in a dazed state, preoccupied with maintaining his conjuration magic. Bellman is in a similar situation. If his concentration falters, the barrier will collapse, and we¡¯ll be torn apart by the overwhelming number of undead swarming us like a landslide. There¡¯s no time to devise a strategy.Given the situation, the leadership must be passed to someone else.


    ¡°Riamon is the most suitable to take the lead. If Ricks can conjure a greatsword for him, that should suffice,¡± suggested Erucel, who was the most vocal about his opinion.


    ¡°Think about it. If he swings a greatsword in the middle of the hallway, the enemies won¡¯t even be able to approach us. We¡¯ll be safe,¡± Erucel continued.


    Riamon stared at Erucel as if he were an idiot. ¡°You really expect me to keep swinging a greatsword? Do you really think I have the stamina for that?¡±


    Erucel is, in fact, stupid. He¡¯s just wasting our precious time with his nonsense.


    Unable to watch any longer, Bellman spoke up. ¡°The barrier will only last about 10 more minutes. In that short time, you all need to grab equipment from the armory at the end of the right hallway and return. Some of you also need to block the right staircase.¡± Even while speaking, Bellman kept glancing at the barrier and the magic circle, clearly struggling to maintain his focus.


    Trying to maintain magic without even a staff while strategizing is clearly overwhelming him.


    ¡°Uh, where was I? Oh right, gather as many weapons as you can. The people in the main hall don¡¯t have any means to defend themselves. They¡¯re holding on with temporary measures, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before that fails.¡±


    In summary, before Bellman¡¯s magic runs out, we need to sweep through the hallway, gather weapons, and return. If we fail, Bellman dies. Missing even a single undead will result in the same.


    If Bellman¡¯s concentration slips, the barrier will disappear. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And yet¡­


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we forming ranks for a reason? Division of roles is crucial,¡± Erucel complained irritably.


    ¡°Oh, look at Bellman! It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him speak so foolishly,¡± Silla mocked.


    ¡°I have a good idea. We can use Erucel as bait. Judging from the way the undead have been targeting him, I think it¡¯s his face that¡¯s provoking them,¡± Riamon suggested, making a statement that was surprisingly close to the truth, though still diverting from the main issue.


    It was fascinating, watching them. There never used to be conversations like this, but ever since Erucel joined, this ridiculous trio had somehow formed.


    Tick-tock¡ª


    The sound of the pocket watch¡¯s second hand echoed loudly. Time was still ticking away. If we don¡¯t decide soon, I might die as well.


    I felt a need to intervene.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a piece of advice: if you let even one of the undead in the right hallway slip through, Bellman will die. That¡¯s why, Limberton, it¡¯s best if you stay here and protect Bellman.¡±


    As soon as I said that, Limberton¡¯s face lit up. ¡°I can also provide ranged support, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    With his keen eyesight, it would be easy for him to identify approaching enemies, even in this chaotic environment.


    ¡°As for the rest of the formation¡­¡±


    I glanced around, offering advice without forcing it. ¡°It would be best if Silla took the lead.¡±


    Silla gave me a slightly sour look. ¡°Now you¡¯re giving orders? Weren¡¯t you the one who told us to think and decide for ourselves?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just making a suggestion. It¡¯s not too late to listen and then decide.¡±


    Silla frowned deeply and kept her mouth shut. With time running out, I quickly continued.


    ¡°Right behind her should be Leana and Aslay. You two can handle the enemies that slip through the sides.¡±


    Erucel gave me a suspicious look. ¡°In that case, wouldn¡¯t I be more suitable? It would be better to pair with someone from the same Adele Hall, rather than with that¡­ barbarian¡­ Ahem, foreigner. After all, I¡¯ve seen what they can do.¡±


    Erucel¡¯s suggestion seemed reasonable enough, and the others from the Adele Hall nodded in agreement.


    Even if I ranked first in the midterms, I¡¯m from the Schlaphe Hall. Considering everyone¡¯s different fighting styles, it¡¯s understandable they¡¯d be cautious about my choices.


    I felt the need to explain.


    ¡°In your case, your attacks involve wide, sweeping strikes. If you take the lead, Silla might get hurt.¡±


    Though he remained skeptical, it¡¯s true that Erucel had learned swordsmanship from Sir Coulro.


    ¡°On the other hand, piercing attacks and grappling moves are perfect for supporting allies because they have a smaller area of effect. For the same reason, Riamon is also suited for this. Just because he¡¯s wielding a longsword now doesn¡¯t mean his swordsmanship has changed from when he used a greatsword.¡±


    Erucel swallowed nervously. He seemed to start accepting the explanation, but I knew he¡¯d find something else to nitpick if I didn¡¯t provide more details. To save as much time as possible, I laid out everything I had organized in my head in one go.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to let a few slip through. Some of them might charge past the three of you. Those ones will be Riamon and Erucel¡¯s responsibility. If you maintain some distance from Leana and Aslay, you¡¯ll be able to fight using your usual swordsmanship without frustration. Make the most of that advantage.¡±


    For this to work, Ricks had to push himself harder.


    ¡°So, Ricks, squeeze out whatever remaining mana you have and create swords for these two. The armory is just ahead, so it won¡¯t take long. Once everyone grabs their equipment, you can rest. Focus on recovering your mana on the way back.¡±


    The right hallway on the first floor marked the final push of the weapon supply quest. Squeezing out the last of Ricks¡¯s mana here was key to maximizing efficiency.


    Next up was Edina.


    I already knew her abilities, but since I hadn¡¯t had much interaction with her, I pretended ignorance and asked, ¡°And you, Edina, right? What¡¯s your specialty in magic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit unusual, but I specialize in transformation magic.¡±


    Edina¡¯s magic was particularly unique among elemental types. It didn¡¯t involve transforming herself but rather changing the shape or texture of objects. Compared to Bellman and Ricks, she had a smaller natural mana reserve, so she had been saving this ability.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll block the right staircase to prevent the undead from advancing. That should be enough while the others gather equipment from the armory, right? You can handle that?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem too difficult.¡±


    My role was to ensure that Ricks and Edina made it safely to the staircase at the end of the right hallway. Once we blocked that path, a quick return would be possible.


    ¡°When you get there, Ricks, hand Edina your staff. Transformation magic consumes a lot of mana, and without the staff, it¡¯s more likely to be unstable.¡±


    Ricks nodded.


    I scanned everyone¡¯s faces to see if they had understood. Bellman, Aslay, Limberton, and Ricks were all busy concentrating on the barrier, but the rest of the group had strange expressions. Their eyes were filled with confusion¡ªcould it be¡­


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t need to repeat everything from the start, do I?¡±


    The members of the Adele Hall shook their heads. Then, Erucel, still in a daze, asked Ricks, ¡°Is that guy¡­ really my brother?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he like this back at the mansion?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not. He must have been swapped out. The real one must¡¯ve been replaced on the day of enrollment. Who cares, though, even if he¡¯s dead.¡±


    The others seemed to be thinking the same thing. Riamon was nodding as he listened to Edina explain things, and Leana and Silla were whispering to each other.


    It seemed that their expectations were so low that they were surprised by my coherent speech.


    ¡°Could this be one of those conditions where someone¡¯s intelligence temporarily increases due to illness?¡±


    ¡°That actually sounds pretty plausible.¡±


    Well, yes, to you guys, I¡¯m just a monkey with some tricks, aren¡¯t I? Ha.


    ¡°If you all understood, what are you still talking about? Get into position already.¡±


    I said coldly, squinting my eyes and letting the ¡°Noble Blood Ember¡± burn within me.


    Their shoulders jerked as they hurried into action.


    ¡°H-Huh!¡±


    ¡°R-Right, got it.¡±


    Once the preparations were finished, I looked over at Bellman. Since he was the core of our strategy, I spoke with a softer tone.


    ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± he asked, looking worried.


    ¡°No, not at all. I was just about to tell you it¡¯s okay to lift the barrier on the right hallway now.¡±


    The barrier vanished, and the undead, as if waiting for the moment, charged forward.


    Crurrurrurrur¡ª


    Those positioned in their new formations greeted the undead flooding the hallway with a violent counterattack.


    Crash!


    I heard the sound of blades cutting through flesh and Aslay smashing undead as I followed closely behind Erucel and Riamon, who were walking ahead of me.


    As we advanced, the undead began splitting and attacking from both sides.


    Crurrurrur!


    After breaking through Silla¡¯s initial squad, the second wave, led by Erucel and Riamon, swung their swords in wide arcs, separating the upper bodies of the undead from their lower halves.


    Slash!


    As expected, a few undead managed to break through, likely due to unfamiliarity with their weapons. I quickly dispatched them using swift sword strikes, decapitating them as I advanced.


    In the meantime, Edina glanced at Ricks and exclaimed, ¡°Wow, Ricks! How are you still managing to push forward at this pace while using magic?¡±


    ¡°After fighting that bastard Makdal over and over again, I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡±


    Though, by now, he was starting to run out of mana, as evidenced by his heavy breathing.


    ¡°Huff


    Seeing him struggle like that actually brightened my mood. I was watching with a grin when, by accident, I let one slip through.


    Thud!


    Limberton took care of it. I turned away from the undead with an arrow stuck in its heart and quickened my pace.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Faster.¡±


    Black blood splashed with every step we took. The main fighters gritted their teeth and held on as the large entrance door at the end of the right hallway began to come into view. Near the door was the entrance to the staircase, which would be left to Aslay and Edina.


    I spoke to Aslay, who was panting heavily, ¡°Aslay, hang in there a little longer. And Edina, make the stairs sticky. Aslay, make sure none of the enemies can get to her while she works. Oh, and feel free to throw away your shoes. I¡¯ll get you new ones¡ªexpensive ones.¡±


    Aslay blocked the undead coming up the stairs from the first floor. Meanwhile, Ricks handed Edina his staff. Edina began casting a spell, making the stairs sticky like a flytrap. Aslay¡¯s shoes stuck to the ground too, but removing them was enough to free him.


    Thud!


    Aslay leaped up and landed back on the hallway floor. Even if some undead tried to climb over each other to reach us, Aslay would be there to stop them.


    Once I confirmed they had succeeded, I turned to the armory entrance. The others ahead of me had already begun gathering weapons inside. As expected from an armory, there was a wide variety of weapons, and in large quantities.


    ¡°As I thought, there¡¯s a greatsword here.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Riamon, are you really only going to take that one?¡± Erucel asked.


    I interrupted Erucel, ¡°Let him be. There¡¯s no guarantee our way back will be smooth. We need at least two people focused on defense.¡±


    Normally, we would have to fight off monsters crawling up the walls and through the windows. We hadn¡¯t encountered any yet because we had advanced too quickly, but now that we had weapons, they were sure to appear soon.


    I picked up a shield that was as tall as I was and quickly approached the stairs, handing it to Aslay.


    ¡°Aslay, like before. You know what to do, right?¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±


    With his immense strength, Aslay slammed the heavy shield into the ground at the entrance of the stairs.


    Crash!


    The undead began trying to wedge their hands through the small gaps between the shield and the wall. Though it looked precarious, it would take them some time to break through.


    Edina had exhausted her mana transforming the staircase and let her hand holding the staff drop. With a bit of breathing room, we packed the necessary supplies into the bags we found in the armory. Silla, being small, grabbed a light and short staff, while the heavy weapons were left for Aslay to carry. The rest of us distributed the load evenly, while Riamon and Leana, focusing on mobility, took only the essentials to keep up with their guard duties.


    With that, the first stage was clear.


    ¡°Now we¡¯ll take Bellman and Limberton, head to the main hall, and distribute the weapons.¡±


    The total time taken so far: 28 minutes. Considering the task usually takes at least 40 minutes, we had shaved almost half the time, giving us some extra breathing room.


    ¡°Once we arrive, we¡¯ll rest for a bit.¡±


    The word ¡°rest¡± brightened everyone¡¯s faces.


    ***


    As he stepped into the hallway, the undead cleared a path for us. Even so, there were still groups of them writhing as they faced away from them.


    Just then, a white bolt of lightning shot through the gap between the undead.


    Crackle!


    The clustered undead emitted smoke as they turned into a pile of ashes. Luon quietly hid among the undead pressed against the wall. He pointed his finger in the direction of the advancing undead.


    Rumble!


    Beyond the throng of enemies, he heard a voice.


    ¡°¡­Damn it, there are so many.¡±


    A familiar voice. It had to be one of the professors who had kept an eye on him whenever he left the academy.


    Luon blended into the crowd of undead, lightly holding onto a sparrow statue.


    Sizzle!


    Each time the professor swung his electric whip, the limbs of the undead flew through the air. As Luon got closer, he thrust his sword into the back of one of the undead.


    Thud!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Judging from the professor¡¯s groan, it seemed the sword had pierced through the undead and into his stomach. The undead dissolved into dust, and the professor¡¯s eyes met Luon¡¯s.


    ¡°Luon Al Vanas¡­ I always knew you¡¯d cause trouble one day.¡±


    Luon smirked. ¡°If you knew, you should have stopped me sooner.¡±


    The professor quickly swung his staff.


    Whoosh!


    Flames erupted from the professor¡¯s body, large enough to burn the entire area. Luon blocked the fire with the sparrow statue, using it to create a barrier. But the professor didn¡¯t give up; he gritted his teeth and continued drawing his spell.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Luon swiftly dispelled the barrier and swung his sword, decapitating the professor.


    Slash!


    The professor¡¯s head hit the ground. That was the last of the wandering professors.


    As Luon shook the blood off his sword, a cracking sound echoed.


    Luon examined the sparrow statue in his hand.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Perhaps from overuse, the statue had started to crack.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to use this much longer.¡±


    Luon pocketed the statue and made his way toward the entrance of the stairs, where he ran into Kurel.


    ¡°Did you take care of all the professors?¡±


    ¡°There were four of them according to the duty roster. Assuming no surprises, yes, that should be all of them.¡±


    Luon averted his gaze from the line of professors¡¯ corpses scattered down the hallway and asked Kurel, ¡°But, Kurel, what are you doing here instead of taking it easy?¡±


    He had told the three men to enjoy themselves until the others arrived. After all, the people trapped inside the citadel were limited to a few areas: the dormitories, the professors¡¯ quarters, and a few other floors. Some stragglers might still be roaming the campus, but to them, they were nothing more than amusing playthings.


    Kurel hesitated before answering. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about the escape route¡­¡±


    Luon stared at Kurel and, in a low voice, asked, ¡°Have I ever lied to you before?¡±


    When the time comes, everyone here will die. Those people knew they had no intention of dying here, so they had prepared their own way out. But from Kurel¡¯s reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like he was doubting that.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    Kurel trailed off before shaking his head.


    ¡°No, never mind. I¡¯ll see you on time.¡±


    Kurel gave an awkward smile before descending the stairs. Luon walked over to the window and gazed down at the ground below. The first thing he noticed was the fountain at the base of the stairs. The undead were avoiding that area, making it stand out.


    Then his gaze shifted to the training grounds. The undead were lined up on either side as if welcoming the arrival of an emperor, forming a straight path. Walking at the center of it was none other than Felia.


    Luon observed her carefully, without blinking, paying close attention to what Felia was about to do.


    ¡°This kind of opportunity doesn¡¯t come often.¡±


    Long ago, a great dragon made Frost Heart its home. Felia was planning to resurrect it as an undead creature. Though this would undoubtedly break the balance of the game, there was no other choice. If Hersel was going to bring in a being that would change the course of the world, they had to prepare something equally formidable.


    ¡°As I thought, the terrace is the best place to watch this.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 115

    The arrival was much faster than the time it took to leave. Given that the main characters now had real weapons in their hands, it was an expected result.


    As I entered the main hall, I surveyed the traces of the battle that had taken place here.


    The magic division seemed exhausted, likely from repeatedly casting spells without their staffs, and all the surrounding chairs were shattered.


    It seemed that the knights had used them as makeshift weapons.


    ¡°Looks like they attacked while we were away?¡±


    When I asked this, the group slumped their shoulders.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m totally drained.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a gift for you all.¡±


    Aslay lay down his backpack.


    The others, after keeping only their own weapons, distributed the rest to all the first-years.


    Now, even if we leave, they¡¯ll be able to protect themselves.


    With that, the first gate had been perfectly cleared.


    ¡°At least we still have plenty of food. Let¡¯s take a breather and move on.¡±


    Stretching out, I approached the table filled with food.


    The first thing the returning students reached for was the drinks.


    Ricks gulped down water and, like a desert wanderer who had found an oasis, let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Phew. Ah, now I feel alive.¡±


    Thanks to wrapping up our task quickly, we had more time to rest.


    After quenching their thirst, they ate to regain their strength.


    By the time their food had settled, Bellman spoke up.


    ¡°We now have the means to fight. But I still have no clue what we¡¯re supposed to do next.¡±


    Ricks lowered the cup he had glued to his mouth.


    ¡°He did say it was a game. There might be some clues hidden about what to do next.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. A game can¡¯t exist without shared rules. Without them, it¡¯s just playing by oneself.¡±


    While they debated, I quietly stepped back and checked the wall clock.


    Two hours and five minutes left.


    Soon enough, the answer to the question they were discussing would appear.


    With nothing else to do for the moment, I stared absentmindedly at the ground.


    At my feet was a plate of fish.


    When I was picking food earlier, I had set aside some for the cat.


    Swooosh¡ª


    As expected, smoke began to swirl, and the cat formed, eagerly devouring the fish.


    Chomp chomp.  S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching this scene, I started thinking about the next scenario.


    Soon, the Wraiths would break through the walls.


    Wraiths were ghosts created by Felia, and there were three types: a librarian, a chef, and a professor.


    There were three in total.


    They weren¡¯t enemies to be hunted.


    You could think of them as something like game masters.


    The task for the main characters from here on was to find the treasure.


    The Wraiths would only guide them to where the clues were hidden.


    To get to Luon, they needed to break the barrier on the ninth-floor staircase, and the key to opening it was finding an emergency key.


    After that, they just had to defeat the three sub-bosses, and the first-act boss battle would begin.


    However, the invitation in my possession¡­


    The location was the dining hall of Adele Hall, a place unrelated to the scenario, and I had to enter it alone.


    This worried me greatly.


    With the added complication of Erucel, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to check if the main characters successfully subdued Luon.


    What exactly was waiting for me in the dining hall made me more concerned about my own safety than theirs.


    There were too many uncertainties.


    The only comfort was the cat eating at my feet.


    That was all.


    I petted the cat¡¯s back.


    Meow.


    When it finished eating, I spoke softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time I received your help.¡±


    The cat, which had closed its eyes, opened them again.


    Then it turned into smoke and wrapped around my left wrist.


    A black band appeared on my arm, like a tattoo I¡¯d never gotten.


    This was my bodyguard and a one-time trump card.


    It would be my lifeline.


    As I felt reassured by this, a commotion arose in the main hall.


    ¡°W-wait! Look at the wall!¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, are those ghosts?¡±


    The transparent Wraiths, wearing flowing robes, revealed themselves as they floated in the air.


    The Wraiths explained the game to the main characters in a mournful voice, then beckoned them to follow.


    The group glanced nervously at me, so I gave them a nod.


    At that moment, one of the students from the Schlaphe Hall approached and asked,


    ¡°Hey, Hersel. Don¡¯t you need to go too?¡±


    ¡°Why? Do you want to take my place? That¡¯d be fine by me. Less work for me.¡±


    The student, fearing I might really pass the invitation to them, fled in a panic.


    I¡¯ll go when I¡¯m ready.


    Don¡¯t push me off a cliff, you little brats.


    ***


    In the professor¡¯s building, Rockefeller was pressing Hamedal hard.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that¡¯s not the way?¡±


    Hamedal, being possessed by an undead, had his mind elsewhere, but that didn¡¯t mean he was unable to communicate.


    Other professors had combined various spells¡ªsuch as a voice transmission spell, a visualization spell to see in the dark, and a mirror spell to share what Hamedal was seeing, among others.


    With all these spells in place, Hamedal was equipped with several functions.


    ¡°Grughrrr.¡±


    When Hamedal rolled his eyes and let out a wailing sound, Rockefeller turned to the professor beside him and asked,


    ¡°Has his intelligence dropped to an undead level as well?¡±


    The professor pointed at the mirror.


    Undead creatures were swarming around Hamedal.


    ¡°I think he might be pretending. If he spoke like a human, he¡¯d be found out.¡±


    ¡°That means he¡¯s listening.¡±


    Rockefeller shook Hamedal¡¯s shoulder and said,


    ¡°Your job is to find Sir Bellen. Don¡¯t get sidetracked and head to the club floors immediately!¡±


    Normally, they would have thought of Arkandric first, but if he were in good condition, none of this would have happened in the first place.


    Something had clearly gone wrong.


    Thus, the only alternative was Sir Bellen, who had skills comparable to his.


    ¡°But what about Hersel Ben Tenest? He should be in the main hall by now. Shouldn¡¯t we check on that too?¡±


    At the professor¡¯s question, Rockefeller clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Tch, if we keep relying on that guy, the academy will be ruined.¡±


    Recently, they had given him a famous sword as a reward from the treasure vault.


    His already high expectations had only grown.


    If they kept offering rare treasures as compensation every time something happened, they wouldn¡¯t be able to manage it in the future.


    ¡°We need to handle him more cautiously. Unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, we should avoid dealing with him. I hope you¡¯ll remember that.¡±


    Rockefeller gave Gomon a sharp look as he issued the warning.


    ¡°If anyone dares to offer rewards to Hersel Ben Tenest without authorization, I will hold them personally accountable.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Professor Rockefeller, wasn¡¯t that all in the past, anyway? Haha¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence, Gomon.¡±


    Gomon shrank back and slunk into a corner.


    The professor watching the mirror asked,


    ¡°But what if the club floor where Sir Bellen is located is also blocked by a barrier?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible. But there¡¯s no need to worry. With her skills, the one they call the Empress will handle any barrier with ease.¡±


    As they waited, Hamedal finally reached the club floors.


    As expected, the entrance was blocked by a barrier.


    Hamedal squeezed between the nearby undead and pressed his forehead against the barrier.


    Two students standing on the other side pointed at him and laughed.


    ¡°Hey, hey. Doesn¡¯t that look like Rockefeller?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got that same nasty look. If there wasn¡¯t a barrier, I¡¯d totally bash his head in.¡±


    The professors gasped in shock.


    Rockefeller glared at the two students in the mirror with hollow eyes.


    ¡°Bring those two students to my office as soon as they¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡­.¡±


    As one professor searched the student roster, Rockefeller spoke to Hamedal.


    ¡°Hamedal, tell those two fools to bring Sir Bellen here right now.¡±


    ¡°Grughrrrr.¡±


    Hamedal knocked on the barrier door.


    Knock knock.


    Then he whispered clearly, in a low voice,


    ¡°Excuse me, is Sir Bellen inside?¡±


    ***


    The exclusive dining hall of Adele Hall was on the 6th floor.


    Undead filled not only the hallways but also the staircases.


    As soon as I appeared, they rushed at me.


    Grughhhrrr!


    Yet, I didn¡¯t even draw my sword.


    I simply waved my hand casually.


    ¡°Move.¡±


    Grugh?


    The undead flinched, then slowly retreated.


    Donatan, clearly puzzled by the scene, asked,


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    I tapped the black line tattooed on my wrist.


    ¡°They saw the cat and got scared off.¡±


    This creature had been brought by a grand magician from deep within the demon realm.


    It was a being that lived in an abyss full of terrifying monsters, far superior to mere undead.


    Even though they were decayed, the undead instinctively recognized it as a predator.


    ¡®Well, at least it makes things easier for us, don¡¯t you think?¡¯


    ¡®Hmm¡­ I did sense a bit of ease from you, and now I know why.¡¯


    Thanks to that, I was able to climb the stairs without any battle.


    Everywhere we went, undead fled in panic as we made our way down the hallway.


    Then, in the distance, I saw some figures fighting. They were Bellman, Leana, and Silla, who had business on the sixth floor like me.


    ¡°Bellman, with these constant attacks, we can¡¯t find any clues. Can¡¯t you just block them with a barrier?¡±


    ¡°Just hold on a little longer. I haven¡¯t fully recovered my mana yet.¡±


    ¡°Silla, take Bellman to the library. I¡¯ll block the entrance.¡±


    They were doing their best in their own way. Not wanting to interfere, I averted my gaze and continued walking toward the dining hall.


    The door to the dining hall was wide open.


    Not a single undead was in sight.


    The cleanliness of the room was intact, illuminated by a soft light, and the fragrant smell of food filled the air. It looked as though the place could start serving customers right away, just like on any other day.


    Tock tock tock.


    As I stepped inside, I looked at the long table.


    At the head of the table, in the VIP seat I once used, sat Felia, possessing the body of a professor.


    She was savoring a glass of wine.


    ¡°The food and wine these days are pretty good. I¡¯d say they have a very clean taste, and the aroma is quite nice, too.¡±


    A question immediately escaped my lips.


    ¡°Why did you summon me here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, first, have a seat. Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat? Just say the word, and it¡¯ll be prepared in no time. None of the servants here were harmed.¡±


    She¡¯s the disciple of a grand magician.


    There¡¯s a chance she might know about the cat.


    I carefully sat down, being mindful to conceal the tattoo on my left wrist by adjusting my sleeve.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, I suppose you¡¯ve already had your fill. Something about a victory feast, right? Hah, back in my day, we didn¡¯t have such luxuries.¡±


    I casually covered my left hand under the table and propped my chin up with my right hand to draw attention away from it.


    That should be enough to avoid detection.


    Since Felia was using a human body as a host, she wouldn¡¯t have the sharp senses of a monster or the spiritual awareness of an undead.


    ¡°It seems you want to talk to me,¡± I said cautiously, testing her.


    Felia nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m simply curious about what kind of person you are. You could say it¡¯s personal curiosity.¡±


    Ah, so she¡¯s open to conversation.


    ¡°Is there something you want to ask me? How about this: we take turns answering each other¡¯s questions.¡±


    This situation was an anomaly far removed from the norm.


    In the absence of any other information, it seemed wise to gather intel from Felia.


    If she tried anything suspicious, I could just kill her, regardless of the scenario.


    ¡°Q&A, with me?¡±


    She scoffed, locking eyes with me.


    ¡®Felia, the obsessed,¡¯ had the ability to read memories.


    She probably found it amusing that I suggested such a thing, but that wouldn¡¯t last long.


    If I recalled correctly, those with mental resistance traits were immune to her powers.


    And I possessed the trait, ¡®Noble Blood Ember.¡¯


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    As expected, Felia¡¯s eyes twitched.


    I smirked slightly, finding her reaction laughable.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, forget it.¡±


    I threw out the words with a biting tone, and Felia huffed in frustration.


    ***


    The seventh-floor hallway was quickly cleared.


    Thanks to Aslay¡¯s brute strength, all the undead had been reduced to mush.


    With a moment to breathe, Ricks followed the wraith dressed as a chef and said,


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s a clue here.¡±


    The chef wraith entered the food storage room.


    As it stepped inside, the wraith spoke in a ghostly, buzzing voice,


    ¡°In the old days, I used to hum and ponder what to cook here, always thinking of home. Oh, how I miss it. Frostheart was so far from my homeland.¡±


    Aslay squinted his eyes at the long-winded explanation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Make it short.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, anyway, I often thought of my beloved wife, whom I left behind. I used to send money home, but I¡¯m sure she was sad without me.¡±


    The wraith glanced wistfully at Ricks and the others.


    ¡°So, here¡¯s your riddle. Guess the name of my beloved wife, and that¡¯s the puzzle I¡¯m giving you.¡±


    Ricks tilted his head and asked,


    ¡°If we solve the riddle, do we get a clue?¡±


    ¡°Of course, just take a look at that supply shelf. My lover¡¯s name is oddly enough the same as one of the ingredients.¡±


    The wraith pointed to the shelves filled with rows of items, so many that it seemed impossible to go through each one individually.


    Ricks gulped and stared at the wraith.


    But the wraith scratched its head.


    ¡°Well, actually, Lady Felia told me to come up with this riddle, but I¡¯m not really good at these things¡­ I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°There are too many ingredients here. How are we supposed to figure out the name?¡±


    Ricks grumbled, and the wraith grinned.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll give you another hint. I¡¯m a chef from the western region of Velta. It¡¯s famous for its spices, and the sunlight there is just perfect for growing crops. Wherever you go, you¡¯ll find the fresh scent of¡­¡±


    Though the wraith claimed it was a hint, it only seemed to make things more confusing.


    It might have been a cheap trick to stall for time.


    As Ricks was about to vent his frustration, Aslay asked,


    ¡°Ricks, can¡¯t you just use magic to get rid of this annoying thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shall I give it a try?¡±


    Just as Ricks was about to wave his staff, Limberton spoke up casually,


    ¡°Rosemary?¡±


    He held up a sprig of green rosemary in his hand, though no one noticed when he had grabbed it.


    The wraith¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Limberton scratched his head and repeated,


    ¡°I said rosemary¡­ Is that the correct answer?¡±


    ¡°But how? I haven¡¯t even given you all the hints yet.¡±


    ¡°You said you were from the west, right? I remember reading an essay by a famous Casanova from the west. There was a line that stuck with me: ¡®She was a woman whose scent matched the name Rosemary.¡¯¡±


    Ricks, impressed, said, ¡°I guess even those kinds of books can be helpful.¡±


    ¡°Well, the sweet words aside, it was actually about an affair.¡±


    Limberton propped his chin with his hand, as if trying to recall something, and mumbled,


    ¡°What was it¡­ Rosemary¡­ Rosemary¡­ Ah, I think it was Rosemary Eldrus.¡±


    The moment Limberton mentioned the last name, the wraith reacted in shock.


    ¡°Rosemary Eldrus? Did you say Eldrus?¡±


    The wraith¡¯s expression was one of betrayal and shock, as if it had lost all composure. Limberton cautiously asked,


    ¡°¡­Wait, is your last name Eldrus?¡±


    A few seconds later, the wraith sadly dissolved into bubbles, making a sound that seemed full of sorrow.


    Pop pop.


    Limberton watched its final moments with a look of pity.


    ¡°I guess I was right after all¡­¡±


    Ricks and Aslay also solemnly watched the wraith pass on in silence.


    Ricks, Limberton, and Aslay then proceeded toward the left staircase. There weren¡¯t many undead along the way, only a few that they encountered.


    Crash!


    Aslay quickly took care of them, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the entrance to the ninth-floor stairs.


    In front of them was a blue barrier blocking the way.


    ¡°It¡¯s blocked here, huh? Limberton, can you hand me that metal plate we found earlier?¡±


    Limberton passed him the metal plate, and Ricks held it up to the barrier.


    Shhhh¡ª


    The barrier dissipated, and they stepped into the ninth-floor hallway.


    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps and a woman¡¯s scream echoed through the corridor.


    ¡°Kyaaaah!¡±


    At the end of the hallway, a woman was running toward them, her face pale with fear.


    Limberton narrowed his eyes and said,


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Senior Brandel from the second-year Adele Hall. She¡¯s from the Magic Division.¡±


    Ricks seemed perplexed.


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s impressive, but it¡¯s kind of creepy how you know these things sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been holding back because of what Hersel said recently, but this is who I really am. Didn¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°I guess, but¡­ never mind. We don¡¯t have time for this right now. We need to help her.¡±


    Ricks immediately ran toward the senior, and Aslay followed behind him. Meanwhile, Limberton swiftly prepared his bow.


    Something unknown had peeked its head out from the classroom door.


    With only its upper body visible, it was hard to make out exactly what it was. Judging by the color, it didn¡¯t seem to be undead, but it wasn¡¯t quite human either¡ªits shape was too amorphous.


    Just as Limberton was about to classify it as a monster, he hesitated because its face looked human, making it difficult to shoot.


    As he examined it more closely, Limberton¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Arsys¡­¡±


    That face¡ªit was unmistakably Arsys, an executive of Lethe.


    ¡°What? They are already here? Damn, I haven¡¯t even had any fun yet.¡±


    As Arsys fully emerged into the hallway, Ricks gasped in shock.


    ¡°What the¡­ what is that¡­?¡±


    Arsys¡¯s lower body resembled that of a snake. A massive snake, at that, with an immense thickness and length.


    ¡°How do I look? After taking the drug that Luon gave me, I ended up like this. But it¡¯s no big deal¡ªthe effects will wear off eventually, and I¡¯ll be back to normal.¡±


    Arsys grinned and slithered his tail back into the classroom.


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s all a game, I¡¯ll play along. Now, let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    As he pulled his tail back out, a man¡¯s corpse, neck twisted and lifeless, dangled from it.


    ¡°How should I kill you?¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 116

    The name ¡°Felia of Obsession¡± comes as quite a surprise to many players. Based on the name alone, most would expect her to be some kind of stalker of her mentor, but the reality is different. This is because she sees herself as incomplete and believes she is fake, which fuels her obsession with becoming ¡°real.¡± However, she has no desire to become the living Felia. To her, that would just be imitation, a path leading to being fake again.This is evident in her behavior as well. She constantly does things the real Felia would never have done. She doesn¡¯t obsess over her mentor, the archmage, and speaks in a casual tone that the real Felia would have never used. Even sitting in front of me, stuffing herself with expensive wine and rare delicacies¡ªthis is something the real Felia would have never done. So, what is her obsession with becoming ¡°real¡±? For her, it means to be reborn. To open her eyes to the world for the first time, to be given a new name, and to live a life where she forms her own beliefs in an unfamiliar environment. There is no room for anything fake in that. It would be the life of a true human being.


    However, as with all villainous ends, Felia will ultimately fail. Her fate was sealed by Bellen, who sensed something was amiss. But why is she sitting before me, enjoying dessert, knowing what awaits her?


    ***


    On the club¡¯s floor, Bellen grasped her sword with a slight hiccup. She had heard everything through the undead Hamendal. Staring at the barrier, she wondered if this would really be okay.


    ¡°If I destroy this, what happens to them?¡±


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller says it¡¯s fine. Even if it breaks, it will only be temporary, and it will automatically restore itself¡­¡±


    In that case, Bellen felt reassured. She signaled the students nearby to step back and ignited flames on her blade.


    Fwoosh!


    As the fire faded, the sword gleamed crimson, as though fresh from a forge. The heat was so intense that the students who had moved away were already sweating. With her preparations complete, Bellen slashed at the barrier multiple times.


    Sizzle!


    Each strike melted away a portion of the barrier.


    Once she created enough space for a person to pass through, Bellen quickly slipped inside. Just as Rockefeller had said, the barrier was slowly returning to its original shape.


    Clang!


    Undead creatures swarmed toward her, but with just a few strikes, they turned to dust in an instant.


    Clank!


    She sheathed her sword and looked at the undead Hamendal.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I should punish the brats who pulled this nasty prank?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. I believe there¡¯s definitely someone pulling the strings behind this whole situation.¡±


    ¡°Someone behind this?¡±


    ¡°The magic that covers the entire grounds¡ªit¡¯s undoubtedly the work of a mage. But all the scholarship entrants are knights.¡±


    Bellen immediately understood what Hamendal was implying. Taking over the entire fortress and manipulating it at will was beyond what any student could achieve. This meant someone of a different caliber had either orchestrated or supported this event.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me I should take care of this mastermind and help the students?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Please hurry.¡±


    With a determined expression, Bellen gripped her sword tightly. ¡°Got it.¡± However, she didn¡¯t let go of the bottle of liquor in her left hand. ¡°And my reward?¡±


    ¡°¡­Has the Tenest family always made money this way?¡±


    ***


    Felia stabbed her fork into a piece of whipped cream cake. We had covered a lot of topics in our conversations, but most of her questions were about Luon. To be honest, with her abilities, she must have already seen all of Luon¡¯s memories. Yet, she continued to ask me questions. Naturally, the question she posed was this:


    ¡°Why did you hang out with Luon?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t asking from Luon¡¯s perspective; she wanted to know my view on Luon. But how could I answer that? After all, I wasn¡¯t the real Hersel. However, recalling Luon¡¯s background, I could make a few guesses.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. I just took some interest because we had a similar background.¡±


    His mother had also passed away at an early age. The difference between him and Hersel¡¯s case was that her death had nothing to do with illness or accident. The spark that ignited everything was when Aldeon Al Varnas, Luon¡¯s father, became infatuated with another woman.


    ¡°He also has a stepmother.¡±


    In the culture of nobility, it¡¯s very common for a man to take a concubine. And just as common is the scenario where a concubine, dissatisfied with her status, assassinates the legitimate wife. Especially when Luon¡¯s biological mother was known to have a rather unpleasant personality; the household had been dysfunctional for a long time, so their marriage was likely toxic. It was even a joke among the people of the Varnas estate that the head of the household had conspired with his mistress to kill his wife.


    ¡°His half-siblings stay put in the estate, while Luon, being the son that reminds his father of his ex-wife, must have endured all kinds of scorn. How could I not notice?¡±


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t out of some empathetic human emotion that Hersel approached Luon. More likely, he saw him as an interesting toy to play with. But perhaps Hersel had a gut feeling that they were of the same kind.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn to ask a question.¡±


    When it was my turn, I looked at Felia and asked her about the strange feeling I had been sensing.


    ¡°Why are you helping Luon so much? Now that the Crimson Magic Book is in your hands, you¡¯ve completed your task.¡±


    Originally, their deal must have been limited to casting the binding spell for Luon. By this point, she should have been focused on crafting a physical body for herself. I needed to confirm if she was being forced by Luon or if she was assisting him of her own volition.


    ¡°The Crimson Magic Book? And finished? That statement of yours makes me think you know something.¡±


    Felia looked at me suspiciously. I gave her a plausible explanation.


    ¡°I know because I encountered a remnant of thought before you appeared. I also know what your objectives are.¡±


    After all, ¡°Felia of Loss¡± had appeared before. There was no way she wouldn¡¯t know that. She seemed to find my story convincing enough, as she nodded.


    ¡°Well, alright. I¡¯m here because I want to help Luon. He asked me to take care of you. Though, of course, whether or not I do so is entirely up to me.¡±


    As expected, she¡¯s quite different from the ¡°Felia of Obsession¡± in my memories. But from Luon¡¯s perspective, it would make sense for him to see me as an unpredictable element that could ruin his plans. I had pretended to be a Master swordsman and had even taken down Berme, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Luon saw me as a threat and sought Felia¡¯s help.


    However, the fact that she came here of her own free will is a separate matter.


    ¡°You came because he asked you?¡±


    This didn¡¯t seem right, considering she was obsessed only with being reborn. With the Crimson Magic Book now in her possession, that should have been her top priority, so why was she here? I studied her closely, but she remained tight-lipped.


    ¡°¡­This is the end of the Q&A.¡±


    There was a hint of irritation in her voice. Maybe it was time to begin¡­ I rubbed the tattoo on my left wrist. But all Felia did was lick the whipped cream from her lips and order more from the servant.


    ¡°This is delicious! Bring me another.¡±


    I blinked in disbelief. I had been preparing to use one of the few one-time kill moves from Asares, something like a special move in a bullet-hell game that I wouldn¡¯t be able to replenish. I figured it was worth the cost given that I was up against someone with the Crimson Magic Book¡­


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you were here to deal with me?¡±


    I frowned as I asked, but Felia responded casually.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I have no intention of fighting you.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know if you look out the window.¡±


    I got up from my seat and walked over to the window. My eyes gradually widened. What I saw was the training ground, with the ground cracking open.


    From it, a reptilian hand the size of a soccer goalpost suddenly burst forth.


    Not understanding the situation, I looked at Felia.


    ¡°Does the dungeon¡¯s guardian still resemble a Bone Dragon these days?¡±


    The Bone Dragon is one of the highest-tier monsters among the undead.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡±


    When I asked, Felia chuckled slyly.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re thinking the right thing.¡±


    During dungeon training, they likely explained that the guardian was modeled after a Bone Dragon.


    This meant that the dungeon had seen the original, which implied that it had seen it somewhere ¡ª specifically, above the dungeon.


    ¡°This used to be the Bone Dragon¡¯s territory.¡±


    It was part of Frost Heart¡¯s domain.


    ¡°Think of it simply. I was just a guide in the game. Actually, your friends are each facing their own opponents as well, like Luon¡¯s underlings. So, anyway¡ª¡±


    Cutting her off as if it wasn¡¯t my business, I sat down and instructed the servant,


    ¡°Bring me a cup of tea as well.¡±


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡±


    No, I don¡¯t want to.


    ¡°That thing is your opponent. But don¡¯t worry too much. Since the original was so strong, they couldn¡¯t fully recreate its power. It¡¯s probably less than half as strong as the real one. How¡¯s that for balance?¡±


    Well, either way, I still can¡¯t handle even the guardian alone.


    ¡°Perhaps. But do you know something?¡±


    I casually sipped my tea, preparing to face this crisis with the ¡°Noble Blood¡¯s Ember,¡± and then looked Felia in the eyes as I set down my cup.


    ¡°If I had wanted, I could have killed you and Luon long ago.¡±


    ¡°You? Kill me? We just met today, what are you talking about?¡±


    Felia looked baffled, but the conversation wasn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of opportunities. I know that you turned into a dove. I also crossed paths with Luon in the Forbidden Library hallway. Even then, I had plenty of chances to kill him. But I didn¡¯t. What do you think that means?¡±


    It must have sounded convincing enough, as Felia paused with her fork midway to her mouth.


    ¡°It means I never intended to go after Luon, and I still don¡¯t. So, get rid of that useless thing.¡±


    Felia¡¯s eyes widened.


    Alright, just a little more, and I¡¯ll have her.


    ¡°Even though things between Luon and I have soured recently, I don¡¯t wish for his death. As I said earlier, Luon and I were in the same position, and just as I¡¯ve changed, I believe he can change too.¡±


    Speaking in a serious tone, Felia blinked at me.


    This was it.


    Just as I was about to deliver the final blow, Donatan interrupted the flow.


    ¡®This sneaky guy. You¡¯re spinning your silver tongue again.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t interfere. You don¡¯t want to fight the Bone Dragon, do you?¡¯


    ¡®Ahem¡­¡¯


    Though there was a brief interruption, I calmly resumed my manipulative tactics.


    But then, Felia shattered all my efforts with one devastating piece of news.


    ¡°But what can we do? I can¡¯t cancel it once it¡¯s started.¡±


    What?


    ¡°Control it, then?¡±


    ¡°The mana from the Crimson Magic Book is almost depleted. It¡¯ll take time to recharge.¡±


    Damn it.


    I shot up from my seat, ready to leave the dining hall. Wasting time doing nothing was not my style. Who knows? My trump card might still work.


    As I hurried toward the door, Felia¡¯s voice made me pause.


    ¡°Wait a second.¡±


    I turned my head slightly and looked at Felia.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I actually have a favor to ask. Could you do it for me?¡±


    What now, when I¡¯m already so busy?


    Despite my irritation, I listened to her request.


    ¡°This is just a personal wish of mine.¡±


    Felia¡¯s expression seemed somewhat earnest.


    To think I¡¯d be receiving a request from my enemy. It seems the words I spoke earlier, trying to get out of trouble, had planted some strange idea in her mind, but I wasn¡¯t a pushover.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not asking you to do it for free. If you help me, I¡¯ll tell you where the staff I used when I was alive is hidden.¡±


    Well, a dying person¡¯s last request couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    After all, I¡¯m a kind person.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Leaving the dining hall behind, I sprinted at full speed.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    Felia¡¯s staff, huh?


    Considering its age, it might as well be a relic. And since she was the disciple of an archmage, it was likely to have some incredible attributes.


    ***


    I wandered the halls, passing by the front gate of the fortress.


    Of course, thanks to the black band tattoo, the undead parted and made way for me without any trouble.


    As I was walking toward the training ground, I suddenly wondered how the others were doing and glanced out the window.


    By now, the mid-boss battle should have started.


    I wasn¡¯t worried, though.


    Even if Arsys, Aiman, and Kurel had taken a hit, they were nowhere near as strong as the Roaming Band instructor.


    On the other hand, the playable characters had already experienced how high the wall they needed to overcome was, thanks to the fights they had during the training in the demonic realm.


    The difference between having experience and not was significant.


    Compared to the instructor, they would probably be wondering why their swords felt so light, and they¡¯d be surprised, in a different way, at how much weaker the monster made by the mage was compared to the gigantic tree monster.


    Especially with how much Limberton had grown, he would easily deal with someone like Arsys.


    So, I decided to focus on myself.


    While they were busy hunting down their mid-bosses, I was facing a boss-level monster that you¡¯d only expect to see in the mid-point of the scenario.


    I rubbed the tattoo on my wrist and prayed fervently.


    ¨C I¡¯m counting on you.


    ***


    In the ninth-floor hallway, Arsys¡¯ long body suddenly floated into the air.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    His back hit the ceiling, bouncing off of it.


    Bang!


    As he slammed belly-first onto the floor, Aslay stood over him, looking down with a cold gaze.


    ¡°Too light.¡±


    Arsys ground his teeth.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    He wrapped his long body around Aslay and squeezed tightly.


    Then he used his tail to grab the longsword hanging at the corpse¡¯s waist.


    Swish!


    With a thrust, Arsys¡¯ two arms pierced through the snake-like skin of his body.


    Clang!


    He drew the sword and aimed it at Aslay¡¯s neck.


    He even surrounded his arms with the power-enhancing aura he was channeling.


    Just as he was about to deliver a strike, his arms grew heavy, and he ended up stabbing his own body.


    Squelch!


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    It was because of the shackles on his arms.


    Ricks, pointing his staff at him, grinned.


    ¡°Is it too heavy? The instructor moved just fine without a care.¡±


    Ricks didn¡¯t stop there; he conjured chains around Arsys¡¯ sword.


    The blade was bound tightly.


    Clang!


    When he pulled, the chains hooked onto the sword¡¯s cross-guard, yanking it out like pulling a root.


    Aslay seized the opportunity to wrap his arms around Arsys¡¯ neck.


    ¡°This is how you choke someone.¡±


    Squeeze!


    Aslay¡¯s muscles swelled, and Arsys tried to surround his body with his ¡°Unyielding¡± ability.


    But the strength was too much for him to bear.


    A choking sound escaped Arsys¡¯ mouth.


    ¡°Just die already.¡±


    ¡°Idiot¡­ Have you ever seen a snake die from being strangled? Hah!¡±


    Arsys shed his skin and escaped from Aslay¡¯s muscular arms.  S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°See that?¡±


    Just as Arsys mocked Aslay, a flash of light whizzed by.


    Thwack!


    An arrow struck him right between the eyes.


    Even with his ¡°Unyielding¡± ability, a mere arrow had pierced through him.


    With dimming eyes, Arsys gazed at the short man.


    His consciousness faded, and his body collapsed helplessly onto the floor.


    Thud.


    Once the situation was settled, Ricks urgently shouted.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to hide yourself somewhere. We¡¯ll come get you once everything¡¯s over. Now, Aslay, Limberton, let¡¯s head up. The others might already be there.¡±


    With Aslay in the lead, they climbed the stairs to the tenth floor.


    When they reached the corridor, they met the gaze of the Bellman squad.


    It seemed they had also fought on the tenth floor, as the floor was soaked in blood.


    At the center of the carnage lay a monster clad in thick, insect-like armor.


    Judging by its face, it was unmistakably Aiman.


    Ricks couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.


    Bellman adjusted his glasses and approached Ricks.


    ¡°Looks like you finished quickly too. It¡¯s just as well. Let¡¯s join up with the Riamon squad here. It¡¯ll be better than fighting separately.¡±


    ¡°Did anyone go ahead?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. The barrier on the central staircase is still intact.¡±


    Ricks nodded.


    If the others had gone ahead, the barrier would¡¯ve already been removed.


    For now, they sat down on the floor in the corridor, waiting for the Riamon squad to catch up.


    While waiting, Limberton, who had been sitting on the windowsill, suddenly opened his eyes wide in shock.


    ¡°Wait, hold on. Look at that!¡±


    His hand trembled as he pointed outside.


    Ricks squinted his eyes and looked toward the training ground.


    Then his eyes widened in disbelief.


    Crack¡ª


    The ground split open, and a massive skeletal figure emerged.


    There was no doubt.


    ¡°¡­A B-Bone Dragon?¡±


    They had seen its head before during the dungeon training.


    The dungeon¡¯s guardian had been modeled after this creature, so it was unmistakable.


    Ricks wiped the sweat from his temple and thought differently.


    ¡°We have to run¡­ We shouldn¡¯t be heading toward Luon right now. We need to escape.¡±


    The Bone Dragon was even described in ancient texts.


    If that legendary monster unleashed a breath attack, the entire fortress would be reduced to ash.


    Limberton gulped.


    Then, widening his eyes again, he pointed in shock.


    ¡°Wait, someone¡¯s there¡­!¡±


    Someone was approaching the Bone Dragon, cutting through the horde of undead.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 117

    Bellen sprinted at full speed, cutting through the undead. Her destination was towards the Adele Hall dining area.


    The lingering presence of dark magic, even thicker than that of the undead, wafted strongly from that direction.


    The amount of dark energy far exceeded normal levels.


    There was little doubt that this was the force behind the current situation.


    However, due to the tremors emanating from the ground, she had no choice but to stop.


    Turning her head slightly, Bellen furrowed her eyebrows.


    ¡°What in the world is that?¡±


    A reptilian skeleton as tall as a five-story building, with bony wings spread wide, raised its head.


    Its skull¡¯s shadowy eye sockets glowed with a fierce blue light.


    The amount of dark energy the creature exuded was overwhelming, like a volcano¡¯s lava, so intense it masked the traces of dark magic Bellen had been following.


    ¡°Damn it, if we let that thing roam free, the entire fortress will collapse.¡±


    Bellen leapt through a shattered window, throwing herself to the ground.


    Despite the five-story drop, she had to endure the sharp pain in her knees and aching joints.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ why am I suffering like this in my old age¡­¡±


    She continued cutting down the undead as she advanced.


    The immediate priority was to draw that monster¡¯s attention.


    Focusing all her aura into her legs, she sprinted with all her might, closing the distance in an instant.


    Standing before the bone dragon, Bellen was awestruck as she witnessed its terrifying presence up close.


    Instinct screamed at her to flee, but Bellen was familiar with this sensation.


    All the creatures deep within the demonic realm had given off the same vibe.


    What was important was quickly identifying its weakness and minimizing fear.


    You can¡¯t afford to lose your fighting spirit until you¡¯ve visualized its defeat in your mind.


    Bellen keenly observed the bone dragon, which hadn¡¯t even glanced at her.


    Inside its ribcage, a black heart thumped rhythmically.


    Since it was an undead creature, its weakness would undoubtedly be that heart.


    It seemed too simple.


    This only made Bellen more cautious.


    Exposing such an obvious weak point meant the creature had some form of defense.


    Bellen leapt into the air, landing on the bone dragon¡¯s knee.


    At that moment, a faint vibration traveled from beneath her feet.


    Urgently, Bellen began sprinting up the creature¡¯s torso, using its thigh bone as a foothold.


    Shwish!


    Spikes shot up from the bones like spears, sprouting wherever she passed.


    Long spikes shot at Bellen from all directions.


    As expected, the creature had no intention of allowing her to reach the heart so easily.


    Slice!


    Bellen cut through the spikes she couldn¡¯t avoid, diverting their trajectory entirely.


    She even used the spikes as stepping stones to propel herself forward.


    Thud!


    With the path to the heart completely blocked, Bellen had no choice but to step onto the creature¡¯s spine.


    But then, the creature¡¯s heart began to blaze.


    Feeling the air around her rapidly heating up, Bellen¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Thanks to her experience, her aura was already concentrated around her body before she consciously realized it was a danger signal.


    Whoosh!


    Blue flames erupted from the creature¡¯s heart, sweeping across like a tempest.


    Bellen was struck by the immense heat, blood spurting from her mouth as she was sent flying.


    ¡°Ugh¡­?¡±


    By the time she hit the ground, she couldn¡¯t even balance her center of gravity properly, rolling across the training ground like a pencil.


    Wherever she passed, fresh blood painted the snow-white ground.


    Barely managing to steady herself, Bellen knelt on one knee, struggling to stand.


    Then, she looked at the bone dragon.


    It was staring back at her.


    Its gaze seemed to acknowledge Bellen, as if she was no longer a mere insect but a foe worthy of attention.


    Surviving that kind of flame, it probably is.


    Bellen composed herself and gripped her sword once more.


    Just then, a cavernous voice echoed through the air.


    ¨C Interesting, for a human.


    The tone was refined.


    Bellen gulped.


    ¡°You can even talk?¡±


    ¨C I do not speak with primitive beings. So be glad. You¡¯ve left such a strong impression on me that I no longer care about your species.  Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The creature¡¯s gaze, with its chin raised and eyes lowered, was unbearably arrogant.


    Though it infuriated Bellen, she knew that with her current body, victory was uncertain.


    Only a quarter of her aura remained, and her entire body ached to the point of exhaustion.


    She was in a situation where she had to charge toward the ribcage all over again.


    Bellen decided to stake her life on the next opportunity.


    Concentrating all her remaining aura into her legs, she took a deep breath.


    The key was to charge in with all her might and stab the creature¡¯s heart.


    But the bone dragon sneered, as if even that would not be allowed.


    ¨C So, you intend to stir inside me again? Then, what will you do this time?


    Before the words were even finished, spikes erupted from the bone joints of the dragon.


    The spikes spread out, filling even the smallest gaps between the joints, eventually forming a full-body armor.


    Bellen¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    With this, there was no way to get to the heart.


    And breaking through the white armor of bones was impossible.


    Even with an entire knight order, it would barely be possible to have a chance at victory.


    Noticing that Bellen had lost her fighting spirit, the bone dragon opened its mouth.


    ¨C If you have no desire to fight anymore, I will make things easier for you.


    The creature gathered blue flames in its mouth.


    It was undoubtedly preparing to unleash a breath attack that would sweep across the entire area.


    Unable to dodge or block it, Bellen could only look up at the creature in despair.


    But just then¡ª


    From afar, a sound like the violent plucking of stringed instruments echoed.


    Screeeeeech


    Bellen turned her head to see a gleaming golden head of hair.


    Hersel stood in a draw stance, glaring at the bone dragon.


    Ping!


    The moment he drew his blade, a sharp sword aura burst forth from the scabbard, enough to sting the skin.


    The sword aura traced the shape of a black crescent moon, flying out in the blink of an eye, and then¡ª


    Slash!


    It cut through the bone dragon¡¯s chest and extended upward into the sky.


    Thud!


    The bone dragon¡¯s upper body slid off its severed section and fell to the ground.


    Bellen stared blankly at the lower half of the creature¡¯s body.


    The heart was cleanly severed, and black blood gushed from it.


    Bellen¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ***


    The tattoo on my wrist dissipated like smoke.


    ¡ºSword of Mystery¡»


    A sword strike that can cut through any metal.


    Using it puts the wielder in a near-death state.


    It takes ten years to recover energy.


    Thankfully, there was no need to fall into a near-death state.


    [Threat detected. Type: Master¡¯s Curse]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 57 seconds]


    But why did I feel like crying?


    It¡¯s probably because I just used one of Asares¡¯ rare ultimate moves in the first act.


    There would definitely be moments where I could have used it when it really mattered, but I wasted it on some monster that wasn¡¯t even part of a boss fight. ?


    ¨CWhat a waste.


    Even if I didn¡¯t use it, just keeping it was a game-breaking option.


    Of course, it only worked on lower-level monsters, but that was still something.


    Thanks to it parting the sea like Moses, I had an easy, straight shot to the commander¡¯s battle.


    ¡®¡­That cat had truly mysterious powers.¡¯


    ¡®Right. But you won¡¯t see it again. It¡¯s gone.¡¯


    It would reappear after a few years when it regained its strength, but by then, the scenario would be over.


    If I wanted to reunite with it, I¡¯d have to survive the end of the world.


    In any case, what should I do about that elderly woman standing there with a dumbfounded face?


    I had no choice but to reveal myself because it looked like she was about to die, but the situation wasn¡¯t favorable for me either.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ve already reached that level?¡±


    This is exactly why.


    ¡°You must be mistaken. Actually, there¡¯s a hidden master at the academy, and they must¡¯ve launched a sword strike from afar. I was just checking how well my newly forged sword worked.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that¡­¡±


    Bellen seemed likely to persist in questioning, so I quickly tried to change the subject.


    ¡°But is it really okay for you to be here like this, Great Aunt? You must have received a request from the professors.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, but¡­ answer me clearly. Since when? That thing you unleashed¡ªit¡¯s your father¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ my head¡­¡±


    I clutched my head with my right hand, grimacing.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t actually have a headache.


    It was just to avoid dealing with her annoying questions.


    ¡°I¡¯m really dizzy right now. That move just drained all my energy¡­¡±


    When I subtly glanced at Bellen, she sighed as if realizing there was no use pressing further.


    ¡°Fine, fine. We¡¯ll talk about this later. I¡¯ll go take care of my work now.¡±


    Bellen¡¯s task was to eliminate ¡®Felia of Obsession.¡¯


    Though the appearance of the bone dragon had been an unexpected variable, it was crucial that she meet her end.


    If she somehow survived and wandered around, who knows what could happen.


    As I watched Bellen¡¯s retreating figure, I silently prayed.


    Though it was delayed due to some complications, I hoped she would succeed¡­


    ¡°Well, I suppose I should start moving too.¡±


    I began walking toward the fortress entrance again.


    Thanks to Bellen mercilessly cutting down the undead along the way, the path was clear.


    Feeling more at ease, I glanced up at the terrace.


    There stood Luon Al Vanas.


    He was leaning against the railing, watching me intently.


    It was nearly time for the curtain to fall.


    I had to go up to the 12th floor to see it for myself.


    I needed to ensure the story was flowing properly, and there was also Felia¡¯s request.


    ¨C It¡¯s a simple favor. I¡¯d just like you to meet Luon. That¡¯s all I ask personally.


    In any case, it was a path I had to take, and I¡¯d even gain a reward.


    ¨C Of course, I¡¯m not asking you to do this for free. If you help me, I¡¯ll tell you where the staff I used in life is hidden.


    Yet, my steps were uneasy.


    It was probably because of the lingering sense of strangeness I had felt earlier.


    The strange feeling I had when talking to Felia may not have been caused by the unusual meeting at the dining hall.


    Even though she had obtained the Crimson Magic Book, she still helped Luon.


    That¡¯s what bothers me the most.


    I¡¯m anxious, wondering if there¡¯s something I¡¯m unaware of¡­


    This could lead to a new variable in the end.


    ***


    The bone dragon that had been swiftly defeated turned to dust and was carried away by the wind.


    Luon took out a cigarette.


    A soft chuckle escaped his lips.


    In truth, everything had become dull and boring.


    He had considered many ideas regarding the game¡¯s settings, but eventually, even that felt pointless, and he left it all to Felia.


    He didn¡¯t know why it turned out different from his expectations.


    He had conquered the Frost Heart and even eliminated the professors he had always treated as garbage.


    The trio of friends laughed joyfully, and he fulfilled his duties as president.


    Yet, all he felt was emptiness.


    But, at this moment, he felt happy.


    He rediscovered what pleasure was.


    Suddenly, he realized that he had felt this way again recently.


    He had probably felt the same on the frozen lake where he usually trained.


    What¡¯s the difference between that and this?


    He had fought the professors, too, so why did it feel so dry and unsatisfying then?


    Well, it¡¯s a pointless question now.


    Luon left the terrace and grabbed the sword he had left on the table.


    The game was about to end soon.


    ¡°If even this isn¡¯t fun, then¡­ at that point¡­¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 118

    Riamon and Erucel bickered as they climbed the stairs. ¡°When are you going to get a clue? You¡¯re still barking up the wrong tree and talking about being the leader.¡±


    ¡°Q-Quiet. How was I supposed to solve that difficult problem? You didn¡¯t figure it out either, so don¡¯t talk.¡±


    The puzzle presented by Lace, dressed as a professor, was this: figure out which senior professor falsely accused and suspended him.


    Riamon clicked his tongue at Lace¡¯s bizarre antics.


    ¡°Honestly, that guy is like a lingering thought. I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s so obsessed with his memories from when he was alive.¡±


    ¡°They say ghosts can¡¯t pass on unless they resolve their grudges.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t those things artificially made? If you¡¯re dead, you¡¯re dead. When you think about it, they¡¯re just memories; it¡¯s not like they¡¯re the same person.¡±


    Edina, who had been quietly listening behind them, sighed deeply.


    Hearing her, Erucel quickly turned his head and smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°Hahaha. We solved the problem thanks to Edina. If it weren¡¯t for you, we¡¯d still be struggling, especially with Riamon only causing trouble beside us.¡±


    Edina responded with half-open eyes, ¡°Riamon was just grumbling a lot, but he still did what needed to be done. But you, you just kept naming unrelated professors. When the ghost said he¡¯d leave if we got the next answer wrong, do you know how terrified I was?¡±


    Erucel coughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Ahem. Well, it was because he didn¡¯t have enough patience.¡±


    Having solved the issue somehow, they stepped into the hallway.


    There, a man stood, gazing out the window with trembling eyes.


    Riamon scratched his head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that guy one of Luon¡¯s cronies?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s Kurel. The big boss often brought him along.¡±


    ¡°But why¡¯s he standing there with that blank expression?¡±


    With a curious look, Riamon approached the window.


    Outside, nothing but black dust was swirling in the air.


    ¡°Whatever¡¯s going on, are you just going to stand there doing nothing?¡±


    Even though Riamon spoke to him, Kurel continued staring out the window.


    ¡°¡­Such absurd power.¡±


    Kurel¡¯s eyes looked vacant, as if he had lost all will to fight.


    Riamon tilted his head and asked, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Finally, Kurel turned his head.


    ¡°If you saw what I just did, you¡¯d understand what I mean.¡±


    Curiosity piqued, they wanted to know more, but it wasn¡¯t something that needed to be rushed.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Why don¡¯t you draw your sword already? Oh, and if you¡¯re thinking of surrendering, forget it. You¡¯ll only get scolded by the boss.¡± ?


    As Riamon smirked, Kurel scoffed.


    ¡°Do you think Luon forced me into this? You know nothing. Luon told us we could leave anytime if we didn¡¯t want to stay. Of course, I intend to follow him to the end.¡±


    Sling¡ª


    Kurel drew his sword.


    Riamon glanced at Erucel.


    ¡°Is it just me, or does this guy seem off? He¡¯s always had a blank expression, but is that normal for him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. All I know about him is that he¡¯s Luon¡¯s loyal dog.¡±


    Kurel popped a pill into his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve talked enough. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    As he swallowed the pill, his skin began to harden like stone. Gentle flames flickered from the cracks.


    Riamon drew his greatsword.


    He resembled a flaming stone turtle, minus the shell.


    Riamon glanced at the poised Erucel and the staff-wielding Edina.


    ¡°You two just stay back and watch.¡±


    Erucel raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt if you stay too close. Edina, save your mana.¡±


    With that, Riamon charged swiftly.


    As he entered Kurel¡¯s range, the greatsword swung vertically with a powerful motion.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Kurel blocked it instantly, but it was too much to handle against the aura-infused sword.


    Clang!


    Kurel¡¯s knee buckled.


    Without missing a beat, Riamon followed up with consecutive strikes.


    Each time, Kurel, unable to withstand the force, was pushed further back.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    In an instant, nine rounds of clashes passed.


    Riamon¡¯s eyes gleamed as he swung his greatsword vertically.


    Kurel hastily raised his sword to block.


    Screech¡ª


    He tried to deflect the greatsword at an angle, but unfortunately¡­


    Crack¡ª


    The blade fractured and scattered like broken glass.


    Riamon¡¯s greatsword finally pierced through Kurel¡¯s abdomen.


    Thud!


    Riamon, without sparing a glance at Kurel, who was now bleeding from the mouth, pulled his sword from his belly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already wasted enough time. Let¡¯s hurry up, kill that guy Luon, and get some rest.¡±


    Saying this to Erucel and Edina, he walked past Kurel, whose body was trembling.


    But then, Kurel¡¯s laughter made him stop in his tracks.


    ¡°Heh heh heh.¡±  sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re not dead yet? I thought I pierced your heart, but it looks like that pill you took is working really well.¡±


    Just as Riamon was about to deliver a finishing blow to Kurel¡¯s head, Kurel coughed up a mouthful of blood and spoke.


    ¡°Cough, there¡¯s no¡­ need for a finishing blow. I know better than anyone¡­ that I¡¯ll die soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ did you just say¡­ you¡¯re going to kill Luon? Cough. How¡­ foolish. If Luon dies, it won¡¯t be because of you. It wouldn¡¯t even be considered murder, it¡¯d be¡­¡±


    Kurel fell silent, his eyes wide open, motionless.


    Seeing the dullness in his now lifeless eyes, Riamon confirmed that he was indeed dead.


    He slung his greatsword over his back and resumed his path.


    Yet, feeling a bit uneasy, he glanced back at Kurel¡¯s corpse.


    The flaming stone turtle is a monster that breathes fire.


    For him not to use it¡­ it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t know how, or couldn¡¯t.


    Even when his sword broke, he didn¡¯t seem surprised, only pitiful.


    ¡°That guy gave me a really bad vibe¡­¡±


    Riamon muttered, then climbed the stairs with Erucel and Edina.


    ***


    In the courtyard of the citadel, there stood an old tree.


    The older the life, the more the wandering mana settles and accumulates, filling the area with energy.


    Leaning against this ancient tree, Felia opened the Crimson Magic Book.


    The task at hand was to create a new body and erase the memories.


    After all, the host body was someone else¡¯s body.


    Living with the memories of Felia from her past life couldn¡¯t be called a true human life.


    Holding onto something resembling memories from a past life would only lead to confusion about her identity.


    Having resolved herself, Felia took a deep breath.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    The host¡¯s body provided sufficient materials.


    With the blood, bones, and flesh of an adult woman, it was more than enough to create the body of a young maiden.


    To truly live a human life, it would be right to start again as a newborn, but a body that couldn¡¯t walk on two feet without memory was too harsh a condition for survival.


    A reasonable compromise was necessary.


    She tightly gripped her bucket list in her left hand.


    [Name myself Alena.]


    [Take a boat to travel and sightsee the neighboring country.]


    [Wait for a charming man by the fountain.]


    [Become a teacher and instruct children.]


    These were not the desires of Felia from her past life but of her current lingering consciousness.


    If reborn, she might discard these wishes as trivial.


    But if, by any chance, these became her goals, that would be romantic in itself.


    The alignment of her present and future self¡¯s wishes¡ªwhile it wouldn¡¯t matter after losing her memories¡ªstill brought her a small sense of joy.


    With her eyes closed, Felia held her staff and began drawing magical formulas.


    The process would take some time, giving her plenty of moments to bid farewell to the memories that would soon disappear.


    Though her real memories were limited to starting as a pigeon and everything up until now, most of them involved her time with Luon¡­


    ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t so bad after all.¡±


    She recalled his expression in the Purple Forest.


    After Hersel left, Luon¡¯s face likely mirrored how she had once viewed herself from another¡¯s perspective.


    Just like when she felt jealousy toward a friend who received a headband from their teacher, Felia¡¯s face must have shown something similar during her life.


    It was probably the same when she showed anger.


    That night when they were camped out in the labyrinth, she had bluntly confirmed her suspicions to Luon, who sat atop a high tree.


    -Seeing how you react to that man Hersel, it seems you were jealous back then. Didn¡¯t you feel a surge of emotion when you saw him coming to rescue that short man with his comrades?


    At that time, Luon¡¯s eyes had trembled for sure.


    Just as a mentor had been a source of stimulation for the living Felia, it was now clear that Hersel played that role for Luon.


    Felia let out a deep sigh, a slight smile tugging at her lips.


    She couldn¡¯t help but admit it.


    She likely realized this even when he sealed that old man, Arkandric.


    The ¡®Binding Stone¡¯ that slowed movements, and the ¡®Iron Prisoner¡¯ that trapped its target, were all things the wretched Felia of the past prepared to make her mentor hers.


    She failed, but Luon succeeded.


    Even though she was not the real Felia, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of vicarious satisfaction.


    Since she inherited all her memories, it¡¯s only natural that she felt this strongly.


    Emotions aren¡¯t something you can suppress with reason.


    Felia chuckled to herself, recalling those days.


    No, if it¡¯s Luon, he wouldn¡¯t care about something like that.


    He¡¯d just respond in his usual nonchalant tone, as if nothing happened, with a simple, ¡°Did you?¡±


    Suddenly, a desire emerged, causing the smile on her face to fade.


    If not now, there might never be another chance to meet him again.


    Because Luon¡­


    Felia bit her lip and opened her eyes.


    She intended to see him one last time before they went their separate ways.


    But then, she was startled, her shoulders jerking involuntarily.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    She found herself face-to-face with an old woman, whose piercing gaze was like a sharp blade.


    ¡°Damn it, I wanted to kill you quietly,¡± the old woman said, gripping her sword as if ready to strike Felia¡¯s neck.


    The old woman¡¯s aura was undeniably ominous.


    Beside her stood an undead figure, holding a staff that gleamed with white light.


    ¡°Oh, what a missed opportunity. Truly unfortunate, Lady Bellen,¡± Felia muttered.


    It was undoubtedly purification magic meant to separate her from the host body.


    However, Felia was more concerned about the sword the old woman wielded, keeping her eyes fixed on it.


    The blade, shimmering with a haze, was dyed a crimson hue.


    Kuooo¡ª


    Something about it felt wrong.


    It gave off an unsettling sense, as though getting hit in her current state would lead to her complete obliteration.


    An unnatural force, beyond mere aura, was embedded in the sword.


    The knights¡¯ skills must have evolved tremendously compared to before.


    Blindly engaging her would be foolish.


    Felia quickly swung her staff.


    ¡°Uh-oh? Lady Bellen, my body¡­¡±


    Poof!


    The undead disintegrated into ash.


    Since she was the caster, it was extremely easy for her to erase it.


    The old woman had likely intended to use the undead to drain the lingering thoughts through purification magic before dealing with her.


    She probably didn¡¯t want to kill this host body.


    Now that this was no longer possible, possessing Reden¡¯s body itself became a shield.


    Yet, for some reason, the old woman¡¯s gaze was more terrifying and chilling than ever.


    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t kill you just because I don¡¯t have purification magic?¡±


    The old woman¡¯s indifferent tone made Felia uneasy.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t bluff. If you kill me, Reden dies too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I simply didn¡¯t want to leave burn marks on that body.¡±


    A shadow fell across Felia¡¯s face.


    The old woman began approaching her.


    ***


    I was a little worried about Bellen.


    She seemed fairly exhausted after fighting the Bone Dragon that shouldn¡¯t have existed, and she even had blood on the corners of her mouth.


    Of course, it was just a ¡®little¡¯ worry.


    Bellen had the ¡°Flame Spirit Sword,¡± a technique that delivered excruciating burning pain to ghost-type monsters like Specters.


    It was a blade imbued with high-level flames that could affect spiritual beings.


    Since lingering thoughts like Felia¡¯s were similar in nature to Specters, it was a perfect counter to her.


    Grrr¡­


    Well, she¡¯d be fine on her own, so I¡¯d better focus on my own situation.


    As I hid in the classroom, I quickly sliced through the neck of an approaching undead that had caught my scent.


    Slash!


    I needed to get to the 12th floor, but there were far too many of them for me to get through alone.


    It seemed my hesitation bothered Donatan, as he muttered,


    ¡®How long are you going to stay hidden here?¡¯


    ¡®Just wait. They¡¯ll all disappear soon enough.¡¯


    ¡®Disappear?¡¯


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a woman¡¯s ear-piercing scream echoed through the halls.


    ¡°Kyaaaahhhh!¡±


    At the same time, the undead that had filled the hallway crumbled into dust.


    Bellen had disrupted Felia¡¯s spell.


    As I stepped out of the classroom and headed for the 12th floor, I had to endure the constant screams that followed.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 119

    ¡°Chirta is the land my father left me. And you¡¯re asking for it? Ha, this is absurd.¡± ¡°Now that you bear the name of Al Vanas, you must prioritize the benefits on this side!¡±


    Luon often overheard his parents¡¯ heated arguments from behind the door.


    Quarrels were common in an arranged marriage driven solely by wealth.


    Since neither had looked at the other¡¯s character, only eyeing the wealth and power beyond, conflict was inevitable.


    And once they¡¯d secured their advantages, their attention instinctively turned toward others to whom they were drawn, making a mockery of the marriage.


    ¡°There¡­ Ah, yeah. Haa¡­¡±


    One day, while wandering the halls, Luon heard sounds seeping from his mother¡¯s bedroom and opened the door.


    To a boy, heavy breathing meant someone was sick.


    But what Luon saw as he opened the door was a young nobleman, naked, on top of his mother.


    ¡°Gasp! What in the world¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened in shock, trembling. Luon¡¯s mother calmly placed a cigarette in her mouth.


    She lit it with practiced ease. She had smoked since before Luon was born, so it was no surprise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That child has always been odd since birth.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the issue here.¡±


    ¡°Luon? You didn¡¯t see anything just now, right?¡±  Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luon nodded indifferently at his mother¡¯s words and closed the door.


    ¡°Are you sure we can trust this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Despite all his flaws, he¡¯s always kept his promises.¡±


    But Luon¡¯s mother didn¡¯t know.


    Luon¡¯s father was fully aware of her promiscuous affairs but chose to ignore them.


    In fact, he was even pleased.


    Because he, too, had set his sights on another woman and eventually took her as a concubine.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with that woman soon enough. Don¡¯t worry yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but what about your child? If he ever brings up claims of succession, it¡¯ll give me a headache¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, young master Luon.¡±


    Luon greeted the new woman calmly.


    Even so, his father frowned and blurted out words inappropriate in front of a child.


    ¡°I¡¯m only keeping that brat around because there¡¯s still more to squeeze out of her family.¡±


    ¡°Is it really okay to say that in front of your own child?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m not even sure if he¡¯s really my son.¡±


    Luon¡¯s father stared intently at Luon, as if studying his expression.


    Unmoved, Luon stood still, which seemed to irk his father.


    ¡°What a bothersome kid¡­¡±


    The rest was predictable.


    He was despised by his half-siblings, received no proper treatment from the servants, and was constantly berated by his father, who used him as an outlet for frustration, claiming he was a reminder of his mother.


    But Luon didn¡¯t even realize his life was a living hell.


    Because ever since he was born, all he had felt was a deep, hollow emptiness.


    Until he met a certain man¡­


    ***


    Riamon glanced away from Luon, scanning the surroundings with a sidelong gaze.


    There was a statue blocking the path behind the man.


    He had positioned himself perfectly to avoid being surrounded.


    Their overwhelming numbers were actually a disadvantage.


    The mages wouldn¡¯t dare recklessly cast spells for fear of hitting their own, and the knights could only send two or three at a time against him for the same reason.


    Any misstep could mean being struck by their own comrades¡¯ blades.


    ¡°It has come to this. I guess stabbing is the only option.¡±


    It was a somewhat passive attack, but there was no other choice.


    When he glanced at Leana and Aslay, they nodded.


    It seemed they had caught on to how they should fight.


    But then, Luon abandoned his geographical advantage and walked out with a steady click of his heels.


    Riamon widened his eyes and asked, ¡°You¡¯re coming out on your own? Do you want to be surrounded and die?¡±


    Luon bared his neat teeth and said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too easy? I figured I should at least balance things out.¡±


    Before the others could surround him, Riamon swung his greatsword with all his might.


    Whoosh¡ª


    However, it was blocked by the mana blade Luon had conjured in an instant.


    Clang!


    With a shock powerful enough to ruffle his hair, the greatsword¡¯s blade chipped, scattering fragments everywhere.


    Riamon clicked his tongue as his wrist tingled.


    ¡°Is it because it¡¯s a rental weapon? The durability is lacking.¡±


    But there was no time to complain idly.


    Luon had closed in immediately and unleashed a horizontal slash.


    Riamon blocked it by holding his greatsword vertically.


    Luon quickly bypassed Riamon and sprinted towards Ricks.


    Tap-tap-tap!


    Weights hung from both of Luon¡¯s wrists.


    He smashed the cuffs of the weights together, breaking them with brute force, and thrust his sword towards Ricks.


    Grab!


    Just before the tip of the sword could touch Ricks¡¯s chest, Aslay grabbed Luon¡¯s wrist.


    Aslay hoisted Luon into the air, intending to slam him into the ground, causing Luon¡¯s feet to lift off.


    In that split second, Luon kicked towards Ricks.


    Thud!


    Ricks, struck at the temple by the tip of Luon¡¯s shoe, collapsed to the ground, bleeding from his head.


    But Luon paid the price for his greed¡ªhis shoulder was dislocated.


    Crack!


    Luon, momentarily suspended in the air, looked like a child being flung by an arm of a rag doll.


    At this rate, he would hit the ground headfirst.


    Just before his body slammed into the stone floor, Luon swiftly cloaked himself in an impenetrable aura.


    Boom!


    The ground cracked as Luon stood back up.


    The knights unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, but Luon deflected all of them with parries.


    With one arm dangling limply, Erucel sneered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously thinking of winning with one arm, are you? It¡¯s over. Surrender.¡±


    Luon stuck out his tongue in response.


    On his tongue lay a single pill.


    He swallowed it, and with a cracking sound, his shoulder snapped back into place.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, my weak spots are the heart¡­ or the neck.¡±


    Luon¡¯s casual remark made Silla frown.


    ¡°From earlier¡­ what are you even¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This is a game.¡±


    With that, Luon dashed towards Aslay, intent on dealing with him.


    Aslay reached out his brute hand to grab Luon by the collar, but Luon easily ducked under and opened his palm.


    Clang!


    Aslay¡¯s gaze snapped to the sword that had bounced off the floor.


    It seemed he hadn¡¯t anticipated a swordsman dropping his sword.


    Taking advantage of the opening, Luon got behind Aslay and choked him with his arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, but you¡¯re too slow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±


    With a slight twist of Luon¡¯s arm, Aslay rolled his eyes and collapsed to his knees.


    Luon picked up the sword from the floor and stabbed Leana¡¯s shoulder just as she lunged towards him, aiming for his neck.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    At that moment, Luon was about to drive his sword into Aslay¡¯s heart.


    But before he could, the sword in his hand started to crumble like grains of sand.


    Turning his head to the strange phenomenon, he saw Edina, staff raised.


    ¡°Now, Bellman.¡±


    At her words, Bellman, standing beside her, swung his staff.


    A rectangular barrier appeared, trapping Luon inside.


    The barrier slowly began to close in on him.


    Luon roughly tore off the brooch pinned to his jacket collar and spoke.


    Crackle¡ª


    ¡°Swords¡­ are just¡ª¡±


    As he removed the pin from the brooch, a torn piece of cloth fluttered away, and the sharp edge of the pin gleamed.


    ¡°¡ªsharp or pointy bits of metal, nothing more.¡±


    When Luon channeled aura into the brooch, a shimmering heat wave radiated, followed by a chilling mist.


    Swoosh!


    Luon sliced through the barrier like a curtain and stared down Erucel, who had been about to deliver a vertical slash.


    As Luon feigned a throw with the brooch, Erucel froze in place for a moment.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Luon, with a blank expression, kicked Erucel in the stomach.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still as cowardly as ever.¡±


    Erucel dropped his sword and was sent flying into the distance.


    Luon effortlessly caught the falling sword and summoned forth an ice blade.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Ice crystals formed along the sword¡¯s edge, and a blizzard swirled around it.


    As everyone swallowed nervously, Luon¡¯s facial muscles twitched.


    His empty hand moved to his face, and a deep, resounding yawn echoed across the field.


    ¡°Yawn.¡±


    Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°Ah, my apologies. I¡¯ve been trying to hold it in for a while, but it wasn¡¯t easy.¡±


    The onlookers flinched.


    If he had fought with his full strength from the start, the battle would have ended long ago.


    Riamon clenched his teeth, realizing why Kurel had said such things.


    ¡°How¡­ foolish. If Luon dies, it won¡¯t be because of you. It wouldn¡¯t even count as murder¡­¡±


    If anyone killed him, it wouldn¡¯t be by skill.


    ¡°So, his death can only be considered a suicide¡­?¡±


    In the end, it wouldn¡¯t be murder but suicide, as if he had granted permission for his own death.


    ***


    During lunch break, I was tapping away at my laptop in the office.


    As usual, Miss Miran was absentmindedly watching me play Asares.


    The current scenario involved a battle to subdue Luon.


    It was a tedious section, lacking any real substance.


    Miran seemed to sense something was off and spoke up.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a boss battle? Something feels a bit off. At first, it seemed tense, but now¡­ hmm.¡±


    ¡°Right? Even after clearing it, there¡¯s always this unpleasant aftertaste.¡±


    The issue was the lack of a sense of achievement.


    No matter what anyone says, the charm of Asares lies in overcoming difficult challenges and the satisfaction that follows.


    But as it turns out, the reason for the victory was that the boss himself had become bored and wasn¡¯t taking the fight seriously.


    Once players realized this, they couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed.


    It was as if hardcore players were being forced to play on beginner mode.


    ¡°This is why so few people start with Frost Heart.¡±


    ¡°But why is he like that? Does he have some sort of reason?¡±


    ¡°A reason? I¡¯m not entirely sure, but¡­¡±


    The reason for Luon¡¯s behavior.


    As an experienced player, I could offer some insights.


    It was based on piecing together various clues, so it was still just a theory.


    ¡°Miran, do you like beer?¡±


    ¡°Of course! That feeling of having a cold one after work¡ªhow could I not like it? Haha.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well then, imagine drinking it, but it doesn¡¯t give you any particular sensation.¡±


    Miran¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine that!¡±


    ¡°Then, hmm¡­¡±


    I needed to offer a different example.


    ¡°How about imagining watching a boring movie a hundred times over the span of several days? Wouldn¡¯t that be incredibly dull?¡±


    Miran scrunched up her face in distaste.


    Finally, she let out an ¡°Ah¡± of realization and nodded.


    ¡°¡­His life must have been really boring.¡±


    Just as Miran said, Luon¡¯s life must have been dull.


    For him, delicious food was mere sustenance, and traveling to a new place was just recognizing that his body had moved to a different location.


    There would be no sense of satisfaction, no appreciation for beautiful sights, or excitement from meeting new people.


    Could such a life even be called living?


    ¡°But what does that have to do with causing such massive incidents?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s wandering around, desperately seeking some kind of intense stimulation, hoping it might finally be fun for him.¡±


    Luon was like a wanderer, searching for an oasis in the middle of a desert.


    A parched mind, as dry as a rough throat.


    Constantly seeking pleasure to quench it.


    I could imagine it in my mind, but that was all¡ªit was just imagination.


    Having never truly experienced it myself, I couldn¡¯t say I fully understood the nature of his madness.


    Why he sought pleasure in such destructive acts would likely remain a mystery unless I was like him.


    But then, during a conversation with Felia at the restaurant, I stumbled upon an odd realization.


    ¡°Luon must have felt alive when he was with you.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because, out of all the people he¡¯s met, you were the most similar to him? I¡¯m not entirely sure, since I¡¯m interpreting Luon¡¯s memories from my perspective, but that¡¯s how it seemed to me.¡±


    Though not as extreme as Luon, Hersel also appeared to be someone constantly seeking stimulation.


    That would explain why he didn¡¯t just torment others in simple ways but went as far as staging creative scenarios like servant fights.


    He must have craved new and unusual pleasures.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    In the end, the next step was a conversation with him.


    From Felia¡¯s perspective, the conversation between Luon and me would be a great gift to him, but for me, it wasn¡¯t such a difficult task.


    As I climbed the stairs to the 12th floor, I pulled out my pocket watch.


    Let¡¯s see, the situation should be resolved soon.


    Before I came inside, I had confirmed through the window that they were heading to the 12th floor.


    By now, things should be entering the final phase.


    Click, click, click.


    I climbed a flight of stairs and approached the corridor window.


    Through it, I could still see Felia fighting desperately for her life while being pursued by Bellen in the courtyard.


    Though there had been a few variables, it looked like, contrary to my concerns, Felia would soon meet her end.


    With a sigh of relief, I moved on.


    ***


    She is out of breath from running.


    Her arms and legs are already covered in burn marks, yet Bellen is still chasing after me.


    Felia glanced back at Bellen with trembling pupils.


    ¡°How much longer are you going to torment this old woman?¡±


    Her steps were weary, but her eyes remained sharp.


    Every time she drew closer, her legs weakened involuntarily.


    What she was feeling now was fear, something she had never tasted since becoming a specter.


    ¡°Hah, your knees must be aching,¡± Bellen sighed deeply before swiftly closing the distance.


    Pop!


    Her hand grabbed hold of Felia¡¯s hair in an instant.


    Felia resisted, but the remaining magic in the Crimson Magic Book was weak.


    In the end, Felia was dragged up by Bellen¡¯s brute strength, her chin lifted.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Bellen¡¯s eyes gleamed coldly as she spoke.


    ¡°This will hurt more than the last time.¡±


    Felia¡¯s eyes widened in terror as she saw Bellen¡¯s crimson sword aimed at her throat.


    ¡°N-no, don¡¯t. Don¡¯t do it!¡±


    As the blade¡¯s flat side pressed lightly against her skin,


    Sizzle!


    The sound of burning filled the air.


    The smell of seared flesh wafted through the smoke.


    The pain of melting skin was excruciating, not only felt by her host¡¯s body but also by her very soul.


    It felt as if even her spirit was turning to ash, and a scream that seemed to tear her throat apart escaped from Felia.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Before she realized it, half of her spirit had slipped out of Reden¡¯s body.


    She barely managed to regain her senses and held on to the physical form.


    Bellen spoke with a tone of pity.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯ll take a while to heal from this. Burns on the skin are devastating for a woman in her prime, you know¡­?¡±


    But Felia wasn¡¯t listening to a word Bellen said. Her mind was focused on one thing.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    She would become real.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be reborn¡­ with all memories erased¡­¡±


    It was painful to be on the verge of realizing her wish and ending up like this.


    Tears as big as chicken droppings streamed down Felia¡¯s face.


    Her tearful words were met with a look of disbelief from Bellen.


    ¡°What? Reborn with your memories erased?¡±


    Then, for the first time, a deadly glint entered Bellen¡¯s eyes as she glared at Felia.


    ¡°¡­How disgusting you are.¡±


    With gritted teeth, Bellen slammed Felia¡¯s head into the ground.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    As Felia¡¯s cheek met the snow, Bellen pointed her sword toward the fortress.


    And she shouted, ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done! There are corpses I saw along the way! You killed innocent people for your selfish desires, and now you want to be reborn?¡±


    Bellen continued her scolding with a voice filled with rage.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing but running away! You selfish wench!!¡±


    Bellen couldn¡¯t stand it.


    She found it repulsive that Felia, while begging for her own life, could be so indifferent to the pain of others.


    She could not, under any circumstances, let Felia get what she wanted.


    Bellen aimed her sword at Felia¡¯s thigh.


    But just before she struck, a mad chuckle escaped from Felia¡¯s lips.


    ¡°


    Right before Bellen could plunge the sword down, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Felia, stifling her laughter, finally spoke.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Bellen noticed something in Felia¡¯s hand that she hadn¡¯t seen before.


    It was a sparrow figurine.


    ¡°¡­I just realized what it is I ¡®truly¡¯ desire.¡±


    As she clenched her hand tightly, a blinding light flashed.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 120

    Arkandric spoke. Mana is not only the source of magic but also the origin of aura.


    ¡°Aura, in the end, is a power that has been altered through the practice of refining mana. Some scholars even argue that the superhuman strength of swordsmen should also be considered magic.¡±


    His argument had some merit.


    Just as mana can be reconfigured through spells to create wind or summon lightning, the practice of refining it transforms it into powers such as indestructibility, speed, or immense strength. Although there¡¯s a process of converting it into aura, in the end, the source of aura is mana.


    Arkandric claimed that because of this, swordsmen could also wield miracles with their blades.


    ¡°From mana to aura, and from aura back to mana. Through this ongoing cycle, such feats become possible.¡±


    In Arkandric¡¯s case, that miracle was a sword imbued with cold¡ªan ice sword.


    ¡°The principle is simple. Mana absorbs cold, transforms into aura, and is then released through the sword. When the cold diminishes, the aura is converted back into mana, and the cold is replenished into the mana. As this process repeats, frost begins to form on the blade, and eventually, it solidifies into ice crystals.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not easy. It requires a deep understanding. But, Luon, with your potential as a magic swordsman, you should be able to achieve it quickly.¡±


    Luon recalled Arkandric¡¯s teachings as he gazed at the ice sword in his hand.


    Whiiooo¨D


    He was still far from creating clear, transparent ice crystals. All he could manage was a thin layer of white frost on the blade.


    Still, that alone was an overwhelming power.


    !!!!!


    Luon easily deflected Silla¡¯s sword, which was aiming for his neck. The frost-coated blade made it slip off effortlessly.


    Poke!


    He lightly stabbed Silla¡¯s thigh with the ice sword, causing her to grimace and step back.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Luon averted his indifferent gaze from Silla and looked toward Riamon.


    Silla, displeased by this, hissed angrily.


    ¡°You bastard¡­ there¡¯s a limit to ignoring people!¡±


    Luon replied, his gaze still fixed on Riamon.


    ¡°If you can move, then do so.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a cracking sound echoed.


    The wound on Silla¡¯s thigh began to freeze.


    She gritted her teeth and shouted in frustration.


    ¡°Ugh, this is so annoying!¡±


    As Silla retreated, Luon approached Riamon.


    He then glanced around.


    Aslay, Ricks, and Erucel were all unconscious.


    Bellman and Edina bore sword wounds across their chests.


    And Leana was clutching her stomach where she had been stabbed.


    The only ones left were Riamon and Limberton, who was aiming his bow from a distance.


    Luon spoke in a disinterested tone.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been waiting for quite a while. Did you never intend to fight alongside your comrades?¡±


    Riamon stretched his arms and shoulders, producing cracking sounds.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really good at teaming up with others.¡±


    As Riamon raised his greatsword, Luon slowly opened and closed his eyes before speaking again.


    ¡°Limberton, shoot as much as you like.¡±


    The moment he finished speaking, Riamon charged at him.


    At the same time, Limberton¡¯s arrows were fired.


    Luon casually tilted his head, swiftly deflecting the incoming arrow.


    Clang!


    Limberton exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°He¡ªhe reacted to that?¡±


    Immediately after, Riamon¡¯s greatsword slashed diagonally toward Luon¡¯s shoulder.


    Luon easily dodged by shifting his stance.


    Bang!


    When the greatsword struck the ground, Luon¡¯s lips twitched slightly.


    He tried to stifle a yawn that seemed ready to burst out but eventually ended up covering his mouth with his hand.


    ¡°Yawn.¡±


    It was natural for him to feel bored.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t exactly thrilling to face students weaker than their instructor.


    This led him to ponder.


    Even as Riamon¡¯s sword and Limberton¡¯s arrows approached, Luon¡¯s body responded automatically.


    He dodged when attacked and struck back instinctively whenever he saw an opening.


    As he repeated this cycle, he continued to think.


    He had planned to die when the time limit for his cursed technique ran out.


    Even if he died at the hands of these people, it didn¡¯t matter much to him.


    All he had wanted was a spark, some kind of thrill.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    As a groan was heard, Luon¡¯s mind snapped back to focus.


    Before he knew it, Riamon was lying at his feet, looking up with a twisted expression.


    Seeing the blood trickling from the cuts on his body, Luon blinked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lasted quite a while.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just one question. You seemed distracted throughout the fight. What on earth were you thinking?¡±


    At Riamon¡¯s question, Luon lowered his sword.


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Then, he turned his head toward Limberton.


    In his line of sight was a gleaming arrowhead approaching fast.


    Luon instinctively moved, but then halted himself.


    Thud!


    The arrow pierced through his shoulder.


    In the meantime, the ones who had fainted were getting up, and the injured grasped their weapons while panting heavily.


    Luon opened his hand, feeling the familiar sense of futility.


    ¡°I was just thinking that¡­ everything is meaningless.¡±


    Clang.


    As his sword fell to the ground, they began to approach.


    ***


    By the time I reached the 11th floor, I hid myself in the lecture hall.


    As expected, I could hear the footsteps of the main group coming down the stairs.


    ¡°Are we just going to leave him like that? Shouldn¡¯t we be sure by chopping his head off?¡±


    The irritated voice belonged to Silla.


    Bellman responded to her.


    ¡°I stabbed him in the heart. He¡¯ll be dead soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Still.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you do it yourself?¡±


    At Bellman¡¯s sharp retort, Silla muttered in a small voice.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. It just felt off.¡±


    It must have been unsettling for anyone to behead someone who seemed so ready to die.


    Perhaps there was even a sense of pity.


    With death already certain, there was no need for it.


    ¡°We all probably felt the same. But the priority now is healing. We have too many wounded. Let¡¯s quickly disable the barrier and head to the infirmary.¡± ?


    With Bellman¡¯s final words, their footsteps faded.


    I slipped out of the lecture hall and headed up the stairs.


    As I entered the indoor garden on the 12th floor, I saw Luon walking toward the window.


    Thud.


    He stopped.


    He slightly turned his head toward me and scattered the broken mosaic pieces into the air.


    I silently approached Luon.


    When I got close enough, he called my name.


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    Once I stood before him, I wasn¡¯t sure how to act.


    It was probably due to the conversation I had with Felia at the dining hall.


    When I asked why she had been asking about Luon, she answered like this:


    ¡°Well, when I see how Luon treats you, it¡¯s obvious he looks up to you.¡±


    ¡°Looks up to me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it seemed to me. Luon probably feels the same. But after thinking about it more, I realized it¡¯s a little different.¡±


    What Felia said next was like a breath of fresh air for my clouded mind.


    ¡°Luon just doesn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t the things you taught him that made him happy, it was the fact that ¡®you¡¯ were the one teaching him.¡±


    With just those few words, it all started to make sense.


    The original owner of this body must have genuinely enjoyed their wicked deeds and encouraged Luon to do the same.


    Each time, Hersel probably told him, ¡°This is fun,¡± and Luon, emotionally insensitive as he was, ended up completely misunderstanding.


    What actually moistened his dry spirit wasn¡¯t the pleasure from the act itself, but the emotional connection with the person showing him kindness, though he didn¡¯t realize it.


    No matter how indifferent someone is, as a child, they still crave parental care. It¡¯s an instinct for survival.


    If they don¡¯t get that, it remains as a void in their heart.


    In the end, Luon needed someone to lean on. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having grown up practically abandoned by his parents, someone who shared a common bond came along, taught him things, and even showed kindness. He must have felt a sense of fulfillment, even if it was unconscious.


    But whether in the game or in reality, Hersel left Luon.


    Whether he died as originally planned or I, who took over this body, pushed him away, the result was the same.


    Because of this, there was almost no one left for Luon to rely on.


    Aiman and Arsys only used Luon for their own pleasure.


    They were simply scared of him, obedient only to avoid conflict.


    There¡¯s Kurel, who genuinely follows Luon, but he lowers himself so much to support him that Luon can¡¯t really rely on him without feeling off-balance.


    You can¡¯t lean on someone who¡¯s tilting over like that.


    At least, not unless they are someone better than you or on equal footing.


    It was then that I realized I should stop overthinking and start speaking.


    Even though Luon had taken the demonization elixir, it had only temporarily delayed his death.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    I sighed softly and looked over Luon¡¯s entire body.


    For some reason, a comment about his clothes seemed like an appropriate way to start the conversation.


    His chest was soaked in blood flowing from his heart, but¡­


    ¡°That outfit looks familiar.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because I chose a design similar to what you used to wear often.¡±


    Luon glanced at my clothes as well.


    ¡°And Hersel, your attire is quite different from usual.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    After that, there was a brief silence.


    I should probably reprimand him for causing such a mess, but that didn¡¯t feel quite right.


    Given the countless sins committed in this body, any righteous words I might say would probably just sound like nonsense.


    In an effort to break the uncomfortable quiet, I decided to speak.


    ¡°Do you perhaps resent me?¡±


    I asked as I stared into his eyes, and he let out a small chuckle.


    ¡°According to Felia, yes.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think too?¡±


    Luon blinked and lowered his gaze.


    He seemed to be in deep thought.


    ¡°¡­For just a brief moment. I did wonder if you might feel something different if your friends were suffering because of you.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t feel anything, it seems.¡±


    Luon¡¯s expression remained indifferent.


    It seemed like a lighter conversation would be appropriate.


    I needed to bring up some memory from our past together if I wanted to say anything meaningful.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    In the end, I decided to focus the conversation not on the distant past but on after we had entered this academy.


    ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t the human rights abuse here in the academy severe? The professors seem hell-bent on harassing students at every opportunity. They think it¡¯s worth their paycheck or something. Though there¡¯s real work to be done elsewhere.¡±


    As I shrugged, Luon gave a slight chuckle.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange indeed. The special dorm is bad, but the outside students constantly suffer from the ¡®Curse of Control¡¯ as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because this place feels like a psychiatric ward. A white snowfield, white walls¡ªit¡¯s the perfect place to drive someone mad.¡±


    We exchanged various trivial and unimportant remarks.


    Still, Luon chuckled from time to time.


    To be honest, if I were to confess something now, I had always thought Luon¡¯s expressions were all an act.


    Like a psychopath pretending to be a normal person, devoid of emotions?


    In the end, it seems I had misunderstood him through my own biased lens.


    Once I took those glasses off, his expressions seemed full of life.


    At least in front of me, it felt as though he was showing his true self.


    Well, or not.


    ¡°When you took down the Bone dragon in a single strike, I was really surprised.¡±


    ¡°That was a fluke. In reality, there was a hidden master within the academy, and I just happened to¡­¡±


    As our conversation continued, Luon¡¯s complexion grew paler.


    ¡°¡­Well, something like that did happen. But don¡¯t be too envious. I know you snuck out every night too.¡±


    We were chatting lightly about everyday things when Luon, with a voice devoid of energy, said to me:


    ¡°¡­Hersel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I think I should return now. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I asked with my expression if he was really okay, and Luon whispered softly.


    ¡°If anyone saw this scene, you¡¯d be the one in trouble.¡±


    Suddenly, as if a thought occurred to him, he pointed in a certain direction.


    ¡°Come to think of it, Felia told me to give you that if you came.¡±


    There was a letter hanging on a statue of a woman.


    It seemed Felia had been here after leaving the dining hall.


    Or maybe she used magic to place it there.


    I tore open the envelope and checked the contents.


    It contained the location where a staff was hidden and the decryption method for unlocking it.


    Of course, the location was a difficult place to access¡ªthe hall next to the statue of the Grand Mage that Erucel had rambled about.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Still, the timing was impeccable.


    Given the chaos in the academy right now, I could probably sneak in unnoticed.


    I pocketed the letter and turned my head.


    Luon was already staring out the window.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the snowy mountain has yet to be colored with greenery.¡±


    The random comment only lingered for a moment.


    It reminded me of a conversation we¡¯d had on the stairs one day in early April, during spring.


    At that time, we talked like this:


    ¡ªThe scent of spring flowers has made its way here.


    ¡ªEven in this cold place, pollen still flies, huh.


    ¡ªDo you think all the snow will melt by summer?


    ¡ªWho knows. If the snowy mountains ever turn green¡­ I hope I can see it with you.


    Now, it¡¯s the beginning of summer, brimming with warmth.


    But Luon was set to leave with the spring.


    Sadly, the Frostheart¡¯s cold wouldn¡¯t allow him to see the lush green scenery.


    ¡°Right? If the snowy mountains turn green¡­¡±


    I trailed off awkwardly, then smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°I always hoped we could see it together.¡±


    Luon gave a slight bow.


    ¡°Take care.¡±


    Luon said with a bright, carefree smile.


    Who would have thought I¡¯d see that expression from the so-called Mad Noble?


    You live long enough, you see everything.


    ***


    The night air felt even colder.


    Left alone in the indoor garden, Luon wiped his blue-tinted lips with his hand.


    No blood came out.


    Thanks to the medicine, the wounds had healed.


    But the pain in his heart from where he had been stabbed remained.


    The wound was widening faster than it could heal, and the bleeding was worse than before.


    Luon stared blankly at the bottle of medicine Felia had given him in his hand.


    Regrettable, but he shook his head.


    Still, it was a blessing in disguise.


    The longer he lived, the more time he¡¯d have to think and prepare for his departure.


    Thunk.


    Luon swallowed the pill, hoping to extend his life by even a few minutes, and sat on the window sill, lost in thought.


    He finally realized, in the quiet afterglow, that what he had longed for wasn¡¯t pleasure from a series of actions, but simply someone to lean on and share an intimate connection with.


    The fight with Arkandric had been enjoyable because the emotional connection between them brought a strange sense of fulfillment.


    Games and the chaos he caused were never fun because they lacked that connection.


    In the end, what he sought wasn¡¯t intense stimulation, but the subtle yet deeply fulfilling sense of stability.


    But now, on the verge of death, it was too late to realize this.


    Luon took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.


    Suddenly, Felia¡¯s nagging voice, as she hovered over his shoulder, came to mind.


    ¡ªWhy do you keep smoking that acrid thing?


    Luon realized everything had been thanks to Felia.


    If she hadn¡¯t explained things by his side, he might never have known what he truly desired, even in his final moments.


    And judging by the letter, she was likely the one who had sent Hersel here.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Luon lowered his gaze from the snowy mountains.


    There was Felia, running desperately as an old woman pursued her.


    His eyes darted around, finally capturing her figure in his sight.


    Felia was crawling toward the fountain, blood gushing from her thigh.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 121

    Bellen barely managed to stand, leaning on her sword in the corner of the training yard.¡°Ugh, my back¡­¡±


    The internal injuries she had sustained while fighting the Bone Dragon had yet to heal.


    On top of that, she was exhausted from cutting down undead as she advanced.


    Then Felia grabbed the sparrow statue, and a barrier appeared.


    It was good that she had mustered the last of her strength to swing her sword several times and break the barrier.


    The problem arose the moment she plunged her sword into her thigh.


    As soon as Felia held the magic tome in her hand, a giant black hand snatched her up and threw her here.


    ¡°That damn woman¡­¡±


    Fortunately, Felia couldn¡¯t walk and was crawling away slowly.


    Dragging her aching knee, Bellen trudged after her to finish the job.


    ***


    There is a fountain at the top of the stairs leading to the citadel.


    Felia, clutching the Crimson Magic Book, crawled along the ground.


    Her right leg, pierced by the sword, didn¡¯t move at all.


    It wasn¡¯t just because of the injury.


    The part of her leg that held her lingering thoughts had completely burned away, severing all sensation.


    Felia pushed herself to crawl faster with all her might.


    The sparrow statue had been shattered, and the mana left in the magic tome was nearly gone.


    When that old woman reached her, she would die this time without even putting up a proper resistance.


    ¡°Agh.¡±


    Tears welled up in Felia¡¯s eyes.


    Her nails broke as she scraped along the ground, and her knees stung from being scraped.


    But the fountain wasn¡¯t far off.


    If she could just make it there¡­


    At that moment, a wave of regret washed over her, and she paused mid-crawl.


    Luon was nowhere to be seen.


    Realizing that the wish she had so desperately clung to was no longer attainable drained her of all strength.


    Felia pressed her forehead to the ground and thought. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she erased her memories and created a new body, she would forget these feelings as well.


    That was the original goal anyway, just going back to the beginning.


    But why couldn¡¯t she find the strength to move her outstretched arm?


    Feeling herself grow cold, Felia closed her eyes.


    That woman also gave up everything, consumed by the despair of never being able to meet her master again after being confined in the special ward.


    Thud.


    Footsteps approached.


    It seemed the old woman had arrived.


    Felia resigned herself and released all the tension in her body.


    Thud.


    Suddenly, her ears perked up.


    This sound, the direction it was coming from, it was like someone was stepping on stairs.


    If it were the old woman, the sound should have come from behind, where Bellen had sent her flying to the end of the training yard, but why¡­


    At that moment, a droplet brushed against her cheek.


    She wiped it with her hand, and it was red, like blood.


    Felia slowly raised her head, her eyes widening.


    Luon Al Vanas.


    He was looking down at her, his face almost lifeless.


    ¡°Felia, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Luon¡­¡±


    Luon¡¯s condition was dire.


    His arm, perhaps broken, was healing before her eyes, but blood continued to pour from the area near his heart.


    ¡°I look awful, don¡¯t I? I couldn¡¯t come down the stairs properly in this state.¡±


    Luon, breathing heavily, lifted Felia into his arms.


    Startled, Felia looked at him and asked,


    ¡°Did you¡­ fall from the 12th floor?¡±


    Luon nodded his head.


    Then, moving his trembling legs, his pale blue lips parted slightly.


    ¡°The fountain¡­ the place you said you¡¯d wait was the fountain.¡±


    Luon, holding Felia, staggered up the stairs, barely keeping from collapsing.


    When they were halfway up, he asked,


    ¡°The medicine is still here. Let me know if you need it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just hold onto it for now.¡±


    Felia spoke curtly, curling up her body.


    Pressing her face against Luon¡¯s chest, she listened to the faint sound of his weakening heart, feeling as though she was floating.


    Thud.


    Luon stopped at a certain point and said,


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    But then, Luon let go of her.


    With a thud, Felia landed on her bottom, tearing up and huffing angrily.


    ¡°Ouch! That hurt! Is that any way to treat a lady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury to care about that.¡±


    As Luon spoke, he was gazing at the fountain.


    Turning her head, Felia¡¯s eyes trembled.


    ¡°It seems waiting here was the right answer after all.¡±


    The old woman was sitting on the edge of the fountain, glaring at them coldly.


    She stood up and spoke to Luon.


    ¡°Luon Al Vanas, was it? Make your choice. Rot in the Punishment Cell for your transgressions, or die right here.¡±


    Luon answered with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°Does it look like I have a choice?¡±


    The old woman blinked slowly.


    ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t notice in this dim light.¡±


    She seemed to realize that Luon was on the brink of death after seeing his chest.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of your poor eyesight?¡±


    Luon said sarcastically, watching the old woman walking tiredly toward them.


    Step, step.


    Felia, her face pale, clutched at Luon¡¯s trouser leg, sobbing.


    ¡°W-Wait. I¡¯ll repent. You can punish me, just please listen to me for a moment. Sniff¡­¡±


    Bellen frowned.


    ¡°Repent now? Get out of that woman¡¯s body right now!¡±


    ¡°Alright. Alright¡­ I¡¯ll really come out, just give me a moment. I have something to say.¡±


    As Felia wailed and pleaded, Bellen paused to think.


    She didn¡¯t want to cause any more harm to that body.


    Luon was on the verge of death, and the dark energy radiating from the woman had weakened considerably.


    Bellen extended her finger and spoke in a chilling voice.


    ¡°You have exactly one minute. If you break your promise to come out peacefully, I¡¯ll make you beg for death.¡±


    Felia gulped and looked at Luon.


    ¡°Luon, can you help me sit by the fountain? I¡¯ve wanted to cool off in the cold water ever since I got burned.¡±


    Luon sighed deeply and lifted Felia once more.


    As they neared the fountain, Felia expressed her gratitude to Bellen.


    ¡°Thanks for your consideration. So, what I wanted to say is¡­¡±


    With a shy expression, Felia cautiously opened her lips.


    But then her face turned mischievous, and she stuck out her tongue.


    Bellen, momentarily dumbfounded, widened her eyes, only to be blinded by a brilliant white light emanating from the fountain.


    ¡°Ugh! Wh-What is this?!¡±


    All that echoed in Bellen¡¯s ears was Felia¡¯s mocking laughter.


    ¡°You were tricked, old hag. And repentance? I don¡¯t do that. The world is survival of the fittest, the weak get used by the strong. How could you have lived this long and still not understand that? Hahaha!!¡±


    ¡°You little¡­!¡±


    Bellen quickly drew her sword and swung it toward the direction of the voice.


    But all she hit was empty air.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Luon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a dying man. Is there really any need to go?¡±


    ¡°You fool. I¡¯m a woman who knows how to form a body. You think I can¡¯t create something as simple as a new heart?¡±


    With those words, the voices ceased.


    As Bellen¡¯s vision gradually returned, she fumed in anger at the vanished pair, slicing the fountain in frustration.


    ¡°Damn it all!!¡±


    ***


    Frost Heart had been bustling with people since last night and remained chaotic until the next day.


    The students in the dormitories didn¡¯t look much better either.


    Judging by the dark circles under their eyes, they likely spent sleepless nights in fear that they might die.


    The others were either fighting undead or standing guard inside the barrier, so it¡¯s no wonder they were worn out.


    Our incompetent professors sighed as they looked at the black ash that covered the ground like snow.


    Rockefeller¡¯s expression, in particular, was priceless.


    Dealing with the cracked training ground and the damaged buildings was going to be a real headache.


    Especially in front of the neatly sliced fountain, where his eye twitched as he asked Bellen,


    ¡°¡­Sir Bellen, do you know why the fountain ended up like this?¡±


    ¡°They did it. I¡¯m sorry about that. I tried to stop them, but I was too far away.¡±


    I found all of this out while heading back to the dormitory after leaving the citadel.


    But Bellen caught me, and I ended up hearing some shocking news.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I said they disappeared without a trace from the fountain. How many times do I need to tell you?¡±


    Who would¡¯ve thought the fountain had such a secret?


    I suspect that since it was a structure built during wartime, it might have been used as a shelter.


    Felia, who knew the academy like the back of her hand, must have used that to her advantage.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s hard to believe. I never imagined that my great-aunt would let them slip away¡­¡±


    ¡°And where were you? You should¡¯ve come and helped! What exactly were you doing?¡±


    Well, I had gone to retrieve Felia¡¯s staff.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ Understood. You must¡¯ve had a rough time. I¡¯ll head back to rest now.¡±


    As I turned to leave, Bellen grabbed my shoulder.


    ¡°Before I forget. That power you used when you defeated the Bone Dragon¡­ When did you acquire it?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me. My head is really killing me right now.¡±


    I quickly brushed her off, and Bellen frowned.


    ¡°You sly brat, trying to escape again like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain next time. You¡¯ve had a tough time too, great-aunt, so please get some rest.¡±


    I¡¯ll need to come up with a plausible story to explain things later.


    ***


    The next day brought quite a bit of news.


    Arkandric, who had been locked in the iron box, was discovered and released by a professor who searched the training grounds.


    By the day after tomorrow, the professors will likely lift the spell, and Arkandric will finally be able to breathe fresh air again.


    There was even an official announcement detailing the extent of the damage.


    It included information about which floors and buildings would be out of use for the time being.


    Once the repairs to the buildings¡¯ cracks and the training grounds were finished, they would be reopened.


    Of course, the historically significant artifacts couldn¡¯t be repaired, so Rockefeller must be in agony.


    ¡°Sigh, trouble has hit that guy, but there¡¯s no time to enjoy it.¡±


    And rightly so, because even though I made it through the first act by playing recklessly, the boss somehow survived and escaped.


    I tried to think positively, wondering if a reunion after graduation might benefit me, but thanks to Felia, I just couldn¡¯t.


    If she was going to leave, she should¡¯ve done it quietly. But no, she took the Crimson Magic Book with her.


    Even though it¡¯s not crucial for the future boss fight, it¡¯s still an important item.


    ¡°Ah, just thinking about it is giving me a headache again¡­¡±


    I silently prayed that the professors sent to search for them would capture those two.


    At the very least, I hoped they¡¯d bring back the magic tome, but that was probably just wishful thinking.


    Catching Felia, who knows the citadel¡¯s layout better than I do, is next to impossible.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    There was no point in thinking about it right now.


    To clear my mind, I decided to visit the lobby of Schlaphe Hall.


    I needed to check on how everyone was doing.


    Thankfully, the lobby was peaceful.


    I was worried someone might be boasting about taking down the Bone Dragon, but Ricks¡¯s group sat slumped in their chairs, muttering gloomily.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even get a sip of alcohol.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve drunk as soon as we got there, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I only managed to get one plate from the buffet.¡±


    As they continued to lament, Gravel spoke to Ricks.


    ¡°Ricks, why have you been so quiet?¡±


    ¡°¡­Sorry, Gravel. I wanted to lighten the mood, but I just don¡¯t have the energy.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 122

    A man with bandages wrapped around his face was gnawing on some jerky in the underground dungeon. He recalled the time he had been strapped to the operating table.


    He clearly remembered the moment when a knife was thrust deep into his forehead.


    Though he lost consciousness soon after, the oddness of the situation was unmistakable.


    After all, if they were going to split his head open, they should have used a saw for efficiency.


    When he came to his senses, he found himself here, his face tightly wrapped in bandages.


    Hetherson shook out the bag that had contained the jerky.


    ¡°Damn, there¡¯s barely anything to eat.¡±


    All he had left were a few pieces of dried rations, some bread, and a single canteen.


    As a sheet of paper fluttered down, he caught it.


    It had a message written on it:


    [Tell the boss that the debt has been repaid. Also, abandon the name Hetherson. You are a dead man now. Your face has been altered, so start by finding a new identity.]


    Hetherson touched his face.


    Something like a stitch caught between the bandages, causing a sting on his skin.


    ¡°That bastard! He didn¡¯t¡­ he didn¡¯t swap my handsome face with some ugly mug, did he?¡±


    Unfortunately, without a mirror, he¡¯d have to check later.


    But more important than that was figuring out why Rockefeller had done this.


    Hetherson scrutinized the letter closely.


    ¡°A double agent? No, if that old man was suspicious, he would¡¯ve tipped me off. The shadow warden specifically warned me to be wary of Rockefeller. He¡¯s too suspicious to be considered an ally, but it¡¯s hard to outright label him an enemy. And now this ¡®debt¡¯ he supposedly repaid¡­ There must have been some deal between him and the boss.¡±


    Hetherson¡¯s mind raced.


    ¡°A spy for sure? Nah, if he were, he¡¯d be in the royal court, not teaching at an academy.¡±


    Still, being alive was better than nothing.


    His life, which he had thought was over, was somehow continuing, and a sly grin spread across his face.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    But the grin quickly faded.


    Hetherson suddenly remembered something he had left at Frostheart.


    His mouth hung open in disbelief.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    He had handed over all the gold he had gathered from across the world, and every scrap of knowledge on inventory magic, to a student.


    Now he was penniless.


    ¡°Aagh! If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have given it away!!¡±


    Hetherson slammed his fist on the ground in regret.


    Every time he moved, the chains on the shackles around his wrists clinked, making him look even more pitiful.


    Clink.


    The cuffs on his wrists were magical restraints.


    Rockefeller had left him here, trapped, and told him to escape the dungeon on his own.


    Tears welled up in Hetherson¡¯s eyes as he cried out.


    ¡°And Rockefeller, you bastard¡­ At the very least, you could¡¯ve left me a weapon, right? Huh?¡±


    He muttered to himself, staring up at the ceiling before slumping to the ground.


    The floor was covered in green moss.


    Moss like this only grew in safe spots in the dungeon, places that even the dungeon creatures couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°This is the dungeon¡¯s blind spot where it can¡¯t detect prey. Great. But man, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m going to make it out alive.¡±


    He hesitated to take a step forward.


    It made sense¡ªafter all, he was a wizard, not a warrior.


    Facing the dungeon¡¯s monsters with no weapon was practically suicide for an ordinary person.


    ¡°Guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to use this genius Hetherson¡¯s wits to get through this.¡±


    His eyes lit up as he scanned his surroundings.


    Just in time, a fist-sized stone lay in the corner.


    ¡°Perfect.¡±


    Now he needed to find a weak monster.


    One fragile enough to be killed by a rock, but large enough to provide some useful bones or something to turn into a weapon.


    Hetherson gripped the stone in one hand and a piece of bread in the other, creeping toward a corner of the dungeon.


    He tossed the bread around the bend.


    ¡­


    It was quiet.


    That was a sign it was safe.


    Repeating the process, he moved forward until he heard a shuffling sound.


    Hetherson pressed his back against the wall and peeked out.


    It was a massive lizard, about the size of a grown man, standing knee-high.


    Its glossy feet made wet, sticky sounds as it shuffled closer.


    Just as the lizard reached for the bread, Hetherson sprang out and smashed its head with the stone.


    Wham!


    But the creature was tougher than he expected.


    Its tail swept across the floor, knocking Hetherson over with a thud.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    The lizard opened its jaws wide, lunging to bite him.


    Shhhaaah!


    Hetherson stretched his arms out, wedging the chains of his shackles between its jaws.


    Then, with a leap, he mounted the lizard like a horse, clamping his teeth on the back of its neck while repeatedly bashing its head with the stone.


    The lizard¡¯s resistance weakened.


    It had likely suffered a concussion.


    After a few minutes of struggle, Hetherson panted and let out a triumphant roar.


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    But his victory was short-lived.


    Tears welled up in his eyes from the realization of how pitiful he had become.


    To think he had to go through such hell just to take down a single creature.


    Hetherson couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for his degraded circumstances.


    After regaining some energy, Hetherson smashed the lizard¡¯s claws with the rock.


    He used its sharp talons to slice through the soft underbelly, creating a dotted line before tearing it open.


    His spoils from the dissection were a long spine and a skull big enough to fit over an adult¡¯s head.


    ¡°This will do for a weapon.¡±


    He tore off his shirt, shredding it to create a sturdy rope.


    He tied the vertebrae together tightly so they wouldn¡¯t fall apart.


    Whip!


    He swung it around a few times to test it; it didn¡¯t break.


    Satisfied, Hetherson put the whip down and picked up the skull, placing it on his head like a helmet.


    He let out a bitter chuckle.


    ¡°¡­Why do I feel like I¡¯ve become some kind of caveman?¡±


    Now armed, Hetherson explored the dungeon with renewed determination.


    ***


    Hetherson was fighting for survival with everything he had.


    When a bull-like monster appeared, he shredded its hide with his whip.


    A spider the size of a human torso was wrapped in the bull¡¯s hide and then killed with the bull¡¯s horns.


    Against a muscular, one-eyed monster, he smeared the whip with spider venom and ran until the creature died from the poison.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡±


    When the one-eyed monster collapsed, Hetherson noticed his skin felt damp.


    Thinking it might be sweat, he wiped his face with the sack that held his food.


    But the damp feeling persisted, and he sighed in relief.


    If it wasn¡¯t sweat, it could only mean one thing.


    Taking a few more steps to rest, Hetherson¡¯s ears perked up.


    ¡°Get a grip! Please!¡±


    A woman¡¯s urgent voice echoed nearby.


    He briefly suspected it might be a mimicry monster, like a ¡°mirror ghoul,¡± but shook his head.


    Mirror ghouls were weak creatures.


    But the dark energy radiating from the source was so dense, it made his skin tingle.


    Hetherson was about to turn back when he noticed green moss in his line of sight, causing him to stop.


    That meant there was no monster here.


    Hetherson cautiously approached, making sure to keep his footsteps quiet.


    The voice grew louder as he got closer.


    ¡°Luon! You can¡¯t lose consciousness here!!¡±


    Hetherson, peeking cautiously from around the corner, widened his eyes in surprise.


    A woman was crying as she placed her hand on the chest of a fallen man.


    The woman, with a faint bluish glow around her youthful face, looked quite young.


    The man lying on the ground also didn¡¯t seem like a professor; otherwise, there was no way he¡¯d be collapsed in a place like this.


    Even so, approaching them was risky for someone on the run.


    After all, this was a crazy woman in the middle of a dungeon, messing with the man¡¯s heart.


    Hetherson turned to leave, trying to quietly slip away.


    However, the one-eyed monster he thought was dead was drooling, standing right in front of him.


    Grrr¡­


    ¡°Ah, shit! You scared me!¡±


    Startled, Hetherson couldn¡¯t help but shout, drawing the woman¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    At this point, there was no turning back.


    Hetherson sprinted toward the woman and the man, intending to start a fight and escape during the chaos.


    But the woman was much stronger than he expected.


    Before Hetherson even reached her, the one-eyed monster exploded with a *bang*.


    Hetherson raised his hands, covered in monster remains, and forced a gentle smile toward the glaring woman.


    ¡°Calm down, miss. I¡¯m not a bad guy, okay? I wasn¡¯t planning on interfering, so I¡¯ll just leave now. Take care.¡±


    He started walking backward slowly to avoid startling her.


    But the woman clearly had no intention of letting him go.


    ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to die. I can¡¯t risk you telling anyone I¡¯m here.¡±


    As she began channeling dark energy into her magic book, Hetherson¡¯s mind raced.


    If she feared being discovered, she was probably on the run, and her target might very well be the professors.


    ¡°Wait! Look at me! Can¡¯t you see these magical cuffs? I¡¯m being chased too!¡±


    He shook the chains on his wrists as he passionately pleaded, and the woman scanned him up and down.


    She furrowed her brow in distaste.


    ¡°What¡¯s with this beggar look?¡±


    Hetherson fell silent.


    Even he knew he looked ridiculous, with a skull helmet, bone whip, and shackles.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll just ki¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem, wait, hold on¡­¡±


    Hetherson quickly interrupted, sneaking a glance at the man lying on the ground.


    ¡°Your boyfriend seems to be in pretty bad shape, huh?¡±


    At that, the woman¡¯s lips twitched.


    ¡°Boyfriend? Hah.¡±


    Sensing an opportunity, Hetherson smoothly continued.


    ¡°Leaving a beauty like you behind¡­ what a tragedy. How about I take a look at him? Believe it or not, I know a few things. How about it? You can decide if you want to kill me afterward. Sounds fair, right?¡± ?


    The woman, still suspicious, continued to channel dark energy into her magic book.


    Hetherson, in a desperate attempt to sell himself as an expert, leaned into his role.


    ¡°Oh? This sound¡­ the heart¡¯s not doing well. The rhythm¡¯s all wrong.¡±


    And in truth, the man¡¯s heartbeat did seem abnormal even to the naked eye.


    The woman frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with Hetherson¡¯s diagnosis.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I made that heart perfectly.¡±


    Hetherson almost laughed.


    Made the heart? What kind of nonsense was that?


    But saying so out loud would surely get him killed.


    ¡°No, what I mean is that the angle of the heart is a bit dangerous. His constitution seems unusual. Hmm¡­ Let me take a closer look.¡±


    Hetherson cautiously approached and placed his hand on the man¡¯s chest.


    The woman flinched but stayed silent as Hetherson spoke again.


    ¡°See? Look here at the back. The blood vessels are getting pinched. If the pressure continues with each heartbeat, it could be life-threatening. You need to pull the heart a bit to the side.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was Luon¡¯s constitution always this unique?¡±


    Hetherson nodded.


    ¡°Indeed. In some northern bloodlines, certain traits of the Erata race can show up. Those people had their hearts positioned further to the right.¡±


    Over the millennia, as countries unified and bloodlines mixed, human constitutions had diversified, leading to new medical classifications.


    ¡°Judging by these sutures, it looks like you did the surgery. You know medicine, but didn¡¯t know about this?¡±


    ¡°Shut up. How am I supposed to know all the modern details?¡±


    Hetherson finished his makeshift surgery on the man.


    Yet, the man still didn¡¯t wake.


    Feeling a chill run down his spine from the woman¡¯s ominous stare, Hetherson hastily added:


    ¡°Ahaha, just wait a moment. This is the real problem here. But you¡¯ll need to use your magic for this part. I mean, look at me.¡±


    He rattled his chains, forcing a smile.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s too much dark energy built up in his brain. That¡¯s why he¡¯s in a daze. But this guy doesn¡¯t seem like a mage, so how did he absorb so much dark energy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because of the drugs. Anyway, just teach me the technique already.¡±


    Hetherson carefully dipped his finger into the man¡¯s blood and began drawing a magic circle on the ground.


    He didn¡¯t want to bite his own finger.


    Though the woman gave him a sharp look, he calmly completed the ritual.


    ¡°This technique temporarily renews the brain¡¯s nerves. It¡¯ll expel the dark energy. Be precise. You don¡¯t want his brain fluid leaking out like sweat, do you?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°And do you have any potions? His brain¡¯s nerves are likely quite damaged as well.¡±


    The woman pulled out a vial of medicine.


    Hetherson could sense dark energy from it, but since they were about to extract the dark energy from the brain anyway, it should be fine to use.


    ¡°Well then, time to give him the medicine. Hey, do you have any water?¡±


    Hetherson handed her his canteen.


    The woman crushed the pill into powder, mixed it with the water, and shook it vigorously.


    Just as she was about to pour it into her own mouth, Hetherson blinked and spoke up.


    ¡°Wait, are you going to feed him mouth-to-mouth? What about telekinesis magic? It would distribute the medicine more evenly.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re really dense, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The woman pouted.


    Hetherson had actually known, but he¡¯d said it anyway.


    He was irritated by her bossy attitude.


    ¡°What? Why are you glaring like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ahaha, I was just thinking how well you two fit together.¡±


    ¡°Really? Heehee.¡±


    Simple-minded, for sure.


    A few minutes later, the man opened his eyes.


    The woman hugged him tightly with a big grin.


    ¡°Luon!¡±


    However, the man¡¯s expression seemed a bit off.


    He looked confused, as if he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    Sure enough, the man asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Hetherson shook his head.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s got amnesia.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense,¡± the woman retorted sharply before turning to the man with a playful smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, the one you used to call Felia.¡±  sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hm? You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°Right? What do you think? Pretty decent, huh? Oh, and I¡¯ve changed my name too. Call me ¡®Alena¡¯ from now on.¡±


    Hetherson pursed his lips awkwardly.


    Once the situation settled down, they exchanged a lot of information.


    The woman, once called Felia, was now Alena, and the man was Luon Al Banas.


    Apparently, they¡¯d caused some trouble at the academy and escaped through a fountain passage to this place.


    ¡°Is that even possible? How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I know a lot of things, so don¡¯t act so smug, you fool.¡±


    Hetherson also realized that the woman was ruder than he had first thought.


    ¡°So, you two are fugitives too, huh? Got nowhere else to go?¡±


    When he asked, both nodded.


    Hetherson chuckled and made a suggestion.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve escaped this far, the Empire will likely issue a bounty. How about this? Come with me to the headquarters of the ¡®Shadow Wardens.¡¯¡±


    He needed the woman¡¯s strength to safely escape the dungeon.


    If things went wrong, he could always betray them later.


    But the woman looked at him with disdain.


    ¡°Shadow what? That name is ridiculously lame. What is it, some kind of cult?¡±


    Hetherson clenched his fist, trying to remain calm.


    How dare she insult such a prestigious criminal organization?


    Meanwhile, the man, who had regained much of his strength, spoke.


    ¡°The Shadow Wardens are quite a notorious criminal organization, even within the Empire. It could be a suitable place to hide. But who exactly are you to make such a proposal?¡±


    Hetherson smirked.


    ¡°My name is Hetherson Aola. I¡¯m an officer there. I could get both of you in with just a word.¡±


    The man looked at the woman and said, ¡°Traveling together for now doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea. We can verify the truth of his claim over time.¡±


    ¡°If Luon says so, then fine. I can change the name of this Shadow-whatever later anyway.¡±


    Though her words annoyed Hetherson, he had gotten used to it and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Ugh, whatever. Let¡¯s just get moving.¡±


    And so, the three of them set off together.


    ***


    Despite the commotion, the dining hall at the Adele Hall remained intact.


    Not a single servant was injured, and all the food supplies were untouched.


    As a result, business continued as usual.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve sat here.¡±


    Emeric sat in the VIP section.


    As the waiter handed over the menu, the man sitting next to him spoke.


    ¡°Wow, I guess you must feel guilty toward me?¡±


    The grumbling man¡¯s name was Harmon.


    He had lost his spot in the top ten to Emeric after being defeated during the first-year magical combat training.


    Emeric ignored him and handed the menu to Harmon.


    ¡°How about a course meal?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, that might just heal my wounded pride.¡±


    Emeric raised three fingers toward the waiter.


    ¡°Three portions.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. When will the rest of your party arrive? We can adjust the timing if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon. You can start preparing now.¡±


    The waiter bowed politely and left.


    Harmon pouted slightly.


    ¡°So, all this effort is because of Hersel, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. I¡¯ve made quite a lot of coin thanks to him, and I also have some business to discuss.¡±


    Harmon blinked and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of giving up your spot in the top ten, are you?¡±


    ¡°Ha, don¡¯t be ridiculous. The top ten position is not something he¡¯s capable of holding.¡±


    Harmon nodded in agreement.


    In fact, ever since Hersel killed the ¡°Poison Serpent Berme,¡± he had become more powerful than most professors.


    The top ten rankings might mean something to the students, but for someone like Emeric, it was nothing more than a trivial game.


    ¡°Then why are you interested?¡±


    Emeric took a sip of water before answering.


    ¡°He¡¯s practically the king of Frostheart. A single word from him could cause a storm. Keeping an eye on him is crucial.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. So, you¡¯re saying you want to stay on his good side, huh?¡±


    Emeric narrowed his eyes, and Harmon quickly continued, trying to tread carefully.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that risky? The pride of the others is no joke¡­ especially, you know, the 7th-ranked guys.¡±


    The top ten rankings were based on strength.


    The current number one was called the 1st-rank, while Emeric, being at the bottom, was 10th.


    ¡°Won¡¯t things get noisy once they return?¡±


    Currently, the 1st through 7th-ranked students were absent.


    They were on a practical mission deep in the demonic realm with active Pathfinders, but they were due to return to Frostheart soon.


    ¡°No matter how strong they are, they¡¯re nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they¡¯ll get crushed. But I¡¯m talking about gambling, you know, betting.¡±


    Emeric glanced away from Harmon and replied.


    ¡°If it¡¯s gambling, you should talk to Athera.¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, will those guys even dare to challenge Hersel? There has to be some fighting, or else Athera won¡¯t open the gambling tables.¡±


    Emeric scoffed.


    Harmon had lost most of his wealth betting on the first-year written exam and was now penniless.


    In order to make a living, he needed to earn some coins.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to bet on Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Tch, at the time, that was the safe bet! Ugh, isn¡¯t there any way out of this?¡±


    Harmon scratched his head in frustration, while Emeric fell silent, deep in thought.


    Then, an idea came to him.


    ¡°Hm¡­ well, how about making sure no one knows?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Harmon. Hersel Ben Tenest is part of the Schlaphe Hall. Because of that, even I underestimated him at first.¡±


    Harmon perked up his ears.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°If we keep his strength a secret from the others, it¡¯ll make it easier to open the betting tables.¡±


    Harmon¡¯s jaw dropped in realization.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 123

    Before going to the Adele dining hall, a parasite latched onto me.When I glared at it with contempt, it recoiled.


    ¡°Erucel, remember this: you¡¯re just a rat scavenging the crumbs I leave behind. Never touch what I want to eat.¡±


    Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re even calling me a rat¡­ I was already feeling miserable since I got here, but how did my life end up like this¡­¡±


    Maybe I went too far.


    Feeling a bit sorry, I smiled and tried to soothe his fragile heart.


    ¡°No, even rats work harder than you. They strive day and night to survive in the competition. So really, what I just said was more of a compliment.¡±


    Despite that, he frowned and complained bitterly.


    ¡°How is that supposed to be a compliment?¡±


    ¡°Why? Should I say it like this? My dear brother, have you eaten yet? Like that?¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Good thing I haven¡¯t eaten. No chance of throwing up.¡±


    This is why I can¡¯t feel any affection, or even annoyance, towards this guy.


    Even when I try to be nice, he acts like he¡¯s about to throw up, like someone seasick.


    Honestly, I don¡¯t know what his problem is.


    Mircel and Niasele have at least some cute qualities¡­


    I squinted my eyes and scrutinized Erucel¡¯s face.


