Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: A Demon's Trace
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The academy’s professors and administrators held a meeting to discuss how to handle the water dragon’s carcass.
More precisely, it was a discussion about how to process the byproducts of the water dragon and who would reap the greatest benefits.
The corpse of a spiritual beast like a water dragon was, in itself, a source of immense wealth and research material.
“I believe my share in this is the largest.”
Grad, a professor from the Knight Department, argued passionately.
“I was at the forefront, drawing the water dragon’s attention and inflicting a critical wound. Thanks to me, we were able to hunt it with relative ease.”
No one could deny that he had been the first to charge the water dragon, preventing student casualties, and that he had faced it head-on, leading to a comparatively easy hunt.
But in the face of greed, such facts become minor details.
“Just a moment, Professor Grad. If it weren’t for my lightning magic, the water dragon would have rampaged for much longer.”
“It was my spear that pierced the water dragon’s heart, Grad.”
“If killing the water dragon is the sole measure of contribution, then I, who evacuated the most students, have been wronged.”
As the voices of the professors on site grew louder, the head of the General Affairs department calmed them down.
“Before we discuss distribution, isn’t it more important to decide to whom, how, and for how much we’ll sell it? We can divide the profits after that.”
“…That’s not an unreasonable thought.”
“I agree.”
The value of a spiritual beast’s carcass depreciated over time, so some professors nodded in agreement.
“Are you offering to handle that for us?”
“Of course. Since the sale will be conducted in the academy’s name, it’s only natural that we step in.”
“And?”
“We don’t ask for much. Just a small fee for our troubles…”
“Nonsense!”
“Don’t try any funny business!”
While the General Affairs department typically oversaw matters within the academy, they couldn’t claim rights to the byproducts of a monster that appeared during a practical training session.
Having been rebuffed after trying to wedge his foot in the door, the department head crossed his arms.
“But aren’t you professors busy? This isn’t some small sum, and selling something like that will require a great deal of effort.”
“Hmph. The academy is overflowing with nobles and the wealthy.”
Even the family of the continent’s richest man was a student at the academy.
“No, wait a moment. I don’t want to sell it. I’d rather receive the byproducts as they are.”
“The same goes for me. Especially the water dragon’s mana core…”
“Then buy it with your own money. At full market value.”
“What kind of nonsense is that!”
The professors were split between those who wanted to distribute the byproducts directly and those who wanted to sell them for the highest price first and then distribute the money.
After a long while, they finally reached a conclusion.
“Then let’s first agree to sell the water dragon’s carcass to whoever offers the highest price. If you want any of the byproducts, you can buy them for more than that price. The money will then be redistributed to everyone according to their contribution.”
“Let’s do that.”
The first point of contact was, naturally, the Fallenberg family.
* * *
The sun rose. To the chirping of sparrows, Pernyan finally stretched, loosening his stiffened body.
*Knock, knock—*
“Come in.”
“Did you not sleep at all, Young Master?”
“I’ve always pictured it in my head, but now that I’m trying to create the schematics, I’m running into countless roadblocks.”
Dozens of papers and empty inkwells were scattered around Pernyan’s room.
“Well, it is quite an undertaking…”
A colossal golem, ten meters tall.
Large portions of its body constructed from Mithril and Adamant.
Functions so advanced they bordered on godlike powers.
And on top of all that, an ego that allowed it to think and move on its own.
There were more than a few potential problems.
“But this is a golem made of Adamant and Mithril. Without at least these functions, it would be a useless hunk of metal, a waste of precious ore.”
“That’s certainly true, but is an Ego Golem really possible…?”
An Ego Golem was something that had never before appeared in this world.
If it were possible, it would have already been invented. Its appearance would be nothing short of a revolution in the world of magic.
“Don’t doubt it. I have seen the possibility.”
The proof was the Ego Sword of ‘Sir Gardner Alpenparsen,’ left behind by the first emperor.
If a soul could inhabit a sword made of Mithril—an ore capable of containing even a soul—there was no reason it couldn't inhabit a golem.
“Indeed, I never knew Mithril had such potential, but…”
Magic that dealt with souls was an incredibly esoteric field to begin with.
“Assuming it is possible, what kind of soul will you use, and how will you insert it?”
To Hyde, that seemed to be the biggest problem.
It was doubtful any soul would voluntarily become a golem, and if one were forced, it was questionable whether it would obey Pernyan.
“I’ll layer it with several imprints of obedience. It’s unthinkable that my own creation would defy my commands.”
“If you put a living person’s soul into it, the magical community might immediately brand you a demon, Young Master.”
