Chapter 260: Secret
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 260: Secret
Does a protagonist ever lack money?
Of course.
In the many "Dragon Proud Sky" and "Soaring Phoenix" novels Muen had read in his past life, resource management was always a hurdle the protagonist had to clear in the early stages.
In fact, many protagonists were defined by their poverty from start to finish.
To pull off a successful "counterattack" arc, their status—at least initially—couldn't be too exalted.
Take Ariel, for example. Before she overthrew her arrogant older brothers and sisters, she was merely a lowly bastard daughter. The reason she was so adept at preying on other criminals now was that she had spent her entire childhood clawing her way up that way.
Even now, as the first heir to the Count, the family was so teeming with relatives that plenty of people were still gunning for her position. She couldn't enjoy the undivided support of the entire House of Campbell like Muen did.
Furthermore, even if she did have the full backing of the Count’s estate, it might not be enough to sustain her expenses.
This was because "Soaring Phoenix" types always took the high-end route. They burned through ten or a hundred times the resources of an average person in exchange for near-invincibility among their peers and top-tier potential.
For someone like Ariel, learning magic was already a money-sink, often mocked as a "nobleman’s toy."
But the Ancient Magic she studied? Because many of the required materials had become incredibly rare and terrifyingly expensive in the modern era, she wasn't just "burning" money. Burning implies a process; what she did was more like throwing gold into a void.
However, for an elite Soaring Phoenix protagonist, while resources were a hurdle, overcoming them shouldn't be too difficult.
In the original novel, Ariel did struggle for a while. But with the help of her mentor’s soul, she managed to bridge her financial gap by crafting mass quantities of Ancient Magic scrolls and specialized magic instruments to sell on the black market—and, of course, through a bit of strategic robbery.
Like a gluttonous beast, she was supposed to sweep through every opportunity and resource she encountered, devouring them to fuel her own strength. That was the hallmark of a true "Proud Sky" protagonist.
So why had things gone wrong this time?
Muen remembered the last time she was broke was because the black market had closed. This time...
Wait, it couldn't be because the black market closed again, could it?
A bolt of realization struck Muen’s mind, and his thoughts suddenly became crystal clear.
Don't ask why Ariel’s goods could only be sold on the black market. Another trait of a Soaring Phoenix protagonist was that she possessed many things that simply could not see the light of day until she was powerful enough to protect them!
Thus, in the original novel’s Academy Arc, the majority of Ariel’s resources came from selling items on the black market, finding hidden gems, and preying on villains during unexpected incidents.
The black market...
Just a few days ago, before the Silent Moon descended, many noble lords had been conscripted by His Majesty the Emperor, and the entire city had been placed under martial law. Naturally, the black market couldn't open.
As for preying on others...
If Ariel had successfully snatched the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood earlier, she wouldn't have had to worry about money for a long time.
But the Ancient Dragon Heart Blood... had been snatched by Muen.
Even the Silent Moon incident itself—which wasn't part of the original plot—had been triggered by Muen.
"Which means... in the end... after everything... the root cause of it all... is still..."
Me?
Muen was dumbfounded.
What kind of ultimate "stray bullet" luck was this? The storm caused by the wings of his little butterfly had somehow ended up smacking Ariel right in the face.
Once he connected the dots, a wave of guilt involuntarily surged in Muen’s heart.
Was this the "Black Hole Effect" of a protagonist? They just suck everything in? Truly impressive.
"But that’s not right either."
Muen suddenly snapped out of it and looked at Liya.
"Ariel shouldn't be this broke right now. After all, I gave her a million not too long ago!"
Muen remembered the money he had excitedly handed over when Ariel had enlightened him.
No matter how much you "scatter" money, a million should last a while.
It had only been a few days!
"It... It really is your fault!"
Upon hearing this, Liya didn't show any gratitude toward Muen. Instead, she glared at him, her cheeks puffing out in anger.
"My fault?" Muen’s expression turned strange. "What did I do?"
"Ariel has been very acting very strange lately," Liya said, her eyes turning slightly red.
