CHAPTER 197: TIME TO DECIDE

They returned to the academy.

"Thank you for your hard work, Professor."

"You too."

The mana stone composite was safely entrusted to the Dragon Faith Order, and Rosalia Wienderk returned as a professor at the academy.

"Thank you. Everyone."

"Not at all. It was a good experience. Please call us if something like this happens again."

"It was enjoyable, young master!"

As the Red Shell Knight Order returned to the family, Gerhard Goldenheim returned to Lavidus Hall to recover from the journey.

"...As expected, leaving home is nothing but hardship."

Though traveling the continent for business wasn’t a day or two affair, there was definitely a difference between staying in a comfortable nest and rolling around in forests and mountains.

"I should make a mobile house someday."

What’s good about money? Because you can do whatever you want.

With enough money, even if it’s difficult right now, it could certainly be made.

"Hyde."

"Yes, young master."

"Did you find out?"

"Yes, midterm and final exams will be combined and conducted in abbreviated form."

"Combined and abbreviated?"

Autumn vacation lasted a full three weeks.

Normally, it would have included the midterm exam period, but due to the Continental Academic Conference, even the final exam lecture progress had been delayed.

"Yes, looking at it, there was a manual. ’Once every five years, combine midterm and final exams and replace with abbreviated exam at end of semester.’"

"What exactly is this abbreviated exam?"

"Practical dueling."

"The most academy-like method."

"Yes."

So they would just combine all subjects and finish with one duel.

It seemed crude at first glance, yet it was very much like the academy whose top priority was raising strong knights and wizards.

"What about the administrative department?"

"They just combine everything for written exams."

"Dueling. What about artifacts?"

"It’s not certain, but they’ll probably be prohibited."

This time he’d miss the top position.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. He had only teamed with Luina Berchef because she wanted to be first; Gerhard Goldenheim had no particular attachment to being first.

’Since it’s individual dueling this time, my wins and losses probably won’t affect Luina Berchef either...’

Gerhard Goldenheim decided to take it easy.

’So there won’t be any particular incidents until this semester ends?’

Though he didn’t know what the prophecy book would predict, he thought the possibility of something more happening here was probably low.

’Whether the Continental Academic Conference incident went according to the prophecy book or not.’

If demons had been summoned according to the prophecy book, there would be no need to do anything more there.

’Now that the prophecy book has gone awry, they’d probably lay low for a while too.’

Of course, these were the ones who had killed eleven royalty and nobles even though demon summoning had gone awry.

Though he couldn’t make definitive judgments, since the headmaster was sharpening his blade, at least within the academy there probably wouldn’t be any, he hoped.

’Now there’s no guarantee things will flow according to the prophecy book either...’

Tsk, he clicked his tongue in regret at losing his biggest card.

"Should I try living a faithful academy life for now?"

"What about the evil ones?"

"For the time being, it’s not my concern."

If it wasn’t happening at the academy, he couldn’t be concerned about it.

"That’s why I met His Holiness the Pope and told Duke Gransis about demons."

Now they would handle it themselves, so there was no need to worry.

Just as long as he didn’t let his guard down regarding Pragia Kingdom.

"Ah, come to think of it, how’s the black steel mine situation going?"

"About that..."

Gerhard Goldenheim, who had tried to rest, started working again.

==

After the Continental Academic Conference ended, the academy returned to daily life.

"It’s been a while."

"It has been. How have you been?"

Meeting again in the lecture hall, Luina Berchef’s atmosphere had become a bit sharper compared to three weeks ago.

"I spent some money."

"Finally?"

Unlike his expectation of a conventional answer like ’I trained hard,’ this was unexpected.

Gerhard Goldenheim asked back.

"Yes. I spent it on something I thought was meaningful."

"Something meaningful?"

"You’ll find out soon. More than that, I have something to say. Can we talk briefly after the lecture?"

"Anytime."

While they were chatting briefly, Professor Grad and Professor Rosalia Wienderk entered.

"The vacation that interfered with the semester is over, so stay alert. The remaining period will be quite tight."

"Yes!"

The class that resumed after three weeks was limited to reviewing whether they had forgotten what they’d learned so far, and thus the lecture ended.

"You said you had something to say?"

Gerhard Goldenheim went to a tea house with Luina Berchef.

