CHAPTER 198: JUST COINCIDENCE

"Ugh, another tough day. I never get used to this knight training. I have to survive, I have to."

Gismond Ert, who had left his damaged armor for repairs, stretched. It was lunchtime, so the streets were bustling with people.

’Still, I’ve gotten quite used to it now.’

He activated his aura. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips at the small piece of aura blooming at his fingertips.

During the mounted spear tournament, it had tried to scatter chaotically and he just poured it out recklessly, but now it flowed quite according to his intentions.

"Right, just keep going like this. Just like this."

If he continued building strength like this, at least...

"What’s ’just like this,’ senior?"

At the suddenly heard voice, Gismond Ert startled and turned around. There stood someone completely unexpected.

"Ge, Gerhard Goldenheim?"

"Yes, it’s been a while."

"Why me?"

"I happened to run into you, but remembering your performance during the mounted spear tournament, I couldn’t just pass by."

"I, is that so...?"

Gismond Ert stammered and smiled awkwardly.

"Well then, see you later. I need to quickly eat lunch and go to my next lecture."

"Yes."

Gismond Ert quickly put distance between them with large strides.

’Damn, I thought my heart was going to burst.’

He never expected Gerhard Goldenheim to suddenly talk to him.

’Gerhard Goldenheim, no less. It’s strange that someone who should be ruined soon is walking around the academy normally. Could it be because of me?’

Though he couldn’t pinpoint anything specific, it wasn’t like there was nothing troubling.

’Was there something in the newspaper? Ah shit, I should have read the morning paper... Whatever. What’s the point of me worrying about it.’

Gismond Ert shook his head and entered the bustling building. The restaurant selling light meals was already crowded with students.

He squeezed into an empty spot and looked at the menu.

"Um, here, Arancini tomato pas..."

"The cream gnocchi mixed with blue cheese is better than pasta here. Golden Turtle Company supplies quality potatoes."

"Eek...!"

Gismond Ert jumped up as if he might float into the air from shock and asked in dismay.

"What are you...! Why did you follow me!"

"I also came to eat."

"You came to a place like this?"

"You should abandon the prejudice that Goldenheim always eats only expensive things. Such thoughts and prejudices gathered together made us out to be villains."

"..."

At that composure, Gismond Ert deliberately turned his head away.

Gerhard Goldenheim was right. Just because they’re rich doesn’t mean they always eat expensive and good things.

That he had come here by chance and sat next to Gismond Ert by chance was just a daily occurrence.

Probably.

"...One Arancini tomato pasta, please."

Gerhard Goldenheim didn’t interfere further and focused on his own meal.

The blue cream cheese on top of the round-shaped gnocchi had quite a nice aroma and appearance.

’It would be delicious...’

Gulp, Gismond Ert suppressed his naturally swallowing throat and finished his meal.

==

’This lecture is...’

"Swordsmanship and Aura Operation." The professor was Emond Altriark.

It was the class he had been waiting for most.

Due to overdosing on elixirs, his internal mana and aura were in chaos, and he couldn’t deny that the "Swordsmanship and Aura Operation" class was greatly helpful in calming this.

Arriving at the lecture hall and waiting, students entered one by one and filled their seats.

Soon the professor entered, checked attendance, and quickly moved to the main topic.

"I’ll begin the lecture now."

The first lecture after the Continental Academic Conference. Professor Emond started the class with theory.

A review followed to check whether they had forgotten what they’d learned during autumn vacation.

"...Then we’ll have a light test."

The students’ expressions immediately hardened, but Professor Emond paid no attention.

While receiving test papers distributed like that.

"A test from the first day after vacation. Professor Emond is really too much, isn’t he, senior?"

"Certainly a test from the first day is crossing the line a bit..."

Wait, senior?

Armian Academy definitely had classes by grade level and there was no skipping grades.

"...You, what are you? How are you here?"

When had he arrived? Behind him was Gerhard Goldenheim.

"I’m also interested in this lecture."

"What bullshit...! This is a third-year lecture. No, it’s a knight department lecture in the first place...!"

Gismond Ert was about to shout but deliberately lowered his voice.

"There’s no law saying magic department students can’t attend knight department lectures."

"You call that reasonable? How did you even get in?"

"There was an agreement. It’s not secret, so don’t worry."

"What kind of...!"

"Noisy."

