Chapter 148: Akensom (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 148: Akensom (6)
The first time I was betrayed, the back of my head stung.
If it had been Daisy who stabbed me in the back, I could have at least chalked it up to karma.
But I never expected Boradori to be the one to do it—the one I’d paid on time, provided all the supplies she asked for, and even given regular bonuses to.
—I told you, it wasn’t me!
But listening to Boradori’s excuses as she cawed away while possessing a crow...
Apparently, this was all a conspiracy by the Dark Mages.
…Honestly, I couldn’t believe it at first.
If that were true, then who were the Dark Mages who came looking for me every single night?
—They must be from a different department!
Could communication between departments really be that bad?
…Well, they are Dark Mages, so I guess it’s possible.
But that was just a suspicion. The betrayal I suffered was something I’d experienced firsthand.
To put it bluntly, couldn't this punk Boradori have stabbed me in the back just so she could stand at the top herself?
—Anyway, you’re going to respawn on the fifth day!
I nodded at that. Honestly, I could respawn in just two days.
And instead of a life where I was constantly rotated between being harassed by Magic Spammers during the day and Dark Mages at night, I’d be able to crush Boradori in peak condition after a full two-day recharge.
Therefore, our dear Boradori needed to provide some more solid evidence.
—I’ll bet my entire annual salary on this!
I nodded and allowed myself to be led away by the TAs.
If he was that determined, I had to let myself be fooled.
If Boradori was willing to bet her salary, it meant she was that confident.
And it wasn't just his salary he was betting. He’d taken out quite a few advances, claiming he needed to prepare to survive the Academy.
Losing his salary meant all of that would turn into debt.
If this turned out to be a lie, I could work him as an unpaid slave starting next year, rather than a low-paid one.
Well, an unpaid slave Boradori is worth getting stabbed in the back twice for.
Not that I intended to let it happen a second time, though.
The place the Academy TAs dragged me to was…
“Hey, you punk. Know when to quit.”
An Academy TA. No, a self-proclaimed classmate who looked older than the professors.
I was standing before Uncle Aeryun.
“Good work.”
Seeing them exchange greetings, I realized they weren't TAs, but agents.
Well, this was the wicked Empire that had kidnapped even the Narrow-Eyed Senior to work as an agent and stripped him of his human rights by making him a graduate student. It wasn't surprising they’d slipped a few agents among the TAs.
“Sigh…”
Uncle Aeryun, a henchman of that wicked Empire, let out a deep sigh the moment he saw me.
Then he spoke.
“I’ll take the fact that you dealt with Dark Mages for two days into account for a sentencing recommendation, but…”
Still, wasn't this a bit much?
He lamented that the exams had become a total mess because I’d turned the entire Magic Department into enemies.
“I heard a Dark Mage did it?”
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
I explained what I’d heard from Boradori, mixing in a few lies to make it sound more plausible, but…
“……Is that for real?”
Perhaps it still lacked plausibility, as I couldn't escape his suspicious gaze.
“Yes.”
“I thought you just had another outburst of Mage Hatred and blew everything up…”
“……”
Wait, the problem wasn't the plausibility, but that?
“…Is it really a Dark Mage conspiracy? To me, it looks like an Adam Smith conspiracy using Dark Mages as a cover.”
“……”
Hey, even I wouldn't go that far…
“Haa, which part of this is actually true?”
Watching Uncle Aeryun agonize with a serious expression, I had no choice but to carefully look away.
??? - Are humans these days just full of rage?
“Send more Dark Mages.”
“Will that be alright?”
At the command of the Demon, who sat with eyes closed, the mage delivering the report asked back.
“It is fine.”
The Demon cut him off firmly.
“While we slept, humans have achieved a level of prosperity that far exceeds our expectations.”
When the Demon opened her eyes and looked at the world, there were simply too many humans.
Therefore.
“It is fine if a few die.”
Even the Dark Mages, who could be considered allies, were merely consumables.
“In any case, they are those who believe in the one who betrayed us, not the Great God. If their deaths can hasten the resurrection of the Great God, then wouldn't that give value to their useless lives?”
“Indeed.”
Looking down at the human who bowed his head deeply, the Demon of Emotion thought to herself.
‘Humans really are stupid.’
Push their emotions just a little, and they run wild.
Shift their direction just a bit, and they destroy themselves.
The human before her was the same.
With just a little push to his desire for revenge, he’d thrown himself into the path of a Dark Mage.
And by amplifying the gratitude and awe he felt when she helped him with that revenge, he now showed a loyalty that would make him sacrifice his very life.
That was likely why he could discard his fellow Dark Mages without a hint of hesitation at her command.
The same went for the Dark Mages going to their deaths on Akensom.
These were people who had already abandoned proper magic and walked the path of dark magic to gain power.
What was so great about their pride that they would throw away their lives without regret?
‘Do they think they’re different?’
If their predecessors were defeated, they should realize the place is dangerous.
Instead, they rush in and die, thinking their predecessors were weak and that they are different.
And to think the reason is over something as trivial as magic.
If fire comes from your hand and ice appears, that’s a mystery and magic. What’s so different about it that they foam at the mouth and rush like moths into the path of death?
‘Well, it’s fine by me.’
