Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: 10. The Dullard and the Genius (7)
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-Rattle, rattle.
The carriage rolling down the quiet nighttime road was noisier than expected.
On the way to Superbia.
Penny sat blankly, lost in thought.
Her secretary, sitting across from her, was already asleep, but sleep wouldn't come to Penny.
It had been like this for days.
She felt like she had insomnia.
'...Ian.'
Penny calmly reviewed the information she'd compiled in the Badenverk office.
Ian is Philip.
Assuming this proposition was true.
What was the evidence?
The most solid proof was the testimony from the four members of the 1st Hero Party.
If it was the Philip she knew, it would be easy for him to deliberately hide his identity.
He'd have the skills for it.
What was Penny going to confirm?
The connection: Felix.
Felix, Vivian, Ian.
The links between each of them.
If Ian was Philip.
If Felix had messed with Vivian or Philip.
If Philip had revealed his power without holding back.
Then it made sense that Felix, who had been living unscathed, was suddenly dragged off by the military police.
Thinking about it, it was odd from the start that the military police hadn't killed a lowlife criminal like him but kept him alive.
That kind of cleanup was Ian's style.
And only someone on Philip's level could directly intervene in the military police's handling.
Penny had seen Ian's brutal methods as self-aggrandizement.
The antics of a tyrant backed by the power of the 1st Party and the shadow of Philip.
But if he was Philip... there would be deeper meaning to it.
Was this enough to make it plausible that Ian was Philip?
She wasn't sure.
No other path came to mind.
She just had a conviction in her heart.
Ian was Philip, and Felix was the link.
'Ian...'
Who are you, really?
Are you truly Philip?
'If you are Philip, what should I do? I...'
During a brief stop at a village midway, she received one more piece of news from the Managers' Guild.
It was about the managers who had participated in the McDullin public exam.
Nothing special.
Just that Helena, who hadn't stood out at 30th place, had suddenly surged to 1st, and they hadn't scouted any usable talent.
'Even the Holy Flame Church is wasting its time.'
Penny quickly lost interest.
Her mind was full of Ian.
*
The 1st Hero Party was en route to an A-rank dungeon.
A subtle, pleasant herbal scent filled the luxuriously opulent carriage.
Coincidentally, it was Sylvia's favorite scent, one Ian often prepared for her.
It wasn't intentional; he just kept the freshest herbs as air fresheners.
Sylvia, intoxicated by the aroma, sank into memories of Ian.
"......"
An uncomfortable silence hung in the carriage carrying the four of them.
They had never been the type to chat intimately and giggle, but it had never been this awkward either.
For the first few days after Ian left, they had actually gotten along quite closely.
She'd thought it was genuine joy at the time, but now they knew the reason for that exaggerated closeness.
Awkwardness.
They hadn't wanted to feel the void Ian left behind, so they had flailed about.
Except for Beatrice, who was a bit different.
"You all look ridiculous."
She spoke irritably and snorted.
"What the hell is this? Why are you all acting like this?"
"...Shut up."
Kaily snapped curtly, but Beatrice didn't back down.
"The girl who stabbed a civilian because she missed Ian sure has a lot to say."
"You bitch..."
Fuming, Kaily reached for Beatrice's collar but then just slumped back into her seat.
"What? Come on? That's it?"
"Ugh... Say whatever you want."
"All bark and no bite. Sylvia over there... well, I never expected much from her anyway."
Sylvia, leaning her head against the carriage window, stared blankly outside.
She had been diligently writing something at the start of the trip, but at some point, she had become like this.
Her unfocused eyes made one doubt what she was even looking at.
"Aria. What the hell happened? No progress at all? Ian didn't say a single word?"
"Yes. He said it's none of his business anymore."
"Hah... So he's really gone now? Jeez. How hard is it to just tell us that? Or is he sulking because we chased him out?"
"No..."
Sylvia muttered.
"I thought she'd lost her mind, but that's not it?"
"It's not Ian's fault..."
"Here we go again."
"It was us... we were the problem..."
"Ugh."
"Ian, I'm sorry... Ian..."
Mumbling, Sylvia hugged her knees and began to sob.
"The bullshit comes in all flavors, huh."
Beatrice, annoyed, leaned back against the sofa-like carriage seat.
At least Aria was somewhat reasonable, but even she wasn't in her right mind lately.
'If we leave here, it makes chasing Ian out pointless. Maybe I should build my own faction...'
The carriage slowed to a halt.
It wasn't time to arrive yet.
With Sylvia lost in a daze and Kaily indifferent, Beatrice and Aria peered outside.
"What's going on?"
One of the scouts from the advance party came rushing back.
"An acute dungeon has appeared nearby!"
Sometimes, dungeons not previously reported would appear suddenly.
These were called acute dungeons, and they grew much faster than normal ones.
Meaning, the time before monsters spilled out was short.
"...C-rank? And?"
Beatrice said.
"Pardon...?"
"Don't you know who we are?"
"Ah..."
"You want us to handle a C-rank? Can't Badenverk deal with C-ranks on their own?"
The line between Temporary Hero and Official Hero was a C-rank dungeon.
The gap between C and B was nothing compared to D and C.
They could have Badenverk's standing army block access and wait for other heroes, but it would mean massive personnel losses.
"Well, there are a few farmhouses nearby..."
"Ridiculous."
Beatrice spat it out like she didn't need to hear more.
"Handle it yourselves."
Aria showed no interest either.
Beatrice's point wasn't entirely wrong.
