CHAPTER 187: EMPTY WELLS AND HOT TRAILS

"What was that?"

"It wasn’t just a demon seed. It was probably a demon."

The demon’s self-destruction failed to achieve its purpose. Unfortunate for it was that an Arch Mage was present.

The Dean immediately wrapped the seed with magic the moment he sensed the precursor to explosion.

Rosalia lent a hand, and though the explosion broke through it, that was as far as it went.

Rosalia and Gerhard were injured but not fatally.

"Oh dear, the concealment magic circle was breached."

The Dean clicked his tongue after checking the damaged wall’s magic circle.

"Does that mean demonic energy escaped outside?"

"A very small amount, but yes."

"Then what do we do?"

"Probably very few could sense that amount of demonic energy."

"Not absolutely none?"

"Magic pursues perfection but cannot be perfect. However, there are few in the academy sensitive enough to feel this. There would be none who could definitively recognize it as demonic energy."

Gerhard roughly nodded while drinking a potion. Since it was the Dean’s words, he had no choice but to believe it.

"By the way, you must be disappointed."

"About what?"

"Didn’t your chance to make a fortune disappear?"

Some debris remained even from the explosion. Though it was just black ash.

Gerhard realized it was more definitively finished than if it had been killed by Hyde’s power.

"It’s regrettable. And a bigger problem than that is that the demons clearly recognized Hyde."

This was obviously a self-destruction targeting Hyde. If it hadn’t been Hyde trying to finish it, it might not have gone this far.

It was tantamount to openly declaring they would no longer overlook Hyde.

"That’s true too."

"But it’s not entirely bad."

"Why?"

"Conversely, doesn’t it mean the fear that Armian gives demons is that great?"

If they weren’t afraid, there would be nothing to check. No need to self-destruct.

Just as humans fear demons, demons also guard against and fear Armian.

Whether it originated from the first emperor’s great achievement or was due to Armian’s power of light didn’t matter.

What mattered was that Hyde was the only hero who could save this world, and that hero was in Gerhard’s grasp.

"That was already proven when Andromalius descended."

"That’s true too. What will you do now, Dean?"

"About what?"

"Isn’t it certain that more demon seeds are hiding in the academy?"

Except for Gerhard who had seen the prophecy book, no one knew that Aron was a demon seed.

And that meant there was a high possibility that demon seeds not yet caught were still parasitizing within the academy that had already gone through one upheaval.

"Don’t worry. There won’t be a second time."

The Dean’s gaze briefly swept over Hyde as he said this. Gerhard didn’t miss it.

But he just left it alone.

The Dean using Hyde to find demon seeds would work out favorably for Hyde.

The more uncertain the future became, the more Hyde’s growth should be prioritized.

==

"You come often these days. You used to never leave the academy except during vacations because it was expensive."

"I wanted to do that too. But given the nature of the matter, I had no choice."

The Duke straightened his posture. Gerhard coming in person despite usually avoiding the expensive teleportation circle meant it was a matter of that importance.

"I know your research was stranded."

"It’s not my research but Professor Rosalia’s research."

"Since it’s done with your money, it’s yours."

"The professor takes all the fame."

"The one who takes the substance is the real deal."

That was true. If Professor Rosalia’s research succeeded, Gerhard would make tremendous money.

"Do you know why the research was stranded?"

"I’m roughly guessing."

"That guess is correct."

Tap, tap. The Duke, who had been lightly drumming the desk with his fingers, continued.

"Cockroaches tend to reappear no matter how determined you are to exterminate them. But this cycle is too short. The Dean’s response was inadequate."

"Since the investment money flew away thanks to that, should I demand damage compensation?"

"Don’t say things you don’t mean. If you bite a tiger carelessly, you’ll be hunted instead."

Considering the reputation of being an Arch Mage and the connections the Dean had, touching him over something like this would be a bad move.

"You probably know what research Professor Rosalia is conducting. They had planted a seed in it."

"A seed? What would it become when grown?"

"A demon would be summoned."

"..."

The Duke briefly closed his mouth at the unrealistic words. But soon nodded.

"Right, if Andromalius could be summoned, there’s no reason a second demon couldn’t be summoned either."

There was already precedent.

"They tried to summon a demon at the Continental Academic Conference. Using the magic stone combination as power."

The Duke immediately saw through the demon seeds’ plan.

"A scheme targeting both us and Wienderk. If a demon was summoned there, no matter how well they blocked it, more than half would have died."

Of course, among those flocking to the Continental Academic Conference, there were quite a few capable individuals.

There were strong ones and those who brought strong escorts, but the opponent was a demon.

If things had gone according to the demon seeds’ wishes, it would have been a simple yet deadly plan that would have caused massive casualties and property damage.

"You did a great thing."

"I did what was natural."

"So? You want something since you came in person."

Especially since it was a plan that could have made Goldenheim and Wienderk into demon seeds allied with demons.

"Professor Rosalia is remaking her research."

"I know. The Dean must be lending a hand."

The massive amount of magic stones flowing to the academy and requests for wizard support. The Continental Academic Conference schedule postponed under the Dean and Pope’s leadership.

Knowing all the circumstances, it wasn’t difficult to guess.

"I don’t think the demon seeds will quietly withdraw here."

"They’ll still target Professor Rosalia?"

"It’s an object containing enough magical power to summon demons. That’s why they targeted it in the first place."

"Certainly. From their perspective, if they could just seize it, it could become a trump card they could use anytime."

The Duke stroked his chin.

"So we need guards."

"Take them."

"I want to go beyond simply protecting and set a trap."

"You want a small elite force so they’ll underestimate us, and naturally they can’t be ordinary. I can’t give you the Red Turtles."

The Red Turtle Order was Goldenheim’s finest knight order.

