《The Academy’s Weapon Replicator》


 Prologue

    The man grasped the sword with both hands, raising the de vertically to reflect the sunlight.


    [Baldur, grant me strength.]


    As if responding to his murmur, the de emitted light.


    Exhaling deeply, the man kicked off the ground and leaped forward. The spot he left was deeply indented, and the air momentarily quivered, rushing towards him.


    A horde of monsters filled his view.


    Among them, a cow standing on two legs with two horns extended its head toward the de.


    [Urgh...!]


    With a swish, the de, aimed at the cow''s temple, slightly cut through its hide then stopped.


    His all-out attack ended there.The cow extended its arm, grabbing the man''s leg. In mid-air, the man was helplessly caught.


    Whoosh, the sound of the wind disoriented him, and


    [©¤©¤!]


    With a thud, the cow flung him against a nearby tree like a wet towel.


    Whether it was his back or his side, the man hit something, something broke, and blood gushed from somewhere.


    Drip, his body momentarily stuck to the tree before sliding down.


    The leg that was caught broke. No, it was more urate to say it was shattered.


    Lying face down, he lifted his head to look up.


    Sunlight shone through. The same light that had made his sword shine just moments ago. The sunlight fragmented through the greenery of the trees.


    And the cow.


    The cow, the cow looked at him with its eyes.


    [Baldur, guardian of justice and light, please...]


    A cracking sound was heard.


    * * *


    I nced at the monitor for a moment.


    ''GAME OVER'' was disyed in the center of the screen, stark and blunt.


    Hmm, I exhaled through my nose and took a breath.


    "Trash game!"


    I was about to m the shotgun but remembered the cost of the keyboard, and was about to throw the mouse but then remembered its price as well.


    My hand hovered in the air for a moment before I crossed my arms.


    "I''ve tried everything I could think of."


    Swords and magic, gods and demons exist in the game ''Etius''.


    I dare say no one has been as deeply immersed in this game as I have.


    Everyone else dered it a trash game and escaped before me.


    And now that I''ve finally dered it a trash game, I''m the dumbest and the biggest victim among gamers.


    "I thought it was a god-tier game."


    Lifelike AI, vast open world, charming characters, endless content.


    Atunch, it was described as incorporating a fantasy world from another dimension into the game.


    But in fact, it was a bnce disaster.


    No one has seen the ending of this game except for the protagonist''s death.


    There''s a boundary in the vast open world that cannot be crossed because of the demons, and beyond that boundary, even ordinary mobs cannot be easily killed.


    It doesn''t seem like a game made to be cleared. Thepany has no intention of fixing it.


    But that''s what stimted my desire to challenge.


    ''Theck of intention to fix it means there must be a way to strategize somewhere.''


    That''s what I believed.


    Why did I do that?


    "I''m tired."


    Iid my arms on the desk and buried my face.


    I realized it was time to say goodbye to this game.


    The recent game over was thest strategy I had thought of to conquer this game.


    And since that failed, there were no other options.


    "Student Frondier."


    Ultimately, Etius became the first game I couldn''t conquer.


    Since no one else could conquer it either, maybe it''s an exception.


    "Frondier De Roach."


    ...But what''s this noise?


    I heard a strange sound in my room, where I was alone.


    When I raised my head,


    "¡­?"


    I saw something like a chalkboard.


    In front of it, a woman who looked like a teacher was holding a textbook-like book and seemed to be giving a lecture.


    And now, that teacher was looking at me.


    "Ah, me?"


    I responded without realizing it.


    Frondier? I''ve never heard such a name before.


    "Who else would it be but you?"


    The teacher said it as if it was obvious. As if it was obvious that I was ''Frondier'' or whatever.


    I looked around. I could see the faces of students wearing school uniforms.


    Some of them were snickering at me.


    ''This isn''t my room.''


    This is a ssroom. My room has turned into a ssroom. I had just lifted my face from the desk.


    ''...Ah.''


    Is this a dream?


    I''ve been so obsessed with the game Etius that I''m having such a vivid dream.


    "Frondier, do you know the name of this weapon?"


    The teacher disyed something on the right side.


    It was a magical device, ''Wizard View'', that projects images into the air.


    Seeing magic technology that I''d only seen in games right before my eyes felt extraordinary.


    ''That''s.''


    I saw what the teacher had disyed with the Wizard View as a weapon.


    It was a branch. It didn''t look like a weapon at all.


    ''...Aha.''


    I roughly understood what answer the teacher wanted.


    But since it''s a dream.


    Maybe I''ll act a bit more clueless.


    "That''s a branch. It doesn''t look like a weapon."


    Theughter of the students grew louder at my words. The teacher sighed.


    "As expected, you haven''t paid attention to the ss today either."


    I hadn''t paid attention. I would have had to be able to.


    "...Teacher, was today''s lesson about ''Baldur''?"


    Baldur, the Norse god of light, son of Odin.


    He was said to have died from a mistletoe branch.


    The name of that branch is ''Mistletoe''.


    So, I should have answered that the branch was Mistletoe to be correct.


    The teacher looked at me as if I were a curious thing.


    "...Yes. Student Frondier, if you knew, why."


    "Teacher."


    I looked at the branch on the Wizard View again.


    No doubt. That''s just a ''branch''.


    ¡°Mistletoe doesn¡¯t look like that.¡±


    A weapon that would one day be wielded by the protagonist in the world of Etius.


    I''ve seen and handled that weapon countless times.


    Differentiating between a ''mistletoe twig'' and ''Mistletoe'' is not a big deal.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The students and teachers looked at me in silence. Their gazes were filled with difort, anger, and disgust.


    Of course, that would be the case. Everyone truly believed that Mistletoe looked like that at the start of the game.


    "¡­"


    Let''s see, so.


    When will this dream end?


    * * *


    ...And a week passed.


    I decided to ept it. This is not a dream. Whether I acknowledge it or not, this ce is reality.


    Thinking it was a dream, I made a fool of myself with Mistilteinn and only worsened my image.


    As I walked through the corridors, I could hear whispers directed at me.


    "Isn''t that the guy who was spouting nonsense during ss?"


    ......that guy and me, the one in charge of that word.


    "Well, I suppose my reputation wasn''t that great to begin with."


    I am now inside a mansion. The residence where the original owner of this body lived.


    As for how I found it, as soon as school was over, there was an assistant waiting to pick me up in front of the main gate.


    I rode here in a very luxurious sedan.


    ......Up until this point, I still had some hope. I had realized that, even if not the protagonist, I was a noble of considerable status.


    Moreover, the face reflected in the mirror pleased me quite a bit.


    The jet-ck hair and eyes had a deep ck luster that seemed quite luxurious, and the appearance was equally so.


    Before I knew my identity, I was almost fooled by this appearance.


    I looked at my wristwatch on my room''s desk.


    A smartwatch.


    It was the only item I brought with me when I came to this world. Maybe it was because I was wearing it on my wrist, but then why did all my clothes change?


    That''s still something I don''t know.


    I wondered if this smartwatch would work, but not only did it work.


    ?Name: Frondier De Roach


    ?Age: 17


    ?Affiliation: Second son of the Roach family, first-year student at Constel Academy


    ?Race: Human


    ?Divine Power: None


    Skills Detailed >


    Magic Detailed >


    Quests >


    It operated in apletely different way.


    This was no longer just a watch.


    The status screen I was familiar with in Etius was now in my smartwatch.


    Seeing this made it real to me. The realization that I had fallen into another world.


    For me, aplete outsider in this ce, this status was one of the few salvations.


    "......Frondier De Roach."


    It was an unfamiliar name. It took me a while to remember it.


    I yed this game very diligently. I tried to find even the hidden elements in every corner. Even for someone like me, it was a character hard to recall.


    After finally remembering, a sigh came out first.


    ©¤©¤The Human Sloth Frondier.


    It''s a derogatory nickname likening me to a sloth. It''s just a derogatory term without any other meaning.


    Notzy but powerful,


    Not indolent but with something hidden,


    It''s not like that.


    Just azy and indolent character. Nothing more than that.


    "Given this skillposition, I can''t say I don''t understand why it would make onezy."


    In the world of Etius, what determines strength and weakness,petence and ipetence, is solely skills, magic, and divine power.


    Divine power refers to the power bestowed by gods.


    In Etius, gods from all sorts of mythologies appear to grant power to humans. However, not many humans receive such power.


    Humans who receive divine power are no different than the chosen ones, and indeed, those who possess divine power are all named characters.


    On the other hand, skills and magic can be acquired by everyone, butpared to divine power, they are minor. That doesn''t mean they are easy to obtain either.


    Indeed, a very few manage to forge skills and magic that surpass divine power through arduous effort and talent.


    Frondier, however, naturallycks divine power,


    and even magic,


    when ites to skills.


    Skill Detail>


    [Weaving]


    ?Rank: Unique


    ?Description: Stores and duplicates the image of an object. However, it is an illusion. It undergoes the processes of ''Workshop'' and ''Duplication''.


    - Workshop: Stores the woven object in a virtual space.


    - Duplication: Duplicates the object stored in the workshop.


    This is what it means.


    I picked up a fountain pen on the desk and used ''Weaving'' on it.


    The image of the fountain pen is stored, and the stored image fills up as if threads are being woven in front of me.


    Just like it is being printed by a 3D printer.


    Probably, this is why it''s called ''Weaving''.


    [Viet Trading Company''s Deluxe Fountain Pen] (Duplicate)


    ?Rank: Common


    ?Description: A weaving product mimicking a fountain pen. Itcks physical substance.


    I held the real fountain pen in my left hand, and the duplicated one in my right.


    To my eyes, they lookedpletely identical.


    This is Weaving. It duplicates objects into illusions.


    Once an object''s image is ''Woven'', it is stored in the ''Workshop''.


    As written above, the workshop is like my own virtual space where I can easily view what''s stored.


    Like augmented reality, I can see it with my own eyes and disy anything, weapons, tools, without restrictions.


    Therefore, Weaving is possible anytime, anywhere.


    But only for objects I''ve seen with my own eyes.


    Even if I know about a weapon in my mind, it won''t be stored in the workshop until I''ve seen it in reality.


    Frondier, before I possessed him, had already used it a few times, so several weapons and items were stored.


    ...If you just hear about it, it sounds quite usible.


    But since it''s all imagination, they''re all fake.


    Such duplicated fountain pens can''t write, let alone pierce a single piece of paper.


    Moreover, only I can see them, so others don''t even know whether I''ve woven something or not.


    An imagination that can''t interfere with reality at all.


    ...We''ve decided to call this ''delusion''.


    I have no idea what to do with this.


    "I''ve never seen such a skill while ying Etius."


    Since I''ve never seen it, naturally, its rank is Unique.


    In Etius, the Unique rank has different features from other ranks.


    Ranks range from the lowest ''Common'' to the highest ''Divine'', but ''Unique'' isn''t included in this range.


    Instead, Unique rank has a different attribute. It''s one-of-a-kind.


    So, the Unique rank can''t be judged as good or bad. No matter how trivial, if it''s the only one of its kind, it''s given the ''Unique'' rank.


    ...But is there really such a useless Unique skill?


    "Slothful Frondier."


    This skill seems to prove that derogatory nickname.


    From now on, I must live through a game that even the protagonist couldn''t conquer, in the body of Frondier.


    "It''s not just about surviving."


    I clicked on the ''Quest'' tab on my smartwatch.


    Quest >


    [Main Quest: Fate Reversal]


    ?Description: You know the final demise of humanity. Save humanity and change its fate.


    This quest had been present ever since I opened my smartwatch for the first time. It must have been there from the moment I was possessed into Frondier.


    ording to this quest''s description, I know the end of this game. No, I should say I know the end thates when it¡¯s not conquered.


    The demise of humanity is utterly pitiful.


    It''s not a downfall caused by a Demon King or an equivalent final boss, a grand conspiracy, or a hidden mastermind, as one might expect in a typical game.


    Instead, humanity is simply ughtered by monsters. The human realms gradually fall to the monsters, and finally, humanity is swept away by the iing tide of these beasts.


    Even the protagonist of this game meets such a hollow end.


    And I''m supposed to stop it. Me.


    Hahaha.


    Knock, knock.


    A maid''s voice came from the other side of the door.


    "Master Frondier? May I enter?"


    "Y-yes."


    I found myself replying in formal speech without realizing it. Given that Frondier was born into nobility, such a manner of speaking should be unfamiliar to him.


    The maid who entered looked at me as if she found me slightly peculiar, though of course, she wouldn¡¯t voice such thoughts.


    "Master Frondier, you''ve received a letter."


    "A letter? From whom?"


    I try to speak in amanding tone, even if it feels forced. It might be awkward for a while, but I''ll get used to it.


    "It''s from Lord Enfer."


    "¡­My father?"


    Enfer, Frondier''s father.


    I might not be familiar with the character of Frondier, but I know Enfer very well.


    Enfer De Roach, the Iron Wall of the North.


    A superhuman who has never allowed the invasion of monsters in the ¡®Yeranhes,¡¯ a Frondier domain of the Terst Empire.


    The reason I find the character Frondier unfamiliar is because his father, Enfer, and his eldest son, Azier, take up almost all of the significance within the Roach family.


    Enfer, as a general, possesses the leadership tomand legions, and in terms of personal strength, he rivals the ¡®Zodiacs¡¯ among the top twelve warriors of the continent.


    Azier has inherited all of his father''s immense talent and is a character from the official stories of Etius, known for growing beyond even that.


    Enfer, now my father, has sent me a letter.


    I nervously took the letter handed to me by the maid and tore open the seal. The letter contained a sinct message.


    [Frondier, yourziness has been sufficient.


    Rank within the top 10 in Constel for this academic year.


    Fail, and you will be disowned.]


    I read through the letter, exhaled through my nose, and then inhaled just as much.


    "¡­Cursed game!"


    "What did you say, sir?"


    "Nothing at all!"


    It seems my life is about to be sinct as well.


    Ding, a monotonous notification sound prompted me to check my smartwatch.


    [A subquest has been generated]


    [Subquest: Father''s Order]


    ?Description: Frondier''sziness over the past has pushed his father Enfer''s patience to the limit.


    ?Objective: Rank within the top 10 at Constel this semester


    ?Reward: Earn Enfer''s recognition.


    ?Failure: You will be disowned.


    I know!

 Chapter 1 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The next day.


    There was a smallmotion during ss.


    "Look at that..."


    "No way..."


    Everyone whispered to each other with disbelief in their faces and eyes, asionally ncing at me.


    "Frondier de Roach is...!"


    Awake!


    "..."It seemed like all the students'' eyes were saying just that.


    Have you really never once stayed awake during a ss, Frondier? That in itself is quite an achievement.


    "Then, if we move on to the next slide..."


    Even the teacher seemed quite perplexed that I was awake.


    But there was nothing to be done. It was my father''smand after all.


    If I don''t make it into the top 10 overall grades at Constel, I''d be expelled.


    Constel is the academy... the school I''m currently attending.


    It''s essentially an educational institution.


    While other schools generally focus on umting knowledge and culture, Constel also incorporatesbat training to fight against magical beasts. Thus, it''s quite intense and difficult.


    It''s not just about being good at studying, but also excelling as abatant.


    One must clear both aspects exceptionally well to make it into the top 10 overall grades.


    For Frondier, it''s an impossible task.


    Come to think of it, while ying the game, Frondier would disappear without a trace at some point, and I thought it was just forgotten, but he was actually expelled.


    Did he stay knowing he would be expelled? Or did he actually think he wouldn''t be expelled?


    The overall grade is abination of written and practical scores.


    With this body,cking in divine power and proper magic, I need to score as high as possible in the written part. So, it''s only natural for me to focus in ss.


    Of course, the ultimate goal is to clear the game, but being from the Roach family is important, so being expelled is problematic.


    The title of being a noble from a prestigious family is one of the few advantages Frondier has.


    Without it, clearing this game as Frondier would be even more impossible.


    ''Putting that aside.''


    I''m sleepy.


    As if Frondier''s habits and poor stamina have taken hold of me, an irresistible sleepiness pours over me. It''s always around this time that I feel sleepy.


    Suddenly, it was not easy to concentrate on the ss. I had no idea what the things written on the ckboard meant.


    For me, who only experienced this world through games and suddenly started attending sses, and Frondier, who always slept, it could be said that we were simr in this situation.


    ¡®...Where.¡¯


    I thought back to Frondier¡¯s skill.


    Weaving.


    I didn¡¯t know if this would work, but.


    I tried to weave the things the teacher was writing on the chalkboard.


    The content of what was written on the chalkboard came into my mind clearly.


    Even if I didn¡¯t understand the content, it was as if a photo was taken and the content was saved as it was.


    ¡®I can use this.¡¯


    I also saved the content of the book in the workshop while I was at it.


    I stopped taking notes. There was no need. Instead, I focused on the teacher¡¯s exnations.


    The contents written on the chalkboard would be saved automatically, and I could review them again anytimeter.


    Once I stopped taking notes, the curious gazes looking at me from all sides subsided a little.


    They must have thought I was just being a bother and stopped taking notes.


    Even the teacher seemed to have calmed down. He had an expression saying, ¡®Well, alright then.¡¯


    For what reason.


    * * *


    Even if you invest time and effort to take notes, the problem is the practical test.


    Without divine power, and without any proper skills or magic, the wall of the practical test is too high for Frondier.


    The only reliable skill is Weaving, but what can you do with that?


    ¡®A copy that can¡¯t be seen and can¡¯t interfere with reality.¡¯


    It¡¯s possible that Frondier¡¯sziness stems from this skill. He¡¯s probably tried all kinds of crazy things he could do with this skill already.


    Even then, the fact that he gave up after failing to find any useful application means that the situation is hopeless.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    As I walked down the hallway thinking about Weaving.


    I saw a girl walking towards me from that direction.


    Swish, the sound of leaves rustling outside the window.


    Sunset-colored hair, big eyes with irises the color of ake.


    With every step she took, the aura her eyes poured out soaked the entire scenery.


    Without sparing me a single nce, she slowly made her way towards me.


    ©¤©¤I recognized her immediately.


    It would be hard not to, given her stunning appearance.


    Elodie.


    Elodie de Inies Rishae.


    The child blessed by the five gods now stood before me.


    Elodie is a character from the Etius game, hogging all the talents.


    The phrase "blessed by the five gods" alone could represent her overpowered nature.


    The only regret is that she doesn''t be the protagonist''spanion.


    No matter how many times the protagonist offers, she always refuses, and the reason remains undisclosed.


    Still, as a woman destined to y a crucial role in the army, she''s definitely a reliable ally.


    In Etius, filled with all sorts of characters, she''s one of the few named characters that can put the yer at ease.


    ¡­¡­But that''s when I''m the protagonist.


    I am Frondier.


    To Elodie, I''m a stranger, and knowing her won''t earn me any praise.


    There are many who dislike Frondier. My grades are a disaster, and my conduct is careless.


    Just azy fool hiding behind the prestige of a noble family. That''s Frondier''s reputation, and it''s true.


    On the other hand, Elodie, embodying diligence and an example for other students, would see someone like me as nothing but detestable.


    ¡­¡­So, I''m not the protagonist.


    I should just quietly pass by.


    "¡­¡­Frondier."


    I was about to pass by quietly, but she called out to stop me.


    I looked at Elodie.


    Elodie''s eyes, filled with anger, were directed at me.


    "Don''t you have anything to say to me?"


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 Chapter 1 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    There is something.


    What is it?


    I couldn''t bring myself to say it, just silently staring, when I heard the sound of teeth grinding.


    "¡­¡­What I felt for you,"


    The moment Elodie murmured something,


    Something flew towards her right window from outside.


    A baseball, heading straight©¤


    Without thinking, I moved my hand. It was almost at the same time as the girl moved hers.ng-!


    The baseball broke through the window, sending shards of ss flying along with it. In front of them, I,


    <i>Frondier''s Unique Skill</i>


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    I extended a shield I had woven earlier, stored by a previous Frondier.


    It was then I realized.


    "Ah, how foolish."


    This was all fantasy; it was useless in actually blocking,


    Whoosh-


    In the moment that thought crossed my mind, the baseball and ss shards were suddenly engulfed in mes.


    The force behind them seemed to be devoured by the fire, losing all momentum and fluttering like petals.


    "Wow..."


    This wasn''t my doing.


    Elodie''s right hand was stretched towards the ss shards, and her eyes and hair had turned red in an instant. She had set everything aze in a moment.


    The ss shards and baseball, burned by Elodie''s mes, lost their force and fell.


    Only a few shards stuck to our clothes or brushed past us when,


    Ting!


    "Huh?"


    "¡­Huh?"


    The girl and I voiced our confusion in unison.


    The baseball and ss shards bounced off in mid-air.


    Neither my hand nor her body was hit by a single shard.


    "It didn''t just bounce off in mid-air. My shield..."


    The shield had blocked the ss shards. My shield, which was surely a fantasy.


    "¡­Um, thanks, Frondier. I don''t know how you did it¡­"


    Elodie didn''t understand.


    Of course, she wouldn''t be able to see my shield.


    Yet her thanking me was incredibly sincere.


    "But hey! You saw it, right? Even if you hadn''t blocked it, my mes would have-"


    She continued to ramble on, but my mind was elsewhere.


    "¡­Hey, are you listening? It''s a bit embarrassing."


    I thought back to the situation just before.


    My shield had definitely blocked the window and the baseball.


    "Can you just say anything?"


    This meant that Weaving wasn''t entirely an illusion. If the conditions were right, it could intervene in reality.


    I still didn''t know what those conditions were. But the fact that it could intervene was most important.


    "Come on, it''s not that bad to ignore!"


    I felt a very slight thrill.


    Clenching my fist, I took one step at a time down the hallway.


    It felt like I had found a faint ray of hope in this hopeless mess of a game.


    The sunlight brushed my face in a glorious moment.


    "Hey!!!"


    * * *


    "Ouch."


    Once again, I was hit in the head with a baseball. Picking up the ball that had bounced off my head and rolled to the side, I rubbed my head.


    "I was sure it would work this time."


    I''m currently experimenting with Weaving.


    The shield that blocked those fragments must have been the one I had woven.


    Then it urred to me.


    Could this skill be real instead of just fantasy when the caster is in danger? An incredible thing indeed!


    To test it, I replicated the shield and threw a baseball at it, aiming the shield above me while the baseball fell.


    ...But of course, there was no such thing.


    The baseball elegantly passed through the shield and hit my head.


    Well, if it were that kind of convenient game, I would have figured it out long ago.


    "How can I use it in reality?"


    The fact that it blocked the ss shards is real.


    All of that was evidence that my Weaving had manifested in reality.


    But I didn''t know how.


    "Ugh, I''m tired."


    Half slumped in a chair, I feltpletely drained.


    It wasn''t just the mood; my body was genuinely exhausted.


    Maybe it was a bacsh from using Weaving too much.


    "Why does it exhaust people without even appearing in reality?"


    I muttered to myself like aint.


    ...Right?


    Why am I exhausted?


    What is this strange sense of depletion?


    Those questions brushed through my mind in session.


    I sat up from my reclining position.


    "...Mana?"


    In the game Etius, just as there are skills and magic, there naturally exists mana.


    And of course, having be Frondier, I must possess it too.


    However, being a human from this world, I''m unaware of the sensation of mana.


    But if my current state of depletion is due to mana.


    Then ''Weaving'' is a skill that uses mana.


    Meaning, it''s akin to magic.


    "Think back. In Etius, what was mana? What was the concept of magic?"


    Magic in Etius isn''t a concept of matter.


    It''s a concept of phenomena.


    Whether you''re shooting fire, hurling ice spears, or erecting earthen walls, none of it can continue to exist in reality.


    Once the caster cancels the spell or runs out of mana, it all disappears.


    A natural wildfire can continue burning until it''s put out or runs out of fuel, but if a mage creates mes, even if they spread like wildfire, once the mana is depleted, the mes vanish.


    So when I realized that Frondier''s weaving couldn''t affect reality, I was disappointed but epted it.


    Magic might seem omnipotent at first nce, but it has clear limits.


    You can burn, freeze, and break things.


    But you can''t create something from nothing.


    Not even a copy.


    "I need to change my thinking. Trying to create something out of thin air was wrong from the start. It''s impossible. I can''t create a shield."


    What I need isn''t matter.


    It''s phenomena.


    Just like when a mage conjures fire, they''re creating the "phenomenon of burning."


    With a sword, it''s the "phenomenon of cutting."


    With a shield, it''s the "phenomenon of blocking."


    Swish-


    I tossed the baseball into the air.


    As it reached the apex of its arc and began to fall back toward my head¡­


    <i>Frondier''s Unique Skill</i>


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    I''m not creating the shield itself.


    I''m creating the "phenomenon of blocking an attack with a shield."


    Just for an instant.


    ng!


    The sound was light, and the baseball deflected off the shield, changing its trajectory.


    "......I did it."


    It only appears in reality for the moment it blocks something.


    Even if it''s just for a split second, reality is reality.


    A small thrill ran through me.


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 Chapter 2 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I''ve gotten used to the sses.


    Not that I''ve started to understand the material. I still don''t get a thing.


    I just store everything I''m supposed to learn, whether from the ckboard or textbooks, as images in the workshop.


    What I''ve gotten used to is the atmosphere during ss. It would be more urate to say that everyone, including me, has gotten used to it.


    Everyone has gradually gotten used to me, keeping my eyes open and looking at the ckboard during every ss.


    The fact that I don''t take any notes seems to have convinced the students somewhat.


    "Let''s pose a question here."


    The teacher lowered the Wizard view screen he had been disying.The answer to the question is probably on that screen.


    "Mr. Frondier."


    The teacher''s eyes, as he called on me, looked very displeased.


    The fact that I''m keeping my eyes open and listening to the ss.


    To some teachers, that might be pleasing, but to others, it might be the opposite.


    The fact that Frondier could sleep through the entire ss is because he''s a ''child of the Roach family''.


    The educational institution I attend, ''Constel'', doesn''t distinguish between nobles andmoners. The only distinction is based on ability.


    However, not everyone inside feels the same way.


    Just because Constel''s system is meritocratic doesn''t mean all its people share the same views.


    Some suck up to the nobles while looking down onmoners,


    While others blindly supportmoners and despise nobles.


    Frondier''s position was interesting in that regard.


    Teachers who brown-nose the nobility don''t bother me when I sleep,


    And teachers who openly dislike nobility ignore me whether I sleep or not.


    In other words, either way, they don''t interfere with Frondier''sziness.


    ''When I think about it, the teacher who woke me up initially was a unique character.''


    He woke me up simply because I was a student, and it was during ss.


    Such a typical teacher''s reaction.


    The more people like that, the more it seems like a proper educational institution.


    However, the teacher before me now didn''t give off that feeling.


    The disdain in their eyes as they looked at me proved it.


    "What happened in the year 144 of the Terst Empire?"


    ...?


    The answer to this question was in the content I had just disyed on my viewer.


    But it had been only a few minutes since I saw it.


    Others would have diligently written it down in their notes.


    "You can look at your notes and answer if you want."


    Ha, thisdy.


    Was she annoyed because I hadn''t written anything down and was just sitting quietly?


    I pulled out an image I had saved in my ''workshop''. This was my ''note''.


    While I was pulling out the image and checking the content, the teacher sighed dramatically.


    "Can''t you answer? If that''s the case, make sure to take proper notes next time,"


    "Edesion Terst passed away."


    Edesion.


    Simply put, he''s the grandfather of the current Emperor of Terst.


    Honestly, he''s not an emperor the citizens of the empire are proud of. At that time, the human territories were continually being reduced by the monsters.


    Just an ipetent emperor who left behind only a record of defeat.


    But anyone who had ascended to the throne at that time would have died bearing the same disgrace.


    It was such a difficult and desperate time. It was just bad luck.


    The teacher''s gaze towards me became more hostile.


    Why are you looking at me like that?


    The student got the answer right.


    "...There must be more than that."


    "Immediately after the emperor''s death, the capital was moved to Silester, marking the third and, to date,st relocation of the Terst Empire."


    I was just reading from the image I had pulled up.


    It might look petty, but what else could I do?


    "At that time, once, the need for abat training institution like Constel, where we are now, was highlighted and it reached the legitive stage but was dismissed. Ultimately, this decision was correct. At that time, it was a priority to clearly delineate the boundaries between humans and demons."


    "And then?"


    The teacher seemed to ask me with the intention of seeing how far I would go.


    But I''m just dumbfounded.


    "The next one is in 145 years."


    Now that I''ve read it all.


    "..."


    "..."


    A brief staring contest.


    Honestly, I don''t know why we are having a staring contest.


    A vein bulged on the teacher''s forehead as she red at me.


    Shortly after, she adjusted her sses with a deliberately calm expression.


    "Alright. Then let''s move on to the next page-"


    As if nothing had happened, the Wizard View opened again and the ss continued.


    However, during the time the students were holding backughter, the teacher''s fingers trembled slightly.


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 Chapter 2 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Divine Power Measurement Room.


    This facility boasts thergest space within Constel.


    Students with divine power are few, but their divine power varies greatly in strength and scale.


    For more urate measurement, students with divine power each have a record sheet, and teachersprehensively review these records to make appropriate evaluations.


    "¡­Incredible."


    And there stands a girl.


    The chilling scene around her.


    Cracked rocks, charred soot, frozen ground, distinctly engraved lightning patterns, etc.It''s hard to believe that one person created this scene.


    The teacher, Alles, who was watching her measurement, swallowed hard.


    ''Is this child the ''Inies''.''


    Inies is not her exact name. She was given the middle name ''Inies'' for receiving the love of five gods.


    Elodie de Inies Risha¨¦.


    Elodie, the eldest daughter of the Risha¨¦ family.


    A girl who monopolizes as many as five divine powers, a feat difficult even for one person to achieve.


    At the tender age of seventeen, her future seems almost set. It''s a future filled with everyone''s envy, respect, jealousy, and rivalry.


    "How about it? The record."


    "Um, it''s almost identical to before. No worries about it dropping."


    Alles answered with a feigned calm expression.


    "Ah. I was hoping it would go up."


    Elodie said with a yful smile.


    Alles smiled back but broke out in cold sweat.


    What was she expecting if it went up further?


    However, there was a shadow somewhere in Elodie''s joking demeanor.


    She still had the memory of encountering Frondier in the corridor.


    -...How I, waited for you with such feelings.


    The sentence was left unfinished. It was interrupted by a baseball that suddenly flew in.


    But now, she considers that a blessing.


    Frondier and Elodie have known each other since they were young.


    Though nobody within Constel knows it.


    The Roach family of Frondier and the Rishae family of Elodie have been allies and rivals for a very long time.


    The ''Iron Wall Achievement'' of Anfer, the head of the Roach family, is well-known, but the Rishae family also yed no small part in that achievement.


    It was inevitable for the son and daughter of each family head, being the same age, to know each other.


    ...Elodie had no particr expectations for Frondier.


    That son of Anfer, that brother of Azier.


    Everyone expected Frondier to have the same level of talent as them.


    But Elodie didn''t care about that.


    She simply hoped that Frondier, as a long-time friend, would properly y his part as one person.


    But Frondier was not like that.


    Lacking in divine power and talent, even his character left much to be desired.


    Hecked the effort to improve his insufficient skills, the responsibility to aplish the tasks assigned to him, and even the ability to manage his own daily life.


    The affection seen from childhood had faded over time.


    Frondier had finally broken thest promise he made with Elodie.


    -Frondier, meet me at the Constel gate after school. I have something important to give you.


    It was surely a promise easy to keep.


    He was the one who said okay.


    ...But Frondier never showed up, and tried to pass by Elodie in the hallway as if he didn''t know her at all.


    "...The hallway."


    Elodie squinted her eyes and then asked Alles.


    "¡­Teacher, if it were you, how would you block iing arrows?"


    She remembered the minormotion that had urred in the hallway when she was with Frondier.


    A baseball flew and shattered a window, and she incinerated everything in a moment.


    But as they fell, they were deflected in mid-air.


    It was clearly something Frondier had done. But she could not guess how.


    Not wanting to exin everything in detail, she changed the example from ss shards to arrows.


    "There are countless ways magically, whether it''s burning, freezing, or blowing them away with wind. As long as you make them lose their force. Unless it''s a demon-breaking arrow."


    "...What if someone blocked the arrows with something like an invisible wall?"


    "Are you suggesting they were pushed away by the wind?"


    "No, I mean literally deflected by an invisible wall."


    "Have you seen someone do that?"


    "Oh, no! It''s just a hypothetical. Just wondering what if."


    Elodie''s question might sound childish and silly to another student.


    But Alles took it seriously. Because the student who asked was Elodie.


    Alles must have had the same thought as Elodie. Yet, the fact that she asked means there was considerable concern behind the question.


    ...But upon reconsidering, Alles''s conclusion remained the same.


    "It''s peculiar."


    "Right?"


    "The most likely possibility is an invisibility spell. Whether it''s a wall or a shield or whatever, you make an object that a person can carry invisible, and then block arrows with it. To others, it would seem like an ''invisible wall.'' Literally. But invisibility magic is quite tricky. It''s not actually about bing invisible, but about manipting light reflection. A slight miscalction can result in failure. Even if you seed, there are still questions left."


    "Why go through all that trouble?"


    "Exactly. If it''s just for blocking, there''s no need for it to be invisible, and then a simple shield would suffice. Magic wouldn''t even be necessary. If you really wanted to use magic, there are easier ways, and if you''re going to block with a shield, there''s no need to make it invisible. It doesn''t make sense."


    Elodie nodded in agreement.


    ...Moreover, Alles didn''t go into detail, but.


    The fact is, shooting arrows is a matter ofbat situations, and in Elodie''s case, it wasn''t arrows but ss shards, more like an everyday ident.


    Who would walk around the corridors carrying something like an invisible shield, preparing for an attack that might or might note someday?


    After a moment of thought, Alles slowly opened his mouth.


    "There''s another possibility, but it''s highly unlikely."


    "What is it?"


    "Well, it''s a preposterous idea."


    "Still."


    Alles gave a bitter smile. That expression alone conveyed that what he was about to say was going to be an absurd story.


    "Using aura."


    "...Aura? The aura that''s infused in warriors'' weapons?"


    "Right. Mana and aura are essentially the same substance, referred to as ''qi''. If a mage maniptes mana through forms to produce magic, a warrior embeds aura into themselves through tens of thousands of training sessions and discipline."


    "But how does that rte to an invisible wall?"


    "It might be unfamiliar to mages, but warriors who have reached a certain realm can generate aura without a weapon."


    Elodie''s mouth dropped open. She finally grasped what Alles was trying to say.


    Now she understood why it sounded so preposterous.


    "So... are you saying that a warrior who has reached such a realm can create a shield-sized aura with their bare hands?"


    "It was just a hypothetical discussion, wasn''t it?"


    "Oh, right! Just hypothetically speaking! Asking if such a thing could be possible."


    Even as Elodie responded, she thought to herself.


    The possibility that Frondier had created aura, was of course, non-existent.


    The idea of creating aura with bare hands, without a weapon, was already rare enough.


    And to create an aura of sufficient size to deflect all those countless ss shards?


    ''...That''s impossible.''


    Then, Frondier must have either foolishly cast an invisible magic on the shield, or else.


    ...Or what?


    Seeing Elodie ponder with a troubled expression, Alles smiled.


    It seems Elodie definitely saw something.


    But Alles was certain. She must have seen it wrong.


    "But it''s just a theory. It''s impossible for anyone."


    "...Ah, I thought so."


    "If there had been even one person capable of that, humanity''s territory would be much wider than it is now."


    "Is it that significant?"


    "If one could create a shield-sized aura with their bare hands, without any weapon, their body itself would be equivalent to a legendary weapon. And not just any legendary weapon, but one that fires indiscriminately. Imagine dozens of invisible weapons flying at you, each hit would leave a hole of that size."


    At Alles''s words, Elodie''s face turned pale.


    "That''s for sure, it''s scary."


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 Chapter 3 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ng!


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    I clenched my fist, looking at the broken target.


    This is the training room.


    Some are doing muscle training, some are doing magic tests, and some are doing skill verification.


    Anyway, if there is a vacant room and you get permission, anyone can use it freely.


    Since the situation inside is not visible from the outside, I can freely use the magic here.


    What I am doing now is target practice, one of the programs set in the private room.It is usually a facility used by people with ranged weapons, and all you have to do is hit a target that appears far away.


    At the lowest difficulty level, the target just stands still, but as the difficulty level increases, the target moves further away, hides and appears, moves around at will, and eventually even reacts to projectiles and evades them.


    Of course, I am humbly doing the lowest difficulty.


    By the way, the target is a magical hologram, so it''s not really broken even if it''s broken.


    The sound effects and graphics are just very realistic.


    When you seed in hitting it, the hit area and damage are disyed, which is very convenient.


    What I am practicing now is the throwing technique of the dagger I made with magic.


    If you can just induce the phenomenon of aiming at the moment when the target is hit, you can damage the enemy even if you throw the dagger you made with magic.


    In other words, it is possible to make a ranged attack that cannot be seen.


    The intervention of magic into reality is only for a very short time. It only appears briefly at the moment of cutting, blocking, or stabbing.


    Therefore, in closebat, the ability of magic is halved. This is because even blocking an opponent''s attack is only for a moment.


    If you block attacks at thest moment, they won''t be deflected or parried, and the enemy''s sword will cut through my weapon or shield and slice my body.


    This goes for both shields and swords. If you''re using a shield, you have to parry every single one of your opponent''s attacks like you''re ying a game, and if you''re using a sword, you can''t just block haphazardly; you have to deflect or parry everything.


    I really don''t want to engage in close-quartersbat that''s so insanely difficult.


    That''s why it''s best if I can use a bow, dagger, or something else to take down my opponents from a distance.


    However, there''s one fatal problem with this tactic.


    "...Damn, I can''t hit anything."


    That''s right¡ªme.


    A total gaming nerd like me and Frondier, who''s only good at sleeping, seem to have a terrible synergy that sends shivers down my spine.


    Still, if I keep at it like this, gritting my teeth and hitting once every ten or twenty times...


    [Skill created.]


    [Created skill: Throwing]


    [Throwing]


    ?Rank: Common


    ?Description: Throw things to hit targets. uracy increases with proficiency.


    ?Current proficiency: Lowest


    I''ve acquired a skill.


    It''s nothing special, but since neither I nor Frondier have any talent forbat, we''ll have to rely on skills.


    For your information, even a ten-year-old kid can acquire the lowest level of throwing proficiency with enough practice.


    ...Let''s do our best!


    * * *


    In the evening, when the moon was a slim crescent, I finished practicing and stood still in front of the entrance to the training room. Then I watched the time pass, because there was something I needed to check.


    When I first entered this game, I was so out of it¡ªno, from the moment I entered, I was already out of it, and besides, I''ve always been a scatterbrained person, so...


    ...Anyway.


    Due to the hectic days I had been living, there was something I momentarily forgot.


    At first, I didn''t think much of it. But once the thought urred to me, it grew uncontrobly.


    Today, I must confirm it.


    I am waiting for someone right now.


    The reason I am waiting in the training room is that I know he will definitely be here.


    I checked the date on my smartwatch, and there''s no doubt it''s today. It''s about time for him to arrive.


    Zzzing-


    The automatic door of the training room opened.


    I cast my gaze towards the man who came out.


    ...Found him.


    Blond hair that cleanly reflects the moonlight, blue eyes that shine brightly, and features that are, of course, impably arranged as if they were meant to be.


    Anyone who sees this man would realize that the air around him changes.


    ©¤©¤Aster Evans.


    A first-year student at Constel, the shining hope of humanity.


    He is the protagonist of this game ''Etius''.


    "¡­Hm? Hello?"


    Aster nced at me and nodded slightly.


    It must be the first time he''s seen me as Frondier.


    ...Even if it weren''t the first time, he probably wouldn''t remember anyway.


    I bowed my head in greeting in return.


    I don''t do anything to unnecessarily arouse suspicion.


    I wasn''t waiting to talk to him. I was waiting ''to see'' him.


    After taking a brief look at me, Aster continued on his way.


    Just a little further is a fork in the road.


    The left leads to the library, and the right to the dormitories.


    I quietly watched his back. As he approached the fork in the road, his steps,


    ©¤©¤turned right.


    Having confirmed that, I dropped my gaze in despair.


    I was certain of it. This game was going to be far more challenging than I had anticipated.


    ©¤©¤Game of Etius.


    As I mentioned a little earlier, Aster Evans is the protagonist of Etius.


    Being the protagonist of a game means, naturally, that he is the character yed by the yer.


    ¡­¡­In other words, to put it another way,


    Aster Evans, when not being yed by a yer, is unknown to everyone.


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 Chapter 3 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Today, there''s an event happening.


    When Aster heads to the library, he has a meeting with the librarian and receives some information from them.


    It''s not that the information itself is important, but the meeting is unique, leading to a close rtionship with the librarian.


    It''s what you''dmonly refer to as raising affinity levels.


    Since the librarian continues to provide various forms of assistance afterwards, all yers naturally head to the library.


    ¡­¡­Because they know about the event where you meet the librarian.


    Being a yer means knowing information that Aster Evans, in his position, would absolutely not know.


    Etius is a game that no one has everpleted.Those who have attempted Etius naturally guided Aster towards the most beneficial route that reaps the most rewards.


    ¡­¡­The current Aster Evans would never follow such a route.


    It''s the optimized route that has been built up through the sharing of information by many people and countless retries.


    Even if miracles happened five times, the unknowing Aster wouldn''t follow it.


    Despite having yed as Aster so many times it''s uncountable.


    I know nothing about Aster.


    Aster Evans, when not yed by a yer. Where he might head to, I had no way of knowing.


    "There''s nothing I can do about it."


    The initial n was simply to grow myself and be arade of Aster''s.


    While Aster would grow well on his own, I intended to learn in my own way to be an asset to Aster''s power.


    Since Frondier wasn''t originally part of Aster''srades, me joining as a stronger ally would undoubtedly be a gain, even by simple calction.


    However, ns have changed.


    Aster here doesn''t grow ''on his own'' as well as I expected.


    He doesn''t follow the path of the veterans.


    Right now, it might seem trivial, like missing out on a librarian''s information, but moving forward, he would miss out on experiences and various weapons and artifacts that could enhance his abilities.


    No one has sessfullypleted this game, but I can''t imaginepleting it without Aster.


    So, what I need to do now is subtly guide Aster to follow the veteran''s path.


    We can''t get everything.


    It''s okay to skip some characters who only help with gathering information, like the librarian. After all, I have most of the information needed.


    But essential events must be experienced.


    It will be much more work since I''m not moving directly.


    Still, I have to somehow make it work, make Aster strong. At the same time, I have to grow stronger myself.


    ...Oh, right. I have to rank within the top 10 of our grade by the end of this year.


    That too.


    ...Oh, right. Aster just skipped the library event.


    "...Sigh."


    I sighed.


    A doomed game.


    "...That too."


    Everything Aster misses,


    I have no choice but to pick up.


    * * *


    I opened the door to the library.


    There weren''t many people, and as befitting the ce, a quiet and rxed air filled the space.


    Some students widened their eyes and avoided me when they saw my face.


    Frondier and the library seem like quite the mismatch.


    In fact, there''s nowhere in Constel that suits a Frondier.


    Being institutions for improving skills and gaining knowledge, they obviously wouldn''t appeal to a Frondier who doesn''t want to do anything.


    I quickly looked around and found the librarian.


    The librarian was silently working at her station.


    Brown hair, round sses, a in face. In contrast, a morous figure and a beauty mark under her left eye.


    The first time you see her, you think she''s exactly what a librarian should be, but then you see her figure and the asional sultry expression, and that thought disappears.


    Librarian, teacher Ainen.


    Building a rapport with this teacher can give ess to thetest news and misceneous information within the school.


    It might not seem like much, but since the game is filled with unfriendliness and absurdity, every piece of information is precious to a beginner.


    ...Well, to a beginner, that is.


    In reality, she''s more important to Aster than to me.


    But since Aster missed this event, I couldn''t just pass it by.


    "I doubt my arrival will trigger the event."


    Since it''se to this, I''ll gather all the information Aster missed.


    If the opportunity arises, I might share some of it with Aster.


    Now, what to do.


    My reputation must be well-known among the teachers.


    Ainen probably knows about Frondier too. Meaning, I have to be friendly starting from a negative impression.


    "You''re a Frondier, right?"


    Then, Ainen spoke to me first.


    Ainen gestures me over, as if to say, "Come here," just by looking at my face.


    ...What''s this?


    I approach, clueless.


    "I didn''t expect you toe here. What brings you?"


    "¡­I''m looking for a certain book."


    That''s not true.


    But I can''t exactly say, "My real purpose is you."


    "Hmm. Good timing. Want to take a look at this?"


    Ainen pulls something from under the desk. It''s a newspaper.


    I want to ask what I''m supposed to look at with just a newspaper in hand,


    but as soon as I see where to look, I understand.


    The content on the front page of the newspaper captures my attention.


    [A party discovers a divine object. Location: Dungeon Near Solgitop Territory?]


    Apanying the headline, there was a photo.


    In the photo, a branch was enclosed in a transparent case.


    A branch. Its shape looks familiar.


    "Everyone''s calling this ''Mistilteinn.''"


    That''s right.


    When I first entered the world of Etius.


    A branch shown to me by a teacher through a Wizard View.


    It looked exactly the same.


    "You said to Jane that this wasn''t Mistilteinn?"


    So the teacher''s name was Jane.


    I quietly nodded.


    Ainen seemed to be testing me, subtly asking.


    "How about it? It''s in the newspaper, and soon it will be on the news through Wizard View. Everyone who sees this calls it Mistilteinn. They say the Empire is buzzing with the discovery of a divine object that''s hard toe across even once in a lifetime."


    That would be the case.


    An item used by a god holds significant value, no matter how trivial it might seem.


    Moreover, Mistilteinn is by no means a trivial thing.


    Baldr, who was called the "perfect god" in Norse mythology.


    The mistletoe branch that killed him. That is what Mistilteinn is.


    Its value cannot be measured by money, and there are only a few divine objects that can stand against it.


    Someone has found the Mistilteinn as everyone knows it,


    And I said, "Mistilteinn did not look like that."


    In other words, Ainen is now asking me.


    Can you still push through your opinion given the situation?


    Can you say again that what you said was not just bravado or nonsense?


    Between Ainen''s smiling face, I can see a faint hint of mischief.


    She probably thinks I will back down. Or evade, deny my words, or stutter. Either way, she is expecting to see me flustered.


    However.


    "My opinion remains unchanged."


    "......"


    My assertive words wipe the smile off Ainen''s face.


    "Mistilteinn did not look like that."


    I know. Not just what Mistilteinn looks like,


    But also the identity of the ''fake Mistilteinn'' encased in a clear container, featured in the newspaper.


    ''...But this, I can use.''


    I''ve been pondering how I could naturally approach Aster. This could be the solution.


    Aster would definitely be most interested in the news about this content.


    Because the target of Aster''s divine power is Baldr himself.


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 Chapter 4 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>End of 5 chapters mass release! Chapters will be released on alternate days. </i>


    <i>P.S. Will soonunch kofi advance tiers.</i>


    The night is steeped in darkness.


    A woman quietly walks towards her destination.


    Her long, blond hair gleams in the moonlight, glowing brilliantly in the surroundings.


    Slightly sunken eyes, calm gait.


    Her gaze, gently pushing away the scenery as if cutting through it, had an alluring charm that could make a man look back.


    In this manner, the woman continued her leisurely pace until she suddenly uttered,¡°Oops.¡±


    She opened her eyes. No, her eyes were already open. She just woke up from her trance.


    A few strands of hair stuck to her lips.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ellen looked at her house in front of her.


    She checked her appearance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t look disheveled. Good.¡±


    Last time, she walked all the way home with leaves stuck in her hair.


    Yawn. She still felt sleepy. Has there ever been a time when she wasn¡¯t sleepy?


    She opened the front door.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re home, Sis?¡±


    Her younger brother greeted her from the sofa. No, he wasn¡¯t greeting her at all since he didn¡¯t even look away from the Wizard View.


    ¡°Aster.¡±


    Ellen threw a suspicious nce at her younger brother, Aster Evans.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do you know a freshman of the Roach family?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Frondier. Moron Frondier.¡±


    Aster tilted his head upon hearing Ellen¡¯s words.


    ¡°¡­Who¡¯s that?¡±


    Ellen sighed.


    Her brother was really clueless about the world outside. To think that he didn¡¯t even know about Frondier.


    ¡°I heard that you were with Frondier. In the training room.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, that guy?¡±


    Aster spoke as if he suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°But we weren¡¯t together. I just met him in passing and greeted him. It seemed like he was waiting for someone.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Ellen briefly snorted before walking past Aster.


    Aster watched her walk towards the refrigerator with a dumbfounded look.


    ¡°Hey, is that it?¡±


    ¡°I was worried that you might get involved with something weird.¡±


    Ellen fetched a jug and poured water into a cup.


    Behind her, the sound of Aster''s snickering could be heard.


    "You''re funny. Spending all day sleeping¡ª"


    Swiftly, Ellen''s hand swung around.


    The cup that extended from her fingertips, and the water it contained. The whole thing flew towards Aster, maintaining a clean horizontal line as if it had been gently ced on a table.


    Aster caught it with his hand and leaned back with the momentum, slightly altering the direction of the force to spin around.


    Ssh, the water in the cup swayed.


    Ellen looked on with a nonchnt gaze and said,


    "Spilled it."


    "That¡¯s what happens when you throw it like that!"


    "Like that? Want to be thrown like that too?"


    Damn it, Aster swallowed his frustration internally and drank the water.


    As if using mystical power was nothing to him.


    Aster shifted his gaze to the WizardView to forget the pointless thoughts.


    "Huh?"


    The WizardView was broadcasting news.


    The content stopped Aster in his tracks.


    [Here''s the next piece of news. A party venturing near the dungeons of Solgitop has reportedly found a divine object. The object is a branch nearly 2m in length, resembling Mistilteinn in appearance, and has be a topic of discussion¡ª]


    "Mistilteinn?"


    At Aster''s mutter, Ellen also reacted. She set down her cup of water and moved beside Aster.


    On the screen, a member of the party was holding a transparent cylinder. Inside, a long branch was ced.


    An interview was in progress.


    [Why is it in the cylinder?]


    [We didn''t ce it there. It was like this when we found it in the dungeon.]


    [Did you think about breaking the cylinder?]


    [Of course not. If this is indeed a divine object, including the cylinder, we could incur the wrath of the gods.]


    [I see. There''s spection that it might not be Mistilteinn, what do you think?]


    [We''re not sure. If it truly is, that would be delightful!]


    The party''s leaderughed heartily.


    Listening to that voice, Aster quietly examined the branch inside the coffin.


    Ellen looked at Aster''s expression and asked, "What do you think?"


    "I''m not sure. I''ve never seen the real thing."


    "Did he react at all?"


    Aster shook his head.


    The "he" Ellen referred to was Baldur. Since it was the weapon that killed him, they had hoped he might reveal something to Aster.


    For reference, most gods have experienced "death." Throughout long histories and mythologies, gods have done so.


    However, this does not mean they arepletely annihted. It means they have left the world of humans.


    They now exist in the ''world of salvation'', which is a concept somewhat superior to the Greek ''Underworld'' or the Norse ''Helheim'' mentioned in various mythologies.


    Therefore, Baldur could also be there, and if he wished, he could give Aster some sort of sign or hint.


    Unfortunately, Aster received no hints from Baldur.


    Yet, his gaze remained fixed on the branch as if nailed to it.


    "But you still want to check it out, right?"


    "Yeah. If that really is Mistletoe, I have to have it."


    The branch that killed Baldur.


    For Aster, who was loved by Baldur, it bes a weakness.


    Conversely, if he could possess it, his greatest weakness would disappear.


    No, not only that. If there is someone who can wield this divine object, someone who is permitted by the gods to use it. That could only be him.


    [What do you n to do with the divine object then? You can''t use it as it is.]


    [We think it''s a weapon too presumptuous for us to have. We''re considering selling it if we can get the right price.]


    "¡­Aster."


    "I know."


    That weapon will surely fetch an enormous price. Real or fake, it doesn''t matter. Even if it''s fake, until the real one appears, this is considered the real one.


    Probably, a family not involved inbat would never use this weapon.


    They¡¯ll just disy it in their house without ever verifying if it''s the real deal.


    Even that much is enough to raise their reputation. The price will jump just for that.


    Amoner like Aster Evans wouldn''t be able to dream of a price like that.


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 Chapter 4 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Did you hear? About the mistletoe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the auction was canceled, right?¡±


    A few dayster.


    The talk of the town in Constel was about the mistletoe.


    Every student and professor alike, everyone''s attention was on it.


    The party that discovered the mistletoe put its dew up for auction. But it was canceled soon after.


    This was an expected development. What the prestigious families offered was something that couldn''t be converted into a mere sum of money.


    In the end, the heads of the prestigious families were going to gather in one ce ande to an agreement. Any nobles of lesser status wouldn''t even be able to attend.Today was the day of that noble''s meeting.


    For once, the eyes of the ssroom were all on Frondier today.


    Regardless of his character, he is still the son of a prestigious family.


    They say his father, Enfer de Roach, deeply loves his son.


    The ''son'' in question here is not Frondier, but his older brother, Azier.


    Then there was Frondier''s recent statement.


    His iprehensible bluff that ''that''s not how mistletoe looks'' had be a rumor known to the entire grade. The moment he would be found out was soon approaching.


    For all these various reasons,


    Frondier had be the center of attention in today''s Constel.


    Of course, the person in question, Frondier, just sat there, drowsy-faced as usual.


    "Frondier."


    After school, Elodie came to Frondier''s ssroom.


    There are six sses per grade at Constel.


    Elodie and Frondier are in the same grade, but they''re in different sses.


    Frondier is in ss 5, while Elodie is in ss 2, the same as Aster.


    Since Aster is the main character in the game Etius, many named characters are gathered in ss 2.


    As Elodie approached Frondier, the eyes of the students gathered on them.


    But Elodie''s behavior was perfectly normal, in a way.


    She is also the daughter of a prestigious family, a daughter of the Rishaie family, which is a rival to the Roach family. Naturally, she will be attending today''s meeting.


    "Don''t go making strangements even at the meeting ce."


    Elodie warned.


    "Strangements?"


    "Like Mistilteinn not looking the way it does or whatever."


    "I won''t say such things. Don''t worry."


    "It''s not about worrying. I''m just afraid I might end up being embarrassed. Well, it''s a relief if you''re not going to talk nonsense."


    Elodie sighed ostentatiously.


    Frondierughed.


    For a moment, a light flickered across hisnguid face.


    "I don''t need to do that, because it''s mine."


    "¡­Huh?"


    What did he just say?


    Mine?


    "Oh, you mean it belongs to the Roach family?"


    "That''s one way to put it."


    "Then say it that way. Don''t talk weirdly."


    * * *


    Frondier and Elodie headed towards the school gate together.


    Many students were watching them.


    As if they were looking at a bride and grooming out of a wedding hall.


    Of course, the rtionship between the two was almost the opposite.


    "Elodie."


    Then someone approached. It was Aster.


    Being promising students in the same ss, they naturally had a connection.


    By the y standards, around this time, Aster would start talking to Elodie.


    "Take care."


    "Yeah. Though there''s nothing for me to do."


    Elodie joked with a smile.


    Aster smiled back, but there was a slight stiffness in his smile.


    "Elodie, can I ask you one thing?"


    "Huh?"


    "I know it''s a lot to ask, but if possible, get Mistilteinn. I''d feel relieved if it''s you."


    Elodie smiled bitterly at Aster''s words. She was not unaware of Aster''s situation. However, it''s not as easy as it sounds.


    From the Rishaie family''s perspective, Mistilteinn is not an item worth coveting to that extent.


    They would take it if they could, but it''s not something worth shedding financial blood over.


    The Roach family is probably the most likely candidate.


    The family head, Enfer, is said to be willing to do anything for Atzie.


    That''s why Frondier ims Mistilteinn is his own; there''s a good reason for it.


    "¡­Well, I''ll try."


    Elodie said.


    Depending on the progress of the meeting, I might even be able to raise my voice once. Though I''m not sure how much that would mean.


    "Don''t worry, Aster Evans."


    Suddenly, Frondier spoke.


    Aster looked at Frondier.


    Aside from an encounter in the training room, they were practically strangers.


    To such an Aster, Frondier calmly said,


    "I''ll take away your worries."


    With those words, Frondier walked away.


    Elodie followed shortly after.


    "What does that even mean? You''ll take away his worries?"


    "Exactly what I said."


    What does that even mean, exactly?


    Elodie looked uneasy.


    In fact, for Frondier, there was a more important and nerve-wracking issue than the meeting itself.


    The figure waiting for him at the school gate, that was the issue.


    "Frondier."


    A cold voice called out to Frondier in front of a stationary carriage.


    The first impression Frondier had of him was, if one were to make aparison, like a sharpened de.


    Sharp yet firm eyes. Tightly closed lips that seemed to symbolize everything about him.


    If one were to judge by the standards of beauty alone, he would be considered one of the most handsome in the continent, but few could approach him due to his sharp and seemingly dangerous demeanor.


    "...Brother."


    This man was Frondier''s brother, Azier de Roach.


    He inherited all the talents of the impregnable house lord Enfer and grew beyond them, bing a cheat character in the official Etius ranking.


    "You''ve wasted a lot of time. Get on the carriage. Father is waiting."


    Azier moved without giving Frondier a chance to speak.


    It was a gesture that naturally suggested it was the only course of action.


    Elodie, who came with them, had already boarded a carriage prepared by the Rishae family.


    "...Yes."


    Frondier boarded the carriage.


    This man he saw for the first time today was his brother,


    And the person most likely to discover Frondier''s true identity.


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 Chapter 5 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Another mass release of 5 chapters, lets catch up to previous trantor!</i>


    ?The meeting ce was at the Miller family''s mansion.


    The Miller family is located in the central Harold region of the continent.


    There are three main reasons why the Miller''s were chosen: firstly, the family''s rank is low, so they have no interest in purchasing Mistilteinn; secondly, they have no special ties with the families attending; and thirdly, they are located centrally among the attending families.


    "Brother."


    On my way to the carriage, I saw Azier.


    "Do you also desire Mistilteinn, brother?"


    Basically, Azier does not lie.Being the most likely candidate to possess Mistilteinn, I was curious about his feelings.


    "Well..."


    It was only then that Azier seemed to consider it, tilting his head slightly.


    "It would be nice to have."


    ©¤That response was so Azier like.


    I nodded in satisfaction.


    After a brief moment, the carriage stopped, and we arrived at the Miller family''s mansion.


    And upon seeing a certain figure in front of the mansion, I swallowed my breath.


    The Iron Wall Patriarch, Enfer de Roach.


    If Azier was a sword, then Enfer was the embodiment of apleted weapon.


    His stern eyes and the stylish mustache that elegantly covered his lips.


    His hair and mustache were white, proving his age, yet he didn''t look weak at all.


    Looking at it this way, it seemed incredibly unfitting that Frondier was Enfer''s son and Azier''s younger brother.


    "Let''s go."


    Just two words.


    I thought Azier was also rather blunt, but Enfer was even more so.


    And he did not give me a single nce while speaking.


    "Everyone is waiting. This way."


    The mansion''s butler guided us.


    From Constel to here was the longest distance, so it was natural for our family to be thest to arrive.


    ...Actually, it wasn''t so natural. We could have simply left a few days earlier.


    This was merely a disy of Enfer''s pride and ego.


    The only one who could make the distinguished families wait was Enfer, a proof of such.


    The butler opened the door to the meeting room with a creak.


    "Ah."


    I almost let out a sound.


    I can already feel it. The significance of the distinguished families of the Terst Empire gathering in one ce.


    It feels like the love of the gods they receive will soon overflow out of the meeting room as a crushing pressure.


    "You''ve arrived."


    A short greeting from an elderly man with white hair.


    ''Zodiac'' Heldre.


    "Late, are we? Seems no one has anything to say just yet?"


    The head of the Roach family, guarding the opposite Frondier.


    Ludwig von Urfa.


    "Wee."


    The most friendly gaze among those present, from Enfer''s rival.


    Ortel de Rishae.


    Behind him stood Elodie.


    And besides, famous family heads and notable children, all gathered in one ce...


    "Ah."


    My gaze then drifted to a woman.


    ...Among the notable characters, none are as easily recognizable as her.


    ck hair, ck eyes. Even the dress she wears and the fan she holds are ck, a woman cloaked in darkness.


    Quinie.


    Quinie de Viet.


    The only daughter of the Viet family, and a third-year at Constel. Known as the ''little devil'' for reviving her family from the brink of ruin.


    Surprisingly, she has achieved such feats at just two years older than me.


    For some reason, the subtle smile hidden behind her fan, seemingly directed at me, feels suspicious.


    Does she know me?


    I think not, but it seems worth paying attention to...


    "Let''s get started then. Mr. Miller, where is ''it''?"


    "Yes."


    Ludwig looked at Miller with his characteristic dialect and light tone.


    Though it might seem rude to some, Ludwig speaks to everyone regardless of their social standing in this manner.


    Which is to say, it''s rude.


    The head gestures to the butler, and soon servants carefully moved the ''container'' to the table in the center of the meeting room.


    "Ho, so this is it."


    Heldre''s eyes sparkled. His gaze was as sharp and intense as during his prime, dark and brooding.


    Yet, everyone''s eyes shone with the same intensity.


    "It looks quite convincing, doesn''t it?"


    ording to someone, the branch inside the container indeed possessed a certain dignity in its form.


    Above all, it perfectly matched the description of the legendary ''Mistilteinn''.


    ¡°So, the real question is who gets to have it? I''ll say this first. I am willing to put up the mining rights to the Idus Mines. For five years.¡±


    Someone threw out an unexpected deal.


    ¡°Such impatience, then I will¡ª¡±


    From there, thepetition for the family treasures and rights began.


    Some had gathered various valuables and assessed their value in advance, while others, having no personal wealth, offerednds and buildings, saying it was fine to hand over assets if they had none.


    Naturally, the children could only watch this unfold, keeping their mouths firmly shut and surveying their surroundings. They had no right to speak. It was merely a field trip for them.


    Three houses remained unmoved: Roach, Rishae, and Quinie.


    Ortel, the head of the Rishae family, had no intention of purchasing from the start, and Quinie was simply observing the situation around them.


    As for Enfer, he was just biding his time.


    ©¤And it seemed that time was not far off.


    ¡°The Roach family will stake the sword.¡±


    ¡°My lord, there are more than one or two swords,¡±


    Ludwig, following his usual tempo, began to tease but stopped.


    ¡°Did you just say you''d stake your sword?¡±


    ¡°Is there a need to repeat myself?¡±


    Click, Enfer detached the sword sheath he was wearing at his waist. The worn leather, the weight of the steel,nded on the table.


    ¡°¡­Exchange a divine artifact for another divine artifact?¡±


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 Chapter 5 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Ortel smiled with interest.


    The most notable expression was made by Azier.


    ¡°¡­Father.¡±


    ¡°I decided this beforeing here.¡±


    Azier had nothing to say and closed his mouth.


    The expectation his father ced on him was heavy but not burdensome.


    He wasn¡¯t obsessed with Mistilteinn, but it would be delightful to have it as his own.


    However, truly,Is that item truly worth offering up ''Gram''?


    The hero ''Sigurd¡¯s'' famous sword, Gram.


    Sigurd is arguably the most famous hero in Norse mythology.


    "It is not only gods, but ''divine relics'' epass even the weapons of heroes.


    And ''Gram'' would surpass the weapons of most gods.


    "Now, hold on, just calm down."


    Miller intervened in a fluster.


    "The deal was proceeding so abruptly that I''ve been observing, but there''s an issue that needs to be resolved first."


    "That''s right."


    Quinie continued.


    "First of all, is this really Mistilteinn?"


    All eyes turned to Quinie. She stepped forward to mediate, having observed the situation until now.


    "If this is not Mistilteinn, then this deal bes an entirely different matter."


    Indeed. It''s too early to conduct a transaction based on the assumption that it''s genuine. The value lies in ''not knowing'' whether it is authentic or not.


    "So, who will verify that?"


    Ludwigg pointed to the transparent container surrounding Mistilteinn.


    The simplest way to find out is just one. Breaking that container.


    The current Mistilteinn does not give off any divine aura.


    However, if the aura was ''erased'' because of that container. Then Mistilteinn, including the transparent container, could be a ''divine relic.''


    If so, breaking the container would be a perilous act. Nobody wants to incur divine punishment.


    "We will not verify."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Whether this branch is Mistilteinn or not cannot be determined. It might be, or it might not be. The value of this item lies precisely in that. We must proceed with the transaction, keeping this in mind."


    In other words, the value that arises from the item itself. If the expenditure matches that value, then the deal is valid.


    This was Quinie''s thought.


    If the transaction were based on the assumption that this is the real Mistilteinn, Quinie could not possibly offer terms to match that.


    Nor did she want to.


    However, if it''s assumed that this is merely symbolic of Mistilteinn, not actually usable. The price drops, and the families desiring it change.


    Not the families who want to treat Mistilteinn as a ''weapon,'' but as a ''sign.''


    Precisely families like Quinie''s.


    ''Good. If this is the flow, I might be able to get it quite cheaply......''


    "It doesn''t matter."


    At that moment, a single sentence cut off her train of thought.


    Enfer spoke as if he was passing judgment.


    "Whether it''s real or not, I''ll prove itter."


    "...Even so, you''re willing to hand over your sword? What if it''s fake?"


    This time, even Ortel was surprised and asked back.


    "If it''s not real, then that''s the end of it. Nothing more."


    "Don''t be ridiculous. Do you know what it means to hand over ''Gram''?"


    "Ortel."


    His voice was slightly breathy, and the air grew heavy.


    "My era has long since passed."


    These were words that no one dared to ignore.


    Everyone looked at Enfer, their faces filled with bewilderment.


    "Azier will surpass me. So what use is a sword to me?"


    "...Are you really going to give up Gram?"


    "How many times do I have to repeat myself?"


    Enfer''s eyes were resolute. They had never wavered, not even once.


    "Mistilteinn belongs to Azier."


    The words that silenced the room. They were clear and definitive as if a conclusion had been reached.


    Quinnie let out a sigh.


    She never expected the Lord of Roach to go to such lengths.


    It can''t be helped, it''s time to back down. What can we do when he''s offering to give up Gram?


    There are other valuable items out there.


    Everyone seemed to be following Enfer''s lead.


    Then, a voice as gentle as a de of grass spoke out.


    "There''s no need for that, Father."


    It waspletely different from Enfer''s voice, aforting tone that felt like an everyday conversation.


    However, the meaning behind those words was far from light.


    The gap between the tone and the content was so great that everyone''s reaction was a beat too slow.


    "Frondeir, watch your words."


    His older brother, Azier, warned him. Enfer also narrowed his eyes.


    A simmering voice escaped Enfer''s lips from deep within.


    "Do you know what you''re saying?"


    "Of course."


    Frondeir''s voice remained calm, as if he was still unaware of the atmosphere.


    Ludwig pushed his displeased face closer to Frondeir.


    "Is this brat serious? The second son hidden away by Enfer."


    For the first time, Ludwig directly looked into Frondier''s face, which he had never cared to notice before.


    It was a face ofziness and tranquility.


    To put it nicely, that is. To put it bluntly, it reeked ofziness and negligence.


    Could such a peaceful face really head into battle in the future?


    "Kid, you don''t understand what''s going on and just barged in, huh?"


    Frondier nced at Ludwig''s growling for a moment.


    Just for a moment.


    Then, he shifted his gaze to point at Mistilteinn.


    "Father, there''s no need to waste Gram on something that''s not even genuine."


    Ludwig was momentarily stunned by Frondier''s words.


    Is this a sign of disrespect towards me?


    "How do you recklessly im to know such things?"


    "How I know, I cannot prove."


    Frondier took a step forward.


    With a step as natural as flowing water, as if he was leisurely going for a walk.


    At the end of that peaceful stride, no one could feel certain that peace awaited.


    He stood in front of the container and ced his hand on it.


    "Verifying it is simple."


    By the time he said that, everyone understood his intention.


    They had been dreading it from the moment he stepped forward.


    Enfer, Azier, Ortel, Elodie all moved simultaneously but stopped.


    It was toote to stop Frondier. Nothing could surpass his lead now.


    Unless they cut off his hand or killed him, perhaps.


    "If that''s truly a sacred relic, what will you do, aren''t you afraid of the gods?"


    Ludwig, flustered, his dialect became even more bizarre.


    "Huh."


    Frondierughed. Thatugh made the real atmosphere unclear and made everything around him seemnguid.


    "I have never been afraid of such things."


    Crash©¤©¤©¤!!


    The container shattered.


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 Chapter 6 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A sharp tearing sound. The sound was enough to leave everyone present frozen.


    Divine punishment ising...


    Everyone couldn''t speak carelessly due to the tension.


    "Huh?"


    "W-what is this?"


    At that moment, the branch that was in the coffin ''flowed down''.


    Literally, what had been a branch a little while ago was bing a ck liquid and pouring down, pulled by gravity.


    "I told you. It''s a fake."Frondier reached out to the ck water that was flowing down.


    The surrounding nobles screamed.


    "C-can you touch that,"


    Frondier received the ck water in his hand. The water ran down his hand like that.


    But the moment Frondier clenched his fist,


    "Huh?"


    The water in his fist became metal again, and when released, it became a liquid again and flowed down.


    "Oh, this is a strange guy."


    "......Ah."


    Then, as if something came to mind, Elodie opened her mouth.


    "Viscosticity."


    "Hmm? What?"


    Frondier smiled in agreement with Elodie''s words.


    "That''s right. This material is a viscostic metal."


    "What is that?"


    "Simply put, it''s a property that bes hard when force is applied, but bes liquid again soon when left alone."


    However, it is impossible for a metal to have this property in the first ce.


    Viscostic materials are soft even when they be solid, as they have their original sticity and viscosity. It can''t be as hard as metal.


    It wasn''t Mistilteinn, but there was no doubt that this jet-ck water was a magical metal.


    "Then what about what looked like Mistilteinn just now?"


    "Someone must have infused mana using a spell to imitate its appearance. Mana is also a power. Perhaps this coffin served that purpose."


    "Whew..."


    Only then did the air of relief spread around. Since it wasn''t holy water, there would be no divine punishment.


    Ortel asked.


    "But how did you know? That this thing is a fake."


    "The elders thought the same. Mistilteinn is the weapon that killed the god Baldur. If this really were that branch, the god Baldur wouldn¡¯t just stand by."


    Frondier concealed the fact that he knew the original form of Mistilteinn.


    Excessive truth kills persuasiveness.


    "And I''ve never heard of Mistilteinn being stored in a coffin."


    "But is that all?"


    What Frondier had mentioned wasmon knowledge.


    The chances of this branch being the real Mistilteinn were undoubtedly low.


    However, no matter how slim the chances, one does not gamble with their life on the line.


    A wrong gamble on divine punishment means a fate worse than death.


    "As I said before, I am not afraid of divine punishment. And."


    Frondier filled a ss bottle on the table with ck liquid.


    The liquid, which turns into metal when pressure is applied, was easier to contain in the bottle than expected.


    Then, with a heavy look, Frondier said,


    "To think this could rece my father''s sword, I cannot bear it."


    At those words, everyone fell silent for a moment.


    But soon, a heartyugh broke the silence.


    "Ha-ha-ha! Completely fooled. Showing such an embarrassing side in front of these youngsters."


    It was ''Zodiac'' Heldre.


    Despite his age, he burst into a heartyugh and approached Frondier, cing a hand on his head.


    "What did you say your name was?"


    "It''s Frondier."


    "Frondier, yes, Frondier. I will not forget that name."


    After saying this, Heldre looked at Enfer.


    "Enfer, you have a son who is deeply filial."


    "©¤I have nothing to add."


    "You never had to put out Gram thanks to your son, shouldn''t you give him a gift?"


    Heldre''s face, wrinkled with age, had a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    Enfer looked quite displeased.


    "I was originally going to scold him sternly."


    However, in that short moment, only Quinnie had something different in mind.


    ¡°What for. Didn¡¯t you hear him? He said he wasn¡¯t afraid of divine punishment. Nobody present here has the courage to say that. Maybe even the gods would want a bold young man like this.¡±


    Enfer briefly closed his eyes.


    As a result, it could be said that Frondier¡¯s actions were right. He did not have to sell Gram, and he prevented further conflict between the families.


    Obtaining Mistilteinn was not the only problem. In these times when attacks on families were bing moremon, there was no need to draw attention to oneself due to petty jealousy.


    However,


    ¡°It¡¯s too result-oriented to praise you, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, I¡¯m sorry, Father.¡±


    ¡°Your actions were very dangerous. Much more so than anything you have done before. Normally, I would hold you strictly ountable and educate you so that you won¡¯t make such a mistake again. You should be grateful that I¡¯m not doing that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Frondier stood still and listened.


    Watching that gesture,pletely devoid of childishness, Enfer sighed.


    ¡°However, considering the value of Gram, I can¡¯t just let this go.¡±


    ¡°Ho?¡±


    Ludwig attached himself to the conversation unnecessarily.


    Enfer said,


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything that you want, go ahead and tell me.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s eyes held surprise at his words. It¡¯s an emotion that rarely appears in those emotionless eyes.


    ¡°Ah, well, then¡­¡­¡±


    Frondier briefly put his hand to his mouth as if in thought and then looked up.


    ¡°I would like to see Gram. The inside of its scabbard.¡±


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 Chapter 6 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Huh.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Short exmations of surprise burst from the people around them.


    Enfer¡¯s heirloom, the divine sword, ¡®Gram.¡¯


    It¡¯s a rare opportunity to see its true form.


    At Frondier¡¯s suggestion, everyone¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Would that be alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±Enfer pondered for a moment.


    Even he himself had to admit that this felt insufficient aspensation for Frondier¡¯s actions.


    Enfer reached out to Gram, which was ced in front of him.


    The sword that was concealed within the scabbard.


    Everyone watched Enfer¡¯s movement intently.


    ¡®¡­¡­How?¡¯


    In that brief moment, only Quinie was thinking differently.


    ¡®How did he break it?¡¯


    Frondier was barehanded.


    He had merely ced his hand on the coffin; it shattered in an instant without him even striking it with his fist.


    Could it be magic? Without even a spell?


    If not...


    ¡®Perhaps, Aura.¡¯


    Quinie swallowed hard.


    Someone who can emit an aura with their bare hands is not at a student level.


    But, it was too early to be certain. If it was an aura, it meant releasing Qi, but she had not felt any flow of such energy.


    However, if Frondier really did use an aura just now, and it was an instantaneous release that others couldn''t perceive.


    At any cost, he must be brought to our side.


    No matter what it takes.


    Swiftly, the sheath was heavily stripped away. The pristine de inside reflected the light.


    "Ah, this is...!"


    The nobles'' eyes sparkled.


    The legendary sword of the hero Sigurd, Gram.


    Despite its fame, Gram looked more rustic than expected.


    Although there was a rather beautiful pattern flowing like waves on the de, it wasn''t the kind of beauty one would attribute to divine craftsmanship.


    Yet.


    "..."


    Silence settled among the audience.


    This weapon couldn''t be judged merely by its aesthetic beauty.


    Merely ced there, it seemed to press down the air heavily.


    The aura was chilly, and from top to bottom, the de felt as though it was born with condensed power in its very shape.


    ''Even I, who do not wield swords, can tell. Indeed, divine artifacts are different.''


    Quinie inwardly marveled.


    It was her nature to inadvertently try to put a price on this weapon, but she let that thought pass for now.


    What expression might Frondier, who first mentioned the weapon, be wearing?


    Curious, she turned her gaze and,


    "¡­!"


    Quinie held her breath.


    Worried that he might have noticed her looking, she quickly averted her gaze again.


    ''What''s with those eyes?''


    Frondier was also looking at Mistilteinn.


    With a pure face. With pure eyes.


    Yet, that ''purity'' was far from peaceful.


    Frondier gazed purely, as if he could swallow Gram whole. As if it were truly possible.


    Those eyes longing for Gram, they were,


    Eyes that transgressed a taboo.


    * * *


    "Aster, have you heard the news?"


    "Huh? About what?"


    Aster responded to his friend Thane''s excitement.


    Thane, like Aster, was amoner, and the two quickly became friends.


    Since Aster was quite famous, Thane almost approached him with the admiration of a fan, but their personalities meshed well, with Aster''s affable nature.


    "Didn''t you see the news? About Mistilteinn!"


    "Ah... I went to bed earlyst night."


    Aster said with an awkward voice, scratching his head.


    It was a lie.


    Ellen had confiscated the Wizard View viewing rights the night before, insisting there was a romance movie she had to watch.


    Then she said,


    -It''s not ours anyway, check it outter. There will be other chances.


    Damn it. My sister is as rational as steel when ites to others'' affairs.


    But she''s a sucker for romance.


    "Frondier broke the coffin!"


    "¡­What?"


    Aster''s eyes wavered.


    It wasn''t displeasure or anger, but a sinister premonition: Is Frondier still alive?


    "Are you talking about the coffin that stored Mistilteinn?"


    "Yeah! Well, it''s a bit different!"


    "What''s different?"


    "Turns out it wasn''t Mistilteinn. It was a fake!"


    Thane still spoke with an excited voice.


    But indeed, this was worth making a fuss over.


    A fake. Then, there''s no divine punishment, so no worries about Frondier, but,


    "Wait. So, Frondier knew it was a fake?"


    "Well, maybe he had some belief in it? I mean, I wouldn''t do it regardless of any evidence!"


    Exactly. No matter how strong the suspicion, who would do such a mad thing?


    ...So, it wasn''t suspicion, but certainty.


    Something only Frondier could know?


    "...It was a fake."


    Aster''s eyes rolled.


    He recalled Frondier''s voice from the day before.


    -Don''t worry, Aster Evans.


    -I''ll take care of your worries.


    He believed it was a minor constion. It seemed impossible.


    No matter to whom Mistilteinn would go, Aster Evans must have felt like there was a knife ced before his heart.


    But, indeed. He broke that sword.


    ...Indeed.


    * * *


    In my dormitory room, I quietly observed the ck liquid sloshing around inside a ss bottle.


    A viscostic metal.


    In the meeting room, I focused entirely on maintaining an indifferent expression towards it.


    Originally, in the progression of the game, this fake Mistilteinn is highly likely to be exchanged for Enfer of Gram.


    It is then temporarily ced in a visible spot in the Roah Residence, but its falseness is quickly discovered.


    A spell without a sorcerer has a limit to mana input, so the vessel breaks on its own ord.


    What happens to Gram afterward is truly unknown. It varied each time I yed the game.


    But in whosever hands it ends up, it triggers a sub-event¡ªa terrifying entity.


    For now, it is still safely in my father''s hands.


    "Now, then."


    I ced a rectangr mold on the desk. Then, I poured the metal from the ss bottle into the mold, filling it.


    Even when I was ying the game, I thought of this metal as ''quite a peculiar thing''.


    It''s a bit awkward to say this, but originally, this metal''s most viable use was perhaps for ''forging'' something to imitate Mistilteinn.


    However, with Frondier, maybe.


    This metal''s properties could be enhanced beyond 100%.


    I smiled, not hiding my anticipation.


    "From now on, you will be called ''Obsidian''."


    I ced my hand over Obsidian in the mold. The sensation of the temperatureless liquid still feels very unfamiliar.


    From now on, I will add ''weaving'' to this Obsidian.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Workshop No. 1</i>


    <i>Grade - Normal</i>


    <i>Iron Dagger</i>


    The image of the dagger mounted in the workshop is engraved on Obsidian.


    Magic is infused into Obsidian, and Obsidian began to change its shape.


    And then,


    "It''s done."


    In my clenched fist was a dagger.


    Finally.


    Not an illusion, nor an image.


    A ck dagger that exists as a clear reality.


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 Chapter 7 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier yed with the dagger a few times, feeling its weight and bnce, everything was just like the original''s Weaving.


    Whether the sharpness of the de was the same could only be known after testing, but it was likely very simr.


    "However, it continuously consumes mana."


    Obsidian is a material that solidifies while force is applied to it.


    To maintain its form, a continuous supply of magical power is needed.


    Frondier''s mana level is that of an average person.


    It''s nowhere near the standards of Constel''s students, but it should be sustainable for the duration of one battle.


    The Weaving with Obsidianpletely reverses the pros and cons of standard Weaving.Weapons made from Weaving only appear in reality for the moment they make contact, so you can''t block an opponent''s attack head-on.


    If you tried, the opponent''s attack would prate the Weaving and kill you.


    Moreover, if it doesn''t cut in one go, it disappears, making it hard to inflict proper damage.


    On the other hand, since Obsidian is a real weapon, you can use regr weapon techniques with it.


    You can block normally, collide, and even if it gets blocked for a moment, you have the option to push through.


    However, Obsidian continues to consume mana while it is maintained through Weaving, and being a real entity, it''s visible to the enemies.


    Depending on the situation, there''s a need to discern when to use regr Weaving or Obsidian.


    "......So."


    I swallowed nervously. This is where things truly begin.


    In my workshop now is the famous sword ''Gram.''


    Seeing the real Gram was an unexpected gain.


    As soon as I saw Anfer''s Gram, I immediately inserted its image into my workshop.


    I ced the Obsidian dagger on the mold and released the Weaving, naturally returning it to liquid form inside the mold. Then, I ced my hands over it again.


    This time, I''m not replicating a regr dagger, but a hero''s sword.


    "If this is possible, it''s a step forward in conquering this world."


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    Threads of mana stretched towards the Obsidian.


    Imprinting the image and structure was simple.


    [Gram]


    ? Grade: Legendary


    ? Description: The renowned sword used by Sigurd. The hero and the weapon''s achievements surpass those of several deities.


    Ability Details >


    - Dragon yer: Kills dragons, absorbing their blood. Significantly enhances attack power against dragons and instills fear in dragon species of ''Unique'' grade or lower.


    And it''splete.


    Up to this point, it''s all due to Frondier''s pure talent, with no interference.


    The problem is,


    "¡­Ugh!"


    The moment I grasped the woven Gram, I was overwhelmed by severe dizziness and nausea.


    Mana depletion. I couldn''t maintain the weave for even 3 seconds and had to cancel it.


    "Huff, cough! Cough cough¡­!"


    The dry coughing persisted. It felt as if all the moisture in my body was drying up.


    Yet, even amidst the pain, hope emerged.


    "Cough, it, cough, works¡­! Cough!"


    Yes. The weaving itself was a sess. It just demanded an absurd amount of mana.


    "Hoo¡­ I need to think of a way to increase my mana."


    The fastest way is to wear an artifact. However, artifacts that increase mana are prohibitively expensive.


    Even for the Roach family, or rather, especially for them, pricey items are a sensitive issue.


    If I were Azier, I might tolerate such an expense.


    But I''m Frondier, so it''s not possible.


    "Then, for now, let''s try a brute force method."


    There''s another way to increase the mana pool. Just like before, deplete all the mana.


    When mana is depleted, the body grows the mana pool to prevent future depletions, much like muscles.


    In fact, most characters in Etius are unaware of this method.


    The amount of mana growing is very minimalpared to items or divine power. Just like how muscle growth from exercising doesn''t be visible overnight.


    And using up all one''s mana is taboo here, for a good reason.


    You never know when danger will strike, so having your lifeline, mana,pletely depleted is extremely dangerous.


    But well.


    If you know mana can increase, there''s no reason not to do it.


    My n is to weave Grams a few more times and repeat the mana depletion to grow it.


    ...However, there''s a limit to this method.


    Eventually, items are necessary.


    "¡­Quinie."


    That''s the conclusion. To make a deal with Quinie de Viet.


    She''s my only trading route.


    But without money, I''ll have to trade something else.


    Of course, building a rapportes first.


    Let''s think about how to persuade her.


    ¡°Anyway, how do I carry this aroun-¡±


    I stopped mid-sentence. My fingertips trembled.


    Curious, I watched the trembling soon crawl up my arm and sweep over my body.


    "What''s, this, ugh!"


    It was fear, nothing else.


    The emotion that suddenly enveloped my body, I didn''t recognize it as fear at first.


    There''s nothing around. No trigger for this fear exists.


    ''¡­No.''


    Just a while ago, there was nothing, no one in the void.


    Like slowly opening a curtain, the middle of the void split open.


    Someone slowly squeezed through the gap.


    ¡°You, are.¡±


    A small boy with unfolded ck wings.


    Golden eyes fixed on me, a look filled with disdain and contempt as if tearing through my throat.


    The fear swells.


    With thest bit of my sanity, I quickly scanned the boy''s appearance.


    ¡®He''s not human. He''s a god. One of the gods that actually exist in this game ''Etius''. But who could it be? Judging by the looks, he''s one of the gods from Greek or Norse mythology. Try to remember, golden eyes, ck wings, a god in the form of a boy...!¡¯


    In the world of Etius, the descent of a god is no easy feat.


    It requires considerable preparation even from the god''s standpoint. Yet, despite such obstacles, he appeared before me.


    "Could it be, because I used Obsidian for weaving?"


    If the act of weaving had been set as a ''condition'' for the god''s descent all along.


    Then it means the preparations for his descent were in ce from the start.


    And if that''s true.


    This god knew that the weaving would have an impact on reality.


    I don''t know yet, but to this god, weaving is that dangerous.


    The god in the form of a boy moved his lips.


    I couldn''t hear, and even if I could, I wouldn''t understand thenguage of gods, but somehow, I felt as if the god was saying,


    [You''ve really done it now.]


    Just then, the god snapped his fingers. At the same time, my right hand involuntarily rose.


    <i>Frondier''s unique skill</i>


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item Number 1</i>


    <i>Rank - Normal</i>


    <i>Iron Dagger</i>


    My hand weaved on its own.


    The de that was created pointed towards me.


    ''This bastard, he''s trying to kill me...!''


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 Chapter 7 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    He''s controlling my body, trying to make me kill myself with my own hand.


    A perfect disguise for a suicide leaving no evidence behind.


    My right hand just trembled, not following my will at all.


    The de was getting closer.


    I tried to clench my teeth with force.


    ...Huh?


    I can still bite down on my mrs.


    I changed my thinking. I couldn''t resist with strength.I am just a human, and not even a named one, just an ordinary person. Opposing a god is foolhardy.


    So what I need to do is to make him stop his own actions.


    It was still possible to bite through it.


    I could bite through it while my mouth can still move.


    I met his piercing golden eyes.


    Holding my breath, I moved my lips.


    "¡ªThanatos."


    My voice was barely a whisper.


    But the damn god should understand it.


    If he is a god, he should be able to do that much.


    [¡­¡­!]


    His golden eyes widened.


    At the same time, the boy''s body moved away from me.


    The de that wasing at me stopped.


    "Gasp! Huff, gasp!!"


    I regained my freedom and exhaled roughly.


    Ho, holy moly, I almost died¡­¡­!


    [©¤©¤!]


    The god in the form of a boy shouted something at me with a face filled with panic and anger.


    I have no idea what you''re saying, idiot.


    Then, he quickly made a troubled expression as if he had just thought of something.


    He bit his lower lip, nced at me once, and walked through the closed gap.


    Soon, the gap closed and my room returned to its usual state.


    "......Is he gone?"


    I copsed as my tension eased.


    The Greek god of death, ''Thanatos''.


    However, in Etius, he is not ''death itself'' as portrayed in the original myth.


    He is a powerful and high-ranking god, but if he disappears, death does not disappear. Despite being in charge of death, he can also die.


    Anyway, I''m lucky I figured out his identity.


    Golden eyes, ck wings, and the form of a young boy.


    There aren''t many gods who possess all three characteristics, but I had to risk my life to find out.


    The most important clue is the killing method.


    Just like now, when a god possesses a human''s body and makes them kill themselves, there will be no trace left, making it suicide.


    That''s Thanatos, the god of death, for you.


    Among the gods, only a few know Thanatos'' face. Those few are higher-ranking gods than Thanatos.


    "I simply took a shot in the dark, but from Thanatos'' perspective, it wouldn''t seem that way.


    To him, the fact that I know his face would appear as if I have a close connection with other higher gods.


    Therefore, killing me now would be risky.


    That¡¯s why I mentioned his name, hoping he would think this way.


    ...Yet, what I can say is,


    I was really lucky.


    ¡°...It feels like a tremendous crisis but also a tremendous opportunity.¡±


    The attempt on my life was surely because of the ''Weaving''.


    Why the Weaving angered a god, I don¡¯t know.


    But there has never been a case in the history of Etius where a human has affected a god¡¯s emotions like this.


    ¡°Could it be that Frondier,cking divine power, is despised by the gods?¡±


    ...Did I go too far?


    Initially, humans with divine power are rare, and it¡¯s unlikely that Frondier is despised by all gods.


    In any case, this ability called Weaving could be more dangerous and powerful than I thought.


    ¡°However.¡±


    I nced down at my hands. The trembling wouldn¡¯t stop.


    I mocked myself.


    ¡°I guess I need to get used to fear.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how far my bravado will take me.


    Thanatos can¡¯t just directly ask the other higher gods about me, so I¡¯ll probably have some time.


    But I need to prepare as much as possible until then.


    * * *


    ¡®Frondier.¡¯


    Quinie thought about him in the ssroom.


    Frondier de Roach, the second son of the Roach family.


    Now in her third year at Constel, she thought she wouldn¡¯t have to care about the Roach family anymore.


    She only learned of Frondier¡¯s name after he enrolled.


    She knew Azier had a brother but didn¡¯t think much of him.


    She tried digging for information just in case, but there was nothing worthwhile. The only information was that he was veryzy and negligent, which seemed credible.


    ¡°Quinie, what are you thinking about so deeply?¡±


    Quinie''s friend spoke up beside her.


    Quinie nced at her subtly.


    "Anne, what do you think about Frondier?"


    "What? Don''t tell me, Quinie, seeing that face of Frondier''s, have you finally felt those fresh feelings? Have you experienced it? That sweet and sour, that lovely...!"


    "I''m asking for information."


    "Is that so?"


    Anne chuckled, "Heh."


    "Frondier, well, I don''t know. He used to just sleep during ss. Though it seems not to be the case recently."


    "Anything but what everyone in Constel already knows."


    "That''s all I know too."


    Hmm, that makes sense.


    Anne wouldn''t know much about Frondier.


    Instead, Quinie asked another question.


    "You know about the incident a while back, right? The one where Frondier broke the transparent case storing Mistilteinn."


    "Oh, I know! It was really noisy until a few days ago."


    "What do you think about that?"


    "About his action?"


    "Yes."


    Anne tilted her head, pondering, then shed a wide smile.


    She cheerfully responded, "It was reckless! Stupid!"


    "¡­Hmm."


    Yes. That was the public''s opinion of Frondier regarding the incident at the time.


    Even if it was for his father, what if it really was a cursed item?


    Who would want to see their son die?


    ''But to me, he seemed filled with certainty.''


    He must have been. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have dared to do such a thing fearlessly.


    -I''ve never been afraid of such things.


    "Pfft."


    Quinieughed. It was the first time she had seen someone talk like that.


    Especially in a ce where people who are loved by various famous gods gather.


    Truly fearless.


    "Alright, I''ve decided."


    "What?"


    "If I want something, I should go get it."


    With her arms crossed, progressing thoughts in her head, and with shining eyes, Quinie spoke.


    Watching her, Anne wondered, "Could Quinie really be after Frondier?"


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 Chapter 8 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thergest museum on the central continent, ''Remuze''.


    It''s a space that is like a collection of the past, where you can experience ancient weapons and culture at a nce, starting from artworks such as paintings and sculptures.


    Quinie visited the Remuze Museum for both hobby and study.


    By looking at high-quality artworks, one can develop a discerning eye to evaluate the value of items.


    However, today she was a bit distracted, and Quinie gave a vague smile.


    "You didn''t have toe."


    "No, no, it''s fun, it''s fun, really, really."


    Anne, who was next to her, responded automatically, her repetition indicating her soul was about to leave her body with each answer."Why would a kid who''s not interested in this kind of thing follow along?"


    "My dad bought a painting a while ago, and it turned out to be a fake. So, I guess he was a bit embarrassed in front of his friends. After that, he suddenly came to me and said, ''Daughter, you shouldn''t let this happen.'' and told me to study about artworks. Apparently, there have been a lot of such incidentstely."


    "He seems like a good person."


    "......Well, I needed something like this too, and since it''s my father''s request, there''s no reason not to ept it, right? Just to get to know a bit?"


    Anne twisted her hair as she spoke. Quinie chuckled at her.


    ...But if you don''t like art, you can''t develop an appreciation for it. Because appreciation in art is a sense of feeling ''beautiful''.


    Quinie debated whether to say this, but in the end, she swallowed it in silence. Who knows, maybe this experience might open her eyes.


    "......Oh my."


    Quinie stopped in front of a painting while walking.


    It was a woman praying. But it was not a church or a cathedral. She was praying in the midst of golden grains. The woman was smiling, and her face was not solemn or serious, but bright and sunny.


    All these elements were different yet harmonized, and it was both alien and magnificent.


    Incredible. Quinie was flustered, afraid she might have inadvertently voiced that thought.


    "Qui, Quinie, look, look over there."


    "Yes, I''m looking. When you reach this level, you''ll understand,"


    "No, no, not the painting, next to you!"


    At Anne''s barely audible whisper, Quinie slightly furrowed her brows and looked to her side.


    Indeed, when she looked to her side, Quinie was even more flustered than before.


    Next to her was Frondier.


    Frondier was in a ce that was not Constel, in a museum, in front of an artwork.


    Nothing made sense, and Quinie was frozen on the spot.


    Just like Quinie a while ago, Frondier seemed unaware of Quinie next to him. His eyes were solely focused on the painting.


    There was no particr admiration on Frondier''s face. It was the samenguid face he always had. If you looked at it differently, it seemed like he was observing the painting.


    Whether Frondier had an eye for art or not, it was certainly not ordinary to stay this long on a single piece. This piqued Quinie''s interest.


    Yes, it was Frondier who knew that Mistilteinn was a fake. He might have some knowledge about art as well.


    What''s your impression of this painting?


    "...Remarkable,"


    Frondier''s mouth opened gently. The sigh that came out with it seemed to contradict his admiration for the painting.


    "It''s a counterfeit."


    It was a briefment.


    Frondier just said that and walked away.


    His steps were as in as ever.


    "......?"


    Quinie saw Frondier passing by her.


    She looked at him, and then again,


    "Wait! Just a minute! Hey! Wait! Stop! Hey!"


    She strode briskly towards Frondier. Her words fluctuated between formal and informal speech.


    "Oh, senior Quinie. Nice to see you here."


    Frondier greeted her. Quinie flinched at his usual demeanor. She decided to return the greeting for now.


    "Oh, yes, yes. What brings you here, Frondier? I didn''t expect to see you in a ce like this."


    "Well, I came to see relics rather than artworks, I was on my way there."


    "Relics?"


    "Yes, like weapons, or armor."


    At Frondier''s words, Quinie finally understood.


    Frondier, who had recognized Mistilteinn as a fake. He was an otaku who was interested in old things!


    But there was a more pressing issue at hand now.


    "Fr, Frontier, what did you mean by what you just said?"


    "Huh? What did I say?"


    "You said ''counterfeit'' when you saw that painting! Clearly! I heard you loud and clear!"


    Quinie pointed at the painting with a pop. She took another look at it while she was at it.


    Even upon a second look, it was an outstanding painting. It was so good that it wouldn''t be strange if it were ced in a hall of fame, let alone being a counterfeit.


    "Ah, yes. I did."


    Frontier replied.


    His reply was again, refreshingly straightforward.


    Does this guy have a habit of calling everything, including Mistilteinn, a counterfeit?


    "Do you know where we are? This is the Remuze Museum! The best museum in the Central Continent! It''s not amon urrence to find counterfeits here!"


    Upon hearing that, Frontier pursed his lips. He seemed to be pondering something.


    "......So, Senior Quinie, you mean I should have formally protested against the museum for bringing in a counterfeit......"


    "That''s not what I meant!"


    What''s with him?


    Doesn''t he have even the slightest doubt that he might be wrong?


    "Whether it''s Remuze''s Museum or the Louvre Museum, a counterfeit is still a counterfeit," Frondier said.


    His tone implied that he was stating the obvious.


    Well, it is obvious.


    But where is the Louvre Museum? [T/N: A museum in Paris]


    "You''re saying that''s a counterfeit?"


    "Yes. A counterfeit."


    "Really? Don''t you regret saying that? Really?"


    "Really. Absolutely. It''s one hundred percent a counterfeit."


    Quinnie looked at the painting once again.


    ...Indeed, no matter how you look at it, it''s a remarkable piece of art.


    Although her standards for Frondier have risen after the Mistletoe incident, she still trusts her own eyes more.


    "...Then, how about a bet?"


    "A bet?"


    "Yes. A bet to determine whether the painting is real or fake. If Frondier wins, I''ll send the amount indicated on the painting to the Roach Family in Loire. If I win, it''ll be the opposite. How about it?"


    "How do you n to confirm its authenticity?"


    "I''m going to buy it. That painting."


    Anne, who had been quietly standing next to her, eximed in surprise on her behalf.


    Quinie looked at Frondier with a confident expression.


    In fact, she had been thinking about purchasing something since she came to the Remuze Museum. That painting was enough to satisfy her eyes.


    ...She was also angry to hear that such a painting was a fake.


    "You can cancel it now and it will be as if it never happened,"


    "Alright."


    Frondier said.


    Quinie blinked her eyes in disbelief, her mouth agape.


    But then Frondier said something even more unbelievable.


    "Could you send it to me personally instead of giving it to the Roah family? Like cash."


    "You''re really asking for a lot, aren''t you?"


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 Chapter 8 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The current highest stock price is being run by the Viet Trading Company.


    However, that''s a recent evaluation, and the Viet Trading Company had lost its brilliant heyday before it passed through Quinie''s hands.


    At that time, everyone thought that the Viet Trading Company was irrecoverable. And it was indeed true.


    Looking at the flow of the Viet Merchant Association, it was impossible to return to its heyday.


    So, Quiniepletely broke it down and started over.


    She eliminated all unprofitable trade rtionships, fired people, and cut off all ties with the nobles she had been close to for a long time.


    After removing all the bubbles stuck to the merchant association, the deficit was resolved. The problem was that the number of enemies increased ordingly.


    Viet had been doing a lot of business with other merchant associations and families. Among them, there were many who would go bankrupt if the Viet family went bankrupt.But Quinie cut them off without hesitation. Things like ''time'' and ''affection'' that had been traded for a long time were not considered. Naturally, the number of enemies had to increase.


    Hence, she earned the nickname ''Little Devil Quinie''.


    Afterwards, Viet grew impressively. And as the Viet Merchant Association grew, all the families that Quinie had cut off walked the path of downfall.


    As a result, the world''s evaluation of Quinie, who they had called reckless, changed.


    ''Cold-hearted, yet with a discerning eye that sends chills down one''s spine. Her ability to judge people and evaluate abilities isparable to foresight.''


    If Quinie doesn''t cut them off, or if she reaches out first, the family grows. If Quinie cuts them off, the family falls into ruin.


    After such situations repeated, the families who tried to bring down Quinie found themselves in hot water.


    Being cut off by Quinie became proof that they were not worth it. Naturally, their poprity fell, and they werebeled as incapable families.


    Quinie, who had an eye for discerning people, was like a ghost.


    Her ability was said to beparable to foresight, but of course, it was not foresight.


    So, naturally, she couldn''t read all the incidents that urred unexpectedly.


    Such an obvious fact was particrly annoying to Quinie today.


    "So, everything is mixed up?"


    "Well, that is, by the time we arrived, it was already this bad."


    "So it''s mixed up?"


    At Quinie''s inquiry, the butler stammered and shut his mouth.


    Quinie sighed.


    "Let''s go and see how much of a mess it is."


    With that, Quinie led the butler out to the front of the mansion.


    In front of the mansion, the servants were already busy sorting out the items that had been unloaded.


    "......Unbelievable."


    The front of the mansion was aplete mess.


    Items that were not recorded as purchased from the merchant guild were visible to Quinie''s eyes.


    "Recently, counterfeit scams are trending. Especially, ces like our merchant guild that purchase goods inrge quantities are the main targets. They forcibly drive out the driver by bringing a simr vehicle, and swap simr items from the cargo of both vehicles. They even prepare separate counterfeit items that are hard to distinguish from expensive ones."


    "So, if the counterfeits are prepared in advance, that means they knew what we purchased from our merchant guild."


    "Yes. It seems there was someone who stole records from galleries or museums."


    Sigh, Quinie let out a sigh.


    Only then did she remember Anne''s words that her father had been scammed by counterfeits.


    It was too much to expect her to anticipate this situation from that one sentence.


    Still, the situation was better for the Viet Merchant Guild. Because they discovered the crime scene.


    The problem was that the scam artists were in the middle of swapping, so the cargo from both vehicles got mixed up.


    They had brought both vehicles here and were sorting through the contents.


    "......But what are they doing over there?"


    Amidst the employees and servants busily sorting items, people were gathered in one spot on the other side.


    "Ah, we hired a few appraisers. We found a lot of fakes that look very simr to what we bought."


    "Hmm."


    Out of curiosity, Quinie walked towards where they were gathered. She wondered how simr the fakes could be.


    But then.


    "Ah, wait, no way. No way this is..."


    What was in front of Quinie''s eyes were two paintings. The painting she bought from Remuze. It was a painting of a praying girl.


    ''This can''t be...''


    The two paintings looked exactly the same. Only, the girl''s expression was different. One was smiling, and the other was expressionless. The painting Quinie bought was definitely of the smiling girl.


    "Is the, appraisal finished?"


    "Ah, Miss Quinie. I apologize. It was quite difficult, but the appraisal is finished. The painting was so good that I lost my mind without realizing it. Haha."


    The appraiser smiled awkwardly.


    Quinie swallowed. Which one could be the real one?


    Quinie looked at both paintings again. To her eyes, the one with the smiling girl seemed more real. The act of prayer and the girl''s smile. The dissonance was even more beautiful.


    "So, which one is the real one? Which one has higher artistic value?"


    "Um, the answers to those two questions are different."


    "Pardon?"


    The appraiser pointed to the painting of the smiling girl.


    "The one with higher artistic value is this one. We all admired it as soon as we saw it. Not only the girl''s expression but also the way the colors were used, the effort put into the underpainting, all of these urately depicted the beauty of an unfamiliarbination. Above all, it borrowed the coloring method used in the original, yet elevated its sophistication. Most people wouldn''t be able to distinguish it from the original."


    Having said that, the appraiser then pointed to the painting of the girl with a neutral expression.


    "The original is this one. This one is also a painting of excellent quality. However, the method is a bit old-fashioned, and above all, the girl''s expression is regrettable. We also initially thought this one was the imitation."


    "But how do you know it''s genuine...?"


    "Fortunately, we had someone among us who knew this work."


    Another appraiser came forward.


    "It''s ''The Girl''s Prayer'' by in Bouchon. Both the artist and the work are quite obscure, and the artist has been dead for a long time. Very few people would know about it. The fraudsters who were trying to switch it with a fake must have brought the real one. They probably bought it cheap from some gallery."


    A fake with higher artistic value than the real thing.


    So, is that why Frontier called it a ''great counterfeit''?


    ...No, then.


    "So, is there a way for an ordinary person to recognize this as genuine?"


    "It would be difficult. Even museums have disyed fakes thinking they were genuine. To distinguish between fake and real in such works, you would really have to have been lucky enough to see the real one in the era when there were no fakes, or you would have to have conquered almost all the paintings on the continent."


    At his words, Quinie blinked several times. She seemed to be thinking about something, then she finally spoke.


    "It was good luck, wasn''t it?"


    "Huh?"


    "I mean, it must have been good luck, right? There''s no other way to exin it,"


    She was fervently appealing a story that the appraisers couldn''t understand.


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 Chapter 9 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Today''s lesson is about ''aura''."


    Basicbat technique lecture.


    The instructor, Alex, said, looking around at everyone.


    The students were lined up in the outdoor training ground listening to Alex''s exnation.


    Combat-rted sses are often held here. Sometimes they also rent out a hall or a field.


    "Human muscles have their limits. Of course, sufficient growth is essential, but excessive muscles hinder movement, and as you know, muscles are inherently heavy. In the end, what fighters need is a body with the right bnce of flexibility, strength, and quickness. In other words, it''s not like you can just blindly build muscle for strength."


    After saying that, Alex looked around. His gaze fell on Aster.


    "Hmm, Aster. Come forward.""Yes."


    Aster stood next to Alex.


    Alex put his hands on Aster''s shoulders.


    "A body like this is a good bnce. Muscles, when appropriate, increase quickness, but when they arecking or excessive, they reduce quickness in both cases. In Aster''s case, he has found the right bnce. I want everyone to think of this level of muscle training as a model."


    Aster looked somewhat embarrassed.


    Well, I agree with Alex about Aster''s physical bnce.


    However, Instructor Alex has always favored themoners. He''s just being sweet when dealing with Aster, their representative.


    "So, when ites to building strength, it''s not about blindly building muscle. You need to use other human strengths. You need to effectively increase your attack power while maintaining your body''s bnce. That ''strength'' is aura."


    Alex stood in front of a huge stone that had been ced in front of the students.


    Then he picked up his sword.


    "It''s impossible to cut a rock like this with a sword using only your muscles. It''s not just a matter of strength; the sword would break first. However, with an attack from a prepared stance through repeated training, you can project aura."


    Alex assumed a stance.


    Holding the sword with both hands, he positioned it vertically in front of him, his gaze straight ahead, the tip of the sword matching his line of sight. It was a posture as if drawn in a picture.


    Alex raised the sword above and shed downwards towards the rock. A blue light flickered at the end of the de.


    With a swish, the de neatly sliced through the rock.


    "Oh," the students marveled.


    Alex wore an expression devoid of any particr emotion.


    After all, he had demonstrated it during lectures.


    "A warrior can imbue their sword with aura through thousands of hours of training. At first, it''s only momentary, and only in a single movement, butter, you''ll be able to use aura in various movements."


    "Uh, teacher."


    Someone raised their hand at that moment.


    From the back, it was unclear who it was.


    Given I don''t recognize them, maybe an extra?


    "Then, if you continue to train, can you always imbue your weapon with aura?"


    Hmm.


    Judging by that question, they must be an extra.


    Alex smiled broadly as if it was an excellent question and nodded.


    "Of course. And you can do even more than that."


    "More?"


    "When you reach the pinnacle of aura, you can weaponize aura from your bare hands without needing a weapon."


    "Ohhh," the students'' eyes sparkled.


    "Of course, I can''t do it. Not yet, anyway."


    Laughter lightened the mood at Alex''s joke.


    "Today''s lesson is to attack this rock with the weapon you possess."


    Alex pointed to the other half of the rock he had sliced.


    "Among you may be students who, even before enrolling in Constel, have practiced and skilled enough to imbue your weapons with aura. But slicing through this rock will not be easy. This is no ordinary stone. It was specially crafted through the professors'' magic."


    Even if you can imbue it with aura, the strength of that aura varies greatly.


    While you might be able to scratch the rock, slicing it is exceedingly difficult. And this is no ordinary rock, but a specially crafted one.


    Disappointment filled the students'' eyes.


    Knowing this from the start, Alex raised his voice.


    "If you can manage to cut or break this rock without using divine power or weapons, you will be granted one admission to a 5-person, lower-level dungeon. However, the party of five must include at least one teacher and one third-year student.¡±


    The students¡¯ eyes lit up at his words.


    Dungeons are rare ces where various magical creature materials and treasures can be obtained. Their exact creation principles are yet to be clearly identified, but they share amon trait of being formed in ces where mana gathers.


    Conquering a dungeon does not simply mean finding the exit.


    Defeating the dungeon boss, deciphering codes, and activating hidden devices can also be part of the strategy.


    Therefore, as the difficulty of the dungeon increases, not only do the monsters be stronger, but the traps and devices also be more deadly.


    Even so, dungeons are ces of opportunity where you can earn money, gain experience, and collect items.


    Moreover, an unexpected treasure may pop out. Like the ''Mistletoe'' that was recently in the news.


    Of course, it turned out to be fake, but no one believed it was 100% fake until I proved it. That''s because there was a slight chance that it could be real.


    You never know what item will appear in any dungeon.


    ¡°Shall we begin, then?¡±


    At Alex''s words, the students in front stepped forward one by one. All of them were filled with enthusiasm, eager for the chance to use their dungeon pass.


    But to be honest, I wasn''t interested in cutting that rock.


    ''I wonder if I could cut it if I wove Gram.''


    However, the dungeon pass isn''t important enough for me to show Gram.


    Weaving is my only weapon.


    I''m not in a situation where I can afford to fight while showing everything I have.


    In fact, what I¡¯m interested in right now is not whether I can cut the rock or not.


    It¡¯s finding a student who can cut the rock.


    As far as I know, there is exactly one person here who can do it.


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 Chapter 9 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Hup!¡±


    It was Aster¡¯s turn as the order was passed around.


    The de he swung left a fairlyrge scratch on the rock. However, it was not enough to cut it.


    ¡°Impressive.¡±


    Aster¡¯s clothes puffed up as if being blown by the wind. Then, his pupils glowed white, and the white light dyed his hair.


    Ah, that¡¯s it.


    ¡°Stop it, Aster. Using divine powers is prohibited.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, I apologize.¡±Aster nodded and went back to his seat.


    Yeah, if you borrow Baldur¡¯s power, you could probably cut that rock.


    But that somewhat dampened the students¡¯ enthusiasm.


    A rock that not even Aster could cut. That fact was quite shocking to the students.


    And then, it was several turnster.


    Screech-


    ¡°Oh my?¡±


    The rock had been cut.


    The girl standing there, holding a sword thinner than her own arm, looked flustered.


    She was fidgeting, unsure of what to do with the cleanly cut rock.


    It was only natural that the eyes of everyone, including Alex, went wide.


    ©¤©¤I found her.


    Pink hair, green eyes.


    ¡°Wow! Professor! Look! I did it!¡±


    Her hair danced, and her excited shoulders drew a graceful line.


    Every gesture was lively yet bewitching, and her expression seemed innocent, yet held a hint of cunning. From head to toe, she had a delicate appearance as if she was sculpted by a god.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sybil, you pass.¡±


    Alex said with a trembling expression.


    Sybil Forte.


    A woman beloved by fate,


    And one of the ¡®main viins¡¯ of Etius.


    ¡®Sybil Forte¡­¡­.¡¯


    If this world wasn¡¯t truly the result of the world¡¯s movements, but had an element of ¡®luck¡¯ embedded in each individual.


    Then, a person who seemed to be born with only that luck was Sybil Forte.


    Sybil wasn¡¯t a viin because she had a bad personality. She was basically an optimist and an opportunist. She did what she wanted to do, and she didn¡¯t do what she didn¡¯t want to do. Even if she started something, she would drop it if she got tired of it.


    However, her fate always aligned perfectly with her will.


    ¡°Sybil, could you use Aura before?¡±


    ¡°No! This is my first time!¡±


    Sybil spoke cheerfully. Her words weren¡¯t a lie.


    Although it may appear as vanity to others, Sybil had never learned how to cut ore until just now.


    There¡¯s a simple exnation for why she¡¯s able to cut that rock now.


    Because she wanted to.


    Because she wanted to have the ¡®dungeon pass¡¯ that Professor Alex had mentioned.


    Not everything she desireses true.


    However, if it¡¯s something she can do, she¡¯ll do it. If what she desires isn¡¯t realistically impossible, then it will happen.


    While others repeatedly train over and over to build knowledge and skill, Sybil skips the entire process.


    ¡­¡­That''s why she¡¯s a viin.


    Because when faced with an enemy she can¡¯t defeat with her power or her luck, she immediately copses.


    Because she has zero experience of oveing such adversity.


    A character who is destined to ¡®fall¡¯ or ¡®retreat¡¯.


    That''s why, during their first ythrough, yers trust Sybil due to her good stats and ease of use, only to get smacked in the back of the head at the end.


    If you blindly support Sybil, she will climb to an incredibly high position with her sky-high talent and luck.


    From that position, she¡¯ll devour the soldiers, regions, and even countries under her control.


    Then she¡¯ll leisurely survive on her own and disappear.


    Yet, if you give Sybil adversity from the start in an attempt to make her grow mentally, her fate won¡¯t allow it.


    There is no character that can ovee Sybil¡¯s ¡®luck¡¯.


    Not even Aster can stand up to it.


    So, in the end, the yer has to focus on their own growth and surpass Sybil with their own strength while neither helping nor hindering her.


    There are few viins as troublesome as this.


    ¡°Teacher, about the dungeon pass. Do I need to bring apanion?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You need to fill five slots. Out of those five, you need to include one third-year and one teacher, so if you want ssmates, you can include two more besides yourself.¡±


    A dungeon expedition with upperssmen and professors in tow can be said to be extremely safe.


    Moreover, most people here have hardly ever experienced a dungeon. To have a proper experience, it''s essential to have someone experienced.


    I knew from the beginning who Sybil wanted to apany her.


    Slowly opening her mouth, Sybil, as I anticipated, calls out,


    ¡°Aster.¡±


    She calls Aster''s name.


    I nodded quietly, satisfied.


    In reality, there''s nothing for me to gain from the dungeon.


    Rather, it''s important what Aster Evans gains from this dungeon. His growth is as crucial for breaking the game as mine.


    ¡®It''s not a difficult dungeon, and with Aster and Sybil, they should easily break it. The teacher is going too.¡¯


    It''s a party without worries.


    Meanwhile, I should focus my energy on my training.


    ¡°Will youe with me, huh?¡±


    Sybil''s tone is almost like a seduction.


    A refreshing smile and a slightly tilted posture.


    Her pink hair flutters.


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Aster readily agreed.


    Sybil pped her hands with ease, showing her happiness.


    Wow, I can see the boys'' eyes around us growing cold.


    To feel Sybil''s poprity this easily.


    ¡°But there''s one spot left for a ssmate. Can I choose that one?¡±


    Then, Aster said something strange.


    As far as I know, Aster wouldn''t say such a thing.


    Even thoughter on, Lunia Fricell, who''s practically the game''s official heroine, joins out of jealousy for Sybil.


    Aster wouldn''t usually make such a proposal to anyone.


    ¡°Huh? Sure.¡±


    As Sybil responded, all eyes turned to Aster.


    Amidst the curiosity about who Aster would mention,


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    He called me.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    I lifted my head upon hearing this.


    Why suddenly call me out here?


    Wasn''t he looking for someone to go to the dungeon with?


    ¡°Wanna go to the dungeon?¡±


    It was me.


    Despite Aster''s sudden nomination, I maintained a calm demeanor.


    As a proud Korean gamer and someone deeply immersed in this game, I can keep myposure in any situation.


    With such a contemtive mindset, after understanding the intent behind Aster''s words, I answered,


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


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 Chapter 10 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?After ss.


    Frondier, Sybil, and Aster were sitting together at a cafe on campus.


    Sybil was sitting at a round table, rolling her eyes back and forth between the two.


    In front of her sat the most reputable good and bad boys of the first year.


    Aster Evans, respected by both teachers and students, possessed strong divine power and talent.


    Frondier de Roach, who spent all ss sleeping andzing around, with neither divine power nor talent.


    Their mere presence together drew the cafe''s attention, making Sybil self-conscious.


    The attention was partly because Sybil was with them, but she didn''t realize it went that far."Aster, why did you pick me?"


    Frondier''snguid lips parted.


    Sybil was curious about that too, naturally shifting her gaze to Aster.


    But Aster, surprised by the question, widened his eyes.


    "Why? You helped me."


    "Me?"


    "Mistilteinn. You helped ease my worries."


    "¡­Worries that would''ve disappeared eventually anyway."


    Frondier sighed.


    "Ah, I heard about that too."


    Sybil''s eyes sparkled as she spoke.


    Frondier''s actions at the nobles'' council were a famous incident.


    The so-called insolence of the human sloth, Frondier.


    His outrageous behavior in front of the Empire''s prestigious families.


    From boastful words iming not to fear divine punishment to reckless actions destroying trade goods.


    Ultimately, Frondier''s actions benefited his family, but they were seen merely as reckless.


    "Frondier, are you really not afraid of divine punishment?"


    Sybil asked.


    It wasn''t out of mockery or disdain but pure curiosity.


    Frondier looked at Sybil and replied.


    "Yeah."


    "¡­That''s it?"


    "Yeah?"


    Sybil mumbled, taken aback by the short answer.


    "It''s too risky for someone just wanting to show off."


    "Why would I show off in such a situation?"


    I guess he knows.


    It didn''t seem like he was trying to show off.


    "Let''s skip that for now, we have something else to discuss today."


    Aster said, as if to clear the air around them.


    Sybil said, "The third-year students and the teacher who will apany us. Who should we choose?"


    Indeed, there was a reason the three of them were gathered.


    The dungeon exploration team requires five members. At least two of them must be third-year students and a teacher.


    "Who should we choose? Teachers are generally cooperative, but many third-year students refuse. They''re busy with their own work and find it bothersome. Shouldn''t we assume some will refuse and start by writing down a list?"


    Soon after, Sybil and Aster mentioned a few third-year seniors.


    Sybil was diligently writing down the names mentioned.


    Meanwhile, Frondier remained silent.


    The two didn''t ask Frondier anything, not only because they knew of his reputation for beingzy, but also because he seemed to be deep in thought, unusually so.


    "...I."


    And after much deliberation, Frondier spoke up.


    "Quinie."


    "...Huh?"


    Aster asked back.


    "Quinie as in Quinie de Viet?"


    "Yeah."


    Frondier nodded, and Aster and Sybil''s eyes met.


    Quinie de Viet.


    A genius who revived her family from the brink of ruin at a young age not even 20.


    Known as ''Little Devil Quinie'' for her cold efficiency, ruthless decision-making, and geniusmercial skills.


    Frondier said, "How about it? Building a connection with senior Quinie from now could be a big help in the future."


    "That''s true, but..."


    Both of them agreed but with hesitant expressions.


    Sybil frankly said, "I don''t think she''ll help."


    That''s right. None of them had a close rtionship with Quinie.


    Moreover, Quinie is extremely thorough in her cost-benefit analysis. She''s not someone who would simply agree to apany a dungeon party.


    Something significant has to be offered.


    "As far as I know, Quinie senior hates ''credit'' or ''debt''. The idea that you''ll repay herter for apanying you to the dungeon won''t work at all."


    Aster agreed with Sybil''s words in a show of solidarity.


    At that moment, Frondier''snguid eyes briefly sharpened.


    "If I bring Quinie senior along, both of you would have noints, right?"


    "¡­Frondier, are you nning something reckless again?"


    Aster''s expression hardened.


    Frondier smiled at his worried face.


    ''Oh.''


    Sybil was a bit surprised by that smile.


    Given that Frondier''s appearance was the epitome of a high-ss noble, when a smile graced hisnguid face, it was quite a sight to behold.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make a proper trade ande back."


    * * *


    After parting ways with Aster and Sybil, I headed back to school.


    Seeing them exchange numbers on their phones reminded me that I didn''t have one.


    In Etius, just as there are devices that mimic TVs, called "WizardView," there are also devices that mimic smartphones, called "SagePhone."


    Everyone simply calls it a "phone." With a phone, you can freely use calls, texts, and messengers.


    But Frondier doesn''t have a SagePhone. Neither does his brother Azier nor his father Enfer.


    Enfer is from an older generation, and his way of thinking is even more outdated, showing no interest in such things, and Azier feels the same since his father doesn''t use one.


    However, from my position of needing to help Aster, having a SagePhone is crucial.


    It''s essential for emergency contacts and easily checking locations.


    "Hmm."


    I stopped in front of a ssroom. Just stopping there seemed to double the attention andmotion surrounding me.


    Ignore it.


    As the door slid open, a few students inside turned their gaze this way.


    Initially, it was just a few, but as they shook their friends in surprise, pointing in this direction, and openly said, "Look at that," even more people around began to look this way.


    So, in the end, everyone was staring.


    ¡­Let''s get this over with quickly and leave.


    I approached a woman. She, of course, was already looking at me. With a face that couldn''t hide her disbelief.


    "I''ve found you, Senior Quinie."


    "......Have you lost your mind?"


    ''Little devil'' Quinie.


    It was quite amusing to see her, who always wore a leisurely smile, looking flustered.


    "We met at the Miller family''s mansionst time, didn''t we? I feel like I didn''t properly introduce myself then."


    "No need. If you want to make connections with me, send the corresponding amount to our family''s ount. Don''t make me stand out."


    Quinie waved her fan dismissively.


    I brought my face closer to hers. Around us, I could hear exmations of ''Kyaa!'' and ''Oh my,'' along with gasps.


    Quinie froze as well.


    I whispered in her ear.


    "I want to sell information to Quinie de Viet."


    At those words, Quinie''s fluttering hand stopped. She looked at me with a calm gaze.


    She was no longer a student but had be the head of the Viet family.


    "I don''t like nonsense."


    "Neither do I."


    "......This isn''t something we should discuss here, is it?"


    I nodded once and turned to walk away. Without looking back, I could hear Quinie''s footsteps following me.


    The murmuring around us grew louder, but...


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 Chapter 10 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "So, what is it?"


    We moved to an empty ssroom.


    Quinie meticulously cast the ''Whisper of the Wind'' magic to ensure our voices wouldn''t leak out. It was a wee move on her part.


    I closed my eyes for a moment.


    It was best to get on friendly terms with Quinie as quickly as possible. For me, and for Aster.


    It wasn''t just about the benefits her tradingpany could offer, but more importantly, because she was ''someone you can trust.''


    In Etius, having someone you can truly rely on and trust your back to is more important than anything.


    But right now, I don''t have much to offer her.However, there''s one thing. One piece of information that Quinie would definitely be interested in.


    I pondered for a moment on how best to say it, then opened my mouth.


    "A monster from ''outside'' ising."


    "......!"


    Quinie''s expression hardened.


    The monsters from the outside.


    As mentioned before, in the world of Etius, the domain of humanity is insignificant. Humanity as it is now struggles even to deal with the monsters within that domain.


    ''Outside'' means, literally, outside the realm of humanity. The monsters lurking there are different from those within.


    She cast a dubious look at me.


    "Are you sure you should be saying that so casually? It won''t just end there, will it?"


    "But if left alone, it truly won''t just end."


    Quinie red into my eyes as if she could read my inner thoughts by doing so.


    I epted her gaze.


    "The third years have a dispatch missioning up, right? For a temporary professional experience."


    "...And how do you know about that?"


    "You''ll face a monster from the ''outside'' there."


    "...How many?"


    Quinie demanded the details of the information before verifying its authenticity.


    That was the right approach.


    I held up my index finger.


    "Just one."


    "...One? You mean a single creature?"


    "Yes. A particrly weak individual from the outside world''s pack. An outcast that couldn''t withstand the life of the pack and was left behind. You''ll face that one."


    Quinie blinked at my words, her expression one of uncertainty about how to react.


    I smiled gently.


    "It doesn''t sound that dangerous, does it?"


    "...Honestly, it doesn''t. I''ve never encountered a monster from the outside. But to fear just one, and an outcast at that, seems almost like underestimating the pros, doesn''t it?"


    "That thought isn''t wrong. A creature that inferior could indeed be subdued by just one pro."


    "Then why-"


    "Because the dispatch mission Quinie senior is set to undertake wasn''t originally considering that creature."


    Quinie''s eyes widened at my words. As expected of Quinie, quick to catch on.


    Still, speaking directly has its effects, so I continued.


    ¡°Many will die. The monsters on the ''outside'' are far stronger, and above all, more cunning, even if they are of the same kind as the monsters inside. They will hide themselves and attack people from a distance where the Pro''s eyes can''t reach them. Until the moment the Pro discovers them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh, my.¡±


    Quinie, who had been listening quietly, raised one side of her mouth.


    ¡°There are many third years. There are ordinary people in the training ground too. What are the chances that I''ll be the one to face that thing? The Pro will find it before that happens. All I have to do is avoid it while others deal with it. Besides, you have already leaked all the information, so what do I have to give you?¡±


    She doesn''t care about other people''s deaths as long as her safety is guaranteed.


    A cold-hearted person who only thinks about money and power in order to raise her family''s status.


    ''Little Devil'' Quinie.


    ¡­¡­She''s very good at deceiving people.


    That''s why she''s the head of the Viet family.


    ¡°I know its weakness. The information I''m selling is that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Quinie''s gaze wavered.


    If she really intends to hide among people and run away, this information is meaningless.


    What good is knowing a weakness? Just keep running away and that''s the end of it.


    But Quinie wavered.


    Because her saying that she would sacrifice others was just a lie.


    I lowered my eyes. I''m sick of seeing Quinie''s bluff anymore than this.


    ¡°Don''t you hate it when people die?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­! Wh, who are you¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°I have my own means of obtaining information. This information came to me that way.¡±


    Memories of the countless times I''ve yed the Etius game in the real world. There is no more urate source of information than this for me.


    At my words, Quinie bit her lower lip. I can hear the sound of her mind whirring rapidly.


    Quinie looked at me straight in the eye and said.


    ¡°So? What do you want? Money?¡±


    She''s cool and quick.


    She must have judged that it would be much more profitable to form a business rtionship with me than the possibility of me lying.


    ¡°No. We managed to get a chance to enter the lower dungeon this time. Would you like to apany us?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Will that do?¡±


    Quinie asked suspiciously.


    I smiled.


    Quinie doesn¡¯t like deals that are overly advantageous to her. That¡¯s because she suspects there¡¯s a catch hidden somewhere.


    ¡°And I need a few things.¡±


    That¡¯s why I said it. To make a fair deal with her.


    In fact, from my point of view, this is the main point.


    Since I¡¯ve seeded inpleting Gram¡¯s Weave, even if it¡¯s unfinished, I need many things.


    ¡°Things?¡±


    ¡°Yes. First, I need something that can increase my total amount of mana. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s an elixir or an artifact.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You want a lot all of a sudden. Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Another thing is an essory that can hold water. I¡¯d like it if I could wear it on my body and it¡¯s easy to take out or put in water. And the inside shouldn¡¯t be visible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a strange order. Why don¡¯t you just carry a water bottle?¡±


    ¡°I want it to be very, very easy to take out and put in.¡±


    Quinie tilted her head even more and looked at me like I was a weirdo. But I had nothing more to say.


    The essory that can hold water is actually for storing ¡®Obsidian.¡¯


    To be exact, I just said water instead because I thought Quinie would find out.


    ¡°Fine. Is that all you need? I promise to provide it in the name of the Viet family.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°So? What¡¯s the weakness?¡±


    ¡°The weakness is, uh.¡±


    I stopped as I thought of something.


    Quinie¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°What is it? You¡¯re not going to say you don¡¯t have one now, are you?¡±


    ¡°No. Now that I think about it, there was one more thing I needed.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It would be nice if I could also receive a Sagephone.¡±


    Quinie opened her mouth in disbelief.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a phone?¡±


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 Chapter 11 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Hmm. It''s not going as nned."


    Sybil''s fingers brushed her lips as she fell deep into thought.


    ''Aster Evans...''


    His divine power is too well-known.


    Ordinary people, upon receiving divine power, would hurry to hide it within their family, but when the owner of the divine power is as renowned as Baldur, there''s no need to hide.


    Instead, it''s better to make it widely known, benefiting from other families or institutions. Thus, Aster''s divine power is known to all, regardless of his will.


    With his thickwork of trust, sincerity, talent, and a captivating appearance.


    ''I really want to make him mine.''But it''s not going as nned.


    After Frondier left to recruit Quinie, she thought she had tried quite hard.


    She was gently rejected with a soft smile.


    ''I had put so much effort into my expression, gestures, and even the tone of my voice for that proposal.''


    As Sybil walked, a rhythm emerged in her movement. Soon, she was almost dancing as she moved.


    Sybil has rarely faced rejection in her life. The world always caters to her tastes.


    Therefore, she cannot understand the unfortunate. She cannotprehend people''s efforts.


    It''s not that she looks down on effort. She literally does not understand it.


    Because she believes everyone has the same luck, talent, and puts in the same effort as she does.


    For her,


    ''Rejection'' is neither familiar nor pleasant.


    Creak.


    Creak, creak.


    Ah, it can be heard. The sound of fate aligning. The sound of those gears moving just a little bit in her favor.


    Of course, Sybil knows this sound is merely a hallucination.


    ©¤©¤Fate does not make such sounds.


    Without any forewarning, fate is already prepared for her.


    * * *


    The dungeon I''m going to participate in has a ''sanctuary.''


    Those with divine power are given the chance to briefly face the owner of their divine power, that is, the deity.


    A simple wish can be granted, or just a few words can strengthen the Force.


    This is the perfect ce for Aster. So, if it were the original game, Aster would reach that ce and see Baldur.


    That way, Baldur''s power could be further strengthened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to go.¡±


    For me, who doesn¡¯t have the Divine Power, it¡¯s obviously useless.


    I¡¯ll leisurely explore and watch Aster do the event in the sanctum.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I saw Quinie waiting at the main gate of the Constel.


    I felt a little relieved. I¡¯m sure Quinie wouldn¡¯t do that, but the possibility that she wouldn¡¯te after we made a deal was definitely there.


    ¡°You¡¯re fast.¡±


    Quinie waved at me. Her expression was subtle.


    ¡°Frondier, why did you participate in this dungeon raid?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t originally n to participate, but Aster nominated me.¡±


    ¡°Aster Evans? Hmm¡­¡±


    Quinie looked surprised at me. It was as if she was asking, ¡®You¡¯re close to Aster?¡¯


    ¡°Huh? Hey, did Iete?!¡±


    From a little further away, a cheerful voice could be heard, and Sybil, running in a hurry, could be seen.


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯re notte.¡±


    Behind her, Aster calmly followed, speaking.


    Sybil ran up to me and gasped for breath.


    ¡°R, really notte?¡±


    ¡°Teacher hasn¡¯t even arrived yet, what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Sybil was relieved. Soon, she found Quinie and bowed deeply.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Sybil Forte. I¡¯ll be in your care today.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Quinie de Viet.¡±


    Quinie also nodded pleasantly.


    It seemed like it was their first time meeting, but they quickly started a conversation.


    These two are good atmunication and dealing with others. And they¡¯re a little simr to each other.


    Okay, now herees someone I feel awkward with.


    While I was bringing Quinie here, Sybil and Aster went to pick up the teacher.


    ¡°Everyone, did you wait long?¡±


    A poised yet gentle voice was heard.


    Teacher Jane.


    She is the female teacher I met as soon as I came to this world.


    So, she¡¯s the one to whom I resolutely stated was not mistletoe when I saw the branch of the Mistletoe.


    She probably doesn¡¯t have good feelings towards me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jane, who will be in charge of today¡¯s guidance and escort. Shall we leave right away?¡±


    Jane smiled. Her face directed towards me was sparkling clean.


    ¡­At least that¡¯s how it looked to me.


    * * *


    Frondier and the group moved by car.


    It took about an hour by car to get to the dungeon. Since it was quite a short distance, everyone was relieved.


    Constel students who enter a dungeon are given vacation time depending on the size and dangerousness of the dungeon.


    The period assigned this time was three days. They had toplete the dungeon raid within that time frame.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    After getting out of the car, Jane looked around the front of the dungeon.


    "Hmm! Good, good. It''s a very orthodox dungeon."


    The entrance to the dungeon was a rectangr passage made of stone. There was a staircase leading down in front of it.


    The easiest way to recognize a dungeon is the outer appearance of its entrance.


    When the terrain changes into a dungeon, the dungeon changes its shape and bes very noticeable.


    As if it¡¯s inviting people in.


    ¡°Wow, this is a dungeon¡­¡±


    Sybil looked around the dungeon entrance with sparkling eyes.


    It must be her first time seeing a dungeon.


    Frondier should¡¯ve been the same, but he had an indifferent expression on his face.


    ¡°Now, from here on, Aster, Frondier, and Sybil should focus on observing! Quinie and I will take care of the dungeon raid.¡±


    Dungeons are dangerous for 1st years.


    In fact, the problem is not the monsters, but the traps lurking inside the dungeon.


    Constel is a ce for trainingbatants, so they can deal with monsters, but they are rtively vulnerable to traps.


    "I''ll lead the way, and I''ll ask Quinie to take the rear."


    "Okay."


    From the front: Jane, Aster, Frondier, Sybil, Quinie.


    To anyone watching, Frondier was in the safest position. This was decided based on reputation and skill.


    "Let''s get going."


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 Chapter 11 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As they descended the stairs, a wide cave appeared.


    It looked like a natural cave. Flowers bloomed sparsely among the moss and rocks. And countless stones covered the floor.


    If not for the entrance, it would be hard to believe it was a dungeon.


    "Let''s proceed with caution."


    Jane spoke in a slightly lowered voice.


    Then, she took out a wand from her bosom and lit it up.


    In reality, Jane wasn''t very nervous.


    There wasn''t much danger in a low-level dungeon with her around.But she had to pretend to be tense, so the students wouldn''t let their guard down.


    Meanwhile,


    Quinie was observing everyone from the back.


    ¡®¡­¡­Frondier really doesn¡¯t have any sense of tension, does he?¡¯


    She could see it from the back.


    Unlike Aster and Sybil, Frondier''s walk was as if he was on a leisurely stroll.


    Is that just his nature?


    Could he really be so carefree just because he''szy?


    While leading, Jane discovered a hidden trap trigger. It was an old-fashioned trap, but surprisingly hard to spot in a ce that looked like a natural cave.


    Jane stopped walking.


    "Aster, Frondier, stop for a mo... huh?"


    Jane stopped and looked back.


    Frondier had already stopped.


    Seeing him holding Aster''s arm, it seemed he had stopped Aster''s steps as well, even before Jane could warn them.


    "...Do you know if there''s something ahead?"


    "It''s not that I knew, I saw it."


    Frondier pointed to the ground with his finger.


    A protruding stone that didn''t fit in. The trap trigger that Jane had discovered.


    "Got sharp eyes, Frondier?"


    "Isn''t it amazing?"


    "I was just lucky."


    Frondier responded modestly to Jane and Aster''spliments.


    But it seemed like he was just being terse because he was annoyed.


    Quinie silently observed this entire interaction.


    Looking at the trigger Frondier found, it definitely wasn''t impossible to spot if one looked closely enough.


    ''Hmm, was it really just luck?''


    But then.


    Quinie didn''t miss the direction of Frondier''s gaze.


    ''...?''


    Frondier''s eyes moved from the trapden stone floor to the right, and then directly at the right wall.


    A simple wall that had nothing to do with the path they needed to take.


    Though Frondier looked at that wall only for a moment, there was a clear sense of dissonance.


    "Alright, let''s avoid the stone floor just like Frondier said."


    Following Jane''s lead, the four in front of Quinie slowly bypassed it.


    However, Quinie stopped in front of the stone floor.


    ...Even with her trap-disarming skill, she couldn''t precisely know what trap would be triggered and how by stepping on this stone floor.


    But Frondier''s gaze earlier.


    The way he looked at the right wall.


    "..."


    Quinie unfolded her fan and pressed down on the stone.


    Swoosh!


    An arrow flew out from a crevice in the right wall.


    ng, Quinie easily deflected the arrow with her fan.


    Jane cried out in shock.


    "What, what are you doing, Quinie!"


    "Sorry. I thought it would be better to remove it in advance. We might have toe back this way."


    "¡­Sigh. It''s a relief you weren''t hurt. Next time, please say something in advance."


    "Yes, I''m sorry once again."


    Quinie replied, looking at the arrow that had fallen to the ground.


    ''...It really dide from the right.''


    At the end of Frondier''s gaze, on the right wall, precisely there, an arrow flew.


    Could it be that Frondier has a higher-level skill in disarming traps than she does? Or perhaps he has mastered such knowledge?


    Quinie looked at Frondier. Frondier was looking at her as well.


    Only Frondier would understand the real intention behind Quinie''s actions. He smiled faintly as if he had been caught with a secret and then turned his attention forward again.


    Quinie covered her mouth with her fan.


    It was a habit she had when sheughed unintentionally.


    ......


    ....


    Afterward, Quinie observed Frondier''s every move more closely.


    But Frondier didn''t do anything.


    In a lower-level dungeon with a party apanied by juniors and a professor, there was hardly any crisis, let alone an opportunity for Frondier to shine.


    After Quinie deliberately triggered a trap, Frondier became even more reluctant to take the initiative.


    "Yawn."


    Sybil interlocked her fingers and ced them behind her head.


    Aster, who was beside her, warned her.


    "Sybil, be on your guard."


    "But it''s so boring. The professor immediately spots the traps, and the asional monsters that appear are insignificant."


    This was Sybil''s first dungeon. She had quite high expectations.


    It sparked her adventurous spirit and curiosity, but she wanted to see Aster in action. However, he hardly did anything.


    The traps were disarmed in advance, and if monsters appeared from the front, Jane would take them down, and if from behind, Quinie would quickly annihte them.


    ''This isn''t what I wanted.''


    Sybil looked ahead at Aster. Aster didn''t seem particrly bored. He asionally checked the walls as if confirming the terrain, but that was it.


    ©¤©¤Boring.


    Sybil''s excitement faded.


    She had persuaded him because she wanted to know more about Aster. She wanted to get closer to him by exploring dungeons together.


    ¡®So even if it was forced, it would be right to satisfy my curiosity, wouldn''t it? There should be something here.¡¯


    Something, something.


    Creak, creak.


    Make me happy.


    Suddenly Frondier touched the wall, just when Sybil and Frondier were very close to each other.


    The hand that touched the wall sank in.


    "Huh?"


    Frondier''s body leaned. The problem is, Sybil''s body leaned as well.


    "Whoa, whoa!"


    The trap was simple.


    As soon as Frondier touched the wall, the wall, around Frondier within 2 meters, fell forward. Naturally, Sybil, who was with him, was also swept away.


    At the same time, the floor they were standing on rose. The wall became the floor, and the floor became the wall. It was as if a revolving door had been installed on the floor.


    "Ugh...."


    Sybil touched her head that had hit the floor. She looked around and saw no one other than Frondier.


    They were beyond the wall. The trap separated Frondier and Sybil from the remaining three.


    "W, what do we do...."


    Sybil pounded on the wall that had been the floor.


    "Professor! We''re here! Can''t you hear me?!"


    The trap, which had been triggered once, showed no signs of moving again.


    Sybil was scared. She was alone with Frondier in a ce like this.


    Frondier, whose true intentions she did not know, was merely a subject of caution for her.


    She was confident that she would not lose in a head-on fight, but if he caught her off guard, she had no way to win in a fight of pure strength.


    "Sybil."


    "Y, yes?"


    "I don''t think we can hear their voices at all from this side. Let''s move forward on our own."


    "....Y, yes."


    Contrary to her worries, Frondier was acting normal(?).


    Sybil sighed in relief, looking at Frondier''s back, who was ahead of her.


    ©¤©¤of course,


    Frondier had intentionally triggered the trap.


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 Chapter 12 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Jane checked the wall that Frondier and Sybil had crossed.


    There was no way to step on it, and there was no other device in sight. It seemed impossible to activate the trap again.


    "Frondier! Sybil! Can you hear me!?"


    Silent.


    Is it that they can''t hear our voices from here, or we can''t hear their voices from there? Maybe both. Anyway,munication seemed impossible.


    "What should we do? Both of them are just first years,"


    Just as Quinie was about to ask worriedly, she felt a strong gust of wind right beside her.


    She looked to the side and saw Aster''s body covered in a white aura."I''ll break through."


    Aster''s divine power, Baldur.


    The moment he saw his teammates in danger, Aster didn''t hesitate.


    However,


    "You can''t."


    Jane stopped him.


    "Why? With my power, I can break through."


    Aster spoke, already in full battle mode.


    Jane shook her head.


    "Yes. You can break through with your power. It''s not even a matter of breaking through. If you make a mistake, you might destroy this entire dungeon."


    "......!"


    Aster regained hisposure at Jane''sposed words.


    Jane looked straight at Aster and said,


    "Student Aster. If the dungeon copses, the two inside might be buried alive. If that happens, there''s nothing we can do."


    "......"


    Aster remained silent for a moment after hearing what Jane had to say. Soon, he released his divine power and closed his eyes.


    "......I apologize for getting excited."


    "I''m d you understand."


    Jane smiled, watching Aster apologize sincerely.


    But the situation was not resolved.


    Jane thought for a moment.


    Would Frondier and Sybil stay where they crossed over, or would they move?


    Frondier would want to stay there. He is knowledgeable about traps and is famous for hiszy nature more than anything else.


    On the other hand, Sybil wouldn''t be able to stand waiting. Just a while ago, she was showing signs of being bored.


    If Jane and Quinie were there, some mischief would be fine, but right now, there were only the two of them there.


    ''...They shouldn''t move. I can only hope that Frondier will stop Sybil.''


    If so, we still have time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. If we clear the dungeon, it will lose its power and the area will return to normal. Then, the two of them will also be safe.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes. Let¡¯s hurry up, then.¡±


    Quinie nodded resolutely.


    Jane looked at Aster.


    ¡°Student Aster, I have high hopes for your ability.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Aster said confidently.


    Even if we don¡¯t necessarily have to break down walls, his power is essential for clearing this dungeon quickly.


    * * *


    Jane would probably want us to be there. It¡¯s like Mia¡¯s fundamentals.


    But Sybil and I kept walking diligently.


    Sybil looked around with anxious eyes. Actually, she was mostly looking at me.


    ¡®It seems like getting separated from the group was the right answer.¡¯


    I intentionally activated the trap. To leave only Sybil and me in this ce.


    There are a few reasons for this.


    One is Quinie¡¯s quick perception.


    I¡¯ve done this dungeon many times, so I remember the location of almost every trap.


    So, I briefly nced at those locations without realizing it, but she caught that brief moment.


    At least in this dungeon, it¡¯s better to be separated from Quinie.


    Another reason is because of Sybil.


    Sybil maniptes fate as she desires.


    The dungeon exploration up to this point, to put it nicely, was probably not the situation she wanted.


    She¡¯s interested in Aster. She wants to see Aster¡¯s achievements and hopes that things will progress between them.


    However, that¡¯s not something I¡¯d enjoy. After all, Sybil is a viin.


    Of course, Sybil in this world might be a little different.


    However, during the countless times I¡¯ve yed the game, Sybil has never changed. I have no confidence in changing her now.


    That¡¯s why it¡¯s better for Aster and Sybil to be apart as much as possible.


    The problem is that damned fate maniption.


    If Sybil''s desires aren¡¯t satisfied, who knows what unpredictable variables will ur.


    Encountering a monster from ''outside'' that doesn''t belong in this low-level dungeon is also entirely possible for Sybil.


    So before that happens.


    I decide to take part in manipting her fate.


    "Don''te any closer to me."


    As soon as Sybil and I were alone, her wariness reached its peak.


    This must be her real perception of me. A mix of disgust and a simr degree of fear.


    Seeing Sybil''s face without any pretense was quite refreshing. Probably almost no one has seen her like this.


    But for two first-years, a low-level dungeon is a dangerous ce.


    Even if Sybil dislikes me, it''s dangerous for her to be apart from me.


    Sure, we can handle monsters, but traps are usually not something first-years can detect.


    However, I know all the traps.


    And as a bonus, I''ve been storing them in the ''workshop'' every time I find one.


    Now, then.


    Let''s see about changing Sybil''s ''desire''.


    Click.


    I deliberately stepped on a protruding stone.


    Shwish!


    The same arrow trap as before.


    This time, arrows shot out directly in front of me.


    "Whoa!"


    Knowing where the arrows would fire, I pretended to be surprised.


    Sybil was right next to the trajectory of those arrows.


    "Hu, huff...!"


    Sybil trembled as she looked at the arrowhead.


    The arrow would have missed anyway. Even if it hadn''t, Sybil''s reaction speed would have allowed her to dodge.


    Not just Sybil, but anybat student from Constel would have narrowly reacted. Even if they hadn''t, her unique luck would have somehow managed it.


    But since I stopped it, there''s no need for that.


    There''s no need for luck, so luck doesn''te into y.


    "Sorry, looks like I stepped on a trap."


    "You, you..."


    Sybil''s face was tear-streaked.


    She might want to me me, but with no knowledge of traps, she can''t know if I did it on purpose.


    Despite her tear-streaked face, Sybil hurriedly drew her weapon.


    A sword thinner than her arm, with a hilt adorned to protect the hand.


    It''s a rapier.


    I also pulled out the dagger from within my cloak. Originally, it''s meant for collecting monster parts, but it''s the only weapon I have. Truthfully, I hardly need it.


    Still, I have to pretend to be tense so Sybil will be too.


    "Let''s go."


    "Uh, okay."


    Sybil seemed toply easily. Yet, the distance between us hadn''t significantly closed.


    Hmm.


    She hasn''t fully regained her senses yet.


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 Chapter 12 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    -Eek!


    -Aaaaah!


    -Mommy!!


    While walking, I deliberately triggered traps, handling the iing attacks myself. Each time, Sybil was visibly startled.


    Of course, I didn''t activate all the traps. Most of the time, I informed Sybil of their locations, instructed her to avoid them, and disarmed those that could be disarmed.


    In doing so, I built up Sybil''s trust, and just as she began to feel relief,


    Once in a while.


    "Aaaaaaaaah! Ugh!!"This time, it was a trap where the floor gave way.


    I caught her hand as she nearly fell from the edge.


    Sybil''s body leaned diagonally towards the abyss, her entire bnce depending solely on my hand. If I let go, she would fall.


    "Phew, that was close."


    "Save me, save me, saaave meee!!"


    "Calm down, you''re safe now."


    I pulled her hand. Sybil''s body fell into my arms.


    Having regained her bnce, she trembled as she looked at the vanished floor.


    The bottom couldn''t be seen with the naked eye. Not knowing what was below was more terrifying for Sybil.


    But in reality, there was nothing. Just solid ground.


    Even if one fell, staying calm during thending wouldn''t cause any harm.


    "Huu, huuu¡­"


    Sybil''s wariness and suspicion towards me seemed to have vanished as she clung to me tightly.


    That''s expected. Sybil herself senses that fate aligns with her, but she can''t fully grasp how powerful it is.


    Her good fortune isn''t about humorously dodging an arrow with a sneeze.


    From the start, there''s no chance for an arrow to fly at her. She doesn''t allow such situations to arise.


    Thus, Sybil rarely ever experiences having an arrowid before her.


    It''s not about oveing a crisis with clumsy luck, but about eliminating the crisis altogether with powerful luck.


    Ironically, this level of power causes confusion when Sybil faces a true crisis.


    "Fr, Frondier..."


    She''s already on the verge of tears. And she''s not even hurt.


    If she were alone in this situation, she would have been reassured.


    Most traps would be avoided without her even knowing, and even if she triggered any, they would be duds or very trivial, reassuring her instead.


    But I step on them myself and deal with them. I keep pushing danger at her, and then I eliminate that danger.


    Since I''m doing what her luck should, it doesn''t activate.


    In other words, my very existence is essentially Sybil''s ''luck''.


    But Sybil must be utterly confused. From her perspective, it looks like I''m also in danger.


    Since it seems like I''m barely managing to block the traps, she doesn''t feel the effect of her luck.


    ''I hope Sybil''s desires change like this.''


    Turning off her interest in Aster, and changing it to a desire to leave this ce. I could help with that as much as needed.


    I know about this dungeon.


    The path Sybil and I are taking has more traps but is actually closer to reaching the ''sanctuary''.


    The sanctuary is the dungeon''s final location, so reaching it means we''re almost at the exit.


    However, Aster''s side will likely reach the sanctuary first.


    Aster, burning with a sense of justice, will be making his way through using his divine power unsparingly.


    Even if we close the distance a bit, we can''t catch up to that speed.


    "Ah, it''s gotten wider."


    While walking, I checked our surroundings. We had entered a significantly wider space than before.


    "So, what''s different if it''s wider?"


    Sybil, closely following behind me, asked with a frightened voice.


    "There are fewer traps."


    "Really?"


    This is true. Traps aren''t set where there is plenty of space to avoid them.


    Unless the entire area is a trap.


    "Where did you learn all that anyway?"


    Sybil asked with suspicion.


    "From ss."


    "¡­From what I know, you sleep through every ss."


    "Didn''t you hear I''ve been paying attentiontely?"


    It feels strange to talk about it as if it''s someone else''s business.


    After all, I''m not really Frondier, so I am talking about someone else.


    "So if it''s not a trap, what''s there?"


    "What do you think."


    After walking a bit, we saw a group of beasts in the distance.


    They had grey fur with red eyes, their backs were quite hunched, but they walked on two legs, and their faces resembled rats.


    Ratmen.


    "There''s that."


    "¡­I see."


    Sybil seemed a bit moreposed and lightly swung her rapier.


    I gripped my dagger again.


    "Better than a trap, right?"


    "A hundred times, a thousand times better."


    The pack of Ratmen charged at us.


    About ten or so.


    It would have been annoying if they all came at us at once, but seeing theme one by one, I guess they really do have the intelligence of rats.


    Sybil knocked down the approaching enemies one by one.


    There''s a bit of uniqueness to Sybil''s swordsmanship; while one would primarily use thrusts with a rapier, Sybil prefers to sh with her thin de.


    Since awakening her aura, the frequency of her shes has increased even more.


    Naturally, a de wrapped in aura doesn''t break easily.


    "Hey! You! Aren''t you going to fight?!"


    While fighting hard, Sybil pressed me.


    I shrugged my shoulders.


    "Sorry. I''m not good at fighting."


    Sybil''s face was filled with disbelief.


    "Such a person is a Constel student...?"


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 Chapter 13 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Of course, it''s not that I can''t fight at all.


    As a result of daily training in the practice room, my throwing skills have improved from the lowest grade to the low grade.


    Moreover, I''ve been depleting my mana over and over to fully utilize ''Gram,'' which has increased my mana capacity, albeit slightly.


    Thanks to that, I''ve been feeling extremely fatigued recently due to repeated mana exhaustion.


    These days, I feel like I''ve truly be Frondier.


    Plus, having yed the game to the point of saturation, I know the patterns of the monsters.


    Although they don''t move exactly like in the game since this is reality, they generally show a simrity in patterns.


    However, Frondier must always be ipetent andzy.There''s something I''ve thought about every time I yed the Etius game as Aster.


    Aster is great, but he''s too famous, and with thates a lot of expectations.


    Allies naturally depend on Aster, and enemies are overly cautious, making it hard to expose them.


    On the other hand, Frondier is the opposite.


    No one expects anything from Frondier, and if you''re an enemy, it''s the perfect character to becent about.


    There are benefits to be had from this position.


    ''Plus, there''s Thanatos.''


    Thanatos, the god who tried to kill me when I first wove the obsidian.


    There''s no guarantee that my bluff, by naming him, will always work.


    So, to avoid being caught by Thanatos, it''s better if my existence doesn''t stand out in this world.


    Sybil handled the Ratmen diligently, albeit with incredulity.


    Meanwhile, I quietly observed her fighting.


    And facing the Ratman positioned in her blind spot,


    <i>Weaving </i>


    <i>Workshop Item No.1</i>


    <i>Grade - Normal</i>


    <i>Iron Dagger</i>


    I threw the woven dagger, hitting the target.


    The Ratmen fell to my dagger, defenseless and twitching.


    The Ratmen were distracted by Sybil, and besides, the woven dagger was invisible to them in the first ce.


    It seemed too easy to deal with them like that.


    "¡­Huh?"


    As I was counting the remaining numbers while taking care of the Ratmen, the air shimmered suddenly.


    Sybil didn''t seem to notice.


    Was I seeing things?


    ...No.


    I quickly scanned the surroundings.


    Something, set against this darkness, glimmered like a mirage. That mirage swiftly moved towards Sybil.


    "Sybil!"


    I shouted, throwing the dagger.


    It was almost simultaneous with the mirage pouncing on Sybil.


    "What, ahh!"


    Sybil, having heard my voice, seemed to barely dodge.


    But her steps were wobbly.


    I approached Sybil, taking down the remaining ones with my dagger throws.


    I wasn''t worried about Sybil catching on to the weaving. She didn''t have the luxury to watch me fight.


    Thump, the sound of the wind escaping a cloth.


    Sybil copsed.


    "Ah, ugh."


    Blood seeped from her hand, clutching her abdomen.


    She didn''tpletely avoid it, did she?


    Sybil tried to stand up but copsed again.


    I approached her to check herplexion. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she seemed to have difficulty breathing. Her limbs trembled, seemingly unable to move as she wanted.


    "What, what''s happening? Why like this?"


    Sybil was bewildered by her own body''s condition.


    "It''s paralysis poison."


    "Paralysis poison?"


    ¡°Y-yeah, one of them was carrying a pain in the ass weapon.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I see. Am, am I alright?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can sleep soundly since I will take care of the rest. There should be a sleep effect mixed in there too. You¡¯ll be fully recovered when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°U-uh, I guess I can¡­¡­. You can¡¯t even fight though¡­¡­.¡±


    Despite her words, Sybil¡¯s eyes slowly closed.


    Actually, there was no sleep effect in this poison.


    It was a type of hypnosis. Sybil¡¯s dungeon exploration today was considerably long, and the traps that were activated consumed a significant amount of mental strength and stamina.


    She was already in a state of umted fatigue.


    If she was told that there was a sleep effect, she would honestly believe it and quickly fall asleep.


    ¡°¡­¡­Alright then.¡±


    I got up after confirming that Sybil had fallen asleep.


    Whew, I took a deep breath.


    Let¡¯s not get impatient. My body will make a mistake if my mind wavers.


    ©¤©¤Even though the poison she was exposed to is not very fatal.


    ©¤©¤Even though it wasn''t a Ratman who attacked her.


    What I said to Sybil was full of lies.


    Let¡¯s stay calm.


    If I seed, then I can turn those lies into the truth.


    When I looked around, I could only see the corpses of Ratmen, but I couldn¡¯t find any sign of it.


    I didn¡¯t get impatient because of that. It was originally that type of guy.


    I bit my lip.


    An invisible foe. A whirlwind of blowing air. A weapon coated in deadly poison.


    A ¡®heretic¡¯ who would even try to harm Sybil, who was blessed by the love of fate.


    I know who it is. She''s someone who should never be in a low-level dungeon like this.


    Her name is Slevb.


    She was born a human, but she became a monster because her soul was shackled.


    The most difficult part about Slevb is that it¡¯s over if you get even slightly grazed by her.


    What¡¯s smeared on that sword is deadly poison.


    I didn''t lie when I told Sybil that it was a paralyzing poison.


    It''s just that the level of paralysis is different.


    At first, your limbs will stiffen. Like how Sybil couldn''t get up earlier.


    And then your internal organs will slowly stiffen, and your lungs will stop listening to you. It bes agonizing to breathe, and by the time it reaches its peak, your heart and brain will finally stiffen.


    It takes about 12 hours for that to happen.


    Within that time, I have to break through this dungeon and get to a church or hospital to get the antidote.


    12 hours may seem like a lot of time at first nce, but you could die from shock before that.


    The feeling of slowly dying is hard for ordinary humans to endure. Even if you get the antidote, there could be severe mental aftereffects.


    That''s why I have to finish this guy off as quickly as possible.


    "...Where is she?"


    I lowered my stance and looked around my surroundings.


    Slevb is invisible to the naked eye. Since she''s a spirit, she doesn''t even make a sound.


    Only when she attacks does a slight ripple appear.


    However, right before he attacked Sybil, I threw my enchanted dagger at her.


    I couldn''t see it properly, but if I go by the trajectory, she must have been hit by my dagger.


    The more damage Slevb takes, the more her figure is revealed. As if a curtain is being peeled away little by little.


    It''s the same for any monster, but they''re at their most dangerous when they''re in perfect condition.


    That''s why it was a blessing in disguise that I damaged her. Thanks to that, the ripple that Slevb should only show when she attacks can be seen all the time now.


    The ripple grew evenrger,


    And the moment the weapon flew sideways towards me,


    Ka-ng, her dagger and mine shed.


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 Chapter 13 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Huff!"


    Slevb pushed forward with her dagger, seemingly dragging the fight into a contest of strength.


    With my spirit power, mana, and physical strengthcking, I couldn''t win this struggle of force.


    If this were a contest of strength, that is.


    Swish-!


    I wove a dagger in my empty hand and shed at her arm.


    No, since I couldn''t see it, I swung the dagger at where I assumed her arm would be.


    Screeeeech-!A sharp scream.


    She stepped back in pain, but she didn''t seem to drop her weapon.


    Was it too shallow? It''s unavoidable since I can''t see.


    My left hand is still empty.


    Slevb wouldn''t understand. My empty hand had shed her arm.


    "...I can see it more clearly now."


    A woman in tattered clothes, barely covering her body, almost naked, staggering around.


    But her true form is a ghost.


    So faint that if she moves quickly, she''s easily lost from sight.


    Like now.


    "¡­!"


    The moment I thought I''d lost sight of her, I rolled on the ground.


    I can''t afford a half-hearted response against this creature.


    I could attack a hundred times, but it ends the moment she grazes me once.


    "If only I had Obsidian!"


    Obsidian, the metal with stic properties, I left it at the mansion.


    The artifact I requested from Quinie hadn''t arrived yet, and I hadn''t expected to encounter an outside monster in a low-level dungeon.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop No.1</i>


    <i>Grade - Normal</i>


    <i>Iron Dagger</i>


    I created a weapon through weaving.


    An actual dagger in my right hand, a woven dagger in my left.


    It''s my first time attempting dual-wielding. The stance is awkward.


    Moreover, the woven daggers cannot be trusted. They disappear the moment they appear in reality, so instead of blocking, they must be parried, and each time, recreated anew.


    But what I''m attempting now doesn''t hinge on weapon skills.


    It''s all about baiting Slevb.


    "Will this work?"


    I swallowed.


    The odds aren''t great. But against a ghostly opponent, my only chance is to gamble like this.


    Slevb seemed a bit wary.


    The first thrown dagger, and the sliced arm. She must know I have an invisible weapon in my hand.


    However, that wait didn''tst long, as she swung his dagger at me again.


    ng! ng!


    Keeping Slevb''s faint form in my sight, I parry her attack with my weapon.


    Slevb doesn''t have any sword skills. She just swings at me, far outpacing my speed.


    "Whoo! Huff...!"


    My flesh trembles.


    My breath feels like it''s injuring my lungs.


    Ipletely abandon the thought of attacking and focus solely on defense.


    The opponent isn''t even using proper swordsmanship. Yet, the moments of blocking are thrilling, as if my blood itself is trembling.


    As my attacks don''t prate, she presses on even more fiercely.


    With every sharp de I fend off,


    -I hate.


    Her voice is heard.


    -I hate the gods.


    -The gods who lied to me.


    -I curse all the gods who have given me eternal trials.


    Her voice is full of resentment and anger. It seems to be only those emotions left, like an attack pouring out vengeance.


    But,


    "So what...!"


    I can''t help but gasp for breath from tension.


    I''m not a god. I am not loved by the gods. I have a body that has neither divine power nor talent. Rather, I almost got killed by a god.


    ng!


    Even parrying it was getting difficult. Is it time?


    I raised my right hand holding the dagger. And while blocking his dagger, I loosened my grip.


    ng!


    The dagger left my hand with a shy sound. I made it look like I dropped the dagger to her.


    An empty hand without a dagger. A revealed chest. If I were Slevb, I would definitely aim for this opening.


    Swish!


    The dagger held by Slevb shot towards me in a straight line.


    ''Please!''


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    This time, a shield.


    Slevb must have thought that the invisible weapon I had was a dagger. She must have guessed that my weapon was a dagger after shing a few times. If I had another weapon, I would have taken it out a long time ago.


    Since she''s making that assumption, this shield will work.


    ng!


    I swung my shield with all my might. Parrying Slevb''s dagger fiercely.


    My shield disappeared at that moment, and Slevb''s dagger fell from her hand.


    Without the dagger, Slevb''s means of attack are gone. Since a spirit body cannot exert physical force, Slevb''s only means of attack is that one dagger.


    Screech-!


    Slevb turned her body rapidly with a strange scream. At a speed as if lines were being drawn in the air. She reaches out her hand towards her dagger.


    However, I, who knows where the dagger is falling, am one step ahead.


    I saw the position she was aiming for and got in position.


    I unconsciously held my breath in tension.


    Once more, a weave.


    Please, hold on.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    ¡®Ugh¡­!¡¯


    As soon as I grasped Gram, a wave of nausea hit me.


    Even without the obsidian, I had already used a lot of mana.


    However, my opponent was distracted by her lost weapon, and her movement was predictable.


    ¡®If I miss this, it¡¯s only right that I die early!¡¯


    I swung Gram from above down towards Slevb.


    Swish-!


    The sound was brief.


    My hands trembled.


    Gram had vanished.


    Symptoms of mana exhaustion covered my whole body.


    On the other hand, Slevb, who had been noisy until now, didn¡¯t even scream. She just silently revealed her entire body.


    Thud, she fell to her knees without a trace of pain in her expression.


    Was this death?


    That¡¯s what I thought when.


    -Is this that person''s sword?


    I heard Slevb¡¯s voice. The sound was faint, and with each syble, it grew even fainter.


    Breathing heavily, yet suppressing the convulsions of my body, I said,


    ¡°Do you know the owner of the sword?¡±


    -I¡¯ve been cut by this sword. As a soul.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Slevb is hard to damage with physical force. Being a soul, she can¡¯t be touched except by that dagger.


    I also don¡¯t precisely know how I was able to cut Slevb.


    Is it because the weave is ¡®magical¡¯? Or is it a characteristic of Gram itself?


    I didn¡¯t know, so I spared my words. After all, Slevb didn¡¯t have the time to hear them all.


    -¡­Is that so.


    -Am I still able to reach that person¡¯s sword?


    With those words.


    Slevb''s exposed body gradually disappeared. Not merely concealed as before, but as aplete annihtion.


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 Chapter 14 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Is this it...?"


    Aster and hispanions stopped, staring at what was in front of them. There, standing right before their eyes, was a humongous statue made of stone.


    The statue looked like a woman, and it also looked like a man. Its facial expression seemed cheerful, yet it also appeared sorrowful.


    The statue''s eyes then glowed, and a resonant voice echoed out, as if the voice itself was birthed from within the statue''s eyes.


    [You''ve done well on your journey thus far, adventurer.]


    Its voice was so dry it crackled.


    [Tell me the name of the god you believe in. I am the guardian of truth, as well as the mediator of the world. I shall grant you the honor of having an audience with a god.]


    "This is the Sanctum, isn''t it?"Quinie uttered.


    The dungeon''s interior was suddenly filled with a light that seemed to originate from the Sanctum.


    "You''re the one who needs to go, Aster. You''re the only one here who has divine power."


    Aster nodded and stepped forward.


    [Speak the name of the god you believe in.]


    Underneath the imposing statue that towered over him, Aster softly spoke a name.


    "Baldur."


    As soon as Aster gave his answer, the statue''s glow intensified. The light became so blinding that Aster had to shield his eyes with his hand. When all the light finally faded, a humanoid figure appeared, having absorbed all the light into itself.


    This figure was incredibly tall, and its body was translucent like a ghost''s, so much so that Aster could see what was behind it. However, it radiated a divinity that was lightyears beyond that of a mere ghost.


    The god of light, justice, and purity, Baldur.


    His snowy white hair and exquisitely sculpted face were the spitting image of what one might imagine a god to look like. Slowly, Baldur opened his eyes.


    As if descending upon the statue, Baldur settled down and looked at Aster.


    [Aster Evans.]


    Aster was taken aback.


    He never thought Baldur would be the one to speak his name first.


    "An honor to finally meet you, Baldur."


    [The honor is all mine. I am truly honored to stand in the presence of humanity''s hope.]


    "Humanity''s hope?"


    [That''s right. You must have a vague idea of it yourself, don''t you? Your talent and your power. The heavy burden that you must carry because of those gifts.]


    Without realizing it, Aster gulped.


    Baldur¡¯s power isposed of divine power, his own talent, and prestige.


    During his time in Constel, Aster felt what role he needed to y.


    However, hearing talk about being the hope of humanity directly from the deity himself was different.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the power of this sanctuary for long. Aster Evans, what is your wish?¡±


    Upon Baldur¡¯s words, Aster thought for a moment. But, from the beginning, he only had one wish.


    ¡°I want strength. Strength to protect everyone and repel the monsters.¡±


    To Aster¡¯s words, Baldur nodded nonchntly.


    ¡°That¡¯s like you, Aster.¡±


    A ray of light stretched out from Baldur. It slowly gathered around Aster, and he felt his divine power grow iparable to before.


    ¡°Aster Evans.¡±


    As Aster felt the power imbue him, Baldur said these words.


    ¡°Aster, be wary of Frondier de Roach.¡±


    ¡°Yes? what¡¯s that-¡±


    Before Aster could finish his sentence.


    Baldur¡¯s figure slowly dispersed and turned into a ray of light from the stone statue.


    Aster turned behind him to look at Quinie and Jane. They seemed on the verge of leaving as well.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    Jane looked around as if she felt something strange.


    Something was wrong.


    Nothing had changed.


    ¡°Did we fail to clear the dungeon¡­¡­?¡±


    After reaching the sanctuary, the destination of the dungeon, and meeting the deity.


    The dungeon wasn¡¯t cleared.


    Only when this dungeon returned to being a normal cave would Frondiea and Sybil be safe.


    ¡°W-what should we do, teacher?¡±


    ¡°First, let¡¯s head to the exit. We should be close to the exit since we¡¯ve reached the sanctuary. Let¡¯s leave the dungeon for now to contact Constel and the other organizations.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The three of them moved quickly.


    * * *


    I copsed, drained of strength. This damn mana exhaustion, I never seem to get used to it.


    Kneeling with my hands pressed to the ground, my body still trembled. Every muscle was cramping.


    "¡­It''s not over yet."


    I gritted my teeth and stood up.


    In the distance, I could see Sybil copsed.


    I wished that with Slevb''s death, the poison affecting Sybil would disappear like something out of a game, but such things don''t happen.


    Even now, the poison was slowly infiltrating Sybil''s body.


    By the way, I''ve stored Slevb''s dagger in the ''workshop.''


    Since that one weapon significantly increases the danger level of any monster, it should be useful.


    I started walking towards Sybil. Now, I had to carry her out of here.


    By now, Aster and his group should have arrived at the sanctuary. And they would be panicking because the dungeon hasn''t been solved.


    This dungeon is one of Etius''s unsolved dungeons.


    Even if Aster meets a god in the sanctuary, the dungeon remains the same.


    Gamers have tried various methods, but the dungeon has never been solved.


    So, I shouldn''t expect this dungeon to turn into an ordinary cave.


    Let''s quietly leave.


    "Phew."


    I took a deep breath and picked up Sybil.


    ¡­Damn, she''s heavy.


    Under normal circumstances, Frondier''s body wouldn''t have any trouble, but Sybil''s body, paralyzed, waspletely limp, and I was suffering from mana exhaustion.


    Trying to carry something with a body suffering from exhaustion and dehydration must feel like this.


    Let''s go.


    I tried to mutter, but couldn''t even make a sound.


    * * *


    Sybil slowly opened her eyes.


    It felt like floating in gentle waves. But soon, she realized she was being carried on someone''s back.


    ''¡­Frondier.''


    Sybil tried to call out to him, but no sound came out. She couldn''t muster any strength in her body. Not even enough to move a finger.


    Still paralyzed.


    ''¡­Is it lucky that I opened my eyes?''


    There was no difort in my body.


    Sybil was fortunately calm, unaware of the severity of the poison she had been afflicted with.


    Looking around, it seemed we were still inside the dungeon.


    "¡­huff¡­ huff¡­"


    The weary voice of Frondier.


    ''He looks exhausted.''


    Frondier''s back was broader than I thought.


    Solid muscles and bones.


    He always seemed weak andnguid. But he is indeed a man.


    "¡­So heavy."


    That bastard.


    "Ugh, there''s a rock in my shoe."


    Frondier''s body swayed significantly before regaining bnce.


    Seeing him struggle, Sybil decided to think positive thoughts.


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 Chapter 14 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Now really the end of mass releases, we are now ahead of the previous TL! Also my Ko-fi is live!</i>


    After walking for a while.


    Frondier stopped.


    I wondered if he was tired, but then I saw the dungeon brighten.


    This wasn''t the light from outside. It was a sacred aura materialized.


    ''¡­This is, a sanctuary.''


    Sybil realized.


    I''ve heard about it. Some dungeons have sanctuaries at their final destination.A precious ce where you can face the deity you believe in and amplify their power.


    ''This is the destination.''


    The statue spoke.


    [Adventurer, you have done well. Speak the name of the deity you believe in. I am the steward of truth, also the mediator of the world. I will grant you the honor of facing your deity.]


    ''Frondier doesn¡¯t have divine power.''


    But if this is a sanctuary, mentioning any deity could grant an opportunity to meet them. And if truly fortunate, one might even receive divine power.


    ''Which deity will Frondier mention?''


    Curiously, Sybil perked up her ears.


    "I do not."


    Frondier opened his mouth.


    "Believe in any deity."


    ''What?''


    Sybil doubted her ears.


    The statue simply asked.


    [What is the reason?]


    The statue is called the steward of truth because it can know the deity humans believe in.


    Therefore, mentioning the name of a different deity in front of the statue is meaningless.


    The statue knew from the moment it saw Frondier that he did not believe in any god.


    ¡®Not believe in gods?¡¯


    To Sybil, these were shocking words.


    In this world, most people do not receive divine power.


    But not believing in gods is apletely different story. How can one not believe in gods when they clearly exist?


    ¡®Then, what about what he said during the Mistilteinn incident?¡¯


    -I have never been afraid of such things.


    Were those words not bravado or posturing, but because he truly did not believe in gods?


    "I believe in humanity."


    ''...!''


    Those words settled in Sybil''s heart.


    Every word Frondier spoke built upon thest.


    "I believe in the will of humans. I believe in the days they have strived to build with all their strength. There is no room for gods to intervene."


    These words were so dangerous that if someone from the church heard them, he might be branded a heretic.


    But to Sybil, those words were like a mighty wind. A wind that peeled away the fates enveloping her.


    "Everything today bes tomorrow. I believe in this obvious truth."


    Frondier''s words pierced Sybil''s heart like a de.


    ...Was it so?


    Was I also like that?


    She felt ashamed of herself without knowing why.


    "I do not believe in gods."


    Sybil, who is loved by fate.


    That love was like a cradle, toofortable and cozy.


    It seemed to lead her swiftly to the grave.


    "Because I do not believe in fate."


    Thatst statement remained in her heart as an eternal echo.


    * * *


    I did not feel very good as I answered.


    It was partly because of mana depletion. And partly because I was carrying Sybil.


    But it was also because this whole conversation felt like a waste of time.


    A sanctuary that gives those endowed with divine power the opportunity to face a god.


    "That''s no use to me. It''ll only be useful to Aster."


    [You don''t believe in God, that statement isn''t a lie, is it?]


    Why do you keep asking me useless questions? You clearly know I don''t have divine power.


    Is not having divine power different from believing in God? It seems strange to say you don''t believe in God in a world where God''s existence is obvious.


    "I don''t believe."


    [©¤©¤Is that so.]


    Suddenly, the stone statue started to glow. The statue, which previously only had its eyes glowing brightly, was soon enveloped in light.


    It was a sight that even I had never seen before.


    "What, what is it?"


    And the light gathered in front of my eyes to show me some kind of picture. The picture, although I don''t know what it is, looked like a magic circle.


    My eyes naturally absorbed the shape of the magic circle into the ''Workshop.''


    Creak, soon all the light died down and the stone statue started to crack. It soon turned into arge fissure.


    Giant pieces fell to the ground.


    "......?"


    What is this? Did I make a mistake somewhere?


    The moment I thought that, the atmosphere of the dungeon changed.


    The strangely twisted stone patterns and trees returned to their original forms. The walls and floor returned to their original states.


    The dungeon was now an ordinary cave.


    ¡­¡­In other words,


    I cleared the dungeon.


    "Huh?"


    I''ve never seen this kind of result while ying the game, nor could it happen.


    I nkly stared at the remains of the broken stone statue for a moment.


    ''I should get out for now.''


    I started walking again.


    There''s not much time left for Sybil.


    * * *


    I met up with Aster and the others not long after leaving the dungeon.


    I left Sybil with Jane. As her teacher, she would be better at taking care of her than I would be.


    Jane and Quinie were relieved when I exined everything that happened.


    I told them that Sybil had taken care of most of the monsters.


    After I returned to the dormitory.


    [Professor Jane: Ms. Sybil has been hospitalized. She''ll probably be fine by tomorrow.]


    A message arrived on my SagePhone.


    Quinie and Jane took this opportunity to ask for my messenger address.


    It was a suitable pretext to prevent dangerous situations like this from happening again.


    Of course, there was no reason to refuse.


    [Quinie Senior: If you feel anything unusual about your body, make sure to tell us.]


    [Aster: Thanks. Sybil is alive thanks to you. Take a rest for now.]


    "How kind of them."


    But I can''t rest.


    I immediately sat down at my desk. First, I checked my smartwatch.


    [Dungeon Conquest Reward]


    - Completed the conquest of the Dungeon, the Sanctuary of Truth.


    - Acquired the magic circle of ¡®Menosorpo¡¯.


    The magic circle that unfolded before my eyes right after the sanctuary was destroyed. It seems its name is Menosorpo.


    But I don''t know how to use it. I don''t have any knowledge about magic circles, so all I know is the name of the magic circle.


    "Is there no other way than to activate it myself?"


    I''ll try using it when I have timeter. Then I might learn something.


    "Next is this."


    I reached out to the frame containing the viscostic metal, Obsidian.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Grade - Rare</i>


    <i>Slevb''s Creepy Dagger</i>


    [Slevb''s Creepy Dagger]


    ? Grade: Rare


    ? Description: A dagger owned by Slevb. The strong grudge of Slevb has turned into toxicity. The toxicity acting on the de has magical properties and does not fade or disappear.


    <Ability details>


    - Poison (Paralysis): Poisons the attacked opponent. The poisoned target rapidly bes paralyzed, and if not detoxified within 24 hours, they will die.


    ...Indeed, it''s toxic.


    This characteristic has good synergy with my Weaving.


    If ''toxicity'' is added to my Weaving that appears and disappears momentarily, it can deliver a lethal attack to the opponent.


    "...But."


    It''s too dangerous.


    Let''s not use it on people.


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 Chapter 15 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Club recruitment is in full swing at Constel right now.


    The recruitment itself started when the first graders arrived, but it was nearing its final stages.


    With just a week left until the deadline, both upperssmen and freshmen were filled with interest in the clubs.


    Of course, this was also the case for ss 2, which was the most talked-about ss at Constel.


    "Elodie, have you heard about the clubs?"


    "...Huh? What?"


    Aster asked Elodie, and Elodie pretended not to hear.


    Aster repeated himself dutifully."I''m talking about the clubs. The deadline ising up soon."


    "Nah, there''s nothing that I''m interested in."


    "Hmm, I see."


    Aster didn''t ask any further. It was his nature not to be suspicious, and to be conscientious. It backfired on him a bit this time, though.


    Elodie hesitated before asking.


    "What about you?"


    "I''m joining the equestrian club. I haven''t learned mountedbat yet, but I hear Constel has a ''Casian'', which is an excellent breed for warhorses."


    The mostmon means of transportation on the Falind continent is the automobile.


    However, in this world where mana and illusion are intertwined, a good steed surpasses it.


    The top ones can outrun even the best sedans, can make their own judgments and move ordingly, and can even evacuate their masters to safety if they lose consciousness.


    The Casian is a superior breed that meets all the criteria of such a steed. It is one of Constel''s prides, even among the central continent.


    "Oh, I see."


    Elodie said, as if she wasn''t interested. In truth, she had no interest in horseback riding.


    She had no interest in horseback riding at all, which was why her n to follow Aster and join the same club as him fell through.


    Aster tilted his head.


    "They''d wee you anywhere you go."


    "...Haha, of course they would."


    Elodie replied coolly. It was true.


    Ever since the first day of club recruitment, she had received numerous invitations. Even today, she still asionally received club pamphlets.


    ...But it''s lonely going by yourself.


    "I guess there''s nothing you can do if you''re not interested in clubs."


    Aster said that and then left.


    Elodie clenched her hidden hands under the desk.


    It''s not that I''m not interested!


    It''s not that I''m not interested!!


    Hey, are you listening?!


    "¡­Sigh."


    A heavy sigh escaped from Elodie''s lips.


    Elodie gets along well with everyone around her and is good at maintaining rtionships. That''s why it''s hard to notice, but in reality, she has few friends.


    The only ones she can truly talk to are Aster Evans and Frondier, who just left.


    It''s not that Elodie has trouble making friends. Rather, her abilities are so outstanding that it makes it difficult for her to make friends.


    Overwhelming divine power, being loved by the five gods, and then there''s the prestigious northern family of Rishae.


    She herself is wless in appearance and conduct, her grades are outstanding, and shecksmon vulnerabilities.


    Therefore, many people, regardless of gender, show kindness to Elodie, but most of it is admiration or envy.


    A flower on a cliff. There is no one in Constel who fits this saying more perfectly.


    "¡­It''s not any different for me."


    No matter how outstanding her talents and skills are, she is still only 17 years old.


    She thinks as much as others, enjoys as much as others, and dreams as much as others.


    However, only Elodie herself thinks this way.


    "I''m not¡­ lonely!"


    Elodie blurted out as ifining, then seemed to catch herself and changed her statement.


    I do have friends! Just a few!


    "¡­Let''s go home."


    What am I even doing?


    Joining clubs at Constel is optional. One does not have to join. It''smon to be part of the ''going home club''.


    Elodie''s father, Ortel, would be pleased. He adores his daughter.


    ¡­It''s not that Elodie wanted to voluntarily be a member of the going home club.


    Elodie leisurely headed towards the school gate.


    When school ends, the family chauffeur always waits with the car.


    Joining a club and having to tell the chauffeur that the time for going home has changed was Elodie''s small wish.


    She even practiced keeping a straight face, fearing that a smile of joy might break out and show to the chauffeur.


    "¡­¡­."


    As she walked, without much thought, she nced towards the training room.


    ¡­Recently, rumors have it that he frequents the training room every day.


    Another rumor suggests that he entered a dungeon and saved a female student among the party.


    Rumors say he has changed a bit from before. That he has be a different person.


    ¡°Hmm, well, then, where.¡±


    Maybe I should go see for myself, no, to verify the truth of these rumors.


    Elodie took out her phone.


    Though for a different reason than she first thought, it was to inform about the change in dismissal time.


    * * *


    [In Use]


    upants: 1


    User: Frondier de Roach


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Elodie was slightly amazed.


    That Frondier, in the training room.


    He¡¯s doing self-training without anyone asking him to!


    ¡°When I used to say it, he wouldn¡¯t even listen.¡±


    Elodie moved her upper body around, peering this way and that.


    Each private room has mirrors arranged, and these mirrors are made of one-way ss that allows visibility from inside the room but not from the outside.


    While preventing outsiders from watching the training, it enables those inside to see whoes from the outside.


    So, if she shows himself in front of the mirror, he shoulde out¡­ but.


    ¡°Really, how focused is he not to even think ofing out?¡±


    Is he ignoring me?


    He saw me and just ignored?


    Are you also treating me like I have no friends?


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long he can keep this up.¡±


    Elodie moved from in front of the mirror to the door.


    There¡¯s a buzzer button on the door for people with a purpose to notify those inside.


    Elodie, standing in front of the door, was about to press the button with all her might when-


    Shhh.


    -before she could, the door opened.


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 Chapter 15 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Elodie sounded perplexed, her voice a mix of confusion and surprise.


    In front of her was Frondier. His clothes were soaked from the shoulders to below the chest, and his upper body gently rose from the chest to the shoulders and then sank back down.


    His entire face was drenched with sweat, and his wet eyshes slowly covered his eyes before he opened them again.


    Thatnguid expression was even more so, and his downcast eyes even more sunken.


    Elodie blinked a few times. For a moment, she wondered if she had gone to the wrong room. Even though it was clear that Frondier was in front of her, she had that thought.


    Elodie took a deep breath. She had to say something. She couldn''t just stand there and stare at him. Something, anything¡ª


    "Y-y-you smell!"Elodie blurted out.


