Chapter 53
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Closing In
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The first emperor certainly had a magnanimous spirit, befitting the founder of the great Armian Empire.
“Otherwise, there’d be no reason to so generously place these expensive items in every dungeon. Perhaps he anticipated the downfall of his descendants and made provisions for them.”
If the first emperor was the type to prepare a successor for a future demonic uprising, it was certainly possible.
“Though, regrettably, all of these have now become mine.”
Phuhuhu, Pernyan couldn't help but laugh.
“…One thing is certain: they weren't meant to line your pockets, Young Master. The first emperor would surely be lamenting if he knew.”
“Whether he laments or coughs up blood, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that they're all in my hands now.”
Material things were more valuable than the feelings of someone who died a thousand years ago.
“Will you be putting these up for auction as well?”
“No, I won't be selling them for a while.”
It had been only a few months since he sold the magic lamps obtained from his first meeting with Aint and the encounter with the sea serpent.
“Even so, I doubt their value would drop significantly.”
“But we can make them thirstier. And to quench that thirst, they’ll drink even more water.”
The semi-permanent magic lamps had already established themselves as top-tier luxury items, beyond mere convenience.
Rather than releasing them all at once, auctioning them off one by one at the right time was the way to earn more money.
“Still, it's a relief that we found more magic lamps. After you became a second-year, your personal expenses have increased so much that we would have been in trouble without them.”
“It can't be helped. If a crow-tit wants to keep up with a stork, it has to borrow the power of potions and equipment.”
On top of that, there were the recent, relatively frequent bribes to keep up with Aint's schedule.
The expenses were undeniably immense, but it was also unavoidable.
“Are you alright?”
“I patched myself up with a potion, so there are no major issues. I'm just a little tired.”
“That's a relief.”
“Keep a close eye on all the high-ranking officials at the academy. See if anyone shows a strange reaction.”
The Vile Breed he killed this time was different from the others. It was far stronger than the previous ones, and it seemed to know a lot.
If there's someone behind it, they're bound to react in some way.
“Yes. I will.”
“You may leave.”
Pernyan waved his hand dismissively.
“For now, I need to get some sleep. I'm dead tired.”
“Have a good night.”
Pernyan collapsed face-down on the bed and closed his eyes.
* * *
“…Hah.”
In the training grounds, bathed in the soft moonlight, Ruina opened her eyes and slowly exhaled.
The mana absorbed through her skin and breath was refined into aura, which then entered her aura hall, becoming her strength.
“First place…”
She reviewed the previous exam.
The battle with Almon, and the joint magic centered around Carlo Deneve.
There were perilous moments where defeat would not have been surprising.
She had overcome them all to seize victory, but she wasn't entirely happy.
“Pernyan.”
It was an undeniable fact that his help had been significant. No, was it merely significant?
Without him, she would have lost. That much was certain.
What if she hadn't been able to catch the other teams off guard without Pernyan's strategy?
What if she hadn't endured the joint magic because she didn't have the combined effects of Pernyan's magic and artifacts?
Ruina was proud of her skills, but she didn't overestimate herself.
‘I would have lost. Unquestionably.’
The moment the joint magic hit, the map would have burned.
Of course, in a real battle, she would have survived the impact, though not without injury.
But the academy's safety measures were designed to activate before that point to ensure the students' safety.
She couldn't blame it for that. It was, after all, part of their education, and the conditions were the same for everyone.
“I've taken a step closer to being the top student…”
She felt no joy at all.
She wanted to be the top student. She wanted to be someone worthy of that title.
She wanted to be a knight who couldn't be anything but the top student.
She didn't simply desire the title. She wanted overwhelming skill that would make her the inevitable top student, and with that power, she wanted to become a Royal Knight.
For her, being the top student at the academy wasn't the final goal, but a passage to it.
But if she relied on others' help right from the start of that passage, would it truly have any meaning?
‘I've digested a good amount of the Mandragora Elixir.’
Moreover, Pernyan's sights weren't set on something as trivial as being the top student, but on demons.
She had decided to help him, but what if she was just becoming a burden instead?
*Shing.* She slowly drew her sword.
‘More.’
The sword began to move according to her will.
‘More.’
It sliced smoothly through the air.
It cut sharply through a falling leaf.
It danced elegantly, capturing the moonlight.
‘Faster. Stronger. Sharper.’
Every sword style has a core and a symbol.
If the Armian swordsmanship, known as the adversary of demons, is a brilliant light,
then the Bercefe style, which has guarded the north for ages, is a lion that devours even monsters.
“…A white lion.”
Watching from a short distance, Aint saw a lion in her sword dance.
The form of a hunter, surpassingly beautiful and elegant, yet concealing its ferocity and claws with restraint.
—!
Ruina's sword stopped just before Aint's nose.
The wind from the blade rustled Aint's hair. Their eyes met.
“Ah, sorry. I didn't realize.”
“It's alright, senior. I'm the one who approached without making a sound.”
Spying on another's sword training was practically taboo. The only reason he could walk in so confidently was because he had been permitted and summoned by the person herself.
“But why ask for a duel so suddenly?”
“Can I take your presence here to mean you're willing to spar?”
“Since it's your request, senior, of course I am, but…”
-Look at him, completely smitten. If she asked for his heart and soul, he'd hand them over in a heartbeat.