    ¡°¡­Why are you so different from the twins? Do you perhaps have some kind of secret about your birth?¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m definitely my mother¡¯s son. I even have the same silver hair as father.¡±


    While we were chatting nonsense, the door to Adele¡¯s dining hall opened.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry. At least I don¡¯t consider Daisel my sibling at all. You¡¯re a better person than him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually nice to hear. Haha, I¡¯m better than the second brother, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course you¡¯re better than that lunatic who tried to release a monster to massacre everyone.¡±


    People¡¯s eyes turned towards us.


    Erucel wiped the silly look off his face and put on the dignified expression of a noble.


    It seemed like he cared about appearances in front of others.


    ¡°Hmm? But brother, someone¡¯s already sitting there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Emeric is treating us today.¡±


    ¡°¡­What about my meal?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure he covers yours too.¡±


    I had heard from Athera that Emeric¡¯s last gambling win was a whopping 970,000 coins.


    He¡¯s now ranked among the top five richest in Frostheart.


    Meanwhile, with all the money I have, even including half of Athera¡¯s earnings, I only have 530,000 coins.


    I can¡¯t forgive that.


    It should¡¯ve been me among the top five, not him.


    I did all the work, but he dared to steal my spot.


    Oblivious to my anger, Emeric cheerfully pointed to an empty seat.


    ¡°Ah, Hersel Ben Tenest, please have a seat. The food will be out soon.¡±


    Then, noticing Erucel beside me, he asked,


    ¡°And who¡¯s this man?¡±


    Before I could answer, the man sitting next to Emeric, was it Harmon?


    He answered in my stead.


    ¡°Oh, you probably didn¡¯t know since you were at the Buerger Hall. That¡¯s Erucel Ben Tenest, Hersel¡¯s younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Haha, nice to meet you, seniors.¡±


    Erucel awkwardly greeted them, and Emeric pointed to the seat across from me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you entered the academy with your brother. Good timing. Sit down too.¡±


    Emeric called the waiter and handed the menu to Erucel.


    I said in a casual tone,


    ¡°Order anything you want.¡±


    Erucel glanced at Emeric and cautiously responded.


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Right, senior?¡±


    Emeric nodded without hesitation.


    Soon after, the food started to come out, and Erucel, sitting in front of me, could only gulp in anticipation.


    Since he hadn¡¯t ordered ahead, he had to wait a bit longer for his food.


    As I finished a plate of meat, Emeric asked bluntly,


    ¡°Have you ever thought about joining the Ten Elites?¡±


    The man next to him, Harmon, was so surprised that he dropped his fork on his plate.


    I didn¡¯t mind and picked up my spoon.


    ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°I just thought you might be interested. But from your expression, it seems like you¡¯re not.¡±


    The Ten Elites are the most talented students in the academy.


    Soon, Riamon would claim one of the spots, and the rest of the key players would take over once the third-year students graduated.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not interested in that sort of thing.¡±


    I spoke dismissively, and Emeric looked into my eyes, as if trying to gauge my true intentions.


    ¡°Then what do you want?¡±


    I pondered his question for a moment, unsure of how to respond.


    What do I really want?


    For now, the best I can hope for is to graduate peacefully.


    To live a prosperous life, keep an eye on how the scenario unfolds, and escape this hellish academy.


    ¡°What I want isn¡¯t much. If we¡¯re talking about the academy, all I hope for is to graduate without any trouble.¡±


    Emeric asked in a voice tinged with interest, ¡°When you say ¡®trouble,¡¯ you must mean things that irritate you or the like. So, what will you do in such cases?¡± R


    ¡°What else? I¡¯ll change things so they don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    So that the scenario flows smoothly.


    When I answered curtly, Emeric fell silent.


    Then, he chuckled softly and nodded.


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Let¡¯s just eat. Your brother¡¯s meal is coming too.¡±


    For a while, the conversation revolved solely around food.


    As I started to feel full, I looked at Erucel.


    It seemed he still wanted more to eat, as he showed no signs of getting up.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll head out now. Thanks for the meal, senior. Erucel, finish up and come back on your own.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    With that, I left the dining hall.


    ***


    After Hersel left, Harmon asked,


    ¡°Seems like he just wants to quietly graduate without any issues, huh?¡±


    Emeric scoffed at his remark.


    ¡°Do you really think so? I heard something entirely different.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Harmon blinked and looked at Emeric¡¯s face.


    Emeric put down his fork and explained slowly,


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest said if something bothers him, he¡¯ll change it.¡±


    ¡°And why is that important?¡±


    ¡°A man like that chose the Schlaphe Hall. Why do you think that is?¡±


    Harmon tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Why, though?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dissatisfaction with the current system. His involvement in the slave revolution proves that. It wasn¡¯t just a message directed at us.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ so?¡±


    Emeric glanced at the seat Hersel had occupied and replied,


    ¡°He¡¯s not satisfied with this place. I¡¯m sure he sees the entire academy as something that needs to be changed.¡±


    Harmon¡¯s pupils shrank, as if he¡¯d just felt a chill.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­¡±


    Emeric smirked and voiced his thoughts, ¡°He¡¯s planning to become the student council president.¡±


    Harmon gasped in shock.


    ¡°Now it all makes sense, doesn¡¯t it, Harmon? The seat of the Ten Elites can be seized with force, but Hersel doesn¡¯t covet that. It¡¯s not enough for him. He¡¯s aiming for something far higher.¡±


    To become the student council president, strength is important, but more than that, one must be nearly perfect in every aspect.


    They must prove their excellence in handling affairs and win the hearts of the students to secure their votes.


    Only those who possess both wisdom and strength can sit on the throne of power.


    ¡°The only way to change the academy is to claim the throne. And if it¡¯s Hersel Ben Tenest¡­¡±


    Emeric abruptly stopped speaking.


    Harmon, looking serious, pressed his finger to his lips and glanced around, signaling for caution.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, man. What if someone hears?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I spoke too freely¡­¡±


    Talking about a coup must be done carefully, no matter where you are.


    If those in power hear of it, nothing good will come of it.


    Realizing his mistake, Emeric glanced at Erucel, who was nearby.


    ¡°Mm, this really is delicious.¡±


    Erucel, with his cheeks puffed full, was too busy enjoying his meal to care.


    ¡°Erucel, did you hear what I just said?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°¡­Never mind. Just enjoy your meal.¡±


    Emeric left Erucel alone and resumed his conversation with Harmon.


    ¡°Anyway, back to the main topic, Emeric. What about the gambling situation? The guys above the Seven Elites will be back in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Just leave them be. They¡¯re bound to show off, boasting about what they¡¯ve learned under the current leadership. If we keep quiet about Hersel, friction will arise naturally. They particularly hate the Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    Erucel paid no mind to their chatter, treating it as background noise while he quietly chewed his food.


    Erucel had no interest whatsoever in things like the student council presidency.


    ***


    In the underground dungeon, Hetherson watched the backs of Luon and Alena, who were walking ahead.


    She seemed to have trouble with one of her legs, as she kept limping, and Luon was helping her walk.


    It was something he hadn¡¯t noticed during the surgery, but it became apparent while moving.


    ¡°Hey, miss. Your joints look fine. Are you faking it?¡±


    Alena quickly turned her head, glaring at him with disdain.


    ¡°Have you been creepily staring at my leg?¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Hetherson overtook the pair.


    sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is this good enough?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Now, try heading to the right.¡±


    Following Alena¡¯s instructions, Hetherson turned at a three-way junction.


    Suddenly, three bats the size of rabbits swooped in.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    Hetherson flailed, swinging his bone whip.


    Alena found the sight so hilarious that she doubled over, laughing.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    After hurriedly fending off the bats, Hetherson glared at Alena and asked, ¡°Hey, do you even know where we¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°How would I know everything? The paths in this dungeon change all the time.¡±


    Hetherson had an urge to hit her for a moment.


    But given their current situation, acting rashly would get his head smashed in.


    On top of that, he couldn¡¯t roam around on his own either.


    ¡°Sigh, I guess it¡¯d be better if I just find the way myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The sentry¡¯s position is always the same. Just follow my directions.¡±


    ¡°What, what? The sentry? Are you seriously thinking of heading to that thing?¡±


    Alena shrugged.


    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s an emergency exit there. If you don¡¯t like it, go your own way. Let¡¯s go, Luon.¡±


    Luon and Alena walked ahead.


    Hetherson hesitated but soon began to follow. The eerie cries of monsters echoed around him.


    ¡°L-let¡¯s go together!¡±


    After walking silently for a while, Alena pointed to an entrance.


    ¡°Here, here.¡±


    She picked up a spellbook and was about to enter when Luon stopped her.


    Alena asked, surprised, ¡°Why? Do you want to hunt, Luon?¡±


    ¡°Well, I feel like stretching my legs a bit.¡±


    Hetherson, who had barely survived earlier, scoffed at the sight of Luon preparing to enter without any weapons.


    Hetherson was only thinking about abandoning them once they escaped the dungeon.


    After that, they¡¯d be of no use to him.


    But as Luon crossed the long bridge, something strange caught his eye.


    ¡°What?¡±


    At the center, a bone lizard with glowing blue eyes¡ªa counterfeit of a Bondragon¡ªstood waiting.


    Though it wasn¡¯t the real thing, it was still a formidable opponent to face without weapons.


    Yet, in an instant, one of the creature¡¯s eyes was sliced clean off.


    There was no time to reflect.


    The bone lizard, with blue flames flickering at its mouth, charged straight at Luon.


    Despite that, Luon approached it at a leisurely pace.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Hetherson shouted urgently, but it was too late.


    The bone lizard¡¯s jaws shot towards him in a straight line, about to collide with Luon.


    As Hetherson closed his eyes, the sound of bones scraping against the stone floor echoed throughout the chamber.


    Krrrraaaaaaack!


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    Alena¡¯s voice made Hetherson open his eyes.


    ¡°So, your boyfriend got blown to pieces, huh?¡±


    ¡°Are your eyes just holes in your head? Look properly.¡±


    At her irritated tone, Hetherson looked past the settling dust and widened his eyes in shock.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The bone lizard lay motionless on the floor, and next to its tail, Luon stood holding a massive black heart in one hand.


    Whoooosh¡ª


    A cold wind emanated from his hand.


    When Luon tossed the heart onto the ground, it shattered with a crash like glass breaking.


    Hetherson gulped as he watched Luon, who was now being embraced by Alena.


    In that split second, he had avoided the sentry¡¯s charge and ripped out its heart.


    With skills like that, it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to become an executive of the Shadow Wardens.


    He was too valuable a talent to just let go.


    ¡°Felia, why didn¡¯t you erase your memories?¡±


    ¡°Sigh, call me Alena now. Erase memories? Why would I erase our precious memories together?¡±


    Though their odd conversation confirmed they were lunatics¡­


    Narrowing his eyes, Hetherson seriously considered whether he should recruit them.


    As he pondered, Alena stood in the middle of the corridor and waved her hand.


    ¡°Hey, old man, what are you doing? Hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡±


    Hetherson stood dumbfounded in the center.


    Then Alena began drawing a magic formula, and the ground lit up as the scenery around them changed dramatically.


    Pop!


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 124

    At the caf¨¦ in Adele Hall, with a great view, I looked down through the window.Once again, the poor are working today.


    They are busy with the repair work, pulling carts filled with shovels and bricks across the training field.


    Those who went to repair the fortress each carry sacks on their backs as they ascend the stairs.


    It was a truly pleasing sight, and a satisfied smile crept across my face.


    ¡°But, young master, why are you here? The repairs aren¡¯t even finished yet.¡±


    Selly asked while placing a dish on the table.


    I took a bite of a cookie, glancing around the caf¨¦.


    Judging by the overturned pots, broken dishes, and damaged furniture, it seemed that this place, too, had been ravaged by the undead.


    Aside from the table I was sitting at, most of the furniture was in shambles.


    Though the caf¨¦ was temporarily closed, I could still use it comfortably thanks to my connections.


    ¡°This is the only place where I can quietly have tea and think.¡±


    I answered nonchalantly, and Selly half-closed her eyes.


    She seemed displeased about being asked to work on her day off, but soon, she spoke as if it didn¡¯t bother her.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s actually a good thing. I was going to check if there were any usable materials left anyway. Enjoy your time.¡±


    Selly approached the pile of scattered debris.


    I sipped the fragrant tea and closed my eyes.


    Three days had already passed since the end of the first boss fight.


    The professors were frantically tracking the movements of Luon and Felia, but as expected, it was in vain.


    By now, they must have already left the academy grounds.


    No one knows this place better than Felia, after all.


    It¡¯s frustrating.


    There¡¯s probably no way to recover the Crimson Magic Book either.


    I¡¯ve almost given up at this point.


    Still, there¡¯s a nagging feeling, as if there¡¯s a missing puzzle piece that I haven¡¯t figured out yet.


    ¡°¡­How did Felia survive, anyway?¡±


    If I were to summarize the events:


    Her original fate was to have her head cut off in a sneak attack by Bellen, while she closed her eyes under the old tree.


    However, according to Bellen, just as she was approaching cautiously to strike, Felia suddenly opened her eyes, and they ended up in a chase.


    After that, Bellen, having used up much of her aura to fend off a dragon¡¯s attack, was too weak to kill Felia, who still held the Crimson Magic Book.


    At that moment, Luon fell from the 12th floor and joined forces with Felia, and they managed to escape by using something hidden in the fountain.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Now that I understood the sequence of events, it was time to figure out the cause.


    Originally, Felia and Luon¡¯s relationship should have been strictly professional.


    But their actions suggested otherwise.


    I recalled something Felia said at the restaurant, which might offer a clue.


    ¨C ¡°To Luon, weren¡¯t you like a mentor?¡±


    Whether Luon actually sees Hersel that way, I¡¯m not sure.


    But in Felia¡¯s eyes, Luon seemed to remind her of herself.


    This likely stems from what happened in the labyrinth.


    ¨C ¡°It¡¯s my turn to ask now. What did Luon whisper in your ear that day?¡±


    Her question implied that she had been there at the time.


    When Luon spat harsh words into my ear in a fit of emotion, Felia must have witnessed it from afar.


    Seeing that, did she project her younger, envious self onto Luon?


    Suddenly, a thought struck me, and my mouth dropped open.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Could the unease I felt at the restaurant be related to this?


    No, perhaps I¡¯m overthinking it.


    I looked at Selly, seeking confirmation.


    Though Felia and Selly shared the same gender, what was more relevant was that they were both psychopaths.


    ¡°Selly, let me ask you something. If you felt a connection with a man, as if he were like you, how do you think you¡¯d feel?¡±


    Selly carefully placed the intact dish she had found on the table and answered.


    ¡°Are you talking about a sense of camaraderie? I suppose I¡¯d be quite conscious of him.¡±


    ¡°And maybe¡­ you¡¯d end up seeing him as a romantic interest?¡±


    Selly put her finger to her chin, lowering her gaze, and let out a thoughtful hum.


    She seemed to be pondering deeply.


    ¡°Hmm. What does this man look like?¡±


    Luon is known as the ¡°Mad Noble.¡±


    Though he¡¯s a bit unhinged, the title of ¡°noble¡± carries implications of dignity, and of course, a handsome face.


    ¡°He is quite good-looking.¡±


    Selly giggled as she responded.


    ¡°Then I¡¯d probably fall for him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. For women, just brushing against a handsome man can make their heart race.¡±


    No wonder she seemed so excited whenever she talked about Luon at the restaurant.


    ¡°¡­So, it all comes down to looks, huh.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, whether it¡¯s men or women, if someone has a dazzling appearance, they tend to overlook a few steps in the relationship process, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°And how would you know? You¡¯re just a kid.¡±


    When I rebuked her sharply, Selly grumbled quietly while wiping a cup with a cloth.


    It seems that Felia¡¯s obsession, which was originally about erasing her memories and being reborn, had shifted to Luon.


    Maybe that¡¯s why she opened her eyes during the process of creating a new body.


    She must not have wanted to erase Luon along with her memories.


    ¡°This seems to be the most plausible explanation.¡±


    ¡°But, young master, aren¡¯t you going out to watch tonight?¡±


    ¡°Watch what?¡±


    When I asked, Selly looked out the window.


    ¡°I heard that from today, the season of the green spectacle begins. It¡¯s a view you can only see briefly after early summer.¡±


    The green spectacle? It seems that starts today.


    Every summer at Frost Heart, a magnificent sight unfolds.


    Around the time the snow melts, fireflies as big as rabbits come out to mate, and it¡¯s said that their light is more beautiful than the radiance of emeralds, leaving an unforgettable memory.


    It¡¯s not exactly a festival, though.


    People simply gather on the city walls, built to repel monsters, and watch it casually.


    I¡¯ve always wanted to see it with my own eyes. Should I go take a look?


    ***


    The night was cool, and the city walls were crowded with people.


    Among them, there was even a food club with a mobile stand selling snacks, which was so popular that people lined up to eat.


    It almost felt like a night market.


    ¡°Is it because there have been a lot of recent job requests? Everyone seems to have deep pockets.¡±


    When I said that, Aslay sniffed the air and showed interest.


    ¡°Skewers.¡±


    ¡°If you want some, you¡¯d better get in line quickly.¡±


    Aslay left, and Limberton, seeing a couple nearby, grumbled.


    ¡°I could¡¯ve been like that today, too, if it weren¡¯t for what happened at the banquet¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean that woman who came up to talk to you? Forget about her. She looked like she was just trying to get some coins out of you.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Limberton shook his head but then glanced at me suspiciously and asked.


    ¡°But was it really not a bone dragon?¡±


    Ah, here we go again.


    I don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been asked this question.


    Not just by Limberton, but also by Ricks¡¯ crew and the guys from Adele Hall.


    I¡¯m getting sick of it.


    ¡°How many times do I have to say it? It was an illusion created by magic. You¡¯ve heard the rumors, haven¡¯t you? There was an unidentified mastermind behind it.¡±


    The professors, unaware of Felia¡¯s existence, had tentatively concluded that an external intruder was involved.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t made public to avoid causing unnecessary confusion, but most people had vaguely caught on.


    Given the scale of the incident, it was too much to believe that it was orchestrated by a few rich students.


    Thanks to that, all kinds of speculations are circulating among the students.


    ¡°Then what about Ms. Bellen? I saw her get thrown far away by the flames, with blood even trickling from her mouth.¡±


    ¡°As I said, it¡¯s because she drank too much as usual. She didn¡¯t realize it was an illusion and got hit by the hidden mastermind¡¯s ambush.¡±


    The stream of lies came easily, and Limberton seemed convinced, his suspicious look fading.


    Then he rubbed his stomach.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m getting hungry. Want me to grab something for you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡±


    Limberton went off to join the line.


    I glanced at the professors mingling among the students.


    They claimed it was for supervision, but it was obvious that Rockefeller had stationed them here just in case.


    As I stood around waiting, Professor Gomon approached.


    ¡°Well, well, look who it is! Hersel, you came out to watch too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, something like that.¡±


    With his usual jovial grin, he brought up the Easter egg I had told him about before.


    ¡°Right at midnight, just like you said, it gave me chills when that long-haired girl wearing the necklace stared at me.¡±


    Feigning surprise, I responded in a slightly astonished tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. I didn¡¯t expect that story I picked up would turn out to be true.¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on. I thought you were full of insider knowledge, but I guess you just heard rumors like the rest of us. There¡¯s always something weird going on, isn¡¯t there? Even back when I was a student, I poked around all over the place, and I¡¯m still discovering new things.¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s hobby is digging into the secrets of Frost Heart.


    I secretly wished he¡¯d stop doing that.


    He¡¯s bound to mess with the wrong thing and cause trouble someday.


    ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been digging around suspicious areas with Stone Bear, too.¡±


    Just then, a nearby couple interrupted Gomon¡¯s words.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that special division kid, Luon? They still haven¡¯t found him, right? I hope he doesn¡¯t come back and cause more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Shh, Professor Gomon is right over there.¡±


    Professor Gomon suddenly glanced around, then whispered quietly in my ear.


    ¡°I heard Luon was your friend? It¡¯s awkward to say this to a student, but I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t handle the situation well¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you given up on the search entirely?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    Professor Gomon made an uncomfortable expression.


    ¡°Ah, should I even be telling you this? Oh well. I trust you, Hersel, so keep this to yourself. Luon Al Vanas¡­ he became the first person to successfully escape. Because of him, there¡¯s now an official fugitive list and a whole new set of punishment regulations. If he¡¯s found, he won¡¯t just end up in the punishment division. They¡¯ll make an example out of him in the worst way possible.¡±


    The first escapee¡­


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    ¡°Just in case you have any way of contacting him, I¡¯m telling you to cut ties completely. Oh, and I don¡¯t mean to doubt you or anything. I¡¯m just warning you because you might get caught in the crossfire.¡±


    Judging by his voice, Professor Gomon seemed to be genuinely concerned for me.


    But really, what could possibly happen?


    Increased surveillance means Luon will be restricted in his actions. He¡¯ll probably hide out somewhere quiet for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time.¡±


    Professor Gomon pointed toward the forest.


    At first, there was nothing visible in the dark, but soon enough, tiny glowing insects began to blend into the foliage, as if the Milky Way itself was descending from the sky.


    Those small light sources merged with the stillness of the night, softly illuminating the entire mountain range in a gentle green glow, like mood lighting.


    Feeling the cool breeze prickling my skin through the fabric of my clothes, I quietly muttered to myself.


    ¡°¡­¡¯Green spectacle¡¯ is the perfect name for this.¡±


    It seemed like everyone else was feeling the same way.


    They were all murmuring words of admiration, their eyes captivated by the scene.


    For the first time since entering Frost Heart, I thought to myself that maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad after all.


    Enjoy it while you can, because this peace won¡¯t last long¡­


    ***


    Below lay a dizzying cliff.


    They had come here because Felia insisted that they had to see this place.


    ¡°How is it? It¡¯s a special spot only I know. Isn¡¯t the view amazing?¡±


    Hetherson, grinning with satisfaction, spoke as he admired the scenery.


    ¡°Well, the struggle to get here was worth it. No wonder the old man bragged about it.¡±


    Luon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the breathtaking view, his mouth slightly agape.


    He was probably thinking of that man right now.


    After all, he had wanted to see this with him.


    Just then, Felia suddenly jumped in front of him, blocking his view, and asked, ¡°Are you thinking about him right now?¡±


    Luon stared at Felia, her expression as if she already knew the answer.


    Lately, it felt like she had somehow learned mind-reading, because it seemed like she could read his thoughts.


    ¡°I was just lost in the scenery for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Liar. To you, this forest full of flying bugs barely registers.¡±


    When Luon stayed silent, Felia smiled brightly and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    At her words, Hetherson stretched.


    ¡°Ugh! Let¡¯s head to the nearest village. Once we get there, the rest will be easy. Our people are everywhere, even in the smallest of backwater towns.¡±


    Luon tore his gaze away from the green spectacle and followed Felia and Hetherson. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So, what exactly do the Shadow Wardens do?¡± Luon asked.


    Hetherson glanced at him with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°What else would they do but bad things?¡±


    ¡°Stuff like gangs would do?¡±


    Their activities included things like contract killings, drug distribution, prostitution, and running illegal gambling dens.


    But Hetherson snorted as if that were trivial.


    ¡°Those are just small fry. You¡¯ll be playing in the big leagues.¡±


    ¡°The big leagues?¡±


    Hetherson suddenly stopped, his expression turning serious as he asked, ¡°Are you interested in treasure hunting?¡±


    Treasure hunters.


    While pathfinders and adventurers also do such things, it would be different if the hunters were part of the Shadow Wardens.


    They would be more like a band of thieves.


    ¡°It sounds intriguing.¡±


    Luon replied as he turned his back on the white fortress of Frost Heart.


    ***


    In a certain imperial region, the fog was so thick it even obscured the horizon.


    In a secluded farmhouse, the elderly warned that monsters roamed the area, urging people to stay away.


    However, middle-aged folks, a bit more cynical, had been gossiping for a while that there was a secret imperial base hidden there.


    It turns out, the middle-aged were right.


    In an office at the Pathfinder headquarters, a woman adjusted her glasses and reviewed the documents in front of her.


    Her eyes darted across the pages, and then she froze, causing her glasses to slip down again.


    She adjusted them and even read aloud to herself, but the information was the same.


    ¡°The scar on his mouth and the facial features match. The sword in his possession as well, and traces of Viper Silus venom were found in his blood¡­¡±


    A chill ran down the woman¡¯s spine.


    It made sense, considering the ¡°Venomous Snake,¡± who had earned a notorious reputation for hunting countless Pathfinders.


    And this man was killed by a mere student?


    When his head was brought to headquarters, most had scoffed.


    Even the woman had dismissed it as people getting worked up over someone who merely looked similar.


    But the verified results were now staring her in the face.


    She blinked several times, but the words on the page were clear.


    ¡°Wow, I never thought I¡¯d see something like this in my lifetime.¡±


    The woman grabbed the stamp sitting on her desk.


    Once it was pressed onto the document, that student would be awarded a medal.


    Just as she was about to stamp it with a resounding thud, the noise outside grew loud.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Though the voice was filled with tension and respect, it unmistakably belonged to her superior.


    For that conceited man to sound so deferential, it seemed someone of even higher rank had arrived.


    ¡°I heard this department handles the medals, so I thought I¡¯d stop by. I was considering delivering it personally.¡±


    ¡°Really? You mean directly? Oh, um, please, come inside.¡±


    The superior, sounding startled, opened the door.


    The woman stood from her seat, and when she saw the figure in a black robe adorned with blue embroidery, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    And the golden compass badge hanging on his chest.


    There was no doubt.


    It was a symbol that only an Elder at the core of the Pathfinders could possess.


    ¡°W-Wise Elder. What brings you to this humble place? No, wait, I¡¯ll fetch some tea right away.¡±


    As she hurried toward the kettle, the middle-aged man removed his hood and revealed a grin, showing his white teeth.


    ¡°No need for tea. Have you prepared the rewards yet?¡±


    ¡°I-I was just about to prepare them according to the regulations.¡±


    The smile vanished from his face.


    The woman, afraid she had made some mistake, was ready to bow in apology, but the middle-aged man stopped her and smiled again.


    ¡°No need to worry. I came here because I have something to say to him, and I thought I¡¯d deliver the medal personally.¡±


    The woman cautiously raised her head, trying to read his expression as he continued speaking.


    ¡°So, according to the regulations, what rank is it?¡±


    Medals have different ranks.


    The highest is the platinum dragon emblem.


    Next are the lion, wolf, eagle, and so on.


    Hersel was supposed to receive the eagle rank.


    ¡°Fourth rank. We were going to award him the eagle.¡±


    But the elder¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°¡­But, since you¡¯re personally delivering it, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. We¡¯ll raise it to the third rank, the wolf.¡±


    Even a fourth-rank medal is an honor that experienced Pathfinders might receive once in their lifetime.


    If a mere student were to receive a third-rank medal, they would be set for a high-ranking position upon graduation.


    With the right momentum, they could easily outrank their superiors, who would now be nervously standing beside the Elder.


    And all this for a mere rookie.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think this is breaking the rules. In fact, the Imperial family seems to have taken an interest in him, so we need to be prepared.¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, there had been whispers that the Imperial family was making unusual moves.


    Killing Berme and retrieving the relics must have left quite an impression.


    In the end, it was a competition between the Imperial Knights and the Pathfinders for talent¡­


    ¡°My, my, the Tenest family sure produces a lot of gifted individuals.¡±


    The woman swallowed the words, ¡°Indeed, they even have Mircel in their lineage.¡±


    The difference in status was too vast for her to speak so freely.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll take the third-rank medal with me.¡±


    The middle-aged man pulled his hood back up and approached her superior, who seemed eager to guide him out.


    But just then, the man turned back and smiled wryly.


    ¡°Ah, I hope my presence here hasn¡¯t caused any discomfort? I¡¯d hate to be a bother.¡±


    The woman forced a polite smile and shook her head.


    Words that contradicted her true feelings slipped from her mouth.


    ¡°No, it was an honor. How often do I get the chance to meet an Elder?¡±


    She nearly died of shock from a heart attack.


    ¡°Oh, really? That¡¯s a relief. It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I¡¯ve always thought you all found me uncomfortable, so I¡¯ve been avoiding coming around. Perhaps I should visit more often?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, that would be wonderful.¡±


    No! Please, don¡¯t!


    Whenever someone of higher rank visited, her superior would always nitpick about the state of the office, complaining about dust and all sorts of nonsense.


    And this time, it wasn¡¯t just any high-ranking official but the Elder, standing at the pinnacle of power.


    Even a surprise visit like this was enough to send the lower ranks into chaos.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the professors would be thrilled if the Elder visited them, too.¡±


    If just living in the same building was a nightmare for her, the professors would surely have it worse.


    The woman thought that, in the end, the real victims here were the professors of Frost Heart.


    Just the idea of him visiting would turn the academy upside down.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 125

    In the principal¡¯s office, Arkandric was gloomily fiddling with a black pebble. Watching him for several days now, Rockefeller began to worry.


    The order to execute the deserter as an example was issued from headquarters. Since it was an unprecedented event, it was intended to instill caution in the other students from the start.


    Arkandric was fully aware of this, so he hadn¡¯t said much, but¡­


    Rockefeller pondered for a moment, thinking about what to say to lift Arkandric¡¯s spirits.


    However, with the Crimson Magic Book stolen and the fortress still under repair, something stronger was needed to ease his mind.


    ¡°Ahem, the seven who were dispatched to the field will be returning soon. I¡¯m sure they would be thrilled if you praised them, Principal.¡±


    The seven were carefully selected after passing through strict criteria. Of course, they were promising talents, ranked from 1st to 7th. Commanders were already eyeing them to join their units.


    ¡°Ah, those kids? It¡¯s been quite a while since I last saw them. They left right after the first semester began.¡±


    ¡°They must have learned a lot. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll show great performances this year.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha, I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Arkandric chuckled, but it was clear he was forcing the smile.


    Even with the promising students, it felt inadequate to fill the void left by a prodigy like Luon Al Vanas. Adding to that, Arkandric had lavished special attention and care on Luon during training, making it emotionally difficult to feel satisfied.


    Rockefeller, watching Arkandric fidget with the pebble again, decided to pull out his trump card.


    ¡°And, Principal, soon, there will be rewards coming from the royal family and headquarters. It seems Frost Heart Academy is attracting attention due to this unusual event.¡±


    This was something to be proud of. It was also an opportunity to finally dispel the years of being ignored in future meetings between the principals.


    As Arkandric¡¯s lips slowly curled into a smile, Rockefeller¡¯s face brightened.


    However, what came out of Arkandric¡¯s mouth next was shocking.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Arental is coming.¡±


    Rockefeller thought he had misheard and asked again, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You know, the elder from headquarters. I received a letter that he¡¯s arriving today.¡±


    Arental Man Drayon.


    One of the elders from the Pathfinder Headquarters.


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes twitched, and he pursed his lips.


    His pupils trembled in panic. Just imagining such a high-profile figure visiting this place, still not fully recovered from the damage, was terrifying.


    No, that couldn¡¯t be. They had covered it up thoroughly and even replaced it with a convincing replica. There was almost no chance anyone would visit the Forbidden Library, so there shouldn¡¯t be any issues. Still, the thought worried him.


    Sensing his unease, Arkandric tried to reassure him.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry too much. He said he just wants to present the medal in person. It seems he¡¯s already got his eye on Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief¡­ But we still have a lot to prepare.¡±


    Though his concerns about the stolen tome eased, the situation remained serious. They had to finish the repairs quickly, prepare ceremonial materials like carpets, improve the academy¡¯s appearance, and ensure the students were perfectly disciplined.


    If they displeased Arental in any way, their budget could be slashed.


    ¡°The academy is in a bit of a state, but Arental isn¡¯t bad. He¡¯s just a little oblivious, but he has a kind heart. I doubt he¡¯ll be too harsh.¡±


    Arkandric spoke as though it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but to Rockefeller, it sounded like wishful thinking.


    It might be fine for someone who had been an equal to Arental in the past, but those below him would suffer.


    ***


    Of course, classes had been suspended until further notice.


    All the professors who were supposed to be teaching the students had been sent out to help with the search. Many of the educational materials had been destroyed, so they had to be replaced, and the students were too busy with manual labor to attend classes.


    I sat on a chair by the broken fountain. Today, the students were flattening the training grounds with shovels, filling cracks in the fortress with concrete.


    This situation was unusual. Not only were the workers from the Schlaphe Hall involved, but so were the students from the Adele Hall, and even professors were out working.


    The reason for all this was something I learned through Professor Gomon.


    ¡°There¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Did you find some kind of unknown tunnel while digging?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s just¡­ an elder is coming.¡±


    The current situation reminded me of my time in the military.


    When I was a sergeant, there was news that a three-star general would visit, and the battalion commander ordered us to move a pavilion.


    It was summer.


    But now, this situation was even worse.


    To put it simply, it was like a four-star general visiting a recruit training center.


    The academy was in chaos.


    As a result, even I had to labor.


    I voiced my complaints, but the response I got was this:


    ¡°It¡¯s all because he wants to give you a medal.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s not just a roundabout way of blaming me? Ugh, maybe I should follow Luon¡¯s lead and desert too.¡±


    As soon as I applied a little pressure, this was the position I was offered.


    ¨C ¡°Please, don¡¯t say such things. Come on, let¡¯s not make a fuss, okay? Professor Rockefeller ordered that everyone must work without exception. Oh, right, how about being a supervisor? You can just pretend to be working, sounds good, right?¡±


    ¨C ¡°But won¡¯t the other students say something about it? Is that really okay?¡±


    I¡¯m still a first-year student in Schlaphe Hall. There are bound to be many people who would frown upon me doing easy tasks all by myself. Especially those senior students from Adele Hall.


    However, Professor Gomon answered as if it was nothing.


    ¨C ¡°Complaints? About you? Ha, don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    And so, I was assigned the supervisor role. When I actually tried it, it wasn¡¯t too bad. There¡¯s a certain fun to it. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hey, senior, that load seems light, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Cut me some slack. Do you know how hard it is to carry this sack up and down the stairs?¡±


    ¡°That just proves you¡¯re out of shape. This is good for you. Think of it as exercise and double it.¡±


    The senior from Adele Hall, looking dejected, trudged toward the fortress.


    Still, I didn¡¯t feel comfortable just sitting around giving orders, so I got up from my seat and headed to the fortress. Might as well check if they¡¯re doing things right.


    I spotted a senior from Schlaphe Hall standing awkwardly in front of the Grand Mage statue. Unfortunately, the body of the founder was in bad shape, with a broken arm and cracks on the legs, looking like it could collapse at any moment.


    ¡°Uh, how are we supposed to fix this?¡±


    ¡°We might be better off making a new one.¡±


    ¡°Make a new one? Just like this one?¡±


    ¡°Wait a bit. Aslay¡¯s on his way with a massive boulder.¡±


    Right on cue, Aslay arrived carrying a boulder about the size of a medium car, which he had brought from the mountain behind the school. The size seemed just right to carve a new statue.


    ¡°Senior, do you remember the guy who made that ice sculpture in front of our dorm? He seemed pretty skilled. Go bring him. Aslay, sorry, but you¡¯ll have to make another trip for that rock. We¡¯ll need it.¡±


    ¡°Got it, boss.¡±


    After giving out instructions, I spotted Leana precariously hanging from a rope while trying to plaster the cracks in the fortress wall. As expected of someone from the cushy Adele Hall, she wasn¡¯t very good at the work. Every time she dropped her trowel, the senior from the Magic Division would levitate it back up with telekinesis.


    ¡°Leana, your strength is being wasted here. How about you go chop some firewood? We need it to make furniture.¡±


    Leana nodded and climbed into the room through the window.


    It was clear that students from Schlaphe Hall were the best at this kind of work.


    ¡°Watch how the people from Schlaphe Hall are doing things, and learn from them. If you can¡¯t, ask them to teach you.¡±


    After saying that, I went inside the fortress and looked around the first floor. The carpets were faded, the flowerpots and windows were broken, and the furniture like chairs and tables had many scratches.


    Ricks waved at me. His crew was standing behind him.


    ¡°Hersel, can you take a look at the furniture? I was thinking of arranging it like this.¡±


    Ricks showed me his plan for restoring the interior using shaping magic. I wasn¡¯t sure whose taste it was, but it looked so old-fashioned and eerie that it felt like ghosts might appear.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s too dark and gloomy.¡±


    ¡°Kind of, right? But Professor Rockefeller insisted on this style¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget what he said. Try to match the colors with the walls as much as possible.¡±


    After a few discussions with his crew and some adjustments with shaping magic, Ricks modified the interior. The female students had the most say in the process.


    Eventually, something decent started to take shape, and I could see Ricks¡¯s eyes light up.


    ¡°Oh, this looks pretty good! Go quickly to the furniture-making club and ask them to revise the design. They should have just received their lumber by now, so they¡¯ll probably get it done.¡±


    Next came complaints about broken door hinges, damaged scales used for teaching materials, and ruined metal models. I told them to request help from the blacksmithing club and assured them that the academy would cover all the costs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the budget. Rockefeller will take care of everything.¡±


    Some students from Buerger and Adele Halls had injured themselves while doing unfamiliar tasks. Most injuries were from hammering their fingers or falling from heights.


    ¡°The infirmary is already crowded, so they can¡¯t even provide basic treatment right now. Go to the Alchemy Club and get some medicines. And you, come here. I¡¯ll fix the minor injuries.¡±


    I continued my supervisory duties while healing small injuries with recovery magic. After a few rounds, things started to move faster, and the end of the construction seemed within sight. Everyone had gotten used to the tasks and were handling them well on their own.


    With nothing left to do, I returned to my original seat by the broken fountain, watching Bellman. He had recruited Edina to help him, trying to repair the cleanly cut fountain instead of discarding it.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a matter of altering the material¡¯s properties, I think we can restore it to its original form.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I might be short on mana, but I¡¯ll give it a try, Bellman.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s at least get the shape right first.¡±


    Bellman was trying to fit the broken fountain pieces back together like a puzzle, but it looked difficult. Seeing them struggle, Emeric and Harmon approached to help.


    Emeric, in particular, was meticulous, not allowing even the slightest deviation.


    ¡°Harmon, tilt it slightly more to the right. It¡¯s not perfectly level.¡±


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a tiny difference.¡±


    After some collaboration, Edina successfully fused the pieces into a single fountain using her material alteration magic.


    I applauded them for their efforts.


    ¡°Well done. At this pace, we might just finish before the deadline.¡±


    Emeric took a sip of water and asked me, ¡°By the way, have you heard the news?¡±


    ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°The group that went to the Labyrinth is returning soon.¡±


    Harmon, who had been listening, perked up and chimed in.


    ¡°Oh, from 7th to 1st rank? That¡¯s great news. Hersel, those guys have great personalities. You should try to hang out with them sometime. Want me to set something up? It¡¯ll make life at the academy much easier if you get close to them.¡±


    Great personalities? What a joke. Those lunatics have good personalities?


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about getting me involved with them. I couldn¡¯t care less whether they¡¯re ranked or not.¡±


    The importance of those ranked from 1st to 10th, well¡­


    Yeah, they¡¯re like the duo who once nurtured Ricks¡¯s group through antagonistic relationships with the main cast.


    They¡¯ll eventually leave and pass on their positions to others, so I don¡¯t have to concern myself too much with them.


    ¡°But since you keep bringing them up, you must have some sort of plan, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I said sternly, and Harmon, sweating nervously, averted his eyes.


    It seemed these guys were planning another gambling game, thinking they could easily rope me in. As if I¡¯d fall for that.


    ***


    On the stairs of the fortress, Professor Gomon glanced nervously at the front gate of Frost Heart Academy.


    Today was the day, so it was understandable.


    Although the work was almost done, there were still things left to do.


    ¡°Oh no, the curtain¡¯s wrinkled. Hersel, I¡¯m going to fix that real quick. Let me know the moment the carriage arrives. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Gomon rushed into the fortress to smooth out the curtain, but he still nervously peeked out the window every now and then.


    Meanwhile, Hersel, who was sitting on a bench next to the fountain, looked down at the students who were organizing the tools they had used to repair the training grounds.


    Just then, three carriages crossed through the main gate.


    But his surprise was short-lived. After seeing who was getting out of the carriages, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just those ranked students from the Top Ten.¡±


    They began asking various questions to the students who were pulling carts, their faces showing surprise. After a few exchanges, they seemed to understand the situation and walked across the training grounds.


    As they passed by the bench where Hersel was sitting, one of the men among the Top Ten stopped.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The others, clearly exhausted, yawned continuously as they climbed the stairs.


    The man, however, didn¡¯t seem to care whether they left or not and blinked at Hersel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t recognize that face. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a first-year student who joined this year.¡±


    At Hersel¡¯s calm reply, the man frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let the short response slide for now. But while your seniors are out there busting their asses, what¡¯s a first-year doing here living the good life?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a supervisor. It may look easy, but it¡¯s actually quite exhausting.¡±


    The man let out a scoffing laugh as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing and stepped closer to Hersel.


    ¡°Who the hell taught you? Can¡¯t be from Adele Hall, so Buerger Hall, then?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯m from Schlaphe.¡±


    Hersel stood up from his seat. The man¡¯s grin faded instantly, and his eyes narrowed, his foot twitching as if he were about to kick something.


    His target was the bench Hersel had just been sitting on.


    Crack!


    The wooden bench shattered instantly, pieces flying through the air.


    Standing stiff with his back straight, Hersel¡¯s composed demeanor clearly irritated the man, who turned red with anger and shouted loudly.


    ¡°Stand at attention, properly!!¡±


    At that moment, Professor Gomon, who had been looking out of the window toward the front gate, appeared with a horrified expression. The workers repairing the training grounds stopped what they were doing and gaped in disbelief.


    Amidst the murmurs, phrases like ¡°That crazy bastard¡± floated through the air.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 126

    Meldon has been proactive since his first year, earning praise from promising seniors and being recognized by professors for his exceptional skills. Despite being a second-year student, he joined the prestigious ¡°Ten Elites,¡± a group of elite third-year students, and ranked 7th. No one doubted his abilities. However, at this moment, Meldon was in an extremely bad mood.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Stand at attention properly.¡±


    When the six higher-ranked members left yawning, it was clear they meant for him to handle things on his own. Despite his efforts to restore discipline by shouting, the blond delinquent in front of him only stared back with a sullen, uninterested expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Meldon was speechless. He had never encountered someone so clueless. Weren¡¯t seniors revered as if they were gods? Especially those from the Schlaphe Hall, who always looked up to the Adele Hall and stayed sharp, like a razor¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen idiots like you before. But did you know? There¡¯s a cure for that.¡±


    Of course, it¡¯s physical therapy.


    Professors always favored the ¡°Ten Elites.¡± At Frostheart, skilled students were rewarded. A little violence was even praised as a way to maintain order.


    ¡°Shall I make you cry first?¡±


    Just as Meldon was about to punch Hersel in the nose, pain erupted from inside his body.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Meldon trembled, tears involuntarily welling up in his eyes. He rolled his gaze to see Professor Gomon nearby, panting, his staff pointed toward him.


    ¡°A¡­ a curse of restraint? Why?¡±


    Professor Gomon hurried over and grabbed Meldon by the back of the neck.


    ¡°Hey, if you showed up, you should¡¯ve gone quietly back to your dorm to rest. Why are you bothering someone who¡¯s working hard?¡±


    Working hard? Meldon reflexively questioned, thinking of Hersel, who had been sitting back, watching leisurely.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll handle this troublemaker.¡±


    With that, Professor Gomon dragged Meldon away. Once they disappeared, Emeric and Hamon, who had been watching from a distance, clicked their tongues in disappointment.


    ¡°Damn it, the troublemaker was him.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now, Emeric?¡±


    Since they had just returned from the Demonic realm, they probably didn¡¯t know that Hersel had captured the Venomous Serpent. The news would have spread quickly, but it would have been impossible to reach the depths of the Demonic realm. Besides, they had been stuck in the carriage the whole time, so there was no chance to hear it.


    But once they heard, everything would be over.


    ¡°Ah, do you think Professor Gomon will tell them everything?¡±


    At that, Athera, who had appeared out of nowhere, pulled out her notebook.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I figured this might happen, so I hired some insurance. They should be clinging to Professor Gomon by now, making sure he doesn¡¯t have a chance to speak.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, shall I show you the betting list?¡±


    The bet wasn¡¯t on winning or losing; the topic was how long someone could last against Hersel. The highest odds were on three seconds, and the longer the time, the lower the odds became.


    Athera put her notebook away and turned her back.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go distribute some medicine to the others.¡±


    As she left, Hamon scratched his head.


    ¡°That girl¡¯s pretty sharp when you think about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, even though her combat skills are low, her test scores are always in the top ranks. If she had trained a bit, she might have barely made it into the Adele Hall. But I wonder if this will be okay.¡±


    At Emeric¡¯s cryptic remark, Hamon asked,


    ¡°What will?¡±


    Emeric closed his eyes slowly and then opened them.


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s okay to be doing this right now.¡±


    Even the professors and Adele Hall students had been mobilized for the repair work, as if they were racing against time.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s because the Pathfinder headquarters is sending someone down, right? They¡¯re coming to give Hersel a medal. That¡¯s why Rockefeller is so concerned, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Even so, it feels a bit excessive.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. They¡¯re just low-ranking staff. They¡¯ll probably just stop by briefly to deliver something and leave.¡±


    Emeric nodded at Hamon¡¯s words. It was the first time the fortress had been so damaged, so they must be putting a lot of effort into projecting a good image. Even if low-ranking staff came and left, they didn¡¯t want any word reaching headquarters. That¡¯s probably why.


    Yet the sense of dread wouldn¡¯t go away.


    ¡°What is this ominous feeling¡­?¡±


    Emeric decided to trust his instincts and withdraw.


    ¡°I¡¯m out. You and Athera handle the rest, Hamon.¡±


    They already had more than enough coins. Emeric knew well that greed beyond a certain point would only bring disaster.


    ***


    Inside the carriage, Arental asked the officer sitting across from him.


    ¡°How do I look? Do I appear ordinary in this outfit?¡±


    The clothes he wore were not the typical formal robes of an elder but a standard uniform that a low-ranking officer might wear.


    ¡°It¡¯s appropriate. You won¡¯t stand out in that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I wouldn¡¯t want anyone to feel uneasy because of me.¡±


    At his words, she held back the question, ¡°Are you disguising yourself for a surprise inspection?¡±


    The carriage gradually approached the Frostheart fortress. Arental gazed out at the scenery, filled with nostalgia. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Returning to my alma mater after so long, I feel excited. It was such a joyful time back then.¡±


    The officer asked with a curious tone, ¡°Ah, right. There¡¯s a rumor that the Duke was once your senior. Is that true?¡±


    Arental smiled broadly.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. I suddenly remember how I used to follow Senior Aol everywhere. Back then, I was a young man full of passion, eager to learn all I could.¡±


    ¡°It must be quite emotional for you to meet his son.¡±


    The officer¡¯s expression turned worried as a thought crossed her mind.


    ¡°But¡­ is it really okay? There are some unfavorable rumors about Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    A sudden burst of laughter escaped from Arental¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Um¡­ Sir Arental?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I apologize. I was just reminded of the old days. Senior Aol used to cause quite a bit of trouble, so much so that even the professors were afraid of him.¡±


    As Arental reminisced, the officer tilted her head in confusion. Aol was famous not only for his strength but also for being a dignified and gentlemanly figure. Imagining such a man causing trouble felt oddly contradictory.


    ¡°I suppose the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. Hersel Ben Tenest must have inherited those traits from the Duke, don¡¯t you think? Haha.¡±


    As Arental laughed heartily, the carriage arrived at the gates of Frostheart.


    ***


    Word had already spread that the carriage had arrived. All students were instructed to stay inside the dormitories or fortress and to behave exemplary. I, who was scheduled to receive a medal, waited in the indoor garden just below the headmaster¡¯s office. Once the elder arrived at the office, a professor would call for me.


    ¡®It¡¯s been restored quite neatly, Hersel.¡¯


    Donatan commented on the now-restored indoor garden. The place had been a battleground between Luon and the others, leaving the flowers trampled and the stone floor covered in dirt. The walls had been damaged too, though thankfully, the statues had remained untouched.


    While admiring the pristine garden that looked as though it had been rebuilt, I was also speculating on which elder would arrive. Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps, followed by a cheerful voice.


    ¡°This place has changed quite a bit.¡±


    Judging by the tone and the Pathfinder uniform, the speaker seemed to be an alumnus of Frostheart. It wasn¡¯t unusual for graduates to visit their alma mater from time to time.


    However, when I saw the kind face of the middle-aged man, my pupils shook with shock.


    Arental Man Drayon.


    One of the elders of headquarters.


    Our eyes met.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s someone here already. I was just reminiscing and ended up talking to myself. I hope I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    The sudden encounter left me speechless. All that ran through my mind was one question:


    Why is someone of his rank dressed like a low-ranking officer?


    After collecting my thoughts, I stood up from the bench and greeted him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Arental.¡±


    It seemed he had intended to hide his identity, but it was already obvious who he was. There would be no harm in revealing it since he was such an easygoing person, unlikely to be offended by such a thing.


    Arental scratched the back of his head awkwardly and gave a wry smile.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve already been found out, huh. I¡¯m curious¡ªhow did you figure it out?¡±


    ¡°I saw your portrait hanging in the main hall. I wasn¡¯t sure at first, but I decided to mention it, and it seems I was right.¡±


    Arental approached me, nodding in admiration.


    ¡°Ah, that portrait. Though it¡¯s strange¡ªI looked much different when I was younger. My skin was smoother, and I had put on some weight back then.¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, I wasn¡¯t entirely certain. But your facial features are so distinct that it clicked right away.¡±


    I replied modestly. Arental, seemingly intrigued by me, motioned for me to sit as he took a seat on the bench.


    ¡°How are you finding life at the academy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite happy here.¡±


    Arental chuckled at my response.


    ¡°Ah, I like that. Very positive. So, are there any strange occurrences happening these days? Like ghosts showing up, strange monsters awakening, or mysterious pathways appearing out of nowhere?¡±


    I answered confidently again.


    ¡°Oh, were such things common in the past? That¡¯s surprising. I¡¯ve never encountered anything like that. I believe the professors have been managing things very well.¡±


    In truth, the professors were the last people I wanted to defend. But in order to secure more funding for the academy, I had to give the impression that it was being run smoothly. More funds meant more resources for me to siphon off.


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll have to suggest they get a bonus. Oh, by the way, are there any facilities or materials you need? The academy has a lot of outdated things, and it¡¯s about time for an upgrade.¡±


    ¡°Well, there are some things. Though we¡¯ve managed well enough with what we have, many items have naturally worn out over time.¡±


    Arental pulled out a notebook and began listening intently. I started by listing the outdated equipment in the armory and the shortages I¡¯d noticed while overseeing things. He carefully jotted everything down, then gave a slightly embarrassed smile.


    ¡°Haha, the library does have a lot of those old books. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to bring in some light novels to help people relax from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Though I aim to be a Pathfinder, being human means those kinds of thoughts do cross my mind from time to time. Just occasionally, of course.¡±


    After jotting down a few more notes, Arental tucked his notebook away.


    ¡°That was helpful. Perhaps the headquarters could also adopt some of the suggestions you mentioned.¡±


    He pulled out his pocket watch and then stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯ve kept you too long.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I enjoyed our time together, Sir Arental.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that. Now, I must be off to attend to my matters. Truthfully, I came here not just to reminisce, but also to check on something.¡±


    Arental glanced over at a statue in the corner. Though he didn¡¯t say it, I knew why he was so interested in that statue. There was a hidden easter egg¡ªa secret engraving of his lover¡¯s name from his student days.


    Realizing this might take longer than I thought, I turned to gaze at the scenery beyond the window.


    ***


    The Seven elites who had returned from their fieldwork were supposed to submit their reports to Arkandric and make an appearance to receive words of encouragement. However, they had been ordered to stay put upon hearing the news of a sudden visitor.


    ¡°I¡¯m still exhausted. I¡¯ll rest in the dorm a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too. Meldon, you know what to do if the professor calls us, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please rest easy.¡±


    The four men and women stretched and then disappeared.


    Meldon, breathing heavily, continued his rant to the senior members from the 6th and 5th elites.


    ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable! That blond guy was so rude and arrogant. I was about to teach him a lesson, but then Professor Gomon suddenly pulled me away from him!¡±


    The female senior and the 5th elite responded.


    ¡°Gomon did that? That man is way too soft.¡±


    The male senior and the 6th elite replied.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it absurd? I¡¯m sure he used to be all about discipline when he was a student, just like us. Now he¡¯s acting all nice.¡±


    The female senior frowned.


    ¡°By the way, is that blond guy the one Athera mentioned? Could he be Hersel or whatever that tough guy¡¯s name was?¡±


    ¡°That Hersel? No way.¡±


    The male senior shook his head, but the female senior asked, ¡°Wait, is he famous?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you wouldn¡¯t know, coming from the western region. He¡¯s famous, alright, but not in a good way. You¡¯ve heard of the Tenest family, right? He¡¯s their eldest son.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Tenests.¡±


    Listening quietly, Meldon scratched his head. Hersel, that infamous delinquent. Though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that blond guy was indeed the eldest son of the Tenest family, it didn¡¯t really matter to him.


    Recalling what Athera had said, Meldon smirked. She had mentioned that despite being incredibly weak, Hersel had an unyielding spirit, never backing down no matter how much he was beaten. That¡¯s because they weren¡¯t professionals when it came to dealing with people like him.


    Armed with this knowledge even before coming to the academy, Meldon straightened his shoulders and walked with confidence. As he neared the stairs, he noticed a woman standing still, her back to him. She wore a robe with the distinctive compass emblem of a Pathfinder on it.


    The female senior quickly grabbed Meldon¡¯s sleeve in a panic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take another route.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°That outfit¡­ she¡¯s an officer. My brother said she¡¯s high-ranking. It won¡¯t do us any good to get noticed.¡±


    The male senior quietly added in a low voice, ¡°No wonder there¡¯s so much fuss around the academy. The professors seem to be watching her closely, so we¡¯d better stay away. If we mess up, it could be the end of us.¡±


    ¡°In that case, senior, let¡¯s wait in the garden. If we hear footsteps from the professors in the hallway, I¡¯ll go check if they¡¯ve called for us.¡±


    Reluctantly, they decided to enter the indoor garden. Meldon, smiling broadly at the overwhelming scent of flowers, led the way.


    ¡°It feels like I haven¡¯t been here in a while. Wow, it looks like they¡¯ve done some renovations. It¡¯s so clean.¡±


    Meldon admired the slightly altered interior, soaking in the atmosphere. Then, his eyes widened when he saw a man sitting on a bench.


    That blond head¡ªno doubt about it.


    ¡°Well, well! Look who it is! How did a lowlife from the Schlaphe Hall manage to sneak in here?!¡±


    As he approached with a menacing expression, Hersel flinched, opening his eyes in surprise.


    Seeing Hersel¡¯s expression, Meldon inwardly laughed.


    Meldon grabbed Hersel by the collar and lifted him up. However, even as Hersel was hoisted off the ground, his gaze remained fixed elsewhere.


    Feeling unsettled by the fact that Hersel seemed distracted even in a moment when he was about to be hit, Meldon followed Hersel¡¯s gaze and turned his head slightly.


    ¡°What are you staring at¡­¡±


    Hersel¡¯s eyes were locked on a middle-aged man standing in front of a statue, dressed in the uniform of a low-ranking officer from headquarters. Meldon¡¯s eyes met the man¡¯s, and the man blinked slowly, as if surprised by what he was seeing.


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 Chapter 127

    Meldon did not let go of the collar even when he saw the middle-aged man. It was because he had already gotten a sense of things at a glance.Though it was the uniform of the headquarters, it was the type worn by low-ranking officers. Moreover, by the time someone reached their 30s, they usually had at least one epaulet on their shoulder, but he had none. This was proof that he was from the very bottom of the hierarchy.


    The man probably came here to reminisce, for it wasn¡¯t uncommon for graduates to return to visit.


    ¡°You seem to be treating that student a little too harshly,¡± said the middle-aged man with a blink.


    Meldon let go of the collar and was about to bow his head. After all, the man was his senior, and as long as he was still active, it was necessary to show a certain degree of respect.


    ¡°Hello, Senior.¡±


    Meldon¡¯s respectful greeting came out smoothly, but what followed was a subtle pressure to stay out of his affairs.


    ¡°If it appeared that way, I apologize, but this is all to establish discipline.¡±


    Frost Heart Academy had a strict hierarchy. The dormitories, run on a ranking system, were just one example. The professors implicitly encouraged disciplining and even punishing underclassmen in the name of maintaining order.


    ¡°Tradition must be upheld, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Having said this much, the man should have understood. The culture of punishment used to be even worse in the old days, so it would have been ingrained in his bones, whether he liked it or not. Especially if he came from the Schlaphe Hall, not the prestigious Buerger house.


    But the middle-aged man seemed displeased, approaching with a serious expression.


    ¡°I thought things had improved since my time. Was I mistaken? For now, please take a step back from the student.¡±


    At that, a male senior standing nearby spoke up in a slightly annoyed tone.


    ¡°Senior or not, aren¡¯t you interfering a bit too much with our policies? This is all to keep the academy running smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, hierarchy is indeed important. And, of course, it is right to impose appropriate punishment if rules are broken. But punishing someone merely because you¡¯re irritated is wrong.¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s calm and deliberate speech prompted a female senior to ask in a snappy tone.


    ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re bullying this student for no reason?¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you¡¯re not following the proper procedure. If you¡¯re going to punish someone, you should explain what they did wrong and ensure they understand before carrying out the punishment. You can¡¯t just grab someone¡¯s collar without explanation, like you¡¯re doing.¡±


    Meldon quietly considered what grounds they had for punishment.


    At that moment, the female senior decided to flaunt her authority.


    ¡°Wow, I was being polite because you¡¯re a senior. Hey, do you even know who we are? We¡¯re part of the Ten Elites. After graduation, we might be your superiors.¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes widened.


    Encouraged by his reaction, the female senior pressed on.


    ¡°You¡¯re with the headquarters, right? My brother works there too. If I say the word, you know what could happen.¡±


    Respect for a senior only applied to those of similar rank. Once a gap in rank appeared, the hierarchy would reset itself. The middle-aged man squinted his eyes, perhaps feeling some tension. ?


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s your brother¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? What¡¯s important is that I remember your face. I don¡¯t even need to know your name to figure out who you are. How many low-ranking men like you are still around at your age?¡±


    The female senior turned to Meldon and shouted.


    ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you going to drag him off?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    Meldon grabbed the collar again. Only then did Hersel, whose soul seemed to have left his body, regain his senses and snap his eyes open. As soon as he came to, the first thing he saw was Meldon, grumbling with his head slightly turned.


    ¡°Seriously, is he covering for him just because they¡¯re from the same loser house?¡±


    Hersel despaired, realizing that everything he had seen wasn¡¯t just a bad dream.


    ***


    At a high enough rank, you could behead someone with just a flick of your hand. They had failed to recognize their situation and were acting out in front of such a powerful figure.


    ¡°Let go of his collar,¡± Arental said to the man holding my collar. The woman next to him frowned deeply.


    ¡°Old man, didn¡¯t you hear me? Should I have you transferred to some desolate corner of the wilderness?¡±


    This was the result of the professors pampering and coddling their Ten Elites students, practically raising them like golden children. Being spoiled for so long, they had lost all sense of propriety.


    ¡®Heh, this situation is turning out to be quite amusing.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, Donatan¡­ this is a pretty serious situation right now.¡±


    Because of those lunatics, the support we were supposed to receive might turn into nothing. The only relief is that Arental is a person of gentle character, not someone who would break a promise just because he¡¯s in a bad mood.


    If no high-ranking officials accompanying this man witness this, we might be able to get through this crisis smoothly. I opened my mouth, ready to say something to handle the situation.


    ¡°Ahem, Aren¡ª¡±


    But my words were cut off again as a tremor shook my pupils. The woman¡¯s sharp, high-pitched voice seemed to have reached outside, because a clerk was now watching the situation from the threshold of the indoor garden¡ªwith an incredibly piercing gaze.


    ¡°¡­Did I just hear you spewing that nonsense to the lord?¡±


    Her icy voice froze the entire room. The ¡°Golden Children¡± finally seemed to realize what was happening, seeing the high-ranking uniform she was wearing, and quickly bowed at a 90-degree angle.


    ¡°S-sorry!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to be noisy!¡±


    ¡°We apologize!¡±


    Even though they apologized with desperate voices, the clerk¡¯s sharp gaze showed no sign of softening. She likely found their earlier mistake unforgivable.


    ¡°Why are you apologizing to me? It seems like the person you should apologize to is someone else.¡±


    They hurriedly bowed their heads toward Arental and apologized in rapid succession.


    ¡°Ah, we sincerely apologize for the rudeness earlier.¡±


    ¡°I said something excessive without knowing the situation. I¡¯m very sorry.¡±


    ¡°We promise this will never happen again¡­¡±


    However, the commotion did not merely end as a ripple on calm waters; it seemed to have spread like waves. There were others who came, having heard the noise.


    ¡°¡­Those idiots.¡±


    It was Professor Gomon, quietly observing with shifty eyes, and Rockefeller, glaring as if he wanted to kill them. The clerk took this chance to address Rockefeller.


    ¡°It seems there are many problems with your education policies. Even if the lord is wearing a simple uniform, these students, who don¡¯t even hold a rank yet¡ª¡±


    ¡°I deeply apologize on behalf of these students, Lady Noras. Those who dared to act so disrespectfully towards an Elder will be punished by me personally.¡±


    At the mention of the word ¡°Elder¡± from Rockefeller¡¯s mouth, the faces of the ¡°Golden Children¡± turned pale. In their heads, the events of just moments ago must have been flashing by, and their lives were likely passing before their eyes as well. The female senior who had been the most brazen earlier seemed to realize she was completely done for and began to sob.


    But there was no way someone like Rockefeller, who was a sociopath, would have any sympathy for something like that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll receive a light punishment just because you¡¯re part of the Ten Elites. And don¡¯t think showing tears will make me feel sorry for you. By the time I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll wish you¡¯d been sentenced to death instead.¡±


    The cold look in Rockefeller¡¯s dead eyes made even me shudder. As the ¡°Golden Children¡± trembled and whimpered, Arental smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Haha, Noras, Rockefeller, there¡¯s no need to be so harsh on the kids. This all happened because I concealed my identity and wore these clothes, didn¡¯t it? Oh, of course, this uniform is still splendid.¡±


    As Arental tried to smooth things over, Noras, his assistant and the clerk, smiled sweetly.


    ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s what you say, Lord Arental.¡±


    However, the glance she shot at the ¡°Golden Children¡± clearly conveyed the message: ¡°Don¡¯t think this will end here.¡±


    Unaware of this, Arental approached Rockefeller.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Arental, more than well¡ªalmost undeservingly so.¡±


    It seemed they had some acquaintance from before. As they chatted, Arental took out his pocket watch.


    ¡°Oh my, we¡¯ve been delayed here too long. Hersel Ben Tenest must have been waiting for quite some time. Let¡¯s go at once.¡±


    At the mention of my name, Rockefeller looked between me and Arental with a startled expression.


    ¡°¡­Ahem, Hersel Ben Tenest is over there.¡±


    Arental¡¯s eyes widened, and as he looked at my face, he grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter.


    He probably hadn¡¯t realized I was Hersel. I hadn¡¯t mentioned it because it seemed too foolish to say, ¡°I¡¯m the one you¡¯re here to reward¡± without being asked.


    ¡°Haha, what a basic mistake on my part. Now that I think about it, I never asked your name.¡±


    I finally managed to speak calmly to Arental.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself again. I am Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. No wonder you seemed familiar¡ªyou do resemble the Grand Duke.¡±


    Arental smiled broadly and turned as if to leave.


    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s start the awarding ceremony. Noras, please bring the formal robes for the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Arental.¡±


    It seemed Arental was preparing to conduct the ceremony properly. It would indeed be inappropriate for him to wear such a low-ranking uniform.


    ¡°You go ahead and get ready. I¡¯ll prepare everything here,¡± he said before leaving the indoor garden.


    During that time, Professor Gomon whispered in my ear.


    ¡°We really dodged a bullet, thanks to you.¡±


    He seemed pleased that I had made Arental laugh.


    ¡°Even without me, the result would have been the same. The Lord doesn¡¯t seem like the type to get angry over something like this.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean the restoration work. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d finish it in time.¡±


    ¡°I merely followed the instructions step by step.¡±


    With that, I shot a sharp look at the ¡°Golden Children.¡± Their shoulders flinched, and they raised their heads.


    ¡°Did you guys eat something rotten while in the Demonic Realm? You¡¯ve gone completely mad.¡±


    Their faces twisted with humiliation. I let out a scoff in disbelief.


    ¡°Even though they know perfectly well what just happened, they¡¯re acting proud out of their petty pride. They must know I¡¯m the one receiving the award, but they¡¯re probably reacting out of jealousy.¡±


    ¡°How childish.¡±


    Just as I was about to say something more, Rockefeller used telekinesis to lift them into the air.


    ¡°Punishment is the professor¡¯s job, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    With that, he disappeared, taking the ¡°Golden Children¡± with him. After some time had passed, I was summoned. Leaving behind the supportive Professor Gomon, I made my way to the headmaster¡¯s office.


    ***


    I had just returned to the dormitory after finishing my business. As soon as I stepped in, Athera came rushing up to me, his face pale as he asked,


    ¡°D-did my name come up at all?¡±


    ¡°Why would your name come up, senior?¡±


    ¡°Please, just tell me. Whether it was with the elder or the professors. Did they mention me?¡±


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t. Why?¡±


    Athera¡¯s complexion brightened as if she had narrowly escaped death, and she asked again.


    ¡°Really? For sure, they didn¡¯t mention my name?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, seriously. Now stop bothering me and go away.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t figure out what was making her act like this. The fact that she mentioned the elder¡­ Could it be that she was involved in the mess the ¡°Golden Children¡± caused?


    Well, it¡¯s already been resolved, and it¡¯s in the past now.


    As I walked away from Athera, this time Ricks, Limberton, and Aslay approached me. Limberton, in a nervous voice, spoke first.


    ¡°Hersel, is it true?¡±


    ¡°Is what true?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s this strange rumor going around that you might be leaving soon.¡±


    Has the rumor spread already? I wondered if someone had overheard something, but that didn¡¯t seem likely. Listening in on a conversation with an elder would be a suicide mission.


    It was probably just speculation. After all, when someone with a high status comes to award a mere student, it¡¯s natural to assume it might be a scouting offer.


    ¡°Well, they did make an offer. They said I could graduate early and start working immediately.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re really going to graduate?¡±


    Limberton, Ricks, and Aslay smiled, but their eyes trembled slightly. I responded nonchalantly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Really? Wow, that¡¯s great, right?¡± Limberton said, trying to lift the mood.


    Ricks and Aslay nodded in agreement, but before they could say anything more, I revealed how long I¡¯d be staying.


    ¡°In two and a half years.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hersel, you mean¡­¡±


    Their faces dropped with disappointment, and they let out a deep sigh, their lips twitching as if they were trying to suppress a smile. Limberton couldn¡¯t hold back his laughter and said,


    ¡°Man, you scared us!¡±


    Ricks added a nonsensical comment.


    ¡°Hersel, maybe you don¡¯t actually want to be separated from us, huh?¡±


    Don¡¯t be ridiculous. If it were up to me, I¡¯d leave immediately. The only reason I haven¡¯t left yet is because I need to keep an eye on Frost Heart after the disappearance of the ¡®Crimson Magic Book¡¯.


    I swallowed the words I wanted to say and let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll call it a day.¡±


    I walked toward my room with slightly sluggish steps. But they, still full of curiosity, kept following me, bombarding me with questions.


    ¡°So, what kind of position did they offer you?¡±


    ¡°Just the commander of a new unit.¡±


    ¡°Commander? That sounds pretty impressive.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, something like that. But I¡¯m really tired, so I¡¯ll head in.¡±


    I had a lot on my mind and needed some time alone.


    As I reached my door, I overheard some girls talking as they passed by.


    ¡°Did you hear about the special transfer student coming?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s no way, right? It¡¯s just a rumor, right? There¡¯s no way that ¡®she¡¯s¡¯ coming?¡±


    The one they were gossiping about wasn¡¯t just any transfer student. Soon, a special admissions student would arrive here, someone who was crucial to the ¡®Asares¡¯ scenario¡ªand extremely dangerous. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If I want to stay out of trouble, I¡¯ll need to figure out how to handle this situation.


    ***


    Inside the carriage headed to the headquarters, Clerk Noras cautiously asked,


    ¡°Forgive me if I¡¯m being presumptuous, but I think it¡¯s fortunate that he turned down your offer.¡±


    Arental, looking at the fortress disappearing in the distance, replied,


    ¡°Is it because of the other elders?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. No matter how new the unit may be, offering him a commander¡¯s position? Hersel Ben Tenest is still a student who hasn¡¯t even graduated yet.¡±


    The position of commander is a high-ranking post reserved only for the most recognized veterans. To push someone straight from early graduation into a field command position would undoubtedly stir up all kinds of rumors within headquarters.


    Yet Arental remained calm in his stance.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the report on the ¡®Demonic Realm¡¯ exercise, haven¡¯t you? I believe my offer wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    Noras fell silent for a moment. The report from the professors detailed not just how Hersel had hunted down the instructor, but also how he had recruited the Adele Hall to cooperate and used unconventional tactics to capture the Roaming Band. His abilities as a leader were clearly extraordinary.


    ¡°Indeed, that was certainly impressive, but still¡­¡±


    ¡°In any case, he declined. It seems he wants to take his time to think it over.¡±


    Noras decided not to pursue the matter further. It was all in the past now, since Hersel had already turned down the offer.


    After a long silence, Arental spoke up again.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, it seems she¡¯ll be enrolling at Frost Heart soon.¡±


    ¡°Enrolling? You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke Dortian has finally made his decision.¡±


    Noras stiffened, pressing his back against the chair in shock.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true? The infamous monstrous villainess, Dorosian?¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 128

    The Tenest estate sits at the crossroads where the cool weather and fertile lands of the east meet.Winters are less harsh, and summers are moderately cool, making it an ideal place for crops to flourish.


    Even the emperor himself keeps a close eye on the land, coveting it.


    Meanwhile, a carriage, filled with sobs, crossed through the front gates of a mansion famous for having the most scenic view in the estate.


    The coachman glanced back at the sobbing girl in the carriage and sighed deeply.


    The girl, Melin, had already exhausted her tear ducts, as though squeezing them like a dry rag, drenching her cheeks.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    When she heard what had happened after returning to her hometown, it felt like her entire life collapsed.


    According to an old local woman who sold fish nearby, it went like this:


    Her mother, who worked herself to the bone to earn money, realized she had disappeared and searched high and low for her, only to return empty-handed.


    She ended up waiting endlessly in front of the orphanage.


    Even after autumn passed and during the harsh winter, she continued to wait, ultimately succumbing to the cold. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The outcome of such foolish love filled the heart of the still-young girl with complex emotions.


    The carriage came to a stop, and the coachman opened the door.


    Though he wanted to give the dazed girl, lost in human emotions, more time to gather herself, this was the mansion of a great noble family.


    He couldn¡¯t keep the carriage idling forever, so he slid his hand under Melin¡¯s arm and lifted her.


    ¡°Child, if you¡¯ve come here because you have nowhere else to go, you¡¯d better steel yourself.¡±


    The coachman knew all too well what the people in the mansion were like.


    The servants and soldiers were people who had either amassed an immense amount of experience or managed to get in through family ties or connections.


    There was no way they would treat a sudden orphan arrival with kindness.


    At that moment, the head maid, Elma, approached.


    The coachman was startled and bowed his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Head Maid.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, so it¡¯s you. You¡¯re from Belam, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you.¡±


    At the head maid¡¯s sharp rebuke, the coachman patted Melin on the shoulder.


    ¡°Child, you should answer properly.¡±


    The coachman was worried that the child wouldn¡¯t speak properly.


    She was already on thin ice, and if she didn¡¯t answer the head maid correctly, she might face even worse.


    But Melin, who had been crying sorrowfully just moments ago, wiped away her tears and introduced herself calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Melin Arisil. Please take care of me.¡±


    The coachman was momentarily surprised.


    The rigid posture and the mature, intent look in her eyes were far beyond what one would expect from a girl her age.


    The head maid shot a sharp glance at Melin, then turned away.


    The coachman hurriedly asked her.


    ¡°Uh, excuse me, Head Maid? What should we do with this child?¡±


    Without responding, the head maid left.


    The coachman sighed deeply as he watched her go.


    After such a long journey, it was standard to clean the child up and give her new clothes.


    The fact that they didn¡¯t even bother to do that meant she was truly out of favor.


    Having no other choice, the coachman secretly asked a maid he knew to take care of Melin.


    ***


    After taking a bath, Melin changed into new clothes.


    Having always worn shabby clothes, she struggled, and the maid sighed as she buttoned up Melin¡¯s clothes for her.


    Then she smiled warmly.


    ¡°Is the eldest young master doing well these days?¡±


    Melin didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    Her memories of him mostly involved getting thrown to the ground and tied up during magic training.


    And that he ruled the academy like a king?


    Ah, then he must be doing well.


    ¡°Yes¡­ At the academy, everyone reveres him.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Melin found the maid¡¯s smile a bit unsettling.


    The rumors she had heard about Hersel since arriving here were all terrible.


    ¡°You seem to think highly of the eldest young master.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course. He saved my life, after all.¡±


    ¡°Savior?¡±


    When Melin asked, the maid smiled softly and began to explain.


    ¡°You see, there was once a monster sealed in this mansion that broke free.¡±


    Melin vaguely remembered hearing the instructors talk about it.


    Rumors about the awakening of the black swan of vengeance.


    It was said that the master of the house quickly dealt with it.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the eldest young master, we¡¯d all be dead.¡±


    The maid gazed into the distance as if recalling the events of that day.


    ¡°Ah, all done. Now, how about you sleep in this sister¡¯s room for tonight? I¡¯ll figure out your own room later.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    Melin left the dressing room.


    In the hallway, a towering man and a middle-aged man were chatting and waving.


    Judging by their armor, they seemed to be soldiers of the mansion.


    ¡°Are you the child that the eldest young master took under his wing?¡± the middle-aged man asked, and Melin nodded.


    After that, there was a brief introduction.


    Through this, Melin learned that the middle-aged man¡¯s name was Jack, and the man beside him was Rodel.


    ¡°Uncle Jack, there are rumors that Sir Coulro will be in charge of training. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope not.¡±


    It sounded a bit ominous.


    Melin decided that if things seemed too dangerous, she would run away.


    Just then, as if remembering his business, Jack cleared his throat and said, ¡°Ahem. The twin young master and young lady have summoned you. Since the eldest young master sent you, they¡¯re probably curious about a lot of things.¡±


    Leaving behind the maid who waved goodbye, Melin followed the two men.


    As they walked down the corridor, she became lost in thought, mostly about Hersel ben Tenest.


    The only image she had of him from the dormitory was his fierce face, constantly hurling insults and calling people vermin.


    She had thought that the reputation she¡¯d heard of here wasn¡¯t too far off from what she had seen, but after seeing these people, she wondered if perhaps he was different inside than he seemed on the surface¡ªin a good way.


    Melin cautiously asked Jack and Rodel, ¡°What kind of person is the eldest young master?¡±


    Both Jack and Rodel stopped in their tracks and widened their eyes.


    Jack folded his arms and groaned before turning to Rodel.


    ¡°Rodel, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you couldn¡¯t really call him a good person, could you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. He was an absolute scoundrel.¡±


    Jack rubbed his forehead, frowning.


    ¡°In the past, I truly thought he was a devil reincarnated. The only reason we stuck around him was to pick up whatever scraps we could.¡±


    Jack said this, then suddenly smirked.


    ¡°But now¡­¡±


    Grumbling, Jack turned his back again.


    ¡°Well, I guess you could say he¡¯s become a decent person.¡±


    Melin pursed her lips and blinked.


    Just as she was beginning to form a clearer opinion of him, they arrived in front of the door where the twin children were said to be.


    ¡°Alright, Melin. We¡¯ll be going now. Make sure you don¡¯t make any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, Uncle Jack. And Rodel, big brother.¡±


    ¡°Big brother¡­ I guess I do look a bit young, don¡¯t I?¡±


    Jack chuckled as he led Rodel away.


    Now left alone in front of the door, Melin suddenly grew nervous and gulped.


    She was terrified of what might happen if she made a mistake in front of the noble children.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Melin took a deep breath to calm herself, then knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was the voice of a young boy.


    As Melin stepped into the living room, her eyes widened in surprise.


    A boy and girl, both a head shorter than her, approached with curiosity in their eyes.


    ¡°Are you the one our eldest brother sent?¡±


    While the boy spoke, the young lady smiled and held up a piece of paper.


    [Nice to meet you. I am Niasel ben Tenest.]


    It seemed she couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m Melin Arisil. It¡¯s an honor to serve you, young master and young lady.¡±


    Thanks to the etiquette lessons the maid had given her during her bath, Melin was able to maintain basic manners.


    ¡°Take a seat for now,¡± the young master said, gesturing to the leather sofa.


    As soon as Melin sat down, questions began pouring in.


    Starting with ¡°How is Frost Heart?¡± to [Is our big brother doing well?].


    ¡°I was told not to speak of Frost Heart, so¡­ I¡¯m sorry, young master,¡± Melin replied nervously.


    ¡°As for the eldest young master, I believe he is doing very well, as everyone there reveres him.¡±


    The twins, having never been to a foreign land, were full of curiosity about many other things as well.


    They asked about the Kingdom of Belam, where Melin was from, and what the people there ate.


    ¡°Well, the people there eat lobsters. Nobles don¡¯t like it because they consider it a sea insect, so it¡¯s usually given to prisoners. But of course, people like us, who don¡¯t have much, also eat it.¡±


    While answering their endless questions, Melin found her sorrowful thoughts being pushed to the back of her mind.


    That was until Mircel innocently asked, ¡°But if you went to see your mother, why did you come back alone? We could¡¯ve made another seat if she came with you.¡±


    Melin¡¯s eyes trembled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    It was as if the bathwater had seeped back into her tear ducts.


    She struggled to speak, but her sobbing throat and the tears streaming down her cheeks were unstoppable.


    Not wanting to show such a pathetic sight, Melin buried her face in her knees.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so, so sorry for showing such a disgraceful sight¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡±


    As her shoulders trembled with sobs, Niasel looked at her with a pitying expression.


    Mircel, looking uncomfortable, wiped the sweat from his forehead and scratched his temple.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Why is she like this? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    Niasel frowned and gave Mircel a push.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t push me, Niasel.¡±


    [Get out.]


    ¡°Alright, alright. Stop pushing me already.¡±


    In the end, Mircel was shoved out of the living room by Niasel.


    Once they were alone, Niasel approached Melin and gently patted her back.


    Feeling the touch of her small hand, Melin cried even harder.


    ***


    [¡­This is what happened.]


    As Donatan read the illustrated journal Niasel had sent, he sighed in admiration.


    ¡®Such a kind-hearted child. Unlike some people.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, definitely different from Deisel and Erucel.¡±


    ¡®I was talking about you, actually.¡¯


    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m too kind-hearted for my own good. It¡¯s a burden, really. Life must be hard for me.¡±


    ¡®¡­You shameless fool.¡¯


    I carefully placed the letter into a drawer.


    Though I was worried Melin might face some discrimination for being under my wing, it seemed my concerns were unnecessary.


    With the twins around, and Jack and Rodel looking out for her, she should adapt quickly.


    ¡®By the way, how long are you going to keep holding that?¡¯ Donatan asked, making me glance to the side.


    A floating bed.


    It had been floating for about 30 minutes now, suspended by mana worth several gold coins.


    ¡°I think I can keep it going a bit longer.¡±


    My mana reserves had significantly increased compared to the early days.


    Thanks to the recent blessing from Ricks, I had accumulated an immense amount of mana during the magic training and the battle at Ruon.


    And then there was Felia¡¯s staff, mounted in the holster.


    [Whispers of Mist


    Attribute: Camouflage.


    A magic staff crafted by a great mage from otherworldly wood for his apprentice.


    Completely conceals the magic circle until the spell is cast.


    The mana can only be perceived by the wielder.


    Increases the accuracy of spell formulas by 30%.


    Improves mana efficiency by 10%.]


    The staff¡¯s options were incredible, as expected of an S-rank artifact.


    The accuracy bonus stacked with the one on my gloves, totaling 40%, and the mana efficiency boost greatly reduced the amount of mana consumed.


    But the best feature was how perfectly the concealment option worked with the bed.


    It completely hid the spell formula¡­


    From the enemy¡¯s perspective, even if I drew a spell circle right in front of them, they wouldn¡¯t have a clue where or when the magic would strike.


    The magic circle would be invisible, and no matter how sensitive their perception was, the mana would only be detectable by me.


    ¡®It¡¯s amazing every time I see it. You can¡¯t even feel the mana. It¡¯s like wielding a power that¡¯s completely unseen and unfelt.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, it is, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Wait.


    If it¡¯s unseen and undetectable, that means¡­


    An idea suddenly struck me like lightning, and I gently set the bed down before coating my arm with the bed¡¯s mana.


    Then, when I lifted the bed, something astonishing happened.


    It felt as light as an empty box.


    Sensing the shift in my muscle usage, Donatan exclaimed in surprise.


    ¡°Try drawing your sword, Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Almost as if possessed, I drew my sword in one swift motion.


    As I handed control over to Donatan, the sword sliced through the air.


    Swish!


    The speed was incomparable to my usual swings.


    It was similar to the rapid strikes that could be performed with aura manipulation.


    ¡°This, this is¡­!¡±


    While Donatan shouted in astonishment, a shiver ran down my spine, and I let out a soft, twisted chuckle.


    ¡°Heh heh heh.¡±


    This would work perfectly as an exoskeleton suit.


    As long as I cast the concealment magic properly, no one would even notice.


    ¡°Looks like things just got even more fun.¡±


    Now, I could even pretend to use aura.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 129

    The front gate of the Tenest mansion is in a commotion. Soldiers are lined up in two rows across the street.


    The status of the visitor is no small matter.


    Even Aol and Ahile had to come out to greet them, which says it all.


    Mircel grumbled with a displeased face.


    ¡°Can¡¯t they just be told not to come¡­?¡±


    Ahile nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Indeed, Mircel.¡±


    Aol furrowed his brow.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the princess. No matter how bothersome, we must maintain propriety and avoid rude remarks.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, you just said something a little disrespectful yourself,¡± Mircel recalled Deisel, who had gone abroad under the pretext of broadening his knowledge.


    In the meantime, a carriage arrived.


    An imperial envoy swiftly jumped out and announced the princess¡¯s arrival in a booming voice.


    ¡°Her Highness, Princess Ezna Din Lungard, the seventh princess of the empire, has arrived!¡±


    The emperor of the empire had so many concubines, possibly because of all the supplements he consumed, that even as an old man, he continued to have children.


    The result: twelve children so far, with a thirteenth on the way.


    Princess Ezna stepped down from the carriage, lifted her dress, and greeted them formally.


    ¡°How have you been, Duke?¡±


    For someone around the same age as Mircel, Ezna smiled with an air of maturity.


    Mircel, knowing why she was acting this way, let out a small sigh.


    Ezna exchanged formal greetings with Aol and Ahile and approached Mircel.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mircel. How have you been?¡±


    It was an uncomfortable situation with many watching.


    Mircel had no choice but to respond politely, otherwise, his father would scold him.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been well. And how have you been, Princess Ezna?¡±


    Even though the words were spoken with little enthusiasm, Ezna smiled.


    But judging by her slightly twitching brow, she was surely irritated inside.


    ¡°Shall we have a private conversation, just the two of us?¡±


    Not wanting to, Mircel casually replied,


    ¡°Without a bodyguard? That doesn¡¯t seem wise, considering your safety. It would be troublesome if something happened.¡±


    Aol gave him a sharp look.


    Mircel reluctantly added a respectful tone.


    ¡°It would be¡­ troublesome¡­ indeed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how kind of you to worry about me. But don¡¯t worry, here at the Tenest mansion, there¡¯s no danger to my safety.¡±


    Mircel glanced at his father.


    Aol, eyes closed, nodded.


    His mother, Ahile, gave him a sharp look, but it was of no help.


    Mircel gauged the reaction of the man standing beside Ezna.


    He seemed to approve, or rather, encouraged the situation.


    With no choice, Mircel agreed to Ezna¡¯s request.


    ¡°Well, as you wish.¡±


    Mircel and Ezna walked alone through the garden.


    Of course, the guards were watching them closely, but they kept their distance, far enough that their conversation couldn¡¯t be overheard.


    Ezna looked around and, in a slightly sulky tone, said,


    ¡°For a first greeting, you should¡¯ve added a compliment. I went to all this trouble to dress up¡­¡±


    She flicked her hair while gesturing to her dress.


    To Mircel, she didn¡¯t look much different than usual.


    But saying that would only make her drag him around longer.


    ¡°Wow, you look really beautiful.¡±


    Even though his compliment sounded insincere, Ezna didn¡¯t seem inclined to ease her furrowed brow.


    She soon sighed deeply and brought up a topic Mircel didn¡¯t want to hear.


    ¡°Have you thought about the engagement?¡±


    Mircel kept his lips tightly sealed.


    Ezna was the ninth child.


    Compared to her older sisters, she was the lowest-ranked princess.


    If she didn¡¯t find a decent match, she was destined to marry some remote prince in a political marriage.


    To Mircel, Ezna¡¯s intentions were clear: she wanted to use him as a tool to secure power within the empire.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? We¡¯re still young. Why bring it up so soon?¡±


    ¡°Think about it carefully. If we have a son, who knows? He might become the emperor one day.¡±


    Only males could inherit the imperial throne.


    All that was needed was a powerful family to back them up and strong bloodlines.


    The Tenest family, one of the pillars of the empire, and Mircel¡¯s lineage provided just that.


    ¡°Perhaps we might even give birth to a magic swordsman. Our family has always produced powerful wizards. I, too, have inherited magical talents.¡±


    Ezna puffed out her chest with a smug look.


    Mircel glanced at her lazily and asked,


    ¡°But do you even know how babies are made?¡±


    ¡°No? Do you?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Anyway, what I mean is, don¡¯t bring up such things when we¡¯re still supposed to be having fun.¡±


    Feeling chastised, Ezna pouted her lips.


    Mircel was in a difficult position.


    He had no intention of getting engaged.


    But he couldn¡¯t give a firm answer, as Aol had told him not to rush into any decisions and to wait until they were older.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it a bit more. It¡¯s an important decision, after all.¡±  S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew Ezna wouldn¡¯t visit again for a while if he could just get through today.


    In the meantime, he planned to go to Frostheart, and for now, he could afford to ignore the matter.


    Though Mircel thought his answer was reasonable, Ezna scoffed and said¡­


    ¡°Oh, really? And that kind of person is going to enter Frostheart?¡±


    Mircel¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Is that really important right now? What matters is that I came all the way here because of it.¡±


    It was then that Mircel realized.


    Just as his mind began to clear, Ezna stomped on the stone floor and angrily leaned closer.


    ¡°Be honest. You¡¯re planning to run away, aren¡¯t you? To get away from me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. But why of all places are you going there? Do you even know what kind of place Frostheart is?¡±


    Mircel didn¡¯t know.


    There was nothing in the letter Hersel had written, and when he asked Aol, the only response he got was, ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    When Mircel answered honestly, Ezna¡¯s confident expression shifted into one of doubt.


    ¡°Hmm, are you sure you¡¯re going without knowing anything?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Well, fine. I¡¯ll tell you then. Once you hear, you might change your mind.¡±


    But even Ezna couldn¡¯t explain concretely what it was.


    Her words were simple at best.


    ¡°They say it¡¯s a place where they train knights and wizards to explore the demonic realm.¡±


    ¡°Really? That actually sounds fun.¡±


    Mircel¡¯s response made Ezna sigh deeply.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the issue. You¡¯ve heard of the notorious villainess, Dorosian, right?¡±


    The Grice family is one of the pillars of the empire, just like the Tenest family.


    And its infamous second daughter is Dorosian El Grice.


    Ezna, who had been badly bullied by Dorosian, wore a wary expression as she recounted the villainess¡¯s misdeeds.


    ¡°Every time she comes to the palace, she torments me. She once used telekinesis to float me in the air and spin me around for thirty minutes!¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s hobby is tormenting anyone, regardless of their status.


    Even the emperor leaves her alone, even when his own children suffer.


    There was a reason for that.


    Because Dorosian¡­


    ¡°People say she¡¯ll become the next Grand Mage, but I think differently. She¡¯s a wicked witch who will bring down the empire.¡±


    From the moment she was born, she simultaneously awakened all five of her senses, an unprecedented prodigy.


    Considering that the last Grand Mage naturally awakened their five senses at the age of ten, she is a once-in-a-lifetime talent.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all. They say she turns her servants into frogs and eats them. The servants in her mansion disappear one by one. She even drinks strong liquor every day, just so she can breathe fire. To roast her victims properly.¡± ????


    Despite all of Ezna¡¯s attempts to frighten him, Mircel chuckled.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Ezna, feeling frustrated, gritted her teeth.


    Mircel remained unmoved.


    After all, he believed Hersel would protect him, even if Dorosian tried to eat him.


    ¡°Come on, change your mind. Huh? It¡¯s fine to go to an academy, but at least consider Valiant instead¡­¡±


    Just as Ezna reached out to grab Mircel¡¯s shoulder, it happened.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Ezna flinched and quickly crossed her arms over her body, stepping back.


    She must have seen something that startled her.


    Following her gaze, Mircel looked up.


    On the terrace of the main building, Ahile was sipping tea, smiling warmly, and waving.


    Niasel, sitting across from her, did the same.


    Mircel returned the gesture and looked back at Ezna.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? It¡¯s just Mom and Niasel. Why are you so startled?¡±


    Ezna, clearly shaken, took a step back without realizing it.


    Her cold eyes and stiff expression from earlier had clearly left an impression.


    It was as if the sight of Ahile¡¯s face was something from a nightmare.


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Ezna reassured herself that she must have seen it wrong, as Ahile¡¯s expression softened again.


    ***


    [That happened.]


    Today, one page of Niasel¡¯s picture diary caught my attention.


    A drawing of the lady of the house, looking down from the terrace at Mircel and Ezna.


    Niasel¡¯s drawing skills have improved, capturing the lady¡¯s expression perfectly.


    ¡°Wow, look at those sharp eyes.¡±


    The princess must be out of her mind to think of serving such a woman as her mother-in-law.


    ¡®Fathers never want to give their daughters away, and mothers never want to give up their sons.¡¯


    ¡°To her, every woman must look like a fox¡­¡±


    With a brief sigh, I carefully placed Niasel¡¯s letter back in the cabinet.


    Now it was time to read Mircel¡¯s letter.


    As expected, just like Aol, it was short.


    [I¡¯ll be there soon.]


    It seems Mircel is indeed coming here.


    No surprise there, though. There had been many signs pointing to it.


    ¡°Well then, break time is over. Shall we continue the discussion from earlier?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ve been waiting, Hersel.¡¯


    I stood up, gathered the Liquid Gold into a sphere, and floated it in the air.


    A special metallic liquid manipulated by mana. When I wrapped it around my arm and swung the sword last time, it moved as quickly as if it were covered in aura.


    Of course, saying it was fast is subjective. Superior to the average person, but still slightly lacking compared to the key players.


    After conducting several experiments, I noticed its shortcomings.


    ¡°I wish we had more of this Liquid Gold. It¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s not nearly enough to activate the mana blade and aura simultaneously.¡±


    One disadvantage is that in order to unleash an attack comparable to aura, I have to forego strengthening the sword.


    Donatan replied, ¡®What can you do? You¡¯ll just have to make the best use of the small amount we have.¡¯


    ¡°Right, we¡¯ll go with that. Next¡­¡±


    Another issue was the strain on my muscles.


    To give an exaggerated example, it¡¯s similar to the principle that if a human moved at the speed of a jet, their body wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it.


    Human flesh and skin are nowhere near as hard as metal, unable to endure the immense air resistance.


    ¡°This is the most serious issue. I can¡¯t handle the recoil. Just yesterday, after one swing, I slightly strained a ligament, and my muscles tore.¡±


    Donatan explained,


    ¡®Aura is a power that flows from within, allowing the body to handle superhuman strength. But you are not like that.¡¯


    ¡°Is there no way around this, then?¡± I asked, and Donatan sighed.


    He seemed to be thinking deeply for a moment.


    ¡®Hmm, how about infusing the Liquid Gold into your body? By attaching it directly to your muscles, it could help absorb the recoil.¡¯


    It was a pretty good idea.


    However, there was a big risk with that method.


    ¡°That would mean I¡¯d have to run the Liquid Gold all throughout my body, right?¡±


    I¡¯m no doctor, but I do know the body contains complex organs and blood vessels.


    I don¡¯t trust myself to control the metal well enough to avoid damaging those organs and only target the muscles.


    Even if I can¡¯t handle the recoil, using an exosuit would be a much safer alternative.


    ¡°One small mistake and it could tear my blood vessels or internal organs. That¡¯s a no-go.¡±


    ¡®True, that¡¯s a valid point. Handling it delicately during battle would be even harder.¡¯


    In the end, nothing had changed. No matter how much I trained, my flesh and blood were still the same. Without using aura, avoiding strain on the body was impossible.


    ¡°So, I can only use attacks that go beyond my physical limits a few times¡­¡±


    ¡®Two times. Any more than that and your body won¡¯t be able to handle it. Paralysis would set in.¡¯


    Two times per arm and per leg.


    That means two strikes with the right arm, two with the left, and only two leaps.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about this slowly and use it for now.¡±


    I placed an empty bottle on the desk and assumed a drawing stance.


    What I was about to try was an experiment to channel all the mana I had into the Liquid Gold in a single blow, launching a strike so powerful it would almost tear my arm apart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    As Donatan sent the electrical signal, my muscles responded instantly.


    The mana-charged Liquid Gold felt as if it were transmitting the explosive force of gunpowder into my arm.


    Ping


    The slash passed in the blink of an eye.


    As expected, a cooldown notification appeared on my retina.


    [Impact detected.]


    [Ability activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 58 seconds remaining.]


    If it weren¡¯t for the ¡°1-second invincibility,¡± my arm would have been torn apart.


    This was not a speed that an ordinary person without aura could ever hope to endure.


    At that moment, I heard a belated slicing sound.


    It seemed I hadn¡¯t even realized the empty bottle had been cut, as the top half slowly slid along the cut surface and fell onto the desk.


    Thud.


    I grinned and approached to dispose of the bottle.


    But then, another slicing sound made me stop in my tracks.


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    Because on the wall, where the sword tip shouldn¡¯t have even touched, a long horizontal slash had appeared.


    It was so deep that light from outside now spilled into the room¡­


    Donatan¡¯s words closed my gaping mouth.


    ¡®When a strike draws out extreme power, it creates a sharp blade wind. You can cut without even touching¡­ such is the razor-sharp wind of a sword.¡¯


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 130

    Evening time is after-school class time.It¡¯s a busy time for Aslay and Limberton, but I was an exception.


    After Hetherson left, there weren¡¯t really any classes left for me to take.


    I took my gaze away from the sunset and looked at the training ground.


    There, under Bellen¡¯s guidance, Leana was stirring water in a basin with a giant spatula.


    While I was lazily zoning out, Donatan spoke.


    ¡®Her arm movements have improved a lot. I can see she¡¯s making progress every day.¡¯


    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t really tell.¡±


    ¡®Geez¡­ When will you ever develop an eye for swordsmanship?¡¯


    Judging by the progress, Leana seemed to be working very hard.


    The same went for the other key figures.


    Just looking at the Schlaphe Hall alone, Ricks had doubled his training.


    The knights from Adele Hall were constantly running around the training ground whenever they had time.


    The mages seemed to be shooting magic in secluded areas, as I occasionally heard loud explosions.


    Perhaps being humiliated by Luon like a child was quite a shock to him.


    Still, seeing him working so hard without giving up, you could say it was typical of the key figures.


    They¡¯d all figure things out on their own.


    Once again, the problem was me.


    Even with the exoskeleton suit made of several hundred gold coins, I¡¯m still overall beneath the playable characters.


    My swordsmanship speed is above Leana but below Bellen.


    And even that, only twice at most.


    Of course, I might be able to surpass Bellen¡¯s speed with a single strike. Maybe.


    It was a strike so sharp that it could slice through even a wall that wasn¡¯t touched by the blade¡¯s edge.


    But that would mean giving up after two exchanges, and I¡¯d have to sacrifice my ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ and all my mana in that one blow.


    ¡®You¡¯ve still grown a lot, haven¡¯t you? This is significant progress. Don¡¯t get discouraged, Hersel.¡¯


    Donatan¡¯s consolation didn¡¯t really resonate with me.


    It wasn¡¯t enough.


    I needed a long-term direction on how to grow from here on out.


    ¡°Time is still ticking. If I don¡¯t decide what to do soon, I¡¯ll keep wasting it.¡±


    I was in a situation where it was so overwhelming that I couldn¡¯t even figure out a direction.


    Though I shared my dilemma, this annoying cursed sword was too busy pretending not to care.


    ¡®What can I say? That¡¯s the path you chose. Anyone who heard you would think I forced you into it.¡¯


    ¡°If you had a brain, why don¡¯t you help me think for a change?¡±


    ¡®Hmph, contemplation is inevitable. That¡¯s your responsibility.¡¯


    ¡°As expected, Donatan was of no help, being as dumb as he was. It¡¯s because of that low intelligence that he ended up a prisoner trapped in a sword. In the end, I always have to do the thinking.¡±


    ¡°What? What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, I accidentally said that out loud while thinking to myself.¡±


    ¡°You did it on purpose!¡±


    Anyway, to get back on topic, the path I¡¯ve chosen has no trailblazers.


    It means I have to research and teach myself everything on my own.


    The path of a fake swordmaster is an extreme and unconventional one.


    ¡°Shall I get up? I came to watch, hoping for some inspiration, but there¡¯s no real takeaway.¡±


    I took my eyes off Leana, who was training with Bellen, and stood up.


    I made eye contact with Bellen, but I didn¡¯t ask him again about the mysterious swordsmanship I used to defeat the Bone Dragon.


    That was because I had already given a brief explanation.


    ¨C It was luck.


    ¨C You brat?


    ¨C Please, just hear me out. Frankly, at my age, pulling off a technique like that doesn¡¯t make sense, does it?


    ¨C Hmm, that¡¯s true.


    ¨C It just somehow felt like it might work, so I tried it and, well, ¡®ta-da¡¯, it worked.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t seem convinced, but I had no other explanation to give.


    At least I made one thing clear.


    If something like that ever happened again, they might ask me to use that technique again, which would be a disaster.


    ¨C Also, after using that technique, I felt like my lifespan had shortened. The reason I couldn¡¯t help my great-aunt last time was because I fainted from exhaustion.


    Bellen was probably interested in that technique because she wanted to learn it herself.


    But shortening one¡¯s lifespan?


    She was once a woman who wanted to ascend to the heavens quickly, but thanks to Leana, Bellen now valued life more.


    Naturally, her excitement died down.


    ¨C Well, it makes sense. You can¡¯t unleash that kind of power without paying a price. Looks like you used some forbidden Jingi you shouldn¡¯t have touched.


    Bellen, as if having some realization, just accepted it on her own.


    Then suddenly, a question I hadn¡¯t thought of at the time crossed my mind.


    ¡°But what exactly is ¡®Jingi¡¯?¡±


    I asked, and Donatan replied.


    ¡®It¡¯s the life force that every human acquires from the moment they¡¯re in their mother¡¯s womb. It¡¯s an essential power for training in Aura cultivation.¡¯


    ¡°And if you use it?¡±


    ¡®Jingi is the energy that sustains life. Wouldn¡¯t your lifespan shorten?¡¯


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It might not be a bad idea to experiment and see if ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ can be activated with it.


    Just to be safe, I¡¯ll only use a tiny bit.


    ***


    The outskirts of Frost Heart are all mountains.


    It was common for students to step outside the front gate of the fortress wall to train or get some fresh air.


    Of course, they had to pass a strict set of criteria to get a permit, so not just anyone could leave.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    In the quiet mountains, I focused on a tree and infused my sword with energy.


    A strange sensation, as if a part of my soul was being absorbed into the sword. This was the power of Jingi.


    Donatan took care of handling this part for me.


    When I swung the sword, the tree was cleanly sliced.


    Swish!


    I hadn¡¯t cut it with the sword itself. It was the sword wind that did it.


    Although I successfully used Jingi, the conclusion was failure.


    ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ didn¡¯t activate.


    It was a fact I learned by sacrificing one day of my lifespan.


    ¡°Too bad.¡±


    Just like pulling out a single hair wouldn¡¯t activate ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ one day of lifespan wasn¡¯t enough either.


    But I couldn¡¯t sacrifice too much lifespan just for the sake of experimentation.


    I wasn¡¯t crazy enough to gamble my remaining life just to confirm something.


    ¡°Hersel, you¡¯re quite fortunate.¡±


    Donatan boasted proudly.


    ¡®Jingi is a power that only those prepared to risk their lives can use. Unless you¡¯ve reached a state of enlightenment, it¡¯s something that only comes out instinctively in the face of death.¡¯


    Donatan¡¯s explanation made Bellen¡¯s earlier reaction more understandable.


    No wonder she accepted it so readily on her own.


    She probably thought I had somehow, in the face of death before the Bone Dragon, unleashed it by sheer luck.


    ¡®Thanks to me, you had a rare experience. You should acknowledge that.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re amazing. Now stop bragging.¡±


    In the end, it¡¯s a power I¡¯m reluctant to use.


    Ignoring Donatan¡¯s boasting, I stared at another unscathed tree.


    ¡°Well then, should I start today¡¯s training as planned?¡±


    The training was simple.


    Attach the exoskeleton suit to the muscles used sequentially when swinging the sword.


    For example, when a pitcher throws a baseball, the muscles are used in this order: the legs, torso, shoulders, arm, forearm, and hand.


    I had to quickly adjust the exoskeleton suit to provide power to each muscle as needed.


    This required extremely precise control throughout the entire process.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    At my signal, Donatan prepared the ¡®Lightning Quick Draw¡¯ technique.


    There were many other techniques, but I chose this one because it was the fastest.


    According to Donatan, this technique was the pinnacle of modern swordsmanship, refined from older techniques with a focus on speed.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    I took a deep breath and swiftly adjusted the exoskeleton suit in sync with the electric signals Donatan provided.


    It felt as if a slippery snake was quickly slithering from my legs, through my waist, chest, and arms.


    Soon, just as my wrist began to feel damp, a sharp gust of wind surged.


    Ping!


    The target was a tree that stood beyond the reach of my blade.


    All it did was leave a horizontal scratch on the tree bark.


    It wasn¡¯t as powerful as the full-strength swing I¡¯d done in my room.


    But considering that I hadn¡¯t poured all my mana into the strike, this was a decent result.


    ¡®Your timing is off, Hersel. You need to synchronize more with the signals I¡¯m giving.¡¯


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    After two strikes, I took a break. Without aura, my body couldn¡¯t handle the recoil.


    I waited for the lactic acid to clear from my muscles before repeating the action.


    Days like this continued for several days. Then one day, Donatan said something unnecessary.


    ¡®Hersel, look at what you¡¯re doing. Does swinging a sword like this really make you think of yourself as a mage?¡¯


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t learned magic, I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far.¡±


    ¡®Hmph, I agree with that, but¡­¡¯


    ¡°And I still consider myself a mage. You¡¯re a swordsman. So think of it as a compromise; that¡¯s what a swordmage is.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though swordsmanship had suddenly become more dominant than magic, I never neglected my magic classes.


    And so, time passed, and the moment approached.


    This evening, the special admission students were scheduled to arrive here.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already time. I should get ready to greet them.¡±


    ***


    Inside a room at Adele Hall, there was a long table, a sofa, paintings, and various luxurious items on display.


    This was a lounge only the top ten could enter.


    Emeric, who entered for the first time, nodded in response to the hand gesture from the man who was already seated.


    The man was Berndal, the representative of Adele Hall¡¯s dormitory and one of the top eight.


    ¡°Looks like the others aren¡¯t here yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. But Emeric, is it true that you¡¯re quitting gambling?¡±


    Currently, everyone has conspired to carefully hide Hersel¡¯s true identity from those ranked above the 7th seat.


    This miracle was possible because everyone had yet to fully recover from the economic depression and were eagerly awaiting the upcoming duel gamble.


    Emeric calmly replied.


    ¡°It seems excessive to me. But I don¡¯t intend to interfere.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re acting all smug because you made some money¡­ Do you know how much effort I put into subtly deceiving those guys?¡±


    Emeric chuckled.


    It seemed Berndal had sweated quite a bit.


    ¡°I heard from Hamon. You told them the Elder came because Hersel Ben Tenest was ¡®lucky enough¡¯ to find a relic during the maze field practice, right?¡±


    ¡°Was that all? I even made sure no one in the school mentioned the ¡®V¡¯ from ¡®Viper¡¯ in front of them.¡±


    Currently, Berndal, who lost 10,000 coins, was poor.


    More than anyone, he was desperate for this gamble.


    Emeric found it amusing that the other top ten members actually believed it and scoffed.


    ¡°Hmph, to be so easily fooled. They really are as clueless as ever.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I would¡¯ve believed it too. Has anyone ever found a relic during practice before?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s true. Without precedent, it makes sense.¡±


    Emeric nodded in partial agreement.


    Finding a relic during practice was unprecedented for a student.


    It wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Elder to visit and offer congratulations, as it might have even become gossip within the royal family.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t plan to help at all, Berndal.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it seems Hersel Ben Tenest is eyeing a rather interesting position.¡±


    ¡°A position? What kind of position?¡±


    ¡°What that is¡­¡±


    Ever since his conversation with Hersel in the dining hall, Emeric had been pondering.


    Helping him achieve his goal before graduation didn¡¯t seem like such a bad idea.


    When Emeric shared his thoughts, Berndal¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What? Student council president?¡±


    ¡°The top ten will be an obstacle for him. There¡¯s no way they¡¯ll allow someone from Schlaphe Hall, a lower grade, to take that seat.¡±


    Berndal exclaimed in shock.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s true, but, man, the issue isn¡¯t just the top ten. They¡¯re just naive puppets being manipulated.¡±


    The top ten had long since fallen into the role of the student council¡¯s lapdogs.


    The current student council was a near-dictatorial power group.


    Power had been inherited for thirteen generations.


    They tamed the top ten and used them as mercenary thugs.


    Coming from the Church of the Sun, they maintained a favorable reputation among the students and controlled the top ten with vast funds, wielding them like swords.


    After grooming their chosen successors, they passed down their positions. This was the secret to their dictatorship.


    ¡°Emeric, get a grip. You¡¯re messing with the Church of the Sun, and this isn¡¯t something that just ends after you graduate. Your future could be bleak.¡±


    Emeric understood why Berndal was so terrified.


    The Church of the Sun controlled half of the empire.


    If you got on their bad side, it was obvious your path to success would be blocked by their extensive network.


    Even so, Emeric¡¯s reasoning was simple.


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious to see how far Hersel Ben Tenest can go.¡±


    Ever since the slave revolution incident, Hersel¡¯s actions had left a deep impression on Emeric.


    Not only did he score first in the exams and find a relic during field practice, but he also took down the notorious ¡®Bloodstained Viper.¡¯


    Rumors were even circulating that he had hunted the Bone Dragon.


    ¡°His actions resemble what¡¯s described in books on royal governance. He¡¯s no longer content to be a king of the shadows; he¡¯s going to prove his worth as a king in the light. That time is coming, Berndal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still reading that strange book¡­?¡±


    Berndal shook his head in exasperation.


    Emeric glanced at the grandfather clock.


    It had already been over an hour since they started waiting.


    ¡°So, when are they coming?¡± Emeric asked.


    Berndal looked toward the door and replied.


    ¡°Well, whenever they feel like it.¡±


    ***


    Click.


    The door opened 30 minutes later.


    Starting with Meldon of the 7th seat, the top ten members began entering the room.


    Emeric observed each of their faces.


    But they all glanced at him and Berndal as if they were beneath them.


    ¡°Those guys. Still drawing the same line between us.¡±


    The top ten had never considered anyone below the 7th to be one of them.


    On top of that, since they had just returned from being personally selected by the current powers, they were even more arrogant than usual.


    In their minds, they were probably thinking, ¡°He¡¯s just doing menial tasks like being a dormitory representative because he doesn¡¯t have the skill.¡±


    Emeric looked at the head of the top ten, the 1st seat, Kerndel.


    A man with wavy brown hair and thick eyebrows.


    As always, his gaze was full of arrogance.


    Kerndel, looking displeased, spoke up.


    ¡°One person¡¯s missing.¡±


    As he said, the 9th seat member hadn¡¯t shown up. Berndal explained.


    ¡°He¡¯s always busy working for the professors.¡±


    ¡°Out doing chores again, huh¡­ Fine. So why did you call us here?¡±


    ¡°Well, Emeric just took a new seat. Don¡¯t you think we should at least give him a proper welcome?¡±


    Berndal¡¯s comment was met with snickers from the others.


    Meldon, a second-year, didn¡¯t show it too openly since he was technically a senior, but the corners of his mouth were clearly raised.


    Kerndel silenced the room with a wave of his hand.


    ¡°So, we were called here just for a simple 10th seat? Fine, we¡¯ll give him a welcome. Congratulations, Emeric. You¡¯ve finally made it to this position as a third-year.¡±


    He clapped, but his applause was slow and dripping with mockery.


    Clap. Clap.


    Emeric felt displeased by the blatant disdain, but he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Thanks for saying so.¡±


    After that, they turned their attention away from Emeric, acting as if their business with him was done, and began talking among themselves.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, seniors, what about that Hersel Ben Tenest guy? Shouldn¡¯t we do something about him? I mean, look at how the professors are favoring him just because he found a relic. He¡¯s gotten so cocky, acting like there¡¯s no one above him.¡±


    When Meldon, the only second-year present, brought it up, complaints started pouring out.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m still getting punished because of that guy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my brother even sent me a letter, asking what kind of trouble I caused. He even threatened to kill me when we meet.¡±


    Emeric couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing.


    They were whining because Rockefeller had given them some punishment.


    After mouthing off to an Elder like that, they should be thankful that¡¯s all that happened.


    Immaturity had its limits.


    But the less sense they had, the easier things would be to manage.


    Emeric exchanged glances with Berndal.


    Berndal grinned and fanned the flames.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that dissatisfied, why don¡¯t you teach him a lesson?¡±


    Kerndel glared disapprovingly at Berndal and sharply pointed out.


    ¡°Berndal, why did you leave him unchecked while we were gone? It was your job to maintain order.¡±


    ¡°I was busy. There¡¯s this first-year named Riamon who¡¯s been eyeing my seat.¡±


    Kerndel let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Struggling against a first-year¡­ You¡¯re really tarnishing the name of the top ten.¡±


    Berndal ground his teeth in frustration, but this was a good development.


    If they took matters into their own hands, it would save Emeric and his side the trouble.


    Kerndel turned to the second-year Meldon.


    ¡°Fine. Meldon, you deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thank you, senior. I¡¯ve been itching to take care of him myself. Heh heh.¡±


    Berndal¡¯s faint smile indicated he was silently cheering.


    Emeric, too, was pleased inside. With this, the confrontation was set.


    And so, the war with the top ten began.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 131

    Asares is destined for destruction. It¡¯s almost a guaranteed conclusion.


    While gathering clues to prevent this is the core of the scenario, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now.


    The reason I bring up this story is to explain a certain woman.


    [Dorosian El Grice]


    Long black hair with a tear mole.


    A quirky personality with a fox-like face.


    The daughter of a duke with the potential of a great sorceress.


    A woman who was spoiled with the knowledge of the world¡¯s end by her future self.


    In fact, that last characteristic is the most important.


    She is the other person, besides me, who knows the fate of Asares.


    Her personality likely became this way because her future self injected some memories into her, revealing the end of the world.


    After learning of the inevitable demise, she likely gave up on life and started living recklessly.


    Even with the talent of a great sorceress, she probably couldn¡¯t even think of holding onto hope after seeing ¡°that conclusion.¡±


    * * *


    Tonight, Mircel is arriving here.


    As the time approached, I walked towards the main gate with Selly.


    The reason Selly came along was simple.


    Since a young master of the family is coming here, it¡¯s basic etiquette for her as an attendant to greet him.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen the youngest master.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s only been a few months, but it feels like much longer.¡±


    With so many incidents occurring constantly, it felt as if a lot of time had passed.


    This means that we¡¯ve been leading some very hectic days.


    ¡°But, I understand the students gathering, but why are the professors here?¡±


    Selly pointed to the main gate.


    A few students and professors in black robes were huddled together, staring blankly down the road beyond the gate.


    The snow had finally melted, revealing the dirt road beneath.


    They were probably waiting for a carriage to pass by.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably trying to confirm if Mircel is really coming.¡±


    When I answered indifferently, Selly nodded.


    In the meantime, someone passed by my side.


    It was Rockefeller, who with an angry face, turned to the professors.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    At his irritated voice, the professors flinched and mumbled.


    Unhappy with their response, Rockefeller shouted loudly.


    ¡°Get back to work!!¡±


    The professors quickly scattered, fleeing in a hurry.


    I shook my head as I watched Rockefeller smiling in satisfaction beside me.


    He, too, was here to watch, just like everyone else.


    He had no intention of leaving, his feet firmly planted on the ground, his eyes fixed on the gate.


    Feeling a bit bored, I decided to tease him a little.


    ¡°I wonder if he¡¯ll actually come. He¡¯s such a capricious guy, you know? He might have turned back already.¡±


    Although I was speaking to Selly, Rockefeller widened his eyes and stared at my face.


    Ignoring him, I continued making snide remarks.


    ¡°Oh, and did you know, Selly? Valiant Academy offered him good terms too. They say they even provide horses there. They also give ample living expenses, so it¡¯s common for graduates to buy farmland on the outskirts after they graduate.¡±


    ¡°Wow, really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Some graduates were so diligent in saving money that they bought the estates of fallen nobles right after graduation and started anew.


    They probably took out a loan, but with the royal family as guarantors, it wouldn¡¯t have been that difficult.¡±


    Valiant Academy is known for producing the best knights.


    Many graduates end up in the royal palace right after graduation, so the benefits are plentiful.


    But what about Frostheart?


    ¡°It really contrasts with this place. Even becoming a Pathfinder doesn¡¯t gain much recognition. Most people working in the royal palace don¡¯t even know this institution exists. Look at me, for instance. What¡¯s the point of finding relics and beheading infamous criminals? It¡¯s like being a big fish in a small pond¡ªonly the people in the know care.¡±


    As I criticized harshly, Rockefeller¡¯s face turned red with anger.


    If he had any objections, he could have tried to refute what I said.


    ¡°With such poor welfare, it¡¯s no wonder we can¡¯t attract talent. Look at Wisdom Academy. Their graduates can join the Mage Tower or become private tutors for wealthy families.¡±


    After venting all my pent-up complaints, I felt a bit relieved.


    Just as I was about to think of another way to provoke him, a carriage came into view.


    ¡°Oh? Look, the carriage is coming.¡±


    ¡°Is it arriving already? Wait a minute¡­ huh?¡±


    As the carriage approached, my eyes widened.


    The soldiers guiding the horses nearby bore the insignia of a black Pegasus within a golden shield on their armor.


    That emblem belongs to the Grice Duchy.


    ¡°¡­It seems they¡¯ve arrived first.¡±


    At Rockefeller¡¯s words, I gently pulled Selly back a bit.


    There was no benefit in catching the attention of the woman who was about to step out of that carriage.


    ¡°Selly, let¡¯s step aside so they can pass easily.¡±


    I blended into the crowd of students who had come to watch, becoming just another background figure.


    Clunk.


    The latch was pulled, and the carriage door swung open. A right shoe poked out, and its owner was a maid.


    Thud.


    The maid stepped onto the ground and then grabbed the ankles of someone inside, whose feet were bound in shackles.


    With a grunt, the maid carefully backed away, step by step.


    On the fifth step, a bare white leg fully emerged from the carriage door.


    Realizing her mistake, the maid hurriedly pulled down the hem of the black skirt to cover the exposed skin.


    As they continued to pull out the figure, much like moving a wardrobe horizontally, a woman in a tightly fitted black dress was revealed.


    It was already an unusual entrance, but what made it even stranger was that the woman¡¯s eyes were tightly bound with a blindfold, and a gag was placed in her mouth.


    ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll help you stand up now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, on three¡­ one, two, heave-ho!¡±


    As the maids coordinated to lift her into a standing position, the chains around her ankles, wrists, and neck clanked.


    Those chains were all equipped with anti-magic restraints that suppressed both aura and mana.


    Even if she was known as a ¡°monster,¡± this might seem excessive, but I thought it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Why? Because ¡®Dorosian El Grice¡¯ was a woman for whom even the term ¡°monster¡± felt inadequate, so much so that she was always mentioned when discussing the pinnacle of playable characters.


    [Dorosian El Grice]


    ? The Return


    ¡ô The Wizard of Beginnings.


    She is not called a blessing, for she is not an incarnation but a return.


    The term ¡°blessing¡± implies something given, but ¡°power¡± is more appropriate here.


    Why? Because this was a power she possessed from the beginning.


    She masters all magic.


    She is destined to become the wizard of truth.


    ? Attribute


    ¡ó Mana of the Great Sea


    This is not a blessing but a return.


    It¡¯s a unique attribute only Dorosian possesses, granting her mana as vast as the sea.


    Her specs are truly astonishing.


    Well, with this foundation, it¡¯s no wonder her future self could travel through time and all that.


    Thud.


    Dorosian stood firm, regaining her balance.


    The maids cautiously removed her blindfold. Dorosian¡¯s eyes gleamed with a menacing light.


    One of the maids, visibly nervous, slowly untied the gag from her mouth.


    As soon as it was removed, a sultry voice flowed from Dorosian¡¯s lips.


    ¡°When you return, ask my father if he prefers to see the mansion burn or be submerged under water.¡±


    The maid, hesitating, gathered her courage and, pressing her lips together, forced out a reply.


    ¡°Pardon my impertinence, but the Duke made this choice for your sake, Miss¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is indeed impertinent.¡±


    However, Dorosian cut her off mercilessly.


    ¡°I wonder why they all act like this? Do they not think about the consequences?¡±


    At her veiled threat, the maids paled and stepped back in fear.


    Even with her magic suppressed, Dorosian began to trace a spell.


    Despite being bound by three anti-magic restraints, her attribute, ¡®Mana of the Great Sea,¡¯ allowed her mana to seep out, making it possible.


    ¡°Shall I carve a message on your face to send to my father as a warning?¡±


    At that moment, a voice echoed from the carriage Dorosian had emerged from, like a cavernous rumble.


    ¡°Dorosian El Grice. That will be enough.¡±


    The owner of the voice was Arkandric.


    He stepped out of the carriage and looked down at Dorosian with a serious expression.


    Dorosian, seemingly losing interest, waved her hand dismissively, erasing the spells she had been casting.


    Then, with a sly smile like a fox, she asked Arkandric, ¡°My wrists hurt. Could you at least undo one of these restraints, Sir Arkandric?¡±


    ¡°The length of the chains has been adjusted to allow you to live comfortably, so don¡¯t try anything unnecessary. And remember, here, you should address me as Headmaster, not Sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, but it would be difficult to change clothes like this. What if I stumble while trying to change my undergarments?¡±


    Dorosian chuckled, making her chains jingle as she laughed.


    Arkandric, gesturing for her to follow, walked ahead. As she moved, a maid followed close behind.


    I felt relieved to blend into the crowd around me, thinking it was fortunate that I hadn¡¯t caught the eye of that wicked woman.


    But then¡­


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Dorosian paused for a moment and looked in my direction. Her eyes gradually widened, only to transform once again into her usual sly, fox-like gaze.


    I wondered why, until I realized that everyone around me had already fled¡ªeveryone, including Selly, who had come with me.


    Left standing alone, I had inadvertently drawn Dorosian¡¯s attention.


    I averted my gaze, pretending to admire the sky.


    ¡°Hmm, the weather is nice. A perfect day to become a cloud,¡± I murmured.


    At that moment, Arkandric quickly turned his head and looked straight at my face.


    He then smiled ominously before saying to Dorosian, ¡°Come along. Let¡¯s unpack first. It might be hard to adjust at first, but you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Headmaster.¡±


    With that, Arkandric and Dorosian disappeared from my sight.


    * * *


    Dorosian was treated differently from other students who had been admitted through donations.


    She was a special admission, brought in because of her recognized talent.


    To accommodate her, she was given a separate dormitory, which, unlike the special wing, allowed for a fair amount of freedom.


    The only flaw was that she had the entire half of the floor to herself.


    As Dorosian clicked her heels on the cold, empty hallway, she remarked, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s spacious, but it feels so barren.¡±


    The maid following her cautiously replied, ¡°The Headmaster said this place was prepared specifically for special admission students.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But no one else applied, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    The other half of the floor was likely meant to be a male dormitory, but it was empty, so it remained vacant.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯d like to take a shower first. Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have a map for that. Just a moment. Ah, here it is.¡±


    Dorosian followed the maid¡¯s directions. Although the maid seemed fearful of her, Dorosian had no intention of harming her.


    Injuring her attendants would only make her own life more inconvenient.


    At the entrance to the bathroom, Dorosian said to the maid, ¡°Maybe I drank too much yesterday? My stomach feels off. Could you bring me something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll bring you a soothing drink right away.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Come to think of it, it was alcohol that had led her here.


    Dorosian frowned as she recalled the event. She had heard that her father¡¯s wine cellar had received some fine liquors, so she openly took about ten bottles and drank them all, only to pass out.


    When she came to, she found herself bound in anti-magic restraints, inside a rattling carriage.


    Considering her usual tolerance for alcohol, there was no doubt that her drink had been spiked.


    After finishing her shower, Dorosian drank the beverage the maid had brought.


    Burning her clothes was easy enough, but getting dressed was inconvenient.


    The maid struggled to help her change into specially made clothes that could be worn even while wearing the anti-magic restraints.


    It was the maid¡¯s first time doing this, so her hands were clumsy.


    Well, she¡¯ll improve with practice.


    ¡°Alright, you can go. Go and do your tasks.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss. Please call me if you need anything.¡±


    After the maid left, Dorosian flopped onto the bed.


    Though she felt some fatigue, perhaps from the long carriage ride during which she had slept extensively, her mind remained sharp even when she closed her eyes.


    Bored, Dorosian twirled the end of her black hair with her index finger as she recalled the blond man she had just seen.


    ¡°Did I see wrong¡­?¡±


    Dorosian quickly dismissed the thought with a soft ¡°hmm.¡±


    It must have been someone who just looked similar.


    After all, according to what her future self had told her, at this point in time, he was supposed to be in his grave.


    ¡ªThat guy? You¡¯d better not get close to him. He¡¯s destined to die at the hands of his stepmother in ten years.


    It had been a year since that prophecy.


    The timing didn¡¯t match.


    * * *


    I frowned deeply as I glared at Selly.


    ¡°You just left me behind?¡±


    ¡°Well, everyone else was running away, so I just followed the flow.¡±


    ¡°You should have stayed with me.¡±


    When I pointed out her dereliction of duty, Selly muttered quietly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it your job to read the situation and get out on your own?¡±


    I guessed at her words by the movement of her lips, but in any case.


    ¡°If you abandon me again, I¡¯ll throw you to Dorosian.¡±


    Upon hearing the infamous name of the wicked woman, Selly¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°I-I believe you really would do that, so I¡¯m terrified¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course. I could even make you Dorosian¡¯s personal maid. So, you should be grateful. Do you realize how well I treat you?¡±


    Selly pressed her lips tightly together.


    She was probably deeply moved and feeling truly thankful.


    Serving someone of my caliber must be a stroke of luck for her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­ yes, yes. Then, can I have this weekend off?¡±


    ¡°No. You need to do my laundry.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Selly scowled and kept her mouth shut.


    As I waited endlessly for Mircel to arrive, I looked around.


    Rockefeller, who had been standing as if he intended to wait forever, seemed to have left in a hurry for some urgent business.


    At that moment, I noticed a carriage approaching from the distance.


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 132

    While staying at the mansion, I had learned quite a bit about Mircel. In the later part of the scenario, the one known as the perfect and flawless swordsman is my younger brother, so it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d be curious about his childhood.


    What I found out about Mircel is that he doesn¡¯t have any friends.


    The reason is that he¡¯s a genius who is on a completely different level from everyone else.


    Children his age can¡¯t handle the relative sense of deprivation or the immature jealousy that comes with it, so they only gossip behind his back.


    Whenever he would say, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a child?¡± it might have been because he found the jealousy of the other children petty, or perhaps it was his way of drawing a line and saying he was different from them.


    But deep down, he was still just a kid.


    The fact that he would pull me by the hand, asking to play with Niasel and me, is proof of that.


    He must have satisfied the usual cravings of a child his age through Niasel and me.


    But look at the result.


    He¡¯s enrolled in Frost Heart just to be with me.


    ***


    ¡°Brr, it¡¯s cold here even though it¡¯s summer.¡±


    Mircel jumped off the carriage. He seems to have grown a few centimeters since I last saw him. Donatan remarked with admiration.


    ¡®I can¡¯t sense any aura from him. In such a short time¡­ truly a remarkable growth rate.¡¯


    ¡°Is that really growth? If you can¡¯t sense it, isn¡¯t that a bad thing?¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t talk nonsense. The fact that he doesn¡¯t let even a sliver of aura leak out means he¡¯s mastered the control of his aura.¡¯


    It seems that Mircel has tightly bound his aura to his core, not letting even a bit escape.


    Hmm, somehow he feels slightly less present than before.


    ¡°Brother, how have you been?¡±


    Mircel approached me, waving with an adorably cute face. I responded with a grin.


    ¡°You really came.¡±


    Selly, who was beside me, bowed her head and greeted him.


    ¡°How have you been, Master Mircel?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a while. I was just talking about you with Mirei on the way here.¡±


    ¡°Me? Mirei?¡±


    Mirei stepped out of the carriage just in time, carrying some luggage.


    She held out a coat she had pulled from a suitcase as if to help him put it on.


    ¡°Master Mircel, here¡¯s a coat¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±


    Mirei was the maid who used to be in charge of cooking in my annex. I heard she started working at the mansion¡¯s main building after I left for the academy.


    Now, it seems she¡¯s been assigned as Mircel¡¯s personal maid.


    ¡°How have you been, Master Hersel?¡±


    Mirei greeted me politely after setting down the luggage, and I welcomed her warmly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not planning to poison the food here, are you?¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Mirei cleared her throat in embarrassment and quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°By the way, Master Erucel¡­¡±


    Ah, I had almost forgotten that he was my brother too.


    But where did he go when he knew Mircel was coming?


    ¡°Oh, the second brother? Maybe he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here? We don¡¯t usually exchange letters, after all. Still, it¡¯s strange. I thought he¡¯d have heard from Mom.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he got the date wrong. He¡¯s pretty dense.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can see him later. For now, it¡¯s a bit awkward to keep standing here, so how about we head to your dorm?¡±


    As I suggested, Mirei and Selly shared the load of the luggage.


    We had a lot of conversations with Mircel on the way.


    ¡°It felt eerie from the outside, but it¡¯s even more so inside¡­¡±


    Frost Heart is a pure white fortress.


    The view from the outside was somewhat bright.


    Nevertheless, the reason Mircel felt that way must be because of the trait ¡°Perception Beyond Senses.¡±


    He instinctively sensed it.


    That this place is not normal.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see a lot of strange things from now on, so you better keep your wits about you.¡±


    ¡°Eh, what could happen? I¡¯ll be with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mention it, did I? You and I will be staying in different dorms. Mine is over there.¡±


    On the way, I pointed to the Schlaphe Hall.


    Mircel tilted his head at the sight of the dormitory, which was barely distinguishable from an abandoned building.


    ¡°¡­Do you really stay there?¡± Mircel asked with wide, surprised eyes.


    I nodded and reassured him. ¡°Well, yes. But don¡¯t worry. The place where you¡¯ll stay has much better facilities than this.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that means we won¡¯t see each other often, right? There¡¯s probably a curfew here too. Let¡¯s see, that means we can only meet during class and in the evenings.¡±


    Oh, now that I think about it, I hadn¡¯t told him that I had enrolled in the Magic Department.


    Since getting caught by Aol would only bring trouble, I kept it a secret from Mircel as well.


    I should tell him now and handle the rest later.


    ¡°We might not even meet often during classes. I¡¯m in the Magic Department. Even though there are joint classes with the Knights Department, you¡¯ll be assigned to the Adele Hall, so we¡¯ll meet even less.¡±


    Joint classes were more often conducted separately among students from the same dormitory rather than all together.


    When I told him that, Mircel looked disappointed, with a hint of confusion in his voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the Magic Department? Why did you join there?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Mircel seems to see me as some kind of supreme expert.


    It¡¯s best to give a reasonable excuse.


    ¡°I wanted to learn something different.¡±


    Mircel, being the child he is, immediately accepted my explanation.


    ¡°Oh, I guess that makes sense. You¡¯ve achieved so much, so it¡¯s natural to want to try something new.¡±


    As we chatted, we passed through the fortress¡¯s entrance.


    The dimly colored portraits hanging on the marble walls, the enormous mirrors, and the gloomy faces of the students trudging through the corridors¡ªthey all cast occasional surprised glances our way.


    They were probably wondering why there was a child here.


    Given his regal aura, they wouldn¡¯t mistake him for a servant.


    Upon closer observation, it seemed they didn¡¯t recognize Mircel at all.


    I quickly understood why from the passing students¡¯ conversations.


    ¡°Did you see Dorosian? She¡¯s wearing three layers of ogre armor.¡±


    ¡°But I heard she can use magic too? They say she even drew a spell to kill the servant she brought along.¡±


    The academy is currently abuzz with stories about the monstrous villainess, Dorosian.


    Mircel¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Have you seen Dorosian, brother?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have.¡±


    I began to worry about him.


    He, too, is a special admission student, which means he¡¯ll suddenly find himself living in the same dormitory.


    Although the students are strictly separated by gender, there¡¯s always a chance they might cross paths.


    I warned Mirei to be cautious.


    ¡°Mirei, make sure you keep track of Dorosian¡¯s schedule.¡±


    ¡°Her schedule, sir?¡±


    ¡°Make sure Mircel doesn¡¯t run into her.¡±


    Originally, that dormitory floor was meant to be occupied solely by Dorosian.


    Now that Mircel suddenly became her neighbor, I needed to ensure his safety.


    Mirei, also concerned, swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be very careful about that.¡±


    Fortunately, Mircel wasn¡¯t acting recklessly.


    ¡°¡­Hmm. Seeing how serious you are, I guess it¡¯s better not to run into her.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, you never know what she might do.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Mom also told me to listen to you.¡±


    Even though he enjoys a bit of danger, at heart, he¡¯s a good kid who listens well.


    I lightly patted Mircel¡¯s shoulder.


    By the time he graduates, he¡¯ll be an adult for sure.


    It felt a bit awkward stepping into the special admission students¡¯ dormitory.


    The fortress is equipped with elevators reserved for professors, especially the high-ranking ones.


    These levitation devices, operated by magic stones, are also found in the Mage Tower.


    Other than that, only student council members, special admission students, or their attendants were allowed to use them.


    Even though I receive various privileges from the faculty, using the elevator without permission felt inappropriate.


    I had no choice but to wait by the elevator door, chatting with Selly, until Mircel unpacked and came out.


