Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: 25. Wilderness Festival
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“Young Master Evan. How much do you know about Eldain?”
“...Pardon?”
I wondered what she was suddenly on about.
How much do I know about Eldain? What kind of random nonsense was that?
Of course, there had been a brief mention of Eldain in the appendices for The Glory.
So I knew a little about him myself.
Though it was barely more than nothing, since I'd only skimmed it.
I was trying to play a game, not study history.
After all, knowing nothing about some dead guy who never even appeared in the game wouldn't have helped with playing at all.
I'd had zero interest.
All I remembered was that he'd been a great sage from ages ago?
“...”
...Why the hell was she asking about this?
I couldn't help but frown slightly at the utterly pointless question.
I couldn't just blurt out an answer recklessly without gauging her intentions.
But staying completely silent wasn't an option either.
I carefully chose my words before slowly opening my mouth.
“I only know that he was a great figure who illuminated the world in the past and founded the current academy.”
“Excellent. That's more than enough for most students.”
Professor Aria fiddled with her teacup, her gaze blankly fixed on the tea leaves floating inside.
In the uncomfortably stretching silence.
As I quietly waited for whatever she was getting at.
“But... do you know that there are hidden truths beyond that?”
“...What does that have to do with me?”
“Oh, it has plenty to do with you. A great deal, in fact.”
In the silence so thick even the steam rising from the teacup seemed frozen.
Professor Aria slowly lifted her eyes from the tea leaves.
And when she raised her head to stare straight at me.
A chill ran down my spine.
People with eyes like that are all the same. Vipers.
...I know that even without you telling me.
As my innate Black King's senses instinctively blared a warning.
I took a sip of the now-cold tea leaves.
“The story I'm about to tell you is one of the secret histories unknown to the world.”
She began in a low voice.
“Of course, it might be true. Or it could just be the ravings of ancient lunatics.”
“...?”
As I eyed her suspiciously.
She curled the corner of her mouth upward, as if finding the situation immensely amusing.
“The great sage Eldain. His achievements in the age of ancient legends were nothing short of miraculous, but he didn't accomplish them alone. He had companions, after all.”
All I could do was stay silent as Professor Aria eagerly launched into her tale.
The great sage Eldain.
Founder of Eldain Academy and legendary grand archmage.
The great founder and sage Eldain, who established this academy, accomplished countless heroic deeds in the past...
Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered something like that.
It was what the headmaster had droned on about endlessly during the entrance ceremony.
Though I'd been half-asleep and hadn't really listened.
“And one of his companions was Zig Drica.”
As if worried someone might overhear.
Professor Aria's voice dropped even lower.
“He possessed magical prowess rivaling Eldain's. But he harbored a fatal secret.”
“The talent to wield the Dark Grimoire.”
“...”
Was it because an unexpected name slipped from an unexpected mouth?
I nearly spat out the tea in my mouth.
And understandably so—it wasn't the sort of thing I'd expect from her.
Dark Grimoire.
The moment that term emerged.
I gripped my teacup tighter to hide the faint tremble in my hand.
...How much does she know?
Professor Aria might know about the Dark Grimoire.
She was a professor of magic, after all.
In The Glory, info on grimoires wasn't widely known.
But scholars were aware of their existence.
What puzzled me was.
Why the hell was she bringing up that book now, from her mouth of all places.
And why tell me about it.
“Of course, fearing that power, Eldain and his companions eliminated Zig Drica.”
“And it's said that the Dark Grimoires he possessed vanished into history as well.”
Her tone was serene, like recounting an old folktale.
But as she slowly rotated her teacup, she watched my reaction.
“...Then isn't that a good thing? The Dark Grimoire brings ruin to the world, after all.”
“Of course it would have been, if true.”
Professor Aria set down her teacup and stared straight at me.
“But what if... the Dark Grimoire didn't truly vanish? What if it was guided by its true master to the next successor?”
“...What are you trying to say?”
I asked in a voice gone cold.
But she merely gazed at me with a meaningful expression.
“Exactly what I said, Young Master.”
Professor Aria looked at me with a face on the verge of bursting into laughter.
Like a predator watching a butterfly caught in its web.
“The reason is simple.”
She paused for a moment, then reached into her sleeve and pulled something out.
It was a bizarre orb, black and opaque, emitting a murky glow.
Inside the orb, black smoke swirled ceaselessly, taking on a strange, lifelike form.
“It told me.”
As she held the crystal orb toward me.
The black smoke inside roiled wildly, beginning to emit a red light.
“Seeing is believing, as they say.”
Woooong.
As she infused the orb with mana.
The mist inside swirled and shook, soon giving way to a thick, elderly voice.
[It's unmistakable. I sense the aura of the Dark Grimoire. It reeks of our kind.]
The eerie voice from the orb echoed not just in my ears, but directly in my mind.
It was too alien and horrific to be human speech.
Like words being forcibly rasped out of a scraped throat.
