Chapter 325: A Changed Life(1)
Chapter 325: A Changed Life(1)
It was like leaving a fish with a cat. A metaphor for entrusting something precious to someone you can't quite trust. That was exactly the situation I found myself in.
The bigger problem was that the "fish" wasn't just anything—it was me. To make matters worse, I couldn't get rid of the cat; I had to keep her right by my side.
If there was any consolation, it was that a reliable dog was keeping the cat in check while standing guard over me. She hadn't left my side for a single moment, escorting me with unwavering focus.
The cat, for her part, didn't seem inclined to pounce on the fish unless the right circumstances arose. Now that she knew I was essentially human catnip, I figured everything would be fine as long as I avoided physical contact as much as possible.
By now, it should be obvious: the cat was Kate, the fish was me, and the dog was Adelia.
These were the knights temporarily assigned to protect me until each nation could finalize their official escort arrangements. Though "temporary," there was virtually no one as reliable or well-suited for the job as Kate.
Despite her title as Grand Inquisitor, her presence wasn't overkill given that I was the one being guarded, and she was the ultimate natural enemy of the demon worshippers.
Furthermore, she belonged to the Church of Luminous, a faction that maintained strict global neutrality, meaning there was no risk of getting tangled in political webs.
The Holy Nation, Savior? They were currently swamped, having declared a Holy War following the Cardinal Bark incident. They were likely busy purging demon worshippers even as we spoke.
Regardless, no one was more fit to be an escort knight than Kate. When I shared this news with my other acquaintances, they were surprised, but everyone eventually accepted it.
Now, all that remained was to head for the Academy. I had already sent word of my arrival, so they should have completed their preparations to some extent.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Gartz Balak, and I have been tasked with assisting Sir Isaac."
Before leaving, I didn't forget to introduce Gartz—my faithful follow-up... no, the escort knight dispatched from Helium.
He had originally served as Cecile's personal guard, but she had attached him to me after I gifted her the typewriter.
Strictly speaking, he was the leader of the escort team sent by Helium. Moving forward, I planned to receive all news regarding Helium through him.
I gave a light nod to Gartz, whom I had summoned, and introduced him to the group.
"Mr. Gartz will be the one teleporting us to the Academy. I could have asked Cecile, but a man has his pride, you know?"
Adelia remained stoic, having been briefed beforehand, but Kate was different.
She gazed intently at Gartz before giving a polite bow, her signature gentle smile on her face.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kate Louise Angelica, a faithful servant of Lord Luminous. It is an honor to meet a child of Mother Mora."
The vast majority of the Demon Clan worshipped Mora, and Gartz was no exception.
While religious matters could often be sensitive, there was no issue when the greeting was as graceful as Kate's.
Moreover, Kate hadn't mentioned her rank as Cardinal or Grand Inquisitor. It was a silent gesture telling him he could be at ease.
"So you are the famous Cardinal Kate. I have heard much of your renown."
"You flatter me. My deeds pale in comparison to Sir Isaac's."
"That is hard to deny. Still, it brings me peace of mind to know my benefactor has such a sturdy shield."
With those words, Gartz began preparing the teleportation spell. Transporting one person was one thing, but moving two or more required a bit of time.
Of course, that didn't apply to Cecile. She could move a crowd with a simple incantation, regardless of the number of people.
It wasn't that Gartz was lacking; it was just that Cecile was absurdly powerful. Besides, Gartz specialized more in martial arts than magic.
I watched Gartz prepare in silence before glancing to my side. Kate was waiting with her usual serene expression.
"Ms. Kate."
"Yes. Please, speak."
"What did you think of the Demon Clan? I mean, before the Xenon Biography was published."
It was a question born of sudden curiosity. In the past, Savior had a history of massacring the Demon Clan.
While that event had led them to be extremely wary of fanaticism, they had still treated the Demon Clan as devils for a long time.
Though such views had faded significantly now, I wondered if Kate had shared that perspective.
Kate blinked her blue eyes at my question, then responded with a soft smile.
"I didn't give them much thought."
"You didn't?"
"No. I only follow the revelations of Lord Luminous. If anyone proves to be a threat to Him, I will strike them down, regardless of who they are."
I wasn't sure if that made her narrow-minded or open-minded in a different way.
Still, it was a very Kate-like answer. A small chuckle escaped my lips.
"Preparations are complete."
Everything was ready for our departure to the Academy. I shifted my gaze as soon as I heard Gartz's voice.
I wouldn't bother saying I hoped nothing would happen. Saying that now would just prove I had no sense of reality.
Instead, I just hoped that the things I feared most wouldn't come to pass. I could handle annoying incidents, but I hated the idea of the people around me getting hurt.
Please.
Even if it wasn't total happiness, I hoped for at least a bit of peace.
*
I take it back. I should add "not being overwhelmed" to my list of wishes.
I couldn't help but gape at the spectacle—or rather, the lack of a better word for it—unfolding before me.
Gartz had teleported us right in front of the Academy's main gate. Standing there, I stared blankly at the entrance.
"...They certainly went all out with the welcome."
Just as Adelia remarked in disbelief, the scene beyond the gate was enough to make me doubt my eyes.