    ¡°Mirei will probably be working in the dining hall.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. She was excellent at cooking, so I suppose she¡¯ll be assigned to the dining hall in Adele Hall.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe I¡¯ll ask for a discount when I run out of meal tickets.¡±


    At that moment, I heard footsteps approaching from behind.


    Step, step.


    I assumed it was a professor coming to use the elevator and listened to Selly¡¯s chatter.


    ¡°Oh, come on, like that¡¯s going to happen. What kind of power does a servant have?¡±


    But then the footsteps drew closer, and I heard a short yelp from Selly.


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    Seeing Selly about to stumble, I quickly grabbed her by the nape of her neck to steady her.


    Someone had deliberately bumped into her just now.


    As I turned my head, I could see the sneering face of the man responsible.


    He looked down at Selly and spoke in an irritating tone.


    ¡°Hey, why are you bumping into people while they¡¯re passing by?¡±


    ¡°What? I was just standing here¡­ huh?¡±


    I pulled Selly by the nape of her neck and placed her behind me.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s trying to pick a fight. Why are you even bothering to respond?¡±


    After speaking to Selly, I turned to the man and stared at him.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    He was one of those troublemakers who had caused quite a scene before.  S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ranked 7th among the Ten Elites.


    His name¡­ I forgot.


    ¡°Heh, I really did make a mistake. Anyone would think I was really picking a fight, huh?¡±


    He looked around with an air of arrogance, as if he was enjoying the attention from the onlooking students.


    It seemed he was basking in a sense of superiority, as if he had the right to act this way.


    ¡°Such a child,¡± I remarked, my critique flawless.


    Despite that, he didn¡¯t take it humbly; instead, his face twisted into a scowl as he lowered his voice.


    ¡°A child¡­?¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer another term? Let¡¯s see, thug, third-rate gangster¡­ what else is there? Ah.¡±


    Suddenly, a more accurate description came to mind.


    I pointed my finger at him and corrected my statement.


    ¡°Someone who only pretends to be strong around the weak is more accurately called a cowardly toady. You suck up to seniors who are stronger than you, don¡¯t you? Wake up to reality. They¡¯re only looking at you with pity. And yet you mistake that for admiration. You¡¯re completely deluded.¡±


    He clenched his fists and strode toward me.


    I didn¡¯t back down and lifted my head defiantly.


    If we fought now, I was confident I could win.


    The Ten Elites¡¯ ranks are positions earned through duels.


    Their strategies naturally come to be understood.


    Of course, if we compared specs, he¡¯d likely be superior, but I have something gained from my training¡ªa single, all-out strike.


    Its power is strong enough to surpass even the professors¡¯ level.


    He grabbed me by the collar, his eyes blazing.


    ¡°You bastard¡­¡±


    Honestly, if I just shaved his head with a few hundred gold coins, he¡¯d probably back down, claiming to be some kind of swordsman.


    But for now, I didn¡¯t feel like doing that.


    The reason was that his cocky attitude felt unnatural.


    These guys are part of the Ten Elites.


    Despite their lack of common sense, they are obsessively concerned about their public image.


    If they had heard the rumors that I caught the Viper, they wouldn¡¯t be so quick to pick a fight.


    Getting humiliated would mean they couldn¡¯t show their face.


    And the cause was probably due to Emeric¡¯s group and Athera.


    Those guys have the skill to shut their eyes and ears, and they¡¯ve been acting suspiciously lately.


    ¨C ¡°Hey, my name didn¡¯t come up, did it?¡±


    Athera had even asked if her name had come up among the elders and professors.


    ¨C ¡°Oh, the top seven ranks? Well, this is great. Hersel, those guys have such good personalities. You should try hanging out with them sometime. How about I set something up? If you get close, your life at the academy will get a lot easier.¡±


    Harmon, who used to hang out with Emeric, even scammed people openly.


    They were definitely planning to use me and these guys as pawns in their schemes.


    I didn¡¯t like the idea of being used by those obnoxious bastards.


    I leaned in close to his ear and whispered with a hint of warm mercy.


    ¡°After class, follow me to a quiet place. I¡¯ll beat you to a pulp somewhere secluded.¡±


    How kind of me.


    I was even offering to forgive him by only half-killing him and finishing things quietly without humiliating him in front of others.


    And yet, true to his nature as a member of the Ten Elites, he screamed like a child.


    ¡°You bastard!!¡±


    Just as the room was echoing with his shout, the elevator door chimed as it opened.


    A grating voice leaked out through the crack in the door.


    It was unmistakably Rockefeller¡¯s voice.


    ¡°There are many strict rules, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve told the professors to be as accommodating as possible. If anything still bothers you, feel free to come to my office anytime.¡±


    His overly friendly tone was disgusting.


    But that wasn¡¯t the important part.


    The real issue was that this Seventh Elite still had me by the collar, and he was raising his fist as if ready to strike.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    The sound came from both the Seventh Elite and Rockefeller.


    ¡°Pro-Professor Rockefeller¡­¡±


    The Seventh Elite trembled like a leaf.


    Rockefeller quickly covered Mircel¡¯s eyes with his hand and started muttering strange words.


    ¡°Hoho, seems like some students are having a little fun.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the person who got grabbed by the collar my brother?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, yes, that¡¯s right. Your brother is quite the troublemaker at the academy. He often plays pranks like this, teaming up with others. Frost Heart does have its freedoms, after all.¡±


    It would be hard to believe that this was really Rockefeller.


    But I knew why he was acting like that.


    If Mircel wanted to withdraw from the academy, the academy had quietly agreed with our family to accept it without resistance.


    Feeling playful, I lowered the corners of my mouth and pretended to be pitiful.


    ¡°Oh, senior, please don¡¯t do this here. I don¡¯t want to get disciplined in front of my younger brother right now.¡±


    The Seventh Elite, who had been holding my collar, quickly let go and glanced nervously at Rockefeller.


    Rockefeller, wearing a cold expression, silently mouthed the words ¡°follow me.¡±


    The Seventh Elite trailed behind Rockefeller with his shoulders slumped.


    As I blankly watched their retreating backs, I suddenly felt a sharp static shock from beside me. It came from Mircel.


    When I turned my head, Mircel, with his adorably cute face, was rubbing his stomach.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s about time for a meal, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I pulled out a meal ticket I had been saving and took Mircel to the dining hall at Adele Hall.


    ¡°Feeling generous today. Tell me anything you want to eat. I¡¯ll buy it all for you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, really?¡±


    Mircel smiled brightly with joy.


    ***


    Meldon, who had grabbed Hersel by the collar.


    He prayed fervently that the next day would never come.


    ¡°¡­More drills under that man again?¡±


    Meldon had grown increasingly frustrated with everything.


    Sure, he had been rude to the elders, but he had gotten away with it, right?


    By now, they should be acting like nothing happened, coddling him as usual.


    Even Rockefeller, who used to turn a blind eye to things, had been lenient in the past.


    The reason for that was that even if he attended another academy, he was talented enough to score at the top.


    But after returning from practical training, things had completely changed.


    Meldon realized that one man was always present in all these incidents.


    He sensed that the professors¡¯ favoritism was now directed toward him.


    Meldon gritted his teeth and punched the wall in frustration.


    ¡°That bastard, who¡¯s nothing special¡­ He must¡¯ve sucked up to the professors really well, huh?¡±


    In Meldon¡¯s eyes, Hersel had always been a mere bug from Schlaphe Hall.


    He acted all high and mighty only when the professors were nearby.


    When they were alone, he couldn¡¯t even make eye contact.


    Still burning with anger, Meldon kept pounding the wall.


    The aura he infused into his blows caused cracks to spread, and he felt a surge of satisfaction from his power.


    Just then, an unexpected voice sent chills down his spine.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the guy who grabbed my brother by the collar, right?¡±


    There had been no sign of anyone approaching.


    Meldon quickly turned his head.


    What he saw was a young boy, his face shrouded in shadows.


    It was the same kid who had stood next to Rockefeller in the elevator earlier.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Meeting the boy¡¯s half-opened eyes, Meldon instinctively stepped back.


    There was a razor-sharp intensity in the boy¡¯s gaze, sharp enough to make Meldon feel as if his very retina might be sliced.


    ¡°Rockefeller covered my eyes earlier, so I didn¡¯t get a good look at your face. Let me ask again. You¡¯re the one who grabbed my brother by the collar, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The boy¡¯s voice was chilling, sending a cold shiver through Meldon¡¯s heart.


    Without realizing it, Meldon¡¯s hand instinctively reached for his sword hilt.


    His mind was consumed with a single thought.


    That was the only thing on his mind.


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 133

    Meldon tightly gripped the hilt of his sword but hesitated to draw it, his instincts warning him. He sensed that if he made a move, his opponent would react reflexively. In his mind, negative images flashed, like a cat pouncing and catching a mouse in an instant. The aura emitted by the child before him was unmistakably that of a predator.Meldon quickly reminded himself that he was an intelligent human being. He had to use his brain. The first step was to calm his fear with logic. He kept reminding himself that the boy in front of him was barely half his height.


    he thought. He had been slamming the walls in frustration, which explained why he hadn¡¯t heard any footsteps.


    He concluded that the boy must be untrained in the art of aura manipulation.


    Meldon let go of the sword hilt and casually shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Yeah, I grabbed your brother by the scruff of his neck, but that was¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Meldon suddenly remembered that this brat was Hersel Ben Tenest¡¯s brother. And if this was his younger brother, it could only be Mircel Ben Tenest. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if he was a genius, he was still an unbloomed flower. And on top of that, he was without a weapon. This thought sparked a greedy smile on Meldon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Heh heh heh. So, you¡¯re that famous Mircel.¡±


    Mircel was expected to become a formidable force in the future. If Meldon could crush him here and now, it would become a great tale to boast about in the future. If he could claim to have defeated such a prodigy, his reputation would soar alongside it.


    Meldon was confident he could make that happen. The secret to his rise to power was not just his physical prowess. From a young age, he had crushed the spirits of his rivals, accumulating years of experience. Breaking this kid¡¯s will would be no different.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Meldon to realize how wrong that assumption was.


    Crack.


    He looked down at his wrist, feeling a sharp, tingling pain.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    His right wrist hung limply, clearly dislocated.


    Meldon snapped back to reality as he heard Mircel¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I can hear you thinking.¡±


    ¡°W-What did you just do¡­?¡±


    ¡°I twisted it, obviously. But why do you look so shocked? Did you think I¡¯ve never dealt with someone like you before?¡±


    ¡°You little brat!!¡±


    Meldon hastily tried to draw his sword with his uninjured left hand, but once again, a searing pain shot through him.


    Crack!


    This time, he didn¡¯t even see Mircel move as his left wrist was also dislocated. Meldon¡¯s eyes welled up as he screamed in agony, overwhelmed by the sudden pain. ??


    ¡°Aaaargh!!¡±


    Mircel grabbed him by the collar, pulling him down until Meldon¡¯s knees hit the ground. Looking him in the eyes, Mircel drew the sword hanging at Meldon¡¯s waist.


    Shwing.


    ¡°There¡¯s always someone like you, isn¡¯t there? Some idiot who thinks defeating me will be some kind of badge of honor.¡±


    Mircel placed the blade against Meldon¡¯s neck, causing his pupils to constrict in terror.


    ¡°Wa-wait a minute. What are you planning to do right now?¡±


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to break the fingers that grabbed my brother by the collar. You¡¯d better not struggle too much, unless you want your carotid artery cut.¡±


    Mircel spoke calmly as he twisted Meldon¡¯s fingers without hesitation.


    Crack.


    The once quiet hallway began to fill with Meldon¡¯s screams.


    Inherent talent is like a sweet fruit that always attracts pests. It had been the same ever since he started wielding a sword.


    Jealous eyes and provocations came at him constantly, and some even dared to target his sister Niasel¡¯s vulnerabilities.


    Every time, Mircel exterminated those pests, proving he was a poisoned fruit. Especially for those like the man before him, who dared to touch his family, he dealt with them even more harshly.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Meldon whimpered like a child. His face, filled with frustration, showed more signs of despair than the pain in his fingers. It was a familiar sight to Mircel.


    ¡°Consider yourself lucky this ended here. Next time, I might make it so you can never hold a sword again. Do you understand?¡±


    With a face full of resentment, Meldon clenched his eyes shut and nodded.


    Mircel, satisfied, withdrew his gaze from Meldon and disappeared into the shadowed hallway.


    ¡°Oh, and by the way, if you were prepared to devour someone, you should be prepared to be devoured yourself. Don¡¯t go around acting all sly when you¡¯re not ready for it. It¡¯s just pathetic to watch.¡±


    Meldon, hearing Mircel¡¯s voice echo in the distance, clenched his teeth so hard that his gums started to bleed, holding back the curses that were bubbling up. As humiliating as it was, he had to admit he was so scared that he had been reduced to watching that monster leave, filled with dread.


    ¡°Th-this¡­ brat¡­ this little brat!!¡±


    Left alone in the empty hallway, Meldon continued to curse under his breath for a long time. But the more he cursed, the less relief he felt, and instead, the anger he had tried to suppress began to rise to the surface.


    Finally, drained, he lifted his pitiful face and stood up. His weary steps carried him toward the lounge where the captain was waiting.


    Meldon was determined to teach that brat a lesson about why the captain was feared.


    Meanwhile, in the headmaster¡¯s office, Rockefeller spoke in a shocked tone.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious about having her take lessons from Schlaphe Hall?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious,¡± Arkandric replied firmly.


    Despite Arkandric¡¯s confidence, Rockefeller found it hard to agree. Treating a special admissions student like this was beyond the norm.


    ¡°Headmaster, please, reconsider just one more time¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Arkandric¡¯s next words silenced Rockefeller.


    ¡°To Dorosian El Grice, all the academy¡¯s lessons would feel like childish games. You know the Grice family well, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The Grice Dukedom was a long-established magical family with a prestigious lineage. Surrounded by unparalleled magical knowledge, Dorosian was such a natural genius that she could master the lessons her siblings were learning just by watching in passing.


    ¡°But she¡¯s still a special admissions student. If Duke finds out about this, it could cause some serious problems.¡±


    ¡°The Duke sent Dorosian here to keep her from causing any more trouble. I believe this decision aligns with his wishes.¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes widened as he realized the headmaster¡¯s true intentions.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t mean to assign her to ¡®him¡¯, do you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, as you know, even with three aura seals placed on her, it¡¯s still a challenge for the professors. And we can¡¯t always be around her ourselves, can we?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    Arkandric intended to use Hersel as a buffer to keep Dorosian¡¯s chaos in check.


    Rockefeller couldn¡¯t help but admire the headmaster¡¯s deep insight.


    ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant idea!¡±


    Indeed, it had been a headache of a problem until now.


    ***


    The lesson today took place outdoors. The old professor, sitting on a neatly cut tree stump, explained the topic.


    ¡°Today¡¯s lesson is about sharpening your innate senses. For this, you¡¯ll need to fully utilize your mana sensitivity.¡±


    The task was to find a mana stone hidden in the forest.


    ¡°Use your senses of touch, sight, smell, and hearing to detect the mana flow from the stone. Follow the clues, and you¡¯ll find it. Oh, and return the stone immediately upon discovery.¡±


    When the professor said to return the mana stones, the students voiced their complaints.


    ¡°Aw, come on. Can¡¯t we just keep them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, especially since we¡¯re short on money as it is.¡±


    As expected, the students of Schlaphe Hall were always struggling financially. Still, the old professor refused without hesitation.


    ¡°Hey, do you know how expensive mana stones are? If you want one, go find one yourself during the demonic realm training.¡±


    While listening, I suddenly raised my hand, wondering how I was supposed to find one.


    ¡°Professor, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Haha, I thought you always managed on your own. I never expected you to ask a question. This is surprising. Well, what¡¯s your question?¡±


    The professor had left out one of the five senses in his explanation. It was a sense closely tied to my unique ability¡ªtaste.


    ¡°Am I supposed to find it using my tongue?¡±


    When I asked, the professor avoided eye contact. Furrowing my brow, I asked again.


    ¡°Professor, am I supposed to find it with my tongue?¡±


    The professor, pouting slightly, finally answered.


    ¡°To be honest, you¡¯re the first student I¡¯ve ever had like this, so I¡¯m not really sure how to handle it¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too negatively about it. Who knows? This might help you develop a new sense.¡±


    Just then, I heard a woman¡¯s laughter from somewhere.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    I quickly turned my head, and the students of Schlaphe Hall exchanged nervous glances. They seemed to be searching for the source of the laughter too. But no matter where I looked, there was no woman in sight.


    Half surprised and half serious, I shouted into the air.


    ¡°Gravel, have you finally become a perfect invisible person?¡±


    As I asked, the air in the middle of the hallway began to distort like a mirage. Such flawless stealth magic¡ªit made me want to learn it. I thought I should take Gravel as my master.


    Just as I was watching with excitement, someone suddenly pushed their displeased face close to mine.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not me!¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Gravel. Nearby, Ricks spoke with a confused expression.


    ¡°Th-this can¡¯t be, Gravel¡¯s unique presence has been stolen by someone else?¡±


    His group began to chatter with worried faces.


    ¡°What should we do now? I always figured that if things seemed blurry, it was Gravel.¡±


    ¡°This is serious¡­ Could this be how she gets forgotten for real?¡±


    It seemed like his lack of presence was his only unique trait, and if that disappeared, Gravel might actually fade away.


    At their remarks, Gravel frowned with frustration.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too harsh?¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem like a fake, so it had to be the real Gravel. But then, who was the other one?


    All eyes turned back to the distortion in the air. Slowly, black waves began to ripple and take form.


    ¡°Hah, using your tongue? I was going to just stay quiet, but that was too funny to resist.¡±


    The seductive voice of a woman echoed.


    The black waves formed into a tight-fitting dress. As the chains of aura clinked together, everyone gulped and began to back away.


    No one seemed inclined to question why this woman was here. Reluctantly, I gathered my courage and looked at the professor.


    ¡°Professor, it seems someone has mistakenly come to the wrong class.¡±


    This was a class for Schlaphe Hall¡¯s magic department. Dorosian should have been attending Adele Hall¡¯s lessons.


    However, the professor gave an offhand response and casually continued the lesson.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s correct. Dorosian has been accepted into Schlaphe Hall¡¯s magic department. Anyway, we got sidetracked. Let¡¯s get back to the explanation.¡±


    Dorosian in Schlaphe Hall¡¯s magic department? What on earth¡­?


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    The professor, ignoring my question, picked up the roster. He seemed determined to carry on without addressing any objections.


    ¡°Today¡¯s lesson will be conducted in pairs for safety reasons. Be mindful of the monsters that have awoken from their hibernation. Now, those whose names are called, you may start. Gravel Don Klabe, Ricks Don Orian, you two will be partners.¡±


    As names were called out one by one, my sense of unease grew. The fewer people remained, the more pronounced Dorosian¡¯s presence became.


    ¡°Hapal Von Rhodes, Edril Jen Hartina.¡±


    Finally, when my name was called at the very end, a chill ran down my spine.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, Dorosian El Grice. That¡¯s it.¡±


    When I heard my name called, I turned to look at Dorosian. She was already staring at me as if she had been watching all along.


    With wide eyes, she asked, ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest?¡±


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 Chapter 134

    One day in her childhood, a woman claiming to be ¡°your future self¡± appeared in the garden of the mansion. Dorosian instinctively sensed, by looking at her tear mole and impression, that this was what she would look like when she grew up.


    However, since it sounded so absurd, she didn¡¯t believe it in her mind, thinking that the resemblance must have been a trick by a con artist.


    Indeed, she acted like a scammer.


    Whenever she approached nearby adults, she would magically disappear without a trace.


    Even now, the woman was so unlikable that it made her teeth ache, but Dorosian had no choice but to accept that this was indeed her future self.


    This was because she spoke of future events as if predicting them, and everything she said actually happened¡ªsignificant incidents like earthquakes in certain regions, newly discovered dungeons, and the death of some high-ranking noble.


    However, it seemed that even she was wrong this time.


    -Don¡¯t get close to that guy; it¡¯s better not to. He¡¯s destined to die by his stepmother¡¯s hands in ten years.


    On the day when the eldest son of the Tenest family visited the Grice mansion for socializing, the prophecy that future Dorosian had casually mentioned¡­


    Dorosian¡¯s immediate thought was ¡®the butterfly effect.¡¯


    That seemed to be the most plausible speculation.


    Indeed, there was a fateful pairing between a butler and a maid, but by firing the butler immediately, the maid ended up with another man instead.


    In this way, the futures that had been predetermined by her gestures could be changed.


    In this case, one choice might have affected that guy too.


    Nothing else could explain how he had survived.


    She was likely very close to being certain of it.


    After all, future Dorosian and her past self had diverged paths from the very beginning.


    Dorosian smiled at Hersel and lightly shrugged her shoulders in greeting.


    ¡°Has it been 11 years? How have you been?¡±


    Hersel opened his eyes slightly with a somewhat indifferent expression.


    ¡°¡­Have we met before?¡±


    Taken aback by his unexpected response, Dorosian blinked in surprise.


    ¡°No way, even if it was a long time ago, you don¡¯t remember me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess not?¡±


    His tone and expression conveyed that he genuinely did not remember her, which seemed strange to Dorosian.


    There was no peer among the nobles who hadn¡¯t faced consequences when encountering Dorosian.


    The degree of punishment varied, but Hersel had definitely been taught a harsh lesson.


    It was understandable, given that Hersel had been a foolish young master who relied on his background and acted recklessly.


    Naturally, from their very first meeting, his words had been rude,


    ¡°Pretty face, but you must be crazy? What a waste of looks.¡±


    Dorosian had turned the wall into jelly and trapped him inside it.


    She had left only his face outside so he could breathe, then solidified it.


    ¡°W-what are you doing to me? Are you trying to get killed by my father?¡±


    ¡°Shut up; you¡¯re annoying.¡±


    After all, the world would end in about ten years anyway.


    She had pulled his lips as she pleased and trampled on his pride, which had been bragging like the world belonged to him.


    But apparently, he had forgotten that.


    That was unpleasant in its own way.


    Dorosian narrowed her eyes and reached out to grab Hersel¡¯s lips.


    ¡°This is a disappointing reaction. Will this jog your memory?¡±


    At that moment, her wrist was suddenly seized.


    Dorosian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at his face.


    Hersel had gripped her wrist with just enough force, glaring at her with a cold look.


    He asked in a chilling voice, ¡°Why are you trying to touch my face?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    It was only a moment of surprise at his defiance.


    Once she regained her composure, Dorosian half-opened her eyes and moved her empty hand.


    Having not seen him in a while, she was pondering what magic to use to punish him when Professor Noh grumbled unpleasantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been ages since everyone left; why are you two still hanging around? Aren¡¯t you going to depart soon?¡±


    Only then did Hersel release her wrist.


    He turned away, saying, ¡°We should be going.¡±


    Dorosian found it momentarily ridiculous.


    He had just almost attacked her, yet he casually turned his back.


    As if he expected her to let it go¡­


    That was the only explanation.


    The fear etched deep within would inevitably resurface, even subconsciously.


    Yet, from his demeanor, he appeared to exude tranquility.


    Dorosian briefly fell into thought as she looked at Hersel¡¯s back as he walked ahead.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    In the time they hadn¡¯t met, he had become quite an intriguing creature.


    Both alive and bold, the man who had once been so timid as to avoid eye contact now appeared energetic, providing a refreshing perspective.


    ¡°This might not be so bad after all.¡±


    Above all, having at least one conversation partner seemed preferable to being bored.


    Just a little while ago, when she had dispelled her invisibility magic, many had fled with a terrified expression.


    Dorosian finished her thoughts, chuckling softly as she followed Hersel.


    ¡°For now, I think I¡¯ll just watch quietly.¡±


    To Dorosian, his presence began to appear rather interesting.


    ***


    When Dorosian attempted to touch my face, I ignited the ¡®embers of noble blood.¡¯


    Was this a battle of wills?


    If I had backed down, my remaining time at the academy would have become exhausting.


    Dorosian was a woman who did not touch those who piqued her interest.


    Knowing how to handle herself, she would have been severely punished had she been an ordinary person.


    As I walked ahead, I kept striking up conversations to divert her attention elsewhere.


    Of course, there was an underlying motive of gathering information.


    ¡°Was coming to the Schlaphe Magic Department your choice?¡±


    ¡°I just came here because the professors told me to,¡± she replied.


    The reasons behind the professors¡¯ decision were secondary, but I wondered if it was acceptable.


    The fact that Dorosian had never been assigned to the Schlaphe Magic Department before was undeniable.


    There was a high possibility that it would create problems in the narrative, but there was also a silver lining.


    That was the fact that her significance was not particularly large in the Frost Heart.


    ¡°Hmm, that doesn¡¯t really offer much comfort.¡±


    I was never keen on finding myself in frequent encounters with dangerous individuals.


    ¡°Really? Oh, speaking of which¡­ did you say we met when we were kids?¡±


    When I asked, Dorosian cast a deep glance at me.


    She then lightly rubbed her lips together, smiling before turning the question back at me.


    ¡°It seems you really don¡¯t remember anything at all. Did you suffer from amnesia or something?¡±


    Reluctantly, I decided to adopt the convenient narrative she had presented.


    I¡¯ve used this many times already, so there¡¯s nothing new about it now.


    ¡°Well, that did happen.¡±


    As I answered flatly, Dorosian murmured softly with a strange light in her eyes.


    ¡°For some reason¡­¡±


    In my eyes, that look seemed ominous.


    Just as I was regretting whether I had made a wrong choice, Dorosian extended one palm toward me.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°We used to hold hands and wander around a lot when we were kids. You never know; this might jog your memory.¡±


    ¡­It seemed like I had stepped on a landmine.


    As I looked at Dorosian¡¯s outstretched hand, I quickly began to guess inwardly.


    Dorosian is a bad woman.


    Hersel is a bad guy.


    There might be something connecting these bad elements together.


    No, that seems like an overstatement.


    I couldn¡¯t even imagine a scene where the arrogant Hersel would treat the woman Dorosian kindly.


    Based on the data so far, I believed he would have been thoroughly punished for not knowing his place.


    That¡¯s why I doubted Dorosian¡¯s claim.


    ¡°My arms are heavy because of the chains. You should grab my hand quickly.¡±


    Prompted by Dorosian, I came up with a wise answer.


    It wasn¡¯t something like ¡®How can I trust that we were close?¡¯ to irritate her.


    ¡°Did you not hear what the professor said? It¡¯s the season when monsters wake from hibernation. It¡¯s better to keep your hands free.¡±


    Dorosian, seemingly sulking, dropped her gaze and glanced at my waist.


    ¡°By the way, why are you carrying a sword as part of the Magic Department? And isn¡¯t the Tenest family known for their swordsmanship?¡±


    There¡¯s no benefit in showing my weaknesses to this woman.


    Deciding to end the conversation there, I shifted the topic again.


    ¡°Whatever I learn is my choice, isn¡¯t it? Besides, we¡¯re in class now. Let¡¯s focus a bit.¡±


    This place was slightly distant from the fortress.


    Now that the snow had melted, it was no different from a wild forest, and I didn¡¯t know when monsters might appear.


    Searching for magic stones through taste in such a place¡­


    I glanced at Dorosian out of the corner of my eye.


    She had a fox-like face and smiled slyly.


    ¡°Why? Are you asking me to find it for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I just thought that if you had awakened your five senses, you might have some clues.¡±


    Dorosian covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.


    ¡°Ah, right. You awakened your sense of taste first, right? I¡¯ve never seen someone like that in my life.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Turning my head as if I were completely uninterested, Dorosian let out a chuckle.


    It seemed she was thinking seriously for a moment.


    ¡°Hmm, You mean feeling mana through taste?¡±


    Dorosian licked the air with her tongue, even letting out a sultry moan.


    She must have done it deliberately to look alluring.


    From the way she kept glancing at me, it seemed she wanted to enjoy my reaction.


    Being toyed with like this is dangerous.


    If she thinks I¡¯m an easy toy to play with, the outcome won¡¯t be good.


    I waited for Dorosian¡¯s words, keeping a neutral expression as if it were no big deal.


    ¡°Try licking the air periodically. If it starts tasting increasingly like some bizarre fruit, then you¡¯re probably heading toward the magic stone.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the tip.¡±


    I also briefly licked the air with my tongue.


    It tasted faintly fruity.


    Using this as a clue to determine the direction, Dorosian followed behind, jangling her chains.


    We walked in silence for a while.


    Dorosian seemed to have no intention of interrupting my careful observation of the surroundings.


    Whenever I discovered a suspicious thicket, I drew the telekinesis spell with the staff I had taken from the assassin.


    Felia¡¯s staff was stored in my inventory.


    I was wary that using it in class, where invisibility was a passive ability, might create a ruckus.


    Rustle¡ª


    There were no magic stones.


    Dorosian seemed to enjoy my failure, giggling softly.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s there.¡±


    ¡°¡­You knew and didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to find it by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect much help to begin with.


    I resumed the search and kept drawing blanks.


    By the time I experienced my sixth failure,


    Dorosian asked,


    ¡°By the way, why are you checking everything with telekinesis magic?¡±


    ¡°Because there might be poisonous plants that are dangerous just to touch, or monsters hiding nearby.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Usually, searching is the forte of a mage. It¡¯s common knowledge among adventurers.¡±


    In my case, I had Limberton, who had keen eyesight, and Aslay, who had extensive knowledge of the wild, so I hadn¡¯t taken an active role.


    However, if there was something that required close verification like this, I would use telekinesis magic for safety.


    Dorosian didn¡¯t seem to find this knowledge boring, as she nodded while listening.


    ¡°I thought only soldiers did stuff like this. So it¡¯s really like that?¡±


    She fell silent again.


    After repeating the process of failing a few more times, a considerable amount of time passed.


    There were no more signs of life in the thicket.


    It seemed the others had already found their magic stones.


    ¡°Yawn.¡±


    Dorosian lowered the hand that had been covering her mouth from yawning and said to me,


    ¡°Finding it through taste is the hardest, right? Of the five senses, the sense of mana is the dullest.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know since I have no point of comparison. I should have tried awakening my other senses to understand.¡±


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? We should be finding something by now.¡±


    Dorosian licked the air again.


    This time, she didn¡¯t make any sultry sounds.


    ¡°Indeed, the taste is rich. But if I still can¡¯t find it, maybe even that one awakened sense is below average?¡±


    The precise and bitter assessment made me wince.


    Dorosian seemed to enjoy it and continued to speak sharply.


    ¡°You drew the telekinesis magic circle very delicately just now, so it seems you really have put in a lot of effort. But you were born without even a hint of talent. Am I right?¡± ?????


    It seems geniuses can read such things.


    Anyway, it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve received this kind of evaluation, so I¡¯m just numb to it now.


    ¡°Yes, I have no talent. So what?¡±


    As I replied nonchalantly, Dorosian began to approach me.


    Then she leaned in close to my ear and whispered.


    ¡°Want some advice? No matter how hard you try, it¡¯s actually all meaningless. I don¡¯t know how far you¡¯re hoping to reach, but you¡¯ll probably die before you achieve it.¡±


    Her voice, as she said this, seemed somewhat drained of energy.


    Her words were likely based on the premise of destruction.


    As expected, it was just as I had predicted.


    ¡°Why not just give up and live comfortably? Life is much shorter than you think.¡±


    If I were to unpack the underlying meaning, it would undoubtedly be, ¡°You¡¯ll all die before your twenties end, so live as you please.¡±


    ¡°So, how about this?¡±


    Dorosian withdrew her head and, as if suggesting corruption, extended her palm again.


    ¡°Take my hand. Then I¡¯ll find it for you. Isn¡¯t that a fair deal?¡±


    Five magic stones floated around her hand, bobbing in the air.


    It was definitely something she had brought using telekinesis, deducing their location solely through sense.


    If I could just get my hands on one of those, I could complete this class successfully.


    However, all I could hear in my ears was the meaning of becoming a well-behaved dog.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    My answer came out without hesitation, causing Dorosian to tightly close her once-budding hand.


    Crack!


    The sound of bones and flesh being crushed echoed, and droplets of blood splattered across my face.


    Around us, there was a thud as something heavy fell, and streams of blood began to flow on the ground.


    Dorosian¡¯s gaze still fixed on my eyes.


    With a seductive smile, she opened her palm again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed all the monsters nearby. Now, using one hand for me should be okay, right?¡±


    Feeling a strange stubbornness from her, I scanned the surroundings.


    Blood was dripping from the bushes and trees in the area.


    In an atmosphere where it seemed I wouldn¡¯t fare well if I refused, I didn¡¯t have some grand determination like, ¡°I¡¯d rather burn the embers of noble blood. I¡¯d choose to die as a human than live as this woman¡¯s dog.¡±


    As a user, I was aware that she had reached her limit.


    No matter how much the trait ¡°Mana of the Sea¡± exuded a lot of mana, with three slots filled, limits still existed.


    However, currently, she had used magic strong enough to kill all the nearby monsters.


    It was only natural that her mana was depleted.


    Although Dorosian smiled as if she were relaxed, her core was in a state of empty mana exhaustion.


    It was a moment when I could safely scratch the surface of my nerves.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    I sneered, as if finding it ridiculous.


    Then, I stared into her eyes and expressed what had been inside me.


    ¡°Dorosian, remember what I¡¯m about to say from now on.¡±


    This was something I genuinely wanted to convey to Dorosian.


    ¡°I am not someone who gives up over just a single failure, like some person who lives somewhere. Unless it¡¯s completely over, I will challenge again.¡±


    It was a statement that should sound significant to her.


    Could it be that I touched the reverse scale I had hidden deep within?


    Dorosian narrowed her eyes in displeasure and said softly,


    ¡°You say that so easily? As if you know nothing¡­¡±


    Still, she needed to understand this.


    What made me better than Dorosian, the next Grand Mage, was not just character.


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve faced dozens, hundreds of failures and always challenged again.¡±


    This woman had only seen the end just once.


    In contrast, I had seen that sight countless times to the point of ceasing to count.


    I would never lose in terms of experience points from failure.


    ¡°Of course, you must think it¡¯s funny that I¡¯m saying this just because I¡¯m looking for a single magic stone. I know my words probably won¡¯t resonate with you. You might wonder if I ate something wrong. Nevertheless, I say this simply¡­¡±


    I turned my gaze away from Dorosian and turned my back to search for the magic stone again.


    ¡°I hope you remember the words I just said someday.¡±


    After that, I said nothing and just licked the air.


    This time, the taste of mana felt a little richer.


    As I pushed through the bushes and walked for a few minutes, I unleashed my telekinesis.


    Amid the splitting grass, a shiny stone glimmered.


    I picked it up and looked at Dorosian.


    Though her gaze was cold, there was certainly a flicker of interest for a brief moment.


    I smiled as I raised the corners of my mouth.


    ¡°See? I found it.¡±


    I hoped it could prove that there must be at least one way to save this world.


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 Chapter 135

    Dorosian lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with displeased eyes.She was not feeling well.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    When she extended her hand, he rejected it immediately.


    She hadn¡¯t felt any sense of control in the conversation with him.


    Above all, what bothered her the most was¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve faced dozens, hundreds of failures, and I always came back to try again.¡±


    It was his unbearably arrogant statement after finding Magic Stone.


    ¡°¡­He has no idea how I feel, how dare he.¡±


    There are things in this world that can be achieved with effort, but also things that can¡¯t be done no matter how hard you try.


    Hearing that, she wanted to teach him a lesson about reality.


    When he was heading toward the real location of Magic Stone, she was tempted to secretly move it.


    But she stopped, knowing such a petty act would only make her feel like she had lost.


    Instead, the discomfort of feeling like she was the one being manipulated caused Dorosian to bite her lower lip hard.


    ¡°All that arrogance, just for finding that one thing¡­¡±


    Dorosian started to feel annoyed by him.


    She wanted to see his distorted face later, when he realized he was wrong.


    How fun would it be if she could laugh at him then and say, ¡®See, I told you so.¡¯


    Rising from her seat, spurred by the growing desire, Dorosian looked out the window at the Schlaphe Hall with cold, piercing eyes.


    ¡°Should I just force him to say what I want to hear?¡±


    But Dorosian quickly shook her head.


    To be satisfied that she had truly broken his beliefs, it couldn¡¯t come from mere submission to overwhelming power.


    It would only be meaningful if he fell into despair and helplessness, sincerely admitting it of his own accord.


    ¡°¡­Sigh. In the end, it¡¯s frustrating not being able to act one way or the other.¡±


    Dorosian let out a deep sigh and flopped back onto the bed, trying to sleep again.


    But it was a night when sleep wouldn¡¯t come easily.


    ***


    Due to finding Magic Stone late, I could only arrive at the dormitory at night.


    As soon as I stepped into the lobby, a group of Schlaphe magic students, who had arrived earlier, swarmed around me.


    They asked with worried faces.


    ¡°Hersel, you were paired with Dorosian, right? Was everything okay?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t bare her fangs and kill you, did she?¡±


    ¡°You idiot, Dorosian already went back to her dorm.¡±


    I realized they had misunderstood.


    Well, I should probably clear that up.


    With a shrug, I responded in a calm voice.


    ¡°What do you guys think Dorosian is? She¡¯s actually a kind-hearted person. All those rumors you¡¯ve heard are lies made up by people who are jealous of her. Oh, and she asked me to pass on a message to you guys.¡±


    Ricks widened his eyes in surprise and asked,


    ¡°P-Pass on a message?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she said she wants to get along. You know, share meals and have light sparring sessions, just enjoy academy life together. She seems to like you all. So, drop your biases and get closer to her. Then you¡¯ll be able to have fun and laugh together.¡±


    The group began to murmur among themselves.


    They were devils who had leisurely found Magic Stone while making me the scapegoat.


    I sincerely prayed that they would walk into the lion¡¯s den and be torn apart, but their leader, Ricks, was no easy opponent.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because you¡¯re Hersel. Dorosian must¡¯ve noticed right away that you¡¯re strong. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t dare treat you carelessly, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Tch, slipping out of it like that.


    ¡°But, Hersel, did you check the training ground?¡±


    When Gravel asked, I tilted my head.


    The training ground I passed by had been desolate.


    It was probably because I arrived late at night and the timing didn¡¯t match.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­ Leana is still running around the training ground by herself.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Well, she¡¯s probably training hard.¡±


    Leana was a woman who trained a lot.


    She excelled in stamina.


    If she didn¡¯t train enough to her satisfaction, she wouldn¡¯t sleep well.


    It wasn¡¯t a big deal, but what Gravel said next caught my attention.


    ¡°One of the Ten Elites was supervising her alone.¡±


    ¡°Bernal of the Eight Seat?¡±


    ¡°No, it was someone who recently returned from the demon world training. Was it the Fourth Seat?¡±


    The Seven to One are the elites.


    I don¡¯t remember the name, but the Fourth Seat was probably a woman.


    ¡°That woman, you say?¡±


    I asked, and Gravel, with a heavy expression, answered with concern.


    ¡°Yeah, the atmosphere was tense, and it felt a bit dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    This was definitely strange.


    It was still too early for the elites to interact with the main characters.


    They usually got crushed by the main characters around graduation and left.


    ¡°And your younger brother, Erucel. They were using him as a chair.¡±


    ¡°Erucel?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I heard those people have been taking him with them a lot lately¡­¡±


    Hearing Erucel¡¯s name, I started to get a feeling.


    Recently, I¡¯ve been clashing with them.


    The only reason Erucel is being bullied is because he¡¯s my younger brother.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me know, Gravel.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what had happened with Leana, but I could figure that out from now on.


    ***


    The next morning, Bellman, who had arrived early at the lecture hall, looked at the empty seat where Leana had yet to arrive.


    Silla, sitting next to it, kept staring anxiously at the door.


    Erucel, sitting in front, grumbled at just the right moment.


    ¡°Ugh, my legs hurt. It¡¯s because of those Ten Elites or whatever they¡¯re called¡­¡±


    Erucel had been dragged off for several days now to endure grueling discipline from them.


    The official reason was misconduct, but recently, there had been friction between them and Hersel.


    It was clear to anyone that they were persistently bullying him just because he was Hersel¡¯s younger brother.


    And Leana¡­


    ¡°Here we are, Mircel. You¡¯re not late for class today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Bellman sighed deeply as he watched Leana bring in Mircel.


    If they bullied Erucel just because he was Hersel¡¯s younger brother, there was no way they¡¯d leave Mircel alone.


    Yesterday, for instance, those Ten Elites had bribed the student council and handed Mircel¡¯s servant the wrong class schedule, causing him to be late.


    They even got the 2nd and 3rd years involved, creating a hostile atmosphere and ordering the 1st years to ostracize him.


    Unable to stand by and do nothing, Leana took care of Mircel despite the warnings from her seniors, and now she had been openly marked.


    Bellman thought their methods were incredibly childish.


    However, such childish incidents were quite common in aristocratic politics, and they still happened frequently.


    There were more grown-ups acting like children than one might think.


    ¡°Erucel, does Hersel know about this?¡±


    Bellman asked, and Erucel shook his head.


    ¡°I do have some pride, you know. It¡¯s hard to tell him about every little thing like this. Besides, knowing Mircel¡¯s personality, he¡¯s too proud to easily talk about it either.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re planning to handle this yourselves¡­ Do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re thinking about it. But isn¡¯t this something that Bernal, as the dorm representative, should be handling? He¡¯s also one of the Ten Elites, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Bellman sighed bitterly.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any power. It¡¯s better not to expect anything from him.¡±


    The Ten Elites operated by majority vote.


    Whenever a new rule was created, they voted on it and proposed it to the student council.


    The things led by Kerndel, the 1st seat, were often readily accepted by the student council, as if there were some kind of close connection between them.


    People tiptoed around and submitted to this power.


    ¡°The top seven are united, but among the 1st years, the only ones friendly are Bernal and Emeric. The remaining one doesn¡¯t even care about the Ten Elites, just sitting in their seat.¡±


    In the end, unless you can take over the majority, it¡¯s meaningless.


    Hearing the grim news, Erucel asked with a frustrated expression.


    ¡°So, do we have no choice but to ask big brother for help?¡±


    Bellman adjusted his glasses and delivered a colder truth.


    ¡°Even if Hersel were to take the 1st seat position, it would be the same. Kerndel would immediately take over the 2nd Star position and continue wielding power. That would probably push Emeric out of his seat. Whoever gave up their seat to Kerndel would challenge Emeric.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t that be resolved if Emeric just refused the challenge?¡±


    ¡°No, the Ten Elites is a position gained through challenge. If he refuses, it will be considered a forfeit, and he will automatically lose his seat.¡±


    In the end, even if they were pushed out, those people would simply re-establish the 7-to-3 ratio.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to solve this. We need at least five people. Five of our own people need to take root in the Ten Elites.¡±


    Hearing Bellman¡¯s words, Erucel¡¯s face grew pale.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s impossible. Even Riamon hasn¡¯t beaten Bernal yet¡­¡±


    Next to Erucel, who had been lying down asleep, Riamon lifted his head.


    ¡°Hmm? Did someone mention me?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was discussing some of the things I¡¯ve been going through with Bellman, and your name just happened to come up in the conversation.¡±


    Erucel¡¯s words made Riamon chuckle.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not that tough for you, is it? You haven¡¯t even been doing your individual training recently. Isn¡¯t it actually easier for you now?¡±


    Bellman silently nodded. Erucel, displeased, retorted at Riamon.


    ¡°Even so, it feels awful. I¡¯ve got pride and self-respect too, you know, and being used as a human chair is just humiliating.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you even have such things? Ugh, whatever. Just wait until graduation or something. If you feel so wronged, you can pass it down to the juniors like they did to you.¡±


    Riamon lay back down, already drifting off to sleep again, snoring softly.


    Bellman glanced around at the 1st-year students from Adele Hall who were waiting in the lecture hall, lost in deep thought.


    What was happening now was just an appetizer.


    Most of the students here were probably feeling relieved watching a few scapegoats being bullied.


    But over time, the 1st years would begin to follow the lead of the Ten Elites, and the bullying would intensify.


    That was how mob mentality worked.


    Bellman stood up before the professor arrived and walked toward the podium.


    The sooner, the better.


    As he stepped onto the podium, all eyes focused on him.


    Bellman scanned the room and then fixed his gaze on Mircel.


    ¡°I plan to get up early tomorrow and bring Mircel to the classroom with Leana. Since I¡¯m in the magic division, I guess I¡¯ll just act as a guide.¡±


    The students started whispering among themselves.


    What he had just said was clearly a declaration of defiance, ignoring the warnings from their seniors.


    Seeing the uncertain expressions on their faces, Bellman revealed his true thoughts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved in their childish pranks. And I know you all probably feel the same. You don¡¯t want to sink to their level, and you¡¯re probably wondering if it¡¯s really worth going this far.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s strategy was to openly mark the 1st to 7th seats as public enemies. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no better way to strengthen internal unity.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not forcing anyone. If you don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t have to join. But I know most of you aren¡¯t going to sit this one out.¡±


    At that moment, Silla raised her hand high.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡±


    Erucel also raised his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m in. I¡¯ll wait in front of Mircel¡¯s dorm in the morning too.¡±


    Mircel gave Erucel a sideways glance, squinting.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Why¡¯re you suddenly acting like a big brother?¡±


    ¡°You brat. Can¡¯t I act like a big brother for once? Just stop talking and accept it.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I feel like throwing up¡­¡±


    Despite Mircel¡¯s dramatic gagging, more and more students started raising their hands to join.


    ¡­If you guys are doing it, I might as well rebel too.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t join, I¡¯ll just look like the bad one, won¡¯t I?¡±


    Before long, everyone except the still-sleeping Riamon had agreed to stand together.


    Mircel, quietly watching, tilted his head in confusion.


    After all, that was exactly what Mircel had planned to do.


    But now, things felt¡­ different. It would be awkward to act alone now.


    He didn¡¯t quite understand how things had escalated like this.


    At that moment, the sound of angry footsteps echoed through the room.


    It was the professor, and with a furious expression, he yelled so loudly that the classroom reverberated.


    ¡°You lot! What¡¯s all this chatter before class?!¡±


    Bellman quickly scrambled back to his seat.


    ***


    Athera, who had a knack for gathering information, had overheard most of what happened.


    Looking apologetic, Athera approached me and whispered.


    ¡°¡­It feels like this mess blew up because of us. Should we tell them now?¡±


    ¡°Tell them what?¡±


    ¡°You caught the Viper. If they hear about that, they¡¯ll be scared out of their wits.¡±


    I had long known that Athera and Emeric¡¯s gang were conspiring to cover up the truth and pull me and the Ten Elites into their gambling game.


    But it would¡¯ve happened even without their involvement.


    I had met with the Seventh Elite by the fountain, and the friction had already started without their interference.


    Moreover, these guys, being like prized little treasures, would clearly resort to petty means to keep me in check if strength alone didn¡¯t work.


    The Ten Elites, a group composed of the academy¡¯s top talents, would never leave a student they deemed stronger than them alone.


    In fact, if I really thought about it, their meddling was a good opportunity for me.


    These treasured ones were obsessed with appearances, so in front of those they deemed weak, they acted relaxed and careless.


    That carelessness would create an opening for me to strike.


    If things went well, I could even deal with Kerndel, the First Seat, on my own.


    After calculating all of this, I reassured Athera.


    ¡°Forget it. Just keep it under wraps.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°If you tell them now, they¡¯ll just act annoying, right? They¡¯re a bunch of idiots, after all.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, yeah, I can kind of imagine that. Anyway, sorry about all this. Because of us, your brothers ended up getting hurt.¡±


    Strictly speaking, the fault lay with those guys, not Athera.


    So, I responded again as if it were no big deal.


    ¡°Do you think one apology is enough? My brothers are suffering because of your seniors. How do you plan to compensate for that?¡±


    I tried to create a serious, tense atmosphere, and Athera, looking terrified, quickly fled.


    ¡°W-We¡¯ll talk about that later.¡±


    Now, what should I do?


    The war with the Ten Elites is moving faster than expected.


    Even if I managed to defeat Kerndel, we¡¯re still five members short.


    Oh, right.


    Earlier, I mentioned that the Ten Elites wouldn¡¯t leave a student they thought was stronger than them alone.


    There was a prime example of this¡ªsomeone who had already proven this fact.


    Dorosian El Grice.


    Her reputation was massive.


    And now, when she¡¯s surrounded by only three magic seals, this would be her weakest moment, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    To the Ten Elites, it must¡¯ve seemed like the perfect chance to take her down and claim her fame for themselves.


    But eventually, they¡¯d lose and be stripped of their positions.


    ¡°So, I just need to find four more.¡±


    I sat back in my chair, deep in thought.


    What I need now are individuals who stand a chance of beating the Ten Elites at this moment.


    It seems I¡¯ll need some time to carefully select them.


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 Chapter 136

    From early morning, the area in front of the elevator was bustling with people.All the first-year students of the Adele Hall were waiting for Mircel.


    As second- and third-year students passed by and witnessed this, they broke into a cold sweat, anxiously observing the scene.


    They were worried that the Ten Elites might pass by.


    ¡°Are they staging a protest or something?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be?¡±


    They sighed deeply, knowing that the more the first-year students acted out, the more the Ten Elites would shift the collective responsibility onto the second- and third-year students, pressuring them as well.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure they don¡¯t hear about this. If they find out, they¡¯ll definitely blame us, saying we can¡¯t even manage our juniors properly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everyone agreed on that, right?¡±


    At that moment, an unwelcome voice chimed in.


    ¡°Wow, what a sight. Hey, seniors, why are they like that?¡±


    It was Meldon of the Seventh Seat, with bandages wrapped around his wrist and fingers. He had witnessed the scene.


    ¡°Well, you see¡­¡±


    Meldon passed by a third-year student who was about to explain and instead looked at Bellman.


    Rumor had it that this guy was the de facto leader of the first-years.


    Meldon raised his uninjured hand and approached him.


    At that moment, the elevator door made a ¡°ding¡± sound as it began to open.


    Screech-


    Silver hair appeared through the crack in the door.


    When Meldon¡¯s eyes met Mircel¡¯s, his body froze. His previously broken fingers started throbbing in pain.


    Mircel narrowed his eyes sharply and stepped out of the elevator.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Meldon flinched, involuntarily taking a step back.


    Bellman turned his head and asked Meldon, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Meldon scratched the back of his head with the hand he had intended to use for slapping. He pretended as if this had been his intention all along, but to others, it only looked awkward. ??


    Snickers could be heard from those nearby.


    ¡°Look at him, acting all scared. Weren¡¯t you all high and mighty just a moment ago?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that Mircel was the one who did that to his hand. Is it true?¡±


    Meldon felt utterly humiliated.


    But if he did anything here, it was obvious it would only backfire.


    All he could do was suppress his anger and pass by the first-year students.


    ¡°¡­Tch.¡±


    Meldon turned his head, muttering quietly as he watched the first-years walk away in the distance.


    ¡°So, they want to stick together like that, huh? Stupid idiots¡­¡±


    Meldon swore revenge as he waited for the end of the day.


    ***


    ¡°From today on, first-year students of the Adele Hall are banned from using the caf¨¦ and dining hall.¡±


    At the lounge of the Ten Elites, First Seat Kerndel¡¯s declaration caused Emeric to frown.


    Bernthal, the dormitory representative, voiced his dissatisfaction with such unreasonable actions.


    ¡°Kerndel, are you really doing this just because they went to greet Mircel?¡±


    ¡°Just because? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Bernthal. They dared to defy the Ten Elites. Naturally, they must pay the price.¡±


    Meldon, eager to suck up, chimed in with a sly tone.


    ¡°Wow, Senior Kerndel, you¡¯re so generous. I¡¯m sure you could¡¯ve made it even more unbearable for them.¡±


    ¡°Well, as you said, we could take away more privileges from the start. But we should at least give them a chance to reflect, don¡¯t you think? If they back down now, I¡¯m willing to forgive them without further consequences.¡±


    ¡°As expected, you¡¯re magnanimous.¡±


    At the childish conversation, Bernthal slammed his hands on the table and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m the dormitory representative. This is my responsibility, and you guys have no right to interfere!¡±


    Kerndel crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, raising his chin arrogantly.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the dormitory representative. I have no intention of meddling. But Bernthal¡­¡±


    Kerndel¡¯s tone caused Bernthal to respond with a wary expression.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Does the dormitory representative rank above the rules?¡±


    Bernthal¡¯s eyes widened, and he clamped his mouth shut.


    The representative¡¯s role was to uphold and enforce the rules, nothing more.


    If Kerndel¡¯s outrageous proposal were passed, Bernthal would have no choice but to enforce it himself.


    ¡°And the rules are always decided by vote. What I just suggested is merely my personal opinion.¡±


    Kerndel glanced around at the others seated, seeking their agreement.


    ¡°Of course, you have the right to refuse. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    At this, the others began to mock him.


    ¡°Yeah, Bernthal, if you don¡¯t feel like it, just say no. Who knows? Maybe someone here will vote against it.¡±


    ¡°Right, right. We¡¯re just proposing the rule. It¡¯s up to the student council to approve it, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Even though the student council could reject the proposal, it was unlikely they would.


    The student council and the Ten Elites were deeply intertwined.


    Moreover, the professors didn¡¯t intervene in the internal rules set by the students unless there was a major issue.


    After all, the positions of the Ten Elites and the student council were created to ensure their power.


    Emeric, who had been quietly observing the scene, sighed at the sight of this corrupt, absurd politics.


    Meanwhile, Kerndel raised his hand.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the vote.¡±


    From the Seventh Seat up, one by one, they began raising their hands.


    Some glanced at Bernthal with contemplative expressions, but it was merely a spiteful act.


    ¡°Hmm, I wasn¡¯t sure about this at first, but now that I think about it, it seems fine. Heh.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Bernthal. I thought about siding with you this time, but these first-year students are just a little too out of line. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Emeric felt ashamed looking at their smug faces.


    Ironically, he saw a reflection of his past self in them.


    The difference, though, was that he had advocated for order and hierarchy, while they were wielding power solely for personal gain.


    Even this realization wasn¡¯t enough to wipe away his shame.


    While Emeric was lost in thought, Kerndel smiled.


    ¡°Seven in favor, two against, and one vacant. With the majority vote, we will present the new rule to the student council.¡±


    Bernthal stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Emeric, too, was about to leave, not wanting to stay any longer.


    But then, an interesting conversation caught his attention.


    ¡°Oh, right. Have you all heard that Dorosian is here?¡±


    As one guy brought it up, the mood among the others became heavy, their expressions cautious.


    ¡°She¡¯s bothersome, but it¡¯s best to avoid provoking her. I really don¡¯t want any unnecessary conflicts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I saw her from a distance once, and she¡¯s no joke. If you don¡¯t want to make a fool of yourself, it¡¯s better to just stay out of her way.¡±


    The ¡°Monster Villainess.¡±


    That name had long been feared.


    Even the Ten Elites, who prided themselves on being the strongest, wouldn¡¯t dare mess with her.


    However, not everyone seemed to agree.


    ¡°Should I give it a shot?¡±


    Aros, the third-year head of the Adele Hall¡¯s magic department and the Second Seat, spoke with confidence.


    ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Senior, even though you¡¯re a senior, I¡¯m a bit worried about that¡­¡±


    Aros shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You guys know what the Eternal Shackles are, right? Those shackles used to subdue criminals on the field. I¡¯ve had experience with them before, so I know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ we¡¯ve tried them on as a demonstration.¡±


    ¡°But Dorosian apparently has three of those shackles on her. Doesn¡¯t that make her beatable?¡±


    Meldon rubbed his neck nervously and asked, ¡°I think that could be enough, but are you sure? She might come back for revenge right after she graduates.¡±


    ¡°So what? I¡¯m heading to the Demon Realm after I graduate. Do you really think Dorosian¡¯s going to become a Pathfinder? At most, she¡¯ll end up in some place like the Magic Tower.¡±


    Emeric couldn¡¯t help but nod at that.


    Someone like Dorosian would indeed be recruited by the mages of the Magic Tower.


    Or, as the rumors suggested, she might not work at all and just live an idle life.


    Kerndel¡¯s face lit up at Aros¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Oh, now that you mention it, I think I heard she¡¯s been assigned to the Schlaphe magic department. Looks like her level¡¯s been downgraded quite a bit. Well, with three Eternal Shackles on her, that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then we absolutely can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡±


    It seemed Aros was intent on fighting Dorosian.


    Her goal was probably to create the legendary story of being the woman who defeated the ¡°Monster Villainess.¡±


    If she succeeded, it would be something to brag about for a lifetime, but could she really win?


    Emeric silently cursed as he stood up.


    ***


    There seemed to be more people around the Schlaphe Hall. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No, it was clear that the usage of the facilities had increased.


    I had even seen some first-year Adele Hall students in the Schlaphe dining hall.


    I asked as I looked at Bellman, who was standing in the lobby with a shabby appearance.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    Bellman lifted a laundry basket and answered, ¡°The shower rooms in the Buerger Hall are full.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t hear? The first-year students of the Adele Hall are currently banned from using the shower rooms. They¡¯ve been instructed to use the facilities of other dorms.¡±


    A high-pitched complaint came from behind.


    When I turned to look, I saw Silla and Leana surveying their surroundings.


    ¡°Ugh, this place is so old and rundown.¡±


    ¡°Silla, that¡¯s rude. We should be grateful they¡¯re letting us use it at all.¡±


    ¡°But where¡¯s the shower?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s my first time here too.¡±


    At that moment, Limberton passed by, reading a book with a lewd illustration on the cover.


    Silla stopped him.


    ¡°Hey, idiot. Come here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you scared me. What is it, Silla? What are you guys doing here?¡±


    Limberton furrowed his brows, and Silla frowned in return.


    ¡°Look at your face! Ugh, forget it. Do you know where the girls¡¯ shower room is?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s in the middle of the second-floor hallway.¡±


    Silla shot him a disgusted look, understandably since the answer had come so quickly from Limberton¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Ugh, but how do you know that?¡±


    ¡°And why are you asking a guy like me in the first place?¡±


    They glared at each other before going their separate ways.


    I turned my attention back to Bellman.


    Adjusting his glasses, Bellman spoke politely.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be relying on you for a while.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do as you wish.¡±


    ¡°But I heard there are some rules here that we must follow. Mind if I check the mirror for a moment?¡±


    I handed him the rule mirror. Bellman mumbled to himself as he curiously read through it.


    ¡°Do not make eye contact with the woman in the painting at the landing of the women¡¯s dorm stairs¡­ So, there really are strange things here, just as I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    I could understand Bellman¡¯s amazement.


    While odd phenomena occasionally occurred in the Buerger Hall, the Adele Hall had almost none at all.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Be careful not to get involved unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Bellman handed back the rule mirror to me and headed towards the shower room.


    As he walked, he suddenly stopped, as if remembering something he had forgotten, and turned his head with an ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°The seniors said to gather on the Schlaphe Hall terrace. They also told me to let you know that you should join, Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Seniors, you say?¡±


    ¡°Bernthal and Emeric.¡±


    It seemed like they were planning a counterattack, unable to stand the tyranny of the others any longer.


    That¡¯s something I¡¯ll think about carefully later.


    For now, I wasn¡¯t too worried about Mircel.


    According to Athera, it seemed like these guys were taking good care of things, and the Ten Elites were too afraid of Mircel to mess with him openly.


    As for Erucel, well, he¡¯s old enough to handle things on his own.


    In short, I thought that getting involved with these people too soon might only complicate things unnecessarily.


    So I gave a realistic answer to decline the offer.


    ¡°Do you really think gathering will solve anything? To take control of the Ten Elites, at least five people need to secure a position. And they need to be strong enough to hold onto it.¡±


    Bernthal and Emeric would quickly be swept away by the next challenge from those who lost.


    And it wasn¡¯t realistic to expect the still-developing juniors to step up.


    I said it would take time because we¡¯d have to wait until they at least reached the minimum qualifications to join the Ten Elites.


    If things worked out well, it might be possible to win earlier than expected.


    As I predicted, Bellman pressed on.


    ¡°But we can¡¯t just sit around doing nothing. Their tyranny is only going to get worse.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If it starts interfering with classes, the professors will step in. Life will be inconvenient for a while, but it¡¯s manageable, right? And feel free to use the Schlaphe Hall facilities as much as you like. I hope that provides some comfort.¡±


    When Bellman tried to say more, I quickly turned my back on him.


    ¡°And as for Adele Hall matters, let the Adele Hall people handle them¡ª¡±


    But before I could finish, a woman¡¯s voice interrupted from afar.


    ¡°Hey, someone get the dorm supervisor!¡±


    It came from the entrance to the women¡¯s dorm stairs.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Two first-year girls from Adele Hall. They¡¯re paralyzed. It looks like they made eye contact with the woman in the painting.¡±


    I changed my mind.


    At this rate, we¡¯d be wasting time dealing with these strange phenomena instead of growing stronger.


    ¡°¡­Alright, I¡¯ll attend the meeting.¡±


    I realized that it might be necessary to at least offer some guidance in front of the gathered group.


    On the terrace, all the first-year students from Adele Hall were gathered, along with Emeric and Bernthal.


    I sat, sharing some snacks with Mircel, while watching them.


    Despite the ongoing discussions led by Emeric and Bernthal, they didn¡¯t seem to reach any clear solution.


    Seeing this, Mircel, with a bored expression, spoke up.


    ¡°Brother, why do they have to think so hard about it? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if we just break something for each of them?¡±


    His comment made my ears perk up.


    When I thought about it, it was actually quite a clever idea.


    My eyes lit up as I voiced my admiration.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    If we cripple two people, we wouldn¡¯t even need five.


    By putting them out of commission for a while, preventing them from even attempting a challenge, Emeric and Bernthal¡¯s positions would be safe.


    Even if the defeated ones tried to take their spots, their injuries would keep them from succeeding.


    If that happened, it would be me and the two others trying to take seats, and Emeric and Bernthal would control the votes.


    In the vote, we¡¯d have five votes on our side.


    They¡¯d have four.


    And the Ninth Seat, who had no interest in politics, would abstain.


    Potentially, it could be 5 to 5.


    We couldn¡¯t ignore the possibility that they might try to take the Ninth Seat¡¯s spot, someone disinterested in politics.


    It would also be relatively easy for the student council to recruit him if they wanted to.


    This lowered the number of people we needed to recruit from four to two, making it much more manageable.


    You might think we should recruit three, to secure six votes, but if anyone questioned that, I¡¯d have an explanation ready.


    I stood up and approached Bellman, Emeric, and Bernthal, who were deep in discussion, and shared my idea.


    ¡°What do you think? All we need besides me is just two people. I¡¯ve already got one person in mind.¡±


    After saying that, I looked away from the others and turned to Mircel.


    ¡°Mircel, how about taking a seat in the Ten Elites?¡±


    Mircel nodded reluctantly, as if it was a hassle.


    ¡°Really? Well, if you say so, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now we just need to find one more person. Someone who can half-kill another guy.¡±


    In my mind, I thought of Riamon, who wasn¡¯t present at the meeting.


    Though he wasn¡¯t strong enough to take down Bernthal yet, with some tricks, he might just win.


    If we matched opponents strategically and used all kinds of sabotage, who knows what could happen?


    I decided to think about that later and was about to wrap up the meeting when Bellman raised a question. It was the kind of question I expected someone to bring up.


    ¡°But Hersel, besides you and Mircel, don¡¯t we still need two more? You mentioned that there¡¯s a chance they might take the Ninth Seat. If that happens, wouldn¡¯t the voting be tied at 5 to 5?¡±


    He was suggesting that we¡¯d need six votes to secure a majority.


    Counting me, Mircel, Bernthal, Emeric, and the one person to take a seat, that would only make five votes.


    I responded casually.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something to worry about. The abstaining vote will stay as it is.¡±


    We¡¯d still have five votes on our side, and they¡¯d have four votes, with one abstention.


    This balance wouldn¡¯t change.


    ¡°The abstaining vote will stay the same?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If it¡¯s her, neither the student council nor the Ten Elites will ever be able to recruit her.¡±


    ¡°Her? Who are you talking about¡­?¡±


    Just as I was about to answer Bellman, someone shouted from below.


    ¡°Attention, everyone!¡±


    It was Athera. She took a deep breath and shouted so loudly that the entire dormitory could hear.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for the Ten Elites challenge! The opponent is the Second Seat, Aros! And the challenger¡ªbrace yourselves¡ªis none other than the ¡®Monster Villainess¡¯ Dorosian!¡±


    The one who would never be recruited by anyone.


    She was Dorosian, the one about to claim a new seat.


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 Chapter 137

    The reason Dorosian got involved in the Ten Elites challenge was simple.Her challenger, without fear, picked a fight with her.


    Her goal was to gain the title of having defeated Dorosian.


    The more witnesses, the sweeter the victory would taste.


    So, Aros proposed a match to Dorosian for a spot in the Ten Elites, hoping to attract attention.


    Of course, Dorosian had no idea what the Ten Elites challenge even was, nor did he care.


    But she accepted for an obvious reason.


    ¡°A rabbit came right to her doorstep?¡±


    Among all the herbivores who had been busy running away, one rabbit dared to approach her.


    There¡¯s no way a hungry fox would just let it go.


    Dorosian would use this match as an opportunity to play with Aros like a toy and quench her long-suppressed thirst.


    So, I will pray for the poor woman, Aros.


    ¡°Rest in peace.¡±


    ***


    The venue was the bustling training ground, crowded with people.


    In the center, there was a large rectangular stone stage.


    It was an arena implemented as a portable magic tool, like a mobile fortress called a ¡°Multi-Fortress.¡±


    A bit farther from the stage, various food stalls and souvenir stands were set up, making the scene resemble a festival.


    ¡°Anyone want honey-glazed apples?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re selling Aros plush dolls! Oh, these aren¡¯t for sale yet, they¡¯re just samples. Since the match was unexpected, we don¡¯t have finished products, so we¡¯re only taking pre-orders with deposits¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyone need souvenirs?¡±


    Next to me, Mircel gaped in amazement.


    ¡°They¡¯re selling a lot of stuff, huh?¡±


    ¡°All of these are from clubs here for the event.¡±


    With the famous Dorosian facing off against Second seat Aros, it was no wonder.


    For those who had been cooped up, this kind of intense spectacle was a big deal.


    Naturally, nearly the entire student body had gathered, and merchants showed up to empty their wallets.


    And, of course, there was betting.


    ¡°Place your bets, place your bets!¡±


    Athera was waving a betting ledger with a portable loudspeaker in hand, one that she had probably bought from somewhere.


    People swarmed around, shouting excitedly.


    One of them was loud enough for me to hear clearly even from a distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m betting on Aros!!¡±


    Second seat Aros.


    I wanted to tell him it was a foolish choice, but from his perspective, it made sense.


    After all, Dorosian was encased in three layers of magic-restraining armor, while Aros was an upper-level mage who had awakened three sensory abilities.


    Furthermore, the second- and third-year students were well aware of something.


    These cunning elites secretly bought ridiculously expensive doping potions with the huge sums of money they received from the student council and secretly took them.


    Having already placed my own bet with Athera, I ignored the chaos and moved on.


    After walking for a while, Mircel kept glancing at one of the food stalls, a skewer stall run by the cooking club.


    ¡°What? You want to try some?¡±


    I asked, and Mircel thought for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°You keep looking, though.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ It feels like I¡¯ve seen it before, like when we pass the market in a carriage.¡±


    He was curious, as street food was far from something bourgeois nobles would typically eat.


    ¡°For commoner food, it¡¯s pretty tasty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious. I want to try it.¡±


    I bought skewers for both of us, handing one to Mircel.


    We chewed on the meat as we made our way to the next destination.


    ¡°Hey, where are we headed anyway? It feels like we¡¯re moving further from the arena.¡±


    ¡°Those seats are for the commoners craning their necks to watch. We¡¯re headed to the VIP section.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    In addition to food, souvenirs, and betting, there were plenty of services being offered.


    We were on our way to a club that provided premium seats with a great view.


    I pushed through the crowd of hawkers and customers and approached the tent where the members of the Formulation Club were gathered.


    At the entrance stood Ricks, who greeted me with a welcoming expression.


    ¡°Hersel? What brings you here? Ah, and you must be Mircel. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Mircel responded politely.


    I asked Ricks, ¡°Are you working here?¡±


    ¡°They asked anyone confident in formulation magic to come, and the pay was good, so here I am.¡±


    Ricks¡¯s job was to use magic to create things like seats in the far end of the arena.


    Since the festival was unexpected, it was nearly impossible to get the materials to build the seats in time.


    But for those talented in formulation magic, that wasn¡¯t a problem. They could just create them with magic.


    ¡°Two of the best seats, please.¡±


    ¡°Alright, two seats reserved.¡±


    Ricks pulled out a pocket watch.


    It seemed like the match was about to begin, as he hurriedly ran over to a man visible beyond the tent entrance.


    The man appeared to be the leader of the club.


    ¡°Senior, it¡¯s almost time,¡± Ricks said.


    ¡°Oh, alright. Is everyone ready?¡±


    When the club leader asked this, the magic department members began streaming out of the tent like a river.


    They controlled the crowd and cleared some space, then drew magic circles with their wands toward the empty area they had created.


    A buzzing sound echoed.


    I figured it was because they were casting magic together.


    A few seconds later, the club leader shouted loudly, ¡°You all remember the blueprint, right? Just follow it exactly. Even if you make a small mistake, don¡¯t worry. We can fix it.¡±


    After his words, a massive spectator stand began to take shape.


    It looked like a quarter slice of a baseball stadium¡¯s bleachers.


    Though it was a temporary structure created with magic and would eventually disappear, it would last long enough for the duel to finish.


    ¡°The VIP seats are this way. Follow me.¡±


    Mircel and I followed Ricks up the stairs.


    As expected of premium seats, the area was spacious with only a few chairs, and side tables were equipped with telescopes.


    Mircel sat in one of the cushioned chairs and bounced against the backrest.


    ¡°For something made with magic, it¡¯s really soft!¡±


    ¡°I made that. How is it? Feels real, right?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you can even make things like this. Magic is really amazing.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Mircel looked away from the proud Ricks and glanced up at me.


    ¡°Can you do stuff like this too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ahem, one day,¡± I answered vaguely.


    Mircel nodded in awe.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re learning magic.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat.


    The cursed sword didn¡¯t miss this chance to throw in a snide remark.


    ¡®Do you really think you¡¯ll ever wield magic like that someday?¡¯


    ¡®Shut up¡­¡¯


    I pulled out my pocket watch and sat down.


    In a few minutes, the professor serving as the referee would arrive, and Dorosian and Second seat Aros would appear from both sides.


    I kept an eye on the field, waiting for them to show up.


    Meanwhile, Mircel seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, marveling at the scene below.


    ¡°So, this is what a festival is like?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this is a festival.¡±


    ¡ªNot the kind where people get killed, like your mother¡¯s idea of one.


    ¡°Getting to see something like this¡­ I¡¯m really glad I came with you.¡±


    His glowing praise made me feel good.


    I had been worried he might regret coming here, but it seemed he was pretty satisfied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    A few minutes passed, and as the pocket watch struck 6:00, the bustling training ground fell silent.


    In the center of the arena stood a professor in a black robe. It was Rockefeller.


    Rockefeller waved his outstretched arms inward. It was the signal for the duelists to come up.


    Dorosian and Aros ascended the stairs and appeared on the arena stage.


    Finally, the match for the Second seat was about to begin.


    ***


    A roar of cheers erupted from the crowd surrounding the arena.


    Despite the noise, Dorosian calmly focused her senses on the opponent before her.


    Though reluctant, she knew she had to pay at least some attention in this fight.


    After all, her mana was being restrained by three layers of magic armor, and she didn¡¯t even have a wand.


    Meanwhile, the amount of mana radiating from her opponent was greater than her own, and Aros was holding a top-grade wand.


    ¡°The awakened senses are Formulation, Elemental, and Special series. The most prominent one seems to be Elemental, so it looks like she first awakened her sense of touch.¡±


    As Dorosian observed Aros, her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    She sensed an unusual energy from Aros¡¯s mana. It felt like a mixture, as if something artificial had been added to her natural mana, like seasoning dissolving in clear water.


    There was no doubt that an artificial power, as if created through alchemy, had been infused into her innate mana.


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡±


    Dorosian immediately realized what that power was. She had encountered countless challengers who had come prepared like this.


    ¡°You drank a mana enhancer, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Aros¡¯s eyebrows twitched, betraying her discomfort.


    ¡°M-me? Do you think I would do such a thing?¡±


    It was obvious to anyone that she had been caught, but Dorosian just smiled slyly and spoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Go ahead, show me your best.¡±


    Aros quickly began drawing a magic circle.


    Dorosian, watching her, had a bored expression.


    Her excitement had faded right from the start.


    ¡°As expected, she¡¯s a bit below the level of the Tower¡¯s magicians.¡±


    Though she had placed a protective spell on her magic circle, it was terribly sloppy.


    At the very least, she should have drawn two circles for backup or encrypted it more thoroughly.


    Otherwise, it would be this easy¡­


    Crackle


    With just a discharge of mana from her finger, Dorosian created static electricity, disrupting the entire magic circle.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Aros looked bewildered, clearly not understanding what had happened.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    With a nervous face, she hastily redrew the magic circle.


    This time, Dorosian decided to do nothing and simply watch.


    Whirr!


    Wooden tendrils shot out from the magic circle. Aros smiled widely, believing her previous failure had just been a mistake on her part.


    Dorosian suppressed a laugh, amused by the delusion she must be having.


    Aros, with a furious voice, shouted, ¡°Are you just going to stand there!?¡±


    It seemed she noticed her laughing. As she swung the wooden tendrils at her like whips, Dorosian snapped her fingers.


    Snap!


    The tendrils stopped abruptly.


    Dorosian extended her index finger and spoke.


    ¡°Security is a critical element, especially when using life-creation magic. If you neglect it, control can easily be taken from you.¡±


    She wiggled her index finger, and the wooden tendrils changed direction.


    Aros¡¯s eyes widened in shock as cold sweat trickled down her face.


    ¡°This¡­ this is ridiculous¡­¡±


    Facing the threat of her own magic turning against her, Aros frantically swung her wand, drawing countless new magic circles in the air.


    But Dorosian wasn¡¯t going to let that slide. She matched the number of magic circles with discharges of mana from her fingertip.


    Crackle


    The magic circles all fizzled out in a burst of static, just like before, turning to dust.


    Aros refused to give up, continuing to wave her wand desperately.


    But it was already too late.


    The wooden tendrils were upon her, casting shadows as they closed in.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The tendrils wrapped around Aros¡¯s wrists and ankles, stretching her out in a spread-eagle position.


    ¡°Aaagh!¡±


    ¡°With that level of skill, isn¡¯t it a waste of mana?¡±


    Dorosian used telekinesis to pull Aros¡¯s wand from her hand and let out a mocking laugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re barely above average, so why were you showing off?¡±


    She lazily swung Aros¡¯s wand and continued.


    ¡°This is your last chance. Walk over here like a dog and I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    Aros flinched but lowered her head. However, a laugh escaped her lips.


    ¡°Heh, heh¡­¡±


    It was because a realization had crossed her mind.


    ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Breaking and seizing control of a magic circle was theoretically possible, but it required a level of magical understanding that surpassed mere human perception.


    Even if the person in front of her was a monster, this phenomenon was still absurd.


    The magic she had just used was far more complex than a simple Formulation spell.


    It was a life-creation spell that had materialized moving wooden tendrils.


    On top of that, she had instinctively added security measures.


    The only possible conclusion was this:


    ¡°All of this is just an illusion spell, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aros was now convinced it was all a trick.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d believe you dismantled a spell this complex without a wand? That¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s like trying to pick a lock with a stick you found on the street.¡±


    And the fact that her opponent was demanding her surrender meant only one thing.


    They were trying to end the fight quickly, before their deception was uncovered.


    ¡°Still¡­ it¡¯s impressive. I didn¡¯t even realize I was cursed with an illusion spell.¡±


    Aros hastily drew a purification spell with her fingers. This would free her from the illusion in no time.


    ¡°Too bad for you. I¡¯m not dumb enough to fall for such a petty trick.¡±


    ¡°Really? So, it¡¯s an illusion, is it?¡±


    Dorosian chuckled and flicked her index finger.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start with one arm.¡±


    Before she even finished speaking, one of the wooden tendrils lashed down like a whip, striking Aros¡¯s right arm.


    Slash!


    Aros¡¯s eyes widened as she felt an agonizing pain, like her flesh was being torn apart.


    It was so excruciating that she couldn¡¯t help but scream, pride be damned.


    ¡°Aaaagh!¡±


    At that moment, Aros finally realized it.


    Dismissing it as an illusion had been a mere mistake.


    Dorosian, without even using a wand, had done the unthinkable¡ªseizing her magic.


    Before the second whip strike could land, Aros frantically looked toward Rockefeller.


    Just as she opened her mouth to declare her defeat, her voice suddenly slurred, and she heard a sound next to her.


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, she saw Dorosian approaching with a finger pressed to her lips.


    Aros tried to ignore it and force her voice out, but her attention was drawn to Dorosian¡¯s hand gestures.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She opened and closed her hand in a motion resembling a dog¡¯s muzzle.


    Aros gathered her thoughts and tried to speak to Rockefeller. But for some reason, the words that came out were the complete opposite of what she intended.


    ¡°Professor¡­ I can keep going.¡±


    Aros glanced down at her rebellious mouth.


    ¡°Professor, I can keep going. If I keep trying, I might win. It¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    No matter how hard she tried to surrender, she kept repeating the same words like a parrot.


    A sudden, unsettling thought crossed her mind, and she looked back at Dorosian.


    Her pupils shrank in terror.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Every time Dorosian opened and closed her hand, her mouth moved on its own.


    ¡°Professor, I¡­ can still¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my, how admirable. Your willpower is impressive. Very well, shall we continue?¡±


    This was undoubtedly the basic curse magic¡ªpuppet magic.


    A bead of sweat rolled down Aros¡¯s forehead.


    It was unheard of for such a basic spell to control someone¡¯s speech like this.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go for the left arm next. Ready?¡±


    Dorosian prepared to swing the wand again, and Aros¡¯s eyes trembled with fear welling up from deep inside.


    In the end, she broke down in tears in front of the onlookers, sobbing.


    ¡°P-Professor¡­ I¡­¡±


    Just as Dorosian was about to slash through the air with her wand, someone intervened.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Dorosian El Grice.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Rockefeller used telekinesis magic to take the wand from Dorosian.


    ¡°She said she can keep going, so why stop?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice it was puppet magic?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯ve been caught.¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a wave of Rockefeller¡¯s hand, the tree roots dissipated like a mirage.


    Aros was freed, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.


    Her mind was filled with one thought: she was lucky to be alive.


    Just moments ago, she had been nothing more than a rabbit trapped in a tiger¡¯s cage¡­


    ***


    From the terrace of the Adele Hall, six people were looking down at the arena.


    Kerndel, the 1st seat, shakily put down his telescope.


    Recalling the duel between Dorosian and Aros, his eyes began to twitch.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s an outrageous monster. To think she defeated Aros like that¡­¡±


    The other members of the Ten Elites were just as shaken. Their faces were pale, and it took some time for the color to return.


    Once they regained their composure, Kerndel pointed out the severity of the situation.


    ¡°This is bad. You¡¯re all aware, right? Lately, Bernthal and Emeric have been plotting with the first years.¡±


    It was no secret they had been gathering at the Schlaphe Hall.


    Their objective was obvious.


    What else could it be but to take control of the Ten Elites?


    ¡°The only way they can harm us is by stealing our seats. But Aros, the 2nd seat, was utterly destroyed. This will give those guys false hope.¡±


    The new holder of the 2nd seat was Dorosian, and taking it back from her would be nearly impossible.


    Moreover, everyone knew there were some promising challengers waiting in the wings.


    ¡°There are too many talented first years this time. That¡¯s why Emeric and Bernthal have been focusing on recruiting them.¡±


    If things continued like this, it would only be a matter of time.


    Those with potential grow fast, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they stripped the Ten Elites of their power before graduation.


    ¡°If we don¡¯t hold onto our positions until graduation, the title of Ten Elites becomes meaningless¡­ If we lose to mere first years, it would be embarrassing to even mention on our records.¡±


    While everyone wore serious expressions, Meldon offered a suggestion.


    ¡°Then how about we crush them early?¡±


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re always hanging around in groups. Too many eyes are on them. And we, the Ten Elites, can¡¯t directly challenge them, either. They¡¯d just refuse, claiming it¡¯s not the right time.¡±


    Meldon stroked his chin, deep in thought.


    Suddenly, his eyes lit up as if he¡¯d had a brilliant idea.


    ¡°Ah, right! There¡¯s that guy, Riamon, who¡¯s already being compared to Bernthal even though he¡¯s just a first-year. He tends to roam around alone. If we do this right, we could take him out easily. What do you think?¡±


    Kerndel thought it was an excellent idea.


    A first-year already on par with Bernthal, even before the second semester had begun.


    That meant Riamon was likely the strongest candidate to challenge them.


    In other words, he was Bernthal¡¯s secret weapon and a key piece of their strategy.


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. He¡¯d make a great example.¡±


    With a cold glint in his eyes, Kerndel commanded the Ten Elites.


    ¡°Make sure that Riamon learns his place. Crush him so thoroughly he won¡¯t even dare look us in the eye.¡±


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 138

    The smell of disinfectant made me frown. It wasn¡¯t just because the scent of alcohol was overpowering.


    More than that, it was because one of the cards I needed to play was lying in a hospital bed.


    ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±


    Riamon slightly raised the arm bound in a splint.


    Emeric and Bernthal, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, stood nearby, while Bellman gritted his teeth.


    It was Bernthal who first voiced his anger.


    ¡°¡­Those filthy bastards.¡±


    Emeric agreed.


    ¡°Their actions are becoming more despicable by the day. To think they¡¯d even resort to violence now.¡±


    Bellman clenched his fist and asked,


    ¡°Are the professors just going to sit back and watch again?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re using ¡®discipline¡¯ as their excuse. They¡¯ll probably pass it off as a form of punishment. Even if we try to oppose it, it won¡¯t change anything. As long as they stick to their story, our efforts will go to waste.¡±


    Emeric was right.


    As long as those Ten Elites bastards stuck together and claimed that Riamon had committed serious insubordination, their words would become the truth.


    Unless we had concrete evidence or witnesses, their claims would stand as the only proof.


    ¡°This is troublesome. We might have been able to strip Meldon of his position, but¡­?¡±


    Emeric mumbled regretfully. Meldon, despite whatever might have happened, was currently injured.


    If only Riamon had been able to exploit that weakness, we could have taken him down quickly.


    But in this state¡­


    ¡°When will you recover?¡±


    When I asked, Riamon answered,


    ¡°They said it¡¯ll take about two weeks for the bones to fully heal.¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, then maybe magic could accelerate the recovery.


    But even magic couldn¡¯t fix everything.


    ¡°What I¡¯m asking about is your dantian.¡±


    The bastards had also damaged the dantian, the organ that controls the flow of aura.


    This couldn¡¯t be healed with magic because, if the dantian is the hardware, the cultivation technique for using aura is like the software.


    Fixing that messed-up cultivation process wasn¡¯t something I could do. Riamon had to handle that himself.


    ¡°To be strong enough to beat that Meldon guy, it¡¯ll probably take at least a month, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bleak prospect.¡±


    After those words, a heavy sigh escaped me.


    Now that it was out in the open that we had rebelled, the bastards would undoubtedly pull more tricks within that month.


    Time was definitely not on our side.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to hold out for a month. They¡¯ll make things worse, no doubt. There¡¯s already discontent among the first-years. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the cohesion breaks.¡± ?


    I added a more miserable reality to Bellman¡¯s already grim assessment.


    ¡°On top of that, they¡¯ll be waiting for the moment we split up. We can¡¯t stick together forever.¡±


    ¡°So, Hersel, what¡¯s your plan now?¡±


    Before I could respond to Bellman¡¯s question, Riamon spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got Erucel, right? Why don¡¯t we try pushing him forward?¡±


    I stared at Riamon as if he had said something absurd.


    But Bellman seemed to consider it seriously.


    ¡°Erucel¡­ He does have potential.¡±


    ¡°Is there another person with the name Erucel in the Adele Hall?¡±


    Bellman looked at me with an annoyed expression.


    ¡°You really underestimate your brother.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Seeing my confused reaction, Bellman said something surprising.


    ¡°Erucel¡¯s highly regarded by the professors too. He sometimes surprises everyone in class.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°By your standards, maybe. But from our perspective, he¡¯s quite impressive. He¡¯s inherited the bloodline of the Tenest family and has been trained by Sir Coulo, the Sword King of the South.¡±


    Hearing that, I realized how impressive his background actually was.


    ¡°But, he¡¯s still Erucel¡­¡±


    ¡°He may act a little naive at times, but you have to admit, he¡¯s a skilled swordsman.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s still Erucel.¡±


    ¡°The fact that he was even placed in the Adele Hall says a lot. Not to mention the fact that he was paired with Riamon for the labyrinth practice. That shows the professors trust him.¡±


    The evidence was solid, but it felt hard to accept.


    I felt as if I was in a different dimension, detached from the situation.


    I turned to Donatan, who knew his way around swords, for his opinion.


    ¡®Donatan, what do you think of Erucel?¡¯


    ¡®Well, compared to that monster kid, he falls short, but he¡¯s good steel¡ªsteel that any master craftsman would covet. He stands out far more than most others.¡¯


    With even him giving such high praise, I couldn¡¯t find any words to respond.


    It was only after Donatan added some extra explanation that I could finally ask the question I had been holding back.


    ¡®That potential was forged by old man Coulo. His aura manipulation was impressive, and the swordsmanship he displayed when cutting down the undead was far beyond his years.¡¯


    ¡®But why is he like that then?¡¯


    Donatan remained silent for a while before answering.


    ¡®Hmm¡­ that¡¯s because he has one flaw. A flaw that is fatal for a swordsman. Without that, he would have been remarkable, such a shame.¡¯


    Just one flaw?


    This really must be a multiverse.


    ***


    The back mountain of the Tenest estate was desolate.


    In the aftermath of the monstrous bird¡¯s breath attack, there wasn¡¯t even a trace of life left.  Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would take nature a long time to recover on its own.


    There, Melin squatted, gritting her teeth as she counted.


    ¡°Forty¡­ nine.¡±


    Weights hung from her wrists, and the barbell she held weighed as much as her own body.


    ¡°Oh¡­ oh¡­ sh¡­ fifty!¡±


    As Melin barely managed to stand, Coulo clicked his tongue as he watched.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. That wasn¡¯t fifty. Do it again.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you already hard of hearing, young one? Again, do it again.¡±


    Melin looked miserable as she stared at the footprints she had left on her way up.


    Each one was at least 10 centimeters deep.


    They were all marks from carrying the barbell up the mountain path.


    After that exhausting journey, she was made to squat.


    The strict old man wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge it unless her form was perfect.


    But for some reason, she felt like she¡¯d get caught immediately if she tried to cheat.


    The look he gave when he told her not to use aura was anything but ordinary.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Melin poured every ounce of strength into her last squat, determined to complete it with just pure muscle.


    It was a grueling training that made the exercises she had done with the Roaming Band seem like nothing.


    When she looked up, doubting if this was even real, Coulo seemed to read her mind and provided a justification.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s all doable. I¡¯ve tailored this based on your age, the strength you¡¯ve built through all your training, and everything else.¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Liar.¡±


    Melin regretted it instantly. She had reached her limit, and her frustration had slipped out.


    As expected, her bad feeling was right on the mark.


    ¡°Did you just call me a liar?¡±


    As Coulo started walking toward her with a fierce look in his eyes, Melin felt the cold touch of death.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, so I went easy on you. But if you don¡¯t get it¡­ Well, time to add more weight to your wrists as planned.¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry! Ahhh!¡±


    She apologized quickly, but Coulo was much faster at attaching the additional weights to her wrists.


    As her tendons bulged more prominently, Coulo smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t finish in ten seconds, I¡¯ll add even more weight.¡±


    Melin braced herself, prepared for her muscles to explode, and summoned all her strength in her legs.


    ¡°Iiiiiik!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. Finally using every last bit of your strength.¡±


    ¡°Urrgh!¡±


    In the end, Melin successfully lifted the barbell over her head. Then, she collapsed on the ground, utterly drained.


    Even as the barbell fell toward her body, Melin didn¡¯t care anymore.


    But her wish was quickly shattered by a flick of Coulo¡¯s hand.


    Coulo stuck his finger into the center of the barbell and, using centrifugal force, spun it around and gently set it on the ground.


    He then rummaged through his pocket.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I should reward you.¡±


    What he pulled out was a treat that commoners could only dream of¡ªchocolate.


    Melin¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Is that¡­ chocolate?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Chocolate could only be made from fruits harvested in the labyrinth.


    Even the instructors in the Roaming Band only got to eat it on rare occasions, and whenever Melin saw it, she¡¯d imagine what it tasted like and swallow her saliva.


    ¡°Here, eat it. You¡¯ve got ten minutes of rest.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you¡­ Sir Coulo.¡±


    The taste of the chocolate was sweet, far sweeter than she had imagined.


    Tears welled up in Melin¡¯s eyes as she thought about how she wanted to taste this for the rest of her life.


    Noticing her feelings, Coulo grinned playfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got more of it. If you want more, you¡¯ll have to complete the next round of training too.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What, more of this?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? This is standard issue for the Tenest knights.¡±


    The chocolate in her mouth quickly melted and disappeared.


    As time passed, Coulo stood up from his seat.


    ¡°That should be about ten minutes. Break¡¯s over. Put the barbell down and follow me.¡±


    Melin followed Coulo with much lighter steps.


    This time, they headed to a grassy area far from where the breath attack had swept through.


    The place was dense with small branches and foliage.


    Coulo weaved through the branches like a ghost, slipping deeper into the thicket.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Melin entered cautiously but got scratched by a branch.


    She then looked at the old man¡¯s back.


    His pace didn¡¯t slow down at all, remaining as steady as a calm river.


    ¡°He¡¯s really impressive¡­ and even bigger than me.¡±


    She tried to imitate his movements, but it wasn¡¯t easy.


    After getting scratched a few more times, they finally arrived at a clearing.


    But it wasn¡¯t just an empty field.


    Melin pointed to a metal statue and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    The statue looked exactly like Hersel.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s a statue of the eldest master. This place was originally a training ground prepared for the third master.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. But why is the eldest master¡¯s statue here?¡±


    Coulo didn¡¯t bother answering and handed her a wooden sword.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    If he wasn¡¯t going to answer, there was nothing more to do.


    Melin grabbed the wooden sword, thinking she was finally going to receive sword training.


    But instead, Coulo pointed to the Hersel statue and gave her a bizarre order.


    ¡°Hit that with your wooden sword.¡±


    Melin hesitated and replied,


    ¡°Hit the metal statue? Won¡¯t that just break the wooden sword?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    It seemed there had been some mistake. Hitting metal with wood didn¡¯t make any sense.


    But Coulo appeared to be serious.


    ¡°Use the aura you¡¯ve been saving and strike it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Just do as I say.¡±


    Though full of doubt, Melin approached the statue as instructed.


    Her gaze shifted to a more distant spot, where she noticed another statue that had been hidden by the bushes.


    That statue was covered in deep dents.


    ¡°Um, Sir Coulo? There¡¯s another statue over here.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ hmm. That¡¯s Luon, some guy who was the vice president of Lethe, brought along by the eldest master. Don¡¯t worry about that one. Just focus on beating the eldest master¡¯s statue.¡±


    Melin wrapped her aura around her arms and swung the wooden sword at the Hersel statue.


    Clang!


    Her wrist throbbed. But instead of the statue vibrating, it was the wooden sword that shook.


    The vibration was worse than with a steel sword, and it lasted longer.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Coulo smirked and explained,


    ¡°That wooden sword is made from a material that vibrates more than steel. For a while, you¡¯ll be learning to control the recoil. That¡¯s the foundation of my swordsmanship.¡±


    Although Melin didn¡¯t fully understand why she had to do this, she gave an answer that seemed to please Coulo.


    ¡°Oh, such deep meaning.¡±


    And so, Melin continued swinging the wooden sword while keeping an eye on the old man.


    Clang!


    The more she hit the statue, the more questions filled her mind.


    She vividly recalled the dark mage who had stayed in the highlands of the Purple Forest, leading a group hostile toward the first-year students in the lowlands.


    And the Hersel statue¡­


    Curious, Melin cautiously asked Coulo,


    ¡°By the way, what kind of person is the third master?¡±


    ¡°Hm? If you had been at Frostheart, you might have seen him. Didn¡¯t you come across Master Erucel?¡±


    Melin searched her memory.


    She hadn¡¯t been at the estate long enough to memorize the entire family tree, but the name sounded familiar.


    It became a clue, and she recalled a portrait she had once seen.


    Now that she thought about it, he had also been present during the labyrinth practice.


    He had left an impression because he was one of the group members who had hunted the instructors, and she had seen him during some campfire gathering or something.


    ¡°I remember now. That was Master Erucel.¡±


    ¡°Right, now that we¡¯re on the topic, how is the third master? Is he doing well at the academy?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Ah, tsk tsk. If he had accomplished anything noteworthy, you would¡¯ve remembered him instantly. Seems like he hasn¡¯t done anything impressive. What a pity¡­¡±


    Coulo sighed deeply, looking away from Melin.


    It seemed Erucel hadn¡¯t been able to overcome anything, still haunted by the fear of Hersel and Luon, who had tormented him.


    Coulo was disappointed that the promising swordsman he had trained wasn¡¯t living up to his potential.


    ***


    Erucel was, once again, in a push-up position, serving as a human chair.


    Sitting on his back was Amanda of the Fourth seat.


    She shook the water bottle in her hand, asking curiously,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get tired?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that? Are you worried now after all the bullying you¡¯ve put me through?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m doing this because I enjoy it?¡±


    Amanda stood up and glanced around, making sure no one was watching.


    ¡°No one¡¯s looking. You can take a quick break and have some water.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, well, I am a bit thirsty.¡±


    Erucel chuckled.


    He had heard that everyone from the Seventh Battle and above was supposed to be terrible, but Amanda didn¡¯t seem all that bad.


    That was why he accepted this punishment without much resistance.


    Erucel took the water bottle Amanda handed him and jokingly asked,


    ¡°You didn¡¯t poison this, did you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, cheeky, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Amanda playfully raised her fist as if to punch him. It was clearly a joke, but Erucel instinctively flinched and exaggeratedly stepped back.


    ¡°Whoops.¡±


    Amanda burst into laughter.


    ¡°Why are you so jumpy? I¡¯m not gonna hit you.¡±


    Embarrassed, Erucel coughed awkwardly.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve almost met your quota for today. What are you planning to do afterward?¡±


    ¡°Training. I haven¡¯t done much lately, and I keep thinking of some old man¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°Training? Don¡¯t you have any hobbies? Like joining a club or something.¡±


    Erucel handed back the water bottle and answered,


    ¡°¡­Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t really have any.¡±


    Seemingly happy with his answer, Amanda asked in an excited voice,


    ¡°Really? How about joining the art club then? I¡¯m the representative. If you don¡¯t want to join, at least come and take a look. There are a lot of good paintings to see.¡±


    ¡°Paintings, huh? Now that you mention it, I do enjoy looking at art. My mother collected a lot of paintings at home, so I¡¯d often find myself staring at them, mesmerized.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from the Tenest family, right? I bet you have a lot of masterpieces by famous artists.¡±


    Wanting to keep the conversation going, Erucel thought deeply about art.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much, but I¡¯m familiar with a painting by Ebendrell. It¡¯s one my mother cherishes greatly.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Ebendrell! That artist is¡ªwait, hold on. I hear footsteps. Hurry, get back into the chair position.¡±


    Just as Amanda said, footsteps echoed in the distance.


    Erucel quickly resumed the chair position, and Amanda sat back down.


    But the voice of the uninvited guest that reached Erucel¡¯s ears was all too familiar.


    ¡°Give me back my brother.¡±


    It was the deep, menacing voice of his half-brother, Hersel Ben Tenest, casting a dark shadow as he approached.


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 Chapter 139

    Donatan mentioned that Erucel had a fatal flaw.¡®His strides are always exaggerated. Every time the opponent attacks, his movements waste too much energy. This shows that his body is overreacting instinctively.¡¯


    When facing a slightly stronger opponent, he shrinks like jerky.


    This was a critical weakness for a swordsman.


    ¡®In most cases, this is due to fear of the opponent, being paralyzed by terror.¡¯


    And the cause of this was likely something deeper.


    ¡®Still, it¡¯s strange. Such issues usually improve with experience, but the lack of progress


    Trauma.


    ¡®It seems bad memories have ingrained bad habits into his body.¡¯


    The culprit behind his condition was obvious.


    Who else could it be but the infamous wastrel, Hersel Ben Tenest, who wouldn¡¯t leave his helpless half-brother alone?


    And the problem was, that very person is now me.


    ***


    As Hersel approached, Erucel¡¯s mind became a whirlwind of thoughts.


    The words ¡°Give me back my brother¡± jumped from his lips.


    Erucel couldn¡¯t understand it at all.


    Suddenly, recalling Hersel¡¯s aggressive stance, Erucel felt uneasy.


    The Ten Elites and the freshmen were in a hostile relationship.


    And now, he was face-to-face with one of the enemy¡¯s key figures.


    Erucel subtly twitched his back, signaling to Amanda. It meant, ¡°Get up.¡±


    Fortunately, Amanda rose from her seat.


    She glanced over at him.


    Erucel mouthed silently, ¡°Just leave.¡±


    Amanda raised an eyebrow, as if confused, then let out a low hum.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    She tilted her head slightly, then shrugged.


    ¡°Take him. I¡¯ve already completed my quota for today anyway.¡±


    As she turned around, Erucel quickly tried to redirect Hersel¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Oh-ho-ho, so, what business do you have with this brother?¡±


    But Hersel wasn¡¯t an easy opponent.


    ¡°That woman¡­ she¡¯s the one sitting in the fourth seat, isn¡¯t she? Hmmm¡­¡­.¡±


    Hersel¡¯s long hum made Erucel uneasy.


    He thought Hersel might rush out and attack Amanda at any moment.


    But thankfully, that didn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing serious. You¡¯ve heard, haven¡¯t you? That Riamon was carried into the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard. I was thinking of visiting him myself.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s something I need you to do.¡±


    Erucel blinked and asked, ¡°Something to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just take one of the Ten Elites.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you suddenly talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well, everyone¡¯s been recommending you.¡±


    It was a nonchalant response, with no sign of high expectations.


    Erucel actually felt relieved.


    With a smirk, Erucel replied, ¡°Do you really believe I could defeat one of the Ten Elites?¡±


    Annoyingly, Hersel responded immediately.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­That hurts a little, but regardless. I refuse. Don¡¯t waste your time on something that¡¯s impossible. Go find someone else.¡±


    Hersel let out a deep sigh. His gaze was fixed on Amanda¡¯s departing back.


    ¡°This is a problem. Should we deal with someone quietly, like they did with Riamon, without anyone noticing?¡±


    ¡°Leave Amanda out of this.¡±


    Hersel asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°?¡±


    Erucel immediately regretted his words.


    He had just unknowingly defended an enemy in front of Hersel.


    ¡®What a foolish mistake! I need to fix this qui


    Hersel wasn¡¯t someone who would just let such a slip-up slide.


    With his twisted personality came a brilliant, devious mind.


    Feeling nervous, Erucel hastily began spinning lies before Hersel could think too much.


    And the lie he blurted out was about espionage.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been aiming for the Fourth seat myself.¡±


    Hersel narrowed his eyes suspiciously, clearly doubting the story.


    ¡°You said earlier it was impossible. You called it unrealistic.¡±


    ¡°Well, the truth is, I couldn¡¯t openly admit it because the method I¡¯m using isn¡¯t honorable. As a man, playing with a woman¡¯s heart isn¡¯t something I¡¯m proud of.¡±


    Erucel thought his lie wasn¡¯t half bad.


    He learned from his mother that there are such things as white lies in this world.


    Maybe that¡¯s why, without feeling any guilt, convincing words started flowing out of him effortlessly.


    ¡°And you know the saying, ¡®If you¡¯re going to deceive, start with your allies,¡¯ right? That¡¯s exactly why I did it. Yes, that¡¯s why.¡±


    Erucel was satisfied.


    He couldn¡¯t remember where he had picked up that saying, but it was quite fitting for the situation.


    Fortunately, Hersel seemed to believe him.


    ¡°Oh-ho, so that¡¯s what it was. Your plan was to use that woman¡¯s heart. Well done, Erucel.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It was all part of my plan.¡±


    Hersel lightly patted his back as he said, ¡°As expected, your twisted personality is still the same. That cold-blooded mentality from when you tried to cut down a young girl. I knew from then that you were bound to go down the wrong path.¡±


    ¡°They say you should strike while the iron is hot. How about preparing now?¡±


    ¡°Preparing now? For what exactly?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of ways, aren¡¯t there? Call her to a quiet place. And then, have a good conversation.¡±


    ¡°Ca-calling her? You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Though it had become more subdued and his nature blurred over time, this man was still a rotten bastard at heart.


    And when it came to women, he was like a dog in heat.


    A ¡®good conversation¡¯ meant something degrading for sure.


    Erucel¡¯s anger flared, and his eyes widened in rage.


    ¡°If you¡¯re planning to do something indecent, I won¡¯t stand by and let it happen!¡±


    It was only after he had said it that Erucel realized he had just shown his antagonism.


    He could very well end up dead for this.


    With his heart racing, Erucel nervously observed Hersel¡¯s reaction.


    Hersel wore a disgruntled expression, blinking slowly.


    ¡°This is no longer fun. Let¡¯s end the joke here.¡±


    ¡°W-what? A joke?¡±


    Caught off guard, Erucel showed a bewildered reaction, and Hersel furrowed his brow.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t actually think I¡¯d fall for that cheap lie, did you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Since when did you realize?¡±


    ¡°From the moment you claimed you were playing with that woman¡¯s heart.¡±


    Erucel couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.


    That alone didn¡¯t seem like enough to give him away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re no mind reader.¡±


    ¡°It was a simple guess. Ah, should I even say this? It might hurt your feelings¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh, stop being vague. Just say it, like you normally do.¡±


    Hersel responded with a pitying expression and a bitter tone.


    ¡°I just thought it was impossible for you to charm a woman. From the start, everything you said sounded like nonsense that not even a passing dog would believe.¡±


    Erucel lowered his gaze in embarrassment.


    Hersel silently patted his back.


    Then, as if a thought occurred to him, Hersel asked, ¡°By the way, what did you mean by indecent behavior? What exactly did you think I was planning?¡±


    Clearing his throat, Erucel dodged the question slightly.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it obvious? Given the kind of things you¡¯ve done in the past.¡±


    Hersel¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, then quickly narrowed into a threatening glare, his fist clenched tight.


    ¡°You little pervert. You¡¯ve got some filthy thoughts in that head of yours.¡±


    His fist came down hard on Erucel¡¯s head, delivering a painfully stinging blow.


    Erucel clutched his head in his hands, but Hersel wasn¡¯t done dishing out more of those painful thumps.


    ¡°When I said ¡®good conversation,¡¯ I meant a discreet negotiation, persuading someone to step down from the Tenth position! Of course, I knew it wouldn¡¯t work, but I was just playing along with you!¡±


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Erucel couldn¡¯t help but despise Hersel once again¡­


    ***


    There¡¯s truly nothing remotely pleasant about this guy.


    Despite all the times I took him to eat, treated him so well, he still sees me as the same scoundrel, Hersel the troublemaker.


    But no matter what, I couldn¡¯t become a real scoundrel, so I decided to stop hitting him.


    After all, my goal is to help him overcome his trauma.


    ¡°Hm-hm, it¡¯s nice to see us brothers playing so harmoniously after so long, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drumming on my head like a bongos, and you call that playing?!¡±


    I felt like hitting him again out of frustration, but I let my fist relax, acting like a reasonable person.


    Improving our relationship comes first.


    Yes, a compliment would work in a time like this.


    Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t this brat shout at me earlier?


    ¨C ¡°If you¡¯re planning to do something indecent, I won¡¯t stand by and let it happen!¡±


    That was a good sign. Maybe he¡¯s finally starting to overcome his trauma.


    I should bring it up positively.


    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t let me stand by earlier¡­¡±


    I gave Erucel a sly smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got guts to raise your voice at me. Seems like your courage has grown since I last saw you.¡±


    But he only replied with a terrified face and a shaky voice.


    ¡°H-hiiik!¡±


    He must have thought I was mocking him.


    I¡¯ll let that pass.


    What else could I bring up¡­?


    Oh, right. He seemed to show interest in that woman earlier. Let¡¯s bring that up.


    ¡°Amanda from the Fourth Seat, right? She¡¯s quite a fine woman, considering where she stands.¡±


    ¡°You saying that sounds weird, coming from you.¡±


    ¡°I just meant to say she¡¯s a decent person.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re not after Amanda, are you?¡±


    Erucel trembled, his eyes darting nervously.


    I began to wonder if it¡¯s even possible to improve my relationship with this guy.


    The troublesome impression of me as a rogue was far more deeply ingrained in his mind than I had anticipated.


    No matter how much effort I put in, it feels like it¡¯ll never work.


    In that case, my only remaining choice¡­


    ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡±


    I burned with the ¡°Noble Blood¡¯s Embers¡± as I gave a twisted smile.


    Reality hit me hard.


    Although I was used to mimicking the disgusting Hersel, this felt too crude, and I didn¡¯t like it.


    But for the sake of motivation, there was no better method than this vile intimidation.


    ¡°Well, who knows?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to degrade myself any further, so I stopped there.


    Even that was enough to spark his imagination.


    Erucel clenched his teeth, grimacing.


    ¡°Grr!¡±


    I looked down at him dismissively and finished with an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Half-kill Meldon from the Seventh Seat. That¡¯s my request to you as your older brother.¡±


    No matter how much I try to help, it¡¯s pointless. He¡¯s just a pain and always drags down my dignity.


    Indeed, there¡¯s nothing likable about him¡­


    ***


    Erucel accepted the task, albeit reluctantly.


    His face looked like someone being blackmailed by a villain holding a hostage, but it was the start that mattered.


    I watched Erucel and Mircel gripping their swords in the backyard of the Schlaphe Hall.


    Donatan had insisted that we needed to see Erucel¡¯s full strength to properly assess him.


    ¡°Hersel, it¡¯s nearly impossible to fix that guy¡¯s mindset.¡±


    ¡°I thought the same.¡±


    My approach had failed.


    I had tried to ease Erucel¡¯s fear of Hersel by improving our relationship with a gentle approach, but the results were poor.


    Still, he was the only useful card I had, so I had no choice but to make the best of him.


    ¡®Hm, is there a good way to break Meldon¡¯s legs? If we disguise it as an accident, it would be perfect.¡¯


    ¡®¡­Quit that cowardly thinking. There¡¯s another way.¡¯


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Donatan¡¯s voice sounded nostalgic.


    ¡®My former master used to train his disciples harshly. There were some who were as frightened as that guy. Do you know what the Sword Saint did with them?¡¯


    ¡®What did he do?¡¯


    ¡®He beat them.¡¯


    It seemed like he wanted to toughen them up.


    Maybe if they got used to the pain, their exaggerated movements would lessen.


    But could that really work?


    ¡®Toughening them up is fine, but wouldn¡¯t that cause a different problem? What if he starts to take dangerous hits without thinking?¡¯


    If he becomes reckless, relying on toughness, it could be fatal.


    After all, a single proper strike from a sword usually means death.


    I had hit the core of the issue, but Donatan¡¯s intention was different from what I thought.


    ¡®It¡¯s not about toughening them up. It¡¯s about learning through pain. The idea is to hammer into them that exaggerated movements are a disadvantage.¡¯


    Hearing that, it made sense.


    If he made exaggerated movements, punish him. If he was too reckless, punish him.


    It was like training a circus elephant to lift its legs with a single whip. A way of correction.


    ¡®In that case, their unconscious will fight to survive. When they start doubting their own judgment, their body will refuse orders and move instinctively.¡¯


    ¡®So¡­¡¯


    ¡®Yes, he needs to be beaten. Completely cornered, to the point where he feels like he wants to die, several times.¡¯


    I relayed Donatan¡¯s words to Mircel. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Mircel, beat him to the point where he wants to say he wants to die.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Sure, no problem.¡±


    As Mircel responded casually, Erucel backed away in shock.


    ¡°W-what? Wait, Mircel, I¡¯m your brother! You can¡¯t do this to me!¡±


    ¡°Complain to the eldest brother, not me.¡±


    The deadline was set for two days.


    Within that time, I needed to draw out Erucel¡¯s potential.


    ¡°Ow! My bones, you hit my bones!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you running away? This isn¡¯t a game of tag, it¡¯s a sparring match.¡±


    I tore my gaze away from the beaten-up Erucel and began writing a challenge letter to Meldon.


    ***


    Kerndel slid a letter across the long table, sending it toward where Meldon of the Seventh Seat sat.


    ¡°A challenge has arrived for you, Meldon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you, senior.¡±


    Meldon carefully opened the letter.


    ¡°Huh? Erucel? Isn¡¯t he that fool who¡¯s constantly being disciplined?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s a defective member of the Tenest family, but you should be able to take care of him easily.¡±


    Kerndel¡¯s words reassured Meldon.


    If the opponent was weak, he¡¯d win easily.


    He was already itching for revenge, and this was the perfect opportunity.


    ¡°This is great. Just hearing the name ¡®Tenest¡¯ raises my blood pressure.¡±


    Meldon clenched his fists, veins popping on his forehead.


    Rip


    The thought of crushing one of their family members like a letter crumpling in his hand brought a wicked grin to Meldon¡¯s face.


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 Chapter 140

    The grass beneath the soles of the shoes was crushed.They were Erucel¡¯s shoes.


    Mircel glared at him with a gaze full of displeasure and spoke.


    ¡°You were told you¡¯d be hit harder if you took your feet off the dirt.¡±


    The ground was shaped into a rectangle, replicating the size of the training arena.


    Going beyond it meant you were out of bounds.


    Erucel trembled as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡±


    Donatan let out a sigh.


    ¡®Compared to when he was fighting the undead, this is pathetic. His body is way too stiff. His footwork resembles a grasshopper.¡¯


    ¡®Can he really manage this within two days?¡¯


    ¡®His stamina is higher than expected. It¡¯ll take some time to push him to his limit.¡¯


    While Erucel stood idly holding his sword, Mircel leapt forward. Even though it was a pure sparring match without any aura, Mircel¡¯s jump was high enough to almost resemble a dunk.


    Mircel unleashed a diagonal slash, putting the weight of his fall into it.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Erucel, with a pale face, rolled away to dodge the attack. Unhappy with that, Mircel grumbled.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve dealt with that if you had just used the swordsmanship that Grandpa taught you. Why aren¡¯t you using it?¡±


    Erucel responded in a deflated tone, looking ashamed.


    ¡°¡­For some reason, I can¡¯t do it properly.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget how? Fine, then. How about you attack me? I¡¯ll show you Grandpa¡¯s swordsmanship. This time, you can use your aura too.¡±


    Mircel lowered his sword and beckoned Erucel to come at him.


    Erucel furrowed his brows and assumed a stance. His younger brother¡¯s relaxed posture, not even bothering to defend, must have been humiliating to him.


    With a flash in his eyes, Erucel charged like a wild boar, aiming his strike at Mircel¡¯s side. However, Mircel effortlessly deflected it with his lightly held wooden sword.


    The recoil sent Erucel¡¯s arms flailing.


    ¡°Controlling the recoil is the basic principle of the Rock Sword technique.¡±


    With that, Mircel smacked Erucel¡¯s ankle with his wooden sword.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of packing that much aura if you¡¯re just going to bounce back like that?¡±


    Erucel stood on one leg, cradling his injured ankle with both hands.


    ¡°Y-You used aura too.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the Rock Sword technique. And besides, I barely used any aura. You used four times as much.¡±


    Mircel then struck Erucel¡¯s other ankle. Losing support from his only remaining leg, Erucel collapsed clumsily.


    Curious about Mircel¡¯s words, I asked Donatan.


    ¡®Is it theoretically possible to reflect four times the aura?¡¯


    ¡®It is. If you can fully control the recoil and direct the aura properly, you can return it with significant force, just like that.¡¯


    I was a bit surprised.


    Things like Bellen setting her sword on fire, or Aol emitting electricity, are techniques beyond high-level aura control.


    Even for Mircel, isn¡¯t that too much?


    ¡®He¡¯s already learned that?¡¯


    When I asked, Donatan replied.


    ¡®It¡¯s still just at a basic level. If someone is talented, you sometimes see hints of it at a young age. But using it in real combat requires a clear gap between you and your opponent. It demands intense concentration, so it¡¯s not easy to pull off.¡¯


    Hearing that, I felt a bit more convinced.


    Leana, who was trained by Bellen, also managed to ignite flames by the end of her first year.


    ¡®Still, it¡¯s impressive. Despite being a novice, he¡¯s already eyeing the threshold of the strong.¡¯


    Judging by Donatan¡¯s amazement, this seems to be far beyond the realm of ordinary.


    ¡®Really?¡¯


    Yet, even Erucel has reached at least the basic level¡­


    I stood up and approached the two of them.


    ¡°Mircel, it¡¯s your turn to switch. I brought some snacks over there, so take a break and enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thanks, brother.¡±


    Mircel began eating the snacks from the basket. I turned my gaze away from him and pointed my wooden sword at Erucel.


    ¡°Raise your sword, Erucel.¡±


    This was training, so no aura would be used. The only reason Mircel had used it earlier was because I allowed it, but the condition was to stick to pure swordsmanship. As for that, I could leave it to Donatan, so it wouldn¡¯t be too hard.


    ***


    Before he knew it, it was almost sunset.


    His legs were trembling, and his body no longer moved as he wanted it to. It was all because of the man in front of him.


    Erucel, sweating profusely, glared at Hersel.


    Even Mircel¡¯s sword skills had improved so much since he last saw him, and it was shocking.


    But the man in front of him, casually scratching his back with a wooden sword, was on a completely different level.


    He had only heard stories before, but seeing it with his own eyes and experiencing it firsthand, he realized how outmatched he was.


    ¡°Apologies. My back was itchy. Now, it¡¯s time for you to be hit again.¡±


    No matter how much distance he created with long strides, he closed the gap. Even if he rolled his body in random directions, so much so that he didn¡¯t know where he was going, his sword would be there, waiting.


    When it came to not using aura, he had better physical abilities than Mircel, so he could dodge. But against the man in front of him, it was impossible.


    He couldn¡¯t even think of a way to evade him in his head.


    Thud, thud.


    As Hersel approached, Erucel unconsciously took a step back. At that moment, Hersel lowered his sword and looked at him with disdain.


    ¡°If you enjoy running away so much, why don¡¯t you keep doing it?¡±


    ¡°What, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a decent option? You could live the rest of your life as an ordinary noble, always afraid, abandoning your sword.¡±


    Erucel shook his head. Those words implied giving up everything he had worked for up to now.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve been told I have talent¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why is your attitude like this?¡±


    ¡°


    As Erucel hesitated, Hersel closed the distance between them.


    ¡°Are you trying to say it¡¯s because of me?¡±


    His words pierced like a dagger.


    Looking back, it was all because of this man. He would hit him whenever he felt like it and never backed off until he was reduced to a laughingstock.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s because of you that I¡ª!!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you only angry with words? If I were you, I¡¯d strike back, no matter how messy it got.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    Hersel whispered softly into his ear.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t resist, you¡¯ll lose everything. Your money, your pride, your honor, and even your woman.¡±


    At the mention of a woman, Erucel flared up. The Amelda he had always seen was a kind-hearted person.


    There was no way he could ever allow such a despicable man to defile her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh! You filthy bastard!!¡±


    He launched a full-force attack, even unintentionally channeling aura into it. But with a loud crack, the wooden sword snapped in two.


    And it wasn¡¯t because of Hersel¡¯s raised sword¡ªit broke against his casually extended finger.


    ¡°My turn now.¡±


    Hersel¡¯s wooden sword struck Erucel¡¯s body with a dull thud¡ªhis neck, shoulders, thighs, and side¡ªall in one fluid motion.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Erucel tried to hold onto his trembling legs, but he soon lost strength and collapsed onto the ground.


    Thud.


    Hersel approached, carrying a bag and a magic staff.


    ¡°These are a fatigue recovery potion and a healing potion from the alchemy club. Open your mouth.¡±


    When he unscrewed the potion cap, Erucel clenched his mouth shut and turned his head.


    ¡°Mmph.¡±


    ¡°So stubborn.¡±


    Hersel forcibly pressed Erucel¡¯s cheeks, making him open his mouth, and poured the potions in.


    Afterward, he cast a recovery spell, one typical of those born with unique talents.


    This process would repeat countless times tomorrow as well.


    By the next evening, Erucel¡¯s mind had already dried up. With hollow eyes, he stared at Hersel, who grinned at him mockingly.


    ¡°Your condition is terrible. Fine, this time, I¡¯ll slow down even more for you.¡±


    He had already been thoroughly beaten, even at what Hersel considered a slow speed. Without time to decide whether to be grateful or not, Hersel approached.


    ¡°How about this? The speed of a worm crawling.¡±


    Indeed, Hersel¡¯s sword was a little slower than before. Erucel could already sense that his shoulder would soon ache. Even a lazy swing hurt terribly, so this wouldn¡¯t be much different.


    But strangely, the pain didn¡¯t come. He wondered if he had unconsciously backed off too much, but the distance between him and Hersel hadn¡¯t widened. This time, the sword swung toward his neck. His vision dipped, but surprisingly, there was no pain.


    Erucel realized that he was moving on his own. Just now, he had dodged by lowering his head. Yet his mind was already muddled, filled with simpler thoughts.


    Erucel shook his head. Honestly, it didn¡¯t matter. If this pain-free moment could continue, that was good enough.


    While he pondered, several more strikes came his way. Unconsciously, a smile tugged at his lips, and Hersel¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°There you go! You¡¯re finally dodging!!¡±


    It was a satisfied voice. Hersel was smiling wickedly, as if something was making him genuinely happy.


    The moment Erucel¡¯s smile disappeared, seeing Hersel¡¯s grin made him feel a sharp, scraping sensation inside.


    No human should be able to do that. Even a beast without any conscience wouldn¡¯t behave this way. Yet this man was doing it effortlessly.


    Anger surged to the top of Erucel¡¯s head. If he held it in any longer, it felt like his insides would explode. Erucel¡¯s face twisted in rage.


    ¡°You bastard! Why the hell are you smiling like that, you lunatic?!¡±


    He had to kill him.


    The happiness he felt earlier was just another one of this man¡¯s tricks. Whether it was pain or joy, it was all part of this devil¡¯s game.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your toy to be played with, you filthy bastard!!¡±


    Erucel shouted, gripping his sword tightly. Hersel moved, and strangely, Erucel could predict the path of his next strike.


    He had been hit so many times that he had learned it. Erucel easily twisted his body to dodge, then smoothly swung his sword, aiming for Hersel¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Raaagh!¡±


    His wooden sword struck Hersel¡¯s body with a roar, but Erucel wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    He felt the recoil in his hands. He needed to hold onto it and focus all his strength into slicing through. It was the same sensation as when he had shattered Luon¡¯s statue with his wooden sword.


    He swung with all the aura he had.


    Crack!


    But all that happened was that his wooden sword snapped in two. The last thing Erucel saw was Hersel looking down at him before he lost consciousness.


    Thud.


    Hersel looked down at the unconscious Erucel, a twisted smile on his face.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡±


    Then he asked Donatan.


    ¡®That worked, right? That thing where the subconscious ignores the commands of the conscious?¡¯


    ¡®It did¡­ up to a point¡­¡¯


    Hersel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer.


    ¡®Up to a point?¡¯


    ¡®The final strike he just delivered wasn¡¯t driven by his subconscious. That was a choice made by his own will. You could see it in his eyes.¡¯


    Donatan paused for a moment before speaking again.


    ¡®He¡¯s overcome it. He¡¯s turned his fear of you into anger.¡¯


    It was the moment a phoenix chick started pecking at its egg to see the world beyond.


    ***


    A Ten Elites challenge was underway, but compared to before, there were fewer people.


    That was only natural. Back then, half the crowd was there just to see Dorosian¡¯s skills.


    Erucel, his face marked by deep dark circles, stepped onto the stairs of the sparring arena. Then, he saw a familiar face¡ªAmelda.


    Though she couldn¡¯t openly support him due to her position, the fact that she had come this close to watch the match meant she was rooting for him in her own way.


    Erucel smiled weakly but then widened his eyes. A blonde man approached Amelda from behind. His outstretched arm seemed like it was about to rest on her shoulder, but at the last moment, he switched course and stretched, making it look like a mere stretch.


    It was an obvious threat. A clear message: if you lose, I won¡¯t leave this woman alone.


    Hersel, standing nearby, shot a sneaky smile in Erucel¡¯s direction.


    But a calmer Erucel wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe Hersel would actually do it. If he were the same wild dog from before, he would¡¯ve already been chasing after women left and right.


    Moreover, Hersel had thrown down the challenge of defeating Meldon of the Seven seat. Anyone could see it was bait.


    ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s a bit less annoying than before.¡±


    Erucel didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he had to acknowledge that Hersel had changed¡ªif only by a tiny bit.


    ¡°To your positions,¡± called out the professor. This time it wasn¡¯t Rockefeller, but Professor Gomon who was acting as the referee. It seemed he didn¡¯t expect a situation as dangerous as the one with Dorosian.


    Erucel glanced back and forth between Professor Gomon and Hersel.


    Word was, even if someone was half-dead, unless they uttered the words ¡°I forfeit,¡± the match would continue.


    Erucel snorted.


    The two days of training had yielded no results. It was a constant cycle of getting hit, passing out, and waking up. Even when he managed to land an attack, that guy didn¡¯t so much as blink.


    Erucel had planned to lose quickly and tell them to come up with another plan.


    Thud, thud.


    As he approached the designated position, the man smiled confidently.


    Meldon, the Seventh Seat.


    He furrowed his brows and curled his lips into a sneer.


    ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯re seeing me in person? You really do look as dumb as the rumors say.¡±


    Erucel clenched his teeth as Professor Gomon announced the start of the match.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    Meldon drew his wooden sword, and Erucel, enraged by his words, pointed his own sword at him. With so many watching, he didn¡¯t want to appear cowardly.


    Meldon charged in with a sinister smile, and Erucel instinctively prepared to leap back. But his body hesitated¡ªhis right foot, which was supposed to pull back, moved on its own.


    Tap.


    His left foot, which had been horizontal, stepped back and placed itself vertically on the ground. His body had turned 90 degrees. Meldon¡¯s vertical slash whizzed past, brushing Erucel¡¯s hair.


    Erucel¡¯s eyes widened in thought.


    The speed of Meldon¡¯s sword, enhanced by aura, had been incredibly fast, yet Erucel had dodged it. He was surprised at himself.


    There wasn¡¯t much time to think before Meldon thrust his sword toward him again. This time, it was a stab.


    Erucel felt a slight sting on his neck and instinctively tilted his body. Meldon¡¯s sword whizzed past his right shoulder.


    Ping!


    The speed of the sword was undoubtedly quick. But he had moved first, somehow sensing that Meldon would aim for his neck.


    As Meldon prepared for another attack, Erucel¡¯s thigh suddenly ached, even though he hadn¡¯t been hit yet. He quickly stepped to the right.


    Thud!


    Once again, Meldon¡¯s sword hit nothing but air.


    Erucel¡¯s instincts sharpened into certainty.


    Suddenly, Erucel realized that he was remaining calm even in the face of a powerful opponent. His usual habit was to retreat and create distance as soon as he sensed an attack. But in this moment, he wasn¡¯t backing away, only dodging with minimal movement.


    He looked at Meldon with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°This guy¡­¡±


    The furrowed wrinkles on Meldon¡¯s nose made it clear that his attacks had been serious, not playful.


    Without realizing it, Erucel muttered to himself.


    ¡°¡­Ten Elites.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? You¡¯re suddenly mumbling in the middle of a duel.¡±


    Meldon asked irritably, and Erucel replied in a calm voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re not as high up as I thought.¡±


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 141

    The training arena began to fill with cheers. Since the situation defied expectations, those who bet on the underdog were shouting in excitement.


    The first-year students from Adele Hall opened their eyes wide in surprise, marveling at Erucel¡¯s completely different demeanor.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that in a duel before.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, seriously. That was always his weak spot¡­.¡±


    I, too, felt a bit puzzled as I observed the scene.


    His movements were much smoother than when he dodged my attack during the last phase of our training.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t this guy originally not that good?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s because he¡¯s mentally at ease. He¡¯s observing the enemy¡¯s movements and reacting instantly.¡¯


    It seemed that was what Donatan meant.


    ¡®So, because I threatened to hit him harder if he ran, his body learned to dodge to get hit less painfully.¡¯


    ¡®Exactly, Hersel. I kept hitting him lightly to break his habit, unless he deliberately backed off.¡¯


    Backing away meant a hard strike.


    Backing off less meant a lighter one.


    If he tried to dodge with minimal movement, I¡¯d hit him softly to correct his behavior.


    Since the idea of running had been erased from his mind, he must have had room to think calmly, considering how to dodge more effectively.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t an easy phenomenon to accept.


    ¡®No matter how much you train, can a person really change that much in just one day?¡¯


    When I asked, slightly incredulous, Donatan replied.


    ¡®That guy had already been refined by the old man Coulo. All we did was lift the lid off the finished dish.¡¯


    That explanation made sense.


    After all, his teacher was once called the Sword King of the South.


    ¡®¡­Hmm, Sir Coulo must¡¯ve had a rough time.¡¯


    That old man had probably done everything he could.


    Even so, the reason that guy had remained the way he was until now was because there were parts of him that even Coulo couldn¡¯t fix.


    Overcoming his fear of Hersel was something only he could solve himself.


    ¡°Damn, if I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve placed a bet¡­¡±


    Once again, Erucel lightly dodged Meldon¡¯s attack.


    ***


    Erucel, with indifferent eyes, moved to dodge the barrage of attacks.


    Meldon, unable to contain his frustration, lashed out with his wooden sword.


    ¡°All you¡¯re going to do is dodge!?¡±


    Meldon¡¯s words didn¡¯t reach Erucel¡¯s ears.


    Only Coulo¡¯s teachings echoed in his mind.


    ¡ªHey, I told you not to run! My swordsmanship is designed to press the opponent relentlessly. How many times do I have to tell you for it to sink in?


    The old man¡¯s swordsmanship was based on standing firm and defending with minimal movement.


    Like an immovable rock, slowly press into the opponent¡¯s territory and overwhelm them.


    To do that, you had to block the enemy¡¯s attack with your sword, not dodge.


    ¡ªBlock it so you can hear the ¡°clack¡±! Let the sword in your hand resonate with the impact. While you¡¯re doing that, let your aura flow through. Imagine the aura absorbing the shock.


    The swordsmanship of absorbing the opponent¡¯s strength into your own was the essence of the Amrek Sword.


    Erucel raised his sword and got into position.


    Clack!


    The swords clashed as Meldon¡¯s strike aimed at his head was effectively blocked.


    Erucel stepped in closer.


    Meldon hurriedly wiped the sweat off his face and swung a horizontal slash.


    Erucel, gripping his wooden sword with a wide hand spacing like he was holding a spear, blocked Meldon¡¯s attack with a vertical lift.


    Clack!


    The attack bounced off Erucel¡¯s sword.


    As Meldon¡¯s pupils shook and he took a step back, Erucel spoke in a calm voice.


    ¡°I hope that wasn¡¯t your best effort.¡±


    Meldon flared up in anger.


    He was not patient enough to overlook the arrogant remark of a mere first-year.


    Originally, he¡¯d only intended to break a few limbs.


    If he pushed hard enough to kill, the professor acting as the referee would surely step in to stop it.


    But at that moment, Professor Gomon stood in a position where only Erucel¡¯s back was visible to him.


    Even if Meldon unleashed a full-force killing blow, there was no way the professor would react in time.


    ¡®I¡¯ll show him that even with a wooden sword, you can kill someone.¡¯


    Meldon concentrated all his aura into his sword.


    A sharp aura flared up from the wooden blade.


    With all his might, he swung his sword at Erucel¡¯s side.


    At the moment Meldon lifted his head to savor the look on Erucel¡¯s face just before his demise,  S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ping!


    Erucel¡¯s eyes gleamed as he unleashed an attack aimed directly at Meldon¡¯s sword, as if he had been waiting for this very moment.


    Crack!


    The wooden sword shattered.


    It was Meldon¡¯s sword that broke.


    Meldon¡¯s mind spun in confusion.


    But there was no time left to think.


    Erucel¡¯s strike did not end but continued smoothly.


    Meldon hastily activated his protective aura, but even so, his right arm broke.


    The impact transferred to his torso, and even his energy center was thrown into disarray.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Blood spurted from his mouth.


    Meldon¡¯s vision was filled with a crimson mist before he lost consciousness.


    Thud.


    Erucel looked down at the unconscious Meldon and spoke quietly.


    ¡°If the professor hadn¡¯t stopped my sword, you would have died.¡±


    The Amrek Sword absorbs the opponent¡¯s power, adds one¡¯s own strength, and releases it in one deadly strike.


    Had that not been the case, Meldon¡¯s spine would have been shattered.


    Erucel averted his gaze from Meldon and looked at Professor Gomon.


    The professor, still in a daze, lowered the staff he had pointed and shouted.


    ¡°The winner is Erucel Ben Tenest! The Seventh Seat title is his!¡±


    Cheers erupted at the announcement of a new Seventh Seat champion.


    ¡°I won five times my bet!¡±


    ¡°Haha, that Meldon guy! He¡¯s always been so arrogant; serves him right!¡±


    The voices mostly came from people who had won money from gambling or held grudges against Meldon¡­


    In the meantime, Professor Gomon approached and whispered in Erucel¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Hey, you almost caused a murder out there. No matter how hard that guy tried to kill you, you shouldn¡¯t have gone that far.¡±


    ¡°¡­I apologize. I¡¯m still not used to this technique.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful next time, ahem. Still, well done. Those brats needed to be taught a lesson for once.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Erucel found Professor Gomon¡¯s reaction surprising.


    He was used to seeing the professors dote on those students.


    Since Gomon was also a professor, Erucel assumed he would favor them as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Ten Elite graduate myself, so I know. These kids get pampered in the academy, but once they¡¯re outside, their arrogance will get them killed. I hope this wakes them up.¡±


    Despite his words, Professor Gomon didn¡¯t seem to completely dislike them.


    Strict on the outside, but perhaps secretly wishing for their success.


    Erucel raised his right hand high, led by Gomon.


    As the cheers intensified, questions began pouring in.


    ¡°Are you guys really going to take over the Ten Elite?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious about driving them out?¡±


    Indeed, they intended to take over the Ten Elite system.


    The absurd rules had to be rewritten.


    Erucel swallowed hard and was about to answer loudly.


    At that moment, attention shifted to a figure with shining blonde hair.


    As Erucel focused on the person, others turned their heads as well.


    Hersel pushed through the crowd and climbed the steps of the arena, with Mircel following behind him.


    ¡°What¡­ what are you guys doing here?¡±


    Ignoring Erucel¡¯s words, Hersel patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°For the first time in my life, I¡¯m proud of you, little brother.¡±


    ¡°Proud of you, third brother,¡± Mircel mimicked Hersel¡¯s tone and tapped his own thigh.


    Erucel felt a surge of anger.


    These people, who usually looked at him like he was dirt, were suddenly offering praise.


