Chapter 189
WJvVrsG“What the hell is that golem?!”ceAlm
RYf7fNYViscount Lorencios screamed in desperation.NPx
vWGMThe blood giant was a weapon formed from countless lives, blood, and demonic magic from a book consumed by flames.9JVRuVx
I3BF1And yet, it was being humiliated by a mere golem created by a human.WbRH
r0cEThe giant wasn’t weak. The golem was simply too strong.EKJ
ayxIlThat reality plunged him further into despair.JpYcK
P45wwvHow could a golem made by human hands surpass the demons’ giant?BsL
1VZqTQNo matter how much he denied it, reality wouldn’t change. So he shifted his focus—if he couldn’t destroy the golem, he would kill the mage controlling it.6ZCMF
BkS7But he couldn’t do that either.0rJ8EQ
ZHci“Why won’t you die?! How can a mere Academy student withstand my magic?!”Lfe23
9uG0Even though he had lost his book, Viscount Lorencios’s power hadn’t vanished.hOl
DJrPhHe was a mage who had awakened long before Daniel, at a level no student could ever match.pmJp6
3SW8USo how the hell was Fernan still holding on?Ym9Z
PGWcQHow many potions could he possibly have in that subspace to keep chugging them down nonstop?Aj2
ugoP0Nc“If only I had kept at least one page of the book…!”ZjANgQY
VjEfhHe regretted burning it all to reinforce the blood giant.eevmt
cnuLP9He finally understood why Daniel had wanted to retreat after learning Fernan was involved.Hg8il4O
CXajBut it was already too late.boIh
xxDbsHe had used everything he had prepared and even incinerated the entire book.BJZC
hqPvJkDHe had bet everything, and all that remained was to offer his own body.ncCoush
YhtFNSGrrr—Uui1RoH
MOx5rStarting from his feet, his body began to be absorbed by the giant’s flesh.Zbh
Zej“Fernan Pellenberg, at the very least I’ll kill you here. Even if I have to burn my entire body!”bES
e0QkThe blood devoured everything it took in, growing stronger with every sacrifice.slkAOid
qYI“First I’ll crush that golem…!”WnzHP
78fWEven if it meant its own creator.YK2
3Pg7cG“And then I’ll kill you! And those fools who don’t realize the situation they’re in!”4jz3EHu
XncThe giant devoured its master and grew rapidly, becoming tougher and reaching fifteen meters in height.EzhAet
w9YfxI“I’ll kill you all!”vx47PbB
Wufr1BJBut even before that monster, Fernan’s expression didn’t change.96X7H
cqJpQHx“Pathetic. Do you know what it means to repeat the same threats over and over?”Dnl1c
CAQThat they no longer carry any weight.z2lE5
Y69ZD6“Just like now—with you.”7Zb9
tVGc9JAt that moment.n7W
JVqYl9Crack.Rwi2
BG5DLTqA massive sword, glowing green, pierced through the corrupted being’s body.M1IAny
O6I“It’s rare that you didn’t choose self-destruction, but…”hGKrwT
xrMHis torso and legs were separated in an instant, without fully being absorbed.T3KGf
5ESAJb“Who said I was going to wait for you to finish?”udzpe
T8DBS1JMaybe demons and corrupted beings wait for each other. But even if they did, why would Fernan follow their rules?7jR
6pbHUvT“Stupid corrupted scum.”1hX6
2xkZ12J“Dam… damn y—!”gNCIZ2
cqIW3DThe reddened body of Count Lorencios didn’t even finish cursing before turning into black smoke and vanishing, like all those who used books.nUTcCM
WnB4HoBut the blood giant didn’t disappear.iOJjPvr
SBg4J7Perhaps because it had devoured part of its master, or maybe that’s just how those magics worked.qqGPYW
3K6rn“Wooden.”VHYn
Rh0K— Kyuu.fV05
Krb“Finish it now. It won’t regenerate anymore.”9K4v7
IbT4Wooden nodded.RAnTf
IpZqHe gripped his sword with both hands, focusing all his energy.ZZO2mZ
