Chapter 248
Chapter 248
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 248
>Chapter Title: ……Really, So Ruthless
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After the chess match with Timur concluded, Aster stepped out of the Svetlana hideout.
‘At least I’ve put out the most urgent fire for now.’
School reopening was right around the corner.
Evelyn was pulling all-nighters to keep things balanced at the moment, but they couldn’t stay holed up in the Second Black-White Slums forever.
Which meant they needed another solution.
Aster headed for the orphanage’s temporary lodging.
“……Star, you still here?”
Crack!
Aster kicked down the “No Knights Allowed” sign and strolled down the corridor of the temporary lodging he hadn’t visited in ages.
Temporary or not, it had everything.
Spacious hallways, a massive assembly hall, and rooms for the kids to stay in.
Still, it felt less like an orphanage and more like barracks for soldiers—probably because Senior Mysern had drawn on her old war experience to build it.
Anyway, that’s how he ended up at Riheim’s place.
“……Well, if it isn’t a welcome face.”
Riheim, who had been reading alone, lit up at Aster’s visit.
“How have you been?”
“Busy with this and that, but I’ve been well enough. Running an orphanage…… it suits me more than I thought.”
“That’s a relief.”
“But what brings you here? You haven’t shown your face once all this time.”
Aster stood there awkwardly, scanning Riheim’s room, and let out a awkward cough at the pointed remark.
“Well, I’ve been really busy lately…….”
“Sure, you looked busy. Showed up every morning for Mysern’s classes without fail, but never once visited me. Of course you were busy.”
“Have I…… really not come by even once?”
“Our last exchange was probably that letter, right?”
“…….”
Aster scratched his head sheepishly at Riheim’s teasing grin.
‘Did I really?’
Come to think of it, after bringing the kids here, he hadn’t visited Riheim once.
He’d only heard about Mysern and Riheim meeting through Shine.
It was a situation where he had nothing to say, but Riheim spoke up soon enough.
“So, they call you Knight around here? What brings the busy Knight to visit this old man?”
“Well…… um, first off, I’m sorry.”
“Ha ha, no need. I was joking. But do drop by to see Obern. He misses you a lot.”
“Ah, yes.”
In the end, Aster had to promise to meet Obern before he could get to the point.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about what’s been going on outside…….”
“Yeah, I have. You did something impressive. Handing out food to the slums’ poor and strays in the Black-White Slums. That was you, right?”
“Yes, it was.”
Riheim rarely left the temporary lodging, but he wasn’t deaf to the world—he knew the outside situation in detail.
That made things easier.
“Truth is, the situation isn’t great.”
“The situation? Tell me more.”
Aster calmly laid out their current finances.
He hadn’t fully audited the cartel’s books yet, but he had a rough grasp, and according to Evelyn’s estimates:
“……That’s the situation. In short, at best, we’ve got three months.”
“Hmm, three months.”
Honestly, it was more than enough if they focused solely on keeping the orphanage running.
But now their territory had expanded to the entire Second Black-White Slums.
Not everyone there was poor or a stray, but the cartel’s resources couldn’t hold out much longer.
“Not good. Prices won’t stabilize until the war ends—and even then, it’ll take at least half a year.”
“Yeah, that’s why I came.”
“Lend you some money?”
“……Do you have any?”
Aster tilted his head.
Part of him was intrigued.
‘Wait. Come to think of it, he was a grand duke, right? Imperial blood. Even hiding his identity, he must have some stashed wealth…….’
“……None.”
“Ah, okay.”
As expected.
No expectations meant no disappointment.
Riheim let out a hollow “ha ha” at the reaction and sheepishly stroked his beard.
“But if you’re not here to borrow money, what is it? I can’t lend you imperial connections, mind you. A few know I’m alive in secret, but…….”
“Yeah, you’ve been out of the game too long to wield influence. And revealing yourself would stir up too many sensitivities.”
“You get it. It’s not impossible, but it’d bring imperial influence into the Second Black-White Slums. You don’t want that, right?”
“Yes.”
“So, you’ve got something in mind. Out with it.”
Riheim smiled warmly.
That’s when Aster spoke.
“I heard there was a method you used back in the old war when food supplies ran low.”
“……Plunder? Can’t help you there.”
“What do you take me for?”
“Not that?”
“No.”
“……Sorry. Go on.”
Aster shot Riheim a cold look before continuing, recalling the feats of ‘Muspellun’ from the old war days.
“In the barren winter, you made the grains ripen.”
These days, Muspellun was called the ‘Wizard of Endings,’ but back then, another moniker was ‘Miracle Wizard.’
Ripening crops in dead of winter, summoning winter in summer—that’s how he got the name, and it was such a famous tale even Aster, who didn’t care much for history, knew it.
“Is it true?”
