Chapter 74
p1NYWaaaaaaaah!RLmAoa0
YQqpr7DThe roars of the crowd shook the colossal stadium, capable of holding up to fifty thousand spectators.NImnU3
eh9mRF“Third year of the Knight Department, Valia Anus!”8rpb
bLGTuCalled by the judge, Valia Anus appeared mounted on his horse, advancing with solemn steps.4Jj9p1j
G3p5SOO“His opponent, third year of the Knight Department, Gismond Ert!”CUQ9r5c
iNGH0ZOn the opposite end, Gismond Ert emerged riding an imposing black steed.ysEp9JU
nZV‘That’s the guy.’PKgf
12BCFernan, seated in the VIP section, watched him closely. Gismond Ert, a third-year student of the Knight Department.DDo14
gxD9V6uThe night before, after confirming the unexpected defeat of two of the round of 32 who should have advanced, Fernan had thoroughly investigated this man.rNmlg
2poyYVUp until last year, he had been a complete nobody.d8LE
PieEdEntering the Academy was already proof of enough talent anywhere on the continent, but within the Academy, he had been just average.S66ZBO
tBq5lFirst year, first semester: rank 55.PG4
pe9First year, second semester: rank 53.qLbUsZa
gveIjGPSecond year, first semester: rank 52.fjqXf7j
txVDQGXNeither exceptional nor terrible. Average.nPI0d
H6D‘And then suddenly he changed.’BOtU
b1HSecond year, second semester: rank 49. It was the first time his ranking crossed the barrier of the forties.Y74RH
OEQ4CjThird year, first semester: rank 22.4zBp
7qEl3eFIn a single semester, he had jumped twenty-seven positions.wz3m6rb
d8YDY2And now, after the vacation, he had managed to defeat two knights clearly superior to him and slip into the top 32 of the jousting tournament.wkbS
uVgMUl‘…How the hell do you explain this?’hDvnnf
C0ytFernan had hidden part of his true level and also relied on magical artifacts.cIMG
9baBut Gismond Ert did not.UXoXol
Y4fYzl‘The Ert family is insignificant.’wVaFcG
uUpT1BgA simple baron lineage, one among thousands. A small farmland and nothing more.0mycVH
BI9UBThey had neither the wealth nor the reason to hide power.JvQjM
0Y0PQy‘Then what the hell is this?’M3sN
c07Where did this guy come from, the one now making me lose money?sgw
H86cThe book of prophecies had never mentioned him. Did a latent talent suddenly explode? Or did he swallow a mountain of secret elixirs?WvB5p
oGvAnd it wasn’t just that.XoMrEo
9JIptDyHe had already eliminated two who should have been guaranteed to reach the round of 16.QpCVT
RTMHvsz‘In a tournament, the 16 who reach the round of 16 should never meet earlier in the bracket.’bnTO
10nZAThat Gismond had beaten one was possible. But two—that meant the bracket itself had changed.usEEs
dWo0‘In the original timeline, did he not even participate?’h5T59C
OcV4If so, the entire tournament could diverge from the prophecy.wy6
sjyOM“…Tch, damn it.”aBrX3C
nyX5rv“At least the other predictions hold. Only two were wrong, right?” Hyde commented.2f1
ykFi“Only two? Two is already too many!”M5xz
4rH4And no one could guarantee it would stop at two.F3hY
iRrUOmx‘With this bracket altered, two more could fall.’LH5e
OYcDzhiThe judge raised his voice.T5riJ3
GkXmFtI“Prepare!”cEvV7z
fP0hsRqValia Anus and Gismond Ert stood at opposite ends. They took up their lances and fixed their gaze on one another.ZBUP2
FDx“Begin!”L1rKYQv
gtzThud thud thud—!ys8uLnC
dp1The horses pounded the earth, charging thunderously.lqO
L01The air filled with the harsh snorts of the beasts as their riders lowered their lances.2i3rX
pWcB7Claang!o9VI
RfAMhzA rending crash resounded across the stadium. The shockwave expanded, but the protective barriers already in place shielded the crowd.3lroji
9bCNeighhh!HXJYL
ekymdFThe horses neighed, unsettled by the impact. Both contenders turned and prepared for the second charge.oSDWV
2QVaNThud thud thud—!lP5C
OqKClaaang!fJQUESF
dyRCGAnother brutal collision. The horses screamed, the knights endured, and again they turned.TdqaG
b5qQ“I have the feeling this won’t be decided on horseback.”cIGnylt
GpF“Right. Even if it’s called jousting, it rarely ends with just the lances.”mFX3b
VELJust as Fernan and Hyde muttered, the third charge produced no victor.EfAGPQf
QQNV9Fc“Dismount!” ordered the judge.4gfzc
2vGqBoth dismounted, dropped their lances, and drew their swords.xOiAcp
wDUThat was the rule—if after three clashes there was no result, it was settled with swordsmanship.Wv04
2UR“Fight!”eMpntG
