Chapter 20: An Intensive Crash Course
Chapter 20: An Intensive Crash Course
Rattle, rattle.
Carriages of this era have a reputation for being uncomfortable, but that only applies to the common ones.
Wealthy merchants and nobles deck their carriages out with all sorts of magic—shock absorption, spatial distortion, you name it—making them quite comfortable.
Just like the one I was riding in now.
I looked out the window at the receding city of Gepp and shrugged.
"See? What did I tell you? I told you we’d even walk away with a reward."
"Ugh... Master, if you had already finished your investigation beforehand, you should have told me. I was making a fuss for nothing."
Carla let out a sigh of relief, though her words were a complaint.
Could investigating something in a game be considered 'investigating beforehand'?
Since there was a difference in the timeline, I had to gloss over the finer details, but the cultists' methods themselves hadn't changed.
In the first place, their methods were based on the orders of an Evil God... in this case, the orders handed down by the Confused Unity, so they didn't change easily.
Gods, whether Good or Evil, have a strange sort of stubbornness; they never revise their plans until they get punched in the face.
Thanks to that, it wasn't hard to give the Captain of the Guard a plausible explanation and receive various tokens of gratitude.
I received a decent amount of Gold, which I didn't really need, and a VIP Membership for the auction house, which would be quite useful.
And the rental of this carriage was also part of the reward.
Carriages with this level of convenience are usually made to order, requiring a vast amount of time and money.
Until now, without any real military or political power, I was essentially a Treasure Goblin, so I hadn't dared to have one made...
But this time, the Gepp City Hall lent me a high-grade carriage belonging to the city.
Since it was strictly a rental, I’d have to return it once we reached the Academy, but at least the journey would be comfortable.
I stretched my legs out, humming at the unwavering comfort of the ride... when suddenly, Carla began tapping her chin with her finger.
"Thinking back, we really were lucky, just as you said, Master. A Bishop-class cultist on a top-secret mission just happened to stop in Gepp to resupply; we just happened to uncover their hideout; we just happened to stall for time after clearing the dungeon; and we just happened to emerge right behind him while he was setting up a barrier to teleport away..."
Carla’s voice was filled with conviction as she looked at me.
"It was all part of your plan, wasn't it, Master?"
"No? It really was just luck."
What was she talking about?
But despite my sincere denial, Carla simply nodded as if she understood everything.
"I see. If you say so, Master, then that's how it is. Yes. I won't tell a soul. We were just very lucky!"
"......"
Even if you try to appeal to me by acting like a 'thoughtful slave who understands her Master's heart'...
That wasn't a lie; it was the truth.
My only goal was the Shining Lion Dagger, which is much more useful the earlier you get it.
The whole thing with Pietro was truly unexpected.
Well, I didn't think she’d believe me even if I said it again.
Carla’s sparkling eyes were a bit much, so I reached out and ruffled her platinum-blonde hair for no reason.
"Hehe..."
Thinking this was a compliment, Carla looked delighted.
Actually, Carla’s misunderstanding wasn't a bad thing for me.
I had wondered what to do if she got curious about the source of my knowledge, but I could just keep going with this vibe—acting like I can't tell anyone because the information is too sensitive.
"Anyway, a top-secret mission..."
According to the interrogation of the captured cultists, which I overheard while cooperating with the investigation, Pietro had been traveling alone on a secret mission.
That mission was likely the plan to attack the Academy. Even though he died before he could even get there.
...Wait. Then what happens to the Academy raid?
Since Pietro, the leader of the plan, is dead, will the attack just fizzle out?
Or will someone else take command in his place?
In any case, what’s certain is that the situation will be better than the tutorial I saw in the game.
Deviating from the scenario I know is a bit unsettling, but giving the cultists an opening is far more dangerous.
The story of H&A was very entertaining as a game.
To put it another way, it was also incredibly contrived.
Every time the protagonist and supporting characters were cornered, they’d undergo an awakening through the power of love and friendship... That sort of thing is only possible because it’s a game.
To see a Happy Ending without relying on uncertain factors like 'awakenings,' I have to create a situation even better than the original scenario.
Though she’s become more important than I expected, buying Carla was also part of that plan.
...As the time for the original story to begin draws near, I’ve been having a lot of thoughts.
No matter what I do, I have to take the first step right in front of me.
With that in mind, I gave a light flick to the forehead of Carla, who had been leaning her head into my hand to pet herself.
Snap!
"Hyang! Eh? Ueh...?"
Carla blinked, looking bewildered as if she had no idea why she’d been hit.
I gave her a smirk and spoke.
"It’ll take a week to reach the Academy. Are you just going to sit there the whole time? You should teach me how to use this."
I tapped my chest—specifically, the area over my heart where the Mana Core was. Only then did Carla peek out from between her palms, which were still clutching her forehead.
"You mean teaching you magic, like you mentioned before, Master?"
"Right. Even if I take the entrance exam like this, I’d pass because of my innate magic power... but I’d end up in the lowest class. If I start learning now, maybe I can avoid that?"
