Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Heretic of the Magic Tower (13)
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It was a morning just like any other. Two pieces of news arrived for me.
"The people coming from the Magic Tower are officially here for a technology exchange with me. And they've already departed from the Magic Tower."
The important news about the Magic Tower personnel setting out. Of course, I'd been in constant communication with Ellie about how to develop, roast, and use the new beans on my end.
It was too regrettable to miss this precious opportunity to get input from people beyond my regular customers who weren't Nana's fans, so my job was to process more samples into a usable state.
And the other piece of news was...
"...Keith, really."
Ermina had learned that I was the one who roughed up the Demon Worshippers in the kingdom's southern region and had been prying into all sorts of things.
Instead of telling her my whereabouts, she'd asked me to send a video letter, so I recorded one.
I'd initially planned to refuse, but since the video was already shot, there wasn't much I could do with it, and with Keith's insistence, I decided to hand it over.
In the end, I played the video that arrived via communication crystal in a quiet spot by myself. I had a rough idea of what Ermina might say, but since she'd gone to the trouble of recording and sending it, I decided to watch without dodging.
And honestly, the content was even more sincere and heartfelt than I'd imagined.
To be frank, my feelings toward Ermina weren't all that bad compared to the others. The fact that she had no malicious intent set her miles apart from those real scumbags, and in this video letter, she even talked about reflecting on her actions.
I could also plainly feel how much mental anguish she'd been through lately, which left me feeling oddly unsettled for no reason.
"I have no intention of going back, but unless it's a man Ermina truly loves, her buffs won't perform at full efficiency anyway."
Ermina's magic was entirely dependent on her emotional state as the user—its effects and efficiency stretched and shrank like rubber bands. In particular, the Knight Bestowal buff, which played a major role throughout the original story, wouldn't even activate without her love.
So if you asked whether Christoph or Yumin could beat boss-level enemies without that buff, all I'd say is they'd lose 100 out of 100 times.
But ever since I was reborn into this damn world, I'd pushed myself through grueling training out of unease from the worldview and a sense of duty from my past life, reaching a level where I could take them down single-handedly. Plus, I had some friendly factions on my side.
It might actually be better to park Ermina at the academy while I went around crushing the Demon Worshippers and Demon King revival forces.
"In the end, I'm the one with the higher odds of success."
Speigel, Cosetica—the guild master of Labyrinth City Astraea's Adventurer's Guild and big sis—as well as the emperor of the Pallan Empire, who was easy to get support from for anything serving the public good.
If we pooled our strength, we could wrap things up without those academy idiots needing to step in.
"I can think it over a bit more and decide later."
For now, finishing the coffee roasting and aging for the incoming Magic Tower folks came first.
**
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Prince Christoph had finally been released from his long confinement, regaining his freedom even if it came with surveillance. He honestly felt wronged. All he'd done was report the three women who'd been relentlessly bullying him, and Julius had hijacked and falsified the evidence. At least the evidence itself wasn't fake, and those damn women had indeed committed the acts.
It was unfair that only he was confined while Yumin and the others roamed free.
"Still, I can see Miss Ermina again after so long, so I'll put up with it for now."
His father, the king of the Imir Kingdom, had explicitly told him not to go near that woman, but Christoph—having no habit of self-reflection—went straight to find her.
Rumors swirled that the royal family had abandoned him, but being born royalty meant that when he grabbed passersby and asked, most told him the truth.
Ermina wasn't there right now. She'd gone somewhere with Namei.
"Namei Christe. That bitch."
If half of Christoph's mind was occupied by Ermina, the other half was taken up by Julius.
Same age. Royalty and high nobility. And aside from their differing tastes in appearance, the next-generation noble leader who surpassed Christoph in every way.
From the perspective of Christoph, who had been endlessly compared to him since early childhood, Julius was the center of the world.
Naturally, the people orbiting Julius shared Christoph's dark emotions, viewing Namei Christe as trash lacking any awareness as a kingdom noble successor—a traitor who'd thrown herself to the Pallan Empire's Magic Tower, a fly stuck to Julius.
"I don't know where that worm took Miss Ermina... but the folks who might know could be at the cooking sorority."
"Your Highness Christoph."
"Ah, what is it, Yumin."
"I heard your confinement ended today, so I came by."
"You remembered well."
"Well, aren't we partners in crime?"
"Calling it a crime is inappropriate. It was something that had to be done."
Yumin gave a wry smile that twisted slightly at his words. At least Yumin acknowledged his own wrongdoing and, after bumping into Julius, getting chased off, and slinking away humbled, had come to realize that living quietly was his lot.
In contrast, Christoph was still hunting for Namei with malice etched on his face.
"Tch. Do you know where Namei went?"
"Not exactly, but I hear it's something related to the Magic Tower."
"Magic Tower? Then they must have asked Miss Ermina something about her light attribute magic. The Tower only sends meticulously selected requests for things they can't handle themselves."
"...Something related to Senior Ermina's magic?"
"Obvious, isn't it? Miss Ermina hasn't left the academy much since that bastard Julius took off. Even during my confinement, the info I kept getting said as much. The only ones who could convince her to leave are people connected to Julius."
He might have a warped personality from inferiority and years of pent-up rage, but he wasn't stupid. Ermina's sudden outing. Tied to Namei. And a Magic Tower request. That meant a light attribute mage was key.
"Something only light attribute magic can do is dealing with demons or Demon Worshippers. Send some people out, and we'll find them quick."
"Mm."
"What do you mean 'find them quick'?"
"Get lost, Rias."
"I'm not trying to butt in just to talk."
Yumin quietly sighed. Most people mistook the relationship between Rias and Christoph for something illicit, but in private, this sharp atmosphere always dominated.
Having two foul-tempered people create a sweet vibe wasn't easy.
They might bond over shared misery sometimes, but not always.
"Namei took Miss Ermina on a Magic Tower request. That's it."
"...That bitch Ermina. Something related to Julius?"
"Could be. Though with her guilt toward Julius's friends like Namei, she might've just gone along."
"Yeah. Tying everything to big bro Julius is a bit much."
Rias shut her mouth for a moment, pretending to ponder, then turned to Yumin.
"Actually, you've been the one chasing after Julius lately. Stopped recently—must be something happened. I think that Karin girl got involved around then."
"Karin? Who's that?"
"Not exactly a freshman... she's in first year. Daughter of the merchant family sponsoring that bitch Ermina."
"What does someone like that have to do with Julius?"
"...Nothing. I just changed my mind."
"Bullshit."
Yumin glared at the fidgeting Rias and sighed deeply before explaining. Karin was a mage with high aptitude for spatial magic who'd fled to the empire out of desperation from Rias's bullying due to her sponsor connection to Ermina, only to run into Julius.
Apparently, she'd heard various stories from him then and received some gifts.
"That Julius punk. He was in the empire, huh."
"Realistically, the empire was his only option besides here."
"True enough."
The three discarded children of their families fell silent for a moment. Christoph had never cared about the throne to begin with, Yumin's goal was following Julius, and Rias wasn't hit hard since it was her engagement rather than family issues.
Christoph broke the silence.
"I've been confined so long I don't know what's been going on, so I have a lot to check."
"Ask someone else. I'm busy."
"...I'll answer that."
Seeing the two about to start talking, Rias turned on her heel. She'd only paid attention briefly because Christoph had reappeared after a while.
Learning from the short chat that Namei held some key made her pleased as she headed back to her room.
She'd return after the weekend ended.
She could talk then.
Rias unknowingly relaxed her clenched molars.