OduopThe swords gleamed, imbued with aura. Gismond’s aura was brown, like his hair.nJz2g3G
QOo4LRr“Hyde, what do you think?”5f7bodj
eG6iJ“Valia Anus’s aura is more refined.”SwfCHir
9Ao3“But Gismond Ert’s is far more abundant.”P6cg
7sz“Yes.”tXF
SVfbNo further examination was needed.3Jz2
I2BbValia’s aura was sharp and solid; Gismond’s chaotic. But the sheer volume made up for the difference.AepF4
nP1z“Did he gorge on elixirs?”JJ2e8W
pdyXThat seemed the most plausible explanation. But from where? In the original story, he never used them—he hadn’t even participated in the tournament.iW8rEH9
XPlAnd the Ert family didn’t have the money for such luxuries.ConBGUx
THk‘…Corrupt magic?’np5
7u6WHvXHe had already seen how the corrupted had their aura artificially amplified.CEOy8Yx
IL3hZWhile Fernan and Hyde spoke, the fighters clashed.Nj2
JkWJWMClaaang!rg7iPq
ZYXSword against sword. Shards of aura burst in every direction. Most were brown.Exbwf
jd49Gismond’s aura waned, then regenerated instantly.0rYx3
nLmGQThat cycle repeated several times, and in the end, it was Valia who began to tire. His movements slowed, his aura dulled.cnX7gu
YBEH8fGismond, with brute force, found the opening.Txnm6Hc
h8kbHClaang!Elid
JR58Gismond’s sword struck straight at Valia’s chest, and a flash stopped it.2cVzUW
HS11eThe bracelet on Valia’s wrist had activated the safety barrier the Academy gave to all participants.i9cjOvJ
0PWgY“End of the match! The winner is Gismond Ert!”c2Q65
ZrrJ7OThe judge proclaimed it officially.qNQNC
K0vM0“It’s one of two things—first-rate elixirs in absurd quantities, or corrupt magic.”KVX
2UzbIf it was elixirs, they weren’t cheap or common. No one in the Ert family could afford them.WddvGri
HSEUjMost likely it was the second—that he was corrupted.RiW
PTlNBut the corrupted weren’t fools. Would they really take such a risk now, when the rector had everyone hunting them?MnPY
8RDR8Damn it. What a headache.c64d
4JWnf“Order the Golden Pillar to investigate Gismond thoroughly. His family, his movements, where he got the elixirs—even his most trivial habits.”9m4X6TJ
eOR8IY“Understood.”IsBTWb
GViwxaEither way, the change had occurred because the future itself had been altered. There was no other explanation.Pwf
awvAx02Fernan stood up.bji
Gtuj5wO“At least today I made money.”lkf
P4XfValia was never going to reach the round of 16, nor was he worth Fernan’s interest. Gismond, on the other hand, had defeated two who were destined to get there.paIo
pDKntCIf those victories weren’t mere luck, the outcome was inevitable.Q0k
DWZ9Ks“Who will be his next opponent?”sWBFq
RsIy“Luina Bercheff.”AKcMt
KaAP“Then it ends there.”EeILw
dF2XFernan was convinced there would be no more surprises.OJUwb
Go1RnaoEven so, he remained in his seat. With the bracket altered, he had to observe every match to assess who would truly reach the round of 16.aH9Vy8I
uIz‘Damn bastard…’24V
COwK9While Gismond raised his arms and received cheers, Fernan’s eyes stared at him coldly.ElkPJQF
ij9q***046cA
tg6WFestival, day 6.JeiHh7
AKMxA62Jousting tournament, day 5.BJ2Imd
vQNuAfter defeating three opponents and reaching the top 32, Luina was in the waiting room, calmly preparing for her next match.S4m
POd8‘My next opponent is…’tJJeq
p5WSGT1“Getting ready?”g42J
bwUv2Someone in armor sat down beside her. Though the visor hid his face, the voice was unmistakable.q23hg9N
SYo93UM“…Fernan? How did you get in here?”sv37O
r1aWLdDThe waiting room was off-limits to anyone who wasn’t a competitor. At least, that’s what she knew.PxfJ1
SQJUo“There are always ways.”FQk
3P4ba“Money opens many doors.”Yd3Ri
1sBZ“More like connections. Something like this isn’t worth wasting money on.”ncCsq
ZNV3dzFernan gave a faint smile.CBS00S
JW5Utl“So what brings you all the way to the waiting room?”NQwhw
wesZ“Do you know who your opponent is?”N5AzKdV
bARlL5q“Yes. The third-year senior, Gismond Ert.”fXRf
24XbCDShe always gave her best and never went into a match without learning about her opponent.lsFjq44
BA8oS2t“I heard his level suddenly rose since last year. I thought it was a late awakening of his potential, but seeing him in person, it’s different.”5oOgfwA
S9ovHu“Elixirs.”oj8T
wKC3“Exactly.”CO8
DUdPW“I came to warn you in case you didn’t know, but it seems you already do.”2DElgb
SEvJ“Warn me?”SWLWj
ClzP“Be careful.”ZWbg
