Smooth Sailing, Agony
My eyebrow arched skeptically at Mandolo’s sudden proposal. Objectively speaking, I was suspicious as hell. My identity was unclear, I belonged to a race that wielded emotion-stirring power, and I possessed strength that couldn’t be ignored. My flimsy story made it impossible for him to accurately assess the situation, yet by tomorrow rumors would surely spread that I had turned over a hundred slum vermin into meat paste. Taking a full day to observe me would have been far more rational than making an offer immediately. I had assumed any reward would stay in the realm of money, planning to leverage the favor of saving his daughter and Iria’s goodwill to secure identity protection. Yet here he was, offering first—and even volunteering the position of his daughter’s escort. I sensed an ulterior motive, but I lacked enough information to pin it down. Assuming good intentions and getting stabbed in the back was what idiots did. On the other hand, losing a potential ally through needless suspicion was what morons did. For now, since it benefited me, I’d strip away the sentiment and take only the profitable parts. Of course, I wasn’t brain-dead enough to swallow it whole right away.
“It’s such a generous offer that I’m hesitant to accept it immediately. May I ask what prompted you to make it?”
“Haha! Of course. All the escorts protecting my daughter died during this recent incident. You’ve already saved her once, Cardnios. Given that you’re now alone in an unfamiliar dimension, I thought offering this would be more reasonable than simple monetary compensation.”
Tsk. I clicked my tongue inwardly. A single probe clearly wasn’t going to work. If he spilled his guts after just that much prodding, he wouldn’t qualify as a merchant. I took a sip of black tea, severing the chain of doubts. Even accounting for possible traps, the proposal was so advantageous to me that I’d still come out ahead.
“It actually feels too good for me. I accept.”
I gave a polite bow to express my gratitude. When I accepted the offer without much resistance, Mandolo nodded in satisfaction. Then he leaned closer and asked,
“Ah, that’s right. Cardnios, are you by any chance interested in academics?”
For a split second my face almost went slack. Wait, is this for real?
“In our dimension there is Victoria Academy… well, the finest educational institution in this world. Would you be interested?”
For real? Things are falling into place this easily?
“If you are, our Mandolo Company will sponsor you and assist with your admission.”
“Hmm…”
An involuntary groan slipped from my lips. What had been an empty remark earlier now felt genuinely suspicious. He kept throwing out exactly the offers I needed, making me hesitate to snatch them up. What the hell did this old man want? I couldn’t just kill him like I had the slum trash; that would be annoying.
Apparently interpreting my groan as understanding, Mandolo’s face lit up with realization and he continued eagerly.
“Ah! Of course, sponsorship doesn’t only mean financial help. Since you must be unfamiliar with many aspects of our dimension, I’ll assist you with the provisional exam as well.”
I couldn’t fathom why he was going this far. Beating around the bush wasn’t my style anyway. Drawing an axe would be insane, but asking directly should be fine. Just as I opened my mouth to press him—
The reception room door opened with a click. Iria stepped in, hair still slightly damp, cheeks flushed from a warm bath.
“Father, Sir Cardnios. What were you discussing?”
“We were talking about what reward would be appropriate for our daughter’s benefactor.”
“Mr. Mandolo suggested I enroll at the academy.”
“Ah!”
Both Mandolo and I turned toward Iria after her sudden outburst. Realizing she had raised her voice without meaning to, she stared with wide, startled deer-like eyes and covered her mouth with both hands.
“Ahem, my apologies. It seems my daughter is also preparing to enter the academy this time.”
The irritation that had flared up because of Iria subsided slightly. I nodded while taking another sip of tea, then glanced at her as she deliberately sat beside me instead of her father before continuing.
“Mr. Mandolo. Let’s just put all our cards on the table.”
“What do you mean?”
“Honestly, even if it’s to repay a favor, you know this offer is excessive, don’t you? Just tell me what you want from me.”
At my direct question, Mandolo stroked his chin for a moment before nodding.
“Then I’ll speak plainly. Our Mandolo Company wishes to officially employ you and work together.”
“And the reason is?”
“Cardnios, since you still don’t know much about our dimension, I’ll explain in detail. While the incubus race is accepted among humans, they are simultaneously subjected to discrimination.”
I pondered his words briefly. The answer came quickly.
“It must be because of magi.”
“Correct. In a world where damage from black mages is considerable, incubi who wield the same power make perfect targets for displaced anger.”
“Then I understand your intentions even less.”
“Do you know where those persecuted incubi ultimately turn?”
There was no need to think long. If they were falsely accused, they might as well make the accusation true.
“They’d turn to black magic.”
“Exactly. Most incubi barely reach the User rank, but becoming black mages allows them to grow strong enough to contend with Experts.”
