Chapter 16: Demon Approaches [2]
It was Rudger's voice.
Only then did Gerhard have the composure to check his surroundings. And he realized that everyone's attention in the tent was focused on him.
"...It's nothing, don't worry about it."
"For something that's nothing, you seem to be in quite a bit of pain?"
"I just overexerted myself after a long time, and some uncontrolled mana flowed back a little."
"That's not like you. Are you okay now? Do we need to tell a professor?"
"Yes. Thanks for your concern."
Gerhard roughly rubbed his face. The gazes that had gathered gradually dispersed at that sight.
"...Are you really okay?"
"Yes. Just as I said."
"But you were clutching your head."
...Unnecessarily perceptive.
"No, it was my chest."
"Perhaps we should tell a professor..."
"I said I'm fine, Luina Berchef."
"Then at least take a potion. Don't you have plenty?"
"That would be wasteful."
Money was for spending when necessary, not for collecting to waste meaninglessly.
"What kind of..."
"Shut up. Be quiet."
"Your mouth seems to be working fine. I understand."
Luina nodded curtly.
***
'...What was that just now?'
It was the future. A future further ahead that was written in the prophecy book, but that he couldn't recall no matter how much he thought about it until now.
'Was it because Luina mentioned Aint?'
Given that it emerged right after that, and only parts related to Luina appeared, that was likely the case.
'I need to look into this more later.'
Perhaps he could gain knowledge about the future each time he encountered Aint's companions.
'But Andromalius, really?'
Does this mean one of the 72 demons will actually manifest in this world? And near the Academy at that?
'This is insane.'
Demons were practically legendary beings. It was overwhelming to think about how to deal with them.
'No, I don't need to worry about that yet. In the end, Aint will stop it, and what I saw earlier is much further in the future. I need to focus on other things now.'
The near future that was imminent was more important than the relatively distant future of Andromalius.
Exactly one month from today, an incident will occur in the "War and Practical Dueling" class of the first-year Knight Department.
The second move of Aint Armian, who had caused a sensation by defeating the 10th-ranked Anto Denern in the first lecture.
Aint Armian will duel with the first-year second-ranked, Veriana Kalproten, in "War and Practical Dueling."
And the result is a narrow victory.
It was a major event that Aint Armian, who had already begun to make a name for himself by defeating the 10th-ranked Anto Denern, defeated the second-ranked student in just a month.
It properly proved that his earlier victory wasn't just luck, and he began to gain recognition from this point.
'But the problem didn't end there.'
Just as there is darkness where there is light, where there is a winner, there is also a loser.
Contrary to Aint, who secured victory and fame, Veriana would lose many things.
Reputation, honor, and even her reliable backing.
["Second-ranked in the Knight Department, I trusted you because of your reputation as the knight of Kalproten, but it seems I misjudged."
"...I'm sorry. Next time, I will definitely..."
"What is there to be sorry about? It's just that my expectations were a bit high. For now, take some time to recover your body and mind. If there's an opportunity in the future, we'll talk again."
In the face of what was essentially a dismissal, Veriana bowed her head and bit her lip tightly.
'Aint Armian...!'
Anger towards Aint Armian began to rise.]
Unlike the sudden situation earlier, these were prophecies that Gerhard intentionally recalled.
After Veriana was publicly defeated by Aint, she was treated almost like a discarded card by Rudger.
Of course, Rudger seemed to have left some room for reconciliation.
But from the perspective of the one being treated this way, from someone who had been at the very top, it would have been perceived differently.
'It must have felt like losing the whole world.'
Defeated by a person from House Armian whom she had always sought to surpass, and then scorned by the backer she had trusted, Veriana Kalproten would fall prey to a demon's temptation because of this incident.
Yes, a demon.
This meant it was finally the moment when a demon appeared, albeit indirectly, for the first time.
'The problem is that exactly where and how contact is made isn't specified.'
Whether the prophecy book was inadequate or the demon was that thorough.
Gerhard leaned more toward the former.
After all, it's a prophecy book that predicts the future, so it doesn't make sense that something wouldn't be written in it just because a demon is thorough.
"Luina."
"Yes."
"Do you believe in the existence of demons?"
"...That's quite a random question."
"Just answer it."
At his urging, Luina nodded.
"I believe. Isn't this empire built upon the defeat of demons?"
"What if I said they still exist on this earth?"
"...Honestly, that would be hard to believe."
"I feel the same."
Yes, this was the typical response. Demons, who had been banished by the first emperor, had not shown themselves for the past thousand years.
If something isn't seen for a hundred years, it's often considered false, so what about a thousand years? To modern humanity, demons were nothing more or less than distant legends or fairy tales.
That's why this incident was all the more important.
'If I could only get evidence of a demon, it would be much easier to persuade people around me and get help.'
A clear evidence is definitely different from a mere delusion, and based on that, I could expand the game.
'I could also verify the prophecy book once more.'
Even if 99 other things were correct, if the one thing about demons was wrong, it would mean that a fundamental part of the prophecy book was flawed, which made it the most important matter.
"But why suddenly bring up demons? Is your head still hurting..."
"I told you I'm fine."
At that moment, the tent opened and Grad entered.
"Everyone come out."
The exercise was over.