Chapter 53: Strange Guy (3)

Two beast pouches dangle from my vest, swaying.

I found them among the possessions of that artifact thief, and I took them.

You never know what might happen while escaping the Academy.

If a crisis hits, I’ll use these without hesitation.

Sure, it’ll cause damage to the Academy, but what can I do?

No matter what anyone says, survival is my top priority.

While my mind calculates possible scenarios and prepares countermeasures, my body slips out of the shop, gliding softly through the shadows cast by the moonlight.

Ssss…

Unlike usual, each step I take is cautious.

My senses are sharper, my eyes see farther, and I double-check even the safest routes.

I used to roam the Academy’s grounds at night like it was my own home, but now I move with heightened tension and care.

I have no choice.

There are professors out there somewhere.

Through eavesdropping on meetings, I learned that, due to recent events, professors are now actively patrolling.

So, I have to be careful.

If I get caught by bad luck, the situation will spiral out of control.

Unlike the guards who patrol designated areas, professors could be anywhere, anytime, and it wouldn’t be strange.

It’s literally a minefield.

Wait, is this about avoiding mines?

Anyway, that’s why I decided to use one more skill on top of my thievery techniques, [Detection] and [Night Vision].

“It’s my first time using this in a real situation.”

I feel the vast flow of mana surrounding me.

From it, I draw out the mana I’m allowed, thin as a thread, and shoot it in all directions.

Its range is wider than [Detection], and its distance surpasses [Night Vision].

Based on the information the mana threads bring back, I sketch the surroundings in my mind.

Like a bat navigating a cave with echolocation, I visualize who’s where, how many there are, and which direction they’re moving in.

Even at dawn, I pick up quite a few presences.

The Academy guards.

And the individuals wandering alone… probably professors.

I plan my route to avoid them as a priority and keep moving.

By now, my suit is soaked with sweat.

The weight of the artifact thief strapped to my back grows more irritating.

That’s when the crisis hits.

At a point just 500 meters from the dam that leads straight to Icata.

Shwick—

A sudden chill runs through me.

I stop dead in my tracks and stare into the darkness ahead.

The mana threads I sent in that direction snap, one after another.

They didn’t get caught on an object or blocked by terrain—they were forcibly cut by something sharp.

That fleeting chill was the result and that alone tells me enough.

A mine.

One so formidable it didn’t show up on my radar.

At the very least, a supervising professor.

Or perhaps, something even worse is up ahead.

The grim reality is that the only path to my safe hideout lies beyond that choke point.

In other words, I have to pass through there.

“…Damn it. Of all times.”

A curse slips out instinctively.

But there’s no time to ponder what to do.

I dive into nearby bushes.

The enemy likely sensed my mana threads.

That mine is coming this way.

Fssst!

I erase my presence, eyes wide, staring into the darkness ahead.

A tense, heart-pounding silence.

The long reeds sway in the night breeze, obstructing my view.

Once, twice, three times.

On the fourth sway, a man stands in the clearing.

As if he’d been there all along.

He just ‘appeared.’

Bathed in the pouring moonlight, he stands like a painting.

I know this man.

The head of the Martial Arts Department, Pirion Lil.

Right.

It’s a situation where any professor could be anywhere, and I knew that.

But, damn it, this guy is an exception.

Out of all the mines, why Pirion?

At this point, isn’t the world just screwing me over?

His terrifying swordsmanship, glimpsed yesterday, flashes through my mind.

“…”

I pray.

Please, just pass by. Pass by…

Did my desperate plea reach the heavens?

Pirion takes a step.

In the opposite direction of the bushes where I’m hiding.

So, I pray even harder.

Keep going, just like that…

“…Ugh.”

At that moment, even my heart, blessed with [Coolheadedness], skips a beat.

I quickly cover the mouth of the artifact thief on my back.

But I instinctively know it’s too late.

The world is enveloped in heavy silence.

In this place, where time, space, and everything seem frozen, only one thing moves.

Swallowing hard, I look there.

Pirion’s eyes are fixed exactly on the bushes where I’m hiding.

Step… Step…

He approaches, hand on the hilt of his sword.

Gritting my teeth, I reach for the beast pouches in my vest.

No need to hesitate.

I’ll detonate both at once.

And then?

What do I do next?

The beast pouches will buy me maybe three seconds of Pirion’s attention.

I quickly calculate escape routes and possibilities, but no matter how I think, the outcome is bleak.

Damn it.

What if I go alone?

If I abandon this guy and flee, my survival odds would increase.

But that leads to another crossroads.

If I give up on him here, the secret of the ascended vision will remain unsolved forever, slipping through my fingers.

I don’t know when I’ll find another lead.

There’s no guarantee I’ll come across another ascended vision.

In the worst case, my growth could stall here.

The answer is clear.

I can’t give up on this guy, my secret tome.

I’ll detonate the beast pouches and hide him here.

Then, I’ll act as bait to divert Pirion’s attention elsewhere.

Using my knowledge of the Academy’s terrain, I should be able to shake him off somehow.

Yes, this is the best plan.

From deliberation to decision, it took just 1.5 seconds.

Wiping the sweat from my hands, I grip Raven tightly.

Rustle.

Another presence stirs behind me.

“…”

Haa.

The world is really out to get me today.

Fine. It’s all or nothing now.

I’ll throw both beast pouches at Pirion, then pour everything into breaking through whoever’s behind me.

I don’t know who they are, but they’ve got to be weaker than Pirion, right?

After that, I’ll leave it to luck.

After a short breath, I loosen the beast pouches.

That’s when it happens.

