Chapter 173: To My Dear Benefactor (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 173: To My Dear Benefactor (1)
The faint, damp scent of earth hung in the air.
Gloomy rain clouds cast a thick shroud over the academy. Thunder rumbled in the distance as raindrops began to pelt the pavement.
Just as the downpour intensified, I ducked under the hospital’s entrance porch. I tilted my head back, wiped my damp glasses, and turned toward the doors.
“Oh? Senior Isaac!”
Someone leaving the academy hospital recognized me and called out. It was a first-year male student with grayish-blue hair and a sly, mischievous glint in his eyes: Abel Carnedas.
He bounded over to me, a broad, energetic smile plastered on his face.
“Whoa! I can’t believe I’m running into a celebrity here! You remember me, right?!”
“From the joint practical evaluation, correct?”
“Ha! Truly, such a memory is exactly what I’d expect from a top student of the Magic Department! It’s an honor that you’d even remember someone like me!”
What’s with the excessive flattery? It’s a bit much.
“I heard you defeated the Priestess! The rumors have already reached the Knight Department! Everyone was shocked. Isaac from the Magic Department overpowered the Priestess and the power of the Nine-tailed Fox through pure combat sense alone! Wow. Just how extraordinary is the man I faced back then?!”
“Uh, right. Thanks…”
I let out an awkward laugh. His energy was overwhelming, but I already knew Abel’s personality, so it didn’t bother me too much.
Suddenly, Abel seemed to remember something. His eyes sparkled, and he gave a respectful bow.
“Oh, I almost forgot! Greetings, respected Senior Isaac! I’m Abel Carnedas, a first-year in the Knight Department. My sister is actually your classmate.”
“Ciel Carnedas?”
“Yes, that’s right! You do know her!”
Abel lifted his head, a sly grin returning to his face. His cheerful voice and bright demeanor were a stark contrast to Ciel Carnedas. She was the girl who carried a pillow everywhere, living as if simply breathing was enough effort for one lifetime.
“Where are you headed?” I asked.
“My mentee is hospitalized, so I came to visit.”
“Ah, you mean Princess Snow White. I just came to see a friend myself. Haha.”
In the original timeline of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, a visit to the hospital after the duel evaluations would lead you to Roanna. She was a student from the Knight Department who had been hospitalized due to her match. Currently, she was Abel’s friend, but she would eventually become his lover.
Knowing that, I wasn’t curious about why he was here. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have cared even if I didn’t know the plot.
Abel scratched his head as if realizing he was rambling and gave an awkward laugh.
“Oops, it seems I’ve held you up too long… Sorry about that. Anyway, it was a real pleasure seeing you, Senior Isaac!”
“It’s fine. It was good to see you too.”
“I’m glad to hear that! Haha. May I greet you again next time?”
“Anytime.”
When I answered with a smile, Abel let out an excited “Oooh!” and looked like he was about to jump for joy.
This guy…
I finally understood why people like Tristan always had a crowd following them. Abel was dramatic, but the flattery definitely felt good. I couldn't help but puff my chest out just a little.
“Thank you! Please, get inside safely!”
“Yeah, take care on your way back.”
Abel started to walk past me, still wearing that bright smile. On an impulse, I decided to say one last thing.
“Abel.”
“Yes!”
Before he stepped out from the shelter of the porch and into the rain, I looked him in the eye.
“Take care of yourself.”
“…?”
Abel stared at me blankly for a moment, looking confused by the sentiment.
“Huh…? Ah, yes! Understood!”
He seemed to take it as a simple, polite "take care."
“Until next time!”
Abel conjured a [Flame Curtain] around himself, creating a dry pocket of air as he marched out into the rain.
“…”
I watched him go, a small smile playing on my lips. It was obvious what that sly guy was really thinking. Abel secretly wanted to fight me. He was itching for a chance to win against me somehow; his competitive spirit was impossible to miss.
The time we competed during the joint practical evaluation had clearly left a mark on him, serving as the fuel for his growth.
“He’ll probably be clinging to me for a while.”
Of course, I had no intention of truly opening up to someone who hid their intentions like that. The reason I had lied to Kaya about being "strong against demons since my first year" was because I didn't want to hand my weaknesses over to others—to place them in hands I couldn't control. I had to be cautious.
If I was that guarded even with people I cared about, imagine how I’d be with someone like Abel. If he tried to get too close, I’d simply draw a line and respond with a polite, social smile.
With those thoughts in mind, I entered the academy hospital.
When I stepped into White’s private room, Merlin was the first to greet me. We exchanged polite bows.
“White!”
“Senior Isaac!”
As I waved, White welcomed me with open arms.
So cute.
I took a seat beside her bed. While teaching White her lessons, I kept my fingers busy by manifesting [Frostfire], performing light repetitive training exercises.
On the bedside table sat a plate of fruit that Merlin had clumsily sliced. White didn't touch a single piece, her focus entirely consumed by her studies. Seeing this, I picked up a piece with a fork and held it out. Without taking her eyes off the book, White simply leaned forward and eagerly bit into the fruit.
Fortunately, White’s spirit hadn't been broken by her duel with Priestess Miya. She recognized her shortcomings and was prepared to move past the defeat. The fact that I had utterly crushed Miya probably helped her recover faster.
If anything, Miya was the one who was mentally shaken.
She likely considered herself the greatest genius in the world, yet she had been unilaterally defeated by someone like me despite our massive difference in mana. Losing to monsters like Luce, Dorothy, or Alice wouldn't have hurt nearly as much.
