Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 111
After going back and forth with Termiya endlessly, he finally seemed worn out and cleanly gave up on arresting or restraining me.
The students had been on edge, but now that things had settled, they let out a big sigh of relief.
They probably thought I'd been released on the principle of innocence until proven guilty, but in reality, he had subtly realized something.
'If he tries to catch me, he'll inevitably have to fight me. And since I have no reason to go easy on him, he must have quickly realized his own neck was at risk.'
It was true that the guy was pretty strong, but as long as he wielded a sword, beating me with it was impossible.
I might be crippled now, but I was once someone who had reached the pinnacle of the sword.
I'd take some damage too, but the winner was already half-decided.
Whether he sensed it instinctively or not.
Not a bad gut feeling.
Honestly, it was a shame.
That kind of instinct was the kind of talent that could lead to great success as a martial artist, yet he turned away from higher realms to become a knight out of loyalty to someone.
If it were me, I wouldn't have done something so foolish.
Well, if my assumption about his instincts was wrong, then whatever.
"By the way..."
What the heck was I doing right now?
As I suddenly looked around, a floating sensation hit me, and the world flashed white. I naturally closed and opened my eyes, and something had changed... but I couldn't tell what.
It felt hazy, like I'd fallen asleep.
I shook off the daze, unstrapped the sword at my waist, and settled down by the campfire on the ground.
The person already there across from me spoke up.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
In front of me was a white-haired girl tidying her long white hair.
Her name was one that sparkled with amethyst-like purple eyes
"Eve."
"Why'd you call me? Got something to say?"
At the campfire, surrounded by the snores of exhausted soldiers after days of field combat.
She poked at the logs with a stick, but she felt strangely unfamiliar.
Why was that?
This was clearly a face I saw every day, yet it felt like a mix of joy from reuniting after months and the urge to punch her.
And on top of that, the emptiness I felt around my head and waist.
Was my body worn out from fighting nonstop day and night lately?
I needed some vitality restoration.
"No... I just called out on impulse."
"Lame. Want your big sis to play with you?"
"Big sis, my ass."
"I'm two years older. So obviously, I'm the big sis."
"My rank's higher."
"Sure, sure~ Got it, Commander. Even though most of the tactics are devised by me, your staff officer, and our external authority is about the same, right?"
Their utterly childish back-and-forth.
Knowing those two were the top commanders racing across the war-torn nation made the soldiers who weren't asleep yet burst into laughter.
"Our leaders are so damn cute."
"Haha, wonder if the kid sleeping at home is saying the same thing in his mom's arms."
"Hey, don't say that to your mom or you'll get in trouble."
"Is that right? It's been so long since I was home, I can't remember."
"Same here. After this battle, our son's probably old enough for high school, right?"
The tent interior, where a single death wouldn't even be noticed amid the tense silence, suddenly lit up with talk of family.
I wondered how many months it had been since anyone smiled like this.
"Never imagined I'd be laughing here."
"Same age as me. I was sure if we ever laughed here, it'd mean we'd gone mad."
"Yeah. With supply lines cut and entire battalions wiped out on the front lines, we were barely surviving day by day in constant anxiety."
It was all thanks to those two exterminating the hordes of demons and building a safe fortress.
While Seung-woo hunted demons with his sword to secure safety and food.
Eve used magic to construct buildings and fortresses, installing various traps to protect the soldiers from sudden threats.
That brief conversation between them now.
Was a small reward for such dedication and achievements.
And every time they reflected on that gratitude, they were reminded anew of how young the two were.
"So young, yet doing so much for us."
"One year younger than my son. Last I saw him a year ago, he was still throwing tantrums at his mom."
"You two aren't like normal kids. They're... our hope."
"Hope or not, they're barely half our age. No, not even a third of the life we've lived."
One was a girl just becoming an adult, the other a child who had become the star and symbol of the nation.
In battle, they were utterly reliable, but when they talked like this, it hit home again that they were just teenagers in their prime.
What a tragic reality.
It stung to deploy kids like that in war, and even have them fill top executive roles due to a shortage of adults.
"When I first got assigned, I thought it was some prank seeing a 15-year-old kid as commander."
Having to spend their sparkling youth in a blood-soaked war.
How infuriating was that?
But there was no one to replace them right now.
Unless the war ended or those two died.
No suitable replacements for Seung-woo and Eve would be found.
And in fact.
That turned out to be true.
* * *
Snapmy eyes flew open.
As the fatigue lifted, an even deeper exhaustion washed over me.
It was the symptom of half-assed sleep.
"..."
Hmm, why the sour face? Never seen that look in the few weeks we've been together.
"...Feels like I had an unpleasant dream."
I'd closed my eyes for a quick rest and mental recharge through meditation, but apparently dozed off.
Maybe because it was my first real sleep in a while.
Or because I slept sitting upit left me with a disconcerting dream.
'Doesn't seem like an important dream, and no signs of dream interference abilities. Just a bad vibe?'
I immediately replayed the dream as I got up.
Dreams aren't usually remembered well, so forcing it doesn't help much, but if you try hard enough, it's possible.
What surfaced was a memory from my youth.
