Academic City (1)

In the end, I couldn’t figure out Anne’s true objective. Just a day after resolving one issue, new questions arose.

We plan to leave Rubia tomorrow. Kruud said he’d handle the cleanup using his funds.

That saves me some trouble.

Besides, keeping Lilia in Rubia any longer isn’t a good idea.

She’s already like a powder keg, and there might be others who’ll come after her in the future.

Just look at the demon under Anne’s merchant building.

We can’t know if such beings will keep coming after Lilia.

“Phew…”

Though the situation is resolved, something still feels off. The falling rain only amplifies that unsettling feeling.

Today has been packed with events. From persuading Lilia to dealing with Kruud and Anne’s situation.

Working almost through the night has left my body heavy with exhaustion.

When I arrived at the inn around that time…

“Heehee!”

“…Thanks for the welcome.”

Lilia greeted me with her usual strange laugh.

Honestly, it startled me a bit.

Even though our relationship changed dramatically over the course of today, this kid had beaten me until my limbs were broken.

It would be concerning if I wasn’t at least a little unnerved.

Anyway…

“You look neat now. But is your hair always like that?”

“That’s what… they say!”

I can’t help but smile wryly at Lilia’s vocabulary swinging between formal and informal speech despite such a short time passing.

Seems she’s regained some energy but intends to maintain formality.

“Well, you do look much better after cleaning up.”

Though it seems nothing can be done about that spiky hair sticking out everywhere.

Still, she gives off a softer, fluffier impression compared to her previous roughness.

“But is that coat something you’re particularly attached to?”

“Ah, this?”

Come to think of it, Lilia always wore that black coat.

Shorts, short sleeves, a hood, and a furry coat – quite an awkward combination.

“When I wear this, I look just like Dad!”

As she said this, Lilia flipped up the coat’s hood.

Watching her press it down tightly with her hands, I could understand what she meant.

“A lion. A black lion.”

“Heeheeheehee!”

She bounces around happily at my words.

She just bathed, is it okay to jump around like that?

Water’s going to splash everywhere…

Besides, how did someone like this display such madness until now?

Looking at her now, she’s truly just a ‘child’ through and through.

“Ah, Lost. Welcome back.”

As I caught Lilia mid-bounce and brought her into the inn, I spotted Linea.

“You’re still up too?”

“It’s not time for bed yet.”

Linea gave a bitter smile.

Anyone could tell that was a lie. Just looking at her lighter attire compared to her usual clothes showed she’d been resting in her room.

She probably came out to fetch Lilia who had run outside.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Linea-unnie’s back is really white!”

“W-why are you suddenly telling Lost something like that?!”

Linea snatches Lilia.

As expected of a beastkin, such brute strength. Resistance seems impossible.

“No, she kept apologizing so I showed her it was fine. I wasn’t trying to brag about it or anything…”

“No need to explain yourself to me. I get it.”

The more you try to explain, the more awkward this gets for me too. Why don’t you understand it’s best if we both pretend not to know?

This topic probably came up because Lilia had once carved deep wounds into Linea’s back.

Plus, since I told them to get Lilia cleaned up, they probably resolved it by showing the scarred back.

“U-um… Good night then, Lost. Please get plenty of rest today.”

“…You too.”

Linea scurried back to her room with those words.

Lilia dangled around her waist height.

It truly was a whirlwind of a day.

“I’m tired…”

One of those days that exhausts both body and soul.

*     *      *

The next day.

By afternoon.

We finished our travel preparations and headed toward Rubia’s city gate.

Since I’d mentioned it beforehand, Kruud was waiting at the gate.

“How thoughtful of you to see us off.”

“Want me to sprinkle some salt for you?”

“I wouldn’t refuse such an expensive offering. Go ahead, sprinkle away.”

“You crazy bastard…”

Now that he’s rich, he’s still being stingy.

“It would’ve been nice if you came with us.”

Our journey’s final destination is the Empire’s capital, Coinur.

Well, that’s Titan’s destination, not mine.

And after we reach the Empire and Titan challenges Allen Wise again, I hope to find a way to persuade him once more.

His potential power is too tempting to just let loose in the world.

Anyway, our purpose is to attend the qualification verification and re-selection ceremony for adventure guild branch masters in the Empire’s capital.

Kruud would need to attend that qualification ceremony too.

Since it’s about time to depart, traveling together wouldn’t be bad.

“Me? With you all? Are you crazy?”

“Now you’ve dropped all pretense. I like this honest side of you.”

Well, getting involved with me led to this situation. You could say I saved Rubia, but it wouldn’t be strange to say I pulled the trigger on this incident.

After all, Lilia reacted to the corruption eating away at my body, and Belial must have tracked my movements, so things will only get harder from here.

The reason we’re leaving right now is because we’re worried about his pursuit.

Rubia is in a relatively remote location. If Belial decides to, erasing one such city wouldn’t even be a problem.

That’s why I need to stay in cities with lots of people and strong individuals.

At least until I can store up enough power, or until I can shake off his attention.

“There’s still time anyway, right? I need to stay and handle more of Rubia’s cleanup. I am the master after all.”

“Can’t be helped then. We plan to take the route through Arcanum.”

“Then I won’t go that way.”

“Such cold words. Haven’t you imagined it? The possibility that Titan might choose you at the qualification ceremony… never crossed your mind?”

Don’t make me feel dejected.

It could get physically dejecting.

“Does he even qualify to challenge me?”

“If he doesn’t, I’ll make it happen. Surely you don’t think I’m incapable of that much?”

“…”

I am now an apostle of the gods. It means I’ve risen to the same position as the Saintess.

I now stand equal in power to the Pope of the Pantheon Temple.

