Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Lakarbrata.
That was its exact name.
In the ancient language, it meant “a being that should not exist.”
‘Chaos is a force that should never have existed in this world.’
Chaos was a force on an entirely different plane from mana, Demonic Energy, Demonic Qi, and the like.
But for some reason, Chaos had stirred into being in the past, and a terrible catastrophe had nearly occurred.
Because it was a force that had never existed in this world, there was no power that could stop it.
The one who stepped forward then was the Demon King of the Demon Realm.
‘The only Heavenly Rank being in this world.’
The Demon King had reached the end of ascension, a level some even described as Level Ten.
The Demon King had turned Chaos into a curse and sealed it deep within the Demon Realm.
‘I don’t know how the Curse of Chaos came to inhabit Black Bird Amanda.’
At any rate, whatever its true nature, the thing was now a magical curse.
And I was a Grandmaster, capable of seeing through the essence of all magic.
‘…Calling me someone who controls magic would be putting it too grandly.’
Still, in the present circumstances, it was a fairly fitting description.
[How dare you!! This can’t be?! You bastard!!!]
I thoroughly analyzed the magical spellwork of the thing that had entered my body.
It had been the Demon King, of all people, who had transformed the thing into a curse.
The spellwork was more vast and magnificent than anything I had ever seen, beyond comparison with any magic I had encountered so far.
‘…But I can still tell.’
It wasn’t that I understood it.
I simply knew, instinctively.
‘Under normal circumstances, no matter how well I figured out the spellwork, it would be absolutely impossible to interfere with the Demon King’s curse. But now, since it’s a curse inhabiting my body, I can interfere with it.’
In particular, there was a switch in this spellwork.
A switch that would make the thing disappear along with its entire curse.
It was a switch that only the Demon King could activate, but…
‘Feels like I can just do it, though?’
Click.
I manipulated the spellwork as the Grandmaster’s instinct directed me, and it fit perfectly into place, like a key sliding into its lock.
[Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!]
The thing began to scatter into fragments and disappear.
I’d done it!
But then something unexpected happened.
As Chaos vanished, some faint motes of dust remained behind, as if little fragments had fallen away.
Was that a bad thing? No,
-You have erased the Chaos Monster!
-A tiny portion of the Chaos Fragment remains in your body!
-You can now use the power of Chaos to a limited extent!
My eyes flew wide open.
‘Incredible!’
As I could tell from how the thing had looked just moments ago, Chaos was a powerful force on an entirely different plane from other, ordinary forces.
‘It’ll be a hidden weapon I can use at a crucial moment.’
But it wasn’t all good news.
-The erasure of the Chaos Monster has been conveyed to the Demon Realm!
Cold sweat streamed down me in a rush.
‘I-it’ll be fine, right? They’ll know the Chaos Monster was erased, but they won’t know I was the one who did it.’
Once again, I resolved to live a genuinely quiet life from now on.
But the moment I thought that, I drew attention.
“…Professor. Thank you.”
It was Yohen!
Judging by how his eyes were fixed on me, trembling fiercely, it seemed that saving him just now had left a lasting impression.
‘No! It’s more than enough that I’m involved with Katrinne and Libel. I don’t need to get tangled up with the protagonists!’
I had to stop the situation from getting worse(?).
‘Let’s be as cold as possible. I’ll make it sound like I don’t want to hear any thanks.’
But that damned Black Flame Dragon caused trouble again.
“That’s enough. I only did what I had to do.”
“Ah…”
Even I had to admit, it was a cool and impressive answer!
Yohen’s eyes brimmed with admiration and emotion.
‘This can’t go on!’
I tried to crush that feeling by speaking insensitively, as if to say he was the reason we’d nearly been in danger, but—
“Didn’t I make it perfectly clear from the beginning? Don’t you dare rush in recklessly. Do you even realize how dangerous your rash actions nearly made things?”
…It was a reprimand, yes, but somehow it came out sounding like I was worried about him!
“Thank you. I’ve made up my mind about something because of what happened today.”
