Chapter 58

The preliminaries were over.

I had racked up points by neatly taking care of the last monster that popped up, but my mind, now aware of the truth behind the attacks, was in turmoil.

I need to get outside, fast.

As soon as I returned to the Academy, I headed straight for the Knight Division.

Seeing Lucian soaked in water and the broken magitool, it seemed the Jiyeolgu had appeared just as it did in the original story.

Fortunately, it looked like they had successfully defeated the Jiyeolgu according to the plan I had laid out.

“Are you okay?”

“Theo! Were you okay?”

As I spoke, Cian rushed over, grabbed my shoulders, and asked urgently.

I hesitated for a moment on whether I should say I was okay.

Even after learning that the Duke of Nevera was behind the attackers, there were several more attacks.

Should I explain that every time I neutralized an attacker and used my skill to question them about their backer, the Duke of Nevera’s name came up, making me feel disturbed?

It was too much to say I was okay, but I was also unharmed, without a single scratch.

“It’s a bit ambiguous.”

At my words, Cian tilted his head.

For now… it was a topic too difficult to discuss in a crowded place like this, so I should postpone it.

And I couldn’t reveal the fact that I had interrogated them using my skill.

“Were you okay?”

“Liber has a slight burn on his palm, but other than that, he’s fine.”

Ah, Liber. I remembered the name.

He had almost no importance in the story, but he was a 2-star character.

If it was just a burn, it wouldn’t even take 5 minutes for Professor Artemia’s magic to heal, so I guess that’s a relief.

However, Professor Artemia herself seemed to be away for a moment.

She probably went to check if there were any injuries among the mercenaries who were managing the Jiyeolgu.

“So you succeeded?”

“Yeah, we succeeded.”

At Zephyros’s words, I let out a sigh of relief.

Previously, in the original story, this incident, which was Zephyros’s first appearance, had become problematic in various ways. But now that they had dealt with it cleanly, the possibility of it becoming a problem had vanished.

Even if the mercenary who was managing the Jiyeolgu was alive, they wouldn’t be able to speak out due to their mercenary contract or issues of trust.

‘If there’s a problem, it’s…’

It was the Sword of Doctrine, who happened to be here.

The sudden appearance of the Jiyeolgu must have been unexpected for him as well.

I just hope he doesn’t make a big deal out of it.

“It’ll be fine.”

At Lucian’s sudden words, I looked at him without realizing it.

“Huh?”

“I just have a feeling it will be.”

“What kind of feeling is that?”

Zephyros, who had been listening quietly, grumbled.

“The Sword of Doctrine didn’t come here to investigate the monster management situation in the first place.

He wouldn’t reveal his identity over something like this.”

“Ooh, you’re really knowledgeable about politics, aren’t you?”

When I gave him a thumbs-up with both hands, Zephyros glared at me with an annoyed expression.

“Do you know your fingertips are trembling slightly?”

“Huh? Are they?”

At Zephyros’s words, I quickly hid my hands behind my back.

I had no choice but to pretend I didn’t understand what he was talking about at all.

“Hey, I’ve had the magitool that blocks conversation on for a while now, so speak freely.”

I was dumbfounded by his words.

Since when had he been doing that?

Should I call it being prudent? To Zephyros’s eyes, we probably seemed too careless.

“…There were attacks.”

“Attacks?”

“They were attacks prepared for elimination. About half of them.”

“Who on earth? Don’t tell me it was Ignatz Schreiden?”

So Zephyros remembered that name too.

Well, if you were to name someone I currently held a grudge against, it would only be him.

But I’m the victim here! He was the one who shattered my shoulder first!! If anyone should hold a grudge, shouldn’t it be me?

Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.

“No, it was someone else.”

“Who could it be?”

“Boreas Nevera.”

The power of those seven syllables was greater than I had imagined.

As soon as he heard those words, Zephyros dropped his sword.

The sword fell with a clang, and Zephyros hastily picked it up.

“Really…?”

“I want to say 100%, but just in case, I’ll say it’s about 99%.”

Zephyros opened and closed his mouth several times, as if at a loss for words.

“Well, that Ignatz guy was probably among the attackers too. More than half of them came at me.”

“Certainly, the only powers that could bribe that many Academy students would be the Emperor or a Duke.”

That’s right.

But if the Emperor had deemed me a threat and tried to eliminate me, he wouldn’t have just bribed some Academy students.

If he used the power of the Emperor, there would be plenty of ways to eliminate me.

Above all, given the Emperor’s personality, as long as I was my father’s disciple, he wouldn’t try to eliminate me so easily.

Though he did send Fel because he was suspicious.

“Why the Duke of Nevera, of all people?”

“That… I don’t know either.”

He seems to know something.

Before I could even consider interrogating him, Lucian spoke first.

“Zephi. You can tell us when you’re ready.”

At his straightforward green eyes, a small laugh escaped me.

