Chapter 78
QtDUGKThe Ert family was nothing more than a small barony in the southern part of the continent.ysBv
GzMThey had no special products, nor a large population. They were just one of the many common fiefdoms of the Empire, where people lived day by day, growing what they ate.wat
jWYKFHowever, Gismond had a certain talent, and he caught the attention of Count Vamond, who offered him support and allowed him to receive training as a knight.z4vWnl
v3oThat’s how he was able to enter the Academy.X02V
u0DnI1“After that, things went just as the young master knows. He led a normal academic life, had an uneventful first year, but from the second semester of the second year, he began to change little by little.”03ak
pLJZN“Did he receive anything from his family?”sup1
6spMRX“No, nothing special.”0Xj4mfV
5a5Ubp8“And from Count Vamond?”suBsmWB
ACii“Money and a few minor elixirs, but nothing worth noting.”Ud43
ERs7hvFernan leafed through the report page by page.Xg9NeTi
q6Q6L6UHe had only received two elixirs, both of low quality and with little mana. That couldn’t explain the level of aura strength he now displayed.u5lS0ot
X5GiThere was definitely something hidden.wYgP
ZVerwiAnd most likely, it was corrupted magic. The report only reinforced that suspicion.mJiNFt
vrpnOmI“And during this vacation? Where did he go and what did he do?”gLZT
GlH9“We’re still investigating the details, but he traveled to the Pandrein continent.”UGx
yGJdP0“Pandrein? Isn’t the Ert barony in southern Lutar?”xVIQJ
kD7HZH“Yes.”rHg
IZcThere was no other explanation—he had a purpose in going to Pandrein. Fernan sensed that Gismond’s secret was hidden there.LWoTC
UQ2lp“Where did he land and where did he go?”EAS
ZfHZQm“In Ramons, a city of the Kingdom of Prazia.”S7lKFfs
Yj6H“…Ramons?”l9BXfib
6VM7Ramons was a port city in Prazia and one of the exchange ports with the Lutar continent. A large metropolis, especially filled with mercenaries.XQS1
lwhC0p“Wasn’t that also where Aint Armian spent his vacation as a mercenary?”gEuMN6U
WGe8GQ“That’s right. To be exact, he registered at the Ramons guild, then traveled to Abellar, and eventually was active in the capital.”LPI
EnJ“Then there’s a chance they crossed paths.”3Hwcc
qGndXtI“I don’t think so.”g0K
WERiSHyde shook his head.s78C
aoB“Gismond headed south. We’re still tracking his exact destination.”3xFhJtn
aWpLX“South?”UY0
lvu7IThere were many cities south of Ramons. But two places immediately came to Fernan’s mind:Ntm9P
YzE— Franz County, where the magical obsidian mine was located.2LW
vdc— And Phaeios Fortress, the first to face Flauros’s legion.uWpFaK
VFb‘Could it just be a coincidence?’ZeeqB
rKxTgmBut ignoring his instincts had never done him any good.SL8
IpXeThere was something there. He was certain.Ezc
EbwAnd even if there wasn’t, it didn’t matter. The important thing was to clear that unease.ApSnq
FWbNBc“Find out exactly what he did during his vacation. It’s highly likely that guy is a corrupt.”zM8
dqEQ“You’re saying he managed to avoid the Academy’s watchful eyes?”5U4yhA3
9sgx“If my hypothesis is correct.”oBT
NKxxdS“Understood.”4dQCGC
30BpULN“And Hyde, I want you to follow him yourself and monitor his every move.”Fwuoq
iFrDsHyde’s face stiffened.FuI
jUfZzT“I can’t leave your side, young master.”vhx2q6Z
EFF“Right now, you’re the one I trust the most.”MvrA
aewl0PF“And precisely for that reason. Didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t send me away?”Cayrs
fmmSQ“At the Academy, how bad could things possibly get?”lcgrT
lXrGoaHyde swallowed the anger rising in his throat and replied.xQx
YQUuSh6“They already summoned a demon.”rXYOdP
YGEC“That was the first and last time. Do you think it could happen again with the rector watching with both eyes wide open?”vLu
