Chapter 117
yCkhuSNOnce the matches were decided, Fernan headed to the Golden Turtle Guild.RIo
WwvSE“Are you planning to surrender?”oK5hB6l
17EThe one who followed him was Luina, who asked him directly.dfo3p
i68go6G“Why do you say that?”KjMGE
8Jw“Because of your expression.”GUO6
4IIde“It’s true that I don’t enjoy wasting energy on something with an obvious result, but I never said I would surrender.”FHJIru
dlvH“So you’ll fight?”m8T
Kz8ZV“I didn’t say that either.”gvtHDFD
jTyNkFernan shrugged.ctYo
QqXLhrIn truth, he had already decided to lean toward surrender. It was better to focus on the repechage than to face Luina unnecessarily.CXpsFJ
WtrSUY‘After all, the ranking is secured through the losers’ matches.’EXXgI
gA3TWcAt the very least, he needed to stay within the top 10 to avoid being expelled from the Rabidus Hall.Twe
VbsDdfQ“I want to fight you seriously.”IEzicW
x4NkrC“Me? Why?”X6sa
IsjT“There’s no opponent who compares to you.”m1c
5Qhe“I’m just a merchant.”Mku
krUqpa“A mere merchant doesn’t kill a demon’s summon in a single strike.”BwqAalC
CO6cgQ“That wasn’t me…”MHWROGe
G2q— Kyu!r2x
swCJePqWooden, hanging from his neck, raised his radiant hand.ikPWt2
rPrCM“He did it.”dLjMjbs
7bhF7l“Wooden is your golem. So you did it. You can fight with him if you want.”0Fcap
0Wnp“Artifacts are forbidden in this exam.”FVsZ
gqOE55“Golems are considered magic, not artifacts.”lnCz
rmRThat was true. But Fernan had no intention of revealing Wooden in public just to win an exam.QPyTQ1o
Is6U“Impossible.”DEd
RXZhWooden was his last resort, his final shield and sword.d50
q744“Why do you insist so much on fighting?”byjiL
V5u“Do you think I’m crazy about fighting?”J6Pr8A
VQ5V“No, it’s not that…”rgtw
qKz6Zad“I just don’t want to be a burden.”vjIPN
Qw4I“Burden? You, a burden?”NqRKDj
RLgzWith what rotten eyes could anyone call a future Royal Knight a “burden”?EA2lfN
TVcw“I didn’t hear it from anyone, it’s my own thought.”YXyqe
khiqh“Why? You’re the champion of the jousting tournament.”qe3
57S7rK“But I couldn’t fight properly against Andromalius.”6eil
zee“Yet you defeated him.”21r
wE1LT“If it weren’t for Aint’s light, his power wouldn’t have weakened. If it weren’t for the traps you set, he never would’ve shown an opening. If it weren’t for Wooden, we never would’ve finished off that serpent. And if it weren’t for Verian and Aria, I would’ve died more than once.”euNaG
2kRKLuina clenched her teeth, her voice hardened, and her fingers trembled as she recalled those moments.PM8
vHPD“If it weren’t for the cooperation with Aint, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat Andromalius.”v9G5
mrUT“That was a demon from legends. Aren’t you setting the bar too high?”F3Cd
aBG4wKu“It was legend, but now it’s reality. Fernan, you know better than anyone. That was just the beginning. Do you think you’ll always be able to rely on Aint’s help?”R8k5axE
PhN9Fernan fell silent.T5d
jA6xTsHLuina’s words hit the mark.EtiMhsr
Icd“Also, to the north of Bercheff, monsters are hiding. Are you sure none of them are demons?”81sDYzb
cw1She was right. The future would bring even greater chaos.xfkC
CiOCountless demons would be summoned, and armies of monsters would ravage the continent.v0u
Lldk0eK“My duty is to eradicate them and protect Bercheff.”2BPiaOs
MtHyFAint wouldn’t always be there.aKo
d7oMgviCould she guarantee she’d never have to face a demon alone?fZIWeX
cgFI‘…She’s better than me.’jGM
4xP3Fernan admitted he had relied too much on the book of prophecies.Vf5
