Chapter 177
CMucWUeAria, after Fernan cleared her mind, was left behind while he returned immediately to the Academy.SAY9
1Uc“I’m exhausted.”aO9
XzFDc5While the dwarves worked hard digging through the earth, Fernan hadn’t been idle either. During that month, to meet the goal within the agreed time, he had personally joined the project.sqLKgL
koKOpening paths with magic was what he did best, and thanks to that, he had played a key role in finishing the excavation on time. He had surely earned the appreciation of many dwarves—and that, too, was capital.veo
lKifXJv“Hyde, go to the guild and check if there’s any matter I need to handle personally.”I4om
mNWJOl“I’ll wait to see you lying down before going.”M4C
Atc2zg“And now you’re pretending to be a faithful escort?”eUA
dtCjU“I’ve always been. The problem is my lord insists on trying to ditch me at every turn.”R7h
vVbaWith his body fatigued, Fernan headed straight to the Ravidus Hall. Before the door to his room even finished opening, Wooden waved his hand.GATRH
PjvSu— Kyuu!ZFpyD5L
a8offa2— Pii!070UDF
xFv0GkwFrom the crack of the door came a chirp.HtFMug
Csm2Lr2A white bird with two pairs of wings flew flapping into Fernan’s chest.uCT0O
QYZZ“Silver?”aarI
A1Exr— Pii!sNsLE2
gipR3hQIt was Silver, the Saintbird he had lent to Aint.d2qPp5O
SFFPDGxFernan caught him and petted him. The creature, which at first barely fit in a fist, had now grown almost five times larger.ZSk
QWqgOz5“Wow, you really grew.”tNAZx96
vvwzKD“I’d say more than quite a bit, sir…”ydt
HCbbThat he had reached such a size in just three months was extraordinary. It was said that a Saintbird took about a year to reach maturity, and at this rate, it would soon be large enough to ride.jgw
7E3IZ“But… how did it get in here?”RSN3mI
TJi3EhLThe lodging in Ravidus Hall didn’t allow anyone in except the resident and one designated assistant. Even other students from the same hall had to use the visiting room to meet inside.gpbx
pduJj“Ah, Sir Fernan, there you are. I was the one who let it in.”Kv5C
LghabBaOne of the maids cleaning the hallway ran over to him.7ZCcti
pBTFAI“Student Aint brought it, but as soon as it arrived, it planted itself in front of your door and wouldn’t budge. I thought if someone saw it, it might be a problem, so I let it in. Strangely, even though it wouldn’t move at all, it went straight into your room without resistance.”RXvP
eJ2QThat was Rita, the maid with a natural talent for picking up the coins Fernan often dropped without realizing.kvG75
Y074“Did anyone else see it?”cyTZyu
V97iX“Just me.”tIv
nODkk“Good.”jwTa7
U3aWsMaIt had nearly been a disaster. If they discovered that the Saintbird belonged to Fernan and not to Aint, the latter’s reputation—and both their futures—would be seriously compromised.fB5r4
u0UWAa“Thank you, Rita.”wUW
Lh1TBv“No need to thank me.”gX9mLyZ
aGr“Silver, did you miss me that much?”DeKQi
2Ao— Pii!ZZx6a
3JYFernan hugged it to his chest as he entered the room.G96
J7JuThe door closed, and in the very spot he had been, a small pouch was left behind. Rita, already used to it, picked it up immediately.eOB
FfkF5“So careless, as always—I’ll keep it in case he comes looking for it later.”E7BuR
2XHtBut in reality, no one ever came to claim those “lost items.” They were hers forever.8Wp0
ZiWbCZ***O3ltWX
yMW1uPAs the afternoon faded and dusk peeked in, Fernan woke up after finally peeling Silver off him, who had been clinging with affection.0qcp
aXZT“Hyde.”CBlzBSZ
8u4B“Yes.”r0I
Pt0“What about guild matters?”gNu5C
qznYGO“They said there’s nothing you need to handle personally. All the accumulated reports are already in the office.”LDd
WEEHq“I guess another season of report hell awaits me.”FqtzDc
yL26“That’s the price of your actions, young master. Haven’t you started more businesses than you can count on one hand, thanks to the prophecy book?”HA5x
bi9NufYThe projects Fernan had launched under the book’s guidance weren’t few.fvftc
