Chapter 180: Althausen (5)

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“Then, that will be all.”

Right after a round of training that was practically indistinguishable from a real fight.

Carl lowered his sword and informed the cadets that it was over.

“Depending on how you continue your training, your future accomplishments will vary. The Mana Beads you consumed today could be a great help, or they might dissipate entirely if not properly absorbed.”

It all depended on what they did from here on.

At those words, the cadets slowly nodded with solemn faces.

Their training session with Carl today had delivered a whole new kind of shock.

Astonishment at Carl’s skill, disappointment at their own far inferior abilities, anticipation for the teachings Carl offered, and even interest in the grand conspiracy he had mentioned.

“That’s all for today.”

As soon as Carl left the area, the cadets collapsed as if their strings had been cut.

It had been harsher than real combat, leaving everyone completely exhausted.

“I got hit so much I can’t even feel my arms anymore.”

Maximilian muttered with a half-crying face as he patted his stiffened forearm.

Maybe because he had gripped his sword too tightly, his hand was stuck in position, making it hard to even open it.

Everyone bore some kind of bruise or wound, big or small.

Yet their expressions weren’t gloomy.

Because someone as amazing as Carl had agreed to train them.

“…Still, what exactly is Carl’s deal?”

As they tended to themselves, Amy casually blurted out the question.

It was a thought that had lingered even while they fought against him.

Apparently, the others felt the same, because one by one, they raised their heads and looked at Amy.

“Yuria and Laysis, you two were in the same party as Carl during the entrance exam, right?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, we explored the Magic Labyrinth together. At least until the terrorists made their move.”

“What was he like back then?”

“Even if you ask that…”

Yuria recalled that time with a vague expression.

Back then, she had looked at Carl through a prejudiced lens, bitter about losing the top theory spot.

“To be honest, every little thing he did seemed rude. Like, who does he think he is acting like that? But now I can see he acted that way because he had clear conviction and confidence.”

Yuria knew that Carl, like her, was a Player.

His exceptional abilities stemmed from knowledge of Hidden Pieces and the game.

But that was a secret they shared alone.

A secret she couldn’t reveal to her parents, her siblings, or even a lover she might one day have.

After all, no one but Carl, who was in the same situation, would believe her even if she told them.

So she answered Amy’s question in a natural tone.

“Laysis. Didn’t you say you were teaching Carl swordsmanship?”

“Yeah. That’s how Carl’s practical skills improved so quickly.”

Now the suspicion turned toward Laysis.

Under their curious gazes, she nodded without resistance.

“I knew ahead of time. That Carl’s strength was far beyond a cadet’s level.”

“…I knew it.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier. Carl insisted on staying silent, and I didn’t think it was my place to speak for him.”

“Then even the thing about teaching him swordsmanship?”

“Yes. After going through a few incidents this semester, I realized Carl was hiding his true strength. So I actively asked him to teach me swordsmanship. Thanks to that…”

She was able to seize the top spot.

Scenes from her first semester in Bayern flashed before Laysis’ eyes.

It had only been a few months, yet so much had happened.

And in the middle of it all was Carl—and herself.

“So he didn’t really improve; he just revealed what he’d been hiding. Makes sense. I mean, even though I was struggling, Carl getting that strong so suddenly was just weird.”

Maximilian nodded as if it finally made sense.

Back when he returned from Erendal Forest, still shaken by fear of the monsters, Carl had pummeled him from dawn.

Even if he had been in poor shape, it still didn’t make sense to be beaten that badly by Carl, who was supposed to be a lower-ranked cadet.

But if Carl had been hiding his true strength, then it all fit.

‘He must’ve been really frustrated…’

Maximilian let out a bitter smile.

Carl must have had many reasons to hide his strength.

And yet, he had revealed it to teach Maximilian through a beating—how could anyone criticize him for keeping it hidden?

“Yeah, I’m sure he had his reasons.”

“Of course. It’s Carl, after all.”

The other cadets felt the same.

Everyone here had received help from Carl in one way or another.

They’d become too close to interrogate him about hiding the truth, and there was no reason to do so.

Even if he had gained strength far beyond them, Carl was still Carl.

“….”

Unlike the more relaxed faces of the others, one person couldn’t shake off her discomfort.

It was Laysis.

Even as she chatted with the cadets, she was reviewing the battle she had just fought.

‘It was pathetic.’

She had braced herself, steeled her resolve.

And she had poured her heart into facing Carl.

But so what?

‘I couldn’t prove anything.’

Carl hadn’t sent her a voice transmission since then.

Which meant she hadn’t met the standard he had set.

Her chest tightened as if she had swallowed something wrong.

She wanted to scream out loud, but who could she blame when the failure was her own?

“Come on, let’s go. He said that’s all for today, so let’s rest.”