EetHe believed that since the book said demons would appear one by one, it would always be like that. But what if not?29yURi
YwpcVblThe future was already altered. Nothing prevented dozens of demons from appearing at once.dWAgt
jvhqVHShe had to be stronger. Surviving meant becoming strong.y2mA9Yz
knESDZThe fact that she, without the book of prophecies, understood this better than he did made him feel pathetic.bmm
g3D0“…I understand, Luina. I’ll do my best too.”FbVsn
Tziuq“Thank you.”qCJuqu6
AKBj0QoShe bowed her head in gratitude.VuzP
ux7She didn’t even touch the chocolate before leaving.zrKDE
ANy48***okF
eVLI2VFThe next dayCViR4aS
ceKmkI“Begin the match!”u4BWHB
r207“……”vnkhfnK
IqxI“……”hUshbcg
yLOGBThe referee announced the start, but neither Fernan nor Luina moved. They simply stared at each other with determination.HhpZ0zP
cYn3“Luina, I’ll fight with the intent to beat you.”qUCgMA5
aJa4fre“With the intent, not the desire?”ToHhGkk
v76“Your words yesterday made me think, but my essence is still that of a merchant.”pHGMQ4
WMoCBXfIf Luina sought strength by thinking of demons and the future, Fernan had decided to focus on raising and sharpening talents like her.3Jbc
xZkTMvHe was a merchant, a support for warriors.mmA
lKWEHe had no intention of defeating her, but he would pressure her as much as possible to give her experience.f5pM9
h7ss1Tap.EVlqKN
KXI2With a light tap of his staff against the ground, he began casting.M0rTKX
IIxLWhoosh.8prn5v
CR6KxThe ground beneath Luina’s feet turned into quicksand, pulling her down.Gbp1
Pa2Oq33But she escaped easily, her feet glowing with a blue light.fPkZ
MHpKSOIn an instant, she covered twenty meters.114oREY
VyCpRA rock fist rose in her path, but it only delayed her half a second before crumbling.kQop
DPclgZCrack!djzTUW3
dQCA raging blue aura slashed Fernan’s neck. His head rolled—but it was only a mirage.mxy
dWbjkH2Suddenly, the shadows of enormous rocks covered the field.Xj0C7B
BSrdLIt wasn’t just one—there were many, covering the entire arena.Xn28
QnAJEvade? Impossible.tCI8uX
m4UOvU“And you said you were weak…?”2HH
Vnpr2Luina hardened her aura and concentrated it into her sword.yXzL
yBJ7s───!3KY
IJcHer sword split the largest rock, but it wasn’t ordinary stone—it was a magically reinforced projectile, as hard as steel.qHfvq
5DJF“You shouldn’t let your guard down.”5vl
wbRWuhFernan’s voice rang out as the split rock rejoined, as if it had a will of its own.AtGHrrU
DuXq6SBoooom!UrFY
kjtThe roar was enough to crush an ordinary human, but Luina endured.2TE
4Qfyq9rShe broke through the rock and charged directly into the center of a wall of flames.X8R32
o2ldkqhIt burned. Fernan could manipulate fire at this level?7zyu
F1RqOGBut it wasn’t unbearable.jNis
1sKBWith force, she parted the fire in two.FOMuI
WlsLAmNow the path was clear.pMQu
n8VBoom!jfZ
W7FV1vThe distance shrank violently. But once again, Fernan’s body dissolved like a mirage.mVFHWa
kcrThe price came immediately.3GIQj
iFQdkEarthquake.USCBc1
iUbHVThe ground opened beneath her, swallowing her into an abyss.gwp
x6fwZcFrom below, flames glowed, and from above, piles of sand blocked any exit.Kc59
wuVYhm“Are you really trying to kill me?”4GnPvC0
3VMin“Then will you surrender?”bld
FoByx1The voice echoed from some unseen place.NuUWD
cIn2x“Surrender? On the contrary, this is exactly what I wanted.”5iISU
5j96EDHer sword glowed blue and unleashed slashes downward.uZnI
9KG9FThe aura devoured the flames, carved a tunnel, and with a leap, she emerged upward.c7Uql
