Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: 11. Not a Legend, But a Legend (12)
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I'm screwed. Screwed. Totally screwed!
"Ugh, why is the master's disciple here? Class reunion?"
"No way that's it."
In the video, two people wearing Marsis uniforms were fighting.
One was a former disciple of the Nermia House.
And the other was the survival king whom even I acknowledged as his contemporary!
Sword auras flew around, Surt died, all sorts of magic flew about, Surt died, amid flashy clashes Surt died again, and in the end, victory went to No. 17—but that's not the point.
"Ominous."
Honestly, among my former disciples, the one I worried about the least was No. 1000.
She had tough vitality that let her survive anywhere, but more than that, her background was the perfect orphan.
On top of that, she possessed such tremendous potential that even I couldn't see its limits—I half-thought that if I made her fast a few times staking her life on it, she might really become a Swordmaster.
There's no way the princess would leave No. 1000 alone.
The other two had family backgrounds that even the princess found troublesome, but a perfect orphan like No. 1000? No way the princess, whose hobby is collecting talent, would let her slip away.
Especially when she's the ultimate talent who gives full loyalty just for meals!
Plus, No. 1000's unpredictable personality made her the perfect type for the princess.
That's why I hadn't worried about her, but suddenly she shows up smack in the middle of the Imperial Tournament.
Did the princess not offer her a job, so she enrolled in Marsis?
Absolutely not.
For one, I hadn't seen much magical aptitude in her, and Marsis required a ton of magic-related tools even in class, making it the most expensive academy among the others until last year.
No way No. 1000 had the means to pay those fees, and even if she did, she'd just use the money to tour the empire's gourmet spots.
So, did the princess shove her into Marsis to teach her magic?
No, absolutely not.
The princess saw academies as playgrounds for kids.
Thanks to her monstrous talent beyond genius, she could slack off and still outperform others, so she had no interest in education.
Though she did love screwing others over in the educational system.
Anyway, no way would that princess send No. 1000 to Marsis just because she spotted magical talent.
She'd have seen her assassin potential and just tossed her into her own magic engineer unit to grind away.
Therefore, No. 1000 wearing a Marsis uniform at the Imperial Tournament points to only one reason.
"The princess is nearby."
Goosebumps spread across my skin instantly.
From a normal perspective, the princess being at the Imperial Tournament makes sense.
It's the anniversary of the empire's founding—of course the First Imperial Princess would be there!
"But the princess who went to the edge of the continent to catch the master means she knows the master is here and came chasing, right?"
"And if I get caught, I'll be in serious danger!"
"So, master... time to run again?"
"...Guess so?"
Of course, just maybe No. 1000 enrolled in Marsis on her own.
If an enemy found someone who cooks better than the imperial kitchen head, they might betray, so maybe the princess didn't take her.
Or out of old ties, Nermia House accepted No. 1000.
Or maybe she enrolled in Marsis alongside No. 17 for protection!
"But I think it's more likely the princess's scheme to clap the master in irons?"
"Yeah, my life wouldn't go that smoothly!"
But that's the best-case scenario, literally.
How many times has the best-case actually happened in my life?
A few I could count on one hand, but the worst-case? That's been routine.
So, for now, I run.
I haven't recouped my investments yet, so retreating now would be a massive loss...
But compared to total ruin, it's smarter to plan for the future—that's the way of a proper investor.
"You're saying that, but your body's honest, master! You're shaking!"
"Ugh... such a waste... what a waste!"
I just barely paid off the Black Anvil debts and remodeled the academy while racking up more!
The academy's in dire straits, haven't embezzled yet!
And now I have to abandon the golden goose!
"Ugh, master. I wanted to enjoy academy thug life with you too, but we gotta run now!"
"Ugh... damn it!"
For now, I throw on a plain brown robe for the first time in ages and slap on the emergency wig.
-Where to?
I transform the eye-catching iron bat into bracelets and wear them on both arms.
"First, wander around the gates... scout the surroundings."
No need to make a fool of myself running solo out of paranoia—I gotta gather the team.
So I head outside to check the area...
"What's up with that?"
"Apparently, they've temporarily sealed all the imperial castle gates? People who came for the Imperial Tournament are protesting outside since the gates are shut."
"But it's an imperial order, so nothing we can do."
-No need to check?
-Right?
Damn that spiteful princess.
She's sealed the entrances right from the start.
No way that's coincidence.
-But even so, I've already prepared an escape route!
-As expected of a seasoned fugitive!
I start moving slowly, casually, without drawing suspicion.
The first rule of escape:
Don't act like a fugitive—pretend to be a normal citizen.
Looking around frantically or panicking just makes you look suspicious.
Those types get reported by the empire's dutiful citizens, lured by hefty bounties, and hauled off in irons.
