Chapter 155
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Urgent Matters
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After that one large-scale attack, nothing else of note happened.
The procession arrived safely in Valerich, and the Mana Stone conglomerate was handed over to the Vienderk's academic conference preparation committee.
“We will ensure that the young lady's research is never stolen!”
The management of magical exhibits was always thorough, but with the precedent of the recent chaos, security was even tighter.
Plus, since it was Rosalia's, the advantages of her bloodline would come into play.
“Then I'll stop by the merchant guild and follow you shortly.”
“Alright.”
After parting with Rosalia, Pernyan headed to the Valerich branch of the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild. He had heard a letter had arrived from the academy.
“Welcome, Young Master.”
“Where is the letter?”
“Here it is.”
The branch manager handed him a letter. It was from Aint.
[I received an offer from the President to catch the Vile Breeds within the academy. Omitted….
While you were away, Senior, another Vile Breed infiltrated the academy….]
The contents were straightforward.
The summoning of Andromalius, the Aaron incident, and now Abel Kalens.
The President, angered by the recurring problems at the academy, had acknowledged his own shortcomings and requested Aint's help.
Aint had accepted the President's offer and, in the meantime, had hunted down another Vile Breed.
And that Vile Breed, too, had left no corpse behind.
The recent, recurring ends of the Vile Breeds were clearly different from before.
It was a problem that required vigilance and a clear understanding of the cause, but what struck Pernyan more immediately was another part.
[…In return, the President has promised compensation….]
The collaboration between the President and Aint Armian.
And the money and rewards the President had promised in return.
“I've never seen someone with such a lack of business ethics….”
A dumbfounded laugh escaped him.
It had been well over a year since he had started investing his efforts in Aint Armian.
The support he had provided, from elixirs to equipment, was too extensive to put into words.
And now, someone else was trying to muscle in on it.
Of course, it wasn't an investment in Aint like Pernyan's, but the result was the same.
It would undoubtedly diminish his own stake in Aint.
Even if he was the President, this was crossing the line. He had crossed it by a long shot.
“…What's in it that has you so worked up?”
“Read it.”
“…This is.”
After reading the letter, Hyde's face hardened.
“This could cause a setback in your plans, Young Master.”
“Not just a setback, a major one. This is a bigger variable than any we've faced.”
It was something that had to be dealt with as the top priority, setting all other issues aside.
“But if the President and Aint have already agreed, there's no room for you to intervene, Young Master. Forcing him to borrow money from you would only earn his resentment, wouldn't it?”
“Actually, the President giving Aint a reward isn't the main problem.”
It would be a different story if the President were like one of those Dragon God Cult bastards, but he was a man relatively detached from money and fame.
With the years he had accumulated, his wealth wasn't small, but it wasn't vast either.
And it was certainly not enough to rebuild the Armian family.
“I can afford to let that much go. It's a waste, but it's better than earning Aint's ire for no reason.”
The problem was that this incident served as a wake-up call for Pernyan.
“There will always be people trying to beat me to the punch like this.”
What's sweet to him is sweet to others.
“Most people are wary of me and the Fallenberg family and won't approach readily, but it's not like there aren't others like the President on this continent.”
The bond they had slowly built over time strongly suggested that Pernyan had already laid his claim on Aint, but the world was wide, and there were certainly people who would ignore such territorial markings.
“This won't do. I need to get his seal on a loan contract before another person like that shows up.”
Yes, that was the surest way.
“And who knows? The first emperor might have hidden another vast treasure. It would be a huge problem if Aint found it.”
“And not you, Young Master, who can see the Prophecy Book, intercepting it again?”
“That would be even better.”
A smile formed on Pernyan's lips as he imagined another radiant mountain of gold appearing.
“I'd better return to the academy.”
“Without attending the Continental Academic Conference?”
“I won't.”
He had originally planned to diligently assist Professor Rosalia with her presentation, see things through to the end, and return with her, but this changed everything.
“Professor Rosalia is a perfectionist, anyway. She'll be fine on her own.”
Besides, telling the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild staff to spare no expense in supporting her would be enough.
“Then what about the Elector's council? Didn't you say you'd spoken to His Excellency and would be attending as an observer?”
“Nothing will be decided at this meeting anyway.”
Forming an alliance was no easy task.
Even nobles of the same empire bickered amongst themselves; with other nations mixed in, the associated interests and rights were not problems that could be solved in one or two meetings.
That wasn't to say it was meaningless. Broaching the subject of an alliance was in itself significant.
“Of course, simply participating in such a gathering is important for the experience, but these are things I'll eventually have to do, even if not right now.”
A meeting where the pinnacles of the empire, or their representatives, gathered.
It would certainly be a good experience, but it was something he would have to deal with ad nauseam once he became the master of the Fallenberg family.
“First, let's go to the hotel where the professor is staying.”
He couldn't just leave without a word, after all.
Pernyan shot up from his chair.
***
“How absurd.”
*Sizzle—*
Professor Rosalia lit a cigarette.
“Pernyan Fallenberg. I think you're mistaken about something. You are here with me on an official academic trip. This isn't something you can just join when you want and leave when you want.”
“I'm aware.”
“No, you're not. Until now, I've given you a lot of leeway because you're my investor.”
But.
“Don't you think you've been crossing that line a bit lately?”
A cold gaze, a monotone voice. Pernyan realized Rosalia was quite angry.
She had every right to be. She had already accommodated him a great deal just by letting him tag along.
