Chapter 44
… Returning to the Lord’s residence, Yeriel took out her childhood diary.
Covered in dust and stored in an old drawer, it contained memories from a long time ago.
─I didn’t get scolded when I ate breakfast today, so my brother talked to me. I was happy the entire day because of that.
—I dropped my knife while eating dinner. My brother looked at me as if I were pathetic, which made me feel sad. It was my fault. Now, even if my brother doesn’t scold me, I have to make sure I can do better on my own.
─I will try to do tomorrow what I couldn’t do today. I have to work hard.
—My brother doesn’t like it when I cry, but I did anyway when I shouldn’t. Why couldn’t I hold it back…
“… Idiot.”
She closed her diary as she could no longer bear reading it.
‘Why was I so weak at that time? Why the hell did I act like an idiot?’
Yeriel sighed and looked at the gloves on the corner of the desk. It was a luxury item that Deculein gave as a gift.
“Gift, my ass.”
Yeriel swore.
She couldn’t even remember the past when she longed for love. The child whose world was shaken by his every word was already dead.
All that was left was the pain she wanted to forget.
“I won’t be deceived, you idiot.”
Yeriel grabbed his gift and tried to throw it away.
“… Damn it.”
But she couldn’t bring herself to move her arms.
It was the first present she received in her life, as she had never even received a ‘happy birthday.’
Yeriel put the gloves in her drawer.
“I just don’t have to use it anyway.” She mumbled and nodded.
* * *
9 PM.
People gathered in the forest behind [Hadekain Romance]. The first activity in their three days and two nights of stay here was to watch magic fireworks.
Along with powerful cheers, twinkling magic rays soared into the sky.
Fizz- Hiss- Boom-!
They exploded in the air and beautifully embroidered the darkness of the night.
“Wow…”
“So beautiful…”
The place was filled with pure exclamations. The three children of the archipelago—Carlos, Leo, and Lia—were among the large crowd watching the fireworks.
“As expected from Sylvia. That was impeccably perfect.”
The seven professors of the Department of Magic each gave her team a perfect score for each firework.
“Ifi. Are you ready?”
“Yeah.”
Epherene’s team went last. Bringing in fireworks they engraved with an incantation in advance, Epherene, their team leader, shouted.
“We used destruction magic and harmonic magic to—”
“Just shoot it.”
“… Okay.”
The professors didn’t even pretend to be interested. Feeling down, she concentrated her magic on her bracelet.
Her soaring magic power permeated the firework pile, causing them to flare up immediately.
Fizz-!
The magic hit the sky and exploded.
Boooooom-!
As Epherene explained, the feast of destruction and harmony that ensued made curtains as beautiful as the aurora.
It was a result that could be compared to Sylvia’s team, but their professors didn’t look satisfied.
“It’s pretty, but its sound is too loud. My ear hurts.”
Professor Siare of the Department of Destruction gave 6 points.
Letran from the Spirit Department gave 4 points.
“I mean, why?!” Julia demanded an explanation, but they just stared at her silently. She pouted and went back.
“It’s okay.”
Epherene comforted Julia.
She expected that much anyway. The professors hated the commoners’ club.
However…
“10 points. They found the perfect balance between destruction magic and harmonic magic.”
They received a perfect score out of nowhere.
… Deculein.
Surprised, Julia asked. “What?! Ten points?!”
As Deculein nodded, the professors slowly glanced at each other. Relin, next to Deculein, praised them and gave them 10 points. The professors after him did the same as well.
Only Siare and Letran, who gave 6 and 4 points respectively, broke out in cold sweat. They misunderstood this as Deculein’s ‘new method of screwing them.’
“Here are the results of the Magic Fireworks Contest! 1st place is Team Sylvia with 70 points, 2nd place is Team Epherene with 60 points, 3rd place is Team Beck with 58 points…”
Thanks to that, Epherene’s team came in second place. Her members laughed, but she looked at Deculein with a slightly complicated feeling.
“…”
However, he had already left without looking at anyone.
“What was that?”
“Gosh, that’s ridiculous.”