Like other Electors’ first knight orders, it was a military group that could be counted among the best anywhere on the continent.

The Duke firmly shook his head.

"Instead..."

But human words should be heard to the end.

"I’ll give you the Shell level. This time, make sure to catch the demon seeds."

Goldenheim’s second knight order. It was by no means something to call just ’level.’

"Yes, definitely."

Gerhard bowed his head.

==

"Is there anything new?"

Ariadne rolled a red cherry-flavored candy in her mouth.

"Unfortunately, no. Rather, I’d like to ask from this side. Do you have anything new, Student Ariadne?"

"I don’t either."

"So both of us have no gains."

Judge Jirad Izzell said while slurping coffee.

"When I received the Dean’s letter, I was determined to find all the demon seeds in this world, but having come, there’s nothing found except those initial demon seeds..."

After the demon seed incident occurred, 13 demon seeds hiding in the academy were subjugated under the Dean’s leadership.

But Jirad didn’t think that was all.

The ones who had been hiding so well finally revealed themselves, and it ends so anticlimactically?

That couldn’t be. And it shouldn’t be.

He was staying at the academy with the obsession that there might be something more...

"If I’d known this would happen, I should have gone west."

"There were demon seeds in Altriark."

"Exactly. I stayed wanting to achieve merit, but instead missed the opportunity to achieve merit..."

Ariadne quietly watched Jirad complaining.

Her connection with him wasn’t coincidental.

After returning from Altriark, when Ariadne approached first using demon seeds as pretext, Jirad, who had been digging empty wells, eagerly bit.

Since then, they’d been sharing information about demon seeds once every two to three days.

’The demon seed incident is just the beginning. The Judges’ authority will definitely grow.’

The Judges had symbolism bestowed by the first emperor.

When demon seeds began to overflow, their authority would inevitably grow.

She thought making connections with them early and sharing information would be an excellent choice.

"No results today either. I definitely thought more demon seeds were hiding here, but was I mistaken..."

That’s when it happened.

"..."

He felt a small wave that occurred somewhere.

No, it wasn’t small. It was made to feel small by being reduced and reduced.

Both their eyes widened at the unpleasantness and eeriness inherently contained.

"Research building?"

It was the building where professors’ laboratories were located.

They were lucky. The tea house they were in was close to the research building, so professors and assistants often visited.

His being more sensitive to mana than others also played a part. The same for Ariadne, who was an elf.

As evidence, people in the tea house didn’t notice that wave.

"That direction is the Dean’s laboratory. What could it be?"

Having stayed for two months, they had memorized the academy’s structure perfectly.

"...This is."

"If my thinking isn’t wrong, this is..."

It was demonic energy.

Very unpleasant, sticky, and dirty. Quite different from mana.

Of course, he couldn’t be certain. Though he was a Judge, Jirad had never once faced monsters or demon seeds.

But it was worth checking.

Jirad stood up.

"Are you going?"

"It’s a good feeling."

He felt like the fruit of two months would finally ripen.

"I’ll go with you."

Ariadne followed him.

And what they discovered was.

"...Senior?"

"Gerhard Goldenheim coming out of the Dean’s laboratory?"

It was Gerhard emerging from the Dean’s laboratory.

"...What will you do?"

Would Gerhard’s expression be like this when facing gold? Ariadne asked as Jirad’s expression rapidly changed.

"I think Miss Ariadne felt the same thing as me."

"..."

Should she nod? But it seems like Senior Gerhard is involved?

It was definitely demonic energy. Unlike Jirad who was just guessing, Ariadne could know for certain having experienced demonic energy several times already.

"Could you possibly enter the research building? I can’t."

"I can’t either. The research building is impossible unless you’re a professor, assistant, or have professors’ permission."

"What if we borrow Fridien’s power?"

"Don’t say ridiculous things."

Ariadne firmly shook her head.

Of course, there was a Fridien-origin professor who had entered this time using the World Tree’s branch as pretext, and she was equally curious, but still Gerhard was caught up in it.

"Then it can’t be helped. We have no choice but to find other clues."

"You mean follow Senior Gerhard?"

"It smells of demon seeds. Since it’s the Dean’s laboratory, isn’t the Dean probably experimenting with caught demon seeds? Or interrogating them."

They didn’t know, but it was half correct.

"Senior Gerhard won’t readily tell us if we follow him."

"I naturally think so. But I’m not in a situation to consider such things right now."

It was a clue that appeared after two months. Like a thirsty person digging a well, he had to rush at it first.

However.

"Ah."

"...Is it possibly usable?"

When Gerhard immediately used the teleportation circle to leave for Goldenheim, the two could only stare at the now-empty magic circle.

"How could it be? There’s no direct magic circle connected to Fridien, and even if there were, going to another family would be impossible without the academy’s approval."

"You’re not helpful when needed."

"If you want to compare who can do more between Fridien and a Judge, I’ll gladly accept."

"I misspoke. I apologize."

He didn’t look sorry at all.

"What happens if we arbitrarily break into the teleportation circle and use it?"

"You’re joking, right? It only works when a wizard operates it from outside."

"There’s a wizard here."

"Where?"

Ariadne looked around, but Jirad’s gaze was fixed on her from beginning to end.

"Don’t say crazy things. I’ll be expelled."

"You won’t be."

"With wizards and guards perfectly fine, using it arbitrarily means we knocked them down, right? If that’s not grounds for expulsion, what is?"

"Hmm, it can’t be helped."

Jirad sighed and gave up.

"We have no choice but to wait for his return. Seeing him suddenly go to his main house right after coming out of where demonic energy was felt makes my suspicion deepen."

There’s definitely a connection.

Definitely.

Jirad’s eyes burned hotly.