“…Don’t move. Stay still.”

A voice comes from behind.

A familiar, melodic voice.

Then, carried on the rustling breeze, a fresh, grassy scent instantly brings her face to mind.

What? How is she here?

No, more importantly, why is she helping me?

By then, she’s already stepping past me, emerging from the reeds.

She stands in front of Pirion, the department head, and begins her act as a naive freshman.

“Oh! H-Hello, Department Head?”

That stops Pirion in his tracks.

“Why are you here? Alone, no less. Don’t you know outdoor activities are banned right now?”

“I-I know, sir!”

“Then? What were you doing in there?”

She lowers her head, her voice shrinking.

“W-Well… aura training…”

“Aura training?”

At Pirion’s question, she starts shouting as if throwing caution to the wind.

“Yes! The truth is, I’m not used to converting mana into aura… I lack stamina, and if I can’t handle aura, I’ll fall behind the others. A-And, as you know, Department Head, mana is abundant at dawn, it’s quiet, and… um, well…”

“Enough. Stop mumbling and answer clearly. That energy you sent out just now. Was that you?”

“Huh? Oh… t-that, well. Like I said, I was practicing aura… I didn’t know anyone was around at dawn… and…”

Still rambling, she makes Pirion furrow his brow.

A short sigh follows, and a hint of exasperation crosses his face.

“Fine.”

“What?”

“I get it, so go back now. Submit a demerit to your advisor by tomorrow.”

“Ohh…”

“Go back to the dorm.”

“…Phew. Yes, sir.”

After giving her a stern look, Pirion turns and vanishes into the darkness.

With that, the tension gripping my heart releases with a snap.

A sigh of relief escapes me.

Wow.

I thought I was done for.

No, the situation isn’t over yet. Stay sharp.

I shift my gaze forward.

Until then, she’d been standing there, looking dejected.

But once Pirion is gone, her expression changes in an instant.

From a clumsy cadet breaking rules to a seductive assassin.

She turns to me in the bushes, flashing a sly smile.

“What? Surprised I showed up here?”

“Yeah.”

I admit it honestly.

I was freaking shocked.

“Really? That feels nice. Worth following you secretly. Hehe.”

I can’t tell if she’s pleased about surprising me or just enjoying the situation.

But,

“You were tailing me?”

“No? It’s a coincidence. I was actually looking for that guy too.”

She, Rachel, points to the guy on my back.

Oh, so that’s how it is.

Now this makes sense.

The cult is currently chasing the artifact thief, and since Rachel is a dark cleric operating within the Academy, she must’ve received orders like I did.

If so, a fight is inevitable.

“Why are you helping him?”

“I have business with him.”

“What kind of business?”

That’s none of your concern.

I raise Raven instead of answering. She smirks.

“Some secret you can’t share, huh?”

“…”

“Hmm. Whatever. I’m pretending I didn’t see any of this anyway.”

I think I misheard.

She’s letting it slide?

Why?

“With this, we’re even now.”

With that, she vanishes into the night breeze like a passing gust.

* * *

Soaking in a tub of steaming water, I sink into thought.

Looking back, so much happened in just a few days.

Karina’s suspicions, the sudden appearance of the artifact thief.

The mission that followed and the unexpected help from an unforeseen ally.

With unpredictable events exploding one after another, my head’s still spinning.

“And Rachel. Why the hell did she pop up there?”

It’s driving me crazy.

Sure, thanks to her, I escaped the crisis, but I can’t just be happy about it when I don’t know how this’ll play out in the future.

And paying off a debt by ignoring this?

“How am I supposed to trust that?”

The debt probably refers to when she saved me from danger while rescuing Ged.

Hmm.

I need to figure out Rachel’s intentions.

That way, I can prepare accordingly.

“But first, I need to deal with the guy downstairs.”

The artifact thief.

In the end, I succeeded in bringing him to Shadow’s hideout.

Thanks to using the Rodena River, the fastest and most secretive route from the Academy to Icata.

After parting with Rachel, we safely reached the riverbank, rode the current, and slipped out to the suburbs.

That’s how we arrived here, at a tavern in the Royal Road District, ‘Lunatic.’

Lunatic is Shadow’s new base, and the artifact thief is locked up in the basement below.

“Now, all that’s left is finding out. Is what that guy learned really Shadow’s lost ascended vision or not?”

If it is, not only will my growth skyrocket, but Shadow will also gain a foothold for revival.

Maybe that’s why.

The excitement is hard to contain.

Compared to when I went after [Dagger Shift], this feels exponentially more thrilling and anticipated.

“Phew. Calm down. What if I get my hopes up and it turns out to be nothing?”

The bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment.

Taking a deep breath, I put on the skull mask I’d set aside.

Unable to hold back my anticipation, I head to the basement storage.

He should be awake by now.

As I open the creaking storage door, Luis’s voice greets me from the bottom of the stairs.

“You’re here.”

“Yeah.”

Descending the stairs, I see Luis examining an array of equipment and artifacts on a table with a monocle.

There’s not a ton, but for a single person’s haul, it’s substantial. I scan for anything useful.

But my browsing is brief.

My throat burns with anticipation.

After a dry cough, I call out to Luis.

“Luis.”

I tried to keep my emotions in check, but the moment I see Luis’s face, I know it was pointless.

“Yes, Master.”

Luis is smiling.

A rare, radiant smile I’ve only seen a handful of times.

I know it instantly.

We did it.

And sure enough.

“Our guess was right. The vision he learned is indeed Shadow’s.”

Luis’s confirmation hits my ears, and my heart pounds like it’s about to burst.

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