    Undoubtedly, it was the best save of the year.


    Huh, Frondierughed in disbelief.


    "What do you expect in a ce like this. You should at least give me time to wash."


    "......I guess."


    "So, what''s up?"


    Frondier wiped his face with the towel he had brought. Thanks to that, he now looked a little more like his usual self.


    Elodie felt a little better. Though she didn''t know why.


    "I heard youe to the training room a lot."


    "Yeah. I''m practicing."


    After saying that, Frondier moved to put the towel in his locker. As the distance between them increased, Elodie''s neck rxed a bit.


    ......So that''s it. I was looking up at Frondier.


    That''s natural since he''s taller.


    So natural. But somehow.


    "Did youe to check up on me? To see if I''m still training? Are you still worried?"


    "Worried? About what?"


    Elodie denied it for the time being. But she couldn''t find a better way to say it.


    The truth was, Elodie had been worried about Frondier for a long time.


    Elodie and Frondier had known each other since they were children.


    Elodie had been worried about Frondier, who was gradually bingzier, and had given him a lot of advice. But it had all been for naught.


    But the current Frondier was different.


    Why had Frondier, who hadn''t changed even after Elodie had tried so hard to help him, changed so much?


    What was the trigger?


    She wanted to know, but she didn''t ask, because it felt like jealousy.


    Suddenly, Elodie remembered and asked.


    "Speaking of which, have you joined a club?"


    "No. Not interested. Don''t have time for that."


    "Then are you going home?"


    "Yep."


    Frondier replied and took a drink of water. From the towel to the water bottle, even up to the personal locker, it was obvious he frequented the training room.


    Although it was a brief reply, Elodie felt somewhat relieved. It was as if she had gained arade.


    This time, Frondier asked.


    "You?"


    "Me?"


    Elodie was slightly taken aback when Frondier asked back but gave the usual response.


    "Well, I don''t particrly have any interest in anything."


    At that, Frondier stopped drinking his water. He put down the bottle and said,


    "Liar."


    "What?"


    "You want to join a club."


    It was as if Frondier was stating something as evident as ''the Earth still spins.''


    He said it so matter-of-factly.


    Elodie blinked in disbelief, even more so than before.


    "Hey, what do you know?"


    "I know. Because you''re like me."


    Elodie frowned in annoyance.


    What is this lunatic talking about?


    However, what Frondier said next left Elodie frozen.


    "You seem to be alone."


    "!"


    "It feels like you''re isted in a deste ce, thinking you can''t escape from this istion."


    Frondier spoke calmly.


    That calmness gradually made Elodie freeze over.


    "Even if you talk andugh with others, you think they don''t truly understand you."


    "You,"


    Elodie tried to say something but eventually closed her mouth. The Frondier right now seemed truly unlike the Frondier of rumors.


    Frondier said Elodie was like him. Meaning, the story Frondier was telling was not only about Elodie but also about himself.


    "I thought you didn''t care about that stuff."


    Human Sloth Frondier.


    The nickname everyone knew for Frondier was, of course, heard most by him.


    Yet, Frondier''s expression was nonchnt, as if he wasn''t hurt by it. As if it wasn''t his story.


    ...But.


    Frondier said,


    "You''re the same."


    Yes.


    "You also act as if it''s all fine."


    Like Frondier, Elodie didn''t show it on her face. She pretended to be okay.


    But still, had Frondier noticed?


    "¡­Well, you''re carrying a heavier burden, so it must be much harder."


    Frondier shrugged his shoulders.


    However, Elodie couldn''t dare to think that she was suffering more than Frondier.


    Especially not after having glimpsed into Frondier''s inner world.


    Elodie lifted her head.


    Somewhere, she felt relieved.


    Maybe she wanted to hear such simple words offort. If there was even one person who understood her, that would be enough.


    Club activities became such a trivial matter, and Elodie couldugh.


    "¡­Thank you. I feel at ease."


    I can''t say I feel better because youforted me, as I''m too embarrassed.


    "¡­"


    But then, Frondier looked at Elodie. His expression was asnguid as ever, and somewhere, just as cold.


    "Join the club."


    "I''d like to, but there''s no one to do it with."


    "You can make friends. You''re different from me."


    At those words, Elodie''s eyes twitched.


    It was thest thing she wanted to hear. Especially from Frondier, especially after the conversation they just had.


    Everyone treated her as if she were someone else. No one truly understood her.


    Was Frondier the same, after all?


    "¡­You said we were alike."


    Elodie spoke, her voiceing out weaker than she could believe.


    "Why do you, even you, say that?"


    Frondier closed his eyes for a moment. His shoulders slumped as if he was exhaling all the breath he held inside.


    "Because I know your loneliness."


    "You''re the same."


    "I can''t help it. It''s my fault, and I can''t undo it."


    "¡­"


    "But you can change. In that sense, you and I are different."


    Frondier was too calm for someone who was spitting out such words.


    "At least do what you want to do, Elodie."


    Those words sounded almost like a wish.


    A wish conveyed to Elodie de Inies Rishae.


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 Chapter 16 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A package arrived in my room. Inside was a single letter.


    [Just try not to be surprised.]


    Scary, Ms. Quinie.


    Soon, the third-year students will have their professional experience. That''s when the monster from outside I warned about wille.


    I''ve detailed the timing of my arrival, the monster''s weaknesses, and how to deal with them, so there shouldn''t be much damage.


    ...That is, considering it''s an attack by an external monster.


    I checked the contents of the package.


    First, there was a ring. It had a blue gemstone shining brightly.[Viet Trading Company''s Magic Ring]


    ?Grade: Rare


    ?Description: A high-quality ring handled by the Viet Trading Company.


    ?Feature: Slightly increases the total amount of the wearer''s mana.


    If I''m right, this gemstone is ''sapphire.''


    The effects of Etius''s essories depend on the creator''s decision, but generally, the metal''s material greatly influences the abilities.


    The most important aspect is ''color.''


    The redder the gemstone, the more it increases the strength or stamina needed bybatants, while blue increases mana or intelligence. Green is for dynamic vision, reflexes, speed, and other colors depend on the creator''s discretion.


    If it''s sapphire, it''s a blue series, meaning it''s a fairly expensive gemstone among mana essories. It will be very meaningful in increasing my mana.


    I immediately put it on my index finger. Before I wore it, the ring seemed muchrger than my finger, but once on, it fit perfectly. It''s almost like an optical illusion.


    And there''s another item. This is what I''m most looking forward to.


    An artifact to store Obsidian.


    I told Quinie it needed to be easy to take out and put in the water, using a very vague expression.


    I''m counting on her sense.


    "Is this it?"


    I lifted something out of the box as I felt it in my hand.


    "¡­What is this?"


    A long chain made of metal. A small gem wrapped in luxurious decorations.


    What I was looking at was a ne.


    It''s certainly beautiful and luxurious. The ck gem probably reflects my request that its interior shouldn''t be visible.


    I like both the design and its reflection.


    ¡­But this.


    "How do I put Obsidian in here?"


    * * *


    In the border region of the Terst Empire, Tyburn.


    This ce is located opposite Yeranhes, the domain guarded by the head of the Roach family, Enfer.


    Tyburn is the domain of the Urfa family.


    The head of this Urfa family is Ludwig Urfa.


    "So, the dead and injured?"


    "Eleven dead, about thirty injured. It''s very few for an incident caused by an external monster."


    "Hmm, that''s fortunate indeed."


    Ludwig was sitting in a carriage, listening to the situation.


    In the Tyburn region, the ''professional experience'' of the Constel third-year students was scheduled.


    It''s a constant task at Constel, where they observe the duties of professionals and, if possible, are given simple practical exercises.


    But it seems that a monster from ''outside'' has invaded the area where they were assigned.


    "What''s the identity of the monster?"


    "It''s a ck werewolf. It''s presumed to have strayed from its pack."


    "¡­You mean to say only eleven died before it was stopped?"


    Ludwig was astonished.


    While the death of people is never a pleasant matter, the fact that the number was surprisingly small was definitely a relief.


    Werewolves, being originally wolves, live in packs. When in a pack, they actively hunt for prey, but once an individual strays, it bes incredibly sinister.


    While together with itspanions, it behaves like a fearless warrior, but bes an assassin the moment it''s on its own.


    The ck werewolf, in particr, is even more sinister when alone, making it more troublesome to deal with.


    Especially if it''s ''outside''.


    "There was someone who anticipated and countered it efficiently and quickly by identifying the ''outside'' ck werewolf''s weakness."


    "Oh, who?"


    "You''ll meet them in person. We''ve arrived."


    The carriage stopped, and Ludwig stepped out.


    The site was bustling, with the injured being moved and the dead being identified.


    Following a subordinate''s lead, Ludwig arrived at a familiar face.


    "No way, isn''t that Lord Viet?"


    Ludwig looked at Quinie de Viet with interest.


    Remembering she was a student at Constel.


    Having met as family heads on many asions, Quinie''s young age felt particrly striking at times like this.


    "¡­You''ve arrived. Ludwig Urfa."


    Quinie''splexion as she greeted Ludwig didn''t look too pleasant.


    Her expression, hidden behind a fan, was clearly enduring revulsion.


    "What''s with that expression? I hear thanks to you, the damage wasn''t severe."


    "¡­Yes. Thanks to me, eleven people died."


    Quinie''s words were filled with self-derision.


    One corner of Ludwig''s eye twitched.


    "Quinie, you''re still not over it?"


    "¡­You speak as if it will be alright with time."


    "You did well. Many more could have died. You prevented that. Be proud."


    "¡­Yes."


    Though Quinie didn''t feel much better, she considered Ludwig''s words to be true.


    She had done her best. Even if she could go back in time, it would have been difficult to handle it any better.


    ''¡­So, eleven people died.''


    Quinie remembered what Frondier had said.


    All the information he had given was correct. The identity of the monster outside, its weakness, even its habits.


    Quinie had shared this information with the professionals in advance to minimize the damage.


    If possible, she had wanted to cancel this temporary pro experience altogether.


    But information with weak evidencecks persuasiveness.


    The pros, having heard Quinie''s words, deemed it possible but couldn''t cancel the entire schedule.


    That was the extent of the response, and that was the extent of the casualties.


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 Chapter 16 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    -You hate it when people die, don''t you?


    Frondier''s voice echoed in her ears.


    Frondier had information that Quinie most desperately wanted to keep hidden. From the beginning, he possessed this piece of information that Quinie least wanted revealed.


    Given the timing and tone of his revtion, it was clear he hadn¡¯t spoken carelessly.


    The vulnerability that Quinie harbored, something close to ¡®fear,¡¯ was undoubtedly known to Frondier.


    ¡®Let¡¯s consider it a blessing in disguise.¡¯


    Frondier didn¡¯t use that information to demand anything from Quinie. There was no ckmail involved.


    What existed between them was merely a fair exchange.Frondier provided Quinie with information about the external monsters, and Quiniepensated him ordingly.


    This indicated that Frondier, too, desired to maintain a good rtionship with Quinie.


    ¡®Frondier. Hard to put a price on.¡¯


    It was Quinie¡¯s habit to judge everything in terms of money. This habit applied equally to people.


    She believed that assigning the right value was the fairest way to treat someone.


    To her, Frondier was an exceedingly troubling figure.


    The fake Mistilteinn incident.


    The series of actions in the dungeon.


    And the information he provided her.


    Nothing was clear, everything shrouded in fog.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough to look at them; why don¡¯t you go somewhere and rest?¡±


    Ludwig noted Quinie¡¯s expression and thought she was troubled by the corpses.


    He was one of the few humans who knew Quinie¡¯s weakness.


    Thus, this kind of consideration was something only Ludwig could offer at the moment.


    But Quinie shook her head.


    ¡°No. I am the head of the Viet family.¡±


    Indeed, she was the head of the Viet family.


    Quinie, the ¡®little devil¡¯ who raised her family at a student¡¯s age.


    Her instincts as a family head were sounding an rm.


    It was an rm from her sense regarding ¡®Frondier.¡¯


    * * *


    Dayster, inside a luxurious sedan.


    ¡°Elodie, are you listening? Elodie?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes. Sorry, Dad.¡±


    ¡°Just in case, call me ¡®father¡¯ when we arrive at the Roach estate.¡±


    ¡°If you were worried about that, you should¡¯ve called brother.¡±


    ¡°Calling your brother would only lead to another quarrel with Frondier. You know that.¡±


    Elodie sighed deeply at Ortel¡¯s words. She had been looking out the window all the while.


    Elodie and Ortel were on their way to the Roach estate.


    The two families, both of high repute and longstanding friendship, often met and interacted in this manner.


    For two families with many enemies, such public activities were crucial. Disying the friendship between two strong noble families would deter others from acting rashly.


    ¡°You seem unusually distracted. Is there something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, a little.¡±


    Indeed, Elodie had been lost in thought until a moment ago.


    Frondier¡¯s recent actions seemed strange.


    His lethargic and sleepy appearance remained the same.


    From the Mistilteinn incident to the dungeon exploration a few days ago.


    Even Aster seemed to have a fairly high opinion of Frondier.


    - I will take away your worries.


    Frondier said that to Aster. And it turned out to be true.


    In other words, Frondier knew that the Mistilteinn was fake before he actually saw it.


    ''How?''


    There was only one answer.


    ''Frondier knows the true form of Mistilteinn.''


    What was thought to be a bluff is now believed to be the truth. But if that''s the truth, another problem arises.


    How can a human know about Mistilteinn? Mistilteinn, whose shape no human has ever seen.


    ''...Does Frondier have divine power?''


    Someone among the gods must have shown Mistilteinn to Frondier directly. Then, of course, he would know its form.


    As far as Elodie knows, there''s no other possibility.


    ...Thoughts endlessly chase each other''s tails.


    Assuming it''s true that Frondier has divine power.


    What have Frondier''s actions shown all this time?


    Divine power is mostly determined at birth.


    The gods have already chosen whom to love.


    Meaning, it''s highly likely that Frondier had divine power from the beginning.


    All this time, it was believed that Frondier''szy behavior was because hecked both divine power and talent.


    But if Frondier actually had divine power?


    That assumption copsespletely.


    ''Frondier''sziness had a hidden intent...?''


    Frondier with divine power.


    If he has divine power, even if Frondiercks talent inbat, it''s not a big problem. Now, it''s also uncertain whether Frondier trulycks talent.


    It''s all spection, but.


    Frondier might have deliberately pretended to bezy.


    But for some reason, he stopped beingzy...


    "Dad."


    "Huh?"


    "We haven''t arrived yet."


    "Still, it''s time to start getting used to it."


    "Yes, yes, Father. Have I missed anything about Frondier?"


    Ortel seemed puzzled by Elodie''s question, not quite understanding it.


    "Huh? Missed what?"


    "I heard recently that Frondier has been lesszy at Constel. Is there a reason?"


    "Oh, that. I heard it from Enfer. He said he was told to rank within the top 10 of the year. Or else he''d be expelled."


    Elodie nodded at that and fell into thought again.


    Top 10 of the year. Expulsion if he fails.


    Did he not want to be expelled?


    ...No.


    ''I can''t help it. It''s my fault, and I can''t reverse it.''


    There was no sign of regret on Frondier''s face as he said those words.


    While saying it was his fault, he didn''t really seem to think he did anything wrong.


    As if it was a mistake made on purpose. As if he was prepared for it to be irreversible.


    "We''ve arrived."


    Shortly after, the car stopped, and Elodie''s thoughts came to an end.


    They got out of the car and headed towards the Roach estate.


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 Chapter 17 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "It''s a nice view no matter how many times I see it. Especially the location of the mansion and courtyard¡­ Huh?"


    While admiring thendscaping of the well-maintained Roach mansion, Ortel noticed something.


    Elodie directed her gaze there too.


    "Isn''t that Frondier over there?"


    "Seems... so?"


    The two tilted their heads in puzzlement, not expecting Frondier to be outside.


    Frondier was in the middle of the mansion''s empty lot.


    His still-sleepy eyes held an unusual hint of tension.Then¡ª


    "......!"


    Elodie sensed it.


    Frondier drew upon his mana.


    His jet-ck hair fluttered slightly.


    It was a considerable amount of mana, though it was unclear what magic he was about to cast.


    ''Did Frondier have that much mana?''


    Frondier seemed to possess more mana than Elodie had been aware of.


    Though she couldn''t say for sure since she hadn''t paid much attention to it.


    Mana capacity alone didn''t matter though. What was important was the amount of mana one could use at a time.


    One couldn''t simply pour mana into a spell.


    For basic spells like ''me Darts'', recklessly adding more mana in an attempt to increase their power would only result in the excess dispersing, since there''s a limit to how much mana it can hold.


    In other words, using a lot of mana meant that the spell was high level.


    ''What kind of spell does Frondier know that requires that much mana¡­?''


    With those thoughts, Elodie and Ortel observed Frondier with a mixture of tension and anticipation.


    Finally, Frondier finished channeling his mana, and a radiant halo appeared at his fingertips.


    Then.


    Nothing happened.


    "¡­Huh?"


    She rubbed her eyes in case she was seeing things, but nothing had changed.


    The empty lot looked exactly the same as before, regardless of what Frondier had or hadn''t done.


    In a word, nothing happened.


    * * *


    I don''t know what kind of magic circle this is.


    Menosorpo.


    I came out to the mansion''s empty lot to test this magic circle that I got as a reward for clearing a dungeon.


    It takes a significant amount of mana just to manifest the magic circle, but nothing changed even after I inscribed it on the ground and activated it.


    I had high hopes for it since it was muchrger than it looked.


    I scratched my head.


    "Am I connected to things that can''t be seen?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    A voice came from behind. I turned around and saw Elodie.


    Elodie was there too, along with her father, Ortel.


    I bowed my head.


    "It''s an honor to meet you, Lord Risha."


    "Well, this is unusual. You''re outside."


    Ortel seemed a bit impressed.


    Normally, the original Frondier would have stayed holed up in his room at the mansion, never thinking ofing out.


    "I''ve found staying in my room to be suffocatingtely."


    I deflected with a vague response.


    Elodie furrowed her brows and pressed me.


    "What do you mean by that? You said you had a connection with the unseen."


    Of all things, she had to hear that.


    I quickly thought on my feet.


    "Ah, you might not have heard. I saw a ghost when I went to the dungeon a few days ago."


    Good, that was quick thinking.


    Seeing the ghost named Slevb wasn''t a lie.


    "Is that really what happened?"


    "That''s right."


    Elodie''s lips pursed, her doubt not entirely dispelled as she scrutinized my expression.


    But all she saw was mynguid face.


    "Hmm, well, okay. You went to the dungeon and worked hard. No worries about the joint mission then."


    "Joint mission?"


    "Yes. Teams are formed with one student from each grade, first, second, and third, to perform tasks in the field."


    "Ah."


    Now that she mentioned it, I remembered.


    When facing magical beasts, it''s basic to move as a team, so it''s important to know the students'' abilities and positions in advance.


    However, teamsposed only of first-year students are considered too risky, so trios are formed with the inclusion of second and third-year students.


    First-year students learn from their seniors, and seniors teach their juniors, gaining indirect experience for when they be professionals.


    ...But when ying the game, joint missions weren''t such a big event.


    Because I was Aster Evans.


    Among the first years, my skills were unparalleled, and with second and third years by my side, it was a smooth event.


    But now, I am Frondier.


    Anything could happen.


    "You need to be in the top ten of your grade, right? The joint mission gives extra points too."


    She heard that too.


    Setting aside my rank in the top ten of my grade, the extra points Elodie mentioned were true.


    The joint mission is an immediate precursor to the third years'' professional experience. I''ll have to train up until then.


    At least, to avoid any embarrassment.


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 Chapter 17 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    On the day of the joint mission.


    All of Constel''s students gathered in the field.


    "The ''field'' is a special area created by Constel for the practical training of its students.


    The field is a managed area within a certain range, its sizeparable to that of a vige.


    Here, students undertake various missions such as tracking, annihting, and capturing magical beasts...


    After the teacher''s detailed exnation from the front stage ended, I pulled out a piece of paper from the box.


    Group B.


    I silently looked at the paper I drew by lot.Somehow, I wondered.


    Did Frondier also pick this paper? Was this the lot I chose of my own will?


    ...It was a frivolous thought.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Oops.¡±


    Looking around, I then noticed her.


    Quinie de Viet.


    Quinie was fluttering a paper marked ''B'', looking at me.


    ¡°We meet often.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Quinie''s expression in response to my greeting was subtlyplex.


    Ah, she went through the pro experience. Should I ask to confirm?


    ¡°Was the information helpful?¡±


    ¡°...Yeah. More than I thought.¡±


    Quinie hesitated but answered honestly.


    ¡°Um, excuse me...¡±


    And then another person.


    I''m a freshman, Quinie''s a junior.


    So, there''s still a sophomore left in Group B.


    ¡°This is Group B, right? Please take care of me.¡±


    A man with a powerless voice approached.


    His brown hair was in a short sports cut, contrasting his friendly face with a somewhat shrunken posture and narrow shoulders.


    I greeted him first.


    ¡°Yes. I''m Frondier. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I''m Edwin. A sophomore.¡±


    I stopped upon hearing his name.


    It was a name I couldn''t possibly not know.


    ¡°...Edwin, by any chance, from the Behrtio family...¡±


    ¡°Huh? You know my family?¡±


    As I was surprised by Edwin''s question, a loud voice came from in front of the field.


    ¡°Now, if you''ve found your group, start the mission! As mentioned initially, the time limit is 3 hours! The field is limited to the ''Temperate Forest''. Moreover, magical beasts were ced in the field a day ago! So, if you look carefully, it will be easy to see the traces left by the beasts. Upperssmen will lead, tracking the traces and instructing on how to do so! Depending on how the freshmen you teach act afterwards, the upperssmen''s evaluations will also change.¡±


    Tracking the signs of monsters is taught in theory sses, but practice is a different matter.


    Many students be overwhelmed by the gap between reality and theory during actual training, unable to perform to their full capabilities.


    The role of the upperssmen is to eliminate that confusion.


    If one calmly observes the situation and recognizes the difference between theory and practice, it is entirely possible to make use of the knowledge they have learned.


    ¡°Then, let''s begin!¡±


    With that deration, some teams quickly ran off, while others were still discussing their ns.


    ¡°Let''s go too. It''s not that being fast is everything, but it''s frustrating if the monster we''re tracking gets caught by another team first.¡±


    Quinie leisurely took the lead.


    Frondier followed her, and Edwin trailed behind with hesitant steps.


    ¡®...Edwin von Beherti.¡¯


    To be honest, I hadn¡¯t realized it was Edwin. I thought he was amoner.


    His clothes were shabby, and his posture, timid.


    But he''s not amoner. Nor is he an ordinary noble.


    He is one of the characters with ¡®divine power¡¯.


    A fallen noble, Edwin von Beherti.


    Edwin is a bit of an odd character.


    Because he possesses divine power, yers often hear his name, but he is almost impossible to find in the game.


    If Frondier is a character who haspletely exited the scene, Edwin is definitely within the Constel but hard to find. That¡¯s how faint his presence is.


    ¡°Edwin, nice to meet you, I''m Quinie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ye-yes¡­¡­¡±


    Even as Quinie spoke to him in a friendly manner, Edwin¡¯s voice retreated more and more.


    This personality contributed to his faint presence.


    ¡°From here on is the temperate forest. Frondier, stick by me from now on. I''ll teach you the tricks to finding tracks and tracking.¡±


    Somehow, Quinie is being nice to me.


    I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s not bad, so I¡¯ll quietly listen.


    While listening to Quinie''s exnation, I briefly observed Edwin.


    He seemed to be earnestly engaged in finding the tracks.


    Edwin is quite a good character.


    Like Quinie, he belongs to the ¡®good¡¯ side, and more importantly, he possesses divine power.


    That alone raises the value of his character.


    Edwin''s divine poweres from the cksmith god of Greek mythology, ¡®Hephaestus¡¯.


    Excellent with metalworking and familiar with "me," a cksmith''s necessity. He mightter create golems using metal.


    Edwin naturally raises a family as the game progresses, given his potential. The restoration of his family''s honor, though unnoticed, is a given.


    ©¤©¤That''s how it was in the game.


    Can such a gloomy man really seed in rebuilding his family?


    "The easiest and best trace to find is footprints. Look at these."


    Quinie pointed atrge footprints, muchrger than a human''s. The prints were intermittent due to fallen leaves and twigs, but their direction was clear.


    "Great. Judging by how distinct the footprints are and the stride length, it must have been walking. Looks like we found something first."


    Quinie said cheerfully.


    Then she gave me a mischievous smile.


    "So, our newbie, do you know whose footprints these are?"


    yfulness filled half of her tone.


    Probably a question she didn''t think I''d know.


    Of course, I have no idea who owns these footprints.


    I could just say I don''t know, but I somehow feel like she''s testing me.


    If I pass this test, I might be able to befriend Quinie. If I''m wrong, no harm done. It''s not like I know which monsters were ced in the field for this joint mission anyway.


    It felt strange knowing information the other students didn''t.


    All I can tell about these footprints is that...


    They''re huge.


    Among the things ced in this field, the huge monster would be...


    "...A Red Bear?"


    At my murmur, Quinie and Edwin looked at me at the same time.


    "H, how..."


    "How did you know?"


    Taken aback by their surprised reactions, I answered nomittally.


    "Well, like Quinie said, the footprints are big and clear. It''s a rough guess."


    That''s probably one of the five honest statements I''ve made sinceing to this world.


    But they didn''t seem to believe me at all.


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 Chapter 18 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ...Quinie mentioned that the footprints were distinct, but that was based on her own standards. The standards of a third-year student.


    In the forest, it''s hard to leave clear footprints. Often, one walks over fallen leaves and branches.


    At a nce, they might just seem like indented marks, difficult to identify.


    From Quinie''s perspective, just the fact that Frondier could say it was a ''bear'' was enough to pass. He had identified the footprints and their direction.


    Rather than focusing solely on the footprints, looking at the direction, one could roughly gauge the size from the broken branches and cleared leaves. Add to that the ''forest'' locale, the size of the footprints, and their stride.


    Considering these conditions, guessing ''bear'' was possible, but...


    "To deduce it''s a Red Bear among bear monsters, that''s really mastering tracking."


    Edwin seemed to notice too, but in reality, many third-year students haven''t properly learned tracking skills.It''s not a major skill, after all.


    "Frondier, is that, by any chance, divine power?"


    Quinie was intrigued by Edwin''s question.


    Everyone just believes that Frondiercks divine power, but that''s all it is - belief.


    Could he be receiving some form of divine power?


    A god responsible for hunting, perhaps?


    "It''s a secret."


    Frondier smiled slightly.


    Many keep their divine powers a secret.


    However, it''s rare among nobles. Normally, families boast about it first. So even if you want to keep it a secret, it''s often difficult.


    But in the Roach family, there''s the famous Azier. So, it might have been okay for Frondier to keep it a secret.


    "I see... a secret..."


    "Alright, now that we know what it is, let''s hurry. There''s no need to be overly cautious with the Red Bear."


    Leaving Edwin''s murmurs behind, Quinie took the lead.


    Frondier tilted his head in confusion from behind.


    "No need to be cautious, why?"


    "If we approach, it won''t run away; it will attack."


    "Wouldn''t it still be better to surprise it?"


    Quinie dismissed Frondier''s question with a flick of her fan.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take it down."


    "¡­Oh."


    Frondier uttered a short exmation of admiration.


    Quinie''s shoulders lifted in pride.


    ''I should show off a bit, for once.''


    Her steps grew more confident.


    * * *


    "Frondier, what kind of weapon do you use?"


    "A dagger. Want to see?"


    "Oh, this is the basic weapon provided. Are you fine with this?"


    "I''m most familiar with it."


    After Frondier revealed the identity of the tracks, Edwin''s questions towards Frondier noticeably increased.


    Frondier answered kindly without showing any sign of annoyance. He didn''t hesitate to show his waist-bound dagger either.


    There was no need to make himself disagreeable, and the questions were reasonable enough from the other person''s perspective, arousing natural curiosity.


    "Let''s stop making a fuss now. We''re almost there."


    "Okay."


    Upon Quinie''s words, Frondier and Edwin lowered their posture.


    Walking a bit slower, they spotted a bear covered in red fur in the distance.


    It was a bit of an understatement to say they had found it.


    The bear was looking in Frondier''s direction as well. Initially, it was more like they had approached each other.


    Quinie stepped forward.


    "Now, since this mission was about upperssmen teaching the underssmen, Frondier, step back."


    "I thought I was going to learn about teamwork inbat too."


    "That''s for next time."


    The path ahead for Frondier in Constel is mostly one that Quinie has already walked.


    Bing a team and fighting together woulde a bitter. After all, their positions didn''t match yet.


    "Watching is also a form of learning."


    At that, Frondier honestly nodded and stepped back. Seeing this, Quinie moved a bit further ahead.


    And Edwin, he just stood there.


    ''...That must be nice.''


    He thought about Frondier. He was surprised by his appearance the moment he saw him.


    Although easily overshadowed by Frondier''s reputation and perception, Frondier''s appearance is quite distinguished.


    It''s not just about being handsome. It''s as if his face itself says what a ''noble''s'' appearance should be like, exuding dignity and grace.


    That, coupled with his alwaysnguid face, created a unique atmosphere.


    Moreover, the prestigious Roach family.


    Frondier''s brother, Azier, is also a tremendous monster, but Edwin had hardly any thoughts about Azier.


    Quinie is a senior, and Azier has already graduated from Constel. Besides, he has never directly faced his abilities.


    But Frondier is different.


    Always sleeping during sses, with sleepy eyes and anguid expression, earning him the nickname ''Human Sloth''. But his actions thereafter were impressive.


    His words and actions at the Mistilteinn meeting as well.


    Some called it reckless, but if one only looks at the results, it was a courageous act with meaning.


    And the tracking skill he showed just before.


    Surely, it must be the work of a high god.


    ''I should have been like that.''


    If only I had done a bit better, could I have prevented the downfall of my house?


    Frondier had something Edwin envied.


    If Behetorio hadn''t fallen,


    If Edwin had been a bit more ''noble''-


    "Edwin!!!"


    At that shout, Edwin snapped back to reality. Quinie''s voice came from the right.


    When did the battlefield move?


    As he hurriedly shifted his gaze, the volume of the bear charging at him with bloodshot eyes came into view.


    Woah-!


    "...Ah."


    The bear''s roar sounded dazed.


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 Chapter 18 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Did I have my sword in hand? Was it on my waist, or hanging on my back? There''s no time to draw it. No, there''s no time to block it. Not even time to dodge.


    Uh, this.


    A situation where I can survive©¤©¤


    Suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulder. His bnce shifted. His legs floated, and the sky spun.


    Vroom, the swinging paw of the bear grazed Edwin''s nose tip.


    "Frondier¡ª"


    Edwin, thrown backward, saw Frondier pulling him back.


    But the bear''s assault didn''t stop. Its body was covered in minor wounds, and its bloodshot eyes saw nothing in front of it.Likely inflicted by Quinie.


    "Gasp!"


    Frondier threw his dagger faster than the bear''s next attack.


    ng!


    The dagger, aimed with astonishing uracy at the bear''s forehead, was blocked by its paw.


    Bad luck. It was blocked by a w swung haphazardly.


    ''Dangerous.''


    Quinie hurriedly extended her fan.


    However.


    Roarrrrrr!


    The bellowing of the Red Bear.


    Quinie''s hand froze for a moment at that terrifying scream that shook the air.


    Right beside her, all the hairs on Edwin''s body stood on end.


    Pwook!


    But at that moment, a dagger embedded itself in the bear''s left eye.


    In the midst of that horrifying scream, Frondier alone showed no superfluous movement.


    He had shot the second dagger amidst the roar of the Red Bear.


    As if he knew the Red Bear would bellow.


    "...What,"


    What is that?


    Can a human remain that calm?


    The bear screamed in pain, and its movements slowed.


    That was the end. Quinie had more than enough time to take its life.


    Flutter¡ª


    Six des shot from the end of the fan and embedded vertically into the bear''s body.


    All six were fatal, and at least two were sufficient to kill with just one hit.


    The Red Bear died instantly, stood for a while, then copsed after a while.


    Boom, with an earthquake-like copse, the leaves fluttered greatly. Quinie hurried over in front of the rustling leaves.


    "Edwin, Frondier! Are you okay?"


    "Ah, yes. I''m fine."


    Frondier''s calm voice.


    He approached Edwin and reached out to him, who had already fallen.


    "Are you hurt?"


    "...Ah, no."


    Edwin took his hand and stood up.


    After lifting Edwin, Frondier discussed feedback about the recent battle with Quinie.


    Meanwhile.


    Edwin''s eyes, looking at Frondier, were filled with an inexplicable annoyance and unbearable anger.


    * * *


    After the joint mission ended,


    In Constel''s private research room.


    "I''ll leave the supplies you mentioned here."


    "Oh, Edwin. Always thankful."


    Edwin ced a box full of various items on the desk.


    Teacher Binkis, who had sent him on the errand, was busy with her research.


    Binkis was a person very much like a researcher. To put it nicely.


    To speak inly, she was obsessed with her research.


    She''s a summoner.


    Her talent specializes in ''observation''. She watches and memorizes the techniques of others, and applies them to her own familiars.


    Her summoning structure is ''golem''.


    Since Binkis assembles and constructs her own familiars, it is possible for her to imitate the techniques of others.


    Binkis was currently in the process of creating a golem.


    This time, it wasn''t a familiar.


    She was creating a pure golem that could move on its own.


    "It''s a little different from what I''ve seen before."


    "Yeah, it''s a metal golem this time."


    A metal golem. In other words, metal.


    A very familiar material to Edwin, who was favored by Hephaestus. Plus, it''s a golem.


    Edwin looked at Binkis.


    "Is this, by any chance, for me?"


    "Well, you said you wanted to see a real metal golem, didn''t you? I''m also making this as a token of my gratitude for everything you''ve done for me."


    Professor Binkis smiled shyly.


    She was truly grateful to Edwin. His help had been a great asset to her.


    He was especially talented with metal, fire, and golems, and he often gave her advice.


    Edwin looked at the golem in awe.


    Then, next to the golem, he noticed a huge spear that matched its imposing size.


    "Is this golem supposed to use a spear?"


    "Yeah. You saw Azier using a spearst time, didn''t you? I was really impressed by that."


    Edwin clenched his fist at her words.


    Azier again.


    Azier, Frondier.


    The Roach family''s been getting on his nervestely.


    Edwin''s swordsmanship was average. Since he didn''t have a talent for it in the first ce, it was surprising that he was even at the second-year average.


    Edwin thought to himself that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be as skilled with a weapon as Azier, even if he trained with a sword until the day he died.


    But he didn''t despair. Edwin wasn''t particrly interested in fighting in the first ce. His specialty was metalworking and golems.


    However, golems required a lot of money just to attempt to make them. For him, a fallen noble, that amount of money felt like a distant dream.


    Edwin looked at the metal golem in silence.


    ''If I had the money, could I make a golem like this?''


    He was just looking at the golem with that thought in mind when it hit him.


    ''Huh?''


    Edwin stopped dead in his tracks.


    With his eyes that had been blessed by Hephaestus, he could see the structure of this metal golem at a nce. Everything from the joints, actuators, core, and mana circuits.


    ''...This golem.''


    And the many signs of ipletion that were visible to his eyes. One of those signs caught his eye in particr.


    ''It doesn''t have a master yet.''


    A golem, which must always follow orders, must be inscribed with a spell in its design to designate its master.


    That space was currently empty.


    ...In other words, if he wanted to, Edwin could be its master.


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 Chapter 19 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?After the joint mission was over.


    "Oops."


    As usual, on my way to the training room after ss, I spotted someone approaching from far down the corridor.


    A woman with long brown hair. Her gentle eyes had a calming effect on anyone who looked at her.


    The woman approached me with a smooth stride,


    And then she walked right past me.


    ''...What an odd person.''


    The number of students who have simply walked past me like this can be counted on one hand.With my bad reputation and the notoriety mixed in, it''s rare for anyone to just pass by.


    But this woman treated me with utter indifference.


    No, not indifference per se, it''s more like, how should I put it? It''s as if I didn''t even enter her field of perception.


    ''...Ah.''


    As I thought that far, I realized who she was.


    A memory clicked.


    Once I figured out who she was, a hollowugh escaped me.


    I felt somewhat foolish.


    "It''s Ellen."


    Aster Evans''s sister, Ellen Evans.


    She wasn''t indifferent or calm.


    She was just asleep.


    I scratched my head and headed to the training room.


    Ding-


    While I was taking a short break, my smartwatch buzzed.


    A quest notification.


    I guessed what this quest was about based on the timing.


    But I hoped it wasn''t that. Despite my hope, I opened my smartwatch to find,


    [Main Quest: Raid]


    - A massive invasion of monsters will ur in Constel. Be prepared.


    - If not properly dealt with, there''s a possibility of losing named characters.


    "Is this what you call a quest?"


    The quest description couldn''t be more straightforward. However, the reality is not that simple.


    The main quest of Constel, Raid.


    Exactly as it says. An event where monsters flood in like a tide, all of a sudden.


    Etius always demands a choice from the yer.


    An event is merely an incident that urs, and how to respond is up to the yer''s discretion.


    The same goes for this raid.


    You can kill the monsters indiscriminately, target only the important ones, or even just observe.


    Indeed, it''s entirely possible topletely avoid the Constel during the event if it reallyes to that.


    But there would be a price to pay.


    The quest explicitly states the possibility of losing named characters.


    "In the end, I need to be stronger."


    When I fought the Red Bear, I was lucky. Or should I even call that a fight?


    Knowing the habits of the Red Bear and being able to see its pre-attack movements, I knew it would roar. I managed to hit the bear in the eye with a thrown dagger, but that was all.


    If I were alone, I would have died right after that.


    Relying on improvisation like this won''t always work.


    Indeed, strategy is important, but I need to gain more experience inbat itself.


    "¡­Sigh."


    A sigh escapes me.


    In truth, I know how to solve this. But I''m not particrly keen on it.


    But there''s only one answer, and at worst, I''ll break even.


    "¡­Shall I go?"


    I stood up.


    * * *


    At that moment, in Professor Binkis''sboratory.


    Someone was crouching in front of theb, in a dark corridor void of any light.


    Covering his face with a hood, he looked around familiarly and used his ''divine power'' to unlock the hanging lock.


    To him, favored by Hephaestus, a metal lock was no different from an open door.


    Entering, he lit thentern he brought with him. A soft whoosh, the sound of the air being lightly consumed, and the surroundings brightened.


    Removing his hood, it was Edwin.


    Edwin slowly walked to his target location with thentern.


    "¡­Incredible."


    There was a golem. A Metal Golem, the work of Professor Binkis.


    Kneeling on one knee with a spear held upright, it resembled a sturdy knight.


    Having watched as Professor Binkis''s assistant, Edwin knew the golem wasplete.


    Swallowing dryly, Edwin''s eyes scanned the entire structure of the Metal Golem. As seen before, the master''s spot was still vacant.


    Edwin, as if drunk, extended his hand and flowed magic into it.


    ''¡­As expected, it''s encrypted.''


    The absence of the master''s presence did not mean the security was neglected.


    To gain ess, one had to bypass all sorts of security and codes known only to Professor Binkis.


    This was the first time Edwin hesitated. Up to this point, he could pass it off as mere curiosity, but tampering with the security would leave no room for excuses.


    However, his hesitation was brief, and his eyes shone even brighter.


    The structure of this golem, created by Binkis, was meticulous,plex, and sophisticated.


    To Edwin, it was simply beautiful.


    If he could make this golem his own.


    ¡®...Well, let¡¯s give it a try. What¡¯s the worst that could happen.¡¯


    Edwin began to disable the security. Like defusing a time bomb, he proceeded carefully and precisely. His speed and uracy were beyond even what Binkis could have predicted.


    But to prate the security, one needed more than great skill; one needed immense luck.


    No matter how urately one understood the structure, forcibly breaching the security required passing through multiple-choice barriers.


    Failure to pass would immediately lock down the securitypletely, and signal Professor Binkis.


    Navigating through this minefield, urately understanding the structure, and yet having to correctly guess on everything that one is forced to, presented an insurmountable difficulty.


    ©¤But could this be the work of a god?


    ¡°Done.¡±


    Edwin¡¯s hands stopped.


    Astonishingly, he had sessfully gained ownership rights to the golem.


    ¡°...Rise.¡±


    At hismand, the golem¡¯s eyes glowed red.


    It straightened its bent knees and faced Edwin with a dignified posture.


    Edwin¡¯s hands trembled.


    The knightly appearance of the golem was too beautiful, and the operation of the structure as interpreted by his eyes was even enchanting.


    ¡°Handle the spear.¡±


    The golem grabbed the spear, manipting it as easily as if it were a feather.


    Did this signify that it possessed the unique durability of metal, infused with the loyalty of a golem?


    Truly the ideal soldier.


    ¡°Good, return to your original position.¡±


    The golem obediently returned and knelt on one knee in its initial position.


    Its appearance was unchanged from before it was activated.


    ¡°Deactivate.¡±


    The light from the golem''s eyes vanished, and theboratory returned to utter silence.


    Red heat flushed Edwin''s face, illuminated by thentern light.


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 Chapter 19 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Right now, I was tasting the most tense atmosphere within the estate that I''ve felt in these past few days.


    Azier stood before me, looking at me with an expression far from pleased.


    Was it because I hade to his room so abruptly? But then again, why would I need to announce my visit to my brother''s room?


    "Teach you how to fight?"


    The maids around us tensed up at Azier''s icy voice.


    The solution to my problem was Azier. As far as I know, there are few better than him when ites tobat.


    Besides, he is my brother.


    ...However, I don''t know the character Azier very well.When I yed as Aster, none of mypanions were close to the Roach family.


    The existence of Enfer, who guards the border, and his son Azier were almost entirely known to me through rumors and gossip.


    That''s why I only started to look into the character Azier thesest few days.


    From what I''ve observed of Azier as a Frondier, he is cautious and cold, and with thates a lot of suspicion.


    His overly suspicious nature is what unsettled me the most.


    "Have you be impatient after receiving a warning from father?"


    Father''s warning. Was it about being in the top 10 overall rankings?


    While that''s important, the ''attack'' is even more pressing and crucial.


    "Go back. There is nothing I wish to teach you. Take responsibility for your idle life."


    Azier said so, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes.


    Is he nning to stay like that until I leave?


    Azier certainly doesn''t like me.


    Azier has talent, but he worked harder than anyone to catch up to father. His current skills weren''t gained easily.


    So it''s understandable that he has no fondness for a brother who has only beenzy.


    But then again, I''m not fond of being a Frondier either.


    It feels like I''m doing someone else''s piled-up homework for them. Or like I''ve be the new recruit tasked with cleaning up the mess left by a predecessor who bolted.


    "¡­How about this then?"


    In such situations, a neer has only two options.


    Either leave thepany like the predecessor did.


    "If we spar and I manage tond even a single strike, would you teach me?"


    Or prove to be better than the predecessor.


    Azier''s eyes opened.


    Just that made the room''s temperature seem to drop.


    The maid standing nearby was literally shivering.


    "What gain is there for me in doing such a thing?"


    "I know I''m a thorn in your side, brother."


    "Watch your words."


    "If things continue as they are, I won''t make it into the top ten and will be expelled. So,"


    I took a deep breath.


    "If I can''tnd a single strike, I''ll leave of my own ord."


    I stepped out into the mansion''s backyard with Azier. All the servants were sent away.


    In the silent surroundings, Azier and I faced each other.


    Azier held a mock spear, that is, a staff, and looked at me coldly.


    His gaze was filled with difort towards me.


    "Your arrogance reaches the sky, Frondier."


    Arrogance. To think my challenge tond a strike is seen as arrogance.


    But Azier''s judgment is correct.


    Even if it were not me, but any decent student from Constel, they wouldn''t be able to touch even a hair on Azier.


    The only advantage is that I am not the real Frondier.


    The fact that there''s no information on me is my only chance.


    ''Just once.''


    I tightened my grip on the mock daggers in my hands.


    I can''t drag this out. If I do, I''ll lose anyway.


    Having never faced Azier in the game, I only know about him from what other yers have shared. His specialties, habits, patterns, that''s about it.


    But Azier is no monster. He''s human. I can''t expect a fixed pattern.


    So, what I can do is to force him into that pattern.


    "Come at me. I''ll give you the first move-"


    I threw the dagger before Azier could finish his sentence.


    Azier''s hand, holding a staff, moved reflexively.


    Thunk, my dagger was easily blocked.


    After throwing the dagger, I was already charging towards Azier.


    There was another dagger.


    "Hup!"


    In the moment Azier deflected the thrown dagger, I stabbed in with a second one.


    In that brief moment, though not quite audible.


    "¡­Haa."


    It seemed like I could hear Azier''s bored sigh.


    <i>Azier''s unique spear technique</i>


    <i>Falling Edge</i>


    The moment my dagger met the tip of Azier''s staff,


    There was no sound at all.


    Azier''s perfect control of force had silently brought both weapons together.


    Immediately after, a dry sound was heard,


    Whirling-


    My dagger was sent flying.


    This was Azier''s technique, Falling Edge.


    A nearly mystical technique that disarms the opponent''s weapon.


    "How pathetic, Frondier."


    Azier lightly swung his staff, positioning its tip to his lower left.


    Azier''s signature move, ''Diagonal sh,'' wasing.


    <i>Azier''s spear technique basics</i>


    <i>Chapter 3</i>


    <i>Diagonal sh</i>


    At this moment, having lost my second dagger, I waspletely unarmed.


    Even knowing the attack, there was nothing I could do.


    ©¤That''s what Azier thought.


    My strategy worked.


    The moment Azier raised his staff diagonally upwards.


    Thud.


    My ''single strike'' hit Azier''s head.


    Abruptly.


    With that, Azier''s staff came to a halt, right beside my temple.


    "¡­?"


    Azier stopped his staff because he realized he was hit on the head.


    However, it seemed he couldn''t understand why he allowed me to strike him.


    My ''strike'' rolled to the side.


    It was a dagger. The third illusion dagger.


    "I have won."

 Chapter 20 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

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    The reason I, who only had two daggers, am now holding a third one.


    That''s because the second dagger, which Azier made me drop by using ''falling edge'', was a fake made by ''weaving''.


    Weapons made by weaving cannot interfere with reality.


    In other words, I can hold a real weapon and a weapon made by weaving in one hand. Because a weapon made by weaving can pass through objects.


    The dagger that Azier discarded was the one I had made with weave.


    The moment the two made contact, my weave, which had appeared in reality, was blown away by Azier''s falling edge, but I still had the real dagger in my hand.


    I threw that dagger at Azier''s head.''That was dangerous¡­.''


    I said it calmly, but cold sweat was pouring down my face.


    I threw the dagger the moment Azier took a stance, but I almost ended up being slower than Azier.


    Honestly, at the end, the fatal blow waspletely invisible to my eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡­How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    I yed dumb. I couldn''t exin weave.


    However, Azier, who I thought would be upset, nodded as if he understood.


    ¡°I see. It must have been because you had such a secret technique up your sleeve that you challenged me. It was presumptuous of me to ask you to reveal it.¡±


    Azier said that and looked at me.


    His gaze seemed gentler than before the fight.


    ¡­Azier de Roachch.


    He is strict with others, but even more strict with himself.


    ¡°I lost, Frondier. I will teach you ''battle technique''.¡±


    Just like that.


    I barely managed to secure a way to improve mybat abilities through sheer luck.


    ¡­Things worked out well, didn''t they?


    * * *


    The next day, Edwin was walking through the campus grounds when he heard faint whispers.


    ¡°Is that him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think that''s him.¡±


    He had been hearing whispers for a while now, but he didn''t think they were directed at him.


    ¡°Didn''t a first-year save him when he almost died?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the second son of the Roach family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Edwin turned his head in the direction of the voices. The gossiping students pretended not to see him.


    However, the taunts directed at him continued.


    ''What the hell.''


    It wasn''t that Edwin had done something more shameful than the other students. He was just an easy target.


    Edwin, the son of a fallen noble, had no ce among either themoners or the nobles.


    To themoners who resented the nobles, he was the easiest target.


    ''¡­If I activate the golem right here and now.''


    What would happen?


    It was a masterpiece that Professor Binkis had created through his dedicated research.


    Only a handful of students would be able to deal with it properly.


    There would definitely be a bloodbath.


    Students nearby wouldn''t even leave a mark, and even if they ran, one by one,


    "Hey."


    "Gah!"


    Edwin was startled.


    When he turned his head, Ellen was looking at him.


    "What are you standing there for?"


    "Oh, nothing."


    Ellen''s voice snapped Edwin back to reality.


    ''What am I thinking.''


    Such crazy thoughts.


    Lately, it''s been hard to control my anger.


    Is it because I have this powerful weapon called a golem?


    No, if I trace it back, did it start when I met Frondier?


    ...Are you suffering from such an inferiorityplex, Edwin.


    "Are you on your way to eat? Let''s go together."


    "Oh, okay."


    Edwin followed behind Ellen.


    The Evans family,moners but renowned due to the younger brother Aster. The Behetorio family, nobles but fallen due to business failures andck of talent.


    Thus, the rtionship between Ellen and Edwin is both close and distant.


    They have known each other since the first year.


    Ellen''s brother Aster aside, Edwin can open up to only a few people like her.


    "...Ah, really."


    Ellen''s eyes darkened as they walked.


    She heard mocking whispers about Edwin.


    "So that''s why you were standing like that earlier."


    "...Yeah, something like that."


    Edwin honestly admitted.


    "Ignore them. Idiots put all their effort into acting like idiots. They need a target for their anger."


    "I need one too. A target for my anger."


    "...Edwin."


    Ellen looked at Edwin. Her gaze was as cold as it was serious.


    A clear warning.


    "Hey, fallen noble sir."


    A smug voice hit Edwin''s ears at a very bad time.


    Edwin turned his head, anger on his face, and saw a familiar face.


    Gary tt. The representative of themoners'' group.


    "Gary. Don''t start trouble and just go."


    Ellen spoke up to Gary first. Normally, she would have left it alone.


    Edwin would have handled the situation himself. But today, Edwin was off.


    "...Gary. Is it your doing, the kids whispering? Did you say something to themoners'' group?"


    "Commoners'' group? Call it ''October''. And what do I have to do with it? It''s your doing. You did something pathetic. Idiot."


    Gary kept provoking Edwin.


    However, Edwin soon turned his anger elsewhere and closed his eyes.


    Seeing this, Gary''s eyes twitched.


    That''s what Edwin does when he''s trying to control his anger.


    Tsk, Gary clicked his tongue.


    This poor noble, if anything, must be recognized for his patience.


    "Gary."


    But today,


    For today, Edwin and Gary were on the same page.


    "When do you want to die?"

 Chapter 20 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few dayster.


    Edwin arrived at the designated ce at the designated time.


    The golem was by his side. He had no intention of using it, but he couldn''t be sure how the others would react.


    And his expectation was right on target.


    "What? Look at this?"


    Gary said in a mocking tone.


    It wasn''t just Gary at the meeting ce. A group of about six students - probablymoners - were waiting for him.


    "Bringing something so peculiar with you?""If peculiar is what you brought, then your entourage is no different."


    Edwin smirked at the students surrounding them.


    Gary shrugged his shoulders.


    "These folks are just spectators. It''d be too boring if it were just the two of us fighting. Someone has to watch, right?"


    Sarcasm was evident on Gary''s face.


    When Edwin chose the location, he hoped that no one would see them.


    So, he picked a clearing where ordinary people wouldn''t normally go.


    Therefore, Gary had deliberately gathered an audience. He didn''t think for a moment that he would lose.


    ''Well, it doesn''t matter.''


    He didn''t choose this ce out of fear of losing. He simply hoped for ''no eyes'' to witness.


    Edwin drew his sword. It goes without saying, it was a real sword.


    Gary also drew his sword.


    "I''ll forgive you if you beg for your life now."


    "......"


    Gary has never killed a person.


    He has no intention of doing so.


    However, swordsmanship can clearly demonstrate its highs and lows without necessarily killing.


    A single blow should make him understand.


    At that, both moved simultaneously.


    Gary''s sword drew a vertical line, and Edwin deflected the de at an angle while his sword''s tip aimed for Gary''s neck.


    "Ah!"


    Gary barely managed to dodge by bending his body.


    Edwin''s movement was clean, as if he knew Gary''s first move.


    He actually predicted it. Moves be easier to read the more predictable they are.


    Gary might have some experience with a sword, but he doesn''tpare to Edwin, who has been trained by his family.


    A few sounds of metal and wind, and as expected, Gary was being pushed back.


    Edwin''s offensive swordy prevented Gary fromunching any counterattacks.


    It was a disy of offense serving as the best defense.


    "This, damn it!"


    Gary forcefully swung his sword.


    ng! Edwin''s shoulder opened up, exposing his chest.


    ''A gap!''


    Gary''s thought was instantaneous, and the thrusting sword was even faster.


    ''Now.''


    But the gap he found wasn''t really one.


    Edwin read Gary''s rushed attack and deliberately opened his body, dodging the thrust by turning his back and spinning around.


    The end of this spin is Gary''s neck. Of course, Edwin nned to stop before that.


    However,


    "Ugh!"


    While Edwin dodged Gary''s stab perfectly, he got hit by something and ended up losing his bnce.


    ''This is wind magic, ''Gathering Wind''¡­¡­!''


    There''s no way Gary can use magic while fighting.


    Edwin looked around. Among the watching students, there are a few who are reaching out to him and muttering something.


    ''Hah.''


    Although he had expected it, Edwin still felt disgusted.


    He stepped back and somehow regained his bnce.


    However, Edwin didn''t have the skill to block Gary''s attack while being held back by the students.


    Thud


    In the end, he fell and a knife went into his neck.


    "......Damn."


    Gary cursed even though he won.


    "Damn it. How dare youe here alone? Was I really funny? You son of a b*tch."


    "......You named themoners'' group ''October'' on your own and imed to be its representative."


    Edwin looked at Gary.


    He won, and even though he''s looking down on him, Gary''s face was flushed with humiliation.


    "I thought you''d have that much pride. You crippled bastard."


    "......You''ll be buried in the Constel. You crippled bastard who picked a fight and lost to amoner. It''ll suit you very well, a ruined noble."


    "Do whatever the hell you want."


    Edwin bowed his head.


    Is my mouth getting worse because my body is not in good shape?


    What about that jerk?


    "Damn¡­¡­."


    Gary spat out another curse, still angry, and his eyes went to the sword Edwin was holding.


    "Hey. Drop that sword and go. I''ll sell it."


    "Don''t touch my sword."


    Edwin growled fiercely.


    Okay. Gary turned his gaze to the spectators who were watching.


    "Hey. Take that sword away."


    The surrounding students slowly approached.


    He tried to get up, but stopped again when Gary''s sword thrust toward his neck.


    "Stay still. If you don''t want to lose."


    Only then did a smile appear on Gary''s face, as if he was feeling a little better.


    ''©¤©¤Ah.''


    He felt the urge to vomit.


    ''What are they doing? Why am I like this? Do I need to stay still like this?''


    He had tried to have a fair match in his own way. Even if it didn''t turn out that way, he still admitted defeat.


    But to have his sword taken away?


    Behetorio, suddenly fell one day.


    ......He did nothing wrong.


    The nobles'' power caused themoners to rebel.


    ¡­¡­It had nothing to do with him.


    - Turn it all upside down. Damn it.


    When he reached that thought.


    Above his head, he heard a thud.


    "......Huh?"


    What Edwin saw was the cold arm of the golem, lifted high, gripping Gary''s lower jaw.


    Gary''s face was twisted as if crumpled paper, starting from below his philtrum.


    ''The, the jawbone...''


    Shattered. With a single squeeze of the golem''s hand.


    "Keu... keuk, kerk."


    No proper sound came from Gary''s mouth.


    Tears streamed down his face as he dangled helplessly in the grip of the golem.


    "What, what is that!"


    "Run!"


    The students immediately turned and fled upon witnessing the golem''s actions.


    Edwin found himself reaching out involuntarily.


    ''No, if they go now.''


    They''ll discover about this golem.


    Even Professor Binkis.


    Just thinking that.


    The golem set Gary down and leapt.


    With that single bound, it caught up to the fleeing students in an instant.


    The sound of one-sided violence. Thud, thump.


    After a brief moment, all the students who had been here were down, sitting copsed, or stuck somewhere.


    And the golem stood still, as if nothing had happened, just following orders.


    ''Could it be...''


    Surely, they aren''t dead?


    Fortunately, the golem hadn''t used a spear.


    That could be taken as proof it hadn''t killed, but Edwin couldn''t bring himself to check.


    His hands were trembling. That tremor soon took over his whole body. Even trying to stand from his crouched position was difficult.


    The sky, no, the ground was spinning. Everything in front of him was pitch ck as if it had flipped over.


    "Go, golem. Come here."


    The golem immediately stood by his side.


    First, this must be hidden.


    Even if the people here wake up and tell someone else, if there''s no physical golem, their story loses credibility.


    In this case, it''s fortunate they''re part of a group called ''October''. There''s a chance people will believe they concocted and spread false rumors.


    If so, this incident might at most be categorized as ''manughter''.


    ...That is, if they''re all still alive.


    But if the golem is discovered, it''s a different story.


    He''d be stripped of his ownership of the golem, used of starting trouble with Gary, and ofmitting violence against members of ''October''.


    By all appearances, what he did was premeditated crime.


    ''Hurry, to Professor Binkis''b.''


    The way from here to theb?


    ...It''s not feasible.


    Since it involves passing several facilities popr among students, the chance of not being seen by anyone is slim.


    ''I have to hide until night.''


    Somewhere other than here.


    Anywhere, as long as the people here can''t find him once they wake up.


    "¡­Let''s go."

 Chapter 21 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡­¡­And so.


    Until nightfall, Edwin hid in the nearby bushes.


    There had been no movement within the Constel to find him yet.


    Calming his hurried heart, Edwin waited persistently.


    Then, in the silent darkness when the students had gone home for the evening.


    Staying here any longer could risk being discovered by other staff or the custodians. Edwin decided to move.


    "Follow me."


    The ground cracked open, and dirt poured out as the golem buried beneath rose to its feet.Cleaning its dirtied body was a thought forter; such concerns were secondary at the moment.


    Edwin moved swiftly, cautious of being pursued.


    He judged it better to make some noise than to encounter anyone at all.


    His judgement was urate, up until they passed in front of the training room.


    ¡°¡­Huh!¡±


    Edwin saw someoneing out of the entrance to the training room.


    He quickly looked around, but there was no ce to hide.


    ¡®Wait, hold on.¡¯


    Focusing his vision, Edwin saw the figure emerging from the training room entrance.


    It was Ellen.


    Her eyes were open, but her face was expressionless, her focus distant.


    ¡®¡­She¡¯s sleepwalking.¡¯


    Ellen¡¯s somnambulism was well-known within the Constel. Edwin, being her friend, of course knew this.


    She ims it¡¯s not sleepwalking, but rather an efficient way to handle sleep and activities simultaneously, but to others, it looks no different.


    ¡®Lucky. Let¡¯s pass by carefully.¡¯


    Ellen in this state wouldn¡¯t wake up easily. She¡¯d naturally wake up if she sensed danger, but there was no need to disturb her now.


    Edwin held his breath, reducing the sound of his footsteps to the minimum, slowly distancing himself from Ellen¡¯s path.


    The golem, being louder than Edwin, couldn¡¯t be allowed to move much. Still, it wouldn¡¯t collide with Ellen.


    Step by step, the distance between Edwin and Ellen closed. Edwin watched her, his gaze frozen as she approached.


    Ellen slowly walked towards where Edwin was,


    and then passed by.


    ¡®¡­Phew.¡¯


    He let out a silent sigh.


    ¡®Good, from here to theb will be quick.¡¯


    Just as Edwin was about to move again,


    Ellen, who was leaving his field of view, briefly caught his attention.


    Edwin froze.


    Ellen was, standing there.


    Steps that must be walked.


    A sleep from which one will never awaken.


    If she doesn''t sense the crisis, she just has to go her own way. But she stopped.


    Her back turned, her body was now facing sideways.


    A voice slowly trickling out as she tilted her head.


    ¡°¡­¡­The smell of blood.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Edwin gasped.


    Ellen¡¯s focus returned. Her eyes sank deeply.


    She looked straight at Edwin.


    ¡°¡­¡­You.¡±


    Ellen looked at Edwin¡¯s face.


    It was not clear due to the darkness, but the air around her told her that his expression had frozen coldly.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Edwin did not answer. Instead, he took a step back.


    Ellen¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight.


    ¡°What¡¯s that next to you?¡±


    Ellen took a step towards Edwin.


    Her right hand was already on the handle of the sword worn on her waist.


    Ellen nced at the golem standing beside Edwin.


    ¡°Yours?¡±


    A high-ss metal, an incredibly high level ofpletion, overflowing mana.


    There was no way that Edwin made this thing.


    His knowledge and skill were not the issue; it was the facilities and funding.


    ¡°I smell blood from it.¡±


    Ellen¡¯s steps were not hesitant.


    As she gradually closed the distance between her and Edwin, she saw fear in Edwin¡¯s expression.


    Surely, this couldn¡¯t be.


    ¡°¡­¡­Did you kill someone with that thing?¡±


    ¡°N, no!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you trembling like a dog that has taken a dump?¡±


    Hostility bloomed from Ellen¡¯s body.


    Ellen could forgive Edwin for almost any mistake. She was Edwin¡¯s friend and trusted him, but if he killed someone, and it was a murder using a golem, and he was trying to hide it on top of that.


    ¡°Edwin, I¡¯ll ask again.¡±


    Ellen drew her sword.


    The de, reflecting the moonlight sharply, was as cold as her eyes.


    ¡°What did you do with that thing?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I just thought about it.¡±


    Edwin¡¯s gaze wandered around as if he was avoiding something.


    ¡°I just thought that I shouldn¡¯t be caught, but this golem attacked the ¡®October¡¯ guys on its own¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Killed them on its own?¡±


    ¡°No! It didn¡¯t kill them!¡±


    ¡°Can you guarantee that?¡±


    Edwin kept his mouth shut.


    Ellen''s eyes turned icily cold.


    "Whose golem is that?"


    "¡­¡­."


    "Taking something that isn''t yours, using it to assault someone, not even checking if they''re dead before running away, and then trying to hide the golem?"


    Each of Ellen''s words was like a dagger, piercing Edwin.


    Edwin bit his lip, unable to make any excuses.


    "Have you truly fallen so low, Edwin?"


    "¡­¡­! Don''t talk to me like that-!"


    With a whoosh, the golem charged towards Ellen, gripping its spear with both hands and shing horizontally.


    Ellen stepped back with a nimble move.


    "¡­¡­Edwin."


    "¡­¡­."


    Edwin, too shocked, could only stare nkly.


    Had the attack connected, Ellen would have surely died.


    Did I really want that?


    Even the shadows at his feet, bathed in moonlight, seemed to swirl. The darkness felt as if it was crawling up from the ground, invading him.


    "Really, the golem moves just by thinking about it. That''s a bit too much."


    The recent attack from the golem had, instead, calmed Ellen.


    Her thoughts had slightly changed.


    ©¤That golem is not normal.


    Edwin wouldn''t really think of killing her. Even if he did, this kind of attack isn''t like Edwin.


    If that expression isn''t an act, then even he is surprised by the golem''s movement.


    "Edwin, stop the golem."


    "What, what?"


    "Deactivate it. You don''t want to make more mistakes, do you?"


    "That''s, that''s right."


    Edwin came to his senses.


    Yes, just deactivate it. Then the golem wouldn''t move on its own as if reading his thoughts anymore.


    Why hadn''t he thought of this before?


    Edwin extended his hand towards the golem and-


    ¡­¡­still not fully regained his senses, looked at Ellen.


    "¡­¡­Ellen."


    "Why?"


    "Are you going to tell someone else?"

 Chapter 21 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­¡­."


    Ellen found Edwin''s current state strangely unfamiliar, to the point of difort.


    Where had the righteous and strong-willed Edwin she knew gone?


    Though a bit timid, he was deeply considerate, never one to fall, even if his posture involuntarily lowered.


    Where is Edwin, who wouldn''t even nce at a method that slightly deviates from the norm?


    "¡­Edwin."


    "Answer me!"


    "¡­""If this golem had killed someone, I would be done for. It''s dangerous enough having stolen the golem, but if it killed someone, I, I would bepletely finished."


    Edwin had already withdrawn his hand that was extended towards the golem.


    He had no intention of releasing it.


    Instead, Edwin tried to persuade Ellen.


    "Just, let it slide."


    "¡­"


    "We''re friends, Ellen. You know what happens to me if this gets out. Please don''t make me out to be a murderer."


    Ellen slowly, and deeply, closed her eyes at those words.


    Ah.


    Edwin von Behetorio. You really have changed.


    "Whether you''re a murderer or not isn''t for me to decide. We don''t even know if those people are truly dead or not."


    "Right? So."


    "And,"


    Ellen gripped her sword and assumed her stance. Further conversation was pointless.


    "It''s not for you to decide either, Edwin."


    With those words, Ellen''s demeanor fully enteredbat mode.


    Edwin watched her nkly.


    The Ellen from moments ago, thoughposed, was at least angry with him, her friend.


    Criticism and advice towards a friend. That was her form of coldness.


    But now, Ellen had shed all such personal feelings. She simply regarded Edwin as an enemy.


    "¡­Ellen!!!"


    As Edwin shouted, the golem stamped the ground in response.


    Its hefty body lunged towards Ellen like an arrow.


    A sharp thrust.


    Ellen dodged it and found an opening.


    ''¡­Tsk.''


    The golem''s spear technique was precise.


    The gap that followed its thrust disappeared as soon as she dodged it.


    ''So it is a golem after all. It doesn''t trust in its own durability or defense. It just acts ording to what it''s been programmed to do.''


    If the golem had been a living creature, it might have easily found such a gap. Strong beings often rely on their strength.


    ''My chances of winning are slim. This golem is probably the work of some master.''


    As a swordsman, Ellen ranks among the top ss in the entire Constel. That''s why her brother, Aster, has never beaten her in a mock battle.


    Her swordsmanship wasn''t inferior to the golem''s spear technique.


    It was just a matter of strength.


    Even if the golem focused solely on defense, it could easily block Ellen''s mana-charged attacks with room to spare.


    Even if she found an opening and struck, it was uncertain whether she could inflict significant damage.


    ''I need to finish this quickly.''


    While she still had enough mana.


    She needed tond a critical hit with just one attack.


    Kwoong!


    The golem pursued Ellen with its heavy steps.


    Having made up her mind, Ellen switched to defense.


    She sought an opening in the golem''s attacks, aiming for a single strike.


    Ellen dodged nimbly, but the golem followed persistently.


    With every roll of its foot, the golem flying through the air was enough to make anyone watching dizzy.


    But if it''s an opponent that moves exactly as programmed,


    ¡°Huh.¡±


    Ellen slightly lowered her sword from her torso.


    A deliberately created opening.


    An opening too obvious for a human, but the golem would undoubtedly attack it because it was programmed to do so.


    Whoosh, with the sound of the wind draped over its shoulder, the golem swung its spear from top to bottom.


    Ellen faced her de forward, colliding its edge with the spear.


    As the spear and de met, her eyes sparkled.


    <i>Evans family''s martial arts.</i>


    <i>Ellen Evans'' unique sword technique.</i>


    <i>One Strike.</i>


    Her sword, wrapped in aura, climbed up the spear shaft, drawing a straight line.


    At the end of this trajectory was the golem''s neck.


    A single straight line, reaching there as if measured with a ruler, extends cleanly.


    ''It''s done...!''


    Tang!


    However, the trajectory was diverted midway.


    Ellen lost her grip on the sword.


    A technique that lightly diverted the force entered into the spear, then caused rotation and impact simultaneously to neutralize the opponent''s attack. Ellen had seen this almost mystical technique before.


    ¡®...This technique, it¡¯s Senior Azier¡¯s,¡¯


    Her thought was fleeting.


    Having lost her sword, she had no way to block the golem''s attack.


    The golem quickly pulled its spear back, piercing Ellen in an instant.


    "Kugh!"


    Ellen twisted her body with all her might.


    A long wound opened on her side. She rolled on the ground from the force, the taste of dirt almost reaching her mouth before being overwhelmed by the taste of blood.


    "Ellen! Give up!!"


    Edwin''s voice could be heard from afar.


    Damn it.


    A trusted friend, now suddenly gone crazy. That alone had banished all sleep that had been guing her until now.


    And there was a pain in her side too.


    "Ellen!!"


    As if responding to Edwin''s call, the golem slowly approached.


    Its spear pointed downward, aimed at her as shey on the ground.


    When the golem stood before her, the spear was already high above her, like a guillotine.


    ''Edwin. I never thought you''de to this.''


    If Ellen really were to die here.


    Then Edwin would cross a point of no return.


    Such a foolish man.


    The golem, without waiting for Edwin''smand, dropped its spear.


    Ellen closed her eyes.


    ©¤©¤ng, suddenly, a metallic sound rang out.


    "......What?"


    When Ellen opened her eyes, the golem''s spear had missed her and was embedded in the ground.


    Why?


    Ellen couldn''t understand for a moment.


    Was the trajectory of the spear disturbed? How?


    It seemed reasonable to assume something was thrown, but there was nothing around. The golem itself seemed perplexed.


    The golem shifted its gaze somewhere and,


    Thud!


    Its jaw was struck.


    Crack!


    ng!


    With each harsh metallic sound, the golem''s head swayed to and fro.


    Clearly, as if it had been hit by something.


    Something invisible to Ellen''s eyes repeatedlyshed the golem''s face.


    "What, what is it! Golem! Come here!"


    Edwin, feeling uneasy about the unknown attack, called the golem back.


    The golem leaped to Edwin''s side.


    And then, a strange voice from afar.


    "Phew, the distance has increased. Training paid off."


    Ellen looked in the direction the voice came from.


    There was a man.


    He seemed to have arrived in haste, his shoulders heaving, his first uttered voice mixed with rough breaths.


    His eyes, reflected by the moonlight, looked at Ellen.


    A relieved smile. That slight grin brightened the evening''s darkness.


    ''......Ah.''


    Though it was an inappropriate thought in this urgent situation.


    Ellen found herself thinking.


    ''I thought we would meet someday.''


    And here we are.


    Frondier de Roach.

 Chapter 22 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The throwing distance of the dagger woven from the weaving has increased.


    The situation was so urgent that I threw it for the time being and fortunately, it reached it in ¡®reality¡¯.


    If I hade out of the training room a little earlier, I would have been able to try it more safely.


    ¡®But, what is that?¡¯


    With its enormous body and metal armor wrapped around it, it¡¯s definitely a metal golem.


    I looked at Edwin.


    From a distance, it seemed like Edwin was the golem¡¯s master.


    ¡°¡­¡­Senior Edwin.¡±


    ¡°Frondier.¡±The voice calling out my name is somehow dry.


    As if it holds all the resentment in the world, he calls out my name.


    ¡°You again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve met you.¡±


    I approached Ellen, somewhat wary of Edwin.


    I knelt down and examined her condition. There was a wound on her side.


    ¡°Did Senior Edwin do this?¡±


    At my words, Ellen blinked her drowsy eyes a few times.


    I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s sleepy or tired.


    ¡°¡­¡­The golem did it.¡±


    ¡°Senior Edwin is the one controlling the golem.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. Sorry.¡±


    What are you sorry for.


    I stood up.


    Edwin¡¯s mes of anger were still directed solely at me. As if I were thest piece of the puzzle that he¡¯d arbitrarily put together.


    ¡®¡­¡­No, don¡¯t tell me.¡¯


    Edwin¡¯s surroundings are tinged with purple. It¡¯s blooming from his body like a haze.


    I know what that is.


    In Etius, where there aren¡¯t many special privileges for yers, it¡¯s one of the few things that differentiates them.


    A purple haze that only yers can see.


    It¡¯s proof that a character has been ¡®corrupted¡¯.


    ¡®This, damn it.¡¯


    Why did Edwin be ¡®corrupted¡¯?


    He was a person who had never been like that, not even once.


    During the countless times that I yed the game, he always stood up and restored the honor and glory of his family.


    That golem, if he¡¯d had just two more years, he would have been able to create it with his own skills.


    The current Edwin¡¯s appearance is too unfamiliar to me.


    If I were to guess the reason, there is only one thing.


    ¡®¡­¡­Me.¡¯


    A character that doesn''t exist no matter how many times I y.


    Frondier.


    Is the existence known as Frondier de Roach causing Edwin von Behetorio''s corruption?


    "Frondier. That golem isn''t Edwin''s. Edwin is being controlled by the golem."


    "I get it, so take a rest."


    Listening to the voice struggling with pain is difficult.


    ''Being controlled by the golem.'' So, does this mean the golem''s movements aren''t of Edwin''s own volition?


    "Senior Edwin."


    "...Why?"


    "Can you control that golem?"


    "Of course."


    As if to prove his answer, the metal golem moved.


    The golem indeed seemed loyal to Edwin''smands. No, loyal to his will?


    As someone who just intervened, I don''t know why they were fighting.


    But still.


    "...Senior, have you killed someone with that?"


    At my question, Edwin''s eyes darkened.


    Of course, they would. Even hearing it makes me feel bad, but it''s a question that must be asked.


    "...This guy and that guy, damn, that question about killing someone...!"


    As expected. Ellen had asked as well.


    "What would you do if I had killed someone?"


    "..."


    "What would you do, you little shit!!"


    Whoosh, the golem took off.


    Its approach, swinging a spear at me, reminded me of a spinning top with a scythe attached.


    But more sinister than that.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop No. 13</i>


    <i>Grade - Rare</i>


    <i>Bastard, the Lion''s Greatsword</i>


    I unfolded the Weaving and gripped the Bastard Sword with both hands.


    Such a brutish attack couldn''t be blocked with a smaller weapon.


    At the moment of impact, the weakness of Weaving, if notpletely parried, it vanishes, and I die.


    "Ugh!"


    ng-!


    I parried the golem''s spear, and my weapon vanished at that moment.


    The golem, not understanding why its spear was blocked.


    Until now, it had been hit in the face several times with a dagger made through Weaving, but golems naturallyck learning ability.


    So,


    ng!


    ng!


    I hurled a dagger I wove at his face.


    "If you don''t learn, just keep getting hit. I''ll beat you into a rag."


    But he advanced little by little.


    Since I can only weave one at a time, he gets closer during those gaps.


    ''I should have practiced weaving two weapons.''


    Regret alwayses toote.

 Chapter 22 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Ellen checked her wounded abdomen. The bleeding had stopped, and the pain had eased a bit.


    Her trained body and umted mana diligently healed her.


    With a bit of leeway, she watched the battle of Frondier.


    ''I should let him escape...''


    Why is Frondier helping? He doesn''t know me.


    Even if he did, there''s no reason to risk his life.


    She had heard a bit about Frondier from her younger brother, Aster.


    He said that Frondier was much more diligent and decent than his reputation as a ''human sloth''.But from Ellen''s point of view, it wasn''t a very credible statement.


    After all, Aster felt indebted to Frondier because of the Mistilteinn incident.


    However, she knew nothing about hisbat ability.


    If the rumors that he sleeps through sses and tries to skip practical and field lessons are true, he doesn''t seem like he''d be good inbat.


    Even now, Frondier''s movements against the golemcked organization.


    But, why.


    ''How is he blocking it?''


    Frondier is empty-handed. Yet, every time he swings his hands, the golem''s spear is deflected, and the golem''s head reels.


    At first, I thought of ''invisibility''¡ªhiding one''s weapon with magic. It''s certainly a difficult technique, but worth it.


    ''...But then, how did he save me?''


    He threw ''something'' to fend off the spear thrust at her.


    I''m not sure what it was, but presumably, a throwing dagger?


    And he keeps throwing them incessantly, as if there''s no limit to the number.


    Even as she thought this, this time he seemed to be clutching something in both hands, swinging it around. He uses it to block the golem''s spear.


    And sometimes, he inflicts wounds on the golem''s waist or legs from a very close distance.


    Dagger? Spear? Greatsword?


    It''s frustrating enough not being able to see it, but its length is also iprehensible.


    "...What a pity."


    Yet, Ellen anticipated Frondier''s defeat.


    It might seem like Frondier is aggressively attacking, but all those attacks are meaningless to the golem.


    If such actions were repeated hundreds of thousands of times, maybe the golem would fall. However, Frondier''s stamina would run out first.


    ''If only he had mastered the "Aura," he might have had a chance to defeat the golem.''


    "...Sigh."


    Ellen took a deep breath. Thankfully, Frondier was buying time.


    She needed to recover quickly to create an opportunity for Frondier to escape, herself included if possible.


    It didn''t seem like Frondier would suddenly be in trouble from the looks of it.


    "...That spear technique."


    Just then, she heard Frondier''s muttering.


    Feeling a sense of ominousness in his voice, Ellen looked up at the golem.


    The golem stopped its blind offensive and assumed a stance.


    It slowly swung its spear from that stance.


    Though it seemed slow at first nce, every movement was powerful, tracing a cunning trajectory that was difficult for the opponent to easily pierce through.


    "...The spear technique of Azier."


    Ellen bit her lip.


    As expected, the golem was mimicking the spear technique of Azier.


    Frondier''s hand moved again. An invisible throwing weapon.


    ng, but this time it was blocked by the golem''s spear.


    The golem didn''t see and block Frondier''s weapon. The moving spear''s trajectory simply didn''t allow the dagger to prate.


    Targeting between those trajectories might allow for an attack, but stopping the golem now was impossible.


    "Frondier! Just die quietly!"


    Edwin''s shout could be heard.


    Ellen took a slow breath in and slowly exhaled.


    With that one breath, she collected a piece of her stamina.


    ***


    Edwin¡¯s murderous intent toward me is definitely real.


    It¡¯s strange. Everything else seems to have been a mistake, but the only thing directed at me is murderous intent.


    Does my conduct provoke that level of anger?


    ¡®Moreover.¡¯


    Since a while ago, Edwin¡¯s ¡®corruption¡¯ miasma has seemed off.


    I couldn¡¯t see it through the game, or perhaps it was because it was a game that I couldn¡¯t see it.


    That purple miasma seemed to have some kind of form.


    Almost like a human. Like something resembling a human.


    I felt as if there was someone behind Edwin¡¯s back.


    Swish!


    I narrowly dodged the tip of the spear and retreated.


    I would have died here if I had been even a bit slower.


    This golem is imitating Azier¡¯s spearmanship, but it¡¯s still rough around the edges. To put it in gaming terms, the coding is iplete. It uses techniques depending on the conditions, but those conditions are still simple.


    ¡°Frondier!!¡±


    I hear Edwin¡¯s voice.


    It¡¯s still filled with fury.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already killed someone! Since I¡¯ve already killed once, what difference does it make if I add one more to the tally!¡±


    His voice is like a desperate confession.


    Meanwhile, the golem continues to swing its spear toward me.


    If he ns to distract me with his voice, it¡¯s really a greatbo.


    ¡°If you came here with the half-baked resolve that I wouldn¡¯t kill you¡­!¡±


    Ugh, shut up. I¡¯m busy enough as it is.


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying! No one¡¯s dead!!¡±


    ng!


    I shouted and swung my ymore.


    It¡¯s starting to take some effort to deflect the golem¡¯s spear. It¡¯s also dangerous to continue depleting my mana like this.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Edwin seemed rather flustered by my shouts and stuttered his words.


    ¡°You confirmed that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to confirm something like that!¡±


    What incident happened? Or what exactly is it that¡¯s caused Ellen and Edwin to fight? Why does Edwin think he¡¯s killed someone?


    I don¡¯t know any of that.


    But.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you could have killed someone!¡±


    I know Edwin von Behetorio.


    The purple miasma is proof of corruption.


    Nothing can be done if you¡¯re corrupted.


    On the contrary, that miasma only started emerging just now, so that means Edwin was not corrupted up until then.


    The uncorrupted Edwin wouldn''t have killed anyone.


    "Yes, what do you know¡­!"


    What do I know, you ask?


    How should I exin it?


    My days as Aster, challenging Etius with you countless times.


    The times I protected you countless times.


    Would you understand if I exined all of that?


    It doesn''t matter how you used the golem,


    Or if you were manipted by the golem, who moves as it pleases,


    My opinion remains the same.


    Edwin could never have the heart to kill someone, not even for a ''fleeting'' moment.


    That excessively gentle disposition of his; that weakness has tormented Edwin up until now,


    But it''s also the very elegance of Edwin himself which shall one day cause the Behterioga to shine brilliantly.


    "Ah¡­ No! I! I''m a coward who ran away without even checking to see if those people died¡­!"


    Edwin seemed to be confused. In contrast, the golem''s attacks were growing more intense.


    That dichotomous appearance would probably start to feel strange not only to me, but to Ellen as well.


    I can see it. The purple miasma clinging to Edwin is gradually transferring to the golem.


    Now I finally understand the true nature of this ''corruption''.


    I''ve witnessed a god before.


    That small boy with ck wings who tried to kill me by making it look like a suicide.


    Thanatos.


    I sense the exact same aura from that ''corruption'' right now.


    Whoever it is¡ª


    There''s a ''god'' behind Edwin''s back.

 Chapter 23 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The golem nowpletely ignores Edwin''s will, proceeding to attack regardless of Edwin''s hesitation and guilt.


    "Wait, stop!"


    It''s as if Edwin''s cries fall on deaf ears, as if listening to a voice far surpassing the authority of a ''master''.


    Boom! Crash! Bang!


    The clumsily swung spear des dig into the ground. Unlike before, its movements are vastly different from Azier''s spear techniques.


    Yet, in that clumsiness, there''s incredible speed and strength, making it difficult to find an opening.


    If only it could be stopped for a moment, now would be the perfect opportunity-


    Then,


    As the golem recklessly swings its arm up to the sky once more,Crack!


    A sword is lodged into the golem''s arm.


    ''Ellen''s sword!''


    It was Ellen who had thrown the sword.


    The bit of stamina and mana she had painstakingly gathered while I was fighting. All of it spent in one move.


    It was a stretch for me, but from Ellen''s perspective, such a foolish attack was all too easy to predict.


    An opportunity not to be missed.


    I grabbed the ne. The ck gemstone ne given to me by Quinie.


    This ne has the property of absorbing any liquid ites into contact with. To fill it with liquid, one simply needs to ce the ne over it.


    Furthermore, it''s enchanted with spatial expansion magic, allowing it to hold much more than it appears.


    So, how does one extract from it?


    Even simpler.


    Crack.


    Break it.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    The ck liquid, Obsidian, instantly takes shape and forms in my hands. Sigurd''s sword, Gram, is now in my grasp.


    Followed by a surge of dizziness and fatigue. A sign that mana exhaustion is near.


    I swung the sword, held high into the sky, down with lightning speed.


    However, my attack was slightly dyed, shing with the spear de the golem had hastily shot out.


    At the moment of contact, the shing des made no sound.


    "......!"


    At that moment,


    I saw the golem''s purple swirling mist.


    What I had assumed to have a form now clearly manifested,


    And I locked eyes with it.


    [Do you understand why you possess neither divine power nor talent?]


    [Daring to imitate the weapon of a hero.]


    [All gods shall curse you. You lowly creature.]


    The voice sounded in the stillness of time.


    I guessed its identity.


    The swirling mist transferred from Edwin to the golem.


    The maniptor that led Edwin to corruption.


    The irresponsible power that handed the golem over to him and burdened him with sin.


    ©¤©¤So you finally reveal yourself.


    Hephaestus.


    [That technique is something I''ve seen before.]


    [With a skill that only allows for 3 seconds, what will you do?]


    I''ve seen it before, huh.


    So that''s how it was.


    It was strange to suddenly encounter Slevb in the lower dungeon.


    It was your doing.


    Is that all there is to it? Time moved again.


    At that moment, the golem''s spear moved strangely.


    With a sizzling sound like firewood burning, it rotated and struck simultaneously.


    Ping-geureureureureung-


    At that moment, the Golem''s spear moved strangely.


    ng, the sound of crackling wood, apanied by rotation and impact.


    Ping-grrrr-


    Gram left my hand and flew through the air.


    <i>Falling Edge.</i>


    "Ah!"


    I heard Ellin''s short scream from afar.


    Perfectly deflecting the opponent''s blow and even making them drop their weapon. No one but Azier could do something like this. If the golem''s model is Azier, it must be a coveted technique.


    That''s why I¡ª


    I knew this skill wasing in the first ce.


    Swoosh, the golem''s spear shot at me again. I immediately lowered my body to dodge the spear.


    Before the golem could use Falling Edge, I had already removed my hand from Gram. Thanks to that, I was able to maintain my bnce and dodge the spear.


    This kind of evasion would get me killed if I were facing the real Azier.


    But it works on you.


    You fake.


    Gram was still spinning around in the air.


    The binding doesn''t break. 3 seconds have already passed.


    Hephaestus only knows this much. The belief that Gram will disappear after 3 seconds.


    However, with the continuous repetition of mana control training and the ring Quinie gave me.


    ''I extended it by 2 more seconds there, idiot.''


    I caught the falling Gram in my hand, the de facing upward from below.


    I''m just imitating what the golem in front of me is doing.


    If Azier saw this, he would click his tongue and look down on me.


    But my opponent is a copy of Azier.


    ''Then I have to be prepared to get hit by this.''


    <i>Azier''s Basic Spear Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation</i>


    <i>Cross sh</i>


    <i>Swish¡ª!</i>


    The diagonal line drawn by Gram.


    The golem fell exactly that much from the top of its body.

 Chapter 23 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ng.


    The sound of metal is rough.


    The golem, who looked like a ferocious monster just a moment ago, made a hollow sound as it was cut.


    I stood with my shoulders slumped.


    ¡­¡­I won.


    Only after realizing that did I hear my heartbeat.


    "Huff...huff..."


    My hands trembled. The mana depletion was severe.


    Even though I extended it by 2 seconds, it took longer than I thought. Or maybe I unconsciously used more mana.Gram had already turned into ck smoke and dissipated.


    The sound of ss clinking against each other. The shattered ne gathered itself back together, restoring to its original form.


    The ne given by Quinie was imbued with restoration magic.


    Meaning, from now on, if I wanted to use the Obsidian, I would have to break this ne, and once the ne returned to its form through the restoration magic, I could store the Obsidian in it.


    Quinie really gave me something valuable.


    I named the ne ''ck Lotus.''


    "¡­Now, then."


    I forced my barely moving face to lift.


    The remaining purple haze from the golem was still there.


    Hephaestus.


    One of the twelve gods of Olympus. The god of cksmiths and fire.


    With his eyes, ustomed to tempering metal and crafting weapons, was my ''weaving'' that displeasing to him?


    [You deserve to die.]


    I could hear Hephaestus''s seething voice.


    So his mouth was still alive.


    [Don''t be mistaken that you''ve won. You haven''t even scratched me.]


    So what. I never intended to scratch you in the first ce. Why does a god keep meddling in human affairs?


    [Next time, it won''t end like this,]


    When Hephaestus got that far.


    It felt as if I had locked eyes with him.


    The form of the purple haze was faint.


    "¡­Ugh?"


    Suddenly, I saw a certain scene.


    A limping man was standing there. He was handing something to a woman.


    Is that, a bow and arrow? My eyes captured those two images in the ''workshop.''


    But who is that woman?


    The limping man is undoubtedly Hephaestus. But the fact that he''s handing over a bow he made to a woman means,


    That woman, could it be-


    [You!!]


    The scene vanished, leaving Hephaestus''s rebuke.


    [What did you see! You dare, to freely delve into a god''s past, what are you doing-!]


    Hephaestus was visibly flustered.


    I let out a hollowugh. It seems I wasn¡¯t as ineffective as I thought.


    [How much more do you need to insult the gods to be satisfied©¤©¤]


    Despite Hephaestus''s outraged tone, his voice gradually faded away.


    Well, he had nowhere to put his divine power, so he couldn''t continue to exist.


    "¡­Disappear."


    My voice was dry.


    It felt like I was pouring out tiredness with my voice.


    After Hephaestus''s voicepletely vanished.


    I was standing in the sound of a tranquil wind.


    "¡­Frondier."


    I turned my head. Ellen was standing next to me.


    She was holding her side, but she seemed to have recovered significantly.


    "What are you going to do about Edwin?"


    Ellen''s voice was asnguid as ever, making me feel even sleepier.


    Edwin had simply copsed where he had originally been standing.


    There seemed no need to worry about him now that Hephaestus''s interference had vanished.


    "¡­Edwin, are you okay?"


    "¡­Yeah."


    Ellen nodded quietly.


    She seemed to understand my intentions as well.


    ///


    To Ellen, that scene would probably be one of the moments she could never forget even if she died.


    A sword was born in the hands of a boy at one moment. With that sword, he sliced through the golem.


    Right up until the moment of slicing, the scene was almost like a piece of magic.


    And after the fight ended, the boy just stood there still.


    His hands were twitching, and his whole body shivered slightly with every movement.


    His eyes, looking somewhere, still shone with a forlorn light even after the fight had ended.


    His face was soaked with fatigue and a sense of powerlessness, but his eyes seemed to be looking somewhere.


    Ellen stood up and walked.


    His figure, drenched in moonlight, was iparably beautiful. To confirm if it was reality, Ellen walked.


    "¡­Frondier."


    She called his name.


    Frondier looked at Ellen.


    -What about Edwin?


    -Edwin is okay.


    Despite such conversations, Ellen still felt like she was talking to a fantasy.


    Even though she was looking at Frondier,


    Even though Frondier was looking at her.


    Thus, Ellen resolved the biggest question she had.


    "¡­Why did you save me?"


    You don''t know me.


    Even if you did, it wouldn''t be a reason worth risking your life for.


    The moment he protected her.


    The voice shouted by Edwin.


    A fight like none she had ever seen before.


    All of it came to her like a dream.


    Frondier.


    Who are you?


    "¡­You are someone who shouldn''t die."


    With those words,


    Frondier''s body tilted.


    "¡­!"


    Ellen caught his falling body.


    Finally, Frondier became real from a fantasy, held in Ellen''s embrace.


    His breath was even.


    His peaceful face met her gaze without any barriers.


    "¡­"


    Ellen poked his sleeping face for no reason.


    A definite sensation.


    Ellen blinked several times and then exhaled a breath that was almost a sigh.


    Her drowsy eyes captured the moonlight.


    Ellen smiled.


    "Sleeping people are heavy."


    It was a slightly ill-fittingment for her.


    * * *


    ¡­When I regained consciousness, I was in the infirmary.


    I quietly opened my eyes.


    Next to me sat a teacher in a white coat.


    She had an elegant face. Her brown hair fell lightly in waves, and her calm gaze touched the tips of her long eyshes.


    I knew who she was.


    Malia De Roach. The health teacher at Constel.


    The information far more critical to me, however, is that she is Frondier''s mother.


    ''...What should I do?''


    Naturally, I''ve never had a conversation with Malia.


    Malia isn''t at the Roach mansion.


    Her position as a health teacher is for show to the students, and her main work is in magical research.


    Herb is fully equipped with sleeping facilities, so Malia spends most of her time there.


    She was quietly reading a book.


    ...Should I surprise her?


    Wouldn''t it help to break the ice and move the conversation smoothly?


    Just as I was about to open my mouth.


    While looking at the book, Malia opened her mouth.


    "Did you sleep well? Frondier."


    "...How did you know?"


    "A mother knows everything."


    ...She''s joking, right?


    It''s scary because it feels real.


    "Your girlfriend brought you here. Say thanks to herter."


    ...Girlfriend?


    Ah, she must be talking about Ellen.


    "She''s not my girlfriend."


    "I''m happy. Our son is handsome enough that it''s ratherte, isn''t it?"


    Are you listening?


    "Um, mom. Did any other male studentse here besides the girl?"


    "Ah, yes."


    Malia nodded her head.


    Her indifferent and calm expression certainly resembled the sleepy Frondier.


    "He confessed."


    "...Excuse me?"


    "He stole the golem andmitted violence against the students. He confessed everything. You can see it on the news right now. Want to watch?"


    "Ah, no."


    There''s no tension in Malia''s voice.


    "Um, did anyone... die?"


    "No. Fortunately. There''s evidence that the students deliberately gathered to torment him, so the punishment won''t be too severe."


    Upon hearing that, I buried my head in the pillow in relief.


    I see. Edwin was still Edwin.


    Without Hephaestus''s interference, he was still the Edwin I knew.


    ''...Hephaestus.''


    The scene Hephaestus showed me, no, the scene I intrusively peeked at.


    The bow and arrow.


    ©¤Presumably, it is undoubtedly ''Artemis''s bow''.


    A set of bow and arrow is stored in my ''workshop''. To weave it, I would need an amount of mana equal to or greater than Gram.


    And one more thing.


    ''...I need to quickly learn how to weave ''two'' weapons ''simultaneously''.''


    I can only weave one item at a time.


    So when I fought with the golem, I could only throw the dagger once, which was a struggle.


    I eventually won, but the mana was on the edge, and I fainted because of it.


    And most importantly,


    If I could weave Artemis''s bow and arrow.


    I would have to hold each in my hands.

 Chapter 24 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Edwin was sitting in a chair.


    His mouth was parched. Just as much sweat was running down his back.


    In front of him were the renowned teachers of Constel, all looking at him.


    Surrounded by them, Edwin sat as if he were a criminal.


    No, he was indeed a criminal.


    He was now attending a disciplinarymittee meeting.


    "¡­Edwin."


    "Yes, yes!"


    The white-haired man sitting opposite Edwin. His eyes, wrinkled at the edges, held a fierce glint, and he was wrapped in a long robe that concealed his build.He was none other than the final authority and highest-ranking official of Constel.


    The Chancellor, ''Zodiac'' Osprey.


    "There¡¯s no need to exin the circumstances separately. You turned yourself in."


    "¡­Yes, that¡¯s right."


    Edwin quietly nodded.


    A young man on his right spoke in a thick voice. It was Alex, the teacher in charge of basicbat skills.


    "You assaulted the students unterally. Among them, there were students who suffered serious injuries! In particr, student Gary had his jawbone shattered and is still hospitalized! That crime is by no means light. Even if you did turn yourself in!"


    "I think the fact that he ''turned himself in'' seems more important?"


    The one who answered was ''Jane'', the teacher in charge of basic mana theory and practical training.


    She had led Frondier''s group through a lower dungeon.


    Her lively face still stood out in themittee.


    "Until Edwin used the golem, he himself was the one being unterally assaulted. The students who were injured all belonged to themoner group ''October'', and it has already been confirmed that they were systematically bullying Edwin."


    "Even so! They did not harm Edwin to that extent!"


    "That might be because Edwin''s actions stopped at self-defense. It''s not right to describe it as ''unteral assault'' when it could be considered ''excessive self-defense''."


    Jane and Alex are both full-time teachers at Constel who teach themon first-year sses. They had taught Edwin and Gary when they were first-year students.


    The conflict betweenmoners and nobles was intensifying around that time.


    Jane tried to distinguish individuals amidst the conflict, but Alex had been on the side of themoners from the beginning.


    He himself hade from themoner ss, diligently and steadfastly building up his efforts.


    The stigma of being a fallen noble was worse than that of being a noble.


    Many teachers and students knew that Edwin did not fully belong anywhere and was an outsider.


    Yet, Edwin persevered and had not been involved in any incidents so far.


    Therefore, Jane trusted Edwin in this incident, whereas Alex believed that this time Edwin was guilty.


    "Both of you, calm down."


    A graceful voice. It was Malia de Roach, the school nurse.


    It was curious that Malia, just a school nurse, was attending the disciplinarymittee, but no one objected.


    "We are not here today because of an assault case involving student Edwin, right?"


    "Right. The problem is the golem."


    Alex replied with satisfaction.


    Jane pursed her lips.


    From the teachers at Constel''s perspective, this issue was more problematic than the assault case.


    Even Jane, who wanted to defend Edwin, didn¡¯t have much to say on this matter.


    "Edwin, you stole Teacher Binkis¡¯s golem and used it for assault. Do you agree?"


    Alex¡¯s question was malicious.


    Exactly as he said, Edwin had confessed before.


    Edwin closed his eyes and answered.


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    "The date you stole the golem and the assault incident are very close. It seems you stole the golem from the beginning to assault the students, do you agree?"


    "Teacher Alex!"


    Jane eximed. Alex''s statement was just based on spection and forced logic.


    However, the attitude and expression Edwin had shown since he first came here were already wilting with guilt.


    Such forceful reasoning could work.


    "Why are you silent? Do you agree or not?"


    "Teacher Alex! You''re going too far!"


    "I wasn''t asking you, Teacher Jane!"


    Alex stood up from his chair.


    His steps toward them were deliberate and imposing in their indifference.


    Approaching Edwin closely, Alex challenged him.


    "Answer me, Edwin! If it wasn''t to attack the students, why did you steal Teacher Binkis'' golem! Right after you stole the golem, you first used it for assault! If these series of actions weren''t intentional, then what are you saying?"


    Edwin still had his eyes closed.


    Alex'' scolding did not shake Edwin''s heart. Rather, he was shaking and being shaken by himself.


    ©¤I did even worse.


    Hitting students could somehow be excused.


    But I tried to silence Ellen, who was a close friend, and I truly tried to kill Frondier.


    That unknown rage, though I don''t know where it started, was clearly my will.


    ©¤Have you truly fallen, Edwin?


    Just like Ellen said.


    Denying it would be ridiculous.


    "Answer me! Edwin!!!"


    Alex'' rebuke.


    Edwin slowly opened his eyes.


    Yes, everything seems intentional. Admitting it is the right thing. Edwin von Behetorio has fallen.


    Slowly his mouth opened, and


    Snap!!!


    A sharp sound enveloped the entire meeting room, striking all walls and the ceiling.


    Everyone turned their gaze towards the direction of the sound.


    "...Teacher Binkis?"

 Chapter 24 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Teacher Binkis?"


    Alex tilted his head, puzzled.


    Teacher Binkis'' hands were together.


    She had pped her hands.


    "Ah, I finally understand."


    "What are you talking about now?"


    "Well, I was wondering why Edwin was here and doing this. I couldn''t understand for a while. So, Edwin is being scolded now?"


    Teacher Binkis spoke with a relieved expression as if she had finally solved the problem.


    This oddity made Teacher Alex frown."Doesn''t student Edwin know better than anyone what he did wrong?"


    "So, that''s why no one said anything to me. Because there was such a misunderstanding."


    Misunderstanding?


    Alex''s expression grew increasingly displeased. He had a feeling Binkis was about to say something very unpleasant.


    Binkis, hands on her hips, said with a tone of great pride,


    "I gave that golem to student Edwin. He didn''t steal it."


    Surprisingly, it was indeed an unpleasant statement.


    "What, what?"


    "As everyone knows, student Edwin has been my long-time assistant. Edwin is such a talented student that, I am ashamed to say, he was of great help during my golem research. The golem was a gift to him."


    Alex was dumbfounded and opened her mouth in disbelief.


    A metal golem, given as a gift by a teacher to a mere student? Was it something that could be bought with just a penny or two? Something that could be understood with just a book or two of knowledge? Something that could be made with just a day or two of skill?


    Certainly not.


    Alex looked at Edwin.


    Edwin, more shocked than Alex, was staring at Binkis with wide eyes. His lips were trembling, and his eyes were brimming with tears, as if he was about to cry any moment.


    "Looking at Edwin''s expression, doesn''t it seem otherwise?"


    "Ha, expression?"


    At Alex''s words, Binkis scoffed.


    "Where did all the proud ''logic'' and ''guesses'' you were just making to Edwin go, and now you''re talking about expressions? Has Mr. Alex now be capable of reading people''s inner thoughts just by looking at their faces?"


    "Ms. Binkis! Even so, giving a metal golem as a gift, how does that make any sense?"


    "Don''t you see? You''re making an even more nonsensical argument than that?"


    "An even more nonsensical argument...?"


    At Alex''s puzzled question, Binkis looked around the audience. With that gesture, everyone''s attention was on her, and Binkis smiled haughtily.


    ¡°Rather, let me ask you this. You all seem to think that Edwin stole my golem, but how exactly did he steal it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, he must¡¯ve snuck into yourb.¡±


    ¡°Snuck in?¡±


    ¡°¡­Heh.¡±


    All the teachers understood Binkis¡¯s intentions. They clearly understood her motives.


    Teacher Binkis was trying to protect Edwin, even if it meant resorting to sophistry, and it would be impossible to refute her logic at the moment.


    ¡°My golem is equipped with multipleyers of passwords and security. No one can tamper with the golem¡¯s design except for me. Judging from what you¡¯re saying, Teacher Alex, it seems you¡¯re well aware of the value of a metal golem. Do you think I would just leave such an object in myb with no countermeasures?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s possible if he has extensive knowledge of golems, metals, and magic, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I assure you it¡¯s not.¡±


    Binkis shifted her gaze. At the end of her gaze was Osprey.


    ¡°None of the teachers here, not even the headmaster, can solve the passwords I put on the golem.¡±


    No one could say anything to that.


    They all understood the weight of her statement that even Osprey couldn¡¯t solve it.


    On the other hand, Osprey didn¡¯t react much. It seemed like he was agreeing with Binkis, but also like he was ignoring her.


    Binkis looked at Alex.


    ¡°Let me ask again. Which is more likely: that I would gift a metal golem to a student, or that a single student could bypass the golem¡¯s security locks that none of the teachers here can solve?¡±


    ¡°¡­Teacher Binkis, that kind of sophistry¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one resorting to sophistry.¡±


    While those words were being exchanged,


    Edwin just listened to their conversation as if it was background noise.


    He felt a wave of guilt, and shame clouded his vision.


    Teacher Binkis was protecting him. Protecting him, who had deceived her and stolen her golem.


    Binkis was one of the few allies Edwin had, who was engulfed in the perception of a fallen noble. Edwin betrayed her, and yet she trusted him once more.


    That fact alone made his entire being tremble.


    Edwin bowed his head.


    Ashamed of himself, not even knowing what face he was making, he only looked at the ground.


    Osprey saw him.


    Clutching his knees, his shoulders trembling, his head bowed.


    "......Behetorio."


    The Behetorio family, he thought, hadpletely set.


    The days called prestigious were truly the heyday shared by the head of the Behetorio family and Osprey.


    He thought they would age together as time passed.


    What was so urgent? What greed and stubbornness tempted you into downfall?


    He thought it had withered too quickly to ever rise again.


    "©¤©¤Ms. Malia."


    Osprey, who had been silent for a long time, spoke.


    "Yes."


    "At the scene where the golem was destroyed, I heard that a male and female student went to the infirmary with Edwin."


    "That''s correct."


    "Did they say anything?"


    "Ah, yes."


    Edwin''s eyes shed open. It was about Ellen and Frondier. Lifting his head, his eyes met Malia''s.


    "Edwin, this is what the two of them wanted to tell you."


    "Yes, yes?"


    "First, from the male student, Frondier de Roach."


    Malia''s expression was softer than ever. Her gaze seemed to wrap Edwin in warmth.


    "I''m sorry for breaking the golem on my own. Please convey that."


    "......!"


    Edwin lost his expression upon hearing that. Tears eventually flowed from his trembling eyes.


    "And this is what Ellen wanted to tell you."


    Edwin didn''t even think to wipe his tears, his dry face soaked with them.


    Seeing that, Malia wore a rare, yful smile.


    "She said she was asleep and didn''t know."

 Chapter 25 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?The first thing thrown was a dagger.


    Then, judging by the throwing stance, some kind of spear.


    After getting closer, what was swung was probably a two-handed sword.


    Ellen was watching Frondier''s fight. Over and over again.


    She could identify the invisible weapons of Frondier, one by one, from the countless times she had seen the scene reyed. She could guess the type of weapon, its length, and even its weight.


    And then,stly.


    The sword with which Frondier had cut down the golem.


    That sword was not invisible; Ellen could clearly see it with her own eyes.


    Even though Frondier didn''t use aura, he cut down the golem effortlessly, without losing the awkwardness of his technique.The weapon itself must be of a different ss.


    But, somehow.


    It seemed familiar©¤©¤


    "Ellen, Ellen!"


    "¡­!"


    Ellen opened her eyes. She was in the ssroom.


    Gisele, a ssmate, was waving her hands in front of Ellen.


    "What''s the matter? The one who used to sleep only while walking is now sleeping in the ssroom. Or is this actually more normal? Should I be relieved?"


    "I wasn''t sleeping."


    She had been sleeping.


    Ellen, who had grown ustomed to sleep, had surprisingly reached a stage where she could dream the dreams she wanted.


    If it was about the recent event, she could even review her memories as she was doing now.


    Anyway, Frondier is a real mystery.


    Lazy,cking ambition, talent that barely surpasses the ordinary, just a good-for-nothing living off his family''s name.


    ¡­At least, that''s what the rumors clearly said.


    But rumors are not to be trusted, yet could they really be this different?


    What exactly did the people spreading the rumors see in Frondier?


    "How''s your side?"


    "¡­Ah, it''s okay."


    Having answered Gisele, Ellen checked her own side.


    She was still bandaged, but there was no difort severe enough to hinder daily activities. Of course, by her own standards.


    The fact that she had been deeply cut by the golem''s spear, even though she had avoided it, was also true.


    "Really, you always sleep, yet recover so quickly from things like this. I don''t know if it''s because you have good or bad physical strength."


    "Me walking in my sleep is solely a method to conserve energy,"


    "Yes, yes. I know."


    Gisele waved her hands dismissively, not wanting to hear Ellen''s exnation she had heard so many times.


    Hmm, Ellen felt a bit embarrassed and closed her mouth. Had she talked about it that much?


    "Even if it was for a friend''s sake, it was too reckless to do it alone. You should have called for more people or told a teacher. It''s good that it was resolved, but still."


    "¡­There wasn''t time. Edwin''s condition looked dangerous."


    While saying this, Ellen also felt a bit of guilt.


    As Gisele said, the other students at Constel think that Ellen solved this incident all by herself.


    In fact, there was one more person who contributed even more than her, but Ellen didn''t mention it.


    This was because the person who helped her, Frondier, asked her not to.


    "You don''t have to lie, but please don''t tell anyone that I was there that day. It would only make things moreplicated. It could also cause unnecessary misunderstandings with senior Edwin."


    That''s what he said, so Ellen didn''t mention that Frondier was there.


    ...Could it be that Frondier had been hiding his achievements like this all along?


    ...No way?


    "You need to get a new sword?"


    "Yeah. I''m going to look into it today."


    After the fight with the golem, Ellen''s sword was ruined.


    It was because of the technique the golem used to disarm her, ''Falling Edge.''


    Originally, the original ''Falling Edge'' of Azeti doesn''t even leave a scratch on the opponent''s weapon.


    However, the ''Falling Edge'' that the golem showed her was too crude and rough, and her sword was already tattered after using it.


    ...It''s a little annoying that she fell for such a crude technique.


    However, the cksmith she was indebted to before was too far away.


    Ellen and her younger brother Aster hade this far to enroll in Constel, so she had no choice but to find a weapon shop or cksmith near Constel.


    Gisele smiled pleasantly and said, "Should Ie with you? You look like the type of person who would easily get scammed when buying a weapon."


    "...Ugh, no, it''s fine."


    Actually, she was going to ask first, but when she said that, she didn''t want to ask.


    Yes, she should see for herself and decide.


    Getting scammed? What a joke.


    * * *


    "Customer, when ites to swords, shouldn''t you choose a lifelongpanion?"


    "...You''re right, but still,"


    "Yes. That''s why you should use this sword made of our indestructible steel."


    It was getting ridiculous.


    Ellen''s eyes were spinning from the merchant''s long-winded sales pitch.


    At first, she was definitely examining the swords carefully with her own eyes.


    But then the merchant approached her subtly, rmended various weapons, and gradually increased the price range until it reached this point.


    She felt pressured and thought she would end up buying this sword. And she started to think that it would be okay to buy it.


    In fact, she had already decided to buy it, and all that was left was for her to rationalize it to herself.


    The astute merchant noticed this and became even more enthusiastic in his sales pitch.


    "How about it? A legendary sword made from the highest purity vipersteel does not negotiate its price. But should you acquire it, it can serve as a reliablepanion for your safety, and even protect the lives of your loved ones¡ª"


    "Vipersteel, you say?"


    At that moment, a voice interrupted the merchant''s pitch.


    Quickly, the merchant turned his head towards the man who had interrupted him, shing a friendly smile.


    "Ah, yes, indeed. It''s steel forged from ore mined from the ''Yearlong cier of Bast¨¨res'' in the north, processed through a special method."


    The man just quietly looked at the sword, seemingly indifferent to the merchant''s exnation.


    And Ellen, a bit surprised, stared nkly at the man.


    It was Frondier.


    "Wouldn''t you agree, sir? If you wield a sword, this item is particrly suited for you,"


    At that, Frondierughed. It was unclear what he found amusing about the merchant''s im, but he said,


    "It''s like calling cubic zirconia a diamond."


    "...What? What did you say?"

 Chapter 25 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The merchant was momentarily stunned by Frondier''s calm statement, then quickly furrowed his brow. Ellen, also surprised, looked back at the sword.


    So, does this mean it''s a fake?


    "Hey, who are you to suddenly show up and cause trouble? Are you saying this is fake?"


    "Yes. It''s not even close to vipersteel; it''s mixed with impurities and hasn''t properly be steel¡ªin other words, it''s base metal."


    "Base metal? Hey, you young brat! Let''s see! You got any proof?! Where do you get off spouting such nonsense!"


    The merchant was furiously raging, his anger seeming to reach the ceiling. Even as he heard this right beside him, Frondier remained calm.


    Indeed, Frondier''sposure was respectable.


    Proof, Frondier murmured peacefully, then he took the so-called legendary sword in his hand, lifting it horizontally before swiftly slicing through the air above it with his other hand.


    ng!Somehow, when his hand swept in front of the sword, a loud noise ensued.


    And the sword broke in two.


    "Wha, what!"


    The merchant staggered backward in shock.


    More than the fact that the sword had broken, he was astonished that it had been broken by bare hands. To the eyes of an ordinary person, that would indeed be surprising.


    Of course, Ellen knew a bit about his true nature, but naturally, she kept her mouth shut here.


    "Promoting such a sword as Vipersteel, I don''t know about you, but the association ''Smished'' won''t just let this slide."


    "I, I didn''t know! I''m just a merchant who receives goods and sells them!"


    "I see. Including you, all the manufacturers providing you with these items havemitted a crime. We''ll have to arrest them all."


    "Is, is that even possible?"


    "Of course. Sufficient in the name of Roach."


    ''Roach''. As soon as that name was mentioned, the merchant knelt down,pletely hunching over.


    "I''m sorry. It was my personal mistake. I''ve made a decent profit a few times before with simr promotions. It doesn''t concern anyone else."


    He was confessing to past crimes unasked.


    Frondier shrugged his shoulders at this and looked at Ellen.


    "So, what should we do?"


    "¡­Um, me?"


    "Of course. You were almost scammed, after all."


    Ellen didn''t know how to react and darted her eyes around.


    That''s right, I was really about to be scammed.


    "Well, should we report it?"


    Ellen, though having almost been scammed, was ruthless when it came to crime.


    She wasn''t weak, just uninformed.


    A despairing voice from the merchant was heard.


    * * *


    "But why are you looking for a sword? What happened to the original?"


    "It broke. Because of the golem''s falling edge."


    After leaving the weapon shop, they walked down a brick road.


    The area near Constel, known for its various shops and food, ''Rubanu''.


    Frondier was eating ''twin egg bread'', a specialty of Rubanu, tilting his head in confusion.


    "Falling edge¡­?"


    "Yeah. Seems like the golem didn''t perform a proper attack."


    Frondier seemed to ponder upon hearing that.


    So, an iplete fall causes the opponent''s weapon to break. He murmured to himself.


    "What about you? You also lost your weapon to a fall, though you caught it again."


    Ellen recalled thest weapon Frondier showed.


    Thinking about it, it was strange. That weapon should have been broken by the fall, but Frondier didn''t seem to react as if it was.


    "Ah... Mine was in bad condition from the start. After that incident, it was more damaged, but I didn''t know it was because of that."


    It took some time, but Frondier gave a usible answer.


    Ellen thought about the appearance of that sword.


    Indeed, its design and casting method seemed outdated.


    ...The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like a sword she had seen somewhere before.


    "But it''s better to entrust your sword to a trustworthy cksmith rather than a weapon shop."


    "I used to do that, but I haven''t had such connections sinceing to Constel."


    Ellen spoke calmly, but realizing the severity of her situation, she knew she was in a difficult position.


    If she was in this situation, her brother Aster must be in a simr one.


    They needed to find a solution.


    "Then, shall I introduce you?"


    That''s when Frondier spoke up.


    "You know a cksmith?"


    "Yes. Oh, not an introduction, since I don''t have a close rtionship."


    Frondier made an odd remark.


    "There''s a cksmith you know, but you''re saying you''re not close with the person?"


    "Um, it''s a bit tooplicated to exin. But he really is someone you can trust."


    Ellen pondered for a moment. But her hesitation didn''tst long. She decided to trust Frondier.


    After all, if she didn''t, she might get scammed again. Better to stick with Frondier, who had just caught someone attempting to scam her.


    "Then, I''ll shamelessly ask for your help."


    "What for."


    Frondier replied curtly, as if it was nothing.


    Ellen nced at Frondier''s profile for a moment.


    His face definitely lookednguid. He seemed sleepy.


    I wonder if this is the expression I would see if I could watch myself sleep. Ellen thought suddenly.


    "¡­Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "Why are you helping me?"


    "¡­"


    "Why, both before and now."


    Ellen had asked before. Why did you save me? Right before copsing, Frondier had looked at Ellen and said she was "someone who shouldn''t die."


    She didn''t quite understand what that meant.


    If she thought about it in a simplistic way, it would end up being quite childish.


    The favor Frondier was showing her might-


    "¡­Ellen senior,"


    Frondier opened his mouth. He quietly looked at Ellen, as if he was pondering what to say.


    Even the gap in his contemtion, as if, Frondier saw Ellen,


    "You look like a child lost in the market."


    "¡­What?"


    "You know, you have somnambulism."


    "¡­No, that''s not somnambulism, it''s a sleep method developed to conserve energy for emergencies,"


    "And you almost got scammed just now."


    "I have nothing to say about that."


    Ellen admitted honestly, and Frondierughed.


    "There aren''t many people I worry about. Everyone just worries about me."


    Come to think of it, am I being worried about by that human sloth Frondier?


    Me, who is called the best swordsman in Constel?


    ¡­That''s somewhat humiliating.


    "That worry is a misunderstanding. Earlier, it was because such things rarely happen to me, but I''ll adapt quickly, and even if I''m walking around asleep, I''ll wake up on my own if something dangerous happens, I''m more wless than you think."


    "So, this is when you use the phrase ''you''re right''."


    Frondier replied yfully.


    It was clearly a response that Ellen had given to the merchant a while ago.


    ¡­Wait, then?


    "¡­How long have you been watching? Me talking to that merchant."


    "From when the merchant said, ¡®Customer, this sword is good, but how about this one here?¡¯"


    Almost from the beginning.


    "So you were watching me get involved with that person the whole time?"


    "Ah- regarding the cksmith, I''ll contact them separately,"


    "Aren''t you going to answer properly?"

 Chapter 26 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few days after the incident with Edwin''s golem.


    ¡°¡­¡­Done.¡±


    I looked at the dagger materialized in both of my hands.


    [Skill ''Weaving'' has obtained a new option.]


    Skill Details >


    [Weaving]


    ?Rank: Unique


    ?Description: Stores the image of an object in the workshop and duplicates it. However, they are mere illusions.


    ?Option: Simultaneous Replication- Simultaneously generates multiple woven objects.


    - Number of objects that can be replicated simultaneously: 2


    I can finally weave two weapons at the same time.


    Up until now, I could only weave one weapon, so I had to make a new one every time it broke. However, if I can hold invisible weapons in both of my hands, I can perform more tricky attacks.


    The rate of fire for throwing daggers will also be faster, and I can also use a two-sword style.


    "Then now."


    I closed my eyes. ''Artemis'' bow and arrow. '' A set of those images were stored.


    ¡­¡­Let''s try it.


    The god Artemis is very famous, but her weapon isn''t as well-known. That''s because it''s overshadowed by her title of Artemis.


    Then wouldn''t it be easier to weave than ''Gram''?


    "Let''s forget about the arrows for now, let''s try making a bow first."


    For now, I just want to know if it''s possible to weave it. So, I''m leaving out the arrows. I can''t shoot arrows here anyway.


    I stretched out my hand.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Chrysaor</i>


    "Ugh¡­¡­!"


    I could definitely feel the mana draining from my body instantly, but it''s less than when I made Gram.


    The rank of Divine is higher than Legendary.


    However, since I''m only replicating the bow out of Artemis'' set of bow and arrow, the burden is lighter.


    Also, ''Gram'' is as famous as a divine weapon.


    I picked up the bow woven from Obsidian.


    Chrysaor. The masterpiece that Hephaestus gave to Artemis.


    As expected, the golden bow shone brilliantly, just like its name. It''s so gorgeous that it seems like a waste to use it as a weapon.


    "Well, then."


    I held the bowstring in my hand and tried to pull it.


    Or rather, I tried to.


    "Huh?"


    Trembling


    My hand clutching the bowstring was only trembling uncontrobly, not moving in the slightest.


    "I can''t pull it...!"


    I squeezed every muscle in my body, trying to apply force to the bowstring. But it wouldn''t budge.


    Could it be that Ick the strength?


    Meanwhile, my mana was almost depleted, so I reluctantly released the weave.


    "Huff...huff..."


    Let''s think for a moment. Chrysaor is the bow of Artemis. Since it''s a god''s bow, could it be that only a god can draw it? Or maybe only Artemis herself can.


    However, in Etius, there are a very few people who use the weapons of the gods.


    For example, the chancellor of Constel, Osprey.


    Most of them receive divine power and discover the weapon led by that divine power, obtaining it as if by some destiny.


    But clearly, there are exceptions.


    Either way, it''s not that only gods can use a god''s weapon.


    "If it''s not exclusive to gods, then maybe it''s a weapon that only Artemis can use."


    Or it''s designed that way.


    Maybe Artemis requested something from Hephaestus.


    ...Or some kind of curse.


    "Artemis, which god was she again?"


    I tilted my head, deeply lost in thought.


    In the world of Etius, the gods are adapted to fit this world, but their essence and achievements generally flow simrly. Although the names and titles may have changed a bit, their nature and aplishments are simr.


    Then it urred to me.


    One possibility.


    However, it was a possibility that I couldn''t exactly wee.


    "...Could it be this bow."


    Can only women draw it?


    Artemis, known for her misandry. Perhaps because of that hatred, she might have requested a special enchantment from Hephaestus.


    "Hephaestus, you damn bastard..."


    Or is it Artemis who is to me? Anyway, I can''t use it right now.


    Even if I wanted to give it to a woman, I can''t transfer a weapon I''ve woven. It continues to consume my mana.


    In the end, I have to use this bow.


    Then.


    ''...To modify it?''


    Modifying a woven weapon. Is that possible? Can weaving go that far?


    Or in the first ce,


    "How much do I really know about this ability?"


    I know nothing.


    Up to now, I''ve merely focused on utilizing the abilities I could use to their fullest extent.


    Storing weapons as images, materializing weapons not as ''matter'' but as a ''phenomenon.'' I believed that was all that was possible.


    I still don''t understand weaving. I use it simply because I can.


    But if I fully understand ''weaving.'' If I could grasp the principle behind storing weapons as images and the structure of the weapons themselves.


    Modification wouldn''t be out of the question.


    "Anyway, I really need to check if it''s truly only usable by women."


    ...Speaking of which, I have ns.


    It''s just in time. I have a message received on my Sagephone a while ago.


    I''m a bit worried, but should I go?


    A hospital visit.


    * * *


    At a general hospital near Constel.


    "The detoxification isplete."


    The doctor who finished the examination said.


    Sybil Forte nodded energetically.


    "Hehe, told you. I''m brimming with energy."


    "It''s amazing. To recover so cleanly from a Slevb''s poison in such a short period. It''s fortunate that the injured area avoided major blood vessels. You were lucky."


    "......"


    Sybil''s expression hardened slightly. Oddly, the remark about her being lucky lingered in her ears.


    Seeing her suddenly quiet, the doctor tilted his head.


    "Aren''t you happy?"


    "Oh, no! I am happy! Very happy! Ahaha, I''m known for being lucky."


    "Haha. We''ll observe your condition until today, and proceed with the discharge process tomorrow. Please rest."


    "Eh? Can''t I be discharged right away?"


    "The detoxification may beplete, but the body''s aftereffects remain. So please rest. If you feel ufortable, immediately press this button here."


    The doctor pointed at a call button attached to the wall while speaking.


    Sybil nodded.


    Creak, the doctor and nurse left, and she was alone in the private room.


    Sybil exhaled, feeling the silence return.


    Slevb.


    She was attacked by an outside demon.


    Later, she learned that the poison on the Slevb''s dagger was incredibly deadly.


    The paralysis poison is indeed a paralysis poison, a horrific poison that paralyzes a person''s heart and brain, causing death.


    "Frondier, you lied."


    Sybil chuckled.


    So much for it being nothing. You said it had a sleeping effect mixed in.


    All of it was to reassure her.


    To make her fall asleep. To save her.


    "Liar."


    Ipetent Frondier,zy Frondier,


    Human sloth Frondier.


    "¡­Liar."


    When you get down to it, his very existence seems like a lie.


    I don''t know what Frondier did, but he took down Slevb. He dealt with an outside demon.


    He reassured Sybil, took down the monsters, and carried her to the sanctuary, solving the dungeon.


    Sybil couldn''t forget Frondier from that time.


    -I don''t believe in gods.


    It''s etched in my mind and won''t disappear.


    -Because I don''t believe in fate.


    "Maybe, I''m hated?"


    Sybil buried her face in her knees.

 Chapter 26 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    To Frondier, who doesn''t believe in fate, Sybil must be at the opposite end.


    Talentless Frondier.


    Sybil, blessed with luck and talent.


    It''s hard to imagine how Frondier felt every time he saw her.


    "¡­No! Why am I worried about being hated by Frondier!"


    Lifting her head suddenly, Sybil seemed to snap back to reality.


    That''s right. Originally, she wouldn''t have cared about someone like Frondier.


    Her original target for the low-level dungeon raid was Aster Evans.


    ¡­But then, she soon thinks.''Frondier must not rely on fate.''


    She ends up thinking about Frondier again.


    Until now, Sybil had always believed in her great luck.


    However, the dungeon exploration with Frondier, to put it nicely, luck was not on her side.


    She fell into every dangerous trap. There were more than one or two horrifying situations. It was only because Frondier protected her each time, otherwise, by now.


    ''¡­I''ve been relying on luck.''


    Everything she wished for always came into her hands.


    The situations she wanted alwaysid out like sturdy tracks.


    However, when faced with a situation that surpassed her luck, she felt powerless.


    She had never neglected her training.


    Had she be too absorbed in her fortune, taking it for granted?


    ''I want to ask.''


    To Frondier.


    What he thinks about my luck.


    What he thinks about me.


    "¡­No, I mean, it''s not like it has a strange meaning."


    Sybil nkly stared at the hospital room door.


    Sybil doesn''t like waiting.


    But now, she had to wait.


    Until she was discharged, went to Constel, and met with Frondier.


    ''If Frondier would just open that hospital door ande in.''


    But that wouldn''t happen.


    Though she was beloved by fate, she decided not to rely on that anymore,


    Creak-


    "¡­Huh?"


    The hospital door opened.


    And in came a man with ck hair.


    Languid eyes, a sleepy face.


    Breathing a beat slower than others.


    It was Frondier.


    Upon seeing Sybil, with that sleepy face, he greeted,


    "Hello."


    Sybil blinked herrge eyes several times, then thought.


    ¡­Maybe I should trust fate a little more.


    * * *


    "How are you feeling?"


    "Oh, uh, I''m fine."


    When I entered, Sybil was awake.


    She had a somewhat dazed expression.


    Had she just woken up?


    ''This is tricky.''


    Actually, I had hoped Sybil would be asleep when I arrived.


    Then, I could have secretly tested whether Artemis''s bow could be drawn by her hands.


    "Uh, thanks."


    "Hm?"


    "For saving me. It was a dangerous poison, wasn''t it?"


    "Ah, yes. I''m d you''re all better now."


    "Yeah."


    While Sybil thanked me, she seemed somewhat hesitant.


    She avoided my eyes and fidgeted like a small bird.


    It was more severe than when we were left alone in the dungeon.


    It seemed Sybil hadn''t let down her guard around me.


    Well, that''s understandable.


    People''s perceptions don''t change easily.


    Given that Sybil would have woken up in the hospital immediately after being attacked by Slevb, she wouldn''t know what I had done.


    I must have learned about it from others.


    Information heard doesn''t resonate well.


    Expressing proper gratitude to "Human Sloth Frondier" is in itself a remarkable thing.


    But, well, it doesn''t matter.


    What Sybil thinks of me isn''t really an important issue.


    I''m a viin, after all.


    "By the way, you know."


    "Yeah?"


    "What was the dungeon reward?"


    Ah, she must be curious.


    Since I cleared the dungeon, only I know what the reward was.


    "¡­But how did you know?"


    "Huh?"


    "That I cleared the dungeon."


    "¡­Ah? Oh?! Ah, I, I heard! From Aster, and the teacher, and senior Quinie, from Aster and the teacher!"


    Why so many?


    Does it mean she heard it twice from Aster and the teacher?


    ¡­I don''t know.


    "The reward was, um, I''m not sure myself."


    "Huh?"


    "I got a rune that seems like a magic symbol."


    After the lower dungeon, the Sanctuary of Truth, was destroyed,


    I acquired a magic rune called "Menosorpo."


    But when I tried to use it in front of the mansion, nothing happened.


    To be precise, I don''t know what happened.


    Since it consumed mana, it must have been activated.


    In fact, I hesitated a bit when I was about to tell Sybil this story.


    One must be cautious when handling information only they know.


    It''s important to approach with careful judgment whether it benefits me or Aster.


    But Menosorpo is something not even I know.


    Because in the previous world, no yer had cleared that low-level dungeon.


    If it continues like this, I might end up not knowing what Menosorpo is until the end.


    Then, it''s better to obtain information from others.


    Sybil may be a viin, but her nature isn''t ''evil''.


    "¡­If it''s a magic rune, should I ask my dad?"


    "Your dad?"


    "You know I use a rapier, right?"


    "Yeah. I saw it in ss and during the dungeon."


    In truth, I knew that much earlier, from the very beginning.


    "My rapier has a magic rune carved onto it too. I can''t show it to you right now since it''s at home, but it''s a magic rune that enhances its durability and sharpness."


    As I mentioned before, Sybil uses her rapier, a thin sword, to ''sh'' rather than ''stab''.


    I see. So that''s thanks to the magic rune.


    "My father carved the magic rune for me. He''s a pro technician, incredibly famous, and amazing. He might know if you ask him!"


    Sybil said in an excited tone.


    Her eyes sparkled.


    Her words reminded me.


    Doud Forte.


    A master of magic rune techniques.


    In Etius, those who decipher magic runes, those who create them, and those who inscribe them onto weapons are all separate professions.


    Magic runes are usually activated on their own.


    In other words, the act of engraving a magic runes on a weapon like Sybil¡¯s, weren''t the true purpose of magic runes.


    That''s why those who can do both are highly valued.


    Because they can decide on and inscribe magic runes that are suited to the weapon and the user.


    Doud Forte stands out even among such people for his exceptional skills.


    I often met Doud when I was ying as Aster.


    ...However.


    "You''re really kind, Sybil. Thanks."


    I was honestly surprised.


    I didn''t think Sybil would go this far for me.


    Sybil seemed to feel a stronger sense of gratitude towards me than I had thought.


    Even while suppressing her hatred towards me.


    "...Huh?"


    Sybil was briefly stunned by my words, then,


    "No! What! Ahahaha! No, this is, well, basic!"


    She said, waving her arms.


    Basic?


    Sybil was a woman with a stronger sense of duty than I had thought.

 Chapter 27 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I exited the clinic after arranging a future appointment with Sybil.


    And the ce I headed to was the library.


    Actually, the reason I went to Sybil wasn¡¯t because of ¡®Menosorpo,¡¯ but due to ¡®Artemis¡¯ Bow.¡¯


    I wanted to check if only women could use it, but I couldn¡¯t, so I was disappointed.


    I decided to search for information on ¡®Weaving¡¯ in the library.


    ¡°Ahem, Frondier.¡±


    However, as soon as I entered the library, I heard this.


    Librarian Ainen was looking at me.


    ¡°Hello, teacher.¡±¡°Hmph.¡±


    Ainen turned her head away from me as if he was in a bad mood.


    Maybe she¡¯s not in a bad mood, but rather just dislikes me.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Mistletoe, your bluff is still working.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh, I guess so.¡±


    Come to think of it, Ainen teased me in the library.


    When an adventurer party discovered Mistletoe, Ainen cautiously tried to sound me out.


    She expected me to retract my opinion that ¡®Mistletoe doesn¡¯t look like that.¡¯


    However, well, that Mistletoe turned out to be fake.


    My bluff is still going strong.


    It wasn¡¯t a bluff in the first ce, though.


    ¡°But why do you keeping to the library? It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±


    ¡°I need to find a book.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you saidst time you came here?¡±


    Did I say that?


    But this time, I really mean it.


    I need to find a book about ¡®Weaving.¡¯


    Perhaps among magic types, it¡¯s an illusion¡­¡­ maybe?


    Weaving is my unique skill, so it¡¯ll be incredibly difficult to acquire useful knowledge.


    I¡¯ll try looking for it with the same mentality as searching for a needle in a haystack.


    "Right, right. Take a good look."


    Ainen shooed me away with a flick of her hand as if she was shooing away a fly.


    It seems her fondness for me has dropped even further.


    ''That''s a bit of a shame.''


    As I''ve mentioned before, Ainen is a good source of information.


    She''s a librarian who gathers information from both inside and outside the Constel Academy, and she herself enjoys gossip.


    Thus, she''s a valuable person who informs me of minor or significant events that I might miss.


    ...If I were Aster Evans, that is.


    ''Hmm?''


    That''s when my eyes caught the paper Ainen was looking at.


    It appeared to be some sort of quiz.


    Did Ainen like this kind of thing?


    "......Are you solving a quiz?"


    "You haven''t left yet?"


    "I didn''t know you liked this sort of thing."


    Pushing the conversation a bit forcefully, Ainen sighed.


    "I''m not doing it because I like it."


    "Then why?"


    "Look at this. If you get all the questions right, they give you a gift voucher. As a homemaker, I can''t just pass this by."


    Ainen pointed with her finger, and sure enough, there was a department store gift voucher written as a reward.


    And looking at the quiz.


    ''...Uh.''


    The quiz wasn''t difficult.


    It was just trivial.


    The theme was ''General Knowledge Needed by Adventurers,'' but it didn''t seem necessary at all.


    1. What is the average lifespan of a goblin?


    2. When do griffinsy eggs?


    ...And so on.


    "Where did you get stuck?"


    "Why? You think you know?"


    "I might."


    What Ainen pointed to was thest question.


    12. What does a dragon heart signify, and what happens if a human consumes it?


    I thought about this question.


    "Gift voucher... it looks like they are reluctant to give it away.¡±


    There are only two Dragon Hearts within the Terst Empire.


    One is in the resting ce of the Terst Emperor.


    The other is in the Barmies Church with Pope Ansfroy.


    So most people have never seen the real thing, and no photos or videos have been released.


    Historically, only a very few humans have seen or used a Dragon Heart.


    It''s too difficult for a department store gift voucher problem.


    ''Does the person who made this problem even know the answer?''


    I doubt it.


    Only a very small number of people would know.


    And then, below the problem, Ainen wrote this.


    - Heart?


    "......You only wrote one word."


    "How would I know what happens when a human eats it?"


    Ainen sped his head and said.


    Is she asking me or talking to herself?


    I smiled.


    "Would you like me to tell you?"


    "Wow, what? Do you know the answer? Really?"


    "Yes, I do."


    Of course, I know.


    I''ve actually seen the Dragon Heart,


    And I''ve actually eaten it.


    Ainen asked me with pleading eyes.


    "What happens if a human eats it? Huh? Tell me. I''ll share the gift certificate with you if I win."


    "First of all."


    "Hm?"


    "You got the answer wrong."


    At my words, Ainen nkly stared at me, then opened her mouth.


    "Isn''t the dragon heart... the heart of a dragon?"


    "No. It''s a mana crystal. When a dragon dies, it condenses all the mana it has into a crystal. It''s called ''dragon heart'' because it''s in the heart."


    "Wow, what are you talking about? It doesn''t suit you. How do you know this?"


    "I saw it in a book a while ago, somehow."


    "There''s such a book?"


    Such a book.


    There might be.


    One out of millions. Maybe.


    I haven''t seen it though.


    "So what happens if a human eats it?"


    "You be a lunatic."


    "......Really?"


    "Yes."


    Ainen seemed to be suspicious of my words, but wrote honestly.


    ...Actually, it''s only half the answer.


    Because I ate the Dragon Heart as Aster.


    Even though I knew the risk of losing mind.


    If you only know the right way to do it, the dragon heart can increase the total amount of mana.


    ''But if I write that down, it''ll be the wrong answer.''


    Only I truly know that piece of knowledge.

 Chapter 27 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Hmm, I guess this isn''t it either."


    After giving Ainen the answer, I started searching for books in the library.


    To get a hint on how to ''modify'' woven weapons.


    I searched books on illusions and hallucinations, or theories of magic, or memory techniques, or the structures of various weapons.


    But I couldn''t find a hint about ''weaving'' anywhere.


    I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms.


    At the very least, I confirmed one thing.


    The images of objects in Frondier''s workshop are identical in structure and skeleton to the real thing.


    In other words, the workshop doesn''t just ''remember'' the images.It actually stores and replicates the skeleton of the object.


    That''s why it can make them appear in reality for a short time, and why I can reproduce the actual thing with Obsidian.


    "Then I think it should be possible to modify them......"


    "Modify?"


    Hearing the voice, I turned my head.


    Elodie was sitting next to me, not sure when she hade.


    Her blue eyes stared at me.


    "What do you mean by modify?"


    "What are you doing in the library?"


    "Aren''t you being too obvious?"


    Elodie brought her face close to mine.


    Lately, Elodie''s interest in me has noticeably increased.


    And not in a good way.


    She''se to some conclusion on her own, suspecting something about me.


    "You''ve been causing a lot of incidentstely."


    Elodie frowned at me.


    "Both in the dungeon and that golem incident a few days ago, you were involved?"


    "Not involved, more like dragged into."


    Elodie''s mouth fell open as she listened to me.


    With widened eyes and a serious expression, she said to me.


    "Really? Is that true?"


    "Huh?"


    "I thought the rumors about you being involved were just that, rumors."


    ©¤©¤Ah, damn it.


    The Edwin golem incident was like an unexpected event, and I hadn''t given it much thought.


    Thinking about it, it''s pretty strange that I got caught up in it.


    It was just supposed to be a rumor.


    ''I wonder how Elodie would react if she knew I had in the golem.''


    I''m a bit curious, but let''s hold off.


    I evaded the question appropriately.


    "Like I said, I just got caught up in it. Ran away as soon as I saw it."


    "Are you hurt anywhere?"


    "I told you, I ran away."


    Despite my words, Elodie looked me over, checking for injuries.


    A serious face, careful eyes.


    That gaze wasn¡¯t trying to find any pretense in my expression.


    ......She''s serious.


    She''s genuinely worried about me.


    "......Well, as long as nothing happened, that''s good."


    Elodie coughed awkwardly, as if embarrassed.


    * * *


    And a few dayster, I headed to the address Sybil had given me.


    Thinking about it, this is the first time I''m going to a girl''s house sinceing to this world.


    Just as I thought this and arrived at the front gate.


    "Is it you? The idiot bothering my daughter?"


    "Dad! It''s not like that!"


    Sybil eximed with a flushed face.


    It''s a bit awkward to say this, but such a line seems to be insulting Sybil.


    I feel like he''s saying that only an idiot would bother his daughter.


    Sybil''s father, Daud Forte.


    In contrast to Sybil''s delicate and beautiful appearance, he boasts a muscr physique andrge build.


    His beard and hair are roughly grown.


    At first nce, he looks like a cksmith with hands that easily slip, but Daud is more akin to a delicate sculptor.


    Engraving magic runes on weapons is a difficult task.


    Well, that aside, honestly, it''s a wee face.


    Though he probably doesn''t know me.


    "Hmph. Your eyes look dead, and you seem to have no strength in your body, Sybil! What did you find appealing about this boy to bring him here!"


    "I told you! It''s not like that!"


    Sybil hit Daud several times as she spoke.


    Of course, Daud didn''t seem to listen.


    "Your name was Frondier, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmph, I''ve heard your request. I''ll grant it since my daughter begged me so desperately, but leave immediately after it''s done!"


    Sybil''s voice came from the side, implying, When did I ever beg you?


    "I can''t acknowledge someone like you!"


    With that, Daud turned his back.


    ...I''m not sure if it''s just my feeling.


    But because of Daud, it feels like my rtionship with Sybil is ironically getting closer.


    * * *


    I went inside the house and exined everything from the beginning in the room.


    Daud said, "So, you want to know the identity of the rune?"


    "So, you want to know what this rune is?"


    "Yes. I got it as a reward from a dungeon, but I couldn''t figure out what it was."


    "Did you activate it?"


    "Yes, I did, and it used up my mana, but nothing happened."


    Daud stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment.


    "Well, I can''t tell you what it is based on that. Draw it for me."


    Daud handed me a piece of paper.


    I hesitated for a moment.


    "What? Are you not going to draw it? Are you going to tell me you left your sketchbook with the rune at home or something...?"


    "No, that''s not it. I can''t draw it on this paper."


    "What? Why not?"


    "It''s too big."


    My answer made Daud raise an eyebrow.


    Sybil, who was standing next to him, also gasped in surprise.


    "How big is ''too big''?"


    "Well, I can''t draw it here, at least."


    I can''t do it in a room like this.


    I need a wide-open space.


    "My house has a backyard. Would that be big enough?"


    "Yes, that should be enough."


    "Hmm. It''s good to have a bit of swagger, but don''t overdo it."


    Daud stood up as he said that.


    It certainly would sound like bragging.


    The size of a rune doesn''t make it more powerful.


    In fact, if it''s the same rune, it will have the same effect regardless of its size.


    But I said it:


    ''I can''t draw it small.''


    That''s how dense the ''Menosorpo'' rune is with symbols and patterns.


    A rune thatplex is very rare.


    At least I''ve never seen one.


    That''s why Daud thinks I''m bluffing.


    Even if I''m not bluffing, he probably doesn''t think I need a whole ''clearing'' to draw it.


    Daud, Sybil, and I went out to the clearing behind the mansion.


    I took out my dagger.


    I brought out the ''Menosorpo'' rune from the ''workshop'' and applied it on the ground.


    ...Barely, I could manage to draw it.


    It''s unexpectedly and enormouslyrge, this rune.


    I bent my knees and began to carve the ground with the dagger.


    "...What are you doing?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "Aren''t you supposed to have something like a notebook or a phone, something with the rune drawn on it to refer to while you''re drawing?"


    "I don''t have anything."


    "You mean to say you can draw the rune directly? Without even a picture?"


    "Yes."


    Upon hearing my answer, Daud eximed as if it was a knee-jerk reaction.


    "That''s ridiculous! The irregr patterns and geometry of a rune are something even those who have thoroughly studied the theory cannotpletely memorize. Large runes are even more so. How can you draw a rune that''s not even registered on your phone!"


    Because I have it from the ''workshop''.


    It''s more efficient than registering it on a phone.


    I diligently copied the rune I brought from the workshop.


    It took a considerable amount of time, but Daud and Sybil quietly observed without interfering.


    "Phew."


    As soon as it waspleted and I lifted my head, their faces were somewhat strange.


    Sybil was just gaping in surprise, while Daud looked at me as if I was some kind of bizarre creature.


    "You really drew it all. Without looking at a picture."


    "Yes."


    Though in fact, I was looking.


    "Elder, what do you think? What kind of rune could this be?"


    I respectfully asked Daud.


    Daud went, "Hmm," and walked up to the rune.


    He meticulously examined the rune I drew.


    Walking around it, sitting to observe certain parts closely.


    Finally, as if he hade to a conclusion, Daud dusted himself off and stood up.


    And then he said.


    "I have no idea at all."

 Chapter 28 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @Crescent subscribing to Dragon yer Gram Tier on Ko-fi</i>


    "Interpreting a magic circle is ultimately simr to trantion. It''s about rifying what is being sought through the interpretation of a set of symbols, their directions, and positions. However©¤"


    Daud pointed to a certain part of the magic circle.


    "I''ve never seen such symbols before. I can hardly find any of the symbols or grammar typically used in magic circles. If we''re talking about trantion, it''s beyond not knowing what ''I'' means; I don''t even know what ''a'' means."


    Daud spoke with an assertive stance, as if no one else could know if he didn''t.


    I scratched my face.


    "Do you think I drew the magic circle incorrectly on purpose?"


    Daud, who had been showing clear dislike and suspicion from the moment he met me, might think that I drew a fake magic circle as a prank.Especially since his expression is really not good right now.


    "No."


    But Daud firmly shook his head.


    "It shows consistency in its pattern. And the symbols used are moving in a consistent direction to activate magical guidance. A haphazardly drawn magic circle with whatever came to hand wouldn''t have this form."


    Regardless of what he thought of me, he was coldly assessing the magic circle.


    I was a bit impressed.


    "I thought you might be upset, wondering if that was the case. I''m sorry."


    "It''s true that I''m displeased. But I''m displeased precisely because it''s a proper magic circle. And yet, I can''t interpret it."


    Daud stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment.


    Then, he spoke.


    "You said you obtained this as a dungeon reward, right?"


    "What kind of dungeon was it?"


    "Uh, it was a low-level dungeon. A cave environment, with lots of trap designs, and ratmen inhabiting it..."


    "Not that. What was the mechanism for clearing the dungeon? A boss? A switch? A puzzle? How did you solve the dungeon?"


    Daud''s question.


    I briefly nced at Sybil.


    Sybil had not seen me solve the dungeon. I wanted to keep it that way if possible.


    "It was a sanctuary."


    I blurted out a convenient truth.


    It''s notmon for a dungeon to contain a sanctuary, but it''s not extremely rare either.


    As long as I keep hidden the fact that I said ''I don''t believe in gods'' to solve it, there shouldn''t be a problem.


    "¡­A sanctuary."


    Daud''s eyes narrowed.


    "Then, this magic circle might be in ''Ancient Language''."


    "Ancient Language¡­"


    I murmured the words with a breath.


    Daud said, "Originally, sanctuaries were relics created when gods were present on this earth. If the rewardes from such a ce, it''s likely to be in Ancient Language. Especially if it''s a collection of symbols like this magic circle."


    Ancient Language.


    As the name implies, it''s anguage that existed long ago but is now lost.


    The reason for its disappearance is unknown, but the most usible theory among modern schrs is simply,


    ©¤It''s too difficult.


    And furthermore,


    ©¤They must have created it just to whisper among themselves.


    This spection is almost urate.


    The Ancient Language was created by magicians for their use.


    In essence, it is magic itself.


    The most distinctive feature of Ancient Language is that ''pronunciation'' and ''characters'' ur simultaneously.


    Someone who has mastered Ancient Language naturally hears its sound when they see it.


    Since thenguage works this way, the same word can have countless meanings. Even if the script is the same, the pronunciation often varies.


    Naturally, an ordinary person looking at the text would find it utterly uninterpretable.


    ''Ancient Language.''


    I took another look at the magic circle I had drawn.


    I, too, knew what Ancient Language was only as knowledge, unable to interpret it.


    However, I had obtained a hint. If this magic circle is in Ancient Language, I understand why nothing happened when it was activated.


    As I mentioned earlier, the Ancient Language encapstes ''sound'' in its script.


    The magic circle isn''t simply drawn and filled with mana, there''s a need to speak the words out loud. There''s an additional step to activate it.


    ¡®Speaking the name of the magic circle, ''Menosorpho,'' might make it work correctly.¡¯


    Just like when a character shouts out a skill name in aic or a game.


    The utterancepletes the magic circle.


    ¡®......However.¡¯


    Let''s not do it here.


    We don''t know what might happen.

 Chapter 28 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After Frondier left.


    For a long time, Daud silently gazed at the magic circle drawn by Frondier.


    Sybil was standing by his side.


    "...Dad, are you still looking at it?"


    "Mm."


    In response to Sybil''s words, Daud pointed to a corner of the magic circle with his finger.


    "It was Frondier. He started drawing the magic circle right there."


    The location was at the edge of the square.


    Frondier started drawing the magic circle there with a short dagger, creating its shape."And as I said, he drew an extremelyrge magic circle. Right here in this square."


    "Yeah, it''s impressive that he remembered a magic circle this big in such detail, isn''t it?"


    "That too. And one more thing."


    "One more thing?"


    Daud asked Sybil as if posing a problem.


    "Sybil, if you were to draw a magic circle, where would you start? Assuming you were to replicate something this huge."


    "......Um, from the center?"


    ///


    "Exactly. That''s the usual way. It''s perfect for bncing the magic circle. But Frondier drew it from the edge. He drew the outside first, then filled in the inside. Why?"


    "......Well, I don''t know?"


    Sybil shrugged, unable to grasp the idea at all.


    Daud said,


    "Frondier knew the exact scope and spacing of the magic circle. Almostpletely covering this square with a magic circle without a single error. Do you realize how extraordinary that is?"


    That''s not simply memorization.


    It goes beyond the memorization of the shapes and symbols of the magic circle, it''s also the designing of the overall size of the magic circle, the spacing of each symbol, and their cement.


    "I don''t know if this can be called memorization. If you call this ''memorization'', then what humans have done up until now is not even memorization."


    ".......¡±


    Sybil eximed, her mouth open.


    It was impressive enough to memorize the shapes of the magic circle, but to have the spacing and dimensions of all the parts in your head as well.


    "Hmm, at first I brought a kid with no energy, but now I see something."


    "What? Really?"


    "He¡¯s good enough to be chosen."


    Sybil''s face turned red in an instant.


    "Stop saying that! How many times do I need to tell you that it''s not like that!"


    "Don''t be so embarrassed. Even I¡¯m starting to look at him in a new light. Although my mind hasn''tpletely changed. What am I supposed to do with those sleepy eyes..."


    "Why do I understand everything else you say but not this?"


    Ding-dong.


    Whether it was good timing or bad, the doorbell of the front door rang.


    ¡°Hmm, a guest. I''ll be right back.¡±


    "No, I''ll get it!"


    Sybil stomped over, her voice still full of anger.


    ''Seriously, what am I supposed to do with my father''s excitement!''


    When she opened the door,


    There was a man standing in front of the door that Sybil didn''t know.


    "Hello, Sybil Forte, is it right?"


    "....... Oh, hello? Are you a guest of my father?"


    "No, I came to find Sybil."


    "Me?"


    Sybil tilted her head as she looked at the man with a gentle smile.


    The man''s voice was gentle, and his face was like looking at a harmless herbivore.


    "I apologize for the intrusion. This is my introduction."


    The man pulled out a business card and handed it to Sybil.


    Sybil checked the business card.


    [Serf Daniel]


    - Indus Member No. 9


    "Indus...?"


    Sybil quietly looked at the unfamiliar name.


    "Yes. Have you heard the name before? We are Indus, created to oppose the aristocrats'' sense of chosen people."


    "...What business does Indus have with me?"


    Upon Serf''s words, Sybil recalled what the organization Indus was about.


    In the world of Etius, where ss exists, discrimination due to ss is always a trailing issue.


    While most people do not even recognize this discrimination as discrimination, Indus was made up of those who felt the injustice of discrimination practiced by nobles and royalty and raised their voices for improvement.


    This organization was open to anyone, not just Constel students but alsomoners. This man, Serf, in front of her, probably wasn''t a Constel student either. He looked to be over thirty at face value.


    To Sybil, her perception of Indus was neither good nor bad. It was true that she hadn''t been very interested.


    However, the influence of Indus was so significant that there was a saying, "An enemy of Indus is an enemy of themon people."


    That''s why Sybil, indifferent as she was, knew about such an organization.


    But as amoner herself, she considered the existence of such an organization not a bad thing.


    "I''ll be straightforward. Would you consider joining us at Indus?"


    "Me?"


    Therefore, she felt neither good nor bad about such an offer.


    It was unexpected and somewhat surprising, but not an unpleasant feeling. She could join depending on her mood, or not.


    Her thoughts changed with Serf''s next words.


    "You could join the ''revolution'' now."


    "A revolution?"


    "Yes. A revolution to abolish all unfair discrimination and leave onlyplete fairness and equity."


    Sybil''s mind raced.


    Somewhere, she felt uneasy.


    He seems to be intentionally getting on her nerves, all the more so.


    ¡°¡­Specifically, what does ¡®revolution¡¯ entail?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out naturally if you join us.¡±


    What is this, a con artist pitch?


    Somethinges to mind when he saysmoners.


    Edwin von Behetorio¡¯s golem incident. The incident where he assaulted numerous students using golems.


    However, it was revealed that a majority of the students had systematically harassed Edwin. The motive was simply because he was a ¡®fallen¡¯ ¡®noble.¡¯ The name of that organization was ¡®October.¡¯


    Surely, this ce called Indus isn¡¯t trying to do something simr?


    ¡°By any chance, is there something suspicious going on in Indus?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®suspicious?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Eliminating discrimination and then targeting and harming a noble?¡±


    Sybil was blunt.


    Serf looked troubled. However, he was still smiling.


    ¡°We simply want to amplify the strength and voices of themoners.¡±


    ¡°Are you or are you not doing it?¡±


    In response to Sybil¡¯s sharp inquiry, Serf¡¯s smile grew wider.


    ¡°©¤©¤That sort of method is also one way of doing it.¡±


    ¡°I will decline your invitation. It was a long way toe. Please go back.¡±


    Sybil respectfully bowed her head as far as she could.


    At that gesture, Serf let out a helpless sigh and turned around. Sybil silently watched his unhesitating footsteps.


    Serf suddenly spoke while he was walking away.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, there is something I should tell you.¡±


    As he spoke, his profile was in shadow, making his expression unclear.


    ¡°To borrow Miss Sybil¡¯s words,¡±


    However, he is still clearly smiling.


    ¡°Our next ¡®target¡¯ is Frondier de Roach.¡±


    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know.¡±


    With that, Serf left.


    Sybil felt an indescribable difort crawling around the edges of her cheeks.

 Chapter 29 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @Crescent subscribing to Dragon yer Gram Tier on Ko-fi</i>


    ?The next day.


    I sat in my room, deep in thought.


    "Menosorpo, where should I test it?"


    Last time, I tested it in the mansion''s courtyard. I thought it was just an insignificant rune.


    But now that I know it''s an ancient rune, things are different. Regardless of the danger, it''s unpredictable what might happen.


    "It''s a relief it didn''t activate."


    This time, I''ve learned how to properly activate it. I have to say "Menosorpo."But the problem is I don''t know the effects of the rune.


    If it''s a needlessly noisy and shy rune, doing it in the mansion''s courtyard would make it impossible to hide.


    And doing it at the Constel is even more out of the question.


    There''s a personal training room, but it''s just as worrying.


    "If an explosion happens, no, that''s unlikely, right?"


    After much deep thought,


    I realized.


    This isn''t something I can figure out on my own.


    "¡­Sigh, I really don''t want to do this."


    I got into position.


    I''m about to go through a very difficult process.


    It''s painful as if carving out bones and flesh, but all of this will help me take a step forward.


    I took a deep breath.


    And then.


    "©¤Is anyone there?"


    I shouted towards the door.


    I felt the hair on my body stand on end.


    Shortly after, I heard calm yet quick footsteps.


    Creak-


    As the door smoothly opened, an elderly man bowed to me.


    "Butler Vikar is here."


    ¡­Wow, right now.


    Did I just speak informally to someone older than my father in my original world?


    It feels like I''vemitted a sin. I was just going to call any passing maid.


    "Um, yes. Vikar¡­ sir."


    "¡­Master Frondier?"


    No good.


    I can''t drop the honorifics from my speech.


    "No, wait."


    A butler holds a significant position within the mansion. Even a noble''s child would use honorifics out of respect for a butler.


    The problem is I don''t know how Frondier would have behaved originally.


    ¡®But now that it''se to this!¡¯


    I decided to just go for it.


    "Mr. Vikar. Recently, I''ve been troubled by various matters."


    I swallowed as I spoke.


    Worried that my use of honorifics might sound strange to Vikar.


    "¡­Yes, I see."


    Vikar responded to my words inly.


    But he was so in that I couldn''t tell if he found my words strange or not.


    As expected of the prestigious Roach family, even the butler is high-ss...!


    "Is there a ce where I can rest without being disturbed by anyone?"


    To use Menosorpo, there must be no one around anyway. Even if there were a massive explosion, it should only be noticeable to passing wild animals.


    A ce no one would find and isted.


    ...Could there be one?


    "Hmm, then how about the cabin you used to frequent in the past?"


    "The cabin?"


    "Yes. Our family''s secondary house. You used to y there often when you were younger, with Elodie de Rishae and..., oh pardon me. It''s now Elodie de Inies Rishae, right?"


    Frondier and Elodie? They were really close.


    ...But this is problematic.


    I don''t know the way.


    "If you intend to go, I''ll have a car ready for you. The chauffeur knows the address."


    Nice, Vikar! Nice chauffeur!


    As expected of the high ss!


    "Very well. Let''s go right now."


    "...Right now, you say?"


    "Yes."


    But then, something I said seemed to make Vikar think, as he stroked his beard for a moment.


    And then he said,


    "However, Mr. Frondier. You have changed a lot."


    Thump.


    "...Have I?"


    I asked nonchntly, but my heart felt like it was about to leap out.


    Was it my tone that was strange? Or was it strange to say I''m going right away?


    "Normally, in such cases, you would have taken a rest in your room. The distance to the cabin is quite far.... Honestly, I thought you would find it bothersome."


    Ah, that''s what it was.


    So saying "right away" was what made it strange.


    "I''ve be toozy to even sleep now."


    "Ha-ha, that''s so like you, Mr. Frondier. Then I''ll go ahead and inform the chauffeur."


    "Please do."


    Then Vikar bowed politely and left the room with smooth movements, just as he had entered.


    I finally let out a sigh of relief.


    ''...The cabin.''


    It was the ce I chose to test Menosorpo.


    The ce where the old Frondier and Elodie used to be.


    I became slightly interested.


    I rode the car to the cabin.

 Chapter 29 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A littleter.


    "Is he not here?"


    Sybil stood in front of the Roach mansion with a distraught face.


    "Yes, he left just a moment ago."


    The gatekeeper guarding the mansion entrance replied.


    Sybil''s shoulders slumped in exhaustion.


    ''Of all times...''


    Sybil felt the anxiety inside her grow.


    Yesterday, she heard an ominous word from Serf.-Our next ''target'', it''s Frondier de Roach.


    She didn''t think they would attack Frondier right after saying such a thing.


    But she thought she should inform Frondier in advance.


    Initially, she pulled out her SagePhone, then changed her mind. Texting or calling would be too risky.


    ''Serf intentionally told me that Frondier is the target. Why?''


    There''s only one reason I can think of.


    Serf wants it to be known. He wants to broadcast across Constel and its surroundings that Frondier has be a target of ''Indus''.


    Though Frondier''s reputation has somewhat improved recently, thatparison is meaningless.


    You can''t escape being the worst in Constel by adding a few points to the worst reputation.


    Fake Mistilteinn, dungeon, golem.


    The incidents involving Frondier are either unknown to the general public or not understood by them.


    Instead, his actions seem entric, causing some reputations to further decline.


    ''So, is that why he''s the target? Does ''Indus'' aim at the ''ipetent noble'' Frondier?''


    But behind Frondier lies the colossal Roach family.


    Is Indus an organization that can touch Roach? Or do they have assurance that they would be safe even if they did?


    ''...An organization seeking to empower themoners.''


    Indus wants to increase the influence of themoners. To do that, they need to sway public opinion to their side.


    Then, they won''t attack Frondier outright. That would make them nothing but a criminal group.


    If being designated as a ''target'' doesn''t simply mean they intend to attack, then Sybil can''t carelessly share what she has heard elsewhere.


    If a call or a message from Sybil to Frondier gets leaked and bes known in Constel.


    Indus would greatly embellish that leak with various additions.


    Since Indus operates under the guise of ''for themoners'', the general public has a very favorable perception of them.


    If Frondier bes a ''target'', that is, if Indus starts proiming that Frondier is a problematic noble.


    The citizens wille to view Frondier as a ''viin'' deserving of bing Indus''s target.


    That''s why she came all the way to the mansion.


    ¡°So, where did he go?¡±


    ¡°I cannot tell you.¡±


    ¡°I am a friend of Frondier. Can''t you make an exception?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Frondier has requested not to be disturbed by anyone.¡±


    The gatekeeper''s words were polite and kind, but it seemed unlikely that he would divulge anything.


    Sybil bit her finger.


    ...It was the first time she realized that she had a habit of biting her finger when anxious. She had never been anxious in her life before.


    Sybil knew she couldn''t rely on luck in this situation.


    Her ability to manipte fate is extremely personal and selfish. It only improves her situation and has no concern for others.


    So far, that had been fine. Just as fate had no interest in others, neither had Sybil.


    But now.


    Reying the past in her mind, Sybil was not the same as she was before, her eyes were cold and biting her nails as she thought deeply.


    ¡®... I need to think.¡¯


    She just met Frondier, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t know much about him.


    It was impossible to know where Frondier is right now. Where could be the ce where he could rest without anyone disturbing him?


    ¡­ That¡¯s right.


    Sybil didn¡¯t know.


    If that¡¯s the case, the one who might know is¡ª


    ¡®¡­ Elodie.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know if Frondier and Elodie were close or not.


    However, the rivalry between the Roach family and the Rishae family was well known. She even knew that they were regrly meeting each other to confirm their friendship. It looked like they were showing off to the other families.


    In that case, it was natural for Frondier and Elodie to have some kind of interaction.


    ¡®Even so, there¡¯s no guarantee that Elodie knows where Frondier is right now.¡¯


    The chances are very slim.


    She had never done this kind of desperate gamble.


    ¡°¡­ Alright.¡±


    Sybil made up her mind and turned around.


    She went to the Rishae mansion to gamble with low odds.


    ©¤©¤However, is she really a child favored by fate?


    That choice was definitely the correct answer.


    * * *


    The car stopped.


    It was almost evening, the sun had set.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    When the knight spoke, I got off without saying a word.


    On the left side of the car, there was a long path. It seemed like a cottage would appear if I followed this path.


    ¡­ I hope so.


    Grudgingly.


    This small path crossing through the dense forest definitely showed traces of people passing by.


    This path seemed to have been around for quite a long time. This was probably a path that only the Roach and Rishae families used.


    Fortunately, there was no problem walking alone, and the path was t.


    However,


    Caw!


    The asional cry of a crow in the forest was noisy.


    I walked for a while, and fortunately, I saw a cottage in the distance.


    I grabbed the door handle of the cottage.


    The door handle and my hand glowed blue, and the locked door handle turned smoothly.


    ¡®A password?¡¯


    It seemed like the door handle had an identification system.


    I entered and let out a silent sigh.


    The cottage smelled like wood.


    When I turned on the light, I could see the inside.


    A wooden bookcase and a table filled the wall, and a firece was embedded inside.


    Is this the Roach family¡¯s separate house?


    I lightly brushed against the wall.


    ¡®¡­ When they were young, Frondier and Elodie were in this ce.¡¯


    I indulged myself in the moment and walked around.


    A ce that could never be reached just by ying the game.


    It felt new to look around the game¡¯s boundaries that I loved.


    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡±


    As I was walking, I felt something strange under my feet.


    There was something in the carpet that my feet got caught in.


    I lifted the carpet on the floor.


    Beneath the rolled-back carpet, there was a door with a handle that could be opened.


    "......a basement?"


    * * *


    Indus is an organization so vast that no single individual can grasp its full extent.


    Serf, too, is unaware of its specific scale or even who the leader of Indus is. Serf simply does his job.


    "Frondier left the mansion?"


    "Without a doubt."


    Serf received the report from a crow at his residence.


    Literally, a crow perched on the windowsill chattered away to Serf.


    This afternoon, Frondier had slipped out of the mansion, apanied only by a single chauffeur.


    The car traveled a considerable distance to a remote forest, and after Frondier got out, it returned to the mansion.


    "You weren''t followed, were you?"


    "You know my magic, don''t you?"


    Said the crow.


    The true identity of the crow was Gregory, a member of Indus.


    His specialty is taming.


    He can train animals to see through their eyes. The magic used for this is so minimal that it''s erased by the animal''s innate magic. Even those with keen senses could never detect it.


    And he can choose an animal to lend its voice to convey his own words, just like now.


    For espionage, it is the best skill.


    "There are plenty of crows in that forest, too. Impossible to notice."


    "Hmm. Frondier is alone right now."


    Serf stroked his face with his hand, a smile peeking through his fingers.


    Initially, he only wanted to scare Sybil.


    He was aware that they had be acquainted after the dungeon exploration.


    Sybil Forte is friendly to everyone. That would have been the same for the human sloth, Frondier.


    But that acquaintance was merely formal.


    Serf thought that if he probed just right, Sybil would contact Frondier by text or call. That alone would have fulfilled her obligation.


    "Any contact from Sybil''s side to Frondier?"


    "None. She hasn''t had a call record with anyone since yesterday."


    "Hmm."


    So, does that mean Sybil didn''t even think to contact Frondier?


    Did shepletely ignore my warning?


    Or did she catch on that I was conveying information and decided to protect Frondier... no, she wouldn''t go that far.


    ''Maybe she thought it too much of a luxury to contact the ''human sloth'' separately.''


    Well, good.


    That means I have my own way of doing things.


    Serf smiled.


    The original n was to startter, but I can''t pass up the opportunity with Frondier being alone.


    Serf made up his mind.


    "The ns have changed. It''s time to bury Frondier."

 Chapter 30 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>3/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @ConspiracyPizza on Ko-fi</i>


    ?I opened the door on the floor.


    The basement that came into view was quite spacious.


    I jumped down.


    There was a considerable thud, but it didn''t affect me much.


    I looked around the basement.


    It seemed it hadn''t been cleaned, as dust rolled around, and a pungent smell stung my nose.


    This basement, was it only known to Frondier?It seemed to be a ce unknown at least to those who cleaned here.


    I surveyed the basement thoroughly. Its structure didn''t seem much different from the upper floors.


    I picked up a book from a table ced in the left corner.


    My hand naturally went to a book that read,


    ¡®Diary - Frondier de Roach¡¯


    My heart skipped a beat.


    I slowly opened the diary to somewhere in the middle.


    May 2


    It¡¯s raining, but it¡¯s not cold. Perhaps the cold haspletely left.


    Elodie boasted that she¡¯s never hot or cold because of her divine power.


    It annoyed me a bit.


    ¡­¡­.


    June 14


    It¡¯s hot.


    Elodie tempted me to go to the valley.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even hot,¡± I rebuked, and she got massively upset.


    She was just pretending to be upset. I know it all.


    Stories from their childhood.


    It seems like a very old story, so Elodie treats Frondier familiarly.


    ¡®The diary being here, does it mean the old Frondier lived in a cabin?¡¯


    Frondier,cking divine power, might have preferred being here than being noticed at home.


    I was flipping through the pages carelessly when I stopped.


    A particrly short line.


    I stared at that sentence as if it was etched into my eyes.


    December 26.


    I finished tranting the ancientnguage.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Ancientnguage?


    Frondier tranted the ancientnguage?


    I reviewed the diary again.


    Sure enough, Frondier had periodically made entries about the ancientnguage.


    ©¤The ancientnguage consists of the same characters, yet the meaning changes. Each meaning is not even slightly simr; it¡¯spletely different. Realizing this, I was very exhausted. I can confidently say thisnguage was not made formunication.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Frondier was deciphering the ancientnguage, and hepleted the decoding?


    Decoding the ancientnguage meant, in other words, that Frondier found the ancientnguage somewhere.


    Where in the world?


    I read the diary again from the beginning.


    October 21st


    It''s so freaking cold.


    Elodie is still walking around outside in light clothing.


    I''m starting to get pissed off.


    Does Elodie know how I feel?


    ¡­¡­.


    November 4th


    I''m tired of smiling.


    I''m tired of saying I''m okay.


    I''m tired of this situation where I have to say I''m okay every day.


    Goddamn it. F*ck. B*tch.


    Please shut up.


    I feel an ominous feeling from the diary.


    The dates when Elodie is cursed at are bing more frequent.


    In this thick diary, Frondier''s loathing for Elodie is piling up as time goes on.


    ''Did Frondier hate Elodie?''


    No, this isn''t just a matter of hating.


    It''s like hatred.


    November 11th


    The five gods who love Elodie.


    Why Elodie? Why five?


    Even just one of them could''vee to me.


    No, it doesn''t even have to be that. I don''t need divine power.


    But it''s annoying to have someone like that next to me.


    Get lost, Elodie.


    Get lost.


    Disappear in front of me.


    Don''t smile like that in front of me.


    "The five gods......."


    Elodie, who is loved by the five gods.


    Frondier, who has no divine power or talent.


    Frondier''s inferiorityplex seemed more serious than I had imagined.


    December 2nd


    The ancientnguage will be deciphered soon.


    Once that happens, it''ll all be over.


    My inferiorityplex, this depression.


    I won''t be able to see Elodie''s thoughtless smiling face anymore.


    Because Elodie will be in the same position as me.


    "What?"


    Elodie will be in the same position?


    What does deciphering the ancientnguage have to do with Elodie?


    Did he find something while deciphering the ancientnguage?


    ''No. If you look at the diary, it seems like he learned to decipher the ancientnguage because of Elodie.''


    My mind was racing.


    Even if I didn''t want it to, thoughts kept flowing, progressing my thinking.


    Ancientnguage, deciphering, Elodie, the five gods, the same position.


    "Using ancientnguages, he attempted something with Elodie''s divine power."


    From the way it''s phrased, it seems like he tried to eliminate Elodie''s divine power.


    But it was likely a failure, or perhaps it''s still pending.


    Looking at the date of this diary, it''s from three years ago.


    Long before he entered Constel.


    When I was ying Etius, Elodie was skillfully handling the power of the five gods, and it was Frondier who was invisible.


    Whatever he tried to do to Elodie, I can''t tell what it was, but it didn''t go well.


    So after that, Frondier became the ''Human Sloth'' in Constel, just sleeping around?


    ...Frondier. What on earth were you trying to do?


    You could have just been a useless character!


    That''s enough to torment me!


    "This is just like a viin..."


    Thud-


    Then, something hit. The sound came from above.


    Instinctively, tension ran through my body.


    Soon after, a loud voice was heard.


    "Ah, ah, hey, young master, are you there?"


    A voice amplified with mana, sounding too casual.


    Despite using the word ''young master'', it was utterly disrespectful.


    "We know you''re in there, young master."


    ''...Enemies?''


    I calmed my pounding heart and caught my breath.


    "It would be better for you toe out quietly. If you don''t open this door, we''ll burn this house down."


    ...What are these people up to? Do they have a grudge against me?


    Everyone thinks so lowly of Frondier, he wouldn''t have done anything to warrant a grudge.


    Or is it not me they''re after but the ''Roach Family''?

 Chapter 30 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "It won''t do, boys. Finish it quickly."


    It seems he''s not alone, as he directed his voice towards his subordinates.


    Then.


    Crack-crack!


    With a chilling sound of air splitting, it felt like an earthquake was happening above.


    Probably arrows.


    Since he mentioned burning, maybe fire arrows.


    They''re well-prepared.


    They couldn''t do this unless they were certain I was here from the start.I quickly scanned my surroundings.


    Even though they don''t know I''m not in the house but in the basement, it''s only a matter of time before they find out once the hut copses.


    I need something to respond with before that happens.


    ¡®Weaving¡­¡­!¡¯


    I began to encase all the objects I could see around me into the workshop.


    Each time, I was able to confirm the structure of the objects.


    ¡®If it''s a noble family''s annex, it must definitely have it.¡¯


    While searching desperately, I found a bookshelf.


    A button installed under a few books on the shelf, and the magic stream that followed behind it.


    ¡°This is¡­¡­.¡±


    I approached the bookshelf and pressed down the books towards where the mana flowed.


    Then, the bookshelf slid aside, revealing a passage big enough for one person.


    ©¤©¤I found it, the escape route.


    If only I could escape through here,


    ¡°Young master! We didn''te here for nothing! We brought a present!¡±


    What is he talking about.


    Just as I was about to ignore him and move towards the escape route.


    ¡°We have a child with us!¡±


    That''s when my feet stopped.


    I twisted my eyes in unbearable displeasure.


    ¡°This child, we will throw into that house from now on. He will burn well, won¡¯t he?¡±


    I thought it was a lie.


    But faintly, I could hear crying. It was definitely a boy''s voice.


    ¡°If you run away, young master, you will be branded a murderer from tomorrow. And if it''s for killing a child with arson, the crime wouldn''t be so light, would it?¡±


    Damn them.


    Now I know who these people are. No, I know who is controlling these scoundrels.


    Not the enemy of the Roach family. They are not that simple.


    The organization, Indus, that goes around wearing the guise of working for themon people.


    Those greasy bastards have marked me.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡­.¡±


    After letting out a deep sigh,


    I climbed up thedder.


    * * *


    "Hey, just burn it enough to break the door. That''s all it needs."


    Serf warned as he watched.


    Just getting Frondier out would suffice. It would be troublesome if he died of suffocation.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this pretty much the same as having caught him?¡±


    They followed his orders, but they weren''t members of Indus.


    They were merely a mercenary group that Serf had paid arge sum for.


    They had no idea who they were messing with, let alone that it was the Roach family. They were simply ordered to "burn down the cabin and drag the man inside out."


    "That''s right. He''ll crawl out on his own. We even went as far as kidnapping a child to threaten him."


    One of the Indus members, Grobel, was excitedly talking.


    Beside him, a much younger boy was giggling.


    "Bro, did I do well?"


    "My, you did splendidly. Our little brother''s acting is improving day by day."


    Grobelughed, patting his younger brother Rokbel on the head.


    "Bro, but am I really going in there? Into that burning house?"


    "Of course not, just saying. Do you think that''ll make Frondiere out? But if he doese out, you have to act again, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    Grobel reassured Rokbel.


    Serf thought to himself while listening to this.


    ''But he won''t be able to resisting out.''


    By now, the house would be filled with smoke.


    A normal human without divine power wouldn''t be able to withstand it and would run out.


    Even if there was a prepared escape route, could he ignore being branded a murderer of a child?


    If a prestigious family like Roachmitted child murder, a fate worse than death awaited.


    Probably sent to ''Tavern''s Rampart'' to rot there until death.


    Thud-


    "Huh?"


    That moment, the door opened.


    Frondier appeared from within.


    "He really came out?"


    Grobel was surprised, but Serf had expected as much.


    Frondier waszy and ipetent, and on top of that, a noble. Such people''s way of thinking is predictable.


    Even in this situation, he would think himself safe.


    Having followed orders, he would think himself free of responsibility for whatever happens to the child, and being a noble, he wouldn''t die.


    He came out with suchcent thoughts.


    "Hey there, young master. Nice to meet you. I''m called Grobel."


    Grobel had opened his mouth.


    "If you simply follow what we say, you won''t have to see anything unpleasant,"


    "Serf Daniel."


    Frondier cut off Grobel''s words.


    Grobel felt a bit annoyed but remained silent.


    ...But how does he know Serf Daniel?


    "Serf Daniel. Answer me. Are you deaf?"


    Huh, Serf let out a hollowugh.


    Still unaware of the situation and stance?


    Serf, who had been silently standing behind, finally spoke up.


    "I''m surprised you know me."


    "Why are you keeping quiet in the back?"


    "Your words are quite rough. I''m simply not overstepping my bounds."


    Serf spoke calmly.


    He met Frondier''s eyes.


    Languid eyes. Even in this situation, those eyes werenguid and sleepy.


    With that leisurely expression, Frondier said.


    "You''re the ringleader, Serf Daniel."


    As if stating the obvious, correcting to the right answer.


    "©¤©¤What do you mean by that? The man in front of you is Grobel, the leader,"


    "Ah, I see. So that''s the concept. Got it. Let''s just move on."


    Frondier waved his hand dismissively as if he was bothered.


    What''s with that negligent attitude? As if he knows everything.


    For the first time in a while, Serf felt displeasure. But he did not show it on his face.


    Always a smile.


    That''s how a member of Indus must always be.


    "Before we listen to your request, let me make a suggestion."


    But Frondier''s insolence knew no end.


    Veins bulged on Grobel''s forehead.


    "Young master, have you lost your mind? To think a suggestion is possible,"


    "That kid there."


    Frondier pointed at Grobel''s younger brother, Rokbel, who was beside him.


    Rokbel, impressively, had been pretending to cry ever since Frondier appeared.


    Frondier said.


    "Send him to me."

 Chapter 31 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>4/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @ConspiracyPizza on Ko-fi</i>


    ?Silence enveloped the assembly at Frondier''s words.


    Grobel hadn''t intentionally kept his mouth shut.


    It was just a moment of confusion.


    ''What should I answer?''


    To Frondier right now, Rokbel must seem like a hostage. He wouldn''t think of him as Grobel''s brother.


    So, naturally, Frondier would demand Rokbel. For the safety of the hostage.


    After all, Frondier had stopped running away and came out here because of Rokbel."I don''t know what you guys want. But you want it enough to take that kid hostage, right? That''s why you came out here. Send the kid to me."


    At Frondier''s words, Grobelughed.


    It was augh mixed with bravado.


    "Huh, I told you just now. Do you really think an offer like that would work?"


    "If it doesn''t work, I''ll just go back inside the house. As you might have noticed, there''s an escape route underground. Do whatever you want, kill the child or not."


    "If this kid dies, you''re done for, you know?"


    "Well, whatever happens, I''ll dieter."


    Saying so, Frondier took a step back.


    He really seemed ready to go back into that burning house.


    Grobel clenched his teeth.


    ''Damn, how can he be so confident?''


    He expected him toe out scared and trembling.


    But instead, he was negotiating with a confident posture and eyes.


    Then Serf said,


    "Understood. We''ll send the child."


    Grobel, surprised, turned his gaze to Serf.


    It wouldn''t matter if the child was aplete stranger. But Rokbel was his brother.


    Sending his brother to such a slow-witted person?


    Serf smiled at Grobel as if to reassure him.


    Grobel, reluctantly, nodded and said to Frondier,


    "Fine. We''ll send him."


    "Send the child alone."


    "©¤©¤Alright."


    Grobel lightly tapped Rokbel on the back.


    It was a signal to go.


    Rokbel''s hesitant steps moved toward Frondier.


    ...At that moment, Rokbel''s feelings were almost close to panic.


    ''What? Am I really going?''


    Lost in the conversation that he couldn''t understand, suddenly, he found myself being pushed by his brother''s hand.


    For a boy of about ten, this was terrifying enough.


    ''I was told to just pretend to cry!''


    Now, there was no need to pretend. Tears seemed about toe out for real.


    With such an expression, Rokbel approached Frondier step by step.


    Frondier looked at Rokbel with an indifferent expression. This made Rokbel even more scared.


    When Rokbel''s foot was about to reach right in front of Frondier,


    Thud, the sound of Frondier stepping on the ground.


    That indifferent Frondier suddenly rushed towards Rokbel.


    "Eek!"


    Rokbel flinched in surprise.


    And then,


    ng!


    He heard the sound of metal from behind him.


    "......Huh?"


    Rokbel looked behind him.


    What fell was a broken arrow. Frondier had rushed towards Rokbel and blocked the arrow for him.


    How he blocked it, Rokbel didn''t know. Nor did it matter to him how it was done.


    What mattered was.


    ''They... they shot an arrow at me......''


    Rokbel nkly looked at the members of the mercenary group in the distance. In the center, he saw Serf Daniel.


    Even though they hadn''t met for long, he was always smiling kindly.


    Serf Daniel, with that same smile.


    Was holding a bow.


    "Uh-uh......?"


    That was all he could say. His vision swirled. Fear pressed heavily on his lungs.


    In the midst of this, Frondier, who had blocked the arrow, held him and said,


    "Hold on tight."


    At those words, Rokbel unknowingly grasped Frondier''s sleeves with both hands.


    Frondier, holding Rokbel, dashed into the burning house.


    * * *


    "Serf, you crazy bastard!"


    Grobel grabbed Serf by the cor. Anger trembled his hands too violently.


    Serf had shot an arrow at Rokbel. He shot an arrow at his own brother.


    Even while being grabbed by the cor, Serf spoke with an unabashed face.


    "Tsk, failed, huh."


    "Failure, what the hell, you son of a-!!"


    Grobel exploded with anger, his voice reaching its peak.


    But just as Grobel was about to punch him in the face, he suddenly stopped.


    "Put your hand down."


    "......"


    Silently, Grobel released his grip on Serf''s cor. His eyes were unfocused.


    Seeing this, one of the mercenaries spoke up.


    "What, what''s going on¡­¡­."


    "Everyone shut up."


    But before the sentence was even finished, Serf cut him off.


    In an instant, the focus of all the mercenaries blurred. Like Grobel, they stood powerlessly and dazedly, their bodies limp.


    This was Serf''s ability, ''Mind Control''.


    If conditions were met, Serf could manipte others at will.


    The opponent had to be handed a business card, read it, confirm the name, and remember the name ''Serf Daniel'' in their mind.


    Although it doesn''t work well on people with strong mental fortitude, it was no problem for this group of mercenaries.


    "Tsk. It wasn''t a bad idea."


    Serf clicked his tongue.


    Originally, he had nned to throw the kid named Rockbel into a cabin. The scenario was supposed to go like ''Frondier locked the child inside and burned him to death''.


    The next scenario was ''Frondier killed the kid with an arrow'', but things didn''t go as nned.


    "Frondier, just as I heard, you can use Aura."


    Serf was convinced.


    There had been a report from Gregory.


    Specializing in taming, Gregory had been using various animals to gather information within Constel until now.


    However, Frondier was never part of that informationwork. His discovery was by chance.


    At the time, Serf was listening to Gregory''s report at his residence as usual.


    It was initially about Elodie.


    "When Elodie and Frondier were together, Frondier blocked all the broken ss shards. He was barehanded even then."


    Gregory had reported, but Serf was skeptical.


    "Is that the only reason you think Frondier is using aura?"


    "It''s not the only reason."


    Serf looked at Gregory, or rather, the crow in front of him, with eyes that urged him to continue.


    Gregory lowered his voice as if he was about to reveal something significant.


    "Golem."


    "¡­!"

 Chapter 31 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "The golem of Edwin that caused the loss of many members from the Constel¡¯s group ''October'' who were receiving support from our Indus. It was Frondier who destroyed it. At the time, it seemed like a minor issue and was overlooked, but looking back, it''s clear that was also Frondier''s doing. And even then,"


    "¡­he was barehanded."


    Such evidence makes it credible that Frondier is using aura.


    But, the ipetent Frondier using aura, and barehanded at that.


    "How could a human sloth like Frondier use aura?"


    "He must have received divine power. It happens sometimes. Someone who catches the eye of a god by some chance or another asion. Recently, I heard Frondier has been actively participating in sses? It''s certain he received divine power."


    ¡­Indeed, is it aura received with the help of a god?


    "If the opponent uses aura, it''s dangerous even in numbers. Serf, it seems you''ve gathered mercenaries, but put Frondier in a disadvantageous situation on purpose. Create as much evidence as possible that Frondier killed or kidnapped a child. Killingester."


    ©¤©¤Considering Gregory''s report, when he blocked the arrow just now.Frondier was barehanded.


    It wasn''t that he caught or swatted the arrow away with his hand. The arrow clearly broke and fell in mid-air.


    It''s aura received with the help of a god. He could easily block something like an arrow.


    "¡­Evidence."