nvcj7uuA green aura, more than ten meters tall, pierced the sky.zZa3F
6n93qwThe giant, sensing danger, roared and lunged forward, swelling its body as if to devour Wooden in one bite.yY9BQ
gxBajEjAnd in that moment—va0
iW0yS────────!nNc1t3Y
tELl2The sword came down.bfoIi
GVBjtXA perfect, final slash that sealed the outcome.gJ2QlmC
dxwHW5M***VbDn
9vKWVictory.dAlz
l3EonMThey had won.h2gE
p9ZZ— Kyuuu.Spasc
dTfH6qgWooden closed his eyes with a satisfied smile. He had fought with everything he had, and he was happy.F3B94
LO4His body, however, was exhausted, weighed down by fatigue. He didn’t want to think about battles again for a long time.FdHgD8
BRAJ0“Well done, Wooden.”phs
v8wmC— Kyuuu, kuuuu, Kyu.sWxs
vIKwbQ“You’re not going to bug me for three months? I see you’re satisfied.”6NP
Ax9Fernan thought that if he hadn’t taken potions like water, he would have died.uXGH
3yixbHe’d drunk so many that his stomach felt like it was about to burst.2W8RNc
WKntGAs he burped uncomfortably, the first to arrive were Hyde and Luina.eOO
6z6E“Good job. Are you alright?”iG5KcpH
gTV1“What about the prince?”8ezC
IrI195“Safe. Thanks to you.”N4yK
FRnK“And you?”7FE
3DKWqmS“Same. Most of the monsters got caught in the fight between Wooden and the giant, so it wasn’t too hard.”L84eq
A53R“Idiots, just like proper monsters.”Cd6r6
c5gdFernan laughed.J0rCMh
GiAaZ“And you, how are you? You look…”Iquf
4W3“Not great.”NNa
K1jVfd3The corrupted mage’s magic had clearly overwhelmed him.OJHw
ZfxSsIf not for the artifacts and potions, he wouldn’t have lasted.rU7CF
3XKAnd while potions were useful, they weren’t miracles. If the enemy had focused just a bit more on him, Fernan would’ve fallen.84y
n0lp546“You’re pale. I’ll help you walk.”mham
zPd“It’s not that bad…”oPg
fOO80Suddenly, his head spun, and he lost his balance.vbATswL
tZc1rpmLuina caught him immediately.1oW
FMzQXPa“See what I mean.”5gHpMfD
Ax1Pyr“Let me carry you.”pGCBh
J59R6R“No, I’ve got this.”FCuK6FK
QmcM“Alright then.”gOJP3ax
nsNXuHyde stepped back, and Fernan accepted Luina’s support.NJQ
t3d“…I’ll have to trouble you a bit.”pk27Lo0
xjFWI“No matter how much.”kvdA
Iut2qAs they spoke, the prince and his group approached.llJlwt
uMp8DVS“Are you alright?”vLsA6WY
AEL“Yes, I’m in one piece.”rcf3b
q9lsvV“You look very pale.”6ltm
lqCZws“The enemy deserved it…”lCMqAuj
r7BPThe prince bowed his head, and the Black Whale knights, along with the surviving soldiers, knelt.kkO
D88“I owe you a tremendous debt. Thank you, truly.”XNYvak
mNo3m“Thanks to young Fernan Pellenberg!”ILYUC6
aXMv0Amid the ruins, seeing dozens of knights and soldiers kneeling in perfect formation was an imposing sight.ATwJ
loyRlI“There’s no need. I only did what I had to.”rkOhtK
ZtZ5“What you had to do would have been to escape. You could’ve easily done so.”iGpuC5
gu53The prince shook his head.tuB7ec
eAo“You saved not only the heir to the kingdom, but also the squadron, the mages, and the soldiers. I want to reward you.”7SU
zLS9x“That won’t be necessary.”scSY0E
H4cSWGc“Not necessary?”5nUU
75gjSwThe prince looked at him in surprise.XjyQ3
hxxlqK“I’ll be getting Alprosen’s three-month budget soon anyway, won’t I?”yBAVxi
gD5dyIf he asked for more, he’d end up drawing the people’s hatred. Fernan knew just how far he should go.OiKRwG
1XgFz“……”k9qvvLm
A49mEveryone went silent.Sds3n
6XbCtqNo one dared say it wouldn’t happen. Even if they wanted to avoid it, they couldn’t swear the secret would be kept.ZxglHgd