While there were occasional madmen who disregarded all ethics, the magical world, like any other organization, officially valued staying within certain lines.
“Don’t worry. As if I would use just any soul.”
“…I would still like to live a while longer.”
Hyde took a step back.
“…Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then who do you have in mind?”
“A spirit.”
Pernyan didn’t even know magic capable of capturing and inserting a living human’s soul.
Even with the Fallenberg family’s vast network, no such talent existed. If such a thing were possible, the person would likely be called a calamity, not a talent.
But spirits were different.
They were spiritual beings by nature and possessed a certain level of intelligence. It was undeniable that they were perfectly suited for an Ego Golem.
“…A spirit certainly seems more plausible. However…”
Just then.
“Young Master.”
A new visitor arrived. It was an employee from the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild.
“What is it?”
“A guest has come to the guild.”
“A guest?”
“Well…”
Pernyan thought he could smell the scent of money wafting from his nose.
* * *
“I pulled a lot of strings, Pernyan. Everyone said the Fallenbergs would lowball the price, but I told them you’d never do such a thing.”
Pernyan calmly savored his coffee.
He had wondered what the sudden meeting was about, but a topic like this was always welcome.
“They accused me of taking money from you, but I told them it’s only natural to sell to the richest merchant.”
“Well, you’ve never received money from me.”
He had merely picked up a money pouch that had been dropped in his house.
“Exactly. Those fools who know nothing are going on about whether I took your money or not. Tsk.”
Grad affirmed shamelessly.
If he didn’t have this much audacity, he wouldn’t have been able to keep taking money from Pernyan.
“So, to conclude, my family is first in line.”
“That’s right. I’m here as the academy’s representative.”
“But is it permissible to approach a student like this separately?”
At those words, Grad looked incredulous.
“That’s not something you, of all people, who contacts faculty members separately more than anyone, should be saying.”
“Is that so?”
“The academy has already sent an official letter to the Fallenberg family.”
This meant his meeting with Pernyan was a means to secure the deal.
“A water dragon. There are certainly parts I desire.”
“We’re not selling it by the part. If you want to buy, you have to buy the whole thing.”
“That changes things a bit.”
But there was no reason he couldn’t.
As a temporary assistant, Pernyan had already personally inspected the water dragon’s carcass.
Its teeth and bones were exceptionally hard, suitable for weapons; its blood and eyes were rich with mana, perfect for reagents; and its scales could be made into armor and other defensive gear.
There wasn't a single part to discard from the spiritual beast, so it didn't much matter whether he bought all of it or just a portion.
But there was no reason to let himself be led around.
“Let’s not play games when we both know the score. What do you want?”
“What more could a merchant want? To get a better product for a cheaper price.”
“While it’s limited to within the academy, this is technically an auction. I can’t just give you a lower price.”
Pernyan knew this as well. And he had anticipated this outcome the moment the water dragon’s carcass fell into the academy’s hands.
Its remains were a coveted prize—magical materials for mages and components for weapons and armor for knights.
He had no intention of haggling from the start. He knew if he tried, he wouldn’t get it.
“But you could give me something else, couldn’t you?”
However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t use the situation. He might not be able to save money, but couldn’t he get something extra in return?
“…What do you want?”
“Exclusive rights.”
“Exclusive rights?”
“I want an exclusive contract stating that if the academy purchases ships, it will only purchase them from the Golden Turtle Merchant Guild.”
“Ships, all of a sudden?”
It was sudden. But for Pernyan, who had read the future, it wasn’t.
The monster attack, the sunken yacht, the noble children adrift at sea.
After that incident, the academy would realize that land-based combat was not enough and would establish a naval combat course.
And naturally, that course would require ships.
‘And it won’t just be a one-time sale.’
The course would involve seeking out and fighting monsters for the purpose of naval combat training.
Naturally, the ships would sustain continuous damage, leading to massive repair costs.
If a ship was destroyed completely, they would have to buy a new one… In other words, this was a business with enormous long-term profits at stake.
“…How many ships could you possibly sell to the academy?”
The academy didn’t consume many ships on its own. At most, there were the regular ferries that traveled between continents.
But those vessels were escorted by the Imperial Navy, so there was no need to replace them often.
“I’ll take care of that. Just sign the contract. Then I’ll buy the water dragon’s carcass for a reasonably high price. And in the process, I might just happen to drop a money pouch at your estate, Professor.”
The logic was completely flawed, but Grad’s eyes glinted with greed.
“…I don’t have the authority, but I will try to propose it to the president.”
“Yes, thank you.”
