CHAPTER 196: DRAGON PENINSULA

"Over here!"

"Oh no...! Miss! Are you alright?"

The attack that occurred in Wienderk’s territory soon brought Wienderk’s knights.

Realizing that Rosalia Wienderk had been attacked by the untimely blizzard that had taken over the area, the duke sent his knight order.

"No help needed. The evil one has already been defeated."

"That won’t do. His Grace ordered us to escort you both safely."

Rosalia Wienderk refused them, but they were insistent. In the end, she had no choice but to receive an escort until leaving Wienderk.

Arriving at the harbor and boarding a pre-prepared ship, the party headed for the Dragon Faith Order.

"You made contact in advance, right?"

"Of course. I’ve already finished discussing everything."

"I didn’t see you do it."

"My attendant wasn’t there when the evil ones attacked."

"...Please never make me do that again."

Hyde, who had made arrangements with the Dragon Faith Order and joined late, learned that there had been an attack by evil ones while he was away, and firmly resolved never to be separated from Gerhard Goldenheim again.

"Nothing happened."

"Evil ones attacking is nothing happening?"

"No one died and there were no serious injuries, so it’s as good as nothing happening. Didn’t we receive support from the Red Shell Knight Order with that in mind from the beginning?"

"That’s true, but..."

Sigh, Hyde let out a long breath.

"It seems like you always send me away whenever incidents happen, young master."

"What would I gain from that?"

"That’s why I’m even more frustrated. There’s no reason for it, so why?"

"Above all, this time is absolutely not that."

"This time...?"

"I can see the Dragon Faith Order over there."

"That’s not the order, just an uninhabited island!"

The ship continued forward and arrived at Dragon Peninsula where the Dragon Faith Order was located. Originally it had a different name, but after the Dragon Faith Order settled there, it was changed because its shape resembled a dragon’s head.

’I don’t feel it at all though.’

Well, once the Dragon Faith Order was established there, wouldn’t it be to their taste?

Creak-

The ship docked at the harbor.

"Welcome, the Dragon Faith Order welcomes Professor Rosalia Wienderk, Prince Gerhard Goldenheim, and all of you."

They entered the order with a grand welcome.

As previously discussed, the mana stone composite was immediately handed over to the order.

"Oh, to think you could create such a thing. If it’s not too presumptuous, could we research it a little..."

"It is presumptuous."

"Hmm, unfortunate."

"It’ll be fine, right?"

"Despite how they look, they’ll do exactly as agreed."

The research priests who stole glances at the mana stone composite with greedy eyes took it to the order’s inner warehouse.

"His Holiness wishes to dine with you both this evening."

And Gerhard Goldenheim and Rosalia Wienderk were invited to an evening banquet.

"Prince Gerhard Goldenheim, good to see you. It’s been a long time."

"It’s been a long time, Your Holiness."

"Rosalia Wienderk, you too... ah, should I call you Professor Rosalia Wienderk now?"

The pope stroked his long beard. His benevolent smile and impression naturally warmed the heart.

After brief greetings, food was served.

"Please eat."

The pope and Rosalia Wienderk picked up their forks and knives. But Gerhard Goldenheim didn’t.

He just sat quietly, only looking at the pope.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"Setting such an atmosphere makes me nervous about what you’ll say. I’m worried whether this old man’s heart can handle it."

The pope put down his fork and knife and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"I’m ready."

"I believe you know about what happened in Valerich."

"I know. I’m very pleased."

"You’re pleased?"

"Armian recovered the lost secret techniques and struck down cunning evil ones - how joyful is that?"

He lifted a wine glass filled with red wine.

"Actually, the evil ones’ goal wasn’t to kill eleven royalty and nobles."

"To simultaneously murder eleven people in Wienderk would be impossible without considerable preparation. But if that wasn’t the purpose, what was?"

"Demon summoning."

"...!"

The wine being brought to his lips stopped completely. Thunk, the pope set down his glass.

"...Those words need to be provable."

"If a demon had already been summoned, would you believe it?"

"Even from you, I can’t believe such words..."

Gerhard Goldenheim took out a recording orb he had been keeping in his subspace.

"Please watch first and then judge."