Crowds of people were packed along both sides of a single path. Instead of ropes or barricades, knights were physically forming a human wall to keep the way clear.
If there was any mercy, it was that they hadn't rolled out a red carpet. But the fact remained that I had to walk through that.
Even Leort and Lina didn't get this much.
I recalled the entrance ceremony. Even though crowds had gathered for Lina and Leort, they hadn't set the stage like this.
Why were they doing this for me instead of protecting their own royalty? Of course, I understood that my prestige wasn't limited to the Minerva Empire.
Was it too much? Well, what would happen if someone—specifically a demon worshipper—slipped through a gap and harmed me?
When I thought about it that way, the security was justifiable, but it was still incredibly burdensome. And I had to walk through it.
"...Mr. Gartz?"
"I am sorry, but as you know, benefactor, the use of magic is strictly prohibited within the Academy grounds, except in designated areas."
I called out to Gartz in a low voice, but he only delivered bad news. Now that he mentioned it, I did remember such a regulation.
This meant I had no choice but to walk that path. I had given the Academy a heads-up so they wouldn't be caught off guard, and this was the result.
Next time, I'm just going to sneak in.
My red hair made me stand out regardless, but there was no need for this kind of "welcome." I'd have to ask later if teleportation was allowed directly into the dormitory.
Gartz departed, leaving only Adelia and Kate by my side. I had to face that gauntlet with them.
Looking at the people gathered on either side of the path created by the knights, I let out a deep sigh.
"...I think I'm starting to feel nauseous."
"The man who announced his identity to the world is saying that?"
"That and this are two different things."
There's a saying: if you can't avoid it, enjoy it. If I didn't pass through here, I wouldn't even reach the dormitory.
So, I decided to just close my eyes and go for it. I took another deep breath to calm my racing heart.
"Whew... Ms. Kate."
"Yes?"
"Don't you feel burdened or anything like that?"
"Not at all."
"..."
For a moment, I really wanted to peek inside Kate's head. I was sure it was filled with nothing but Luminous.
I gave a hollow laugh, stared at the Academy gate, and slowly began to walk.
As I said, it was just this once. If I could just get through this one time, everything would be fine after that.
"Is that really him?"
"I'm telling you, it is. Red hair and golden eyes. He looks exactly like Xenon."
"It's true."
"Is he a prophet or someone from the future? He said he wasn't, though."
"Who would believe that? If you had a book that predicted the future, would you just call it a coincidence? It must be as the rumors say—the gods placed a restriction on him. Otherwise, it makes no sense."
I once thought that way too. As soon as I stepped onto the path the Academy had so graciously prepared, various comments reached my ears.
Just hearing them made my face flush with embarrassment, making it hard to keep my head up.
How did celebrities in my past life handle the pressure of walking the red carpet? I finally understood why people developed panic disorders.
"He's handsome and has a great build. To think a man like that is Xenon... I wish he'd hold me just once."
"Give it a rest. His fiancée is Lady Mari herself. Why would he give you a second look?"
"I heard he's also close with Princess Cecile and Princess Lina. Plenty of people have seen them together."
"Maybe he's surprisingly fond of women?"
Even when I didn't want to listen, the talk about me kept filtering in. It took no time at all for my ordinary Academy life to turn into fodder for rumors.
The problem was that while the stuff about Lina might be a stretch, the fact that Cecile was my lover was undeniably true.
It hadn't been officially announced yet, but I knew annoying things would happen soon enough.
Furthermore, since Arwen was planning to give me her "not-quite-a-confession," I could already see how I'd be perceived.
Just as someone said—a lecher who was surprisingly fond of women. My future looked bright indeed.
"The brown-haired woman next to him. Is she the one... right?"
"The illegitimate child of the Ters Royal Family?"
"Wasn't she the reason he slapped Princess Hiriya?"
"Shh! Be quiet. What if you get on their bad side?"
It seemed rumors about Adelia had spread far and wide as well. This was an expected reaction from the moment I slapped Hiriya.
I glanced sideways to see Adelia walking in silence, her expression stoic. Her disciplined, knightly stride was quite impressive.
However, her slightly tense expression suggested she was focusing entirely on guarding me, regardless of the reactions around her.
"And that person is..."
"Is that Cardinal Kate? She certainly looks like her..."
"Is she acting as a guard too?"
"I think I heard something about that. That Cardinal Kate was the most suitable person for the job."
Finally, there were the reactions to Kate. Since the news of her serving as my guard hadn't spread yet, everyone was busy speculating.
I kept my eyes fixed forward as I listened to the voices in real-time. But then, a question occurred to me.
Where exactly does this path lead?
My original plan was to meet the Academy's President before being assigned to a new dormitory.
I intended to discuss my future Academy schedule with him. But while the path was long, I had no idea where it was heading.
Halo Academy was quite large, reflecting the massive amount of money the Empire had poured into it. It even had its own commercial district and numerous facilities.
The only saving grace was that the distance between the dormitories and the lecture halls was short. On the other hand, the department buildings were quite far from the dorms.
And the administration building where the President stayed was damn far from the main gate. I worried that this path might lead all the way there.
