Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 126
>Chapter Title: The World Has Gone Mad
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‘Damn it, why did I forget about this guy?’
The first time I crossed paths with the Crow was after my retirement.
In other words, after I’d thoroughly looted the Decullan annex and set off toward freedom.
Back then, I’d thought:
‘Those damn persistent bastards. What’s with all the foaming at the mouth just because a hardworking employee took his severance pay...’
Well, looking back now, it was all because of the Reverse Heaven, but anyway.
The Decullans’ pursuit back then had been razor-sharp.
Unexpected, even for me.
Think about it.
No matter how firmly the Decullans had established their prestige as the foremost magical family in the East, their intelligence network had its gaps.
And I was one of the people who knew those gaps better than anyone.
But lo and behold.
‘They were like leeches.’
No matter what I did, they wouldn’t shake off.
I thought I was going mad.
It was the first chase like that since the Lortels.
Well, I could understand those guys—they had the help of Infinite Chain.
But the Decullans?
They pinpointed every gap in the intelligence network as I slipped through, somehow following like ghosts...
By now, anyone who’s paying attention knows who I’m talking about.
‘......Crow.’
That’s right.
Behind that leech-like tracking was that damn birdbrain.
The Crow’s tracking skills were in a league of their own.
No wonder those in the know called the Crow the ‘Eye of the Sky’!
And now, that guy was supporting Holland?
“This is... like pairing the world’s strongest bow that pierces anything with the finest archer.”
Holland was alone, yet never truly alone.
With the Crow as his eyes and ears, Holland could survey the entire area without even moving.
‘I’d originally planned to make contact with the Third Sword when the Lortels moved...’
But if this was a Decullan trap, there was no way the Crow wouldn’t notice that contact.
So, what happens after the Crow detects it?
‘What else? It’d turn into a three-way standoff: Holland, the Third Sword, and me.’
Of course, it wouldn’t be a pleasant meeting.
So, what to do?
As I said, move a little faster.
More boldly and swiftly than the Decullans could anticipate, leaving no room for reaction.
‘In that case, first thing to handle is Shine.’
Our team hadn’t even finished introductions yet.
While I was at it, I headed to the headmaster senior’s hideout to pick up Shine.
‘Early bird gets the worm, they say.’
From the worm’s perspective, the lazier the better, but I’m fine.
I wasn’t a worm, after all.
Not a bird either, truth be told.
* * *
And so, I arrived at the headmaster senior’s hideout.
Bang!
“Strong and mighty morning!”
It was evening.
“Gah!”
“Pfft, hehe!”
Bursting into the hideout, Shine—who’d been lying down—jolted awake and leaped up in surprise.
The headmaster senior, leisurely enjoying tea across from him, was startled too, as a bonus.
“Junior, have you lost your mind?”
“The world has gone mad.”
“We live in the same world—if it looks mad only to you, maybe reflect on yourself.”
“I did reflect.”
“And?”
“I just reflected.”
Whether I’m mad or the world is—what does it matter?
What matters is knowing the path forward amid the chaos and pressing on.
Just like me right now.
“Parasite, time to work. Get up.”
“......In the middle of the night?”
“It’s morning for you.”
Shine, who’d apparently been sleeping until moments ago, blinked his drowsy eyes.
Part of me wanted to smack the back of his head like I did with the Death Knight, but I held back.
Because now, he might hit me back.
Anyway, as I dragged Shine out, the headmaster senior eyed me with narrowed gaze.
“What mischief are you up to now?”
Anyone hearing that would think I’m always causing trouble.
It felt unfair to me.
“The tree wants stillness, but the wind won’t stop.”
“......Isn’t that not the right saying for this? I think there was more to it.”
Of course, it wasn’t the right saying.
“It ends with, ‘The child wants to be filial, but the parents won’t wait,’ teaching that while the child yearns to show filial piety, the parents’ time slips away swiftly... a profoundly moral lesson...”
“I’m originally a Black-White Slums orphan.”
“......No parents?”
Correct.
I slipped out of the hideout, dodging the headmaster senior who was rare in fulfilling his educator’s duty.
“What’s got you in such a rush?”
“It’s a time-sensitive situation.”
“Time-sensitive? It’s not even midnight yet.”
“Don’t play word games, or I’ll rip your mouth open.”
......That’s what I’d say. If Parun were here.
First, I scanned Shine up and down, whom I’d practically kidnapped.
“Tch, you’ll need to hide your identity...”
I still hadn’t revealed my true identity to Parun.
Of course, if Parun wanted to know, there were plenty of ways.
He could easily find out through Henji, or trace it via our past contacts.
Since I hadn’t deliberately hidden from Parun, tracking ‘Aster’ from the masked figure wouldn’t be too hard, just a bit tricky.
But.
‘We’ve tacitly agreed not to pry into each other’s identities.’