ZgB83jvAlthough only a handful of branches were active inside the Academy, the constant travel to oversee other matters meant the paperwork piled up all the same.CRc
i6agOB“And I can’t turn my back on income sources flowing so clearly. That would be the real crime.”f1Q
wOmMMUo“Of course, young master, whatever you say.”gDT
zxOhnvHyde snorted with a dry chuckle.JBXGRH
7NXF1Z“Go check if Aint is back and arrange a meeting as soon as possible. I want to hear what he accomplished with his family.”9k3
0vFCZhSFrom Armian’s recent movements, the outcome could already be guessed, but nothing was more certain than hearing it directly.PIrbv
opFgYhAint had returned to the Academy two days prior, and the meeting was arranged immediately.X2vvb
GuIyff“Everything went well. My father also agreed to support me.”TxXB
BpfL1Iv“I heard the Armian house is recruiting knights and soldiers.”1U3wvt
h6CFernan could imagine the duke’s intentions. Even if they sold all their current lands, it wouldn’t be enough to repay the debt, so that was the best option. And it was exactly what he had hoped for.doeF
Qy1“It won’t be easy. If you need help, you can ask me anytime.”J9LYm8y
7dj1TForming troops from scratch was never simple. It wasn’t enough to enlist them—you had to train them, feed them, house them, and pay them a regular salary. Not to mention finding instructors, expanding barracks, and tending to a thousand other details.bYB0H
mx3Xtl“Yes.”KjaG
6nLNBz“With soldiers, it’s enough to pay them well and they’ll come, but what about knights?”mY6
NO4PddKnights were essentially weapons of war—people trained in the art of killing from childhood. They required the right environment, resources, and talent. They weren’t easy to raise, nor were they common.Go99pD
11oqR4“For now, I plan to gather as many free knights as possible.”m4sNPYu
8J5“Even so, it won’t be easy.”JOd
QNSSOEO“My father plans to leverage the name of Armian.”Gbrs
3zdY3U“Not a bad idea.”orP
MvnSfRNormally, no one in their right mind would want to serve a fallen house, but now the situation had changed. With corrupts and demons active—and with the Saintbird returned to the Armian family—there would be those seduced by the old legend and the promise of rewards.Osx
wnfHj0lIn fact, a considerable number were already knocking on Armian’s doors, showing the effect was real.dS8bG
5hE“Ah, and the rector told me that during the vacation, another corrupt was discovered.”wBTzP
BMVG“Who was it?”OWJNe4
eQ52Ti5“A fruit shop clerk in the city.”tUZ90
Xu135e“Anything unusual?”bxF2A
TWuOnwH“Just what you’re thinking.”pl7Vb2
iKJ“They had a book and disappeared without leaving a body?”OwcbC
atBCnE“Yes.”Xie
XLVYkKThe doubt grew heavier.vx5O
J7hAThey had already identified and eliminated several inside the Academy, yet they kept appearing. The corrupt weren’t stupid—if they kept trying, it meant they were after something specific, even if they failed.3fxXZ92
tQlUrBut the unsettling part was that Fernan couldn’t imagine what.I7H
ofRQND8‘It’s always the same—books and vanished bodies.’GTbhyS4
fDbIf they weren’t demons, why did the corpses vanish?U4sVe8
T0FNo matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find an answer. Ideally, they would capture one alive and extract the truth—but the problem was they usually self-destructed immediately.G7oQAO
LmHs“For now, the best thing is to eliminate every one that appears.”DMQ
LkgeGlO“The rector agrees. Oh, and I received a personal letter.”bkLH5bj
yZWtAint pulled an envelope from his chest. It bore the seal of five red flames.gOB9
S2JdCM4“Esrin?”16Fv
VggvIt was the emblem of Esrin’s royal house.vRPY
wW5B6“Yes. In Valerich, during the continental conference, I managed to form a bit of a bond with a prince of Esrin.”ZkvwUK5
rf2wE“I remember.”b4hsAQ
ooIHistory had changed course when Fernan stopped the summoning of the 70th demon, Seir, and thanks to that, a prince of Esrin had survived who was supposed to die with his sister.JqV