    Frondier plunged back into the mansion. It must be true that there''s an escape route inside.


    If he crawls through the narrow escape route with a child, even without Serf doing anything, plenty of evidence will naturally umte.


    It could even turn into a picture of Frondier kidnapping a child.


    Serf''s gaze turned towards the burning house.


    "Go."


    Following Serf''smand, all the mercenaries entered the house.


    Clearing away the embers and smoke, he barely discovered there was an underground.


    And the moment je descended underground, searching for the escape route.


    "......Hmm."


    One of Serf''s eyebrows slightly quivered.


    To anyone, it would appear as an escape route. No, it had been an escape route. But now, it was copsed.


    Stones had fallen from above, blocking itpletely without any gaps.


    It was copsed from the inside after Frondier had entered.


    Serf shouted.


    "Go out and find it! Such escape routes can''t be made long! They couldn''t have gone far!"


    * * *


    "Huff......, huff......"


    I was crawling towards the escape route, with a child on my back.


    I used my outer garment to tie the child securely so he wouldn''t fall.


    After blocking an arrow, I grabbed the child and ran to the basement, entering the escape route and copsing the entrance.


    Before that, Iid the child beneath me and created a shield with my Obsidian above us.


    Then, using my sword, I copsed the entrance and blocked the falling stones with the shield.


    The child had fainted, perhaps due to the shock of that moment.


    ...But that wasn''t the only reason.


    The events had been too overwhelming for the child''s heart to endure.


    ''Serf...''


    When I blocked the arrow flying towards the child, I created a shield with weaving to block it.


    It wasn''t because my reaction speed was exceptional.


    Self, that bastard sure knew how to shoot an arrow. If the child was hit by an arrow in front of me, it would be much easier to make me the culprit.


    ''Ugh, it''s damn painful.''


    When I broke the entrance, I wasn''t unscathed either.


    The shield didn''tpletely cover my body, and my head, arms, legs, etc., were hit by stones, causing severe pain.


    Even the parts protected by the shield weren''t damage-free.


    Because of this, every time I crawled, the grazed areas throbbed and burned. Sweat, or perhaps blood, dripped down my body.


    The escape route was longer and narrower than I thought.


    ...How much time had passed?


    As I awkwardly crawled forward, anxiety crept in.


    What if the enemy catches up to us?


    What if they have a bomb? If they copse this entire exit.


    Or they might have already found this exit and could be waiting ahead.


    My heart races. My breathing is rough.


    Blood drips from the scratches all over me, indistinguishable in the mix with sweat.


    But eventually,


    "...We''re outside."


    The end of the escape route. Light leaks in from afar.


    Even if enemies are lurking ahead, the only way for me is forward.


    I grit my teeth.


    Holding the ne ck Lotus in my hand, searching for a suitable weapon in the workshop.


    And when I reached out towards the exit.


    Snap!


    ¡°?!¡±


    My outstretched hand was grabbed, and I was forcefully pulled.


    Damn it, had the enemy already arrived!


    Just as I was about to exert strength in my hand holding ck Lotus.


    "Frondier!"


    Suddenly, I was embraced by someone.


    I was dazed, my vision momentarily whitened.


    But, the scent.


    A familiar fragrance I had smelled before.


    That time.


    After defeating the Slevb in the dungeon.


    "...Sybil."


    The scent from when I carried her.


    "You¡¯ve arrived safely."


    Sybil smiled at me.


    I couldn¡¯tprehend.


    "How did you get here?"


    I asked, and Sybil nced back.


    Someone was standing behind her, in front of me.


    "¡­Hello."


    There stood Elodie de Inies Rishae, looking at me with aplex expression.

 Chapter 32 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Frondier is in danger!"


    Rishae Mansion.


    That was the first thing Sybil blurted out upon meeting Elodie.


    "Ah, what?"


    Naturally, Elodie didn''t understand.


    Everything was too sudden.


    To begin with, Elodie had hardly ever spoken with Sybil. They only greeted each other when passing by face to face.


    They only knew each other''s names because both were so famous.


    And yet, someone she had never had a conversation withes to her house and mentions ''Frondier.''"What are you talking about?"


    "So, that is..."


    When Elodie pressed for answers, Sybil briefly exined the whole situation.


    "©¤©¤Hmm."


    After listening to Sybil''s story, Elodie seemed to ponder, fiddling with her lips.


    Meanwhile, Sybil seemed a bit calmer as she exined.


    "Of course, I don''t know if Frondier is in immediate danger. Just because they''ve targeted him doesn''t mean they''ll harm him right away. But just in case..."


    "No."


    Elodie shook her head.


    "Probably, Frondier is in danger now."


    "What?!"


    "If Indus really has targeted Frondier, they won''t miss the opportunity when he is alone."


    "How would they know? That Frondier is alone right now."


    "There''s someone among them who can tame animals. He must have been caught in their surveince."


    Elodie had been aware of being watched for some time.


    At first, even she hadn''t noticed it. The presence was too faint to be detected by mana sensing.


    But if it continues not just for a day or two, but for weeks or months.


    Even without mana sensing, one bes aware of the ''gaze.''


    ''I was reluctant to kill the animals and didn''t do anything special, so I left it alone.''


    To think such a troublesome thing would happen.


    Elodie ''s eyes darkened.


    "So, what do we do? Where could Frondier have gone?"


    "That''s the problem."


    Sybil might havee with some expectation.


    But Elodie also had no idea where Frondier might have gone.


    Now, it seems we can hardly call our rtionship friendly anymore.


    Now, even if we look at it favorably, we can''t say that our rtionship is close.


    Maybe in the old days.


    "...The old days."


    Thinking about it, a ce came to mind. The annex of the Roach family estate, the cabin where we yed together as children.


    But did Frondier really go there? It''s a ce we haven''t even nced at in years.


    Memories of the paste flooding back.


    The foolish me pestering Frondier with "Fron~ Fron!" and chattering away,


    "Ah."


    Suddenly, I felt a wave of displeasure. I''m not at all keen on the idea of saving Frondier.


    Just die, Frondier.


    "Why, what''s wrong?"


    "No, shall we go check it out?"


    "You think you know where it is?"


    "Roughly."


    At Elodie''s words, a flush of excitement appeared on Sybil''s face.


    Elodie caught a glimpse of that expression for a moment.


    Is Sybil this happy about the possibility of finding Frondier?


    ...Because of Frondier, no, surely not.


    It must be because Sybil is too kind.


    "Okay, what should we do? Take the car?"


    Sybil was fidgeting, showing her impatience.


    Elodie grabbed Sybil''s waist.


    "No."


    "Huh?"


    "This is faster."


    And then.


    "Huh? Woaaaah!!"


    They flew.


    Sybil screamed as she suddenly found herself quickly rising away from the ground.


    "What, what''s this?! Flying magic?! ''Wings''?"


    "No, it''s a bit more advanced than that."


    "Woaaaah!"


    Elodie, holding Sybil, flew towards the cabin as their target.


    It was a memorable first flight for Sybil.


    And her impression of it.


    ''It''s, it''s heavy...!''


    Because of the wind and gravity, her body felt heavy.


    It wasn''t her flying on her own, after all.


    For a first flight, it wasn''t pleasant.


    * * *


    "So that''s how we got here. Ta-da, pretty impressive, right?"


    Sybil said with a proud expression, even forming a ''V'' with her fingers.


    I replied.


    "...Yeah. It really is impressive. Thanks."


    I had no choice but to say that.


    I''m just grateful to her for worrying about me and running around in a situation that wasn''t even certain to be dangerous.


    But upon hearing my response, Sybil became dazed again.


    "©¤©¤Eh, eh? No, I mean, it''s nothing..."


    Her voice trailed off, as if shrinking back.


    Why is it nothing?


    "Impressive, huh?" I just bragged to myself.


    "Who''s that child?"


    Elodie asked, looking at the child I was carrying.


    "One of their siblings."


    "Why is he here?"


    "He''s my hostage, and theirs as well."


    "Huh?"


    They both tilted their heads, seemingly confused by my exnation.


    I smiled bitterly and continued.


    "They had the child act and cry to lure me out, and when the child got close to me, one of them shot an arrow."


    "What? At their own ally''s sibling?"


    "Yeah. Well, not exactly an ally. Seemed more like a hired mercenary."


    As I answered Sybil''s question, Elodie''s eyes quickly turned cold.


    "¡­Can I shoot an arrow too?"


    "No."


    "Why? They shot one."


    "If you shoot, you''ll kill them all. One arrow is enough."


    An arrow shot by Elodie would be akin to one of the five gods, ''Rudra''s ''Storm Shot.''


    Shooting something like that wouldn''t just kill people; it would change thendscape here.


    If someone unfamiliar with this area looked at a map to find their way here, they''d say, ''This map is useless,'' due to how much it would change.


    "So, we''re good now?"


    Sybil asked with a worried tone.


    I shrugged.


    "Well, with Elodie here."


    "What? You''re going to leave everything to me?"


    "No need. Their goal was to frame me as a murderer and bury me. That''s something that only works if I''m here alone. With Elodie here, it''s actually a disadvantage for them. The teachers at Constel might not believe me, but they''ll believe you."


    I felt Serf''s intention to continue using this kid to frame me as a murderer.


    By now, Serf probably tried to make it look like I kidnapped the child.


    If I had been here alone, and if it were known that Indus, a ''good organization,'' viewed me unfavorably, it would have been easy for them.


    ''Maybe Serf tipped off Sybil aiming for that. If it''s known that Indus is targeting me, naturally, people will think there''s a problem with me.''


    But Elodie had a reputation beyond Sybil, and above all, she possessed the strength to defeat all of them if they attacked.

 Chapter 32 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "The problem is this one. We need to wake him up first."


    I set down the child I was carrying.


    Elodie moved her hand in front of the child''s face.


    A brief sh of mana light, and the child slowly opened her eyes.


    The child looked around nkly.


    "¡­Ah."


    Seeing my face, he seemed to realize the situation.


    He looked at Sybil and Elodie with frightened eyes.


    "Don''t worry. They''re myrades."¡­I wondered if that would reassure the child, but fortunately, it seemed to.


    I asked, "By the way, I don''t know your name. What is it?"


    "¡­Rokbel."


    "You''re Grobel''s sibling, aren''t you?"


    The child nodded slightly.


    Shivering. The confusion and fear must still be mixing inside him.


    "Why not just send him back to those guys? One of them is his brother, right?"


    "If we send him back as is, he''ll be taken hostage again."


    "¡­Surely. Would his brother just let that happen?"


    Of course, Grobel wouldn''t just stand by.


    ¡­If I know Serf, maybe.


    "Let''s move then. It''s best not to meet them, right?"


    Sybil said that, but.


    I shook my head. Elodie probably felt the same.


    "It''s toote."


    As if on cue with my words.


    "©¤©¤I''ve been looking for you for a long time."


    That unpleasantly friendly voice was heard again.


    Serf had a scout with him, so running away was useless anyway.


    Serf''s voice could be heard, but he was not in sight. He was hiding deep within the forest.


    The suddenly increased sounds of movement and footsteps. It seemed like they were surrounding us from hiding.


    "Don''t move. Frondier, Sybil."


    Elodie said in a low voice.


    With her mana detection, she could roughly locate them.


    Given Elodie''s tense state, it was safe to assume their encirclement wasplete.


    "©¤©¤Serf Daniel! Give it up now!"


    Elodie shouted.


    "I know it''s pointless now! Framing Frondier won''t work! I''ll be Frondier''s witness!"


    Elodie, nicely said.


    Though it''s what I said earlier. Anyway.


    "Yeah. That seems to be a mistake. I didn''t expect Sybil to go this far."


    Serf still speaks, hidden in the forest.


    He really doesn''t want to show himself.


    "So, I''m going to kill you all here."


    "...What?"


    At Serf''s words, Elodie questions as if doubting her ears.


    Yes, that''s the kind of person he is.


    The goal of ''Indus'' is to increase the influence of themon people. Behind it lies a more dangerous word, ''revolution'', but on the surface, Indus is still on the side of justice. ''Revolution'' is still premature for them.


    However, Serf Daniel has a different personal agenda.


    ''A noble hater. Serf Daniel.''


    In the future of the Etius game, Serf bes a notorious criminal. He initially joined Indus to find a justifiable reason to kill nobles.


    Gradually umting achievements within Indus, he ns to join the eventual revolution.


    Serf usually doesn''t take the lead.


    He appoints a ''fake leader'' for others to see and works in the shadows.


    ''The problem is, this is just prior knowledge.''


    I''ve never fought Serf while ying Etius. After all, the revolution fails, and Serf gets caught by the investigative team and sent to ''Tyburn''s Rampart''. I heard the head of that ce, Ludwig Urfa, had a hard time.


    I know nothing of his abilities or techniques.


    ''But even so, could Serf really beat Elodie?''


    Serf''s face is not visible, but his voice is utterly calm. Even in this situation with Elodie, he sounds confident of his victory.


    How?


    Those who can defeat Elodie are truly few.


    "Rokbel."


    Suddenly, Serf calls out Rokbel''s name.


    Rokbel, who was crouching beside me, suddenly stiffened.


    "Stab Frondier."


    Thud!


    "¡­!"


    ©¤©¤The situation cameter.


    For now, an excruciating pain surged through me, enough to lose consciousness.


    My side, perhaps.


    Stabbed by a knife©¤


    As I fell, what I saw were the bewildered eyes of Sybil and Elodie.


    On the other hand, there stood Rokbel,pletely losing focus, holding a dagger.


    * * *


    Submerging consciousness.


    Within that sinking consciousness, I struggled to wake up.


    What a fool.


    Fainting from just a stab wound?


    Wake up!


    Wake up!


    A giant bubble of unconsciousness approaches, and I barely cling to a thread-like consciousness.


    And then, all sorts of memories from the past flood in.


    ©¤©¤I hate Elodie.


    ©¤©¤Why do you always make it hard for me by your side?


    ©¤Why are you always smiling in front of me?


    ©¤Why are you always kind to me?


    ©¤Yes, I know. It''s because you have divine power.


    ©¤Overflowing with divine power and talent, naturally, you would smile at someone like me!!


    These must be Frondier''s memories.


    His hatred, inferiorityplex, and difort turn my insides upside down.


    Yes, I am Frondier.


    As if a forcibly plugged hole was opened, his memories pour out like mud.


    ©¤Die, Elodie.


    ©¤Fall into despair and die.


    ©¤This is my true heart.


    ©¤This is my honest word without lies.


    Frondier''s memories be clearer.


    A scene ys before my eyes like a film reel.


    Frondier meeting someone in a cabin.


    Wearing fluttering robes, their gender indistinguishable.


    That person hints something to Frondier, and as if enchanted, Frondier deciphers the ancientnguage.


    Fragments of that interpretation seem to be injected into me.


    Finally, looking at apleted spell, Frondier trembles with ecstasy.


    ©¤With this, Elodie''s divine power¡­!


    I felt that joy and ecstasy too.


    As if it was not Frondier but I who hated Elodie.


    As if I wanted to eliminate Elodie''s divine power.


    As if I''m truly happy about that n.


    ...But.


    "Shut, up...!"


    Of course, too obviously.


    In the end, I am not Frondier.


    Because I am not Frondier, I have always had a sense of guilt in my heart. Because I took Frondier''s life.


    Whetherzy or ipetent, it was entirely his life.


    No matter how that life ended, it would have had its own value to him.


    But if Frondier was to kill someone.


    If he was to plunge an innocent someone into misery.


    Then, I no longer have anything to hide.


    Frondier deciphered the ancientnguage. To eliminate Elodie''s divine power.


    But such things don''t matter to me.


    He must have studied hard out of hatred for Elodie. But I only use it to suit my tastes.


    ''I''ll use the memory of deciphering the ancientnguage.''


    ''Frondier de Roach,'' this is how you''ll live now.


    Struggling with all your might in a world doomed to destruction.


    Give up, Frondier.


    You''re the lowest of viins.


    I recalled Frondier''s memories over and over, endlessly. I crammed all his knowledge into my head.


    It wasn''t learning new knowledge. Like recalling a memory I had momentarily forgotten, I quickly absorbed the knowledge.


    I remembered what Daud had said a while ago.


    -Then, this rune could be ''ancientnguage.''


    He had said.


    That Menosorpo is made up of ancientnguage.


    That its symbols, patterns, and arrangement rules are ancientnguage.


    After absorbing all of Frondier''s knowledge, I faced the rune of Menosorpo in the workshop.


    ''...I see.''


    I understood.


    What Menosorpo is. How it should be used.


    The moment I understood everything,


    I opened my eyes.

 Chapter 33 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>5/5 Bonus chapter thanks to @Ryan on Ko-fi</i>


    I lifted my faintly trembling eyelids.


    ¡°Ss... Hah...¡±


    With every breath, my side throbs painfully.


    The bleeding hasn¡¯t stopped yet.


    ¡°Sybil, Sybil! Focus!¡±


    ¡°I know! I do know...!¡±


    Elodie''s voice seems to be urging Sybil.Sybil''s voice is on the verge of tears.


    It seems I was only unconscious for a brief moment.


    I roll my eyes to check my surroundings.


    Looking up a bit, I could see Sybil and Elodie.


    Elodie appears to be restraining Rokbel.


    Though I¡¯m not certain, it seems like she¡¯s using wind magic to limit Rokbel''s movements.


    Probably, even if Rokbel is shocked now, he won''t faint. He''s already in a state simr to unconsciousness. In such a state, he can only move as if spellbound.


    That means he must be continually restrained.


    Moreover, as a child, his body is fragile, so too much force cannot be applied.


    Elodie has powerful output at its maximum, but she''s clumsy at controlling the output itself. Probably because she''s hardly ever done it.


    In the Constel¡¯s Divine Power Measurement Room, freshmen measure the increase in their strength, not focusing on control.


    Focusing on detailed control from the first year might hinder the extraction of maximum divine power.


    ¡°Kill Frondier, Sybil! It¡¯s Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Gr, ugh...!¡±


    On the other hand, Sybil seems unable to move as she wishes, as if resisting Serf''smand.


    Is this Serf''s ability? I don¡¯t fully understand the principle, but it seems to make the opponent follow hismand.


    Considering it doesn¡¯t work on me and Elodie, there must be some conditions needed.


    Like physical contact is required, or one has to pass an item enchanted with their magic to the opponent.


    ¡°...Sy, bil...¡±


    I called out to Sybil with a voice barely louder than a breath.


    ¡°Fr, Frondier?! You¡¯re awake, ugh!¡±


    Miraculously, Sybil heard my voice and reacted, but she¡¯s still sweating bullets trying to resist themand.


    Rokbel passed out as soon as Serf gave the order.


    Great, Sybil.


    ¡°Huuurk!¡±


    I pressed my hands on the floor and forced myself up. A sharp pain immediately shot through my side.


    Dammit, it¡¯s so painful that tears areing out.


    I felt my arms trembling as I slowly raised myself by a few centimeters.


    It hurts.


    I don¡¯t want to get up.


    I want to rest.


    I¡¯m going to die at this rate.


    As these pathetic thoughts ran through my mind¡­


    ¡­I got up.


    ¡°Fron.. dier¡­¡±


    The eyes of Elodie and Sybil were the widest I had ever seen.


    It was as if they couldn¡¯t believe that I was up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±


    It really seemed like I was seriously injured.


    I can¡¯t even take a single step now.


    I can¡¯t even lift my arms.


    Phew, wheeze.


    How many times have I done this, this lousy breathing.


    But if I don¡¯t do this, the pain makes it hard to breathe properly.


    ¡°F, Frondier. Stay down! Don¡¯t think about doing something reckless! I¡¯ll handle this!¡±


    Elodie shouted at me.


    I understand a bit now. Elodie¡¯s way of speaking.


    Elodie was focused on subduing Rokbel while Sybil was busy wrestling with her own body.


    And in the middle of all that, she¡¯s telling me to stay down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Elodie.¡±


    ¡°Worry, my¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Elodie.¡±


    I looked into Elodie¡¯s eyes.


    Blue eyes. The first time I saw Elodie, her eyes reminded me of ake.


    Frondier probably thought the same thing.


    He must have kept thinking that.


    As he watched Elodie walking ahead, her retreating back getting further away.


    As he watched her smiling face asionally looking back at him.


    Frondier fell into a deep sense of inferiority.


    At the end of that suffering, he came to the conclusion that he had to take away Elodie¡¯s divine power.


    His reason was simple.


    He wanted to walk with her.


    He wanted to stand next to her.


    Now I understand what Frondier wanted to say to Elodie for so long.


    Even though he felt inferior to her, even though he was crushed by his own powerlessness.


    He must have wanted to say it anyway.


    Whether it was pure or defiled.


    That one sentence.


    I will convey it on your behalf.


    "I''ll help you now."


    "¡­What?"


    Leaving Elodie behind, bewildered,


    I pull out the ''Menosorpo'' from the workshop.


    I spread it out on the floor.


    Just as ''Weaving'' doesn''t require actual materials,


    My rune doesn''t need to be physically drawn.


    "Mana, is it barely enough to perform?"


    I feel the blood and mana draining from my side.


    Whether it''s just my imagination, or that''s how mana works, I''m not sure.


    But I feel exhausted as I pour mana into the Menosorpo.


    Ssshh¡­


    Once again.


    Huu©¤


    After exhaling,


    I imbued the Menosorpo with mana and ''dered''.


    "Menosorpo."


    With my deration, the rune emitted light.


    The rune was enormous.


    To an extent that such words are insufficient.


    It spread not just around me, Elodie, and Sybil, over Rokbel, but even to the forest where those from Indus were hiding.


    "This is from that time¡­."


    Elodie murmured.


    She must have remembered.


    The rune I had tried out in the clearing at the Roach mansion.


    Nothing had happened then.


    Despite using mana.


    "What, what is this¡­!"


    Serf''s voice was filled with astonishment.


    But the rune did nothing but emit light; nothing special happened.


    Except that its shape began to be visible, it was no different from the Menosorpo before.


    "©¤©¤Ha! It was all a bluff, Frondier! Just die quietly! Sybil won''t be able to hold out forever!"


    Serf eximed.


    Quite bold for someone hiding in the forest.


    And where did the honorifics go?


    "Fr, Frondier¡­."


    Sybil called me with a trembling voice.


    She was facing me.


    And now, she was a little closer than before.


    "Run away¡­."


    When I saw Sybil''s face.


    She was crying.


    Her beautiful face was stained with tears and hair.


    Yet, Sybil pleaded with me.


    "I''m saying I''ll kill you, Frondier¡­."

 Chapter 33 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    It seems like the limit really hase.


    Sybil''s arms trembled.


    But I didn''t have the energy to even lift a finger. I was struggling just to stay standing.


    "It''s alright."


    But I reassured her.


    I had a n.


    A n based on guesswork, and I wasn''t sure if my body could handle it.


    But it was a shot worth taking.


    Serf still hadn''t noticed.Checkmate was right in front of me.


    Serf had only been giving simple orders since he got here. All he''d said to me so far was to kill myself.


    That meant he couldn''t give Sybil specific orders.


    At best, he could tell her to kill a certain person or stab a certain person. That was the limit.


    "Serf."


    I called out Serf''s name somewhere in the distance.


    "Do you really want to kill me? My family, the Roach, won''t stand for it."


    "Hah. I don''t care. I''m not a noble or amoner. I don''t belong anywhere. The nobles can''t touch me. I''ll just hide in the shadows until the ''revolution''es."


    "......Really."


    ''Alright, Serf.''


    I''ll do what you want.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Weaving the Void</i>


    <i>Grade - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Iokeira</i>


    I spread the Weaving without moving a finger.


    Khryskatos and Iokeira. They were each Artemis''s bow and arrow.


    The two of them were created without my hands.


    "Huh?"


    To my surprise, they appeared right in front of Sybil. Right in front of Sybil, who was still quite a distance from me.


    I could see them clearly in Sybil''s eyes, even without using Obsidian.


    This was the power of Menosorpo.


    It allowed the caster to manifest their spells anywhere within the range of the rune.


    Even if I couldn''t lift my hands.


    Even if I couldn''t move a single step.


    The weapons I created with my Weaving were born far away from me.


    "W-what is this?"


    Sybil was flustered by the bow and arrow that suddenly appeared in front of her.


    "Take it."


    I said.


    Sybil spoke, sounding exasperated.


    "I-I can''t move, remember!?"


    "Take it and shoot me."


    Upon hearing my words, Sybil''s expression froze. She looked at me as if I was speaking madness.


    Indeed, to others, it certainly sounds like madness.


    "Ha ha ha ha! Frondier, you''ve lost your mind! Sybil! Do as Frondier wishes!"


    Serf''s voice could be heard.


    Serf''smand is ''kill me.''


    Which means, shooting that arrow at me is something Sybil could do.


    "Fr, Frondier?"


    "Trust me."


    "Tr, trust you? I don''t want to kill you!"


    Sybil vehemently shook her head.


    I smiled.


    It''s okay. It really is okay.


    "Sybil."


    "Why!"


    "What is fate to you?"


    "Uh, what?"


    Sybil, who receives the love of fate.


    She knows it too.


    All the situations aligning as she desires. Everything that doesn''t hurt her.


    "You are receiving the love of fate."


    "¡­Even if that''s the case! My fate only protects me. It doesn''t care about anyone else! I can''t trust it. I mean, it will hurt you!"


    Honestly, I am surprised to see Sybil like this. I thought of her only as an annoying viin.


    But she still doesn''t know.


    What kind of existence she is.


    "Sybil, like it or not, fate is on your side."


    "But, but for others."


    "I told you. It''s on your side."


    "¡­Frondier."


    To Sybil, who still finds it hard to believe, I said.


    "Sybil. Don''t be dragged around by fate. It''s already beneath your feet."


    "Beneath my feet?"


    Sybil is not a character swayed by good fortune.


    If she were such an easy viin, she wouldn''t have been so infamous among the Etius gamers.


    Fate is not above her.


    It might seem like fate is giving her what she wants and looking down upon her from above because Sybil loves it.


    But as I said.


    Fate is always there, presenting itself for her.


    It''s not that Sybil is following a good fate.


    Fate adores Sybil.


    "Sybil, what situation do you want?"


    "¡­Together, all of us, to leave this ce unharmed."


    "Yes. That''s what will happen."


    Sybil bit her lip hard.


    Holding the bow and arrow set before her, she pulled it taut, aiming at me.


    "Really, is it okay?"


    "Of course."


    "You, you, if you lied, you''re really going to die by my hand!"


    Unfortunately, I can''t grant that wish.


    If it''s a lie, I will be shot with an arrow and die here.


    "¡­Eugh!"


    As if she couldn''t bear to watch, Sybil closed her eyes tight and released the bowstring.


    The arrow flew straight toward me.


    ©¤©¤Whatever.


    Whether Sybil is receiving the love of fate or not.


    I don''t believe in fate.


    [Khryskatos]


    ? Grade: Divine


    ? Description: A bow made by the god of cksmiths, Hephaestus, and given to Artemis


    Ability Details >


    - Women Only: Due to a request by Artemis, only women can draw the bowstring.


    - Sure Hit: The arrow always hits the target aimed by the user.


    Because of such a bow.


    The arrow, which had flown directly at me, took an impossible trajectory, missing me by a whisker, and


    Thud!


    It flew into the forest, making a short sound.


    Silencing the forest air in an eerily quiet manner.


    And with that.


    I slowly, tilted.


    "Frondier!"


    Sybil rushed over and caught me.


    Her movements seemed freed.


    Serf had been hit by the arrow.


    It''s the second time today.


    Being embraced by Sybil.


    ''This way, I''m the one in debt¡­''


    My consciousness didn¡¯tst long.

 Chapter 34 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @HotJava on Ko-fi</i>


    Constel Central Hospital.


    Sybil and Elodie were anxiously awaiting the results of Frondier¡¯s examination.


    This was the hospital where Sybil had been admitted.


    This time, their positions were reversed.


    ©¤©¤Sybil was dered as the one who killed Serf.


    That was the truth, after all.


    When they made this decision, Sybil argued,¡°But we know the truth. I couldn¡¯t have done anything without Frondier. Frondier saved that child and saved us. People should recognize that!¡±


    She made a persuasive argument.


    But Elodie shook her head.


    ¡°Even if everyone knew that Frondier did the right thing, that doesn¡¯t guarantee that Frondier¡¯s image will improve.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s just how image works.¡±


    Will Frondier emerge as the hero who saved the child? Or the murderer who killed a person?


    Elodie couldn¡¯t be sure which way the story would go.


    However, she believed thetter was more likely.


    That was because of Serf¡¯s poprity.


    ¡®Serf was popr in the empire before this happened. Plus, the Indus, which Serf belongs to, has a good reputation among themoners. On the other hand, Frondier not onlycks poprity, but also has a terrible image. And on top of that, he¡¯s a noble¡­¡¯


    To put it extremely, they might think that Frondier killed Serf and covered up the incident.


    That was why they decided to give the credit to Sybil, not Frondier.


    Sybil was quite popr in Constel, and she was amoner, not a noble.


    Plus, if they had Elodie¡¯s testimony, the incident would be watertight.


    ¡®I¡¯m honestly a little pissed that Frondier¡¯s achievement will go unnoticed.¡¯


    Frondier.


    He deserves to be rewarded for what he did.


    Just as Elodie was thinking that.


    Creak-


    The door of the examination room opened, and the doctor came out.


    ¡°D, Doctor! How is he? What¡¯s his condition?¡±


    Sybil approached the doctor and asked anxiously.


    Elodie smiled bitterly upon seeing her anxious eyes.


    ''You''re lucky, Frondier.''


    The doctor gave Sybil a reassuring smile.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. The wound on his side is healing well, and he didn¡¯t lose as much blood as we thought.¡±


    The two were relieved to hear the doctor¡¯s report.


    But then the doctor seemed to be thinking about something for a moment before looking at the two.


    ¡°By the way, what is your rtionship with the patient?¡±


    ¡°Huh? W, we¡¯re friends.¡±


    ¡°Is there no guardian?¡±


    The two nodded at the doctor¡¯s question.


    In fact, Elodie had contacted someone. Frondier¡¯s older brother, Azier.


    After arriving at the hospital, she had been wondering who among Frondier¡¯s family she should contact.


    His father, Enfer, his older brother, Azier, or his mother, who was Constel¡¯s health officer, Malia.


    The reason why Elodie ended up calling Azier was simple.


    She didn¡¯t know Malia¡¯s number, and Enfer was too intimidating.


    Azier was also intimidating, but at least she had talked to him before.


    When Elodie exined the situation, Azier seemed to ponder for a moment before saying.


    -I¡¯ll leave it to you.


    "Yes?!"


    Elodie asked without thinking.


    -If our family goes, it will unnecessarily stir up rumors. That wouldn''t be good for Frondier either.


    He still answered matter-of-factly.


    Thinking about it, that was right. Frondier''s family was all too famous.


    The doctor stroked his chin as if troubled.


    "Um, I see. I have something to tell the guardian."


    "Is Frondier in danger?"


    "No, it''s not like that. But there''s something I need to convey."


    "Then please tell me. I will take responsibility and pass it on."


    Elodie said, and Sybil nodded earnestly beside her.


    "¡­Hmm, I see. That should be fine. Then, this way."


    With that, the three of them moved to the doctor''s office.


    Sybil and Elodie sat on chairs, tense with anxiety. Despite assurances, the doctor''s expression was quite serious.


    The doctor spoke again.


    "Don''t worry too much. The patient is fine. However, I want to caution you."


    "Caution?"


    When Elodie asked, the doctor nodded and took out two photographs.


    "First, he had a deep wound on his side, so we took an X-ray. As I mentioned, the treatment went well. Fortunately, the knife didn''t touch the bone or the internal organs, so there won''t be any aftereffects. And there will hardly be any scars."


    Elodie and Sybil''s tension eased a bit at the doctor''s exnation.


    The doctor took out the next photograph.


    "And this is a picture of the mana distribution."


    "Mana distribution?"


    "Yes. It literally checks the distribution of mana in the subject. You can see the residual amount of mana, where the mana is concentrated, and so on."


    Hearing this, Elodie and Sybil looked at the photograph.


    And both tilted their heads in confusion.


    "I don''t really understand. I can''t see the mana."


    The photograph they were looking at just had a white silhouette of a person.


    I can tell this is Frondier, but how do you see the mana distribution?


    "You''re looking at it correctly."


    "Really?"


    "The patient had copsed due to mana depletion. When he arrived at the hospital, there was no mana left."


    The doctor''s words surprised them, and their mouths fell open.


    So that''s why the photograph only had a silhouette.


    Because it waspletely empty.


    "Of course, fainting due to mana depletion is amon urrence. You two have experienced it too. When mana is depleted, a person feels extreme fatigue. Plus, the patient had been moving excessively before the mana depletion, and there was also bleeding."


    The two nodded.


    They were students of Constel, so they naturally knew the sensation ofcking mana.


    Fainting due to mana depletion was entirely usible.


    "Then, this is the next photograph."


    The doctor took out another photograph.


    It was also a mana distribution photo.


    But it was noticeably different.


    "...Oh? There''s a ce that looks blue. Quite a lot."


    "Yes. That''s mana. This was taken an hourter."


    "Wow," Sybil eximed in amazement.


    Even after mana depletion, to recover mana this quickly?


    ''So quickly?''


    Unlike Sybil, however, Elodie, who is a pure mage¡­


    ¡°That speed seems a bit unusual.¡±


    Thus, Elodie asked carefully.


    ¡°¡­¡­I know this is a strange question, but is it possible to recover mana this quickly after mana depletion?¡±

 Chapter 34 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The doctor adjusted his sses.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was going to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°As Ms. Elodie has noticed, the patient recovers from mana depletion far too quickly.¡±


    Sybil, who had been listening, blinked.


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    Elodie wanted to ask the same question.


    She felt like the incredible speed was strange, but she didn¡¯t think it was necessarily a bad thing.


    The doctor spoke.¡°Rather than a problem¡­ It¡¯s as if his body has grown used to mana depletion.¡±


    At his words, their expressions hardened like stone.


    Only then did they understand why the doctor had wanted to talk to the guardian.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the patient has been doing, but mana depletion is not amon urrence. He must have been in very intense battles, or situationsparable to them, very often. Do you have any idea what it could be?¡±


    The two girls shook their heads at the doctor¡¯s question.


    Their faces were nk as they shook their heads.


    Mana depletion isn¡¯t something you do intentionally.


    Of course, causing mana depletion doesn¡¯t particrly harm the human body.


    However, using magic or skills inherently means you¡¯re in a battle situation.


    Mana depletion means you¡¯ve given it your all in that battle.


    That means that being used to mana depletion means you¡¯re frequently engaging in fierce battles.


    ¡°¡­¡­Doctor,¡±


    Elodie opened her mouth.


    ¡°If he¡¯s used to mana depletion, how often would you say he¡¯s done it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯d say¡­¡±


    The doctor adjusted his sses and looked at the image again.


    ¡°©¤©¤He¡¯s probably done it more than a hundred times.¡±


    Elodie¡¯s eyes trembled.


    She felt an indescribable emotion swelling up inside her.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know this?¡¯


    Even if that was the case for Sybil¡­


    Elodie had been watching Frondier for a very long time.


    She even used to call Frondier by a gross nickname that she¡¯s too embarrassed to even say now.


    For mana depletion to have happened more than a hundred times, unless he¡¯s experiencing mana depletion on a daily basis, it had to have been happening since before he entered Constel.


    It must have been a long time ago.


    Frondier had been experiencing mana depletion since then?


    ¡®What¡­ have I been looking at all this time!¡¯


    Finally, the welling up emotion reached its peak.


    It was an emotion she didn¡¯t want to realize.


    But she had no choice but to. It was anger. Anger directed at herself.


    ¡°H-hey, Elodie! Elodie!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    When Sybil called Elodie¡¯s name, she barely managed to return to her senses.


    The temperature in the room had risen considerably.


    She had almost caused her divine power to activate.


    ¡°S-sorry!¡±


    Elodie quickly apologized to the doctor.


    The doctor looked surprised, but he justughed it off with a chuckle.


    In truth, divine power that doesn¡¯t contain killing intent doesn¡¯t harm the other party when activated.


    In Elodie¡¯s case, it may cause things to get hot or cold, or cause the wind to blow.


    However, it could be seen as threatening depending on the other party.


    The doctor spoke to appease them.


    "As I mentioned, there''s nothing particrly wrong with the patient''s body right now. However, I must stress that he should avoid overexertion. If he continues to face dangerous situations..."


    "......Understood."


    After responding gloomily, they stepped out of the examination room.


    "......"


    "......"


    Following the doctor''s exnation, they sat side by side on chairs, utterly dejected.


    Elodie finally spoke up after a moment of thought.


    "......Hey."


    "......Yeah."


    "Frondier, he always sleeps during ss, right? And tries to skip outdoor sses."


    "......Yeah."


    "That might be because......"


    Elodie''s thought.


    Sybil felt the same.


    Maybe Frondier wasn''tzy; perhaps he couldn''t help it.


    Repeating battles that drain his mana, recovering, and then fighting again.


    With such a body, leading a normal school life was impossible.


    Sybil lifted her head and murmured as if sighing.


    "When we went to the dungeon together, Frondier seemed skilled at disarming traps."


    Sybil recalled the time she was left alone with Frondier.


    At that time, she had a poor impression of him and couldn''t judge properly, but Frondier continually protected her.


    He disarmed many traps, and even when they encountered one, he protected her.


    Maybe it wasn''t that he had learned about traps.


    But rather, he had ''experienced'' them.


    Frondier, the human sloth.


    Theziest and most ipetent man in Constel.


    That truth tasted too bitter and cold for them.


    * * *


    "Hehehe~ Hehe~"


    Ainen walked down the street with a lively step.


    As a librarian, she enjoyed reading even on her days off, but today was a rare outing for her.


    A song even slipped from her lips, ill-fitting though it was.


    "Frondier, that guy. He can be surprisingly helpful."


    Ainen checked the message that had flown into her SagePhone again.


    The message read,


    [Congrattions! You are the expert in ''General Knowledge for Adventurers''!]


    [You have won a Terst Department Store voucher!]


    Amazingly, she had answered all the questions correctly at the library and won a voucher.


    Of course, Frondier''s help with thest question yed a significant role.


    Maybe she should buy him a meal sometime.


    "Ehehehe."


    Ainenughed like a carefree child.


    Even though Constel is well-renowned, they don''t pay librarians that much.


    As someone who devours books, she was always short on money, and living alone, the cost of food and various living expenses were a burden.


    At Constel, it''s awkward to say she''s single, so she goes around saying she''s a ''housewife''.


    Living alone, but a housewife nheless.


    "First~ I''ll buy clothes~ can''t miss out on cosmetics~ Oh, maybe I''ll change my shoes too?"


    She walked, adding melody to her mutterings.


    It was a sign that she was not as young as she might seem.


    ...And unbeknownst to Ainen.


    There was a man watching her.


    "......Yes, the target has arrived."


    Hidden among the crowd, the man quietlymunicated.


    He confirmed Ainen entering the department store and spoke again.


    "Ainen Flot has entered the department store, Your Majesty." [T/N: Lol, she seems to have gotten on the radar with that answer]

 Chapter 35 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Ainen had gone on a mindless shopping spree at the department store.


    Even after buying the clothes, cosmetics, and essories she had always wanted, there was still money left on the gift card.


    It was a substantial amount for a prize won by answering a quiz question.


    She was on her way down to the basement to buy groceriesst.


    ¡°?¡±


    Someone walked alongside her as she turned a corner.


    She thought they would pass by since they were following from behind, but they matched her pace.


    ¡°¡­¡­???¡±


    She nced to see if it was someone she knew, but it was a stranger.The person was wearing a suit and sunsses, making it hard to see their face.


    ¡°Ah, excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    The man spoke quietly.


    ¡°There is someone waiting for Ms. Ainen. This way, please.¡±


    The man nudged Ainen slightly and directed him towards the way he was going.


    The man''s guidance was not forceful but polite.


    Ainen could have refused if he wanted to.


    ¡°Who is waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±


    ¡°Why not just tell me here where no one is listening?¡±


    At Ainen¡¯s words, the man leaned closer.


    He whispered into Ainen¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Ms. Philly Terst is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Phillyly Ter¡­ could it be Her Majesty¡¯s¡­!¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    The man cautioned, and Ainen closed her mouth.


    She hupped because she closed it too quickly.


    ¡°Why, why me?¡±


    Ainen asked in a shrinking voice.


    ¡°I was only ordered to bring Ms. Ainen.¡±


    The man spoke as if he had rehearsed the line.


    It seemed he wouldn¡¯t give any more answers.


    As Ainen was led by the man, she racked her brain.


    ¡®Philly Terst, the Empress of the empire!¡¯


    She was far too high-ranking for someone like her to deal with.


    She wasn¡¯t abat instructor at Constel, just a mere librarian.


    Ainen couldn''t fathom why the Empress was looking for her.


    ''And why move so secretly?''


    If it was the Empress, couldn''t she justmand openly?


    Ainen Flot,e forth and heed mymand!


    Just those words would eliminate the need for such aplicated process.


    ''There must be a tricky reason she can''te forward, or she doesn''t want the pce to know¡­.''


    Either way, it was a bitter taste for Ainen.


    The man guiding Ainen opened a door marked ''No Entry Without Authorization'', turned right after entering, opened another door, then descended stairs past a ''Construction in Progress'' sign, and finally opened another door.


    And then, she walked down a one-way esctor in the wrong direction.


    ''So, so outdated¡­.''


    It seemed thoroughly secured against intrusion, yet also miserly.


    And when the man finally opened a metal door.


    "¡­Wow."


    The ce they arrived at was definitely not a department store.


    There werevish ornaments and art pieces that seemed inspired by the interior of the pce.


    ''Come to think of it, They did say Philly Terst liked warm colors.''


    Reflecting that preference, the room was filled with red, orange, and yellow.


    Walking a bit further, a table came into view.


    On the table, cups filled with tea were already prepared.


    "Please, take a seat and wait."


    With that, the man left.


    Ainen nkly looked around the room.


    ''¡­Should I run?''


    She briefly considered it, but it was futile.


    No matter how suspicious, she couldn''t defy the summons of the Empress.


    And there wasn''t time to contemte further.


    "Wow, you''re here, Ms. Ainen."


    A warm voice sounded.


    The tone and manner of speech wereforting.


    As Ainen hurriedly stood up to kneel,


    "Ah, no, you don¡¯t have to do that."


    She waved her hand with a rxed voice.


    "Please, take a seat."


    As she took a seat first, Ainen finally got a proper look at her.


    Hair as white as her eyes.


    A youthful face that made it hard to believe she could be a mother, with slightly parted red pupils.


    The atmosphere seemed to grow round and soft all of a sudden.


    ''...The air isnguid.''


    Speaking ofnguid, it reminds me of the human sloth in Constel.


    He always had a sleepy face. Or should I say, a drowsy face.


    But unlike Frondier, Philly exudes a bright atmosphere.


    It''s not thenguidness thates from being sleepy or tired.


    It''s a peacefulness that seems to spread around her, a mildness.


    "You must have been quite startled? I''m sorry. I just really wanted to meet you."


    "Are you, talking to me?"


    Ainen''s tone turned strange.


    He must have had a conversation with royalty before.


    Phillyughed.


    "Just speakfortably. Here, the Empress is nothing special."


    If only it were that easy.


    Ainen couldn''t find the words to say and sipped his tea.


    Philly asked.


    "Did you make good use of the department store gift card?"


    "Wha-?! Cough, cough!"


    Startled, she suddenly inhaled her tea.


    Ainen coughed, tears welling up in her eyes.


    "Ho-how did you...?"


    "Actually, we were the ones who issued that quiz."


    "The Empress...?"


    Philly nodded with a smile.


    "That''s why we were looking for Ms. Ainen. We never thought someone would actually get the expert answer right."


    "So, the reason you were looking for me was..."


    "Yes. Because of the quiz."


    Ainen nodded nkly at Philly''s straightforward answer.


    She felt a bit more organized in her thoughts.


    Wondering why someone with no connections to royalty was being sought after.


    It was because of the quiz.


    ''They were looking for the person who got the expert answer right.''


    Hold on.


    So, what the Empress wants to know now is......


    Philly wore a subtle smile as she leaned closer.


    "So, Ms. Ainen."


    "Yes, Ye-Yes?"


    There was a hitch in her response.


    Philly, undeterred, asked,


    "How did youe to know about the dragon heart?"

 Chapter 35 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I had a rather unpleasant dream.


    Or should I say, a memory.


    I saw something like the remnants of knowledge absorbed from Frondier.


    It was too fragmentary and vague for me to understand the details.


    There was someone who secretly conveyed the information of the ancientnguage to Frondier.


    But no matter how hard I tried to recall, I couldn''t figure out who he was.


    ''...Maybe even Frondier can''t remember properly. What he said, what his voice was like, and what he looked like.''


    Judging by the fact that I inadvertently referred to ''him'', it seemed like he was a man.


    Anyway, in the past, Frondier was told something strange by someone, and devoted themselves to interpreting the ancientnguage.It must have been a method to eliminate Elodie''s divine power.


    ''Given that Frondier managed to interpret the ancientnguage, he¡¯s not stupid. There must have been something convincing about what that person said.''


    Or perhaps he was enchanted or hypnotized by magic.


    Either way, it''s necessary to be cautious about that man.


    ©¤©¤So, where am I thinking about this?


    "Uuh... Mmm."


    I was thinking while looking at Sybil, who was sleeping on my stomach in the hospital bed.


    Somehow, it felt heavy to sleep.


    I didn''t know since when she had been protecting me, but Sybil was sleeping soundly, unaware of the world.


    She looked toofortable sleeping on my stomach, so I felt sorry to wake her up.


    ...Even though I''m the patient.


    ///


    Creak-


    That''s when the door to the hospital room opened.


    "Oh, Mr. Frondier. Are you awake?"


    "Huh?!"


    The one who reacted to the nurse''s words wasn''t me but Sybil.


    She suddenly opened her eyes and quickly straightened up, fixing her posture.


    The nurseughed at her appearance.


    "Your girlfriend has been here since yesterday taking care of you."


    "I-I''m not his girlfriend," Sybil retorted tly, despite sitting up straight.


    "Sybil, pronunciation."


    "W-What?"


    Sybil pressed both hands against her cheeks at my criticism.


    ...... Will that help her pronunciation?


    "Sybil, you have a hair on your lip."


    "Oh, r-right."


    "There''s drool on your chin."


    "W-What?! R-Right."


    "And a booger."


    "That''s a lie!"


    "Nope. Not a lie."


    That''s enough, I''m starting to enjoy this.


    I turned away from Sybil, who was ring daggers at me, and asked the nurse.


    "How long was I out?"


    "It''s been a day. Sybil and Elodie took turns nursing you."


    "...... Was I that bad off? To the point where I needed someone by my side?"


    "Well....... I told them it was fine, but they insisted on taking care of you."


    I looked back at Sybil after hearing what the nurse said.


    Sybil avoided making eye contact with me.


    Then she said to me.


    "No, it''s not like that. You just looked so pitiful. Could I just stand there and do nothing?"


    "......Well, everyone was having a hard time in the cabin."


    "I-It''s not like that. It''s just that, for a long time now...... you seemed to be suffering."


    "Huh?"


    What''s she talking about?


    For a long time?


    Ah, is it because of the reputation of being a ''human sloth''?


    One of the reasons why this happened was because of my bad reputation.


    But honestly, that reputation doesn''t bother me that much.


    People around me just ignore me, or avoid me. That''s about it.


    I''ve never been bullied where it''s noticeable.


    Well, I guess they were more afraid of the Roach family than me.


    I said,


    "It''s fine. I''m used to it."


    "......You''re used to it? To something like that?"


    "Well, yeah. I''ve never been hurt or anything."


    "That''s because things were fine up until now!"


    Sybil shouted, which was rare for her.


    Her eyes seemed to be scolding me, or rather, trying to convince me of something.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯ve heard a hundred times¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    A hundred times?


    A hundred times what?


    ¡°No, nevermind.¡±


    Sybil shut her mouth.


    I don''t understand why, but¡­


    It feels weird because she looks at me with pity.


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Then, another person entered the room.


    She came up to me and smiled.


    ¡­Her expression is simr to Sybil¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Frondeir.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Elodie.¡±


    ©¤©¤After that.


    I received information about the situation from the two of them.


    First, Serf was confirmed dead.


    He died instantly due to a prating wound on his forehead.


    The weapon wasn¡¯t visible, but it was concluded to be Sybil¡¯s magic arrow.


    And then there¡¯s another leader, Grobel.


    I wondered why only Serf was talking when we were in the forest, but Grobel was knocked out by Serf''s surprise attack before that.


    Because Serf was trying to manipte Rokbel.


    So I guess he judged that Grobel was a hindrance.


    Grobel was sent to the ¡®Tyburn¡¯s Rampart.¡¯ [T/N: Tavern -> Tyburn]


    Tyburn is the territory of the Urfa family, and it¡¯s located on theplete opposite side of the border from our family''s territory, Yeranhes.


    This area, which is managed by Ludwig Urfa, is more dangerous than Yeranhes.


    Unlike Yeranhes, where my father Enfer¡¯s excellent leadership and managementpletely prevented the invasion of magical beasts, Tyburn is not the same.


    When winteres, the magical beasts outside be hungrier, and they gradually crawl inward, following the smell of their prey.


    Because of that, Tyburn suffers from fierce battles every winter.


    In preparation for that winter defense, Grobel will be ¡®honorably¡¯ used as one of the soldiers.


    For Grobel, the oue was much worse than his own mistake.


    Even though he was unconscious, Grobel was the apparent leader of ¡®Indus¡¯.


    He made his own younger brother y a part, then arson, assault, and attempted murder.


    Moreover, attempting to harm individuals from two of the most powerful noble families, including myself and Elodie, onlypounded the situation.


    Severe punishment was inevitable.


    I asked, "When can I be discharged?"


    "Today itself. The cause of your fainting isn''t serious, and there won''t be any aftereffects."


    "Hm, what was the cause?"


    "...Mana depletion."


    Elodie spoke those words as if she was delivering a diagnosis of cancer.


    Why talk about it like it''s such a big deal?


    Mana depletion isn''t anything significant.


    I nodded.


    "I thought as much."


    I said it without much thought again.


    However, Elodie and Sybil bowed their heads in response to my words.


    ...What''s with this atmosphere, seriously!


    Then, as if remembering something, Elodie said, "Oh right, when you wake up, Ms. Ainen wanted me to thank you."


    "Ms. Ainen did?"


    "Yes, you helped with something? A quiz, I heard?"


    "...Ah, that."


    That must be about the dragon heart question.


    "Thanks to that, someone won a department store gift card. Terst Department Store."


    "...Terst Department Store?"


    Terst Department Store.


    The name is easy to remember, a department store under royal management.


    ''Adventurer''s quiz, thest question that no one would guess, Terst...''


    I got a bad feeling about this.


    *Ding*


    As if in response to my thoughts.


    My phone on the table made a sound.


    I took the phone handed to me by Sybil.


    It was a text message.


    [Hello, this is Philly Terst.]


    ...What?


    Who?


    As I struggled to catch up with my thoughts, another message came in.


    [Let''s meet up soon.]

 Chapter 36 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I stared at the text for a long time,


    Then I put my phone away.


    ...I''ll put it on hold for now.


    Philly Terst is not someone you can deal with unprepared.


    Honestly, dealing with Philly Terst is tricky.


    Her appearance and speech make it seem like she knows nothing about the dirty, secretive world of the imperial pce.


    But that''s not the case.


    Philly is the most ''qualified'' person in the imperial pce.


    Despite being a woman, Philly is a character who actively involves herself in the politics and dynamics of the imperial pce.Her foundation is skepticism towards everything.


    Her reputation in the imperial pce is that of a ''wise woman with outstanding intelligence and wit''.


    This is because there have been more than a few incidents that were resolved by her when the imperial pce was in danger.


    But the reality is different.


    Philly didn''t solve things with her intelligence.


    She knew from the beginning.


    It wasn''t that she had a brilliant idea, she just guessed what would happen and responded in the most efficient way.


    The royal bloodline has many enemies, even within the imperial pce.


    Because if you look too perfect, you''re more likely to be hated.


    Knowing that, Philly unfolds her strategy ''a littlete''.


    To others, it appears as wit and cleverness.


    Once they find out Philly''s true nature, all the praises for her will disappear.


    Because they are not worthy to ''praise''.


    "......And, this."


    Elodie handed me something.


    I took it without thinking, and it was a short hexagonal column.


    There was a lens in the middle of it.


    ...What is this?


    "What is this?"


    I asked as I thought.


    "It''s a WizardGram."


    "WizardGram?"


    "It''s a magical item that can record for a short time and project the recorded scenes into the air. It''s good for learningbat skills or weapon skills. You can see it from various angles."


    I examined the WizardGram.


    From the exnation, it seems like a hologram projector.


    "Is this what you wanted to give mest time?"


    She said she made a promise with me.


    That she has an artifact to give.


    "Yes. You''re sozy, so practice while watching this."


    Hmm, it''s a grateful gift.


    ''With this, I might be able to acquire ''Falling Edge''.''


    I''ve been learning closebat from Azier regrly these days.


    If I ask, he would probably allow me to record it.


    "Have you finished all your reviews?"


    Elodie asked.


    I understood the intention of the question and nodded.


    But rather, Sybil was nkly tilting her head.


    "Review? What review?"


    I smirked.


    For Sybil, this kind of information might not be that important.


    Elodie earnestly answered.


    "We have midterms soon."


    * * *


    Constel''s midterms consist of both written and practical exams. As it''s a ce that trains warriors, practical skills are more emphasized. However, that doesn''t mean written exams can be ignored. The difference in importance isn''t that significant.


    To clear the assignment given by Enfer, I must rank within the top 10 in overall grades at Constel.


    The first hurdle to clear in achieving this is the midterm exams.


    But well, I''m not worried about the written tests.


    I''ve pasted all the content learned during ss hours into my workshop.


    There''s an absolutely undetectable cheat sheet.


    ''The real problem is the practicals.''


    Practicals are simr to the joint missions I''ve done before.


    You just need to carry out the designated tasks in the field.


    But this time, it''s an individualpetition.


    Thanks to the training so far, my ''Throwing (Dagger)'' skill has reached intermediate level, and through sparring with Azier, I''ve also acquired ''Dual Wielding (Dagger)'' at a beginner level.


    By Constel''s standards, I''m no longerpletely ipetent, just a mediocre student at best.


    ...I feel like crying.


    ''It''s hard to use Weaving and Menosorpo.''


    Learning Falling Edge from Azier would certainly be a big help.


    ©¤©¤That''s when I realized I was in front of the ssroom.


    It feels like it''s been a while since I''ve been here.


    Considering the time spent in the cabin and the hospital.


    Alright, let''s try not to stand out today as well.


    Creak-


    I opened the ssroom door.


    Hmm, as expected, no one is interested in me.


    Satisfied, I took my seat as usual.


    When it was time, Teacher Jane entered.


    But today, her face looked particrly stern.


    "......So, you know?"


    What is it?


    "Oh, today, you see? Before we start the ss, there''s something I need to tell you all."


    Jane was stammering as she spoke.


    She was smiling, but her face looked incredibly awkward.


    "Well, we have a new transfer student in our ss."


    The ssroom became noisy at her words.


    Students eximed in surprise, asking Jane various questions.


    But most were probably thinking, ''A transfer student at this time?''


    Midterms are just around the corner, why a transfer student now?


    I had a simr thought, but something came to mind.


    There''s supposed to be a transfer student around this time... But it couldn''t be them.


    "Please,e in. Miss Aten."


    At Jane''s signal, the ssroom door opened and one person slowly walked in.


    Her hair was pure white and glossy.


    It shone as if ice had shattered and fallen upon it.


    Her eyebrows, eyes, and even her skin were stark white.


    The features on her small face seemed naturally ced, neat, and also pitiful.


    Each time she blinked, her white pupils summoned the rity of winter.


    "©¤©¤Hello."


    Even her voice sounded as if it was carved from ice, crisp and cold.


    I watched the greeting girl with a sense of disbelief.


    It was indeed the student I had in mind.


    And, definitely someone who should never havee ''here''.


    "My name is Aten Terst. Nice to meet you."


    The third princess of the Terst Empire.


    The youngest daughter of Empress Philly Terst had transferred.

 Chapter 36 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I knew it.


    It was a major event, after all.


    At around this time, I knew that Aten Terst would be transferring here.


    But not to this ss.


    ¡®You have to go to the ssroom Aster is in!¡¯


    Why would I know that?


    Because when I yed as Aster, I saw it happen.


    Atenter bes an importantrade of Aster¡¯s.


    A character with arge role who sometimes bes the heroine as the game progresses.But she came to my ss.


    There''s no named character in this ss.


    A ce where there''s only me, a character known as the ''Human sloth Frondier''.


    Jane said with a stiff smile, as if trying to appease us.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you all know, but Lady Aten is the third princess of Emperor Terst. But don¡¯t worry about things like that here, everyone. Just be friends, okay¡­?¡±


    Teacher, you¡¯re being way too cautious.


    You sound like an elementary school teacher trying to calm the kids down.


    Of course you would be.


    Although there is no distinction between nobles andmoners in Constel, royalty is a different story.


    Not just a cousin or rtive by marriage, but the Emperor¡¯s daughter.


    Even if you understand Constel¡¯s doctrines, it¡¯s not easy to treat them casually.


    The students were all gaping in amazement and couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯


    But wait a minute.


    I feel like Aten is watching me.


    I hope it¡¯s just that our eyes met briefly as she was looking around, but ever since she entered the room, our eyes have kept meeting.


    [We¡¯ll meet up sometime soon.]


    ¡­¡­Philly¡¯s text message pops up in mind.


    No, it can¡¯t be.


    No matter how quick-witted Philly is and how good she is at politics, would she really try to get her daughter involved with me just because of a quiz?


    Haha, no way.


    ¡°So where should I sit? Is there an open seat?¡±


    Aten pointed straight at a seat when Jane asked.


    ¡°Can I sit there?¡±


    It was the seat next to mine.


    Aten said without batting an eye,


    ¡°I like the window seat.¡±


    * * *


    ¡®Frondier de Roach.¡¯


    Aten thought.


    She was originally nning on transferring to Constel.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected to be assigned to a specific ss.


    Then yesterday, her mother Philly said,


    ¡°Aten, you¡¯re going to be put in the same ss as Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Frondier de Roach. He¡¯s known around Constel as ¡®Human Sloth Frondier¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That doesn¡¯t sound like a good nickname.¡±


    Philly simply smiled at that.


    ¡­¡­When Mother smiles like that, it usually means she¡¯s pleased.


    ¡°When you get there, be sure to get to know everyone in the ss. Including Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Do you want me to make friends with the other students so it won¡¯t be obvious that I¡¯m approaching Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Aaah! Aten, that¡¯s not what I meant at all.¡±


    But that¡¯s what you said.


    Aten sighed.


    Even when talking to her own daughter, her mother was too guarded and evasive.


    I guess it can¡¯t be helped, since her political habits have rubbed off on her conversation with her daughter.


    ¡°What do you want me to find out?¡±


    ¡°The Dragon Heart.¡±


    Aten raised her finger.


    "Find out everything Frondier knows about the Dragon Heart."


    "The Dragon Heart...? Frondier knows about it?"


    "Yes, he solved a quiz about it."


    Aten sighed deeply.


    I don''t know what it is, but you''ve yed some strange trick behind the scenes again.


    "Aten, you''re not having bad thoughts about your mom again, are you?"


    "No, of course not."


    "Right? That¡¯s just like my daughter."


    "I don''t know what it is, but you''ve yed some strange trick behind the scenes again, that''s all I can say."


    "Aten! Being too honest can hurt! Really, when you were little, you were so cute, but now-"


    After that, Philly whined about various things to Aten, but Aten just let it slide and now can''t remember.


    During ss, Aten nced at Frondier.


    "...Hmm, he really does look sleepy."


    His face wasnguid.


    She had thought the same when looking at her mother, Philly, but Frondier felt a bit different.


    Frondier''snguidness had something, a dangerous scent to it.


    It''s hard to tell what he''s thinking, and he doesn''t give off an impression of being either good or bad.


    Basically, with a poker face, hisnguid expression seems rxed.


    ¡®If he had some skills, he would have been a frightening enemy.¡¯


    But, from what I''ve heard, he''szy and ipetent.


    Not that it''s a big concern.


    ¡®He''s doing nothing.¡¯


    I heard Frondier always sleeps during ss, but he''s awake.


    Maybe that information was outdated.


    But even though he''s awake, he''s doing nothing.


    He seems to be looking at the ckboard and the teacher, but he''s not taking notes or checking the book.


    ¡®So theziness is real.¡¯


    Is it progress that he''s not sleeping?


    ¡®Now then.¡¯


    Now I need to get close to Frondier and get the information.


    Aten recalled what her mother had said.


    "Frondier de Roach is unpopr because of his low reputation. He''s never had a girlfriend."


    "...And?"


    "So, if you just nudges him a little, he''ll fall right over. You are known for your beauty even in the royal pce. A boy with no immunity to women will be easy pickings for our daughter!"


    Hmm.


    I see, just a little nudge.


    Remembering Philly''s words, Aten waited until the ss was over.


    After ss, during the break.


    Now all she has to do is nudge Frondier to make him fall for her.


    ...But.


    During the entire break, Aten remained frozen in her seated position.


    Only blinking asionally.


    Already possessing a pale and outstanding beauty, she really looked like a doll sitting like that.


    It was so peculiar that Frondier even looked at her.


    Aten was spending this crucial time for her first approach to Frondier, but there was an unavoidable reason.


    She was deep in thought.


    ¡®...How do I just nudge him a little?¡¯


    Unfortunately.


    Unfortunately, Aten Terst had also never had a romantic partner before.

 Chapter 37 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/3 Bonus chapter @Bismarck04 and others on Ko-fi</i>


    ?During lunchtime, Quinie de Viet was heading to the cafeteria while listening to her friend Anne''s story.


    "Quinie, have you heard? The third princess has transferred here."


    "You shouldn''t be so rude about the third princess. What if someone hears you?"


    "Ah,e on. There''s no such thing as status within Constel."


    That may be true, but Quinie was realizing in real-time that human affairs don''t always work out that way.


    Aten Terst.


    As soon as the news of her transfer spread, the students were in turmoil.How to approach her, what kind of gifts to give, whether it was appropriate to invite her for a meal after school, and so on.


    The third-year students, who were supposed to be role models within Constel, were even more so.


    ''Well, I understand the sentiment.''


    In fact, even Quinie herself was naturally looking for ways to approach Aten Terst.


    Being a merchant, she understood the value of connections better than anyone.


    A connection with royalty, even if it doesn''t work out, was certainly worth attempting.


    While discussing this with Anne, someone arrived at the cafeteria.


    "...Huh?"


    "What?"


    They nkly stared at the scene in the cafeteria.


    In front of them was a very unusual scene.


    No, to say it was unusual was an understatement; it was a scene they had never witnessed before.


    Anne asked in a fluster, "Is, is that Frondier?"


    "...Yes, it seems so."


    Frondier was sitting at a table.


    No one was around him.


    Well, Frondier had a bad reputation, so that wasn''t surprising.


    ...Except for one person, who was sitting right next to him, sticking close.


    "Hey, Quinie."


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard about her, never seen her in person. Quinie.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°They say, from head to toe, everything¡¯s white. Hair, eyebrows, irises, even her skin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡±


    The two looked at the woman next to Frondier again.


    ¡°¡­¡­So that¡¯s Aten?¡±


    * * *


    I¡¯m tired.


    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt this exhausted without being in the middle of a battle.


    I ate my meal under the gaze of everybody in the cafeteria.


    ¡­¡­I have no idea what it tastes like.


    I snuck a nce to my side.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Aten was sitting next to me.


    Back in the ssroom, even after lunch break started, Aten nted herself right next to me and didn¡¯t budge.


    Then when I got up, she got up, and when I walked, she followed.


    And eventually, she even followed me to the cafeteria and sat down next to me.


    With her back ramrod straight, in a perfect posture as if drawn with a ruler.


    It must be one of the many manners drilled into her by her royal education.


    ¡­¡­But.


    ¡°Aten.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±


    She can¡¯t eat in that pose.


    Aten paused for a moment after hearing my words, no, she just kind of spaced out, then she opened her eyes wide as if she suddenly realized something.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I should consume sustenance.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No, you don¡¯t necessarily have to.¡±


    You don¡¯t necessarily have to, but you already dished out food onto your te. With your own hands.


    Aten only started eating after hearing my words.


    It¡¯s like I¡¯m giving a robot amand to eat.


    The expression on her face as she quietly ate her food was just like the fabled ¡®Snow Queen¡¯.


    Cold and merciless, yet wlessly beautiful.


    Like a frigid beauty whose allure seems to emanate from forbidding anyone''s approach.


    ''I wish I knew why you''re doing this to me; it would ease my mind.''


    Weren''t you sent by Philly to extract information about the Dragon Heart from me?


    Shouldn''t the usual approach be to strike up a conversation and subtly inquire?


    You don''t talk to me, nor do you seem to want anything.


    You just relentlessly follow me around.


    It''s like you''re watching me.


    What is this, are you harassing me?


    Is this a new strategy of the October bastards?


    "Oh¡­? Frondier?"


    That''s when I heard a familiar voice.


    Looking up, I saw Sybil standing there with a startled expression.


    Sybil, you came!


    A savior has descended!


    "Uh? Lady Aten Terst? Uh? Frondier, when did you and Lady Aten¡­"


    "It''s not something I did."


    I don''t know the reason either.


    Despite our conversation, Aten was focused only on her meal.


    Sybil tilted her head slightly in greeting.


    "Uh, um, Lady Aten Terst? Hello."


    Sybil''s gestures and expressions, which evoke affection from men and women of all ages.


    Receiving the greeting, Aten put down her spoon and wiped her mouth with a napkin.


    Aten spoke in an icy cold voice.


    "My name is indeed Aten Terst, but you seem to be mistaken."


    Oh, she really does seem like a snow woman now.


    The image I had in the game is still intact.


    Could I be witnessing a scene where Sybil is silenced with a royal, high-handed tone, an icy voice, and attitude!


    "Mistaken?"


    "I''m just a freshman who''s recently transferred, so being called dy'' really doesn''t suit me."


    "¡­Ah, yes?"


    "Just call mefortably. I''ve heard that in Constel, we don''t distinguish between ranks."


    Aten''s words left Sybil dumbfounded.


    But then, I was dumbfounded too.


    Soon, Sybil approached Aten with a bright smile.


    "Wow, Aten, you''re so kind! I was worried you might be standoffish!"


    "Is that so?"


    Sybil instantly hit the highest level of affability.


    Aten,fortably epting Sybil.


    Watching them, I held my face in my hands in despair.


    What is this.


    Is this that Aten Terst?


    Where did the cold Aten, that I saw when ying as Aster, go?


    "So, Aten, did youe here right after transferring? Then, where do you sleep?"


    "I''ve arranged for a mansion nearby as of yesterday."


    "Then, you must not know much about what''s here?"


    "Yes, I''ve had a brief exnation from my personal secretary."


    "How about going shopping with me after school? I''ll show you around!"


    ...The conversation was connected, but it was truly a dialogue between the rich and themon folk.


    I could understand the content, but the scale was unbelievable.


    "Um, I''m sorry, but I think shopping will be difficult."


    Of course, it would be.


    No matter what, she wouldn''t go shopping with a girl he just met.


    But as she said that, Aten was looking at me.


    ...What are you looking at?


    "Because I''ll be apanying Mr. Frondier after school."


    "¡­What?"


    I found myself asking back involuntarily upon hearing such an absurd statement.


    Sybil was looking at me with her mouth open.


    "F, Frondier. You''re amazing?"


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Regardless of what you meant, you¡¯re wrong, aren¡¯t you?


    ¡®Now¡¯s not the time to be talking to this guy.¡¯


    Regaining myposure, I spoke to Aten.


    ¡°What are you talking about, Lady Aten. You¡¯re not saying you¡¯re going to follow me even after school, are you?¡±


    At my words, Aten picked up a napkin and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Mr. Frondier, that¡¯s not it.¡±


    Ah, as expected?


    She¡¯s not going to keep following me after school, right?


    Living up to my expectations, Aten spoke gently.


    "As I said earlier, I''m just a first-year student at Constel, so there''s no need to add ''Lady''."


    "Hey!"


    "Even so, suddenly being called ¡®hey¡¯ is a bit..."


    Why can''t wemunicate?!

 Chapter 37 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    -Aster, be wary of Frondier de Roach.


    Aster was deep in thought.


    The words of Baldur he encountered in the sanctuary.


    ¡®What does it mean?¡¯


    Aster doesn¡¯t get swayed by rumors and reputations.


    He tends to trust his own eyes and ears more.


    His judgment has never been wrong.


    The same was true for Frondier.


    Despite being called the ''Human Sloth'' and whatnot, after having a few conversations face to face and exploring dungeons together, he knew well what Frondier was like.Frondier was a decent human being.


    At least, he wasn¡¯t someone who deserved the demeaning nickname of a human sloth.


    ¡®I¡¯ve seen far too many who are muchzier yet pretend to be diligent, those who are ipetent yet overextend themselves.¡¯


    Aster was among those who held Frondier in the highest regard within Constel.


    Therefore, Baldur¡¯s words were not easilyprehensible to him.


    But that didn¡¯t mean he could simply dismiss the words of Baldur, the owner of divine power.


    "Being warned about Frondier, it''s easy to think it means Frondier is my enemy."


    Yet, I''ve only ever received help from Frondier.


    From the fake Mistilteinn incident to dungeon explorations.


    The dungeon invite was actually a gesture of gratitude for the Mistilteinn incident, but it ended up causing more trouble for Frondier.


    Including saving Sybil in the process.


    "If Frondier is my enemy, then why?"


    Intentionally?


    To deceive me?


    If not, should I stop believing in gods?


    Aster bit his lower lip.


    Aster is a strong individual even without Baldur''s divine power.


    But he is well aware of how much of a blessing it is to have received Baldur''s power.


    In a world where gods exist.


    How heavy it is not to believe in the words of a god, Aster fully understood.


    "Aster, Aster."


    Aster snapped out of his thoughts at the calling voice.


    Lunia Fricell, a ssmate, was offering him ice cream.


    "Chocte?"


    "¡­Yeah, sure."


    Aster, who didn''t really care, took the ice cream absently.


    While eating strawberry ice cream, Lunia asked.


    "What are you thinking so hard about?"


    "Um, Lunia, what do you think about Frondier?"


    "Ugh, Frondier again. That''s all you''ve been talking abouttely. You forgot that''s why we came here?"


    That''s right.


    It all started when Sybil Forte acquired a lower dungeon entry ticket.


    At that time, Sybil had nominated Aster, and Aster had nominated Frondier.


    "If you hadn''t done that, I could have gone to the dungeon with you too!"


    "So, I followed you shopping as a way to apologize. And the dungeon rewards weren''t anything special."


    The only thing of value was the sanctuary, but only those with divine power could benefit from it.


    Lunia doesn''t have divine power, so it''s irrelevant to her.


    However, Lunia seemed unhappy about it, frowning as she licked her ice cream.


    "Ugh! You dummy! It''s not about the rewards! Can''t you see that?"


    "¡­Really?"


    ''Is she upset because she missed out on the experience of fighting in the dungeon or disarming traps?''


    Aster was thinking along those lines.


    It was certainly a thought befitting the protagonist of a game.


    "So, asking again, what do you think about Frondier?"


    "¡­You''re really something."


    Lunia looked at Aster as if he was unbelievable and sighed.


    Lunia squinted one eye as if thinking and then said.


    "Well, I''ve never met him personally, so I can''t say. If he''s as the rumors suggest, it would be disappointing, but if not, just average. Somewhere between a minus and zero?"


    "That''s pretty harsh."


    "Lazy and ipetent. And that''s because he believes in his noble status."


    Lunia is Aster''s childhood friend.


    A character with a very high chance of bing the heroine.


    Therefore, she''s also the one who has the most conversations with Aster.


    She has heard a lot about Frondier from Aster.


    He''s different from his reputation.


    A man with responsibility and consideration, who doesn''t leave the injured behind.


    ''I''ve heard about it, but I should only believe half of what Aster says.''


    Lunia knows Aster well.


    Aster is too kind.


    He prides himself on having a good judgment of character, but Aster hasn''t really met a true viin yet.


    ''As expected, I need to be by Aster''s side,''


    When Lunia had gotten that far in her thoughts, she stopped in her tracks at the sight before her.


    Her thoughts halted too.


    Because it was such a strange sight.


    "¡­Aster, I''ve only heard about his appearance in words but,"


    "Hm?"


    "That person in white, is she Aten Terst?"


    "¡­What?"


    It was then that Aster looked ahead.


    Across the street, there indeed was Aten, walking in a stark white.


    And beside her,


    "¡­Frondier?"


    "Eh? Him?!"


    Lunia eximed in surprise at Aster''s murmur.


    The man walking beside Aten was Frondier?


    With that sleepy face?


    Just as the rumors said!


    ''And Lady Aten is following him around, no less.''


    What''s going on here?


    "Hm?"


    At that moment, Frondier looked this way.


    He spotted Aster and waved.


    "Hey, Aster."


    Lunia was slightly taken aback by his casual demeanor.


    I didn''t realize just from hearing about it, but it seems they''ve really be close.


    "Frondier. And the one next to, no, behind you is?"


    "Ah, you''ll see."


    Just as Frondier was about to introduce Aten, he stopped.


    It was because of Aten''s icy face.


    "¡­Aten?"


    Frondier tried calling her, but Aten did not respond.


    Her cold gaze was fixed on Aster.


    That''s when Frondier remembered.


    A fact he already knew.


    Nothing had changed.


    Only that his ''perspective'' was wrong.


    ©¤©¤When ying as Aster and facing Aten for the first time, one is always met with her stern gaze.

 Chapter 38 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?I remember Aten Terst from the game Etius.


    When I first met Aster, Aten always looked at him with those eyes.


    But as the game progressed, Aten came to acknowledge Aster as hepleted main quests and progressed through the story.


    Sometimes, their rtionship even developed into a romantic one.


    So, I knew Aten was originally a cold character.


    "Aten, have you met Aster before?"


    "No. Just met him now."


    Even after parting ways with Aster, Aten''s expression wasn''t good.


    It must be true that they just met.Even I have never been in a situation where I met the pre-transfer Aten before Aster came to our school.


    ¡®The cold gaze I saw from Aten when ying as Aster must have had its reasons, rather than being her actual personality.¡¯


    From Frondier''s perspective, Aten is not that cold of a person.


    ...It''s just that our conversations don''t go well.


    In other words, I mistook Aten for being cold because I yed from Aster''s perspective, but that''s not her true nature.


    There is something between Aten and Aster that I don''t know.


    "Now, where are we going? It seems like we''re done shopping."


    Aten asked, following behind.


    Even if it''s called shopping, there''s nothing special about it.


    I just bought stationery for the midterm exams.


    I replied, "We''re going home. Are you going to follow me all the way there?"


    "Of course not. I''m a woman who knows her limits."


    No, you don''t know your limits.


    You''re just not crossing the final line.


    "Well, let''s part ways here."


    "Okay. See you tomorrow."


    Aten said goodbye like that.


    See you tomorrow.


    What was that?


    Just an ordinary greeting?


    Are you saying you''re going to do the exact same thing again tomorrow?


    * * *


    As soon as I returned to the mansion, I met with Azier.


    It was the day we trained.


    During training, I asked Azier to show me a demonstration of ''Falling Edge''.


    Especially since I received the thing from Elodie.


    But Azier shook his head.


    "I can''t."


    ¡°¡­¡­Why not?¡±


    ¡°If you do it with your current skills, you''ll just hurt yourself.¡±


    Azier was firm.


    But when was he ever not?


    ¡°And above all, Falling Edge can only be used properly with a ''spear''. It takes advantage of the length and flexibility of the shaft.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Azier spoke as if he could see right through me.


    ¡°If you want to imitate Falling Edge with a dagger, build up your body first. You haven''t even been training for that long."


    "Yes sir."


    I gave up the idea of learning Falling Edge right away and got into position.


    Training with Azier was a big help.


    For muscle training, I follow his lead as much as I can, and forbat, we mainly spar, and he points out the problems and weaknesses in my movements.


    This simple repetition was rapidly increasing my experience points.


    Falling Edge as well, while he doesn''t teach it to me directly, he often shows it to me while sparring with me.


    He means for me to steal it with my eyes.


    Thanks to that, even if I still can''t use Falling Edge myself, I''m getting better at responding to it.


    My main strategy is to let go of my weapon first, just like when I fought the golem.


    ''Wait a minute.''


    ¡­¡­Golem?


    ''Oh.''


    Oh no.


    I figured out how to use Falling Edge.


    But I need to focus on training for now.


    Like Azier said, if I try to use Falling Edge with my current body, I''ll get hurt.


    Moreover, if you''re trying to do it with a dagger instead of a spear, the burden bes even heavier.


    ...Is it even possible?


    "Um, brother."


    "What is it?"


    "Do you not trust my abilities?"


    "Are you even serious right now?"


    Ah, as expected?


    "You''ve just started training, aplete novice. You''ve wasted time in idleness,gging far behind others from the start. By the time you satisfy me, you''ll have graduated."


    "...I, I was ordered by father to rank within the top 10 within a year."


    "That''s a different story. Even if you rank first among the first-year nobodies of Constel, you won''t catch my eye."


    The current first-year top ranker is Aster Evans.


    Even the current Aster might not impress Azier yet.


    "...Um, brother."


    "You''re quite talkative today."


    "Do you think I have a talent forbat?"


    This has been my recent concern.


    In the previous world, I saw this world through the character of Aster, who was brimming with talent.


    Aster''spanions were characters who had already made a name for themselves at Constel.


    I know exactly what positions they should take and how they should fight, as if I could grasp it in my hand.


    But with characters like Frondier, whom I know nothing about, I can''t find the way.


    Choosing to fight with weaving.


    Focusing on throwing and dagger skills.


    Replicating legendary weapons like Gram and Khryskatos.


    [T/N: Changing name of Chrysoar to Khryskatos, I was looking for the proper name in myths but it turns out to be a weapon in games like Assassin Creed! ]


    Whether this is the right path to take.


    Whether Frondier''s body is truly ''suitable'' forbat, whether it has talent.


    In Etius, where I''m given only the thinnest slivers of information, navigating this situation feels like cutting through fog.


    I, and this body of Frondier.


    Is it possible to persist and forge ahead on this path?


    Azier briefly observed me before replying.


    ¡°Frondier, things like aptitude and talent are determined in retrospect. We don¡¯t talk about the talent of failures. Only those who seed, only the strong are recognized for their talent.¡±


    It was rare for Azier to speak at such length.


    Could it be that he had some thoughts on what I had said?


    ¡°Up until now, when people tried to exin how someone achieved something, if they couldn¡¯t exin it with ¡®effort,¡¯ they¡¯d just dismiss it all as ¡®talent.¡¯ But surely there must have been numerous other factors that contributed to their aplishments.¡±


    ©¤©¤He almost sounded like he was talking about our father, Enfer.


    Enfer, the lord who, after bing a territorial lord, had never once allowed monsters to breach his borders.


    The epithet attached to him, the Iron Wall of the North.


    I¡¯m sure Azier, who had witnessed his life, had his own thoughts on the matter.


    Separate from that, though, what Azier said wasmon sense.


    Talent and aptitude are words reserved for those who had seeded.


    Numerous people who had been thought to be talented as children fell by the wayside,


    And in the world where people live, it was not umon for unremarkable people to achieve sess.


    And once they seeded, they would suddenly beuded as talented.


    They hadn¡¯t had such talent before they seeded.


    But once they did, it would be repackaged as if they had possessed that talent from the beginning. Such was the nature of humans.


    ¡°But Frondier, I can say this with certainty.¡±


    At that moment, Azier¡¯s emotionless gaze fell upon me.


    ¡°You certainly have the aptitude forbat.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking.


    I couldn¡¯t sense any intent.


    With those eyes, Azier stated a fact as if he were imparting information.


    ¡°Because you are my younger brother.¡±

 Chapter 38 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Data on the Golems?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Do you happen to have any left?¡±


    The next day, I sought out teacher Binkis after school.


    Binkis, the original owner of the golem that Edwin had used.


    She looked at me and hmm''d, tilting her head.


    "Sure, it''s still here, but what will you use it for?"


    "Could I possibly record something like a technical demonstration?"


    "Record? Oh, you have a WizardGram, don¡¯t you?"


    ...How did she know.Was WizardGram originally a famous item?


    I''ve never heard or seen it in the game.


    "Then there¡¯s no need to record. I''ll send you the data. You can view it through the WizardGram."


    Oh, how convenient.


    I took out my WizardGram.


    "Wow, you''ve got a good one."


    "Really?"


    "Look at the mark on the bottom. There''s only one magical productpany that uses the ''Eagle'' mark. And thatpany boasts the highest quality in all its magical products."


    Just as Binkis said, there was an eagle emblem engraved on the bottom of the WizardGram.


    Indeed, this eagle was the emblem of ''Hitchcock.''


    I might not have known about WizardGram, but I know thepany Hitchcock.


    "So? What technique do you want to see?"


    "The Falling Edge."


    "You, my boy, have big dreams, don¡¯t you?"


    Binkis said,ughing as she transferred the data.


    Good, now I can view it on the WizardGram anytime.


    Just like Azier said, my body isn¡¯t ready yet, so I shouldn¡¯t try to imitate it recklessly; for now, just watching is enough.


    Learning by sightes first.


    "Thank you, teacher."


    "Sure, it''s nothing. But, hey, Frondier."


    "Yes?"


    "How long is she going to stay like that?"


    At Binkis¡¯s words, I turned around.


    Behind me, Aten was standing as still as ice.


    Today, as always, Aten had apanied me.


    And I diligently ran away.


    It was almost useless, though.


    Aten should be sticking with Aster, not me.


    Why she''s following me around like a puppy when she''s such a crucial part of Aster''s strategy is beyond me.


    And when I try to introduce her to Aster, She turns into that icy character from the games and can''t seem tomunicate properly.


    So, to the passing students, our rtionship must seem quite odd.


    The empire''s princess is tailing the worst of reputations, after all.


    The rumor spread like wildfire in just one day.


    When Aten was singled out, she blinked herrge eyes several times before opening her mouth.


    "©¤©¤Ah, me?"


    "Good, you''re alive. You were so quiet I thought you were a statue."


    Teacher Binkis jested.


    "I''ve heard the rumors are rampanttely? That the empire''s princess is doggedly following Frondier? What''s this, what''s this? Frondier, did you charm the princess in just one day?"


    "Not at all. I don''t know why either."


    I naturally answered that way, but Aten looked thoughtful, her gaze drifting upwards.


    And then she said something terrifying.


    "Charmed... if possible, I''d like that to happen."


    "......What, what did you say?"


    This time, even Teacher Binkis was taken aback.


    "If possible, I''d like Mr. Frondier to have charmed by me,"


    "Teacher! Thank you for the data! We''ll be going now!"


    I dragged Aten out with me.


    Ignoring the stunned face of Binkis as we left.


    "Frondier, where are you going?"


    "To the library, to the library!"


    "Why?"


    "Why, you ask? Midterms areing up. Are you okay?"


    Honestly, I''m more worried about Aten than myself.


    With exams around the corner, she suddenly transferred schools.


    Aten said, gracefully cing her hand on her corbone.


    "It''s fine. Wealth isn''t based on grades."


    "You mean it''s not fine at all?"


    And don''t make dangerous remarks.


    It sounds like you''re going to bribe the examiner with money.


    ¡®Aten acts like this, but she''s actually a hard worker when ites to studying.¡¯


    With an intellectual air as cold as her appearance, Aten is actually quite average in terms of intelligence.


    Originally, when she first transferred here, she barely passed the midterms because she was so busy fighting with Aster.


    She couldn''t even study because she was chasing after me.


    She doesn''t even seem interested.


    "Ah, damn it."


    Why do I have to do this?


    "Follow me. I''ll teach you to study."


    If Aten''s grades drop, I''m in trouble.


    If she fails the written part of the midterms, she''ll have to retake the written exam after the practical exam.


    There''s an event during that retake period, and Aten is essential for it.


    Aten''s eyes widened briefly in surprise at my words.


    Then she said.


    "I was following you anyway."


    "I know!"


    "And the idea of Frondier-ssi teaching me is hard to imagine."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "I apologize. I''ll rephrase that. I don''t have much faith in it."


    "Haven''t you ever heard that you''re too honest and hurtful?"


    "!"


    At my words, Aten made the most surprised expression I had ever seen.


    "How did you...!"


    ¡­¡­Dammit.


    I''m starting to get annoyed with this kid.

 Chapter 39 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @Diego subscribing to Khryskatos Tier on Ko-fi</i>


    ?Aten and I sat side by side in the library.


    Even on our way here, we attracted a lot of attention, but as expected of a library, interest faded quickly.


    Since yesterday, Aten has been following me around, so those who should know, probably do.


    "Are you really going to teach me how to study?"


    "Yes."


    Aten looked at me as if she was skeptical.


    Not that her expression changed much, it''s just what I thought.It might just be a misunderstanding.


    "I''m doubtful."


    It wasn''t a misunderstanding after all.


    She must be the type who feels relieved only after speaking her mind.


    I casually flipped open my notebook.


    Then, I opened the lessons I had copied so far from the workshop.


    Aten wouldn''t see it, but I was literally copying the content into my notebook.


    "¡­What are you doing now?"


    "To be honest, it''s impossible to teach you the standard way and prevent you from failing from now on."


    It''s not a matter of the midterm''s difficulty.


    It''s about the scope.


    Aten, having lived a royal life, knows almost nothing about school lessons due to focusing on etiquette and skills.


    This is something I know for sure from ying the game.


    ''After all, Constel''s notes are all descriptive.''


    The game doesn''t make yers take exams, but from what I''ve heard, that''s the case.


    Then, I can''t just copy what''s stored in the workshop as it is.


    It''s not a matter of memory.


    If it''s seen as cheating, I have no excuse.


    So, I have to rewrite the lessons copied from the workshop in my own way.


    What I''m writing now is a summary that includes that.


    After writing an entire page, I hand it over to Aten.


    "Here, memorize this."


    "¡­What''s this?"


    "One month''s worth of lessons since entering Constel."


    Not everything is included.


    I boldly omitted what needed to be.


    I can''t write them all down. There''s no way Aten can memorize them all, and I had no intention of making her get a perfect score. She just needs to pass.


    Aten took the paper and stared at it nkly.


    "Is this really what''s in the textbooks? You didn''t just make this up, did you?"


    "If I had made it up, it would be even more impressive."


    "But right now, instead of using a textbook, you''re writing directly in a notebook."


    "Well, yeah."


    That''s because I''m copying notes from the workshop.


    "Surely you can''t remember everything? The whole midterm range?"


    "Something like that."


    That''s because the workshop is mine.


    I kept writing the next chapter as I answered.


    Aten stared at it for a moment before focusing on the paper I had handed her.


    She seemed to realize that I was serious.


    Silence filled the air after that.


    I copied from the workshop''s contents while she focused on reading the paper I had given her.


    I could tell that Aten was being thorough, as she asionally underlined parts she thought were important.


    Finally, she said, "I''m done."


    I handed Aten thest piece of paper.


    With this, I had briefly summarized the midterm range.


    Also, while rewriting the workshop''s contents in a way that fit my writing style, I gained something from it as well.


    Aten took the paper from me and stared at it nkly.


    At least she should be able to tell from this that I wasn''t messing around.


    Aten opened her mouth, still dazed.


    "I heard you werezy...."


    "I''m a new man now."


    Well, that''s not entirely inurate.


    * * *


    At night, Aten was studying at the mansion.


    She could only study for a short while each night between chasing after Frondier.


    She thought it would be impossible to cover the entire midterm range with this schedule, but now it seemed possible.


    "It was real."


    Atenpared the paper Frondier had given her with the actual course material.


    Every single word was urate, down to the smallest detail.


    Every single character is spelled urately, even the difficult ones to memorize.


    ¡°Is this kind of memory capacity even possible for a human?¡±


    Of course, it didn¡¯t have the entire contents of the textbooks, but all the important information was there, without fail.


    This was nothing more than further proof that he had grasped the contents of the entire textbook.


    Beep, beep, beep, beep!


    Just then, her sagephone rang.


    The sound was loud and urgent, as if an emergency had happened.


    She answered the phone.


    ¡°Yeah, Mom.¡±


    -Aten~ You worked hard again today. How are you doing?


    Philly¡¯s sweet voice could be heard.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m doing alright.¡±


    -Have you been able to make some friends with your ssmates?


    ¡°Uhhh, not really.¡±


    -Oh my! Didn¡¯t I tell you to make sure to make friends? When you¡¯re your age, friends are the most important thing, even more so than studying.


    ¡°Just a little bit, with Frondier.¡±


    -Good job, my daughter! ¡­¡­Uhhh, I mean, really?


    Mom, your true intentions just slipped out.


    Why can¡¯t you hide what¡¯s on your mind better?


    I¡¯ll never do something like that. [T/N: Yes, since she¡¯s doing worse]


    -So, um, did you ask him?


    ¡°The Dragon Heart?¡±


    -Yup.


    ¡°No, not yet.¡±


    -Okay. Good job. Once that boy has fallen head over heels for you, then you should ask him.


    ¡­¡­Head over heels, huh?


    She thought about it for a moment.


    If I wait for that, I¡¯ll never be able to ask him.


    Philly suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke.


    -Oh, and the Constel midterm exams areing up soon, right?


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡±


    Of course, Aten knew this wasn¡¯t something she had ¡®suddenly remembered¡¯.


    -The midterms areing up, right? I heard that outsiders are allowed to watch the practical exams. So, I want toe watch my daughter shine.


    ¡°You¡¯reing here?¡±


    -Yes, with your sisters.


    Aten¡¯s expression hardened.


    Her sisters wereing.


    The only reason she had been able to ept transferring to Constel so easily was because of her sisters.


    Haah, Aten sighed and spoke.


    "Alright, fine. But don''te during the written exams. There''s no point since you won''t be able to see anything."


    -Really? Mom is also busy, I''ll make time toe see the practical exams too.


    "Got it."


    After a few more exchanges, Aten hung up the phone and sighed.


    The sisters areing.


    In some ways, more troublesome than mom.


    She briefly looked at the paper she had been reading until a moment ago.


    The paper Frondier had written for her.


    "¡­¡­Let''s work hard."


    After muttering those words, Aten picked up the paper.

 Chapter 39 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Midterm written exam.


    I wrote down all the answers and then left the room.


    I was worried that what I had stored in the workshop might not be enough, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    Is this the power of a cheat sheet?


    It feels like I''m cheating in this world for the first time in a while.


    I was the first student to leave the ssroom.


    No one really looked at me strangely.


    They probably think I either scribbled something down or handed in a nk sheet.


    It doesn''t matter what they think.Today is the day to test the ''WizardGram.''


    I hadn''t had a chance to use it with midterms right around the corner, but now that the written exams are over.


    As I hurried toward the mansion,


    Squeak-


    The car stopped.


    "¡­¡­?"


    It''s a very luxurious sedan.


    Just owning it suggests wealth.


    The window in the back of the car opened.


    "Hellooo-"


    There was a woman offering anguid greeting.


    White hair, red eyes.


    Her face, innocently resembling a rabbit, I knew it.


    Philly Terst.


    She hade looking for me.


    "Get in. There''s a ce we need to go."


    "¡­¡­."


    I silently opened the car door.


    I couldn''t refuse anyway.


    It''s an offer from the empress, what can I do.


    And Philly is just an ufortable person to face, not a viin.


    There''s no reason for me to be scared now.


    As I sat in the backseat, the car started.


    It seemed the destination had already been set.


    "Why didn''t you respond to my message?"


    "I thought Her Majesty was joking."


    I hoped it was a joke.


    If the Empress suddenly says, ''Let''s meet sometime soon,'' it would naturally be so.


    Philly tilted her head.


    "You know why I contacted you."


    "I have no idea."


    "Ahahaha."


    Phillyughed out loud.


    And then she opened her hidden red eyes with a smile.


    "Lies."


    "¡­¡­"


    "You know, don''t you?"


    I deliberately kept silent.


    Philly dislikes people who are needlessly kind to her, those who seem too easygoing.


    Being intimidated by her status as the Empress, one cannot have a proper conversation with her.


    "How do you know about the Dragon Heart?"


    Philly asked.


    Red eyes different from Aten''s.


    Eyes and expressions that seemed genuinely curious, along with her tone of voice.


    I looked straight at her and smiled.


    ©¤Lazily.


    "Who knows."


    "Have you seen it before?"


    "Maybe."


    "How did you know it turns people into invalids if they eat it?"


    "It''s a secret."


    My answer was as good as not answering.


    Philly smiled slyly and said, "Aren''t you curious what will happen if you die here?"


    Before I knew it, her left hand was holding a dagger.


    And she lightly ced it against my throat.


    I looked at the dagger.


    It naturally gets included in the weaving workshop.


    [Terst Imperial Ritual Dagger]


    - A dagger needed to conduct various imperial ceremonies.


    - Being ceremonial, itcks lethality.


    Well, even a blunt weapon can kill if stabbed in the throat.


    In this way, theughter between Philly and me is quite simr.


    "I''m curious. What will be of Her Majesty."


    "¡­¡­"


    At my words, Philly''s expression stiffened slightly.


    "To obtain information about the Dragon Heart, you''ve created bizarre events like department store quizzes, sneaked around the pce, and arranged for a man who has never seen your daughter to meet her."


    I closed the distance with Philly.


    I didn''t care about the dagger at my throat.


    Because Philly had backed away that much.


    "If such a man were to die in this car, and all the painstaking efforts you wished to hide from the royal pce were to vanish, I''m very curious about what would happen to the empress."


    "¡­Frondier de Roach."


    "Yes. That is my name. You are correct."


    "What do you want?"


    Typical Philly Terst.


    Quick to judge.


    I said, "I want to see the actual Dragon Heart."


    "¡­Hmm. Is just seeing it enough?"


    Philly asked.


    Oh, you¡¯ve made a mistake.


    My smile deepened.


    "It seems even the empress would find that insufficient."


    I hear Philly''s hollowugh.


    Well, since you''ve said as much.


    Let¡¯s grab a bonus.


    "Allow me to choose a weapon from the royal armory."


    In truth, choosing a weapon from this offer holds little meaning for me.


    The important part is ''seeing'' the armory.


    It seemed like the workshop was running low on weapons.


    But if I simply said looking was enough, that might raise suspicions.


    "¡­Sigh. Fine. You have a different idea, Frondier de Roach."


    Philly sighed and grumbled as if bored.


    There¡¯s never been a time I¡¯ve been more grateful to be Frondier.


    A poor reputation led tocency, allowing me to draw out Philly''s mistake.


    "But it¡¯s all worked out. I intended to bring you along from the beginning."


    "Where to?"


    At my question, Philly spoke as if it were nothing.


    "This car, we¡¯re currently on our way to the royal pce."

 Chapter 40 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>3/9 Bonus Chapter thanks to @Excali on Ko-fi</i>


    The Imperial Pce.


    The heart of the Terst Empire, the capital city of Silchester.


    When entering through it and heading further north, a giant outer wall that can be seen even from a distance appears.


    That is the outer wall of the Imperial Pce.


    The length of just that one wall is 20km.


    Entering through that giant square outer wall that forms exactly four sides, each of those inner citadels show off their figure before your very eyes.


    You pass through all those citadels and reach the heart of it all, and what you see there is the inner citadel where the Emperor lives.All the people living within the outer wall have everything they need to live inside there.


    Not only a market, but also restaurants, beauty salons,undromats, hospitals, and entertainment facilities such as bars and karaoke.


    You could call it a castle version of a multifunctionalplex.


    Soon, I came across the magnificent inner citadel.


    Its majestic grandeur simply stands there, gigantic.


    As if a designer had designed it without thinking, it''s on an absurd scale.


    The car stopped in front of it, and Philly and I got out.


    "From here on, you''ll have to cover your eyes. Please understand."


    When I nodded, the driver came over and covered my eyes with a cloth.


    They just wrapped a singleyer of cloth around my head and tied it, yet I couldn''t see a thing in front of me.


    They''re just a driver, yet the intimidation I felt was considerable.


    Do they also act as bodyguards in case of an emergency?


    Following Philly''s instructions, I spun around on the spot and walked somewhere.


    Whenever a fork in the road appeared, I had to spin around on the spot and walk again.


    By the time that happened, not only would I have forgotten which way I came from, but also my sense of direction would disappear.


    ...Of course, I know the entireyout of the Imperial Pce.


    Philly''s efforts to keep the interior a secret from me are futile and meaningless.


    I''m not saying anything about it because there''s nothing good to say.


    "Alright, you can uncover it now."


    When Philly said that, I removed the cloth and looked around, and the area was filled with all sorts of weapons and shields.


    The Imperial armory.


    "I''ll fulfill your conditions first. Only then will I demand the information. That''s the right order."


    I nodded and looked around.


    I pretended to be looking for a suitable weapon as I copied everything inside into the Workshop.


    Of course, of all the things here, there''s no telling how many I''ll actually be able to use with my skill, but it never hurts to have more weapons in the storage.


    Then, I stopped in front of a certain item.


    Philly spoke when she saw where I was looking.


    "Oh, I''m telling you in advance that you can''t have that weapon."


    "I know."


    Different from all other weapons, it was disyed separately.


    It was suspended in the air with a sturdy magic device and equipment.


    A hammer with a short handle.


    A square of steel, with both sides perfectly symmetrical about the handle.


    The strongest weapon possessed by the Terst Empire.


    Thor''s divine weapon, Mj?lnir.


    How nostalgic.


    Back in my old world, whenever themunity talked about Etius, this topic woulde up.


    Which is stronger, Thor''s Mj?lnir or Zeus''s lightning bolt?


    It was a childish question, like asking who would win in a fight between a lion and a tiger.


    The reason this topic never reached a conclusion was because the main character Aster couldn''t use either of them.


    As you can see, Mj?lnir is kept in the heart of the Empire, and in times of crisis, the Emperor himself wields it.


    As for Zeus''s lightning bolt, Astrape, no one has ever even seen it.


    People just assumed that since Etius is a game where gods exist, there must be a lightning bolt belonging to Zeus.


    ''But I can use it.''


    It''s already been put in the workshop.


    But it''s not something that can be used right away.


    Even with the legendary weapon Gram, the longest I can maintain the Weaving is 5 seconds.


    With Mj?lnir, I probably won''t even be able to activate it.


    Someday, though.


    For now, I would just keep it safe in my Spatial Storage.


    Someday, I''ll find a use for it.


    I picked up a decent sword nearby.


    I had roughly checked the contents when I put them in the workshop, so these were among the best quality items here.


    "¡­You have a good eye."


    "Thank you."


    "Let''s move on to the next."


    Then my vision was obscured again, spinning around, and we moved.


    After a while, following Philly''s directions, when I took off the cloth, this time a long staircase came into view.


    "Be careful from here on. We''re going down the stairs. This ce was hastily madeter, so the facilities are iplete."


    I followed Philly down the dark staircase.


    How far had we gone down?


    As Philly said, this ce was definitely iplete.


    They had only dug into the ground without even putting up walls.


    It was just a stone wall.


    When I thought we had gone down about ten floors, we reached level ground.


    "I''ll open the door, so wait."


    Philly walked toward the door saying this.


    Then, suddenly, she stopped.


    Thud!


    A fairlyrge rock fell in front of her.


    "Hi, eek!"


    Philly screamed in fright and stumbled backward.


    It seemed to be a rockfall, not properly repaired.


    Had it hit, it wouldn''t have killed her but could have caused injury.


    ©¤©¤However, that scene.


    It looked very strange, and it wasn''t just my imagination.


    ''What was that?''


    Philly had stopped before the rock fell.


    As if she knew it was going to happen.


    But once the rock fell, she was startled and trembled with fear.


    ''An act for me? Why?''


    If that was an act, then I had no choice but to think all of Philly''s expressions were an act.


    Even if it was an act, there was no reason for her to act that way towards me.


    How did Philly know the rock was going to fall?


    If she knew, why did she act so surprised?

 Chapter 40 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Uh, ahem. Well then. I''ll open it?"


    Philly, seemingly embarrassed, cleared her throat and reached for the doorknob.


    With that, it seemed like magic was activated, and the sound of an unlocking lock was heard.


    It''s fingerprint magic.


    It was present in the Roach''s annex too, but the magic seal here is much more advanced.


    I put aside the unease I felt towards Philly and entered with her.


    Inside, a blue-glowing object was ced in the center.


    Its shape reminded me of a triangle.


    A very thin and small triangle.It looked like a thick circr rod was connected to form a triangle.


    The Dragon Heart was before my eyes.


    ''...Hold on.''


    Now that I think about it, I should try this too.


    I casually tossed the Dragon Heart into the workshop.


    Not that I thought it would be of any use since it wasn''t a weapon.


    ''But what happens if I Weaving it into something and eat it?''


    ...I have a feeling that might be dangerous.


    "Now, you''ve seen it, right? It''s Mr. Frondier''s turn."


    "It was information about the Dragon Heart."


    "Yes."


    Philly waved her hand, casting a spell.


    It''s ''Whispers of the Wind.''


    Quinie had used this spell before with me to prevent our conversation from leaking.


    It seems overly cautious, but indeed thorough.


    "Is the information you have about the Dragon Heart really worth that much?"


    This question is so unlike Philly.


    To ask about the value of information when she has no trust in me.


    Perhaps it shows how desperate Philly is.


    "I can only say that it is."


    "¡­I suppose so."


    Philly''s red eyes scanned me, trying to see through me, to uncover any pretense.


    But would that change anything?


    ''Philly Terst, I wish you could be an ally if possible.''


    Philly is a character in the game Etius who is infinitely close to being grey.


    Depending on how you y, Philly can either be the protagonist''s enemy or ally.


    I want to make Philly an ally.


    But blind goodwill only breeds suspicion.


    And without knowing Philly''s true intentions, blind goodwill might just end up strangling me.


    "Philly."


    I called out to her.


    Without using her title as Empress, or attaching any honorifics.


    Philly''s eyes narrowed.


    "Hmm? What is it all of a sudden?"


    "Why do you need the dragon heart?"


    "That''s none of your business. That wasn''t included in our deal, was it?"


    Indeed.


    She never intended to tell me in the first ce.


    It''s a fact even hidden within the royal family; there''s no way she''d tell me.


    "Philly."


    "I might let it pass once, although even once is more than enough reason to cut your throat, but if it happens a second time,"


    "What did you do to Aten?"


    At my words, Philly''s eyes widened.


    In the game, Philly is smart andpetent, sharp in politics and calctions.


    But ultimately, her daughters are her top priority.


    Elysia, Sale, Aten.


    And among them, Aten holds the highest priority.


    The reason Philly exercises her influence in politics, the reason she saves the Terst Empire from crisis and shines in every endeavor, is all for Aten.


    Therefore, to be allies with Philly, one must first earn Aten''s trust.


    However, for some reason, when Aten first encountered Aster, she treated him with remarkable coldness.


    Until now, I thought it was just ''her personality,'' but from a different perspective, it appears otherwise.


    Aten dislikes Aster.


    She dislikes someone she has never met.


    Despite there being no issue with Aster''s reputation, conduct, or appearance.


    In fact, she dislikes Aster, who is at the top in all those aspects, without any reason.


    ''...Magic.''


    That''s the only exnation.


    Aten is under some kind of spell.


    Perhaps a spell that makes her feel repulsion towards a designated target.


    But such a spell that influences a person''s heart doesn''t take effect easily.


    It only works after a long time, through continuous exposure.


    It''s simr to brainwashing.


    It must be even moreplicated and delicate to avoid getting caught in the process...


    ¡­¡­The only person who could do such a thing to Aten...


    It''s Philly.


    "What are you talking about?"


    Philly dodged the question for now.


    It doesn''t matter.


    Because Aten is too big of a weakness for Philly.


    "I know that you love Aten. That you live for her, dedicating your all to her."


    "¡­¡­"


    Philly didn''t answer.


    "That''s why I can''t understand why you cast a spell on Aten to make her hate Aster."


    "You even know about that."


    Philly stopped denying it.


    There''s no point in denying it, because if I go to Aten and tell her this, it won''t mean anything.


    At this point, when Philly brought me here, she didn''t have many options.


    Will she kill me to silence me?


    I may be nothing special, but I am the son of the Roach family.


    It''s not something you can just quietly sweep under the rug.


    If that happens, there''s a risk that everything about Dragon Heart, which was being moved in secret, will be exposed.


    A spell to make her hate Aster.


    In other words, Philly doesn''t want Aten and Aster to get close.


    But Philly''s love for Aten is absolute.


    So that spell must also be for Aten''s sake.


    However, in almost every case as the game progresses, Aten bes Aster''s ally.


    Philly''s spell is eventually broken.


    And when that happens, Aten fights alongside Aster and in the end©¤©¤


    ''Now I get it.''


    Avoiding the rock falling in front of me in advance,


    Philly''s surprise after avoiding it.


    Then, the cruel ending of this game that only I know.


    I said,


    "Miss Philly, can you see the ''future''?"


    At my words, Philly wiped all expression from her face.


    However, she soon regained her gentle face and,


    With the most natural, most awkward smile she had shown me yet, she answered.


    ¡°¡­¡­A little."

 Chapter 41 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>4/11 Bonus chapter thanks to @Mop on Ko-fi!</i>


    "Being able to see the future isn''t all that great. Most of the time, it''s more about feelings than seeing. Anticipation, joy, displeasure, anxiety. It''s more about feeling the emotions regarding the future rather than seeing any particr situation."


    Philly said.


    She is actually experiencing foresight into the future.


    However, she says it''s closer to feeling than observing.


    "What about when the rock fell just now?"


    "Uh, that gave me away, didn''t it? Yes. I had this uneasy feeling that I shouldn''t take another step forward. I didn''t know it was because of a falling rock, though."


    So, Philly avoided it but was still surprised.She knew it was dangerous but didn''t know the nature of the danger.


    "And that''s why you cast a spell on Aten."


    "If he''s with Aster, Aten will be unhappy."


    Philly said firmly.


    "I don''t know exactly what happens in the future. But I do know that if they are together, something terrible happens. It''s like feeling this revolting and hideous sensation warning me every night."


    "..."


    I didn''t respond to that.


    I couldn''t say it wasn''t true.


    Probably because it is true.


    ''A game that no one has ever cleared.''


    After everyone else had abandoned the game, even I, who stayed until the end and tried everything, failed.


    The future Philly sees is inevitable.


    Aster is a man meant to lead humanity.


    Naturally, hispanion Aten as well.


    So, they would be the first to die if humanity were to perish.


    I felt an unavoidable bitterness.


    I lived with all my might in this world.


    I applied my weaving skills, obtained ''Gram'' by duplicating it with Obsidian, increased my total mana by repeatedly depleting it, defeated golems, and thwarted Serf.


    But despite all that.


    Philly''s foresight is the same as the ending I know.


    I am still not even a speck of interference in the game''s future.


    I inhaled and exhaled.


    ¡®Trash game.¡¯


    I muttered myint under my breath.


    I asked Philly.


    "But how can you have foresight?"


    A skill called ''Foresight'' does not exist.


    Among characters like in Frondier, there are asionally unique skills, but if foresight were a unique skill, such a character would be noticeable.


    "What do you think it is?"


    "Could it be divine power?"


    But Philly doesn''t have divine power.


    If she had divine power, she wouldn''t refrain from using it in politics.


    Philly shook her head.


    "It''s not divine power. Or maybe, in a way, it is the true meaning of divine power?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I am a descendant of V?lva."


    I was surprised by Philly''s words.


    V?lva or V, are female sorceresses from Norse mythology.


    From the beginning to the end of Norse mythology, they appear ''as if dead'' and are said to be able to observe everything from the birth to the end of the world.


    In Norse mythology, they often appear in scenes prophesizing, but that is just a fraction of their abilities.


    Past or future, they know it all.


    "Even if I say I''m a descendant, the bloodline is too ancient and has thinned. That''s why I can only foresee to this extent."


    "Then, your parents too?"


    "My mother was capable of it. She didn''t tell anyone but me."


    Could Aten also have potential?


    Philly seemed to read my expression and said,


    "I hope my daughters don''t have such abilities."


    "Why not?"


    "They need to live their own lives. It''s not good to be a meddlesome mother like me."


    Philly wore an awkward smile, hoping for a world where foresight isn''t necessary.


    "Alright then! Enough of the gloomy talk."


    Philly raised her voice.


    "Now, it''s your turn."


    "It''s about the Dragon Heart."


    "Yes. I n to use the Dragon Heart to maximize my ''foresight.'' To see clearly with my own eyes what needs to be done and what must be prevented to save Aten, and further, to save the empire."


    I was convinced by Philly''s words.


    It was indeed for Aten''s sake.


    I closed my eyes for a moment.


    To organize my thoughts.


    After opening my eyes, I said,


    "I have one request."


    "What is it now?"


    "The information I provide cannot disclose its source. Its authenticity cannot be proved either. It''s up to the Empress to believe it or not."


    "Wow, you say that now?"


    Just believe blindly.


    To Philly, who is habitually skeptical, it must be the least favorite suggestion.


    But there''s no choice.


    I have no way to answer the source or the truth.


    I spoke first.


    "The Dragon Heart can be used."


    Philly''s eyes widened.


    Her lethargy slightly dissipated.


    "The reason a human who swallows a Dragon Heart bes invalid isn¡¯t just because of the immense amount of mana but also due to its nature."


    In Etius, dragons are not considered sacred beings.


    They are just monsters close to disasters.


    Therefore, the Dragon Heart crystal is also violent in nature.


    "So, we must first change its nature."


    "Change its nature, how?"


    "By breaking it."


    Philly''s mouth fell open at my words.


    Well, a natural reaction.


    "To contain the Dragon Heart, create a spherical mana barrier around it, and then break the Dragon Heart inside. This way, the mana can be maintained within the barrier and utilized."


    When ying Aster, I relied on Lunia Fricell''s help for this method.


    The genius of mana control, Lunia.


    From creating a huge mana barrier to crushing the heart of a dragon within, Lunia had done it all.


    While it was something anyone could have eventually figured out with some time, the problem was that one had to destroy a dragon heart.


    There were only two remaining dragon hearts in existence.


    This one sentence was enough to grasp the true rarity of a dragon heart.


    Even if it was a difficult task, no one could bring themselves to destroy a dragon heart.


    This was why, until now, a dragon heart was like a poisoned chalice in the empire.


    Prized, gorgeous, coveted by all, but never to be used.


    ¡°Would you really be able to use a dragon heart if I gave you one?¡±


    ¡°Whether you believe me or not is in your hands.¡±


    Philly groaned as she mulled over my words.


    My words must have carried some weight, enough that she couldn¡¯t just dismiss them as lies.


    Philly¡¯s skepticism extended even to low probabilities.


    Philly suspected even the most believable words, so she would never overlook the words she found unbelievable either.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I shall give it a try when the opportunity arises.¡±


    Philly said after much thought.


    It seemed she had decided to trust my words, at least to some extent.


    Of course, she would do anything for Aten.

 Chapter 41 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few dayster.


    The practical test of Constel.


    ¡°As you all know, today is the practical test.¡±


    All the first-years were gathered in the field.


    After assembling the students, teacher Alex began to speak.


    ¡°You are still first-years, but I will tell you this in advance. Once you have safely graduated from Constel, you will be ¡®Pros¡¯ and enter all sorts of different upations. And most of them will be dangerous.¡±


    ¡®Pro¡¯ referred to any upation that usedbat and magic to make a living.


    Soldiers, hunters, court mages, mercenaries, and so on.


    Enrolling in Constel meant that one aimed to be a ¡®Pro¡¯ upon graduation.¡°When you are up against danger, I cannot guarantee that you will always have strong and dependablepanions by your side. More often than not, you will have to fight alongside people you do not get along with, people you do not understand, and people who do not cooperate. Sometimes, you will even have to coordinate with people you have just met that day. That is what it means to be a ¡®Pro¡¯.¡±


    Alex¡¯s words made everyone tighten their expressions as they nodded.


    Satisfied with their response, Alex continued.


    ¡°The basic format of the practical test is individual battles, but it is not forbidden to form teams. However, the points you receive will be divided.¡±


    Then Alex held up a phone.


    ¡°If you want to form a team, just touch the backs of the phones that were distributed earlier together. That will be counted as forming a team.¡±


    If you were confident in your abilities, you could go solo, otherwise, you could team up.


    This practical test also served as an opportunity to objectively assess one¡¯s own skills.


    The performance is a ''monster hunt''


    Arge-scale exam that uses the entire field.


    Drones are flying around the field, and the in-charge teacher can see the entire field at a nce through the drones.


    The footage taken by the drones can also be seen by the audience.


    We in the field can''t see the audience, but they must be watching us through the drones from their seats.


    The contents of the test are simple.


    Catch a monster and retrieve material to prove it, such as horns or ears.


    Your score will be added up when you take the materials to the teacher at the end.


    This will determine your rank.


    Simple and clear.


    However, there is a case of dropping out.


    In case of giving up in the middle.


    In case of losing consciousness.


    In case of causing serious injury to another student.


    In this case, it''s all 0 points. No matter how many monsters you catch, there are no points.


    "Now, begin!"


    The students moved at Alex''s monotonous signal.


    Some students ran quickly to secure their ces, while others walked around to form teams.


    I looked around once.


    "Then let''s give it a try."


    I stretched my body.


    Constel values performance over writing.


    And for me too, performance is much more burdensome than writing.


    Unlike written exams, you can''t cheat, and my skills are far behind the other students.


    But I have no intention of forming a team.


    In fact, it seems advantageous for the weak to form a team, but that''s not often the case.


    As long as there is no restriction on forming a team, strong students will team up with strong students anyway.


    And those teams wipe out all the monsters.


    In the meantime, I can catch monsters in my own way.


    There is a lot of information that only I know, such as the geography of the field, the types of monsters, and their weaknesses.


    I have to make the most of that and catch the monsters diligently.


    ''I wish the top performers would work hard.''


    Sweep them all away.


    Anyway, since we''re ranking, it would be easier for me to move up in the ranks if they were all cleared out from above.


    "First, let''s find a ce to store the materials."


    I stopped as I said that.


    I felt something cold.


    Very ominous, eerie,


    And at the same time, a familiar feeling.


    I slowly looked back.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hello.¡±


    Aten was there.


    As if it was only natural.


    She looked exactly the same as she did when she followed me around for days in the ssroom.


    She stood there, pale.


    "Hello, Frondier."


    ¡°¡­¡­Aten, why are you here today?¡±


    At my words, Aten blinked and said, "Ah," as if she had realized something.


    "Of course. I forgot."


    And Aten held out her phone.


    ¡°If I¡¯m going to follow you anyway, it would be better to form a team."


    ¡­¡­.


    Haha.


    * * *


    "Elysia~~ Sale~ Here, here."


    Philly waved her hand, showing off herself, while sitting in the audience.


    She had a face that was childish for his age.


    Elysia and Sale covered their faces with their hands, embarrassed by their mother.


    "Mother, you don''t have to be like that. No one here knows you."


    First Princess Elysia was right.


    Philly was surrounded tightly by Imperial Knights at intervals, leaving no gaps.


    Trying to remain inconspicuous like this would be futile.


    "Hehehe~ You can''t help but get excited at moments like these, though? It feels good to go on a pic with my daughters for the first time in a while."


    "...Well, I guess it''s not that different."


    Elysia and Sale sat down next to her.


    Elysia quickly scanned her surroundings.


    Here, aside from them, were many famous people in the Empire.


    Of course, there were the sessful second and third-year students in Constel, as well as renowned Pros, mercenaries, and prestigious nobles from outside.


    ''Huh?''


    And then someone caught Elysia''s eye, a tall man sitting in the audience seats.


    Roderick Terst.


    Elysia''s expression turned sour.


    ''What''s that man doing here?''


    A fierce political battle was currently taking ce in the Imperial Pce.


    The main reason was a convenient yet easy-to-exploit excuse: Philly''s children were all female.


    The Emperor of the Empire had always been male.


    No matter how much Philly was the Emperor''s legal wife, her opposition imed that a woman could not seed to the Emperor''s throne.


    And at the head of this faction was Roderick Terst.


    Roderick was the son of the concubine whom the Emperor had taken after Philly, making him a prince and second in line to Philly''s daughters.


    With his appearance and ability, he had gained a fair number of followers.


    Although from time to time there were not-so-favorable rumors about his character.


    ''I have a bad feeling about this.''


    Unconcerned by Elysia''s worries, Philly was absorbed in the huge Wizardview screen in front of her.


    Every now and then, the drone would change perspectives, and often Aten would appear on-screen.


    "Oh my! Did you see that? Aten''s on screen! Wow!"


    "Yes, I did."


    The one who replied indifferently was the Second Princess, Sale.


    Of course, the Princess would be shown on-screen.


    It was strange to see Philly acting so innocent and excited.


    "...But, Mother."


    "Yes?"


    "Who is that boy?"


    Aten''s face appeared often on the screen.


    And then, suddenly, Aten offered someone a fist bump.


    We already heard the rules of this practical exam.


    Offering a fist bump was a gesture of proposing a team-up.


    In front of Aten, on the receiving end of the fist bump, was a male student.


    Philly noticed him too.


    Philly made an ''eum'' sound and chuckled, then said,


    "Oh, I have no idea!"


    She answered cheerfully.

 Chapter 42 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    This was troubling.


    It wasn''t just about preventing the score from being divided, it was also because I didn''t n on teaming up in the first ce.


    Ideally, I wanted to try using Weaving.


    Of course, I can''t use it recklessly with the drones flying around, but it''d be better than being pushed to the lower ranks.


    Because I can''t afford to be in an unfavorable position.


    If I do it right, I might even be able to destroy the drones discreetly.


    Since the drones are broadcasting their activities, the students aren''t keeping an eye on them, so they''re not indestructible.


    However, if Aten is with me, all those thoughts wille to naught.


    Well, since Aten is much more skilled, I might just get through this."I''ll be counting on you, Mr. Frondier."


    "Yup. I''ll be counting on you too."


    As I replied, I quickly scanned the forest.


    Hmm, this field.


    Seeing it with my real eyes, it feels both refreshing and weing.


    "First, let''s set up a base camp."


    "A base camp? The practical exam isn''t that long, you know?"


    "It''s not a real camp, of course, but we need a ce to keep the evidence of defeating the monsters."


    "I see."


    I began searching the area with Aten, who nodded obediently.


    ...... I''ve noticed this recently.


    My body seems to instinctively craveziness.


    I''ve only walked a few steps, but I already feel sleepy and tired.


    I guess it''s a habit my body has formed over the past ten years.


    Without me noticing, the energy drains from my eyes and my expression grows gloomy.


    But I have to do what I have to do.


    I pick a few nts as I walk.


    Aten, who saw this, asked,


    "What are you doing?"


    "Gathering herbs."


    "What kind of herbs are they?"


    "Medicinal herbs. They help heal wounds."


    They''re not particrly effective, but they''re easy to make and can be used right away.


    There''s no point in looking for rare herbs in a ce like this where there''s no medicine-making facility.


    "Mr. Frondier, have you studied herbology?"


    Aten asked with a surprised look.


    Studying herbalism can help interpret nts.


    Initially, you might only tell if something is poisonous or not, butter on, you can even grasp specific effects.


    Of course, I shook my head.


    "I just, already know."


    "Wow..."


    Aten''s purely admiring gaze feels burdensome.


    It''s not a lie. I''ve seen it countless times in the game.


    It might actually be the most honest thing I''ve said sinceing to this world.


    While walking, we dig up useful nts and look around for a ce to camp.


    I also pick any edible fruits.


    When Aten asked ''how do you know if it''s edible or not,'' I simply said, ''I just know.''


    It seems there''s an added sparkle in Aten''s eyes looking at me.


    "¡­I guess rumors can''t be trusted after all."


    Aten suddenly said that.


    Looking back, Aten smiled sheepishly.


    "I''ve heard some bad things about you."


    "Is that so."


    ording to the rumors, I was supposed to be just baggage.


    Doing nothing but aimlessly following around, toozy to do anything and always looking for a chance to nap.


    That''s the character they must have imagined.


    "But it seems rumors are just rumors. You might look sleepy, but..."


    "It''s not that I look sleepy; I am sleepy."


    "Is that so?"


    Yawning even as I speak.


    My eyes are already half-closed.


    Still, keeping my eyes half-closed seems to somewhat relieve the sleepiness.


    ...Though it''s mostly just a feeling.


    "So, about our base camp, wouldn''t a cave be better?"


    Aten asked.


    I shook my head.


    "No, it''s too dangerous."


    "Are the monsters in the cave that strong?"


    "It''s not the monsters that are the problem, it''s the people."


    "People?"


    Aten tilted her head in confusion.


    I looked into her eyes.


    Her eyes held an expression of pure ignorance.


    ¡®Is she really a princess?¡¯


    "You heard during the exnation. The monster materials need to be brought to the teacher at the end of the extermination time."


    "Why is that?"


    "Why do you think? If you obtain monster materials, you can just settle it right there."


    "This field belongs to Constel."


    There''s already one filming drone flying around us.


    It''s checking everywhere for the students'' safety, so settling the monster materials should be simple.


    But that''s not what happened.


    "¡­Ah."


    Aten seemed to understand and made a sound.


    She said,


    "Does that mean the materials could be stolen by another group?"


    "Right. That''s why the cave is dangerous. It''s too conspicuous, and there''s hardly a ce to hide the materials. If we get high-scoring materials, we should keep them on us, but the misceneous ones need to be hidden somewhere."


    For the same reason, the ces to hide the proof of extermination shouldn''t be too obvious either.


    Rather than ins or grasnds, inside a forest. A ce with lots of grass and branches.


    It''s okay for the camp''s location to be exposed.


    It would be better if it could be hidden, but one must be prepared for it to be discovered.


    The important thing is the monster materials, not the camp.


    There''s no better ce to hide them than a forest.


    When hiding something, it''s more efficient to choose a ce that''s naturally disorderly andplex, rather than tidying up the surroundings to make it not noticeable.


    "Professor Alex gave a long speech before we started."


    -When facing danger, you cannot always guarantee to have strong and reliablerades by your side.


    "That meant it''s important to work well with anyone, but to put it more simply, it means there are hardly any trustworthy people in society."


    The purpose of this practical test is to give a pre-experience of what society is like for abatant.


    The first-year students at Constel had their fair share ofbat training, despite their youth.


    But bing a Pro demanded much more.


    That was the aim of this training.


    "This isn''t a punitive expedition. It''s a contest."

 Chapter 42 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While Frondier and Aten were searching for monsters.


    A man moved stealthily through the forest.


    He had set out from the beginning for ''material hunting''.


    Students eager for points would be too distracted by monsters.


    ''...Good.''


    The man stopped moving.


    Frondier was now within range.


    Frondier''s gaze, wandering absentmindedly around, was asnguid as it gets.


    ''!''This was a stroke of luck.


    Of course, Aten, standing next to Frondier, was dangerous.


    He preferred to avoid confrontation if possible.


    However, he hadn''t been noticed by them yet.


    If approached carefully, he could pick Frondier''s pocket without Aten noticing.


    After the theft, getting caught didn''t matter. He could just run away.


    The practical test was, after all, an examination.


    Violence between students was prohibited.


    They were probably watching this scene through a drone right now.


    Stealthily, he moved closer to Frondier.


    Stealth was his strong suit. That''s why he attempted such material hunting.


    Thud


    ''Huh?''


    At that moment, he felt like he touched something near his ankle.


    It wasn''t due to carelessness.


    He had been watching where he was stepping all along.


    ''There was definitely nothing there before?''


    There was nothing, but he definitely felt like he touched something.


    Instinctively, the man scrutinized Frondier.


    ''...Nothing?''


    There was no particr reaction from Frondier.


    He still had that sleepy expression.


    ''Phew, did I get too tense?''


    Just as he thought that, Frondier suddenly raised his arms.


    As the man stiffened at the rapidly extended arms.


    "Yaaawn~"


    Frondier yawned widely.


    It was just a stretch.


    ¡®Geez, that startled me. Why stretch so loudly,¡¯


    But that was it.


    The man¡¯s thoughts were still intact.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    The man was hit on the head by a falling branch.


    Caught off guard by the unexpected ambush, the man lost consciousness in an instant.


    Rolling, rolling.


    The branch rolled away beside him.


    Until the veryst moment, as his consciousness fadedpletely,


    He failed to grasp the connection between Frondier¡¯s stretching arms and the falling branch.


    And so, the man was eliminated.


    ///


    ¡®It¡¯s like some kind ofedy.¡¯


    Unfortunately, the man¡¯s disgraceful figure was captured on the broadcast screen.


    Ellen watched it, dumbfounded.


    She had originallye to check on her younger brother Aster, but Frondier¡¯s figure appeared on the broadcast as frequently as Aster¡¯s.


    It must be because of Aten.


    ¡®Frondier had used an invisible weapon.¡¯


    When the man who tried to ambush Frondier approached, there was a slight reaction from Frondier.


    Perhaps the man touched something invisible, and Frondier felt it.


    Then, as he stretched, a branch was cut off and fell from above, hitting the man directly.


    It must have been something thrown at the branch while pretending to stretch.


    Probably a dagger.


    Though it was also invisible.


    ¡®Has his throwing skill improved?¡¯


    Ellen was making a reasonable guess.


    This was a possible spection for her, having seen Frondier fight before; others would simply think the branch fell on its own and hit the man on the head.


    ¡®With Aten around, Frondier might surprisingly not need to worry,¡¯


    The moment Ellen thought this,


    She felt a chill down her spine.


    In the blink of an eye, her hand was on her sheath and gripping the sword handle tightly.


    However.


    "The response is good."


    Someone pressed the handle of the sword with a finger.


    "......!"


    ''I can''t draw it.''


    The force of that single finger suppressed the drawing of the sword.


    "The sense of killing intent is good, and the posture for transitioning to drawing is decent too. Hmm, so this is the skill level of Constel''s best swordsman."


    There was no malice in the calm voice.


    The killing intent was also momentary and disappeared soon after.


    It was then that Ellen finally saw the face of her opponent.


    ''...Who is this person?''


    A in face with brown hair.


    It seemed like amon appearance that one could find anywhere.


    But Ellen knew.


    Who this man was.


    And that there would be no one who didn''t know this man, besides herself.


    "...Mr. Eden Hamelot."


    "Oh, you know me? Miss Ellen Aster."


    Of course, I do.


    What modesty is this?


    The number one in the pro ranking, Eden Hamelot.


    The strongest man of humanity at this point.


    "...I was surprised."


    "Sorry. Was the joke too much? But most people don''t even react when I project killing intent."


    So, he''s been projecting killing intent to everyone he meets.


    Such a prankster for the strongest man.


    "Do you know me?"


    "Of course. I''ve been watching your brother Aster for a long time."


    "...Then, Aster is your main objective, I presume."


    "Hahaha, certainly, his potential is amazing. I won''t deny it. But I''m also very interested in you."


    "Is that so."


    Ellen replied with a heart not quite delighted.


    Eden seemed not to care much either, turning his gaze to the screen.


    "Let''s see, that Aster boy... seems to be doing fine."


    Inside the screen, Aster was teaming up with his friend Lunia to deal with a magical beast.


    It was almost certain he would rank first.


    "Aren''t you proud as a sister? Your brother is almost guaranteed the first ce."


    "Well. Aster''s movements are still clumsy. He tends to push through with his divine power too often."


    "Haha, you''re strict. Then who is the person you''re watching closely?"


    Eden asked as if he knew the person well.


    It was their first meeting today.


    Ellen sighed.


    "Frondier de Roach."


    She said it with a resigned feeling.


    Well, without knowing the true nature of Frondier, it might sound like a joke.


    "Hmm, Frondier de Roach. Who is that?"


    "¡­I''ll let you know when he appears on the screen."


    Ellen then focused on the screen.


    Maybe Eden would quiet down if she pointed out who it was.


    But then.


    ''Huh?''


    The giant screen in front of them kept changing the disy.


    Sometimes zooming in on someone, or showing an overview from above.


    Aten and the team, including Frondier, were often shown.


    But then.


    "Hmm, Miss Ellen. Has Frondier not appeared yet?"


    "¡­"


    But Frondier was not captured.


    No matter how much time passed.


    Even though it was about time for most of the first-years to be shown on the screen.


    "¡­What?"


    The screen, which was just calmly broadcasting, now seemed too alien.


    * * *


    "Huh? Mom?"


    Suddenly, Philly stood up.


    Without saying anything to Elysia and Sale.


    But soon, Philly said with a smile.


    "Mom is going to bathroom~"


    "I thought it was something else. Go up and into the corridor, you''ll see it."


    "Got it."


    And Philly left the seat and walked away.


    No one saw her face, which was filled with utter despair.


    ''What''s this.''


    It''s the activation of foresight.


    I don''t know what''s happening.


    But this dirty and sticky feeling crawling down my throat is unpleasant.


    The unseen foresight always made her anxious, but she had never felt such a strong premonition before.


    Philly looked at the screen.


    The practical test being broadcasted.


    There seemed to be no issue at a nce.


    It appeared to be proceeding normally.


    But the anxiety and fear surged every time she checked that screen.


    Though not visible,


    In the field where the practical test is being conducted, something is happening.

 Chapter 43 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>5/11 Bonus chapter thanks to @HotJava on Ko-fi!</i>


    I headed northwest.


    It was a direction leading away from the center of this field.


    "Mr. Frondier, is it okay to go this way?"


    "Huh?"


    Aten spoke up from beside me.


    "From what I know, there''s supposed to be a boss in the center of this field."


    "Yeah, that''s right."This practical test awards points for subduing magical beasts.


    Of course, the points awarded vary from beast to beast.


    Stronger and higher-ranked beasts yield more points than weaker ones, and small, fast creatures that primarily flee also have their own high point values.


    And then there''s one with exceptionally high points.


    Catching just one of those is enough to guarantee first ce, so to speak.


    That would be the field boss.


    "Shouldn''t we head to the center if we''re aiming for the field boss...?"


    Aten''s doubt was natural.


    I nodded.


    "Yeah, that''s right. But we''re not going to aim for it."


    "Excuse me?"


    The field boss is beyond my specs.


    From what I remember, it''s called ''Trunkus,'' a monster you could think of as an enormous stag beetle.


    It flies around, bites, and charges with its body in a rather simple manner.


    However, its simple specs are so powerful that there''s nothing I can do about it.


    I could manage it using ''Gram,'' but there are likely many students challenging Trunkus, meaning there would be many onlookers, and I''m not yet able to freely use Gram due to my mana capacity not beingrge enough.


    "Let''s target the monsters on the outskirts while other students are distracted by the field boss."


    Soon, the center of the field will be a chaotic battleground.


    Those employing a direct approach to tackle the boss, those focusing on subduing the monsters around for safety, the hyenas hiding and watching eagerly to steal the boss''s location, and even thieves looking to pickpocket those students.


    I''m not confident I can handle that chaotic fight.


    "But there are fewer monsters on the outskirts."


    "It''s fine."


    All because of me.


    We took advantage of the gap while the everyone¡¯s Atention was on the boss and took out the monsters on the outskirts.


    And when I had acquired a substantial amount of material, I stopped walking.


    "The operation went well. I''ll be able to get good grades without any problems at this rate."


    "......"


    "Frondier-ssi?"


    I could hear Aten''s voice, but I was preupied with something ominous.


    "......It''s too empty."


    "Too empty? I think we''ve collected enough materials."


    "I''m not talking about the monsters, I''m talking about people."


    This is the outskirts of the field.


    Originally, there''s nothing to say about that, but there''s an eerie feeling hovering around the ce.


    Aten said.


    "Frondier-ssi just said it a while ago. Everyone''s Atention would be on the field boss."


    "Yeah, but I thought there would be students who thought simrly to me."


    I didn''t think I''d be able to hunt monsters without any interference.


    This kind of thinking is possible for anyone.


    However, aftering to the outskirts, I haven''t seen any students.


    Is this really just a coincidence?


    Did all the students really head to the center and none of the students who came here?


    I nced around for a moment.


    I spotted a drone diligently filming this ce nearby.


    ...Should I try using that to fly it up high and check out the situation?


    It won''t work if it''s just Weaving, but maybe it''ll work if I use Obsidian.


    I put the drone in the workshop.


    [Copy of Constel''s Manufactured Filming Drone]


    - A fake drone imitating the appearance of Constel''s video drone.


    - Doesn''t have a video function because it''s a fake.


    "......What?"


    As soon as I saw it, a cold feeling ran through my body.


    "......Aten."


    "Yes?"


    "Be on the lookout."


    Aten paused as if to say something in response to my words, then straightened up and surveyed the surroundings.


    Seeing my expression, she must have decided to hold her tongue.


    I appreciated that consideration.


    ¡®Was it fake from the beginning? No, that can''t be.¡¯


    It would have been discovered immediately.


    After all, Aten is right beside me.


    If the drone capturing Aten didn''t show up on the screen, it would be immediately noticeable.


    That means, after the game started, and the Atention was on the field boss, a drone was switched out without my knowledge.


    A drone this close to me was switched, and I didn''t even notice.


    ...A foe of a different caliber.


    I made a decision.


    "Menosorpo."


    With that word, I spread out a rune.


    Better to fortify my defenses while the enemy has yet to reveal themselves.


    Within the domain of Menosorpo, all coordinates are mine.


    Meaning, if the enemy is inside, I can immediately detect them.


    "Frondier, what are you-"


    "Shh."


    I brought a finger to my lips.


    This should convey the seriousness to Aten as well.


    However,


    I worried whether my voice shook, or if Aten noticed.


    ¡®...What is this monster.¡¯


    I broke out into a cold sweat the moment I spread it out.


    The enemy is already within the domain.


    And not far away.


    The intensity of its presence is enough to scratch at my skin.


    Such a tremendous pressure that the boss of this field seemsughable inparison.


    The location is-


    "What''s that."


    Suddenly, a voice cuts through.


    Aten, surprised, turned towards the direction of the voice.


    Aten was rarely taken aback.


    The enemy is close enough for their voice to be heard.


    Meaning we hadn''t realized it until just now.


    "Could it be that I''ve been discovered?"


    Through the darkness with a carefree voice,


    A man revealed himself.


    ...Gray hair, a rough beard.


    A muscr body and a massive greatsword that matched it.


    With that, the man approached us, carrying it on his shoulder.


    I was frozen, watching him.


    I know who he is.


    That he''s a named character and a viin.


    That the current me stands no chance against him no matter what I do.


    ©¤The Glutton of Chaos, Renzo.


    The man who is ranked among the strongest of the human viins stands before me.


    "I never thought I''d get caught. Man, you''ve got a good instinct. I may not know what this rune is, but you''ve got good judgment to set it up here."

 Chapter 43 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­¡­"


    I couldn''t say anything in return.


    Normally, I would''ve at least said something sarcastic, but my lips wouldn''t move, not even a twitch.


    It seemed like my appearance piqued Renzo''s interest.


    "¡­¡­You know me?"


    At Renzo''s words, Aten nced at me with the corner of her eye.


    "Do you know this person?"


    "I don''t have time to exin. He''s an enemy. We wouldn''t stand a chance against him, no matter what we do."


    "¡­¡­I can tell that much just by looking at him."Even during that short conversation, Renzo slowly approached us, and we retreated just as slowly.


    "What do you want with us?"


    I forced myself to speak.


    I needed time to think.


    A chance to escape.


    I didn''t know if such a chance existed, but it would be better than doing nothing.


    "Oh, I''m not interested in you. I''m after the princess next to you."


    "Did you make the students disappear too?"


    "Yeah. Iid down a barrier. A barrier that prevents approach. It naturally redirects people in another direction. They won''t even realize it''s happening."


    A barrier that prevents approach.


    Somehow, you don''t feel like going there, it doesn''t feel right over there; it creates a ce that you ''unintentionally'' don''t want to go to, with seemingly little thought.


    It might not be as effective in the city center, but in an open field like this, the barrier would be quite effective.


    "Why? What do you intend to do with the princess?"


    "I don''t know. I''m just doing a job for money."


    "¡­¡­You were paid enough money to kidnap a princess?"


    "I''m not sure? I just took a decent amount of money for it."


    Thud-


    The man lowered the sword he had been carrying on his shoulder.


    The vibration felt even from this distance made its weight palpable.


    "Money doesn''t really matter to me anyway. I did it because it seemed fun."


    Yes, that''s the kind of man he is.


    It''s a phrase often used for troublemakers, implying they cause problems wherever they go.


    What if an unmatched powerful figure went around doing such things?


    Such an absurd joke is personified in Renzo.


    Renzo has no beliefs, dreams, or goals.


    He does things because they seem fun to him.


    With a mindset akin to that of children, he wields his absurd power.


    That''s why he''s a viin.


    He knows what he''s doing is evil, but he doesn''t care, making him the closest to true evil.


    "Kid, so you''re not my concern. I just need to take that woman next to you. Well, I heard it wouldn''t matter if she ends up dead, depending on the situation."


    "Is that ''fun'' for you?"


    "No. What happens afterward is what''s fun. Kidnapping the princess, or maybe killing her. The fun part will follow no matter what."


    Damn it.


    All the teachers at Constel, the entire Royal Knights, areing to kill this man, and he thinks that''s just fun?


    "Do you think I''ll just quietly follow you?"


    Aten said with displeasure.


    At that, Renzo blinked a few times.


    "Well, is that so?"


    He said.


    Aten''s eyes red coldly.


    Cooling the surrounding temperature, her white hair shone brightly.


    Aten extended her hand.


    <i>Ice Magic 3rd Form</i>


    <i>Instant, Range, Amplification</i>


    <i>cier Mist</i>


    The magic unfolded right where Renzo was.


    cial Mist, instantly lowering the surrounding temperature and freezing the target.


    With that magic unleashed all at once with a triple-cast, Renzo was instantly frozen solid.


    "Frondier-shi! Take this chance to escape!"


    Aten hurriedly called out to me.


    Clink


    But it was less than a moment before he was defrosted.


    Renzo moved so naturally,


    As if he had never been hit by magic.


    He shook off the ice crystals clinging to his clothes and said,


    "As expected."


    His incredibly nonchnt face,


    To the observer, is simply terrifying.


    "...Ack!"


    Aten stretched out her hand again and gathered her mana.


    I put my hand on her shoulder.


    "...Aten."


    "What is it?"


    "You''re the one who should escape."


    I lightly pulled Aten and stepped forward.


    Hoo, I took a deep breath, almost a sigh.


    In this practical exam, I''ve never had such a ridiculous event even once.


    Is it because Aten is with me, or because Philly is moving more aggressively than in the game?


    I don''t know what kind of butterfly effect is happening,


    But this just proves how ridiculously broken Etius is.


    "Run away when you get the chance."


    Aten must not die here.


    She does a great job as an elemental mage, but she has a more important role to y.


    She has yet to realize her talent, but Aten is an incredibly capable healer.


    Right now, she doesn''t even know the basics of healing magic, but someday she''ll figure it out.


    So, if Aten dies, it''s game over for us eventually.


    That said, it would still be a surefire way to lose if I died.


    ''My chance of defeating Renzo.''


    That''s absurd.


    It''s not even worth thinking about.


    ''The chance of Aten''s escape seeding.''


    Extremely low.


    I told Aten to run away, but I didn''t expect it to work.


    Renzo is rxed right now. Not slow.


    Even if I were to give her a big opening and let her escape, the moment he decides to, he would be able to catch up to her in an instant.


    ''The possibility of reinforcements arriving.''


    ...That''s all I can count on.


    No matter how much the main screen currently focuses on the central area where the boss is being fought, it would be strange if Aten didn''t show up at all.


    Even Renzo knows that, but I doubt he''s thinking about it that deeply.


    From Renzo''s perspective, it doesn''t really matter whether the princess is kidnapped or not.


    After all, his goal is just ''entertainment.''


    So, here I am, just buying as much time as I can.


    While Menosorpo is still activated.


    Taking a deep breath,


    I reached up to the ck lotus hanging from my neck.


    And with all my strength, I crushed the ck lotus.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Iokeira</i>


    <i>Artemis''s arrow.</i>


    I drew an arrow in the air and aimed it at Renzo.


    The bow ''Khryskatos'' is still ''female-only'', so I still can''t use it.


    The only way I can use it is as a temporary measure, by borrowing the power of Menosorpo.


    "...Hoo."


    Even in a situation where a Divine-ranked arrow is aimed at him, Renzo only throws me a drypliment.


    I said.


    "Falling Rain."


    <i>[Iokheira]</i>


    <i>? Rank: Divine</i>


    <i>? Description: An arrow crafted by the god of cksmiths, Hephaestus, and given to Artemis. It forms a pair with Khryskatos.</i>


    <i>Ability Details ></i>


    <i>- Rakuu (Falling Rain): It shall rain</i>


    With those words.


    The arrow instantly multiplied countless times, filling the area around me.


    "Go."


    At those words, the arrows truly became rain.


    And poured down on Renzo.

 Chapter 44 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>6/12 Bonus chapter thanks to @Jaidz on Ko-fi!</i>


    Suppose you recruit an archer during a war.


    If there''s one archer, they usually take a swordsman instead.


    But if there are 100 archers, it''s worth considering.


    If there are 10,000 archers, it''s an obvious choice.


    Thus, when ites to using a bow, quantity takes precedence over quality.


    Archers need to be numerous to be effective, and arrows need arge-scale battle to fully demonstrate their value.


    ''Indeed, if it''s like this.''Renzo leisurely thought as he watched the arrows pouring towards him.


    A single arrow shot multiplied endlessly, bing a of arrows that covered him.


    ''At this rate, I can say that I have the power of a hundred men on my own.''


    Literally a one-man army.


    But Renzo.


    Easily annihtes what''s merely considered a hundred-man army.


    <i>Greatsword Technique</i>


    <i>Renzo Original</i>


    <i>From left to right</i>


    Renzo, holding a giant greatsword in one hand, drew it from left to right.


    A storm-like wind arose along that horizontal line.


    With a powerless sound, the arrows were pushed away by the wind pressure created by Renzo.


    "Whatever trick this is, arrows without a bow are just this,"


    Renzo''s thought was cut off there.


    After clearing the arrows, Frondier was already upon him.


    ''He used the arrow as a cover!''


    Frondier had already thrown the spear in his hand at Renzo.


    Towards Renzo''s chest, which was exposed by swinging his greatsword.


    A maneuver using Renzo''s carelessness and showing ingenuity.


    However,


    "It''s toote, my dear."


    Renzo brought the greatsword he had used to clear the arrows back to the front.


    His speed in retrieving the sword was much faster than Frondier.


    Frondier''s eyes widened at that unbelievable scene.


    And when their des collided.


    "¡­¡­?"


    Silence ensued.


    Renzo witnessed that bizarre phenomenon right before his eyes.


    Their des shed, but no sound was made - a peculiar urrence.


    "No, they didn''t collide."


    At the moment their des were about to sh, Frondier withdrew the force from his spear and pressed it against Renzo''s sword.


    Their weapons were stuck together.


    Crackle, like firewood burning in dry sound.


    Immediately after,


    "Ha!"


    A smile painted Renzo''s face.


    His passion ignites.


    He had thought the ''fun'' woulde muchter.


    In a moment, he rolled his eyes to look at his right hand.


    The greatsword was flying out of his grip, through the air.


    The technique of Azier.


    It was Falling Edge.


    * * *


    "Argh!"


    My body screamed.


    My grip felt like it would tear apart, trembling started in my arms, moved up to my shoulders, and my whole body creaked.


    It was good that I made Renzo drop his sword, but in the process, I also dropped my spear.


    What a farce this is.


    An iplete Falling Edge.


    I''ve seen the Golem''s Falling Edge several times using WizardGram, and it was absurdly difficult.


    I see why Azier told me not to do it.


    I nearly destroyed my body.


    Because it was iplete, both Renzo and I dropped our weapons.


    It seems like a loss for both sides.


    But I''m faster than Renzo, who has to pick up his weapon again.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    ck droplets gather in my hand.


    The moment they take shape and I grasp them with both hands.


    I draw a diagonal line without hesitation towards unarmed Renzo!


    <i>Azier¡¯s Basic Spear Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation</i>


    <i>Cross sh</i>


    A technique that cut through a steel golem.


    No matter how strong Renzo is, he can''t withstand Gram with a human body.


    However.


    I saw it with my own eyes.


    No, I felt it.


    Perhaps because I''m within Menosorpo.


    An intangible energy imbued in Renzo''s hand.


    "Aura©¤©¤!"


    Renzo unfolded an aura with his bare hands.


    A realm every student at Constel''sbat academy dreams of.


    Effortlessly, he deflected my critical strike with a single hand.


    At that moment, I was the one unprotected.


    "Here!"


    Renzo''s fist, aiming for my exposed side, flies toward me.


    ''I''ll Weaving a shield-''


    Crash!


    The sky flipped over, and I found myself flying through the air before crashing down.


    The hastily Weaving shield tore like a piece of paper.


    Feeling nothing even after scraping along the ground several times,


    "Urgh!"


    I spat out blood that felt like it was tearing me apart from inside.


    The Menosorpo had been broken.


    "Oops, my bad."


    Renzo approached me nonchntly as Iy fallen.


    "See, I don''t really know how to control my strength when I use my fists."


    ''You mean you don''t want to control it, you bastard.''


    I wiped the remaining blood from my mouth and stood up.


    But standing was all I could do; I was already in a critical condition.


    My ribs felt broken, and nausea surged as blood backed up into my mouth.


    My whole body trembled.


    And to think, this was the state I was in even after using a shield.


    Moreover, having used Gram, I had almost burnt through all my mana.


    "But the way I feel when I hit you is strange. Your side feels hard."


    Renzo said, dusting off his hands.


    To think he''d call it ''strange'' after piercing through the shield.


    A hollowugh escaped me at the absurd strength.


    "You seemed like an interesting fellow, but you''re just a greenhorn after all. That weapon is too much for you; it must be crying."


    Crying my ass.


    The one who wants to cry is me.


    ''What now?''


    I''m out of mana, and my injuries are severe.


    One hit, especially to the side, and I''m in this state; a second would probably kill me.


    Did Aten run away?


    I couldn''t take my eyes off Renzo, but she probably did.


    She knows her own worth, after all.


    But then.


    "Stop it."


    A voice came from behind.


    "You want to take me with you, right? He doesn''t matter to you."


    "Yeah, that''s right. As long as youe quietly, I have noints."


    Aten stood beside me.


    I said with a weary voice.


    "I told you to run."


    "I can''t."


    "You know what happens if you get kidnapped. Have you forgotten who you are?"


    "I''ve never forgotten. Not for a moment."


    Aten''s voice was as usual.


    Without any trembling or fear.


    "I am a princess."


    "......"


    "The royal family exists to protect its people. If you stand above many, you must bear that responsibility."


    "If you be a hostage, more people could get hurt."


    "No."


    Aten said that and smiled at me.


    With a forlorn smile.


    "I''m not worth that much."

 Chapter 44 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Aten."


    Aten took my hand.


    A blue light shimmered from her hand, and then the light transferred to me.


    It was mana.


    Aten had given me most of her mana.


    "It''s dangerous to stay here. Use this mana to escape. You can do that, right?"


    Aten released my hand and slowly walked towards Renzo.


    I bowed my head.


    If things continued this way, Aten was very likely to die.Her saying she wasn¡¯t worth much wasn¡¯t incorrect.


    The Emperor of Terst would abandon Aten.


    He was the kind of person to do so, and from the perspective of the royal household, it was the correct decision.


    But was Aten¡¯s death really such a big problem for me?


    Of course, clearing the game would be harder.


    But the probability wouldn¡¯t be zero.


    There must be some way.


    What good is saving Aten if I die in the process?


    Besides, there''s no way to save her.


    I can¡¯t defeat Renzo as I am now.


    Even using all the means at my disposal, I couldn¡¯t inflict a single scratch on him.


    I did my best.


    To the point my ribs could break.


    I don¡¯t want to die a dog¡¯s death.


    I don¡¯t want to die.


    I haven¡¯t known Aten for even a few days.


    Aten is just a character in the game.


    There must be another strategy in this game.


    So.


    "Menosorpo."


    I spoke out again.


    A rune unfolded, and Aten looked at me in surprise.


    "Frondier! Stop it!"


    Renzo smirked.


    "Right. I knew you''d do that. I knew there was something about you when we first shed. Let''s have a bit more fun."


    What nonsense.


    You have your fun, you freak.


    I spread my thumb, index finger, and middle finger.


    There''s one thought thates to mind.


    But honestly, I''ve never tried it before.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen if I do this.


    Nothing might happen, or a ridiculous situation could unfold.


    Either way.


    No matter what excuse Ie up with.


    I could think of a myriad of reasons to give up on Aten.


    But I decided to save Aten.


    After all, that had been my choice from the beginning.


    But as I am now, I can''t beat Renzo.


    Not as I am now.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    Using all the mana Aten gave me, I wove the Dragon Heart.


    It looked somewhat like a rod bent into a triangle.


    The shining crystal was caught between my spread fingers.


    As I mentioned before, properly absorbing a Dragon Heart increases the total amount of mana.


    That was the intention behind making it.


    The problem is that this is a fake made through ''weaving.''


    It doesn''t make sense to say it increases my mana since I used my own mana to make it.


    Most of all, consuming a Dragon Heart raw could leave one crippled.


    ''Since it''s made from my mana, it shouldn''t be too wild.''


    But that''s just a guess.


    Increasing the total amount of mana by consuming a Dragon Heart made from my own mana.


    Could such a thing be possible?


    Despite all my uncertainties, I swallowed the Weaving Dragon Heart.


    And then,


    "......ugh!"


    Thump!


    I heard a heartbeat sound like nothing I''ve ever heard before.


    It felt like an earthquake was happening inside my body.


    ''Something''s happening...!''


    I could feel an unbelievable amount of mana rising within me.


    But just as much,


    I felt something disappearing from inside me.


    ''Ah, I see...!''


    The weaving of the Dragon Heart.


    Weaving merely causes a phenomenon. It''s not real material.


    So, although the phenomenon of increased mana happens,


    It doesn''t actually bestow real mana.


    To resolve this contradiction, something inside me is bing mana instead.


    ©¤I don''t know what it is.


    Blood, flesh, bones, organs.


    Something essential for me to continue existing as a human is being lost in an amount equal to the mana.


    "Oh!"


    Renzo eximed loudly in admiration.


    That''s the most vibrant face I''ve seen him make.


    I haven''t liked a single thing about him since a while ago.


    "Indeed, indeed! Doping, is it! Whatever you did, that''s an incredible amount of mana!"


    "Renzo! The discussion is over! Take me with you!"


    "Shut up, woman!"


    Renzo forcefully pushed Aten away as she clung to his arm.


    Aten slid back and fell over from the force.


    "My interest has shifted; you''re far more intriguing than I thought!"


    Renzo boldly said, even as he observed the surging mana around me.


    He stood facing me with an open stance.


    "But kid, do you know? Mana isn''t just about the total amount! No matter how much mana you have, if youck the proper magic and skills to use it, it''s no different than a water tank. You might be able to shoot plenty of arrows like earlier, but that''s about it. With just that, you can''t harm me! I''ll dly take it head-on."


    No matter the magic, if more mana than necessary for the spell is used, the excess just dissipates.


    Magic doesn''t be stronger simply by infusing more mana.


    It requires the use of powerful magic.


    This applies to everything that uses mana or aura.


    However.


    "Take it head-on?"


    I said.


    My voice was trembling due to the quake I felt within.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    In my hand was Mj?lnir, a hammer with a short handle and a metal head, which had absorbed most of the explosively grown mana from consuming a dragon heart.


    Renzo''s smug expression faded.


    Yes, let''s see if you recognize what this is.


    I gripped Mj?lnir in my right hand and pulled back.


    The posture was almost identical to the throwing stance I had practiced countless times in the training room with a dagger.


    "Try and catch this, madman."


    With that,


    Iunched Mj?lnir with my throwing technique, which I had advanced to the intermediate level.


    For your information, intermediate-level throwing technique never misses a stationary target.

 Chapter 45 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>7/14 Bonus chapter thanks to @RainEday on Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Renzo knew it the moment he saw it.


    The power of that hammer.


    He regretted saying he could boldly receive it.


    Should he retract his words and dodge?


    The thought was fleeting.


    ''Can I run?''


    He held his greatsword in front of him.''Can I block it?''


    No, it''s impossible.


    Renzo changed his mind and extended the side of his greatsword forward.


    Attempting to block it would only result in his greatsword breaking.


    Crack!


    The moment Mj?lnir shed, the greatsword cracked.


    "Argh!"


    Renzo gritted his teeth and summoned his aura.


    Aura was much easier and more powerful to channel through a weapon than with bare hands.


    However, still.


    Dragging his feet across the ground, Renzo was being pushed back by the force of Mj?lnir.


    The greatsword was as good as shattered.


    He was barely holding it together with his aura.


    ''How much longer will it push me?''


    After one sh, it should have been repelled.


    Leaving his greatsword in ruins.


    Yet, the force of Mj?lnir, as if wanting to kill Renzo, did not subside.


    As if the weapon itself had a will.


    "Ugh!"


    Renzo''s eyes red red.


    So did his hair, and his entire body.


    A third power, neither aura nor mana, that Renzo possessed.


    Thest bastion, and evidence of his shaved pride.


    The war god, Ares.


    Renzo''s divine power.


    The divine power of Ares grows stronger as the crisis in battle approaches.


    The stronger the opponent.


    The more intense the thrill of the fight.


    Renzo, who considers only what he finds enjoyable as his direction in life, receiving the divine power of the battle-crazed Ares, was perhaps inevitable.


    ''If I can just receive this...!''


    Even while struggling, a smile appeared on Renzo''s face.


    This hammer, unbelievable but a tremendous divine object.


    Looking at its appearance, even more unbelievable.


    ''Mj?lnir...!''


    How it was suddenly drawn from thin air, he didn''t know.


    But if he could receive it, it would be his.


    Eventually, the power of Mj?lnir gradually diminished.


    And when itpletely lost its power and fell from the sky.


    "Got it!"


    Renzo reached out for the handle of Mj?lnir.


    tter, his greatsword fell in pieces.


    However.


    Swoosh~


    Mj?lnir flew on its own in the air.


    And then returned to the hands of Frondier.


    "......"


    Stunned and incredulous, Renzo could only stretch out his empty hand and stare at the scene.


    ¡°I thought I finally had it in the palm of my hand.¡±


    But soon, he came to realize the terrifying truth.


    ¡°¡­¡­You.¡±


    Renzo spoke.


    With a face that looked as though he couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°How, are you able to control Mj?lnir?¡±


    More important than how he got his hands on Mj?lnir was how he was controlling it right now.


    How he was making it move.


    That he had it in his hands, well, that was just an incredible stroke of fortune, an achievementparable to bringing peace to the five nations in his previous life, so perhaps it¡¯s only right that he was rewarded for that.


    But controlling it meant that he had gained Mj?lnir¡¯s acknowledgment.


    They say that Thor could crush the body of any enemy, no matter where they were, with Mj?lnir.


    He could throw it anywhere, and it would always return to his hand. That was one of Mj?lnir¡¯s abilities. It moved of its own ord, based on its master¡¯s will.


    But only Thor was capable of that.


    No one else who had ever wielded Mj?lnir had been able to make it return to them after throwing it, like Thor did.


    ¡®But this guy just demonstrated that.¡¯


    That means that,


    Mj?lnir, Thor¡¯s divine weapon, acknowledged the human, Frondier.


    At Renzo¡¯s words, Frondier tilted his head.


    Frondier toyed with Mj?lnir in front of his eyes, as though it were nothing.


    He made it float, moved it around in the air, spun it around and around, and then made it settle back into his hand.


    Renzo watched that scene from a distance.


    ¡°I, can just do it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Renzo¡¯s eyes zed.


    He walked slowly with that tremendous momentum.


    "I can''t ept it."


    Renzo, who came walking barehanded without a great sword.


    His momentum was more ferocious than when he had a weapon.


    * * *


    In Etius, the performance of weapons is basically based on mythology.


    Mj?lnir is the same. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t have the power of lightning itself, or why anyone can lift it.


    However, there is one thing.


    Mj?lnir can only fly through the air and return to his hand when Thor wields it.


    The people of the continent believe that if one gains Mj?lnir¡¯s acknowledgment, they will be able to control it like Thor did, but this has never been confirmed.


    It could be true, or it could not be.


    ¡®But my Mj?lnir is a fake made from Weaving.¡¯


    This is inside Menosorpo¡¯s range.


    I¡¯m not really controlling it because I have its acknowledgment.


    Whether it¡¯s Mj?lnir, Gram, or Iokheira, I can control anything in the air inside Menosorpo¡¯s Eye.


    If they go beyond the range of the rune, they all disappear.


    ¡®I can guess what he must be thinking.¡¯


    I don¡¯t really feel like correcting him.


    Because it¡¯s none of my business.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    Renzo kicked off the ground and ran toward me.


    I threw Mj?lnir again.


    This time, using the divine power, Renzo dodged Mj?lnir and approached me.


    Mj?lnir flew toward Renzo under my control again, and Renzo dodged it again.


    That repeated itself.


    Even so, Renzo steadily drew nearer to me.


    ¡®¡­¡­Damn it.¡¯


    My side, where I was hit by Renzo, hurts.


    It wasn¡¯t just my side.


    The fake Dragon Heart continued to sap my life force. It was like the sand running out of a sandcastle.


    Even though there was no apparent difference, it felt like everything would copse all at once at some point.


    I was certain that my body would copse like that.


    -Even if I defeat Renzo, will I be able to survive?


    ¡®Stop thinking about that.¡¯


    Those were idle thoughts.


    First, think about defeating Renzo.

 Chapter 45 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Your attack patterns are too simple!¡±


    Renzo shouted.


    The movements he was using to dodge Mj?lnir seemed to be smoother, as if to prove his point.


    Of course they would. I was just directing Mj?lnir to head toward wherever Renzo was.


    It was a bothersome guided missile, but even Renzo wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge it forever.


    I was almost dead after taking one punch from Renzo.


    I would die no matter how or where the next attack hit me.


    I had already reached the point where death was just a hair¡¯s breadth away.


    ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡±Renzo growled.


    Mj?lnir flew toward me and was caught by my right hand.


    I put strength into the hand that was gripping Mj?lnir.


    If he dodged this attack from me, it would be Renzo¡¯s turn next. I definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge or block it.


    That¡¯s why this attack absolutely had to hit.


    Our eyes met. His gaze was fearless, as if he was daring me to try and hit him.


    I swung Mj?lnir horizontally. Seeing that, Renzo bent his body down.


    In theory, there was no way that attack would hit him.


    Renzo¡¯s smile deepened.


    ©¤©¤Mj?lnir thrown repeatedly from afar.


    As though I didn¡¯t want to engage in closebat.


    That Mj?lnir was the only weapon I wielded.


    As though I didn¡¯t have the capacity to use any other weapons.


    I desperately hoped and wished that Renzo would believe that.


    <i>Void Weaving </i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    [T/N: Weaving in the air without Obsidian is Void Weaving ]


    With my original mana, Gram can be sustained for about 5 seconds.


    I swallowed the Dragon Heart, but most of its power was invested into Mj?lnir.


    With the tiny bit of mana I had left, I wove Gram for exactly 0.5 seconds.


    My Mj?lnir, swung horizontally, had never been aimed at Renzo in the first ce.


    Try to avoid it, Renzo.


    It is a de that can never be avoided.


    BLAM!


    Mj?lnir passed by Renzo, who was bent over, and struck the handle of Gram, which was formed in the air.


    Gram spun once in the air.


    Swish-!


    After cutting off Renzo''s right arm, it disappeared.


    Just as I said before.


    There''s no way a human body could withstand Gram.


    "......Huh?"


    Renzo nkly looked at his empty right side.


    "Renzo."


    I said.


    "There''s no need for the likes of you to feel recognition."


    * * *


    ''What the¡­.''


    Aten couldn''t believe the situation unfolding before her eyes.


    Frondier had cut off Renzo''s right arm.


    Even Aten, who was an outsider, couldn''t understand how that was even possible.


    Frondier had swung at the air, and Renzo''s arm had been cut off.


    That was the only way it looked.


    ''Amazing¡­.''


    But that didn''t matter.


    She didn''t know who Renzo was, but she fully recognized the overwhelming power he possessed.


    Definitely one of the strongest on this entire continent. Frondier had cut off the arm of such a person.


    The ''Human Sloth, Frondier'' of Constel.


    ¡°¡­¡­Heh.¡±


    Renzo turned his eyes from his right arm to Frondier.


    His arrogance and irritation were gone, reced by a me of hatred.


    ¡°Can''t you see my left arm is missing!?¡±


    Shouting this, Renzo charged at Frondier.


    ¡°Don''t!¡±


    Aten shouted.


    Frondier could neither dodge nor block Renzo''s attack.


    And if she were to be hit by the next attack, Frondier would definitely-


    Aten stretched out her hand, but it was definitely toote.


    ¡­¡­But even faster than that.


    <i>Evans family''s martial arts</i>


    <i>Ellen Evans'' unique sword technique</i>


    <i>One Strike.</i>


    Something flew faster than that.


    A figure d in blue aura flew from behind Frondier.


    The ck sword in her hand was enveloped in a blue aura.


    Her entire body formed a straight line, as if it were a single frame from a paused scene.


    The strike that flew through the air didn''t even form a parab, but shot straight towards Renzo in a clean, straight line.


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    Swish, the sound of the wind grazed Renzo''s neck.


    Renzo barely dodged and backed away.


    One woman stood in front of Renzo, as if protecting Frondier.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    A calm voice.


    From between her fluttering, long brown hair.


    Gentle eyes looked at Frondier.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    It was Ellen.


    Frondier turned her dazed eyes to her.


    ¡°¡­¡­I''ve been waiting for backup, but.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t think it would be me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Frondier smiled wryly, his face covered in blood and sweat.


    Ellen caught a glimpse of him.


    "What are you?"


    Renzo directed his feverishly intense gaze towards Ellen.


    "Do you wish to die alongside me?"


    Even though Renzo had lost an arm, Ellen found him a formidable opponent.


    However,


    "Hey, stray dog."


    Another voice flew towards them.


    A man, looking so ordinary as if he could be found anywhere, walked up casually.


    Seeing him, Renzo''s eyes widened.


    "...Eden Hamelot."


    "I wondered where you were scavenging trash from this time."


    Edan''s cold gaze pierced through Renzo.


    "You''re still not dead, I see."


    "Cut the crap."


    Their eyes shot at each other.


    As if merely their gaze could wound, they were fierce and sharp.


    "You won''t be able to run away this time."


    "You think you can catch me? Have you ever seeded?"


    "That''s why, this time, I''m not alone."


    As if Eden''s words were a signal,


    People began to appear from all around Renzo.


    A legion of steel, with silver armor, spears, and swords lined up side by side.


    The Terst Royal Knights.


    And leading them, a woman.


    It was Philly Terst.


    Philly had led all her escort knights to this ce.


    "...Frondier."


    Philly directed a bewildered gaze towards Frondier.


    Philly didn''t know much about Frondier.


    From a few conversations, she thought he was quite intelligent.


    But even without knowing much, there was one fact she knew.


    It was impossible for a student of Constel to cut off Renzo''s arm. It was an event that would not happen even if the heavens and the earth turned upside down.


    Yet,


    "Renzo, there''s no escape now."


    Eden''s words were true. A look of defeat spread across Renzo''s face.


    After confirming this, Eden walked towards Frondier.


    Eden bowed deeply in front of Frondier.


    "...First, I apologize. And then, endless thanks. What you''ve achieved today is unprecedented within the empire,"


    Eden''s words were cut off. Nothing had happened to him.


    Just,


    The body of the person he was speaking to tilted.


    The first to rush forward was Aten.


    She alone knew the condition of Frondier''s body.


    It wasn''t just exhaustion.


    Not copsing due to being unable to withstand the fatigue.


    Like a doll whose string had been cut, Frondier just tilted.


    As if all the me of life had been spent.


    Frondier,


    As his body fell,


    It was as if,


    ©¤©¤©¤©¤Thud


    A sound was made.


    "Frondier!!!"


    Aten Terst.


    It was a huge shout that she had never made before.

 Chapter 46 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten quickly approached and checked Frondier¡¯s condition.


    A moment of confusion is enough.


    She calmed her mind in an instant.


    Frondier seemed to have just fainted.


    However.


    ¡®Pulse¡­¡­.¡¯


    She checked his pulse, but it was too faint.


    If she didn''t concentrate fully, she wouldn''t be able to feel the beat.


    His breathing was the same.¡°I¡¯ll check.¡±


    The royal knight¡¯s healer approached.


    The healer spread their hands to grasp Frondier¡¯s physical state.


    They were infusing mana to check the inside of his body.


    ¡°¡­¡­This is.¡±


    The healer opened their eyes wide in disbelief.


    Their eyes were filled with despair and fear.


    ¡°What¡¯s the state?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­All parts of his body are damaged.¡±


    ¡°Damaged, you say?¡±


    ¡°Not only the internal organs like the heart, lungs, liver, and stomach, but also the bones, nerves, and muscles are all deficient.¡±


    Deficient.


    Aten recalled Renzo¡¯s words.


    -Indeed, indeed! Doping! Whatever you did, it¡¯s unbelievable mana!


    Doping.


    That¡¯s what Renzo said.


    It was certainly an unbelievable amount of mana if it weren¡¯t for that.


    I don¡¯t know how he did it.


    But if that¡¯s the price of his condition, it¡¯s too cruel.


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible to recover with healing magic?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Despite Aten¡¯s question, the healer just shut their mouth as if troubled.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Aten¡¯s expression turned cold.


    She never panicked.


    Rather, she became moreposed at times like this.


    ¡°¡­¡­Aten nim. Healing is a way to recover from injury. But this person¡¯s only injury is a bruise on the side. Even so, it¡¯s serious, but even if this injury is healed¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s healed?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­The damaged parts will not be recovered.¡±


    At the healer¡¯s words, Aten tightly squeezed her eyes shut.


    With her eyes open again, she saw her mother, Philly.


    "Then we must take Frondier to the hospital immediately, Mother."


    "...Aten."


    "Hurry. The surgery might be dyed."


    "Aten."


    "Quickly-"


    Philly grabbed Aten''s shoulder.


    "This child cannot be moved right now."


    "..."


    "You''ve heard, haven''t you? Not only are the internal organs missing, but also muscles, bones, and nerves. We don''t know what might happen during the transfer."


    Frondier''s body is weaker than a child''s right now.


    There are more deficiencies than in a baby, and given his significantlyrger volume.


    Even if we carefully move him on a stretcher and by car, we can''t guarantee safety.


    "Even if the surgery is performed, and even if it goes well, he''ll have to live with severe disabilities."


    Aten looked at Frondier''s face upon hearing Philly''s words.


    It was the face she always saw.


    The one she would always follow around at Constel.


    That face, those shoulders, and that body.


    "...Then what are you saying we should do?"


    No one answered Aten''s question.


    "Aten, I''m sorry, but he..."


    A knight approached Aten.


    Aten scanned him with emotionless eyes.


    "Aten, in trying to save you, he did his best. As he saved the princess of the empire, it''s the greatest honor for him-"


    Snap!


    Aten, unable to bear the knight''s poor attempt at constion, pped him without mercy.


    A cold frost formed on the knight''s cheek where he was struck.


    "Shut your mouth. Frondier didn''t save the empire''s princess."


    "Oh, Aten."


    "It''s not like that."


    Honorable?


    Because I''m the princess?


    Because Frondier de Roach saved me since I am the princess?


    No, that''s not it.


    If that were the case, Frondier wouldn''t have been able to treat me so casually.


    Like so many others, he would have groveled in front of me, addressing me with undue honorifics.


    No, that''s not it.


    Frondier didn''t save a princess.


    In his eyes, Aten or anyone else would have been the same.


    He simply saved an ordinary person.


    That was Frondier''s choice.


    Aten knelt on both knees.


    She looked at Frondier with her bright white eyes.


    "Aten?"


    ...Royalty is above others to protect their people.


    What were all those excessive fortunes and powers, the education based on them, for?


    Save them.


    That''s your duty, Aten.


    Aten''s magic power surged.


    Consequently, the temperature around her dropped.


    Aten, originally skilled in ice magic.


    But beyond that.


    As if even the breath she exhaled could freeze, Aten gradually became colder.


    "Ah, Lady Aten! It''s dangerous!"


    The voice of a knight trying to stop her.


    It doesn''t reach her.


    It''s as distant as words from across the water.


    Aten has reached some sort of enlightenment.


    ''Think.''


    Find a way.


    How can you save Frondier?


    I''ve never learned healing magic.


    Healing won''t work anyway.


    You can''t bring back what''s lost.


    ''...Unless it''s not lost.''


    Frondier had amplified his mana.


    As a bacsh, much of his body had dissipated.


    In other words, much of it had turned into mana.


    The task wasn''t to heal the wounds.


    Just as his body had turned into mana, now it was about turning mana back into the body.


    In other words, ''restoration''.


    I''ve never tried such a thing, nor do I know if it''s possible.


    Yet, for some reason, Aten felt it was possible.


    Aten''s hands moved above Frondier.


    With each movement of her hands, the air sparkled.


    The particles in the air were freezing.


    That cold mana seeped into Frondier''s body.


    ''...I see.''


    Through the process, Aten understood the condition of Frondier''s body.


    She had performed a technique that healers train for years to achieve, right at this moment.


    Upon checking, it became evident just how perilous Frondier''s condition was.


    He wasn''t dead.


    Definitely alive.


    However, his life force was gradually fading away.


    Destroyed internal organs, muscles, blood, and bones.


    To sustain Frondier''s life, all these had be too ''diminished.''


    "Alright, if I distribute mana evenly like this......"


    Aten slowly channeled mana into Frondier''s missing parts.


    The precision of this mana maniption was astonishing, almost thread-like in its application.


    But.


    "...It''s impossible, Aten."


    Philly, who had been watching, swallowed her grim expression.


    Even if Aten could encapste his mana with incredible control.


    Even if Aten could truly restore mana into the body.


    Ultimately, knowledge bes the barrier.


    "......!"


    Aten''s fingertips trembled.


    Philly was right.


    She had managed to encapste the mana, but that was it.


    Aten had an intuition that she could ''restore'' with his abilities.


    But what is unknown cannot be done.

 Chapter 46 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "......Lady Aten......"


    Everyone was looking at her.


    Seeing her cold face suffused with agony.


    Blood dripping from her clenched lower lip.


    ''Search......''


    Find a way, Aten.


    You''re a princess.


    You''re meant to save people.


    ''...No.''That''s not it.


    Aftering this far, in this dire situation, are you going to lie?


    It''s not about being a princess.


    Just as Frondier saved Aten Terst not as a princess,


    I want to save Frondier.


    I,


    I, Aten Terst, want to save!


    Frondier de Roach!


    ...Huh?


    Then she saw something, a sight not of this reality, visible only to her eyes.


    Thud.


    Philly, who had been watching, took a step forward.


    She was going to stop Aten.


    Afterwards, Philly would tell Aten about her foresight.


    That there is a future where Aten can ''restore'' someday.


    Then, Aten would surely hate her.


    For not telling her in advance.


    That she could have saved Frondier if she had known.


    Aten, who had been the purpose of her life, would curse her for a long time.


    But that''s okay.


    Such hatred, she had prepared for it a long time ago.


    "Aten, stop now-"


    Philly tried to say but stopped.


    Aten wasn''t looking at Frondier, but at the empty air.


    Concerned by her odd behavior, Philly looked into Aten''s eyes.


    And then she knew.


    What Aten was seeing right now.


    ''Aten, could it be...!''


    -I am a descendant of V.


    -My mother said she could do it.


    -I wish my daughters didn''t have this ability.


    Philly told Frondier.


    She could see the future because she was a descendant of V.


    Philly''s mother also had the ability to foresee.


    Then, her daughter Aten as well-!


    ''...Ah.''


    Aten saw.


    She didn''t feel all futures through senses like Philly.


    The blood of V bes thinner with each generation.


    What Aten could see now was only herself.


    Only her own future.


    ''I see.''


    She saw herself standing as a healer in the future,


    And she saw that knowledge.


    Aten poured out mana.


    Her cold mana pouring down on Frondier without a gap.


    In the coldness where the air froze and shattered into light, Aten''s gaze was warmly looking at Frondier.


    As if gently waking him from sleep.


    Frondier, Frondier.


    Wake up.


    Frondier''s eyelids trembled.


    His eyes slowly opened, and he saw Aten, who was smiling through tears.


    "...Aten."


    "Mr. Frondier."


    "...Why are you smiling, no, crying?"


    Watching Frondier as usual giving a hard time, Aten couldn''t help but let out an uncharacteristically smallugh.


    "I saw the future."


    "¡­Aten."


    Frondier sighed at that response.


    "From the moment we first met until now."


    The conversation isn''t getting through.


    * * *


    Renzo''s intrusion had triggered an emergency throughout all of Constel.


    The analysis of the damage and its causes was in full swing, causing all sses to be suspended.


    However, that was just the superficial reason.


    The real reason Constel had halted lectures was much simpler.


    "©¤©¤There''s a rat here."


    Central meeting room.


    Alex, abat technique teacher at Constel, growled in a gathering of faculty members.


    Even Teacher Jane, who always disagreed and shed with Alex, kept silent.


    They shared the same thought.


    Jane, in fact, slowly opened her mouth in agreement with Alex.


    "¡­Previously, during the pro experience the third-year students were having, a monster from outside invaded the ce."


    The outside monster Frondier had warned Quinie about.


    Despite Quinie handling it well, there were casualties.


    Many teachers had left Constel to honor the deceased''s families and investigate the cause.


    Chancellor Osprey was no exception.


    "Just when a significant number of teachers were absent, Renzo attacked."


    "ording to the report, Renzo suddenly appeared and attempted to kidnap Aten. As if he just popped out of nowhere."


    "¡­Teleportation magic."


    Listening in, Teacher Binkis judged it so, and everyone nodded in agreement.


    However, teleportation magic isn''t as easy as it sounds.


    Especially if it involves moving not just objects, but living beings, and even more so, people.


    "It''s fortunate the student handled it well, or we could have faced a far more dreadful situation."


    Jane said.


    "He handled it very well, didn''t he?" remarked Malia, the health teacher, with a wry smile.


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    They didn''t know that Frondier had cut off Renzo''s arm.


    They had been told a somewhat altered version of the truth.


    In the middle of the practical exam, a student named Frondier de Roach had identally discovered Renzo.


    He had then slipped away and told Aten and the others, who had promptly moved to thwart Renzo''s n.


    That was the extent of their knowledge of the incident.


    Frondier didn''t want his involvement to be known.


    Of course, the people present had no way of knowing that.


    But Frondier was already acquainted with Philly, Aten, and Ellen, and Aten wasn''t the type to gossip. As for the Knights, they had been entrusted to Philly.


    Since they were in Philly''s hands, it was safe to assume that the details wouldn''t be leaked among the Knights.


    ''But it''s strange how Frondier handled it so well,'' Malia thought.


    She didn''t know the exact circumstances of Renzo''s infiltration, but it was unlikely that he had barged in without a n.


    Especially considering that there was a traitor among them.


    So it was hard to believe that Renzo had been caught by Frondier before he could even initiate his n.


    ''Could Frondier be the traitor? ...What a ridiculous thought.''


    Malia''s mind raced.


    ''But if he were trying to stop Renzo, a student would normally call for a teacher, right?''


    However, no teacher seemed to know about the incident.


    So why hadn''t Frondier notified a teacher?


    ''...That''s right.''


    Somehow, Frondier had figured it out.


    That there was a traitor among the teachers.

 Chapter 47 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>8/15 Bonus chapter thanks to @Huy Le on Ko-fi!</i>


    As Malia had suspected, Frondier had intuited that there was a traitor among the teachers.


    If someone informed them, the perpetrator might discover it.


    This would put them in even greater danger.


    Hence, they hadn''t informed the teachers.


    ''Was Frondier always this wise?''


    If so, it''s reassuring, son.


    Knock-knock-Just then, there was a knock on the meeting room door.


    All the teachers looked at the door.


    Who else ising here now?


    ¡°Excuse me~ May Ie in for a moment~?¡±


    Anguid, gentle voice.


    Alex expressed difort.


    ¡°Who is it that enters?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am, Philly Terst~¡±


    Philly, who?


    The professors were all momentarily stunned.


    The first to realize was Malia.


    ¡°Op, open the door! Quickly!¡±


    The other teachers then came to their senses.


    A teacher near the door quickly walked over and opened it.


    ¡°Wow~ This is quite the wee, how embarrassing~¡±


    Philly, who had entered, bowed her head.


    Her fair skin and lively eyes, the warm atmosphere filled the meeting room.


    ¡°Ms. Ph, Philly. How did youe to this ce alone¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°It was too boring, so I sneaked out.¡±


    Sneaked out.


    The faces of those around him turned sour.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Taking care of myself is a small matter.¡±


    That statement wasn''t just bravado.


    Philly had sufficient skills of her own, and there was always a knight order to protect her.


    But still, there''s such a thing asmon sense.


    ¡°Ms. Philly, it¡¯s problematic. The dean is not here, and if you were found out havinge out like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay~ I came here with a proper purpose.¡±


    That¡¯s not the point.


    While the teachers wiped their sweat, Philly looked around the room.


    And upon spotting Malia, she smiled brightly.


    ¡°Wow, Malia! You were here after all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ms. Philly, have you been well.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that tone.¡±


    Phillyughed, hahaha.


    Malia was smiling too, but it was incredibly awkward.


    ¡°Got it, we can¡¯t talkfortably here. Let¡¯s chatter.¡±


    Then Philly cleared her throat with a cough.


    And looked around as she spoke.


    "Everyone knows my daughter was in danger recently, right?"


    The atmosphere remained as warm and the voice as soft as moments before.


    Yet, the content was far from ordinary, filling the conference room with sudden tension.


    "Of course. That''s actually why we''re gathered here today..."


    "Uh-huh, I''m well aware. The teachers at Constel are excellent, after all. I trust them."


    Philly defended the teachers in such a manner.


    Somehow, however, the teachers'' hearts began to feel even more uneasy.


    "So, here''s the thing."


    Philly''s eyes narrowed.


    Those red eyes gleamed.


    "I''d like to meet Renzo."


    "Empress...!"


    "He''s here, isn''t he? In the dungeons of Constel."


    Renzo had been confined in Constel after his capture.


    Ironically, this ce where students trained was far safer than any makeshift prison.


    "But, it''s dangerous!"


    Alex tried to warn Philly.


    Philly smiled.


    "But you all don''t even know who to trust now, do you?"


    "!"


    Someone within Constel was a traitor.


    Philly had realized this as well.


    "Then, wouldn''t it be best if I spoke up?"


    Philly sped her hands together.


    With an exceptionally serene expression.


    "I''m quite curious about the motive behind attempting to kidnap my daughter."


    * * *


    I had momentarily forgotten because of Renzo.


    But I was in the middle of taking a practical exam.


    After waking up and regaining my senses, I started worrying about the results of the exam.


    Surely, the exam wouldn''t be invalidated just because Renzo had intruded.


    There were no actual casualties, after all.


    Most students probably didn''t even know there had been an intrusion.


    It would be utterly ridiculous if we were told our hard work capturing monsters was for naught because of the intrusion.


    But then again, the problem now was me.


    Because of Renzo, I hadn''t been able to catch any monsters since he appeared.


    So, I asked Aten.


    "We are tied for 16th ce."


    "16th ce?"


    It''s an odd ranking.


    Not incredibly high, but considering we couldn''t get materials halfway through, it''s not a low ranking either.


    "Here you go."


    "Ah, thanks."


    Aten had peeled an apple for me.


    ...It''s delicious.


    "Ah, so how did we end up in 16th ce? Did we get some sort of bonus for stopping Renzo?"


    "No, even if we had gotten such a score, it wouldn''t have made much of a difference in the rankings."


    "Huh?"


    Aten slightly tilted his head.


