Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Pioneer
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I wondered what the reason was for these guys welcoming me so warmly. I wouldn't learn it until after finishing the meal with my three brothers, whom I hadn't seen in ages.
"Berddin, do you know why I called you here?"
Tony leaned back in his chair with a meaningful smile and continued.
"Father is gravely ill."
"...?!"
"He's come down with some unidentified illness. They say he probably won't last the year."
This was news to me.
No one had ever told me anything like that. Not even Deberry, who was with me at the Strange mansion.
And the timing was completely different from when Father passed in my previous life, where the cause had been Hysteria, my brother.
'It's certain.'
I'd seen it with my own eyes—Hysteria's sword blade piercing Father's chest.
"Is it the Glazers' doing?"
"No, they say it came from the Tower. The problem is they haven't found the medicine needed to treat it yet."
"From the Tower?"
"I only heard it through Mother, so I'm not entirely sure. But apparently, his limbs suddenly stopped obeying him, and he can't recover his strength."
That couldn't be right.
There were no healers with illness-related abilities on the floor where Father was now, nor anyone who used similar curse-type spells.
'What in the world is going on?'
For the man called the strongest being on the surface to die so absurdly.
'No.'
No matter what, his life would end by my hand. I'd regretted failing to do it back then.
"So you called me to this academy to keep the news from leaking out?"
Tony nodded at my question.
"Exactly. Conversations here won't leak outside."
"Father's condition is definitely critical?"
"It should be. Mother heard it from the guards who ascended the Tower with Father."
"Father's guards..."
This was a big problem.
With Gunter and Hysteria gone, if the Glazers learned Father was also in critical condition, they wouldn't stay quiet.
"Berddin."
"Yes."
"I've heard a lot of rumors about you lately. Some overhyped, some underrated, but most were hard to believe."
Tony was only ten now.
He'd left home and lived only at the academy, so it was natural he couldn't grasp the rumors from outside.
'Because they're things he could never do himself.'
Jony, standing behind Tony's left side and listening, interjected.
"Berddin, we can't leave the academy right now. Until then, you have to hold the Glazers in check, no matter what."
That was ridiculous.
This wasn't about ambushing a few mages—it was telling me to hold off the entire Glazer family alone.
'Why not just say drop dead?' I wanted to retort, but I didn't bother continuing the conversation.
I could tell from Jony's spiteful expression that words wouldn't get through to him.
"B-B-Berddin, Mother said to stay here for two days once you arrived."
Rony looked at me with trembling eyes. What was with this guy, who I'd chased like a rat in the castle, acting like this now?
He was clearly the one who'd grow the most among the three at the academy.
I slowly scanned his appearance before replying.
"Two days?"
"Yeah, since you've never experienced academy life, she probably wants you to at least see how it works."
True, I hadn't lived at the academy in this life.
'But.'
I had no need to experience it.
I had nothing to learn here, and no desire to spend time with these guys.
'Wait a minute?'
Father was gravely ill.
The three brothers couldn't leave the academy. Katarina had visited the Legion to inform me of this.
What was her reason for telling me now?
If Father was truly in peril, she would've had me return home to find a way through the crisis.
'And.'
Even if Father had accepted death from illness, he would've prepared countermeasures.
'But.'
This incident had proceeded so secretly that even I hadn't known.
I understood wanting to keep it from the Glazers.
'But the Father I know would never choose such a method.'
He faced any crisis head-on, never avoiding it.
"Brother."
I looked at Tony.
He pulled his chair closer and leaned toward the table.
"Speak."
"It seems like there's something behind this incident."
"Something behind it?"
"Yes. Think about it. If Father were truly in critical condition and wanted to tell me."
"......"
"Would he send me here on the brink of death? Or summon you brothers home to devise a plan?"
Tony slowly rolled his eyes, then nodded.
"Now that you mention it, yeah."
"It feels like someone is trying to put us in danger."
"Who?"
Could I even answer that?
The one I suspected was their mother.
"I don't know. But investigating it will take time."
I glanced alternately at Jony and Rony before continuing.
"I think I'll need you brothers' help."
"...Our help?"
There were too many unbelievable parts to this incident.
Father staying in the Tower despite being so ill. And Katarina, their mother, sending me here to inform me.