Fo3The summoning had only been possible because the Academy didn’t consider the existence of demons or the corrupted.t9nI0
qiFXDJ“You gave me your word.”9lH
rl28rdu“Promises exist to be broken.”5Le43
7bgY“Can you say that, being a merchant?”MNQ
zvg“Twisting words in your favor is also a merchant’s virtue.”UlpFo4
X6HcWB“I won’t accept it.”LJTTT3
vBDWS“That’s an order.”kuqMs1
GQ6“……”mLTAWiy
tlNHyde pressed his lips tightly together.It8lM
3tkA“The corrupted were already captured by the rector. The only one left who looks like a corrupt is him. If you watch him, what danger could I possibly be in?”wN2a
w5r“…No winning against you in a verbal match, young master.”QI0l
YcGGEq“Eloquence is also an essential virtue of a merchant.”aFIvk2a
0Kc6With a firm thud, Fernan closed the report.lYU
AHvocx‘I should meet with Aint.’IESWV
C7uuThe best way to confirm if someone was a corrupt was by using Aint Armian.ZOxz
KfgsJDt***vfIMg
EfjggUY— The day his body explodes. He’s already at the limit. If he stops consuming his aura even for a single day, his aura core will likely burst.u7pg
b0hzAnd not just the aura core? Most likely, his entire body would shatter into pieces.1LV
Nib1lWhat’s more, most of the elixir residues circulating inside him weren’t even properly refined, so it was easy to guess what kind of potions he had taken.KqUyw
8MmJjG— Itarium root, a draco manahol? No, a normal draco would never have a manahol, so it must be a variant. Herbglow leaf… and this purity, could it be eternal life water?6lu
6J8fi— He’s devoured absolutely everything. Now that I think about it, Aint, among what the late emperor left, there was also eternal life water. We should head to Pandrein soon to—2fQhRSB
pabsGf‘We’ll talk about that later. What about the corrupted magic?’5NTW1oL
y80srEAt Aint’s question, Gardner was silent for a moment but eventually answered.0jPLN2A
pord— None. Not even a speck the size of a grain of rice. And no trace that there ever was.bw7
ivV— Just a mess of elixirs mixed like rags. But corruption? Nothing.3NXUlo
ptM00— In a way, that’s even stranger.xhxf
wSkK9‘Got it.’xwd
0nkbAint slung Gardner back around his neck and gave a subtle nod.npr0z7
s4l4s4a“Ah. Now that I remember, we had a pending date. It’s been a pleasure, seniors.”gXNx
Wxq“So suddenly? Weren’t you drinking with Aint?”PrfBm9t
0ZBc“Not only with Aint—I have someone else to meet. I was just passing time with him until then. Let’s go, Aint.”B3kOZ
gz5EBefore Gismond and his group could react, Aria was already on her feet, just as quickly as she had approached them.XmNNR8
sQ6L“Thanks for everything, seniors. See you next time.”MAyUhJ
nmRT10Leaving the stunned students behind, Aint bowed his head and followed after her.y37Am
gTBJh“Did you find it?”dAi
pxu“No.”2Jm
CWi“There was no corrupted magic?”ewgGa
lhXFhy“No, he’s not a corrupt.”OMyaFU
px4“That’s strange… Then the senior was wrong. How did he suddenly get so strong?”UUXBIr
1Lyd4“Elixirs.”8FUBk
TPzXNVo“But no matter how many elixirs one takes, you don’t get that kind of sudden growth.”Pgat
3G6k“He took much more than normal.”jOaFL
hMWKRBjAria blinked twice, then gave a crooked smile.xLGdMo
JOv44j“Well, he turned out to be more interesting than he seemed. But how’s his body handling it? He didn’t look that well-trained.”TKtUO0u
qOSsAt least not by Academy student standards.D5gVdhm
8nnb75z“He’s at his limit.”cK8mw9
d4xLi“Then, where did he get those elixirs? Or rather, how does a noble student not even have the basic knowledge of elixirs? How did he even get into this place?”VSX
12YNVIt was harsh, but not wrong.3mg
K7hThe human body wasn’t that strong. Consuming elixirs recklessly and in excess almost always led to mana collapse.iOc
QMovfw“In any case, what a waste. So many valuable elixirs on someone who doesn’t have the capacity to use them.”ymOlP
