Chapter 252
BQUYeMiracle.ZPYDhC
qZwIt was a miracle.7OR
oO7A miracle born from the sheer determination that he had to win, no matter the cost.pKNgZW
cWGaFrom the beginning, through the middle, and up to the end, it had all been an uphill battle, but in the midst of that process, Aint grew at an astonishing pace.uc8
rsJWith every clash of swords, in that state of absolute trance, he read the flow, responded to it, and reached new understandings.Afa
FNGnSk6Even so, there was a limit.bk4
Zb6No matter how much he learned, no matter how much he weakened his enemy with the power of the rival,
an immense wall still existed between Andras and Aint.5hO47
BVlEAnd so, the flame of the miracle he had managed to ignite was destined to extinguish.7JTnYf
dQNrCrack!hSn
AodUUmRAint’s palms tore open.W0kYSO
JQtAThe sword flew from his hands, spinning through the air.YtC
DU1zokHis chest was left completely exposed.aFSai
cPkI“Die!”hbX
2ZrAndras didn’t let the opportunity slip.rhiAQ
VbOThe tip of his sword, charged with killing intent, lunged straight at him.urxg1
prd6And in that instant—dYOy3dc
vm6B“Aint!”yt2
LUv3The Archmage, who had been watching the battle and waiting for the right moment, activated the spell he had prepared in advance.Fuo
Yw2Lrly─────!lsDsCW
Bsg3ceOA white lightning bolt, perfectly controlled, fell from the sky and struck only Andras.qBRJ
0mhZQ92But even within that divine discharge, the demon’s sword did not stop.VzVpUu
wCb24JeIts movement became slower, weaker, but never halted.9sMsp3
rWO“Die…”EdJg
bQd4vHe was willing to take wounds.Ju56
3TjLAint’s exposed chest was too tempting a target to pass up, even at risk.n5aqz9d
DcerxfBut then—xxJBk1i
Wkxz2u“What?”DxJA
TygAs if it had a will of its own, the sword spinning in the air rotated back toward Aint.8si9Z
OqXSx“What…?”cxWnP
HunMA powerful aura burst from Aint,cVwSikG
j6ifrom where there hadn’t been a trace of energy just a moment before.1ObA3
YtnGKBigger.6OAd
WUCFJqSharper.5jzk02c
zUaDStronger.yBtW8Dn
o8CxA massive sword of light emerged in front of him.xwOf
bH8“T-that makes no… sense…!”bboO
12hL9QMThe sword of light completely devoured the demon.XUL
jIOWa***XSk
PZZ“Haah… haah…”7PIWwd
9U9TcAint gasped.z56
ZnJiHis body was heavy, exhausted.sLCvb0J
ugL0uHe had lost so much blood that his mind was hazy.puvXz
0TY0dBut in the end, he had won.bx0VRSs
r1gYes. He won.zWNlwJ
HC8hDHe dropped to his knees and let himself fall.2T8Q0Zd
S7pkmv9“…Gardner. That… was it, wasn’t it?”qIPgn
0axl— That’s right. The power absorbed by the sword after killing demons. It had been refining within it for a long time.t5h0
paUg“It came just in time. Otherwise, I’d have lost. Did you send it to me, Gardner?”AMEGUv
58C0— No. I didn’t do anything. Nor could I.ufv
AOUjPEven though Gardner resided in the sword, it didn’t mean he could control everything.hpHiDDe
H4vmpcq— What was my will was the sword returning to your hand. After that time, I learned how to do it, even if it’s difficult.RTz4U
r6tZHz— But the energy the sword gave you, that was its decision, not mine.Syw6
bqNMore precisely, it was the will of the magical circle engraved in it.Z2fDRb
Aw1EOr rather, a recognition of aptitude.bX4p
UmGaLL— The sword determined that you are worthy of wielding that power.J5zGN
UbhThat’s why it gave it to you. And that’s why you won.gvCHwv
AEE0“I see.”eHax2
GVCzThe reason didn’t matter; the result did.HOsTONV
eU57bThanks to that, he endured, even when the demon had overwhelmed him at every turn, and in the end, he won.JJMcamc
eZD— Don’t let your guard down. The battle isn’t over yet.h9LItjJ
itqPS5L“Right.”Gtyzf0
0jUyFHe had only defeated one demon.Zr9d2