At Professor Emond’s criticism, attention focused on Gismond Ert’s direction.

"Student Gismond Ert, what’s the matter?"

"Professor, here...!"

"If it’s nothing important, I’d appreciate if you didn’t disrupt the lecture."

Professor Emond cut off Gismond Ert’s words. His gaze had clearly swept over both Gismond Ert and Gerhard Goldenheim beside him.

Yet he was overlooking it, which meant.

"I told you. It’s already been discussed."

Gerhard Goldenheim’s words were correct.

"...Did you bribe him with money?"

"Do you think the noble Professor Altriark would be swayed by a few coins?"

"Then what is it?"

"I told you. I’m curious about this lecture too. Perhaps the professor was impressed by my academic enthusiasm."

"A wizard attending an aura lecture? Does that make sense?"

"Isn’t it making sense right now?"

Gerhard Goldenheim stroked his particularly bright-eyed necklace, but Gismond Ert, in his complicated state of mind, didn’t see it.

"...Why are you following me around? What did I do wrong?"

"It’s coincidence."

"Coincidence?"

"We coincidentally met on the street, coincidentally went to the same restaurant, and coincidentally met at a lecture I wanted to attend."

"All of that is coincidence?"

"The academy is small."

Gerhard Goldenheim ended with those words and turned his gaze away from him. He didn’t glance at him once until the lecture ended.

’Is it really coincidence?’

Just for a very brief moment, he almost thought so.

"That’s all for today."

After the lecture ended, Gismond Ert bought light dinner food and returned to the dormitory.

Sitting at the table, he checked the newspaper he hadn’t been able to read that morning.

"...What?"

He rubbed his eyes and checked the content again. Still, the content didn’t change.

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

It wasn’t particularly strange that Aint Armian would start making a name for himself not just at the academy but across the entire continent through the Continental Academic Conference.

[Three evil ones who murdered eleven people...]

But that the commotion at the Continental Academic Conference was caused not by summoned demons but by mere evil ones.

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

And that Gerhard Goldenheim, who should have been treated as an evil one and fallen through this incident, was instead becoming a hero together with Aint Armian - what was this about?

Of course, he had thought it strange that Gerhard Goldenheim had returned from the academic conference unharmed, but he never imagined they would become heroes together.

’What exactly happened? Could it be because of me?’

Perhaps it could be.

’But I had no choice. I have to survive too.’

The fortunate thing was that Aint Armian’s future itself hadn’t changed significantly.

Though it was a bit strange that Gerhard Goldenheim, who should have been ruined, had joined as an ally, if it was good then it was good - it didn’t seem bad.

’Could that be why Gerhard Goldenheim since morning?’

No, no one knew what he had done. That couldn’t be it.

"...Let me calm down. Nothing will change significantly. It won’t. Probably."

"Is there something strange about the newspaper content?"

"...Huh?"

At the suddenly heard voice, Gismond Ert unconsciously turned his head.

"...Kyaaaah! Fuck, you scared me!"

And he realized the existence of a prior guest who had settled in his room before him.

Food on the table scattered messily.

"You, you, what are you...! What are you!"

"I’m Gerhard Goldenheim. Haven’t you seen me all day?"

"You, you! Are you going to say this is also a coincidental meeting?"

"How could it be? After all, meeting you in your room couldn’t be coincidence, could it?"

"How did you get in here!"

"There’s nowhere in the academy I can’t go."

Neither other grade levels’ classrooms nor others’ dormitories were exceptions.

"Why are you doing this to me!"

"That’s what I want to ask from now on."

"What?"

"The words ’Let me calm down. Nothing will change significantly.’ You don’t usually say such things while reading newspapers, do you?"

"...!"

Gismond Ert’s pupils shook unusually large.

Gerhard Goldenheim stood up from his chair and approached.

"Don’t, don’t come! Don’t come!"

As much as he approached, Gismond Ert tried to back away, but was blocked by the bed.

"Don’t come, damn it!"

"Who’s going to eat you? But you know, here."

Gerhard Goldenheim’s finger pointed at Gismond Ert’s abdomen. It was where the aura hall was generally located.

"I heard you stuffed all sorts of miscellaneous things in here."

"Wh, what does that have to do with you!"

"It has nothing to do with me. But it would have something to do with Aint Armian."

"...How did you...?"