“……A bit exaggerated, but yes.”
“Then, Senior, lend me your power.”
Aster bowed politely.
He knew full well.
Reenacting that miracle might make those who doubted Muspellun’s death remember him.
It could shatter Muspellun…… no, Riheim’s peace.
“Hmm.”
Riheim pressed his lips together, taking in Aster’s form.
Aster kept his head bowed, waiting for the answer.
Riheim couldn’t help but ask at that solemn sight.
“……Lift your head. Why?”
“Does it need a reason?”
“Just curiosity.”
Aster thought for a moment.
Then answered.
But his reply was far from what Riheim expected.
“Glory, wealth, and indulgent pleasures.”
“……What?”
“That’s the only reason and purpose of my life.”
“…….”
Riheim fell silent.
And thought.
‘……I forgot.’
Trying to reason with a madman who doesn’t listen to reason.
But.
“……I don’t see how this ties to your glory, wealth, and pleasures, but I can help.”
In the end, Riheim accepted Aster’s request.
“……Thank you.”
Aster bowed again.
Watching him, Riheim suddenly thought.
“You’re not planning to sell me out, are you?”
“…….”
“……No? Sorry, that was just a passing thought.”
A chilly silence settled between them.
Aster looked at Riheim with hurt eyes.
‘Is that the image I give?’
He hadn’t lived shamelessly toward the heavens, but he wasn’t trash enough to stoop that low.
Though, putting that aside……
……Not a bad idea?
Of course, he was joking.
* * *
Riheim sat Aster down and began explaining calmly.
“First off, that anecdote you mentioned has some exaggeration. Even at my peak, I couldn’t pull off that miracle alone.”
The story went that ‘Muspellun alone’ did it, but that wasn’t true.
It took three key roles.
“A barrier mage to manipulate the environment, a spirit user to assist, and a plant mage. Luckily, we have the barrier mage and spirit user ready.”
“Yes, Senior Mysern’s here. But the barrier…….”
“It’ll need some prep work, but nothing too taxing. Obern can assist. The issue is the plant mage…….”
Mysern pondered deeply.
Truth be told, the plant mage was the most crucial in this plan.
Any mage could handle a small garden, but they needed large-scale magic to solve a city’s food shortage.
“I’ll reach out to an old friend on the wanted list. I know where they’re holed up.”
Old friend meant a plant mage from Sakwol.
But Aster shook his head.
“The incantation is rapid growth magic, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you know it too.”
“It’s basic magic.”
“Then teach it to me. I’ll do it.”
“……You?”
“Yes.”
With his third circle complete, Aster was free from mana attributes.
If the incantation wasn’t too complex, it was far simpler for him to handle than dragging in a plant mage.
“You had this all figured out?”
“No, not really.”
He hadn’t planned this far ahead.
He’d genuinely thought Riheim could do it solo.
Unlike Riheim, who’d accepted assuming Mysern and the old Sakwol mage.
Anyway.
“How far can you go? It takes a ton of mana.”
“Tell me the max area the barrier can cover, and I’ll plan around that. If I can’t handle it alone, then we call your friend.”
“Note that this won’t fully replace farming. The poor and strays aren’t that many, but it won’t solve everything.”
“Better than nothing.”
“True enough. Oh, and Mysern…….”
“I’ll tell her.”
“Would you? Things are still awkward between us.”
Apparently, despite being linked by circumstance, they weren’t close personally.
After that, they discussed schedules and parted ways.
‘I wanted to wrap this before school starts if possible.’
Even rushing, it’d be the weekend after reopening, or the one after.
Aster shared the plan with Mysern, then left the temporary lodging.
Naturally, Mysern agreed.
Standing outside, Aster looked up at the sky.
But then.
“Tower…… no, Knight.”
“……?”
It was Lucifer’s voice.
Cleaning up the broken sign?
She held wooden shards from the sign in both hands, and Aster tilted his head slightly.
Her face was stiff.
Her eyes fierce.
Her aura was off.
“Something to say?”
“Yeah, but not here.”
With that, Lucifer strode to a secluded spot.
Aster followed silently. After a while, she stopped in a dim alley.
And when she spoke.
A thunderbolt struck Aster.
“I’m leaving the Magic Tower.”
“…….”
Aster was speechless for a moment.
Painful words pierced his ears, stabbing his heart.
“Thanks for saving me, and for accepting me into the tower because you saw potential…… yes, thank you. But I don’t get it. What’s the difference between the Tower Lord and Decullan?”
“…….”
……Really, so ruthless.
“If there is a difference, tell me. Between Decullan, who justifies any means for their goals, and the Tower Lord who slaughtered cartel bosses—what’s the difference?”
Not just the words, but the speaker too.
The eyes Lucifer fixed on Aster……
Were no different from the ones she’d once turned on Decullan.