xwt2A roaring lioness soared into the sky.mCPRKS
O5rBut suddenly, a giant blocked her ascent.hOs0dc
rQz“…A golem?!”hckVA
SCPLBooom!5WuzuE
fTkThe golem’s fist crushed the lioness of aura, and Luina crashed violently to the ground.oWKHVW6
8iL“You said you wouldn’t use golems…”fi4MIY
12Jtp“Did I promise that?”trEYxp
sWbwKfTBoom!zXZ1O
xSIThe golem landed, imposing. It wasn’t Wooden, but its size and toughness made it a formidable weapon.VIU
DhG‘To defeat a golem, the best strategy is to attack its summoner…!’Elm885x
bvsBut she had no time. Another golem landed behind her.6lKpw9G
RbrY“…Two at once?”yOR
QJ8IKFew had ever heard of a summoner capable of controlling two golems simultaneously.u0NB2UF
AhC8Wz“Since I’ve been connected to Wooden, I see the world through a golem’s eyes. Controlling them became easier.”rlX
qjF88tQ“…And yet you still say you’re weak!”qx5
HhFibLuina’s shout echoed as two golems charged at her.cXaG
LmzjR***IkXxTe
9JcXLVz“…I lost.”r8w9V
ELvccI“Haa, haa…!”VoIeT
BwiLuina’s sword pointed at Fernan’s neck.p3Aokz2
Ttw3as“Couldn’t you at least let me land one hit before surrendering?”3SJ8Z
9viBbf“I don’t enjoy that kind of thing. I surrender. I surrender unconditionally.”3j23F
AioFernan offered no resistance and immediately acknowledged his defeat, while Luina, nervous, collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.1jdlo
CF2TMTo any onlooker, it might have seemed that the roles of victor and defeated had been reversed, but it was inevitable.PPCTHHh
rJD3h“Using three golems was a mistake. It was overkill.”LZ1kYNB
Y86ZH“The moment you brought out a third, every movement started feeling unnatural.”Pt9n5i
EIlLuAqHe thought two wouldn’t be enough and summoned another, but instead, the control destabilized and was less efficient than handling just two.giH8
zWXfQAnyway, that wasn’t the important part.en5
ESHwye“Crazy, he controlled three golems at once?”mkptM9
GHLq2Q“Was Fernan really that strong? This isn’t just about having more mana from drinking a bunch of elixirs.”MmR
ODKeM“Wow, three golems at the same time? No wonder he’s first in his class.”K9o1jy
pmhKFS“This goes beyond the level of an outstanding student. Don’t they say even professors who use golems are limited to two?”AFJf8Lo
WBXi1MR“And those are some of the top-tier golemsmiths!”G4GaM
vxfAYThe fact that he controlled three golems at once—and cornered Luina with them—left everyone speechless.gN8
QjP“And Luina, who managed to break through and climb out in the end?”tEKS
zxbm“She’s insane. Did you see how the golems ended up? Shattered to pieces.”CRR
Fh7llV“Her aura was at an insane level. When did she get so strong?”KhfKO2I
v2KBR“So her defeating senior Rob Kaelin wasn’t a fluke.”cuixV
E1Z“If someone thinks that was luck, their eyes are just for decoration.”UXYgduL
66HOntvThe students couldn’t stop expressing admiration at the battle between Fernan and Luina.ZN4G
66bSIt had been a flawless fight from beginning to end.XvsIEO
Qiwf“Well fought.”eVPUwQ
lh6Fernan extended his hand. Luina didn’t refuse it and stood up by taking it.5xLGu
kpgTP“I almost lost.”GCSG
DqJ8ARu“I told you, I’d fight with the intent to win.”G9k
ixgMTf“Still, I never imagined you’d use three golems…”rCPtG
mPeaoC“I regret it.”dwa
Q5a“Huh?”0xqx6yn
VvH“I never thought you’d destroy all three completely. It’ll be cheaper to make new ones than repair them.”5e0ub
4ksHe hadn’t expected her to completely break them to the point of being irreparable.jo32