The Continental Academic Conference where, according to the prophecy book, a demon would officially descend before people.

Because that was disrupted by Gerhard Goldenheim, the world was in a state of not recognizing the severity of the situation.

No matter how much monster armies stirred, it felt completely different from demons being summoned.

’So it needs to be corrected.’

If they couldn’t properly recognize the seriousness of the problem because demon summoning had failed, he just needed to make them recognize it.

’There’s no point in hiding it anymore.’

He decided to raise the stakes with the recording orb containing Andromalius.

Since demons were a continental problem, on a continental scale.

==

[The legend of the empire, the legend of the founding emperor, and furthermore the legend of Armian...]

[Prince Gerhard Goldenheim of the Goldenheim family who moved with Aint Armian. What between the two...]

"...These crazy bastards."

Veriana Kalproten, who had stayed at the academy and was having a troubled day, spat out the tea she had been holding in her mouth after seeing the morning newspaper.

"What is this?"

Hadn’t they just gone to see the Continental Academic Conference normally? Why evil ones again all of a sudden?

At this point, she wondered if Aint Armian was the problem. How did he encounter evil ones or monsters everywhere he went?

"...Eleven royalty and nobles died in Valerich?"

Does that make sense?

Though an uncontrollable number of people would have gathered due to the Continental Academic Conference, it was Wienderk of all places.

Duke Wienderk wouldn’t have neglected security.

Moreover, not ordinary people but royalty and nobles.

’I should see this as evil ones being that formidable...’

Though the world didn’t know well, this wasn’t the first or second time evil ones had made secret moves. And those secret moves had been developing more and more with each passing day.

’Demons have already been summoned, and seeing them openly cause trouble in electors’ territories, this absolutely won’t just end like this.’

It would only get bigger, never smaller.

"I need my people. People who will help me."

"I need you. More precisely, I hope you’ll become my person."

Aint Armian’s recent proposal came to mind.

When demons began running rampant, Aint Armian would begin to truly soar.

’Even so, I can’t go under that Aint Armian bastard...!’

Of course, he talked about friends or colleagues, but even so, wouldn’t a hierarchical relationship exist implicitly?

Veriana Kalproten, who had downed the remaining tea in one gulp due to her troubled heart, returned to her dormitory. Then, a maid from Lavidus Hall caught her and handed her a letter.

"Prince Veriana Kalproten, a letter has arrived from your family."

"A letter?"

At the letter stamped with the family head’s seal, Veriana Kalproten instinctively shrank.

"Ahem, thank you."

Pretending to be calm, she quickly entered her room. And nervously unfolded the letter.

[Veriana Kalproten. I am deeply disappointed in you.]

The letter stabbed at Veriana Kalproten’s heart from the first sentence.

She gritted her teeth, clearly feeling her father’s anger.

’Damn it.’

When she first enrolled, she never thought she’d end up in this situation.

[I heard that you were shamefully defeated by an enemy you absolutely had to beat and your ranking also fell.

On such a topic, during summer vacation you didn’t even return to the family and avoided responsibility...]

About half the letter consisted of content criticizing Veriana Kalproten. But from then on, it was a bit different.

[You must have heard about the Continental Academic Conference incident. That has changed the situation somewhat. You no longer need to try to beat Aint Armian. You don’t need to break him.]

Father’s orders had changed.

[Approach Aint Armian. Try to become his close associate. Yes, since it’s the academy, being friends would do.]

"...Huh?"

Veriana Kalproten’s face completely crumpled.

"These damn...!"

Gerhard Goldenheim, Aint Armian, and now even father.

At this point, it seemed like the entire world was pushing her to become Aint Armian’s subordinate.

==

When the Continental Academic Conference, held once every five years, takes place, changes come to the academy as well.

Since the Continental Academic Conference could be a good experience for students too, the academy actively encouraged experiential learning.

Though most useful for wizards, it wasn’t unhelpful to other students either, so all classes stopped for three weeks.

Students called this the autumn vacation that came every five years.

During autumn vacation, whatever they did was the students’ freedom.

They could go to the Continental Academic Conference, return to their families, travel, or stay at the academy.

More than half the students went to see the Continental Academic Conference, but Luina Berchef didn’t.

