A Twisted Plot and Grand Ambitions
Afterward, there was Forne Gillette. The eldest son of the Baron Gillette family, famous for their spearmanship. By entering Estrada Academy, he became known as the hope of his family. However, the burden weighing on his shoulders only grew heavier.
He believed that anxiety and fear of the future could be overcome through sheer effort. And so, he swung his spear. He thrust and swung, endlessly, without rest.
It was then that he met her. Seri Verdia. Her radiant blonde hair evoked images of golden wheat fields, and a sweet, fruity fragrance lingered wherever she walked. When the wind blew, he was captivated by her scent; when he watched her walk, he felt a blissful intoxication, as if drunk on fine wine. Simply watching her naturally healed his anxiety and fear of the future.
Thus, desire took root. He wanted to possess her, to be united with her. So he pushed himself even harder. He thrust and swung his spear with greater fervor, greater violence, and greater intensity.
Yet, his efforts bore no fruit. Nothing he did could reach her. He screamed in agony, a desperate cry that shook the earth and echoed through the heavens. As he wallowed in despair, the voice of Corruption whispered to him.
"I will grant your deepest desire."
He knew the entity speaking to him was Corruption. Yet, the offer was too enticing to refuse—even if it meant turning into a Demonic Human.
Blinded by desire, he ceased to be Forne Gillette, the hope of the Gillette family, and instead became an ugly Demonic Human. All for the trivial wish of possessing a single woman.
In the end, he was slain without even being able to let out a death rattle, condemned to spend eternity burning inside a ceaseless incense burner. It was far too late to regret his past foolishness. For once a human succumbs to Corruption, there is no escape.
“Mika! Mika!”
“Ugh...”
Mikaris Merian furrowed her brow and slowly opened her eyes.
“Have you regained consciousness, Lady Mikaris?”
I pulled her into my arms. I could feel her warmth. For a terrifying moment, I had thought I would never feel this warmth again.
“...Where are we?”
“Do you not remember?”
“Ah... the Demonic Human...”
“The bastard has already been dealt with.”
“You defeated... a Demonic Human...?”
I held her tight, refusing to let go. The sheer terror of almost losing her had completely consumed me.
“I'm fine, so let go of me for now. I'm just... a bit tired...”
“...I am so glad you are safe. Leave the rest to me and rest easy.”
As I held the sleeping Mikaris's hand, my eyes trembling with lingering anxiety, the Archmage and the Imperial Knights finally arrived.
“We came as soon as we heard reports of a Demonic Human, but...”
“Young Lord Arcadia and I have already dealt with it,” Winston said, waving his hand dismissively.
“No, I barely did anything. It was practically Hound Egil here who subjugated it single-handedly.”
Giving me all the credit? Well, it was the truth. All Winston did was cast a Teleport spell. I did almost all the heavy lifting. Yes, indeed.
“Is that true? You subjugated a Demonic Human on your own?”
“...The bastard was ridiculously strong, and it hurt like hell. I honestly thought I was going to die.”
The Archmage bit her lip and swept her hair back, her expression deeply troubled.
“First, head to the infirmary and make sure the ladies are alright. Leave the cleanup to us.”
“Understood. We will leave the rest to you.”
I hoisted Mikaris onto my back. Winston, on the other hand, picked up Seri Verdia in a classic bridal carry. Damn, that looks way cooler. I should've done that...
I guess the guy designated as the male lead is just built different. I had unexpectedly learned a valuable lesson from Winston.
As the Archmage and the 2nd Knight Order began their investigation, we left the scene behind. On our way to the infirmary, Winston spoke up.
“Thank you for saving Seri.”
“Pardon?”
“I said thank you. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there.”
This was unexpected. I thought he despised me, yet here he was, thanking me. Well, it was only natural, but still...
“I thought you disliked me, Young Lord?”
“I do. But a true leader must know how to separate personal feelings from public duty to set a proper example.”
“As expected of your noble bloodline.”
“Are you mocking me?”
“Of course not.”
