Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 110
>Chapter Title: My Name is Aster
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The oath with Shine was negotiated down to the finest details.
‘An oath like this…… needs to be handled with care.’
No matter how much Shine’s wariness had softened, a contract like this always required leaving some loophole to slip through.
- This contract…… right. Let’s say it can be voided with mutual consent from both sides.
- Do we really need to go that far?
- You never know what the future holds.
In truth, this was the bare minimum of my conscience.
The library I planned to build—or rather, the tower—was a project so vast that even devoting my entire life to it…… no, even regressing multiple times, wouldn’t guarantee success or failure.
After hashing out a few more details, I reviewed the cards I’d gained once more.
First off……
‘I’ve got my slave No. 1 back.’
Upgraded, no less.
Now, there was no need to feed it separately—it foraged on its own just fine. And that wasn’t all? With a physical body in hand, it would surely reclaim the transcendent realm someday.
Of course, whether a vampire’s husk could restore human transcendence was still up in the air, but compared to its Death Knight days, the odds were damn near infinite.
And then……
‘Heh.’
- The vampire clan of Shine von Leman will spare no effort in aiding the library’s construction.
‘Aid from a vampire clan, huh……’
That meant a horde of slaves.
Of course, there were a few caveats attached.
Like veto rights if it threatened the clan’s survival, or guarantees of basic human rights…… well, whether that phrasing fit or not.
But hey, beggars can’t be choosers.
‘Worst case, I can have them stacking bricks.’
Or cleaning, or running miscellaneous errands.
Anyway, after ironing out the fine print, Shine looked at me and asked.
“By the way, just to ease an old man’s mind…… you’re not planning to build a library like ‘Rapiter,’ are you?”
“Rapiter? Of course not.”
“Hmm…… then we’re good.”
Who could just build a Rapiter on a whim?
That must’ve been Shine’s worry.
If I aimed for something on Rapiter’s scale, Shine would be slaving away until I kicked the bucket.
Of course……
‘The problem is that mine’s even bigger.’
I didn’t mention that, though.
Shine had only asked about a “Rapiter-like library,” and what I had in mind was incomparable to Rapiter.
“What about the scale……?”
“It won’t be wide.”
Just tall.
“……Hmm, truthful again, I see. Then, does it have to be filled with only rare books or something?”
“Not necessarily.”
Filling it with rare books wouldn’t be bad, but basically, I’d stuff it with any books.
Anyway, Shine tossed a few more questions my way, and I deftly sidestepped any lies each time.
Finally.
“……With this, the oath is sealed.”
Zing—
A vividly glowing oath magic circle.
Soon, the circle split into two layers, seeping into me and Shine, bringing the oath to a close.
“It’s done?”
“Yeah, it’s done. But…… you sly bastard. Don’t you think it’s about time you told me?”
“……?”
Shine’s finger tapping my cheek.
No words, but that’s when I realized what he meant.
“You’re curious about who I am.”
“Exactly. Not that hearing it would make much sense, but we’re in this together now—can’t keep playing pretend forever.”
Fair point.
I didn’t need to reveal it to Obern, Riheim sunbae, or the mercenaries at the 4th base camp, but Shine was different.
No, there was one more.
“Hold on a sec.”
“……?”
“Railey.”
I dispelled the soundproofing spell over the lodging and called for Railey.
Having sent all the totems back to the drinking party, Railey had been waiting by the door for quite a while.
Railey could’ve gone back to the party, but he seemed plenty curious about Shine’s return and the story behind it.
Anyway.
“Yes, mage sir? You called?”
“Sit down.”
“Yes, sir.”
Railey sat, sneaking a glance at Shine. Shine glared at him with narrowed eyes.
He’d gleefully beaten the guy earlier without much hesitation, but now that it seemed like this was the real “Lord Death Knight,” he was scared of the backlash.
But that was their mess to sort out—this wasn’t the time.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
“A chance…… sir?”
I nodded.
“You said you’d follow me.”
“I…… did, yes?”
“From now on, I’m dropping the mask. I’ll tell you my name and hidden identity. So choose now.”
“Choose…… what, sir?”
Railey swallowed hard, tense.
He’d asked what, but he already knew damn well.
“Once you know, there’s no going back. If you even think of backing out after……”
“……And if I do?”
Sss—
Killing intent filling the room. As Railey’s face paled, I opened my mouth with gleaming eyes.
“You’ll pay the price.”
“…….”
There was only one price.
“Still want to know?”
“…….”
Railey clamped his mouth shut.
Trembling eyes.
He’d realized this wasn’t just empty talk like the usual lumberjack threats. Sure, those were half-serious too, but this was beyond that.
“Back out now. I’ll even toss you some coin. Once you know my identity, your life won’t be anything like what you imagined…… more like, way off.”
