Chapter 53

The first emperor undoubtedly possessed the greatness worthy of someone who founded an empire as colossal as the Armian Empire.

“If that weren’t the case, there would be no reason to embed something so expensive in every dungeon without sparing any expense. Perhaps he foresaw that his descendants would fall into ruin and prepared it as a precautionary measure.”

Thinking that it was the first emperor who prepared all of this so that his heirs would be ready for a future resurgence of the demons didn’t sound so far-fetched.

“Of course, unfortunately, all of this is mine now.”

“Hehehe.” Fernan let out a laugh.

“…At least it’s clear it wasn’t to fill Your Lordship’s stomach. If the first emperor knew, he’d surely be rolling in his grave.”

“Whether he rolls around or spits blood doesn’t matter to me. What’s important is that now it’s all in my hands.”

The feelings of a man who had been dead for a thousand years were worth less than anything tangible.

“Are you going to auction this too?”

“No. For now, I don’t plan to sell it.”

It had only been a few months since he sold the magic lamps he obtained after his first encounter with Aint and after defeating the sea dragon.

“I don’t think they’ll lose value that quickly.”

“But I can make people want them more. The thirstier they are, the more they’ll want to drink.”

The semi-permanent magic lamps were no longer just convenient objects—they were becoming top-tier luxury products.

Instead of selling them all at once, releasing them one by one at the right time in auctions was a far more profitable way to make money.

“Anyway, thank goodness these lamps appeared. Since you’ve been in your second year, your personal expenses have skyrocketed… If not for this, we’d be in trouble.”

“There’s no other way. If a sparrow wants to keep up with a stork, at the very least it has to rely on potions and good equipment.”

And then there were the frequent “incentives” he had recently had to hand out to keep up with Aint.

It was undeniable that the expenses were enormous, but it was also inevitable.

“How do you feel?”

“I healed with a potion, so there’s no problem. I’m just a little tired.”

“That’s good.”

“Watch all the academy’s high-ranking officials closely. See if any of them react strangely.”

The corrupt one they had just eliminated was different. He was stronger than the previous ones… and seemed to know a lot.

If there was someone behind him, they would surely show some reaction.

“Yes. I’ll do that.”

“You may go.”

Fernan waved his hand.

“I’m going to sleep for a bit. I’m exhausted.”

“Rest well.”

Fernan let himself fall onto the bed and closed his eyes.

***

“…Haa.”

Under the dim moonlight that illuminated the training field, Luina slowly opened her eyes and exhaled.

The mana she absorbed through her skin and breath was refined and turned into aura, which then entered her core and transformed into her strength.

“First place…”

She mentally reviewed the last test.

The fight against Almon, and then the combined magic led by Carlo Deneb.

There were moments so dangerous that it wouldn’t have been strange for her to lose.

It was she who managed to overcome it all and achieve victory… but she couldn’t feel entirely happy about it.

“Fernan…”

She couldn’t deny that his help had been crucial. In fact, was it just crucial?

Without him, she would have lost. She was certain of it.

If not for his strategy, they wouldn’t have been able to catch the other groups off guard. If they hadn’t received support from his spells and artifacts, they wouldn’t have endured the joint magic.

Luina took pride in her skill, but she had never been arrogant.

‘Yes. I would have lost. Without a doubt.’

If she had taken the combined magic head-on, the map would have been burned. Of course, if it had been an actual battle, even though she would have been injured, she might have endured without dying.

But at the academy, the safety systems activated earlier to protect the students.

And she couldn’t blame anyone for that. After all, it was an educational environment and everyone was under the same conditions.

“I’m one step closer to being the best…”

But she didn’t feel joy. She wanted to be number one. She wanted to be someone worthy of being the best.

She wanted to be a knight who had no choice but to take first place.

It wasn’t just a wish. She wanted to have such overwhelming strength that it was inevitable, and with it, become a Royal Knight.

Being the best in the academy was not her ultimate goal. It was only a step along the way.

But if from that very step she was already relying on someone else, what was the point?

‘I’ve already digested enough of the mandrake elixir.’

And the worst part was that Fernan’s goal was not to be number one at the academy but to fight demons.

She had said she wanted to help him, but wasn’t she being more of a burden?

Shing. She slowly drew her sword.

‘More.’

The sword began to move according to her will.

‘More.’

It gently cut the air. It sliced through the falling leaves.

It danced with the moonlight with elegance.

‘Faster. Stronger. Sharper.’

Every swordsmanship technique has an axis and a symbol.

If Armian swordsmanship, known as the nemesis of demons, was a radiant light…

Then the Bercheff’s, protectors of the north for generations, was a lion that devoured even monsters.

“…The white lion.”

Aint, watching her from a certain distance, saw that lion in her sword dance.

Beautiful, elegant, yet also fierce. A refined predator hiding its claws.

Swish!

Luina’s sword stopped right in front of Aint’s face.

The cutting wind that followed made his hair sway. Their eyes met.

“Ah, sorry. That slipped out unintentionally.”

“I’m fine, senior. I was the one who approached without making a sound.”

Watching another person’s sword training without permission was almost like breaking a taboo. The fact that he could enter so calmly meant he had been called and authorized by her.

“But you say you want a duel, just like that?”

“Can I assume you’ve come because you feel like facing me?”

“Well, since you’re asking, I suppose so…”

— He’s completely insane. If you asked him for his liver and kidneys, he’d give them to you without complaint.