So, walk normally.
Don't suspiciously hide your face with the robe—just use a few fake mustaches and a grumpy expression to change your vibe.
The scowl, paired with the rough mustache, screams 'Bad temper—stay away!'
No one asks directions from a guy like that!
Soon enough, I reach a spot where Yuglasia Academy is visible.
-If we go through the main gate, someone'll pop out?
-Like ten Swordmasters?
-Unless they gather every Swordmaster in the empire, probably not...
-No, with you as master, it's possible. Have a bit more faith in your bad luck!
I don't wanna believe it, but somehow it feels plausible.
"Thus, secret passage!"
-The hole the students desperately wanted to find!
I slink toward the spot on the academy's outer walls that I secretly marked.
Of course, I didn't stupidly drill a hole in the wall.
Escape-obsessed students might've checked the walls just in case.
"The secret's in the floor."
So no holes in the walls.
The hole's in the floor.
I transform the iron bat on one arm into a thin sword form, slip it into the secret passage crack, and lift.
With a creak, the secret passage through the outer wall appears!
"Secret passages like this are a man's romance."
-More like the students' romance here?
Yeah. If I told them, they'd rush here the second class ends to escape.
But this is my personal escape route—no sharing!
"Pfft... hasn't been long, and already dust..."
I cover my mouth with my sleeve and descend to the floor.
I close the door, but some traces are inevitable.
Someone curious might open it, so gotta move fast.
"No one's outside."
It's a secret passage between outer walls, just under 5 meters to the street.
I successfully infiltrate Yuglasia side, lift the passage slightly to check no one's around, climb out quick, and erase traces with my foot.
Now the Yuglasia escape exit is traceless!
Just enter the academy, and this time I really give up everything for farm life!
Creak.
"Excuse me a moment."
The moment I push open the academy door with my hand, a familiar voice from behind.
I can't turn around. Can't ignore and proceed.
Because the other party is the Sword Saint and the empire's strongest female swordsman.
No—always mentioned among the empire's top swordsmen.
"I'm Lea, knight serving Her Highness the First Imperial Princess. I'd like to ask directions—are you affiliated with Yuglasia?"
She was once my coworker, the Princess of the Sword.
#16 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of Certain Villains.
"Damn empire!"
A man spat rough curses into the darkness.
Just once. Just once.
After realizing half the Anti-Empire Army was active at the Imperial Tournament due to some absurd blunder, the empire's response was lightning-fast.
"Damn, they already sealed the gates."
The Imperial Tournament, the empire's grandest event, was in full swing.
Even nearing the end, there were still tons of merchants and nobles entering the empire.
To not reveal their presence—or rather, unable to—they shut every gate?
In another kingdom, merchants and nobles might revolt, but not in the Karan Empire.
At the mere word "imperial order," everyone shut up and waited at the gates.
"Damn..."
The students' matches, especially the unexpected variable of the tidal wave in the labyrinth, had pushed them this far, but the Anti-Empire Army's power was still formidable.
But that power required unity to wield.
Scattered and picked off like this, even great power was useless.
"Any orders yet?"
They'd scoured for three hours already, but no Anti-Empire Army code signs.
"Damn, screw this. If it goes on... what's this?"
Sighing, the man's eyes caught a familiar scribble.
Anti-Empire Army code.
A graffiti that could be anywhere in a dark alley, but any member could decipher it.
"In the place where all is awry, reset all."
The man pondered the code.
The place where all is awry.
That had to be the Imperial Tournament where the students were.
So, reset everything there?
What event were the students in right now?
"Siege warfare..."
Not bad. If they took the students hostage, even if the walls were low and weak, they could stage a hostage crisis inside the imperial walls.
They couldn't escape anyway, with gates sealed.
No—before that, the Anti-Empire Army had resolved to end everything at this Imperial Tournament.
That's why they'd gathered.
Infiltrate secretly, take students hostage, make the emperor who treated them like bugs acknowledge their existence!
It was supposed to be that way, for sure!
"Search Nerkiaaaa!"
"Block them, block!"
The expensive magic shield prepared against potential imperial magic bombardments tore like paper on a mere twig.
"Ugh... Anti-Empire Army my ass! Damn it, give me my life back!"
"Argh! Y-you bastard!"
Suddenly, some Anti-Empire Army members howled and attacked their own allies.
"Why... why is this happening?"
A scene unbelievable even to witness.
A situation incomprehensible even thinking about it.
Dazed by the sight, with sword beams from a Swordmaster who shouldn't be in the Anti-Empire Army flying around and a massive flaming sword dancing, the man could only laugh hollowly.
"What the hell is going on?"
And the moment the man looked up.
-Elemental Roar.
From above his head, mythic-era bombardment rained down.