Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Reunion and Riches
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I stepped onto the platform and looked at the two cadets.
‘You did well, you bastards.’
Hector, and Caron.
I gave a thumbs-up to the two who had faithfully kept their promise.
But those two stoic fools just looked away with equally sour expressions.
“Ahem…”
Kaljak, on the other hand, stood on the platform looking at me with eyes full of complex emotions, but he quickly composed himself with a cough and spoke.
“…The three cadets above have completed the 61st training session with outstanding results. As such, they are awarded a modest cash prize and are officially granted the title of Hero.”
‘Oh…’
They’re giving us money too?
That was a welcome surprise.
Until now, I’d only been wandering around the family estate, so I never really felt the need for money, but that’s about to change.
The moment I leave the Bednicker estate, lodging, food, clothes, and even daily necessities will all cost money.
Of course, the Iron-Blooded Duke told me to speak to the treasury if I was short on funds, but still.
Even if my last name was Bednicker, I felt a strange reluctance to get too deeply involved with this family.
It’s like I wanted to keep my points of contact to a minimum, so I could cut ties at any moment.
A knight came up from behind the platform.
He was holding a wooden box with both hands. It must have had some kind of mechanism, because it opened on its own the moment he stood before us.
Click.
Inside the box were three identical metal plaques.
“These are Hero Plaques. Caron Woodjack, Hector Bednicker, Ruan Bednicker. I expect all three of you to perform deeds worthy of the name Hero. Everyone, applaud!”
Thunderous applause echoed through the banquet hall.
Cheers might have accompanied it, but most of the people clapping had dazed expressions on their faces.
“Didn't I tell you! He's alive!”
Mir shouted as if to say 'I told you so', clenching his fists.
“Is... is he a ghost?”
“Of course not!”
“What in the world is going on…?”
As I surveyed my surroundings, Kaljak explained as if reciting a prepared script.
“…Cadet Ruan left the training session midway due to unavoidable circumstances but returned three days before the final exam. He showed a strong desire to complete the training, so we allowed him to participate in the middle of the exam, and he achieved remarkable results. Hmm. A truly remarkable young man.”
“…Thank you.”
It didn't seem like much of a cover story, but I nodded and stepped down from the platform anyway.
As soon as I did, several familiar faces rushed over.
“Ruan! You bastard!”
“We thought you were dead!”
“What on earth happened? What was going on?”
It was basically a warm welcome, so I didn't feel bad.
I answered with a grin.
“It's just like the instructor said. The forest was so damn big, I got a little lost.”
“For four weeks?”
“Well, things just happened.”
“Hah… you tough bastard!”
“To survive after being lost in the Butterfly Forest for four weeks. That's incredible!”
Surprisingly, Charis seemed particularly pleased.
He looks like a bear, but he's more sentimental than I thought.
Besides him, there were my roommates Evan, Mir, and Pam.
“I'm glad you're alive.”
Even Charle congratulated me on my return.
I nodded and looked around.
‘…A lot of them survived.’
For some reason, I felt it anew.
The image of Charle staring at Mir's corpse with a vacant expression briefly came to mind.
Evan, who ended up missing.
The sight of Junian and Luke collapsing into pools of blood before my eyes also flashed past.
“Mir! I told you to eat some vegetables, not just meat! And why is a little squirt like you drinking alcohol?”
“Mind your own business! Fifteen is an adult for the giant race!”
“We were the same age…?”
Right now, Charle was smacking the rowdy Mir on the head, while Evan watched with a troubled expression.
A short distance away, I could also see Junian smoking a cigarette while gazing at the moonlight.
‘…’
For some reason, it was only at this moment that I truly felt I had prevented the disaster.
I even felt a wave of emotion wash over me.
In any case, I celebrated my reunion with the cadets and clinked glasses.
Of course, not everyone was happy about my return.
“How did a guy like that get third place…?”
“He must be incredibly lucky.”
“Who knows. Maybe he pulled some strings.”
“Let him be. He'll probably die soon after entering Heros anyway.”
Their reactions weren't particularly strange.
I hadn't shown any outstanding performance in the training session before I disappeared, and most of them had probably forgotten about me after I went missing.
It was only natural for them to react that way when a guy like me suddenly returned and snatched third place.
Separate from that, I'd smack them on the head if they crossed the line, but today was a happy day, so I felt a bit more generous.
I ignored the gossip, slipped away from the group of cadets, and went looking for something to eat.
I'd eaten something at the main house, but it was far from enough to fill me up.
Then, I spotted a table piled high with steak. There was a lot more food left on it compared to the other tables.
Seeing the person sitting brazenly at the table, I understood why.
Of course, I didn't care.
I rushed over in one go and asked the person sitting there.
“Is this sirloin?”