"Every night, she stares at that million you gave her and dazes off. She mumbles things like, 'I won't let your scheme succeed,' 'I won't succumb to a mere million,' and 'This money won't corrupt me.' Even though she’s holding a fortune, she won't spend a single cent. Instead, she’s living even more frugally than before. It’s like... like she’s possessed!"
"..."
Muen was stunned for a moment, then he couldn't help but cover his forehead and let out a bitter laugh.
So that was it. That stubborn protagonist still didn't trust him, and she certainly wouldn't accept his kindness lightly.
The million he had casually given her had only triggered her suspicion.
As expected of the "Yellow-Haired Villain" who had tormented her so many times, it wasn't going to be easy to earn her forgiveness.
"So, you’ve been sneaking out to play music for money just to help Ariel through this rough patch?"
"Yes..." Liya nodded softly. "Ariel spends all her money on I-don't-know-what. Although I can feel her strength improving every day... if she keeps eating black bread like this, her body won't be able to take it."
Liya bit her lip. "If this keeps up, she’s really never going to grow."
"..."
Looking at Liya, who was so wholeheartedly devoted to her childhood sweetheart, Muen suddenly didn't know what to say.
What was this? Life is hard, so the childhood sweetheart sells her art?
He felt like the plot had veered ridiculously off course.
"But, Student Liya..." Muen sighed deeply. He looked at the girl, who kept her head down as she spoke, and asked softly, "You’re out here earning money for Ariel, but what about yourself?"
"What?" Liya looked up, her small face filled with confusion.
"Your studies," Muen said seriously. "What about your education?"
As a candidate Saintess of the Life Church currently undergoing her trials, Liya’s workload was far more than just the academy’s curriculum.
She couldn't afford to fall behind on her Saintess duties.
Especially now, with the Holy Ceremony that would determine the next Saintess fast approaching, she couldn't afford to slack off.
Ariel was likely consuming resources and growing her strength so frantically precisely to prepare for helping Liya.
But Ariel hadn't expected that this would cause Liya—the one who should be studying in peace—to sneak out and work because she was worried about her.
"My studies... they won't be affected," Liya whispered, fidgeting with her fingers. "I only sneak out at night. I still have plenty of time during the day."
"So you study during the day, work at night... when do you sleep?"
"...It’s, it’s fine." Liya paused, a reassuring and lovely smile appearing on her face. "Actually, Holy Light spells can wash away fatigue. I can do this!"
"..."
Muen looked at her, his eyes flickering.
How could it be "fine"?
Even if Holy Light could wash away physical exhaustion, how could it soothe mental strain?
As someone who frequently tempered his spirit within the Black Book, Muen knew better than anyone that mental exhaustion was far more unbearable than physical fatigue.
He had to help her, whether out of guilt toward Ariel or for some other reason.
Thinking this, Muen instinctively reached for his storage device.
But Liya immediately noticed his movement and said urgently:
"Just so you know, I... I won't accept your charity, and I don't want your 'stinky' money!"
"...This isn't charity. It’s a thank-you for saving me just now."
"I already told you, that didn't count as saving you. And if you want to show gratitude..."
Liya touched the bracelet on her wrist and said in a low voice, "The money from before was enough. Even if it’s hard, I want to earn my own rewards through my own efforts. After all, this is the first time I’ve truly been able to help Ariel using only my own strength."
"..."
Muen couldn't help but look into the girl’s eyes again.
They were clear, bright, and carried an indelible weariness, yet they remained... so firm.
Had her long time spent with Ariel made her inherit that stubbornness, or was this future Saintess, who looked so fragile on the outside, simply like this by nature?
In that case...
"Student Liya, I’ll be returning to the Academy soon."
"Huh?" Liya looked at Muen in confusion, not understanding why he was suddenly stating the obvious.
"For a true noble, music appreciation is a mandatory course."
"But unfortunately, St. Maria Academy, famous for its magic, doesn't have a dedicated music appreciation class."
"So..." Muen extended his hand toward Liya and said with a smile, "Student Liya, may I hire you as my private musician at a high salary befitting your status as a performer?"
...
...
"Private musician?"
After a brief daze, Liya’s beautiful eyes widened. She hugged her ample chest and scrambled back, staring at Muen warily.