    Her white eyes flickered as if she was recalling something.


    "That, someone named Aster Evans."


    "Huh?"


    "He wiped out the boss monster and all the monsters in the vicinity."


    "......"


    "So, at that point, the top ranks were solidified, and we were the highest among those below, so to speak. From 15th ce onwards, there was a considerable gap ahead of us."


    "......I see."


    Since the game is always yed as Aster, I don''t know how the real Aster would move during the actual game.


    Normally, once a yer secures the 1st ce, they stop hunting monsters.


    Because doing too much on their own could lower the affinity with those around them.


    But the real Aster doesn¡¯t care about such things.


    This time, it saved us because of that.


    "So, then."


    "Yes?"


    "When am I getting discharged?"


    Aten and I are currently in the hospital room together.


    I¡¯m starting to grow fond of this hospital.


    "Mr. Frondier, you were on the verge of death. Hospitalization is natural."


    "You saved me, after all."


    "Even so."

 Chapter 47 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten¡¯s restoration.


    I didn¡¯t expect it to be possible so soon.


    I heard she saw her future.


    In the end, Philly¡¯s worries became reality.


    But that reality saved me.


    "Is your body really okay?"


    "Yeah. I really thought I was going to die."


    It''s no exaggeration.


    I was prepared for death.I underestimated the dangers of the Weaving dragon heart.


    ...Even knowing the dangers, I''m not sure if I would have made a different choice.


    "Don¡¯t do it again, okay?"


    "Huh?"


    "My sess in ¡®restoration¡¯ was a coincidence. I barely managed to do it after glimpsing information in a moment. I don¡¯t have the confidence to see the future again, nor do I know how."


    Aten, like Philly, is a descendant of V.


    Their blood dilutes over generations.


    Just like Philly¡¯s visions weren¡¯t proper foresight.


    It was a sheer coincidence that Aten saw her future.


    Aten gripped the skirt on her knees tightly with both hands.


    "......I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll be able to save you next time. So, please."


    "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m too scared to do it again now."


    Really.


    It''s a miracle that Aten seeded in restoration at this time.


    I don¡¯t want to engage in such dangerous acts ever again.


    "You have no idea how scared I was."


    "Hmm?"


    "How scared I was. About losing you-"


    Creak-


    Just then, the hospital room door opened.


    Was it the doctor? But a stranger entered instead.


    The man, dressed in a suit, politely bowed to me.


    "Excuse me. Are you Frondier?"


    "Yes, that''s me."


    "I''m Detective Robert, assigned to investigate this case."


    "Case?"


    "The attempted kidnapping of Princess Aten, and the suspicions and details surrounding it."


    So, it''s an inquiry.


    As I nodded, Robert pulled a chair closer and sat next to me.


    He took out a notebook.


    "I heard you were the first to spot Renzo. Where was that?"


    Aten tensed at Robert''s words.


    Because the fact that I discovered Renzo first and sessfully handled the initial response was a prearranged lie.


    If the investigation continued, we might be exposed.


    However.


    "Mr. Frondier? Where was it?"


    Watching Robert, who was quite adept at acting, Iughed.


    "...You said your name was Robert, right?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re not a detective."


    Unfortunately, I know who Robert is.


    Suits really don''t suit him.


    "...If I''m not a detective, then why would I be doing this?"


    "Must be at Philly''smand."


    At my words, Robert''s eyes widened.


    Pretending to scan Robert''s entire body, I said,


    "You can see it even here. The calluses on your hands, the muscles that can''t be hidden by a suit. You tried hard to make your walk seem natural when you came in, but the way you bowed to me revealed your habit."


    "..."


    "You''re a royal knight under Philly, aren''t you? Right?"


    I was literally babbling anything.


    Calluses, muscles, what do I care.


    I already knew Robert was one of Philly''s knights.


    I just spouted something usible to exin how I found out.


    I couldn''t say something like, ''I saw it in a game.''


    "...Impressive."


    Robert nodded, honestly amazed.


    If you know the answer, any exnation sounds usible.


    Robert then sternly set his expression.


    "However, you refer to the queen with too light a term. Be careful in the future."


    "My apologies."


    ¡®Oops. I seem to have gotten used to calling her Philly without realizing it.¡¯


    I''ll have to be more mindful in the future.


    ¡°But it was not by the Empress''s order. I came looking for Mr. Frondier of my own volition. That''s why I wanted to hide my identity. I apologize.¡±


    Robert bowed his head again.


    Such a polite person.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Since there¡¯s no need to hide, this conversation will be morefortable. I have something I¡¯d like to ask Mr. Frondier, who has fought Renzo directly.¡±


    ¡°What is it? I might not have many answers.¡±


    How Renzo managed to slice off an arm, for example.


    Questions like that, I cannot answer.


    Though that¡¯s probably what you¡¯re most curious about.


    ¡°Renzo approached you and Aten without anyone noticing. Do you think it was possible for him to do that alone?¡±


    I thought for a moment.


    Renzo''s actions, his words at that time.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It would be impossible.¡±


    Renzo¡¯s stealth skills were exceptional.


    He came so close without me or Aten noticing.


    Yet, he still got caught by the Menosorpo.


    Given that Menosorpo isn¡¯t a rune intended for security, it¡¯s hard to think Renzo could have bypassed other security measures on his own.


    ¡°So, you think there¡¯s an aplice?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Within the Constel.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    It¡¯s hard to say this but,


    I know who the aplice is, or rather, the traitor within the Constel.


    But that¡¯s not the important part.


    Focusing too much on finding the traitor could derail the investigation.


    ¡°¡­Mr. Robert, you are a knight of Empress Philly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more person.¡±


    At my words, Robert blinked for a moment.


    Then his face turned grave in an instant.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s another aplice?¡±


    ¡°Renzo said he received a fair amount of money for this job.¡±


    Renzo has an employer.


    The traitor within the Constel, too, must have betrayed due to someone¡¯s instigation.


    Or perhaps a spy was infiltrated into the Constel from the start.


    In other words, there exists a third person who hired Renzo and also created a traitor within the Constel.


    ¡°¡­Mr. Frondier, I don¡¯t want to ask, but I must.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°That you should inform me, and also Her Majesty, means¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I nodded calmly.


    "I believe that the person in question is someone among the royalty."

 Chapter 48 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>9/15 Bonus chapter thanks to @Bear on Ko-fi!</i>


    ?In the deep underground of Constel, a faint torch illuminated the room. Philly Terst appeared at the entrance with two knights in tow.


    "You''ll be in danger if you stay too long."


    "I know."


    Philly responded with a smile to the man standing by the door.


    Opening the door, Philly stepped inside with the knights.


    "Hello."


    Philly greeted the man before him as usual."¡­Who are you?"


    The man who responded was Renzo.


    "Is the food to your liking? Are you ufortable in any way?"


    "¡­Who are you?"


    Renzo looked at Philly with displeasure.


    For a brief moment, Philly''s gaze shifted to Renzo''s right side.


    Where his right arm used to be.


    Suddenly.


    "¡­Do you want to die?"


    Renzo''s murderous intent sharply pierced Philly.


    He had seen the brief movement of her eyes.


    However, Philly continued to smile warmly.


    "No, no. Of course not."


    "This crazy woman¡­"


    Renzo stood up.


    He was not restrained in any way.


    The two knights stepped in to block his path as he began to walk towards them.


    But.


    "Move aside. Both of you."


    "Ms. Ph-Philly!"


    The knights were taken aback by Philly''s words.


    Without changing her expression, Philly said,


    "No, could you both please leave? I''d like to have an honest conversation with this person."


    "But¡­"


    "Don''t argue."


    Philly deepened her smile at the knight.


    "I''m giving an order. Don''t you understand?"


    Finally, the two stepped back from in front of Philly and slowly opened the door.


    After watching Philly''s back with concern, they left the room.


    "You really have lost your mind, haven''t you?"


    "Um, Mr. Renzo."


    "What?"


    "Just stop barking."


    At that moment, Renzo''s patience seemed to snap.


    With a sudden movement, he grabbed Philly by the throat.


    "You crazy woman, how dare you¡­!"


    Anger red in his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead.


    However, he never actually broke Philly''s neck.


    When Renzo let go of her hand, Philly straightened her disheveled clothes.


    "You''re not as foolish as I thought."


    At Philly''s words, Renzo gritted his teeth but said nothing.


    "Because dying in a ce like this would be truly ''boring.''"


    "......I don''t know what nonsense you''ve heard."


    "You knew I was the Empress from the start, didn''t you? What happens if you kill me, who stands where right now?"


    Philly continued to provoke, reading Renzo''s expression.


    The small certainty she gained from his look.


    ''......To live by ''fun'' as the only standard. That really was true.''


    Philly had heard about Frondier from one of her knights, Robert.


    The first was to beware of the royal pce, and the second was about Renzo.


    Frondier had told her about Renzo''s temperament.


    A hedonist who prioritizes ''fun'' over good and evil, right and wrong, loss and gain.


    The more she thought about it, the more peculiar Frondier seemed.


    Treating her, the Empress, nonchntly, knowing about the Dragon Heart, and even severing Renzo''s arm.


    Moreover, he seemed to thoroughly understand what kind of person Renzo was.


    ''I''ve never seen someone so hedonistic before.''


    Philly was certain Renzo wouldn''t be able to do anything to her.


    If he had been just a madman seeking fun, he would have been dew on the scaffold long ago.


    No matter how strong his skills were, an individual cannot defeat a nation.


    Especially since Renzo was only ''among the strongest'', not a supreme being divergent from them.


    Even if he acted like a battle maniac,


    Appearing as someone who doesn¡¯t cherish his life for the sake of fun.


    There was a clear reason he had survived intact until now.


    ''Well, not intact anymore.''


    He probably never imagined he would lose an arm because of a student.


    He must have believed he wouldn''t receive a single scratch.


    "So, now that we understand our positions, shall we have a proper conversation? Please, take a seat."


    Renzo''s hostility didn''t fade with Philly''s words, but he trudged back to his original seat nheless.


    Philly sat opposite him.


    "So, what business does the Empress have?"


    "There''s something I want to ask first."


    Philly looked at Renzo''s missing right side as he asked.


    "How did that arm get blown off?"


    "You really know how to irritate someone. You know, right? A student here did this."


    "That''s not what I''m asking. I''m asking ''how'' did the student blow off that right arm."


    Philly is well aware of Renzo''s strength.


    Among Pros, he ispared to ''Eden Hamelot'', and if he weren''t a criminal, he could easily have been one of the ''Zodiac''.


    The ''Zodiac'' refers to the twelve human weapons designated by the state.


    The chancellor here at Constel, ''Osprey'', is also a member of the Zodiac.


    Or ''Zodiac Heldre'', who participated in the nobles'' conference during the Mistilteinn incident.


    Of course, there are others in the Empire as strong as the Zodiac.


    Notably, the northern iron wall, ''Enfer de Roach''.


    The reason Enfer isn''t part of the Zodiac is because the Zodiac must always obey the Empire''s direct orders.


    Enfer simply disliked that.


    Anyway, Renzo''s physique easily surpassed that of an ordinary person.


    Even without using aura, a clumsy knife wouldn''t leave a scratch on his muscles.


    Yet, Frondier managed it.


    Resting his chin in his hand, Renzo seemed displeased as he thought about something, then muttered softly.


    "I don''t know."


    "...You don''t know?"


    "Exactly as I said."


    Renzo simply stated that.


    No more words followed.


    Phillyughed.


    "Hmm? It''s something any witness could easily tell, you know?"


    "...I don''t know."


    Renzo clicked his tongue and repeated the same words.


    Philly had seen Renzo''s true expression earlier.


    She read signs of genuine anger, panic, and resignation.


    And based on that, her conclusion about the current answer was,


    ''...It doesn''t seem like a lie.''


    He really doesn''t know.


    What attack she had undergone.


    "What happened in that fight?"


    Renzo said that asking a witness would reveal everything, but Philly had already asked the witness.


    The only witness being her daughter, Aten.


    But Aten''s answer was simr.


    -I''m not sure. Frondier must have done something, but Renzo''s arm suddenly flew off. At least, that''s how it looked to me.


    At the time, Philly thought Aten hadn''t seen it properly because she was far away.


    But even the person involved doesn''t know.


    "Well, I''ll think about thatter."

 Chapter 48 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Philly got to the point.


    "So, the reason you kidnapped my daughter?"


    "......"


    "The woman standing in front of you is the mother of the girl you tried to kidnap. Whether your neck flies off or not is up to me, you know?"


    At that smile, Renzo clicked his tongue and then,


    "It''s obvious, isn''t it? Because it would be fun."


    "Kidnapping the princess?"


    "Yeah. Think about it. The empire would be turned upside down, and chaos would ensue. Everyone would be desperate to catch me, just thinking about it gives me the chills."


    Philly looked at Renzo''s face again.''Lies.''


    There''s no need to think about it.


    Renzo is here because he ultimately failed in the kidnapping, but originally, he should have seeded.


    It would have been normal to seed.


    He entered the field without being noticed, reaching a ce where only Aten and one student were present.


    There was no way he could fail.


    But even if he had seeded, what would he gain?


    What benefit is there in bing an enemy of the empire?


    Aten Terst is the third princess.


    While her name has symbolic significance, from the empire''s perspective, she''s not worth that much.


    Renzo gains nothing from kidnapping Aten.


    The empire wouldn''t negotiate over just one person, Aten.


    They would desperately seek out Renzo to kill him in order to save Aten.


    Such is the life of a princess.


    Draw swords to save her, but not extend a hand.


    Even if it means the princess herself dies.


    "The goal wasn''t to kidnap the princess and then negotiate. The act of kidnapping itself was the purpose."


    ©¤©¤Beware the royal pce.


    Frondier''s advice somehow lingers in her mind.


    "Well, okay. I''lle backter. Let me know if you find the bed or the food ufortable."


    Philly got up without any hesitation.


    There''s no information I can be sure of right now.


    As Philly turned her back, Renzo said,


    "You think you''re so smart, don''t you?"


    It sounded somewhat like the jeering of a loser, like a line one would throw out while making an exit, or like a curse poured out by a coward.


    But to Philly, it was an unpleasant resonance that stubbornly lingered.


    "Use that smart head of yours to think carefully."


    "¡­What do you mean?"


    "I''m just a small beginning."


    Renzo was smiling then.


    It was a provocative, arrogant smile.


    "The empire will be overturned."


    Jeering.


    "The royal pce will burn, people will scream, and an unprecedented massive earthquake will split the empire in two."


    Exit line.


    "I want to see how that arrogant face of yours changes then. To see it crumpled by your own foolishness."


    ©¤©¤Curse.


    "¡­Sigh."


    Philly let out a sigh.


    "If that''s what you want, take a good lookter. Even a severed head has eyes."


    With those words,


    Philly left the room.


    * * *


    Discharge was quick.


    After all, Aten had fully healed me.


    I returned to Constel soon.


    Aster, Sybil, and Elodie were worried about my absence for a few days, but I managed to brush it off.


    The sad expressions on Sybil and Elodie''s faces really bothered me.


    And then.


    "¡­Yes?"


    Aten asked nkly.


    I said,


    "So, you don''t have to follow me anymore."


    "What do you mean¡­."


    Aten spoke as if she didn''t understand.


    I scratched my head.


    Well, it''s partly my fault for not mentioning this before.


    I suppose I''ve gotten used to Aten following me around.


    "You''ve been following me because of the ''Dragon Heart.''"


    "......!"


    "I''ve already told the Empress everything about the Dragon Heart, so there''s no need for that anymore."


    Aten must have been a spy sent by Philly to extract information from me.


    ...No, calling her a spy might be too sinister.


    Since I was going to Constel anyway, it would have been preferable to have her in my ss and, if possible, to obtain information about the Dragon Heart.


    That must have been the feeling.


    But I''ve already told Philly everything about the Dragon Heartst time.


    Aten no longer needs to go through the trouble of following me around.


    The stares and whispers from those around us must have been quite stressful for her too.


    It''s what you call freedom.


    "You get it now? From now on, you can live your life here however you want. Make friends too."


    "......I see. You knew everything."


    "Well, it was too strange."


    A princess of the empire following a boy she just met.


    No matter how you look at it, it''s strange.


    "Well then, I''m off to eat."


    Although Aten may seem cold, a few words into a conversation reveal her dignity and humility.


    She''ll make friends in no time.


    I would only be a disturbance.


    ''It''s morefortable for me not to worry about it too.''


    It might even be possible to mend my rtionship with Aster.


    The magic Philly cast isn''t that strong, after all.


    This is what you call a win-win.


    With that light-hearted feeling, I walked toward the cafeteria.


    ...As I walked.


    "......Excuse me."


    "Yes."


    The inevitable reply from behind me.


    Aten is still following me.


    Still chasing after me.


    "Look, you don''t need to follow me anymore. Just enjoy your school life however you like."


    "I am doing so."


    Aten said with her expressionless face.


    "You told me to do as I wish, so I am."


    What does that mean?


    Since when did following me be something Aten wanted to do?


    I tilted my head in confusion, gave it some deep thought, and when I couldn''t figure it out, I asked.


    "......Why?"


    Aten blinked at my question, then looked down, to the side, and up at the ceiling.


    "It seems it requires deep thought."


    And the answer that came out was,


    "I don''t know."


    "..."


    What''s this?


    Is this torment again?


    Was my previous thought correct?


    But Aten seemed to be deeply contemting something, and then she looked at me with a serious expression.


    "Mr. Frondier."


    "Hm?"


    "I''m not strange."


    "Ah, what?"


    "You said I was too strange, but I''m not strange."


    Ah, is that what she was talking about earlier.


    "Ah, that doesn''t mean you''re strange."


    "Right. I know."


    "Oh, really?"


    Then why?


    Aten seemed unable to exin properly, hesitating before speaking to me with that contemtive expression.


    "I''m not strange."


    "Okay, so-"


    "No."


    Aten cut me off.


    It might have been the first time she did.


    What Aten started to say then was,


    "Me following Mr. Frondier."


    Like a dam had burst.


    "I myself want to do so,"


    Like she couldn''t control it.


    "I still don''t know why, all of it."


    As if throwing all her genuine feelings into words.


    "It''s not strange at all."


    She poured it all out towards me.


    "..."


    I was momentarily at a loss for words.


    After saying that, Aten pressed her lips together.


    She seemed worried if her message got across properly.


    "Okay. Do as you wish."


    I answered.


    In the end, though I don''t understand the reason for her following.


    Even she says she doesn''t know why.


    My allowing her to follow me was, in the end, also without understanding the reason.


    "Yes."


    Within that brief reply, her small smile blossomed.

 Chapter 49 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>10/16 Bonus chapter thanks to @betterdays on Ko-fi!</i>


    "Wow..."


    "Following Lady Aten, again?"


    "Ah, probably just here to see Lady Aten."


    An unusual stir urred in Constel. Passing students murmured as they looked somewhere.


    There, a woman was confidently walking down the corridor.


    Silver hair, blue eyes. Her appearance was simr to Aten''s but colder and more enchanting. A serene smile settled on her lips, enhancing her captivating aura.


    Elysia Terst.The first princess, Philly''s daughter, and Aten''s sister, hade to Constel.


    "Hey, student."


    Elysia called out to a female student who had nced at her.


    "Ah, yes, yes!"


    "Do you know a student named Frondier de Roach?"


    Elysia asked condescendingly, as if it were natural to do so.


    "Frondier...?"


    The female student inadvertently panicked.


    She thought Elysia was looking for her sister Aten, but it wasn''t?


    Elysia narrowed her eyes.


    "Don''t ask back, just answer."


    "Ah, yes! Frondier de Roach is in ss 5! On the first floor of the main building!"


    "Thank you."


    Elysia responded and walked away. The student who had answered sighed in relief as if the ground could swallow her up.


    It was a princess''s demeanor, different yet fittingly for Aten.


    When Elysia arrived at the ssroom and opened the door, Frondier and Aten were inside.


    Elysia had already heard the rumors on her way here, and Frondier looked at her with incredulous eyes.


    Elysia met Frondier''s cold gaze with a smile.


    It''s been a while since someone didn''t cower at the name of the princess.


    "Sister."


    Aten spoke first.


    "Hello," Elysia lightly responded and then asked Frondier.


    "Are you Frondier de Roach?"


    "...Yes, Your Highness."


    Elysia was not here as a student like Aten. Therefore, Frondier used a respectful honorific.


    He used "Your Highness," a title for those in line for the throne, which pleased Elysia.


    "I heard you saved my sister."


    "It wasn''t me. It was thanks to the pros and teachers."


    Frondier had only discovered Renzo and contacted the pro. This was a lie Frondier concocted.


    "It''s the same thing."


    After saying that, Elysia lightly grasped the ends of her dress and bowed her head.


    As soon as Frondier saw Elysia reach for her dress, he stood up and knelt on one knee.


    "Thank you. As Aten''s sister, as the First Princess of the Empire."


    "¡­I don''t know how to respond."


    The First Princess showing courtesy of gratitude to a mere student. This was no ordinary event.


    Even though Frondier was a noble from a prestigious family, it was all the more so because this was Constel.


    Elysia lightly sped her hands together.


    "Then, I would like to offer something in return."


    "It''s an excessive honor. There''s no need for that."


    "I insist on returning the favor."


    Elysia, still smiling, made it clear that she would not allow further refusal.


    From her viewpoint, she couldn''t see Frondier''s expression as he knelt and bowed his head. But regardless of what face he made, he couldn''t refuse.


    Eventually, Frondier bowed his head even more and replied.


    "¡­Your grace is overwhelming."


    Of course.


    It should be overwhelming.


    * * *


    Afterwards, the ce Elysia took Frondier to was none other than the Terst Department Store.


    Entering the luxury goods section, Elysia said,


    "Feel free to purchase anything you like. I''ll pay for it."


    "¡­This is the Terst Department Store, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, so?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    If Elysia truly bes the Empress, the money spent by Elysia would only return to Elysia.


    Whether that could be called purchasing, Frondier couldn''t know.


    "Can I really buy anything?"


    "Yes. But just one thing. Please buy only one item from each store."


    Buying up everything in the store would be troublesome for both Elysia and Frondier.


    Frondier nodded. He had intended that from the start.


    Frondier entered the nearest store. Elysia watched him. She observed Frondier with interested eyes.


    This floor was entirely luxury goods, and none of the items in the store had their prices disyed.


    Although she said to buy anything, finding the best item in a store is not an easy task.


    It''s not just about looking at the price. Prices fluctuate. Whether the purchased product will maintain its price, or even appreciate.


    In other words, the ability to assess the quality of the item itself. Elysia wanted to know if Frondier had that discernment.


    Being a noble means acting with dignity, and maintaining a dignified appearance.


    Having such discernment is, for Elysia, one of the basic qualities to possess.


    And,


    Frondier had barely been in the store for a minute before he picked up an item.


    There was no careful examination of the item, no meticulous attention to detail.


    Interest vanished from Elysia''s eyes. So he was just an ordinary person after all. She had been slightly hopeful, given his famous Roach family background.


    "Have you chosen already?"


    "Yes. It''s a watch."


    Indeed, the item Frondier presented was a watch, just as he said.


    ''Wait.''


    Elysia''s eyes widened. This watch was unmistakably a signature item of ''Shol''. It was arguably the best item here, both in terms of price and quality.


    ''Is it a coincidence?''


    And then the next store.


    The time Frondier took to choose an item was almost the same as before.


    This time, it was a bag. Again, a product of the highest quality.


    The next store, and the one after that, were the same.


    It seemed like Frondier was just casually picking things, but he invariably came out with the finest items.


    Some items were more expensive, but considering the hype and demand, what Frondier chose was undoubtedly the best.


    ''It doesn''t make sense¡­''


    Frondier wasn''t even considering if the items suited him.


    He confidently picked up products that didn''t suit him at all, even women''s items, without hesitation.


    No doubt about it. Frondier knew what Elysia wanted. And he showed her something far beyond her expectations.


    To set aside one''s own preferences and to be able to choose the best from every category of products?


    And to do so with just a casual nce?


    Eyes that seemed sleepy just a moment ago now appeared to have a sharp acuity, recognizing items at a nce.

 Chapter 49 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After Frondier had made a round of the store, Elysia arranged for the products he chose to be sent to the Roach mansion by a staff member.


    Then, they entered a cafe called ''Melting Garden'' and drank their beverages.


    "I''m surprised, Frondier. I had no idea you had such discernment."


    Elysia was genuinely astonished.


    Frondier took a sip of his coffee and then smiled subtly.


    "To a student of Constel, it''s not a particrly important skill."


    Constel is, after all, an institution that trainsbatants.


    They are warriors aimed at exterminating monsters and expanding the boundaries of humanity.


    As Frondier said, having an eye for goods is not a particrly necessary skill for students of Constel.Elysia narrowed her eyes and smiled.


    "Right. That''s a noble''s capability."


    "I''m not sure what you mean by that."


    Elysia leaned in closer, smiling slyly as if she were about to share a secret.


    The words that Elysia spoke while smiling were far from being a mere secret.


    It was a question of a much more serious and weighty nature.


    "Frondier, would you like to enter the royal pce?"


    At that, Frondier looked at Elysia. Just looked. His silent gaze was indifferent.


    Elysia''s smile deepened.


    "The renowned northern family, Roach, saving Aten, and that discernment of yours on top of it all. If I rmend you, you could secure a good position in the royal pce."


    "...Constel is enough for me."


    "That can''t be true. I''ve heard your nickname. ''Human Sloth Frondier.''"


    At that, Frondier gave a slight smile.


    Elysia continued.


    "Constel is not fitting for you, is it? Come to the royal pce. If you wish to bezy, then be so. A certain wealth is guaranteed."


    "What''s the reason for your rmendation?"


    "Because I will be the ''Empress.'' You should understand by now, after all I''ve said. You can''t be that foolish."


    Indeed, Frondier knew.


    Elysia''s target wasn''t Frondier but the Roach family. More precisely, she wanted Enfer, who bore the name ''Iron Wall.''


    By bringing Frondier into the royal pce, she could draw the Roach family closer to the center.


    While other families were in turmoil for not being able to advance to the center, Enfer had no intention ofing even if the empire begged.


    Frondier was that stepping stone. Starting with him, the entire Roach family could be incorporated.


    Elysia was so confident because this offer had no downside for Frondier.


    Whether he became a stepping stone or an added bonus, the fact remained that Frondier entering the royal pce and securing a good position were both true.


    It was a win-win strategy anyway. So, being straightforward was rather trustworthy.


    Elysia subtly tested Frondier.


    "Or do you want Aten? She didn''t seem to dislike the idea either."


    At that, Frondier''s expression changed slightly.


    It was a really small difference, indistinguishable by appearance alone.


    Elysia felt it through the atmosphere and temperature alone.


    "Miss Elysia."


    "...Oh?"


    Elysiaughed. It was the deepestugh of the day. Theugh wasn''t bright, just deep.


    As expected, Frondier was fearless. The reason he addressed her as ''Your Highness'' was simply because the ce was Constel. Frondier had always been this way.


    Elysia somehow felt that this was the case. This man possessed manners, but even those were moderate, and he was not the kind to show respect based on power and force.


    ¡°I would have saved anyone else besides Aten. And even if it wasn¡¯t me, any student of Constel would have saved Aten. Simply informing a nearby pro of the situation is nothing extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°That is truly an exemry Constel student¡¯s answer. It¡¯s hard to believe that you carry that derogatory title.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t because I¡¯m a student of Constel. It¡¯s something that people do because they¡¯re human.¡±


    Frondier took thest sip of his coffee and ced the cup back down. The cup was empty in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Therefore, I, as a human, as well as Aten, are nothing special.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Aten be saddened if she heard that?¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be.¡±


    Frondier stood up.


    ¡°I appreciate your offer, but I¡¯ll be declining. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    Like that, Frondier walked away without waiting for a response.


    It was exceedingly curt and, considering their respective positions, quite disrespectful behavior.


    ¡°Haah.¡±


    Whether it was because of how rude he was or how quickly he left, or because his series of actions were somewhat usible, Elysia did not be enraged and simply gazed at his retreating figure.


    There was still some tea left. Elysia picked up her teacup and lightly swirled the contents around. Then, she chugged it down in one go.


    The ce where she started walking after getting up was a hidden corner of the caf¨¦.


    ¡°So, were you disappointed?¡±


    There, Aten sat with her face covered by a hood.


    Aten felt somewhat embarrassed that her sister had discovered her presence so easily, but she still answered honestly.


    ¡°No, not at all.¡±


    "Even though it''s not because it''s you? That anyone from Constel would have done the same?"


    At Elysia¡¯s words, Aten briefly closed her eyes and then opened them again.


    She was confirming her own feelings. Whether or not she was disappointed inside. What it meant for Frondier to say that he was not given special treatment.


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m not disappointed in the least.¡±


    It was an answer that came from the very depths of her heart, which was why Aten¡¯s eyes were so clear as she answered.

 Chapter 50 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Having Aten follow me had be a part of my daily routine.


    There were still those who looked at us in surprise or whispered among themselves, but for the most part, it seemed like people had gotten used to us.


    As we headed towards the school gates of Constel after ss, I spotted a familiar car.


    As I approached, the rear window rolled down.


    "¡­We meet quite often, Philly."


    "Hello there."


    Philly waved at me, and Aten, standing behind me, waved back at her.


    Now that I think about it, their hand gestures are quite simr.


    They must really be mother and daughter."Mr. Frondier, get in."


    "I thought you were done with me."


    "That¡¯s right. But this time, I have a favor to ask."


    Hmm.


    I wasn''t surprised that Philly woulde to me with a request. I had a rough idea of what it might be.


    But Philly''s initiative was quicker than I expected. Perhaps she realizes the importance of this matter. Or maybe she thinks highly of me.


    "Understood."


    "Aten, you too. Get in the front seat."


    "¡­Okay."


    The two of us got into the car.


    The ride was smooth, and Aten seemed a bit awkward, ncing at Philly and me through the rearview mirror from the passenger seat.


    "Where are we going?"


    "To the Terst Department Store. That¡¯s the only ce we can have a peaceful conversation."


    As expected.


    The reason Philly sought me out seems to be exactly what I had anticipated.


    * * *


    After arriving at the department store, Philly led Aten and me to a hideout in the basement.


    Opening the iron door, we entered a room designed to resemble the imperial pce.


    Philly sat down at the table in the center and gestured for me to take the seat opposite her.


    Once Aten and I were seated, Philly waved her hand, and the men who were guarding the surroundings all left.


    Only the three of us remained in the room.


    Philly took a sip of the tea that had been prepared in advance.


    "¡­I need certainty."


    "¡­"


    I chose not to respond.


    Philly continued.


    "The advice you gave me, I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time. You¡¯ve undoubtedly risked your life to protect Aten. So, I¡¯ve taken your advice to heart and thought it over repeatedly before deciding on my next steps."


    Philly looked much the same as usual, but an unavoidable heaviness lingered in her expression.


    Indeed, Philly had arrived at the correct conclusion.


    "¡­Still, I need certainty."


    "Very well."


    I nodded.


    "Let¡¯s hear what you have to say, Ms. Philly."


    "I met with Renzo."


    Aten seemed a bit surprised by Philly''s statement.


    Philly spoke as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.


    "Renzo wasn¡¯t as foolish as we thought. He knew how to distinguish right from wrong. He wouldn¡¯t wish to be an enemy of the empire. That would end the ''fun'' he so desires."


    A correct judgment. I nodded again.


    Philly said she needed certainty. By simply agreeing with her, she could proceed with her own logic.


    "If you kidnap the imperial princess, you can¡¯t avoid death no matter the reason. That means bing an enemy of the empire."


    "That''s correct."


    "But there is one way."


    Philly paused, taking another sip of her tea,


    And then, close enough for the sound of her voice to cause ripples in the teacup, she whispered softly.


    "Not being caught in the first ce."


    "¡­!"


    Aten seemed to realize it then.


    The biggest irregrity in this princess kidnapping was none other than me.


    Me blocking Renzo.


    The reason we know the culprit is Renzo is because we stopped the kidnapping.


    However, if someone other than me had been next to Aten, the probability of Aten being kidnapped would be close to 100%. And in that case, it would be impossible to immediately identify the culprit.


    "All the drones near Mr. Frondier had been swapped with fakes. Probably even the drones along the escape route were destroyed or switched."


    But even with such actions, they would eventually be discovered.


    Even if there were traitors within Constel, Constel is not such a clumsy ce.


    Completely hiding the culprit is impossible. Eventually, it will be revealed that Renzomitted the crime.


    However, if the princess kidnapping had seeded, unlike now, there would have been a ''gap'' until it was revealed that Renzo was the culprit.


    The culprit wanted that ''gap.''


    "To understand the full picture of the crime, you always have to answer three questions."


    Philly raised her index finger.


    "Why this person in particr."


    Aten answered.


    "¡­That is, why they targeted me. The answer is simple. Because I am the princess."


    There are countless reasons to target Aten, the third princess. There is no question about that.


    Philly raised her middle finger.


    "Why this ce in particr."


    Aten answered again.


    "The ce called Constel. This is also easy to understand. Renzo''s aplices exist within Constel. Besides, I am currently enrolled there. This is not strange either."


    There was no question this time either, and Philly raised her ring finger.


    "Why this time in particr."


    After a moment of thought, Aten answered.


    "¡­During the practical exam. This is strange."


    Yes, this timing is not the best formitting the crime.


    The field space, drones always watching the students, and the timeout for sneaking in and out. In the end, Renzo was caught because he couldn''t solve these three conditions.


    "Still, the culprits judged this time as the ''optimal''."


    "That''s right."


    I nodded once again.


    Then, Philly briefly looked at Aten. It must have been an involuntary movement.


    As Aten tilted her head, Philly grimaced with a bitter smile.


    "¡­The culprit used Mr. Frondier."


    "That''s right."


    I gave the same answer without hesitation.


    Why this time in particr.


    The answer is simpler than one might think.


    [Because only Frondier was next to Aten during the practical exam.]


    The worst reputation possessed by Frondier.


    ''Human sloth Frondier.''


    This image was enough to confuse the people of Constel about who kidnapped Aten.


    When facing me, Renzo said:


    -Ah, I''m not interested in you. The princess next to you is the target.


    Renzo had no intention of attacking me in the first ce. Even if he did, it was only to the extent of toying with me.


    In fact, during the first strike, he targeted my ''nk.''


    I may not have known about the strength of the blow, but at that time, he had the opportunity to attack all sorts of vital points besides my side.


    In other words, he didn''t intend to kill me.

 Chapter 50 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "If the kidnapping seeds, the only witness will be you, Mr. Frondier. Your words carry little credibility due to your low reputation, and if pushes to shove, you could even be suspected as the culprit."


    The injury to my side was a self-inflicted act, and I was an aplice who conspired to kidnap Aten.


    Such a story could be written.


    It''s natural for witnesses to be suspected when a crime urs.


    But since it''s me, the suspicion only deepens.


    "Of course, this too will be resolved someday. Once it''s known you''re not the culprit, Constel will finally, finally realize that Renzo is the criminal."


    The criminal didn''t intend to avoid detection altogether. He just wanted to dy the discovery as much as possible.


    In the process, he tried to use me, but failed.


    "What is that?"Then, Aten''s voice was heard.


    Frost forms on her breath.


    "What does that mean, mom?"


    Aten also knew. She understood what Philly was trying to say.


    Philly slowly continued.


    "During the practical test, you and Frondier are highly likely to be on the same side. That''s why the criminal targeted the practical exam. How did he know that you and Frondier would be paired during the practical exam?"


    In other words,


    The criminal knew. Aten was sent to approach Frondier.


    But very few people knew about it.


    "So, what does that mean?"


    "Aten."


    Philly looked at Aten.


    That smile was unmistakably, a mother''s smile.


    "Renzo''s aplice is one of your two sisters."


    That statement.


    Philly uttered the words Aten had feared.


    Philly sent Aten to me to obtain information about the Dragon Heart and didn''t disclose this information to anyone in the royal pce, not even to her daughters, Sale and Elysia.


    However, conversely, the only ones who could possibly dig up Philly''s information were those two.


    There are many methods. The simplest example is ''eavesdropping.''


    -Have you gotten a bit closer to your ssmates?


    -Uh, not really.


    -Oh my! Didn''t mom tell you to befriend your ssmates? At your age, friends are more important than study,


    -Only a bit with Frondier.


    Such simple conversations between Philly and Aten could also be eavesdropped on by Alesia or Sale.


    "¡­A lie."


    Aten uttered dejectedly.


    And then she looked at me. As if expecting me to deny it.


    But I couldn''t deny it. Before Philly''s logical progression and deduction, I already knew who the criminal was.


    I said,


    "......If the Empress''s daughter is the culprit, it makes sense to want the ''gap'' until Renzo is known as the culprit. Philly has many enemies. If rumors spread that Philly and I were colluding, and the pce is overturned once, the real power of the empire changes in an instant."


    Then Renzo wouldn''t be an enemy of the empire, rather, the empire would protect him.


    "It''s because the princess is an aplice that such a bold crime wasmitted."


    Aten bit his lip at my words.


    Philly slowly began to speak.


    "¡­Mr. Frondier. Do you know who the culprit is between the two?"


    "If I said yes, would you believe me?"


    "Of course."


    Philly''s words seemed sincere.


    Philly''s acting skills are beyond myprehension.


    But by her nature, she wouldn''t have asked if she didn''t believe.


    Yet, I said,


    "Even if I knew, I wouldn''t tell you who the culprit is."


    "Why not?"


    "Because if I told you, by the end, you would doubt, Ms. Philly."


    Philly, who doubts everything. It''s true that this trait has helped her survive the political strife in the royal pce.


    But in an extreme situation where she must exclude her own daughter, she would inevitably doubt.


    Seeing her daughter deny involvement, shedding tears, and pouring out her heart, she couldn''t remain unmoved.


    "I am amazed, Ms. Philly, that you would believe the words of a man like me without any guarantee."


    Yes. It is remarkable that Philly is doing even this much.


    She didn''t believe in my reputation, she believed in me. That surprises me.


    It made me see the character of Philly in a new light.


    However, because of that,


    "Pleasee to realize the final answer on your own."


    Revealing the answer is not my role.


    "Ms. Philly, you wille to know."


    * * *


    "What about Aten?"


    "She seems to be greatly shocked."


    For a change of scenery, Philly and I went up to the rooftop.


    Philly was still alone, without her knightly escort.


    "¡­Ms. Philly. There''s something I want to ask too."


    "Ask away. I owe you a lot for today."


    A lot of help, huh? It seemed like she already knew the answer.


    "Ms. Philly, you said you can see the future."


    "Sometimes. It''s often just a feeling."


    "I''m talking about the future where Aten and Aster are together."


    "¡­"


    I couldn''t let go of this foolishness yet.


    Aster and Aten are undoubtedly the bestbo. Along with Lunia, who is close to being the official heroine.


    Though the other party members may vary ording to the yer''s preferences, these three are almost fixed.


    "Do you still have a bad feeling about those two being together in the future?"


    At my question, Philly nodded.


    "Yes. Nothing has changed."


    "¡­"


    Nothing has changed. Those words made my insides churn.


    I believe Aten''s awakening happened faster thanks to me treating him.


    Yet, nothing has changed.


    When I couldn''t calm my troubled heart,


    "¡­Frondier."


    Suddenly, such a voice was heard.


    For a moment, I thought it was Aten. But it wasn''t.


    It was just Philly in front of me calling my name.


    That one word, without any honorifics, was the warmest voice of Philly I had ever heard.


    "In the future where Aten is with you, there''s no ominous premonition yet."


    "¡­"


    "Wouldn''t you stay by Aten''s side?"


    Philly''s white hair, red eyes. A harmless face resembling a rabbit.


    It seemed to be imbued with a mother''s affection.


    "¡­It''s not me, Aten follows me around."


    "Chuck, then that''s settled."


    Philly, smiling like that, seemed deeply reassured, as if everything was indeed alright.

 Chapter 51 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>11/17 Bonus chapter thanks to @Stevie57 on Ko-fi!</i>


    The next day.


    After ss, I headed to the training room.


    ¡°Oh? Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Aster.¡±


    In front of the training room, I ran into Aster again.


    Ellen was there too.


    Ellen silently waved her hand in greeting.Come to think of it, they were siblings.


    Standing side by side like this, they definitely looked alike.


    ¡°Training right after practicals? You¡¯re diligent, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°So are you.¡±


    Aster gave an embarrassed smile.


    ¡°¡­Just, the reputation of you beingzy now sounds foolish.¡±


    Hmm.


    Certainly, I¡¯m not as slow as a human sloth, I guess.


    ¡°But it seems crowded in the training room today?¡±


    I looked around.


    Clearly, it was crowded.


    It¡¯s right after the midterm exams, so some rest would be expected.


    Perhaps, students of Constel are always diligent, no matter the time.


    ¡°¡­Frondier, you don¡¯t know?¡±


    Ellen uttered something cryptic.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d definitely know since it¡¯s rted to Frondier.¡±


    Still puzzled, I turned my head as Aster directed his gaze somewhere.


    ¡°Look over there.¡±


    Following her gaze, I saw the public training room.


    Unlike the private training rooms I usually use, the public training room can be used by many people, and the walls are made of reinforced ss so that people outside can see inside.


    It appeals to the people watching from the outside, and sometimes, they even seek feedback.


    And there was Aten Terst visible inside.


    Moreover, Lunia Fricell was there too.


    ¡°Aten¡­?¡±


    ¡°You were always with Aten. So, I thought you knew.¡±


    Ellen said.


    It wasn¡¯t that we were together; it was more like Aten followed me around.


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say that, so I asked Aster a different question.


    ¡°Are theypeting?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that people around them think it¡¯s apetition. Both of them probably aren¡¯t thinking anything of it.¡±


    ¡­Is that so?


    Aster, being inherently kind and optimistic, says it so casually, but Lunia isn¡¯t as optimistic.


    Even from here, I can see Lunia ncing at Aten next to her.


    Aster, can¡¯t you see that?


    ¡°Other people watching their training might find it motivating, and it could be an opportunity for them to draw out each other¡¯s ambition to improve, well, it¡¯s a good phenomenon.¡±


    Aster nodded as he said that.


    "Aster, that''s too kind of a thought."


    ¡®And far too optimistic...!¡¯


    Inside the public training room, besides the two of them, numerous other people could be seen.


    Most of them were struggling to appeal to Aten.


    Otherwise, they should be faces I recognize froming to the training room every day, but they''re all strangers to me.


    "...Hmm, I need to go train."


    "Aren''t you going to watch?"


    "I''ve got my hands full taking care of myself."


    And above all, I''m scared of getting caught in the crossfire.


    * * *


    "It feels like it''s been a while since I''ve been here."


    I entered the private training room.


    It''s a ce I used to visit daily to improve my throwing skills, but I couldn''te because of the midterm exams.


    However, today''s visit wasn''t for throwing skills.


    I picked up my smartwatch.


    I looked over the notifications on the screen again.


    [''Divine'' rank weaving seeded.]


    [Your unique skill ''Weaving'' has leveled up.]


    [''Modification'' has be possible.]


    [Current modifiable option ''Degradation'']


    [Degradation: Removes one option granted to an object.]


    Finally, ''Modification,'' which I''ve been looking forward to, became possible.


    The first ability of modification is ''Degradation.''


    It removes one option.


    As expected, the first skill I get is quite useless.


    However, for me, this time, it was the most necessary skill.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos</i>


    I wove Khryskatos and checked its details.


    [Khryskatos]


    ? Grade: Divine


    ? Description: A bow made by the god of cksmiths, Hephaestus, and given to Artemis


    Ability Details >


    - Women Only: Due to a request by Artemis, only women can draw the bowstring.


    - Sure Hit: The arrow always hits the target aimed by the user.


    Here, I degrade Khryskatos by removing the ''Women Only'' option.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Weapon Modification - Degradation</i>


    <i>Target: Khryskatos</i>


    [Option ''Women Only'' has been removed.]


    After confirming the details, I pulled the bowstring of Khryskatos.


    "It worked."


    The bowstring that wouldn''t budge before finally moved.


    It felt as if the previously rigid steel-like string was a lie.


    "Alright, let''s test it."


    I also wove an Ioke and strung it on the bow.


    My mana pool has increased considerably recently.


    The consumption of mana is one thing, but maybe it''s because the Dragon Heart expanded it once.


    Of course, it falls short of when I consumed the Dragon Heart, but it should be around the average for Constel.


    This is no different from the gift Aten gave me along with my life.


    I set the target-hitting to the highest difficulty as usual.


    Dozens of holographic targets appeared, multiplying in number.


    All of them moved at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.


    Moreover, they even dodged projectiles thrown at them.


    "Still, with a divine weapon, I should be able to hit a few¡­!"


    With that thought, I released the bowstring.


    I didn''t know at that time.


    The bow Khryskatos, the arrow Iocheira.


    These two, as a set, werepleted as a ''Divinity'',


    And I had no idea what level theirbination was.


    <i>Khryskatos</i>


    <i>Sure Hit</i>


    <i>Iokheira</i>


    <i>Rainfall</i>


    The arrow shot divided infinitely into ''Rainfall'',


    And every single arrow was imbued with the ''Sure Hit'' effect.


    As a result,


    Kaboom!


    A foolish noise erupted as if rain was piercing through a window.


    "¡­Huh?"


    All targets were shattered.


    [Target-hitting highest difficulty cleared.]


    [Frondier de Roach, record updated.]


    [Previous best record 31.5 seconds. Your current record updates the best record.]


    [Updated record 3.14 seconds.]


    "¡­"


    What''s with 3.14 seconds.


    Is it pi?


    No, this isn''t the time for such leisurely thoughts.


    The records in the training room are shared by everyone.


    Meaning, 31.5 seconds was, before I attempted, the fastest record among all students of Constel ever.


    And I just broke it.


    With 3.14 seconds.


    And now, this announcement isn''t just for me.


    "¡­"


    I unwittingly threw my gaze outside the training room.


    I came here to avoid sparks.


    But now, I have a feeling a giant fireball ising my way.

 Chapter 51 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    To be honest, Lunia couldn''t focus on her training at all.


    Naturally, the reason was Aten, who was next to her.


    ''Should I have greeted her?''


    Aten, who she nced at dozens of times already.


    Thest time they met unexpectedly, there wasn''t a chance to talk, but now seeing her, she had a mystical aura.


    It''s surprising how someone could be so pale.


    Her expression was too in, giving her a cold aura.


    Truly like a snow spirit.


    ''What if she''s angry? What if she''s upset because I''m obliviously practicing next to her?''Lunia''s worries were skyrocketing without end.


    However, Aten, as usual, had no particr thoughts about Lunia.


    Rather, she was preupied with other thoughts.


    "I''m still weak."


    Meeting Renzo, she keenly felt her powerlessness.


    Being young might be an excuse, but that excuse was shattered by the existence known as Frondier.


    ...I remember everything about the time Frondier risked his life to save me.


    It might not have been because it was me.


    Frondier might have saved anyone who was in that situation.


    Regardless, Frondier is her savior.


    ''Restoration'' is still not something I can freely use.


    I don''t know when it will be possible.


    So now, first and foremost, it''s time to further develop my specialty, ice magic.


    To raise my skills even a little faster, I can''t stand by Frondier''s side.


    <i>Ice Magic Form 2</i>


    <i>Rapid Fire</i>


    <i>Frost Arrow</i>


    As Aten extended her hands forward, several pieces of ice floated around her.


    Aten''s training is ''high-speed reaction'' training.


    Targets appear and disappear after a certain time.


    As the difficulty increases, the appearance time shortens.


    Hitting the projectile before it disappears to improve reaction speed is the goal.


    Crack!


    Aten''s speed was astounding.


    The target shattered the instant it appeared.


    The difficulty could be significantly increased.


    "...Amazing."


    Lunia changed her mind at that sight.


    Putting aside unnecessary thoughts, she too began to focus on her training.


    Her training is ''long-range curved shooting.''


    Lunia, unparalleled in mana maniption.


    She was hitting targets at a distance, avoiding various obstacles.


    The concentrated training of the two was a sight to behold for those around them.


    "Amazing, indeed, it''s the princess. Look at that speed. To react so quickly without making the mistake of firing first. It means she''s utterly undisturbed."


    "I think Lunia is incredible. The target seen from that position among obstacles must look almost as small as a fingernail, yet she''s piercing through it."


    Onlookers watching the two added theirments.


    And the people training around them pushed themselves harder in their training, hoping to draw a bit more of the princess''s attention.


    During such a situation.


    Suddenly, they heard a certain announcement.


    [''Target Hitting'' highest difficulty cleared.]


    [Frondier de Roach, record updated.]


    [Previous record, 31.5 seconds. This current record reces the highest record.]


    [New record, 3.14 seconds.]


    Along with the voice, the updated record and the name of the person who updated it were disyed on the screen in front of the training room.


    When someone updates a record, it is announced in all the training rooms like this.


    It serves as a motivation to update the record and can fuel apetitive spirit.


    However, this time, it was not serving its intended purpose at all.


    The students who saw the screen were all,


    ¡­¡­?


    Just casually and nkly staring.


    They were just looking at the screen without changing their expression one bit.


    They had no clue what had happened.


    The first to realize what happened was,


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?! What?!¡±


    It was Lunia.


    With that loud voice, everyone grasped the situation.


    ¡°What, what? A new record? A new record in target hitting?¡±


    ¡°Who is Frondier de Roach?¡±


    ¡°You know! ¡®Human Sloth Frondier¡¯!¡±


    ¡°What? That guy?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it must be a record error. It¡¯s probably a mistake in the 31.4 seconds?¡±


    ¡°Even 31.4 seconds would be a new record!¡±


    A record is something that cannot be updated forever.


    Because there are limits to human capabilities, at some point, the cycle of updating records bes longer.


    And the highest difficulty in target hitting was something everyone believed couldn''t be updated any further.


    31.5 seconds in target hitting was such a record.


    It was a record that hadn''t been updated for years and was thought unlikely to be broken in the future.


    But the record was broken.


    To 3.14 seconds.


    Naturally, nobody believed it.


    3.14 seconds was already being dismissed as a recording error of 31.4 seconds, and there was talk that Frondier de Roach might be a namesake.


    Aster and Ellen, who were outside the public training room, also saw the screen.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sis.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet.¡±


    ¡°You were going to ask if a record of 3.14 seconds makes sense. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Aster, who doesn''t believe in Frondier¡¯s bad reputation and tries to see for himself.


    Ellen, who witnessed Frondier ying a golem.


    This situation was hard to believe for everyone.


    However.


    Out of all these people, only Aten.


    Just quietly looked at the screen and then, slightly nodded her head.

 Chapter 52 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier''s record update quickly became known throughout the Constel.


    Soon, the faculty members responsible for the training room program gathered to start a re-examination.


    This was not so much because they were displeased with Frondier''s record update, but because the figure of 3.14 seconds was too imusible.


    "Yes, I''m ready."


    A teacher, Jane, stood in the middle of the personal training room and said.


    Around Jane, several spheres of magical power were already floating.


    Seeing this, a faculty member manipted the test.


    ''Target hitting'' at the highest difficulty level.


    "Then, let''s start!"The faculty member activated the test.


    Jane fired multiple spheres of magical power towards the targets.


    After a moment,


    "¡­Hmm, it''s working well."


    The record was 34.6 seconds.


    The teachers gathered and scratched their heads.


    There was no problem with the test function.


    Jane''s record was shorter than her previous one, but it wasn''t significantly meaningful.


    "Even if you finish casting the magic in advance and have someone else manipte the program, at best, it would only reduce the time by 1~2 seconds."


    "The previous record holder of 31.5 seconds was skilled at rapid-fire. That means they didn''t hit each target individually but showered them with a barrage of magic bullets."


    "Then, a record of 3.14 seconds is even more imusible."


    The program currently had no malfunctions or disy errors.


    Unless it broke and fixed itself on its own, it means Frondier''s record is true.


    While having this conversation, one of the faculty members spoke up.


    "Could it be that Frondier is skilled in programming? If he hacked or cheated somehow-"


    At that point, the other teachers red at him with narrowed eyes.


    The man didn''t understand why he was receiving such looks for a moment but then realized and his face went pale.


    "¡­Well, it''s not impossible as a possibility."


    The one who said that was Malia.


    Malia de Roach, Frondier''s mother.


    The man''s remark was too thoughtless, especially given that she was present.


    "But Frondier has no talent in that area. It would be nice if he did. We''ve never dealt with programming at home. Does that answer your question?"


    "Yes, yes. My apologies, Malia ma''am."


    "No need to apologize. It was a good observation."


    Malia said with a smile.


    To the man, it only seemed cold and frightening, but Malia was quite sincere.


    ''¡­But if it wasn''t hacking, then how did he do it?''


    Malia watched Jane conducting the test.


    A record of 3.14 seconds seemed imusible, not just for Frondier but for anyone else brought in.


    To begin with, the method was unknown.


    "Could the ''Chain Lightning'' spell work? Where lightning strikes the targets in session."


    "That won''t work. The targets are merely holograms, so the lightning won''t stick. Besides, if it were that simple, the record would have been broken long ago."


    Lightning is fast, but due to its nature, it cannot be condensed into magic bullets. Moreover, it''s surprisingly hard to hit the target.


    When thinking about efficiency, one inevitably has to resort to using multiple magic bullets.


    ''The targets only appear after the test starts. Meaning, the moment the test begins, you need to quickly assess the number of targets, create that many magic bullets, and then... add a guiding trait to all of them....''


    It''s absurd.


    Absurd, but the only possibility thates to mind now.


    As the conversation reached this point, Teacher Alex, who had been quiet, said,


    "But was Frondier a magician?"


    At that, everyone blinked in surprise.


    Their eyes turned towards Teacher Jane.


    She was the only one who somewhat knew Frondier.


    Having gone to the dungeon together.


    "Um, well, I don''t know?"


    But even Jane couldn''t give a clear answer.


    Come to think of it, she had never seen Frondier fight.


    They had been separated due to a trap in the dungeon at the time.


    ''But he wasn''t dressed like a magician. He was carrying a dagger.''


    The dagger Frondier had at the time was a basic sheath knife, but it was true he had no other weapon.


    "Given the situation, wouldn''t it be better to ask him directly? It doesn''t seem like a program error. Let''s think positively. If the 3.14 seconds is a genuine record, then we have a student who redefines genius for Constel."


    "Hmm, that''s true, but..."


    At Teacher Alex''s words, the other faculty members looked troubled.


    Truth be told, most teachers had always regarded Frondier with an attitude close to disdain, no matter how kindly put.


    Even with such an unbelievable record set, it was hard to ept.


    And there was an immediate problem.


    One of the staff spoke up.


    "So, who''s going to ask him?"


    * * *


    And now.


    I was looking at the two teachers sitting in front of me with a somewhat incredulous feeling.


    Teacher Jane and my mother, the school nurse Malia.


    "So, you''vee to ask me how I set that record."


    "Uh, well, yes, that''s about it."


    Jane answered with a reluctant face.


    It was as if the entire faculty had admitted they couldn''t figure it out.


    I thought for a moment.


    The record-breaking in target hitting was an ident I hadn''t anticipated at all.


    I was reminded once again of the power of divine weapons.


    ''...But if things are going this way, then the dice have rolled in my favor.''


    In this setting, only Jane and Malia were present.


    And the two of them were perfect heroes who had never once fallen in the game.


    It was impossible not to utilize this situation.


    Especially fortunate was Malia''s presence here.


    Malia had a "bloodline magic" simr to the way Philly inherited "foresight," and that magic was absolutely necessary for my n.


    "So how did you do it? How were you able to reduce the record by about 27 seconds?"


    "What do you think I did, teacher?"


    I asked in return.


    Jane''s eyes narrowed.


    She probably didn''t like that I was asking back.


    But whether I talk or not is up to me.


    After a moment, Jane seemed to give up and said,


    "The faculty is assuming you created multiple magic bullets or added a guided attribute to a rapid-fire option."


    As expected.


    No one thinks it was shot with a bow.


    After all, it''s not just one or two targets, and it''s hard to imagine in the first ce.


    It''s hard to believe that an arrow would split on its own without seeing it directly.


    Discovering the truth through the opinions among teachers seems very unlikely.


    ''I wonder if Aten knew how it was done.''


    Aten saw the Iokheira split when fighting Renzo, so she could guess to some extent.


    I hope she doesn''t speak carelessly.


    And Aten would do just that.


    "Now it''s student Frondier''s turn to answer."


    "The conversation here won''t leak, will it?"


    "Of course. That''s why I arranged a separate meeting."


    "Are you sure?"


    "It''s a security magic that Ms. Malia and I created. No information leaks out of this ssroom."


    Good, I''ve learned everything I wanted to know.


    I sped my hands together.


    With that one movement, I could feel Jane and Malia''s attention focusing on me.


    "I have something to tell you both."


    "What is it?"


    "I know who the rat is."

 Chapter 52 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The moment I said that,


    Even before I finished half of that sentence.


    Their tension peaked, and Jane even started to draw up mana.


    Jane asked with a stiff face and a smile,


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Hmm, that''s a normal reaction.


    But Malia was a bit different.


    Leaning her face closer to me, Malia asked,


    "Frondier, is that true?"Malia even dropped the honorifics when referring to me.


    At this moment, she wasn''t teacher Malia but my mother, Malia de Roach.


    "Ms. Malia, it''s too dangerous for a student to hear such a story."


    "But it seems Frondier already knows everything."


    The "rat" I mentioned, of course, refers to the traitor within Constel.


    There are two more aplices in Renzo''s intrusion case.


    One is a princess from the pce, the daughter of Philly,


    And another is a teacher within Constel.


    How I managed to update the record is far less urgent and important than this matter.


    Constel''s side is unaware that I stopped Renzo and cut off his arm.


    Instead, they believe I discovered Renzo without getting caught, reported to Eden, and thus quelled the incident.


    But Malia will understand the significance of my actions just from this altered information.


    The reason I spoke to Eden instead of the teachers.


    That I suspect someone among the teachers as well.


    Therefore, she can trust what I''m saying now.


    "I know you wouldn''t believe me even if I told you who I am right now."


    But that''s not enough.


    Suspecting someone among the teachers,


    And being certain of who it is, are entirely different matters.


    "So, let''s prove it."


    "...How?"


    "We''ll bring the traitor to the surface."


    At my words, Malia and Jane looked at each other.


    It must have sounded too absurd until now, but this statement is probably the most ludicrous.


    "...You''re going to draw out the traitor hidden among Constel''s teachers?"


    "Yes. So, please do not disclose this conversation, and be ready to assist when the timees."


    "...What kind of situation?"


    "You''ll know when the timees."


    I''m sparing with my words because I don''t know exactly how the situation will unfold.


    I have a n and am confident it will seed, but the oue could vary in many ways.


    Whichever it is, I need a witness.


    A witness that from the beginning, my intention was to target the perpetrator.


    * * *


    Frondier finished speaking and left.


    Jane and Malia remained, lost in their thoughts.


    Jane spoke first.


    "Do you think Frondier really knows who the traitor is?"


    "...Well, we''ll have to see."


    Malia tends to side with Frondier, but even she found it hard to believe this time.


    The existence of a traitor within Constel was unknown to the teaching staff until Renzo''s intrusion.


    And even now, after Renzo''s intrusion, the identity remains mysterious.


    In the midst of this, Frondier ims to know who the traitor is.


    "Ms. Malia, it seems you believe in Frondier, but what were you thinking?"


    "...I was."


    Malia, unusually, stopped mid-sentence.


    Biting her lower lip slightly, she seemed deeply troubled.


    "...About Frondier''s record update."


    "Ah, right. That was the original reason we called for Frondier."


    Jane ran her hands through her hair.


    Frondier''s statement was so shocking that she momentarily forgot the original purpose.


    Jane asked.


    "Did you find out how Frondier managed to update the record?" Jane asked.


    "No, it''s not that. It''s just... the timing seems too coincidental."


    "The timing?"


    "...Jane."


    After a long contemtion, Malia looked at Jane as if she had made up her mind.


    "Don''t you think Frondier intentionally updated the record?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Right now, this ce, this situation. We called Frondier here because of the record update, right? And we''ve applied soundproofing and security spells here."


    "Could it be, Malia?"


    "And most of the teachers at Constel know we''re here. Conversely, it means that Frondier meeting with us looks very usible and natural to others."


    Jane''s eyes widened at Malia''s words.


    "Are you saying Frondier updated the record to pass on information about the traitor to us? Malia, that''s a bit of a stretch."


    "But if this spection is correct, it exins all of Frondier''s actions. Even the sudden record update makes sense."


    If the target-hitting record was significantly updated, naturally, the faculty would check it for program verification.


    Especially if it''s a student like Frondier, who has a bad reputation.


    And if they couldn''t find the reason for the record update, naturally, they would directly ask Frondier.


    It''s also conceivable that Jane and Malia would be the ones pointed out for this task.


    "What if all this went ording to Frondier''s n?"


    "..."


    Jane was at a loss for words.


    She wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but upon further thought, she too felt a certain eeriness in Malia''s words.


    Frondier knows exactly who the traitor is. Assuming this to be true.


    He wanted to pass this information to a trustworthy teacher.


    But in Constel, with many watching eyes and listening ears, it wasn''t easy.


    Therefore, a ''ce'' was needed to transfer the information.


    But then,


    "Does that mean Frondier could have updated the record at any time?"


    "That''s right."


    "The target-hitting record updated to 3.14 seconds wasn''t a coincidence or error, but he could achieve such a record anytime?"


    "That seems to be the case."


    Jane rubbed her head.


    To believe all of it at once, Jane was still a person ofmon sense.

 Chapter 53 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>12/17 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nathan To and others on Ko-fi!</i>


    I checked the time in front of the Constel building.


    It was noon, about time to start.


    I had made ns to meet Aten.


    The excuse was that, since we had agreed to act together in the future, we needed to discuss roles in battle and such.


    Aten had asked me,


    "What should I wear?"


    I told her the choice was hers.The reason I called Aten is because today is the midterm re-examination day.


    The re-examination itself had nothing to do with me; I needed to keep an eye on the events happening during this period.


    It was only today that I could feel the reward for writing summaries in the library to prevent Aten''s failure.


    And after waiting for a while, I saw Atening from a distance.


    "Aten, over here, in, the..."


    I stopped speaking and looked at Aten as she approached.


    Aten was wearing a white blouse and jeans.


    Having always seen her in a uniform, her appearance felt quite different.


    She always seemed like the epitome of everything white and cold, but today she looked more lively and brighter than usual.


    "Hello."


    "¡­Uh, hello."


    Aten greeted as usual.


    Her expression was no different from any other time.


    "¡­How is it? This style of clothing is new to me."


    "So it was your first time. I''m surprised."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "You looked so natural, I didn''t think about it."


    I had thought her different appearance was due to my preconceptions, but it seems Aten herself thought the same.


    "¡­Hmm, I see. So, why did you call me today?"


    Aten asked with a noticeably brighter expression.


    ¡°As I said before, if we were to act together, it will be a ¡®party,¡¯ so we have to decide on our roles in the battle. We have to hold discussions regarding other matters as well.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a lie.


    It was simply that I left out an important detail.


    There were several reasons I came here today.


    One of them was to improve the rtionship between Aten and Aster.


    If I¡¯m right, there¡¯s a high chance that I¡¯ll run into Aster today.


    I hope Aten and Aster can get along with each other.


    If what Philly said was true, and their future together was doomed, then I can¡¯t force them to be together.


    But it wouldn¡¯t be good if they maintained their icy rtionship either.


    It doesn¡¯t matter that Aten is a member of my party and not Aster¡¯s.


    But I know that if I said that, it would never happen.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re headed to the training room?¡±


    Aten nodded as if she¡¯d reached a conclusion.


    ¡­Now that I think about it, she is headed in the direction of the training room.


    I found myself nodding as well at the creation of such a usible reason.


    As we passed the corner of the building.


    ¡°Oh? Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Aster.¡±


    Aster appeared in front of us.


    Aten, who was beside me, became instantly wary as soon as he saw Aster.


    ¡°¡­Mr. Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t set this up so that I would run into Aster, did you?¡±


    ¡°I might have.¡±


    As expected, Aten is astute.


    But there was no way to prove it, and from Aten¡¯s perspective, it was an absurd notion.


    How could I have known that Aster would be here?


    But while that was Aten¡¯s perspective, the truth was that I did know.


    That I would meet Aster here.


    I wasn¡¯t certain, but.


    Though there was no confirmation.


    Today, here, a sudden quest literally pops out of nowhere.


    A sudden quest that can only be triggered by Aster.


    From the yer''s perspective, since the protagonist is Aster, it''s natural toe here to solve this sudden quest.


    However, as mentioned before, Aster, who is not the yer, is unpredictable.


    Aster frequents the training room every day, so I just read that the chances of encountering this sudden quest are very high.


    There was a definite possibility that we might not meet.


    It''s good that we met.


    I looked at my smartwatch.


    It was about time.


    "Nice to see you again, Ms. Aten."


    "......You can drop the formalities."


    I silently observed their conversation.


    Then, my smartwatch beeped with a notification, and I checked the screen.


    [A sudden quest has been generated.]


    [Sudden Quest: Robald''s Deviation]


    - Robald attempts to escape because he is tired of the of re-examinations.


    - Objective: Stop Robald.


    - Sess: Reputation within Constel increases.


    - Failure: Slightly increases the possibility of Robald being expelled from Constel.


    As expected.


    It''s the same as when I was a yer.


    Meaning, the quest I received when I was ''Aster Evans.''


    "Frondier, you also have business in the training room-"


    As Aster was saying that,


    Crash!!!


    The sound of ss breaking echoed above our heads.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    I wove the shield and swung it towards the falling ss shards.


    Hmm, blocking ss shards with a shield, it feels somewhat nostalgic.


    Tatatatang!


    After clearing the ss with the shield, a high-spirited voice resounded from above our heads.


    "Hahahaha!! Teacher! I have to get out of here!"


    "Robald! You can''te down right now!"


    "No! I''m fed up!"


    The three of us looked up.


    On the 3rd floor of the Constel building, probably in the midst of retaking an exam,


    A man was exposing himself out of the window.


    Of course, the window was shattered.


    "©¤©¤Ah, that idiot."


    Aster ced a hand on his head.


    Well, Aster would know who Robald is. They''re in the same ss.


    Robald Lieff.


    If Frondier is said to be the most ipetent within Constel,


    Robald is the biggest troublemaker within Constel.


    In a way, he''s the most transparent yet the most one-dimensional character in Constel.


    Hot-tempered, a charmer, reckless, with half a spoon of courage and rashness each in his actions and drive.


    Anyway, a character that seems to have been made by gathering all those simr things, that''s Robald Lieff.


    However, if one were to find any ''three-dimensionality'' in such a Robald.


    It would be that he''s a genius in fighting, surpassing even Aster.


    "Gasp!"


    Without any hesitation, Robald threw himself out of the 4th-floor window.


    It''s not visible from here, but sounds like screams seemed to havee from inside the ssroom.


    They must have thought they were watching someone die.


    Crash!


    And then, Robaldnded right in front of the three of us.


    Without using any aura or magic, of course.


    Just dropped from the 4th floor andnded on his feet.


    That''s all.


    That simple and dangerously reckless way of acting, Robald''s body made it possible.


    "¡­¡­Ugh, it hurts more than I thought."


    Well, it''s not like there''s no pain at all.

 Chapter 53 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­¡­Robald."


    Unable to watch any longer, Aster spoke up.


    Aten next to me just makes a dumbfounded expression.


    Robald raises his head at the voice calling him.


    He smiles broadly in relief after confirming it''s Aster.


    "Oh, Aster, what''s up?"


    "What''s up with you? No, what did you do?"


    Robald sheepishly scratches his head at Aster''s words.


    "Well, hahaha. I failed and I''m supposed to take a make-up exam, but it''s so boring, you know. I''m in the middle of escaping."Robald says this with a carefree and refreshing smile.


    His face is so radiant that you forget he''smitting a crime.


    "Robald, Her Highness is here."


    "Ugh."


    Robald notices Aten next to me.


    One of the reasons why I brought Aten.


    Because she can easily stop Robald from escaping.


    At this point in the game, the yer has probably be good friends with Aten.


    Aster and Aten are both hard workers, so the fact that they go to the training room together is actually a good excuse to trigger this event.


    Of course, this sudden quest has nothing to do with Frondier.


    It''s an event for Robald and Aster to establish their rtionship.


    If handled well, they be rivals, and if not, they be enemies. So, it''s quite dangerous for a sudden quest.


    But with Aten, I can get through this event safely.


    In the worst case, Robald and Aster''s rtionship could deteriorate further, so this lessens that risk.


    "¡­¡­Tsk, I see. No matter the country, being rude to Her Highness is,"


    Sighing as he thinks about this, Robald says,


    "©¤©¤Sometimes you just have to do it!!"


    And charges at me.


    ¡­¡­Huh?


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop No. 17</i>


    <i>Grade - Common</i>


    <i>Wooden Staff</i>


    I swung the weaving I took out from the workshop as best as I could.


    It''s the longest reach among the melee weapons I have.


    And then,


    Whack!


    Clean hit.


    A blownded precisely on Robald''s temple.


    Thud.


    Robald fell down.


    [Sudden Quest Sess]


    - You have sessfully stopped Robald.


    And the quest notification ringing without any consideration.


    Yeah, I know I stopped him.


    ¡®Shouldn''t it have turned out like this?¡¯


    Sure enough, Aster and Aten were staring at me with wide eyes.


    Normally, if Aten is there, Robald obediently listens and gives up on escaping, but I don''t know why it turned out like this.


    ¡®Is it because of me.¡¯


    I don''t know what kind of wind the existence of Frondier has blown to Robald, but it seems he had some strange thoughts.


    The n went a bit awry, but since I stopped him, it''s done.


    ...It should be done.


    * * *


    We brought Robald to the infirmary.


    After exchanging awkward greetings with Malia, weid Robald down, and a littleter, a teacher came to the infirmary.


    The teacher frowned as soon as he saw my face.


    It was Alex.


    Alex, famous for siding with themon people in Constel.


    To him, Frondier would be the most disliked type.


    "......Good job, Aster. And Aten."


    Alex turned his gaze to me and thanked Aster and Aten.


    "Master, it was Frondier who stopped Robald."


    Aten showed a displeased expression.


    "......I see."


    Could it be that he didn''t expect them to take my side? Alex seemed a bit flustered.


    Then.


    "©¤©¤©¤©¤Ugh!"


    Robald woke up.


    Even his awakening was noisy. We paused our conversation and looked over at Robald.


    ording to Malia, he was only suffering from a mild concussion, so we expected him to wake up soon.


    And so, Robald nkly scanned his surroundings until he spotted me.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Then, silence followed.


    Upon seeing me, a sh of anger crossed his face, then confusion, as if he was etching a question mark in his mind, followed by a look of deep contemtion in Robald''s eyes.


    He soon asked me.


    ¡°You''re Frondier, aren''t you?¡±


    He knew me, as I thought.


    ¡°Yes. Frondier de Roach.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m Robald Lieff.¡±


    And he extended his hand to me.


    What an odd conversation this was.


    Nevertheless, we shook hands.


    Robald wore a provocative smile.


    ¡°I''ll return the favor of this humiliation next time.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Prepare something new for next time.¡±


    At my provocation, Robald let out a sigh but his smile remained.


    Robald, after all, likes strong people.


    From his perspective, being knocked unconscious by my strike seemed to actually raise his opinion of me.


    Though it was unintentional.


    ¡°Robald, why did you suddenly threaten Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Well, no, I heard rumors that Frondier has been apanying the princess.¡±


    ...Apanying?


    It''s true we''ve been acting together recently, but saying it like that makes it sound bad.


    ¡°Like you''ve got something on the princess.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°So, I thought if I gave this guy a beating, maybe the princess would think better of me.¡±


    At Robald''s brazen statement, Aster sighed and asked.


    ¡°¡­¡­And while she''s at it, she''d overlook your fleeing act?¡±


    "Ha! It''s like killing two birds with one stone, a very logical decision indeed! Hahaha!"


    ...Logical, but foolish.


    "Robald."


    Alex called out to Robald.


    His sharp, piercing gaze was just an added bonus.


    "From breaking a window to attempting escape, I can''t just let this slide this time."


    "Ugh. I''m sorry, sir."


    "I''ll be contacting your parents."


    At Alex''s words, Robald''s face turned pale instantly.


    "Please, anything but that!"


    "Take this chance to reflect on your reckless behavior around the school."


    With that, Alex turned his back.


    Just as he was about to leave, he gave me a brief nce.


    "¡­Frondier, you''ll receive a proper reward from Constel. Well done."


    Without a hint of praise in his expression, Alex left the infirmary.


    I watched his back for a moment.


    "I need to use the restroom."


    I got up.


    I gently pressed down on Aten''s shoulder as she tried to stand up and follow me.


    "Why are you trying to follow me if I''m just going to the restroom? Take this chance to get closer to those two."


    Specifically, with Aster.


    Aten made an openly displeased face but soon sat back down.


    Following me to the restroom must have seemed ridiculous to her too.


    Especially since the training room is in the opposite direction of the restroom.


    If Aten talks to Aster, she''ll eventually see Aster''s true character.


    Meeting like this often might even undo the spell Philly has cast.


    ©¤©¤And meanwhile, I must carry out the most important purpose of my visit to Constel today.


    I handed Malia, who was sitting in the infirmary, a note.


    The message on the note was brief.


    ''I''ll start now.''


    Today.


    I''m going to catch the rat inside Constel.

 Chapter 54 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>13/17 Bonus chapter thanks to @Greg on Ko-fi!</i>


    "Professor Alex."


    Alex turned at the voiceing from behind.


    Frondier stood there.


    Alex waved his hand in annoyance without hiding his irritation.


    "What is it, Frondier? I told you the reward would be giventer,"


    "I found the rat."


    Alex''s hand stopped.


    He looked at Frondier again with a stern face.Frondier''s expression was unchanged.


    Still thatnguid, sleepy face.


    Taking a step closer to Alex,


    Alex asked with a frown.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "I found out who the traitor in Constel is."


    He said.


    Alex''s eyes widened.


    He asked in a voice even lower than Frondier''s.


    "Is that true?"


    "Yes. This isn''t the ce to talk. This way."


    "Hmm."


    Following Frondier, Alex trailed behind him.


    Creak-


    The door to an empty ssroom opened lightly, and Frondier entered.


    A secluded building, an empty ssroom in the corner.


    "Let me cast a soundproofing spell."


    "Please."


    Frondier walked further into the ssroom and then stopped.


    Without turning his head, he said,


    "Professor."


    "What is it?"


    "You don''t need to do that."


    "What are you talking about."


    Frondier turned his head to look at Alex.


    With a faint smile on his face.


    "You don''t need to draw that sword."


    Just as Frondier said.


    Alex''s hand was on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist.


    Finding the traitor.


    That''s absurd.


    Because Alex is the traitor.


    But he tells Alex himself that he has found the traitor.


    Frondier has made a mistake.


    But if he was convinced of the traitor for some reason, there must be a reason for it.


    If that reason is something that threatens Alex himself.


    Furthermore, if it harms the princess.


    "¡­Frondier. Don''t resent me too much. It''s your fault for reaching into the fire."


    "Professor."


    Frondier called Alex softly.


    In a defenseless posture.


    With thatnguid voice.


    "You don''t need to be wary of me."


    "¡­What do you mean?"


    Alex''s face became extremely tense.


    Frondier chuckled softly.


    And then, Frondier said something unbelievable.


    "Because I''m also a rat."


    Saying so, Frondier raised his right hand.


    On that index finger, there was one of only four rings that existed in the royal family.


    ''The princess''s ring¡­!''


    Alex''s eyes widened immeasurably.


    * * *


    After talking with Philly on the rooftop.


    I nced at her for a moment.


    Philly wore the full regalia of an empress, adorned with extravagant and exquisite jewels. The ring on her index finger was particrly striking.


    ¡°Excuse me, Lady Philly,¡± I asked, ¡°Is that your ring?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Philly returned to using formal speech with me, so it seemed that her brief moment of sincerity was over. I felt a twinge of disappointment, but I continued. ¡°Do you and your daughters wear the same ring?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I had them made for my daughters, but¡­¡± Philly trailed off, clearly realizing my intentions. Her gaze fell, and she brought her hand to her mouth. ¡°¡­I see. I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Are the rings identical?¡±


    ¡°They are, but there are no spares; they are custom-made for me and my daughters.¡±


    That meant there were only four rings.


    Because it has a veryplex pattern, a clumsy copy would be immediately noticeable.


    ¡°However, I cannot remove this ring. In public, my every move is scrutinized, and if I am seen without my ring, the enemy will be alerted.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± I held the ne, Obsidian, in my hand. I had considered showing this skill to someone someday, but to the empress of the empire? I couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank: Unique</i>


    <i>Philly¡¯s Ring</i>


    - The exquisite rings that Philly gave to her daughters.


    - They have no magical properties, but their artistic beauty and rarity, with only four in existence, give them immense value.


    I demonstrated Weaving to Philly. In an instant, a ring formed and rested in my palm. It looked exactly like Philly¡¯s ring.


    ¡°¡­Oh my.¡±


    Philly muttered in astonishment, her eyes fixed on the ring. It was the most genuine voice I had ever heard from her.


    ¡°What do you think, Your Majesty?¡± I asked, holding out the ring. Philly examined the Obsidian ring from different angles.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s identical. The texture, luster, and patterns. Even the most discerning eye wouldn¡¯t be able to tell that it¡¯s a fake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll use this to catch Constel¡¯s traitor.¡±


    As I said this, Philly gave me a bloodthirsty smile, her eyes still fixed on the ring.


    "It seems useful."


    * * *


    Alex trembled as he looked at the ring I showed him.


    ¡°How did you get that ring¡­!¡±


    ¡°I received it,¡± I replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d believe me if I just told you.¡±


    Alex would understand the significance of the ring.


    ¡°But even so, how, how¡­!¡± Alex seemed confused. I was wearing the ring, but he didn¡¯t know about my connection to Philly. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t have expected her to give me her ring.


    After all, this is a Weaving product, not something Philly handed over.


    "So, did Elysia really hand that over to you?"


    Oh, he said it himself.


    As Alex said, the mastermind behind all the crimes is Elysia.


    To Alex, this ring would seem as though it was given by Elysia.


    He might consider the possibility that it was given by another daughter, Aten or Sale, or even Philly, but the hypothesis falls apart since I came to him iming to be a traitor myself.


    I''m the only one who knows that Alex is a traitor.


    If anyone else suspected Alex, with his keen senses, he would''ve noticed immediately.


    Alex believes it''s impossible for anyone to know his true identity.


    Therefore, my lie works on Alex right now.


    The fact that he was caught when he should''ve been uncatchable, implies that it''s because I''m ''one of us.''


    Because Frondier de Roach is the support troop sent by Elysia.


    There''s no way not to be hooked by this strong and sweet lie.


    "Are you really saying she gave you that ring? That precious ring?"


    "Yes."


    "I can''t believe it."


    "Would you like to see for yourself?"


    I extended my hand.


    Alex, who until a moment ago thought of killing me, now flinches and pulls away at the mere gesture of my hand.


    Even so, his eyes carefully scan the ring on my hand.


    Well, it''s an item that even its owner, Philly, can''t differentiate.


    There''s no way Alex would realize.


    "But you are the one who interfered with Renzo''s n! How could you be a subordinate of Lady Elysia!"

 Chapter 54 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Yes, that''s the problem.


    Me, who interfered with Renzo, being on Elysia''s side doesn''t make sense.


    This is where it gets important.


    Alex just referred to me as ''the one who interfered with Renzo''s n.''


    If he knew I had cut off Renzo''s arm, he wouldn''t express it like that.


    In other words, Alex currently believes the false information I sent to Constel.


    This is Alex''s vulnerability.


    During the midterm practical exam, Renzo switched all surrounding drones with fakes to avoid getting caught for kidnapping Aten.


    Because of that, no one in Constel witnessed Renzo''s crime.Yes, no one.


    Not even Alex and Elysia, who are on Renzo''s side, saw the situation at that time.


    "That''s not true."


    "What, what did you say?"


    "Lady Elysia had been nning to kidnap Aten from the moment she confirmed that I was acting with Aten. But she wanted a more certain method. That''s why she also pulled me to her side. To minimize the possibility of anything going wrong."


    "But, the n failed."


    "Yes. Even so, it failed. It was discovered by Pro Eden Hamelot. Why do you think that happened?"


    "Why, you ask..."


    The look of confusion on Alex''s face is quite amusing.


    Alex rolled his eyes at my words, then suddenly opened them wide as if he had realized something.


    Finally, Alex reached it.


    The false truth I had concocted.


    "Could it be... No. That can''t be. Lady Elysia wouldn''t..."


    "..."


    I fell silent for a moment.


    Knowing that silence would make the bluff more effective.


    And then, I slowly began to speak.


    "Lady Elysia is suspicious of you."


    "That can''t be! You''re lying!"


    "The only possibility that could ruin this fail-proof n was you. You, who knew all of Lady Elysia''s ns in advance."


    "That goes for you as well!"


    "Everyone knew I was acting with Aten. Moreover, I was the one who informed others about Renzo''s intrusion without being caught by Renzo himself. Do you think that''s possible?"


    What an irony.


    This lie was originally a clumsy attempt to hide the fact that I had cut off Renzo''s arm.


    Now, I''m using that ''clumsiness'' to pressure Alex.


    "¡­It''s not me. Lady Elysia will understand once she hears my story."


    "Lady Elysia said she needs clear evidence."


    "What evidence are you talking about?"


    "Mr. Alex, are you really Mr. Alex?"


    "¡­What?"


    At Alex''s question, I narrowed my eyes.


    "Lady Elysia suspects that you were ''reced'' at some point."


    "Reced, you say..."


    "Are you truly Mr. Alex?"


    The world of Etius is one where both magic and science exist at a high level.


    Changing faces and bodies to impersonate someone else. It''s not easy, but it''s certainly possible.


    Meaning, Alex has been ''switched'' by someone else without Elysia''s knowledge.


    The real Alex is either trapped somewhere or dead, and the current Alex is a third party unknown to Elysia.


    ...That''s the fake scenario I''ve created.


    "Nonsense! I am Alex!"


    "If that''s the case, then you must be aware of the n."


    Of course, I know all of Elysia''s ns.


    The problem is that the reason is ''because I yed it in a game.''


    For such a reason, no one within Constel can be persuaded.


    Therefore, the one who must convince the teachers of Constel is not me, but Alex.


    ©¤©¤Speak, Alex.


    Choose the path that eases you.


    I''ll create a cradle-like grave for you.


    Alex clenched his jaw as if biting his teeth.


    He spat out passionately.


    ¡°Of course! It''s a ¡®raid¡¯!¡±


    ¡°What kind of raid?¡±


    ¡°To lure in monsters to attack Constel!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°To spread ¡®Rafflesia¡¯, arge-scale rune, around Constel and attract monsters to Constel!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°To eliminate Aten Terst and Roderick Terst!¡±


    After Alex¡¯ loud exmation, there was a brief silence.


    I finally dragged it out.


    Elysia''s ¡®raid n¡¯.


    As Alex himself had said, Elysia intended to use Alex to set up a rune that would summon monsters to Constel.


    Once the rune is activated, the monsters will attack Constel indiscriminately, putting all the students inside Constel in danger, including Aten.


    And Elysia knew that if Aten was in danger, Roderick woulde to her rescue.


    She nned to kill both of them in one fell swoop by crushing them with a wave of monsters.


    That''s it.


    The quest rm that had previously appeared on my smartwatch.


    The n Elysia hade up with was the main quest, ¡®Raid¡¯.


    No matter how desperate I was, the reason Alex could reveal the n so freely was because he was confident in his soundproofing magic.


    That was Alex¡¯ final mistake.


    I red at Alex for a moment.


    The final stage of acting.


    I smiled with relief and said,


    ¡°Fortunately, Lady Elysia¡¯s concern was in vain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back. Proceed with the n as nned.¡±


    I said that and walked past Alex and entered the ssroom.


    It¡¯s important that I ''passed by'' Alex.


    Alex had just missed hisst chance to kill me.


    When I opened the ssroom door,


    ¡°Alex.¡±


    Two women were standing at the entrance of the ssroom door.


    ¡°Let''s talk.¡±


    It was Malia and Jane.


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    Alex was momentarily taken aback at the sight of the two, but soon he regained hisposure and said,


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Alex tried to act dumb.


    He believes in the soundproofing magic that he has in his ssroom.


    Malia smiled and pointed to her ear.


    ¡°Did you forget about my ability?¡±


    Malia¡¯s bloodline ability, ¡®Sensory Sharing¡¯.


    It allows you to share one of your five senses with someone else.


    If you share hearing, you will be able to hear what the person you are sharing it with hears.


    In this case, soundproofing magic is meaningless.


    Because what I hear, Malia hears too.


    Alex had an earthquake in his eyes, not knowing what had happened,


    Finally, after some time, he finally realized and the expression he had when he looked at me was truly magnificent.


    ¡°You son of a b*tch¡­¡­!¡±


    What did you hear a moment ago?


    Not a son of a b*tch, but a rat bastard.

 Chapter 55 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Alex''s resistance was short-lived.


    Alex had to know that he was finished the moment he revealed himself as a traitor in front of me.


    Alex will soon be in front of the disciplinarymittee.


    From that point on, it is the teachers'' turn.


    ...And it''s my turn to fulfill my role.


    "In the end, we need a vanguard."


    After deliberating in the training room, Aten spoke as if she hade to a conclusion.


    I nodded my head.


    We checked each other''s roles in the training room.We simted what position each of us would take when we fought as a party in the future.


    Aten is one of the few people who has seen me fight in person.


    Thanks to that, she can objectively review my fighting style.


    As a result, we came to the conclusion that it is advantageous for me to fight from a distance.


    When I fought against Slevb in the dungeon,


    When I took down the golem,


    When I fought Renzo,


    I defeat the enemy up close when fighting them, so I give off the feeling of being a vanguard, but in reality, I''m more of a rear guard.


    Thest attack in most fights was close-range, but ''throwing'' helped a lot in getting me there.


    I wounded Slevb with throwing daggers, causing him to reveal himself,


    From a distance, I restricted the golem''s attacks by throwing weapons at it,


    I consistently attacked Renzo from a distance, hiding my trump card until the end.


    Now that I can use Khryskatos, my role as a rear guard has be even more effective.


    "The best choice to be a vanguard is..."


    "Aster Evans."


    Aten''s face turned sour when I answered.


    Well, Philly''s magic is probably still working on her.


    I heard from Philly that it is not a very powerful spell, and that it will naturally wear off the more time they spend together, but judging from her current state, that seems unlikely.


    To be honest, I don''t want Aster in my party either.


    The ideal situation would be for me to build my own party without ruining Aster''s.


    And it would be best if both parties headed toward clearing the game.


    So, I won''t be touching the best members of Aster''s party that I have in mind.


    ¡­Aten was originally one of those best members, but somehow it turned out this way.


    "What about Aster''s sister then?"


    "His sister?"


    Aten tilts her head.


    She might not know.


    "Ellen Evans. The best swordsman among the Constel students."


    "If she''s the strongest among the Constel swordsmen, wouldn''t that surpass Mr. Aster?"


    "¡­Ah, that''s the thing."


    Aten''s question is perfectly understandable.


    Aster uses a sword as well.


    It''s the trap of the phrase "the best skills."


    "It doesn''t mean she''s the strongest among the swordsmen. It means her ''skills'' are the best."


    "¡­Ah, I see."


    Ellen Evans.


    The title of ''the best skilled swordsman'' attached to her is certainly apliment to her.


    But at the same time, it also reveals her limitations.


    Unlike Evans, Ellencks divine power.


    Moreover, she doesn''t have enough ''Qi.''


    In the world of Etius, mana and aura are essentially the same substance called ''Qi.''


    Ellen has already acquired aura and can use various techniques derived from that aura, but shecks the mana for prolongedbat.


    Her specialty, ''One Strike,'' can be used once in a battle, twice if overdone.


    In other words, a character who ovees all her disadvantages with just one skill, so to speak.


    ''Her innate stamina probably isn''t that great either. She must have learned to sleep while walking because of that.''


    Ellen spends most of her time sleeping, except for training, sses, orbat.


    Especially when she is moving silently, it''s almost a hundred percent.


    It seemed like just a gag element in the game, but looking into it after entering here, you can see her circumstances.


    "Anyway, she''s more than we could ask for in our party."


    "Doesn''t that make her hard to recruit?"


    Hmm.


    The truth always hurts.


    "We have to at least talk to her."


    The possibility isn''t entirely zero.


    After all, we have the camaraderie of having defeated a golem together.


    ¡­Right?


    * * *


    The disciplinarymittee.


    Alex was seated in the center, watched by all the teachers.


    His arms were bound by restraints.


    The seat once upied by Edwin von Behetorio.


    Alex, who had once cornered Edwin, now found the tables turned on him.


    "What are we waiting for?"


    Someone spoke up.


    It was the history teacher, ''Isamaya''.


    Isamaya looked at Alex with a displeased expression.


    "This incident, where a teacher betrays Constel and puts the princess in danger, cannot be defended or supported. Immediate expulsion and prosecution are necessary. There''s no need to even convene amittee."


    "Mr. Isamaya, let''s not be hasty."


    "I just dislike wasting time."


    Despite another teacher''s attempt to calm him, Isamaya showed no signs of backing down.


    "Didn''t student Frondier catch the evidence? Miss Jane and Miss Malia confirmed it. There''s no room for debate."


    Jane was a bit surprised at Isamaya''s words.


    ''Huh. I thought Mr. Isamaya would dislike Frondier.''


    Isamaya had been embarrassed because of Frondier before.


    When Frondier wasn''t taking notes, Isamaya decided to test him with a question, only to have his own motives exposed and beughed at by the students.


    Being as famous as he is, rumors about Frondier spread quickly.


    Jane said honestly.


    "I''m surprised. I thought you would dislike student Frondier."


    "Of course, that cheeky brat is annoying."


    Isamaya nodded as if it were obvious. He even snorted.


    "But that''s my personal feeling, not an issue that distorts the facts."


    Isamaya stated confidently.


    Jane smiled and chuckled.


    "However, thismittee is not to question Teacher Alex''s guilt. As Mr. Isamaya said, the usations against Teacher Alex are solid."


    "Is that so?"


    "It''s to understand the full story of the incident."


    "The full story has been understood. We know Teacher Alex is a traitor."


    Malia hadn''t yet shared the story about Elysia with the other teachers.


    She was waiting to do so at this disciplinarymittee meeting.


    The most important thing in Constel is the safety of its students.


    Most of the people here are unaware that the royal pce is involved in this incident.


    It¡¯s all just a development of the Renzo case.


    Renzo, who attacked Aten and Frondier, and a traitor in Constel who helped Renzo.


    Now that we know it was Alex, there¡¯s no need for further questions.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    Jane said.


    The whole n Frondier extracted from Alex.


    She had heard it from Malia, but she was full of doubts.


    Especially the mention of Princess ¡®Elysia¡¯.

 Chapter 55 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­Well, where should I start.¡±


    Maria slowly opened her mouth.


    It was too much information at once, but she listed them one by one.


    The culprit, Princess Elysia, the attack of the monsters, the targets are Aten and Roderick.


    Every time Maria revealed information, the surrounding professors'' expressions gradually turned to astonishment.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s a lie. Princess Elysia¡­¡±


    Someone made a natural exmation.


    ¡°Then we just have to get rid of the rune attracting the monsters, right? Wasn¡¯t it called ¡®Rafflesia¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±Someone tly denied the proposal of a professor.


    It was Binkis, the professor of summoning magic and magical engineering.


    ¡°From what Miss Maria said, the culprit has already set a schedule for the n. That means there¡¯s a high probability that the rune is alreadyplete.¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem? Even if it¡¯splete, we just have to damage the circuit.¡±


    ¡°If we do that, I think they¡¯re prepared to activate the rune. If that happens, there might be even more damage than when we didn¡¯t know the n. Because the inside of Constel will be in the most chaotic state.¡±


    The professors¡¯ faces turned pale at Binkis¡¯s words.


    Ismaya asked.


    ¡°So what should we do? Should we just watch as the enemy¡¯s n proceeds?¡±


    Binkis bit her lips at those words.


    After a moment of thought, the words that came out of her mouth were unexpected.


    ¡°¡­Yes, that would be best.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We have to wait for the enemy to start their n, and aim to stop that n with minimal damage.¡±


    That is.


    The ''Raid'' by Elysia cannot be stopped now that it has progressed this far.


    Let the nmence as it is.


    But knowing there is a n allows us to be fully prepared.


    "So the most important thing is, we need to ensure the enemy doesn''t find out that we know their raid n."


    "Yes. To the outside world, Constel must appear as ordinary as ever."


    Everyone nodded in understanding at Binkis''s words.


    "We need to seek help from those around us. It must be a select few, to avoid detection."


    Requesting help from those nearby, a select few.


    Those two keywords naturally drew the teachers'' eyes to one person.


    It was Malia de Roach.


    Roach, a household with tremendous talents, including Enfer and Azier.


    "I''ll pass the message along."


    Malia spoke with reluctance.


    Jane asked, "What about the students?"


    At that question, everyone fell silent.


    They were teachers, protectors of the students.


    But if the students were informed about the n, it was clear Elysia would find out.


    Moreover, whether Constel could be defended without the students.


    Even if it meant reducing harm to the students,


    "All activities in Constel will proceed as scheduled."


    A heavy voice broke the silence.


    Everyone looked at him.


    It was Chancellor Osprey.


    "Nothing will change."


    His voice was firm, leaving no room for objection.


    When Osprey spoke like this, the conclusion was as good as decided.


    All the teachers nodded.


    * * *


    In a room in the Roach mansion, I remained deep in thought.


    There was no way to know exactly what measures the teachers would take regarding the assault.


    But at least the minimum defenses would be prepared.


    And most importantly, the ''raid'' itself could not be stopped.


    Despite all attempts with Aster, it couldn''t be prevented.


    It only led to more sacrifices.


    So, my role is slightly different from the others.


    If it can''t be stopped, the instigator must be eliminated.


    There''s only one way.


    ''Kill Elysia.''


    Elysia is the destined viin, after all.


    If not killed now, she will only be more troublesome for the yer as time goes on.


    However, there had never been a possibility.


    Aster attracts too much attention and is entangled in too many rtionships, making it surprisingly difficult to move freely.


    Feeling constantly monitored, any frivolous act could arouse suspicion.


    Elysia, at the time of nning, was not in the royal pce but was assessing the situation from her tower.


    It was impossible for Aster to leave Constel in his body and reach that ce.


    But if it were me.


    If it were Frondier.


    If it were me, unnoticed by everyone at this moment.


    "¡­¡­From here on, it''s an unknown path again."


    The mastermind behind the Aten assault incident, the aplice, the subsequent ns, and even the way to thwart them.


    Up to this point, everything proceeded as I knew.


    But from this road to subduing Elysia, it''s entirely unknown.


    "¡­¡­Well, it''s not like it''s anything new."


    Have things ever gone entirely my way?


    Even in the game, I couldn''t handle everything and failed.


    Failure is familiar.


    In games, as in reality.


    [Main Quest: Raid]


    - A massive invasion of monsters will ur in Constel. Be prepared.


    - If not properly dealt with, there''s a possibility of losing named characters.


    I checked the smartwatch once again.


    The main quest I hadn''t seen in a long time.


    It''s been quite a while since I received this quest.


    ¡­¡­That means they''ve given us plenty of time to prepare.


    The raid is imminent.


    "But."


    I have a ce to go today.


    To obtain the best ally in preparation for this assault.


    It was a very appropriate time.

 Chapter 56 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>14/17 Bonus chapter thanks to @RdsreloadedonKo-fi</i>


    ?During a slightlyte evening, unusually bright lights flickered at the Rishae mansion.


    The gentle sound of music andughter of people blended just right, seeping out to the exterior of the mansion.


    "¡­¡­Sigh."


    Elodie secretly let out a sigh.


    Social gatherings like this often take ce in the Rishae family.


    Considering the prestige of the family, one might think such events would bemon even in Roach, but the head of the family is notably frugal.


    Elodie fiddled with the frills meticulously tucked inside her cor.Despite wearing this dress quite frequently, she still hasn''t gotten used to it.


    "Have I gained weight¡­¡­."


    Though she thought no one would hear, men approached as if by magic, each adding theirment.


    "How could that be possible. Miss Elodie, you are as beautiful as ever today."


    "Of course. Even if you had gained a bit of weight, it wouldn''t put a single w in your beauty¡ª"


    Is that what they call apliment?


    Elodie forced a smile on her lips.


    ¡­¡­Truthfully, dealing with such men is alright.


    How must they feel, having to offer such embarrassingly tteringpliments to her, now 17?


    Even if they truly held affection for Elodie, in settings like social gatherings, they are bound to repeat clich¨¦d and stereotypical lines.


    Elodie is the supreme jewel born into the Rishae family.


    Were anyone to genuinely reach out to her, the other families would not stand idly by.


    Therefore, everyone around Elodie naturally maintains a distance from her.


    Ironically, the men here also know that offering clich¨¦dpliments to express their liking is the best way to maintain that distance.


    ©¤©¤Hence, at such events, Elodie feels a profound loneliness.


    The women are either filled with jealousy and envy, or conversely, overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority, they grovel in a way Elodie does not wish for.


    The men, wary of those around them, neither approach nor distance themselves from her.


    Gossip, ttery, pretense, those don''t matter.


    It''s not that she''s hurt by such things.


    It''s just the ''fact'' that no one speaks the truth to her that constantly weighs on her.


    It leaves her infinitely lonely and infinitely bored.


    ¡®¡­¡­Did he note this time either?¡¯


    While pretending to listen to the men''s conversation, Elodie scanned the surroundings.


    She was looking for Frondier.


    If there was someone at this gathering who could give her a breath of fresh air, it would undoubtedly be Frondier.


    She does have noble friends in Constel, but it''s not easy for them to attend a social gathering hosted by the Rishae family, and even if they doe, they''re busy interacting with the children of other families.


    But Frondier, he has never shown his face in the social circles.


    His uniqueziness andck of initiative are the first reasons, and the second is that the Roach family has never involved Frondier in the social circles.


    ''...No. It''s wrong to call itziness. Elodie, you shouldn''t think that way.''


    Elodie corrected her thoughts.


    Until now, she had thought it was merelyziness, but the recent mana depletion incident had opened up other possibilities.


    Frondier wasn''tzy; on the contrary, he was working insanely hard behind the scenes.


    ...It''s still just a possibility, though.


    Anyway, that''s why Frondier showing up this time is also unlikely.


    Even though Constel''s image has been changing slightly recently, that''s apletely different issue from the social circles.


    Moreover, Frondier has a very bad rtionship with Elodie''s brother.


    Just looking at that, the chances of Frondiering to the Rishae mansion are practically zero.


    But then.


    Creak-


    "¡­Ah."


    Elodie''s voice leaked out.


    The man who quietly opened the door and entered. Even if it weren''t Elodie, he would have attracted everyone''s gaze.


    Elegant and dignified ck suit. Sophisticatedly groomed ck hair.


    The eyes that always seemed sleepy transformed into a mysterious charm when made up.


    Frondier approached the head of the Rishae family and greeted him politely.


    "Oh, Frondier. I''m truly happy you''vee. It would be nice to see you more often in the future."


    "Don''t we often see each other at my house."


    "Ha-ha, are you saying that just to see me? We should introduce you to everyone here as well."


    Head Ortel de Rishae genuinely weed Frondier.


    More than Frondier himself, it was his political influence that was wee.


    The Roach family, unimpressive on its own but significant in the background.


    If Frondier could establish good rtions with other families here, Ortel could also get a piece of the action.


    Indeed, there were already nobles whispering upon seeing Frondier.


    Most here were seeing Frondier in person for the first time.


    At least in appearance, Frondier was the epitome of nobility, so it was noticeable that somedies were whispering with a somewhat excited tone.


    "Then, if you''ll excuse me."


    "Sure, take a look around."


    Just like when he arrived, Frondier politely greeted,


    Turned around, and walked straight towards Elodie.


    "¡­!"


    Elodie was startled for no reason.


    It was the same Frondier she always saw in Constel.


    Moreover, a face that became even more familiar after the October incident.


    When Frondier stood in front of Elodie, she briefly chewed her lip.


    She was torn between treating him as a friend or with deference due to nobility.


    Frondier opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment the music changed.


    Couples matched up, took each other¡¯s hands, and started to walk.


    It was time for a slow dance.


    Frondier forced a smile when he realized this.


    ¡°Shall we dance, mdy?¡±


    Frondier asked, as if it had just urred to him.


    Caught off guard by his unexpectedly gentle tone, Elodie forgot what to say in response and simply nodded her head.


    Frondier took Elodie''s hand and joined the dance.


    Frondier was not a particrly good or bad dancer.


    To put it positively, he wasn¡¯t awkward. To put it negatively, his partner was in danger of getting bored.


    However, Elodie had no time to get bored, for many reasons. Elodie licked her lips as she nced around.


    ¡°This is awkward.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°You and me, here, like this, um, doing this?¡±


    It was a statement with almost no content, but Frondier nodded as if he understood.


    ¡°My cor¡¯s bothering me.¡±


    Frondier said, reaching up to adjust his cor with one hand.


    It was rude to touch one¡¯s own clothes with one hand while dancing.


    Watching Frondier do something so simr to what she had done earlier, Elodie found herself smiling.


    ¡°So? Why are you here? You don¡¯t fit in. Did you suddenly develop an interest in high society?¡±


    Elodie asked, feeling a little less tense.


    ¡°Of course not. I came to see you.¡±


    Frondier replied matter-of-factly.


    So matter-of-factly that it was almost misleading.


    Elodie gave Frondier a sidelong nce.


    ¡°Would you care to be more specific?¡±


    ¡°I came to ask for your help. You¡¯re the only one I can trust.¡±


    Again, his words were misleading, but they were better than before.


    Plus, Elodie much preferred them this way.


    ¡°What kind of help¡­ Huh?!¡±


    Frondier pulled Elodie close.


    To others, it looked like a perfectly natural dance move, but Elodie, who hadn¡¯t been expecting it, yelped.


    ¡°What, what? What¡¯s the big idea?¡±


    ¡°Constel is under attack.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Frondier whispered in Elodie¡¯s ear.


    He told her everything he had learned.


    He told her what Alex had confessed, about the Disciplinary Committee, and about what the teachers might do next.


    At first, Elodie¡¯s face was full of emotion, but as the story went on, it gradually became expressionless.


    She had realized that now was not the time to let her emotions show.


    When Frondier was finished, Elodie asked,


    ¡°So why are you telling me this?¡±


    ¡°When the attack starts, I need you to do your best to hold off the monsters as ostentatiously as possible. So the students and teachers will realize right away that something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    "When will it start? The teachers are devising countermeasures because they don''t know when."


    "I know."


    Frondier states this cleanly, without any emphasis.


    There''s no tone of persuasion in his voice, as if to convince that his words are true, which ironically makes him more credible.


    "If you know when, you could just tell the teachers."


    "They won''t believe me. There''s no evidence. No way to prove it."


    "No evidence, no way to prove it, and yet you think I''ll believe you?"


    "You don''t need to believe me."


    "¡­What does that mean?"


    At this, Frondier stepped back again.


    It was another natural course of the dance.


    "Because I believe in you, it''s okay."


    "¡­You''ve picked up some strange ideas again."


    Elodie scoffed, but Frondier just smiled.


    "When the timees, you''ll see these aren''t strange words."

 Chapter 56 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The morning sky was overcast.


    It didn''t seem like it would rain, but the clouds that filled the sky seemed endless.


    ¡­Clouds that won''t bring rain are darker.


    With this newfound thought, I finished getting ready to go out.


    Normally, it would be the time to head to Constel.


    But today, my steps took a different direction.


    Then,


    "Where are you going?"


    I was caught by Malia.She seemed to have been waiting for me at the top of the hill road I was heading towards.


    "This isn''t the way to Constel. nning to skip out?"


    "¡­Then you''re doing the same, Mom."


    "Ha, that''s true,"


    Maliaughed.


    It was a genuineugh.


    "How did you know I''de this way?"


    "There''s nothing your mom doesn''t know."


    "Are you going to stop me?"


    "No, why would I stop you?"


    Malia ran her fingers through her long hair once.


    As she slowly walked towards me, a familiar scent wafted from her.


    "The monsters'' attack is starting, isn''t it?"


    "¡­Yes."


    "And you''re trying to stop it?"


    "Stopping it is the job of the other students."


    I''m not here to stop the attack.


    But to eliminate its cause.


    Swoosh-


    Malia''s hand touched my cheek.


    "If it were the old you, you''d have used this as an excuse to run away."


    Then I understood. The identity of this familiar scent.


    "It''s not the look in your eyes from before."


    This was the scent of my mother.


    Different from the scent of my mother beforeing here.


    Yet still,


    "Go ahead. Instead,"


    Malia''s hand that touched my cheek moved to cover my right eye.


    <i>Avril family bloodline skill</i>


    <i>Sensory Sharing</i>


    Her hand touching my right eye shone with light.


    Yet, I felt nothing special.


    But I understand its meaning.


    Malia had lived under the name "Malia Avril" until she married Enfer.


    And the Avril family has a bloodline skill passed down through generations.


    Just as Philly, a descendant of V, could "foresee."


    Malia''s Sensory Sharing allows one to share one of the five senses with another person.


    This time, it was my sight that was shared.


    Malia could also see what I was seeing through my eyes.


    "Lend me your eyes. So that I cane to you whenever."


    Malia said this with a face full of affection.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, I said,


    "Please, don''te to me. Protect Constel instead."


    "Of course. As long as you return without getting hurt."


    That might be difficult.


    I blinked for a moment and then said,


    "I will."


    Vroom-


    Then, from afar, the sound of a car engine approached.


    A luxury sedan stopped in front of us, and the rear window opened.


    "Are you ready?"


    It was Philly.


    Philly waved her hand at Malia, who stood in front of me, seemingly unsurprised to see her.


    "Let''s go then."


    "Take care."


    I nodded to Malia and then turned around.


    As soon as we got into the car, the sedan immediately started moving.


    "So, where do we go?"


    "3 kilometers west of the royal family. Please stop there."


    "Is my daughter there?"


    "No. We''ll get off there and walk a bit. Send the car back to the royal family."


    "We can''t drive there?"


    "We have to enter the forest, so the car can''t go in."


    This is one of the reasons to send the car back to the royal family.


    The more important reason is that there''s a risk Elysia might spot the car and flee.


    If that happens, Elysia would head to the royal family, and it would onlyplicate matters further by possibly framing Philly.


    Such a troublesome situation must be avoided.


    "Hmm."


    Philly seemed to ept this reasoning and nodded.


    "I still can''t believe it. That one of my daughters could be the culprit."


    Philly sighed as he spoke.


    Philly still doesn''t know that Elysia is the culprit.


    "¡­Philly, may I ask you something?"


    "What is it?"


    "Can you really treat your own daughter as an enemy?"


    I know how Philly will answer this question.


    So, from the perspective of gathering information, it''s meaningless.


    But it''s something that must be said.


    For Philly himself, I had to ask this question.


    "Of course. If they are my enemy, it doesn''t matter if it''s my daughter or anyone else. They will be excluded."


    ...Right.


    This answer is correct.


    It''s the real answer thates from her own heart.


    ©¤©¤But one thing is certain.


    Philly''s thoughts are stillx.


    She will soon realize that it''s not so simple.

 Chapter 57 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>15/18 Bonus chapter thanks to @Clone Trooper on Ko-fi</i>


    If you travel all the way west from the capital city of Silvester, you will find a dense forest.


    Inside the forest, filled with dense coniferous trees, there¡¯s a giant tower that stands alone at the foot of a cliff.


    It¡¯s not easy to find this ce unless you know its exact location, because the trees and the cliff serve as its natural camouge.


    Since it¡¯s hidden by nature, even magic detection can¡¯t find it.


    There¡¯s only one reason why I can find this ce:


    Because I simply know it.


    I discovered it by ying countless iterations of the game.The road leading to the tower was more inconvenient than I thought.


    It¡¯s because I was walking along a narrow path that only Elysia uses.


    We parted the trees along a narrow gap that could barely be called a path, and then...


    ¡°¡­It really is here. The tower.¡±


    We encountered Elysia¡¯s residence.


    The eight-story-tall giant tower was built with gray bricks.


    It was quite a tall building, but it was lower than the trees.


    That¡¯s because the trees in this world are usually veryrge.


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just go in normally.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that they¡¯ve set up defenses against outside intrusion?¡±


    ¡°With Philly here, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    At my words, Philly squinted her eyes.


    Undoubtedly, she was looking at me with suspicious eyes.


    ¡°My daughter woulde here now to worry about me? She¡¯d rather be attacking me, too.¡±


    ¡°¡­That would actually be better.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    While we were having that conversation...


    Surprisingly, well, surprisingly to Philly at least...


    Creeeak¡ª


    The front door of the tower opened.


    Elysia came out from inside.


    Elysiaughed cheerfully at the sight of Philly, whose expression hardened.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    Elysia was surprised that Philly knew about her hidden residence.


    She was d that she came all the way here.


    She was happy to see her mother when she least expected it.


    She expressed all of that on her face and smiled brightly.


    ¡°How did you know about this ce?¡±


    Elysia approached us without any hesitation.


    Even without looking closely, it was clear that she waspletely unarmed.


    Approaching uspletely defenseless, Philly sped and shook both of my hands.


    The situation I feared the most.


    Philly, with her ''suspicious of everything'' personality.


    Philly, without a doubt, excludes anyone who could be an enemy.


    But what if she can''t be sure if they are an enemy?


    What if she''s ced in a situation where she has to decide if her own daughter is an enemy based on unclear evidence?


    ...Even then, can Philly let go of her suspicions?


    "Here, have some herbal tea."


    Elysia boldly led Philly and me into her tower.


    She handed us teacups.


    To Philly, and to me as well.


    She sat us down at the table, served the herbal tea, and sat opposite us.


    "......"


    Unusually, Philly nced at me for cues.


    But I had no more help to offer.


    I had already said everything I could.


    "So, what brings you here?"


    Elysia asked Philly.


    "Just wondering. What is our daughter doing hiding in a ce like this, even from her mother?"


    Philly responded with a smile.


    Her expression was perfect.


    "Sometimes I just need a break from pce life. I thought I''d get scolded if mom found out."


    "Hmm."


    Philly looked around the interior.


    Pretending to be just curious, but probably looking for anything suspicious. However, it''s unlikely she''ll find anything.


    Otherwise, Elysia wouldn''t have invited us here.


    ''After all, Elysia is in the same emergency situation.''


    It''s unlikely that Elysia expected both of us toe.


    If so, she would have run away to the pce from the start.


    Right now, Elysia is just improvising.


    In other words, this is actually a battle between me and Elysia.


    Who can sessfully persuade Philly.


    "Mr. Frondier, was it?"


    "Yes."


    Elysia addressed me.


    "I''m well aware of the renown of the Roach family, but it''s quite awkward for me to see the offspring of Duke Enfer here with our mother."


    It was an easily understood challenge.


    As if to say, know your ce.


    However.


    "I see."


    So what?


    I didn''t feel the need to answer that reason explicitly.


    No matter how high the princess''s position might be, could it rival that of the empress?


    Elysia furrowed her brows at my brazen response.


    It was only for a moment.


    Indeed, as Philly''s daughter, she''s adept at managing her expressions.


    Also, as Philly''s daughter, she couldn''t quite match up to Philly.


    "Miss Elysia."


    "¡­¡­''Miss''?"


    Elysia asked back as if she had never heard such a title before.


    "May I take a look around this tower?"


    "¡­"


    Elysia red at me.


    Whether it was because of my presumptuous request or the suspicion of wanting to explore the tower.


    I wasn''t sure which it was, but either was fine by me.


    It wouldn''t be possible to refuse this offer.


    "¡­Alright. Feel free to look around. Shall I guide you?"


    "No. I''ll look around by myself."


    Saying that, I pretended to casually explore the room.


    Elysia is hiding something in this tower that absolutely must not be discovered.


    Yet the reason she''s so bold is that it''s nearly impossible for me to uncover it right now.


    So, there''s only one thing I must do.


    I have to make Elysia reveal that hidden thing herself.


    "¡­May I go upstairs?"


    "Do as you wish."


    I stepped onto the staircase leading up, having discovered nothing special.


    Ah, somehow it feels like I can see it.


    Elysia is smiling triumphantly behind me.


    Whether she knows that I''m wearing a simr expression, I''m not sure.

 Chapter 57 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Constel was quiet.


    Most of the ssrooms were in the middle of morning lessons, and only asionally could teachers'' voices be heard.


    However, within that,


    "¡­Teacher."


    Suddenly, a girl raised her hand.


    "What is it, Elodie?"


    "I''m sorry. My head hurts so badly¡­"


    "What? Go to the infirmary right away."


    "Thank you¡­"The teacher sent Elodie off with a worried expression.


    Elodie is a model student,cking nothing in either skills or character.


    The teacher didn''t even consider it could be a sham.


    Thus, Elodie, who should have been suffering from a headache, walked too briskly for someone in her condition through the corridor.


    Meaning,


    Elodie was the first to notice.


    "Really faint, but there."


    Something caught in Elodie''s mana detection.


    From a very far distance, yet from all around.


    A faint malice stood poised towards Constel, something almost dismissible as imagination.


    "Frondier''s words were true."


    Elodie had previously heard from Frondier about an ''Raid''.


    The information was hardly believable.


    Had it been the Elodie of the past, she wouldn''t have believed it.


    But, now Elodie knows Frondier has changed.


    Elodie shelved her thoughts and ascended the stairs.


    Of course, in a directionpletely unrted to the infirmary.


    Click.


    Opening the rooftop''s iron door, the morning''s chilly wind swept over her.


    Elodie stood at the edge of the rooftop and narrowed her eyes.


    Even from this height, not even a shadow of a demon could be seen.


    Conversely, it meant that the malice from a far, invisible distance was felt by Elodie.


    "If Frondier hadn''t told me."


    The demons would have overwhelmed Constel before Elodie could initiate a response.


    Then, her power would be halved.


    -"I trust you, so it''s okay."


    "¡­Hmph. You did say something right."


    Indeed, now that it hase to this, there was no need for her to believe in Frondier''s words.


    By telling her the timing, Elodie became more sensitive to her mana detection at that time, and as a result, she realized that Frondier''s words were correct.


    Frondier really just trusted Elodie.


    Her sensitive mana detection.


    "I feel a bit deceived, though."


    Elodie de Inies Rishae.


    Fifth in the midterm exams.


    For her, who was said to have received the love of five gods, this result was somewhat ambiguous.


    Many expected her to naturally rank first.


    However, this oue wasn''t due to ack of her power.


    "It''s a good thing I knew in advance."


    Elodie gathered her magical power.


    A light warm-up, preparation to block the attack.


    With that alone, the air around her began to tremble.


    "No need to control my power."


    She is clumsy at controlling her power. She has hardly ever tried.


    No one among her instructors at Constel had taught her how to control her power.


    Instead, they encouraged her to increase her output, fearing that her talent might wane.


    Control could be developedter, but the peak of one¡¯s output was uncertain.


    Midterms were conducted along with other students.


    Hence, the reason her ranking was ambiguous during practical exams was simple.


    If she went all out, other students could get caught in the crossfire.


    Eventually, from a great distance, a faint dust storm became visible.


    An uncountable legion of massive monsters.


    To Elodie, who had enhanced her vision to the utmost with magic, the scale of the horde became apparent.


    To an ordinary person, the sight of such a vast swarm of monsters would have made them copse in fear, but Elodie smiled fearlessly.


    As soon as she spotted a monster within her maximum line of sight, she began to cast her spells.


    Her school uniform fluttered, and her eyes and hair turned a mix of red and blue.


    <i>Divine Power Unleashed</i>


    <i>Agni, Rudra</i>


    <i>Individual Spell Deployment</i>


    <i>Fire Magic Four Forms</i>


    <i>Elemental Resistance, Impact, Spread, Mana Conversion ¡­ Named, ¡®Hellfire¡¯</i>


    <i>Wind Magic Four Forms</i>


    <i>Range Increase, Separation Activation, High-Speed Rotation, Updraft ¡­ Named, ¡®Storm¡¯</i>


    <i>Spell Combination, Focusing</i>


    <i>Elodie Original, ¡®Vermilion Bird Ascension¡¯.</i>


    ¡°I was asked to make it as shy as possible.¡±


    Elodie aimed with both hands extended forward.


    ...In truth, as long as the distance was roughly correct,


    aiming wasn¡¯t particrly meaningful for this spell.


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing as I was told.¡±


    Elodie, as if it was someone else¡¯s concern.


    She unleashed a storm of fire upon the approaching horde of monsters from afar.


    * * *


    After Frondier had gone upstairs, Elysia whispered to Philly in a subtle tone.


    ¡°I know what Mother is thinking.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°You suspect me.¡±


    Philly remained silent, taking a sip of his tea.


    ¡°Is that man saying I¡¯m the culprit?¡±


    Elysia asked again, but Philly still kept her silence.


    However, Elysia knew well that Philly would react this way.


    Philly''s style, with silence and expressions, making the other party make mistakes on their own.


    However, Elysia also knows another weakness of Philly.


    It''s because she''s her daughter.


    "Have you ever thought Mom was strange?"


    Philly doubts everything.


    At the same time as suspecting that Elysia might be the culprit,


    She also harbors doubts that maybe she''s not.


    That''s Philly.


    Philly''s true power is unleashed when given enough time.


    Philly''s choices, made after careful consideration and long deliberation, have always been the right ones.


    However, if there''s less time than she has anticipated, even Philly could make mistakes.


    "Should we fight?"


    At Elysia''s words, Philly''s pupils faintly wavered.


    "I''m your daughter, Mom. Why would I do that?"


    A slight strength entered Philly''s hand holding the teacup.


    "I knew I''d be suspected. But think about it calmly."


    Philly''s lips quivered slightly.


    A subtle movement that only Philly''s daughter Elysia could barely notice.


    Elysia smiled triumphantly.


    "¡­Mom, the culprit is Sale."


    "¡­!"


    Philly''s eyes widened.


    This time, the change was noticeable to anyone.


    "That man is Sale''s henchman. He''s framing me to help Sale."


    Philly was surprised by Elysia''s words.


    Indeed, it was as she said.


    "¡­Elysia."


    "Hmm?"


    Finally, Philly spoke.


    On Philly''s face, smiling as usual,


    Elysia realized something was terribly wrong, apanied by a massive fear.


    "You''ve crossed the line."

 Chapter 58 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Philly was honestly surprised.


    Really, just as Frondier had said.


    -I won''t tell you who the culprit is.


    -Why not?


    -If I tell you now, by the end, you, Miss Philly, will doubt it.


    Just as he said, she almost doubted it.


    If Frondier had imed from the start that the culprit was Elysia, she might have wavered at this moment, swayed by Elysia''s words.


    But the more Elysia spoke, the more certain Philly became.


    -Let yourself realize thatst answer.-You, Miss Philly, wille to know it.


    The slight tremor that only someone of Elysia''s caliber could see in Philly.


    The truth is simple.


    Philly had deceived Elysia with a tremor that only someone at Elysia''s level could detect.


    Philly stood up.


    She slowly approached Elysia.


    "You still haven''t fixed the fact that you show your lies when you think you''ve deceived the other person."


    "Ah, no, Mom! It wasn''t me!"


    As Philly approached, Elysia stepped back.


    "Why did you target Aten? Because of the throne? Were you worried Aten would take your ce?"


    "It''s not that! It was Sale who tried to kidnap....!"


    Philly''s smile deepened.


    "Did I say anything about a kidnapping?"


    "¡­! Well, of course, you''d assume there was a kidnapping, aiming for Aten''s ransom! That guy Frondier went up here to search! Wouldn''t it be better to at least find some evidence and then talk?"


    At those words, Philly''s movement stopped.


    "Evidence."


    "Yeah! You won''t find anything anyway!"


    "I was indeed curious. ''Rafflesia'' isn''t a rune capable of attracting all monsters. To make that possible, a mediator is needed."


    Rafflesia is a spell that can lure monsters, but not all of them.


    The more diverse and numerous the targets, the moreplex the rune bes, requiring a specific mediator to identify the monsters.


    Without exceptional knowledge about monsters and sufficient monster materials, it''s an impossible task.


    Elysia''s expression hardened at Philly''s words.


    Mentioning Rafflesia meant Philly was entirely convinced that Elysia was the culprit.


    "...I don''t know what you''re talking about, but go ahead and look for it! The evidence that I''m the culprit!"


    Elysia feigned ignorance.


    There was no other option at this point.


    "Do you know why Frondier went up instead?"


    "...? That''s to search."


    "No. It''s because he didn''t want to be bothered by you."


    At Philly''s words, Elysia tilted her head.


    Philly, unusually, looked a bit troubled as he spoke.


    "I hope I''m wrong about Frondier''s thoughts. Just this once."


    "What do you mean?"


    At that moment.


    A rumbling sound that shook the ground echoed.


    Philly and Elysia''s heads, shoulders, knees, and toes vibrated up and down.


    Elysia''s face turned pale.


    "Why, why? This shouldn''t be happening...!"


    At her reaction, Philly''s eyes turned even colder.


    Her gaze shifted upwards.


    Towards where Frondier would be.


    "...His thoughts were correct."


    * * *


    As expected, there wasn''t much on the top floor of the tower.


    The upper floors of the tower were as expected, nothing special. They were simply the quarters of an ordinary magician, strewn with various magical facilities and tools.


    To summon multiple magical beasts using Rafflesia, a medium is needed.


    That is, materials rted to the magical beasts are necessary.


    The fresher these materials are, the better; and the more, the better.


    If one aims to summon a scalerge enough to turn Constel upside down, then naturally, these two conditions must be very satisfactorily met.


    However, to maintain freshness, it is better for the medium to be ''alive'' until the rune is activated.


    Alive, yet at the same time, a source for various magical beasts.


    That would mean-


    "...Chimera."


    I know that Elysia has been synthesizing Chimeras.


    It''s not something I''ve seen firsthand. I only learned about it through the news and newspapers during the game.


    [Princess Elysia, known to be living in a vi]


    [The vi appears to be a massive tower?]


    [A secretboratory discovered in the basement. The purpose of theboratory is currently being determined.]


    [Elysia was synthesizing Chimeras! The magical beastsbined in the Chimera by her were-]


    This was the content reported in the newspapers and news during the game.


    I clenched the ck Lotus hanging around my neck.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    ck droplets gathered around me.


    Sigurd''s sword, Gram.


    The legend that it killed the dragon Fafnir was converted into Gram''s characteristic.


    [Gram]


    ? Grade: Legendary


    ? Description: The renowned sword used by Sigurd. The hero and the weapon''s achievements surpass those of several deities.


    Ability Details >


    - Dragon yer: Kills dragons, absorbing their blood. Significantly enhances attack power against dragons and instills fear in dragon species of ''Unique'' grade or lower.


    The Unique grade is just below the Legendary grade.


    Given the presence of the dragon ''Fafnir'', in by Sigurd and ssified as legendary, it instills fear in lesser dragon species.


    I pointed my sword downward, toward the Chimera that must be lurking somewhere in this underground.


    ...I know what kind of monster Elysia has created.


    A beast of such magnitude that it could engulf Constel.


    To summon something of that scale, ordinary monsters wouldn''t stand a chance.


    ©¤Indeed, even if it''s not a proper one,


    A ''Dragon'' must be summoned at the very least.


    Creak, crunch, the sound was distant but clear.


    From deep below, it sounded like something was prying open a gap.


    Then a brief silence.


    Like the quiet between the sh of lightning and the thunder that follows.


    ROOOOOOAR©¤©¤!


    A massive earthquake urred, and I staggered, losing my bnce.


    Ugh, I unwittingly let out a grunt and braced myself against the wall.


    Chimeras were so rare that they could hardly be found even in games.


    The voice I heard now was like a scream, as if a de was stuck to the throat.


    "Summoning it was fine but...!"


    Where is it?


    I opened a nearby window to check outside.


    There, impossible to miss, was a massive fissure.


    The ground was split open as if torn apart, and from within, a monster''s hand reached out.


    "...This is no joke."


    Indeed, the real thing is different in its oppressive presence. I didn''t expect it to be this big.


    The creature that eventually pulled itself up by its hands was half the height of this tower.


    But it walked on four legs. If it had been standing, it would have met my eyes at the top floor.


    The creature''s appearance reminded me of an enormous lizard. Perhaps because its base was a dragon, its scales looked incredibly hard, and its pupils glittered gold, showcasing its ferocity.


    "Wings, it has none."


    All dragon species have wings.


    However, this creature was not a dragon but a chimera, containing only elements of one. Fortunately, it seemed incapable of flight.


    Now, Elysia''s guilt is confirmed.


    Since Philly has seen that terriblyrge body herself.


    What remains for me is to deal with that huge body.


    ...Which is the most troublesome part.


    Kruk-


    Then, its pupils rolled around. The eyes moved independently, like those of a chameleon.


    Its left eye darted about before it spotted me. Or perhaps, confirmed my presence would be more urate.


    I tightened my grip on my sword.


    ...Can I defeat it?


    Truth be told, by physical sensation alone, it feels less frightening than Renzo.


    A chimera, simply put, is a being without origin and utterly inferior, unable to develop the characteristics of its species or the imposing presence thates with time. After all, it was created, not born.


    So, it''s somewhat better than facing someone of high caliber like Renzo.


    But being so brutishlyrge, I have no clue how to confront it.


    ''I should target it first with Khryskatos,''


    I was thinking this when,


    Kraaaaa-


    The creature let out another scream-like roar, and my eyes widened.


    "Crazy...!"


    My mouth dropped open in astonishment.


    The creature did something unbelievable.


    As soon as it confirmed my location with its eyes,


    It scrambled away from me with all fours, in theplete opposite direction of where I was.


    Thud, thump, thump¡­


    I watched it go, dumbstruck, as it kicked up dust and put distance between us.


    Then, I finally came to my senses and shouted, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, you damn lizard?!¡±

 Chapter 58 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A full-scale invasion of Constel had begun.


    It was a development that waspletely different from Elysia¡¯s original n.


    The raid was supposed to happen as a surprise attack before the students and teachers could react, resulting in massive casualties.


    However, thanks to Elodie¡¯s brilliant initial response, Constel was prepared before the monsters arrived.


    The fact that the teachers were already aware of the iing raid also contributed to the swift response.


    But not all of their countermeasures were perfect.


    Despite therge number of monsters killed by Elodie¡¯s magic, more monsters kept pouring in over their corpses.


    Constel was by no means small. It was a ce where young people from all over the continent gathered to enroll.


    That¡¯s why Constel had a fully-equipped dormitory facility.The monsters¡¯ invasion of Constel was disastrous for them.


    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±


    Screams inevitably erupted from wherever people were.


    Even if they had learned how to fight, they were still beginners who had barely started their journey.


    Many of them were also facing monsters for the first time, making it difficult for them to use their skills effectively.


    ¡°Help me!!¡±


    Jolted awake by themotion, first-year student Kaferi sprang out of his dorm room.


    It was sheer luck that he quickly sensed the presence of an intruding goblin and managed to defeat it.


    Then the monsters started pouring in.


    He bolted without thinking.


    "Gah!"


    Kaferi had run into a dead end.


    If it had been a tall fence, he would¡¯ve scaled it, but the smooth marble building prevented his escape.


    He turned around. Creatures resembling dogs, but with three eyes each, red at him and advanced like a pack of wild dogs.


    ¡®I-I¡¯m gonna die.¡¯


    He could¡¯ve handled a single dog, but there were dozens of them.


    Why did Constel make the buildingpletely vertical?


    Growling menacingly, the monsters charged at Kaferi.


    Then,


    BAM! WHACK!


    The front two were knocked out of the air by a man¡¯s feet.


    "H-huh?"


    He had a handsome face with golden hair.


    Everyone in Constel knew that face.


    ¡°¡­Aster Evans?¡±


    "You held out well."


    Asterughed, holding a sword. He was feeling a bit feisty for the first time in a while.


    During his days growing stronger in Constel, most of his training didn¡¯t allow the use of divine power except in the Testing Chamber.


    But here, there was no need for that, not even a flea¡¯s fart worth.


    "Baldur."


    Give me strength.


    <i>Divine Power Release</i>


    <i>The Lord of Radiance and Justice</i>


    <i>Baldur</i>


    Aster¡¯s eyes shed.


    His clothes billowed like the wind, and his aura seemed to ripple the ground.


    A clear blue light enveloped him, radiating his majesty.


    The wild dogs lunged at Aster.


    Aster''s sword swung once, and precisely as much as the wild dogs entered the trajectory of that swing, they were cleanly sliced apart.


    Aster grabbed the heads of the wild dogs with his bare hands, stabbed them with his sword, and then threw them aside as if they were nothing.


    It was barbaric beyond measure. His swordsmanship seemed to resemble his original self - utterly reckless.


    Yet, whether it was because of his foolishness or not, the wild dogs whimpered as if they were scared.


    "What disgusting noises."


    Aster charged forward.


    He created a massive fissure in the ground where he stepped and plunged into the midst of the wild dogs.


    He shed, stabbed, and threw them as he saw fit.


    Even when several of the wild dogs bit and wed at him, he continued his assault as if it meant nothing.


    The power of Baldur.


    The power of someone who is called the most perfect god in Norse mythology is truly simple.


    Clumsy attacks could not scratch his body,


    Nor could clumsy defenses stop his attack.


    Pure, unadulterated violence.


    Such simple power, once it crosses a certain line, bes unstoppable by the enemy.


    Aster ughtered the wild dogs thoroughly and quickly.


    "Phew."


    A light sigh swept over the corpses.


    Kaferi, who was behind him, watched dumbfounded.


    "Wow, that''s amazing."


    "What is."


    Kaferi approached Aster and let out a sigh of relief.


    The tension eased, and his back slumped slightly.


    "I''m d you''re here. If it had been during ss, I would have been dead for sure."


    At that, Aster made aplicated face and said,


    "Actually, I was supposed to be in ss."


    "What? Then why are you here?"


    There''s quite a distance between the dormitory and the Constel building.


    Aster scratched his cheek.


    "I was running an errand for my sister."

 Chapter 59 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>16/18 Bonus chapter thanks to@RickonKo-fi</i>


    Elodie wasn''t the only one who reacted quickly to the initial onught.


    To the east, Aster was exterminating monsters around the dormitories and nearby shops.


    In the opposite direction, Ellen was darting between the buildings of Constel, with Sybil assisting her in dealing with the monsters beside her.


    A little away from Elodie, Aten was performing hit-and-run attacks with his ice shots.


    And to the west, Quinie had drawn upon her own skills andwork to create a formidable barrier.


    ©¤©¤The Human Sloth, Frondier.


    Due to his notorious reputation, Frondier''s voice often went unheard by many. However, it wasn''t entirely ignored.There were those who noticed the change in Frondier, and someone who had received his help.


    "There''s a massive monster attack on Constel."


    A statement from Frondier that seemed all the less credible for it.


    Yet, although only a very few believed him, there definitely were believers, and they were now saving countless lives.


    "What you''ve done wasn''t meaningless, Frondier."


    Quinie, who was in charge of the west, smiled subtly. She too was participating in the monster hunt. However, because she was utilizing herwork to respond, she had a broader view than the others.


    Quinie saw it. Not only her, but the efforts of those who trusted Frondier''s words and joined in this response.


    "Honestly, I couldn''t believe half of it, but it turned out to be true."


    Quinie thought.


    It was more surprising that there were others besides herself who believed the information about the attack was real.


    That''s when she realized. She wasn''t the only one who saw the value in Frondier.


    "I''m d I forced my acquaintances toe out with me after all."


    Quinie, with her savvy that raised her family, naturally has a widework of connections.


    Even those who were half-baked about her words are now earnestly dealing with the beasts by her side.


    After fending off these monsters, Constel will offer her no small reward.


    She might even take the top share for bringing such a force.


    Boom!!


    From afar, an absurdly loud explosion sound wipes such thoughts away.


    On the rooftop, a woman with orange hair sparkles her eyes like a fish meeting water.


    What is that, a new siege weapon from thepany ''Hitchcock''?


    Quinie felt the power of a mage who is said to be loved by five gods with a sour expression.


    * * *


    The terror effect that Gram inflicts on the dragon species.


    It was stronger than I thought. The chimera was running away from me without looking back.


    Even after releasing Gram, the chimera had no intention of stopping its escape.


    I don''t feel bad, feeling somewhat stronger, but if I leave it be, I''ll lose it.


    I don''t know where the fleeing chimera will go, but it''s not good to let it be. Catching it will also eliminate ''Rafflesia.''


    So, there''s only one thing for me to do.


    "Menosorpo."


    As I uttered, a giant rune unfolds in the area.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield, Double</i>


    I jumped out the window,nding on a shield created in mid-air. Then, onto another shield below that. I jumped down once more to reach the ground.


    As I ran, I detected the chimera''s presence with Menosorpo.


    Though not visible to the eye, I could tell where it was thanks to the effects of the rune. The chimera tried hard to escape, but it was within the range of my rune.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Duplication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory Item No.1, No.7</i>


    <i>Rank - Rare</i>


    <i>The Emperor''s Sword, cier''s Spear</i>


    Guided by Philly, I wove from the weapons I had seen in the Imperial Armory, choosing the ones that seemed appropriate.


    The sword and spear fell in front of the chimera, thudding onto the ground and blocking its path.


    Growl!


    It stopped its escape and blinked its eyes, searching for me.


    There was a way to attack the chimera with these two weapons, but that might have made it run away even more.


    This was a warning. If it ignored the weapons stuck in front of it and tried to flee again, this time I would truly stick the weapons in the back of the fleeing chimera.


    As I reached in front of the chimera, it turned its body towards me, facing me head-on. It had given up on escaping.


    Without Gram, its fear had dissipated. It approached me with confidence, or rather, it crawled towards me.


    Had it already forgotten its disgraceful attempt to flee just moments ago?


    I closely observed its appearance. At a nce, it was indeed a wingless dragon, but parts of it bore the characteristics of other magical beasts.


    Like the white fur around its neck, the unusually thin and long tailpared to a real dragon, and the horns on its forehead that resembled those of a goat.


    Still, it was definitely based on a dragon. Though I couldn''t tell exactly what kind it was.


    "A flightless dragon."


    A clear regression. Beforeing to this world, if it couldn''t fly, it wouldn''t even be called a dragon. And this one had even more mixed into it.


    "me your master, lizard."


    As if understanding my words, the chimera rattled that eerie sound inside its mouth.


    It seemed angry. But I had simply called it by its urate name.


    I held the royal weapon in my hand through weaving. Since it wasn''t Obsidian, it wouldn''t be visible to it.


    My ''Throw'' skill is still only intermediate, but with its size, missing would be more difficult.


    Alright, let''s do this.


    I''ll send the arsenal''s weapons flying in order.

 Chapter 59 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When the chimera burst from the ground, Elysia had already escaped from the tower. Philly chased after her.


    The chimera was nowhere to be seen.


    Elysia stood there, dazed. Her eyes looked soulless.


    "¡­Elysia, from now on, you''ll be treated as a criminal. The chimera is a grave crime, and using it to attack Constel is even more serious. Not to mention, attempting to kidnap the princess is the gravest of all."


    Philly''s cold words. Upon hearing them, Elysia showed a detedugh.


    "That''s right."


    Her voice sounded resigned, as if she had given up.


    Reading her demeanor, Philly said,


    "Stop the chimera. Release Rafflesia right now."At those words, Elysia turned her nk gaze to Philly. Then blinked a couple of times.


    Seeing that, Philly felt an indescribable unease. It wasn''t the activation of ''Foresight''. This unease stemmed from herself.


    Philly felt an unspeakable sense of dread not because of her ''foresight'' being triggered. The source of this unease was within herself.


    "After Aten was born in the Imperial Pce, everyone praised her as the true daughter of the Emperor."


    The reason was that Elysia''s current predicament reminded her too much of herself when navigating the sharp edges of politics.


    "Why me? This is actually an opportunity."


    "¡­Elysia."


    "Just as mother thought, the chimera was an experimental creature created for Rafflesia. The monsters heading to Constel are all parts of the chimera."


    Elysia''s voice, on the contrary, became calm. It was gentle enough to be considered soothing.


    "But you know, while creating the chimera underground, it grew muchrger than I expected. So, I never even thought about bringing it out, but now that things have turned out this way, it''s actually good. If there''s no one to see, there''s no way to prove what I''ve done."


    Upon hearing Elysia''s words, Philly just kept her mouth shut. Elysia cocked her head at that.


    "What''s wrong, mom? Did you think I couldn''t kill you?"


    "Elysia. What is your purpose?"


    "You know what it is. I want the ''promised position.''"


    The promised position.


    In other words, power within the Imperial Pce.


    Philly knew. She had realized Elysia''s intentions towards Aten and Rodric from the start.


    "There was no need for this; you could have just waited a bit longer to ascend the throne."


    "Are you joking right now?"


    Elysia asked as if she was serious.


    "You know it, Mother. Like this, I''ll just end up rotting in the Imperial Pce. If we''re talking about the direct line of session, there''s Aten who''s monopolizing both talent and looks, and when ites to appealing to the position of eldest daughter, Prince Roderick Terst has been steadily building up his power. How am I supposed to seed to the throne?"


    Philly felt it. This time, it was ''prophecy'' activating. Elysia''s recent remarks were some kind of signal.


    After Aten was born in the Imperial Pce, everyone highly praised her as the Emperor''s real daughter.


    Her appearance was pure white and fragilely beautiful, and she had considerable talent as a wizard. Her disposition was calm and humble, and she had integrity that was not swayed by her position or power.


    However, if that was all there was to it, Elysia''s position would not have been in danger. No matter how excellent Aten was, the others did not question First Princess Elysia bing the Crown Princess. Above all, Aten herself did not want to be the Crown Princess.


    However, as Roderick Terst''s influence in the Imperial Pce grew, the politicalndscape of the pce started to flow strangely.


    Though not as much as Aten, Roderick, who excelled in ability and character, had outstanding talent. Furthermore, since he was a man, he was a safe choice to seed the Emperor.


    Furthermore, as Emperor Terst disyed strange behavior of not designating a sessor to the throne, the Imperial Pce was divided into two factions.


    The faction that supported Aten and the faction that supported Roderick. There was no ce for Elysia in either one.


    "Mother said so. That I would seed to the throne. Since I was young, you told me so incessantly that I could hear your voice in my dreams even when I was asleep. That I would be the Empress, who would rule this Empire!"


    Elysia said as if she was reminiscing about the past. There was a smile on her lips and her eyes sparkled. Just like a young child holding onto a shining dream.


    Philly didn''t let it show on her face, but she felt her mixed emotions pouring out.


    "That''s why, Mother. I will be the Empress. No matter what it takes, I''ll do whatever it takes."


    Philly felt it. This time, it was the activation of "foresight." Elysia''s recent words were a signal of some sort.


    Philly''s eyes moved swiftly. Behind Elysia. From afar, she could feel the presence of the chimera.


    Elysia is Philly''s daughter. Elysia talks as though shecks talent, but Philly knows. She knows that Elysia is the one who most resembles her own character.


    A calcting nature, a brain that makes such calction possible, the knack for reading people''s affections¡ªall of these things reflect Philly''s past as if in a mirror.


    And so, she knew. She knew what Elysia was about to do.


    "Cookie."


    Elysia called someone. A truly cute name, but there was no mistaking it was meant for the chimera.


    "Bite, mom."


    Like a whispering wind that couldn''t even leak out.


    Philly knew. She knew the chimera''s massive presence suddenly turning towards her.


    Grrrrk, a sound like scraping iron faintly reached her ears.


    Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-!!!


    The heavy sound of the ground being pounded burst forth, and from afar, the chimera revealed itself.


    Even as it charged, its eyes on both sides moved independently. Then, at some moment, its pupils quivered and focused. On Philly.


    <i>Ice Magic Form 1</i>


    <i>Rapid Fire</i>


    <i>Ice Spike</i>


    Philly quickly cast a spell.


    A giant block of ice obstructed the chimera''s path.


    But the chimera''s charge did not stop, and the ice quickly cracked. There wasn''t enough time for a proper spell to manifest.


    <i>Ice Magic Form 1</i>


    <i>Rapid Fire</i>


    <i>Frost Arrow</i>


    Rushing to cast the next spell, the ice arrow flew towards the recently created ice mass, sticking to the cracked part.


    Philly knew. She knew that there wasn''t enough time to set up her magic. That the ice would shatter in seconds. She knew she couldn''t stop the chimera on her own.


    Her gaze shifted slightly away from the chimera. She couldn''t stop it alone. That''s why she had bought some time.


    The moment the chimera broke through the ice, Frondier had already reached in front of it.


    "How foolish."


    Elysia, upon seeing this, smiled. She had worried that the man might run away while the chimera attacked Philly.


    But now, it was evident her ''cookie'' could take them both out at once.


    However, Elysia was a bit annoyed by the numerous wounds on the front side of the chimera.


    Responding to Elysia''s feelings, the chimera didn''t intend to stop. After breaking the ice, it sped up even more towards Frondier.


    "¡­You."


    Frondier''s mouth opened. He stood foolishly in the path of the charging chimera. His lethargic demeanor didn''t fade even in this critical moment.


    "You must have really forgotten."


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    In his hands, Frondier held a great sword, its origin unknown.


    The chimera''s eyes widened. Its feet halted. It seemed to want to stop, but the momentum of its charge was too great.


    From the left side of the chimera''s charging path, Frondier,


    Like swinging a baseball bat, struck the chimera that had reached him.


    That was all.

 Chapter 60 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>17/21 Bonus chapter thanks to @Eeeeerrr fromKo-fi</i>


    Whoosh¡ªthe chimera passed by Frondier and reached Philly. It stopped right before her.


    ¡ªThe chimera¡¯s feet had stopped moving before its body. It just slid all the way to Philly with the momentum it had built up.


    ¡°¡­Lies,¡±


    Philly shared the same sentiment as Elysia, who muttered beside her.


    Philly looked at the chimera¡¯s left side. Its wound was gruesomely long. Its torso was split open as much as Frondier had shed it.


    That obvious fact was terrifying.


    ¡°Well then,¡±Frondier said in a parched voice. Elysia swallowed hard. Her eyes were filled with fear as she looked at Frondier.


    ¡°Miss Elysia.¡±


    The same haughty way of speaking, yet Elysia had no intention of pointing it out. She took a step back.


    Frondier¡¯s normallyzy face looked different now.


    ¡°Did you finish talking to your mother?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­ no, well¡­¡±


    Elysia stuttered. Her lips moved involuntarily.


    Her mind was spinning, yet she couldn¡¯t form any coherent words.


    It was only natural, considering that Frondier was the one who had brought her here. Empty excuses wouldn¡¯t work.


    She had failed to convince Philly in the first ce. There was no way this man would fall for her lies.


    "Philly, what will happen to Miss Elysia?"


    ¡°¡­Execution.¡±


    Philly said tly.


    All her other sins could be forgiven, but she had tried to kill the empress. There was no other choice.


    ¡°She won¡¯t diefortably. She¡¯ll suffer terribly, to the point where she¡¯ll wish she was dead.¡±


    Elysia trembled. Frondier nced at her.


    ¡°Then, how about showing her yourst mercy as a mother?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    When Philly asked again, Frondier spread his hands, and ck droplets gathered in them. When he clenched his hand, the droplets formed into a dagger.


    Philly and Elysia dumbly watched this bizarre phenomenon that seemed impossible even by magic.


    Frondier handed the dagger to Philly.


    "Use this. Be careful with the de."


    "What is this?"


    "It''s a daggerced with deadly poison. Even a slight scratch will certainly lead to death."


    Philly swallowed hard as she took the dagger.


    So, this is the mercy Frondier spoke of.


    To send his daughter off without pain.


    Kill her with your own hands. Stab her with this dagger.


    "I told you, didn''t I? That I wouldn''t tell Philly the true culprit. I said Philly would find out on her own."


    "¡­You did."


    "It''s the same this time. What to do with Elysia, that''s up to you, Philly."


    Philly stood with the dagger in hand for a moment.


    Her expression was vacant, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. This unsettled Elysia.


    "¡­Mom."


    At Elysia''s strained voice, Philly looked at her.


    "Elysia, you know, don''t you?"


    "¡­"


    "Right now, the empire is hell for you."


    Elysia hung her head.


    That was true.


    Elysia had undeniable evidence against her, and there were two eyewitnesses. One of them was the high-ranking Empress Philly, her own mother.


    A life worse than death. That''s all that was left for her in the empire.


    The ambition to stand above the empire and look down upon its citizens had now vanished into nothingness.


    "¡­Just tell me one thing, mom."


    With those softly spoken words, Elysia looked a bit younger. No, she looked her actual age.


    "Did you love Aten more than me?"


    "¡­"


    "Is that why you put Aten at the forefront, to preserve our family''s image through Aten?"


    Upon hearing Elysia''s words, Philly closed her eyes.


    Philly reminisced. Just as Elysia said, she had conducted most of her public activities alongside Aten.


    She couldn''t forget the words of a young Aten at that time.


    -I hate it, Mom.


    -Being used as a poster child.


    -What do you think of me? Do you think of me as your daughter?


    -If you don''t love me, then I...


    ...Politics, after all, is about dealing with people.


    Philly was someone who had dived into that political world from a young age and survived.


    Everyone thought it was natural to be able to do so. She thought her daughters could do it too.


    But what Philly did to her daughters, one envied, and the other thought of as being treated as a tool.


    Putting Aten at the forefront was because she believed it was the right decision.


    Because Aten was considered the best in terms of appearance, abilities, and character.


    However, as much as that, it was Elysia who was meant to seed the throne.


    Just as there was no hesitation in using Aten''s image.


    There was no hesitation in entrusting the empire to Elysia.


    "Elysia. I''ve always told you."


    Philly said. She smiled wistfully. It was a different face from when she dealt with others.


    Philly was always like that in front of her daughters. Trying to show a different side from politics, trying to show an honest side.


    She thought that alone would convey her true feelings.


    "I love all of you differently."


    Elysia blinked at those words.


    Every time she closed and opened her eyes, tears shimmered in them.


    Soon as the tears flowed, Elysia tightly closed her eyes. Tears seeped through, rolling down her cheeks. Elysia trembled, sometimes heaving as she lifted her face.


    ...Elysia had made up her mind.


    Philly slowly raised her dagger-wielding hand. Even Frondier saw her trembling hand. She couldn¡¯t fathom the idea of killing her own daughter.


    But if this would allow Elysia to die less painfully, then Philly would be doing the right thing.


    ¡­There was a way for Elysia to not die.


    If they hid everything that happened in this tower, then Elysia wouldn¡¯t die.


    She wouldn¡¯t die since she was the First Imperial Princess, even if she didmit multiple felonies.


    Of course, this was assuming that Constel responded appropriately to the monster invasion.


    Philly knew this, and so did Elysia.


    But Elysia didn¡¯t say anything about it.


    She didn¡¯t try to run away.


    She chose to die of her own volition.


    She decided to repent for her sins.


    Philly ced the tip of the dagger¡¯s de on Elysia¡¯s corbone. And with a stab, she pierced her. The tip of the de barely pierced Elysia¡¯s skin, and a bead of blood seeped from the tip.


    ¡­After that, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to apply any more force.


    ¡°¡­What is this, Mother?¡±


    Elysia opened her eyes slightly and smiled after confirming that she¡¯d been stabbed.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t hurt at all.¡±


    And so with those curt words that were hardly ast will, Elysia copsed.

 Chapter 60 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Philly looked at her from a distance.


    A dagger with poison potent enough to kill someone with just a slight graze.


    A person¡¯s life was so frail.


    "Ha, haa¡­! Hah¡­!"


    Philly¡¯s breath quickened. She blinked repeatedly. None of the masks she¡¯d worn to conceal her true self fit properly.


    She killed Elysia, with her own hands, and by her own choice.


    ¡°Ah, aah¡­!¡±


    She hadn¡¯t harmed anyone else in her life, but her own daughter was apletely different matter. Only after killing her did it truly sink in.¡°Ely, sia¡­!¡±


    Philly touched the fallen Elysia with trembling hands, pulling her into an embrace.


    The wound had barely bled a drop of blood. And yet,


    As if swallowing the tears Elysia had shed just moments before, now it was Philly who wept.


    "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry, my daughter. Elysia, I''m sorry...!"


    Philly had always done whatever it took for her daughters.


    But if the end result was her daughter''s death, then what was it all for?


    Killing her made everything real. This wasn''t what she wanted.


    Philly simply couldn''t ept this reality¡ª


    "Do you regret it?"


    A dry voice came then.


    Philly looked at Frondier. He was the same as ever. Languid voice,nguid face. That made her blood boil.


    How could this man remain so calm in this situation? How could he act like it wasn''t his problem?


    "...Of course, I regret it! She''s my daughter!"


    "Then,"


    Frondier, ignoring Philly''s outcry,


    "Let''s go to the hospital. To administer the antidote."


    He blurted out something ridiculous.


    "...Ah, what? Yes?"


    Philly started to say something in response, driven by her momentum, but then stopped. She couldn''t quite grasp what Frondier was saying. Her tears receded.


    "What do you mean, what are you talking about?"


    "If you''re regretting, shouldn''t you be saving Elysia?"


    Philly looked at Frondier as if he was an oddity. She nced at Elysia in her arms, then back at Frondier.


    Struggling to understand, Philly asked,


    "Wait, isn''t it a deadly poison that guarantees death with even a slight touch?"


    Yes. That''s why she had stabbed Elysia with that dagger. With the resolve to kill.


    Frondier nodded calmly. His demeanor was truly detestable.


    "Yes. It''s a paralysis poison. If you don''t get treated in 24 hours, you''ll definitely die."


    Paralysis?


    24 hours?


    So the Elysia over there who copsed, is she just paralyzed?


    Huh. Philly let out a hollow sigh. That was the most she could react. She didn''t know whether tough or get mad, so she just decided to let it go.


    Still, she wanted to say something, so she red at Frondier.


    "By any chance, do you know the meaning of the phrase, ''Imperial Disgrace?"


    "I''m afraid not. Seems like it''s too difficult of a word for me."


    Huh, right.


    That was all she could say for the brazen Frondier.


    * * *


    ¡®Slevb''s Creepy Dagger.''


    The dagger I gave to Philly.


    It was the weapon that made me shiver in the dungeon. A weapon where if you get injured by its de, you''ll ''definitely'' die, but it doesn''t mean you die ''right away.''


    There are times when this kind of deferred fatality can be meaningful. Like right now.


    It was very important for me to see what choice Philly would make.


    To be precise, I wanted her to personally experience what it was like to kill her own daughter.


    Philly was a character who was infinitely close to gray.


    From a yer''s perspective, it felt like Aten was an aggregate of Philly''s white side, and Elysia was an aggregate of her ck side.


    That meant that if Philly put her mind to it, she could be another Elysia. Someone who''s more powerful than her and even more ruthless. And those hands of hers could even reach Aten if she''s not careful.


    So, no matter when it happens, even if it never does.


    She needed to have a mental safeguard in ce.


    In the game ''Etius,'' it was rare for Philly to kill Aten, but it definitely happened.


    However, Philly always regretted it after the fact. To the point where she would weep and cry.


    But the current Philly knows what it means. She vividly realized what it meant to kill her own daughter. Even if Philly''s heart changes, she won''t be able to cause harm to Aten.


    Anyway.


    The Chimera has been taken down, and Elysia has fainted.


    Now, the rune ''Rafflesia''id out in Constel will lose its effect as well.


    Just then, with a vibration, the phone in my pocket rang.


    As expected, it was Malia when I checked.


    I brought the phone to my ear.


    [Frondier, Frondier!]


    Malia''s voice. She had shared my senses through "sensory sharing."


    Meaning, she saw everything that had happened here through my eyes.


    She must have confirmed that things have settled down on this side.


    "Yes, Mother. How are things there? Have the monsters retreated?"


    I asked, concerned by Malia''s urgent tone.


    At first, I thought she might be calling to congratte me, but the atmosphere didn''t seem right.


    Even amidst this, Philly''s murmurs of ''Huh, damn it, huh, wow, seriously'' could be heard.


    [Yes, it seems like the rune is gone. But that''s the problem!]


    ...What?


    As I furrowed my brow in confusion, Malia added another piece.


    [The monsters, freed from the magic, are fleeing from Constel! But, the direction they''re fleeing towards has a vige,]


    "¡­!"


    Frozen by the unexpected news, I was stunned.


    I hadn''t considered it. I was only thinking about stopping them. I hadn''t thought about what would happen after.


    I was incredibly foolish.


    [Elodie and the other magicians are trying to eliminate them as much as possible, but the scale is just too¡­, the others can''t catch up!]


    Malia was earnestly exining the situation, and although Iprehended her words clearly.


    My body remained stiff, unable to muster any intention to move.

 Chapter 61 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Malia is a smart woman.


    This ce is in apletely different direction from where the monsters are fleeing, meaning I''m much further away from the students and teachers of Constel.


    Therefore, it''s realistically impossible for me to stop those monsters. She must know that.


    In other words, despite knowing this, the fact that she''s still informing me means there are no other alternatives.


    [Frondier, it''s thanks to you that the monsters are fleeing. But still,]


    ¡°It''s not over yet.¡±


    I thought quickly. There was no time. Right now, the students and teachers are chasing and repelling the monsters, but from what Malia has said, it seems like the scale of the monsters is considerable.


    Soon, they will scatter and some will escape. If even a few invade the vige, the ensuing tragedy is certain.


    At most, I have a few seconds until that moment. I need to find a solution within that time.My thoughts elerated. I recalled all the abilities I''ve gained so far.


    Among everything I have, something, anything.


    ...Anything.


    I bit my lip.


    The word "impossible" kept crossing my mind more than any method or means.


    How could I, who am much further away than the students of Constel who couldn''t stop them, do anything?


    No, I can do it. I don''t know how, but find it. Find a way. Somehow. I''ve always managed until now. I''m used to unexpected incidents happening.


    Somehow...


    [I''m sorry.]


    I heard Malia''s voice.


    Why is Malia apologizing?


    [You defeating the Chimera, I saw it myself. I hate to start with such news.]


    It''s not something Malia should apologize for. She did her part.


    Malia was monitoring both here and Constel through sensory sharing.


    She must have been encouraging the students and continually instilling hope in them. Considering the progress here with me catching the Chimera, she would have managed the students'' physical and mental strengths.


    She fulfilled her role well.


    It''s something only I must do.


    I must, somehow.


    ¡°You are truly, very lonely.¡±


    A voice suddenly flew in.


    I flinched and turned toward the voice in surprise. It was Philly.


    Philly spoke with a calm and orderly demeanor.


    "Ever since we first met, you''ve seemed to know everything."


    "...Ms. Philly."


    "You always fight alone. The human sloth, Frondier."


    Philly called me by that nickname.


    It wasn''t meant to mock me. She had seen right through my weakness associated with that nickname.


    "...Ah."


    I lifted my head.


    I always thought, assumed, and acted alone. But this time, I couldn''t do it by myself.


    However, with the current Malia.


    "Mom, can you still see the monsters fleeing?"


    [Hmm? Yes. I''m on the rooftop of the Constel''s main building.]


    I can''t chase them, but they are still in sight.


    Then.


    "...Is it possible to share your senses the other way around?"


    [You mean, you want me to show you the view I''m seeing?]


    "Yes."


    [It''s not impossible, but even if you see it, what can you,]


    As soon as I heard that, I ran towards the Tower of Elysia.


    Philly''s voice trailed behind me, sounding surprised.


    I entered the tower, climbed the stairs, and stood on the rooftop.


    "Show me now. The view Mom is seeing."


    [...Okay.]


    Malia didn''t ask further. Perhaps because time was urgent, and she trusted me.


    Soon, a new view filled my sight. It was a rather strange sensation.


    My left and right eyes were seeing different views. It seemed Malia had applied her sense sharing to my left eye.


    Just as Malia said, I could see the fleeing monsters. And the students chasing after them too.


    At the front, was it Aster as expected? His figure on horseback stood out.


    "Okay. Then I''ll hang up now."


    [You have a n, right?]


    "If things go as I think."


    [...Okay.]


    I put away my phone.


    There wasn''t much time left. Soon, the monsters would move out of Malia''s sight as well.


    I invoked the ck Lotus.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokiera</i>


    I wove Artemis''s bow and arrow and pulled it taut.


    The target was the massive swarm of beasts visible from Malia''s perspective.


    The distance from which I was shooting with the bow was shamelessly far.


    But divine weapons make such shameless acts possible.


    - Sure Hit: Ensures the user hits the target they aim for.


    Trusting in that shamelessness,


    If anyone else saw, they might think it a foolish act of aiming at nothing,


    I released the bowstring.

 Chapter 61 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When the beasts'' movements changed, and they began to flee,


    The quickest to act was Aster. He dashed somewhere, then appeared riding a white horse. He then pursued the fleeing beasts.


    Aster was riding ''Cassian'', a famous horse he had handled in the ''Equestrian'' club.


    Of course, Cassian belonged to Constel, so Aster''s actions were a clear vition of the rules, but no one cared about that at the moment.


    People were purely wondering why Aster was chasing the beasts.


    Then, a thunderous voice struck down.


    "©¤©¤They''re heading for the vige!!"


    It was none other than Aster''s voice. It boomed so loudly that the vibration of the sound lightly tapped the ground. It was the manifestation of aura.


    Hearing Aster''s voice, the students snapped to attention. Those armed followed behind Aster, and the magicians began their chants again."Haah-!!"


    Instantly reaching close quarters, Aster mercilessly shed at the back of a beast. Lightning and fireballs unfolded in front of him by magic.


    Cassian, true to being a famous horse, dodged without needing detailed control and continued moving forward without even making themon horse noises.


    Aster swung his sword frantically. The fatigue from defending against the attack and his depleted stamina were secondary.


    His arm moved before the screams of his muscles. From the beasts'' perspective, he was nothing but a ghost, so they sped up their escape even more. Not a single one tried to counterattack.


    But even if Aster''s stamina were infinite, and even if he ughtered the beasts like a madman.


    The number of monsters was simply toorge. Right now, while the horde was bunched together, Aster¡¯s sword could reach them and the magic bullets and fireballs shot from a distance were effective.


    But they would soon scatter. If that happened, it would be impossible to strike them all down. No matter how strong Aster was, he couldn¡¯t fight against two or three times the number of enemies.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­!¡±


    Every time he swung, a monster¡¯s torso would fly off, and its neck would be severed. But with this swing, Aster¡¯s sword cut through empty air.


    Aster looked ahead. The monsters were starting to spread out. The moment he noticed that, the exhaustion he had forgotten about came flooding back.


    If some of the scattered monsters charged toward the vige like this, or not only that, if they dispersed and then regrouped to charge toward the vige¡­


    Monsters were fundamentally hostile to humans. That¡¯s why they were called monsters. There was no way they would just ignore the smell of blood in the vige.


    ¡®I need to head toward the vige at full speed. In a straight line.¡¯


    Aster steeled his resolve. It was a truly painful decision, one that made him want to gnaw on his own heart.


    ¡­The decision to face the deaths of ordinary civilians.


    The despair Aster felt gradually spread to the warriors chasing after him and the mages in the rear.


    The mages who could see the situation from a distance realized it first.


    This was a tragedy that hadn¡¯t happened yet, but it was clearly approaching¡­


    Elodie lowered her hand, which had been raised on the rooftop. Next to her, Lunia, who had been chanting magic spells, looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t give up yet! We have to kill even one more!¡±


    Elodie didn¡¯t answer her. But her expression was odd. She didn¡¯t seem to be despairing or giving up.


    Elodie simply had her gaze fixed on the sky, looking as if she had seen something very strange.


    ¡°What are you even looking at right n¡ª¡±


    Lunia naturally followed her gaze. And then her words cut off. Her expression changed to something simr to Elodie¡¯s.


    And one by one, the gazes that had seen it increased.


    Starting with Elodie and Lunia, the gaze of the magicians, including Aten, turned skyward.


    The teachers, who were checking on the students'' conditions and safety, also had their gaze stolen by it. And the archers who had stepped a little further forward also stopped their bowstrings.


    So incongruously, a sudden silence came over Constel.


    ©¤At first, it looked like aet.


    A long, endlessly connecting streak of light split the sky. But upon closer inspection, it was drawing a very faint parab.


    And when it reached above the head of the monsters, it burst like a firework.


    And the burst of light became rain, no, spears piercing through the ground.


    It poured down on the monsters.


    "¡­¡­!"


    It was then that Aster realized. He quickly pulled the reins and stopped Cassian.


    The monsters around him fell with a ghastly sound, pierced through.


    Head, nape, chest, there wasn''t a single ce that wasn''t a vital spot.


    It seemed to have been poured indiscriminately, but all of it was precisely targeting the monsters.


    As a meticulous proof.


    ¡®¡­¡­It''s not reaching me.¡¯


    Not even grazing Aster.


    Aster, who had been at the forefront, cutting down monsters more than anyone, was in the midst of the pack.


    Aster nced at the fallen monsters all at once. The identity of the streak of light was arrows.


    The monsters that weren''t hit by arrows continued to flee. There were no missed arrows, just a simpleck of quantity.


    Then once again, Fireworks burst.


    As many arrows poured down, the number of monsters precisely decreased.


    And once again, and once again, and yet again.


    Targeting no humans at all, not a single monster was missed by those streaks of light.


    ©¤©¤Numerous arrows formed a of fire, enveloping, with each arrow unfailingly targeting the vital spots.


    The fact conveyed by this single line of text is absurdly chilling.


    All sound was withdrawn at once.


    The intense breathing and screams of the monsters, the sound of metal weapons shing, and the thudding of running on the ground all seemed like a dream now.


    Creak, screech©¤


    Grrr.


    Every monster had fallen, but amidst that, there were a few survivors.


    Even a hit to a vital spot could leave one alive for a few seconds if lucky.


    Of course, escape was impossible, so it was up to Aster and the other students to deal with them from then on.


    As if to say there was no need for that, once again.


    The sound of bursting echoed through the ground. The streak of light from moments ago poured out in front of Aster''s eyes once more.


    This time, it was aplete ''cleanup.''


    It felt like forcing the reality back into the students'' eyes, so they couldn''t dismiss it as just a dream.


    ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡±


    Aster breathed slowly, though still raggedly.


    He sheathed his sword and slowly epted the overwhelming sense of fatigue.


    It seemed like it was okay to do so now.


    Aster inadvertently looked behind him. All the students following him wore simr expressions.


    It wasn''t just them.


    The magicians in Constel, the teachers.


    It was a clean and clear victory, yet no one made a sound.


    There were no cheers, no shouts.


    ¡°What the, exactly¡­?¡±


    Someone voiced their feelings as they were.


    Everyone deeply rted.


    Thud.


    Malia sat down.


    She knew, or rather, guessed who was responsible for this scene.


    The reason for her uncertain expression was because she found it hard to believe herself.


    ¡®Did Frondier do this¡­?¡¯


    Frondier is her son.


    Moreover, with her trait of sharing senses.


    She thought she knew everything she saw and heard.


    Yet, regarding Frondier, who should be the closest to her, she realized she knew nothing.


    * * *


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    I clenched my teeth and endured.


    My legs gave way, and my waist buckled. Still, I didn''t fall. My hands, ced on my knees, trembled uncontrobly.


    I shouldn''t have fired thatst arrow!


    My head spun from mana depletion.


    Here, since arrows arriveter, it''s hard to tell how many monsters are left.


    So, I overdid it a bit.


    Forcing myself up, I staggered down the tower''s stairs.


    I refuse to faint this time, out of sheer stubbornness.


    Fainting after every fight and ending up in the hospital, that''s just pathetic and troublesome.


    When I reached the first floor, the door creaked open.


    Philly was standing at the entrance, looking at me as if she couldn''t believe her eyes.


    "Did you forget what I just said? Whye down here instead of resting?"


    "This is, like, a matter of male pride."


    At my words, Philly sighed dramatically and strode towards me, lifting my arm to drape it over her shoulder.


    "Being supported by the Empress is a once-in-a-lifetime honor, you know."


    "Truly, an experience no one else will have."


    "Let''s just say you''ve earned it."


    Philly praised me with a sentimental tone.


    Rxed, I found myself smiling a bit.


    The sun was already high in the sky, though we had left in the morning. The sky was too clear for a battle to have taken ce.


    "¡­Philly."


    "What. You can skip the thanks. Regardless of rank, when you think about it, you''re much more,"


    "Being this close, you seem even smaller."


    "Do you want me to teach you what crime it is to insult the Empress?"


    Philly said this with a smile.


    It was her usual smile.


    Very, very frightening.

 Chapter 62 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>18/22 Bonus chapter thanks to a Ko-fi supporter</i>


    Elysia opened her eyes. It was a fierce awakening, as if she had taken a deep breath.


    "Where is this...?"


    Looking around, she found herself in a hospital room.


    What happened? Wasn''t I dead? Or is this what the afterlife looks like?


    Just as she was pondering these questions, the door creaked open.


    "You''re awake."


    The one who entered was her sister, Sale.Sale seemed to have heard the whole story, her expression calm.


    Elysia asked,


    "How am I still alive?"


    "Well, that''s not something you should be asking me, is it?"


    That made sense.


    Elysia felt oddly that Sale was being cold to her.


    Sale was changing the water in the vase next to Elysia''s bed and asked,


    "How do you feel?"


    "...Fine. Unbelievably so."


    "That''s good. It should be."


    After changing the water, Sale''s hands paused momentarily with the vase in grasp.


    "Today is yourst day as a princess."


    "..."


    So that was it.


    That''s why Sale was being so cold.


    "Why did you do it?"


    "..."


    A direct question. Elysia had nothing to say and closed her mouth.


    Sale spoke with a deeper intensity in his eyes.


    "Sister. Do you know who will inherit the throne now?"


    "Who is it?"


    "Me."


    "..."


    "Silly sister. Why go through all this? If you wanted to be the Empress, you just had to wait. Why bother with this?"


    Like Elysia, Sale was an ordinary person. In terms of political capability, she was considered inferior to Elysia.


    Giving up the throne to Sale meant that Elysia''s position as heir was predetermined. Sale pointed this out to her.


    "Even so, I would have done this."


    "Why?"


    "Because I can''t trust father."


    Emperor, Bartello Terst.


    Elysia was convinced that Sale was the rightful sessor to the throne. Because she had failed.


    To instill regret in Elysia and dispel the people''s suspicions, Sale, not Aten or Roderick, is ced on the throne.


    Because Bartello was indeed the person to do so.


    Bartello never intended to give the throne to Elysia. To Elysia, that was the truth.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Sale said.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t distrust father. You distrusted yourself.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Maybe.


    And maybe that¡¯s why she had lived a life full of doubts.


    -Elysia. Among my children, you are the most like me. Your mother worries about that.


    Words once spoken by Philly. Now, they made sense.


    Elysia inherited Philly''s analytical skills, political acumen, and the trait of ¡®doubt¡¯. And though it¡¯s somewhat self-deprecating to say, she also inherited some of the worse traits.


    On the other hand, Aten inherited Philly¡¯s magical talent, the power of her lineage, and her goodness.


    Two daughters of the grey Philly. ck and white.


    In that sense.


    ¡°...Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, Sale, it was right for you to be the Empress.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You can handle both.¡±


    Confused by the iprehensible words, Sale frowned.


    "......Anyway, are you okay, sister? If things go on like this, you''ll end up as amoner after prison life. You might have to live under people''s finger-pointing for the rest of your life."


    "I''m not okay, but that''s my fate. I was supposed to die anyway.¡±


    Supposed to die.


    ...Come to think of it, how am I still alive?


    The dagger given to Philly by Frondier was said to be poisoned.


    After being slightly pricked, I lost all sensation and passed out.


    ¡°So, who is it in the end?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    "The one who messed up your n. I saw the scene of the incident. There are only a few who could inflict such wounds on a Chimera."


    "¡­Didn''t mom tell you?"


    At Elysia''s question, Sale shook his head.


    I see. So, hiding the existence of the Frondier was the n.


    That was Philly''s strategy. Elysia waspletely outyed by that strategy. She also failed in this n because she didn''t know about the power of the Frondier.


    The Frondier who slew the Chimera in a single stroke. Of course, the Chimera was already wounded from the previous fight, but he was winning the fight on his own from the beginning.


    A Chimera is a conglomeration of all sorts of magical beasts, so while its physical abilities are superior, its intelligence is extremely low. It''s a far cry from any noble lineage because itcks any foundation of its own species.


    However, its skin is definitely that of a dragon, so normal attacks wouldn¡¯t even leave a scratch. Yet, almost the entire left side of the Chimera was sliced off.


    ¡®¡­Such a person is a first-year at Constel¡­¡¯


    What kind of monster are they raising, does Constel know?

 Chapter 62 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    [Main Quest ¡®Raid¡¯pleted.]


    - No named character losses.


    Finally, the main quest waspleted.


    I checked my smartwatch in my room and clenched my fists in excitement.


    It might seem strange to others, but having no named character losses was worth celebrating.


    As a yer, that is, as Aster, it was something I had failed to achieve several times before.


    Moreover, the casualty rate among civilians this time was lower than in any of my previous ys, so it was natural for me to be this happy.


    [Check Quest Reward]


    [The quest reward varies depending on the number of named characters lost.][Number of lost characters, 0.]


    [Top grade reward confirmed. The reward is adjusted to your current character¡¯s level and provided ordingly.]


    Even while ying as Aster, the game Etius allows Aster to grow in various directions.


    yers experience unexpected events activating, and even if they know how to handle them, the responses are never exactly the same. Add to this the yers'' individual preferences, and even the same character, Aster, grows to possess entirely different strengths.


    Therefore, rewards are always given that suit the character.


    "So, what''s the highest-grade reward that suits me right now?"


    Not just any reward, but the highest-grade reward from Frondier.


    I''ve grown stronger, and I have a unique-grade skill called Weaving, so they shouldn''t give me anything strange.


    [Skill, ''Analysis'' Acquired]


    [Analysis]


    ?Rank: Unique


    ?Description: Analyzes the target. Once the analysis isplete, all information about the target can be confirmed, and if necessary, mastered.


    "¡­¡­Huh?"


    I gained a skill.


    Reading the details, the skill''s name said it all.


    ¡­What do I use analysis for?


    I was scratching my head. I had hoped for a skill that would be useful inbat or a spell effective against monsters.


    Since ''Weaving,'' why is it that everything I get from Frondier is like this?


    "¡­No. It''s because of that Weaving that I''m still holding on."


    What I thought was a useless skill, Weaving, has be an indispensable core skill for me now.


    This ''Analysis'' must hold value as well. If used well. If I think hard enough.


    ¡­Analysis, huh.


    "Should I analyze Weaving?"


    A thought spoken out loud without much thought. But once I said it, it didn''t seem like a bad idea. I was always curious about the identity of Weaving. I hadn''t found much in the library either.


    Whether it would work or not, I wouldn''t know until I tried.


    <i>Analysis</i>


    <i>Target, skill ''Weaving''</i>


    <i>Analysis start</i>


    So, I tried using the analysis skill on Weaving as a test, but nothing seemed to change.


    Just as I thought it wasn''t working, an idea struck me, and I checked my smartwatch.


    [Analyzing skill ''Weaving''. ¡­¡­1%plete.]


    ¡°¡­¡­It looks like it''ll take a while.


    At this rate, it seems like it''ll be a few more days before it''splete.


    * * *


    Then it was time once again to head to Constel Academy.


    I was prepared.


    The day I fought Elysia and Chimera, I had not gone to Constel in the morning.


    That meant that some people, including the teachers, would know that I was not there at the time of the invasion.


    It would probably be assumed that I, as a frail human, had run away out of fear or that I had somehow known about the monster invasion or that I was in cahoots with them.


    I would have to endure these logical yet spiteful misunderstandings.


    My mind was prepared as I steeled myself and opened the ssroom door.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I definitely felt everyone''s eyes focused on me. It''sing¡ªthe torrent of cutting jeers directed at me.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    But the jeers never came.


    The gazes directed at me were different from what I had expected. They were gazes of caution, suspicion, or perhaps even a little fear.


    What? This is not what I had in mind.


    "Frondier."


    Aten happened to approach me then. She whispered in an uncharacteristically hushed voice.


    "Over here."


    "Ah, sure."


    I sat in my usual seat, and Aten sat down next to me. Her voice reached my ears with a distinctive tone.


    It felt like a magical current. It seemed she had taken some measures to ensure that only I could hear her.


    "About the invasion. Frondier, you weren''t there."


    "Yeah."


    Aten knew too, as expected. Then the others must know as well.


    But why are they making those kinds of expressions?


    "That''s why people think that, well, Frondier did it."


    "Did what?"


    "Th-the ''Fireworks.''"


    "Fireworks?"


    "The story is that Fireworks exploded over the fleeing monsters, and the monsters underneath were all killed."


    ¡­Khryskatos. And also Iokheira.


    "Why do they think I did that?"


    My older brother, Azier.


    That''s strange. I am undoubtedly the proud human sloth Frondier.


    How could I have done such a great thing?


    ¡°Well, you weren¡¯t seen when we were fighting off the monsters, and also because of your training room record.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Your 3.14-second record for ¡®target practice¡¯ in the private training room. The rumor is that it must¡¯ve been due to firecrackers.¡±


    ¡­ That¡¯s good reasoning. And it¡¯s true.


    Constel students are too smart for their own good.


    That¡¯s why the clever ones¡­


    Right then, the ss bell rang. Our next ss was Basic Combat Skills. I had to go to the gym.


    ¡°I¡¯m going ahead. Pay Atention in ss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Aten is a magician, and I¡¯m a warrior.


    Because of that, even though we were in the same grade, we often had different sses depending on the lecture.


    After parting ways with Aten, I thought about it while walking.


    What should I do? I need something to distract the students.


    It can¡¯t be good for my story to keeping up among the Constel students.


    I am Frondier, the human sloth. Maintaining this position forever...


    Even after I got to the gym, I kept worrying about it. But I didn¡¯te up with any answers.


    In the meantime, someone came in.


    As soon as that happened, my worries became meaningless. The students who had been sneaking nces at me in the gym had their gazes fixed on the man who hade in as if they were glued to him.


    ©¤©¤ I had briefly forgotten what the first ss was. No, I had forgotten what that ss meant from now on.


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    The man standing at the podium gave a very short greeting. He was a man to whom brevity suited him well.


    ¡°Due to extenuating circumstances, Teacher Alex won¡¯t be at Constel from now on.¡±


    That¡¯s right.


    Now that Alex, Elysia¡¯s aplice, had been expelled from Constel.


    The Basic Combat Skills ss was vacant.


    And the man who had filled that vacancy was none other than.


    ¡°My name is Azier de Roach, and I¡¯ll be your temporary teacher.¡±


    It was my brother, Azier.

 Chapter 63 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>19/23 Bonus chapter thanks to @SurvivingBarbarianonKo-fi!</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­Hell yeah¡­¡­.¡±


    Someone shouted.


    A mixture of tension and excitement showed in the eyes of the students. All the attention they had for me hadpletely disappeared.


    Azier is the object of envy for everyone in the Constel.


    The fact that I, his younger brother, am subjected to such contempt and disregard isrgely due to Azier''s influence.


    ¡­No, the overlyzy Frondier himself was the main problem, yes.


    "Although it''s a short time, or rather because of it, my teachings will have nothing to do with the existingbat techniques."Azier spoke. His attitude was as if he would disregard everything we learned up until now. The students seemed to like this.


    I guess they¡¯re expecting a special lecture unique to Azier.


    ¡­¡­But I spar with Azier almost every day, so I can see the future of these students.


    ¡°From today, you will learn ¡®the basics¡¯ themselves. Forget about killing intent.¡±


    I bet they¡¯ll encounter an experience thatbines ¡®suffering¡¯ and ¡®boredom¡¯ perfectly.


    ¡°Then, I should show you a demonstration first.¡±


    After saying that, Azier slowly scanned the students.


    I wonder who that emotionless gaze will choose. Will it be me? I feel like I can hear the sound of the students¡¯ heartbeats.


    ¡°There, you.¡±


    Azier pointed at Aster.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Aster Evans.¡±


    ¡°The best one here. Come out here.¡±


    The students thought, Sure, whatever. A few nced at me for a moment, probably thinking that he¡¯d show favoritism and call on me instead.


    They think so leisurely because they¡¯ve never learned under Azier.


    ¡°This will be a light spar. My weapon will be my bare hands, and I won¡¯t hit you. Try tond a single blow on me. You can use whatever weapon you want, and any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°Except divine power, right?¡±


    ¡°Even divine power is fine. However,¡±


    Azier''s words sparked a light in Aster''s eyes. His clothes billowed, and his hair turned stark white.


    However.


    A trivial, dry sound.


    Aster was sprawled on the ground, Azier''s finger on his neck.


    "It would be nice if you could use it."


    "......"


    Aster didn''t respond. His eyes were nk. He didn''t understand why he was lying down.


    To an onlooker, it seemed like a simple sequence of movements, merely tripping and falling.


    As long as the students think that way, they too will roll on the ground countless times.


    "Shall we try again?"


    "......Please!"


    Aster rose spiritedly.


    Azier asked, "Why do you think you were lying down just now?"


    "......Because I was taken by surprise."


    "That''s one way to put it. Let''s go again."


    Azier signaled the start and walked slowly.


    This time, Aster didn''t use his divine power but reached for his sword sheath instead.


    He judged that opening his divine power took too long.


    And then, a thud again.


    "......?"


    Aster found himself on the ground once more, but this time he quickly regained hisposure and stood up.


    A sense of humiliation was evident in Aster''s eyes. He knew why. I felt the same way.


    The fact that he was lying on the ground and not knowing how it happened was irritating, but.


    What was most infuriating was that there was no pain. It was as if an adult man had carefullyid a child down. He hadn''t imagined there could be such a gap between them.


    "Why do you think you were lying down?"


    "......Because the teacher is faster than me."


    Aster offered his answer, acknowledging his inferiority. I wanted to praise his honesty, but.


    "No."


    The answer was wrong.


    "Let''s go again."


    And after several repetitions, Aster began to exchange a few moves, but.


    The oue was the same. He was on the ground again, still without any damage.


    Azier''s expression remained unchanged. It was exactly the same as when he had entered. There wasn''t even a hint of disappointment as he looked at Aster. His face conveyed that this oue was to be expected.


    How much despair must that face cause his opponents, I wonder.


    "Repeating until you realize is fine, but today, we have a suitable demo candidate."


    Damn it.


    I cursed inwardly.


    Somehow, I knew it woulde to this.


    "Frondier."


    Azier called me. All eyes turned to me.


    "Come forward."


    As I slowly walked out, I felt like I truly became the human sloth, Frondier.


    I don''t want to do this.


    "...Uh, teacher."


    Someone raised their hand and spoke.


    "What is it?"


    "Can Frondier really be a match?"


    As they said, most were looking at me with skeptical eyes.


    Even Aster couldn''t fight properly, and here you are trying to step in, their looks seemed to say.


    Azier calmly said,


    "It''s just a demo. It''s not about the level of skill."


    Some seemed convinced by Azier''s words, and some were not.


    It didn''t help that I was Azier''s brother, fueling suspicions that he was favoring me.


    Well, they''ll see soon enough what happens to me.


    "Frondier, as usual during training."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 63 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I took my stance. One hand on the dagger at my waist, the other ready to counter Azier.


    Drawing the weapon, swinging it, defending¡ªall of these movements had to be done in the shortest time possible. To not be caught by the opponent, and toplete the action before being detected.


    I had learned this throughout my training with Azier, to engrave it into my body.


    As a result,


    I managed to draw my dagger before Azier''s hand could reach me.


    Whoosh-


    The diagonal sh of the dagger cut through the air. Azier dodged my strike and advanced.


    And then the difference with Aster¡¯s case,


    Fwook, Azier¡¯s left hook flew like the wind. The process from the preliminary stage to the blow¡¯snding was almost invisible.I lowered my head with a half-hearted feeling of resignation and narrowly dodged it. My muscles tensed up slightly from the sensation that brushed past my head.