4OAKnowing there was no corruption, Aria lost what little interest she had.noZx
DV0“Well, senior Fernan surely knows where they came from. He never lets those details slip.”KU3Sqa
CMoh“So now what? Do you really want to go drink?”BmiaiKc
Ujh“Why does an elf like alcohol so much?”3q2ya
mtWFcZX“Elves and wine are practically synonyms.”74b
y5u— It’s true. In fact, elves live with fruit liquor on their lips.9KnAlj
MPtrBYaA natural-born drunk. That much, Aint didn’t know.pMjo
7dB1fo“No. We need to go report to the senior.”2DJvVg
GFGZ“It doesn’t seem that urgent. Do we really have to now?”ajQOeQ
iRkp“How can anything related to demons not be urgent?”yzccYr
yusWrg“What a shame. So, after that?”NvLP
rZDm“I’ll go to the closing ceremony.”PkV
TckN2QAria tilted her head.LiT6Om
6ZyIRc“Didn’t you say you weren’t going?”a2k
Ou6“And why did you believe that?”uUuRcY8
28e“Because the emperor is going to be there.”FC5
zdGR“…Didn’t think you’d say it so directly.”Yw1C
mhwXw“The fact that I entered the Academy already proves I don’t care about that stuff.”1cyqP
PVAZYPAria shrugged as if it were nothing, which was rather irritating.QUe
GH5QgMG“And why did you think I wouldn’t go?”lcrt
Yh2rUcg“Because it’s one thing not to care, and another to face him directly.”Qz4
38x— She’s right. Seems like she’s not, but she’s quite perceptive.I7l
a3w4sAria said it so casually, but her words hit Aint in the chest.ba5Do
52NShe was right. If he truly didn’t care, he never would have considered attending.ccf
MqlYBut that wasn’t it.NTk
XeBJgThe emperor of the Empire. That throne that once belonged to the Armians.20YYL
rmqmAs the rightful heir, Aint wanted it back. He already had the strength and allies to do it, and soon the opportunity would come.o7N
pVfLwAiThe arrival of demons that had led the First Emperor to found the Empire.u36
Q62History was about to repeat itself, and Aint didn’t want to miss that moment.1PKSO
qQvThat’s why he wanted to see him. He wanted to see, with his own eyes, the family and the person occupying that throne.NTl
i4UEQFuuu. At that moment, he felt warm breath.ZDIthQ
d4mRaJ“…What are you doing?”jOucn
NomjAria’s face was just inches from his. Her emerald-green eyes curved into half-moons.7Bi3
L81L“Good look. A gaze full of ambition. Just now, you looked exactly like senior Fernan.”aGah
iCmv“…What?”MJLmQFH
NUtWfewAria stepped back, and Aint’s heart pounded violently.lkpCv8
cWYs“Then let’s go. First, we’ll talk to the senior and then—”8bUd
kFwCF“You two.”bxEM0ii
psRkMT5At that moment, two hooded figures approached them.61a25Jz
xvFTeI“Are you students Aint Armian and Aria Fridian?”7Sly
QSUr“You know us?”ou6
ca7HWa“Fortunately, we’ve found you. I am… just a moment.”zOa
cygThe man fumbled in his robe for a while. Then he pulled out a metal badge.urW
f6YijBp“This is me.”GnVBo
DJVpq“…What…?”nyr396
zeJNS5j“……!”PHLm
EReUqKOn the metal badge, a lightning symbol was engraved in relief.5DclT
6Qw“Pleased to meet you. I am Inquisitor Judge Girard Izuel.”ElOsK7
05FUNThe man bowed with utmost courtesy.rDu8a
qOnqWCA***K61qF
ZR3Judges.JMLL
nZnfg1A thousand years ago, the first Emperor, who had expelled the demons, created this group to face the remaining monsters and the corrupted that still roamed the continent.QWsxR6
b3nOKIn their golden age, their power rivaled that of the Elector Princes, and all trembled at their words.Qqqig7
haZJBut that was now just an echo of the past.HmoXj
kS1MiAs the corrupted dwindled and the monsters were exterminated, the Judges ceased to be necessary.4Flse2R
AMRf5JTheir prestige weakened.5nPYv
AyC2JParadoxically, the more they fulfilled their duty, the more their place in the world faded.GVr
MyeJxshDemons and monsters were quickly forgotten, and the authority of the Judges eroded bit by bit.KSs
Uav6SAnd now…VeD