aix“…About that. Could I compensate you with rights or something else instead of money?”N7Kyj1
akf3“Money is cleaner, but I won’t reject other ways to make money. Though, the promise hasn’t been broken yet.”7255U
a8qQ“It doesn’t matter. Promise or not, I want to give you something as thanks.”Zb1U4
JAM9Tg3The prince pointed at the ruins around them.IEV
Y9kyGiW“This isn’t the best place to talk. Let’s rest a little and then discuss it properly, what do you say?”NXTl
cO9HlAH“I’d have no reason to refuse.”hrunBqX
LnhzLODAfter all, there was no such thing as a Pellenberg who’d turn down a talk about money and rewards.IW3d
TQjrvN***Hbph
HauBWhile Fernan was saving the crown prince of Alprosen and taking down a corrupted one, Aint’s group was meeting with the first prince of Esrin, Ferant Esrin.WxUDaU
JBpx“Forgive me for summoning you to a place like this. But I thought it best to keep your visit as secret as possible.”iFduo
PN23dP2The location was a secret villa of the first prince, on the outskirts of the capital.Up0lZs3
jaOZmAfter crossing Lake Baikan by boat and landing at the port, they quickly arrived following the guide sent by the prince himself.wtxT6U
jHF“No problem. If it’s about matters related to the corrupted, you can never be too cautious.”nJIye
aXl“Thanks for understanding. To be honest, I didn’t expect you to actually come when I sent the letter.”QNQAJk
4G0tkaFerant Esrin let out a sigh of relief. Though he was a prince, against demons there was no substitute. And since Aint had come at his request, he wanted to show the utmost respect.d3SyORW
E4A8l“And they are…?”X8UH4i
yeT“They’re my friends. They’ve fought by my side against the corrupted.”RbHzRD
3jN0kI“An honor, your highness. I’m Aria Fridian.”ChwerJt
prq“Verian Kalburdern.”PKVTtR
mAwy8“Fridian and Kalburdern… truly esteemed guests. Welcome. If you’re friends of Aint, then you’re friends of mine as well. Feel at ease.”4e1ys
9P7pQEIAfter the introductions, Aint resumed the conversation.H0JOlS
djQ68“I’d like to hear more details about what you wrote in the letter.”irbl
PfuYoNs“I regret to say, but what’s in the letter is all. We haven’t found any trace of demons.”yqlG
TN8QdThey had sent people to the third prince’s region, but whether it was a mistake or the traces were too well hidden, they found nothing.d89eAqi
ovsgGy“Could I see the person in question?”CnwYZ
N6DFz“That is possible. In fact, that’s why I summoned you here. He’s…”HQaRI
hqULqAt that moment, a soldier rushed in, alarmed.xRy
uh3plOk“Your Highness, something terrible has happened!”eu8CA
NARP2“What is it?!”Cb4
vfMAtU“Valor is dead!”cR8qsi
MKqLp“What?!”0lsYXrm
cZTqcpsValor was the man who claimed to have escaped a demonic summoning ritual.pMB
jBCBfHe was the reason the prince summoned Aint, and the one he was going to have him meet.Z7aP
3NYclThe prince and Aint rushed to the room where Valor had been staying.Hx9asYy
PByUkAll they found was his corpse, with his head cleanly severed.VkCe0
1GgkNHe wasn’t the only one—the knight assigned to guard him (though actually keeping watch) and four soldiers were also dead.0JneoM
nTh“…How could you let your guard down like this?!”O5lY
7JzIC“I… I’m sorry, your highness. We…”tEDCU
lBZjY1While the prince and knights argued in panic, Aint bent down and calmly examined the bodies.MzLVi
aVnMEa“…Your Highness, you’re right.”ygkkj
fnn2M9He found traces of demonic energy in the corpses.f6v
9jPvHe didn’t know if it came from the bodies themselves or the killer, but that didn’t matter.dgtw