"Yes. While you were at the Continental Academic Conference, a letter came from father."

"From the Margrave?"

"Yes, it was about coming to the main house during vacation..."

Luina Berchef, who had paused briefly, gauged Gerhard Goldenheim’s reaction before speaking.

"...He said to bring you along too."

"...Me?"

Why suddenly?

Honestly, it wasn’t like he had no idea.

’Which one is it? For debt forgiveness? For pairing with Luina Berchef? Or for giving elixirs to Luina Berchef and pretending to be friendly? Or because of monsters and evil ones?’

Rather, there were too many possibilities.

"Yes. He said he’d like to discuss monsters and evil ones."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, that’s right."

Luina Berchef deliberately avoided his gaze and didn’t mention that there was much more content in the letter, and Gerhard Goldenheim, lost in thought, didn’t notice her strangeness.

’I’d have to go sometime anyway.’

At some unknown distant future date, a massive monster army would begin moving south from the north.

And after monster traces were discovered north of Berchef, Berchef became the most likely location.

Gerhard Goldenheim had no intention of sitting idly by.

If possible, he wanted to disrupt the monsters before they moved south, and if not, he wanted to prepare as much as possible to prevent the territory from collapsing.

For that, cooperation with Margrave Berchef was essential.

’What exactly the northern situation is like, how many monsters there are, whether Berchef can be defended with some support...’

But it wasn’t without problems.

’Right now Pragia is more urgent than Berchef...’

Monster armies also run rampant in Pragia. If his prediction was correct, it was temporally closer than the north, and the enemy Flauros was clearly identified.

He had intended to investigate demons in Pragia during this winter vacation, but if he went to Berchef, it would become impossible.

’But refusing outright would also be problematic...’

Though they had sold their Golden Bull rights and were no longer electors, the prestige and power Berchef possessed hadn’t completely disappeared.

Even if they had suffered great damage from monster armies, they would become great again.

"For now..."

Then, the next prophecy Gerhard Goldenheim had been waiting for began to emerge.

It was incredible timing, and still a painful headache.

["What a commotion this is."

Aint Armian returning to the academy definitely felt his status had changed.

It’s natural. You’re a hero who defeated demons, aren’t you?

"I didn’t do it alone."

At the academic conference venue where demons were summoned, there were numerous wizards, royalty, and nobles.

And strong individuals including the royal guards protecting them.

Sweeping them all away to cause chaos on the continent would have been the demon’s goal, but conversely, it was also no easy task.

You’re the key. That’s what matters.

"That’s true, but..."

"Aint Armian."

Then a familiar voice was heard from among the many crowds.

A steadfast knight. A reliable back who hadn’t retreated even before demons, but rather protected him.

"Senior Luina Berchef."

"I heard the news. You accomplished something incredible."

"Compared to what you did, senior, it was nothing."

"What I did?"

"In front of that..."

"Not particularly. I just barely managed to hold on."

"You’re being too modest."

Why was his self-evaluation so harsh?

Aint Armian felt he liked Luina Berchef even more.]

The beginning was Aint Armian returning to the academy.

History without Gerhard Goldenheim’s intervention.

Aint Armian in a state of having defeated the 70th-ranked demon Seir and become an even greater hero than now.

The entire academy was in an uproar.

’His feelings for Luina Berchef remain the same. Would it still be the same in reality?’

[- Let’s go to Pandrein this winter vacation too. The southernmost part of Pragia borders unexplored territory. It’s a battlefield.

"Sounds good."

He had caught demons. Two of them, no less.

Now he had considerable confidence, but at the same time was keenly aware.

Demons and evil ones would gnaw at the continent more meticulously, more viciously.

That he had to become even a little stronger.

’Finally became first place, but...’

Thinking of demons, being first really felt trivial.]

Next, it immediately continued to winter vacation.

He was relieved that nothing happened in between, but conversely, it was eerie that Aint Armian was getting closer to Flauros.

’Damn it, is it really this spring?’

There wasn’t much time.

’By the way, first place.’

He must have defeated Balrosi Viston after all.

Well, having caught two demons and absorbed their power, it would be stranger if he couldn’t defeat one first-year student.

["That guy is an evil one?"

"Yeah. We need to catch him."

When the man entered a deserted alley, Aint Armian, who had been secretly following, grabbed his neck and covered his mouth.

