Chapter 173: Mage (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 173: Mage (3)
What is an academy?
It is, quite simply, an educational institution for the masses.
Of course, since most commoners struggled just to make ends meet day-to-day, attending an academy was a tall order for them. Consequently, it was common knowledge that these places were mostly populated by wealthy nobles.
However, whether it was just for show or because they possessed truly immense talent, it was an undeniable fact that opportunities had opened up for a small number of commoners and lower-ranking aristocrats.
Talent is the future of the nation.
This statement by the Empire’s fifth emperor, the founder of the Imperial Academy, was one that gained more appreciation the more the institution flourished.
But if you dig a little into history, you’ll find that the process wasn't exactly smooth sailing.
Even with the help of RoFan logic, we’re currently in an era where various factions are constantly stirring up trouble with rebellions and revolutions. Imagine how many uprisings must have occurred during the Empire’s early days.
Despite that, the Emperor pushed through a policy for the Academy—a project that was utterly useless at the time and, in fact, a massive financial drain. The only reason he could force it through for the sake of the future was simple.
The Emperor who founded the Academy was just that powerful, both martially and politically, having brought about a golden age of stability for the Empire.
“The fifth emperor, Luke, was a Sword Master himself, but he’s even more highly regarded for his eye for talent. It’s said that the companions who stayed by his side from his youth were all Sword Masters, Archmages, or figures of equivalent stature during his reign.”
I walked forward, letting my junior’s explanation about how the Emperor and his inner circle were all geniuses—and how he was no slouch in politics either—go in one ear and out the other.
“One of his representative achievements was moving the capital to its current location and establishing the Academy! In class, they usually teach these as two separate events, but those who really dive deep into the history know they’re actually connected.”
“I see...”
“The capital is now praised as a natural fortress and a transportation hub that connects to every corner of the Empire. But back then, it was a dangerous place.”
A "natural fortress" means it’s easy to defend against external enemies. Conversely, it also means it’s a nightmare to try and conquer.
“There was a ferocious Black Dragon, powerful monsters that worshipped it, and dungeons of extreme difficulty created by the abundant mana and the mana corrupted by the dragon’s presence!”
In the Empire, this was told as a legendary heroic epic, but honestly, it sounded like someone tracking down and hunting a dragon that was living perfectly fine with its subordinates. It felt a lot like the stories of the superpower from my past life driving out the indigenous people.
Perhaps the ancestor of the Leon family, the Sword Saint Dain, wasn't a dragon-lover but just a man who loved peace?
...Or not. Whatever.
“However, according to unofficial histories, there were entities that even the Emperor and his companions—who had overcome a Black Dragon—couldn't defeat. While sealing those entities, they also...”
“...?”
As I listened to the story and navigated through the library I was seeing for the first time, I couldn't help but stop in my tracks at my junior’s words as she excitedly recounted the legends of the Academy’s underground dungeon.
“Senior?”
Perhaps noticing my footsteps had stopped, my junior turned back with a puzzled expression. I asked her, “So, what you’re saying is... the place we’re going right now contains things that even the Emperor’s party, who slaughtered a dragon, couldn't beat and had to seal away?”
“Uh... you didn't know?”
I didn't.
I only came here because Boradori told me there was treasure in the library basement. No, before that...
“You knew that and you still wanted to go?”
This noble lady junior of mine intended to go even while knowing that.
“Yes!”
I was speechless at the way her eyes sparkled as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Looking at her subspace pouch and the items stuffed inside, it wasn't like her family was short on cash.
“But why?”
“There’s a legend that my family’s treasure is hidden there.”
I don't know which ancestor hid a family treasure in a place like that, but a noble lady who tries to go to such a dangerous place just because of a legend couldn't possibly be sane.
As expected of Boradori’s acquaintance. It’s getting scary now.
“Besides, that’s from unofficial history, not the official records. And isn't that a story from hundreds of years ago? Even if they were sealed entities, wouldn't they be dead by now?”
“......”
Is that it? Or is her head just a flower garden, as expected of a RoFan character?
It wasn't long ago that the daughter left behind by the dragon-slaying—no, dragon-loving—ancestor visited the Leon family. And not one, but two High Elves older than the Empire itself were about to start wandering around the Academy.
From a human perspective, they should have kicked the bucket ages ago, but in a fantasy world, hundreds of years isn't time spent rotting away; it’s time spent maturing.
If a truly dangerous entity really was sealed down there, it would probably be grinding its teeth and dreaming of revenge against the descendants of the Empire that imprisoned it.
“Hold on, time out.”
I stopped walking and crouched in a corner, shoving mana into my communication device.
—Ugh, why is this thing blinking so much?! I’m busy right now!
Boradori snapped at me, but I ignored her and spoke.
“The junior you sent me says there’s a monster sealed by the old Emperor in the basement of this dungeon. Is that true?”
—Huh? I don't know anything about that.
“...?”
It was her usual "Boradori doesn't know that..." face. It was absurd that she acted like this despite having the typical protagonist setup of having read the original novel, but at least this time it was good news.
“There’s really nothing there, right?”
—I’ve never seen anything like that once.
It seemed the legend was just a legend after all. Well, even the one who told me the story called it "unofficial history."