    There was no rule like ¡®don¡¯t attack¡¯ in a fight with him. I heard the sound of the students holding their breath as they watched.


    There were several more exchanges after that. My movements and Azier¡¯s were as natural as a set procedure.


    But there was no such thing as a set procedure. This was just a series of processes that I had barely learned after getting beaten up and rolling around countless times.


    It felt like I was given numerous choices each time and I quickly chose the options that avoided the worst-case scenarios.


    Azier was the one posing the questions, and I was just dealing with them.


    So even if Isted a bit longer, the oue was the same for Aster and me.


    Bam!


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    I was hit in the abdomen and staggered back. Azier briskly walked closer.


    Damn, every time I see something like that, I feel like I¡¯m facing some evil spirit. It wouldn¡¯t be that different anyway.


    I swung my dagger as I backed away, and Azier came inside my arm and blocked the attack.


    My attacks had no power as I backed away and responded, and Azier showed no mercy when he saw sloppy attacks.


    I was hit in the shoulder, abdomen, and arms. That was the result of my moderate defense.


    Then,


    Thud, I was knocked down with a rough sound. Azier grabbed the cor of my clothes and used a judo technique to trip me and pin me down. There was no mercy or consideration whatsoever.


    ¡°Frondier, your movements are bigger than before. Be careful.¡±


    Azier said.


    It was a fact I was feeling myself. I had been dealing with a Chimera until recently.


    ¡°Aster, how was the sparring just now?¡±


    Azier asked.


    Aster looked at me lying in a mess for a moment and said, "Clearly, you fought better than I did."


    "Is Frondier faster than you?"


    "At least in the sparring just now, speed didn''t seem important."


    "Right. So, what''s different?"


    Aster thought deeply. Meanwhile, I dusted myself off and stood up.


    The students looked embarrassed at my battered appearance. They probably wouldn''t suspect favoritism anymore.


    After some thought, Aster came up with an answer.


    "Prediction?"


    "Exactly. That''s the ''basic'' ofbat."


    Azier then looked around at the students.


    "The basics ofbat are about prediction. It''s about inferring what move ising next based on the shifting of shoulders, waist, or the center of gravity of the body."


    The reason Azier could easily overpower Aster was because it was visible what he was about to do.


    "In that sense, Aster''s movements are stillrge and simple. The same goes for you all."


    The students felt a bit sour at Azier''s words, but no one argued. After all, Aster was the best among them.


    "While I''m lecturing, you''ll learn this. No matter how great your talent or divine power, in actualbat, you''re often defeated before you even get a chance to use it. Just like Aster just now. It''s not a matter of mindset. It''s a matter of skill."


    In fact, Aster hadn''t been able to use his divine power from the beginning to the end, even though he knew Azier would try to block it.


    "Any questions?"


    At Azier''s words, someone raised their hand. The student who raised their hand had a somewhat dissatisfied expression.


    "What is it?"


    "Well, that method, how should I put it, it feels like it''s meant for fighting humans."


    Echoing this, another student spoke up.


    "Right. We came to Constel to deal with monsters."


    Graduating from Constel to be a Pro, or a court knight or mage, involves dealing with monsters.


    They eventually advance, fight and triumph against ''outside monsters'', expanding the boundaries of mankind by a step.


    That is the dream of Constel students and the earthly mission of humanity.


    To students harboring such dreams, the previous practice seemed rather meaningless.


    Azier spoke.


    "Remember the recent incident where your seniors were defeated by ''outside monsters''? The incident in Tyburn where eleven died." [T/N: Tyburn -> Tyburn, Territory of Urfa family]


    ... The story I had previously told Quinie.


    The students gulped at Azier''s words. The surroundings became solemn.


    "One of your seniors predicted with astonishing insight that the monster from the outside would invade. He was an outcast who couldn''t blend into the group. Yet, eleven died. Why do you think that happened? Because the beast was big and powerful? Because it was a creature with a body asrge as a house?"


    No one answered. Some dropped their gaze.


    "It was merely a wolf walking on two legs. However, lurking in the darkness, anticipating the path of humans, it bit off the necks of each individual from a blind spot. Sometimes, it instantly killed them with its ws. After hunting, it washed off the blood in a river orke, making tracking difficult, and its gait made it hard for traces to be left in the first ce."


    Disgust filled the students'' faces. Although it''s a werewolf, its actions are no different from those of a human.


    "Outside, there are numerous beings who surpass human intelligence."


    Only then did the students realize.


    Why Azier became an instructor at Constel so quickly.


    "What I teach you is a battle strategy assuming monsters. The reason you don''t understand this is simple."


    That there was no one more suited for Constel than Azier.


    "You''ve only fought unintelligent monsters so far."

 Chapter 64 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>20/23 Bonus chapter thanks to @Pop onKo-fi!</i>


    ?After the incident, Constel buzzed with the story of Azier bing a teacher.


    The unbelievable tale of Frondier wiping out a horde of monsters with "Fireworks" quickly died down.


    "Aster, are you okay?"


    Lunia approached Aster with a worried look.


    She had heard about Aster''s failure tond even a single hit on Azier.


    "I''m fine. Not a scratch on me."


    It was theck of injuries that frustrated him, though.At that moment, they heard the snickeringughter of passing students.


    Aster was well-respected, but there were always those envious students wherever he went.


    Amoner with exceptional divine power and talent, Aster was the perfect target for jealousy.


    "So much for the ''top prospect of Constel,'' look at him now..."


    A voice that seemed to pass by, yet clearly intended to be heard.


    Lunia''s head snapped around.


    Aster couldn''t see her face, only the back of her head, but the student who had been mocking him fled at the sight of Lunia''s face.


    Turning back to Aster, Lunia wore a bright smile.


    "Don''t worry too much, Aster. Frondier? He''s been hit everywhere. It''s because you''re at that level that it stopped there."


    "..."


    Remembering the sparring session Frondier had shown earlier, Aster thought.


    Regardless of how it appeared to others, Frondier had definitely fought a bit better than Aster himself.


    The problem was the gap between him and Frondier.


    Just as Lunia said, Azier didn''t hold back when facing Frondier.


    At the first sign of weakness, Azier didn''t hesitate to throw a punch, and Frondier was defenseless against all sorts of attacks.


    However, vital areas like the face, chin, or the center of the body remained unhit.


    And then, the final headbutt.


    Unlike the gentle one Aster received, it was fiercely unmatched.


    Azier definitely didn''t go easy on Frondier.


    Perhaps, because he couldn''t afford to.


    "I thought I wouldn''t rely on divine power as much as possible."


    That too was arrogance.


    Without divine power, not even in Azier, Aster doubted if he could beat Frondier.


    But feeling inferior or jealous of Frondier was too out of character for Aster.


    Yet, he couldn''t stand losing.


    Aster just thought about how he could grow from where he was now.


    Though he was reluctant, Aster already knew the way.


    "¡­Sigh."


    "What''s with the sigh?"


    "I guess I have to go to my sister. She''s always in the sparring room after ss."


    The top swordsman of Constel. Rationally speaking, it''s the perfect choice.


    Feeling his own shorings, Aster was thinking of humbly asking Ellen for lessons.


    He could already imagine Ellen looking at him with a ''Huh, really?'' expression, as if it were something trivial.


    But then, Lunia made a subtle face.


    "Um, how about going next time?"


    "Why?"


    "I overheard something while passing by, but it seems like Senior Ellen won''t be in the training room today."


    "What? My sister is going straight home?"


    That''s unusual. Is she sick?


    Aster was about to show some concern when Lunia shook her head.


    "No, she''s meeting a cksmith."


    "A cksmith¡­?"


    Aster''s expression was filled with unprecedented curiosity.


    * * *


    "¡­It''s amazing."


    Ellen was staring nkly at the finished sword.


    The silver de shone, below it was a simple hilt. The guard that separated the de from the hilt was not big, but it was solidly supported. The length was just right for her. It fit well in either one hand or both.


    In every aspect, the design was in, but Ellen''s eyes immediately recognized the value of this sword.


    "Right?"


    Frondier, who was next to her, nodded in satisfaction.


    After Ellen was almost scammed before, Frondier had introduced her to a cksmith.


    The cksmith''s name was Neil Jack.


    With sparkling eyes, Ellen asked Neil.


    "May I touch it?"


    "Oh, of course. It was made for a customer, after all."


    Neil bowed, his muscr frame making it seem incongruous. His face was endlessly kind, always wearing a broad smile.


    Initially, Ellen didn''t trust that face, but having seen the sword, her opinion hadpletely changed.


    Ellen held her fingers horizontally and ced the sword on top of them. This was to check the center of gravity, but also to inspect the de for any damage or curvature.


    "...Perfect."


    Ellen lightly released her aura as a test. The energy she emitted flowed into the sword without any obstruction or wavering.


    "...Incredible! It''s perfect!"


    "Heh, with such high praise, I hardly know what to do with myself..."


    Neil ced a hand on his head and bowed again.


    Such a posture was altogether unfitting for a cksmith. This image was the reason Neil had remained unpopr.


    His skills as a cksmith were beyond reproach, yet he had remained unrecognized.


    "How do you know such a person, Frondier? How did youe to meet him?"


    Ellen asked, to which Frondier awkwardly smiled.


    "Uh, as I mentioned before, we''re not exactly acquaintances. I''m the one who knows of him, one-sidedly."


    Ellen then turned to look at Neil, who also nodded.


    "Yes, you said your name was Frondier, right? It''s my first time seeing you. I''m not sure why you sought me out, but it''s an honor indeed."


    "Frondier, have you visited this forge before?"


    "No."


    Ellen couldn''t understand. How could one side know of the other when they had never met? Especially since Neil, the cksmith, was not well-known.


    Moreover, Frondier had said, ''You can trust his skills with certainty.'' That meant he already knew of Neil''s abilities. Naturally, he would confidently introduce him to her.


    Even when Ellen looked questioningly at Frondier, he only responded with a smile.

 Chapter 64 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Neil is one of the most frequently visited cksmiths by yers, along with ''Daud Forte,'' the father of Sybil.


    Unlike the typically stern or hearty image of a cksmith, Neil carries a shy and cautious demeanor.


    The cksmith-like personality seems to have all gone to Daud. Ironically, he''s the one who seems to need a touch of finesse.


    Thus, the formal route for yers is to receive weapons from Neil and then have Daud engrave magical runes on them.


    In this way, Neil is one of the ''knowledge pieces'' I already have. I''ve received a lot of help from him as a yer. It makes exining our acquaintance difficult, but I decided to push forward without exnation.


    After all, getting weapons from Neil is a win for Ellen.


    Neil said to me,


    "Mr. Frondier, why not take this opportunity? As a token of gratitude for trusting me and introducing a customer, I''ll provide you with a weapon for free."


    "Any weapon?""Of course."


    At Neil''s words, I looked around the forge.


    Even if it''s not a custom-made sword like Ellen''s, Neil''s weapons are quite impressive.


    Any weaponid out here in the forge could be handy. With my current skills, I don''t yet need a custom-made weapon.


    However, I''ve developed a habit sinceing here.


    I can''t just choose ''anything.''


    [Neil Jack''s Iron Spear]


    - Grade: Intermediate


    - Description: A long spear forged by Neil Jack. Made for practice, but the quality is excellent. in and simple, but the weapon''s quality is beyond reproach.


    [Neil Jack''s Throwing Dagger]


    - Grade: High


    - Description: A dagger forged by Neil Jack. It was amissioned item, but the order was canceled, leaving it in the forge. It''s hard to find a better non-magical dagger than this.


    In this way, everything in sight was already assessed for the workshop.


    Even though I seemed to be casually looking around, my eyes were already reading the information.


    Then, suddenly.


    My gaze stopped at one ce.


    [Neil Jack''s Short Sword]


    - Grade: Unique


    ? Description: A masterpiece that even the renowned cksmith Neil Jack might find difficult to recreate. The sword''s strength, cutting edge, and weaving of the handle make it suitable for having a ''nickname.'' However, due to the awkward length of the de, there are no takers.


    Ability Details >


    - Eternal Edge: The de of this weapon does not dull. The only way to blunt its sharpness is to destroy the weapon itself.


    ¡­¡­Unique?


    What''s this?


    I was drawn to it and picked up the sword I found in the workshop.


    "Ah, Mr. Frondier. That was just something I made to pass the time."


    "Pass the time?"


    "Yes, just made it however my hands led me, haha."


    The de hidden in its sheath.


    I slowly unsheathed the sword, revealing its form.


    "¡­¡­!"


    I could hear Ellen gasp from behind.


    ¡­¡­Could it be?


    I used the skill ''Analyze'' to confirm the thought that crossed my mind.


    This time, unlike with weaving, the analysis came up quickly.


    The content was just one line.


    - This sword''s de is made of Viper Steel.


    "¡­¡­Viper Steel."


    The mythical steel, Viper Steel, that had enchanted Ellen''s ears not long ago.


    And now it''s in my hands. Moreover, as apleted product of Unique grade.


    "Oh my, Viper Steel, you say? It''s not that. Just gathered some ordinary scraps of iron,"


    "Mr. Neil, are you trying to hide this sword because of the de''s length?"


    I held the sword horizontally.


    ¡­¡­Indeed, the length is awkward. It seems intended for use as a one-handed sword, but it''s a bit shorter than what''s typically referred to as a ''short sword.'' Yet, it''s too big to be called a dagger.


    It can''t be concealed for a surprise attack, and it''s too short for open frontal use.


    Probably no one bought it just by seeing this length in the sheath. Even if they had seen it, Viper Steel is so rare that very few haveid hands on it.


    ''¡­¡­What a waste.''


    But to put it back down now would be too much of a waste.


    Elevating a weapon made of Viper Steel to Unique grade is truly rare. Plus, it''s said to be worthy of having a ''nickname.''


    An nickname/epithet, simply put, is like ''Gram'' or ''Mj?lnir'' in my forge. It means the weapon has gained enough fame to be called by a new name by people.


    Moreover, the ability ''Eternal Edge'' onlyes with perfect mastery of Viper steel.


    Viper steel, true to its name, is extremely difficult to damage. If a proper de is made from this metal, its edge does not dull. And the metal itself is not easily destroyed.


    It bes apanion that stands by the user''s side until death in most cases.


    That''s why a de made of Viper steel cannot be sharpened. It does not wear down, that''s what it means. The only way to sharpen it is by hammering.


    Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of hammer strikes and the intense heat of extreme temperatures gradually sharpen the Viper steel.


    It''s not something a person can achieve alone.


    "......Let''s go with this one."


    "Excuse me, what?"


    My words seemed to have taken Neil by surprise.


    But my mind was made up.


    "I will take this weapon. If the fact it''s free bothers you, I''ll pay a fair price-"


    "Oh, no, no! I would be really happy if Mr. Frondier would use it! It was troubling that no one took it."


    The cksmith knows the worth of his work.


    It must have been frustrating for him that a piece capable of earning an epithet, a unique, was just gathering dust in the forge.


    If I take this weapon and it earns a proper epithet, that would be a reward in itself.


    ''¡­¡­Wait. This length.''


    It suddenly urred to me.


    If I were to hold one in each hand. That is, if I were to use them as twin swords.


    This awkwardly short length would actually be easier to handle. The swords wouldn''t interfere with each other as much.


    Of course, there are no unique-grade weapons of simr and equal length. That''s why it''s impossible to use them as twin swords.


    ......But I could. Because I have Obsidian.


    Perhaps this weapon is most suited to be wielded as twin swords.

 Chapter 65 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few dayster, in the morning at Constel.


    Students on their way to school witnessed a scene that made their eyes go wide.


    "Ah, hello...?"


    "Hello..."


    "Eek, ah, hello."


    Each passing student widened their eyes and nodded in greeting as they passed by.


    The person being greeted showed no reaction, but the students greeted him without fail.


    "Chancellor, it''s time."


    "Mm."Malia, who was by his side, informed him of the time.


    The figure was none other than Chancellor Osprey.


    Osprey, who rarely showed his face, was standing in front of the school gate.


    He was waiting for someone. Someone worthy of being received by someone of his stature.


    And from afar.


    The sound of a sedan''s engine hummed. The sedan stopped precisely in front of the gate. A middle-aged man got out of the driver''s seat.


    "......!"


    All the students passing by the gate stopped.


    It wasn''t just the students. The faculty members working at Constel, even the general public passing by the gate, all stopped in their tracks to watch.


    Screams akin to those of female students echoed from afar, and the male students let out sincere exmations of amazement.


    They knew why Osprey was standing at the gate. The reason he hade out to meet someone.


    Thud, his walking steps had a weight that seemed to press down on the air.


    Only Osprey and Malia calmly received that momentum.


    "It''s been a while."


    A cool and heavy voice.


    While most people would be intimidated by that voice alone, Osprey calmly weed him.


    "Good to see you. Enfer."


    Enfer de Roach.


    He hade to Constel.


    Afterward, the three sat face to face in the principal''s office.


    Osprey, after sending his secretary out, instructed that no one should enter the principal''s office unless it was something special.


    ¡°Don''t be ridiculous. He wouldn''t hurt a fly.¡±


    ¡°That''s not for you to decide.¡±


    Malia answered in his stead and crossed her arms. It wasn''t often that she served tea.


    Malia asked him in a roundabout way while watching Enfer drink his tea.


    ¡°Enfer, are you not going to join the Zodiac?¡±


    Enfer''s brow twitched.


    ¡°You want me to be a dog of the Empire?¡±


    Enfer¡¯s retort could be seen as an insult to Osprey.


    It was the same as saying Osprey, who already belonged to the ¡®Zodiac,¡¯ was a dog of the Empire. However, Osprey took it in stride.


    ¡°Weren''t we all watchdogs of the continent at one point?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That was in the past.¡±


    Those who currently belonged to the Zodiac and Enfer had all lived in the same era. And at that time, they had faced a great cmity.


    A fight against ''monsters from outside'' that resembled, but was more heinous than, the recent attack in Constel.


    Whenever monsters invaded humanity, mankind¡¯s borders wavered. There were times when they advanced a little, but in the end, the borders of humanity only continued to shrink.


    Those who had firmly established those borders were the Zodiac members and Enfer.


    They built walls and obstacles at the boundaries of humanity and appointed major nobles to guard those walls.


    As a result, Enfer was assigned to the northwest, while the northeast was assigned to Ludwig von Urfa of the Urfa family.


    Only the northern region had people in charge who were unusually not Zodiac members, while the remaining east, west, and south were all under the Zodiac''s jurisdiction.


    ¡°In the end, we are just wild dogs. That''s our nature. We need fights. We need something to be loyal to. Isn''t that right?¡±


    ¡°I used to, but not anymore.¡±


    ¡°The more lies you tell, the worse your health gets. You''ll understand once you''re my age.¡±


    As he spoke, Osprey rarelyughed in a manner befitting his age.


    Enfer shook his head.


    "I now have Azier."


    "Azier, right."


    Osprey nodded. His attempt to rmend Enfer to Zodiac was always, ironically, blocked by Azier, called the best output of Constel.


    "Azier will soon surpass me. He will be the new g of humanity. By then, reiming thend humanity lost won''t be a dream."


    "Are you really sure? That Azier will surpass you?"


    "His prominence is already showing."


    Osprey scratched his temple with his wrinkled fingers. He was well aware of Azier''s skills, having seen them himself.


    ...Certainly, Enfer is just being overly fond. Or maybe he''s forgotten his prime.


    "So, you came today because of Azier?"


    "Partly. I came to check how the temporary teaching position is going."


    Partly? What''s the other reason?


    Osprey had such questions, but he set them aside for now.


    "Azier is a good teacher. The students rate him well. I was worried that he might find teaching difficult, only being ustomed to practical work, but he''s doing surprisingly well."


    "Hmm, as expected."


    Indeed, overly fond.


    "By the way, why did you send Azier? So Suddenly? Because thebat instructor''s position was empty? That can''t be the only reason."


    "I thought Azier would be needed in Constel. For the students'' growth as well."


    "Does that mean danger is approaching? Something too much for the current students?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Just a hunch."


    A hunch.


    If it''s Enfer''s hunch, it can''t be taken lightly. Especially since it''s probably not just a ''hunch''.


    "What''s the other half of the reason then?"


    The other half of the reason Enfer came here, besides Azier.


    Without hesitation, Enfer suddenly fell silent.


    He frowned as if something was displeasing and took a sip of his tea.


    Osprey had a growing suspicion about the other half of the reason but decided to keep it to himself for now.


    "...The other half is about my other son."


    As expected.


    "Frondier?"


    Malia asked. Enfer nodded.


    Malia''s lips pursed. ''other son'', as if it was an awkward name to mention.


    "I heard my son ranked 16th in thest midterm."


    "Is that so? Malia?"


    Osprey wouldn''t know every detail about the freshman''s midterm records. At his question, Malia nodded.


    "Yes. He scored perfect in the written exam, and during the practicals, most of the scores went to Aster Evans."


    "Hmm. Still, that''s a good rank. Why is that?"


    Enfer replied.


    "Wasn''t it because the difficulty of the midterm was too simplistic?"


    Osprey narrowed his eyes. He wasn''t dissatisfied with the challenge of Constel''s exam itself.


    It was Enfer''s underlying intention that seemed dubious.


    "©¤Does that mean you''re not pleased with Frondier achieving a high rank?"


    At that, Malia also looked at Enfer.

 Chapter 65 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Enfer closed his eyes briefly then opened them and said,


    "That''s right."


    "...Enfer."


    Malia called his name. It was a form of warning.


    If Frondier didn''t make it into the top 10 overall this semester, he would be expelled. Malia was aware of this too.


    However, she considered it to be merely a motivation to improve Frondier''s performance. She didn''t take it seriously.


    After all, what kind of father wishes for his son''s expulsion?


    "I understand that the final exams areing up."


    "That''s right.""I hope it will be a proper test this time."


    Frondier''s high ranking was merely because the test was easy. It was just Frondier''s luck. There was no other reason.


    Seeing Enfer so certain, Malia felt her temper re for the first time in a while.


    "Even if it''s some kind of test, Frondier will fulfill the conditions. If the test is difficult, it would be difficult for all students."


    "Malia."


    It was then that Enfer finally noticed Malia.


    Their gazes, too hostile to be that of a married couple, met.


    "Has the standard of Constel fallen to the ground?"


    "Enfer."


    "Even if Frondier manages to get good grades, making it into the top 10."


    Malia''s expression hardened, knowing what Enfer was about to say. Enfer was calm, without a flicker in his eyes.


    "The expulsion of Frondier is decided."


    * * *


    [Analysis Complete]


    [Target, Skill ¡®Weaving¡¯]


    [Avable for Viewing]


    Returning to the mansion and freshening up, I was greeted by a wee notification.


    The analysis that had been ongoing for days was finallyplete.


    I opened my smartwatch to check the analyzed content of Weaving.


    [Weaving]


    - The unique skill of Frondier de Roach.


    - Possesses the functions of ¡®Workshop¡¯, ¡®Duplication¡¯, ¡®Modification¡¯, ¡®Restoration¡¯. Currently, the ¡®Restoration¡¯ function is locked. Level-up required.


    - Currently, the skill''s applicable targets are limited to ¡®objects¡¯. Level-up required.


    - To level up, attempt more instances of simultaneous weaving or Weaving higher-grade targets.


    ©¤©¤Caution©¤©¤


    - Currently, the unrted trigger ¡®Thanatos''s Descent¡¯ is attached as an option.


    - When weaving affects reality for the first time, the trigger is activated.


    - When weaving inflicts damage on ¡®Outsider Beasts¡¯, the trigger is activated.


    - When weaving inflicts damage on a god, the trigger is activated.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    While only a single line used to appear from Neil''s short sword, this time, a considerable amount of data was output.


    It''s a good thing, but there''s too much informationing in, and it''s confusing.


    "Wait, wait a minute. For now."


    Let''s check them one by one, carefully.


    First, something newly discovered.


    Weaving also has a function of ''Restoration.''


    It involves putting the image and information of an object into the workshop, and in addition to replicating it, it''s also possible to recover some objects.


    I don''t know why, but currently, this function is locked. It needs leveling up.


    And second.


    The fact that the current skill application is limited to objects means, in truth, weaving is possible in a broader scope, not just with objects.


    ...And third.


    This skill has a ''descent'' trigger embedded in it, unrted to the original skill. Probably the work of a god.


    Thanatos, the first god I encountered. When I made Gram using the Obsidian, he appeared before me. Because I triggered it.


    If the weaving grows more, and I wound a monster outside.


    Had I not known this trigger, I would have been dead without being able to move. The ''analysis'' skill saved me.


    "I need to remove the trigger."


    At least before facing the monsters outside.


    I have a ''modification'' skill obtained by leveling up my weaving.


    Since the trigger is just an option added to weaving, I can remove it by ''option removal.''


    ...But, for now, weaving targets only objects.


    So, what I need to do now is to level up my weaving to expand its targets not just to objects but to skills as well, and then remove the trigger in the weaving through ''modification.''


    And for leveling up, I need the repetition of simultaneous weaving and high-grade weaving.


    In the end, my task remains the same. I just keep doing what I''ve always done.


    However, knowing clearly what I will gain holds its value.


    For now, it''s simultaneous weaving.


    The weapons I''ve put in the workshop are enough. Including the weapons from the Imperial armory, Neil''s forge, I''ve swallowed all sorts of weapons by now.


    That should be enough to Weaving all of this simultaneously.

 Chapter 66 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>21/25 Bonus chapter thanks to @Reni2425 on Ko-fi!</i>


    "...My father?"


    Upon reaching Constel, Aten shared with me stories about Enfer.


    Surprisingly, it seems Enfer had visited Constel.


    "Yes. It caused quite a stir for a while."


    "...Hmm. I did sense somemotion."


    I don''t talk to anyone during sses, and I head straight to the training room after, so I''m somewhat behind on such rumors.


    Aten''s lips thinned slightly as he spoke."...So, he came without saying a word to his son?"


    "Well, that''s just his personality."


    Azier probably didn''t know either. Enfer is naturally reticent about his own affairs.


    Aten blinked her half-closed eyes a few times, as if deep in thought.


    "...Those two are somewhat alike."


    "Who?"


    "...Our dad and Frondier''s father."


    ...Ah.


    You''re talking about Emperor Terst, Aten!


    When you just say ''dad'', I have no clue! Aten!


    ©¤Still, the story made sense.


    I hadn''t met the emperor as a yer very often, but I had met him.


    Emperor Terst was the epitome of ''dignified, strict, and thorough.'' He was the stereotype you''d imagine when thinking of an emperor.


    However, his coldness was excessive. Beyond cold, it was heartless. Enfer, at least, poured his love into Azier alone, whereas Terst showed no one his heart.


    Elysia''s rampage was partly due to Emperor Terst''s influence.


    Anyway, Enfer seems to be none of my concern for now. He probably came because of Azier, who is in charge of teaching. Enfer''s love for Azier is beyond measure.


    But I have something more urgent to consider.


    "Besides, we have our finalsing up soon."


    "That''s right. Starting today, ''scouts'' are allowed."


    The final exams are starting soon, in about two weeks.


    After the finals, the year''s overall grades will be announced, and this will determine the sess or failure of the mission Enfer gave me.


    Since I was 16th in the midterms, I need to rank significantly higher to make it into the top 10.


    ...No.


    "We need to be first."


    "What...?"


    "That''s the safest and surest way."


    Aten''s eyes widened at my words.


    iming the first ce is not something easily said. There are incredibly talented students above me.


    However, it''s not impossible. Unlike the midterms, the finals are conducted in teams.


    In the final exam''s practical, the students took the exam in teams of three.


    A team of three is the minimum number of people needed to carry out a mission when they be pros. It''s the minimum number of people needed to check each other''s conditions and divide themselves into vanguard, rear guard, and support.


    And one of the three people must be a senior student. The two people who formed a team first can find a senior student and ask them to join, and if the senior student epts, they can join the team. This is the ''scouting'' that Aten mentioned.


    Of course, everyone wants to team up with a skilled senior student, and thepetition for them is fierce.


    In other words, the exam starts before the written or practical exams of the final exams even begin.


    Of course, since no points are awarded to senior students, if they do too well, they can take away points from their own team, so the important thing is bnce.


    We talked about this with Ellen in the practice roomst time for the final exam.


    It was finally time to conclude that discussion.


    "Then, let''s go."


    "Yes."


    We nodded our heads with determination.


    * * *


    Ellen listened to Aten and my story, blinked her calm eyes a few times, and said:


    "That''s impossible."


    It was a very straightforward rejection.


    I could see Aten next to me pouting in disappointment.


    Then Ellen raised her hand.


    "Oh, but don''t get me wrong. I would have had to reject whoever had made the offer. I''ve been rejecting everyone, actually."


    "Why?"


    "I was just chosen as an intern."


    Intern?


    I paused for a moment at the unfamiliar word and asked,


    "Surely you don''t mean you''ve be a pro intern?"


    "Yeah. Internships themselves aren''t allowed during school, but I have to train in advance."


    I was definitely surprised.


    Most people who graduate from Constel be pros and take onmissions.


    Therefore, it is not umon for students to do internships starting when they are students in order to experience the work of a pro in advance.


    However, that usually happens in the third year.


    Ellen is only in her second year.


    "...Hmm. I guess I can tell you two."


    Ellen looked at Aten and me in turn and said,


    "When Frondier and Renzo were fighting, I stepped in."


    "...Oh, you did."


    I blew off Renzo''s right arm, but he still had one left.


    I thought Renzo would lose his will to fight with one arm gone, but Renzo''s mental strength was far beyond my expectations.


    If Ellen hadn''t stepped in then, I would have definitely died.


    "I think Mr. Eden Hamelot thought well of that."


    Oh, really.


    Eden Hamelot, the number one pro. He was there at the time.


    Ellen''s performance had certainly been brought forwardpared to the original game.


    The fight with the golem controlled by Edwin, the move that made Renzo back down.


    Unlike in the game, Ellen had already started to catch the public eye.


    Is this the butterfly effect?


    "So, you''re working with Mr. Eden Hamelot?"


    "Uh, well, yes. Just for the internship period."


    "How long is the internship?"


    "Until the end of summer vacation. During the school term, I''ll only participate on weekends."


    That duration should allow for a significant amount of experience to be gained.


    "Congrattions, Ms. Ellen. You''re stepping ahead."


    "......"


    When I said that, Ellen looked at me intently.


    What''s this?


    It was a sincerepliment.


    "......Um, thank you."


    After a moment of silence, Ellen said that.


    The face turning away from my gaze clearly didn''t match the thanks given.


    Suddenly, an announcement rang out.


    [Frondier student, first-year Frondier de Roach student. Pleasee to the health office immediately.]


    It was an unexpected announcement.


    It was strange that it specifically mentioned me, and even more so to go to the health office.


    Moreover, this voice was undoubtedly Malia''s.


    "......Then I''ll go. Good luck with your internship."


    "Yeah. You too."


    After saying goodbye to Ellen, I left with Aten.


    Ellen, awkwardly raising her hand, was a bit concerning.

 Chapter 66 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Me, an intern?"


    Ellen heard about the internship the day after the Renzo incident.


    It hadn''t been long since Eden had left the hospital when they met, so it was clear that Eden also had business with Frondier.


    "......How is his condition?"


    "They said he''s just in afortable sleep. I just left some flowers."


    "I see. That''s a relief. So, is Frondier alone in the room now?"


    "No. Aten is keeping himpany."


    "I see."


    Eden nodded, not even understanding why he asked.Ellen inquired.


    "But, what do you mean by intern?"


    "Exactly as it sounds. The ability to sense my intent to kill at our first meeting, the decisiveness and judgment to draw your sword without hesitation. I valued all of that highly. Above all, you made Renzo back down."


    Ellen''s expression becameplicated at Eden''s praise.


    Of course, she knew Eden''s words were sincere, but a question came to mind first.


    "So, why not suggest Frondier try for an internship?"


    "Huh?"


    "If I had made that Renzo step down, it''s because Frondier is the very person who blew off Renzo''s right arm."


    The reason Ellen says "blew off" the right arm is simple.


    It''s because she doesn''t know how the right arm was removed.


    Whether it was done with a sword or magic, whether it was cut or pierced, she doesn''t know.


    Probably, Eden doesn''t know either.


    "That''s exactly why."


    "Yes?"


    "Having blown off Renzo''s right arm, what could I possibly teach him? If I''m not careful, my right arm might fly off too, haha!"


    Edenughed heartily.


    Ellen''s eyes narrowed.


    "You don''t really think that, do you?"


    "Um. It''s not the whole reason. But it''s not a lie either. I haven''t been able to assess the abilities of this student named Frondier. In fact, I don''t even know his identity. Whether he''s a swordsman or a magician. It''s impossible to rmend an internship to someone whose capabilities arepletely unknown. I don''t even know what to teach."


    It was a better answer than before.


    However, Ellen''s intuition told her that there was still something being hidden.


    ''But well, it''s not like digging deeper will reveal anything.''


    Ellen decided to back off for now.


    Eden said, "Ah, could you keep this conversation a secret? Especially from that student named Frondier."


    "¡­Why?"


    "It might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Please, I''m really asking you."


    "Okay."


    Thinking about it, it was Ellen who had suggested Frondier for the internship, and it was Eden who had refused.


    It wouldn''t be a pleasant story for Frondier to hear.


    * * *


    "¡­Is that really true?"


    I asked, frowning.


    Malia spoke in an excited tone, as if she fully empathized with my feelings.


    "It''s true. I knew it from the moment that gentleman arrived here. It just felt uneasy."


    It sounded like a conversation from a morning drama, but I truly felt frustrated.


    ¡­Enfer never intended to give me a chance in the first ce.


    Telling me to rank within the top 10 in Constel was just an excuse, merely a pretext for expulsion.


    Suddenly, my head began to hurt.


    "¡­But it''s surprising that you''re telling me this, Mom."


    Normally, Malia doesn¡¯t interfere with Enfer''s business. Even if it involves Frondier.


    Malia may seem affectionate, but she has clear standards and principles. It''s not without reason that she''s Enfer''s wife. Knowing this, Enfer must have brought up the topic of expelling me.


    Malia just shrugged her shoulders.


    "Well, even after hearing that our son should rank within the top ten of his grade, if he still remained a ''human sloth,'' I would have been the first to lead the expulsion. There are many ways to live even if one loses the name of Roach."


    "Ah, as expected, right?"


    It''s not surprising when said with such confidence. Somehow, it feels like the right thing to do.


    "Really, if it came to expulsion, I nned to at least find a ce for you to live and something to eat. Of course, there''s nothing once you bes an adult."


    Malia nodded slightly as if reflecting on her previous thoughts.


    Then suddenly, as if overtaken by a surge of emotion, she clenched her fist tightly.


    "But! It''s different this time, isn''t it? Your father is so busy with work that he doesn''t see his children grow up. Our son has changed so much! If it weren''t for our son during the recent demon attack,"


    Malia suddenly became an overly proud mother, vigorouslyining.


    It''s incredibly embarrassing that she''s talking about me.


    However, amidst Malia''sints, another thought urred to me.


    Considering that a quest did ur, Enfer''s proposal couldn''t have been a lie.


    [Subquest: Father''s Order]


    ?Description: Frondier''sziness over the past has pushed his father Enfer''s patience to the limit.


    ?Objective: Rank within the top 10 at Constel this semester


    ?Reward: Earn Enfer''s recognition.


    ?Failure: You will be disowned.


    ...There''s definitely a quest.


    If Enfer''s proposal was a lie, then such a quest wouldn''t have existed.


    Since the failure condition is ''expulsion,'' as long as I don''t fail, I won''t be expelled. This game, at least, doesn''t y word games. That''s absolute.


    This means either Enfer''s threat of expulsion is a lie, or his mind changes after Iplete this quest.


    In any case, I have no choice but to do my best in the final exams.


    "So, did you find one?"


    "Excuse me?"


    After snapping out of my thoughts, I realized Malia was asking me something.


    "About the upperssman. You need to form a team, right?"


    "¡­Ah. Not yet."


    Ellen was the best option, but that unexpectedly fell through.


    As for the remaining upperssmen...


    "How about Quinie?"


    Malia asked. Surprised that she mentioned that name, I asked,


    "¡­How do you know Senior Quinie? I mean, how did you know that name for my team¡­?"


    "Well, because I was asked?"


    Malia answered as if it was nothing, but I couldn''t quite grasp it immediately.


    While I stood there dumbfounded, Malia spoke again.


    "I was asked by Quinie to tell her if Frondier is having trouble with scouting."

 Chapter 67 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Quinie. Not bad.


    No, among all possibilities, top-notch.


    Of course, I didn''t exclude Quinie from the scout, but I thought the sess rate would be very low. She must be very popr.


    But if Quinie were to make the suggestion herself, there would be no reason to refuse.


    "Then I''ll go. I have to talk to your father. You go to Quinie."


    "Yes. I hope for a good oue."


    I cheered for Malia. But nothing will change.


    Enfer hardly ever backs down.


    Malia is the same, but that means they are on parallel paths.The final exam will end before Malia changes Enfer''s mind.


    After Malia left, I looked around briefly.


    This is the infirmary, so there''s really no reason for me to be here. Just as I was thinking of getting up.


    "It''s been a while. Head of the Roach n."


    I heard that voice. I turned my head to the voiceing from behind me.


    A man bowed respectfully to me.


    There was a window behind the man. He must havee in through there.


    ...I know this man.


    It''s my first time seeing him, but without any confirmation, my intuition clearly issued a warning.


    ©¤©¤The man who hinted at the ancientnguage to Frondier.


    The one who tried to eliminate Elodie''s divine power.


    The man was cloaked in a long robe that covered his entire body, hiding his face in the shadows like a reclusive wizard. Judging by his voice and stature, he was clearly a man, but that too might have been altered by magic.


    "It seems I''ve startled you by reappearing after so long. My apologies. I am in a position where I cannot show myself to anyone."


    When I didn''t respond, the man bowed his head even deeper.


    ...This polite treatment, it''s different from what I imagined.


    The memories of Frondier from the incident at the cabin.


    The impression there was that this man seemed to be manipting Frondier like a puppet.


    Perhaps reality wasn''t much different, but on the surface, was it Frondier who was in the dominant position? Or rather, did he make Frondier believe he was the dominant one, moving as intended?


    I opened my mouth. The silence was a bit long.


    Before he could suspect, I said what I had to say.


    "Who are you calling the head of the n?"


    I spoke to him with arrogance and pride.


    The head of the Roach n, that was naturally Azier''s role.


    I didn''t know if Frondier liked being called the head of the household, but such a warning would have been obvious.


    As expected, he nodded as if to say that was the case.


    "I''m sorry. I saw such a future. I keep making mistakes. I was too hasty."


    ...Keep making, huh.


    It seems calling Frondier the head of the household wasn''t just once or twice.


    And considering nothing had happened until now, Frondier must have liked being called that.


    "But Mr. Frondier. It seems your interpretation of the ancientnguage is slow."


    This man still doesn''t know. That the interpretation of the ancientnguage has beenpleted.


    "Don''t you have to bring down the daughter of the Rishae family?"


    ...This is about Elodie.


    "My mind has changed. That''s all."


    I said while trying to figure out the man''s identity.


    That such a conversation could happen means, no matter how foolish Frondier was, he knew the identity of the other party. It''s frustrating since I have no such memory.


    "Huh, that''s strange."


    A tenacious voice flowed from the shadowed face.


    "Weren''t you the one who asked me, Mr. Frondier?"


    ...What?


    Frondier asked? It wasn''t this man who made the suggestion first?


    "You hated that woman, didn''t you?"


    His words wrapped around me like a snake.


    This feeling, a sweet scent that I can sense somewhere. Perhaps he had cast a spell on his ''speech''.


    However, perhaps because it was intended for the ¡®original Frondier¡¯, it didn¡¯t seem to work on the current me.


    ¡­¡­A small opportunity. I pretended to be possessed moderately and listened to his words.


    ¡°With all her talents, wasn¡¯t it disgusting to see her giggling in front of you?¡±


    A disparagement of Elodie. To the current me, it simply sounded unpleasant.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t stand her acting all high and mighty in front of you, could you?¡±


    Believing in the effects of the spell, the man gradually spiced up his expressions. To provoke Frondier¡¯s jealousy and inferiority.


    Fine. Let¡¯s y along.


    ¡°¡­¡­You.¡±


    I slowly opened my mouth.


    ¡°Watch your words.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The man quickly lowered his head again as soon as he heard my words.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. That woman¡¯s appearance was so unpleasant that I just¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line. Have you forgotten who you are?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Who are you. Why are you by my side?¡±


    ¡°I am Hagley from Manggot. I am by your side to eliminate potential enemies of Sir Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget.¡±


    I felt a sense of stuffiness filling my body as I spoke.


    ¡­¡­ Manggot.


    The exiles of the continent. And a group that was closer to the ¡®outside¡¯ than any other human.


    That fool Frondier messed with Manggot.


    But now, it¡¯s me.


    The reason Hagley is bowing down to me like this is because of Enfer.


    The original Frondier wouldn¡¯t even be able to walk or talk properly in front of me.


    ¡°In that case, what about that woman¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Elodie is not my enemy.¡±


    Hagley¡¯s face was not visible, but he didn¡¯t seem to like my words, judging from the fact that he didn¡¯t answer me right away.


    But it doesn¡¯t matter. I had to say these words. I don¡¯t know what else this guy might do.


    "As I would eliminate my potential enemies, I will also eliminate Elodie''s enemies."

 Chapter 67 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Around the same time, just as Frondier had anticipated, the campus was bustling with scouting activities.


    Especially the skilled and famous sophomores and juniors were surrounded by first-year students in a scene that was quite a spectacle. The more experienced and skilled juniors were much more sought after than the sophomores.


    The prime example of this was Quinie de Viet.


    "Senior Quinie! Please join our team...!"


    "No, join us!"


    Quinie, quite naturally, was receiving fervent proposals from the first-year students while sitting in her ce. The line extended beyond the ssroom, crowded with students.


    At this moment, Quinie''s mood was at its peak. She was still hiding her smug smile behind her fan.


    Anne was watching her with cold eyes from beside her but didn''t bother to say anything.


    Yes, why spoil the fun when a friend is enjoying some poprity for once. It won''tst long anyway.However, Quinie consistently responded to the students who approached her with the same reply.


    "Sorry, I have a prior engagement."


    Upon hearing this, the first-year students visibly showed their disappointment and left.


    Hmm, Quinie was feeling quite high and mighty.


    Yes, this is typical.


    The merchant who raised her family¡¯s status single-handedly, Quinie de Viet.


    Insightparable to foresight, a matching calction ability. With impable personalbat skills and connections to boot!


    ''Little Devil Quinie'' is rightfully entitled to such treatment.


    "...So?"


    As the first-year students dispersed, making the ce a bit quieter, Anne spoke up.


    "Hmm?"


    "¡®Support Unit¡¯, aren¡¯t you going to do it?"


    Senior students approve scouting first-year students to participate in the final exams. This is referred to as the "support unit." It''s not an official term, but one that has solidified among the students through frequent use.


    "What did you hear? I have a prior engagement."


    "...Even though you don''t."


    "You, what do you think you know?"


    Quinie retorted to Anne, who spoke with pursed lips, half-covering her face with a fan.


    Anne replied as if it were obvious.


    "Of course I know. I''m always with you, aren''t I? Even if you received a scouting offer, would you ept it right away with your personality? You''d look around and choose whatever seems best. It''s strange that you suddenly say you have a prior engagement when there wasn''t even a hint of such a thing."


    Why is she suddenly so smart? Quinie narrowed her eyes, peeking out from behind her fan.


    Anne quietly observed Quinie and then said,


    "Frondier?"


    "¡ªWhy are you suddenly bringing him up?"


    Anne, who was smart and quick-witted.


    "Well, no matter what, you wouldn''t team up with Frondier. Who would do such a crazy thing?"


    But Anne shrugged and organized her thoughts on her own.


    ''Are you upset? Why would that be crazy?''


    She rolled her eyes without voicing her thoughts aloud.


    ...In fact, there''s no such thing as a prior engagement. Instead, Quinie has unterally sent a message. To Frondier''s mother, Malia.


    Frondier probably won''t have an easy time scouting. Not just because of his bad reputation, but also because it seems he might be on the same team as Aten, and not everyone has the heart to bear the weight of carrying out a mission with a princess.


    Ellen is a strong candidate, but Ellen won''t be able to participate in the final exams because of an internship. A good merchant never overlooks such detailed information.


    ©¤There was a broadcast earlier calling Frondier to the infirmary.


    So, now Malia will pass the message to Frondier, and if Frondieres to this ssroom to make a scouting offer, it will be perfect if we just ept it as if we have no choice.


    ......


    ......


    ......But why isn''t heing?


    It feels like a while since the broadcast called Frondier to the infirmary, but there''s no sign of him showing up.


    "Uh, hmm. Then. I''m going to the restroom."


    "Eh? Let''s go together."


    "No, it''s okay. I might be a while."


    "Ah... Ahaha. Sorry."


    Anneughed awkwardly.


    Quinie felt bad, knowing what she was thinking, but couldn''t really make any excuses and just left.


    Naturally, her destination was the infirmary.


    Coincidentally, or perhaps not so coincidentally, she now feels sick. Bloated. It''s as if something is poking her on the inside of her ribs, making it hard to breathe.


    This is really not the best condition to be in right before the final exams, it''s quite dangerous, to say the least.


    So, going to the infirmary is like an inevitable choice of fate, isn''t it?


    While walking, Quinie suddenly stopped. She herself was surprised at how abruptly she ended her walk''s inertia.


    "No, when I think about it, why am I doing this? I should just go back to the ssroom and wait."


    It seems like a hasty decision to go meet Frondier now.


    He''s probably still in the infirmary.


    She turned around and went back the way she came.


    Just go to the restroom, as I told Anne. That thought suddenly came to her.


    ......Quinie stopped again.


    ''...What''s this?''


    Quinie squinted one eye.


    Bing the head of the Viet family, she has almost never reversed a decision.


    Especially not for such a trivial reason or out of indecision.


    Deciding to go to the infirmary was clearly her will, there was a reason, and the action was without hesitation.


    However, this turning back.


    Was just because she ''suddenly'' had that thought.


    ......Quinie. Snap out of it.


    "Something''s not right."


    Quinie''s eyes, capable of seeing through people, rivaled a scale''s precision.


    However, her perception of non-human ''objects'' hadn''t reached that level.


    Her ability to distinguish real from fake stillcked, which was why she lost the bet with Frondier.


    After Frondier, Quinie delved into studying traps and barriers.


    She hadn''t neglected her studies in the field even before, but she couldn''t bear the thought of someone she was trying to teach surpassing her.


    ¡ªAnd that''s why.


    She realized.


    ''An approach interference barrier.''


    The moment she identified it, the scent of mana stung her nose.


    The approach interference barrier Renzo previously used to kidnap Aten.


    Unlike that time in a wide-open field, the barrier was detected this time thanks to their opponent being Quinie.


    An approach interference barrier had been ced around the infirmary. Someone was forbidding ess to the infirmary.


    Why?


    ''...Frondier is in danger.''


    Quinie quickened her pace. Even though she identified the barrier, its effects persisted.


    It was quite an unpleasant feeling¡ªconstantly having your own will denied.


    However, attempting to forcibly break through would alert the barrier''s creator. Fortunately, knowing it''s a barrier halved its effect.


    Just as she arrived in front of the infirmary.


    Quinie discovered an unexpected figure.


    Someone else had gotten there before her.


    That person stood in front of the infirmary door, simply staring at it nkly.


    As if she could see through the door just by doing that.


    No, that''s not it. She''s listening. To the conversation inside.


    "...Elodie?"


    As Quinie muttered in a nearly inaudible voice, Elodie slowly turned her head.


    Her gaze upon confirming Quinie wavered, as if she had heard something she shouldn''t have.

 Chapter 68 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>22/25 Bonus chapter thanks to @KSVAQ on Ko-fi!</i>


    Elodie had figured out the barrier a step ahead of Quinie.


    She was half convinced that it was Frondier who had obliterated the demon with "Fireworks" when they fled. That''s why she hade to hear the detailed story of the attack.


    "......"


    After seeing Quinie, Elodie opened the door. She couldn''t afford to waste any more time.


    With a bang, the door opened and Frondier was sitting alone in the room.


    "Oh? Elodie."


    Frondier''s voice was as usual. And hisnguid face was, as always, without concern.Elodie smiled.


    "What about Professor Malia?"


    "She stepped out for a moment."


    "What were you talking about? The broadcast was looking for you."


    Frondier appeared as usual, and so did Elodie.


    Quinie entered after her.


    "Ah, Senior Quinie. I was about toe looking for you."


    "¡­Is it just you here?"


    Quinie entered and looked around.


    The infirmary looked as neat as ever, with no signs of anyoneing or going.


    Of course, Quinie, who followed, didn''t know if anyone was inside, or even if there had been anyone at all.


    There was a barrier, so she only had an intuition that Frondier might have been in danger.


    But looking at Frondier, he seemed fine.


    However, seeing Elodie''s expression upon arrival,


    It was clear that something had happened.


    "Senior. We need an upperssman for this semester''s final exam, would you help, Senior Quinie...?"


    "Ah, yes. Sure."


    Frondier led the conversation as if he was unaware of Quinie''s thoughts.


    Since that was Quinie''s original intention, she epted for the time being.


    Elodie quietly listened to their conversation.


    * * *


    At the Rishae estate.


    As Elodie entered through the mansion''s door, a maid hurried over.


    "Eh, Miss Elodie. You''vee early. We were informed you''d bete."


    "My schedule changed."


    "I''m sorry. I''ll prepare your meal right away..."


    "No, it''s okay."


    Elodie''s expressionless face made the maid nervously follow her.


    "Just wait a moment, it will be ready soon-"


    "It''s fine...!"


    Elodie''s voice rose, but then she closed her eyes and shook her head.


    Taking it out on the wrong person. I knew that. And so, Elodie smiled again.


    "No. It''s just that I''m not hungry. Really."


    "Then, I''ll leave you be."


    "Yes."


    With that, the maid retreated, her shoulders hunched up.


    "You know?"


    Elodie called out to her bent back.


    "It''s really okay. I''m sorry for getting angry over nothing."


    "It''s, it''s not like that at all."


    Watching the maid shake her head, Elodie entered her room.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Elodie sat down in the chair in front of her desk.


    She wanted to sit on the bed, but then she would have ended up lying down, which was not an option without changing her clothes. Even in this situation, she found it amusing that she cared about such trivial things.


    "What on earth is¡­"


    A murmur escaped her like a sigh. She didn¡¯t like the tremble in her voice.


    Elodie had overheard their conversation. Hagley of the Manggot, was it? Whether it was trust in her own barrier or the infirmary itselfcked soundproof magic. Even if there was such a thing, Elodie could break through it.


    "What did you touch, Frondier?"


    The conversation itself seemed like Frondier held a high position.


    But the content was rming.


    -Don''t you have to bring down the daughter of the Rishae family?


    -You hated that woman, didn¡¯t you?


    -With all her talents, wasn¡¯t it disgusting to see her giggling in front of you?


    -You couldn¡¯t stand her acting all high and mighty in front of you, could you?


    "¡­Frondier hates me¡­?"


    Elodie grabbed her head. Her well-groomed hair crumpled and scattered.


    She had never thought about it. When she was young, she and Frondier often yed together.


    She always smiled at Frondier, talking about what they did today, what they wanted to do, and bragging about her abilities.


    Each time, Frondier seemed annoyed, but still, still.


    ¡­Frondier, without divine power. In front of him, she boasted of her abilities, and sometimesined and grumbled.


    Those countless repetitions came flooding back.


    Since she was young, Elodie hadn¡¯t expected much from Frondier. She just hoped he would do his part.


    But it was she who continuously gave him a sense of inferiority, preventing even that.


    "¡­It was me."


    That¡¯s how it must have looked in Frondier¡¯s eyes.


    Not knowing that, foolishly.


    But then.


    Why did Frondier.


    -As I would eliminate my potential enemies, I will also eliminate Elodie''s enemies.


    He said such things¡­¡­.


    Creak.


    The door opened at that moment.


    ¡°Elodie, are you okay? You seem to be feeling terrible,¡±


    Whoosh-


    A pillow struck the man who had entered¡¯s face.


    ¡°Knock and enter again!¡±


    This is how many times I¡¯ve said this now.


    I was already feeling annoyed but now it¡¯s increased tenfold.


    ¡°S, sorry.¡±


    The man awkwardly exited the room and closed the door.


    Then knock, knock, he gave a tiny knock that I might not hear and spoke.


    ¡°Elodie, it''s your brother. May I enter?¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯te in.¡±


    ¡°H, hey, Elodie! Isn¡¯t this going against our promise!¡±


    ¡°I never promised anything!¡±


    Elodie¡¯s older brother, Revet de Rishae.


    It¡¯s not like Elodie normally had a bad rtionship with Revet. No, it could be said that it was good. That¡¯s why Revet usually gives in to Elodie.


    However, Elodie really didn¡¯t want to see anyone right now.


    ¡°T, then I¡¯ll speak from outside. Would that be okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Fine.¡±


    My brother who doesn¡¯t give up.


    ¡°Ahem, I¡¯ve heard that the final exams areing up soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to be on full alert for an important exam like that.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you go to the auction house with me? Good items will appear this time.¡±

 Chapter 68 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Auction house?


    Elodie¡¯s curiosity was piqued at those words.


    It¡¯s true that there wasn¡¯t much time left for the final exams. She felt a level of frustration that she hadn¡¯t felt during the midterms.


    Elodie is unable to control the strength of her magic. When she thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem like something so important, but it wasn¡¯t easy for the students to carry out missions within the fields where there were students everywhere.


    If there were an artifact that could help with mana control, I would be able to disy my abilities better on the final exams.


    ¡°What¡¯sing in?¡±


    ¡°Hm, don¡¯t be surprised. The legendary metal ¡®Viper Steel¡¯ ising in!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be troubled if you weren¡¯t surprised.¡±¡°Yeah. Right. Viper Steel.¡±


    Whatever. That¡¯s something amazing. Where on earth did you get that.


    The fact itself was surprising, but Elodie felt nothing in particr. Of course, to Elodie who was a wizard, it waspletely useless.


    ¡°Elodie, if it¡¯s Viper Steel, it might be able to withstand your magic output.¡±


    ¡°Withstand it? Why? I¡¯m supposed to be reducing my output.¡±


    "Being able to withstand means it can also be stored. It means you can control your output and store that mana."


    Whoa.


    That is interesting.


    "How about it? Will you give it a try? Since it''s something that will belong to you, we''ll have the best magical devicepany make it. If possible, we should ce an order with ''Hitchcock''."


    "Hmm..."


    Elodie pondered for a moment.


    Even though things went this way and that, she felt better while talking to Revet.


    It would have been nice if things ended there, but even though Revet was considerate, he was tactless.


    "By the way, I heard you''ve been speaking with the second son of the Roach family frequently in Constel these days. Even at the social gathering the other day. Of course, I didn''t see it myself, but-"


    Elodie sighed naturally. She wondered why her brother wasn''t talking about Frondier.


    "Don''t you start too, brother. I''m already feeling down."


    "What? Is it still because of that punk, Frondier? I''ll grab that bastard, and-"


    "If you do that, won''t you have to face six opponents?"


    "...Six? Did Frondier gain followers? But, a mere student from Constel can''t possibly be my enemy-"


    "Hm. Me, Agni, Rudra, Indra..."


    "Elodie...!"


    Revet let out a desperate voice filled with anguish.


    Of course, he was outside the room.


    * * *


    In the southern part of the continent, there is a territory the Empire has yet to reach.


    It''s part of the Empire''s territory, but it''s too deste for any living being to inhabit.


    The southern end, where no humans, animals, or monsters reside.


    In this ce, there is a cliff with a cross-section that forcibly separates thend and the sea. Arge river flowing from above falls down to form a waterfall.


    Somewhere inside this gigantic waterfall with a diameter of over 3km, there is a cave that uses the entire cliff as its space.


    Manggot. It''s said that those who live closest to the ''outside'' are rtively safe because monsters don''te near it, ironically.


    [Has something changed?]


    A meeting is currently underway in the cave, in its deepest darkness.


    Hagley said.


    "His arrogance remains the same. However, he wasn''t under any enchantment."


    [Did he notice you using magic?]


    "It didn''t seem that way."


    [Hmm. Even an ipetent fool will show some growth after that much time. Besides, humans tend to develop immunity to enchantments.]


    Hagley simply bowed his head deeply at those words.


    He, too, never believed that magic would work indefinitely. It had worked too well with Frondier up until now.


    However, the problem at hand was different, and so was the reason for the meeting.


    "It has be difficult now."


    [What has?]


    "It seems that Frondier has given up on interpreting ancientnguages. And it looks like he''s also reluctant to use magic on the female offspring of the Rishae family."


    The voice that had been speaking to him paused for a moment.


    [He won''t eliminate Inies'' divine power?]


    "Yes. Not only that, but he told me to protect her. I''m not sure what changed his mind."


    This time, another voice chimed in.


    [That''s troublesome. Inies is the biggest obstacle we need to remove to cover the center. Thinking about those idiots who banished me and are still snickering...]


    Hagley let out a sigh unheard by anyone.


    The owner of that voice always seemed to be on the verge of anger.


    [Then we need to find a new tool. Left alone, Frondier will self-destruct.]


    "Frondier is the only one capable of interpreting ancientnguages. I''m not sure who else could, but it would take as much time to find someone as it did to discover Frondier."


    The ability to interpret ancientnguages goes beyond a matter of difficulty; it requires talent. It''s such a powerful talent that it divides what is possible from what is not.


    Frondier, who had been called ipetent, had that talent. If the Roach family had known about it earlier, they wouldn''t have disregarded Frondier so much.


    However, it seems neither Frondier himself nor the Roach family knows the value of ancientnguages.


    ©¤©¤Ipetence ultimately remains ipetence.


    [Then, for now, keep staying by his side. Pretending to be an ally might change his mind again.]


    "I''m not sure. Frondier has ordered me to protect Inies. Whether his mind will easily change..."


    [That''s how inferiority in a person is, Hagley. The thing that ignites Frondier''s inferiority the most is not the family or the Constel, but Inies. The environment around Frondier is something that anyone would find hard to endure. He will soon copse back into darkness.]


    With a voice full of conviction, Hagley simply bowed his head deeply again.

 Chapter 69 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Upon arrival at the auction in the city of Arkre, Elodie relishes the rare freedom she experiences outside of Constel, where her fame usually attracts constant attention¡ªa notion she has grown weary of.


    "Confirmed. Revet de Rishae, Elodie de Rishae. Please, this way."


    "Ah, my sister is Elodie de ''Inies'' Rishae, to be precise. Please correct the¡ª"


    "Brother, let''s just go in."


    Elodie nudges Revet forward and they enter the auction hall, which is bustling with a significant crowd. Revet''s anticipation of an extraordinary item seems to be well-founded.


    The interior of the auction hall resembles a movie theater, with seating that curves slightly and spreads out wide, facing the stage where the auctioneer and items will be presented.


    "Aren''t you nervous, Elodie?"


    "Nervous? We''re not children. And it''s not my first time at an auction."


    "But it''s been a very long time."Revet had a point.


    In fact, this was Elodie''s second time at an auction. The first time, she vaguely remembers holding her father''s hand as they attended. They had purchased a ''WizardGram'' then, which she ended up giving to Frondier.


    "¡­What is that guy doing here?"


    Suddenly, Revet spoke through gritted teeth, his face turning feral.


    There was only one person who could elicit such a reaction from him, as far as Elodie knew.


    "¡­Frondier?"


    A few seats ahead on the left, there sat Frondier, unmistakable with his jet-ck hair andnguid expression, looking as if he might fall asleep any moment.


    "What is he doing here¡­"


    "Brother, it''s just an auction house. If you book in advance, anyone cane."


    "¡­Right."


    Elodie was calming Revet down while also finding herself puzzled.


    Frondier at the auction house? Looking around, it seemed he hade alone, without anyone from his family. Meaning, he wasn''t here on behalf of the Enfer or Azier.


    But without his family by his side, Frondier would be penniless.


    "Be careful, Elodie. The head of the household might have just given him some money to experience this. To gain some experience, you know."


    "Experience?"


    "Yes. Nobles, whether they like it or not, often encounter high-value transactions. An auction house is a ce where the value of items constantly changes. It''s a good ce to learn how fickle the flow of money can be."


    Revet''s words made some sense.


    If Frondier were a typical noble''s child, that is.


    But Frondier is Frondier. An outsider of the Enfer family, who hasn''t spoken a word to anyone in the past five years.


    Would they suddenly give him a social experience?


    "And usually, they are given a specific errand."


    "Errand?"


    "To buy a designated item. In this case, it''s ''Viper Steel''. Whether it''s for Lord Enfer or Azier, Viper Steel is a very important metal for a warrior."


    "¡­So, he''s my rival at the auction?"


    "Yes. An enemy."


    I asked about a rival, but why did he affirm it and then change it to an enemy?


    I wanted to argue about that, but the start of the auction was quicker than Elodie''s retort.


    "Ladies and gentlemen present here, I, the host ''Gilles Brosau'', greet you on behalf of themittee."


    The host came onto the stage and announced the start of the auction with familiar phrases.


    While the host was talking about the season, the weather, and how much trouble everyone had gone through to get here, Elodie asked in a lowered voice.


    "So, when is it? The Viper Steel?"


    "It''s thest item. The most valuable of all items today."


    Revet handed her a pamphlet with the auction list.


    When did he get this? Elodie carefully scanned through the list of items.


    ¡­¡­Seeing this, there seem to be many interesting items. Elodie, having neither the eye nor the knowledge for it, couldn''t tell how much any of this should cost.


    The auction officially began, and items started to be presented one after another.


    With each item that came out, Elodie alternated between looking at the pamphlet''s pictures and the actual items in front of her. Revet watched her do this, smiling.


    "¡­¡­The items look good."


    "The auction house starts with items of higher value. It''s thought to elevate the level of the auction. Then, as it goes on, items of lower value or with some defects also start appearing, and their prices can suddenly jump up."


    Indeed.


    It''s said that auctions are the fairest way to determine the price of items when people are thinking rationally, but it turns out that it''s not easy for people to think rationally.


    Elodie nced at Frondier for a moment. Frondier hadn''t budged an inch while the items were being presented. He must be waiting for Viper Steel.


    And as the auction moved beyond its early stages, just as Revet had said, the more mundane items began to appear.


    It was unclear whether they were of high value or not, but unique or peculiar items started to show up. Truly, things that sparked curiosity.


    The next item was one of these.


    "Now, the next item is the ''cursed cloth.''"


    As the presenter said, the item that appeared in the center was an ordinary blue cloth.


    At a nce, there was nothing artistically remarkable about it. Its material was unclear, but it was nothing out of the ordinary.


    However, its designation set it apart from the items that hade before.


    "This blue cloth once passed through the hands of a certaindy. She decided to cut it up and use it as a handkerchief. After cutting it to a suitable size, she ced it in her pocket to use whenever needed. But then, a few dayster! The handkerchief that should have been in her pocket had mysteriously disappeared."


    The presenter led the story with a yful expression and tone of voice.


    Hmm, Elodie listened to the story with keen interest.

 Chapter 69 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "She inspected the original piece of fabric she had cut earlier once again. To her astonishment! The fabric was lying in the same size and shape as before it was cut. That''s when she realized it. The cut piece had disappeared and returned to its original form. No matter if it was cut, torn, or the threads were pulled apart, over time, it returned to its original state. She realized that this fabric was cursed!"


    The auctioneer''s voice rose, and the tale of the cursed fabric concluded.


    The participants'' interest cooled.


    Everyone was thinking the same thing.


    Elodie whispered from the side.


    "...Maybe it''s just enchanted with a restoration spell?"


    "Exactly. That''s what everyone here is probably thinking."


    But no one asks the auctioneer. Even if they did, getting a straight answer would be difficult.


    The value of an item is solely for one''s own eyes to judge. That''s the rule of this auction. If you don''t like it, don''t buy it."But if, the item isn''t enchanted with restoration magic."


    "If it''s not?"


    "Then it''s even worse. The price would drop even further."


    "Why?"


    "Because it''s genuinely cursed and utterly useless."


    Upon hearing Revet''s words, Elodie paused for a moment then realized.


    "...Ah, right. Because it can''t be tailored."


    "If it returns to its original state no matter if it''s cut, torn, or the threads are pulled apart, then what use is there for such fabric? Probably the reason thatdy put it up for auction was because of that. She must have wanted to deceive someone by attaching an intriguing name to it."


    Elodie nodded in agreement with Revet''s words.


    Indeed, it''s useless for anything. The fabric, in itself, holds no meaning.


    Meanwhile, the auctioneer announced the starting bid. The price was 100,000 Quir. Though it was significantly lower than the other items that had been auctioned, no one raised their hand.


    Revet whispered.


    "Not even if they called for a quarter of that price would anyone buy it. The nobles gathered here aren''t that foolish,"


    Revet''s speech halted.


    "Number 139! 139, 100,000 Quir! Any more?"


    The auctioneer shouted excitedly. It was clear that he was thrilled, perhaps because he hadn''t expected anyone to bid. In a positive light, it was fortunate that it was sold; in a negative light, he had duped someone.


    Elodie''s and Revet''s heads turned in perfect unison. At the end of their gazes was Frondier.


    Frondier was holding the sign for number 139.


    "......Was he that stupid? Frondier."


    "Don''t say that. It must be useful to him somehow."


    "Hmm. Well, it''s not that expensive. He probably just wanted to experience the thrill of purchasing something."


    Revet seemed to convince himself.


    He didn''t think for a second about how Frondier would use it. Even he couldn''t be that foolish. He must have just wanted to get a taste of the auction.


    If that was his thinking, then 100,000 Quirs wasn''t that expensive. It was probably the lowest price item that woulde up for auction today.


    The auctioneer called out the bid amount three times, and the ''cursed cloth'' became Frondier''s.


    Of course, no one envied him.


    ......And time passed.


    The long-awaited moment had arrived, and Elodie unconsciously straightened her posture.


    "Now, then, this is the final item for today."


    The gazes of the entire audience followed the item as it was brought to the center.


    The cloth was removed, and some people gasped in admiration.


    "The metal of marvels, Viper Steel!"


    The atmosphere among the audience grew tense with the auctioneer''s confident voice.


    The main reason for this was Viper Steel''s enormous size. With that size, you could easily forge two, no, three proper weapons from it.


    Amidst the uproar, Elodie spoke.


    "Can I really buy it? It''s incredibly popr."


    "Of course. Yourpetitors don''t matter. It''ll go to the one with the most money."


    "......That''s true."


    "So Elodie, I''m leaving this auction up to you."


    Elodie''s eyes widened at that.


    "M-me?"


    "Yes. It''s your item, so it''s only natural. Experience an auction for once."


    Revet then extended the sign to her. Elodie hesitantly took it.


    Revet cautioned her with a note of advice.


    "Also, keep an eye on Frondier. He might not seem like much, but he''s brought a substantial amount of money for Viper Steel."


    Elodie nodded in agreement. Indeed, this time Frondier seemed to regard Viper Steel with a somewhat adventurous gaze.


    ...Finding such nuance in his sleepy eyes might currently be a feat only Elodie could achieve.


    "The starting bid is five million quir. So,"


    A starting bid fifty times higher than that of the "cursed cloth." But it was not a price that would stop there.


    Everyone lifted their signs, and the price skyrocketed.


    Elodie participated eagerly. She did not agonize deeply, nor did she look around at the others. Her hand just went up flippantly without much thought.


    Revet watched this, barely holding back hisughter.


    In truth, an opponent like Elodie was the most burdensome for the others.


    Not having a great desire for the item itself, yet holding up the sign in an inscrutable manner as if just there for fun. No one knew how long her ignorant hand would keep rising.


    Of course, Elodie didn''t raise her hand every time the price went up.


    But unlike others, the reason Elodie didn''t raise her hand was simply out ofziness. It was merely the logic that someone else would likely raise their hand anyway.


    And during that time, Frondier remained still.

 Chapter 70 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>23/25 Bonus chapter thanks to @KSVAQ on Ko-fi!</i>


    ''Hmm, there''s indeed a set baseline.''


    Revet thought.


    Frondier also had plenty of leeway. Unless the price went above the amount he had set, or the amount designated by his family, he would not raise his sign.


    The price had exceeded ten million quir. It had already doubled. At this point, the number of bids began to decrease.


    Currently, the only people still raising their signs were Elodie and some middle-aged aristocratic man who came out of nowhere. He red at Elodie with simmering anger.


    Elodie paid no attention to his anger and raised her sign again.


    She was really not thinking anything of it.The middle-aged man trembled as he held onto his sign.


    In the meantime, Elodie looked at Frondier.


    Frondier would probably be her next opponent.


    But, he still showed no sign of movement.


    Meanwhile, the middle-aged man raised his sign once again.


    And as if to ignore his petty rebellion, Elodie raised her sign before the auctioneer could even finish speaking.


    Just as Revet had said, in an auction, the person with the most money wins the item.


    Unlike that man whose budget was almost up, Elodie still had plenty of room to spare.


    ¡°127, 10.5 million! 10.5 million! Are there any higher bids?¡±


    In the end, the middle-aged man hung his head. Elodie and Revet turned to look at Frondier.


    Frondier¡¯s expression wasposed.


    Now, it was time for the showdown with Frondier. Elodie quietly observed him.


    But then,


    ¡°Are there any higher bids? If not, I will call out the price three times and close!¡±


    Frondier remained still up until that point.


    ¡°10.5 million!¡±


    The auctioneer called out the price for the first time, and Elodie tensed up slightly. Is this it, she thought.


    ¡°10.5 million!¡±


    On the second call, Revet furrowed his brow. What trick are they trying to pull? That Frondier¡¯s leisurely attitude irked him.


    And then.


    ¡°10.5 million!¡±


    The third call.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Elodie and Revet blinked in unison.


    ¡°Congrattions to bidder number 127! The Viper Steel has been sold for 10.5 million quir!¡±


    Ohhhhhh, the surrounding nobles cheered and pped.


    Revet reflexively raised his hand to acknowledge them, but his face still held a look of doubt. Elodie didn¡¯t react at all. She simply asked.


    ¡°¡­Is there a chance he changed your mind halfway?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Revet didn¡¯t say anything. He just stared at Frondier with an expression that said he was looking at something strange. Well, to Revet, Frondier probably did look strange.


    Elodie understood the meaning of Revet¡¯s expression, and said.


    ¡°¡­¡­I guess not. Then that means.¡±


    Elodie looked at Frondier again.


    From the moment it appeared until the sessful bid was dered, his expression didn¡¯t change at all, and his hands never moved once.


    The answer was simple.


    Frondier never intended to get his hands on it, from the very beginning.


    The only exnation for why he came here was the ¡°cursed cloth¡±.


    ¡°What is that guy, what the, what is he doing,¡±


    Revet¡¯s speech was broken as bewilderment and iprehension washed over him.


    * * *


    A few days ago, inside the Constel Institute caf¨¦, the ¡°Tall Dwarf¡±.


    After sessfully scouting Quinie, I held a meeting with her and Aten.


    ¡°I¡¯m more suited for long-rangedbat, if I had to say.¡±


    When we divided up the party positions, Quinie said this. The des hidden within her fans were her main weapons. While she threw them, you couldn¡¯t really call her a ranged dealer.


    ¡°You¡¯re good at both melee and long-rangebat, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ahem, well, I suppose so.¡±


    Quinie covered her mouth with her fan at my words.


    Of course, I praised Quinie intentionally, but it wasn¡¯t a lie, so I didn¡¯t feel guilty.


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll be at the front, Quinie in the middle, and Aten in the rear. That¡¯s how it¡¯ll be.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be at the front? You wanted to be the rearguard, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If there was someone who was thoroughly a vanguard, like Aster or Ellen, then I would have done that.¡±


    Quinie is an all-rounder. She¡¯s someone who can perform well in any position.


    Therefore, it''s best to keep it in the middle and respond flexibly depending on the situation.


    "Hmm. That could be dangerous."


    "I''ll have to work hard."


    It''s sad that I''m getting used to being in danger.


    But my response seemed to bother Quinie somehow, as she looked around once and then leaned in close to me.


    "So, you know."


    "Yes?"


    "Did you really do it?"


    "Do what?"


    "The Fireworks."


    At that, Aten closed the distance as well. Both of their eyes were sparkling with curiosity and wonder.


    These two were the ones I had warned about the monster''s attack in advance. Naturally, they could guess that I was involved in the ''Fireworks'' that supposedly wiped out the fleeing monster.


    Quinie said.


    "I''m not going to ask how you knew the monster was going to attack, because that actually happened. But the ''Fireworks'' are a different story. I''d like a little bit of gratitude for helping you."


    "Protecting Constel benefits everyone, doesn''t it?"


    "That''s why I said ''a little'' bit of gratitude."


    What is this?


    But without the help of Quinie and the others, a proper response during the attack would have been impossible. Then I wouldn''t have gained the ''Analyze'' skill either.


    ...I see, a token of gratitude.


    "Then I''ll give you a straight answer."


    "Mhm."


    "I did it."


    I asserted.


    Quinie''s face, which had a hint of yfulness, suddenly turned serious. Her expression hardened, and her eyes, shining transparently, looked straight at me. It was as if I could hear her thoughts spinning.


    Then I added one more thing.


    "But I can''t do it anymore. How I did it is a secret."


    Such an impossible feat of remote aiming, without Malia''s help, I couldn''t even have conceived the idea.


    People might be able to replicate the appearance of what they call ''Fireworks'', but at best, it would only be within my line of sight.


    ...And with that, I hoped they would think I was just bluffing.

 Chapter 70 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Ah, I see."


    As if she hadn''t harbored any such thoughts, Quinie seemed to have finished her calctions within.


    It felt peculiar, as if my worth was being recalibrated in real-time.


    And then, Quinie spotted Aten beside her.


    Unlike Quinie, Aten didn''t seem surprised. Perhaps she was just taking it in stride.


    "Indeed, Your Highness. You have an eye for quality."


    "That title isn''t appropriate here. But I do agree with the sentiment¡ª"


    "Alright! Let''s start the meeting!"


    I interrupted, fearing their conversation might veer off into strange territory.Quinie shrugged, and Aten remained as calm as if nothing had happened.


    I asked Quinie.


    "So, what''s the format for the final exam?"


    "The first-year final exam involves a simple mission. It''s a virtual task designed to mimic a Pro''s mission."


    This time, Aten asked.


    "How do you know in advance?"


    "It''s been the same every year."


    Hmm. The truth is, this Q&A session is more for Aten''s benefit than anything, as I already knew this information.


    Quinie continued.


    "Constel students are trained to eliminate ''Outside Monsters'' beyond the boundary. However, reality doesn''t quite match up."


    "What''s the reality?"


    "It''s overwhelming just dealing with the conflicts between monsters within the boundary and humans."


    This continent, too, is a ce where people live.


    No matter how much the Monsters threaten and the human boundaries shrink.


    Not everyone within those boundaries unites towards a single goal.


    Especially now, when the boundary has solidified to the point where it''s rare to see a monster in the central regions, human divisions are significant.


    Most of the adversaries I''ve fought so far have been humans or events triggered by them.


    "So, the tasks usually involve both ''subjugation'' and ''protection.'' Pros go to the scene of an incident to deal with monster subjugation and human protection simultaneously."


    "¡­They don''t actually let real monsters attack people, do they?"


    Aten''s question made Quinieugh out loud.


    "Ahaha. No, of course not. That would be inefficient."


    I see. They don''t do it because it''s inefficient.


    I thought there was another reason.


    "The victims of the case will probably be your seniors. And the role of the monsters will be yed by the teachers. The teachers at Constel can easily ridicule ordinary monsters, and some even surpass those from ''outside.''"


    "¡­Teachers?"


    Aten looked at me as she asked.


    Yes. The biggest obstacle of this final exam, perhaps.


    I have to face my brother who became a temporary teacher.


    Azier de Roach.


    "But well, since that firework was really your doing. I guess I won''t have to do anything."


    "I can''t do it anymore."


    I replied to Quinie''s words as I pondered.


    The final exams when ying as Aster were tough but resulted in good oues. Aster is apletely different character before and after using divine power.


    Aster is a cheat character that surpasses cheat characters like Azier.


    However, bing Frondier means I''ll have to give my all to somehow aplish the mission.


    ¡­All-out effort.


    "Mj?lnir¡­"


    Aten looked at me as I muttered.


    Her gaze was a fierce warning.


    "Mr. Frondier. As I''ve said before, I''m not confident in seeding yet-"


    "I know. I won''t do such a thing."


    Eating a Weaving Dragon Heart is like throwing away my life.


    It was reckless to attempt it the first time, and it would be beyond foolish to do it again.


    ¡­So, if possible, I want to explore a direction that would make it safe.


    * * *


    And so.


    Iid down the fabric known as the "Cursed Cloth" on the desk.


    "¡­To obtain this."


    And at a bargain price. So cheap it''s embarrassing to even call it a bargain.


    I never considered the Viper Steel. I already have one of Neil Jack''s shortswords.


    Having it would be nice, but currently, I''m trying to add weaving with Obsidian to the ''shortsword'' to use ''dual swordsmanship.''


    Rather, the cursed cloth should rightfully be mine. It was so in the game as well.


    I brought all my money, not knowing how much it would sell for at the auction.


    I had the money I won from the bet with Quinie before. I was worried if I could afford it with the money I had, but fortunately, there was no one else interested in this item.


    Of course. It''s useless to the average person.


    Unless they know its true value.


    [Fabric of Penelope]


    ?Grade: Unique


    ?Description: A part of the shroud Weaving by Penelope. It is said that she spent three years weaving it during the day and unraveling it at night. It is imbued with the steadfast love and longing she held for Odysseus over 20 years.


    <Abilities Detail>


    - Shape Restoration: Due to the effects of Penelope''s repeated making and unmaking over three years, this fabric will return to its original form no matter what happens.


    - Pure Mana: Every knot Weaving is a collection of pure mana. It significantly increases durability, and the wearer gains the effects of warmth and waterproofing.


    It is the very fabric from "Penelope''s Weaving."


    While it has the fatal w of being unable to be tailored, the "Pure Mana" characteristic is not something to be easily overlooked.


    Even if the fabric cannot be altered to one''s liking, simply wrapping it around one''s arm or neck can have effects.


    However, my way of using it is a bit different.


    A Weaving Dragon Heart has the effect of enhancing the user''s mana, just like the original.


    Since it''s a fake, that amount of mana was reced by something else in my body.


    Then, what if there was mana ready to be substituted? That is, if there was a "dummy" that could be converted into mana instead of me.


    This "Fabric of Penelope" would be that "dummy."


    "Now then, how should I carry it around."


    I pondered while looking at the fabric, then folded it and wrapped it inside the cor of my shirt to make a necktie.


    Looking in the mirror to check, it''s not too bad.


    Since neckties are originally designated in the Constel Academy uniform, substituting it with this will do.

 Chapter 71 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>24/25 Bonus chapter thanks to @Altemer on Ko-fi! P.S. Announcing a new Kofi tier: </i>


    <i>Thor''s hammer, Mjolnir! Read 20 chapters ahead with this new tier!</i>


    The final exam was approaching.


    Frondier effortlessly jotted down his written answers.


    This time, Aten had also studied on her own since there was enough time, and thanks to that, Frondier wasn¡¯t disturbed.


    Unless he wrote his name wrong, he would be close to perfect.


    And then, the long-awaited practical exam day arrived.


    At Constel, while the written exams for all grades are held on the same day, practical exams are held on different days for each grade.First-years go first, and third-yearsst.


    Therefore, many upperssmen gathered in the auditorium to watch the first-years during this practical exam.


    However, today, before they watched the first-years, their attention was drawn to a rare sight.


    "...What day is it today?"


    "It''s the first-year practical exam."


    "Still, look over there."


    A student pointed to where many nobles were seated.


    From the head of the Roach family, Enfer, to the head of the Rishae family, Ortel. Next to him was his son, Revet.


    Moreover, approaching them was Ludwig von Urfa.


    They exchanged greetings.


    "It''s good to see you here, Enfer, Ortel."


    "It''s been a long journey."


    Ortel greeted normally, while Enfer, true to form, did not open his mouth.


    Revet bowed to Ludwig.


    "I see Lord Urfa."


    "Ah, it''s been a while. You look more dependable now."


    Ludwig lightly patted the formally bowing Revet''s shoulder.


    Ludwig von Urfa. The head of the family that guards the northwest hade to see the Constel practical exam.


    "It''s rare for Lord Urfa to attend such an event."


    "Um. I heard that Quinie was scouted for this practical exam?"


    "Quinie... Ah, you mean Quinie de Viet. Yes, that''s correct."


    Quinie is not only a student at Constel but also a renowned family head. It was natural for Revet to know her.


    Ludwig looked at the wizard-view screen. There, Quinie''s figure was being disyed.


    Along with Frondier, and Aten.


    "¡­Now that''s a formidable lineup."


    "Yes. Even for Quinie, having the princess with them must be quite a burden, I think."


    "Ah, right. Well, the princess is there, after all."


    Ludwig tapered off ambiguously.


    What does he mean by ''after all''? Revet thought. Could it be that even the head of the Urfa family pays more attention to Frondier than the princess? Surely not.


    Ludwig caught a glimpse of Quinie. She seemed to be consulting with Frondier.


    ''Hmm. Has she gotten over herplex? Or is she still working through it?''


    The reason Ludwig came to watch the Constel practical test today was mostly because of Quinie.


    Today''s mission is a simtion of ''rescue operations'', but for Quinie to participate in such a mission...


    Is it finally time for her to ovee her wounds and stand up, or.


    ¡­Somehow, his gaze drifts to a man with anguid face listening to Quinie''s story.


    ''She''s ended up on the same team as that insolent brat.''


    Ludwig put his thoughts aside and asked Revet.


    "I feel the same, but you being here seems a bit awkward too. What brought you here, exactly?"


    "Ah, that would be, of course! To see my proud younger sister, Elodie!"


    "Ha, then you should havee for the midterm exams too."


    Ludwigughed and checked the screen.


    He knew Elodie''s face well since he saw her at thest Mistilteinn meeting.


    That jewel of the Ortel family, what kind of team...


    "No, what is that."


    He ended up seeing a team even more nonsensical than Quinie''s.


    * * *


    "I retract my previous statement. First ce is impossible."


    "Yeah, seems like it."


    "Indeed."


    Quinie and Aten nodded in agreement with my words as if they deeply sympathized.


    It''s strange...


    I can''t figure out what kind of butterfly effect has reached us.


    An unbeatable teamposition has been formed on their side.


    "Elodie teaming up with Aster, of all people."


    I muttered as ifining.


    Moreover, the scouted upperssman is Theo de nc, who was the student council president untilst year.


    In the game, he had outstanding skills and a well-bnced all-rounder style, so it should be simr here.


    "I heard Elodie and Aster are quite close, so wasn''t there a good chance they''d end up on the same team?"


    "...Right."


    I found it hard to exin, so I just agreed.


    In reality, Elodie and Aster are quite close. It was the same in the game. Both are incredibly virtuous, without any particr quirks, and in the same ss.


    However, Elodie never teamed up with Aster under any circumstances.


    Not even after bing Pros, and not even in these kinds of temporary parties.


    In the game Etius, there was no reason for yers, who recognized Elodie''s immense talent and beauty, to exclude her.


    Therefore, everyone tried various methods to recruit Elodie. I was no exception.


    And in the game, all those attempts failed. Even though I did nothing particrly dislikeable to Elodie. Even the protagonist, "Aster Evans," couldn''t win over this unreachable flower.


    Thus, many gamers thought that ''recruiting Elodie is the key to conquering this game.''


    But the oue was just a terrible game.


    So, Aster usually teams up with the nearly official heroine, ''Lunia Fricell,'' and Elodie often teams up with the hot-tempered Robald or Sybil.


    Aster and Lunia are strong enough as a team, but not Lunia, but Elodie. A sense of despair looms before my eyes.


    "Then what are we going to do? I guess we''ve lost first ce."


    "First of all, let''s stick to the mission. If we follow the roles we set out at the beginning, we won''t do too badly."


    I say this, but ours is also a very good team. Thebination of Quinie and Aten assures stability in both offense and defense. It''s just that the Aster side is ridiculous.


    But in order to change Enfer''s mind, I have to take first ce. Even if I get first ce, I don''t know what will happen.


    I reached for my tie without realizing it.


    "Why do you keep touching that tie?"


    "Oh, it''s been a while since I changed it, so it''s a little awkward."


    "Really? Hmm. It looks good."


    Quinie said after examining my tie for a moment.


    Nice going.


    It''s so nice that I can''t help but touch it.

 Chapter 71 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aster and Elodie were calm. There was no reason not to be.


    "So, the mission is to quickly respond to an ''rm'' somewhere in the field?"


    "There will be a teacher acting as the ''demon'' and an upperssman acting as the ''victim'' at the ce where the rm goes off."


    The two talked about the outline of the final exam. The content was definitely close to an abridged version of the pro mission.


    Unlike the midterm, the field looked like a city center.


    Frames in the shape of all sorts of buildings filled the field, and the view was narrow wherever you looked because of the buildings blocking the way.


    "But if it''s like this, all the teams will head there when the rm goes off. How do they decide the ranking? Firste, first-served?"


    "Well. There''s no choice but to try-"


    That''s when it happened.Wae-ae-aeng- A loud sound that anyone would hear as an rm rang out throughout the field. That much was expected.


    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡ª¡ª¡ª!!


    ¡°It¡¯s so loud¡­!¡±


    The rm could be heard from all sides. Aster¡¯s brow furrowed at the sporadic noise.


    They hadn¡¯t even gotten to the order of who goes first, but there wasn¡¯t just one rm bell in the first ce.


    Out of all these countless noises, where¡¯s the closest one¡­


    <i>Wind Magic Form 3</i>


    <i>Float, Swift, Zoom</i>


    <i>Lookout</i>


    While Aster listened closely to the noises, Elodie cast a spell and flew up high into the air.


    Elodie flew 30m above the ground in an instant and looked around.


    The fact that an rm is ringing means that an incident has urred. There might be a change if we look with our own eyes.


    In addition, Elodie could freely see faraway ces by adding the ¡®Zoom¡¯ function.


    ¡°©¤©¤I found it.¡±


    Elodie spotted a teacher in the middle of the range. It was Jane. The upperssman who was the victim wasn¡¯t visible, but within this field, a teacher is definitely an enemy.


    Elodie descended back to the ground.


    And she pointed towards the direction where she found Jane, and Aster pointed to the same spot at the same time.


    ¡°¡­How did you know?¡±


    He answered as if it was obvious when she asked him.


    ¡°I could hear it.¡±


    ¡­Is this guy a monster?


    Elodie was thinking about Aster the same way people think about Elodie.


    * * *


    I ran as soon as the rm rang.


    I ¡®already¡¯ know where the closest rm is. But if I moved in advance, that would be too suspicious, so I just waited until the rm rang.


    However, what I found when I arrived was a little different from what I remembered.


    ¡°¡­Whew.¡±


    Quinie burst outughing at the sight.


    ¡°Hey, why are you here? Kuhahaha.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it something tough about?¡±


    The man in front of him asked grumpily while looking at Quinie, who was stillughing.


    "It''s been a while. Edwin."


    Edwin von Behetorio was the victim.


    "I''ve been rolled around everywhere due to the golem incident, and this is myst activity."


    "Did you domunity service or something?"


    "Well, something like that, simr kind but a bit different in intensity."


    It wasn''t just a bit different. He must have gone through a lot.


    Still, there were no casualties, and since Binkis managed to smooth over the theft of the golem, that must have been the end of it.


    Then Edwin saw me.


    "Hello, Frondier."


    "Hello."


    "How have you been? Have you be stronger than when Ist saw you?"


    "Um, yes. So-so."


    Edwin smiled at my response.


    "That''s good to hear."


    His face was clear and unshadowed.


    Quinie asked.


    "So, where is the ''monster role'' teacher?"


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t answer that. I''m just a victim. It''s part of the setup that I got scared and panicked."


    "Is that a setting only you have?"


    "No. All ''victims'' in this field can''t disclose any information about the final exam content, and they can''t move on their own."


    Quite troublesome.


    Quinie hummed, pulling at her lips and looking around.


    There must be a teacher hiding somewhere nearby, but it''s impossible to find.


    Quinie''s magical detection is of a considerable level, even she can''t notice indicates that the teacher has a high level of magic control.


    "¡­Now that I think about it, there was Teacher Azier."


    Quinie doesn''t have proper information about Azier either. It''s not that there''s ack of information, but there''s too much exaggerated information to discern the truth.


    "Frondier. Could the hiding teacher be Azier?"


    "¡­I don''t think so."


    "Really? How do you know?"


    "It''s not that I''m certain it''s not Azier, but rather, I''ve figured out who the ''monster role'' teacher in this area is."


    "Really?"


    Quinie asked again, and Frondier nodded. However, his expression didn''t look good.


    It seemed that whoever the teacher was, they were not wee.


    "Then shall we start the rescue operation? Nothing will begin if we just stay like this."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, well."


    Frondier gave a positive response again, but his expression said otherwise.


    As if sighing, Frondier slowly walked towards Edwin and reached out his hand.


    Edwin quietly looked at the extended hand.


    "Are you really okay? Frondier."


    "I''m not okay."


    "¡­I see. Especially for you."


    Edwin smirked bitterly. He then grasped Frondier''s offered hand.


    Suddenly,


    With a loud crash and rumble,


    Walls and floors broke apart, revealing massive bodies.


    The same happened with the floor where Edwin was. From the cracked floor, something huge burst out, lifting Edwin on its head and crawled to the surface.


    Giant rock pieces and dust fell, and what appeared was a golem.


    Seeing the all-too-familiar shape, Frondier''s eyes grew colder.


    An unexpectedly cheerful voice came from the golem''s mouth.


    [Hello! It''s Teacher Binkis!]


    Yes, of course.


    Frondier surveyed his surroundings. Golems, identical to the one carrying Edwin, popped out from all directions.


    Quinie hadn''t noticed them because they were in a state of immobility.


    A golem that doesn''t move doesn''t have any magical power.


    [We''ve gathered data based on the records of the previous incident and Edwin''s testimony to improve the golem! It''s the Azier Mk. 2!]


    "Azier Mk. 2..."


    Did you get permission for this?

 Chapter 72 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten and Quinie narrowed their distance, cautious of the golems that crawled up from all sides.


    [Hehe, did you fall into the teacher''s trap? Well, you couldn''t have avoided it!]


    Binkis seemed to be in a good mood.


    It was simr to how a child feels when they touch an expensive robot for the first time. Not much different, in reality.


    Quinie, back-to-back with Aten, shouted to Frondier.


    "Frondier! Is this the golem you were dealing with?"


    "It looks a bit different. It must be an improved version. I see some with weapons other than spears."


    The two had never faced a golem before, but it didn''t look easy at a nce.


    ording to what was heard, Quinie had incorporated Azier''s technology into the golem, which would make it a formidable enemy if true.[Hehe, this Azier Mk. 2, you see. It¡¯s not just Azier¡¯s signature techniques, but it focuses on the basic principles of the spear techniques he uses.]


    Crack!


    However,


    A harsh sound seemed to cut through their tension.


    In front of Frondier, a sword was stuck in the head of the golem carrying Edwin.


    The simple, undecorated sword felt somehow antique and reminiscent of old methods.


    ¡®That sword is¡­!¡¯


    Quinie¡¯s eyes widened.


    She knew the identity of that sword. It was a sword that had drawn the attention of all the famous nobles during Mistilteinn gathering.


    ¡®It¡¯s Gram!¡¯


    How did Frondiere to possess Gram?


    She couldn¡¯t see the drawing process properly because she was distracted by the surrounding golems, but it was certain that Gram was stuck in the golem¡¯s head.


    ¡®Did the head of the Roach family give Gram to Frondier?¡¯


    ording to what Quinie knew, Frondier was a child put forth by the Roach family.


    She had heard that the head of the family, Enfer, devoted all efforts solely for Azier.


    But that was actually misinformation, and they were also paying attention to Frondier?


    Frondier pulled the sword out of the golem with a diagonal sh. The golem''s face was mangled beyond recognition as the sword was forcibly removed.


    [Hey, Frondier! What did you do¡­.]


    Even before he could finish his sentence, Frondier''s swordpletely severed the golem''s neck.


    Edwin, who was falling from above, was caught by Frondier, who was faithfully standing below.


    "You could have justnded."


    "But I¡¯m a hostage."


    Is this honesty also a manifestation of one''s character? Frondier smiled bitterly and entrusted Edwin to Quinie.


    "First, the hostage''s safety. Aten and Quinie, take the hostage and run away."


    "What about you?"


    "Saving lives is the priority, but after that, those monsters must be exterminated."


    Quinie looked at Frondier with a suspicious gaze at her words.


    "...You''re going to do it alone?"


    "Yes, I prefer it that way."


    [Hey, who said we''d let you?!]


    Just then, one of the golems in the surroundings mimicked Binkis''s voice. It seemed like she switched to a different golem whenever one was destroyed.


    Slurp.


    The ''Gram'' that Frondier was holding melted and flowed down. Frondier did not even try to hide it. Quinie stared nkly at the sight.


    She had seen that liquid before. It was the identity of the fake ''Mistilteinn''. What was it called, a ''viscostic'' metal?


    "I may not be a match for all the teachers."


    Although Frondier has grown a lot, there''s no doubt that he''s still not up to the level of Constel''s teachers.


    Except for Binkis.


    If it''s Binkis, who mainly focuses on summoning and golem linkage, Frondier canpete.


    He knew almost all of the attack patterns of the golems.


    "If I''m lucky, I can be Binkis''s natural enemy. So go."


    "...Fine."


    Quinie couldn''tpletely shake off her doubts, but she took Edwin and left with Aten.


    Of course, if this was a real battle, she would never leave Frondier behind, but the opponent was a teacher.


    Surely she wouldn''t kill Frondier?


    [Who said you could just leave?]


    Two golems blocked their path.


    Quinie raised her fan. If Frondier could draw the attention of most of the golems, with her ability, she could force a breakthrough.


    "Menosorpo."


    But it seemed that even that was unnecessary.


    Right after Frondier chanted something, two spears materialized out of thin air in front of Aten and Quinie.


    With a crash and a crack, they pierced through each golem''s head and heart.


    As if that was the end, the two golems copsed, defeated.


    "...What, what is this,"


    "Let''s go."


    Frondier''s words were gentle yet firm.


    Quinie and Aten, though startled, nodded and then ran off with Edwin.


    [Frondier, getting a bit too arrogant? Used to live quietly like a mouse during academic times. Where did ''Human Sloth'' go?]


    Arrogant.


    Indeed, he was. Different from the Frondier of before.


    The starting point of all offensive means, Weaving. The source of creating matter, Obsidian. And now, Menosorpo.


    Unlike before, Frondier didn''t hide but showed everything.


    ...What significance does the ripple have for ''Frondier de Roach''?


    There was no need to think about it.


    It was more than just a failure in the exam, it was a dropout from the academy.


    The possibility of protecting this world would converge to zero, and the result would be the disastrous end of humanity being ughtered by monsters.


    That is, in this situation, something like a ¡®moderate result¡¯ could not be considered.


    That''s why.


    Frondier manifested four short swords around him.


    The four swords, floating in all directions, spun around like tops. At a nce, it was clear that touching them would mean more than just the end. Even if it was a golem, the pride of Binkis.


    Let''s slightly change the perception of ''Frondier'' known in Constel.


    Even if it''s not the actual power level, make them think it could be.


    "I''ve grown tired of that nickname."

 Chapter 72 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While Frondier was facing Binkis alone, after sending Aten and Quinie away,


    The atmosphere on Aster''s side was unfolding quite differently.


    "¡­Where is the ''victim'' role?"


    Aster was covertly observing the area where Teacher Jane was located.


    Thanks to Elodie, they had found the location of the teacher ying the ''monster'' role, but the student ying the ''victim'' role was nowhere to be seen.


    Jane stood quietly, looking around with a rxed expression on her face.


    "We need to attack."


    Aster made up his mind.


    If this were a real situation.Aster had discovered the monster, and the monster had not yet noticed Aster.


    Surrounding and dealing with the monster at once was the right move.


    Even if the ''victim'' role somewhere around here were taken hostage, Aster would be faster at this distance.


    Elodie and Theo were surrounding Jane from different positions. It had been decided beforehand that Aster would lead the charge.


    "Okay, it''s too shy, so I''ll have to give up on hiding."


    <i>Divine Power Release</i>


    <i>Guardian of Radiance and Justice</i>


    <i>Baldur</i>


    Aster charged forward the moment he released his divine power.


    Aster, enveloped in white light, resembled a charging lion.


    However.


    "Stop, Aster."


    That voice wasn''t Jane''s. It came from Aster''s right.


    Of course, Aster wasn''t the type to stop just because someone said so. But curious about who had spoken, he nced sideways.


    And that made Aster stop.


    "¡­What is this?"


    Aster truly couldn''tprehend and asked that question.


    In front of him was Azier.


    A mission that was already difficult with just Jane, now had Azier as well.


    Moreover, Azier was holding Theo in his arms.


    Theo, who was on the same team as Aster, had be a hostage in an instant.


    "Why so?"


    Azier said with indifferent eyes.


    "Just one more monster to deal with."


    Aster listened to Azier''s words,


    And truly thought it was nonsense.


    * * *


    "So, it was calcted from the start?"


    "Exactly. The teachers clearly know where each team is located."


    Eden Hamelot''s question. The one who answered was Ellen.


    After Eden took Ellen as an intern, the two had formed a rtionship simr to that of a master and disciple, acting together.


    "So, the teachers are intentionally ced near each team. The teacher who would be the most challenging for that team takes on the role of the ''monster.'' In other words, the students are each facing their own ''imagined natural enemy.''"


    "That''s why the rms go off simultaneously. It naturally distances the first-year teams from each other."


    "Right. Anyway, since it''s apetition, it''s unlikely for the first-years to suddenly form alliances. They''d aim to tackle the nearest rm and move on to the next. That must have been what the first-years were thinking."


    "......But the reality is, They won''t be able to solve even a single mission."


    Hearing Ellen''s exnation, Eden was both amazed and disgusted by Constel''s malicious nature.


    It''s set up so that the team resolving the most rms scores the highest, but in reality, the tasks assigned to the students are impossible toplete.


    In essence, this practical exam is designed for the students to fail.


    The original purpose was to teach them ''failure.''


    "How do you know all this?"


    "I experienced it myself. Last year."


    "So, you also failed the practical task you were given?"


    "Nobody seeded. The purpose was to make it impossible from the start."


    Ellen said this calmly. Aten asked, puzzled by her tranquility.


    "Aren''t you angry? The teachers deceived the students and forced them into defeat."


    "But thanks to that, I became stronger."


    Indeed. Was this the nature of Ellen Evans?


    Ellen says she became stronger thanks to Constel, but perhaps the greatest force that made her strong was herself.


    Yet, this raises an intriguing question. Eden asked,


    "So, do the upperssmen who were scouted for this year''s first-year teams also know about this?"


    "Yes. Both the scouted upperssmen and those in hostage roles are aware. The only ones who don''t know are the first-years who are about to taste defeat."


    "¡­That''s cruel."


    ¡°¡­No matter how cruel it is.¡±


    ¡°Even so, the upperssmen will do their best to help the first years. Like you have said, there are quite a few upperssmen who are trying to break down what happened then, and from their perspective, ''scouting'' is another word for ''revenge''¡±


    It''s just that they''re strictly forbidden from revealing that the mission is designed for the first years to fail.


    As long as they keep that a secret, the upperssmen can help the first years in any way they can.


    ¡°Then it''s for that reason that Azier and Jane are in a team topete against the Aster team?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course, Miss Jane would be capable of doing it on her own. However, as you said, those two have the potential to cause quite a stir, so they prepared one more person.¡±


    That''s why Azier and Jane are in a team.


    At this point, it''s not even a matter of difficulty. Eden said with a wry smile.


    ¡°It''s just that, to put it lightly, the person who was added seems way too strong.¡±


    ¡°Because the goal is to make the students despair.¡±


    Just as she said, the situation of the Aster team shown on the screen wasn''t looking good.


    Theo was caught off guard by Azier and taken hostage, and Elodie cannot use her full power when there''s a hostage.


    Even for Aster, it won''t be easy to take on both Azier and Jane by himself. Moreover, Azier is holding a hostage.


    ¡°That means that they figured that this level of investment was necessary in order to ensure Aster''s certain defeat.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. However, thanks to that, there''s something that the teachers of Constel overlooked.¡±


    ¡°They overlooked something?¡±


    ¡°There''s one first year over there who is still hiding his true strength.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    The two of them focused their attention on the screen.


    Right now, the camera is focused on the tense standoff between Aster and Azier.


    However, somewhere out of view of the screen, something extraordinary and unexpected is happening¡ªa variable that the teachers didn''t anticipate, even more so than Aster and Elodie teaming up.

 Chapter 73 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>25/25 Bonus chapter thanks to @ckskul and @Avarco on Ko-fi</i>


    ?Frondier had just defeated three more golems when Binkis noticed something was off.


    "......It''s confirmed."


    Frondier''s recent attack had made it clear.


    Frondier knows where the core of the golem is.


    Binkis had ced the core in different locations within each golem she created.


    Generally, it was either in the head or the heart, but the core itself was smallpared to the golem. Even if an enemy hit the golem''s head where the core was located, the small size of the core meant there was a high chance of missing it.


    However, Frondier had taken down most of the golems with a single strike. There were a few that required several attacks, but all of them were clearly targeting the ''core''.It was surprising enough that he could pierce through the golem''s sturdy metal in one go, but knowing the exact location of the core was almost eerie. As if he could see inside.


    [Frondier! You know where the core is, don''t you?]


    Binkis called out to him, nning to buy some time to regroup the golems. It was a break for Frondier as well, so the situation was the same for both.


    "It''s not just the core that I know."


    Frondier''s response sounded ominous.


    Depending on how one heard it, it could even be scary.


    [Then what else do you know?]


    At that question, Frondier looked at the golem. Binkis, who was using the golem''s eyes as her screen, felt as if that gaze was directed at her.


    "I also know where the teacher is."


    ......?!


    Binkis flinched.


    Of course, Binkis was within the field. To remotely control multiple golems, she had toe within a certain distance.


    But knowing her location by looking at the golem was absurd. Even the teachers within Constel couldn''t do that.


    Could it be possible if it was Frondier...?


    "It''s a joke. How could I possibly know that?"


    [This kid?]


    Woong, a golem swung its spear. Frondier dodged and created some distance.


    "Indeed, this guy has gotten better."


    Binkis collected data from the golem that Frondier had defeated, having a rough idea of how the golem was sliced at that time.


    The video information captured by the golem''s eyes. It was through this that Binkis could gauge Frondier''s skill level.


    At that time, he was no different from a novice who had just started fighting. The fact that he could cut down a golem was due to wit and ingenuity, and the power of the weapon, not skill.


    However, now, Frondier had clearly grown. In this short period.


    "Both technique and response have improved. There must have been a good teacher helping him improve his skills all this time. But more importantly."


    Calmness.


    The judgment that only those who have ovee stronger adversaries and crisis situations possess.


    Frondier already had it all.


    "But I know a way."


    Frondier said.


    [Huh? A way? What way?]


    "A way to find out where the teacher is."


    Saying so, Frondier raised a hand.


    From his hand, strands of magical power were Weaving, and an arrow floated in mid-air.


    It was a scene they had seen continuously up to now, but its principle was still unknown. They had never seen such magic before.


    "A unique skill... or perhaps divine power?"


    How has he managed to hide something like this until now? If it were me, I''d be itching to boast about it.


    But then, Frondier pointed the arrow towards the sky.


    "Teacher. Do you know what ''Fireworks'' are?"


    [¡­Ah, what?]


    Immediately after, the arrow was shot towards the sky.


    The shot arrow divided into dozens, hundreds of pieces in the air, spreading out like the Milky Way, and then fell to the ground like lightning.


    The sound was like a torrential downpour. Binkis certainly remembered seeing this sight before.


    "It''s Fireworks! It really was Frondier!"


    Arge-scale attack by monsters on Constel.


    The miraculous technique that annihted the monsters fleeing after blocking their attack was reproduced in front of his eyes.


    Of course, there was suspicion that Frondier was not the original owner of the technique. He was not seen during the attack, and there was an incident where he set a new record in the personal training room before that.


    But no one truly believed it.


    To think that Frondier, of all people.


    [...Wow, that''s impressive. But how do you n to find me with that?]


    "You might not know this, but Fireworks track their target precisely."


    At those words, Binkis recalled. The monsters hit by the Fireworks had all been struck in vital spots like the head or heart, ces that would undoubtedly result in death.


    It made no sense to think that someone could aim hundreds of arrows at vital points individually. Considering the direction the Fireworks came from, it was also from an incredibly long distance.


    In other words, every arrow of the Fireworks was ''guided.''


    "And unfortunately, I don¡¯t know how to ''slightly'' miss. That''s just how these arrows are."


    Binkis''s face turned pale at that.


    Binkis was no ordinary person either. Despite being closer to a research position, she was apetent magician and summoner himself. She could counter most attacks without needing a golem.


    ©¤The truth was, he couldn''t think of a way to fend off a simultaneous attack where countless arrows targeted vital spots, regardless of the type of monster. Whether it was possible to block arrows that could fatally wound any monster with a barrier was uncertain.


    [You, you, are you threatening me? You''re a student and I''m a teacher!]


    "What are you talking about? Right now, I am a ''Pro'' here to save victims from monsters, and you, teacher, are ''ying the role of a monster''."


    Frondier was giving back the very warning that teachers had always emphasized to students during the final exams. If they thought the teacher would go easy on them, they would be swallowed up.


    They needed to discard their half-hearted attitude and engage seriously. Of course, naturally, a student beating a teacher was unthinkable. The matchup was designed to be the worst possible, to ensure that wouldn''t happen.


    Except for Frondier.


    Excluding Frondier, who had no data on him and whom everyone had underestimated.


    [You, you! If you really do something like that, it won''t just end there! Don''t you remember the midterms? A drone is filming you in real-time! If you actually cause casualties,]


    "Ah, about that, would you take a look at this?"


    [...Huh?]


    Binkis looked at the screen showing Frondier, whom Frondier was pointing at somewhere with his finger.


    There was still a drone filming Frondier, quietly hovering in flight.


    So what about it?


    "It looks the same, right? I swapped it with a fake."


    [...?!]


    "After hearing how a man named Renzo infiltrated during the midterms, I thought it was a pretty good idea."


    [?? ...?!]


    Binkis turned pale, unable to say anything, merely pping her mouth open and closed. The sound of her breath and hup-like swallowing was transmitted instead by the microphone installed in the golem.


    Binkis looked at Frondier again.


    The Frondier in the screen was just smiling brightly.


    From the eerie smile resembling a crescent moon, the same voice flowed as before.


    "So, where are you, teacher?"

 Chapter 73 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ...Well.


    Of course, most of it was a lie.


    First off, the ''firework'' doesn''t work with just an arrow.


    It''spleted with thebination of the bow ''Khryskatos'' and the arrow ''Iokeira'', but I just shot an arrow.


    In essence, it''s capable of splitting and showering down like rain, but although it might ''look'' feasible, these arrows don''te with a tracking feature that hits every vital point of the opponent.


    Then, why didn''t I use the bow? Because even if I did, it couldn''t track anyway.


    The near-mystical tracking ability of this bow requires me to see the target with my own eyes. Hitting an enemy whose location is unknown, like with Binkis right now, is impossible.


    But I''m the only one who knows this fact.


    Bluffing should work just fine.Oh, and saying I switched the drones was also a lie.


    Of course, I thought it was a really good idea. A tactic that fits perfectly with my skill, ''Weaving''.


    But since this final exam is about proving my worth to Enfer,


    I won''t keep hiding as I have been.


    [Hey, you, yeah, you, are you really going to shoot?]


    Hmm.


    The bluff seemed to have worked perfectly.


    "Do you need to prepare yourself? Then, I''ll count to three,"


    [Hey! Hey!! Heeey!!]


    It was almost a scream.


    It seems like she''s genuinely afraid of me. Feels strange. I''m not even nning to hit for real.


    It''s fortunate that Binkis doesn''t know much about me. If the opponent had been Jane, this bluff might not have worked.


    But now that it''se to this, let''s push a bit more.


    I need a proper reason to target her, other than just being a madman.


    "The thing is, I know."


    [What, what do you know?]


    "This exam, it''s deceiving the students."


    [¡­¡­!]


    Binkis stopped talking.


    Normally, she would''ve immediately stuck out her feet shamelessly, but maybe her mental state was shaken.


    [What, what are you talking about?]


    Still, she sticks out her feet, huh. Yeah.


    "You''re trying to instill a sense of defeat in the students from the start, aren''t you? Saying that the student who handles the most incidents is ranked first is a lie."


    [Oh, that''s not true? If you actually go through the alerts in sequence,]


    Crack! Crunch!


    I repeatedly drove my spear into the golem.


    I had practiced weaving until I could simultaneously cast four spells by the time of this exam. Having previously defeated a chimera also boosted my experience, so improving was quick.


    Of course, Binkis''s golem was tough, but the ''Imperial Armory'' was beyond that level. Money truly is powerful.


    I walked past the fallen golem towards another one nearby.


    [Hey! Do you have any idea how much all this costs? The core ispletely shattered and can''t even be repaired!]


    "If you''re so concerned about the cost, let''s have a more honest conversation."


    This final practical exam is designed for the freshmen to fail.


    That was something I knew beforehand.


    And personally, I wasn''t really dissatisfied with this system.


    Facing the ''monsters outside'' brings greater despair. Experiencing a minor failure beforehand reduces the panic when the actual situation arises, making it possible to cope and eventually recover from it.


    But that''s a different story.


    Knowing what I know does make me feel somewhat disgusted.


    And nothing could justify my actions to Binkis better than this.


    "You might not realize it, but I''m quite angry."


    Of course, that was a lie.


    [Angry, you say?]


    "Not just me, but all the students are giving their all for a practical exam they''re bound to fail. Knowing that makes one feel disgusted."


    That was partly true.


    Why else would upperssmen be scouted and vow revenge? They''ve already faced despair and are trying to rise above it.


    However, there had never been a precedent for winning this "exam destined for defeat." From the perspective of the upperssmen who had already faced despair, this system would not seem fair.


    Defeat was predetermined. It felt to me like the overarching theme of the game "Etius."


    "This practical test was a ''miniature version of a pro exam.''"


    And to me, this practical test was also akin to a miniature version of "Etius."


    I was sick of failing, and the thought of defeat was irritating.


    "I have to win this practical test, by any means necessary."


    I picked up the arrow again, ready to shoot the glowing arrow at any moment.


    "If you won''t tell me the location, that''s fine. The result will be the same anyway."


    [Ah, fine. You win. I''ll tell you. This ce is...]


    "It''s already toote."


    [Wait! Just a minute! I''ll tell you, okay? Do you really have to kill someone? I get that you''re angry about the exam, but did I create it? Hey!]


    He was right. Binkis had contributed nothing to this system. If there was any fault to find, it was perhaps in keeping secrets.


    I kept a stern face and said,


    "That''s true. In fact, your location isn''t important. I''m not really going to kill you. Tell me about someone else."


    [Someone else?]


    "Yes. The other teachers. All their locations."


    [...I don''t know.]


    "I''ll count to three."


    [Hey! I really don''t know! This time I truly have no idea!]


    "Don''t lie. The rm went off simultaneously. You figured out the students'' team formations and where the teachers were positioned based on that. How could you do that without knowing each other''s locations?"


    [Ugh.]


    "Three, two, one©¤"


    [Ah, alright alright! You students are so impatient.]


    "When saving someone in danger, you need to act quickly."


    [You really don''t let anything go!]


    Like this.


    I had sessfully disabled the first alert. And gained valuable information.


    I felt like a viin, but what''s done is done.

 Chapter 74 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @Pop on Ko-fi</i>


    "Binkis¡­"


    Malia, watching the screen, pressed a hand to her head.


    The peaceful and gentle negotiation process between Frondier and Binkis, unfortunately, was fully disyed on the screen.


    A teacher blowing another teacher''s cover. This was an error that should never have urred in the exam.


    ''Well, if Frondier wasn''t my own son, I might have confessed in his ce too.''


    Malia knows Frondier''s character and also knows the limits of the technique called ''Firework'' in Constel, a skill achieved with the help of her bloodline magic ''Sensory Sharing''.


    ''But, if this changes Enfer''s perception of Frondier in his mind a bit.''Malia knows Frondier''s intention. To give his all in this exam to make Enfer see him in a new light.


    Malia nced at Enfer beside her.


    However, Enfer was expressionless. No, he seemed even more displeased.


    Whether he was extremely disappointed in Frondier or there was another reason.


    A heavy voice flowed from the deeply furrowed mouth.


    "What a waste of effort, Frondier."


    "¡­Enfer. Still saying that?"


    "My decision remains unchanged."


    "If you were going to say that, you shouldn¡¯t have assigned Frondier the task in the first ce. No change in your decision, you say?"


    Malia looked straight at Enfer, who simply received her gaze with dignity.


    "Of course, I will keep my promise. Top 10 overall. If this is achieved, there will be no expulsion."


    "That¡¯s all there is to it. Frondier will make it."


    Malia concluded with a firm voice, which Enfer quietly observed before speaking.


    "How strange. Didn''t you also disagree with Frondier''s expulsion? You seem like a different person now."


    "Back then, I was disappointed in Frondier. I thought expulsion might actually benefit my son."


    "¡­Is that so."


    Enfer said no more after that.


    He just looked at the screen with slightly sorrowful eyes.


    The ripple effect actually worked in Frondier''s favor.


    Mulling over Maria''s words, Enfer harbored a voice that no one else could hear.


    ©¤I agree, Maria.


    * * *


    Aster squared off against Azier, who had a hostage, thus halving Elodie''s strength.


    "Now, what will you do, Aster?"


    Azier was holding a dagger in his hand. The tip of the dagger touched Theo''s neck, who was the hostage. His primary weapon, the spear, was nowhere to be seen.


    Whether that was his own handicap or just another bluff.


    "Sorry, Aster. I got caught."


    Theo said with a face full of shame. Aster smiled.


    "That''s what you say. You should have handled it better."


    "That''s right. Being a third-year, I was only going to watch from the back."


    Aster and Theo conversed calmly, unbing of the crisis situation. Perhaps because it was a mock exam and not a real situation, but it was still a bit strange.


    "I guess I can''t just watch anymore."


    At that moment, Theo moved.


    Azier''s eyes twitched. In a brief moment, Theo bent his legs and lowered his entire body. It was an extremely reckless act for someone with a dagger at their neck.


    The de was supposed to have sliced Theo''s neck,


    But instead, a sound utterly unfitting for a throat being cut was heard.


    ¡®Petrification?¡¯


    Azier quickly checked Theo''s neck. The neck, turned grey, was unusual. It had turned to stone.


    Petrification is usually a type of curse cast on an opponent. Using its hardness to enhance one''s defense is no ordinary idea.


    Free from Azier''s grasp, Theo targeted Azier''s foot and swung his left foot. Dust rose, and Azier dodged the foot.


    Azier with a dagger in hand. Meanwhile, Theo was unarmed. To ovee this disadvantage, Theo delved deeper inside.


    And then, a few exchanges took ce. Even if Aziercked murderous intent, Theo''s unarmedbat was top-notch.


    The fact that Aster was engaging in properbat with Azier, who had fallen without lifting a hand, was enough to suggest the level of skill.


    To prevent being taken as a hostage, Azier swung his dagger horizontally, and Theo, seizing the opportunity, widened the distance between them. This was exactly what Theo had hoped for.


    "I see you had no intention of fighting seriously. You just didn''t want to be a hostage."


    If Theo''s only aim had been to avoid capture, his movements would have been predictable.


    However, Theo chose to attack Azier, thereby increasing the options in Azier''s mind¡ªa task requiring both skill and courage.


    As a result, Azier lost his hostage. Moreover, the exchange of blows with Theo created an opening.


    Azier''s gaze shifted. To his right, the direction where he had been confronting Aster just moments ago.


    Sure enough, Aster was there.


    Right in front of Azier.


    In the practice, Azier has defeated Aster countless times. Despite his outstanding abilities and talent, he was still inexperienced. Such experience couldn''t be gained in just the few days leading up to the finals.


    But there was one difference from before.


    Aster was ''already'' in a state of divine power activation.


    Aster dered, "Here I go!"


    Azier epted the challenge, "Unnecessarily kind."


    ng! A loud noise followed as Aster''s sword shed with Azier''s dagger.


    ''The de is damaged.''


    Azier had intended to let it slide. The reason it didn''t go as nned was that the de was already damaged. It had lost its function after scraping against Theo''s neck.


    <i>Evans family''s martial arts</i>


    <i>Basic swordy</i>


    <i>Horizontal sh</i>


    Aster hadn''t yet reached a high level of mastery in swordsmanship. Hecked a unique swordy like Ellen''s and couldn''t use aura to break rocks, for that reason.


    However, the power enveloped in his divine energy made even a simple sh take on a different meaning.


    Azier saw it. The de flying towards him made the air quiver. The trajectory wavered like a mirage due to the wind pressure and heat.


    Indeed. Having this level of power, it''s understandable why mastering aura would take time.


    Azier dodged, and Aster swung his sword repeatedly. Although Aster was faster, Azier minimized the gap with the least necessary movements.


    And then.


    "Ugh!"


    Aster suddenly ducked his head as something burst out from underneath him. When he put some distance between them, he saw Azier holding it.


    It was a spear. Azier had hidden a spear in the ground.


    In other words, Azier had evaded him while leading Aster to where the spear was hidden.


    "...Got me again."


    "No. I wasn''t nning to use it originally. So be proud of yourself."

 Chapter 74 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Azier''s words bordered on arrogance.


    But Aster had to agree. He had desperately hoped Azier wouldn''t pick up the spear.


    Just Azier holding the spear seemed to weigh down the surrounding air. The nearby dust and dirt quivered. Even without wielding her aura, energy already flowed around her.


    Aster scanned the area while keeping an eye on Azier.


    Theo seemed to have moved to a safe position, and Jane was checking Elodie. Or was it the other way around? Anyway, the situation had entered a standoff.


    But it was actually a disadvantageous situation. The best strategy would have been to subdue Azier before she could do anything, at least while she was unarmed.


    ''Alright. What now?''


    It''s not that Aster lost his will to fight. He wanted to see Azier''s real skills. Of course, he wouldn''t exert 100% of his power just because he had a spear, but it would be better thanst time.


    Aster signaled Theo with one hand behind his back. To have Theo support Elodie.If the two of them quickly subdued Jane and joined Aster, they might be able to handle Azier.


    ...The problem was whether he couldst until then.


    "©¤©¤Oh my, I underestimated you."


    For a moment, Aster felt a chill and rolled to the side.


    Suddenly, mes sprouted from where he had been. If he had stayed still, he would have been swept away by the mes.


    He wouldn''t have been seriously injured, but Azier wouldn''t miss that opportunity. Fortunately, he is still on guard now.


    "I ''entrusted'' you to Master Azier. All three of you, I can handle it alone."


    The one who spoke was Jane. Her left index finger was glowing.


    So, did she just cast that magic with one index finger?


    "Huh!"


    Then, Elodie scattered pieces of ice in the air and threw them at Jane. Jane neutralized all of them with the same ice.


    She blocked the first manifested magic by imitating it exactly. It was a performance showing the difference in skill.


    Elodie bit her lip at the sight. Still, she was smiling at the corners of her mouth. Either she was trying to show off herposure, or she didn''t have any particr means.


    "Senior, can you approach Teacher Jane?"


    Elodie asked Theo, but Theo shook his head.


    "It''s difficult. From what I know, Teacher Jane is a person who is faithful to the basics. For a magician to be faithful to the basics means to set dozens of traps around oneself."


    Elodie is exceptionally good at detecting magical power. Certainly, even with her senses, Jane''s surroundings are a tremendous danger zone.


    What to do. Elodie felt cold sweat running down. She didn''t have the confidence to quickly suppress Jane.


    Elodie fastened a metal band on her wrist. It''s an artifact made by refining Elodie bought at an auction.


    With this, it can limit not to go above a certain firepower, but now is not the time to use such magic.


    Jane is an excellent magician at checkmate, and above all, she knows Elodie well. She had been figuring out what Elodie was aiming for from the beginning.


    What to do, what to do.


    Simr thoughts crossed Elodie and Aster''s minds.


    If it continues like this, they will surely arrive at defeat in the near future. Unless someone new appears... Someone...?


    The gazes of Aster and Elodie slowly headed somewhere. The same was true for Theo.


    In the situation where Jane and Azier were confronted, it was a very dangerous act, but they couldn''t stand their gaze shifting.


    Jane and Azier also followed their gaze because it was strange. On the left side of where they were confronting, someone was far away.


    Someone was carrying someone and walking.


    "......Ah."


    The person carrying someone looked this way. Without any significant reaction to being caught, he blinked his eyes briefly.


    And raising one hand,


    "Ah, I won''t disturb you, so please work hard. Then, I''ll go."


    And then he walked again.


    The person carrying someone walked leisurely as if he hade out for a walk alone, with ck hair and peaceful eyes.


    That, that can''t be.


    "You, hey, hey! Frondier!!"


    Elodie shouted.


    What, how is he here? And who''s the kid he''s carrying?


    Surprisingly, Jane answered Elodie''s question, which was about to ask.


    "......That''s our ''victim role'', isn''t it!!"


    "Huh?!"


    Elodie unknowingly made a sound.


    At that moment, Jane, Elodie, Aster, Azier, and Theo moved simultaneously towards Frondier.


    Engrossed in the fight, both sides momentarily forgot, but the primary objective of this mission is to rescue the victims. Dealing with the monster teacher is the next problem.


    In other words, Frondier is now a new enemy from the teachers'' perspective, and apetitor who steals points from Aster''s team.


    There was no way they would let him go easily.


    Seeing them rushing towards him like arrows, Frondier said,


    "Ah, so it''se to this?"


    It was an obvious statement.

 Chapter 75 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As expected, Aster was the first to reach Frondier.


    Baldur¡¯s divinity in his hand enhanced all of Aster''s abilities. Simple yet overwhelmingly brutal.


    "Frondier! You shouldn''t be stealing!"


    Frondierughed at Aster''s words.


    "Just like you."


    ng!


    Something blocked Aster''s hand as he reached for Frondier. Aster looked at Frondier, withdrawing his stinging arm.


    Strange. There was nothing visible, yet something had blocked it. The sensation in his hand was clearly that of metal.


    Jane and Elodie started deploying their mana behind him. As mages, their magic projection speed was much faster than their running speed. It only took a few seconds for the rune to appear. It was an exhrating speed.Rumble!


    However, their runes were blocked by a wall of ice that appeared in front of them.


    The scale and the bitter chill of the ice gave away its owner.


    "Aten...!"


    Elodie had spotted Aten. Aten was casting magic far away from Frondier.


    ''He must have secured his position early on. Arge-scale spell like that must have been in preparation for quite some time.''


    This must be Frondier''s team tactic. After all, Frondier wouldn''t have made the reckless decision of carrying away the injured person all by himself.


    However, what could be the intention behind this strategy? Even if they could stop Elodie and Jane, Aster and Azier were still here. Was Frondier nning to deal with the two of them on his own?


    As Elodie had expected, Azier quickly closed in on Frondier.


    Azier headed straight for Frondier. Aster, who was nearby, needed to be cautious, but his priority was to secure the person acting as the injured person.


    Azier thrust his spear first. He already knew that Frondier had an invisible weapon. Moving in a straight line, the spear deflected most of Frondier''s Weaving weapons.


    "Ugh...!"


    Startled, Frondier stepped back. Azier was not someone to be left alone. Quickly closing the distance, Azier grabbed Frondier''s cor and reached out towards the student he was carrying, who was ying the role of a victim.


    ©¤©¤Why did Jane believe the student carried by Frondier was ''ying the role'' of a victim?


    Because the student was carried by Frondier, wore a senior student''s uniform, and had a simr appearance.


    In front of Azier, who reached out his hand, Frondier''s hidden card slightly smiled.


    Swish!


    The student carried by Frondier reached out her hand. A fan was in her hand, and from within the spread fan des, a de shot out.


    "¡­¡­!"


    Azier quickly swung his polearm to deflect the de.


    This de, and the fan being held.


    The woman carried by Frondier, could it be.


    "Would you so boldly touch ady''s body, Mr. Azier?"


    Quinie de Viet. Her ck fan gleamed.


    Frondier was not carrying a victim from the start. He was carrying Quinie, making her appear like a victim.


    And at this moment.


    The moment everyone realized that the ''victim'' Frondier was carrying was actually Quinie.


    ''Do you understand what this means?''


    Frondier had no time to speak. He couldn''t even casually move his eyes.


    ''The situation has changed.''


    Frondier gripped the ne ''ck Lotus'' in his hand. The moment Azier stepped back from Quinie''s attack.


    Azier''s moment of vulnerability, hard toe by. However.


    It wasn''t Frondier who was aiming for the gap.


    ''Aster!''


    Frondier called out in his heart as if wishing.


    In response, Aster suddenly changed direction, extending his de towards Azier.


    The person carried by Frondier was not actually a victim. Meaning, Frondier was not apetitor but an ally.


    The situation, which had been pressing against Frondier, was reversed in an instant, pressing against Azier.


    <i>Evans family''s martial arts</i>


    <i>Basic swordy</i>


    <i>Horizontal sh</i>


    Aster''s sword swung horizontally once more. As Azier retreated, his posture grew vulnerable.


    However, Azier always had one more trick up his sleeve: his unique spear technique, Falling Edge.


    Azier''s extended spear connected with Aster''s sword. In an instant, the two weapons collided, and Aster''s strike was nullified.


    Aster''s eyes widened in surprise.


    ''From such an unstable position¡­!''


    Due to Falling Edge, Aster lost his grip on his sword.


    Azier, witnessing this, tried to regain hisposure.


    "Menosorpo."


    A familiar voice chanted the unfamiliar words. It was Frondier. In that instant, Azier could feel magic coursing through the area.


    A rune? Activating a rune without drawing it on the ground?


    But before he could fully process the thought, Azier witnessed a sword piercing through the air before his eyes: Enfer''s sword, Gram.


    "¡­!''"


    Azier abruptly opened his eyes and evaded the blow. Frondier, who had delivered a vertical strike, twisted the tip of his sword as it descended.


    <i>Azier¡¯s Basic Spear Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation</i>


    <i>Diagonal Cut</i>


    As if Frondier had foreseen Azier''s evasion, the Diagonal Cut was relentless.


    "Don''t be ridiculous!"


    However, the Diagonal Cut executed by Frondier was originally Azier''s technique. He could perfectly predict its trajectory.


    Azier brought his spear forward in a thrust, parrying at the exact right moment.


    Thwack!


    But Gram vanished, or rather, it dispersed into a liquid like ink.


    ''©¤©¤What?!''


    Azier''s spear whipped through the air. It was the first time in years that he had missed sopletely.


    Quinie seized the opportunity.


    Swish!


    Quinie shot des from her fan at Azier.


    Despite the opening, Azier deflected the des using his shoulder and arm.


    But then, right after:


    "This is the real deal."


    Quinie''s fan was mere inches from piercing his neck. He tried to turn his head to evade it, but:


    "¡­!''"


    Four spears, suspended in the air around Azier, were already poised to strike at his neck from all sides.

 Chapter 75 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Ugh... Ugh... Finally caught you."


    Frondier gasped for breath.


    Azier quietly observed the spear tip aimed at his throat.


    Azier thought for a moment. With his own power, he had means to ovee this situation. If he had used his full strength from the start, he wouldn''t have been pushed this far.


    However, he was merely ying the role of a ''monster'' for this test. Knowing it was a test, Frondier and the other students had also stopped.


    If he were truly a monster, would he have a way to ovee this situation? Or prevent it from happening in the first ce?


    After some thought.


    "I''ve lost."


    Azier admitted. His face, acknowledging defeat, seemed rather refreshed.Azier quietly observed the four spears floating in the air. It was a miraculous technique. To think that spears could be formed out of thin air, and in the void at that.


    "Frondier. Is this your technique?"


    "*Gasp*, Ugh... Yes. It is."


    Frondier''s breathing was still rough, as if he hadn''t caught his breath yet. Among those present, only Frondier looked this worn out, revealing hisck of stamina.


    "Sigh."


    Aster released his divine power. The white emitting light disappeared, and he returned to his original form.


    "Frondier, what would you have done if I had attacked you just like that?"


    "I trusted you wouldn''t. I thought unless I deceived you to this extent, I would never have a chance to catch him."


    Aster smirked bitterly.


    It wasn''t exactly a safe n, but since it worked, he had noints.


    "Ah! Speaking of which, Elodie..."


    With that, Aster turned around.


    There stood Jane, triumphantly raising both hands.


    "Can you guys please stop her? She won''t listen to me even though I said I''d surrender."


    Jane was pointing at Elodie. She was reaching out both hands towards Jane.


    Elodie had apparentlypleted a massive mana equation, as mana was swirling around her, and the wristbands she was wearing were emitting light.


    "Elodie! It''s okay now! It''s over!"


    "I know! But it''s harder to cancel magic midway!"


    Elodie gradually lowered her hands as she shouted. Her magic power slowly settled, and a ''swish'' sound of air escaping was heard from the gauntlet. Not only was the sound heard, but smokes were also emitted.


    Frondier approached and asked, "Elodie, was that Viper Steel?"


    "Hmm? Oh, I guess so."


    Elodie replied calmly. Frondier had also seen Elodie take Viper Steel from the auction house.


    After listening to Elodie''s answer, Frondier quietly observed the metal gauntlet that Elodie was wearing.


    Her gaze was somehow frightening, so Elodie hid the gauntlet.


    "W-what? I''m not going to give it to you even if you look at it like that."


    "You don''t have to give it to me."


    Frondier''s answer was a bit strange. What do you mean I don''t have to give it to you? Because I''m not going to give it to you.


    Elodie suddenly remembered and asked, "Speaking of which, you purchased something strange back then, didn''t you?"


    "Something strange?"


    "You bought the cursed fabric. What did you buy it for?"


    At Elodie''s question, Frondier responded with an ''ah'' and pointed to his necktie.


    ...Necktie? What''s a necktie?


    "This. This cursed fabric."


    "Eww?"


    "Haha, it''s cursed."


    "Ew."


    Elodie took a step back with a genuinely disgusted expression.


    * * *


    Everyone who watched the screen witnessed the scene of Aster''s team and Frondier''s team winning.


    There was a sense of familiarity among those who knew Frondier to some extent around Frondier during the battle, but the audience seats were swept away like a gust of wind by the enormous shock.


    "Frondier..."


    "How could the human sloth..."


    Even though there was a joint attack and an ambush, Frondier had made Azier admit defeat.


    That fact was shocking to the students. It was even more shocking than the ''Fireworks.''


    However, the ones most surprised among them all weren''t the students.


    "I''m just saying this in case, don''t ask me. I''m surprised too."


    "You''re not manipting this?"


    "No, I''m not. How would I do that?"


    Anger and Malia saw it.


    It was only for a moment, but it was clearly ''Gram.''


    During the match against Binkis, it wasn''t caught on screen. However, joining forces with Aster to fight Azier made this practical exam''s biggest match impossible not to be broadcasted.


    Enfer instinctively grasped the sheath of his sword at his waist. What lies within is undoubtedly Gram.


    The same thing was seen on that screen. Though it vanished like some liquid after a short while.


    Malia asked,


    "Must be some trick of the eye, right?"


    "If that were the case, Azier wouldn''t have even tried to block it."


    "Given the urgency of the situation, it''s likely a misjudgment."


    Malia''s reasoning seemed usible. Even Azier could be taken aback in such a chaotic situation, especially one that began with sudden multiple attacks.


    And apart from Malia''s assumption, there was no other possibility. Enfer still possesses Gram, after all.


    However, the look in Azier''s eyes when he saw Gram wielded by Frondier made Enfer feel an indescribable chill.


    "Anyway, with this, Frondier''s top ranking is almost confirmed, right? They resolved their own mission and led other teams to victory as well."


    Malia nodded in satisfaction.


    There were concerns depending on how the scores were allocated, but no student had shone in this practical exam as much as Frondier had.


    Of course, Enfer would deny it©¤


    "That''s true."


    "¡­What, really?"


    "I also think Frondier deserves the first ce. I didn''t expect Azier to lose, after all."


    Even Enfer admitted that Frondier deserved to be first.


    Rather than feeling joy at his too-easy acknowledgment, Malia felt unease first.

 Chapter 76 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @ConspiracyPizza subscribing to Thor''s hammer, ''Mjolnir'' tier on Ko-fi!</i>


    ?The practical part of the final exams was over.


    That meant all the tests that determined the rankings for the first semester of the first year had concluded.


    As I expected, the results of the practical exams must have been quite a shock to the teachers.


    The original mission was to teach ''defeat'' to the first-year students. However, the students were rather sessful, and my ''human sloth'' role was not insignificant in the process.


    Therefore, the evaluation took a bit longer than initially nned. The original assessment was supposed to score how students handled defeat.


    But the students won. Hence, there was a need to redefine the criteria for evaluation.


    Despite some minor disturbances, the anticipated results were clear."......It''s done."


    The billboard announcing the final exam grades.


    At the very top of the list was my name.


    The practical exams, which applied individual evaluations, had me scoring the highest, and the written exams were perfect.


    "That''s a relief."


    I murmured quietly. With this, the condition Enfer mentioned was somehow cleared.


    However, my soft voice seemed to have been heard, as some nearby students flinched and then left.


    What''s with that reaction? How did they take my words?


    "Congrattions."


    While students moved away from me, a voice approached instead.


    It was Elodie. She held out a can of drink to me.


    "You like it, right? Hot chocte."


    "......Oh, right."


    "What? You remembered just now?"


    Elodie smiled, thinking I was joking.


    I see. Frondier likes hot chocte. I should remember that. It kind of fits with being a sloth.


    "The promise is kept. You''ve avoided expulsion."


    "Indeed."


    "But still, would he really expel his own son? It was a drastic measure to make you work hard. Thanks to that, you''re first."


    "......Indeed."


    I had nothing to say in response to Elodie''s words, so I answered dryly.


    As I opened the can, I thought about what woulde next.


    Just as Elodie had said, I had avoided expulsion. For now.


    ording to Malia, Enfer seemed to want to expel me.


    But Enfer is not a man to go back on his word, much less break a promise. Since I ranked within the top 10, there would be no expulsion.


    However, this also meant that Enfer truly had intended to expel me. For the original Frondier, ranking within the top 10 would have been nearly impossible.


    "So, what are you going to do now? Summer break ising up."


    Elodie said.


    The end-of-semester exams were over, and summer break was upon us. The break wouldst for a month, simr to the world I came from.


    During this period, Constel is a bit busier than a regr school. The amount of materials and facilities needed for the next lessons and training is different, and above all, the field settings need to be arranged.


    ¡­And the most significant difference from my original world.


    Students at Constel hate summer break.


    "Well, what about you, Elodie?"


    I asked, and Elodie sighed first.


    "Well, I''ll have to go to the Mage Tower again. Running around here and there as a low-ranking member makes the break go by in a sh."


    Elodie looked visibly tired as she spoke.


    Like Elodie, most students at Constel do not rest during the break.


    Theypensate for the weaknesses they felt during the semester, reinforce their style, or, like Elodie, serve under someone of a higher level.


    The intensity of Constel''s training is not mild, but it is conducted in groups. By contrast, the break entails high-intensity personal lessons. It''s no wonder students dread the break.


    Elodie looked at me, opening one eye.


    "You used to only think about ying, eating, and sleeping during the summer break. This time, it will be different, right? Since the Constel is open during the break, do you n to train in the training room like you always do?"


    I smiled at Elodie''s words. It''s a good thing that Elodie''s assessment of me has improved.


    However, her prediction was wrong. I opened my mouth to correct her.


    "No, I..."


    I replied, and Elodie made the most surprised expression I had ever seen.


    No, it wasn''t just surprise;


    It was almost anger.


    * * *


    At the famous restaurant ''Wild Amuse'' in the Roach family''s territory, ''Yeranhes'',


    Enfer, Malia, Azier, and I were having dinner. It was to celebrate my first ce in the final exam.


    "Really, my son getting first ce makes me so happy. Isn''t that right, dear?"


    "Mm."


    Unlike her usual self, Malia was fussing and even used the term of endearment ''dear,'' while Enfer was even more taciturn than usual.


    Azier was just eating his meal slowly next to me.


    Is this really the ce where I''m being celebrated? The atmosphere is so heavy.


    As Enfer didn''t react at all, Malia''s gaze grew sharp.


    "Dear, you''re not going to bring up all that talk about the expulsion again, are you?"


    "No."


    Enfer said that and then looked at me.


    His gaze was almost like a straight line, directed at me. Somehow, I felt like it was the first time Enfer had really looked at me.


    "Frondier, good job."


    "...Thank you."


    Enfer, who seemed like an emotionless robot, praised me.


    Even though he wasn''t my real father, those few words touched me deeply.


    "You worked really hard despite your weak body."


    However.


    Enfer''s perception of me still hadn''t changed.


    "...Dear."


    Enfer''s statement made Marlia speak up from beside me as if to stop me, "That seems suspicious."


    But Enfer was sincere.


    "I won''t make unreasonable demands anymore. If you want, consider transferring schools too. You''ve hated Constel so much."


    He sincerely wished the best for me,


    "That''s right. Unlike Constel, there are promising schools in the central region that focus on nurturing schrs and researchers. How about transferring there? With your skills that scored full marks on the written exam, you''ll do well there too, and you won''t get hurt."


    Sincerely, he did not see me as a warrior.

 Chapter 76 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­Are you serious?"


    Marlia''s address to me changed back from ''dear'' to ''you.''


    "Why wouldn''t I be serious? Frondier hated Constel. You know that as well."


    Marlia tried to say something to Enfer but then closed her mouth. Instead, she looked at me.


    Frondier hated Constel. That was an undeniable fact, even for me. Otherwise, why would I have been sleeping all the time, skipping practical exams, and earning the nickname ''human sloth''?


    Frondier, who had not a speck of talent as either a warrior or a magician. He believed Constel was not the ce for him.


    Knowing this, Marlia didn''t argue further and just looked at me.


    Still on about that, huh?


    Was the reason you worked hard in Constel just to go back to being a ''human sloth''?...Now, I somewhat understand why Enfer tried to expel me.


    ''This is also a form of overprotection.''


    Enfer, the northern iron wall.


    If I remain his son, like with Azier, it is inevitable for Frondier to also stand on the battlefield.


    And in Enfer''s eyes, it was impossible for Frondier to survive that battlefield.


    Even if it means abandoning the prestigious name of Roach, it''s better to survive.


    Enfer''s feelings must have mirrored this as he looked at me.


    "......I have."


    Thus, what I am about to say.


    Is no different from being disobedient to Enfer.


    "I have nned out the summer break."


    "......?"


    "Summer break?"


    Enfer''s eyebrows twitched, and Malia asked back in confusion.


    It might sound absurd, but neither Enfer nor Malia would think so.


    With this statement, I will respond to all of Enfer''s suggestions.


    It''s also a good opportunity to let him know what kind of resolve I have.


    "I will go to Tyburn."


    The moment I said this.


    If I had to describe it, it was as if a thud©¤ sounded.


    A sound that seemed to cut through all the noise andmotion.


    The restaurant became utterly silent. Everyone, who had been enjoying their conversations, was startled by the sudden silence they couldn''t exin.


    Enfer.


    Just a slight release of his aura was enough to silence everyone in the room.


    "......Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "I warned you during thest meeting. Do not speak carelessly. You do not yet understand the weight of your words."


    Enfer''s voice was more than boiling; it was zing.


    I closed my eyes for a moment.


    Tyburn.


    It''s a region in the northeast, governed by Ludwig Von Urfa.


    Enfer, who governs the northwestern region called Yeranhes, has never allowed a single monster invasion, true to his nickname "Iron Wall."


    Thanks to that, though Yeranhes has a high potential danger level, it has never suffered actual damage.


    As a result, the town''s morale is good, themercial district manages to keep rolling, and the soldiers'' morale is decent.


    Then what about the northeast?


    Enfer, who earned the nickname "Iron Wall" just by not allowing invasions.


    Just by holding them off, to earn such a nickname, the monsters outside are despairingly powerful.


    Tyburn is different from Yeranhes.


    The monsters outside have trampled human territory time and time again, and countless people have died trying to stop them.


    People were sent to fight the monsters, deal with the monsters that got through, and fend off the ones that came back.


    The number of people Ludwig von Urfa has sacrificed to defend against the monsters is uncountable.


    But no one mes Ludwig.


    Because it''s only natural.


    Enfer, who was able to defend against them all, was the strange one. If it''s the border where we have to defend against the monsters outside, anywhere would be a hell like Tyburn.


    Tyburn is the worst of all the hells that have descended to the earth. That''s why most of the people Ludwig sends there are criminals who deserve to be executed.


    Most of the criminals sent to Tyburn beg to be killed instead when they find out they''re being sent there.


    Even if it''s only during vacation, only a madman would volunteer to go there.


    And that madman is me.


    "I''m not changing my mind."


    "Frondier!"


    This time, it was Malia.


    Malia looked at me with eyes full of concern, worry, and pity. To Enfer and Malia, it must seem like I''m going to die.


    Anyone else saying that would probably mean the same thing.


    But I have to go to Tyburn.


    Tyburn is a treasure trove for Frondier. There are a lot of divine objects and items close to being unique, and they''re mostly just sitting there, not being used.


    And if I go there as a member of the Roach family, not as a criminal, but as a volunteer, I''ll be treated much better.


    Of course, that doesn''t mean it''ll be safe, but the conditions will be much better than for the criminals.


    ''I have to face it someday anyway.''


    Humanity''s fate is to be annihted by monsters in the distant future.


    To ovee that, I must eventually enter the boundary between humans and monsters. Sooner orter, that day wille.


    And after much thought, the best timing for that day is this uing summer break. When my surroundings and I are functioning most harmoniously.


    But Enfer shook his head as if he wouldn''t even consider listening.


    "I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that. Since dinner seems to be over, you should head straight¡ª"


    "Father."


    I cut off Enfer''s words.


    It was terrifying to interrupt him just once, but I had to convince Enfer right now.


    "I know I have been a disappointing son to you."


    Enfer''s eyes widened. Today might be the day I see various expressions on Enfer''s face that I''ll probably never see again.


    Though there wasn''t much change in his expressions to be noticeable.


    "I am a child of the Roach family. I must go to the boundary beyond humanity. That is my duty."


    "Frondier, as I said, you are a weak child. Your brother and I will handle it."


    "I will not hide alone while everyone else is dying. Not anymore."


    "¡­!"


    Frondier''s past life weighs heavily on me as a great debt.


    His weakness lost the family''s trust, hisziness created a human sloth, and his wicked nature touched the ''Manggot.''


    None of it was my doing, but now I am Frondier de Roach.


    The fact that I have to pay for sins I didn''tmit made me feel truly unjust.


    But only now have I decided to ept it.


    I had no choice but to ept it.


    "I,"


    I am Frondier de Roach.


    "Must pay for myziness."


    Knowing the end of the world.


    Struggling in a long and desperate attempt to twist that one fact.


    I am the human sloth, Frondier.

 Chapter 77 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @HotJava on Ko-fi</i>


    The night when Frondier made the bombshell announcement.


    Enfer invited Azier to his room.


    In the silent room with only a small light on, Enfer asked Azier.


    "Azier, what do you think?"


    "Your will is my will, Father."


    Enfer smiled at Azier''s answer, but shook his head.


    "I thought you would say that. You have been faithfully following my words without any rebellion since you were young."Azier''s past actions were more than just being a model student or an honor student.


    He overcame all the expectations of his family, including Enfer, and the attention and pressure from Constel.


    The standard that the world wanted from him was undoubtedly a high position for ordinary people.


    But Azier climbed up without any problem, as if he should.


    There was no sign of difficulty in getting here, so to Enfer, Azier was a proud son but also a concern. Too strong steel is also easy to break.


    "But Azier. You, who have seen Frondier up close, must have something in mind. That''s why you were silent in the restaurant."


    When Frondier said he would go to Tyburn.


    That remark was even more dangerous than the suddenment Frondier made during the nobles gathering.


    But at the time, Azier, who had stopped Frondier, kept silent at the mention of going to Tyburn.


    "Azier, I''m still unfamiliar with Frondier''s change. It means I wascking in my role as a father."


    Surprisingly, Enfer spoke of his shorings. It was the most humble posture he could take towards his son.


    "I need wisdom now. What do you think? Do you think it''s okay for Frondier to go to Tyburn?"


    Azier closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn''t back down when his father was saying this much.


    And Azier also felt the need to tell Enfer a few things about Frondier.


    "At least,"


    Azier seemed to be choosing the most appropriate words,


    "He won''t die."


    In the end, he muttered such a heavy statement.


    "Do you really think so?"


    Enfer asked suspiciously again. Tyburn was such a dangerous ce. Literally, a ce where one had to contemte life or death.


    "The Frondier now is different from the onest year."


    Azier was the one who saw Frondier''s growth rate the closest.


    Of course, even he doesn''t know all of Frondier''s abilities, but he personally taught him closebat.


    It seemed like he would give up in three days, or even less than a day, but Frondier stubbornly followed his teachings.


    From what he had seen so far, Frondier was the type to move while thinking. He was the type to set traps in advance and engage in psychological warfare to narrow the gap with the enemy.


    This was definitely a different tendency from Azier, who dealt with all situations based on his fundamentals.


    Therefore, even if it seemed like he was showing off his tricks, it definitely had an effect. The same was true for this final exam. He changed the situation in his favor through hidden moves and information superiority, and deception, and he didn''t miss the opportunity.


    Perhaps because of his habit of setting multiple traps, Frondier does what he thinks he can do himself.


    He''s been collecting tools for psychological warfare one by one. It must have been for that reason that he asked Azier to demonstrate ''Falling Edge''.


    The part that Azier hade to ept in his own way was that part.


    The reason why Frondier had beenzy and done nothing so far was because he considered most things ''impossible''.


    But for some reason, he thought it was ''possible'' again. The result is the current Frondier.


    "Frondier is not being arrogant."


    "Do you think there''s something to gain by going there? Does Frondier believe that?"


    "If it was just a belief, Frondier wouldn''t have tried. Frondier knows. That he will gain something from there."


    From Azier''s perspective, Frondier has been living stubbornly since one day. As if he had really be someone else.


    It was unexpected for Azier that he said he would go to Tyburn, but he didn''t think that Frondier, who had been living so stubbornly, would suddenly make a foolish decision.


    ¡°Unless it¡¯s emunication, Frondier will live on with the name of the Roach family.¡±


    The original n was that by kicking him out with emunication, they would send Frondier to a rtively safe ce, but if it¡¯s not emunication, in the end, Frondier would be walking the same path as Enfer and Azier.


    "If there''s a hell to see someday, it wouldn''t be bad to see it in advance."


    * * *


    I was in a dilemma.


    Who should I tell that I''m going to Tyburn?


    I thought about telling Aten, who had helped me a lot, but then, she might follow me to Tyburn. No, would she really follow me to Tyburn? Just in case, should I tell Aster or Sybil first? But do I really need to say anything? It''s not like I''m going to die©¤©¤


    I had such worries, but they were all useless.


    "You''re going to Tyburn, you said."


    This was what Aten said as soon as I entered the ssroom.


    It wasn''t just Aten. As soon as I entered the ssroom, the students murmured as they looked at me. I could faintly hear the word ''Tyburn''.


    How did all the students know this fact? I thought about it and then Elodie came to mind.


    That kid, she spread this story all over the school!


    "Ah, yes. I was going to tell you, but it seems the rumor spread faster."


    I didn''t know what Elodie was thinking, but there was no point in denying it now that it had spread this far.


    Aten looked at me as if I was about to die.


    "Why are you so willing to throw away your life?"


    It was as if she was really looking at someone about to die.


    "Who''s dying? I''lle back just fine."


    "Then why are you going to Tyburn...?"


    Hmm. It''s definitely a question.


    To me, Tyburn is a high-risk, high-return ce, but to others, it''s just a high-risk ce with no return. An incredibly high risk. Some even called it a Die-risk.


    "I have something to get."


    I answered after much thought. I didn''t want to lie to Aten, but she wouldn''t understand even if I exined everything.


    It''s about half the truth. Aten blinked at my words, as if thinking about something.


    "I see. You have something to get..."


    It sounded like she was saying something very extraordinary.


    "Aten. I''m just asking in case, but you''re noting with me, are you?"


    "Of course not. I''m a woman who knows her limits."


    ...Hmm, right.


    I nodded, sensing that asking more questions might lead to unfavorable results.

 Chapter 77 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    -"Going to Tyburn? Frondier?"


    Upon hearing Aten''s words, her older sister, Sale, asked back over the phone.


    As far as Aten remembered, it was rare for Sale to ask back in surprise.


    "Yes. He said he has something to retrieve."


    -"Something to retrieve..."


    Sale mumbled in a simr way to Aten.


    -"So, he left something in Tyburn?"


    "I think so too."


    -"Then, has Frondier been to Tyburn before?""If we interpret his words literally, yes."


    Sale and Aten had the same thoughts.


    Tyburn was hell for those who had been there, and and of fear and unknown for those who hadn''t.


    A ce with only convicts and soldiers to be used as meat shields, and constant attacks from monsters.


    And he said he has something to retrieve from a region where no one, nothing is known.


    It can''t be exined unless he had been to Tyburn before.


    In other words, Frondier ''left something'' in Tyburn, and he is going back to retrieve it this vacation.


    "Tyburn is an area that''s more than just dangerous. And he¡¯s insisting on going back there."


    I don''t know what it is, but he''s clearly nning to bring back something tremendous.


    The Frondier that Aten saw was strong enough to be excessive for a student, but it was in a state where that wasn''t important.


    -But Aten.


    "Yes?"


    -Why are you telling me this? You don''t think I''m going to help that Frondier, do you?


    What Sale knows about the Frondier is that her mother, Philly, sent Aten to dig up information on Dragon Heart.


    In other words, it''s none of her business.


    Sale does not know that the person who stopped Elysia is the Frondier. If she finds out, her evaluation of the Frondier will fall to rock bottom.


    "What are you talking about, sis? It''s just part of the chatter."


    -...You know you''re bing more and more like mom, right?


    "So this is apletely different story."


    Aten continued to speak, ignoring what she had heard.


    "I''ve found a ce I want to go on vacation."


    -...Hey. You. Hold on a second.


    "The purpose of Constel''s vacation is to improve the individual skills of the students. So I''m going to travel a bit to improve my skills. That''s not strange at all, right?"


    -"Hey! Are you out of your mind? Do you even know where that is? You think I would allow it?


    "What are you talking about? I haven''t even mentioned where I''m going to travel yet. Of course, I''ll behave myself, but who knows what will happen in the world? It might be a much more dangerous journey than I thought? Oh, but don''t worry. I doubt anything will happen. It''s just a ''one-month'' trip."


    Aten''s audacity reached its peak.


    A deep sigh was heard from the other end of the phone.


    -I wondered why you were telling me this, not mom.


    "What are you talking about, sis. I can chat with anyone, whether it''s mom or you."


    -I got it. No matter ''where'' you go, I''ll help you prepare for a pleasant trip. I''ll even assign a guard. But remember, the guard is also there to watch you. If you do anything dangerous, or even step a toe into danger, I''ll have the guard arrest you and lock you up in the pce.


    "Thanks. I didn''t ask for it."


    It wasn''t a favor.


    "That''s called a threat, Aten."


    -So this is apletely different story.


    Sale followed Aten''s words.


    -Do you like Frondier?


    "......"


    Aten''s words stopped at Sale''s question. Is it because she''s embarrassed? When Sale was imagining Aten''s blushing face,


    "I''m not sure."


    Aten gave an answer that seemed a bit surprising, yet very like her.


    -You''re not sure?


    "Yeah. I don''t even know what that is."


    Hmm. Indeed.


    Although she tries to act mature in front of Sale, Aten is still young. Especially since she spent most of her time confined in the pce.


    -You might find out this time?


    "Maybe."


    Aten answered casually.


    And about 3 secondster, she spoke again.


    "No, what are you talking about? I''m just going on a trip during the vacation."


    -Yes, that''s right.


    Afterwards, Aten tried to ignore Sale''s half-teasing words and ended the call.


    Between the stark white, and equally cold-looking expressionless face, her white eyes blinked.


    "Hmm. I''m a woman who knows her limits too."


    Who are you saying is going to follow?


    I''m just going on a trip during the vacation.


    Everything that happens after that is nothing more than a coincidence.

 Chapter 78 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    For days, there was an odd silence in the Roach household.


    Because Enfer had been so depressedtely, all the servants quietly minded their own business.


    The rumor that I was going to Tyburn must have already spread among them somehow.


    Whenever a maid would pass me by and give me a sad look, I felt strange.


    However, my training with Azier continued relentlessly. We actually intensified it. I wasn¡¯t going there to y, but to others, it looked like I was going to die. But training, no matter how much, wasn¡¯t enough.


    By the way, my one-on-one training with Azier had started to feel like a proper training session. I couldn¡¯t tell if I had just gotten better, or if I had simply gotten used to Azier.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    In the middle of our training, Azier suddenly said to me while sheathing her spear.


    ¡°You asked me to show my disarming technique before.¡±Oh.


    I looked at Azier, wondering what he would say next.


    ¡°It would be faster if you actually experienced it.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to show it to me?¡±


    ¡°Your body seems ready now. No matter how much you prepare for Tyburn, it won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    That¡¯s true.


    Azier gently thrust the tip of his spear out to me.


    ¡°But you must have tried disarming someone before.¡±


    Azier said this as if he had already seen through me.


    I couldn¡¯t deny it, since I had indeed tried it before.


    ¡°How was it? Did you seed?¡±


    ¡°I seeded halfway.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, halfway?¡±


    ¡°I made my opponent drop their weapon, but I also dropped mine.¡±


    I had tried disarming Renzo.


    I had indeed made Renzo drop his greatsword, but my body cried out in pain when I tried to disarm him, so I ended up dropping my weapon as well.


    But when I told him that, something strange shed in Azier¡¯s eyes. What was it? Did I say something weird?


    ¡°Then show me. Do your disarming technique.¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I extended my shortsword towards the spear tip that Azier had pointed at me. For reference, this sword is a real one made by Neil Jack.


    And just like what I had originally done, the moment I unfurled the paper,


    Azier¡¯s spear floated up, and I was still holding my shortsword.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    I seeded. Just like that.


    Azier looked at me as if it was to be expected.


    ¡°Earlier, you said you even dropped your weapon? Was it because of the pain?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I thought I would fail this time as well.¡±


    ¡°The pain is because your body wasn¡¯t ready yet. If you made the opponent drop their weapon, then the technique itself is a sess. And now, your body is different from then.¡±


    My body was ready. That¡¯s what Azier said.


    Azier had predicted from the start that I would seed.


    In other words,


    ¡°You can now use ¡®Falling Edge¡¯. Though clumsily.¡±


    Azier seemed somewhat displeased with his own remark.


    * * *


    And then on the day of the holiday ceremony.


    Surprisingly, there were quite a few people who came to see me off to Tyburn.


    Teachers like Jane and Binkis threw a word at me as they passed by.


    It was partly because Elodie had spread the word all over Constel, but I didn¡¯t feel bad about it.


    It was just strange how all of them seemed to be seeing me off like I was going to die soon.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    After Teacher Jane¡¯s brief admonition, Aster came looking for me in ss.


    Aster shook his head, as if in admiration or despair.


    "You won''t be able to win. Are you really going to that ce?"


    "I don''t know. If I don''te back, you''ll naturally win."


    Aster averted his gaze at my words, as if it really could happen.


    It was a joke.


    ¡°Aster, where are you going?¡±


    Aster¡¯s ns for the holiday.


    Since Aster is the protagonist, yers can freely set Aster¡¯s ns.


    Efficiency might be limited to only few cases, but the current Aster wouldn''t care about that, nor could he.


    Aster replied.


    "I want to learn the sword from my sister."


    "¡­From Senior Ellen? Wasn''t she going to be a Pro intern?"


    When I had heard from Ellen, she was going to be an intern for Eden Hamelot.


    Aster responded as if it were nothing special.


    "Yeah. So, I''m going to join too."


    I was taken aback.


    A Pro internship isn''t something that''s easily given. It''s a precious opportunity offered only to those among the third years who have proven their skills and grades.


    Not to mention Ellen, who is in her second year, and now Aster, just a freshman.


    "I don''t think Eden cares about such things."


    "......That''s true."


    "Huh? You know about Eden?"


    "No, I just heard rumors and I think that''s what it is."


    I dodged the question, but of course, I knew. Eden''s personality.


    Eden is currently the top Pro, having held that position for a very long time.


    However, for someone like that, he has a remarkably ordinary impression. Unless he is fighting, his demeanor is that of an average person.


    His personality is simple, humble, optimistic. It feels like he''s taken all the ordinary aspects to an extreme.


    When that simplicity goes to the extreme, it makes you realize that it''s not quite normal.


    The humility fit for settling in the imperial pce, the simplicity that wouldn''t mind homelessness, the optimism as if he would have a peaceful face even if the world were to end tomorrow.


    Eden has surpassed clear-mindedness; his mental state is like the currents of the deep sea. No matter how fierce the waves are above the sea level, he himself remains as tranquil as the deep sea.


    But this time, that almost abnormal ''tranquility'' proved to be helpful.


    In this world, Aster is too righteous and boyish, just like a real protagonist. With Eden and Ellen, Aster would be guided on the best path to growth.


    "But Frondier."


    "Hmm?"


    "Did you fight with Elodie?"

 Chapter 78 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Did you fight with Elodie?"


    "Why?"


    "Her expression turns grim whenever your namees up."


    I couldn''t deny or affirm his statement.


    Since I had told Elodie ''I''m going to Tyburn,'' I hadn''t seen her.


    Usually, Elodie woulde to me, so it was natural not to meet unless I sought her out. However, it was strange not to see even a glimpse of her.


    I wondered if Elodie was ill and couldn''te to Constel. That''s how much she was missing.


    But considering what Aster, who is in the same ss, said, there was only one conclusion.


    Elodie was avoiding me."Hmm, we didn''t fight. Elodie never really liked me much in the first ce."


    "What...?"


    Aster''s head tilted quizzically.


    His expression seemed to say, ''What nonsense are you talking about?''


    ///


    -No, I''m going to Tyburn.


    Frondier said this with a peaceful face.


    There was no change in hisnguid expression, so much so that Elodie momentarily wondered if ''Tyburn'' was some famous holiday spot.


    Tyburn, of all ces.


    As if willingly walking into a real-life hell.


    "What are you thinking."


    Elodie is currently on the rooftop of a building in Constel.


    Just a short while ago, she had eradicated a massive horde of monsters here at his request.


    That fight had been Frondier''s request. She had tried to understand Frondier through that battle, but now, she was even more confused.


    Elodie''s mind slowly went over Frondier''s actions since the monster attack.


    Fireworks..., final exams..., thebined attack with Aster...,


    ...Manggot.


    The ominous resonance of Manggot didn''t leave her mind.


    She couldn''t understand all of the contents of what she had overheard in the infirmary, but it was clear that something was wrong.


    However, Frondier was the same as always.


    It was with this sameness that Elodie realized something. She knew absolutely nothing about Frondier.


    Elodie had never guessed the depletion of mana, Manggot, or even Tyburn from always seeing the same face.


    Because the face of someone who had experienced so much still looked the same as always, she was confident that the Frondier she knew was still there.


    ...She knew nothing.


    The Frondier she knew might as well have never existed.


    Creak¡ª


    ng.


    The rooftop door suddenly opened.


    But Elodie wasn''t surprised. Although unexpected, she knew who it was.


    ¡°I was looking for you.¡±


    It was Frondier, as expected.


    ¡°What for.¡±


    Elodie asked bluntly. It''s not that she didn''t want to see Frondier right now. In fact, she hadn''t wanted to see him for the past few days.


    ¡°I wanted to receive a farewell from my childhood friend.¡±


    ¡°Who''s the childhood friend.¡±


    Though urate, she was in the mood to deny anything right now.


    Hmm, Frondier made a troubled noise.


    ¡°I''m going to a dangerous ce.¡±


    At that, she couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Whirl! Elodie turned around, her eyes zing with fire. Literally, as the activation of ¡®Agni¡¯ caused mes to dance in her eyes.


    ¡°And knowing that, you''re going to such a ce!!¡±


    Her voice roared like a lion''s, assaulting the eardrums, and something streaked past beside Frondier.


    A long trail that raced right next to Frondier from Elodie turned into a path of mes.


    Frondier blinked and saw the mes flickering to his left. Indeed, it was an attack he absolutely couldn''t dodge at this moment.


    Elodie walked up, her arm guard hissing and emitting smoke.


    So, the mes just now were also the result of controlled output.


    Frondier was genuinely scared.


    "Tyburn? Tyburn?! What are you thinking going there? Do you take the ''outside'' as a joke?! You think you''re unbeatable because you''ve improved a bit recently?! Wow, I really, I''ve been trying to understand what you''ve been doing with superhuman patience, you know? But really, I just can''t anymore! Hey! What kind of childhood friend is a childhood friend only when you need them! You never start with the important stuff!"


    As Elodie poured out her heart, she felt an indescribable emotion.


    Until she vented, her mind was a whirlwind, and she was clueless about her own feelings, but shouting it out seemed to organize her thoughts a bit.


    Elodie, who had approached Frondier closely, already had a face like she was about to cry. Indeed, tears were about to start spilling from her eyes, but they evaporated in an instant due to the immense heat.


    It was somewhat less embarrassing.


    "You said we''re alike!"


    Elodie said, remembering the words Frondier had once said.


    As ''Rishae'', as ''Inies'', he had been a small pir of support for her, who would bear loneliness as the shadow of her life.


    "How are we alike! I don''t understand at all! I don''t know anything about you!"


    Elodie hit Frondier in the chest. The mes had died down, and there was only a girl left.


    "I don''t know. You, I don''t know where you''re going, what you''re trying to do."


    As she spoke, Elodie realized what her true feelings were.


    Elodie was worried about Frondier. It wasn''t just because he wanted to go to Tyburn. That was merely the trigger.


    Elodie thought Frondier was constantly courting danger. What his purpose was, and if, indeed, it became truly dangerous, or worse, something happened.


    "Elodie."


    Hearing her outcry, Frondier calmly said her name.


    "Why, you moth to a me."


    "I meant it when I said we''re alike."


    "Not in the slightest."


    "It''s because I''m not as strong as you."


    Elodie lifted her head in surprise. Frondier spoke as if stating the obvious.


    "You don''t need to rush. You''re strong enough, and your talent will lead you as a beacon. But not me. I have to do whatever it takes to ovee, and I will. Tyburn too. It''s definitely risky, but it''s worth the risk."


    "Why are you in such a hurry all by yourself? Everyone else in Constel is diligently training on their own, why do you have to go to such extremes?"


    Watching Frondier during the finals, Elodie was convinced.


    Frondier had clearly begun to surpass the average skill level of Constel. Considering it started after he broke free from hisziness, it was an incredible rate of growth.


    That''s why Elodie believed Frondier would now be satisfied. She thought his previous recklessness was because he was behind the other students.


    But Tyburn?


    "It''s something I need to do. That''s all."


    "Just that, and you''re prepared to die?"


    "Who''s dying?"


    Frondier said calmly, as if stating a mere fact.


    "I''ll return without a problem."

 Chapter 79 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Kabir, @BigManny77 and @Salmastryon on Ko-fi</i>


    Before heading to Tyburn, I did a final review in the training room.


    Thanks to sessfullypleting the final exam, after repeating simultaneous weaving in the training room, the level of my weaving skill finally increased.


    [Your unique skill ''Weaving'' has leveled up.]


    [The application range of ''Weaving'' has increased.]


    [Current application targets of ''Weaving'': ''Objects'', ''Skills'']


    Now, weaving applies not only to objects but also to skills. In other words, I can now mimic others'' skills upon observation.


    However, since the skill of weaving originally replicates as an ''illusion'', it doesn''t enjoy the real effects of the actual skills. It might be somewhat possible within Menosorpo, but even that is limited.I need to run some tests for the details, but that wasn''t immediately important.


    Currently, my weaving has an option attached called ''Descent of Thanatos''.


    - When weaving acts on reality for the first time, a trigger is activated.


    - When weaving inflicts damage on ''monsters from the outside'', a trigger is activated.


    - When weaving inflicts damage on a god, a trigger is activated.


    Thanatos attached this option to check my weaving. When it was attached or how it was done, I still don''t know.


    With this shitty thing attached, I can''t do anything in Tyburn.


    My main weapon is weaving, but if I touch the outside monsters with weaving, Thanatos would appear again.


    However, now that weaving''s application range includes ''skills'', I can modify weaving itself.


    I used weaving to apply a modification ''degradation'' to weaving itself.


    [Option ''Descent of Thanatos'' has been removed.]


    "......Good."


    I can''t assert that the interference of the gods haspletely disappeared, but at least weaving won''t be an obstacle anymore.


    Finally, all the preparations were done.


    * * *


    After packing the necessary luggage at the mansion, I finally headed out the main gate to go to Tyburn.


    But in front of me was a vehicle I had never seen before. The driver was also a face I had never seen.


    As I looked at Malia with a question mark, she awkwardly smiled.


    "Ah, perhaps to prevent your heart from weakening and not being able to return, your father has brought someone else."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    It did seem a bit excessive, but it''s a good thing Enfer''s opinion has changed.


    Since he can''t stop me from going to Tyburn anyway, he''s probably trying to ignite a fire in my heart.


    When I left the mansion, only the servants and Malia were there to see me off. Azier and Enfer were nowhere to be seen.


    "Remember that Mom is cheering for you,e back safe, Frondier."


    "Yeah."


    "Don''t die."


    "Yeah."


    She said it jokingly, but her face was anything but joking, so I answered seriously.


    When I got into the car, the driver set off immediately. He already seemed to know where we were going.


    Even though they''re both in the north, Tyburn and Yeranhes are located at opposite ends, east and west.


    It''s going to take a while, so maybe I should take a nap...


    * * *


    "We''re here."


    I opened my eyes at the sound of the driver''s voice.


    As soon as I got out of the car, the driver turned around and sped away without even saying goodbye. I guess he was instructed to do so by Enfer.


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s cold."


    Yeranhes wasn''t a warm city, but here the air feels like frozen ice pellets are flying around.


    As far as I know, the absolute temperature difference isn''t that big, so I guess it''s because there are no people here.


    The ce where I stood had only one road, and everything else was a frozen wastnd. In front of me was a huge outer wall that filled my field of vision.


    Tyburn''s situation was unique, so the region itself developed in a unique way. A very solid outer wall surrounded the outside, and inside it were houses, shops, and other ces where people lived. This was to separate the monsters outside or the prisoners managed by Tyburn.


    Here too, I could see a huge, seemingly sturdy circr building, which was the prison managed by Tyburn. Since Tyburn used prisoners to block most of the fortifications, it naturally had a strong prison.


    Next to it were barracks, and the wall separated the barracks, the prison, and the civilians'' area. If you looked from above, it would look like a giant circle divided into three more spaces.


    Certainly, I now realize that I''m in for a life not so different from those soldiers. Though,ing from Roach, I might be treated a bit differently.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    With my resolve hardened, I moved forward. But I hadn''t taken many steps before I stopped dead in my tracks.


    A strange woman stood before me. It was such an unexpected appearance that I couldn''t tell if she had been there all along or had just arrived.


    The blonde woman lightly held the ends of her skirt and gracefully bowed her head.


    The design of her uniform and the manner of her greeting brought one word to my mind.


    "I am honored to meet the head of the Roach family."


    A maid.


    The maid greeted me in a manner befitting a maid, showing me an expression typical of a maid.


    "¡­Who might you be?"


    For now, I responded politely.


    Though I asked, I had a guess. No, I at least knew where she was from.


    "From now on, I will be assisting the Lord Roach."


    "From Manggot?"


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    The maid acknowledged coolly. Well, there''s nobody around to hear us, so naturally.


    The woman wore a gentle smile, her expression and gestures were quite enchanting. Her beauty was objectively high, but it was her expression and gaze that caught my attention first.


    She either had a natural ability to seduce men or had been trained to appear so.


    "Where did Hagley go?"


    I asked about the guy who had revealed his name in the infirmary.


    "He is my superior."


    Meaning, he had backed out.


    Since their n to use me to eliminate Elodie had failed, they must have sought other means.

 Chapter 79 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­"


    I examined the maid''s attire. It was only barely a maid outfit, with excessive exposure. Given the maid''s own physique, it made it all the more apparent. It was on the verge of looking vulgar, but just barely managed not to cross that line.


    ¡­The intention was painfully obvious.


    "Your name?"


    "In Manggot, I was called ''Jei.'' If Lord Roach wishes, you may give me another name."


    Called.


    Meaning she didn''t have a proper name.


    I looked at Jei with my ''analyze'' skill.


    [Jei]- ''Manggot''s assassin.


    - The name Jei is derived from the alphabet. Assassins were trained and named in alphabetical order. Meaning, she is Manggot''s tenth assassin*.


    - Her parents named her ''Selena'', but she doesn''t remember it.


    - Her parents were alive©¤


    [T/N*: J is 10th english alphabet, its written as ?? (Jei) in korean]


    The analysis cut off there.


    From this point on, it was instinctual that an enormous amount of mana would be required.


    "Did you say we could give her another name?"


    "¡­Yes, of course. If you wish."


    Jei, perhaps not really knowing she could be given another name, answered a bitte.


    I said,


    "Selena. From today on, you are Selena."


    Even if I don''t know who her parents were, it was a name given with care.


    It would be a shame to just forget it.


    "¡­¡­."


    Jei, now Selena, blinked for a moment at my deration.


    Her small mouth agape, her eyes wavering.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "¡­Oh, no. Selena. I will live by that name from today on."


    Selena smiled again.


    Though she said she forgot, perhaps somewhere in her mind, the memory remained.


    "Is it okay for me to go to Tyburn now?"


    "Don''t worry. I will protect you, Lord Frondier."


    With those words, Selena bowed again.


    Her outfit was too revealing, and she wasn''t bowing deeply, so her white skin and chest were exposed. Well, that was probably the intention in the first ce.


    I felt that life in Tyburn might be more tiring than I had anticipated.


    * * *


    "Kid. Pack your bags and go back right now."


    Ludwig said as soon as he saw me.


    Sinceing to Tyburn was part of Constel''s holiday ns, it was only natural to formally greet Ludwig, the head of the household.


    However, Ludwig was very uncooperative from the moment he saw me.


    "Can''t you understand? Your dad has sent you to your doom."


    Ludwig''s expression was pretty bad. It seemed more because of Enfer rather than me. Sending his own child to Tyburn, even if he was a good-for-nothing? Such thoughts were clearly reflected in his eyes.


    "It seems like you''vee to Tyburn on a whim, having heard of it only in rumors or writings. Go back now and cling to your father''s coattails. If you beg and plead, even he might not turn you away. He''s still your father, after all."


    "I came here of my own ord."


    "What''s that?"


    Ludwig''s eyebrows were at different heights, which made his oddly bent brows look somewhat amusing.


    "Then I really can''t acknowledge you."


    "Why not?"


    "Because I don''t associate with madmen."


    Then Ludwig nced sideways at me.


    "And bringing a woman to the battlefield is beyond madness; it''s insanity. Do you know the difference between the two?"


    "What is it?"


    "A madman threatens not only the enemy but also his own allies, while an insane person ruins the strategy altogether."


    That makes sense.


    It hits closer to home since Selena wasn''t my choice.


    "However, I came here with my family''s permission. Even Lord Urfa can''t just throw me out without consideration."


    "¡­Tch, go to the corner room on the left side of the second floor. That''s your room."


    As expected. Despite his words, he was prepared.


    I bowed slightly to Ludwig and headed to the second floor, with Selena following me.


    Ludwig''s voice, filled with a sigh, could be heard. He never bothered to hide it.


    "¡­Insanity."


    It seemed to grow by one letter each time.


    * * *


    Those who fend off monster invasions in Tyburn are broadly divided into two categories.


    Prisoners, and those who are not prisoners.


    Naturally, prisoners are the most used, but it''s impossible to fend off the external monsters with them alone.


    They are merely meat shields to block indiscriminate advances. Of course, the prisoners sent to Tyburn are generally dangerous individuals who havemitted terrible crimes, so they have the skills necessary for fighting. They are, after all, quite premium meat shields.


    And then there are the mercenaries. They are drawn by the enormous sums of money offered by Ludwig. Of course, it''s not all paid by the Urfa family but by the Empire''s funds. Stopping the invasions is of utmost importance to the Empire.


    And then there are the knights and wizards. Their objectives vary greatly. There are direct knights filled with immense loyalty to Ludwig, mad researchers willing to sacrifice themselves to uncover the true nature of the monsters beyond, and those who havee as part of their duties, promised a position among the Imperial wizards.


    However, no one came for ''training.''


    Especially if someone, still not even an adult, came during the ''holiday'' period, they would be considered insane.


    "They say a madman has arrived."


    "Yeah, I heard."


    Near the Urfa estate barracks.


    The knights exchanged words among themselves, fueled by rumors from the estate.


    "He even brought a woman with him."


    "Hmm. That''s too much for a crazy person."


    "It''s the breasts."


    A crude conversation was followed by equally crudeughter.


    "Hey, Robert. They say he''s from Constel, know him? You were in the capital until a few days ago."


    One of the knights spoke to a man who had been quietly standing out of line.


    It was Robert, a direct knight of Philly.


    The same man who had pretended to be a detective (though quickly discovered) and investigated the Frondier, was somehow in Tyburn.


    Robert let out a long sigh.


    "How many people do you think are in the capital?"


    "True, as if we''d know such a madman."


    The knightsughed heartily once more.


    "So, how much are you betting?"


    "One week, 10,000 Quirs."


    "Five days. 15,000."


    The knights were briefly entertained by betting on how many days the madman wouldst before dying.

 Chapter 80 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Bismarck04 @Joe Mama and @kuro on Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°...What are you doing?¡±


    I ended up asking, unable to ignore the behavior unfolding in the room.


    Selena, looking back at me, retorted as if questioning why I would even ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m changing my clothes.¡±


    Selena was already almost in her underwear. Her sensual figure was ¡®appropriately¡¯ exposed to my view. Of course, it was clear she was showing it off on purpose.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else to change.¡±


    While provocatively changing her clothes, Selena was shameless.¡°Huh. There¡¯s nowhere else to change, you say.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, exactly.¡±


    Selena nodded with a smile, her lips seeming to tempt even further.


    Crack-


    I crushed the ne ck Lotus. It might be a bit showy for such an asion, but it seemed like a good opportunity to establish our rtionship.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Iokheira</i>


    I created an arrow of Artemis and held it in my hand.


    ¡°You being a part of Manggot, you must¡¯ve heard about what I did in Constel, right?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s correct?¡±


    ¡°Then, you know about the ¡®Fireworks¡¯?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Selena swallowed her saliva. It was a sign of affirmation.


    ¡°This arrow never misses its target.¡±


    I took a step towards Selena. She stepped back, looking intimidated.


    ¡°Who said you could step back? You said you would serve me.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I approached Selena closely, pointing the tip of the arrow towards her.


    ¡°You need to report every move I make to Manggot. I don¡¯t know when or how often, but there must be a hotline connecting here and Manggot.¡±


    Just like Hagley I met in Constel¡¯s infirmary, and Selena, these Manggot folks appear without any warning.


    It¡¯s probably some sort of ¡®Teleport¡¯ set up by Hagley the day he first met Frondier.


    ¡°And that ridiculous outfit, you got that from there too, didn¡¯t you? Saying there¡¯s nowhere to change?¡±


    ¡°Ah, ahaha. Going to Manggot is still far ahead, young master. I¡¯m really here to serve Lord Frondier,¡±


    ¡°Far ahead, you say? When is that?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s, in about fifteen days.¡±


    My expression turned cold. Part of it was an act, but I was genuinely displeased.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said before. This arrow doesn¡¯t miss.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    ¡°Since you said fifteen days, let¡¯s test it out. If you stray from my side even for a moment during the next 15 days, this arrow will pierce your neck on its own. Do you agree?¡±


    Selena, slow to grasp my words, blinked several times, then suddenly turned pale. In an instant, she knelt down and pressed her forehead to the ground.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry! I deserve to die.¡±


    ¡°If you deserve to die, wouldn¡¯t dying be fitting?¡±


    Selena simply trembled all over at my words.


    ©¤I don''t know what expression Selena, who is now burying her head, is making.


    So far, she has put on quite a performance to seduce me, and even now, it could be an extension of that performance.


    Though she is trembling, she might genuinely be scared, ashamed of my threat, orughing, thinking her act will work on me.


    No matter what, I can''t kill Selena. The only reason Manggot needs me is because of the ''Ancient Language''. If they judge that I have no value and am rather a hindrance, they will immediately cut my throat.


    "From now on, if you''re going to do something unnecessary, go do it in Manggot."


    "That, does that mean I should change my clothes in Manggot every time...?"


    "Not just changing clothes, but everything that has nothing to do with serving me, whether you''re eating or going to the bathroom, solve it all there."


    At those words, Selena muttered a mosquito-like ''understood''.


    She must not like it. Because it means she can''t use most of her methods to seduce me.


    "Don''t show your face and disappear."


    "¡­Yes."


    Selena, who answered, hid her appearance as she bowed her head. The disappearing form was simr to Hagley''s. It was always a fascinating transition.


    "Sigh, now I can finally be at ease."


    Finally, it''s my alone time. It should have been normal, but Selena unexpectedly came in and disrupted this time.


    Just when I thought of organizing my thoughts,


    "I, I''ve changed my clothes."


    I was disturbed again.


    "¡­"


    Selena was in her pajamas. Of course, like the maid outfit, it only gave off that vibe, but it unnecessarily emphasized her figure. The waistline was deeply indented, as if it were something to be worn in aic.


    Seeing Selena in pajamas that didn''t serve their purpose at all, I grew colder.


    "Why did youe back?"


    "Ye, yes?"


    "Wearing pajamas means you''re about to go to sleep, isn''t it?"


    "That, that''s right. It''ste, so¡­"


    "I said to deal with things unrted to serving me in Manggot."


    Selena opened her mouth at my words.


    "Then, does sleeping in Manggot also¡­?"


    "So, how is your sleeping rted to protecting me?"


    "¡­It''s not."


    "Get lost."


    Selena mumbled with her mouth, then thinned her lips and bowed her head.


    Thest face of her disappearing seemed a bit indignant.

 Chapter 80 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Manggot is a cave inside a cliff, but its interior forms a city.


    Commercial and residential areas are clearly divided, and most facilities used by humans are fully equipped.


    Selena stood in front of her house, staring nkly for a while.


    "Why did youe back, Jei?"


    Hagley spoke from behind her.


    Selena got a bit hot-headed at Hagley asking a simr question to Frondier.


    "¡­I was kicked out."


    "Kicked out? By Frondier?"


    "Yes. Everything not rted to personal escort duty should be settled here.""Even sleeping?"


    That''s right. Selena murmured with a sigh swallowed in her voice. The tremor was half sobbing.


    "This is the first time in my life I''ve been ignored to this extent."


    "It''s your first time trying to seduce a man, isn''t it?"


    "Still! I was confident! Even Hagley said it was possible with me!"


    "¡­¡­Hmm."


    Hagley stroked his chin.


    Indeed, this situation was something even Hagley hadn''t anticipated.


    Frondier is originally an owner of immense inferiorityplex. Just being called ''young master'' by Hagley made him beam with joy.


    He thought that if he had a beauty like Selena around him, especially one trying to seduce him, he''d be smitten in no time.


    "You said I could seduce him¡­¡­. I thought so too, so I can''tin¡­¡­. But it was really scary¡­¡­."


    Whether she was talking to herself or to be heard, Selena muttered in a dying voice. A strange sound emerged as if she was really crying.