The explanation was so absurd I let out a hollow laugh.
“And I suppose that’s also because of magi?”
“It is. Knowing all this, how do you think an Expert like yourself appears to me?”
In short, he wanted to keep me under surveillance. Depending on the listener, it was a statement that could easily cause offense. No wonder he had hidden it.
“And.”
Mandolo’s gaze shifted to Iria, so I followed it.
“It seems our daughter has taken a romantic interest in you.”
At her father’s revelation, Iria’s face burned crimson.
“Dad!”
“How could I not help when my daughter desires it so?”
Iria jumped up and shook her father back and forth in protest, but Mandolo’s mouth didn’t stop.
“If things go well, helping my potential son-in-law… mmph!”
“Stop it!”
Surveillance, investment, and even assisting his daughter’s romance. Setting the last reason aside, the others were rational enough that I could accept them.
“In that case, I’ll accept without any burden.”
“Pwah, then our daughter has sold her soul to a demon… ugh!”
“I said stop!”
The interrupted words were probably something like “a black mage who sold her soul to a demon,” weren’t they? It sounded exactly like something a father would say, so I simply nodded.
“Of course.”
Anyway, I needed to manage my reputation. I had zero intention of being mistaken for a black mage. So, what now? Maybe I should steal the hero’s duties and handle them myself?
“Goddamn it!”
The hero placed upon the game board of Transcendents and Immortals. Victoria’s champion warrior, Kyros Penax, formerly Kim Hyun-chul of Earth, screamed at a reality he could no longer escape.
“Out of all the games, why did it have to be the protagonist of an NTR genre game!”
It was a scream he had repeated for twenty years since his reincarnation.
In the game Academy Useless Hero, Kyros was a character fated to become miserable no matter what he did. Now twenty years old, he possessed outstanding talent that stood at the threshold of the magic user rank. The sharp, handsome face he still couldn’t get used to every time he looked in the mirror. A superhuman without any issues regarding masculinity—yet by the story’s end, he could not avoid the label of [Useless].
All because of the existence waiting for him at the academy.
The Lust King, Cardnios.
At this point in time, Cardnios had already reached mid-Expert rank, a level of strength that made comparison with Kyros meaningless. Yet he was a munchkin who, as the story progressed, displayed a growth rate that even surpassed the protagonist hero. A handsome face exuding decadent sensuality, a personality both gentlemanly and bold. The magi that flowed naturally from him even contained a power that stimulated carnal desire, and the story described him as never letting go of any woman he set his sights on.
He was no different from a walking disaster, and Kyros could not avoid him. The hero’s attendance at the academy was due to the damned goddess’s oracle. Therefore, from the moment he realized he had reincarnated as Kyros Penax in Academy Useless Hero, he had struggled. He had tried running away, threatening, even begging. All of it proved useless beneath the name of oracle.
Next he had devoted himself to training in order to become stronger than Cardnios. He had only realized the extent of the original Kyros’s efforts and achieved little real success. Finally, he had resolved not to create any romantic entanglements. At least while attending the academy, he would treat women like stones.
That had been his determination—
Knock, knock.
Along with the sound of knocking, a petite woman with a golden ponytail poked her head inside.
“Kyros~ What are you doing?”
With quick, light steps she entered and naturally settled her hips onto Kyros’s lap.
“Ah, Maria. It’s nothing.”
“Really? It doesn’t look like nothing.”
When she turned to meet his eyes with those ruby-red pupils, Kyros’s heart grew complicated.
Maria Helysinax. The current Saintess who had received the Divine Grace of Protection from the goddess. She could not use any holy spells, including healing, but when it came to “protection” that defended and endured, she was the strongest in the entire worldview. She was also Kyros’s lover.
As the entrance exam drew nearer, Kyros was beginning to regret having underestimated the sexual urges of a pubescent brat. Seeing his expression darken, Maria pressed her head firmly against his chest.
“Why? Worried again?”
“Yeah… sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ll protect you, Kyros, and everyone else.”
I might not be able to protect everyone. That’s why I can’t accept your heart.
Then I’ll protect everyone. I’ll cover whatever you can’t protect.
The conversation they had when he rejected Maria’s confession flashed through his mind. He should never have shown her affection. He should have pushed her away while imagining her fawning over Cardnios and falling into corruption. If he had, things would never have come to this—
Kyros shook off the complicated thoughts with a sigh. Even thinking such things was disrespectful to Maria.
“Thank you.”
“Ahaha, that tickles.”
Hugging Maria tightly, Kyros agonized over how he could possibly avoid the coming disaster. He absolutely did not want to lose her. Burning with resentment toward Cardnios who made his life hell, Kyros ground his teeth inwardly.