Chapter 113

They had returned to the Academy.

“Good work, Professor.”

“You too.”

The magical stone fusion artifact had been delivered without issues to the Cult of the Dragon God, and Rosalia returned to her duties as a professor at the Academy.

“Thank you for everything, gentlemen.”

“It was nothing. It was a good experience. If something similar happens again, please call on us.”

“We had fun, young master.”

When the Red Turtle Guild returned to their family, Fernan went back to Labidus Mansion to rest from the trip.

“…Definitely, leaving home is always hell.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d traveled the continent on business, but sleeping in a comfortable bed and sleeping in the middle of the forest were two very different things.

“Someday I’ll have to invent a portable house.”

That was the good thing about money—it made anything possible.

Even if it took time, with enough money he’d eventually make it happen.

“Hyde.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Did you find out anything?”

“Yes, sir. They’ve decided to combine the midterms and finals into a single abbreviated test.”

“Combine them into one test?”

The autumn break lasted for three weeks.

Normally, midterms were held during that period, but the Continental Congress had delayed the class schedule until finals.

“Yes, I found the regulation. Every five years, the midterms and finals are merged and replaced by a single abbreviated test at the end of the semester. That’s what it said.”

“And what exactly is that abbreviated test?”

“A practical combat.”

“The most fitting form for the Academy.”

“Exactly.”

In short, all courses were unified and resolved in a single battle.

It sounded outrageous, but it fit perfectly in an Academy whose main goal was to forge strong knights and mages.

“And what about the administration faculty?”

“They’ll have a unified written exam.”

“So, combat then? And the artifacts?”

“Not certain, but it seems they’ll be prohibited.”

That meant he’d lose his position as top of the class.

But he didn’t care too much. The only reason he’d competed for first place was because of Luina; Fernan wasn’t really interested in that spot.

‘This time the test is individual, so my results won’t affect Luina in any way…’

Fernan decided to take it easy.

‘So until the end of the semester, there shouldn’t be any major problems.’

He didn’t know what the Prophecy would say, but it didn’t seem likely that anything else would happen soon.

‘Whether the Congress followed the book’s course or not…’

If the demons had been summoned as written, there was nothing more to be done.

‘And if they weren’t, then the inquisitors will be holding their breath for now too.’

Of course, even without demons, eleven princes and nobles had been murdered.

He couldn’t fully relax, but at least within the Academy, with the rector watching, the chances were low.

‘Either way, I can’t trust everything to go as the book says anymore…’

He clicked his tongue, regretting having lost the most powerful card.

“I suppose I’ll focus on academic life for now.”

“And the corrupt ones?”

“That’s no longer my concern, at least for now.”

If it didn’t happen within the Academy, he couldn’t intervene.

“That’s why I met with His Holiness and spoke with Duke Gransis about the demons.”

That matter was now in their hands. The only thing he had to monitor was the Kingdom of Frazia.

“Oh, right. What happened with the obsidian mine?”

“About that…”

And so, just when he thought he’d get some rest, Fernan plunged back into his affairs.

***

The Congress had ended, and the Academy returned to normal.

“Long time no see.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

He met Luina again in the classroom. Compared to three weeks ago, her aura was sharper.

“I spent some money.”

“Finally?”

It wasn’t the answer Fernan expected. He thought she’d say something like I trained a lot.

“Yes. I invested in something I thought was worth it.”

“Something valuable?”

“You’ll find out soon. But first, I have something to tell you. Can we talk after class?”

“Of course.”

While they were talking, Professor Grad and Professor Rosalia entered.

“Break’s over. Now pay attention, because the rest of the semester will be tough.”

“Yes!”

The resumed class, after three weeks, was limited to reviewing what had already been learned.

When it ended, Fernan and Luina headed to a teahouse.

“So, what did you want to tell me?”

“While you were at the Congress, I received a letter from my father.”

“From the frontier count?”

“Yes. He asked me to return home during the holidays….”

Luina hesitated for a moment before continuing, avoiding Fernan’s gaze.

“…And he also asked that you come with me.”