“Hey, I was right. She’s Deculein’s favorite.”
“That’s right. At the beginning of the semester, she was supposed to be punished, but she wasn’t because of Deculein. There are rumors that he gave her private lessons.”
“Gee. Are they going out or something?”
“… No way. She’s pretty, but I don’t think she’s Professor Deculein’s type.”
A group of noble wizards whispered as they gossiped, which was unbecoming of their aristocratic background.
Epherene was mad, but she didn’t say anything.
“Ifi, look at this! This is the reward for coming in second!” Before she could do anything reckless, Julia came with the second prize. It was hard liquor.
Epherene snatched it, opened it up, and took a nap already.
“Jeez! What’s wrong with you, Ifi?”
“Wait. I have to go somewhere.”
As soon as Epherene gave it back to Julia, she ran at full speed, making sure to remember where she came from.
She had countless questions that she needed to ask him and innumerable things she wanted to know.
Today was just a trigger.
“Pant, pant, pant….”
… She felt like she had been running for about 30 minutes before she found Deculein on a bench by the dark roadside. There was a horse standing beside him.
She swallowed hard.
He didn’t seem to care about her, but she hesitatingly walked over and sat down on the bench opposite.
“…Professor.”
Deculein didn’t answer. Epherene continued without hesitation.
“I know this is rude of me, but I have a question regarding the promotion test.”
Only then did Deculein look at her.
“You mean about Drent?”
“Yes.”
Epherene felt something wasn’t right about his thesis.
The “Fire Preservation” and its casting method presented by Drent made a certain suspicion grow stronger in her with each passing day.
“The content of his thesis…”
“It’s similar to your assignment. No, it’s almost identical. Did you just realize that now?”
Deculain looked at her like she was pathetic.
“Um…”
Epherene’s tried to speak, but no words came out.
Of course, she didn’t think he would assert it with so much certainty, but deep down, she already knew it was hers.
She lowered her gaze, feeling sadness rising deep within her.
“…”
The nobles who didn’t know any better gossiped that Deculein favored her, labeling his actions as affection.
Could it really be called favoritism?
If so, why?
Why the hell?
“… Why?”
Epherene looked at the stones lying on the pavement as a breeze swept past her robe.
She could hear the laughter of wizards not far away from them.
“This is no different with my punishment, the club, and Drent’s thesis…”
She needed to ask one of the most important questions she’d been dying to find the answer to.
“Is it because of my father? Is it because of your sense of debt?”
Epherene asked with courage as she proudly raised her head.
Deculein, the most hated professor, was looking at her, his blue eyes making her body tremble just by looking at them…
“Find out for yourself.”
“…”
“Don’t be stubborn. You’re not a child anymore.” Deculein got up from his seat as he let those words out of his lips coldly.
In an instant, It seemed as if all the tension in her body had been drained away.
However, she soon was filled with anger.
Epherene clenched her fists.
“… I was going to anyway!”
Her words made Deculein turn to her.
She didn’t avoid his gaze. The fire in her heart didn’t freeze this time.
“I’ll be proposing to be under your supervision.”
“…”
“In doing so, I’ll reveal what happened and the reason why my father committed suicide!”
Deculain just looked at her. There wasn’t even the slightest change in his face.
“You once said that I’m a gem.”
She didn’t know if she’d regret saying those words one day.
“You are, so don’t waste your talents.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as her closed lips trembled.
“If so, then I will definitely surpass you. I will become greater than you as you watch me from your high horse—!”
Epherene, who vomited all of her old and pent-up emotions, gasped for breath.
Unwittingly, she wiped her tears away with the hem of her robe.
“…”
The night air softly blowing in their vicinity cooled her heat.
Under the stars, Deculain stood still, his silence frightening Epherene. She realized what she just did a little too late.
However…
“That’s a good attitude.”
He didn’t try to break her will.
He didn’t despise or mock her.
“Ceaselessly challenge life itself.”
On the contrary, he sounded rather respectful.
“Whatever awaits you at the end of your path, wear it as your laurel wreath.”
