Chapter 116: Fatal Timing [1]
Just a few days before Andromalius descended, when Aint Armian was returning to the Academy by ship.
The Academy was busy preparing for the new semester. Among them, Gerhard was the busiest person at the Academy.
"I hope the prepared items won’t be insufficient?"
"Yes. We’ve filled the warehouse with goods and even secured extras."
"It’s better to have too much than too little. If we can’t sell everything at the Academy, we can sell it elsewhere."
"Yes."
The start of the semester meant students returning, and wherever people gather, money flows.
"The merchants in town..."
"Professor Dominic needs teaching materials..."
Moreover, since a city had formed within the island, they didn’t target only students.
"What about the festival preparations?"
Above all, the second semester featured the Academy’s greatest festival, held in celebration of the Empire’s Founding Anniversary – a week-long spectacle of parades, magical demonstrations, feasting, and ceremonies that attracted visitors from across the continent. What had begun centuries ago as a simple day of patriotic observance had evolved into the island’s most anticipated event.
Supplying the necessary items and preparing facilities for this had long been the exclusive responsibility of the Golden Turtle Company.
"We shouldn’t be careless just because it’s something we always do. With so many distinguished guests coming, there shouldn’t be even the slightest problem."
"Yes."
"This is the best business opportunity of the year. Remember that how much we earn during this time determines our annual profit."
"Yes!"
The students, referred to as the future of the Empire, plus their parents and everyone else who came to see the festival.
The Academy’s festival was the second most magnificent among all the founding anniversary celebrations held throughout the Empire.
The first, of course, was the one held in the capital.
"That concludes today’s meeting."
"Thank you for your hard work!"
The two-hour meeting came to an end.
"What’s next on the schedule?"
"There’s a meeting with the Merchants’ Association."
"What about Aint Armian?"
"He hasn’t returned to the Academy yet."
"Then you go to the meeting with the Merchants’ Association instead."
Gerhard reviewed the meeting contents once more and stood up.
"...What are you planning to do now?"
"Field work."
"There’s no scheduled field work that requires you to leave tasks to me, is there?"
"I’ll tell you when I get back."
"I’m not a merchant."
"But you are a member of the company."
"I’ve never done any merchant work."
"Don’t worry. The employees will handle everything, so you just need to go and pretend to look important."
"...Wait, what kind of..."
Hyde laughed dryly, but Gerhard had already left.
"...He keeps forgetting that I’m not a merchant but a servant and bodyguard."
Haah, Hyde sighed.
***
After stopping by the warehouse, Gerhard grabbed various items.
"Um... Branch Manager?"
"I’ll record exactly what I’ve taken out, so don’t worry."
"Yes, understood...!"
Gerhard reassured the warehouse keeper and left.
In truth, as the vacation was ending, he was becoming increasingly anxious.
’Andromalius.’
The cause was, of course, the demon scheduled to be summoned.
Even though he knew through the prophecy book that a demon would descend and that Aint would defeat it, that knowledge couldn’t completely eliminate the fear that demons inspire.
’It’s a demon, after all. The first demon to appear on the continent in a thousand years.’
He couldn’t even begin to guess how powerful this demon would be.
’Can Aint really stop it? The future has already changed. Who knows what will happen next?’
Originally, he wouldn’t have been this anxious, but Barosu’s incident had a major impact.
The demonic species that Aint should have somehow defeated alone had not only severely injured Barosu but also killed several members of the Black Spear Mercenary Band.
Although it eventually fell to Aint’s hands, would the same result have occurred if Gerhard hadn’t assigned Barosu to him?
Today’s field work was a manifestation of that anxiety.
"You’re setting traps?"
"Yes."
The goal was to install as many traps and snares as possible around the World Tree branch to at least inflict some damage when Andromalius was summoned.
"But why are we going with Senior Luina?"
"Luina also knows about the demonic species."
He was bringing her as an escort, just in case.
Since Aint was the demonic species’ top priority, he thought the possibility of a demon being summoned while Aint was absent was significantly low.
Nevertheless, because of that slight possibility, he was bringing Luina along.
"Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about the World Tree branch."
"Can we trust her, Senior?"
"Luina is trustworthy."
"If you say so, I have no choice. But while I might be fine with it, I’m not sure if Senior Luina will be."
"The other person I was going to introduce to you is actually Luina."
At those words, both women’s faces changed simultaneously.
"...You were going to introduce me to Ariadne?"
"I made a promise."
"Don’t you know that it was Fridien who took the gold seal rights that our family possessed?"
"Goldenheim mediated. It was purchased with a fair price under mutual agreement, but are you really going to make an issue of that?"
"Of course not, but..."
Luina was by no means a saint who forgave everything and embraced all with love.
No matter how fair the compensation was, the value of what was lost was actually priceless.
It was inevitable to feel regret for what was lost and resentment toward those who took it.
Especially since she was aware of how the nobles’ attitudes toward Berchef had changed after losing the Grand Duke position.
"...I don’t particularly dislike Fridien. But I don’t have any desire to become friends either."
"Like our relationship before?"
"..."
"There’s no problem between you two. On the contrary, there’s the shared cause of fighting against the demonic species. Is there any reason not to work together?"
Luina couldn’t readily answer.
"Wow, I see you in a new light, Senior. You’re incredibly selfish."
"So?"
"I don’t mind bad men. After all, you’re from the Grand Duke family."
From Ariadne’s perspective, there was nothing bad about this.
It was an opportunity to build a good relationship with Berchef, who resented them despite them having done nothing wrong.