Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Alderson's Secret
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For a moment, I forgot the being before me was a doll and retorted.
“You’re pretty good yourself.”
“…”
Leone’s smile deepened, but he said nothing.
If he had shown a more human reaction, my suspicions would have grown, but with that ambiguous smile, I couldn’t be sure.
And regardless of Leone’s true identity, a sense of stubborn pride welled up inside me.
When facing an opponent with such a confident smirk, a martial artist’s instinct is to crush them completely.
*Sorry. Just hold on a little longer.*
I offered a silent apology to Seren before swinging my sword at Leone, deliberately putting force into my arm for a somewhat rougher assault.
In other words, I attacked as if I were swinging a club, not a sword. The Seven Sins Sword was durable enough that even this reckless use wouldn’t leave a scratch.
Leone exchanged a few blows with me before he started deflecting my attacks, angling his blade loosely.
*Clang! Clang!*
I, in turn, acted like an idiot enraged by his defensive response.
I swung my sword more wildly, as if I had lost all reason to my anger.
After a few such attacks, I had several minor cuts on my body. I could feel Leone’s defense becoming more and more half-hearted.
And the next time our swords clashed.
*Claaang…!*
Leone, who had been deflecting my blade at an angle, suddenly pushed forward, sending the Seven Sins Sword flying from my hand.
For a moment, my disarmed upper body must have looked completely vulnerable to him.
*Swish.* Leone’s sword aimed for my throat. Was he planning to kill me? Pushing the question aside, I immediately shifted into a hand-to-hand combat stance.
“—!”
For the first time, Leone’s expression changed. It seemed he had belatedly realized the opening was a trap.
*Too late.*
The moment I relaxed my knees, my body dropped sharply.
It looked more like I was collapsing than dodging, but I had perfectly avoided Leone’s sword.
Then, I tensed my relaxed calves and kicked off the ground.
*Boom!*
My body shot forward, closing the distance in an instant. The area beneath Leone’s chin was wide open.
I don’t know if it’s the right expression, but it was a delicious-looking opening.
White Sun Eclipse, Third Form.
Ascension Fire.
*Crack!*
A clean hit.
Enough to shatter his jawbone to pieces, even if it were made of iron.
*But…*
The impact felt strange.
It wasn’t like breaking bone; it felt more like I had punched a shield…
And he didn’t even stumble, let alone fly back. His head just tilted slightly.
“…”
In that moment, my eyes met Leone’s.
He grinned at me, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha!”
Leone reached out his left hand toward me.
*Whoooosh…!*
His outstretched palm seemed to grow large enough to fill my vision.
A grappling technique.
Defending would be difficult, and it was too late to dodge.
Countering was the best option.
White Sun Eclipse, Second Form.
Fire Wheel.
My flame-wreathed palm strike collided with Leone’s. *Baaam!* The shockwave spread in all directions, but neither of us budged an inch.
We began to exchange blows at a distance where we could feel each other’s breath.
I swatted away his unusually pale hand and threw a knee strike. *Thwack!* It was easily blocked. He had raised his own knee to defend.
“Pfft…”
In that instant, I couldn’t help but laugh, just like Leone.
It felt like I had met my match.
Come to think of it, wasn’t this the first time?
The first time I’d met someone my age who could fight me bare-handed.
Now, it didn’t matter whether he was a doll or not.
I was grateful for this encounter and expressed my excitement through my body.
There’s an advantage when your main strength matches your opponent’s.
You can fight instinctively, without worrying about distracting thoughts or complicated strategies.
Of course, Leone might still be hiding his true power.
Just as I had fought with the Seven Sins Sword while concealing the White Sun Eclipse.
But.
The moment I saw Leone’s cackling face, such worries felt pointless.
*Papapapak!*
Fist, palm, hand, claw, finger, foot.
And bone.
A trained human body is a weapon.
Leone and I attacked each other with these weapons at point-blank range.
We swung fists like hammers, pushed forward palms like shields, and thrust out fingernails like daggers.
Leone’s fingers aimed for my eyes, while my fist tried to break his ribs.
Blocked, and dodged.
Leone’s martial arts were similar to mine. Every move was a fatal blow.
Knowing the power of his attacks, I couldn’t afford to let any of them land.
Fifty seconds, a hundred seconds, a hundred and fifty seconds passed without a decisive blow.
Finally, when we reached the two-hundred-second mark—
*Whoosh…*
I realized my vision was turning white. A pleasant heat surged through me, and my sensory perception expanded several times over.
Pfft, a laugh escaped me.
It had been a long time since I’d entered the White Flower state.
The moment Leone’s movements felt much slower.
*Crack!*
My fist slammed into Leone’s face. *Crash…!* Leone, who hadn’t budged even after taking the Ascension Fire, was sent flying helplessly, tumbling across the floor.
Of course, it wasn’t a fatal blow.