“We’re still going to the sea, right?”

“Obviously. We came all the way to Althausen—how could we skip the beach?”

“Think Carl will come?”

“I’ll go ask him. Even if he says no, I’ll drag him there. No way he skips it, right?”

“You think you can drag him?”

“…Maybe I’ll ask my father to help.”

At Amy’s skeptical look, Maximilian hesitated before answering.

‘He might be stronger than my father now…’

That aura Carl had shown at the training hall—it had been overwhelming.

Even so, Carl still treated them as friends.

It would be unthinkable to come to Althausen and not visit the sea.

So Maximilian took it upon himself to bring Carl and left the training hall.

It was late at night.

After a fierce battle where Carl revealed his strength, they spent a cheerful time as if nothing had happened.

Maximilian successfully dragged Carl out, and they went to the sea to fully enjoy the freedom of vacation.

Upon returning to the mansion, they enjoyed a banquet hosted by the Althausen family, and only late at night did they each return to their rooms.

Knock knock.

Among them, Yuria quietly left her room and discreetly knocked on someone else’s door.

After a short wait, the door opened, and someone welcomed her.

“You’ve arrived.”

“The others aren’t around, right?”

“We need to have a private conversation. I haven’t told anyone else.”

Carl glanced down the hallway and stepped aside.

Yuria nodded and carefully entered the room, and the door that had opened for her was once again firmly shut.

“Phew.”

With a brief breath, Yuria released the Silence spell and slumped into the seat prepared for her.

Visiting a man’s room in the middle of the night—anyone who saw could easily get the wrong idea.

But for her, not coming wasn’t an option.

‘Because this is a meeting between Players.’

While they were enjoying their time at the beach, Carl had mentioned wanting to discuss what he had talked about earlier at the training hall.

The time was set for late at night, after all other events had ended.

Yuria had felt a bit nervous, but still came to his room, trusting Carl.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Yeah, I’m thirsty.”

Carl poured the wine he had prepared and offered it to her.

“I was surprised about the Four Seasons. I didn’t think the completion level was that high.”

“I just laid out the basic framework. It’s still far from ready for practical use. As you felt yourself, it can only execute pre-input commands for now.”

“Still, unlike ordinary Artifacts, the fact that it leaves no traces at all is a huge merit. Even with my senses, I couldn’t detect any remnants of mana.”

“That part was thoroughly managed.”

Feeling proud at Carl’s praise, Yuria smiled and took a sip of wine.

The cool breeze blowing from the window, the sweet wine, and Carl sitting across from her.

To be honest, it felt really good.

Especially since they had spent such a fun day with their friends earlier, which likely added to her mood.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“As I said earlier, it’s about the current situation. First of all, the Black Mages have been acting strangely.”

“I heard. They moved monsters to attack the Leipzig territory.”

“It wasn’t just monsters. They tried to awaken an ancient knight, turn him into a demon, and unleash him. Do you know Lancelot?”

“From the Round Table? Sure, the Knight of the Lake.”

Carl nodded.

He was relieved to have someone like Yuria who could understand.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to speak so candidly.

“The target was the Imperial Palace. They were aiming for Emperor Ribera.”

“Hmm.”

“So after that, I looked into things across the continent, and I realized that all traces of the Black Mages had vanished. Both the Empire and the Holy Nation are keeping a close eye on that.”

The acceptance of Black Mages varied with the times.

Sometimes they were hunted without question, while other times they were tolerated but faced with strict discrimination and neglect.

At the moment, the situation leaned more toward the latter.

Still, since no one could predict what they might do, secret surveillance and investigation were ongoing.

And then suddenly, the entire group of Black Mages disappeared without a trace.

“I heard a rumor that the Holy Nation will soon send an official letter to the Black Magic Tower. They’re supposedly asking if something is being plotted.”

An official letter and inquiry from the Holy Nation.

That wasn’t mere diplomacy.

It was pressure delivered by an envoy made up of dozens of Paladins, Cardinals, and a holy army armed with Divine Power.

If the Black Mages were indeed plotting something, the tower would be reduced to ashes.

Even if they weren’t, it wouldn’t matter much.

The moment the Holy Nation’s forces set foot in the territory of the Black Magic Tower, the power of the Black Mages would be significantly diminished.

“….”

Yuria listened to Carl’s words and looked at him with renewed eyes.

‘Just where does he get all this information…’

She herself was closely connected to multiple intelligence guilds, keeping her senses sharp to monitor the continent’s affairs.

All to figure out the right timing for the next episode.

But Carl seemed to have access to information much deeper and faster than she did.

“So? You called me here because you wanted to ask something, right?”

At Yuria’s question, Carl nodded.

This was actually the main point.

“In the future that will unfold.”

“Yeah.”

“Do the Black Mages succeed in summoning the Demon King?”

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