Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: The Madman, and the Nightmare (2)
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Autumn arrives, and the leaves fall.
Chloe's eyes, gazing at the colorful foliage, were clouded over. Instead of her usual starlight sparkle, they brimmed with worry and concern.
"Hoo..."
Chloe let out a long sigh and flopped face-first onto her desk. Burying her face in the scattered worksheets strewn everywhere, she recalled the grueling days of late.
So many assignments.
Way too many.
It felt like swimming in an endless ocean. But was there no way out but to drown? Even that mountain of work was finally starting to dwindle.
"Seriously, just a little more and..."
It's over, Chloe muttered to herself, rubbing her forehead against the desk. Was it her habit to tackle any workload as quickly as possible? Over the past three days, she'd skimped on sleep to grind through them.
'Spreading it over seven days would be easier, but...'
She wanted to finish fast and have fun.
Her efforts weren't in vain. With her forehead pressed to the desk, Chloe glanced sideways.
The nightmare tower of assignments.
The massive paper tower that had dominated one corner of her desk for days... now only a few layers remained. She'd chipped away at it steadily.
'Just a bit more. Hang in there.'
Chloe steeled herself.
It was tough, but there was a sense of accomplishment too. She remembered that morning—Professor Lania's eyes widening in surprise when she turned in the work.
"You've done this much already?"
Not bad, the professor had muttered.
Chewing on that praise, Chloe felt her energy return.
'So what if it's hard? It's all helpful!'
Her first special lecture.
The class with Professor Lania she'd been dying for. After attending, Chloe was convinced the newspaper articles weren't just hype.
The professor shining amid radiant starlight.
Lustrous ash-gray hair and deep, mysterious lake-blue eyes. Professor Lania's impassive command of the stars was like a masterpiece painting.
'Elegant and profound—enlightenment just from watching... a top-tier class!'
The article was spot on.
Chloe nodded and slapped her cheeks with both hands a couple times. A faint light returned to her hollow eyes.
"Yeah, let's do this!"
Encouraging herself, Chloe grabbed her pen.
It was rough, but she could manage. Once she adjusted, life at Aphria wouldn't be so bad.
'And besides.'
Chloe recalled what her new maid friends had told her. Some professors dumped assignment bombs on day one.
'Professor Lania must be one of them!'
Definitely.
Chloe decided to believe that.
No sane person would assign this much.
2.
"You sure about this?"
On the road to Aphria, Kalt asked me sidelong. He eyed the following Kelrhalhm with suspicion.
"Of course, there are Hounds stationed inside Aphria. They could hold him in a pinch, but..."
"We'll see."
Hold him, huh.
'Since he's a mage-type superhuman, he figures the Hounds could handle him if they swarm.'
Not wrong.
Mages were weak against close-quarters assassins like Hounds. But that didn't apply to Kelrhalhm.
"Doesn't seem likely."
I let out a hollow chuckle.
They might stall him briefly.
Only someone ignorant of Kelrhalhm would say that.
"You've never seen him release his restraints, right?"
"...Restraints, you mean?"
"Yeah, restraints."
I nodded.
The conditions Kelrhalhm imposed on himself. A means to escape madness... but undeniably 'restraints.'
"Ever thought about the cost of separating his madness? How much those restraints limit him?"
"I'm no mage, so..."
I splayed my fingers.
"Hearing, sight, touch, strength—all reduced."
Fold one.
"Mana sensitivity degenerated. Can only handle half his max mana."
Fold two, three.
Folding the rest at once, I said,
"Even the superhuman senses are restricted. Basically normal human level. He can't even hear us whispering."
"...That possible?"
"Want to hear the craziest part?"
I gave a bitter smile.
"He held off an apostate for 5 seconds in that state."
Kalt's pupils shook.
No wonder. He'd faced an apostate too. In a trembling voice, he asked,
"...5 seconds against that monster?"
"Yeah."
1 second grinding through swarming beasts.
2 seconds forcing shut the apostate's rift.
2 more offering his ten fingers.
In a place where instants decided victory, Kelrhalhm alone bought 5 seconds. A battlefield vet like Kalt knew what that meant.
"He did that with restraints on. Unrestrained? You think you could handle it?"
Kalt's face grew grave.
"Then we really shouldn't..."
He touched his waist.
A curse dagger made by top alchemists for mages hung there.
"Send him back to the front now..."
"Could, but don't recommend it."
I shook my head.
"You know turning another superhuman into a cripple gains us nothing."
"...True."
"And no worries for now anyway."
"Pardon?"
I glanced back.
Kelrhalhm followed like a doll. Steady stride, steady breath. I listened to his breathing.
'I can tell you. You can discern my restraint fluctuations through my "breath." If they waver, my breath does too. Mana leaks everywhere.'
> 'That's the "warning" I set.'