Aint did his best to ignore Gardner's muttering.
“I'm sorry to treat you like this, but…”
Pernyan held Aint in high regard. He had always acted as if he was certain Aint would become the adversary of demons.
Even without that, she too had seen it. She had seen demonic beasts lose their power before his sword.
“As the adversary of demons, I thought you would be able to tell me how effective my sword is against them.”
That's why she was curious.
And that's why he was the most suitable opponent.
“Would that be rude?”
To confirm whether she would be a burden or could remain a sharp blade.
“…To be honest, I didn't come here with such a grand mindset.”
Her intense demeanor made Aint serious as well.
“But I welcome a duel with a skilled knight. Though I'm not sure if I'm qualified to evaluate you, senior.”
“That doesn't matter.”
“Is there a reward, by any chance?”
“A reward?”
“A reward for victory would give me more motivation. Something like a wish?”
-Tsk, his ulterior motives are plain to see.
Ruina, however, was pleased by Aint's overflowing fighting spirit.
She was a knight and admired strong knights. She also liked knights who possessed the fighting spirit and pride needed to become stronger.
Because that's what she wanted for herself.
“No.”
But despite that, she couldn't grant Aint's wish.
“Huh? Why not?”
“Pernyan told me. That you shouldn't make promises lightly. He said you never know when they'll turn into poison and strangle you.”
That thorough contractualist never overlooked even the smallest detail.
“Especially a reward that's so broad and seemingly limitless. Absolutely not.”
“Th-then if I lose, I'll grant you a wish! Honestly, the chances of you winning are much higher, right, senior?”
Ruina shook her head again.
“He said that nothing in this world is absolute, so you shouldn't make such a contract no matter how high the probability seems.”
After speaking, she gave a small smile. *Since when did I start listening to Pernyan so well? Just last year, I couldn't even stand the sight of him.*
No, it's just that it's sound advice, so I'm taking it into consideration.
“So.”
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Ruina gripped her sword.
“Come at me, Aint.”
“…Here I come.”
———!
A pure white light and a blue lion clashed.
* * *
“……”
The man who had been trimming the branches of a bonsai tree by the window set down his shears.
The man checked the quiet, customer-less bookstore and drew the curtains. The sign was flipped to 'Closed'.
“I believe I told you not to come during business hours.”
He picked up the bonsai shears again. A shadow rose from behind him.
“Comentas has fallen.”
“By whom?”
*Snip.* A branch fell.
“No, there's no point in asking.”
Comentas was guarding the contingency left by the adversary.
His purpose was to study and penetrate its defense mechanisms, while also laying a trap for Aint Armian, should he arrive.
But they had only discovered it recently, and there was no proper trap in place yet.
“I believe I ordered him not to act rashly if Aint Armian arrived sooner than expected…”
“I apologize…”
“The apology should come from Comentas, who disobeyed my orders and died, not from you.”
If he were before me now, I would have extracted his soul before it vanished and made him pay the price.
Contrary to what humans thought, even demons could not manipulate souls unconditionally.
“Still, even if he managed it, it's unexpected. Has Aint Armian's growth rate been that remarkable?”
“The traces of the battle were mostly erased, but there is something suspicious.”
“Speak.”
“There was an exam for the second-year students during the day. The ground collapsed, revealing a cavity, and after they left, a concealment spell was cast on the entrance.”
“Who was it?”
“Pernyan Fallenberg.”
The man's hand paused for a brief moment before moving again.
“Yes, of course. It would be him.”
No matter how much of the first emperor's power Aint Armian absorbed, defeating Comentas right now should have been impossible.
“Aint Armian knows about the Vile Breed.”
Naturally. He saw it through the first emperor's contingency, and he has fought the Vile Breed and demonic beasts we sent.
“Pernyan Fallenberg knows as well.”
Pernyan was swept up in Aint's affairs.
“And yet, the matter hasn't been made public.”
Pernyan had more than enough power to publicize it. The fact that he hasn't means…
“He suspects. That a Vile Breed has infiltrated the academy.”
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“It seems certain that Aint Armian and Pernyan Fallenberg have joined forces.”
“…If so, isn't this a serious problem?”
“It is a serious problem. But not for now.”
It seems they intend to move in the shadows until they find definitive proof. If that's the case, we have some time before they find that proof.
“And as part of that, they're using the Dragon God Cult…”
The man, lost in thought for a moment, finally spoke after a long pause.
“Have you found where they planted the Branch of the World Tree?”
“Yes.”
“Make contact.”
“But…”
“Don't make me repeat myself.”
*Snip.* Another branch fell away.
“A closing net, one that is certain to one day tighten around our necks, must be broken, even if it means taking a loss.”
That Fallenberg, that venomous nouveau riche bastard, will undoubtedly reach me eventually.
“If it's only a matter of time, then it's best to strike first. We will kill them both, even if it means risking the exposure of our existence to the world.”
The adversary of demons prepared by the first emperor.
And his wealthy accomplice.
With the most certain means currently at our disposal.
“Still, summoning is a last resort, so it would be best to finish this before then. The vacation is approaching. If an opening appears, you will act yourself.”
“…As you command.”
The shadow vanished.
*Snip—*
Another branch was cut away.