Chapter 60: Your Name (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 60: Your Name (1)
In the past, I came across an interview with someone from the game industry.
He said that for overseas developers who mostly make console games, they throw a huge party to celebrate the completion of a project, marking the end of everything.
However, for Korean games, which are mostly live services, the moment development "ends" is actually just the beginning.
It was a similar story for people like us.
While others were fast asleep, trying to recover the energy they spent during the festival, someone had to clean up the aftermath.
"There is reportedly an organization gathering those who harbor resentment toward the Empire."
At Uncle Aeryun’s grave words, everyone’s eyes turned toward me.
"What? Why are you looking at me?"
If a stranger saw this, they’d think I was the leader of that group.
"You don't know?"
"How would I know that?"
Actually, I did.
According to Boradori, there’s a Dark Mage behind various organizations. And behind those Dark Mages are cultists who worship the Evil God.
The Evil God worshipers are likely pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
Well, Boradori said that while they call themselves "Evil God worshipers," they’re basically just higher-level Dark Mages.
Since this development was supposed to happen toward the end of the Academy arc, even the Empire shouldn't know about it yet.
Not that knowing would change much, anyway.
"You really don't know?"
I nodded at Uncle Aeryun’s serious follow-up question.
"If I knew that, I’d be a real spy. What, is it those Evil God worshiper bastards or something?"
I threw him a little hint.
Whether Uncle Aeryun and the Empire could make use of it was up to their own competence.
"That’s a shame. If you’d answered yes, I would’ve arrested you on the spot."
Uncle Aeryun knew it was a joke... wait, was it a joke? Why is he licking his lips?
"Well, Adam, thanks to you, the job got easier."
At Uncle Aeryun’s words, the Fire Spammer’s eyes widened in surprise.
"What did he do this time?"
"He caught a Dark Mage for us."
I didn't really do much.
"Ah, right, he did."
The Fire Spammer spoke as if she’d forgotten because it was such a common occurrence. Uncle Aeryun shook his head.
"Not just that. I’m talking about the disposal of Silence. I heard his absence has caused quite a bit of chaos in their chain of command."
"Ah."
Come to think of it, Boradori did call Silence a "villain civil servant."
He was important enough to act like a bureaucrat and skilled enough to survive being sent out repeatedly. It made sense that the enemy couldn't easily find someone to fill his shoes.
"Isn't the Empire going to give me a performance bonus or something?"
"Stop shaking us down, seriously! We gave you plenty last time!"
"Do you know how many Dark Mages I caught this time?"
"I heard Daisy caught them!"
That was true. If I’d known, I wouldn't have let Daisy take all the credit.
"And here you guys are, taking everything you can get."
"Don't worry! Everyone’s pay got docked because the security was breached again!"
"Even yours, Uncle?"
"Yes, mine too!"
Well, nothing to be done then.
I’ll just have to work hard to recover that docked pay into my own pocket during the next incident.
Patriotic activities through earning foreign currency!
Where else could the Kingdom find a loyal subject like me?
"Since things have turned out this way, you’d better prepare for the field trip in advance. If there’s a force targeting the Empire, they won't leave this trip alone."
Uncle Aeryun spoke of the crisis with a serious expression, but the Fire Spammer looked like she couldn't understand it at all.
"Then can't we just not go?"
"I want to do that too! But the Academy Director says we're going!"
"You stupid Fire Spammer."
"I'm stupid?"
"You stupid Fire Spammer who can't even date."
"...Ugh."
I instantly sank the Fire Spammer, who had glared at me with an expression usually reserved for sword fighters, and explained the Director's thought process to the group.
"Don't you see the Director's big picture?"
"What is it? Why is he sending first-years to a place as dangerous as Rias Territory even when everyone says no!"
"Hey, what's wrong with our territory...?"
Ignoring Uncle Aeryun’s plea for an answer, I told them the blunt truth.
"It’s not like the Academy is any safer. It gets breached either way."
"......"
"Since it’s going to be dangerous regardless, he probably just wants to dump the mess on Rias, don't you think?"
"No, surely even he wouldn't..."
That can't be it. Uncle Aeryun started to say, but his head began to tilt further and further.
"......Is that it?"
"What do you mean, 'breached'! Do you know what kind of place Rias is!"
Taylor shouted that Rias was different, but I wasn't so sure.
Why did I get the feeling that Rias would be just as full of holes as the Academy?
"Adam, what's with that look on your face?"
"It's nothing."
"Who would believe that face!"
My face is more trustworthy than the Empire... Fortunately, I managed to swallow those nasty words.
After spending the weekend handling a few things in preparation for the field trip, Monday—the day most people hate, except for a certain yellow sponge—arrived.
The Monday immediately following the festival.
The students, who had been playing and eating for a while, were all drooping at the thought of classes resuming. However...
"A field trip? To Rias Territory?"
"Isn't that territory practically a forbidden zone?"
"Are we really going?"
At the sudden news of the field trip, they began to flutter about as if they’d never been tired.
"Rias is basically a forbidden-level area in the Kingdom, right?"
"It's not quite that bad."
Compared to the forbidden zones in the Leon Kingdom, the danger level of monsters and dungeons might be higher. However, unlike Leon, which half-abandons such areas except for periodic knight patrols, the Empire entrusted the territory to House Rias for management.
