Chapter 349
Chapter 349
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 349
Chapter Title: A Swordsman's Conviction (1)
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Shirone arrived in Bashuka, the capital of Tormia.
Shirone couldn't take his eyes off the scene unfolding through the carriage window. The streets were neatly paved, and the people's attire was vibrant, each outfit seemingly emphasizing its owner's individuality.
Upon entering the city center, towering buildings that seemed to pierce the sky lined the streets. Shirone identified the names of institutions he had only read about in books.
The Alchemy Foundation, the Swordsmen's Association, the Supreme Court.
Finally, they arrived at a place where the renowned Magic Association building stood tall.
The 18-story building could easily be called a tower. A massive tower. The ground floor alone seemed large enough to fit several noble estates.
Shirone tilted his head back to find the top but had to close his eyes against the reflected sunlight. The entire facade gleamed like glass, making it hard to even dare to look up.
“Let's go in. This is the Magic Association.”
Kangnan said as she passed Shirone after paying the coachman.
As he followed her to the entrance, guards turned toward Kangnan and bowed at a ninety-degree angle. As the gatekeepers of the Magic Association, even the guards possessed a considerable presence.
But Shirone knew that everyone working here was a mage.
It was a sanctuary for the world of magic, a place where only those acknowledged as the strongest in their class, regardless of their rank, could enter.
Encountering a revolving door for the first time, Shirone looked up and scurried through. He was pushed along by the glass panel and emerged into the lobby as if ejected. At the central front desk, a receptionist was guiding nobles to various departments with a smile.
Kangnan went to an elevator platform not far from the entrance. Capsule-shaped elevators were constantly ascending and descending within glass tubes.
‘So it moves with air pressure. Very convenient.’
Kangnan checked the floors where the elevators were stopped and, seemingly finding none available, turned toward the stairs. Shirone smacked his lips in disappointment but had no choice but to follow.
The staircase was wide enough for twenty people to walk side by side. It had four landings and a spiraling structure.
Upon reaching the third floor, a monotonous scene of only corridors and offices unfolded.
A young woman was standing next to an office with a sign that read 'External Affairs Department'.
She was Ravid Plu, the 3rd-floor manager of the Magic Association's security department.
She was shorter than average, with blue, braided hair that reached her waist. Her skin was pale and her lips were red, making her look intimidating from a distance, but up close, her prim expression revealed a face that was by no means unattractive.
She was holding a magic staff with both hands, its end resting against her hip. The shaft was slender, and the tip was adorned with an ornate phoenix decoration, embedded with a large crystal orb.
Plu took a step forward to greet Kangnan.
“Hello, Chief Secretary. Was your dispatch mission resolved successfully?”
“More or less. Where is the Association President?”
“He left this morning and is currently out.”
Kangnan squinted one eye in frustration.
“Where did he go?”
“I'm not sure. I heard it would take about three days.”
“Damn, of all days…”
Kangnan's mission hadn't been set to a strict deadline, so it couldn't be helped.
She couldn't just make Shirone, who had come all the way from the countryside, wait indefinitely. As she pondered, Plu pointed at Shirone and asked.
“And this boy is…?”
“Ah, he's a guest of the Association President. This is a problem. Shirone doesn't have a proper place to stay.”
“A guest, you say?”
Plu stared at Shirone in disbelief.
In her two years working at the Association, there had rarely been a guest of Gaold who arrived so secretively. Most were top envoys from other nations or high-ranking politicians whose names alone made people tremble, warranting a full cleaning of the Association and even the hiring of a dedicated chef.
‘Could it be?’
A thought flashed through Plu's mind.
He might be someone related to the project. The very fact that Kangnan had come to her to ask for Gaold's whereabouts strongly suggested an attempt to avoid the eyes of other departments.
‘No, it can't be. How could a child this young participate in the project?’
Even Plu, who considered herself part of Gaold's elite guard—an extremely small group within the Association—was only involved at the outermost periphery of this project.
In such a situation, the idea of a boy younger than herself assisting Gaold was unthinkable.
‘Who is he? A relative of the Association President?’
In any case, her first impression of Shirone wasn't very good.
A common trait among those who followed the eccentric Gaold was their desire to be acknowledged by him. She felt an unnecessary sense of rivalry toward this boy who had come to see the Association President—a man she herself couldn't even meet alone—as a guest.
After trying to adjust the schedule, Kangnan spoke to Shirone.
“Shirone, how about you stay here for now? I have to leave right away. Plu, you can look after Shirone until the Association President returns, right?”
“Ah, of course…”
Just as Plu was about to speak, Shirone turned to Kangnan and said.
“Excuse me, would it be alright if I went somewhere for a little while?”
“Hmm? Where to?”
“I have a friend who lives in the capital. I'll stay there and come back.”
Kangnan hummed, lost in thought.
Having Shirone stay at the Association was the best option, but there was no harm in letting him stay outside. In fact, it was a good way to keep him away from the prying eyes of other departments.
“Alright, go ahead. But I need you to maintain security.”
“Yes, don't worry about that.”
Hearing their conversation, Plu grew even more suspicious.
Except when dealing with Gaold, Kangnan had an easygoing personality, but when it came to work, she was more thorough than anyone. An appointment to meet privately with the President of the Magic Association was no small matter. She couldn't understand what it was about a boy not yet twenty that made Kangnan trust him with security.
‘Is he royalty? Who is he to make personal requests of the Chief Secretary of the Magic Association?’
Contrary to Plu's expectations, Kangnan wasn't particularly concerned. A secret known by more than two people was no longer a secret anyway. She had brought Shirone here as instructed; what happened next was up to Gaold.
