A Swordmaster's Resolve

The practical training for the purification of the Mad Dragon was canceled due to the sudden appearance of the beast itself. Perhaps because of this, Estrada Academy naturally decided to declare a temporary recess. The reason was the Mad Dragon subjugation. The strongest figures of the Empire served as the academy's faculty, and they, too, had to participate in the subjugation.

'I wonder when classes will resume.' No one knew when the academy would reopen. Perhaps some professors would never return. That was how dangerous the Mad Dragon was.

"Sojeon, did you pack everything?"

"Yes. I have secured all necessary items."

"Then let's head to the carriage..."

Just as I was about to walk toward the Dinlight carriage, someone shouted and ran toward me from afar. Judging by his neat uniform, he was an unnamed student teacher from the academy.

"Pant, pant. Thank goodness you haven't left yet."

He caught his breath, which had grown ragged from running, and spoke to me.

"Do you have a moment right now? The President is calling for you."

"The President wants to see me?"

"Yes. He urgently requested that I bring you to him..."

Why on earth would the President call for me? Wasn't he busy with the Mad Dragon subjugation anyway?

"I'll go. Let's talk on the way."

I handed the luggage in my hands to Sojeon.

"I'll be right back, so you can wait in the carriage first."

"Understood..."

With that, I began walking down the academy corridors with the student teacher.

"But why did the President summon me?"

"...I am not sure either. I only received orders from above. I apologize."

"No need to apologize..."

The President wouldn't have summoned me just for small talk. Was he going to reward me for subjugating the Great Demonic Beast Ogre? If so, why now? I hadn't done anything wrong, but I felt like I was being dragged to the principal's office.

"He is waiting inside. Have a good talk."

I knocked gently and opened the door to the office. The man waiting for me was an elderly man whose muscles were so robust that his shirt was stretched taut. It was Jeral Schuhartz, the President of Estrada Academy.

'If he were in the real world, he'd easily bench, squat, and deadlift 800 kilograms.'

While I was admiring his magnificent muscles, Jeral Schuhartz stood up with a smile.

"Welcome, Lord Johannes! Won't you take a seat first?"

As I sat on the sofa, I used my Eye of Clairvoyance to peer inside him. What entered my vision was a massive star—or rather, eight stars, the realm of a Transcendental.

"Those eyes of yours... they are no ordinary eyes, are they?"

"Everyone seems to notice easily."

"When you stare so blatantly, it's impossible not to notice. First, have some of this."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Jeral Schuhartz slid a cup of tea he had brewed himself toward me. Sniffing the aroma, I was relieved to find it wasn't the Eastern tea currently trending at the academy. Whenever I smelled Eastern tea, I felt a strange sense of unease. You could call it a form of trauma. After all, the poisoned tea I had been served before was an Eastern blend.

Jeral Schuhartz calmly savored the aroma of his tea. I hadn't come here to exchange idle pleasantries. I wanted him to get to the point.

"...May I ask why I was summoned?"

"Haha, what an impatient young man. First, I wanted to express my gratitude for the subjugation of the Great Demonic Beast Ogre. That creature usually hides so well that it was never easy to locate."

"I merely did what had to be done."

Clack.Jeral Schuhartz set down his teacup, his expression turning solemn.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you—not as a student, but as a Swordmaster. Will you listen to an old man's request?"

"...Depending on what it is."

Jeral Schuhartz glanced at a knight standing nearby. As if on cue, the knight unrolled a scroll to reveal a map.

"I assume you are aware that the Mad Dragon has appeared in Garhirst. That is the very reason I summoned you."

Jeral Schuhartz pointed to the path leading from Garhirst to the Imperial Capital.

"Look at this route. Though the distance is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠great, it consists of flat plains with no mountain ranges, making it easy for contaminated demonic beasts to approach."

"Demonic beast subjugation?"

"No, something far greater."

A shadow fell over Jeral Schuhartz's eyes, like a setting sun.

"I want you to participate in the Mad Dragon subjugation."

"Are you asking me to join the expeditionary force?"

"Indeed. It pains me to ask this of someone so young, but are you not a Swordmaster? I am asking this of you as a fellow Swordmaster."

If possible, I wanted to avoid dangerous tasks. While I met the qualifications for the expedition, I was still just a student lacking real-world experience. This was a lesson I had learned painfully while fighting the Ogre. Under normal circumstances, I would have refused, but...

I wanted the achievement of having slain a dragon. In truth, more than anything, I wanted to face a dragon. Because to achieve my ultimate goal, slaying a dragon was a step that would never change.

"...I will think about it."

"I hope you give it deep thought. The expedition is scheduled to depart in a week. I would like you to make your decision by then."

I stood up from my seat.

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

I bowed to the President and left the office.

Joining the expedition was a matter of personal greed. I might die. And I didn't know what would happen if I died here. Would I return to being Kim Geundae before my transmigration, or would I truly die?

But I didn't want to run away from the future that awaited me. To do that, I first had to get Micaris's permission. I was no longer alone.

I walked toward the carriage where I was supposed to ride with Micaris.

...

"Ah, you have arrived."

Sojeon was waiting in front of the carriage.

"Is Mica inside?"

"Yes. She arrived earlier and is already on board."

"Right. Take care of the rest of the luggage. I have something to discuss with Mica."

As I climbed into the carriage, Micaris, who was reading a book, looked up and asked me, "I heard the President summoned you. What did you talk about?"