Clang-

With a dull sound, a sword flew through the air. Blood flowed from torn palms.

Luina Berchef knelt, breathing roughly.

"Get up. If you’re supposedly a knight but easily kneel, what use are you?"

"...Yes."

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up. She picked up the fallen sword and aimed again.

Her opponent, Professor Grad, shook his head.

"That’s enough for today."

"Please, one more time."

"Hmm, for that..."

Luina Berchef took out a small pouch from her chest and placed it on the table.

"Please, one more time."

"...Good."

The corner of Grad’s mouth rose.

"You’ve changed a lot, Luina Berchef. I never expected you’d hand me a money pouch while asking for a duel."

"I learned from Gerhard Goldenheim."

"You learned well."

He flicked his finger.

"Come."

Luina Berchef, having regulated her breathing, kicked off the ground.

Contrary to her hotly beating heart, her head was cold.

Blood circulates. Aura activates.

Blue aura is sharpened along the sword.

—!

Sword clashes with sword. At the shock transmitted through her hand, Luina Berchef steps back and rotates her body.

Clang clang clang-

The consecutive attacks are all blocked. Professor Grad’s sword was always ahead of hers.

Why was that?

That was the biggest worry that had dominated her mind for the past few days.

Simply because it was fast? It was fast, but that wasn’t all.

And now she seemed to vaguely understand.

’Efficiency.’

The sword path was extremely efficient. Until reaching the optimal position, Professor Grad’s sword had not a bit of waste.

’The path I should pursue right now.’

Just realizing that fact made the money and effort invested in this duel worthwhile.

—!

Dozens of exchanges continued, and before long, Luina Berchef’s sword once again left its owner’s grasp.

"Good."

Grad nodded.

"Much better than before. You must have had some realization?"

"Yes. Thanks to you."

"Hehe, you’re indeed not ordinary either. At this rate, I might lose all my capital. Will you continue dueling?"

"Yes. Please continue until autumn vacation ends."

"As long as you pay, I’m fine with it. Then that’s enough for today."

"Yes, thank you for today as well."

Luina Berchef bowed her head, and Grad took the money pouch on the table and disappeared.

Luina Berchef sat cross-legged and reviewed today’s duel. And when she opened her eyes again, she met the gaze of her nanny who was waiting for her.

"Nanny."

"You seem to have made some progress today?"

"Does it show?"

"Your face is a bit brighter."

Luina Berchef touched her own face. She couldn’t tell.

"I gained something."

"That’s good. So it’s not a waste of money. Well, even if it was wasted, it’s Goldenheim’s money. But you’re really sure it’s okay?"

"Probably."

The bribe given to Grad came from Gerhard Goldenheim.

Money he had consistently given since saying he would sponsor her, aside from elixirs.

She hadn’t used it until now but had decided to use it for this opportunity.

"But it’s really surprising. For you to bribe Professor Grad and receive private tutoring. You really hated such things. Of course, this is more like requesting private tutoring than a bribe."

Of course, requesting private tutoring from a professor itself wasn’t a very good look.

"I still hate it."

"Then why...?"

"I hate being a burden more."

"A burden?"

Luina Berchef’s gaze turned to the newspaper on the table.

There was.

[The legend of the empire, the legend of the founding emperor, and furthermore the legend of Armian...]

[Prince Gerhard Goldenheim of the Goldenheim family who moved with Aint Armian. What between the two...]

The story of Gerhard Goldenheim and Aint Armian, who had left for Valerich for the Continental Academic Conference, was prominently featured.

"It’s nothing. But what brings you here suddenly?"

"Do I only visit you when something happens?"

"When you come to the training ground, yes."

"Right. Actually, a letter arrived from the family head."

"Father?"

The nanny handed over the letter. Luina Berchef unfolded it.

The letter’s content wasn’t very long.

[Luina Berchef, this is the first letter I’m sending since seeing you during summer vacation.

How is academy life... [omitted]...

Come to the main house during this winter vacation. Bring Gerhard Goldenheim, who inspired you, with you too.

As you can guess, I have many things I want to ask that child.]

But the purpose was clear.

"Hmm..."

It was an invitation for Gerhard Goldenheim.