Winston and I walked side by side, radiating an incredibly awkward aura. Even the most charismatic talk-show host wouldn't be able to salvage this atmosphere.
To break the silence, I decided to ask him a few questions that had been bugging me.
“By the way, did His Highness the Crown Prince and Young Lord Edelian not come?”
“Why would His Highness and Edelian be here?”
“I was under the impression that they both harbor feelings for Lady Verdia...”
“His Highness was tied up with official duties at the Imperial Palace, so he dispatched the knights the moment he heard the news. As for Young Lord Edelian... I have no idea.”
In the original novel, the Crown Prince, Lutera Edelian, and Winston were supposed to team up to defeat the Demonic Human. But Lutera didn't show up, and the Crown Prince only sent his knights. Things were straying far off course.
The original plot is completely tangled up now.
Though I still knew the future events of this world, I could no longer predict when they would happen. If that was the case, I had no choice but to make the first move.
“But why do you ask?”
“I assumed they would rush here faster than anyone upon hearing of Lady Verdia's disappearance. I was simply curious why only you showed up, Young Lord.”
“I was able to track her mana. I sensed an unusual surge of Aura and mana coming from the fourth-floor lecture hall, so I rushed over immediately.”
Mana tracking—no matter how I looked at it, that was an incredibly useful ability. I wonder if there's something similar in the Special Shop? I'll have to check later.
“In any case, thank you for coming. I don't know what would have happened without you, Young Lord...”
“You would have won regardless. Your strength is already far beyond that of a mere student.”
The 6-Star realm. Considering that Tesada Edelian, the Commander of the 1st Knight Order and one of the strongest in the Empire, was an 8-Star, reaching this level at the age of seventeen was... well, it went without saying.
“I suppose so. Though there were a few close calls...”
“Still as shameless as ever, I see.”
“I'm just stating facts.”
I felt like this battle and conversation had brought me a bit closer to Winston. Wait, what if I end up raising flags with Winston too, on top of Lutera? A bizarre, unnecessary worry began to creep into my mind.
“We've arrived. The infirmary.”
“We need to check on Lady Verdia and Lady Mika. You saw that black gas earlier, right? It's a deadly poison.”
“I know.”
Winston and I handed Mikaris and Seri Verdia over to the infirmary staff. After a brief examination, the healer delivered the results.
“Both of them are out of danger. They should regain consciousness shortly.”
Winston slumped onto the floor. “Thank goodness. Thank goodness...”
I had assumed they would be fine since I'd given them the Spring Water of Life, but a part of me had still been terrified. Only now did my trembling hands finally steady. My racing heart, which felt like it was about to burst from my chest, slowly returned to a calm rhythm.
I need to be careful. The events of the original novel are unfolding much faster than expected.
“Are the traces of the Demonic Human clear?”
“Yes. Although the heavy downpour washed away most of it, we found traces of Abyss blood. There are clear signs of a fierce battle, along with blood spilled by the students.”
“......”
The Archmage turned to the Commander of the 2nd Knight Order.
“If you were in my shoes, would you believe that a mere academy student subjugated a Demonic Human?”
“Under normal circumstances, absolutely not. But isn't he the student hailed as the greatest prodigy in Estrada's history? I hear the 1st Knight Order, along with several prestigious noble houses, already have their eyes on him.”
“Indeed. He will likely be summoned to the Imperial Palace. He has performed an extraordinary feat.”
The Knight Commander nodded.
“Exactly. Looking at the timing of our arrival, if those students hadn't held the line, Estrada Academy would have been reduced to ruins by now.”
“I wonder what reward he will receive. Wealth? Honor? Or perhaps a title of nobility? He could ask for almost anything at this point.”
The Knight Commander adjusted his helmet as he continued the investigation.
“Most likely a title. His status as a commoner must have caused him various inconveniences, after all.”
“True. Let us leave the idle chatter at that and focus on the task at hand. Have you contained the information leak?”
“We can prevent the news from reaching the general public, but we won't be able to stop rumors from spreading among the nobility. Estrada Academy is, after all, filled with highborn children.”
“......”