No matter how acute, comparing a C-rank to an A-rank was an insult.
Sending the manpower of the 1st Party to a C-rank was a waste.
The scout bowed his head in disappointment.
Despite the disappointment, he felt a bit puzzled.
He'd thought the 1st Hero Party were highly honorable people, but this didn't seem honorable at all.
'Could those rumors be true...? No, don't think like that...'
The scout quickly gave up.
Even honorable people had their levels.
How could they expect the 1st Party to handle a mere C-rank...?
Then.
"I'll go."
Sylvia stood up.
Though she'd been immersed in memories of Ian, the words "acute dungeon" pulled her back to reality.
Ian had never refused one.
At first, the 1st Party had followed suit willingly, but after growing to a certain level, they started showing annoyance.
They'd never outright refused, though.
The 1st Party had cleared many acute dungeons beneath their level.
Ian's goal had been honor.
From his knowledge of their second timeline, they were ticking time bombs.
It was preparation for if they caused trouble later.
If they had a record of honorable deeds, the backlash would be less severe.
His real aim was to make people truly respect and admire them.
To show they could be people worth that regard.
He thought it might erase the evil inside them.
In the second timeline, though vicious villains, they at least had some convictions.
Among the many tyrants who ruled back then, these four had the most potential for redemption.
Among those who didn't treat murder as sport, no one matched them.
The evil hadn't vanished; it had just been suppressed.
That suppressed, twisted evil had ultimately led to Ian's exile.
"Sylvia, you..."
"Sylvia..."
Even as Beatrice and Aria called out, Sylvia ignored them.
Kaily, who had been paying attention since earlier, pretended not to notice and kept her eyes closed, staying still.
"Sylvia, you get no share of this A-rank magic stone."
Beatrice declared.
Even the silent Kaily reacted to that.
"Finally saying something right."
Sylvia paused briefly, then replied coldly.
"Do whatever."
Beatrice shut the carriage door without a word.
Missing one Sylvia wouldn't stop them from clearing an A-rank.
When Ian was around, each of them had soloed A-ranks before.
They were just being cautious now due to performance dips.
"Let's go."
The carriage continued on its original path.
Sylvia was honestly jealous of Beatrice.
How could she be so cold?
She could never be like that.
Then she wasn't jealous anymore.
Beatrice hadn't had as deep a relationship with Ian.
That's why she was suffering like this—because she and Ian had been so close.
"Th-thank you... Are you really okay with this?"
The scout checked Sylvia's complexion.
And rightly so; ominous rumors swirled around the 1st Party lately.
One involved Sylvia.
Less sensational than others but intriguing: Sylvia had confessed to someone and been rejected.
Who would dare reject Sylvia? came the counterarguments.
And Sylvia confessing to anyone? Ridiculous, others said.
But lately, Sylvia looked every bit the heartbroken woman.
Messy hair, perpetually puffy eyes and red sclera from nightly tears.
Her slightly haggard face and hollow gaze even gave off a decadent air, like she wasn't sleeping.
Sylvia gave a cold order.
"Lead the way."
"Y-yes...! Thank you so much...!"
The scout didn't stop talking the whole way ahead.
"I was so worried. Actually, I'm from a village around there. Haha... I know the 1st Party is busy, so I'm sorry for asking and making you uncomfortable."
He tried to cheer her up with gratitude and apologies, but it only annoyed Sylvia more.
At one point, he said,
"Straight ahead from here."
"Straight? Then I'll go alone. Follow the 1st Party."
"Pardon? B-but..."
Sylvia didn't wait for a reply.
Her ancient tree staff tapped the ground, creating a straight ice path ahead.
She stepped onto it and glided forward swiftly.
Too fast for the scout to catch.
Sylvia held down her flying hat as she rode the ice path.
'Ian...'
She recalled the first time she intervened in an acute dungeon.
Exhausted from already clearing one dungeon, she'd wanted rest, but Ian had urged her relentlessly.
It had been an E-rank acute dungeon she could clear blindfolded back then.
When Sylvia emerged with the magic stone, the nearby villagers gathered and cheered their thanks.
Not famous yet, it was her first such welcome.
Young and not yet obsessed with Ian, she stared blankly as he patted her back.
'Worth it, right?'
What had she said then...?
Probably something curt out of embarrassment.
'...Not bad.'
'Good job. Thanks for listening.'
'...Yeah, whatever.'
The first cheers from people.
The scenery and Ian's touch that day were still vivid.
'Ian, I'm going to save people like back then... So, call me Sylvi again and praise me...'
*
Helena, who had fainted and then rested a full day, saw her abilities leap dramatically.
Her healing and scorching exceeded average, and her protection surpassed Ian's expectations.
Ian's guess of mental issues had been spot on.
"Waaaaaah! Ian siiiir—!"
Overjoyed at her growth, Helena charged at Ian full-force and threw herself into his arms.
"Why are you suddenly charging... Hngh!"
Ian held his breath briefly and took the impact.
Dodging would have sent her flying far away.
-Thud!
"I did it—!"
"...No need to fear anything anymore. Well done."
"Yes! It's all thanks to you, Sir Ian! Thank you!"
Regardless of Vivian and Kati watching, Helena was so excited she hugged Ian and bounced around.
Taking her full-body charge, Ian was convinced.
She was much stronger than before.
'Helena's ready for the next dungeon now.'
Startled by the sudden tackle, but glad it worked out, he didn't skimp on praise.