Gulp.
Railey’s swallow echoed loudly.
But that passed quickly.
“Is the promise…… still good, sir?”
“Promise?”
“The highest position you can give me…… your right-hand man, that promise.”
“Of course.”
My too-prompt reply made Railey’s eyes flicker wide.
The guy racked his brains, thinking hard. Soon, his mouth opened.
“Then…… can you promise this too, sir?”
“Shoot.”
“If…… your subordinates try to mess me up, protect me a bit.”
This bastard……
So that’s what he’d been mulling over.
Blinded by wealth, glory, and luxury.
His current worry was just about losing his hard-won spot to jealousy or getting offed—nothing but his own skin.
But that wasn’t hard.
‘……I don’t have subordinates.’
No one to get jealous, then.
“……Sure.”
“Really?”
“Damn it, Xbal.”
“……I’ll trust you, sir.”
Railey nodded at my quick reply.
That settled Railey, more or less. All that was left was dropping the mask……
“You sure you won’t regret it?”
“Life’s high risk, high return, right, sir?”
“……Fine.”
Eyes full of conviction.
This guy…… doesn’t have the fate for big things, no matter what.
I’d opened an escape route, but he sticks his head in to wallow in shit. Probably doomed to roll in it till he dies.
Anyway, my courtesy ends here.
“Phew.”
I placed my hand on Sakwol’s emblem, which I’d never removed in front of anyone throughout the entire Hamern Great Forest.
That’s when Railey’s voice piped up.
“W-Wait, just a……!”
“……?”
“Could you tell me your name first, sir? Y’know, for the fun of guessing…….”
Tense one moment, grinning like an idiot the next.
Normally, I’d smack him, but not now. Too pitiful.
If I grant the dying’s wishes, surely I can grant this soon-to-be-dead guy’s.
“My name is Aster. No family name. Affiliation…… Jenion Academy.”
“Whoa! Jenion Academy! P-P-Pro, professor? You’re a professor, sir?”
“Hmm, a professor at Jenion Academy explains the mask. Without imperial permission, it’d be tricky to move freely.”
One human and one vampire’s faces lit up.
Probably for similar reasons. Railey shocked by the “Jenion Academy” prestige, Shine eyeing the perks of professor status.
But.
Expectations exist to be shattered.
“Nope.”
“……?”
“……?”
I drove the wedge home while removing the mask.
“I’m a student.”
Did the Grand Duchess cast a spell? A chill wind swept the room instantly. Nah, not her magic.
“Wha, wha……?”
“Wha……!”
Shine and Railey. Just that shocked.
I calmly took in their horrified stares at my face, then continued my introduction.
“My name is Aster. Student in Jenion Academy’s Magic Division Basic Class M3, and by birth…… a slum rat from the 7th Black-White Slums.”
No reply.
“Th, tha, shit…….”
“Wha, the, fuck……?”
Just fragmented words flying.
I smiled satisfactorily at the two trembling.
“Y-You said…… your clan’s power without sparing?”
“That’s when you have a clan.”
“Ah, ah……!”
Shine clutched his neck.
“Th-The…… uh…… highest spot? Highest spot? Highest spot?”
Railey short-circuited.
Not my problem, though.
‘Looks like everything’s wrapped up……’
No reason to stick around Hamern Great Forest anymore.
Sure, I’d prefer waiting till my body fully recovered, but the Grand Duchess felt sticky somehow.
‘Time to really…… head back.’
Great haul at the end.
Provisional Master Knight and Vampire Lord, slave No. 1 in hand. Plus a worker whose use I didn’t know yet, but vibes weren’t bad.
And that wasn’t all?
- Thanks. Use this…… wherever it’ll help you.
Riheim sunbae, now resting.
Upon reaching the 4th base camp, he handed over a book on that “external core” magic circle from before.
Research hadn’t reached artifact refinement yet, but shelving it in the library alone made it valuable.
‘……Selling it as-is would still make a fortune.’
One snag: the Fire Mark.
All I’d gotten was the keyword “Defying Heaven.”
‘Gotta hit up Rapiter to figure that out.’
Anyway, with everything tied up.
“Alright, let’s head out tomorrow.”
“Where…… exactly?”
“Where…… to, sir?”
Same question, different tails.
To the two asking the obvious, I kindly stated the obvious.
“Where else?”
What’s a student got but one place?
“Back to school.”
Oh, and the “highest position” promise to Railey? Not a lie.
A word to the principal sunbae could snag him an academy guard spot.
……So, the next day.
While the 4th base camp mercenaries slept off their hangovers, we slipped out, turning our backs to the dimly rising sun.
Unlike the way in, our steps were heavy.
We’d gained so much.