"If you scream, I’ll cut your tongue."

"Mmph...!"

"Why, you ask? That’s what I want to ask. Why did you sell your soul and side with demons?"

"...!"

Filthy evil one bastards, there are so many of them like parasites.

Having defeated even the 70th-ranked demon Seir and absorbed its power, Aint Armian had developed to the point where he didn’t need to directly contact and examine most evil ones internally.

And returning to Pragia after half a year, Aint Armian realized it was a den of evil.]

’So it was originally possible even without my help.’

Going full circle, this eventually happened according to the prophecy book, so it was somewhat reassuring.

Though he had missed one opportunity to hunt demons, it meant the growth level wasn’t falling behind.

’But Balrosi?’

Right, from this time Balrosi seriously becomes Aint Armian’s companion.

Balrosi Viston, Ariadne Florian, Barosu Drage, and Luina Berchef.

Since they were Aint Armian’s companions certified by the prophecy book, there was nothing particularly strange.

’But after losing first place...’

Was it like the clichéd repertoire of dramas like ’You’re the first to beat me’?

He was curious, but the prophecy book didn’t include that part.

["...Like sweet potato vines, they keep coming no matter how much you dig. Just how far into Pragia have they penetrated?"

"It would have been easy to take root. Since it’s not the empire, Pragia Kingdom is rather peripheral."

The center of humanity was still the Luthar continent.

It had improved somewhat since Goldenheim and the empire took root in northern Pandrein, but the kingdoms of Pandrein excluding imperial territory were still frontier regions.

"Evil ones are openly plotting something, so we can’t leave it be."

"Are they trying to repeat what happened at Tacklakan? How about requesting help?"

"Help?"

"If a hero who caught demons talks about monster danger, no kingdoms would sit still."

"But evil ones have infiltrated throughout the kingdom. Can we trust them?"

"Then how about requesting help from Barosu to move mercenaries?"]

["Subjugate the monsters!"

"Kill them all! Aint Armian is with us!"

Sacred light illuminated the battlefield filled with magic.]

When the last page ended, Gerhard Goldenheim opened his eyes.

"Gerhard Goldenheim? Why are you suddenly like this?"

"I was thinking for a moment. Whether to accept His Grace the Margrave’s proposal or not."

And he reached a conclusion.

"I’ll go."

"Really?"

"Yes."

At the end of the prophecy book, Aint Armian ultimately gained cooperation from Pragia and mercenaries and successfully subjugated the monsters.

That was enough.

’I can’t always be clinging to Aint Armian’s side. And this was originally a part for Aint Armian to handle.’

The one who would ultimately become a hero.

Until now, he had been anxious that the future might go awry due to the history he had changed, but now Aint Armian had grown considerably too.

He couldn’t and didn’t need to continue protecting him like a hothouse flower.

Rather than being bound to Aint Armian and handling only one problem, handling both would be more for the continent’s sake.

’Still, since the changed future is worrying, I should prepare for contingencies.’

A preparation neither too big nor too small. Something like companions.

’Would Veriana Kalproten and Ariadne Florian work?’

Balrosi was already with him anyway, so there wouldn’t be a problem.

Though the Aint Armian who caught demons was gone, the hero Aint Armian who revealed and punished evil ones remained.

’Above all, Flauros won’t be summoned immediately.’

Flauros would be summoned in spring, and vacation was winter. At least this incident wouldn’t summon a demon.

’I should contact the Mercenary King quickly.’

Of course, due to the already twisted future, he couldn’t be certain of anything.

So he intended to try everything possible.

"Don’t you need to return to Goldenheim? You don’t need to force yourself."

"No, it’s fine. If I refuse, wouldn’t you be in trouble? And even if not, I also wanted to visit Berchef once."

"...Is that so?"

At Gerhard Goldenheim’s words, Luina Berchef’s eyes widened slightly, then she nodded.

Thus the winter vacation schedule was decided.

Having sent off Luina Berchef, Gerhard Goldenheim enjoyed the leisure of a cup of coffee. Then suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure outside the window.

A man stopping by a shop to leave worn equipment.

’...Right.’

A student with unremarkable dark brown hair and eyes.

’You were there.’

A thorn stuck in Gerhard Goldenheim’s mind.

’Gismond Ert...’

It was time to decide how to deal with him.