"Uh... magic isn't something you can learn that quickly... but it’s definitely better to start early!"
Carla’s expression brightened at the mention of magic, and she straightened her slightly slumped posture.
"First, I need to know your current status. How much do you know about magic?"
"I know most types of magic and what they do. I just don't know how to use them. I still haven't gotten the hang of how to move mana, either."
"Huh...? That sounds more like someone who employs mages rather than someone aspiring to be one... Ah! I-In that case, we should start with mana manipulation!"
Carla tilted her head in confusion before jumping in surprise and quickly changing the subject.
Even then, she kept glancing at me, seemingly worried that her attempt to deduce my identity might cause trouble.
Well, I suppose. From Carla’s perspective, I must be a very mysterious person.
A commoner with no connections, yet possessing looks more elegant than most nobles and throwing Gold around like water.
Someone who claims to be a dungeon crawler but has the combat ability of an ordinary person, not to mention inexplicable knowledge and blind hostility toward cultists.
Even I have to admit I’m a pretty suspicious guy.
To show her it was fine, I poked Carla’s thigh and spoke.
"So? How do I do this 'mana manipulation'?"
I could circulate mana along the path of the Lintblum Breathing Technique.
But that was it.
Aside from the mana circuits Carla had opened when she first transferred the core to my body, I couldn't move mana anywhere else.
When I told her that, Carla nodded with a look of relief.
"That’s only natural. It’s like suddenly growing an extra arm; how could you handle it naturally right away? If anything, it’s amazing that you managed to circulate mana on your own in just one day after I guided you once."
"You're not just flattering me, are you?"
"I’m serious. Even I barely managed to circulate it three days after my father transferred a core to me. I was praised a lot as a child for being so fast..."
Was she remembering the Duke of Lindelheit, who was no longer here? Carla’s voice trailed off, and her expression darkened.
But soon, she shook her head and forced a bright tone.
"Anyway, Master, you might actually have more talent for mana manipulation than I do! I’ll guide your mana again this time, so why don't you try to follow along?"
"Is that possible? I didn't have anything in my body during the first transfer, but now I have a core, however weak. Won't there be resistance?"
"Normally, yes. But you and I are using the same core created by the same breathing technique. As long as you don't reject me, it’s entirely possible."
I didn't know that people with the same core could guide each other's mana.
In the game, the player was someone who learned magic on their own and fired it off with a single hotkey.
Of course, you had to perform magic-related activities—like attending classes, training, or researching grimoires—to learn it, but you never needed someone else's help.
So, there was no need to include such detailed settings in the game.
Well, it was good for me.
I had bought and read a few basic magic books for the future... but I couldn't understand a word of them.
I understood that imagination and will were important, but I had no idea what intuition and formulas had to do with anything.
But if I could experience it directly with my body, that was a different story.
If I could get the hang of it by following her lead, wouldn't the understanding follow eventually?
"Alright. Let's give it a try. What do I do? Just stay still?"
"Yes. I’m going to breathe mana into your core now, so just stay in the most comfortable position possible and accept it naturally."
"Really? A comfortable position, huh..."
I took a quick look around.
The interior of the carriage, which was about the size of a small room thanks to spatial expansion magic.
The place where Carla and I were sitting was more like a sofa than a chair.
Finally, I turned my gaze toward Carla, who was sitting next to me.
"???"
Carla, who was sitting in a demure posture—perhaps a habit from her days as a lady—tilted her head.
I smirked and lay down sideways.
I buried myself deep into the plush sofa and rested my head on Carla’s lap.
"Eh? Uh...?"
Suddenly finding herself giving me a lap pillow, Carla began to stammer.
Unfortunately, from this upward angle, her face was hidden behind her heavy breasts.
"Master? Y-You’re going to do it like this...?"
"Yeah. You told me to be in a comfortable position. So I’m lying down comfortably. Is there a problem?"
"No, no! You haven't done anything wrong, Master! ...But are you really going to stay like this?"
When she asked the same thing again, I reached up and lightly tugged at Carla’s top.
Carla’s pale stomach was revealed.
Her belly was slim again, the potion seemingly fully digested by now. I stared at her cute navel for a moment.
Then, I buried my face right into it.
"Hic!"
Before the startled Carla could say anything, I blew air against her skin.
Pffft—!
"Hyaaaah...!"
At the sudden raspberry, Carla flopped around like a freshly caught fish.
She couldn't bring herself to push me off, so she just desperately tried to endure the tickling. I enjoyed it for a bit before pulling my face away.
"Haa... ugh..."
In those few seconds, Carla was panting as if she were exhausted.
I made my demand once more, sounding perfectly entitled.
"Do it in this position."
"Ugh..."
"If you ask if this is right one more time, I’m sticking my tongue in next."
"I-I understand! I’ll do it like this. I’ll do it, so please stop playing with my tummy..."
Carla placed her hand on my chest, her eyes brimming with tears.