    And they weren¡¯t just anyone¡ªthey were the demons who had beaten him relentlessly for two days straight.


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Erucel clicked his tongue briefly, while Hersel scanned the crowd.


    Everyone fell silent under his sharp gaze.


    Satisfied with the quiet, Hersel nodded and spoke in his deep voice.


    ¡°Did someone ask earlier if we were planning to take over the Ten Elite? Yes, we are going to take their power.¡±


    Someone raised their hand and asked,


    ¡°Th-then, when¡¯s the next match?¡±


    Everyone swallowed nervously, their eyes glued to Hersel¡¯s mouth.


    The corners of his lips twisted into a smirk.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s already set. Don¡¯t trouble the professors, okay?¡±


    The crowd began to murmur.


    One by one, their eyes widened as if they had realized something.


    ¡°The arrangements are already made¡­ Could it be¡­ now?¡±


    ¡°¡­That has to be it, right?¡±


    Hersel took a deep breath and pointed toward the fortress.


    ¡°Kerndel from the First Seat. Rimlan from the third seat. I know you¡¯re watching from over there.¡±


    It was the terrace of Adele Hall.


    The two figures flinched from their spots.


    Hersel smirked mischievously and egged on the crowd.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with them? Did they not hear? Or are they scared? No reaction at all.¡±


    A few people started stomping on the ground, making thudding noises.


    They were people from the Schlaphe Hall.


    Erucel, sweating nervously, looked back and forth between Hersel and the crowd.


    The sound of footsteps soon created a rhythm, and everyone began calling out the two names in unison.


    Thud, thud.


    ¡°Kerndel.¡±


    Thud, thud.


    ¡°Rimlan.¡±


    The professors inside the fortress poked their heads out of the windows, perhaps thinking an earthquake had hit the training ground.


    Erucel looked at the fortress and thought.


    Even without seeing them, Erucel could tell that the faces of the two being targeted were contorted with distress.


    Thud, thud.


    ¡°Kerndel.¡±


    Thud, thud.


    ¡°Rimlan.¡±


    The cheers of the entire student body were so loud, they could probably be heard by the monsters underground.


    Listening to the cheers, Erucel looked up at the terrace of Adele Hall.


    He had planned for this moment ever since winning.


    The reason was simple.


    If they had formally issued a challenge on paper, a betting ring would have opened.


    People would place their bets, and most of them would probably put all their coins on him.


    In that case, Kerndel would surely find the situation suspicious.


    Moreover, giving him time to think would leave room for him to scheme, so this also had the effect of cutting that off in advance.


    ¡®Every time I see it, your strategy amazes me, Hersel.¡¯


    ¡®Right. He¡¯s probably reeling right about now.¡¯


    The two figures on the terrace disappeared.


    There was no doubt that they were coming down to face them.


    ***


    The light from the glass dome ceiling began to fade.


    The sun was setting, and the chandelier hanging from the ceiling lit itself up.


    This room, lined with bookshelves and wooden furniture, was the Emperor¡¯s library.


    Aol sipped his tea.


    Across from him, an old man picked up a grape, eating it as he struggled to lift one of his heavy eyelids.


    ¡°Did you hear about the dungeon tower being discovered in Orbella¡¯s territory?¡±


    The old man before him was the Emperor of the Empire, Idhras Dean Lungaard.


    Aol nodded in response to his question.


    ¡°I have.¡±


    It was just the two of them, so the conversation could be casual.


    After 40 years of meeting the king with his grandfather from a young age, it was enough time to feel a sense of familiarity.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s outrageous. They¡¯ve probably known about it for a while, and now they decide to announce it, tsk tsk.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing? It means they¡¯ll be paying more attention to the tribute.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I care about wealth and glory? They could have at least given me a heads-up. I doted on that boy so much when he was young. It hurts my heart.¡±


    Idhras let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Anyway, lately all these mysterious things keep happening, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. Why do all these events have to pile up right when I¡¯m close to death?¡±


    The old king must have had no shortage of worries.


    There were many strange occurrences beyond just the sudden appearance of the tower.


    From previously unheard-of sea monsters attacking the coast to floods sweeping away villages, odd phenomena were happening one after another.


    It wasn¡¯t just the Empire¡ªthese events were occurring all over the world.


    And every time such things happened, the greatest beneficiaries were the religious orders.


    It was human nature to turn to the gods when faced with the incomprehensible.


    ¡°The church will surely gain more influence again.¡±


    At Aol¡¯s comment, Idhras gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°Ha, ha. You¡¯re right. At this rate, the palace might be consumed by them.¡±


    The relationship between the Church of the Sun and the king was not good.


    The church often showed suspicious behavior, as if they had some secret agenda.


    They weren¡¯t plotting a rebellion or directly challenging royal authority, but there was one thing that was incomprehensible¡ªhow abnormally interested they were in the relics from the Demonic Realm.


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 Chapter 142

    If Erucel¡¯s victory was an unexpected twist that defied many predictions, then Mircel¡¯s duel was seen as a fifty-fifty chance, with victory hanging in the balance.His opponent, Rimlan, was a sorcerer who knew how to use spirit magic. It wasn¡¯t strange to hear comments from the crowd.


    ¡°No matter how much of a genius he is, it¡¯ll still be tough, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Spirit magic is basically like fighting two against one.¡±


    Spirits could take on various roles, but the most troublesome one for a swordsman was a tank. To get close to the sorcerer, you¡¯d first have to break through the shield, which meant dodging way more spells than usual.


    ¡°And think about the age difference. The accumulated experience alone makes a big difference. Can he really win that easily?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You can¡¯t overlook practical experience.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a single incorrect word in what they were saying. But if the one they were talking about was Mircel, the story changes.


    There¡¯s no way the Tenest family, with its elite tutors and unlimited supply of rare potions, wouldn¡¯t have provided Mircel with plenty of experience fighting against sorcerers.


    ¡°And he¡¯s still just a kid, right? In a place like this, where everyone¡¯s watching, he¡¯s bound to get nervous or hesitate in the middle of the fight. All those little things are weaknesses.¡±


    I took my eyes off the chatter nearby. The expression on Mircel¡¯s face, standing on the dueling platform, was nothing but calm.


    Rimlan, seemingly offended by being underestimated, furrowed his brow and drew his staff.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    At Professor Gomon¡¯s signal, Mircel drew his wooden sword. A spirit shot out from the magic circle engraved on Rimlan¡¯s forearm.


    Whoosh!


    It was a rabbit engulfed in blazing flames. Rimlan shouted confidently.


    ¡°Go ahead and swing that stick! I¡¯ll turn it to ash!¡±


    Pop!


    The rabbit lunged forward like a firework about to explode. Its speed was nearly equal to that of a fired arrow.


    Sparks of electricity crackled from Mircel¡¯s sword. Just as the rabbit was about to collide with him, Mircel swung his wooden sword.


    Boom!


    The rabbit scattered into embers. The audience¡¯s attention was momentarily fixated on the scene.


    Swoosh.


    The tip of the wooden sword was already aimed at Rimlan¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    As Rimlan stood there in shock, Mircel poked him lightly in the throat with the tip of his sword.


    Rimlan choked, clutching his throat with both hands. From the way his mouth was gaping open, it seemed he couldn¡¯t speak.


    The crowd, stunned by the sudden turn of events, fell silent. The silence was broken by Mircel¡¯s calm voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad. That was me moving at full speed.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°You seem to have more skill than I expected.¡±


    With that, Rimlan¡¯s right arm snapped with a crack! His face twisted in pain, but only choked, rasping sounds escaped his gaping mouth.


    Mircel swiftly broke his remaining arm with the wooden sword as well. It seemed like Rimlan had at least a little luck on his side¡ªhis ordeal could¡¯ve been worse.


    After the anticlimactic end to the duel, those who had snapped back to their senses started murmuring.


    ¡°W-what was that?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he close the gap while we were watching the rabbit explode?¡±


    ¡°Does that even make sense? It was all in the blink of an eye.¡±


    What had just happened was a technique known as the ¡°Thunder Step,¡± a move Aol often used. While its weakness is that it can only go straight, there¡¯s no better technique for fighting sorcerers.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s finally my turn.¡±


    I looked at Kerndel.


    He stood there arrogantly with his arms crossed, pretending to be a big shot.


    Amusingly, inside, he must be feeling miserable.


    His close allies had suffered consecutive defeats, so it¡¯s natural for him to think that we¡¯ve prepared thoroughly.


    He would undoubtedly be on full alert and give it his all from the start.


    Shall I put on a little show to comfort him?


    As I pulled out my staff, Donatan asked in a troubled voice,


    ¡®Hersel, what are you doing without picking up your sword?¡¯


    ¡®Did you already forget that I¡¯m a mage?¡¯


    I held my magic staff and planted my feet firmly on the dueling ground.


    ***


    Kerndel felt relieved inside when he saw Hersel holding the staff. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though he¡¯s just a first-year mage from the pathetic Schlaphe Hall, he is still the eldest son of the prestigious Tenest family, known for their swordsmanship.


    It couldn¡¯t be ruled out that he might have some hidden power.


    It wasn¡¯t what he had expected, but it worked out well for Kerndel.


    Athera had definitely mentioned it before.


    She had wondered how a guy like this even got into the magic department, despite being from Schlaphe Hall.


    Before Professor Gomon could announce the start of the duel, Kerndel tilted his chin upward and spoke,


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you. They say you¡¯re a bit crazy. Seeing you with my own eyes, I get it now. You¡¯re definitely insane.¡±


    Kerndel genuinely believed that.


    Entering the magic department while coming from a family famous for swordsmanship¡ªhe thought that couldn¡¯t be the action of a sane person.


    He had considered the possibility that Hersel might be relying on his younger siblings to act arrogantly, but it wasn¡¯t something he could be certain about.


    After all, the mindset of a madman is beyond understanding.


    ¡°They say the only cure for a mad dog is a beating. I hope this experience serves as your remedy.¡±


    As Kerndel sneered, Hersel widened his eyes as if surprised and asked, ¡°Is the source of that baseless rumor Selly?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°My personal maid.¡±


    While Kerndel was mulling it over, Professor Gomon quickly announced the start of the duel.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    Hersel swung his staff with a determined look.


    Kerndel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    The technique was clean, and the speed was fast.


    He was nervous, wondering what kind of magic would come flying at him.


    Then, a flash of light burst forth, and rows of fiery arrows emerged from the air.


    Kerndel broke out in a cold sweat at the surprising sight.


    They were tiny fire arrows, no bigger than toothpicks.


    Hersel grinned, seemingly satisfied.


    Kerndel stood there, mouth agape, unable to close it for a while.


    Kerndel shook off the unnecessary thoughts.


    Then, gripping his wooden sword tightly, he began to walk leisurely, as if taking a stroll.


    The flaming toothpicks flew toward him, but they were easily deflected by the aura shield surrounding him.


    Ping!


    Hersel furrowed his brow and began drawing a new spell.


    This time, a wisp of mist no bigger than pocket lint floated toward him.


    It looked like a curse spell.


    Kerndel blew a puff of air to scatter the mist.


    ¡°Phew!¡±


    Hersel seemed flustered, breaking into a cold sweat.


    Nevertheless, his hands continued to draw spell formations.


    Kerndel suddenly felt an odd sensation on his wrist.


    Looking down, he saw a weight attached to it.


    It didn¡¯t feel heavy, but it was a bit itchy.


    When he scratched it lightly with his fingernail, the weight crumbled into dust.


    Hersel spoke hastily, ¡°D-don¡¯t come any closer. If you get within my range, my special magic will hit you full force.¡±


    There was a hint of fear in his voice.


    Laughter could be heard from the surrounding spectators, and Kerndel let out a deep sigh.


    It was the kind of sigh that came from the realization of the futility of facing an opponent like this.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel like this is a waste of my time. But don¡¯t expect me to go easy on you. You¡¯ve angered me enough.¡±


    He had almost reached striking distance.


    Kerndel lightly lifted his wooden sword, planning to shatter Hersel¡¯s shoulder first.


    At that moment, Hersel¡¯s eyes gleamed as he lowered his voice, ¡°Do you know what physical telekinesis magic is?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat nonsense is that now¡ªugh?!¡±


    Kerndel felt a chill run down his spine.


    Instinctively, he released all his aura, reinforcing his shield.


    The reason he held the rank of first duelist was due to his exceptional skills, sharp intuition, and judgment.


    And this time, his judgment was right.


    !!!!!


    Hersel¡¯s staff emitted an ominous force, slicing through the air at tremendous speed.


    Its target: his side.


    Crack!


    Kerndel felt the sharp pain of his ribs breaking as he coughed up blood.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Hersel¡¯s strike wasn¡¯t over yet.


    As he continued to swing the staff as if pushing forward, Kerndel¡¯s face was peeled back by the wind, exposing his gums.


    It was a full swing.


    Kerndel, flying through the air at breakneck speed, saw the tops of the spectators¡¯ heads below him as he passed over the dueling platform.


    ¡°Huh? He¡¯s coming this way.¡±


    ¡°Move! He¡¯s about to hit me!¡±


    As the altitude dropped, the crowd scrambled to get out of the way in a panic.


    Boom!


    Even as his body crashed into the ground, Kerndel, barely clinging to consciousness, squeezed out some words.


    ¡°M-magic? No¡­ y-you just hit me with the staff¡­ cough.¡±


    And with that, Kerndel lost consciousness.


    Hersel, looking down at him, replied, ¡°I told you. It¡¯s physical telekinesis magic.¡±


    Physical Telekinesis Magic.


    Magic that manifests telekinesis through the power of mana.


    It was Donatan who pointed out Hersel¡¯s signature magic instead of Kerndel.


    ¡®Please, stop scamming just because you¡¯re a mage!¡¯


    ¡®Why? Even *Liquid Gold* ultimately uses mana. And didn¡¯t I grab a staff, not a sword?¡¯


    ¡®What kind of mage hits people with a staff?!¡¯


    ***


    Even in summer, the early morning air is chilly.


    Practicing footwork with *Liquid Gold* wrapped around my legs in the dew-soaked grass.


    I still needed to improve my proficiency.


    The truth is, my victory over Kerndel was just luck.


    Even though he seems like a fool, he¡¯s still the top duelist.


    If I hadn¡¯t lured him into letting his guard down, I would have been hit by his initial strike, and the ¡°one-second invincibility¡± would¡¯ve been on cooldown, making it impossible to deliver my decisive blow.


    To avoid facing such a situation again, I needed to be able to easily dodge his attacks.


    ¡°Huff, huff.¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re doing well, Hersel. Your footwork is getting faster little by little.¡¯


    After training until sweat drenched my back, I was out of breath.


    Taking a moment to rest, I leaned against a tree and gazed up at the fortress.


    I let out a sigh and fell into thought.


    ¡°Hoo¡­¡±


    It¡¯s already been two days since the *Ten Elites* ended.


    To summarize what¡¯s happened since then, there was a minor incident where Kerndel threw a fit.


    It seems he heard rumors about the ¡®Blood Viper Berme¡¯ from somewhere.


    ¡°You bastards, did you dare deceive me?!¡±


    He tried to take revenge on a few people, starting with Athera, but it was pointless.


    ¡°Think of it as divine retribution, senior. Being hated this much is proof of how despicably you¡¯ve acted.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Now, just looking at me makes Kerndel¡¯s attitude immediately humble.


    It¡¯s not only because he¡¯s scared.


    We also made a deal.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving the top duelist position back to Kerndel.¡±


    I reinstated Kerndel as the first seat.


    Having already tasted power, he agreed to comply without much resistance.


    Of course, his close allies strongly opposed this.


    Especially Berthnal, who voiced many complaints.


    ¡°Hersel, what on earth are you talking about? Giving that guy his position back?¡±


    Still, there was a crucial reason why this had to be done.


    The top students must remain in their positions until graduation, as they are the enemies that the main characters need to overcome.


    And then there¡¯s the student council.


    They¡¯ll appear as the bosses in our second year.


    If I were to sit in the First Seat, I¡¯d have no choice but to deal with them whenever handing over the *Bal¡¯s Badge* or whatever.


    I wanted to avoid getting on their radar prematurely.


    So, I persuaded Kerndel¡¯s close allies with a plan that would kill two birds with one stone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use Kerndel as my puppet. If he doesn¡¯t behave, I¡¯ll beat him up and replace him with someone else.¡±


    It was a declaration that I¡¯d become the real power behind the scenes.


    Of course, I¡¯d let the villains who would help the main characters grow continue their tyranny.


    ¡°First, remove the shower ban imposed by the first-years of the Adele Hall. Do the same for the dining hall. Oh, but keep the punishments going.¡±


    This would allow them to be consumed by revenge, pushing them to grow stronger.


    I ended it by letting them breathe just enough to keep them angry.


    And I emphasized one crucial point to them.


    ¡°Lastly, make sure my name never comes up with the student council. If they ask, just say I stepped down voluntarily because I lost interest. Tell the regular students the same.¡±


    This was to conceal my position as the hidden power from both the student council and the main characters.


    Fortunately, the top students accepted this without much resistance.


    It helped that I kindly explained the consequences if they didn¡¯t comply.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do as you¡¯re told, Kerndel, consider your life forfeit. And, are you aware that Dorosian, who¡¯s currently unaffiliated, is in the same class as me? Now that I mention it, should I invite her here sometime?¡±


    At the mention of Dorosian, the top students¡¯ faces contorted in fear.


    No wonder¡ªAros, who was the Second Seat, declared she would never set foot near the *Ten Elites* again, so traumatized was she by her.


    There was no way a few ants like them could defeat the apex predator, Dorosian.


    ¡°Now that I mention it, should I invite her here sometime?¡±


    I knew exactly how to keep her stationed in the *Ten Elites* lounge.


    Just get her some bootleg liquor, and it¡¯ll be easy.


    And that wasn¡¯t the only card I had up my sleeve.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like it, follow my lead. And don¡¯t think about rebelling. We can always outvote you in the end.¡±


    Even if they succeeded in rebelling, I could render their efforts meaningless.


    They¡¯d already seen how Erucel and Mircel had sent Meldon, the Seventh seat, and Rimlan, the third, to the infirmary.


    I could just send them back there.


    ¡°If you guys try to overthrow Berthnal and Emeric and take power, my siblings will personally deliver you to the infirmary. And then, we¡¯ll have the majority again.¡±


    After that, there were no further objections.


    That¡¯s how I took control of the *Ten Elites* from the shadows and got the scenario back on track.


    That concludes the *Ten Elites*.


    Now, all that¡¯s left is to hope things go smoothly.


    ¡°I just hope I can graduate safely¡­¡±


    As I closed my eyes and prayed, raindrops began to fall.


    When I looked up, I saw that the sky had begun to darken with storm clouds.


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s already the rainy season.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t an ordinary rainy season.


    The rainy season of the first semester for first-years is a sign of a new event.


    It seems the academy will be lively for a while.


    ***


    The torrential rain poured down.


    Whoosh!


    The fortress of Frost Heart was located at a high altitude.


    While there was no danger of flooding, being situated on a steep mountain meant that landslides were inevitable.


    Professor Gomon frowned as he looked at the puddle forming in the pit he was digging.


    His hobby was dungeon exploration and artifact hunting, and there were many among the Pathfinders who were obsessed with such pursuits, but Professor Gomon was particularly extreme.


    ¡°Ugh, this rain is troublesome, isn¡¯t it, Stone Bear?¡±


    The stone golem beside him, Stone Bear, nodded its head.


    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a secret hidden here somewhere.¡±


    Professor Gomon was itching with excitement.


    He had spent the past few nights poring over the academy¡¯s ancient archives.


    He had found clues that this land held something suspicious, and although he had begun his excavation, the rain had forced a halt.


    Excavation was a delicate process.


    He had seen countless people ruin valuable relics by being careless.


    With a sigh of regret, Professor Gomon turned away.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s ruined. Absolutely ruined.¡±


    But then, Stone Bear tugged at his robe.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Stone Bear pointed to the puddle.


    From it, a sphere and long sticks began to emerge.


    They were almost white in color.


    ¡°Whoa! There¡¯s something here!¡±


    Carefully, Professor Gomon used telekinesis to float the objects closer to him.


    What he had thought were a sphere and sticks turned out to be human bones.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    But something was off¡ªseveral things, in fact.


    His curiosity piqued, Professor Gomon arranged the bone fragments one by one with telekinesis, and soon, his eyes widened in shock.


    For on the skull¡¯s forehead were two small horns¡ªsomething no human should have.


    Moreover, there were more bones than a typical human skeleton would have.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Professor Gomon, with his interest in archaeology, quickly deduced the function of the other bones.


    While it could be a peculiar species of monster, further investigation was required.


    Professor Gomon grinned.


    If this turned out to be a significant discovery, the scholarly community would be in an uproar, and he might even receive a medal from the headquarters, with his name etched into the Mage Tower.


    Excited, Professor Gomon carried the bones back to his laboratory with a spring in his step.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 143

    Emeric walked down the hallway, carrying a thick stack of documents. What he held in his hands were proposals he had long believed would be beneficial to the students if implemented during his time in school.


    Remembering his past struggles, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.


    ¡°Heh heh, back then, I never could have imagined this,¡± he muttered.


    The whole reason he had aimed for a position in the Ten Elites was for this very purpose.


    But the wall of reality had been high, and once he finally got the position, a corrupt regime had blocked his path again.


    However, thanks to the man who had just enrolled, everything had started moving in the right direction.


    ¡°Things are finally back on track,¡± Emeric thought as he headed toward the Ten Elites lounge, excited for the upcoming meeting.


    On his way, he ran into Berthnal. It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence.


    Berthnal was likely also on his way to the meeting at the appointed time.


    ¡°Hey, Emeric, heading to the lounge?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together then.¡±


    They walked in silence for a while before Berthnal glanced around.


    Seeing no one nearby, he spoke cautiously.


    ¡°Emeric, I¡¯ve been thinking it over, and you¡¯re right about that Hersel kid. He really does seem to be aiming for the student council president¡¯s seat.¡±


    Emeric chuckled softly.


    Berthnal had dismissed his words as nonsense before, but now he believed them.


    It was probably because Berthnal had seen undeniable proof.


    ¡°I told you, Berthnal. He¡¯s not after the Ten Elites.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you did.¡±


    If Hersel was gunning for the president¡¯s seat, he absolutely shouldn¡¯t be part of the Ten Elites at this point in time.


    The next election was a year away. It was far too early to stand out.


    ¡°If he had ousted Kerndel, it would have made him appear hostile in the eyes of the student council. That idiot may be a fool, but he always followed orders.¡±


    If Hersel made himself a target too early, he would definitely face opposition.


    Over the next year, they would take steps to ensure he couldn¡¯t even run.


    ¡°These people are experts in dictatorship. If they see him as a future rival, they¡¯ll cut him down before he has a chance to bloom. Hersel knows this and has acted accordingly.¡±


    Berthnal nodded, his expression grim.


    ¡°I know, I know. That¡¯s why he¡¯s acting like he¡¯s not interested in power, right? But behind the scenes, he¡¯ll become the real power player, taking whatever he can. But Emeric, why do you care so much about Hersel becoming president? I know what you¡¯ve been up to. You¡¯ve been secretly digging into the student council, haven¡¯t you? The election will happen after we¡¯ve graduated, so why bother?¡±


    Emeric stopped walking and stared into Berthnal¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I just want to leave a gift for the juniors I like.¡±


    Berthnal chuckled and patted Emeric on the back.


    ¡°Yeah, but still, be careful. You¡¯ve held out for over two years, right? There¡¯s not much time left. You want to graduate safely, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    They were almost at the Ten Elites lounge when the door opened, and Mircel came out yawning.


    ¡°Yawn¡­¡±


    Emeric looked at him curiously and asked,


    ¡°Where are you going? The meeting is about to start.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Ah. I quit. I don¡¯t even know what this place is about, and it¡¯s boring.¡±


    ¡°What? Without you, we lose a vote, and that¡¯s a problem.¡±


    Emeric reminded the younger boy of his position.


    But at Mircel¡¯s next words, he simply nodded.


    ¡°But my big brother said I could quit whenever I wanted. And don¡¯t worry, if those guys get on my nerves, I¡¯ll just tell him everything.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then you can quit. Farewell, little brother of Hersel.¡±


    Mircel scratched his shoulder and walked away.


    Berthnal, watching the boy¡¯s back, asked with concern,


    ¡°Dorosian¡¯s seat is empty, and so is Ninth¡¯s. If his seat is vacant, that¡¯s three abstentions. They have four votes, and even with Erucel, we only have three. Is this really okay?¡±


    Emeric scoffed.


    ¡°Still don¡¯t get it? Berthnal, Hersel told them to come directly to him if they had complaints. That holds significant meaning.¡±


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°Heh, Hersel is intending to make us his representatives, and with a very profound intention behind it.¡±


    Berthnal listened closely, but as Emeric continued, chills ran down his spine.


    ¡°Hersel believes it¡¯s not the right time to act, so he¡¯s hiding in the shadows. Since he can¡¯t reveal his teeth publicly, he needs pawns like us! Even to prevent someone like Kerndel from dreaming of rebellion beforehand! Be amazed, Berthnal. How brilliant is this strategy!!¡±


    Sweat dripped down Berthnal¡¯s forehead. Emeric¡¯s expression resembled that of a fanatical cultist.


    He hadn¡¯t been like this last year, but ever since becoming a third-year, there was a strange madness about him.


    ¡°¡­You might be overanalyzing things a bit, but alright, I get it.¡±


    Berthnal gave Emeric a look that said he thought he was crazy as they entered the lounge.


    As they approached their seats, Kerndel greeted them with a displeased face.


    ¡°Hmph, how dare you be late.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Kerndel,¡± Berthnal replied coldly, venting his pent-up frustrations.


    Kerndel opened his eyes wide in surprise, clearly not expecting such a retort.


    ¡°What-what? How dare someone like Berthnal speak to me like that?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, a toothless tiger still has pride, huh? Why don¡¯t you stop provoking people and just keep your mouth shut?¡±


    Kerndel gritted his teeth.


    He was about to rise from his seat and lash out, but Emeric patted Berthnal on the shoulder and shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite right, Berthnal. If you have power, you should act with decorum.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Let me show you an example.¡±


    Emeric, leaving a puzzled Berthnal behind, raised his hand.


    ¡°I will now propose an agenda. The agenda is to impose a gag order on Kerndel. Those in favor, please raise your hands.¡±


    Berthnal quickly caught on to Emeric¡¯s intention and raised his hand, though Kerndel looked startled for a moment.


    Erucel, who was nearby, also raised his hand with a bewildered expression.


    ¡°This seems a bit strange, but, ahem.¡±


    Kerndel forced a smile, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    ¡°Heh heh, you¡¯re not seriously considering this ridiculous proposal, are you?¡±


    Kerndel¡¯s words were met with uncomfortable glances exchanged between the remaining members.


    Emeric, unfazed, hummed and picked up his pen.


    ¡°Hmm, three vacant seats. Three in favor. Four against¡­¡±


    ¡°H-hey, Emeric, that¡¯s enough joking around,¡± Kerndel said, but Emeric ignored him and scanned the faces of those who had opposed.


    ¡°Four opposed¡­ Perhaps I should interpret this as treachery. I think I¡¯ll report this to Hersel.¡±


    As Emeric began to write, the members who hadn¡¯t raised their hands flinched and quickly shot their hands up.


    ¡°W-wait! I had a cramp in my arm. I¡¯m in favor, I¡¯m in favor!¡±


    ¡°Me too, me too!¡±


    Emeric paused his writing and corrected the tally to reflect the three additional votes in favor.


    Thus, the proposal was drafted.


    ¡°Here, Kerndel.¡±


    When Emeric handed over the draft, Kerndel asked in a shaky voice,


    ¡°W-what is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tradition for the First Seat to deliver proposals. Isn¡¯t that your job as the First Seat?¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-you¡¯re serious? You want me to personally deliver this absurd rule to silence me?¡±


    Emeric nodded seriously, and Berthnal grinned as he watched.


    ***


    Interestingly, there was one class taught directly by a student.


    It was a class on divinity.


    This practice had been in place ever since priests from the Sun Cult monopolized positions within the student council.


    Of course, their purpose was proselytization.


    It¡¯s absurd that such a cult would pull this nonsense even in the academy. Truly ridiculous.


    ¡°Well, then.¡±


    A man dressed in a robe with a bluish glow opened a book. He was a member of the student council.


    ¡°Today¡¯s lesson will be about the ¡®Arrogant Immortal.''¡±


    As is common with religious texts, the lesson began with the story of a mythical figure.


    Long ago, there was such a person who, foolishly, made various mistakes¡ªone of those all-too-familiar tales.


    It¡¯s one of those rare times when sleeping is allowed.


    Already exhausted from early morning training, I wondered if I should take a quick nap.


    ¡°After completing his task, he became a demigod and swore loyalty to the gods, but foolishly, he was not satisfied and dared to rebel¡­¡±


    Half-listening to the priest¡¯s voice like a lullaby, I half-closed my eyes and checked if Dorosian was around.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t. The girl who often skipped out wouldn¡¯t be interested in a class like this.


    Relieved, I was about to let myself drift off.


    ¡°Is that true? A skull, you say? Did someone kill someone and bury the body?¡±


    Some people, apparently unable to sleep, started whispering.


    ¡°They say it¡¯s not human; it has horns on its head. It even has wings and a tailbone.¡±


    It seemed Professor Gomon had discovered it.


    ¡°No way, could it really be true? Isn¡¯t someone just playing a prank?¡±


    ¡°Well, this place is full of pranksters. Someone probably set it up to mess with Professor Gomon.¡±


    Haha, it¡¯d be nice if it were fake, but apparently, it¡¯s real.


    ¡°But if it is real, wouldn¡¯t that be kind of exciting? There¡¯s even a rumor that it¡¯s the legendary demon, a succubus.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now that you mention it, yeah? Horns, wings, tail¡ªit¡¯s all stuff you see in literature, right? They say she gives you erotic dreams and sucks out your energy as payment. Haha.¡±


    When you think of a succubus, that¡¯s the typical image.


    A seductive demon who takes your life force in exchange for a blissful dream.


    But that¡¯s just fiction created from men¡¯s fantasies.


    In reality, it¡¯s more like¡­


    A hypnotist who makes reality feel like a dream, preventing proper judgment even when something abnormal happens.


    Even though it¡¯s already dead, its lingering thoughts, formed by self-hypnosis, are set to cause havoc again.


    Its goal is to use the dreams of foolish humans as nourishment and make its dream world manifest in reality.


    This event also involved finding a hidden item, so participating might not be a bad idea.


    I should probably get prepared before evening falls.


    ***


    The dormitory is always packed with people on rainy days.


    Shaking off the raindrops, I stepped into the lobby and was greeted by the ridiculous antics of Makdal and Ricks.


    ¡°Physical telekinesis magic!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Makdal hit Ricks with his staff, sending him rolling across the floor.


    Then, coughing, he muttered something that sounded vaguely familiar.


    ¡°M-magic? Ugh¡­ but¡­ you just hit me with your staff¡­¡±


    They were clearly imitating the duel between me and Kerndel.


    ¡°Hahaha, if this is magic, then are knights also magicians? It¡¯s all the same when you win with force!¡±


    These guys, acting so childish.


    I approached the two of them.


    ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t think so either. Senior Makdal, physical telekinesis is a proper form of magic that uses mana.¡±


    ¡°W-what? Ricks, why are you suddenly talking like Lord Hersel¡­ W-wait.¡±


    Sensing something was off, Makdal quickly turned his head.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    ¡°Would you like to learn what real physical telekinesis magic feels like?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I walked past the frightened Makdal.


    Then I thought about someone who hadn¡¯t been around much lately and asked,


    ¡°By the way, senior, have you seen Limberton? I haven¡¯t seen him around recently.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that guy? Lately, he¡¯s been hanging around with a girl from the Buerger Hall. After all that time searching for a partner, it seems he¡¯s finally found one. Hahaha.¡±


    Limberton, with a girl?


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re joking, right? There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°No, seriously, Hersel. I saw it too.¡±


    ¡°Really? Ricks?¡±


    ¡°He even bragged to me about going to the club floor with her.¡±


    There¡¯s no way.


    Limberton is destined to graduate from the academy solo.  S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could there be a serious error in the scenario?


    ¡°When did he go there?¡±


    I asked, and Ricks glanced at the clock.


    ¡°About five minutes ago?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    I immediately headed to the club floor.


    Limberton was the only one who could still have enough time to align with the current scenario.


    Aslay was busy with after-school supplemental lessons today.


    Mircel had transferred in and was still catching up on his studies.


    And now, this guy is filming some kind of romantic campus scene by himself? I can¡¯t allow that.


    I passed the fortress and arrived at the club floor.


    After scanning the area with sharp eyes, I spotted Limberton chatting with a girl carrying a shopping bag.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that the girl from the banquet?¡¯


    ¡®Hmm. She does look familiar, Hersel.¡¯


    ¡®That idiot¡­ I even warned him that she seemed like the kind of girl who¡¯d just take his money.¡¯


    Limberton had a lot of coins.


    Plus, he¡¯d gained some recognition due to his recent exploits.


    Still, his creepy habits remained, and the women around here wouldn¡¯t consider him a romantic option.


    But what do I do now?


    Now that I¡¯m here, my head feels muddled.


    This must be the moment he¡¯s been dreaming of his whole life.


    It¡¯s obvious he won¡¯t listen to a word I say.


    Even if I forcibly pull them apart, that gold-digger girl isn¡¯t going to just sit by and let it happen.


    Maybe I should just give up and look for someone else¡­


    Sighing deeply, I turned to leave.


    Then, I felt a sharp poke on my back. It was Silla, the girl who could easily draw anyone¡¯s gaze.


    With a frown on her face, she was staring intently at Limberton and the girl beside him, and she asked, ¡°Are you just going to leave that alone?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Look at her. It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s planning to take advantage of him, and that idiot is just grinning like a fool.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    I asked with a dull expression, and Silla¡¯s eyes widened in irritation.


    ¡°He¡¯s your friend, isn¡¯t he? Shouldn¡¯t you be doing something about it?¡±


    ¡°I know him better than you do. Right now, it wouldn¡¯t matter what I say to him.¡±


    ¡°Still, I suppose it¡¯s better this way. Maybe after getting burned this time, he¡¯ll finally wake up.¡±


    Letting him learn how to judge women better through this experience might not be such a bad thing.


    Suddenly, I grew curious and asked Silla, ¡°By the way, did you follow them just to watch?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who has time to watch someone like that?¡±


    ¡°Well, it looked that way, so I asked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting here for Leana. Then I just happened to see them pass by.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡±


    I took my eyes off Silla, who was still fuming, and continued walking.


    I should focus on my own tasks.


    Is there anyone suitable to join me in searching for the hidden treasure?


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    The magic department students at the Adele Hall are busy with special lessons, and Ricks has his role in the Schlaphe Hall, so he¡¯s out.


    Erucel suddenly took up art.


    Riamon is around, but he¡¯s not a key player in this scenario, so who knows where he¡¯s wandering off to.


    I pulled out my pocket watch.


    Tick-tock.


    Damn, there¡¯s less than 30 minutes until the scenario starts.


    Soon, the sun will set, and the succubus hidden in Professor Gomon¡¯s lab will begin spreading sleep gas across the Frost Heart building.


    ¡°Guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to find Riamon while there¡¯s still time.¡±


    ***


    Limberton was still fixated on the girl from the Buerger Hall.


    Silla, who had been watching him with disdain, turned her head at a voice beside her.


    ¡°Sorry for making you wait, Silla. I would¡¯ve come sooner if I knew you¡¯d be here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I came early without saying anything. But, Leana.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Silla smirked and pointed upward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head upstairs. How about the caf¨¦? My treat.¡±


    Leana, looking a bit confused, nodded in agreement.


    Silla led Leana to the caf¨¦. The door¡¯s bell chimed as they entered, and Selly greeted them warmly.


    ¡°Oh, welcome, Lady Silla. Lady Leana.¡±


    They ordered their usual tea and snacks and took a seat.


    Perhaps seeing Hersel earlier had reminded Silla of his servant, Selly, and a mischievous smile crept across her face.


    She started with a teasing comment.


    ¡°Did you see your husband earlier?¡±


    But Leana simply smiled softly.


    ¡°Oh? What was Hersel up to?¡±


    Her answer was playful, showing that she wasn¡¯t going to fall for it.


    She must have learned by now that going along with Silla¡¯s pace would lead to trouble.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? No fun.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fall for it anymore. And you really should stop saying things like that. Do you know what kind of family the Tenest family is¡­? Even though I know you¡¯re joking, it¡¯s still quite overwhelming.¡±


    Silla bit into a cookie with a grumpy expression.


    As Silla stared at her, Leana covered a yawn with her hand.


    Silla, feeling tired herself, sipped her tea.


    Just then, there was a loud thud followed by the sound of glass shattering.


    Crash!


    The people around them had collapsed onto their tables.


    Leana, too, slumped forward.


    Thud!


    ¡°Huh? Leana, you¡­¡±


    Silla, her eyes half-closed, tried to shake Leana¡¯s shoulder, but her body grew heavy, making it impossible to move.


    Thud!


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 Chapter 144

    Fossils were displayed on the shelves. This was the study of Professor Gomon, where parchments of all kinds were stuck into jars, starting from blueprints. Gomon, who had been sleeping with his head down on the long table, opened his eyes. A magnifying glass was clutched in his hand.¡°Huh? Oh, right, I was piecing together the bones.¡±


    Scratching his head with a blank expression, Gomon tried to recall. His memory was a bit hazy, but he was certain he had been carefully sorting through the bones he had brought and aligning them in their proper places. During that process, he had cut his hand on the sharp horn of a skull. He had gone to the shelf with the mirror to get a bandage for the wound. But then, he had been startled.


    As he glanced at the mirror, he had seen someone sitting on the table. It was a man with extremely pale skin. But when he turned his head, no one was there. Gomon slumped into his chair, letting out a deep sigh. It must have been a hallucination from reading too many old books recently. Shaking it off, Gomon grabbed the magnifying glass again to continue his work. However, the bones had disappeared.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already finished, so why not take a proper rest?¡±


    A sudden voice broke the silence, and Gomon slowly turned his head. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel alarmed. For some reason, it felt as if he were about to have a casual conversation with an invited guest. Gomon blinked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A naked man was leaning against the wall. He had horns on his head, wings on his back, and a black tail swayed gently beneath him. His pale skin shimmered like stars. Despite his dazed state, Gomon realized that this sight was beyond reality.


    ¡°Am I dreaming?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are. This is all a dream, a lucid one, if you will. Isn¡¯t that nice? If there¡¯s something you want, just imagine it. Consider it my thanks for waking me up.¡±


    Gomon thought it was a convenient situation. He had always wished he could live without sleep¡ªhow much more time he could have spent on research! Even though it was just a dream, if he was conscious, he could make use of the time.


    ¡°Researching in a dream, huh? Not bad.¡±


    Gomon opened a half-burned book lying nearby. It was the tome that had helped him find the bones. The man¡¯s interest was piqued.


    ¡°What book is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? An ancient text I¡¯ve been studying.¡±


    Frostheart had once been seized by the Kingdom of Belam. This book was written by them. Though, when the Academy returned to the Empire, half of it had been burned¡­


    ¡°War is always the problem. They burn everything, leaving future generations ignorant of history.¡±


    As Gomon grumbled, the man yawned, bored.


    ¡°Is reading something like that really your wish?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t belittle it. There are so many questions. So many theories pop into my head, it makes my brain itch.¡±


    With a sigh, Gomon handed the ancient text to the man.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that this records the history of the war at the time, but it¡¯s hard to decipher. How exactly did they invade the fortress, and why did they bury those bones in the backyard?¡±


    The man smirked.


    ¡°Oh, that? I could tell you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It was the work of an incubus. An incubus that came down to the human realm and fed on their dreams.¡±


    Before he knew it, the man¡¯s bare skin was now concealed by a stylish gentleman¡¯s suit. Since it was all just a dream, Gomon accepted it and asked, ¡°An incubus?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. An incubus.¡±


    Gomon thought it was a nonsensical claim. The idea that a creature whose existence was uncertain had taken over Frostheart was hard to believe. Yet, the man continued speaking, as if recalling the past.


    ¡°The incubus, having awoken from a long slumber, learned the new customs of humans and presented himself as a gentleman. ¡®I will give you pleasant dreams, in exchange for nourishment,¡¯ he proposed this deal to the king of a country called Belam.¡±


    The origin of the incubus legend was in Belam. There was an old folktale about a foolish incubus who tried to swallow the kingdom with sweet words but ended up being outwitted by a wise king and killed. It was a well-known classic story. However, what the man was saying differed slightly from the original tale.


    ¡°But, surprisingly, the king made a better offer. He promised to grant the incubus land in exchange for helping with a certain task. The incubus thought it wasn¡¯t a bad deal. He considered creating a ¡®Dream World¡¯ in the region and inviting humans in. The entrance fee would be dreams, and in return, he would provide pleasant experiences.¡±


    It sounded more like a businessman than the fearsome descriptions from the stories¡ªwhere the incubus would drain human life energy and leave them as mummies.


    ¡°So, what task did the king give him?¡± Gomon asked. The man¡¯s eyes turned sorrowful.


    ¡°He asked me to help him conquer Frostheart, promising the land in return. But these modern kings are truly treacherous. Do you know what he did after the task was complete?¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡±


    ¡°He cut me to pieces and buried me in the backyard.¡±


    Gomon squinted his eyes. The man had said ¡°me.¡± As if implying that he himself was the incubus.


    ¡°You said ¡®me¡¯? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you find it strange, Gomon? Why were the bones lighter than water?¡±


    Click, click.


    The man approached with cloudy eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s because they weren¡¯t really bones. You see, my body doesn¡¯t decay, even in death. What you thought were bones were just an illusion I created.¡±


    From the man¡¯s body, streams of blood began to pour out, as if showing how he had been dismembered. Gomon¡¯s eyes widened at the eerie sight.


    ¡°S-So, what is it that you want?¡±


    With a chilling gaze, the man answered, ¡°Revenge.¡±


    His voice was indifferent yet laced with sharp malice.


    ¡°Hmm, after such a long sleep, I feel quite hungry. I suppose I¡¯ll start by devouring the dreams of everyone here¡­¡±


    The man snapped his fingers. Immediately, the sound of rain outside ceased, and the room began to fill with soap bubbles. Gomon shook his head and reopened his book.


    ¡°What a strange dream I¡¯m having.¡±


    ***


    The torrential rain had all turned into soap bubbles. As I was looking for someone to assist me in finding a hidden item, I could see people sprawled across the floor in the hallway, snoring away. A few had regained their senses and were getting up, but most of them, with dazed expressions, were simply chasing after the soap bubbles.


    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s a butterfly!¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m going to catch it.¡±


    ¡°No way, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s gonna catch it! Hehe.¡±


    ¡°What were we even doing just now?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Hehe.¡±


    Their minds were completely foggy. If they realized this was a dream, it would turn into a lucid dream. If not, they¡¯d simply wander through the dreamscape, drifting like fools caught in an illusion.


    Donatan asked in a flustered voice, ¡°Hersel, what on earth is going on here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say we¡¯ve officially turned into a mental hospital¡­ but it looks like there¡¯s some chaos again. Perhaps something that was never meant to wake up has awakened.¡±


    Though I had brushed off the situation, I was fully aware of what was going on.


    This was evidence that the Dream World had materialized.


    The scenario had finally begun.


    [Irte, the Dream Incubus]


    The category is classified as a humanoid monster, a demon.


    Irte is intelligent and capable of speech.


    He has three main abilities:


    The first is summoning sleep gas.


    The second is hypnosis, which can only be used on those who are asleep.


    He is so powerful that he can even revive himself after death.


    Finally, he has the ability to merge his dungeon, the Dream World, with reality.


    At first glance, he might seem immortal and capable of creation like a god, but fortunately, he¡¯s not quite at that level.


    His weakness lies in the core hidden within the dungeon.


    Destroying the core dispels the illusion, and his long-ago confirmed death becomes a reality. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It¡¯s not extremely difficult, but considering this is his only weakness, the difficulty is reasonable.


    So, who are the ones tasked with defeating him?


    They are the key characters in the wizard positions:


    Bellman, the barrier master,


    Ricks, the master of manifestation,


    Edina, the shape-shifter, and their helper, Rockefeller.


    Except for Ricks, the first-year students of the Adele Hall¡¯s magic department were training under Rockefeller¡¯s lead in a sealed room known as the magic chamber.


    Thanks to that, they weren¡¯t exposed to the sleep gas that swept through the area, and they weren¡¯t trapped in the dream state, allowing them to move freely.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to do here, right?¡±


    The setting had been perfectly arranged, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any reason for the scenario to go awry.


    Up until now, I¡¯d been dragged into all kinds of chaos and targeted by villains just because I had enrolled in the academy, but I had no connection to Irte.


    If the main characters asked what I had been doing while they struggled, I could just say I was dreaming like everyone else.


    Of course, I hadn¡¯t been affected by Irte¡¯s hypnosis.


    [Threat detected. Type: Hypnosis.]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    So, with my free body, all I needed to do was leisurely find a bodyguard, sneak into the dungeon, and grab the hidden item there.


    Hopefully, this time, they can handle all the hard work themselves.


    ***


    At the Adele Hall caf¨¦, Leana opened her eyes.


    As she lifted her head, a few strands of red hair stuck to her lips.


    ¡°Mm¡­¡±


    Out of habit, she straightened her hair and looked around.


    The caf¨¦ was filled with people wandering about in a daze.


    Floating soap bubbles drifted through the air, and people chased after them gleefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s a dragonfly!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fairy!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s my love letter!¡±


    It was a truly bizarre sight.


    Leana thought, and with that thought, her mind seemed to clear a little.


    She then noticed Silla, who was slumped over the table in front of her.


    Leana gently shook Silla¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Silla?¡±


    ¡°Uh, ugh¡­¡±


    Silla rubbed her eyes as she slowly woke up.


    Leana blinked her cloudy eyes slowly.


    ¡°Silla, what were we doing?¡±


    ¡°We were drinking tea.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. What were we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ your fianc¨¦, I think?¡±


    Their conversation, in sluggish voices, continued.


    ¡°Oh, right. But, did I even have a fianc¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s strange. Did we really?¡±


    As Leana said this, Silla looked around.


    ¡°By the way, why are we at a ball?¡±


    ¡°A ball?¡±


    To Leana, it just looked like the caf¨¦.


    ¡°Yeah, you know, the people dancing the waltz over there.¡±


    They were just people following soap bubbles with wobbly steps.


    ¡°There¡¯s even a band over there, hehe.¡±


    But the band consisted of people humming awkwardly, sounding like pigs being slaughtered.


    It was clear that Silla hadn¡¯t taken any drugs.


    It seemed they were trapped in some strange dream.


    ***


    The interior of the club floor was now dyed a dark color.


    The cloth had all turned into red carpets, and occasional ash floated through the air.


    The place had fully transformed into a dungeon with a demon lord¡¯s castle theme.


    The students wandered around with dazed expressions, giggling to themselves.


    ¡°Has this place always been like this?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Maybe? Feels kinda like home. Am I dreaming?¡±


    At that moment, the students suddenly turned their heads toward the sound of clanking armor.


    Clank, clank.


    I hid among the crowd of students, watching it.


    It was a fully armored knight, but its interior was completely hollow.


    This was one of the dungeon monsters that filled the castle, one of Irte¡¯s minions.


    Clank, clank.


    Luckily, it didn¡¯t notice me and passed by.


    Just then, one of the girls who had been talking earlier wrapped her arms around the knight¡¯s back.


    ¡°Alend, right? Oh, wait. The armor seems a bit big¡­ or is it just me? Oh well. Can you take me to my room?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you saying you won¡¯t give me a piggyback ride now that I¡¯m all grown up? Ugh, whatever. This is a dream anyway. I¡¯m just going to get on.¡±


    The woman slapped the armor with a light thud and forcibly climbed onto the knight¡¯s back. The armored knight ignored her and continued on its path, carrying her along.


    Donatan spoke curiously, ¡®Strangely, it¡¯s not attacking.¡¯


    Minions never attack those lost in the dream. It made sense; those people were their energy source. Killing them would serve no purpose. The only ones they attack are those, like me, who aren¡¯t trapped in the dream.


    But where on earth is Riamon? I¡¯ve been wandering around, but I can¡¯t find the guy I had pegged to be my bodyguard. I can¡¯t exactly head to where Mircel and Erucel are either. That place is swarming with minions, and they¡¯re much stronger than your typical undead foes.


    As someone who can only use limited ¡®physical telekinesis magic,¡¯ I wasn¡¯t confident I could break through that horde. Still, just standing here doing nothing wasn¡¯t much of an option either. I began to quietly walk, softening my footsteps.


    Then, suddenly, some guy with a spaced-out look pointed at my face and shouted, ¡°It¡¯s a teddy bear!¡±


    What the heck? This guy¡¯s out of his mind.


    I was about to ignore him and keep walking when, unexpectedly, someone called my name properly.


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 Chapter 145

    Awareness in dreams is always vague. Even if you dream of being attacked by a ghost, you don¡¯t know if you¡¯re dead or not. You just transition to the next dream without waking up.


    Even if people you¡¯ve never seen before become your family, as long as you don¡¯t realize it¡¯s strange, you don¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    It¡¯s a hazy feeling, as if that¡¯s how your daily life has always been.


    Leana must be in that state right now.


    Leana swung her red hair towards the armored knight rushing at me.


    Clang!


    The way she shattered the knight¡¯s armor with her sword, as if refusing to let the enemy even approach, made her look every bit like a true knight.


    Leana, having finished up, muttered softly.


    ¡°What a strange dream¡­¡±


    It seemed she had realized it was a dream.


    Even so, it didn¡¯t seem like there was much to worry about.


    If we only look at the results, I had been quietly concerned she might think something like, ¡°Since it¡¯s a dream, I can kill anyone!¡± But that worry was unfounded.


    I¡¯m not exactly sure why, but if I had to guess, it¡¯s probably because someone like her, with such a strong sense of integrity, would find it against her knightly code to kill someone who showed her goodwill.


    Even if everything were just a dream, doing so would mean betraying her own beliefs.


    Which means my task is¡­


    ¡°Your father would be very pleased. He always liked strong women.¡±


    By making such remarks, which Hersel, her sworn enemy, would never say, I reminded her of the distance between dream and reality.


    To keep her aware that it¡¯s all just a dream¡­


    If she ever realized this was all real, that blade would surely turn towards my neck.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, that¡¯s good news!¡±


    Leana¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise.


    It was a good reaction.


    It seems her rejection was triggered by how different I was from the Hersel she knew, but that would soon lead to the conclusion, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because this is a dream.¡±


    Now, it¡¯s time to move on with my task.


    My goal is to safely reach the hidden room while under her protection.


    ¡°This place has been cleared out. Let¡¯s move to the next location.¡±


    ¡°Next location?¡±


    Leana asked, and I blinked as if puzzled.


    ¡°Have you already forgotten? We came here to retrieve the stolen treasure.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Leana nodded her head.


    Since she thought it was a dream, she easily accepted the story I made up in three seconds, even though it lacked any real coherence.


    As I pointed the way and we started moving, Donatan chided me.


    ¡®You sly scammer¡­?¡¯


    Well, he¡¯s not wrong.


    Even I have to admit, this is like a romance scam.


    ***


    At the outskirts of Frostheart, there¡¯s a fascinating place where the mana vortex endlessly churns.


    A mana current so hard to grasp, and just as hard to control.


    The former faculty believed it was ideal for training, and now it has been converted into a sealed magic chamber, available only to the chosen of the Adele Hall.


    Rockefeller waved his staff like a conductor leading an orchestra, gradually slowing down the swirling mana.


    Then, with a satisfied smile, he looked at the students gathered in the rather cramped space.


    ¡°Hmm, doing well.¡±


    The first-year students in the magic division of the Adele Hall were all burdened with uncomfortable restraints.


    Those who had first awakened their sense of sight wore blindfolds, and those who awakened their sense of hearing had earplugs.


    Those with an awakened sense of touch were restricted to breathing through a single straw and were sealed in a tank.


    Rockefeller shifted his gaze from Bellman, who had his nose clamped shut with tongs.


    ¡°If only there had been one more student who awakened their sense of smell..¡±


    Bellman, who showed exceptional talent in barrier magic, and Edina, who specialized in the unique field of elemental transformation magic¡ªboth of them had already entered the awakening stage, as expected of students coveted even by the prestigious Wisdom Magic Academy.


    The main reason for numbing their dominant senses was to aid in the awakening of their other senses.


    The chaotic mana swirling around this place stimulated their nerves, and if it worked, they might succeed in awakening them this time.


    Then, suddenly, Rockefeller realized there was another talent he hadn¡¯t yet accounted for.


    ¡°Hmm, I need to make a spot for Ricks Don Orian soon, but which one of these guys should I fail¡­?¡±


    ¡°Professor, I think I heard your inner thoughts,¡± a student timidly remarked.


    ¡°I said it so you would hear.¡±


    Rockefeller turned away from the nameless student.


    Clang, clang.


    At that moment, a strange sound of armor clattering could be heard from outside.


    It sounded like the knights were passing by, but then the unexpected intruder started banging on the door of the sealed magic chamber.


    ¡°Who the hell¡­?¡±


    With an irritated look, Rockefeller opened the door using telekinesis.


    What appeared was not a student, but a suit of armor with a hollow face.


    ¡°¡­What on earth?¡±


    The armored knight lunged forward.


    Rockefeller instantly crushed the armor into a pile of scrap metal with telekinesis.


    Crash!


    Rockefeller gripped his staff tightly and approached the door.


    ¡°Keep up with your training.¡±


    He opened the door to check the situation outside.


    The distance between the magic chamber and the fortress wasn¡¯t too far.


    Rockefeller used telekinesis to lift himself and landed at the top of a tree.


    Then, using conjuration magic, he created a giant telescope to inspect the fortress.


    Students wandered around as if in a daze, and the professors were aimlessly meandering as well, chatting and swaying.


    The armored knights, like the one he saw earlier, were patrolling the area as if conducting a search.


    ¡°It seems something¡¯s happening again.¡±


    Rockefeller quickly returned to the magic chamber.


    Using telekinesis, he removed the uncomfortable restraints from the students and freed those trapped in the tanks.


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. Something¡¯s happening again at the academy. Arm yourselves immediately.¡±


    Bellman sighed lightly and asked, ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, again.¡±


    Though he spoke casually, Rockefeller was growing tired of the situation.


    Whenever one major incident seemed to be over, another would erupt.


    It was getting to the point where he felt on the verge of a nervous breakdown.


    ¡°¡­Honestly, I just want to quit.¡±


    This year was undoubtedly cursed.


    ***


    This scenario would be easily cleared under Rockefeller¡¯s guidance.


    They would dispel Ricks¡¯s hypnosis in the Schlaphe Hall with purification magic, gradually increase their numbers, and destroy the core of the ¡°Nightmare Incubus Irte.¡±


    Before they cleared the scenario, I had to hurry and find the hidden item.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    I arrived at the first-floor lobby of the fortress.


    The grandfather clock here was the hidden location in the dungeon.


    I quickly turned the hands of the clock to 12 o¡¯clock.


    Clang!


    Leana was busy knocking down the approaching armored knights.


    Click.


    The chimes of the grandfather clock rang out crazily, and soon the entire face became blurry.


    Then, a portal appeared, swirling with strange colors as if mixed with bizarre paints.


    I hastily grabbed Leana by the wrist.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Leana¡¯s body stiffened for a moment, and then she threw herself into the portal with me.


    The world beyond the portal was filled with pillars engraved with vertical stripes.


    Weeds sprouted sparsely between the tiles of the stone floor.


    And in the pastel-colored sky, giant birds soared through the heavens.


    Leana gulped.


    ¡°Those are¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They won¡¯t attack us.¡±


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    This was a place shaped by Irte¡¯s trauma.


    But, of course, I couldn¡¯t tell her that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hideout for thieves.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I pointed to the far end of the stone floor, where a massive temple stood tall.  sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was where the treasure was hidden.


    But in order to get there, we had to deal with the knights of illusion.


    Just like trauma is a memory one doesn¡¯t want to share, the knights of illusion, who protected it, were on a different level than ordinary armored knights.


    Before facing them, I needed to check Leana¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Wait, stand still for a moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    Leana lowered her gaze as I carefully examined her body.


    I rolled up her sleeve and saw the bruises.


    They were marks from fighting enemies recklessly without armor.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty badly hurt.¡±


    When I pointed it out, Leana nonchalantly pulled her arm back.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Those trapped in the world of illusions don¡¯t feel pain.


    If they did, it would only be a matter of time before they realized this was reality.


    I pulled out my staff and cast a healing spell.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s not good to leave it untreated.¡±


    The bruises faded away as if they¡¯d been washed clean.


    Leana, startled, quickly pulled down her sleeve.


    ¡°I¡¯ll heal you again when this is over.¡±


    Even when the illusion world fades, injuries remain.


    If there¡¯s any trace left behind, it could become evidence, so it¡¯s better not to leave anything.


    Leana suddenly turned her head sharply.


    I thought for a moment that the knights of illusion had already appeared, so I hastily activated my inventory magic.


    But no, there was nothing there¡ªonly her slightly trembling voice.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you do know how to express gratitude. Ahem, it¡¯s only natural. It would be a bad memory if you wore a dress with bruises, after all.¡±


    ¡­I almost spoke the way I usually do.


    Thanks to my quick thinking, I managed to avoid the awkwardness, and with my inventory magic ready, I drew my cursed sword.


    [Shadow Blade of Weakening]


    ¨C When imbued with magical energy, the blade¡¯s sharpness is amplified.


    ¨C Weakens the opponent¡¯s armor, dealing additional damage.


    ¨C One spell can be engraved on it.


    Unlike the armored knights from outside, the knights of illusion weren¡¯t as numerous.


    When Leana draws their attention, using my ¡®Mana Blade¡¯ wrapped in Liquid Gold should be of great help.


    In urgent situations, I could rely on basic body enhancement to deal with them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As we walked across the stone floor, a knight with a red-plumed helmet and a spear rushed at us.


    Leana deflected the spear with her sword, but the knight quickly regained his stance, his red eyes glowing from inside the helmet.


    Sensing that this was no ordinary opponent, Leana let out a faint sigh and steadied her breathing.


    The first strike came from the knight of illusion.


    He thrust his spear with lightning speed.


    Leana gritted her teeth and parried the blow, sparks flying from the metal clash.


    Clang, clang!


    The spear trembled in the knight¡¯s hand as it reached the end of his thrust, the momentum making it shake.


    Leana seized the opportunity, confidently closing the distance until she was within striking range.


    The knight swung his spear horizontally in a wide arc, but Leana quickly ducked to avoid it.


    Thud.


    With another step forward, Leana unleashed a series of strikes at the knight¡¯s armor.


    The sound was like a machine gun firing.


    Clang, clang, clang, clang!


    When the knight tried to swing his spear again, Leana struck his arm to stop him.


    When he attempted a kick, she countered by slashing at his thigh with her sword.


    As expected from someone with top-tier stamina, her attacks showed no signs of stopping.


    Donatan marveled.


    ¡®Her wrist is flexible, allowing her to handle the recoil easily. Since she doesn¡¯t get tired, there¡¯s no end in sight.¡¯


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    ¡®The end of a continuous strike usually depends on breathing, muscle overheating, and how much strain the wrist joints can take. With all three factors working together, the knight will fall before her attack ends.¡¯


    Her endurance was impressive enough to earn top marks.


    Now that she had strengthened her only weakness¡ªher wrists¡ªshe could pull off these relentless attacks.


    Clang!


    Finally, the knight¡¯s hand released the spear.


    As Leana¡¯s eyes glinted with determination, the knight¡¯s armor fell apart piece by piece.


    Just like that, Leana single-handedly defeated the knights of illusion.


    I considered stepping in to help occasionally, but the conditions were perfect for her growth.


    She seemed to be enjoying it too, and I didn¡¯t want to interfere with her getting stronger.


    However, the last knight of illusion, the one guarding the treasure, would require my help for sure.


    ***


    Silla, sitting in the Adele Hall caf¨¦, looked around with a disinterested expression.


    What she saw was still the ballroom, but no one came to ask her to dance.


    ¡°Is my popularity really this low?¡±


    She was the eldest daughter of the Ryanhart family.


    She always stood out in her group, and her appearance was more than enough to attract the attention of men.


    Such a situation was unthinkable.


    Realizing the strange dissonance between reality and her expectations, Silla pinched her cheek.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Her cheek stretched like soft dough, but it didn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°Sigh. Of course, this is a dream.¡±


    At that moment, the ballroom scene, which had seemed so real, burned away like a painting set aflame, scattering into ashy remnants, revealing a dim and eerie interior.


    The carpet, the curtains, and the furniture all had an antique design, but the structure oddly resembled the Adele Hall caf¨¦.


    ¡°What a bizarre dream.¡±


    Then, the sweet music from the orchestra turned into a horrible, screeching sound, like the squeals of a pig being slaughtered.


    ¡°Squeal! Squeeeal!!¡±


    Silla grimaced and covered her ears.


    Even in her dreamy state, the sound was unbearable.


    Silla hurriedly left the caf¨¦, as if escaping.


    ¡°Ugh, that off-key fool.¡±


    Outside, armored knights were wandering around, with students laughing and chatting as they followed them.


    Though it was a strange sight, Silla didn¡¯t feel too out of place.


    She felt a pleasant warmth and wanted to enjoy the fresh air outside.


    As she made her way downstairs, she heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°Waaah, Serta, why are you leaving me?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you idiot. I only put up with your disgusting tone because of the money.¡±


    It was Limberton, clinging to a woman¡¯s skirt, crying, while she, a girl from the Burger House, kicked him repeatedly with her shoes.


    Silla smirked.


    ¡°Heh, I knew it would turn out like this.¡±


    She ignored them and continued down the stairs, but then the woman¡¯s angry voice rang out loudly.


    ¡°Know your place! Honestly, what are you even good at? You just leech off Hersel and follow him around. Without him, you¡¯re nothing. Got it?¡±


    Recently, Limberton had gained some popularity.


    But in reality, he was just like that¡ªsomeone who followed around the successful ones, trying to pick up scraps.


    ¡°Pathetic. He¡¯s deluded, and now he¡¯s getting what he deserves.¡±


    Silla thought to herself, knowing Limberton would always be a pitiful fool.


    She turned her gaze away from the couple.


    However, for some reason, her feet wouldn¡¯t move.


    Suddenly, the memory of that moment came back to her.


    The time during the demon realm practice when she was captured by Luon¡¯s gang, and that guy, who could have just left her, instead aimed his bow at the chained-up leader of the three-headed wolf and said¡ª


    ¡°But unlike you guys, she has balls.¡±


    Her blood boiled at the thought.


    With angry strides, Silla approached the woman and glared at her.


    ¡°Hey, you. He may be an idiot, but he¡¯s not *that* much of one.¡±


    After all, this was just a dream.


    Like a breeze that would be forgotten as soon as she woke up, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    For just this once, Silla decided to grudgingly acknowledge that, back then, that guy had been somewhat cool.


    ***


    Leana was gasping for breath.


    Even with her extraordinary stamina, taking down the knights of illusion all by herself seemed to have worn her out.


    Still, those enemies were all nourishment for her growth.


    Since she had taken them down on her own, by the time this battle was over, she would have grown even stronger.


    ¡°The temple¡­ we¡¯ve finally arrived.¡±


    Leana pointed to the entrance.


    I took the lead and stepped over the threshold.


    What awaited us inside was a mysterious man and the nightmare incubus Irte.


    And something very different from the Dorosian I knew¡ªDorosian from the future.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 146

    I know enough about Irte¡¯s background.He approached humans amicably and made them an offer, but was betrayed by the king of Bellam at the time, which filled him with a desire for revenge.


    Normally, such memories would remain as trauma, but for Irte, the events that took place here were far more horrifying.


    As we neared the entrance, Leana spoke.


    ¡°This building¡­ It feels familiar somehow.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you saw it in one of your textbooks.¡±


    Since this place trains Pathfinders, their textbooks contain detailed illustrations and descriptions of ancient ruins, including architectural styles.


    ¡°So, this is a ruin?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    After answering, Leana inspected the building closely.


    Unlike the illustrations in the textbooks, the smooth stone floor and walls were free of any moss.


    The arched ceilings and statues were pristine, without a single crack, almost as if new.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s that old.¡±


    That¡¯s because in Irte¡¯s memory, the labyrinth was still inhabited.


    It¡¯s something you learn firsthand in the later part of the scenario.


    By then, the place will have fallen into ruins, worn down by time.


    Irte¡¯s age, at this point, was impossible to estimate¡ªtoo ancient to fathom.


    I nodded at Leana¡¯s question, showing no sign of doubt.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I guess it is possible.¡±


    Hmm, despite being aware it¡¯s a dream, her perception remains cloudy.


    I repeated my words as if casting a spell.


    ¡°It is possible.¡±


    With glazed eyes, Leana nodded.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It is possible.¡±


    Simple. I like that.


    I stepped forward and entered the building.


    At that moment, I heard a noise, and Leana grabbed my sleeve.


    ¡°Hersel, someone¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. They aren¡¯t thieves.¡±


    I walked towards the center of the temple, my footsteps echoing.


    Even so, they didn¡¯t notice our presence.


    They were merely replayed memories, no different from holograms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡±


    I walked casually, and Leana followed, sword drawn, cautiously watching her surroundings.


    At the center, there was a staircase.


    At the bottom knelt a man with bat-like wings, gazing up at the stairs. It was Irte.


    With a desperate voice, he said, ¡°Ah, but Your Majesty, your loyal servant Irte will surely protect the things most dear to you.¡±


    I lifted my head.


    I couldn¡¯t see the face of the king Irte spoke to.


    He lay on a bed at the top of the stairs, his face covered by a white veil.


    Though I was curious, it wasn¡¯t something I could touch, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to see his face.


    However, I could see the face of the woman standing beside him, smiling mockingly.


    Leana must have recognized her too, because she muttered a name aloud.


    ¡°Dorosian¡­?¡±


    It was, to be precise, Dorosian from the future.


    Her makeup was slightly thicker, and her hair was styled in a rounded bun.


    Dorosian looked down at Irte and said, ¡°That¡¯s because your methods are wrong, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Silence, wench! Your Majesty, please do not listen to that vile woman¡¯s words. I beg of you, please.¡±


    As Irte¡¯s voice grew louder, a frail voice responded.


    The white veil stirred, indicating that the man lying on the sickbed was the one speaking.


    ¡°Quiet, Dorosian. Irte.¡±


    Even I, with all my experience, do not know the true identity of that man.


    Moreover, whenever the future Dorosian appeared, it was always tied to the main scenario.


    He certainly seemed like an important figure, but this part remained a mystery.


    While I was mulling over these thoughts, the veiled man continued speaking.


    ¡°And Irte, as Dorosian claims, your methods are wrong.¡±


    In response to the man¡¯s words, Dorosian gave a mocking smile.


    ¡°Is that all? Your values are wrong too. Demons can never embrace humans. Even the slightest misstep, and you look at things from an extreme perspective.¡±


    As she spoke, Dorosian gently stroked the man¡¯s jawline.


    To an outsider, she would appear as the wicked woman who bewitched the king and brought the nation to ruin.


    At that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry for Irte, who seemed like nothing but a loyal servant.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    As Irte tried to say something, Dorosian scoffed.


    ¡°The moment you genuinely considered that insane plan, you were already wrong. You¡¯re nothing but a dreamer. If left to you, everything would certainly fall apart.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Irte responded.


    ¡°¡­You can¡¯t know that without trying, Dorosian!¡±


    ¡°Stop dreaming, foolish Irte. If the world you want to save were worth saving, do you think I¡¯d have any reason to come here?¡±


    Irte¡¯s expression began to grow menacing.


    Tired of their loud argument, the veiled man sighed deeply and spoke. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Then, begin, Dorosian.¡±


    Before his words had even finished, Dorosian¡¯s hand pierced through the man¡¯s stomach.


    Thud!


    Irte¡¯s eyes shrank in horror.


    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty!!¡±


    He quickly flew at Dorosian, tears streaming down his twisted face.


    ¡°How dare you, you wretched woman!!¡±


    Dorosian flashed a teasing smile at the approaching Irte.


    Then, she lifted one of her feet.


    ¡°Arrogant Irte. When I look closely, you do have a cute side, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The sharp heel of Dorosian¡¯s shoe slammed into Irte¡¯s forehead.


    It was a murderous kick.


    ¡°Grrr!¡±


    Irte¡¯s eyes rolled back as his wings lost strength, and he plummeted to the ground.


    As he tumbled down the stairs, Dorosian began drawing a spell.


    ¡°Now, sleep for a long time, Irte.¡±


    As Irte¡¯s eyes slowly closed, the characters faded into faint light.


    All that remained were the temple and Dorosian¡¯s mocking laughter.


    ¡°Ha ha, how amusing that the demon of dreams is falling asleep.¡±


    That was the end of Irte¡¯s memory. Since the source of the trauma had fallen asleep, there was no explanation for why Dorosian had pierced the man¡¯s stomach.


    What could be inferred was that she was trying to prevent the destruction in her own way, using time travel.


    And while Irte had his own plans, they were thwarted by Dorosian, plunging him into a deep slumber.


    Perhaps feeling pity for him, Leana spoke softly.


    ¡°He seems like a rather pitiful demon¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Just now, Dorosian seemed more like a demon herself.¡±


    ¡°Right, she really did look like a wicked woman.¡±


    Dorosian only becomes crueler as she ages.


    It¡¯s a fact to keep in mind if you ever wish to live long.


    ***


    He had been asleep for far too long.


    When he awoke, the king had passed away due to that wicked woman¡¯s schemes.


    For reasons unknown, the demon race had vanished, and the land where they once lived came to be known as the Demonic Realm.


    Nevertheless, he sought out humans to fulfill his mission. He learned modern etiquette and extended his hand to them, but he was ultimately betrayed by the king of Bellam.


    Irte sat in his chair, biting his nails.


    ¡°A king is the title given to the greatest person in the world.¡±


    As he recalled the moment his body was severed, blood tears began to flow, and his fists clenched tightly. His nails dug into his skin from the bitterness, and blood dripped from the wounds that had reopened.


    After losing his limbs, he couldn¡¯t punish the perpetrator himself after all that time.


    However, for a demon, betrayal was a crime heavy enough to bring about collective punishment.


    Fortunately, his descendant was still alive.


    Irte considered this to be a quite rational decision. Revenge aside, humans are too foolish a species for any conciliatory gesture to work.


    It diverged from the ways of the king he once served, but whether in the past or now, subjugation through fear was still a valid method.


    Irte steeled himself and thought of the inevitable destruction and the prophet Dorosian.


    Though she was a detestable woman, it was true that, as she had said, the world didn¡¯t have much time left.


    In fact, this had been predicted ever since the king had fallen ill.


    With his heart ablaze with a sense of duty, Irte stood up.


    ¡°I must hurry.¡±


    For Irte, who had lived through countless ages, it would pass by in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°I will turn the entire world into a dreamscape. I will put an end to destruction, for the king¡­¡±


    If he could pull the entire world into the realm of his abilities, it was possible.


    By manipulating reality, he could eliminate the very source of destruction.


    But for that, he needed immense nutrients.


    ¡°I will guide all living beings into the world of dreams. I will become the god of dreams for the sake of the king.¡±


    By making the world dream of a land full of hope, he would gain the power to sustain the world in return.


    A life as livestock wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    It would be far better than destruction.


    The starting point would be Frost Heart.


    ¡°My king, I will surely preserve the world you gave your life to protect.¡±


    As Irte stepped out of the room, someone cleared their throat.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Gomon put down the ancient tome he had been reading and shook his head.


    He watched Irte¡¯s retreating figure with a look of disdain.


    To Gomon, he just seemed like a madman appearing in a dream.


    ***


    The treasure was hidden beneath the temple.


    Together with Leana, I descended into the cavern made of rock.


    In the center was a large dueling arena.


    The walls were lined with armors and various weapons.


    At first glance, it looked like an arena, but in truth, it was a training ground for someone.


    Leana¡¯s eyes gleamed as she looked at the rare swords.


    ¡°These¡­ these look like some incredible items.¡±


    As she said, they were all ancient artifacts of immense value.


    But once the scenario ended, they would disappear.


    The only thing I could take from this place was the treasure I was looking for.


    Of course, in order to proceed, we first had to defeat the boss of the hidden room.


    ¡°Soon, the bandit leader will appear. But before that, we need to go somewhere for a bit.¡±


    I led Leana into a room. Beyond the door was a waterfall within a cave.


    Shhhaaahhh


    I guided Leana to the edge where the ground met the water. Just one more step, and we would fall into the pool.


    I grabbed Leana¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    Leana flinched, looking at me in surprise.


    I pulled her hand and threw myself into the water with a splash!


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    The water wasn¡¯t deep, barely reaching halfway up our bodies.


    Leana¡¯s eyes widened as she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°This water is filled with vital energy. Meditate on your aura here.¡±


    This place is a training ground that you typically use later in the scenario.


    For rookies in Frost Heart, this was a facility far too advanced.


    Just by meditating in the energy-filled water, one could reach mid-game levels of strength.


    Of course, once Irte dies, all of this power will vanish¡­


    Leana, now in a near-hypnotic state, closed her eyes and obediently began her meditation.


    If my energy center were intact, I would have joined her, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    I had entered the water just in case it might have some health benefits, but I didn¡¯t feel anything of the sort.


    Sploosh.


    I stepped out of the water by myself, planting my feet on dry ground. Then I pulled out my staff and used telekinesis to dry off the water from my clothes.


    ¡°Hersel? Where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done. You stay here and continue meditating. In the meantime, I¡¯ll pick out some useful weapons.¡±


    With that, I headed back to the training ground.


    The equipment on display was all end-game level.


    I carefully examined which armor to dress Leana in and what sword to give her.


    In the corner, a small dagger caught my eye.


    Its design was unusually simple, which made it stand out.


    Curious, I picked it up and wondered aloud, ¡°Everything else is so extravagant, but this one is so plain.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, but Donatan replied.


    ¡®Hmm, it does look familiar.¡¯


    ¡®It couldn¡¯t be the dagger that sealed you, could it?¡¯


    I joked, thinking he would be annoyed, but he responded with a serious tone.


    ¡®That possibility can¡¯t be ruled out. It¡¯s been far too long since this body¡¯s vessel has rusted. So long, in fact, that I don¡¯t even remember its original form¡­¡¯


    ¡®Really?¡¯


    I focused on selecting appropriate gear for Leana.


    I chose a longsword imbued with the energy of flames and a set of armor for her.


    Given that she had the blessing of immunity to fire, she could wield them.


    [Sword of Alkin, the Flame Spirit King]


    Attribute: Fire.


    -A divine sword that only those with extreme fire resistance can wield.


    -When aura is infused into the blade, its destructive power increases greatly.


    -When wrapped in the energy of fire, it grants an armor-piercing effect.


    -This sword will never sustain a scratch.


    For her armor, I selected something almost overpowered.


    [Armor Imbued with the Breath of the Phoenix]


    Attribute: Fire.


    -An armor that only those with extreme fire resistance can wear.


    -Significantly increases health regeneration.


    -Greatly enhances defense.


    -The armor instantly repairs itself if damaged.


    -If the wearer dies, they are resurrected with an intact body.


    -Upon resurrection, the armor is permanently destroyed.


    Each piece had options worthy of end-game gear.


    Having chosen Leana¡¯s equipment, I looked for something suitable for myself.


    Most of the items required extreme resistance to certain elements or the ability to use aura.


    The best I could equip were items with base stats at their highest.


    A weapon that ignored defense and armor that absorbed all damage were the best I could get.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    Just in time, Leana had finished her aura meditation and appeared.


    I used my fine-tuned telekinesis to remove the water from her clothes.


    ¡°Use this.¡±


    Leana put on the armor I handed her.


    It seemed difficult for her to handle it alone, as she wasn¡¯t used to it.


    I sat her down and fastened the buckles of the armor.


    ¡°Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°It feels just right.¡±


    Once we were prepared, I led Leana onto the training ground.


    Then, a strange mist appeared from across the room and pulled the purple armor that had been hanging on the wall.


    Clank, clank.


    The armor began to equip itself automatically.


    The mist was the commander who led the dream knights.


    With glowing blue eyes, he drew his sword.


    Sling-


    ***


    ¡°Hey, you. That guy may be a fool, but he¡¯s not that much of an idiot.¡±


    What does it matter? It¡¯s a dream, thought Silla, speaking without restraint.


    At her sharp, irritated voice, the woman from the Buerger household shrank back, her eyes trembling, and took a step back.


    ¡°S-Silla¡­¡±


    Silla was a woman who lived in a completely different world from the average noble¡¯s daughter.


    She was always at the center of young people¡¯s balls and had even recorded top scores at the Adele Hall, so it was only natural that the Buerger girl was nervous.


    ¡°If you have nothing to say, then move aside.¡±


    The Buerger woman retreated silently.


    Silla clicked her tongue as she glanced at Limberton, who had reached out to the woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Serda¡­¡±


    ¡°You really have a talent for making me want to take back everything I just said within seconds.¡±


    Silla grabbed Limberton by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to a chair.


    As soon as they sat down, she began spewing venom.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, even in dreams. I must really have seen you as a fool.¡±


    At this, Limberton perked up his ears.


    ¡°A dream? Right, this is all a dream. There¡¯s no way Serda would abandon me.¡±


    Silla briefly considered smacking him on the head.


    Sigh


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s all fake anyway.¡±


    The realization that everything was an illusion made her let out a hollow laugh instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something. If you¡¯d just kept your mouth shut and done well, women would be naturally drawn to you.¡±


    Though she didn¡¯t show it outwardly, evaluating men was a secret pleasure for women.


    Not all of them, of course, but among close friends, it was a common activity.


    Even Limberton¡¯s name would come up sometimes, and it wasn¡¯t always negative.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you work out, your physique looks pretty good, and your style is decent, not flashy. But the problem is your mouth.¡±


    Silla offered him some advice, thinking it might help.


    But Limberton seemed to come to his senses and expressed his displeasure.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, picking a fight with me even in dreams?¡±


    Silla suddenly felt irritated.


    Thinking back, he was always shamelessly flirting with other girls.


    Yet he acted rude and rebellious only towards her.


    Whether in dreams or reality, that was always the same.


    Silla sank into her chair, sighing.


    ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s the point of talking to you here?¡±


    As she stood up, ready to leave, Limberton stared at her in silence, his gaze filled with frustration.


    ¡°Why? You start something and then walk away?¡±


    ¡°You got something to say?¡±


    ¡°A lot. I just haven¡¯t said anything until now.¡±


    Silla sat back down, as if giving him permission to speak his mind.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t understand my situation at all. You just say whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what don¡¯t I understand?¡±


    Limberton suddenly stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m short, my face is average, and I don¡¯t come from a good family. This is the life I¡¯ve lived. Sure, I¡¯ve tried keeping my mouth shut, like you said. Because every time I spoke, I killed the mood.¡±


    His voice carried a sincerity that made Silla¡¯s eyes twitch slightly.


    ¡°And do you know what happened then? Nobody noticed me. People didn¡¯t even know I existed. I¡¯d rather be remembered as an idiot than go back to that. Honestly, do you think you¡¯d have remembered me at all if I had acted normal at the ball that day?¡±


    Limberton was panting heavily by the time he finished.


    Silla averted her gaze.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t have remembered him. He would¡¯ve just been another one of the countless men she rejected and quickly forgot.


    Her moment of reflection was brief.


    Silla relaxed her expression and looked at Limberton with a soft gaze.


    She couldn¡¯t tell whether this man¡¯s sincerity was real, given that it was all a dream, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t feel too bad about it.


    A slightly gentler tone slipped from her lips.


    ¡°For the first time, it feels like I¡¯m having a conversation with the real you. Not the fool.¡±


    His ridiculous words were just his way of desperately acting out.


    His approach was misguided, but it was like the courtship display of a male peacock.


    Realizing this, Silla stood up and spoke softly as she turned to leave.


    ¡°But you know, if I could go back to that time¡­¡±


    With a shy smile, she left behind a final remark.


    ¡°I might consider dancing with you.¡±


    As Silla walked away, she was relieved it was all just a dream.


    Though she felt lighter, it would forever remain a dark, embarrassing memory she would never share with anyone.


    She didn¡¯t even glance at Limberton, fearing her face might betray her emotions.


    After a few steps, she heard the sound of quiet sobbing.


    It was Clave.


    ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡±


    Clave, who happened to be passing by, had tears in his eyes as he looked at Limberton.


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    CH 161-165 (Spirit Battle) $3


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


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 Chapter 147

    I know enough about Irte¡¯s background.He approached humans amicably and made them an offer, but was betrayed by the king of Bellam at the time, which filled him with a desire for revenge.


    Normally, such memories would remain as trauma, but for Irte, the events that took place here were far more horrifying.


    As we neared the entrance, Leana spoke.


    ¡°This building¡­ It feels familiar somehow.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you saw it in one of your textbooks.¡±


    Since this place trains Pathfinders, their textbooks contain detailed illustrations and descriptions of ancient ruins, including architectural styles.


    ¡°So, this is a ruin?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡±


    After answering, Leana inspected the building closely.


    Unlike the illustrations in the textbooks, the smooth stone floor and walls were free of any moss.


    The arched ceilings and statues were pristine, without a single crack, almost as if new.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s that old.¡±


    That¡¯s because in Irte¡¯s memory, the labyrinth was still inhabited.


    It¡¯s something you learn firsthand in the later part of the scenario.


    By then, the place will have fallen into ruins, worn down by time.


    Irte¡¯s age, at this point, was impossible to estimate¡ªtoo ancient to fathom.


    I nodded at Leana¡¯s question, showing no sign of doubt.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I guess it is possible.¡±


    Hmm, despite being aware it¡¯s a dream, her perception remains cloudy.


    I repeated my words as if casting a spell.


    ¡°It is possible.¡±


    With glazed eyes, Leana nodded.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It is possible.¡±


    Simple. I like that.


    I stepped forward and entered the building.


    At that moment, I heard a noise, and Leana grabbed my sleeve.


    ¡°Hersel, someone¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. They aren¡¯t thieves.¡±


    I walked towards the center of the temple, my footsteps echoing.


    Even so, they didn¡¯t notice our presence.


    They were merely replayed memories, no different from holograms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡±


    I walked casually, and Leana followed, sword drawn, cautiously watching her surroundings.


    At the center, there was a staircase.


    At the bottom knelt a man with bat-like wings, gazing up at the stairs. It was Irte.


    With a desperate voice, he said, ¡°Ah, but Your Majesty, your loyal servant Irte will surely protect the things most dear to you.¡±


    I lifted my head.


    I couldn¡¯t see the face of the king Irte spoke to.


    He lay on a bed at the top of the stairs, his face covered by a white veil.


    Though I was curious, it wasn¡¯t something I could touch, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to see his face.


    However, I could see the face of the woman standing beside him, smiling mockingly.


    Leana must have recognized her too, because she muttered a name aloud.


    ¡°Dorosian¡­?¡±


    It was, to be precise, Dorosian from the future.


    Her makeup was slightly thicker, and her hair was styled in a rounded bun.


    Dorosian looked down at Irte and said, ¡°That¡¯s because your methods are wrong, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Silence, wench! Your Majesty, please do not listen to that vile woman¡¯s words. I beg of you, please.¡±


    As Irte¡¯s voice grew louder, a frail voice responded.


    The white veil stirred, indicating that the man lying on the sickbed was the one speaking.


    ¡°Quiet, Dorosian. Irte.¡±


    Even I, with all my experience, do not know the true identity of that man.


    Moreover, whenever the future Dorosian appeared, it was always tied to the main scenario.


    He certainly seemed like an important figure, but this part remained a mystery.


    While I was mulling over these thoughts, the veiled man continued speaking.


    ¡°And Irte, as Dorosian claims, your methods are wrong.¡±


    In response to the man¡¯s words, Dorosian gave a mocking smile.


    ¡°Is that all? Your values are wrong too. Demons can never embrace humans. Even the slightest misstep, and you look at things from an extreme perspective.¡±


    As she spoke, Dorosian gently stroked the man¡¯s jawline.


    To an outsider, she would appear as the wicked woman who bewitched the king and brought the nation to ruin.


    At that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry for Irte, who seemed like nothing but a loyal servant.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    As Irte tried to say something, Dorosian scoffed.


    ¡°The moment you genuinely considered that insane plan, you were already wrong. You¡¯re nothing but a dreamer. If left to you, everything would certainly fall apart.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Irte responded.


    ¡°¡­You can¡¯t know that without trying, Dorosian!¡±


    ¡°Stop dreaming, foolish Irte. If the world you want to save were worth saving, do you think I¡¯d have any reason to come here?¡±


    Irte¡¯s expression began to grow menacing.


    Tired of their loud argument, the veiled man sighed deeply and spoke.


    ¡°Then, begin, Dorosian.¡±


    Before his words had even finished, Dorosian¡¯s hand pierced through the man¡¯s stomach.


    Thud!


    Irte¡¯s eyes shrank in horror.


    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty!!¡±


    He quickly flew at Dorosian, tears streaming down his twisted face.


    ¡°How dare you, you wretched woman!!¡±


    Dorosian flashed a teasing smile at the approaching Irte.


    Then, she lifted one of her feet.


    ¡°Arrogant Irte. When I look closely, you do have a cute side, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The sharp heel of Dorosian¡¯s shoe slammed into Irte¡¯s forehead.


    It was a murderous kick.


    ¡°Grrr!¡±


    Irte¡¯s eyes rolled back as his wings lost strength, and he plummeted to the ground.


    As he tumbled down the stairs, Dorosian began drawing a spell.


    ¡°Now, sleep for a long time, Irte.¡±


    As Irte¡¯s eyes slowly closed, the characters faded into faint light.


    All that remained were the temple and Dorosian¡¯s mocking laughter.


    ¡°Ha ha, how amusing that the demon of dreams is falling asleep.¡±


    That was the end of Irte¡¯s memory. Since the source of the trauma had fallen asleep, there was no explanation for why Dorosian had pierced the man¡¯s stomach.


    What could be inferred was that she was trying to prevent the destruction in her own way, using time travel.


    And while Irte had his own plans, they were thwarted by Dorosian, plunging him into a deep slumber.


    Perhaps feeling pity for him, Leana spoke softly.


    ¡°He seems like a rather pitiful demon¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Just now, Dorosian seemed more like a demon herself.¡±


    ¡°Right, she really did look like a wicked woman.¡±


    Dorosian only becomes crueler as she ages.


    It¡¯s a fact to keep in mind if you ever wish to live long.


    ***


    He had been asleep for far too long.


    When he awoke, the king had passed away due to that wicked woman¡¯s schemes.


    For reasons unknown, the demon race had vanished, and the land where they once lived came to be known as the Demonic Realm.


    Nevertheless, he sought out humans to fulfill his mission. He learned modern etiquette and extended his hand to them, but he was ultimately betrayed by the king of Bellam.


    Irte sat in his chair, biting his nails.


    ¡°A king is the title given to the greatest person in the world.¡±


    As he recalled the moment his body was severed, blood tears began to flow, and his fists clenched tightly. His nails dug into his skin from the bitterness, and blood dripped from the wounds that had reopened.


    After losing his limbs, he couldn¡¯t punish the perpetrator himself after all that time.


    However, for a demon, betrayal was a crime heavy enough to bring about collective punishment.


    Fortunately, his descendant was still alive.


    Irte considered this to be a quite rational decision. Revenge aside, humans are too foolish a species for any conciliatory gesture to work.


    It diverged from the ways of the king he once served, but whether in the past or now, subjugation through fear was still a valid method.


    Irte steeled himself and thought of the inevitable destruction and the prophet Dorosian.


    Though she was a detestable woman, it was true that, as she had said, the world didn¡¯t have much time left.


    In fact, this had been predicted ever since the king had fallen ill.


    With his heart ablaze with a sense of duty, Irte stood up.


    ¡°I must hurry.¡±


    For Irte, who had lived through countless ages, it would pass by in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°I will turn the entire world into a dreamscape. I will put an end to destruction, for the king¡­¡±


    If he could pull the entire world into the realm of his abilities, it was possible.


    By manipulating reality, he could eliminate the very source of destruction.


    But for that, he needed immense nutrients.


    ¡°I will guide all living beings into the world of dreams. I will become the god of dreams for the sake of the king.¡±


    By making the world dream of a land full of hope, he would gain the power to sustain the world in return.


    A life as livestock wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    It would be far better than destruction.


    The starting point would be Frost Heart.


    ¡°My king, I will surely preserve the world you gave your life to protect.¡±


    As Irte stepped out of the room, someone cleared their throat.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Gomon put down the ancient tome he had been reading and shook his head.


    He watched Irte¡¯s retreating figure with a look of disdain.


    To Gomon, he just seemed like a madman appearing in a dream.


    ***


    The treasure was hidden beneath the temple.


    Together with Leana, I descended into the cavern made of rock.


    In the center was a large dueling arena.


    The walls were lined with armors and various weapons.


    At first glance, it looked like an arena, but in truth, it was a training ground for someone.


    Leana¡¯s eyes gleamed as she looked at the rare swords. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°These¡­ these look like some incredible items.¡±


    As she said, they were all ancient artifacts of immense value.


    But once the scenario ended, they would disappear.


    The only thing I could take from this place was the treasure I was looking for.


    Of course, in order to proceed, we first had to defeat the boss of the hidden room.


    ¡°Soon, the bandit leader will appear. But before that, we need to go somewhere for a bit.¡±


    I led Leana into a room. Beyond the door was a waterfall within a cave.


    Shhhaaahhh


    I guided Leana to the edge where the ground met the water. Just one more step, and we would fall into the pool.


    I grabbed Leana¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    Leana flinched, looking at me in surprise.


    I pulled her hand and threw myself into the water with a splash!


    ¡°Wah!¡±


    The water wasn¡¯t deep, barely reaching halfway up our bodies.


    Leana¡¯s eyes widened as she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°This water is filled with vital energy. Meditate on your aura here.¡±


    This place is a training ground that you typically use later in the scenario.


    For rookies in Frost Heart, this was a facility far too advanced.


    Just by meditating in the energy-filled water, one could reach mid-game levels of strength.


    Of course, once Irte dies, all of this power will vanish¡­


    Leana, now in a near-hypnotic state, closed her eyes and obediently began her meditation.


    If my energy center were intact, I would have joined her, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    I had entered the water just in case it might have some health benefits, but I didn¡¯t feel anything of the sort.


    Sploosh.


    I stepped out of the water by myself, planting my feet on dry ground. Then I pulled out my staff and used telekinesis to dry off the water from my clothes.


    ¡°Hersel? Where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done. You stay here and continue meditating. In the meantime, I¡¯ll pick out some useful weapons.¡±


    With that, I headed back to the training ground.


    The equipment on display was all end-game level.


    I carefully examined which armor to dress Leana in and what sword to give her.


    In the corner, a small dagger caught my eye.


    Its design was unusually simple, which made it stand out.


    Curious, I picked it up and wondered aloud, ¡°Everything else is so extravagant, but this one is so plain.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, but Donatan replied.


    ¡®Hmm, it does look familiar.¡¯


    ¡®It couldn¡¯t be the dagger that sealed you, could it?¡¯


    I joked, thinking he would be annoyed, but he responded with a serious tone.


    ¡®That possibility can¡¯t be ruled out. It¡¯s been far too long since this body¡¯s vessel has rusted. So long, in fact, that I don¡¯t even remember its original form¡­¡¯


    ¡®Really?¡¯


    I focused on selecting appropriate gear for Leana.


    I chose a longsword imbued with the energy of flames and a set of armor for her.


    Given that she had the blessing of immunity to fire, she could wield them.


    [Sword of Alkin, the Flame Spirit King]


    Attribute: Fire.


    -A divine sword that only those with extreme fire resistance can wield.


    -When aura is infused into the blade, its destructive power increases greatly.


    -When wrapped in the energy of fire, it grants an armor-piercing effect.


    -This sword will never sustain a scratch.


    For her armor, I selected something almost overpowered.


    [Armor Imbued with the Breath of the Phoenix]


    Attribute: Fire.


    -An armor that only those with extreme fire resistance can wear.


    -Significantly increases health regeneration.


    -Greatly enhances defense.


    -The armor instantly repairs itself if damaged.


    -If the wearer dies, they are resurrected with an intact body.


    -Upon resurrection, the armor is permanently destroyed.


    Each piece had options worthy of end-game gear.


    Having chosen Leana¡¯s equipment, I looked for something suitable for myself.


    Most of the items required extreme resistance to certain elements or the ability to use aura.


    The best I could equip were items with base stats at their highest.


    A weapon that ignored defense and armor that absorbed all damage were the best I could get.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    Just in time, Leana had finished her aura meditation and appeared.


    I used my fine-tuned telekinesis to remove the water from her clothes.


    ¡°Use this.¡±


    Leana put on the armor I handed her.


    It seemed difficult for her to handle it alone, as she wasn¡¯t used to it.


    I sat her down and fastened the buckles of the armor.


    ¡°Does it feel tight or uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°It feels just right.¡±


    Once we were prepared, I led Leana onto the training ground.


    Then, a strange mist appeared from across the room and pulled the purple armor that had been hanging on the wall.


    Clank, clank.


    The armor began to equip itself automatically.


    The mist was the commander who led the dream knights.


    With glowing blue eyes, he drew his sword.


    Sling-


    ***


    ¡°Hey, you. That guy may be a fool, but he¡¯s not that much of an idiot.¡±


    What does it matter? It¡¯s a dream, thought Silla, speaking without restraint.


    At her sharp, irritated voice, the woman from the Buerger household shrank back, her eyes trembling, and took a step back.


    ¡°S-Silla¡­¡±


    Silla was a woman who lived in a completely different world from the average noble¡¯s daughter.


    She was always at the center of young people¡¯s balls and had even recorded top scores at the Adele Hall, so it was only natural that the Buerger girl was nervous.


    ¡°If you have nothing to say, then move aside.¡±


    The Buerger woman retreated silently.


    Silla clicked her tongue as she glanced at Limberton, who had reached out to the woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Serda¡­¡±


    ¡°You really have a talent for making me want to take back everything I just said within seconds.¡±


    Silla grabbed Limberton by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to a chair.


    As soon as they sat down, she began spewing venom.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, even in dreams. I must really have seen you as a fool.¡±


    At this, Limberton perked up his ears.


    ¡°A dream? Right, this is all a dream. There¡¯s no way Serda would abandon me.¡±


    Silla briefly considered smacking him on the head.


    Sigh


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s all fake anyway.¡±


    The realization that everything was an illusion made her let out a hollow laugh instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something. If you¡¯d just kept your mouth shut and done well, women would be naturally drawn to you.¡±


    Though she didn¡¯t show it outwardly, evaluating men was a secret pleasure for women.


    Not all of them, of course, but among close friends, it was a common activity.


    Even Limberton¡¯s name would come up sometimes, and it wasn¡¯t always negative.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you work out, your physique looks pretty good, and your style is decent, not flashy. But the problem is your mouth.¡±


    Silla offered him some advice, thinking it might help.


    But Limberton seemed to come to his senses and expressed his displeasure.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, picking a fight with me even in dreams?¡±


    Silla suddenly felt irritated.


    Thinking back, he was always shamelessly flirting with other girls.


    Yet he acted rude and rebellious only towards her.


    Whether in dreams or reality, that was always the same.


    Silla sank into her chair, sighing.


    ¡°Whatever. What¡¯s the point of talking to you here?¡±


    As she stood up, ready to leave, Limberton stared at her in silence, his gaze filled with frustration.


    ¡°Why? You start something and then walk away?¡±


    ¡°You got something to say?¡±


    ¡°A lot. I just haven¡¯t said anything until now.¡±


    Silla sat back down, as if giving him permission to speak his mind.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t understand my situation at all. You just say whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what don¡¯t I understand?¡±


    Limberton suddenly stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m short, my face is average, and I don¡¯t come from a good family. This is the life I¡¯ve lived. Sure, I¡¯ve tried keeping my mouth shut, like you said. Because every time I spoke, I killed the mood.¡±


    His voice carried a sincerity that made Silla¡¯s eyes twitch slightly.


    ¡°And do you know what happened then? Nobody noticed me. People didn¡¯t even know I existed. I¡¯d rather be remembered as an idiot than go back to that. Honestly, do you think you¡¯d have remembered me at all if I had acted normal at the ball that day?¡±


    Limberton was panting heavily by the time he finished.


    Silla averted her gaze.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t have remembered him. He would¡¯ve just been another one of the countless men she rejected and quickly forgot.


    Her moment of reflection was brief.


    Silla relaxed her expression and looked at Limberton with a soft gaze.


    She couldn¡¯t tell whether this man¡¯s sincerity was real, given that it was all a dream, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t feel too bad about it.


    A slightly gentler tone slipped from her lips.


    ¡°For the first time, it feels like I¡¯m having a conversation with the real you. Not the fool.¡±


    His ridiculous words were just his way of desperately acting out.


    His approach was misguided, but it was like the courtship display of a male peacock.


    Realizing this, Silla stood up and spoke softly as she turned to leave.


    ¡°But you know, if I could go back to that time¡­¡±


    With a shy smile, she left behind a final remark.


    ¡°I might consider dancing with you.¡±


    As Silla walked away, she was relieved it was all just a dream.


    Though she felt lighter, it would forever remain a dark, embarrassing memory she would never share with anyone.


    She didn¡¯t even glance at Limberton, fearing her face might betray her emotions.


    After a few steps, she heard the sound of quiet sobbing.


    It was Clave.


    ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡±


    Clave, who happened to be passing by, had tears in his eyes as he looked at Limberton.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 148

    Silla screamed internally. The moment Rockefeller touched Limberton¡¯s head with the Staff of Purification, it would all be over.


    The conversations they¡¯d carelessly had, thinking it was all just a dream, would become a reality.


    Silla quickly walked ahead of Rockefeller.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Professor.¡±


    Rockefeller raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Please, think again. It¡¯s Limberton we¡¯re talking about. The fool from the Schlaphe Hall. If you had chosen someone else, maybe they could be of help, but do you really think this guy will be any use?¡±


    Though her voice was louder and a bit rambling, Rockefeller didn¡¯t seem to find it suspicious.


    Rockefeller looked at Limberton and nodded.


    ¡°Limberton Bell Delcy. You¡¯re right; he¡¯s a rather worthless nobody. He wanted to become a knight, but he couldn¡¯t even hold a sword properly, nor was he exceptionally strategic. But¡­¡±


    Silla felt uneasy hearing that ¡°but.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny that he¡¯s pioneering a different path. He¡¯s even shown some success, so maybe there¡¯s some potential. Now, back off.¡±


    When Rockefeller¡¯s eyes gleamed wildly, Silla felt a shiver and took a step back.


    Limberton, meanwhile, lazily covered his face with his hand.


    As Rockefeller¡¯s staff neared Limberton¡¯s head, Silla¡¯s heart pounded uncontrollably.


    Just as she was about to intervene, someone suddenly grabbed Rockefeller¡¯s arm.


    Rockefeller turned his head, only to see a man glaring at him.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing to a child who¡¯s having a pleasant dream?¡± the man growled.


    He had two small horns on his forehead, bat wings, and a tail.


    With the sudden appearance of this demon-like figure, the atmosphere grew cold.


    Rockefeller hastily shook off the man¡¯s hand and stepped back.


    The man surveyed his surroundings and spoke in a cold tone.


    ¡°I saw my minions collapsed as I came in. You really shattered quite a few of them. Was that all your doing?¡±


    Rockefeller said nothing in response.


    Silla, not understanding what was happening, whispered to Bellman, ¡°Minions? Did you guys do that?¡±


    ¡°If he means those armored knights, then yes¡­ but we only took out two.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean more have woken up?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Even amidst the tension, Silla felt a bit relieved. Thanks to this man, it didn¡¯t seem like Rockefeller would wake Limberton up right away.


    Rockefeller, now glaring, pointed his staff at the man.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the mastermind, huh?¡±


    ¡°Mastermind? You make it sound like I¡¯m the villain here.¡±


    The man gently waved his hand through the air and introduced himself.


    ¡°I am Irte, the Lord of Dreams, your savior who will guide you into the world of dreams.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but I can tell you¡¯re out of your mind,¡± Rockefeller retorted with irritation, swiftly swinging his staff.


    With a ¡°Pop!¡± Irte¡¯s body exploded.


    Silla looked on in confusion, finding the result strangely anticlimactic.


    However, Rockefeller¡¯s expression remained serious.


    ¡°¡­The demonic energy remains. He¡¯s not dead.¡±


    The scattered pieces of Irte¡¯s body began to wriggle like slime, gathering together to reform into his intact figure.


    Irte smirked and said, ¡°This is a world I created. I¡¯m like a god here.¡±


    Rockefeller lowered his staff and asked.


    For now, he knew far too little about the enemy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it for now. What do you want from us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you should say. My job is to give you the dreams you desire. I can plant a honey-dripping illusion, far sweeter than the dreary reality. So perfect that you won¡¯t even realize it¡¯s a dream.¡±


    ¡°And if we refuse?¡±


    Irte¡¯s smile vanished instantly.


    ¡°Do you really think refusal is even an option?¡±


    A humming sound spread throughout the fortress.


    The walls rippled, as if they were inside the belly of a beast.


    Rockefeller narrowed his eyes in discomfort.


    Before he could process it fully, the surroundings began to fill with purple gas.


    The students, who had been laughing, thinking it was all a dream, started collapsing one by one.


    Rockefeller quickly used telekinesis to disperse the sleeping gas and gestured toward Bellman.


    ¡°Be careful not to touch it.¡±


    Bellman created a barrier to prevent the gas from reaching the group.


    Irte chuckled softly.


    ¡°No matter how much you struggle, it¡¯s just a matter of time. The moment this place became my domain, the outcome was already decided.¡±


    Rockefeller thought this place felt like a dungeon.


    The way it could be reshaped at will, the traps it harbored.


    On top of that, the guards that revived even after being killed, although the revival cycle was far quicker than any he had ever seen before.


    However, given that even blowing him apart hadn¡¯t killed him, there was no flaw in his physical body.


    That likely meant his weakness was hidden somewhere.


    Rockefeller had encountered situations like this many times before.


    In dungeons, and at Frostheart too.


    In the former case, they simply had to destroy the tool, while in the latter, crushing the heart was enough.


    Rockefeller composed his thoughts and gripped his staff tightly.


    ¡°You said you¡¯re like a god? That¡¯s somewhat believable.¡±


    Irte remained still. The tip of Rockefeller¡¯s staff was pointed toward the group protected by Bellman¡¯s barrier.


    Rockefeller asked, ¡°If it¡¯s a good dream, can I choose it myself?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll make sure to give you special treatment.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t even realize it¡¯s a dream?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Rockefeller laughed heartily, as if satisfied. Bellman¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Professor?¡±


    ¡°He says he¡¯ll give me a good dream. I¡¯ve been so stressed from work lately, it¡¯s not such a bad offer.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling us to surrender?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You lot should put down your weapons and surrender as well.¡±


    Bellman clenched his teeth, his eyes burning with fury.


    Rockefeller mercilessly swung his staff toward the ground.


    Boom!


    A hole appeared in the floor as if a mole had burrowed through it.


    The vibrations began to resonate, as if an earthquake had hit.


    One second later, a hole also appeared in the barrier.


    Bellman and the others flinched, retreating as if something invisible had brushed against their shoulders.


    ¡°W-what is this?¡±


    Bellman only had a moment to voice his confusion.


    Before they knew it, Bellman, Ricks, Edina, and Silla were flung far away by some unseen force.


    Rockefeller watched them disappear beyond the door of the club floor, then turned his attention back to Irte.


    Trusting that they would handle it well, he pointed his staff at Irte.


    ***


    To finish things safely, we had to return to the place where Leana¡¯s hypnosis had started.


    Just long enough for her to wake up in the caf¨¦ and think, ¡®What a strange dream I had.¡¯


    Thanks to having swept away most of the armored knights on our way, we weren¡¯t likely to encounter many more.


    Occasionally, Rockefeller¡¯s crows would survey the area like CCTV cameras, but they probably just assumed we were hypnotized students, so they didn¡¯t alert anyone.


    ¡°There sure are a lot of crows, Hersel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bad omen. At weddings, it¡¯s supposed to be white doves, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    We safely arrived at the caf¨¦ in the Adele Hall.


    I carefully returned Leana to the seat she had been in.


    Then, I took out my watch.


    The key to this scenario was for Bellman and the others to destroy the core before Irte noticed.


    As a veteran of this, I had perfectly memorized the timeline and could predict exactly what would happen next.


    ¡°Five minutes left¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    In five minutes, Rockefeller would confront Irte, and the others would fight to buy time until they found the core.


    During that process, the sleeping gas would once again fill all of Frostheart.


    I had to wait for Leana to fall asleep, so I sat down and asked, ¡°Would you like some tea?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to see the menu first¡­¡±


    It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    All I had to do was leave Leana here, hide, and hope that the main players succeeded.


    But then, something unexpected happened.


    Ssssssss¡ª


    Despite it not yet being time, purple sleeping gas had already begun to seep into the caf¨¦.


    My eyes widened in surprise.


    Leana, looking drowsy, softly closed her eyes.


    ¡°Ah, suddenly¡­ I feel so sleepy¡­¡±


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t fall asleep, thanks to my ¡®1-second Invincibility.¡¯


    I quickly stood up, sensing that something was off. As much as I disliked it, I figured I needed to check things out¡­


    Bellman and the others rolled on the ground before coming to a stop. Silla, who had crashed into the wall in a ridiculous position, grimaced.


    ¡°Rockefeller, you dirty traitor!¡±


    Silla raged, but Bellman paid her no mind and urgently cast a barrier spell.


    The approaching sleeping gas was blocked by the barrier.


    With a brief moment of relief, Bellman looked at Silla.


    ¡°Calm down, Silla.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? The professor betrayed us, and that¡¯s all you have to say?¡±


    Still focusing on his barrier spell, Bellman carefully removed his coat.


    ¡°When Professor Rockefeller threw us earlier, I felt warmth. The fabric seemed to hold some kind of message. Would you read it for me?¡±


    Ricks opened the coat. As Bellman had said, glowing letters were inscribed on the back.


    Edina read them aloud, clearly and steadily.


    ¡°It seems he doesn¡¯t have the ability to detect. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have wondered about the mysterious figure who dealt with the armored knights.¡±


    Bellman immediately understood.


    Rockefeller had only captured two knights. It was likely pure coincidence that they had encountered Irte.


    That seemed like the most plausible explanation. Even during the third trial, Silla¡¯s outbursts had exposed her to dungeon creatures several times.


    ¡°The condition for hypnosis appears to be sleep. Be cautious and avoid inhaling the gas at all costs.¡±


    Edina continued reading.


    ¡°There must be a weakness. I¡¯ve commanded the crows to search. If they find anything suspicious, they¡¯ll caw. Use that as a clue for further investigation. That¡¯s all from Professor Rockefeller.¡±


    Bellman turned to Silla and warned her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before to lower your voice in tense situations, haven¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I know, but this time I couldn¡¯t help it¡­¡±


    Bellman, curious, asked, ¡°Oh? Was there some reason for it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But instead of talking about it, can we focus on getting out of this situation?¡±


    Silla grumbled, turning her head sharply.


    Bellman sighed deeply, surveying the surroundings.


    They were in the hallway at the entrance to the club floor. Unlike before, there were noticeably fewer people around.


    Rockefeller had sent only Bellman, Ricks, Edina, and Silla flying.


    For now, they had to rely on the cawing of the crows as their clue.


    Bellman gave instructions to the group.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to stay here any longer. Let¡¯s move. And keep your ears wide open for the sound of the crows.¡±


    There were staircases on both sides of the hallway. To ensure they didn¡¯t miss any sounds from outside, Bellman opened a window.


    With a scraping noise, the sound of a crow¡¯s cawing came through.


    Caw! Caw!


    The cawing wasn¡¯t just once¡ªit was repeated at regular intervals.


    Bellman asked the others to confirm what he had heard.


    ¡°Does it sound like it¡¯s coming from above to you?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s a way to be sure.¡±


    Ricks grinned and used materialization magic to create a ladder.


    ¡°We used to live in a creaky house, so I got pretty good at finding where the noise was coming from.¡±


    He climbed the ladder and pressed his ear to the ceiling, nodding.


    ¡°The vibrations suggest the sound is definitely coming from above.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    Bellman maintained his barrier spell, prepared for the sleeping gas, as they climbed the stairs. The sound of the crow¡¯s cawing grew louder.


    They arrived on the floor where only Adele Hall could access the dining room and caf¨¦.


    As they approached, Bellman¡¯s eyes widened at the sound of a deep voice.


    ¡°Everyone seems busy.¡±


    Hersel was leaning against the wall, speaking casually.


    Bellman gave a bitter smile.


    Judging by the expressions of the others, it seemed they had reached the same conclusion.


    Bellman approached Hersel and asked, ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t been affected by the hypnosis.¡±


    Hersel half-opened his eyes and replied, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. But what are you all up to?¡±


    Ricks quickly summarized the situation.


    Irte had taken over the academy, Rockefeller was fighting him, and they had received a message from Rockefeller indicating that there was a hidden weakness they needed to investigate.


    It was a concise yet accurate briefing.


    But Hersel let out a particularly complex sigh as he stared intently at Silla.


    Silla, looking irritated, asked, ¡°What? Why are you sighing while looking at me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from the Knight¡¯s Division, so how did you end up with this group?¡±


    ¡°I just happened to run into Rockefeller while I was hypnotized, and he freed me. What¡¯s so strange about that?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing strange about it. Nothing at all¡­¡±


    Hersel led the way, walking ahead.


    ¡°Anyway, I understand the situation. Follow me. I was just on my way to check out the place where the crows have been cawing.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s group felt a surge of hope, thinking they might be able to end this soon.


    They followed Hersel¡¯s lead.


    The destination was the garden located directly beneath the principal¡¯s office.


    Silla shuddered as they arrived.


    ¡°This place¡­¡±


    It was the same spot where they had been utterly defeated by Luon. The others, recalling those memories, clenched their teeth as they stepped inside.


    The once-beautiful garden was now eerie, with wilted plants that looked like poisonous weeds and grotesque statues.


    At that moment, Bellman wrinkled his nose, sensing a strong demonic energy.


    He walked toward the source.


    ¡°There¡¯s a thick scent of demonic energy coming from the statue.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then that must be its weakness.¡±


    At Hersel¡¯s words, Silla clenched her fist, now glowing with aura, and swung it at the statue.


    Thanks to her training, Silla was now able to release aura, and with her power, the statue should have been shattered to pieces.


    However, the statue didn¡¯t budge, and all Silla could do was shed a tear.


    ¡°Ouch! That really hurts!¡±


    ¡°If aura doesn¡¯t work, I guess we¡¯ll have to try magic,¡± Bellman said, swinging his staff.


    He fired a ¡®Spear of Flame,¡¯ one of the more destructive elemental spells.


    But the result was the same.


    Hersel looked at Edina.


    ¡°If physical methods don¡¯t work, transmutation might be the answer.¡±


    Bellman thought this was the right idea.


    ¡®There are stories of ancient relics, treasure chests that wouldn¡¯t open. Transmutation magic is said to be the best way to unlock them.¡¯


    This was why special branch wizards with transmutation abilities were so valuable.


    They were like a master key capable of unlocking any dungeon mechanism.


    As Edina raised her staff, Hersel gave a word of caution.


    ¡°Everyone, arm yourselves. If the heart really is hidden inside, the moment we break the outer shell, it¡¯ll know.¡±


    ¡°A reasonable assumption. If it¡¯s a body part, even separated, it might still sense what¡¯s happening.¡±


    While Hersel and Bellman were talking, Edina swung her staff.


    ¡°Ready? Here we go!¡±


    The statue melted like mud, and a heart floating in midair was revealed.


    Thump, thump.


    Hersel took a step back, moving far away at the sight.


    Just as Silla was about to strike the heart with her aura-infused fist, Bellman and the others were suddenly pulled away by some unseen force.


    Standing before them was Irte, holding the heart in his hand.


    ¡°What are you trying to do with my heart?¡±


    At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from behind.


    Bellman turned his head and swallowed hard.


    Rockefeller, with vacant eyes, was walking toward them, holding his staff high.


    Silla¡¯s face lit up, and she approached him.


    Bellman quickly stopped her.


    ¡°Silla, stop right there!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He has hypnotic abilities. Look at the professor¡ªhe seems to have become his servant.¡±


    Irte clapped his hands.


    ¡°Yes, exactly. But don¡¯t worry too much. For now, I¡¯ve made him a slave of subjugation, but once I finish dealing with you, I¡¯ll send you all to the world of dreams.¡±


    As the sleeping gas surged toward them, Bellman quickly cast a barrier spell.


    Irte scoffed.


    ¡°No matter how much you resist, it¡¯s only a matter of time. Do you really think you can maintain that barrier forever?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Even if you¡¯ve brainwashed Professor Rockefeller, we still have a trump card.¡±


    Bellman glared confidently at Irte.


    But then someone tapped his shoulder.


    He turned to see Silla shaking her head and pointing at something.


    Bellman¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    The trump card he had counted on¡ªHersel¡ªhad been caught outside the barrier and was now engulfed in the sleeping gas.


    His eyes were blank, and his shoulders slumped.


    Irte grinned wickedly.


    ¡°Judging by your reaction, this man must be someone important.¡±


    Irte¡¯s eyes gleamed violet as he approached Hersel.


    Grabbing his chin, Irte stared into his eyes.


    ¡°Ha! What will you do now? This man is now one of my loyal servants.¡±


    As Irte walked, Hersel obediently followed, stumbling along behind him.


    It was the worst possible situation.


    Having Rockefeller against them was bad enough, but now even Hersel, their strongest ally, had become an enemy.


    Bellman wiped his face with his hand, desperately trying to come up with a new plan.


    But no matter how hard he thought, nothing came to mind.


    Fear seemed to have spread to the others as well.


    Ricks, Silla, and Edina gulped, clearly terrified.


    Meanwhile, Hersel thought to himself¡­


    Hersel glanced at the heart in Irte¡¯s hand.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 149

    ¡°The Phantom Nightmare Irte¡± was a scenario prepared to sharpen the real combat instincts of Bellman, Ricks, and Edina. It felt right to let them fight amongst themselves, so intervening felt like the wrong choice. However, a variable emerged with the unexpected appearance of Silla, who wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. I felt the need to check if they would discover Irte¡¯s heart hidden within the statue. The suspense was overwhelming, so I intended to drop a hint and quietly slip away¡­¡°Heheheh, now what will you do? Even this man has become a loyal servant of mine.¡±


    The sleeping gas spread faster than expected, and in my haste to escape, I couldn¡¯t reach Bellman¡¯s barrier. Now, I had no choice but to play the role of Irte¡¯s servant.


    ¡®This situation¡­ it¡¯s kind of ridiculous and pathetic, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®Indeed, it does appear that way, Hersel.¡¯


    And yet, they were fooled by this. Irte¡¯s capabilities suddenly seemed impressive. After all, the armored knights were selecting those unaffected by hypnosis to chase down. Even so, their master had no clue.


    ¡®But honestly, I doubted it would work, yet it did.¡¯


    ¡®Indeed, Hersel.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t use simple hypnosis on me. He used the ¡°Eyes of Domination,¡± capable of turning even the strong into minions. He must have had absolute confidence. Following orders so obediently, there was no time to sense anything off.


    With a stern face, Irte asked me, ¡°Who is the master you serve?¡±


    ¡°The Lord of Dreams, Irte. You, of course.¡±


    As I responded, I realized how hard it was to suppress laughter using only my cheek muscles and lips. It should have been obvious to him by now, especially with how his knights were chasing those unaffected by hypnosis, yet this fool merely nodded in satisfaction.


    That cackling¡­ it¡¯s been ringing in my ears since earlier.


    ¨C Foolish Irte.


    As Dorosian of the future said, Irte is indeed a fool. That¡¯s probably why he was struck from behind and buried underground.


    *** S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bellman was drenched in cold sweat.


    There was a slim chance. Hypnosis magic usually had the weakness that those under it couldn¡¯t fully utilize their abilities. This was especially true for wizards who used complex spells. But for swordsmen, the story was different. All that weakened was swordsmanship. Their physical abilities remained intact, and though they might not be able to wield aura precisely, they could still use it.


    Ricks spoke tensely, his voice trailing off.


    ¡°Of all people, it had to be Hersel¡­¡±


    He was a man stronger than most professors, something they knew all too well from experience. Gritting his teeth, Bellman strengthened the barrier.


    As the group tensed, Irte smiled slyly and pointed at the barrier.


    ¡°Now, break that down.¡±


    At Irte¡¯s command, Hersel stepped forward, drawing his sword with fiery eyes. His gaze seemed particularly focused on Ricks. As the tension mounted, Bellman quietly issued a command to his trembling companions.


    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s retreat for now.¡±


    Whether it was possible to escape from Hersel was uncertain¡­ Just as they looked for an opening to flee, Bellman¡¯s eyes widened.


    Hersel gripped his sword in reverse as if aiming to stab his own stomach.


    That moment of confusion didn¡¯t last long. Hersel thrust his sword, aiming for a narrow gap between his side and arm.


    Splat!


    No, not himself¡ªhe had struck between the ribs and arm of Irte behind him.


    ¡°Guh¡­¡±


    Blood spurted from Irte¡¯s mouth as he stared blankly at Hersel¡¯s back, his face filled with disbelief.


    ¡°Wh-why?¡±


    Irte asked, but Hersel calmly shook the blood off his sword and answered in an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Did you really think someone like me could be controlled by mere hypnosis?¡±


    He raised his foot, preparing to crush the heart still beating in Irte¡¯s chest. Irte, now on his knees, reached out with one hand.


    ¡°W-wait¡­ you¡­¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t finish his words. Hersel showed no mercy, crushing the heart with a sickening crunch.


    As blood splattered, the faded garden returned to its original vibrant color.


    Whooooosh


    Irte¡¯s flesh turned to dust and began scattering in the wind, leaving only severed bones rolling on the ground. Rockefeller knelt on the floor and collapsed, completely unconscious with no movement at all. Hersel looked down at him, shook his head, and then started walking toward the garden path.


    Clack, clack.


    Everyone held their breath, stunned by the sudden scene that had unfolded. The first to break the silence was Silla.


    ¡°W-what¡­ Did he just break free from the hypnosis on his own?¡±


    Bellman fell into deep thought. The hypnosis was clearly on a different level, strong enough to incapacitate even Rockefeller. Yet Hersel had escaped from it as if it were nothing.


    Hersel calmly crossed the threshold of the indoor garden, his figure slowly disappearing from sight. Bellman couldn¡¯t help but think that if there were ever a being without weaknesses, it would be someone like him.


    ***


    As I exited the indoor garden, I found myself lost in deep thought. Should I have destroyed Irte¡¯s heart? The question weighed heavily on me, as I had stolen an opportunity for growth from the key players. That was never a good thing for me either.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    But to be fair, this time there really wasn¡¯t much of a choice. If I hadn¡¯t pretended to be a servant, I would have been struck down by the hypnotized Rockefeller. And if I had attacked Bellman¡¯s group, I would¡¯ve had to endure their relentless spells while stuck with the cooldown of my ¡°One Second Invincibility.¡± I could already imagine how that would¡¯ve gone.


    ¨C I¡¯ll reflect on this and be more cautious next time.


    By now, I was strolling through the lower hallway. The students who had been lying around with dazed expressions were slowly returning to their usual selves.


    ¡°Huh? What were we just doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not sure?¡±


    I wanted to tell them, ¡°You were just creating embarrassing memories under the influence of dreams,¡± but of course, I held my tongue. By tomorrow, Rockefeller would issue a notice, blaming it all on a research experiment gone wrong that spread sleeping gas throughout the academy. The reason? If people realized the truth, a flood of suicides from embarrassment would likely follow.


    Naturally, those who weren¡¯t hypnotized or had broken free would be instructed to keep quiet.


    ¡°Ugh, my shoulders feel a bit stiff.¡±


    I stretched as I passed by the others. Before I knew it, I had reached the floor with the Adele Hall caf¨¦. I was just about to pass by when the bell on the door chimed.


    Ding-


    Our eyes met as a soft sigh escaped.


    It was Leana.


    She raised her hand as if to greet me but hesitated midway and lowered it again. I gave her my usual mocking smile.


    ¡°Did you stick that hair to your lips to chew on it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a tease¡­¡±


    With a frustrated expression, Leana pulled the strand of hair off her cheek. She then relaxed her furrowed brow and gave a gentle smile.


    ¡°¡­Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°I just had a funny dream. It popped into my mind.¡±


    It seemed the events from the hidden room lingered in her memory as a dream. Not exactly a pleasant development, so I continued on my way. But I couldn¡¯t help overhearing Leana muttering under her breath.


    ¡°I wish¡­ you were a bit more like that.¡±


    I stopped in my tracks and quickly turned my head. Leana, realizing what she had just said, covered her mouth with her hand. I clicked my tongue and shook my head.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡±


    She¡¯s the type who¡¯ll end up hurt by a man pretending to be nice.


    ¡°W-why did you click your tongue all of a sudden?¡±


    Sometimes, you just know.


    ***


    After the monsoon ended, ten days felt like a single day. It was probably because there hadn¡¯t been any significant scenarios for a while, making time pass without much notice. It was a peaceful period of self-improvement. That didn¡¯t mean nothing was happening, though. Out of boredom, Rockefeller significantly increased the number of monster defense battles.


    At first, quite a few people were jolted awake in the middle of the night, rushing to prepare in a daze, but those numbers steadily dwindled.


    ¡°Snow Monkeys are here!¡±


    ¡°Stop them from climbing the walls!¡±


    Screech, screech!


    Lately, Snow Monkeys had been appearing more frequently after waking from hibernation. Since their numbers were so high, Ricks¡¯s blessing effects were also amplified.


    [Your mana has slightly increased.]


    [Your mana has slightly increased.]


    [Your mana has slightly increased.]


    As a result, the number of inventory slots, which used to be limited to three, increased to five.


    While spending my days like this, a new event occurred.


    ¡°Ugh, Hersel¡­¡±


    Just as more couples started getting together, Limberton became single again. I had to put in a lot of effort to console him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you? She was just using you for coins, but you ignored my advice, and now look at¡ª¡±


    I managed to hold back my words and instead patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Think of it as getting rid of bad luck. You¡¯ve grown a lot, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve got plenty of good qualities, so you¡¯ll meet someone better next time.¡±


    ¡°R-really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Half of the world is women. Most might go after the handsome ones, but there¡¯s bound to be someone out there who¡¯ll see your true worth. Maybe abroad¡­¡±


    Luckily, he perked up and stopped crying.


    Then, something happened that made me more aware.


    ¡°Hello, Hersel. Long time no see.¡±


    Dorosian began appearing in class more frequently. Judging by the books she always carried, it seemed she had been spending her time reading in the library. Naturally, these weren¡¯t academic books but the genre novels that were never there whenever I went to borrow them.


    Since we shared similar tastes, we eventually struck up a conversation.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve gotten really into reading lately.¡±


    ¡°Right? I¡¯m surprised myself. Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d get so absorbed in this?¡±


    Dorosian seemed puzzled by her new hobby. Gradually, the number of books she finished increased, and she started expressing some frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to savor the books slowly. I¡¯m so curious about what happens next.¡±


    ¡°Hm, should I tell you the ending of that book?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you points for boldness.¡±


    Spoiling the ending of a book for a woman who already knows the future¡ªthinking about it, that¡¯s like playing with my life.


    Still, I did inform her that a large number of new books were coming soon.


    ¡°You can take your time with those. The library will be getting a fresh shipment of books soon.¡±


    This was thanks to a promise I had secured from Arental, one of the Pathfinders¡¯ elders. With the library filling up with new books, her boredom would soon be eased.


    And so, I spent my time positively, building new relationships.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 150

    In truth, this mission was more akin to espionage. Even as a guardian of the shadows, there was no way to know what treasures were hidden in a newly announced dungeon tower.


    All they were supposed to do was record the interior and find out what kind of treasures came out of it.


    Stealing something was only a possibility if the circumstances allowed it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯ll spare you, so just leave on your own. How about that? Sounds like a good deal for both of us, right?¡±


    Thus, the proposal Delreger made wasn¡¯t all that bad.


    Luon thought for a moment.


    He felt curious about the man standing before him.


    An opponent who gave off no smell, no sense of presence at all.


    Luon drew his sword.


    Now that he realized the pleasure from battle was merely an illusion, he doubted he¡¯d feel much thrill from it.


    But it seemed like it could offer him some small enjoyment.


    More than anything, how could he trust someone who claimed they would just let him go?


    ¡°Excessive generosity always arouses suspicion.¡±


    When Luon said this, Delreger sighed deeply with a weary expression.


    ¡°But I¡¯m being serious¡­.¡±


    Luon gave a subtle signal to Alena (who used to be Felia), who was beside him.


    Alena nodded and ordered her subordinates.


    ¡°You guys, retreat for now.¡±


    Without much loyalty to speak of, they happily left.


    Alena glared at their backs with an irritated look.


    ¡°Those rude bastards. Look at them, not even pretending to hesitate.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re pretty much outsiders here. It¡¯ll take time to earn their trust. But more importantly, Alena.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll play alone.¡±


    At Luon¡¯s words, Alena nodded.


    Delreger began to approach with a face that looked thoroughly annoyed.


    Just as they drew closer, Delreger swiftly swung his sword into the air.


    Clang!


    Sparks flew as Luon slightly smirked.


    He had easily blocked what had almost been a surprise strike.


    As Luon made that assessment, Delreger¡¯s expression turned cold.


    ¡°A magic swordsman, huh?¡±


    ¡°As you can see.¡±


    Luon unleashed his Frost Blade.


    Despite the cold swirling around, Delreger¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t on the sword, but locked onto Luon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Those murky eyes¡­ I¡¯ve seen them somewhere before.¡±


    Delreger quickly drew a crescent arc with his sword and closed the distance.


    After briefly deflecting the attack with the smooth side of the Frost Blade, Delreger moved to sweep Luon¡¯s legs from the side.


    Thump.


    Just before Delreger¡¯s foot could reach the back of Luon¡¯s ankle, Luon stabbed his sword into the ground.


    The Frost Blade was wedged between Delreger¡¯s foot and his own.


    Delreger¡¯s foot halted just before the blade.


    Without even time to fully comprehend, Luon hurriedly pulled out his sword.


    Delreger¡¯s sword was glowing as it slashed diagonally downward.


    Once again, Luon intended to smoothly deflect it with the Frost Blade.


    But Delreger¡¯s sword surged forward without the slightest deviation, and the ice crystals began to crack and split with a sharp crack.


    Realizing the clear difference in their abilities, Luon swung at Delreger¡¯s neck.


    Delreger urgently ducked his head and withdrew his sword, allowing Luon to retreat without losing the opportunity.


    Then, Luon gazed into Delreger¡¯s eyes.


    As Luon was considering retreating, Delreger lowered his sword and spoke.


    ¡°Do you happen to know a man named Gedger?¡±


    ¡°Gedger? Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Just, your indifferent eyes resemble his exactly. I was wondering if you might be related to him or something.¡±


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    When Luon responded, Delreger returned to his lazy expression, as if he had lost interest.


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Delreger said that as he approached with relaxed steps.


    Sensing the chilling aura, Luon instinctively knew.


    Now, this man was about to kill him.


    ¡°Just so you know, don¡¯t think the proposal I gave earlier is still valid. You see, I feel like leaving you alive would only cause more trouble later.¡±


    Luon summoned all the aura stored in his core.


    ***


    Around the towering spire stood numerous commercial buildings.


    One of them, the most elaborately constructed, was owned by the Orvella Trading Company.


    From the top floor of the building, Aria gazed out the window at the adventurers passing by below.


    Then, in an irritated voice, she asked,


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just let him go because it was too much trouble, did you?¡±


    ¡°I swear, I really tried to kill him. But this woman, who had broken her leg, pulled out a magic book and disappeared without a trace.¡±


    Judging by Delreger¡¯s voice, he didn¡¯t seem to be lying.


    Aria sank into her chair and stared at Delreger.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been gathering information here with great effort, yet your work seems rather sloppy.¡±


    Delreger perked up his ears.


    ¡°Information, you say¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, information about Gedger, the man you¡¯re so eager to kill.¡±


    Delreger¡¯s expression turned serious.


    It was no surprise; the name mentioned was of the man responsible for the death of Redenik, the gray knight commander who was like a father to him.


    ¡°Stop dragging it out and just tell me what you know.¡±


    Aria sighed.


    There were some things that were highly confidential, but she had no choice but to speak.


    Helping Delreger with his revenge was part of the deal they made for him working under her.


    ¡°This is going to take a while. I¡¯ll need to explain the background first.¡±


    When Delreger nodded, Aria began explaining calmly, step by step.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard the story, haven¡¯t you? A renowned knight was taken down by a farmer who had never even held a sword before.¡±


    ¡°I always thought that farmer was hiding some kind of past.¡±


    ¡°We investigated his background thoroughly, from his childhood friends who grew up with him, and it¡¯s true. He really was just a commoner who had never held a sword.¡±


    Though it was hard to believe, there were too many witnesses for it to be dismissed as mere rumor.


    Delreger tilted his head and asked,


    ¡°But I heard he was immediately imprisoned and executed?¡±


    It was only natural that a commoner who dared to kill a knight would be sentenced to death.


    However, that was merely a story concocted to prevent public unrest.


    The reality was different.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t die. Gedger stormed the prison by himself and took him away. That¡¯s how we found out about Gedger¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    Aria gazed at Delreger.


    She wondered if he would ask why Gedger did such a thing.


    Since she didn¡¯t know the answer, she wouldn¡¯t be able to explain it.


    Fortunately, Delreger stayed focused on the main point.


    ¡°So, where is he now?¡±


    His voice dripped with murderous intent, and his face looked like that of a vengeful demon.


    Aria looked at him with pity and answered.


    ¡°The Sun Church.¡±


    Delreger¡¯s expression grew grim.


    Gedger was a criminal with a bounty on his head, notorious not only for killing the gray knight commander Redenik but also several key figures.


    It was only natural to be shocked that such a man had been taken in by the church.


    ¡°¡­Those cultists?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. From what I hear, they¡¯re planning to appoint him as a holy knight. Isn¡¯t that laughable?¡±


    The position of a holy knight was reserved for those known as the finest swordsmen of the church.


    The fact that Gedger¡¯s newly laundered identity was being considered for that role confirmed the absurdity of it all.


    Delreger, with a face full of disbelief, asked,


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re willing to accept him, so why not? Cleansing someone¡¯s identity isn¡¯t that hard, and even if someone who knows Gedger¡¯s true identity shows up, they can just label them a liar.¡±


    In a world where the church could call black white, and people would believe it, holding them accountable was almost impossible.


    Even if someone did try to expose the truth, the church¡¯s believers would surely rise in protest.


    Given the precarious situation with the empire, it was practically impossible to punish him.


    Even Aria, after saying it aloud, showed reluctance regarding this matter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what the relationship between the church and that man is. No matter how much I try to guess, I can¡¯t come up with a solid idea. It feels like it¡¯s become a story from a completely different world.¡±


    Did Delreger take her words as a sign that she wanted to back out?


    He pressed both palms onto the table and leaned in close to her face.


    ¡°Just to clarify, you¡¯re not thinking of ending the contract here, are you?¡±


    Aria looked into Delreger¡¯s unwavering eyes, at his tightly sealed lips, and even at his hands pressed against the desk.