“Anyway, we plan to escort this little one home before moving on. If fate allows, we’ll meet again. At the qualification ceremony perhaps, or somewhere like that.”

“Now you’re making threats. But wait, you’re taking this kid home? Do you even have time for that?”

Lilia’s homeland is in the exact opposite direction from the Empire’s capital.

Wasn’t that why I feared the <Corruptor> in the first place?

That being who created a straight line of ruins from his territory all the way to Rubia. That included the ducal territory of Forys and the future city Nidavellir – imagine how far that distance must be.

It’s awkward to take a detour now, and it’s awkward to handle our business first.

Eremus already has a time limit after all.

But sending this kid alone is out of the question.

Then we have no choice but to use a method of travel that isn’t restricted by distance.

“We plan to meet the grand mages.”

“Grand mage? You mean the Mystic King? But will that work? I hear that guy’s notorious for his nasty personality.”

“They say he ignores even the emperor’s words, so I suppose that’s true.”

The Mystic King, Castian Crowley.

Ruler of the academic city Arcanum and the continent’s only 8th circle grand mage.

As one might guess from his title of king, the academic city Arcanum exists outside the Empire’s laws.

The emperor had no choice but to allow it when the 8th circle grand mage desired it.

Better to have them as neighbors than enemies after all. And what benefit would there be in taking down a single individual?

It would only increase the number of soldiers dying trying to defeat that individual, a fight with no benefits.

Castian Crowley precisely targeted that point.

And from the fact that he had such thoughts, you can tell he’s quite the madman.

“He’s not the only grand mage, even if he’s the only 8th circle one. There are others at 7th circle.”

7th circle is the level where one can interfere with space. Meaning they can use spatial magic like Blink and Teleport.

That’s enough to escort Lilia home.

Of course, 7th circle grand mages aren’t just lying around, but still.

They’re not unique at least. I know one right off the bat.

Duke Edge Forys. That person was quite mentally unhinged too.

Of course, I can’t assert that someone of ducal status would be in Arcanum right now. But there’s a possibility.

Allen Wise should be heading to the Empire soon too, and Edge Forys is Allen’s guardian after all.

Who knows, he might stop by while he’s at it.

And…

“Who knows? There might be a 7th circle grand mage who wants to rely on the gods.”

“You have a creative way of spouting nonsense.”

I’m definitely getting two nomination rights at the certification ceremony, if only for Kruud’s sake.

*     *      *

In the middle of our journey toward Arcanum, while preparing camp as usual.

As I was lighting the campfire, Linea approached with pouting lips.

“It might be late to say this now, but don’t you think it’s too much?”

“Well, doctor. What’s making those lips protrude so far? Tell me and I’ll try to fix it.”

“Your tone is obnoxious, Lost. I’m not a child like Claire or Lilia.”

I wonder how much older she thinks she is to talk like that.

They all look the same to me.

Though I suppose I’m not that old either…

But the density of life experience is different.

“Whether it was Nidavellir or Rubia. Why do we have to flee like this in less than a week every time we enter a tourist city?”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”

If we had properly enjoyed tourism during that week it would be different, but we spent most of our time working.

That was my purpose and Titan’s purpose is gaining experience through fighting strong opponents, but Linea is different.

I still don’t know her reason for joining this journey.

Though now she seems to just be enjoying the travel itself…

“I didn’t think about you.”

I catered to Titan’s preferences quite well. I arranged connections with opponents he wanted to fight.

Even if it was a ploy to divert attention, Titan enjoyed it.

But thinking about it, I haven’t done anything for Linea.

Though she joined for some purpose, I was too insensitive.

“Then shall we stay longer in the next city?”

“Eh? Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

I’ve resolved the urgent matters now. There’s no longer a risk of half the Empire being wiped out if we don’t stop it.

Moreover, until now we’ve been moving to avoid Belial’s pursuit.

I judged it would be dangerous if I stayed too long in one place.

But Arcanum is different.

“It might be good to rest for once.”

Belial attacking a place with an 8th circle grand mage?

What kind of idiocy would that be?

Belial isn’t the type to do such foolish things in the first place.

Unless he can guarantee he can kill them completely, unless he’s certain his existence won’t be questioned in the process.

He wouldn’t attack a place with an 8th circle grand mage. That would be like offering up his own neck.

While they might not be an opponent he can’t defeat, they’re also not one he can defeat without losses.

In other words, this is a place where I can rest easy even without Linea’s suggestion.

“If things go well, we might stay until heading to the capital.”

“And if they don’t go well?”

“We’ll still stay.”

Just that we might have to invest all that time in things other than tourism.

“That makes me nervous somehow…”

“Nothing to worry about.”

It’s an extremely simple matter.

We need to resolve Lilia’s issue.

Only 7th circle or higher grand mages can send her home.

Even searching the whole world, there aren’t even five mages who’ve reached 7th circle. Even adding reclusive masters in hiding, there probably aren’t more than ten.

Then how high must their pride be? Even revealing my status as an apostle won’t persuade them.

Even Duke Edge Forys who’s close to me wouldn’t agree.

Then my target shouldn’t be a 7th circle grand mage, but a 6th circle mage on the verge of 7th circle.

Probably history’s most talented but rare humble specimen, always looking up to those greater than herself.

Ilina Crowley.

The Mystic King’s granddaughter.

She’s already on the verge of 7th circle, I just need to help her break through definitively.

I know what psychological issues she’s carrying. Just resolving those would let her reach 7th circle.

“Just need to create one grand mage, a very simple task.”

So I just need to match the intermediate steps to an answer that’s already out there.

“…Are you insane?”

Of course, to others it might look like nothing but madness.