LJAtyz“Was it Ferant Esrin? The first prince.”79xHZQM
DKFTmsThe prince who survived alone, when he should have perished with his younger sister.emdataA
uZVz0“Exactly.”mbNm
xOX1“If he asks for help, it’s best to refuse.”pYBRN5
8B1zQiNThe public collapse of the king of Esrin, fainting in the middle of a ceremony, had triggered the succession dispute. Although the first prince held the advantage and had a solid power base, that didn’t eliminate the ambition of the other heirs.vQtIx
EENGmktAnd between a hundred and ninety-nine, there was always a world of difference.Nx0w0
e6maThe disputes were already surfacing; the students from Esrin hadn’t returned to the Academy, and the Golden Turtle Guild was massively selling war supplies.bjorq
IIKnpoIIn that context, if Ferant had written to Aint, it was surely to ask for help.EPSmc
PWZJUNB“Yes, he’s asking for help… but…”RZBali9
NSiuyq“What is it?”NVZ16E9
OR3Ft“Maybe it would be better if you read the letter yourself.”YwDEGnB
DG5[Aint Armian. We promised friendship, and this is the first letter I send you.3xT
H2ZHow have you been? Your deeds are being heard everywhere.ppx8vvJ
hs3oV…usi
bEZrIt’s shameful that my first letter is to ask for help, but I hope you understand the situation.LT3qv
HFBgWbTibolt and Tulwin seem determined to snatch the crown from me, even if it means resorting to war.lgsG
aZbQIf it were only that, it wouldn’t matter. I’m fully confident I can prove they’re mere illusions.QVsNnG
OCfBut it’s said that in the north of the kingdom there are corrupts trying to summon monsters.4Mr6
QTzbfvLThe one who said it is not entirely in their right mind, so the information isn’t reliable—but you never know.JtndMM
S8evnlVAnd that region just happens to be the domain of Tulwin and his allies…]Vu0
8zVX5ovAfter finishing the letter, Fernan recalled a vision he had pushed aside—the prophecies he had reviewed before the vacation.NZ95H
9d0UgzGA rebellion in the Kingdom of Esrin. A regime change.19YEmAP
G5w1N2UHe hadn’t thought it would actually happen, since in this timeline Ferant had survived, with solid support behind him. That’s why he had ignored the warning. But it seemed it wouldn’t end so easily.3hsjx
22ftDum‘I got too confident thinking the prophecies no longer mattered.’NLzlDX
7Xuu3CHe had forgotten the essential—human ambition never stops.orobyVX
tK4Whether the succession was clear or not didn’t matter. What mattered was that the conflict existed.inT
0oms“What do you think we should do?”Qn4N
TFjM“And what do you think?”bmSHF
pbmZJj“I want to go and help.”2Pil
bF8i“For friendship?”5dwaa
4n15l“Hmm, we only had tea a couple of times in Valerich. It’s not that deep.”l6cYcLG
5aKTRThough it wasn’t a strong bond, it wasn’t nonexistent either.BCWE
h75w23sAint’s gaze turned resolute.XOk
euscco“But if there are corrupts, even just a trace, I believe we have to go and eradicate them all. They’re a plague trying to sink the continent.”uFWr7Y3
CWtAzSomething had changed in him during that vacation. He was no longer the naïve boy from before, but someone more mature.akA
MtG6Ti‘Not bad.’KIZ
MI5AdnjFernan felt satisfied to see his growth.XNuv57W
ktcvpHT“I think the same. But for now, we have too little evidence. Classes at the Academy are about to resume, and more importantly—it’s a foreign kingdom.”SZTSs
jnaYZ4jEven if there were corrupts, directly intervening in a succession dispute could be seen as interference. And that would give Schwaben the perfect excuse to strike Armian without hesitation.WVNWM
CcO“Yes, that’s true.”az8D
sEo“I’ll investigate thoroughly first. And if it turns out one of those princes sought help from the corrupts to seize the crown…”gM9
F5t3Fernan clenched his teeth.EbVJr
HPXYv“Then I’ll do whatever it takes to bring you there with me. And we’ll exterminate them.”TCqi
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