Chapter 176
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: An Unlikely Alliance
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Flash—
Dozens of lightning bolts struck simultaneously. The targets were destroyed in an instant.
*Clap, clap, clap—*
“Your control over lightning has improved. It seems you've learned a great deal at the academy.”
The sound of his father's applause reached him.
“It's still not enough.”
The mage, Carlo Deneve, shook his head.
Like all who entered the academy, he had been full of hope for a bright future.
Carlo was no different.
Ever since he beat the imperial prince and took the top spot in the entrance exam, he had never abandoned the belief that he would become the greatest mage.
At least until his first year, that belief and his situation had remained unchanged, but things shifted in his second year.
He had been pushed aside not only by Ludger Schwaben but also by Pernyan Fallenberg, who had been a mere tenth place.
The bigger problem was that he no longer felt confident he could reclaim the top position.
“I heard you lost the top spot. But don't be too hasty.”
His father lightly waved his hand, and his mana settled the scattering fragments of the targets.
“At your age, the academy seems like everything. I was the same. But once you graduate, you'll realize there's a much wider world out there. Falling behind for a moment at the academy doesn't mean you'll be behind forever.”
“…I'll keep that in mind.”
“And stop searching for that elixir.”
“……”
“As you know, an elixir isn't necessarily a good thing.”
“Yes, I know.”
Carlo nodded, though he wasn't particularly convinced.
“Good work. Are your preparations for departure complete?”
“Yes.”
“This is the Dedicated Professor Lecture you requested. Learn without regret.”
“Yes.”
The Dedicated Professor Lecture was a special system unique to the Armian Imperial Academy.
It wasn't anything extraordinary. It was simply a system where an available professor would exclusively teach one student for a month during the break.
It meant receiving close, personal management in everything from simple lectures to practical application and research.
However, the Dedicated Professor Lecture required a massive donation, and it had the drawback that you couldn't choose your desired professor.
For that reason, students didn't usually apply for it, but Carlo, grasping at straws, had decided to take it.
It would be best if he got the professor he wanted, but even if he didn't, he figured there would be something to learn, as all the academy's professors were outstanding mages.
A few days later, Carlo arrived at the academy and sat facing the dedicated professor he would be with for the next month.
“It's been a while, Student Carlo.”
Dominique Kolsner, the professor for *Illusion and Phantasm*, adjusted his monocle.
“Professor, will you be my dedicated professor?”
“It seems so.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“You're not disappointed?”
“Even if our fields are different, all professors at the academy are exceptional mages, so I believed there would surely be something to learn.”
“How unexpected. I didn't know you had this side to you, Student Carlo.”
*Thud.* Professor Dominique closed the book he was reading.
“More importantly, you look quite tired. Are you ill?”
Professor Dominique's face was much gaunter and more hollow-eyed than before the break. He looked pale, as if drained of blood.
“I'm fine. My research is in its final stages, so I haven't been sleeping much.”
“And yet you're taking me on as your dedicated student?”
“Why hide it? I needed some money for that research.”
It wasn't unusual. The dedicated professor system was mainly used by professors in the Magic Department who were short on research funds.
“But don't worry. I would never have volunteered if I didn't think I could be of help to you, Student Carlo.”
Professor Dominique opened his palm. A faint orb of light floated up.
“Do you know the essence of illusion and phantasm?”
“I understand it to be about deceiving an opponent.”
“You didn't sleep through my lectures, I see.”
The orb of light soon formed a shape. It was the figure of a person.
“Humans have several senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Illusion and phantasm are, in essence, the art of deceiving these senses.”
High-level phantasms weren't just about sensory disruption; they could even materialize illusions, but that wasn't relevant right now.
“And among them, the most effective way to disrupt sight is by using light.”
Brilliant light confuses one's vision. As it is the sense we rely on most, it creates quite favorable conditions for casting illusions and phantasms.
“And lightning, after all, is also light.”
“…I've never thought of it that way.”
“Most don't. Generally, illusion and phantasm magic are non-mainstream.”
The current mainstream of the magical world was nature magic—magic that manipulated the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth.
Ninety percent of mages were nature mages, and they didn't learn any other kind of magic.
They believed nature magic was the best.
“But I think differently. I'm not saying nature magic is bad. But there's no need to focus solely on it. I believe that through combination with other types of magic, one can advance to the next level.”
Carlo felt himself being drawn in.
It would be a lie to say he hadn't been a little disappointed when he learned Professor Dominique would be his professor.
But if he could link his lightning with illusions, it would be well worth it.
He didn't need anything as grand as what Professor Dominique was suggesting.
If he could create illusionary lightning, hiding the fake within the real and the real within the fake, that alone would be a great help.
“What do you say? Are you willing to give it a proper try?”
“Yes, I would very much like to learn.”
What if he could make Pernyan block an illusionary lightning bolt, then strike him from behind with a real one?
It was definitely possible.
‘Just you wait, Pernyan.’
He would reclaim the top spot, no matter what.
“But it won't be easy. Your specialty, lightning magic, and illusion and phantasm are from different schools.”