eOle1qRThe mere presence of that energy confirmed that the corrupted were involved.5vZi5
6jl“The corrupted have infiltrated Esrin.”necb
7CyJ8TAn aura of killing intent radiated from Aint’s eyes.jBG
WZpX***KCziAVQ
bcV“Aint Armian is in Esrin…”8Wpwo
HJWW“Yes.”7RBN6J
ruGNBCount Daniel, having returned to Esrin, received the bad news without reacting.S2J1Cy
Yx3u“I see.”chmsKYC
JYdkbB“You don’t seem surprised. Don’t you blame me for this?”mLFNT
Ds6wTD0“It is your fault. Aint came because you didn’t do your job right.”keoZNa
LXg“Th-that…!”giQ
aKMys8E“But I expected it.”dFcpl
z2fAs soon as Fernan appeared in Alprosen, he had sensed Roderick had failed.hqmZ
HnnZkIThat Aint would come to Esrin wasn’t strange under the circumstances.NJDi
AxMp“…Everything went wrong by a hair. If I had just arrived a day earlier…”6niX6
6ns0dRoderick scratched his head nervously.qVCUM
1YQANg“It doesn’t matter.”iM6G1b
xrEmVS“It doesn’t?”Wgt
DUKsgT“I’ve thought of a good plan.”MZm89iE
Z3aJ“A good plan?”5ZBtMe
rcDXelv“We’ve been failing repeatedly since last year. Do you know why?”cLp
nICgvw“Because of interference…”4uy
jN8MV“Exactly. And from whom?”vcKy
bgRYKZB“Aint Armian and Fernan Pellenberg…”6po
TeRddxi“That’s right.”rlL6Ba
FUIEver since Aint entered the Academy, they had anticipated certain issues.yPo3ELY
CmZqJThey had tried to kill him multiple times and failed. Why?9gm
slPIBecause an unexpected factor appeared.rRwzWO
p6i4“Fernan Pellenberg. His interference ruined everything. If not for him, Aint Armian would be dead already. Kimaris and Decarabia would still be alive.”YZ66Kw
NH2APURIn fact, those two demons might have even joined forces and razed Bercheff.VRcbi
SHQ8gd“That guy was always obsessed with security. And that paranoia ended up benefiting Aint. But now…”MSd
kbzboUQ“Fernan isn’t…?”As4pN
jdMRoderick’s eyes widened in realization.SXJ
sB6“Correct. Aint no longer has Fernan Pellenberg by his side. He doesn’t have that overwhelming power. Nor the support of the Academy’s headmaster.”Ner
mVQThis wasn’t the Academy.C86e
OZc8T0Fernan Pellenberg wasn’t here.8LNR9Bn
ddGJNThe Empire couldn’t intervene in a foreign nation.82Skvy0
HxqreAnd furthermore, in Esrin they had entire hordes of demons summoned with the help of the third prince.OzqiJWK
lFcb82D“This is our chance, Roderick.”T7gpYih
9RZrfPerhaps the last.HmPx
mM0Co8“You must’ve heard the Armian family is suddenly reinforcing their forces—who knows where they got the money.”BhT5
4Pk“Yes. Proof that opportunity lies hidden in crisis.”dRpfYk
G8XEdj“Exactly. If we let this chance slip, we’ll be facing a much stronger enemy later. But if we strike now…”31vGuh
azIjJArmian will lose its core again and fall into ruin.rUQuPo
SiPiAnd the demons will eliminate their enemies with their own hands.PXQjYA
LchV“Yes, I admit this is the best opportunity.”wNnRK
xOa8Di“Let’s capture Aint together. The two of us will be enough.”CaPvIRR
jPeaOT4“But I find it hard to believe that Fernan Pellenberg, who protected him so much, would let him leave without any safety measures.”Roadds
LX6WlN“Fernan is in Alprosen right now, fighting Lorencios.”hWD
wtmntP“Lorencios? In that case, it’s likely he’ll be killed…”6ENYE
jSUwUVW“If we eliminate both Fernan Pellenberg and Aint Armian, we’ll remove the two biggest obstacles. Alright, I’ll give it my all to cooperate.”unU
7PfNsP“That’s how it should be.”MYE2Bl4
mQ2The count and the mercenary shook hands.QSg
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