    "You just need time. There''s no way Frondier wouldn''t be tempted by you. He''s just bluffing right now."


    "Bluffing¡­¡­ You call that bluffing¡­¡­."


    Selena still seemed to hear Frondier''s cold voice in her ears. She thought she was going to die. And it hadn''t even been a day since the mission started.


    "For now, focus on escorting Frondier. But pay special attention to your gestures and expressions. Frondier won''t be able to say anything about that."


    "¡­¡­Yes."


    In fact, Frondier hadn''tmented much on her seductive speech and behavior. Realizing this, Selena nodded.


    ¡­¡­But him notmenting, could it mean that it was ineffective from the start?


    "He''ll eventually fall for it."


    Hagley said with full confidence.


    "Because there''s no woman who loves Frondier."


    * * *


    The next day, following Ludwig''s order, I headed to the barracks. With Selena.


    The barracks seemed to be divided by floors for knights and soldiers. Soldiers on the first floor, knights on the second.


    I paused for a moment then climbed the stairs.


    "Hey, you''re not supposed to be this way."


    Someone was looking down at me with a smirking smile from atop the stairs.


    ¡­¡­Who is this? Neither from Frondier''s memory nor from the game''s knowledge do I recognize this face.


    Moreover, his posture, too casual for a knight, and the low rank without any sense of authority.


    In other words, a nobody. I ignored him and passed by.


    "Didn''t you hear? You belong on the first floor,"


    Snap.


    As I tried to pass, he tried to grab my arm, but I easily brushed him off.


    But the feel of brushing him off felt oddly unsatisfactory. What''s with this guy, not a knight?


    "This crazy bastard dares to bring a woman here."


    Embarrassed by having his hand brushed off, he reached out towards Selena.


    Ah, this isn''t good.


    Selena held out her fingertips to him. Hic, the man froze, terrified. Selena held a needle between her index and middle fingers. I don''t know where she suddenly pulled it out from, but it was enough to intimidate her opponent.


    "I''m in a really bad mood right now, so don''t touch me."


    Selena''s murderous voice seemed to growl. The man flinched at the sound and backed away.


    It seemed like she was really in a bad mood.


    The reason why Selena''s in a bad mood is...


    Well, I don''t know.


    Creak-


    I entered a room with a sign that said ''Waiting Room.''


    An empty room with a few long chairs, spacious but extremely simple.


    There were about a dozen people inside.


    As I entered, their gazes slowly turned toward me.


    One of them looked at me and said with a nk expression.


    "...You really brought a woman. You really were crazy."


    I looked around.


    Of course, I thought they would all be people I didn''t know, but I was wrong.


    Robert was in the corner, the furthest inside. He put his finger to his lips when he saw me.


    I guess that means don''t act like we know each other.


    "Maureen must''ve gone to meet you. Didn''t you see him?"


    "There was one causing trouble."


    Yes, that guy. I understood when the knight answered.


    The knights'' armor varied in style and design, and the patterns engraved on the armor were all different.


    The knights dispatched to Tyburn are brought from almost all over the Empire, but their numbers are small. Knights are a vital force everywhere.


    "Hey, how long do you think you''llst?"


    One of them suddenly asked me.


    "How long?"


    "Uh, we''re making a bet."


    The guy who answered grinned.


    "When you''ll kick the bucket."


    At that, the waiting room erupted withughter. They were really excited as if they had heard something funny.


    Only about four or five people didn''tugh, including Robert from earlier.


    "Then I''ll bet,"


    I slowly spoke.


    "That no one here will die for a month."


    Theughter stopped at my words. They looked at me as if I had said something ridiculous.


    "Are you really crazy? Hey, do you know where this is? Tyburn. No one dies here for a month? Are you out of your mind?"


    "Really? Then let me ask you this. Who do you think will die ''except me''? Is there anyone crazy enough to want to die?"


    The knights'' expressions hardened.


    The reason these guys are making such a vulgar bet is because this is Tyburn.


    In a ce where you''re going to die anyway, people can''t help but go a little crazy. Those who don''t usually die first.


    I think I understand to some extent the psychology of calling me crazy, crazy.


    But I don''t intend to fight these guys.


    Rather, I needed them.


    "I''ll say it again."


    And,


    "No one here will die while I''m in Tyburn."


    They too will bitterly realize that they need me.

 Chapter 81: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Huy Le on Ko-fi!</i>


    I climbed over the barrier.


    The harshly cold wind bit into my skin.


    This cold alone made this ce sufficiently torturous. Having to fend off monsters on top of it, it was no wonder it felt like a living hell.


    "¡­Are you going to stay here?"


    Selena, who was next to me, asked.


    Her maid outfit was unnecessarily revealing. Naturally, it would be terribly cold in a ce like this.


    "Yes.""¡­Could I, um, go change into something else¡­?"


    "Weren''t you supposed to protect me? We''re outside a building, on top of a barrier that''s easy to get sniped from. You''re going to leave me in this dangerous ce?"


    "No, I will stay by your side."


    With that, Selena stood next to me.


    Though she tried to hide it, I could see her body shivering uncontrobly.


    Tsk, I clicked my tongue.


    "Go and change. And from now on, wear something appropriate regardless of what it is."


    "This, this outfit is perfectly appropriate. It''s just not suitable for the season¡­,"


    "Go on, then."


    Selena quickly nodded at my words and disappeared.


    I sighed and checked the state of the barrier.


    It wasn''t good. Like a beggar''s clothes, there were patches everywhere.


    If there were no rocks, they used stones; if not stones, then wood; in a pinch, scraps of cloth or even trash were gathered and stuck on here and there.


    ¡­The Weaving had a ''restoration'' function, didn''t it. It''s locked now, but leveling up might unlock it.


    Of course, the monsters won''t wait for that, so until then, we have to fight with this unstable barrier in front of us.


    "¡­Normally, it would copse."


    In fact, Tyburn would be breached during Constel''s holiday period if one yed the game ordinarily.


    You''d learn this from stories told by Ainen and from newspapers.


    The barrier would fall, Tyburn would be devastated, and only the emergency dispatch of Pros and Knights would barely manage to pull the front line back.


    Although not all of Tyburn would copse, a reduction in the area was inevitable.


    yer Aster cannot stop this trend. Aster is amoner, anding to Tyburn forcibly would only result in him being used as a soldier. Even if he survives, he cannot make any significant changes.


    However.


    "......"


    I saw beyond the barrier. Beyond the meadows and fields trampled by monsters, there lies a sacred forest that even the monsters outside cannot defile.


    This sacrednd, visible even to the eye right here. Not even 1 km away.


    ...Somewhere in that forest lies King Arthur''s sword, Excalibur.


    Excalibur, a weapon of distinct performance and ss even within this game, is so close because Tyburn is ''intended to copse'' in the first ce.


    As the front lines of Tyburn are pushed back by the monsters outside, Excalibur naturally bes more distant.


    Only after significantly enhancing the character''s abilities and barely pushing back the monsters outside do the yers realize, ''Excalibur was so close all along!''.


    Even if they restart the game as Aster ande to Tyburn first, they end up just watching Tyburn copse, realizing that''s how the game is designed.


    "Not right now, though."


    I will reach that Excalibur during this vacation.


    Although going now would only lead to a future where I''m ughtered by monsters.


    A thudding step was heard.


    A step keeping a gentle yet precise rhythm. I guessed who it was.


    "You''re here."


    Turning around, it was indeed Robert.


    "Sir Robert."


    "Lord Frondier. What brings you to Tyburn this time?"


    A question I''ve heard numerous times. But the question is so natural that Iughed.


    "Well, it''s like vacation homework."


    "Coming to Tyburn as a vacation homework. Does Constel want to kill its students?"


    Constel was being scolded instead of me.


    "What about the other knights?"


    "Still on standby. Well, they''re chattering away."


    They must still be mocking me.


    After all, if I had heard from someone else that no one dies in this Tyburn, I might haveughed too.


    "Sir Robert is truly polite. He has used honorifics with me ever since we first met."


    "I learned it from my superior. Since she always uses honorifics, I seem to have picked it up too."


    Does he mean Empress Philly by superior?


    ...But Philly''s honorifics are not meant to be ''polite.''


    "Why did youe here, Sir Robert?"


    "I am a knight. I simply follow orders."


    "You follow orders without knowing the reason?"


    "By following orders, you naturallye to understand."


    Truly loyal. I can fully understand why Philly keeps him around.


    I smiled bitterly.


    "It would be nice if other knights were like Sir Robert."


    "They and I are not much different. It''s just that this ce is too harsh."


    I half agreed with Robert''s words. As I''ve said before, in such an environment, it might be better to be moderately mad.


    However, a harsh environment only reveals a person''s true nature.


    Not all knights have the same attitude as Robert. They may seem that way when they are part of the knight order and even think of themselves in that light.


    But in this extreme environment, when they are no longer part of the knight order but individuals, they are nothing but humans.


    "Let''s go inside. The barrier is too cold when it''s not the time for battle. And there''s also a schedule today."


    "A schedule?"


    That reminded me, I hadn''t seen Ludwig, who had sent me to the barracks. I thought he must have sent me to the waiting room because of the monsters.


    If it''s not because of the monsters, then why gather the knights in the waiting room?


    "Didn''t you know? The princess ising for inspection."


    "...The princess?"


    There''s only one princess now.


    The eldest daughter was deprived of her position, and the second daughter would be busy seeding the throne.


    "...You don''t mean her."


    "Her?"


    "I was talking to myself."


    * * *


    Aten arrived in Tyburn leading the royal knight order.


    Though it seemed excessive to protect just one person, it was natural for Tyburn.


    "Princess Aten, you should go back now. This ce is too dangerous. Monsters could break through the barrier at any time."


    A knight standing by her side spoke in a serious tone.


    "If the barrier is unstable and results in monsters breaking through, causing greater damage, then it''s only natural for royalty to inspect the situation."


    Aten had thought that, even if not during this vacation, she would need to visit Tyburn at some point.


    Unlike Yeranhes, which is guarded by Enfer, Tyburn, even though it''s also in the north, was the most unstable corner of the empire.


    While Frondier was the trigger, Aten''s concern for the residents of Tyburn was sincere.


    "¡­Understood. Let¡¯s then head to the lodging. The horses are tired as well."


    The journey was not easy.


    If it was just for travel, a carriage would be better, but if one considers battle, it''s much better to bring horses.


    Unlike carriages, horses need food, rest, and are sensitive to temperature. In other words, they feel the same difort as humans do.


    They came a long distance from the center. The horses were tired, and so were the knights.


    "Indeed. It was quite a rough march."


    As she spoke, Aten looked around at the assembly, examining the faces of the knights.


    "You all have worked hard. There are few who would ride a horse from the center here¡­?"


    Then she stopped.


    In the corner of Aten¡¯s view, a horse was ttering along by itself.


    At first, she thought one of the knights had strayed. But that wasn''t the case. The horse was not wearing armor, and the person on it was not in armor either, just ordinary clothes.


    "¡­??"


    The horse continued ttering along, passing by Aten''s left side. Its appearance was so bizarre that not only Aten but all the knights were captivated.


    "¡­Hmm, must be a traveler. It seems like the person on top is sleeping."


    "Yes, seems like it."


    As the knight said, the woman on the horse had her face buried in the horse''s neck, breathing evenly.


    As the woman mounted on the horse had her face buried in the horse''s neck, breathing gently, the figure and silhouette seemed vaguely familiar©¤


    "¡­Hmm? Are we there yet? Since I''ve woken up, we must be, right?"


    The person on the horse slowly raised herself up.


    Pink hair, green eyes. Despite the disheveled hair and dust, her face was beautiful and equally coquettish.


    "¡­Sybil?"


    Aten called out the name unconsciously.


    The woman with pink hair absentmindedly turned her gaze towards Aten, her eyes widening.


    "Oh my, Aten! Wow, what a surprise! Why are you here? How did you get here? Wow, that''s really amazing!"


    "¡­That''s exactly what I wanted to ask you, without missing a single detail."


    Sybil Forte.


    A girl favored by destiny, hade to Tyburn.


    * * *


    "Ahaha, you really startled me."


    Sybil let out a breath as if to ease the tension inside a lodging.


    The moment she thoughtlessly attempted to approach Aten, she had to face the spears thrust by the knights.


    Although Aten intervened, itpletely woke her up from her drowsiness.


    "That¡¯s right, I forgot. Aten is a princess. I acted without thinking, out of habit from our time in Constel."


    "I¡¯m sorry. The knights acted out of concern for me."


    "No, it was my fault."


    "¡­If we happen to meet in an official setting, try to, if possible, avoid putting yourself in danger, Miss Sybil."


    "Yep yep. I¡¯ll make sure to behave properly."


    Sybil nodded with a bright expression.


    The two were currently in a room Aten had borrowed within the lodging. Since other knights were around, they couldn''t speak freely, thus only the two of them were in the room.


    "Ah, I see. Because of the inspection. Aten really does have a lot on her te."


    "¡­Why are you here, Miss Sybil?"


    Aten hadn''t expected Sybil toe here at all. Nobody from Constel would have.


    That she would do something as absurd asing for ''training'' in a ce like Frondier¡­


    "Hm? I came because of Frondier."


    "¡­!"


    Sybil answered inly, which slightly surprised Aten.


    Aten had definitelye to Tyburn for an inspection, and that was her main objective.


    At that moment, somehow, she had a feeling that she couldn''t be as straightforward as Sybil.


    "No, don''t get me wrong. I just came because I was worried about him, as a friend."


    "Is that so? Did youe all the way to Tyburn from the Capital just because you were worried...?"


    "Isn''t that guy hrious? Suddenly going to Tyburn during the break. How could I have heard it from him first when it''s faster to hear it through rumors?"


    "... I heard it through rumors too. I think Lady Elodie would be the only one who heard it first."


    "Oh, yeah! Elodie! He told her personally but not me. Well, I guess the problem is that news travels too fast!"


    Sybil bobbed her head as she said that. Aten gulped without realizing it.


    She felt like she needed to change the subject.


    "So, how did you manage toe here? It couldn''t have been an easy journey."


    "Well, somehow? I received a lot of help? Maybe I just got lucky?"


    Sybil''s answer sounded like she was just beating around the bush, but she was actually being honest.


    Most of the things that Sybil wants, she usually gets through coincidence and luck.


    "I borrowed a ''Casian'' from Constel. It''s really smart. It feels like it''s following me around."


    "... You borrowed a Casian? Just like that?"


    "Yeah? They just let me borrow it?"


    "...."


    It shouldn''t be possible, Aten thought, but her opponent was Sybil.


    That alone was enough for Aten to ept it somehow.

 Chapter 82 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I returned to the waiting room with Robert.


    Selena was sent to the mansion. It seemed likely that there would be trouble here and there if Selena were around.


    Since I told her to hide her body whether it was at the mansion or anywhere else, she must have gone somewhere on her own.


    After all the knights, including myself, had gathered in the waiting room, a man entered.


    "Nice to meet you. I am Sanders, themander of the Shroud Knights. From today, I will be inmand here in Tyburn. I ask for your cooperation."


    A solemn face with a sturdy build. The knights'' eyes briefly sparkled upon hearing Sanders'' introduction. It was more because of the mention of the Shroud Knights than Sanders'' name.


    The Shroud Knights are one of the oldest knight orders on the continent.


    In short, the order itself existed even before the heyday of Constel''s Chancellor Osprey, and was one of the knight orders that stood by when the other ''Zodiacs'' were establishing boundaries between humans and monsters.


    Although a lot of time has passed and they no longer hold the highest position on the continent, the knightly traits of valuing tradition and discipline still make them the object of many knights'' admiration."There may be those among you who are dissatisfied with staying in a strange ce away from the knight order, but at least while you are in Tyburn, you must follow my orders."


    It was an obvious statement. A knight without amand structure is not a knight. Everyone in the waiting room silently nodded.


    Sanders looked at me.


    "Frondier, you''re not a knight, but it''s the same for you. Be prepared."


    "Yes."


    "I don''t care if you''re a noble''s son or a student. This is Tyburn. There will be no special treatment just because you decided toe."


    "Yes."


    I answered twice with the same tone, without any variation in pitch. Sanders looked at me for a moment. His gaze was filled with worry and unease.


    It was a look as if one were looking at a young child left by the water''s edge. Yet the situation was far more dire.


    "¡­And today, Princess Aten herself has decided to inspect the troops and facilities here."


    This time, the knights let out a cheer of ¡°Ooh.¡±


    I secretly sighed to myself.


    Aten, that guy, really came here.


    "Since she will be arriving soon, don''t let your guard down and maintain discipline¡ª"


    Knock, knock.


    Before Sanders could finish his sentence, a knock came from the door.


    "It''s Aten. May Ie in?"


    It was a familiar voice. Clean and tidy, yet it carried a sense offort without the slightest hint of authority.


    "Oh, yes. I''ll open it right away."


    Sanders hurried to the door, and a woman dressed in all white slowly walked in.


    Ah, the knights marveled. I was also a bit surprised inwardly.


    Aten was already as white as snow, but today she wore silver armor that suited her perfectly. Even when she wore her uniform, she was as clear as snow, but now she shone like the winter sun.


    "I am Aten. I havee to offer whatever small help I can to you all."


    Aten was Aten, no matter where she was. Just as I first encountered her in Constel, her demeanor was polite and calm.


    Aten nced over the knights and then at me. But she naturally shifted her gaze elsewhere. It was to be expected.


    "Let''s start by inspecting the barriers."


    * * *


    Time passed, and it waste at night.


    Ludwig felt a throbbing in his head as he looked at Sybil standing boldly in front of him.


    "¡­Where did youe from again?"


    "Wow! Isn''t the treatment difference between me and Aten too harsh?"


    "So should I treat some nobody who rolled in from who knows where the same as the princess?"


    Sybil bit her lips, unable to argue with that.


    However, Ludwig was being polite in his own way. If it had been any other girl, he would have thrown her out.


    ¡®Because the princess said she was a friend.¡¯


    Ludwig looked at Sybil for a moment.


    Her expressions and gestures were strangely flirtatious. Since she was also blessed with good looks, most of the boys in Constel would go crazy over her.


    ¡­¡­Come to think of it, I think I¡¯ve seen someone like her before.


    Creek-


    At that moment, the mansion door opened.


    Aten came in. It looked like it had started to snow. Aten shook the snow off his head once before he came in.


    Tyburn gets snow even when it¡¯s not winter. In Tyburn, the word ¡®winter¡¯ simply meant the time when the outer monsters became more violent due to the food shortage.


    ¡°Lord, the wall is in bad shape.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know.¡±


    In fact, it was worse than bad. It was dire. The outer edges were already starting to crack, and the parts with holes were being patched up with whatever materials they could find.


    Since the outer monsters were particrly intelligent, it was only a matter of time before they found the weak points in the wall.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t wee up with some countermeasures?¡±


    ¡°Of course. However, Your Highness, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask, even if it seems rude.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    One side of Ludwig¡¯s eyes creased deeply.


    ¡°I just wanted to ask if you have any sort of rtionship with the Frondier people who arrived earlier?¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    Aten responded quickly, as if the question was absurd. There were no emotions in his expression.


    ¡°Hmm, I see. My apologies. I suppose I¡¯m bing increasingly forgetful with age.¡±


    ¡°No, the wall is the main concern for now. Shouldn¡¯t we reinforce it immediately?¡±


    Aten quickly moved on from the previous topic and brought up the main issue at hand.


    Ludwig stroked his chin.


    "That''s right. But it''s not easy."


    "Not easy, you say?"


    "The frequency of the monster attacks has started to shorten. There''s no room for reinforcement. However, the amount of monsters attacking at once has decreased."


    At Ludwig''s answer, Aten''s eyes narrowed.


    "So, the monsters are intentionally hindering the repair of the wall?"


    "It appears so to me. But no matter how smart these monsters are, their life is precious for them; I can''t understand how they can engage in such wasteful behavior..."


    The frequent onughts of the monsters.


    Though it was said there was no room to repair the wall, from a single monster''s perspective, such assaults are merely suicidal. With their high intelligence, they would be even more aware of this.


    So how could this be possible?


    "There''s a leader."

 Chapter 82 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "There''s a leader."


    Ludwig''s concern was interrupted by another voice.


    It was Frondier, descending the central staircase of the mansion. Selena was beside him too.


    "A leader?"


    "Yes. Like us, the monsters have someone inmand. Whether it''s a monster or a human, ''suicide missions'' can only be carried out under orders."


    Hmm.


    Intrigued by Frondier''s hypothesis, Ludwig asked,


    "Then, who is it? Is there a stronger beast capable of gathering the external monsters? I''ve never seen such a creature."


    "There''s no need to subdue the external monsters through strength alone. For example."While Frondier and Ludwig were having a serious conversation, Aten and Sybil''s gaze was fixed on a single point.


    It was on Selena, who was beside Frondier.


    "......"


    "......"


    Aten and Sybil were looking at Selena expressionlessly.


    To a third party, it would seem excessively creepy, to the point that even Selena, who maintained herposure, nced at them briefly.


    "¡­¡­Oh, I forgot to greet Her Highness in my surprise. I apologize."


    Frondier greeted Aten as he noticed her. No, he knew she was there from the start, but he spoke to her because her expression didn''t look good. It was awkward to suddenly treat the student she met in Constel as a princess.


    Aten, who Frondier thought was offended by her silence, replied without a single change in her expression.


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes. It''s good to see you. Frondier."


    Is she a machine or something?


    Frondier also greeted Sybil, who was next to her.


    "Hello, Sybil. I really didn''t know you woulde here as well."


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah. Me neither. Nice to see you."


    Exactly the same expression as Aten.


    At this point, Frondier started to get scared. It felt like she was watching a horror movie.


    Then Aten raised her hand.


    "Who''s this?"


    Frondier spoke after confirming that the hand was pointing at Selena.


    "Oh, I hired an escort. This is Tyburn, after all. I''m a little worried and it''s dangerous if I go alone."


    Frondier brought out the excuse he had prepared in advance.


    "I see. An escort. Okay. I see."


    Sybil muttered as if she was chewing on the words.


    She was clearly muttering what she heard, but it didn''t seem like she was listening.


    ¡°¡­¡­I should go then. I have to check the night watch and patrol duty shifts."


    Frondier felt awkward and left the seat. Selena followed him.


    Up until the moment Frondier left the mansion, Aten and Sybil didn''t say a word or even blink an eye.


    And after Frondier hadpletely left.


    Sybil gasped.


    "What''s with her? What''s with that girl? What''s with that maid who is wearing that unnecessarily revealing maid outfit?"


    "I know exactly who you are talking about."


    "Is that a guard? How can there be such a guard? What kind of guard wears those clothes? A guard with such a body and face©¤"


    "I know what you want to say."


    Watching the two chatter away, Ludwig wore an incredulous expression.


    However, he realized one thing.


    The fact that Aten imed to be unrted to Frondier was aplete lie.


    * * *


    As Ludwig said, for the next few days, the monsters will frequently charge in small groups.


    They don''t even give you time to mend the walls in exchange for your life. They n to find a definite weak point in the wall and destroy it all at once. Until then, it''s a strategy of treating monsters as expendable.


    There is amander who concentrates the intelligent and powerful monsters from outside.


    But for me, it was a good thing at first.


    I needed to adapt aftering to Tyburn, and there were many things that were stillcking.


    Bang bang bang bang bang©¤©¤!


    A loud bell rings. A sinister energy stirs from afar beyond the barrier.


    The prison doors open, and one by one, the prisoners crawl out to the narrow path leading to the barrier exit.


    The soldiers stood behind them, and the knights were lined up on the fortress wall.


    "Hey, Madman."


    A knight next to me called out. It seemed my nickname among the knights had solidified as "Madman."


    "Cheer up. I bet on ''today.''"


    He grinned and tapped me on the shoulder.


    The previous bet. On which day I would die.


    To bet on the first day of battle, anyway. This guy isn''t underestimating me; he''s just addicted to gambling.


    "Don''t feel safe just because you''re on the fortress wall right now. After the prisoners and soldiers, it''s our turn next. There are plenty of guys climbing the wall, knocking on the door, flying around, and leaping here from the air. Do you understand the situation now?"


    The knight kept droning on annoyingly.


    Meanwhile, monsters revealed themselves. Emerging from the distant fog, they all madly rushed towards this ce.


    "Don''t let your guard down just because it''s not winter! A single monster from outside can cause countless casualties!"


    Sanders shouted loudly.


    All humans gathered to defend the barrier assumed their positions, most likely prepared for death.


    Especially dangerous were the ones with wings. Those who ignored the barrier were the main culprits in taking the lives of knights.


    It turns out the knight babbling beside me wasn''t wrong. I also kept an eye out for the flying ones as I faced forward.


    "Prepare for battle! Aim!"


    Sanders''mand was heard, and I assessed the number of winged monsters in my sight.


    ...Hmm, with that number.


    "Menosorpo."


    "...Huh? What?"


    The guy babbling beside me asked stupidly.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Spear types, from first to tenth</i>


    The number possible for simultaneous weaving increased to 10 through leveling up.


    Spears floating in the air around me, each targeting the fearlessly approaching monsters.


    The knight beside me stopped talking and nkly watched them. While there were knights who hadn''t seen this before, those around me gradually focused on the scene.


    "Fire!!"


    Sanders said.


    Clearly, he said to fire.


    Iunched all 10 of the spears I had woven,


    And each one fatally struck the winged monsters.


    As for what the in monsters looked like, well, I didn''t get a good look.

 Chapter 83 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Zenno and @SurvivingBarbarian from Ko-fi!</i>


    Sanders saw the scene clearly.


    The moment he shouted "Fire!", something too massive to be called an arrow pierced through the monster, making it ufortable to watch.


    The monsters "outside" are of a different ss. No matter how low their rank, ordinary soldiers find it hard to even cut through their skin.


    That''s why the archers'' shooting only slows them down a bit, without significantly reducing their numbers.


    But what was that?


    Too big to be called an arrow, and too fancy to be considered a ballista, it pierced through the monsters and disappeared.


    Sanders saw where it came from. He saw a man who pierced through a monster in one go and was already preparing for the next shot.He thought he was just a naive kid. A young child who didn''t know the heavens from the earth,e to die.


    He thought he would see the corpse of a child, not yet an adult.


    But at this moment, the boy stands more proudly and nobly than anyone else.


    And also,


    He looked very sleepy.


    Meanwhile, Selena beside him was trying hard not to show it.


    ''It''s so different from what I heard...''


    The information was terribly wrong.


    Frondier was supposed to be a collection ofziness, ipetence, and inferiority.


    The information from Manggot has never been wrong before.


    So by Selena''s standards, today was a first. The information was utterly useless.


    ''I thought it was just my imagination back then.''


    Selena remembers the murderous intent Frondier showed in the room.


    Of course, it was scary. Not terribly, but a little.


    But the source of that fear was the ''Fireworks.''


    In Manggot, when Fireworks were spotted from Constel, they put forth the possibility that Frondier was the owner. But that was just talk, and no one really believed it.


    However, Frondier mentioned ''Fireworks'' in the room.


    He showed an arrow right in front of Selena''s eyes.


    ''What''s ipetence, and what about inferiority?''


    At least, those words seemed far too distant from the Frondier we see now.


    However.


    ''...He does look sleepy. Yeah.''


    Laziness was the only part that seemed authentic.


    * * *


    It was possible to eliminate the monsters invading now. After all, I had ''Fireworks''.


    The objective was to disrupt the repair of the barrier, so the outside monsters were still in small numbers. That made it even easier to kill them all, but.


    "Die! Die, you bastards!"


    "You, goddamn, filthy bastards!"


    I didn''t do that.


    Below the barrier, near the city gates, the prisoners were already in a battlefield sttered with blood and flesh.


    The gate was currently left open. The state of the barrier was so poor that it was decided to open the gate to lead the monsters'' path. It was possible because the size of the monsters was still small.


    My current goal was to level up the weaving itself. To level it up, you need to craft a new weapon of a higher grade or do a lot of simultaneous weaving. Therefore, ''Fireworks'' weren''t very efficient.


    And most importantly, most of the prisoners here were ''death row inmates''. They were just doomed men dying.


    I took a moment to look at the faces of the prisoners. Wondering if my heart would change after witnessing many casualties from now on.


    "...I''m not sure."


    I''m not sure. People are dying in front of me, and screams are heard. Whether my heart is rippling from it, whether I''m shocked but pretending not to be, I can''t even tell that.


    But then, I made a discovery entirely unrted to my original intention.


    Among the faces of the prisoners, who should have nothing to do with me, there was one I recognized.


    "...Grobel."


    At the front gate, it was exhausting to search for buried human bodies while kicking away all sorts of monsters with my feet.


    "Indus" that aims to eliminate discrimination. Grobel, a mercenary hired by a Serf of Indus, appeared.


    Grobel was the apparent leader of the shack incident, so he shouldered most of the me. This is the result.


    "Gasp! Pant! Wheeze...!"


    Grobel was fighting like crazy. He was holding a scimitar that was about the length of his arm in his right hand.


    It was considerably bent, so the curvature was high. It was shaped like a half-moon.


    Quite some time has passed since the shack incident, but he''s still alive. In Tyburn, that alone is a big deal.


    Creak-!


    Just then, something huge entered the main gate of the rampart.


    The height of two adult males, green skin, and strange lower fangs protruding from its mouth.


    It was a troll.


    "Kill! Cut down everything you see in front of you!"


    The prisoners ran forward, whether it was an order or something they were saying to themselves.


    Grobel was the same. The guy moved to attach himself in front of the troll''s right leg.


    Naturally, he didn''t see the troll''s club rising above him.


    "...Tsk."


    I clicked my tongue and shot "Gram" straight ahead. My mana waspletely drained, but this could blow the troll away in one shot.


    Gram spun and spun, then cut through the troll''s neck. It got deeply embedded in the gate and disappeared.


    The troll fell down suddenly.


    Grobel, flustered, checked the troll''s severed neck and turned his head from side to side.


    Grobel, who was looking around like that, suddenly looked up. His gaze met mine.


    His expression was hard to see from a distance, but he definitely recognized me.

 Chapter 83 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After all the monsters outside were cleared, the remaining knights checked the number of dead.


    In front of the main gate, it was a struggle to find the buried human corpses by kicking aside the various monsters.


    Most of the dead were prisoners. Those who survived were once again dragged back to the prison under the control of the soldiers and knights.


    Grobel also managed to survive and was part of the procession being dragged away. The faces of the prisoners looked as though none of them were truly alive, but Grobel''s eyes were still clear.


    Perhaps that resolve was what kept Grobel alive.


    "Right. You had something to believe in."


    A knight approached me. It was the man who had bet on my death today.


    "You seem to be in a good mood. You lost the money you bet."


    "Well, I lost the money. But still."The man looked around. He observed the knights examining the corpses, the knights managing the prisoners, and the knights checking the weapons.


    "Really, no one died."


    "......"


    Yes, no one died. At least not among the knights.


    For now, I suppose I''m winning the bet.


    "There are guys in the knight order I''ve grown fond of. I thought it was worth some money to see them again tomorrow."


    The knight chuckled and left.


    Still a vulgarugh, still a vulgar tone.


    But I called out to his retreating back.


    "¡­¡­Sorry, what''s your name?"


    "Huh?"


    Without stopping or turning his head, the knight answered as if leaving.


    "Hector Dutoit. A name that will be remembered throughout the continent for a long time."


    Hector... Hector.


    I racked my brain wondering if I knew the name.


    And then I knew.


    The White Lion, Hector.


    ''......The son of Ludwig.''


    Although Hector introduced himself as ''Dutoit,'' he is undoubtedly the son of Ludwig von Urfa.


    And he would take over this Tyburn, seeding the position left by Ludwig.


    "Hector, the White Lion," they call him, the one who howls as he stands before a great beast.


    True to his name, it will surely spread far and wide across the continent.


    * * *


    I headed to the prison.


    "A visitor?"


    The officer asked, sounding surprised.


    "Yes. Is that not allowed?"


    "No, it''s not that, but it''s the first time a knight hase to visit."


    Apparently, I was already known as a knight in the prison.


    Was it because I participated in the recent battle?


    "Who are you here to see?"


    "A man named Grobel."


    "What''s your rtion to him?"


    I chuckled.


    "We''re sworn enemies."


    "Haha, I see. This way, please."


    The officer guided me courteously.


    Well, I told the truth, so it''s not my fault.


    I saw him sitting on the other side of the partition window. Grobel entered the room, opening the door as soon as he saw my face.


    Grobel grimaced as soon as he recognized me.


    Creak, creak. He sat down on a chair and picked up the phone.


    [What is it, sir?]


    He remembers me. I smiled.


    "So you''re still alive."


    It wasn''t meant to be sarcastic, but Grobel red at me.


    [Do you think I''d just give up? I have a younger brother. There''s no way I''d die in a ce like this.]


    That''s right, he does.


    This guy has a younger brother named Rokbel.


    He tried to stab me too, but he was found not guilty because Serf was the one controlling him.


    However, by the time the truth came out, Grobel had already been sent to Tyburn.


    [Ever since I was caught, I''ve been stuck here, so I have no idea what happened to my brother.]


    "He probably went to an orphanage."


    Apparently, Grobel and Rokbel were orphans. Rokbel''s only guardian was his older brother, Grobel. It was only natural that he would end up in an orphanage after his brother was sent to prison.


    [I can''t believe this.]


    I tilted my head in confusion at his words, spat out as if he were grinding his teeth.


    "Children are treated decently in Constel. Besides, Rokbel was innocent. There shouldn''t be a problem."


    [That''s not it. The problem is that bastard Gregory.]


    Gregory.


    The name sounded vaguely familiar, then it clicked.


    He was the one in charge of scouting and espionage within Indus. He had a knack for controlling animals, using their eyes and ears to ry various kinds of information back to Indus.


    "How do you know Gregory?"


    Grobel was just a mercenary hired by Serf. Gregory, being a member of Indus, should be unknown to him.


    [Serf introduced us to Gregory when he hired our mercenary group. He showed us his abilities, saying they could be helpful if we ever needed to escape. Though, I know now it was all a lie.]


    Grobel clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    I asked again.


    "But why Gregory? He only moved as a crow back then, he himself was in a safe ce, wasn''t he? Isn''t he active in Indus again?"


    Grobel countered my question.


    [Don''t you know? Gregory went to Serf''s ce not knowing Serf had died and got caught. Well, it was the controlling crow that got caught, not him. So, they are looking for him but haven''t caught him yet.]


    Not caught yet.


    That made me frown.


    [So, he''s a fugitive then. Indus is good at cutting ties, so they won''t take him back.]


    Only Serf and Gregory were members of Indus involved in the cabin incident.


    Serf is dead, and Gregory is on the run. Knowing what Gregory knows about Indus, they wouldn''t just leave him be, so he must be dodging both the police and Indus.


    [Yes, that''s right. It''s certain he''s not in the center of it all.]


    Gregory knows as much about the surroundings as he can gather, even the ces beyond his line of sight, likely with the help of animals to avoid others'' eyes.


    "So, you think Gregory will approach Rokbel?"


    "Yes. The money Serf gave me as amission has just floated away, hasn''t it? I''m the only one who knows where that money is. But since Gregory wouldn''t know about that, if he bes desperate for money, he might remember the money I received ande looking for my brother."


    That bastard, I''ve never liked him from the start. Even from the times he''d mutter behind our backs, borrowing the mouth of a crow¡­, Grobel was talking eagerly without being asked.


    He talks more than expected.


    It''s mostly my fault that he came to Tyburn, but his hostility towards me is lower than I thought.


    Maybe it''s because he can''t think of anything else due to his brother''s situation.


    Hmm. I pondered for a moment.


    Grobel seems to be quite worried about his brother''s situation, and this could be a good bargaining chip for me.


    However, the phone in the visitation room records all conversation, so I can''t blurt out anything careless.


    But Grobel is a man from the underworld. He probably has a good method.


    I looked at Grobel with my ''Analysis'' skill.


    [Grobel]


    - Former leader of the mercenary group ''Regid''. Hired by ''Indus'' member ''Serf Daniel'', but currently imprisoned.


    - Cherishes his brother ''Rokbel'' terribly.


    - Learned ''Sign Language'' and ''Poison Resistance'' for confidentialmunication with Indus members.


    As expected.


    I slightly moved my head to hide my face from the guard behind Grobel.


    Although I moved naturally, if I keep this up, I''ll be caught, so let''s hurry up and talk.


    -Grobel, shall we make a deal?


    I moved my lips without making a sound.


    Grobel''s eyes snapped open.


    -I''ll protect your brother, so help me escape from the rampart.

 Chapter 84 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The invasion of the monsters continued.


    It was a natural consequence given the monsters'' objective to disrupt the repair of the wall.


    Despite being prepared, the human side''s casualties kept umting.


    The enemy was the monsters outside. No matter how few in number, casualties were unavoidable.


    Humans could feel their spirits gradually eroding just by witnessing the death of another human nearby.


    Above all, these people had been fighting before Frondier arrived.


    Their fatigue had reached its peak, and their spirits were crumbling.


    Yet, those who seemed about to fall any moment were still holding on.


    The reason was Frondier."Hold on!! Focus only on what''s in front of you! Dismiss the ''birds'' from your mind! They''re nothing but packs of dogs!"


    With Frondier''s participation, the tide of battle changed, most notably in aerialbat.


    For knights and soldiers who were not ves, the damage caused by ''things with wings'' was severe. These creatures could attack by flying over the rampart.


    Regr arrows could hardly prate the tough skin of the monsters, and hitting them was already a challenge.


    When such creatures attacked the knights and soldiers stationed on the barrier, it resulted in total chaos.


    Even if they were all suppressed before reaching the barrier, there was no guarantee it would always be so.


    In other words, all the fighters were not only fighting the monsters in front of them but also constantly nervous about the possibility of an attack from above.


    Thwack! Thump!


    However, Frondier alone crushed all the troublesome wings.


    He handled almost all the flying monsters by himself, and even if he missed some, the remaining forces could easily suppress them.


    "Frondier! Move to the left! Try to make the monsters fall where there are other monsters!"


    "I''ll try."


    With the situation like this, Sanders specifically instructed Frondier.


    It was also a recognition of Frondier''s abilities, and Sanders'' loudmand was meant for the prisoners and soldiers below to hear.


    To issuemands to Frondier meant that he was still in action.


    The ground forces gradually became confident. At least while Frondier was participating, they were sure there would be no attacks from above.


    And one more thing.


    <i>¡°For as long as I¡¯m in Tyburn, none of knights will die.¡±</i>


    Frondier¡¯s words carried more weight with the knights than he thought.


    Most of those who died in this war were prisoners, but the life of even one knight was worth more than all of thembined. They could lead soldiers and prisoners to an extent, fight numerous monsters alone, and their morale on the battlefield did not easily waver like that of prisoners or soldiers. If there was a gap in the knights¡¯ ranks, it meant that the bnce of the war itself would be shaken.


    But surprisingly, Frondier¡¯s words, which had begun as a bet, were still holding true.


    It had been 10 days since Frondier arrived in Tyburn. Among the knights, there were still 0 casualties.


    ¡®Hmm, I guess that guy woke up the knights.¡¯


    Hector, who used to jabber incessantly by Frondier¡¯s side, thought to himself.


    Before Frondier arrived, the knights were also beginning to lose hope. They assumed that it was natural for some of them to die.


    Then Frondier asked,


    ¡°Who among you thinks they¡¯ll die? Any of you desperately want to die?¡±


    Someone would die. In this battlefield, it was certain.


    Then who would it be?


    When faced with that question, they woulde to know, even if they didn¡¯t want to.


    That it could be them.


    ¡°Kill them! Cut down everyst one of them! The monsters outside are skilled in deception!¡±


    But today,


    ¡°Crush the heads of those who have fallen! Don¡¯t turn your backs on them!¡±


    And even now,


    ¡°Those of you who can still walk,e this way! Quickly dispose of their corpses! Find anyone who¡¯s still alive!¡±


    Among the knights, there were no casualties.


    * * *


    A Knights¡¯ meeting attended by Lord Ludwig and Princess Aten.


    ¡°¡®Outside¡¯ or not, it¡¯s nothing special!¡±


    ¡°Before, we were just holding them back at the gate, but now we¡¯re actually trying to push them out!¡±


    ¡°I thought we were going to advance.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    Of course, before the meeting, the knights were feeling excited about this battle.


    ¡°Frondier was great. He took care of all those annoying things!¡±


    ¡°I thought it was weird when that greenhorn showed up.¡±


    ¡°Well, he was green, but isn¡¯t that why he fights better! When your blood¡¯s boiling, you fight better, right?¡±


    Praises for Frondier continued to pour in.


    Since Frondier''s arrival, fewer people had died.


    That simple fact was enough topletely overturn Frondier''s evaluation.


    Frondier was still winning the bet, and frankly, the bet didn''t matter anymore.


    "¡­Hmm, yes. Today could be considered a sessful defense. What do you think, Frondier?"


    Sanders asked after quietly listening to the knights'' discussion, finally giving Frondier a chance to speak.


    This was also a recognition of Frondier''s contributions over the past ten days.


    He had minimized casualties among the prisoners and soldiers, and not a single knight had died or even been seriously injured.


    It had been a tough fight, but it wasn''t too bad. Frondier, who had made significant achievements, slowly opened his mouth in front of those whose morale was greatly boosted.


    "The situation is not good."


    "¡­"


    Frondier''s remark shattered the mood like cold water.


    It was too serious to simply attribute to ack of tact.


    "Under Commander Sanders'' orders, I''ve examined the entire barrier from the left."


    Frondier pointed to the map on the central table.


    "Here, the right corner is already in a situation where it can''t hold up."


    This was almost certain, based on Frondier''s ''analysis''.


    The right side of the barrier was as precarious as thest block of a Jenga tower. [T/N: Jenga is a game where yers take turns removing blocks from a wobbly tower without making it fall.]

 Chapter 84 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "In the midst of the busy battlefield situation, you confirmed a defect in the wall? With your own eyes?"


    "That''s right."


    Frondier answered calmly. But the content was so unbelievable that Sanders turned his gaze to Aten.


    "Princess, what do you think? You inspected the barrier, didn''t you?"


    Aten furrowed her brows and brought her hand to her mouth. She, too, was somehow surprised by Frondier.


    "¡­The spot that Sir Roach pointed out is indeed the weakest part of the barrier. It''s just that whether it''s about to copse immediately as Sir Roach says is another matter¡­"


    Aten''s response made the atmosphere even more solemn.


    Even if it wasn''t certain to copse immediately, the fact that both Frondier and Aten were pointing to the same location increased his credibility.


    Ludwig spoke up.¡°We have no choice but to lure away the Beasts. Gather the prisoners. That¡¯s what we¡¯ve done so far.¡±


    Lead away the monsters so they don¡¯t reach the weak point of the barrier. Position the archers on the opposite side and open the castle gate to send out the prisoners, and we can put out the immediate fire.


    However, Frondier shook his head again this time.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The part I said is dangerous ispletely different in its vulnerability and condition from the other walls.¡±


    ¡°Different? How dangerous is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Well. For example,¡±


    Frondier ran his hand around his mouth. He seemed to be thinking about how to say it.


    ¡°If we hit any part of the wall right now, the right wall will copse.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The group of people were astounded at those words. A few of them opened their eyes wide in surprise at what that meant.


    Like a sandcastle copsing just by a wave touching a single pir, it meant that the current wall was at its limit.


    The starting point of that was the right wall.


    ¡°¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that too pessimistic? Isn¡¯t it possible that you¡¯re mistaken?¡±


    Sanders said.


    "My judgment may have been clouded due to the sudden decrease in casualties. That''s my fault for not thoroughly checking the barrier."


    At Frondier¡¯s words, everyone recalled thest ten days.


    Frondier said that it was his own fault, but, in fact, it was the responsibility of all of them. Both the carelessness and neglect were the knights¡¯ fault.


    ¡°¡­¡­However, an actual battle is¡­¡­¡±


    Sanders said again.


    Sanders continued to raise objections because, aside from the facts, morale was an issue.


    Right now, all the knights were listening to Frondier¡¯s words. There was a risk of their morale being crushed before they could even start fighting. Even if he was telling the truth, he had to let it go for now.


    Knowing this, Frondier nodded.


    ¡°Of course, there is a solution.¡±


    ¡°A solution?¡±


    ¡°You have a solution?¡±


    Sanders and Ludwig spoke at the same time. They couldn¡¯t see an answer from just listening to Frondier¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yes. If the walls are in danger of copsing, we have to build them up again. Even if it¡¯s temporary.¡±


    After saying that, Frondier looked at Aten.


    ¡°First, I need the princess¡¯ help.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ice, is it?¡±


    Aten replied, guessing the answer.


    If she had enough time to fully activate the spell, it was possible to cover some of the wall with ice.


    Moreover, this area is extremely cold, even for the north. It wouldn''t be a problem for ice to form.


    ¡­The problem, though, was mana.


    "¡­At most, about 30 minutes, I suppose."


    Aten provided an answer based on her calctions.


    The expressions of the knights did not brighten, as expected. 30 minutes. It was far too short a time to withstand the onught of monsters.


    "Yes. That''s why we need one more person."


    "One more person?"


    "Yes. Even if they can''t cast magic from scratch like Her Highness, it would be enough if they could add mana to an already cast spell."


    "¡­Is there such a person?"


    Frondier spoke as if it were simple, but to add mana to an existing spell, even that would qualify one beyond a novice magician.


    "Not yet, but there is someone who could achieve that in a short time."


    "That person is¡­ Ah."


    Aten guessed as much, and Frondier nodded slightly as if to confirm she was correct.


    "Sybil. She could do it. Probably in about 5 days."


    Huh, listening to this, Ludwig couldn''t hold back his incredulity and interjected.


    "5 days? Is Sybil some kind of once-in-a-lifetime genius? For an ordinary person, just sensing and handling mana could take months, let alone injecting it into something in 5 days?"


    Of course, from the perspective of someone like Ludwig, who knows the principles of magic and is very sensible, this sounded utterly absurd.


    But there was only one answer I could give.


    "To call Sybil a ''once-in-a-lifetime genius'' would be an understatement."


    "¡­"


    Ludwig blinked in astonishment, looking at me, then at Aten.


    Aten, expressionless, nodded. As if my words werepletely obvious.


    "©¤Assuming that''s possible, what about the remaining 5 days?"


    This time, Hector spoke up.


    The frequency of monster invasions is getting shorter. Hoping that no monsters woulde within 5 days was beyond optimistic; it was delusional.


    Of course, my answer was as expected.


    "I will handle it."


    "¡­Uh, what?"


    Hector asked back in pure confusion.


    So, I exined a bit more kindly.


    "Before the monsters reach the barrier, I will eliminate them all."

 Chapter 85 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @BarlostheBobo and @Bear on Ko-fi!</i>


    From the room in the academy''s lodging, Aten began her exnation, writing directly on the paper.


    "First, magic typically goes through four stages before it''splete: mana maniption, incantation, spell arrangement, and release. Here, the incantation can sometimes be omitted, and since Ms. Sybil only needs to add mana to thepleted magic, we''ll leave the exnation about incantations forter. The ''form'' is important first; there''s a minimum arrangement needed for the magic to manifest, and then you add spell forms to it ording to the situation and preference. With each addition, it goes like this: form 1, form 2, and so on©¤"


    "Um, Aten."


    Sybil, who had been quietly listening, raised her hand.


    "I''ve never used magic before; can I really do it?"


    Sybil found it hard to keep up with the current exnation.


    Aten had spoken so calmly about it that she reflexively agreed, but now that she was hearing the detailed exnation, everything seemed to go dark before her eyes."You have to try your best."


    "I think it might be better to call another magician."


    "I''d like to, but no one ising."


    For starters, there are no magicians volunteering. Knights can be brought in with loyalty, honor, and money, but magicians are not swayed by such things.


    Of course, if Aten were to speak to her sister Sale, she would dispatch someone by royalmand, but by the time they convey the situation at the barrier, go through a meeting at the pce, decide which magician would be suitable, and send an official request to dispatch a magician here, the region known as Tyburn would no longer exist.


    "Even so, 5 days is just too short¡­"


    Sybil murmured with ack of confidence in her voice.


    "Frondier said that you can do it, Ms. Sybil. Moreover, he said you might even be better than other magicians."


    Frondier really did say that. Even if there were magicians avable for immediate deployment in Tyburn right now, he would choose Sybil.


    Whether that was a decision based on fact, if Frondier was mistaken about something, or it was due to personal feelings for Sybil, was unclear.


    "Really now. What does Frondier think he knows to be ordering me around?"


    Indeed. Aten barely managed to suppress her agreement.


    It was clear that Sybil possessed exceptional talent. Her talent was well-known within Constel, having mastered Aura in no time at all.


    However, her talent was strictly as a ''swordsman''. Sybil had never even handled magic as a magician.


    Yet, Frondier boldly stated that ''Sybil could do it in 5 days''. He said this in front of Aten herself, the knights, themander of the knights, and even the head of the Urfa family.


    What did Frondier really know?


    "Frondier said that calling Miss Sybil ''a once-in-a-lifetime genius'' would be an understatement."


    Aten ryed exactly what Frondier had said.


    Regardless of the truth of those words, it was important to boost Sybil''s confidence, who was feeling anxious.


    "¡­Hmm. Is that so?"


    Sybil asked nonchntly, though she forced a smile.


    "Then, shall we see how far we can go? We have to do it anyway."


    "Yes."


    Aten nodded.


    She was surprised that praise worked so well on Sybil.


    * * *


    Sanders'' office.


    Sanders was engulfed in thought over the report he had just received.


    After hearing Frondier''s story, he had ordered a check on the barrier, and it was just as Frondier had said.


    The right barrier was surprisingly holding up. Moreover, looking at the state of the barrier, it seemed all the weight was concentrated there.


    To even maintain this precarious barrier standing, we must prevent the monsters from approaching at all.


    Even if Sybil manages to master mana in just 5 days, what about during those 5 days?


    Frondier said he would try on his own, but it was hard to believe him.


    "How can a student alone fend off the monsters outside?"


    Knock-knock-


    Someone knocked on the office door at that moment.


    "It''s Urfa, the family head. May Ie in?"


    The voice belonged to Ludwig. Sanders was somewhat surprised but quickly got up and opened the door.


    "Lord, what brings you here...?"


    "Ha, what indeed. Just bored and decided to visit."


    Ludwig said, with a face that didn''t look like he was here for a visit at all. As Sanders remained silent, unable to say anything, Ludwig grinned and raised his hand.


    "Seriously. Take a look at this."


    In Ludwig''s hand were a bottle of liquor and sses. Perhaps something was needed to open up the conversation. Sanders bowed his head.


    As Ludwig entered, Sanders pulled up a chair to make space.


    They sat opposite each other, and Ludwig took a brief look around the room.


    "Oh, the arrangement has changed, hasn''t it?"


    "Yes. I hoped the surroundings would be as simr as possible."


    Sanders had arranged the interior of the office to closely resemble that of the Shroud Knights'' time.


    Of course, the items themselves were entirely different, but just changing the arrangement made Sanders feel the familiarity of Shroud.


    Ludwig opened the bottle of liquor. Sanders reached out to pour it for him, but Ludwig waved his hand.


    He poured liquor into his ss and then Sanders''s ss as well.


    The two slowly enjoyed their drinks and shared a simple conversation. Sanders felt a light warmth in his body and his mind eased a little.


    ¡°Haha, you must find this ce so ufortable. It is an order with a proud history and tradition.¡±


    ¡°¡­Or just old and outdated.¡±


    Sanders¡¯ words were far from humble. His bitter tone and squinting eyes spoke volumes of his sincerity.


    ¡°What do you mean? Wasn¡¯t this order the one that ruled the continent in the past? You must know that Shroud yed a big role in dividing thend between humans and monsters. Surely, you understand how glorious that achievement was.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was back then. Every member of the Shroud Order took pride in themselves and in their order. I did too.¡±


    ¡°¡­And now you don¡¯t?¡±


    Sanders squinted his tipsy eyes at Ludwig¡¯s question.

 Chapter 85 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Our ancestors recognized the great deeds of the Shroud Order and called them to the central region to provide them with benefits and protection. At that time, we thought that it was a well-deserved reward and we pledged our loyalty. However, too much time has passed since then.¡±


    The ancestors had died, and the current ruler, Bartello, was old.


    For all that time, Shroud had remained in the central region.


    ¡°Now, this order is busy hiding in the central region. The glory that once intimidated even the monsters outside has long since faded.¡±


    To the citizens who did not know the internal situation, it seemed like Shroud had simply given up the top spot but was still believed to be powerful.


    In Sanders¡¯ eyes, Shroud was but an empty shell of its former self.


    Ludwig said, in aforting tone, ¡°People grow ck when there is prolonged peace. It¡¯s not just Shroud; the same goes for others. But they will rise again when the timees. Even tigers need time to rest.¡±


    ¡°Tigers¡­ I used to be called that. I miss it.¡±


    Sanders smiled wryly. Ludwig felt a pang of regret at that.¡°The present Shroud Knights are really no more than watchdogs.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Sir Sanders.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of a tiger with its ws and teeth gone, who can¡¯t bite anything? That¡¯s why it hides. It¡¯s old, so it¡¯s obvious.¡±


    With that, Sanders took a sip of his drink. It tasted bitter the more he drank. He wasn''t sure if the drink was originally like that, or if something else was happening.


    ¡°¡­¡­The current Shroud Knights won¡¯t even amount to the soles of the Roach Knights¡¯ feet.¡±


    The Roach Knights.


    The Knights of the Roach family, led by Enfer de Roach.


    His ability to never allow the intrusion of monsters wasn¡¯t limited to his individual strength.


    Naturally, his order of knights was also a major pir for his achievement of ¡®imprability¡¯.


    There were those who said it was presumptuous to name an order of knights after your own family, but no one doubted their ability.


    ¡°Roach, huh. Hahahaha.¡±


    Ludwigughed.


    ¡°What about Frondier then?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Why do you bring up that child¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Because Frondier, he¡¯s Frondier de Roach.¡±


    Sanders¡¯ mouth hung open.


    ¡°Then, is Frondier, that¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s not a cousin or rtive, but Enfer¡¯s real son, the second son of the Roach family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s surprising. I thought so based on his name, but. I wouldn¡¯t have expected Sir Enfer to send his own son to Tyburn.¡±


    ¡°Frondier said he came on his own.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s even more surprising.¡±


    Sanders recalled Frondier¡¯s sleepy face.


    Judging by that expression alone, it seemed like he was bothered by everything in the world.


    ¡°So how about it? Frondier? Is he worth taking into your order?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­His talent is excellent. I¡¯d keep an eye on him. Although we still don¡¯t know his true identity, it¡¯d be more than enough for a knight.¡±


    Sanders was praising Frondier, but his expression was theplete opposite.


    ¡°There¡¯s something you¡¯re not saying, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    Sanders chuckled at Ludwig''s observation. It was a fair point.


    Sanders nodded.


    "But has that child ever fought a life-or-death battle? He probably just shoots that mysterious skill from a distance. Right now, that child is simr to a well-functioning catapult or ballista. Of course, he''s far superior to any siege weapon, but a siege weapon cannot be a knight, can it?"


    "¡­¡­Hmm, I see."


    Ludwig nodded.


    He drank, seemingly agreeing with Sanders as if he believed him to be correct.


    And then he thought.


    ''¡­¡­A siege weapon? Did he give off that vibe?''


    There was a fact Sanders had forgotten, perhaps due to the alcohol.


    Ludwig had not yet seen Frondier fight since arriving here.


    * * *


    The next day.


    The bell signaling the invasion of monsters rang loudly.


    Everyone thought it was the worst possible timing.


    It was the day after Frondier had announced the limits of the barrier.


    Although Frondier had said he would handle it alone, everyone was deployed as usual. It was only natural.


    "You''re standing too far forward, Frondier."


    Sanders warned Frondier.


    Initially, he had intended to observe Frondier''s actions since Frondier had made a statement, but Frondier was stuck right in front of the barrier.


    "It''s fine. I''ll protect him."


    Selena, who was beside him, said.


    Sanders also observed Selena''s actions.


    The woman who imed to be Frondier''s escort wasn''t just making excuses; she had considerable skill. She managed to fend off all the monsters and blind attacks aimed at Frondier.


    At first, he thought the monsters near them were copsing for some reason, but upon closer inspection, he saw that there were needles stuck in the bodies.


    He had thought, what could these mere needles do, but the fact that the monsters were dying was undeniable.


    "Selena."


    "Yes, my l... Lord Frondier."


    Selena was about to call him ''my lord'' but changed her words. It was because she had been strictly warned by Frondier. It was forbidden to call him ''my lord'' in front of others.


    ¡°I await yourmand. I will protect Frondier until the very end.¡±


    Selena spoke, her words thick with deceit.


    Of course, every syble was a lie, but Frondier would be pleased nheless.


    Frondier nodded in acknowledgment. It was just like him¡ªFrondier, with his overwhelming sense of inferiority and arrogance.


    ¡°You should also fall back.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the way, so get out of my sight.¡±


    This sudden order took Selena aback, but she suppressed her anger and retreated. She hurled every curse she could think of at the back of Frondier¡¯s head.


    ¡°All troops, prepare to fire!¡±


    Sanders shouted. The archers readied their bows.


    Meanwhile, Sanders discreetly observed Frondier. Whenever thismand was given, Frondier would always brandish unknown weapons in the air. It was an extraordinary spectacle, no matter how many times Sanders witnessed it.


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯


    But today, Frondier had a bow as well. Like the other archers, he had nocked an arrow and drawn back the string.


    ¡®Where did he get that bow¡­?¡¯


    He did not have time to ponder over it. The monsters were drawing nearer with each passing moment.


    From the looks of it, the horde was about the same size as before. That meant they were in for another grueling battle.


    Sanders judged the timing and shouted:


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡ªAt the same time, Frondier released his arrow.


    It was an explosion of ¡®Fireworks¡¯.

 Chapter 86 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Mop and @Greg on Ko-fi!</i>


    At first, it was undoubtedly an arrow. It had been shot from a bow, so it was only natural.


    The arrow, emitting a strange light and splitting into dozens, then hundreds of pieces along with the others, sliced through the air.


    "What is that...?"


    Someone murmured, forgetting that a battle was imminent.


    But there was no one to me. Everyone was watching its long trajectory.


    The light became a cluster of lights, and then a Milky Way, reaching close to the monsters.


    Swoosh-Each beam of light drew its own trajectory. What seemed like an illusion of light was a definite reality, scattering in all directions with the sound of rain.


    Splurt!


    The monsters were pierced through the head. Some couldn''t even scream as their necks were pierced; others had their hearts or from the top of their heads to their groins prated.


    The arrows, falling like rain, ruthlessly and urately pierced through the vital points of all the monsters.


    ''...This is "Fireworks"...''


    Selena swallowed her saliva.


    ©¤The owner of the Fireworks might be Frondier.


    Despite the information passed on by Manggot, Selena found it hard to believe. The record of "Fireworks" during the monster attack on Constel seemed too fantastical.


    But now, she witnessed it before her eyes. The scene was exactly as recorded. In fact, the reality felt even more powerful than the records.


    "The monsters..."


    Someone said with a trembling voice. The mass of monsters turned into corpses in an instant. The advancing monsters stopped and hesitated.


    Only a handful of monsters remained. At this rate, they wouldn''t even reach the barrier©¤


    Swoosh-


    "Huh?"


    Selena made a noise at the sight of Frondier.


    Frondier was pulling the bowstring, aiming. It was the second arrow.


    ''Could he possibly use that same technique again?''


    As if answering her inner thoughts,


    The second Fireworks soared, embroidering the sky. The human side had now forgotten about fighting and simply watched the scene in a daze.


    A loud shriek echoed. The monsters now knew what it was. They ran back the way they hade with all their might.


    The escape of the monsters outside. It was a sight the soldiers here had never seen before.


    Splurt-


    Whether they fled or not, the ''Fireworks'' mercilessly severed their lives with precision...


    * * *


    Not just with the Outside monsters, but in any battle humans had faced on this continent, it had never ended so anticlimactically.


    The knights scratched their heads after a moment of silence and went to check the monster corpses, while the soldiers returned to their barracks.


    The prisoners went back just as they hade out. Among them, some continuously bowed their heads towards Frondier, tears streaming down their faces.


    Until now, the knights would asionally praise Frondier, but this time, there was none of that.


    As if there had never been a battle to begin with, people mechanically went about their assigned tasks.


    Everyone tried to act as usual because they didn''t know how to react to the sight of the ''Fireworks''.


    And then there was Selena.


    For some reason, Frondier was still watching from atop the barrier. Selena''s eyes settled on him.


    ''...This man.''


    Selena took a step back. Though she was already behind Frondier, she stepped back further.


    ''Dangerous.''


    Selena nonchntly brought her hand to her chest. Inside her ornate clothing, a needle was already ''loaded''.


    Her superior, Hagley, had only tasked her with escorting and monitoring Frondier.


    The escort was to protect his ''ancientnguage interpretation skills'', and the monitoring was to ensure Frondier didn''t get any strange ideas.


    So, Selena''s current thoughts were purely her own judgment.


    ©¤If I kill Frondier here.


    She hadn''t fully grasped all of Frondier''s abilities yet. Throughout the battles so far, Frondier had never engaged in closebat.


    Among all the information received so far, only the ''Fireworks'' were urate about Frondier.


    Meaning, all the information that underestimated Frondier was false, and the incredibly powerful weapon was the truth.


    Given this, it must be assumed that no information on Frondier is reliable. Thus, his closebat abilities might be as brutally strong as the ''Fireworks''.


    However, at this distance, and the moment the opponent hasn''t noticed any hostility.


    The conditions she was most confident in, all aligned.


    A surprise attack might just work,


    "Selena."


    "¡­!"


    Suddenly, Frondier called out to her. Selena flinched.


    "Yes, ye-yes."


    "Are your eyes good?"


    Eyes?


    "If you mean my eyesight¡­"


    "Literally, I''m asking if you have good vision. Or if you are proficient at detecting mana or presences."


    "Yes, yes. Those are areas I''m confident in."


    After all, she was chosen for satisfaction and trained to be an assassin. Everything Frondier mentioned just now seems like the basic qualities of an assassin.


    ...But why is Frondier asking about that? It''s as if he knows she''s good at those things.


    "Indeed."


    Frondier nodded as if it was a given, which only added to her unease.


    "Come stand by my side. And look ahead."


    Selena walked to Frondier''s side, deciding to put off any surprise attacks forter.


    ...Somehow, the timing of Frondier''s question was too coincidental, perhaps she had been discovered.


    "Do you see that forest over there?"


    "...Yes, you''re referring to the ''Sacred Forest''."


    Beyond Tyburn''s barrier, a forest dense with lush trees at first nce. Everyone calls it the ''Sacred Forest.''


    Because it''s an area that should have been defiled by monsters long ago, but no monster can approach that forest.


    Of course, not many know that ''Excalibur'' lies dormant within, but to people''s eyes, it''s already recognized as a particrly special forest.


    "Keep an eye on that forest. It''s fine to use your eyes or extend your senses to their limits. Anyway, scour the inside thoroughly."


    "...What are we looking for?"


    "There''s someone there."


    Someone? Inside that forest?


    Selena thought it was absurd. That ce is beyond our domain.


    Even if the Sacred Forest is a ce monsters cannot enter, humans can''t get there in the first ce.


    But she did as Frondier asked. She concentrated on her vision and heightened her senses to their maximum. Well, if there''s nothing, she can just report that.


    "...Huh?"


    But she felt it. A faint presence, so faint that it couldn''t be determined whether it was a monster or a human.


    "Is there someone?"


    "...I can''t tell if it''s a person or something else, but there is something. Faintly. But it could just be a small animal..."


    "Do you really think so? That the presence you felt is just a small animal."


    ...No.


    Small animals can''t even be faintly felt from this distance. If she can feel a presence from this far, it means whatever is inside is not ordinary.


    "No. It''s definitely a significant mana presence. But why haven''t I felt it until now, and why do I feel it now?"


    And how did Frondier predict that she would find a mana presence now?


    Frondier only gave half the answer.


    "It was to check the situation. His forces were annihted in an instant, so he stepped closer to the barrier to figure out what happened."


    "His forces...? Could it be! Frondier, you are¡­"


    Frondier nodded.


    "In the sacred forest, there exists a mander'' of the monsters."

 Chapter 86 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    In the clearing in front of the lodging.


    Aten was facing a fear like never before.


    "Heck, heck¡­ Ha! How about that!"


    Sybil proudly puffed up her chest and bragged. However, her sweat-drenched face and panting breath somewhat diminished the persuasiveness of her boast.


    "¡­That''s impressive."


    "Ha-ha! Right? Such things are a joke to me! Ahem!"


    Sybil thought Aten was just being polite and excitedly chattered away.


    But Aten wasn''t.


    To Sybil, Aten might have appeared calm, but she simply didn''t know what else to say about the situation.''¡­It won¡¯t even take five days.''


    Sybil¡¯s training had already nearly reached the practical stage.


    The content was simple. Aten would make an ice sculpture and light a fire underneath it. Meanwhile, Sybil would infuse mana into the ice sculpture Aten made to prevent it from melting.


    At first, the ice melted quickly, but then 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes¡­ Gradually and smoothly, the time extended, and before long, Sybil had surpassed one hour.


    ''This isn¡¯t just about being a genius. I see why Frondier said that.''


    If Aten were to express Sybil¡¯s talent, it would be an unfailingly urate intuition.


    Infusing mana into the created ice to prevent it from melting. Anyone could do it with mana. With enough time and practice.


    However, people repeat countless failures in the process of learning something. They go through trial and error to find out what is wrong, what is right, what is efficient, and what is effective.


    And then internalizing it. All these processes naturally ur.


    But Sybil doesn¡¯t go through this process of trial and error. Every intuition she has hits the mark.


    Since she attempts the right method from the first try, she learns in the shortest steps possible without any brakes.


    "But why does the ice sculpture look like this?"


    Sybil quietly examined the ice sculpture Aten had made.


    At first, she didn''t pay much attention, but the more she looked, the more she realized it wasn''t just any ice sculpture.


    "Is this a hammer? Made so tiny, it''s actually quite cute."


    True to Sybil''s words, Aten''s ice sculpture was in the shape of a hammer. It didn''t quite suit Aten.


    "¡­The handle is really short. I''ve seen something like this before."


    Crackle-


    Right after Sybil''s muttering, the ice sculpture vanished.


    "Hey, what?"


    "¡­I cancelled the magic. Let''s try something a bit bigger next time."


    "Um¡­? Well, alright. The barrier will be much bigger than this!"


    Sybil found Aten''s actions a bit odd but spoke energetically. After all, they didn''t have much time.


    "Ah, there you are. Both of you."


    At that moment, someone approached from the direction of the mansion. It was Frondier.


    Aten heaved a sigh of relief. If Frondier had seen the ice sculpture just now, well, it wouldn''t really matter, but still, it felt somewhat¡­


    "Ah! Frondier! Sending me on that weird errand without saying anything!"


    "Sorry. The situation with the barrier was too urgent. I''m really grateful for your help. Truly."


    "Hmm, well, hmm, okay."


    Frondier was unexpectedly humble, causing Sybil to scratch her head. She had a lot to say, but it suddenly seemed irrelevant.


    "Is the training going well?"


    "Of course! I managed to keep the ice for an hour! It was tiny, but still."


    That was achieved in just two days.


    It was a story that would astonish anyone who heard it, but Frondier just nodded.


    "As expected."


    "Can''t you act a bit more surprised?"


    "Sorry. It''s not that surprising."


    For Sybil, such feats were not surprising.


    Aten caught the hidden meaning and nced at Frondier for a moment.


    "But I''ve heard."


    Frondier started to speak and then cleared his throat.


    He was about to discuss his real reason foring here.


    "Sybil, you rode Cassian here, right?"


    Cassian. The finest horse in the central regions.


    Sybil had said she borrowed it from Constel, and that was probably true.


    "Yeah, what about it?"


    "Lend him to me for a bit."


    "Cassian? Sure, but you''ve only fought on the barriers. What do you need Cassian for?"


    "I think I''ll need him soon."


    With that, Frondier smiled casually.


    Without any particr thought, Sybil nodded at hisnguid and rxed face.


    In other words, she was deceived by the peaceful face of Frondier.

 Chapter 87 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sybil''s steed, Cassian, was tied up in the stable next to the lodging.


    Sybil and Aten stayed in the clearing for training.


    For whatever reason, it was good that I came alone.


    Whinny-


    Upon seeing me, Cassian made a light sound. It felt a bit eerie as if he was observing me.


    In the game setting, Cassian is one of the finest horses in the central region. There are few horses in the whole world that match up to him.


    Cassian''s most notable feature is his exceptional intelligence. While other horses boast mobility, eleration, and top speed, Cassian prides himself on his sharp mind. Of course, he is also sufficient in mobility and the like.


    "Hello."


    I raised my hand in greeting.A fine horse chooses its rider, and the smart Cassian is much more selective.


    For Aster, the protagonist of this game, and Sybil, who is favored by fate, he has allowed them on his back, but I wonder how it will be for me.


    ¡®They say it''s important to make eye contact and approach before reaching out to touch a horse.¡¯


    If you reach out with your hand first, they be wary. They get scared even if you disappear from their line of sight. So, it''s essential to make eye contact and walk slowly towards them,


    Whinny-


    But Cassian turned his gaze away.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    It was a clear act of ignoring me. An appeal to disappear from his sight, as there''s nothing more to see.


    Hmm, it was indeed good toe alone. If Sybil had seen this, she would have teased me for days. Or perhaps, Aten''s sympathetic eyes would have hurt more. Anyway.


    ¡°Hmm, I really need you though.¡±


    My n can only be possible because Cassian is here. If Sybil hadn''te here, I wouldn''t have even conceived such a n.


    I used the ''analyze'' skill on Cassian.


    [Cassian]


    - A renowned horse of the central region. The mostmon habitat is ''Howald''.


    - Capable of performing all the movements required for current equestrian techniques.


    - If the owner loses consciousness, it autonomously decides to secure the owner''s safety.


    As expected, it was all information I already knew.


    The only thing I hadn''t known was that Howald was thergest habitat area. Howald is the region I had attended the noble council because of the counterfeit Mistilteinn before.


    Howald, Howald¡­


    I quietly observed Cassian. He was equipped with basic tack and a saddle, but that was it.


    I''m not sure who gave Cassian to Sybil, but they probably didn''t expect she would bring him to Tyburn.


    "Are you cold by any chance?"


    As soon as he heard my words, Cassian quickly turned his head back towards me. It was a strong affirmation.


    The horse understood my words. I felt a strange sensation at the fact, but that was a problem forter.


    I loosened the tie around my neck.


    ''Penelope''s Cloth'' provides warmth to the wearer, so just covering the horse with it should keep him quite warm.


    Purr, purr.


    The horse nuzzled his head against me as I draped the cloth over his back. It seemed to be effective.


    "Hmm, this cloth wasn''t originally meant for this."


    But it should be fine for one night.


    I lightly patted Cassian''s neck and then turned away.


    Cassian is a smart horse. It won¡¯t get lost or anything.


    ¡­More importantly.


    "Tyburn is quite cold."


    I shrugged my shoulders against a chill I hadn''t felt before and continued walking.


    * * *


    The bell signaling a monster attack rang out loudly again.


    Only a day had gone by since thest battle.


    I eradicated the monsters using thebination of the bow Khryskatos and the arrow Iocheira, just as I had done before.


    The eyes of the knights who saw this changed. At first, when I used this ¡°firework,¡± they simply looked stunned, but now they looked at me as if I were a monster.


    ¡°¡­This is bad.¡±


    Though it seemed I was dealing with the monsters easily, a problem had arisen for me.


    My weaving level wouldn¡¯t increase.


    After the number of simultaneous weavings reached 10, there was no level-up at all.


    I thought it was due to ack of time and practice, but given the situation hade to this, such assumptions were meaningless.


    "Leveling up isn''t what''s important. What''s important is ''recovery.''"


    I¡¯m leveling up in order to unlock the ''recovery'' that''s locked in the Weaving.


    This way, we can rebuild this dpidated barrier now, and it will prove useful in many ways in the future.


    "Frondier."


    That''s when Sanders approached me.


    "Don''t you think the frequency of monster attacks is too rapid this cycle, even considering how often they ur?"


    "¡­You''re right."


    Sanders had noticed, as I had expected.


    Probably all the knights had noticed. The cycle of attacks happening again after just a day''s break is definitely not normal.


    "We might have been discovered."


    "Discovered¡­ you don''t think."


    Sanders''s face went pale.


    I felt the same way.


    "It''s possible they''ve realized the barrier is vulnerable, and that''s why I used the ''firework.''"


    Of course, the enemymander wouldn''t know the true nature of the ''firework.''


    But the sudden change in the situation. A weapon that prevents the monsters from even approaching. If such a drastic change urs, they could guess something happened on our side.


    "¡­Then, theirmander."


    "Will probablyunch a full-scale assault."


    Fireworks have its limits. There''s a limit to how many can split off, and while they target vital points, monsters with strong durability can withstand them. If they can respond, some will manage to break through.


    Until now, the enemy has only sent minions to hinder the barrier''s repair. The fact that they''re all swept away by a single firework proves it.


    But if real monsters of considerable size attack, it''s a different story.


    We''ll be outnumbered, and there will be enemies we can''t pierce with arrows. Then, the Fireworks will only reduce the number of enemies by a very small margin.


    And once they reach the barrier, it will soon fall, and it''s game over once multiple entry points are formed.


    ''It''s a divine weapon, but I am not a god, after all.''


    Truly strong people determine their power with ''aura'' and use it to unlock the true power of their weapons.


    I was still just a pig, no, a human sloth, wearing an overly expensive pearl ne. [T/N: A korean idiom usage: "A pearl ne on a pig''s neck" This is for people who don''t fully understand the value of something and no need to give them something precious or good.]


    "How¡¯s the barrier side? And the child, Sybil?"


    "Sybil will be there on time. Even if it''s a full-scale attack, it won''t start right away. The strategy of pouring ice on the wall will work."


    Sanders was relieved by my exnation.


    I swallowed the rest of my words at that sight.


    The wall covered with ice is naturally weaker than the original wall. Leaving aside whether Aten and Sybil can maintain it, it can''t be helped if it breaks from an attack from outside.


    Then Aten will have to use her magic again, and in that case, the time they can hold out will be shorter than expected.


    ''And it''s not good that Aten and Sybil, who are important forces, can''t use their abilities because of the barrier.''


    Aten is a valuable ice magic user, and Sybil is a strong sword master who can use aura at a young age.


    When the monstersunch an all-out attack, each force is valuable, but the barrier blocks it.


    "By the way."


    "Yes?"


    "Your outfit is different than before."


    Sanders said, looking at me.


    I put on thick clothes one after another to keep out the cold. My face was covered by a deep hood. It was so deep that my face was not visible unless looked at from the front.


    In fact, this is a normal outfit. Most of them were dressed simrly, but I had been wearing clothes that were too light until now.


    "It''s colder than I thought when I stayed here for a long time."


    Fabric of Penelope had protected me until now. I left it to Cassian for a while, but the cold of Tyburn was worse than I thought.


    "Well, you''ve been wearing too thin clothes."


    Sanders smiled and tapped my shoulder.


    I felt a sense of closeness in his eyes as he looked at me.


    I don''t know why it wasn''t like that until now.

 Chapter 87 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The long-awaited fifth day.


    The day Sybil is scheduled toplete her mana injection training. In other words, the morning of the day when the temporary repair of the barrier became possible.


    "......"


    At the sight before his eyes, Tyburn''s watchman, Hugo, froze.


    He didn''t raise an eyebrow or breathe.


    In Tyburn, there has always been a lookout assigned to watch the movements of monsters and to ring a bell in case of emergency.


    Hugo has not stepped down from his post as a lookout in many years, the reason being that he had the sharpest eyesight of all.


    "What is that...?"


    And today, Hugo cursed his excessively keen vision.Monsters wereing. An army of monsters wasing. Shadows that ovepped each other from the left end of his sight to the right, increasing in size as they merged.


    It was a scale like none he had seen before. No, it was a scene that couldn''t easily be imagined. Not just in numbers, but the monsters he saw were of a level unlike any before.


    Upon spotting monsters, a lookout was supposed to immediately go down and ring the bell inside the square pir.


    But for those few seconds until then, Hugo couldn''t move.


    Ringing the bell this time felt like it was truly thest time in his life.


    "...Ugh!"


    Hugo forced himself to move towards the bell and run. He shook it incessantly. There were specific counts and intervals for ringing the bell depending on the situation, but none of that mattered now. The wildly ringing bell would clearly indicate what the situation was.


    Hugo shouted as if vomiting the words.


    "Large-scale monster horde spotted! Scale unestimable!!"


    The knights had already quickly rushed outside. Even without Hugo shouting, everyone guessed the situation by looking at how the bell was rung.


    They took their designated positions, and now in this ce, there were Aten and Sybil, who had never been here before.


    "Please stay away from the barriers. Among the monsters, there are those that fly and those that throw projectiles. You could be hit by a blind attack."


    Sanders told Aten. Aten nodded. Insisting on anything here would only hinder the other knights and soldiers.


    "Yes. I will make my own judgment of danger. Please,mander, concentrate on the battle."


    "Yes, and."


    Sanders bowed deeply.


    "If the barrier falls, do not look back and flee. Lead the entire Order of Knights in retreat as well."


    "......"


    Aten came here to inspect the situation with Tyburn and the barrier.


    It was unthinkable for her or any knight apanying her as an escort to get injured in this battle.


    "You too. Was it Sybil? Make sure you''re in a safe position. It''ll be fine since you have an escort."


    "Ah, just a moment©¤"


    Sanders didn''t wait for Sybil''s response and climbed up to the barrier. Whatever was said, the decision had already been made.


    ''......Horrible.''


    The total onught of monsters that Frondier had warned of. Facing them directly, everything seemed pitch ck. So ck that the smell of death was in the air.


    The crumbling barrier, weary soldiers and knights. The expended prisoners. The enemy''spetentmander reading the tactics.


    All of it was delivering a grave sentence of defeat to Sanders.


    ''......Haha. Well, good.''


    Sandersughed. It was a kind of detached sensation.


    Whatever the reason foring here from Shroud. It was to regain the pride of a knight. It would be different from the ns that hid and ran away from the monsters.


    Today, here, he would end his life as a definitive knight.


    "Prepare to fire!"


    Sanders shouted out loud as he always had. The sound of wood and iron shing was heard, and the aligned archers aimed their arrows at the invading forces.


    Unintentionally, Sanders looked at Frondier. Frondier was standing quietly in his usual ce, with his hood pulled over his head.


    How many lives had been saved by that figure from behind until now? Even in this desperate situation, Sanders felt relieved that there was still something to hold onto.


    The knights felt the same. Frondier had already be a lifeline for them. Even if it was a rotten one, it mattered now.


    ''......Huh?''


    But there was something odd about Frondier. As the order to fire was given, Frondier, who should have been drawing his bow, just stood still.


    I thought perhaps he had summoned those strange weapons again, but there was nothing of the sort.


    Frondier just stood there, motionless.


    Sanders looked forward again. He couldn''t afford to focus solely on Frondier. The monsters had already approached within shooting range.


    "Fire!!!"


    Sanders yelled, and the archers¡¯ arrows flew through the air. As a precaution against the anticipatedrge-scale assault, more archers had been deployed than usual, and as a result, the number of arrows momentarily darkened the sky.


    But that was it.


    There were no beams of light, no spears or weapons flying through the air.


    "¡­?"


    It was then that a few noticed Frondier. Sanders looked at him again.


    Frondier did nothing.


    It was so strange that Sanders took a closer look. Something felt off. A chilling sensation ran down his spine.


    Sanders¡¯ trained eyes scrutinized him. Frondier''s fingertips were trembling faintly. Sanders¡¯ eyes widened.


    The shoulders draped in a hood, the length of the arms and legs, the height visible from here were different. It even looked as though he was plumper than Frondier.


    Sanders¡¯ mouth dropped open. The worst scenario imaginable, one he hadn¡¯t even conceived of, hit him.


    ''It''s not Frondier...!''


    Frondier had put in a stand-in and fled.

 Chapter 88 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Alberto Montes, @Fen and @Diego on Ko-fi!</i>


    Sanders quickly ran and grabbed the shoulders of the person who looked like Frondier, or rather was dressed like Frondier.


    "Who are you!"


    "Ugh!"


    The person in Frondier''s attire shrank back in surprise. Sanders looked at his face. It was a face he had never seen before. He was not a knight. He might not even be a soldier.


    The scruffy face seemed ungroomed and a strange smell pierced through the cold.


    "Who are you!" he demanded.


    "I-I''m Grobel...""Grobel? Which faction do you belong to?"


    "I, I''m just a prisoner, sir."


    Sanders felt dizzy at Grobel''s response.


    A mere prisoner could not be standing in Frondier''s attire. It must have been part of Frondier''s n.


    To be able to escape anytime by changing clothes. Even the fact that he put on thick clothing mid-way was part of the n.


    "I just did as I was told..."


    "I know that! What is Frondier''s purpose?"


    "I really don''t know..."


    With a swoosh, Sanders roughly pushed Grobel''s shoulder. It was just venting his anger, yet he didn''t feel any better.


    Come to think of it, Frondier was just a student. Not even half an adult. Let alone a knight. It was wrong to expect anything from such a child.


    "It''s okay. I''ve done well even without him. The tactics remain unchanged."


    While thinking, tension built in Sanders'' jaw and his muscles bulged. It was a battlefield where winning was almost impossible, but Frondier''s escape made the word "almost" waver.


    With a feeling of vomiting blood, Sanders shouted, "Kill them! Do not set foot on thisnd of Tyburn!!"


    * * *


    "What, what? What''s going on?"


    Sybil was startled to seemotion on the battlement.


    Sanders was shouting at someone and gesturing aggressively.


    Aten also saw. She realized that the person Sanders was facing was wearing the same attire as Frondier, who had been on the battlement.


    "...a fake."


    "Huh?"


    "I think Frondier set up a fake wearing his clothes."


    "...What?"


    Sybil looked up at the battlement. Frondier was indeed nowhere to be seen.


    "...So, Frondier is not up there then?"


    "No. Probably not."


    Sybil and Aten were momentarily speechless at this absurd situation.


    But they were not consumed by anger like Sanders. As they grasped the situation, they both simultaneously realized something.


    "...Cassian."


    "Did he ask for that to be borrowed, by any chance?"


    Both simultaneously looked in a direction, not towards Tyburn, but towards the barracks.


    Oddly, they didn''t think that Frondier had escaped on Cassian. Rather, a more horrific assumption came to mind.


    "Could it be, he crossed the barrier?"


    "To go beyond the domain outside."


    The two climbed atop the barrier. At this moment, Sanders'' warning of danger waspletely forgotten.


    Aten utilized mana detection, while Sybil heightened her sensory perception to the maximum to search for Frondier.


    ¡ªAnd unfortunately, the conclusion they both arrived at was correct.


    Almost simultaneously, they spotted Frondier. Riding on Cassian, speeding towards the ''Sacred Forest'' with Selena also aboard.


    Crack, a sound came from Sybil''s teeth. She was so angry that she felt she might just break the barrier herself.


    "You, really, make meugh...! Frondier...!!"


    Her voice trembled with rage, so much so that an aura began to emanate from her even though the monsters hadn''t approached anywhere close.


    Swoosh-


    Aten caught Sybil''s wrist. Sybil startled. Aten''s body temperature was usually cooler than others, but the hand that grabbed her wrist just now was exceptionally cold.


    "...We need to block the barrier."


    No breath fogged from Aten''s breath, indicating how close her body was to the freezing temperatures.


    Her transparent eyes now looked like meticulously carved pieces of ice.


    Aten became colder as her anger rose. Sybil profoundly realized this fact.


    "...Right."


    Sybil agreed.


    Frondier might be detestable, but they had a mission toplete.

 Chapter 88 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I gritted my teeth and sprinted towards the Sacred Forest.


    Facing strong headwinds at Cassian''s speed, another gust chased after the void left behind.


    The reason for gritting my teeth was simple; I had never ridden a horse before. So, I was holding onto Cassian, gritting my teeth.


    "I told you I should be the one to ride."


    Selena said calmly from behind.


    "How can I trust you with directions!"


    "No trust, huh? No trust."


    Understandable.


    We hadn''t known each other for even a month.At first, Cassian had only slightly galloped, but I nearly got thrown off, barely managing to catch on.


    Thanks to Cassian taking care of me even as he galloped at high speed.


    "It seems, I''m, getting, somewhat, used to, this...!"


    I had tied Penelope''s fabric to the bridle and held onto it.


    Even that provided some instion, sparing both Cassian and me from the cold.


    After lending him the fabric for a day, Cassian began to follow me quite well.


    Whether he thought showing loyalty would spare him from the cold, or simply the fact that I had such fabric raised my value.


    Anyway, he moved as Imanded to some extent, allowing me to execute my n.


    ©¤©¤This n was simr to the ''assault'' that happened in Constel.


    While our forces were fending off the attack, I went for the enemy''s boss.


    The difference this time was the difficulty. The timeout was much shorter, and the caliber of the enemy I was facing was different.


    Above all, I had almost nothing prepared for the situation with the barriers and troops.


    At best, the advice regarding the ice wall. This meant many variables, and thus, a higher chance of failure.


    However, the reason I came all the way to Tyburn during the break was that there was a high return here that made all those risks ignorable.


    Screech!


    Just then, a strange cry interrupted my thoughts.


    ncing sideways, it was a monster that resembled a bat. It was a remarkably simple creature in appearance. Just a bat, but one the size of a bison.


    "Cassian!"


    I pulled on the reins and shouted, and Cassia brilliantly understood my intention, dodging the bat''s teeth. She even managed to show me the bat in my field of vision.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Grade - Rare</i>


    <i>Slevb''s Creepy Dagger</i>


    I shattered ck Lotus to create a dagger and threw it at the creature.


    My throwing skills had now advanced to a mid-high level. I wouldn''t miss an ordinary target.


    And a creature of that size could be hit even with a mid-level throw.


    Screech!


    The bat dismissed the dagger with its wing as if it was nothing to look at.


    Ah, so much for that.


    My throwing skills were rendered useless.


    Screech-


    The bat lunged at me with its teeth again but ended up crashing to the ground on its own.


    Without understanding why, it tried to lift its head to fly again several times before crashing again, and eventually, it started shivering and then went still.


    "Is it dead?"


    Selena asked, sounding surprised.


    "No, not yet."


    Well, it''s not dead yet. It takes 24 hours.


    But this ce is and of severe cold, and lying immobile on that frozen ground.


    I couldn''t tell if it would be paralysis or freezing to death first.


    * * *


    As we approached the sacred forest, more monsters obstructed our path.


    It was to be expected. The one controlling the monsters was inside the forest.


    ''The forest is imprable to monsters; monsters and the forest are opposites like water and oil.''


    This notion was naturally ingrained in the minds of humanity.


    It was unthinkable that the one controlling the monsters attacking Tyburn would be inside the forest. Everyone thought so. It was a psychological trap.


    ''...As expected.''


    But reaching this point, I realized.


    The monsters were significantly weaker. All the powerful monsters had been sent to the barrier.


    The fact that humans didn''t suspect the forest meant, naturally, the enemy knew this too.


    So, they let their guard down. They fell into their own psychological trap.


    "We should be able to break through to the forest without much trouble."


    "Well, mostly thanks to me, though."


    "Quiet."


    I dismissed it, but Selena''s words were true.


    Selena, true to her role as an escort, dealt with other beasts that disturbed us on our way to the forest.


    It was truly a wonder how those that seemed small and powerless fell one by one as if struck by a needle.


    Having spent a few days with me, Selena seemed to have roughly figured out my personality, and that annoying pretense of hers started to fade away a bit.


    Not that it disappearedpletely, but the courtesy she had towards me was reduced by half, and the other half was filled with rudeness.


    Ironically, I found this side of her more preferable than when she was trying to seduce me with her pretenses.


    ¡®An assassin from Manggot.¡¯


    Selena was sent from Manggot, and since her superior is Hagley, it''s naturally hard to feel at ease.


    However, the mission to escort me must indeed be true.


    It''s more about protecting my ability to interpret ancientnguages than protecting me, but during my time in this game, I''ve never found another human across any continent who had the ability to interpret ancientnguages.


    In other words, there was no substitute for Frondier''s ability, at least in this era. Naturally, he had to be protected. Perhaps this mission was of higher priority than Selena''s own life.


    "It''s the forest."


    Selena said.


    There was a well-maintained path in the forest as if inviting people in.


    "Indeed."


    I led Cassian and entered through that entrance.


    * * *


    As soon as we entered the forest, the beasts vanished as if by magic.


    The inside was filled with a refreshing aura.


    "...I can''t feel any magical energy. Is themander of the beasts really here?"


    "Yes. It''s a bit ambiguous to call him amander, though."


    "What?"


    In fact, I was looking for the ke'' rather than the being controlling the beasts.


    If I find theke before him, there would be no need for the hassle.


    But well, of course, he would have thought of that too.


    [Stop, if you will.]


    He appeared, reciting a polite line.


    I stopped Cassian, and the ground before us erupted.


    The earth that rose from the ground settled back down, leaving behind a form. The figure that revealed itself seemed truly a part of this forest.


    Yet that was all, and in appearance, he was just an ordinary old man. Truly, he was like any old man you could find on the continent, dressed in a long robe with white hair.


    "...Is that person really themander of the beasts?"


    "Yes."


    Selena continued to look at the old man, seemingly unconvinced. More than his appearance, Selena probably couldn''t understand the sacred aura emanating from the old man.


    I dismounted from Cassian. The green forest, the warm sunlight, and before us, an old man emitting a holy aura.


    It was like something out of a fairy tale.


    And so it should be.


    "Pleased to meet you. I''m Frondier."


    [...I see. Mr. Frondier. To an old man like me, revealing names and such.]


    "Mr. Merlin."


    [...!]


    His name was Merlin.


    He appears in the legend of King Arthur, a great mage, prophet, and sage, and he was the mentor and advisor to King Arthur.


    And most importantly, here in the game Etius, Merlin was known as a ''Druid''.

 Chapter 89 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Vikent Woon and @Joe Smith on Ko-fi!</i>


    Merlin squinted at me with one eye.


    Then, his face softened back to a kind expression.


    [How fascinating. How do you know my name¡­]


    "Because I''ve heard a lot about you."


    The legend of King Arthur is also a famous tale within this game. Of course, there are minor changes to various ce names.


    [Then, we canmunicate.]


    Merlin extended a hand forward. Following his gesture, branches stretched out long in front of me, blocking my path.[Please leave. You cannot harm me.]


    Selena and I silently watched this scene for a moment. Selena, standing next to me, let out a sound of admiration.


    Indeed, it was a remarkable sight. The trees and the ground, everything within this forest seemed to move at Merlin''s beck and call.


    "I didn''t particrlye to harm you."


    At my words, the hesitating branches stopped moving.


    [You mean you will not harm me?]


    "Exactly as I said. I didn''te to meet Mr. Merlin."


    [Then, where do you intend to go?]


    "Theke."


    [...!]


    Merlin''s expression hardened.


    My primary destination is theke. Although I naturally expected to encounter Merlin before that, if he would step aside, there would be no need to fight.


    However, judging by Merlin''s expression, he seemed to prefer the idea of a fight.


    It seemed unlikely that we would part on good terms.


    [My mind has changed.]


    "And how so?"


    [You must be killed here. You know of theke''s existence; I cannot let you live.]


    Heh.


    Even his threat of murder is polite.


    Crack!


    The surrounding branches stretched and cracked like they were stretching their limbs. The thick branches split, and the slender ones shed their bark, sharpening their tips.


    The branches had be bars, and their numbers had grown beyond count.


    "Selena."


    "Yes."


    "Can you block all of these?"


    "That''s not possible."


    I figured as much.


    I ced my hand on the cloth covering Cassian''s back.


    "Cassian, I''m sorry. It''s going to be a bit cold."


    Cassian had no reaction to my words. Well, I guess that means it''s okay. Let''s believe that.


    "Will you fight me?"


    I asked Merlin onest time for confirmation.


    [Of course. It''s your loose tongue you should me.]


    So that''s how it is. Maybe my mouth is the problem.


    But it can''t be helped. I had to go to theke.


    And more than anything, I was secretly hoping for it.


    "Good. I have something I wanted to test as well."


    I unwrapped Penelope''s fabric from behind Cassian''s back.


    And then I raised my left hand.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    A crystal shaped like a thin rod bent into a triangle.


    The Dragonheart I wove to confront Renzo. I¡¯m weaving the thing that had led me to death again.


    Without hesitation, I swallowed the Dragonheart and said,


    "Menosorpo."


    [Nonsense!]


    Merlin, feeling some unease, shot branches at me. He''s quick to react. No, maybe a bitte in this case.


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Shield, Ten copies</i>


    ng-!


    I surrounded myself with shields in the air to block them.


    ¡®Ugh...!¡¯


    I felt the mana boiling inside me all this time. It was the effect of the Dragonheart.


    The Dragonheart explosively grows mana.


    However, a Dragonheart made through weaving is naturally fake, not possessing as much mana as its effect would imply.


    Therefore, eating it grows mana, but at the same time, it consumes my body. Bones, blood, and viscera be fuel, converted into mana.


    But what if there''s another target?


    Without having to sacrifice my body, if there''s another ''dummy'' that could be the offering for the Dragonheart.


    ¡®...It''s done.¡¯


    I checked Penelope''s fabric.


    The end of the fabric emitted light and slowly shrank. The target being consumed due to the Dragonheart changed from me to Penelope''s fabric.


    Now I could use the Dragonheart without any burden.


    At least, until Penelope''s fabric ispletely gone.


    [...!]


    Merlin''splexion changed. It seemed he now saw me as a potential threat.


    "Here it goes..."


    After consuming the Dragonheart, my voice always changes a bit. It feels like an earthquake is coursing through my body.


    But that''s not a meaningful impact.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    Once again, I grasped the weapon of a god in my hand.


    It was a weapon that had given Renzo, a man among the strongest, a hard time.


    I wonder how it would fare against a legendary figure.


    "Alright, here..."


    I threw Mj?lnir with all my strength,


    "...Huh."


    And gave up when I saw nobody was there.


    "He ran away."


    Selena, standing next to me, said.


    "He ran away?"


    "Yes. As soon as you pulled out that hammer."


    Huh.


    I nced around the forest and then canceled Mj?lnir''s weaving. Not using mana stopped the disintegration of Penelope''s fabric.


    Penelope''s fabric has a feature called ''Shape Regression.'' No matter what is done to it, it returns to its original form. Literally, no matter what.


    Even if Ipletely convert it into mana, this fabric will eventually return to its original state.


    ''The problem is it takes about a day to return if it''spletely depleted.''


    Penelope''s fabric only makes the use of Dragonheart possible, not freely usable.


    Dragonheart can be used once a day. I''ll keep that in mind.

 Chapter 89 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "I must have seen it wrong."


    Selena came to that conclusion.


    The hammer Frondier had conjured out of thin air a moment ago.


    By now, Frondier pulling something strange out of nowhere wasn''t surprising. She had simply chalked it up to Frondier''s abilities and moved on.


    But, that hammer.


    Even though she had seen it for less than 5 seconds, the hammer had a square metal head, evenly bnced on each side, with a short handle...


    ¡®I must have seen it wrong.¡¯


    Selena showed no emotion on her face. Rather, her expression waspletely frozen. It felt like she was trying not to show any emotion, ending up not thinking anything at all.


    ¡®I must have seen it wrong, must have seen it wrong, must have seen it wrong¡¯"Selena."


    "Yes. I didn''t see anything."


    Huh.


    She blurted out a strange answer without realizing. Frondier blinked and looked at her.


    "...What, are you a mind reader?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "I was about to ask if you saw where Merlin fled to."


    Oh.


    Selena tilted her head in thought for a moment and then pointed with her finger.


    "I didn''t see clearly, but I think it was in that direction."


    "I see."


    Frondier walked over, covered the horse with a nket, and then mounted it. He looked at Selena.


    Selena climbed up behind him, feigning calm.


    "Cassian, run down this path."


    Cassian immediately picked up speed at Frondier''smand.


    Clippity clop, clippity clop, Frondier was now fairly stable on the horse. His body was still stiff, but at least he wouldn''t fall off by himself.


    Selena saw the trees passing by in her peripheral view. The trees were endlessly green, the wind was refreshing, and the sunshine was beautifully shining down.


    "...It''s a beautiful ce."


    Selena murmured unknowingly. And then slightly regretted it.


    She had been unexpectedly scolded by Frondier before, so she was nervous this statement might somehow get her in trouble too.


    "Isn''t it?"


    But Frondier surprisingly agreed.


    "It''s like a forest out of a fairy tale."


    "Yes. I wonder if there''s another forest as beautiful as this in the world,"


    At that moment, Selena stiffened her expression and closed her mouth.


    Once again, she looked at the scenery around them. She closely observed the trees in the lush forest, the asional birds passing by, and the beautifully shining sunlight.


    ''...Could it be.''


    Something was off. Among all the beautiful harmony around her, there was not a single thing she recognized. The trees, the grass, the passing wild animals, they all looked somewhat simr but different from what she knew.


    Could the sun be an illusion too? The sunlight breaking through the leaves of the trees was hauntingly beautiful, but was it the real sunlight''s intensity?


    "Selena."


    Frondier called her gently.


    "Do you know the name Merlin?"


    "Of course. I''ve read a lot about the legend of King Arthur when I was younger. Though I was surprised toe face-to-face with a character from the legends."


    "Then you know."


    "Know what?"


    "Merlin is dead. He''s a character from the legends, after all."


    At that, Selena blinked several times before her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth.


    "Then, what we saw just now was a ghost...!"


    "Something like that."


    Selena was confused. Her head was spinning. More than anything, she couldn''t understand why she was so shocked.


    After thinking for a while, Selena spoke up, having realized something.


    "Why didn''t I notice that? I knew that Merlin was someone who died a long time ago."


    Logically, the usual her would have immediately thought ''that''s impossible'' upon encountering someone called Merlin.


    Because he''s a dead person.


    However, until Frondier pointed it out, Selena didn''t feel any sense of incongruity.


    "It''s natural."


    "Natural?"


    "You must have experienced it too. No matter how absurd something is, no matter how strange the event, even if the situation doesn''t make sense, you just ept it and move on."


    Is that so?


    Selena thought deeply. Then, she realized.


    "Could it be, a dream...?"


    "Correct. You''re quick to catch on."


    It was the first time Frondierplimented her, but Selena didn''t hear any of it.


    With a serious face, she said,


    "So, are we asleep right now?"


    "Huh?"


    "If we''re in a dream, then in reality, we''re asleep somewhere, being dragged off and restrained, with only a terrible torture awaiting us when we wake up..."


    "No, no. What are you talking about."


    Frondier turned around with a look of incredulity, as if to scold her.


    But Selena was trembling, her eyes filled with tears. And in a few seconds, the tears started falling.


    "What''s with you?"


    "I don''t want this, again, I mean, no..."


    Frondier''s expression softened. He stopped Cassian in his tracks. Whether Selena knew it or not, she just kept crying.


    "Hey, snap out of it."


    "I''m, I''m sorry..., it''s my fault,"


    Snap!


    At that moment, Selena snapped back to reality due to a throbbing pain that filled her head. It was so painful that it brought tears to her eyes, but it stopped her crying. It was an odd thing.


    Frondier was extending his finger. He had flicked her forehead.


    However, it was nothing romantic like in a romance novel. There was no holding back his strength. It was clear he had used his aura to hit her. How Frondier was capable of that, she didn''t know.


    "Does it hurt?"


    "Yes."


    "See. So, you''re not asleep."


    What is this?


    But it was certain. She had never felt such painful sensation in a dream before. No, if it hurts this much, one should wake up. So, it''s not a dream. It''s painful, though.


    "So, this ce being a dream is...?"


    "We didn''te here by falling asleep. It''s much simpler."


    "Simpler?"


    Frondier looked around. The lush forest, the clear air, the warm sunlight. Everything was perfect andplete, without a single shadow.


    "To think it could go this far." Frondier said, smiling as if in admiration.


    "Merlin has reproduced his dream into reality. From the distant past worthy of being called a legend, until this moment today."

 Chapter 90: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena blinked with her mouth agape.


    "Does that mean this ce isn''t a forest?"


    "It''s a forest. There are nts and animals living together, lush trees, and even ake."


    "But you just said this was a dream."


    "Well, it is a dream brought into reality."


    Magic is the manifestation of phenomena. In that sense, this forest is also a kind of magic.


    That''s why non-magicians often misunderstand magic as ''illusion''.


    Because when magic is canceled, the zing fire disappears, and the ice rink that was frozen in an instant melts away.


    However, the burns and frostbite remain. This forest is the same.The nts and animals in this forest have already formed an ecosystem.


    Of course, it is a circtory system made entirely of mana, but most people probably wouldn''t notice the difference from reality.


    A dream so close to reality that ordinary people can''t even tell the difference. And the fact that it has been called the ''Sacred Forest'' for decades.


    It has existed for too long to be called an ''illusion''.


    "Can an ordinary person do something like that?"


    "No, they can''t. Merlin is an Archmage."


    "Even so. Even if it''s a dream, it''s amazing to create such an borate world. There must be a limit to a person''s mana, but this, for decades..."


    Selena''s question was valid. In fact, I didn''t think this could be done for decades. Just as Selena said, there is a limit to the total amount of mana a human can have.


    There was a part of it that I could guess, but for now, I held back my words.


    "Let''s hurry anyway. You''ve been dragging your feet, wasting time."


    "...Must you speak like that."


    Ignoring the retreating voice, I spurred Cassian on again.


    After traveling for a while, a thought suddenly urred to me, and I said,


    "But aren''t assassins ustomed to torture? They receive training for it."


    "They are. They''re familiar with the agony and pain. The terror that pierces all senses. That''s why, even if they cry and beg, they''re trained not to divulge information."


    "It''s not about enduring the pain?"


    "At first, they deceive you into thinking that. That it''s training to endure pain. But it''s not. You''re subjected to unbearable torment. It doesn''t stop, no matter how much you cry, beg, or scream. But if you leak information, it bes even more intense. Then, the pain beyond your limits is seared into your brain. So, no matter how torturous the torment is, no matter if you''re crying and pleading, you won''t spill the information. Because you remember the fear from that time."


    ...That''s a terrifying story.


    I had nothing more to say, so I just quietly looked ahead.


    After a moment of silence,


    "Hold on."


    Selena said.


    "But how did you know? That I''m an assassin. I only said I was a bodyguard."


    "Because you act like one."


    I didn''t know about that, I saw it with the ''Analysis'' skill.


    "Are you sure you should be talking about this? How you received torture training and all. Wouldn''t your superior, Hagley, be angry?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Manggot is a vile ce. Everyone there knows it themselves. So, there''s no need to hide the vile deeds. You just need to hide the things that really need to be hidden."


    "..."


    I didn''t respond to that.


    Manggot is a miserable ce.


    It''s a ce like a refuge for those abandoned by the country, but it''s also a ce where anger and hatred umte, eventually leading to an uprising.


    It''s literally an uprising. It''s the ''karma'' that the continent hasmitted, and Manggot is that me.


    Of course, from the perspective of a gamer, aside from suchplex feelings and calctions of loss and gain, dealing with demons is hard enough, let alone the craziness of Manggot driving one to madness.


    That''s why I don''t want to fight. This is the mindset for clearing the game. Because fighting meaningless battles will lead to the annihtion of humanity in this world.


    Can Manggot and the continent ever make peace? That''s one of the things I consider most impossible among the many failures in this game.


    "......But, this path has been continuing straight for a while now."


    Selena said as if it was bizarre.


    "Does this road really lead to that, theke, if we follow it?"


    "No. If you just follow it, you''ll be lost forever."


    This forest is Merlin''s dream.


    This road, which seems to go straight, twists bizarrely ording to his thoughts, preventing reaching theke.


    The reason Merlin retreated without hesitation after seeing me with Mj?lnir was because of this.


    He judged that it was more likely to prevent me from reaching theke than to fight me and shed blood.


    "So what do we do? Why are we still following this path?"


    "I know the way."


    This forest is actually the ''trial'' that Aster will eventually face.


    Most yers know how to conquer this forest.


    But that''s because Aster was of a high caliber and recognized by Merlin, so Merlin provided an appropriate level of difficulty.


    But as always, I''m Frondier.


    Merlin would never hand over theke to someone like me, a nobody from nowhere.


    ''But.''


    I can see it. This ''illusion'' of a dream.


    It''s partly because I''m looking at it with the ''Analyze'' skill, but more than that, my intuition reacted first.


    Maybe it''s because I possess the ''Weaving'' skill, something even closer to an illusion than anything else, that I found the dream world oddly familiar.


    "Cassian. From now on, follow my lead."


    After saying this, I lightly grasped the reins. Cassian seemed to understand and slightly slowed down. He''s really a smart horse, almost scarily so.


    ''...Sigh.''


    I took in thendscape with my eyes. For now, this straight path was just like ying Aster.


    As a yer, walking this path would prompt Merlin to give various hints, but I had to find my own way.


    The ''Analyze'' skill doesn''t discriminate against its target. This world itself, being identifiable, means that ''Analyze'' is also possible.


    Up until now, analysis read me supplementary descriptions like item tooltips.


    But Merlin''s ''dream'' is certainly simr to Frondier''s ''Weaving.'' If it''s Frondier, then the essence of this dream could be revealed.


    Then,


    "It''s done."


    The analyzed dream world came into view. Like a weapon created by weaving turns into a piece of thin thread, this dream was also strands of numerous threads.


    I led Cassian into the revealed world of illusion.


    "Over here."


    I pulled the reins to the left. There was no path, just dense trees. But Cassian, unafraid, followed mymand and pushed through.


    In an instant, the dense trees split apart, transforming as if this was the intended path all along.


    Like fixing a mistake, hurriedlypleting an unfinished painting, or revealing a hidden space behind the stage curtain.


    "Ugh, I feel dizzy."


    Selena said. Indeed, the sight was disorienting, almost like witnessing a glitch in a game right before your eyes.


    I continued to lead Cassian forward. Each time I changed direction, the trees parted, and the path revealed itself. We were definitely approaching theke.


    "But, Lord Frondier."


    "How many times do I have to tell you, call me Frondier."


    "I heard you liked being called lord."


    "Consider any information Manggot has on me to be pure gossip."


    "Gossip?"


    "It''s trash."


    Selena didn''t respond to my remark. Instead, I felt the touch of Selena''s hair from behind. She must have nodded.


    "So, Mr. Frondier."


    "Yes?"


    "If this is Merlin''s dream, couldn''t the location of theke be changed at will? Then, even if we find the correct path, wouldn''t it be difficult to actually arrive..."


    It was a usible thought.


    Had shee to that conclusion after realizing this was a dream? Selena''s adaptability was faster than I thought.


    But that guess was wrong.


    "It''s impossible to move theke."


    "Why?"


    "Because theke is real."


    "¡­Ah."


    Everything we see around us is part of Merlin''s dream.


    Except theke, which is real.


    In other words, Merlin designed this dream for that oneke.


    At that moment, the trees began to transform in strange ways.


    The once ordinaryndscape twisted, and the trees grotesquely erged, stretching their branches out. Thick trunks twisted, and the gaps that opened between them seemed to smile like a human mouth.


    "Uh, um, Mr. Frondier...?"


    Selena spoke in an anxious voice.


    "Merlin is certain of it."


    "Of what?"


    "That we know our way precisely. That it''s impossible for us to lose our way."


    So, the n is to push forward with force once again. Only this time, to do so more covertly and safely.


    The trees had already inted their bodies, bing shadows. The forest darkened in an instant, with the giant trees bending their backs to look down.


    "Since this is a dream, it might be okay to get hit, right?"


    "What do you think? How would it feel to get hit?"


    "It seems like it would hurt a lot."


    I nodded.


    "As long as you can''t escape that thought, it''s going to hurt a lot."


    Damn, Selena muttered before reaching into her bosom and pulling out a needle.


    It was nice to see the pretense disappear, but it felt like manners were disappearing along with it.


    * * *


    Merlin stood in front of theke.


    He could feel everything within this forest. Even the faint breaths of small birds.


    Frondier was already approaching. They had tried to block him using the trees, but it was only a matter of time before he arrived here.


    [What should I do.]


    There was a hint of resonance in his murmur. It was not merely a mumble spoken in solitude.


    [Why do you worry so much?]


    Water in the center of theke Merlin was looking at erupted.


    In the ce where the water had burst forth, a woman appeared, mirroring the way Merlin had emerged from the ground.


    "I have failed to protect theke," Merlin said.


    "It''s alright," the Lady of the Lake responded.


    "Whoever reaches this ce will gain nothing," the Lady of the Lake smiled.


    "Recklessness only leads to death."


    That''s when they heard it.


    The familiar sound of hooves approached Merlin and the Lady of the Lake.


    Thud thud thud thud!


    Breaking through the brush was Frondier.


    His clothes were torn and worn in ces, suggesting a fierce battle had taken ce on the way here, yet he seemed to bear no serious injuries.


    "Heck, hah..."


    On the other hand, the woman riding behind him looked near death.


    "Hey, stop slumping. We''ve arrived," Frondier chided the woman behind him.


    "It''s cowardly. You barely take any damage while I have to dodge and fight."


    "It''s an illusion. If you understand it correctly, you won''t get hurt."


    "I thought about that too, you know? It''s an illusion, it''s fake, I kept telling myself that and believed it. So why am I the one getting hit?"


    "It''s not about believing, it''s about knowing."


    Merlin listened to their conversation in silence, then furrowed his brow.


    An illusion? Not taking damage?


    So, is Frondier unharmed because he ''saw through'' the dream?


    ...That can''t be right.


    "Ah."


    That''s when Frondier noticed Merlin. He also nced at the Lady of the Lake.


    "We meet again, Sir Merlin. And..."


    Frondier looked at the woman and smiled deeply.


    "I''ve been looking for you for a long time. ''Witch of the Lake''."

 Chapter 91 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Anthony and @Stevie57 on Ko-fi!</i>


    The Lady of the Lake.


    In the original legend of King Arthur, this enigmaticdy, whose name varies with the region and adapted stories, is known by many names.


    Woman, fairy,dy, and so on.


    However, the gamers of Etius all referred to her as this:


    "The Witch of the Lake."


    [Excuse me. A witch, you say? I am a fairy, you know? And my name is Nimue.]


    Ah, Nimue. That was her name. I had forgotten it, having only heard and spoken of her as a witch.Nimue said this with a slight smile. Her pure appearance and smile certainly didn''t suit the nickname "witch."


    Or perhaps that''s why she is considered a witch. There are quite a few among the gamers who were deceived by her appearance.


    And so, believing that her true nature must be kind, they poked around here and there.


    But I, who have clung to this game the longest, can assertively say,


    Nimue is indeed a witch.


    "Yes, Miss Nimue. I havee with a matter concerning theke."


    [What matter?]


    "I''vee to seek a sword that lies within it."


    Nimue''s expression faltered slightly.


    [Indeed... You really do know something.]


    Nimue spread her arms. It was as if she was weing me.


    [If you can find it, then try to find it.]


    [Nimue!]


    Merlin called out to Nimue as if to chastise her.


    Nimue smiled lightly and said to me,


    [The sword is in theke. If you can take it, then by all means.]


    "What do you mean by that?"


    [Have you forgotten where you are? This ce is even farther north than your territories, and of extremes. Thiske is colder than a cier. It exists merely as a ke,'' not freezing only because.]


    I looked down at theke. The water of theke was clear and transparent, but as Nimue said, I felt a chilling cold.


    Water colder than ice. It''s impossible for this stillke to maintain such a low temperature, yet under the name of "mystery," it perpetually retains its appearance.


    Simple cold cannot freeze thiske. It just continues to get colder.


    To put it extremely, even if humanity were to perish, this ce would forever remain as it is.


    The cold is absurd, no matter how you look at it.


    Nimue, observing me, chuckled softly.


    Even herughter seemed genuinely kind, which was strangely eerie in its own way.


    [Would you go in? What''s the point if you can''te back alive even after finding the sword?]


    "Don''t worry. I came prepared."


    I turned around and walked towards Cassian. I picked up the cloth of Penelope and tied it around my hand. The chill that had been lingering around me vanished as if washed away. It was the effect of the cloth.


    [...Hmm.]


    Nimue''s smile faded a bit from her face, but she still seemed to be at ease.


    [Well, anyway.]


    Nimue spoke again. She still didn''t stop me.


    I nced at Merlin for a moment. He too was looking at me with a stern expression, but he didn''t seem to be moving to stop me.


    "Are you really going to jump in?"


    Selena asked, her tone sounding worried for some reason.


    I wondered if it was natural for her to worry about me since she was my escort, but then again, maybe not.


    "I have to."


    "Something seems suspicious. It''s too easy for you to just go."


    "Yeah, I feel the same."


    "Really?"


    I smiled. I waved my hand as if I was just running a quick errand.


    "I''ll be back then."


    With that, I jumped into theke.


    * * *


    Selena watched theke into which Frondier had jumped for a moment.


    If she jumped in there under the guise of an escort, she''d surely freeze to death in less than 5 seconds.


    Even just dipping a hand in now felt like it would lead to frostbite, feeling the chill from this distance.


    Sigh, Nimue exhaled a sigh of pity from beside her.


    [So another greedy life ends.]


    "...What do you mean?"


    Selena asked.


    Whether Frondier was doing something or where he was wasn''t really her concern, but dying was a different matter. After all, guarding Frondier was her duty.


    Of course, even if he died, it''s not like they would kill her for it back in the maind, but there would certainly be severe repercussions.


    "Lord Frondier won''t be affected by the cold. Bringing back the sword should be an easy task for him."


    Selena had noticed from Tyburn that Frondier didn''t feel the cold, probably because of the cloth. Who would have thought the tie he usually wore had such a function?


    But Nimue shook her head.


    [It''s not because of that. Merely blocking the cold won''t enable him to bring back the sword.]


    "...It''s not because of the cold?"


    Nimue covered her mouth with one hand. That smile waspassionate.


    [Theke is deep, you know. It''s impossible for a normal person to reach the bottom.]


    "...Even so, I don''t think he''d die."


    [That''s only if it ends there. That man seems stronger than he looks, so it''s possible he could reach the bottom. But in fact, ording to legend,]


    Nimue, who had been speaking happily, suddenly looked at Merlin as if checking his reaction. It was a strange thing to do, but soon Nimue looked back at Selena and said,


    [...It''s embedded. Deep in the bottom.]


    "......!"

 Chapter 91 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Excalibur is a sword originally embedded in a rock. Or in some other versions it is a sword handed directly by the Lady of the Lake.


    But neither of those, and the sword is stuck at the bottom of theke? The legend ispletely mixed up.


    [If you try to pull out that sword, it will drain your mana. Furthermore, it will take away your life force. Only someone with the strength to ovee all of that can draw the sword. If you try to draw the sword without knowing your ce, it will simply suck away all your life force, leaving you in deep water from which you cannot escape when you regain consciousness.]


    Selena swallowed hard at Nimue''s exnation.


    Truly a sword that chooses its master to the extreme. Enough to kill those who are unworthy.


    ''...But this is underwater.''


    Even if someone was qualified, would it be possible to draw the sword underwater?


    Is there really someone who can aplish a difficult task onnd underwater?


    Why were the two different legends mixed together, and why does the sword require a task that no one seems capable of aplishing?- Because theke is real.


    The words Frondier had said kept going around and around. Selena''s head kept spinning.


    But time clearly passed during all this.


    The amount of time a person can hold their breath underwater is limited. Nimue looked up at the sky for a moment, as if bored, and then said,


    [...Then let''s go back. The master you''re waiting for won''te,]


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, the water of theke surged violently. Selena, Nimue, and Merlin looked at the sight.


    It was Frondier. He was holding something like a hammer in one hand and soared up, then


    Bam!


    Thud-


    "..."


    He mmed into the ground and rolled around like a dog.


    The moment of emerging through theke''s surface was indeed magnificent, but Selena held back her words.


    "Yikes, I thought I was going to die."


    The line that followed was far less cool. Selena pursed her lips and approached him.


    At the moment he rose from theke, it seemed like he was holding something like a hammer in his right hand, but now it was gone.


    In other words, Frondier''s hands were empty.


    Selena asked, looking him over.


    "¡­Did you fail?"


    "Huh? Fail?"


    "Not being able to bring out the sword¡­"


    "Ah, right. I tried to grasp it just in case, but my strength was drained. It wasn''t something I should mess with."


    Frondier admitted it freely.


    At that, Selena felt relieved. Frondier was not dead. He wouldn''t get scolded even in Mantang.


    [Hmm, I see. You knew your ce.]


    Nimue looked down at Frondier, who was lying sprawled out.


    She saw his empty hands. Well, it would be strange to bring out the sword. Perhaps it''smendable that he gave up his greed and returned alive.


    [Didn''t I tell you? That sword is not for you to take.]


    "Yeah. You did."


    Saying so, Frondier stretched out a hand. While lying down, he raised his hand towards the sky.


    "It doesn''t matter."


    And then.


    With his other hand, Frondier broke the ne he was wearing.


    [What¡­?]


    The moment was iprehensible at first.


    But as the ck liquid flowing from the ne gathered in Frondier''s outstretched hand, forming thin, thread-like strands that began to take shape,


    Nimue''s eyes widened. Her smile vanished. Her mouth opened in astonishment.


    A smile as big as the one Nimue had lost appeared on Frondier''s face.


    "I told you."


    Frondier grasped thepleted object in his hand.


    A round pommel, a grip suited for both hands, a de with a concave center, a guard, and a de that emitted a golden light.


    [What, no, how¡­!]


    It was the sword meant to be pulled from a stone by a hero, the sword that the Lady of the Lake would personally hand over.


    Excalibur.


    "I came to ''find'' the sword."


    He never said he came to take it.


    * * *


    There was never an intention to draw Excalibur from the start.


    The ''real'' one isn''t mine. It''s the sword that the protagonist of this game, Aster Evans, will eventually hold in his hands.


    I wouldn''t steal the sword that''s meant to be his major weapon. That would be foolish, impossible, and unnecessary.


    After discovering Excalibur in theke, curiosity got the better of me, and I tried to grasp the sword.


    ...It truly did not budge an inch. Rather than being stuck, it felt as if it had be one with the ground at the bottom of theke.


    Moreover, the moment I touched it, I felt my mana draining and gave up. At the same time, I was certain.


    This sword, no one can draw it. Not even Aster Evans.


    It was the moment a hypothesis in my mind turned into conviction.


    Having ''witnessed'' it was enough. I used Menosorpo and checked Penelope''s cloth. Since I had consumed a Dragon heart earlier, this cloth would rece my mana until it waspletely exhausted.


    ''My uses for Menosorpo have increased.''


    It was thanks to Menosorpo that I could leap from thekebed to the surface.


    Within the range of the rune, the Weaving weapons moved freely, so I wondered if holding onto one could enable flight?


    It was a simple thought, but it turned out to be possible. The problem was, only Mj?lnir worked.


    Other weapons, even when I tried to move with them in hand, couldn¡¯t support my weight. If it was like this in water, it was hopeless onnd.


    ''Gram'' barely made my body twitch, and while Artemis''s bow and arrows did get me off the ground, I almost ran out of breath first.


    ''Its almost out.''


    The length of Penelope''s cloth tied around my hand had shortened to about the length of my forearm.


    During this time, Nimue muttered in confusion.


    "It''s impossible. That can''t be. There''s no way anyone could draw that sword! It''s impossible, for anyone..."


    Impossible. For anyone. Nimue herself said so.


    "That''s right! It''s a fake! Yes!"


    Nimue eximed, pointing directly at me.


    "...Hah."


    I couldn''t help but let out augh. A bright, whiteugh.


    From the soles of my feet to the top of my head, I epted her words. It felt as if my entire soul resonated with Nimue''s words.


    And so, I let out augh as genuine as it could ever be.


    "Yes, it''s a fake."


    I voiced a sincere word.


    I''ve never been prouder of that answer.

 Chapter 92 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    [¡­No.]


    At that moment, a gloomy voice was heard.


    That rough and muddy voice came out of Merlin''s mouth.


    [You can''t take that sword!]


    [Now, hold on, Lord Merlin!]


    Ignoring Nimue''s dissuasion, Merlin ran at me. It was a furious face.


    I got up rolling to the side and held Excalibur.


    As if losing his mind, Merlin raised all the nearby branches and shot them at me. It was a different dimension from before, and it was fierce.


    I faced Merlin, who was approaching with a ferocious momentum,"I won''t take it."


    I released the constraint of Excalibur.


    Kwadeudeudeuk!


    Merlin''s branches pierced through me and dug into the ground. Selena''s eyes next to me grew bigger.


    [Oh my...]


    Merlin was unusually flustered. He didn''t intend to kill me.


    However, I didn''t die as he thought. I didn''t have any wounds.


    "It won''t work."


    I don''t get hurt by Merlin''s branches.


    It''s because, in my eyes, Merlin''s ''dream'' is clearly visible as an illusion.


    [How, this...]


    "I can see it. What I create is also an illusion. The tree you created, the beasts, and."


    I looked at Nimue with a warning look in my eyes.


    "Even Excalibur."


    [...!]


    Nimue''s eyes widened at my words.


    [What do you mean by that?]


    Merlin asked. His voice was much lower.


    "...Lord Merlin."


    I shut my mouth for a moment. The moment I tried to tell this story, aplicated feeling filled me.


    "Who are you guarding theke for, Lord Merlin?"


    [What do you mean?]


    "The sword that lies dormant in theke, who are you guarding it for and waiting to pass it on to?"


    Merlin blinked his wrinkled eyes at me.


    With a face as if I had asked something obvious, he said to me.


    [Well, it''s for King Arthur. I am waiting for him toe.]


    ¡°What?¡±


    The one who made a sound was Selena. Merlin''s answer probably didn''t make sense to her.


    I opened my eyes after closing them.


    "Sir Merlin."


    And then I said.


    "King Arthur is dead."


    * * *


    Merlin, the great magician, sage, and prophet.


    He received a prophecy.


    That a time woulde when King Arthur would need ''the second sword''.


    When that timees, he must wait, to be able to hand over the sword.


    However, Merlin doesn''t actually know how long he can live. If Arthur were toe looking and he was already dead. If there was no one to guard theke by then.


    Therefore, Merlin engraved his ''dream'' into theke.


    Even if he were to die, to fulfill the promise.


    To be thest sword supporting the king, to guard theke.


    "The entity created from that dream is you," I told Merlin.


    The Merlin before me is a single personality installed in the ''dream'' by Merlin, the great magician of the past.


    ...In other words, an illusion. He just believes himself to be Merlin.


    [...Ha.]


    Merlin let out a hollowugh.


    [I thought I was controlling the dream, but it turns out I am an illusion myself.]


    [Merlin. Don''t believe it. It''s a trick to confuse you. That''s nonsense, isn¡¯t it? Sir Merlin, have you forgotten your promise with King Arthur?]


    Nimue quickly said.


    I approached Merlin. Throughout this time, Nimue was earnestly babbling on.


    "Would you like to test it? Try touching me."


    At this moment, I could fully perceive Merlin as nothing but an illusion.


    Anyone else might have been able to touch Merlin without issue, but not me.


    [¡­¡­.]


    Merlin moved his hand silently.


    He swiped down from above to touch the hand I had extended towards him.


    Swoosh-


    Merlin''s hand just passed through mine.


    Just like a ghost.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Everyone who witnessed this scene was at a loss for words. Even Nimue, who had been chattering away at my side, closed her mouth.


    I looked at Nimue.


    "Miss Nimue. About the sword stuck at the bottom of theke."


    Uh, Nimue looked at me and swallowed.


    "You said it yourself. ''The sword cannot be drawn. By no one.''"


    [But, of course, that excludes King Arthur©¤]


    "In an era without King Arthur, then whom are you waiting for?"


    At my counter, Nimue bit her lip. She hesitated with her trembling lips, trying to say something but then stopped. The cycle repeated.


    Selena, who had been watching, spoke up.


    "Then, does that mean the sword stuck in theke is, in the end...?"


    "A fake. Two legends got mixed up."


    Theke does exist.


    In other words, the only thing that truly exists here is theke.


    The sword that King Arthur pulled from the stone, and the sword given by the Lady of the Lake, are clearly different.


    Even though both are called ''Excalibur,'' that''s just the name they are known by.


    [¡­¡­Everyone.]


    At that moment, Merlin''s tightly shut lips opened.


    [You. Do you know everything?]


    "Well, roughly."


    [Then tell us. The truth.]

 Chapter 92 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Merlin remained calm even after hearing himself referred to as a ''fake''.


    Is he truly a great sorcerer? Even the Merlin born within him maintained a stance of wisdom and contemtion.


    I took a deep breath and began the story.


    The audience was Selena. Speaking directly to Merlin felt overwhelmingly daunting.


    "This ce might be a dream created by Merlin, but it wasn''t originally meant to grow this vast. There used to be a pristine forest here, a realm of humans."


    But as what could be called an ''era'' passes, circumstances change.


    The domain of humans shrinks, the power of monsters grows, and Merlin expands the dream to protect theke.


    "The trees and animals of this forest are all too pretty and beautiful. However, none of them exist in reality. As time goes by, even dreams change. It¡¯s a trace of ''beautification.''"


    Monsters do not enter this forest. Not so much because they cannot, but because there''s no reason to.Monsters, being living creatures that need to eat, find no sustenance here. Moreover, Merlin himself drives them away.


    "Monsters do not enter, the forest remains a forest, and all that''s left is to wait for the eventual arrival of King Arthur to solve everything. But there was one problem."


    "What was it?"


    "Merlin doesn''t have Excalibur."


    "¡­¡­!"


    In the legend of King Arthur, Merlin''s role isn''t to give Excalibur. He is apanion and advisor to King Arthur, a beacon lighting his path.


    Selena asked again.


    "So why did the Merlin of the past ''design'' this dream? If he doesn''t have Excalibur, how does he intend to hand it over?"


    "He trusted Nimue because she had Excalibur."


    Merlin, in his lifetime, trusted Nimue and designed the dream to repel others who might invade theke before King Arthur''s arrival and to select a worthy person for Excalibur in case King Arthur died.


    "But Nimue lied. ''It''s stuck at the bottom of the ck Lake. Only those who are worthy will obtain the sword.'' Something along those lines."


    [Stop it, if you don''t stop...!]


    Shick!


    I fired a spear through the air with air weaving. The spear grazed by Nimue''s side.


    "Shut up. I already know you''re the ''real'' one. Didn''t think you could fool anyone forever, did you?"


    I spoke threateningly, but of course, I had no real intention of killing Nimue. She''s a necessary witch, after all.


    "Anyway, Merlin believed that. Since Merlin, the master of the dream, believed it, a real sword was indeed born at the bottom of theke. At least within this forest, the Excalibur in theke is ''real''. Of course, it can''t be pulled out."


    "¡­But the real Excalibur is the one Nimue has."


    "That''s right. Even now."


    Nimue, having overheard our conversation, stepped back. She moved further back across theke and took a defensive stance.


    [If you n on taking Excalibur, you must not©¤]


    "I won''t take it."


    I answered curtly. Nimue made a foolish noise of surprise.


    "You saw earlier. I already obtained it."


    Saying so, I wove Excalibur once more and then immediately canceled it.


    I acted nonchnt, but I was worried about my mana.


    "Merlin cannot leave this forest. He exists only in the dream. But Nimue is different. As a fairy, she knows how the world has changed. Yet, she did not tell Merlin. She kept saying that King Arthur is still alive and wille here someday."


    Here, Merlin is merely a persona created to protect theke, thus his thought processes are not asplete as a human''s.


    Just as we do not doubt anything in a dream while we are dreaming.


    Merlin, within the dream, does not doubt anything as long as he is in the forest.


    "And then she had the monsters attack Tyburn."


    "Excuse me? Nimue did?"


    "Yes. Well, not exactly attacking Tyburn, but rather, she adjusted the timing of the monsters that were going to attack anyway."


    Whether Nimue was there or not, it was predetermined that the monsters outside would invade Tyburn.


    However, the recent incidents of small, frequent attacks hindering the restoration of the barrier, and the all-out attacks when the barrier is at its weakest, were orchestrated by Nimue.


    There''s no need for her to side with the monsters or ascend to a leadership position. By using magic to leak useful information to the monsters, the more intelligent ones outside will act ordingly.


    "Why, why would she do such a thing?"


    "Well. Because the barrier is visible from the forest."


    "Is that a problem?"


    "Then Merlin would find it strange. ''Why has the human domain restored this far, yet King Arthur cannote here?''"


    "¡­Ah."


    To prevent that, Nimue attacked Tyburn.


    To ensure that the human domain could no longer advance northward. So that the lie ''King Arthur cannote to the forest because he is overwhelmed by the monsters outside'' would be believable.


    In the game, Nimue''s actions ultimately led to the worst-case scenario, where the monsters broke through the barriers and swallowed up Tyburn.


    Of course, Nimue hadn''t intended for it to go that far, but naturally, the gamers who learned the truth were incredibly angry.


    "So, in reality, the only things that exist are theke and the Lady of the Lake, known as Nimue. Everything else was created by Merlin and built upon by Nimue''s lies."


    I concluded this and then looked at Merlin.


    "This is the truth."


    Merlin, having heard this, showed no reaction.


    However, after a moment, he lifted his aged eyes and swept the empty air with his now clearer, more transparent gaze.


    [Is that so.]


    That was all he said.


    Having lived for ages, losing both presence and meaning, Merlin remained unppably calm even after learning all the truths.


    "Let''s go, Selena."


    "Huh? Just like this?"


    "There''s nothing left for us to do here. Above all, we''re running out of time. Time flows a bit slower in the dream, but the danger remains the same."


    Even now, the barriers would be under a total assault by the monsters, sttered with blood.


    Even if Nimue ceased contact with the monsters, they wouldn''t strategize but would still swarm in the same way.


    At least this assault had to be stopped.


    I climbed onto Cassian''s back. Selena nced at Merlin and Nimue before climbing up behind me.


    "Let''s go, Cassian."


    Without hesitation, Cassian moved, and I nced back as we ran.


    The figures of Merlin and Nimue, growing distant, appeared as if frozen in a still frame.

 Chapter 93 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Albaito and @Chris Spurrill on Ko-fi!</i>


    ?After Frondier left, a mist-like wind blew in the space he vacated.


    Merlin stood with his back to Nimue.


    Nimue couldn''t see Merlin''s expression. It was unbearably unsettling.


    [...Merlin.]


    Nimue called out, but Merlin did not answer.


    He only slightly tilted his head, allowing Nimue a glimpse of his profile.


    Yet, his face remained shadowed by his hair, still hiding his expression.[Nimue. Why did you deceive me?]


    There was no inflection in Merlin''s voice. It was impossible to tell if he was angry or disappointed.


    Nimue almost said no, but then she closed her mouth. Merlin must know everything by now. The only thing to do was to speak honestly.


    [...It''s because.]


    Nimue''s sincere voice trembled with uncertainty.


    [I was afraid you would disappear.]


    [...]


    Finally, Merlin looked at Nimue.


    Nimue earnestly said,


    [I feared that without King Arthur, you would have no purpose and might leave...]


    The Merlin here is solely a guide for King Arthur.


    Without King Arthur, his reason for being vanishes.


    Merlin''s wrinkled eyes deepened further. Nimue swallowed hard. She had no idea what Merlin would say next.


    [Is that so.]


    With just those words,


    Merlin turned his back on Nimue and walked away.


    Step by step, slowly.


    Nimue watched him nkly.


    The distance between Merlin and her gradually increased. He had no intention of stopping.


    [...Mer, Merlin!]


    Nimue finally understood Merlin''s intention and called out desperately. Her lips trembled.


    But Merlin did not stop. As if he couldn''t hear Nimue''s voice, his pace remained unchanged.


    [I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Please don''t go, Merlin!]


    Despite Nimue''s fervent cries,


    Merlin walked with the same strides until hepletely vanished from sight.


    * * *


    I ran through the forest. Selena asionally looked back.


    ¡°Are you worried? About those two?¡±


    ¡°...Nimue isn¡¯t going to die, right? Because of Merlin?¡±


    Haha.


    Iughed inwardly.


    Merlin cannot kill Nimue. Well, he could, but he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.


    Swoosh-


    Then, the sound of trees rustling was heard.


    Someone appeared in front of me. It was Merlin.


    Like the first time we met, he slowly walked out from behind a tree.


    ¡®Hmm.¡¯


    Merlin had no intention of attacking me.


    I dismounted from Cassian.


    As I slowly approached Merlin, he said,


    [Mr. Frondier, may I ask you onest thing?]


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Somehow, I had a premonition about Merlin¡¯s question. As expected, he asked.


    "Why couldn''t King Arthur receive the second sword? Why couldn''t hee to theke?"


    It means Merlin is still here, and Nimue owns Excalibur.


    This signifies that King Arthur didn''t receive the second sword.


    This is where the legend of King Arthur here differs most from reality.


    "I don''t know either."


    Unfortunately, this part remains an unknown territory even for gamers.


    No matter how much one explores the game, the legend of King Arthur remains in the realm of ''history''. After all, gamers can''t travel to the past.


    "I see."


    Merlin nodded. He didn''t seem disappointed. It makes sense, as it''s unreasonable for me, living in this era, to know such things. Even knowing this much would be surprising from Merlin''s perspective.


    [What should I do?]


    This time, it was a rather difficult question. The tone mixed with a sigh sounded the most emotional among all of Merlin''s words I''ve heard.


    I asked.


    "Are you asking about Nimue?"


    [Yes.]


    "Do you resent her?"


    After hearing my question, Merlin finally lifted his head as if to check his own feelings.


    [I''m not even sure if I should. Is it right for me to resent her?]


    I''m not sure.


    Though Merlin said he didn''t know, I somehow felt that this response was very Merlin-like.


    "The only advice I can give,"


    Therefore, I conveyed words that might be of slight help to both of them.


    Though they both might already know, Merlin probably needed assurance.


    "If it wasn''t for Nimue, you would have died a long time ago."


    "¡­?"


    Selena tilted her head nearby, her expression indicating she didn''t understand.


    "You said it yourself. How could a ''human'' maintain the illusion of this world for so long?"


    [Ah, so that''s what it means.]


    Yes.


    While Merlin might have initiated the dream.


    It was the fairy Nimue''s power that has maintained it to this day.


    "Right."


    Merlin knew. Nimue had devoted all her magical power to maintain Merlin''s dream.


    To be with him. Even if it was just an ''illusion''.


    "Miss Nimue could have eliminated you at any time. Or she could have used that to threaten you. But looking at you, it seems she did not."


    As a result, I ended up defending Nimue. It was inevitable. I, too, wish for Merlin not to vanish just yet.


    "And personally, I also hope that Mr. Merlin stays here."


    "Why? Your business here should be finished."


    I can now replicate Excalibur. With that alone, I consider my purpose foring here fulfilled.


    So, my words aren''t due to my own affairs.


    "Someday, someone wille here."


    I told Merlin about ''Aster Evans''.


    "That man is far more suited for Excalibur than someone like me. He''s the right person for it."


    [Are you saying to hand over the sword to that man?]


    "You can see and decide for yourself."


    [You want me to know who he is and decide?]


    Iughed.


    "You too, will understand once you see."


    What I have is the first sword of King Arthur. Nimue now possesses the second sword.


    I was curious about how the two swords differed visually, but, even if not now, there wille a day when I cross swords with Aster.


    "Maybe you could understand."


    [Understand what?]


    Merlin suddenly spoke. What followed waspletely unexpected.


    [King Arthur once gave me this sentence.]


    He waved his hand once, and some sentence was engraved on the floor between Merlin and me.


    [I couldn''t understand it even when I saw it, so I just remembered it as an image in my mind.]


    Slowly, a line of text was engraved. As its form waspleted, I widened my eyes.


    "Can you read it?"


    "..."


    I red at the sentence with my eyes wide open, unable to afford managing my expression.


    The sentence was written in ''Ancient Language.'' I don''t know how King Arthur knew this sentence and gave it to Merlin, but it was certainly in Ancient Language.


    The surprising fact alone made my heart race, but it was the content that truly excited me.


    The sentence Merlin handed over was just one line.


    ©¤For the giant who will topple the gods.


    ...That''s what was written.

 Chapter 93 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Nimue stood still, looking in the direction Merlin had left.


    It felt like if she looked away, Merlin might never return.


    Even though standing here doesn''t guarantee Merlin''s return, still.


    Merlin waits for King Arthur by theke. She, too, waits for Merlin by thiske.


    "Ah."


    And from afar, Merlin slowly walked towards her.


    "Me, Merlin."


    "Nimue."


    Merlin looked straight at Nimue.She found it difficult to meet his direct gaze, but she managed to make eye contact somehow.


    "I''m sorry. For deceiving you, that is,"


    "Nimue. I have a question. Will you answer me honestly?"


    Merlin asked. Nimue nodded deeply.


    "I understand. I will never deceive you again."


    "Then, that''s good."


    Merlin briefly closed his mouth and looked into Nimue''s eyes. Looking into her eyes as if to delve into them.


    "Could you kill me at any moment?"


    Merlin asked that. Nimue was surprised and momentarily opened her mouth, then soon bit her lip.


    "What do you mean? I mean, I won''t lie, but still."


    "He said that my existence continues thanks to you. Then, the moment you cut off your magic, I would disappear. Isn''t that so?"


    Merlin still couldn''t grasp the depth of it. Nimue clenched her fist tightly and trembled. She resented her own mouth that had promised not to tell lies.


    "Yes."


    Nimue kept her promise.


    "The magic that originally designed these dreams by Merlin has long since been exhausted. Now, it is my magic that sustains this forest and you. I am a fairy, and theke alone is enough to supply me with magic."


    Nimue hated saying this.


    It sounded like a threat that she held Merlin''s life and death in her hands. Such threats never worked on Merlin, and Nimue did not wish for them either.


    Therefore, she had kept it hidden, but now it was futile.


    "Then, I have a request."


    "¡­What is it?"


    "I have realized my ignorance and mistakes because of this incident."


    Merlin smiled, his wrinkled eyes slightly sinking.


    "When I make the wrong choice, when I walk the wrong path."


    It was a smile of self-mockery, and also one of relief.


    "Would you kill me?"


    "¡­¡­."


    Nimue blinked nkly at those words.


    Merlin''s request for her to kill him did not truly reach her. She would never make such a choice.


    Thus, only one clear fact resonated in Nimue''s heart.


    "¡­By your side."


    "Hm?"


    "Will you stay by my side?"


    "¡­¡­."


    "Will you not leave?"


    It was as if Merlin had said just that.


    That fact alone lingered in Nimue''s mind.


    Merlin said.


    "You would have to see me make mistakes."


    He nodded.


    "Yes."


    Hearing that clear confirmation.


    Nimue hesitated, then nodded.


    "©¤©¤Okay. I will do that. When you go wrong, when you make mistakes. I will¡­"


    She did not finish her words.


    But for Nimue, that response was now a lie she would never utter again, and one she would keep until the end.


    * * *


    "©¤©¤Selena."


    Frondier called out to Selena in a cold tone.


    "What is this supposed to be?"


    A sharp needle seemed to touch the end of his throat.


    Selena red at Frondier as if she had changedpletely. The needle in her hand trembled.


    "What was that just now?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "That sentence just now, it was ''ancientnguage'', wasn''t it?"


    Selena saw it.


    Frondier''s face was clearly troubled by the sentence Merlin had shown.


    Yet, Frondier still said he "didn''t know."


    Even as they parted from Merlin and rode on Cassian again, Frondier remained silent.


    ''It''s certain.''


    Selena thought.


    She might not know how to interpret the ancientnguage, but she knows what it looks like.


    And the sentence Merlin had shown earlier was very simr to the form of the ancientnguage.


    "What was written there?"


    "I couldn''t interpret it."


    "Lies."


    The needle dug into Frondier''s throat. Blood seeped out, trickling down his neck.


    Frondier''s eyes grew cold.


    "¡­¡­Selena."


    "I was sent from Manggot because of your ability to interpret ancientnguage."


    Selena red at Frondier with gritted teeth.


    "Don''t mistake yourself for being important."

 Chapter 94 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Excali, @RainEday, @betterdays and @Nathan To on Ko-fi!</i>


    Manggot needs Frondier''s ''Ancient Language Interpretation Ability''.


    In other words, Frondier is worthless to Manggot unless he can trante the Ancient Language and convey its contents to Manggot.


    If Frondier tries to hide the contents of the Ancient Language, they would extract the information from him, even by force, if necessary.


    These were the instructions given to Selena, and the previous instructions given to Hagley.


    Show him the difference in strength. Correct Frondier''s arrogant misconception that he is in a position of superiority. When that happens, don''t show any respect or deference to Frondier.


    ''...... This man, I....''


    Selena swallowed. Selena was making the threats, but it was also Selena who was afraid.Before she knew Frondier, she had thought it would be easy. The Frondier she knew from information was, after all, just a brat.


    On the contrary, she had been waiting for that day toe quickly. The day when she could cast off the annoying honorifics and affectations and threaten Frondier.


    But now.


    Selena felt a cold sweat running down her back.


    ''Will threats work on this guy?''


    The situation was overwhelmingly in Selena''s favor, with the tip of the needle against Frondier''s neck.


    However, Frondier''snguid and apathetic eyes made her feel none of that advantage.


    "Selena, put the needle away."


    "That''s a strange demanding from someone in your situation. Don''t you see how things stand?"


    "It''s you who doesn''t understand the situation."


    That was when Selena felt Frondier''s mana manifest. There was no change in his appearance, but it was clear that he was about to do something.


    "I don''t know what you''re nning, but stop it."


    "Rather than talking, it would be faster to just stab me with that needle."


    "......"


    Selena bit her lip. As expected, clumsy threats don''t work on this guy.


    The reason Selena preferred needles was not only because they suited her skills, but also because they were more effective for intimidation than swords or magic.


    Threats work better when they are easy to imagine.


    Just as it''s easier to imagine the pain of a knife piercing the heart than a bullet prating the head,


    So too is it simpler to envisage the agony of a needle burrowing under a fingernail than a knife stabbing the heart.


    ¡®I can''t kill this man.¡¯


    But a threat that doesn''t carry through is no threat at all. An ordinary person would be shaking in their boots, spilling secrets they didn''t know they had, but Frondier knows his worth.


    To suggest that Frondier''s mouth must be opened through threats and torture implies, conversely, that he must not be killed.


    The only reason Frondier''s life is at risk now is because of the surprise attack.


    To torture, one must first restrain, and Selena doubted she could overpower and capture Frondier in a head-on fight.


    "Still..."


    Still, it must be done. Just as Frondier holds no value if he does not speak, so too is she worthless if she cannot make him talk.


    It''s uncertain how long this standoff willst, but from here on, it''s a battle of patience.


    However,


    "Fine, Selena."


    "What''s fine about it? I will never,"


    "I''ll tell you. What was written."


    Frondier said something unexpected.


    "I know my life is precious too, and it seems I might actually die this way."


    With that, Frondier raised his hands as if surrendering.


    Selena closed her mouth tightly. Could it be true? Was the content of the ancientnguage nothing special after all? Then why hide it in the first ce?


    Amidst the confusion swirling in Selena''s head, Frondier spoke.


    "The ancientnguage read as follows..."


    Selena waited in silence for Frondier''s next words.


    "Selena, that''s your name."


    "...?"


    "It''s the name your parents gave you."


    At first, Selena didn''t understand what he was talking about.


    But soon she grasped its meaning, and her eyes zed.


    "How dare you spout such nonsense!"


    "Does it sound that way? Your parents raised you withoutcking anything. It was only natural. They were nobles, after all,"


    With a re of anger, Selena grabbed Frondier by the cor and threw her to the ground with all her strength.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t show yourself right now¡­!¡±


    ¡°Selena, your parents were nobles. Your family name is ¡®Barnier.¡¯ Since you lived in the west, there should be ¡®de¡¯ attached to it. Your name is ¡®Selena de Barnier.¡¯ Does that name ring a bell?¡±


    Nonsense.


    She dismissed it as such. Or at least she tried to convince herself of that.


    Selena¡¯s hands trembled violently.


    Barnier.


    It was the same when Frondier gave her the name ¡®Selena¡¯ for the first time. She felt a strange sense of difort. The way the name ¡®Selena¡¯ was pronounced felt light, but it resonated deeply within her.


    And now again.


    Selena de Barnier.


    Her intuition¡ªno, her soul¡ªcried out as if to warn her against dismissing it as mere nonsense. It felt like a huge case of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    ¡°¡­This is it.¡±


    Frondier continued, ignoring Selena¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°These are the words I deciphered from the ancientnguage.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Selena understood Frondier¡¯s intentions. Of course, this wasn¡¯t a sentence deciphered from the ancientnguage. At this point, that didn¡¯t matter to Selena anymore.


    ¡°If you doubt me, go to Manggot and ask them about these words. Ask them if it¡¯s true.¡±

 Chapter 94 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena¡¯sbat skills were truly excellent.


    I was thrown to the ground in an instant. I didn¡¯t have any intention of resisting, but even if I did, it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference.


    After I spoke, however, Selena froze. She kept breathing heavily and trembling, unable to do anything else.


    Swish¡ª


    I lightly pushed Selena off me. If I hadn¡¯t, she would¡¯ve likely kept trembling like that for hours.


    Even as I got up, brushed the dust off my clothes, and tidied myself up, Selena remained on the ground, her eyes darting around.


    It seemed like she was thinking hard, but it wasn¡¯t as if her lost memories would return.


    ¡®But judging from her expression, it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯spletely forgotten about it.¡¯


    Everything I said was true, as I saw it through ''analysis.'' As I had intuited before, a significant amount of mana was needed. Fortunately, it had been amplified by the Dragon Heart.There was, however, something I had kept hidden. Thest line of Selena''s analysis that I saw. That, I did not speak of.


    ©¤Selena''s father was murdered by ''Manggot.''


    That single line.


    I couldn''t bring myself to say even this much. It would have surely cost me her trust. Moreover, I couldn''t predict what Selena might do upon hearing it.


    I saw Selena still sitting despondently as I climbed onto Cassian.


    "Let''s go. We''ve wasted too much time. I can''t just overlook the fact that you threatened me with a weapon, but this is not the ce for your punishment."


    "¡­Yes."


    Selena nodded obediently and climbed on behind me.


    Cassian charged through the forest again, and I was lost in thought.


    What to do with Selena was a problem forter. Right now, something more serious filled my mind.


    ©¤For the giant that will topple the gods.


    I recalled the ancient sentence Merlin had shown me.


    In the world of Etius, ''giants'' refer to beings of ancient times.


    Like the ''Titans'' of Greek mythology, or the ''Jotunn'' of Norse mythology.


    Not all giants were necessarilyrge in stature; in fact, ''size'' was deemed insignificant to the beings of ancient times.


    ......The problem is, giants were beings that threatened the gods, in simple terms, the gods'' archenemies.


    And yet, the sentence King Arthur had passed to Merlin.


    ''¡­Maybe.''


    I might have misunderstood something about this world.


    Even though I had delved deeply into the game Etius.


    From the very beginning, perhaps I was mistaken about something.


    * * *


    The forces at the barrier were experiencing hell.


    They had thought we were already at the bottom of hell, but they weren''t.


    Without Frondier, they were truly floundering in the jaws of hell.


    "Aaaah!!!"


    Amidst the chaos of monsters, in an instant, therade beside her was snatched up and thrown into the sky.


    A creature resembling a pterosaur had pierced the soldier''s shoulder with its ws and soared high into the sky.


    From high above, the soldier was dropped by the monster and fell mercilessly, and the survivors were left listening to the soldier''s fading screams.


    "Damn it...."


    Sanders cursed as he watched the chaotic battlefield. Even so, he kept checking the barrier.


    ...The barrier had yet to fall.


    "Sanders! Focus on the front! You''ll know when the barrier breaks, whether you like it or not!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Ludwig urged Sanders on.


    The master, Ludwig, decided he could no longer hold back and entered the battlefield himself.


    He held a long staff, and with each swing, lightning shot out, cleaving the monsters left and right.


    The destructive power was significant, but it was not enough to handle the sheer number of monsters swarming them.


    Furthermore, there were monsters among those outside who could withstand even that lightning.


    "Ugh... I guess I''m... getting old..."


    Ludwig wiped at the corner of his mouth. Thinking it was saliva, he realized it was blood when he looked closer. He hadn''t thought he was pushing himself, but his body was honest.


    Rumble!


    The barrier shook as if struck by an earthquake. Ludwig, standing on top, staggered and stumbled.


    A giant monster was pounding against the barrier in front of him. An ogre. The massive creature was ramming its head against the barrier. Veins bulged on Ludwig''s forehead.


    "A big, dumb brute, through and through..."


    Ludwig''s hand moved to his staff. Sparks flew from Ludwig''s eyes and fingertips.


    Crackle! Lightning streaked forth in a violent trajectory, piercing the ogre''s head. As luck would have it, the creature''s body slowly began to lean against the barrier.


    "Oh, no,"


    Through the weakened section of the barrier, the ogre''s body forced its way through. The already cracked barrier developed fractures.


    Just as it was about to shatterpletely.


    <i>Ice-type Magic, Form 3</i>


    <i>Instant, Range, Amplification</i>


    <i>cier Mist</i>


    With a resounding thud, the ogre froze solid, its hulking form reinforcing the crumbling barriers.


    "It''s rather fortunate. The wall has thickened."


    The speaker was Aten.


    Ludwig acknowledged this with a predatory grin. ''The little princess is bluffing¡­'' he muttered under his breath.


    "Creak¡­ creak¡­"


    Meanwhile, behind the barriers, Sybil grit her teeth and swallowed a ragged breath. Her eyes were bloodshot and her beautiful face was a mess, her hair matted with sweat and blood.


    "¡­Sybil."


    "Ah, ah. I''m fine. Perfectly fine. Nothing''s wrong. So please stop calling out to me. It''s hard to answer."


    Sybil responded nonchntly to Aten''s worried tone.


    Aten would erect the barriers, and Sybil would infuse them with mana.


    Originally, they had intended to alternate between building the barriers and imbuing them with mana, but that was no longer possible.


    Some of the barriers had already been breached, and Aten had filled the gaps with ice.


    The number of times the monsters had broken through even those icy walls was now countless.


    Aten had to rebuild the ice barriers each time, leaving Sybil solely responsible for infusing them with mana.


    Not knowing when the barriers would copse, Aten couldn''t waste her magic power recklessly.


    ''Sybil''s at her limit.''


    No, Sybil wasn''t merely at her limit; she was already beyond it.


    Aten couldn''t help but marvel at how she, a non-mage, had endured this long.


    "Frondier¡­ if hees, for real¡­ He¡¯s dead meat."


    Sybil muttered, her face pale as if she would die any moment, yet her eyes still burned with determination.


    Aten asked, "Do you still believe it too, Sybil?"


    "¡­Huh?"


    "That Frondier wille, do you still believe it?"


    At Aten''s question, Sybil paused as if to catch her breath.


    Then, as if to say, ''Why are you asking that?'' she replied,


    "Of course. You do too, don''t you?"

 Chapter 95 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sybil remembers.


    She remembers the insane man who handed her a bow and arrows and told her to shoot at him.


    She remembers the man who pushed her forward, trusting in her fate, as if he knew her better than she knew herself.


    "I still don''t know much about him."


    Sybil clenched her teeth. Those green eyes were brightly shining. Literally, Sybil''s pupils sparkled like stars, filled with magical power.


    Aten''s eyes widened greatly at the sight.


    "...A spell..."


    <i>Basic Magic Form 1</i>


    <i>Instantaneous</i><i>Mana Imbuement</i>


    With a whoosh, Sybil''s mana surged in an instant. She quickly restored the ice wall Aten had created.


    "Heck, I can finally take a breath."


    In a sh, she filled the gaps in the barrier and Sybil gasped for breath.


    Aten couldn''t believe what she saw and looked again.


    "...She used a spell she hadn''t learned, even while using mana."


    Adding just one form was a simple act, but Aten, being a magician, knew how unbelievable that was.


    "Right, where were we? Oh yes! I still don''t know much about him!"


    Sybil forced herself to cheer up and ced her hands on her hips.


    "But! He''s not the type to run away because he''s afraid of dying!"


    Sybil''s voice was assertive.


    Aten turned his white eyes towards Sybil, then looked beyond the barrier.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Aten nodded. Having witnessed Frondier''s moments up to his near death, she could only deeply agree.


    "Well, we can''t see Frondiering back from here anyway. We can only hear the news from the knights above the barrier."


    Sybil said with a snort, and Aten gave a bitter smile.


    "Right...?"


    As Aten agreed, her gaze slowly drifted to the distance.


    Just as Sybil said, Frondier couldn''t be seen from here. Frondier had headed somewhere beyond the barrier, and this ce was inside the barrier.


    Frondier, riding on Cassian, couldn''t possibly be seen due to the barrier.


    ...But then, what is that?


    "What''s that, Aten? What are you looking at-"


    Following Aten''s gaze, Sybil also stopped talking.


    Their first impression upon witnessing it was, well, a bit sore in the throat. Their gaze was directed upwards, after all.


    Something was rapidly approaching from the far sky, higher than the barrier.


    It strikingly resembled Frondier, but they couldn''t shout out that it was Frondier.


    If that really was Frondier.


    Because it was flying in the sky.


    "Hey, that..."


    Several soldiers also spotted it. Their expressions were simr to Aten''s and Sybil''s.


    Something that looked like Frondier was flying through the sky, holding a hammer in one hand.


    Instead of feeling joy or delight, they looked at it with a grimace, as if they had seen a strange creature.


    The strange creature was holding something like a sword in its free hand, not holding the hammer.


    "...What is that?"


    Thest voice was Ludwig''s.


    Something like Frondier, holding something like a hammer in one hand and something like a sword in the other,


    Struck down from the sky towards the ground.


    * * *


    As I emerged from the forest, I spoke when the barrier came into view.


    "Selena."


    "Yes."


    "You wanted to drive. Cassian."


    "Ah, yes?"


    "From now on, you hold the reins. Head towards Tyburn like this."


    After saying that, I slowly opened my mouth, gauging the distance.


    "...Menosorpo."


    I scanned the range of Menosorpo with my eyes. This should reach up to the barrier.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    I gripped Mj?lnir in my hand and stretched it forward.


    "Wait, just a moment, eek-!"


    Selena said something from behind, but it was already toote.


    I, holding Mj?lnir, steered, and literally soared into the sky.


    With Mj?lnir in hand, I piloted it and soared into the sky.


    Operating thebined form of Mj?lnir and Menosorpo. I wondered if it only worked underwater, but fortunately, Mj?lnir supported my weight even above ground.


    I flew straight to the barrier. The sound of the wind blew past my ears, and the weight of the wind passed over my face and shoulders. The first flight was quite an unusual sensation.


    ''...Alright. The barrier hasn''t copsed yet.''


    I momentarily felt dizzy at the sheer number of monsters, but I was relieved to see that the barrier was intact.


    Aten and Sybil must have put in a lot of effort. The knights, soldiers, and prisoners as well.


    A ''total offensive'' meant that most of the monsters in the vicinity were swarming the barrier. In particr, it is likely that powerful monsters are ahead to break through the barrier.


    Perhaps the Ludwig Urfa can deal with the lesser ones, but the numbers are overwhelming.


    In other words, if the densely packed powerful monsters could be wiped out at once, the barrier could be defended. It wasn''t necessary to kill them all.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Excalibur</i>


    At that time, I wove Excalibur in my opposite hand that did not hold Mj?lnir,


    I had used almost all of Penelope''s cloth. Now, the cloth was reduced to the size of a handkerchief.


    I held the cloth in my mouth and gripped Excalibur.


    [Excalibur ?Alpha]


    ?Rank: Legendary


    ?Exnation: The legendary sword used by King Arthur. It is famous for the legend that it was stuck in a rock and no one could pull it out, but King Arthur pulled it out in one breath. This is because the sword chose Arthur rather than Arthur pulling out the sword. It is the closest to divinity among the weapons possessed by heroes.


    Detailed Ability >


    - Legacy of the Sword: Excalibur absorbs the mana and life force of its wielder and selects a suitable master. The absorbed mana and life force be the power of Excalibur.


    Excalibur''s ability is simple.


    The stronger the wielder''s magic power, the stronger it bes.


    It truly is a weapon befitting the strong.


    ''So where.''


    What if I imbued all of this ''handkerchief''-sized Penelope''s cloth?


    I infused all of my magical power into Excalibur, which I held in my hands. The handkerchief-sized cloth Penelope was holding in my mouth disappeared, and shortly after confirming that it hadpletely vanished, I shot Excalibur towards the ground.


    ©¤And the moment I threw it, I felt it.


    This wasn¡¯t an urate and precise attack like a ¡®Fireworks¡¯ at all. It was just a pure sense of destruction and annihtion that swept over my entire body like a wave of air.


    Excalibur that had swallowed up Penelope¡¯s cloth, even though it had be the size of my palm.


    The de leaving my hand did not cut through the air as it fell to the ground, but instead tore it apart.


    ¡®Oh, this is.¡¯


    Things were bigger than I thought.


    Whoosh, the moment Excalibur touched the ground, it devoured all the air.


    And.


    KWA-WOOOOOOOOOOOM!

 Chapter 95 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A storm surged. There was no grand principle to it. The release of mana that Excalibur was holding just turned the surrounding area upside down.


    The body that had been falling through the air floated back up. A sh of light burst forth,rge enough to illuminate thend beyond.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ G, Guh¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯te to my senses because of the gale blowing from the sword I threw. I was tossed and turned in midair.


    And after that.


    I looked down at the ground I could see after all the storms had swept through the area.


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but call it a catastrophe.


    Starting from the point I had shot it from, a crater like one a dragon had bitten into the earth was carved out, and not even a drop of blood could be seen on the surrounding area from any monster corpses.Far away from that radius, just enough to turn my head while standing on this high ground, I could see something that looked like parts of a monster¡¯s body, and even further out there were monsters that had lost a limb and monsters that had been split in half and died.


    ¡®T, the barrier!¡¯


    I suddenly realized and turned my gaze to the barrier.


    ©¤©¤The barrier was intact. No, there was some damage. The outer surface of the wall hit by the storm was scratched like it had been wed at.


    I had shot it from a distance, expecting the might of Excalibur, and it was still like this. It wasn¡¯t much damage though.


    "Alright, as long as Ind safely."


    Falling from a high altitude, I spread my hands. I nned to create shields tond on, just as I had done before. I would make several and descend like steps to minimize the impact of the fall.


    ...But why won''t it Weaving?


    I stared nkly at my hands as nothing appeared.


    ...Hmm.


    I''ve used up all my mana.


    "Excalibur swallowed up not only Penelope''s fabric but all the mana inside me as well."


    I hadn''t expected that. It was my first time using it.


    What to do? I could probably manage a few Weavings if I pushed myself, but then I''d just faint from mana depletion again.


    And a couple of Weavings wouldn''t be nearly enough to reach the ground from here...


    "...Oh."


    This is really bad.


    I looked around without thinking.


    I checked the people on the barrier. My gaze fell on Ludwig, who was the highest up.


    Just then, he was also looking at me. He was looking at me as if I were some kind of strange creature, but that wasn''t what was important.


    I smiled at Ludwig. It was a sign of camaraderie. And then I mouthed the words to him.


    -Help me.


    Responding to my words, Ludwig''s mouth moved.


    -Are you insane?


    * * *


    Frondier was held in the air by Ludwig''s magic. He floated over, like a towel hanging on a clothesline.


    "Ah, thank you. I owe you my life."


    That was the first thing Frondier said as he touched down on the barrier and stood properly.


    Ludwig had a lot he wanted to say but held back for the moment. There was a more pressing question.


    "So, what now?"


    "Huh?"


    "It''s good you made it back, but what are we going to do now? It''s great that you sted those monsters away with, what was it, a bombing? But thanks to that, the barrier here is in jeopardy. It''s not a matter of left or right anymore. What will we do if the monsterse again? Are you going tounch another bombing?"


    Bombing, bombing, huh.


    Frondier quite liked the sound of that. Fireworks followed by bombing, huh. I''ll have to call it that from now on.


    "Of course not. There''s a reason I went beyond the barrier."


    ¡°Going outside, huh¡­ You mean you''re the one that brought that bombardment?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that was just a side effect.¡±


    A side effect?


    Not only did he wipe out the Outside monster¡¯s entire army, he even razed the surrounding area, and that was just a side effect?


    ¡°This is the real thing.¡±


    Saying so, Frondier ced his hand on the barrier. Mana surged from his body.


    ¡­ Mana?


    ¡°No, wait a minute.¡±


    Ludwig realized something and tried to stop Frondier, but he was toote.


    The portion that Frondier¡¯s hand touched began to change.


    The scratches disappeared, and the cracks were filled in. The faded color of the weathered wall regained its vibrancy.


    ¡°¡­ What, this.¡±


    The changes gradually spread from the spot where Frondier had ced his hand. It expanded more and more, eventually catching the attention of the others.


    Scattered stones reassembled themselves. Copsed pirs rose back up.


    The barrier was returning to its former glory, as if it had just been built. The sight was the very picture of ¡®restoration.¡¯


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Someone gasped, and it rippled through the crowd.


    A sight more akin to a miracle than magic. Some people even sank to the ground and gaped.


    ¡°Y-you, your true identity is really,¡±


    Ludwig was about to speak, unable to contain his awe at the sight.


    ¡°¡­ Ah.¡±


    Frondier muttered.


    ¡°Am I an idiot?¡±


    Thud.


    And then Frondier copsed. The restoration stopped.


    Wh-what happened? Ludwig rushed over to check on Frondier.


    ¡°¡­ Mana depletion, huh? That''s why I tried to stop you.¡±


    Frondier, who had barely managed to use magic to catch himself from falling out of the sky, had used up all his mana.


    There was no way he could perform grand magic like ¡®Restoration¡¯ now.


    ¡°You really are an idiot, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ludwig¡¯s admiration hadpletely vanished.

 Chapter 96 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Chris Spurrill and @Dragons33 on Ko-fi!</i>


    Night fell, and Selena returned to Manggot.


    She was prepared to be disciplined for threatening Frondier with a weapon, but there was none.


    Apparently, Frondier had fainted upon reaching the barrier.


    Thanks to that, Selena was able to get through the day without incident.


    "Jei."


    "Lord Hagley."


    Selena turned around at the voice that came from behind her and bowed her head."Any progress?"


    "¡­¡­Frondier crossed the barrier. He brought me with him. I think I''ve earned at least some of his trust."


    ¡­¡­I suppose so.


    I spoke the truth without any lies, but would Frondier really think so?


    What does he think of me? Or, did he ever trust me in the first ce?


    ¡­¡­No. Same goes for me.


    Do I trust Frondier?


    "Frondier crossed the barrier. Jei, give me a detailed report."


    "¡­¡­Yes."


    Selena recounted her trip to theke to Hagley as best as she could remember.


    The Sacred Forest, theke, and even Excalibur.


    "He obtained Excalibur? Frondier?"


    "No, well, not quite¡­¡­"


    Selena didn''t know how to describe the sight. But she decided to start talking anyway.


    "Excalibur was in theke, and Frondier went into theke and came out a whileter. He was empty-handed at the time."


    "So he didn''t obtain it."


    "¡­¡­But then, out of nowhere, there was a sword."


    "¡­¡­A sword appeared? Out of thin air?"


    "Yes."


    Hagley stroked his chin. It was hard to believe.


    "The sword looked exactly like Excalibur¡­¡­ No, I guess there''s no way to know that."


    "¡­¡­Yes. I''ve never seen the real thing."


    "In that case, it''s very likely a fake. Excalibur is a famous sword that chooses its own master. There''s no way Frondier would have it."


    Fake.


    For some reason, Selena tensed up at that word.


    That''s what Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, had said too. When she saw the sword Frondier had created. ''That''s a fake!''


    How did Frondier react back then?


    He smiled so brightly and nodded his head as if he deeply agreed with her.


    -Yes. It''s a fake.


    Wasn''t that how he responded?


    Does the word ''fake'' hold any significance now?


    ''And besides.''


    On top of that, even though Frondier was the first to fly off (which was also surprising), Selena hadn¡¯t had a chance to see it.


    By the time she arrived in front of the rampart, the battlefield was already in shambles.


    There were craters like those left by fallen meteors, and the outside was covered with the carcasses of monsters.


    This was how it was on the periphery; in the center, there wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood, let alone the corpses of monsters.


    Who did this?


    It¡¯s too much to say that Frondier did this, and if it wasn¡¯t him, it bes even more iprehensible.


    ¡°Jei, I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    At Hagley¡¯s words, Selena raised her head abruptly.


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering how the monsters in front of Tyburn¡¯s rampart were annihted. It¡¯s already spread this far. You¡¯re thinking about how this happened, right?¡±


    ¡°S, sorry. Since I didn¡¯t see the scene at that time.¡±


    Selena answered, breaking out in a cold sweat.


    As expected, Manggot¡¯s intelligence capabilities are great. This incident in the north had happened less than a day ago.


    Not only that, but even Hagley himself saw through her thoughts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Manggot has already determined that it was the work of ¡®Ludwig von Urfa¡¯ based on the circumstances. He¡¯s the only one capable of doing something like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°He may have retired from the front lines due to his decline, but Ludwig was once a great magician worthy of being in the ¡®Zodiac.¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t for his injuries, he would have been shoulder-to-shoulder with ¡®Zodiac Heldre.¡¯¡±


    So, he still isn¡¯tpletely useless. Hagley seemed convinced as he said this.


    ¡®¡­So Ludwig was the one who caused the annihtion.¡¯


    Yeah, that sounds about right. There¡¯s no way it was Frondier. My heart feels a little lighter thinking that.


    ¡°Is this the end of the report?¡±


    When Hagley asked, Selena nodded deeply, saying, ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯


    ¡­There was something she hadn¡¯t said.


    Not only about the huge annihtion in front of the rampart.


    She couldn¡¯t report about the ancientnguage. Perhaps, for Manggot, that was the number one reason for Selena being by his side, something more important than anything else.


    - Your name is Selena de Barnier.


    - If you doubt it, go to Manggot and say this. Whether it¡¯s true or not.


    Frondier¡¯s words lingered in her mind.


    How does he know it? My mother, father, and my full name.


    ¡®No, what are you talking about? It must be a lie. He just blurted out anything to get out of that situation. It has to be.¡¯


    ...But then, why.


    Why haven''t I told Hagley about this yet?


    If it''s true. If I could find out where I was born.


    If I could meet my mom and dad.


    ''Then Manggot.''


    Would they really let me meet them?


    Would they easily send me, who was raised to be an assassin, to a noble family.


    ...Will the outcast group Manggot really do that?

 Chapter 96 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When I opened my eyes, it was morning.


    I woke up because my mouth and face felt incredibly stuffy.


    Something was ced over my face. No, something was stuffed in my mouth.


    "What is this......"


    When I opened my mouth to inspect, it was a cloth. A wide and long cloth. I quietly observed its very familiar shape.


    "...Ah, Fabric of Penelope."


    Come to think of it, it was thest thing in my mouth before I disappeared. It seems it covered my face as I underwent shape regression.


    "Ugh."


    I got up.Looking around, I was in a guest room where I had been staying.


    Yesterday, I fainted while attempting ''restoration''. It ranks among the top five foolish things I''ve done sinceing here.


    [You have sessfully weaved a new ''legendary'' grade fabric.]


    [The level of your unique skill ''Weaving'' has increased.]


    [The ''Restoration'' feature has been unlocked.]


    [Restoration: Returns the object to its state before it was damaged. However, the original material or a substitute material is required. The amount of mana consumed varies depending on the size, grade, and degree of damage to the object.]


    I saw this message when I escaped the forest.


    The ''Restoration'' feature, previously locked in weaving.


    Judging by the description alone, it seems simr to the ''Reversion'' that Aten had previously implemented.


    However, Reversion is limited to ''living beings'', and the mana itself transforms into matter, which is close to a miracle.


    Therefore, even for Aten, there is a failure rate. At that time, the fact that she was converting the mana I consumed back into my blood and flesh meant that the sess rate was somewhat high, even though it was her first attempt.


    In other words, true ''Reversion'' means that even Aten''s own mana can heal the physical deficiencies of others. It''s not without reason that she''s an essential character in the protagonist''s party.


    ''On the other hand, Restoration feels like a rewind with a time limit.''


    Restoration returns the object to its state before damage. However, the original material must be present.


    For example, if the arm of the statue is broken, the arm must still be there. Those that are excessively weathered, worn out, or have a changed material status cannot be restored.


    My restoration of the barrier was canceled halfway, but even if I had finished it at the time, the barrier would not have been restored to its original state when it was created.


    It must have been worn out somewhere, and there would still be cracks in the corners. It''s okay if it just turns into pieces over time, but if it turns into dust, scatters, and turns into mana, it can''t be turned back.


    "But I still need to restore it."


    I turned my gaze to the window.


    ©¤Outside seemed peaceful.


    Of course, monsters won''t just start gathering again after doing something like that in front of the barrier. There probably aren''t that many of them in the first ce. I was a bit worried, but it seems like it''s not toote to restore the barrier.


    ¡­¡­But.


    "Selena."


    "Yes."


    I called out to Selena, who had been still in front of me.


    Selena was sitting upright. I''m not sure if it''s seiza* or if she''s just kneeling. Her posture was perfect, but she''s been trembling since earlier. [T/N: Seiza - Wikipedia]


    Obviously, she''s never sat in seiza before.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Um, I''m taking a break.


    "Anyone can see that you''re in pain and trembling."


    "No. It''s a veryfortable position."


    Hmm.


    I got up and approached Selena. Then I grabbed both of her shoulders and pressed them down.


    "¡­¡­!"


    "I''m d it''s afortable position. Then I have something to talk about from now on."


    "Ah, well, if you could let go of my shoulders¡­¡­"


    "What? It''s an important story. If I hold your shoulders like this and talk, you''ll listen better."


    "That''s not true. I''m listening carefully."


    "What are you talking about? Even now, you''re closing your eyes tightly and turning your head away from me."


    "It''s not because I''m not listening."


    Selena''s face was twitching. Even so, she was still maintaining her seiza posture.


    It''s fun, but let''s stop now.


    "Okay. I''ll talk, so stand up and listen. It''s ufortable to look down."


    "Oh, thank you. Ah, no, I understand."


    Selena stood up unsteadily. Her legs must have been numb, so it wasn''t very graceful when she stood up.


    Selena should be used to torture, but she''s acting like this just from kneeling. How many hours has she been sitting like that?


    "By the way, why are you doing seiza when it doesn''t suit you?"


    "I''ve heard it helps to organize your thoughts when you have a lot on your mind. It definitely seems to help. Sitting like this for about five hours, I can''t think of anything else."


    ...No, that''s just because it hurts. It''s a posture meant for meditation.


    Anyway, five hours, huh. I looked at my smartwatch.


    It was 11 AM. Had she been here since 6 AM, doing this?


    "So, what were you going to talk about?"


    "About your punishment."


    I spoke inly, but I could see Selena''s expression harden.


    Hmm. It seems like she''s appropriately scared of me. Or maybe that''s an act too.


    "You threatened me with a weapon to my throat. If we were to go by the book, I could kill you here and ''Manggot'' wouldn''t utter a word. ''Ancientnguage'' is nothing more than your own fantasy."


    "..."


    Selena bowed her head.


    "''Manggot'' wants not me, but my ''ancientnguage interpretation skills.'' Those were your own words. But do you really think your value exceeds that of my ancientnguage interpretation skills? Is your life that valuable to ''Manggot''?"


    "¡­No."


    Selena quietly shook her head. I looked at her face.


    ...I can''t read Selena''s expression. She''s an assassin trained by ''Manggot''. She must be a great actor too.


    Perhaps Empress Philly could see through Selena, but Ick the talent and skill to read others.


    During the past few days spent together, I felt like I got to know her character a bit.


    Her expressions and tone when she''s being pretentious, her demeanor when she''s protecting me, her tone after dropping the act, her face when she''s imagining being tortured and crying, all of it remains in my mind.


    However.


    If she''s an assassin from ''Manggot'', all of that could be an act.


    After all, ''Manggot'' and I are in a rtionship of mutual exploitation. Of course, ''Manggot'' might believe I''m just swaggering around, thinking I''m in control, but there''s no one more scared of ''Manggot'' than me.


    "Selena."


    That''s why I''ve decided.


    "Moderate your reports about me to ''Manggot''."


    I''ll make Selena my ally.


    "That''s your punishment."


    Selena won''t be able to refuse this.


    Because I''ll make sure of it.

 Chapter 97 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Guys, we now have a discord server! Join us fortest updates and discussions.</i>


    ?Selena furrowed her brows as if she couldn''tprehend my words.


    She opened her mouth slowly, choosing her words carefully.


    "Do you mean to say, to do it, moderately?"


    "Exactly that. Report if it''s something worth reporting, and if not, don''t."


    At my words, Selena''s eyes widened. Anger surged in her gaze.


    "Are you asking me to betray the Mangott?"


    "That''s for you to decide."It was a brazen statement. Selena shot me a look filled with fury.


    I received her gaze in silence.


    Selena sharply retorted.


    "Do you think I would follow such an order? You might as well kill me."


    "Why would I kill you? It would only dirty my hands. If you refuse my offer, go to the Mangott and tell them ''Send someone better.''"


    "..."


    This was my ''punishment'' for Selena. It wasn''t about whether she would follow it or not. If she didn''t, she would simply be ''reced.''


    However, Selena hadn''t spoken yet. I could see the traces of her dilemma.


    "How would you know whether I''ll hide the report or disclose everything to Lord Frondier?"


    Selena didn''t refuse. Instead, she asked.


    Doubts had already started to entwine in her mind.


    "I don''t know."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Time may reveal it. But even that doesn''t concern me."


    Selena tilted her head, probably wondering how it could be a punishment if I didn''t know.


    "Selena. Do you remember what I said?"


    "What exactly?"


    "Your name."


    Selena closed her mouth.


    I asked again.


    "Have you checked with the Mangott?"


    This time, Selena didn''t answer, looking at me somewhat indignantly.


    Perhaps she was displeased at the thought of being manipted by me. However, there''s an undeniable fact.


    "You couldn''t have. Because you can''t trust the Mangott."


    Selena is a noblewoman, of the family ¡®Barnier¡¯. The exiled group, Manggot, won¡¯t let Selena near the family home.


    But, in the first ce, it was Manggot who killed Selena¡¯s father, so that¡¯s even more of a reason.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t tell her that they killed her father, so Selena wouldn¡¯t know, but even then, she should know that Manggot wouldn¡¯t release her.


    That is, Selena has no way of knowing, right now, whether what I¡¯m saying is false or true.


    I plodded over to the bed and sat on the very edge.


    ¡°Selena, you have to choose.¡±


    I sped my hands together. I pressed the tips of my fingers from both hands together.


    I heard somewhere that you can make the other person trust you if you do this. But I¡¯m not sure if it actually works.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry into whether you actually send the report or not. Eventually, I¡¯ll find out, even if you don¡¯t want to. But you will miss the only andst chance you have.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­A chance, you say?¡±


    ¡°A chance to find out who you are.¡±


    Selena flinched. She wasn¡¯t just surprised. It¡¯s the words she had been desperately avoiding, heard out loud.


    ¡°If you stay loyal to Manggot, you¡¯ll be safe, at least for the time being. You¡¯ll be able to finish your life out inside Manggot without problems. But,¡±


    I looked at Selena. Her pupils were already shaking uncontrobly.


    ¡°If you, Selena, help me, I¡¯ll stake my name on bringing you to your family. So that your life can return to its original orbit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What could you possibly,¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? My name is ¡®Frondier De Roach.¡±


    It sounds grand, but really, what¡¯s so difficult about bringing one child to her family?


    It¡¯s just that Selena happened to be in Manggot, which is why this simple matter is bing soplicated.


    ¡­¡­More than anything else.


    Manggot¡¯s method of killing the father and then using the daughter as their ¡®piece¡¯ doesn¡¯t sit well with me.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Even after I said all of this, Selena didn¡¯t open her mouth. Of course she wouldn¡¯t. Toe over to my side, or to abandon me. It¡¯s too much pressure to make a choice right away.


    ¡°¡­¡­either way, nothing will change. You''ll make reports like you always have, and I don''t know what you''ll report. I''ll take the silence as a yes.¡±


    ¡°A yes? But I didn''t answer.¡±


    ¡°I''ll take it as that. I won''t hold you responsible.¡±


    I made sure that Selena had a good way to get out of it.


    ¡°So, as amemoration for you being on my side, I have one question.¡±


    I''m proud of my audacity. Don''t you think I''m almost an artist at this point?


    "How far have you reported to Manggot? Try to answer with an appropriate lie." I asked Selena, who couldn''t even say anything but dart her eyes around.


    * * *


    I headed to the inn where Aten and Sybil were staying.


    I wanted to thank them for joining forces to block the barrier, and especially Sybil for lending me Cassian.


    I quickly found them. They were in front of the entrance of the mansion.


    But their expressions were not ordinary. As soon as they spotted me, their faces hardened.


    Then they trudged towards me.


    ¡°¡­¡­uh, hi. I came to say thank you¡­¡­¡±


    They just stared at me without any reaction, as if they were listening to me. No, maybe ring is a better word.


    Sybil nced at Aten, and Aten nodded and put her hand on my shoulder.


    Paat!


    Aten''s hand on my shoulder lit up.


    This light, this feeling, it''s familiar.


    ''Ah, it''s a healer''s ''Mana Care''.¡±


    A skill that allows one to check the condition of another person''s body by infusing their own mana. I heard that Aten also used this when I copsed after fighting Renzo.


    Has Aten already be capable of using Mana Care freely?


    ¡°¡­¡­Hm.¡±


    Aten seemed to have checked and then nodded at Sybil.


    ¡°It doesn''t look like you''re hurt anywhere.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤sigh.¡±


    Sybil let out a deep breath after hearing Aten''s answer. It was a sigh of relief.


    ¡­¡­I see. She was worried. I didn''t get a chance to tell her when we left the barrier. I was too careless.


    ¡°Um, sorry. I wasn''t trying to hide it,¡±


    "You bad kid©¤©¤©¤!!!"

 Chapter 97 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "You bad kid©¤©¤©¤!!!"


    My words were drowned out by Sybil''s overwhelming aura. Her aura soared from her entire body.


    Has Sybil reached the point where she can manipte aura through emotional arousal? Truly impressive,


    ¡°How could you have thought of crossing the barrier riding Cassian? So you''ve been thinking about it ever since I got here with Cassian, haven''t you? I''ve never met someone so crazy that they want to die like this!¡±


    This wasn''t the time to be having idle thoughts.


    I could feel a murderous intent from Sybil simr to when I saw Elodie.


    However, I can''t argue back this time since it was my fault.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve just run away! I would have been relieved if you had ridden Cassian and run to the center, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°No, no matter what, I wouldn''t have run away,¡±¡°That would have been better, idiot! Fool! It would have been a thousand times better, you fool! Idiot! Dumb idiot!¡±


    Did Sybil only know two curse words? I almost spat out the question that came to the tip of my tongue, but I held back.


    Sybil grabbed my shoulders. Her grip was strong because of the aura flowing through her. Since she had no intention of hurting me, it didn''t hurt, but I felt an inexplicable weight.


    ¡°......But.¡±


    Sybil said. The moment she uttered that one word, the aura within her subsided instantly.


    ¡°But I''m d.¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°I''m d......¡±


    I felt more guilty now than when Sybil was angry.


    Sybil suddenly lifted her head. Her bewitching face came into my view up close.


    Cherry lips that seemed to have something to say. With her brows tightly furrowed, Sybil pushed me away lightly and backed off.


    As she turned away, Sybil said in passing,


    ¡°Ah, I feel better now that I got that out. I''m tired. I''m going inside.¡±


    And with that, she went into the mansion without looking back.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Sybil and I were the only ones left in her ce.


    ¡°Uh, um. Aten. I''m sorry to you too. I should''ve told you in advance.¡±


    ¡°......It''s okay.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Aten said. Her expression was calm.


