Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: That Person Is Real
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First day.
Arin ultimately did not accept anyone's goodwill.
She was hungry, but not yet to the point of dying.
She had plenty of food and materials.
“…….”
She even considered moving to a different spot.
‘But it would be pointless.’
If there was a being who already knew about this secret room.
No matter where she went, it would be able to track her down.
Arin simply prayed inwardly.
Please.
She hoped the entity called the sponsor, written on the note, would not torment her like the others.
Dr-r-rk!
She closed the door and lit the candle brighter.
Then she began reading the books she had selected.
「Why Your Magical Talent Isn't Growing」
「Basic Fire-Attribute Magic」
「Understanding Magical Formulas」
All written in ancient script.
Books she had found deep in the archive.
Pristine volumes that no one seemed to have ever touched.
‘……I don't know if these will even help.’
With no true mentor to guide her, all she could do was forge her own path alone.
* * *
Third day.
Arin barely slept.
She only sank into slumber for a mere three hours a day.
‘If I lack talent, I have to make up for it with effort.’
Arin picked up the book again.
Her skinny arms trembled from the weight of it.
Thud!
She propped the book against the wall and opened it.
“…….”
The ancient script was profound and difficult; she had to read it at least three times to barely grasp the meaning.
How much time passed like that?
Drip!
‘Again.’
On the first day, the second, and today.
The mysterious sponsor had left food and materials in front of the secret room.
It had replaced the spoiled food with fresh ones and now even provided drinking water.
Gulp.
Arin swallowed hard.
Honestly, the most agonizing part was the smell of the food.
‘Chicken skewers today?’
Even as she tried to hold back, saliva kept pooling in her mouth.
It felt like it had been over a year since she last ate chicken.
‘Should I…… just close my eyes and eat it?’
She nearly gave in to temptation for a moment.
Squeeze!
But Arin pinched her cheek hard with her fingers.
‘Endure it.’
She resolved herself.
‘Who knows what kind of drug might be in there…… Just hold out.’
* * *
Fifth day.
Arin had memorized all three thick volumes.
She hadn't mastered them perfectly, but she had diligently tried to ingrain the theories into her body.
‘No matter what I do, it just doesn't work.’
Arin felt dejected.
Why could the other top students learn so easily?
Why couldn't she make any progress no matter how hard she tried?
Even now.
All she could manage was the basic spell of conjuring a flame in her palm.
“…….”
She glanced outside.
Sure enough, the food had been replaced again.
Five bundles of materials were stacked there too.
‘Whoever it is, they sure are dedicated.’
She felt awkward in this situation.
Someone offering kindness without reason.
In her short life.
It was a type of experience she had never encountered before.
Two emotions coexisted in Arin's heart.
Burden.
And fear.
‘This has nothing to do with me…….’
She clenched her fist and bit into one of the now shriveled and even harder hardtacks.
The harder it got, the better.
She could savor it longer that way.
Arin slowly got up and fetched other books she had marked nearby.
「Understanding Ancient Magic」
「Forbidden Magic for the Talentless」
「Repositories for Storing Mana」
Another round of reading began.
* * *
Seventh day.
Arin, who had been sleeping, opened her eyes.
This time, it was because of a smell she truly could not endure.
Gr-r-rumble!
Her stomach churned.
Her body was threatening her from within to stuff the source of that aroma into her gut immediately.
Dr-r-rk!
She opened the door and stepped out.
There, she saw writing on a piece of paper again.
The sponsor's second note since the first day.
And.
This one was a bit longer.
[How long do you plan to hold out?]
[This food is called chicken.]
[It's chunks of chicken coated in flour and starch, then deep-fried in oil.]
[Eat it.]
[My esteemed mentor once said.]
[Learning requires sufficient nutrition to achieve optimal efficiency.]
[You hate the Magic Tower, right? Hate the world, right? Want revenge on your family?]
[Eat it.]
[Then I'll help you.]
[-Sponsor-]
“…….”
This time, she couldn't ignore it even if she tried.
‘How did they know……?’
Her innermost thoughts, which she had never shared with anyone.
Her ambitious plan to burn down the Magic Tower and take revenge on the world.
The sponsor knew every detail.
“…….”
Arin lowered her head.
There lay a neatly packaged serving of fried chicken.
‘Honestly.’
She wanted to believe.
This sponsor.
This person was different in quality from all the trash who had approached her before.
Those who wanted to exploit her family, con artists, drug peddlers.
She had driven them off a few times, and that was the end of it.
They had spat and cursed as they left.
‘But.’
This one was different.
Had anyone ever invested this much care in her for so long?
“To me…….”
She murmured softly.
In a voice trembling with sobs.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
In Arin's mind, ‘herself’ was a useless person.
No talent, no family support, steeped in victimhood.
Why would someone go this far to help a wretch like her?
“I had finally closed off my heart…….”
Why force open the door to her heart again?
Swish.
Instinctively, she picked up a piece of fried chicken.
She could no longer hold back.
Even if it was a trick.
Even if it was laced with drugs or poison.
Holding out any longer was torture.
Crunch!
As she bit into a chunk, the soft, rich juices spread through her mouth.
‘Ahhhh…….’
Tears poured out.
How could it taste this good?
It was on a whole different level from the hardtacks she chewed every day.
Crispy outside, chewy inside, bursting with texture.
She could confidently say it was the most delicious food she had ever tasted in her life.
‘Thank you.’