5p6IG5The other remained, and also the demon contractor, that descendant of Colomo’s blood.EoWDv
QTOwPHIt was too soon to relax.kLvwibh
RAiDwbAint pulled out a couple of potions from his dimensional pouch.Aka
QDGEpjHe drank one to soothe his insides and poured the other directly on his wounds.5RtM
xMYul“Are you okay?”arv3n9G
KgtJs7“Rector!”1P4zl
Zkf8k“First of all, congratulations on breaking through the wall. With that, you can truly aim for the title of Royal Knight.”LEmSh1c
iPcjJT“You flatter me, sir.”Ng9yQ
t1szkr“No, I mean it. If you properly absorb today’s lessons, it will be within reach.”oexeI
3Jrh“Haha…”WygLs
0xHv9TpNot wanting to seem arrogant, Aint gave a sheepish smile, though the corner of his mouth inevitably lifted.3IHA
8PSDXPb“Ah, right… what about the other demon?”Qkg
56OV“All good.”6f8bZg5
yWtw“All good?”1aZqw
RMFMoTb“Yes. It’s over.”aKB9
sCzS2S“…Over?”JX9i3x
4NPiHe and the rector had barely managed to defeat their demon after a brutal fight.fbAVFYl
GLPSo on the other side…?zW7PZxz
ms4nTKw“Senior Fernan!”F36H
YypcKEZAint, who had for a moment basked in victory, suddenly remembered the rival’s power Fernan possessed.mNM
kOzgdyoFrom the beginning, everything had started because of that.iQXT7
oo2l4Thanks to it, he too had broken through his wall, albeit by sheer luck.eXCvfIA
fafqw“He’s over there.”sPXR
x5QKqQLWhere an even more devastating battle had taken place than his with Andras, among the ruins and a massive crater, were Fernan and Luina.3o0DJ
ZSRIu“Good work, rector. You came, Aint?”E8D
x77PdPmFernan greeted them, lying comfortably on a luxurious blanket spread on the ground.px17Ow3
ktA“What happened here?”wKY1OGI
eiSCEAJ“As you can see, I took care of Valac. At first, I only meant to stall for time relying on you and Aint, but Luina’s determination was too strong.”cw8gDB
vwmMgBeside him, Luina sat in lotus position, eyes closed.5LQbMKW
I1iBZ0L“So she reached enlightenment.”UcFn5h
dhk“Well, she’s a genius. She tends to have those epiphanies now and then. At this rate, us mediocres won’t be able to rest easy.”CmT0E
8tYLV5f“Say that out loud and you’ll earn a slap.”wUPHSi7
A5JMQ“If she pays me for it, I’ll gladly offer the other cheek.”SO2pu
PrLx2cv“Ha, with that argument there’s no comeback.”xjq
0eTLSThe rector let out a tired laugh.vWPa
NYg“You really defeated the demon, just the two of you?”FM02Fg
GW5zMA creature that even he, with all his power and Aint’s help, could not have easily bested.Ima
F0fFJFcEven if Aint were replaced with another Royal Knight or Archmage, the result would be the same.pYXg
yQczUwXAnd yet, just two students?2tMTa
a2i5Well, “students” only in name, as both had already far exceeded that level.fJY4pUN
Wz8S“Actually, we were three.”AkLT
s2Jc— Kyuu…!4pPiShC
qqfCWooden, curled up sleeping on Fernan’s chest, raised his little paw sleepily upon hearing his name.86CBoRS
lNPV“Still incredible.”WvMsBtp
u2gy4The rector sat on the blanket.flZL4VL
S8r“So that was it, wasn’t it? The power of the rival.”glBa49t
7wLThat was exactly what Aint wanted to ask.AYhSR0
5OGugNBoth he and Gardner held their breath, waiting for Fernan’s response.LGrg
dOygq“That’s right.”WMf1K
LI7HT86“Where and how did you obtain that power?”agF
Hf0JVWu“I’ll be clear, Aint—I didn’t get this power by looting Armian’s secret archives or studying their sword arts.”KoR4
aFI5M“…Ah, I see.”OIl1Lu
CarFernan’s answer wasn’t for the rector, but for Aint.3B4vd5
9rDqKRl“It was pure chance.”Ye7rwGj
ftfK0RdFernan knew that one day he’d have to reveal this.mBzYa
ito“Chance?”DdbHVs
3C82“Yes. As you know, my family is a merchant house.”vGU9u
sda0“You’re repeating something the whole continent knows. When someone insists that much on a fact, it’s usually because they’re hiding something.”O6H