“Tenderloin.”
“How's it cooked?”
“Rare.”
“I prefer mine well-done.”
“So what?”
“Just saying.”
I said, stabbing a piece of steak with my fork.
“You're as prickly as ever.”
“…”
Seren gave me an incredulous look and then spoke.
“I'm surprised you're alive.”
“I've had many near-death experiences, but I seem to have a long lifeline.”
“Is that so.”
Judging by her tone, she was the Seren I knew.
Then what about before?
Did I see a ghost?
Here of all places, in the Bednicker estate?
Seren glanced at me.
She tried to hide it, but her eyes were filled with suspicion.
“Hey, you. By any chance…”
“...?”
“I mean… haaah.”
Seren hesitated for a moment, then sighed.
“It's nothing.”
She must be at a loss for how to ask.
After all, she couldn't just mention things like the Demon King's ritual or the High Priest to someone with Bednicker blood.
It seemed she had some idea why I had disappeared.
No physical evidence, but plenty of circumstantial suspicion, I suppose.
Of course, I had many questions for Seren as well.
I asked casually.
“What was that earlier?”
“What was what?”
“We met briefly in the garden at sunset.”
“What are you talking about?”
Seren glared at me as if I were some kind of freak.
I couldn't tell if she genuinely didn't know or if this was just an act.
“I'm sure it was you.”
“You must have seen wrong.”
“You think I'd mistake someone who looks like you?”
Seren seemed to accept this point and shut her mouth.
“What were you doing then?”
“I changed clothes, took a short nap in my room… But why do I have to tell you this?”
“…”
It didn't seem like she was lying.
My understanding of Seren was that she was surprisingly bad at hiding her true feelings…
Despite that, I knew almost nothing about her.
I'd even witnessed her death in my past life, but Seren's true identity remained a mystery.
Should I try to dig for information using what I learned before my regression as bait?
For instance, saying 'I know your real name' and observing her reaction.
‘It’s a bit tricky.’
Strangely, I had a feeling that method would backfire.
We were both hiding things, anyway. What was important was Seren's true nature... and coincidentally, I knew what that was.
She was the type of person who would willingly sacrifice her own life to save others.
The world calls such people heroes.
Thinking about it that way made me feel a little sorry.
“My apologies.”
“For what?”
“If I hadn't barged in, you might have placed in the top three.”
“Forget it. Seeing how things turned out, I bet you were involved in those two suddenly acting crazy, weren't you?”
Seren said, pointing at Caron and Hector.
As expected, she's not unobservant.
“That's right. I had to get into the top three, no matter what.”
“Is that so.”
Seren scoffed and drank her wine.
I stared at her face for a moment.
‘The Divine Book of Laplace, was it?’
The book of prophecies said to be in the Goodspring family's possession.
For some reason, it bothered me.
Seren said she got information about the future from it, but was that really true?
I, of all people, could determine its authenticity.
On this continent, I was probably the only one who could verify the truth of a book of prophecy.
Because I had knowledge of the future for the next ten years, even if it was partial.
‘The problem is that it’s with the Goodsprings…’
That family isn't as reclusive as this one, but it would probably be difficult for me to get inside with the Bednicker label attached to my name.
I thought I might be able to set foot in their mansion if I became Seren's friend, but…
It doesn't seem like her treatment within the family is very good either.
I suddenly grew curious and asked.
“So what are you going to do now?”
“What do you mean, 'what'?”
“About your future. Are you going back to your family?”
“My family? Ah-”
Seren let out a cynical chuckle and swirled the glass in her hand.
The crimson liquid sloshed, forming a small vortex.
“Well… rather than go there, I think living here wouldn't be so bad.”
“Is this how the marriage proposal gets revived?”
Seren ignored my nonsense and said.
“I think I'll stay here for a bit, then head straight to the academy.”
“The academy? Why there?”
“…Well, for one thing and another. There's something to be gained there.”
At that moment, I recalled a conversation I had with Seren before my regression.
- So you came here to save a bunch of strangers?
- …For one thing and another. There's something to be gained in this forest, too.
‘…’
Seren knows the future.
Probably more clearly than I do.
In my past, even though I had glimpses of the future, I hadn't known a disaster of this scale would occur during this training session.
In other words, Seren's path was worth paying attention to.
The fact that her next destination is the Imperial Academy could mean that some other incident is going to happen there.
‘I need to get information about the Demon Realm too, so it's killing two birds with one stone.’
The academy is in the Imperial Capital.
In truth, I've never been to the capital.
One might ask how a noble could have never been to the capital, but since the Bednickers don't really interact much with other families, it wasn't that strange.
‘The safest place on the continent.’
In layman's terms, the heart of the Empire.