    At first glance, he seemed calm, but his fingertips were trembling slightly.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d love nothing more than to end it. But you know what? Gedger sent a letter. Not to you, but to me.¡±


    Aria handed the letter to Delreger, then looked back out the window. At that moment, some adventurers were loitering near the building.


    Behind her, Delreger quietly read the letter.


    ¡°¡®My Lady, I ask you to continue assisting Delreger without any burden¡­¡¯ What¡­?¡±


    The sound of the letter being crumpled reached her ears.


    ¡°What is this supposed to mean?¡±


    Without taking her eyes off the window, Aria replied to Delreger.


    ¡°Keep reading.¡±


    Delreger didn¡¯t read aloud anymore.


    He didn¡¯t need to; Aria had already memorized the contents of the letter.


    [To the Orvella family, I wish to avoid any conflict with the church. Even if you and Delreger aim for my head, there will be no harm done, so rest assured. This is nothing more than a private amusement between you and me. P.S. I¡¯ve sent a small gift to Delreger.]


    The letter¡¯s contents were nothing short of provocative.


    It basically said they could attack whenever they wanted, without any concern for consequences.


    Aria found that deeply unsettling.


    ¡°Are you as dumbfounded as I am? I feel the same way. There¡¯s a limit to how much someone can look down on others. That man treats you and me like mere toys.¡±


    The adventurers who had been loitering outside finally entered the building.


    Only then did Aria take her eyes off the window and look directly at Delreger.


    ¡°The contract is still valid, so you can relax. Although, I can¡¯t be sure the church will truly stay out of it like he claims, but we won¡¯t break the contract without mutual agreement.¡±


    She never intended to back out by herself from the start.


    Even if the contract were to be broken, it would only happen if Delreger decided to give up on his own.


    With a calm expression, Aria added her final words.


    ¡°After all, I¡¯m a merchant.¡±


    Her face appeared expressionless, but her eyes remained steady and serious.


    Delreger took his hands off the table and stepped back.


    ¡°But what about the gift? Did he really send something to me?¡±


    At that moment, footsteps could be heard approaching from the hallway.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s here.¡±


    As soon as Aria finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    The door opened carefully, and a servant from the trading company entered, carrying a large box.


    Aria asked, ¡°Did you check for anything dangerous?¡±


    The servant replied nervously, ¡°Yes, we even had a mage examine it thoroughly, but¡­ well¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Just leave it here and go.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    After the servant left, Delreger approached the box on the floor.


    The moment the lid opened, his eyes widened.


    Sensing something was wrong, Aria stood up from her chair and checked the contents.


    Her heart sank.


    ¡°¡­That, that¡¯s¡­?¡±


    Inside the box was a skull, covered in dirt.


    Delreger handed Aria the letter that had been inside the box.


    As soon as she read the words, the letter slipped from her hand.


    [It¡¯s the commander¡¯s death anniversary, but you didn¡¯t show up. Isn¡¯t that a shame? You should have at least come to see his face.]


    Aria looked at Delreger¡¯s expression in shock.


    What Gedger had done was beyond comprehension.


    Delreger¡¯s face was shadowed, but his lips moved slightly.


    ¡°Redenik¡­¡±


    The remains inside the box were those of Redenik.


    Gedger had gone so far as to desecrate the grave and send the bones as a ¡°gift.¡±


    Feeling her blood boil in fury, Aria clenched her teeth.


    If there¡¯s anyone who truly deserves to die, it¡¯s surely a man capable of such a heinous and unforgivable act.


    Aria felt a deep sense of anger but also pity.


    In that moment, Delreger¡¯s figure, standing before the remains, seemed especially pitiful.


    ***


    As the two men walked down the tree-lined street, the sound of cicadas filled the air.


    Their destination was a massive building at the end of the road.


    The structure, with its pointed roof and a sun symbol engraved on the front gate, was the headquarters of the church.


    The man in the prisoner¡¯s uniform asked,


    ¡°Why did you do something so meaningless?¡±


    The armored man beside him answered with a blank expression.


    ¡°I just wanted to relieve a bit of boredom.¡±


    ¡°Did it work?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s say it offered a small degree of novelty.¡±


    ¡°Gillem felt the same way. I envy the fact that you never seem to tire of things, Gedger.¡±


    With that, the man in the prisoner¡¯s uniform fell silent.


    They stepped into the building.


    The first floor was a chapel.


    Four men and women of various ages and appearances greeted them with cold, emotionless gazes.


    The armored man, Gedger, glanced over their faces one by one before blinking.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we gathered, but it looks like one of us is missing.¡±


    Gedger shrugged and blended into the atmosphere of emptiness that filled the room.


    ***


    Before long, the end of the first semester was approaching.


    Final exams were just around the corner.


    I wasn¡¯t too worried about the written exams, but the problem was the practical test.


    This time, instead of a labyrinthine trial or something like that, it was simply an assessment of pure magical skill.


    Which made it all the more hellish for me.


    Ricks, who had been helping me with training, widened his eyes in shock and asked me,


    ¡°Uh, Hersel¡­ what is that?¡±


    The theme of the upcoming test was to create an artificial life form using elemental and shaping magic.


    Ricks was horrified by the hamster I had created.


    ¡°Is that¡­ a translucent salamander?¡±


    Salamander? This guy¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s a hamster.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t have any fur.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a short-haired breed.¡±


    ¡°Even though I can see its internal organs?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a new species.¡±


    Looks like I¡¯m going to fail this exam.


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 Chapter 151

    Gedgar swept his gaze across the red carpet of the chapel and looked up at the platform. As he raised his eyes a bit further, a statue of the goddess hanging on the wall smiled benevolently.¡°For something made from a prostitute, it¡¯s quite well done.¡±


    In response to Gedgar¡¯s sneer, a pot-bellied man in luxurious attire spoke up.


    ¡°Now, now, stop calling her a prostitute. She was a woman as pure as ivory, you know.¡±


    Gedgar stared blankly at the pot-bellied man. The true power behind the empire that made his sister a queen¡ªGillem. It was obvious that the statue reflected his twisted tastes.


    ¡°So what? She¡¯s probably rotted away by now,¡± Gedgar sneered, causing Gillem to click his tongue in disapproval.


    ¡°Beauty is preserved in its original form before it fades from memory. That¡¯s aesthetics.¡±


    ¡°I can never understand your tastes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my line, Gedgar.¡±


    After a few seconds of silence, Gillem stepped onto the platform.


    ¡°I apologize for the long introduction. Now that it seems everyone is here, shall we get to the main topic?¡±


    Gedgar scanned the room. The people sat with dazed expressions, as if indifferent to life. Including himself, there were only six.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say one of them wouldn¡¯t be present?¡±


    ¡°Judging by the recent lack of news, there must be an obvious reason.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s it.¡±


    Gedgar immediately understood. There were only two reasons someone wouldn¡¯t attend this gathering: either they had just been born, or they were too old to even move.


    Everyone present here was a Reincarnator. They were beings who had lived countless human lives over an extremely long time, their existence worn down by repeated reincarnation. Gillem then uttered words meant to resonate with them.


    ¡°As you all know, the Day of Rest is approaching.¡±


    Reincarnation was a curse. Being forcibly born by someone¡¯s will and forming new relationships¡ªeverything was an experience they had already endured. There was likely not a single act they hadn¡¯t attempted in their lifetimes, whether virtuous deeds or vile acts. Their greatest wish, therefore, was the eternal rest of never being reborn again¡ªa perfect death.


    ¡°But.¡±


    Gillem¡¯s face suddenly grew grim as he looked down.


    ¡°What have you all been doing? I was born a vagrant and created this fraudulent religion. I rose from a wretched household and turned vermin into nobles, even placing a brainless creature on the throne as queen. Why? Because if things went wrong even once, we would never escape this eternal cycle.¡±


    The others seemed disinterested in participating in the conversation. Left with no choice, Gedgar humored Gillem, who was ranting alone.


    ¡°Destruction is already destined. The world is bound to perish. You¡¯re the only one overreacting here. Anyway, you did all that without being told to, and now you¡¯re seeking credit? It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Gedgar reclined in his chair. Perhaps the sight irked him, for Gillem shouted in anger.


    ¡°Stay alert, Gedgar! No, not just you¡ªall of you!!¡±


    Gillem gasped for breath, having exhausted his rage. Gedgar couldn¡¯t understand where Gillem¡¯s energy came from.


    The creation of a nonsensical religion called the Church of the Sun, his takeover of the royal family¡¯s authority¡ªthese were all the same. A man who delayed the world¡¯s demise at the cost of his own life. Gillem¡¯s paranoia was driven by fear that this man might return someday.


    To shut Gillem up, Gedgar spoke.


    ¡°The arrogant immortal no longer exists. He¡¯s gone for good. So, stop fretting and keep your mouth shut.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish, Gedgar. Do you truly believe that immortal is completely gone?¡±


    Gedgar let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Did you find any trace of him in the relics you were searching for?¡±


    Gillem¡¯s rise to power in the empire was driven by one reason: the suspicion that the Immortal¡¯s Heart might still exist somewhere. There was also the possibility that his subordinates had hidden it away. If it did exist, the destruction of the world could be averted. However, even after thousands of years of searching, it had not been found. Admittedly, with just seven of them scouring the vast labyrinth, many areas remained unexplored. But even considering this, Gillem¡¯s obsession had become excessive.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a perfectionist, Gillem. If that many people couldn¡¯t find the Immortal¡¯s Heart after all this time, it likely doesn¡¯t exist anymore.¡±


    Gillem seemed to calm down, relaxing his shoulders as he replied, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s good news, I suppose¡­ but there¡¯s something else that¡¯s been bothering me.¡±


    Gedgar wasn¡¯t even annoyed anymore. He closed his eyes as if signaling Gillem to keep talking, and Gillem voiced his new concern.


    ¡°Have you all heard? The reckless fool of House Tenest who survived the breath of the monstrous bird.¡±


    Though it was old news, it did pique some interest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s the reincarnation of the arrogant Immortal, do you?¡± Gedgar asked, surprised.


    Gillem nodded. ¡°The chances are low, of course. But it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    Some of the others snickered at this, finding it amusing.


    ¡°The arrogant Immortal, reduced to a mere fool?¡±


    Avoiding eye contact, Gillem responded, ¡°¡­It¡¯s a possibility.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve lost perspective from our constant belittling. Let me ask again: the man once called the King of Immortals, who united the races, now reduced to a mere fool?¡±


    This time, Gillem fell silent entirely, prompting Gedgar to sigh in exasperation.


    ¡°The one who killed the monstrous bird was an Aol, wasn¡¯t it? Stories like that tend to be exaggerated to enhance the family¡¯s reputation. They probably just wanted to make that fool of a child seem more dignified. After living this long, you should¡¯ve seen it often enough¡ªseems like you¡¯re starting to lose your mind.¡±


    Everyone except Gillem nodded in agreement. Gedgar then offered some genuine advice, looking at him pitifully.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just die and reincarnate? Get yourself a new brain.¡±


    What was once a common joke among the Reincarnators was, in this moment, a sincere suggestion.


    ***


    Clouds drifted smoothly across the sky. The weather was perfectly clear, and I lay idly on a sunbed on the terrace of Schlaphe Hall. After a few minutes of emptying my mind, thoughts slowly began to resurface.


    Judging by the lack of comments from Professor Gomon, it seemed Luon had successfully retreated alive. It was plausible enough, especially with Felia¡¯s support, who had the Crimson Grimoire.


    Hmm, should I ask directly?


    I turned to Professor Gomon, who was lying on the sunbed next to me.


    ¡°Professor, did you fail to catch him again?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, oh?¡±


    Professor Gomon, who had been dozing off, sat up groggily.


    ¡°Ah, I must¡¯ve dozed off. This spot is so nice; it¡¯s perfect for a nap. Oh, right. You mean Luon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Judging by the lack of news, probably. Besides, it¡¯s better if he¡¯s not caught. It helps spread the rumor that he¡¯s uncontrollable, saving us some embarrassment.¡±


    So, they managed him diligently but failed because he was a lost cause. A pathetic excuse.


    ¡°But any more news from the outside? There seems to have been a lot going on lately.¡±


    I subtly hinted at the playable characters active in distant lands. By now, the early scenario should¡¯ve progressed significantly. Given the magnitude of events, Professor Gomon was likely aware.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot, actually. In Wizdom, a mirage-like fortress appeared in the sky.¡±


    Wizdom, the academy of magic. The key players there would be uncovering the secrets of the fortress. Presumably, professors who had previously investigated the site had deemed it suitable for educational purposes. The story would likely involve them getting trapped inside and struggling to escape.


    ¡°And what else?¡±


    ¡°Valiant had an incident too. An earthquake struck, and then strange giant trees sprouted up everywhere.¡±


    The knight academy Valiant was likely undergoing a transformation into a jungle, preparing its inhabitants to become jungle dwellers.


    Professor Gomon then shared news about the other two academies.


    ¡°At Everblaze, a professor lost his mind and tried to kill the students. As for Scarlet, well, it¡¯s near the coast, so they¡¯ve been mobilized to hunt sea monsters.¡±


    Everblaze and Scarlet were relatively moderate in difficulty, so there was nothing particularly noteworthy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see, what else¡­ Oh, the Shadow Watchers have started assassinating key figures, and more monsters are crossing into the human realm. Even the Tenest Estate¡ªyour family¡¯s land¡ªhas frequent monster appearances. Honestly, it feels like the apocalypse is upon us. It¡¯s absurd.¡±


    The world had fallen into chaos, with bizarre events happening simultaneously. For many, it was a catastrophe; for some, it was an opportunity to rise.


    ¡°Still, there¡¯s some hope. They say heroes emerge in times of turmoil. More and more people are stepping forward, with new titles being bestowed on prominent figures from different regions. Dedication eventually becomes achievement.¡±


    I was secretly worried that things might go wrong, but it seemed everyone was doing well on their own. I took a sip of the cold drink I had placed on the side table, enjoying the current moment of peace. Professor Gomon spoke with a conflicted expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is okay. The outside world is in chaos, but it¡¯s so peaceful here.¡±


    ¡°Professor, try thinking of it this way. How were things here when they were at peace?¡±


    At my words, Professor Gomon cleared his throat.


    ¡°Ahem. That¡¯s true. So much has happened, and it¡¯s not even the end of the first semester for the first years.¡±


    The Felia of Loss incident. The Roaming Band during the Labyrinth Practicals. Luon¡¯s takeover of the academy. And the Incubus, Irte, whose appearance was disguised as a research accident. Even excluding the things I caused, like the defeat of the Doppelganger, the slave revolt, the Battle of the Ten Elites, and the surprise visit by Pathfinder Elder Arental, this was still a lot.


    ¡°We deserve to rest, Professor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We do deserve a break.¡±


    Professor Gomon also took a sip from the drink on the side table. After emptying his cup, he asked a heartbreaking question.


    ¡°By the way, Hersel, how did you do on the practical exam this time?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you checked it yet?¡±


    ¡°Why bother when I can just ask you?¡±


    I let out a deep sigh. It wasn¡¯t as if my efforts had been in vain. Plus, the practical exam questions this time were ones that even I could manage to handle somehow. And the grade I received was¡­


    ¡°B minus.¡±


    Compared to my first day at the academy, it was a significant improvement. Still, I couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed. It was an issue rooted in my personal values.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive. You really worked hard.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not much comfort. I don¡¯t really consider it a grade unless it¡¯s an A.¡±


    I still hadn¡¯t put in enough effort. My abilities were only at the level of an average student just entering the academy. To establish myself as a proper mage, I had to work twice as hard as others. But today, I decided to rest.


    As I was about to close my eyes completely, Professor Gomon suddenly spoke with excitement, as if he¡¯d remembered something.


    ¡°Oh, right! By the way, I heard you got assigned to Adele Hall?¡±


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    ¡°Why are you so surprised? What, did you think it wouldn¡¯t happen because of Professor Rockefeller again?¡±


    That was true.


    ¡°Did he just sit back and let it happen this time?¡±


    ¡°You got the Triple Wolf Badge, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s enough, kid.¡±


    Professor Gomon didn¡¯t say it outright, but as expected, it seemed Rockefeller wasn¡¯t happy about it. Still, getting assigned to Adele Hall was thanks to the badge. Since I was recognized by the elders, there wasn¡¯t much choice, even if they didn¡¯t like it. They had to treat me well.


    ¡°But why the long face? I thought you¡¯d be overjoyed, but you seem indifferent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Why was that? I had set my sights on Adele Hall from the very first day, but I didn¡¯t feel particularly happy about it. Moving to a place with better facilities and getting paid more was definitely a good thing. Yet, there was a sense of reluctance deep inside me. The reason was probably¡­


    I looked down from the terrace. Ricks and Bellman were chatting as they made their way to the fortress. Soon after, Silla and Leana joined them. If I went to Adele Hall, Riamon and Edina would be there too.


    Studying alongside those people? I felt the need to reconsider.


    ¡°Will Dorosian stay at Schlaphe Hall?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡­ She¡¯ll probably be sent to follow you¡­ Ahem. Forget I said that.¡±


    Oh no. Just thinking about being in the same space as Dorosian made my heart race and chills run down my spine. Could I even survive among those thorny individuals? The door to Adele Hall was starting to look like the gate to hell.


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 Chapter 152

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Adele Hall anymore.¡±Rockefeller couldn¡¯t close his mouth for a while after hearing Hersel¡¯s words.


    To suddenly show up in the office and say something like this¡­


    ¡°Withdraw your decision.¡±


    Rockefeller collected himself and tried to understand the reason behind Hersel¡¯s reluctance to go to Adele Hall.


    Hersel had plenty of resources, and despite the inconveniences of Schlaphe Hall, he enjoyed almost all the benefits a student at Adele Hall would.


    The prestige of the position or the admiration of the public for Adele Hall wasn¡¯t an issue either. Hersel¡¯s competence had already been proven the moment he hunted the Venomous Viper. On top of that, he recently defeated Kerndel of 1st seat in front of the entire academy.


    Rockefeller¡¯s thoughts became tangled.


    Hersel didn¡¯t see any merit in Adele Hall, and the means to transfer him to the knight division had vanished too.


    But the real headache was elsewhere: if someone with Hersel¡¯s impressive achievements continued to stay at Schlaphe Hall, the professors were bound to face scrutiny.


    Even if they explained that Hersel declined the offer, no one would believe it. Regardless of his accomplishments, public opinion about Hersel was that of a greedy scoundrel.


    Recalling the possibility of a higher authority visiting someday, Rockefeller felt a chill.


    Suddenly, he became curious about Hersel¡¯s true intentions.


    It was strange, upon reflection. Advancing to a higher hall should be advantageous¡ªmore allowances, exemption from the monster defense battles, and the process would be seamless.


    Based on his past experiences with Hersel, Rockefeller could only assume that there was some hidden motive.


    Gathering himself, Rockefeller decided to probe subtly, trying not to show his confusion.


    With a calm expression, he aimed to provoke Hersel a bit and expose his true colors.


    ¡°Realizing your place at this point is commendable. After all, with your skills, the magic division of Adele Hall would be like a pearl necklace on a pig¡¯s neck.¡±


    He expected Hersel to react angrily to this sarcastic remark, but Hersel merely nodded.


    ¡°Indeed. I might fit better at Buerger Hall, but I¡¯m still far below the level of Adele Hall. So, I assume you understand my decision.¡±


    Hersel then turned his back without hesitation, causing Rockefeller to realize he¡¯d made a mistake. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.


    If that was the case, then Hersel must know that the professors would be troubled if he didn¡¯t join Adele Hall. Judging by his confidence, that seemed highly likely.


    Rockefeller¡¯s expression hardened, and he asked directly, ¡°Enough games¡ªwhat¡¯s your real intention?¡±


    Hersel stopped and turned around. ¡°What are you talking about? Games?¡±


    Although Hersel¡¯s face was full of feigned confusion, Rockefeller could only see him as brazen. He let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s your reason? It¡¯s hard to ignore the benefits of Adele Hall to this extent.¡±


    When asked, Hersel lowered his gaze and answered, ¡°I have Limberton and Aslay, who¡¯ve been with me until now. I¡¯d feel guilty to go alone.¡±


    ¡°Those two?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes wavered. Aslay was a martial artist and Limberton an archer¡ªboth skilled, but not aligned with the academy¡¯s formal courses.


    Not wanting to go to Adele Hall alone might sound like loyalty, but it was clearly a demand to promote those two as well.


    As Rockefeller pondered how things had come to this, he let out another sigh.


    ¡°I will write letters of recommendation for Aslay and Limberton. If you understand, you should withdraw your objection.¡±


    This was a major concession, a hundred times more than Rockefeller would usually offer, yet Hersel widened his eyes in surprise.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The sheer audacity of Hersel was astounding. Rockefeller couldn¡¯t figure out what more Hersel wanted, but he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to give in further. His face flushed with anger as he dismissed Hersel from his office.


    ***


    I had intended to stay in Schlaphe Hall under some reasonable-sounding pretext. After all, people¡¯s feelings can change quickly. Initially, there was an advantage to being close to the ¡®scenario,¡¯ but now, there seemed to be more cons than pros. I could already predict how I would be forced into roles meant for side characters at every turn.


    But things had taken a turn for the worse¡ªAslay and Limberton ended up getting promoted to Adele Hall.


    How did it come to this?


    ¡°Was I found out? Considering how extreme the offer was¡­¡±


    Rockefeller seemed to take pleasure in ruining my future. Did he figure out my reluctance to go to Adele Hall? Even if not, he was a sociopath adept at recognizing the pain of others. It was possible he¡¯d sensed it instinctively.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    I found myself walking through the lobby of Schlaphe Hall when I heard hurried footsteps approaching. Several people came rushing toward me, causing me to frown.


    Their attire¡ªsimple black and white garments with a sun emblem on their chests¡ªmarked them as members of the Sun Sect, under the Frostheart faction.


    One man, appearing to be the leader, blocked my path. The others stood silently, smiling, suggesting the man held some rank. He held a book, mostly concealed in his hand, which I assumed to be the sect¡¯s holy scripture.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    My voice carried a hint of irritation. The sect members¡¯ narrowed eyes and faint smiles gave off an unsettling vibe, like cultists ready to ask, ¡°Do you know the truth?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s religious solicitation, get lost.¡±


    Upon my blunt rejection, the man replied in a gentle tone.


    ¡°Oh, we never force religion upon others. Salvation finds those who approach of their own will. Well, considering we¡¯ve discussed our teachings through general culture classes, there¡¯s no need for a lengthy conversation.¡±


    The man held out the book, which I recognized from its cover¡ªit was a novel I had read before. It seemed he¡¯d been mistaken.


    ¡°In fact, Hersel, I came here because I heard you were the one who requested this book.¡±


    ¡°Enjoyed it, huh? So, are you here to thank me?¡±


    The sect members must have grown bored reading only their scriptures, as young people full of energy are bound to explore elsewhere.


    With a shrug, I made a brief suggestion.


    ¡°Why not read a novel instead of scripture in your next culture class? Even the ones who usually doze off might wake up.¡±


    As I tried to walk past the man, the sect members blocked my way again.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°An unwholesome book like this?¡±


    ¡°Unwholesome?¡±


    When I questioned, the man quickly flipped through the book and pointed to certain passages. The protagonist of the novel was a vengeful character who had lost his family to demons. One of the described scenes depicted him abandoning his beliefs and staining his hands with blood:


    >[Helderic thought to himself: soiling his hands was God¡¯s will.]


    >[If so, wouldn¡¯t that make him akin to a demon?]


    >[If God is omnipotent, then it must be true. Both the death of his family and the birth of demons were His intentions. If, however, He offers the excuse that He was unable to prevent it due to His limitations, then He is not omnipotent. Both a demon and a fraud are no different; neither could be called good.]


    Well, that was quite the blasphemous statement. Feeling slightly awkward, I suggested a solution.


    ¡°Just mark it as a prohibited book for your followers.¡±


    The man maintained his smile, though his eyebrows twitched slightly.


    ¡°I think this book should be burned.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there freedom in what one chooses to read? Besides, it was approved by the professors, adhering to their criteria. It¡¯s not a religious issue you should be discussing with me. Take it up with Rockefeller.¡±


    The man fell silent, clearly frustrated.


    As I began to push past them, I paused and turned to ask a question.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re talking about it, I¡¯m curious¡ªif you were the protagonist Helderic in the novel, what would you think?¡±


    The man answered without hesitation.


    ¡°I would consider it all part of God¡¯s will.¡±


    While I am an atheist, I found myself wondering if that might actually be the case. Of course, the god they believed in was a fake one created by ¡®The Eternal Eye,¡¯ the ultimate shadow organization of Asares.


    If a true god existed somewhere and was watching them from afar, then perhaps everything did indeed happen for a reason.


    ¡°Helderic realized that only at the very end.¡±


    I subtly spoiled the ending, and the man seemed slightly less displeased. Since this sect had control over the student council, stirring up unnecessary conflict now would do no good. I felt the need to reduce hostility and establish at least a non-aggression pact.


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t intend to interfere with your religious freedom. As long as you don¡¯t cause me any trouble, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    With that, I left.


    ***


    The next day, 11:00 a.m.


    In the Schlaphe Hall magic division classroom, the students were anxiously whispering among themselves. The topic was the upcoming promotions.


    ¡°Man, I¡¯d be satisfied just getting into Buerger Hall.¡±


    ¡°They say if you don¡¯t perform well in the first semester of your first year, it takes forever to get promoted. Some even stay here until graduation¡­¡±


    ¡°The results come out today, right? Ah, I¡¯m so nervous I could die.¡±


    Even the old professor, who usually lectured diligently, seemed to understand the significance of the moment and let it slide. It was a crucial event, after all.


    Dorosian closed her book with a disgruntled look. As expected, it wasn¡¯t a textbook but a genre novel.


    ¡°Ugh, shut up. Why all the fuss?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s promotion day. Of course, people are excited. Moving to Buerger Hall means better allowances and more benefits.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Things aren¡¯t that bad here, except for not being able to leave.¡±


    Assigned to Schlaphe Hall but enjoying all its perks, Dorosian spoke with obvious privilege.


    ¡°Well, you only attend classes here, so you wouldn¡¯t know. But Schlaphe Hall is far from comfortable¡ªits dorms are shabby, to say the least.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Dorosian, uninterested, reopened her book. Despite the persistent noise around her, she seemed determined to keep reading.


    I, who was diligently attending class, sighed and glanced at the elderly professor sitting in his chair. He seemed resigned to the fact that today¡¯s lesson was a bust.


    ¡°I was paying attention, though¡­¡±


    With no other choice, I pulled out a genre novel of my own. Suddenly, Dorosian glanced sideways at my book, her lips curling into a sly smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve read that one before. The ending is¡ª¡±


    Where did she get the nerve to spoil it?


    ¡°The protagonist dies?¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s unimpressed expression softened, and she asked, ¡°Rereading something you¡¯ve already read?¡±


    ¡°Reading it a second time has its own charm. Knowing the ending makes the foreshadowing stand out more.¡±


    I looked away from her and focused on my reading. For a while, the only sounds were scattered conversations and the turning of pages.


    Eventually, the bell rang. It was lunchtime, but instead of heading to the cafeteria, the students moved toward the bulletin board. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There wasn¡¯t much of a surprise in the results. As expected, I, along with Aslay, Limberton, Dorosian, Ricks, and Gravel, were assigned to Adele Hall. Ricks¡¯s remaining gang members were promoted to Buerger Hall.


    A faint chuckle escaped me.


    Now that I think about it, I remember making a vow on the first day of admission. I had angrily declared in my room at Schlaphe Hall that I would make it to Adele Hall. It felt a bit nostalgic now.


    ***


    A grand carriage moved toward a massive gate. Soldiers, clad in armor as if freshly made, marched with squared steps to clear the way.


    ¡°Lord Gillem has arrived. Open the gate!¡±


    At the commander¡¯s warm greeting, Gillem smiled broadly and waved from the carriage window. As the carriage entered the palace, attendants approached respectfully and opened the door, allowing Gillem to step onto the ground.


    He continued mulling over his thoughts, which had occupied him throughout the journey.


    Privately, Gillem agreed with their opinions. To place a ruffian on the same level as a great figure of the past was indeed laughable.


    However, if there was even the slightest chance of something disrupting their peace, wouldn¡¯t it be better to keep a close watch?


    Gillem suddenly recalled a memory he had set aside.


    ¡°Heh heh heh. Oh, right.¡±


    Lady Derevian, who had used Tenest¡¯s name as her shield. The red-haired woman had fled to that very place.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 153

    In the evening, an owl that had woken up early started to hoot. I walked while gazing at the light streaming from the window glass. Limberton and Aslay, who were beside me, wore expressions of bewilderment.¡°¡­Really, are we going to Adele Hall?¡± Limberton, still unable to believe it, even pinched his cheek.


    I asked for his thoughts.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s true. So, how do you feel?¡±  S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Well? I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy or not. Considering the intensity of the lessons there, it might be too much for me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. It¡¯s the same for Aslay. Both of you didn¡¯t fare that well in the regular classes at Schlaphe Hall, remember?¡±


    The regular courses don¡¯t teach archery or hand-to-hand combat. Apart from strategies for dealing with monsters or survival skills in the wilderness, there¡¯s not much that would be helpful.


    ¡°Still, since we¡¯re entering Adele Hall, make sure to focus more during the after-school lessons.¡±


    Aslay nodded, looking at me with a sense of admiration.


    Then Limberton shared some surprising news.


    ¡°Oh, right. My bow¡¯s been acting weird lately.¡±


    ¡°Weird? How so?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hard to explain. The arrows are noticeably faster. Even the instructor was surprised. He asked if I had done something because the bow¡¯s tension hadn¡¯t changed.¡±


    Without changing the bowstring, the projectile speed had increased¡ªquite a surprise.


    [Blessing of the Wandering Wind ]


    -Fame and honor are things that one must let go of eventually. The only thing that stays with you throughout life is yourself. The blessing provides wind corrections to improve accuracy. It detects targets through sound waves.


    Traits:


    ¡ó Sharpshooter ¡ó


    ¡ó Hawk Eye ¡ó


    Although Limberton¡¯s shooting skills were already superior to those of ordinary archers, this development was unexpected. It seemed to be a precursor to an additional attribute called the ¡°Vacuum Bow,¡± which creates a vacuum ahead of the arrow¡¯s path, allowing it to travel faster and farther without air resistance.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good news. Usually, when I infuse aura into the bow, it dissipates quickly, but now the range has increased to reach the target before it fades?¡±


    What is this guy? When did he grow so much? This ability only manifests when one starts overcoming their own complexes.


    ¡°Limberton, by any chance, have you experienced anything unusual recently?¡±


    I asked indirectly, and Limberton raised his gaze and let out a sigh. After thinking for a moment, his mood seemed to dampen, and he lowered the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Should I call it a turning point? There was one incident.¡±


    ¡°A turning point?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say, but remember about a month ago, when the professors accidentally released a strange sleep gas throughout the academy? Everyone had vivid dreams.¡±


    Was he talking about the Irte Incident, the Nightmare Phantom?


    ¡°I had a weird dream where Serda rejected me, and Silla appeared.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he had a lucid dream or was just caught in a complete fantasy. If it were a lucid dream, it would mean he actually faced Silla¡­


    ¡°Anyway, she got on my nerves, so I got angry. I said some embarrassing things, but it felt liberating, as if I was reflecting on myself.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s expression, usually lighthearted, showed a hint of self-acceptance. It seemed he was finally overcoming his deeply hidden self-deprecation. Once he fully overcomes it, Limberton¡¯s blessing will fully bloom.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing,¡± I complimented, and Limberton laughed sheepishly. Aslay chimed in as well.


    ¡°You are a proud friend, Limberton. Tonight, I will pray for the great blessing of nature to be bestowed upon you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that.¡±


    While we were chatting, we arrived at the main gate of Schlaphe Hall. Limberton spoke wistfully.


    ¡°So this is it. Just when I was getting used to it, I¡¯m sad to think about moving out.¡±


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯re graduating or something. You can always visit.¡±


    I replied nonchalantly and stepped into the lobby, where the voices of Schlaphe Hall residents could be heard as they set up the tables and laid out the food they had prepared.


    ¡°This time, it¡¯s a bit grander, huh? Did they collect a lot of membership fees?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Thanks to Hersel, the financial situation has improved a lot compared to before. It¡¯s only right to show some gratitude. Ah, of course, we should also celebrate the efforts of the others.¡±


    This was a modest celebration that took place at the end of every term, organized for the students leaving for either Buerger Hall or Adele Hall.


    ¡°Oh, Hersel!¡±


    Athera spotted me and quickly approached. Then, in a sly tone, she whispered in my ear,


    ¡°I managed to bring in some moonshine this time. Want to try?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not touching alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Tsk. How boring.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a farewell party, so the atmosphere was more like a casual get-together. As everyone grabbed a bottle, the dorm warden, who had been watching, sighed and shook his head. But seeing his faint smile as he walked away suggested he¡¯d let it slide for the day.


    Sitting down and taking a sip of water, I scanned the crowd of noisy revelers. Have I gotten attached to them somehow? I suddenly felt a slight reluctance to leave.


    ***


    All first-year students of Adele Hall gathered in the lobby, chatting away. Displeased by the sight, Kerndel of 1st seat scowled as he passed by.


    ¡°They¡¯re making the dormitory chaotic. Are they asking for discipline or something?¡±


    His cronies from the Ten Elites chimed in.


    ¡°See? This is why too much leniency is a problem.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Isn¡¯t there anything to restrict them?¡±


    Overhearing this, Silla furrowed her brows.


    Despite being defeated by the Tenest Triplets, their power remained intact. Although their tyranny hadn¡¯t worsened, their unpleasant nature persisted. Kerndel seemed intent on enforcing discipline as he started walking toward us. But before he could get closer, Emeric and Bernthal stepped in his path.


    Bernthal, the Adele Hall dorm representative, spoke.


    ¡°A lot of changes are coming soon, so let them have some discussions in advance.¡±


    ¡°¡­Bernthal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Kerndel sighed and turned away, his followers trailing behind. As they walked, 4th seat Amenda waved in their direction. It was clear that the greeting was meant for Erucel, the 7th seat.


    Silla glared at Erucel with a face full of annoyance.


    ¡°Well, well? What are you smiling about?¡±


    ¡°Ahem. I wasn¡¯t smiling. I was just returning the gesture.¡±


    Erucel tried to play it off casually, but to a woman¡¯s eyes, his fluster was evident.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    Silla sighed, finding Erucel pathetic. After finally taking back the Top Ten from them, Hersel and Mircel had relinquished their positions without hesitation. They could have reshaped policies entirely for the first-years, yet they chose a lukewarm approach and simply left.


    Of course, she had already heard the reason long ago.


    ¡ªBut, senior, why are you still allowing them to do as they please?


    She once asked Emeric that question, to which he replied,


    ¡ªIs there something wrong with your current situation? I believe we¡¯ve improved it enough.


    ¡ªThat¡¯s true, but you could still eliminate the discipline drills altogether.


    ¡ªOh? Hmm, I suppose it¡¯s about time to say this.


    Following that conversation, Emeric called a meeting for the first-years.


    ¡ªListen up. What I¡¯m about to say is what Hersel wanted to convey in response to your complaints.


    She was anxious, but only for a moment. Hersel¡¯s message turned out to be incredibly deflating.


    ¡ªIf you don¡¯t like it, become the Top Ten yourselves. That¡¯s all.


    The rest was left for them to figure out on their own. Emeric then explained Hersel¡¯s intentions.


    ¡ªHersel clearly wants you to find your own way through this. So, honor his intentions and focus on your training.


    As Silla watched Kerndel¡¯s group leave, her resolve burned within her. Hersel¡¯s decision felt a bit heartless, but when it came down to it, they were the real root of the problem. The anger needed to be directed at them.


    Apparently, others felt the same. Many glared at Kerndel¡¯s back with blazing eyes.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve chased away the intruders, so we¡¯ll take our leave,¡± Bernthal said as he and Emeric departed.


    Once the small commotion settled, the previous topics of conversation resurfaced.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so frustrating. I¡¯m getting demoted. I¡¯ll have to start the second semester at Buerger Hall.¡±


    ¡°Keeping your spot is no easy feat. The competition is fierce.¡±


    Some were moving to Buerger Hall. Having built bonds during their time together, the mood was full of regret about the impending separation. It was Bellman who consoled them.


    ¡°Do your best in the second semester. As long as you meet certain criteria, they¡¯ll expand the dormitory slots.¡±


    Adele Hall¡¯s original capacity was 26 students. This number was actually a minimum, as there were plenty of vacant rooms in the dormitory. In previous semesters, anyone who made it into the top 26, even if their scores fell short, was allowed to stay as a stopgap measure. As long as their scores were within Adele Hall¡¯s cutoff, they could remain, regardless of additional capacity.


    As Bellman offered his words of encouragement, Silla glanced over at Leana.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only natural that Hersel will come to Adele Hall. How do you feel about that?¡±


    Teasingly, Silla brought it up, and Leana averted her gaze.


    Silla teased as she leaned in closer.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? It¡¯s different from usual.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just because you¡¯re teasing me,¡± Leana replied, trying to avoid Silla¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting really suspicious.¡±


    With a playful glint in her eyes, Silla glanced up at Leana, who shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that everything will be different from the usual environment, and that¡¯s something you can only understand once you¡¯re there. It¡¯s a bit confusing, that¡¯s all¡­¡±


    Leana was talking more than usual, and it was clear she was slightly flustered. Silla considered teasing her further, but Leana quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°I heard Limberton is coming too. I guess the atmosphere at Adele Hall will change a lot.¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±


    Silla cleared her throat and fell silent. Since the dream incident, she felt uneasy around Limberton. She was worried that he might discover the events of the dream were real. But as long as everyone kept their mouths shut, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    ¡°Aslay, Ricks, and even that girl with no presence¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, that barbarian. But who¡¯s this girl with no presence?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m sure I know her, but her name¡­ Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. If you can¡¯t remember, then you can¡¯t.¡±


    Silla stopped Leana, who was trying to strain her memory. In reality, there was no major concern about those students coming to Adele Hall. The real problem was just one person.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s Dorosian. The others aren¡¯t much of a concern. We just need to be wary of her.¡±


    As soon as Silla mentioned Dorosian, a wave of fearful reactions came from the others.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°D-Dorosian¡­¡±


    Many among them had suffered at Dorosian¡¯s hands before, making their reactions unsurprising. Those from noble families were familiar with the Grice Ducal House, and it was common for their children to encounter each other.


    ¡°Ugh, I wonder if normal classes are even possible.¡±


    ¡°Still, hasn¡¯t she been quieter here? Maybe she¡¯s matured?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. She¡¯s just suppressing it for now, but her twisted nature will resurface someday.¡±


    As the concerns about Dorosian grew, Bellman intervened.


    ¡°I think you can rest easy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Ricks that she¡¯s been really quiet in the Schlaphe Magic Department. As long as you don¡¯t provoke her, it should be fine.¡±


    The suspicion remained, largely because Bellman didn¡¯t explain the reasoning.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, yet I ended up buried underground.¡±


    ¡°Same here. I was just passing by, and she forced me into a doll-dress-up session!¡±


    ¡°And you say it¡¯s safe? You only think that because you¡¯ve never experienced it.¡±


    The victims recounted their traumatic encounters, trembling as they remembered the bizarre incidents, like locking glasses with a magical seal or attempting to launch someone into the sky with a weight-reduction spell. However, the mention of a certain name by Bellman quickly calmed the atmosphere.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Hersel is here.¡±


    The anxious expressions relaxed, and they glanced at each other.


    ¡°So, what about Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Well? Does he keep Dorosian in check with his strength? Is that why it¡¯s been peaceful so far¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. I¡¯ve seen them talking a few times, and it didn¡¯t seem like a coercive relationship or anything.¡±


    Bellman, relying on what he¡¯d heard from Ricks, continued,


    ¡°Apparently, Hersel is the only one in the Schlaphe Magic Department who talks to Dorosian. They¡¯ve even started joking around lately, so I think it¡¯s thanks to him that things have been quiet.¡±


    In short, Hersel acted as a mediator, suppressing Dorosian¡¯s chaos. Silla had already heard this from Ricks, so there was no need for her to listen further. She half-listened while making small talk with Leana.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re still not going to tell me what kind of dream you had back then?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve told you several times, Silla. It was just an ordinary dream.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s just that you never give any details, and that makes me curious.¡±


    While they were chatting, someone approached them. Looking up, they saw Kerndel grinning slyly. He scanned the area like a conspirator before speaking, evidently relieved that Bernthal and Emeric were not around.


    ¡°Talking in such a public place, huh? It seems you¡¯re asking for some punishment.¡±


    What nonsense. They were the ones blocking the meeting hall. Moreover, the warden had given permission for this gathering, so there was nothing that could be used against them.


    Tension filled the lobby as the unwelcome visitor arrived. Just as Bellman was about to step forward, footsteps echoed from the entrance.


    ¡°Wow, the facilities here are really something. Gravel, wasn¡¯t your house similar to this?¡±


    ¡°Hm, sort of similar, Ricks.¡±


    ¡°Aslay, is that all the luggage you have?¡±


    ¡°I do not indulge in excess, Limberton.¡±


    It was Hersel and his group, carrying large bags. Hersel led the way and approached Kerndel, who instinctively stepped back in surprise.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°I heard something about punishment earlier.¡±


    Hersel leaned in toward Kerndel with a menacing glare.


    ¡°Senior, do we need to receive it too?¡±


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    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 154

    ¡°Senior, do we need to receive it too?¡±At Hersel¡¯s words, Kerndel scanned the first-year students, trying to gauge their reactions.


    They all seemed to be watching, as if waiting to see how he would respond.


    A wave of inner conflict surged within him.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to decide whether to maintain his stern demeanor or retreat and bear the humiliation.


    Kerndel made up his mind and looked at Hersel.


    After all, his pride as a first-class upperclassman was at stake¡ªhe couldn¡¯t just surrender.


    As he was about to stand firm, Hersel approached with a displeased expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s, uh!¡±


    The moment Hersel¡¯s face got close, Kerndel¡¯s side started to throb. It was the same spot where Hersel had hit him with his staff before.


    ¡°What? Just make up your mind already. So I know whether to shower later or not. Is that it? Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The irritation in Hersel¡¯s voice was clear.


    Kerndel, startled, took a step back.


    But simply walking away like that felt too humiliating.


    He had to at least save a bit of face.


    ¡°Ahem, it was my mistake. We just welcomed the newcomers, and yet I suggested discipline on such a joyful day. I admit that was thoughtless. Let¡¯s just pretend I never mentioned it.¡±


    Though he tried to appear magnanimous, the whispers behind him were irritating.


    ¡°Look, he¡¯s trying to act all serious again.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. As soon as he opens his mouth, it¡¯s all just bravado.¡±


    Embarrassed, Kerndel quickly retreated.


    Once he reached a place where no one could see him, he couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear.


    How did it come to this?


    For someone who once reigned supreme at Frost Heart, to end up so pathetically was a pitiful sight indeed.


    S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kerndel wiped away his tears and watched Hersel pack his bags with resentment in his eyes.


    At the same time, his fingers trembled.


    The main issue was that Hersel had moved in here.


    Kerndel realized that a dark future awaited him.


    How could he manage to graduate peacefully, now that this demon was living right under the same roof?


    ***


    Today was spent exploring the changes in the new living environment.


    In terms of facilities, it was far more luxurious than the Schlaphe Hall.


    The furniture was of excellent quality, and there was not only a private shower but also a bathrobe provided.


    Laundry and cleaning were handled by servants who managed the dormitories.


    Additional benefits included no longer needing to carry around a safety mirror to avoid paranormal incidents, as well as having access to facilities for watching music or theater performances.


    And perhaps the best part was that, unlike the cramped rooms of the Schlaphe Hall, this place was very spacious.


    But at this moment, that spaciousness was a disadvantage.


    ¡°So, this is Hersel¡¯s room, huh?¡±


    Limberton grinned as he spoke.


    Lying on my bed, I looked around at the men sitting in a circle on the floor.


    Besides Limberton, Ricks, Bellman, Aslay, and Riamon were all in my room.


    ¡°How¡¯s the atmosphere at the Adele Hall?¡±


    ¡°The living conditions are pretty good, and I think the classes will be better than Schlaphe¡¯s.¡±


    Bellman replied to Ricks¡¯ question.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that big frame of yours make it inconvenient to move around?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt that way. Guess that means it¡¯s not inconvenient.¡±


    Riamon gazed silently at his thin arms, while Aslay flexed his muscles.


    The intruders started chatting away without paying any mind to the room¡¯s owner.


    Their topics ranged from the general atmosphere of Adele Hall to how its classes differed from those at Schlaphe Hall, beginning as questions and ending with answers.


    It was a fairly useful Q&A session, so I didn¡¯t want to interrupt.


    But why had these guys taken over my room? I didn¡¯t recall inviting them¡­


    ¡°Since the classes here are generally more advanced, you¡¯ll probably need to take supplementary lessons. There may be subjects you haven¡¯t covered yet, so you¡¯ll need to put in extra effort to catch up.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s words seemed bitter enough to prompt a heavy sigh from Aslay and Limberton.


    Ricks, who was fairly bright, didn¡¯t seem too burdened by this aspect.


    The discussion then shifted to things to be cautious about.


    ¡°Buerger Hall was supposedly ordinary, and Schlaphe Hall was said to be quite liberal, right? Well, you should be careful. The dormitory rules in Adele Hall are strict.¡±


    Since Adele Hall held a certain level of prestige, there were many regulations to follow.


    Curfew was strict, any behavior that violated decorum resulted in demerits, and privileges at the facility were reserved for upperclassmen.


    Bellman meticulously listed things to watch out for, but one particular rule was emphasized with a serious expression.


    ¡°By the way, many of the seniors here are devout believers. Be mindful of your words so as not to offend them.¡±


    Most of the second- and third-years were deeply involved with the student council.


    While some genuinely held religious beliefs, many were simply drawn to the various benefits offered by the council.


    These included financial support and, for those with limited social skills, the comfort of group activities that alleviated loneliness.


    ¡°Maybe I should consider joining a religion too,¡± Limberton mused, prompting Bellman to shake his head.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend it. For some reason, I feel like my head would start to get weird even if I only dipped my toes in.¡±


    Riamon, with a sullen expression, agreed.


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s definitely that kind of atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already worried. Last year, the second-years probably viewed the order just like we do now. It seems we¡¯ll be gradually influenced over time.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s perspective was surprisingly broad.


    So, over time, one becomes influenced.


    If the student council hadn¡¯t been the enemy, the current first-years might have followed suit.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve conveyed everything that needs to be said. Now, let me ask a question. Do you know anything about the remaining student in the Special Wing?¡±


    Bellman asked while looking at me.


    ¡°Are you referring to the last remaining man¡­?¡±


    There were a total of five students in the Special Wing.


    The Luon gang comprised four members, leaving only one man currently remaining.


    Rumors about him surfaced occasionally after the Luon subjugation, but they quickly faded due to his lack of presence.


    ¡°Yeah, he rarely attends classes. I heard that even the professors¡¯ strict punishments have no effect.¡±


    Given the past offenses of those from the Special Wing, it seemed like there was considerable concern about this individual.


    It was only natural to be wary.


    I knew the man¡¯s identity, but I decided to feign ignorance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s strange that we, who reside in the fort, haven¡¯t seen him, so it would be even stranger if you at Schlaphe Hall knew him.¡±


    ¡°Is it even worth worrying about right now? We¡¯ll meet him anyway once we become second-years.¡±


    ¡°True enough. I heard that after spending a year in the Special Wing, you¡¯re freed. We¡¯ll find out by then.¡±


    Bellman accepted the reasoning easily. Then, as if recalling another student to keep an eye on, he brought up another topic.


    ¡°In that case, the most concerning problem is Dorosian.¡±


    Bellman looked at me and asked, ¡°Hersel, what should we be careful about regarding Dorosian?¡±


    I blinked slowly.


    What was there to be cautious about? Hmm.


    ¡°Why are you asking me about that?¡±


    ¡°According to Ricks, you¡¯re the only one who talks to Dorosian.¡±


    I was momentarily speechless.


    These guys seemed to think of me as some kind of beast tamer.


    Dorosian was a woman who might reveal her true nature at any moment.


    At Frost Heart, she wasn¡¯t exactly an ally. She was a potential villain who could disrupt the scenario if things went south.


    I, too, was hoping she wouldn¡¯t cause trouble, watching her warily.


    Still, if there was any reassurance I could offer, it was this:


    ¡°It seems you all have a prejudice against Dorosian.¡±


    Everyone was nodding in agreement.


    For some reason, no one approached her, as if she exuded a terrifying aura.


    But in reality, there wasn¡¯t much to it.


    The rumors and stories of those who had faced her were mere illusions.


    So I spoke with confidence.


    ¡°Why not muster up a bit of courage and approach her? Who knows? You might end up building a normal friendship and having a smooth school life.¡±


    ¡°Hersel, Ricks told us that when he tried that, he ended up hypnotized into a frog for an hour.¡±


    At Bellman¡¯s remark, Ricks let out a deep sigh, as if recalling a traumatic memory.


    I smirked at the sight, reminded of the time I tried to mess with him.


    ¨C ¡°She wants to be friends. She¡¯d like to share meals and have casual sparring matches to enjoy academy life. It seems she¡¯s taken a liking to you all. So, let go of your prejudices and try approaching her. Then, you can have fun together, laughing and talking.¡±


    Haha, they really believed that.


    ***


    The scent of incense filled the room.


    A book lay on the table.


    A vivid crimson sun symbol was engraved at the center of the black book¡¯s cover, intense enough to nearly melt it.


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be aiming for a hostile relationship with us,¡± said the man standing across the table.


    The man seated at the head of the table looked up at him with a benevolent expression.


    He had soft eyes and was a promising candidate to be the next student council president.


    Ders, the current student council president, tapped the Bible with his index finger.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The man, seeing Ders¡¯ reaction, let out a lifeless smile.


    ¡°It seems so. Just look at how he immediately ceded the first-rank position to Kerndel. If he were truly ambitious for power, he wouldn¡¯t have made that decision.¡±


    Ders nodded at the man¡¯s words.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    As the student council president, he was well aware of Hersel¡¯s actions.


    At that time, Ders had naturally been considering the benefits and was ready to discard Kerndel.


    In fact, there was no need to weigh the options.


    From the moment a new power emerged, Kerndel¡¯s value had diminished.


    No amount of money or strategy could have enabled a fool like him to win.


    ¡°It¡¯s good news that he isn¡¯t hostile, but it¡¯s still a bit disappointing. Establishing new relations didn¡¯t seem like such a bad idea.¡±


    In truth, Hersel had no interest in the position.


    The clash between him and the Ten Elites had been sparked by a simple dispute.


    While he wanted to take advantage of the situation, there was a reason he couldn¡¯t.


    The official, finding this strange, asked in a curious tone, ¡°But why are you interested in him? We¡¯ve already concluded internally that there¡¯s nothing significant to connect us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you remain interested in him.¡±


    Hearing the official¡¯s question, Ders ran a hand through his hair.


    ¡°The truth is, an order came directly from the Ecclesiastical Headquarters.¡±


    As soon as the name of the Headquarters was mentioned, the official¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°From the Headquarters?¡±


    Ders¡¯ inner thoughts were no different from the official¡¯s reaction.


    The Ecclesiastical Headquarters was the core institution of the order.


    Even the most promising members sent to the academy were still considered mere believers.


    It wasn¡¯t the kind of place that would normally issue direct orders without any intermediary.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon to be surprised. In fact, it¡¯s not just Hersel Ben Tenest they¡¯re interested in. They¡¯ve also ordered surveillance of Leana Rel Derevian, a first-year knight in Adele Hall.¡±


    ¡°Leana¡­ Wait, what on earth is the Headquarters thinking?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either. I have no idea what their intentions are, but what choice do we have? Orders are orders.¡±


    Ders sighed, then glanced at the wall clock and rose from his seat.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s already this late. Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    As the two men left the student council room, the curtains fluttered.


    Even though the window was closed, the movement continued.


    Soon, the curtain was suddenly pulled aside, revealing a man hanging from the curtain rod.


    It was Emeric.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Emeric carefully stepped down to the floor and looked at the door Ders had exited through.


    ¡°I was trying to dig up some potential weaknesses, but it seems I¡¯ve eavesdropped on a rather significant affair.¡±


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 155

    ¡°They told them to keep an eye on you from the Church¡¯s headquarters?¡±Emeric¡¯s sudden words threw my thoughts into chaos.


    The Church headquarters¡­ Isn¡¯t that the core of the Sun¡¯s Order? There¡¯s no reason for them to take interest in me.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, and Emeric offered a tentative guess.


    ¡°It¡¯s just my personal opinion, but perhaps they heard the rumors about you and got curious.¡±


    ¡°Rumors?¡±


    ¡°You survived the breath of the strange bird. You also distinguished yourself during the Demonic Realm training; they must have heard of it as well.¡±


    How long has it been since that incident, and they¡¯re still bringing it up? I¡¯m sick of it.


    ¡°It does sound plausible, but if that were the case, they would¡¯ve acted sooner. Why take interest only now? It seems quite unnatural.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Hersel, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t thought the same. But beyond that, I can¡¯t think of any other reason.¡±


    Emeric¡¯s reasoning made sense. Fine, let¡¯s try to think positively. It¡¯s unlikely that the Sun¡¯s Order¡¯s core entity, the final mastermind, ¡®The Eye of Eternity,¡¯ is involved. It must just be a regular high-ranking old man at the Church headquarters, suffering from dementia, who suddenly recalled the strange bird incident and took an interest in me. That has to be it.


    But as always, reality was far from comforting.


    ¡°Moreover, they said to keep an eye on Leana Rel Derevian as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you should¡¯ve mentioned from the start.¡±


    If it were just about me, that would be one thing, but watching over Leana as well? It was clear that Gillem, one of the Reincarnators, was involved. That pervert had his eye on Leana for a while now.


    I wondered why they were making such a move at this point, but the answer came to me quickly.


    It was likely because of me, Hersel Ben Tenest, the eldest son and supposed fianc¨¦ who wasn¡¯t originally meant to exist.


    In fact, I had subtly anticipated this when I decided to step into the Frost Heart. It was something that could¡¯ve happened at any moment. What I thought would pass quietly finally came to the surface.


    But given how shocking the news was at the start, there was something I couldn¡¯t quite process.


    ¡°By the way, how do you know all this, Senior?¡± I asked, and Emeric chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard to find out. Don¡¯t worry about it and focus on figuring out how to respond.¡±


    Did he happen to overhear it by chance? No, I doubt they would casually mention such matters in passing. It was obvious that he had intentionally spied on them, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d answer even if I asked. And since he seemed to be helping, it was better not to criticize him.


    ¡°Anyway, thanks for letting me know.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve delivered the message, so I¡¯ll be off.¡±


    Emeric left, looking satisfied. I wasn¡¯t sure why he was helping me, but I decided to let it slide as something good.


    Yet, for some reason, I found myself looking at his back with an uneasy feeling.


    ¨C Come to think of it, that guy doesn¡¯t seem entirely normal either. Could he be planning something?


    * * *


    The next day, after hearing Emeric¡¯s words, I walked down the hallway towards the lecture hall.


    Was it just my imagination? I wasn¡¯t sure if I was being overly sensitive, but I felt eyes on me from time to time.


    Well, I just ignored it with the attitude of ¡®let them look all they want.¡¯ People like me, who live without any faults, have nothing to worry about.


    Today was the first class at the Adele Hall¡¯s Department of Magic. Feeling a sense of anticipation, I continued walking until the lecture hall came into view.


    Then, I bumped into Dorosian.


    ¡°Hm? I thought you¡¯d skip class, but you¡¯re here,¡± I commented, replacing a greeting with surprise. Dorosian replied with a sullen expression.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been a bit too casual with me lately?¡±


    ¡°Disappointed to hear that. I thought we¡¯d built a bit of a rapport,¡± I replied, feigning disappointment.


    Dorosian simply responded with a flat ¡°Really?¡± and entered the lecture hall. I followed behind her.


    Voices could be heard, coming from our classmates who had arrived earlier. They glanced at Dorosian and me before quickly averting their gaze. I ignored their reactions and kept walking.


    I scanned for a suitable seat and made my way over, inadvertently passing Dorosian. She stood still, simply observing the other students.


    I asked bluntly, ¡°Are you planning to skip class?¡±


    Dorosian didn¡¯t say much, so I just shrugged and sat down. A few seconds later, she settled into a seat not too far from mine, blurting out an unnecessary comment.


    ¡°The view from the back is actually pretty good.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s your angle?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. I just felt like messing up your class today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    I had already prepared for this class by reviewing the Syllabus with Bellman, so she could try all she wanted.


    As I took out my textbook, Professor Gomon entered the room. He scanned my face with a sly expression before greeting the students.


    ¡°Nice to meet you all. My name is Gomon Gel Afran. Just call me Professor Gomon.¡±


    With his brief introduction over, the lesson began. It was the first day of the second semester, so there was nothing particularly intense.


    ¡°Today¡¯s lecture will cover the Awakening of Senses. I¡¯ll be explaining the basics.¡±


    After Professor Gomon announced the topic, a female student raised a question.


    ¡°Excuse me? Didn¡¯t we already learn this at the end of the first semester?¡±


    ¡°There are newcomers this semester. We have to cover the basics. For those of you who were here from the start at Adele Hall, consider it a review.¡±


    The woman nodded in understanding, and Professor Gomon opened his book with a satisfied smile.


    It was all information I already knew, and the basics weren¡¯t worth paying much attention to.


    ¡°The Awakening of Senses is closely related to the nervous system. Our ability to see, for example, is thanks to the optic nerve. Each sensory organ is connected by nerves. Severe damage could cause blindness or deafness.¡±


    Just as mana is sensed through the five senses, the nervous system is crucial in magic.


    ¡°But even a blind mage can manifest visualization magic. How do you think that happens, when the optic nerve is completely deteriorated?¡±


    However, even with damage, it doesn¡¯t greatly impact magic.


    The reason is¡­


    ¡°Because the mana pathways remain intact. Even if the nerves are damaged, mana within the body can still be transmitted to the eyes.¡±


    Once senses are awakened, mana itself creates new pathways in the nerves solely for magical manifestation.


    ¡°The nerves may get severed, but they¡¯ll recover quickly, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±


    The following explanations covered the principles of sense awakening. It wasn¡¯t a hands-on class, so I only half-listened.


    But aside from me and Dorosian, the rest of the students scribbled notes vigorously. I could even hear small murmurs here and there.


    ¡°Is it a habit? Why are they writing when it¡¯s just a review?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Refreshing what you¡¯ve learned isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±


    It made sense for Ricks and Gravel since this was new for them, but even the Adele Hall students, who already knew it, were taking the class earnestly.


    Despite the diligent atmosphere, Dorosian only looked at the students with a vacant expression.


    ¡°They all live such boring lives.¡±


    Her voice was dripping with boredom.


    ¡°It¡¯s different from Schlaphe Hall,¡± I responded.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t the answer she was expecting. Despite my effort to respond, Dorosian remained silent. I wondered if she was reminiscing about the past.


    The Grice family is a renowned magical lineage. Due to the family¡¯s educational policy, its descendants face constant competition. Maybe she was seeing her former self, studying endlessly with her sisters, in these students.


    Dorosian remained quiet for a while. Not wanting to intrude on her thoughts, I casually flipped through the pages of the textbook to review what we¡¯d be learning.


    ¡°By the way, did you feel anything strange while coming down the stairs today?¡±


    Hearing her voice, I turned my head. Dorosian, resting her chin on her hand, was looking in my direction.


    ¡°Strange? How so?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I have a habit of counting the steps when I go down the stairs. Just as a way to pass the time.¡±


    ¡°¡­You must be really bored.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was. But today was a little different. The number of steps was off.¡±


    Sensing something, I asked cautiously, ¡°Are you saying the stairs got longer?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? It was only three steps more, but still. If it increased, then it increased.¡±


    ¡°You sure you didn¡¯t miscount?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, maybe. Could be.¡±


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t bother to double-check?¡±


    ¡°Right. Because that would mean climbing all the way back up again, and I didn¡¯t want to waste the effort of coming down.¡±


    It made sense. Unless someone was obsessive, most people wouldn¡¯t go that far.


    ¡°So, how about this¡ªwant to count together after class?¡± Dorosian proposed.


    I squinted my eyes halfway and echoed the words she had said to me before entering the lecture hall.


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been a bit too casual with me lately?¡±


    Dorosian smirked, as if amused.


    Just then, Professor Gomon pointed at us. It seemed he had heard us talking from across the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first day, but you two should at least try to focus.¡±


    Dorosian retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve already awakened all five senses.¡±


    ¡°Mm, maybe so, but Hersel hasn¡¯t, right?¡±


    I replied this time, ¡°When awakening a new sense, the internal body undergoes certain phenomena¡ªvascular expansion and contraction, significant energy consumption, accompanied by mild headaches. The reason for this is that it takes immense energy to form mana channels within the nerves, and the body mutates to adapt to the changed internal environment.¡±


    The Adele Hall students stared at me with their mouths agape. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing their enthusiasm for revisiting this material, I summarized it in my head and explained it in a simpler way to help them understand.


    When I was about to elaborate on the last topic of the day, Professor Gomon stopped me.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough, kid. Just let them nap if they want.¡±


    He said this with a tone of irritation before resuming the lesson.


    * * *


    After class, Dorosian and I reached the stairs in question. Even if I didn¡¯t want to, there wasn¡¯t much choice.


    The staircase lay between the dormitory and the lecture hall. Since it was rumored to have some hidden mechanism, it was worth checking out.


    Dorosian, ascending the stairs, spoke.


    ¡°Usually there are 150 steps. But when I counted today, there were 153.¡±


    I lowered my gaze, inspecting each step, as it was uncomfortable to look up at her swaying figure.


    We reached the landing near the entrance while counting the steps. Dorosian announced her count.


    ¡°159¡­ Did I miscount?¡±


    Her voice was filled with self-doubt.


    But it wasn¡¯t a mistake. It matched my count exactly.


    ¡°I got 159 steps too.¡±


    ¡°What could it be? Maybe it was always 159 steps, and I just miscounted before?¡±


    ¡°How about counting again on the way down?¡±


    I began descending, counting each step once more. Behind me, I could hear Dorosian muttering under her breath.


    ¡°13, 14¡­¡±


    This time, she was determined not to make a single mistake, vocalizing each number clearly.


    ¡°158, 159? 160¡­ 168, 169, 170?¡±


    The number of steps had visibly increased.


    Dorosian ran her hand along the wall, intrigued.


    ¡°Could it be that the steps increase when you use the staircase? Fascinating.¡±


    She seemed excited, but this was definitely not a good sign.


    This staircase was once a prison designed to trap intruders long ago.


    There were only two reasons it would be activated: it was malfunctioning due to age, or someone had triggered it intentionally. It certainly wasn¡¯t the former, as this phenomenon wasn¡¯t supposed to occur at this point in time. The odds were high that someone had caused it intentionally.


    Turning to her with a serious tone, I warned, ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right. We¡¯d better use a different staircase from now on.¡±


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 156

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first.¡±I led Dorosian away from the area. I needed to inform the faculty to seal off the stairs immediately. Just then, I bumped into Professor Gomon, who seemed to be heading to his next class, judging by the briefcase he was carrying.


    ¡°Hmm? You two have class soon. Where are you going in such a hurry?¡±


    ¡°Professor, there¡¯s something strange with the stairs.¡±


    ¡°What? The stairs?¡±


    ¡°The number of steps keeps increasing. Could it be some kind of strange phenomenon?¡±


    In a regular academy, I would have been treated like a lunatic, but this was Frost Heart. Here, even the smallest occurrence could trigger an emergency.


    ¡°Oh, uh, okay. I¡¯d better check it out. Which stairs are you talking about?¡±


    I guided Professor Gomon to the problematic stairs. Upon arrival, he drew his staff with a serious expression.


    ¡°Hmm, it looks perfectly ordinary at first glance.¡±


    ¡°You just have to count them again.¡±


    Dorosian replied, stepping onto the stairs. In my memory, if the step count reached 200, a trap would activate. To me, the stairs looked like a ticking time bomb, so I tried to hold her back.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡ª¡±


    As my foot crossed the boundary of the hallway, a man¡¯s voice echoed from above.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡±


    I urgently pulled Dorosian back by the arm. She turned her head sharply, her expression slightly irritated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being touched without permission.¡±


    But that feeling only lasted a moment. Her eyes twitched as if she had seen something unsettling.


    ¡°¡­Hersel.¡±


    I turned my head as well, but Professor Gomon, who had been in the hallway, was gone. All that remained, apart from the stairs, was a pitch-black darkness. ????£Â?S


    ¡°What is this place?¡± Dorosian asked in a confused voice, and I felt the same way.


    Originally, the prison stairs were supposed to open two years later. Why had they opened now, and why did the man¡¯s voice echo from above? It was all a mystery. But for now, these questions had to be set aside. Even I, someone familiar with many secrets, had never set foot in this place before.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡±


    What I did know was that the scenario ¡°Prison Stairs¡± signified the beginning of the final Felia line, [Wrath of Felia]. A magic book once used by Felia in life was hidden here, and the villain triggered the hidden trap of the prison stairs in an attempt to retrieve it.


    After that event, the playable character¡¯s monologue went like this:


    [An explosion echoed from the stairs. There, among the debris, was a flesh-stained necklace. Its owner was a female student from the Buerger Hall.]


    This fact would later be revealed through the villain¡¯s dialogue. To escape this place, one needed to find the magic book. However, the female student who boldly found the book got caught in a trap and died in an explosion. Because of this, the villain had no intention of retrieving the book himself, instead waiting for a sacrificial pawn to do it.


    ¡°Dorosian, did you hear the man¡¯s voice from above too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it said, ¡®What the hell,¡¯ right?¡±


    It didn¡¯t sound like the villain I had in mind. Based on his character, he wouldn¡¯t use such language. Moreover, with a sacrifice already in place, why would he react with ¡®What the hell¡¯?


    The most likely reason was this:


    ¡°Was it because of Professor Gomon¡­?¡±


    The female student had wandered the stairs alone, without witnesses, and subsequently disappeared, prompting a wide search by the faculty.


    However, Professor Gomon had witnessed both of us disappear. This was certainly not an ideal situation from the instigator¡¯s point of view, as it was obvious that the faculty would investigate only the stairs.


    ¡°Who could that be?¡± Dorosian asked, pointing upward. Without hesitation, she climbed up to the landing, turned, and looked up. I stared at her and asked, ¡°Is anyone there?¡±


    ¡°No, no one¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Seems like they managed to escape alone.¡±


    But who could it have been? I thought it might be the villain responsible for this incident, but he was still in the special ward. In that case¡­ hmm, there is one person that comes to mind. I¡¯ll think about that later. For now, investigating this place takes priority.


    I climbed up to the landing where Dorosian stood and surveyed above. The area was vast, with massive pillars supporting the ceiling, and a faint mist spread throughout, creating an eerie atmosphere.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as dark as below.¡±


    I drew the staff from my holster and handed it to Dorosian. ¡°Light up the interior with this.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mage too?¡±


    At her mocking tone, I proudly conjured a light. The orb of light at the tip of my staff was like a tiny bulb that could have fit inside a science kit. Dorosian let out a faint sigh, then snatched the staff from me.


    ¡°¡­Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°A wise choice.¡±


    Truthfully, I could have increased the output, but I did it deliberately¡ªI wanted to conserve mana as much as possible.


    ¡°This is better,¡± Dorosian remarked.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s brighter than my light orb.¡±


    With a shrug, Dorosian moved forward, the clinking of chain armor sounding especially loud. The stillness of the misty interior amplified the noise as she examined the surroundings. Soon, she found a pitch-black entrance.


    ¡°Dorosian, there¡¯s a passage ahead.¡±


    It was still a bit of a distance away. Perhaps the monotonous sound of footsteps and chains made the silence feel even more oppressive, as Dorosian started to speak.


    ¡°Is this some kind of subspace? Another dimension? I¡¯d actually like that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad if there were such a place.¡±


    Dorosian suddenly stopped and spun around. ¡°What if this place were suitable for living? What would you think?¡±


    I glanced around at the columns, walls, and stone floor. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said ¡®what if.¡¯ Imagine it properly.¡±


    ¡°Well, if I don¡¯t want to starve, I¡¯d have to leave.¡±


    ¡°What if the food problem were solved?¡±


    ¡°Even then, wouldn¡¯t the outside be better? This cramped space isn¡¯t appealing.¡±


    It felt like a child¡¯s game¡ªDorosian kept countering my arguments for the outside world with hypothetical advantages of this place.


    ¡°What if this place also had an ¡®outside¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Familiarity is comforting. I¡¯d choose reality.¡±


    But why is she suddenly acting like this?


    ¡°Really? Hmm.¡± Dorosian hummed thoughtfully before revealing her true feelings, as if she had been waiting for this moment.


    ¡°Then, what if the reality you mentioned were to disappear?¡±


    It seemed Dorosian was contemplating the possibility that this place might be a dimension cut off from the outside world. If so, this place would remain safe, even if the outside world were to collapse. It was a question steeped in escapism, predicated entirely on the premise of disaster.


    I looked into Dorosian¡¯s eyes, which seemed to be filled with anticipation for my answer. ¡°If it¡¯s for survival, I¡¯d have to choose this place.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s only if I tried everything I could and still failed.¡±


    I took a step closer to Dorosian. ¡°Then, shall I ask you a question this time?¡±


    Maybe it was because I had lost my smile, but Dorosian stared blankly at my mouth. I half-worriedly asked her, ¡°What if, just what if, the world doesn¡¯t end? What would you do then?¡±


    Dorosian blinked, staring into the void, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, she resumed walking, saying only, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Before long, we reached the dark passageway. As Dorosian illuminated the interior with her staff, a chilling voice echoed.


    ¡°Someone¡­ someone is coming. Who could it be?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re not enemies, then what are they? Prepare for battle immediately!¡±


    The soldiers wore worn-out armor.


    ***


    ¡°Did you hear? Hersel and Dorosian.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, Professor Gomon saw them. He said they suddenly disappeared on the stairs.¡±


    The halls were abuzz with the news of the two¡¯s disappearance.


    ¡°Hey, Ecok. Where are you headed?¡±


    Ecok stopped and glanced at the classmate who had called out to him. As a student council executive and future president, he flashed a smile and responded warmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for confession.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean with that person in the special ward?¡±


    ¡°Haha, even if you¡¯re not joining, I hope you can at least see it positively.¡±


    ¡°Off to do good deeds again, I see. You really are fitting to be the next president.¡±


    Ecok tried to move past his classmate, but she seemed unusually curious and kept pestering him.


    ¡°So, how have things been lately?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know, that guy¡ªLuon or whatever his name was. Ever since that incident, you¡¯ve shown a lot of interest in the special ward. I figured you¡¯d know what kind of person he is by now, seeing how much time you¡¯ve spent there.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ he was just lost for a bit, but he does have a genuine heart. Deep down, he¡¯s a rather profound person.¡±


    With that, Ecok started moving again.


    Despite his irritation, he couldn¡¯t afford to appear suspicious. He noticed professors occasionally heading toward the stairs.


    They were already well-known figures, and to make matters worse, even Professor Gomon got involved. The fear of someone finding out he had trapped the two on the stairs was gnawing at him.


    Ecok finally reached the floor used for religious activities. Half of it was for regular students, while the other half was designated for the Order. As he passed the chapel and reached the confessional door, a figure in a black robe greeted him.


    ¡°You¡¯re here, Ecok. Rimaal is inside.¡±


    The man was the professor overseeing the special ward students. Ecok responded naturally, as he usually did.


    ¡°Haha, working hard as always, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try to wrap things up quickly today. I might be called to investigate the sudden incident.¡±


    The incident, of course, referred to the disappearance case.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to be quick. Excuse me.¡±


    Ecok opened the confessional door, facing a plank with needle-thin holes. He spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°You bastard¡­ You¡¯ve made this a mess for me. How are you going to fix this?¡±


    He gritted his teeth, seething with frustration. A man¡¯s voice responded from the other side.


    ¡°I only helped you, Ecok.¡±


    ¡°Helped? If I get caught, you¡¯ll be going down with me. I¡¯ll make sure to reveal your involvement. Understand?¡±  S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why are you angry at me?¡±


    Ecok clenched his jaw and glared.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me about the magic book¡¯s location, none of this would¡¯ve happened.¡±


    ¡°You were the one in trouble over the stolen *Crimson Book*. I merely suggested an alternative. If there¡¯s any blame, it¡¯s on you for acting recklessly.¡±


    Ecok fell silent. Strictly speaking, the man wasn¡¯t at fault. If there was anyone to blame, it was the one who had stolen the *Crimson Book* and fled¡ªLuon.


    Ecok sighed. Anger wouldn¡¯t change anything now. What mattered was acting carefully to avoid detection and stepping away from this mess as soon as possible.


    Perhaps sensing Ecok¡¯s thoughts, the man spoke again, making Ecok¡¯s chest tighten.


    ¡°I can feel your hesitation. Are you planning to give up now? To abandon all that you¡¯ve achieved so far?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Think of the scars on your body, Ecok. Torn skin from stray dogs¡¯ bites, burn marks, and the traces of abuse that will never fade. Are you planning to bury all that for the rest of your life?¡±


    Ecok pulled his collar tighter around himself and spoke, doubt coloring his voice.


    ¡°Hey, Rimaal. I honestly don¡¯t trust you. Will you really make me an emperor? Is that truly possible?¡±


    ¡°In the past six months, you¡¯ve grown strong enough. You should know that better than anyone.¡±


    Indeed, he had become stronger. His magic had advanced rapidly, and his academic performance had improved since he spent all his training time on his studies. These were the reasons he was being considered for the student council presidency.


    ¡°Still, being an emperor is on a different level altogether.¡±


    Rimaal paused for a moment before replying.


    ¡°Believing or not is up to you. If you¡¯re planning to quit, there¡¯s no need for you to come here anymore. But, Ecok¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of getting caught, you should hurry. With the power of the emperor, no one in the human realm could challenge you.¡±


    Ecok frowned.


    ¡°Are you threatening me? Don¡¯t even think about revealing everything. If you do, I¡¯ll make sure your name is exposed as well.¡±


    ¡°Foolish. I¡¯m not afraid of punishment. If you like, we could confess everything right now to the professor beyond this door.¡±


    Rimaal¡¯s confident tone made Ecok reconsider.


    He was someone who never wavered, no matter how much the professors tried to impose ¡°The Curse of Control¡± on him. Scaring him was pointless.


    Reluctantly, Ecok decided to trust him further.


    ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯ve come this far, so it¡¯s too late to back out now. So, what¡¯s my next move?¡±


    ¡°The final ingredient, the *Book of Black Blood*. You need to obtain that.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll continue to believe, just as I¡¯ve been.¡±


    Ecok stood up. For him, becoming the emperor quickly was the only way to survive the professors¡¯ pressure.


    He needed to take bolder action.


    ***


    Dorosian and I were trapped in a bizarre space. It appeared to be the interior of an ancient structure. We stepped into a dark corridor, only to be suddenly surrounded by armored soldiers.


    ¡°Are they ghosts? Their bodies are translucent.¡±


    There was a hint of surprise in Dorosian¡¯s voice, but no sign of fear. Instead, she observed them with curious interest.


    ¡°That star symbol¡­ It¡¯s the flag of the Kingdom of Belam.¡±


    ¡°So, they were soldiers of the Belam Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Why would they be here? Did they die in this place?¡±


    I nodded in response to Dorosian¡¯s question.


    Long ago, the Kingdom of Belam invaded Frost Heart. This prison was constructed to hold back enemies advancing to the upper floors, befitting a building designed for war. Moreover, with Felia¡¯s *Book of Black Blood* created here, it¡¯s not surprising that lingering spirits of the deceased would appear.


    ¡°Identify yourself!¡±


    A ghostly figure, seemingly the commander, bellowed. I responded in a nonchalant tone.


    ¡°We¡¯re students of Frost Heart.¡±


    ¡°What?! So you are indeed enemies! Off with their heads at once!¡±


    The ghostly soldiers surged forward, thrusting their swords into my body. But I felt nothing. While Felia¡¯s spirits had a special ability to possess hosts, these were merely ordinary soldiers, ignorant of magic. To me, they were no more than holograms.


    ¡°The war is over, so how about stopping this?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over. It¡¯s been thousands of years since your people and ours fought.¡±


    Although relations between Belam and the Empire remained tense after the war, they did have some exchanges. Perhaps that news was too shocking, as the ghostly soldiers, starting with their commander, were left in a daze.


    ¡°The war¡­ ended?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ reinforcements? Did no one ever come to rescue us?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t that man just say it¡¯s been thousands of years already?¡±


    ¡°What?! Have we really been here that long?¡±


    Dorosian narrowed her eyes, annoyed by their chatter.


    ¡°Should I just use purification magic and get rid of them all?¡±


    Purification magic sounded like a good idea. Dorosian¡¯s staff glowed with a white light. The soldiers¡¯ reactions were mixed at first, but eventually, they seemed to accept their fate.


    ¡°We must be dead, no doubt about it. We couldn¡¯t even cut that man¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°No wonder time seemed to drag on endlessly. Are we some kind of ghosts? But if purification is what awaits us, that wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡±


    ¡°Hah, every day felt unbearably tedious. This is actually a relief. Hey, girl over there, grant us rest already!¡±


    They certainly had the manners of an era long past. Instead of calling Dorosian ¡°young lady,¡± they brazenly addressed her as ¡°girl.¡± Dorosian¡¯s discomfort was clear.


    ¡°Did you just call me a ¡®girl¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, who else would I be talking to? Honestly, I¡¯d ask you to serve me a drink, but in this state, I can¡¯t receive any service.¡±


    With a sly smile, Dorosian withdrew her staff.


    ¡°Maybe it wouldn¡¯t be so bad to let you guys rot here forever.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your choice, but why not give them a chance first?¡±


    ¡°A chance?¡±


    This was a foreign place, with scant information. So why not have the locals act as tour guides?


    ¡°You¡¯ve been here a long time, haven¡¯t you? Then you must know the area well. If there¡¯s anything valuable around, guide us there, and this lovely lady here will let you pass on peacefully.¡±


    The soldiers scowled.


    ¡°You young brat, how dare you be so insolent!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that imperial bloodline. We should¡¯ve wiped out their kind long ago!¡±


    I ignored them and started walking ahead.


    ¡°Dorosian, let¡¯s just ignore them and move on.¡±


    As expected, the spirits tried to stall us with their words.


    ¡°Ah, the boldness of youth, indeed.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s a young lady, is she? I could tell from her noble aura. My apologies for my rudeness.¡±


    ¡°Treasure, you say? Yes, of course, I¡¯ll guide you. I¡¯ve explored all around here out of sheer boredom. Let me show you the way.¡±


    I glanced at Dorosian, smiling slyly, and saw that she found it amusing too¡ªher lips were curled into a grin. I leaned close to her ear and whispered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not really going to let them pass on, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll play with them a bit before leaving.¡±


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 Chapter 157

    The passageway resembled a train terminal.¡°Why would they make it this wide just to hold prisoners?¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s question sounded fairly reasonable.


    ¡°Exactly. They could¡¯ve just crammed everyone into small rooms since they¡¯re just going to starve them to death anyway.¡±


    As I said that, the apparitions leading the way scowled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a way to talk.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say since it¡¯s not your problem.¡±


    It must have been a primitive era back then.


    The fact that these guys had come all this way just to kill the students made it evident.


    Proper treatment of prisoners was probably not a concept back then, so why did they put so much effort into crafting mere prison traps?


    I asked the apparitions, ¡°Is there someone else hiding here besides you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how did you know? There is, actually. But it¡¯s not a human.¡±


    ¡°Not a human?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain as we go.¡±


    The apparition, seemingly a captain, continued speaking calmly as he walked.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you asked about the location of the treasure earlier, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    The captain halted and appeared to be lost in thought, resting his hand on his chin.


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll be honest. I¡¯m not certain if it actually exists.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a place we¡¯ve never been to ourselves.¡±


    The captain pointed into the pitch-black path ahead. It was closer to the left.


    ¡°When you reach the end, there will be two branching paths. On the left, a giant monster blocks the door.¡±


    ¡°Guess you never thought of entering it, even after dying.¡±


    ¡°We only realized we were dead because you pointed it out, so, what¡­¡±


    Their answers had been odd from the start.


    It made sense, as there was no way there would be any food here.


    If they hadn¡¯t eaten in thousands of years, becoming aware of their death should have been normal.


    But to think they hadn¡¯t realized it until now?


    ¡®That¡¯s suspicious.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re right, Hersel. There¡¯s something off about them,¡¯ said Donatan, who had lived longer than me, making it clear that I should be cautious.


    ¡°But one thing is certain: there¡¯s a mysterious book filled with a sacred power on the right. You could just take it and leave. It¡¯s better than the monster-guarded path, isn¡¯t it?¡± §²???§£¨º?


    Before long, we reached the end of the passage.


    As the apparition had described, new paths appeared on the left and right.


    When the apparitions subtly leaned toward the right path, I glanced at Dorosian, silently asking for her opinion.


    She shook her head.


    It seemed she had also sensed something was off about them.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking the left path.¡±


    As I said that, the apparitions flinched.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the right side safer than the dangerous left?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Come this way. There¡¯s even a clue about the exit.¡±


    It seemed the Book of Blackblood was necessary to escape, but using it was something we¡¯d rather avoid.


    It wouldn¡¯t do us any good if it came out right now.


    And who knows? There might be an escape route on the left path too.


    ¡°We¡¯re just too curious, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I gave a firm answer and headed toward the left.


    Dorosian approached me and whispered quietly, ¡°If there really were clues, they would¡¯ve left by now. If they¡¯re going to deceive us, they should at least make it convincing.¡±


    ¡°So, you knew all along?¡±


    Startled by the voice coming from my chest, I flinched.


    When I looked down, it was looking up at me, piercing through my chest with its neck.


    Dorosian chuckled, finding it amusing.


    But I found it incredibly unnerving.


    ¡°Cut the creepy stuff and get lost.¡±


    As I patted my chest with my palm, the apparition withdrew.


    They burst into sly laughter.


    ¡°Ha ha, you¡¯ve got sharp eyes.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. We thought you¡¯d fall for it easily.¡±


    I sighed deeply and asked, ¡°Now that we¡¯re exposed, why not just come clean?¡±


    The captain quieted the commotion and responded.


    ¡°Did you ask where the treasure is? It¡¯s on the left.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve actually checked everything out, huh.¡±


    ¡°Of course. What¡¯s there to fear when you¡¯re already dead? But know this: the only exit is through the right path. In the end, you¡¯ll have to come back here, unless you get killed by that monster, that is.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Now, I seemed to understand why the prison was unnecessarily wide.


    To hide something on the left path and station a monster to guard it, they had to widen the space.


    Naturally, only someone who set foot here before these apparitions, like Felia, could have orchestrated such a thing.


    ¡°Judging by the placement of a gatekeeper, whatever¡¯s hidden must be no ordinary item.¡±


    Compared to the grimoire supposedly on the right path, the left path seemed to have been designed with much more care.


    Was something that absolutely had to be kept secret hidden there?


    Well, I could verify that soon enough.


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed, then.¡±


    As I took a step toward the left path, Dorosian raised her staff toward the apparitions.


    ¡°These things are annoying. Should I just purify them?¡±


    I nodded, curious to see their reaction.


    Seeing the purifying light forming at the tip of her staff, the apparitions retreated into the walls.


    Dorosian smirked mockingly.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t like it? Weren¡¯t you the ones begging for purification before?¡±


    This confirmed it.


    Their desire for purification was all an act.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what their true motives were, but clearly, something mattered more to them than gaining freedom.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure them out slowly. Let¡¯s go, Dorosian.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as I took another step toward the left path, the captain¡¯s voice echoed.


    ¡°Even if you manage to open the door, do try to return alive.¡±


    Blinking in disbelief, I responded, ¡°A door? So, there¡¯s another obstacle besides the monster, huh.¡±


    ¡°Seems that way. But hey, you.¡±


    Dorosian looked at me with an exasperated expression.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been subtly dragging me around this whole time. Are you aware of that? I¡¯m not interested in treasure, so why should I follow you?¡±


    I chuckled lightly and kept walking.


    ¡°Well, then, do as they want.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like that idea, I guess.


    Dorosian silently followed behind me.


    The path was shorter than expected.


    As the light illuminated the darkened path ahead, a massive door came into view.


    It was wide and tall enough for a cargo truck to pass through.


    I examined the door with Dorosian.


    I knocked on it just in case; it seemed to be extremely thick since there was no echo.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it can be pushed open by force. Can¡¯t you try magic?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see this?¡±


    Dorosian rattled the chains of her magical restraint armor.


    It seemed she wasn¡¯t confident in her current mana level.


    It¡¯d be better to find a proper way to open it rather than waste mana.


    ¡°Hmm, usually there¡¯s a hidden key nearby or something.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no keyhole in sight.¡±


    ¡°Dorosian, shine your light over there.¡±


    I pointed at the wall.


    I caught a glimpse of something engraved there in the soft light of her staff.


    When Dorosian focused her light on the spot, letters appeared.


    Dorosian read them aloud.


    ¡°Runes?¡±


    ¡°Can you read them?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t learn enough, so I can¡¯t say for sure. We might as well give up.¡±


    Dorosian turned her head, as if assuming I couldn¡¯t read runes.


    Despite my appearance, I actually topped the written exam in the magic department, but she probably never heard about that.


    Not that Dorosian was the type to pay attention to such things, nor would there be anyone to relay that information to her.


    ¡°Leave if you are not invited. If you are, carve into the door the name of the one I most desire to kill. You know the name, of course. If you have truly been invited by me.¡±


    As I flawlessly translated the runes, Dorosian¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Did you just make that up?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how much of an idiot you think I am, but that¡¯s in the past. Stop giving me that look.¡±


    Dorosian raised an eyebrow in surprise but shrugged lightly.


    ¡°Well, whether that¡¯s real or not, there¡¯s no way to solve this, is there? How could anyone guess the answer to such a personal riddle, especially when we don¡¯t even know who wrote it?¡±


    Ignoring her, I grabbed the staff and inscribed the letters with shaping magic.


    Though the letters were a bit faint, as if written with a dried-out pen, they were still legible.


    [Adrigal Sel Hyman]


    As I carved the name, Dorosian squinted and read it.


    ¡°Adrigal Sel Hyman¡­? Wait, isn¡¯t that the name of the Archmage? The founder of this academy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°So, the Archmage¡¯s name is the answer?¡±


    The moment Dorosian chuckled, the door opened.


    Creeeak¡ª


    Dorosian¡¯s eyes widened, then one of her eyebrows twitched.


    I flashed a sly smile at her.


    ¡°Took a wild guess, but it worked. Lucky, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Your smug face is quite cute.¡±


    Dorosian dropped her guard and looked beyond the door.


    Inside was a long corridor.


    The ¡®monster¡¯ the apparitions mentioned was likely ahead.


    ¡°Dorosian, wait here for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead, so I¡¯ll scout first. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    In truth, I needed to use inventory magic to retrieve a weapon.


    If I even showed a glimpse of the spell, this woman would instantly master it.


    This rare magic is something I wouldn¡¯t share with anyone.


    As soon as I crossed the threshold, I turned sideways.


    Out of Dorosian¡¯s sight, I activated my inventory and drew the demon sword ¡®Shadow of Weakening.¡¯


    Just in case, I also equipped Felia¡¯s staff, ¡®Whisper of Mist,¡¯ which had a stealth spell attached.


    No, that wasn¡¯t enough to feel secure.


    When I pulled out a pocket full of daggers, Donatan spoke excitedly.


    I hoped I wouldn¡¯t need to use it, though.


    With everything ready, I called out to Dorosian.


    ¡°It seems safe so far.¡±


    As Dorosian approached, she pointed at the sword in my hand.


    ¡°Where did you get that sword from?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask about things like that.¡±


    I handed her the staff I¡¯d been using and kept my eyes ahead.


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed cautiously, focusing all our senses.¡±


    I took one step at a time, savoring the tension.


    This place was entirely new, one I had never set foot in before.


    The novelty made my veteran heart race.


    Tap.


    The surroundings were filled with columns.


    I steadied my stance, ready to swing my sword at any moment, and cautiously took a slow step forward.


    Suddenly, the torches hanging on the walls flared up!


    ¡°Looks like I can put this out now.¡±


    Dorosian extinguished the orb of light at the end of her staff and took the lead.


    ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything here. Could the ghosts have just been bluffing?¡±


    It was a plausible statement.


    The ghosts had been oddly insistent that we take the left path.


    But it turned out they weren¡¯t bluffing.


    ¡°Dorosian! Above!!¡±


    A massive skeleton, clinging to the ceiling like a spider, started to drop toward us.


    Dorosian tried to move hastily, but her restraining armor, with its three layers, made her sluggish since she had always relied on magic for everything.


    At this rate, she would be crushed.


    I quickly lifted Dorosian by the waist onto my shoulder and wrapped hundreds of kilograms of mana around my legs.


    With a significant amount of mana channeled into my legs, I leapt with Dorosian far away.


    [Impact detected.]


    [Special trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    Without the ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ trait, the explosive force would have ruptured my muscles.


    I had used about a quarter of my mana just for that jump.


    Shrrrk¡ª


    Barely maintaining my balance, the soles of my shoes scraped across the floor.


    As I came to a stop, I set Dorosian down and stared at the skeleton.


    ¡°¡­What kind of creature did these bones belong to?¡±


    Its skull looked human, but it was nearly a meter tall.


    The body was equally enormous.


    Fortunately, the giant skeleton moved on all fours instead of standing upright.


    Rumble!


    It kicked up dust as it charged toward us.


    ¡°Dorosian, can you levitate yourself with telekinesis?¡±


    ¡°I probably can, but not for long.¡±


    Knowing her mana reserves, that was clearly a lie.


    Even under the restrictions of her armor, she could float for at least 30 minutes.


    She probably just wanted to watch me struggle.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    I hurriedly pulled a dagger from my pocket and threw it at a pillar.


    Despite my concerns about it being stone rather than wood, the dagger lodged securely.


    ¡°Then cast a weight-reduction spell and stand on that dagger.¡±


    Dorosian floated up into the air.


    The giant skeleton continued to close in on me.


    I drew more daggers from my pocket and threw them at various points on the pillars to create footholds.


    Rumble!


    The gap between us rapidly narrowed.


    I clenched my fists and activated the lightening spell engraved on my ¡®Gloves of Mana¡¯s Blessing.¡¯


    Then, I wrapped my legs with hundreds of kilograms of mana.


    ¡®Donatan?¡¯


    ¡®I am ready.¡¯


    I enhanced my strength, just shy of activating ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ adjusting my weight through the lightening spell, and made a high jump.


    The giant skeleton lunged toward me like a dump truck.


    Thud.


    But by then, my feet were already on the side of the dagger embedded high in the pillar.


    The entire process felt seamless.


    It was the result of countless training sessions in the forest, embedding daggers into trees and practicing evasive maneuvers.


    ¡®Hersel, your new tactic seems to be quite useful.¡¯


    My weakness lay in the cooldown period of ¡®1-second invincibility.¡¯


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 7 seconds.]


    That¡¯s why I had to think of ways to buy time with magic, eventually discovering this tactic.


    Of course, it had many limitations.


    I infused the ¡®Shadow of Weakening¡¯ sword with dark energy.


    Though it didn¡¯t possess the destructive power of a mana blade, its effect¡ª¡®Sharpness amplifies when imbued with dark energy¡¯¡ªwas significant.


    When filled with dark energy, it could slice smoothly through even rocks.


    [1-second invincibility: usable.]


    I deactivated the lightening spell, put my full weight into a descending strike, and aimed at the skeleton¡¯s right shoulder blade.


    Ping!


    As soon as the blade touched the shoulder, it began to split with a loud cracking sound.


    I had used up half my mana and would have to endure the cooldown of ¡®1-second invincibility¡¯ again, but it was worth it.


    Thud!


    With its right arm gone, the skeleton¡¯s mobility was severely reduced.


    I quickly recast the lightening spell and leapt to the next dagger-embedded point.


    ¡®The sword is effective, but I won¡¯t last until it¡¯s dead.¡¯


    ¡®Can¡¯t you distribute your power more efficiently?¡¯


    ¡®Donatan, my body¡¯s endurance isn¡¯t that good.¡¯


    I had less than half my mana left.


    Even without activating ¡®1-second invincibility,¡¯ the explosive power of mana-laden strikes accumulated fatigue.


    I needed to be smarter about my strategy.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ it¡¯s a skeleton, meaning it¡¯s an undead type.


    Weakness: purification magic.


    In that case, I needed a powerful, well-aligned strike.


    ¡°Dorosian.¡±


    I called her name, though there was no need.


    She was already preparing the ¡®Arrow of Purification,¡¯ a spell that took considerable casting time.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Just hold out for 10 more seconds.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t expected her to help¡­


    Not sure why she had a sudden change of heart, but it was a pleasant surprise.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Now, let¡¯s try cutting its left leg.


    I should make it easier for Dorosian to hit it.


    ***


    A lockdown order was issued on the stairs.


    Yet, the hallways were crowded with people.


    Professor Gomon sighed heavily as he tried to control the students.


    ¡°Stop standing around here and get back to what you¡¯re supposed to be doing.¡±


    The students showed no intention of leaving.


    In fact, they stood there confidently, as if staying behind the safety line was enough.


    Then, someone pushed through the crowd and stuck their face out.


    It was Ricks, Bellman, Leana, and a few others.


    They were all people who used to hang out with Hersel.


    Bellman adjusted his slipping glasses and asked, ¡°Professor, are Hersel and Dorosian still not back?¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯ll be out soon enough. Don¡¯t worry. You know they¡¯re not ordinary, right? Both Hersel and Dorosian.¡±


    Meanwhile, someone was watching the scene from the corner.


    It was Ecok, the soon-to-be student council president.


    Ecok glanced at the bag he had placed on the ground.


    At that moment, a classmate approached and asked, ¡°Ecok, what¡¯s in that bag?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this¡­¡±


    Ecok responded with a gentle smile.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stand by while the professors are working so hard. So, I prepared some drinks for them to have when they get tired.¡±


    The classmate giggled and stared at the bag with a mischievous look.


    ¡°Wow, Ecok, you really are so generous. But, I¡¯m feeling a bit thirsty too. Could I have just one?¡±


    Ecok firmly refused.


    ¡°Actually, I only brought just the right amount, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But there¡¯s so much here.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s some of my personal belongings mixed in, that¡¯s why.¡±


    ¡°Aww, too bad. But I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°It pains me to turn down a lady¡¯s request. How about this? I¡¯ll treat you to a drink at a caf¨¦ next time.¡±


    The classmate jumped up and down with excitement.


    Ecok watched her leave, then discreetly pushed the bag behind him.


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    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 158

    The giant skeleton swung its remaining arm. 37 seconds left until the cooldown ended.


    Balancing my weight on the dagger embedded in the pillar, I leaped while maintaining the weight-reducing spell.


    My target was the dagger lodged in a nearby pillar.


    Bang!


    With a deafening crash, fragments scattered, and the stone pillar snapped like a straw and slammed into the ground.


    As the giant skeleton¡¯s movements became visible through the rising dust, I looked up to check on Dorosian.


    Dorosian was gliding through the air, aiming a white bow made of light.


    It was undoubtedly the ¡®Arrow of Purification.¡¯


    The taut bowstring quivered, and an arrow of light the size of a spear shot towards the giant skeleton.


    Whizz!


    But the arrow merely passed between the skeleton¡¯s ribs, failing to inflict any damage, and struck the ground instead.


    Dorosian smiled with her eyes and shook the chain dangling from her wrist.


    ¡°Could it be because of this? It¡¯s not easy to hit, is it?¡±


    As expected, I¡¯ll need to sever one of the giant skeleton¡¯s legs to create an opening to strike its skull.


    Thud!


    The giant skeleton charged at the pillar where I stood.


    Missing an arm, it approached significantly slower than before.


    With some breathing room, I quickly surveyed the next pillars I could use to dodge.


    Only one dagger remained in my pocket.


    I threw it toward a suitable spot, driving it into place.


    Meanwhile, the giant skeleton thrust its head into the pillar where I had been.


    Thwack!


    Like a nimble squirrel jumping between trees, I swiftly moved to the next pillar.


    The pillar I had occupied shattered under the skeleton¡¯s headbutt, crumbling away.


    Just one hit could be fatal.


    Without the ¡®1-Second Invincibility,¡¯ I wasn¡¯t bold enough to confront it head-on.


    The skeleton immediately changed direction, attempting to strike the pillar I had moved to.


    Whizz!


    Dorosian shot another arrow of light, but it missed spectacularly again.


    She covered her mouth with her hand, smiling slyly.


    ¡°Oh dear.¡±


    Was she pretending to miss, or was it just my imagination?


    Thud, thud, thud!


    My prayers for an accurate shot were brief.


    The giant skeleton destroyed the pillar that had been my last safe zone, forcing me to dive toward the ground while maintaining the weight-reducing spell. ??????????


    Damn it, the cooldown hasn¡¯t ended yet.


    [1-Second Invincibility Cooldown: 3 seconds]


    As I slowly descended, I locked eyes with the giant skeleton¡¯s hollow sockets.


    It raised its hand high, as if swatting a mosquito.


    [1-Second Invincibility Cooldown: 2 seconds]


    The palm sliced through the air, rushing toward me.


    [1-Second Invincibility Cooldown: 1 second]


    In that moment, where a second felt like a minute, I could distinctly feel the skeleton¡¯s palm graze my cheek like a soft feather.


    [1-Second Invincibility: Available]


    Cracks began to form on the giant skeleton¡¯s palm.


    [Impact detected.]


    [Skill activated.]


    [1-Second Invincibility Cooldown: 59 seconds]


    With my arm wrapped in Liquid-gold, I swung the Liquid Gold infused sword, severing the giant skeleton¡¯s arm at the wrist.


    Slice!


    The giant skeleton braced itself against the ground with the stump of its severed arm.


    I, having slowly descended using the weight-reducing spell, landed on its head.


    I then infused mana into the Liquid-gold sword, just enough to avoid rupturing my muscles, and drove it down.


    Thump!


    The skeleton struggled frantically, trying to shake me off.


    I clung desperately to the sword, trying not to fall, while Dorosian finally landed a direct hit with the arrow of light.


    !!!!!


    The light arrow lodged in the skeleton¡¯s head released purifying energy, turning the bones into black ash.


    As the situation settled, I glared at Dorosian, who was slowly descending.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t miss on purpose, right?¡±


    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±


    I had nearly died this time.


    Even now, the tension hasn¡¯t dissipated, making my heart race wildly.


    I burned with the ¡®Ember of Noble Blood,¡¯ my voice cold.


    ¡°There better be a good reason for this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if I have to give a reason¡­ ¡±


    Dorosian took a step closer.


    Then, looking directly into my eyes, she flashed a cold smile.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we getting a bit too close lately?¡±


    It sounded like a warning to my ears.


    A warning to keep my distance.


    Perhaps I¡¯d forgotten this fact due to our recent conversations.


    But now, I was reminded of it once again.


    Dorosian is neither truly an ally nor an enemy within Frostheart.


    If anything, she leans toward the enemy faction, albeit ambiguously.


    She has always maintained an indifferent stance, watching as if it were none of her concern, even when a playable character was in peril.


    ¡°Well, you are¡ª¡±


    Just as I was about to say something, her next words caught me off guard.


    ¡°So, I wanted to test it. Even if you died, would I really not bat an eye?¡±


    For a moment, I doubted what I had just heard, but it was exactly what she had said.


    ¡°Congratulations. Judging by the result, it seems I still don¡¯t want you dead.¡±


    The word ¡®result¡¯ from her lips made a series of events flash through my mind.


    Even though she had toyed with my life, it was Dorosian who ultimately finished off the giant skeleton.


    Recalling that undeniable fact sent chills down my spine.


    Why is she acting so terrifying?


    Normally, no matter how much help someone provided, standing by while another was on the brink of death would provoke anger.


    But when it comes to Dorosian, the villainess who treats others¡¯ lives like flies, it¡¯s a different story.


    Just the fact that she had any notion of helping others was as miraculous as a blind man regaining sight.


    ¡°¡­Oh, really?¡±


    Suddenly, I felt it pointless to get angry.


    Instead, I felt a slight dizziness from the overwhelming situation.


    Letting out a sigh to release my complicated emotions, Dorosian turned her back with a seductive smile.


    ¡°Well, who knows when I might change my mind.¡±


    Each of her words sent chills down my spine, but expecting too much was unreasonable.


    Dorosian, who was walking ahead, continued to speak.


    The topic was the recent battle against the giant skeleton.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t expect you to fight that well.¡±


    Judging from her lukewarm praise, it seemed Dorosian wasn¡¯t exaggerating her assessment of me.


    If I had to guess why, it might be because her intelligence network is lacking.


    Her reaction to my Rune language skills suggested that she likely didn¡¯t know what the Venomous Serpent Berme was or that I had defeated him.


    It was fortunate she didn¡¯t know.


    If she had made the same ridiculous assumptions as Ricks¡¯s gang, it would have been a real headache.


    They often dismiss situations, saying things like, ¡°Hersel will manage just fine on his own!¡±


    It was better for me if she considered me a mere flower, fragile but still surviving, rather than something more.


    ¡°I really thought I was going to die just now. Next time, I hope you give it your all, too.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it strange? The skeleton¡¯s palm clearly touched you, yet it shattered instead of you.¡±


    When Dorosian looked at me with curious eyes, I shook my head with an unchanging expression.


    ¡°It never touched me. You must have seen it wrong.¡±


    We walked in silence for a while.


    As expected of a place that housed the giant skeleton, it was vast.


    As I was carefully observing the surroundings for the exit, a shadow suddenly appeared from the ground.


    ¡°Wow, you really managed to take that thing down. Impressive.¡±


    At the soldier¡¯s remark, Dorosian narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching the whole time?¡±


    ¡°I figured the others would die, but I had a feeling, so I came to check.¡±


    Dorosian averted her gaze from the soldier and turned her head.


    She seemed determined to completely ignore him.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re trying to find the way. Let me guide you. You can follow me safely. There won¡¯t be any more dangers from here.¡±


    ¡°Why should we trust you?¡±


    I asked, and the soldier smirked.


    ¡°Yeah, I understand why we might seem suspicious. But think about it. We didn¡¯t want you to come here in the first place. If we wanted you dead, we would have pushed you toward the monster here instead of the left path.¡±


    He had a point.


    I still didn¡¯t know why they wanted us to take the left path, but it was something we could only do if we were alive.


    You¡¯re trying to help now because you want us to finish our business quickly and head down the left path, right?


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll accept your help for now.¡±


    I silently followed behind the soldier.


    Though Dorosian showed signs of displeasure, she soon accepted it without a word.


    Thanks to the guide, we were able to easily find the entrance that was hard to see before.


    Crossing the threshold revealed a narrow corridor.


    On both sides were stone cubes, with a skull placed in the center of each, surrounded by candles.


    With each step, flames flared up from the wicks.


    Whoosh!


    After passing through the corridor, which posed no danger, we arrived at an open space.


    This dusty area wasn¡¯t much different from the interiors we¡¯d seen earlier.


    The only notable difference was a set of short stairs.


    Climbing the stairs, I found a box sitting on a stone table.


    I wondered if it might be cursed, but I had ¡®1-Second Invincibility.¡¯


    Without hesitation, I opened the box, revealing a black ring that emitted a subtle glow.


    [Ring of Magi]


    -It enables you to use external Magi as energy.


    -It allows external Magi to resonate with the Magi within the body.


    It was an item I had never seen before.


    This meant it hadn¡¯t appeared in the scenario.


    Originally, that man from the Special Ward would have taken the ¡®Book of Black Blood¡¯ alone, and this space would have disappeared along with the ring.


    But what exactly are these options?


    Normally, Magi can only be used if accumulated within the body.


    However, wearing this ring seems to allow control over external Magi as well.


    Even the convenience of not having to charge it made it a useful item, but the more astonishing feature was ¡®Resonance.¡¯


    What would happen if one were to cast a self-destructive spell in a place overflowing with Magi?


    Wouldn¡¯t it be as powerful as setting off a bomb in a room filled with gas?


    If so, this ring is undoubtedly a game-breaking item.


    Thinking about it being on the finger of ¡®Felia the Wrathful,¡¯ who would appear later, was terrifying.


    Hmm, should I erase the item along with this space?


    No, that would be a waste.


    With this, I wouldn¡¯t have to go through the hassle of charging Magi, and the power of the Liquid Gold sword imbued with Magi could also be greatly increased.


    Yes, for now, I¡¯ll put it in the inventory and observe the situation.


    As long as I don¡¯t take it out, it won¡¯t fall into enemy hands.


    ***


    As the Apparition said, there seemed to be no escape route on the right path.


    Even though I was reluctant, I had no choice.


    If the only way out is to send the ¡®Book of Black Blood¡¯ outside, then I¡¯ll have to take that risk.


    ¡°You want to go home, right? Well then, follow me this way.¡±


    Following the Apparition, we entered the left path.


    As we stepped into the corridor, what stood out the most was a suit of armor slumped against the wall.


    However, the inside was empty, and bone fragments were scattered around.


    I pretended not to notice and kept walking.


    I occasionally saw more of these sights, but Dorosian followed silently, without saying a word.


    Reaching the end of the corridor, a book placed on a pedestal caught my eye.


    It was surrounded by a barrier.


    ¡°Oh, you made it here alive.¡±


    ¡°Impressive, huh? Come on in. Oh, right. You¡¯re mages, right? You can break the barrier.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Go ahead, break the barrier and place your hand on the book. That way, you can return to your original world.¡±


    The smiles on the nearby Apparitions seemed insincere.


    I reached out and stopped Dorosian.


    Then, I looked at the Apparitions and asked, ¡°How do you know it will send us back to our original world?¡±


    These are soldiers who know nothing about magic.


    They¡¯ve never witnessed anyone escaping before.


    So why are they so sure?


    ¡°The grimoire speaks to us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a voice that only the dead can hear.¡±


    ¡°The grimoire doesn¡¯t lie. So, break the barrier. Don¡¯t you want to go home quickly?¡±


    I silently recalled my memories.


    According to the original scenario, a female student would later enter this place, place her hand on the grimoire, and return to the original world.


    Of course, she¡¯d be caught in an explosion and shattered into pieces.


    But now I wondered if she had really died from the explosion.


    ¡°Did you guys, when you were alive, devour one another?¡±


    The Apparitions flinched. I must have struck a nerve.


    Dorosian spoke, as if she had expected this.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why the bones were outside the armor. You took them out to eat, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Raising her staff, Dorosian cast a purification spell.


    The Apparitions hid against the wall.


    ¡°If you wish for peace, why avoid it? Spending eternity here must be a hellish existence.¡±


    The captain of the soldiers poked his head around the corner and spoke.


    ¡°You two are quite sharp. Alright then, if you dispel that, I¡¯ll be honest with you.¡±


    Dorosian dispelled the purification spell and lowered her staff.


    It seemed this wasn¡¯t a consensus decision.


    The soldiers protested to their captain.


    ¡°Hey, why are you telling them that?¡±


    ¡°Are you an idiot? What if they manage to escape?¡±


    The captain gave us a sly smile.


    ¡°There are two of them. They have no choice but to decide.¡±


    The soldiers nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Well, in the end, that¡¯s all we can do. Yes, that¡¯s the only way.¡±


    Once the soldiers calmed down, the captain¡¯s face turned serious as he began to explain.


    ¡°The grimoire said that when someone touches it, this place will disappear. But it also said that person will die.¡±


    ¡°What benefit does that have for you? Even in death, do you wish to leave this place?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. We have no interest in a world where no one remembers us. Besides, if this place disappears, so will we.¡±


    Their words made no sense.


    Dorosian, seemingly just as confused as I was, asked on my behalf.


    ¡°Then why reject purification? You¡¯d still disappear either way.¡±


    ¡°The grimoire promised us bodies, even if just for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Bodies?¡±


    ¡°Yes, bodies. With teeth, guts, and all that.¡±


    The soldiers rubbed their bellies, expressing their hunger.


    As drool dripped from their mouths, I envisioned the scene of them tearing each other apart in this barren, closed space, driven by hunger.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been starving for so long. I can¡¯t even remember when we last ate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, before we go, I¡¯d like to fill my stomach at least once.¡±


    ¡°So, who¡¯s going to volunteer as the sacrifice? Personally, I¡¯d prefer a woman. I¡¯ve already had my fill of male flesh.¡±


    They plan to touch the grimoire and feast on the corpse of the one who dies.


    To them, it¡¯s better to die with a full stomach than to simply vanish through purification.


    I knew that, yet I couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted by them.


    ¡°Just so you know, there¡¯s no other way. We¡¯ve tried everything.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourselves. It¡¯s just a matter of time. Soon, you¡¯ll realize it¡¯s a futile hope and come crawling back here. Who knows, you might even end up fighting each other to see who dies first.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, now that would be entertaining.¡±


    It sounded strangely convincing to me.


    I didn¡¯t need to see it to know they must have tried everything.


    From my observations along the way, it was clear that no other escape route existed.


    So, rather than wasting time, I decided to place my hand on the book and find out.


    ¡°Is the condition to place a hand on the book?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the grimoire said.¡±


    At the captain¡¯s confident response, I snatched the staff from Dorosian¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh? Seems the man has made his choice already.¡±


    ¡°Good, no need to drag this out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, now break the barrier, then place the woman¡¯s hand on the book.¡±


    While they chuckled among themselves, I began drawing the spell.  sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, the barrier around the grimoire was old and could be easily dispelled at my level.


    Dorosian, displeased by my actions, spoke in an irritated tone.


    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re not actually believing what they¡¯re saying, are you?¡±


    I looked into Dorosian¡¯s eyes, trying to reassure her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    As I brought my hand closer to the grimoire, Dorosian¡¯s eyes trembled.


    ¡°Wa-wait!¡±


    There was a mix of emotions in her voice.


    I felt a bit awkward.


    [1-Second Invincibility: Available]


    I¡¯m really okay¡­


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 Chapter 159

    ¡°Are you really planning to put your hand on that?¡±


    Dorosian was perplexed. Although she didn¡¯t show it, from the moment she set foot in this place, a wave of malicious energy had flooded over her, originating from the black grimoire on the platform.


    It was like a glass brimming with poison, its contents barely restrained from spilling over by surface tension alone. If he touched it, the raw, undiluted malicious energy would seep into his skin.


    Dorosian narrowed her eyes and stopped Hersel in his tracks.


    ¡°You must not feel it due to your dulled senses, but what they¡¯re saying isn¡¯t just bluff. When they say it¡¯ll kill you, they mean it.¡±


    Hersel opened his eyes nonchalantly. Had he even heard him properly? Rather than showing any caution, he replied indifferently as if he were only mildly annoyed.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I can confirm myself.¡±


    ¡°Even though the outcome is obvious?¡±


    Despite Dorosian¡¯s irritated tone, Hersel didn¡¯t take his gaze off the book.


    ¡°I sensed it too. The malicious energy coming from that grimoire is no ordinary force. It might just be the driving power that forms this entire place, and the idea that interacting with it might allow us to return to our world holds some credibility.¡±


    His hypothesis was quite convincing. It was highly likely that the grimoire was the source of the power forming this place. If that were the case, then draining the malicious energy it contained could indeed be the solution. However, it was such a concentrated form of energy that ordinary mana wouldn¡¯t be enough to handle it with external magic.


    Dorosian glanced sharply at the suppressor attached to her body.


    As she felt the restraint heavier than ever, Hersel continued with his theory.


    ¡°Dorosian, a grimoire is fundamentally a tool. The implication of direct contact is closer to using it. The only way to drain its energy is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know that¡­¡±


    As Hersel suggested, the only way was to become the grimoire¡¯s user and release its power directly. It was a tool with a concept that only its master could utilize, allowing its master to handle it freely without any barriers.


    ¡°This is surprising, isn¡¯t it? The grimoire is the answer.¡±


    ¡°Go on, put your hand on it. It¡¯ll spit out every bit of accumulated energy.¡±


    ¡°Onto your body, that is! Haha!¡±


    As the soldiers sneered, Hersel approached the grimoire. Dorosian tried to stop him urgently, but her words failed him.


    ¡°Even if I die, you¡¯ll walk out alive, won¡¯t you? You¡¯ve got nothing to lose.¡±


    His voice overflowed with confidence, despite his clear understanding of the situation, which only added to Dorosian¡¯s internal turmoil.


    In that brief moment of confusion, Hersel¡¯s hand calmly moved toward the grimoire. Dorosian¡¯s eyes widened as the energy emanating from the grimoire flickered sharply, like the bite of venomous fangs. ????§£¦¥?


    ¡°And, I don¡¯t get scared by some book.¡±


    A faint tremor arose, and the air grew prickly.


    ***


    It was a sticky sensation.


    Black liquid was oozing from the grimoire. As it trickled down the platform and dripped onto the floor, I felt something squirming from my palm, forcefully prying its way through my pores. This was different from the gradual build-up of malicious energy I had felt before. The grimoire seemed intent on overwhelming me, shoving an enormous amount of energy into me all at once.


    [Threat detected. Type: Lethal dose of malicious energy]


    [1-second Invincibility activated.]


    [1-second Invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds]


    But of course, it was all nullified.


    Rumble!


    As the malicious energy drained from the grimoire, an earthquake shook the area, causing stone dust to fall. I looked over at Dorosian, who was blinking in shock.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to collapse. Looks like we¡¯ll be returning to the real world soon.¡±


    ¡°¡­How are you still alive?¡±


    Her voice was filled with disbelief, so I gave her a nonchalant answer.


    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯m not really sure myself.¡±


    Dorosian gently bit her lip, then, perhaps realizing she wouldn¡¯t get an answer, let out a faint sigh. I smirked at the stunned expressions on the faces of the Apparitions.


    ¡°Too bad, right? Looks like I didn¡¯t die.¡±


    However, the Apparitions sneered as well.


    ¡°Yeah, real shame, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more.¡±


    Saliva dripped from their mouths. I looked down, noticing the black liquid creeping toward their feet. It was unmistakably from the grimoire.


    ¡®Hersel, they¡¯re giving off hostile intent.¡¯


    ¡®I know.¡¯


    The black liquid began to fill their translucent bodies, clinging to them like humans drenched in oil. One of the soldiers opened his mouth wide, showing his teeth.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to disappear anyway, so might as well grab a bite of flesh before we go!¡±


    Their eyes gleamed wildly as they stared at Dorosian and me. When they drew their swords, I handed a staff to Dorosian. She responded with a cold smile as she began weaving her spells.


    ¡°Seems like they¡¯re starving. They must be going mad from hunger.¡±


    At her words, the Apparitions charged at us. I also drew my sword and dove into their ranks, seeking an opening. They were just soldiers, after all. The thought made me feel confident.


    ¡®Is it just my imagination, or do they look clumsy?¡¯


    ¡®No, Hersel, you¡¯re right. Your eyes have improved thanks to those we¡¯ve fought so far.¡¯


    One soldier aimed a vertical slash at me, which I blocked with my sword. When he tried to press down with force, I advanced and ducked, feeling another¡¯s horizontal swing graze past the top of my head.


    ¡°You¡­ you little brat!¡±


    Now it was my turn to strike. As I twisted my wrist to slash, Donatan offered a suggestion.


    ¡®Hersel, take out the one who attacked first.¡¯


    ¡®I was planning to.¡¯


    I straightened up and thrust my sword into the abdomen of the soldier who had made the vertical slash earlier.


    Squish!


    The blade slid in more easily than I expected, like cutting through soft pudding. The shadow-enchanted sword seemed to absorb the malicious energy from the Apparitions¡¯ bodies, amplifying its sharpness. I then swung the sword upward, slashing through his shoulder.


    Thud!


    His arm, still holding his sword, fell to the ground, forming a dark puddle. The one who had attacked from behind now tried to stab me in the back. Already clad in reinforced armor, I swiftly evaded his strike.


    Srrr-


    Donatan spoke in a slightly excited voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing quite well now. Seems your body has gotten the hang of the movements.¡±


    Naturally. Each time I¡¯d fought under his guidance, I hadn¡¯t just been standing around watching.


    ¡°Like they say, even a village dog learns to recite poetry after three years.¡±


    ¡®Village? And poetry? Never mind, those things don¡¯t matter. It seems you no longer need my help for the basics.¡¯


    With those final words, Donatan fell silent, as if giving me free rein to act as I wished. I deflected the Apparition¡¯s sword with force and then slashed the neck of the one whose shoulder had been severed earlier.


    Slice!


    The brief clash ended, and the atmosphere turned into chaos.


    ¡°Get that guy first! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°No, look over there. Let¡¯s take out the woman first!¡±


    ¡°Just make up your mind! We¡¯re running out of time!¡±


    Meanwhile, the space around us was gradually collapsing. With a momentary breather, I glanced over at Dorosian. She was seated in a chair, waving her staff with a look of amusement on her face.


    ¡­Was the chair created with magic?


    Dorosian spoke up.


    ¡°Do you know what power best amplifies the effects of manifestation magic?¡±


    Before her sentence even ended, massive guillotines appeared one by one above the Apparitions.


    ¡°Gravity.¡±


    Sharp blades sliced through the air, splitting the Apparitions¡¯ bodies and causing them to burst into black liquid. Not yet satisfied, Dorosian poured flames onto the liquid.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s really using up all her mana.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? They might come back to life. That kind of clich¨¦ exists, right?¡±


    Dorosian seemed to have read a bit too much genre fiction recently.


    ¡°It¡¯s common enough, though it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case this time.¡±


    I averted my gaze from her and carefully approached the burning floor toward the grimoire.


    [1-second Invincibility: Available]


    Earlier, I¡¯d only touched it for a second. There was still malicious energy left in the grimoire. Touching it again might accelerate our return to the real world. Besides, I needed to stay near the grimoire to keep an eye on what the perpetrator behind all this might do next.


    As I placed my hand on it, the prison that held the soldiers fully dissolved. Then, with a popping sound, the world was engulfed in light.


    Boom!


    ***


    As I returned to the real world, I took a moment to piece together some of the thoughts I hadn¡¯t yet sorted out. First, the sacrifice I thought had died in the explosion¡ª the female student¡ª had been a misjudgment influenced by what I¡¯d seen of playable characters. The explosion sound was merely the sound of expanding air, leading me to believe she¡¯d died in the blast. I hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d been torn apart by Apparitions instead. Though unintentional, it meant she had escaped her fate as a sacrificial pawn.


    And as for the mastermind behind this incident. Based on the circumstances, it wasn¡¯t the man from the Special Ward as planned, but rather the student council candidate, Ecok. The only one with knowledge of the grimoire¡¯s nature was that man, and the only one with connections to him was Ecok. It¡¯s unclear why they¡¯re seeking the ¡®Book of Blackblood¡¯ at this point, but that¡¯s something to investigate later.


    I opened my eyes, remaining alert. Familiar light greeted me¡ªthe glow of the mana stone lamp on the stairs. Beside me was Dorosian, and at my feet lay a single grimoire.


    ¡°Snrrrk.¡±


    A sudden snoring sound drew my attention to the bottom of the stairs, where the massive figure of Professor Gomon sat in a chair, fast asleep. Through the window behind him, I could tell it was night. The students were likely absent due to curfew, and it seemed Professor Gomon had fallen asleep while investigating the disappearances. The scene appeared plausible enough, but the fact that he hadn¡¯t woken up, despite the noise, sharpened my wariness.


    Dorosian, evidently annoyed with the sleeping professor, approached and shook his shoulder.


    ¡°Professor?¡±


    Professor Gomon continued snoring. He¡¯d likely been forcibly put to sleep by someone, most likely Ecok, given the method¡­


    ¡°Here we are back, and he¡¯s sleeping soundly?¡±


    I looked at Dorosian with a slight shrug. She wouldn¡¯t be much help as she must have expended most of her mana in the prison. Besides, I wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d help even if she could.


    While her attention was on Professor Gomon, I picked up the grimoire lying at my feet. I pondered deeply about what to do with it. To set the scenario back on its proper course, I absolutely couldn¡¯t hand it over. Giving it to the professors posed risks as well¡ªEcok might try to steal it using his influence in the student council.


    The best solution would be to store it in the ¡®inventory¡¯ and deliver it by some means when the time is right.


    I finished my thoughts and spoke to Dorosian.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the dorm for now. I¡¯ll report to the professors.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me,¡± she said with a grin, turning on her heel.


    I stowed the grimoire in my coat, wary of Ecok, who was likely hiding nearby and watching. This was an emergency situation. I¡¯d probably run into at least one professor on the way to Adele Hall.


    ¡®Donatan, let me know immediately if anyone approaches.¡¯


    With my staff in hand, I kept a vigilant eye on my surroundings as I walked down the corridor. Then Donatan¡¯s voice came to me.


    ¡®Hersel, someone¡¯s peeking at you from the stairway corner.¡¯


    I halted and called out.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come out instead of just watching?¡±


    No response. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maybe I should try calling him by name?


    ¡°Ecok.¡±


    The sound of a single step echoed. It seemed he¡¯d taken an involuntary step back in surprise.


    ¡°Just come out. I¡¯m not planning on reporting this to the professors.¡±


    Reluctantly, Ecok finally revealed himself, scratching the back of his head with a wry smile.


    ¡°Ahaha¡­ Actually, I wasn¡¯t trying to hide. I just left something important in the conference room, so even though it¡¯s past curfew, I had no choice but to come back for it.¡±


    There was no benefit in exposing the fact that I knew his true intentions. I nodded as if accepting his excuse.


    ¡°Is that so? Well, don¡¯t worry. As I said, I don¡¯t plan to tell the professors.¡±


    Then I added a vague, veiled threat.


    ¡°But Ecok, do you know what went on in there?¡±


    ¡°In there? Oh, right, come to think of it, you were with Miss Dorosian, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    His poor attempt at acting was almost painful to watch.


    ¡°I ran into some folks who thought they could take something from me. Did they really think that was possible? It was almost laughable how they dared to covet what¡¯s mine,¡± I said, my smile turning bitter, my eyes flashing with a dark resolve.


    Ecok flinched. Now for the finishing touch.


    I let my eyes go distant, as if reminiscing, and spoke coldly.


    ¡°You know, I almost regret it a bit. I killed them too quickly. They had such fresh reactions. It would¡¯ve been fun to play with them a bit longer.¡±


    Ecok forced a smile despite the cold sweat on his face.


    ¡°Still, murder isn¡¯t a good thing. If you¡¯d like to confess, I can arrange a private setting for you later.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Well, I¡¯ve never felt guilty about anything, so I doubt I¡¯ll need that.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, well, you never know what might happen. If the time comes, please don¡¯t hesitate to reach out. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have business to attend to.¡±


    Ecok walked away. His steps seemed calm, but inwardly, he was probably in turmoil. Now, the thought of reclaiming the grimoire from me likely wouldn¡¯t even cross his mind.


    Yet, the problem didn¡¯t disappear.


    Ecok, the boss of the next scenario, was missing an essential ingredient: the ¡°Crimson Book.¡± It had been stolen, which might be why he sought the ¡°Book of Blackblood¡± in the first place. To progress through the main storyline properly, I needed to think this over carefully. Fortunately, I had about six months left, so I could take my time.


    Now, with no one watching, I decided to cast an inventory spell. I placed the grimoire in the safest vault. I was heading up the stairs toward the Adele Hall dormitory when I spotted a professor in the distance. I figured I should give him a brief report; it would end his worries, at least.


    As I approached him, my eyes suddenly widened.


    Tick-tock.


    The sound of a clock echoed nearby. The ticking halted with a faint click, and a system message appeared.


    [Threat detected. Type: Time Stop]


    [1-second Invincibility activated.]


    ¡­What exactly was a time stop?


    Before I could dwell on it, a black-haired woman flashed past me, disappearing without a trace. During that one-second window, I fixed the image of her in my mind as if capturing it in a photo.


    ¡°Hey! You there! What are you doing out past curfew?¡±


    The professor¡¯s voice barely registered. My inventory had definitely been opened. And her hand¡­


    ¡°No¡­ Hersel Ben Tenest, you¡­¡±


    ¡­had been reaching inside.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest, your face looks pale. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s with the lipstick mark on your cheek?¡±


    The mention of lipstick made me turn my head. Reflected in the corridor window was my dazed face, my hand brushing over my cheek. Where I¡¯d touched was a faint, purple kiss mark.


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 Chapter 160

    ¡°It was similar to what happened in the Schlaphe Hall.¡±


    I said that to Rockefeller in the office.


    Strange occurrences were not only common in the Schlaphe Hall but often happened in the Buerger Hall as well. That place wasn¡¯t near the Adele Hall dormitory, and to be precise, it was closer to the Buerger Hall. Perhaps slightly convinced, he fell silent.


    ¡°Hmm. Still, it¡¯s strange. Have incidents like this, which one would expect only in the dormitory, ever spread into the inner fortress¡­?¡±


    A thought came to me that added some credibility to my point.


    ¡°It might have been affected by the recent large-scale construction.¡±


    The repair work on the fortress, carried out due to the Luon incident, was handled by noble youngsters rather than skilled workers, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they meddled with something unintentionally. As intended, Rockefeller accepted this explanation quite easily.


    ¡°That does seem suspicious.¡±


    For the next few minutes, questions about what exactly happened inside continued. I answered evasively. Talking about things like a forbidden tome in there or the lingering thoughts of ancient soldiers who once attacked this place would only add to the confusion.


    ¡°¡­Well, there were things like that. Like ghosts sobbing in pitch darkness.¡±


    ¡°Nothing too unusual, then. Got it. Now get lost.¡±


    Rockefeller waved his hand as if swatting a fly, his eyes weary. I thought of saying something in response, but seeing him in this state, it seemed he hadn¡¯t slept due to this incident. For today, I should just let it go graciously.


    I got up from my seat and headed toward the door. I stopped briefly and asked Rockefeller a question about the mysterious figure who seemed to stop time. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°By the way, Professor, has the Academy hired any new instructors?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Just wondering. Thought there might be something new worth learning.¡±


    Rockefeller sneered, curling his lips.


    ¡°Something to learn? There¡¯s no meaningful teaching for someone on the path of magic like you. Just give up.¡±


    I looked at Rockefeller with half-lidded eyes. Come to think of it, he¡¯s an unusual type of mage himself. Remembering all the trouble Rockefeller has caused me, I dismissed the thought that had briefly crossed my mind.


    ¡­No way am I asking this guy to teach me magic.


    ¡°Enough of that talk. I answered all your questions, Professor; now answer mine.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. We¡¯re not so flush with funds to waste it on that. Now, if you understand, clear your face from my sight.¡±


    What a temper. I shot him a quick glare and exited the office.


    I¡¯d asked just in case, not wanting to overlook even a small possibility, but of course, the answer was as expected.


    After all, there couldn¡¯t be anyone else capable of time-stopping other than that woman. Not to mention, there were clues¡ªpurple lipstick and black hair. ?§Ñ?????????¨§?


    Without a doubt, she was Dorosian from the future.


    But why did she steal the ¡®Forbidden Book of Blackblood¡¯ that I had hidden in my inventory?


    Then, considering the prerequisites for such an incident to occur, my mind became tangled.


    She knew I was alive.


    The fact that she stole the tome suggested she¡¯d likely been watching me from somewhere.


    She had even perfectly replicated my inventory magic.


    Recently?


    Or has it been for a long time?


    From what point she had been watching me, I searched for clues, but no immediate answer surfaced. That wasn¡¯t the most important issue anyway. I put aside my new questions and returned to the main point.


    ¡°¡­Why did she steal the tome?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what she intended to do with it, but she surely didn¡¯t want the world to end either. I could optimistically think she wouldn¡¯t do anything reckless. Still, her twisted personality, even more so than the Dorosian I¡¯d regularly seen, left me uneasy. Surely, what I feared wouldn¡¯t actually happen¡­?


    ***


    A woman atop the fortress wall took out a hand mirror. In it, her lips were faintly smeared with purple lipstick.


    ¡°As I thought, it¡¯s smudged.¡±


    Dorosian from the future, touched up her makeup and gazed out the corridor window of the fortress. Hersel was walking toward Adele Hall, possibly after finishing an interrogation. She watched him absentmindedly for a moment, lightly rubbing her lips.


    ¡°To think he even managed to stop time¡­?¡±


    When he disappeared from view, Dorosian took out the ¡°Forbidden Book of Blackblood.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no weakness I can exploit.¡±


    A gentle breeze rose, and her hair fluttered. With a faint smile, she vanished with the wind.


    ***


    In his room, Ecok sat wide-eyed, biting his nails.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Of all things, the tome ended up in Hersel¡¯s hands. Even if he was only a first-year, he was a monster beyond the level of a typical student. There was nothing he could do about it.


    ¡°He expects me to retrieve the book from that bastard?¡±


    Could there be anything more insane? Even when he¡¯d tried to follow quietly, Hersel had already noticed him. It was a miracle he¡¯d managed to keep his intentions hidden and escape unscathed.


    ¡°Argh! Damn it! Why am I the only one suffering like this?!¡±


    Ecok screamed, yanking at his shirt, which ripped with a tear. As countless scars were exposed, painful memories began flooding back.


    Ecok¡¯s family had fallen long ago. All their businesses failed, and his parents had taken their own lives, leaving him and his younger sister behind. All they inherited were their bodies and a mountain of debt. Worst of all, they owed that debt to an exceptionally cruel man.


    If that had been the case, he might have been sold off somewhere. But this was a nobleman with a sadistic hobby who didn¡¯t want money¡ªhe wanted something else.


    ¡°Just one. Kill just one person, and the remaining debt will be wiped clean.¡±


    The nobleman had unleashed a hunting dog in a field. The thought of clearing the debt by killing only one person was tempting. But seeing his younger sister¡¯s fearful, trembling eyes, he couldn¡¯t go through with it.


    ¡°Run! Get away now!¡±


    He threw himself at the hunting dog, intending to die in her place. The moment its teeth sank into him, blood flowed, and its bite was strong enough to tear flesh. As he struggled on the dusty ground, the old man cackled, clutching his belly with laughter.


    ¡°Ah, what a tear-jerking sight.¡±


    Ecok wanted nothing more than to tear that man¡¯s skin with his teeth like the hunting dog. Yet, he swallowed the curses that threatened to spill from his lips. Angering him could mean a senseless death.


    Still, he held back¡­


    ¡°Look at her, running away without looking back. Didn¡¯t your parents leave you both behind, too? It seems that girl inherited the bloodline most strongly.¡± The old man gestured to a soldier, took the crossbow handed to him, and aimed at Ecok¡¯s fleeing younger sister.


    ¡°W-Wait! That¡¯s not what we agreed upon!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What do you mean by ¡®not what we agreed¡¯? I decide whether to kill her or not. Don¡¯t worry; if that girl dies, the debt will be cleared.¡±


    Ecok rushed toward the old man, his flesh tearing where the hunting dog had bitten and tugged. But before he could reach him, the old man had already fired the arrow without a hint of hesitation.


    Swish!


    Ecok prayed it would miss. But his sister began to fall forward, and he saw the arrow lodged in the back of her head.


    ¡°Ah, that was fun. You know, playing with commoners just doesn¡¯t compare to this sort of¡­ pedigree.¡±


    In the end, the man kept his word. He burned the debt papers in front of Ecok¡¯s eyes, took back the hunting dog, and left him alone in the field.