ABHCk8H“In that situation I had no choice—they were way tougher than I thought.”hvdNE
tTWfx“I had specially modified them. Anyway, I’ll charge you for the golems.”RZgwR
1GQUGp1“…You’re the one who summoned them.”MQimoN9
higLuina averted her gaze uncomfortably. Just then, the professor raised her arm.8NW0
klY5“The winner, Luina Bercheff!”1an
zfyc0aThe winner was decided.MeVGYUQ
4UUIEGc***zMM3PqN
1uZXThe whole Academy was buzzing over the integrated exams.D8M
dr95OkGBut not everyone was.ub2
rZnOne of the professors whose classes weren’t directly related to battle, Harcon Pallas, was among them.lWyfef
Cf56clE“Times like these make being on the fringe the best.”62Om66
QuuYIf he’d been involved in combat, he would’ve had to monitor and manage the crowds of students during the exams.5M1
Rjqe6hBut as the professor of 『Golem Magic Engineering』, Harcon Pallas had no such obligation.1MUY
1lF7tAlthough golemancy had long been recognized as official magic, it had long been considered secondary due to its limited usefulness.sIUdb
enyIt was inevitable.fZ41W
IjBTo control a golem, the mage had to focus entirely on it, leaving themselves completely vulnerable in the process.o4N
GBVlwsThat’s why it wasn’t very suitable for combat.LcYw
IyMDIts primary use was as heavy machinery in mines or construction sites, but no one studied magic for that.oe8
pNba“Idiots who don’t understand the beauty of golems.”gVboWZU
RZdftHarcon pushed up the monocle he wore low on his face.nVyT
wgvfRk7They didn’t get it. The true value of a golem was nothing so trivial.02wAnCt
kMaj4They were grand, beautiful, powerful. How could anyone think of them as mere tools?1p00vM
V1zHarcon dreamed of crushing everyone’s pride someday.A2MwHid
d7WECBy creating the ideal of all golemsmiths—the Auto Golem.sBqO
UIuGfe‘If I create an Auto Golem, I’ll change the course of magic.’r5QT
5eyA golem that didn’t need to be linked to a mage, but could obey simple commands inscribed into its core.ktT
QyvHe had only just found a thread of possibility, and it would still take years of research and refinement before bearing fruit—but that didn’t matter.GiAdV
K6hAs long as there was even a small chance, that was enough.WxuFq
pkIX8‘I was going to present this at the Continental Conference to secure funding…’obe
IgRj1RGolemancy was one of the most resource-intensive branches of magic.SAn
EWvXThe Academy’s subsidy wasn’t enough, so he had planned to make a splash there—but everything had been ruined by the chaos of the corrupt.D3rRq
tmEL‘First I’ll finish the blueprints, then find sponsors…’j9R
gcUdTSBut that day, he couldn’t concentrate. He kept getting stuck on the designs.yt1
KqyOut of frustration, he crumpled the paper and threw it into the bin.faT
HvMr“Professor Harcon, are you there?”KhzZ2
ppb7mNnAt that moment, someone visited his lab.Vai
tGk“Ah, Professor Nania.”C2t2Iv
jB6ZGIt was Nania Beris, who had recently joined from Fridian as the professor of 『Introduction to Spirit Summoning』.CNM6
xZlFSince spirit sensitives were rare, her subject was also marginal.SmxTst
hRPiKQrBoth “non-mainstream” professors had gotten along well.cI31vRU
F9Cgr“What’s the matter?”PPiNYo
jnJczp5“Aren’t you going to watch the integrated exams?”Ekv5Di
tUlryM“I’m not interested. What’s there to see?”mfL
DWJhAfter all, no one was using golems.7n1D0F
YXSW“I don’t know… I think there was something yesterday you might find interesting.”htm
OuWGxq“Something that would interest me?”WjQ