“……”
“Seeing the noble way you were willing to sacrifice yourself for everyone filled me with admiration and helped me understand. I will make sure to become someone like you, Professor.”
…Could you please not do that?
To make matters worse, Yohen said something horrifying.
In a faint voice, so quiet it was hard to make out properly, he muttered:
“I wonder when I can transfer to Rubiness Academy.”
“……”
I doubted my ears.
But I hadn’t misheard.
‘Transfers are possible starting in the second year… No, that’s not the point! Why are you thinking about transferring?!’
I was just about to hurriedly start praising the excellence of Amethyst Academy, where Yohen was supposed to enroll, when—
-Ban Ecclesia, come inside.
Ashtat called me.
Ashtat had called only me, but I deliberately went inside together with Yohen.
“…May I come in with you?”
“Yes. There’s something you need to do this time.”
“Something I need to do. Just leave it to me!”
Yohen clenched his fist with determination.
When we went farther inside, we saw the enormous ancient dragon, sealed in chains.
‘Ashtat’s true identity is that of a great ancient dragon who sealed itself away to prevent the Demonic Energy seeping into the world above.’
[So, you have finally made it this far, Chosen Hero.]
At Ashtat’s words, Yohen gazed at me with shining eyes.
“A hero, you say. As I thought, Professor…!”
“No, I mean you.”
I flatly denied it.
“Hero” was the term for the sixteen protagonists, so I definitely wasn’t one.
But then Ashtat said something strange.
[The one I called a hero was you, Ban Ecclesia.]
“You’ve been sealed away for so long that you’ve lost your senses. I’m no hero.”
[Heh heh.]
Ashtat let out an unpleasant laugh.
It sounded as if it meant, “Yes, let’s say that,” and I bristled, but let it go.
“So, what are we supposed to do now?”
[There’s a problem with the Sealing Formation that is holding back the Demonic Energy. Can you help? My strength has waned, and I can no longer do anything about it.]
I nodded.
‘Getting all the way here was the hard part. Repairing the seal is simple.’
I could consider the Hidden Episode cleared already.
In effect, the reward phase was just beginning.
Sure enough, once I had fixed the Sealing Formation, Ashtat said:
[Thank you. I can finally breathe easy. As thanks, I shall grant you, Ban Ecclesia, the Dragon’s Blessing.]
It was an incredible reward.
The episode was so brutally difficult that people still kept attempting it anyway.
‘It raises your potential in every field.’
The problem was that it wouldn’t really do anything for me.
With the traits “Grandmaster of Magic” and “Versatile Genius,” my potential was already at its absolute limit.
‘If anything, accepting this Blessing would just be a hassle, since I’d be forced to go through the Dragon’s Trial episode later.’
“I refuse.”
[You refuse?]
“Do I look like someone who needs some blessing handed down by another?”
Ashtat fell silent for a moment.
[That is true. Your innate talent is so excessive that it could disrupt the world’s laws of causality, so the heavens imposed the congenital curse of Mana Insensitivity upon you to maintain the balance.]
“Instead, grant the Dragon’s Blessing to this child.”
[That child?]
“Yes.”
‘I need to make sure Yohen grows up properly on his own.’
For reference, the four Main Protagonists were as follows:
Katrinne. Libel.
Yohen. The Demon Blade.
Of those four, Yohen and the Demon Blade were different from the first two, the true protagonists.
They were at risk of being “left behind” or “falling into corruption.”
‘Yohen, in particular, is at risk of falling into corruption if he can’t overcome his mental trials. The Dragon’s Blessing will be a great help to him then. It strengthens his mental resilience, too.’
The problem was—
“Professor, why would you give me such a blessing?”
He’d drawn attention again!
“Don’t get the wrong idea. It would be a waste to throw it away, so I’m merely passing it on to you.”
I hurriedly made an excuse, but it was practically the same as saying, “I picked it up, so you can have it.”
And, just as expected, he didn’t believe a word of it.
“Professor, you’re so shy. I will never forget the kindness you’ve shown me today. I’ll be sure to repay you.”
I pretended not to hear him.