Deculein climbed on his horse.
Epherene watched his back retreat in silence as the red horse that carried him quickly moved farther away.
“… I will.”
Epherene smiled and nodded.
As he said, she would ceaselessly challenge life itself.
‘So, I want you to reach a position far higher than anyone else. Once you’ve reached the pinnacle of your growth, I want myself to be the one to break you, not anyone else.’
Until then, she…
“Ouch!”
She felt a dull pain in her shoulder blades.
Epherene patted her shoulder and looked at the ground, finding a stone still rolling on it.
“What is it now…”
She looked up at a nearby tree, finding a hawk staring at her.
‘Is it the one that threw this?’ It sounded ridiculous, but it made sense. A rock held by the hawk’s talon flew in my direction.
That hawk had thrown it.
“What are you— ouch! Hey, stop throwing— Argh, this bird—”
* * *
I arrived at the entrance of the Crebas Canyon in an hour due to Red Horse’s amazing performance.
“That’s all for today. Return to the stables, and come back at noon.”
I sent Red Horse back. I didn’t know if he’d listen to my orders or not, but there was no sign of fatigue in his movements.
“… Is it a death
I stood still and recalled the recent incident.
Epherene’s declaration today was not a death variable. But it was somewhat disconcerting.
She planned on putting herself under my control?
It wasn’t bad. However, it was unclear whether she would be a dagger pressed against my throat or a sheathed dagger for me to wield.
It was so sudden, and I still didn’t know what “exactly” Deculein did to her father.
He could have committed a crime worthy of death or something that could’ve been fixed with a simple scolding.
I wanted to know, but there was no way to do so…
[Independent Quest: Complete the course]
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A system message popped up.
Charlotte and her party were approaching from afar. Covered in dust, they sighed in relief when they saw me.
“…?”
However, their party had only Maho, Charlotte, and Roen. The other escorts were nowhere to be seen.
“Are there only three of you?” I asked Charlotte, but she didn’t answer.
Did the rest die on their way here?
Such a shame.
Behind Charlotte, Maho poked her head out.
“Hello, Professor Deculein~ Professor, right? Thank you for helping us. I heard a lot about you through Charlotte…” Maho smiled.
It was nice to see her talking a lot as soon as we met.
She looked exactly as I had designed her to be, and her personality was the same as I saw in the game.
“Yes. Nice to meet you. My name is Deculein von Grahan Yukline. I’m the Head Professor of the Imperial University Tower.”
“Wow, you’re the Head Professor. That’s impressive. You must be great at magic.”
I just smiled at her in reply before turning my attention towards Charlotte, whose expression remained dark.
“Take it. It’s a note from the adventure team.”
Charlotte held out a piece of paper.
[About 37 murderers and a ‘deanant’ are chasing you.]
Deanant. As soon as I saw the word, I frowned, an instinctive disgust surging within me.
“The Reok Family has become far too corrupted.”
“… I know, right?”
Deanant was a subspecies of half ghosts and demons.
It looked and spoke like a human, and it even had human-level intelligence. However, everything else about them was no different from a demon.
Deanants were also more disgusting than demons because they were the products of a contract. a “Demon Summon” magic performed by the dark wizards of the “Ashes.”
Monsters that could only be summoned by mixing a human body with intact limbs and demon horns were difficult to defeat physically and magically.
“… Are you alright?” Charlotte asked.
“I’m fine.” The odds were in my favor.
After all, once we had entered the canyon, my ‘mana quality’ would be upgraded to [Class 4], and my mana recovery speed would overwhelm my consumption of it. My magic power and overall output would also be amplified.
Even more, since deanants were demon-type, I’d be able to thoroughly rip them apart.
“Princess Maho.”
“Yes? Yes, yes?”
I put my briefcase down on the road. As the bag opened, 15 wooden steel bags emerged in the air.
Her eyes widened as she witnessed it.
“From now on, this steel will escort you.”
“Wow.”
Charlotte muttered, “That’s the perfect magic for escorts.”
She pulled out a mining gas mask.
“You don’t need it? I brought four of these.”