Honestly, controlling emotions was quite a difficult task.
Even for her, who had received the God’s power and could use a portion of that authority, there were many restrictions.
If there were no emotions at all, using the authority was useless.
If the emotions were too weak, the efficiency was low.
In that sense, this plan was incredibly lucky.
At first, while carrying out the plan on Akensom—which was close to the Imperial Capital yet offered a place to hide secretly—she’d honestly been a bit chilled when dangerous entities, including the Imperial Navy, started drifting in and out.
But the moment she realized this place had become the Academy’s testing ground and that there were an unusually large number of enraged people in the process, she had no choice but to move in earnest.
And for good reason.
“Once the Legion Commander awakens, victory will be ours.”
This plan was a ritual solely to awaken one of the Demon Legion Commanders.
And miraculously, it was a ritual to awaken the Commander of the Fury Legion!
The more enraged people there were, the higher the success rate of the ritual.
“Everything for the God.”
Watching her subordinate disappear, the Demon of Emotion muttered to herself.
“But how did there happen to be so many enraged people at just the right time…”
As a Demon, a being born of magic, she would never be able to understand that this was all caused by someone claiming to be a "Mage Wannabe."
“Are humans these days just full of rage?”
That was the best conclusion she could reach.
Normally, as someone who had been eliminated, I should have been confined in a secret facility.
But given the nature of the incident, I had no choice but to participate in the search for Dark Mages alongside Uncle Aeryun’s group.
No, to be precise.
“The bait performance is top-notch!”
“……”
I was being used openly as bait.
“Hey, this treatment is…”
“It’s efficient! You used the same thing on Lady Daisy!”
“……”
When he put it that way, I didn't really have a comeback.
But still. Isn't that expression a bit much for a poor student whose life is being targeted by Dark Mages?
“Die, Adam Smith!”
“Seriously…”
What did I even do that was so wrong?
According to Boradori, they weren't in their right minds because their emotions were being amplified.
But I thought this was the Dark Mages' doing.
Why were they casting something like mind control on their own fellow Dark Mages?
“I really don't get these guys.”
I’d heard before that Dark Mages were the kind of existence that appeared consistently like common mobs even in the late stages of the novel when power inflation exploded.
But contrary to common sense, weren't there just too many of them?
At this rate, I’d believe it if someone said there was a Dark Mage Training Academy somewhere.
The only saving grace was...
“The numbers aren't that high.”
The number of Dark Mages popping up per day was less than ten at most.
Taking my life while I was accompanied by dozens of agents was impossible with only five of them, unless they were five people like Silence.
“That’s because a significant number are being handled externally.”
“The Imperial Navy was actually working?”
“…What do you take our military for?”
Uncle Aeryun frowned, clearly offended.
“Then what about me, getting attacked by Dark Mages for three days straight?”
“……”
When I presented the cold, hard facts, he had no choice but to shut his mouth.
“Maybe I should quit the contract dating. As soon as I got the title of ‘Saintess’s Lover,’ the Dark Mages haven't stopped coming.”
Experiencing the fate of a RoFan heroine firsthand, I could really feel how much they suffered.
Not that I had any intention of carrying that burden for her, though.
“No, that’s just because if you’d just stop acting like a Mage Wannabe…”
“Do you really think guys like Dark Mages would target me just because of that?”
“…With you, it might be possible?”
Uncle Aeryun made a ridiculous claim, but I lightly ignored it.
Why would Dark Mages—who are busy researching wicked magic, planning Academy invasions, and targeting Daisy and the rest of the RoFan cast—target a harmless swordsman?
“If you have time to talk nonsense, go open the Dark Mages' mouths.”
“The experts will handle that part.”
True, we might be good at keeping people quiet, but we lacked the skills to make them talk.
Still, if it’s the Empire’s technicians, I can trust…
“We failed.”
“……”
Never mind.
Yeah, considering how many times the Academy’s been breached, the answer was already there.
“The enemy committed suicide…”
“You should have prepared for that.”
“We expected poison in the mouth, but they activated a suicide magic circle on their heart.”
“Well, that can’t be helped.”
“Right…”
Persistent bastards… Now they’re even engraving magic on their hearts.
“So what do we do now?”
“Hmm… Should we take the bait and do a lap around the coast?”
“You’re not even treating me like a human anymore…”
But since there were so many people targeting me this time, I couldn't exactly declare "I'm not an Imperial citizen" like I usually did.
It was better for my own well-being to take down the emotion-controlling magic circle, the Dark Mages, or the Demons as quickly as possible.
In the end, I had no choice but to play the role of bait properly.
“……”
“……”
And surprisingly, we didn't run into anyone.
“We have a problem!”
“Did a Dark Mage finally show up?”
I couldn't help but brighten up at the news that a problem had occurred.
Given the situation, something had to happen for it to be resolved.
Since nothing happened on my end, naturally, on Daisy’s side…
“Prince Esid and the other second-year members of the Flower Arrangement Club found a secret dungeon and went inside!”
“……”
“……”
Shit. Now that I think about it, Daisy wasn't the only RoFan protagonist.
It seemed the RoFan Golden Generation, whom I’d forgotten about because they’d been quiet for a while, had finally gone and done it.