Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Johann Damus is fun to mess with.
At least, that was Robelia’s brutal assessment of him.
“About that Cult bastard… he’s basically a street kid taken in as an adopted son by the Ereticus Marquis house…”
If you call him Oracle, he freaks out, but quickly catches himself.
If you talk to him casually, he steps back like he’s disgusted.
He flatters you with words, yet clearly draws the line.
And yet…
“Oh, he does have a friend, but that guy’s probably not involved. Your Highness will handle it fine, but that friend has potential. If you don’t clear up misunderstandings properly…”
He trusts her.
Whatever future he’s seen, whatever knowledge he has, he trusts Robelia completely.
That’s why Johann hasn’t tried to interact with her at all. He could have checked how the future unfolds at least once, but he never gave a single shred of attention. He just closed his eyes and ears, observing only the outcomes.
“Oracle.”
“I’m not Oracle.”
Robelia casually brought up the topic while Johann spilled critical information, purely to tease him.
But watching Johann’s obvious dislike for her made her laugh.
“You’re either brave or a coward. I can’t tell which.”
“Should the person doing the threatening say that?”
Robelia laughed at Johann, who didn’t understand her remark.
“It’s unfair. Weren’t you the one who suggested we eat? I just accepted your request for a date.”
“So you took it as a declaration of war. Now I understand.”
“Hahaha!”
“…Did I misspeak?”
“No, no. I just found this situation genuinely entertaining. And seeing you react the way you do… it struck me as human.”
Honestly, Johann isn’t someone you could call a good person.
For a whole year, he turned a blind eye to countless events he could have prevented. Unless he truly has a belief that the future must not change, there’s no excuse. Yet here he is, babbling away as if oblivious.
He is selfish.
He weighs the lives of countless people against his own safety.
Yet precisely because of that, he is human.
“In the cradle, he’s a rare type, don’t you think?”
“Compared to those killing machines, I am pretty human, yes.”
“Exactly. That’s it.”
Robelia had come to see the students of the cradle as comrades, warriors to fight alongside.
She could rely on them, and they could rely on her.
Such human connections made Johann’s type a fascinating anomaly.
“So don’t worry. I’ll ensure your safety thoroughly.”
Weak, cowardly, selfish, and scared.
Hence, ordinary.
Robelia still found Johann’s ordinary nature surprisingly appealing.
I’ve been through so much.
I’m exhausted.
“Stupid idiot.”
This latest ambush is my fault. More precisely, I was too complacent.
Of course, there are excuses.
First, for the past year, outside the cradle has been ‘safe’ for me.
All the incidents happened centered around the cradle.
Being out was the one moment I could truly relax.
Though I still acted cautiously to avoid entangling other students.
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of the obvious.”
Now the situation has reversed.
The cradle is safe.
Ironically, because it is safe, outside has become even more dangerous. Forces that had targeted the cradle now lurk outside.
Their goals: recruit talent or assassinate. They must have been waiting for students to step outside.
I had accounted for that too.
I moved about in camouflage magic.
But I should have been more thorough. Acting like I did in first year was careless.
Of course, the Cult bastards of Eden openly targeting me was another problem.
But the root issue is my own complacency.
“I shouldn’t have gone out.”
Mood boost? Forget it.
I should have just used the cafeteria until graduation.
Roaming outside brought me straight to this mess.
Anyway, it’s the worst-case scenario.
Eden is targeting me.
Yet there’s a silver lining.
At least I know they’re targeting me.
“If it’s not random people, but specifically me…”
The danger could spread to those around me. Taking family as hostages is a common tactic.
The reason remains unknown.
Now I know I can become a target even by doing nothing.
Bitter, but true.
Given that I’m a target, my first priority is clear.
I activated the Mirror of Solitude.
“Father, I want to withdraw from school.”
“Son… it’s only been three days since I refused that last time.”
“The situation has changed. Eden is targeting me.”
“Those bastards attack anyone anyway, don’t they?”
“That used to be true, but now it seems I’m specifically targeted.”
“…Did you cause trouble?”
“No. Shouldn’t you be more concerned about me first? I was ambushed today.”
“Oh my, are you okay?”
“Yes. Some mad clown and a crazy princess helped me survive.”
“You’re the craziest one here. How dare you involve the princess?”
“That’s not important right now.”
“So, did you cause trouble?”
“No. I don’t even know why I’m targeted, so how could I cause trouble?”
“From the way you talk, it sounds like you caused a huge mess today.”
Honestly, he complains about the princess when she’s not even around.
“Anyway, no. You’re a target, which puts us at risk too. Stay put.”
“Father…”
“Admit it, even you know I’m right.”
