Chapter 126
Bright and early, Vargan and Alicia were bustling about.
Both were heading to the laboratory after successfully obtaining Cattia in the September ranking battles.
Today was a Sabbath, meaning no lectures, but they had scheduled activities for the Research Society.
As they walked through the well-kept long hallway of the Academia.
⎯ Clack.
The rhythmic sound of their shoes echoed.
Vargan, who had been trained in every little etiquette since childhood, and Alicia, who quickly grasped formalities despite her short time, walked briskly without a hint of disorder.
Each step exuded a sense of luxury, as if walking on silk.
The scene they created was like a moment from a movie.
However, soon an external noise broke this grandeur and caught Alicia’s attention.
⎯ I heard Rezek-senpai withdrew?
Rezek.
Affiliated with the Darek Union, he was a strong contender in the student council presidential election.
⎯ Yeah, and apparently he’s going to support Clemens-senpai.
⎯ Supporting Clemens-senpai? Wow… I never thought I’d see the day!
With Rezek openly saying he would support Clemens, it was practically transferring the massive force backing Rezek straight to Clemens.
This, of course, would greatly influence the ongoing election after the second round.
Alicia tried to ignore it, but the noise kept creeping in, making her hesitate.
⎯ Looks like this election’s over.
⎯ Exactly. It’s pretty much a done deal that Clemens-senpai will become the student council president.
Alicia cautiously glanced up at her master’s face. If she heard it so clearly, there was no way Vargan didn’t catch it too.
Vargan’s face pointed towards the noise.
⎯ Other candidates will look ridiculous. If it were me, I’d resign before I got embarrassed…
⎯ Hey, hey! Shh! Quiet!
Realizing Vargan was nearby, they quickly tried to hush their conversation and awkwardly smiled, pretending not to notice. Then they scrambled away, disappearing somewhere.
Alicia was angry at their comments that seemed to dismiss Vargan, but in such cases, her master usually took matters into his own hands… Hm?
As she observed Vargan, she noticed his expression was different from what she expected.
A subtle change that only someone like Alicia, who always prioritized and attended to him, would recognize.
He wasn’t frowning or spouting harsh words. He didn’t even stop walking, nonchalantly continuing on his path.
But there was one thing: a slight upward curve at the corners of his mouth.
Alicia sensed Vargan was amused, as if he were witnessing an entertaining spectacle.
The reaction she anticipated was entirely opposite.
She wasn’t suspicious of him, but it was clear this situation was absolutely unfavorable, yet he remained so composed.
Was this perhaps part of his anticipated process?
Or maybe it was a thrill regarding how to tackle this newly arisen phase?
A.
Alicia, who couldn’t quite grasp the background, pondered over it, but it was futile.
What Alicia needed to do right now was to quietly trust and follow him.
That was her role as a servant.
…Right, servant.
Alicia, a worker of the Schugenhartz family.
Suddenly, something she had pushed to the back of her mind sprang to life.
100 gold.
The money her foster mother had hidden away without spending a single coin.
It was also the amount Vargan had paid to acquire Alicia, which was the reason she was bound to Schugenhartz.
Alicia had yet to mention the 100 gold. Vargan surely knew about it but chose not to bring it up at all.
She didn’t know why.
Neither did she understand her own feelings nor his thoughts.
What if… she were to return this money to her master? What would happen to her then?
How would their current relationship change?
…….
While lost in such thoughts, Alicia arrived in front of the laboratory.
She shook off the thunderclouds of her thoughts and moved forward.
It seemed like now wasn’t the time to mention it. Let’s push it to a bit later.
Alicia hopped ahead and reached the door first, opening it for Vargan to enter.
Then…
Boom⎯!
“I shall serve you as captain! You can treat me like a dog or a slave, just teach me!”
Yesterday, Kaiman, who asked Vargan for a reassessment and got thoroughly scolded, had slammed his head to the floor.
Around them, Emily and others tried to stop him, but he didn’t know the meaning of stopping.
