Chapter 254
Chapter 254
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 254
Chapter Title: I Am Your Future (4)
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Rox stayed in Aphria for about three more days.
During those three days in Aphria, he held light spars and counseling sessions for students dreaming of becoming knights. From afar, it was a truly heartwarming sight.
A graduated senior advising juniors on their career paths and offering advice drawn from hard-earned experience. It had to be an incredibly valuable opportunity for the students.
"Good work. You came here to sightsee, but it feels like you're heading out after putting in a shift."
"It's hardly work. It was far more enjoyable than drilling apprentice knights. Returning to my alma mater after so long was a delight, too."
On the fourth day.
As he prepared to leave Aphria, Rox gave me a more detailed rundown on Galahal's visit.
"Lord Galahal's visit should be about ten days from now."
Ten days from today—Galahal would arrive.
Rox said they'd keep news of it under wraps right up until the day itself.
"Keep it hidden?"
"Yes. Lord Galahal mentioned he wanted to visit quietly this time."
"It'll kick up a fuss the moment he shows anyway."
A hero dropping by the capital was a rare event as it was. And Galahal? He'd scarcely set foot in the city. At least not while I was out on the battlefield.
'Galahal, coming to the capital?'
No wonder it'd cause an uproar.
"Even so, this is Aphria."
Rox gave a wry smile.
"Prestigious family or not, you can't just flash your name and waltz in. Even those famed mage tower lords have to jump through the proper hoops."
"Is that right?"
"...Aren't you a professor at Aphria? Feels like I'm the one who knows it better."
Rox muttered to himself, then let out a short sigh. "Ah."
"Now that I think about it, Professor Lania, you're from a prestigious house yourself. No wonder you wouldn't sweat the details—you're not in a spot where that sort of thing matters."
"Huh?"
I blinked.
...Prestigious lady?
'Does it come off that way?'
It wasn't entirely wrong, if I thought about it.
The Trias family had already been making waves in the world of magic long before I shipped out to the battlefield.
And with all my battlefield exploits factored in... Master had mentioned their status had shot up to absurd heights.
「No decent house will be able to show their face now. Even I'm floored, but somehow we've climbed this high in just a few years.」
Battlefield achievements piled high.
And recently, earning a title from the ancient dragon mage to boot... the Trias house had ascended to an untouchable perch, or so I'd heard.
'I wasn't paying close attention...'
But I grasped the gist.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully for a moment before turning to Rox.
"Do I look like some prestigious lady to you?"
"Pardon? Say the wrong thing here, and I'll get hauled off for slander?"
"Kidding."
No way a direct aide to Uncle Heinkel, fresh off the battlefield, would get pinched for that. Rox scratched the back of his head, clearly knowing as much.
"You do give off a different vibe from your typical noble ladies. Professor Lania doesn't lord her authority over anyone, and you're easy to talk to."
"Yeah?"
"Honestly... you're nothing like the image I have of nobles."
Well, yeah—I'm a commoner at heart.
"What image is that?"
"...Might rub you the wrong way, but that's the vibe I get from nobles. The spoiled brats from noble houses who show up on the battlefield now and then to pad their resumes."
Ah, I got it.
'The little shits who tag along on ops just to claim they "participated" or "served alongside."'
Scumbags who treated the battlefield like a stepping stone for their egos—they cropped up now and then, and those types were almost always insufferably arrogant pricks.
'Obnoxious little bastards.'
Rox was a commoner himself, so he'd no doubt dealt with his share of them.
I gave a wry smile and continued.
"You think I'm like those damn obnoxious pricks?"
"Of course no... Yes?"
"Huh?"
Rox trailed off mid-sentence, his eyes going wide.
His pupils shook—he was staring at me, but I couldn't read the intent behind it.
"P-Professor Lania?"
His voice trembled as he asked.
"What did you... just say?"
It was like some utterly unforeseen word had popped out of my mouth. I blinked, then repeated myself.
"Those damn obnox—"
"Gasp..."
Rox swallowed hard.
"You... you swear, too?"
"What the hell did you take me for...?"
He looked like one of his illusions had just shattered.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
"Weird if I swear?"
"Huh? Now you ask?"
In Gader's office.
Kalt, the office's owner, looked up from his paperwork to eye me. It was the most obvious expression imaginable.
"Senior's foul mouth isn't exactly news. First time I met you, I thought you'd stuffed a rag in there."
"What the fuck?"
"Exhibit A."
Kalt tsked his tongue.
"You called me flat-nosed that first meeting. Not gonna lie, it was the worst intro ever."
"You ribbed me as the 'pity mage,' too."
"So you beat the tar out of me."
"Gave you a smack or two."
"A smack or two?"
"What."
"Tch..."
Kalt shook his head slowly.
His face screamed, What did you expect me to say? It was starting to piss me off, watching it.
"Look, I get what you're driving at. 'Does my foul mouth look weird in this getup?' That about right?"
I nodded.
Rox had left with that shocked look—like when I'd learned the grand old first mage tower lord was just some crusty old elf. It had stuck with me.
"Hell yeah, it's weird. Obviously."
Kalt answered like I'd asked the dumbest question.
