Chapter 112
hSy“Here she is!”r4i
0makw“Damn it…! Miss! Are you alright?”X9bc
XiTeThe attack that took place in Vienderk’s territory immediately drew the attention of the family’s knights.RfrYy
ROnov5VThe duke understood that Rosalia had been ambushed amid that sudden snowstorm and sent the order to assist her.lL7d
Dcd“There’s no need for help. I’ve already defeated the corrupt.”5yykNC
BXeX“We cannot withdraw. His Excellency ordered us to escort both of you to safety.”LSmlk0
dMli06Rosalia tried to refuse them, but there was no way. In the end, she had no choice but to accept their protection until leaving Vienderk’s lands.2fXHvH
hLmAt the port, a ship was already waiting. The group boarded and set sail for the Dragon Peninsula, where the Cult of the Dragon God was located.qvn7Ag
QdyF“Did you make contact in advance?”huuEy
HCUKEJ“Of course. Everything’s been arranged.”eKCAxh
vgZYo0f“But I didn’t see you do it.”ETFEXd
CqX“When the corrupt attacked, my assistant wasn’t present, remember?”C4F3fCj
H0BjH“…Don’t you ever do something like that again.”9N13mq
4lctkHyde, who had rejoined the group after finalizing the arrangements, found out there had been an attack in his absence and vowed even more firmly never to leave Fernan’s side again.Z62Yx
aZcRjvK“Nothing happened.”yh77R
glcVJfS“Nothing? You call being attacked by a corrupt nothing?!”hb8
ZKC1x3“No one died and no one was seriously hurt. In that sense, it amounts to nothing. That’s why I brought the Red Turtle Order, isn’t it?”fhe
zS8Y“That’s true, but still…”deA0
nZEHyde sighed in frustration.aBcP6Ze
SowL“What I mean is that every time something important happens, you always keep me out of it.”2ryV5y
vArPvD“What would I gain from that?”3FV1fuo
8OYSGW“That’s exactly the problem, young master. If there’s no reason, then why do it?”uBRms
CtE“In any case, not this time.”gVB9L
ptTRFVx“What did you say?”tez
HcwtB“You can already see the Cult of the Dragon God from here.”I6XXNY
1DKZaM“That’s just a deserted island, not the cult!”6aP
QDMGBcThe ship finally docked on the peninsula. It used to have another name, but when the Cult settled there, its dragon-head-like shape made them change it.ktq6gk
y67Yv‘Doesn’t look like it at all to me.’vgeQNM
A2mAnyway, since the Cult was settled there, it wasn’t strange that they imposed their whims.AkFr
2WJnCrack.QNeaxa
iMfWDhOThe vessel moored at the dock.kUaa
SeMacrE“Welcome. The Cult of the Dragon God welcomes Professor Rosalia, young master Fernan Pellenberg, and their companions.”4NJ
bMRThey were ceremoniously led inside. As agreed, the mana core was immediately handed over to the Cult.EKGEy1y
mzSdjM“Oh, I can’t believe they managed to create something like this. If it’s not too much trouble, could we examine it a bit…?”j9O
VTI“It is too much trouble.”zUDc5u
Jx10“Mm, what a shame.”QHZPWh
9TJKB“Are you sure you’ll guard it properly?”3ZrjKh
nll2D“Though they may seem that way, they uphold their agreements to the letter.”V4LP
jFxThe priest-researchers, with eager eyes, carried the core into the temple’s inner vaults.J37ncmG
EZiDz“His Holiness wishes to share dinner with you two.”hy4iYfE
uRBQ57ZAnd so, Fernan and Rosalia were invited to the banquet.pAUfr
Avq“Welcome, young Fernan. It’s been a while since I last saw you.”3uXzm
KM2Ou“An honor to see you again, Your Holiness.”LgB5ef1
43te“Rosalia, you too… oh, I suppose I should say Professor Rosalia now, right?”QWAtdr
wqMqmJThe pope, stroking his long beard, showed a benevolent smile.KuyxG2g
JDV8ZAfter a brief exchange of pleasantries, the dishes were served.HtRcjo
gpIf8H“Let’s eat.”6W9
3T2DaWThe pope and Rosalia took their utensils, but Fernan remained still, watching him.Q1rp0DD
l39epB“Is there something you want to say?”3ahWxb7
Yherc“Yes, Your Holiness.”pO5e7
fTGZ“With such a solemn tone, you worry me. I hope this old heart can take it.”sExsr6
