Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Deal (1)
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The day before returning to the Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
Roin was spending his time in his annex in Endla until he headed back to school.
With Helond away on an investigation, Roin had planned to pass the remaining day comfortably under the care of the other servants.
That had been the plan, at least.
Some goddamn bastard slapped a curse on me...
Thanks to what hed learned from Belv, Roin hadnt been able to relax for a single day.
The fallout from that curse had caused him endless suffering in his previous life.
It was more than words could convey.
Roin was the type who could never let a wrong go unpunished.
And so.
A ferocious blaze of angerunprecedented in its intensityraged within him.
If Helond and Belv hadnt talked him down, Roin wouldve smashed the academy to bits by now and roamed the continent, tearing through every city like a madman.
Hed managed to calm himself, barely.
But that curse keeps nagging at me.
Helond had gone to where Hepfs gang was being held, so clues should come soon enough.
That was Roins hope.
In fact, hed wanted to go himself.
But Helond had talked him out of it.
If Roin interrogated them and didnt like the answers, he might just kill them all.
Other matters were one thing.
But when it came to his looks, Roin had a tendency to lose his cool.
Traumas from his past life were likely to blame.
Roin couldnt help but agree with Helond on a deep level.
Helond will handle it.
All he had to do was wait patiently for the results.
Stay calm. No point rushing.
Roin settled into a meditative pose.
He drew in a deep breath, trying to steady his mind.
That was when Dian suddenly flung open the door to his room.
Rodri!
...I told you to call me Roin.
Dian, still not used to the name Roin, belatedly realized his slip.
But that wasnt the issue right now.
Forget the name! Weve got big trouble!
Why? Whats happened now?
Hed thought the trouble had already hit.
But another incident awaited him.
Some bastards raided your house!
My house?
Roin had more places than he could count that qualified as a house.
Not the Leyden estate, I hope?
No! Your old place! The one in Stebir!
Roin owned annexes scattered across the continent.
His original home had been in the city of Stebir.
Rodris birthplace.
The news that it had been ransacked furrowed Roins brow once more.
What bold thief had dared touch Rodris birthplace?
No matter how much he racked his brain, Roin couldnt pin down the culprit.
No suspects in mind?
Hardly.
Quite the opposite.
Too many bastards hate my guts. Thats the problem.
The people Rodri had crushed numbered more than a few.
If he considered only the events right before his reincarnation, Ratio topped the list.
Rodri had single-handedly demolished two-thirds of their forces.
Key figures like Muorat? All wiped out by him.
But the signs of the break-in didnt point to them.
To double-check, Roin summoned Penianthe young butler who had served him alongside Helond for years.
So, the damage?
Only the black helmets and swords you used, Master.
What?
We confirmed nothing else was touched. Just the helmets and swords are gone.
Thieves who targeted only the black helmets and swords Rodri had wielded.
Or thiefthough one person hauling all that was next to impossible.
Better to assume a group.
They left everything else alone?
Yes.
Rodris black helmets and swords werent particularly valuable.
The helmets were one thing, but the swords? Mere decorations to Roin.
The kind of weapons any local smithy could churn out.
If money was the goal, theyd have gone for pricier itemsjewels, artifacts.
Or gold coins.
But the thieves hadnt laid a finger on any of it.
Strange bunch.
As he prepared to comb through the house again with Penian.
Dian came looking for him.
Who the hell had the nerve to rob your place?
Makes sense, doesnt it? Officially, Im still missing.
Only Dian, Helond, and Penian knew Rodri had reincarnated as Roin.
Theyd struck while Rodri was gone.
But who? And why go after his gear?
No idea.
Questions everywhere.
The day he returned to the academy.
Roin trudged toward the entrance.
The guards gave him light greetings.
He acknowledged them as he stepped inside.
He ran straight into Remina.
Roin spoke first.
Mission wrapped up?
Yeah. Hit a snag midway. Took longer than expected.
Snag?
Couldnt get our opinions to align. Spent time sorting it out.