What would the academy think if a student who left on an academic trip with a professor returned alone?
Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.
“I know I'm causing trouble for you, Professor. I apologize.”
“And yet you have no intention of changing your mind.”
“No.”
Nevertheless, Pernyan had to go.
“I have my reasons.”
“What are they?”
Professor Rosalia exhaled a small puff of smoke.
“Don't tell me you can't say.”
“An investment of mine is in danger of going sour.”
At those words, Professor Rosalia paused.
It was because Pernyan's expression was so grave, and because she knew what a bad investment meant to him.
“I can't go into detail, but it's related to Aint Armian.”
“And the Vile Breeds?”
“It is. Very much so.”
It wasn't a lie, since his plan to raise Aint into the perfect adversary for the demons was about to be derailed.
And that plan included Pernyan making money as a reward for its success.
Above all, if this didn't go well, Pernyan's motivation would plummet, which would obviously create a major obstacle in the fight against the demons.
“…You should have said so from the start.”
Professor Rosalia gave a small nod.
“Is it something you need my help with?”
“No. Please, Professor, just do your best at the Continental Academic Conference.”
“Your love of money doesn't waver, even in the face of Vile Breeds.”
“I believe a person should be consistent.”
“Wait. I'll write you a letter.”
Professor Rosalia quickly drafted a letter.
“Submit this to the department.”
It contained a justification for Pernyan returning to the academy alone—something along the lines of an issue coming up for Professor Rosalia, forcing her to send her student back first.
“Thank you. Then, if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way.”
Pernyan hurriedly left the room.
“…Did the Vile Breeds launch a terrorist attack on a Fallenberg warehouse or something?”
She had known Pernyan for quite some time, but even Rosalia had never seen him look that frantic.
***
[Continental Academic Conference Resumes! Followed by the First Elector's Council in 14 Years!]
“The Elector's council.”
The Spirit Studies professor, Nania Veris, put down the newspaper.
“I hope the family head does well.”
For Nania, this Elector's council was also quite significant.
It was the first council the Friedien family would attend as an Elector.
“He'll do fine.”
Aria sat down in front of her.
“Attending the Elector's council means he's officially cemented his position as an Elector, regardless of how others see or treat him.”
It was the moment her father had been waiting for, so he wouldn't neglect his duties.
“Humans are so persistent. To think it's been over 15 years since he received the title of Elector, and they still won't properly acknowledge him.”
“We expected it.”
“We expected it, but not to this extent.”
There had been many debates leading up to Friedien's annexation into the empire. Those who wanted to join, and those who saw no reason to.
In the end, the prevailing opinion was that the empire's expansion was unstoppable and that resistance would only lead to death, so they were annexed.
However, under the constant harsh glares, the opposing opinions were beginning to rear their heads again.
“But you look very pale. Just like Professor Dominique. Is something wrong?”
“Professor Dominique?”
“He's seemed a bit gaunt lately. Well, they say he's busy with research, so it's probably that.”
“I wish my problem was just research.”
Aria sighed deeply.
“What research could a student be doing? What's wrong?”
“I received a letter from my family a while ago. But no matter how much I think about it, I can't seem to find an answer on my own.”
“A letter?”
She handed Professor Nania the neatly folded letter. After checking its contents, Professor Nania's expression hardened.
“Is this for real? Adolf proposed throwing everything over and returning to the past?”
“It's not certain. It might just be a misunderstanding.”
*I really hope so,* Aria muttered under her breath.
“…It must be a misunderstanding. Adolf isn't a fool, he'd have no reason to do something like that, right?”
“There are plenty of reasons. You know that too, sis—I mean, Professor.”
“…I know. But the other elves would never agree. Is this information even reliable in the first place?”
“Whether the information itself is reliable isn't the important part. If that were all, I wouldn't be so concerned.”
It was a radical action reminiscent of a rebellion, but the chances of it actually happening were extremely low.
There were extremists, but they were by no means the majority, and it wasn't as if her father was incompetent and had lost the support of the elves.
“Then?”
“Would you look at this?”
Aria handed her another letter.
This one contained a message completely opposite to the first.
“‘Nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Blah, blah, blah…’. What about it?”
“That's the letter that came later.”
“…Huh?”
“And I sent another letter after that, so now I just have to wait for a reply.”
“So they're lying?”
“I wish it were just a simple lie.”
“If it's not just a simple lie?”
“It's just that I have some bad memories.”
The time when Andromalius was summoned using the Branch of the World Tree.
Was it just a coincidence that she was reminded of the time the Saint, Jace Baintz, had dunked her head in holy water?
Perhaps it really was just her imagination, a simple misunderstanding.
But a strange sense of anxiety continued to tickle at her heart.
“Bad memories?”
“I can't say….”
Just then, Aria's gaze fixed on something behind Nania. There was nothing special there.
Outside the window, warm sunlight and a clear sky. And among the many academy students enjoying their weekend, there was just one familiar face.
Nevertheless, Aria shot up from her seat without thinking.
She didn't know why.
It was just instinct.
From her first encounter with him until now.
Countless things had happened, and he had navigated them all with ease.
Was that why? She had an inexplicable faith in him.
That if he said he understood.
The belief that he could solve anything.
“Senior!”
The student who had just returned to the academy, Pernyan Fallenberg, turned his head.
“Aria?”
“…I have a favor to ask. I really need your help, Senior.”
Even though she hadn't run far, Aria's breathing was heavy.
