Chapter 62
A3ATGA few days before the descent of Andromalius. At that same moment, Aint was returning to the academy by ship.Qq2eaW
KxWEzdThe academy was in full commotion with preparations for the new semester. And among everyone, Fernan was probably the busiest person in the academy.C8D
VDi“Are you sure we have enough supplies prepared?”aFfLs
i1Y“Yes, we’ve filled the warehouse and also brought in a good extra amount just in case.”lWeGT
ffCEl4“It’s better to have too much than too little. If everything doesn’t sell inside the academy, it can always be sold elsewhere.”BY7i
kQoEn“Yes.”b97Fe
XgNqThe start of the semester meant the return of the students, and wherever people gathered, there was always money to be made.emvs
Md4“And the merchants downtown…?”JDJdc
8os2“Professor Dominique requested teaching material for his class…”WS20S
Kxl5Besides, since a city had formed within the island, they weren’t limited to students alone as sales targets.ygh
1i6GSM“How are the preparations for the festival going?”z2Q
ItZMost important of all was that during the second semester the academy’s largest festival would be held, coinciding with the anniversary of the Empire’s founding.5RVEi
kkiAnd for a long time, the responsibility for preparing supplies and setting up the facilities had fallen to the Golden Turtle Guild.B5b
SeRCYT“Don’t do it carelessly just because it’s routine. Many distinguished guests will attend, not a single mistake can happen.”hdf2mt1
i3c“Yes.”uf1Ij
tocLF“It’s the most profitable time of the year. Remember, the year’s earnings depend on how much we make now.”cdBaeA
R5Z“Understood!”v22QjH
2V3YHt3Students considered the Empire’s future, parents, and visitors who came to enjoy the festival.tqL7cj
WetThe academy festival was the second largest among all those held for the imperial anniversary.P8Qt
NWW8xbAThe first, of course, was the one celebrated in the imperial capital.TsrwFY
Ogxai98“That concludes today’s meeting.”ONv
1uWP“Thank you for your hard work!”Nn63e
VALXAfter two hours, the meeting finally ended.IarJP
kQDdpZm“What’s the next appointment?”Zf7
MOBxoM“You have a meeting with the Merchant Association.”FbWCSl
znKqz“And Aint Armian?”DK6g
wkgbHM“He hasn’t returned to the academy yet.”lQG1X3Q
Hxl“Then you go to the meeting with the Merchant Association in his place.”rjl1cUS
6LQYinFernan reviewed the meeting notes one last time and stood up.vElg4
spFyYz“…Are you going out again?”M30Q
hJoKX“Yes. Fieldwork.”DJoaZ
6qWH“There was no outing scheduled apart from the tasks you assigned me.”tNE
j7Lxd“I’ll explain when I return.”hc0pg
oT4MMc5“I’ll remind you—I’m not a merchant.”NK8
3Ef“But you’re part of the guild.”gugS
TGFxs8“I’ve never done any trade work.”Q6NA
o0N4Iz“Don’t worry. The employees will handle everything. You just need to go and act the part.”fwlz
3JC5nh“…No, but what—”95uh
mNOMHyde gave a hollow laugh, but Fernan had already left.7hk7Sz
C3zWlP“…He always seems to forget, but I’m not a merchant. I’m a servant and a bodyguard.”8AKDBw
y86Hyde sighed in resignation.9e8
CHcNS3n***oda
XprRTbIn the warehouse, Fernan began loading the supplies.mho1i
ncjU“M-Master branch manager…”K4Y
IOAfE“Make sure to note properly that I was the one who took them. Don’t worry.”OiL
PW2z“Yes, understood…!”UybOz
n5F4After calming down the warehouse clerk, Fernan departed.yuOFd
gloGkThe truth was that, as the end of the vacation approached, anxiety was gradually consuming him.nVHF
bVz‘Andromalius.’6tAFSZ
rIeThe cause, of course, was the demon whose summoning was foretold.wF1H
