The Most Effective Counter to Mana Drain
A little while later, in a spot not far from the old school building.
"I never imagined the golden carriage would end up being used like this."
"Matters of men and women can happen anywhere, can't they, Phoenix the freshman?"
I couldn't help but chuckle dryly at Dean Ederson's initiative in dragging a golden carriage—more precisely, a mobile caravan—right near the old school building.
"You mean we're doing it here... You're serious."
"It's a mobile caravan. It wasn't originally intended for that purpose, but it certainly includes the possibility."
It was something like those things people commonly call camping cars. No magical expansion of space when you open the door, but it had a bed plenty big enough for two people to lie down comfortably, which was more than satisfactory.
"Need one yourself?"
"It'd be handy to have for hauling around during practical lessons later on."
Expensive, sure, but worth every bit of mana. If we customized the interior or ordered a bigger one—practically a trailer truck—camping out wouldn't be an issue at all.
Maybe I should make contact soon?
I'd already passed on the remote class idea to Esta.
Thanks to the remote classes, I've indirectly boosted Yurha's performance, so I could use that as an excuse to approach her and score a carriage as compensation.
Esta had probably shared the remote class procedures with her by now. Yurha would immediately draft a budget for magic panels to install in the dorms, mana lines connecting to the lecture halls, and all that infrastructure.
Even if it was temporary, who knew when another crisis might hit? If the academy wanted solid initial setups for inevitable future remote lectures, Yurha could bid on the construction and pocket a hefty sum.
Of course, her rivals—the other Silverstar directors and the chairman—would salivate over it too. It wouldn't be easy, but I trusted Yurha to win.
I didn't leak that money scent for nothing.
The mere fact that Phoenix had proposed it would make her invest big.
And after winning the bid, she'd find out: the massive mana stones needed for the cables could be procured far cheaper than expected.
"You there."
As I was admiring the caravan's interior,
"Let's talk for a moment."
Bzzz! Dean Ederson—no, the Mercenary King Lionheart—lightly stomped the floor, deploying a barrier.
"Man to man. Not instructor to student."
"Go ahead."
"You're not some dangerous entity, are you?"
"......"
The Mercenary King crossed his arms, glaring at me. His eyes glowed green—he was channeling mana into his gaze to scan my mana.
"If you're the kind of existence the academy must 'reject,' I'll reject you here and now. For the students, the instructors, and the future of the world."
"Well, as for being dangerous..."
What counted as dangerous in this academy—or rather, this world?
"Don't dodge the question. You—"
"Do I look like an angel to you?"
There it was: angels.
"......"
"Or maybe you think an angel's possessing my body? Or that I'm an angel worshipper? Or perhaps some being sent down by the angels themselves?"
"Not an angel, but something similar?"
"Who knows? Maybe."
I didn't deny it. But I didn't spill every truth either.
"I don't like that evasive talk."
"I can't lie to the Mercenary King, but I have my own circumstances—I can't reveal everything."
"When do you plan to tell me?"
"At least not before I graduate?"
By then, I'd have no choice but to speak, even if I didn't want to. Because before graduating, I'd drag the goddess down here and normalize the world's faith one way or another.
"Rest assured. I don't know what results it'll bring, but neither I nor my [backers]—our ultimate goal is hard to specify, but the direction—I can share that much."
I handed Dean Ederson a pre-prepared gift box.
"Things like mana skin, the Jerque technique, boosting the self-esteem of boys who hang their heads low. That's what we're after."
"Abstract."
"Simply put: a world where negative emotions rarely arise, where as many people as possible can enjoy happiness."
"Not simple at all."
"I told you—I can't reveal every truth."
The truth.
"This world has a serious distortion."
The goddess was a TS yuri fanatic.
"That distortion will bring apocalypse, and humanity will decline."
She aimed to wipe out ground humanity and turn everything into bishoujo angels.
"Yes. I came here to change that future. Right now, to this place."
I was the demon king (proxy) risen from hell to stop it.
"That's why I stepped up. Of my own will."
"......"
"It's natural to suspect. You've investigated for a week—no, longer. But no background turns up, not even traces, and every action is suspicious, incomprehensible..."
I opened the gift box lid.
