Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“Lying is hard too.”

All I had was the knowledge of the original story and my exclusive skill.

But my opponent is the master of Golden. A monster who started from the bottom and built the current Golden, a merchant who could be said to be raising a million wily snakes inside him.

I have no choice but to pull in everything I can use, and everything I can’t.

All for a delicious, non-greasy meal!

* * *

“That concludes the report.”

Lerwon finished his report to the communication device that was emitting a brilliant light.

The voice flowing from the communication device was filled with noise, making it more like a beast’s than a human’s.

[…My long-cherished wish, you say.]

A light sigh flowed from beyond the communication device.

Lerwon, who knew all too well that it meant displeasure, kept his mouth shut.

[It doesn't seem like that chick left only those words.]

“He said he would visit on Saturday.”

[It just so happens that my schedule is free on Saturday.]

Tuk, tuk, the sound of a finger tapping on a desk echoes.

[Alright, I’ll grant him a special audience.]

At his master's words, Lerwon speaks without hesitation. He might be angry, but there were no words Lerwon had to hide from Golden.

“He asked me to tell you that he is the one granting the special audience, not the master of Golden.”

For a fleeting moment, a silence stretched taut like a string.

Tuk, the string snapped, and what burst forth was a laugh bordering on madness.

[Hahahahahahahahaha!!!]

The laughter, filled with noise, was as grotesque as a ghost’s.

Soon, the laughter stopped.

[Did Evan Lisitoel secretly teach him the art of being an emperor? No, he’s not the type… Ah, this is fun for the first time in a while.]

Soon, the master of Golden continued speaking leisurely, as if nothing had happened.

[Alright, since he is granting me a special audience, of course a mere master of Golden must comply. Serve him well.]

“Understood. Then… I’ll see you next time.”

[Yes.]

With a short acceptance, the light of the communication device disappears.

In complete darkness, Lerwon silently gazes at the communication device.

That was only for a moment, he adjusts his clothes and checks his smile by touching the corners of his mouth.

There was a party he had to attend as Selina’s partner.

She wasn’t a noble, but she was the only daughter of the head of a large merchant guild. It was a party that the master of Golden had personally ordered him to attend.

Lerwon, with his lips firmly shut, moves his feet.

Everything is for the future, for when he becomes the master of Golden.

…For what he truly desires.

For that, Lerwon could roll in any kind of mud.

* * *

Is there a day as beautiful as Friday in this world!

Moreover, since there was only one class in the morning on Friday, my schedule was wide open.

“Nice!”

+++

▷Skill: Mana Operation

A skilled mage can use mana efficiently.

※Current Efficiency: 14.8% additional operation possible

+++

After circulating my mana all afternoon in the clearing, my efficiency rose to 14.8%.

The speed of increase had slowed down compared to before, but I was happy just by the fact that it was going up…!

《You are growing quickly.》

Albedo’s advice was also a great help.

The way it told me the optimal path for mana to flow in my body was like a navigation system that knew all the shortcuts.

“You’re not entirely useless.”

Surprisingly so. As if my words had displeased it, Albedo slapped the ground with its tail, tak tak.

“I’ll catch you a cricket, calm down.”

《Who do you think you’re treating like a real lizard!》

For someone who says that, isn't that tail, which was hitting the ground hard enough to leave dents, wagging like a puppy's?

When my friend who raised lizards said they were cute, I couldn’t understand, but it had a surprisingly cute side.

Even though the inside was a demon of unknown age.

“By the way… don’t you think Lucian has been overdoing it lately?”

《Are you asking the king of demons that?》

“Well, you’re not now, are you.”

《Normally, one would be more wary.》

“I don’t have the luxury to be wary of someone I’m bound to by a contract.”

I flopped down in the clearing and looked up at the sky.

Right now, the difficulty of Lapidemy was extreme. It wouldn’t be strange if I died from being hit by a ball thrown by a passing Student 1.

But, if I lived my life wary that even the lizard and friends by my side could kill me at any time, all my nerves would wear out.

“Or were you planning to find a loophole in the contract and kill me?”

《Of course not.》

If he had put his mind to it, he would have done so long ago. As long as Baal had contracted with me and was called ‘Albedo’… there would be no occasion for me to be wary of Albedo.

《Do you even have a sense of crisis.》

At Albedo’s question, my brow furrowed on its own.

“Who’s more cautious than me.”

《Hmph.》

Albedo, who had snorted, was in a bad mood and started hitting the ground with its tail again, tak tak, making a sound.

The ground was getting dented with the movement, but I decided not to mind.

Looking at the orange sky reminded me of ramen. It would be amazing to eat it with an egg and chopped green onions on top of boiling ramen.

I’m looking forward to my meeting with the master of Golden soon.

I held out my hand to Albedo. Albedo looked at my hand for a moment and then familiar climbed onto my hand.

Its tail wagged again. He really is an incomprehensible fellow.

* * *

“Let’s take a break, please!”

At Laurel’s shout, Lucian released the tension that was like a taut bowstring.

Putting down the wooden sword, Lucian belatedly gasped for breath and cooled off his sweat by pouring cold water over his head.

“You persistent brat.”

Laurel, who had scratched her head, didn’t mind the dust getting on her clothes and flopped down as she was.