Something he'd told me once. Right before fully unleashing, shedding all restraints to become the madman. 'Breath steady, mana stable.' In other words, the shell containing his madness was intact. "Restraints solid? Kelrhalhm's no issue. I guarantee it." Despite the 'Madman' moniker, he wasn't that problematic. People feared his rep... but to me, he was manageable. 'Just watch the restraints.' I turned forward and spoke. "Was ready to subdue him here if needed, but..." No need. "We're good. For now." "'For now' implies..." "There are risks. Planning to lock that down here." Aphria's entrance appeared. Fallen leaves crunched underfoot. I stopped. Kalt and Kelrhalhm halted too. I slowly turned. "Kelrhalhm." He looked at my call. Ash-gray eyes, blue hair. A mage like me, yet different hues. I continued, "Letting you in carries serious risk. One Aphria doesn't need to bear. Agree?" Kelrhalhm stroked his chin. He nodded lightly. "Action principle seven, point two: I deem myself a risk factor. Per that, your claim is valid." "Bearing an unnecessary 'cost.' Then, may I demand the right to conditionally add to your action principles?" Cost and right. Fundamentals for mages. "I demand a contract, Kelrhalhm." Cost, right, contract. His eyes narrowed at my words. Took longer to respond—ten seconds—before he spoke. "...Your opinion is valid. If your proposed 'action principle' is valid too, I'll accept." Good. First step done. "Balance." I summoned the scales. Kelrhalhm's gaze flickered at the starlit Balance, but I ignored it and placed my terms. A contract between mages. Break it, pay the 'penalty.' "...You." Confirming my conditions, he stared. Doubt in his eyes. "You're strange." He said. "By my memory, we're strangers. I've never met a mage named 'Lania van Trias.'" "Figures." "Few know my action principles, restraints, or the 'contracts' that modify them. Naturally, you're not among them." "Wouldn't be." "...Yet." He pointed at me. "How do you know it all?" "I'm a Trias." "...Same blood as the Ashen Mage? That doesn't explain it. She knows, sure—but ours is a contract solely between us, not to be shared..." "Exactly." I cut him off. "So?" Irrelevant. I said so. "If you find me suspicious, the terms a trap, and hesitate—don't sign. I'm not forcing you. It's just a proposal." "......" "But refuse..." Kalt hand to his waist. I tugged my glove tight. "And we send you back here." "...Do you have that right?" "Bearing costs without rights? Suckers do that. You're a mage—you get it." And I wasn't a sucker. 'I'd sooner swindle.' Getting fleeced? Over my dead star. I waited calmly for his reply. Mages treat contracts seriously—he mulled long. Understandable. After a bit, "...Still." Gazing at the tilted scales, he spoke. "Still suspicious." But, Kelrhalhm said, "Your proposal's valid. Fitting cost for staying in Aphria. I accept the contract." He reached for the scales. They leveled. Light split—half to me, half to him. Proof of the pact. "Good." I nodded. Stepped forward, offered my hand. "Welcome to Aphria, Kelrhalhm." Hand extended for a shake. Staring at it, he muttered, "You're one peculiar character." "Not as much as you." "Comparing to a madman puts you in the madman category too..." "Tch." I clicked my tongue. Never shuts up. "Trias family trait? Or just the weirdos in it..." Kelrhalhm shook reluctantly, muttering irrelevancies. 『The contract is sealed.』 Either way, contract done. Whatever trap lurked behind his visit... with the contract, no worst-case spiral. '21 days ahead.' Three weeks of his stay. Felt like it'd be a long three weeks. A hunch. 3. Disguised via magic tool, Kelrhalhm settled into Aphria. No one knew his purpose; Hounds took shifts surveilling him. Few knew his identity. Those few watched his every move, blood running cold. A day passed. Nothing happened. Time flowed on. 21 days became 20. Early on the 20th, Aaron broke into cold sweats staring at his visitor. "You're the dean here?" The Madman, Kelrhalhm. "Wh-what brings you here, Lord Kelrhalhm?" Disguised or not, Aaron had heard from the Hounds. He sweated at the Madman's presence. 'Why the dean's office?' Aaron swallowed dryly. 'Madman. Madman Kelrhalhm.' He'd heard the rumors. Learning of the visit to Aphria had cost him more of his scant hair. "One favor." The Madman said flatly. 'What'll he demand?' Even hidden Hounds watching him sweated in tension as the Madman spoke. "I want to teach a class." "...Pardon?" Aaron blurted dumbly. "Class, you say...?" "Yes, a class." "How could we..." "Isn't this a magic academy?" "It is, but..." "And I received a disguised identity as a capable visiting mage. Why would one visit Aphria?" To lecture, right? Utterly logical. Kelrhalhm continued, "Also, I don't think my magical knowledge lags behind your professors'." All true. "Above all, I was chief overseer of Artia, my homeland. Do I lack professorial qualifications? Speak if there's issue." Magic's holy land. Birthplace of the first academy. Land of education, city of scholars—Artia. 'Its chief overseer.' In other words, top educator. Century past or not, couldn't question those creds. "No issue... per se..." "Then I formally request." Kelrhalhm said. "Assign me a lecture." Aaron itched to yank his last hairs.