Chapter 122

“Did you say goodbye properly to your girlfriend?”

“I saw her off well.”

At Kara’s question, I couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

Yeah, I said goodbye to Lisa properly.

So properly that it drew the attention of everyone nearby—but still, I said goodbye.

“Are you sure it was a proper farewell? From what I saw earlier, she looked ready to devour you—biting your neck and all…”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Nothing happened.”

“Then what’s with the bandage around your neck…”

“I told you, nothing happened.”

I diverted the topic with a shameless grin.

Even though I’d had to endure Lisa’s intense farewell in front of countless onlookers… I decided it was better to pretend nothing had happened.

It was less embarrassing that way.

“Anyway, Professor, isn’t Serenus quite far from here? Will you be all right?”

“It takes about two days by carriage from here, right?”

“If you travel without rest, yes. But if you plan to stop along the way, you’ll need at least three days.”

“Wow, now that I think about it, that’s really far.”

Kara gave a dry laugh, scratching her head.

“Looking at it now, I’m suddenly curious.”

“About what?”

“You came all the way here just to attend the Academy?”

“Well, something like that. There aren’t any academies near Serenus, so I figured if I was going to study, I might as well attend the best one.”

I lied smoothly, without hesitation.

In truth, I didn’t even know why I had enrolled at Lysquare Academy.

When I’d first transmigrated, I’d just woken up in the Academy dormitory.

‘Of course, it’s probably because the game always starts at Lysquare Academy… but hmm, could there be another reason?’

Kara’s question sparked a bit of curiosity in my mind, but I soon dismissed it.

Whatever the reason, it didn’t change the fact that I was a student of Lysquare Academy.

“Well, there are a few students who come from far away, but Serenus is really distant. It must be quite a hassle to travel back every vacation.”

“It can’t be helped. I’m attending one of the Empire’s best academies—this much is to be expected.”

“Good attitude. With that mindset, you’ll climb much higher. And coming from a genius who’s reached great heights—trust me on that.”

“Ah… yes, well…”

“Can’t you at least react properly once in a while?”

Kara sighed, sounding exasperated, then turned her head to the side.

A carriage was waiting beside us.

“This is the carriage you’re taking, right?”

“Yes, the one that’ll accompany me for the three-day trip—along with the coachman.”

“You’ve already paid?”

“The Academy covered all the expenses.”

“Of course. The Academy pays for all student return trips.”

After saying that, Kara seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded as if making up her mind.

“This way’s more efficient anyway. Gideon, you haven’t loaded your luggage yet, right?”

“No, not yet.”

I glanced at the wooden box beside me.

I didn’t have much baggage.

While others carried several bags, I only had this single box.

“Perfect. Hold on a moment—I’ll bring my things.”

Then Kara murmured something and cast a spell.

From afar, a large bag and a trunk came flying toward us.

“Good. This should be enough for a two-week stay.”

She checked the luggage that landed beside her and nodded.

From a glance, her bags were packed full of magic tools.

She clearly intended to conduct a full-scale investigation of the Protected Zone for Other Races while she was there.

“Coachman, do you know what a lucky day this is for you?”

“…Pardon?”

“You get paid without having to work. If that’s not lucky, I don’t know what is.”

“But… I’m supposed to take you two to Serenus…”

The coachman looked flustered, but Kara just smiled and shook her head.

“No need. You can go home. The Academy’s payment—let’s just say you never received it, all right? Just quietly take it and go.”

“…Are you sure that’s okay?”

“Yes, don’t worry. Think of it as your lucky day and take a good rest.”

After that, Kara turned back to me.

“Anyway, you’re ready to go, right?”

“I am, but… we’re not taking the carriage?”

“It takes too long. I want to get there as quickly as possible.”

She cast another spell, neatly arranging our luggage around us.

“Come stand next to me. We’re leaving now.”

“Wait… are you saying…”

“Yep, it’s exactly what you’re thinking. And tell me, Gideon—who am I?”

“You’re… my professor?”

“No, come on. Be honest—give me a little credit here.”

“Heh, yes. You’re one of the Empire’s greatest magicians.”

“Exactly.”

Kara smiled, clearly pleased.

At times like this, she really was… a simple person.

“A magician of my caliber traveling such a long distance by carriage? Doesn’t exactly suit the image, does it?”

“So you’re really going to Serenus… by teleportation?”

“Correct.”

“Is that even possible?”

Even someone like me, who didn’t know much about magic, understood how difficult space-type magic—like teleportation or translocation—was.

It was even explained in great detail in the game’s settings.

“It’s possible. Because I’m the Empire’s greatest, genius magician.”

“Even if the magic itself is possible, the distance to Serenus is enormous. If I remember correctly, to teleport that far…”

“I’ll probably have to use up all my mana. But it’ll recover in a day or so anyway. I do have other ways to replenish it, and honestly, it’s better to spend a day’s worth of mana than waste three days traveling.”

Finishing her explanation, Kara immediately began casting the spell.

A large magic circle appeared on the ground, shining with intense light.

“Let’s see… I’ve been there before, so the coordinates should be correct. Mana—sufficient. Formula—precise. Perfect. As expected of me.”

“Professor, is there anything I should be careful about during the teleport?”

“Not really. Oh, right—did you eat breakfast?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then be prepared to throw up everything you’ve eaten. Spatial Movement magic makes your insides churn like crazy.”

“Sorry? That’s the first I’ve heard of—”

“Quiet! We’re leaving now. Get ready.”

I didn’t even have the time to say anything more.