“Fine, then...”
I was about to finish up by asking if there was any more info, but...
—Violet. Why are you running all of a sudden? What’s going on—
—Ah, no! It’s just...
With the familiar voice of Daisy, the communication device was abruptly cut off.
“......”
The librarian junior, who had been watching this, blinked her eyes.
“Is this... a scene of an affair...?”
Hearing her blurt out something that could be so easily misunderstood, I replied, “A man and a woman going to a secret location alone. Are we having an affair too, then?”
“Oh my.”
"Oh my" your foot.
She was definitely not normal, just as expected of someone Boradori knew.
“Pull out the third book and the seventh book halfway.”
“Tap this, and do this like this... is this really right?”
“Violet said so.”
“How on earth did that senior know all this...?”
“I wonder...”
If Violet wasn't a reincarnator, I’d suspect she was just trying to make a fool out of people. The instructions were ridiculous: pull books from the shelf in a specific pattern, slightly twist the nearby candlesticks...
“And now I have to jump three times right here?”
She looked like she was questioning reality, but since Boradori ordered it, I nodded.
“If it doesn't work, I’m going to hit you.”
“Why hit me?”
When I told her to hit Boradori instead, the junior librarian pouted and started jumping three times on the spot.
And then.
Rumble.
“Why does this actually work...?”
“I know, right...?”
Beyond the bookshelf that slid aside with a mechanical groan, an iron door that practically screamed "I’m hiding something" was revealed. It was absurd, but...
“Shall we go in for now?”
“I suppose we should.”
The junior and I opened the iron door and stepped into the unknown space beyond.
And, quite surprisingly...
“There’s nothing here.”
“It looks like even the traps have already been disarmed.”
Had Boradori already come through and cleared it, or had it been dealt with even before that? We moved quickly through the surprisingly empty dungeon, looting as we went.
“Why is there a treasure chest here...?”
“Doesn't that look like a Mimic to anyone? A treasure chest appearing out of nowhere in a place like this... are you just going to open it?”
“Might as well.”
Since there was no reason for someone to leave a treasure chest here, I was certain it was a Mimic—a type of trap monster—but I opened it anyway.
“...Wait, why is it an actual treasure chest?”
“...Maybe it’s a surprise gift left by Emperor Luke?”
“Would an Emperor really have nothing better to do?”
Since gold coins were sitting right there, I packed them up for now.
“Senior? We’re in the same party. The distribution...”
“You stayed in the back, what do you mean 'distribution'?”
“...Stingy men aren't popular.”
“Sorry. I’m already popular enough as it is.”
Even if it was a misunderstanding, if I got any more popular, I might end up getting stabbed.
“I’ll help from now on! And don't forget that I get to keep my family treasure!”
I had no intention of stealing someone else’s family heirloom, so I nodded. After that, the junior librarian started moving quite proactively.
“This is definitely a treasure chest!”
“It’s a Mimic!”
“Why only me?!”
After overcoming the occasional Mimic, the obviously artificial Golem guardians, and the minor traps that hadn't been disarmed yet, we finished farming a vast amount of wealth and items, stuffing them into our respective subspace pouches.
“Hey, aren't you taking too much?”
“Didn't I contribute more this time?”
“I’m the one who found them.”
“That’s why I’m letting you have this much!”
We swept up the items while bickering over ownership, and after exchanging things we each needed...
“...I found this one.”
“Yeah, good job.”
“Does everything I find here count toward my achievements?”
“You would’ve found out anyway if you’d asked Violet...”
“But I didn't ask her, did I?”
“...Fair point.”
With that, we stepped onto the stairs leading down to the second floor.
Violet - What could possibly be dangerous?
Thank goodness.
It seems the communication wasn't discovered.
Of course, Daisy occasionally sent suspicious glances my way, but knowing her personality, she would have confronted me immediately if she were certain.
...Honestly, I feel wronged.
This makes me look like someone having an affair with a friend’s lover behind their back.
Anyway, that dungeon only has one floor.
The only things that appear are traps where the floor suddenly gives way to spikes, or arrows that fire if you step on the wrong tile.
Occasionally a Mimic or a Golem pops out, but those are things that would be considered "death by natural causes" if an Academy student actually died to them.
Even the items found there are mostly consumables rather than anything special.
Early Imperial gold coins that sell for a decent price, mana recovery potions that somehow work better despite the passage of time.
Other than that, it’s mostly magic tools with decent performance or items from old kingdoms that were destroyed by the Empire and have since vanished.
It was helpful for me since there were minor ritual tools or items I could use for sorcery, and I could get useful things by secretly offering Hedrick a trade.
It’s not that it doesn't help with growth, but it’s not at a level that could serve as a lifeline for a boss who has been completely overshadowed by Ellen.
There was a reason I didn't bother telling him.
“Well, the rewards are pretty good compared to the difficulty.”
Since he said he was working with the Empire on the Magic Sword Project, he can just hold out a bit longer by making money from looting that place.
I was thinking lightly like that.
“You’re dead meat.”
“Follow us, Senior.”
But as soon as I returned, seeing my boss and the Imperial Princess dragging me away...
I realized something had gone horribly wrong.
“...Is this fair?!”
By the time I realized it, it was already far too late.