In other words, despite everything, people actually lived in the Rias Territory.
...Or so Taylor had emphasized several times.
"Really?"
At that, Prince Ellen looked around with sparkling eyes.
"Then it sounds like fun."
His smile was refreshing, but the Hestia DNA lurking within it gave me chills. I mean, he thinks it sounds "fun" to go somewhere only slightly less dangerous than a forbidden zone?
Naturally, I recalled Princess Hestia’s expression when she left with the Leon exchange group yesterday. She had been glaring with a face full of pouting resentment after being utterly crushed right in front of the Sword Emperor.
To be honest, Senior Lucia, who was glaring from beside her with the most aggrieved expression in the world, was even scarier.
"There are still two weeks left."
"Ah, right."
No matter how much the Academy tried to pull a reckless RoFan-style field trip, they couldn't just leave the students to their own devices. They had to take some precautions.
In the liberal arts classes, they began lecturing on information about Rias Territory and the beasts or monsters that frequently appeared nearby.
"Today's lesson is simple."
As for the Swordsmanship Department...
"Beat me."
The head professor, the Sword Emperor, declared that he would be pummeling the students with a sword.
"Wait!"
He was clearly fighting ten students at once.
So why was I the only one in a 1-on-1?
"Whoa. Adam vs. the Sword Emperor, is this for real?"
"My heart is racing..."
"Losers like us would just get in the way."
"To think we can learn just by watching... as expected of Adam!"
"Don't lose! You're the pride of our Swordsmanship Department!"
"Just help me, you bastards!"
The Sword Emperor usually beat anyone who slacked off in other groups, so why was he letting them be when it came to me? It was like he enjoyed this.
"Ugh!"
"Adam has been defeated."
"He was only the second-in-command of our department, after all."
"But if the second-in-command is down, what about us?"
"We just get beaten up, I guess."
Of course, it seemed the Sword Emperor just wanted to single me out. He had no intention of going easy on the other students, and before long, the spectators were rolling on the ground right next to me.
"Next!"
A few days passed with Prince Ellen and the Minor Sword Emperor similarly rolling on the floor.
"What am I supposed to do with you?"
"Pant, pant!"
On a Saturday morning, I woke up to the bitch—Bell—and frowned as I grabbed her front paws.
"Hey, isn't it a bit much to stare at someone's chest with that kind of expression?"
Seriously, this dog.
"...You've been acting like a dog all this time, so why are you treating me like a human now?"
She had been panting with her tongue out just a second ago, but now she was giving me a pathetic look in her dog form.
"You want to see my chest even in human form? Even if you are my savior, that's a bit...!"
"Fine, abandonment is the answer."
I had been debating whether or not to take her to Rias Territory, but I decided right then to just dump her at the Academy market.
"It's a joke, a joke."
Did she sense my sincerity? She immediately went back to her dog act, panting away.
"Good grief."
I let out a sigh as she even rolled over to show her belly and whined.
"When exactly are they coming to get you?"
"Hmm. Unlike humans, we run here ourselves, so it takes some time."
"Even so, it's taking way too long."
"We travel at night, so there are many dangers."
"Why travel at night?"
"Because if we move in animal form during the day, we'll get hunted."
That was actually quite persuasive.
"The problem is that it's getting way too late!"
"Aieee! Save the wolf!"
When I grabbed her hind legs and shook her in frustration, Bell let out a scream.
"Y-You can just take me with you! You said you're going to Rias! I know a tribe near there! You just have to send word for them to meet us there!"
"You said they were coming to the Academy. Who am I supposed to tell?"
"Don't you know anyone at the Academy?"
"I do. But there's only one person who knows you're a beastkin."
"Then tell that person!"
"That person is coming with us this time."
"Aha?"
Looking at Bell nodding stupidly, I suddenly remembered something I’d forgotten.
"Come to think of it, that person wanted to see you."
She’d asked for the name, but I’d forgotten. Well, there were a lot of accidents in between, so it couldn't be helped.
"Is it a woman?"
"It is a woman."
"A woman who shares our secret... I see! A lover... Aieee!"
I gave the dog a few rounds of the Giant Swing for her nonsense.
Since I had nothing to do today, I’d planned to show Bell to Boradori anyway.
"Her name is... Bell?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Why are you only telling me this now?"
For some reason, Violet—no, Violet—had a sharp look in her eyes, making both Bell and me shrink back.
"What is it?"
"......"
She looked like she had a lot to say but was holding it back, so I kept my mouth shut.
"It's not certain yet. I'll take the kid for a bit."
"M-Me?"
Bell, forgetting her dog cosplay, looked shocked that they were talking about her, but Violet simply nodded with a blank expression.
"Yes, you."
Save me.
Even though she was in dog form, her expression clearly conveyed her plea.
"Then, you're taking her?"
"Y-Yeah, go ahead."
"Yelp!"
The atmosphere reminded me of when she told me my stomach was going to be pierced by Silence in the past. Ignoring Bell’s gaze as she was scooped up into Violet’s arms, I turned away.
"Should I go train?"
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Listening to the barking, I made my way toward the training grounds.