“...It says.”
Professor Aria grinned and tucked the orb away again.
“One of my companions. He's paranoid as hell, but he reacts sharply to Dark Grimoires.”
Squeeze.
She leaned deeply back into the sofa, crossing her arms.
“Wow, you hid it so thoroughly. If he weren't my ally, I'd have overlooked it.”
“...Haha.”
A short sigh escaped me, followed by an involuntary hollow laugh.
I'd hidden it so carefully, yet it got exposed in this ridiculous way—I'd never dreamed of it.
The Wilderness Festival raid incident. She must be one of them.
But still.
I'd never heard of anyone who could detect the Dark Grimoire's aura.
...If I had, I wouldn't be sitting here like this.
But admitting it here is game over.
I steadied my breath before speaking.
I had no intention of admitting it easily.
Even if it detected the aura, it was just that companion's hunch.
I figured I could deny it to death.
“...I have no idea what you're talking about.”
I shook my head with feigned bewilderment.
“Dark Grimoire? There's no way I'd have something that dangerous.”
“Even from you, Professor, that feels offensive.”
“Hmm...”
As I put on my best performance.
Professor Aria rested her chin on her hand, staring piercingly at me.
Like watching a child caught lying.
Utterly relaxed.
“...You really have no idea? My companion isn't one to mistake things.”
I don't know, you bastard.
This has nothing to do with me. I'm just... you know.
Yeah. Just some clueless guy.
“Even monkeys fall from trees sometimes, right? I can look to the heavens without shame.”
I shrugged innocently and added.
My conscience pricked a little, but whatever—shake it off.
Better not to have a conscience that twinges around villains like this anyway.
“Fair enough. You might be right, Young Master. My companion does have his paranoid side.”
“That's what I've been saying. Glad the misunderstanding's cleared up...”
I didn't think it'd resolve this easily, but.
As I kept up the act toward her, sipping the last of my tea.
With a cheerful nod.
She murmured softly.
“Then let's just confirm it.”
With those words.
Fwaaah!
No incantation, no warning.
A blue magic circle unfolded instantly from Professor Aria's fingertips.
Dozens of sharp mana bullets came hurtling toward me.
Memorize.
A high-level technique storing spells for instant activation.
True to her title, her casting speed and power were top-class.
A normal student would've been riddled like Swiss cheese.
This crazy bitch...!
Before the mana bullets entered my vision, before the thought even fully formed, my body was already moving.
I set down my teacup and twisted my torso.
Kwakwakwak!
The bullets grazed my clothes with a sharp whoosh, embedding deep into the sofa.
The soft leather tore, white stuffing bursting out.
“Hoo.”
As I confirmed the face of that damned bastard admiring from her seat.
I kicked off the floor, rolling to dodge the follow-up barrage.
Kwakwak!
I evaded the relentless volley by a hair's breadth, diving behind the desk.
Kwaaak!
Only after the final bullet shattered the desk's corner did the assault finally stop.
“As expected! Confirmed.”
Clap clap clap!
Soon, applause mixed with admiration echoed through the lab, scarred by mana bullet craters.
+ + +
“Ah, damn it. My clothes are torn.”
Haa.
...I'll definitely kill her.
Because of that bastard, I ended up skipping class for sure.
Unlike her claim it'd be quick.
By the time I left that bastard Aria's room, over an hour had passed.
Clink.
“...Haa.”
The shackle on my wrist nearly drew a sigh from me.
Its nauseating sensation lingered on my body.
“Had to trick her, no choice...”
Still felt shitty, though.
“...Tch, guess I'll head to the next class.”
I gave up on the already-missed lecture and turned to head back to the dorm for some rest.
That's when it happened, as I veered onto the forest path mid-stride.
“How dare a commoner speak so casually. Who gave you permission to address me informally?”
“I-I just... we're in the same class, so I thought we'd get friendly...!”
A voice slicing the air like a blade, and a quivering sob.
At a glance, it was clearly no ordinary situation, so I stopped and looked.
Familiar faces came into view.
Rosalyn Belluga, with her flashy rolled-up hair.
Looking down with a gaze like she'd seen something filthy.
There sat Hye-ra on the ground, glasses knocked off, trembling.
Her hair disheveled, cheek swollen red.
Clear signs of one-sided assault for anyone to see.
What the hell is this...?
“...Haa? Get friendly? You think we're equals? A mere commoner like you...”
With a face of utter exasperation, Rosalyn nudged Hye-ra's shoulder with her foot.
“Agh...!”
“Listen up. Know your place. You think getting into S-Class by luck makes you something? You're just a lucky weed. Got it?”
Hye-ra merely hung her head, tears dripping down.
“Ah.”
Her figure, mouth covered, stifling sobs.
Seeing that pitiful back, something snapped in my mind.
Rosalyn. Not even a heroine or anything.
“...”
My deliberation was brief.
Hands in pockets, I walked toward them with steady steps.
“Hey.”