Leone shot back to his feet and spat. *Ptui.* A fragment of a tooth rolled out with a thick glob of blood.
Is he really a doll?
“What is that form?”
It seemed Leone also had questions for me.
He looked at me with intelligent eyes, despite the blood dripping from his mouth and nose.
“A martial art I learned.”
“What?”
“It means if we go all the way, I win.”
“Aha.”
Did he understand my arbitrary explanation?
Leone chuckled and extended a hand toward me.
“You’re really interesting. Shall I get a little serious, then?”
Leone opened his palm toward me again.
Another grappling move?
No, this is different.
Leone and I were at least ten paces apart. A distance impossible to cross unless he stretched his arm.
In other words, he was about to try something strange.
*Gurgle…*
The moment a dark energy condensed in Leone’s hand… I flinched at the ominous aura.
I knew this energy.
*Demonic energy?*
No way.
That was a power that neither dolls nor humans should be able to use.
The moment various thoughts raced through my mind.
[Leone—!]
Headmaster Alderson’s shout echoed throughout the training hall.
*Crack.*
As if in response to the sound, a crack appeared on Leone’s palm.
Seeing that made it feel real.
The fact that I had been fighting a doll, not a person.
“…Tch.”
Cracks spread across his entire body, like fissures in porcelain.
Did he feel no pain?
Leone’s calm expression only showed a hint of disappointment. *Crumble…* As his body collapsed, he looked at me and spoke.
“That was fun.”
“…”
Then he waved his hand and said casually.
“Say hello to Delac for me.”
“What?”
*Crumble—.*
And with that, Leone collapsed completely.
For once, I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.
*What in the world—.*
I glanced over at Seren, who was also standing there, looking dumbfounded.
The Iron-Blooded Duke she had been fighting hadn’t crumbled like Leone, but had collapsed in a bizarre posture, like a puppet with its strings cut.
[Hmm.]
Then came Alderson’s grave voice.
[It seems the dolls went berserk. My apologies. It was my mistake.]
“…”
[…Regardless, you two have sufficiently proven your strength. This means you are qualified to pass the fourth floor.]
Then, a mechanical voice followed.
[Congratulations. You have passed the Floor of Sparring.]
Alderson spoke again.
[…I will grant you re-entry to the treasury.]
***
[Climbers who have passed the Floor of Sparring are once again granted access to the 『Treasury』.]
[Please select one reward.]
After passing the Floor of Sparring, we returned to the treasury.
We could choose another reward here, but…
‘…’
My mind was not on rewards right now.
*It was definitely demonic energy.*
It wasn’t a mistake.
I may not look it, but I have seen demons, fought a High Priest, and even been to hell and back.
There’s no way I would mistake the presence of demonic energy.
Demonic energy.
An ominous, wicked power that only demons and their worshipers could wield.
A fragment of that power had been detected in a doll.
Which means.
*Headmaster Alderson is a cultist?*
A dry laugh escaped me.
If that were true, it would be an incident so massive it would make the truth about Grand Master Teacher Juan seem trivial… and the repercussions would be incomparable.
To think that Alderson Marvuer, one of the Seven-Colored Archmages and the headmaster of the academy, was actually a pawn of the cult?
“What are you doing?”
“…Huh?”
I looked up at the sudden voice.
Seren was looking at me strangely.
“Not picking?”
“Ah.”
“What’s with your face? Was that doll, Leone, that strong?”
If Seren was worried, my expression must be more serious than I thought.
I shook my head slightly and answered.
“He wasn’t weak.”
“Really? The Iron-Blooded Duke was more manageable than I expected. Of course, considering his age, he was insanely strong, but it felt like he couldn’t use his Blessing, and his mana control wasn’t very fluid.”
“…”
From the way she spoke, it seemed she hadn’t noticed Leone’s demonic energy.
In that case, could the ‘help’ Seren mentioned be unrelated to Headmaster Alderson?
I couldn’t jump to that conclusion.
At the Bednicker estate, even though Seren knew the future, she didn’t seem to know the High Priest’s identity.
I lowered my voice and began to speak.
“Hey. Can dolls also use demonic—”
“Have you both chosen?”
Headmaster Alderson suddenly appeared, cutting me off.
Seren, who had been listening to me, naturally turned her gaze toward him.
“I have,” she said.
“I see. Let’s see what Lady Goodspring’s eye has chosen…”
Alderson looked at the black metal lump in Seren’s hand and spoke with surprise.
“Hmm. You chose that antique.”
The metal was palm-sized, thin, and elongated, and it looked like a peculiar alloy I’d never seen before.
“I acquired that piece by chance at a black market twenty years ago. On the outside, it’s a rectangular piece of metal with a smooth surface, but its internal structure is remarkably complex.”
Seren’s expression stiffened slightly.
“…Don’t tell me you dismantled it?”
“I did. Ah, but don’t worry. I put it back together exactly as it was.”