Furthermore, while she hadn't actually summoned the Nine-tailed Fox against me, the mere fact that she had considered activating the summoning circle must have dealt a severe blow to her pride.
But it’s too quiet.
For some reason, Miya was silent. Eerily so.
The situation had diverged from ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱. In the game, Ian Fairytale had beaten Miya, but he ended up covered in severe burns and required days of intensive healing magic. Perhaps because he was so badly injured, Miya felt her point had been made and refrained from further harassment.
But I had defeated her cleanly, without taking a single scratch. Given her personality, she should have been seeking revenge by now. This excessive silence was puzzling.
Of course, even if it was strange, using [Clairvoyance] to spy on her wasn't a good idea. Much like Cheshire, Mae had a keen sense for detecting when she was being watched. The reason Miya could navigate assassination plots with ease and reign like a tyrant in Horan was largely due to the Nine-tailed Fox’s heightened senses.
I’ll refrain from using [Clairvoyance] on her unless it’s absolutely necessary.
The next scenario of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ was 「Act 8: The Priestess of the Red Lotus」.
A demon was currently hiding within Miya’s shadow. [Demon Detection] didn't work on it because it had already integrated itself into her shadow in the form of mana. It would only trigger once the demon revealed its true form.
But by then, it’ll be too late.
The shadow demon possessed a unique skill called ‘Total Plunder.’ In the game, it waited until Miya absorbed the full power of the Nine-tailed Fox, reaching the absolute pinnacle of her strength. At that moment, the shadow demon would infest her and steal that power. Because it also possessed dark mana, it became an entity far superior to Miya herself.
In the end, the ‘Shadow Priestess’ wielding the power of the Nine-tailed Fox became the final boss of Act 8.
“Right, how’s the watch? You’re still carrying it, aren't you?”
“Ah, this? Yes, it’s fine. I’ve been keeping it in a magic pouch.”
White rummaged through her pouch and pulled out the platinum pocket watch. When she clicked the lid open, the frozen hands of the watch were immediately visible.
“I’ve been using storage magic on it ever since I dropped it. I’m surprised you remembered…”
White started to speak with a smile, but her expression hardened as she looked down at the watch face.
“…Huh?”
The face of the pocket watch was originally designed to look like the cosmos, a vivid, beautiful depiction of the universe. However, the Milky Way and the starlight were fading. A creeping, ink-black darkness was encroaching on a portion of the face.
“Why is it doing this…?”
“What’s wrong, White?”
“The watch… it wasn't like this until recently. Could it be because I put it in the magic pouch?”
White stuttered, clearly flustered.
As I thought.
I had anticipated this. White’s pocket watch was originally supposed to stop suddenly during the second semester of the second year. The reason for its premature failure in the game had remained a mystery.
However, seeing the darkness swallowing the watch face made one thing clear.
The final boss of the first semester of the third year, ‘Mephisto the Contractor’—the agent of the Evil God—was already on the move.
The darkness invading the watch signified the gradual unleashing of a demon even stronger than the one on the Floating Island. It was the process of loosening the reins that bound it. That demon was a mystery that surpassed the 9-star level of world destruction; it was an entity that transcended even Providence. It was ‘The Abyss.’
Reflecting on my knowledge of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, if things continued at this rate, there was a high chance The Abyss would appear as early as the second semester of the second year.
Then, I must…
What should I do?
“Senior Isaac? What are you thinking about?”
I had been lost in thought for a moment. White and Merlin were both staring at me with curious eyes. I shook my head to dismiss their concern.
“I was just wondering about the watch. I know a master craftsman in the market who’s great at repairs. Let’s go see him later.”
“Ah, that’s… thank you for the offer, but it’s okay. I don’t really want to get it repaired.”
“Why not?”
White gazed at the pocket watch with a distant, melancholy look.
“It was a gift from my mother. If it’s not completely broken, I’d rather no one else touch it.”
“I see.”
White had survived numerous assassination attempts orchestrated by her own mother. The only motive for those attempts was her mother’s petty jealousy over her daughter’s beauty. White was well aware of that ridiculous, cruel fact.
But this platinum pocket watch held a special meaning for her. It was the only gift she had ever received from her mother. it was the only clue that allowed her to believe, even if just a little, that there might be a speck of love hidden somewhere in her mother’s heart.
She likely never imagined that the watch would bring a fate worse than death.
The bad ending: 「Eternity」. It was the worst possible outcome the pocket watch could trigger if things went wrong. White’s mother didn't love her at all; she only wished for her daughter’s misery.
Only I and Mephisto knew the truth.
“Well… I never expected it to stay perfect forever. Everything loses its shine with time, after all. It’s okay.”
White let out an awkward laugh and tucked the watch back into her magic pouch.
“…”
Merlin and I both looked at White with half-lidded, skeptical eyes. White blinked, looking back at us in confusion.
“Why are you both looking at me like that…?”
“No, just… that was a surprisingly mature and atmospheric thing to say, Princess White.”
It really didn't fit her usual crybaby image.
“Ah, ehehe. Maybe I’ve grown a bit since coming to the academy.”
White smiled contentedly. Since Merlin had responded for me, I stayed quiet. It felt a bit awkward to chime in.
“White, here.”
“Ah. Mmm.”
I deliberately offered her another piece of fruit with a subtle smile. Without hesitation, White leaned in and took the fruit from the fork.