zc5b3zEven knowing from the book of prophecies that the demon would descend, and that Aint would defeat it in the future, did not erase the fear a demon inspired.dpe
DjdWk‘After all, it’s still a demon. The first to appear on the continent in a thousand years.’igCe2SU
aIwbHe couldn’t imagine how powerful it would be.lbV3
D6Qm‘Will Aint really be able to stop it? The future has already changed. Who knows what else could happen?’21PFsU
JoNViNormally, he wouldn’t have been this restless, but the matter with Varus had left a deep impression.Ojbi
sSUcHA corrupt one that, in theory, Aint should have defeated alone, ended up gravely wounding Varus and killing several mercenaries from the Black Spear.MCyB
V9MWFAlthough Aint had ultimately defeated it, would the same outcome have been possible if Fernan hadn’t sent Varus?bgJ
ZaQb1v9Today’s outing was born of that anxiety.4k2P1
MuNfC9Q“Traps, you say?”ki2CDGV
tpZTM“Yes.”rax
nnmn2His plan was to install as many traps and mechanisms as possible around the branch of the World Tree, to at least land a blow on Andromalius when it was summoned.nWq50
ONlThat was his goal.l2DPiJ
tVk3VK“But… why go with Senpai Luina?”wVHYLsY
VprBm“Luina is also informed about the corrupt.”Gt0SmeZ
NTIlLPDIt was a safety measure, just in case.D4M
Fdmk7hCThe corrupt’s main target was Aint, so Fernan thought that as long as Aint wasn’t present, the chances of the demon descending were very low.Zwc
uEFEven so, just in case, he decided to bring Luina.xFUaLH
cNvstW“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to tell anyone about the World Tree branch.”n8Y51a
1EGLTe“Can she really be trusted, senior?”FmA
tCkU4“Luina can be trusted.”afUE
BTCTK9“If you say so, there’s not much else to discuss. Although I don’t know if she’ll like it.”IcwPD3
ctV8“The other person I wanted to introduce you to, Aria, was precisely Luina.”1l7
iqiAt those words, both girls frowned at the same time.ELR
kRTu“…You wanted to introduce me to Aria?”kxG
Ug9r“I had a pending promise.”jYZZ
Ska“Didn’t you know that the family that took the rights to my family’s golden edict was the Fridians?”RR4o
gN8GQ4“The deal was mediated by the Pellenbergs. Both parties agreed, and a fair price was paid. Don’t tell me you have an issue with that.”Djof
bUSSVC“No, of course not… but…”JJV2
OF44Luina was not a saint who forgave everything with love and understanding. Even if a fair price had been paid, the true value of that edict was incalculable.adqhs
x0cIt was inevitable to feel resentment toward the ones who had taken it.bup8QUh
XE66And now that nobles were looking at Bercheff differently after losing their marquis title, all the more so.Fhij
MEKwAT“…It’s not that I hate the Fridians. But I don’t intend to get along with them either.”KXzd5
2OBXXT“Like how our relationship used to be before?”GLQKtv
u1aqjgx“……”7vRm9PU
ILpIP“There’s no real issue between you two. On the contrary, you share the noble purpose of standing against the corrupt. Why not work together?”Ax71
eTnhLuina couldn’t answer right away.62Vpgb
ygFUzws“Wow, senior… I’m impressed. You’re incredibly selfish.”TEO3
jiF“So what?”akxg
Qxheg“I don’t dislike bad boys. Besides, you’re from a princely family.”fRg
ioD0mZLFrom Aria’s perspective, there was nothing to lose.3aP
wbzFernan hadn’t done anything wrong, but this gave her the chance to smooth things over with the Bercheffs, who resented him.TNzE
6jQwj1“But you said you were the direct heir of the princely family, right?”qZFKS
RoWh“That was a mistake. I skipped a word.”bLtTo