The words caught in my throat. If I told her I was joining the expedition to subjugate the Mad Dragon, wouldn't she be furious? She would probably refuse outright. It was just that dangerous.

I swallowed hard and spoke cautiously.

"The President... wants me to join the Mad Dragon subjugation expedition."

Freeze. Micaris's hand stopped mid-turn of a page.

"You're not going, right?"

"..."

"Why aren't you answering?"

Slide. Micaris grabbed my hand.

"You're not going, right? Tell me you're not. Just look at what happened during the contamination training..."

"Mica."

I steeled my resolve.

"I want to go. I want to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gain the experience and the achievement of slaying the Mad Dragon. Of course, I will absolutely not die. That is one promise I can guarantee."

"...Do you really have to go?"

"Because I feel like my growth has stagnated."

It was true. I was currently stagnant. My swordsmanship proficiency was rising day by day, and my black magic proficiency was doing the same. I even had no trouble gathering Aura. What I lacked was experience. Most of the opponents I had defeated so far were simply because I was overwhelmingly stronger than them.

Micaris remained silent for a long while. Who would willingly agree to let their fiancé go to a place as dangerous as a battlefield? I didn't fail to understand her feelings. However, I couldn't back down this time. To protect everyone, I had no choice but to become stronger.

Her lips, which had been tightly shut as she stared blankly at her book, finally parted.

"I'll think about it. You won't go if I don't give you my permission anyway, right?"

Micaris's lower lip was trembling slightly. She was anxious.

"I hope you will permit it. I know my request is selfish, but..."

The carriage set off. Inside, not a single word was exchanged between us. After traveling in silence for a long while, we finally arrived at the Marquis's estate.

"I'll go greet the Marquis first. Mica, you're going to change into comfortable clothes, right?"

"Yes. Tell Father about what we discussed earlier as well."

Micaris's legs looked heavy as she climbed the stairs. I didn't expect her to fully understand my heart. Still, I hoped she would trust me and not worry. But how could that be easy? I had no choice but to prove the weight of my words through the gravity of my actions.

Following Micaris's path, I walked over and knocked on the door of the Marquis's office.

"Come in."

As I entered the office, it was just as expected. Marquis Dinlight was buried behind a pile of paperwork so high that his face was barely visible.

"Ah, I heard you went through quite an ordeal during the training."

"It wasn't that big of an ordeal. There were no casualties."

"Is that so? I suppose that's only natural with the famous Apel Cloud present."

Scratch, scratch. The quiet sound of the Marquis's quill pen echoed softly. But that tranquility was short-lived.

"There is something I would like to discuss..."

"What is it that makes you hesitate so?"

"I wish to join the Mad Dragon subjugation expedition."

Clack. The Marquis set his quill down on the desk.

"Risking such danger? Why? You are not alone anymore."

"I am a Swordmaster. But I am still lacking. To protect Mica, I must become even stronger."

The Marquis pursed his lips. Then, he began to massage the bridge of his nose.

"Did Micaris permit it?"

"She said she would think about it."

The Marquis let out a sigh and began tapping his fingers on the desk. Then, he spoke to me.

"If Micaris gives her permission, do as you wish, my son-in-law. However, if you do go, promise me just one thing. You must preserve your life at all costs."

"I have no intention of dying just yet."

"Indeed. Then that is fine. I trust you, as a Swordmaster."

"Thank you for your permission."

Having finished my business with the Marquis, I gave a polite bow and returned to my room. Immediately after, I tied a letter to the leg of a carrier pigeon.

"To the President's office at Estrada Academy. You know the way, right?"

Coo.

Every time I saw the carrier pigeons of this world, I found them fascinating. They understood human speech and delivered messages to their destinations swiftly and accurately. Perhaps it was the effect of the magic tool hanging around its neck.

"I'm counting on you."

After sending the carrier pigeon on its way, I began preparing for my trip to the Fairy Forest. This time, I needed to procure some very large water barrels.

'I should go with the mindset of draining the Spring of Life dry.'

Getting the large water barrels wasn't an issue since I could just ask Sojeon. The problem, however, was how to carry them. Transporting them there and back would be a massive headache. But there was a simple way to solve this problem.

The Special Shop—a cheat-like existence for me.

In this shop, there was a Subspace Pocket. True to its nature as a mobile game shop, it possessed all kinds of game-like systems.

'Purchase.'

Ding.

"Huh?"

Come to think of it, I had spent 50 coins to purchase the Recovery Package. My current balance was 290 coins—exactly 10 coins short. Not 100 coins, but a mere 10.

'Can't I take out a loan?'

As if such a thing would exist. What would I even have to do to get a 10-coin donation?

"..."

If I knew, would I be sitting here like this? This is why people always have those "Oh, crap!" moments. It was the first rule of my life, but who would have thought it would bite me in the back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this?

Just as my head began to throb and my brow furrowed,

There was a message I hadn't noticed before.

'Never take out an unverified loan' was also one of Kim Geundae's life rules...

'Let's just borrow 10 coins. Just 10.'

A fivefold interest rate. On top of that, an unknown curse if I failed to repay within a month. I didn't even know if the spring water could lift such a curse. But what choice did I have? Right now, this was the best option.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took out the loan. With this, I successfully purchased the Subspace Pocket Package.

Now, it was time to go drain the Spring of Life dry.