    ¡°¡­No, no. Hell began right then.¡±


    If his suffering had ended there, it would have been a little less tormenting. With no family and nothing to his name, his only place to stay was an orphanage. Ecok ended up at an orphanage run by the Order of the Sun, where he immediately faced intense bullying from the street orphans.


    ¡°What? Eating with unwashed hands? Think you¡¯re too good for us, noble?¡±


    ¡°He still thinks he¡¯s special. You¡¯re done for here, Ecok. Done. Crawl on the floor like the dog you are.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s good. When else are we gonna see the young master grovel?¡±


    The worst part was realizing who had influenced those orphans. The priests at the orphanage were, ironically, nothing like holy figures; they were horrifying beings who made him question if they truly believed in God.


    ¡°Ecok, you are possessed by a demon. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been punished until now.¡±


    ¡°P-Please, Priest. The demon¡¯s gone. It¡¯s gone! Please, just stop¡­¡±


    They frequently used ¡°exorcising the demon¡± as an excuse to whip him, and some of them were depraved enough to indulge their twisted desires on the children. Ecok endured the hellish environment with gritted teeth. He feigned respect for the orphan leader and appeased the priests, observing their desires and acting accordingly.


    Ecok survived by adapting to that vile society. As a result, he focused on finding a way to enter the priesthood and eventually enrolled at Frostheart. But here, he encountered something that forced him to confront his long-suppressed desires.


    ¡°Confession? What is that?¡±


    Rimaal, a member of the Special Ward, responded, ¡°It¡¯s an act of beginning atonement by admitting one¡¯s sins.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t sinned. I didn¡¯t do those things.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, any concerns you have? Anything you say might help, even if only a little.¡±


    He was a curious man, wise yet pure-hearted. Ecok thought for a moment.


    ¡°Concerns¡­ maybe you could give me an example.¡±


    At first, Ecok shared trivial things. But then something surprising happened. Day by day, he shared more with him, eventually revealing even the deepest parts of himself he¡¯d hidden away.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my life story up to this point. How did things turn out like this? What did I do so wrong to deserve this punishment?¡±


    As Ecok¡¯s thoughts grew both relieved and despairing, a perspective he had never considered emerged from Rimaal¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ecok, it¡¯s because you lacked power. If you¡¯d had power, you could¡¯ve become the leader among the orphans. The priests would have treated you well too, because rewards go to those who control the masses.¡±


    Just as Rimaal said, the priests were lenient with the orphan leader, even praising and feeding him well for keeping the children in line.


    ¡°But you desire something deeper. It¡¯s not just power or honor you seek. You¡¯ve always been angry, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Hearing those words, Ecok felt like Rimaal had struck a chord within him.


    ¡°Why do I have to bow to such people? Why did my parents abandon me? Why do others seem blessed while I am plagued with such terrible misfortune? I must have committed some terrible sin, right? How many times have I tortured myself with that thought?¡±


    When he heard this, he finally recognized an emotion he had long buried.


    ¡°You know the truth¡ªthat it wasn¡¯t you but them who were wrong. Yet, you thought revenge was impossible, so you turned your gaze away. It¡¯s a bit of relief, isn¡¯t it, to aim your anger at yourself?¡±


    Rimaal was right. What Ecok truly wanted was power, and revenge against them all. Yet, he had only comforted himself by acknowledging his own weakness and berating his failures.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Ecok. I¡¯ll help you gain the power you¡¯ve lacked. Then, share with me your impressions.¡±


    Ecok finished reflecting on his past and slammed his fist down on the desk.


    ¡°Aagh! Why is it only me? Why am I the only one without a single good thing?¡±


    Tears of frustration dripped down his face. After sobbing and heaving for some time, he laid his head on the desk and drifted off to sleep.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long had passed when he woke up to the sensation of something damp in his hands. Startled, he looked down.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    It was a black-covered book. He recognized it as the same tome Hersel had dropped on the floor.


    ¡°The Forbidden Book of Black Blood¡­?¡±


    This time, tears of a different kind welled up in his eyes. Had Rimaal brought it to him? He didn¡¯t know, but Ecok clutched the tome tightly to his chest like a child protecting a precious treasure, holding it close for several minutes. For him, this was the most hopeful moment in his life.


    ***


    Having fallen asleep late, my body felt weary. I closed my drowsy eyes completely, and even the professor, who was writing equations on the blackboard, seemed to show consideration by not disturbing me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when I felt someone shaking my shoulder.


    ¡°Hersel, time for the next class.¡±


    Ricks stood there with a wry smile, holding a briefcase. It looked like he had packed up the study materials for me while I slept.


    ¡°Sorry for going through your stuff without permission. You looked pretty tired.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for helping me out.¡±


    ¡°Really? But are you okay for the next class? I doubt anyone would mind if you skipped it entirely.¡±


    After a deep nap, I felt refreshed.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m fully awake now. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I got up and headed to the next classroom. As we walked down the hallway, Ricks spoke.


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve got the worst luck. Everyone¡¯s been enjoying this peaceful atmosphere lately, and then something like this happens to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m glad you made it back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m a bit uneasy, you know? Something like this happening out of nowhere¡ªit feels like a bad omen. Maybe it¡¯s some kind of foreshadowing, like we¡¯re about to see all those suppressed issues explode at once.¡±


    This devilish guy. Planting flags like that wherever he pleases¡­


    I sped up, leaving Ricks, the harbinger of curses, behind.


    ¡°Hey, Hersel, wait up!¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly speeding up like that?¡±


    ¡°Gravel, you were following along too¡­?¡±


    ¡°I was right next to you?¡±


    My stride wasn¡¯t one that these mages could easily match. I quickly lost them and arrived at the lecture hall door, where I happened to lock eyes with Dorosian, who let out a small ¡°Oh.¡±


    Hmm, no purple lipstick. Looks like it¡¯s the Dorosian I know.


    ¡°Here to attend this class?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I was going to come earlier, but with everything that happened yesterday, I ended up oversleeping.¡±


    Dorosian stretched, and I took the opportunity to study her closely, memorizing any differences to distinguish her from the Dorosian of the future.


    ¡°Hmm? Isn¡¯t that a bit of an intense stare?¡±


    ¡°Dorosian.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wear purple lipstick.¡±


    She blinked, looking at me like I was speaking nonsense, then entered the lecture hall, glancing back with a slight tilt of her head.


    ¡°Do you not like purple?¡±


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 Chapter 161

    In the secluded fields of the citadel, Ecok looked around to see if anyone was nearby. It was class time, so the professors likely wouldn¡¯t be coming around here.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    Ecok placed the sack on the ground and carefully took out a small item. It was a palm-sized door. According to Rimaal, this was supposed to be the door to the Spirit Realm.


    ¨C Long ago, spirits could descend to the human world freely, without needing a contract with a mage. They used a certain type of door.


    ¨C Isn¡¯t that just some ancient superstition?


    There were stories passed down from ancestors that every household once had a door through which spirits would visit, and people prayed for prosperity through it. However, in recent times, even kids didn¡¯t believe in such absurd tales.


    ¨C It¡¯s true, Ecok. That door used to be a common item. Maybe for nostalgia¡¯s sake, those who had it would pass it down to their descendants, even if just as a decoration.


    Though Rimaal was close to him in age, Ecok hadn¡¯t fully believed his words. But he¡¯d held his tongue, recalling everything he had accomplished thanks to this man.


    ¨C So, there¡¯s one here as well.


    Setting up the door, Ecok then took out an orb. It wasn¡¯t something he had struggled to acquire; Rimaal had given it to him.


    ¨C Take it. This is an orb containing the soul of the Tyrant King.


    ¨C The Tyrant King? With such a title, surely his name should be in history. What¡¯s his name?


    ¨C He was once the Spirit King, Dordone. He attempted to conquer the human world but failed and was dethroned.


    Suddenly, a wave of doubt washed over Ecok. While he trusted Rimaal¡¯s extensive knowledge and believed that the items held special powers, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that the stories around them seemed like something a teenage boy might fabricate. He stifled his embarrassment.


    ¡°Ugh, damn it, look at the goosebumps¡­¡±


    Swallowing his shame, he reached into the sack. The last item was a piece of paper, inscribed with a ritual written in blood. It was a difficult item to obtain, and Ecok smiled with satisfaction.


    He had stolen it from the library of the Grand Mage. Although one could view the library for observation purposes, it was forbidden to enter recklessly. If it hadn¡¯t been for the chaos caused by the student council¡¯s influence and the incident with Luon, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull it off.


    And what exactly was this paper?


    ¨C Spirits could no longer descend to the human world at will. They were allowed only through contracts with mages, as promised.


    ??? ¡°A promise?¡±


    ¨C Yes, a promise. What you have obtained is the contract signed between the then-human representative, the Grand Mage Adrigal, and the new Spirit King. ?£Á???§§?


    The door to the Spirit Realm. The orb containing the Tyrant King¡¯s soul. And the contract between the Spirit King and the Grand Mage, founder of Frostheart.


    Finally, the curse he had been holding back slipped out.


    ¡°This guy¡­ he should just go write a novel, seriously.¡±


    With a flushed face, Ecok extracted the spirit that had been dormant within his skin. Out came a small black lizard, its eyes darting as its tongue flickered.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯m sending you back to the Spirit Realm. Just wait there for a bit.¡±


    After telling the lizard this, he opened the *Grimoire of Black Blood* haphazardly. The book, as if by magic, displayed the content he needed without him having to turn a single page. Ecok breathed life into a specific sentence.


    ¡°Whoo.¡±


    The black, fiery words floated in the air, eventually attaching themselves to the blood-stained paper. He threw the blazing paper onto the small door. As soon as the burning paper crossed the threshold, a world full of vibrant colors appeared on the other side.


    Ecok¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°R-Rimaal¡¯s words couldn¡¯t actually be true, could they?¡±


    The Spirit Realm¡ªa completely isolated dimension, one humans were never meant to enter. Though he could only glimpse it, the mysterious sight gave Rimaal¡¯s words a surprising sense of credibility.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too soon to decide just by looking. Rimaal¡­ if you¡¯re lying, I swear you¡¯re not getting away with it.¡±


    Ecok picked up the orb and handed it to the lizard.


    ¡°Here, take this inside.¡±


    The lizard clamped the orb in its mouth and crawled toward the pathway. It was a messenger, according to Rimaal. Once the orb entered the Spirit Realm, everything else would happen on its own.


    ¨C The Spirit Realm has prisons, too. Among the prisoners are followers who served the Tyrant King Dordone and were imprisoned. If they catch his scent, they¡¯ll undoubtedly stir.


    ¨C Wait, weren¡¯t you supposed to make me the Tyrant King? Isn¡¯t this just freeing him?


    ¨C Don¡¯t worry, Ecok. The Tyrant King Dordone seeks a liberator. He promised to offer his strength to the one who sets him free.


    Ecok gulped. It seemed impossible, but if it were true, it would be monumental.


    He watched the lizard disappear with eyes full of hope. Just as its tail crossed the door, the small door began to rumble and grow larger.


    ¡°W-What? How big is this thing going to get?¡±


    The door continued to expand, soon rivaling the nearby trees before it finally stopped a few minutes later. Then, moments later, a blue mist poured out of the door like a cloud.


    Ecok, wide-eyed with shock, took a step back. A silhouette was beginning to form within the mist.


    ***


    In the lecture hall, Professor Gomon was writing on the board.


    ¡°Today, we will be learning about Spirit Studies.¡±


    I closed my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s magic that only those who have awakened their sense of touch can use. There¡¯s no point learning it if you can¡¯t use it.¡±


    ¡°To handle spirits, you must first refine your mana sensitivity to the extreme. You need to be able to sense mana even through your hair.¡±


    ¡°Professor, what about those who are bald?¡±


    ¡°¡­They have eyebrows, don¡¯t they? Short, so it¡¯s harder to sense, but still. Ahem.¡±


    Professor Gomon averted his gaze from a bald professor passing by in the hallway and continued his explanation. I half-listened, pulling out a book for my next class. Then, out of curiosity, I asked Dorosian, who was reading some genre novel.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you handle spirits? With your dual awakening, you¡¯d excel in any kind of magic.¡±


    Dorosian glanced at me and snapped back, ¡°I don¡¯t like tattoos on my body.¡±


    Ah, that¡¯s true. Making a contract with a spirit causes the contract terms to manifest on your body in the form of inscriptions. Usually, people place them on hidden parts of their skin. I nodded and opened my notebook, but then Dorosian started writing on it.


    [Why did you do that back then?]


    I studied her expression. She looked slightly annoyed, yet curious. I pulled out my pen and wrote back.


    [What are you talking about?]


    [The time you placed your hand on the grimoire.]


    I wondered why she didn¡¯t just ask me out loud; then it made sense. I¡¯d told her to keep that incident a secret if she didn¡¯t want the hassle of dealing with others finding out. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I did it because I was confident. And the results proved it.]


    [That was reckless, not something you could be sure you¡¯d survive. Have you gotten stupid again, like back in the day?]


    Dorosian¡¯s handwriting grew rough enough to crumple the notebook. Her barely suppressed anger was evident, and I paused to consider. Ignoring it seemed dangerous, but telling her, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t die because of my ¡®one-second invincibility¡¯¡± wasn¡¯t an option either. The range of possible answers was slim.


    Instead of writing, I responded aloud with a convincing tone. ¡°I just¡­ felt like you had to survive.¡±


    Dorosian tapped her pen on the notebook a few times before putting it down. With her black hair falling like curtains, I couldn¡¯t see her expression. Feeling embarrassed by my sentimental words, I turned my gaze to Professor Gomon, who was passionately lecturing.


    ¡°Of course, to truly master spirit magic, you also need to understand its weaknesses. Let¡¯s see¡­ right, the main weakness is that it¡¯s generally vulnerable to other forms of magic. Though spirit affinity varies by element, spirits can still be effectively attacked.¡±


    ¡°Professor, what about knights?¡±


    ¡°Ordinary knights can¡¯t harm spirits at all. But if they wield aura, that¡¯s a different story. Aura is essentially a form of altered mana. In particular, if they slice with an aura blade, it¡¯ll slice clean through.¡±


    This topic is helpful for me too. Though I already know it, it¡¯s a good refresher.


    ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t get too attached to spirits. Spirits don¡¯t die in the human world. If they get cut or burned or disappear somehow, they just return to the Spirit Realm to recharge. After some time, you can summon them again.¡±


    There was one detail he left out: only spirits bound by contract to a mage are truly immortal. How do I know this? The answer was in the blue mist spreading across the floor.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Professor, there¡¯s some kind of blue mist on the floor.¡±


    As the students noticed the change, Professor Gomon looked around in alarm.


    ¡°Everyone, stay calm. Ah, just when I thought it was strangely quiet lately. Should I go report this to Professor Rockefeller?¡±


    He quickly summoned a Stone Bear, wrote a note, and placed it in its paw. The Stone Bear hurried off, seemingly heading to Rockefeller¡¯s office. Meanwhile, Bellman, sitting at the front and taking notes, sighed and muttered softly.


    ¡°Here we go again¡­¡±


    Exactly.


    [Fallen Spirit King Dordone]


    Once sealed by the combined efforts of the Grand Mage Adrigal and the current Spirit King Rilques, Dordone is now sought out by Ecok to absorb his power and become the true Tyrant King. This scenario requires us to find and defeat the hidden Ecok by taking down Dordone¡¯s fallen spirit minions within a limited time. If we fail to stop him, everyone here will perish, since it took both a Grand Mage and the current Spirit King to defeat him last time¡ªthis power imbalance is no joke.


    I took a deep breath, regaining my composure, and thought carefully. The answer to why this boss battle, which was supposed to start in our second year, was happening now could only lie with Dorosian of the future, who had stolen my grimoire and handed it over to Ecok. To understand why she did it, I glanced at the present Dorosian beside me.


    ¡°Dorosian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say there¡¯s a monster that should never be awakened. But someone goes ahead and releases it, even though it doesn¡¯t benefit them. If we assume you were that person, what do you think would drive you to do it?¡±


    Dorosian looked at me with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s a weird question, out of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°Think of it as a psychological test.¡±


    She made a dissatisfied face, grunting, but seemed willing to humor me. Watching her closely to see what she¡¯d say, she gave a small smirk.


    ¡°Do I seem like the kind of crazy person who¡¯d do something like that?¡±


    Well, Future you did¡­


    ***


    Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed across the entire Frostheart Academy.


    ¡°This is an emergency. Repeat, this is an emergency. Arm yourselves and take defensive positions.¡±


    A faint sigh could be heard after the announcement, suggesting Rockefeller was getting used to these situations. Under Professor Gomon¡¯s direction, we moved into the hallway.


    ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    The corridor was crowded with students from other classes, all grumbling with annoyed expressions¡ªespecially the third-years.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to bail. I was trying to hold out for the few months left until graduation, but I don¡¯t think I can take this anymore.¡±


    ¡°Right, life is precious.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is up with this year? We had peace for the last two years.¡±


    Amusingly, the professors seemed to share their sentiments.


    ¡°Do they think they¡¯re the only ones? Some of us professors are barely hanging on here, too. Sigh¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time to consider retirement.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I might seriously think about it.¡±


    Their mutterings must have reached the office, as Rockefeller¡¯s irritated voice came through the loudspeaker.


    ¡°Everyone, shut up and follow protocol! The last group to reach their designated point will have me to answer to. Now, move it!¡±


    I followed the crowd, guided by the professors. Our destination was a designated battle zone best suited for emergencies. While some groups were assigned the same location, most were spread out across different points.


    This realization amplified the elements that could drive someone to madness.


    ¡°This is insane.¡±


    Originally, this battle was meant to occur in the second year. Now, it was happening far too early¡ªand it was a joint hunting mission involving the entire school. The current third-years should have graduated, and new students should have filled their ranks. That was the basic foundation. But due to the shift in time, the team composition that should have been a given was completely broken.


    Could we even clear this scenario¡­


    While I was calculating possibilities, a group running ahead suddenly halted. Looking forward, I saw Professor Gomon brandishing his staff. His target was a fallen spirit, its body a massive, muscular bear cloaked in a grayish aura.


    ¡°A bear¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t it feel kind of like a spirit?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit similar to the aura of a Stone Bear.¡±


    As students murmured in surprise, Professor Gomon gestured for them to step back.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ll teach as we go.¡±


    He aimed his staff at the bear as if pointing to an example in a textbook.


    ¡°Large creatures tend to be strong. Of course, some, like our Stone Bear, are downsized for efficiency, so don¡¯t let size alone fool you.¡±


    The bear spirit charged. The Stone Bear lunged, striking its opponent¡¯s belly. Both creatures were thrown back from the impact. While the Stone Bear fought, Professor Gomon glanced toward the window, reminding everyone of the situation.


    ¡°The Knight Department is still full of students who can¡¯t release aura. This is a moment where our Magic Department needs to shine. So keep your wits about you¡­ unless you want to end up dead.¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s gaze shifted to the training field. The students rushed to the window and looked down. The training grounds were packed with spirits, their numbers so dense that even the ground was no longer visible. However, some figures stood out, as the spirits kept a clear distance from them. Pointing at these figures, Professor Gomon wore a grave expression.


    ¡°Be especially wary of the humanoid ones. Those are high-ranking spirits.¡±


    Three spirits, standing with arms crossed, exuded an air of superiority. These were the guardians, placed to prevent the main cast from reaching Ecok.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 161-165 (Spirit Battle) $3


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 162

    The first-year Adele Hall students were instructed to gather in the lobby on the first floor of the fortress. Just as they arrived, the Knights Division entered, and familiar faces began to appear. Limberton chuckled with a resigned look.


    ¡°Heh, now it¡¯s spirits.¡±


    ¡°Calm down¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can I even do that? We just dealt with the undead, and now it¡¯s spirits. Who knows what¡¯ll come next?¡±


    If I told them, they might just run away. As I stayed silent, Aslay raised a troubled expression and asked, ¡°Boss, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Our ancestors taught us to be friendly with spirits. Are we really supposed to kill them?¡±


    So that¡¯s what was bothering him¡ªhe thought it was sacrilegious to attack spirits.


    ¡°Ah, your tribe must have revered spirits.¡±


    Spirits have been revered in many cultures across time. They¡¯re often seen as blessings, bringing abundance to farmlands or success in hunting to tribes living in the wild. But these were curses.


    ¡°They¡¯re corrupted spirits, Aslay. They spread plagues and cause droughts.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That they were locked in a prison within the spirit realm was proof enough. Aslay let out a sigh of relief, having shed his guilt.


    ¡°So it¡¯s fine to crush them without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Understood, boss.¡±


    After a few moments, the rest of the Knights Division lined up and assembled in the lobby. Mircel passed by the division instructor and approached me.


    ¡°Hey, bro.¡±


    ¡°You look a bit excited.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Last time I fought a spirit, it was way too easy.¡±


    Ah, come to think of it, Mircel had dueled a sorcerer who wielded spirit magic during the battle for the Ten Positions. It had ended rather anticlimactically back then. ????¦¢¨¨?


    ¡°Still, fight carefully. This one is far stronger than that nameless spirit you fought.¡±


    Saying that, I adjusted Mircel¡¯s equipment slightly. Then, I looked over at the Knights Division instructor and Professor Gomon, who were exchanging strained expressions. After finishing their discussion, Professor Gomon cleared his throat to draw attention.


    ¡°Ahem. I assume you all know the situation. The spirits that infiltrated the fortress have been cleared out, but they¡¯re still swarming outside. We don¡¯t know why they¡¯re trying to attack this place, but for now, rest assured that the outer wall¡¯s barrier is active. You all saw how sturdy it was during the Luon incident, right?¡±


    It was a barrier strong enough that not even someone like Bellen or Arkandric could break through it easily. But that didn¡¯t mean we could relax.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll just hide here, either. We¡¯re Pathfinders. We¡¯re not here to merely protect the land¡ªwe¡¯re here to conquer it.¡±


    If it were any other academy, they might have chosen safety, but this was Frostheart, a place that nurtured those who would consider losing ground to be a disgrace.


    A student raised their hand and asked, ¡°Professor, how about sending a message to the Empire? We could hold out until reinforcements arrive.¡±


    Professor Gomon shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. It¡¯d get blocked by headquarters anyway. I know what kind of people those elders are, and they¡¯d just tell us to use this as a chance to gain experience.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s true. Those elders are always saying things like, ¡°At your age, you should be able to do this with ease,¡± every time they see a young person. Of course, Elder Arental, who¡¯s relatively young, is an exception.


    ¡°And even if we did send it¡ªthough it¡¯s highly unlikely¡ªwho knows when they¡¯d arrive? I can¡¯t guarantee the barrier will hold until then.¡±


    When the student who asked the question nodded, Professor Gomon scanned the Knights Division members and continued speaking.


    ¡°I heard from Professor Ildiran. Among you in the Knights Division, those capable of aura release are Riamon, Leana, Silla, Aslay, Limberton¡­ and Erucel and Mircel, correct?¡±


    The named members nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been briefed already. For a swordsman, the minimum requirement to handle a spirit is aura release.¡±


    Perhaps it was because they were becoming more accustomed to battle, but from their serious expressions, it seemed they immediately understood the significance.


    ¡°In this group, your roles are crucial. To secure a path for our allies to advance, you¡¯ll need to lead the way and clear a path.¡±


    This battle would shift from fortress defense to reclaiming the grounds. The other Knights Division members still hadn¡¯t reached the level of aura release. To clear out the spirit legion and reclaim the training grounds, these aura users would need to shoulder multiple roles.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean the other Knights Division members should just sit idle. The Mages Division will enhance your weapons with elemental attributes. You¡¯ll have to strike a few times and retreat, but even that will make a significant impact on the battlefield.¡±


    Elemental enhancement was basic¡ªinfusing blades with magical flames, for instance. The effect only lasted a few strikes before needing replenishment, but it was essential for establishing the front line.


    ¡°As for the Mages Division, you¡¯ll proceed just as you practiced during the labyrinth training. Support with powerful attacks¡ªunderstood? Now, let¡¯s proceed with the usual unit formations. Familiarity is best.¡±


    Listening quietly, I reminded Professor Gomon of something he had overlooked.


    ¡°Professor, what about the new recruits in Adele Hall?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, right. I completely forgot. Yes, Ricks, Gravel, and Mircel¡­ and Dorosian.¡±


    Professor Gomon assigned Mircel, Gravel, and Ricks to a team. Mircel muttered with a look of displeasure.


    ¡°Eh? I wanted to go with my brother.¡±


    ¡°You rascal. I¡¯d like to make things easier too, but there¡¯s no way around it.¡±


    After saying this to Mircel, Professor Gomon looked at me, Limberton, and Aslay, letting out a deep sigh. I immediately recognized the loaded meaning behind it.


    Of course, he would sigh. Aslay, who only knows grappling moves, Limberton, who only excels with a bow¡­ and me, a mage who can¡¯t cast spells correctly. We¡¯d managed to prove our worth as a team, but if we were assigned individually to a structured unit, things could fall apart quickly.


    ¡°Hersel, I¡¯ll assign Dorosian to your unit as well. You know why, don¡¯t you?¡±


    When Professor Gomon mentioned her name, Dorosian, who had been leisurely leaning in a corner reading a book, looked up at me. I nodded with a faintly bitter feeling.


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    Sure, he must see me more as a swordsman than a mage.


    ¡°Formations are nearly set. Gather around.¡±


    Professor Gomon assembled a few members of the Mages Division¡ªthose mages were grouped with the Knights Division members who couldn¡¯t release aura.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the technique to enhance your weapons with elemental attributes, so pay attention.¡±


    Since this didn¡¯t apply to the main fighters, I observed the enemies through the window. Tiny, almost cute spirits crashed into the barrier. But among them were grotesque spirits with decayed skin, exposing bones, making the atmosphere eerie.


    After about three minutes of withstanding their attacks on the barrier, Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed through a loudspeaker.


    ¡°I know everyone¡¯s preparing for battle, but hurry up. We¡¯ve seen unusual movements from them. The barrier will soon¡ª¡±


    Outside, three higher spirits were tearing open the barrier with their hands. Through the breach, spirits began rushing in, from the main entrance to the windows.


    ¡°The barrier¡¯s been breached! Set up a frontline immediately to keep them from entering the fortress!¡±


    At Rockefeller¡¯s urgent command, Professor Gomon gave instructions.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming. Don¡¯t try to hold them off directly; keep some distance and position your units.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the windows shattered, and flames ignited at the main entrance.


    * * *


    Small raccoon-like spirits charged at us, drooling as if rabid. As they drew closer, Limberton pierced their foreheads with aura-infused arrows. The Mages Division frantically unleashed spells, though they fell short of delivering fatal blows.


    ¡°Knights Division, surround them now!¡±


    Following the instructor¡¯s command, the Knights Division members in each unit raised their swords. Meanwhile, Professor Gomon glanced at the sword strapped to my waist and cleared his throat. In response, I pulled out my staff.


    ¡°¡­A sword would work too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a mage.¡±


    Leaving a disappointed Professor Gomon behind, the Knights Division intercepted the advancing spirits. Riamon swung his aura-infused greatsword broadly, while Aslay grabbed the spirits by their tails and threw them to the ground. Although his grappling skills wouldn¡¯t inflict much damage, even with an aura, they still made an impact.


    ¡°¡­Aslay, use your shield. Provide cover with it.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Boss.¡±


    Meanwhile, Silla, Leana, Erucel, and Mircel took on the lead in taking down the spirits one by one, while the rest of the Knights Division struck and withdrew to prevent their teammates from being surrounded. Of course, since they were still inexperienced with elemental enhancements, there were some minor mishaps¡­


    ¡°What the heck? My blade just went out mid-swing!¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop charging it with electricity. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m getting shocked too?¡±


    ¡°Who put ice on this thing? My hand¡¯s frozen! Just stick to fire already!¡±


    After some trial and error, the Mages Division finally settled on a unified ¡°sticking flames¡± enchantment for their weapons, and each mage cast their specialty spells whenever they found an opening. I joined in, using telekinetic magic to hurl broken window glass pieces left by the spirits. I tried attaching tiny flames to the shards before throwing them, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t hit effectively.


    Dorosian, who was standing nearby with his arms folded, chuckled at me.


    ¡°Are you just pretending to help?¡±


    ¡°How about you stop watching and lend a hand?¡±


    ¡°Is there really any need? It¡¯s obvious this will be over soon.¡±


    As Dorosian had predicted, the first-floor lobby was nearly cleared out. I glanced at the broken wall clock. It was fairly damaged, but the hands were still ticking.


    ¡°Quick work.¡±


    Only three upper-level spirits had breached the barrier. Because of the bottleneck they¡¯d caused, like a holiday highway jam, only a few had trickled in at a time, making it easier to eliminate them. Still, it was above-average speed. It made sense, considering this scenario would normally occur just after the main fighters moved up to second year. Usually, the first-year positions would be filled by fresh recruits with little experience.


    Instead, their places had been taken by classmates who¡¯d already endured a range of lessons and labyrinth practices.


    With the addition of second- and third-year students who had overcome even more challenges than their juniors, our force was far superior in quality.


    ¡°This might be easier than expected,¡± I remarked.


    Perhaps my words foreshadowed the outcome. Everyone performed their roles without a single misstep, and soon enough, the first-floor lobby was covered in a thick layer of ash left behind by the defeated corrupted spirits. A few moments later, cheers erupted from beyond the walls and windows. It was undoubtedly the victorious cries of other units battling elsewhere.


    The Knights Division instructor let out a soft sigh, curling his lips into a small smile.


    ¡°Seems like they made it up to the upper floors.¡±


    ¡°Of course, spirits often climb walls or fly around.¡±


    Professor Gomon responded, gazing out the window. The higher-level spirits outside were still focused on tearing at the barrier but showed no sign of entering.


    ¡°Professor Ildiran, it looks like they¡¯re not coming through just yet. How about giving the students a short break?¡±


    ¡°For a little while.¡±


    With Ildiran¡¯s agreement, Professor Gomon granted us some rest time.


    ¡°Take a breather, everyone. From now on, Professor and I will handle any that make it through.¡±


    Feigning exhaustion, I wiped imaginary sweat from my forehead and sat down, checking on the first-year students in Adele Hall. Though they looked slightly fatigued, they seemed lively enough to jump back into battle at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too complacent. Remember what the Professor said? Generally, the smaller they are, the weaker they are, though there are exceptions. We only fought lower-level spirits.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, look outside. It¡¯s packed with those bigger ones. Guess we have to deal with all of them to finish this, huh?¡±


    In that regard, they could rest easy. Despite the challenge posed by intermediate-level spirits, the students¡¯ role was mainly to assist. The main battle would be fought by all the professors of Frostheart. The lead students only needed to follow Rockefeller¡¯s instructions to identify the core of this incident and seek out and defeat the spirit, Ecok, amidst the turmoil.


    As I considered the clear path ahead, Dorosian spoke with a bored expression.


    ¡°When will this finally end?¡±


    The thought of Dorosian of the future made me chuckle. Ironically, speeding things up had made this scenario easier. Perhaps this whole ordeal was calculated from the start.


    ¡°Soon, Rockefeller will lower the barrier and order us to reclaim the training grounds. Once we finish that, we¡¯ll be able to rest properly.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    I casually awaited Rockefeller¡¯s next orders, watching the two professors take care of incoming spirits. They were chatting leisurely as they tidied up the situation.


    ¡°Only assigning two professors, huh? Professor Rockefeller is quite bold.¡±


    ¡°Heh, don¡¯t be too harsh, Professor Ildiran. I¡¯d say it¡¯s a sign of his confidence in our skills.¡±


    Indeed, both of them were among the most skilled professors. They had graduated from the same First Division, just in different years.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not too familiar with high-level spirits. Could you explain them a bit?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Haven¡¯t fought spirits much, have you?¡±


    ¡°Not many chances, really.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Since we fight monsters, not humans, it¡¯s understandable. Anyway, as for higher spirits¡ªwell, even Stone Bear might just barely qualify.¡±


    Stone Bear, famous for crushing monster skulls with his fists, shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°But having experienced it firsthand, I¡¯d say even higher spirits have levels. Remember when I mentioned I was lucky enough to spar with a mage from the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    ¡°The spirit he controlled was something else, fitting for someone of his standing. Even our Stone Bear couldn¡¯t move against it.¡±


    Stone Bear lowered his head, looking downcast.


    ¡°Just like our mages, higher spirits have levels from beginner to advanced. But those out there look advanced, if not even stronger¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying they might be stronger than the ones the mage from the Magic Tower controlled¡­ We should stay on our guard.¡±


    As the professors continued their conversation, it seemed like the situation was nearly under control. But suddenly, the expression on the Knights Division instructor¡¯s face filled with alarm.


    ¡°Huh, Gomon, something seems off with your Stone Bear¡­¡±


    Stone Bear, who had thrown a spirit to the ground, was now trembling in terror, unable to deliver the final punch. Noticing the odd behavior, Professor Gomon spoke with a concerned tone.


    ¡°Stone Bear? What¡¯s wrong all of a sudden¡­¡±


    When Stone Bear focused intently on the main entrance, Professor Gomon turned to look as well. Wondering if perhaps a high-level spirit had already entered, I also turned my gaze toward the entrance.


    Contrary to our concerns, what Stone Bear was looking at was not a high-level spirit, but a troop of monkeys.


    ¡°Oookikiki!¡±


    The monkey troop was something we had expected. Even so, I furrowed my brows. At the center of the troop stood a single commanding monkey. Dressed elegantly in a black robe, it held a cigarette in its mouth, and blood dripped from its hand. It was clear that this outfit and cigarette had been taken from a slain professor.


    It was undeniable.


    * * *


    ¡°Why did you choose this place?¡±


    Ecok raised his head to look at the spirit who had asked the question. It wore a mask reminiscent of a plague doctor¡¯s. This spirit had been the first to emerge when the spirit realm opened.


    thought Ecok, feeling uneasy as he replied.


    ¡°Do you know the Magan Chamber? This place is a vortex of mana currents.¡±


    ¡°And so?¡±


    ¡°Idiot. From here, I can manipulate dark energy without being detected. There¡¯s no better place to hide.¡±


    If he manipulated dark energy out of the ordinary, the professors would certainly notice. Given what he was about to do, hiding in the flow of mana was essential.


    Ecok held the orb containing the soul of the Tyrant and opened his spellbook.


    There was more than enough dark energy in the dungeons below to fuel the ritual. Ecok turned to the page with the necessary ritual and sat cross-legged, feeling the dark energy flow into the spellbook.


    ¡°Hm. It¡¯s a bit slow, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Judging by the rate, it would take a while to fully charge. With nothing to do in the meantime, Ecok turned to the plague-masked spirit.


    ¡°So why are you helping me, exactly? Your king is meant to be my prey, you know. You¡¯re truly fine with that?¡±


    Ecok was wary, but according to the contents of the spellbook, there was no risk of being devoured by the Tyrant. The ritual was more of a binding spell that would trap the awakened spirit within his own body.


    ¡°The only thing that matters is conquering the mortal realm. I need someone who can make that happen. Even if it¡¯s not the king I once served, as long as my long-held goal is realized, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°And you won¡¯t betray me in the end?¡± Ecok asked suspiciously, and the plague-masked spirit leaned in close. Its long beak passed over his shoulder as it replied.


    ¡°Ecok, I¡¯ve waited thousands of years for a king who would conquer the mortal realm. It¡¯s been so long¡­ long enough to consider ending it all.¡±


    It continued, ¡°When you first appeared, I smelled Dordone on you. Do you know what thought crossed my mind then?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    At Ecok¡¯s question, a blue light flickered in the glass covering the spirit¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°If this one holds even a sliver of ambition to conquer the mortal realm, then it¡¯s worth testing. So, let me ask again: Do you truly intend to conquer the mortal realm?¡±


    Ecok closed his eyes and considered. At first, his goals weren¡¯t quite so grand. He¡¯d thought that simply possessing power would free him from a miserable life. But now he saw that was just wasted potential.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. If I truly gain the kind of power you¡¯re talking about, I¡¯ll rise to the top. I¡¯ll stand above everything in the world and flaunt my dominance.¡±


    He wanted to sever the heads of those who had looked down on him, to wipe the smiles off the faces of those who laughed while he suffered. He wanted to eat whatever he pleased and live freely, doing as he wished.


    ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it? Just empty fantasies I used to have when I got beaten up as a kid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, Ecok. No longer just a fantasy, but something you can make a reality.¡±


    With that, the plague-masked spirit straightened up, releasing a faint chuckle as he pulled out an orb. Inside, a monkey wearing a black robe and smoking a cigarette was visible.


    ¡°Glad I persuaded the others not to kill him.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 161-165 (Spirit Battle) $3


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


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 Chapter 163

    ¡°These creatures seem¡­ unusual¡­¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s remark made the Knight Division professor nod in agreement. The way the monkeys positioned themselves in a circular formation around their leader looked as disciplined as a well-trained army.


    ¡°These monkeys are suddenly moving with precision,¡± he observed.


    ¡°Professor Ildiran, judging by the intense demonic energy radiating from them, each one must be at least at a mid-level spirit¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then, what about the one in the center?¡±


    Professor Gomon nervously hid the trembling Stone Bear behind his legs and swallowed hard.


    ¡°It might be something greater, possibly even higher than the three outside.¡±


    The monkey leader was only about half my height, yet its presence was unmistakable. Students who had paused to rest instinctively reached for their weapons, sensing the tension in the air.


    ¡°What is this? It looks like nothing, but it¡¯s giving me chills¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Especially that gray monkey in the black robe.¡±


    While the students whispered among themselves, the leader monkey swiftly scratched the ground with its index claw. The sound was harsh, and the friction heated its claw to a reddish glow. It used the glowing claw to light the end of a cigarette held in its mouth. A long inhale followed, and as it exhaled, smoke spread around it.


    ¡°Hahhh.¡±


    The leader monkey took a few more drags, then removed the cigarette and glanced around. Moments later, an aged voice escaped its mouth.


    ¡°Hmm. This is much better than rolling it up in leaves.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    My eyes widened in shock. A spirit speaking? While it wasn¡¯t unheard of for some spirits to speak human language, this wasn¡¯t a good sign given the circumstances. Professor Gomon, seemingly grasping the gravity of the situation, muttered in a surprised tone.


    ¡°A¡­ high-level spirit?¡±


    Above high-tier, there¡¯s ultra-tier. And then, there¡¯s high-tier.


    Some students, still clueless, muttered in confusion.


    ¡°High-level spirit? Is that a thing?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t summoning only reach the higher tiers?¡±


    Bellman responded, his face showing clear tension.


    ¡°A high-level spirit is among the top entities¡­ though only a few ancient records mention them. We always thought it was more of a myth. I never imagined it was real.¡±


    The leader monkey approached, leaving its subordinates behind. Professor Gomon, with a tense expression, addressed it.


    ¡°It seems we can communicate. I¡¯ll ask¡ªwhat is your purpose?¡±


    ¡°Our purpose?¡±


    The leader monkey raised an eyebrow and smirked.


    ¡°Conquest of the human realm. To burn your lands and enslave all humans.¡±


    The chilling statement froze the atmosphere. Professor Gomon¡¯s face showed confusion, and he frowned.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. A pure species like yours, why would you¡­¡±


    The leader monkey sneered.


    ¡°Pure? Ah, yes. We were once. Before we were tainted by your ancestors¡¯ malice.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°By that reaction, it seems your ancestors never told you. Well, I guess they wouldn¡¯t, considering it was such a filthy deed.¡±


    The leader monkey unbuttoned the tattered robe, revealing its chest.


    Countless scars covered its body. From sword marks to strange patterns left from branding by hot metal, it bore the symbols of its painful past. The leader monkey pointed to the markings and said, ¡°Do you know what this is? It¡¯s the mark of slavery engraved by you humans.¡± ????????¨§?


    Professor Gomon¡¯s eyes widened in shock. For someone who believed in the cooperative nature between humans and spirits, this revelation was a harsh reality. But the leader monkey continued recounting the events, seemingly indifferent to Gomon¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°There were spirits trapped in forges just because they radiated warmth. Some had their legs cut to prevent them from escaping and were bound to fields to ensure bountiful harvests. And then there were those subjected to repulsive acts by vile individuals, who hunted them for sport after releasing them in the woods. And those were the kinder things they endured.¡±


    A quiet fury laced the monkey¡¯s voice, and the other monkeys behind it flashed their sharp teeth, their eyes blazing. The leader monkey, scanning everyone in the lobby, spoke again with a twisted smile.


    ¡°It was you humans who treated us this way when we came to the human realm with pure hearts. I¡¯d like nothing more than to kill you all. But if we¡¯re to do this, why not be productive about it, right? Just as you once did.¡±


    Its smile revealed a calculating side. ¡°So, I¡¯d prefer it if you surrender. We¡¯d rather avoid unnecessary bloodshed. If you accept a life as livestock, we¡¯ll take care of you until the time for slaughter comes.¡±


    Professor Gomon raised his staff in defiance. ¡°I understand you have your grievances, but this has gone too far. I won¡¯t listen to any more of it.¡±


    ¡°So negotiations have broken down, then? In that case¡­ let¡¯s start by dismantling this annoying barrier.¡± The leader monkey suddenly gagged and coughed. ¡°Ugh¡­ been a while since I tried this. Bear with me for a moment.¡±


    It tapped its throat with its fingers and spat out a slimy, glistening piece of metal¡ªa pendant in the shape of a rhombus.


    ¡°Hmm. Now, where¡¯s the device controlling the barrier?¡± it asked.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d tell you that?¡± Gomon retorted. The leader monkey smirked, waving the pendant.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you, fat one. I was asking this.¡±


    The pendant floated into the air, its chain expanding and pointing in a direction. It seemed to be indicating the control room for the barrier on the outer wall.


    Dorosian, observing this, remarked with a touch of disappointment, ¡°Is it a magical artifact that leads you to what you want? Fascinating¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Except it came from a monkey,¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s the disappointing part. If only it hadn¡¯t been coughed up,¡± Dorosian sighed.


    The leader monkey began to follow the pendant¡¯s direction, and the two professors, maintaining their distance, stepped in to block its path.


    The leader monkey chuckled and ordered its followers, ¡°Take care of them.¡±


    The 18 monkeys, which the professors had roughly counted, dropped to all fours and charged. The Knight Division professor yelled urgently, ¡°You students handle these!¡±


    The barrier was a crucial element in this scenario¡ªa protective shield to buy time while they thinned the enemy¡¯s numbers and reorganized their front. If it fell too early, before the proper timing of the counterattack, the difficulty of the battle would escalate dramatically.


    Ukkkkikkikkikki!


    As the monkeys charged in, baring their teeth as if ready to tear into their targets, the first-year students of the Adele Hall quickly took up defensive stances. Riamon grimaced and said, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t come near me. Edina, prioritize assisting me.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Positioned against the wall, he swung his greatsword, handling three enemies on his own. Silla and Leana, who had evidently built strong teamwork over time, paired up effectively to fend off the attacks from their blind spots.


    Leana swung her sword and called to Bellman, ¡°Bellman, you probably don¡¯t need to worry too much about this side. Support the others instead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just ignore us completely, though. You know what¡¯ll happen if you do, right?¡± Silla retorted sharply as she quickly rolled away from a monkey¡¯s swipe.


    Meanwhile, Erucel, under Grovel¡¯s cover, swung his sword to keep the monkeys at bay. Suddenly, a fiery bird swooped past Erucel¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t just throw spells out of nowhere! That almost scarred my face!¡±


    ¡°S-sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d move there.¡±


    Mircel, aided by Ricks, weaved through the monkey horde with ease. Ricks, sweating from the struggle to keep up, commented, ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to help when you¡¯re all over the place.¡±


    Mircel dodged a monkey¡¯s attack effortlessly without even looking and replied, ¡°Huh? Just do whatever works for you. Hey, Ricks, your magic is fun. Can you make something like banana peels instead of chains? I¡¯d love to see them slip.¡±


    Donatan admired Mircel¡¯s agility. ¡®Small body, yet used so effectively. Hm, seems he¡¯s gotten even faster than before. Has he grown again?¡¯


    The rapidly changing environment seemed to be teaching them a lot. Mircel appeared to be handling things well, and I grew curious about how the others were doing, so I asked, ¡®What¡¯s your overall assessment?¡¯


    ¡®Those who¡¯ve fought alongside you before have improved significantly. But especially the newcomers¡ªthey¡¯re definitely higher in quality than the Schlaphe Hall swordsmen.¡¯


    Considering this scenario started early, I had worried their specs might fall short, but they seemed to be just about passing. The presence of Mircel and Erucel, who wouldn¡¯t have been here otherwise, added some reassurance. Of course, for those who weren¡¯t key players, these enemies were still overwhelming.


    ¡°These things are too fast!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I land a hit?!¡±


    One monkey bit down and shattered a student¡¯s sword, and he was about to be bitten on the neck. Just then, Aslay threw himself in, grabbing the monkey by the neck and tossing it aside.


    ¡°Th-thanks, Aslay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll set my shield here. Use it for cover.¡±


    Realizing his role, Aslay focused on protecting his allies, bringing a sigh of relief to the students around him.


    Limberton wasn¡¯t standing idle, either. With precision born of skill, he fired arrows that sailed through the gaps between his allies, hitting the monkeys right in the forehead.


    Thunk!


    Among them, only Limberton had the skill to take down the monkeys with a single strike. Having grown the most prominently among us, he was our hidden ace. However, he only had limited shots available.


    ¡°Limberton, how many more shots with your aura arrows can you manage?¡±


    ¡°Four. Any more than that would be tough.¡±


    ¡°Then, save them for when someone¡¯s truly in a life-or-death situation.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Limberton glanced subtly at Dorosian before leaning close and whispering in my ear.


    ¡°But, Hersel¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Dorosian going to help?¡±


    He glanced cautiously at Dorosian, clearly too intimidated to flirt. But he still asked why we weren¡¯t helping. Dorosian likely thought it wasn¡¯t her responsibility, so she remained relaxed. And as for me, my body¡¯s endurance wasn¡¯t great. If I started fighting mid-level spirits now, it¡¯d be hard to deal with what¡¯s to come.


    ¡°I¡¯m saving my strength.¡±


    At my brief response, he widened his eyes in surprise and nodded. ¡°Wait¡­ are you thinking of dealing with those high-level spirits outside¡­? No way, right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s save that talk for later. Limberton, do you think you can take down that monkey leader with a single shot?¡±


    I pointed to the monkey leader skillfully dodging attacks from the two professors. With Limberton¡¯s vacuum-enhanced bow and a precise aura-infused strike to a vital point, it could be an instant kill. Limberton made a reluctant sound before responding.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken. It only seems like I hit every time because I only shoot when I¡¯m absolutely sure. But this guy¡­ I don¡¯t see any opening. I feel like I¡¯d miss even if I tried.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then, we just need to create a brief opening for you, right?¡±


    Removing any unexpected obstacles quickly was the best course of action. As I drew my sword and approached, I regretted not moving faster.


    Pah!


    In that instant, the monkey leader swiftly bypassed the Knight Division professor. He swiped his thumb across the fresh blood on his muzzle and remarked, ¡°Oh? Seems I¡¯ve cut you. I thought I¡¯d gotten the hang of it, but you¡¯ve made quite a bit of progress in the meantime.¡±


    His tone was relaxed, as if he were addressing a subordinate. Then, he casually took a bite of the forearm he¡¯d severed. A groan escaped the professor¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    He clutched his torn shoulder, his face twisted in pain. The monkey leader spat out the bit of flesh with distaste. ¡°Ugh, tasteless. You humans really need some selective breeding.¡±


    With that, he turned and started down a shadowed hallway.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere!¡± Professor Gomon raised an earthen wall to trap him, but it quickly cracked and began to split apart.


    Creeeak¡­


    The dust settled, but the monkey leader was nowhere to be seen. Professor Gomon, stunned, voiced his frustration.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ we lost him. If he reaches the barrier¡­¡±


    It was clear his destination was the control room for the barrier. Just as Professor Gomon prepared to rush after him, countless footsteps began to echo from the entrance and windows where the spirits had entered.


    Glancing between the new monkey horde and the corridor where their leader had vanished, Professor Gomon turned to me.


    ¡°Hersel, sorry, but we¡¯ll need to leave that monkey leader to your squad. You remember where the control room is, right? It¡¯s the place I showed you on that tour.¡±


    Given the situation, it was a reasonable request. The Knight Division professor, though wielding a sword, was severely weakened with one arm lost, and Professor Gomon himself seemed noticeably fatigued.


    I sighed and nodded.


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡±


    It was absurd to ask students to handle a high-level spirit that even two professors couldn¡¯t defeat. Yet, I could accept it not just because of the urgency of the situation. These were variables arising due to the premature start of events. And if such beings existed, then our side also had a comparable figure. That person who often left for business at the start of each school year. But this wasn¡¯t one of those times. As someone who represented the academy, he wouldn¡¯t leave the control room¡ªone of the stronghold¡¯s core facilities¡ªunattended. Maybe everything would be resolved by the time we arrived.


    ***


    Rockfeller busily rolled his eyes over the marbles spread across his desk. Several of the assigned battlegrounds were starting to lose ground due to some unusual enemies.


    ¡°Damn, ten professors have engaged, and they¡¯re still struggling against just one creature¡­¡±


    The situation was rapidly turning. Worse yet, they hadn¡¯t even identified the cause of this crisis. Rockfeller pulled out his staff and looked toward the window. A spirit came into view. Although it had entered within the barrier, it was still far away. Yet, telekinesis pulled it right into his office.


    Griieek!


    Rockfeller threw the lizard spirit into a corner. Around it, the ashes of other defeated spirits were already disappearing.


    ¡°Stay put if you don¡¯t want to die painfully.¡±


    With that, Rockfeller cast a memory reading spell. He entered its mind, searching recent memories for clues about this incident. After a few seconds, a memory played from the lizard¡¯s perspective: the face of a man seen after passing through the spirit realm¡¯s gate. The man was a familiar figure, someone recently considered as the next student council president.


    ¡°¡­Ecok Vil Edvance.¡±


    He¡¯d left somewhere with a mysterious, plague-masked figure. They¡¯d headed toward the Mana Control Chamber on the outskirts of the stronghold. Rockfeller didn¡¯t know their motives, but it was clearly central to the incident.


    ¡°First, I need to get rid of that door.¡±


    Spirits were still pouring through the doorway. As he urgently reached for the loudspeaker, he caught sight of Professor Ildiran¡¯s arm being torn off by a monkey in the first-floor lobby.


    ¡°No, we lost him¡­ If this goes on, the barrier¡­¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s voice could be heard faintly, prompting Rockfeller to zoom in on the marble¡¯s image. The audio became clearer.


    ¡°Hersel, sorry, but we¡¯ll need to leave that monkey leader to your squad. You remember where the control room is, right? The place I showed you during the tour.¡±


    It was clear the monkey leader¡¯s target was the barrier control room. Rockfeller¡¯s face paled. Beyond the barrier, hordes of spirits swarmed. If they managed to breach the stronghold with such numbers before they had any concrete strategy, they¡¯d be surrounded and wiped out.


    ¡°I¡­ I need to reinforce the control room immediately¡­¡±


    As he raised the loudspeaker to his lips with a trembling hand, an elderly voice from behind made him pause, mouth half-open.


    ¡°So, the control room is their target?¡±


    Rockfeller turned to see Arkandric, cracking his joints with a smirk.


    ¡°H-headmaster¡­¡±


    Arkandric grinned.


    ¡°This time, I¡¯ll join the fight myself.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 161-165 (Spirit Battle) $3


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 164

    ¡°Even with one arm missing, I can manage.¡±


    Professor Ildiran from the Knights Department said this as he decapitated a monkey with his sword held in his one hand.


    Despite the apparent pain, he showed no sign of discomfort, as if he¡¯d resolved himself completely.


    Perhaps others sensed his determination, as everyone continued to fight with calm, stoic expressions.


    Bellman smirked in understanding.


    ¡°If I waver, I¡¯ll be in for it.¡±


    As the number of monkey troops dwindled, a brief respite appeared.


    Bellman glanced sideways, trying to locate the professor¡¯s severed arm.


    ¡°Not sure yet. Of course, there¡¯s no fixing what¡¯s been bitten off¡­ but if we stitch the wound and Hersel applies healing magic like we did in the Demon Realm practice, we should be able to reattach it.¡±


    Bellman waved his staff, encasing the area around the severed arm with frost and setting up a protective barrier.


    Just then, the number of monkey troops began to swell once again.


    ¡°Ah, here they come again.¡±


    ¡°How many more are there?¡±


    The creatures were entering in single file through a narrow passage in the barrier.


    If they had all come at once, they might have counted their numbers, but now, they flooded in one by one.


    Bellman spoke to his bewildered classmates.


    ¡°There¡¯ll be orders soon. For now, all we can do is hold our ground.¡±


    The moment would come ¡ª the critical point to repel them and seal the external barrier completely.


    But in this intense situation, it felt as if that moment was forever out of reach.


    In a battlefield where each second dragged like a minute, everyone showed signs of exhaustion.


    Then, the most anticipated words resounded through a loudspeaker.


    ¡°Brief report: We¡¯ve identified the root cause of the situation. A plan has been devised.¡±


    Bellman thought the timing was perfect.


    Rockefeller¡¯s words, revealing a path to victory in this otherwise grim situation, were enough to rekindle everyone¡¯s fighting spirit.


    ¡°The immediate goal is to eliminate the three high-ranking spirits who have left an opening in the barrier. Start by clearing out those inside the barrier. Once we advance beyond the fortress, further instructions will be given. That is all.¡± ?¨¢???§§?


    Glances shifted toward the window.


    Three high-ranking spirits were holding open the barrier, arms spread wide: one clad in armor made of ice, another a feminine figure wearing clothes woven from leaves, and a third with a liquid-like body, its outline blurry.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to hunt down those three high-ranking spirits first.¡±


    Professor Gomon shouted with force in his voice.


    ¡°You all heard that, right? Our task now is to kill all these creatures and push forward beyond the fortress! All the way to the opening in the barrier the high-ranking spirits have created!!¡±


    Now was the time to press on.


    To demonstrate, Professor Gomon launched a massive spear made of rock toward the main gate.


    Thud!


    The spear impaled a row of monkeys that hadn¡¯t evaded, leaving them groaning in pain as their heads drooped.


    Blocking the entrance was a good start, but thinking the creatures would simply change course, more swarms began flooding in from the windows.


    Bellman decided to stop providing occasional support and focus on blocking the windows.


    ¡°I¡¯ll block the windows with a barrier. Fight as if I¡¯m not here!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long the barrier would hold against the attacks of mid-level spirits, but the situation was becoming increasingly dire, with people beginning to falter from exhaustion.


    ¡°I need to buy them some rest time, even if it¡¯s just a little.¡±


    Bellman squeezed out his mana and used a barrier to seal off the windows.


    Everyone¡¯s expressions brightened a bit, perhaps because they felt a slight relief.


    However, there were still some who didn¡¯t stop swinging their swords, even in this brief respite.


    They were Leana, Erucel, and Mircel.


    ¡°Those two I can understand, but Mircel¡­ How can someone his age have that kind of stamina?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long before he discovered the secret.


    Whoosh!


    He dodged attacks with minimal movement.


    When the monkeys tried to bite him, he simply raised his sword, waiting for them to impale themselves on the blade.


    Thud!


    His movements were so precise that there wasn¡¯t even an inch of error.


    While Leana swung her sword with straightforward force, Mircel seemed to focus on efficiency with every motion.


    Bellman, even as he concentrated on the barrier, couldn¡¯t help but murmur in admiration.


    ¡°Using the opponent¡¯s strength to conserve his own stamina¡­ so that¡¯s his secret.¡±


    Around Mircel, monkey corpses were piling up.


    The monkey horde, perhaps realizing their strategy wasn¡¯t working, began concentrating their attacks solely on Mircel.


    Screeeech!


    Mircel narrowed his eyes as sparks crackled around him.


    At that moment, Erucel broke through the horde to approach Mircel.


    ¡°Hey, you should fight closer to the others. This guy, always making things risky¡­¡±


    Erucel grumbled to Mircel as he fought the monkeys.


    ¡°Stop going off on your own, Mircel!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s your problem now?¡±


    ¡°The way you talk! If you get even a scratch, it¡¯s me who¡¯ll get in trouble with Mom!¡±


    As they bickered, Mircel looked exasperated.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±


    Thanks to the blocked windows, the monkeys couldn¡¯t swarm in anymore.


    Moreover, with those at the front steadily slashing through, the number of enemies noticeably decreased.


    It was a good rhythm, but most of the first-year students were so fatigued they could barely catch their breath.


    ¡°Those three alone aren¡¯t enough. Even the strongest among us are exhausted.¡±


    To give them as much rest as possible, Bellman poured all his focus into maintaining the barrier.


    Each time the enraged monkeys scratched at the barrier, Bellman felt his mind grow hazier.


    ¡°So this is the power of a mid-level spirit? The barrier breaks too easily¡­¡±


    The mana required to repair the barrier grew with each passing moment.


    As he approached mana exhaustion, Bellman sank to the ground, gasping for breath.


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­ The barrier¡¯s almost reached its limit. Everyone, prepare to fight again¡ª¡±


    But at that moment, there was a pounding noise, and shadows fell over them.


    Two nearby students, trembling, muttered with wide eyes.


    ¡°Are all of those¡­?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be.¡±


    Countless handprints covered the barrier at the window, dense with fingerprints.


    Seeing this, a chill ran down Bellman¡¯s spine.


    If he released the barrier now, they would be completely wiped out.


    Bellman bit his lip.


    The pain barely kept him conscious, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stave off his fading awareness.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    His upper lip felt damp.


    Seeing the red drops on the floor, it seemed he was getting a nosebleed.


    Just as he was reaching his limit, a sneering voice echoed in his ears.


    ¡°Oh, so that barrier was your doing, you little four-eyes?¡±


    A voice filled with mocking disdain reached him.


    ¡°Not bad for a first-year. I¡¯ll give you some praise.¡±


    Bellman looked up at the man who clapped insincerely, letting out a shallow sigh.


    There was Kerndel from the First Seat, followed closely by members of the Ten Elites.


    Amanda from the Fourth Seat waved at Erucel.


    ¡°Hello, Erucel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey, Amanda. What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°They said a lot of enemies were gathering here, right? We wrapped things up quickly on our end, so we came to help.¡±


    The first-year students wore complicated expressions at Amanda¡¯s words.


    Undoubtedly, they saw their previously disliked seniors in a slightly different light.


    Bellman opened his mouth to inform them that the barrier was about to collapse.


    Just then, someone patted him on the shoulder.


    It was Berthnal, the Eighth Seat and representative of Adele Hall.


    ¡°Good job, Bellman.¡±


    ¡°¡­The barrier will soon fail. Do we have enough time to strategize?¡±


    ¡°No need to worry about that. Kerndel may look like a fool, but he is still the top of the Ten Elites.¡±


    A man approached from the left this time ¡ª Emeric, recently appointed to the Tenth Seat.


    ¡°Berthnal¡¯s right. Before Hersel arrived, no one doubted his power, whatever they thought of his character.¡±


    Relieved, Bellman closed his eyes.


    The first-year students at Adele Hall had been sharpening their skills, hoping to defeat them before they escaped through graduation.


    So there were things they had learned, even if they didn¡¯t want to.


    He recalled the Knights Department members running at full speed through the mountains with iron bars strapped to their bodies.


    In the Magic Department, they exhausted their mana every day as part of their training.


    Kerndel, in particular, had a training routine that was exceptional and intense.


    ¡°Are you spying on me like a little rat?¡±


    ¡°Oh, since when did you notice?¡±


    ¡°At least have the decency to use a concealment spell or something.¡±


    Kerndel¡¯s routine involved gripping his sword in front of an iron bar the size of a wardrobe every night.


    ¡°Well, fine. Since you¡¯re here, watch closely. No matter how much a weakling like you observes, there are walls you simply cannot surpass.¡±


    He said this smugly, creating a heat haze on his sword.


    At first, Bellman thought it was just aura release, but soon, solid crystals began to form and adhere to the sword.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    The neatly severed surface of the iron bar, as though swept by intense heat, glowed with a reddish tint.


    But he didn¡¯t stop there, slicing the iron repeatedly until it became as thin as paper.


    That night, Bellman reluctantly acknowledged something he didn¡¯t want to admit.


    Kerndel was an undeniable hard worker and a prodigious talent. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few minutes before the Ten Elites arrived at the first-floor lobby.


    ¡°Rockefeller, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll need to break your window.¡±


    ¡°W-What? My window?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the operating budget was tight? This will cost less than breaking through the floor, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Arkandric shattered the window of Rockefeller¡¯s office and threw himself out.


    Taking the stairs would take too long; this was the shortcut.


    Thud!


    With frost coating his feet, Arkandric dashed down the fortress wall.


    Everywhere he went, ice crystals formed in his wake.


    To the spirits attempting an ambush along the wall, his 90-degree descent seemed surreal, and they looked at him in shock, their eyes wide.


    Each time, Arkandric met them with a fiery gaze and launched fierce punches.


    ¡°How dare you defile the ancient walls of Frost Heart!¡±


    With a loud pop, the head of a serpent spirit exploded.


    Without stopping, Arkandric continued to crush any enemies overlapping with the path to the control room.


    As he passed by a particular window, Rockefeller¡¯s words came to mind, and he paused briefly.


    This was the exact spot.


    If he could take it down quickly, a brief detour wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    Arkandric peeked through the window and surveyed the room.


    The professors were struggling against a spirit with an eagle¡¯s beak, wings, and a horse¡¯s body.


    At that moment, a familiar old woman entered through the door, and Arkandric smirked.


    ¡°Perfect timing.¡±


    Hearing Arkandric¡¯s voice, Bellen flinched.


    ¡°Geez, you startled me. Was that you, Arkandric¡­?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate you stepping up, Bellen.¡±


    ¡°And I thought I told you to stop climbing around on walls? You¡¯re creepy, like a spider.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha, there¡¯s a reason for it. I¡¯ll leave this place to you.¡±


    With that, Arkandric threw himself backward.


    As he plummeted through the air, he aimed for another window and reached out.


    It was the window of the control room for the barrier mechanisms.


    Crash!


    Breaking through the glass, he stepped inside just as a monkey was about to enter.


    Without a second¡¯s hesitation, he lunged toward it.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 161-165 (Spirit Battle) $3


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 165

    The dull sound of flesh being struck by a hammer spread through the air.


    With a line of blood trailing from the corner of his mouth, Arkandric looked at the monkey chief with a calm, observant gaze.


    Despite delivering the same blow to its face, the creature appeared unfazed.


    His opponent was a spirit¡ªa being that couldn¡¯t be harmed meaningfully without mana or aura.


    Yet, engaging in a contest of pure strength had been a mere amusement.


    Smack!


    The monkey chief¡¯s fist landed square on Arkandric¡¯s nose.


    His face momentarily caved in, but he didn¡¯t take a single step back, instead staring intensely into the monkey chief¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you used aura this whole time?¡± the monkey asked.


    With a twitch of his beard, Arkandric replied, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve reinforced myself with it.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I meant. Why didn¡¯t you use it to attack?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Arkandric said, placing his enormous hand on the monkey chief¡¯s head.


    The creature¡¯s head was so large that he could grasp it with one hand.


    ¡°Purely out of curiosity¡ªto see if you¡¯d survive if I crushed your brain with sheer grip strength.¡±


    Crunch!


    His fingers dug into the monkey chief¡¯s skull, causing it to grimace in pain and unleash a flurry of punches on Arkandric¡¯s face.


    Bang!


    Sweat sprayed with each punch, but Arkandric only smiled, his face lined with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! So it does hurt, huh?¡±


    ¡°You damn bastard!¡± the monkey chief stomped its feet in rage, trying to break Arkandric¡¯s fingers.


    But his grip strength was unyielding.


    As blood began to drip from the monkey chief¡¯s head, it regretted biting its nails.


    With no other option, it tried choking Arkandric with both hands, squeezing his neck as hard as it could.


    Just then, a sickening crack resounded, and the monkey chief¡¯s brain burst.


    ¡°Heh heh heh.¡±


    At that moment, the monkey chief¡¯s body, released from Arkandric¡¯s grip, began to squirm, the cracked head reforming back to its original state.


    Arkandric clapped his hands as if witnessing a marvel.


    ¡°Oho! It regenerates even after its head bursts.¡±


    The monkey chief gritted its teeth in fury.


    It wanted to charge at him immediately but took a cautious step back, unable to gauge the full extent of Arkandric¡¯s strength.


    When the old man had tried to crush its head, the monkey chief had landed a punch on his face infused with dark energy.


    Arkandric¡¯s unscathed appearance was likely due to his intense use of aura for reinforcement.


    But his grip strength had shown no sign of weakening.


    ¡®He must be simultaneously using both strength and aura reinforcement. Did he push all his aura to the limit? If that was truly all his power, he¡¯d be a beatable opponent¡­ but¡­ perhaps it¡¯s best to set aside such thoughts.¡¯ ??N§à????¨º?


    The monkey chief, seasoned by countless brutal encounters with humans, sensed instinctively that the old man was hiding his true power.


    ¡°Then.¡±


    The monkey chief approached Arkandric, feigning friendliness.


    ¡°Is there nothing else you¡¯re curious about?¡±


    Lowering his guard as much as possible, he spoke, and Arkandric looked at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Seeing you so amused is both irritating and oddly innocent, so it softened my anger. I even found your reactions somewhat entertaining. Maybe I¡¯ll play with you a little more before killing you.¡±


    The monkey chief smirked.


    His trump card was hidden on his back, out of Arkandric¡¯s sight¡ªa tail with crystallized dark energy at its tip.


    If humans had aura blades, fallen spirits like him had this.


    Concealing his true intentions, the monkey chief watched Arkandric¡¯s reaction closely.


    Arkandric held his chin thoughtfully, as if deep in contemplation.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ve already burst your head, so there¡¯s nothing else I¡¯m particularly curious about.¡±


    ¡°Strange. Spirits have many secrets that you humans don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Secrets?¡±


    The monkey chief shrugged and extended his hand.


    ¡°When you reach the level of a high spirit, you acquire a mystical power. I could call it a kind of blessing.¡±


    ¡°A blessing? Like some kind of magic?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never heard it called magic, but think of it however you want. Anyway, I¡¯ll grant you a blessing¡ªa blessing to communicate with nature and your own heart.¡±


    Arkandric¡¯s eyes gleamed with faint curiosity.


    Seizing the moment, the monkey chief continued to speak words enticing enough to sway any human.


    ¡°Think carefully. The mana and aura techniques your kind covets are all derived from nature¡¯s power. Now imagine being able to communicate with nature itself. If you manage to gain its favor, you could receive immense support.¡±


    Of course, it was all a lie.


    But he was confident the old man before him would believe it.


    As a strong warrior, Arkandric likely assumed that even if it were a trap, he could handle it.


    And humans were known to chase even a 1% chance as if their lives depended on it.


    ¡°Believe me or not, it¡¯s up to you. Oh, if one of us dies, you¡¯ll never know whether I was telling the truth or not.¡±


    As he casually withdrew his hand, Arkandric swallowed hard.


    ¡°Hmm. Now that¡¯s something to be curious about.¡±


    Arkandric took a step closer.


    Only three steps remained until he was within range of the Mantra.


    Thud.


    He took two more steps and lifted his foot for the final stride.


    The monkey chief¡¯s pupils dilated, and he began to slowly move his tail.


    It was close. The moment that foot touched the ground, he would pierce his heart in a single strike.  S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as he was about to fire his tail, a voice came from the side.


    ¡°See, I told you so.¡±


    A man with a blond head was speaking to a shorter man as he entered.


    Behind him stood a burly man who looked like a barbarian and a woman with black hair.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, but it¡¯s true¡­¡±


    ¡°The engine room is the core of this place. Naturally, even the principal would have to make an appearance here.¡±


    Then came the sound of a sharp stab piercing through skin.


    The tail had struck Arkandric¡¯s chest, but it missed slightly.


    For a moment, the monkey chief¡¯s concentration wavered, leading to this result.


    He only had a moment to realize the cause of his failure.


    Looking at the tail in his chest, Arkandric exhaled cold air and spoke.


    ¡°You little¡­.¡±


    A calm blue flame flickered in his eyes.


    The monkey chief felt a chill run through his entire body as he realized what was happening.


    Aura is typically stored in the dantian, below the navel.


    However, when that power surges abnormally, it can spread even to the head, causing this phenomenon.


    And those who reach such a level of mastery are usually¡­


    Even for a high spirit, he was a monster capable of killing with ease.


    ¡°How dare you try to deceive me! Die!!¡±


    With a barrage of countless strikes, the monkey chief felt every blow with his whole body.


    It was a force packed with both power and speed.


    And the cold that froze the blood in every spot hit was undoubtedly the aura infused with nature¡¯s power.


    The punches that chilled him to his core caused the monkey chief¡¯s body to grow cold and stiff.


    Finally, as his back hit the ground, Arkandric¡¯s fist smashed his head like breaking ice.


    Crash!


    ***


    Arkandric is truly a monstrous old man.


    To think he¡¯d kill the creature with just his fists, without even using a sword.


    Maybe it was because of him that Luon went on the run.


    He probably thinks he¡¯s merely disciplining, but to those on the receiving end, each blow feels like death.


    ¡°Ha ha ha, you lucky little rascals. Thanks to you all showing up just in time, I survived. I almost got my heart pierced.¡±


    Arkandric gave us a broad smile and asked me,


    ¡°But what brings you here?¡±


    Of course, part of it was to check if the barrier was secure, but mostly it was an excuse to skip out on duties.


    If I said that out loud, he¡¯d probably hit me, though.


    ¡°That monkey barged into the engine room, so Professor Gomon ordered us to kill it.¡±


    ¡°Gomon did? Hmm. It turned out to be a wasted trip, but not a bad decision overall.¡±


    Saying that, Arkandric froze the open wound on his chest.


    ¡°Still surprising. I¡¯d reinforced myself with aura, yet it pierced so easily.¡±


    That was likely due to a high spirit¡¯s technique called ¡®Mantra.¡¯


    It seems that spirits, like humans, have organs that convert mana into aura.


    Mantra is a special power spirits use by combining aura with dark energy or mana.


    Arkandric picked up a sword lying on the ground and secured it at his waist, then turned to Dorosian.


    ¡°Dorosian El Grice, how many of them did you take down?¡±


    His question hinted at his desire to see Dorosian¡¯s progress.


    Dorosian smiled slyly and answered,


    ¡°How many, you ask? I didn¡¯t catch a single one.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    Dorosian shook the heavy chains of his armor with a smirk.


    ¡°Huh. Expecting me to help with these chains hanging on me? Absurd.¡±


    Then she approached Arkandric, curling his lip.


    ¡°Sir Arkandric, if you want my assistance, you¡¯ll have to release these chains first. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Dorosian looked to us for agreement, but no one nodded.


    Arkandric scratched his head, looking uncomfortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯d try to escape if I removed them.¡±


    ¡°You seem to underestimate me.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not interested, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I was going to take care of everything outside in return.¡±


    Dorosian showed no sign of disappointment, acting as though it didn¡¯t matter.


    Watching her, I felt a slight unease, as if she was planning something.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t hear that. If you still don¡¯t plan to align with us here, so be it. I¡¯ll ensure the professors hear nothing of this.¡±


    With those words, Arkandric turned his back.


    I glanced at Dorosian¡¯s face beside me.


    She gave a faint smile and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s much left for us here, so where to next?¡±


    ¡°We should probably head back.¡±


    Turning back the way we came, a thought rose to my throat, but I swallowed it down and kept walking.


    ***


    ¡°Kerndel! How many times have I told you not to overuse the aura blade?!¡±


    Professor Ildiran from the Knight¡¯s Division scolded him.


    Kerndel scoffed and continued slicing through the monkey horde with his aura blade.


    ¡°Are you asking me to wield a shabby sword?¡±


    ¡°¡­You idiot. What you¡¯re doing is like using a butcher¡¯s cleaver to slaughter a chicken. I¡¯ve told you time and again to manage your strength wisely. One day, your foolish pride will bring disaster upon you.¡±


    ¡°Heh, if you¡¯re injured, why don¡¯t you step back a little?¡±


    Bellman, who had been resting in a corner, shook his head.


    Bellman looked away from the frowning Professor Ildiran and toward the main entrance.


    With all ten divisions assembled, the monkeys were getting slaughtered the moment they came in.


    Finally, the moment had come to advance beyond the stronghold.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time! Just a bit more, everyone!¡±


    Professor Gomon shouted excitedly.


    As everyone pushed forward with all their might, Rokefeller¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°The units stationed in the first-floor lobby have driven the enemies out to the main entrance. Everyone, gather in front of the stronghold and establish a defensive line.¡±


    Bellman dragged his heavy body forward.


    Seeing the towering mass of spirits just beyond the barrier up close, his tension soared.


    Three gaping holes continued to spill out corrupted spirits.


    ¡°Damn, there are way more of them than we saw inside¡­.¡±


    ¡°No time to talk¡ªdraw your sword, they¡¯re coming at us.¡±


    The battle outside the building required even more stamina.


    With the open space, the creatures began forming a wide encirclement, and dealing with them was no easy feat.


    Bellman gritted his teeth, squeezing out his mana just as Rokefeller¡¯s voice called out from above.


    ¡°Now, we¡¯re going to eliminate those three high-ranking spirits maintaining the barrier.¡±


    Rokefeller¡¯s voice came from right above.


    ¡°Leading this effort will be Principal Arkandric and Bellen. Your task is to clear the path so they can reach the high-ranking spirits. I know you¡¯re all exhausted. Hold out just a little longer and push forward. Once the situation is under control, there will be time to rest and resupply.¡±


    His words signaled the nearing end of the defensive battle.


    ¡°Then, Principal, Bellen. Please prepare.¡±


    When Rokefeller called their names, Arkandric and Bellen stepped out onto the railing of the second-floor window.


    Watching them loosen up, Bellman prayed fervently.


    They would clear a path with all their strength, so he hoped they could finish the fight quickly.


    ***


    Rokefeller stood on the sixth-floor balcony, scanning the battlefield.


    The top priority targets were three spirits.


    The blond man, one of the core pieces of this operation, was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest¡­ That bastard¡­ the remaining spirits were your responsibility.¡±


    To defeat high-ranking spirits in a single strike, one needed mastery comparable to Bellen¡¯s.


    Expecting that a single blow might not be enough, he prepared follow-up attacks to decisively finish them.


    This battle was a prolonged one.


    If they failed, there was a chance the creatures would launch a surprise attack at some point, a situation that had to be avoided at all costs.


    The number of creatures invading inside and outside the barrier was finally starting to decrease.


    Thanks to the students¡¯ impressive advance, a path was opening from the breached barrier.


    Rokefeller cast a lightening spell on himself and slowly descended to the ground.


    ¡°No other choice¡­ I¡¯ll have to take care of that one myself¡­.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 166

    I turned my head at the sound of faltering footsteps. Aslay and Limberton were following properly, but Dorosian was rummaging through the corpse of a monkey with telekinesis. The boss monkey had already turned to ash, making the scene look more like searching for treasure in the sand. It was clear she was looking for the necklace the boss monkey had used earlier to find this place.


    ¡°Are you looking for that necklace it showed off earlier?¡± I asked. Dorosian blew away the ashes with a gust of wind.


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s strange. I can¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    I had already checked. The necklace was a magical tool that, when asked, would show you where anything you wanted was. Naturally, it was an enticing object even to my eyes. So when Arkandric took down the creature, I discreetly searched through its robe with telekinesis, but found nothing. The only explanation left was that it might not have been a tangible item but something magical in nature, so I left it at that.


    As I resumed walking, Dorosian gave up and followed along. Then, from outside, came the sound of cheers.


    ¡°Hey, something seems to be happening outside,¡± Limberton said, and I nodded.


    ¡°Remember Rockefeller¡¯s instructions earlier? It seems they¡¯ve driven out everything inside the fortress. Soon, they¡¯ll start tackling the three spirits that are holding the barrier open.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much I could do to help with this. Typically, Rockefeller, Bellen, and the professors would team up to take them down. However, we had Arkandric, who wasn¡¯t supposed to be here after graduation. Thanks to the additional support, there shouldn¡¯t be any major concerns¡­ though, since the scenario was already off track from the start, some variables might need to be considered.


    ¡°We should pick up the pace,¡± I said, quickening my steps. Limberton asked, confused.


    ¡°What? You were taking it easy earlier, and now this?¡±


    Well, that was because we¡¯d been forced into the ridiculous task of killing the monkey that even the Professors couldn¡¯t handle. If Arkandric hadn¡¯t been here, I would have been planning our escape.


    Now that the immediate crisis was over, we could afford to be more proactive in assessing the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Leading the way down the hallway, I began to see the exit leading out of the faculty wing. Suddenly, Aslay tapped my shoulder, pointing in a particular direction.


    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s something there.¡±


    He was pointing toward the Spirit Gate, which we needed to tackle once the defensive line was clear. As spirits poured out from the five-meter-high door, Limberton shuddered.


    ¡°So that¡¯s where they¡¯ve been coming from¡­ was it because of that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Limberton. I¡¯m sure Rockefeller is fully aware of it. Once the barrier is sorted, he¡¯ll tell us the strategy to break it down.¡±


    Our allies had been fighting without a clear grasp of the situation due to the rapid escalation of events.


    Everyone was utterly exhausted. Progress would only resume once they had replenished their energy through rest and received new equipment. If Phase 1 was ¡°Barrier Repair,¡± then Phase 2 could be called ¡°Spirit Gate Destruction.¡± Since it was scheduled to start tomorrow night, there was no need to worry for the time being. However, I never expected to witness a sudden twist right before my eyes.


    ¡°Uh, uh¡­ the spirits suddenly stopped coming out?¡± Limberton said. As he observed, the area in front of the gate, once swarming with spirits, had abruptly quieted down. Then, something long and pointed started to appear, like the bow of a ship. Slowly, it emerged, only to get stuck on the door frame at some point. I found myself locking eyes with a lifeless fish eye, as if pulled straight from a fish market display. Judging by the long horn on its nose, it was a blue marlin¡ªa massive spirit of a blue marlin, without a doubt.


    Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. The creature had managed to squeeze its enormous body through the once-spacious doorway. Its girth was thick enough to stack four village buses, and its length was as long as a train. The spirits around it, each the size of a full-grown bear, now seemed as small as rabbits in comparison. It seemed that the colossal fish had been blocking other spirits from coming out.


    What on earth is that thing?


    ***


    Rockefeller used magic to change the attire of Bellen and Arkandric. They were now dressed in clothing similar to what students wore, far from anything formal or with rank, complete with robes to cover their faces.


    Rockefeller thought. He, too, donned a similar outfit and scanned the battlefield. The professors were leading the charge, driving out the spirits.


    ¡°We¡¯ve secured the position! Unleash your magic!¡± With the lead professor swinging his sword to herd the spirits together, the magic department professors unleashed a wide-range magic barrage.


    Boom!


    Dust flew as a thunderous noise resounded. The smaller ones were all dead, but the monkeys had only suffered injuries.


    ¡°Damn, those monkeys are a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°The intermediate spirits have a certain resistance to magic.¡±


    Spirits are beings made of mana, and since magic is also mana-based, its effectiveness is about half compared to physical attacks. Feeling the weight on his shoulders, Rockefeller hid himself among the students and observed the high-level spirits maintaining the barrier. ??¦­§°???


    Bellen and Arkandric were still hidden in the crowd, stealthily approaching the spirits with their weapons ready. Since they had to finish this quickly with a surprise attack, any slip-up would be disastrous. Rockefeller focused on the high-level spirit he had been assigned. Arkandric¡¯s target was a liquid-based spirit, Bellen¡¯s was a female spirit clothed in leaves, and Rockefeller¡¯s own was an ice-armored knight.


    Pretending to fight like the other students, he moved in for the kill. But then, a voice caught his ear, making Rockefeller furrow his brow.


    ¡°Why rush? We don¡¯t have much time left until graduation. Let the professors handle this stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Athera¡¯s right. We¡¯re about to leave, so why risk our lives now?¡±


    They were third-year students from Schlaphe Hall. Shameless as they were, they began to influence the younger students.


    ¡°Learn from us, juniors. If you want to graduate alive, don¡¯t throw yourself recklessly into this.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Just go along with the vibe and pass the time. If you want to live long, listen to your senior¡¯s advice.¡±


    Rockefeller finally lost patience and glared sharply at Athera, Schlaphe Hall¡¯s representative. Startled, she broke into a sweat and instructed her group.


    ¡°Eek! Guys, Rockefeller¡¯s looking! Pretend you¡¯re trying!¡±


    ¡°Damn, that guy. Always on our case. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re strong, and we only have one life, so why can¡¯t he understand we¡¯re just being cautious?¡±


    Rockefeller sighed deeply.


    Even in their third year, these students had shown no real progress. There was a reason they were so disliked.


    Rockefeller thought, turning his attention away from those who only raised his blood pressure and focusing instead on the Adele Hall students. As expected, they were coordinating well, each acting according to their abilities to help the professors advance quickly toward the high-level spirits.


    ¡°My sword¡¯s flame went out!¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that area looks a bit vulnerable! Get a shield and block it!¡±


    Though still students and unable to finish off the intermediate spirits, they were at least holding their ground and inflicting some effective wounds.


    ¡°Ouch! I got bit on the shoulder.¡±


    ¡°A professor¡¯s hurt! I¡¯ll cover here for a moment, so take care of that side!¡±


    Among them, the members of the Ten Elites were notably proactive and showed clear results.


    ¡°Losing to mere monkeys¡­ don¡¯t even think about bragging about being my peer.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, what have they done in these three years? They should be able to at least catch up to the professors by now.¡±


    ¡°Actually, aren¡¯t the professors fighting worse than we expected? Or have we just gotten too strong?¡±


    Despite their individual quirks, the students were advancing steadily, and the target was close. It was a critical distance where the high-level spirits might be contemplating whether to abandon the barrier and retreat. Rockefeller spotted Bellen from across the battlefield, observing the spirit she was targeting.


    Bellen, who was similarly close to her target, nodded in acknowledgment. On the far right, Arkandric also signaled his readiness. Gripping his staff tightly, Rockefeller heightened his senses.


    The task was complex¡ªthey had to break through the monkey hordes and strike down the spirits simultaneously. If even one sensed danger and managed to escape, it would complicate things moving forward.


    Rockefeller used magic to lighten his body and summoned a gust of wind. Boosting his telekinesis to maximum output, he propelled himself toward his target.


    Ee-kee-kee-kee!


    He moved so fast that the monkeys barely had time to react, reaching the high-level spirit in ice armor almost instantly. Just as it jerked its shoulder, preparing to withdraw its arms from the barrier, Rockefeller quickly slipped his staff between the gaps in its armor and thrust it into its chest.


    A strange sound emanated from inside.


    Crack!


    Its body began to crumple from within, crushed by the most lethal of Rockefeller¡¯s spells: gravity magic. He poured every ounce of mana he had into it and shouted,


    ¡°Crush and die!¡±


    Finally, even the armor compressed, and the creature¡¯s body was reduced to a metallic sphere the size of an adult¡¯s head. Breathing heavily, Rockefeller glared at the approaching monkeys.


    Gravity magic consumed nearly all of his mana in a single use, leaving him close to total mana depletion. With his vision blurring, he realized he had reached mana exhaustion from the spells he had used to get this far.


    Ee-kee-kee!


    The monkey spirits charged forward with their mouths wide open. Yet Rockefeller couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Just as he closed his eyes, sensing his end was near, a metallic clang echoed through the air.


    Bang!


    Opening his eyes slightly, he saw a massive man standing tall with a shield raised. It was Aslay.


    ¡°Almost lost you there, professor.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re here, that means Hersel Ben Tenest must be as well.¡±


    Aslay slammed his shield into the ground, throwing the charging monkeys aside. He grabbed them by their tails, slamming them against the ground or swinging them through the air. However, since his attacks didn¡¯t reach their cores with aura, the monkeys kept getting back up. Fortunately, with the barrier blocked, their numbers weren¡¯t increasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s a success! The barrier is sealed!¡±


    ¡°The three of them did it! Let¡¯s push a little harder, take down what¡¯s left, and catch our breath!¡±


    ¡°Yes, professor!¡±


    With the spirits being cut down, their numbers visibly dwindled. Rockefeller sank to the ground, catching his breath.


    Now the remaining tasks were to destroy the Spirit Gate and then conduct a punitive expedition to capture Ekok, the mastermind behind this incident. But first, there was treatment for the wounded, equipment checks, and the immediate need for rest to regain strength.


    Within a few minutes, the spirits inside the barrier had been completely wiped out. Gripping his shaky legs, Rockefeller stood up. But the sky began to darken as if a storm was approaching. Shadows started spreading over the area.


    The edge of the shadow was long and sharp. Turning his head, Rockefeller gasped. A massive blue marlin was floating, gliding through the air.


    A chill crept over him as he saw the marlin staring down with its lifeless eyes, aiming its long horn directly at the barrier as if ready to break through. As Rockefeller swallowed, the creature moved its mouth.


    ¡°To think the barrier hasn¡¯t been breached yet¡­ Morojo, that monkey, seems to have failed spectacularly.¡±


    The creature could speak¡ªa clear sign of a high-level spirit. Unsure how to respond, Rockefeller hesitated as Aslay pointed to the marlin.


    ¡°oss told me to ask: is there a way to hunt that thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­What a foolish question.¡±


    There was no way. Hunting it was one thing, but they might have to abandon the barrier. Rockefeller felt a sense of dread, suspecting this battle would end in defeat.


    ***


    With the appearance of the giant blue marlin, the previously triumphant expressions of the team were now overshadowed with fear. This enormous spirit¡ªwhat was it, exactly? And more troubling, it looked like it would be perfect for tearing a gaping hole in the barrier¡­


    The giant marlin opened its mouth and commanded its minions.


    ¡°Enter my mouth, all of you.¡±


    Spirits began filing into its maw. It seemed that the marlin intended to carry them through the barrier and release them here.


    ¡°Quite a clever mind it¡¯s got.¡±


    Acknowledging the enemy¡¯s strategy, I pushed through the crowd, igniting my ¡°Noble Ember of Blood¡± to its maximum and shouted.


    ¡°Pretty bold for a flying fish,¡± I said, my voice cutting through the stillness with dignified weight. I wasn¡¯t sure if my words carried all the way to it through the barrier, but it seemed that the ¡°Noble Ember of Blood¡± made my presence clear enough to catch its attention.


    ¡°A mere speck like you dares call me, the great one, a mere fish?¡± it responded, its tone displeased. I raised my hand, palm open.


    ¡°Pick one of these five fingers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± it asked, clearly taken aback. I smirked and taunted further.


    ¡°Whichever finger you choose, I¡¯ll use it to face you.¡±


    The real concern was that long horn of its, which seemed perfect for breaking through the barrier. But I¡¯d only need ¡°One Second of Invincibility¡± to shatter it.


    The marlin stared at me for a moment, then spoke with an incredulous tone.


    ¡°Unbelievable. You think you can face me with just a finger?¡±


    ¡°Then the pinky it is. Come on. I¡¯ll prove this finger is stronger than that precious horn of yours.¡±


    The marlin burst into laughter, sounding almost mad.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    Then, the laughter abruptly stopped, and it glared at me, its eyes bulging.


    ¡°You¡¯re too foolish to even make a decent slave.¡±


    It began to swim upwards, as though gliding through water. When it reached a certain height, the tip of its horn gleamed like the sun. Calmly, I raised my pinky, waiting for it to dive.


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 Chapter 167

    The blue marlin¡¯s long and massive body exuded an overwhelming aura of dominance. It was true that tension was rising, but this was precisely the moment when provocation was needed more than ever.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to dodge, are you?¡± I taunted, pointing with my pinky finger. The giant marlin twisted its elongated body in midair as if swimming through the void.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pierce straight through your chest!¡± Its body swelled and then shot toward me at an angle like a bullet.


    I thought, recalling Donatan¡¯s words. If my target is clearly pointed out, it makes my job that much easier.


    I grinned and responded,


    In an instant, a shadow loomed over me, and the glowing point grew in size. The creature barreled through my barrier with impressive speed, its pointed horn aimed right at me.


    Tap!


    Originally, I only intended to break its horn. But something unexpected happened. As soon as its horn touched the pad of my pinky, it shattered, and its entire body started piercing through me under the weight of its momentum.


    Crack, crack, crack!


    It felt as if bullets were tearing through my flesh. I remained still, but I could feel its nose, the splattering blood and bones, and even the squishy brain tissue slide through me. The unpleasant sensation made me scowl.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I muttered in disgust.


    ***


    The blue marlin¡¯s horn shattered, and it finally slammed its head into the ground. Its enormous weight caused the hard earth to tremble, sending a thick cloud of dust into the air.


    Boom!


    As the dust settled, those watching from afar opened their eyes wide in disbelief. The marlin¡¯s head had burst open, and blood and brain matter were oozing across the ground. Its long body wriggled briefly, like a crushed worm, surprising the onlookers, but soon its tail fell limp.


    ¡°Is¡­ is it dead?¡± Erucel¡¯s voice trembled in disbelief.


    Mircel, watching from a distance, shouted, ¡°What are you standing around for? The big guy got impaled!¡±


    Such a massive creature had fallen, striking the ground with all its weight¡ªa force no living thing could survive. Mircel rushed forward to check on Hersel¡¯s condition.


    Just then, with a slicing sound, the marlin¡¯s skin split open in a line.


    ¡°Ugh, that smell,¡± a voice grumbled irritably from the gap. The deep, familiar voice stopped Mircel in his tracks, making him flinch.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Surprised only for a moment, Hersel emerged, stepping out through the marlin¡¯s skin with sticky, heavy steps. He brushed off the blood clinging to his clothes and spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer, Mircel. Unless you want this smell sticking to you.¡±


    There were no apparent injuries on him. Erucel was shocked by Hersel¡¯s calm demeanor.


    ¡°B-Brother, are you sure nothing¡¯s broken?¡± he asked.


    Hersel flexed his pinky finger a couple of times and replied curtly, ¡°Not really.¡± Then he turned back to gaze at the blue marlin¡¯s corpse.


    The intermediate spirits that had gathered near the marlin¡¯s mouth before it charged began to emerge one by one. Though a few spots looked worse for wear, with crushed heads or battered bodies, the spirits gradually healed and took on an aggressive stance. They seemed to have survived solely due to the impact of the fall, not from any mana or aura-inflicted damage.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You all can handle this mess,¡± Hersel said, walking toward the fortress.


    Mircel drew his sword, but he found it hard to look away from Hersel¡¯s retreating back. The others were equally captivated.


    ¡°D-Did he really kill it with just his pinky finger?¡±


    ¡°No, it must¡¯ve been the impact of its head slamming into the ground. It was huge and crashed down at that speed.¡±


    Mircel shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Died just from that? Ridiculous.¡±


    The marlin had surrounded itself with a dense and powerful energy, enough to break through the barrier. If it had died from the fall alone, it would¡¯ve been due to sheer stupidity.


    More importantly, Mircel was certain of what he¡¯d seen in that brief instant.


    The marlin¡¯s horn shattered when it couldn¡¯t withstand the force it threw at Hersel¡¯s pinky, penetrating through to its brain. It died instantly, unable to channel its defensive power to the utmost and slammed its head into the ground, which exploded upon impact.


    Erucel seemed to have grasped the truth too, swallowing hard with a look of pure shock.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ That man¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he kills someone with a single strand of hair soon.¡±


    ¡°You should be thankful, Erucel. Every time he hit you, he probably controlled his strength with great precision.¡±


    ¡°Do I¡­ have to be thankful for that?¡± Erucel stammered, incredulous.


    Mircel turned away from the dumbfounded Erucel. ¡°Just think of it positively¡­ though¡­¡± he trailed off as someone caught his attention.


    Dorosian stood silently, her gaze fixed on Hersel¡¯s back. Her eyes, filled with admiration, formed a delicate arc. The sight filled Mircel with an eerie sense of foreboding.


    Her expression shifted in a way that seemed like a smile, as if silently claiming, ¡°That¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    He had no time to dwell on it. Someone¡¯s shout turned his head.


    ¡°They¡¯ve recovered!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, take your positions!¡±


    The intermediate spirits, now fully recovered, began charging en masse. Erucel grumbled as he led the charge.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so sick of this. Let¡¯s wipe them out quickly and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, right.¡± Mircel pushed aside his unease and gripped his sword tightly. The spirits inside the barrier were swiftly dealt with.


    ***


    In the faculty office, papers fluttered. As the professors filed out and disappeared, Rockefeller let out a deep sigh in front of the situation board.


    They had been battling a large number of high-level spirits that breached the barrier, and everyone fought relentlessly without rest until they were on the verge of exhaustion. Though the successful defense brought a much-needed reprieve, there was still no room for complete relaxation.


    Many were injured, and twelve professors had died. Although the barrier had severed the enemies¡¯ access, allowing time for treatment and weapon maintenance, it also meant they were isolated.


    Rockefeller pondered. With limited food supplies, a prolonged standoff would surely lead to starvation. The barrier was so robust that they couldn¡¯t even send a request for support to the Empire. And even if they managed, it would take too long for reinforcements to arrive.


    ¡°This is a headache,¡± Rockefeller muttered, sinking into his chair as he recalled the remote location of Frostheart. Worst-case scenarios kept running through his mind.


    They maintained a 24-hour guard rotation, but an emergency could arise at any moment. As Rockefeller scanned beyond the barrier through the crystal orb, footsteps approached. Arkandric entered, scratching at the bandages wrapped around his chest.


    ¡°You should get some rest, even if only for a bit,¡± Rockefeller suggested.


    ¡°You should be the one to focus on resting,¡± Arkandric replied, smiling as he glanced at his bandages.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fully recovered, had plenty of sleep too. I¡¯m just here for a bit of fresh air.¡±


    Rockefeller fell silent at Arkandric¡¯s words. Arkandric chuckled lightly and pulled a chair over to sit.


    ¡°You¡¯re too tense. There¡¯s no immediate cause for concern. Didn¡¯t you see that huge fish burst open?¡±


    Rockefeller allowed himself to relax slightly. Judging by the power and presence of that giant marlin, it was likely a key enemy force. Given the ease with which it was destroyed, the enemy would hesitate to launch another attack without understanding this side¡¯s capabilities.


    sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rockefeller¡¯s gaze moved from the crystal orb as Arkandric unwrapped his bandages. The wound from the giant monkey¡¯s tail had already healed.


    ¡°Completely healed,¡± he remarked, glancing at the scar and chuckling.


    ¡°It¡¯s remarkable, isn¡¯t it? For something to pierce me like that. I have no idea what kind of energy it was,¡± he added, referring to his encounter with the high-level spirit.


    Rockefeller replied confidently, ¡°If you¡¯d been fully cloaked in ¡®Unbreakable,¡¯ you could¡¯ve blocked it completely.¡±


    Arkandric sighed deeply. ¡°Maybe. But I¡¯m not sure even then. And that kid managed to shatter it entirely.¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean¡­ the energy on that giant fish¡¯s horn was similar to¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, similar to the energy on the monkey¡¯s tail,¡± Arkandric confirmed, a hint of excitement in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s astonishing, really. Even now, he surprises this old man.¡±


    ¡°From what little I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s hard to be sure, but that kid may have reached the level of the grand duke, and at such a young age,¡± he continued.


    Rockefeller felt a complex mix of emotions. Up until now, he¡¯d only considered the young man to be slightly above the level of the other professors¡ªa high evaluation on its own. But now, with the headmaster¡¯s recognition, it was hard to grasp his potential.


    ¡°Considering his abilities, there¡¯s little for him to gain here as a knight. I¡¯d wondered why he joined the Magic Division rather than the Knights Division, and I think I finally understand.¡±


    As Arkandric spoke, Rockefeller¡¯s expression grew heavier.


    There was no other explanation for why the eldest son of a renowned swordsmanship family would enter the Magic Division instead of the Knights Division. He must¡¯ve chosen to learn something useful in the magical arts rather than spend time idly.


    Even so, Rockefeller couldn¡¯t accept this as the right choice. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Headmaster, but I don¡¯t recognize him as a mage. And I don¡¯t think that will change.¡±


    His magical talent is terrible. Even with leniency, he¡¯s hopeless. Setting aside pride as a mage and any personal feelings, as an instructor, he couldn¡¯t allow a student to waste time.


    ¡°It would be better to have him self-study. At least then, his skills wouldn¡¯t rust.¡±


    ¡°Hm. You¡¯re still firm in your stance, I see. I handed him over to you, so I won¡¯t say more,¡± Arkandric replied with a wry smile as Rockefeller prepared tea with telekinesis. As the atmosphere lightened a bit, Arkandric took a sip and looked out the window. Beyond the barrier, spirits still crowded the scene.


    ¡°We¡¯ve eliminated so many, yet there are still plenty. How much have you assessed?¡± Arkandric asked, shifting the topic.


    Rockefeller shared the gathered information: from Ecok¡¯s leadership in the incident to the door through which spirits poured in, speculating on their goals.


    ¡°From what the monkey chief said, it seems their goal is to conquer the human realm. I¡¯m not sure why they¡¯re targeting Frostheart specifically, but they must have a reason. Otherwise, they¡¯d have shifted their route and moved on.¡±


    The fact that they remained here, obsessively focusing on this place, indicated they had a specific purpose.


    ¡°And judging by their coordinated moves, they must have something like a command tower,¡± Rockefeller added.


    Their methods showed intelligence. High-level spirits had created three breaches in the barrier, turning the interior into chaos. The high-ranking spirits that followed targeted the control room, demonstrating a clear strategy.


    Rockefeller thought, realizing that this wasn¡¯t just about defending the fortress from creatures.


    ¡°That means we must take a different perspective than we would for ordinary battles,¡± Arkandric noted.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Rockefeller replied.


    This was a war between armies.


    ***


    Ecok looked around with a sullen expression. In the spirit control room, there were not only the plague-masked spirit but also two others: a black slug with spiked back and a golden bat. The three spirits huddled around a crystal orb, muttering.


    ¡°Hornbull¡¯s defeat is quite a shock,¡± the bat remarked, and the slug nodded.


    ¡°Indeed. I was surprised when the other two were defeated as well¡­ simply attacking won¡¯t work.¡±


    Ecok knew exactly who they were referring to.


    With the atmosphere turning grim, Ecok shrugged and chuckled.


    ¡°That fish¡­ maybe it was just big and weak, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    The plague doctor spirit shook his head, clearly irritated.


    ¡°Hornbull was known as Dordorn¡¯s Spear. He possessed the strongest offensive power among us. He was by no means weak.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s voice held a faint edge of displeasure, and Ecok swallowed nervously. Then the bat, sounding angry, asked, ¡°And who, pray tell, is that blond human? How could he kill Hornbull so effortlessly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯d be Hersel Ben Tenest,¡± Ecok said with a dry laugh. ¡°He¡¯s quite well-known among us.¡±


    Even Ecok felt uneasy, though he hid it behind his words. He¡¯d witnessed the sheer might of the giant marlin, whose power was clearly beyond the ordinary for breaking through the barrier. Yet that human had killed it in an instant without a single injury.


    Without a concrete grasp of the ¡°Tyrant¡¯s Power,¡± Ecok found himself reluctant to confront such an opponent.


    Ecok felt a chill run down his spine and decided to try and change their minds.


    ¡°Why are we so fixated on Frostheart anyway? Couldn¡¯t we just take over somewhere else? There are plenty of other fortresses,¡± he suggested casually, hoping to divert their attention.


    The black slug rebutted with reasoning. ¡°Don¡¯t you know the real value of Frostheart?¡±


    ¡°Real value?¡± Ecok asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon underground. It¡¯s perfect for replenishing magical energy.¡±


    The bat, who had been listening, chimed in with a chuckle. ¡°And that¡¯s not all. The barrier itself is incredibly valuable, enough to make it an impenetrable fortress.¡±


    Ecok found himself nodding. In recent history, it was considered ordinary land, but hearing them talk, it seemed more significant.


    Due to its remote location from the human world, it was relatively safe from invasions. On the flip side, if conquered, it would make an excellent foothold for the conquest of the Empire.


    But when the plague doctor mentioned another benefit, Ecok could hardly believe his ears.


    ¡°This land is adjacent to the Demon Realm, Ecok. It¡¯s the ideal spot for restoring the Demon Realm,¡± the plague doctor said.


    ¡°What?¡± Ecok cocked his head, confused.


    The Demon Realm was an unexplored land, untamed by humanity. ¡°Restoration¡± implied returning something to its former state¡ªa puzzling idea given the current circumstances. The plague doctor noticed his confusion and tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°Hm. Judging by your reaction, I see you didn¡¯t know. Well, it¡¯s no surprise¡ªyour kind would never pass down such dark truths from generation to generation.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ecok asked, his unease growing.


    ¡°Listen closely, Ecok. The Demon Realm was once a land where all species, regardless of race, lived in harmony. But your ancestors, driven by greed, shattered that peace.¡±


    The slug laughed with a sneer. ¡°It was a massacre, under the guise of rising to the top of all races.¡±


    The bat added, ¡°Many chose death over being used and enslaved. Ah, I miss the elves¡­ I had a few good friends among them.¡±


    ¡°Right? I had a giant friend too. But they¡¯re all gone now, either dead or turned into monsters. Without the Spirit Realm, even we spirits would have met the same fate.¡±


    The slug gave Ecok a pitying look. ¡°Do you understand now? You were cast out. The land of peace became the Demon Realm, rejecting humanity.¡±


    Their shocking revelations made Ecok¡¯s eyes twitch. He¡¯d heard of ancient relics found in the Demon Realm, indicating civilizations long ago. But they were saying that the remnants weren¡¯t from ancient humans but from other races.


    As his sense of reality turned upside down, Ecok felt a chill at the spirits¡¯ voices filled with loathing.


    ¡°Humans are the only race destined to live as slaves,¡± one said.


    ¡°They¡¯re finally paying the price.¡±


    ¡°Right. And they¡¯re ideal for it. Given how many different types there are, a lot of them live as slaves anyway, without dignity. We¡¯ll make them serve us endlessly, then rip them apart by monsters at death as a final punishment.¡±


    Their hatred for humanity was unfathomable. Though he was currently allied with them, Ecok himself was human. He began to wonder if he could really trust them.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m human too¡­ You¡¯re not planning to betray me, right?¡± he asked, his voice shaking.


    The plague doctor leaned in, speaking in a warm tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ecok. You¡¯re shedding your vile human flesh and becoming a spirit. We have no reason to harm you.¡±


    Ecok stumbled back when he saw his reflection in the plague doctor¡¯s glass mask¡ªhis skin, from his lips down to his neck, had turned a faint white, with some areas now appearing almost blackened.


    ¡°A¡­ Agh¡­¡±


    Ecok tore off his shirt, frantically examining his body, and let out a horrified scream.


    ¡°What have you done to me?!¡±


    As he struggled in fear, the plague doctor reached out his hand.


    ¡°Rejoice, Ecok. You¡¯re receiving the body of Dordone, the liberating orca. Soon, you¡¯ll inherit his mighty form.¡±


    Ecok¡¯s skin was gradually changing, resembling the distinct markings of an orca.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 168

    Droplets of water dripped from my hair. I finished drying off with a towel and handed the clothes I had worn to Selly as a gift. When the damp, fishy-smelling clothes got close to her nose, Selly grimaced in disgust.


    ¡°Ew! It reeks!¡±


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll have some trouble doing the laundry.¡±


    I chuckled and asked her about what I had requested.


    ¡°How¡¯s the supply situation?¡±


    Selly pinched her nose and replied,


    ¡°Well, it seems like they¡¯re giving out a bit too much food.¡±


    The academy¡¯s storage held a decent amount of supplies.


    Of course, with so many people, the consumption rate was fast.


    Supplies were brought in from outside about once a month, and right now, there were about two weeks left until the next delivery. Given the situation, the fact that resources were being distributed generously now meant¡­


    ¡°They intend to move quickly.¡±


    As I realized Rockefeller¡¯s intentions, I nodded slightly.


    After all, if we remained isolated for a long time, we would only run out of food. Acting swiftly was the right course. The defensive battle hadn¡¯t ended that long ago, so our enemies likely wouldn¡¯t expect us to take action so soon.


    It was also a move that would catch them off guard.


    ¡°They¡¯ll probably gather us soon.¡±


    No sooner had I spoken than Rockefeller¡¯s voice echoed through the loudspeakers.


    ¡°All unit leaders, assemble at the designated location.¡±


    The scenario was progressing about two days faster than expected.


    Despite the presence of some wounded, it seemed they had assessed our forces to be strong enough to handle it.


    There were no complete novices here; after all, we have Arkandric and Ten Elites, so moving forward boldly made sense.


    However, the real issue was the presence of high-ranking spirits like the Monkey King and the Giant Swordfish.


    In this uncertain situation, I, as a student, had managed to defeat one of them so easily.


    Would these forces really just leave me alone after that?


    ¡­ It feels ominous. I have a strange feeling they might give me more than I can handle.


    With a sense of unease, I deliberately walked slowly toward the assembly point.


    ***


    The assembly location for the leaders was the auditorium.


    While the professors had yet to arrive, a man was loudly boasting, clearly oblivious to others.


    Bellman looked at Kerndel of the First Seat, who stood there arrogantly with his arms crossed, and felt whatever respect he had for him fade away.


    ¡°Pathetic. To struggle so much against mere spirits.¡±


    His words were scolding, but his tone was full of superiority.


    Bernthal of the Eighth Seat was about to say something but then shut his mouth, perhaps recalling Kerndel¡¯s accomplishments.


    Bellman considered putting up a barrier to block his voice.


    Just then, Bernthal asked,


    ¡°Bellman, do you know where Emeric is?¡±


    ¡°Senior Emeric? I haven¡¯t heard anything specific.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s strange. That uptight guy would sooner be early than late, certainly not later than this irritating one.¡±


    Despite the atmosphere, Kerndel was showing off his aura blade while peeling a supplied apple.


    ¡°Hah, I wonder how many of you will make it this far. Ten, perhaps? Or maybe you¡¯ll all grow old and die without ever achieving it.¡±


    At this boast, Ricks approached and asked,


    ¡°Bellman, about that guy¡­ could it be that he has some kind of mental issue?¡±


    Having recently joined the Adele Hall, Ricks wouldn¡¯t know.


    Bellman, however, tried to speak diplomatically, given Kerndel was a senior.


    ¡°His mind is¡­ rather peculiar.¡±


    Around Kerndel, a group of people gathered, eager to flatter him.


    They were either fellow members of the Ten Elites or people who relied on the benefits of being in his good graces.


    Ricks, observing this, seemed to entertain a different notion and asked a question that almost made Bellman spit blood.


    ¡°But surely, he must have a kind heart for people to support him like that, right?¡±


    ¡°No, his character¡¯s twisted as well. Ricks, since you¡¯ve joined the Adele Hall, you should join us. We plan on beating him up thoroughly before he graduates.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ sounds like an offer I¡¯d rather decline.¡±


    Bellman saw no need to reply further. Once Ricks experienced it himself, his attitude would change.


    ¡°Hm, with about half a year left, it feels a bit bittersweet. I wonder if I¡¯ll ever see your faces again. After all, I¡¯ll be taking a high-ranking position after graduation.¡±


    Kerndel looked at each of the leaders¡¯ faces as if trying to memorize them with a wistful gaze.


    Unable to endure any longer, Bellman took out his staff.


    ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t listen to this anymore.¡±


    He created a barrier to block Kerndel¡¯s voice, and both Bernthal and Ricks visibly brightened.


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door. It was Emeric. Bellman was about to lift the barrier to let him in, but then his eyes widened at the sight of a document envelope sticking out of Emeric¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    Emeric hastily grabbed the envelope and tried to hide it again, but Bellman had already seen it. The wax seal imprint on the envelope was unmistakably that of the Student Council.


    ¡°Could it be¡­? Did he take advantage of the chaos to search through the Student Council¡¯s files?¡±


    With everyone focused on the threat of invading spirits, internal security was relatively lax, so it wouldn¡¯t have been impossible. Bellman partially lowered the barrier and whispered to Emeric.


    ¡°Why did you bring something like that?¡±


    But Emeric simply placed a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence with a ¡°shh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough. For now, keep quiet.¡±


    A glint shone in Emeric¡¯s eyes as he smirked on one side.


    Bellman felt a strange chill, realizing this man wasn¡¯t exactly normal, and allowed him to enter. Though no sound could be heard, Kerndel was still sitting there, eyes closed, muttering arrogantly to himself.


    Time passed, and the attention of those in the auditorium began to shift toward the entrance. Emeric was the first to speak.


    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±


    Bellman lowered the barrier, watching as a man approached with the sound of measured footsteps.


    Yet, Kerndel, oblivious to the man¡¯s presence, continued boasting proudly.


    ¡°Hmm, that horned fish? Who knows. Even if it had attacked me, I imagine the result would¡¯ve been the same.¡±


    As his arrogance filled the auditorium, a round of applause echoed.


    ¡°Truly fitting of the First Seat,¡± came a deep, somewhat excited voice.


    Kerndel¡¯s eyes snapped open at the unexpected compliment, and Hersel approached him.


    As Hersel closed the distance, Kerndel¡¯s face began to pale.


    ¡°H-Hersel Ben Tenest, I-I didn¡¯t mean what I just said¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re absolutely right. I¡¯m sure Senior Kerndel could¡¯ve defeated that fish with ease,¡± Hersel said, shaking his head as he looked around at the other leaders in the auditorium.


    Everyone wore expressions of bewilderment, and Bellman felt the same.


    ¡°Kerndel defeating that fish?¡±


    Even with Hersel saying so, it was hard to believe. But then Hersel began explaining his reasoning, confident in his assertion.


    ¡°I think people have been too quick to belittle Senior Kerndel because of the recent Ten Elites competition. That was merely a sparring match, nothing close to an environment where he could fully display his skills.¡±


    Bellman nodded in partial agreement. After all, a sparring match is just that¡ªit¡¯s far from actual combat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to believe that if those events had been a true fight for survival, he might have pushed me to reveal my true power.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s eyes narrowed at the absurdity of the statement. Hersel had easily defeated Berme, the Poison Viper, escaped the mind control of the Nightmare, and dispatched the Giant Swordfish with a mere flick of his finger.


    Kerndel was strong, but compared to Hersel, he was far out of his league.


    As Bellman wondered why Hersel was spouting such nonsense, he began to doubt his ears. People were actually starting to believe Hersel¡¯s words.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, now that you think about it. Why else would Hersel have stepped back? Must be because Kerndel¡¯s qualified.¡±


    ¡°Right. During the Ten Elites competition, Kerndel was caught off guard, wasn¡¯t he? That¡¯s why it ended so quickly.¡±


    Bellman thought their words were foolish, but as he began to understand the reasoning, it made a little sense.


    Kerndel had held the top spot for over two years, earning recognition for his strength.


    Moreover, almost no one had witnessed Hersel¡¯s abilities firsthand. Sure, he had recently shown his true worth by defeating the Giant Swordfish in front of many, but some thought the creature had simply rammed its head into the ground out of stupidity.


    Bellman looked at Hersel with a face full of questions. Then Emeric, standing nearby, let out a knowing chuckle.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Do you have some insight?¡± Bellman asked.


    Emeric turned to him and said,


    ¡°Kerndel is Hersel Ben Tenest¡¯s pawn. He placed that pathetic guy in the First Seat to use him. But now he probably thinks Kerndel is worthless and intends to exhaust his last bit of value before graduation.¡±


    Bellman shivered at the realization.


    ¡°¡­ If he¡¯s not careful, Kerndel could die.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, showing sympathy for Kerndel? That¡¯s quite a surprise,¡± Emeric replied, then looked over at Hersel, who was still stirring up the crowd.


    ¡°I believe in Kerndel,¡± Hersel announced. ¡°As Ten Elites leader, he¡¯ll fulfill his duty and achieve great feats before graduation. No one can deny that Kerndel is at the heart of the student body. I trust he¡¯ll take a central role in our next mission.¡±


    Emeric joined in, enthusiastically raising his fist.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! If anyone can do it, it¡¯s Kerndel!¡±


    Bernthal, looking puzzled, whispered something to Emeric, who replied with a few words that caused Bernthal to join in as well.


    Soon, even those who usually disliked Kerndel were swept up in the frenzy, and the auditorium was filled with wild cheers.


    Bellman closed his eyes, unable to bear the brutal scene.


    ¡°Yes, Kerndel can do it!¡±  S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet his own body responded differently.


    ***


    In the midst of the cheering auditorium, Kerndel¡¯s emotions grew more and more conflicted.


    While he felt pleased by the praise, he also sensed that if this continued, he¡¯d end up with a dangerous task.


    If another high-ranking spirit appeared, he honestly wasn¡¯t confident he could handle it.


    He closed his eyes, recalling the Giant Swordfish.


    Despite his arrogance, he was actually well aware of his limits. Determined to regain control, he looked out at the students.


    ¡°Show them what you¡¯re made of before graduation, Kerndel!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! As a third-year, have some pride! You can¡¯t keep leaving it all to Hersel, right?¡±


    ¡°You may be annoying, but you¡¯re our leader.¡±


    It was hopeless.


    They didn¡¯t seem to be hearing him at all.


    Kerndel glanced cautiously at the one responsible for all this.


    Then, he witnessed something that made him freeze.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Though Hersel had a hand covering his mouth, his eyes held a sly, sinister gleam that he couldn¡¯t hide.


    Cold sweat ran down Kerndel¡¯s back as he staggered backward.


    Thinking back, Hersel had no reason to promote him.


    Their first impression of each other had been far from friendly; Hersel looked at him with barely disguised disdain.


    In fact, if anything, they were enemies.


    Murder was a grave crime within the academy. Yet, this timely opportunity had arisen. Kerndel wondered if Hersel had seized on this chance to send him into the jaws of death without dirtying his own hands. A mocking smile lingered on Hersel¡¯s face.


    Kerndel liked to boast, but he wasn¡¯t someone blinded by his pride. As he scrambled to come up with a convincing excuse, a group of people began pouring into the auditorium. They were professors dressed in black robes. When Rockefeller, leading the group, stepped up onto the platform, Kerndel breathed a sigh of relief.


    Rockefeller was a practical man. He would assign critical tasks to those who were truly fit for them. Kerndel shot a smirk in Hersel¡¯s direction.


    Feeling reassured that nothing alarming would happen, Kerndel listened as Rockefeller began explaining the objectives in detail.


    ¡°Spirits continue to pour in through a gate that has appeared behind the fortress.¡±


    The plan centered on targeting this spirit gate and selecting key individuals for the mission.


    ¡°Some of you may have noticed the increased food supplies. We will launch the operation tonight, opening the barrier temporarily to form an attack force to destroy the spirit gate.¡±


    It was a near-ambush strategy. When the barrier opens temporarily, a defensive line will form to stop any spirits from breaching. Because the outer barriers are linked, opening one would expose them all.


    ¡°They¡¯ll do whatever they can to prevent us from reaching the gate, but we don¡¯t have enough resources to hold a full line. Many forces will be deployed to guard the fortress.¡±


    The remaining forces would charge toward the spirit gate. A handful of professors would lead the students, clearing a path through the spirits so the attack team could reach the gate.


    ¡°Of course, the spirit gate is critical to them. A high-ranking spirit will inevitably appear to defend it. I have Lady Bellen in mind to handle this, along with one other¡ª¡±


    Just as Rockefeller was about to name the other person, Hersel raised his hand and asked,


    ¡°What role will the Headmaster take on?¡±


    Rockefeller, visibly annoyed, replied, ¡°Headmaster Arkandric will remain stationed in the engine room to manage the barrier.¡±


    As Hersel lowered his hand, Rockefeller pulled out the assignment list.


    ¡°Now, I will call the names of the unit leaders assigned to the attack team.¡±


    Several names passed by. Kerndel instinctively sensed that whoever paired with Bellen to handle the high-ranking spirit would face the most danger. He silently prayed to be assigned to a simpler attack team, like the others. But then, he heard a familiar name from Rockefeller¡¯s lips.


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    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


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 Chapter 169

    Hersel smirked.


    As the tip of his cane flashed, Rockefeller involuntarily gulped.


    ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­ In a life-or-death situation on the battlefield, especially in unfavorable conditions, it¡¯s essential not to hold back any cards. But now, things have become a bit ambiguous.¡±


    ¡°He himself is talking like that, so shouldn¡¯t Kerndel also be given a chance?¡±


    ¡°It would add to his experience, wouldn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°As if! With an incident like this, do you really think it can be hidden? The main headquarters will obviously hear of it.¡±


    Supporters of Kerndel were voicing their opinions.


    ¡°Exactly. With an army of that size invading, hiding it would be like trying to cover the sky with a hand.¡±


    Undoubtedly, word would reach the ears of the elders at headquarters, and they¡¯d demand a full report of everything that happened here. The names of the students who stood out would naturally receive greater recognition.


    Nearby, Professor Gomon, who recently had his severed arm reattached, addressed Professor Ildiran, who wore a splint.


    ¡°Hmm, is it because graduation is approaching? Everyone seems overly concerned about their future.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re probably thinking that if Kerndel takes a high position, they might get something out of it. Anyway, it¡¯s sycophants like them who are making him even more arrogant.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s strange, isn¡¯t it? There used to be a lot of students who disliked Kerndel. Why are even they supporting him now?¡±


    Hearing this, Professor Ildiran closed his eyes in contemplation.


    ¡°¡­Could it be that they¡¯re hoping he might perish in this mission? It is quite dangerous, after all.¡±


    ¡°Haha, what a devilish bunch. No matter how much you dislike someone, how can they wish such a thing?¡±


    Rockefeller was convinced that it was Hersel who had crafted these rumors to manipulate the students.


    Hersel was the first to suggest that morale would drop unless Kerndel was made the focal point for the students.


    He had no idea what he¡¯s planning. But one thing he knew for certain, as clear as his gritted teeth, was that he¡¯s no ordinary tough guy. Despite all sorts of pressure, he stubbornly stayed at the Schlaphe Hall and even ascended to the Adele Hall ¡ª an unusual man indeed.


    As Hersel leaned against the wall, seeming to wait for a response, Rockefeller felt even more unsettled.


    Rockefeller took a few deep breaths, calming his nerves.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Clearing his mind, he began weighing his options with a cool head.


    First, he considered the repercussions of not placing Kerndel at the forefront in the high-ranking spirit assault.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    It was clear that it would be problematic in various ways.


    The students¡¯ morale would drop, and only useless, spare forces would emerge, barely worthy of being called magicians. ¡®What would happen if they were sent out?¡¯ Even with Bellen there, relying on him alone wasn¡¯t reassuring. At least one senior professor needed to accompany them. Strong individuals who could slaughter mid-level spirits were scarce, making this a headache of an issue. When the barrier opens, enemies will surely surge from all directions, so the troops needed for defense were no small matter.


    They were struggling with a shortage of manpower, but there was one small relief: the core room in charge of the barrier, essential to defense, had none other than Arkandric stationed there. Rockefeller wiped his face with his hand and pointed at Professor Gomon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Kerndel join the assault on the high-level spirits. And Gomon, you¡¯re going with him.¡±


    ¡°M-me? Uh, yes. Understood.¡±


    The students in the auditorium beamed with joy, except for one man whose expression turned heavy under the weight of the situation.


    ¡°Kerndel, this is your big chance. Perform well here, and you might just be assigned to Headquarters right after!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t forget us when you graduate! You know you¡¯ve got to watch my back, right?¡±


    Kerndel opened his mouth to reply but ended up only mouthing words silently.


    ***


    [With great bluster comes great responsibility. -Hersel Ben Tenest]


    It was a phrase I had etched into my notebook to include in my memoirs one day before I die. Donatan, having read it, let out a sigh of admiration.


    ¡®Hmm, I get it. Those words suit you well enough.¡¯


    It was the life I had lived, after all. I¡¯d long been a veteran in this field. My ample experience allowed me to turn this crisis onto Kerndel, securing my safety yet again.


    ¡®Although¡­ that man might actually die, you know?¡¯


    ¡®Donatan, you seem to misunderstand. I¡¯m fundamentally a kind person, but I¡¯m flexible enough to join hands with the devil if it means survival.¡¯


    ¡®Why do you even throw in words like ¡°flexible¡± in that context?¡¯


    ¡®Fine, let¡¯s call it ¡°yielding.¡± Flexibility often feels like that.¡¯


    With that trivial banter, we left the auditorium. The squad leaders, each with their orders, split into two main groups. Kerndel¡¯s group was the assault team, aiming to breach the spirit gates.


    ¡°Hey, Kerndel, it¡¯s not that way.¡±


    ¡°Over here, here.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I must have mistaken it.¡±


    And I went in the opposite direction¡ªthe defense team. While they moved out, the barrier would remain open. Our job was to eliminate any spirits trying to enter the fortress in the meantime. Risk-wise, my position was certainly much safer. There was a reason I had been assigned this cushy role.


    With archers like Limberton, whose attack count was limited, Aslay, who could only do grabs but couldn¡¯t handle spirits, Dorosian, who watched on with powerful strength yet no inclination to help, and me, who had declared I¡¯d fight with a staff in hand or nothing at all, the decision to place us in the defense team instead of the assault team was probably for the best, given our utility.


    Of course, there were concerns.


    ¡°It would¡¯ve been better if we were all assigned to the assault team, but it seems that didn¡¯t happen,¡± said Bellman, who was on the assault team. In fact, aside from those on our team, all the main players had been assigned to the assault team. The threat of the high-level spirits made me worry about their safety, but as for that¡­


    ¡°The Ten Elites is competent enough. Besides, we have Grand-Aunt too.¡±


    Originally, Bellen was supposed to oversee the core room in this scenario. Thanks to Arkandric replacing her, we were able to allocate strong forces to the assault team. The spirit gate should go down without much trouble. Even so, I thought it would be a waste to let this scenario pass without giving it proper effort.


    ¡°Bellman, don¡¯t treat this as an insignificant mission just because it¡¯s not central to the operation.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on it. But why are you saying that?¡±


    ¡°It just seems like an ideal trial for growth.¡±


    The main players usually grow stronger through hidden trials within the scenario. Though it might feel heavy for them to face this challenge early on, if they gain something from it, it will accelerate their growth. This would give them more time to train and might even enable them to reach levels previously unattainable.


    ¡°Well, whether you see it as a valuable opportunity or a storm you hope passes quickly is up to you.¡±


    As I turned away, Bellman responded, ¡°I¡¯ll pass it along to the others.¡± There was a hint of determination in his voice. I waved briefly and turned the corner. There, crouched in the corner, were Aslay and Limberton, who stood up to greet me. Limberton¡¯s face was oddly soot-covered.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Aslay answered for him. ¡°Limberton tried to talk to Dorosian.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did he try to hit on her?¡±


    ¡°No, he just introduced himself.¡±


    Since Aslay was saying that, it seemed Limberton hadn¡¯t behaved as obnoxiously as he usually did. Limberton stroked his chin in contemplation.


    ¡°Hm. I thought I spoke normally this time. Why do women dislike me so much?¡±


    ¡°The issue wasn¡¯t you but Dorosian herself. Anyway, where is she?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she went back to her room, saying there¡¯s no point in tagging along if she has nothing to do. She said she¡¯d take a quick nap.¡±


    That was indeed very typical of Dorosian. But honestly, as long as she wasn¡¯t participating in the battle, her absence didn¡¯t bother me much.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how she feels, there¡¯s not much we can do.¡±


    It seemed, though, that she had left behind some cryptic words before leaving.


    ¡°Right, Hersel, there was something I was supposed to pass along to you. She asked if you could sense anything from the demonic energy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I tilted my head, puzzled by the question. Just as air gives a natural feeling, demonic energy has its own distinct, unpleasant, and tainted sensation. I could have answered that it merely felt foul and polluted, but what was odd was that this question came from Dorosian. She was a woman who could probe deeper into the essence of things, even mana. Perhaps she¡¯d sensed something others might easily overlook within the demonic energy. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much time to ponder it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that later. Everyone, get some rest and prepare immediately.¡±


    ¡°Already? I still haven¡¯t heard what the operation is about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way, so listen up.¡±


    The battle would begin in thirty minutes.


    ***


    The first to notice the anomaly was the bat. When he perked up his ears, the slug spirit asked, ¡°Jurette, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°The enemy is moving with greater force,¡± he replied.


    Jurette possessed the ability to sense vibrations through ultrasonic waves. The faint tremors reaching him here confirmed the start of the attack.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon. We need to get ready too.¡±


    Hearing this, the slug spirit replied in a concerned tone, ¡°What? I thought it¡¯d take at least three days, but now?¡±


    Jurette felt the same way. With the current situation and wounded among them, they¡¯d expected a few days¡¯ respite, which was why they¡¯d stationed forces around the barrier. It wasn¡¯t the best moment to mobilize¡­ but¡­


    ¡°They¡¯ll likely target the spirit gate first, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°We should expect that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness. I¡¯ve already buried myself.¡±


    With her ability as a slug spirit, she could even turn the enemy¡¯s best-laid plans into blunders.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s get moving,¡± she said, beginning to burrow into the ground. Jurette looked over at the plague doctor and voiced his thought.


    ¡°I plan to follow Merdilla. I have a bad feeling.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Doesn¡¯t seem like the enemy will advance here just yet. Go ahead, Jurette.¡±


    With that, Jurette opened the door to the demon chamber and soared into the sky.


    ***


    Ten seconds left until the barrier would open. Bellman, deployed with the assault team, checked the backs of Leana and Sila before glancing at Bellen¡¯s squad, the core of this mission. Bellen, Professor Gomon, and Kerndel¡ªthose three stood at the center of the formation, ready to draw their weapons when the high-level spirit appeared. Amidst the tense atmosphere, Professor Gomon started counting down.


    ¡°Eight.¡±


    As time dragged on, the squad leaders nearby gripped their weapons tightly. Even in the midst of this, Erusel gave Ricks a piece of advice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah,¡± Ricks replied awkwardly, while Mircel, standing behind him, pouted her lips.


    ¡°Three.¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s voice continued counting down. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Two.¡±


    The moment everyone¡¯s feet dug into the ground, ready to launch.


    ¡°One.¡±


    As the barrier dissipated, the assault team charged forward with intensity. The spirits, in a rush, scrambled to gather their forces, but the difference between those prepared in advance and those reacting hastily was evident.


    ¡°Take them all down!!¡±


    The professors led the charge, shattering the spirits¡¯ forms. The students, now far more adept than during the defense, moved skillfully. Among them, those whom Bellman knew personally were especially noticeable on the battlefield, impressing him.


    ¡°Have they really grown this much from just one battle?¡±


    The mages restrained the more formidable spirits. The swordsmen hacked off their claws and teeth. The spirits that managed to revive were swiftly finished off by the knights, who unleashed their aura to end them decisively. The mages empowered the swords of those unable to do so, and with each spirit corpse that piled up, their advance quickened.


    Half the distance to the spirit gate remained¡ªquicker than anticipated.


    ¡°At this speed, that door will be destroyed in no time.¡±


    But a strange unease rose within him. It was likely due to the absence of a certain presence he¡¯d expected to encounter.


    Of course, if there weren¡¯t, it would be a good thing. Even if there was, it might have been caught off guard and unable to respond immediately. However, the serious expression on the elderly veteran¡¯s face kept Bellman from feeling entirely optimistic. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. Bellman glanced back at Bellen as he ran, noting that Professor Gomon, who was beside her, was looking at her curiously.


    ¡°Lady Bellen? Why have you stopped?¡±


    Scanning her surroundings thoroughly, Bellen fixed her gaze on the ground. Then, with a grave expression, she shouted loudly, ¡°Everyone, assume defensive positions!¡±


    At her shout, an earthquake began to rumble. The ground shook, and walls of earth began to rise up. As they started to encase even the sky, Bellman¡¯s gaze was drawn to the moon shining above. A lone bat flapped within its yellow circle. When the earthen walls finally covered it, the soldiers grew anxious.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything! Someone, turn on a light!¡±


    Bellman cast light from the tip of his staff, revealing a complex network of walls surrounding them.


    ¡°What is this? A cave?¡±


    ¡°¡­Are we trapped?¡±


    Then someone banged on the wall. When their iron-clad fists struck, the earth peeled away, revealing a surface that looked like the squishy insides of some creature.


    Bellman looked around to assess the situation, and then a woman¡¯s voice echoed throughout the space.


    ¡°Hello? It feels like a maze, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    The voice was strange, slightly removed from a human¡¯s tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªit¡¯s not an actual maze. This is my stomach. Welcome to becoming my meal.¡±


    It was undoubtedly the voice of the high-level spirit who had set this trap.


    ***


    Defending was nothing new. The defense team swiftly repelled the spirits that had entered during the brief opening of the barrier.


    ¡°It felt much easier than before, didn¡¯t it?¡± Limberton remarked.


    I agreed with him. ¡°They came in briefly, so there were fewer of them than before. Still, it was simpler than expected.¡±


    Now, all that remained was waiting for the assault team to complete their mission safely. The defense team, having finished their task, began making their way back to the fortress. But a trembling voice came through the loudspeakers.


    ¡°All defense team members, gather immediately.¡±


    Seeing Rockefeller¡¯s alarmed expression, it was clear something had happened. A sense of urgency quickened our steps. Just as we reached the fortress, someone shouted.


    It was a commander from the assault team.


    ¡°Walls rose up from the ground, trapping everyone!¡±


    ¡°Huh? But why are you fine? Where¡¯s your squad?¡±


    ¡°I was in the rear, so I wasn¡¯t caught. But we need to move fast. Who knows what¡¯s happening in there right now.¡±


    Something big had occurred. I let out a small sigh and recalled an item I¡¯d carefully stashed in my inventory.


    [Elixir of Dreams]


    Type: Illusion.


    A potion painstakingly crafted by Irte, Lord of Dreams.


    Duration: 3 minutes.


    Upon consumption, it turns all status effects experienced during its duration into illusions. Even the cooldowns of attributes are constantly reset.


    If death occurs, even death itself becomes an illusion at the end of the duration.


    My last-resort trump card, saved for a truly dire situation.


    Hopefully, I won¡¯t have to use it in this scenario¡­


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    CH 166-170 (Invincible pinky) $3


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


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 Chapter 170

    A sticky floor.


    The sharp smell of stomach acid. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bellman illuminated the isolated area with his staff, examining their position.


    He was separated from Bellen, who had been in the center of the march.


    In one spot, there were Leana, Silla, and Riamon and Edina, led by Erucel. Only a few third-year seniors were with them. Two members of the third-year Magic Department also lit their surroundings with their staffs.


    ¡°There are multiple paths ahead.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly a dungeon maze¡­?¡±


    It was far from a typical dungeon.


    They were inside a spirit¡¯s stomach.


    There would be no monsters, cliffs, or venomous traps here.


    As expected of nearly graduated third-years, they understood this well.


    ¡°We can¡¯t really call this a path, can we? The spirit isn¡¯t likely to leave an easy exit.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan then? Should we try to find a way to communicate with the outside?¡±


    While they were discussing their options, Silla was staring blankly at the wall.


    ¡°Should I try slicing it once?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Bellman hurriedly stopped her, preparing a protective magic barrier just in case.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if an acidic liquid might pour out of the wall.¡±


    Silla let out an ¡°Oh¡± and then swung her sword at the wall with all her strength.


    Slice!


    Her sword was infused with a discharged aura.


    But, strangely, the wall healed instantly, as if it had never been cut at all.


    Silla stepped back from the wall, her face twisted in disgust.