I0AaNania handed him a newspaper.lkG2
pp9j【Academy Daily】hsM7u
h9FL3Bt【The long-awaited duel finally happened! The top second-year Knight and jousting tournament champion, Luina Bercheff VS top second-year Mage, Fernan Pellenberg. A clash of the best two!】pPv2x
v6Jkgqa【Everyone expected a one-sided win for Luina, but the unexpected occurred.】odCOi
t8xo【Fernan Pellenberg controlled three golems simultaneously. A hidden genius in golemancy?】Qvvuv7
Wh94【Three golems in the integrated exams! He cornered Luina Bercheff. Can golems be viable in real combat?】2JPehO
YV5FHz0The newspaper highlighted the match between Luina and Fernan, the top students in their year.qpCQP
wpDNothing strange—battles between the best were always hot topics.1Aswu7E
H7XozBBut what caught Harcon Pallas’s attention was something else.Ovy4O
ZDmJUB“…He controlled three golems at once?”sBszEC
kiBHis jaw dropped.20U
ipG2YZGNot one, not two, but three? Was that even possible?4uQ5
rE9iD“Yes. He controlled three golems at once and cornered Luina.”QkQ6MKh
qUb“…Is… is that true?”4JunD
mDT“Of course. I saw it myself.”ztJm
LwBpo“Good heavens…”Xsm0f
qXBev“Is it really that amazing? I don’t know anything about golems…”CREnaRa
Go7W“It’s not just amazing, it’s monumental!”j6Ku
YkoM0Harcon Pallas was an authority in golemancy. Not just any authority—one of the top.39bw3N
3VAZeXThere was no one in the Empire who surpassed him, and probably not even across the two continents.HsQ
0rBP2“Even I have a limit of two!”q3WnT
gNFwFModern golems had to be directly controlled by a mage, linked to their mana like their own body.SFeGyI
IVnpistControlling two at once was like managing two different bodies with one mind.X7DQ
7FREAnd three?Q8bhqD
MmdYlTNot only that—controlling a golem required a high level of understanding and knowledge of its structure.9E63Y
T0oVKc8Being able to handle three meant immeasurable mastery.zsic
5CXO81F“…If this is true, that Fernan is a genius. A genius in golemancy!”eUf9Nyb
9n1UXNw“I see.”PWE
AIT7Y“It’s not just ‘I see’! This boy must dedicate himself entirely to golemancy. He has to give his life to this art!”a2QFN
q0CgHarcon’s face turned red with excitement.SYq
u1LCqk3A talent.3qG
B7wIn decades, no such prodigy had emerged in golemancy. A student who had to be secured at all costs.SlL
Dk1“This kid must become a golemsmith! Why the hell is he wasting time with earth magic?”LIAP
sYIXinFWith a leap, Harcon bolted out of the lab, scattering all his research papers to the floor.T0dK8l
Ww7L“Fernan! Where are you?”tvJb1C
UdxkeUv“Ah…”piM45Oc
sNsxONania, now alone, let out an incredulous laugh.4HO2
taP“That much, huh?”SFl7
4H9s46WOf course, if someone told her a student could summon dozens of spirits at once, she’d be stunned too.rpAyuZD
PwGbB“So that’s why Aria was so insistent on keeping a close watch on Fernan Pellenberg…”J8JoHW
SCyGnKIt must’ve been a shock of that magnitude.tgRmy
5YcWkd“I just wanted to bring up something interesting, and look how it turned out.”ub8r
uFYB8OThe prince-electors didn’t welcome Fridian.6wTJ6P0
wJ3GAnd since several professors were under their influence, they didn’t easily accept Nania either, who had come backed by Fridian.5yH
KzwicbUThat’s why she had approached Harcon first, who didn’t have strong ties with the others.fivc
UZeIF“It’ll be hard to increase Fridian’s influence in the Academy… what a pain.”NCZGYD1
A9tLnUZWith a sigh, she left the empty lab.sWkabt9
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