1FuAz“Of course not.”g7Lm
5zQHJfTHe pondered how to approach it.Bz4
KNr2U9How to tell a believable story?03u4x
OJUnM0“For generations, up to now, our house has collected countless treasures and elixirs. That tradition is over a thousand years old, and our family’s warehouses are full of them.”W6pX
0EtsHe had to hide the fact that he’d found the secret records of the Dragon God Cult and obtained his power from them.wUc7iY
AtQLEThough in truth, it hadn’t been that hard to find an excuse.qUzo
5pXTWacHe had the perfect context to support it.pscpdmP
mIIO9“Among those treasures, some of the most valuable are the mandrake root and the Saintbird’s heart.”4XLY6zx
C3esAWAint flinched upon hearing Saintbird.IN3e
d2T1The Saintbird’s heart was the same elixir Fernan had given him, and which had been the foundation of his growth until now.IttwP
1XWHfA millennia-old elixir with perfect affinity for aura techniques and the secret sword of Armian.lJBx
ePAGHy“I thought those were the most valuable of all. But there was something even more precious in the family warehouse.”0jXjt
aXFH“More valuable than a Saintbird’s heart? I can’t imagine what that could be.”0wymlLj
zG0smgp“It’s simple. The only thing more valuable than a Saintbird’s heart is the heart of an even greater creature.”4ne
LwYDBnD“A creature greater than a Saintbird…?”RaDpnj
kwQvLEThe rector’s face hardened. Only one possibility came to mind.pT2EPHo
wOasGXu“…Don’t tell me…”VDy1
A09d“Yes, what you’re thinking.”wkzfJx
7Kk7QS“You ate a Dragon Heart?”EXOjy
ywiy“It was pure coincidence. I was browsing the warehouse looking for a useful elixir, and I found a dragon heart.”Qz8NBB
gCdbW0“It’s sounding less believable by the second. And you didn’t sell it—you ate it yourself?”iW3
Imn2rk1“I questioned that myself.”FZJj
uV76KXA perfectly reasonable doubt. But Fernan already had his excuse ready.cqCx4P2
q2QXWVj“It was so bright, so beautiful, I touched it without thinking. And in that moment, it was absorbed into my body.”qpF
zLgRL7G“Without even eating it?”483
bU5VyTG“That’s right. I’m not sure how it happened. Maybe that’s how dragon hearts work, or perhaps someone had engraved a magical seal into it.”dmGQH
B5cmn“If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t be able to believe or dismiss it.”bdCrkXp
AaHO3“Why would I lie about something like that?”cyiiF
4xzlh8That was when Aint asked:7Wg0S
RY2Ckan“Then, that dragon power—is that the power of Armian—I mean, the power of the enemy of demons?”2sEA
pPlNR“You saw it for yourself, didn’t you? Trust your eyes.”YS3a
FTHHaB“I first discovered it when I defeated Flauros.”WnBx
4mXrFernan added calmly.VyH2AW
Hrg“Now that you mention it—you said something about that. When did you fight Flauros?”hPacs
YD8“A few days before Andrealphus appeared. I went with Professor Rosalia to look for adamantite, and we ran into him waiting in a trap.”qX2rT
L4c“You fought Flauros with Professor Rosalia?”lxL
wEqti“That’s right. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her directly.”Dina
zWW“No, it’s not that…”Xh3
cdhAint felt like his head was going to explode.g6eo
KpMC9kHe had thought Fernan had simply returned just in time to help—but in reality, he had come from defeating Flauros!E7h
9RUjKjPFernan’s power surpassed more and more everything Aint could imagine.VX0
V6xfAnd with that, his anxiety also grew.rQ9
Oc6sIf Fernan decided to take the lead in everything, he wouldn’t stand a chance.HAE
xHJc3SU— Wait a minute… a dragon, you said? I’ve never seen a dragon!hvv
1fnnjB8So the origin of Armian’s power was a dragon?j4uhiIr
WeK914OIf Fernan obtained the power of the rival by absorbing a dragon’s heart, did that mean Armian’s source was the same?RMh
