Darkness (1)
Under a night sky brimming with starlight, a campfire crackled cozily—crackle, crackle.
Beyond the barrier, the great tiger's aura still lingered fiercely, but in Recor Dak's training grounds at the forest's edge, a somewhat peaceful conversation was unfolding.
"The method I use for stock trading boils down to two principles: 'trend' and 'tide.'"
Security Vice Director Premien's stock trading lesson.
To recover their stamina spent on sparring, Julie, Syrio, and Reyli sat on the ground, listening attentively.
"The trend means going with the flow of the market—whether it's a bull market or a bear market for the exchange as a whole."
All three were taking it quite seriously, scribbling down Premien's every word in their notebooks, their eyes sparkling like a deer's.
"The tide is the fad. A year ago, it was toys; six months ago, food distribution. Depending on the continent's situation, certain stocks surge or plummet."
Julie listened to the lecture with a grave expression.
"However, when something overheats short-term... when it gets severely overheated, it inevitably crashes. So riding the tide always requires caution, and once you've made a decent profit, you must realize it."
Premien gritted her teeth as she spoke. An old memory suddenly surfaced.
Holding a stock that had risen tenfold without selling, only to take a -25% loss and dump it—then watching it rocket fivefold right after...
"Remember this. Until you've sold and turned your initial investment into several times that in cash, no matter how high the stock price climbs, it's not profit."
Julie nodded. Her once-empty mind felt like it was gradually filling up.
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind, ma'am."
"Any questions?!"
At that moment, Reyli raised her hand. Premien turned to her.
"Yes."
"How much have you made, Vice Director Premien?!"
It was pure curiosity.
"......"
But it was a question that was hard to answer.
"Pardon?"
"......"
Shut your mouth.
"Pardon?"
Shut. Your. Mouth.
Anyway, that's what Premien wanted to say. Admitting she'd blown ten years of earnings would bruise her pride too much.
Besides, it wasn't due to lack of skill. Just bad luck.
Who could've predicted the imperial family would suddenly open up Marik? A bunch of small investors died that day.
"Knight Dayah. How do you plan to handle the great tiger situation in Recor Dak? As the security vice director, I bear responsibility for audits here, so I must ask you, of the Phairden bloodline."
Premien abruptly turned to Julie instead. Julie, who had been jotting notes, grew serious again.
"......I'm still pondering it. Professor Deculein says he'll go alone, but......"
Julie glanced at Syrio again. He was chewing on a twig, mumbling about trends, tides, dollar-cost averaging buys and sells.
"Sir Syrio. Could I ask for another spar?"
"No way, knight—again?"
Fortunately, the topic shifted successfully. Premien swallowed a sigh of relief, and Syrio chuckled.
"......Haha! Sure, whatever. But you're planning to follow him, right?"
Julie said nothing.
Silence fell over the group for a moment.
"......"
Crackle, crackle—the campfire burned.
Premien and Reyli watched cautiously, while Julie fiddled with her sword.
"Deculein says he's going alone."
Syrio spoke up. Julie shot him a glance.
"I can't just let him go by himself. He's a classmate, after all. Kinda a good guy, in his own way."
"Good guy?"
Reyli's face twisted. Syrio grinned and nodded.
"He's our classmate~"
"Hey, I went to the same school. Not all classmates are good guys."
"Nah~, you're the junior."
"Jeez. Fine, then. That 'good guy' insults our knight by calling her an invalid? Tells her to shut up and get lost in front of everyone. Plants one on her!"
"Pfft. Deculein was a jerk back then, but he's not that bad now~. And she is injured, factually."
"Doesn't mean you blurt out facts! An injury's a knight's lifeline."
The voices around Julie's ears faded into a murmur.
Staring into the brush, Julie focused. The world receded like a vacuum, dredging up the dregs in her mind.
"......I still."
Julie said.
Deculein is bad—not bad—Deculein made money in stocks—what do you think, Vice Director Premien? The three, deep in their lively chat, suddenly fell silent.