LBQCVThe word “ex.”msDjy
9MI“Ha…”XHBsdFE
s028Aria let out a forced laugh. Luina tried hard to calm herself down.kSPbCja
6s2lvS“…Yes, you’re right. There’s no need for us to fight each other when a demon is in front of us.”eD7
tag“Seems you’re more forgiving than I thought, Senior Luina. I hope we get along.”jznF
bUa7HzLLuina was the first to extend her hand. Aria responded with a bright smile and a handshake.7zCG4
Ty4WOnce the matter was settled, the three headed toward the forest where the branch of the World Tree was planted.iSQEx4
Fd5“…This is the World Tree branch?”QraN
c2681fl“More like, a contaminated branch.”grn
E0LR9“Seeing a manifestation of the World Tree in this state is truly horrible. We must allow it to rest soon.”suz6qmB
9CNThe branch of the World Tree seemed in even worse condition than before. From grayish, it had turned completely black, and upon approaching, one could clearly feel the demonic energy.0wIaXu
eYHBut at least it wasn’t spreading beyond a certain area.8BpMQj5
udQyhxO“What do you plan to do with this?”eVmG
uBSimCe“Install traps.”rhFh
Wi03“Traps?”9g4Gv
yN4dmkh“It can’t be that the corrupt did all this just to corrupt the branch of the World Tree.”RAY6i
NNbR“Of course not.”IHGY
AMWAnyone could guess they were planning to do something with the corrupted branch. Although no one imagined that this “something” would be summoning a demon.wXOAib
ES772“That’s why I know they’ll come back. And I want to be ready for that.”Nsj60
dtffsZH“It’s not a bad idea, but I have a question.”Tz63U
8tL“Say it.”4blAjV
dmWyMY“I thought the branch of the World Tree was a very valuable object. Why was it left unattended until it reached this point?”BTD4
Dlf“…Please don’t dig into my dark past.”gI5Ex
1IB7C“It’s a long story, but there are reasons.”zNNE
JdnbU3Luina didn’t press further.YmOO8va
3IgsRf7“But if you’re going to install magic traps, do I really need to be here?”jYGZs
yjWJ“You’re my escort.”BmEGp
Yp9A“If the corrupt contaminated the World Tree, they might return at any moment.”QfI4
lDcwuE“This isn’t the World Tree itself, just a branch. The difference is like that between a Slime King and a regular slime.”yR1
WZZx“Quite a difference. You’re right, I take it back.”4IqOiI
iXxaLuina unsheathed her sword and began watching the surroundings.XxqJ3
0w3Q“And what do I do?”UHcIS
0M4BLE9“Escort as well.”bFL
c6fulD5“Am I really necessary?”WBR07a
cvo2L“Do you want to dig?”rcYm
OXiP“Elves’ eyes surpass even those of eagles, you know?”vZPlEE
aO5CBAria positioned herself on the opposite side of Luina.Yj8q
LcUwGS1‘Good, then…’IVZfeE
kIQdFwMThe traps weren’t anything extraordinary.fINaiw9
itt‘First, I have to dig…’sxG2
bQmwrRumble. Using magic, Fernan dug into the ground and drew magic circles inside. The purpose of burying them was so the corrupt wouldn’t detect them easily.ZqJb
hx13w‘This isn’t the time to cut corners.’DFZ
N1NQHe reinforced the magic circles with reagents, inserted scrolls into them, and supplemented them with entire vials of enchanted holy water.vpzFf2A
OVerdjaThus, he set dozens of them. One or two might not do much, but with so many vials of holy water combined with magic, even a demon would have to retreat.8yx48
aZEIG‘And besides…’ojHJf
3SnaFernan pulled out one last scroll.KnOWT
VjxyX70It was different from the others—more elegant and luxurious. It contained advanced magic, and therefore, was very expensive.IbjRvj
XZTXQIf everything went according to plan, it would be the finishing blow against a weakened Andromalius after the traps and holy water.sTN9NjP