n4UDh— What the hell? The previous emperor never had any connection with dragons. I’ve never heard anything like that.GEWmCW
IHREven Gardner, faced with a truth hidden for a thousand years, looked shaken.7cBA4
75FT6l‘Was there really nothing?’MIaVIm
rvuTA— Nothing! I didn’t even see a hatchling! Let alone eat a dragon’s heart!PBJH
ljUhUdw— A thousand years ago, dragons were already creatures of legend! Where would anyone even get a dragon’s heart?j4r8U4A
74KTThat House Pellenberg had one in their storage was simply absurd.AR1l
LhrTrkHNonsense—and yet, coming from the Pellenbergs, it didn’t sound that impossible.y6pT
uWtRURg— So if Armian’s power, the power of the rival, comes from a dragon… does that mean the natural enemy of demons is dragons?RnJu
OY4Krc— Did the ancient emperor have a bond with a dragon? Was he taught by one? Or, like Fernan, did he eat its heart?t4pvQf
e8p‘No, that’s not the issue now,’ Aint thought, biting his lip.HO9
nnAJWhatever the origin, the fact remained the same—Fernan possessed the power of the rival.xx01
zaKR— That…CCp
XaZjOsFernan, noticing his unease, called out to him.Gml6oY
PFdwg6J“Aint, don’t worry.”CaML
qlxkp“Huh?”MptmP3y
aXZde“Before I partnered with Luina, I was ranked tenth in the academy. Do you know why I stayed there?”5OPp
Djrs3“I don’t. Your skill is clearly far beyond that.”Npc1
SZcNQkP— Lack of skill? If that man were weak, demons wouldn’t even dare look at this world.cdX
Ob94vF— If someone like him was only tenth, what hope is left for the rest? Everyone would end up with their necks cut, crying their way to hell.aToilO
lnEEB“No, it wasn’t due to lack of talent.”RRqyK
2FHeThough, back then, Fernan did believe he was missing something.89I
3r62“It was because, before a mage, I’m a merchant. And for a merchant, it’s better to stay behind than out in front.”Zlah
0uOx“A merchant, not a mage?”9E8
98JMgAint understood immediately.idyNbnU
241Yes, that made sense. Fernan was, above all, a businessman.kNY
bQVBz“A merchant doesn’t expose himself. He invests, but doesn’t become the protagonist.”DjB1D
cFM0Sometimes there are exceptions, but he wasn’t one of them.GBW3r3N
wS0TmtpAnd certainly not by nature.ant
paQ“In this situation, even less. I’d rather keep making money. I have no intention of becoming a hero or a symbol of hope.”rBd
nj3YIAuThat’s why.MrF6F
dyb8u“You be the hero. Take all the fame that should have been mine.”Eii
9Trc“But that…”fVsl0cg
ZldlqM4“And that fame, that glory…”MR60w
9J1LuFernan pronounced each word with a chilling emphasis.pfOi7
nnd“Buy it from me.”MskHjf
wwv“…What?”Yv8zqg
9182“You can say that you defeated Flauros, that you killed Valac. I don’t care. But you’ll pay me for it. Then, that glory, that reputation, all of it will be yours.”OYyXv
cdIgYou only have one task.psuXE7
txQx6SQ“Pay me the fair price.”TFazY
KLfbFernan said it in a low voice, almost a whisper.G4u4qG
cIYA shiver ran down Aint’s spine.Sqb0X9p
9P2dyFHe realized something was terribly wrong.2gU8uNK
UeJpMHe had to refuse.Ld489w
ephJHe couldn’t fall into that game, no matter what.uvRF4h
anT“N-no! Senior, you can keep everything! I couldn’t take credit from my superior…”5tjPevg
yrLtClack.a0S
LSjnLe2Fernan grabbed his shoulder firmly and looked him straight in the eyes.4HDKXci
mCN8sPq“Paying for something isn’t stealing, Aint. It’s a purchase.”jl1ao
cG4kYou…iZV2z
p9Vv“You have a great dream, don’t you? To become emperor.”nKgg66p
xQFUXq“……”yyXFgB
me7l— He’s a demon… The golden demon, rank 73… there’s no doubt…JZq7P
dzxYiv1The dragon heart wasn’t the real problem.qEyWG
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