All of them turned to her.
"I have many questions for him."
Crunch—her delicate hand gripped the sword hilt fiercely. A chill intent rose from her entire body.
"Ahaha."
Syrio flashed a bright smile. He sprang up and drew his sword.
"Right. Gotta ask questions alive, not dead~. Let's train."
"......Yes."
Julie drew her sword too. Premien tossed wood on the fire and buttoned her parka to the top.
"Here I come."
"You first."
"Yes. Hup—!"
Once Julie unleashed her mana, the area would cool rapidly...
Clang—!
In the dark night sky over the northern fields, where the moon hung full.
The clash of sword on sword, mana on mana, echoed through the air.
* * *
Recor Dak's makeshift infirmary held eleven critically wounded patients.
No one had all limbs intact, but all their limbs were intact. If anything, they were still attached to their bodies.
"Impressive."
The imperial doctor said, marveling at the 「duct tape」 binding the patients' bodies.
"Never seen magic like this. Thought healing magic was extinct."
"Strictly speaking, it's not healing. Just holding them together."
"Even that's amazing. Look—the bones and flesh are knitting."
"They're knights."
Once bound, they recover. It's a knight's trait: superior physical regeneration.
I wondered how mine would fare. An ordinary knight heals like this—what about my body, with Iron Man and Strong Bones stacked?
"No fatalities, I see."
"Yes. The emergency care was excellent. Just timely antibiotics and herbal treatments, and they'll all pull through healthy."
I nodded. The doctor looked at me worriedly.
"But... are you really going to hunt the great tiger alone?"
The great tiger. Impossible by difficulty alone. Even wielding both mana steel and Frost Stone, victory was unlikely.
However.
"I have a way."
Tigers and the North were inextricably linked. The main quest was designed to force at least one tiger encounter.
Thus, I knew its weakness. Perhaps the only one in this world who did.
"Focus on treatment."
"Yes, sir."
The doctor nodded solemnly.
* * *
......I have a way. Focus on treatment.
In Recor Dak's temporary ward, Deculein beyond the window. Watching through binoculars, Lia found his confidence baffling.
"......What could it be? Why's that professor acting like that?"
Deculein. She could understand him changing due to the 'fiancée' setting she'd added.
But this was a great tiger.
An evil one among them. Judging by its markings, a named beast called 'Basilita'.
"Lia. What you just said—is it really true?"
Ganesha asked. Freshly returned, her face lit up in shock upon hearing.
"Yup. I was shocked too."
"The professor alone against a great tiger? This professor really... did he snap or something?"
"Even I find it weird. Is Professor Deculein that strong?"
"......"
Ganesha tilted her head wordlessly. No clue.
"Lia! What're you saying? Deculein's strong! You know that!"
Leo piped up. Karos chimed in.
"Yeah. Scares me. Don't wanna meet that professor guy."
"......"
Karos fearing Deculein was natural. Just as Yukline blood reacted to demons, Karos instinctively dreaded Yukline.
Lia asked.
"Leo. You think Deculein's strong too?"
"Yeah!"
Leo's senses were spot-on. His traits proved it.
"Strong enough to beat a great tiger?"
"......Dunno! Great tigers are super strong~"
"What kinda answer is that."
Ganesha chuckled at the exchange.
"Let's just watch for now. If something happens..."
She pondered.
Best not to catch Deculein's eye, but he'd helped the professor before...
"Eh, cross that bridge when we come to it."
Ganesha flicked her twintails, gazing at Deculein.
No matter how many times she looked, every time...
"He's so handsome, that professor... Could live off just devouring that face."
She smiled contentedly, appreciating him like a work of art.
Lia found it a bit ridiculous, but that was just her personality.
So-called 「face-con」.
Her actual trait name: Face-Con.
"Heh... ahem. Gulp."
Lia stifled a laugh at Ganesha swallowing hard.
* * *
I placed a hand on Ifrin's forehead. Fever from her injuries, but manageable.
"......Tch."