Belatedly, Gismond Ert covered his mouth and gauged the situation. But it was already too late.

"Senior. I’m going to ask you a question now."

The corner of Gerhard Goldenheim’s mouth curved.

"Depending on how you answer, the relationship between you and me will be determined. Your treatment too."

"You don’t have the authority to...!"

Gismond Ert shouted desperately. By the end, he was almost sobbing.

"Even if I don’t, I do. You know very well that I’m Goldenheim."

Rumble rumble, sand walls that had somehow risen completely blocked the windows and door.

"Now. Senior."

He whispered.

"Do you perhaps see the future?"

"...Hic!"

Gismond Ert, with a pale complexion, shed tears.

==

"So you’re saying that one day after being struck by lightning, memories of the future suddenly came to you?"

"Right! That’s all! Really, that’s everything!"

Gismond Ert tearfully expressed his grievances.

"It’s not a lie?"

"No, no! It’s all true!"

Right, it wasn’t a lie. It was true that ’Gismond Ert’ had been struck by lightning.

’Right. I just told a little less of the story, but it’s not a lie, is it?’

In fear that felt like he might wet himself, Gismond Ert barely suppressed ’everything’ that had risen to his throat.

This much didn’t need to be said, and shouldn’t be said.

"Look at me properly."

"..."

Gismond Ert tried to put strength in his eyes.

’...How are these the eyes of a 21-year-old younger than me?’

Eyes and killing intent as if he had killed several people.

He tried to stay as calm as possible, but his rough breathing didn’t easily subside.

"Then why did you covet Aint Armian’s things? You’re not stupid enough not to know that this world will be ruined if Aint Armian doesn’t grow sufficiently, are you?"

"I, I had no choice! The world is about to be ruined, so I couldn’t just be swept away as a commoner!"

This was honest inner feelings without a bit of lies or concealment.

In the near future, demons would stir and the entire continent would be swept by war.

Knowing that as a powerless commoner he could never survive in that, how could he just sit still?

"But I didn’t take everything! Since Aint Armian can’t be unable to face demons, I only quietly took a few things within limits that wouldn’t be harmful!"

"A few things is more than expected."

"It’s demons we’re talking about! Without at least this much, I’d just die a dog’s death!"

Gismond Ert shouted desperately.

At those words, Gerhard Goldenheim didn’t criticize Gismond Ert further.

’Certainly, if you knew such a future, it would be hard to just sit still.’

Because he agreed to some extent.

Rather, in some sense he was grateful that he had stayed quiet to that degree.

At least it seemed the future hadn’t been greatly twisted because of Gismond Ert.

’But I can’t just leave him alone like this.’

The problem was the future.

Just because he had been quiet until now, would he continue to be so? What if he thought it was trivial like until now and caused trouble, but it created a big butterfly effect?

Could he guarantee he wouldn’t use future knowledge again when crisis reached right before his eyes?

"Rather, killing him like this would be..."

The fewer people who knew the future, the better. It would be even better if Gerhard Goldenheim was the only one who knew.

"Sp, spare me...! I didn’t do anything seriously wrong! I just ate a few elixirs!"

"You know well what the value of those elixirs is, don’t you?"

"I didn’t steal anyone’s things, I obtained and ate them myself!"

"No, those things had an owner named Aint Armian. If I hadn’t provided Aint Armian with substitutes, Aint Armian’s growth would have been greatly stunted."

That alone was sufficient reason to eliminate the variable.

"Wa, wait! I’ll be very useful!"

"Useful?"

"Fu, future! I know the future! I know all futures! When, where, what happens! How this world turns out too!"

"You’re saying you know everything?"

"Yes!"

Gerhard Goldenheim frowned.

’Is the feeling different from me recalling the prophecy book?’

Unlike Gerhard Goldenheim, who had the next thing come to mind sequentially when the current situation ended, he seemed to know all futures.

In that case, it was worth hearing more.

"Then I’ll ask. Do all demons really descend to this world? If they descend, when and how?"

"Of course! All... all? Was it all...? Huh...?"

Suddenly, Gismond Ert’s expression became grotesquely distorted.

"All? No, wait. Did demons descend? Or not?"

"What’s wrong?"

"...I don’t know. I know Andromalius is summoned and Seir descends at the Continental Academic Conference, but beyond that, why...?"

He muttered blankly.