CtlHs“Be careful?”ijnz
d2yKmThough she couldn’t see his face, Fernan’s voice was unusually serious.ylTIM1
K5k“That Gismond… too many things about him are suspicious.”fsv2
onEERvW“…Could he be corrupted?”XAidc
lzCLuina’s eyes sharpened instantly.Gc6Jzms
QDuShe already knew there were corrupted infiltrated in the Academy. And after seeing her friend Bella tainted by miasma and gaining a sudden surge of power, she couldn’t help but think it.aX7GBpi
MBw8Bg“I’m not sure. Just suspicions. But the likelihood is high.”Uat
KpNAnd quite high.zw5
HWDclQ8“Understood.”eLu
R1LSQC“You won’t ask more?”DSbGs
pnXtc5“Luina Bercheff, it’s your turn to enter.”RfuhAf
jXiBbAn assistant called her. Luina took her helmet.SwF3h
rB8“Even if he’s a man who only thinks of money, he isn’t someone who lies. And besides, I think I already have enough reason to trust you.”6az
t5WwgqShe also longed for victory with all her heart.i6pD
Wipy5Qg“I’ll give it my all and come back…”zw1hF5D
NE0oZ5QAt that moment, something dropped into her mouth.eLUftW
exS1FG“…This is… chocolate?”x6cMi
7DWn0“A gift. Make sure you win.”sHmIDTp
Jx0FQ“…Thank you.”9pH
pk12iTClank. Luina lowered her helmet visor and walked down the hallway.0Fbo
bDauok“Trust, huh…?”3q8ip
JwEE2Fernan returned to his seat in the stands.eRKKd5
gUDK9hAnd he saw it.JXIn
04ow“The winner, Luina Bercheff!”RwseyM
HIi6ky1Luina’s lance, charging in unison with her steed, shattered Gismond’s aura in a single strike.83rxW
oJrGAOn the second clash, she disarmed him completely.H0KF3Qp
jbjiCvLThe match was decided in just two exchanges.QAtx
9lGXbh“Gyaaaaahhh! I’m dyingggg!”kfq0r
xVXUUnable to withstand the countershock transmitted through the lance, Gismond rolled on the ground, clutching his broken arm.6uQ
bL28KPv“What a fuss. It’s just a fracture.”Jy4cA69
BaEu“Exactly.”sAfx7
8BSqlAs if it were the first time a student had been injured in combat.lJRVIS
Cls‘If he really was corrupted, I wouldn’t picture him as someone so pathetic.’ordeAf
2MYHad it really just been an overdose of elixirs? With what money?OjC
4nTyrjE“Tch.”Ox0s5E
ylorFernan clicked his tongue.XYM
IoDyEither way, Luina had won—and that was what mattered.1ydMDs0
Njp‘Though I think she’s even stronger now than in the prophecy.’cYhfjVq
Ma7BzHe had known she would win, but not so overwhelmingly. Perhaps this time she could truly be the champion.vHy8mef
BNBbMWas it because of the mandrake? Whatever the reason, having an even stronger ally against the demons was something to be grateful for.vZT
kVdUS86‘An ally, huh… since when did I assume fighting demons was my business?’r4yo
cYpbEBy now, he was certain that the future where he turned against Aint and fell into ruin would never come. Even if he stepped aside, that fate wouldn’t happen.boM0
xuSBut even so, Fernan couldn’t let go of the matter of demons.hOFBy
XD9NaThe butterfly effect.poY
TIlWith all the changes he had caused to survive, the future was unpredictable.EyV
o2rLike when the Sea Serpent that attacked his yacht turned out to be not one, but two. Or when Andromalius appeared suddenly, altering what the book had said.mvOAr
mB88WHe feared that kind of change could end up costing Aint his life.KblwmK
Xz1mAnd if Aint fell, the entire world would fall with him.wA3MJL
4I0That’s why he couldn’t let it go.yDPS
bYHss‘You’ll see. I’ll make all the gold in the world mine.’OXxSX
2EsuNs7If he saved the world, that would be the rightful payment.QAxc
B1GFernan clenched his teeth tightly.x45fuV
d39At that moment, someone approached Hyde and handed him an envelope sealed with the golden emblem of the Pillar.bfXGTM
5rV9EX“Sir, here is what you requested.”3dw
Vyhv4“Give it to me.”uaett
HN5fCHi“Yes.”z2gC5ML
TwcWFernan opened it and smiled as he read the contents.3FWqC
pMY“…Well, well.”9z0z
QgFIm“What did you find?”b0jpxh
Yp5x“I found it. It’s called Phaeios Fortress, in the territory of Phaeios.”b5StF2
K1PIt was a fortress at the southernmost end of the Kingdom of Frazia.J6cc
ivZ‘That location is…’Egbg
iVHaRFernan recalled another prophecy.InnfvaX
lXdFe[– This is black obsidian.3rD9
9gEsHr“Black obsidian? The one resistant to magic?”M048
Vfd0– You’re lucky. It’s not like mithril, but it’s very useful.]VgmV
V69m4OfIt was very close to Phaeios. And it was a good business opportunity.QPS1gx4
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