“…Me?”

Why all of a sudden?

Although, there were too many plausible reasons that fit.

‘Because of the debt? Because I’m her partner? Because of the potion? Or because of the monsters and the corrupt ones?’

Too many possible reasons.

“Yes. He wants to talk to you about the monsters and the corrupt ones.”

“I see.”

“That’s it.”

Luina looked away, hiding that there was more in the letter, but Fernan didn’t notice, lost in his own thoughts.

‘I’d have to go eventually anyway.’

He knew that sooner or later the time would come when an army of monsters would descend from the north.

And after the early signs in Bercheff’s lands, the northern frontier would be the most vulnerable point.

Fernan didn’t intend to stand idly by.

If he could stop it before it happened, he would. And if not, he would reinforce the defenses to prevent the territory from collapsing.

For that, he needed the cooperation of Count Bercheff of the frontier.

‘I need to find out the real situation in the north. How many monsters are there, if we can resist with support…’

But that didn’t mean there weren’t problems.

‘Right now, Frazia is more urgent than Bercheff…’

In Frazia, monster armies were also stirring. If his assumption was correct, the danger was closer in time than in the north, and there was also the clear presence of an enemy Flauros.

During this winter vacation, he had planned to investigate the demons in Frazia, but if he had to go to Bercheff, that would be impossible.

‘Flatly refusing would also be a problem…’

Even though he’d sold the rights to the Golden Bull and was no longer an electoral prince, that didn’t mean Bercheff’s reputation and power had disappeared completely.

Despite having suffered great damage at the hands of the monster hordes, they would rise again.

“For now…”

At that moment, the next prophecy Fernan had been waiting for began to emerge.

A precise moment, accompanied by a sharp headache.

***

[ “It’s total chaos, isn’t it?”

Upon returning to the Academy, Aint clearly felt that his reputation had changed.

— That’s normal. You’re the hero who managed to defeat a demon.

“But I didn’t do it alone.”

In the auditorium where the demon was summoned, there were countless mages, princes, and nobles.

Alongside them were royal guards and other powerful protectors.

The demon’s goal had been to wipe them all out and sow chaos across the continent, but that very goal made it no easy task.

— You’re the core. That’s what matters.

“I know that, but…”

“Aint.”

Among the crowd, he heard a familiar voice.

The unbreakable knight. The one who, even in front of the demon, did not retreat and protected him with his firm back.

“Senior Luina.”

“I heard what happened. You’ve done something incredible.”

“Compared to what you did, it’s nothing.”

“What I did?”

“To stand there, in front of it…”

“It was nothing. I barely managed to hold out.”

“Such excessive humility.”

Why was he so hard on himself?

Aint felt he liked Luina even more.]

This was the beginning—Aint returning to the Academy.

The story where Fernan didn’t intervene.

Aint, who defeated the 70th demon, Seir, and became an even greater hero than now.

The entire Academy was in an uproar.

‘He still feels the same for Luina. Will it really be like that too?’

[— This winter break, let’s go back to Pandrein. In the far south of Frazia, there are virgin lands—it’s a war zone.

“Sounds good.”

He had hunted demons. Two, even.

He now had confidence, but at the same time, he felt it clearly.

That demons and the corrupt would infiltrate the continent in even more cunning, more cruel ways.

And that he had to grow stronger, no matter the cost.

‘I finally became first in the class…’

But compared to demons, that title seemed meaningless.]

Then the vision advanced straight to winter break.

That nothing had happened in that span was a relief, but seeing Aint getting closer and closer to Flauros was unsettling.

‘Damn it, is it really going to be this spring?’

Time was running out.

‘And about being top of the class…’

It seemed he had defeated Valoshi Vienderk.

Of course, after hunting two demons and absorbing their power, it would have been odd if he couldn’t beat the top first-year.

[“Is that a corrupt?”

“Yeah. We need to catch him.”

When the man entered a deserted alley, Aint silently followed, grabbed him from behind, and covered his mouth.

“If you scream, I’ll cut out your tongue.”