D5epOnce he finished installing all the traps, Fernan checked the surroundings again.UcoF4E
1r8The key to a trap was imperceptibility, so nothing could look out of place.d598
26dZggwJust as he activated another spell to make sure—cxOuLmb
htM─!hhi
kFUEtTIt began with a faint vibration. Very faint.fe4pKx
G1lSo subtle that only a geomancer like Fernan, who was digging into the ground, could notice it.6RhV8r
FLK“…What is that?”Yfp
UtLRumble!Imo
RtXFThe blackened branch of the World Tree began extending deeper roots, stretching, growing.0HsygDh
7PiFEN3“…The branch of the World Tree is… growing?”7oaE
DAd1“Aria!”Hlg
TrELw1oBut no one saw it as a good sign.C0d1
v7FyLvThe energy it gave off wasn’t the pure mana typical of the World Tree, but a cursed, dense energy.FoYuCZ
tOSi“The World Tree is crying out!”KvDwZD
CIbDs6kAria confirmed it. Her pupils trembled as if in an earthquake.2fdtCIa
hAZJ‘…Wait. It can’t be. Right?’8jjy
I4e2jIt couldn’t be. It couldn’t.4fZP8H
skrqDyFernan desperately tried to deny the premonition that suddenly struck him.hTsu65
GiXZ“Aria, what’s happening?!”5Cgrr3
BKri“That’s what I’d like to know!”V9k58
41QUM“…What the hell did you touch?”MuIRm2
xWN0NCG“Nothing, I didn’t touch anything!”YCdBy
yESNo one knew why the branch of the World Tree, which had seemed on the verge of dying, suddenly began to grow, nor why the demonic energy was intensifying.K3OE
349They only knew one thing for certain—it wasn’t a good sign.CI4x
Tokr0ZVLuina unsheathed her sword. Aria summoned her spirit.QxZWRaz
BUb“We should’ve released this branch long ago!”dXht
oogvLIAria pointed her staff. The wind she invoked turned into blades that attacked the Tree.z1Ekd
LaTvSbSwoooosh!7fvr0Y
WfxnNE“What was that!?”Ym41
CdMjvZ“A shield!?”ePrgisj
UQGEqfHA dark barrier of demonic energy had appeared around the Tree. Luina struck immediately with her sword.ee0wYx
uVa4goClang!hupmR0e
41tThis time it worked. The impact made the trees around them shake violently and fragments of the barrier scatter.tMxR
SmKThrough the shards, a small crack was revealed.IwJlZ5
U1vC“There, Luina! Block it!”ZWPa
79kMnYJFernan shouted in excitement and began preparing magic, but he couldn’t follow through.wHJbN
Qu2Craaaack!9uy5o
pDlThe branch of the World Tree rose and pierced through space itself.PZVH5WH
HXh“…What is this…?”LD5
S6B9XX“What’s happening?”rBBs6kS
QWzspWThe crack widened. And when it reached the size of a small hole—w9KtOt
jCenCrack.XThj
3tdMA white hand emerged, tearing the crack apart violently.X9qHaCR
RIieThe sky ripped open. A hand appeared out of nowhere. Space itself split.1RQHP4b
GshtHVNone of it seemed real. But it was.wzy
JJ145U9The crack opened wide, and suddenly, a creature emerged from within.loUfwTu
HlsdMc4“A person?”SVrcS
oiwG4Vq“No… that can’t be human.”blovJ1C
8ZIOBgIt had a humanoid shape, but its aura was not human. It was something else.9oaf
viLihj3“That cursed energy…!”7KVNF
Hvu“What… what’s happening?”w6ye15r
HhPapBZIts eyes were unsettling, its presence overwhelming, its demonic energy crushing. On its left arm, a massive serpent coiled.Df5
4Pu3p7nThe figure was exactly as described in the books.aT1S
QElqPFP“Andromalius…”Huwua
7QDThey could no longer deny it.QxVlNy
EKV71fC“No… it can’t be…!”xfhX
AyjWhy now? Why exactly now?RFX5h
YFNJust when they had come to prepare traps just in case.yTuLyi
C8ehJust when Aint wasn’t there.vUN
lpMYzFernan screamed in silence.IpqFuqT
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