A blinding light erupted from the magic circle, and soon that light swallowed me whole.

“Uuueegh! Guh, ack… cough.”

“Professor, are you all right?”

“Urgh, blegh, nghk… O-of course I am! For a magician like me, this much is—uurgh?!”

“…You should rest a little longer.”

We arrived safely in Serenus.

Thanks to Kara’s magic, we had covered an enormous distance in an instant.

And contrary to her warning, I was perfectly fine.

A little dizzy, maybe, but that was all.

At least I was fine.

“Ughh… maybe I shouldn’t have eaten breakfast…”

Kara, the one who had warned me earlier, was now throwing up beside a nearby rock.

I waited until she regained some strength.

“Ugh… hey, Gideon. You okay?”

“Yes. No problems on my end.”

“Guess that’s because you’re the physical type. People with good stamina hold up better. Ugh… maybe I should start exercising too.”

“If you ever do, I’ll teach you.”

“Yeah, I’ll take you up on tha—urgh?!”

“…Just rest a bit more.”

Pale-faced, Kara began vomiting again.

Leaving her to recover, I looked around.

‘So this is Serenus…’

It looked almost identical to how it appeared in the game.

Cold air, and barren ground without a single blade of grass.

Not freezing cold, but not exactly a land suited for life either.

‘I knew it, but still… there’s really nothing here. Can a place this empty even exist?’

No trees, no grass, no animals, no people—

Only hardened soil stretching endlessly.

It looked like a cursed land.

‘And I’m the owner of this cursed land.’

Thinking back, choosing the Disciplinary Committee route and becoming a knight was a smart move.

Even if I had extensive knowledge as a veteran player, I still wouldn’t have known how to revive this wretched place.

‘But unlike this side, that area over there…’

When I turned around, I saw a completely different scene in the distance.

A lush forest filled with birds and small animals.

Unlike this side, where dark clouds blocked the sunlight, the sky above the forest was clear and bright.

‘The Protected Zone for Other Races.’

A land formed around a massive lake—the only place in the Empire where other races lived.

Maybe it was under some sort of divine blessing, because it radiated an entirely different aura from this cursed land.

“A land full of mysteries.”

Noticing my gaze, Kara got up slowly, still pale.

“For hundreds of years, the other races have lived there in peace. I’ve always wanted to know what secrets lie hidden in that land.”

“I’m surprised the Empire never tried to uncover that mystery by force.”

“They couldn’t. The treaty signed between the other races and the Empire centuries ago is still valid. You learned about that treaty in history class, right?”

“Yes, roughly.”

Centuries ago, the other races had lost the war against humans.

Driven into the Protected Zone, they eventually made a pact with humanity.

‘The other races shall not leave the Protected Zone. In exchange, humans shall not enter it. Only those permitted by the other races may enter.’

That treaty had held for hundreds of years.

Because of it, the Protected Zone for Other Races had remained untouched by human hands for generations.

‘Actually, maybe not completely untouched.’

The ancestors of this body—the Kyrgram Family—

One of them must have had some kind of contact with the other races.

‘Many of the other races are long-lived. There might be clues about my family within that Protected Zone.’

Finding that clue was one of my main goals for this summer vacation.

So before entering the zone—

“If you’re feeling better, should we drop off our luggage at my house first?”

“Yeah, let’s. Your mansion was this way, right?”

“I think so?”

“How can the homeowner not know where his own house is?”

“It’s been a while since I last came…”

Not just a while—this was my first time here.

Honestly, I didn’t even know where the mansion was located.

It made sense, though—I’d never visited it in the game either.

Back then, I’d never imagined there would be a house in this barren land.

“Your house is this way. Seriously, how long has it been that you can’t even remember the way home?”

“It’s been a long time. So that must be…”

“Yeah, that’s your house.”

“…Ha.”

A dry laugh escaped me.

I’d expected a fallen noble’s home to be modest, but the Kyrgram family mansion looked even smaller and shabbier than I’d imagined.

Honestly, calling it a mansion felt embarrassing.

“I know it’s rude to say this to the owner, but… even for a ruined noble, your house is awfully small.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

Kara and I passed through the front gate toward the small mansion.

The gate was rusted beyond repair, and the front yard had no flowers at all—it didn’t look like a place anyone could live.

“When I came here last time, it seemed completely empty. The front door was open, and I was tempted to peek inside, but I refrained out of respect.”

“Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered if you had.”

Just as Kara said, the door was unlocked.

It had to be—

The doorknob was so rusted that locking it was impossible.

“…Ha.”

Stepping inside, I let out another hollow laugh.

Broken windows, holes in the ceiling, and dust piled thick along the hallways.

‘Haunted house… no, this might be worse than that.’

The condition was so terrible I wondered if anyone could live here at all.

Still, Kara and I would be staying in this collapsing house for the time being.

“Wow, look at all this dust. You really haven’t been here in ages, huh?”

“Yes, it’s been a very long time.”

“I’ll tidy it up with magic later. Anyway, where should I put my stuff? Which room should I use?”

“Anywhere you like. All the rooms are probably empty.”

There wasn’t a trace of life here.

Meaning, aside from Kara and me, no other living being existed in this mansion.

‘Nothing special so far… but I should still look around. There might be some kind of clue.’

The Kyrgram family mansion—my first time stepping into it since being brought into this world.

There might be something here connected to my family’s secret.

Hoping for that, I searched the mansion thoroughly for about an hour.

But—

“Seriously… there’s nothing here.”

The mansion was emptier than I could have imagined.

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