QBzw1FTThe pope set down his utensils and wiped his mouth with a napkin.nUclT
qRaKQrQ“I’m ready. Speak.”srq
8Ankp8“I imagine you’ve heard what happened in Valerich.”30pZ
R9fY“Yes, and I must say I’m pleased.”31LsbJI
eCrPY“Pleased, you say?”hAZ
GU6u2J“Of course. The heir of Armian regained the lost vision and defeated the corrupt. How could I not be pleased?”RXU9li
gQD3LHe raised a glass of red wine.uu4Tc
RXGWF“But the true goal of the corrupt wasn’t to kill eleven nobles and royals.”C50W
xw5IEEl“Oh no? In Vienderk, to kill eleven at once would require tremendous preparation. If that wasn’t the goal, then what was?”SIIn
Lwob0“The summoning of a demon.”FRLmo
jhX6Mg“…!”XWx9p
EXVThe wine stopped at his lips. The pope abruptly set down the glass.L1kp0aj
efBMDrw“…I hope you can prove those words.”0taHR
RAQw“What if I told you the demon has already been summoned?”DqFELf
ccM“Not even coming from you could I believe something like that lightly…”ujEE
bcrRyFernan pulled a recording orb from his subspace.ZM4al
2ZpnUc“Judge for yourself.”5qE
p281EIt was the orb containing the appearance of Andromalius, originally intended to be shown at the Continental Congress.eDrOnLL
Wy3iYzdThe course of events had changed because of Fernan, and humanity had yet to grasp the magnitude of the danger.yRFAdN
yEM5vlv‘I must correct it.’UXOb23
3nY4dyIf the world didn’t understand the severity of the problem because the summoning failed, he would open their eyes himself.V9wa7
xBMy‘There’s no point hiding it anymore.’4TJfAp
AguvtNFernan decided to reveal the recording of Andromalius to expand the scale of the board.cQO
iUcpThe demon was no longer a local issue—it now concerned the entire continent.ytCBTQ
yimTC***OUaVbDP
VBh1【The legend of the Empire, the legend of the First Emperor, and even more so, the legend of Armian…】RWF
ZsyT【The great young master Fernan of House Pellenberg, who moves alongside Aint Armian. Between the two, what could their relationship be…?】x6wPAGp
kUuAQSR“…These damn lunatics.”MkO
TXNaOVerian Kalburdern, who had remained at the Academy and was spending an uneasy day, spat out the tea in his mouth upon reading the morning paper.5yS
R32k“What is this?”ThzRTgq
OukfN0Wasn’t he supposed to have gone to see the Continental Academic Conference like any other person? Why were there corrupt involved again?kNy
nm0At this point, he was starting to think that the problem was Aint. How was it possible that wherever he went, he always ended up encountering corrupt or monsters?mlie
2P6Bt“…Eleven members of royalty and nobility died in Valerich?”zGPjqy2
xLyYDoes that even make sense?KdKV
eLppkIt’s true that with the Conference, there must’ve been an uncontrollable crowd, but still—this was Vienderk!aLU9DFO
IrMBThere’s no way Duke Vienderk would have neglected security.629VYMb
LtHMuch less if the dead were royals and nobles, not commoners.uoT
d8Whpi‘This only means the corrupt are truly formidable…’kfej2SQ
vtvCcWHe didn’t know much about the world, but it was clear that the corrupt’s schemes weren’t few. And those schemes had grown more sophisticated over time.yaeg6bI
R02Of‘The demon has already been summoned, and on top of that, they stir chaos in broad daylight within the domains of prince-electors—this won’t end here.’cuvLj
gCTxIf anything, it would only grow. Never shrink.5boT
xvzV“I need trustworthy people. People willing to help me.”JTAL
jMKN“I need you. To be precise, I need you to become one of mine.”rR4Njh
w5u34He remembered the invitation Aint had made not long ago.ChJdix
y81rnDIf demons began to run rampant, Aint would begin to rise uncontrollably.wwVFw5C
9o249CF‘But I can’t put myself under that guy’s command…!’BcY
HCMEven if he called him friend or companion, in practice, that relationship would eventually impose an implicit hierarchy.iPi