l5h9They survived only thanks to the ancient imperial decree of the first Emperor, maintaining just the semblance of existence.W916z
3oVNTBnIn theory, they were under the direct orders of the Emperor, but the Schwaben family, who had taken the throne from the Armians, treated them like a useless nuisance, leaving them practically abandoned.ocrpf
V0h3If it weren’t for the support of a few nobles, the Judges would have disappeared completely.mFezr
ab6And yet, in front of Aint now stood one of those survivors of history.Tb4b
OxHX“…What business do you have with me?”AS6o
mJe“Hmm… This isn’t the place to talk. How about we go somewhere quieter?”56DFOG
iikfH8“You expect me to go with you?”wp73zyp
s4s83Va“It would be best. Ah, of course, it’s not a threat. Honestly, we don’t even have the power to threaten someone and then endure the consequences.”oDuuOx
JYbVGirard Izuel gave a slight smile.EAV
QZeFPzn“I’m just asking you to come because I believe you already suspect the reason I’m looking for you. For us, this is an urgent matter.”v8xjk9
gjNb6VGirard’s gaze, trembling and unguarded, made him look like—GiR
PEW8“A stray cat.”9HTyFW
s8OLCw“Hey!”DF4
09EOirPAint flinched. Not only had he thought the same thing as Aria—she had said it out loud, without a filter.nmg
m50FQ“Watch your tongue…”2Ua
nVu“But it’s true, isn’t it?”cRWtwe
uF5A“A stray cat? Well… it’s not an entirely wrong comparison. We were abandoned by the Schwaben imperial family.”728Kt
FJxZAint fell silent at those words, thick with self-deprecation.1ttsGH
wuL“But…”KSEq0j
TwgGOE“It’s fine. It’s been a hundred years since they left us behind. At this point, I don’t care. Besides, I joined the Judges thirty years ago, so I didn’t even live through the first seventy.”KM6
jwYNlB— The Judges reduced to this?PSpSI
U8AVIPTFrom the collar, Gardner muttered with quiet, boiling anger.N13Nb
AeGY— The Judges were the foresight of the old Emperor, a safeguard against the inevitable return of the demons.RkpNam
IFyH6— And now, reduced to this ruin, their very reason for existing has vanished.YrK
5JtA— Fools. Did they never think that if the Emperor left such an order, he must’ve had a reason?sePDqMk
Wk1Paj‘I can understand it.’jx8
oNJA thousand years is a long time. Even if it was the first Emperor’s will, maintaining and nurturing that legacy without proof of need was an unbearable burden.WjT
BSGyEyZ“You approached us because of the corrupted, right?”ayCA
UZVmo3Z“Exactly. We’ve heard the same—that corrupted appeared at the Academy.”Xpdu
QFoGirard raised both arms dramatically, though his voice was barely a whisper, so as not to draw attention.E9Y
QqXrk“And why us?”X4M7FxY
MZGBfX“Because, even if we’re an abandoned institution, we’ve existed for a thousand years. Aint Armian, Aria Fridian… we know that you, along with three other students, had a private meeting with the rector.”tWnm
NgdWithout a doubt, they had reported the corrupted.bWswG3Z
4LJVSX0“And right after that, the rector summoned the high command and the guard in an emergency, and they wiped out all the corrupted at the Academy. I regret not being there to join in. As you might know, though I’m a Judge, I’ve never had the chance to face a corrupt in person…”f5bCV
fIUv“Girard.”9bMCF
0xwyksA sharp voice interrupted him.nN4lV4
b8BQsR“Senior Fernan?”zuJ
IdtR3z“Senior.”yj0
Xh7f8ThIt was Fernan.42A
qJsTT“Long time no see.”mZrWTXQ
KEE2I“…Well, looks like I’ve gone on longer than I intended. Indeed, Fernan, it has been a while.”3m0cr
5jJSOJGirard gave him an ambiguous smile.J8qT
kqazi7m“I should’ve taken them with me from the start.”DZr
bocd2IE“That would’ve been a kidnapping.”Nq4c
CidgZ“Not if it’s voluntary.”LsETu
OxFNA“Ask them. They can answer for themselves.”ImypqmB
9sL“I have no money. If you want, steal the fleas’ livers.”H0fA
zIV“The rector seemed to be looking for you, Fernan.”vEm
