Chapter 178: The Devil's Seed (1)

Sigaro’s eyes scanned Yuria.

But the emotion on Yuria’s face was no different than before.

Calmness.

‘She’s not wavering.’

It would have been normal to be surprised by such a proposal.

Sigaro twisted his lips, blaming himself for coming without any preparation regarding this person named Yuria.

“I’ll say it again. Leave the Academy and come work under me. I will pass on everything I have to you. I’ve already spoken with the Vice-Dean.”

Yuria’s eyes turned to the Vice-Dean.

The Vice-Dean nodded, confirming that his words were true.

“The Academy’s curriculum for magic swordsmen is somewhat lacking. If you wish, I have accepted his offer for you to go to Sir Isaac. Of course, if you go and find yourself missing the Academy, you are welcome to return.”

She could go and train under Sigaro and if she didn't like it, she could come back.

It was, truly, an unprecedented and unconventional treatment in the history of the Academy.

“Why?”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you doing so much for me?”

She didn't understand.

Let’s set aside the Vice-Dean.

He was a man who had always done his best to improve the Academy’s educational environment, and along with the Dean, had even promised to actively support Yuria in becoming a proper magic swordsman.

So, for Yuria’s training, he could certainly do that.

But Sigaro Isaac’s case was different.

He and Yuria had met for the first time today.

No matter how much they walked the same path, from Yuria’s perspective, it was excessive kindness and attention.

“Sometimes, when an older person sees a younger junior, they get lost in various sentiments. It could be envy and admiration for youth, or it could be altruism.”

“……”

“I can’t explain it definitively either. But you are a child born with the same magic swordsman qualities as me. I think that’s reason enough. Don’t you?”

At Sigaro’s words, Yuria remained silent.

It was impossible to tell what she was thinking just by looking at her expression.

Finally, her mouth opened.

And the words that came out were quite surprising.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“No. Yuria?”

“I’m sorry, Vice-Dean. And Sir Isaac. I’m grateful for your consideration, but I still have much to learn at the Academy. I want to stay at the Academy.”

At that moment, Sigaro’s expression changed strangely.

“Why? May I ask the reason?”

“I told you I still have a lot to learn at the Academy.”

“No. That’s not a reason. If you come to me, you can naturally learn everything you would at the Academy.”

“I still don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“……”

Yuria did not answer.

She just kept her lips tightly sealed, staring intently at Sigaro’s face in front of her.

The same went for Sigaro.

The two magic swordsmen stared into each other’s eyes without a word.

The Vice-Dean, in the middle, quietly watched the scene and was lost in thought.

‘Why did that child refuse Sir Isaac’s offer?’

It was an unconventional offer by any standard, and could be called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sigaro Isaac’s reputation was not built on nothing.

He was a pioneer who had fused the realms of sword and magic, which were thought to be completely incompatible, and a trailblazer who had carved a new path.

How many knights and mages had he brought to their knees, shattering the prejudices and stereotypes of countless people.

The named magical beasts he had defeated numbered more than ten fingers, and it was an unprecedented event in history for a commoner to be personally granted the surname ‘Isaac (the new)’ by the emperor for such achievements.

Going under Sigaro Isaac and becoming a Royal Knight was a greater shortcut to honor and success than completing studies at the Academy and joining one of the Five Great Knight Orders.

‘But why? Yuria couldn’t be unaware of that… could it be?’

At that moment, one person flashed through his mind.

In the past, he would have laughed it off, but recalling the report of the damaged training equipment in the training hall during the recent false accusation incident, it seemed plausible enough.

‘Hohoho. If it’s really because of that, this is what youth is all about.’

A warmth filled the gaze of the Vice-Dean, Karad, as he looked at Yuria.

It was a choice that could only be made by the young.

“Why did you come to the Academy?”

Just then, Sigaro opened his mouth.

“No particular reason. I came because they said they’d feed and house me.”

“Then you must lack ambition.”

Yuria didn’t particularly deny it.

Because he was right.

At first, that is, until she entered the Academy, she had no particular purpose in life, nor any dreams.

But not anymore.

As the human named Gerard came into her view, and as she learned and realized many things from him, Gerard had entered her heart at some point.

And the feelings for him were gradually growing.

‘I have to repay what I received from senior.’

If that was Yuria's dream now, it was her dream.

“Alright, I understand. I can’t force someone who doesn’t want to come. But it’s still a great shame about your talent.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

Hmm, Sigaro stroked his beard.

“I’d like to ask just one thing. I understand that the person who first discovered your talent as a magic swordsman was a cadet from the 888th class named Gerard, is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And you’re still training with him?”

Yuria nodded.

“Because he’s my mentor.”

“Mentor?”

“It’s one of the Academy’s systems. One of the seniors is attached to provide close guidance on matters the professors can’t attend to.”

At the Vice-Dean’s explanation, Sigaro nodded.

“In that case, could you tell me what kind of training you received from him, and what you are receiving now?”

“Um.”

“If it’s difficult, you can just briefly explain the process.”

Yuria was not very keen on it, but having just refused his offer, she felt a bit awkward refusing this as well.

So she recounted, as concisely as possible, only the situation and atmosphere of when she first met Gerard and how she was trained.