Aint deliberately ignored Gardner’s murmur.

“I know it’s rude to treat you like this…”

Fernan held Aint in very high regard. He considered him someone destined to become the natural enemy of demons. Even if not for that, she had seen it too—how his sword weakened monsters.

“I thought that you, who are the natural enemy of demons, could tell me if my current sword could really face them.”

That was why she was curious.

That was why he was the most suitable person.

“Does it bother you?”

She wanted to know if she would continue being a burden or if she could still be considered a sharp sword.

“…To be honest, I didn’t come with such a grand intention.”

The seriousness on her face made Aint become serious as well.

“But a duel with a talented knight also motivates me. Although I don’t know if I’ll be able to evaluate it properly.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Is there a reward?”

“Reward?”

“If there’s a reward for winning, I’d feel more motivated. Something like a wish, for example.”

— Tsk, you can clearly see his ulterior motive.

Luina, however, was not offended by this blatant enthusiasm. On the contrary, she liked it.

She was a knight, and she admired strong knights. She also valued those who, with pride and determination, strove to become stronger.

Because that was what she wanted to be as well.

“No.”

Still, she couldn’t fulfill Aint’s expectations.

“Huh? Why not?”

“Because Fernan warned me. He told me not to make promises lightly. You never know when that promise could turn into a poison that strangles you.”

That man, obsessed with contracts, didn’t let the smallest detail slip.

“Especially those vague and unlimited rewards. Never.”

“T-then, if I lose, I’ll grant you a wish instead! Honestly, you have a much higher chance of winning!”

Luina shook her head again.

“In this world, nothing is absolute. No matter how high the odds may seem, one should never accept such a contract.”

When she finished, she let out a small laugh. ‘Since when do I listen so much to what Fernan says? Until last year, I didn’t even want to deal with him…’

No, it was simply reasonable advice. That was why she kept it in mind.

“So then…”

Shaking her head to clear those thoughts, Luina gripped her sword.

“Come on, Aint.”

“…Here I go.”

───!

White light and the blue lion clashed.

***

“…….”

The man, who was trimming a twig from a bonsai placed by the window, set the scissors on the table.

After making sure there were no customers in the quiet bookstore, he drew the curtains. The sign flipped to show the word “close.”

“I told you not to come during business hours.”

He picked up the bonsai scissors again. A shadow emerged behind him.

“Comentas has been eliminated.”

“Who was it?”

Tic, a twig fell to the floor.

“Bah, what nonsense. There’s no point in asking.”

Comentas guarded one of the barriers set by the first emperor.

His function was to analyze the defensive mechanism and keep it sealed. He was also meant to set a trap for Aint Armian, in case he arrived ahead of schedule.

But it had barely been activated. It wasn’t a solid or well-prepared trap yet.

“He was warned that if Aint Armian arrived earlier than expected, he was not to intervene rashly…”

“I’m sorry…”

“The one who should apologize is not you, but Comentas, for disobeying the order and dying.”

If he were in front of him, he would have ripped out his soul before it disappeared, to make him pay for it.

Contrary to what humans think, not even demons can manipulate souls at will.

“Even so, the fact that that brat managed to eliminate him is unexpected. Has Aint Armian’s growth already reached that level?”

“Almost all traces of the battle were erased, but there was something suspicious.”

“Speak.”

“There was an evaluation for second-year students during the day. The ground collapsed, and an underground cavity opened. After the enemies disappeared, the entrance was concealed with camouflage magic.”

“Who was it?”

“Fernan Pellenberg.”

The man’s hands paused for a brief moment before resuming their movement.

“Yes. Of course. It had to be him.”

Even if Aint Armian had absorbed the first emperor’s legacy, defeating Comentas so quickly was unlikely.

“Aint Armian knows about the corrupt ones.”

It was natural. He had seen them through the first emperor’s legacy, and had fought against the monsters sent from this side.

“And Fernan Pellenberg knows as well.”

Fernan had been drawn into Aint’s affairs.

“Even so, they haven’t made anything public.”

Fernan had more than enough power to cause a scandal and expose everything. The fact that he hadn’t meant one thing.

“They’re suspicious. They suspect there are corrupt ones infiltrated within the academy.”

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“It’s obvious that Aint Armian and Fernan Pellenberg are cooperating.”

“…And isn’t that a serious problem?”

“It is. But not immediately.”

Until they obtained conclusive proof, it seemed they would choose to act from the shadows. That gave a small window of time.

“That’s why they’re resorting to the Dragon God Cult…”

The man fell silent, thoughtful. After a long while, he spoke again.

“Do you already know where they planted the World Tree’s branch?”

“Yes.”

“Make contact.”

“But…”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Tic, another twig fell to the floor.

“When the net closes in little by little, and one is certain it will eventually strangle your neck, the only thing left is to break it, even if it means taking losses.”

That damned greedy bastard, Pellenberg, would surely come for him as well.

“If it’s only a matter of time, the right thing to do is strike first. Even if it means revealing our existence to the world, we must kill them both.”

The natural enemy of demons, designated by the first emperor. And the wealthy bastard helping him.

With the most effective method they had at hand.

“Even so, the summoning must remain the last resort. It would be best to resolve it before reaching that point. Soon it will be the school break. If an opportunity arises, act yourself.”

“…I obey the order.”

The shadow disappeared.

Tick—

Another twig was cut.