“Then come back here when you're done. You must be back within three days. When you return to the Association, look for Plu here.”
Kangnan also spoke to Plu.
“Plu, when Shirone returns, guide him to the Association President immediately. Preferably to a quiet place. I'll handle it myself, of course, but just in case I'm away.”
Plu bowed respectfully.
“Yes, I understand.”
Then her mind raced.
‘Shirone? Then he's not royalty. I've heard that name before. Where did I hear it?’
Something tugged at the edge of her memory, but it remained faint.
Kangnan placed a hand on Shirone's back and turned him around.
“Alright, let's go. I'll see you out.”
Shirone glanced between Kangnan and Plu before hastily bowing his head.
“Ah, yes. Then, goodbye.”
Plu gave a slight nod, her sharp eyes studying Shirone.
She was sure she knew the name. It just wasn't coming to her because she had never met him in person.
‘Well, I'm sure I can find it if I look.’
Plu waited in the hallway until Kangnan was gone, then quickly turned away.
* * *
After exiting the Magic Association through the revolving door, Shirone looked at the street, shimmering with a golden hue, and was struck anew by the fact that he was in Bashuka.
Kangnan checked the time and clicked her tongue, seemingly finding it inconvenient.
“Sorry, but I have something else to attend to. Do you know where your friend is? Can you find your way there alone?”
“Yes. I have the address. I can ask for directions. If I can't find it, I'll take a carriage.”
“Okay. See you in three days.”
Kangnan turned away without a second thought.
In truth, she wasn't worried. It was absurd to think that the kingdom's top aspiring mage couldn't find his way.
Kangnan went out to the main street and raised her hand, and a luxury carriage immediately stopped. When the door opened, a mustachioed gentleman and an old lady were already seated inside. Kangnan hopped in without hesitation, and the carriage departed at once.
Shirone watched carefully and raised his hand when the next carriage arrived. A carriage with a bluish tint pulled over.
When he opened the door and stepped inside, a girl with dimples turned to him and smiled.
“Uh… excuse me.”
Shirone was flustered.
Sharing a carriage was common in Bashuka, but being in a confined space with a stranger was new to Shirone. Especially when that stranger was a girl his age.
“Come on in. Where are you headed?”
“Ah, toward the royal palace.”
“Perfect. We won't have to make a detour.”
Shirone tactfully climbed into the carriage and sat opposite her. After giving the coachman the exact location, he turned back to find the girl smiling with her eyes, covering her mouth as she giggled.
“What is it?”
“You're not from the capital, are you?”
“Ah, no. Was it that obvious?”
“People from Bashuka never hesitate when sharing a ride. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you're rustic or anything. In fact, you're quite charming.”
Shirone's face turned red, and he lowered his head. It had been the same with Marsha; he just couldn't get used to this type of person.
The girl, on the other hand, skillfully led the conversation as if it were an everyday occurrence.
She was twenty years old and a student preparing for the foreign service exam. She said she had two boyfriends: one younger than her, and the other a twenty-eight-year-old businessman.
Shirone listened to her story, his mind reeling.
At one point, she hinted at meeting up separately. But when she saw Shirone's focus waver, she just laughed coolly and didn't ask again.
“Well, take care. It was nice meeting you.”
“Yes. Goodbye.”
After the carriage departed, Shirone was left on the roadside, looking haggard after just thirty minutes.
Her talkativeness was one thing, but the culture shock was almost too much to bear. Not everyone in the capital would be the same, but he could finally understand where Dante's free-spirited way of thinking came from.
‘Phew, my head is already starting to hurt. The capital is definitely different.’
Shirone entered a high-end residential district.
Reina's estate was located where the Les Mountains flowed like a rapid stream and the spires of the royal castle were visible. It was much smaller than the main family house, but just as luxurious.
“Well, Reina is a court musician, after all.”
When he reached the main gate, the attendants who had accompanied them to Kazra Royal Castle recognized him.
“Oh? Isn't it Young Master Shirone? What brings you here?”
“It's good to see you. I came to see Rian. The sword academy is on break now, isn't it?”
“That is true, but…”
The way he trailed off was suspicious.
The attendants exchanged glances, and then one of them, seemingly deciding it couldn't be helped, turned around.
“Please wait a moment. I will be right back.”
As a guest of the Ogent family, it was impolite to keep Shirone waiting at the gate. He wasn't particularly offended, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was odd.
Louis, the head butler, came out of the mansion. His sharp, intelligent eyes, which had once intimidated Shirone, were the same, but this time he greeted him with a welcoming smile.
“Welcome. We haven't seen you since Kazra.”
“Yes, thank you again for everything back then. I see you're here?”
“As the master is working here, I travel back and forth from the main house quite often. Please, come in.”
Shirone asked as he followed Louis.
“Did something happen? The atmosphere feels a bit strange.”
“Well… you'll see once you go inside.”
Reina's mansion was much more spacious on the inside than it appeared from the outside.
Two women were standing in front of the area where Klumpf's room was. One was Reina, and the other was an unexpected person.
“Huh?”
“Shirone!”
Tess, who had looked like she was on the verge of tears, brightened up and ran over. She adorably pounded Shirone's shoulders with her small fists and exclaimed.
“What, what, what? What are you doing here?”
After greeting Reina first, Shirone belatedly turned to Tess.
“Haha! I had some business in the capital and stopped by to see Rian. Did you finish the school year okay?”
“Um, about that…”
At this point, Shirone started to feel frustrated.
“What's wrong? Did something really happen?”
Reina said with a grave expression.
“Rian dropped out of the academy.”
“What? Dropped out?”