Around 18 or 19, maybe.
'Judging by the surrounding buildings, terrain, and Eve's face, it seems like the 7th supply route.'
A temporary barracks base built with magic on a collapsed supply line.
Within a month, more than half had died in an attack, I think.
Not a pleasant memory.
Better shake it off quick.
Perfect timingthe village chief and others were due for our talk.
For reference, the missing kids were all tied to this village.
No Yu-ra as a hunter, and Seong Yeon-hwa as internal security.
But Isabel wasn't anywhere in Temil Village.
Wonder where that one wandered off to.
Anyway.
"Why does this feel like an inquiry hearing?"
"More like a trial, I'd say."
"Yeah, true. So you're the village chief, right?"
A typical elderly man with long white hair.
The old guy who looked every bit the village chief opened his mouth.
"You know well. Yes, I'm Yuron, the chief of Temil Village."
"Hm... Can I just call you Chief?"
"Doesn't matter. Most people already do, and we won't see each other again anyway."
"Oh... Is that so?"
His intent to do something to me was blatant.
Seemed like he trusted the knight beside him.
That guy's physical abilities were impressive, but overall, he was inferior to me.
Naturally, since he'd chosen the path of a knight over a true warrior.
"That guy can't beat me. Let's start with that in mind."
"What? Sir Knight, is that true...?"
"...Ahem. Never fought a beastkin before, and no experience against 5th-circle mages or higher, so I can't say for sure... but probably."
"Damn it all!!"
The chief's plan went off the rails from the start; he didn't look pleased.
Not planning to listen to his cursing to the end, I tapped the wall to wake him up.
Chatting with me and this is your manners?
"Mind focusing on me? We should exchange names first."
"...Indeed."
We lightly introduced ourselves, me and the chief.
The kids watching, swallowing hard, were visibly tense. With the atmosphere this dark, it was understandable.
Setting the mood from the get-go?
Whatever.
We kept the conversation casual.
One odd thing: Seong Yeon-hwa's reaction upon hearing that this village and most northern territories were under a viscount's domain.
She was here too.
"The Northern Duke and his daughter are in charge?"
"Northern... Duke?"
What the hell was that?
What did this girl learn first after coming to Korea, Korean or what?
"Teacher doesn't know? The north is always the Northern Duke."
"...Sorry."
No clue.
Didn't particularly want to know either.
Meanwhile, with the talk derailed, I cleared my throat at the chief to refocus. Meaning, stick to the conversation.
Sheesh, like he was doing his job.
"Our conditions are simple."
"I get punished too?"
"Even if you didn't know, as the leader of a mercenary company, you must take responsibility."
Listening to this crap was getting old.
I shot up from my seat.
All eyes turned to me.
Tension from my sudden movement laced their gazes.
"No, this has been stuffy from the start. I didn't do anything."
Isn't that the point?
The villagers and even the students gawked at my direct question.
They hadn't expected me to be so upfront.
"...Do you know what the Black Fang Mercenaries did after taking our village's request?"
"No idea."
"You saw it. Right in front of you, villagers dying to their beasts. From us, trembling in the cold with nothing, they took our last remaining family."
The chief appealed emotionally.
He was right, factually.
Whether orders were given or not, a group leader must know responsibility.
That was the virtue of a ruler and leader.
'But this isn't even the real world to begin with.'
Even if it existed, this world was a fragment of one long destroyed.
Every event here was just playback from a dusty DVD.
Even struggling to avert the predetermined destruction.
Whatever we did, this story's end was destined to be annihilation.
Even if not, we were just assigned roles.
No obligation to bear the responsibility of those imposed roles.
"So what do you want from me?"
"!!!!"
Take it up with the real company founder.
Why me?
At my cold, emotionless response, the chief who'd tried emotional appeal and the silent villagers' eyes shook wildly.
Termiya, with only his eyes peeking from the helmet, and the students were the same.
"Did I personally kill your families?"
"E-even if not, as their leader, you have a duty to"
"Then shouldn't you, as chief, take responsibility for failing to protect your people and surviving shamelessly?"
"What nonsense...!!"
"Nonsense? If you hate me that much, arrest me right here."
I ignited my mana immediately.
Flickering flames as I simply preheated it.
Reviewing low to mid-tier spells in prep for advanced ones had naturally taught me this trick.
But tricks vary wildly in power and utility depending on the userthat's the beauty of technique.
The heating mana seemed ready to incinerate everything the moment any [Flame Magic] formed.
"For the record, as an innocent person being wrongly arrested, I plan to struggle."
If they talked responsibility, my mana swelled like it would explode with them.
The intent was crystal clear.
Openly trying to chain me under the guise of duty and obligation? Then we'll all blow up togethera blatant threat.
Termiya rubbed his helmet-clad head like it ached.
I smirked, amused by the sight.
At that enjoyable smile, the faces of those guarding the spot flushed red. They seemed to forget the mana raging like intensifying flames.
Even the shouting chief blushed, then tried wiping his face, but the smile and flush wouldn't fade.
It was the activation of the skill, Charm.
Later, those who blushed there said it was truly the sight of a nine-tailed fox toying with people's hearts at will.