    ¡­But Aten always had that expression. So I didn¡¯t really know if she was genuinely okay. Was it possible for her to be okay when Sybil was fuming like that?


    ¡°¡­From now on, though. Yes, I¡¯d like it if you would tell me beforehand, like you said.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I felt like you¡¯d stop me.¡±


    ¡°I would¡¯ve.¡±


    Aten replied immediately. As if it was obvious.


    "But if you try to go even if I stop you, I''ll go with you. You said it''s okay for me to follow you, right?"


    ¡°¡­Yeah. You did.¡±


    When we were at the Constel, we had a conversation like this. I allowed Aten to follow me.


    I¡¯d said it with certainty, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.


    Aten was a Princess. I had no idea where I would go next, but it might be a more dangerous ce than this.


    Would I be able to take Aten with me to such a ce?


    -Won¡¯t you be by Aten¡¯s side?


    Empress Philly said this to me one day. She asked if I didn¡¯t feel ominous about the future I would have with her.


    But as long as Aten was a Princess, it wasn¡¯t possible to be with her forever,


    ¡°I¡¯m a Princess.¡±


    Aten said. She seemed to have read my mind. Aten let out a small smile when I looked at her in surprise.


    ¡°There are some things that are possible because I¡¯m a Princess. Just like how I was able toe here today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going in now. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, Frondier.¡±


    Aten stepped into the mansion with her elegant gait.


    Left alone, I let out a small breath.


    There were more people who believed in me and worried about me now. For a run-of-the-mill human like me, this was a giant leap forward.


    Only now was I realizing, little by little, that the weight of this was heavier than I¡¯d thought.


    * * *


    The next day.


    As soon as I climbed up the ramparts, the familiar strong wind pushed at me.


    But this time, I wasn¡¯t wearing severalyers of clothes. I was wearing a simr outfit to the one I¡¯d been wearing when I first got here.


    I¡¯d already put Penelope¡¯s cloth, which had already returned to its original state, around my neck like a tie. I didn¡¯t need any thick clothes.


    ¡°Thought you ran away.¡±


    Sanders spoke up. I nodded with a grin.


    ¡°Not entirely untrue.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying. Of course it¡¯s not true. After all, didn¡¯t you save Tyburn?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Not yet.¡±


    I replied and took a deep breath.


    My body trembled slightly. It definitely wasn¡¯t from the cold because Penelope¡¯s light was there.


    The reason my body was trembling was because I was nervous.


    I quickly nced around the crowd.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    All the troops defending Tyburn were lined up. They were watching me.


    I had told Ludwig that I¡¯d start ¡®restoring¡¯ the wall, and he had gathered all of them here.


    Selena, who was next to me, whispered.


    ¡°With this many people watching, it¡¯s pointless for me to hide my report, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    She was half-teasing me.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if Manggot catches wind of it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡±


    Either way, it¡¯s not a problem if the ¡®restoration¡¯ is discovered. Rather, Manggot might see me as a ¡®more useful person.¡¯


    If I prove myself capable in areas other thanbat, Manggot will probably think about controlling me with force. Right now, it¡¯s better to let him think that way.


    The important thing is to hide the fact that I¡¯m getting stronger. If Manggot finds out about all the abilities that I have right now, he¡¯ll try to kill me right away.


    Fortunately, Selena didn¡¯t see me using Excalibur in front of the barrier. She said that Ludwig was the only one who knew why the area in front of the barrier was devastated.


    For now, that¡¯s good enough.


    ¡°Are you all gathered? Then let¡¯s get started right away.¡±


    Ludwig, the one who gathered everyone, said.


    I had a lot to say, but since I figured that I¡¯d be thrown in jail if I did, I kept my mouth shut.


    Whew, whoosh.


    I took another deep breath and ced my hand on the wall.


    If I fail in front of all these people, there will be serious consequences.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    Swallowing the dragon heart.


    After confirming that Fabric of Penelope was shining.


    I began the ¡®restoration.¡¯

 Chapter 98 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Boring98 and @kuro on Ko-fi!</i>


    Rumble, the ramparts groaned.


    It began just as it had before. The restoration spread outwards from my hand, growing in scope.


    Rocks pulled themselves together, colossal pieces heaving back into ce in what could only be described as ¡®reverse motion¡¯.


    Even though I was the one doing it, I couldn¡¯t help but be stunned into silence by the spectacle.


    ¡°¡­¡­Look at that.¡±


    Someone said. To my right, where the ramparts had so valiantly endured the onught of beasts just moments prior.


    Metal seamlessly melded itself back together. Cracks knitted themselves up. Copsed parapets shook and righted themselves.Oh, the quiet gasps grew louder. Murmurs of awe grew in volume, interspersed with the asionalugh.


    ¡®¡­¡­I¡¯m burning through more mana than I thought.¡¯


    I checked the necktie tied with Fabric of Penelope. It was rapidly shrinking in size. And that was after consuming a Dragon Heart, no less.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t begrudge this sight. The way the ramparts reimed their former glory, as though time itself was being reversed, it was captivating.


    ©¤©¤Eventually, when the restoration wasplete, the tie was smaller than the palm of my hand. Such were the size of the ramparts, and the extent of the damage they had suffered.


    I was relieved that I managed to finish before I ran out of mana.


    ¡°Phew, that should do it. There¡¯s probably still some hairline fractures and weakened spots, but that can¡¯t be helped,¡±


    I turned around as I said that,


    ¡­¡­And found every knight saluting me. Even Sanders, themander of the knights, and Lord Ludwig.


    As if that weren¡¯t enough, the soldiers and prisoners below fell to one knee.


    Every single soul gathered here lowered their heads towards me, solemn and silent.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I was at a loss for words as I beheld the sight. From my position atop the ramparts, I could see every inch of their postures, every nuance.


    When I looked at Aten beside me, she gave a small smile and bowed her head gracefully.


    ¡°Aten Terst, in the name of the Third Princess of the Terst Empire, and on behalf of all the citizens of Tyburn, I offer you our deepest gratitude.¡±


    I was speechless. I knew I should have responded with some grandiose line, like ¡®it was the least I could do¡¯, but I just couldn¡¯t. I should have gotten down on my knees, but I couldn¡¯t.


    I was simply in a daze.


    As if understanding my heart, Aten spoke again.


    "Thank you. You protected Tyburn."


    * * *


    Afterwards, Aten returned to the Empire before I did, naturally with the knight order in tow.


    The barrier was restored, and the immediate problems like frequent monster incursions were solved, so there was no reason for Aten to stay.


    She said she''de and drag me by my hair if I was even a dayte, though I''m not sure how much of an influence that had.


    Sybil returned as well. Cassian, who drove Sybil, gave me a brief nce, but that was all. I suppose that was the extent of respect Cassian could show.


    And I continued to stay in Tyburn for the remaining vacation period.


    The barrier was repaired, and monsters hardly came anymore, so there wasn''t really a need to stay, but it was to fulfill my responsibility.


    Above all,


    "Where would you go? The bet isn''t over yet."


    While I was inspecting the barrier, a fellow knight, Hector Dutoit, sidled up to me and said. I smiled in response.


    "I could just lose."


    "Are you crazy? No one''s dead yet; why would you lose, man."


    The total onught of the monsters in my absence.


    Even amidst the ferocious attacks of the monsters, there were no casualties among the knights.


    Of course, it was fortunate that I returned before the damage got severe, but it was a relief that no one had died in the meantime.


    "When you first came here, I thought you were just crazy, but now I see, there''s no one as perfectly mad as you."


    "Ha, ha."


    "This guy thinks I''mplimenting him?"


    Ironically, my nickname became ''Madman'' for good. Hector, as well as other knights,ughed and passed by me, calling me a madman.


    Initially, the meaning was derisive, but now, shaking their heads and muttering brings a strange feeling.


    I looked beyond the barrier. The barrier, having regained its past glory and grandeur, is very reliable.


    Even if I leave, it won''t be breached by anything for a while. The constant threat of monsters exists, but that''s always been the case in Tyburn.


    However, the barrier can only protect the territory, it cannot help humanity progress.


    Considering how hard the fight is just near this boundary, one can only imagine what kinds of monsters lurk deeper in.


    "Hector."


    "What?"


    "This barrier needs you."


    "Huh? Of course. Didn''t I tell you my name will be remembered across the continent? Even if you leave, this ce will be secure."


    "That''s right. So,"


    I looked at Hector.


    "If there''s anything unfinished, better finish it now."


    "¡­Huh?"


    "Just in case."


    Hector is the son of Ludwig. Yet, he ims the name of Dutoit instead of Urfa, over what seems to be a petty father-son dispute. At least, it''s not my ce to interfere.


    However, that foolish quarrel can''t continue, especially not at crucial times.


    Someday, when humanity ventures to reim thend, "White Lion Hector" will be a formidable force.


    "Hmm. Okay. I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Hector scratched his head. No, he must know what his problem is.


    And as the White Lion Hector, just mentioning it should be enough for him to put an end to the childish fight with his father.


    Let''s believe that.

 Chapter 98 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ...And then a few days passed.


    Someone knocked and entered my room.


    "Are you leaving now?"


    It was Robert, one of Philly''s escort knights.


    Seeing Selena and me packing, he asked.


    "Yes. The holiday is almost over."


    "That''s too bad. I wish you could stay."


    "Don''t say such dreadful things."


    Chuckling, we bothughed.I asked Robert.


    "Sir Robert. Isn''t your mission over yet? Even for someone like you, life here must be hard."


    "Yes. I haven''t received orders to return yet."


    Hmm.


    Why did Philly send Robert to this dangerousnd? Time has passed, and theck of further instructions only raises more questions.


    "¡­Maybe."


    That''s when Robert spoke.


    "Being sent to Tyburn might not be important in itself."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Perhaps a suitable reason was needed to distance me from Her Highness. That''s one way to think about it."


    Philly distanced herself and Robert?


    "To distance an escort knight, that''s too risky."


    "It''s not just me who is escorting Her Highness Philly. It seems like sending me to Tyburn was out of concern for my well-being."


    "¡­So, you mean to say that Sir Robert is safer in Tyburn than inside the pce?"


    "It''s just a spection."


    I fell into thought for a moment.


    Robert is a named character famous enough for me to know his name.


    As he said, there are many who protect Philly, but the knight Philly trusts the most is Robert.


    Therefore, if there was an intuition that Robert could be in danger, evacuating him to safety wouldn¡¯t be strange.


    ¡­However, the main reason Robert would be in danger is because he is Philly''s escort.


    With many in the pce aiming for Philly, nearly all cases where Robert bes endangered are due to his role as Philly¡¯s protector.


    Thus, keeping Robert away for his safety would be a foolish act if it meant Philly would be left unprotected and vulnerable.


    But Philly wouldn¡¯t do something foolish.


    Does that mean there are enemies targeting only Robert, not Philly?


    "When you return to Constel, if by chance you meet Her Highness, please convey my regards."


    "What should I tell her?"


    "Just say that it''s quite cold."


    Ha.


    "Sir Robert does have a bit of an ego, doesn''t he?"


    "A bit of bravado is necessary for Her Highness to feel at ease."


    Such towering loyalty.


    Thud, thud, at that moment, somewhat hurried footsteps approached my room.


    "Hey, are you still not ready? Everyone''s waiting, so hurry up ande out."


    It was Ludwig. I slung my packed bag over my shoulder and started walking.


    "Let''s go, Selena."


    "Yes."


    Selena didn¡¯t have much luggage, but to avoid looking odd to others, she had prepared a suitable bag. She followed behind me carrying it.


    As I passed by, I said to Robert.


    "Then, Sir Robert, see youter. Preferably, in the center."


    "In the center."


    I left the room, descended the mansion¡¯s stairs, and opened the door at the entrance.


    Knights were standing there. They were not lined up as they had been when the barrier was restored but were waiting for me in various casual outfits.


    "Are you leaving?"


    "I hope the bet continues. I¡¯d miss it otherwise."


    "Come visit again."


    The knights each said a word to me.


    I responded to their words and headed towards the sedan that was already waiting.


    The chauffeur was waiting out front. He was the one who had driven me to Tyburn. Politely bowing his head beside me, he asked,


    "Did you enjoy your vacation trip?"


    "If you were a driver I had hired, I would have fired you on the spot."


    "That''s unfortunate."


    Being a servant of Enfer, he had no choice but to let such minor teasing slide.


    "And... who might this be?"


    The driver inquired, ncing at Selena.


    "Ah, my escort. Hired for a hefty sum."


    Upon hearing this, the chauffeur took a brief look at Selena before addressing me again.


    "Even aftering to Tyburn¡­. you''re indeed remarkable."


    "I said I hired her, didn''t I?"


    That''s when it happened.


    A loud, bustlingmotion was heard from afar. A mix of urgent shouts and bellows was emerging.


    "Hey! You there, stop!"


    "Just a moment! I have urgent business!"


    What''s that?


    I turned towards the familiar tone and manner of speech.


    There was Grobel, still in his prisoner''s garb, causing a scene.


    His clothes and hair were a mess, indicating he had run all the way here.


    "Ah! There he is! Young master!!"


    Grobel had spotted me and was screaming at the top of his lungs.


    "Don''t forget! My brother! My brother Lokbel! Please, don''t forget him! I did my best! So... Ahh!"


    With those words, Grobel was fully restrained by the knights and dragged away.


    "...Huh."


    "Lord Frondier?"


    Selena tilted her head in puzzlement as I chuckled.


    Yes, Grobel.


    I won''t ever forget.


    "It''s nothing. Let''s go."


    I got into the car, and Selena sat next to me.


    The familiar sound of the car''s engine started, now evoking a sense of nostalgia beyond just wee.


    Looking out the window, I saw the knights and Lord Ludwig waving. I waved back at them.


    As the car started moving, they slowly faded into the distance, and I looked forward again.


    "Where shall I take you?"


    "Do I have a choice?"


    "No, sir. To the Roach mansion, please."


    "Then that''s where we must go."


    The car sped up, and I leaned backfortably.


    The northernmost end of the Empire, the barrier of Tyburn.


    The biting cold, a word ill-fitting for the fierce battles with monsters.


    Summer vacation had ended.

 Chapter 99 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    It was already midnight when I arrived at the Roach Mansion.


    Of course, there was no one to greet me. On the contrary, it made me feel at ease.


    So then, now I have to ovee another wall.


    ¡°So, are you really going to do it?¡±


    I asked Selena beside me.


    ¡°Of course. Since I¡¯m an escort, it¡¯s more convenient to move around if I¡¯m officially recognized.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stay inside my room and just jump to Manggot whenever somebodyes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that. I¡¯m not doing anything dangerous anyway.¡±


    Selena let out a sigh while talking.It¡¯s strange. Just by going to Manggot, I think you¡¯re already doing something extremely dangerous.


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret it, will you? Being recognized by my father. Do you know who the lord of the Roach family is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. It¡¯s the same with anyone else. I am upright and free of shame.¡±


    That¡¯s not how it works.


    Sigh, I let out a breath.


    That¡¯s right. Selena has never actually met Enfer. One day, she will have to.


    ¡°Fine, I warned you.¡±


    I led Selena into the mansion.


    I lightly knocked on the door of Enfer¡¯s room.


    ¡°Father, it¡¯s Frondier. I just arrived.¡±


    When I said that, the sound in the room stopped momentarily. And slowly, a heavy voice that sounded the same whenever I heard it came out.


    ¡°Yes. Rest.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything except that he told me to rest, which meant that he wanted me to leave.


    Although he hadn¡¯t seen his son in more than a month, it seemed like he had no ns on seeing me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Father, I hired an escort.¡±


    ¡°An escort?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s a skilled Pro who saved my life in Tyburn. So I would appreciate it if you let her use a room in the mansion. I¡¯ll take care of all the other expenses¡­¡­¡±


    I felt nervous with every word I said, but Selena, who was behind me, was so brazen.


    Well, Enfer probably wouldn¡¯t care if I hired an escort or not. I thought that he would just say, ¡®Do as you please,¡¯ this time too.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    At that moment, I heard the sound of ¡®creak.¡¯ It seemed like the sound of someone pushing back a chair. And then, thud, thud, heavy footsteps approached me.


    And the door opened.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I met Enfer¡¯s gaze. It was an encounter between a father and a son, but it was an eye contact that was too tense.


    I looked into those stern eyes for a while before speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. Father.¡±


    It was something I had already said outside the door. Now, I should talk about the escort. But I felt like saying those words again.


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Enfer replied back briefly. I wonder what it meant, or if it meant nothing at all.


    ¡°Is that girl your escort?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Her name is Selena.¡±


    That¡¯s when I tried introducing Selena who was behind me.


    Selena was trembling.


    ¡­¡­What¡¯s wrong with her?


    ¡°Is she really your escort? The one who protected you in Tyburn?¡±


    Enfer''s eyebrows drew together, his eyes slightly suspicious. Well, given Selena''s current appearance, I''d probably feel the same way.


    "Y-yes, that''s right. She''s saved my life several times. I think she''s just nervous right now."


    I decided to defend Selena as best I could since I already agreed to let her stay.


    "I see."


    Enfer took a small step forward. In an instant, his aura fiercely locked onto Selena.


    Thwack! Whoosh-


    Selena instinctively jumped away to create distance. As she slid backwards, she reached into her dress.


    By the time her slide came to an end, she was already in abat-ready stance.


    She was holding needles between every finger, and her face was covered in a cold sweat.


    "...Hm, fine. You''re responsible for your own escort."


    Enfer seemed to lose interest and turned around to go back into his office.


    In the end, it turned out as I expected. ''You''re responsible for your own escort.'' But at least he saw Selena face-to-face and gave permission, so that''s good enough.


    Thud.


    At that moment, Selena copsed to the floor. She didn''t faint. She just seemed exhausted.


    I approached Selena and crouched down.


    "I warned you."


    "I-I didn''t know it would be this bad... The moment I saw him, I felt like a mountain was crashing down on me."


    That''s a good way to put it.


    "Frondier. I have something to tell you."


    At that moment, Enfer''s voice came from inside the office. Selena gasped reflexively and held her breath.


    "Y-yes. What is it?"


    "Azier is currently out. You won''t be able to see him for a while because his temporary teaching position at Constel has been postponed."


    "...What happened to my brother?"


    Azier is out? That means personal training will be difficult for a while. I wanted to try out the dual-wielding swordsmanship using Neil Jack'' short sword, but it looks like I''ll have to put that off.


    Enfer said, "Azier is currently on a pro mission. It''s an assignment from the pce."

 Chapter 99 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The next morning.


    Constel''s 2nd semester finally began.


    The students spent their time during the break in various ways.


    Some took time off to rx and unwind, but most of them focused on improving their skills through personal training.


    Their skills having improved, their expressions and eyes were filled with more confidence than before.


    - Did you hear?


    And on the first day back today, the students listened eagerly to rumors that had been circting during the break.


    - I heard Aster Evans studied under Pro Rank 1 Eden Hamelot.


    - What? I thought Senior Ellen was his intern?- That''s right. Both of them. Aster apparently asked him. And hear this.


    - Yeah?


    - He mastered Aura, apparently. And he can use it whenever he wants.


    As usual, the rumors centered around famous people.


    Aster Evans was the most talked-about protagonist of the rumors, but there were a few other characters with their stories circting.


    -Inies seeded inbining the three elements.


    -What? Elodie? I heard she was having a headache because of her output control practice.


    -It seems she decided to increase her destructive power instead. I heard there''s a ''rival she can''t afford to fall behind.''


    -Who could possibly be ahead of Elodie?


    Rumors breed rumors. The air passed from mouth to mouth bes weighty, swirling around those at the center of the rumors like the wind.


    "It''s been a while."


    Aster Evans, who walked to school today, tasted that air as well.


    With slightly longer hair, his expression was more rxed than before. The strength he had gained during the vacation was his foundation, giving him more confidence than before.


    Aster looked around. He missed the sight of students of simr age, all dressed in uniforms, walking together.


    He also felt the gazes of the passing students. He had grown somewhat ustomed to them before the vacation, but today''s gazes felt hotter than ever.


    ''It''s because of the rumors.''


    Aster naturally knew about the rumors about himself. And they were true.


    Aster could now freely use his aura, thanks to the rigorous training with Eden Hamelot and his sister, Ellen. Well, not thanks to, but because of them.


    And most of the rumors circting this time were likely true.


    The protagonists of the rumors during the vacation were mostly people Aster knew, and from his perspective, the stories weren''t too absurd.


    However.


    -Did you hear that?


    Rumors are always exaggerated and inted.


    Behind a massive truth, countless rumors are born.


    -They say the Tyburn Barrier has been rebuilt.


    -Back to its original form, you say?


    The Tyburn Barrier has been rebuilt. This was an undeniable truth. Aster even confirmed it through Wizard View.


    There was something stirring even beyond Wizard View about the brilliantly restored wall.


    -But the guy who restored it...


    -Ah,e on. I''ve heard it too, but it doesn''t make sense.


    -Why would he go to Tyburn during the summer vacation?


    But rumors are always a mix of exaggeration and distortion.


    Aster thought this as he climbed the long hill leading to the Constel main building.


    The massive truth that the Tyburn Wall was rebuilt and the countless inting rumors that followed.


    Among them, the most exaggerated and famous seemed to be the talk of the town in Consteltely.


    -Did you hear about that?


    And then, Aster saw.


    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±


    Following Aster, or perhaps because of that exaggerated story, another man was bing the talk of the town.


    -That guy, I mean.


    "Ah, Aster. Hi."


    The protagonist of the rumors, as always, raised his hand to greet Aster. Aster raised his hand in response.


    "You''re alive, Frondier."


    "You really thought I was dead, huh?"


    Despite it being a light joke, the gaze naturally drifts towards one particr topic.


    ©¤©¤Rumors say he¡¯s been seen with a woman.


    Aster saw her. And it was the moment to verify the most usible among the rumors swirling around him.


    ¡°Um, who''s thedy next to you?¡±


    Aster asked, looking at the woman in a school uniform standing next to Frondier.


    ¡°Ah, yes. She¡¯s my escort. She¡¯s starting at Constel today.¡±


    The woman bowed slightly, speaking in a somewhat enticing voice.


    ¡°Hello. My name is Selena. Please take good care of me.¡±


    Her gestures and smile were somewhat seductive, and even through her uniform, it was evident, or rather, it seemed she was dressed to make it known, her figure.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see. An escort.¡±


    Dressing up and calling that an escort.


    ¡®Frondier de Roach is seen with a woman.¡¯


    At least one of the more minor rumors seems to be confirmed as true.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­An escort, huh.¡±


    In the principal''s office, Jane looked back and forth between Frondier and Selena with a cold eye.


    She had heard that someone would bring rumors like a wind from the very first day of the semester.


    But she never thought that wind would hit her.


    ¡°Yes. It would be nice if she could be in the same ss.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just decide that on your own, you know.¡±


    sses are generally assigned starting from those with fewer students. If we start amodating everyone¡¯s preferences, there would be no end to it.


    Frondier nced sideways as if thinking and then said.


    ¡°¡­¡­It seemed like Aten got to choose freely.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you, don¡¯t make dangerous statements?¡±


    Jane eximed, surprised. After all, Aten had wanted to be in ss 5, where Frondier was, and he actually got into ss 5.


    But Aten is royalty. In front of her, school rules be trivial.


    ¡°So, where will Selena be ced?¡±


    ¡°Well. Right now, ss 2 is the onecking students.¡±


    ss 2. Where Aster, Elodie, and other key named characters are gathered.


    Frondier¡¯s mind raced. On second thought, being an escort doesn¡¯t mean much within Constel. Maybe it¡¯s better to send her to ss 2 to gather various information?


    Moreover, if she¡¯s in the same ss as him, already having someone like Aten there, and someone as visually appealing as Selena by his side, the already bad reputation would bepletely shattered.


    ¡­¡­Though it seems to be shattered already, but at least this could serve as a patch.


    ¡°ss 2 is fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Alright. Frondier, you go back to your ss, and Miss Selena, follow me. I need to hand you over to the ss 2 homeroom teacher.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    I was the one who spoke. I stood up and waved at Selena, meaning to wish her well. But then, Selena quickly looked back and forth between me and Jane.


    ¡°¡­¡­Really, to a different ss? Me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I don¡¯t know why she asked again, but since there was no further question, I just shrugged my shoulders and left.


    As I was leaving the principal''s office, Selena was looking at me with endlessly anxious eyes.

 Chapter 100 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    First ss of the second semester.


    Selena was sitting in her seat, stiff as a board.


    The teacher hade in at the beginning, greeted the ss, and sat down at his empty desk, and that was it.


    She could hardly remember anything.


    ''......What am I supposed to do......''


    Her posture was stiff, but her eyes darted around the room.


    To anyone watching, she looked like a schoolgirl who had wandered into an abandoned house in the middle of the night. The aftershocks of an earthquake were causing her pupils to dte repeatedly.


    Her unwavering gaze was reminiscent of Aten, but Aten had wanted to be that way, whereas Selena looked like she had been locked inside herself by someone else.


    And then came break time."Hey, you''re Selena, right? You have a pretty name,"


    "Wha, what about my name?"


    Selena whipped her head around like a turret with a radar dish. The girl jumped back in surprise.


    "Oh, no, nothing. Just that it''s pretty."


    "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Thank you."


    That was the end of that.


    The girl tried to say a few more words to Selena, who had gone stiff again, but she gave up and left.


    And Selena felt like she was going to die.


    ''Ugh. What is this? What am I supposed to do? The only thing I know about dealing with people is how to seduce men.''


    She had even studied hard to learn how to do that, and she had tried it out on Frondier for the first time. And it had failed miserably.


    As a result, Selena had been losing more and more confidence in herselftely.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    "Ack!"


    Once again, Selena jumped in surprise as if she were facing an enemy.


    When she looked in the direction of the voice, she saw that it was another girl. The girl was resting her chin in her hand and looking at Selena with half-open eyes.


    ¡°¡­.Who?¡±


    Sunset colored hair, blue eyes resembling ake. At first, her gaze was drawn to those eyes of unknown depth.


    It wasn¡¯t simply pretty or beautiful. Just looking at this girl seemed to change the surrounding scenery.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Elodie. Elodie de Rishae.¡±


    ¡°Elodie¡­. Are you Elodie de Inies Rishae!?¡±


    When Selena asked with sudden recollection upon hearing the name, Elodie pouted and replied.


    ¡°I said it leaving that out on purpose, you don¡¯t have to bother with the ¡®de Inies¡¯ part.¡±


    ¡°O-oh, Ye-yes.¡±


    ¡°So, are you alright? You¡¯ve been making a strange face since a while ago.¡±


    ¡°O-oh no, I¡¯mpletely fine. How could I not be? I could only be fine.¡±


    Is that what being fine is?


    Elodie sighed to herself.


    Usually, she wouldn¡¯t particrly care about transfer students, but Selena, who couldn¡¯t seem to fit in anywhere and simply seemed to wander around, was someone she couldn¡¯t just ignore.


    Because it felt like she was looking at the past version of herself.


    ¡®No, maybe I¡¯m not that different from how I am now.¡¯


    In ss 2, there were many who were called monsters or geniuses, with Elodie at the head, so it didn¡¯t feel like much, but Elodie was originally the type to not have any friends.


    She just maintained a moderately friendly distance with everyone. In ss 2, she could more or less talk to Aster without reservation.


    There was Sybil in another ss who she had recently gotten a bit closer to.


    And Frondier.


    ¡®¡­.Jeez.¡¯


    What is this change of pace.


    ¡°Selena, do you want me to show you around the school?¡±


    ¡°Show me around?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Do you know where the cafeteria is?¡±


    "Oh," Selena opened her mouth. It was quite an honest reaction.


    * * *


    When lunchtime arrived, Elodie exined the passing buildings and facilities as they headed to the cafeteria with Selena.


    "Go straight down this road to find the auditorium. It''s used for various events or indoor practical lessons. Right in front is the sports field, and that wide area you see beyond is ''the field''. It''s diversely used for training and lessons, assuming monsters for temporary missions, exams, and so on."


    "¡­Area?"


    Selena frowned and looked in the direction Elodie was pointing.


    "¡­I only see mountains, though?"


    "Yes. ''Today'', it''s a mountain."


    Today?


    Selena guessed what that meant and looked at Elodie in surprise.


    Elodie smiled as if she understood.


    "Right. That mountain is the entire field. It changes every few days, sometimes bing a in or a city. It''s said to be the result of the coboration between the teachers of advanced magitechnology and magic, but I don''t know the details."


    Wow, Selena marveled again at the field. That all of those mountains were Constel''s doing. That it could bend or a city if one just wished.


    As they were exining, they soon arrived at the cafeteria.


    After getting their food and sitting down, Elodie seemed to have something to say, clearing her throat with her fist in front of her mouth.


    "Ahem, well, you see, Selena."


    "Yes?"


    "That, the girl who came to school with Frondier today, that''s you, right?"

 Chapter 100 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "That, the girl who came to school with Frondier today, that''s you, right?"


    At that, Selena was the one surprised and asked.


    "How do you know Lord Frondier?"


    "¡­Lord Frondier?"


    "I am Lord Frondier''s escort. That''s why I''m here."


    Selena spoke as if it was no big deal.


    "Escort¡­?"


    Elodie looked at Selena¡¯s face. She quickly nced at her swaying hair, her clothes, and her figure.


    ¡°As an escort¡­ uh, well.¡±Elodie couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    It wasn¡¯t something she should say to a peer she had just met.


    ¡°So, how do you know Frondier-nim?¡±


    At Selena¡¯s question, Elodie smiled shyly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one in Constel who doesn¡¯t know Frondier¡¯s name. They call him ¡®Human Sloth Frondier¡¯ because he¡¯s so famous.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Come to think of it, she had forgotten. Frondier had that kind of nickname.


    Manggot had told her, but she had erased that nickname from her mind. The reason was obvious.


    Elodie propped up her chin and mumbled.


    ¡°Well, to be honest, Frondier¡¯s not really as much of a ¡®Human Sloth¡¯ as people say¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true at all.¡±


    Selena stated firmly. Elodie looked at Selena with wide eyes.


    Selena stated firmly with an innocent face.


    ¡°Frondier-nim is strong. The ¡®Human Sloth¡¯ thing is just a rumor.¡±


    That¡¯s right. She underestimated him because of that rumor and got her butt handed to her. Selena still remembers when she was brought to her knees in front of Frondier, shaking in fear.


    Elodie looked into Selena¡¯s eyes. There was no lie or deceit in those eyes.


    She knew. She knew Frondier¡¯s strength. Elodie felt a sense of tension at the fact that Selena was someone who knew that.


    ¡°¡­You,¡±


    Just as Elodie was about to say something.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Selena eximed at the person who had entered the dining hall.


    The most surprising sight Selena had seen in Constel today filled her vision.


    "Me, me-me-me-me that person is......"


    "Huh? Oh."


    Following Selena''s gaze, Elodie spoke as if it were nothing significant.


    "Yeah, Aten Terst. The princess of the empire."


    Aten, from head to toe, was entirely in white.


    Selena hadn''t imagined she''d see Aten here, just as she had in Tyburn. Being always behind Frondier as his escort made it even more unexpected for her.


    But there was something even more surprising.


    "That, that princess, now, over there."


    "Yeah, right. It''s surprising when you see it for the first time."


    She was following a man closely. Both the man and Aten seemed very ustomed to the distance and pace between them, moving naturally.


    "Aten always follows Frondier around. No one knows why."


    "That, that, why, no, how......?"


    "I said no one knows why."


    For Elodie and the other students, it was a familiar scene they had seen several times before.


    It was the first day of the semester, so while the scene was missed, it wasn''t surprising.


    "Why, why would Her Highness Aten Terst, the third princess of the Terst Empire, behave like......"


    "Isn''t that too long?"


    "Even if we don''t know the reason, can''t we guess something?"


    Hmm.


    Selena seemed utterly incredulous at the scene. She couldn''t focus on her meal.


    Elodie rummaged through her memories toe up with a few usible reasons.


    "Well, this is just a rumor around the school, but Aten is famous for herpassion and mercy."


    "Ah, right. She''s known for that personality even within the pce..."


    "So, there''s a story that she felt pity for Frondier, who was being ostracized, and decided to stay with him."


    In other words, she was sympathizing with Frondier.


    What Elodie had just mentioned was considered almost a fact within the Constel, given how strong the public opinion was.


    Regardless of the truth, it was the mostforting hypothesis. The dominant thought was that Aten''s character would certainly allow for it.


    "Did Lord Frondier eat alone before this?"


    "¡­Um, yes."


    Not just meals, but everything was done alone. Elodie diverted her gaze, feeling as if she too had yed a part in that solitude.


    "Lord Frondier doesn''t mind such things, though."


    "¡­You, you seem to know Frondier quite well."


    That includes denying the ''human sloth''ment earlier.


    Elodie became curious about what side of Frondier Selena had seen.


    "Oh, there''s another hypothesis, by the way."


    "What is it?"


    "That Frondier is ckmailing Aten, holding a weakness of her."


    This was a hypothesis once believed by Robald Lieff, known as the biggest troublemaker within Constel.


    He believed in it enough to confront Frondier, so there''s a considerable amount of public support for this view.


    "ckmail¡­"


    "Ahaha, that''s ridiculous."


    "It could be possible¡­"


    "Ah, huh?"


    Selena pondered seriously, nodding her head.


    Elodie broke into a cold sweat.


    ''Does she really know about Frondier or not?''


    While Elodie was suddenly engulfed in confusion, Selena spoke up.


    "Anyway, if Lord Frondier isn''t deliberately keeping people away, then our course of action is clear."


    "Huh? What is it?"


    At Elodie''s question, Selena stood up with her tray in hand.


    "I am Lord Frondier''s escort. It''s only natural for me to dine with him."


    "¡­Huh?"


    Selena marched towards Frondier and Aten, without a single hint of hesitation in her steps.


    Elodie watched this spectacle, dumbfounded.


    * * *


    Please don''te here.


    I must have silently chanted this about 137 times before Selena got up.


    Dammit, was that not enough times? Why couldn''t she hear my telepathy?


    Selena walked up to us normally and sat down next to me.


    Aten was sitting across from me, so our eyes met.


    "Oh, Miss Selena. Did you alsoe to Constel? It''s strange to see you here. We went through a lot together in Tyburn."


    Selena turned her expressionless face towards Aten like a robot. I felt like I was going to hear a creaking sound.


    "H-hello. Third Imperial Princess of the Terst Empire, Aten Terst."


    "That''s long."


    If she''s nervous, I wish she wouldn''t pretend to be calm. It''s scary to look at.


    "I-I-I''m Se-Selena, F-Frondier-nim''s b-bodyguard."


    "Yes, I know."


    Since when did she be Seselena?


    I sighed inwardly.


    Well, it can''t be helped. I knew something like this would happen once I brought Selena to Constel. It just happened a little sooner than I expected.


    ¡­¡­Or so I thought.


    ¡°Aten, hello. Oh, I saw you at Tyburn.¡±


    "Yes, my name is Selena."


    "Wow, nice to meet you! I''m Sybil Forte! Howe you''re here? Did youe to Constel too?"


    Sybil happened to walk by and approached us. Then, she sat next to Aten with an ease and friendliness that couldn¡¯t even bepared to Selena¡¯s.


    That made four of us.


    ¡°Elodie! Why are you eating alone? Come and join us!¡±


    Sybil waved Elodie over upon spotting her. It made sense she was alone since she had been with Selena just before.


    With a heavy sigh, Elodie sat down next to Sybil.


    Now we were five.


    ¡°Huh? Elodie, that¡¯s an interesting mix. I had something to ask about manabinations.¡±


    Lunia Fricell, the heroine from Etius, said to Elodie.


    ¡°If I may, then, by all means.¡±


    With Elodie¡¯s permission, Lunia took the seat opposite her, next to Selena.


    That made six.


    ¡°Aster! Come over here! Let¡¯s eat here today.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh... Sure.¡±


    Aster sat down next to Lunia without much thought.


    ...Seven.


    ¡°Hey! Aster! I heard you acquired Aura! nning to surpass me?¡±


    ¡°Eat your meal instead of spouting nonsense.¡±


    Robald Lieff,beled as a troublemaker, sat down opposite Aster.


    ¡°...Eight.¡±


    I muttered with my hand on my head. I closed my eyes without realizing it. Oh, it''s dark because my eyes are closed. I closed my eyes, so of course it''s dark, you idiot.


    The mealtime, now crowded with people, was brimming with energy.


    It felt like all my energy had been drained away.

 Chapter 101 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Hi Guys, from now on, Bonus chapters will be given for every 5 reviews or 0.1 Rating increase on NU as well as Ko-fi donations but will try to increase regr frequency as well.</i>


    In a mansion, there was a suddenmotion.


    A single man was rampaging through the building.


    His piercing gaze was like a hawk''s, and his eyes, reflected in his sword, were clear and ruthless.


    Azier de Roach boldly entered the front door of someone else''s mansion.


    "Vincent von Coleman."


    Azier took out the paper he had in his arms as he faced the knights guarding the mansion.


    "You are being arrested on suspicion of leaking information, conspiracy, and epting bribes from the Imperial Knights. If you surrender ande quietly."Azier mmed the tip of his spear on the floor.


    "Only you will die."


    "Crazy bastard, kill that son of a bitch!"


    Vincent, who was looking down from the railing on the second floor of the mansion, shouted loudly. At that, the knights rushed at Azier.


    Swish, Azier swung his spear lightly. He simultaneously struck the des and wrists of the iing weapons. Those who were hit properly dropped their weapons.


    Meanwhile, Azier''s spear gracefully struck the sides of the knight''s faces in a curved motion.


    "Ugh!"


    The knights were fully armed, even with helmets, but for some reason, they all fell down after being struck by Azier''s spear. Everyone was knocked out by the impact.


    Azier said he would kill them all if they resisted, but instead, he knocked them out by striking them on the sides of their heads or with the shaft of his spear. There was no need to kill them.


    ''...Hmm, that¡¯s good enough,''


    Vincent scoffed at the sight.


    There was nothing special about Azier''s movements. There was no ir, just subtle movements that couldn''t be found even if you searched hard. It was impressive that he subdued all the knights without killing them, but Vincent could do it too.


    Vincent was convinced. He can win. The knights were defeated only because they were ipetent. He thought they were fine since they were highly paid, but they were just worthless.


    Vincent walked to his room with a smile. He held the carefully disyed spear in one hand and left the room again.


    By then, all the knights on the first floor had copsed, leaving only Azier in the center.


    "Hey!"


    Vincent shouted and held out his spear. The ornate decorations and brilliant shine of the spear caught the eye. In particr, the de was beautifully lit by the light of the mansion''s chandelier.


    "Look at this spear! If you have eyes, you''ll know! It''s the ''Kyriothites,'' the spear said to be held by angels! It''s a legendary item!" [T/N: If anyone knows this reference, let me know]


    "Impressive."


    He replied, his voice unchanged, and he couldn''t tell if it was admiration or not.


    Huh! Vincent jumped off the railing. Holding his spear, he swung it down towards the ground andnded softly. It was a technique that used the pressure emitted from the spear to lift his body.


    "When two people have simr skills, the one who determines the oue is always the weapon."


    "That''s true."


    Vincent held the spear with both hands, pointing it towards Azier, while Azier''s spear just rested on the ground.


    With a swish, strength surged into Vincent''s arms. The flowing aura filled the spearhead. The de was no longer reflecting light, but emitting its own light, engulfed in aura.


    Swoosh!


    Vincent''s eyes widened, and the spear rushed towards Azier like lightning.


    And then,


    Swoosh-


    Vincent stared dumbfounded at his empty hands.


    The spear had disappeared. The Kyriothites, known as the spears of angels andpared to legends, had vanished.


    No, it didn''t disappear. He missed it. When Azier casually handed him the spear, he couldn''t feel any sensation and dropped it.


    "What...?"


    As Vincent nkly looked at his own hands.


    Azier spun the spear under Vincent''s pole, destabilizing him. Vincent, who helplessly sank down, looked up at Azier.


    "I have one question."


    Azier pressed the spear against Vincent''s throat. Despite easily winning, he had a look of difort on his face.


    "Why are you weak?"


    "W-What...?"


    Vincent raised his head, wondering if he misheard.


    Weak? Me?


    ''This crazy bastard. You''re the abnormal one!''


    The spear that barely touched the de flew away. There was no sensation of it slipping from his hand. How can he respond to such a technique?


    "You mentioned the spear earlier, Kyriothites."


    "...Yes. Someone like you will never be able to-"


    "I''ve seen worse. That''s why I''m asking."


    Azier''s eyes were filled with determination.


    Vincent couldn''t understand why Azier was angry at this moment. It would be understandable if they were in a confrontation, but there was no need for it now.


    "I know someone."


    Azier''s spear moved to Vincent''s throat.


    "That person had a weapon even more absurd than the one you just held. He swung it around fearlessly."


    Blood trickled down Vincent''s neck, as if the rage of Azier was spreading from the tip of the spear.


    "Yet, he did not wield that weapon to enhance his inherent power. He sought learning, endured injuries, got beaten, and rolled in the dirt. That''s how he grew stronger, believing that was his only way to survive. Enduring through times when everyone around him deemed him pitiful."


    Vincent didn''t know whom Azier had been talking about all this while, but he knew he had incredibly bad timing to get caught up in this.


    "I''ll ask again."


    Azier''s cold gaze settled.


    "What right do you have to be so weak?"

 Chapter 101 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    My brother Azier once took on a temporary teaching role at Constel.


    This was also an official part of the game ''Etius''. If you manage to fend off the main quest ''Raid'', Alex inevitably gets expelled from Constel or flees unnoticed.


    Azier briefly filled the sudden vacancy in ''Basic Combat Skills''.


    But that was, literally, temporary, until the next official teacher arrived.


    So, who would the next official teacher be? Of course, I knew that too.


    "Nice to meet you~!!"


    The voice, even more lively than what I had seen in the game, already darkened my vision.


    Students gathered in the auditorium to attend the lecture stared nkly at a man hopping towards them from the entrance.


    A bit shorter than the average height of men in this world, with a face too youthful.Teacher Pascal.


    Dubbed ''the mischievous'' by gamers.


    Not a viin, but many gamers wished he was.


    "Ahem."


    Standing in the center of the auditorium, Pascal cleared his throat and then spread his arms wide.


    "Hello. I am Pascal Schilitz, and from today, I''ll be in charge of the Basic Combat Skills lecture here at Constel. Nice to meet you!"


    With a wide smile and waving arms, Pascal was met with awkwardughter from the students.


    Despite trying not to be prejudiced, Pascal''s appearance and demeanor seemed too youthful.


    "And I am a knight from the royal pce. Impressive, right? That''s why I can teach all of you!"


    Some students were dazzled by Pascal''s self-praise.


    Naturally, a knight from the royal pce is on a different level than any mediocre private knight order. Even the lowest knight from the pce is treated differently.


    And Pascal is not a low-ranking knight.


    "Now that it''s your second semester, you will start learning about aura in earnest. This isn''t something I arbitrarily decided, it''s part of Constel''s curriculum!"


    This time, the expression on most students'' faces changed.


    Aura. Something like a dream for students inbat disciplines.


    As I mentioned before, aura and mana are different names for the same material called ''Qi''.


    However, while magic students can quickly acquire mana and use magic,bat students are quitete in using aura.


    Some don''t use it at all until they graduate from Constel.


    There are several reasons. First,batants can fight without using aura.


    Unlike a magician who cannot perform without magic, a swordsman without aura can still fight. That''s why the need to acquire aura is reduced, and therefore it iste.


    Another reason is that aura manifests differently in each person.


    Constel guides you on how to use aura properly, but it is up to the individual to acquire it.


    This is because there is no set form for using aura like in magic.


    Just as everyone''s bones and muscles are different, aura is released in a way unique to each person.


    "By the way, this is my aura! Look closely!"


    Pascal spread out one hand. The students made expressions that thought it might be the case. And it was.


    Woo-woong, there was a sound as if the engine was turned on lightly.


    "Wow¡­¡­"


    Pascal drew aura from his bare hands. It was shaped just like a ''sword''.


    Since aura is the release of Qi, it is not visible or only faintly visible to ordinary people or those with insufficient Qi sense.


    ¡­¡­In fact, I wouldn''t have seen it until recently. Still, I''m d I could see it clearly because of all the fighting I''ve done so far.


    "Aura without a weapon...."


    Someone muttered in an admiring voice.


    Once, the formerbat instructor, Alex, said this:


    -At the peak of aura, a weaponless bare hand can weaponize aura.


    That means Pascal has reached the peak of aura. It''s a realm that even Alex couldn''t reach.


    ¡­¡­Well, there are several catches to this thought, but even so, there''s no denying that Pascal is a great knight.


    "How is it? Isn''t it amazing? Isn''t it amazing? Hahahaha!"


    If he hadn''t said those words, he would have received much admiration, but the students went back to awkward smiles.


    "Aura can be used like a weapon without a weapon, but even if this is possible, it is better to hold a weapon. Aura amplifes the weapon''s reach, power, and durability, while drawing out the original power of the weapon."


    I thought about Pascal''s exnation.


    Like all the students, my top priority this semester is ''aura''.


    In terms of the quality and quantity of weapons, there won''t be many ahead of me, but I''m just swinging those weapons.


    Trying to cut down a tree with an electric saw without turning it on? Of course, the saw de can cut the tree, but that''s not its original performance.


    The performance of a weapon is determined by the user''s aura. In essence, all weapons choose their owners.


    Just as an owner picks a weapon. Of course, there are extreme cases like ''Excalibur Alpha'' that outright choose their wielder.


    "Now, we must demonstrate the power of this aura."


    As he spoke, Pascal scanned the students. Naturally, the students'' gaze fell on one person. It was a reflexive action, like that of trained dogs.


    Of course, it was Aster Evans.


    "You there, with the ck hair! You''re Frondier de Roach, right? Come forward."


    As expected, Aster did not stand up to the call.


    What''s going on? Why isn''t he moving?


    "Frondier de Roach!"


    "¡­Ah, are you calling me?"


    Only then did I realize my name had been called and looked at Pascal.


    Pascal smiled and gestured for me toe forward.


    I didn''t understand, but since he called me, I went up. Both the students watching me and I had simr expressions.


    "So, what should I do?"


    "Oh, it''s simple. It''s too obvious what happens when an aura collides with a regr weapon, so let''s show the students what happens when auras collide."


    ¡­Ah. The point is indeed grand and magnificent.


    "¡­If auras are to collide, that means."


    "Yes, yes, Frondier. Bring out your aura. The weapon is ready, right?"


    "¡­?"


    I''m not particrly friendly with the students inbat training. I''m known as the ''human sloth.''


    Yet, this time, I quickly scanned the students with my eyes, instinctively seeking help with my gaze.


    Even the students who dislike me would stand with me this time.


    "Um, teacher. Frondier can''t use aura."


    "That''s right. You seem to be mistaken, but the one who recently mastered aura here is Aster Evans¡­"


    Exactly, they''re saying what I hoped they would.


    Pascal nced at Aster for a moment and then smirked.


    "Ah, of course, I know. Aster Evans! Truly amazing, right? I know."


    Then he looked at me again.


    "Now, show us your aura, Frondier."


    ¡­?


    What''s going on? Are we notmunicating? No, we were just a second ago.


    As if to snap me out of my confusion, Pascal spoke.


    "Frondier, you can use aura, right? I know everything~"


    And with a look that seemed to see right through me, Pascal struck a pose with a sword made of aura.


    ¡­Ah,


    Is this how you can die in this game?


    Terrible game.

 Chapter 102 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Resuming releases. Do rate and review the novel on NU, its suffering rn!</i>


    I was in an extremely dangerous situation.


    I didn''t know where Pascal had heard the ridiculous rumors. He might have evene up with them himself.


    "Sir, I can''t use aura. Just look at the expressions on the students'' faces."


    All of the students watching me nodded in agreement with my heartfelt words. For a moment, they were my reliable allies.


    "Hahaha."


    Pascalughed. It was a dryugh.


    And he stared at me and grinned."Lies."


    There was something unsettling, even eerie about his words. Pascal''s behavior and tone reminded me of someone I had met before.


    Who was it?


    "Then let''s do it!"


    Pascal shouted cheerfully, as if we were starting a game.


    Then, the fearsome de of his aura flew towards my face.


    ''This crazy teacher!''


    I pulled out my ''Neil Jack''s Short Sword.'' It was the real thing.


    ng!


    My sword and Pascal''s aura collided. The sounds of shing metal reverberated through the room.


    "Wow! You have a nice sword, Frondier!"


    Pascal said nonchntly. Meanwhile, I was petrified from a single attack.


    This dagger made of Viper Steel had greater resistance and strengthpared to ordinary weapons. Additionally, it would not be damaged due to its attribute, ''Eternal Edge.''


    However, it could still be destroyed if it takes damage beyond its limit.


    Up until that point, the sword would perform optimally, but if the limit was exceeded, it wouldpletely shatter.


    Thinking of it in gaming terms, it''s like a sword with 100 durability points. From 100 to 1, it performs exactly the same.


    ¡®What does this teacher think he knows about me!?¡¯


    Pascal''s attacks don''t have any killing intent. They are simply filled with yfulness.


    Each attack concentrates on causing me trouble, making me pull out my sword and counter-attack quickly.


    Just like a frog that got hit by a stone that was thrown as a joke.


    Right now, I''m very much the frog.


    "Ugh!"


    ng!


    The dagger that was hit by the aura shook violently. Fortunately, I''m more ustomed to battles after my training with Azier.


    However, this teacher doesn''t seem to know his own strength, so if I don''t respond properly, I''ll end up dead.


    "Come on! Hurry up and pull it out! Stop ying around, Frondier!"


    Tang!


    "......!"


    Using force, Pascal shoved his aura inward, hitting my sword away.


    My sword-wielding arm swung outward, opening up my chest. Pascal mercilessly sent his aura straight at the opening.


    ©¤Damn it.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    <i>Neil Jack''s dagger</i>


    ng-!


    I knitted the dagger with my other hand, using the technique to parry Pascal''s aura.


    The students who were watching gasped at the sight.


    "F, Frondier actually deflected aura......!"


    "I couldn''t believe it, but it''s real!"


    No, you fools!


    Well, I''d rather them think that than the truth!


    "...... Huh, uhh?"


    Pascal tilted his head, puzzled by the sight that was different from what he had thought.


    Something invisible deflected his aura.


    To the eyes of ordinary people, they both wouldn''t be visible and thus look the same, but it must be different in Pascal''s eyes. Pascal can see aura. In contrast, my knitted dagger is ''truly invisible.''


    The students are a bit far away, and since my aura only appeared for a brief moment, it seems like they didn¡¯t see it, but Pascal must have felt a strong sense of difort.


    ¡°Hm, okay. Student Frondier student, return to your seat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    I tried to lookposed and turned around.


    ¡®What kind of mischievousness is that?¡¯


    No matter how much of a ¡®Mischievous¡¯ Pascal might be, he¡¯s not stupid or reckless. He¡¯s just overly motivated and curious.


    In other words, there must be something that made Pascal act like that.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know who spread this rumor, but there must be some basis for it, which is why Pascal believes it. Someone who would believe that I use auras¡­¡¯


    As I got to that point, I realized something.


    Grobel¡¯s story from Teiban came to mind.


    -That little punk Gregory is the problem.


    -Don¡¯t you know? Gregory went to Serf¡¯s residence without knowing that he was dead and got caught. Of course, it was the crow he was controlling that got caught. That¡¯s why we¡¯re looking for him, but we haven¡¯t caught him yet.


    -You must not forget! My brother! My brother Rokbel! Don¡¯t forget! I tried my best!


    Grobel was worried about his brother, Rokbel. He was worried that Gregory might get to him.


    It was information I learned while talking to Grobel, but at the time of the hut incident, Serf thought I used ¡®aura.¡¯ That¡¯s because Gregory, who gave the information to Serf, had thought that from the beginning.


    In other words, it¡¯s likely that Gregory gave the information to Pascal.


    It¡¯s still just a hypothesis, though.


    In order to verify it ¨C


    ¡°Selena.¡±


    I whispered to Selena next to me. Selena was taking the same ss as she was in thebat series.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°There was a young boy in the cabin incident. His name is Rokbel. Find out where he¡¯s living and if he¡¯s safe. If possible, find out if someone named Gregory has made contact.¡±


    Selena probably received most of the information about me from Manggot. She must also know about the ¡®cabin incident.¡¯


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    As expected, Selena didn¡¯t ask anything more and just replied.


    It looks like I¡¯ll be fulfilling my promise to Grobel sooner than expected.

 Chapter 102 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After school.


    These days, Quinie, the head of the Viet family, had a lot on her mind, even while returning home.


    As a third-year student, she had to think about what she would do after graduating since the second semester started.


    ¡°Is it really that worrisome? Can¡¯t you just live well as the head of the family and eat and live well?¡±


    Anne, a friend who was walking next to her, nagged her. Anne, who had already be the head of the family and had decided what she would do, didn¡¯t quite understand Quinie¡¯s worries.


    ¡°If I were just going to be a merchant, I wouldn¡¯t have attended Constelle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    Quinie had a dream.


    Her family, Viet, was a family that was on the verge of copse. Quinie restored it with her own strength, which is why she became the head of the family.In that case, why was Viet on the verge of copsing in the first ce?


    ¡®Families that just chase after money have no power.¡¯


    Quinie thought the reason the Viet family copsed was because it didn¡¯t have enough power to protect itself.


    Before she became the head of the family, the Viet family tried to solve even the family¡¯s protection and defense through diplomacy with other families. In other words, they tried to trade mary gains for the defense power.


    They tried to solidify the family¡¯s defenses by buying other families¡¯ knights, frence knights, and mercenary groups with money if necessary.


    At first, there was no particr problem. As long as the fair trade continued, there was no problem with the family''s defense.


    The problem was after the knight order that the Viet family bought with money joined hands with the hostile family trying to overthrow Viet.


    Viets, whocked the power to protect themselves, could not be free from coercion by force.


    It was like making deals with someone holding a knife to your neck. Of course, things could not go right.


    ¡®Right now, the other Houses are just watching, but who knows when something like that might happen again?¡¯


    That was why she had to prove herself. If she, as the head of the House, had enough power, they wouldn¡¯t think of messing with her so casually.


    After graduating from Constel and dealing with the monsters, and umting sufficient merit, knights would gather under her House. Once that happened, she would be able to have the House¡¯s own knight order.


    ¡°The question is, do I be a pro or go for knighthood¡­¡±


    As a pro, you would receive assignments, but you had some degree of discretion. In other words, you could carry them out while also doing your job as the head of the House.


    However, bing a pro in itself was not particrly meaningful, so it took time topile enough achievements.


    On the other hand, once you became a knight, you would gain recognition from the surrounding Houses, and it would be easier to rally other knights. It was not umon for the head of the House to also be the leader of the knight order.


    The only question was whether the current Quinie and the Viet House had the means to do so.


    -Did you hear that rumor?


    At that moment, something that grated on Quinie¡¯s ears reached her. Two female students were walking and talking. She listened in briefly, and it was about someone confessing to someone else, hardly anything major.


    ¡°There seems to be a lot of gossip these days.¡±


    Anne, who was walking beside her, had a derisive smile mixed with a sigh. She had warned Quinie not to worry about inconsequential matters.


    Quinie was aware of the sparkling rumors that had been circting as ofte. As a merchant, she naturally valued information, and most of it flowed to her, even the trivial stuff.


    ¡°It¡¯s the new school year, you know? And this year¡¯s freshmen, there are many promising talents.¡±


    ¡°I envy the young¡¯uns.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re two years younger than us.¡±


    Anne replied, chuckling softly.


    Quinie tends to enjoy the spread of rumors. Sometimes, she even manages to extract important information from them. It''s also her role to discern their truth.


    ¡­¡­However.


    ''Lately, I feel like there''s too many.''


    Even if it is a new school year, and even with all the freshmen star students being active.


    There was something strange about this situation, where rumors that had nothing to do with that started spreading, too.


    Lately, the rumors had no connective tissue; they were scattered and sporadic.


    It made her feel as though someone was artificially manipting things.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Quinie suddenly stopped walking at that moment.


    On one of the corridor walls that Quinie and Anna were passing by, arge ¡®magic bulletin board¡¯ was posted.


    Magic bulletin boards were a method of writing on walls using mana-powered luminescent letters, without needing paper or pens.


    The writing was scribbled, as if someone had yed a malicious prank. As for the bulletin board¡¯s subject matter, it crudely filled the entirety of the wall, leaving no nk space.


    Its contents. Quinie read the bulletin board as if she¡¯d been nailed to the spot.


    [Quinie de Viet has an extreme phobia of corpses.]


    [Quinie de Viet didn¡¯t enroll in Constel to gain skill. She came here to hide.]


    ¡°©¤©¤Ha.¡±


    Anne let out a sigh mixed with a sneer beside her. She spoke up, fearing Quinie might worry unnecessarily.


    "There''s bound to be such baseless rumors when there''s a lot to talk about."


    "......"


    "Quinie?"


    Although Anne dismissed it as just a rumor.


    Quinie''s expression suggested otherwise.


    Quinie clenched her hand once, rxed it, and then clenched it again.


    It was a habit to hide her trembling.


    * * *


    Two dayster.


    I listened to Selena''s report at the mansion.


    It hadn''t been long since I asked her to investigate Rokbel, but it seemed Selena had alreadypleted her investigation.


    "Lord Frondier, before I report, there''s something I want to ask."


    "What is it?"


    "Do you believe in my report, Lord Frondier?"


    Selena is a member of the Manggot. It''s inevitable that she and I would doubt each other.


    I asked Selena to betray Manggot, but that was merely a one-sided promise. Selena could refuse if she wanted to, and I had no way of knowing which side she had chosen.


    However, I had a certain conviction. That Selena would be my ally. And even if she didn''t, it didn''t matter.


    As long as Selena has the desire to know who she is and wants to return to her family, she cannot refuse my request.


    My order to her to ''moderately'' report about me to Manggot. In fact, Selena is already following that order by not disclosing anything about the ''ancientnguage''.


    "I believe you."


    "......"


    "There''s no reason not to. At least, there''s no reason for you to lie to me about this matter."


    "......Understood."


    Selena nodded deeply.


    "First of all, Rokbel is safe."


    With that first sentence, Selena''s report began.

 Chapter 103 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter as rating increased to 4.1 on NU. Next bonus on 4.2 Rating/2 more Reviews</i>


    "Rokbel is not only safe, but he seems to be doing very well at the orphanage."


    "Doing really well?"


    "The orphanage has always had a great reputation, and Rokbel has already made many friends there."


    "Have you personally gone and seen?"


    "Yes. He wanted to see his brother Grobel. Apart from that, there were no special issues."


    At Selena''s words, I nodded. I asked what was bothering me.


    "What about Gregory? Have you looked into it?""Gregory did not contact Rokbel."


    "Are you confident about that?"


    "Rokbel said so himself, and we confirmed the orphanage''s entry and exit records. Rokbel did not meet any personnel from outside, including Gregory."


    Rokbel is the brother of a mercenary. If not Gregory, there would be no reason for anyone else to meet Rokbel.


    I was somewhat relieved. It appeared Grobel''s worries would be alleviated for the time being. Of course, I must intermittently check as I am not sure when Gregory might attempt to contact Rokbel.


    "The problem is, where Gregory is right now."


    If Gregory had contacted Rokbel, we could have traced Gregory''s movements from there, but it''s hard to find him this way.


    Then, Selena put her hand on her chest and spoke.


    "Lord Frondier, may I speak my mind, even if it may seem impertinent?"


    "You don''t need to worry about being impertinent, just drop the formalities."


    "While investigating, I found out that there are numerous rumors of unknown origin circting in Constel right now. Most of them were false rumors, but among them, there were quite a few stories with high credibility."


    "Oh, like Aster freely using Aura, or Elodie seeding in the tri-elementbination?"


    Those were the rumors that were so famous they reached me. There were also many rumors about me.


    "Yes. Including those rumors, the number is excessively high."


    "......Ah. Then Pascal too?"


    I realized what Selena was trying to say. Selena nodded.


    "There''s a possibility that Pascal ''misunderstood'' that you, Lord Frondier, use Aura, which could be one of those rumors."


    I crossed my arms and thought.


    Only Gregory could misunderstand me using aura. Assuming this as a fact.


    It''s true that Gregory got in touch with Pascal. And the rumors currently pouring out randomly within Constel.


    "©¤©¤Is Gregory intentionally spreading rumors in Constel?"


    I spat out as if I was talking to myself.


    [A subquest has been generated]


    [Subquest: A rumor begets a rumor]


    ?Description: Rumors are spreading simultaneously in the Imperial Pce and Constel. Find the mastermind amidst the mixture of fake and real whispers.


    ?Objective: Find and subdue the culprit spreading random rumors


    ?Reward: +2 simultaneous weaving amount


    ?Failure may result in the loss of named characters.


    When I checked, a quest notification popped up on my smartwatch.


    Constel aside, the Imperial Pce too. It seemed they were suffering from a simr headache.


    The quest indicated that the incidents in Constel and the Imperial Pce were not unrted.


    When I yed the game, the quest gave rewards ording to Aster, but finally the quest''s reward is tailored to me.


    Increasing the number of simultaneous weavings is always a good thing.


    By the way, this damned quest keeps threatening the lives of named characters.


    "Lord Frondier, also, from what I''ve checked,"


    "There seems to be a simr situation in the Imperial Pce. It seems to be rted to spreading rumors in Constel."


    "......That''s right. You''re amazing. You''re collecting other information besides me."


    Selena spoke as if she was admiring. Well, there''s no way to exin this, so let''s leave it alone.


    By the way, a simr incident is happening in the Imperial Pce. Moreover, Pascal is a knight of the Imperial Pce.


    ......I should let him know, right?


    But do I have a way to meet him from my side?


    * * *


    "Pascal became a teacher?"


    Empress Philly was a little surprised at the news that came in today. The image of Pascal she had in mind and ''teacher'' didn''t match well.


    The maid serving Philly nodded her head.


    "Yes. He is said to be in charge of basicbat training in Constel."


    "Basicbat skills...... I wonder what Pascal can teach."


    The knight next to Philly carefully started a conversation, noticing Philly''s sigh.


    "Your Majesty, isn''t Pascal an excellent knight?"


    "He is excellent. A knight with outstanding talent. That''s why he can''t teach people. Because he can''t understand the hardships of others."


    Pascal is the most promising knight in the royal family. He strongly expressed his desire to be the escort knight of Empress Philly, but Philly personally rejected it.


    "Your Majesty, you seem to be very stingy with your evaluation of Pascal. Although he''s a bit distracted, there''s no big problem with his character, and his skills are excellent, aren''t they?"


    "I''m not stingy~ But to be my escort knight, that''s not nearly enough."


    Philly denied it with a wave of her hand.


    She knows it herself.


    Philly is very stingy with her assessment of Pascal.


    "What about Sir Robert, since you mentioned the escort knight?"


    As the knight asked, Philly''s face darkened.


    Philly had sent Robert, her escort knight, to Tyburn. It''s been quite a while ago. But she hasn''t issued a return order yet.


    The reason was that her previous intuition was correct.


    ''Premonition can sometimes be tiring.''

 Chapter 103 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Philly had a hunch that it would be dangerous if Robert was in the pce. It was the activation of future foresight.


    However, on the other hand, Philly didn''t feel that she herself was in danger.


    In other words, there was someone targeting Robert, not Philly.


    ''Somehow, I think the cause lies with Pascal.''


    This was not a future foresight, but the result of her time in the political arena, and Philly''s own keen sense of smell.


    Although there are knights under Philly''s directmand, it is a fact that Philly trusts Robert the most.


    This is information that most of Philly''s knights know. And everyone acknowledged it. Robert had the skills and loyalty to deserve it.


    ''Is Pascal jealous of Robert...?''


    Although it''s a forced logic, it''s not nonsense. The position of the Empress''s escort knight is quite high. It''s something Pascal could covet.However, I don''t understand.


    As the knight said, Pascal is not a bad man. Rather, he would be ssified as a decent young man.


    He may have a somewhat childish appearance and behavior, but he is not a real child, and he knows how to distinguish right from wrong.


    It''s hard to understand at first why such a Pascal would attack Robert, who is called the knight''s inspiration.


    "Sir Robert is still on a mission in Tyburn. I will call him when the timees."


    "Yes, Your Highness. I spoke out of turn."


    The knight said so and bowed his head. It was a very straightforward attitude. Phillyughed lightly.


    Then, someone knocked on the office door.


    "Your Highness. Sir Azier de Roach haspleted his mission and returned."


    "Ah, I''ve been waiting. Let him in quickly. Now, everyone, please step back. We have a long conversation to have alone."


    At Philly''s words, the maids and knights bowed deeply and stepped outside the door.


    And a tall man slowly walked in through the opened door as if taking turns.


    The man knelt respectfully in front of Philly.


    "Azier de Roach greets Her Highness. I have justpleted my mission and returned to report."


    Philly watched Azier, who bowed his head respectfully.


    ''...Indeed,''


    He didn''t resemble Frondier.


    "You''ve worked hard. Do you have any information?"


    "The allegations against Vincent Von Coleman were mostly true. He was found to have taken information from the Knights and received bribes. However, that was all."


    "What do you mean by ''that was all''?"


    "The information about who gave the bribe, who paid for the information from the Knights, was cleanly cut off. It was as if Vincent had anticipated being caught and used disposable pawns from the start."


    Hmm.


    There had been a troublesome incident in the pce recently.


    The knights of the royal knights'' order were suddenly involved in violence or bribery.


    Most of the knights involved were either new or at the bottom. However, if this continued, it could tarnish the image of the entire Knights, so Philly quickly moved to find the cause.


    That was why she called Azier. She couldn''t entrust it to the knights within the pce.


    "Someone is instigating the royal knights. But the crimes they''re caught for are all different. Bribery, assault on citizens, threats, theft, illegal prostitution..."


    The royal knights are elites who have received excellent education and training. A clumsy temptation cannot shake them.


    To draw in not just one or two of such people, but a considerable number, and make themmit all different crimes. Could this be possible?


    ¡®Could this be rted to Sir Robert?¡¯


    I can''t be sure yet. But at least until this case is over, it would be better not to bring Robert back.


    "What do you think, Sir Azier?"


    Philly asked. She was interested in Azier. Of course, he was already famous in the world for his outstanding skills and character, but from Philly''s point of view, she was more interested in the fact that he was the brother of Frondier.


    "...It''s presumptuous."


    Azier lowered his eyes as if thinking about something, then spoke.


    "I have no title, so calling me ''Sir'' is too much for me."


    "Hmm? But you''re Azier, a noble of the Roach family."


    "That''s just a facade. I personally have no title, let alone am a knight. I have not yet fulfilled my duties as a noble, so mentioning the name of Roach is nothing more than ignorance."


    Upon hearing Azier''s words, Philly blinked for a moment.


    Then soon,


    "......Pfft. Ahahahahahat!"


    Upon hearing that, Phillyughed out loud. Azier looked at her with a puzzled look.


    If the escort knights saw Phillyughing so joyfully, they would have been very surprised.


    ''The two brothers have such different personalities.''


    She recalled how Frondier arrogantly called her ''Miss Philly''. But his brother, on the other hand, humbly imed that he was not worthy to be called ''sir''.


    "So, would you like to be my escort knight? Then it wouldn''t be a problem to call you ''sir'', right?"


    "......Someday, if that happens, it would be the greatest honor."


    The way he added ''someday'' at the beginning was truly like him.


    "Understood. Let''s backtrack. Azier. What are your thoughts? How do you view this incident?"


    "I''m not sure about the identity of the person behind this, but I don''t think there''s a need to find meaning in every single act the knights aremitting. It''s too sporadic and random."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It appears that the perpetrator''s goal is to cause confusion. They are likely to act to get what they want while diverting attention with the small disturbances caused by the knights."


    Philly agreed with Azier''s calm exnation.


    Each knight is made tomit different crimes, and while the method is unknown, there is no point in deeply scrutinizing each one.


    However, as these knights increase, confusion will be caused inside and outside the pce.


    "When the confusion is at its peak, that''s when they''ll make his move."


    At the words of Azier, Philly nodded deeply.


    And then,


    Beep- Beep- Beep-


    Philly''s sagephone rang loudly. The volume and rhythm of the sound were very simr to a siren.


    Hearing the sound that resembled an rm, Azier furrowed his brow. Could it be, a contact that could threaten the safety of the Empress¡ª


    Philly picked up the phone and said,


    "Oh, my daughter."


    "......"


    Azier lowered his gaze again.


    "Huh? No, it''s okay. Has mom ever cared about such things?"


    Watching Philly be a mother when she answered the phone, Azier somehow remembered his own mother, Malia.


    However, Philly''s next words interrupted Azier''s brief contemtion.


    "......Frondier? Wants to meet?"


    Philly''s question.


    Azier wondered if he had heard wrong.

 Chapter 104 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Pascal was staying at his mansion. He was leaning against a window, talking to someone.


    "The information was wrong!"


    Pascal eximed. It was the first time in a while that he had felt anger.


    [I''m sorry. I thought it was credible information.]


    In front of Pascal, a crow was busily moving its beak.


    "A misunderstanding..."


    Pascal couldn''t ept it, but he understood.


    When he had a light(?) sparring match with Frondier, Frondier clearly deflected his aura.


    But it wasn''t that Frondier had emitted aura. Whatever he deflected didn''t seem visible unlike the aura.''It was a strange technique.''


    It wasn''t visible, but judging by the distance from Frondier when his aura was deflected, the range wasn''t small.


    It didn''t feel exactly like aura, but there was a ''metallic'' sensation. So, was it another sword? Or a shield? Was it a weapon enchanted with invisibility magic?


    "Bring me proper information next time. That''s why I''m connecting with you guys."


    [Of course. We, Indus, will always act in the mutual interest of Mr. Pascal.]


    "You talk a good game."


    While Pascal scolded, he generally trusted the information this crow brought.


    Especially the information about the knights was reliable. When the crow brought information about a problematic knight, soon that knight was either captured or had fled.


    Pascal didn''t care what happened to the other knights of the royal pce. It was better if they were gone. Withpetitors within the pce disappearing.


    His goal was simple: to be the Empress''s royal guard.


    [Then, I will also ask for the following information. Please put effort into ''verification.'']


    "Right. I don''t know why Indus is doing this."


    [We are only trying to uncover lies and reveal the truth. As the dark side of the royal pce is peeled away, you, Pascal, will be able to rise more easily.]


    Whether that''s truly for the benefit of themon people or not.


    I don''t know why Indus, who ims to be for themon people, approached me. But as long as he provides information, I n to use it effectively.


    "Alright. You can go now."


    Pascal shooed away the crow with a gesture. Caw-! The crow returned to its avian nature, letting out a cry before disappearing.


    "Phew, I was close to harming a student."


    Muttered Pascal.


    But then, a different crow from the one that had just flown out the window arrived.


    The crow had a piece of paper in its mouth.


    "What''s this?"


    [This is a business card from Indus. We brought it hoping to establish a close rtionship with you, Pascal, in the future.]


    "Business card...?"


    Pascal took the paper and quietly looked it over.


    * * *


    I sought Aten''s help to meet with Empress Philly.


    It was absurd to try to meet the Empress this way, but given the circumstances, it was unavoidable.


    However, there was a minor problem before meeting Philly.


    "Selena. I have something to investigate separately today. Go back first."


    I said to Selena, who was standing quietly by my side.


    Selena spoke with a voice full of loyalty.


    "Wherever Lord Frondier is, that''s where I will be. Anytime, anywhere, I exist to protect Lord Frondier."


    ...Sigh.


    Lately, I''ve been feeling that Selena is a victim of rote learning.


    I don''t know how Manggot taught her, but while her expressions and dialogue delivery were perfect, they were utterlycking in context.


    ''If Selena gets involved, the story only gets moreplicated.''


    I pondered for a moment but realized there was no need to overthink it.


    Just being honest was enough.


    "Fine, then stay by my side. The Empress herself will be here soon."


    "¡­The Empress, you say, Empress Philly Terst of the Terst Empire,"


    "Too long. And yes, that''s correct."


    At my response, Selena closed her mouth.


    After freezing for a moment, she bowed politely.


    "If Her Majesty is by your side, then there is no need for me to be there. I will withdraw asmanded."


    "¡­Right."


    I considered teasing her a bit but then couldn''t be bothered. As soon as she heard my response, Selena disappeared in an instant. It was almost like running away, no, it was running away.


    For some reason, Selena is terrified of people in power.


    Vroom-


    I waited in front of the school gate, and a sedan pulled up in front of me. It waspletely different from the one I had seen before. I heard they change cars periodically to avoid drawing attention.


    "I''m sorry, Miss Philly. There''s something really important, so I took the liberty of¡­."


    I hurriedly spoke in front of the rolling down car window.


    And then I saw.


    "¡­What did you just say?"


    A man with eyes sharp as honed des and a sharp beauty was ring at me.


    ¡­¡­It was Azier.


    "Frondier, You just called Her Highness ''Miss Philly''."


    "Oh, Frondier. Long time no see. Did you have a good vacation?"


    Philly, who was sitting next to me, waved at me. Then she said to Azier,


    "It''s okay, since I allowed it."


    "You allowed it? You mean you allowed him to call you ''Miss Philly?''"


    "Yes. He deserves it. Frondier, you can sit in the front passenger seat."


    I walked hesitantly to the passenger seat at Philly''s words and got in.


    ...I could feel Azier''s piercing re from behind me. No, rather than piercing, it felt like he was stabbing the back of my head with his gaze.


    "Frondier, I will ask you again about your statementter. You better prepare a proper answer that will convince me."


    "No, you can''t. I said I allowed it, right? If you question Frondier for no reason, he''ll think that you''re ignoring what I said."


    Azier red at me, and Philly defended me. I didn''t say a word during their conversation.


    Because I felt like I would really die if I said something wrong.

 Chapter 104 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "So, Frondier, why did you call me here? If it''s nothing important, I won''t forgive you no matter how broad-minded I am."


    Philly changed the subject. It was truly a considerate act that brought tears to my eyes.


    "......Your Majesty, do you perhaps,"


    "You should call me ''Miss Philly.'' You always have."


    "......"


    I looked at Philly through the rearview mirror. Philly was smiling broadly. She looked very happy.


    "......Do you perhaps know a knight named Pascal,"


    "Miss Philly, you should,"


    Philly said, "call me that."Trying to brush it off didn''t work either.


    "¡­Miss Philly, by any chance, do you know of a knight named Pascal?"


    "Of course, I do. A promising knight of the royal pce, how could I not know? I''m also aware that he works as a teacher in Constel."


    Philly''s voice was brimming with kindness as she seemed quite pleased to answer.


    Azier next to me closed his eyes deeply and sighed.


    Let''s try not to bother Azier forcibly for now.


    "Um, Pascal thinks I wield Aura."


    "Hmm, is that so?"


    "I''m not sure how the rumor started or spread, but I didn''t think Pascal would believe it without any basis. It must have been a convincing lie. When you think about it, the person who spread such a rumor must be,"


    "Wait a moment, Frondier."


    That''s when Philly interrupted me. She tilted her head, looking confused.


    "Why do you say it''s a rumor?"


    "¡­Pardon?"


    "What?"


    Something about our conversation didn''t quite align. Philly and I looked at each other with simr expressions of confusion.


    Then, suddenly, Philly''s eyes widened as if she had realized something astonishing.


    "Frondier, you mean you can''t wield Aura?"


    "¡­Yes, that''s correct."


    As I affirmed, Philly''s mouth opened wider in surprise.


    "Then how did you, all this time¡­?"


    Even in her surprise, Philly omitted the details. About things like Renzo or Chimera. I''m thankful once again for her consideration.


    "It''s difficult to exin, but I cannot wield Aura."


    "¡­My goodness."


    Philly momentarily sealed her lips as if pondering something. In that interval, Azier gave me a look that said, ¡®What in the world are you up to?¡¯


    "©¤©¤Well, I understand now. So, who''s behind all this?"


    "I have a guess who it might be."


    "Is this entity behind it all powerful enough to summon me?"


    There was an edge to Philly''s question.


    Just from the conversation so far, it might seem like I was dragging my personal problems to Philly, imploring her to solve them as if she were nothing less than the Empress of the Empire.


    While not entirely inurate, there was a crucial distinction.


    "I believe the person behind this is someone named ¡®Gregory¡¯¡­¡­"


    I ryed to Philly the investigations and deductions I had made thus far. After listening to my story, Philly maintained a brief silence before speaking up.


    "So, you''re saying this Gregory person is spreading rumors in Constel. Using information gathered through espionage."


    "Yes. In Constel, and even within the Imperial Pce."


    "¡­¡­How far does this go? Frondier?"


    Philly asked incredulously, guessing my intent.


    Indeed. The recent entricities exhibited by the knights. Their simultaneous, disruptive actions suggest they are not unrted to Gregory.


    ¡­¡­But honestly, I shouldn¡¯t be bragging about this. It¡¯s something I learned from a side quest.


    Philly narrowed her eyes and said,


    "However, for arge number of rumors to spread, they need to be passed on to many people. And not just any people, but those with influence. How does Gregory manage to leak information to them? And why would they believe Gregory¡¯s words and spread the rumors?"


    Gregory usually appears in the form of ''Raven'' when he approaches others.


    It''s hard for anyone to believe the words spoken by a raven without any doubt. Why did they believe Gregory?


    He knew the answer to that question as well.


    "Gregory is a former member of ''Indus.''"


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Philly''s expression changed.


    On the surface, ''Indus'' is a group that works to improve the rights of civilians. It''s the organization that Serf Daniel, who targeted me, and Gregory belonged to.


    However, since Serf died and Indus seeded in covering their tracks, there are still very few people who know the darkness of Indus.


    Of course, Philly was one of those incredibly rare people who knew the darkness.


    "Gregory was expelled from Indus after hisplicity in a crime was discovered by the police. But that''s information the general public wouldn''t know. After all, cutting off ties is exactly that."


    ¡°¡­¡­So, you''re saying that Gregory got kicked out of Indus, but he''s still pretending to be a member of Indus?"


    "That''s what''s likely. I think he''s using the Indus name to gain the trust of important figures and then spreading all sorts of rumors. Even if they''re suspicious at first, if Gregory''s words turn out to be true, they''ll start to believe him as well."


    "What''s Gregory''s goal?"


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m not exactly sure yet. I think he''s nning to escape."


    It''s clear that Gregory is trying to cause amotion.


    If he uses the Indus name to spread all the rumors he''s collected so far, it will naturally damage Indus''s image.


    The police are still investigating the knights'' crimes, and Indus is working to restore its image.


    ......However, I can''t quite imagine the uproar caused by the rumor bing that big. Won''t it just make a little noise?


    "Indus won''t sit still since Gregory is running wild like this. I can only guess that Gregory is aiming for that gap."


    "I see. Not bad."


    As expected of Philly. She''s quick to follow.


    I nodded and said.


    "However, the information I''ve confirmed hasn''t revealed why the knights aremitting these crimes. Once we know that, we''ll have a clue......"


    At that moment, a phone rang somewhere. It was next to me, on the driver''s side.


    "Excuse me, can I take this?"


    "Sure."


    Philly said nonchntly. The driver took out his cell phone and put it to his ear. Then,


    Vroom-


    The car''s speed increased strangely. The car, which had been gradually increasing its speed, was now impossible to ignore.


    I looked at the driver.


    "......Hey."


    The moment I spoke softly, the driver turned the steering wheel. The continuous eleration, the unrelenting speed, the guardrail in front of us, and the cliff beyond it whose bottom was unknown.


    Thud!!


    The sedan hit the guardrail and soared into the air.

 Chapter 105 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The back wheels lifted first, and the car flipped over. I felt intense pressure on my chest, the back of my head, and my waist.


    As the car was suspended in the air for a moment, my eyes checked the bottom.


    ¡°Meno, Sor, oph...!¡±


    The Rune activated, and rolling my eyes to the backseat, I locked eyes with Azier, who had suddenly embraced Philly.


    Our gazes conveyed the same message.


    ©¤Survive on your own.


    Boom!


    Azier kicked the car''s back door with her foot. The door flew off noisily. Azier, with great agility, took Philly and exited the car while still in the air. It was a considerable height to the ground, but worrying about Azier was a luxury.Only the driver and I remained in the vehicle. The driver''s eyes were unfocused. There was no emotion in them, not the panic of having flipped the car by stepping on the elerator, nor the fear of imminent death.


    ©¤©¤Something''s wrong.


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Spears, from No. 1 to No. 3.</i>


    <i>Shields, from No. 1 to No. 4.</i>


    I wove spears outside the vehicle and thrust them into the backseat.


    With a crunch, the car, which was falling vertically, shifted diagonally upon impact, and aligning with that direction, I thrust spears into the car once, and then again.


    As a result, the car turned in mid-air and crashed into the top of a tall tree trunk.


    Bang!


    I caught the falling car with a shield from below. I did it again three times, each time the car stopped in mid-air, stopped, and stopped.


    Crash-!


    Itnded on the ground.


    The car was wrecked, but the driver and I were unscathed.


    ¡°...Haah...¡±


    I was relieved to see the driver was fine.


    However,


    Suddenly!


    There was no time to rx. The driver lunged at me, trying to choke me with both hands, which I grabbed.


    ¡°Ugh, hey! Mister! Snap out of it! Hey!¡±


    I was so flustered that honorifics and informal speech jumbled out.


    The opponent trying to kill me waspletely expressionless. It was more terrifying than I had imagined.


    Why is the driver so strong...?!


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop, Blunt Weapon No. 1</i>


    <i>Wooden Hammer</i>


    ng!


    I created the simplest weapon I had in the sky and struck him on the head. The man''s strength weakened a bit.


    In that moment, I grabbed the man''s shoulder with my right hand and pulled. His back was now in view.


    Crack, I gained the upper hand in our posture, twisted his arm behind him, and grabbed his hair. Then,


    Bang-!!


    With all my strength, I mmed his head into the steering wheel. The horn, still not dead, red loudly.


    "Snap out of it!"


    Even mmed against the steering wheel, his expression didn''t change. Could he not feel pain? His vacant eyes rolled and then looked at me. Chills ran down my spine.


    Trembling.


    I was suppressing the man with all my might. I had firmly subdued his arm, yet he was lifting his body as if he was about to break his own arm. Controlling his movements through pain was useless.


    "Frondier! Are you okay?!"


    From a distance, I heard Philly''s voice. Only after hearing it did my mind start to clear.


    ''...Phone.''


    This man''s sudden change was undoubtedly because of that. The moment he took the call, his focus disappeared, and he elerated the car towards me.


    What did he hear? What was said to make him react like this?


    ''...No, maybe.''


    The ''content'' of the message might not be important.


    Thud, something hit against the outside of the driver''s door. Looking out the window, it was Azier.


    "Frondier, the door''s locked."


    "Do I look like I''m in a situation where I can open the car door right now!"


    "Fair point."


    I felt a strange sensation from Azier outside the window. It was aura. The moment I realized it,


    Crack!


    The car door opened. Or rather, I thought it opened, but it was torn off. Azier, holding the car door in one hand, threw it aside.


    And then, he threw the driver I was suppressing out of the car.


    The man slid to the ground and tumbled over and over. Azier had skillfully tied up the driver from above.


    Seeing that familiar action, I asked.


    "Do you always carry rope with you?"


    "When you be a pro, you''ll need to carry it too. There are far more times when you shouldn''t kill someone than when you have to. Handcuffs are good, but ropes are more versatile."


    Azier tied up the driver and dusted off his hands. After struggling a few times, the driver soon stretched out limply, as if suddenly fallen into sleep.


    "Are you both okay?"


    Philly quickly approached. She examined the driver''s face and I sensed a sigh of relief in her eyes.


    He had been driving for Philly since I first met her. She must have trusted him quite a bit.


    "Check him."


    Azier rummaged through the man''s pockets, found a wallet, and tossed it to me.


    "Look for an ID. It might have been switched somewhere. These days, ''masks'' are almost impossible to distinguish with the naked eye."


    Following Azier''s instructions, I checked the wallet. Philly was saying, ''No, I can tell; this man is definitely my driver©¤'' and so on, but I didn''t bother to respond.


    ......And then.


    I found it.


    Thud.


    The wallet dropped. It slipped from my hand. I thought dropping something in shock was something that only happened in dramas, but here I was doing that not at all funny act.


    Right, it''s not funny at all.


    ''...What is this?''


    What I found wasn''t an ID.


    It was a business card.


    [Serf Daniel]


    - Indus Member No. 9


    That strikingly simple sentence.


    Yet that unforgettable name, it made me tremble.


    Serf Daniel.


    The one I met in the cabin, Serf Daniel.


    With the bow I made, with the arrow I made.


    ...Surely, an arrow that could never miss, hit Serf Daniel.


    ''He...''


    In disbelief, I looked over the unchanging business card several times.

 Chapter 105 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Honestly, during the vacation, Elodie missed Constel.


    Life at the Mage Tower was too hard, torturous, and grueling.


    Elodie''s primary duty in the Mage Tower was as a research assistant, and research there meant literally stepping into the uncharted territories of magic.


    But the actual stepping in was done by Elodie, not the researchers. That was the assistant''s job.


    Even if something big happened, it shouldn''t happen to the researcher. That was the reason.


    Of course, it was quite entertaining to see the expressions of the Mage Tower''s magicians when she secretly observed their research, mastered it all, and then demonstrated it right in front of their eyes.


    Anyway, Elodie missed Constel. The Mage Tower was a ce for highly leveled magicians. There was not a single magician of Elodie''s age.


    So, when the vacation ended and she returned to Constel, Elodie was inwardly excited.


    For about three days."Elodie, have you heard the rumor? Is it true?"


    "¡­Ha."


    Sitting quietly in the ssroom, someone approached her with sparkling eyes.


    The start of the second semester at Constel was truly a time dominated by rumors. Especially for Elodie, who, along with Aster, had to endure immense attention.


    The rumor, of course, was about the sess of the three-elementbination. It was true, and it was a proud achievement that Elodie didn''t need to be ashamed of. Naturally, at first, Elodie answered eagerly, feeling proud.


    But to repeat this for three days, and even today, naturally, it could only be tiresome.


    "Yeah, it''s true. You''re not the only one; more than a hundred havee and gone. Stop asking already."


    "Kyaa! It''s really true? Oh my, wow!"


    But the reaction of her ssmate was strange. It seemed like a mix of excitement and fun in their eyes, rather than just admiration for Elodie''s growth.


    What could it be? Is thebination of three elements really that thrilling for others?


    "So why did you stop?"


    "¡­? Stop? There''s no need to do it here."


    "Oh my, of course. How could you do it without Frondier?"


    ¡­Frondier?


    Then Elodie realized that the story had taken a strange turn.


    "Wait, what''s going on?"


    "Huh? What?"


    "What''s the rumor you heard?"


    "Well, it''s¡ª"


    It must be about thebination of the three elements, right?


    She must have heard that story and responded ''really?'', right?


    Her ssmate replied.


    "You and Frondier, you were childhood friends."


    "What?"


    "And you used to follow him around and call him ''Fron~.''"


    Elodie''s time stood still. She wondered what she had heard.


    Elodie nkly looked into the empty space with her blue eyes, then an earthquake urred in her pupils, and her face turned red.


    "Ah, what, what are you talking about©¤©¤©¤!!"


    * * *


    This situation was not limited to Elodie.


    The rumor changed strangely. So cleverly that no one knew when, where, or how it changed.


    In the case of Aster Evans,


    "Frondier, Sybil, and I are in a love triangle...?"


    "Yeah!"


    Aster''s brow furrowed. It was a strange feeling he had never felt before since entering Constel.


    "Why is that story going around?"


    "Remember when we went into the dungeon together? At that time, Sybil and Frondier got separated, and you got jealous and broke through the dungeon at super speed, that''s the story!"


    Aster rubbed his face. His head was throbbing.


    It''s true that we went into the dungeon together. It''s also true that Frondier and Sybil got separated along the way. It''s also true that I tried to clear the dungeon as quickly as possible.


    It''s all true, but how could the connection change so much?


    ''What kind of prank is this?''


    Based on the facts, they filled the gap with lies. There''s definitely an intention.


    Aster was feeling irritated for the first time in a long time.


    ...And on the other hand.


    "Aten-nim is so kind that''s why!"


    "No! Aten-nim is being ckmailed right now!"


    In the garden of Constel, strange factions gathered and argued with each other.


    Aten stood still in the middle of them.


    "Ah, over there...?"


    "Miss Aten! I''ve heard the rumors! I should have recognized that trash from the start! I will go and kill him right away!"


    "Kill? What are you talking about! Miss Aten! I am truly moved by your mercy andpassion that reaches the heavens. We will follow Miss Aten Terst for the rest of our lives."


    Indeed, at this point, even Aten might break into a sweat.


    She roughly understood the content.


    There were two factions arguing about Aten''s involvement with Frondier.


    One side imed Aten was being ckmailed, and the other believed Aten waspassionately staying with Frondier out of pity.


    ''Both are wrong. And both are displeasing.''


    How can there be no right opinion in a situation where opinions are so divided?


    "Miss Aten gathered eight people for a meal with Frondier recently! That alone shows how merciful Miss Aten is!"


    "It seems you don''t know that one of those eight was ''Selena,'' Frondier''s escort who first approached. It''s clear that Frondier hinted something to Lord Aten!"


    Sigh.


    Aten sighed and raised her right hand.


    <i>Ice magic</i>


    <i>Spearpoint</i>


    "Gasp!"


    An ice wall blocked between the two factions.


    "Enough, everyone cool down."


    "Miss Aten..."


    "And stop paying attention to baseless rumors from both sides."


    After saying that, Aten turned back.


    She went because she heard there was an argument about her, but it was a waste of time.

 Chapter 106 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?As I walked to school, I was lost in deep thought.


    I hadn''t actually seen Serf Daniel die. Sybil was the one who shot the arrow, and I fainted right after.


    I only heard about Serf''s death in the hospital.


    ...But even so.


    Just because I didn''t see Serf die with my own eyes.


    "Did Serf dodge the ''certain hit'' of Kryskatos...?"


    I thought Serf waspletely off guard at that time, but could there have been another way for him to survive?


    "I don''t get it."


    It''s unbelievable. Serf is definitely dead.There must be some trick-


    My concerns continued even after I entered through Constel''s main gate.


    "There! It''s Frondier!"


    "Huh?"


    Almost reaching the main building, I thought I heard my name and looked up.


    Raising my head, I realized the grounds of Constel were incredibly crowded today. It was packed with people.


    "What? Where?"


    "Over there! Coming this way!"


    And as some students noticed me, the person next to them looked at me, and then the next person too.


    "Woahhhhh!"


    "Out of the way! I''m first!"


    And they started running. Racing towards me.


    "...Huh?"


    I stared dumbfounded at the rushing crowd, then


    Sprinted!


    Off to the side.


    "Hey! Frondier! Stop! Why are you running away!"


    A somewhat familiar face yelled at me from behind.


    I kept running as I answered.


    "Ah, just because? Somehow just felt like it?"


    "Stopppppp!!"


    The momentum was too frightening to stop.


    This time, another boy yelled at me.


    "Hey! Is it true you''re dating Elodie!"


    "What?"


    I was taken aback by the unexpected question. Even for me, it was surprising.


    Who would spread such a ridiculous rumor©¤


    "Are you dating Elodie while also two-timing with Sybil?"


    "What?!"


    This time, I genuinely screamed in shock.


    The rumors must have traveled far and wide.


    "You''re seeing Elodie but you''re also dating Sybil. And then you enve Aten on top of that? Is that true!?"


    "What the heck? Hey! What''s gotten into you guys!?"


    I turned to my right and started running. Students who were looking for me were all over the ce.


    I tried to escape to a ce with as few students as possible, but it was futile. There were more students chasing me than I thought.


    I stopped and looked around.


    "...Holy moly."


    I let out a sigh as I counted the students who had mepletely surrounded.


    I couldn''t believe so many people could fall for such absurd rumors. No, maybe it wasn''t absurd from their perspective?


    ''Out of all these people, who''s a threat¡­''


    I quickly checked my surroundings. I was looking for people with ''named'', so to speak. As long as there were no ''named'' characters, I might be able to get away somehow. It would be best if I could convince them to let me go, but I wasn''t sure if that was even possible.


    Alright. Anyone with a name should know better than to believe this rumor, so¡­


    "Hey! Frondier! I heard the story!"


    ¡­Robald Lieff was there.


    I rolled my eyes in dismay. Conster''s biggest troublemaker, a hot-blooded simpleton, had fallen for the rumor.


    "I knew it! You''ve been threatening Aten-nim!"


    "Still with that nonsense?"


    When I first met Robald, he also thought I had some kind of leverage over Aten. Back then, it was just petty high school gossip that I could ignore, but how did things get this bad?


    "Frondier, do you know this?"


    Robald suddenly put on a serious face and spoke solemnly.


    "¡­Know what?"


    "No matter where else you go, ''justice'' is alive and well in Conster."


    What the heck.


    "Frondierrrr!! Honestly speaking! Are you threatening Aten-nim while two-timing her?"


    "I''m not."


    "Unbelievable!!"


    This beggar-like punk.


    But surprisingly, the surrounding eyes seemed to side with Robald. They were nodding vigorously in agreement with Robald''s exmation of disbelief.


    Ah, I thought I had been living diligently in my own way ever since I became the Human Sloth Frondier.


    My diligence that I had shown throughout the first semester didn''t help my image improvement at all.


    "Frondier! What were you nning to do by threatening Aten-nim! No, d-don''t tell me! You''ve already carried out your intentions! You, y-you defiled Aten-nim''s body...!"


    To Robald''s wild imagination, gasps could be heard from the surroundings. Are these guys actually all in cahoots? Could it be that they''ve gathered just to pick on me?


    I said with a resigned feeling.


    "Yeah, I threatened Aten. I caught Aten''s weakness and have already done all sorts of things with her."


    "......Unbelievable!!!"


    Robald screamed as if he was coughing up blood. He wouldn''t have believed me either way, this punk.


    But Robald was crying out as if he was about to burst into tears. If I kept going, he might even start shedding tears of blood.


    Did this punk have feelings for Aten? He hadn''t shown any signs of it when we yed the game ''Etius''.


    Is it because the yer was Aster Evans back then, so he admitted it coolly and moved on? He''s okay with Aster, but not with me, Frondier. Oh, so he thinks I''m actually the threatening type.


    "I''m kidding. I don''t know what rumors you''ve heard and gathered here for, but it''s all hearsay."


    I said so and stretched out both arms.


    "Look at me."


    "......?"


    "I''m the ''Human Sloth Frondier''!"

 Chapter 106 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "I''m the ''Human Sloth Frondier''!"


    I didn''t think I''d ever say this nickname with my own mouth. And with such confidence, at that.


    "Do you think I''d be able to date Elodie!"


    "......!"


    "Do you think I''d be able to date Elodie and two-time Sybil at the same time!"


    "!!"


    "Hah, you think I''d enve an Aten!"


    "!!!"


    Robald''s expression changed in real-time. His face screamed, ''Yeah, I guess that makes sense.''"Yeah, I guess so...."


    He was the kind of guy who blurted out whatever he was thinking.


    However, I had to admit, it was apelling argument. It wouldn''t be easy to refute this perfect logic.


    "Robald, snap out of it! We came to our conclusion after investigating the details and sources of the rumors! We can''t just dismiss them as mere hearsay!"


    "Haah! That''s right!"


    Someone behind me ruined Robald''s 180 and put him back on track¡ªor rather, messed him up again from my perspective.


    I asked the guy behind me, "What details?"


    "Ha! I know you''d like to believe it''s just baseless gossip, but I''ve received reports of substantial evidence that you''ve known Elodie since you were kids, as well as the ins and outs of your dungeon trip with Sybil!"


    ... Gregory, that punk. He bolstered the credibility of the rumors by adding unnecessary details. And the things he mentioned actually happened.


    I had wondered why these ridiculous rumors had suddenly brought so many people to me, but I guess there was a reason. Maybe they were still half-suspicious.


    "So Frondier! Come quietly!"


    "What happens if I do?"


    "Obviously, I''ll reform you with the power of justice!"


    Following him didn''t sound like a good idea.


    When I didn''t answer, Robald started swinging his arms and cracking his neck.


    "If you don''te willingly, we''ll drag you by force!"


    "Are you really going to use the power of justice here?"


    Robald let out a chilling grin at my question. His gleaming eyes held a hint of madness.


    "That''s right!"


    Twang! Robald leaped towards me.


    ''...Lunatic.''


    Robald pushed off from the ground and soared into the air, high enough that I had to tilt my head back. He then plummeted towards me, pulled down by gravity.


    Squash!


    I narrowly dodged out of the way as Robald''s knee smashed into the ground, creating a crater. It was pure physical strength, no frills, no magic.


    "Ouch, that hurts a bit."


    Of course, smashing the ground without pain was impossible.


    "Frondier! Don''t dodge! Just quietly rehabilitate!"


    "Hey! Do you even know what rehabilitation means?"


    Robald walked towards me, slowly. And it was easy to see as he clenched his right fist and pulled it back.


    And the next moment, he yelled and threw a right straight at me.


    "Don''t know!"


    A chilling wind whistled past me as I dodged.


    Did this guy just say he doesn''t know?


    I dived into the wide-open arms of Robald, grabbing his waist and shoulder. And then I tripped his foot to shift his weight...


    "...?!"


    This crazy guy.


    He didn''t fall. Despite perfectly executing the technique, he just resisted with his body. Even though I had held back a bit, thinking only to subdue him.


    "You can''t take me down with that level of skill! Frondier!"


    He said as he grabbed the back of my neck and threw me.


    "Ugh!"


    I rolled on the ground to absorb the impact. Standing up, I shouted.


    "You crazy guy, it''s weird that you didn''t fall! Weirdo!"


    "But I didn''t fall!"


    The weirdo said proudly.


    Hmm, Robald seemed to ponder for a moment then spoke again.


    "But still, you have a knack for fighting, Frondier. Not many can dodge my strike. Even fewer try to counterattack in that moment. Good eyes and sense too. It seems it wasn''t a coincidence that you got the better of me that day."


    Robald seemed to be recalling the surprise attack he made on me the first day we met. He had been knocked out by the staff I wove.


    ...Though that was indeed a coincidence.


    "My judgment wasn''t wrong after all."


    He nodded as if convincing himself.


    ...I had a lot to say about that statement, but the guy behind Robald spoke instead.


    "Robald! Snap out of it! He''s the man who threatened Aten!"


    "Oh! That''s right! Frondier! You''re a bad guy."


    I sighed at their foolish conversation.


    "Seems your judgment was off after all."


    Then, it came.


    [Ah, uh¡ªA message to all students in the Constel from the broadcasting room.]


    Suddenly, the school broadcast echoed. Startled, everyone froze and paid attention.


    The broadcast spoke in an entirely different voice, saying,


    [Kill Frondier.]


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    That voice.


    Though it was fading from my memory, I immediately recalled it.


    ©¤Serf Daniel. The bastard¡¯s voice.


    I instantly realized and nced around.


    All the students surrounding me had lost focus. Robald was no exception.


    ¡®These guys all received business cards!¡¯


    Serf could give orders to those who were handed a business card by him. The fact that he could control so many people at the same time was truly an amazing ability.


    ¡®This is bad.¡¯


    The students may have lost their expressions, but they were properly armed and looking at me. This was Constel. All the students were trainedbatants. And Robald¡¯s right there as well.


    nk, ng. The sound of metal filled the air as each student drew out their weapons.


    I felt cold sweat running down my back. It was fun when people gathered here after hearing the rumors, but the only thing lingering in the air right now was murderous intent.


    ¡®What do I do? How do I escape? The only way out is to fly using Mj?lnir, but I don¡¯t have enough time.¡¯


    For me to use Mj?lnir right now, I¡¯d have to chant Menosorpo and eat Dragonheart. I don¡¯t have the time.


    And if people who haven¡¯t lost consciousness saw me use Mj?lnir.


    ¡®¡­¡­But it¡¯s better than dying without doing anything!¡¯


    Just as I came to that conclusion and tried to chant Menosorpo.


    ¡°Jeez.¡±


    Someone lightlynded from the sky. Reddish-brown hair, blue eyes. The one who appeared with a small sigh was Elodie.


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    Elodie wrapped her arms around my two shoulders.


    We soared up into the sky.

 Chapter 107 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Elodie and I soared into the sky andnded on the roof of a building.


    From above, I could see at a nce which students were being controlled and which weren''t. The expressions of the unaffected students clearly showed their bewilderment.


    ......Still, there are a lot of students being controlled. They identified where I was and started to enter this building. In other words, this isn''t a ce we can stay for long.


    "Frondier, you''ve finally turned the entire academy into your enemies?"


    "Finally, huh?"


    It''s not like I nned this.


    "Just kidding."


    Elodie said as she looked down at the students below the building.


    "...I see familiar faces.""You remember them."


    Elodie nodded at my words.


    Elodie was with me during the cabin incident, after all. She knows Serf''s ability.


    Elodie asked, "Is Serf Daniel alive?"


    "......I don''t know."


    The ability controlling the students right now is definitely Serf''s. I just heard his voice over the broadcast.


    But it doesn''t make sense. Of course, I haven''t seen Serf''s face yet, and I still don''t think he''s alive.


    ......Maybe I just don''t want to believe it. The divine bow ''Khryskatos'' never misses its mark.


    "I fought him once before, and he''s a real pain in the ass. Knocking him out doesn''t work."


    Elodie muttered. In fact, those controlled by Serf cannot be knocked out. To be precise, they are already knocked out. The people involved probably feel like they''re wandering in a dream.


    Then, a strange thought suddenly urred to me, and I asked, "Come to think of it, you''re fine. If you were an enemy, I would be really scared."


    Of course, there were a few other students who were in their right minds besides Elodie. Was Elodie just lucky enough to avoid it?


    "......"


    But then, Elodie suddenly fell silent. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as if she couldn''t decide what to say. For some reason, her ears seemed to be red.


    Elodie then said with difficulty, "......I, um, I''m one of the people involved in the rumor."


    "Huh?"


    "The person spreading the rumor about you is also handing out Serf''s business card. Since the ''Indus'' name is credible, I guess they gave out a bunch of cards to one person."


    "......Oh, so the person who received the card would give them to their friends or acquaintances to try to make the rumor they heard more convincing. That''s how the number of people who received the card grew exponentially."


    Elodie nodded.


    "That''s why the people involved in the rumor don''t receive the card. The students who are trying to spread the rumor and the students who want to know the truth are different."


    Interesting rumors are entertaining for students in and of themselves, so they want to spread them.


    From their perspective, theter the truth of the rumor is revealed, the better. Once it''s revealed, the fun is over.


    That''s why business cards cannot be received by the parties involved, because it can reveal the truth of the rumor.


    ¡­¡­But.


    "Ah, so you know too. What kind of rumors are going around right now. Hey, you have no idea how much trouble I''ve been in because of that, that you and I were dating,"


    Fwoosh-


    mes burst out in front of me as I spoke. I was two steps away, but the eerie heat touched my skin.


    Elodie''s eyes shed.


    "It''s just a rumor, so it''ll be over today."


    "¡­¡­Right."


    Why are you angry? You and I feel the same way.


    But Elodie muttered something with her eyes downcast.


    "Well, it''s fine if the other stories spread, as long as that''s not one of them. Because it''s true."


    "¡­¡­Huh?"


    Just then, I heard the sound of running feeting from the entrance leading to the rooftop.


    I furrowed my brow.


    "Are the brainwashed kids already here?"


    "Probably."


    Elodie nodded.


    "Frondier, do you know where Serf is?"


    "¡­¡­Yeah."


    "Then find him. I''ll handle the students somehow."


    I nodded.


    My immediate destination is the broadcasting room. That''s where that bastard Serf can broadcast from.


    It seems that Serf and Gregory want to kill me.


    Considering they went through all this trouble to set up this borate operation. They wouldn''t have run away after causing all this chaos. They''d have to kill me.


    ¡­¡­But how do I get to the broadcasting room from this rooftop? I can''t go through the rooftop door since the students areing up.


    "Don''t worry about that, just go. The broadcasting building is right there if you justnd on the ground and run west."


    Elodie told me as she gathered her mana.


    ¡­¡­Hm, bynding, she means I should jump off here?


    I stood at the edge of the building and looked down. This was, hm, a five-story building, I think.


    It''s great that I''ve gained Elodie''s respect, but I wish she knew that my abilities have a lot of conditions attached. Well, she can''t know that.


    ¡®Right, this time I''ll use Mj?lnir,¡¯


    That''s what I was thinking when I saw someone casting magic on the ground in the distance.


    That pure white silhouette that was hard to miss even from this distance.


    It was Aten.


    <i>Ice Magic: Form One</i>


    <i>Range, duration</i>


    <i>Emergency escape</i>


    A long ice slide was created, connecting the rooftop to the spot where Aten was.


    "What, you were waiting for Aten. I was wondering why you were just standing there. I don''t know how much you know."


    Elodieined.


    ¡­¡­Hm, I''ll just let that one go.


    I stood on the slide. It was cold since it was ice, but I could handle it.


    "I''ll go then, Elodie! Be careful!"


    "Hurry up and go! And watch out for the teachers! Since they haven''t been responding, there''s a high chance that someone''s brainwashing them too!"


    It was a valid point. I nodded and slid my body down the slide, pushing myself along the slope with my arms.


    "Woooah~"


    "Can''t you go quietly?!"

 Chapter 107 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The sight of numerous students pouring into the building entrance and marching up was a spectacle in itself.


    Students who were still in their right minds backed away in fear at the sight. Their expressions clearly showed they were not normal.


    Among the procession was Robald, and his presence made the other students avoid them even more.


    "Hey, Robald, where are you going?"


    Of course, there were those who didn''t care about such things at all.


    Aster was a bit surprised by the massive procession of students but tried to ask Robald, who was among them, what was happening.


    Of course, Robald, having lost consciousness, just walked silently.


    Aster quietly observed Robald as he passed by, ignoring him.


    Then, she heard Robald murmuring in a low voice."Frondier... kill..."


    "Hey, wait. Waitwaitwait."


    Aster immediately followed alongside Robald. The ominous words and tone were too troubling to ignore.


    "Going to kill Frondier?"


    "...Kill..."


    "©¤©¤Hmm."


    He''s not in his right mind.


    Aster quickly made a judgment and blocked Robald''s path with the sword sheathed at his side.


    "You can''t go any further, Robald."


    "..."


    Robald''s unfocused eyes turned towards Aster. Seeing those eyes, he was certain. Robald was under someone''s influence. Probably all of these numerous students as well.


    "I could let the other kids go since Frondier would manage somehow, but not you. You''re dangerous even when you''re not in your right mind. And a headache even when you are."


    "...Obstruction..."


    Robald''s expression twisted. Veins popped on his temples, and muscles starting from his neck became pronounced. Soon, his body swelled slightly.


    Just tensing his entire body was enough to visibly expand his whole figure.


    "...Never thought it woulde to fighting like this."


    Robald was always the one causing trouble, wanting to fight. And now, when it really came to fighting, he was the one initiating it. Aster felt a sense of irony.


    Aster''s sheath emanated a blue aura. The vivid color was visible even to those not particrly sensitive to such things.


    It was the ''aura'' he had mastered during the break, freely manifesting.


    He decided not to use divine power. Aster''s goal was to subdue Robald, not to injure him.


    Could he subdue someone like Robald without causing serious injury? Even if he wasn''t in his right mind.


    But Aster smiled fearlessly.


    "I haven''t had a chance to see how much stronger I''ve be."


    Robald took abat stance. Even though he had lost consciousness, his body remembered the movements. Aster also drew his sword back and lowered his stance without unsheathing it.


    "A good opportunity."


    Immediately after, the two dashed towards each other, cutting through the air.


    * * *


    I ran toward the broadcasting room along with Aten.


    "Menosorpo."


    I activated the Rune and pushed the attacking students away with a shield.


    There were still many students aiming for me, but with Aten''s help, I was somehow able to cope.


    Aten, who specializes in ice magic, was a great help in stopping the students without hurting them.


    "It''s a blessing you didn''t receive a business card!"


    "Because I''m also one of the main characters of the rumor."


    Aten replied as she ran with me. Her in face, which hadn''t changed, was ratherforting in this situation.


    "But, Mr. Frondier."


    "Hmm?"


    "Do you want to enve me, Mr. Frondier?"


    I looked at Aten, puzzled by the absurd question. I thought it was a joke, but Aten''s face remained the same.


    At times like this, her in face is just too scary.


    "W-what? Are you joking?"


    "How could I be? Most of the rumors about me are like that. They talk about how I was caught with a weakness or how I was threatened."


    Ah, I know about that.


    I just had a fight with Robald over that.


    "So, I thought. Could it be that Mr. Frondier secretly desires something like that? Isn''t there a saying? There''s no smoke without fire."


    ¡°So I¡¯m the one who started the fire? I don¡¯t want something like that.¡±


    Enve the princess of the empire? Even in a fantasy, it''s a story where you would have to look for usibility.


    "But there''s enough reason."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The number of students questioning why I follow Mr. Frondier has been increasing. But if I was being threatened, the students'' questions would be resolved."


    "So, to resolve the students'' questions, you''re saying I should actually make you a ve?"


    Is that it? If there''s someone who hates me for no reason, give them a reason.


    She''s suggesting we add a setting where I threaten her in order to have a justifiable reason for Aten following me around?


    "That''s ridiculous. I would never treat you like that."


    "I don''t particrly dislike it,"


    "Be quiet!"


    This is strange. Aten isn''t stupid. She just keeps missing the point in strange ces.


    And isn''t the solution to that situation much simpler?


    "You could just stop following me in the first ce!"


    "Denied."


    This brat.


    "Then your opinion is denied too! What do you mean, ve! Don''t even joke about that!"


    "I wasn''t joking. There''s about a 10% chance I''m serious,"


    "That''s what you call a joke!"


    "......!"


    Aten''s eyes widened as she looked at me.


    "Is that what it was?"


    ......Ah.


    I want to see Serf quickly. I want to kill him.


    These feelings that were just triggered definitely existed before.


    ......I''m going to tear him apart.

 Chapter 108 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter! AWR is Weekly #1 on Novel Updates! P.S. Join our discord server</i>


    ?Aten and I arrived in front of the broadcasting room.


    "......Is Serf still here?"


    "I don''t know if he''s here, but he''s probably watching us."


    He tried to kill me using the students who received his business card.


    He must really want me dead, so he wouldn''t have just run away.


    "Then, this broadcasting room itself could be a trap."


    "That''s right. He knows I have no choice but toe here."Aten raised her hand and closed her eyes.


    "......I don''t feel any mana. It doesn''t seem like a magic trap is set up."


    "Good."


    I nodded and slowly opened the door. Nothing happened.


    As I carefully looked around and stepped inside, I found several students copsed.


    "Aten."


    "Yes."


    Aten approached and checked the condition of the students. Meanwhile, I checked the broadcasting equipment.


    And soon, I found what Serf intended.


    [Come to the auditorium.]


    A brief line. He had designated a ce for us to meet.


    In the meantime, Aten, who had checked on the students, said,


    "......They''re bleeding heavily. It might be okay for now, but it''ll be dangerous if we leave them like this."


    "So, he means to keep you tied up here."


    Aten nodded.


    "Will it be okay? The auditorium seems really like a trap."


    "We can''t leave the students like this either."


    I took out my phone.


    "Will you make a call?"


    "Yeah. To my brother."


    Philly''s chauffeur''s sudden erratic behavior, crashing the car into the guardrail.


    It''s probably because of the ''business card.''


    Since he acted out after receiving a call, he must have heard Serf Daniel''s voice on the phone. Now that this ''business card''-induced erratic behavior has spread throughout Constel, I need to let Azier know.


    I want to tell Philly, but if Azier is next to her, who knows what he might say to me.


    A brief dial tone, then,


    -...Frondier.


    Azier answered the call.


    "Ah, brother. It''s me. Constel is inplete chaos right now. Most of the students are mimicking the erratic behavior of the Empress''s chauffeur."


    I exined fervently, but somehow, there was no significant reaction from the other end of the call.


    Then Azier spoke up.


    -Frondier, I have something to report as well.


    "What is it?"


    -Well, to use your words...


    Azier spoke in a somewhat awkward tone.


    -It''s a mess here too.


    "Excuse me?"


    -No, let me rify. It''s not that the situation is chaotic. But, undoubtedly, something bizarre has urred.


    "What happened?"


    -Most of the knights in the pce have stopped moving.


    "Stopped moving?"


    -Yes. Their gaze is distant, and their expressions are just like those of corpses. It''s simr to what you described about the Empress''s chauffeur. Right now, they''re all standing still with that kind of expression.


    Then it must be Serf''s doing. He must have distributed his cards to the knights as well.


    But something didn''t add up.


    Azier seemed to have the same thought and said,


    -However, I can''t fathom the culprit''s motive. If he couldmand them to crash a car into a guardrail as before, there''s nothing stopping him from doing worse with all these knights gathered. I can''t understand why he would just have them stand like this.


    I frowned, sharing the same sentiment.


    Serf could have issued a much wider variety ofmands.


    "¡­!"


    I raised my head.


    I realized it. It was actually quite simple.


    "¡­I see."


    -Frondier?


    "Yes. There''s no way he could be alive."


    I had been mistaken. I thought this incident was a joint operation by Gregory and Serf.


    But that was impossible. What I initially thought, what I believed in, was correct.


    "Ah, thank you. I''ll hang up for now."


    -If you can resolve it from there, hurry. We''re in a state of emergency due to work paralysis here.


    "Yes."


    I hung up the phone.


    I was under a misconception.


    Yes, to borrow the expression from Azier¡ª


    The enemy is currently in a state of high alert.


    * * *


    The empty auditorium echoed loudly with footsteps.


    Thud, thud, my steps were slow but they resonated throughout the entire hall.


    "¡­Hey there."


    And in the center of the auditorium, a man was sitting on a chair.


    He was unarmed. Completely defenseless.


    I slowly approached him. He lifted one hand in greeting.


    "Hello, Frondier."


    He acted as if he knew me, but it was the first time I had seen his face.


    Yes, of course.


    I am facing Gregory''s face for the first time.


    "¡­You''re hurt."


    "Uh-huh."


    Up close, Gregory''s condition was serious.


    His body was covered in wounds, especially on the side. There was no bleeding, but probably.


    "It''s necrotizing. Got hurt while fleeing and couldn''t go to a hospital. Now, surgery is the only option."


    "¡­Couldn''t you have looked for a pharmacy, or a quack?"


    "Haha. You don''t know Indus well."


    That one sentence exined it all.


    Most things outside thew are under the watch of Indus. He couldn''t have done that while on the run.


    "So, it wasn''t Serf after all."


    "Right. You knew. That guy died in the cabin. Got shot with an arrow. Right in the middle of the forehead, as if it was drawn there. If he had survived that, I wouldn''t have been sticking with him."


    It was Gregory who had handed out the business card, who had ordered me killed in the broadcasting room.


    "You managed to get Serf''s voice, impressively."


    "Just one sentence. ''Kill Frondier.'' That''s what the guy kept shouting over and over at his death spot. Recorded it using a recorder, analyzing the residual mana."


    Serf was dead, but the business card remained.


    The card still possessed Serf''s abilities. Without Serf, it was useless, but his voice was the only thing that remained.


    Gregory lifted his head to look at me. His eyes conveyed a sense of resignation and surrender.


    "Frondier. Arrest me."


    "..."

 Chapter 108 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Frondier. Arrest me."


    "..."


    "I can''t escape from Indus. Even with the eyes and ears of all animals at my disposal, it was too much. The investigative is closing in. At this point, it''s better to be caught by the police."


    "You caused this mess just to get caught?"


    "Yes. Based on the information I''ve gathered so far, you were the perfect person to cause a big disturbance."


    I am connected to many named characters within Constel. Of course, I''ve worked hard to get to this point.


    But perhaps Gregory saw that as something valuable to exploit.


    "What did you do at the pce?"


    "Nothing much. Initially, I ckmailed some knights with shady backgrounds by digging up their information. Then, I made themmit minor crimes. Of course, I used Indus''s name.""...You turned Indus''s attention towards the pce."


    Gregory nodded.


    The turmoil unfolding in Constel seems like a big deal from my perspective, but from the outside, it''s likely that no one even knows what''s happening.


    On the other hand, the incident at the pce must be causing quite a stir by now. Especially since there have been incidents involving new and low-ranking knights, and today, the entire knight order hase to a standstill.


    "The order was the same. ''Kill Frondier,'' of course. But the knights don''t even know who Frondier is. So, they had no choice but to stand still."


    This was why I was certain Serf had died. It wasn''t that Serf hadn''t issued other orders, but that he couldn''t issue any other than to kill me.


    ¡°You really caused a scene when all you had to do was just turn yourself in.¡±


    ¡°If I had turned myself in without going through with what happened today, I wouldn¡¯t havested a year in prison. During the incident at the shack, I was nothing more than an information broker. That was the case before that, too. Because I¡¯m a ¡®scout.¡¯ I would¡¯ve just been released to be used by Indus again.¡±


    ¡°¡­You increased your time by getting into another incident? But isn¡¯t it better to just live, even if it means serving a longer sentence?¡±


    "Of course. I want to live like crazy. And the other party won''t rest easy. Even if I get arrested, Indus might be able to get me out in the meantime. I needed someone famous and powerful."


    So I fit the bill.


    Gregory made a refreshing expression, as if he had finished talking. He spread out his hands.


    ¡°Alright, take me in.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have any handcuffs or restraining devices at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Then just restrain me with your hands. Acting is important for things like this, you know.¡±


    Gregory spoke confidently.


    I sighed and reached out to Gregory.


    Just then.


    ¡°¡ªFound you.¡±


    A voice that was neither male nor female.


    I heard a voice that just reeked of unpleasantness.


    Snap.


    Behind Gregory, something ck lunged forward and coiled around his neck.


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    Gregory was dragged away, bound by whatever it was around his neck. ng! The chair fell and Gregory furiously swung his legs, but futilely iled around.


    ¡®A tendril?¡¯


    No, it wasn¡¯t something so simple. It was a viscous, putrid thing with a faint purple light, reminiscent of the tentacles of a sea anemone as it restrained Gregory.


    The tentacle clutches Gregory, who struggles in its hold, desperately trying to break free.


    The tentacles extended from a person. Whether they had just entered or had been there from the start was unclear. Even though it was right in front of me, it felt unreal. It was that alien.


    Apart from that, it looked like an ordinary human, but its right arm had transformed into tentacles, grasping Gregory.


    ...There was no guarantee that only that right arm would change. The body pretending to be human could entirely be something like a mollusk.


    "Kek... Kugh..."


    Gregory iled his hands trying to remove the tentacles wrapped around his neck. However, his hands passed through them as if through water, unable to grasp the tentacles.


    ©¤©¤These tentacles, they ignore the physical force of their opponent, while they themselves can exert force unterally.


    "Hello, Frondier de Roach."


    True to that voice, its face and body were indiscernible in gender.


    "I am, ''a person unrted to Indus.''"


    The strange tone and voice, the bizarre appearance, it all grated on my nerves.


    A person unrted to Indus, huh.


    "Release Gregory, Indus."


    "Huh? Why? You were enemies just a moment ago. You can''t suddenly act friendly. And,"


    It extended its left arm. The moment I thought its index finger was raised,


    Whoosh©¤


    Its tentacle brushed past my temple. Indeed, it wasn''t just the right arm that could transform into tentacles.


    "I''m not Indus. I just told you, didn¡¯t I?"


    "Alright, then what are you? Which ''person unrted to Indus'' number are you?"


    At my question, it grinned. Its eyes and mouth curved into crescent moons, a maniption of the face that was not a human smile.


    "You don''t need to know the number, but well,"


    As if it had just thought of it, it rolled its eyes,


    "Mm. Call me ''Kraken.''"


    It introduced itself with a name that was quite fitting.

 Chapter 109 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The Kraken is a famous sea monster.


    Perhaps it¡¯s in the top ten when ites to the strongest monsters people know.


    In literature, the Kraken often takes the form of a huge octopus or squid.


    It¡¯s not too different in the game, Etius.


    Kraken of Etius is different from the real Kraken in one key aspect.


    Kraken isn¡¯t a single ¡®entity¡¯.


    The Kraken is a spirit.


    ¡°That sounds about right. Is that your real name?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no way.¡±The Kraken answered cheekily, but I had a hunch that this Kraken really might be the legendary version.


    The Kraken is a monster of the deep sea, which makes it a wonderfully exotic monster from a human perspective. Its intelligence and abilities are worlds apart from petty demons.


    But before I can go down that train of thought,


    I look at Gregory, who is trapped by the Kraken.


    ¡­He¡¯ll die soon if I leave him alone.


    <i>Menosorpo, Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Gram</i>


    Stabbing Gram ¡®inside¡¯ the Kraken¡¯s tentacle, I twist it up and down.


    Creek.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡±


    Gregory fell to the floor and coughed repeatedly. He doesn¡¯t seem to be dead yet.


    Kraken was staring nkly at its severed arm. Given its appearance, I wondered for a moment, but it looked like it could still feel pain.


    ¡°Whoa, how did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I cut it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t cut my tentacles with weapons?¡±


    It seems that way. Just look at how Gregory iled about earlier.


    But I¡¯m a bit different. Weaving is magic, after all.


    I simply used ¡®magic¡¯ to cut it.


    ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t be good if he knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you. If you touch Gregory from here onward, I will rip out your throat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Heh.¡±


    Kraken lifted the corners of its lips in a smirk. It probably thinks 90% of my words are bluff.


    However, Kraken doesn¡¯t know how it lost its arm. Until it finds out the answer, it won¡¯t act recklessly.


    And it¡¯s the same for me. Void Weaving with Menosorpo can be seen by the enemy.


    I was able to do it just now because I installed it behind its field of vision. If I made a single mistake, I¡¯d be caught immediately.


    ¡­More than anything else, I¡¯m running out of mana. I wonder if I¡¯ll have a chance to eat a Dragon Heart.


    "Alright. There''s no need to kill this guy. I''ve got what I needed."


    With those words, Kraken raised his hand to show a bundle of business cards and a recorder he was holding.


    He then spread out the bundle of cards.


    "Wow, even after using so many, it''s still quite a chunk. Did Serf want to conquer the world with his business cards or something?"


    Could it really be possible? Muttering to himself, Kraken chuckled.


    Then he said to me,


    "Don''t worry. Serf Daniel will continue to live in our hearts."


    "What are you going to do with that?"


    Krakenughed at my question. It was a simrly unpleasant smile to before.


    "To kill you."


    "......"


    "On the most perfect day, in the most perfect ce, I will kill you, you, thee. Well, today is not the day. There''s a time for everything, so wait."


    A murder threat.


    From Indus''s point of view, I, as an individual, am not significant.


    Killing me would probably symbolize something. The symbolism of Roach. My father, Enfer de Roach, is the most influential noble as an individual.


    ...Perhaps they want to use me as a signal for the Indus revolution.


    "But well, it would be a pity to just go back like this, especially considering the value of this right arm."


    Saying that, Kraken walked back and sat down at the end of the auditorium stairs.


    "Maybe I''ll just watch."


    "......What?"


    That was when. The door opened with a creak.


    The person who entered was the basicbat skills teacher, Pascal Schiltz.


    "......!"


    Pascal walked towards me with steady steps. He already had a knife in his hand.


    "I didn''t do it~ But I have a good sense, so I know when someone ising~"


    I watched Pascal nervously.


    The effect of Serf''s business card had not yet worn off. That must be why Pascal was approaching me with a knife.


    "......Pascal."


    I called out his name, almost as if I was cing a small hope on him.


    However.


    Swoosh!


    Pascal lightly swung the knife around him, creating a wide circle of wind-like Qi. Soon, a transparent barrier rose around me and Pascal.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Normal</i>


    <i>Workshop Dagger No. 1</i>


    I shattered ck lotus to create a dagger and threw it experimentally at the barrier.


    With a snap, the dagger bounced off. Pascal had trapped me in this space.


    "Wow, it really feels likebat training now."


    ''Shut up, Kraken.''

 Chapter 109 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I drew Neil Jack''s short sword and took a stance. The de Pascal was holding shone. It was aura. Realizing that made my head spin.


    I barely managed to deflect his aura made with bare handsst time, but how long could Ist this time? Moreover, there''s not even a hint of yfulness this time.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Unique</i>


    <i>Neil Jack''s Short Sword</i>


    The Obsidian I had thrown as a dagger was sucked back into my hand. I grasped Neil Jack''s short sword with both hands. It was the only thing I had that could withstand Pascal''s attacks for a long time.


    Swoosh!


    Roar!


    "Ugh...!"I barely blocked Pascal''s descending sword. I tried to dodge, but there was no time. The grinding noise pierced my ears, and I clenched my teeth, enduring with my trembling arms.


    The ongoing struggle. The angle of Pascal''s and my de shifted slightly, but they remained in contact.


    ''If we keep shing like this.''


    ©¤©¤The strike just now was too fast to respond to.


    But if we keep this up, I have a way.


    ''Falling Edge.''


    "¡­!"


    I used Falling Edge to send Pascal''s sword flying into the air. This time it was a sess. I didn''t lose my sword, and I felt no pain in my body.


    The moment I thought it was over.


    Thump!


    "Ugh!"


    I was kicked in the abdomen and pushed back. Meanwhile, Pascal caught his sword that had flown into the air.


    That natural movement, that response. Pascal knows about Falling Edge. No, has he experienced it before?


    Dash!


    Pascal charged at me again. Another sh from above to below.


    As I blocked it, I felt an odd sense of incongruity.


    The reason I struggled to block Pascal''s attacks during ss was due to the dazzling difficulty of responding to Pascal''s attacks.


    Because of that, even though Pascal might have been ying, it was deadly for me. Eventually, an opening appeared, and I had no choice but to use Weaving.


    But the Pascal now was different. It was just a simple attack. And a power struggle ensued from there. It waspletely unlike him.


    What the heck. Is this the effect of the ¡®business card¡¯? Is he only able to do simple attacks because he¡¯s unconscious?


    That was when it happened.


    In the midst of the sounds of our des grating against each other and the struggle for power.


    Pascal¡¯s mouth opened. He didn¡¯t make a sound, but his lips moved.


    And from his mouth,


    ¡ª¡®Lip Reading¡¯, can you use it? Frondier.


    He said.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    At that moment, I unfurled my weaving.


    The weaving now, after leveling up, had expanded its target to ¡®skills¡¯.


    The only problem was that ¡®skills¡¯ couldn¡¯t be put into the offense and defense.


    In other words, in order to Weaving a ¡®skill¡¯, you have to copy it in real time as someone uses it.


    Just like right now.


    Weaving


    Target, ¡®Pascal Schilitz¡¯


    Skill, ¡®Lip Reading¡¯


    And I, opened my mouth.


    [Weren¡¯t you being manipted?]


    When I opened my mouth, Pascal¡¯s eyes shook slightly.


    [I wasn¡¯t affected. I pretended to be because I had to catch that octopus bastard.]


    [You didn¡¯t receive the business card? If I were Gregory, I would¡¯ve made sure of it.]


    Pascal knocked away my sword, and swung it two or three more times, shing it against mine. All of its trajectories were within my range of response.


    [I received it.]


    [Then how?]


    If he received the business card, he would¡¯ve been put under maniption. Even if he had strong mental fortitude, it was impossible to not be affected at all.


    Pascal answered my question.


    [I received it, but I forgot who it was from.]


    [¡­¡­.]


    What a shameless answer.


    [That¡¯s perfect timing, Frondier. Let¡¯s not waste this time.]


    [What do you mean?]


    When he heard my question, Pascal stepped back. He had his back turned to the Kraken. In other words, the Kraken couldn¡¯t see his mouth.


    [Frondier.]


    With eyes that sparkled strangely, Pascal opened his mouth.


    [Let¡¯s learn Aura. Right here, right now.]


    ¡­¡­At this very moment.


    I thought Pascal was crazier than the Kraken.


    * * *


    Inside the ssroom, Quinie had her head covered.


    Quinie was one of the few who hadn¡¯t received a business card.


    Even if she hadn''t been involved with Frondier, she was still the protagonist of the rumors that had been surfacingtely, so the calling card had not reached her.


    However, the content was not something that could be discussed as joyfully as the stories about Frondier.


    [Quinie de Viet has an extreme phobia of corpses.]


    That sentence was written on a magical bulletin.


    "¡­I''ve been found out."


    She has an extreme fear of corpses. A vulnerability she absolutely shouldn''t have as a student of Constel.


    Of course, no one likes corpses, but the fear Quinie harbored was of apletely different level.


    Many people must have already seen that bulletin. Quinie''s head was already throbbing.


    "Whoever it is, they''re quite the informant."


    Quinie bit her lip.


    Outside was in the midst of chaos. It seemed that something unusual had happened to the students. Something about having to kill Frondier.


    Despite the overwhelming number, a few students who were exceptionally strong were somehow managing to maintain a bnce.


    However, Quinie couldn''t easily go to help Frondier. She had more than enough desire to help Frondier. After all, she wanted to maintain a good rtionship with Frondier.


    But, the moment Quinie saw the faces of the unconscious students, she froze.


    Their faces looked exactly like corpses.


    "¡­Pathetic."


    They weren''t even real corpses, just ''corpse-like faces'', and yet she was rendered unable to move. Quinie felt pathetic.


    However, maybe.


    This could be an opportunity to treat her trauma.


    The students weren''t actual corpses. In fact, they were far from it; they were just unconscious.


    If she could face their faces, perhaps a day woulde when she could look at an actual corpse and feel nothing.


    "¡­Alright."


    Quinie stood up. Right now, all eyes were on Frondier. As long as she didn''t interfere, she would be safe.


    Quinie made up her mind and walked forward. She boldly opened the ssroom door.


    "¡­Huh?"


    And there, in front of her eyes, was another female student.


    Quinie''s friend, Anne.


    Anne was standing there with a corpse-like face.

 Chapter 110 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bringing back Bonus chapters via Ko-fi subscriptions! Finally made some free time so I can grind chapters as required! For now, bonus chapter for each $30 collected on Ko-fi</i>


    Quinie unconsciously swallowed her breath.


    Anne stood there for a moment, then looked around, and approached Quinie.


    ¡°Ack¡­!¡±


    Quinie backed away. Anne¡¯s unfocused eyes drew closer.


    When Quinie took a few steps to the right, Anne walked past her.


    Anne wasn¡¯t looking at Quinie. She was simply searching for Frondier somewhere in the ssroom.


    ¡°¡­Frondier. Kill. Kill.¡±Anne muttered. Quinie swallowed hard at the chilling sound.


    Seeing her friend¡¯s condition right before her eyes, she could tell just how severe Frondier¡¯s current situation was.


    A tremendous number of students were after Frondier at this very moment. And it was to kill him.


    ¡®Did the teachers suffer the same fate?¡¯


    If the culprit¡¯s goal was to kill Frondier, then they would naturally think of manipting the teachers first.


    If there was no response from the teachers despite the current state of affairs, it seemed certain that they had been manipted.


    ¡°¡­Anne.¡±


    Quinie looked at Anne¡¯s still unfocused face. With no discernible emotions or consciousness, her face truly resembled that of a corpse.


    However.


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    She could feel it for sure when she looked at her friend. It wasn¡¯t a corpse. Not a corpse. How could she be thinking that while looking at her friend? Quinie bit her lip tight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, Anne.¡±


    With a firm determination, Quinie made her way to her desk in the ssroom.


    She picked up her bag and left the ssroom.


    Constel was currently so noisy from all directions that it was pointless to talk about specific locations.


    Something was breaking, shattering, smashing, and copsing. It was the consequence of the students who hadn¡¯t been manipted trying to protect Frondier.


    Quinie checked the situation outside through the window as she walked down the hallway.


    But something was strange. Despite the loud noises, she couldn¡¯t see many students here. Rather, only a few students who didn¡¯t seem to have been manipted caught her eye.


    "Why is that? There were quite a lot of students just until a moment ago."


    Then, a thought urred to her. As the hypothesis shed through her mind, her legs were already running.


    Thud, thud, thud, she quickly ascended the building''s stairs to reach the rooftop.


    ng!


    Opening the door, Quinie checked the surroundings from atop the rooftop. There, she saw the second main building where she was, the first main building in front of it, the yground to the right below, and in front of it-


    "The auditorium...!"


    Quinie saw it. Countless students were swarming towards the auditorium. The location of Frondier had been discovered.


    In front of it, walls of ice and wind barriers were spread around the auditorium. They were the magics of Aten, Elodie, and other magicians.


    However, there were too many students, and it was impossible to stop them all without hurting them.


    "...Ugh."


    Quinie took out her fan. She sprinted across the rooftop at full speed.


    At the edge, she leaped and swung her fan. Every time she swung her fan, she seemed to leap again in mid-air.


    Feeling a light buoyancy and the wind lifting her hair, Quiniended on the next building.


    Towards the next building, and then the next, to get closer to the auditorium.


    "No! Stop!!"


    "Why do they keep going even when you hit them on the head!"


    "I told you! It''s no use trying to knock them out!!"


    As she got closer, she saw other students like Elodie and Aten.


    They were all trying their best to prevent the controlled students from getting close to the auditorium.


    Quinie was thest to realize this.


    "Ugh...!"


    Quinie was horrified by the sight of the group of students up close. They looked even more like corpses up close. It was as if the corpses were rising and moving. Just looking at them made it hard to breathe.


    "Hey! Senior Quinie!"


    Sybil Forte, who was at the front of the crowd pushing people back, spotted Quinie. Quinie responded with a barely raised hand and a pale face to that voice.


    Upon hearing Sybil''s voice, others nced at Quinie as well, but blocking the student crowd was more urgent.


    "Sybil, is Frondier inside the auditorium?"


    "It seems so! But we can''t get in because of a barrier someone has put up!"


    "Is it the perpetrator''s doing?"


    "I''m not sure, but if it is the perpetrator''s doing, we need to block the students first!"


    Sybil was earnestly shouting towards Quinie while blocking the students.


    "But are you okay, senior? You look pale!"


    "I-I''m fine. Though I might not be soon."


    "What do you mean?!"


    Ignoring Sybil''s question.


    Quinie took deep breaths with a sigh.


    "Ah, I don''t want to do this."


    Quinie knelt down and opened her brought bag. Even as she rummaged through it, her face was a grimace.


    And slowly, what she took out was a transparent mask pack.


    Quinie put the mask pack on her face with a snap and slowly stood up.


    The crowd of many students heading towards the square. Blocking them had now reached its limit.


    Quinie took a deep breath. The inherent qi inside her quickly began to boil.


    For her, a third-year student, the manifestation of aura was very easy, and her level was on a different scalepared to other third-year students.


    Quinie shouted with all her might filled with aura.


    "I am Frondier©¤©¤!!!"


    A thunderous voice loud enough to echo not only in the auditorium but throughout Constel. It was a simr manifestation to when Aster had shouted to block a horde of fleeing magical beasts.


    That giant voice was enough to snatch the students'' attention towards the auditorium,


    And astonishingly, the crowd began to turn their backs on the auditorium and started walking towards Quinie.


    "Yikes!"


    Quinie''s face beneath the mask pack turned pale.


    Elodie Aten, who was blocking them, tilted her head in confusion.


    "What''s going on suddenly? The students suddenly¡­¡­."


    Their gazes naturally shifted towards Quinie. And upon seeing Quinie, they froze.


    It was Frondier. Frondier was standing there.


    With jet-ck, long hair, holding a ck fan, possessing a slender figure, it was Frondier, but only in face.


    ¡­A rather unsightly Frondier stood there.

 Chapter 110 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The mask pack Quinie wore allowed her to disguise herself as the face of someone she knew.


    However, the uracy depended on the user''s memory, so faces not well-known or not seen for a long time might not be as precise.


    Quinie first thought of this item after the monster raid.


    Before the monster raid, Quinie was among those who had been warned about the attack by Frondier.


    Not only her, but many believed in Frondier''s words.


    Several students, and almost all teachers, were prepared for the attack in advance.


    How could they believe Frondier''s words?


    Malia, Frondier''s mother, provided the answer.


    "Alex confessed.""Confessed?"


    "Yes. Frondier pretended to be on the same side as Elysia and bluffed Alex with ''I find you suspicious'', and it worked."


    Bluffing, indeed. It was so like Frondier.


    "What kind of bluffing was it?"


    "It was about a possible switch. Alex was in league with Renzo and Elysia, right? So, Renzo''s failure meant Alex had been switched. The real Alex had disappeared somewhere, and you are the fake Alex. That was the gist. Quite shameless. It was actually Frondier who had interfered with Renzo."


    Quinie agreed wholeheartedly with the fact that Frondier was shameless.


    But a switch¡­


    "Surely, there''s an item like that."


    "Well, yes. The level of magical engineering these days is astounding. But such products that mimic another person''s face, the higher their fidelity, the more incredibly expensive they are. And they are mostly single-use."


    "So, it''s possible if you have enough money?"


    "¡­¡­Quinie."


    Malia looked at Quinie with half-closed eyes. Quinie just smiled broadly.


    Understanding Quinie''s intent, Malia sighed. As if there was no helping it, she gave a light warning.


    "You can''t use it on school grounds, right? It''s against the school rules."


    ...And now.


    ''School rules really are important!''


    Quinie regretted her choice as she saw the crowd of students approaching her.


    I should have listened to the teacher after all.


    * * *


    Thud, I rolled on the ground again. The yawn of the Kraken next to me grated on my nerves.


    Staggering to my feet, Pascal approached me with a deadpan expression.


    Pascal mouthed the words.


    [Concentrate!]


    [Do I look like I''m not concentrating?]


    It looked like a mistake could kill me.


    Even though I knew Pascal''s attacks were meant to train me, they were merciless. I was certain. Pascal had never taught anyone before. That''s why his control was so terrible.


    ng, ng!


    My hands stung from striking the sword.


    [Student Frondier, you are letting your weapons rust.]


    [I know that! But it doesn''t make sense to use aura right here!]


    If it had been any other shoddy weapon, it would have been destroyed by Pascal''s aura already. It''s only because it''s ''Neil Jack''s shortsword'' that it holds up.


    [You''ve misunderstood me.]


    Pascal twisted his sword and thrust it towards my shoulder. The colliding swords made a sound from the friction.


    [The ''weapon'' I''m talking about is you. Yourself.]


    [...What?]


    [You fended off my weapon in thest moment of our duel, didn''t you?]


    [As you know, that wasn''t aura.]


    [Whether it''s aura or not isn''t important.]


    What does that mean?


    I pushed Pascal''s sword away and created some distance between us.


    [Frondier, think.]


    Pascal said that, but my mind only became more confused.


    However, Pascal looked through me and slowly moved his lips again.


    [You can already use aura.]


    "What...?"


    That was when it hit me.


    I had thought Pascal''s statement was nonsensical, but for some reason, I felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    It waspletely different, but it felt like I had heard something simr before.


    Oddly, the first thing that came to mind was the voice of the Slevb I had killed in my first dungeon.


    -So, am I still unable to reach his sword.


    Why that voice came to mind now.


    The next was Renzo''s voice.


    -You seemed like an interesting fellow, but you¡¯re just a novice, aren¡¯t he?


    Then came Empress Philly''s voice.


    -Frondier, you don''t know how to use aura?


    Each of these words shed through my mind. Somehow, phrases I hadn''t even thought of before brushed past my ears.


    And finally.


    When Azier''s words crossed my mind.


    -You can already use ''Falling Edge.'' It''s clumsy, but.


    "¡­Huh?"


    I let out a sound without realizing it.


    Why could I use ''Falling Edge''? No matter how hard I tried to follow and replicate what I saw on WizardGram, ''Falling Edge'' was originally©¤


    It was only then that I remembered.


    Something I had known for a very long time, and had even thought about recently.


    A clich¨¦ setting of the world of Etius.


    Mana and aura are fundamentally the same substance.


    Realizing all of this, the words I finally uttered were.


    "¡­Huh?"


    I was still hopelessly clueless.

 Chapter 111 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Rdsreloaded on Ko-fi</i>


    Aura and Mana are the same material.


    Until now, I thought that Weaving was somethingpletely separate.


    But Weaving isn¡¯t something separate.


    As I¡¯d said myself earlier, Weaving is ¡®magic¡¯ that consumes mana.


    However, Weaving doesn¡¯t require any incantations. If a weapon is stored in the workshop, you can use it right away.


    ¡­¡­Magic that doesn¡¯t require incantations.


    [It seems like you¡¯ve realized a little.]Pascal wiggled his lips after examining my expression.


    I got into position. I threw away one of the swords made from Obsidian. I gripped the real dagger in both hands. Right now, using both swords would just hinder my concentration.


    ¡®Whew.¡¯


    From now on, I¡¯m going to do something that¡¯s close to relearning.


    I haven¡¯t been using Weaving with intuition. It was just like clicking a skill button in a game.


    I used it because I could, and I had no idea how my mana was being transformed into Weaving.


    Now, I have to do that.


    Just like how mages casting magic isn¡¯t just pressing a button.


    I have to circte the energy in my body and realize the sensation of Weaving with my body.


    [It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve realized it. But Student Frondier.]


    [Yes?]


    Swish-


    ng!


    I hurriedly defended against Pascal¡¯s sudden attack.


    [I can¡¯t just wait around when I¡¯m deceiving Kraken.]


    [I¡­ guess¡­!]


    [Come to a realization while fighting. Nobody¡¯s going to wait for you to have an epiphany.]


    What a crazy Spartan.


    But Pascal was right. I don¡¯t know how long Kraken will wait or when it¡¯ll realize. It already looks a little bored.


    ¡®¡­¡­Alright.¡¯


    If that¡¯s what you want.


    I swung my sword. Along with it, I pulled up my internal mana.


    With the trajectory of the swords shing with Pascal¡¯s, I recalled the technique for Weaving.


    My body already knows. My body already activates Weaving sessfully. It¡¯s not my body that¡¯s falling behind. It¡¯s my ego, my soul, that hasn¡¯t caught up.


    ©¤©¤Think about it. It¡¯s my skill.


    Swish!


    What¡¯s needed isn¡¯t just getting used to the sensation of Weaving. If I can sessfully use magic without incantations, I should also be able to imbue my energy into my weapons.


    I swung my sword. I blocked Pascal¡¯s sword. I pulled the drawn-back sword up and struck down, slicing the air.


    With my single swing, the wind gradually started following.


    [¡­¡­!]


    I could see a strange light in Pascal¡¯s eyes. I felt it too. The energy circting throughout my body was rapidly spinning. And then gradually, energy started to cling to my sword.


    Pascal swung his sword down at me diagonally. The trajectory entered my eyes as if it had stopped.


    My right foot dug deep into the ground, and my waist, shoulders, and arms extended straight. All that momentum was loaded into the sword.


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation</i>


    <i>Diagonal Cut</i>


    [¡­¡­Excellent.]


    Looking at Pascal¡¯s lips that seemed to be speaking,


    Boom-!


    I deflected Pascal''s aura-filled sword.


    My ''Neil Jack¡¯s Short Sword'' that I used to deflect it,


    Was covered with a colorless aura that seemed insufficient at first but extended the length of the de upwards.


    * * *


    Kraken, who had been watching Frondier and Pascal''s fight with boredom, stood up.


    ''...Colorless?''


    Frondier, who had been unable to use aura until just moments ago, suddenly manifested it.


    It was surprising enough that he could use aura, but the fact that it was colorless made Kraken frown.


    ''What is that? Is that also aura?''


    Frondier''s aura was so transparent that even a knight with keen senses would find it difficult to see its color.


    To ordinary people, aura was invisible, but it had never seen aura that was transparent itself.


    Meanwhile, Frondier looked at his sword covered in aura, and even he furrowed his brows. Clearly, he hadn''t expected a colorless aura to emerge either.


    Frondier soon regained his stance. With Frondier manifesting aura, the dynamics of the fight were bound to change.


    Dash!


    With newfound confidence, Frondier charged at Pascal first.


    Thanks to the manifested aura, Frondier''s speed surged. Feeling threatened by this momentum, Pascal dodged to the side.


    "¡­Somehow. I knew you would do that."


    Frondier, continuing his charge, ran straight at Kraken.


    Pascal had merely made way. He had been in his right mind from the start.


    Approaching at a speed close to the wind, Frondier moved in, but Kraken snorted with a smirk.


    Swoosh, Kraken transformed his right finger into a tentacle and shot it at Frondier.


    Even this simple attack, Frondier had not reacted to before. Was it unnecessary to respond, or was it a bluff? Now was the time to check.


    ''Huh?''


    But suddenly, Frondier stopped. It was expected he would continue swinging his sword, but suddenly he halted his charge and lowered his stance. Bending his knees and waist, he bowed his head.


    ©¤©¤Behind Frondier, obscured by his body, a crescent of aura was shot.


    "No¡­!"


    Screech!


    All the tentacles Kraken shot were cut by that aura.


    Pascal had shot the aura from a great distance. That man was no ordinary knight. At least in terms of aura, he was an extraordinary expert.


    Moreover, he was insane.


    ''If he had been just a bitte in ducking, it would have been Frondier who was cut, right?''


    Whether it was the one who nned the strategy or the one acting as the shield, shooting aura from behind, both were clearly out of their minds.


    This time, Frondier swung his sword. Pascal extended his left hand. The cut tentacles would take time to regenerate. But for someone like Frondier, one left hand was enough,


    "Come out."


    Frondier said. Come out? What? Me?


    "I know."


    Suddenly, indeed, something appeared out of thin air. It was right in front of Kraken. A girl in a maid outfit,


    Bam!


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Kraken¡¯s left arm limply dropped. It didn¡¯t get cut, but it came off as if it were a disassembled toy. Several needles were stuck in the detached arm.


    Needles? What? My tentacles shouldn¡¯t get hurt by weapons©¤


    ¡°Die, you filthy octopus.¡±


    Swish-


    Even before he could finish that thought.


    A colorless aura sliced through Kraken¡¯s neck.

 Chapter 111 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Kraken¡¯s head rolled to a stop on the floor.


    No blood came out, even though it was an octopus¡¯s head.


    ¡®This doesn¡¯t feel like¡­ it¡¯s been cut.¡¯


    Maybe it was because he was using the aura for the first time, but he didn¡¯t feel like he had actually killed it.


    But he had to check first.


    I walked over to Gregory, who had copsed.


    ¡°Gregory, are you okay?¡±


    Gregory didn¡¯t reply. By the gentle movement of his shoulders, it seemed like he had fainted.


    I was relieved for the time being, but then I started to worry. I needed to wake him up so he could stop the students.I looked at Selena, who was standing next to me.


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought abouting out earlier, but it wouldn¡¯t have ended well if I had.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Good job.¡±


    I raised my hand to Selena¡¯s head.


    I was surprised at myself for doing so. It was an unconscious action without any intention.


    Selena seemed a bit flustered as well, looking up at me with her eyes slightly raised.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, over there.¡±


    It was then.


    ¡°©¤©¤Did you think I was dead?¡±


    That unpleasant voice filled my ears again.


    The headless Kraken stood up all by itself. Then, a lump slowly rose out of its chest and onto its neck. It twisted and turned, and soon Kraken¡¯s head wasplete once again.


    ¡°Are you really immortal?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s hard to kill me, but I¡¯m not immortal.¡±


    Selena, Pascal, and I all got ready for battle again.


    Pascal shook his head vehemently.


    "It''s not what you think. This head wasn''t my real head. It was just a leg made to look like a human face. The same is true now."


    What we thought was the head of the Kraken was actually a leg. That octopus could really transform its body in strange ways.


    "¡­¡­Indus is still up to his dirty tricks."


    Selena spoke in an even lower voice.


    Kraken met Selena¡¯s gaze. Kraken was still smiling, but surprisingly, there was a dark disgust growing within its eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re from ¡®Manggot¡¯, aren¡¯t you? I can tell from your methods. You outcasts of the continent, dropouts, scum that lost their humanity and ran away.¡±


    Ha, Selena let out a fearlessugh.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re a human just because you suck some human blood? You¡¯ve been coughing up blood for ages now.¡±


    It seemed that ''Indus'' and ''Manggot'' were on bad terms, significantly so. In the game, they appeared unrted due to the sequential main events.


    "Anyway, I should be on my way. It''s been fun. Got some useful information too."


    "You think you can just leave?"


    "Of course."


    Right after Kraken responded, an oval-shaped portal opened behind him.


    The edges of the oval were filled with undting waves and a violet hue, reminiscent of a ''portal''. It was undoubtedly one.


    However, at the center, instead of the boundary, the background of the portal showed. It seemed like a dark surrounding, a gray space, where water flowed. Likely a sewer of some sort.


    "Frondier, don''t forget. The ''business card'' and ''recorder''. Your life is in the hands of ''Indus''."


    Kraken pulled out a business card from his pocket and fluttered it.


    Ha.


    I hadn''t liked his demeanor from the moment he appeared, and now he hadpletely severed my patience.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera.</i>


    "Oh, you''re serious. I better run then."


    But by the time I had finished weaving and aimed at him, Kraken had already fled through the portal.


    "He''s gone."


    Selena muttered in displeasure.


    "Anyway, with the incident resolved for now... Frondier?"


    Selena looked at me, puzzled.


    Naturally.


    I was still drawing my bowstring.


    "What are you nning to do..."


    I silently looked at the empty space where Kraken had disappeared with the portal.


    And then, I unleashed my aura again.


    ©¤Aura brings out the inherent power of a weapon.


    Just as all people choose their weapons, all weapons choose their wielder.


    Unlike before, when I had merely wielded weapons too powerful for me.


    The divine bow, imbued with aura, slowly opens its eyes.


    "Frondier...?"


    "Frondier, he''s already escaped. What are you thinking..."


    My aura is colorless.


    However, the divine bow imbued with aura now emits a different light.


    Having aura does not add new abilities to a weapon.


    However.


    - Sure Hit: Ensures that the target aimed by the user is hit.


    In my mind, and still before my eyes, is the scene of Kraken fleeing and the view beyond the portal.


    Holding Khryskatos now, that scene vividlyes to mind, more vividly than this actual auditorium.


    "Kraken."


    You have not escaped from me yet.


    Swoosh-


    I released the bowstring.


    And the arrow disappeared.


    It must have flown, but even with my aura-enhanced vision, I couldn''t see it.

 Chapter 112 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Nahz75 on Ko-fi!</i>


    Kraken stepped over the sewer. It was the scene beyond the portal that Frondier had seen.


    The sewer had a foul odor, as one would expect from such a ce. However, Kraken was not put off by it.


    He had devoured the smells of everything in the water. Everything that had rotted in the water had be his nutrients.


    "Hmm~ Frondier, you were a more interesting guy than I thought."


    Kraken muttered, feeling as if it had juste back from a blind date.


    Its original purpose was just the "business cards", and Frondier was not something it should be involved with yet.


    Frondier was just right as a sacrificial pawn to raise Indus'' status, but it himself was not a big deal."However, I need to vent my anger a little, Frondier. Everything in the world won''t be solved by emotions."


    Kraken mumbled inaudibly for a moment and stopped.


    It felt something approaching from afar, or rather, flying.


    No, it''s too fast to just call it flying.


    "What the heck?"


    While Kraken was murmuring like that.


    Thud-


    Crackle-!


    Something came in through the sewer, changing direction several times so fast that even Kraken''s eyes couldn''t follow it, and


    St-


    In an instant, it pierced Kraken''s right knee.


    "Ugh?!"


    Kraken screamed, its body copsing.


    Right knee. Kraken looked at its pierced knee with disbelieving eyes.


    Its heart was there.


    Thud.


    Kraken copsed.


    "Hah! Gasp! Ugh...!"


    Saliva dripped from its mouth. The saliva and the foolishly open mouth repeatedly tried to stretch out like tentacles, then returned to human form.


    After a few seconds, Kraken finally caught it breath.


    ''An arrow...?''


    He couldn''t be sure, but what he barely caught sight of seemed to be an arrow.


    He clearly remembered Frondier taking out a bow just before he crossed the portal.


    "One of my hearts..."


    Kraken has three cores. It''s just pretending to be human, so it doesn''t have a heart. It calls its cores its "hearts."


    No matter where you cut or burn Kraken, it can restore its original body, but if all three cores are destroyed, he dies.


    One of them.


    Unexpectedly, it was just gone.


    ''The n...''


    He''s a member of Indus. They, whose sole purpose is "revolution," have countless preparations to make.


    Kraken also has missions that require him to risk his life.


    Among the three lives, he had already nned to give up two.


    Something like this arrow just took one of them...


    "Kuh..."


    But Kraken smiled. Frondier would surely misunderstand this.


    That I''m dead.


    Frondier doesn''t know that I have three hearts, so he must be mistaken.


    "Kuh... Heh heh..."


    Therefore, this life will someday be a fuse that will drive Frondier into a corner.


    Look, Frondier. I''m alive.


    Since I''m not dead, the n can still proceed. With a few minor adjustments, it will be fine.


    Because I''m not dead, it works.


    Because I''m not dead¡­¡­.


    "Ugh...huff...Frondier..."


    ¡­¡­However.


    Why is the corner of its mouth gradually tilting upwards?


    Why are his eyes bloodshot?


    Trembling, it raises its head.


    "Froooondieeeeeerrrrr©¤©¤©¤!!!!"


    Even Kraken itself didn''t know why it was screaming like mad.


    * * *


    After Gregory woke up, I ordered him to disband the orders given to the students.


    Fortunately, even though Serf was the one who gave the orders, it was Gregory, the one who handed out the business cards, who was responsible for canceling them.


    Pascal handcuffed Gregory''s wrists. Having nned to get caught from the start, Gregory obedientlyplied.


    "Let''s rest for now. It''s the teachers'' turn from here on."


    "Teachers..."


    Hearing Pascal''s words, I suddenly thought of something.


    "Come to think of it, what happened to the other teachers? Did they also receive business cards and...?"


    But that didn''t make sense.


    If they had received the business cards, they would have been manipted into attacking me, but none of the teachers did that.


    Pascal nodded.


    "Yes, it seems like they all received business cards. However."


    "However?"


    "Every single teacher resisted."


    Pascal said it as if it was a given.


    "As soon as the order to ''kill Frondier'' was heard through the speakers, all the teachers in the vicinity stopped dead in their tracks. They didn''t lose consciousness, but they didn''t move an inch from their spot. It was quite the disy of resistance."


    At those words, I thought of Sybil.


    Sybil had also received Serf'' business card and resisted without losing consciousness. However, her resistance had be so intense yet she almost ended up killing me.


    But all the teachers managed to resist? And for this long?


    "The principal actedpletely on his own ord. He even used magic. I was surprised."


    "Magic...what did the principal do?"


    "He maintained a barrier to trap the teachers. In case a teacher who failed to resist tried to kill you, it would have been a major incident."


    Certainly. Osprey, a ''Zodiac'', is capable of such things.


    Just then, the door to the auditorium opened.


    "Ah, there he is! Frondier!!"


    Sybil was the first to enter. She waved at me and approached. Behind her came Elodie, Aten, and the other students who had helped me.


    "Are you okay now?"


    "I can''t do it anymore! I don''t have the energy to lift a finger!"


    They came up to me and said a few words each. I felt gratitude swell in my chest as I looked at them. Yes, without them, I would never have been able to resolve this incident.


    "Thank you. If it weren''t for you all, we would have been in real trouble."


    I said this sincerely, looking at Sybil, then at Elodie, then at Aten, and then at Frondier.


    ......


    Frondier?


    "Huh?!" [T/N: Loll!]

 Chapter 112 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A primal fear surged through me, making me jump back instinctively.


    What, what, what is that? A doppelg?nger? Is it that thing where if you meet one, one of you has to die? Where''s my shortsword? Damn it, I need to activate my Weaving right now©¤


    "Frondier, calm down. It''s Senior Quinie."


    "Huh?"


    As Sybil said this, the person with Frondier''s face let out an "Ah" sound. He then reached up with his hand and peeled off his face from below his ear.


    The true face revealed beneath was indeed Quinie de Viet.


    "......Ah. It was a mask."


    I was too shocked by the face to notice anything else; everything else was different. The color and length of the hair, the figure, the clothes, and even Quinie''s signature fan were all different.


    If I had been a bit moreposed, I would have recognized it immediately, but I was too startled."Right."


    Quinie answered, though her expression was not good. Not just bad, but pale as if she was about to die, herplexion was ghastly.


    "I''m never doing this kind of thing again."


    "......Ah."


    I guessed the situation from her muttering to herself.


    Quinie had put on a mask and pretended to be me to attract the students'' attention. The scene of students moving like corpses attacking her must have been quite horrifying.


    ......Like corpses.


    I closed my mouth and looked at Quinie. Quinie spread her fan and covered her mouth with it, speaking with her eyes instead.


    ''Don''t give it away.''


    Understood.


    "But where did Aster go?"


    "He''s fighting right now."


    Elodie said.


    Fighting?


    "Why? The students should have regained consciousness by now."


    "That''s why they''re fighting."


    "Huh?"


    That''s when it happened.


    Boom!


    A loud crash sounded from the yground outside the auditorium.


    Mypanions and I went outside to check the situation.


    There, Aster, pinned beneath, was pushing Robald''s face away with his foot.


    "You crazy fool! You were out of your mind!"


    "I won''t admit it! Don''t delude yourself into thinking you''ve won with a fight like this!"


    "Quit it with that nonsense and get lost!"


    Oh, Aster speaking so harshly is somewhat refreshing.


    Elodie said.


    "It seems like Aster was using his aura to almostpletely subdue Robald, who had lost his consciousness. But then Robald woke up and started causing trouble, saying, ''This isn''t a real fight!''"


    "......That''s so Robald."


    I sighed and looked at the two of them.


    "Aster! It''s a rematch! Right now! I''ll show you my true strength!"


    "Are you insane! I can''t fight right now!"


    "Why not!"


    "Because I used all my strength stopping your crazy self! You dumbass!!"


    As Aster shouted, Robald suddenly closed his mouth and blinked.


    Then, pushing her away from him, he stood up.


    "Hmm. I see. You''re trying your best to stop me. Hmm. I see."


    ¡°¡­¡­Yeah."


    "So you''re saying that even when I was unconscious, I was still pretty strong."


    Ah, so that works.


    I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as the atmosphere lightened up.


    Whenever these two fight, there''s no telling where the sh*t might hit the fan. And that sh*t might be me.


    "Oh, but hey, Robald."


    Aster brushed himself off, stood up, and opened his mouth.


    "What is it, Aster?"


    Robald asked, and Aster broke out in a grin.


    The muscles in his face bulged.


    "You fight better when you''re unconscious."


    ¡°¡­¡­What?"


    "If you want to fight me again, go and bang your head against something first. Then you might stand a chance."


    "You little sh*t!!"


    Robald lunged at him. The two of them grappled and rolled around, fighting each other.


    I just watched them like I was watching a movie, feelingpletely unfazed.


    "They should just let it go. Really, Aster."


    Elodie sighed.


    "Well, Aster has a lot of pride."


    I guess that''s part of what makes him the protagonist of this game.


    * * *


    That night, I returned to the mansion and headed to Selena''s room.


    Standing in front of her door, I hesitated for a moment.


    ¡­¡­When I go into my escort''s room, what should I do? Should I just call out to her, or should I knock?


    After a moment''s thought, I knocked.


    Knock, knock.


    "Selena, it''s me."


    "Frondier-nim? If you have an order, I wille out right awa,"


    "No. I have something to do in your room."


    ¡°¡­¡­In my room, you say?"


    "That''s right."


    There was no answer from inside the room after my reply.


    Then,


    "Then please wait five minutes. I''ll be right there."


    "Five minutes? Just open the door. I''ming in,"


    "Oh! You can''t! I''ll change my clothes, no, I''ll be right out."


    Then there was a flurry of activity inside the room. Rustling, the sound of clothes being brushed against, the scraping sound of a wooden door being opened.


    I sighed and said,


    "There''s no need to change your clothes. This is not an official matter."


    The noise stopped abruptly.


    "I didn''t change my clothes. I don''t know what you''re thinking, but I''m just following the proper procedure to let Frondier-nim into my room,"


    "I see. Are you done with the procedure?"


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes. Pleasee in."


    Only then did the door open.


    Selena was wearing a fluffy nightgown. It waspletely different from the tight, ufortable-looking nightgown she was wearing when I first met her.


    ¡­¡­Yeah. That makes sense.


    I stepped into the room and looked around. Hmm, it''s got everything you need. This is the Roach mansion, after all.


    "What is it that you need?"


    "It''s something very important for you."


    Selena''s expression tightened at my answer. Yeah, it''s good that she''s taking it seriously.


    I said my next words.


    "Starting today, I will teach you the ''ancientnguage.''"

 Chapter 113 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I checked the desk near the window on Selena''s side of the room. Hmm, no problem at all.


    "...Ancientnguage?"


    Selena asked from behind.


    "Yes. It was something I had to do eventually."


    "It was something you had to do?"


    "You have to report to Manggot."


    Selena stared at me quietly, then widened her eyes.


    "...So, you''re telling me to trante a sentence and report it?"


    "You can do thatter. But for now, I''ll teach you the basics, and you can just pass it on to Manggot.""Oh, you''re going to teach me? For Manggot?"


    "Yes. They''ll believe it if you show them the real thing."


    In fact, I n to teach Manggot a ''little'' bit of ancientnguage through Selena.


    That way, Manggot will trust Selena, and also consider my ancientnguage interpretation skills useful.


    "Tell Manggot exactly what I said. That I decided to teach you."


    "For what reason?"


    "It doesn''t matter. Whether I came to trust your escorting skills, or I fell for your temptation and couldn''t escape, any excuse is fine. After all, that''s the result Manggot wants. Choose something appropriate and tell Manggot, they''ll be pleased."


    "......"


    Selena made a subtle expression as if it was difficult to answer. Well, it was true that Selena was aiming for both the things, but she was asked to lie about it.


    "......Um, Mr. Frondier. I have a question."


    "What is it?"


    "Do you not trust my escorting ability? Let''s say the seduction was unnecessary."


    Let''s say it was unnecessary.


    It was a rude but pleasing expression.


    I pulled up the corners of my mouth.


    "I trust you. Very much. That''s why I have you as an escort."


    "......When you smile, it would be more convincing if your eyes smiled too."


    "I see."


    I erased my smile.


    But it wasn''t a lie. I highly value Selena''sbat ability. That''s why, since Selena was with me, I was able to perform somewhat reckless tasks by trusting her.


    "And you said ''let''s say it was unnecessary,'' but I don''t think so."


    "......Yes?"


    "But rather than a fake seduction or body acting."


    I looked at Selena.


    While saying the following words, something was clearly contained in my face.


    "What I¡¯m doing is better."


    At my words, Selena''s face became somewhat nk. Then she slightly raised one corner of her mouth. It feels somewhat forced.


    "Enough with the small talk. Let''s start right away. Sit down at the desk."


    "Starting today?"


    "Of course. Enough time has already passed. If you can''t deliver any significant harvest to Manggot any longer, you''ll be suspected."


    At my words, Selena hesitated with her mouth and then walked over and sat down at the desk.


    I took out a nk notebook on the desk and spread it out in front of Selena.


    "I''ll write down the words, so watch carefully."


    "Words... Aren''t you going to teach me the letters first?"


    "It''s impossible."


    Selena tilted her head, but this is faster to see than to exin.


    I picked up a pen and sent mana. It was an application of acquiring aura.


    It is because this has be possible that I can now teach Selena.


    I wrote two words in the same shape.


    "How do the two words look?"


    "¡­They look the same?"


    That''s right. The words on both sides look exactly the same.


    "Selena, can you use Aura?"


    "¡­Yes."


    "Gather your energy at your fingertips and touch the writing."


    Selena followed my words and brought her finger to the word on the left.


    In an instant, Selena was surprised and recoiled her finger.


    "¡­I can hear a sound."


    "Then try touching the word on the right."


    Selena touched the word on the right this time.


    "¡­I can hear a sound here too."


    "How do the two soundspare? Do they sound the same?"


    Selena shook her head.


    "No. They werepletely different sounds."


    "That''s the characteristic of the ancientnguage."


    The ancientnguage is thenguage of ancient magicians. As such, the ancientnguage has magical properties. The pronunciation is contained within the characters. That''s why, even though they look exactly the same, they can have different meanings.


    "This is why the ancientnguage has remained recorded but has not been deciphered until now."


    "......Because the ''voice'' contained in the letters disappears."


    I nodded my head.


    Half-written characters with the sound gone. Of course, there''s no way they could be interpreted.


    However, only ''Frondier de Roach'' could intuitively grasp the meaning just by looking at the letters.


    He also figured out that the difference in soundpletely changed the meaning within the same letters. After fully mastering it, Frondier was able to interpret the ancientnguage without even using Aura.


    Of course, without Aura, he couldn''t put a voice into the text, but he was able to read the existing text.


    It was an incredible talent and effort, even if it was not a particrly constructive direction, driven by the desire for revenge against Elodie.


    "So it''s impossible to learn the letters first. Instead, you need to know the form thatbines them first."


    "Form......"


    "Even if you capture the sound, you can''t just attach any sound. The ancientnguage oveps ambiguous images within the words themselves. You can only choose the sound from among those images."


    So, in order to read ancientnguages, one must first be able to separate the lines of the double or tripleyered characters.


    "Look at this. It seems like a separate character, but the long straight lines are connected. In this way, an independent straight line signifies something that has been oveid on top. And then..."


    "Excuse me, Mr. Frondier."


    Selena interrupted me during the lesson. How cheeky.


    But Selena looked at me with a very serious expression.


    "Are you really sure about this?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Is it really okay for you to teach me this?"


    Selena looked at me with a face that seemed to have made a deep resolution.


    Even with such an expression, my answer has been decided long ago.


    "If you really intend to betray me, it''s better not to ask such a question."


    Both Indus and Manggot are huge forces opposing the empire on both sides.


    If Indus is the backside of the empire, Manggot is the empire''s karma.


    The fire of karma does not go out until the karma disappears.


    However, Selena will be the g that handles the endlessly burning me of Manggot.


    I will make it that way.

 Chapter 113 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Three dayster, on my way to school at Constel.


    I met a crow.


    "...."


    Caw-caw-


    The crow was sitting on the wall of a residential area. It seemed to have no interest in me, grooming its wings.


    ...Yeah, it wouldn''t. Crows are everywhere.


    I started walking again.


    About five steps.


    [You still need to train my eyes a little more.]At that remark, I stopped and turned back to look at the crow.


    The crow threw away its shameless act from earlier and stared straight at me.


    "Gregory."


    [Yes, it''s me.]


    "I thought you were locked up in prison."


    [Of course. It''s dirty, safe, and disgustingly secure. But they can''t stop my ability. My ability is not magic. It''s a bloodline ability.]


    Prisoners of Etius wear restraints. The wearer is unable to use magic or aura. But it seems that bloodline abilities can break through those restraints.


    [However, bloodline abilities usually don''t have lethal power. That''s why the empire just hushes it up and moves on. Or maybe magical engineering hasn''t reached this far yet.]


    "So, why did the prisoner call me?"


    I feel embarrassed to be talking so seriously to a crow.


    I wish it would tell me its purpose quickly.


    [There''s no need to be too cautious. I came to help.]


    "Help."


    [I don''t know what you think, but you''re the benefactor of my life. Crows are animals of gratitude. How about it? Do you trust me?]


    The crow in front of me pped its wings as if it was ttering me.


    ...What does it matter?


    [I came to give you information. It''s important.]


    "What is it?"


    The crow shook its head from side to side once. It seemed to be checking if there were any people around.


    It must be really important.


    [Among the rumors spread in Constel, there''s one I didn''t spread.]


    "¡­!"


    Indeed.


    This is something I can''t just ignore.


    "¡­So you''re saying someone else took advantage of that time and spread a different rumor?"


    [Yes. There''s someone who wants to profit from that chaos. Or maybe they want revenge. Either way, they''re dangerous.]


    At the time, I was so preupied with being chased by so many students that I couldn''t think.


    But when so many rumors of unknown truth spread, there are bound to be people who insert new things in between.


    "But would someone who simply spreads rumors be dangerous? I think most of them are just pranksters."


    [Of course, that''s the majority. But think about it. I infiltrated the pce to divert Indus''s attention and controlled the knights to turn the eyes outside. Yet, I was still caught by Kraken. Why do you think that is?]


    "Isn''t it because Kraken''s detection ability was excellent?"


    [Of course, Indus''s tracking ability is outstanding, but if it had such a great detection ability, I would have been caught a long time ago.]


    "What are you trying to say?"


    As I asked, the crow''s eyes turned to me.


    The bird''s emotionless eyes were somewhat eerie.


    [There''s an ''Indus'' among the Constel students. That guy leaked my information to Kraken.]


    "¡­And that guy is the one spreading the rumors?"


    [If my guess is correct.]


    My head becameplicated.


    It''s only been 3 days since I fought with the Kraken. Already, it feels like I''m about to get involved in another incident, as if my eyes are sore from not being able to sleep.


    "......Alright, I got it. Let''s look for it once."


    [Okay.]


    I walked with my energy drained.


    And then, the crow climbed onto my left shoulder.


    "......What are you doing?"


    [I want to go with you.]


    "Get off my shoulder, it''s heavy. Go investigate on your own."


    [It''s difficult to enter Constel''s school grounds as a simple crow. It would be easier to investigate freely if I were a tamed animal by a Constel student.]


    "......So, you''re saying you, the crow, would pretend to have been tamed by me?"


    [It''s not me who''s pretending. It''s you. Pretend to have tamed this crow. Then, neither students nor teachers will say much.]


    I really covered my eyes with my hands as they went pitch ck.


    In Etius, crows are a symbol of misfortune and witches, just like in Korea.


    I''m trying hard to improve my image, but it seems that more and more bad things are starting to stick to me, Frondier de Roach.


    [Then let''s go. I''ve never experienced school life before. It''s exciting.]


    Caw- The guy squawked as he pleased and then cried out as he pleased.


    Do I have to tell the other kids that I tamed something like this?


    My shoulders feel heavy.


    Especially the left one.

 Chapter 114 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Upon arrival in the ssroom, as expected, the students'' attention was fixated on the crow.


    It felt like a mix of curiosity and wariness.


    "Did you tame it?"


    Aten approached and asked. She stroked the crow with a familiar touch.


    "Yeah, well, something like that."


    That was all I could say here.


    "Will you have to let it out when ss starts? Will that be alright?"


    "Yeah. It''ll leave on its own when it''s time."


    "It''ll leave on its own?""Yes."


    It''s not going anywhere on its own.


    However, Aten inspected the crow incredulously. Hmm, Gregory was continuing his excellent performance.


    "Could you show us, if it''s okay with you?"


    "Huh?"


    "I''m curious about it leaving on its own..."


    Hmm.


    I looked at the crow. Our eyes met. I nodded.


    It was a signal for it to do as it pleased.


    The crow nodded as if it understood. Aten''s eyes were already wide by then.


    Caw!


    The crow cawed once then lightly took flight.


    It circled around my head, sat on my left shoulder then hopped to the right one. When I lifted my arm, it walked along it and sat on my fingertip.


    As I moved modestly, the crow adjusted ordingly, making it seem as though I was controlling it with mere gestures and eye movements.


    "Wow."


    Aten''s admiration was small, but her eyes sparkled. It was my first time seeing Aten''s face so openly pleased.


    Thinking I had shown enough, I ced the crow back on my shoulder.


    "Well, it''s something like this."


    "That''s amazing. I''ve never seen such perfect taming before. You''re not ''speaking'' or using mana, but just with gestures and eye contact you can control an animal."


    Well, it''s not taming, after all.


    Hearing what Aten said made me think I might have overdone it a bit.


    Not hearing herself, it seems all of this was a bit excessive. So what I was doing now was nothing less than stabbing myself.


    The students in the ssroom were also ncing at me. Since students who apply taming are rare, it¡¯s even rarer to see them with this level of training.


    At that moment, the end of ss bell rang and the crow flew out the window.


    ¡°It really knows how to leave on its own.¡±


    Aten said with a more sparkling glint in her eyes.


    * * *


    Frondier went around asking questions whenever he had time, like during breaks and lunch.


    This was to find the student who was spreading the other rumor Gregory had told him about. Of course, Gregory also flew around in the form of a crow to collect information.


    In the meantime.


    In Constel¡¯s conference room, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. To the point of being murderous was more urate.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    All the teachers in the conference room had their lips tightly shut with stern expressions. Their eyes, suppressing their anger, were evident.


    They had gathered under the pretense of an emergency meeting, but they all knew why it was called.


    They didn¡¯t do anything during this incident.


    Even if it was because of the ¡®business card¡¯s¡¯ influence, or even if they resisted the will to attack Frondier, something like that was of no constion.


    ¡°¡­Phew.¡±


    But the meeting wouldn¡¯t proceed if they all just kept their mouths shut.


    Teacher Binkis looked around the room and exhaled as if to let out all the air in her lungs. Then, taking a light breath,


    ¡°This is shameful. For all of us.¡±


    She coldly spat out the words that everyone was thinking.


    The teachers frowned as if they¡¯d been nailed. Though it was a sentiment they had been feeling deep down, they wanted to hide themselves after hearing it directly.


    ¡°When a student¡¯s life was in danger, we stood still inside the building without budging an inch. Heh, this is Constel, the so-called best training ground for fighters on the Central Continent. Turns out it was a congregation of cowards.¡±


    No one could retort after Binkis¡¯s words. As a Constel teacher herself, Binkis had also been affected by the business card, and staying still was the best option for controlling her movements.


    Those words were essentially stabbing herself at this point.


    "Enough, Miss Binkis."


    "¡­Principal."


    Principal Osprey spoke up.


    Among the teachers, only Osprey hadpletely resisted the card''s effects and managed to cast magic.


    Worried about the other teachers going berserk, he too couldn''t leave the building, but he had certainly ovee the card''s effects.


    "It was a powerful force. Had I been closer to the Frondier student, I don''t know what would have happened to me," Osprey said. He was the only one among those present who had fully seeded in resisting.


    Teacher Jane pressed her temples. The effort to resist the card''s power had caused her muscles to ache all over. The other teachers felt the same.


    "ording to the incident report, someone else stole the card and fled. They called themselves ''Kraken.'' They''re not the culprit of this incident, but it means another disaster involving the ''card'' ising. Almost no one canpletely resist its power. It would have to be someone of ''Zodiac'' level," Jane said, darkening the teachers'' expressions further.


    Malia, who had a ster on her forehead, said, "Frondier mentioned that Kraken introduced themselves as ''not a member of Indus.''"


    "Wordy¡­"


    Another teacher clenched their teeth in frustration.


    Considering the circumstances surrounding the culprit, Kraken, the one who stole the card is undoubtedly a member of ''Indus.''

 Chapter 114 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Teacher Isamaya said, "Kraken knows. Turning ''Indus'' into an enemy in Constel right now is very dangerous. The public won''t believe that Indus, known as the ally of themon people, is involved in crime. Above all, Indus has a different ''face'' they show to the public. As long as their criminal activities are not exposed, it will merely be treated as an individual''s solitary crime."


    Hearing this, Jane paused to think.


    It''s certainly difficult to turn against Indus right now. However.


    "But we came to know. That Indus is an organization thatmits crimes. Of course, Indus itself let this slip, but they never wanted it toe to this in the first ce."


    At Jane''s words, Isamaya nodded.


    "Yes. That''s why Indus needed the ''business cards'', even if it meant being exposed by Constel. It was a very important item for their n."


    "The original owner of that business card was ''Serf Daniel.'' He was with Indus from the beginning. Meaning, the n had been in preparation long before since Serf was involved with Indus."


    What Indus intended to do is unknown. However, if the ''business card'' was essential for their n, it''s not hard to imagine.


    "Arge-scale... chaos, taking advantage of the confusion to achieve their original goal.""Or the chaos itself could be the goal."


    A few teachers crossed their arms and raised their heads, organizing their thoughts after hearing the information.


    "But speaking of Student Frondier."


    Amidst this, an out-of-cement was heard. It was Pascal.


    "Is this his first time getting involved in an incident or something?"


    Pascal, who hadn''t been at Constel for long, asked out of curiosity.


    But as if on cue, all the teachers of Constel shook their heads.


    "Frondier tends to be at the center of incidents, actually."


    At someone''s words, Malia burst intoughter. She couldn''t deny it, even about her own son.


    "Hmm, I see."


    After saying that, Pascal brought his hand to his mouth, as if he had something on his mind.


    In the meantime, Isamaya said to Jane.


    "Miss Jane, you seem to have it tough. The student in question is from your ss, 5th ss, right?"


    "Yes. But it''s okay. The child isn''t bad, and the skills..."


    The skills...


    That reminds me, is Frondier strong?


    The end of the semester brieflyes to mind. The final exams where Frondier showed astonishing performance and took first ce.


    After the semester ended, her memories became vague, but Frondier''s strength was immeasurable, unfamiliar in every way.


    "¡­Well, anyway, I just hope he doesn''t cause any more trouble."


    Jane murmured as if she was praying.


    * * *


    Things started toe together.


    Every time I approached students to ask around, they were visibly startled, but if asked politely, they all answered properly. My efforts to improve my image hadn''t been entirely in vain.


    Combining the rumors circting within Constel and information brought by the crow, we arrived in front of a ssroom corridor.


    "This is it."


    The crow and I looked at the wall in front of us.


    [Quinie de Viet has an extreme phobia of corpses.]


    [Quinie de Viet did not enroll in Constel to improve her skills. She is hiding in Constel.]


    This was engraved as a magical poster.


    Not just I, but quite a few people were already looking at this wall.


    Quinie was there too, covering her face with a fan. Though covered, her eyes seemed extremely displeased.


    "Senior."


    "Ah, Frondier."


    "All the recent rumors turned out to be false, so why is this still here?"


    Quinie shook her head.


    "It''s not that it''s being left here."


    "Then¡­"


    "This poster, it won''te off."


    Saying so, Quinie reached out her hand. Mana bloomed from her fingertips. I didn''t understand well, but it must be some kind of magic to erase the poster.


    However.


    With a crackling sound like electricity sparking, Quinie''s magic disappeared into the air.


    "It''s a significant level of security magic. Even if it''s properly deactivated step by step, it will take time. Maybe Teacher Binkis or¡­ Edwin could deactivate it."


    Even as Quinie exined.


    Displeased murmurs from other students could be heard around. Quinie pretended not to hear, but that couldn''t be the case. After all, some were meant to be heard.


    "Quinie-sunbae, I have something to talk to you about regarding the rumors."


    "I don''t."


    Quinie swiftly turned her head and walked away. I shouted after her retreating figure.


    "They''re just empty rumors. Don''t mind them."


    "It''s already been three days. Even if I can''t remove and erase this entirely, it would have taken another two weeks. Gregory''s rumors will all end up as baseless gossip while this writing remains. I decided to give up."


    Quinie continued walking away, swinging her arms.


    Her silhouette seemed the same as usual.


    However, without being able to see her face, there was no reason to believe that it was her usual silhouette.


    At that moment, I heard a voice behind me.


    "Ah, Frondier student. You were here."


    It was Teacher Jane''s voice.


    But I had more urgent business to attend to.


    "Quinie-sunbae. Let''s talk."


    "Stop being annoying and do your business. The teacher is calling you."


    Quinie continued walking. I nced at her retreating figure, looked up at the hallway ceiling, and looked at the magic poster.


    Then.


    <i>Weaving, simultaneous duplication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Spear, twelve units of the same kind</i>


    Crack, boom©¤©¤©¤!!


    I smashed the wall. The poster and everything else was blown away and the cool wind blew in refreshingly from the open air outside.


    "What?!"


    "......??"


    The eyes of the surrounding students all opened wide. Behind me, I could hear Jane shouting, "Frondier, what are you doing?!"


    Only after I broke the wall did Quinie stop walking, look straight at me and showed me her face in surprise, forgetting to hide it with her folding fan.


    I met Quinie''s eyes, which were staring at me as if I were crazy, and spoke again.


    "Let''s talk, Quinie-sunbae."

 Chapter 115 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @NianJKL from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Frondier had just shattered the wall when the noise attracted all the nearby students.


    Everyone followed Frondier''s gaze to Quinie, whose face and ears had turnedpletely red.