lo7nTWith his heart sinking, Verian finished his tea in one gulp and returned to his lodging. At that moment, a maid from Hall Ravidus stopped him and handed him a letter.m19ofp
eHk“Young master Verian, a message has arrived from your family.”z5VrPIA
6JgPRM“A letter?”MSu
KKjqeCSeeing the patriarch’s seal, Verian instinctively tensed his shoulders.pjGK7
MeA1x“Ahem… thank you.”LnX
zSozeElPretending to be calm, he quickly locked himself in his room. Nervously, he unfolded the letter.bZkkoIh
NEgaP9D[Verian Kalburdern. I am deeply disappointed in you.]Vfqp
VDUfCFrom the very first line, the words gripped his heart.Vq34
7H6NrHis father’s rage was palpable, and he clenched his teeth hard.MeMX
7i4RH‘Damn it.’4hayYrX
ry4NeAt first, when he entered the Academy, he never thought he’d end up in a situation like this.g9eSL
V94V3X[I heard you disgracefully lost to the one you were supposed to defeat, and that your rank also dropped. And on top of that, during the summer vacation you didn’t even return to the family, avoiding your responsibilities…]PVOp5
aBQThe first half of the letter was nothing but reproaches against him. But from a certain point, the tone changed.wUOon4
Qvnj0[You must have heard about what happened at the Continental Academic Conference. That has changed things. You no longer need to defeat Aint Armian. You don’t have to surpass him.]UwMdB3
Bx4m8AHis father’s order had changed.wbbN
ZN6[Approach Aint Armian. Try to become one of his close allies. Well, since you’re at the Academy, it’s enough if you become his friend.]q8u
F6Kx0“…Huh?”LUtvA
U57ZVerian’s face twisted at once.qv7lsN
8jHjXN“Shit…!”5JGEnD
IFIkSJFernan, Aint, and now his own father.VdLj4
9BkFjAt this point, it felt like the whole damn world was conspiring to push him into becoming Aint’s subordinate.tS3cF
mQt0hr***OV1I
2IweThe Continental Academic Conference, held every five years, always brought changes to the Academy.Rhe3
ZXKVSince the Conference could be a valuable experience even for students, the Academy actively encouraged participation as a form of practical learning.bHpjB
vIuYAlthough it was especially useful for mages, that didn’t mean it wasn’t useful to other students. Therefore, for three weeks, all classes were suspended.pXV7c0
eehVStudents called it the “autumn break” that came every five years.3jPQgi
9aLXDuring that time, they could do as they pleased—attend the Conference, go home, travel, or even stay at the Academy.u9O2F
8Wx1More than half of the students chose to visit the Conference, but Luina Bercheff did not.C8ehIS
tMHKY7Clang!yMm
NxRhFA dull sound rang out as her sword flew through the air. Blood streamed from her torn palm.XGMJM7k
YVqxNLuina fell to her knees, panting heavily.jSbnJIn
OM0yB“Get up. How can someone who calls herself a knight fall to her knees so easily?”74bx
Jvt“…Yes.”B91bV
FZfSPClenching her teeth, she forced herself to stand. She picked up the fallen sword and pointed it once more at her opponent.xVXcd
gOsb9jDProfessor Grad shook his head.naNl
zMM3W“That’s enough for today.”kN8
iyn3“I beg you, one more time.”XKgaOQ
Bqam“Hmm, but…”zw27H
TYOpJLuina pulled a small pouch from her chest and placed it on the table.PIpqs
R8W9t“I beg you, one more time.”EEijBOs
hVLp“…Alright.”2suMXgZ
EWC3Grad smiled.cMGHl
V9Y“You’ve changed a lot, Luina. I never thought you’d come to me with a bag of coins asking for a duel.”LlVT
fGNQcQ“I learned it from Fernan.”Rjcc2
q9Wf3D3“Well learned.”pDuBmm
ScuvQe4He motioned with a finger.ZBK5MRd
Qc0fEr“Come.”39Ij
6Y59enLuina took a deep breath and launched herself forcefully across the floor.oVxkYsh
MKDyHer heart pounded violently, but her mind remained calm.V10TLz
TKITBlood flowed, aura ignited.VnVgJoy
V4iHer sword gleamed with a bluish edge.RSj8Vj
gBWm—!CPt
I03ASword clashed against sword, the impact sent a vibration through her that forced her to step back and turn her body.AiF
pHfDBClang, clang!Xywq