“Umpf…!”

“Want to know why? I’m wondering the same thing. Why did you sell your soul and join the demons?”

“……!”

— Damn corrupts, they’re everywhere, like parasites.

After defeating the 70th demon, Seir, and absorbing his power, Aint had grown enough that he no longer needed to examine a corrupt directly to identify them.

And upon returning to Frazia, half a year later, he realized it had become a nest of forbidden magic.]

‘So it was possible even without my help.’

In the end, everything returned to the course of the prophecy, which gave him some relief.

He had missed an opportunity to hunt a demon, but that didn’t mean his growth had stopped.

‘And Valoshi?’

Of course, this was where Valoshi officially joined Aint as a companion.

Valoshi Vienderk, Aria Fridian, Varus Dene, and Luina Bercheff.

All of them, companions acknowledged by the prophecy book. Nothing strange about that.

‘But after losing first place…’

Would it be the classic “you’re the first to defeat me” scenario? A textbook cliché.

He didn’t know, and the book didn’t go into that detail.

[”…No matter how deep I dig, more keep appearing. How far have they infiltrated Frazia?”

“Taking root there couldn’t have been difficult. It’s not the Empire, and after all, the Kingdom of Frazia is on the fringes.”

The center of humanity was still the continent of Lutar.

Thanks to Pellenberg and the Empire having rooted themselves in the north of Pandrein, the situation had improved, but aside from imperial territories, the kingdoms of Pandrein were still peripheral.

“We can’t let the corrupt do as they please.”

“Want to repeat what happened in Taklakan? What if we ask for help?”

“Help?”

“If a hero who defeated demons speaks of the monster threat, no kingdom will sit idly by.”

“But the corrupt have already infiltrated everywhere. Can we trust them?”

“Then, how about asking Varus to mobilize mercenaries?”]

[“Exterminate the monsters!”

“Kill them all! Aint Armian fights with us!”

The holy light illuminated the battlefield filled with demonic magic.]

When the last page ended, Fernan opened his eyes.

***

“Fernan, what’s wrong?”

“I was thinking. Whether or not I should accept the margrave’s proposal.”

And he decided.

“I’ll go.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

In the last vision of the book, Aint ultimately gained the support of Frazia and the mercenaries and managed to exterminate the monsters.

That was enough.

‘I can’t stay glued to Aint forever. Besides, this is a part he has to overcome himself.’

In the end, he was the one who would become the hero.

Until now, he’d feared that the story, altered by his interventions, would ruin the future, but Aint had already grown enough.

He couldn’t keep treating him like a flower in a greenhouse.

He shouldn’t cling to a single problem—addressing both fronts was best for the continent.

‘Still, I’ll prepare in case the future goes off course.’

Not too big, not too small—a moderate preparation. Something like gathering allies.

‘Maybe Verian Kalburdern and Aria Fridian will be useful.’

Valoshi was already with Aint, so there was no problem there.

Even without demon hunts, Aint was still the hero who exposed and destroyed the corrupt.

‘And Flauros won’t be summoned right away.’

His appearance was marked for spring, and now it was winter. At least, it wouldn’t be this time that a demon was summoned.

‘I must contact the Mercenary King soon.’

Although, with a future already altered, nothing was certain.

That’s why he planned to do everything within his power.

“Shouldn’t you return to Pellenberg? You don’t have to push yourself so hard.”

“No, it’s fine. If I decline, you’re the one who’d be in trouble. Besides, I’ve always wanted to visit Bercheff someday.”

“…I see.”

At his words, Luina’s eyes opened slightly before she nodded.

And thus, their winter break plans were decided.

After saying goodbye to Luina, Fernan enjoyed a quiet moment with a cup of coffee. But suddenly, he spotted a familiar silhouette outside the window.

A boy at a shop, handing over his worn weapons to be repaired.

‘…Yeah.’

A student with dark brown hair and eyes, with nothing particularly remarkable.

‘You were here.’

A thorn lodged in Fernan’s mind.

‘Gismond Ert…’

It was time to decide what to do with him.