“I want to become stronger than you!”
*
“I’d like some explanation about why I was suddenly called here….”
I looked at our protagonist who seemed bewildered.
I never expected to directly summon Liam to the laboratory, but given the situation, it was necessary.
It was simply that I found it bothersome, but this could help everyone.
Sitting in a chair at the table, I pointed a finger at Kaiman and said,
“Be his teacher.”
“…What?”
“Captain! That’s not right! I asked you for guidance, not asking others for help!”
Kaiman flailed around, rejecting the idea I had come up with.
…But seriously, who’s the captain here? He’s not even a kid from Rubid Village.
“I’m a magician, not a swordsman.”
“Then just teach me magic!”
“You’re not a swordsman either.”
“Then I shall become a swordmage starting today.”
Suddenly, I had a headache.
One of the misdeeds Liam had committed against Alicia was changing her job midway, and now this guy was asking me to do him a favor.
I had very little information about Kaiman, just enough to know that his source of strength seemed to come from a desire for power itself rather than the sword itself.
Along with that was the thrill of combat.
His talent hovered above the average of Arbol Frutal, and his determination made me want to pull him along, but with this attitude, I felt like dropping him.
After a deep sigh, I pointed my chin at Liam.
“I called him a teacher, but really, they’re more like partners who help each other hone their skills.”
“Rather than that, I want to receive your coaching ma…!”
“If you say you want to become a swordmage one more time, I will kick you out of the Research Society right now.”
“Ugh…!”
Kaiman plopped down, muttering discontentedly with a sullen look.
“That’s troublesome.”
Just as things were beginning to settle down, now Liam was causing trouble.
“Wait a minute. Why is the conversation continuing? I’m not even affiliated with Arbol Frutal.”
Is he blaming me for not letting him into the Research Society?
“Are you blaming me for not putting it in the Research Society?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“You just said I’d be helpful recently.”
“No, you said you’d be helpful to the team.”
“Helping me is the way to help the team.”
“What kind of nonsense…!”
I reached out to stop Liam from opening his mouth any further.
Why is he always so full of complaints?
It’s good for me too, so why not just accept it quietly?
“Kaiman’s combat sense is top-notch even in the Academia. I understood that well after facing him directly. In terms of talent, he rivals Leon.”
Leon, who ranked 5th in entrance exams.
The potential to be equal to that beastly man.
It’s unfortunate that both of them are no different from animals in their way of thinking, but I have to acknowledge their sense.
If Kaiman is trained well, it could be as effective as having two Leons.
“Liam, I’m sure you can learn something too.”
Liam has only gotten stronger through his status window, and only recently has he begun to realize things physically.
By teaching Kaiman or facing him directly.
Feeling how that instinctively superior guy reacts and develops will definitely be helpful.
By teaching, he’ll learn in return.
“……”
Liam paused for a moment, looking deep in thought. He knows I’m a transmigrator and that I’m changing the story.
He must feel the most how much stronger I’ve become compared to the old Vargan.
Moreover, I’m now steering things toward saving many people.
To him, I’m no longer just a simple villain. I’m someone who grew up in a world just like his.
…Of course, thinking it’s the same world is his misunderstanding.
Liam finally opened his mouth.
“If that’s the case, couldn’t you just throw me into Arbol Frutal?”
“I don’t want that.”
“Why not?”
“There’s nothing to gain from enduring the pain of seeing you even in the Research Society.”
If the result is the same or even slightly worse than letting him roam free outside, there’s no need to keep him around.
Hearing my response, this time Liam let out a long sigh.
“Fine, I don’t know if I can teach well, but I’ll give it a try.”
In the end, he agreed.
If he was going to come to this conclusion anyway, it would’ve saved us both time if he just went along with it from the start.
Liam, making a sour face, wet his lips and added.
“But later, make some time for me.”
“Time?”
“I’ve got things I want to ask.”
Is it related to the transmigration and subsequent developments?
Now that I think about it, I turned him down when he initially asked to speak separately.
I nodded.