Reminas chosen mission had eleven membersthe largest group assigned that day.
Ten others besides her.
Even two or three could clash hard.
Ten? Roin could imagine the headache.
But you pulled it off.
Thanks to some guy I know. Got plenty of practice back in apprentice days.
That certain guy just smiled.
Roin glanced at the practice sword in Reminas hand and offered some advice.
Training kicks off tomorrow. Rest up today.
Sitting idle feels worse. Id rather move a little when I can.
Hard worker.
Shed made up her mind. No point arguing.
Roin brushed past her and headed to his room.
Iroa had slipped him some new products when shed emerged from Netro.
New products are always the best.
The thought of trying them out had already lifted his spirits.
All the trainees gathered in one place after so long.
Surveying them from the auditorium stage, Barton broke the silence.
Youve dwindled a lot compared to when you first arrived.
Around thirty percent had dropped out midway.
The training was grueling, sure.
But many figured endless drilling wouldnt get them past the mid-knight exam.
No future in sight, so they quit on their own.
Truth was, the mid-knight exam was brutally tough.
For the average person, even a decade-plus of effort might not cut it.
And here was Roin, aiming to pass in his first year.
The gap with the others was glaring.
Jerka was a prodigy among prodigies, but Roins lead made him fade into the background a bit.
Anyone can take a shot at the mid-knight exam. But keep this in mind: not everyone makes it.
The challenge was open.
Only a select few endured the trial.
Youve got just three months left. Dont get down if youre scraping the bottom. Three months is plenty to turn it around. Understood?
Yes!
Their response rang out loud and clear.
But not one dared dream of toppling the top two spots.
First place: Roin.
Second: Jerka.
With those boys dug in, no one mustered the guts.
Meanwhile.
Bartons wordsthree months till the mid-knight examdrew a quiet sigh from Roin.
This endless training still drags on for three more months?
He was stuck here until then.
Unlike Roins confinement, things around him moved at a blistering pace.
Rebuilding the Rodri Beauty Research Institute. Tracking the curses source. Developing cosmetics for his new age.
His skilled allies handled it allno need for his input.
But to him, the wait felt interminably dull.
Gotta nail this mid-knight exam fast.
Passing on the first try would cement the fastest route.
No surprises.
Hed pass this exam, no question!
Roin steeled his resolve anew.
The second mission evaluations wrapped up, and routine resumed.
Over the weekend, Roin heard someone had come to visit.
Outings, overnights, and vacations needed permits.
Visits didnt.
Dressed neatly, Roin headed straight to the visiting room.
He had a pretty good idea who it was.
Moments later.
A woman and a man bowed toward him.
Iroa, the research director, and Penian.
Wheres Helond?
He usually came for reports.
This time, Penian stood in.
For good reason.
Lord Helond said hes too well-known in public circles, so he sent me instead. If he showed up herea place with so many peopleto meet you, Master Roin, it could spark ugly rumors.
Fair point.
That was why hed told Dian to play it cool, too.
Dian was almost as famous as Rodri, right up there with Helond.
The updates from Iroa and Penian were exactly what Roin had been waiting for.
Penian first.
Lord Helond personally tracked down those mercenaries you took down...
Penians expression darkened.
Bad news.
Couldnt see them.
Helond? He can crack anything. Youre saying he couldnt swing a visit?
The visit was possible. On the condition they were still alive.
Roins eyes narrowed.
His worst fear had come true.
Theyre dead?
Yes. One mercenarys head burst open first, then the others followed suit, one by one.
Hepf included, theyd all met grim ends.
The curse on the mercenaries hadnt just banned the magicians name.
Had to be a backup to off themselves once the job was done.
Meticulous work.
It made Roins temples throb.
The investigation reset to square one.
But not every update was grim.
Next up.
Iroas turn.
Here, Master Roin. For you.
She handed over a small gift box.
Whats this?
Skin essence, lotion, and moisturizer. Tailored perfectly to your current age and skin.
...Really?
For the briefest instanthis first smile since vacationRoins lips twitched upward.