She didn't know who it was.
‘Thank you. Thank you.’
While expressing her gratitude inwardly, she began filling her stomach.
* * *
“Heh heh, finally the cat has taken the bait!”
The old man watching her broke into a wide grin and shouted.
“No, you look happier than that child, sir.”
“How could I not be? A kid enduring alone in this harsh world has finally been saved! Do you know how much I've worried?”
The old man continued excitedly.
“Now then, you rascal! Does this mean you'll learn sorcery and magic alongside that child from now on?”
“No, not yet.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
The old man's eyes widened.
“Shouldn't we raise her skills quickly to ensure she graduates safely?”
“No need to rush. Cats are sensitive creatures.”
“Anyone would think the kid really is a cat, you rascal.”
He understood the old man's eagerness to help Arin as soon as possible.
But.
There was too much to do right now.
He had classes to teach, sorcery to learn, and had to keep tabs on Fail's situation.
‘Especially Fail. That guy.’
The trump card I held was from the Eloise family.
Meaning, if Fail reported back to his family, the effect could be canceled at any time.
Then I wouldn't be able to enter the archive, and I could even lose my professorship.
I had to manage it periodically.
Also.
Classes were such a hassle.
Sylvia, the D-Class professor, had said.
For the academic evaluation in three weeks, F-Class students needed to master representative attribute magics.
「Fire Ball」
「Water Bomb」
「Healing」
「Sand Storm」
Basic magics derived from each family's attributes.
I was trying to teach them linked with sorcery.
‘Though it's more like.’
I'm studying them myself.
Fortunately.
Andrew hadn't made any moves since I started attending.
Rather than making moves, he just skipped attendance.
‘First things first.’
To graduate Arin as the top of S-Class.
I needed to have the skills to teach her.
No, before that.
I had to slowly create an environment where she could return to the Magic Tower.
If her family wouldn't protect Arin?
Then I would protect her.
I had the right to do so.
As her supervising professor.
* * *
“Ughhh.”
In the top-tier dormitory on the 10th floor, reserved only for high nobles.
Fail was groaning in agony there.
Ever since getting beaten by some thug on the road, he couldn't even move, let alone attend classes.
“That fox bastard. I won't let him get away with this.”
Fail ground his teeth.
The guy who had unleashed merciless violence without even explaining why.
He had confiscated Fail's card symbolizing Eloise.
And threatened that if he told his family, he'd come back.
“Hmph.”
Fail snorted.
Why would that guy threaten him not to tell his family?
The answer was simple.
He feared Eloise.
“You picked the wrong person…… you bastard.”
Once it reached the family head's ears, it was over.
The family's elite mages would track the card's location and strike.
Then he could unmask that damn bastard and interrogate him.
The fool had underestimated the family.
And he would pay dearly for it.
“Ughhh.”
Fail dragged his aching body to his feet.
He approached the crystal orb in the living room and infused it with mana.
Woooong!
It was a high-grade communication crystal orb connecting directly to the family's mages.
Just as the orb's light flashed and a hologram began to form.
Crack!
It shattered.
The perfectly functioning orb crumbled into powder.
Zzzzt!
The hologram fizzled out, and the infused mana dispersed into the air.
“Wh-what……?”
Fail's eyes bulged.
This was his dorm, and no one else was around, so how…….
“Eek?”
His eyes widened even further.
Because.
What stood before him was something he had never seen in his life.
A human skull holding a spear…… and even moving……?
“G-g-gahhh!”
Startled, Fail stumbled back and fell flat on his rear.
“Wh-what is this! Wh-who are you!”
He pointed frantically while scrambling backward on his feet.
Then the terrifying skull opened its mouth.
“Hmm, didn't my lord say not to contact your family?”
The skull's eye sockets gleamed as it glared sinisterly at Fail.
“Guh!”
Terrified speechless, Fail hiccuped.
In all the world.
He had never learned of or heard about such a being.
“Wait a moment. My lord will arrive soon. Hmm, Dormitory Room 1031, is it?”
“……?”
Fail's eyes shook.
My lord?
The silver fox mask who had beaten him like a rat that time?
Sure enough.
Clunk!
The moving skull opened the dormitory door.
“My lord, he's here.”
“Good work, Sun-ah.”
Chillingly.
The dreaded silver fox mask stepped through the door.
Holding that blood-red club.
“Our Fail. You broke your promise?”
“C-crazy……?!”
“You need to be in better shape to take a proper beating…… Let's see.”
Tremble tremble.
Fail's body shook.
Did that mean he had to endure that horrific beating again?
“I-I'm sorry! I-I won't do it again. I'll live like I'm dead!”
Fail jumped up and prostrated himself, begging swiftly.
His body hurt, but he had no time to care about that.
“Dana.”
The man muttered.
Crack crack!
Another bone assembled in midair.
“Eeeeek!”
Fail toppled backward again.
“Heal him a bit.”
“Yes, Master.”
Woooong!
The white light from the skull swam through his body.
The pain vanished, and his swollen skin subsided—a miracle.
But.
Fail couldn't simply rejoice.
Because.
The silver fox mask with the club was glaring at him with murderous intent.
“Now, we made a promise last time, right? That if we met again, I'd show you what real pain is.”
Soon.
The man's club danced once more.
“Gaaaahhh!”
Thwack thwack thwack!
Feeling the pain spread through his body again.
Fail thought.
That person was ‘real’.
It was far easier to submit than to resist.