"What... what are you trying to do?"
As she spoke, her face, which had just calmed down, suddenly flushed as red as a peach. She stammered nervously:
"Are... are you really like Ariel said? Are you going to use this as an excuse to lure me to a deserted place and then do those beastly things to me? You’re going to do this... and that... and put me in all sorts of shameful poses? And then I’ll... ugh... No! Absolutely not! I won't let you have your way! I... I am a..."
"..."
Watching Liya’s extreme reaction, Muen’s lip twitched.
What on earth had that bastard Ariel been feeding this pure girl’s head?
"Student Liya, I said it would be at the Academy," Muen explained helplessly.
"Under the shroud of the Grand Ritual, how could I possibly do anything beastly to you? If I even tried, you’d just have to scream once and Professor Prang would show up to execute me on the spot. And if you’re still worried, I can pay you per session. The moment you feel I have any ill intentions, you can terminate the arrangement immediately."
"But..."
"No 'buts'."
Looking at the hesitating girl, Muen knew she would come up with a thousand more excuses if he let her. So, he suddenly gave a wicked grin and revealed his long-prepared trump card:
"Student Liya, you wouldn't want Ariel to find out about you busking for money, would you?"
"Ugh..."
Liya’s delicate body shuddered. She let out a soft wail, her cute, rabbit-red eyes glaring at Muen with resentment.
"You... you’re despicable."
"Call me despicable then." Having released his inner "villain" DNA, Muen felt a wave of satisfaction. He smiled and raised his hand. "So, what’s your decision?"
"..."
It felt like an eternity.
Who knew what kind of internal struggle was going on inside that little head? After Muen’s prompting and a long silence, Liya’s eyes flickered. She bit her lip and finally reached out her hand...
But just as her fair, small palm was about to make contact, she suddenly stared intently at Muen and said seriously:
"Muen Campbell, you... you aren't trying to hit on me, are you?"
"Pfft..."
Muen nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked shocked. "Where did you get that idea?"
"Ariel said that when a man is suddenly extra nice to you and goes out of his way to help you, he definitely wants to hit on you." Liya tilted her head, speaking with total gravity. "Ariel told me to stay away from people like that."
"..."
Ariel, what the hell are you teaching her?!
Was this the power of a veteran? Before she even started sharpening her blade, she was already thinking about insurance.
Muen sighed and looked closely at the girl before him.
She was pure and cute, with flawless features, and combined with that one-in-a-million top-tier figure, she could certainly stir the desires of any man.
Add to that her future status as a Saintess, and honestly, how many men could resist?
And according to the timeline, while a certain "veteran" was already sharpening her blade, Liya’s feelings for Ariel should still be limited to pure childhood friendship.
After all, the emotional catalyst—the Holy Ceremony that would decide her Saintess status—hadn't happened yet.
There was room to "dig at the corner of the wall."
However...
If Muen actually dared to try and steal her away, forget about asking for forgiveness—he’d probably be beaten to death by a furious Soaring Phoenix.
"Don't worry," Muen said, looking at Liya with a smile devoid of any ulterior motives. "I have absolutely no such thoughts toward you."
"Really?"
"Truer than pearls!"
"Promise me."
"I promise!"
"You better not lie to me."
"I swear by the Goddess!" Muen puffed out his chest and raised four fingers of his other hand, his tone solemn. "If I ever try to hit on Student Liya, may I be hacked to pieces by a cleaver!"
"..."
Liya looked at Muen, her cute gaze scanning his face as if trying to discern how much truth was in his words.
After a long time, just as Muen’s expression was about to crack, Liya suddenly broke into a smile. It was a smile that made the flickering candlelight in the restaurant seem dull by comparison.
"Alright. Since you don't seem as bad as Ariel said, I’ll believe you this once."
She grasped Muen’s hand and gave it a playful shake.
"Then I look forward to working with you, Mr. Employer."
"Likewise, Miss Musician," Muen replied with a smile.
And so, as their palms met, a secret contract belonging only to the two of them was forged within the quiet, romantic atmosphere of the restaurant.
...
...