The fact that a student had succumbed to Corruption and turned into a Demonic Human right inside the Empire's most prestigious academy was a massive disgrace. Especially when she, one of the greatest mages in the Empire, was present on campus. The Archmage closed her eyes tightly.
“I suppose I have an incident report to write.”
Mikaris stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes bleary.
“Are you awake, my lady?”
“Ugh... my head hurts.”
“You've been asleep for quite a while.”
Mikaris hadn't woken up for two full days. Even though I had administered the Spring Water of Life while she was enveloped in Corruption, her body had only been able to absorb a fraction of its power.
“What happened to... everything?”
“It was all swept under the rug quietly. But as for me, I'll likely be summoned to the Imperial Palace for my contribution to subjugating the Demonic Human.”
“Summoned to the Imperial Palace?” Mikaris's eyes widened.
“Yes. I have to go claim my noble title.”
“...In the end, you succeeded.”
“Of course. I prepared everything precisely for this moment. I'm sure His Highness the Crown Prince will back me up too.”
I continued, puffing out my chest proudly. “I wonder what title I'll receive. Baron? Viscount? Or maybe... even a Count?!”
Mikaris shook her head. “A Count would be pushing it.”
“Right? What a shame. Well, even if I start as a Baron or Viscount, I can always bring back a dragon's head later to secure a promotion to Count, right?”
Mikaris let out a soft chuckle. “I suppose that's true.”
As we were chatting, Line and Ronia Cardelia, who had just heard the news of Mikaris waking up, burst into the room.
“Are you alright?!”
“How are you feeling?”
“She's fine. She was unconscious for two days, but there are no major issues,” I answered on her behalf.
Ronia let out a massive sigh of relief.
“Phew... thank goodness. My heart was pounding like crazy when I heard Mika had been kidnapped by a Demonic Human.”
“Me too,” Line agreed. “A Demonic Human appearing at Estrada Academy was shocking enough, but hearing that Lady Merian had been abducted nearly gave me a heart attack.”
I smirked and looked at Line. “Lady Line. It seems I will soon be summoned to the Imperial Palace.”
“Why? Did you do something wrong?”
“Because I was the one who subjugated the Demonic Human.”
Line's jaw dropped.
“Is that true? I saw the Knight Order and the Archmage heading out, so I assumed they were the ones who handled it...”
“I beat them to the punch. You know what this means, right?”
“The opportunity you mentioned before has finally arrived.”
“Exactly.”
I shrugged, my nose practically pointing to the sky in pride.
“Soon, I won't just be the commoner Hound Egil. I'll be Hound Egil, Lord of... whatever.”
“Haha! What on earth is that? 'Lord of whatever'?”
“Don't you usually get a territory named after you when you become a noble?”
Line twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.
“Well, I'm not sure if they'll grant you land. They might just bestow a medal and a title.”
“......”
Shit, I'm not getting any land? What about my dream of living a happy, lovey-dovey harem life with them in my own territory?
“Anyway, the Crown Prince and I will fully support you.”
“I'll make a request as well!” Ronia chimed in.
“The House of Marquis Merian will also put in a word,” Mikaris added.
“Thank you so much for your support, ladies. I truly have wonderful people by my side.”
With the backing of the Crown Prince, the Ducal House of Estupina, the Marquisate of Merian, and the County of Cardelia, even the Imperial Palace wouldn't be able to brush me off. While receiving a title was practically guaranteed...
Still, to have three beautiful ladies surrounding me and offering their absolute support! Kim Geundae, you 26-year-old bastard, your dream has finally been realized by 17-year-old Hound.
“You must be thinking about something very pleasant.”
“Pardon?”
“It's written all over your face.”
“Haha...”
Of course I was happy. I could finally marry Mikaris. But wait, if I marry Mikaris, what happens to Line and Ronia? To enjoy a blissful harem life with all three of them, wouldn't I need to become a Grand Duke at the very least...?
How the hell do I become a Grand Duke?
The bright smile on my face instantly vanished, replaced by a somber shadow.
Looks like I'll have to save the damn country first.