yAL“Ha… maybe I should’ve been less polite and, instead of talking, gotten the truth out with torture.”yT7
BTuim“…Torture?”Z7nMho
kb2mx— Torture, you say?bdVsZ
jB7cXThe word hit both Aint and Gardner like a blow.WLG2
Zu4t36h“This is the Academy, and Aint and Aria are students.”x43
U64bkUb“That’s why I tried talking first. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. Then, until next time, I’ll see you again.”dH55QRw
by0sGirard bowed his head respectfully and walked away.LZQtr5
ePEGj2“…Wow…”lmDx
AULAria muttered as she watched him disappear.7SxikT
8jcYk“I can’t stand that guy. I never thought I’d hate a human this much. Why is that?”ajW
UI5u“Racial self-loathing?”AaWzIqu
Nys7G“I’m an elf, and he’s human.”NMyKE
muQ359“Doesn’t matter.”RhWF
khTQFFernan shrugged.fNc4C
J2x“Who the hell is that guy, senior? And what was that about torture?”tzm
E8mO“You’ve probably guessed: he’s not normal. And nothing good will come from getting involved with him. Avoid Girard, and the rest of the Judges too.”zxCD
HMNyKTl“Girard… is the leader of the Judges?”KrVX
BiNe“Yes.”hDR1SlD
erUZmFernan nodded.LWNzU1D
KeK“That strange man is the leader? I’m not surprised, he seemed… unstable.”v3KeBPp
7tlv1k4“To lead a futureless order, you have to be crazy.”lT32H
0JwXwEiMaybe from now on things would change, but until now, no one had foreseen the demons’ return.xgq3L
YxePiIt wasn’t strange that only madmen joined the Judges.FhVmgR
22aF“Anyway, let’s go. Even late, the closing ceremony isn’t over.”RgX76
1gl“Yes!”JdJX
f430Pes“Understood.”BR3Morg
C3GcVRFernan led them back to the stadium. No one dared stop them, and soon they were seated in the place of honor.Ial
K6BWPrxThe awards ceremony had just ended. Beside Luina Bercheff, the winner of the knights’ tournament, stood the champion of the magic tournament, Liana Horton, both holding trophies of pure gold.oMo
CckEThe Emperor rested in his main seat, chin resting on one hand, while the rector calmly approached the stage.wF8
fUUY1“Professor Rosalia?”OSyVzvu
SSyM“That’s…”E2F947U
SXbOXX1“Looks like today’s the day they’ll reveal it.”u6hIkz
y1PRosalia stood behind the rector, and beside her was a person encased in ice.LIuUXz9
8cZZ6shIt didn’t take much thought to realize it was a corrupt captured by the Academy.ME8FWJR
0kUC‘So it’s today. The perfect stage for an announcement.’cFv
c8ZGd6Fernan instantly calculated the impact of the news. Corrupted appearing for the first time in a thousand years…5CUS7W6
hsVFSuddenly, both the rector and Professor Rosalia froze on their way up the stage.MHihosJ
uo2s8And not just them.DxjEr1
5xoKnights, servants, maids—everyone rushed to their lords and whispered in their ears.4cTFmtJ
kWPIn an instant, the once-silent stadium became a boiling pot.fHnDi
8ZrZ“What’s going on?”nus0
pC0“Seems something happened.”JDpV
9jMWhile the two first-years looked confused, a staff member from the Golden Turtle Company approached Fernan.zBb8
yef“Young master.”zSB0
imGeqcb“What is it?”PhZGr0Y
IzRH6Bk“An urgent message from Altrierc and Alprocen. A horde of monsters and magical beasts has crossed the Taklakan Desert and is attacking the Empire and the Kingdom simultaneously.”pwBo
wRmM“…What did you say?”lHaL
qXWwMonsters? Magical beasts?5RhvO
CRgBu“They’re spreading throughout the entire western region, so we can’t give an exact number. But the current estimate is around ten thousand. For now, Altrierc is holding out, but Viscount Damus’s house has already fallen…”8Oa1u5U
P9Xr8L“…Damn it.”VJc9
53pUqsuA horde of ten thousand monsters and magical beasts?sAlQ4gQ
nfMtHzYThat couldn’t be a simple accident.mT5
syH8Q6W‘They are the corrupt.’fMM0
CIuKLThe corrupted who had suffered a blow at the Academy were now making their next move.1BNX
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!