"Hmm—"
Lying on the bed provided by the academy, I sorted through my thoughts.
Originally, I hadn't planned to stay and comply with Katarina's wishes.
'But it seems I'll have to use those three as shields for this.'
I had no choice but to embed them deeply in this incident for two days.
"Hey, you dumbass, what're you pondering so deeply? Look at this—it's clearly a setup!"
Siegfried swung his sword through the air as he spoke.
"What kind of setup?"
"Who did this."
"...What do you think happened, Master?"
"Simple. Your mom pulled some dirty trick to kill your dad and drag you into it!"
I thought he was dumb, but he had some brains after all.
"What's her motive?"
"Obvious! You've been making waves lately. She wants to kill your dad and you, then put one of those idiot brothers as family head."
"......"
"Because if things continue, you'll take that seat."
Spot on.
It matched my thoughts exactly, which somehow felt humiliating.
"Nyaaang!"
Brunhilt climbed onto my abdomen and rubbed her face against mine.
"Din, then why did that Katarina send you here?"
Brunhilt's question wasn't mere curiosity. Her expression held a smile, as if hinting at something.
'The reason she sent me here.'
It was all too simple.
"To separate me from the Legion."
"Ooh, then why separate you?"
I hadn't figured that out yet. What could she do if I stayed here for two days?
And what did she expect me to do once I learned of it?
'No way.'
I turned my gaze to the armor I'd worn here. The deep Strange cross engraved on the back.
"Damn it!"
"Huh? W-Why the sudden nya?"
"I see. So that's it. That's why she wanted me away from the Legion."
"Figured it out nya?"
"Yes. The reason I must be absent from the Legion right now. And if Father is truly ill, what kind of illness it is."
An evil act only Katarina could commit, one I'd never know without my previous life.
I immediately pulled out the palm-sized larva I'd hidden in my clothes and stroked its head.
At the same time, the larva, deep in slumber, shook its head side to side, signaling me.
"Rox, find Deberry right now and contact the Strange main house. Request as many troops as possible to assemble at the Legion."
The larva nodded.
"If they ask why, say it's my order. And once they arrive, tell Bess to head straight to the Tower and stay with Father until I get there."
This scheme surely wasn't Katarina's alone—the imperial family or some unknown faction was moving with her.
And right now, the only one who could stop them was me.
"Master."
"Yeah?"
"Sorry, but I need you to fight once."
"Fight? Me? If you want Descent, it's no big deal, heh!"
Siegfried bragged, swinging his sword in the air. I shook my head side to side and replied.
"No, not Descent. It's time for you to fight directly."
"...What do you mean?"
"There's no Guardian Spirit in our family stronger than you, right?"
"Right."
"So, can you beat all of my brothers' Guardian Spirits?"
"Piece of cake!"
As he answered, he seemed to realize something and stared blankly at me.
"You don't mean."
"Not all. Just handle one."
What Berddin asked of the three brothers was incredibly simple.
Be wary of every single person approaching from now on.
Even if they bore the Strange name.
'Right now, we can't tell friend from foe, so stay cautious.'
The three brothers agreed.
'If Father is truly in critical condition, then the Strange family is protected by us, not just me. Got it, brothers?'
They treated Berddin's 'request' as a command, and the seed of doubt he'd planted deep in their minds grew, making them suspicious of everyone.
Even avoiding their academy classmates they'd trained with until now.
At this point, the three brothers didn't yet know.
How agonizing it was to suspect everyone and be on guard against unknown enemies.
"Instructor Philip is looking for me?"
Tony, practicing swordsmanship alone in the training grounds, tilted his head.
Instructor Philip wasn't in charge of his classes, so he couldn't fathom why he'd be summoned.
'Could it be.'
Was this the movement of the unknown faction Berddin mentioned? To think their influence had already reached inside the academy.
Second brother Jony nodded.
"Yeah, I asked the gatekeeper since the name was unfamiliar, and he said it's the alchemy instructor."
"Reason for seeing me?"
"No idea. But I heard before that someone who learned alchemy from Mother is here."
"Really?"
"Yeah, probably Instructor Philip. There's only one alchemy instructor here."
Tony pondered briefly, then sheathed his sword.
Clack.
"...Call Rony. Just in case, we'll go together."