If the cult's influence had reached even a place like that…
The situation might be far more serious than it appears.
* * *
I ate until I was stuffed and drank my fill of alcohol.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I'd had a drink since my regression.
In my delinquent days, I liked alcohol but hated drinking parties… Thinking back now, that was probably because of my inferiority complex and self-pity.
The main topic of conversation at those nobles' drinking parties was usually some pathetic fool.
And back then, I was a hopeless case, unparalleled among my peers.
Anyway, I was heading to my room, feeling tipsy, when Keian suddenly appeared without a sound.
“Young Master, this way.”
“Huh?”
Keian led me not to the main house, but to another building.
The Socheoldang.
“…”
The moment I faced this overwhelming building, some of my drunkenness wore off.
“The Family Head has given a strict order that you are to use this place whenever you stay at the main estate.”
“A strict order…?”
I said, scratching my temple.
“This is a bit much.”
“You will get used to it in time.”
“Hmm…”
In any case, refusing was awkward, so I opened the door to the Socheoldang and stepped inside.
“Young Master, there is something I would like you to confirm, if you don't mind.”
“Something to confirm? Will it be quick?”
“Of course.”
“Fine by me.”
From experience, sleeping dead drunk makes for a painful morning.
Partly to sober up a little, I followed Keian to a room on the first floor.
Clank.
What made it different from an ordinary room was the double and triple layers of security.
Keian undid several locks and then spoke.
“Please, go in.”
Inside the not-so-large room was a big box and a rather large leather sack.
“What's this?”
“Would you like to open it yourself?”
Keian said in a rare, playful tone.
How unexpected.
To think this serious man could show such an attitude.
‘Is there a corpse inside as a surprise?’
I doubted it, but then again, for the Bednickers, it wasn't entirely impossible.
I opened the leather sack with slight trepidation and…
-found a pile of gold coins filling the sack to the brim.
“…”
I rubbed my eyes for a moment, then checked inside again.
The gold coins hadn't disappeared.
My voice, now completely sober, asked.
“Keian?”
“Yes.”
“What is this?”
“It is your property, Young Master.”
“My property?”
“The Jewel Beast's carcass, did you forget?”
The voice that suddenly cut in was Kaljak's.
He was already leaning against the doorframe.
“That's the proceeds from its sale.”
The Jewel Beast's carcass.
I remembered hearing it was worth a fortune.
“Wasn't the cult in the Jewel Mountains? They must have been after the Jewel Beast too.”
“If you mean the cult's branch in the mountains, Delac destroyed it. He said he unfortunately let the High Priest get away.”
“Ah…”
I was wondering where he was running around so busy, so he went to the mountains.
“How did he find the branch's location? I didn't tell him.”
“I don't know a better demon hunter than Delac. If he captured even one cultist in the mountains, extracting all the information from them would be child's play.”
“Hmm…”
Having seen Ainsburn's miserable state just today, I couldn't deny it.
“After destroying the branch, he sent someone to retrieve the carcass.”
“There was a message from the Family Head.”
Keian said.
“He said that since quite some time had passed with it left as a carcass, he had no choice but to sell it off quickly.”
“Its value was dropping by the minute. It was winter, thankfully, and the Sapphire Snake itself is a monster that holds cold energy, so we were able to salvage that much. You were lucky.”
“That's great.”
I nodded.
I had completely forgotten about the carcass anyway, so there was no downside for me.
- A gift will be sent soon.
The Iron-Blooded Duke's words just before we parted.
So this is what he meant.
“How much is all this?”
“I haven't counted, but I'd guess around five or six thousand gold.”
“It is 5,700 gold.”
Keian corrected him.
“Not all of it has been sold yet, so more should be coming in.”
“Whew. That's a jackpot.”
“…”
My thoughts suddenly froze, and my mind inexplicably recalled a conversation with my third martial brother.
- Youngest, what's the currency value like in your world? I hear you use gold and silver.
- The currency's value? Hmm…
- Wait. Let me guess! One gold is about a month's living expenses for a family of four, right? Right?
My third martial brother asked with expectant eyes.
- Not that much. It's enough for a single person to live comfortably for a month.
- Ah… so one gold is about two million.
- Two million…? Brother, why are the units in your world like that?
- Because of inflation.
- Then do people there carry around hundreds of thousands of coins all the time?
- That's right. So when trading expensive goods, we had to hire hundreds of laborers. And that's not all. After the transaction was done, we had to count hundreds of millions of coins one by one, so finishing one big trade would take at least a few months.
- My goodness.
…I realized later that my brother was lying, but that's not important right now.
In other words, 5,700 gold meant I could live without working for at least 5,000 months.
…
…
…What should I do with this?
I was suddenly struck with an intense desire to do nothing at all.