“Father…”
“Ugh, what has my child done that I have to strengthen the estate’s defenses at my age?”
Father! Even I would be worried, but you have to worry about me!
“You’re lucky. Hiding in the cradle, the Archmage will protect you. Right?”
“…!”
True.
Right now, the cradle is safer than my estate.
“Ah, but they might rush this way, so at least show yourself outside sometimes.”
“How can I do that? Leaving me outside is reckless, isn’t it?”
“As a lord, I must. I want to be a proper ruler. Protecting you and burning the estate would be disastrous.”
“Even so…”
“And if you want to inherit the estate intact, staying safe is best.”
“….”
“We have some wealth saved up, so when you inherit, money won’t be a concern, right?”
“….”
“Son.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s do this right.”
“Yes…”
I had no choice but to be persuaded by my father’s logical argument.
Yes, endure. Just until graduation, and everything will resolve.
Or perhaps Robelia will deal with Eden sooner.
Either way, my task is clear.
Yes, I must…
I came to the training ground.
It’s been a long time. Even at night, it’s crowded. Well, with this effort, their skills are justified.
I’ve tried too, but the burdens I bear are different.
Those swinging swords or casting spells are students who lost something vital over the past year—friends, wealth, pride.
That alone creates a difference in motivation.
“Phew…”
And I have my own motivation.
Specifically, a clear threat to my life. That makes effort inevitable.
Yes, I may be late, but I can become like those killing machines.
“Hah!”
I swing my sword in the training ground.
A simple, precise way to hone myself.
Though I lack talent and a head start, it’s fine.
Who can fault me for trying to protect my life?
I swung the sword.
“Ah, you’re holding the sword wrong. Frustrating…”
This time, a diagonal slash.
“Aiyo, you’ll hurt your wrist. Tsk tsk.”
Now a horizontal slash.
“You’ll scrape your palm badly.”
Damn it, these bastards…
I don’t even know where to put myself under all this attention.
I already feel like quitting.
Ah, yes. This is why I rarely come to the training ground. Compared to them, I feel pathetic.
“Cough, um…”
“Ugh.”
Finally, someone stepped in.
A girl, pink and fluffy like cotton candy.
I’m not sure who she is. First time seeing her? Maybe in class F last year? Doesn’t matter.
“Can you mind your own business?”
I blocked her instruction immediately.
“Yeah. But the way you hold the sword—more like curling your fingers around it…”
“You’re overthinking it.”
Yet she persisted.
“I just want you to do well. Strong together, survive together, right?”
Ah, seriously. Why are there so many kind students at this insane academy?
Were all the cruel, elitist ones weeded out in the past year?
Only those who survived the trials remain.
It’s sad how terror erases individuality.
“Geez.”
Eventually, I had to admit it. Even the so-called killing machines of the cradle are kind.
Even if they split someone’s waist or crush heads or burn people alive, they’re fundamentally good.
“So, how do I do it?”
I reluctantly stepped back.
I felt too pathetic to resist.
“Ah! Like this? Got it? Curl your fingers, don’t just grip.”
“Uncomfortable.”
“First time, sure. But without a firm grip, you’ll scrape your palm swinging the sword.”
“Ah.”
Today’s experience confirmed it.
I should have practiced seriously earlier, instead of being sloppy.
“Thanks for the advice, nameless extra.”
“My pleasure, Johann.”
“No, calling me by name makes me look pathetic.”
“Starting with calling yourself an extra makes you a loser too, right?”
“True enough.”
Even I admit that’s a bit over the top.
But what can I do?
No matter how kind, I don’t want to get involved with you all.
“Anyway, enough. Go on, I’ll handle it myself.”
“Sulking because of advice? Watch, follow our instructions and you’ll do it right.”
Hmph!
Pink extra swings her sword, splitting a tree in half at a distance.
No visible sword energy, yet immense power.
“…Fine. I’m sulking. Go away. Shoo, shoo.”
Though we’re in the same space, our worlds are completely different.
I can’t cut someone in half like they can. I don’t want acquaintances capable of that.
Students of the cradle are mostly good.
I realized that again in the training ground a few days ago.
But today, heading to class, I realized something else.
“Look at this.”
The atmosphere in class F had changed.
At the start of the semester, just before I arrived, it was oppressive, tense.
Call it ‘inferiority complex’.
My appearance had previously alleviated the noble-related inferiority, but now it was creeping back.
Why?
What happened? How did it shift so quickly?
Noble privileges should have calmed the inferiority in class F…
How did it revert so fast?
Thinking it through, the answer was simple.
Most students of the cradle are good.
But not all.
Some have clearly gone a little off the rails.
“So, a troublemaker among them?”
Someone deliberately provoked inferiority among the students.
.