"You produce things in utterly novel ways, far superior to existing magic engineering—yet they all seem hyper-specialized in some sexual direction. Must make your head spin."
"You know it well."
The Mercenary King Ederson picked up the item inside.
"How'd you know my taste runs to trunks, not briefs?"
It wasn't briefs—it was trunks, the kind swimmers or underwear models wear.
"Rydmila ordered mostly trunks in her golden carriage underarmor this time."
"That's different."
"Honestly? They just seemed to suit you."
In subculture circles, middle-aged muscle daddies had to wear trunks.
"Anyway, if you trust me, try them on. But if you do..."
I tapped my solar plexus with my thumb.
"You have to trust me completely."
"......"
"If you want something at stake, then yes."
I pointed that thumb downward.
"I'll stake this."
"I believe you. I can feel your sincerity."
A man staking his pride—what stronger proof of faith?
"Phew. Then... all that's left is checking if mana drain can steal it away, right?"
"Ah, about that."
I lowered my voice.
"No need to whisper—the barrier handles it."
"That's how sensitive this is. I haven't even told others—not Esta or my classmates."
"What?"
Ederson's eyes widened, clutching the anti-mana drain mana skin [Jerque Technique Enchant] underarmor.
"Even to them?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"They're women."
I pointed between him and myself alternately.
"We're men, aren't we?"
"......So it's okay to tell me?"
"Frankly, Mercenary King or dean or instructor—I don't fully trust you yet."
I pointed outward again.
"Through my talks with Rydmila, I trust the grandfather who raised her into Gale and invited her here."
"......"
"When staking my pride, I trust via women. No reason not to trust the man Rydmila Lionheart trusts when gauging Ederson Lionheart."
"Haha..."
The Mercenary King let out a dry laugh.
"You really know how to leave a man speechless. Fine. Even if mana drain hits me, she would succeed me anyway..."
He wiggled his pinky, pointing downward.
"Even if mana drain drops me below S-rank, I won't blame you."
"Exactly, Mercenary King. Contrary to public worry, no need to fear that. If stolen, just reclaim it."
"What?"
"Shh."
I pressed a finger to my lips toward Ederson, pointing outside.
"A 'secret art' I'm sharing only with you, Dean Ederson. Anyone could think of it, but they don't know how—so they just lose out."
"What..."
"If it spreads carelessly, the world would be twice—no, three times more chaotic. Can you handle that?"
"......So knowing it causes major trouble? Compared to non-attribute mana, the fallout?"
"Non-attribute mana would seem trivial."
"......"
"So? Want to know how to counter the side effect you're worried about?"
"If it's..."
Dean Ederson gripped the mana skin tightly, staring at me.
"A way for those hurt by mana drain to regain their pride and live again."
"......"
"We had a victim recently. She's not suffering from shame of being drained—she's tormented because her reduced mana means she can't meet her family's expectations."
Mana was like one's 'annual salary.' Drained before graduation meant a lifelong cap at 2,000-gold jobs, no matter what.
"Can you save them?"
"Of course. I've already explained the principle."
"Already?"
"Yes."
Simple logic.
"Just reclaim what's stolen, right?"
"Question: What kind of beings are succubi?"
"......Succubus types?"
"Yes."
A hesitation for a gamer approaching a bishoujo harem game.
"What's a succubus's gender?"
"Gender? They're all women."
"What do you call a male succubus?"
"......Male succubi exist?"
"That's the point."
In this world, incubi didn't exist.
"No way..."
"Yes. Change your thinking—or eye for an eye, drain for a drain."
To put it bluntly.
"The most effective counter to mana drain is deploying mana drain yourself."
If they harvest yang essence, counter with yin harvesting. Done.
"In truth, that's real 'growth.'"
Cumming increases humanity's mana.
"One more time."
The goddess eradicated that knowledge from humanity.
"Will you trust me completely?"
"What in the..."
"Simple."
I lightly tapped my chest.
"When men and women love each other sincerely, humanity truly advances. It all starts with love between opposite sexes."
Love between the two sexes lets humanity continue and evolve.
"I'm the apostle of love, come to spread love across this land."
Humanity of all nations.
Cum.