“Yeah, it doesn’t quite match fairness, but if the time allows, I’ll set up a meeting.”
“Thanks for that.”
As the conversation wrapped up, Kaiman jumped in.
“Hey, is that Liam or Rian or whatever! I have no intention of calling you my captain, so remember that!”
“I don’t want to be called captain either…”
……
After our table’s conversation concluded, I slightly leaned back to observe another table.
Where Alicia is sitting.
She’s with Alexeria and Bracchium.
With a little interest, I could roughly hear what they were discussing.
The low voice audible was Bracchium’s.
“I’ve heard the details. Helping isn’t difficult. But, the process won’t be easy, are you sure about that?”
It was about Alicia and Erica’s Mana Resonance Training.
Bracchium and Alexeria are a pair with an exceptionally high mana resonance.
Lia is a pair with a very high resonance of mana.
The mana that the two possess is very different in nature, like Alicia and Erica, but they have experience in overcoming this point and demonstrating high destructive power.
Truly, they are suitable individuals for the current situation.
Alicia replies in a firm voice.
“It’s okay.”
With that one word, she concludes her position statement.
Alicia’s will is always steadfast.
Bracchium, who was looking into Alicia’s eyes, nodded and then looked at Alexeria.
“We need to borrow that thing from the basement.”
“The basement? Hmm… Well, that’s indeed the quickest way to increase resonance. But….”
As Alexeria hesitated, Alicia corrected her to keep her calm.
“Please.”
She says.
“Help me so that I can be of assistance to Young Master Vargan.”
With a heartfelt sentence.
*
“Y-Young Master… Why are these creatures here…?”
Alicia’s once resolute eyes now tremble intensely. Her face has turned pale, and she looks like she could burst into tears at any moment.
I attempted to answer vaguely.
“Oh, that’s because the Schugenhartz family imitated a facility originally created by Academia.”
“I see…”
In a space prepared in the basement of Academia.
A drab place that, for the most part, does not see the footsteps of people—filled with musty smells and utterly unpleasant.
“…”
Even Erica, who came despite it being a Sabbath to practice, does not look good. Though not on the verge of tears like Alicia, she has a shadowy expression as if her stomach isn’t well.
Erica approaches the edge of the deep pit, leans over, and peers inside.
Buzz buzz.
Rustle rustle—
The shadows cast over her face grow even darker.
She covers her mouth with her hand, appearing to hold back something that wants to come up.
Then, with a look of resentment, she glares at me, yet I feel utterly wronged. I didn’t even suggest this!
Avoiding my fiancée’s gaze, I looked around.
Alexeria did not participate in this training. Bracchium would assist them alone.
Bracchium slowly opened his mouth.
“The Scavenger Bug pit helps with mana resonance training.”
It looked like a bug but had a bizarre and larger snout.
The pit of Scavenger Bugs, which devour everything and make mana one of their staples, will be the location of this training.
Without any particular reaction, Bracchium continued.
“Non-resonant mana will be forcibly dispersed so that the Scavenger Bugs cannot consume it.”
This means only the resonant mana from Alicia and Erica will serve as the sole shield against the Scavenger Bugs.
I slowly approached them.
Indeed, it is a heartbreaking and exhausting task, but there’s no other choice.
“…Ugh.”
“What’s this… Why are you coming closer, Schugenhartz?”
Alicia, knowing her future, tightly closed her eyes, and Erica tried to stand in her way.
I also never imagined I would find myself in this situation.
But what choice do I have?
If it’s for the dreamlike future everyone desires, then it’s just a small sacrifice.
“Don’t come. I said don’t come…!”
“I’m sorry, Erica. Please forgive me for only being able to do it this way.”
“Wait! There’s no need to rush like this—”
—Thud.
This time, I pushed the two women with both hands.
““Kyaaaaah!””
With a mixture of all emotions, a blinding light burst forth. A colossal storm of mana.
After all, whether then or now, the Scavenger Bug pit is the best for laying the foundation of mana.