Right, it’s because you’re this kind of guy that I played this trash game for 10 years.

“Yeah, tell us when you’re comfortable. We’ll wait.”

It was then.

[The score tally is complete!!]

At Kalen’s shout, everyone turned their eyes to the commentary team.

[Before we reveal the scores, we have to reveal the hidden rule, right? For fairness, the hidden rule has been kept in this box!]

[For the hidden rule, all the Academy professors write down a rule they want, and one is chosen at random! Now, let’s reveal it!]

The paper taken out of the box burst into flames, and the fire that swallowed the paper was then inscribed as letters in the sky.

[Extra points for each student subdued.]

[The extra points will be scored the same as a medium-difficulty monster!]

The points weren’t that many, but if it was about 50 people, it would be a score that could not be ignored.

And so─

[Here are the rankings with the scores from the hidden rule added in!!]

Along with Kalen’s shout, the magitool that had disappeared reappeared, and the rankings were displayed.

My name was written in first place for the Magic Division, and Lucian, Zephyros, and Liber’s names were written in order for the Knight Division.

“Oh.”

A simple exclamation of admiration escaped.

I did get first place in the original story, but seeing it with my own eyes was a new experience.

Above all, my name written in first place for the Magic Division seemed to shine exceptionally bright.

[Please give a round of applause to all the students who fought hard!]

As the words ended, a round of applause like a cheer poured out.

Ah, I’ve really become a part of this world─

The applause, which made me feel that way, kept making me smile.

* * *

“Amazing, congratulations on first place!”

From a distance, Fel approached me.

I was thinking of playing it cool and saying it was nothing, but the color of his eyes, which were a particularly white light compared to usual, caught my eye.

If Fel’s usual eyes were a white mixed with ash, now they were a white that could be called snow.

“Are your eyes okay?”

At my question, Fel smiled mechanically.

“What, are you worried about me?”

“Just wondering.”

Fel’s vast holy power is mostly used to recover a fraction of his sight.

As an effect of that, his eyes, which had turned pure white upon gaining holy power, were tinged with a grayish color.

But for such eyes to be completely white now meant one of two things.

Either he was saving his holy power for the aforementioned situation, or he had used it all up in an instant and couldn’t use it for a while.

The latter would be fine, but the former would make the situation serious.

Because if Fel was saving his holy power for a critical situation, it was most likely to catch a heretic.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“No, it’s just…”

It’s about your main job.

“By the way, there’s someone I want to introduce you to.”

At Fel’s nonchalant introduction, a cough escaped me.

“Hello! I’m Fel’s friend, Tan. I heard that outsiders can come to the Flowering Festival with a friend’s introduction, so I came right away!”

At the bright introduction, my cough just wouldn’t stop, and it continued for a few times before finally subsiding.

Why are you here again…?

This is driving me crazy. How can a person’s life be such a series of hardships?

“Oh my, are you okay?”

‘Tan’ handed me a handkerchief with a worried look.

I quickly took it and barely covered my mouth.

Hartain Ignos.

The loyal hound family, Ignos, who had long served as the hands and feet of the Levian family.

At the same time, they were a family that had served as Heretic Inquisitors for generations.

Among them, Hartain Ignos was a peculiar one.

While the Ignos family swore loyalty to the Levian family, Hartain swore loyalty not to the Levian family, but simply to ‘Fel.’

Unlike the Sword of Doctrine, whose face was not well known, the face of the Sword of Doctrine’s loyal Heretic Inquisitor, Hartain Ignos, was somewhat known.

I didn’t expect him to appear like this since Fel was hiding his identity. Could it be that he secretly followed him?

No, that can’t be. Even if he seems easygoing, his loyalty to his lord is second to none.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?”

‘Tan’ asked with a beaming smile.

Right, so this is how you’re going to play it, huh?

“My name is Theo Lisitoel. Please feel free to call me Theo.”

“Hey! Even so, speaking comfortably is a bit much.”

Why does it feel like there’s a hidden meaning in his words? Is he dissatisfied that someone a year younger than his lord is speaking comfortably?

“It’s fine, Tan. I speak comfortably with Theo too.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Fine. Then just do as you please.”

These guys are bullying me….

“Theo!”

Just then, a savior’s hand reached out.

“Professor Artemia said all the Flowering Festival participants should gather.”

“They’re calling for me over there, so I’ll be going now! Enjoy the festival!”

Nice, Lucian!

I cheered inwardly and rushed over to Lucian.

“Thanks a lot, Cian.”

“So you were in a tight spot after all?”

Nice perception, for a sweet potato!

I clenched my fist and swallowed tears of joy.

At that moment, I felt something in my hand. It was Tan’s handkerchief.

“Ah…”

I’ll have to meet him again to return it, right?

It was as if an illusion of Tan appeared in the sky and asked me that.

Damn it, I fell for his trick…

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