I shook my head.
* * *
The group entered Crebas Canyon.
Its entrance was no different from other mountain trails. It was a bit cramped and rough, but that was it.
“I think you’re a very kind person, Professor Deculein.”
“Me?”
Charlotte was surprised by the unexpected attitude that Deculein was showing now.
“Of course, of course~ The other nobles in the empire seemed to hate me and always looked down on me, which made me sad. But you’re different.”
“You should just ignore those kinds of people.”
He treated Maho with great respect. His every word contained respect, and his actions were filled with dignity.
“The lower one is, the more they’d try to exalt themselves by looking down on others.”
“What? Um… Am I lowly?”
“No. The pathetic nobles of the Empire are. Princess Maho is, of course, a priceless individual, but not just because of your blood. You have qualities that are unique to you.”
“Wow… That’s the first time anyone’s told me that…”
Feeling uncomfortable, Charlotte intervened.
“Hey. Cut it out.”
He might end up seducing her at this rate.
“…”
Deculein nodded and walked silently. His steps leading them through the canyon were unstoppable. He didn’t even hesitate at all, almost as if he had been traversing the same path for 20 years.
The deeper they advanced into the inner canyon, the more the forests and vegetation became more purple.
The air was stinging, but breathing wasn’t a problem, thanks to the gas mask they prepared in advance. Even so, Deculein was still bare-faced.
Was that the ‘Yukline exorcism’ she had only heard of?
“—!”
A monkey jumped down towards them from an unknown place. Roen hurriedly swung his sword, but the blade hovering around the group pierced it first.
Kerrek-!
It was the strange steel that Deculein wielded.
“Wow!” Maho was amazed.
Deculein said, still looking only forward.
“Your vicinity is well protected, so there’s no need to worry. Anyway, at this rate, It will take approximately four hours to reach the border of Yuren.”
Charlotte bit her lip tightly, finding that duration troublesome.
“Four hours is too long.”
“There’s nothing we can do about it. If we run, we might become addicted to magic.”
“What about the deanant?”
“No worries. I’ll slay it.”
“…You?”
“Yes.”
Charlotte shook her head. If it appeared, she was willing to sacrifice herself.
“No. I—”
“Shut up.”
“… What?”
Deculein’s voice changed in an instant.
Flap, flap—!
A swarm of bats soon appeared. There were hundreds of them, but Deculein’s cherished item moved gracefully and penetrated them all.
The swarm of bats fell against the might of his raging steel before they could even launch an attack against them.
“That’s awesome! What kind of magic is this? Professor, Professor, I—”
Maho spoke to Deculein while he had his back against her.
Deculain replied softly. “Princess.”
“Yes, yes?!”
“Shut up and wait.”
“Oh, okay.” Startled, Maho pretended to lock the zipper of her mouth. Her lips kept moving, but no sound came out.
‘I shut my mouth~ I’m listening to you~’
Fweeeeewww—
“…?!”
A whistle blew from a distance.
Charlotte held her sword up, feeling demonic energy approaching them.
Deculein’s steps stopped.
“… Hey.”
His blue eyes instantly lit up. His fearlessly distorted expression seemed to have managed to contain his anger.
Charlotte was far more terrified of him.
Fweeeeewww— Fweeeeewww—
The whistling sound slowly neared them.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.
Light footsteps could be heard echoing as well.
Whooosh…
As the tree branches swayed, Charlotte embraced Maho and surrounded herself with a steel shield.
“Let me tell you this now.” Deculein calmly gave their opponents a warning. “The moment you approach, your limbs will disintegrate.”
The other side didn’t retreat, however. Rather, they showed a multitude of provocations as if ridiculing Deculein.
At that very moment…
───!
A rupture of steel tore through the atmosphere, vibrating dozens of times per second and racing through the area at a speed normal human eyes could no longer perceive.
Their entire vicinity was devastated as if a bomb landed and exploded.
The shockwaves caused by his Psychokinesis’s sheer speed alone caused the canyon to be overturned and all sorts of things to spring up: blood, flesh, innards.