    ¡°Ugh, did you see that? It just squirmed.¡±


    ¡°¡­This is remarkable. The healing speed is so fast you can¡¯t even see a trace of the cut.¡±


    Bellman adjusted his glasses and examined the cut closely.


    It looked perfectly smooth.


    They were inside the spirit¡¯s body. Even though they attacked a vulnerable organ, there wasn¡¯t a single mark. They needed to determine if this was simply due to monstrous regeneration, or if it was an illusion.


    To test his theory, Bellman cast a purification spell. It was an advanced spell he had diligently learned, finding it useful each time the professors demonstrated it. He lightly tapped his staff, which was glowing with a white light, against his forehead, but the wall remained the same.


    One doubt¡ªthat it might be an illusion¡ªwas put to rest.


    ¡°Silla, this time, try slicing it thin, like you¡¯re cutting ham.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s suggestion made Silla raise an eyebrow in confusion.


    ¡°Huh? Like the ham in a sandwich?¡±


    Silla, seeming to think Bellman had a plan, nodded and infused her sword with aura again.


    This time, she neatly sliced through a rounded protrusion on the wall.


    As a piece of the flesh fell to the floor with a soft thud, Bellman¡¯s eyes widened.


    The severed piece immediately merged with the rest, like a clump of mud sinking back into a muddy pool.


    Leana squinted, giving an example that closely resembled what they saw.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a slime. Even if you cut it in half, it merges back into one¡­¡±


    Slime-type creatures had the characteristic of regenerating when their severed parts were rejoined.


    ¡°A cellular bond, perhaps. But there¡¯s more to it than that.¡±


    Bellman pointed to the section Silla had cut. Though she¡¯d severed and dropped a rounded part onto the ground, the wall was already back to its original form.


    Bellman created a small square barrier and trapped a portion of the wall within it. Even then, the severed surface started to writhe and restored itself to its original form.


    ¡°The mass that I cut is still in the barrier. Seeing it restore itself like this, it seems to be replicating.¡±


    This also explained why the aura-infused cut hadn¡¯t affected it.


    The reason aura could kill spirits was because it severed their mana-infused bodies, similar to blood.


    However, it didn¡¯t have the power to prevent fresh flesh from growing at the cut site.


    ¡°It¡¯d be best to abandon any hope of killing it with aura; it¡¯ll just regenerate before it¡¯s dead.¡±


    The biggest challenge, however, lay in the speed of the restoration.


    Bellman pondered another method but shook his head.


    Though a more effective way did exist, he dismissed it due to potential risks.


    Suddenly, a worrying thought struck him, his eyes widening.


    Could he be sure no one else had considered the previous method?


    And there was no guarantee that everyone had recognized its potential dangers.


    Just as he prepared to warn those nearby¡ª


    ¡°Ahem. Seems you¡¯ve discovered something,¡± said Erucel, who had been standing idly with a blank expression, now approaching.


    ¡°Erucel, have you learned anything so far?¡± Bellman asked, and Erucel averted his gaze, replying reluctantly.


    ¡°¡­That we¡¯re trapped in a stomach?¡±


    Riamon blinked, grumbling, ¡°If this guy knew anything useful, he¡¯d be bragging already.¡±


    Edina, however, offered some helpful information.


    ¡°I was with the third-year seniors, checking the paths. We used detection magic just in case, but every path was blocked. No one could detect any other way out.¡±


    They were tangled in a maze-like set of intestines. If the paths were blocked, everyone was likely isolated in separate areas.


    ¡°Got it. Then follow me, and I¡¯ll explain what we¡¯ve discovered so far.¡±


    Bellman approached where the third-year seniors were gathered. Once everyone was together, Bellman explained the unique properties of the intestines. One of the third-year magic seniors began drawing a spell formula with their staff.


    ¡°Regeneration, huh? Well, in that case, let¡¯s just burn it. Burn marks will permanently inhibit cellular regeneration.¡±


    Bellman urgently grabbed the hand of the senior holding her staff.


    ¡°Flame magic is absolutely out of the question, senior. This is an enclosed space. Without knowing the wall¡¯s thickness or the size of the intestines, it¡¯s far too dangerous.¡±


    It was just as he feared. The natural impulse was to think of burning a hole in the wall. Everyone seemed tense from the stressful environment, their minds becoming anxious. If they calmly considered the consequences, they¡¯d understand the risk¡­


    ***


    Meanwhile, Bellen¡¯s squad had also figured out the peculiar properties of the intestines. It took a bit of time, but it was becoming clear why Gomon had earned Rockefeller¡¯s acknowledgment.


    ¡°Growth and cellular fusion, huh. Didn¡¯t peg you for such an observant type with that big build of yours.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is nothing, really, haha.¡±


    Bellen offered Gomon a modest compliment before placing her hand on the ground. As she closed her eyes to channel her aura, Kerndel squinted and asked, ¡°¡­What exactly are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m concentrating?¡±


    Bellen snapped irritably, and Gomon explained on her behalf.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡®Neogyeon,¡¯ a secret technique of the Tenest family. It¡¯s one of the methods they used to rule the Demonic Realm without mages.¡±


    The technique involved spreading aura like an electric current, surrounding the environment and analyzing objects. As it required intense focus, beads of sweat rolled down Bellen¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Sheesh, maybe it¡¯s been too long? My hand¡¯s gone numb.¡±


    Bellen took a deep breath, directing her concentration into her palm. Soon, electrical signals began to return from a distance. These sensations roughly mapped the structure beyond the intestines and pinpointed the origin of the magical energy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured out the direction of what seems to be the creature¡¯s heart.¡±


    Kerndel gasped in disbelief.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°The heart of a magical creature contains a high concentration of energy. But I¡¯m not completely certain¡ªI¡¯m only guessing because this case involves a spirit.¡±


    When the chief monkey swung its tail, Arkandric had sensed magical energy. This mysterious creature seemed to also use magical energy, meaning it might be a high-level spirit. Bellen was busy sorting out these clues one by one when Kerndel cleared his throat and made an absurd request.


    ¡°Ahem. Could you teach me that technique?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re asking to learn a family secret?¡±


    ¡°Lady Bellen, you came here to teach, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s not an unreasonable request.¡±


    Kerndel¡¯s impertinent attitude made Bellen frown.


    ¡°Teaching something like that would need permission from the family head. Why don¡¯t you try saying that to Aol? He¡¯d probably cut off your head.¡±


    Kerndel flinched, swallowing nervously. Bellen clicked her tongue and shot Gomon an annoyed look.


    ¡°Why, exactly, was an idiot like him assigned here? And what about that reckless nephew?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Hersel¡­ well, there were¡­ a few complications, hehe,¡± Gomon replied with a foolish laugh, scratching the back of his head.


    Bellen scowled, ¡°Ugh, looking at you lot lately is just pathetic.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no excuse. But that boy is as stubborn as they come.¡±


    Bellen, finding some sense in the reasoning, fell silent.


    A moment of quiet passed, and the tension dissipated.


    Bellen brought up a heavier subject.


    ¡°So, in this case, is the mission the priority? Or the students?¡±


    Pathfinders are a group that wouldn¡¯t hesitate to leave fallen comrades behind for the mission. But here, they were at the academy. If they were caught in an unexpected incident rather than an organized training exercise, they had a duty to prioritize the students¡¯ lives¡­


    Yet, there was one exception.


    Gomon sighed and spoke bitterly, ¡°It¡¯s wartime. It¡¯s an exception.¡±


    This was a rule established after the lessons of past wars: In wartime, students lose their status as students and are temporarily given the rank of Pathfinder. In this case, destroying the Spirit Gate took precedence over saving lives.


    Even so, Bellen chuckled as she drew her sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on that. I¡¯ll hunt down this thing first and worry about the Spirit Gate afterward.¡±


    ¡°¡­What if the elders find out?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll just give me a lecture. If they¡¯re unhappy, they can just let me go.¡±


    A surge of electricity sparked along Bellen¡¯s arm, gripping her sword.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go round up the kids first.¡±


    The wall¡¯s regeneration speed was so fast that no cuts were visible.


    Then the answer was simple¡ªcut faster.


    For the first time in a while, Bellen executed the family¡¯s secret sword technique.


    Of course, with the age she had on her and rusty skills, it was no easy task.


    As she took a deep breath to steady herself, Kerndel spoke up again, spouting nonsense.


    ¡°Lady Bellen, as I understand, you can imbue your sword with flames. Why not just burn it all? Burns should prevent regeneration.¡±


    Kerndel looked triumphant, thinking he¡¯d had a clever idea.


    As Bellen looked at him with pity, Gomon shook his head.


    ¡°This is a confined space. If you use flames, you¡¯ll burn up all the oxygen. Without knowing when we can escape, you might risk suffocating us all.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just get it over with quickly,¡± Kerndel replied cluelessly, making Bellen scratch his head in frustration.


    ¡°You idiot. The walls are thick, and the area is huge. If you go around burning everything, we¡¯re all dead. Even if you don¡¯t know the specifics, that¡¯s common sense.¡±


    Kerndel closed his mouth, realizing Bellen was right.


    With frustration mounting, Bellen shouted at Gomon.


    ¡°Ugh, is this fool really a top-level soldier?¡±


    ¡°Well, his skills are decent. His lack of brains is just a flaw¡­¡±


    Bellen muttered, ¡°A hopeless case,¡± and swung his sword at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.


    Slice!


    A large square hole appeared as the wall was sliced. Before the wall could regenerate, she swiftly grabbed the backs of Gomon and Kerndel¡¯s necks and jumped through the hole. Whether from shock or embarrassment, Kerndel lost his balance and landed flat on the ground with a splat. Kerndel secretly wiped away a tear.


    ***


    Elsewhere, Jurette was keeping an eye on Merdilla, the spirit of the giant slug. She surveyed the vast army of spirits surrounding Merdilla¡¯s massive body. If a significant portion of their forces was lost, taking down the fortress would become far easier.


    Jurette landed on Merdilla¡¯s body.


    ¡°Merdilla, how are things inside?¡±


    ¡°I felt a brief, tingling sensation, like something was stirring around inside me.¡±


    ¡°Anything else unusual?¡±


    ¡°Not much. Just a few idiots trying to burn things up.¡±


    Her tone was calm, but Jurette felt a pang of concern.


    ¡°¡­That must be painful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m long used to that.¡±


    Merdilla chuckled, brushing off the scars that had once been her trauma.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than touching salt, at least.¡±


    When she was no bigger than a thumb, she¡¯d lived a life no different from a racehorse in a gambling den.


    Humans had trapped her along with other slug spirits in a salt maze, placing bets on which one would escape first. If they were too slow, salt would be sprinkled on them, causing their bodies to dissolve, and the defeated slugs met their end in agony. Perhaps this was why she had shaped her insides like a maze, haunted by those memories of the past.


    ¡°I hope they feel the same melting pain you endured. May this bring you a measure of comfort, Merdilla.¡±


    Jurette gently stroked Merdilla¡¯s immense form with her small hand, offering quiet solace. Then, recalling the most concerning figure, she looked toward the fortress. The man who had easily slain Hornbull, the spirit of the giant blue marlin, had yet to reveal himself.


    Ideally, she hoped he was trapped within Merdilla¡¯s stomach, but unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. Jurette felt grateful she was here, keeping a close watch on the fortress.


    ***


    At the fortress¡¯s peak, Rockefeller peered through a telescope, observing the situation outside: the enormous slug and the multitude of spirit troops around it. Normally, the right course would be to bypass them and destroy the Spirit Gate. But breaking through such a large force required the strength of those trapped inside.


    He had some personal reasons for this, as well.


    Stirring up the Duke¡¯s wrath would be unmanageable, and the central office would likely try to deflect responsibility.


    Recalling this, Rockefeller cast a lightening spell and slowly descended. The training grounds were filled with professors and students on defense duty. As they awaited his orders, Rockefeller singled out a man.


    ¡°Hamendal?¡±


    Upon hearing his name, Hamendal hesitantly approached.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need your abilities again. Prepare yourself.¡±


    ¡°Prepare, sir? You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±


    Hamendal¡¯s eyes twitched in alarm, sensing something ominous. Rockefeller nodded and gestured toward the spirits outside.


    ¡°First, we gather intel. Hmm, that one will do.¡±


    Rockefeller pointed to a long snake.


    ¡°A snake could easily slip through with only a small opening.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a moment. You can¡¯t mean what I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Possess it.¡±


    Hamendal¡¯s face fell, looking grim. Last time, he¡¯d possessed an undead creature during the Luon incident. Now it was a corrupted snake spirit, flicking its tongue.


    Hamendal hated Rockefeller.


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 Chapter 171

    The feeling of becoming a snake would be almost impossible to put into words. His vision was generally blurry, and despite the chilly weather, he didn¡¯t feel any increase in body temperature. His tongue flicked uncontrollably, tasting dozens of flavors through an unusual sense of smell. If he had been born with such senses, it might have been different. But for Hamendal, who had lived as a human, this was torture.


    ¡°Ugh, I feel nauseous. I¡¯d rather be possessed by an undead,¡± he muttered. Being undead, most senses were dulled, so there was no particular feeling, and walking on two legs wasn¡¯t strange. However, moving in a snake¡¯s body was challenging from the start.


    Hamendal twisted his entire body with all his might, only to squirm in place. Just then, Rockefeller¡¯s voice rang out sharply through a sound transmission spell.


    ¡°What are you doing, flailing about so pathetically? You¡¯re in the middle of enemy territory! If you¡¯re discovered, you could be torn to pieces. Act like a snake!¡±


    As if it were that simple.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to mimic a familiar body, but this is a completely different form! I can barely even crawl,¡± Hamendal replied, hoping Rockefeller would understand by now.


    But Rockefeller had an impressive knowledge of things most people didn¡¯t. ¡°There are four main ways a snake moves. The easiest are undulating like a wave or contracting the body for straight-line motion.¡±


    Sighing deeply, Hamendal tried what Rockefeller suggested. After several attempts, he managed to move forward. Imagining himself as more of a worm than a snake¡­ still, it worked.


    ¡°Hmm, but there¡¯s another issue. My vision is so blurry, I can¡¯t see where I¡¯m going. Reaching the slug¡¯s body is tough.¡±


    ¡°Think of using your tongue to smell. Concentrate on the cells below your eyes, and the world will appear in infrared,¡± Rockefeller advised.


    Following his instructions, Hamendal truly began to feel it. He could sense the scent of nearby spirits with his tongue, and the world appeared in shades of red and blue, and colors in between.


    Hamendal thought with unease, moving towards the giant body of the slug. Soon, Rockefeller would make his move. As before, he would create an entry-sized hole in the barrier with his staff.


    The spirits, noticing Hamendal moving backward, looked at him suspiciously. Just then, an arrow, gleaming with light, shot from the barrier.


    Thunk!


    The arrow struck the slug¡¯s body, and it instantly grew large. As the arrow disappeared, Hamendal quickly pushed himself into the now-enlarged hole. But the slug¡¯s regeneration speed was bewilderingly fast.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The regenerated organ of the slug wrapped around Hamendal, trapping him without letting him fully enter.


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller? I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m stuck here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Then, Hamendal began to sense something strange. Small red dots, like grains of rice, were wriggling tightly within the crimson interior of the slug¡¯s body. Additionally, the smell on his tongue was different.


    As he heightened his senses, he felt a gripping pain, as if something were tightly holding onto his tail. He was pulled away from the wall by this force.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    As the outside air touched his skin, he heard a voice with a tone far removed from human sounds.


    ¡°How surprising. Have you developed a new magic in the time I¡¯ve been away? I never thought you¡¯d stoop to stealing a spirit¡¯s body.¡±


    Jurette sneered as he threw Hamendal onto the ground.


    ¡°Still, to think you¡¯d evolve magic in such a manner. Then again, you¡¯ve always been like this. Using the power granted by the world for prosperity, only to obsess over harming others with it¡ªrelying on your remarkable creativity, which no other race possesses.¡±


    And with those words, Jurette stomped on Hamendal¡¯s head, crushing it.


    Splat!


    ¡°Gasp¡­ gasp¡­?¡±


    ***


    Hamendal, now back in his human form, opened his eyes, panting heavily. He was lying on the ground, and the first thing he saw was the ceiling. He had narrowly avoided excruciating pain; if he had delayed releasing the possession, he might have been too shocked to wake up for some time.


    As he collected himself, Rockefeller¡¯s face suddenly appeared.


    ¡°Hamendal, what on earth happened?¡±


    Rockefeller seemed unaware of the recent events. Since Hamendal had gone deep into the spirits¡¯ ranks, there was no way he could have seen it. Hamendal then explained about the bat that had appeared blurry to him.


    ¡°It was a giant bat, about the size of a person, that pulled me out and killed me. It even spoke, so I assume it was a high-ranking spirit.¡±


    Hamendal also explained the slug¡¯s formidable regenerative ability.


    ¡°And above all, the speed at which the hole healed. I think this is why those inside couldn¡¯t escape.¡±


    There was no way that the carefully selected individuals had died inside its stomach. Talented as they were, they were likely struggling to break through the slug¡¯s insides. But the lack of news until now likely indicated that they were having a hard time because of this unique trait.


    ¡°¡­This is quite the headache,¡± Rockefeller clicked his tongue and looked out at the barrier. The spirits¡¯ forces were still concentrated around the slug¡¯s body.


    ¡°Even if they manage to escape on their own, it¡¯s a problem. Enemies are surrounding us on all sides.¡±


    Hamendal immediately understood what Rockefeller meant.


    ¡°In that case, we may need to take a bolder approach¡­.¡±


    For better or worse, they had no choice but to break the barrier and deploy a large number of defenders. They might position a minimal force near the fortress, but that alone wouldn¡¯t guarantee their defense. Fortunately, the spirits were concentrated in one area, so the risk of enemies attacking from all directions was reduced. Additionally, they had placed Arkandric, the core of their defense, in the engine room.


    And then there was Hersel¡­


    Hamendal frowned. Hersel, who had apparently been elsewhere, was now trudging back with a staff in hand.


    He proudly gnawed on a piece of jerky with telekinetic magic, asserting his identity as a wizard.


    Hamendal wanted to say something, but it was hard to argue with Hersel, who had already achieved results by catching that massive fish. Feeling exasperated, he looked over at Rockefeller, intending to report any other unusual details.


    Rockefeller, however, was focused on the bat perched atop the slug¡¯s back.


    ¡°By the way, we don¡¯t have any information on that thing. I guess we¡¯ll just have to figure it out as we fight.¡±


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller, about when I was stuck inside that creature¡¯s body earlier¡­ well, it¡¯s hard to explain. I don¡¯t know how to put it¡­¡±


    It was difficult to express what he sensed with the snake¡¯s instincts.


    ¡°There was something embedded throughout the inside of the slug¡¯s body. The smell was different, and there was a significant temperature difference.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having a hard time understanding what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was¡­ like independent organisms moving on their own? I could sense other life forms that seemed to be of a different species.¡±


    As Hamendal spoke, he realized a more precise way to describe it. The wriggling entities within the slug¡¯s organs weren¡¯t just one or two; they seemed to have mouths that gnawed away at the flesh. And as time passed, they even grew larger. These things felt like parasites, living by devouring their host.


    ***


    Meredilla closed her eyes to the sensations coming from her organs. Dormant parasites had awakened and were gnawing away at her flesh, a reaction triggered by the prey that had entered and activated her digestive system. To Meredilla, this was a familiar feeling, no longer painful, though it stirred past trauma.


    Memories of her owner, who used to race snails, came flooding back¡­


    ¨C ¡°Here, eat. You need to win the next race.¡±


    ¨C ¡°W-what is this?¡±


    ¨C ¡°Shut up and eat before I sprinkle salt.¡±


    What he¡¯d forced into her mouth were parasite eggs of an unknown species. Later, she learned something distinct about these creatures: in moments of danger from predators, they instinctively fled, giving back a portion of the strength they had gained from their host.


    Meredilla resented these parasites she was forced to coexist with for life. Though they had helped her survive each race when her owner sprinkled salt, they also cursed her with vivid memories of those times, even after many years had passed.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Once again, Meredilla felt a sharp pain in her stomach.


    ***


    Bellman used a barrier to split the wall. First, he created a single line of barrier magic, which he drove into the wall, then expanded it into a rectangular frame. As a tunnel-like path formed, the nearby onlookers murmured in awe.


    ¡°This method makes the regeneration irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°So, all we had to do was install a barrier like this,¡± Silla said, walking at the front.


    ¡°The wall¡¯s thickness is around five meters. Isn¡¯t that quite a bit of mana?¡±


    Indeed, Bellman had made the barrier large and spacious, not knowing the wall¡¯s thickness and using a bit of caution. If the barrier hadn¡¯t been big enough, it would¡¯ve wasted his mana.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep making barriers generously until we know the average thickness.¡±


    They emerged from the short tunnel, and suddenly, the smell of burning filled their noses. Bellman felt his head spin. The first to show symptoms was Silla.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m feeling short of breath¡­¡±


    As Silla started to stagger, Leana quickly checked her pallor, eyes wide with alarm, and lifted her up.


    ¡°I think I know this feeling. It was like this during training at high altitudes,¡± she said.


    The oxygen levels must be low, given the burning smell. Someone must¡¯ve used a flame here, wasting precious oxygen.


    ¡°Just so you know, carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen. In a confined space like this, it¡¯ll settle at the bottom, so don¡¯t lower your head if you don¡¯t want to suffocate.¡±


    Bellman cautioned and then asked Edina, ¡°Edina, can you change carbon dioxide into oxygen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy enough.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s conserve it for now. We might need it if anyone passes out.¡±


    Bellman stood on tiptoe to address the third-year magic division seniors nearby.


    ¡°The barrier magic is consuming a lot of mana. Would you mind keeping an eye on the surroundings for us?¡±


    The seniors nodded and began swinging their staffs.


    Water droplets formed in midair and swirled through the labyrinthine interior.


    ¡°There seems to be someone over there,¡± said a senior, taking the lead. Bellman followed closely behind. But suddenly, the senior stopped dead in his tracks.


    At that moment, a faint chewing sound echoed.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    As the senior looked puzzled, Bellman moved up beside him, but then froze, his eyes widening at the strange sight before them.


    A thin, emaciated figure with white, shell-like skin crouched, tearing into a corpse with clawed hands.


    ¡°Prepare for combat immediately!¡± shouted the senior. The white creature turned its head and leapt to its feet.


    It had a helmet shaped like a shrimp and dark, beady eyes. The creature bared its sharp fangs, emitting a grotesque sound.


    Crack-crack-crack¡ª


    Was it a kind of signal? Holes began appearing in the wall, and identical faces poked out, just like the creature.


    Bellman quickly used a barrier to block their entry.


    He left the first creature he¡¯d seen untouched for reference. A senior from the knight division raised a shield at the front, and the creature sprang forward from its place.


    Leap!


    The creature kicked off the ceiling and shot toward them diagonally. The knight division senior quickly raised his shield at an angle to deflect the attack.


    With a clang, the creature collided with the shield and was flung back.


    The shield-bearing senior turned to the magic division senior.


    ¡°Looks like we can keep up with its speed.¡±


    ¡°But why did those people get taken down by it?¡±


    ¡°Probably suffocated. Look, their swords are still sheathed.¡±


    The creature composed itself and charged again. The knight division senior, confident, lowered his shield and gripped his sword with both hands.


    ¡°This looks doable.¡±


    As the creature drew near, a slicing sound followed, and its head dropped to the ground.


    Bellman carefully observed the creature¡¯s corpse and then spoke to the seniors.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to turn off the lights. Please hold onto each other¡¯s sleeves and follow me.¡±


    Avoiding unnecessary combat was the best choice. Bellman maintained the barrier and led the group carefully, moving quietly enough that even their footsteps were silent. No more creatures appeared, and they eventually returned to the place they had come from.


    This area was now an open space with a single wall behind them, different from before.


    Bellman floated a light and addressed the seniors politely.


    ¡°In this situation, we need a leader to coordinate everyone. Would one of you seniors be willing to take on that role?¡±


    A senior waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already been acting as the leader this whole time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Bellman from the Orus family, right? Watching you so far, you¡¯re doing quite well.¡±


    With the seniors¡¯ approval, Bellman immediately started issuing orders.


    ¡°We need to conserve the barrier whenever possible. Stay on guard. These creatures could come out from anywhere at any time.¡±


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s quick to talk casually,¡± one senior remarked.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that Hersel guy. His bad influence is rubbing off.¡±


    Everyone gripped their weapons and kept a close watch on their surroundings.


    Taking advantage of the brief lull, Bellman pondered the mysterious creatures.


    They weren¡¯t spirits. The knight¡¯s sword hadn¡¯t been coated in an aura, so it wasn¡¯t a spirit-slaying strike. Yet they didn¡¯t seem to be monsters from outside either. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Judging by that armor, it certainly looks like an insect¡­ doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    As Bellman recalled a few more clues, a theory flashed through his mind.


    ¡°Parasites¡­?¡±


    At the mention of parasites, Erucel recoiled.


    ¡°N-no way. I¡¯ve never heard of parasites that big.¡±


    ¡°Just watching them move through the intestines shows how well adapted they are to this environment. Those creatures we saw earlier were probably made that way from the start. Considering the situation, parasites are the only explanation that fits.¡±


    Unknown parasites. How many were there, and what kinds? Now, each wall had become a potential threat.


    No sooner had he thought this than parasites began poking out from the walls.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, they¡¯ve chased us all the way here.¡±


    Bellman watched the creatures engaging his companions, gripping his staff tightly. The battle was a grueling war of attrition, and if they couldn¡¯t breach the parasites and walls quickly, they would indeed become prey, just as the slug had warned. This was far beyond what students should be handling.


    Bellman suddenly remembered Hersel¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly.


    ¡ªWhether you see it as a missed opportunity or a storm to get through, that¡¯s up to you.


    Could there really be room to view this situation as an opportunity for growth?


    ***


    Rockefeller gathered most of the defense team and briefed them on the mission. I already had an idea, having overheard what he and Hamendal discussed.


    To overcome the Spirit Gate, they needed to rescue those inside the slug¡¯s stomach. What little they knew was that the slug had a terrifyingly fast regeneration speed, and there was also a high-ranking spirit resembling a bat.


    ¡°Our knowledge of them is limited. Although we¡¯d prefer to proceed cautiously, too much time has already passed. So, there¡¯s no elaborate plan. We¡¯ll break through the enemies and hunt the slug and the bat spirit. We¡¯ll improvise as we go.¡±


    All decisions would be made on the spot.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    The barrier was disabled, and 90% of the defense team crossed the boundary to advance. At the front was Asley, with Limberton at the rear. Running in the middle, I gripped my staff once more.


    Then, I felt a sharp gaze from above.


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    The bat looked directly at me, as if to say those words. It bothered me a bit, but I brushed it off.


    ¡°Limberton, you¡¯ve saved up your strength, right?¡±


    ¡°My condition¡¯s perfect. I just finished stretching. But where did you disappear to earlier?¡±


    ¡°The club floor.¡±


    Even if it¡¯s my first time seeing it, it¡¯ll eventually be hunted down.


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    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


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 Chapter 172

    ¡°Oh my, there are so many of them.¡±


    Bellen tapped her waist and straightened up. Piles of parasitic corpses lay scattered across the floor. Professor Gomon praised her efforts.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Dame Bellen.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve swept quite a few yourself. But that one over there¡­¡±


    Bellen shot a look at Kerndel. Kerndel, shrinking back, pointed to a few parasites still writhing on the ground.


    ¡°If you and the professor hadn¡¯t been so proactive, we could have caught even more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Well done. Not bad for a student.¡±


    Though her tone lacked sincerity, Kerndel shrugged, seemingly pleased. After all, compared to her previous remarks, this was close enough to a compliment.


    Bellen looked around at the group in the open space¡¯s center. Six people were professors and students they met after breaking through the wall. The remaining nine were students who had clumsily tried to melt the wall with flames, only to collapse from suffocation.


    ¡°How are they doing?¡±


    Bellen asked, and the professor replied, ¡°They should come to their senses shortly.¡±


    ¡°Make sure to give them a thorough education after this. That mess happened because you didn¡¯t teach them well enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, yes. My apologies, Dame Bellen.¡±


    The oxygen level in the area was gradually decreasing. The more people present, the faster it would deplete. It would be wise to move to a room with more oxygen as soon as possible.


    ¡°Looks like we need to head to the next location.¡±


    Bellen placed her hand on the ground and activated her Sight. As information came through, she took out paper and pen. Beside her, Professor Gomon watched her sketching the map with a face full of curiosity.


    ¡°How about the others?¡±


    ¡°Judging from their new locations, it seems they¡¯re moving well as separate units.¡±


    The scattered students and professors appeared to have figured out a way to pass through walls without using flames. Still, some groups continued to stay in one place, just as they had before. These were Bellen¡¯s top priority, as they were most likely in danger, either suffocating or dealing with parasites¡ªor perhaps already dead.


    As Bellen continued drawing the map, she chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, look at this.¡±


    One particular unit was moving at an exceptionally rapid pace. While others struggled to get past one wall, this group moved through two. It was likely her nephew, possessing an extraordinary gift, often referred to as an ancestral prodigy.


    ¡°Mircel, perhaps¡­?¡±


    The reason she assumed it was Mircel rather than a professor was the intentional movement pattern. They were heading toward the other groups, indicating a clear intention. That meant they likely possessed the Sight as well.


    ¡°To think this one has already mastered the Sight¡­¡±


    Though it was likely not yet deeply learned, it was astonishing given that Bellen herself had only grasped the basics of the Sight at twenty. She felt reassured by the presence of Mircel, who could see clearly within.


    However, a peculiar energy detected among the signals kept her on guard.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s the same as the parasites, but¡­ it feels darker¡­?¡±


    Regardless, the distance was far. The immediate task was to ensure the survivors¡¯ safety, confront the high-ranking spirit responsible for this mess, and either eliminate it or escape. With urgency, Bellen gripped her sword, ready to move.


    ¡°Ugh, my wrist aches.¡±


    Bellen grumbled with a frown, and Professor Gomon stepped forward, puffing out his chest.


    ¡°Now, take a rest, Dame Bellen. We¡¯ll handle the rest, won¡¯t we, Stone Bear?¡±


    Stone Bear, who had been standing behind Professor Gomon, revealed itself. Its massive size was almost as large as Gomon himself.


    ¡°What¡­ What happened? When did your spirit get so bulky?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not bulk; it¡¯s stone I accumulated on Stone Bear¡¯s body with elemental magic. Since we¡¯re inside, it took some time, ha ha.¡±


    Elemental magic is heavily influenced by the surrounding environment. Without a natural supply of earth or stone, using Stone Bear to pull in materials from the spirit realm was the most efficient approach, though it still required considerable mana.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s create a tunnel, then.¡±


    Sharp stone spikes emerged from Stone Bear¡¯s belly, lodging into the wall and slowly transforming into a rounded pipe. Professor Gomon then called to the unit caring for the fallen students.


    ¡°All of you over there, bring the injured through here. The air¡¯s a bit fresher on this side.¡±


    Bellen prepared to cross the tunnel but found herself drawn to the corpses of parasites strewn across the floor. Something in her experience might have been alerting her.


    ¡°White¡­?¡±


    In natural settings, white creatures were rare, whether magical or mundane. It was generally impractical since herbivores would easily spot them, and for predators, it would make hunting harder.


    There were exceptions, like certain insects that lived among white flowers using petals as camouflage, or young creatures just hatched. However, Bellen doubted it was the latter, considering their location¡ªinside an internal organ.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be a predator or prey here. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about color for camouflage.¡±


    But her instincts kept hinting that there might be more to the situation. Perhaps it had something to do with what she sensed through her Sight.


    ***


    Something was biting deeper and with more intensity this time. Merdilla opened her eyes, feeling the parasites nibbling at her flesh.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Many larvae that had recently hatched had died at the hands of their enemies. Yet, some had quietly consumed nutrients, forming cocoons, and were now emerging, freshly molted. Merdilla channeled mana and energy into the newly matured creatures, which bit into her even more ravenously, strengthened by the fresh energy.


    ¡°Hmm, the young ones are all awake, but when will the queen wake?¡±


    She looked at the queen, still hibernating in a hidden area. It was the first parasite that had come into this body and fed for the longest time. Yet, the queen seemed in no rush to wake.


    ¡°Lazy thing¡­ Shall I wake you up?¡±


    As she channeled energy into the organs surrounding the queen, the queen stirred violently.


    ***


    Bellman and his group still hadn¡¯t joined the others. They wanted to break through the walls to advance, but the swarming parasites kept slowing them down.


    From a short distance, Riamon, swinging his greatsword, spoke with irritation.


    ¡°No matter how many I cut down, they just keep coming. Feels like there are even more now.¡±


    Erucel split a parasite in two and replied.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t tire you much, though. Their shells are softer than they look.¡±


    Silla frowned with a look of disgust at the bugs, keeping her mouth tightly shut. She was likely doing this to avoid any splattered blood from the cut parasites getting into her mouth.


    Despite everyone¡¯s complaints, Bellman could clearly see how much they had all grown.


    He knew each of them had been undergoing intense training, though the same was true for their peers at the Adele Hall.


    Especially Leana¡ªher sword speed had increased alarmingly. The slicing sounds that used to come three times every two seconds had now increased to five. This change had occurred since the recent nightmare incident that had put the academy to sleep.


    The third-year knights were blinking in astonishment at the first-years¡¯ sword skills.


    ¡°Erucel¡¯s strength is no surprise, but¡­ you guys are amazing.¡±


    ¡°Right? Nothing like when you first entered.¡±


    ¡°If we fought now, I think I¡¯d lose.¡±


    These third-years were from the Adele Hall. Bellman felt pride as their peer acknowledged them, but there was also a sinking feeling inside. It stemmed from a question he had long been harboring.


    Just being on the verge of awakening his second sense didn¡¯t seem enough. Bellman had also gone through trials just like the others, so he should have been growing alongside them. Yet, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was consistently half a step behind.


    ¡°Hey, Bellman?¡±


    At Edina¡¯s voice, Bellman¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡°Oh, I was lost in thought for a moment. My apologies. I shouldn¡¯t be like this here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you¡¯re back with us now. But look over there. That thing coming out of the wall¡ªdoesn¡¯t its color seem strange?¡±


    Bellman looked at the parasite Edina was pointing to. It had the same shrimp-like helmet as the others but had short, blunt horns protruding from its forehead. The brown creature poked its head out, snapping its teeth.


    ¡°Everyone, focus on the 3 o¡¯clock direction!¡±


    As the white parasites¡¯ corpses lay scattered on the floor, the brown parasite emerged fully from the wall. It had several differences from the white ones aside from the horns and color. Its once-skinny arms now appeared muscular and thick.


    As it took a step forward, a third-year senior knight confidently stepped up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all done enough. Take a break.¡±


    Sensing something was off, the senior channeled his aura into his sword. Just as his aura flickered, the brown parasite lunged.


    Tap!


    It moved faster than the white parasites Bellman had seen earlier. Even so, the senior swung his sword with determination. His blade met the creature¡¯s neck, but instead of a slicing sound, a loud clang like striking steel rang out.


    Clang!


    The brown parasite twisted its neck with a loud crack after passing by the senior. The impact must have been severe; the senior lowered his sword and clutched his wrist.


    ¡°Ugh, feels like my wrist is fractured. Everyone, focus on strengthening your resilience.¡±


    The brown parasite¡¯s combat abilities were clearly on a different level. Its outer shell, once easily cut, was now as hard as steel, and both its speed and strength had dramatically increased.


    To effectively defeat the creature, Bellman assigned roles.


    ¡°Erucel, withstand its attacks with your shadow blade. Silla, be ready to strike its neck if you see an opening. Leana, stay on standby to switch in if Erucel is in danger. And Edina? If things go south, don¡¯t hesitate to use transformation magic.¡±


    Those called into action took their stances, while the others continued fighting the white parasites. Leaving the injured senior behind, Bellman raised his staff.


    The brown parasite moved again, and Erucel blocked its path.


    ¡°If I can handle it alone, I¡¯ll try.¡±


    A thick aura rose from Erucel¡¯s sword as he kept his eyes on the brown parasite. Just then, Bellman noticed more brown helmets emerging from the wall and was taken aback.


    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s more than one?¡±


    Hurriedly, he cast a barrier to prevent more from coming through.


    At that moment, the creatures all turned their heads in unison to look in one direction. Even the white parasites followed suit.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? They suddenly stopped fighting.¡±


    ¡°Wait, do you hear something strange?¡±


    A tearing sound, as if flesh were being ripped apart, echoed through the walls. Soon, a hole began to form, and an arm with three fingers thrust through it.


    Thud!


    Bellman concentrated his barrier¡¯s strength on that spot. Then, a familiar voice, the voice of a high-ranking spirit, rang out.


    ¡°It seems the queen has taken an interest in you. Congratulations.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Bellman replied in a grim tone.


    ¡°So¡­ the queen¡­ it¡¯s a matriarchal society, like ants or bees?¡±


    A fight against the queen and her offspring. There were limits to the barrier he had used to hold off the young parasites. Witnessing the brown parasites¡¯ combat abilities and realizing the number of them and the presence of a leader, Bellman felt death looming.


    But, contrary to his expectations, Merdilla responded with surprise.


    ¡°Matriarchal society? Not at all. These creatures compete among themselves. They fight to become the queen.¡±


    ¡°They¡­ fight to become the queen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because they don¡¯t have a lifespan. The current queen births offspring only to raise them as food. The young ones, in turn, try to kill her to break free from that fate.¡±


    Regardless of whether this was true or not, Bellman had no intention of lowering the barrier. He was willing to exhaust all his mana to maintain it and escape.


    Just then, the queen scraped the barrier with her claws.


    Rip!


    The barrier tore like paper. The queen emerged with steady, dragging footsteps, revealing a slender, purple exoskeleton.


    Feeling an indescribable sense of dread, Bellman shouted urgently.


    ¡°Retreat! Everyone, gather here! Hurry!¡±


    The group rushed toward Bellman. The queen, however, ignored them entirely and approached the brown parasites trapped by the barrier.


    Slash, slash.


    The queen shredded the barrier effortlessly. Even as Bellman prepared an escape route, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Could the high-ranking spirit¡¯s words have been true?


    Rrrrrr¡ª


    The brown parasites, baring their fangs, swarmed the queen, surrounding her like a ball of string. Only after breaking through the wall did the group manage to escape to the next location. Bellman, who was the last to escape, shuddered in fear upon seeing the brown exoskeleton being ripped apart. The queen wasn¡¯t even fighting; she was calmly consuming them, as one might pluck an apple from a basket.


    Crunch!


    ***


    Screams rang out from various directions, assaulting my eardrums. As I ran to save those who were trapped, I occasionally glanced at the bat.


    ¡°Why does it feel like it keeps staring at me?¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re right, Hersel. It hasn¡¯t looked away from you since a while ago,¡¯ confirmed Donatan, sealing my suspicion.


    I hid behind the towering Aslay, casting spells from time to time. After a few minutes of professors clearing the path at the front, the body of a slug began to approach. The exhausted faces of our allies showed how much strength they had expended for the rapid advance.


    With no one paying attention to me, I seized the opportunity. Carefully surveying my surroundings, I began casting inventory magic.


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 Chapter 173

    Bellen left the gathered survivors behind and moved alone. She swung her sword toward the location she suspected to be the enemy¡¯s core, occasionally gauging the situation through sparse reports from Neogyeon.


    ¡°There are still groups we haven¡¯t saved yet, but I can leave that to Mircel.¡±


    Though a particularly tenacious parasite bothered her, she figured it would be fine. Mircel¡¯s path was solely focused on hunting the ¡°Queen,¡± as the High Spirit had mentioned.


    ¡°¡­Though young, he¡¯s not foolish enough to take on an opponent he can¡¯t defeat.¡±


    Bellen could tell Mircel had some plan in mind from his confidence. There was a good chance he could win, though that was only if he was dealing with the Queen¡¯s current strength.


    ¡°Some monsters hide their true power¡­ grr¡­¡± After a brief concern, Bellen decided she had no choice but to trust Mircel, despite the risks. The oxygen was thinning, making it essential to quickly carve out the High Spirit¡¯s core and escape.


    Crackle!


    Suppressing the searing pain wracking her body, Bellen charged forward, covering herself in static electricity. Moving differently from before, she wielded her sword while running.


    Slice!


    Even without pausing, her blade cut swiftly through the entrails in her path. Pushing her muscles and joints to their limits, Bellen was nearly at her destination.


    ¡°Just break through here, and I¡¯m there.¡±


    Beyond the wall lay the enemy¡¯s core. She had no idea what awaited her, but there was no time to ponder. Without hesitation, Bellen swung her sword.


    Slash!


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s back again!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, how many of them are there?¡±


    Every path was swarming with mature parasites. If they¡¯d emerged just before hitting the walls, they could be blocked with a barrier. But once they had already broken out, they had no choice but to fight.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll break through quickly.¡±


    They were being pursued by the Queen. Pausing occasionally as they dealt with the parasites blocking the way, Erucel could spot glimpses of the Queen in the distance, clearly targeting them.


    ¡°Is that Queen playing with us?¡± Erucel grumbled, slicing through a parasite¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Not a comforting thought. If it¡¯s playing, it has intelligence.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re reading too much into it, Bellman. It¡¯s just a parasite. It¡¯ll probably lose interest soon and go elsewhere.¡±


    Bellman secretly hoped that would be the case.


    ¡°Enough! Let¡¯s get to the next wall, quickly!¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Erucel swiftly cleared the way, Bellman created a tunnel through the wall with barrier magic.


    ¡°Hopefully, there won¡¯t be any more parasites in the next area¡­ If we could sprint even once without parasites popping out, we¡¯d finally widen the distance between us and the Queen.¡±


    Though the gap would likely close again soon, Bellman still prayed for this small chance.


    Somewhere in here, not only students but also professors and Bellen are present. If they could join up with them, they might finally stop running and take down the Queen.


    ¡°Please, show up.¡± Trusting his luck, Bellman moved to the next section. The outcome was neither good nor bad.


    ¡°No one else here¡­¡±


    As Bellman spoke while running, Leana offered some positive words.


    ¡°At least there are no parasites.¡±


    Sila, who was ahead, turned and nodded in agreement with her words.


    ¡°Leana¡¯s right. It¡¯s not too bad, at least we¡¯ve put some distance between us and the Queen¡­¡±


    Then, her eyes began to widen in terror, sending a chill down Bellman¡¯s spine. He immediately sensed that the Queen was right behind them. Just as he was about to order everyone to defend themselves¡ª


    Thud!


    A sound like pounding meat echoed as something brushed against Bellman¡¯s feet. Rolling on the ground was the head of a third-year senior who had been at the rear.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Another senior, still not understanding the situation, murmured, and the Queen disappeared from view. Once again, another thud resounded, and another head rolled.


    Thunk!


    It all happened so fast that it was nearly invisible. Only a few with exceptional reflexes, particularly the knight trainees, managed to follow it with their eyes. Despite the death of their peer, a senior managed to steady himself and speak calmly.


    ¡°Everyone, defend¡ª¡±


    But his head, too, fell to the ground. The group collectively paled. Three people had been killed in an instant, breaking their composure, and another third-year senior shouted at Bellman.


    ¡°What are you standing there for? Quickly, make a barrier along the wall¡ª¡±


    He, too, met the same fate as those before him. Now, four had fallen. Bellman raised a trembling finger to his lips, signaling for silence. He didn¡¯t fully understand why. Sometimes the body reacts faster than the mind, usually when the subconscious has already reached a conclusion.


    Thoughts filled Bellman¡¯s mind.


    Thanks to Bellman¡¯s signal, everyone held their breath, not even daring to breathe loudly. At that moment, the Queen slowly emerged, revealing itself as it walked forward. It stopped a few steps away, scanning the group with its black eyes.


    They had already waited long enough that it seemed likely they would encounter someone soon, and this fact offered some comfort.


    Just as Bellman was about to alert the group with a glance, he heard an unsettling scraping noise. The Queen had begun walking toward Riamon with an eerie, heavy stride. Its black eyes locked onto Riamon¡¯s form.


    He had assumed it only sensed by sound, but this was wrong.


    The Queen wasn¡¯t simply using sound to locate them. Yet, even as it eyed them, it made no move to attack, merely watching with what seemed to be a mixture of curiosity or perhaps amusement at its prey.


    As Bellman anticipated, the Queen soon grew bored. Slowly, it raised a sharp claw toward Riamon¡¯s eyes. As Riamon, drenched in cold sweat, instinctively pulled his head back, someone voluntarily broke the silence.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing to my squad member? Just a lowly insect¡­¡±


    It was Erucel.


    The moment he spoke, the Queen vanished from sight. Everyone braced for the sound of tearing flesh, but this time, a dull metallic clang echoed.


    Clang!


    Erucel had blocked the Queen¡¯s claw with his sword.


    ¡°Fast, sure, but not so fast I can¡¯t react. Don¡¯t worry about me; for now, everyone, get moving.¡±


    Though he spoke as if unconcerned, an aura burned fiercely around him.


    Clang!


    At first glance, it seemed he stood a chance, having reacted to the Queen¡¯s attack. But everyone present knew that this wouldn¡¯t last.


    Though Erucel was showing his true power now that it was life or death, it was still nowhere near enough. Bellman swung his staff at the wall, opening a tunnel, and addressed everyone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve created the tunnel. If the professors are in the next section, seek their help immediately.¡±


    Erucel would die quickly on his own. Running away and leaving him behind would only delay the inevitable before they were caught. Ultimately, whether or not there were professors in the next section, the result would be the same.


    But no one was eager to move recklessly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s send a minimum group to see if there are professors ahead,¡± Leana suggested.


    All the first-years drew their weapons. In the end, it was the seniors who took the initiative.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon, even if there aren¡¯t any professors.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t die on us.¡±


    Bellman cast a barrier spell toward the Queen, who was battling Erucel. When it came to holding something in place, barrier magic was ideal, even if it would eventually tear through like paper.


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned that one barrier isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    So he cast multiple barriers. Just as the Queen aimed her claws at Erucel¡¯s neck, twelve barriers encircled her. As expected, they tore apart quickly, but her claws were stopped at a certain point. The barriers, which he thought wouldn¡¯t hold at all, had momentarily blocked her attack.


    Bellman felt a glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Only three barriers left. If I put everything into this¡­¡±


    Bellman created another barrier and tightened his grip. The barrier surrounding the Queen shrank, limiting her movement. With her range of motion restricted, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make wide, sweeping attacks.


    ¡°It¡¯s a battle of time now. Either I¡¯ll die from exhaustion, or the professors will arrive first.¡±


    The Queen thrashed, trying to break free from the constricting barriers. Those watching felt a faint glimmer of relief in their previously tense expressions.


    But in the blink of an eye, Bellman saw something that drained his optimism.


    ¡°What?¡±


    A dense, sinister energy radiated from the Queen¡¯s body, shattering the barriers.


    ¡°Bellman, get out of there!¡±


    Erucel¡¯s voice finally reached him.


    There was no time for Bellman to experience his life flashing before his eyes. The Queen¡¯s claws were already poised to pierce his forehead. He felt his body tense up, but just then, he heard a sharp crack.


    Seconds passed, and surprisingly, he was still conscious. Bellman opened his eyes, expecting to see the Queen in front of him, but she was gone. Just as he wondered what had happened, a thunderous sound echoed throughout the space.


    Boom!


    Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on a single point. Following their stares, Bellman turned his head and gasped like the others.


    ¡°Phew. Finally found you.¡±


    There, with a sword embedded in the Queen¡¯s chest as she slumped against the wall, was a young boy crackling with static electricity. His brother was the one who spoke his name.


    ¡°M-Mircel, that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this? What do you think? I finally learned it from Father.¡±


    ¡°Is that the Descent of Thunder?¡±


    Mircel answered Erucel¡¯s question nonchalantly, even in the Queen¡¯s presence.


    ¡°What do you think I was doing this past year?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself. Last time I was at the estate, they said you still had a long way to go!¡±


    ¡°That was then. I learned it while you were at the Academy. I¡¯m still not as good as Father, though.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s reaction was no different from Erucel¡¯s. The Descent of Thunder, a technique symbolizing a person striking down like lightning, was a unique skill crafted by Aol von Tenest using the essence of their family¡¯s martial arts. And this young boy, not yet even in his teens, had mastered it.


    Steadying himself, Bellman turned to the Queen, who seemed to be barely clinging to life. She hadn¡¯t moved an inch. Just as they thought she might finally be dead, her internal organs began to turn a sickly shade of gray.


    ¡°What now? What¡¯s going to happen this time?¡±


    Seeming to have an idea, Mircel responded.


    ¡°I think Great-Aunt took care of it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I used Neogyeon to keep track. She went to where the dark energy was densest and killed it.¡±


    Bellman felt a wave of relief. The Queen was dead. And soon, the High Spirit would follow.


    No one knew what might happen once they got outside, but just seeing the current events finally come to an end brought a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, the High Spirit ruined the moment with ominous words.


    ¡°Haha¡­ oh, it hurts so much I¡¯m laughing?¡±


    From the fractured tone of her voice, she truly seemed on the verge of death.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡­ I didn¡¯t expect it to end this quickly. Still¡­ I¡¯m¡­ satisfied.¡±


    The laughter, along with the mention of ¡°satisfaction,¡± made it impossible for them to relax.


    ¡°Though we didn¡¯t buy much time¡­ things can always be accelerated¡­¡±


    Accelerate what, exactly? Everyone was fixated on his voice, caught off guard. Meanwhile, Bellman sensed a sharp change in the flow of energy. A vicious aura of mana and dark energy surged toward them, all converging on a single point: the Queen, whom they thought dead.


    Bellman¡¯s eyes widened at the Queen¡¯s transformation. She had entered a cocoon-like state.


    ¡°Mircel! The Queen isn¡¯t dead yet!¡±


    At Bellman¡¯s shout, Mircel quickly swung his sword, but only the dry, crackling sound of crushed leaves followed.


    Crackle


    ¡°A shell?¡±


    What they thought was a cocoon was merely an empty husk¡ªthe Queen¡¯s true form had vanished.


    ***


    Blood trickled from her heart. Merdilla glanced at the sword lodged in her chest and exhaled heavily. Bellen, the sword¡¯s owner, spoke in a sympathetic voice.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t spirits supposed to be the purest of beings? What on earth happened?¡±


    Merdilla didn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t want to respond to a human¡¯s questions, and the story was too long to tell. All she wanted now was to feel, with every fiber of her being, the parasite making its way out of her body.


    When the host¡¯s death becomes inevitable, the Queen departs. It is her instinct to prioritize her survival, regardless of nearby threats. This also meant that she would soon move toward her next host.


    The Queen had very strict criteria for selecting a host. From whether the body was large enough for survival to whether it offered a lifetime¡¯s worth of high-quality nutrients, each condition had to be met. Though parasites were disturbing from a host¡¯s perspective, there was an advantage to it: the stronger the host, the more advantageous it was for survival.


    Upon entering a new habitat, the Queen invests most of her power into the host, who then enters a dormant state to grow stronger. The Queen herself remains as an egg, entering hibernation until the host matures¡ªa kind of investment.


    Merdilla closed her eyes, hoping the Queen would transfer all her power to Dordone.


    ***


    The siege battle in the middle of the battlefield surprised many, especially our allies rather than the spirits.


    ¡°How on earth did they manage to build a multi-fortress right in the middle of this place?¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s made of steel, too. Damn, I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    The difference between having a fortress and not was significant. Attacking from a high ground was ideal for sweeping away enemies. Although it was only the size of a two-story house, it was tall enough to be useful. While I was leisurely observing the battlefield from the second-story watchtower, Limberton asked.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me just to keep an eye on that bat?¡±


    ¡°For now.¡±


    ¡°¡­And what are you up to this time?¡±


    I took out the Suppressor Armor from my coat. I¡¯d borrowed it secretly from the professor¡¯s office when I picked up the multi-fortress from storage. Thanks to the chaos, its owner let me ¡°borrow¡± it without permission.


    ¡°If it looks like that creature is about to move, shoot it with arrows imbued with aura. Our job is to interfere every time it tries to do anything¡ªannoy it enough that it can¡¯t do a single thing in peace. And Aslay? I¡¯m leaving this with you.¡±


    Aslay took the Suppressor Armor. Specializing in grappling attacks, he was perfect for restraining the enemy.


    ¡°Listen up, everyone¡ªour goal is to lure that bat into attacking the fortress.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not moving at all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Limberton. The battle¡¯s flowing in our favor. Just sitting there will only harm it.¡±


    We¡¯d gathered every force within the fortress. And judging by the crumbling giant form, it seemed the slug hunt was a success. Whether it liked it or not, the bat would have no choice but to get involved. All we had to do was wait.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Suddenly, Limberton leaned out of the watchtower window.


    ¡°Did the bat move?¡±


    ¡°No, not that. Some kind of insect is flying¡­ wow, it¡¯s huge.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming it was just some spirit that looked like an insect. But Limberton¡¯s next words made me snap to attention.


    ¡°But why is it flying in the opposite direction? It looks like it¡¯s headed toward the Arcane Chamber.¡±


    The Arcane Chamber. The place where Ecok, who sought Dordone¡¯s body, was hiding. And now an insect was flying toward it?


    I quickly grabbed the telescope. In perfect timing, I witnessed the Arcane Chamber building exploding as if it had burst apart.


    ¡°Wha¡­what?¡±


    I barely had a moment to process this when a deep, whale-like bellow echoed through the mountain range.


    Gwooaaaaaaar!


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


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 Chapter 174

    The whale¡¯s cry was maddening. Originally, five days remained until the Ecok Suppression Battle. Yet now, only two days had passed, and a warning sound was heard.


    It was a final ultimatum: ¡°Hurry and grab your last chance, or soon everyone will die.¡±


    Ecok was on the verge of gaining the body of the Tyrant Dordone.


    ¡°Hersel, that sound¡­ I¡¯ve heard it before.¡±


    Limberton, who lived near the coast, seemed to recognize the sound of the whale, perhaps from his distant sea voyages.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a whale.¡±


    ¡°Why is there a whale on the mountain?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain, Limberton.¡±


    I surveyed the situation outside. The slug¡¯s body was crumbling, and the survivors inside were starting to escape one by one. Thanks to joining forces with them, the destruction of the Spirit Gate was expedited.


    However, there was still the bat I had decided to hunt.


    ¡°The creature is still over there.¡±


    I aimed my telescope at the bat, which was staring at the lifeless slug.


    I couldn¡¯t read its expression, but from the look in its eyes as it turned back to me, there was an unmistakable hostility.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been watching me since earlier.¡±


    From beginning to end, it seemed the creature was only wary of me, likely because I had easily killed the giant swordfish. It must have recognized that I held the weapon.


    Interesting¡­ Maybe I could use this to manipulate its mind?


    ¡°Limberton, Aslay, we¡¯re heading outside the fortress.¡±


    Limberton and Aslay followed without a word. With our allies advancing, no spirits remained nearby.


    I dismantled the multi-fortress and changed course toward the Arcane Chamber.


    Limberton seemed surprised, as if he¡¯d expected me to head straight into battle against the spirit legions.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going forward?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m headed to the Arcane Chamber.¡±


    As I glanced at the bat, I saw its gaze follow me, just as I¡¯d expected. Its wariness stemmed from the impending resurrection of the Tyrant. With me, the one who killed the giant swordfish, heading in that direction, it was clearly on edge.


    However, it didn¡¯t attack, likely because Rockefeller, who had been commanding from the rear, was on the path to the Arcane Chamber.


    After some distance, Rockefeller scowled.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest. I don¡¯t know how you managed to build a fortress in the middle of a battlefield, but that¡¯s beside the point. Why are you still waving that staff around?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m in the Department of Magic.¡±


    ¡°This brat¡­¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s gritted teeth brought me a bit of joy, though only briefly, as he soon issued a stern warning.


    ¡°This is a wartime situation. Even students are treated as soldiers. Be aware that non-combat behavior will be severely punished.¡±


    I smirked dismissively.


    ¡°Do you realize that bat is a high-ranking spirit? Think carefully about why it hasn¡¯t acted yet.¡±


    That statement alone was enough. Merely setting up a fortress and making our presence known had kept it from fully participating in battle.


    Simply by standing our ground, we had created a stalemate¡ªa Cold War, so to speak.


    Rockefeller clicked his tongue in irritation.


    ¡°Tsk, enough. Talking to you drains my patience. So what brings you here?¡±


    I leaned in and whispered to him. Though I was heading to the Arcane Chamber, I indeed had business with Rockefeller.


    ¡°Soon, I plan to hunt that bat. Initially, I thought of using the multi-fortress, but its alertness was no joke. So, Professor, I need your help.¡±


    As I laid out my requests in detail, Rockefeller nodded. He, too, wanted the bat¡ªan essential asset on the battlefield¡ªdealt with swiftly.


    Realizing that my journey to the Arcane Chamber was merely bait to lure out the bat startled Rockefeller.


    ¡°Oh, the Suppressor Armor? That¡¯s an imperial tool for managing Dorothians, not some toy for you to play with! How dare you use such a precious item!!¡±


    Ah, yes, the Suppressor Armor I¡¯d secretly borrowed from Rockefeller¡¯s office.


    ¡°Thanks to it, I can use it for an important purpose right now. You should be praising me instead.¡±


    I replied shamelessly, causing Rockefeller to clutch his chest as if he were about to explode from rage.


    ¡°Aaaargh¡­¡±


    After a few deep breaths, he regained his composure and spoke.


    ¡°Your mission is to destroy the gate. So why are you heading to the Arcane Chamber?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something there, Professor, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you sense it too?¡±


    I nodded briefly, then checked the bat¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°Aslay, walk in front of me and block its view with your bulk. Limberton, you lead. Keep your bow drawn, and move carefully to stay out of its sight.¡±


    We adjusted our formation and started toward the Arcane Chamber. A few steps in, Rockefeller, pretending to survey the battlefield casually, muttered under his breath,


    ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a battle of brute force¡ªit was a carefully orchestrated tactic. Even without the fortress, Rockefeller¡¯s support meant everything was in place.


    ¡°Aslay, step aside.¡±


    As Aslay shifted, I could see the bat flying toward us. Its chest was puffed up, its mouth open wide, as if preparing to unleash some kind of wave attack. But it was a wasted effort because Limberton, skilled in imbuing his arrows with aura, stood in front of me.


    ¡°Limberton, it¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t kill it with one shot.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s task was one that demanded nearly acrobatic precision. Hitting a suddenly appearing flying target, even with perfect accuracy, was an extremely challenging shot. But seeing Limberton¡¯s pupils dilate, I knew he was locked in.


    Whing!


    As I stepped aside, an arrow flew, lodging precisely in the bat¡¯s belly with a thud.


    ¡°Guh¡­¡±


    Blood dripped from the bat¡¯s mouth. It must have been taken aback, not expecting an aura-infused arrow to be fired so suddenly. Even if it had anticipated an attack, it wouldn¡¯t have imagined that an archer capable of such precise, rapid aim was nearby.


    ¡°Alright, next up.¡±


    I looked up and saw a floating staff, suspended by telekinesis¡ªit was Rockefeller¡¯s doing. The staff¡¯s tip began to darken, and space itself warped. This was undoubtedly Rockefeller¡¯s ultimate move: gravity magic.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯ll have to command from the back today.¡±


    Of course, it had the drawback of exhausting him for an entire day after just one use¡­


    Whooooosh!


    A black orb appeared, sucking in the very air around it. The bat, still bearing the arrow in its belly, was pulled toward it. The orb slowly descended to the ground and began to dissipate like a heat haze.


    Aslay¡¯s eyes flashed, and he charged at the downed bat, Suppressor Armor in hand.


    Thud!


    The bat tried to fly away frantically, but Aslay¡¯s massive hand seized its leg firmly. It thrashed, biting and clawing at Aslay, but he swiftly grappled the bat, restraining it, and snapped the Suppressor Armor around its neck and ankles.


    Click!


    It was over. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Now, what should I do with this?¡±


    I looked down at the exhausted, panting bat and drew my sword. Just as a clever idea struck me, and I was about to put the sword away, someone with a similar thought intervened.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest. Capture it alive. Being a high-ranking spirit, there¡¯s much information we can glean from its memories.¡±


    Of all people, it had to be Rockefeller. Tch.


    ***


    The advance proceeded rapidly. The death of the slug and the absence of the bat had broken the morale of the spirit legion.


    As the joined forces of students and professors unleashed a merciless massacre, Rockefeller thought,


    ¡°Battle has always been like this.¡±


    He glanced over at Hersel¡¯s group, who showed only their backs.


    ¡°But those ones¡­ Even if they join the battlefield, they can¡¯t sync properly with others. Yet they maximize their individual strengths, and the results are outstanding.¡±


    A slight chuckle escaped from Rockefeller as he recalled his initial assessment of them.


    ¡°Now I understand why Hersel Ben Tenest brought them into the Adele Hall.¡±


    He dismissed his earlier judgment that they were admitted through mere connections.


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller, we¡¯re nearing the gate. Any further orders?¡±


    The approaching professor¡¯s words snapped Rockefeller back to reality. This was still a war, and although victory seemed close, it was no time to be lost in thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of those who were isolated?¡±


    ¡°Well, there are some casualties and injuries, but overall losses are minimal.¡±


    ¡°Lead the injured to safety, and make sure they return immediately after destroying the gate.¡±


    ¡°Uh, but what about that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just hurry up.¡±


    The professor tore his gaze from the bat and rushed off.


    There was no need to look back; the bat¡¯s treatment was now the priority.


    Rockefeller squeezed out the last of his mana to levitate the bat with telekinesis and began heading toward the fortress. Destroying the gate didn¡¯t mean the end.


    In the shattered Arcane Chamber lay a strange black object¡ª


    Rockefeller had sensed a growing unease long before the whale¡¯s cry; an aura of dark energy had been emanating for some time.


    ¡°The Arcane Chamber is a vortex of mana. Yet this energy is strong enough to overwhelm even that.¡±


    He had to investigate what was happening without delay.


    ***


    Ecok consumed the parasite.


    Of course, he had unintentionally eaten rotten food in the past, but this time was different.


    As time passed, he gradually transformed into a whale, eventually growing large enough to fill half of the Arcane Chamber.


    Disoriented in this new body, the parasite slipped through his blowhole.


    The plague doctor, rather than helping, stood by with a satisfied expression.


    As a result, unknown forces surged within Ecok¡¯s guts, accelerating his growth.


    ¡°Is this really alright? What if they attack now?¡±


    With the broken Arcane Chamber, they were exposed to the enemy.


    Fortunately, the enemies were preoccupied fighting the legions to destroy the Spirit Gate.


    In a state where he couldn¡¯t even speak properly, the plague doctor muttered nonchalantly,


    ¡°It¡¯ll take about 10 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Urrgh, ugh.¡±


    As expected, Ecok couldn¡¯t speak human language.


    ¡°Ecok, if human language is too difficult, use the Spirit Language.¡±


    ¡°Uuh?¡±


    ¡°Close your eyes and focus on the soul dwelling within you. While you control the body, the soul of Dordone is also there. If you can access his memories, you¡¯ll be able to speak the Spirit Language.¡±


    Frustrated, Ecok followed the plague doctor¡¯s instructions, closing his eyes and concentrating.


    There was hardly anything he could sense.


    At the moment he spoke the name, the darkness turned a bright blue.


    The sky was clear, dotted with clouds, and the sea stretched out below him. Ecok found himself standing on the water in a human form.


    ¡°What? How am I walking on the sea?¡±


    Perhaps this was some kind of spirit world. Just as he was about to move on, he understood the reason¡ª


    The ground beneath him was pitch-black and quivering.


    Though it was only a small tremor from its perspective, for Ecok, a mere tiny being in front of it, it felt like an earthquake.


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    He stumbled in surprise as a voice resonated, echoing through his insides.


    ¡°Ecok Bill Evans, you¡¯ve finally arrived.¡±


    Ecok was bewildered. The identity of the black whale was undoubtedly Dordone. After all, he was transforming into him.


    It was a question he had muttered internally, but he heard a reply.


    ¡°Forgive me, but I read your memories. Ecok, you poor child, you¡¯ve endured so much hardship.¡±


    Ecok gulped. Dordone¡¯s voice held a gentleness and solemnity that captivated the heart.


    For Ecok, who had imagined a ruthless tyrant due to Dordone¡¯s reputation as the Tyrant, it was an unexpected revelation.


    ¡°¡­So you really tried to conquer the human realm?¡±


    When he asked timidly, Dordone¡¯s voice cut through the surface of the water with a tone of pity.


    ¡°My followers resent humans, but I do not. Because, like you, I feel sympathy for them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Humans are pitiful beings, a race fated to live with endless conflict. You are the only ones who consider life itself a burden.¡±


    Ecok couldn¡¯t grasp what he was saying. Scratching his head in confusion, he waited for Dordone to continue.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not delay. Ecok, I will grant you my memories. Use them not only for the Spirit Language but also to draw on the power of this body.¡±


    Suddenly, the scenery began to shift rapidly. Dizzy, Ecok lost his balance and sank to the ground. He didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening, but Dordone¡¯s memories flashed by, embedding themselves vividly in his mind.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Tears began to flow from Ecok¡¯s eyes as he witnessed Dordone¡¯s past.


    The brutality humans had shown by slaughtering countless beings, contrasting sharply with Dordone¡¯s warm compassion and altruism.


    As each memory resonated deeply within him, Ecok slumped down, sobbing.


    ¡°Now I understand¡­ To you, humans must have seemed so conflicted.¡±


    There were those who loved the spirits, yet others exploited them.


    Just as he¡¯d witnessed that day, Dordone¡¯s most intense memory emerged.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Now I understand why you wanted to conquer the human realm.¡±


    The memory faded, and Ecok closed his eyes once more. When he reopened them, the familiar world appeared before him.


    The plague doctor approached him.


    ¡°Ecok. Can you hear me?¡±


    The voice wasn¡¯t heard through his ears but resonated within his chest.


    ¡°So, this is the Spirit Language?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But Ecok, your way of speaking seems different.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Reflecting on the plague doctor¡¯s words, Ecok examined his own feelings.


    Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach¡ªsomething burrowing into his flesh.


    ¡°Oh, right. I still have a parasite inside me.¡±


    Following Dordone¡¯s memories, Ecok learned to control his body.


    ¡°This is rather bothersome.¡±


    As he exhaled deeply, his massive body began to shrink. Soon, he was reduced to the size of the plague doctor, and the queen¡¯s body, covered in flesh, emerged within him.


    Ecok focused his strength, and with a resounding crack¡ª


    Crunch!


    The queen¡¯s body was crushed.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 171-175 (Tyrant Dordone) $3


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 175

    By now, the Spirit Gate should have been destroyed. I remember that despite all the enemies we killed, about one-third of them were supposed to remain. There were many variables, but we were forcing ourselves to follow the flow. Now, the remaining task is to defeat Ecok before he becomes the Tyrant. On the path to the broken Arcane Chamber, there should be positioned spirits, and perhaps even high-level ones. But I could be at ease.


    I touched the ¡°Elixir of Dreams¡± that I had kept close to my chest. Strangely, no enemies were visible where I thought they¡¯d be stationed, even after searching carefully.


    Noticing something amiss, Limberton spoke as he kept scanning the surroundings.


    ¡°Something feels strange.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied.


    I gazed at the massive whale that emerged after shattering the Arcane Chamber. Suddenly, I was so startled that I shuddered. The once-giant whale¡¯s body was gradually shrinking, leaving my mind blank.


    ¡°This¡­ this is unbelievable.¡±


    The whale¡¯s cry was a warning, indicating one hour remained. With about fifty minutes left, Ecok had obtained Dordone¡¯s flesh. I didn¡¯t know how it happened, nor was it the time to ponder. The important thing was that if this were a game, this would be the game-over screen.


    ¡°Limberton, Aslay. Return to the fortress immediately.¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking than Limberton¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°Hersel, over there¡­¡±


    A wave surged out from the Arcane Chamber. It was seawater expelled by Ecok, now transformed into a whale. I quickly dashed toward the fortress to avoid being swept away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back! Run if you don¡¯t want to drown!!¡±


    The only thought in my mind was of a single woman who was probably sleeping in the fortress by now.


    ¡­Dorosian.


    There was no one else I could rely on, no one but her¡ªDorosian, who could fully unleash her true power without being restrained by the demon-suppressing gear.


    ***


    After destroying the Spirit Gate, the troops returned. Amid the faces stained with fatigue, Bellman scanned the training grounds. His gaze focused on the back of a student in the most vibrant-colored robe.


    ¡°As expected, the colors I see have become a bit more vivid.¡±


    Even after blinking several times, it remained the same. Out of curiosity, he removed his glasses, wondering if his eyesight had somehow improved.


    ¡°Hmm, without the glasses, everything still looks blurry. So, my vision hasn¡¯t improved.¡±


    He had a vague hunch but wasn¡¯t certain. As he pondered deeply, Professor Gomon approached to offer some jerky.


    ¡°You all went through a lot.¡±


    Glancing around, Professor Gomon whispered in a low voice, ¡°After work, I¡¯ll sneak you some drinks.¡±


    Erucel and Silla¡¯s faces brightened. More than the drinks, Bellman blurted out what had been on his mind.


    ¡°Professor, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Things have been looking a bit different lately. It¡¯s as if the colors appear more intense. Could it be¡­ that?¡±


    Professor Gomon¡¯s lips formed a surprised O.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve awakened a second sense. You¡¯ve unlocked sight. But you must have been close to death, huh?¡±


    Bellman immediately understood what Professor Gomon implied. He¡¯d heard that sometimes senses are activated in life-or-death situations. It must have been the experience of facing death with the queen right in front of him that triggered it.


    ¡°As I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, still¡­ something like that usually only happens when you¡¯re fully prepared. I only managed it near the end of my first year, but you awakened already, not long after the second semester began? Guess the ones who awaken to the sense of smell first are different.¡±


    Hearing this, Bellman felt a sense of fulfillment. The second sense that takes the longest to awaken is sight. The other senses would come much quicker. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at the realization that he¡¯d taken a step forward, despite always feeling left behind.


    ¡°Congratulations, Bellman. I don¡¯t really get it, but it seems like something good happened.¡±


    Erucel¡¯s congratulations prompted others to offer lighthearted words.


    ¡°Hey, does awakening sight mean better vision? Do you still need those lame glasses?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get tempted to use visualization magic to make gold, Bellman. That¡¯s illegal.¡±


    These remarks came from his squadmates, Silla and Leana, and also from Riamon and Edina.


    ¡°What? You want me to praise you or something? I won¡¯t. Besides, you shouldn¡¯t get too excited. You might later find out it was premature.¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t say that, Riamon. Ahem. Congrats, Bellman, I was planning to awaken first, but you beat me to it? Must be nice, huh?¡±


    Although Edina¡¯s words sounded like congratulations, there was an edge to her tone. In the end, Erucel was the only one who sincerely congratulated him.


    Bellman thought, biting into his jerky and taking a gulp of water.


    As they relaxed for a moment, he noticed Mircel and Ricks approaching from afar.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here. Have some,¡± Bellman offered them two pieces of jerky.


    ¡°But where¡¯s the big guy?¡± Mircel asked, prompting Erucel to scratch his head.


    ¡°Not sure. I looked around, but he¡¯s nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡±


    Meanwhile, Ricks came over and sat down. Bellman noticed the heaviness in his expression and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s up with Mircel?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mircel? He¡¯s an impressive kid. But that in itself is a problem.¡±


    Bellman vaguely sensed his troubles.


    ¡°Must be hard to lead him.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. There¡¯s something he insisted on achieving, so I allowed it, but I wondered if it was really okay at the time. In the end, Mircel¡¯s judgment turned out to be right, though.¡±


    Being skilled is good, but only to a certain level. It¡¯s not easy to keep up with the thoughts of someone who knows so much and is capable of so much.


    Bellman himself felt that the moment Mircel plunged his sword into the queen¡¯s belly.


    He wanted to say something encouraging, but worried it might weigh down the mood, so he kept silent. They all munched on jerky, their weary shoulders sagging.


    Then, a sudden high-pitched voice startled Bellman.


    ¡°And what about me?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t immediately remember her name, so he tried mumbling something quietly to cover it up.


    ¡°Gravel, uh¡­ here¡­¡±


    However, she seemed to have keen hearing.


    ¡°You forgot my name, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s Klabe! Klabe.¡±


    It was strange. He could remember almost everything, but for some reason, this woman¡¯s name was the only one that didn¡¯t come to mind easily.


    There wasn¡¯t anything else to be suspicious of. Maybe she had some kind of mystique that erased her presence.


    Bellman handed Ricks another piece of jerky.


    ***


    Rockfeller prodded the head of Jurette, who was locked up in an iron cage, with his staff. He had tried to extract information through a memory-reading spell, but it had been interrupted by the effects of gravity magic. The only things he¡¯d learned were her name and a few basic details about the Spirit Realm.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time, Jurette. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for both of us if you just answered my questions?¡±


    Jurette kept her mouth firmly shut, and Rockfeller continued talking regardless.


    ¡°The Spirit Realm I saw through your memory is quite fascinating. I never imagined that time would flow differently from this world.¡±


    Summoned spirits never speak about the Spirit Realm. While they may not be able to speak, it¡¯s not like there were no ways to communicate with them. Writing could be taught to allow them to express themselves. But they kept silent because of the forbidden clauses in the summoning rituals.


    The time in the Spirit Realm, as seen in the memory, moved much faster compared to this world. A long and fierce civil war had erupted there, which might have passed in the blink of an eye here.


    The conflict was between those who took up the will of Dordone and the forces trying to stop them. However, for some unknown reason, the current Spirit King was absent, and as a result, Dordone¡¯s loyalists, who were imprisoned, managed to escape.


    Perhaps there was another reason preventing involvement, or maybe it was intentional neglect. More pressing now was finding information about Dordone and uncovering the weaknesses of the high-ranking spirit in a plague doctor¡¯s mask who stayed by Ecok¡¯s side.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to dig through my memories again, do it after you kill me,¡± Jurette said.


    Rockfeller sneered. ¡°No, I intend to keep you alive. Spirits who¡¯ve lived through countless ages are rare. Perhaps you hold the knowledge of erased histories? I¡¯d want that brain preserved, and for as long as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even with all the time that has passed, your endless malice remains untouched.¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rockfeller replied coldly, ¡°Humans are creatures made that way. If there¡¯s something we want, we take it. Sometimes, our nature is to obtain it even if it means bending morals.¡±


    Of course, there were good people in the world. But there were far more who weren¡¯t¡ªif not an even split. And Rockfeller was among those who weren¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯m one of those who live without any regard for morality.¡±


    As their brief conversation ended and Rockfeller waited for his mana to recover, Jurette started to shake her shoulders, letting out a mocking laugh.


    ¡°Heh heh heh.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Rockfeller asked.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s because something good has happened.¡±


    Confused, Rockfeller narrowed his eyes. He was about to prod her again with his staff when Jurette asked, ¡°Can you smell the scent of the sea?¡±


    ¡°¡­The sea?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look outside?¡±


    With a reluctant expression, Rockfeller approached the window. His office was high enough to provide a clear view beyond the barrier.


    Upon seeing the scene outside, Rockfeller¡¯s eyes widened. A massive wave was surging towards the land.


    ***


    The wave struck us. However, thanks to Aslay, who had grabbed Limberton and me, we managed to survive by clinging to a deep-rooted tree.


    That was possible because Frost Heart was situated on high ground.


    Even a massive wave was merely a river flowing beneath the mountains.


    ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Limberton fell to his knees on the ground, spitting out seawater.


    ¡°Phew, I almost suffocated to death.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same.¡±


    If we hadn¡¯t taken a deep breath before the water surged to the top of the tree, we might not have survived.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get changed first.¡±


    I dragged my soaking wet body and began walking toward the fortress. Despite everything, my mind was in chaos. There had been too many unexpected variables this time.


    The arrival of a high-ranking spirit, the warning cry of the whale, which should have been heard two days later, and the missing hour that was supposed to be our final push. Ecok had acquired Dordone¡¯s body far too quickly. It¡¯s pointless to dwell on it now. What matters is what we do from here.


    Upon reaching the barrier, the eyes of the guard widened in surprise.


    ¡°Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Go tell Rockfeller to open the barrier for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    Thanks to the wave, even the spirits were swept away. Although they likely didn¡¯t drown, many would have been carried down the mountain. The barrier was soon opened, and I entered the fortress, took a shower, and quickly changed.


    Upstairs, Dorosian was likely asleep. Given the circumstances, I headed toward her room. However, as if she anticipated my arrival, Dorosian was seated on a chair in the lobby and called my name.


    ¡°Did you wash up?¡±


    ¡°How did you know I came in?¡±


    ¡°I saw you coming from outside.¡±


    She closed her book and patted the seat next to her.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Steadying my mind, I approached and sat beside her. The task ahead was with Dorosian, and it was¡­


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 176

    Dorosian glanced out the window briefly before casually picking up a bottle of liquor lying on the floor, as if it had nothing to do with her.


    Wait a second, seeing the illicit brew mark engraved with an ¡°X¡± suggests¡­ she might have stolen a bottle of Bellen¡¯s finest?


    As suspected, it was true.


    And not just any grade, but the triple-X premium batch, intended to be savored sparingly.


    Even though it was a liquor painstakingly crafted by Bellen, I decided to hold back from pointing it out.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s quite refined,¡± she muttered.


    She took a sip, tasting it thoughtfully, then used telekinesis to lift a droplet of the liquor, as if evaluating its color.


    I silently observed her as she made her unsolicited judgment.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong but balanced. The flavor is perfectly uniform. Is this really illicit liquor? Even among renowned spirits, this one¡¯s top-tier.¡±


    ¡°Finish the bottle and dispose of it properly. If you get caught, Bellen will go berserk,¡± I warned her for her own sake.


    But Dorosian clearly had other plans.


    She aimed to make me her accomplice.


    ¡°Want a sip?¡± she offered, holding the bottle toward me.


    My eyes lingered briefly on the faint lipstick stain left on the mouth of the bottle.


    Just for a moment.


    The intoxicating aroma wafted from the cheap-looking bottle, teasing my senses and sending a tingle through my nerves.


    Gulp.


    Though I had been abstinent for over a year, my body still craved the liquor.


    But I knew better. The desire was fleeting, like a breeze that would pass in just ten minutes if I endured.


    ¡°Once you give in to such a temptation, it quickly turns into a second, then a third time,¡± I said with a faint smile, loosening my grip and refusing her offer.


    Dorosian blinked slowly, as though surprised.


    It seemed she hadn¡¯t known about my abstinence.


    I had expected a barrage of incredulous remarks¡ªYou? Really?¡ªbut to my surprise, she said nothing of the sort.


    Just as I was about to get to the main point, something occurred to me.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your business with me?¡± I asked.


    Although I had something to discuss, it was she who had intruded while I was in the middle of a shower, opening a book and waiting for me.


    Establishing a position of advantage in the negotiation to come would be in my best interest.


    It might even serve as a card to play later, I thought, as I pulled out my pocket watch.


    ¡°It¡¯s already this late. I should be heading back.¡±


    I subtly hinted at the ongoing war, and the pace at which Dorosian sipped her drink quickened slightly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re saying that, then it seems you still don¡¯t know. I left you a clue,¡± she said.


    A clue?


    Ah, now that she mentioned it, there was something.


    I had heard about it through Limberton.


    ¡ªRight, Hersel. She left a message for you. Asked if you¡¯ve felt anything from the demonic energy.


    By ¡°demonic energy,¡± Dorosian must have meant the essence of Ecok¡¯s ritual.


    There wasn¡¯t much else it could signify.


    The completion of Dordone¡¯s body had required a vast accumulation of demonic energy from the dungeon.


    At the time, I had brushed off the matter as insignificant, but now it resurfaced in my mind.


    ¡°I appreciate the warning, but it¡¯s too late. The demonic energy has already gathered and formed into a behemoth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware, then. So, you must also know that everyone here is going to die, right?¡±


    Of course, I knew.


    The demonic energy was so thick in the air that it stung the tongue, even to the untrained senses of the attendants nearby.


    If this were a game, Dordone¡¯s resurrection would mark the game-over point.


    The protagonists of Frostheart would fall, leading to a scenario where the player would have to join forces with the current Spirit King to defeat the rampaging Dordone.


    In Asares, the scenario didn¡¯t end unless the player died.


    But there was one exception¡ªa single individual from Frostheart who could survive and join the battlefield later.


    ¡°But not you, right?¡± I asked.


    Dorosian¡¯s eyelids trembled faintly.


    My words had clearly struck a nerve.


    This was exactly the situation she had been waiting for.


    It made sense¡ªthis was her golden opportunity to break the restraints that bound her neck, wrists, and ankles.


    Recalling why she had been passive and observant until now, a hint of mockery escaped my lips.


    ¡°Must be nice to possess the qualities of an archmage.¡±


    To the world, Dorosian wasn¡¯t just an individual but an asset evaluated from the perspective of all humankind.


    Letting someone like her die was akin to discarding a genius who had elevated civilization.


    No matter how much of a troublemaker she was, her value was such that even the Duke, the Mage Tower, and the Empire itself would rise in protest if her life were at stake.


    And yet, knowing she was exploiting this reality left me with a bitter taste.


    ¡°The key to the demonic restraints. Wasn¡¯t it under the supervision of Arkandric and Rockefeller? Shouldn¡¯t you be heading there now? They must¡¯ve realized by now that there¡¯s no other solution.¡±


    True to her moniker as the ¡°Monstrous Villainess,¡± she cared only about her freedom, even if it meant letting everyone here die.


    Given these circumstances, negotiating with her was almost laughable¡ªshe held all the cards.


    I averted my gaze from her and looked down at my own right hand resting on my thigh.


    ¡°How about joining hands?¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s expression turned cold.


    ¡°Think carefully. There won¡¯t be a second chance.¡±


    Despite her sharp insistence, I kept my right hand still.


    Now it was my turn to offer a handshake¡ªor to dangle the bait she wanted.


    But I chose not to.


    This wasn¡¯t a negotiation table, after all.


    She had asked nothing of me and had extended the offer to save me out of her own goodwill.


    In that case, it was only fair to respond with humanity, not calculation.


    ¡°I have a favor to ask, Dorosian.¡±


    Hearing her name, she gave me a languid look, as if telling me to get on with it.


    ¡°Handle the seawater. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    Without waiting for her response, I turned my back on her.


    I decided to leave her with words that would weigh on her mind.


    ¡°Once you run away, it¡¯s easy to run a second time. And then a third. That¡¯s how worlds like this meet their end.¡±


    It was my way of saying there was someone else here who knew that destruction was the default.


    Sure, I knew she would leave once she gained her freedom.


    But still, I wanted her to see how I handled things¡ªto show her there was someone who could share her burden, even a little.


    If that wasn¡¯t enough?


    Well, so be it.


    ***


    Ecok continued spewing water from the holes on its back.


    The seawater cascaded down from the highlands, forming waterfalls that raised the sea level dramatically.


    The plague doctor, standing atop the massive whale¡¯s back, asked a question.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of all this?¡±


    ¡°This body came to me unexpectedly. Even though I retain memories, moving it at will isn¡¯t easy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re trying to get a feel for it¡ªor maybe tame it,¡± the doctor mused.


    Dordone, the orca spirit.


    Nothing would acclimate him to his body better than swimming.


    For that reason, the doctor didn¡¯t rush Ecok.


    But it seemed Ecok was learning to control not just his body but also his other senses.


    ¡°Hmm. Is this how I handle water?¡± Ecok said, and the surface of the sea began to tremble.


    The currents, which had previously flowed unchecked, now slowed and shifted.


    This was undoubtedly the wave manipulation technique favored by the tyrant Dordone.


    The Plague Doctor involuntarily shuddered.


    ¡°Ah, it reminds me of the tidal wave that once swept through half the land.¡±


    With this power alone, conquering the mortal realm would be no challenge.


    Although the Spirit King Lirques, who had slain Dordone, was still alive, her companion Adrigal was long dead.


    Even if there were archmages in this era, the Plague Doctor was certain that Ecok would never lose.


    ¡°Among all the archmages in history, Adrigal was a truly exceptional figure. The odds of someone like that appearing again in this age are practically nonexistent.¡±


    Centuries had passed.


    The chance of fighting yet another great figure of such magnitude in the same era was infinitesimally small.


    Still, caution wouldn¡¯t hurt.


    The Plague Doctor turned to Ecok and asked, ¡°Ecok, even in this age, there must be mages revered as heroes among the humans. What is their caliber?¡±


    Swordsmen were irrelevant.


    Dordone¡¯s only weakness was magic.


    No swordsman could even get close to Dordone, as the currents generated by the whale spirit could shatter stone towers, let alone allow a mere swordsman to approach.


    Additionally, Dordone¡¯s raw strength¡ªunparalleled among even the strongest whale spirits¡ªrendered physical attacks insignificant.


    Ecok closed his eyes, as if deep in thought.


    ¡°If we¡¯re talking about heroes, there is an archmage in the Mage Tower. But compared to Adrigal, even placing them on the same scale feels like an insult.¡±


    After a moment, Ecok¡¯s lips curled slightly.


    ¡°Still¡­ in terms of reputation, there is someone comparable to Adrigal.¡±


    The Plague Doctor, surprised, asked, ¡°Where is this person?¡±


    ¡°In the northeast. He is the head of the Tenest family.¡±


    The Plague Doctor could not hide his astonishment.


    ¡°¡­The head of a family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the Tenest family are imperial heroes who built the empire with their swords.¡±


    The Plague Doctor chuckled, unable to help himself.


    He had been startled, assuming the person was a great mage.


    But if they were merely a swordsman, they were no more than another blade that would shatter against Dordone¡¯s overwhelming might.


    ¡°Ha, nothing to worry about, then. Such people would be too afraid of Dordone¡¯s power to even participate in the war. They¡¯ll likely remain hidden as usual.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to judge, Kaml,¡± Ecok interjected.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the era you remember. Swordsmanship has advanced considerably. And when you asked about mages worthy of admiration, I compared him to Adrigal because his blade might actually touch my body.¡±


    The Plague Doctor, Kaml, fell silent, deep in thought.


    Judging by Ecok¡¯s demeanor, it was clear that Dordone¡¯s spirit was influencing his judgment.


    This wasn¡¯t merely fear; it was a calculated, rational evaluation.


    ¡°Hmph. In that case, I suppose caution is warranted,¡± Kaml said.


    Ecok chuckled.


    ¡°Caution, you say¡­ Did you know that within that barrier, there are three sons of that man?¡±


    Kaml¡¯s expression faltered.


    ¡°¡­Three of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And even if we wanted to avoid conflict for now, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we clash.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­ inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We need to take this situation more seriously. Occupying Frostheart might not be as easy as we thought.¡±


    Kaml was dumbfounded, unable to respond.


    Of course, he had witnessed their remarkable abilities through his crystal ball, including how they had dealt with the spirit army.


    But that was the extent of it.


    In the end, they were no more than leaves to be blown away by Dordone¡¯s overwhelming power.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe. With Dordone¡¯s memories, you wouldn¡¯t make such bold claims lightly.¡±


    By nature, as long as they relied on swordsmanship, there was no way Ecok could lose.


    Especially if none of them had earned Ecok¡¯s recognition.


    Yet, Ecok¡¯s next words carried weight.


    ¡°The golden-haired man who killed Hornbl¡­ He¡¯s the eldest son of Aol Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then this Aol must be even stronger.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. But in Frostheart, there are some who consider themselves his equal, so it¡¯s not easy to gauge.¡±


    Kaml¡¯s unease lingered only briefly.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t imagine us losing. Injuries, perhaps, but defeat? No. If anything, they will serve as a valuable benchmark for whether I can truly conquer the mortal realm.¡±


    The surrounding seawater began to churn, forming whirlpools and spouts.


    Ecok had fully mastered Dordone¡¯s power.


    *** Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frostheart, apart from its citadel, had an outer barrier along its walls.


    Since the spirit army had been swept away by the violent waves, the barrier had not been activated.


    But now, to their astonishment, a new barrier was forming.


    In his office, Arkandric looked out the window.


    ¡°This is getting more astonishing by the moment,¡± he murmured.


    The whale¡¯s blowholes continued to spew water.


    Normally, the seawater would have flowed down the mountain range, but the barrier Ecok had created in the form of a giant bubble trapped the water, causing the sea level to rise steadily.


    At this rate, we¡¯re trapped in a fishbowl within another fishbowl.


    The only difference is that Frostheart¡¯s barrier contains oxygen, while the outer barrier created by the whale is filled entirely with seawater.


    ¡°Is there no way to deal with that using magic?¡± Arkandric asked, his tone tense.


    Rockefeller¡¯s expression grew heavy.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m ashamed to admit it, but no.¡±


    If the barrier was broken, seawater would come rushing in.


    But the sheer mass of water was far too great for magic to effectively manage, leaving them with no clear solution.


    A prison under water, perched on high ground.


    First, the strike team was isolated in the belly of a snail, and now the entire group faced a similar predicament.


    To make matters worse, their current forces were woefully insufficient.


    Too many injured.


    Some won¡¯t make it much longer.


    And Dame Bellen¡­?


    The Tenest sword techniques were far too taxing for the elderly knight.


    Having used a skill he had kept hidden for emergencies, Bellen¡¯s condition had deteriorated.


    Her ligaments were strained, her cartilage worn down, and she could barely remain standing.


    No solutions came to mind until¡ª


    Knock, knock, knock.


    A knock echoed, followed by the door swinging open without permission.


    The one who entered was Dorosian, her long black hair cascading down her back.


    Chains clinked softly as she moved.


    ¡°Sir Arkandric? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time you released me?¡± she asked.


    Rockefeller sighed deeply.


    There had been an agreement with the Duke¡ªif Dorosian¡¯s life was ever in danger, she was to be released without delay.


    Given the current situation, letting her go seemed the right course of action.


    Without the demonic restraints, she could likely escape on her own.


    ¡°And I¡¯d like to borrow a staff. Something usable, preferably,¡± Dorosian added casually.


    Rockefeller was stunned.


    Even as a prodigious student, he had expected at least a semblance of propriety.


    Yet Dorosian had done nothing to help and had merely enjoyed the privileges afforded her.


    ¡°¡®Borrow,¡¯ you say? If there¡¯s no way to return it, isn¡¯t that the same as taking it for good?¡±


    His voice dripped with irritation.


    But Dorosian¡¯s next words took everyone by surprise.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to wait and see, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s put it simply: I thought I might help with one task. If you¡¯re not interested, that¡¯s fine too,¡± she said nonchalantly.


    Dorosian¡¯s nature made it hard to believe she saw anyone here in a positive light.


    To her, she was a prisoner, and the rest of them mere wardens.


    For someone like her, who had remained passive and uninvolved, to suddenly offer assistance was unprecedented.


    Rockefeller struggled to make sense of the situation.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 177

    There wasn¡¯t anything special about it.


    While others were said to have been born with everything, her relationships with her siblings were strained, and her father¡¯s expectations were strangely misplaced.


    As befitting a family built on magical science, her siblings competed among themselves, treating people as nothing more than outliers.


    Meanwhile, her father¡¯s gaze resembled that of someone studying an experiment rather than a person.


    Those who approached her were no different¡ªthey arrived with hopes of gaining something once the supposedly predetermined future unfolded, much like opportunistic investors.


    Thus, there wasn¡¯t anything special about it: no mundane exchanges of everyday conversations or bonds formed through shared experiences.


    This was because the emotions in people¡¯s eyes¡ªexpectation, envy, and awe¡ªwere far removed from the kind of sentiments that foster human connections.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to grow tired of people.


    Dorosian concluded that if this was the extent of relationships that could be formed between herself and others, she might as well add one more dynamic to the mix.


    Having seen the end of the world through her future self¡¯s eyes, she had no qualms about instilling fear in the gazes of others.


    It was a good way to relieve stress and even provided some entertainment.


    Living like that, she thought it might be fine to carry on as is.


    One day, however, a brash young man appeared, spouting nonsense.


    ¡ªYou¡¯re quite good-looking, but I hear you¡¯re insane? What a waste of a face.


    He had suddenly approached and uttered those words, leaving her wide-eyed in astonishment.


    It was an odd moment when annoyance mixed with a peculiar sense of human curiosity.


    But it was fleeting¡ªher future self had told her he would die soon, and she promptly erased him from her mind¡­


    Yet, he reappeared at Frostheart and now spoke with a cryptic tone:


    ¡ªOne escape leads to another. After the second, comes the third. And just like that, the world meets its end.


    Dorosian tied her long black hair back.


    Gripping her golden-crafted magic staff, she fell into thought.


    She had been certain that Hersel¡¯s survival was a ripple effect of her chosen actions.


    But now, her thoughts began to shift.


    He was originally supposed to fall to his death off a cliff two years ago.


    What if he had survived because he had knowledge of the future and avoided the crisis?


    She wanted to discuss this with him.  S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But to do so, she would first need to resolve the current predicament or find a way to extract him from this dangerous situation.


    Leaning against one side of the auditorium, she raised her head.


    In front of Dorosian, seated in a chair, stood Rockefeller, sweating and waving his staff.


    The staff was aimed at the restraints, bound by no fewer than three layers, which would take 30 minutes to undo.


    ***


    Dorosian, looking bored, glanced at me and spoke sharply.


    ¡°You know what happens if you break the deal, right?¡±


    I nodded obediently.


    The condition she had set upon my arrival here was straightforward:


    If I showed even the slightest sign of losing, I would have to abandon Frostheart and leave with Dorosian without resistance.


    It was a heavy ultimatum, one that drew a sigh from me.


    What it meant was that I had to defeat Dordone in under three minutes without showing any sign of struggle.


    Otherwise, I would be forcibly taken away by overwhelming magic.


    Rockefeller, overhearing this, expressed his displeasure.


    ¡°¡­These damned people.¡±


    Fair enough, it was natural for him to be angry since I had essentially declared I¡¯d abandon them and flee if things didn¡¯t go well.


    What was likely most frustrating for him was that even if Dorosian made such a demand, he¡¯d still have to swallow his pride and think, ¡®At least she¡¯s helping us.¡¯


    ¡°Dorosian, the professor seems uncomfortable. Should we just leave?¡±


    ¡°That works for me.¡±


    As we exchanged words, Rockefeller¡¯s grimace began to twitch and eventually relaxed.


    Amused by his reaction, I decided to pay him back for his effort.


    ¡°Professor, you seem pleased with the offer of help. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect anything nice to come out of my mouth, Hersel Ben Tenest¡­¡±


    His gritted words were entertaining, but only for a moment.


    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out, followed by the auditorium door being flung open with a loud bang.


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller! It¡¯s an emergency!!¡±


    The person who barged in was a fellow professor.


    Judging by his trembling eyes, something serious had occurred.


    ¡°Damn it, what now?¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, there¡¯s been an outbreak of a disease at Frostheart¡­¡±


    A disease?


    ¡°People are falling ill, showing symptoms of coughing and fever. This has to be their doing¡­¡±


    ¡°This is madness. We¡¯re already short on medical facilities, and now this?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t Dordone¡¯s work; he didn¡¯t have that kind of power.


    Faced with this newly added variable, I immediately got to my feet and rushed outside.


    **


    In the Drill Ground


    People continued to collapse in the drill ground.


    Amid the pervasive sound of coughing, Bellman covered his face with a cloth.


    ¡°My¡­ my head is spinning.¡±


    ¡°Erucel, what other symptoms do you have?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ aching all over, and it feels like I might throw up.¡±


    The symptoms were largely consistent.


    ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s so cold.¡±


    ¡°Chills¡ªthere are chills too, Bellman.¡±


    Bellman covered Silla and Leana with blankets and turned to the few still standing.


    Perhaps their symptoms hadn¡¯t manifested yet, but the fact that this group remained unaffected suggested they likely had immunity.


    ¡°So this isn¡¯t the first time this disease has appeared.¡±


    Immunity is developed after surviving an initial exposure to a virus.


    It seemed certain that this disease had circulated in the past.


    Bellman approached those still standing and asked them a common question:


    ¡°Let me ask you one thing. Where are you from?¡±


    Epidemics tend to be localized.


    If the disease had been named in the past, it could provide a clue to creating a cure.


    At Frostheart, where various ingredients and experimental tools were abundant, developing a remedy was certainly feasible¡ªespecially given the alchemy club¡¯s well-stocked inventory from selling to students.


    ¡°Avelan, originally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Hobrune.¡±


    ¡°Ah, me too¡ªthough my mother¡¯s from another region.¡±


    However, determining the disease¡¯s name solely based on their origins seemed absurd.


    ¡°What is this? There¡¯s barely any commonality. Could it be a very ancient disease?¡±


    The symptoms weren¡¯t much different from an ordinary fever, making everything more difficult to unravel.


    As Bellman racked his brain, a sudden crack sound drew his attention sharply.


    It came from the outer barrier, which now had a visible fracture.


    ¡°The barrier¡¯s breaking?¡±


    It was a chilling moment, but thankfully the barrier quickly repaired itself.


    However, atop a stream of seawater that had infiltrated through the breach stood two figures, causing Bellman¡¯s eyes to widen.


    Thud!


    They stepped onto the drill ground.


    One was a mysterious figure wearing a plague doctor¡¯s mask, while the other was a man whose body, except for his stomach and eyes, was covered entirely in black stains.


    ¡°Wait, that man¡­¡±


    It was undoubtedly Ecok Ville Edvance, a member of the student council.


    Though Bellman hadn¡¯t heard much from Rockefeller, he vaguely recalled Ecok being mentioned as the prime suspect behind this incident.


    Glaring with hostility, Bellman addressed Ecok.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Hm, seems you¡¯re still in the dark. Well, to explain it quickly¡­¡±


    Ecok pointed beyond the barrier and continued.


    ¡°That whale outside¡ªthat was me. Is that explanation sufficient?¡±


    Indeed, the massive whale visible just moments ago had vanished without a trace.


    Now that it was clear he was an enemy, Bellman raised his staff.


    But the plague doctor intervened, speaking calmly.


    ¡°It would be wise to refrain from meaningless actions.¡±


    ¡°When¡­ when did you spread the disease?¡±


    ¡°We infected the spirits with a plague that doesn¡¯t affect them. You fought well, all while unaware of your own infection.¡±


    The plague doctor scanned the injured and made an offer.


    ¡°Your forces are on the brink of annihilation. Surrender, and we¡¯ll provide the antidote.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ll spare us?¡±


    ¡°Our goal is to restore balance to the world through governance, not to seek the death of humans.¡±


    Even the monkey spirits claimed they enslaved humans for dominance.


    Either way, the result for humans was the same: death in another form.


    Bellman strengthened the barrier.


    Ecok gazed at it with a subtle look and began to walk forward slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t intend to harm you. I merely wish to show you that you have no other options.¡±


    Ecok extended a single finger and lightly tapped the barrier.


    Bellman poured all his magical energy into maintaining it, but the barrier disintegrated like a mirage, as if it had never existed.


    In a panic, the unaffected individuals began charging toward them.


    ¡°Stand back, Bellman!¡±


    The professor swung his sword, narrowing Ecok¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°But if you still insist on resisting¡­¡±


    Thud!


    ¡°You cannot escape death.¡±


    In an instant, the professor¡¯s body was hurled against the ceiling of the barrier, leaving a streak of blood as he fell to the ground.


    Bellman stood frozen, unable to conceal his shock.


    ¡°What just happened?¡±


    It had all happened so quickly. Ecok had made a simple motion, and before anyone realized it, the professor¡¯s body was flung through the air.


    Then, suddenly, a voice sounded from behind.


    ¡°Hm, I suppose I should at least give you time to think. Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    In Ecok¡¯s hand was a familiar pocket watch¡ªthe very one Bellman had kept in his possession.


    Feeling his now-light pocket, Bellman clutched his staff, unable to suppress the growing fear.


    ¡°This¡­ this is something beyond human comprehension.¡±


    Ecok stared at the watch for a moment before announcing a time limit.


    ¡°Thirty minutes. Decide by then¡ªwhether to surrender or not.¡±


    As he spoke, a loud crash echoed from the ground, and a cloud of dust rose.


    ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± Bellman waved his hand to clear the air.


    Emerging from the dust was an old man with a massive hand that had slammed Ecok¡¯s head into the ground.


    ¡°Hohohoho!¡±


    Even as the old man laughed, Ecok calmly muttered his name.


    ¡°Arkandric¡­?¡±


    ¡°For you to reveal yourself on the surface¡­ how fortuitous.¡±


    Arkandric cut off his laughter, his blue-tinged eyes glowing coldly.


    ¡°Consider this an opportunity¡ªI will deliver punishment in love. If you reform, you¡¯ll be welcomed back. But, of course, you¡¯ll have to pay the price for your actions.¡±


    His voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the air around them.


    ***


    Arriving at the drill ground, I was met with chaos. Most people were collapsed, though a few remained standing. But even they were trembling in fear, their gazes fixed on a single point.


    As I approached, the crowd parted easily.


    A few more steps, and the situation became clear.


    Ecok sat on the ground, staring at the pocket watch. Beside him was Arkandric, face pressed into the dirt, blood trickling from his mouth as he writhed.


    I tapped Bellman on the shoulder, snapping him out of his daze.


    Startled, he whipped his head around.


    ¡°H-Hersel?¡±


    ¡°Pull yourself together, Bellman. I need you to do something.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do something?¡±


    ¡°Create a cure. You know enough to manage that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Bellman shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless. Without knowing the name of the disease, there¡¯s no way to proceed.¡±


    Just then, as if perfectly timed, a system window appeared in my vision:


    [Threat detected. Type: Corde Plague.]


    [1-second immunity activated.]


    It seemed I, too, had been infected by the virus, with the symptoms now manifesting.


    ¡°Corde,¡± I said aloud.


    Bellman flinched, startled.


    ¡°H-how do you know that?¡±


    ¡°No time to explain. Can you create the cure?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s an ancient disease, so I don¡¯t know much. But there might be records in the infirmary.¡±


    ¡°Then hurry.¡±


    Bellman sprinted toward the fortress.


    Ecok, waiting patiently for our exchange to finish, called my name.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest.¡±


    ¡°Ecok Ville Edvance¡ªor should I call you Dordone?¡±


    Ecok pointed to the ground.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit and wait? Let¡¯s have a little chat.¡±


    His suggestion was oddly tempting. Though this might be the perfect chance to strike him while he was in human form, he could easily escape back to the sea at any moment.


    Without Dorosian¡¯s fully dispelled restraints, I couldn¡¯t guarantee victory.


    Then, unexpectedly, Ecok spoke words that piqued my curiosity.


    ¡°Forgotten histories of the past. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 178

    Books scattered across the infirmary floor.


    ¡°Damn it, this isn¡¯t the first plague we¡¯ve faced. Does this one even exist in the records?¡±


    A few immune professors and students frantically flipped through pages, their eyes burning with determination, though their focus occasionally wavered elsewhere.


    ¡°¡­Principal.¡±


    Arkandric was still breathing but unconscious. Without proper treatment, his condition wouldn¡¯t hold for long.


    Bellman hastily worked to stop the bleeding from the gaping wound in his chest, applying herbal remedies.


    ¡°This is critical. He needs professional surgery.¡±


    Unfortunately, the medical professor was also infected. Without specialized knowledge or experience, performing a complex surgery out of the blue was out of the question.


    For now, the priority was creating a cure to restore the medical professor¡¯s consciousness and proceed with their guidance. While Bellman resolved himself to this course of action, someone shouted excitedly.


    ¡°I found it! The disease is called Cord¨¦, right?¡±


    Relief spread across the faces of those present.


    The professor who had found the information sighed as he checked the year of its outbreak.


    ¡°Wow, this is an ancient plague.¡±


    ¡°Is there a recipe for the cure?¡± Bellman asked, to which the professor handed over the book.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right here.¡±


    The book detailed various ingredients and instructions. Assigning someone to care for Arkandric, Bellman quickly memorized the formula and headed to the alchemy clubroom with the others.


    The alchemy club was packed with tools and materials. Those with even a shred of relevant knowledge quickly assigned tasks and got to work.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find the Gurshil leaves.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a distiller too, right? Ugh, look at the dust on this. Better clean it up first.¡±


    While inspecting tools, Bellman glanced toward the window. There, Ecok and Hersel were sitting on the floor, deep in conversation.


    ¡°Negotiation, huh?¡±


    The mighty Arkandric, once hailed as the Frost Swordmaster, had been utterly defeated. Despite his awe-inspiring feats, this time, it seemed there was no chance of victory.


    Bellman surmised that Hersel would find a way to negotiate or forge a pact to resolve the situation.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably our only hope now.¡±


    Deciding to trust Hersel with that matter, Bellman turned his gaze toward the source of their troubles, only to widen his eyes in shock. The plague doctor was no longer beside them.


    ¡°Gone? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    It was obvious that the one responsible for spreading the disease wouldn¡¯t simply allow them to create a cure without interference.


    There was a high chance the enemy was already on their way here.


    Bellman narrowed his eyes, gripping his staff tightly.


    ¡°You lot really are talented with your hands,¡± came an unexpected voice.


    Bellman spun around to see the plague doctor stepping through the doorway. Everyone stopped what they were doing, preparing their weapons.


    ¡°You know how to create diseases and cures. Truly a blessed talent.¡±


    ¡°¡­Here to interfere?¡± Bellman asked sharply.


    The plague doctor shook his head.


    ¡°No need to worry about that. After all, our ¡®king¡¯ has rendered all my efforts futile, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Futile?¡±


    ¡°I intended to press you with this epidemic, thinking Dordone would take a more measured approach.¡±


    Bellman paused, recalling Ecok¡¯s mention of a time limit.


    Considering the situation, the plague doctor¡¯s words made sense. The plague was now essentially meaningless. Whether they died from the disease or at the hands of the enemy, the outcome was the same.


    ¡°Even if he retained Dordone¡¯s memories, he¡¯s still Ecok at his core. A bit extreme, but I prefer that approach.¡±


    The plague doctor muttered to himself, then sat in a chair at the far corner of the room.


    Though his words and actions lacked hostility, his presence was unsettling enough to disrupt the alchemists¡¯ focus.


    Bellman addressed the group.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste. I¡¯ll keep watch. Report immediately if anything suspicious happens.¡±


    Reluctantly, the group resumed their work, while the plague doctor observed the process intently.


    ¡°The quality of those leaves is poor. Discard them. Only the stems are usable,¡± he remarked unexpectedly.


    The professor frowned.


    ¡°Why would we trust you?¡±


    It was only natural to distrust advice from the one who had caused the plague.


    Yet, Bellman, who had memorized the cure¡¯s recipe, realized the doctor was right.


    ¡°It¡¯s written in the book as well. Impurities from unusable leaves could ruin the concentration ratio. We have to be careful¡­¡±


    The professor checked the book, his eyes widening in surprise before clicking his tongue in irritation.


    ¡°You¡¯ve caused all this trouble, and now you¡¯re joking around?¡±


    The plague doctor didn¡¯t bother to respond.


    The bubbling sound of boiling liquid filled the room. As the doctor moved his hand suddenly, Bellman, who had been on high alert, spoke sharply.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make any suspicious moves if I were you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, apologies for startling you. I was merely about to remove my mask.¡±


    The plague doctor slowly reached for his mask, but Bellman¡¯s cold, commanding voice stopped him.


    ¡°That¡¯s off-limits as well.¡±


    The plague doctor chuckled softly and grabbed the mask anyway.


    ¡°Removing it might actually be better for you all.¡±


    Bellman quickly cast a barrier, trapping the doctor. He froze momentarily when he saw the face beneath the mask.


    The doctor¡¯s face resembled that of a fox, but it was in a horrifying state. Patches of fur were missing, and only a few teeth remained.


    ¡°Not a pretty sight, is it?¡±


    Bellman began to piece things together. Clues lay in the doctor¡¯s earlier remarks and the spirits¡¯ hatred.


    ¡ªTo create diseases and cures¡­ what a blessed talent.


    This wasn¡¯t the work of nature.


    Whatever the reason, it must have been something akin to live experimentation. The doctor¡¯s knowledge of medicine likely came from observing and enduring these experiments firsthand.


    ¡°I belong to a race known for its resilience. That made me an excellent test subject for humans,¡± the fox said bitterly.


    ¡°¡­Are you trying to spread your illness here?¡±


    ¡°I told you not to worry, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    The fox closed his eyes briefly, breathing shallowly.


    ¡°This is a disease that destroys organs critical to spirits when mana is inhaled with oxygen. It doesn¡¯t affect humans.¡±


    As the fox spoke, his breathing grew more labored.


    So that¡¯s what he meant by saying removing the mask would be better.


    Bellman couldn¡¯t understand his motives.


    If the doctor had dreams of conquering the mortal world, shouldn¡¯t he at least have lived to see it through? Why waste his life like this?


    ¡°What are you trying to accomplish?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ cutting short the little time I have left.¡±


    The fox coughed up blood, his voice growing faint. His unfocused eyes gazed into the distance.


    ¡°My comrades are already gone. Only Jurette remains. I¡¯ll wait for her to fulfill our final wish.¡±


    Bellman frowned.


    ¡°Are you expecting me to listen to your complaints?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I hate humans, but you¡­ you¡¯re different. Seeing your sacrifice for your comrades¡­ I suppose I felt a sense of connection.¡±


    The fox seemed to have witnessed everything that had transpired while trapped inside the slug spirit.


    Bellman sighed deeply as he looked at the dying creature.


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect any conversation from me. Say whatever you want on your own.¡±


    The fox chuckled softly.


    Bellman remained silent, allowing the fox to continue.


    The fox began to recount his story: how he had been fascinated by humans when he saw their toys, clocks, and drawings in the depths of the mountains.


    But his admiration turned to horror when he was captured by humans who saw spirits as mere objects for experimentation.


    Somehow, he had managed to escape.


    He spoke of the bonds he¡¯d formed afterward.


    ¡°The first one I saved was Jurette. She¡¯d been caged in a fortress by someone living there.¡±


    He described rescuing a bat spirit from gamblers who subjected it to brutal treatment, and then a slug spirit suffering in a similar way.


    The fox laughed heartily as he recalled the three of them hiding in an abandoned house, unaware it was a bandits¡¯ lair.


    ¡°Jurette saved us from big trouble. If not for her, we¡¯d have been doomed.¡±


    He went on about how they drove the bandits away, pretending to be monsters.


    ¡°Jurette flapped her wings behind me while Meredilla oozed slime and made eerie noises from the ceiling. I looked in the mirror afterward and understood why they ran so fast.¡±


    Though it sounded like a fantastical tale, the fox¡¯s words were full of valuable insight.


    They hinted at a forgotten era, fragments of a history erased from the records.


    ¡°Our destination was the North. I¡¯d heard that spirits and humans got along well there. And the knights under Hornbl¡¯s command were famous.¡±


    Bellman found himself drawn into the conversation despite himself.


    ¡°Hornbl?¡±


    ¡°The swordfish spirit killed by the blonde knight. Back then, he was a highly respected knight commander.¡±


    It seemed there had even been wars among humans over their treatment of spirits.


    Adrigal, the founder of Frostheart, stood on the side of spirits and fought against a world that claimed spirits were mere slaves.


    ¡°While harboring hope and making my way there, I lost my way. That¡¯s when I met Morozzo, the monkey. He had stolen something from his master and fled, which ended up helping me reach my destination. The pendant Morozzo carried was a miraculous object¡ªit could guide you to whatever you were seeking.¡±


    ¡°The one that led us to the engine room, you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Hm, as for how things turned out in the end¡­¡±


    The story concluded with Adrigal and Dordone, the spirit king of that era, achieving victory.


    However, this triumph sparked another issue.


    ¡°It split the world into two factions: those who hated humans and those who defended them. Honestly, it was an inevitable result. Discrimination still lingered. But then, something unexpected happened.¡±


    ¡°Unexpected?¡±


    ¡°Dordone declared conquest of the human realm. No one saw it coming. Those who knew his gentle nature assumed he would take a peaceful approach.¡±


    Bellman wanted to ask why but was met with more enigmatic statements from the fox.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason. It seems to stem from an event that occurred long before I was born¡­ perhaps during the time when all races united. Elves, giants, demons¡ªthey were all friendly with one another back then.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s head throbbed.


    No matter how he turned it over in his mind, he couldn¡¯t keep up with the fox¡¯s tale.


    ¡°¡­Elves, giants, demons? Are you saying they actually existed?¡±


    Those races were the stuff of legends, found only in myths and not even mentioned in relics or records.


    For Bellman, who had always believed them to be fiction, it was a significant shock.


    ¡°Of course they existed. I even remember seeing the last elf. They, like us spirits, lived incredibly long lives.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not lying about all this on your deathbed, are you?¡± Bellman asked skeptically.


    The fox half-opened his eyes.


    ¡°Believe me or don¡¯t. But for someone who claimed not to want to talk, you¡¯re holding up your end of the conversation quite well.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Bellman awkwardly brushed off the fox¡¯s pointed remark.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say it¡¯s true. Even so, your story lacks credibility. Humans fight among themselves often enough¡ªhow could they have gotten along with other races?¡±


    Human history was full of cases where enemies were invented when none existed.


    A common foe was necessary to unify people or bring mutual benefits.


    Such was the case with Belam and the Empire, which grew stronger through such tactics.


    ¡°They had a unifying figure. The world called him the Immortal King. It¡¯s laughable, really. Despite the eternal title, he died for some reason.¡±


    The fox scratched his nose and let out a contemplative sigh.


    ¡°In hindsight, every tragedy began with his death. Once the fence was gone, humans lost their minds. I heard they paraded the heads of the Elf King, the Giant King, and Alkin, the first Spirit King whom Dordone served¡­¡±


    The story was incomprehensible, but Bellman mentally filed the fox¡¯s words away and steered the conversation back to the point.


    ¡°You¡¯re digressing. So, what happened after Adrigal and Dordone fell out?¡±


    Realizing his lapse, the fox blinked once and answered.


    ¡°Right, where was I? Adrigal approached Lirques, the second-in-command of the spirit realm. Lirques was originally a neutral bystander. Yet, she took Adrigal¡¯s side¡ªthough with conditions.¡±


    The fox held up two fingers, and Bellman swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Erase the blood-soaked history of the past. And sever ties with the spirit realm.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. Severing ties with the spirit realm, fine. But is erasing history even possible? There must have been records left behind somewhere.¡±


    The fox nodded.


    ¡°Adrigal could do the impossible. To be precise, he wielded a power that should never have been used. It wasn¡¯t entirely his own power.¡±


    Bellman frowned deeply.


    Erasing history meant wiping out all memories and traces of it from the entire human race.


    It was absurd, even with the help of a powerful archmage and some external force.


    ¡°Still, it seems remnants linger in the subconscious. Your ancestors vaguely recall the destroyed races and spirits wishing for abundance, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Bellman didn¡¯t even have the energy to argue with the fox anymore.


    He simply listened and occasionally asked questions.


    ¡°What about spirits summoned through rituals? Doesn¡¯t that contradict the supposed severance from the spirit realm?¡±


    ¡°Well, there are always spirits eager to visit the human realm. I¡¯ve been imprisoned too long to give a detailed answer, but I assume they¡¯re only allowed through thorough scrutiny¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the fox¡¯s pupils became noticeably cloudy.


    ¡°Perhaps Lirques had another reason for permitting it¡ªmaybe to gather information about the human realm. After all, there are things here that shouldn¡¯t exist¡­¡±


    The fox¡¯s weakened hand dropped limply to the ground.


    The professor grumbled at the unmoving figure.


    ¡°First, he wouldn¡¯t stop chattering, and now he¡¯s just lying there. What a talkative fellow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Professor, did you hear what he said?¡±


    ¡°No. Do I look like I had the time? Get to work already¡ªwe¡¯ve got too much left to make.¡±  S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bellman turned toward the group preparing the cure and glanced at the clock on the wall to see how much time had passed.


    When he saw where the minute hand pointed, he couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    ¡°Thirty minutes! Thirty minutes have passed!¡±


    By now, Hersel must have concluded his negotiations with Dordone.


    A professor working near the window suddenly snapped his head around but froze with a terrified expression, his shoulders trembling.


    ¡°Wh-why is he drawing his sword?¡±


    Bellman sighed, his voice deflating.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Fighting a monster sealed by both Lirques and Adrigal?


    The unexpected turn of events left Bellman staggering, his glasses slipping down his nose.


    ***


    Through the conversation with Ecok, I was able to learn things that would have otherwise been impossible to uncover¡ªthanks to the chance for questions and answers.


    ¡°I appreciate the story,¡± I said.


    ¡°And yet, you¡¯re drawing your sword,¡± Ecok replied, expressionless, before turning his gaze away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. The only reason I spoke with you is that I considered you a representative of your kind for the sake of appearances.¡±


    Extending his palm toward the sky, he continued,


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could possibly be a match for me.¡±


    As he clenched his fist, the barrier that had protected Frostheart from the ocean began to collapse.


    ¡°Now, you shall face the consequences of your refusal to surrender.¡±


    The water pressure intensified, and the barrier looked as though it might burst at any moment.


    Faces darkened further among those sprawled across the training ground.


    But then, a woman emerged from the citadel, and a smile tugged at my lips.


    ¡°At last, she¡¯s here.¡±


    The air seemed to shift, tingling with dense mana so intense it felt like biting into grapes.


    It was Dorosian, freed from the three layer restraints.


    She rubbed her wrists, which had only moments ago been bound by shackles, and waved her staff.


    In response¡ª


    Whoosh!


    The ocean water that had surrounded us began to part.


    Ecok¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    And rightly so.


    Dorosian had pushed back Dordone¡¯s constricting power using nothing but pure mana.


    If Ecok controlled the sea, Dorosian controlled mana just as vast in scale.


    Her unique trait, ¡°Mana of the Great Sea¡±, was as expansive as the ocean itself.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± I teased, causing Ecok¡¯s eyes to narrow.


    I gestured for him to follow and turned my back.


    ¡°Come with me. I¡¯d rather not see the buildings get destroyed.¡±


    As I headed for a more isolated area, Ecok¡¯s voice rang out behind me.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you? I said you¡¯re not a worthy opponent.¡±


    Before his words had fully registered, I felt my hair ripple, and a system notification appeared.


    [Impact detected.]


    [Trait activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 59 seconds.]


    A deafening boom followed.


    Boom!


    Ecok had struck the back of my head with his fist.


    His eyes widened in disbelief when I didn¡¯t budge even a millimeter.


    I could have said something to him then, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the time.


    The reason? My lips currently held the ¡°Elixir of Dreams,¡± granting me three minutes of invincibility.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t expect to defeat him with just this temporary invincibility.


    For that, I had resolved to use the life force¡ªthe source of vitality¡ªneeded to refine aura.


    ¡®Donatan, prepare to use the True Qi.¡¯


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 179

    Ecok felt a sharp pain in his fist.


    In Dordone¡¯s memories, such a sensation was unheard of.


    A being who could crush stone into sand and flatten any metal like clay with overwhelming strength.


    To him, the concept of hardness simply did not exist in the world.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Hersel stared at Ecok with a calm yet faintly displeased expression.


    For someone who had just been struck with an attack intended to smash his skull, his reaction was unnervingly composed.


    The blow had been strong enough to shatter the air.


    The ground where it landed was left with a deep, circular crater.


    Yet something else became apparent at the same time, and Ecok¡¯s mind momentarily froze.


    The soil beneath Hersel¡¯s feet remained utterly undisturbed.


    When Hersel walked forward, the impression of his shoe¡¯s sole was perfectly preserved in the earth, a testament to the fact.


    Ecok struggled to comprehend the situation.


    He hesitated, debating whether to confirm it with another strike.


    But then, Hersel stopped in front of the barrier and let out a low sound, like swallowing something.


    ¡°Are you going to ambush me from behind again?¡±


    Ecok had attacked casually, as if swatting a fly. Yet Hersel shrugged off the accusation of cowardice and shook his head, an unimpressed smirk on his face.


    ¡°Despite possessing the body of a Tyrant, you seem rather lacking in composure.¡±


    Hersel chuckled faintly and pointed at the barrier.


    ¡°Break it, Ecok.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I already told you¡ªI don¡¯t want to destroy it myself.¡±


    Ecok narrowed his eyes, glaring at Hersel.


    Even with Dordone¡¯s body, breaking the barrier was no trivial feat; it restored itself as quickly as it was damaged.


    Yet here Hersel implied that, had he been less careful, he could have obliterated it entirely.


    Ecok¡¯s thoughts churned in confusion.


    Sure, Hersel¡¯s power was undeniable when listing his achievements, but wasn¡¯t he still a student?


    Ecok had always assumed he was inferior to Arkandrick, the Frostheart Master.


    Though it made no sense, Ecok stepped closer to the barrier.


    The ocean waters remained at bay, held back by Dorosian¡¯s control, but their vast expanse loomed threateningly.


    There would be an opening to seize the upper hand eventually. For now, he resolved to prepare for a truly unpredictable opponent.


    Bang!


    Ecok¡¯s fist smashed into the barrier, creating a large hole that took several seconds to repair itself.


    He stepped outside first, followed by Hersel.


    Ecok¡¯s eyes narrowed as he twisted his body and struck at Hersel with his fist.


    Unlike his earlier sneak attack, this punch was fully powered, aimed at Hersel¡¯s abdomen.


    Crunch!


    The sound reverberated, but Hersel didn¡¯t even flinch.


    Yet Ecok didn¡¯t relent.


    Ecok¡¯s fists flew, striking vital points¡ªnose, jaw, chest¡ªwith incredible speed and force.


    Each blow landed with a resounding impact, yet the results were the same.


    Not a scratch, not even the faintest shift backward.


    At that moment, Hersel moved his hand, gripping his sword.


    The blade shimmered with light¡ªunmistakably a mana blade.


    Ecok¡¯s heart sank as he quickly retreated.


    Ping!


    A beat later, the blade traced an arc through the air, sharp and precise.


    Focusing intently, Ecok manipulated the seawater around him.


    Though limited by Dorosian¡¯s control, he could still wrest enough focus to act.


    The water responded to his will, forming into a concentrated sphere in his hand.


    Whoosh!


    Compressing the sphere, Ecok created a razor-thin stream of water capable of slicing through metal.


    He wielded it like a blade and slashed at Hersel.


    But Hersel didn¡¯t even try to dodge. Instead, he stepped closer.


    Shhrrk!


    The water stream passed over Hersel¡¯s torso, shredding his clothes.


    Yet the exposed skin beneath didn¡¯t bleed a single drop.


    Fixating the stream on Hersel¡¯s chest, Ecok gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s see how long you can hold out!¡±


    By concentrating his attack on one point, Ecok believed he could eventually pierce through.


    For now, there was still time to observe.


    No matter how close he came, Hersel¡¯s speed only appeared sluggish to Ecok.


    If necessary, he could retreat at any moment when the distance closed.


    Ecok couldn¡¯t help but question the disparity between Hersel¡¯s speed and defense.


    The gap between them was narrowing.


    It was time to pull back.


    Just as Ecok moved his foot¡ª


    Tap!


    In an instant, Hersel was right in front of him, thrusting his blade toward Ecok¡¯s heart.


    The speed was incomparable to anything Ecok had seen before, leaving him no time to react.


    Thud!


    The sensation of the blade piercing flesh.


    Though Ecok barely managed to twist his body to avoid a fatal blow, the weapon still struck deep.


    Ecok leaped backward, crashing into a wall of seawater.


    As crimson blood spread across the surface, Ecok felt a chill.


    If Hersel unleashed that sudden burst of speed again, Ecok realized he could die instantly.


    He needed thicker armor.


    Ecok transformed into his orca form, using his massive body as a natural shield.


    Watching the attack unfold, Donatan couldn¡¯t help but voice his admiration.


    ¡®Incredible speed¡­¡¯


    Hersel had expended an enormous amount of life energy, far surpassing the amount he used during his last high-speed attack, where a single day of his lifespan was consumed.


    Even so, his speed exceeded all expectations.


    Donatan began to see the potential in this body.


    ¡®He was born with an exceptional amount of life energy. Its quality is leagues above the norm.¡¯


    With such a strong foundation, inherited from superior lineage, it was no wonder he had such latent potential.


    If his aura had remained intact, he might have reached unimaginable heights.


    Yet Hersel¡¯s expression showed dissatisfaction.


    ¡®I should have poured everything into that one strike¡­¡¯


    His regret was understandable.


    The previous blow had cost him thirty years of his life.


    Even with a calculated strategy meant to catch Ecok off guard, the attack had ultimately failed.


    While his opponent was visibly tense, Hersel felt the weight of disappointment bearing down on his shoulders.


    ¡®Hersel, listen carefully. You can use that attack twice more¡ªno more than that. And even then, I can¡¯t guarantee its full power, so use it wisely.¡¯


    Still, two chances to aim for a vital spot weren¡¯t bad.


    At least, that¡¯s what Donatan thought¡ªuntil Ecok completed his transformation into an orca.


    ¡®Well, perhaps not¡­ This might have been our last chance.¡¯


    ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯


    Ecok¡¯s body, now submerged in the ocean, had grown massive.


    Reaching his vital points would now require slicing through layers of thick flesh.


    It was inevitable that more than two attacks would be consumed.


    As the seemingly hopeless situation unfolded, Hersel spoke.


    ¡®One strike. I¡¯ll put everything into a single blow.¡¯


    ¡®What? You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll spend all that energy on one attack?¡¯


    ¡®A slash. That¡¯s the only way.¡¯


    Donatan was stunned at the mention of a slash.


    A technique that focuses power into the blade to unleash a sharp, cutting wave of energy.


    It was similar to what Hersel had used to defeat the bone dragon in the past, but replicating it in this situation was a tall order.


    ¡®If you miss, it¡¯s over. Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to rely on guaranteed strikes?¡¯


    The problem was that a slash, being a projectile, traveled slower than a direct blow. Against an opponent as fast and relentless as Ecok, this was a critical flaw.


    But Hersel laid out his reasoning.


    ¡®Look at his body now¡ªit¡¯s massive. That means he¡¯s slower too. The key is whether we can hit a vital point with one strike.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s true¡­ And water resistance will also play a role.¡¯


    ¡®Most importantly, we have no other options. Stop complaining and focus. The precision will ultimately be up to you.¡¯


    Faced with the mounting pressure, Donatan couldn¡¯t help but grumble.


    ¡®You¡¯re delusional if you think I can control this level of energy precisely. Do you have any idea how rarely I¡¯ve handled such power? Even the previous master only used it three times in their lifetime, and only sparingly at that. And now you expect me to direct a slash at his vital point in one go?¡¯


    When Donatan protested, Hersel let out a deep sigh.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to risk everything on this either. But look at the situation. I¡¯ve ended up facing someone I¡¯d rather not fight. Life is like that¡ªyou sometimes have to do things you don¡¯t want to do. And when there¡¯s only one way forward, even if it¡¯s reckless, you just have to go for it.¡¯


    Donatan couldn¡¯t argue with that logic, even if it annoyed him.


    If they failed, so be it. There wasn¡¯t much else they could do.


    If it doesn¡¯t work after trying, then it¡¯s just not meant to be.


    ¡®Oh, and just so you know, if I die, I¡¯ll curse you for eternity, even from the grave. After all, this whole mess would be the result of your incompetence.¡¯


    ¡®This bastard¡­¡¯


    Hersel sheathed his sword and assumed a quick-draw stance.


    Despite the tension, Donatan managed to regain some composure and began channeling the dormant power deep within Hersel¡¯s body.


    Pure, concentrated energy swirled around Hersel like a raging storm.


    His clothes fluttered, and his hair whipped about as the orca¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously.


    Clearly, the creature had sensed the extraordinary energy radiating from Hersel.


    Donatan kept his focus, aiming precisely at the tip of the orca¡¯s nose, intending to cleave it in two.


    Clink!


    As the blade slid just one centimeter out of its sheath, electric currents¡ªnot merely static¡ªbegan crackling around Hersel.


    Crackle!


    When the blade was fully unsheathed, it sliced through the air, unleashing a torrent of energy. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A massive wave of power shot from the blade, hurtling toward Ecok.


    In that instant, the world was bathed in blinding light.


    And then it was over.


    As Donatan stared at the blood-red sea, despair filled him.


    ¡®It failed¡­¡¯


    The strike had landed squarely on the tip of the orca¡¯s nose.


    However, it seemed Ecok had twisted his body mid-attack, causing the angle to deflect slightly.


    The orca¡¯s massive body was already beginning to heal.


    ¡®Just as expected.¡¯


    Donatan assumed Hersel was muttering something sarcastic.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡®Donatan, check inside me again. I think the energy is back.¡¯


    Donatan, puzzled, examined the internal reservoir of life energy.


    He gasped audibly.


    The energy that had been entirely depleted was now fully replenished, as if it had never been used.


    ¡®What¡­ What is this¡­?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s probably the potion I drank earlier.¡¯


    ¡®Hersel, you bastard! You knew this and still put me under all that pressure?!¡¯


    ¡®Well, it wasn¡¯t guaranteed. What if it didn¡¯t work? You should always give your best, thinking every failure could be your last.¡¯


    ¡®You¡ª! You arrogant¡­!¡¯


    Donatan was too exasperated to even come up with proper words.


    Forget the fight¡ªhe just wanted to kill Hersel on the spot.


    [Elixir of Dreams]


    Attribute Type: Illusion.


    Crafted meticulously by the Dream Lord Irte.


    Duration: 3 minutes.


    Upon consumption, all conditions occurring during the duration are rendered fictional.


    Even cooldowns of abilities are reset to their initial state.


    Upon death, the death itself is erased as if it never happened, at the end of the duration.


    The potion¡¯s description was simple.


    But why hadn¡¯t the life-energy depletion resulted in death?


    The answer lay in the system notification.


    [Threat detected: Critical exhaustion level lethal.]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    [Cooldown for 1-second invincibility: 60 seconds.]


    [Effect of ¡°Elixir of Dreams¡± resets cooldown.]


    The potion¡¯s ability was merely to convert all states into fiction temporarily.


    When the results accumulated to a point of death, that death was simply erased after the potion¡¯s duration expired.


    However, the ¡°1-second invincibility¡± trait outright nullified the outcome of death without delay.


    Of course, this was likely never tested experimentally due to the risk of unintended results.


    But with the ¡°Elixir of Dreams¡± in effect, they could afford to test boldly¡ªand they had just proven it.


    The ¡°1-second invincibility¡± even negated death caused by life-energy depletion.


    As a result, the restoration of life energy was a natural outcome.


    If death from exhaustion was nullified, the system also had to negate the life-energy depletion leading to it.


    It was a logical byproduct of maintaining the consistency of the game¡¯s mechanics.


    This loophole in the system was an unintentional bonus.


    ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s wrap this up.¡±


    The potion¡¯s duration was nearly over.


    [Elixir of Dreams duration: 30 seconds remaining.]


    But even that was more than enough time.


    Because from now on, Hersel could pour everything into each and every strike.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 176-180 (Alon Vs Ecok) $3


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 180

    [Dream Elixir Duration Remaining: 29 seconds]


    With the newly replenished energy, I directed 80% to my legs and 20% to my arms.


    [Threat detected. Type: Lethal exhaustion level]


    [1-second invincibility activated.]


    [1-second invincibility cooldown: 60 seconds]


    [Cooldown reset due to Dream Elixir effect.]


    Every nerve in my body was alive, tingling with sensation.


    Among them, the most distinct feeling was the warmth spreading to the very tips of my hair, as if my body had become a thermos.


    Ah, so this is what it feels like to use all your energy in one go.


    Bang!


    I kicked off the ground and closed the gap with Ecok, who had hidden behind the wall of the sea.


    The blade I had poised earlier struck the side of Ecok¡¯s cheek.


    Thud!