‘Grad alone won’t be enough. I’ll need to use my other connections to add some pressure.’
Pernyan bowed his head.
* * *
“……”
“……”
A heavy silence hung in the air. Pernyan waited patiently for her to speak.
“Your actions were completely incomprehensible.”
“Completely?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Skipping all your classes to be a temporary assistant? That is the very definition of being penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
Pernyan couldn’t agree with Ruina’s assessment.
It wasn't being penny-wise and pound-foolish; it was coveting big and gaining big. If he hadn’t stepped up, he would never have obtained that much Mithril and Adamant.
‘Ah, would I have gotten the Mithril even if I hadn’t gone?’
Perhaps, even if the future had followed its original course, the butterfly effect from the Saint Bird incident would have led Aint to sell him the Mithril anyway.
But whatever that future might have been, he couldn’t deny that the current outcome was far better.
“It was necessary. I had to push myself if I wanted to keep up with your grades.”
“Don’t try to gloss over it like that. Is it right to skip other classes to improve your grades? What would you have done if there had been practical training or an exam during that week?”
Pernyan and Ruina were a pair.
He was supposed to take *Magical Survival Techniques*, *Combat, War, and Magic*, and *Study of Demonic Beasts and Monsters* with her, while she was supposed to take *Field Survival Techniques*, *War and Practical Sparring*, and *Study of Demonic Beasts and Monsters* with him.
But with Pernyan gone for a week, Ruina had lost her partner.
“It’s a good thing there was no practical training. What would you have done if there had been?”
“I took all of that into consideration before I started.”
“Is that what’s important?”
“…I apologize for not discussing it with you beforehand.”
Though it was the truth, Pernyan couldn’t bring himself to be firm with her. It was for the same reason as with Aint.
Aint Armian was the hero who would save the world, and Pernyan was the one who would cause his downfall, so he had to tread carefully. Ruina was the fuse for that downfall, so the same applied to her.
“Since no major problems arose, I will accept your apology. However, I hope nothing like this happens again.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Fortunately, Ruina readily accepted his apology.
“By the way, did anything special happen while I was working as a temporary assistant?”
“Nothing. Most of the classes over the past week focused on theory.”
When one grade level had practical training, it was common for professors and assistants from other years to lend a hand.
Because of this, the second-year classes had mostly remained theoretical.
“Ah, there was one interesting thing.”
“Interesting?”
“In the third-year sparring matches, the top students from the Knight and Magic Departments faced off.”
“That must have caused an uproar.”
The academy fundamentally emphasized harmony and cooperation, but humans are creatures that inherently form allegiances.
While they were all academy students in a broader sense, their fields and departments were different, so a certain rivalry existed between the Knight and Magic Departments.
Even outside the academy, the rivalry between knights and mages had a long history.
“Yes. And the top student of the third-year Magic Department, Liana-sunbaenim, defeated the top student of the Knight Department, Barog-sunbaenim.”
“Barog must have been branded a traitor.”
“It’s half a joke, but he’s also under suspicion of match-fixing.”
“Match-fixing? Was there money riding on the outcome?”
Pernyan tilted his head at the unexpected remark. Was there room for something like that in a simple duel between the top students of the Knight and Magic Departments?
‘Though gambling rings did pop up often whenever there was a duel…’
He had been the one to popularize gambling among the students, but there was no room for match-fixing in a battle of pride between the top students of the Magic and Knight Departments.
At least, not as far as he knew.
“…Your train of thought naturally leads there, doesn’t it?”
Pernyan didn’t flinch at Ruina’s subtle gaze.
“Money is truth. Any means to acquire it is just.”
“I’m not particularly interested in your values. And it’s not because of gambling.”
“Then why the talk of match-fixing?”
“Apparently, the top students of the Knight and Magic Departments are a couple. So there are rumors that he intentionally lost for her.”
“…Now that’s an interesting issue.”
His information network hadn’t been updated with news of a new couple, so it must have happened recently.
‘The Heranim family is quite wealthy, and Barog Heranim has a doting personality.’
If he actively recommended some jewelry or expensive artifacts, Barog would surely buy a few without much trouble.
‘I should try pitching something to him.’
After all, there was nothing quite as profitable as selling goods to nobles.
“And now, for the main topic.”
“Go on.”
This meeting was the first one Ruina had initiated.
She had summoned him, saying she had something to discuss, and he didn’t think her main purpose was to scold him for being an assistant for a week without notice.
“I believe I may have found a demon’s trace.”
“…What did you say?”
But he had never dreamed it would be about something like this.