“Is that enough?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Sigaro had a somewhat complicated and subtle expression.

Then he threw out a remark.

“I’ll visit the Academy from time to time to check on your training.”

“……!”

“Don’t think it's strange. It’s just the consideration of a senior walking the same path.”

Yuria and the Vice-Dean looked at him in surprise.

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re going to refuse this too?”

Yuria shook her head.

Who would refuse when a Royal Knight himself offered to go to such lengths?

As if satisfied with her reaction, Sigaro finally smiled faintly.

“Alright. I’ll see you then. I’ll be taking my leave now, Vice-Dean.”

“Ah. Please do.”

Sigaro shot up from his seat and walked towards the door.

Then he paused for a moment and suddenly bent down to pick something up.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Ah. It’s nothing. There was a spider.”

“A spider?”

“Yes.”

Squish, after crushing the spider in his hand, Sigaro smirked and left the Dean’s office.

***

“Keuk.”

As the bond with Peter was forcibly severed, a brief but intense pain shook my mind.

‘This bastard… What is it? Did he notice?’

No matter how high-level a mage was, it wasn’t easy to recognize a spider as a familiar just by looking at it.

It wasn't a matter determined by the level of mastery, but one that required solely experience and intuition.

‘To say he caught it just because he happened to see a spider seems unnatural in many ways.’

It’s a shame I couldn’t see the situation with my own eyes because the visual link was cut off.

Still, from what I knew, Sigaro Isaac had accumulated a great deal of experience to be recognized as a magic swordsman.

In other words, it meant that he could have suspected eavesdropping upon seeing a spider suddenly appear in the Vice-Dean’s office.

‘Still, there’s no proof.’

Just then, someone stood in front of me.

“Gerard?”

I lifted my head.

“Who…?”

I knew, but I pretended not to.

The one in front of me was Sigaro Isaac, who had just come out of the main building.

“Huhu.”

Sigaro Isaac responded with a laugh instead of an answer.

Seeing that laugh, an inexplicable sense of unease ran down my spine.

‘What is this…?’

It feels strange.

Something feels off.

I didn’t feel this way even when I faced Duke Zain, who was stronger than the Sigaro Isaac before me.

It’s a different kind.

If Duke Zain was someone my reason rejected, Sigaro Isaac was someone my instincts were rejecting.

I couldn’t understand, but anyway.

I suppressed all emotions and feelings and continued my act.

“……Ah. I remember now. Didn’t you visit before?”

“I am Sigaro Isaac.”

I got up from my seat.

“It is an honor to meet a Royal Knight. I am Gerard, an 888th class hero cadet.”

“Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He then scanned me from head to toe with a sharp gaze.

And he asked.

“I was just on my way from meeting Yuria. I heard from her that you were the one who discovered her talent as a magic swordsman.”

“That is correct. Is there a problem?”

I knew from listening through Peter.

Sigaro had shown quite a lot of curiosity and interest in me, and until a moment ago I thought it was simply because of my insight in finding Yuria, but now it suddenly occurred to me that might not be the case.

“A problem? There is none. I was just curious.”

“……”

“I’ll see you next time.”

Next time? As I looked at him with that question in my eyes, Sigaro instead looked behind me.

Just then, Yuria was coming out of the main building.

He must have meant I should ask her what I was curious about.

And so, my first meeting with Sigaro Isaac ended with an unexpected feeling of unease.

***

The peace that came after the end of the War of Villains continued for quite a long time.

Others might not know, but to me, who knew the nature of this world, that time felt like the calm before the storm.

So I resumed the restoration work that had been temporarily halted.

So far, I have found three of Shadow’s advanced visions.

The Second Seat, Rendal’s [Dark Sprint].

The Third Seat, Kanabi’s [Stealth].

The Fourth Seat, Magello’s [Dagger Shift].

If I add to this the First Seat, Yugen’s advanced vision [Imitation], which Luis originally possessed, it could be said that the restoration of all advanced secret tomes corresponding to Intermediate Thievery was complete.

But it doesn’t end here.

Extreme secret visions belonging to Advanced Thievery and artifacts called ‘Divine Objects’ were also lost, so those had to be recovered as well.

‘There’s still a long way to go.’

It doesn’t matter.

It means our Shadow can become that much stronger.

You could tell just by looking at how we won the War of Villains even in an incomplete state.

It was true that we had ruled the nights of Icata.

‘I wonder what it will be like when we are complete. I’m already looking forward to it.’

The next destination was decided.

I recalled the words Evan had left me before he departed for his hometown with his mother.

─‘Gerard. If you ever get the chance, try going to Binhawk.’

─‘Two years ago, I met a man there. He was an incredibly strong man who, like you, didn’t use an Aura Sword.’

─‘I lost to him.’

Binhawk.

A city on the western border of the Empire, adjacent to the Naimus Empire.

There, there was a strong master who was skilled enough to defeat Evan without using an Aura Sword.

I judged that to be the First Seat, Yugen.

Because all the circumstances pointed to him.

Of course, this too was a guess, so it wasn’t certain.

‘Well, I’ll know when I get there.’

However.

I had to postpone these journeys for a while.

The peace was shattered, and a storm was once again brewing at the Academy.