“…”
“But… by any chance, do you know what that object is?”
Seren hesitated for a moment before answering.
“I’ve been interested in lost technology since I was young. I’ve studied it a bit.”
“Hmm. Coming from a Goodspring, that’s certainly plausible.”
Alderson nodded and then said.
“So, what will you do? Do you plan to climb further?”
“No.”
Seren shook her head.
“I’ve used up all my stamina fighting the doll. I don’t have the confidence to face any more trials.”
“I see. Then I shall send you out of the tower immediately.”
“What?”
“There is a staff member on the ground floor. Follow their instructions to your room, then you can head straight to the banquet hall. Well done.”
“W-wait—”
*Shuk—.*
And just like that, rather abruptly, Seren’s form vanished from the treasury.
“…”
“…”
I simply watched it all happen.
Alderson then turned to look at me.
His gaze was incredibly complex.
“…You didn’t stop me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you notice? That I forcibly sent Lady Seren out.”
“I did.”
“Why did you just watch? You could have forced her to stay…”
Is that what’s important right now?
We had much to discuss, but it seemed Alderson wanted to address his immediate question first.
So I just answered honestly.
“She was exhausted. I judged that she wouldn’t be much help if something were to happen. It’s better to let her leave alone. Besides, Seren didn’t see anything, so I’m the only one you need to silence.”
“…Hah.”
Alderson shook his head.
“It’s like I’m talking to a battle-hardened mercenary. What kind of life have you lived?”
“…”
“No, that was just me talking to myself. My apologies.”
Alderson pursed his lips.
He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.
This is frustrating.
I’m not a fan of beating around the bush, so I asked him directly.
“Headmaster Alderson, are you a cultist?”
“Of course not…!”
His voice came back, startled, as if he were having a seizure.
His white beard was trembling.
That makes sense.
If he were really a cultist, there would be no reason for him to be so cautious around me.
I had already reached that conclusion on my own.
“If not that.”
Then what I’m about to say is just a guess.
“Were you trying to create a demon in this tower?”
“…”
Alderson fell silent. His face was expressionless, but I could feel him take a sharp, small breath.
The reaction of someone who’s been hit where it hurts.
“Headmaster Alderson. As an aspiring hero, as a member of the Bednicker family, and above all, as a citizen of the Empire, I must ask. Are you out of your mind?”
“…We are ignorant about demons.”
Alderson said in a low, defensive tone.
“Did you know? To them, all intelligent beings living on the continent are simply ‘humans.’ Not just the seven great races, but all their derivative species are treated as ‘human’.”
“…”
“You probably think it’s absurd, and you’d be right. It’s foolish to lump together beings with different appearances, traits, habits, histories, and cultures… But we are committing the same error.”
“What do you mean?”
“The variety of demons is far greater and more diverse than the races on our continent. The demons worshiped by the cult are just a tiny fraction. The rest, the majority of demons whose existence we are not even aware of, live their own lives in their own lands. They have no interest in harming the continent, not even a shred.”
Alderson’s voice grew heated.
“And yet, we lump them all together and call them demons…! Do you think this is rational?”
“…”
“I thought to myself. If the types of demons are so diverse, if their numbers are greater than the population of all intelligent beings on the continent, then perhaps… could there be good demons?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the archmage’s nonsense.
I looked at the glaring Alderson and said.
“Pardon me. I thought you were joking.”
“…I have studied demonology for half my life. No one in the Empire knows more about demons than I do.”
“Is that so? But there’s a saying that seeing something once is better than hearing about it a hundred times. Headmaster Alderson, have you ever seen the Demon King?”
“…Of course not.”
Of course he hasn’t.
If he had seen the Demon King with his own eyes, he wouldn’t be spouting such bullshit.
“You mentioned ‘good demons.’ To me, that sounds like cold fire or a soft stone.”
It was a pain to phrase “cut the crap” so politely, but I had no choice, given he was an archmage.
Still, I couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of my tone.
“Shall I tell you exactly how they see humans? As equals? Of course not. As the weak or as prey. If it were only that, I wouldn’t be speaking so extremely.”
What are humans to demons?
If not equals, not prey to be eaten, not even livestock to be raised.
What do they see humans as?
“Toys.”
“…”
“Toys for their amusement, to pass the time. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“…Some children treat their toys like friends.”
Alderson’s words made me laugh again. Unlike before, it was a much more blatant scoff.
I never imagined an archmage would offer such a childish rebuttal.
“So, Headmaster, you think humans and demons can be friends?”
“Is it wrong to think so?”
“You’re free to think what you want, but don’t say it out loud. Idiots will be swayed by such crazy ideas. Your position is not a trivial one.”
“Crazy ideas…”
This time, Alderson let out a low laugh.
He looked at me with bloodshot eyes and said.
“Even if these ideas are those of the Iron-Blooded Duke?”
…What?