“I don't mind.”
He didn't expect it to happen overnight. He had applied in the first place hoping for any kind of progress with his stagnating magic.
Seeing a greater possibility now, he was more than satisfied.
It would be difficult to see significant results in the next Magic Tournament, but…
‘If not the top spot this year, then by graduation.’
Reclaiming the top spot was his goal.
Carlo steeled his resolve.
* * *
At the tail end of summer vacation.
“We broke through!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Finally!”
Duke Ivon had collaborated with Count Baden to hold a month-long festival, and during that time, the dwarves had devoted all their efforts to digging the underground tunnel.
After a month, the massive civil engineering project was finally complete.
“The hard part is over. This is Fallenberg territory, so you don't have to worry about the elves.”
“I see.”
“There's a regular trade route between this Holtian Viscounty and the Pandrein Continent.”
Count Baden's domain was a territory with a large-scale livestock industry based on its fertile pastures.
Its specialty products, like high-quality beef, milk, and cheese, were renowned throughout the empire.
The Golden Turtle Merchant Guild regularly bought these specialties from them and sold them all over Pandrein.
“This time, we placed an additional large-scale order, so the trade ship has been upsized. It should be able to carry quite a few dwarves at once.”
The pretext Duke Ivon had used to have Count Baden hold the festival was also based on those specialty goods.
No one would refuse an offer to celebrate after being handed a massive contract fee.
“Thank you.”
“And once you arrive in Pandrein, we will ensure your safe passage to Algott.”
“Algott... But wasn't there already a count there?”
“It's all been taken care of.”
“...That sounds ominous.”
“Don't worry. It wasn't anything negative. We truly reached an amicable agreement, so you needn't be concerned.”
They had indeed reached an amicable agreement. There was no violence involved, and his father had promised to give the man a much greater position instead.
“Well then, I'll be on my way. I'll see you later in Pandrein.”
“Right, see you then. Thanks.”
“The Algott County is rich in mineral veins, so I'm sure you'll be satisfied.”
After parting with the dwarves, Pernyan sent Gismond ahead to the academy.
“I have a little something left to do. Sunbaenim, you should head back first and get some rest. You've worked hard. Still, it was a productive time, wasn't it?”
“It was… productive.”
Gismond nodded hesitantly.
Though he ended up digging tunnels with the dwarves all day toward the end, he had improved his skills fighting demonic beasts before that.
“I'll see you later, then.”
“Uh, yeah…”
After parting with Gismond, Pernyan returned to the Friedien capital.
“Sunbaenim? Why are you back?”
“Aria, I need to talk to you for a moment. Can you come with me?”
“Of course.”
Luring Aria to the Friedien branch of the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild, Pernyan immediately shoved her head into a basin of water.
“Urgle-gluggle...!”
As her face struggled underwater, Aria recalled a nightmare.
A terrible nightmare of being water-tortured by that so-called Saint. Why was she remembering it at this very moment?
Needless to say, it was because she was suffering the exact same thing.
“Well? Are you coming to your senses now?”
“Puhaak!”
The hand pressing down on her head was removed.
Aria frantically lifted her head. She gasped for breath, coughing repeatedly.
At first, she had a million questions, wanting to demand why he was torturing her.
But not anymore.
“...I was under it again, wasn't I?”
“It wasn't just you. Everyone was.”
“And my brother was a real Vile Breed.”
“Wrong. Adolf is not a Vile Breed. He's merely collaborating with them.”
“That's not comforting at all.”
In the end, it was still true that a direct family member was involved with the Vile Breed.
“Is he really trying to overthrow the family?”
“He's probably not trying to overthrow the family.”
“Then what?”
“He's probably trying to overthrow the empire.”
“…That's even worse.”
It wasn't just serious. The name Friedien itself could be completely erased.
“The problem is we have no solid evidence. The only clues we found are that they put us under a suggestion and a few recording orbs, and even those they can just deny.”
“…A few recording orbs might be enough?”
“It's not enough.”
The recording was clearly of the two discussing matters related to the Vile Breed, so it could certainly finish Count Daniel and Adolf.
But Pernyan wanted more.
Not just simple evidence, but a clue that could uproot them completely.
“Is there a way?”
“They think you're still under the suggestion.”
“…Ah? That's right.”
Aria snapped her fingers lightly.
“Then I can approach my brother, pretending I don't know anything…”
“Can you do it?”
“I'm confident in my acting.”
“Good thing I broke the suggestion on you, then. I left someone else under it because they seem like a terrible actor.”
“Sunbaenim Gismond does wear his heart on his sleeve.”
She nodded in agreement as she thought of Gismond.
“In that case, Sunbaenim, if I manage to get important information from my brother, will you be able to help?”
“If it's related to the Vile Breed or demons, then of course.”
Pernyan didn't want the empire to be overthrown by the Vile Breed either.
“I'll be counting on you.”
“Likewise. You report to the Marquis.”
“Yes. It's a result that will satisfy my father as well.”
An elf and a human joined hands.