xGcTRg5All her combinations were blocked. Professor Grad’s sword was always one step ahead.95kZG
oj1Why?lssvUJ7
2drAToThat was the biggest dilemma that had consumed her mind in recent days.GiOsRMx
OljS2KAWas it just a matter of speed? He was fast, but it wasn’t just that.VXE
po9RmENow she was finally starting to understand.wuHLGf
2tCJ‘Efficiency.’cScIi
4o3Every trajectory of his sword was incredibly efficient. Not a single wasted movement to reach the optimal position.DhClEr
xBImc‘That’s the path I must follow right away.’BOfac
OLA9Just realizing that made all the money and effort invested in this practice worth it.vlLpy
ko0NHuN—!sdfTq8
AxMAfter dozens of exchanges, Luina’s sword slipped from her hand again.kDPUUP
4UXalCT“Very good.”ild
F5MCJGrad nodded.PCik
fxIe9“Much better than before. Seems like you had a revelation, didn’t you?”hTx4nIe
96Chg3I“Yes. Thanks to you.”9WFOOe
jrMHhw1“Ha, you’re certainly not an ordinary girl. I wonder if I’ll end up broke if we keep this up. Want to continue training?”wgI
auiLTm“Yes. Please continue until the end of the autumn break.”qMt6w8h
7bsu“As long as you pay me, I’ve got no problem. But for today, we’re done.”hDYm
YTPHLgu“Yes, thank you again for today.”Nhtg
UUpLuina bowed her head, and Grad picked up the pouch of coins from the table before leaving.zRml
W56kD9OShe sat cross-legged, mentally reviewing the duel. When she opened her eyes, she met the gaze of her governess, who was waiting for her.vMdr0
Vmt4“Young lady.”ObYd0i
mthhvTC“Looks like today went well?”qngUkJ
yO9HOo“Is it that obvious?”3mh
eXYOUY3“Your face looks more at ease.”nKDEY
nM2OLuina touched her face, unsure.p35HEPs
ku0dSNX“I managed to gain something.”wSZIwT
Jvs“That’s good. Then the money wasn’t wasted. Well, it’s Pellenberg money, after all. But are you really sure about what you’re doing?”AIW
w3c“I suppose.”OMWqJC
CIfThe bribe she had given Grad came from Fernan.D6dTR
yOLZTDSince he promised to support her, in addition to the elixirs, he had been giving her money regularly.D7qeYAM
OL0gjUntil now, she hadn’t spent it, but decided to use it this time.BSpDR4
0F6qa7K“You truly surprise me. I never thought the young lady would end up giving money to Professor Grad for private lessons. You always hated those kinds of things. Though, in this case, it’s more of a formal request than a bribe.”Cb39
emLYOGEven so, requesting private lessons from a professor didn’t exactly give the best image.J0O
VRl7X“I still hate it.”sZaI
jcGetD6“Then why…?”0LH
s403QfK“Because I hate even more being a burden.”ms8q
qsYnChm“A burden?”uqB
Y04iLuina’s gaze drifted to the newspaper on the table. It read:nnDm2
aZSRE【The legend of the Empire, the legend of the First Emperor, and even more so, the legend of Armian…】Sa0
8mxKVu【The great young master Fernan of House Pellenberg, who moved alongside Aint Armian. What relationship could there be between the two…?】8feTjL9
McqI9jyAn article about Fernan and Aint, who had traveled to Valerich for the Academic Conference, took the headlines.11y8w
ozS6“It’s nothing. But what’s going on—why did you suddenly come?”ymK
0izh99“Do I need a reason to come see you?”q7FfMVJ
wXxh“If you came all the way to the training grounds, yes, you do.”jwa
swxoVwQ“Well, actually, a letter arrived from the lord.”909UhSc
E3uiWo“Father?”3Xrn
owkf66jThe governess handed her the letter, and Luina opened it.cY5
miOjoIThe contents weren’t long.deByHD9
SvV[Luina, this is the first letter I send you since we last saw each other during the summer break. Life at the Academy… (omitted)…a5CQH
fJEZzMPThis winter break, return to the main house. And bring with you Fernan Pellenberg, the young man who inspires you so. As you may imagine, I have many things I wish to ask him.]6Yjk
thoThe message was clear.lJFm2X2
O5Qiz“Hm…”t4HO
XRZdIt was an invitation addressed to Fernan.nqhFj
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