There was still something important I needed to discuss with Ashtat.
‘I went through all that misery. I ought to get something out of it, too.’
Right on cue, Ashtat opened his mouth, as if he’d read the room.
[If you don’t need my Blessing, I don’t know what sort of reward I should give you. Is there anything you desire?]
Of course there was.
‘Pay me in cash.’
What good was being born into the Ducal House with a silver spoon in my mouth?
I was living in a tiny one-room because I had no money.
The problem was that Ashtat wasn’t exactly well-off, either.
‘According to the setting, he poured all the wealth he’d saved into making the Sealing Formation that restrains Demonic Energy.’
Still, he probably had at least one treasure he’d hidden away and treasured.
“I am your benefactor. If you are grateful for the kindness I have shown you, then it is only right that you offer me suitable compensation in return.”
If I’d spoken in my usual manner, I would have bluntly said, “Please pay me in cash,” but the Black Flame Dragon translated it into something more archaic and grand.
It was still a greedy thing to say, though.
[Suitable compensation for your kindness…?]
Ashtat pondered for a moment.
[There is something that would be just right.]
Fwoosh!
A spatial pouch appeared, and when I looked inside, I saw a treasure chest!
[I shall give you the treasure I value most. Please take good care of it.]
‘Planning to take it and sell it.’
I kept that thought to myself and nodded.
[Then, you may leave now. I am tired.]
Fwoosh!
The dragon’s power manifested, and our party was transported outside the nest.
“Are you safe, Young Master?! Though I could not be there in person, I, Hans, accompanied you in spirit and fought by your side!”
“…Sir, you were slacking off. Keep quiet. I took good care of Senior Ban, all right? And as for the part I played…”
“You scoundrel, stop lying! I know perfectly well that when danger came, you were so terrified you couldn’t do a thing!”
“Ugh! You were the one hiding in the village and slacking off, Uncle!”
“Good heavens! Do you know how I protected the village? My deeds were worthy of a bard’s song…!”
Those two were just as pathetic as ever.
At any rate, their ridiculous squabble wasn’t what mattered right now.
“I have some business to attend to. You two take care of the cleanup.”
The sun had already set, and it was quite dark, but I hurriedly headed into the forest.
I was curious to see what sort of treasure Ashtat had given me.
‘Judging by the size of the chest, it has to be something extraordinary. Heh heh, am I rich now? Should I just quit the Academy first?’
With my heart pounding in excitement, I took the treasure chest out of the spatial pouch and opened it.
The instant I saw what was inside, my eyes widened until they felt as if they might split.
“What the hell, dragon?”
A primal curse slipped out, one even the Black Flame Dragon’s pretentiousness couldn’t filter.
That was how shocking the contents were.
It was an egg.
…A dragon egg.
That bastard Ashtat had given me a baby dragon.
Meanwhile, at that moment.
Atop an ancient tree towering over the Ranchel Plateau.
A figure stood precariously on a massive tree that looked to be several hundred years old.
Unexpectedly, it was Rune, one of the newly appointed Temporary Professors and a prodigy of the Sky Island.
But something was strange.
Throughout the training session, Rune had
never once attracted anyone’s attention.
Despite being hailed as a prodigy of the Sky Island, he had been so inconspicuous that he had practically faded into the background.
His expression had been gloomy, too, but now it was completely different.
He was smiling broadly.
So grotesquely that the corners of his mouth looked ready to split.
Like a clown.
“It’s amazing. I even awakened the Chaos Monster, and still failed.”
A shocking revelation.
This meant that Rune was the one who had caused the incident!
“Well, it wasn’t a complete waste.”
Rune’s gaze shifted.
Toward the settlement.
It was directed at Ban, who stood alone, aloof and proud.
“Ban Ecclesia. I’ll have to keep an eye on you from now on.”
Then, an even more astonishing statement followed.
“Everything is for the glory of the Demon Realm.”
Fwoooosh.
Moonlight shone on Rune’s eyes, making them gleam.
The distinctive energy of the Demon race, Demonic Qi, glowed eerily within them.