    My momentum didn¡¯t stop there.


    My body pierced through his enormous form and emerged out of his back.


    No matter how massive a whale¡¯s body might be, at this moment, it felt like nothing more than a gigantic block of tofu.


    ¡°Gahhh!¡±


    Ecok writhed in pain.


    If only it had ended there, it would have been ideal.


    Splash!


    Having charged too forcefully, I ended up crashing into the wall of water and flailing helplessly.


    With no solid ground to push off from, I was trapped.


    Thankfully, Dorosian removed the water barrier, allowing me to plant my feet on the ground once again.


    Thud.


    Such overwhelming power is truly difficult to control.


    ¡®Donatan, lower the intensity in my legs. If I break through again, I¡¯ll end up stuck in the water.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to judge how much lower I should go.¡¯


    This time, I applied less strength to my legs than before.


    By then, Ecok had already recovered.


    Thinking himself safe underwater, he swam through the depths of the sea.


    Bang!


    The second leap was more successful.


    Though my blade sank deep into the whale¡¯s body, that was as far as it went.


    No more exploring his innards this time.


    I gripped the hilt firmly and clung to his body.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    Ecok thrashed, trying to shake me off, but my left hand, which had been holding the blade, now gripped his flesh tightly.


    His flailing was spirited, like freshly caught fish.


    Well, let¡¯s see if I can carve out a vital point.


    Gripping the blade with my right hand, I began slicing into his flesh.


    Infused with energy, my arms swiftly carved through Ecok¡¯s body in rapid succession.


    Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!


    Flesh peeled away like wood shavings, staining the seawater red.


    Unable to withstand the extreme pain, Ecok opened his massive jaws wide before clamping them shut forcefully.


    As he did, his body began to shrink.


    It was about time for Dordone¡¯s true form to reveal itself.


    Each strike of my blade was deadly.


    Even a blade infused with aura would usually struggle to pierce Dordone¡¯s tough hide.


    But now, it sliced through him as if he were made of paper.


    ***


    Ecok was consumed by doubt.


    There was no one in the world who could rival Dordone.


    Even in the past, his defeats were at the hands of renowned monsters, and even then, it was always two against one.


    And those battles left them barely victorious, with severe injuries.


    ¡°How dare a mere swordsman, not even a mage, do this!!¡±


    Ecok roared, his mouth opening and closing as though to shout more.


    Though Hersel¡¯s voice couldn¡¯t be heard underwater, he could guess from the movement of his lips that he was saying something like, ¡°But I¡¯m part of the Magic Division¡­¡±


    For a moment, rage surged to the top of his head, but thanks to Dordone¡¯s influence, Ecok quickly regained his composure.


    Then, he began analyzing.


    This was because it could freely manipulate the sea.


    Without solid ground to push off from, swordsmen would be left floating helplessly in the water, unable to maintain their stance properly while swimming.


    Ecok thought of a way to escape the current situation.


    Even if he couldn¡¯t win, retreat might still be an option.


    First, he would kill everyone at Frost Heart, then delay the fight with the monster before him to another day.


    Slash!


    When nearly half of his torso had been sliced away, Ecok compressed all his remaining energy into the core that had been hidden deep within his body.


    What had felt like gaseous energy turned into liquid.


    Soon, it solidified to the point where it felt like a solid mass, and it began seeping out through the pores of his skin.


    Having already abandoned his whale form and transitioned into a humanoid shape, Ecok entrusted his body to the black armor emerging from within.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Meanwhile, the seawater was once again pushed away by Dorosian.


    As black smoke began to waft into the air, Ecok turned his head.


    Sizzle¡ª


    The smoke came from the armor.


    Postponing his analysis, Ecok fixed his gaze on Hersel, who was thrusting his sword.


    With improved dynamic vision, he could follow the movement of the sword.


    Of course, the drawback was the short duration and the immense fatigue that followed, but in the current situation, even exhausting everything might not be enough.


    Ecok swung his arm in sync with the trajectory of the blade aimed at his neck.


    Clang!


    Metal shards scattered from the sword.


    Ecok smirked, noticing his newfound strength.


    Ecok roared at Hersel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start by smashing that sword!¡±


    ¡°Smash it?¡±


    Clink!


    Hersel quickly sheathed his sword and narrowed his eyes as he spoke.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll face you with my fists.¡±


    Ecok was bewildered by his words.


    Despite his skills, he had entered the academy with no noticeable talent.


    And to top it off, he was in the Magic Division.


    Now, he was going so far as to fight barehanded like a barbarian.


    Faced with his series of absurd actions, Ecok decided to stop thinking about him.


    Ecok channeled all his strength into his body and lunged at Hersel.


    If he wanted to kill Dorosian, he would first need to deal with the man standing in front of him.  sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ecok¡¯s fist crashed into Hersel¡¯s face.


    Boom!


    The deafening noise echoed, yet once again, Hersel didn¡¯t even flinch, let alone step back.


    Even so, Ecok grinned faintly.


    Quickly ducking, he grabbed Hersel¡¯s ankle.


    If striking didn¡¯t work, he would just toss him.


    But¡ª


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hersel¡¯s body didn¡¯t budge, as if his feet were rooted deep into the ground.


    Ecok looked up at Hersel, who loomed over him, casting a shadow.


    Hersel was up to something strange again, biting his extended tongue with his teeth.


    It was a bizarre gesture, and though his jaw seemed to be clenched with full force, strangely, no blood flowed.


    Ecok decided once more to stop thinking.


    This was because the foot he thought wouldn¡¯t move had lifted off the ground and was now flying toward his head.


    Crash!


    The smell of dirt filled his nostrils, and his mouth filled with sand and fragments of broken rocks.


    He was underground.


    Deeply embedded, Ecok squinted against the light streaming in from above.


    It wasn¡¯t because the light was blinding.


    It was because Hersel¡¯s shadow was blocking it, as if to seal a coffin lid.


    The moment Hersel landed, a relentless series of blows rained down.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    The armor, which had even withstood the blade, began to crack under the blunt force.


    Crack!


    Even as he was struck, Ecok could do nothing.


    With each blow, he felt his resolve crumble.


    Eventually, as his consciousness blurred, Hersel¡¯s fist pierced his chest and struck the core, the greatest weakness of his spirit.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next

 Chapter 181

    As soon as the outcome was decided, Donatan spoke up.


    ¡®Sticking out your tongue during battle? That¡¯s disrespectful to your opponent.¡¯


    ¡®I wasn¡¯t trying to mock anyone. There¡¯s a reason for everything.¡¯


    Bang!


    I kicked off the ground and emerged from beneath the earth.


    The timing was perfect¡ªjust as the potion¡¯s effect was about to wear off.


    [Dream Elixir Duration: 0 seconds]


    [Effect has expired.]


    I wanted to save it, but I had used it well, so there were no regrets.


    After all, facing someone like Ecok, who had taken on Dordone¡¯s form, was equivalent to confronting a top-tier adversary in a high-difficulty scenario.


    Brushing the dust off my body, I lifted my head.


    The seawater was rapidly evaporating.


    It was only now that the end of the battle began to feel real.


    Then I remembered the sword that had been struck by fragments moments ago.


    Carefully, I drew it out.


    Clink!


    The once razor-sharp Shadow Blade of Weakening now had a chipped edge.


    Though it didn¡¯t have durability-enhancing options, it was still a fine sword.


    That showed just how overpowering Ecok¡¯s strength was¡ªenough to defy common sense.


    ¡°Hah, it¡¯ll take some time to repair this.¡±


    A fine sword can¡¯t be fixed by ordinary means.


    It requires the skills of a master blacksmith and a magician proficient in alchemy.


    I decided to look into that later and headed toward the barrier.


    The people who I had thought would still be lying on the training ground were barely propping themselves up, holding their aching bodies.


    They all stared at me with uneasy gazes.


    ¡®Did they¡­ see everything?¡¯


    ¡®Even the sick come to watch fights. Hersel, it¡¯s human nature.¡¯


    Sigh.


    I was used to it by now.


    They¡¯d admire me, place their hopes on me, and push me into danger again.


    At this point, there was nothing new about it.


    ¡°Stop standing around and open the barrier already.¡±


    At my words, a man who had been tending to the injured quickly rushed into the fortress.


    Not that it was necessary.


    Dorosian waved her staff and created an opening in the barrier.


    Walking through with ease, I flashed a slight smile at her.


    ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be getting kidnapped this time.¡±


    I was about to pass her to go change my clothes when her voice made me stop.


    ¡°Well done. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d win.¡±


    Was it just my imagination, or did her voice carry a hint of mockery, as if to say it wasn¡¯t over yet?


    I turned my head slightly to see her standing tall, staring into the distant void.


    ¡°What are you going to do about that?¡±


    Following her gaze, I looked up.


    My mouth slowly opened in disbelief.


    A black sun had formed in the sky.


    It was absorbing the surrounding black smoke, growing larger by the moment.


    Judging by how most of it was emerging from the ground, it had to be dark energy from underground.


    Just then, a gust of wind carried some of the dark energy across my cheek.


    I nearly gagged on reflex.


    What is this?


    It¡¯s different from normal.


    Ordinarily, it would just make me feel a little queasy.


    But now, it was cold enough to chill me to the bone, and the ominous aura was enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ is that¡­?¡±


    When I asked, Dorosian smirked.


    ¡°I warned you, didn¡¯t I? Oh, wait¡­ did you think my warning was about whales or something?¡±


    She pointed her staff at me.


    Feeling a sense of imminent danger, I quickly raised my hand to stop her, hoping to assess the situation.


    ¡°¡­Hold on, at least explain first. I need to understand before deciding whether to fulfill my end of the deal.¡±


    Dorosian half-closed her eyes and shrugged as if she would grant me that much.


    ¡°Do you remember when we got trapped on the staircase?¡±


    When I nodded, she brought up a forgotten variable.


    ¡°The magic tome that was there¡ªyou said you felt some kind of will from it, right? It¡¯s finally revealing its true nature.¡±


    ***


    When they were trapped in the staircase, the spirits claimed the grimoire was speaking. At the time, Dorosian could quickly discern the truth.


    ¡°Occasionally, there are objects that possess will.¡±


    True to the reputation of a family deeply engrossed in magical studies, many mysterious items had been brought in for research purposes¡ªobjects that imprisoned something within them, or ones infused with life through the attachment of a previous owner. Some were benign, exuding beneficial energy, while others were not.


    ¡°Mana and dark energy are often said to be just forces manipulated by living beings. But if you delve deeper, you¡¯ll find they have properties similar to paper.¡±


    As Dorosian explained, Hersel let out a low hum.


    ¡°You said you sensed a will from the grimoire? And your comparison to paper suggests that traces of the caster¡¯s emotions remain?¡±


    Dorosian smirked. She appreciated how quickly he grasped her point without needing detailed explanation.


    ¡°Exactly. Especially with dark energy¡ªit has traits far more pronounced than mana. But something this extreme¡­ It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve encountered. The previous owner must have been truly twisted.¡±


    Hersel exhaled deeply, as if something dawned on him, and asked, ¡°So, is it dangerous enough that we need to run?¡±


    Dorosian shot him a curt glance.


    The dark energy radiated a hostility so intense it made her skin tingle¡ªa resentment so powerful, it seemed intent on destroying everything. Even the knights, struggling with their ailments, could sense the ominous presence. They gazed at the Black Sun with trembling eyes.


    Dorosian found Hersel¡¯s obliviousness puzzling.


    The murderous aura poured down like torrential rain, forcing even the lowliest ants to crawl in desperate lines, seeking survival.


    Watching Hersel, who seemed unaffected by a threat even insects could perceive, Dorosian was certain there was a reason behind his indifference.


    Even now, dark energy was condensing around the grimoire. Dorosian focused her magical vision on the Black Sun, trying to decipher its intentions.


    She spotted a single spell forming on the open page.


    As she unraveled the magic at once, cold sweat trickled down her forehead.


    Gripping her staff tightly, Dorosian prepared to move.


    ¡°It¡¯ll crash down and explode soon. If it does, not just this area but the entire mountain range will be obliterated.¡±


    That should have been enough to convince him they needed to flee. Yet Hersel suddenly collapsed to the ground, gazing blankly at the sky.


    Irritated by his carefree demeanor, Dorosian frowned.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to sit around so leisurely.¡±


    ¡°Give me a moment to think.¡±


    He sighed repeatedly, as if deep in thought, though no answers seemed forthcoming.


    Just as she thought he¡¯d given up, Hersel lifted his head, a glimmer of determination in his eyes.


    ¡°If the problem is it falling¡­¡±


    His muttered words were incomprehensible, and Dorosian snapped at him, her voice tinged with irritation.


    ¡°My patience is wearing thin.¡±


    She had expected him to avoid a confrontation when faced with such overwhelming odds, like any rational person would. Yet his unexpected composure had made her hold back, thinking he might have a plan.


    But last time, he had chosen to fight, an act of desperation that had nearly cost them both. She had tried to retreat with him, only to be struck by the whale¡¯s massive fist.


    ¡°I get that it¡¯s powerful. But everything has its limits. Have you heard of self-destructive magic?¡±


    The ultimate forbidden magic, used as a last resort by those who delved into cursed sorcery. It was potent enough to take down even the strongest foes.


    The sheer amount of dark energy involved here was overwhelming, far surpassing the limits of any human caster. It combined the strength of a monstrous entity worthy of historical legend with the power of a dungeon buried deep underground.


    ¡°With that much dark energy, this won¡¯t just be a volcanic eruption¡ªit¡¯ll be a catastrophe beyond comparison.¡±


    Even if they survived, the aftermath would be no less devastating. The blast would scatter oxygen far and wide, leaving a vacuum in its wake for several minutes.


    In an environment so hostile, survival was impossible. No matter how strong a predator might be, it would starve without food, and it would suffocate without air.


    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense and just follow me.¡±


    Dorosian couldn¡¯t let Hersel die. There were too many questions, too many things she needed to know.


    The notion that he was destined to fall to his death from a cliff now seemed laughable. That was less than two years ago¡ªa span too short for someone to grow this powerful. She had briefly considered the possibility that her future self might have lied, but Dorosian believed there was one explanation that made sense of everything:


    ¡ªOnce you run away, it becomes easier the second time. And after the second, there¡¯s a third. That¡¯s how this world ends.


    Hersel was looping through time, accumulating knowledge from countless apocalyptic futures. This foresight allowed him to master the methods to grow stronger at an extraordinary pace.


    Dorosian couldn¡¯t think of a way. He was a man who had easily slain a monster that could have conquered the entire continent. If someone like that decided to stay put, stubbornly refusing to budge, there was nothing she could do.


    The only way was to secure his promise: if defeat became inevitable, he would follow her without resistance.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡±


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    Hersel rose from his spot. A faint smile appeared on Dorosian¡¯s lips. She was convinced he would follow her without complaint.


    But then he asked, ¡°Do you really think this situation is hopeless?¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re planning to break our agreement, that would be quite disappointing.¡±


    She prodded his pride gently, watching as Hersel¡¯s expression grew resolute, his gaze brimming with confidence.


    ¡°Break my promise? Not a chance. I guarantee I can handle this.¡±


    At that, Dorosian contemplated forcing him. She aimed her staff at him but stopped when he suddenly spoke her name.


    ¡°Dorosian, do you remember what I said when we went to find the mana stone? That you should reconsider?¡±


    ¡°Stop with your tricks and just come with me.¡±


    She sharply dismissed his words, yet Hersel continued, undeterred.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I you once, like a certain someone, not to give up after a single failure? That if it wasn¡¯t over, you should try again?¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s annoyance flared.


    Someone who gave up after one failure = Dorosian.


    Her scowl deepened, but she was startled when Hersel leaned in close, flashing a self-assured grin.


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time. I¡¯ll make you rethink everything.¡±


    Hersel¡¯s gloved hand reached toward Dorosian¡¯s face. She flinched and stepped back but stopped as his hand drew closer.


    Then her body froze.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this? My body¡ª¡±


    ¡°A paralytic powder. Just in case, I had one of Luon¡¯s gang whip it up for me. It¡¯ll wear off in time, so hang tight.¡±


    Without looking back, he bolted.


    ***


    Living in this body was nothing short of exhausting.


    Every time one problem was resolved, another would erupt, often in rapid succession. This time, the frequency of crises was so overwhelming that my mind felt on the verge of burnout.


    Yes, I knew the black-blooded grimoire was a wild card.


    It had once belonged to Felia the Wrathful, the final boss of Frost Heart. No wonder it was so volatile.


    Her sole goal was to destroy every trace of her master, and she was the most vicious will among all the Felia series.


    Given her deranged personality, it was no surprise that her grimoire carried remnants of her twisted intent.


    ¡®Donatan, I¡¯m so tired these days.¡¯


    ¡®Tch, tch. It¡¯s all karma. You sealed your fate the moment you started deceiving people.¡¯


    ¡®No, not that. It¡¯s the people. The ones around me are all so warped.¡¯


    The future Dorosian, who had brought things to this point, was one problem. The current Dorosian, who was trying to kidnap him, was another.


    Those who threw me into deadly situations fueled by mere expectations were devils in disguise, and all my enemies were heartless psychopaths without a shred of humanity.


    Honestly, I wanted to burn this hellish place to the ground, but that could wait until the story concluded.


    ¡®By the way, where are we headed?¡¯


    At Donatan¡¯s question, I pointed to the high-rise building.


    ¡°Rockefeller¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why there? No, never mind. It must be another one of your bizarre ideas.¡±


    Bizarre idea¡­ Not entirely wrong.


    What I planned to do involved an item stored in my inventory:


    ¡ºRing of Dark Energy¡»


    Allows external dark energy to be used as energy.


    Enables resonance between external and internal dark energy.


    This was how I intended to prevent destruction.


    Even to me, it felt like a reckless approach.


    ***


    Limberton and Aslay had been placed under isolation. Rockefeller, who had been monitoring them, let out a bewildered exclamation.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest¡¯s influence extends even to shielding you from disease, it seems.¡±


    Limberton scratched his head and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean the reason you haven¡¯t been infected is absurdly simple,¡± Rockefeller said, glancing at the bow strapped to Limberton¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯ve avoided direct contact with spirits and haven¡¯t mingled much with the crowd.¡±


    Then he turned to Aslay.


    ¡°And you, Aslay Torta¡­ ahem, that name is a mouthful. Anyway, I can¡¯t figure you out. Nomads are typically vulnerable to diseases.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been healthy since I was a child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t been infected? The Cordae virus is guaranteed to infect anyone without immunity.¡±


    Rockefeller gritted his teeth as he glared.


    ¡°My guess? You¡¯re all infected by Hersel Ben Tenest. That man must be such a walking cesspool of germs that even foreign bacteria can¡¯t survive in his presence.¡±


    Thinking his theory sound, Rockefeller¡¯s voice brimmed with confidence.


    Aslay leaned toward Limberton and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s obvious he usually dislikes the boss, but he¡¯s especially harsh today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that? Apparently, Hersel made some kind of promise with Dorosian. Something about the two of them fleeing if things got dangerous.¡±


    Aslay chuckled. ¡°The boss would never abandon us. Even if he promised, he¡¯d stay to the end.¡±


    Rockefeller snapped, ¡°You don¡¯t get it, you fool of a savage! By now, Hersel and Dorosian have likely left the academy far behind.¡±


    Limberton tilted his head.


    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t they deal with that¡­ whale thing? Isn¡¯t it over?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve been stuck in here too long to know. A new threat has appeared outside.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s expression turned serious as he asked, ¡°Professor, what¡¯s the problem out there?¡±


    ¡°¡­Students dying, I can accept. But now they¡¯re leaving the entire school population to perish without offering any help. We¡¯ve done nothing to deserve this¡ªwhy are we being treated like death row inmates?¡±


    Rockefeller didn¡¯t respond, avoiding Limberton¡¯s gaze in silence.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the issue this time?¡± Limberton pressed.


    Rockefeller began explaining: the Black Sun outside, a force with the explosive potential to leave no trace behind, poised to fall upon Frost Heart.


    At Limberton¡¯s relaxed demeanor, Rockefeller raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you so calm about?¡±


    Limberton grinned. ¡°Hersel will handle it, as always.¡±


    Rockefeller scoffed, but at that moment, Hersel¡¯s voice echoed throughout the stronghold:


    ¡°All mages, assemble immediately. I know it¡¯s tough with the disease, but whether you die here or out there, the result is the same. At least aim for a death that offers a chance of survival.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Rockefeller muttered, ¡°He¡¯s taken over my office¡­¡±


    ¡°Quiet, will you? I can¡¯t hear properly,¡± Limberton said.


    ¡°You insolent fool! You¡¯re growing as impertinent as that man!¡± Rockefeller growled, glaring daggers at Limberton.


    But then Hersel¡¯s voice called out: ¡°Limberton, Aslay, report to my office immediately.¡±


    Rockefeller sighed heavily, a faint smile of relief creeping onto his face. Without a word, he gestured for them to leave.


    Limberton saluted him before sprinting off with Aslay.


    Bursting into the office, they found Hersel drawing his staff from its holster. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Time to explain the plan,¡± Hersel said, pointing to the Black Sun outside the window.


    ¡°Aslay, you¡¯ll throw me directly into the Black Sun. Limberton, your job is to measure wind speed and angles to ensure I hit the target precisely.¡±


    Limberton¡¯s eyes widened at the outlandish plan.


    ¡°Wait, what are you trying to do?¡±


    Hersel¡¯s lips curled into a grin.


    ¡°Detonate it in midair.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    Prev I TOC I Next


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 Chapter 182

    The students sprawled across the training grounds began to be dragged away like lifeless baggage.


    With so few still in decent shape, it was a time-consuming task.


    ¡°Whew, we¡¯ve managed to gather all the knights in one spot, but¡­¡±


    The professor, who had gathered the students in the center of the training grounds, wore an expression tinged with pity.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough, but the mages have to get up right now. You heard what Hersel said, didn¡¯t you? He seems to have a plan. If we want to survive, we all need to put in some effort.¡±


    ¡°¡­Cough. Isn¡¯t this a bit cruel to those who are actually sick?¡±


    The professor let out a shallow sigh.


    ¡°Honestly, if we abandoned you and fled, that would be the end of it for us. But we stayed, trying to save you. At least take that into account and muster some strength.¡±


    Pale-faced and sweating, the mages struggled to their feet, wobbling unsteadily.


    ¡°So, what exactly do we need to do?¡±


    A student, swaying as if dizzy, asked hesitantly. The professor scratched his head.


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know yet either¡­¡±


    He glanced up at the office where Hersel was likely stationed.


    In the meantime, someone else spoke up.


    ¡°They don¡¯t look so good.¡±


    ¡°No kidding. We need to act quickly.¡±


    It was the professors who had gone to create the antidote.


    Behind them was a group of professors and students carrying an assortment of equipment.


    ¡°What¡¯s all that for?¡±


    ¡°Well, we need to make the antidote, don¡¯t we? We couldn¡¯t haul the whole building, so we grabbed whatever seemed useful.¡±


    ¡°So, the antidote isn¡¯t ready yet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that¡¯s made in an instant¡­¡±


    One professor replied while glancing back.


    ¡°Still, that guy managed to whip up a single dose. Apparently, he used some unheard-of method.¡±


    ¡°¡­Impressive. So, who gets that dose?¡±


    ¡°Of course, the head of health care. The principal¡¯s condition is critical. If we don¡¯t operate soon, it¡¯ll be disastrous.¡±


    As the professor gestured toward Arkandric, who was being carried on a stretcher, Bellman administered an injection to the healthcare professor.


    Recovery would normally take days, but waiting that long would mean Arkandric wouldn¡¯t survive. Bellman let out a sigh.


    Fortunately, according to the text, the antidote should restore consciousness within two hours. It was far better to have someone guide the procedure than to rely solely on a book for something he had never done before.


    ¡°By the way, has anyone heard what exactly we¡¯re supposed to do?¡±


    To the professor¡¯s question, another professor who had just emerged from the fortress shook his head.


    ¡°No, we were holed up in the lab the whole time. Didn¡¯t even see the guy¡¯s face.¡±


    Bellman looked up at Hersel¡¯s office.


    His musings were interrupted as Hersel¡¯s voice echoed through a loudspeaker.


    ¡°Once preparations are complete, I¡¯ll signal you. Everyone who knows how to use magic, deploy barrier spells without exception. If you don¡¯t know how, use anything. If you have magic that can block an attack, don¡¯t hold back¡ªgive it your all.¡±


    Bellman began to piece things together.


    ¡®Telling us to prepare defenses must mean there¡¯s no way to neutralize the explosion itself. Which means¡­?¡¯


    A realization struck him, and his eyes widened.


    ¡°There must be a way to mitigate its power.¡±


    The energy radiating from the Black Sun was far beyond what a barrier could contain.


    Even so, if they were talking about survival, the odds seemed plausible.


    Bellman took out his staff and hurriedly began drawing a spell formation.


    The professor approached with a puzzled look.


    ¡°You¡¯re starting already, even without the signal?¡±


    ¡°No, this is just something I want to test.¡±


    As if conducting a simple experiment, Bellman¡¯s barrier was small.


    With his vision just recently awakened, this might work. Bellman rifled through his mind, pulling out ideas from beyond the academy¡¯s knowledge, including the materials from the Mage Tower.


    He added more spell formations, enhancing the previously simple barrier into something more intricate.


    The barrier began to take on a honeycomb structure, filled with hexagonal openings. This design, inspired by the shock-absorbing nature of honeycombs, was ideal.


    Looking at his newly created barrier, Bellman clenched his fist.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    While they rejoiced, a shadow fell.


    Bellman looked up.


    Dorosian was smiling slyly as she suspended a glowing staff with telekinetic magic, then drove it into the barrier.


    The barrier cracked with a harsh snap, and Bellman¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    Her lips curled into a faint, somewhat satisfied smile, as though she had just vented her frustration.


    ¡°Just blowing off some steam. And it looked different from an ordinary barrier, so I decided to break it.¡±


    Bellman blinked at the word ¡®different.¡¯ Someone from the Grice family would have seen barriers enhanced with form-shaping magic many times.


    If she thought this one was ¡®different,¡¯ it meant she had recognized the unique nature of Bellman¡¯s magic.


    Dorosian picked up a fragment of the shattered barrier, inspecting it carefully.


    From her hand emerged a barrier identical to the one Bellman had created.


    Clink!


    When she collided the fragments using telekinesis, hers was the one that shattered.


    ¡°I made it with the same amount of mana, but the density is different. Sometimes, people like you show up¡ªthose who are exceptional in a specific area of magic, even if it¡¯s the same spell.¡±


    Bellman swallowed hard, his mind racing.


    Dorosian was a woman who possessed an extraordinary amount of mana and unparalleled destructive power.


    Her abilities alone could be of immense help.


    But Dorosian seemed to notice his expression and narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that look¡ªlike you¡¯re about to ask for my help.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can you read minds or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to. I¡¯ve dealt with all sorts of people, and it¡¯s written all over your face.¡±


    Her response gave Bellman a clue.


    Obsessed with magical discoveries, those scholars would have disregarded any rumors about her being dangerous and sought her out relentlessly, likely begging for assistance in their research.


    They would have promised massive rewards, only to be flatly rejected.


    Bellman was about to give up when she suddenly spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯ll handle the core. I¡¯ll infuse my mana to reinforce and expand the barrier.¡±


    Bellman¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you deaf as well as clueless? Or just slow to understand? I said I¡¯ll channel my mana into your barrier spell formation.¡±


    He nearly blurted out, ¡®Why?¡¯, but stopped himself. Dorosian¡¯s gaze was fixed on the upper levels of the fortress.


    For a moment, he was puzzled, but then he remembered something.


    Her motivation back then had likely been Hersel¡ªand it seemed the same applied now.


    Bellman looked up and spotted Hersel, standing by an open window. Through the loudspeaker, Hersel issued his instructions.


    ¡°Aslay and Limberton will complete their tasks and descend. Rockefeller will catch them with telekinesis or something similar.¡±


    ***


    As the time drew near, I slipped a ring onto my finger. It was a gray ring I had obtained from Felia¡¯s subspace.


    ¡ºRing of Dark Energy¡»


    [Allows external dark energy to be used as a source of power. Enables resonance between external and internal dark energy.]


    For me, the ring¡¯s greatest utility lay in its synergy with self-destruct magic.


    If I activated self-destruction in a place saturated with dark energy while wearing the ring, it would be like igniting a spark in a powder keg.


    Given the scale of the disaster that was about to unfold, adding my ¡®tiny¡¯ explosion would hardly make a difference.


    Looking down, I called out.


    ¡°Is the weight manageable?¡±


    Aslay, who was using one hand as a platform, lifted and lowered his arm as if exercising with a dumbbell. Each movement made me wobble slightly.


    ¡°Hmm. I think you can add a bit more.¡±


    At his response, I waved my staff to recast the weight-lightening spell.


    ¡°How about now?¡±


    I was adjusting my weight to ensure it was optimal for Aslay to throw me as far as possible, effectively making myself a shot put ball.


    From the window, Limberton, who was readying his bow, called out with a hint of concern.


    ¡°The wind is pretty unpredictable¡ªespecially closer to that black sphere. The air currents are so strong, it¡¯s like a typhoon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll have to be handled with telekinesis.¡±


    ¡°Focus on the angle. The weight is now 7.3 kilograms. Attach that much to the arrow and fire again.¡±


    Limberton loaded his arrow with additional weights, making it noticeably more challenging to shoot. However, given his recent explosive growth in skill, he should be able to handle it.


    Ping!


    Limberton¡¯s arrow, fired with a high arc, sailed through the air and landed near the Black Sun.


    Of course, the difference in air resistance between a human body and an arrow was stark, but there was no time to factor in such calculations.


    ¡°Hersel, it looks like the sphere is descending.¡±


    In the heat of battle, the only option was to assess and react on the spot.


    ¡°¡­I know. Limberton, Aslay, get ready.¡±


    The window was narrow, hardly ideal for Aslay to get a running start to throw. Aslay smashed the wall of Rockefeller¡¯s office with brute force, creating more space, and backed up as far as possible.


    As I crouched down on his palm to stabilize myself, Aslay asked,


    ¡°Boss, can I ask something?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you really sure about this?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment. From the window, Limberton, gesturing with his arrow, chimed in.


    ¡°Yeah, we all know you¡¯re no stranger to doing outrageous things. And you¡¯ve succeeded so far. But this? This is going too far.¡±


    Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure either.


    What kind of human air-defense system was this? To intercept a bomb that could annihilate the area using just my body?


    Even I had to admit¡ªit was madness.


    Even if I somehow survived the initial explosion with ¡®one second of invulnerability,¡¯ there was no guarantee I could handle what came after.


    If the searing heat of the blast didn¡¯t dissipate instantly, I¡¯d melt to death. Or, worse, I could be thrown off course, plummeting back to the ground before my cooldown ended.


    But then again, when had my life ever been rational?


    Every situation I¡¯d faced up until now had been absurd.


    And yet, despite everything¡­


    ¡°In truth, I¡¯ve never had certainty. Not once. I¡¯ve never had choices either.¡±


    I had simply acted, time and time again.


    ¡°And I can¡¯t just sit here doing nothing, can I?¡±


    Aslay clenched his jaw and sprinted toward the window at full speed. At the same time, Limberton loosed an arrow weighted with a ballast.


    Following the arrow, my body soared into the air.


    ***


    Dorosian watched the gathering in the middle of the training grounds.


    Many of them, weak from illness, staggered as if they could barely stand.


    To her, their lives didn¡¯t matter.


    The only reason she had chosen to help was because of a calm realization she had while temporarily paralyzed.


    In Dorosian¡¯s mind, Hersel had already solidified his identity as someone who knew the future.


    Not just one, but multiple possible futures. And he was risking everything for these people.


    If they died, his plans would be ruined. That must be why he was so determined to save them, even at the cost of his own life.


    A woman who rarely showed compassion, Dorosian had come to this conclusion through pure calculation.


    Meanwhile, Bellman began drawing a barrier spell formation.


    The appointed time, as Hersel had mentioned, seemed to have arrived.


    Others joined in, contributing their own defensive measures, but to Dorosian, they all seemed inadequate.


    ¡®In their condition, isn¡¯t this almost pointless?¡¯


    Dorosian aimed her staff at Bellman¡¯s formation. Infusing mana into someone else¡¯s spell formation was a notoriously tricky process¡ªit required adjustments for the caster¡¯s unique habits, including density, amount, and arrangement.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    Wiping the sweat from her brow, Dorosian watched as the barrier thickened and expanded to envelop the entire area.


    The others glanced at her in surprise, their faces showing a mix of awe and relief.


    ¡°So, what exactly is Hersel planning?¡± she asked.


    Bellman shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Dorosian was exasperated.


    ¡°You¡¯re following him without knowing? All of you?¡±


    In any other scenario, such a situation would have descended into chaos. Everyone would be shouting their own ideas, acting independently, and the group would fall apart.


    But here, with no concrete explanation, everyone had united around Hersel¡¯s vague promise of a solution.


    It was incomprehensible.


    ¡°You joined later, so you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Bellman explained. ¡°If you¡¯d been here during the first semester, you¡¯d have seen it too. He always comes up with methods that defy logic¡ªand they always work.¡±


    At that moment, a sound of crumbling stone came from above.


    Nearby, Rockefeller clenched his teeth and growled.


    ¡°Those bastards¡ªmy office!¡±


    His office wall had been destroyed, and Dorosian¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted something.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    A figure was soaring through the air alongside the arrow, heading straight for the Black Sun. Bellman¡¯s voice quivered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ that¡¯s how he plans to reduce the impact¡­¡±


    Dorosian didn¡¯t need him to finish the thought to understand.


    The explosion wouldn¡¯t happen on the ground¡ªit would be detonated mid-air.


    And Hersel planned to do it himself, up close, using the most reckless method possible.


    ¡°That idiot!¡±


    Dorosian¡¯s shout was lost as the world was consumed by blinding white light. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Boom.


    When the deafening roar subsided, Dorosian opened her eyes.


    The first thing she saw was a mix of steam and dust. She couldn¡¯t see what was happening outside.


    The barrier began to crack and crumble, falling away in pieces.


    Rattle¡­ crash.


    In a daze, Dorosian walked toward the cloud of debris. Realizing she had stepped into the dust, she waved her staff, clearing the air.


    Dorosian felt the fine hairs on her skin stand on end.


    The faint residue of mana stung her nose.


    Even though the explosion had pushed all energy outward, leaving only a faint trace, its presence was strikingly vivid.


    As she walked toward the source, she spotted Hersel, wearing a set of clothes he must have scavenged from somewhere.


    Buttoning his shirt, he spoke casually.


    ¡°I intend to survive to the very end. What about you?¡±


    Dorosian found herself momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of what expression to make.


    Her mind was a tangle of thoughts.


    She had always kept her distance from others, afraid of becoming too attached to anyone. She had never entertained the idea of raising children, knowing they would likely die young. The image of an old version of herself sitting in a rocking chair, knitting, had never crossed her mind¡ªit was too pointless to even imagine.


    But now, for the first time, the world seemed to hold a glimmer of continuity.


    Even so, Dorosian hesitated to answer. Reflecting on all she had done, she found the idea of making such a choice almost laughable.


    But then Hersel¡¯s next words pulled a soft chuckle from her lips.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hesitating because you think you¡¯ve messed up your life too much, just think of me. The so-called scoundrel clawing and scraping to survive.¡±


    Suddenly, a warm gust of wind whipped through the air.


    Dorosian, gazing at his windswept golden hair, turned her head when she saw his mouth gape open.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The fortress of Frostheart had completely collapsed.


    Standing amidst the ruins, Hersel blinked and remarked with an air of nonchalance,


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s ruined.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


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 Chapter 183

    I sat on a modestly crafted chair, sipping tea.


    Though I called it tea, the cup carved from stone only held hot water.


    Savoring its lack of aroma, I closed my eyes and organized my thoughts about the recent events.


    The root of all this chaos lay in two incidents: Felia stealing the Grimoire of Crimson Jade and the future Dorosian handing over the Grimoire of Black Blood to Ecok.


    Because of these actions, Ecok was able to accelerate the timeline.


    Perhaps due to the temporal gap, even higher-ranking spirits, who shouldn¡¯t have appeared at this point, were summoned.


    I had heard somewhere that time flows differently in the spirit realm compared to the human world.


    That could explain why such phenomena aligned temporally.


    This aspect felt deeply unsettling.


    It was hard to shake the feeling that everything in this situation had been manipulated by the future Dorosian, who had the greatest involvement in the matter.


    Why?


    Because the information Ecok had gained through his resurrection was far more profound than I had anticipated.


    Before our battle, Ecok spoke, revealing insights I had not been aware of.


    His key points were as follows:


    ¡°Through Dordone¡¯s memories, I saw the humans of ancient times. Truly disgusting creatures. They acted without hesitation if it meant even the slightest gain. Do you know how many races were wiped out because of them?¡±


    Through the unfolding scenarios, I had learned that there were other races in the past aside from humans.


    ¡°Eventually, they went too far, even purging their own kings. The Elven King, the Giant King, and even the Spirit King of Flames, Alkin, whom Dordone served¡ªthey all met gruesome ends.¡±


    As Ecok spoke, his expression seemed to merge with Dordone¡¯s, showing an intense blend of sorrow and rage.


    ¡°Yet, despite everything, Dordone never lost hope in humanity. Not everyone shared the same vile disposition, after all.¡±


    I listened closely to his words.


    Never before, even during Ecok¡¯s attack that caused Frostheart¡¯s game-over scenario or his subsequent downfall, had I encountered such depth in his narrative.


    ¡°Perhaps a new era of peace will dawn once more. Just like when the one who ruled over all the kings was still alive.¡±


    ¡°The one who ruled over all the kings?¡±


    ¡°A man known as the Immortal King. In modern times, he¡¯s arrogantly referred to as the Undying.¡±


    He was a figure who had often appeared in ancient myths.


    However, the tales were predominantly negative, giving him a rather unsavory reputation.


    ¡°After his death, the world began to change. He was respected by all races, yet ironically, many humans despised him.¡±


    I briefly wondered how an ¡°immortal king¡± could die.


    ¡°To them, the king was a force of restraint. He suppressed their desires¡ªto own the elves, exploit the giants¡¯ labor, enjoy the spirits¡¯ blessings, and use demonic power to inflict suffering on their enemies.¡±


    It dawned on me that perhaps the root of all these calamities lay elsewhere.


    ¡°Surely, this isn¡¯t the work of the Eyes of Eternity, is it?¡±


    The moment the phrase ¡°Eyes of Eternity¡± left my mouth, Ecok¡¯s demeanor shifted as though caught off guard.


    ¡°Do you know who they are?¡±


    The reincarnators known as the Eyes of Eternity were the ultimate antagonists of Asares.


    These entities had perpetrated unspeakable evils from ancient times to the present.


    It seemed my suspicion about their involvement in such a grand scheme was correct.


    When I asked Ecok about their origins, he responded:


    ¡°They are beings of endless malice. Though they revered the Immortal King outwardly, they were inwardly consumed by greed, always coveting his power. Then, an opportunity presented itself.¡±


    ¡°An opportunity?¡±


    ¡°At the time, the Immortal King had just concluded a battle to preserve the world¡¯s existence. The toll was immense¡ªhe even lost a portion of his power.¡±


    This revelation partially answered the question of how an immortal being could perish.


    It also shed light on how the Eyes of Eternity became reincarnators.


    ¡°They consumed fragments of him that had scattered across the world. From this, they gained the power of reincarnation. Their abilities are directly linked to the Immortal King.¡±


    ¡°Having lost the ability to truly die, they accumulated knowledge and strength over time, plunging the world into chaos with their actions.¡±


    Finally, Ecok explained Dordone¡¯s rationale for attempting to conquer the human world:


    ¡°Humanity as it stands requires management. To prevent a recurrence of past atrocities, they must be confined and selected, weeding out those corrupted by evil.¡±


    The eradication of reincarnators.


    To eliminate beings who reincarnated solely through human vessels, total annihilation of humanity seemed the only solution.


    However, true to his peaceful nature, Dordone sought a path of reconciliation.


    The war he initiated was under the pretense of managing humanity through conquest.


    Though his ideology was extreme and hard to accept, it wasn¡¯t entirely incomprehensible.


    I chose not to mention it to Ecok, who bore Dordone¡¯s memories, but deep within the demonic realm, there were still remnants of races that had survived the massacres.


    Of course, Ecok was likely aware of this too.


    Once the reincarnators were dealt with, he would probably move to pursue the dream of prosperity once more.


    That concluded my conversation with Ecok.


    Overall, it was insightful.


    I learned things I hadn¡¯t known about the Eyes of Eternity.


    Still, wasn¡¯t this going too far?


    Looking down at the students crouched on the dirt ground, I let out a long sigh.


    ¡°W-Where are we supposed to sleep now?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°What about food?¡±


    ¡°Forget food; shouldn¡¯t we be treating these injuries first? Ugh, I¡¯m in pain.¡±


    The snow that had blanketed the mountain range had all evaporated into steam.


    With such devastating destruction, it was impossible for the fortress to remain intact.


    The only structures that had survived were the heavily secured barrier control room, the treasure hall, and the restricted archives, which were constructed with extra care.


    Everything else had been reduced to dust, leaving no trace behind.


    At this point, I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Was this the end of Frostheart¡¯s assigned story arc?


    Or was this just the beginning of a new obstacle?


    ¡°This¡­ this feels like the academy is done for. Can I just go home now?¡±


    ¡°I want to sit by the fireplace and have some warm soup. I¡¯m so sick of this place.¡±


    Haha, you¡¯re telling me.


    I¡¯d like nothing more than to go home myself.


    ***


    At the center of the training ground, a single tent had been set up.


    The tent was made hastily from blankets stolen from sick and injured students.  S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inside, Rockefeller paced nervously, biting his nails.


    ¡°Is¡­ is the principal going to be alright?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s question made Bellman¡¯s hand tremble as he held a needle.


    ¡°¡­My hands are shaking from the tension. This is hard enough as it is, so please let me focus.¡±


    The surgical environment was so makeshift they had to rely on portable tools they happened to have on hand.


    Even though the medical professor lying on the ground offered words of encouragement, Bellman¡¯s hands showed no signs of calming.


    ¡°I¡¯ve disinfected everything properly, and the bleeding is under control. Now, carefully suture that blood vessel.¡±


    ¡°If I make even a small mistake, it could be fatal. Please, explain more precisely¡ªhow many stitches do I need?¡±


    Despite his anxiety, Bellman moved his hands.


    Rockefeller turned pale every time Arkandrick¡¯s body twitched.


    ¡°Did¡­ did it work?¡±


    ¡°For now, at least.¡±


    Hearing this, Rockefeller quickly cast a healing spell.


    Only a few more steps remained.


    Bellman slumped his shoulders, taking a brief break from his work, and asked, ¡°By the way, Professor, what happens to the academy now?¡±


    Rockefeller couldn¡¯t answer.


    The fortress, with its proud and long history, was gone.


    He had repeatedly assessed the damage, wondering if recovery was even possible.


    The conclusion was always the same: complete restoration was impossible.


    At best, they could rebuild a shell of the structure.


    The cost of constructing even the shell of the fortress was comparable to purchasing a small estate.


    Given the budget constraints caused by repairing the damage from the recent Luon incident, there wasn¡¯t even enough money to rebuild the dormitories.


    This was an academy for training Pathfinders, not a training ground for construction workers.


    Rockefeller racked his brain, trying to devise a solution to the current crisis.


    Meanwhile, Bellman, clearly lacking patience, prodded him again.


    ¡°Professor, judging by the students¡¯ mood, most of them are convinced the academy is done for. If you don¡¯t present a concrete plan soon, there could be a revolt.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re mostly injured. They don¡¯t have the strength for a revolt. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡±


    Rockefeller swallowed hard, sinking deeper into thought.


    He sighed deeply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to report this to headquarters.¡±


    The damage was far too extensive to conceal.


    There would inevitably be evaluations of the faculty and severe reprimands for negligence.


    Above all, the drastically reduced budget loomed large.


    Rockefeller decided to set aside thoughts of the future and focus on the present.


    But Bellman, squinting his eyes, asked, ¡°So, there¡¯s no solution outside the Central Headquarters, is there? What do you plan to write in the report?¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s expression drooped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to write the truth. Lying in a report is a grave crime. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s better not to write anything at all. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve tried to cover things up until now.¡±


    Adjusting his sliding glasses, Bellman responded in a deliberate, emotionless tone:


    ¡°You¡¯re going to write that spirits invaded, accompanied by slug, fish, and whales, and that a black sun destroyed the academy?¡±


    Hearing that, Rockefeller fully grasped how absurd it all sounded.


    But there was no other choice.


    ¡°It¡¯s foolish, but there¡¯s no other way. My reputation will be in tatters, but I¡¯ll have to rely on a report that might sound believable to someone.¡±


    Rockefeller glanced around, searching for writing materials.


    But the surroundings were barren.


    ¡°Bellman Tol Gers, do you have a pen and paper by any chance?¡±


    Bellman shook his head and thought to himself:


    This is the end for Frostheart.


    The academy is utterly ruined.


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the Central Pathfinder Headquarters, chaos buzzed through the halls.


    Rumors swirled: an increase in monster sightings prompting large-scale hunting parties, militia mobilizations to restore order, and rampant criminal organizations exploiting the turmoil.


    A middle-aged clerk stamping documents sent from those entering the demonic realm clicked his tongue.


    ¡°The world¡¯s in shambles.¡±


    The young man beside him nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. But¡­ I¡¯m worried about my brother. He just got into Wisdom Academy. I think I heard something happened there, too.¡±


    ¡°Hah. If you¡¯re worried, you should¡¯ve sent him to Frostheart. Things have been quiet there.¡±


    The young man chuckled dryly. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t joke. Frostheart¡¯s tradition is to cover things up, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    As graduates of Frostheart, they knew all too well.


    Whenever something happened, the academy¡¯s response was to stay silent and pretend it didn¡¯t.


    After focusing on his work for a moment, the older clerk flipped a page and added, ¡°Oh, by the way, did you know? My father works in the finance department at the imperial palace.¡±


    ¡°I know. Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard something interesting. Wisdom, Valiant, Everblaze, and Scarlet Academy are all requesting massive budgets.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°And the reasons are absurd. One academy claims their grounds suddenly turned into a jungle. Another says a translucent fortress appeared in the skies, causing catastrophic damage.¡±


    The young man smirked, nearly scoffing.


    ¡°Sounds like lies. It¡¯s obvious they¡¯re exaggerating to squeeze money out. These imperial-managed academies are so spoiled¡ªthey¡¯ve grown downright shameless.¡±


    ¡°Even so,¡± the older clerk sighed, ¡°so many witnesses testified to it that my father¡¯s been ordered to verify it. The poor man, in his old age, has to travel now.¡±


    As he let out a bitter sigh, the clerk flipped through more papers and froze at the sight of crimson writing on coarse, cheap material.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡±


    The ¡°paper¡± was little more than a thinly sliced wooden plank.


    The writing wasn¡¯t ink but carvings filled with red paint¡ªlikely blood.


    ¡°Ugh, it reeks of blood. This is blood, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The older man flinched at the bold letters engraved on the first plank: Frostheart.


    Swallowing hard, he turned the page, only to be greeted by text wholly unsuited for an official report.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe this, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of emotion-laden nonsense is this? Who¡¯s the head professor over there?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ last I checked, Professor Rockefeller.¡±


    ¡°Rockefeller? That guy? He doesn¡¯t seem the type. Let¡¯s read further.¡±


    As they read, the expressions on their faces grew increasingly baffled.


    ¡°Whales appeared in the mountains. A spirit king, they say. And a student defeated it.¡±


    ¡°Rockefeller¡­ he¡¯s lost his mind, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we report this immediately? They need to replace him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡±


    The older clerk carefully packed the planks into a box and began drafting a formal report to send up the chain.


    The box eventually reached Sir Noras, secretary to the Pathfinder Council Elders.


    Cleaning his glasses repeatedly, Noras reviewed the contents with disbelief.


    ¡°What? They¡¯re asking for 30 years¡¯ worth of funding in advance based on this nonsense?¡±


    Noras tightened his grip on the box.


    ¡°Have they gone mad? How dare they send this drivel to Headquarters?¡±


    It felt like a blatant act of rebellion against the upper ranks, worthy of immediate punishment.


    Yet something gnawed at him.


    ¡°Still, they did recruit Dorosian and Mircel¡­ perhaps their circumstances deserve consideration.¡±


    Moreover, Arental had shown interest in Hersel, adding to the feeling that an investigation was warranted.


    Sighing, Noras picked up the box and headed for Elder Arental¡¯s office.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


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 Chapter 184

    The students lying on the dirt groaned in agony.


    ¡°Starving¡­ so hungry¡­¡±


    ¡°Professor, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m dying from pain¡ªI¡¯m dying from hunger.¡±


    I averted my gaze from their cracked lips and pale faces and turned to the professors.


    ¡°Just hold on a little longer. Seems like all the animals fled because of the explosion. It¡¯s not easy to find any nearby.¡±


    ¡°W-what about fish?¡±


    ¡°Those all got cooked to death.¡±


    No buildings, no food.


    This place, teeming only with the sick, was no longer fit for humans to live in.


    But the most absurd part was something else entirely.


    ¡°By the way, have you contacted our families?¡±


    ¡°Ahem. Well¡­ uh¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right! I just remembered something urgent I need to handle.¡±


    The professors avoided sending the students home, effectively stranding them in this wasteland.


    ¡°Professor, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Answer me before you leave!¡±


    The reason was simple.


    There was no such thing as expulsion at Frostheart Academy.


    Given the situation, the professors feared what would happen if this reached the parents.


    They decided to drag things out as long as possible.


    If word got out, it wasn¡¯t impossible for families to send armed forces to raid the academy.


    Thanks to this, the students were completely isolated.


    To make matters worse, the academy¡¯s location was so remote for security reasons that escaping on foot required a grueling journey.


    Dorosian, however, was a different story.


    ¡ªI need to step out for a bit to handle something.


    She told me she¡¯d be back shortly, then used a magic so powerful it distorted space-time, disappearing completely.


    It was the high-speed teleportation spell meant for us to escape together.


    Her ¡°stepping out¡± was clearly just her deserting us.


    Honestly, I¡¯d love to make a run for it, even on foot.


    But I had a painfully good reason why I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°¡­Brother, I feel awful.¡±


    I placed a cold, damp cloth on the forehead of Mircel, who was lying under my coat used as a blanket.


    ¡°Just hold on a little longer. I¡¯ve made it clear that the medicine priority is yours.¡±


    Those working with Bellman to craft medicine had managed to salvage only the bare essentials.


    Distillers and other large equipment were replaced with magic and manual labor, which slowed progress.


    As soon as the medicine was ready, I begged Bellman to hand it over immediately and threatened the professors.


    ¡ªAnd what did you say?


    ¡ªI said I¡¯d report you directly to my father.¡±


    For the professors, the most terrifying parent was Aol.


    They¡¯d prioritize providing us medicine and other conveniences to avoid his wrath.


    ¡°Ugh, young master, I need a cold cloth too.¡±


    Selly, lying nearby, whimpered.


    I threw a wet cloth onto her face without hesitation.


    Plop!


    ¡°Ugh! That¡¯s too much! I¡¯m already in pain!¡±


    ¡°And how much more do you expect me to do for you?¡±


    This was originally Selly¡¯s job as a servant.


    She should be grateful I was even helping at all.


    ¡°Brother, me too, please.¡±


    This time, it was Erucel.


    Sigh.


    Taking care of three people was starting to drain me.


    Still, as my siblings and my servant, abandoning them wasn¡¯t an option.


    ¡°I said I need one too¡­¡±


    Just then, a chilly wind began to blow, and I heard heavy footsteps.


    It must¡¯ve been Limberton, who¡¯d gone hunting, and Aslay, who¡¯d gone to fetch wood.


    ¡°¡­Cold cloth.¡±


    Lifting my head, I saw Limberton carrying a wild boar on his back.


    Behind him, Aslay was hauling two massive logs on his shoulders.


    After they dropped their haul on the ground, I drew my sword and began carving the logs.


    Swish!


    Though the blade was slightly cracked, the sharpness of the ¡°Weakened Shadow Sword¡± made slicing the wood effortless.


    I pulled out the ropes we¡¯d prepared earlier¡ªstrips made from fabric salvaged from the ruins of a destroyed building.


    Snap!


    Aslay and Limberton picked up the trimmed logs.


    I bound them tightly with telekinetic magic, repeating the process several times until a makeshift shelter was finally complete.


    It was small and flimsy, likely to collapse with even a minor impact, but it was better than nothing.


    ¡°The wind is cold. Get inside.¡±


    I ushered Mircel and Selly into the shelter.


    Erucel raised his trembling hand and complained.


    ¡°Brother¡­ I¡¯m cold too. Let me in.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too cramped. You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what about a wet cloth?¡±


    ¡°There were only two.¡±


    I was already struggling as it was.


    Grown men should fend for themselves.


    ***


    I placed my hand on the foreheads of the two kids to check their fevers.


    Whether they were improving or just completely drained, I wasn¡¯t sure.


    At least their faces had relaxed somewhat as they slept.


    ¡°Ah, you two have been through so much to get here.¡±


    I felt a pang of pity seeing how they had been dragged into so many incidents at such a young age.


    Just as I reached for the lukewarm wet cloth to soak it in fresh cold water, a delicious aroma wafted into the shelter.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s almost ready.¡±


    I stood up and stepped outside.


    Mireille was crouched in front of a large stone cauldron, tending to a firewood blaze.


    Thanks to her immunity, she hadn¡¯t fallen ill like the others.


    ¡°How much longer?¡± I asked.


    She straightened up, wiping sweat from her brow with a handkerchief.


    ¡°Five minutes left, young master.¡±


    The contents of the cauldron were the wild boar Limberton had hunted.


    The well-prepared meat had absorbed the essence of various medicinal herbs and vegetables, turning a rich brown hue.


    Wait¡ªwasn¡¯t that a poisonous plant?


    From the hooked stems and curled leaves, there was no doubt.


    As students trained to survive in the wilderness, we were all well-acquainted with poisonous plants.


    ¡°¡­Are you planning to poison the food here too?¡±


    Mireille, slightly embarrassed, flushed and scooped some broth into a small dish, boldly sipping it in front of me.


    ¡°Even poisonous ingredients can be rendered edible with proper preparation¡ªboiling, sun-drying, or neutralizing with other ingredients, for instance.¡±


    Apparently, she¡¯d made the toxic edible.


    Curious, I poured myself a small bowl of the soup and took a sip.


    The exceptional flavor widened my eyes.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Considering that all our food supplies had been obliterated in the explosion, the fact she managed to gather and prepare this from scratch was impressive.


    Mireille really was talented in the kitchen.


    The thought crossed my mind¡ªmaybe I should learn cooking from her.


    ¡°Good. When you have time, teach me how to cook.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me? You want to learn cooking, young master?¡±


    ¡°In the wilderness, I¡¯ll have to cook for myself. It¡¯ll be a useful skill to know.¡±


    She mulled over my request briefly, then nodded in agreement.


    As the soup neared completion, I decided to bring some back into the shelter, but not before a cacophony of gulping noises filled the air around me.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ it smells amazing.¡±


    ¡°Looks so good.¡±


    The sick lay in their makeshift beds, staring longingly, while the healthier ones stood around, practically salivating.


    Though I planned to share the food, the pot was far too small to feed the entire student body and staff.


    ¡°Wait your turn.¡±


    By now, night had fallen.


    Those who had gone out to scavenge food were gradually returning.


    They piled their findings near the cauldron and took seats nearby.


    Almost all of it was greens.


    As for meat, there were a few rabbits and squirrels¡ªhardly enough for such a large group.


    Still, knowing how far they had traveled to gather these supplies, I refrained from complaining.


    But I couldn¡¯t help voicing one thing.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the genius who brought back rat meat?¡±


    The culprit turned out to be Kerndel, another immune individual from the first division.


    ¡°What? I thought it was a squirrel!¡±


    ¡°¡­You can have it, senior.¡±


    I averted my eyes from Kerndel¡¯s dubious expression and approached the boar hide that was drying near the fire.


    I touched it to check for moisture.


    It was pleasantly dry, with a faintly fresh scent thanks to the purification magic I¡¯d used to remove any lingering odors.


    ¡°This will be perfect for them to lie on.¡±


    I headed toward the shelter where Mircel and Selly were resting.


    Just then, I noticed Limberton and Aslay approaching from a distance.


    When I saw the game they had strapped to their backs, I couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    Hearing my praise, Limberton smiled shyly.


    ¡°We went all the way to the cliff to hunt these. There¡¯s still a decent forest down below, so we climbed down to gather and haul this back. Aslay did most of the heavy lifting.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult,¡± Aslay said modestly. ¡°But Limberton, your ability to track game is better than anyone in our tribe. Honestly, I¡¯m amazed.¡±


    With this much food, everyone should be able to eat their fill for at least one day.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    I slung the boar hide over my shoulder and made my way to the shelter.


    Limberton called out as I walked.


    ¡°But, Hersel, how long do we have to live like this?¡±


    ¡°The headquarters will contact us soon. No, before that, we should receive supplies. It¡¯s about time for the next shipment.¡±


    Frostheart Academy received regular supplies through the Orvella Trading Company, managed by the House of Arianne.


    However, the letter Rockefeller had sent to headquarters would likely take time to process due to numerous bureaucratic procedures.


    ¡°When the trading company arrives, let me know what you need.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have any money.¡±


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ll put everything on my tab. Later, the costs will be deducted from your wages.¡±


    I had no currency accepted in the outside world, but the name of Tenest was a solid guarantee.


    The trading company would happily allow credit, so we could afford to be generous with our requests.


    However, Limberton¡¯s previously excited expression suddenly turned gloomy.


    ¡°Speaking of wages¡­ Hersel, what¡¯s going to happen to all the coins we saved up?¡±


    I ran a hand down my face, feeling a pang of frustration.


    ¡°¡­I was trying not to think about it, but you had to bring it up.¡±


    All those coins we had painstakingly collected were now worthless.


    Many had been hidden in the dorms and destroyed, and even those that remained were just scraps of metal in this wasteland.


    In a society where the economy and everything else had collapsed, we had become penniless once again, just like when we first enrolled.


    I patted the shoulders of Limberton and Aslay, who looked utterly defeated.


    ¡°Cheer up. We¡¯re starting over. We¡¯ll rise again.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hersel.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    Though I spoke words of encouragement, my heart was crying inside.


    Oh, my coins.


    ***


    Rockefeller stood in the training yard, observing the students.


    Remaining silent was no longer an option.


    He needed to provide direction so that the students could start seeing the academy as an educational institution again.


    ¡°While the current situation is challenging¡ª¡±


    But before he could continue, someone suddenly stood up and yelled,


    ¡°Shut up, Rockefeller!¡±


    It was Hersel.  S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What?! How dare you! Show some respect for your professor!¡±


    Rockefeller roared, but Hersel smirked mockingly.


    ¡°Respect for professors? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Even if the academy is restored, you¡¯ll have no place here. You¡¯ll be fired for sure. And yet you dare demand respect from me, knowing you¡¯ll soon be a nobody?¡±


    His tone was laced with scorn, but there was also a quiet, simmering anger.


    Rockefeller wanted to clamp down on this challenge to his authority, but the students¡¯ collective resentment was palpable.


    He forced himself to regain composure despite the fury boiling within him.


    ¡°Fine. Fire me if you must. That¡¯s likely what will happen. But know this¡ªI¡¯ll do everything in my power to fulfill my responsibilities until the very end.¡±


    It was a carefully measured statement, and Rockefeller was almost impressed with himself for coming up with it.


    But then Hersel said something that should never have been uttered.


    ¡°Oh, really? Then I assume you¡¯ll compensate us for all the coins we lost. Truly admirable, Professor Rockefeller. Your dedication to the very end is inspiring.¡±


    He even started clapping, encouraging the other students to join in.


    The near-dead students suddenly came alive, and the healthy ones began cheering loudly.


    Rockefeller shuddered as a chill ran down his spine.


    With the academy¡¯s recovery still uncertain, any talk of compensation was nothing short of a pipe dream.


    But surrounded by a crowd chanting ¡°Coins! Coins!¡± at the top of their lungs, Rockefeller found himself unable to respond decisively.


    ¡°Co¡­ Coins¡­ Well, you see, the coins¡­¡±


    Rockefeller¡¯s career was rapidly spiraling into its greatest crisis yet.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 181-185 (Academy¡¯s downfall) $3


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


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 Chapter 185

    ¡°You¡¯re going to give us compensation, right?¡±


    ¡°Would I not? It¡¯s only natural since we¡¯ve worked so hard to gather it.¡±


    ¡°Give me my coins!¡±


    As soon as something they had subconsciously forgotten was triggered, the students transformed into rioters.


    Realistically speaking, I knew that I wouldn¡¯t get the lost coins back.


    Even so, what I said was simply to make Rockefeller feel uncomfortable and was just a way to vent my frustration.


    Rockefeller cleared his throat once and spoke in a calm tone.


    ¡°I understand you¡¯re deeply upset. I, too, live off my salary. Losing assets that I worked hard for would be a very painful experience.¡±


    After that, he added unnecessary comments like, ¡°I deeply sympathize,¡± and some statements that might make one slightly intrigued.


    ¡°Of course, proper compensation will be provided. As the one overseeing the academy, I admit that the management was lacking.¡±


    But the more I listened, the more his words started to make me frown.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s difficult to determine the exact amount, perfect compensation might be impossible, but I will do my best. Even if I have to dip into my own funds.¡±


    His seemingly sincere attitude made the students¡¯ angry faces calm down a little.


    Realistically, it was impossible to get everything back, and the mood was more like, ¡®At least we¡¯ll get something, right?¡¯


    But one student raised their hand, not swept up by the general atmosphere.


    Of course, it was me.  S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So, when will the compensation be?¡±


    It may sound convincing, but it was a statement without substance.


    Seeing through his sly attempt to dodge, I showed my irritation, and Rockefeller clicked his tongue before answering.


    ¡°Please think realistically. The academy is bankrupt. There¡¯s nothing left. With the financial crisis we¡¯re in, do you think it¡¯s possible right away?¡±


    I glanced at the history room, which had barely held up despite everything else crumbling.


    ¡°There should be some treasure left, though?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I plan to sell some things. Like that, with the spirit of Frostheart in it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    At this point, I could tell he was taking the current situation seriously.


    He really was.


    Even now, he was trying to pull some shallow tricks.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s impossible right now. So, when will it be?¡±


    When I asked, Rockefeller gave me the answer I expected.


    ¡°Once everything is normalized, we will discuss the coins later.¡±


    I was dumbfounded and swept my bangs aside, laughing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke, Rockefeller. You might fool these naive ones, but not me.¡±


    At this moment, Rockefeller had glossed over two facts to his advantage.


    The first was the deadline.


    ¡°Listen carefully. Do you think you¡¯ll get compensation before you die? Do you know when the financial crisis will be overcome?¡±


    And the second was the lack of clarity about the currency.


    What he was trying to do was delay the deadline with vague terms, creating an excuse not to pay, and even if he did, the coins wouldn¡¯t be usable outside. I was determined to put an end to his tricks right then and there.


    ¡°Coins that can¡¯t be used outside are meaningless. Give me a clear compensation plan. Put it in terms of currency that is usable in the empire, or at least write the terms and the timeline in a contract.¡±


    Using the trait ¡®Noble Blood¡¯s Last Ember,¡¯ I spoke seriously, and Rockefeller looked at me with a blank expression.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest¡­ this guy¡­¡±


    Rockefeller suddenly turned his back and started to walk out, casually making excuses.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a pen and paper right now, so it¡¯s impossible at the moment. Even if I make it magically, it will disappear over time.¡±


    His attitude, just trying to dodge the situation, even caused the weakened students to rise to their feet.


    ¡°This, this man.¡±


    ¡°Was this your plan all along? To steal our money?¡±


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?! Write a blood oath if you have to!!¡±


    The students, like zombies, rushed toward Rockefeller.


    Rockefeller seemed to be taken aback by the situation, sweating profusely as he drew his cane.


    ¡°Are you¡­ are you daring to go against me?¡±


    The students, who had lost their money, were beyond furious.


    Even though Rockefeller used telekinesis to throw them away, the students kept getting back up.


    ¡°Ugh, this bastard!¡±


    ¡°This son of a bitch. I¡¯ve never liked him, but today, let¡¯s see if someone dies!¡±


    ¡°Stop! Stop it!¡±


    Watching Rockefeller struggle to suppress the students, I began to calm down a little.


    ¡°Tsk tsk.¡±


    He should have done better from the start.


    ***


    After a persistent rebellion from the students, we managed to get a somewhat definitive answer from Rockefeller.


    The compensation would be provided within 10 years.


    It would not be in coins, but in the empire¡¯s currency.


    He engraved these words on a thin wooden board and coated it with the blood of a wild animal to create the contract.


    According to Bellman, the reports sent to the headquarters were also written this way, using the discarded blood of Arkandrick at the time¡­


    But anyway, after the commotion settled down, supplies arrived from the Orvella Trading Company.


    The coachman got out of the carriage and looked around in surprise.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    His expression was filled with doubt, as if wondering, ¡°Did I come to the right place?¡±


    However, thanks to the professors hurriedly running toward him, his expression became calmer.


    He looked around again at the desolate site, still puzzled.


    ¡°Actually, I have quite a few orders. Is there any way we can get this done quickly? The plague broke out, and we urgently need ingredients for the medicine.¡±


    ¡°If you place a large order, that would be great. After all, it¡¯s all about performance.¡±


    The coachman¡¯s face briefly lit up, but when the professor hesitated and spoke, his expression turned to one of embarrassment.


    ¡°Ahem. I really hate to ask this, but would it be possible to buy on credit?¡±


    ¡°Credit?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, the academy is in this state, but I¡¯ll contact the headquarters and ensure the payment is made.¡±


    When the professor pleaded, the coachman, feeling awkward, averted his gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to do that, but¡­ I understand the situation, so I¡¯ll try to speak nicely to my superiors.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well. That¡¯s something at least, right? Here, sit down. You must be hungry, so let¡¯s get you something to eat.¡±


    The coachman was being treated like a master.


    But this was a trap we had set.


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time. Let¡¯s hurry and place the orders!¡±


    The students rushed in, shouting out the supplies they needed.


    The coachman, who had been eating meat, stood there with his mouth wide open, thinking, ¡°What kind of situation is this?¡±


    This was a scene prepared by the professors to soothe the angry students.


    The coachman, neatly trapped in the situation, hurriedly wrote down the order list, being tormented by the students.


    The process required identity verification, and they also had to check whether the family could afford the costs, so it took quite a while.


    Having already placed my orders, I packed blankets, pillows, tea, and a kettle into a sack.


    Since these were originally supplies meant for the academy, they weren¡¯t exactly satisfying, but it was better than nothing.


    I was heading back to the hut with Aslay and Limberton.


    ¡°Rumors will spread soon, right?¡±


    At Limberton¡¯s question, I shook my head.


    ¡°The Orvella Trading Company has strong ties with the empire. For now, they¡¯ll be careful and keep quiet about it. We¡¯ll have to see whether they¡¯ll allow such rumors to spread.¡±


    There are already quite a few who know about it, but this is a Pathfinder Training Ground.


    As long as the empire hasn¡¯t revealed anything on the surface yet, it was only natural that the trading company would cautiously observe the situation.


    On top of that, they would probably be calculating whether there¡¯s any profit to be gained from this situation.


    After walking a few steps, Limberton suddenly sighed deeply.


    ¡°But, hey, Hersel. What happens to us now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It seems like they¡¯re trying to prevent the academy from closing, but honestly, I don¡¯t know what will happen.¡±


    If the headquarters looks into what happened with Frostheart, they would probably offer support.


    Pathfinders were a valuable resource even in the empire. But the real question was whether the students would accept remaining as students.


    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to leading through force. Now that the fundamental structure of society has collapsed, there is no compensation.¡±


    The hierarchical system that had been divided into Adele, Buerger, and Schlaphe was now gone.


    Motivation to work hard was lost, and it¡¯s uncertain whether systematic classes can still be conducted.


    Even the most studious students turning their backs is normal.


    Frostheart was essentially already a closed academy.


    ¡°Is there no way to fix this?¡±


    ¡°You sound like you really want to graduate, Limberton.¡±


    ¡°Well, since I¡¯m here, I should at least leave with a diploma, right?¡±


    I sighed as I looked at Limberton.


    The reason he came here was to change the foolish version of himself.


    But without a diploma, would he really return to his hometown and fall back into his old ways? It was clear he was conscious of that.


    I knew his difficult situation, but I had decided not to help with this matter.


    ¡°There is a way to rebuild, but I¡¯ve decided to step away.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Just because.¡±


    Rimaron, who had made Ecok the Spirit King, was nowhere to be seen.


    The final boss of Frostheart, ¡®Fury of Felia,¡¯ and her opposing special thought, ¡®Atonement of Felia,¡¯ were gone, along with their base.


    This meant the scenario that would have unfolded later was no longer possible.


    Was there really any value left in staying on a stage where the main characters couldn¡¯t grow anymore?


    It would be better for each of them to leave here and find another way.


    With the world in chaos, there would be many opportunities to face crises, and they would grow on their own.


    Still, if they wanted to help rebuild, at least they had to meet two conditions.


    ¡°You¡¯re testing whether it¡¯s worth it, right?¡±


    ¡°Worth it?¡±


    ¡°Limberton, the students have the right to evaluate whether they should stay here. And that applies not only to the academy but also to the professors.¡±


    Limberton still seemed to not understand.


    I needed to explain more clearly.


    ¡°Convincing the students is the professors¡¯ job. If they can¡¯t even do that, there¡¯s no hope. Think about it simply. If they evaluated us during the entrance exam, now the situation is reversed.¡±


    Whether I would help or not depended on the professors proving their abilities. And the next condition was whether Rockefeller would accept my proposal.


    He was from a similar special field and had walked the path of magic before me, so I planned to learn magic that I thought had value from him.


    ¡°But by what method?¡±


    When we reached the hut, Limberton asked with a curious expression.


    It seemed he was wondering about the method.


    ¡°Did you forget already that my family is rich?¡±


    Of course, besides family wealth, there were countless ways to make money if we went outside.


    ***


    Rockefeller felt like a dagger had been lodged in his body.


    A letter received through a crow.


    It was a miracle in itself that they would come to investigate after reading such an absurdly written report, so he was thankful.


    But if the elder Arental were to come, the story would change.


    No matter how mild his temperament was, Arental knew the history and value of Frostheart.


    Even if he proved who was responsible for the incident and made them understand that it was a forced situation caused by unjust power, it was obvious that Arental wouldn¡¯t be happy.


    The real problem, however, lay elsewhere.


    It was absolutely critical that future Pathfinders didn¡¯t feel disillusioned with the academy and give up collectively.


    If that happened, not only the professors but the students might face some unjust treatment.


    There was only a week left until Arental¡¯s arrival.


    Rockefeller urgently called the professors together.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


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 Chapter 186

    ¡°Will the professor be alright?¡±


    As Limberton asked, I shook my head side to side.


    ¡°No, I hear Arental is coming soon. No matter how good-natured he is, he has to handle this situation professionally. He will start an investigation and assign responsibility.¡±


    Rockefeller would feel as if the blood was draining from his face upon hearing that an elder was coming.


    ¡°But still, this situation seems a bit unfair, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, even the professors are human. Could they have anticipated this?¡±


    Limberton¡¯s point seemed valid, so I nodded in agreement.


    Preventing a crisis before it happens also vaguely involves understanding what the danger is.


    Even I, who knew the scenario, didn¡¯t expect the timing to be moved up or the appearance of a high-ranking spirit. How could they possibly have predicted?


    ¡°Maybe it can be explained well enough to get by?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what your standard for getting by is, but even in the best case, he¡¯s going to be fired, Limberton. If he avoids execution, that would be enough to be grateful for.¡±


    At the mention of execution, Limberton¡¯s eyes widened. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The expected punishment is that severe? Even Arkandric, known as the Frost Champion, couldn¡¯t have handled this situation. It was fortunate you were there, otherwise, it would have been worse with another professor.¡±


    I nodded again at that.


    Even defeating Ecok, who had become the Spirit King Dordone, required gathering a large number of strong fighters, and the Black Sun would have been a total disaster if not for a gimmicky method.


    It was only by chance that I had the right hand to deal with the situation; it would have been impossible otherwise.


    In summary, professors aren¡¯t gods, and it wasn¡¯t a situation they could have resolved easily.


    ¡°So, all that needs to be done is to prove it was unavoidable? Are you worried that the headquarters people won¡¯t believe it because it¡¯s too outrageous?¡±


    As Limberton asked, I shook my head horizontally again.


    ¡°No, it should be possible to prove it.¡±


    There are means to prove that it was an unavoidable situation, as severe as it was for even the professors.


    Rockefeller had sensed the danger of the Black Sun and had diverted the high-ranking spirit ¡®Jurett.¡¯


    If explained well, there might be a little room for reconsideration.


    But just a little.


    What¡¯s important is whether they did well or not. And the most powerful voice in that assessment belonged to the students.


    The influence of the students, currently under Rockefeller¡¯s tutelage, on Arental¡¯s decision is significant.


    But would the students actually speak well of Rockefeller?


    Stress had been at its peak due to ongoing crises.


    The carefully repaired castle seemed irreparable, and they had lost their base.


    Considering how he usually ruled the students with strict fear¡­


    Honestly, it was a relief they weren¡¯t calling for his execution.


    ¡°The problem, as I¡¯ve said before, is the students¡¯ opinion. Even if they say they¡¯ll stay until graduation, it doesn¡¯t end there. If they argue that the faculty needs to be replaced, then it¡¯s immediate.¡±


    As I said this, Limberton shut his mouth tightly.


    Then he swallowed his saliva and expressed his thoughts.


    ¡°People always say that, but honestly, I think Rockefeller did well this time. The professors too.¡±


    I patted Limberton¡¯s shoulder lightly.


    ¡°I agree. Leaving aside our bad history with that man, he actually handled the situation well.¡±


    Even in the sudden situation, Rockefeller had aligned the students and professors immediately into battle readiness.


    Efficient operation of barriers, protection of the engine room, gathering information on the enemy, supply management, and immediate treatment of the wounded and deceased.


    That he came up with all of this instantly without panicking is proof that he¡¯s no ordinary person.


    Moreover, the professors responded immediately and understood the directives as they came pouring in.


    While they couldn¡¯t stop Ecok¡¯s revival, being able to finish the defense and destroy the spirit gate was impossible if they were incompetent.


    ¡°But public opinion doesn¡¯t think so. That¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°But if you think about it rationally, won¡¯t everyone eventually understand?¡±


    ¡°Limberton. Don¡¯t underestimate the ignorance of the crowd. People become foolish enough to support a foolish argument just based on the atmosphere.¡±


    Good deeds are often undervalued in their own time and re-evaluated later.


    But by then, it¡¯s usually too late.


    Those who were ahead of their vision were either stoned to death or died in obscurity after being treated as fools.


    And such incidents are usually instigated by someone, and I vaguely suspect who might be behind it.


    ¡°Huh? Wait, Hersel. Are people lining up over there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it looks like it¡¯s food distribution. Did the faculty send support?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to line up and eat too?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s free, I might as well eat.¡±


    The culprit desperately needed someone to take responsibility on his behalf.


    And that person was targeted to be Rockefeller.


    Because¡­


    ¡°Hey, Ders. Is that rumor really true?¡±


    ¡°What rumor? Has something new happened?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m a bit hesitant to say this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Speak freely.¡±


    ¡°Cough. Was it really Ecok?¡±


    Because Ecok was the true perpetrator behind this spirit war incident.


    ¡°Ah, the whale that handled the sea, right? Sorry, but wasn¡¯t that already clarified? It just slightly resembled him in appearance.¡±


    Ecok had been isolated on the battlefield and died, enveloped in an explosion, leaving no trace.


    At that time, Ecok¡¯s appearance was influenced by Dordone, sounding like him and only his eyes were like a panda¡¯s.


    Moreover, his demeanor had transformed into that of a dignified and compassionate king.


    It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for people to believe it.


    ¡°Ahaha, exactly, right? After all, it doesn¡¯t seem like something Ecok would do. He was a good-natured and very thorough guy.¡±


    ¡°I understand your doubts, but I hope we don¡¯t dishonor his sacrifice.¡±


    Therefore, the culprit was the man distributing bread right in front of me now.


    Ders, the current student council president who had marked Ecok as his successor. He would suffer the most damage if the truth came out.


    That would force him to step down from the student council, and he would receive unfavorable treatment from the ¡®Sun¡¯s Order¡¯ that the students revere.


    Of course, these matters should be resolved by Rockefeller, not something concerning me.


    By the way, is there any bread left?


    **


    ¡°Do you see it, Berthnal?¡±


    At Emeric¡¯s words, Berthnal turned his head.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Emeric was pointing with his hand.


    It was the line of people waiting to get bread.


    ¡°Hersel Ben Tenest is scouting the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Eh? To me, it looks like he¡¯s just trying to get some food because it¡¯s free.¡±


    That¡¯s how it truly seemed to Berthnal.


    Hersel¡¯s expression showed he was simply passing time without much thought.


    But as usual, Emeric smirked crazily and snickered.


    ¡°Huh, you still don¡¯t know him. How much more do I need to explain? Hersel Ben Tenest is¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, here it goes again.¡±


    Berthnal plugged his ears.


    He waited a while until Emeric¡¯s prattling mouth stopped.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the intention.¡±


    As it finally seemed like the nonsense had ended, Berthnal brought up a topic circulating among the students lately.


    ¡°But what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Ah, if it¡¯s about that, I plan to announce it when the time comes.¡±


    Emeric tapped a document envelope hidden in his chest pocket.


    Documents secretly infiltrated and taken from the student council in the midst of the battlefield with the spirits.


    Berthnal sighed deeply and shook his head.


    ¡°Not that, I mean Rockefeller, Rockefeller, there¡¯s a lot of talk about forcing him out or even executing him, isn¡¯t there? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. About Rockefeller¡­¡±


    Emeric pondered before responding.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have particularly good memories. When I was a representative of the Burger Hall, he tried to restrict various rights, which caused a lot of friction and stress trying to convince those guys.¡±


    Berthnal looked somewhat surprised and shrugged.


    ¡°Well, that might differ from how the Adele Hall sees it. Actually, Rockefeller has been quite well-regarded among us. Unlike the Adele Hall, he took good care of us.¡±


    He was a person who provided many conveniences despite being very critical and nagging.


    In the Adele Hall, there were occasionally those who viewed the current situation with regret.


    However, based on a pyramid-like structure with beneficiaries at the very top, their number was paltry compared to the total number of students.


    ¡°So, you lean towards him resigning, I gather.¡±


    Emeric was also recently part of the Adele Hall but was about to graduate.


    The time to clear up accumulated resentments was short.


    Then, unexpectedly, a statement sprang from his mouth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, Berthnal. I don¡¯t have a bad opinion of him. It¡¯s true that the quality of the Frost Heart has gone up since he became the head professor.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the many conversations I¡¯ve had with visiting alumni. When asked about classes, the seniors working in the field are surprised. They ask if such things are now taught.¡±


    Usually, when senior alumni show up, it¡¯s common to avoid them due to discomfort.


    But that would be just like Emeric.


    Berthnal nodded.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°The educational materials at Frost Heart are continuously being updated with the latest information obtained by active professionals from the field,¡± Emeric explained.


    Berthnal agreed with him.


    It would indeed be beneficial for someone like Emeric who loved to learn.


    ¡°Moreover, I believe that¡¯s how a leader should act. Strictly managing and maintaining order, even if it means using force when necessary.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Being too lenient can also be problematic. Hmm¡­¡±


    Berthnal suddenly had a new thought about Rockefeller.


    Inside the Adele Hall, whenever challenging courses came up, phrases like ¡®It¡¯s Rockefeller¡¯s doing,¡¯ or ¡®It¡¯s Rockefeller¡¯s idea, if you have complaints go to him,¡¯ had long become common.


    Berthnal wondered if he could have smoothly carried out his duties as the dormitory representative if there hadn¡¯t been a common enemy like Rockefeller among the students.


    ¡°Umm, it doesn¡¯t really matter to us since we¡¯re graduating, but honestly, wouldn¡¯t the next head professor perform worse than Rockefeller?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious, Berthnal. Considering the reputation of other academy professors, he truly deserves to be here.¡±


    For the juniors, it¡¯s right that Rockefeller stays.


    If they graduate as competent Pathfinders through structured education, their chances of survival would also increase.


    But the time had already passed.


    The inflamed crowds had turned their backs on him, venting their accumulated complaints.


    ¡°You had a lot of complaints about Rockefeller usually, right? Then, sign this.¡±


    ¡°Did you all hear that an elder is coming soon?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to submit a petition containing all our intentions to him. So, please sign.¡±


    Berthnal shook his head.


    Upon thinking calmly about this situation, the faculty had done everything they could.


    It¡¯s likely that no other academy had professors who could handle things better.


    It was then that concerns about what kind of punishment he might receive were growing.


    Professor Gomon approached the group of students writing the petition.


    Taking a deep breath, he shouted loudly, ¡°I know everyone has complaints about our professors! There¡¯s been a lot of talk among the professors about this too. So, we¡¯ve decided to prepare a platform where we can all share our positions!¡±


    A student frowned and asked, ¡°A platform to talk?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Think of it as a debate. Our side will have Professor Rockefeller represent us, and you should elect someone too. The deadline is tomorrow. Don¡¯t forget to attend. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Professor Gomon, a large man, walked away.


    Berthnal snickered in disbelief.


    ¡°A debate? And all the students are supposed to attend?¡±


    Unlike Berthnal¡¯s cynical reaction, Emeric chuckled, ¡°It feels like a determination to confront the issue head-on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that, Emeric. But still, it¡¯s like walking into a fire pit voluntarily.¡±


    Unless he had a knack for enchantingly persuading people.


    In Berthnal¡¯s view, Rockefeller was definitely not that person.


    It would probably just be an exchange of irritable shouts.


    ***


    Student council president Ders internally cheered.


    The formation of public opinion had long been completed.


    Many had been swayed by the welfare distributed through the authority of the order, thanks to subtly using the student council to cast doubts on his capabilities, though there was no direct evidence of involvement in this incident on the surface.


    It was a perfect moment.


    If Rockefeller ended up being blamed for everything, the case would be neatly concluded, and perhaps the skeptical views about this instigation would soon fade.


    Ders, dreaming of a rosy future, distributed bread to the students.


    Then, surprised, he widened his eyes at the face of the next man who approached.


    The surprise was brief, and Ders, with his well-practiced tact, greeted him skillfully.


    ¡°Oh, sorry about this. I never expected we¡¯d meet like this, did you?¡±


    Hersel responded nonchalantly, ¡°Really?¡±


    Ders inwardly speculated whether there had been an incident that upset Hersel, as his expression seemed unusual.


    Ders smiled apologetically, filled with a sense of regret.


    ¡°Actually, I had been meaning to visit you to express my gratitude. As the president of the student council, I definitely owed you a debt of gratitude for everything you¡¯ve done. But I¡¯ve been so busy that I kept postponing it until now.¡±


    Hersel shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, senior.¡±


    ¡°Really? But you seem a bit under the weather.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ nothing.¡±


    Hersel then turned his head towards the group drafting the petition.


    ¡°Hmm, it looks like they¡¯re trying to pick a representative for the debate. Don¡¯t you have any thoughts on it? You¡¯re the president and would fit the role well.¡±


    Ders smirked to himself.


    Staying behind the scenes and wrapping things up was the best scenario Ders had hoped for.


    He didn¡¯t want to waste all the effort he had put into keeping a low profile by stepping forward as a representative.


    But then Hersel suddenly leaned in and said something that made Ders shudder.


    ¡°Step up as the representative, Ders. Stop manipulating those fools from behind.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


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 Chapter 187

    It wasn¡¯t exactly to help Rockefeller that I openly called him a schemer right in front of him.


    It was just annoying to see someone always plotting from behind and looking out for themselves¡­ No, that doesn¡¯t seem right.


    In fact, I had no major criticism to make about Ders.


    Although he belonged to the villain side, he would have graduated quietly and exited without causing trouble, and his actions were frowned upon as well.


    His actions were petty and dark schemes, but it was like the desperate struggle of a sewer rat trying to survive.


    Of course, I, with my gentle nature, would never do such a thing, but I would have considered it if I were in a similar situation.


    I didn¡¯t really have a motive, nor was I particularly sympathetic towards his circumstances.


    Therefore, the only reason I could think of for pushing Ders as the representative for the debate was quite simple.


    ¡°Tell the academy. Next time, prepare a cake.¡±


    Because the bread tastes bad.


    There was no other reason.


    ***


    Ders watched the back of Hersel as he left, swallowing hard.


    In his hand, he held two pieces of bread.


    ¡°One for each person¡­¡±


    It was baffling and complicated at the same time. Just then, the next person stood in front to take the bread.


    Ders thought hard as he distributed it.


    It wasn¡¯t really a surprise.


    Perhaps Hersel had known all along.


    It makes sense because he was the one who killed Ecok.


    Despite seeing him up close, the possibility that he didn¡¯t recognize Ecok because he looked so different was low.


    Hersel had been silent all this time, probably just assuming.


    ¡®Either he didn¡¯t recognize him, or he knew but chose to ignore it.¡¯


    Hersel was notoriously at odds with Rockefeller. The frequent loud voices from Rockefeller¡¯s office were mostly about Hersel.


    Hersel had also frequently caused friction with Rockefeller, so everyone at the academy was aware of their incompatibility.


    That¡¯s why Ders doubted Hersel¡¯s judgment.


    Even knowing the whole truth, keeping quiet was a natural reaction.


    Their goals were aligned, and even if something went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t harm him.


    After all, they were perfect strangers with no interaction.


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    Just then, a student who had grabbed the bread hastily started eating and spat out, grimacing, ¡°Ah, I bit into a rock.¡±


    Ders suddenly felt a chill.


    That¡¯s why Hersel had done it.


    His tyrannical behavior was well-known.


    Rumors were not just about him constantly drinking and causing trouble but also that he often threw tantrums over trivial matters.


    That¡¯s why he suddenly showed hostility; the bad-tasting bread irritated him.


    ¡°Gee, complaining when eating for free.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but isn¡¯t that a bit harsh, Ders?¡±


    It was typical of a brat.


    And seeing this demand, it was almost certain.


    ¡°Tell the academy. From now on, prepare a cake.¡±


    ***


    A makeshift tent made of cheap fabric.


    Inside, professors sighed deeply with serious expressions.


    ¡°Honestly, we think we¡¯ve done everything we could.¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly, we¡¯ve been fighting with our lives on the line, more than the students. How does it make sense that more professors died?¡±


    Despite the fortress falling, unlike the typically disastrous aftermath of war, many people survived.


    Yet the students outside the tent expressed their hostility so intensely it could be heard inside.


    ¡°Logically, this is a management issue. If it had been handled well from the start, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly. The hierarchy just provoked unnecessary dissatisfaction among the students, I knew this would happen someday.¡±


    The situation was just a catalyst.


    Perhaps the grievances that had been building up had exploded all at once, and complaints poured out endlessly.


    Hamendal responded with a listless face, mocking their words.


    ¡°If you knew, you should have given us a heads up.¡±


    Professors are human too.


    They would like to resign immediately, but doing so might put them out of favor with the headquarters.


    Even if they left, unless the situation was calmed, the repercussions were obvious.


    This incident might have involved imperial intervention.


    Hamendal sighed deeply and asked Professor Gomon, ¡°Did the Empire really say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they said there would absolutely be no shutdown. Somehow, we must cooperate well with the headquarters and manage the operations again.¡±


    ¡°Ah, if that¡¯s the case, they should provide some support at least.¡±


    The academy¡¯s funds were ultimately the Empire¡¯s money. Although it involved the Empire¡¯s money for the academy¡¯s reconstruction costs, cruelly, it meant solving it under the limited budget provided.


    ¡°Ah, the costs for active members are significant; we¡¯ll probably receive much less than expected.¡±


    The situation was only grim.


    A clear declaration of support would have perhaps eased the students¡¯ anger.


    But instead of normal operations, personal resentments burst forth, deepening the rift between students and professors.


    Hamendal, who had not spoken until now, scrutinized Rockefeller¡¯s face as he kept his eyes closed.


    Rockefeller, the overall professor of Frost Heart, might even face severe punishment.


    Even if he were evaluated properly for resolving the incident, that was just an additional task, but the core was how well he led the students.


    That was why the academy existed.


    ¡°¡­Professor Rockefeller? Please say something.¡±


    Rockefeller slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s noisy, Hamendal.¡±


    ¡°No, we might be punished but still keep our heads, but you might not.¡±


    Despite his possibly presumptuous remark, Rockefeller simply got up from his seat without any response.


    ¡°Eh, where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­ I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Professor Rockefeller? You need to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s debate.¡±


    As Rockefeller left the tent, Hamendal was stunned.


    ¡°Why is he like that? Has he given up?¡±


    Gomon shrugged his shoulders and replied, ¡°Who knows? Maybe he has some plan in mind?¡±


    However, the look on his face as he gazed outside the tent was not very positive.


    ***


    The next day, as the sun was high in the sky.


    Inside the tent, Ders reviewed the materials for the debate again.


    The contents of the documents were all reconstructed based on memory because the fortress had collapsed.


    Recalling each one was quite a burden, but it was different when it came to matters about Rockefeller.


    Rockefeller had maintained a reasonably amicable relationship with the student council, but among the past student council presidents, there were quite a few greedy ones.


    Thinking they should take advantage of his weaknesses, they had collected information about Rockefeller.


    Ders flipped through the documents, examining his characteristics.


    [Born in Abelarn.]


    Ders¡¯s eyes widened at the word ¡®Abellan.¡¯


    A common small country.


    Normally, it would have been treated as some forgettable borderland country.


    But because of its distinctive history, Ders could recall it instantly.


    A country always begins with the establishment of a dynasty, and the moment the royal blood runs out, it steps onto the path of destruction.


    This was the widely accepted general theory.


    However, for a brief moment, there was a country that had shown an exception through a civil war.


    The main culprits of the coup expressed disdain for the incompetence of the royal family and, after exterminating the royal lineage, established a dukedom without a king.


    The unprecedented emergence of this country was closely monitored by the Empire and other countries¡¯ kings, but their concerns were unfounded.


    There was still one of unblest origin surviving in the royal family.


    Ders could imagine the events that must have occurred and unwittingly laughed.


    ¡°Chuckle.¡±


    Normally, those who would have ignored it as dirty, rushed to the son of a prostitute as soon as the royal family that used to fill their bellies disappeared.


    They must have been quite desperate. Despite having previously dismissed it as disreputable and drawn a line.¡¯


    Ders tried to suppress his laughter and continued to examine the documents.


    Rockefeller¡¯s next characteristic was as follows:


    [The only son of a fallen noble.]


    [He served as a soldier and then encountered Arkandric.]


    [After joining the Imperial Intelligence Agency, he served as a shadowy sentinel and spy.]


    [Later, Arkandric offered him a professorship at Frost Heart.]


    On the surface, there was nothing particularly odd.


    The Empire is generous to talents.


    It is fairly common to grant citizenship to those who have proven their abilities.


    However, Ders had harbored a suspicion from the data that had been coming out for some time.


    He was one of the most famous soldiers in Abellan.


    Though it is said that Rockefeller uses telekinetic magic and has unusual magical abilities, even if he was one of the few mages whose taste buds had blossomed, it wasn¡¯t certain that he was the Twilight Mage.


    Rumors about the Twilight Mage predominately claimed that he had congenitally awakened two senses simultaneously, or that he was a genius who had first awakened his sense of smell and thus developed other types of magic independently.


    Ders chuckled at a clever idea that came to mind.


    The reason why the Twilight Mage disappeared.


    It was because his actions eventually led to him being called ¡®the Double-Edged Mage¡¯, a moniker that suggested things did not end well.


    Ders pulled out a pocket watch and swung his cane to create a mirror.


    The time for the debate was approaching.


    While practicing his expressions, he inspected his face in the mirror, when a man with an overall grim appearance appeared in the reflection.


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Ders quickly turned his head and scrutinized Rockefeller.


    ¡°Professor.¡±


    Rockefeller approached with his eyes wide open.


    Ders flinched and involuntarily stepped back.


    ¡°So it was your doing¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    As Ders asked back, Rockefeller chuckled lightly.


    ¡°Ecok Ville Advance took on the body of the Spirit King and turned the academy into this. You were the one who had earmarked him as your successor and sought another scapegoat to avoid responsibility.¡±


    This was why Ders had been reluctant to step forward as a representative.


    Ders steadied himself and responded calmly.


    ¡°I am merely attending as the representative of the debate, having received recommendations from those around me as the student president.¡±


    ¡°There is evidence. Jurett¡¯s memories. It detailed that Ecok was the instigator. And that bat is in my hands now.¡±


    But having the evidence, it was practically over.


    Ders slumped his shoulders and sighed.


    Then he laughed helplessly.


    ¡°Ecok, that guy. If you¡¯re going to commit, at least do it thoroughly without harming others. Really¡­¡±


    Soon, the suspicion that Ecok was the true culprit would turn into certainty, and all the responsibility would fall on the student council.


    This blocked any road to the academy headquarters for Ders. He sat down, having given up on everything.


    But then Rockefeller said something astonishing.


    ¡°We¡¯ll treat the matter of Ecok as classified.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He was also a student of Frost Heart. As always, we plan to cover it up this time too.¡±


    Ders immediately understood his meaning.


    Yet, this was the most powerful weapon Rockefeller could wield in the debate.


    Ders cautiously asked Rockefeller.


    ¡°Why would you do that? If you bring up Ecok, all the arrows of blame will point at me.¡±


    Rockefeller tapped Ders¡¯s forehead with his cane and snorted.


    ¡°This incident is just an opportunity. The reaction now probably reveals what the students have always truly thought about me.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    As Ders tilted his head, Rockefeller replied.


    ¡°Hmm, think of it simply. I always knew there would come a time when my qualifications as the overall professor would be questioned. Now is just the appointed time.¡±


    Rockefeller said this and then walked towards the exit of the tent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see you try to tear me down according to the plan, Ders.¡±


    He said this and left.


    Ders slumped back in his chair and stared blankly at the ceiling.


    Then, as the ticking of the pocket watch grew louder, Ders suddenly stood up.


    ¡°If the professor says so.¡±


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


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 Chapter 188

    The coughing sounds from the training grounds had greatly subsided, thanks to the acceleration in producing the remedy after receiving the ordered goods.


    I asked Mircel, whose complexion had noticeably improved, ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Kind of refreshed, maybe. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been lying down all this time? Apart from stiff muscles, I think I¡¯m okay.¡±


    As Mircel stretched, he suddenly fixed his gaze on something.


    Turning my head, I saw an old woman with a walking stick, her joints tightly wrapped in bandages, struggling to approach us.


    ¡°Brother, is that our aunt coming?¡±


    ¡°Seems she¡¯s gotten a bit better,¡± I remarked, quickening my pace out of pity.


    Belen sighed as if relieved, then suddenly glared at me, accusing, ¡°Recently, you¡¯ve been quite friendly with that Dorosian girl.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    When I asked back in disbelief, Belen clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Tsk. Is it because you¡¯ve been acting so rashly? You¡¯re oblivious.¡±


    Not understanding Belen¡¯s reaction, I narrowed my eyes.


    Mircel then pulled at my collar and whispered, ¡°Why is she acting like this?¡±


    ¡°Either she still has a fever, or it¡¯s senility. Given her age, it¡¯s probably the latter.¡±


    I was considering looking into a nursing home for her when Belen suddenly raised her head and became furious.


    ¡°What, what? Senility? You brat!¡±


    ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t realize your hearing was still sharp.¡±


    She raised her hand as if to hit me on the back, but being old and injured, she was no threat to me.


    ¡°Ouch! My arm¡­¡±


    As expected, Belen grimaced in pain.


    After she regained her composure, I asked, ¡°But if you¡¯re still not well, why did you come out?¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a debate or something. It gets boring just lying down, so I thought I¡¯d come to watch.¡±


    Belen shrugged, looking towards a temporary building where a debate between students and professors would soon start.


    Mircel blinked and asked, ¡°When was that built?¡±


    ¡°By the Sculpting Club. It¡¯s just temporary, so that¡¯s more efficient.¡±


    ¡°But, brother. Is Rockefeller really okay?¡±


    Considering the current mood, he seemed doomed, but realistically, that wasn¡¯t likely since many professors loyally followed him despite their grievances.


    ¡°The professors¡¯ opinions will be somewhat considered. He might have to resign, but he¡¯ll keep his life.¡±


    This was good for me.


    If Rockefeller only got into a difficult situation without dying, I could easily manipulate him to teach me magic as planned.


    I walked towards the building, matching Belen¡¯s slow pace.


    Meanwhile, a passing group was gossiping loudly.


    ¡°All the meat we¡¯ve been eating, Rockefeller brought in sick meat to save money, and they say it messes with your mind.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all; there¡¯s talk he believes in a cult.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better not to get the treatment. They say it¡¯s human experimentation on students.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also talk he¡¯s got dementia.¡±


    Seeing their serious belief, I couldn¡¯t help but scoff.


    At the same time, I re-evaluated Ders, who had made such things possible.


    He might be somewhat competent, and though he was a student president and not really villain material, his understanding of people and ability to wear the right mask allowed him to sway the crowd.


    With that, I stepped into the building, anticipating an interesting hearing.


    But then, Mircel suddenly stopped and asked me with a serious face, ¡°Bro, is that true?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, could be.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Hmm, children are indeed gullible.


    ***


    ¡°Do people really believe all these absurd things?¡± Leana whispered back.


    ¡°Some of the rumors do sound quite plausible.¡±


    ¡°Still, doesn¡¯t it seem strange that all these ridiculous rumors are popping up all at once?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in the past, villagers would burn people as witches based on mere suspicion without evidence. It seems ignorance grows when people gather¡ªit¡¯s in our nature.¡±


    A senior nearby must have overheard because she glared sharply at us.


    ¡°Are you defending Rockefeller?¡±


    Her eyes were fierce, as if she might throw a stone at any moment.


    In an atmosphere where opposing views were utterly unwelcome, Silla calmly responded.


    ¡°Defending? I was just talking about her husband.¡±


    ¡°Her husband?¡±


    ¡°Hersel.¡±


    At that name, the senior flinched and quickly averted her gaze.


    Watching her, Silla smirked internally.


    It had been a long time since the seniors showed such a demeanor at the mention of that name.


    Moreover, recently, he had slain a whale spirit and even destroyed the Black Sun, so his status within the academy was beyond human.


    Just when Silla thought academy life would be easier for a while, Leana belatedly reacted.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my husband.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Silla blinked in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the slow response? That¡¯s three beats slower than usual.¡±


    Typically, the immediate response would be to either retort sharply or ignore it entirely.


    Noticing the anomaly, Silla flashed a mischievous smile and began teasing Leana.


    ¡°Speaking of which, you seem to be avoiding something lately. I thought it was because of Dorosian.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s been the case for a while.¡±


    ¡°Not to this extent, right? You didn¡¯t use to go out of your way to avoid Hersel like you do now.¡±


    Leana easily conceded.


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±


    Even now that Dorosian was gone, if Hersel was nearby when going to get her rationed meal, she would deliberately turn towards a distant serving area.


    Silla, who had been grumbling in pain at the time, decided to unleash all her pent-up teasing at once.


    ¡°Why do that, huh?¡±


    But just then, an interruption broke the flow.


    Bellman, looking haggard from making the cure, approached.


    ¡°Here you are.¡±


    Silla asked indifferently, her mood spoiled, ¡°Have you finished making the cure?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. But thanks to the Alchemy Club¡¯s recovery, it should speed up.¡±


    ¡°Must be a break then. But why come here?¡±


    Bellman, who had been getting only about three hours of sleep a day, was hardly in a position to spare any time for naps, and Silla couldn¡¯t understand why he would be here.


    ¡°Today is important. This debate might give us a glimpse into the academy¡¯s future.¡±


    Despite his words, Bellman immediately closed his eyes upon sitting down.


    Judging from the faint snoring sounds, he was undoubtedly asleep.


    Silla sighed lightly and shook her head.


    ¡°Knowledge does make one weary, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Just then, the hall erupted in cheers.


    Ders was ascending the platform, and Silla, gazing down at his handsome figure, recalled his reputation.


    His comforting presence, his kindness in listening to each student¡¯s concerns,


    And his support from the faculty, providing welfare to the attendants, making him popular among them as well.


    Furthermore, he managed the clubs and students¡¯ freedom without overly restrictive rules, earning him the nickname ¡®the staff of the students.¡¯


    But Silla, who had been severely affected by the Ten Elites, knew his true nature vaguely.


    While the Student Council had always appeared troubled by their powerlessness,


    Whenever the Ten Elites proposed outrageous rules, some were reluctantly accepted, and for others, he staunchly performed an act of refusal for the students¡¯ sake.


    According to Emeric, this deceit had helped increase his popularity.


    As Silla suspiciously eyed the back of Emeric¡¯s head, the cheers suddenly turned to jeers.


    Rockefeller, dubbed the root of all evil, had appeared on the opposite platform.


    ¡°There he is, that quack professor!¡±


    ¡°We heard the truth. You have a hidden child and secretly embezzled academy funds to send him abroad, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Is that all? He dragged around a Pathfinder who had lost limbs, playing on people¡¯s sympathies to collect donated money. They even say he hit people if they didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    Many stones began flying toward Rockefeller.


    However, he did not just stand by; his eyes widened as he swung his cane.


    Pop, pop, pop!


    The stones, propelled by telekinesis, embedded themselves in the faces of those who had thrown them.


    Rockefeller sighed as if he found them pitiful.


    ¡°Be thankful there are no expulsions at Frost Heart. There is no other place in this world that would accommodate your intelligence.¡±


    Those who were bleeding from the nose clutched at their faces and protested.


    ¡°Look at that. He¡¯s resorting to violence against students.¡±


    ¡°You all saw it, too, right? He threw stones at my face.¡±


    While some agreed with their plea for sympathy, others in the same faction shook their heads.


    After all, they were the ones who had thrown the stones first.


    It seemed there were not only fools who would tolerate such behavior.


    Silla expressed her confusion at the unexpected scene.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I thought they were just blindly demanding Rockefeller¡¯s resignation.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, but Bellman, who had woken up at some point, adjusted his glasses and replied.


    ¡°Do you really think all these people are just mindlessly joining in the criticism without thinking?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awake? But wasn¡¯t that the case? Everyone here signed the petition with those people.¡±


    ¡°The substance is different, the grievances they hold are legitimate. It¡¯s not just about the hierarchy; there was also a lot of talk about suppressed freedoms, Silla, even you mentioned it.¡±


    Silla nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s true? Sometimes the intensity of the training seemed too merciless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Not all those demanding Rockefeller¡¯s resignation are fools. Many are hoping that his stepping down might bring some change.¡±


    Bellman murmured thoughtfully.


    ¡°The ones Rockefeller should really be wary of are these people. He needs to win back the public¡¯s favor to survive this crisis¡­¡±


    However, Rockefeller¡¯s recent actions, even if in self-defense, were clearly a poor move.


    As murmurs filled the hall, Ders addressed the students.


    ¡°It is not right to throw stones at a professor. In fact, it¡¯s wrong to do that to anyone.¡±


    Ders¡¯ pointed tone instantly chilled the atmosphere.


    His voice had a compelling force that drew people in.


    More importantly, the common sense he articulated enhanced his dignity.


    Silla swallowed, sensing another reason why people were enthralled by Ders.


    ¡°What? He just spoke a few words, but his impression completely changed.¡±


    As Ders¡¯ gaze shifted from the students he had addressed to Rockefeller, he smiled benignly.


    ¡°I will apologize on their behalf for their radical behavior. To treat someone as a criminal without any proper investigation is crossing the line, even in my opinion.¡±


    Then, with a regretful expression, he lowered his gaze.


    ¡°Of course, I understand it was self-defense, but I can¡¯t say that the professor¡¯s actions were right. There were other ways he could have handled it.¡±


    Silla found herself nodding unconsciously.


    She stopped herself mid-nod when Bellman murmured beside her.


    ¡°¡­That Ders, a brilliant orator.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, Ders¡¯ camp has a different makeup of supporters. One side is emotional and blindly supportive, while the other side makes rational judgments. They are like oil and water; they can¡¯t mix unless they share the same sentiments.¡±


    Silla narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.


    This guy, he¡¯s decided to become an encyclopedia.


    ¡°But with his recent statement, he¡¯s managed to hold on to the different factions.¡±


    Silla deliberately kept her mouth shut.


    As expected, Bellman continued talking without being asked.


    ¡°His sensible speech and showing no malice towards the enemy won him the trust of the intellectuals. It seemed he was signaling that he would not let the debate be dominated by emotions. And by pointing out Rockefeller¡¯s somewhat excessive defense, he even managed to keep the emotionally driven supporters in line.¡±


    Silla leaned on Leana¡¯s shoulder, tuning out the rest.


    ¡°It looks simple on the surface, but quite chilling things are happening¡­¡±


    As Bellman was nearly finished, Silla chimed in.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Is it because I haven¡¯t slept properly? It feels like I¡¯ve been talking to myself.¡±


    ¡°No? I¡¯ve been responding the whole time.¡±


    Bellman nodded and then sank back into his chair.


    Silla looked at him with pity.


    Even a smart mind turns foolish without sleep.


    ***


    Ders pulled out some documents.


    But he quickly shook his head as if to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, and simply set them down on the podium.


    ¡°These are quite absurd suspicions. Let¡¯s set them aside for now and focus on what¡¯s realistic and discuss that.¡±


    His voice carried no hint of reprimand or any similar emotion.


    Instead, it had a relaxed tone as if he was open to having a conversation, and Rockefeller faintly smiled.


    With a slightly admiring look, he thought¡­


    His power was almost at the top, just slightly less than the Ten Elites.


    His academic performance was also excellent.


    Above all, what stood out the most among all the student council presidents was his unprecedented high approval rating.


    ¡°In fact, we don¡¯t really know much about you, professor. We know you¡¯re a military veteran from another country, but we have no idea which unit you were in or what your responsibilities were.¡±  sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rockefeller asked calmly.


    ¡°Is that really relevant to our discussion right now?¡±


    Ders responded, shaking the stack of documents.


    ¡°Yes, it is. Knowing your background, how you came to be here, and other various details will make it easier to address these numerous suspicions.¡±


    His point was valid.


    If you want to understand what kind of person someone is, knowing about their environment and their past life provides a good clue.


    ¡°First, just to confirm, what country were you born in?¡±


    Yet, even to Ders¡¯ straightforward question, Rockefeller was not quick to respond.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


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 Chapter 189

    It was a question that came up frequently.


    It was natural to meet people who asked various questions to someone from another country.


    Nevertheless, it was hard to open his mouth because the place he was now standing was a place where accountability was demanded.


    ¡°I was born in Abelarn.¡±


    It was quite an unfamiliar situation for Rockefeller.


    Many procedures had been boldly omitted in the process of obtaining citizenship in the empire, thanks to the convenience provided by Arkandric.


    He had avoided answering in depth when someone asked too much, showing discomfort, and he had managed to get by so far, but the inquiries that would start now would be almost like an interrogation.


    ¡°Abelarn, the country where a civil war recently broke out, right?¡±


    Ders said this with a sour smile.


    Rockefeller calmed his expression and asked, ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing particularly strange. It matches the information about the professor, and there were many refugees at that time, so it¡¯s natural that they ended up in the empire.¡±


    Ders¡¯s questions continued.


    ¡°I hear you come from a fallen noble family, which exactly were you from?¡±


    However, Rockefeller had been prepared for this kind of situation for a long time.


    He had worried that such a situation might arise.


    ¡°The Harman family mainly managed farmland. But the land burned, and the livestock were either stolen or ran away.¡±


    ¡°Ah, because of the civil war?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Days when any existing order could easily collapse.¡±


    Whether this sounded credible or not, neither Ders nor the students raised any doubts about it.


    ¡°So, how did you come to learn magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­When the family was affluent, a tutor was invited.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did your family belong to the imperial camp at that time?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Nobility always¡­..¡±


    Such questions continued endlessly, and Rockefeller always calmly acted out the truth.


    However, a lie is just a lie.


    Even if he could deceive others, he couldn¡¯t deceive himself.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re not originally from Pathfinder, how did you come to the academy?¡±


    ¡°That phrase is a bit strange. Although it¡¯s shorter than others, I definitely held a title and was active in the Academy due to a suggestion from the principal.¡±


    Every time Rockefeller lied, he suppressed the truth that slowly emerged in his mind.


    ¡°So, what motivated you to become a professor?¡±


    ¡°¡­The motivation to become a professor?¡±


    But that was not something that could ever be suppressed.


    ***


    ¡°I will become a teacher.¡±


    ¡°How can a stupid person teach? Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    When he was eight years old, he had definitely said that to Medel.


    ¡°Stupid? Is that what you say to your mother?¡±


    She got angry, but Medel was never his mother.


    That made sense since Medel was only ten years older than him, and while people often called Rockefeller intelligent, Medel was not.


    Despite having nothing in common, she was still the woman who told him to call her mother.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the villagers talking. They say you picked me up?¡±


    ¡°Who dares say that? That¡¯s all lies. Don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    ¡°Really, what makes you think I¡¯d believe such lies? That would mean Medel gave birth to me when she was ten years old. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    Medel, truly believing that a ten-year-old could give birth, had opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡±


    Rockefeller liked Medel, who was as dense as living with a bear rather than a person.


    She was always optimistic and, after saying something foolish, would always show a wide, peaceful smile, which calmed his heart and filled it with warmth.


    ¡°Hehe. Thanks to you, Rockefeller, I learned something new today?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me by such a rustic name. I am Delken.¡±


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with the name I gave you?¡±


    ¡°Rather go to work, will you? Or the lady next door will scold you again.¡±


    ¡°Aish. I hate cutting with scissors.¡±


    ¡°You have to do it to make a living.¡±


    Although they were in a poor environment, Rockefeller was satisfied.


    As the days went by, the atmosphere in the refugee-filled village was gloomy, and he often cursed the corrupt imperial and radical rebels who had brought about this situation, but at least Rockefeller¡¯s immediate surroundings were far from grey.


    ¡°Delken. Will you learn from this old man today again?¡±


    The neighbor, a retired mathematician, liked to teach for free.


    ¡°Please tell Medel I¡¯m thankful for covering for me last time.¡±


    The ladies who worked with Medel always made sure to provide food as well.


    ¡°Anyway, she tried to nurse him, but there was no milk. Can you believe it? She really was a handful. Huh? Delken. Ahem. Oh, are you here to see mom?¡±


    Medel¡¯s employer, the workshop owner, grumbled, but she was a deep and warm-hearted person.


    ¡°She¡¯s not my mom. Ma¡¯am, please give this to Medel. Here¡¯s a customer¡¯s clothing.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, if you¡¯re going to bring work home, at least bring it properly. That girl, really.¡±


    Thus, the neighbors were filled with good people.


    I heard that initially, they weren¡¯t like this.


    The mathematician next door had tried to commit suicide out of grief for losing his family in the war, and those who worked merely sighed, questioning what the point of living this way was.


    The owner of the workshop said that these people changed because of a girl who came here one day carrying a newborn.


    ¡°Huh? Rockefeller, sorry, I forgot again. Hehe.¡±


    In this refugee village filled with wooden planks, Medel was the light.


    Rockefeller was always grateful to her for having picked him up.


    Thanks to her, he could feel her warmth up close.


    But it didn¡¯t last long.


    One day, he was waiting for Medel to come home from work.


    When she didn¡¯t arrive by dinner time, and he was about to go out to meet her, the door opened.


    Medel was panting heavily.


    And a ragged man with his arm over her shoulder, head drooping.


    The man¡¯s chest bore an arrow, undoubtedly inflicted by the rebels.


    Medel had shouted loudly to save him.


    ¡°Rockefeller, boil some water now. I¡¯ll find something to stop the bleeding, hurry!¡±


    According to Medel, she found the man collapsed in the back mountain while picking wild vegetables.


    She had rushed him here immediately, and Rockefeller was amazed by Medel¡¯s decision at that time.


    ¡°Still, you managed not to ask the villagers for help? If you had, you might have been hanged in the square. You thought deeply, that¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    It¡¯s wartime now.


    And this is a shantytown filled with victims.


    Whether imperial soldiers or rebels, as long as they weren¡¯t found, it was full of people ready to kill without a trace.


    ¡°Huh, really? I just brought him here without thinking.¡±


    Medel cared for the dying man with all her heart¡­ She tried to, at least.


    Of course, she had to go to work, and being clumsy, most of the burden fell on Rockefeller.


    ¡°Wake up. How long are you going to stay unconscious?¡±


    A few days passed since he started caring for the man.


    When he was getting tired of urging him to wake up every day, the man finally woke up.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    Upon hearing his voice and accent, Rockefeller was surprised.


    It felt dignified, unlike the usual.


    ¡°Now that I look at your face, you seem rather noble¡­¡±


    He thought perhaps he was a nobility, but he immediately shook his head.


    No noble would come to such a shabby place.


    And given his soldier¡¯s uniform, he was likely a well-off commoner who had become a soldier out of necessity because of the war.


    It was often the case, after all.


    ¡°You might want to change that manner of speaking first, sir? Here, if you act like you¡¯ve been well-off, it¡¯s going to be tough. Even if you¡¯re ruined like everyone else, they¡¯ll gossip behind your back if you act high and mighty.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Rockefeller, like Medel, wanted to be helpful to someone.


    He carefully explained to the unfamiliar man what the shantytown was like and strongly advised him never to reveal he had been a soldier.


    ¡°Your uniform has been burned. Ah, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve kept your valuables safe.¡±


    The man quickly adapted to life here.


    He was really bad at chores like chopping wood, but he was good at hunting.


    Still, he managed to do the chores passably well after putting in some effort.


    ¡°Sir, is your chest okay?¡±


    ¡°Delken¡­ don¡¯t call me sir, call me brother if you don¡¯t like being called Rockefeller.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯ve lost your noble air already.¡±


    Initially, he seemed to have a sharp personality, but he started to soften a bit.


    And Rockefeller vaguely realized the reason.


    ¡°Medel is truly a remarkable woman.¡±


    ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t there people like her in the city?¡±


    ¡°Well? There were many women who pretended to be similar. Either they were calculating and flirtatious, or, well¡­ hehe.¡±


    ¡°Why are you laughing suddenly?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The man¡¯s gaze gradually became similar to the other men around Medel.


    The men who lived by drawing comfort from her smiling face had captured her smile with their eyes.


    Yet, the man had a fierceness in his eyes unlike the others, as if driven by conquest.


    A few weeks later, Medel was, after all, a woman¡ªa woman who harbored feelings towards a man.


    Although she had never shown such aspects as a mother, she gradually opened her heart to the man¡¯s endless seductions.


    Probably due to his blonde and handsome appearance.


    Many women would have fallen for such a man if he spoke in that manner.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to cut hair for a while. I¡¯m making enough money.¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s much better if we both earn. No, more than that, how long do you plan to stay here?¡±


    ¡°Why? Did I make some mistake?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, not that. Just¡­¡±


    But Medel never truly abandoned Rockefeller.


    Her words were a guard against the man whose departure time was uncertain.


    She might have hoped that if he promised to stay, he might become a father.


    Rockefeller felt both grateful and regretful towards such Medel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Medel.¡±


    Medel had given up her life as a woman because of him.


    And though it ached inside, he didn¡¯t want to act like a petulant child.


    That¡¯s why he pretended to be an adult, wanting to grow up.


    Then one day, without a word, the man left the shantytown, leaving behind an envelope and a ring for Medel.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a letter? Won¡¯t you read it?¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the point? I¡¯m illiterate.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll read it for you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s no longer needed.¡±


    Medel said this but never threw away the letter or the ring.


    Months later, her belly began to swell gradually.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, am I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something Medel used to do. It¡¯s a piece of cake for me.¡±


    Rockefeller took over Medel¡¯s job while she was pregnant.


    Although young, he was quick to understand and was highly regarded for his work.


    ¡°Your hands are very delicate, Delken.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the lady next door who sharpens the scissors well, you know.¡±


    During the day, he did the cutting and sewing; in the evening, he hunted.


    He never stopped learning from the old man next door even while working.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already learned this much, Delken. Soon, I¡¯ll run out of things to teach you.¡±


    ¡°Once I¡¯ve learned everything, please teach me history and imperial language classes too. Oh, do you know anything about magic?¡±


    ¡°Magic? Hmm, it¡¯s closely related to mathematics. I have some superficial knowledge.¡±


    Rockefeller tirelessly handled every schedule without a day off.


    After another half-year had passed, joyous news spread through the household.


    The child Medel bore was a boy.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3  Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


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 Chapter 190

    Since Medel gave birth, the household had become increasingly chaotic.


    The constant crying left dark circles etched under everyone¡¯s eyes, and even preparing meals properly became a struggle.


    ¡°Bleh, this bread tastes spoiled,¡± Rockefeller commented.


    Not even recalling when the bread was purchased, he wouldn¡¯t have known if Medel hadn¡¯t pointed it out.


    ¡°Does it? Hmm.¡±


    ¡°See? I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Rockefeller, your taste buds are strange. It¡¯s definitely sour.¡±


    After spending every day working outside, he dedicated his evenings to learning.


    ¡°Are you practicing magic again today?¡± Medel asked.


    ¡°I have to for at least an hour a day. Otherwise, I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, you could rest every now and then¡­¡±


    Since the day he began learning magic from the neighbor, he hadn¡¯t skipped a single day of training.


    ¡°Magic is often referred to as the training of the five senses. Mana can be perceived through sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste¡­¡±


    Although the neighbor wasn¡¯t a mage, Rockefeller learned basic theories from him, even if he never got to see magic firsthand.


    ¡°The sense that awakens first determines your talent. Smell is a very rare talent, and taste is even rarer, though it¡¯s not particularly celebrated.¡±


    The neighbor, a former mathematician, seemed to know a lot.


    Rumor had it he once tutored nobles.


    When Rockefeller asked, the neighbor explained that he learned a wide range of disciplines to avoid being fired and make ends meet.


    ¡°Mathematicians are looked down upon everywhere. Without magic, it¡¯s just playing with numbers. And honestly, they¡¯re not wrong. Without magic, we¡¯re neither helpful nor particularly skilled.¡±


    Brilliant mathematicians were typically also magicians.


    Because of this, the neighbor had struggled to find work even in impoverished noble families and was eventually let go.


    ¡°In the end, if you can¡¯t use magic, you¡¯re not considered useful. But if you can, your quality of life improves significantly.¡±


    Watching Medel soothe the crying child, Rockefeller resolved to become a magician.


    He knew happiness in the present didn¡¯t guarantee future stability.


    Seven months passed since he began learning magic theory.


    ¡°My skin feels cool, like I¡¯ve been hit by water spray, but I haven¡¯t,¡± Rockefeller noted.


    ¡°Your sense of touch seems to have awakened first, Delken!¡±


    ¡°¡­So, it¡¯s just an ordinary talent, huh?¡±


    At first, they assumed touch was his initial awakened sense.


    ¡°What nonsense. Many people never awaken any sense in their entire lives. Look at me¡ªI¡¯ve been training for ten years with no results,¡± the neighbor replied.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case.


    The neighbor¡¯s cherished magic tome held the key.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Those who awaken touch can create fire as light as a feather. Want to give it a try?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not working¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Is it because you lack a magic wand? No, this should work barehanded¡­¡±


    The tome contained a test for determining the awakened sense.


    Through trial and error, Rockefeller discovered it by levitating an object.


    ¡°Taste?¡±


    ¡°Remarkable, Delken! Not only is it taste, but it¡¯s a natural awakening? How could you have gone so long without realizing it? Astonishing!¡±


    If it had been any other sense, it might have been more noticeable.


    But taste was subtle and easily dismissed as a mere quirk.


    ¡°Disappointing. Why did it have to be taste? There¡¯s so little magic for it.¡±


    ¡°Even so, there¡¯s always a demand for magicians. You¡¯ll find something.¡±


    Though it wasn¡¯t the talent he¡¯d hoped for, Rockefeller was grateful for this gift.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re more skilled, why not move to the city, Delken?¡± the neighbor suggested.


    ¡°The city?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s hardly any work for magicians in a shantytown. If you want to earn money, you¡¯ll need to go somewhere bigger.¡±


    Rockefeller took the advice to heart and began planning his move to the city.


    Thanks to the addition of a clear goal, mastering magic came quickly.


    The limited number of spells he could learn due to a lack of materials, coupled with the absence of a wand, made progress slower, but he pressed on.


    ¡°Mom doesn¡¯t approve,¡± Medel said firmly.


    Her opposition was strong.


    ¡°We have enough money for now. Even if I don¡¯t go back to work, I can still take care of Arcyon.¡±


    ¡°But think about your age. You¡¯re only ten years old, and you want to go to the city? Do you even know what it¡¯s like there?¡±


    Despite her concerns, Rockefeller¡¯s mind was made up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I won¡¯t fall for scams or anything like that. Besides, I know how to protect myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself just because you¡¯re smart and know a little magic!¡±


    ¡°Be realistic, Medel. Do you think this shantytown is going to last forever?¡±


    Medel¡¯s worries were understandable, but Rockefeller knew the war would eventually end.


    And when it did, the shantytown¡¯s days would be numbered.


    ¡°When the war is over and everything starts returning to normal, people will leave. Few will remain here. Do you think there¡¯ll still be work left for us? We¡¯ll have no choice but to leave, and settling down elsewhere will require a lot of money.¡±


    Thinking of the future, Rockefeller tried to reason with her.


    ¡°If Arcyon gets sick, what will you do? Or if he wants to go to school? If he gets bullied in the city for being poor? When that day comes, don¡¯t even think about returning to this place. By then, it won¡¯t even exist.¡±


    Perhaps overwhelmed by his own emotions, his voice grew intense.


    Though he smiled, Medel¡¯s eyes turned red.


    She wiped her nose with her sleeve before retrieving something from a drawer.


    It was an opened letter and a ring.


    They were left behind by Arcyon¡¯s father, the man Medel had once loved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept this letter all this time because I wanted to read it myself,¡± Medel admitted.


    ¡°¡­You can read now?¡± Rockefeller asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been able to for months. I worked hard to learn while you were busy working. Hehe.¡±


    The letter¡¯s content was straightforward: apologies to Medel, an explanation of some unspoken reason for leaving, and instructions to bring the ring to the city hall if she gave birth to their child.


    It was his way of taking responsibility, however minimal.


    ¡°City hall?¡± Rockefeller murmured.


    The man had been a soldier.


    City hall would know his address, and with some effort, they might even find him.


    For a soldier, leaving behind such a letter wasn¡¯t unusual.


    But Rockefeller couldn¡¯t hide his discontent.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this relationship already over?¡±


    If the man had cared for Medel, he would have visited, regardless of the child.


    At the very least, he could¡¯ve sent another letter.


    The long silence hinted at other possibilities¡ªperhaps he had found another woman.


    If that were the case, Rockefeller thought, it wouldn¡¯t be the worst.


    At least he might send money to sever ties.


    But if that wasn¡¯t an option¡­


    No scenario seemed promising.


    Not wanting to upset Medel further, Rockefeller carefully chose his words.


    ¡°Medel, have some pride. We don¡¯t need help from a guy like that.¡±


    His tone was deliberately dismissive, as if to brush off the man¡¯s importance.


    ¡°Just forget about him. He¡¯s probably living comfortably somewhere, eating well.¡±


    But Medel seemed to have already come to terms with the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with it. Even if he¡¯s with another woman now, I can accept that. I just want Arcyon to know whether his father is alive or dead.¡±


    Her expression was resolute.


    No doubt she had spent countless nights imagining every possible scenario.


    ¡°Postpone going to the city. Wait until you¡¯re a bit older, okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it based on how much money comes in.¡±


    Rockefeller reluctantly backed down in response to Medel¡¯s heartfelt plea.


    City halls only existed in government-sanctioned towns, not in shantytowns.


    Medel packed her belongings and asked if there was anything else she needed before heading out.


    Rockefeller shook his head and decided to leave Arcyon in the care of the mathematician neighbor.


    The man, who had raised children himself, had occasionally looked after Rockefeller as an infant at Medel¡¯s request.


    It seemed a safe and reliable choice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back early tomorrow morning, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Medel said as she departed for the village.


    Rockefeller entrusted Arcyon to the neighbor and set out to work.


    It was a day full of anxious thoughts¡ªranging from worries about Medel encountering trouble, to selfish musings like, ¡®If she does receive money, how much will it be?¡¯


    He also couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how she might handle hearing devastating news.


    That night, sleep didn¡¯t come easily.


    ¡°Waaah!¡±


    Without Medel, Arcyon cried even louder.


    The next morning, he wasn¡¯t sure when he had finally fallen asleep, but by the time he woke, the sun was already high in the sky.


    Seeing that Medel was still absent, Rockefeller guessed she hadn¡¯t returned yet.


    Once again, he left Arcyon with the neighbor and hurried out.


    He needed to reach the main gate, which required passing through the square.


    The closer he got to the square, the more crowded it appeared.


    As expected of the shantytown, the square was a chaotic mess of crumbling structures and makeshift stalls.


    It was always bustling with people selling goods, but today, something was different.


    The atmosphere was heavy.


    People stood rooted to the ground, their faces grave, whispering among themselves.


    Curious, Rockefeller pushed his way through the crowd, weaving between shoulders and elbows, until he reached the front.


    A booming voice rang out.


    ¡°Look closely! This is the price of defying the royal family!¡±


    The man speaking was clearly a soldier of the royal army, and his proclamation of treason struck Rockefeller as odd.


    The royal army seldom ventured into such impoverished areas, especially for something as seemingly minor as treason.


    It wasn¡¯t like anyone here would openly defy the royals.


    This shantytown was a refuge for those barely clinging to life during the war.


    Anyone ready to give up would have done so long ago.


    Driven by morbid curiosity, Rockefeller pressed closer to the center of the square.


    There, he saw several soldiers and, among them, a mage clad in an impressive robe.


    All eyes were on the accused.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Rockefeller gasped, his breath catching in his throat.


    Tied to a post was a lifeless body, its head slumped forward.


    The long, reddish-brown hair and the familiar clothing sent a chill through him.


    ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be,¡± he muttered as he took cautious steps closer to confirm his fear.


    But his trembling shoulders and the growing heaviness in his chest betrayed his mounting dread.


    Clenching his jaw to steady his emotions, he forced a neutral expression and approached the soldiers and mage.


    Just as he reached out a hand, someone grabbed his wrist.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    The grip belonged to the workshop owner, an elderly woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish, Delken,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°But¡­ but! They¡ª!¡±


    Slap!


    The sharp sting of her hand silenced him, and she spoke with a trembling voice, her eyes glistening with tears.


    ¡°If you lose your temper now, who will take care of Arcyon? Please, think rationally. You¡¯re a clever boy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Her words snapped him out of his daze.  S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no time to grieve.


    Speculating about why Medel had ended up like this would have to wait.


    Because at that very moment¡­


    ¡°That mage¡­ he¡¯s casting a spell.¡±


    A surge of mana so intense it made his skin burn gathered at the tip of the mage¡¯s staff.


    With a cold, disdainful look, the mage tilted his chin upward and declared,


    ¡°On second thought, this method will save us time.¡±


    The commander beside the mage hesitated, questioning the decision.


    ¡°Sir Derkan, do we really have to go this far?¡±


    ¡°This cesspool is teeming with those discontented with the royal family,¡± Derkan sneered.


    ¡°These children are likely to side with the rebels as they grow. And besides¡­¡±


    The mage¡¯s eyes gleamed ominously.


    ¡°This is an illegal slum, an unregistered trash heap. Its absence won¡¯t matter, will it?¡±


    With a flick of his staff, flames spread like a river.


    Rockefeller¡¯s shut eyes snapped open as the stench of burning flesh hit his nose.


    At first, he saw nothing but darkness.


    Then he realized he was wrapped in something, the sensation smothering his body and stealing his breath.


    A warm, protective presence pressed against his chest before suddenly falling away.


    When Rockefeller opened his eyes, he saw the woman who had shielded him¡ªthe workshop owner¡ªnow lying at a distance.


    Her skin was melted and raw from the burns, and her lips moved weakly.


    ¡°G-go¡­ quickly¡­¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Rockefeller ran.


    He glanced back repeatedly, searching for the woman¡¯s figure, but the fleeing crowd obscured her from view until she was lost entirely.


    The tragedy didn¡¯t end there.


    The shantytown, built entirely of wood, fed the flames as they raged higher and fiercer.


    Walls of fire began closing in, suffocating the people trapped within.


    Amid the screams and chaos, the mage¡¯s mocking laughter echoed.


    ¡°Ha ha ha! The fire spreads beautifully!¡±


    As Rockefeller raced toward his home, the mage¡¯s name burned into his mind like the flames around him.


    With a vow to one day kill him, Rockefeller finally reached his house, only to find it consumed by fire, the crackling sounds filling the air.


    ¡°Arcyon¡­¡±


    Despair engulfed him.


    The realization that the last person he could rely on might also be gone left him hollow.


    Without hesitation, he stepped into the flames.


    Then he heard it¡ªa baby¡¯s cry pierced the chaos.


    ¡°Waaaah!¡±


    Snapping out of his daze, Rockefeller rushed toward the sound.


    In a corner of an alley, he found the neighbor crouched with Arcyon wrapped in tattered cloth.


    The man had his hand over the baby¡¯s mouth, his eyes sharp and alert.


    ¡°Phew¡­ it¡¯s you, Delken,¡± the neighbor said.


    ¡°Sir¡­¡± Rockefeller whispered.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain. Follow me,¡± the man commanded.


    Rockefeller trailed behind him, careful to muffle his footsteps.


    The path the neighbor chose miraculously avoided the worst of the flames, though the heat was still intense.


    It was bearable, for now.


    As they hurried through the alleys, the man suddenly slowed and brought a finger to his lips.


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    Rockefeller froze as voices echoed from around the corner.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this. The baby must be killed,¡± said one voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We burned that woman Medel¡¯s house thoroughly, didn¡¯t we? Just report that the baby turned to ash, and it should suffice,¡± replied another.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯m uneasy. Honestly, some of these people might survive. Should we just kill every baby we see?¡±


    The heat on Rockefeller¡¯s back intensified as the fire crept closer.


    Though the flames threatened to engulf them, the soldiers showed no signs of leaving.


    The neighbor suddenly turned, his face etched with determination, and handed Arcyon to Rockefeller.


    ¡°Delken¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but the soldiers are targeting Arcyon. Your house was the first they searched,¡± he said grimly.


    The man then took the tattered cloth he had wrapped around himself and rolled it into a ball.


    With a heavy sigh, he continued, ¡°I have so much to say, but there¡¯s no time. I¡¯ll keep it brief.¡±


    He gave Rockefeller a bittersweet smile, clutching the cloth to his chest like a treasure.


    ¡°You and Arcyon gave me the feeling that my own children had come back to life. Thank you for that.¡±


    Without another word, he sprinted toward the soldiers and the alley where they stood guard.


    To read Chapters ahead ????


    CH 186-190 (Rockefeller) $3


    CH 191-195 (Student council president) $3


    CH 196-200 (The King) $3


    CH 201-205 (Field Trip) $3


    CH 206-210 (Troublemaker Vs Troublemaker) $3


    CH 211-215 (Graduation) $3


    CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3


    CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3


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