"Back in the day, you had that 'piss me off and I'll rip you apart' vibe, so the rough talk fit. But now? Different story."
"You've been low-key shitting on me since earlier?"
"Shitting on you? That's defamation."
I shot Kalt a suspicious side-eye.
'This punk's definitely...'
Still sore about that head bonk from before.
"Anyway, no one back then, but now? Dropping F-bombs with that face on? Everyone'd freak. Even Galahal'd do a double-take. Wanna test it? I'm curious myself."
"...That bad?"
"That bad."
Maybe tone down the swearing.
No, didn't think I did it that much.
'Isn't this pretty normal...?'
I did get harsher with Sara and Remia, but those two were...
"Hold up—you just thought, 'Isn't this pretty normal?' didn't you?"
"...What?"
I flinched.
Chill ran down my spine.
"...What are you, a mind reader now?"
"Human observation's my specialty for a reason."
Kalt eyed me slyly.
"I've said it a million times, but you're not exactly normal yourse—"
"You're shitting on me."
The second I clenched my fist.
Kalt yelped and shoved a stack of papers from the corner my way. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Th-the documents you asked for."
"......"
"...All sorted nice."
I let out a short sigh and plucked one from the pile. Every sheet chronicled operations involving one particular hero.
"Galahal's ops, sorted chronologically."
"Findings?"
"Nada so far."
Not yet—but there was something.
Kalt and I both figured as much. Galahal wouldn't bail for no reason.
'Mind snapped? Went traitor? Bullshit.'
Lost his whole squad, shed one tear, marched right back to the front. His sudden retirement stank of something off.
'Worth digging into.'
I tucked the files into my robe.
"I'll go through 'em slow. And..."
I glanced at the calendar.
Kalt followed my gaze.
"Tomorrow, huh."
"Yeah."
The date set for Galahal's Aphria visit.
It was now just one day away.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 3.
Galahal of the Holy Spear was coming to Aphria.
Word got out three days before his arrival. Letters expressing visit wishes flooded in from all corners, of course... but Aphria's gates stayed shut.
Aphria was hallowed ground for learning.
Its strict no-outsiders policy bent for no one—not even the loftiest noble houses.
So, things had gone quiet at Aphria?
Not quite.
Sitting by the cafe window, I glanced at the students bustling down the street. Kids who normally shuffled around like zombies were now practically skipping along.
Bursting with energy.
Tune into their chatter, and Galahal's name popped up over and over.
'Kyle might be the poster boy hero...'
...but Galahal was no slouch.
A hero's visit was bound to excite the students. Heroes were that special.
'If I had to pick the most hyped kid, though...'
I turned my head slightly.
A girl sat beside me, staring holes into her notebook. Up close, it was a scrapbook—odds and ends of knight articles clipped and pasted in.
『Holy Spear Galahal: Who Is He?』
『The Most Hero-Like Hero.』
『He Is Light!』
『If Kyle Toven Symbolizes Victory, Then Galahal Is...』
Cringe-worthy stuff just to look at.
"Drink your coffee. It's gone cold."
I tapped the chilly cup.
Only then did the girl look up at me.
"But Professor Lania...!"
"Hey, Chloe."
"Galahal's coming any minute now...!"
The next hero hopeful, Chloe.
Her eyes sparkled as she grabbed my sleeve.
"A real live hero, visiting Aphria. This doesn't happen every day...! A hero!"
No, you're a hero.
I swallowed the words rising in my throat and mustered an awkward smile.
"Excited?"
"Yes! Super!"
"That thing—all hero articles?"
I pointed at her notebook.
Chloe nodded vigorously.
"Yep! Galahal, Kyle, and... even Lord Destel's."
"It's huge."
"Not just heroes—other folks' too. Hmm, lemme see..."
Chloe flipped through.
"Professor Lania articles... Ah, here's one on Lord Raniel!"
"Ooh..."
She splayed the notebook open in front of me.
I sipped my coffee and skimmed the clipping.
『The Sage: A Name Meant Only for 'Him.'』
『Where Do the Limits of the Great Ashen Mage Lie?』
『Even the Ancient Lich Fears Him.』
『His Genius Terrifies Even Ancient Liches!』
"Whoa..."
I let out an honest murmur of admiration.
Talent, coming up with titles like that. Tacky as hell, but they somehow drew the eye.
'Feels... kinda nice...'
Hated to admit it, but my lips twitched upward.
"Not wrong."
The skull bucket did flip out whenever it saw me—close enough to "fears," right?
"Right? The Ashen Mage is just..."
Watching Chloe's innocent smile stirred an odd guilt in me. I averted my eyes to the window.
That's when it happened.
The students streaming down the street froze.
Their gazes locked in one direction, and soon their feet followed.
"Guess he's here."
It didn't take long for the crowd to surge. I rose slowly from my seat, watching the street erupt into chaos.
"C'mon, Chloe. Let's go."
"Ah, right!"
Chloe shot up in a hurry.
The moment we stepped out of the cafe, she clutched her notebook and bolted—but I snagged her by the collar.
"Not that way."
"Huh? But the crowd's over th—"
I pointed the opposite direction.
The path leading into the woods.
"We're going this way."
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