"Sir Xenon! Sir Xenon!"
"Hey! Grab him!!"
Crash!
As I was mindlessly walking, a loud commotion pierced my ears.
At the same time, Adelia reached out an arm, moving into a protective stance in front of me.
I turned my gaze toward the source of the noise and saw a rather bewildering situation.
A strange man was pinned to the ground by knights, flailing about.
With so many people around, it was inevitable that a gap would form. This man had apparently found that opening, only to be immediately restrained.
"I just want to talk to him once!"
"Drag him away, quickly!"
"I've been reading the Xenon Biography since the very first volume! So just once...!!"
I didn't know how he had broken through, but the man pleaded with me even as he was being dragged away by the knights.
I noticed he was clutching a book tightly to his chest, and it was easy to guess that it was a copy of the Xenon Biography.
I watched him being pathetically hauled off in silence before turning to Kate and asking quietly.
"Ms. Kate. Can you instinctively tell if someone is a demon worshipper?"
"Of course. Demon worshippers carry a filth that cannot be described in words. Unless they are an exception like Cardinal Bark, I can sense their hideous evil."
"What about that man?"
"I feel nothing of the sort from him."
In that case, it was fine. I called out to the knights who were dragging the man away.
"Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"Could you bring that man here for a moment?"
The knights looked at me with puzzled expressions. When I nodded to show it was okay, they seemed to hesitate.
If they brought him over and something happened, it would be their responsibility; yet, they couldn't exactly ignore my request either.
But I had two reliable guards with me. Especially Kate, who had personally testified that he wasn't a demon worshipper.
And I wasn't an idiot. I planned to maintain a certain distance just in case.
"It's fine, so bring him over. I'll keep my distance."
"...Understood."
Ultimately, the knights brought the man before me. I hadn't noticed while he was being dragged away, but up close, he looked surprisingly normal.
He appeared to be in his early to mid-twenties. His skin was nicely tanned, likely from living under the harsh sun.
Finally, there was the book he was holding so dearly. Before the man could speak, I pointed at the book and said,
"Is that book the Xenon Biography?"
"Ye-yes?"
The man's eyes widened, and he asked back with a flustered expression. It seemed he was nervous now that he was actually facing me.
"I asked if that book is the Xenon Biography."
"Yes, yes! It is!"
"Was it really necessary to rush at me like that? You could have lost your life if things had gone wrong."
It wasn't an exaggeration; the man's life really had been at risk. He could have been labeled a dangerous element and disappeared without a trace.
But the man didn't seem to care about that. His eyes sparkled as he shouted. He stuttered a bit out of nerves, but it wasn't enough to be annoying.
"O-of course! The Xenon Biography is... is worth that much!"
"Is that all?"
"Yes!! It's thanks to this book that I learned to read, and even more, that I got to experience the wide world!"
"What is your profession, by any chance...?"
"I'm an adventurer!"
So he was an adventurer. Now that I looked closer, I could see small scars on his face.
I had heard that the number of people becoming adventurers had increased because of the Xenon Biography, and it seemed he was one of them.
"The reality of being an adventurer must be quite different from the Xenon Biography..."
"It doesn't matter if it's different! It's the driving force of my life!"
Observing these reactions one by one, I realized that this man was a fan in the truest sense of the word.
I shook my head at his recklessness, then spoke with a gentle smile.
"Still, it's true that it was dangerous. Don't do this again. Understood?"
"I will keep that in mind!"
"And give me the book."
"Yes! Underst—huh?"
When I asked for the book, the man's bright, energetic expression turned into one of confusion. I repeated myself.
"I said, give me the book. Didn't you bring it because you wanted an autograph?"
"Uh... no, it wasn't for that."
"Then why?"
"I brought it to show you how much I love the Xenon Biography. I've memorized the entire first volume."
The man scratched his head and laughed like a boy. He was a more extraordinary person than I had thought.
Regardless, the fact that he was my fan remained, so I silently held out my hand. Realizing my intent, he hesitated for a moment before handing over the book.
The book was in terrible condition, showing just how many times it had been read. It was frayed in many places and stained with fingerprints here and there.
I flipped to the first page, pulled a magic pen—a gift from my father—out of my pocket.
Scratch, scratch-scratch.
I moved my hand fluidly to sign it and handed it back to the man. He took the book with a dazed expression.
"Please continue to enjoy reading it. Thank you."
After a brief farewell, I continued on my way. I heard the man's moved voice shouting from behind, but I let it slide.
"I thought you said you hated being the center of attention?"
Adelia, who had watched the whole process from the side, spoke up. I shrugged and played it off with a joke.
"I like getting attention from fans. He's someone who reads my books, after all."
"You certainly have a way with words."
"Do you want an autograph too, Adelia?"
"No thanks. I already have something much better."
We continued walking, sharing idle chatter like that.
I found out later that the man who received the autograph was actually a fairly famous adventurer. There was a reason he had been able to break through the knights.
"You have scattered light once again today. Truly wonderful."
"If you want one too, Ms. Kate, just say the word. I'll give you one anytime."
"A seed?"
"..."
"I am joking."
It didn't feel like a joke.