Lucian, who had been silently watching her, sat on a chair instead of lying down and tossed a water bottle to Laurel.

Laurel, who had leisurely caught the water bottle, poured the water over her head while lying down.

“Ugh, water got in my nose.”

Laurel, who had frowned as if in pain, coughed a few times and then asked Lucian.

“Isn’t Theo feeling left out?”

“…Will he feel left out?”

My palms were already peeled raw. Even a slight movement of my fingers sent a burning pain spreading, but Lucian clenched his fist. The blessing gave off a faint light.

“If you just vaguely say it’s training, he might feel a little left out.”

“Do you think so?”

Lucian’s eyes, looking at the stigma, took on a dark shade.

For Lucian, who couldn’t draw out the power of the holy sword, the holy sword was a double-edged sword. A double-edged sword that endangered not only himself but also those around him.

“I have to get stronger even a day sooner.”

A holy relic said to have been gifted by the god of light, Lucius, to the hero who had resolved to save the world.

The first emperor who founded the empire, Lapileon, on his deathbed, plunged that sword into a rock and proclaimed.

When the continent once again needs a hero, the hero of the holy sword will return to the empire!!!

Thus, 1,000 years of peace passed, and a boy who was persecuted in an orphanage pulled out the sword.

That boy’s name was Lucian, a greenhorn with golden hair and eyes of green.

“If the professor had been a little later, I would have died.”

“Hey, hey.”

“There’s no law that says luck will follow me next time.”

“Even so, don’t avoid it and have a proper conversation.”

The Theo Lisitoel that Laurel saw was a person with many quite eccentric corners.

He had a handsome face that resembled Professor Evan, but his actions were close to a fool.

“I’ll try.”

At Lucian’s awkward smile, Laurel let out a sigh.

It was obvious that it was a blatant lie.

You should deceive someone who can be deceived. Right, he’s still a first-year, a chick who has only been transferred for a week. What can you do. He’s already become friends with Lucian.

Laurel took out her own equipment, knuckles, and put them on her hands. With a chlkadak sound, she secured them firmly and clenched her fist.

“First, we have to get stronger. Let’s start again, chick hero-nim.”

Lucian also picked up the wooden sword he had put down on the ground.

“I’ll be in your care, Senior."

If he couldn’t even speak well, I wouldn’t hate him. Laurel chuckled and nodded her head.

* * *

“You’re meeting the master of Golden?!”

As the horrified Zephyros shouted loudly, I quickly covered his mouth with my palm.

“Hey, read the room a little!”

This is the dorm dining hall.

When I warned him through gritted teeth, Zephyros nodded his head slightly.

Only then did I lower my hand and take a spoonful of the lamb potage.

Zephyros took out a magic tool from his pocket and activated it. After moving it a few times, mana flowed, and something like a protective barrier was created around us.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a magic tool that blocks others from hearing our conversation. I’ll get you one later. Anyway, you know it’s dangerous, right?”

For Zephyros Nevera, who wouldn't bat an eye at most things, to call a person dangerous.

“You think I don’t know?”

“What’s the reason you’re trying to contact that person?”

“Hey, it’s not like I’m going to die. Why are you so dramatic?”

“You think I wouldn’t be?”

Zephyros let out a groan.

“…Is Lerwon Viden accompanying you by any chance?”

“He’s still a senior.”

“Senior, my foot.”

Zephyros scoffed cynically, as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world.

“Is there a need to call a spy of the master of Golden a senior?”

Zephyros, you know the situation in quite a bit of detail.

Well… in the story, he was the one who was wary of Lerwon and was the loudest about having to kill him.

“…Do you hate Lerwon-Senior that much?”

“Yeah.”

What a firm answer.

…Agh, let’s just give him some meat.

I gave one of the grilled lamb chops I had ordered with the potage to Zephyros, and cut another one smaller and gave it to Albedo.

“He’s eating well.”

I said to Zephyros, who was mumbling on the lamb as if annoyed.

“Don’t change the subject.”

“Am I a child you’re sending to the water’s edge?”

“It would be less scary to send a child to the water’s edge. The master of Golden is a person who wouldn’t be strange to steal your soul in the blink of an eye.”

It's not like he's a witch from a fairy tale.

“I have to tell Professor Evan─”

“If you tell my father, we’re breaking up, you bastard.”

At my warning that wasn’t a warning, Zephyros glared at me.

“My father is behind me, do you think the master of Golden would touch me?”

“It wouldn’t be strange for him to use you to stab Professor Evan in the back.”

“Your evaluation is too harsh.”

“Are you that worried?”

“It would be stranger not to be worried.”

I was at a loss for words for a moment at Zephyros’s serious face.

What, wasn't he just approaching me on purpose and pretending to be close? Seeing Zephyros act like a real friend gave me a strange feeling. And it’s also strange that it’s not entirely unpleasant.

“Then shall we set up a way to confirm if you’re safe?”

“…Explain.”

As I explained the method I had thought of, his expression became quite strange. An expression that asked, is it really possible to confirm with something like that…?

“And, if I’m really in that kind of dangerous situation, what you have to do is simple.”

“…What is it?”

“Get me out of the Academy.”

“What…?”

Zephyros’s expression became even more bizarre.

Therefore, I spoke even more firmly.

“That’s enough.”