Because it benefited us both if the worst happened.
We could dig if we wanted, but we tactfully respected each other’s secrets.
However...
“......A mask won’t cut it.”
If Shine weren’t tied to the academy, fine—but he’d been granted the position of training instructor by the headmaster senior.
So, hiding his identity would’ve been convenient for him too...
But a mask wouldn’t suffice; his features were too distinctive.
Pale skin, red pupils. Even his hair color screamed otherworldly.
As I pondered, Shine unexpectedly offered a solution.
“Ah, for that, I’ve got something in mind.”
Shocking.
Shine capable of thought.
Even more shocking was what happened next.
“Behold.”
Zzzzt—
Black aura rising around Shine. Dark as the edge of night.
The black haze enveloped his body, taking form—and I couldn’t help but let out an involuntary ‘Huh.’
“How’s that? I’ve practiced quite a bit.”
“......Armor?”
“Heh, one of the vampire powers. Nothing spectacular, though. Compared to master craftsmen’s work, it’s just for show.”
I gritted my teeth at Shine bragging while pretending otherwise.
‘Not jealous. Not jealous. Not jeal—not...’
......Damn, this is jealous-worthy.
The color alone was striking.
The black armor covering him from head to toe evoked my Death Knight days, yet its not-quite-black shade held a mysterious allure.
With something like this, being a vampire... might not be so bad?
Of course not.
How could Aster serve under Shine!
“Jealous? Heh, you look en—Guh!”
Clang—!
I smacked the back of Shine’s smug head and hurried on.
The familiar handfeel was satisfying. Helmets really hit just right on parasites.
“Enough chit-chat. Let’s move.”
“You little shit, you really wanna die...”
“No one in the world wants to die.”
Parasite-handling rule one: When they look ready to lunge, avoid eye contact.
Unless they’re furious beyond reason, they’ll miss the timing and tire themselves out.
‘That aside...’
Shine’s armor wasn’t bad at all.
The Lortels were a swordmaster house that revered martial prowess and knightly honor above all.
Especially the Third Sword and the Young Patriarch.
My original plan was this:
1. Duel the Third Sword using Shine.
2. Forge a knightly bond through the duel.
3. Connect with the Young Patriarch.
Sure, there were conditions and premises, but the core was that.
But if the duel’s challenger is a masked weirdo?
‘......Yeah, they’d love that.’
So, I’d been mulling solutions, and here he presents one first.
‘Hiding identity is the same, but a mask looks shady, while armor makes you seem like a knight with a story.’
Masks scream suspicious 100% of the time, but armored figures are usually knights. Plenty don’t show their faces.
One issue, though.
“What to do with these...”
“What’re you on about?”
“Shut it, it’s your mouth I’m worried about.”
I kept walking, deep in thought.
Great that I’d roped Shine into Infinite Chain enthusiastically.
But facing him with Parun? There were hitches.
‘Parun and Shine.’
By my personal metric, these two were uniquely insufferable in their fields.
Parun: Outright condescending ice-cold prick.
Shine: Arrogant hothead who looks down on everyone.
‘......At least they’re good people.’
Setting goodness aside, their personalities were ice bath and hot tub. Terrible match.
Who in the world matches with these two? Only someone like me can handle them.
Anyway, I hadn’t introduced Shine to Parun directly due to these worries. I’d been seeking a smoother setup for their meeting.
But.
‘No time now.’
Not that I’m dying to see the mess they’ll make.
Could these two unite for the greater cause of ‘Infinite Chain’?
We’d arrived at Parun’s mansion.
Having set my observation points, I opened the study door.
Parun, seated inside, greeted us.
“......You’re here? Who’s that?”
“The ally I mentioned yesterday.”
Exhausted lately? Parun eyed Shine with hollow gaze.
And their first meeting went smoother than I’d expected.
“Pleased to meet you. Parun here. It couldn’t have been an easy decision—thank you for your help.”
“......?”
Parun greeted Shine with a politeness I’d never seen toward me.
Shine matched it.
“No need for thanks. I’m the one satisfied to meet the famed Sir Parun.”
“......?”
......Are they crazy?
‘What? Famed? Since when did he hear of Parun’s fame?’
Not the casual speech he used with me.
It reeked of nobility—‘Ah, a noble’—natural deference oozing out.
Yet respectful enough to satisfy the listener.
Of course, Parun probably wasn’t satisfied, but Shine showing decorum mattered.
Am I crazy, or is the world?
I could answer the headmaster senior now.
Confidently: Neither I nor the world.
It was these two.
“If it’s not rude, may I check your skills?”
“Rude? Of course. But this space is cramped... Shall we move?”
Am I invisible?
Parun and Shine exchanged courtesies and headed to the attached training grounds.
‘Good thing, but...’
Why do I feel abandoned by the world?
Anyway...
Parun, Shine: First meeting, success.