My palm was drenched in sweat. Nausea hit, but Cleanse and nearby disinfectant wiped it clean.
"......"
I looked to the sky again.
Deep darkness at dawn. But my mind was sharp.
"Professor Deculein! Mission complete!"
A voice called. I peered down.
An adventurer waved cheerfully.
"Shall I send it up? Lots of stuff!"
"......I'll come down."
I stepped out slowly. The adventurer hurried over with a box.
"Here! Payment via clan check?"
"Yes."
"Got it! Loyalty to the VVIP! Thanks for the cash! Rich clients always welcome!"
The adventurer saluted playfully and left.
Bracing against the cold wind, I unpacked the box.
Steel gripped my hand. Cool, heavy heft. The revolver I'd received as a gift last time.
Info
Handcrafted revolver by a master artisan.
Power amplified via Midas' Hand.
Category
Weapon ⊃ Firearm
Special Effects
Artistic Rifling
Boosts accuracy and destructive power.
Mid-level Break Grant
Bullets fired from this revolver apply the 'Mid-level Break' effect.
[Midas' Hand: Level 4]
The rest of the delivery box was packed with materials for 'special ammo' production. Each insanely expensive, but I spared no expense.
"Materials check out."
Mission fee plus materials: about 30 million elne total.
Now, crafting 5-million-elne-per-round bullets. Fortunately, time wouldn't be an issue.
"......Shall I start?"
As I prepared Synthesis and Heating for ammo crafting—
"Profe~ssor!"
A boisterous voice from behind. I turned immediately.
"Professor!"
Allen came dashing up, breathless.
His usual natural, innocent self.
Any second now, he'd trip on a rock.
"Waaah!"
I moved a few steps ahead and caught him. Expecting a fall, Allen flopped into my arms like wet laundry, staring up wide-eyed.
"......Knew you'd trip."
Allen blinked, then nodded belatedly.
"Ah...... Thank you. No, sorryyy......"
Allen stood straight, brushed off his rumpled clothes, and held out a pouch.
"This is too much...... Leaving without even telling me."
I hadn't planned to leave yet, but Allen's face was stiff. Beyond worry, another emotion flickered.
"Allen."
I sensed the reason.
"Y-yes, yeees?"
Right now, 'death flags' flickered around Allen like a dying fluorescent light.
He was agonizing.
Kill me, or let me go.
"If I die. What happens to you?"
My tone turned grave naturally.
"Yeees......? What do you—"
"Literal meaning. If I die. What becomes of you?"
I smiled faintly. Lips curved, eyes cold.
"Where you'd go. What life you'd lead. I'm curious."
I observed his tiniest habits and tremors piercingly.
"Don't say that. Can't even imagine......"
Allen kept acting. But now, distinguishing act from truth was easy.
"No need anymore."
"No. I...... the professor......"
"Forget that. Your acting now. Lines are weak."
"......"
Allen's body shuddered violently.
Yet he clung to the act. His fidgeting fingers still feigned innocence.
But he knew I'd seen through him. He bowed his head. Face hidden.
"Ah......"
Cold air. Dawn's scent. Crimson death flags sparking like embers beside Allen.
Chilly air on skin. The sentry below the barrier dozed off. No one else nearby.
Allen assessed the surroundings, then spoke.
"How long...... have you known?"
"Known what? Your gender?"
"......Yeees. That......"
Allen resumed acting innocently, as if unsure. I chuckled softly.
Truly, cunning to the end.
"Double disguise. Common trick."
Gender disguise.
Spot the shell, obsess over it, and ignore the core beneath.
"Gender means nothing."
But what's hidden one layer deeper—that's the real secret.
"Allen. You're not of the light. Your...... scentlessness is familiar."
Snap—
The taut tension in the air broke.
"......Mm."
Only then did Allen drop the act.
"I see......"
Body frozen, utterly still. A weighty silence.
Whoosh——
In the hush, an insane aura surged.
"So that's it."
In a form never shown before, Allen dominated the entire space...