    "It will only take a moment."


    "You, you, you, are you really crazy?!"


    Quinie felt a cold breeze blowing through the hole in the wall, confirming the reality of what she was witnessing.


    In the meantime, more students had gathered around, watching the standoff between Quinie and Frondier. Whispers of "What''s happening? What''s going on?" flew around them.


    Quinie really wanted to die. Oh, so was this why Frondier had broken the wall? To suggest she jump through it?"...Student Frondier."


    At that moment, someone called out to Frondier with a chilly voice.


    It was Teacher Jane.


    When Frondier turned around, Jane was looking at him as if she could see right through him with her piercing eyes.


    "Before you talk to Student Quinie, how about you talk with me?"


    "...Ah, I have some really urgent matters,"


    Despite trying to avoid Jane''s gaze, Frondier found himself unable to escape as she grabbed his shoulder and wouldn''t let go.


    "I''ll only need a moment, too."


    Jane smiled. Frondier smiled back.


    Eventually, Frondier followed Jane. Quinie watched him walk away and finally managed to sigh in relief.


    To Quinie, Frondier then tilted his head back and said once more,


    "See you after school then. I''lle to your ssroom, senior."


    "Just go away!!"


    Frondier caused amotion in the hallway until the very end.


    * * *


    Damn, I was dyed more than I thought because of Jane. Or maybe it was my fault.


    I received a tremendous scolding from Jane. But it was somewhat mitigated by the fact that my intentions were good. The broken wall? The family will probably take care of the repair costs.


    Fortunately, Quinie was waiting in her ssroom after school.


    Her expression soured immediately upon seeing me, but in the current situation, that didn''t matter.


    "You''ve been waiting, I see. That''s fortunate."


    ¡°Speak quickly. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Not here. We have to move.¡±


    At my words, Quinie looked at me sharply. His eyes were filled with suspicion.


    ¡°Is it really that important? Enough to ruin my peaceful school life?¡±


    ¡°I came here precisely to protect your peaceful school life, sunbae.¡±


    What I said wasn''t wrong.


    If what Gregory said was true, the Indus student hiding inside Constel right now must be targeting Quinie.


    ¡°¡­¡­Fine, I understand.¡±


    Quinie stood up with a resigned look.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go to the training room.¡±


    ¡°The training room? All the way over there? There are empty ssrooms nearby.¡±


    ¡°I recently discovered that ¡®Whispers of the Wind¡¯ isn¡¯t foolproof when ites to security.¡±


    Soundproofing magic, Whispers of the Wind.


    Itpletely blocks sound instead of simply reducing it, but it wasn¡¯t as perfect as I thought it would be. Just look at Malia¡¯s ¡®Sensory Sharing¡¯ ability.


    Inparison, the training room is a space specifically designed to aid in training concentration, so the security measures there are already perfect.


    ¡°Hmm, I see. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s really that important.¡±


    Quinie reluctantly followed me.


    ¡­¡­Of course.


    I didn¡¯t bother mentioning how I would be able to train at the training room after I dropped Quinie off, thus saving me the trip.


    ¡­¡­.


    Quinie and I sat down facing each other at an appropriate distance in a private training room.


    I exined the situation to Quinie.


    Something about Quinie¡¯s rumors among all the others just seemed different.


    Gregory connected all the rumors to Frondier in order to focus as many students as possible on Frondier.


    However, Quinie¡¯s rumors were different. They were malicious rumors directed solely at Quinie.


    ¡­¡­And they were bad because they were ¡®true¡¯.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s someone else?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Someone saw an opportunity amidst all the rumors.¡±


    Hmm.


    Quinie slightly lowered her gaze and touched the tip of her fan to her lips. Her eyes slowly swept from left to right, as if reading something in front of her.


    I observed Quinie and asked,


    "Do you have any suspects? Maybe an enemy of yours, Quinie?"


    "¡­Gathering all my enemies alone could fill up the size of a Constel''s sports field."


    What kind of life has she led.


    Ah,e to think of it, I''m not much different.


    "But it''s likely among the students, isn''t it? The culprit is likely to be a student from Constel."


    "A student¡­"


    This time, Quinie''s head tilted.


    "Speaking of students, I''m not sure. I''ve always dealt with people from other families."


    It doesn''t seem likely that Quinie would have made enemies among the other students. Probably didn''t have the chance to.


    Then the enemy is ''Indus'' after all. Targeting Quinie''s family. For money?


    "¡­But you know, Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "I actually find you a bit suspicious too."


    Quinie nced at me with her eyes. True to her nature, that gaze quickly became a scale judging me.


    "You once said to me, ''You hate it when people die.''"


    "¡­That''s because,"


    "If you''re going to say ''everyone hates it,'' I''ll really get mad? You used that to persuade me. You knew from the start."


    It seems she won''t let it slide easily.


    Of course, I know about Quinie''s ''fear of corpses.'' When it started, why it happened.


    But as always, ''trying it out in a game'' can''t be the reason.


    And if I lied to Quinie, who is both an information broker and a merchant, it would eventuallye out.


    Therefore.


    "It''s a secret."


    As long as I''m not lying, that was all I could say.


    "¡­What?"


    Quinie frowned.


    "I cannot tell you."


    Thud-


    Quinie ced her fan on my chest.


    In a swift movement, he unsheathed a dagger hidden within the folds of her cloak.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you just now that I suspect you? I¡¯m serious.¡±

 Chapter 115 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Quinie had used various methods to make people surrender or confess.


    This included the threat of death, in the same way as Empress Philly.


    If Philly is grey, then Quinie is white covered with ck cardboard. It''s just that her kind nature, enough to bring tears, is wrapped in a shell called evil.


    So, from the perspective of someone like me who knows that Quinie is a tremendously good person.


    ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    This kind of threat wouldn¡¯t work on me.


    ¡°¡­Fine. Then answer just three questions.¡±


    And Quinie held up three fingers.


    ¡°One. Since when did you learn about my ¡®weakness¡¯?¡±¡°A long time ago.¡±


    It was long before I even arrived in this world.


    ¡°Two. Did you hear about this weakness from an ¡®informant¡¯ or something?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I saw it myself.


    ¡°Three. Have you shared my weakness with anyone? Or is there someone who learned of my weakness when you did?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Even if there was someone who knew, that would¡¯ve been in the previous world.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Quinie stared into my eyes. I remained calm, because I had only told the truth.


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Quinie then put away her dagger.


    It seemed I had passed the immediate test.


    ¡°If not you, there is someone else whoes to mind.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? Who is it?¡±


    This was unexpected information, and I leaned forward. If I could find the culprit sooner, that would be ideal. It would be great if I could catch Indus by the tail.


    ¡°Ah, but before that.¡±


    ¡°Before that?¡±


    Quinie produced her dagger again, this time waving it right before my nose.


    ¡°I need to collect an outstanding debt.¡±


    ¡°¡­A debt?¡±


    I asked back, and Quinie¡¯s eyes shed. It was a look that seemed to say, Did you really forget?


    "Could you have forgotten already?"


    The gaze was precise.


    "Ah, what was it?"


    "When the students being manipted crowded into the auditorium! Don¡¯t you remember? I used a mask to lure them back!"


    Ah.


    That was indeed a debt I owed.


    Many had helped to stop the students, but Quinie¡¯s contribution was too clear and powerful.


    Above all,


    "You, who know my weakness! This shouldn¡¯t happen!"


    Yes. That''s why.


    I bowed my head and said,


    "I¡¯m sorry. I owe you a great favor. Of course, I should repay you."


    "¡­¡­Hmph. Good. Then get up. Let¡¯s go."


    "¡­¡­Where do you mean?"


    "Where else? My house. There¡¯s work to be done."


    Saying so, Quinie dusted herself off and stood up.


    I looked up at her and asked,


    "That, of course, I should repay you, and I will do anything, but can it wait a bit longer?"


    Catching the culprit behind the rumors seemed more important to me.


    Or isn¡¯t it the same from Quinie¡¯s perspective?


    "No. The goods arrived today. I took on this job assuming I¡¯d entrust it to you from the start."


    What is this.


    So, she had nned to use me from the very beginning.


    "And what, if I''m right, catching the culprit can wait."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Anyway. You haven¡¯t forgotten about the museum incident, have you?"


    "¡­¡­Ah."


    That talk about the counterfeit painting.


    Could it be that the goods brought in this time.


    "Let''s make use of that ability."


    Quinie looked at me and smiled slyly.


    It was the face of a ¡®little devil¡¯ I hadn¡¯t seen in a while.


    * * *


    Upon arriving at Quinie''s mansion, an unexpected wee was there.


    "Wee to the Viet family."


    "Ah, yes. Thank you for the wee."


    I bowed to the man who appeared to be the butler.


    The man smiled broadly.


    "I hear you¡¯re quite skilled for your young age."


    "¡­¡­Ah,"


    I was about to say something, but Quinie confidently spoke up beside me.


    "Yes. An appraiser who can discern the ¡®authenticity¡¯ of any item at a nce."


    ...So, Quinie introduced me as an appraiser.


    Somehow, this hospitality makes sense now.


    "Please,e in. The master has ordered many items."


    "Dushang, is there some underlying meaning in your words?"


    "Not at all."


    It seems the butler''s name is Dushang.


    Quinie and Dushang exchanged light conversation as they guided me.


    Indeed, upon arrival, there was an enormous amount of various decorative items piled up.


    "The appraiser can take a seat over there. Our servant will ce the items on the shelf in front of you for appraisal."


    The butler led me to a chair in the back. It was an antique-looking chair, and as the butler mentioned, a clean shelf was set up in front of it.


    The items ced on the shelf would be at eye level with the person sitting in the chair. It was a thoughtful arrangement.


    "Would you like to rest a bit after your journey? Snacks, tea, and coffee are always ready."


    "No, let''s start right away."


    I wanted to finish quickly, so I sat down in the guided chair.


    The butler nodded and called a servant.


    "Then, the first item."


    The servant carefully lifted an item onto the shelf. It was a ne. The embedded gemstones hinted at a considerable value.


    "The ruby set in the center was wlessly processed by the craftsman Brian,"


    "It''s genuine."


    I interrupted the butler''s exnation.


    As mentioned before, I wanted to finish quickly.


    "...Genuine? But you''ve only just started looking at it?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    At my words, the butler Dushang took a brief look at me. His expression became somewhat stern, and he approached Quinie to whisper something softly.


    Quinie frowned upon hearing it. Although Quinie retorted, Dushang whispered more earnestly with a serious look, causing Quinie to lean her head back wearily.


    ''...Ah, I should have pretended a bit longer.''


    It seemed like finishing quickly was out of the question.

 Chapter 116 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/3 Bonus chapter thanks to @GwhoisJ on Ko-fi!</i>


    Butler Dushang whispered something to Quinie, then soon came to me.


    "I''m sorry, appraiser. Could you please wait a moment? It seems we have not provided proper hospitality. We will serve you tea and refreshments shortly."


    "Of course."


    Dushang smiled again at my response and called for a maid.


    "Here, bring the appraiser some tea and snacks. Don''t skimp and bring out the best."


    "Yes."


    Then Dushang promptly left the room.I sighed.


    "He must be nning to call another appraiser."


    "Right."


    Quinie agreed readily, as if there was nothing to hide.


    He must want to call another appraiser because he can''t believe the way I''m doing it.


    But since I was introduced by Quinie, he can''t show any disrespect, he ns to secretly call someone else.


    "That gentleman hasn''t even asked my name yet. He didn''t introduce himself either."


    "Indeed. No trust there."


    Quinie chuckled at that. It''s your butler, after all.


    Meanwhile, the maid brought the tea and refreshments. As Dushang said, they were obviously of high quality at first nce.


    Drinking tea, I took a rest mixed with waiting. Dushang returned sooner than expected.


    "How is it, appraiser? Does it suit your taste?"


    "I think anyone would like this tea."


    I praised honestly. Dushang seemed pleased and smiled.


    People usually exchange good words briefly, but bad words go on for longer.


    Praise ends in a few words, but objections repeat in dozens of phrases, and praising someone not present is enough once, but gossiping can go on for an hour without tiring.


    So, if you want to keep it short, give praise.


    I just want to finish quickly.


    "Then, please start when you''re ready."


    "Yes, let''s do it right away."


    I put down my teacup, and the maid skillfully cleared the tableware and stepped back.


    Then, as before, the servant ced the item down, and I reported.


    "It''s authentic."


    "......"


    The servant silently took the item out, this time.


    It seemed like he was taking it to the appraiser in a different room.


    ...


    Quite a whileter, I sat in my chair, my chin in my hand.


    It was presumptuous of me, but I couldn''t help it.


    I felt like if I didn''t rest my chin in my hand, I would fall asleep.


    "The next item."


    The servant ced a ceramic piece on the table.


    "Genuine."


    The servant took it away with him. It took a long time before he came back.


    "The next item."


    The servant ced a ne on the table.


    "Genuine."


    The servant took it away with him. It took a long time before he came back.


    "The next item."


    The servant ced an borate piece of jewelry on the table.


    "Genuine... I don''t know how much it''s worth."


    "Yes, thank you for your confirmation."


    Next to me, Quinie stepped in.


    "Hey, are you doing it properly?"


    "I''m doing it very properly. I''m doing it with my heart and soul. I''d rather there were fakes."


    I''m not doing anything special.


    I''m examining the pieces in the workshop, using my Analyze skill when needed.


    The problem is that this is so boring.


    Other appraisers would use magnifying sses to check for tiny ws or cracks, and they''d analyze the piece by searching through reference materials to determine authenticity, but I just have to look at the items.


    And because the appraiser he called over double-checks the items I''ve authenticated, I have to wait even longer.


    I''m tempted to tell Dushang, "I know you''ve called in another appraiser, so please let him work by my side."


    And it''s not just me who''s bored.


    "Look around, senior. You''re the only one with wide eyes here."


    At first, the maids and butlers of this mansion took an interest in me. That''s because Quinie had introduced me as a great appraiser who could verify authenticity at a nce. Technically speaking, she was right, so I said nothing.


    However, I really do verify authenticity "at a nce."


    Not only the butler but now everyone around me was looking at me with suspicion. It''s as if I would just answer ''authentic'' to whatever itemes out, appearing like someone who doesn''t discern.


    That''s to be expected. If I were in their ce, I would think the same.


    At this moment, almost everyone here, including me, must be thinking this.


    ''Please, let there be a fake.''


    And then, the servant ced the next item.


    This time, it was a pendant. A purple gem was embedded in the center, surrounded by aplex mechanism intricately Weaving around it. Three rings encircled it, each able to rotate around the axis.


    ...Oh, this is.


    "It''s authentic."


    I said, and the servant took the item and went outside. Now, I had to wait again until the expert finished evaluating.


    That''s when Quinie approached me. And she whispered in my ear.


    "There''s something about that one, isn''t there?"


    I whispered back.


    "How did you know?"


    "Your face gave it away."


    Typical Quinie.


    She might not know about evaluating items, but there are hardly any who can read people as well as she does.


    And soon after, the servant and Dushang entered together.


    "Um, Mr. Expert?"


    "Yes."


    "About the pendant you just saw. That is..."


    I scratched my cheek. I had a feeling I knew what Dushang was about to say.


    Let''s make it easy for him since the result will be the same anyway.


    "Did you call another expert?"


    "...Yes? Ah..."


    "It''s okay. Please bring them here. It seems we have different opinions."


    Dushang looked a bit surprised at my words, then bowed deeply and went out again.

 Chapter 116 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Soon, a middle-aged lean man entered with Dushang. He looked quite fastidious with his thin eyes and sses.


    I stood up, and we greeted each other.


    "Hello, my name is Quentin."


    "Frondier. Nice to meet you."


    Since the other person didn''t give their surname, I also introduced myself by my first name only.


    Bringing up the name Roach here is meaningless and a bit distasteful," I mentioned. However, Dushang, who was standing beside me, seemed to ponder upon hearing my name, looking away and tilting his head thoughtfully.


    "Let me tell you first, this pendant is a fake," confidently asserted the appraiser, who introduced himself as Quentin. He showcased the pendant with his gloved hand.


    "The gemstone at the center is undoubtedly real. However, there are discrepancies in the wear and tear on each ring of the loop that surrounds the gemstone, and the connections between the rings. Meaning, parts have been swapped out. It''s presumed that the original owner had it reced due to some damage or loss."


    With that, Quentin nced at me."It seems the young appraiser here judged it to be genuine based solely on the authenticity of the gemstone, but a proper appraiser should pay attention to the overall details of the item. You''re stillcking in experience," he said, with an air of understanding, yet his gaze was filled with immense disdain.


    He must have heard from Dushang about how I conduct my appraisals. Viewing me as nothing more than a swindler, this defense was the utmost courtesy he could muster.


    Which made me feel somewhat guilty.


    "The reason for the change in the pendant''s loop,"


    I had to counter the veteran appraiser''s opinion.


    "Is because the maker reced the parts."


    I could hear Quentin''s scoff.


    "Why would the maker rece parts? Changing the original decorations only decreases its value," Quentin stated, and it was true.


    Just as Quentin himself could readily identify, if old and new decorations are mixed, the overall value of the item would naturally decline.


    However, this pendant does not apply to that theory.


    "The loop of this pendant is not merely decorative."


    I, wearing gloves, extended my hand towards Quentin. Quentin slightly furrowed his brows but handed over the pendant without anyment.


    I manipted the pendant, twisting and turning the loop.


    Let''s see, ording to the manual provided by the ''Analysis'' skill...


    Click.


    Creak, creak.


    As I operated it in the precise sequence, theyers of loops moved on their own at one point.


    When aligned in a row, the loops narrowed their gaps and filled the inside of the purple gem without leaving any space. Then, the gem emitted light.


    And a voice could be heard.


    [...Mistilteinn was not a mere branch.]


    [What do you mean?]


    [We''ve been deceived! Mistilteinn wasn''t just a branch that happened to be imbued with divine power! It was a weapon made from the start! That is¡ª]


    The voices of two people were audible, and soon it seemed to cut off abruptly.


    ...Hmm, I didn''t expect to hear such a thing. Anyway.


    "This pendant is not just a decorative piece. It''s a mechanical device with security measures. And now, it has beenbined with some magic engineering."


    "..."


    Everyone was surprised by my exnation and just stared. Quentin did the same.


    "This pendant will not open unless manipted in the correct sequence. But to actually operate, it must be made with a considerable level of precision. That''s why the parts kept changing. In other words, this pendant is the final product, containing all the failures of its creator."


    It''s like the ''real realst of thest revision'' of a report.


    I looked at Dushang. It seemed right to address Quentin, but I hesitated to say anything that might hurt his pride too much.


    "So, this is genuine. As I said before, I don''t know the price."


    "...That, that''s right."


    Dushang answered somewhat hastily.


    * * *


    Throughout this, Quinie was purely amazed.


    She trusted Frondier, but the process he showed far exceeded expectations.


    ''Realizing that this decoration was a mechanical device and demonstrating its operation himself.''


    Moreover, it took him only about 3 seconds to confirm it by appraising.


    Well, that pendant was a voice recorder with a password set on it. It seems important information, recorded in voice format. One could y it when needed...


    ¡­¡­So what happens if the password is unlocked?


    "I''m also curious about the contents."


    It was about Mistilteinn. The voice was serious and urgent. Moreover, it was cut off midway without a conclusion.


    Leaving the thinking forter, Quinie approached Frondier.


    "Frondier, you''re incredible. It seems your skills haven''t dulled."


    Then Quinie nced at Dushang.


    "Do you have something to say?"


    "....I''m so sorry for suspecting you so rashly, Appraiser. No, Master Frondier."


    This time, Dushang bowed 90 degrees to apologize formally. Seeing this, Quinie smiled. After all, suspecting Frondier was like suspecting Quinie''s judgment.


    See, what did I tell you? My eyes are urate.


    "Although, Senior Quinie."


    Frondier spoke up.


    "Hm?"


    "I don''t think it''s enough to end things with just an apology."


    "....Hm?"


    Frondier smiled while looking at Quinie.


    I''ve seen that smile somewhere. Where was it again?


    Ah. It''s simr to the face I practice in front of a mirror.


    "You too always prioritize pensation,'' don''t you, Senior?"


    "....A, ah?"


    "I''ll be selling some things to the Viet family. Will you buy them?"


    "Hm? What are you selling?"


    "Various things from Terst Department Store."


    Quinie''s eyes wavered at my words. It might sound nice, but the values of items ranged from the highest heavens to the lowest depths in the department stores of this continent.


    "Of course, without leaving anything out, you should buy everything."


    Frondier, saying so, showed his usual smile to Quinie.

 Chapter 117 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?When Elysia asked me to bring something back from the department store, using my weaving and workshop skills, I chose the item that looked the best to me.


    I wasn''t exactly sure about the price, but by looking at the grade and description, I could roughly guess its value.


    The problem was that once I brought it back, there was nowhere to sell it.


    Enfer had shoved it into the storage without even giving it a nce after hearing I had brought it, so it just piled up as stock.


    Therefore,


    I brought Quinie to the Roach mansion.


    Quinie muttered in front of the mansion''s main gate.


    "¡­It''s been a while."


    "Quinie senior, have you visited our family before?""Hmm, no."


    Quinie shook her head.


    Then what did she mean by it''s been a while?


    But Quinie didn''t borate further and instead said,


    "Let''s go in."


    As the main gate opened and we stepped inside, Enfer was already waiting at the mansion''s entrance.


    Quinie approached Enfer and greeted him.


    "I am honored to meet the head of the Roach family."


    Enfer, too,


    "It is an honor to meet the head of the Viet family."


    ¡­Every time, it hits me that Quinie is a head of a family.


    She''s only two years older than Frondier, but her position is so vastly different.


    "My son brought some troublesome items, but I was relieved to hear that Viet would take a look."


    "Not at all. If there are good items, they deserve proper treatment."


    Quinie said, ncing at me.


    Anyway, She¡¯s going to buy everything because of my ''reward,'' but I can¡¯t say that to Enfer.


    But Enfer was quietly looking at Quinie. I had never seen his gaze linger on someone for so long.


    Finally, Enfer spoke.


    "¡­But, head of the Viet."


    "Yes, please speak."


    "¡­No, it''s nothing."


    With that, Enfer ended the conversation abruptly.


    After a few exchanges, Enfer went inside the mansion.


    It was left to me to figure things out. I called a maid and asked her to guide Quinie.


    Following the maid''s lead, the door to the storage on the inner right side of the mansion opened, and inside were the items I had brought from the department store.


    Quinie looked at me.


    "So, which one is the ''troublesome item'' you brought?"


    Her tone implied there was more to it.


    I pointed with my finger.


    "Everything with a brand."


    "¡­Everything? All the branded items in this warehouse?"


    "Yes. My father doesn''t like such things."


    Not even owning a sagephone, let alone luxury items.


    Should I gift it to them instead? To Enfer and Azier.


    ¡­It would be lucky if it doesn''t get sliced in half mid-air.


    "Hmm, let''s take a look for now."


    Quinie examined the items in the warehouse one by one.


    Even if she was not as experienced as the skilled appraiser, Quinie had a good eye. She must have cultivated her skills since she was an auctioneer, so that much was certain.


    Quinie''s eyes allm?hlich changed as she examined various items. She was assessing the value of the items.


    "Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "How much would you sell all of this for?"


    "Are you going to buy everything?"


    "Yes, I''m going to buy everything, and they are worth buying. The quality of all the items is outstanding. They are also the best items from each brand. Some of them will even increase in value over time."


    Hmm, I nodded.


    Since I am the owner of the items, I should be the one to decide the price.


    ¡­¡­But.


    "You can decide the price, Quinie-senpai."


    "¡­¡­Have you forgotten that I am a merchant?"


    "That''s why I know you will give me the right price."


    And even if you don''t give me the right price, it doesn''t matter. Even if you give me a low price.


    That''s because I got them all for free. Elysia gave them to me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sigh. Why did I get involved with someone like you."


    Involved. If someone saw us, they would think I was threatening you.


    Quinie pressed her lips firmly with her thumb and then said,


    "Fine. 8 million quils for everything."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    "I can''t go any higher."


    When I held the auction before, thest bid for the Viper Steel was 5 million quils.


    ¡­¡­Although it''s not like I can say this, there are definitely no ''legendary'' items among those products. Are they really that expensive because there aren''t many of them?


    ¡°¡­¡­Are the products really that good?"


    "You''re good at spotting the genuine articles, but you don''t know about prices."


    It was like something stabbed my heart. Wasn''t that Frondier''s identity?


    "Most of the items here are from amazing brands and are their signature products. They are also limited edition and quantity, so collectors are already looking for them. Most limited-edition items like these often have some kind of defect, but that''s not the case with these. Quality, rarity, brand. Products that have all three of those are rare."


    As expected of a department store run by royalty.


    People say that the Game Etius''s department store has no ceiling or floor*, and I''m starting to understand what they mean. [T/N: I assume it''s an idiom to describe something having no bounds]


    "Anyway, I can''t carry all of this stuff by myself, so I''ll have to call someone¡­¡­"


    Quinie stopped talking there.


    Her sunken eyes were looking out of the warehouse.


    Oh, those eyes, I''ve seen those eyes many times before from other people.


    "Menosorpo."


    I didn''t hesitate to open a Rune.


    Just like when I found Renzo, Menosorpo has its own characteristics, but it can also detect the presence of anything within its range. That''s a feature that mostrge Runes have, not just Menosorpo.


    ¡°¡­¡­Do you know who it is?"


    Something was definitely caught inside Menosorpo. Someone was standing still on a high branch outside the mansion, probably looking in this direction.


    "Yeah. It''s probably the guy who spread rumors about me."

 Chapter 117 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Yeah. It''s probably the guy who spread rumors about me."


    At that, I furrowed my brows. If that''s the case, it''s no ordinary matter.


    "Should we intercept?"


    Now that we''re inside Menosorpo, we couldunch a preemptive attack. However, Quinie shook her head.


    "No, let''s stay put, she''lle to us eventually."


    "...But that''s dangerous."


    To my words, Quinie shook her head again.


    Quinie''s gaze, as she did so, had no trace of tension. If anything, she looked annoyed.


    "Yeah, it might be better for you to meet her, too."With that, Quinie walked away from the warehouse.


    What does she mean, it might be better to meet?


    As I walked beside Quinie, she stared off into the distance, towards the direction someone had been caught in Menosorpo.


    Following her gaze, I saw someone really was up in a tree.


    But the reality of how high the tree was didn''t hit me until I saw it. Wow, how did she get up there? Is she a mage capable of levitation magic on par with Elodie''s?


    "...She''lle down on their own."


    "Excuse me?"


    Right then, as if in response to Quinie''s words.


    The person sitting in the tree sprang up. Is she reallying? Instinctively, I tensed and clenched my fists.


    But then.


    Rustle, rustle.


    From that high branch, the figure was.


    Carefully making her way down from one branch to the next.


    "..."


    "..."


    When the silence seemed to stretch on, she was about halfway down the tree.


    "It''s taking a while."


    "Indeed."


    Finally, the figure who had cautiously made her way down seemed to forget all about it and charged towards us at a terrifying speed.


    ...She were running on all fours.


    "Hey! Quinie!"


    With a leap, the figure cleared the mansion''s wall and reached us in no time.


    "Who''s the dark one beside you!"


    It was a girl with cat ears and a tail.


    "...Beastkin."


    Never thought I''d encounter beastkin in this world.


    In the game ''Etius'', which borrows from various myths, beastkin are quitemon. The ''Minotaur'' from Greek mythology isn''t much different.


    However, beastkin are very fewpared to humans. Simply put, they aren''t numerous enough to be called a ''race''. Most are either hybrids with humans or descendants of ''legends''.


    As a result, beastkin sightings in Etius be a hot topic among gamers, unlike in other games where they''re moremon.


    Even then, most beastkin aren''t as people fantasize. Some have horse heads, horse legs, or hooves for hands. If hostile, they''re no different from monsters, but if they have intelligence and don''t attack people, they''re recognized as ''beastkin'' in Etius.


    Beastkin are that much of a coveted element in the game.


    "Frondier, there''s something I need to tell you."


    While the beastkin was earnestly arguing, Quinie instead addressed me.


    "What is it?"


    "If you call her a ''cat,'' she gets really mad. Even though her ears and tail look like those of a cat, she actually has the blood of a white tiger."


    "A white tiger, huh? Sounds dangerous when she''s angry."


    "No, I didn''t say she''s dangerous. Just letting you know."


    ...Huh?


    I didn''t quite understand, but in the meantime, Quinie spoke to the beastkin.


    "Kora, why did you follow us here?"


    "I asked first! Who''s that dark one?"


    I¡¯m not that dark.


    The truly dark one would be Quinie, with everything from her hair to her fan and clothes being pitch-ck.


    Kora straightened up as if on high alert upon seeing me, her tail sticking straight up, indicating she was very angry.


    "Wow, you really do look like a cat..."


    Ah. I said it without thinking.


    At that moment, Kora''s eyes sparkled. With a strange cry of "Kraang!" she thrust her hand forward.


    And then she shouted at me.


    "me Spell!"


    What?


    Surprised, I drew my short sword. If ''me Spell'' is equivalent to the ''Storm Spell'' used by Elodie, then...


    A beastkin with the blood of a white tiger using magicparable to ''Storm Spell''? She''s no ordinary person,


    Puff-


    A small me popped out in front of Kora''s hand and fluttered.


    That me flew towards me like a petal.


    It seemed like it would fly away with even a breath of wind, but it managed to reach me.


    "......"


    Wondering what to do, I decided to cut it down forcefully, just in case touching it caused a massive explosion.


    And nothing happened.


    "......"


    I tensed up for a moment, thinking it might be a dyed explosion.


    Still, nothing happened.


    "Ugh..."


    Kora, standing in front of me, clenched her fists and trembled.


    Wondering if I should do something,


    "......Aaah?"


    I pretended to be hurt.


    "Hey! Shut up! Are you mocking me? Shut up! Hey! You jerk!"


    So what if I am.


    Why is she the one shooting it and then acting like she''s the victim?


    Sigh, Quinie sighed.


    "Kora, I told you. If you use the wrong incantation, the magic won''t work properly."


    "It wasn''t wrong! I was trying to use the me Spell! I thought it would work."


    ...A me Spell that she tries to use without chanting or proper spellwork.


    Quinie, seemingly embarrassed, bowed her head and then said,


    "Frondier, let me introduce you."


    "Hey! Quinie! Answer my question first! Who is that?"


    Quinie ignored Kora''s question and continued speaking to me.


    "She has the bloodline of a white tiger, but her strength and agility are incredibly high, showing she has the qualities of a warrior from birth."


    That must be the case. Considering she can''t use magic, it means she climbed such a high tree with her bare hands.


    And I could guess what Quinie was about to say next.


    "A magic-user wannabe who wants to use magic so, so, so badly, that''s Kora."

 Chapter 118 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/3 Bonus chapter thanks to @Altemer and others on Ko-fi!</i>


    Quinie suggested that the three of us enter Roach''s mansion.


    She said that Kora would be subdued once we went inside.


    I was skeptical, but it turned out to be true. As soon as Kora sat down at the table in the mansion, she seemed to dete like a deted balloon.


    "......So Kora is the culprit who spread the rumors in Constel?"


    "Yes. Or rather, Kora must have been the starting point of the rumors."


    Quinie stated firmly.


    But I couldn''t quite understand.The magic graffiti written on the hallway wall was of a considerable level of magic. It repelled Quinie''s magic power, and even Quinie said that ''Edwin'' would be needed to undo it.


    "......How could Kora have written magic graffiti of that level?"


    "Of course, she wouldn''t have created the graffiti herself. But Kora is popr in Constel."


    "......Wait, Kora visits Constel?"


    "No. But she oftenes to visit me there. She can hide her ears and tail," Quinie replied with a smirk as Kora turned her head away.


    But she has hidden her ears and tail. Rather than hidden, it seemed that they had be invisible. She seemed to want to show me that she was hiding it, even though she hated me.


    "It''s an invisibility spell. It''s not hers, it''s the effect of an artifact she carries around."


    When I listened to Quinie, I noticed that Kora was wearing a bracelet on her left arm.


    Quinie looked at me as if to see if I understood.


    "Are you familiar with it? Invisibility magic."


    "......Ah, yes. Of course."


    I wondered what Quinie was talking about, then I realized that she was talking about weaving, and quickly nodded in affirmation.


    I see. Those who saw me fighting must think it is invisibility magic.


    "So what does being popr have to do with it? Why is she so popr in the first ce? She''s so noisy."


    "Hey! What do you think I am! I''m much older than you!"


    "What? Senior, really?"


    Quinie nodded.


    "She''s older than me. She''s of the White Tiger''s bloodline."


    Kora puffed out her chest with an ''ehem''.


    ¡°Use polite speech, got it?¡± snorted Kora, puffing out her chest.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just hear me? I¡¯m older than you! Respect for elders should be upheld as a principle!¡±


    What am I supposed to do.


    Almost everyone I¡¯ve fought so far was older than me. The only ones who were around my age were Robald Lieff, who I had a brief scuffle with, and then Ellencia.


    Even Empress Philly, whose age is greater than mine, lets me call her ¡®Miss Philly¡¯.


    ¡°And it seems like Quinie-sunbae didn¡¯t use polite speech with you.¡±


    ¡°Umm, it¡¯s fine for Quinie.¡±


    This principle was arbitrary.


    I turned to Quinie and continued the conversation.


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re popr?¡±


    ¡°Kora must have asked someone. To put up a magic bulletin board. Because Kora ising to see me, of course she¡¯ll be popr with the 3rd years. It¡¯s not impossible for a 3rd year of Constel to put up a bulletin board with that much security. Especially if she didn¡¯t do it alone.¡±


    At those words, I looked at Kora.


    Kora wasn¡¯t looking at me, but she was rapidly blinking with a terribly pricked expression.


    Quinie squinted her eyes and looked at Kora.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many people who know about my weakness. Aside from Frondier, you, there aren¡¯t many people left.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I looked at Kora without saying anything, and Kora continued to avoid my gaze.


    Then, as if she couldn¡¯t stand the awkward silence, she squeezed her eyes shut, trembled, and then shouted,


    ¡°Yes! I did it!¡±


    Smack!


    I smacked the back of Kora¡¯s head, who shouted so confidently.


    I did it without thinking, but I didn¡¯t regret it.


    Kora grabbed the back of her head and shouted at me while trembling.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s the big idea!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big idea with you. You should know what that information means to Quinie-sunbae.¡±


    ¡°E, everyone would think it¡¯s just a rumor, so I thought it would be okay! I didn¡¯t know it would be such a big deal. I was surprised too since the bulletin board was still up. It didn¡¯t get erased¡­¡­. And besides, the wording was different from what I said.¡±


    The wording was different?


    I asked,


    "What did you originally say?"


    "All I said was, ''Quinie really hates killing people.'' At that time, everyone was just sharing rumors with each other for fun. So, I joined in the conversation and then... But the poster said somethingpletely different."


    Quinie and I looked at each other.


    "Even though it''s written differently from what was said, what do you think are the chances that it identally got closer to the truth?"


    "That''s nonsense. Plus, what Kora said just sounds like she''s trying to potraying me as a good person. It was totally off base."


    ...It wasn''t off base, though. Quinie is incredibly kind. She just tries hard to pretend otherwise.


    "Then, the person who wrote the poster knew the truth from the start."


    "Right. They made it seem like it was based on what Kora said after hearing her. In case they needed to pin Kora as the culprit."


    Quinie and I looked at Kora.


    "What, what''s with that look?"


    Quinie said.


    "It''s simple, Kora. When you mentioned that story, who was listening? Or rather, someone must have subtly brought up the ''magic poster.'' Who was it?"


    That''s right. That person is the culprit. If Kora didn''t know about the ''magic poster,'' the one who brought it up to spread rumors about Kora is the suspect.


    Kora, with a chuckle, ced her hands on her waist.


    "That''s easy. That person is,"


    As Kora seemed to enjoy our attention,


    "...Who was it again?"


    She blurted out something foolish.


    At that moment, I was truly infuriated.


    But then, seeing Kora''s expression, my anger cooled a bit.


    "...Who, huh?"


    Kora furrowed her brow and, uncharacteristically, brought a hand to her mouth as she searched her mind.


    "...I can''t remember."


    "Huh?"


    Even after some time passed, Kora couldn''t recall who the culprit was.

 Chapter 118 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After sending Kora and Quinie home,te at night, I thought to myself.


    ...In truth, I still suspect Kora to some extent.


    To me, Kora is a mysterious character.


    Above all, I have never seen her. Not even once when ying Aster.


    Actually, that was obvious. As Quinie is a third-year student, she and Aster do not have many chances to meet. Quinie only met him after he had graduated.


    In fact, even Aster of this world probably knows little about Quinie. He must have only heard the nickname, ''Little Devil''.


    Only because beastkin are such rare existences.


    Moreover, with cat ears and a cat tail like that... Ah, she was a tiger, really.


    Anyway, I''ve never seen a beastman like her in the game, so Kora''s presence is very clear to me.


    Even though I have never actually met Kora, I feel like I have heard rumors about her somewhere.

 Chapter 118 (3) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Frondier-nim."


    "Yes?"


    "I have solved everything."


    I looked at the paper Selena handed me.


    It was an exercise for Selena to match the interpretation of simple words written in an ancientnguage.


    There were about 10 questions, and all of them were correct.


    "Good job. They are all correct."


    "Thank you."


    Selena replied tly. However, the tension in her eyes eased, and the corners of her mouth formed a very small arc....Now, I think I can read people''s faces a little bit.


    "Selena, what do they say in Manggot?"


    "They are very pleased. They say that theplete interpretation of the ancientnguage is just around the corner."


    Hmm. They must be thinking that.


    If you dream too big, you have to think about whether it is really a dream or not.


    "Right now, Manggot is trying to apply the basic knowledge of the ancientnguage that I gave them to the interpretation."


    "I see. They are working hard."


    "...Is that okay?"


    "It is. They can''t solve it with that anyway."


    "Pardon?"


    Selena looked at me in surprise.


    "Don''t tell me, have I been learning fake things so far?"


    "No. It is just that you cannot interpret the ancientnguage with what you have learned so far. One cannot discover the rules of the ancientnguage with only the basic knowledge you have so far. There is no connection between them."


    ¡°It¡¯s like learning the word ¡®apple¡¯ and trying to decipher ¡®fire¡¯. Since there¡¯s no rtion between the consonants and vowels, it¡¯s impossible to decipher it.


    ¡°¡­But if I keep learning like this, won¡¯t I learn it eventually?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll tell you when that happens. But from now on, don¡¯t tell anything to Mangott. Tell them that I won''t teach you.¡±


    Right now, I am currently enchanted by Selena and teaching her ancientnguage is the scene I set up.


    So there¡¯s nothing strange about me refusing to teach her anymore because I¡¯m worried that Manggot will learn everything.


    "It won''t work forever."


    ¡°There will be conditions. I¡¯ll consider it if the conditions are reasonable.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Selena thought about what I said for a moment before her eyes widened.


    She realized my true intentions.


    I will hold the ancientnguage in my hands and shake Manggot. Even if they don''t shake.


    And you realize now that I definitely need you in my n, right?


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    But Selena said nothing more and looked down at the ancientnguage I had written.


    She still hasn¡¯t decided which side she¡¯ll take.


    ¡°But ancientnguage is truly fascinating. It¡¯s so secretive, and even when it¡¯s written down, it¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    Selena changed the subject, and I went along with it.


    ¡°Yes. Ancient wizards didn¡¯t want knowledge of magic to spread. That¡¯s why they needed ¡®records¡¯ to organize their thoughts, but they didn¡¯t want it tost forever. So they needed anguage that would be impossible to decipher as time passed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It disappears even though it¡¯s written down.¡±


    Selena quietly looked at the paper. She can currently interpret it since my mana is infused in it, but in time, even that voice will disappear, and it will be impossible to interpret. Selena currently remembers what the words mean, but she¡¯ll eventually forget them as time passes.


    ¡°¡­Erased records.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I muttered unconsciously. Selena looked at me curiously, but¡­


    I didn¡¯t have the time to answer because I had an idea.


    Records and memories.


    Kora, unable to remember the culprit''s face.


    The criminal who knows Quinie''s weakness.


    And the existence called ''Kora'' that I am unaware of.


    "......"


    I kept my mouth shut.


    To calm the chilling feeling.


    * * *


    Quinie pondered within the room of the mansion.


    An important issue remained unresolved.


    "How does the criminal know my weakness?"


    Even if Kora regains her memory and finds the culprit, it would be useless without solving this mystery.


    Especially if this information is being distributed through an easily essible route.


    "I must somehow meet the criminal and obtain that information."


    Quinie leaned back against the chair.


    Would ite to torture once the criminal is caught? The thought alone made her feel uneasy.


    "It would be nice if the criminal would just tell me."


    With a sigh, she looked out the window.


    Outside the window, there was a man wearing a mask upside down.


    "......Huh?"


    The mask had a smiling face, and its eyes and mouth were simply like crescent moons attached to it. Wearing it upside down made it look bizarre.


    No, what was bizarre wasn''t that,


    "What are you?"


    Why is something like that in front of my window...


    "Hello, Quinie."


    Like a surprising friend, the man raised his hand.


    "Who are you?"


    "Don''t you know? Don''t you? Really?"


    His tone was irritating.


    Why was his voice so high for a man?


    "It''s ridiculous to wear a mask and expect me to recognize who you are."


    "No, that can''t be, you should recognize me just by my voice. You should have. You should."


    Just by his voice?


    Although it was a distinctively memorable voice, Quinie had never heard it before.


    "It''s not that you''ve never heard it."


    As if reading Quinie''s inner thoughts,


    The upside-down mask spoke.


    "I''ve been erased from your memory, Quinie."

 Chapter 119 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­Erased?¡±


    Quinie unfolded her fan.


    It was a defensive posture. This man was not friendly at a nce. Above all, the memory was ¡®erased¡¯. As if this man had deliberately erased the memory.


    Whether Quinie herself really lost her memory or not, if someone tries to erase someone''s memory, what else could be their intention other than evil?


    "What are you talking about? I have no problem with my memory at all."


    ¡°Ahahahaha. That''s what''s amazing about humans. They are programmed to think that there is no problem rather than solving the problem. You would have known if you were the old you. There is a serious contradiction in your appearance now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­The old me?¡±


    As Quinie asked back, the man nodded.


    Quinie couldn''t tell what kind of face he was making inside the mask."Yes, the you from 13 years ago."


    The voice definitely got lower.


    Quinie felt a chill and shut her mouth for a moment. Her opened lips quivered slightly.


    ¡°¡­¡­At that time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The day your ''corpse phobia'' began.¡±


    This man knows Quinie''s past and weakness. In other words, there is a high probability that this man wrote Constel''s magic bulletin board.


    But now, more than that, she couldn¡¯t let the man''s words pass by.


    ¡°It''s strange. How can you carry that beast with you when you are afraid of it after the ''incident'' that day?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­A beast? Don''t tell me you mean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Kora.¡±


    Kora, why Kora? Why is that child''s nameing up now?


    What does the incident that day have to do with Kora?


    "It''s strange, Quinie."


    The man said.


    ¡°You saw her massacring right before your eyes. When you were 6 years old.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°You were scared of corpses after seeing her tearing people apart indiscriminately, seeing bodies scattered all over the floor, seeing the ridiculous sight of the upper body here and the lower body there.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Stop talking nonsense. I got a phobia because of the wolf that attacked the mansion.¡±


    The manughed, "Kukukuk," at Quinie''s objection.


    "Yes. That''s how you remembered it.¡±


    What do you mean, ¡®that¡¯s how¡¯? What else could it be?


    Killed people? Massacred?


    Nonsense like that, I,


    Tatatat-!


    At that moment, footsteps running towards Quinie''s room were heard.


    The footsteps were too frequent for a person to be running. This is.


    "Oh, perfect timing."


    The man said, and Quinie turned around and shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯te! Kora!¡±


    Bam!


    The door opened, and Quinie looked back towards the window. She thought the masked bastard was after Kora.


    However, he was not there.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Whether the man ran away, there was no one outside the window.


    ¡°Quinie, are you okay? Who was it?¡±


    Kora approached and asked.


    Kora frowned as she looked around. ¡°I smell something strange near the vicinity of Quinie''s room. Something unpleasant. It was created to mask a rather foul odor. Almost impossible to detect at first whiff, but absolutely nauseating once you do.¡±


    Kora extended her head out of the window and inspected the surroundings. However, even with her impressive vision, she couldn''t seem to locate the man.


    Quinie quietly observed her.


    ¡®Koramitted genocide?¡¯


    And I developed a phobia because of it?


    Unbelievable. That must be a lie.


    ¡­Though, my memories of that incident are hazy, to be sure. I vividly remember being attacked by wolves.


    White furred, four-legged, red-eyed beasts¡­


    ¡°Quinie?¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Quinie blinked her eyes, startled by Kora''s voice. Kora was looking at her with concern.


    ¡°Quinie, are you hurt somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, it''s nothing.¡±


    Quinie averted her gaze from Kora.


    The incident 13 years ago. My memories are vague. Are they hazy, or were they really erased as the man said?


    ¡­It couldn''t be Kora. It''s impossible.


    Quinie¡¯s head was throbbing.


    * * *


    ¡°Hmm, as expected, she doesn''t remember me.¡±


    The masked man stood on the edge of a branch atop a towering tree. He bnced himself on one foot atop the sharp branch as if it were the mostfortable position for him.


    ¡°I erased Quinie''s memories of me, but it seems the incident itself was also altered in the process. How fascinating.¡±


    The man muttered to himself as if he were conducting research.


    He came today to reconfirm if Quinie remembered him from the incident 13 years ago. Even though he had erased the memories, he thought they might not have beenpletely erased yet since they must have been a significant shock for Quinie.


    But instead, he found out something else interesting.


    After meticulously removing all traces of his memory from the incident, Quinie''s memories automatically rearranged themselves to conceal the resulting contradiction.


    ¡°Of course, the fact that Kora was also removed from those memories was unexpected.¡±


    For some reason, he felt something was off about her being by Kora''s side. This couldplicate his ns.


    ¡°I need to get rid of Kora first.¡±


    It shouldn''t be too difficult.


    He simply had to repeat what happened 13 years ago.


    ¡°It''s time, Quinie. Time to step down as the head of the household.¡±


    The man had been waiting for this moment.


    The moment when Quinie would revive the family and stabilize rtionships with the surrounding families.


    ¡°I''m tired of living in oblivion.¡±


    Muttering to himself, the man gracefully leaped from the end of the branch to another one below him.


    Now, if only he eliminates Kora and if everything goes ording to n, the Viet family will be his.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Suddenly feeling a gaze, the man looked to his left.


    Caw-


    There was a crow.


    The crow tilted its head left and right as it looked at him before suddenly pping its wings and flying away.


    Watching for a moment, the man then smiled faintly as he looked back at the Viet family mansion.


    "Then, see you again at Constel, Quinie."

 Chapter 119 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    [Such an unlucky guy.]


    "Indeed."


    I heard about Quinie''s situation from the crow sitting by the window.


    While teaching ancientnguage to Selena, an idea struck me, and I hurriedly assigned the task to Gregory.


    The harvest was sufficient, indeed.


    "...Memories."


    It seems that it''s possible to erase someone else''s memories. I''m not exactly sure what conditions are required though.


    ''It seems my guess was spot on.''


    I don''t know a character named ''Kora''. Despite being such a rare creature, I''ve neither seen nor heard of her.But if ''Kora'' has already been erased from the game.


    If they''ve disappeared from everyone''s memory, never even mentioned in the game from the start.


    ''The protagonist, Aster, will only have a proper connection with Quinie after graduation.''


    Meaning, if Kora is forgotten by everyone before that, naturally, yers will also not be able to obtain information about Kora.


    Thus, no one knows of Kora''s existence. Not even the yers.


    [It seems he intends to kill Kora.]


    "Exactly. It seems possible to erase an individual''s memory just like that, but to erase their existence from everyone''s memory, it seems a condition of death is necessary."


    The crow nodded at my words. Whether it was Gregory doing so or just a reflexive action of the crow, I couldn''t distinguish with my eyes.


    [Erasing memories is already a formidable ability, but to erase someone''s existence from everyone''s memory? No matter if the condition is ''murder'', is that even possible?]


    Exactly.


    I deeply empathized with Gregory''s words and slumped down into the chair.


    And muttered almost like a sigh.


    "So, its a god."


    [A god... You mean he has divine powers?]


    I nodded.


    Losing one''s personal memories is one thing, but to be erased from everyone''s memory?


    To my knowledge, there''s only one who can do that.


    "The goddess of oblivion, Lethe. It must be her divine power."


    [Lethe... The Lethe of ''River Lethe''?]


    "Yes. They say if people drink from the waters of River Lethe before being reincarnated, they forget all memories of their past life."


    This is, of course, a story within the game, in other words, this world.


    A dead person drinking from the waters of River Lethe means they are forgotten not only by themselves but by everyone''s memory.


    What people often call ''the second death''. The notion that a dead person disappears even from the memories of the living.


    That''s why even a dead soul needs more than a hundred years for reincarnation. Drinking from the waters of River Lethe and being forgotten by everyone ensures that the gap with the living doesn''t be too wide.


    [So, the man wearing the mask kills people.]


    "Right. He makes them drink from the waters of River Lethe using divine power."


    [A terrifying divine power.]


    ¡°But it does have a weakness. Or rather, a limit.¡±


    [What¡¯s that?]


    ¡°The River Lethe doesn¡¯t work on people who are too famous.¡±


    [Famous¡­¡­? Oh, right.]


    Their feats are sung in people¡¯s legends, their achievements written in literature, their heroic epics carved into the pages of history.


    Even after countless years have passed, these people aren¡¯t forgotten by the people. Instead, they be embellished, sanctified, and more powerful in their existence.


    Although people may forget their memories, the records and historical evidence remain. In fact, only the extravagant and exaggerated records remain, making the heroes even more powerful.


    ¡°That¡¯s why heroes also can¡¯t reincarnate. You know how they say they be gods or Constetions?¡±


    [Yes, ¡®Zodiac¡¯.]


    The Zodiac, the 12 human weapons designated by the Terst Empire.


    Now, they just refer to the 12 strongest individuals in the Empire, but originally, like their namesake, they were to be Constetions after death. That was because of their achievements.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t apply to me, Quinie, or Kora right now.¡±


    [So you¡¯re essentially saying that it doesn¡¯t stop them at all.]


    That¡¯s right.


    If the masked man is after Kora, Quinie will probably be in danger too. If Kora dies, she¡¯ll be forgotten from our memories, so Quinie will be the next target without us realizing anything strange.


    ¡®But Quinie definitely still exists as a character, right?¡¯


    If the man had killed Quinie like Kora, then both characters should have been unknown to me. They both would have been erased from the game.


    In other words, in the original world, the man had sessfully killed Kora, but failed to kill Quinie.


    ¡­¡­Or.


    ¡®Did he never n to kill Quinie in the first ce?¡¯


    [So what are we going to do about him? He might be wearing a mask, but I remember his build. We might be able to estimate his appearance if we know where he might show up.]


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious where he¡¯ll appear. At Constel.¡±


    He¡¯s most likely a Constel student. Or pretending to be one.


    He must have spread rumors about wanting to use Kora¡¯s rambling to go after Quinie, so he definitely would have approached Quinie like an ordinary student.


    [Then we can just ask Quinie tomorrow. He must be someone close to her.]


    ¡°I told you. He can erase memories. Even after you talk to Quinie, she might not remember anything.¡±


    [What a pain in the ass.]


    I thought about this for a moment.


    He¡¯s definitely a nuisance. If I make one wrong move, I could forget about him and go back to square one.


    Having made up my mind, I picked up my Sage Phone.


    Let¡¯s put some insurance in ce first.


    I sent a text to Quinie.


    [Senior, can you prepare some sses for me? Something that can always tell the time.]

 Chapter 120 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>3/3 Bonus chapter thanks to @drew on Ko-fi!</i>


    9:52 AM


    Third-year ssroom after a theory ss.


    Quinie kept fidgeting with her eyesses, which were perched awkwardly on the bridge of her nose.


    "Hey, Quinie, did you get new sses?"


    Her friend Anne approached and asked.


    "Oh, yeah. It seems like my eyesight is getting worse."


    Quinie covered it up with a convenient lie.Of course, Quinie''s eyesight was perfectly fine. These sses were prepared ording to Frondier''s instructions.


    "They look good on you! Anything looks good on you because you have such a pretty face."


    "Whatever."


    Quinie waved her hand dismissively at the insincere-soundingpliment.


    She checked the scenery through her sses again.


    ''It''s a bit distracting.''


    Quinie checked the bottom left of the view through her sses.


    [9:52:32]


    The time, down to the second, was always disyed on the bottom left of her field of vision.


    ''So, if this time suddenly jumps, it means I''ve lost my memory?''


    If ''he'' erased her memories, that amount of time would have passed. Then, as far as her eyes could see, it would look like a significant amount of time had passed.


    ''Who the hell is he?''


    There was a high probability that the masked man was a student at Constel.


    She didn''t know his exact purpose, but Quinie knew that there weren''t many reasons for someone to target her.


    Either for the Viet family''s ''assets'', the family itself, or revenge from another family whose shady crimes were exposed because of her.


    ''But seeing how he brought up my past, it seems like he has something specific in mind for me.''


    And he even lied that Kora was the culprit behind that incident.


    Just thinking about it made her head throb, but that could wait forter.


    She would find out everything once she caught him.


    ''......But these sses.''


    They''re too obvious.


    Quinie didn''t normally wear sses.


    Would he really approach her if she suddenly started wearing sses the day after meeting him, when she never wore them before?


    On top of that, there weren''t many models of sses that could disy the time, down to the second. ''He'' might already know about these sses that were hastily prepared.


    Quinie was nervous on the inside but earnestly watched the clock.


    Since Quinie herself couldn''t think of any other alternatives, she figured that wearing these sses would at least make him wary, preventing him from easily using his powers. She decided to takefort in that for the time being.


    Ding¡ªDong¡ªDang¡ªDong¡ª


    The bell signaling the end of break time rang.


    Afterward, Quinie pretended to focus on her sses while checking the clock. It was the same during break time.


    However, even after the morning sses, lunchtime, and afternoon sses had all passed.


    Even after school, the clock did not skip ahead in time.


    As expected. This n is a failure. He is not approaching.


    Buzz¡ª


    That''s when Quinie''s phone rang. There was a message.


    As half expected, it was from Frondier.


    [Senior Quinie.]


    A message that seemed like a greeting.


    He probably wants a report on the situation. Quinie smirked and started typing a message.


    ''I failed the mission. Nothing strange with the clock.'', she typed, and then,


    The next message.


    [We found him. Thanks to you.]


    "¡­Huh?"


    Found him? How?


    Thanks to her? Why?


    Her head was in turmoil, and then another message came.


    [Senior, so I have one question for you.]


    She didn¡¯t reply this time. Frondier''s words were too confusing, and she was busy trying to organize her thoughts.


    In the meantime, another message arrived.


    [Was it a lie that Kora wasing today? Or is it true?]


    "What?"


    An even stranger conversation.


    If she tried to understand the content of the messages,


    It means Quinie talked to someone about Kora today. The fact that Frondier is asking about its truth means, in short.


    ''Did I, lose my memory?''


    She felt chills upon realizing it btedly.


    * * *


    The night before.


    After sending a message to Quinie, I shared its content with Gregory.


    [sses for Quinie?]


    "Yes. If she loses her memory, she''ll forget the time that has passed. To someone who''s lost their memory, it would seem like time has skipped."


    Although it''s possible to make someone lose their memory, we can''t do anything about the time that has passed.


    If she can always check the clock, even if she can''t prevent losing her memory, she would be able to realize that she has lost her memory.


    ¡ª¡ªbut in reality, it isn''t.


    ¡°¡­¡­or so Quinie will think.¡±


    [What? So it''s different in reality?]


    "It''s not different. The bastard''s ability doesn''t erase memories entirely, it just erases his own presence from them."


    ording to Gregory''s report, Quinie remembers her ''fear of corpses'' as a result of the wolves'' attack.


    ''But Kora was probably the one who killed the people in that incident.''


    Kora, who has inherited the blood of the white tiger. It wouldn''t have been difficult for her to kill several people if she wanted to.


    However, it''s likely that it wasn''t her own will. The masked man must have made Kora rampage in some way. Whether it was through magic or drugs.


    Anyway, Quinie hasn''tpletely forgotten about that incident. In other words, her memories haven''t been erased entirely, they''ve just been rearranged without the masked man and Kora''s memories.


    The masked man''s existence was erased, and Kora was caught up in the process.


    "So even if Quinie looks at the watch, she won''t notice anything strange. Not all of her memories are gone, just the memories of that person are gone, and her mind fills in the gaps. Since it''s her own thoughts, it''s impossible for her to doubt them."


    [Then why did you tell Quinie to get sses? It won''t help her resist his ability. If anything, it''ll just make him more arrogant, and¡ª]


    The crow closed its beak mid-sentence.


    It was a rare sight to see Gregory realize something on his own. The crow''s beak would usually move rapidly before snapping shut halfway through.


    I said,


    "That''s right. He''ll be more arrogant and use his ability without restraint."


    Quinie''s defenses are a misguided response to the masked man''s ability.


    We''ll throw bait in the ce where Quinie thinks she''s mistaken.


    "That guy seems to think he''s pretty smart."


    Let''s see if he''s as smart as he thinks he is.

 Chapter 120 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The next day, I gave Gregory instructions as nned.


    Well, I tried to.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    "What''s wrong, Frondier-ssi?"


    Aten asked me as I stared silently at the crow.


    We''re in a ssroom.


    I need to keep getting reports from Gregory if I''m to move as nned.


    From this ssroom, right beside Aten.


    "...Eh."I don''t know.


    "Proceed as nned when the bell rings. Report frequently."


    [Understood.]


    I told Gregory, and he opened his mouth to respond, using honorifics to show he understood my meaning.


    "Huh? What?"


    Aten was surprised, looking back and forth between me and the crow.


    "The crow, it''s speaking...?"


    "Yep. Worked hard on taming."


    A highly skilled tamer can teach animals to speak.


    Especially for creatures with high intelligence like crows, it''s rtively easy.


    But that''s really something only a very high-level tamer could do. And it takes a considerable amount of time.


    In my case.


    "When did you get so good at taming... No, that''s impossible. Is this talent? Divine power?"


    That''s the kind of reaction I get.


    I pulled the corners of my mouth into a confident smile. I had learned about natural smiling from Selena recently, but I''m not sure if it worked.


    "Talent, divine power, etc. Let''s just say it''s the ultimate result ofbining everything you can think of."


    I rambled on as best I could.


    But then Aten brought a hand to her mouth and furrowed her brow in thought.


    "Talent, divine power... The ultimate result ofbining everything..."


    Aten, don''t mumble so seriously.


    Realizing I had blurted out something incredibly embarrassing to hear made me cringe.


    "Now, then."


    I asked Aten.


    "Do you know the ''Whisper of the Wind'' spell?"


    I was openly dragging Aten into the case.


    Aten nodded his head.


    "Use it right now."


    Without asking, Aten spread her hands.


    A soundproofing magic where only the voices of me, Aten, and Gregory could be heard. Whisper of the Wind.


    I confirmed it and then looked at the crow.


    "Then report immediately if you find anything. Even during ss time, if it''s urgent."


    [How can I tell if the guy is using his abilities?]


    ¡°¡­¡­Didn''t I exin it all yesterday?¡±


    [Sorry, I don¡¯t remember. I¡¯m just a crow.]


    This guy is clearly wanting Aten to listen. In fact, Aten was looking at the crow with interest and curiosity while sparkling with excitement.


    I sighed and said.


    ¡°No need to check whether he uses her ability or not. What matters are the contents of the conversation.¡±


    If he sees Quinie wearing sses, he¡¯ll definitely approach her. He believes that Quinie is mistaken about his ability.


    Of course, because that¡¯s true, he can¡¯t help but believe it.


    Quinie is popr. She must talk to a lot of people.


    What matters is the content.


    Who brings up the topic of ¡®Kora¡¯?


    ¡®The fact that I don¡¯t know Kora means that Kora will almost certainly be removed from the game.¡¯


    In other words, he¡¯s targeting Kora before Quinie. Kora is the biggest obstacle to his n.


    ¡°Find the guy who¡¯s asking about ¡®Kora¡¯. Bingo if it¡¯s a question like ¡®When will Korae back to the Constel?¡¯¡±


    [I understand. As expected of my Master.]


    This guy, he likes this.


    Ding¡ª Dong¡ª


    Then, as the ss bell rang, the crow bowed its head tightly.


    [Then I¡¯ll follow your orders.]


    Watching the crow fly away after saying that, Aten now had a light in her eyes that she never had before.


    Gregory is also definitely enjoying it.


    I asked Aten, who was nkly watching the flying crow.


    ¡°Aten, are you okay? You don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It seems like an important matter. Unless Mr. Frondier is trying tomit a crime.¡±


    Saying that, Aten looked at me in surprise.


    ¡°Surely, I wouldn¡¯t be an aplice to a crime, would I?¡±


    ¡°No. You wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Right. I was joking.¡±


    Right. That¡¯s called a joke.


    Aten has learned a new ¡®joke¡¯.


    ¡°I trust Mr. Frondier.¡±


    ¡­¡­ and additionally learned ¡®causing trouble¡¯.


    * * *


    Then, after a while.


    [Reporting.]


    I only got the results after school.


    The crow flew to the windowsill and spoke.


    [I found the guy who asked Quinie about Kora¡¯s location. He was outright asking when she woulde.]


    ¡°Okay. What did Quinie say?¡±


    [She said she woulde today. But I¡¯m not sure if it was the truth. At the time, Quinie would¡¯ve definitely suspected everyone approaching her.]


    Of course Quinie would be wary of anyone asking about Kora.


    So she could¡¯ve lied or, conversely, could¡¯ve told him the truth to lure him in. She must¡¯ve been thinking that she would be able to check when she would lose her memory.


    Anyway, he took the bait.


    ¡°Then he must have done something to make Quinie lose her memories, right? Did you check that too?¡±


    I asked Gregory.


    Obviously, if he had asked her about Kora, then he must have also done something to make her lose her memories afterward.


    [¡­That¡¯s the thing.]


    But Gregory paused without answering.


    [From what I saw, he lightly touched Quinie¡¯s arm with his finger.]


    ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s all?¡±


    [Yes.]


    I narrowed my eyes.


    In other words, the condition for making the other person lose their memories was just a moment of physical contact?


    ¡®No. Since it¡¯s a short-term memory, the condition may be rtively simple.¡¯


    ¡­¡­Even so.


    It was a moment when I realized the fear of ¡®divine power.¡¯

 Chapter 121 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?The man was convinced when he saw Quinie wearing sses.


    Quinie is mistaken about his ability. She thinks it''s aboutpletely erasing memories.


    He had seen many people with the same misconception. Most of them had adopted a simr defense mechanism. All they could rely on was time.


    But that wouldn''t be enough to discern the man''s ability. His power wasn''t to erase all memories, but to remove any trace of his existence from those memories.


    "Quinie, is Kora noting today?"


    After school, the man boldly asked Quinie.


    The moment he asked, Quinie''s expression changed. It was a brazen question, naturally making her suspicious. But for now, it was just suspicion.


    "She''lle. Later. We nned to go home together."


    Quinie''s face bore a defiant smile as he answered. As if to say, try me. She probably nned to check the time and then report it. Probably to Frondier? He had seen them together recently."Alright, thanks."


    The man walked past Quinie upon hearing his words, lightly brushing Quinie''s arm with his finger as he passed. That was it. Quinie would lose all memories of him. Of course, she couldn''t report anything now.


    ''Kora ising, she said.''


    Of course, he couldn''t fully trust Quinie''s words. The likelihood of lies was higher.


    However, the fearless smile Quinie just showed, her misconception about the man''s ability. The man decided to bet that Quinie''s words were true.


    After all, checking wouldn''t pose any danger.


    ''This is a good spot.''


    The man hid behind a building near the entrance to Constel. He was waiting for Kora.


    Of course, if it came down to a proper fight, he couldn''t beat Kora. Right now, Kora might be struggling to master magic that doesn''t suit her, but when ites down to simplebat, her physical abilities are iparable to that of humans.


    The man''s goal isn''t to kill Kora right now. That''s why he waited until Kora came to Constel.


    Just wait here until Kora arrives, then induce that previous rampage.


    "Should I call him Armel de Viet then?"


    [No. Given how things are going, it seems he hasn''t been recognized by the family yet.]


    "So, he''s still Senior Armel Colt."


    ...What is this?


    From behind the building where the man was hiding, an unexpected conversation could be heard above.


    The man looked up.


    Someone was sitting on the building''s railing, talking to a crow.


    ...A crow?


    ''Could it be, that one from before!''


    The man recalled the crow that had been next to him when he was on the tree.


    Could it be that it wasn''t an ordinary crow?


    Moreover, the person talking to it was Frondier, the man undoubtedly in coboration with Quinie.


    Since when did Frondier learn to tame? And the tamed animal even talks?


    "So, Mr. Armel."


    Frondier, who had been conversing, stopped talking and looked down at the man.


    Armel Colt.


    Wearing sses, with a slight build, an unremarkable appearance and faint presence that were difficult to remember at first nce.


    To the man who dreams of someday returning to being Armel de Viet, Frondier asked.


    "So, what are you? Cousin of Senior Quinie, or perhaps a brother. Do you have some secret birth story?"


    Thud!


    Armel jumped back, creating distance. His action was observed by Frondier''snguid eyes.


    Even as he sweated, Armel managed a sly smile.


    "Ah, Frondier? I''m surprised. What''s going on?"


    "Hello."


    Frondier jumped down from the building andnded. For the first time, they were facing each other at eye level.


    ''What an idiot, voluntarily giving up the advantage of being at a higher spot.'' Armel chuckled to himself. ''As expected, Frondier is inexperienced.''


    ording to the reports from Indus, he seemed to have a rather shy record, but half of it must be bluffing¡ª


    "Menosorpo."


    Before Armel could finish his thought,


    Armel felt himself stepping into a gigantic Rune of immeasurable size.


    ''He''s using a Rune for no reason?''


    He¡¯s not sure what this Rune is, but it''s not good to stay in it without knowing its effects.


    ...But, in which direction should he go to get out of this Rune?


    Swish¡ª


    When Armel unknowingly hesitated.


    Swoosh¡ª


    BOOM!


    Armel was startled by something suddenly pouring down and moved his feet. He didn''t get far.


    When he realized it, he was trapped inside a formation of spears that had pierced through the ground in all directions.


    ''This is ridiculous. Spears are popping out of seemingly empty air! Even if they were rocks instead of spears, it¡¯s unbelievable!''


    Armel observed the spears that had fallen obnoxiously in front of him. Each and every one of them appeared incredibly real, but they all exuded mana that filled the gaps seamlessly.


    It''s magic. Magic that''s so tangible. Does that mean the power of the Rune from earlier is this? At the very least, magic within this Rune is actualized as if it were real.


    "Why, why is this happening? Frondier. This is quite disconcerting."


    Armel spoke to Frondier with an awkward smile.


    Frondier tilted his head.


    "I''m asking just in case, but have we met before?"


    ¡°¡­¡­Of course not. It''s my first time talking to you like this. I merely know your face because you''re so famous.¡±


    Frondierughed at Armel¡¯s words.


    His sunken eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened again, the smile had turned into a sneer.


    ¡°I think so too. I don¡¯t remember either.¡±


    This brat.


    Armel¡¯s neck tensed up. Frondier was certain that he was the culprit.


    Then why isn¡¯t he attacking him right away? Is he not confident in his abilities? Does he want to test his skills?


    At that moment, Frondier spoke.


    ¡°But let¡¯s say, just for a moment, that Armel¡¯s n actually worked and he somehow managed to worm his way into the Viet family.¡±


    As Frondier spoke, he pulled out the short sword that was hanging from his waist. It was an oddly-sized sword.


    Armel didn¡¯t respond. He simply maintained an expression of bewilderment.


    Seeing that face, Frondier continued speaking.


    ¡°Would he still be able to stay in Indus, the organization that¡¯s supposed to be fighting for themoners¡¯ rights?¡±


    At those words, Armel¡¯s expression froze, still feigning ignorance.


    ¡®How much does this brat know?¡¯

 Chapter 121 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier even knows that Armel was a member of Indus.


    Armel took a step back. He wasn¡¯t trying to run away. He just shifted his weight back slightly in order to assume a defensive stance.


    Frondier raised his hand.


    ¡°Just kidding. Of course he can. After all, there are already many noble members of distinguished families in Indus.¡±


    Up until now, Indus had always worked towards the public good. At least, on the surface.


    They tried to help out in any way they could whenever a disaster or ident urred in a vige or a city, regardless of whether the affected people weremoners or nobles. They donated money to the poor in the name of Indus, building up their image and gaining more supporters.


    The nobles who directly benefited from Indus actively supported the organization.


    However, Indus''s true scale could not be guessed by anyone. Neither could its leader be identified. Most of those who imed to be Indus were upright, but none of them imed to be representatives.


    On the surface, they persuaded people, saying that the welfare of themoners was necessary, and behind the scenes, they spread negative images of the nobles and caused incidents and idents to ur.And the most important person when causing those incidents and idents was,


    "Mr. Armel, are you in charge of the aftermath?"


    "......!"


    "It''s not easy for Indus to frame or bring down nobles behind the scenes. So when there are mistakes or witnesses, it''s your role to erase that person''s memory, right?"


    The two methods Indus used the most to conceal itself from the incidents.


    One was to cut off the tail, as they did for Serf and Gregory, and the other was to use Armel''s ability.


    Thanks to Armel''s exploits, Indus had never been caught for what it had done behind the scenes until now.


    Of course, there were times when the arrows of suspicion were pointed at them during the investigation of the incident, but arrows of that level were pointed at numerous groups and noble families, not just Indus.


    However, there was a problem with Armel''s ability.


    Armel erased his presence from someone''s memories. The memories of the incident being erased were a consequence of erasing Armel''s memories.


    That''s why Armel had to be involved in the incident in order to erase someone''s memory. When the probability of failure was deemed high, Indus put Armel in.


    Up until then, Armel did not know.


    He would never have thought that one of the families Indus was bringing down would be his own.


    "So I''m asking you, Mr. Armel."


    "......"


    "Who are you? You must be the ''former'' noble of Viet who was crazy about Indus and brought down your own family."


    Until then, Armel had been smiling.


    But soon, his face contorted, twisted and twisted again. That twisted expression never rxed again.


    With a face too wrinkled to be a student''s, Armel spoke through his roughened lips.


    "I am Armel de Viet. The head of the Viet family."


    His voice was unnecessarily high, almost unbing of a man.


    "......"


    Frondier frowned.


    He had expected this.


    The person aiming for Quinie¡¯s family, the one who could im it by killing Quinie right now.


    Naturally, he would be of the Viet bloodline, the most straightforward sessor after Quinie.


    He had expected it, yet.


    ''This guy is insane.''


    If he ims to be the previous head of Viet, that would naturally make him Quinie''s father.


    What in the world did Indus nt in this man''s head, to devastate his own family and leave his daughter by erasing all his memories from her?


    Frondier asked.


    "How do you n to im the family if everyone has lost their memories?"


    "You said it yourself. I erased my existence from everyone''s memory. So, the context and such, I can just make it upter. Say I''ve been living abroad, or use the event 13 years ago. iming I barely escaped and have now returned."


    The rampage of Kora. The death toll at that time was enormous. And most of them were from the Viet family.


    Armel said.


    "If Quinie just dies, if Kora, in her rampage, kills Quinie, I can reim my position as head. If I execute Kora for killing Quinie, my justification is established."


    "How exactly do you n to kill Kora in her rampage?"


    Armel smirked.


    "I have drugs to induce a rampage and drugs to cancel it, all within my grasp. Once the rampage is cancelled, Kora will die on her own. She''s not someone who can ignore that guilt."


    Frondier closed his mouth for a moment at those words and thenughed.


    "You talk too much. To reveal all such ns to me in detail."


    "Ah, of course."


    Armelughed. His hands were raised.


    "There''s something you''re also mistaken about©¤©¤!"


    And when his hands stretched out, Frondier stopped abruptly. His focus blurred.


    "I knew when I saw the crow. You observed me erasing Quinie''s memories. However, my ability does not require physical contact. It works by connecting mana to someone whose name I know. That''s enough."


    However, erasing the memories of a distant target, especially over a long period, exponentially requires more mana. Thus, there''s a greater risk of getting caught. And it also takes more time.


    But once caught, as time passes, without fail.


    "Khhhh. You were so arrogant, and now you as well,"


    Armel''s words stopped there.


    Something was off. Frondier, who seemed to have paused momentarily, regained focus and began shaking his head from side to side.


    Strange. he¡¯s still using his ability...


    "Ah, that was close. Just as I expected."


    Frondier said so and looked straight at Armel.


    That gaze, that expression, it couldn''t belong to someone who had lost their memories.


    Why? The divine power of Lethe has never failed before. It''s impossible for a human to defy divine power.


    There was only one thing to think of.


    Watching Frondier infuse his entire body with energy and imbue his short sword with an aura, Armel realized something terrifying.


    "You, you''re not Frondier©¤!"


    sh!


    Before he could finish his sentence, Frondier''s de had reached him.

 Chapter 122 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @betterdays on Ko-fi!</i>


    Unfortunately, my de did not reach Armel.


    Armel leaned back to dodge the de. He leaned back so hastily that he lost his bnce. He half-fell, rolling to the side.


    Armel, having gotten back up, looked at me with wide eyes.


    "You, you''re not a Frondier, are you?"


    He seemed more shocked by the fact that his powers did not work on me than by the de that almost hit him.


    I stood silently, but I was sweating cold sweat just the same.


    ''That was dangerous.''Though I was acting calm.


    As Armel said, I was under a misconception. I thought that if I just kept my distance, Lethe''s divine power wouldn''t reach me.


    And as Armel had said, I half-believed that even if the divine power did reach me, it wouldn''t affect me.


    Both types of defenses were already in my mind.


    Yet.


    ''I lost consciousness for a moment.''


    The fact that Lethe''s divine power ''somewhat'' worked on me sends shivers down my spine.


    Had I, at some point, started to identify myself with Frondier?


    I smiled as if everything was as I had anticipated. I''m not sure if it''s working well.


    "Yeah, right! I thought it was strange! That ''human sloth'' couldn''t possibly have grown this much! I heard he was a talentless,zy ipetent who never puts in any effort!"


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed and took a step forward, holding my short sword.


    "Mr. Armel, who would believe such a thing?"


    "¡­!"


    Armel stiffened his expression and put his hand into his chest. What came out of his chest were a couple of daggers. Or, since they had no handles, should they just be called des?


    I remembered those des.


    ''They look just like the des that shoot out of Senior Quinie''s fan.''


    Quinie sheathed them in her fan, but does her father fight with them in his hands? Even without a handle, the part you grip is narrower than the de, processed so it can be easily held without injury.


    "It doesn''t matter if divine power doesn''t work on you. Killing you here is enough."


    And then, Armel cracked his neck.


    But it wasn''t just loosening his muscles. Every time a cracking sound was made, his body visibly grewrger from his neck down to his shoulders, arms, waist, legs, and ankles. His body expanded as much as the bones made noise.


    Not lengthening the skeleton, no.


    "So, you''ve beenpressing your skeleton until now. Is this your original body size?"


    "Yes. It''s easier to disguise myself with a smaller stature. Nothing beats it for lying about my age."


    It wasn''t magic, but his unique technique. Or perhaps a technique learned from Indus.


    Having fully loosened up, Armel was already taller than me. At least in stature, he resembled Enfer.


    With a swish!


    The des Armel heldbined into one with a single gesture of his hand. Interesting weapon, indeed.


    Whoosh!


    Armel swung his right hand, throwing a de at me. It wasn''t very fast, so I deflected it with my dagger.


    In that time, Armel had closed in on me, and in his right hand, which surely just threw a de, still held another de.


    ng!


    Our des collided.


    "So, he can freelybine the des or shoot them separately."


    It''s like shooting ying cards held in hand.


    He''s doing both throwing and sword fighting at the same time.


    ng! ng!


    Armel and I shed our des several times. Truly a master. Aura was already swirling around Armel''s de, as it was around mine too.


    "You! What are you really? How long have you been pretending to be a Frondier!"


    "Shut up! I am Frondier!"


    I hadn''t said anything wrong. I am Frondier. The whole world would say so.


    Yet, it was also true that I had been pretending to be a Frondier. Two statements that seemed mutually exclusive somehow coexisted.


    ng!


    With both swords in my hands, I parried Armel''s thrusting attack in one motion. Judging it dangerous, Armel quickly retreated.


    Having handled dual swords to some extent, I know that using them clumsily can be more dangerous than wielding a single sword. The left can interfere with the right.


    ...But even so.


    "Mr. Armel."


    "What?"


    "You''re indeed weaker than Senior Quinie."


    I was certain.


    Armelcked talent inbat. The idea of throwing and swinging a de simultaneously was innovative, but he failed to apply it as effectively as the idea deserved.


    Above all, I understand well because I am weaker. Using unconventional methods like that indicates weakness. Just as I have scraped together every means to oppose others until now.


    "You won''t die a peaceful death."


    Armel growled.


    From his perspective, it was natural to be angry.


    ''So, what should I do?''


    I could have killed him long ago if I wanted to. There was no need to meet like this. It''s questionable whether Armel could even block fireworks.


    But this is Constel. Moreover, Armel''s guilt has not yet been proven. Even if he were guilty, killing him with my own hands would leave a bitter taste.


    At least if I could bind his legs to prevent any unnecessary actions, that might suffice.


    ''...Right.''


    Just as Armel fights in a unique way.


    Maybe I should draw on a unique technique of my own.


    Thud!


    Armel charged at me again. Our shing des emitted a loud metallic sound.


    In truth, the difference in swordsmanship between Armel and me isn¡¯t that great. Rather, Armel would be stronger than me in terms of strength, due to hisrger physique.


    However, I¡¯ve faced opponents much stronger than Armel quite often. Not just enemies, but I¡¯ve rolled around on the ground countless times while training with Azier.


    And most importantly, Armel¡¯s swordsmanship is rusty. It was obvious that he hadn¡¯t been inbat for a long time.


    Swish!


    Armel¡¯s des flew towards me from the left and right. I waited for this moment: the moment when Armel would simultaneously attack with both hands.


    I thrust my sword out. At the point where Armel¡¯s des intersected, around there.


    As I thought, Armel has never experienced this technique. He must have received reports of it, though.


    ng-


    My short sword and Armel¡¯s two des met without a sound. A dry sound like burning firewood rang out the next moment, and the weapons Armel was holding flew through the air. The ovepping des scattered in the air.


    It was his ¡®defeat.¡¯

 Chapter 122 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    Armel seemed to realize it just then, and took a step back. Still, he was among those who regained their senses quickly after getting defeated.


    I pursued the distance Armel retreated. And I swung my short sword at Armel¡¯s chest.


    My short sword swung through the air, failing to reach Armel. He had been gauging the length of my sword while we exchanged blows a few times. It was only natural for the de not to reach him, since he had retreated that much.


    That¡¯s right. The de doesn¡¯t reach.


    Slice-


    ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡±


    Armel stopped and seemed to realize it just then.


    Blood flowed. The long gash on his chest bled. It soaked his uniform and dripped down.It wasn¡¯t life-threatening, but it wasn¡¯t a shallow wound either.


    ¡°Ah, geez!¡±


    BANG! Armel fell to one knee. Blood started gushing out. Dizziness and fatigue were quickly setting in.


    ¡°What? I clearly dodged it, why?¡±


    Yes, Armel had avoided the de.


    However, he failed to evade my aura.


    My Neil Jack¡¯s dagger extends in length the moment it¡¯s imbued with aura. It¡¯s not that the de itself got longer, the aura extends beyond the de.


    Furthermore, my aura is colorless. It¡¯s not easy to estimate the range of an aura in the midst of an intense battle.


    I deactivated Menosorpo.


    ¡°Stop, you are already seriously injured.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Armel was scanning the ground with his bare hands. He kept looking at me while asionally ncing at his surroundings.


    He had dropped all the knives he was holding, so now he was trying to pick up anything he could find nearby. However, even his outstretched hand was trembling weakly. If he kept moving in such a state, his bleeding would only get worse.


    That¡¯s when it happened.


    Creak. Someone came out of the back exit of the building.


    As expected, it was Quinie. The timing was perfect.


    ¡°¡­Armel Colt.¡±


    Quinie coldly called out Armel¡¯s name. Not De Viet, but his name from his days in Constel. I guess Quinie was the one who had chosen that name.


    ¡°You are the one responsible for the incident 13 years ago.¡±


    Quinie unfolded a scroll. It was already covered in mana, which gathered on the scroll.


    ¡°¡­Huhu, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Armel looked at Quinie with a smile.


    Quinie¡¯s eyes narrowed. Her eyes filled with frustration.


    ¡°¡­I really don¡¯t remember. Not even a little. I¡¯m looking at my father, the perpetrator, right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. My ability is perfect. Memories that I erase are never restored.¡±


    Armel said this as if he was truly proud of it. He even smiled.


    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going through Armel¡¯s head when he says that¡­


    ¡­¡­But I remember something Selena once told me.


    -When you¡¯re smiling, make sure to smile with your eyes too. It¡¯ll look more believable.


    At the very least, the smile Armel is wearing right now, is not believable at all.


    ¡°I want to kill you right this instance, but you¡¯re going to pay the price. It¡¯s time we uncover the truth about Indus.¡±


    ¡°You can torture me all you want, but you¡¯ll never get any information out of me about Indus.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re that loyal?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t know anything of value.¡±


    As he said that, Armel let out a mocking sigh.


    ¡°Even among us, we don¡¯t know who the real higher-ups are. Maybe the people closest to them might know, but even I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if Indus is made up ofmoners, fallen nobles, prestigious families, or even royalty. And its size is impossible to measure. In fact, there are people out there who pretend to be Indus, but are not. Because the sign that says they¡¯ll protect you from the discrimination and oppression that themoners face, is easy to hang up.¡±


    Just like Armel said, Indus looks like a clean organization on the outside, so there are countless people who call themselves Indus.


    And because Indus doesn¡¯t do anything to stop them, estimating its size has be even more difficult.


    ¡°Restrain me or kill me, do whatever you want. I mean, now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯m already worthless to Indus. The one thing Indus is the best at, is cutting off loose ends. You¡¯ll see how every connection to me gets erased as if it were a lie.¡±


    Keuheuheu, Armel made aughing sound that may or may not have been a realugh.


    Quinie and I looked at each other and nodded. We had to do what had to be done anyway.


    I slowly approached Armel. Since I was the only one immune to his ability, I was the only one that could restrain him.


    Armel¡¯s ability could be used from a distance, but Quinie was on alert, so she would easily be able to block it.


    His ability definitely came from his fingertips, so all I had to do was watch out for his hands.


    Just as I was approaching Armel from behind¡­


    ¡°Hey! Quinie! I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡­I heard the worst possible voice at the worst possible time.


    Strangely enough, all three of us¡ªme, Quinie, and Armel¡ªsimultaneously turned our heads towards the voice.


    I could see Kora walking past the entrance to the Constel.


    The timing couldn¡¯t have been worse.


    Armel¡¯s words came back to me.


    - I have both the drug that induces her rampage, as well as the antidote, right here with me.


    Thwack!


    Armel and I moved at almost the same time. Armel reached towards his pocket as I grabbed his shoulder, pouring my strength into it, intending to crush him.


    But suddenly, my strength drained from me, and I staggered. The hand that had been gripping Armel¡¯s shoulder hit the ground.


    Armel rolled out of my grasp, having already be smaller than me.


    ¡°Bone shrinkage!¡±


    Armel, now smaller than he had been before, took out a de from his pocket. There was something attached to the hilt. It looked like a pouch filled with something.


    Swish!


    Armel, still trembling and barely able to keep his bnce, threw the de at Kora with all his might.


    ¡°Look out! Kora!¡± Quinie shouted.


    Kora instinctively ducked her head after hearing that, dodging the de.


    Pop!


    The pouch exploded in mid-air.


    Right in front of Kora¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 123 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Ugh! Cough cough!¡±


    Kora coughed. Powder from the exploded pouch spread in the air.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Kora frowned at the red powders spreading before her.


    But that was only for a moment.


    ¡°Ah, ugh! Gah...!¡±


    The change came immediately. Bloodshot appeared in Kora¡¯s eyes. She clenched and wrapped her fingers around her body. White fur was gradually growing all over her body.


    Seeing that, I approached Armel.


    Bam!¡°Keuk!¡±


    I pped his face once and rummaged through his arms. Of course, I could have searched his body easily without hitting him. I just pped him.


    I found a syringe. It already had some liquid in it.


    ¡°...Tsk.¡±


    Apparently, Kora could be enraged by the powder and she had to be injected with this syringe to detoxify him.


    I shouted.


    ¡°Selena!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Selena appeared and stood right before me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover you! Hurry up and evacuate!¡±


    ¡°No! Block the studentsing this way! Don¡¯t let anyone near here!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Selena looked back at me in surprise.


    ¡°W-what do you mean? Are you saying that you will fight that monster?¡±


    As expected of Selena. Even without me saying anything, she already seemed to know everything about Kora.


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know what will happen, so send the students going home this way back. Chase away those whoe out of curiosity. Except for the teachers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reckless! Frondier-nim! Don¡¯t you know how capable Kora is! You should evacuate! I¡¯ll do my best to stop him,¡±


    Snap.


    I clenched my jaw. I could feel the vein throbbing in my temple.


    Selena was just saying what she had memorized. Like she had always done. It meant nothing and held no sincerity.


    She was just acting loyal to me as she had been taught at Mando.


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t contain my anger and shouted.


    "Why would my life end here?!"


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    My voice quivered slightly. It was the manifestation of aura. Serena¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and she covered her mouth.


    ¡°Go. Move as Imand. We don¡¯t have time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Understood.¡±


    Only then did Serena run off. I confirmed her getting further and further away and looked at Kora.


    Kora screamed as if fighting with herself. However, her volume only grew louder.


    I said to Quinie,


    ¡°Senior, please watch over Armel here. He won¡¯t be able to move with those wounds anyway. It¡¯ll be enough if you just keep him in check with your bow.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That kid, your escort?¡±


    Quinie nced at Serena getting further away and spoke.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. It¡¯s better to run away from here. Before Korapletely transforms.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t. Then the exact same thing that happened 13 years ago will happen again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What? You, how do you know what happened back then.¡±


    ¡°And this time, Kora will die too.¡±


    If Kora goes on a rampage and causes damage to the students, going as far asmitting murder.


    The only path left for Kora will be death.


    Since she wasn¡¯t human in the first ce but a beastkin, the Constel teachers especially won¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going to subdue Kora without killing her?¡±


    ¡°I nned to do that from the start.¡±


    If not, I would¡¯ve waited for the teachers toe too. If Kora had just been a normal monster.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re crazy. Stop it, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Quinie tried toe to me, but I held out my hand to stop her. The Kora in front of our eyes barely resembled a human anymore. He had be a literal white tiger, standing on all fours and emanating ominous magical energy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move from there. Even though Armel got injured, it¡¯ll be dangerous if we leave him be.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have an idea. There¡¯s just one thing I need you to do.¡±


    I looked at Quinie with a worried expression and spoke.


    ¡°Lend me your mask pack.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Mask pack?¡±


    ¡°You have one, right? For disguises.¡±


    ¡°I do, but are you really okay?¡±


    I nodded. Quinie bit her lower lip and looked at me for a moment before taking out a mask pack and handing it to me.


    "Don''t worry. I''lle back safely. Me, and Kora too."


    I put the mask pack on my face.


    I took a deep breath and held the tie in my hand.


    * * *


    Frondier proceeded forward, having untied his tie and holding it in his left hand.


    Quinie watched his back with an anxious face.


    So far, Frondier had never done anything without a reason.


    It was the same during the midterm exam in the first semester when he teamed up with her. He had always prepared various numbers and was good at provoking his opponent''s psychology.


    That''s why she tried to believe him when he said, ''I have a n.''


    ''The opponent is the ''White Tiger''. Do you know it?''


    With each step Frondier got closer to Kora, it felt like he was walking into a trap.


    "Keuh, keuheuheuheu."


    Armel chuckled lowly as hey on the ground.


    "It''s impossible. There''s no way to quell Kora''s rage."


    "......There isn''t?"


    Quinie pointed her fan. The meaning of that gesture was obvious. She wanted an answer.


    Armel said.


    "The powder Kora drank doesn''t cause rage. It eliminates reason. She''s reverted to the White Tiger''s wild nature. Think about it. What does a wild tiger do? She''s just be a beast. There''s no way to quell her rage. She won''t even be thinking about it."


    Armel''s words caused Quinie''s eyes to waver.


    Does Frondier know this fact?


    "Didn''t he say he would subdue it without killing it? No matter what method he uses, it won''t work. Soon, Frondier''s body will be pierced by those fangs."


    At Armel''s words, Quinie looked at Frondier. Then she turned her gaze to Kora.


    Kora had alreadypletely transformed into the White Tiger. After seeing it head-on, Quinie realized it.


    The one whomitted the massacre 13 years ago was Kora. That she lost her reason and became the White Tiger, harming people.


    ''......Kora.''

 Chapter 123 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­Kora.¡±


    Of course, she now knows that it was not Kora¡¯s intention, but Indus¡¯s doing.


    However, what about Kora? Kora, after she learned the whole truth.


    Frondier said that he would subdue Kora without killing her. That is exactly what Quinie deeply desires, but is that really possible?


    Growl-


    As Frondier approached, Kora discovered him and growled lowly.


    As Armel said, not a shred of reason could be found in her gaze.


    It¡¯s impossible. Returning the current Kora to her right mind.


    sh!At that moment, mana was Weaving like thread in Frondier''s right hand, and something was created.


    It looked like a thin stick bent into a triangle, emitting a jewel-like glow.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Frondier swallowed it.


    With that, the tie he was holding started to glow.


    Roar-!


    Immediately after, Frondier transformed.


    Quinie felt an explosive amount of mana surge from his body.


    ¡®What is that? How does Frondier have mana as powerful as mine¡­¡­?¡¯


    Before Quinie could finish her thought,


    Frondier broke the ne. The ck liquid inside gathered in the air and into Frondier''s right hand.


    And in his right hand, a sword with a dazzling sheen was gripped.


    ¡®What is that¡­¡­?¡¯


    At first, she thought it was Gram, which she saw during the final exam of the first semester.


    However, it wasn¡¯t. I felt a different kind of power than Gram.


    Plus, that appearance. As soon as Quinie saw it, a certain sword came to mind. A form of sword that is absolutely unmistakable, not only to the students of Constel, but to anyone with even a slight interest in literature and legends.


    However, it was so unbelievable, the fact that Frondier was holding it now was too iprehensible.


    ¡°¡­¡­Excalibur¡­¡­?¡±


    It took a while for that murmur toe out.

 Chapter 123 (3) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When Kora started to rampage, most of the students had already detected the abnormality. It was an enormous pressure unlike anything they had ever felt before.


    Standing before the tiger was a man,


    Someone evacuated, while others headed towards the source of magic.


    But in front of them, Selena was shouting, blocking the students.


    "Go back! The main entrance is dangerous right now! Absolutely do not approach!"


    "What''s going on?"


    "It''s a monster! Don''t go to the main entrance until the teachers arrive! Hurry and evacuate! There''s no guarantee that this ce is always safe!"


    Since most students were well aware of the danger of monsters, they obeyed the instructions without hesitation.


    Among them was Aten."...I''m uneasy."


    Following Selena''s words, Aten turned her feet towards the back door.


    However, today''s strange behavior by Frondier troubled her. She thought it was nothing serious since he had left after school, but still.


    Then, a bird cut through the air.


    "Danger at the main entrance! Danger at the main entrance! A monster has appeared! Everyone evacuate to the back door!"


    The bird was a crow. There was no mistaking it even from a distance.


    Aten looked quietly at the crow.


    "Surely not."


    Aten stopped her steps towards the back door.


    That crow speaking, there was no mistake. It was a bird tamed by Frondier.


    The bird was flying around, alerting of the danger at the main entrance, and if it was Frondier''s bird.


    Frondier, at the moment.


    "Surely not."


    Aten sank into deep contemtion. After a while, her steps headed towards the stairs.


    Going to the main entrance would be too reckless. It''s right to survey the situation from the rooftop.


    She wouldn''t intervene. Aten had good eyesight, so she would just confirm if Frondier was there.


    ng.


    As she opened the rooftop door and went outside, a huge force of magic grazed her skin. The aura was more ferocious than when she was inside the building.


    Aten quickly moved to the rooftop. She focused her mana. The two confronting each other came into view. One was a giant white tiger with thick fur, and the other,


    "Huh?"


    Wearing the Constel uniforms, ck hair, a sword in the right hand, andnguid pupils.


    The man standing before the tiger was,


    "...It''s not Frondier."


    * * *


    The teachers also felt the magic power and moved immediately.


    The closest one was Malia, who worked in the infirmary.


    ¡®This feeling, somewhere¡­¡­.¡¯


    A terribly dangerous and fierce energy. If not dealt with promptly, it could turn into a major incident.


    As that intuition spread, a strangely familiar feeling came to her.


    From long ago, a scent that could be called nostalgia.


    ¡°Ah, Malia-ssi!¡±


    While she was hurrying, she met another teacher. It was Jane.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. It doesn¡¯t seem normal.¡±


    ¡°Yes. These incidents keep happening recently.¡±


    Jane grumbled as she walked. In fact, Jane¡¯s face had been getting thinner by the day.


    ¡°¡­¡­Speaking of which, all the incidents recently involved ss 5 students.¡±


    ¡°Not ss 5! Frondier keeps getting involved!¡±


    Jane corrected her.


    After all, it was only Frondier that was involved and most of the other ss 5 students had nothing to do with it. At most, maybe Aten. The problem was that Frondier was in ss 5.


    ¡°Please, not Frondier this time.¡±


    Jane muttered in a prayerful mood. In the meantime, she was faithfully drawing up her mana as a precaution.


    And when Jane and Malia arrived, they saw a very strange sight before their eyes.


    In particr, Malia rubbed her eyes and looked again.


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh my.¡±


    An involuntary interjection escaped from her mouth.


    Of course, what came into view first was the appearance of a giant white tiger with a body that was huge and fierce.


    However, Malia¡¯s thoughts stopped for a moment when she saw the face of the man facing it.


    What captivated Malia¡¯s gaze was not the sword he was holding. It was his face.


    ©¤©¤The man was Enfer.


    With the face he had when he was very young, over 10 years ago, he stood in front of the white tiger.

 Chapter 124 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/2 Bonus chapter thanks to @whytho from Ko-fi!</i>


    After listening to Armel and Quinie''s conversation, I looked into the incident from 13 years ago.


    Even back then, Kora went berserk and attacked the Viet family. The only survivor of that incident, aside from Armel who caused it, was Quinie.


    Excluding those who had left the mansion due to assignments, missions, vacations, and other reasons, everyone from the family was killed.


    As a result, there were no more eyewitnesses to the incident, which ironically allowed Kora to stay by Quinie''s side all this time.


    In that case, conversely.


    How did Quinie survive? Why was she the only one left unharmed when everyone else died?


    Who stopped Kora''s rampage?''Enfer was there.''


    I realized something strange while investigating the incident from 13 years ago.


    The Roach family had been acquainted with the Viet family from the very beginning. Before Quinie became the head of the family, when her father Armel was still in charge.


    At that time, Enfer had been on his way back from an imperial summons. I suppose it was a stroke of luck for Quinie.


    ...And he was apanied by none other than the young Frondier.


    Sensing something amiss with the Viet household, Enfer rushed to the scene and managed to stop Kora''s rampage.


    As I''ve been studying the ancientnguage that Frondier had learned, some of his memories have also seeped into my mind. However, my recollection of the incident was hazy.


    Perhaps because it had been so long and he was still young, Frondier''s own memories were vague. He must have been around four years old at the time.


    Enfer didn''t injure Kora. Of course, he didn''t have an antidote or anything like that.


    But now, I know how he managed to subdue her.


    ''That''s how you did it, Enfer.''


    I put on a mask to change my face to that of a young Enfer and approached Kora with Excalibur in hand.


    After consuming the Dragon Heart, I poured almost all of Penelope''s fabric, into Excalibur.


    Kwaaaaaa-!


    Excalibur boiled with a torrent of mana, already holding a wind close to a typhoon, and whirled around. The hand holding it trembled violently. My clothes and hair fluttered so much that I worried the mask mighte off.


    The ground around me cracked with a sound, and as I slowly moved, dust particles rose and then seemed to copse.


    Recalling how Excalibur had obliterated the Tyburn¡¯s barrier.


    Now, wielding Excalibur incorrectly could be no different from dropping a nuclear bomb.


    Krrrrrrr-


    I faced Kora, who was bristling with fur and growling. There''s not a trace of reason left in Kora now. There''s no chance to inject a sedative. I don''t know how to restore Kora''s reason.


    And probably Enfer didn''t know a way either.


    "Kora."


    I directed the tip of the sword towards Kora. All the magic contained in the sword targeted Kora.


    I won''t persuade to Kora''s reason.


    I appeal to her instinct, the wildness of her White Tiger form. Enfer did it with Gram and his dignity.


    But since I''m far from enough, I borrow the power of Excalibur.


    "Shut your mouth."


    If the current Kora really has nothing but wildness left,


    She would well know what to do in front of the logic of power.


    * * *


    By the time Frondier directed the tip of his sword at Kora, all the teachers of Constel had already arrived at the scene.


    On the rooftop, behind the building, on the way to school, in the trees, etc. They watched Frondier and Kora from their respective positions at a certain distance.


    Of course, Principal Osprey was there too.


    "Enfer?"


    He was also surprised when he first saw Frondier''s face. Among Constel''s teachers, only Malia and Osprey knew Enfer''s face when he was younger.


    "No, that can''t be."


    Naturally, there was no way that the young Enfer was the real Enfer, so Osprey kept an eye on Frondier.


    Who would dare to take on Enfer''s face and act like him? In normal circumstances, he would have been called a crazy bastard with no regard for his life.


    However. At this moment, an aura stronger and more formidable than the young Enfer was emanating from him.


    To be exact, it was from the sword in his hand.


    "...Excalibur."


    A young Enfer wielding the Excalibur. A picture he had never imagined appeared before his eyes as reality.


    Osprey focused magical energy in his eyes. The man wore a fairly expensive mask. It was not easy to see through, but someone like Osprey could see the general outline.


    "...No, that man is."


    Osprey''s expression changed.


    "...Principal, what should we do?"


    A teacher standing next to him said. Osprey shook his head.


    "Nothing."


    "...What do you mean?"


    "It''ll be over soon."


    At that moment, someone''s scream was heard nearby.


    When Osprey looked down, he saw a man lying down. Teacher Malia and Jane were already restraining him. Quinie, who was holding a fan nearby, was also visible.


    "This is crazy! Trying to deal with the irrational Kora! She''s of the White Tiger bloodline! Do you think such coercion would work!"


    The man yelled out loud as if possessed by an evil spirit.


    Osprey snorted.


    "Seems like that method only works because he''s irrational. Look, that White Tiger is iplete. It''s not yet an adult. Looks like there''s other blood mixed in, too; it''s a half-breed."


    Kora''s instincts must be kicking in right now.


    This overwhelming mana before her eyes...If she makes a mistake, she''ll definitely die. She surely knows that better than anyone.


    Above all else,


    Even a real White Tiger would be terrified if it saw that much mana about to explode right at it.


    nk, nk.


    The man with Enfer''s face walked slowly. The White Tiger stayed still. It stopped making angry noises, and its raised fur slowly fell.


    Osprey examined the man''s attire. He wore the uniform of the Constel, Enfer''s face, and wielded Excalibur. On top of that, there was the enormous amount of mana he could feel, and the glowing cloth he held in his left hand. Each one of those was something Osprey couldn''t just ignore.


    ''...Especially that glowing cloth. It''s gradually getting smaller.''


    The cloth he was holding in his left hand got smaller and smaller until Osprey couldn''t see it clearly anymore. He could only see that his left hand was still glowing, so the cloth must still be there.


    However, just when the glow was about to disappear, when it seemed like the cloth wouldpletely vanish,


    "Ack!"


    The man stumbled. The enormous mana of the Excalibur he was holding wavered. At that sight, the White Tiger''s eyes shed again and its fur stood on end.


    But.


    Whoosh-


    The man stabbed something into the White Tiger''s neck. It was a syringe. Swish, the syringe''s liquid was injected and the White Tiger''s focus wavered.


    Thud-


    The White Tiger was sorge that even its copse seemed heavy and ponderous. Slowly, its fur receded and its size gradually diminished. It meant it was returning to human form.

 Chapter 124 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Osprey opened his mouth.


    "Protect the man. We need to hear his story."


    The teachers moved in unison.


    The man who had subdued the White Tiger wore a Constel uniform. Though it''s unclear why he specifically changed his face to Enfer''s, it seemed necessary to understand the circumstances.


    The teachers slowly approached the man.


    He was gasping for breath. In front of the White Tiger, he appeared fearless, but perhaps that too was a bluff to subdue the White Tiger.


    The leading teacher said,


    "Thank you. You''ve prevented a major incident. We''ll lend you a hand,"


    Given the situation, it was clear that the man had exhausted his power to calm the White Tiger. It was only natural for the teachers to be kind to him.However, the man raised his hand as if to say, do note closer. His tired expression was evident on Enfer''s face, making the teachers involuntarily tense.


    They only knew him by Enfer''s face, but the resemnce was uncanny.


    "Let me do it."


    Then, someone stepped forward as if to protect Frondier. It was Quinie.


    "The one who received the most help from him is me. I will support him, so teachers, please step back."


    "¡­Hmm. However, Quinie. We also need to know the situation."


    "I will exin everythingter. His condition isn''t good. Please excuse us first."


    "Wait, just a moment, student."


    As Quinie tried to move, a teacher blocked her way.


    Quinie sighed. She looked at the teacher with deep, sunken eyes.


    "¡­It''s after school now."


    "What?"


    "After school, you know. Teachers of Constel."


    "¡­!"


    The teachers understood its meaning and hardened their expressions.


    Quinie was now acting as the head of Viet, not as a student. Being called a teacher is just a formality.


    "Lady Quinie."


    Then, Osprey, who was on the rooftop, spoke up.


    "What, headmaster?"


    Quinie shot her a sharp, piercing look, to which Ospreyughed good-naturedly.


    "Take good care of him."


    "......"


    Quinie didn''t respond and supported Frondier.


    She unfurled her fan and with a swift flick, leaped high into the air.


    In the presence of the watching teachers, the two of them disappeared.


    * * *


    Immediately after being supported by Quinie, Frondier lost consciousness. Quinie brought him to the mansion andid him in bed.


    She thought of Kora, but the teachers would take care of her, so she was probably safer. Although she had gone on a rampage, she hadn''t caused serious harm to the surroundings, so it should be fine.


    However, regarding the White Tiger''s beastkin, the unpredictability of when she might rampage was a concern, and what decision the teachers would make about it was uncertain. But for now, it was fortunate that she was alive.


    "......Frondier."


    Quinie sat by the bed and called out to Frondier.


    Frondier was sound asleep. ording to the doctor''s examination, there didn''t seem to be any major issues. It appeared to be mana exhaustion and severe blood loss. He probably wouldn''t wake up easily.


    Quinie knew this, yet she called out to Frondier.


    She had contradictory feelings, wanting to tell Frondier but also hoping he hadn''t heard yet.


    "I remembered."


    Quinie opened her mouth.


    "Everything from 13 years ago. The wolf was actually Kora, and Lord Enfer had stopped her. I still can''t remember my father Armel, but at least I know what memories have changed."


    The moment she recalled was when Frondier took Enfer''s face and held Excalibur. His back figure was so familiar, it pulled out a memory she had buried in the past.


    "...You were also there at that time."


    After Enfer subdued Kora, a young boy was following close behind him.


    At that time, Quinie was just crying. But that boy remembers.


    As soon as Enfer confirmed that Kora waspletely asleep, he embraced the boy and covered his eyes. He probably didn''t want to show a corpse to a child.


    However, through the fingers of Enfer covering his eyes, Frondier was looking at Quinie. Until Enfer left the mansion andpletely disappeared from view, Frondier and Quinie made eye contact for a long time.


    She didn''t know what that little boy was thinking. If he felt any sympathy for her crying.


    "You remember too."


    Quinie looked at Frondier. 4 years old and 6 years old. Those little kids have grown so much and met again.


    Remembering that time, Frondier put the rampaging Kora back to sleep using the same method as his father.


    Quinie poked Frondier''s cheek with her finger.


    "How do you remember that? As a 4-year-old."


    Moreover, he is acquiring the power to realize it. Could it be for Quinie? To stop Kora from rampaging someday?


    "Haha, that''s ridiculous."


    That''s right. It''s ridiculous. So this assumption was nothing more than Quinie''s delusio . That''s what she wished for.


    "Frondier, thank you for remembering."


    Frondier, who was sleeping, didn''t answer.


    Knowing she wouldn''t get an answer, Quinie was able to talk.

 Chapter 125 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The capital Silvester was the most popted region on the continent.


    Of course, the fact that it was the capital was a factor, but the citizens¡¯ mindset was simple under the circumstances where monsters could invade from outside at any time.


    ¡°The safest ce is where the Emperor is.¡±


    Driven by this simple and very reasonable idea, people flocked to the capital.


    And in the busiestmercial district of this capital city,


    Promised individuals gathered in the hidden basement of a small tavern that looked as if it were wedged between buildings.


    It was a meeting of themoners'' group Indus.


    Kraken grumbled as soon as he came down to the basement, following the tavern owner¡¯s guidance.


    ¡°Why did you call people to such a crowded ce?¡±¡°I wanted to stay undercover. Things have been getting a little too heatedtely.¡±


    A man with a prosthetic arm said. The prosthetic arm was almost like a machine, moving freely while making creaking sounds.


    ¡°Thompson, is this really undercover? There are so many people outside?¡±


    ¡°If you want to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest. A ce with lots of people makes it harder to find someone, you know.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to hide a tree? Wouldn¡¯t you be caught by the time you uprooted it and took it to the forest?¡±


    Thompson let out a smallugh. Kraken had a very poor understanding of idioms and proverbs.


    Then the girl standing next to him spoke. She was a young girl who was about half the height of a full-grown man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The meeting ce changes every time. I will always prepare the best ce for us.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not doubting your abilities, Kian.¡±


    Kraken shrugged. He sat down at the center table where everyone else was already seated.


    "Shall we start the meeting?"


    The one who spoke was a man wearing armor. His entire body was fully armed, so nothing could be seen inside, whether it be his face or body. The man''s voice matched his appearance and sounded unpleasantly metallic.


    Kraken nced around. "Huh? Where''s the leader? Is Mr. Skyler going to run the show today?"


    "He''s in another meeting," Thompson answered. Kraken sped his hands behind his head.


    "Zodiac must keep him busy, huh?"


    Ignoring Kraken, Skyler continued, his armor nking with each movement.


    "Armel was attacked."


    "Serves him right, that bastard," Kraken said immediately. Thompson supported his chin with his fist and said,


    "Putting aside the fact that Armel''s a jerk, we can''t afford to sweep things under the rug anymore. There''s no one left to erase the memories."


    Kian added, "There''s a limit to how many loose ends we can tie up. We can''t keep spreading the story that ''Indus didn''t do it. The culprits just called themselves Indus on their own'' forever. It was especially dangerous with Serf; if we frame Frondier, we don''t have to make a big deal about it."


    Thompson shook his head with a sigh.


    "I told you. That guy is just obsessed with killing nobles. If ruining the image of the nobility doesn''t go his way, he''s the type that needs to see them die with his own eyes to feel satisfied. He''s not in his right mind."


    "It''s not our ce to say."


    Kian lightly teased.


    Skyler looked at Kraken.


    "Kraken, what happened with that Serf''s business card? Didn''t you say you were going to run some tests?"


    "Ah, this."


    Kraken pulled out a stack of papers from his belongings and ced them on the table. It was Serf''s business card.


    "This is useless."


    Thomson cocked his head at Kraken''s blunt expression.


    "Why? After all the trouble of getting it."


    "For starters, it doesn''t work well. Being mentally strong doesn''t seem to dictate one''s skill level."


    "It worked on the knights of the royal pce, didn''t it?"


    Kraken shook his head.


    "The guys Gregory gave the cards to, most of them were apprentice knights involved in petty crimes. Well, they must''ve followed Gregory''s orders because they had something to hide. Dirty bastards."


    "That''s also not for us to say."


    Kian teased again from the side.


    Kraken continued.


    "There are almost nopletely resistant people, but it seems most can manage to bind themselves to some extent. How long they can endure also varies from person to person."


    "Indeed, that was the case for us too."


    After obtaining this business card, Kraken had tested it on each of the members here in Indus.


    Thompson hadpletely lost his memory, and Kraken resisted but couldn''t move, while Skyler felt a strong suppression but was able to perform daily activities. Kian acted as if she was unaffected. ording to her, she ''felt the effects.''


    "Look. If I''vepletely lost my memory, and it''s because of skill, that doesn''t make sense, does it? I''m supposed to be the strongest here."


    "Maybe Mr. Thompson has a weak mind? Or perhaps he''s just too impatient."


    "Kill him? Kraken?"


    "See?"


    Thompson growled at Kraken, then suddenly asked as if he had just remembered something.


    "What about the Emperor? There''s now saying the Emperor couldn''t be controlled."


    At that, one of Kraken''s eyebrows twitched. It was so preposterous that his human form slightly unraveled.


    "How are you going to give a business card to the Emperor? Mr. Thompson, is it not your patience but your intelligence that''scking?"


    "You little shit, I''m just talking about possibilities. What can''t be done? Keep talking like that, and you really might die once? Didn''t you say you already lost one life?"


    Thompsonughed. Kraken red at him with clear murderous intent, his eyes shing.


    Skyler, who had been watching, clicked his tongue, dropped his head once, and said,


    "Even if the business card works on Bartello Terst, he would immediately lose consciousness, his eyes would go nk, and would turn into someone who looks dead. Who would follow the orders of such a person? We''d be lucky if it doesn''t immediately seem strange and get traced back to us."


    ¡°We¡¯re not trying to kill the Emperor. If we kill Bartello, another one will just take his ce. We¡¯re trying to remove the seat of ¡®Emperor¡¯, of ¡®nobility¡¯ itself.¡±


    Cain added her exnation. Kraken and Thompson let out a snort.


    Kraken shook the business card in his hand.


    ¡°At any rate, it¡¯s useless like this. I don¡¯t know who it¡¯ll work on or how effective it will be. But it definitely seems to work on regr folks who don¡¯t know anything about this. I guess that¡¯s all we can do for now.¡±


    ¡°Besides, the onlymand we can use now is ¡®kill Frondier¡¯.¡±


    Serf was dead, and there was only one voice recording saved. That must¡¯ve been enough of amand for Gregory.

 Chapter 125 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Kraken let out a sigh.


    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t know why Serf didn¡¯t use this when he was alive. If you can¡¯t attack the top, you could¡¯ve made a few million of these cards and used them to control the people below.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how long it took him to make just one? It took him more than three days. That¡¯s how long it took when he pretty much spent all his time on it except for sleeping. And apparently, that¡¯s after he sped up the process a lot. It used to take him more than a week.¡±


    Thompson exined.


    ¡°Heh..¡±


    Kraken was surprised after hearing that, and he checked the number of cards he had.


    ¡°¡­I have about 300 right now, so I guess he worked hard.¡±


    ¡°It seems like he had something he wanted to do once he made enough of those things, but now there¡¯s no way of knowing what that was.¡±


    Hmm, the gazes of all those seated at the table turned towards the business cards.Their thoughts were in agreement. Frondier.


    He killed Serf, took one life from Kraken, and captured Armel.


    Recently, all the bizarre incidents happening within Indus were connected to Frondier.


    Kraken''s eyes dimmed.


    "Really, I want to kill him."


    "No."


    Kian responded immediately.


    "Someday it will happen. But not now."


    "I know. A sacrifice for the revolution, right? But is it really possible? He''s bing stronger than we anticipated."


    "Getting stronger isn''t the problem. He must know something. Otherwise, he couldn''t respond like that every time."


    Thomson said, and everyone agreed with him.


    Frondier knows much more about Indus than they thought. While they were preparing for the revolution, it seemed as if Frondier was also preparing for it.


    Frondier knows too much.


    Could it be a leak of information?


    "¡­Is there a traitor within Indus?"


    "Don¡¯t they know what happens if he betrays Indus?"


    "I don''t know. If he wants something more precious than his own life, it''s possible. There are plenty who don''t cherish their lives. Us included."


    While the others were talking, Kraken reviewed his thoughts.


    ''¡­There was a child from Manggot.''


    The woman who used a needle to detach Kraken''s left hand. There is no doubt about it, judging by her previous actions.


    Manggot is attached to Frondier? Manggot has joined hands with the high nobility?


    ''No, that can''t be.''


    They also want something from Frondier. The Manggot of the rebellion wouldn''t help the empire''s nobility out of goodwill.


    Kraken opened his mouth.


    "Manggot has attached itself to Frondier."


    Everyone stopped talking and looked at the kraken.


    The kraken smiled. It was a thin smile, like a crescent moon. Still, it was a less-ugly smile than human''s.


    "Wouldn''t whatever Manggot wants from Frondier be necessary for us too?"


    ***


    I woke up after passing out for almost half a day.


    Fortunately, I was able to go to school at Constel the next day. It would be too suspicious to miss school the day after Kora caused such amotion. Anyone else might not notice, but those who know me might suspect that I was involved in the incident again.


    And my suspicion was true.


    That''s why I was somehow able to avoid Aten''s incredibly suspicious gaze. Anyway, what Aten saw was not me, but Enfer''s young face. If I just acted dumb, Aten didn''t ask any further.


    And a few dayster, Kora became Constel''s subject of monitoring.


    Even though she was a subject of monitoring, it wasn''t that different. It was just a supplementary artifact to control her rampages, and an rm spell that would immediately be transmitted to Constel in case she rampaged despite the artifact.


    Kora didn''t cause any particr trouble unless she went berserk. Her magic almost always fails anyway.


    ''No wonder Kora wanted to be a magician so badly.''


    Kora doesn''t remember what happened 13 years ago, but it seemed that her body remembered. In fact, when she was in her right mind, she hesitated quite a bit to use her powers.


    She doesn''t like to fight barehanded, and she wants to protect Quinie. So, magic was the answer.


    ''If the power of the White Tiger is properly unlocked, she''ll probably be able to use magic too.''


    Kora is still not fully grown, and she''s half-human. Whether she will truly awaken the power of the White Tiger is uncertain, but if that happens, there would be less to worry about. A full White Tiger is not dominated by instincts.


    ...And another thing.


    This was an additional directive after Kora became a subject of observation.


    "Hello, everyone."


    Teacher Jane entered with a very tired face.


    Why does Jane look more haggard every time I see her? Why does she look at me with resentment every time she enters the ssroom?


    Could it be that I am involved in Jane''s fatigue?


    Haha, impossible.


    "We have a new transfer student in our ss."


    Jane said, and someone came in.


    I knew who it was, but the moment I saw her, I felt as tired as Jane.


    "This is Kora. Kora is younger than all of you, but due to special circumstances, she has been admitted."


    In fact, Kora is older. But why this ss? Because of me?


    Haha, surely not.


    "Um! Nice to meet you!"


    Kora ced her hands on her waist and said proudly.


    I want to smack the back of her head right now, thinking about the trouble she caused until a few days ago.


    "I am Kora, and I''ll be studying with you from now on! It might be hard for you to keep up with my skills, but please don''t feel inferior..."


    As Kora was boasting like that, she saw me. As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened, and the high-and-mighty attitude vanished.


    "P-Please take care of me."


    And then, Kora bowed deeply in a polite greeting.


    ...Could it be, this kid.


    ''Is she scared of me?''


    Even though she ims to have no memory, Kora evidently has exceptional muscle memory.

 Chapter 126 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @whytho from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Before Kora transferred as a new student.


    I had already heard the whole story from Jane.


    "I''m going to assign the student Kora''s guardianship task to the Frondier student."


    Jane told me, feigning formality.


    I said,


    "Isn''t this more of a punishment than a task?"


    "Yes."Jane readily admitted.


    "I was thinking it''s about time to issue a proper punishment for destroying the building''s exterior walls, and this seems like a good opportunity. I hear that Frondier already knows what kind of student Kora is, right?"


    Is this about White Tiger? It seems Senior Quinie has informed them.


    "So, you''re telling me to prevent Kora from going berserk?"


    "That would be ideal, but it will be difficult. If Frondier student sees any signs of a rampage, please evacuate the civilians nearby. Of course, it would be best for the Frondier student to leave the area quickly as well. Once the rampage begins, an rm will automatically sound in Constel, so there''s no need to contact us."


    Indeed, Kora''s transformation into White Tiger takes some time. Evacuating the citizens in the meantime is the right decision.


    And from what Jane says, it seems others are unaware that I was at the scene.


    The mask pack Quinie gave me was a huge help. Plus, she took me with them after subduing Kora, so I''m grateful.


    ...Hmm, considering Quinie''s personality, I thought she would ask me for something, but there hasn''t been any word yet.


    "...But, Frondier."


    "Yes."


    Jane seemed to be pondering something, as if deciding whether to speak her mind, and finally spoke up.


    "There was a man who confronted Kora when she transformed."


    Oh, she''s bringing this up.


    I prepared myself mentally.


    "That person, he has the face of a young Enfer. Is the Frondier student rted to him by any chance?"


    I had prepared my dialogue and expressions in advance, anticipating such a question.


    Not too surprised, eyes slightly widened, eyebrows pulled together. In a voice slightly awakened from lethargy,


    "...My father?"


    Perfect. Couldn''t be better.


    I got the OK sign from Selena, so there shouldn''t be a problem.


    "Ah, never mind if you don''t know the story. Forget I mentioned it."


    Jane shook her head. It seemed the act had worked.


    "Anyway, please take good care of student Kora. I''ve heard she''s visited Constel a few times, but being a student requires a different kind of adjustment."


    "Understood."


    Building a rapport with Kora is also my desire. White Tiger''s tremendous potential is not something to miss. Moreover, it would be a frightening variable if she became an enemy.


    Jane seemed to remember something and added,


    "By the way, as you might know, Kora can be quite scatterbrained. She''s not yet ustomed to manners and might seem a bit brash, but I hope the Frondier student can manage her well."


    "Yes, I''m aware."


    I¡¯ve had enough of Kora''s noisy personality.


    I¡¯m tired just thinking about how I¡¯ll have to deal with her every day here at Constel.


    ***


    I had those thoughts, but things turned out to bepletely different.


    Of course, when Kora first came into the ssroom, she was spouting off loudly with her head held high, but she instantly wilted once she saw me. She seemed not to have known that I was here.


    ¡°Well, it looks like there aren¡¯t any empty seats. I¡¯ll have to bring in a desk. You can sit in the very back.¡±


    ¡°The very back¡­¡­ Huh!¡±


    Kora¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when she heard that, and she looked at Jane. Her earnest eyes seemed to be pleading for help.


    ¡­¡­Maybe it¡¯s because my seat is in the back.


    Jane didn¡¯t understand why Kora was acting like this. She cocked her head at Kora¡¯s abrupt change in attitude, bing timid.


    Even if she does know, Kora and I have to be near each other as much as possible. Jane¡¯s decision was obvious.


    Once the empty desk arrived, Jane said, ¡°Then you should sit in the very back, Kora.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Okay.¡±


    And so, Kora¡¯s seat was designated near mine.


    This was actually unavoidable.


    Frondier before I possessed him would sleep through most of ss, so his seat was in the very back by the window. He was stuck in a corner.


    But when a transfer student arrives, if there are no empty seats, they bring in a new desk and have them sit in the back, which means that in all likelihood, they would end up near me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Well then, take care of her.¡±


    So Kora ended up sitting to the right of Aten and me. Since Aten was between Kora and me, that was fortunate for her, I guess?


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Kora.¡±


    I smiled and held out my hand. Now that the incident was over, I held no ill will toward Kora. In fact, I¡¯d like to be friends with her. She would be an asset in battle if she were my ally. And since Jane asked me to, I should be the one to greet her first in this situation.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡±


    Kora bobbed her head like a sparrow, not making eye contact with me.


    Aten gave me a stern look. ¡°Frondier, did you do something to this child?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Really? Because just looking at her, it seems like Frondier assaulted her.¡±


    ¡°Assault¡­¡­ I did flick her on the back of the head once.¡±


    Aten¡¯s face turned serious when I said that.


    ¡°That was too much. To a child this young.¡±


    She¡¯s older than you.


    And that¡¯s probably not why she¡¯s so afraid of me.


    ¡°Are you okay? My name is Aten.¡±


    Aten spoke gently to Kora.


    It¡¯s so like Aten to say she¡¯s a child while still speaking to her formally.


    ¡°Y-yes. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Kora nodded much more pleasantly than she had with me.


    Aten asked her, ¡°What did Frondier do to you? I can scold him for you.¡±


    Since she¡¯s a princess. The point is that she¡¯s not just putting on airs, right?


    Despite Aten''s skill in dealing with children,


    "......I can''t quite remember."

 Chapter 126 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "......I can''t quite remember."


    Kora nced at me and spoke.


    "There''s this feeling of being really scared, but I can''t remember what it was about...."


    Kora said so and hung her head low.


    What''s going on, why would she say that and leave it there. It''s misunderstanding.


    Aten red at me.


    "......Mr. Frondier, don''t tell me the child can''t even remember because of......"


    Exactly as I expected, a misunderstanding.


    "There''s no way. It''s not because of me that she can''t remember. It''s her problem."I spoke calmly.


    But after omitting the hard-to-exin content, I sounded like a very bad guy.


    As expected, Aten narrowed his eyes and said,


    "The perpetrator always says that."


    "Hey! That''s what perpetrators say when they can''t remember! Not when the victim can''t remember!"


    "......!"


    Aten then seemed to realize, her eyes widening.


    ......Am I going to be hanging out with these two from now on?


    Of course, I''ve always wanted to create a separate party that wouldn''t interfere with Aster.


    Is this the result? Ah, there''s Selena too. Among those around me, she''s the closest to an enemy, yet the most reliable.


    Am I really okay?


    Ding-dong-


    Just then, an alert sound came from the speaker installed in the ssroom.


    "Huh?"


    All the students in the ssroom looked at the speaker, puzzled.


    It''s still during ss, and Jane is here. Jane wasn''t surprised but kept silent, puzzled.


    I thought maybe someone identally pressed the alert button in the broadcast room, but soon a voice was heard.


    [Uh, can you really say that?]


    What''s that about.


    A quite panicked voice came from the speaker.


    [Ah, ahem. This is an announcement from the broadcast room.]


    Then, the announcement voice finally opened with the correct phrase.


    [Student Frondier de Roach, pleasee to the principal''s office immediately.]


    ......Me? The principal''s office?


    Not the staff room?


    [Let me repeat. Student Frondier de Roach©¤]


    While the announcement voice was heard, the students and Jane''s gaze gathered on me.


    Not the staff room but the principal''s office, and during ss.


    "......Please go, Frondier."


    "......Yes."


    Jane and I exchanged nces with slightly crumpled faces for a moment.


    As I got up and left the ssroom, I could hear the students murmuring.


    -Has Frondier finally caused trouble?


    It sounded as if they had been waiting for it.


    * * *


    The Principal''s Office.


    It was only after standing in front of it that I realized the seriousness of the situation and sighed.


    There''s only one person inside.


    Constel''s principal and chancellor, ''Zodiac'' Osprey.


    Osprey, who rarely gets involved in Constel''s activities unless there''s an incident, has unusually called a student individually through a broadcast alert.


    But why me?


    I took a light breath and knocked on the door.


    Knock-knock-


    "I''m Frondier. I came because you were looking for me."


    "Come in."


    Osprey said without hesitation.


    Upon opening the door, the first thing that struck me was the vastness of the principal''s office.


    It was excessively spacious to simply be called a personal office, with most of the space filled to the brim with bookshelves.


    Osprey stood in front of those shelves, peering into a book.


    He looked at me and smiledfortably.


    "Well, you''ve arrived at a good time. Make sure to close the door tightly. The hallway can get quite cold for an old body like mine."


    ...Cold, huh. Quite the usible excuse.


    "Should I lock it?"


    I asked, to which Osprey responded with an even broader smile.


    "That would be even better."


    Click-


    As I locked the door, I could feel the room filling with magical energy.


    "Is this a soundproofing spell?"


    "Well, something like that. However."


    Osprey extended his hand towards me and waved it through the air once. Something like a breeze brushed against my face and neck.


    "Even my magic can''t block Malia''s sensory sharing. So, I checked, and fortunately, no abilities are currently applied to you."


    ...Did he just check for any applied magic or abilities on me with that gesture?


    "Is the conversation that important? Even my mother shouldn''t hear it?"


    "Of course."


    Thud-


    Osprey closed the book with one hand.


    The cover read ''The Legend of King Arthur''.


    ...As expected.


    Osprey looked at me with a slight grin.


    "Don''t you think so too? It seems our intentions align."


    "...Indeed."


    "Then take a seat. This conversation might be long."


    Osprey offered me a chair, and I sat down with an awkward step.


    Perhaps I would have been less nervous if I were just a regr student.


    Knowing the kind of figure ''Zodiac'' Osprey is, this situation feels particrly heavy for me.


    Osprey sat opposite me and said,


    "You''re the son of Enfer, aren''t you? Then it would be best to get straight to the point."


    ...Not his real son, but it''s true that I dislike unnecessary formalities.


    I nodded, and Osprey asked,


    "That young Enfer, that was you, right?"


    Direct to the core. Straight to the point.


    Although I had anticipated this since Osprey called for me, I still don''t know his true intentions.


    It''s not easy to outright lie, nor is it easy to confirm.


    Osprey spoke again after a brief pause in my response,


    "Of course, it''s fine whether you are or not. Even if you lie, it doesn''t matter."


    Osprey said this with a mischievous smile.


    "It''s just that depending on your answer, my next words will also change."


    Ha, this old man.


    Following Osprey''s smile, Iughed along.


    It seems he really wants to have an honest conversation with me.


    Now, what should I answer?

 Chapter 127 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Hey Guys! I picked up a new Novel Raising the Princess to Ovee Death! Name could be misleading, but it is a Action/Time Loop/Game Reincarnation novel, which got me hooked into it. Hope you all try it. 20 Chapters are out and I will mass release till 30 chapters!</i>


    If Osprey called me in to see him, he must have been somewhat sure of things.


    He must have seen my face, hidden by the mask pack.


    I prided myself on not being caught by almost anyone at Quinie, but Osprey wasn¡¯t part of that ¡®almost¡¯, it seemed.


    ¡°Well? Just give me your answer.¡±


    Osprey said that it didn¡¯t matter if I lied.


    That meant that he was either confident in his ability to see through lies, or he had already made up his mind.


    In either case, it made no sense for me to lie here.However, there was something I could try first.


    ¡°Before I answer, can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Whatever my answer is, will it have no impact on my daily life?¡±


    If I answered, would that be the end of it?


    Or did Osprey want to hear my answer for something he wanted to do?


    I thought it was thetter, and I was right.


    ¡°¡­Kukuk, you¡¯re sharper than you look.¡±


    Ospreyughed, like a grandfather. It oddly seemed to fit him and not fit him at the same time.


    ¡°There¡¯s a n in the works right now, you see. We need your power.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the n?¡±


    At my question, Osprey looked at me sharply.


    ¡°Do you know what Indus is?¡±


    ¡­¡­Finally.


    It was developing faster than the game and my expectations, but it wasn¡¯t bad.


    No, it was rather good, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about it? As much as everyone else?¡±


    ¡°Among those who are not part of it, no one knows more about Indus than I do.¡±


    ¡°Kukukuk, how impudent. That¡¯s the answer I wanted to hear.¡±


    Osprey nodded. He still had a small smile on his face, but now that I knew the contents, even that smile was creepy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be clearing out Indus.¡±


    Osprey spoke softly. His tone waspletely devoid of emotion.


    I felt a chill, but I wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re calm about it.¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned, I know a lot about Indus.¡±


    Good, good, Osprey nodded.


    ¡°Then you must also know why we¡¯re making this move now?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯ve caught their tails, or rather, you¡¯ll be able to soon.¡±


    Osprey seemed surprised by what I said.


    "You really do know a lot."


    I had recently subdued Armel, who was responsible for erasing Indus''s memories.


    Now, Indus would not be able tomit bold crimes. At least, they wouldn''t touch ns with a decent chance of failure.


    This would lead Indus to two possible courses of action.


    Either keep hiding or believe that the time for ''revolution'' hase and start the process.


    Choosing the former would be idiotic, and thetter, insane.


    So, Indus''s choice would be thetter.


    "And for that n, we need your abilities. Ah, of course, if you are that ''young Enfer''."


    Osprey said with a smile.


    He was sure of it. Sure that I was the one.


    "So, what do you say? I think I have said enough."


    Indeed. It was helpful.


    What I should answer.


    I slowly opened my mouth.


    "That''s correct."


    "¡­Ho."


    "I was standing in front of Kora at that time."


    I answered calmly, and a flicker of interest appeared in Osprey''s eyes.


    "Then, that sword too?"


    "Exactly the sword you are thinking of."


    Osprey had been holding a book about the ''Legend of King Arthur'' just before.


    Of course, he was probably reading it, but there was obviously an intention to show it to me.


    He already knew everything, so go ahead and spout nonsense, was the silent pressure.


    "I used Excalibur to stop Kora''s rampage."


    "¡­Ha."


    Ospreyughed, seemingly satisfied.


    He seemed to like that I wasn''t ying dumb or denying it.


    "What''s the reason you''ve been hiding it until now? It seems you have a bad reputation within Constel. Why hide such an achievement?"


    Yes, I expected such a question.


    The soundproofing magic here probably had that intention too. To speak frankly, at least to Osprey.


    But I couldn''t do that.


    There are several reasons why I hide my weapons and abilities, but one of them is that I be too vulnerable if my identity is exposed.


    I cannot handle situations or opponents beyond what I have anticipated.


    I cannot defeat a swordsman who has achieved high aplishments through bloody training, nor can I defeat a genius magician who unts intuitive talent.


    ¡®It¡¯s not always a good thing to demonstrate your strength, I learned that through and through while ying as Aster.¡¯


    Considering how much Aster Evans as the protagonist of the game got fettered by his talent and fame, there was no way I could reveal it all the more.


    The position of Frondier who can procure all kinds of weapons while being able to move more freely is extremely advantageous.


    ¡°No choice but to hide it. After all, it¡¯s a pearl ne around a pig¡¯s neck.¡±


    ¡°A pearl ne around a pig¡¯s neck? Not just anyone can easily possess magic power of that level. It¡¯s even harder to fully release that magic power into force. I¡¯m impressed.¡±


    Osprey seemed to take my words as just being humble.


    So, it starts from here.


    The point where I start lying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t possess that much mana, though.¡±

 Chapter 127 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°What?¡±


    Osprey¡¯s brow twitched.


    ¡°All of the teachers including me clearly saw the magic power you emitted with our own eyes. Yet you don¡¯t have that much mana?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the magic power of my ¡®sword¡¯. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you. It¡¯s a pearl ne around a pig¡¯s neck.¡±


    Osprey ¡®permitted¡¯ me to lie.


    A permission born out of Osprey¡¯s own conviction.


    The young Enfer who confronted Kora is Frondier de Roach. He must¡¯ve been convinced of this and gone on to devise the logic within.


    But even the great Osprey doesn¡¯t know everything.


    ¡°You can sense it now if you want. I don¡¯t have that much mana.¡±I raised both my hands. To mean that I¡¯m not hiding anything.


    Of course, there¡¯s a lot I was hiding. Such as the Penelope¡¯s Fabric that¡¯s currently hung on my necktie. Even the ne ¡®ck Lotus¡¯.


    But if Osprey really believes that that¡¯s the extent of the magic power I have¡­


    There¡¯s no way Osprey can realize the truth.


    ¡°¡­¡­Fine.¡±


    Osprey, who did seem dubious, reached out with his hand and ced it on my shoulder. Perhaps he¡¯d know even without making contact, but it seemed he was trying to thoroughly check if I was hiding anything else.


    Of course there was a lot I was hiding, but it wasn¡¯t my magic power.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Osprey¡¯s eyes wavered.


    My amount of magic power is extremely ordinary. No, it has grown rather a lot thanks to the continuous draining of mana and the influence of the dragon heart I used in the previous fight with Renzo, but that¡¯s all.


    My mana is somewhat above average for first-year students at Constel, but it falls significantly short of what I had when I subdued Kora.


    "¡­I see. So, you don''t have that much mana."


    Osprey withdrew his hand, and his face deepened with concern.


    "Then, is it truly just the power of Excalibur?"


    "That''s right."


    Of course, that was a lie. The inherent magical power of Excalibur isn''t remarkable.


    The ability of Excalibur is simple and straightforward. Its strength increases by the amount of magical power bestowed upon it. It''s not just that the magical power directly bes strength, but Excalibur itself amplifies the magical power even more. The more magical power that is bestowed, the more exponentially its strength grows.


    I consumed a fake dragon heart made by weaving, and due to the side effects of being fake, I reced my deteriorating body with Penelope''s fabric.


    The weaving, the difference between a fake and a real dragon heart, Penelope''s fabric. Unless one fully understands all these aspects, even Osprey would find it impossible to discern the truth.


    And most importantly.


    "It''s an honor that the principal thinks highly of me, but I''m just a first-year student who''s nothing special."


    This lie is much more natural than the truth.


    I''m just the human sloth, Frondier. It''s more reassuring to believe the lie that Frondier isn''t remarkable and it was just the sword''s power, than to figure out how such a student could have acquired that much mana.


    The Excalibur I held in front of Kora, if I had swung or thrown it carelessly, would have truly unleashed hell.


    It''s better to believe in the power of the weapon than to think a student could destroy Constel at any moment if they wished.


    "¡­Are those words sincere?"


    "You allowed me to lie, didn''t you? Of course, they are sincere."


    I said with a brazen face and a smile.


    And beyond lies and truth.


    I just give Osprey the answers he wants.


    It''s not easy for a person to deny what they hope to hear.


    "So, how did you get that sword?"


    Good. It seemed Osprey believed what I had said so far.


    I replied.


    "I borrowed it."


    "You borrowed it? From whom?"


    I looked around. It was a kind of action.


    "Surely, this ce is soundproof, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Of course."


    At Osprey''s reply, I deliberately lowered my voice to speak.


    "Aster Evans."


    This time, Osprey''s eyes widened as if truly surprised.


    I''m sorry, Aster. Just borrowing your name for a moment.


    "Aster Evans¡­ He had Excalibur?"


    "Yes. Please keep it a secret."


    Not now, butter.


    Aster would go to theke I once visited and acquire Excalibur.


    By the time Osprey checks whether Aster really has Excalibur or not, it will already be in his possession.


    "Why would Aster give it to you?"


    "We exchanged something. I gave one of my precious things to Aster, and in return, he gave me Excalibur."


    "What precious thing?"


    "I cannot say."


    I didn''t give Aster anything.


    But it''s a believable lie. He would have been less convinced if I said I bought it with money.


    "Huh, well..."


    Osprey sighed. It seemed his preconceived thoughts were quite shaken.


    The Indus eradication operation. I really like it.


    However, my participation must be limited.


    I have no intention of using all my abilities, nor do I want Osprey to think that''s possible.


    If he wants my ''bombardment'', that''s all. I might help.


    But I have no intention of doing more than that.


    This lie I told is a line between Osprey and me. A boundary we do not cross.


    "So, will you participate in the n?"


    "If you allow it, I would like to."


    "Can the power of Excalibur be summoned at any time?"


    "Of course. But only once a day."


    "That will do."


    Osprey understood my intention.


    The only thing I can do is wield Excalibur.


    I asked.


    "When does the n start?"


    "That depends on when Indus moves. This n is predicated on a ''counterattack''. But this time, it''s also easy to predict when Indus will move."


    This time?


    The question that popped into my mind. Osprey reminded me of something I had momentarily forgotten with his next words.


    "There''s a school triping up, isn¡¯t there?"

 Chapter 128 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

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    Field Trip.


    It''s one of the few genuinely student-life-like activities in Constel.


    For the students of Constel, who even spend their vacations in individual training, rest is even more important than for students from other schools.


    Most students who enter Constel do so with grand dreams, and it''s highly likely that most of them haven''t learned how to properly rest, rather than being diligent.


    From Constel''s perspective, it''s necessary to make these students rest, even if by force. Additionally, the original intent of field trips, to broaden students'' horizons, is also important.


    "So don''t even think about training there too!"


    Lunia red at Aster with fire in her eyes.Aster scratched his cheek and looked away.


    "New ces are actually the most appropriate environments for training."


    "No! You need to rest! You''ve been running around trying to acquire aura during internship over the vacation, and after enrolling, you got involved in all sorts of incidents!"


    Lunia''s words were the truth, and Aster actually agreed.


    Aster had been feeling the fatigue building up recently.


    The vacation period was even harder than being at Constel, getting caught up in baseless rumors, and having a fight with the unconscious Robald.


    Incidents were endless, but Aster had no time to rest.


    Lunia suddenly turned her head. There was Elodie.


    "Elodie! You think so too, right?"


    Elodie was leaning on her chin, watching them. Her eyes quickly half-closed. How did she know she was listening?


    "Right. If the condition isn''t right, training could actually hinder growth. Especially in an unfamiliar environment."


    Elodie is on par with Aster in terms of talent, and her growth rate is no less significant. Moreover, she always maintains an exemry image, which is why Lunia deliberately spoke to her. Because Elodie was the most suitable to persuade Aster.


    Aster nced sideways once before looking back at Elodie and said, "How do you know if I''m in proper condition or not? I could be in the best condition."


    "Oh, is that so?"


    Elodie waved her hand once. A light breeze arose around Aster, wrapping around his body once before passing.


    Elodie said, "Let me correct that. Your condition is the worst. You''re suffering from umted fatigue, muscle pain, and minor injuries that haven''t fully healed yet. Are those from when you fought Robald?"


    "...You just figured that out."


    Was she checking his physical condition with just one gesture? That was the hidden meaning behind her words.


    Elodie simply smiled broadly.


    But her thoughts were slightly different.


    ''I actually learned this magic to check on Frondier.''


    Frondier, who repeatedly exhausts his mana. It was clear he was overexerting himself, so she wanted to check his condition by mastering this spell.


    ...Not just for Frondier, of course? It''s useful in various ways once learned. So, there''s that.


    However, she hadn''t had the chance to check recently as they hadn''t met.


    It''s also rude to check without the other person''s permission. She hadn''t received permission just now, but since Aster had practically provoked her, it was safe.


    Above all, Aten was beside Frondier. If Frondier''s condition was really serious, Aten would take measures first.


    ''...Still, I''m curious.''


    Frondier''s recent actions were no different from Elodie or Aster. No, since he deliberately walked into the hell known as Tyburn, it must have been even harder during the vacation.


    Moreover, Frondier was involved in a recent incident just like them. No, since he was at the center of the incident, his fatigue must be even more severe.


    ''If we shift the topic to Frondier, maybe someone who knows something will speak up.''


    Elodie thought so, but there was one problem.


    How to shift the topic to Frondier.


    If Elodie brought up Frondier''s name first and asked about his recent condition, it would be, how to say, very difficult to do.


    But then, a voice was suddenly heard.


    ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s like. Frondier de Roach.¡±


    Elodie¡¯s shoulders gave a slight twitch, as if she¡¯d been caught in the act, and she turned her gaze in the direction of the voice.


    The man who¡¯d spoken was Robald Lieff.


    Elodie¡¯s eyes grew wide. She hadn¡¯t expected Frondier¡¯s name toe out of Robald¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Frondier? What about him?¡±


    Lunia asked.


    ¡°No, that guy crossed swords with me for a bit.¡±


    ¡°When? I thought you fought Aster.¡±


    "This was before I lost consciousness. I thought that guy was threatening Aten-nim."


    "...So you attacked Frondier foolishly believing in those baseless rumors?"


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Robald nodded. His bold attitude was almost refreshing.


    Lunia sighed and said,


    ¡°So are you worried because you beat up Frondier pretty badly?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t get hit once. All I did was grab him by the scruff of the neck and throw him. That probably didn¡¯t do much damage.¡±


    The eyes of those listening to Robald¡¯s story changed.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t serious, the fact that Robald, who was known as a genius inbat, hadn¡¯t been able tond a single blow held a lot of significance.


    ¡°Anyway, I lost consciousness after that, andter I heard that all the students who lost consciousness like I did tried to kill Frondier. I heard he got dragged around here and there before and after that. I was wondering if he was okay.¡±


    Elodie was slightly surprised that Robald was worried about Frondier, but in any case, things were going just as she hoped.


    Ahem. Elodie gave a deliberate cough and said,


    ¡°Does anyone here know what¡¯s going on with Frondier? It¡¯d be easy if we could just ask him.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    At Elodie¡¯s words, everyone seemed to think for a moment. Then their gazes all fell in one direction.


    At Selena.


    ¡°¡­Huh? Me?¡±


    Selena, still sitting up straight, flinched in surprise when she felt everyone¡¯s gazes on her and asked.


    "Selena is Frondier''s escort. Is he okay?"


    "Yes, yes. He didn''t seem to be hurt in any particr way."


    "Really? He must be taking her rest well then."


    Elodie said, feeling somewhat relieved.


    However, upon hearing Elodie''s words, Selena tilted her head as if something had just urred to her.


    "¡­Rest¡­"

 Chapter 128 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena could reach Frondier''s side at any time through the teleportation magic set up by Manggot.


    Whether Frondier is in a crisis situation or calls for her directly, Selena is always ready to perform her duty as an escort.


    Therefore, Selena roughly knows Frondier''s daily schedule.


    ''In the morning and afternoon, he attends sses at Constel, after school, he trains in the personal training room, seems to be training again with his brother Azier who recently returned from a mission at the mansion, and at night, he teaches me ancientnguages...''


    ¡­Wait, actually.


    "When does he ever rest? Lord Frondier."


    "Huh?"


    Elodie was surprised and asked back at Selena''s muttering.


    "Now that I think about it, I''ve never seen him rest. Not me."Selena first met Frondier in Tyburn.


    Of course, at that time, it was the most dangerous and harsh environment, so there was no time to rest, but even after returning to Constel, Frondier''s hardships didn''t seem to have improved much.


    "So, he doesn''t look tired or anything?"


    "I''m not sure. He always looks tired."


    That''s true.


    It was hard for both Elodie and Selena to notice since it was always that face.


    Listening, Lunia shrugged her shoulders and said.


    "¡­Well, this field trip might give him some time to breathe, at least."


    Lunia spoke nonchntly as if it was nothing.


    But Elodie sincerely hoped that would be the case.


    * * *


    I was standing next to the teacher''s desk, watched by the students of the ss, because Jane had called me. Kora was also standing beside me.


    Jane, with me by her side, looked around at all the students sitting down and said.


    "Student Frondier will not be able to join you on this field trip," Jane said, causing the students to express their confusion in various ways.


    Honestly, I thought they might not care whether Frondier was there or not, but it seemed they were curious enough.


    As a slightmotion brewed among the students, Jane continued, "Frondier will be participating in volunteer work. Of course, he will apany us to the destination, but it''s unlikely you''ll run into them during the trip."


    Themotion grew louder.


    Whispers such as "What did he do to get volunteer work?" or "I heard he caused property damage?" and "Didn''t he blow up a wall?" could be heard.


    Among them, there were students who looked at me with pity. It was a bit touching. Had my efforts to maintain a good reputation until now meant something? Or was it that Frondier''s reputation wasn''t really at rock bottom?


    "And Kora has actively requested to volunteer, so she will be doing so as well."


    Though it was called a request, Kora looked extremely displeased. Of course, it wasn''t a request.


    Kora had inhaled the powder inside the pouch thrown by Armel and had gone berserk.


    In other words, the conditions for triggering a berserk state from Indus'' perspective were quite simple. Just make her inhale the powder.


    The police and Constel are currently investigating what the powder is, so a countermeasure will be devised soon, but until then, I must protect and monitor Kora.


    "Let''s go back to your seats, Frondier, Kora."


    Following Jane''s instruction, I returned to my seat with Kora, and Aten looked at me with a worried expression.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Of course. It''s actually better this way. The field trip would have been nothing but a hassle."


    It felt like something Frondier would say after a long time.


    Aten looked into my eyes.


    "Are you really going to do volunteer work?"


    "Of course."


    It was a lie.


    I am participating in the operation to take down Indus. Kora isn''t participating, but it''s safer for her to be by my side than mixed in with the other students. I''ll protect her as much as possible.


    Jane continued her exnation.


    "As some of you might have already heard, our destination for this trip is ''Cropolis''. It''s a famous resort town to the south."


    Cropolis is a city by ake. However, thiske is so vast that it has waves no different from those of the sea. To the human eye, there would be no difference except that the water isn''t salty.


    Thus, even though Cropolis''ske isn''t the sea, the ces equipped with lodgings and facilities are called ''beaches''.


    In terms of being a fully functional resort destination with equipped beaches, Cropolis is almost unique.


    Given the nature of this world, where monsters abound, even areas of the sea that humans have imed are not frequented by visitors.


    Even if barriers are in ce. Psychologically, unless people truly believe in their safety, it''s not easy to rx.


    "We''ll be traveling to Cropolis on a sky train. The scenery you''ll see from the train will be a great part of the experience before we arrive."


    The sky train Jane mentions doesn''t actually fly in the air.


    Instead, there''s a railway connecting cliffs across an enormous distance. Powered by magic, the railway operates without any other supports, suspended in the air.


    When the train travels across, it truly looks as though it''s floating by itself.


    "Our teaching staff will do their utmost to ensure that your field trip is safe and enjoyable."


    Jane said, looking around at the students, but it felt like she was speaking to me.


    And in reality, that''s my mission.


    To ensure that everyone at Constel can unwind and rx from their fatigue while we carry out the mission to take down Indus. For the students of Constel, it''s as if ''nothing happened'' during their field trip. To maintain peace.


    It''s absurd to think I could do it alone, but with the teachers of Constel and Osprey stepping in, it''s more than enough.


    As for my rest, well, thatester.


    After the mission to take down Indus is over, I too, like the other students, can rest.


    That''s what I hope for.

 Chapter 129 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?On the day of the field trip.


    The Constel sports field was neatly lined with a number of buses prepared in advance.


    To get to Cropolis, one needs to take an air train, but to actually reach the train tform, one must take a bus.


    The students of Constel boarded the buses in sequence ording to their ss.


    "......Yes?"


    Aten stopped mid-step into the bus and turned around.


    Behind her, Frondier was waving his hand, with Kora standing next to him.


    "The next bus?"


    "Yeah. The volunteer activity is a separate event."Aten turned her gaze to Teacher Jane next to her upon hearing that.


    Jane nodded her head.


    "Student Frondier will wait for the next bus and go with the other teachers. I told you, didn''t I? It will be hard to run into each other during the field trip."


    "Still......"


    "Student Aten, please get on now. We have a busy schedule until we arrive in Cropolis."


    Aten reluctantly boarded the bus, still looking back at Frondier with an anxious face.


    Frondier was still waving his hand with a smile.


    "Don''t worry. The next bus will be here soon."


    "......Okay."


    With no other choice, Aten turned her head and boarded the bus.


    As the bus slowly started along with the others, Frondier breathed out lightly through his nose.


    Meanwhile.


    "Aster, look at this! Our news is on Wizard View!"


    Inside the bus of ss 2, Lunia excitedly showed the screen of her SagePhone to Aster sitting next to her.


    As she said, the news was buzzing with stories of Constel''s field trip.


    Lunia''s eyes sparkled as she spoke.


    "The students of Constel are likely to be famous Pros or hold high positions in the future, so there''s a lot of interest in the region designated for the trip."


    "Come to think of it, I seem to have heard something simr from a senior I know."


    Aster said, looking at the phone screen with Lunia. Indeed, Constel''s field trip was a major topic of interest in the Empire every year.


    Particrly, there was high interest in the first-year students who would be making their public debut under the name of Constel.


    Not only the news but also various media outlets were covering stories about them.


    "Ah, what? Ahaha! There''s even a story about you, Aster!"


    "Ugh."


    Themunity was also buzzing with stories about Constel, making Aster a famous topic of gossip. His exceptional skills and talent, coupled with his outstanding appearance, were reasons enough for him to be the talk of the town.


    Aster turned away, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    "There''s a story about Elodie too, and oh my, even Miss Aten. What, nothing about me? Hmm......"


    Lunia pouted her lips, trying to find stories about herself by navigating through the screen.


    "......Oh?"


    Suddenly, she realized something odd and her hand stopped moving.


    "Why? Did your newse up too?"


    When Aster asked, Lunia shook her head.


    "No, but there''s something about Frondier."


    "Huh?"


    "Quite a lot, actually."


    Aster took another look at Lunia''s phone.


    It disyed Frondier''s name, face, height, weight, and even which family he belonged to.


    Most of it consisted of praise for Frondier and some even seemed like worshipful writings.


    Lunia became sullen and said,


    "What the heck, when did he be popr in Cropolis?"


    "Something''s off."


    "Huh?"


    Aster stared at Lunia''s phone for a while, then, feeling uneasy, took out his own phone and started scrolling.


    There indeed was a lot of posts about Frondier. In terms of frequency, they were just behind Aster and Elodie.


    Moreover, despite the praise for Frondier, there was a tantck of information about him.


    Photos of Frondier from all angles¡ªfront, side, back¡ª and an unusually high number of mentions of his name.


    "Elodie, about Frondier."


    "Yeah. I saw it too."


    Elodie, sitting diagonally behind, nodded at Aster''s words. She was also checking the posts at the moment.


    The sudden release of information about Frondier was unnatural. They weren''t particrly secretive details, but still.


    ''Is someone trying to make the citizens of Cropolis remember Frondier?''


    ...But then again.


    "But, Aster."


    "Yeah?"


    "Why are you telling me about Frondier? If you want to talk about him, Selena is there too."


    Elodie narrowed her eyes and looked at Aster, who tilted his head and scratched his cheek.


    "Right? Why did I do that?"


    Elodie was more dissatisfied with Aster''s response than with any clear reason he might have given.

 Chapter 129 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few days earlier.


    Constel was abuzz with the uing field trip.


    For the students, always tired from lessons and training, the field trip promised a definite break. Constel''s field trips focused clearly on ''leisure''.


    The preparations for the field trip were meticulously made.


    ordingly, the students'' spirits were lifted, and Constel was bright with their anticipation.


    However, as always, beneath the lights illuminating the bright daily life, darkness lurked.


    "Let''s start the meeting."


    In Constel''s conference room, a serious meeting was held.


    As Osprey dered the start of the meeting, the table in the center lit up blue. The light intertwined into bundles of lines and gradually revealed a map from Constel to the resort city of Cropolis.Everyone was standing at this meeting. They checked the map andbined everyone''s ideas to establish a n.


    "The Dean is unusually proactive today."


    Jane smiled sweetly.


    Osprey said,


    "I detest cockroaches."


    It was metaphorical, but the message was clear.


    Osprey raised his head and looked at Frondier.


    ¡°First, before we start, I¡¯ll remind everyone that, as mentioned, Frondier de Roach will be participating in this operation. He has an incredibly important role to y.¡±


    Frondier bowed his head at Osprey¡¯s introduction.


    It felt very strange for everyone to see Frondier, still in his school uniform, among the faculty members.


    Frondier¡¯s mother, Malia, nced at him and said,


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to include a student?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Frondier will be in a very safe ce.¡±


    That seemed to reassure Malia somewhat. This time, Jane spoke up.


    ¡°Headmaster, do you really think Indus will make a move during this field trip?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a good chance of that. It¡¯s a time when most of Constel¡¯s students and faculty will be away from campus. It would be strange if Indus did nothing. It remains to be seen whether they¡¯ll make a big move or just a small one.¡±


    Pascal nodded at those words, then spoke up.


    ¡°In that case¡­ The most vulnerable location would be here.¡±


    Pascal pointed to a spot on the map on the table. Everyone looked at it and frowned.


    ¡°The Sky train¡­¡±


    A sheer cliff, a seemingly bottomless abyss. The railroad suspended in the air, spanning that chasm.


    If Indus intended to attack Constel, the moment when the students crossed this bridge would be the riskiest time.


    ¡°We have to use the Sky train to get to Cropolis. Do you think we can handle an attack there?¡±


    ¡°The defensive magic isplete. Even a significant attack won¡¯t leave a scratch on it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re prepared for that, but the tracks themselves¨C¡±


    The faculty members discussed how they would deal with any outside attack that urred while the train was crossing.


    Osprey, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    Frondier was taken aback when Osprey suddenly called his name. Everyone looked at him.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    It was a surprise¡ªOsprey had given Frondier the right to speak when Frondier had thought he¡¯d just be participating and listening.


    Frondier took his time answering.


    ¡°We definitely need to prepare our defenses. However,¡±


    ¡°However?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anything will happen on the Sky train.¡±


    Everyone was surprised by Frondier¡¯s statement.


    Teacher Isamaya asked,


    ¡°Nothing will happen? You mean Indus will just watch as the Constel students pass by peacefully?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I believe.¡±


    Isamaya tilted her head in confusion.


    Pascal asked,


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t want the Constel students to die. Or rather, they want the students themselves to kill someone else.¡±


    ¡°¡­Students at Constel killing other people?¡±


    ¡°They have an item now that could make that possible.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s words made everyone¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°Business cards!¡±


    Frondier nodded.


    "It''s an item that Kraken managed to obtain by infiltrating Constel. They''ll definitely use it. But now, the onlymand they can carry out is ''kill Frondier.'' Besides, the students of Constel are on high alert about name cards due to the recent incident. It probably won''t work on the students anymore."


    "So, what do we do?"


    "They will do the opposite. Instead of the students, they will distribute the name cards to the citizens of Cropolis. Of course, they''ll have to make my face familiar to the citizens of Cropolis beforehand. There are plenty of ways to do that, especially in a world where everyone has a SagePhone."


    "¡­Come to think of it, there has been quite a bit of talk about Frondier recently,"


    Pascal said.


    For the name cards to be effective, the recipients need to know who Frondier is.


    Of course, the short-term memory from a phone st won''tst long, but a few days should be sufficient.


    "When the students arrive in Cropolis, the citizens who received the name cards will try to attack me, and there might be civilians who get hurt trying to defend against us. There will also be those who cry foul over excessive force. But that''s not really what''s important."


    "Right. What''s important is that it ties down the students."


    Malia said, and Frondier nodded.


    "To prevent the citizens from getting hurt, my feet and those of other students will be tied down, and the teachers will step in to resolve the situation. In those few seconds to a few minutes, they''ll try to aplish their real goal."


    "Their real goal?"


    "It''s not certain. But probably."


    Frondier said, then lifted his head.


    He was contemting whether it was the right time to say this.


    It was a given that Indus would move faster for their revolution than in the game, especially since their means to cover up incidents had diminished after Armel was captured.


    Although Frondier couldn''t know every detail of Indus''s revised n, he could follow the principles of Indus''s actions based on what he knew.


    When that happens, the first step for Indus''s revolution would likely remain unchanged.


    "They''re targeting the headmaster."


    "¡­!"


    The air in the meeting room grew heavy.


    Targeting Headmaster, the ''Zodiac'' Osprey.


    If what Frondier said was true, Indus was far more audacious than they had thought.


    "¡­How are they nning to target the headmaster? How dare they."


    Isamaya''s voice sharpened. There was absolute support and trust for Osprey among everyone in Constel.


    Knowing this, Frondier deliberately spoke in a cold voice.


    "¡­Indus has their own ''Zodiac'' too."

 Chapter 130 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Student Frondier from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°No, what!¡±


    This time, some teachers couldn''t hold back their voices.


    Malia said,


    ¡°¡­Frondier, the ''Zodiac'' are the twelve strongest individuals designated by the Empire. They hold power beyond that of high nobility, individuals whose own strength is exceedingly superior. Would any of them have a reason to belong to a ce called ''Indus''? It would be an act of throwing away their power and strength.¡±


    Indeed, the outward face of Indus was an organization for the rights ofmoners.


    Therefore, the teachers viewed Indus¡¯s actions as violent reforms threatening the nobles¡¯ positions with force, akin to those ofmoners.But the Zodiac. Why would the Zodiac, already in high positions, help with the reform ofmoners?


    Frondier then said,


    ¡°What Indus wants is a ''revolution''. Overturning the current ss structure.¡±


    ¡°Yes. So, the Zodiac.¡±


    ¡°Indus intends to overturn ''all ss structures''.¡±


    Malia blinked, not understanding Frondier¡¯s words at first.


    Then, her eyes widened.


    ¡°¡­Does that mean, even the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Frondier continued calmly,


    ¡°Their goal is to overturn all sses distinguishing the emperor, nobility, andmoners. In other words, they want to lead the Empire into a state of anarchy.¡±


    At that, everyone fell silent for a moment.


    Frondier¡¯s statement was more significant than imagined.


    Even then, Frondier¡¯s words continued, oblivious to the atmosphere.


    ¡°Given the idea of overturning all ss systems, anyone could potentially join, except for the Emperor at the highest position. Even the ''Zodiac'', that is.¡±


    Pascal asked,


    ¡°What does Indus truly want? Are they really pursuingplete equality within the Empire?¡±


    At that, Frondier smiled.


    Though unintended, thatnguid smile somewhat alleviated the tension umted in the meeting room.


    ¡°Most of those belonging to Indus probably think so. They think they¡¯re doing something noble. Even the heads. But their ¡®leader¡¯ isn¡¯t thinking like that.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°The leader of Indus just wants to build a hierarchy that suits his taste. He won¡¯t call himself the emperor, but his power and authority will be no different from that of an emperor. The whole abolishing the hierarchy thing is just an excuse to build a new one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­When it¡¯s anarchy, they try to take control and build a government.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They must have almost finished their groundwork.¡±


    All those slogans about siding with themoners, all those image-boosting activities, were all for that.


    ¡°Hey, Frondier.¡±


    Teacher Isamaya spoke up.


    ¡°You keep mentioning the Zodiacs, but do you actually know which of them are members of Indus? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re bluffing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh?¡±


    Frondier rolled his eyes, then smiled faintly, as if he found it amusing.


    It felt like he was about to say something dreadful.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how he is the only Zodiac I¡¯ve met face-to-face, aside from the headmaster.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You met a Zodiac? When did you had the chance to,¡±


    Isamaya was about to say that, but then she realized something. Soon, her face turned pale with shock.


    There was. A Zodiac that Frondier had met.


    ¡®The fake mistletoe incident.¡¯ The nobles¡¯ meeting.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Frondier nodded.


    ¡°The leader of Indus is the ¡®Zodiac,¡¯ Heldre.¡±


    ng!


    Someone identally bumped into the table in their surprise. Some people turned pale, and others had their breath quicken.


    Zodiac Heldre.


    Those called Zodiacs were all powerful people who surpassed ordinary standards. But Heldre was different from the rest, not in terms of strength or weakness, but in terms of ¡®color.¡¯


    Those who rose to the position of Zodiac had all made great contributions in the war against the monsters.


    To put it another way, to say that one has aplishments means that they have killed numerous demons. When you look at it this way, Heldre¡¯s aplishments are greater than anyone else¡¯s.


    If he hadn''t been the most dangerous person within the empire before the war against demons began, that is.


    Before the war, Heldre was a maniac criminal. From the present point of view, Renzo, the ¡°Glutton of Chaos¡± most closely resembles Heldre.


    After repelling the demons, and after the empire personally granted Heldre the position of ¡°zodiac,¡± Heldre became quiet. That¡¯s what everyone believed.


    Having entered his twilight years, Heldre recently began to gain the appearance of ¡°benevolence.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier de Lorche.¡±


    Osprey spoke in a heavy voice at that moment. His full name without the title of ¡°student¡± or ¡°military¡± attached.


    As Frondier raised his head to look at him, a cold voice was heard.


    ¡°How do you know so much?¡±


    Clearly, Frondier now knows too much.


    As if he himself were a member of Indus.


    Of course, no one here suspects that. His actions up until now would be too strange if he were truly a member of Indus.


    However, they had to at least hear where he got this kind of information from.


    Frondier paused for a moment before speaking slowly.


    ¡°I have been investigating Indus for a very long time.¡±


    Osprey was surprised as he looked into Frondier¡¯s eyes, which were softly murmuring.


    He felt the tremendous history contained in that gaze. It was the gaze of someone who experienced countless trials and failures, regrets and abandonments.


    ¡°I researched endless amounts of material in order to find out the true nature of Indus. There is no ce I haven¡¯t been, and no stone I haven¡¯t unturned. I can¡¯t exin all of it to you in detail.¡±

 Chapter 130 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡®¡­¡­Hmm? Wait a minute.¡¯


    Hearing those words, Librarian Ainen, quietly listening from behind, recalled something.


    ¡®¡­¡­When did Frondier first start to change into a different person?¡¯


    The first time he showed his true colors was during the ¡°Fake Mistletoe Incident.¡±


    Before Frondier had ever been seen at the library, he had dismissed the widely recognized image of Mistilteinn as a "fake." This piqued the curiosity of the librarian, Ainen, who decided to investigate further, leading to the discovery of the location.


    ''The library!''


    Up until the day before the Mistilteinn incident, Frondier had never set foot in the library. However, that day was an exception. Librarian Ainen, known for her remarkable memory as an information collector, took note.


    Frondier had just mentioned conducting an exhaustive search through endless documents.


    Was it from that moment? Had Frondier already caught wind of Indus''s scent by then?''Was it on purpose then, during ss, when he criticized Mistilteinn?''


    It''s unclear if Frondier truly knew the original form of Mistilteinn.


    However, by bringing up the story in advance at Constel, Frondier managed to lend some credibility to his actions during the meeting, where he had destroyed the coffin holding Mistilteinn.


    Since Ainen wasn''t at the meeting, she didn''t know exactly what Frondier did there or whether he spoke with Heldre.


    But such an act would surely have elicited a reaction from Heldre.


    ''Frondier made an impression on Heldre!''


    But why?


    Even if he had been suspicious of Heldre from that point, there was no need for Frondier to expose himself.


    If Heldre happened to take notice of Frondier and decided to act,


    ''...It was the cabin!''


    By the time Ainen reached this conclusion, she was already feeling a chill akin to cold shivers.


    Malia felt simrly.


    ''Did Frondier go to the cabin alone to draw in Heldre''s followers?''


    Malia found Frondier''s actions at the time odd in hindsight.


    There was no reason to visit the cabin he had gone to in his youth with Elodie now.


    But if it was to lure Heldre,


    ''Then the follower was Serf Daniel.''


    It wasn''t that Serf had gone to see Frondier, but that Frondier had lured Serf.


    And that Serf was dead. By Frondier''s hand.


    I don''t know what process led to his death.


    ''Frondier, what did you do?''


    Frondier had just said. He had done everything.


    If Frondier had really wanted to obtain Heldre''s information, he would not have killed Serf so cruelly.


    A considerable amount of the information Frondier had now, was what Serf had coughed up.


    ¡­¡­I can''t even imagine what kind of torture he did.


    Meanwhile.


    ''Student Frondier must have gone to Tyburn.''


    Jane was having a slightly different thought.


    It was quite a controversial news story within Constel that Frondier would be going to Tyburn during the vacation.


    As Jane heard the reason from Aten,


    ''She said he had something to bring.''


    Something to bring.


    Interpreting it literally, he had left something in Tyburn.


    At first, I thought it was an object.


    But what if it was not actually an object but a person?


    ''¡­¡­Did he go there to hear the story from Grobel?''


    In fact, Frondier had a record of interviewing Grobel in prison. She knew because he was a student under her care.


    Grobel, who was hired as a mercenary by Serf.


    He might have wanted to obtain information about Indus from him.


    Frondier had just said. He had been to ces he hadn''t been to.


    Was that why he went to Tyburn? Damn it.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    A sudden silence visited the conference room. However, it was a meaningful silence.


    Pascal looked around and shrugged.


    "Well, I don''t really know, but it seems like the other teachers are convinced by Frondier''s words!"


    Yes, Pascal was right.


    In particr, Ainen, Jane, and Malia were looking at Frondier like he was some kind of monster.


    Seeing that, Chancellor Osprey smiled broadly.


    He called Frondier as if testing him.


    "Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "Can I ask you the question I asked youst time?"


    "A question?"


    As Frondier asked back, Osprey''s smile turned even more mischievous.


    "What were you really trying to hide, that you''ve got such a bad reputation?"


    That was what Osprey asked Frondier when they were alone together.


    However, as most of their conversation was a secret between them,


    Frondier tilted his head slightly and responded in a more direct manner than before.


    "Because I am weak."


    That one sentence.


    The teachers lowered their bodies as if a weight had been ced on their shoulders.


    With this, it became clear.


    Frondier''s outrageous conduct up until now, there was a single logic that ran through it all.


    From his behavior up until now, it was clear that Frondier had distinct talent as a student of the Constel. Everyone had seen it during the final exams of the first semester.


    Frondier wasn''t ipetent. He was just biding his time.


    In order to catch Indus by the tail. Willingly enduring the degrading nickname, "The Human Sloth".


    It was only after rumors of a possible emunication from Roach started circting that Frondier made his move. He had spent a very long time using himself as bait for Indus.


    Whether he was really sleeping every ss and waiting for the right moment while hiding his cold gaze behind his covered face, it became something that no one could know now.


    "So then, Frondier, how do we stop this n of Indus''? If you get attacked at Cropolis, things will go just as Indus wants."


    We now know Indus''s intentions. Now it''s time to stop it.


    But this time, Frondier replied with a refreshing expression on his face.


    "Oh, that''s simple."


    "Simple?"


    Frondier nodded.


    "All I have to do is not go to Cropolis."

 Chapter 131 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Eeeeerrr and anonymous Ko-fi Supporter from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?During the time all the buses were leaving, I waved my hand in the yground. Kora was doing the same next to me.


    "¡­They''re all gone."


    "That they are."


    I was relieved to see Kora speaking morefortably.


    At first, when she was with me, she was not used to honorifics and trembled while trying to use them. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to formal speech, so she¡¯d make mistakes and then tremble even more.


    I didn¡¯t try to persuade Kora; I just let her be.


    After all, the fear she had of me would disappear over time. Especially since she didn¡¯t even know why she was afraid.At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before I see Kora talking freely like she used to.


    ¡­Is that a good thing?


    "I wanted to go to Cropolis."


    "We can go next time. We can even go separately."


    I stroked Kora¡¯s head.


    No bus wasing for me. We weren''t going to Cropolis.


    We would move towards that area, but not by bus. Another vehicle was prepared.


    Vroom-


    Apact car approached and stopped in front of me.


    The window rolled down, and inside was teacher Isamaya.


    "Get in."


    "Yes."


    I sat in the passenger seat, and Kora sat in the back. The car started moving without dy.


    During the ride, Isamaya nced at me briefly.


    "Are you okay?"


    Isamaya asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The field trip. It¡¯s one of the few events in your precious school days."


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed out loud. Isamaya really seemed like a teacher at times like these. Naturally.


    "I''m okay."


    Even as I spoke, a smile naturally formed. I could feel the excitement coursing through me.


    "We''re going to do something more interesting."


    [Main Quest: Operation Suppress Indus]


    ?Description: Indus''s n has been revealed. Stop the n and suppress Indus members.


    ?Objective: Suppress Indus members and leader.


    ?Rewards: Compensation varies depending on the number of people suppressed.


    ? Failure may result in a state of anarchy.


    The mission to eradicate Indus.


    It''s an event that must eventually be faced in the game.


    Should one fail, it bes an event that leads straight to game over.


    From the yer''s perspective, it might seem like merely a change of emperors, but it''s not that simple.


    "Frondier, you said that Indus aims to copse the ss system."


    "Yes."


    "What would happen to the world if they actually seed? Would things go as Indus wishes?"


    Isamaya seemed to still harbor doubts about Indus''s n.


    After all, they''re attempting something monumental.


    And Isamaya''s intuition was correct.


    "No, Indus will fail. Even if we enter a state of anarchy, there are problems."


    "Anarchy? Why?"


    Isamaya tilted her head, probably thinking it difficult to actually reach a state of anarchy. And she''s right to think so. The possibility of Indus toppling the throne is just that, a possibility. The quest hints at it too.


    But even if they seed, Indus will crumble.


    Indus overlooked one thing in their ''revolution.''


    The existence of ''Manggot.''


    "Teacher, do you happen to know about Manggot?"


    "¡­It''s more surprising that it''sing from you."


    It seems she knows.


    Unlike Indus, Manggot does not disguise its identity.


    Those who know about Manggot are fully aware of what kind of ce it is.


    I said, "Indus won''t be able to handle the fire of Manggot. A state of anarchy means the empire is at its weakest. Naturally, Manggot won''t just stand by."


    "Indus didn''t anticipate Manggot attacking?"


    "No. They merely underestimate Manggot."


    Like Indus, the scale of Manggot is impossible to measure.


    However, you can clearly see that they hate each other. You can tell just by the scorn Selena and Kraken have for each other.


    And there is clearly ¡®neglect¡¯ in that hatred. That ends up strangling Indus.


    ¡°So Manggot and Indus are fighting to take control of the Empire from each other?¡±


    ¡°I don''t think so. Manggot isn''t interested in power.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°All Manggot wants is revenge.¡±


    Isamaya tilted her head at my answer.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason for Manggot to attack Indus if he brought down the Empire, right?¡±


    ¡°In Manggots eyes, Indus was also a part of the Empire. Indus is trying to take power for themselves, but Manggot wants the Empire to perish.¡±


    In that sense, the one who is truly carrying out a ss revolution would be Manggot.


    Since their purge will consume the entire Empire, regardless of whether they are nobility ormoners.


    Of course, it''s game over.


    ¡°¡­¡­Well, I guess our priority is to stop Indus for now. We can worry about Manggotter.¡±


    ¡°That would be wise. Once we stop Indus, Manggot won''t make a move.¡±


    Not yet, at least.


    I gazed out the window for a moment.


    We''re headed to the aerial railway right now. It''s an aerial railway that connects two distant cliffs in the sky.


    We''re going to make sure the students make it safely through the train in case Indus really has gone crazy.


    In all the times I yed the game, Indus never once blew up the train, but I can understand why the teachers are anxious. Things could be different in reality.


    And that''s where our operation is going to start.


    But before that.


    ¡°TTeacher Isamaya.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What? If it''s about the operation, talk to the dean. I''m driving right now.¡±


    ¡°No. This is something that I need to tell you and you alone.¡±


    ¡°Just me?¡±


    Isamaya scrunched up her nose and nced at me.


    With no other teachers around and no one else to hear us besides Kora, we couldn''t miss this opportunity.


    "I-"

 Chapter 131 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As they began to load the students onto the train sequentially, Malia checked her ''Sense Sharing''.


    ''It seems the Dean has already arrived, and Ms. Jane is in the rear carriage.''


    Despite dealing with Indus, the school trip needed to proceed without issues, so the teachers of Constel were divided into two teams.


    One team to escort the students and another to deal with Indus and take action.


    Malia was in charge of understanding the situation of the students and the entire trip, rying that to Dean Osprey. Essentially, she was themanding officer of the escort team. This was made possible, of course, by her ability ''Sense Sharing''.


    ''I really should have applied Sense Sharing to Frondier as well.''


    Malia''s Sense Sharing waspetent, but there was a limit to how many people she could connect with at once. Having applied Sense Sharing to all the key personnel, she was unable to check on Frondier.


    It was a relief that Osprey said Frondier would be performing a mission in a very safe ce, but it was still worrying.


    "Umm, Ms.?"While loading the students onto the train, Aten approached Malia.


    "Is Mr. Frondier on the train or in the next carriage?"


    "Ah, right. It''s easier to think of Frondier as having apletely different schedule."


    "¡­I see."


    Aten tried to hide her disappointment as she boarded the train.


    Shortly after, Sybil approached and asked.


    "Ms., which one is the carriage for ss 5? Can I move my seat?"


    "Oh, you just need to talk to the teacher in charge about moving."


    "I see. Thank you~"


    Sybil responded politely yet charmingly as she left. Watching her back for a moment, Malia said.


    "Just in case you''re wondering, Frondier isn''t here."


    "Eh?"


    "He''s volunteering. He''ll be going in a different car from us."


    Sybil turned around to look at Malia in surprise, blinked her eyes, then quickly regained herposure and said,


    "Ah, hahaha! Oh, teacher, it''s not because I want to go to Frondier. Why would I do that? I just want to talk with the kids in ss 5."


    Malia smiled kindly in response.


    "I see. Get along well then."


    "Yes, yes."


    And with that, Sybil went in.


    After that, Aster, Selena, Lunia, and even Robald came one after another to ask about Frondier. Malia sent the students off with almost the same answers.


    ''Why is our son so popr?''


    The reputation heard and the reality were too different. There were still asional stories about Frondier, but nothing seemed to have changed from before. To most students, Frondier was still the human sloth.


    Yet, was someone noticing?


    "Excuse me, teacher."


    Then, another student approached Malia.


    This time, it was Elodie.


    Malia responded almost reflexively.


    "Frondier is in the next car."


    "¡­What? Oh?"


    "Oh, my apologies. Wasn''t that what you were going to ask?"


    Elodie tried to understand Malia''s words, then her face quickly turned red.


    "Why, why would you think I would ask that?"


    "Just because?"


    Everyone who knew Frondier came to ask about him, just because.


    At Malia''s response, Elodie''s face turned even redder.


    "Why, why would the teacher say that too¡­"


    Elodie remembered the conversation she had with Aster just before.


    Aster had responded with something like ''Yeah, why was that?'' and now Malia too?


    What''s going on? Why is everyone talking to me about Frondier?


    "Um, sorry. So, what was it you wanted to ask?"


    Of course, Malia had no way of knowing Elodie''s true intentions, so she asked again.


    "Ah, that, um, where is the bathroom?"


    "¡­I mentioned before boarding the train that you should use the bathroom during the wait."


    "Oh! Right, thank you!"


    Elodie nodded quickly and walked away rapidly. Not to the bathroom, but to board the train.


    It was almost as if she had fled.


    "Isn''t she going to the bathroom? Well, there wasn''t much time left anyway."


    Among the students, some felt an unnecessary urge to urinate due to nervousness. Since they were allowed to go to the bathroom during the wait earlier, Elodie should be fine.


    [Attention please. The train to Cropolis will depart shortly. All passengers are requested to board the train.]


    The announcement echoed throughout the station, and Malia also boarded the train.


    The chaperoning teachers checked the number of students in each ss and then made an OK sign with their fingers in front of them. Malia confirmed this through Sense Sharing. All was well.


    ng-


    The sound of heavy metal dropping was heard. It was the sound of the train departing.


    At the same time, a look of tension spread across the teachers'' faces. There was no turning back now.


    This train was heading for the aerial railway. Frondier had said nothing would happen, but from the teachers'' perspective, that was merely a hope.


    ''Then, the dean¡­''


    Malia sat down and checked Osprey''s view through Sense Sharing.


    ''¡­Huh?''


    But the scenery seemed a bit odd. The trees were too low, and no road was visible. It was hard to tell where Osprey was standing.


    After checking Osprey''s view for a while, Malia soon realized.


    ''¡­He''s floating in the sky. Way above the aerial railway.''


    It seemed that Osprey was fully prepared to wee the guest.

 Chapter 132 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Imjusthereforchapters from Ko-fi!</i>


    Malia raised the SagePhone and looked at the screen. As previously agreed with the teachers, there was a message.


    The content was overall simr and straightforward.


    [Beginning the operation.]


    It was the signal for the beginning of the operation.


    While the response team tracked down the Indus leaders, the escort team would search for Indus members who might be somewhere on the train.


    If Indus really tries to use the business cards, there''s something they definitely need to confirm.


    - Where is Frondier?The business card only gives the order to kill Frondier. So, it makes sense that they would try to find the key: Frondier''s location.


    And one of Indus'' members needs to board the train to know Frondier''s exact location.


    There aren''t only Constel students on this train. There are regr passengers, of course, and Indus could be hiding among them.


    Until today, Malia and other teachers had conveyed amon statement to some students:


    ''Frondier is on another car due to volunteer work.''


    They didn''t actively inform all students about this. Only the students from Frondier''s ss 5 and a few other students who had asked about Frondier knew.


    However, when you tell it to a few people, the students will share the information with each other, and the story spreads. Then, the original content gets distorted and exaggerated, of course.


    This exaggerated information transforms into ''rumors,'' reducing its credibility. When the information is not credible, confusion arises.


    From Indus'' perspective, Frondier might be on another car, but it could be just a rumor and Frondier could be on this train. In the end, Indus has no choice but to split up its forces.


    What Gregory used in Constel, the effect of ''rumors,'' is now being used by Constel.


    However, the truth is, Frondier isn''t on the train at all.


    While Indus is racking their brains trying to figure out which car Frondier is on, they''ll never be able to find Frondier''s location.


    Creating the illusion that there are only two possible truths, to prevent the consideration of a third, hidden truth.


    Moreover,


    "Wow, what''s this? So fascinating."


    On one side of the train, a few schoolgirls were chatting. They each held several facial mask packs in their hands.


    "Can we really use these? They look expensive."


    "It''s fine. I got them from a senior I know too. But be careful, if you do something weird with it, you''ll be immediately restrained."


    "Ahaha, I won''t do that."


    One of the girls distributed the mask packs to her friends, introducing them almost as if they were toys.


    The owner of the mask packs was, of course, Quinie.


    This was certainly not Quinie''s intention, but something Frondier had asked for.


    "How is it? How is it?"


    "Wow! It''s identical! Just like magic!"


    The girls applied the mask packs to their faces, transforming into the faces they desired, andughed uproariously at each other. Since Quinie had initially handed them out as ''toys,'' this was a natural oue.


    Of course, these girls had no intention of changing their faces to Frondier''s, nor did they know what Frondier''s face looked like.


    However, if the Indus members were to witness the students wearing the mask packs, it could spark different suspicions.


    Not yet certain of their location, the mere presence of the masks could lead to doubts about their ability to identify them by face alone.


    Eventually, Indus members might take some risks to verify Frondier''s presence.


    "Excuse me, miss."


    "Yes, yes?"


    "It seems you were ''scanning'' our students. Where did you learn to do that?"


    "Oh, I, no, I mean..."


    "Could youe this way for a moment?"


    Teacher Jane was smiling, but the smile was chillingly cold.


    The woman swallowed her saliva at the sight of Jane and meekly followed her lead.


    Catching them wasn''t of great significance. Most of them were likely not core members of Indus and probably didn''t possess any substantial information about Indus.


    This was merely a signal. A signal that Frondier was indeed aboard the train.


    The harder the teachers of Constel worked to respond, the more they focused on finding Indus, the more they would believe that Frondier was on the train.


    "...Well, then."


    Jane checked her phone.


    A text she had been waiting for, but not warmly, had arrived.


    [The Chancellor has made contact with Indus.]


    A message from Malia. Jane''s expression turned cold. The woman following her suddenly became more frightened.


    "...I don''t know how great Indus is."


    But can they take down Chancellor Osprey?


    Osprey is the pir of Constel, its peak, and the pride of all Constel teachers.


    "Show him what you''re made of, Chancellor."


    No, just kill him. Like the cockroaches.

 Chapter 132 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Between two cliffs through which the aerial railway passed.


    Standing in mid-air, Osprey faced a girl.


    "...Wow, you''re really floating. Grandpa."


    The girl spoke as if in awe, and Osprey smiled kindly.


    "You''re the same, aren''t you?"


    "...I''m a bit different."


    "Honest, I see."


    Osprey nced beneath the girl''s feet. It was hard to see with the naked eye, but thin threads like fments were supporting her.


    "What brings you here, miss?"When Osprey asked, the girl looked down below her. There was the aerial railway.


    "I came to blow up the train."


    "Ah, the train, you say?"


    "Yeah."


    "A lot of people will die."


    "That''s right."


    The girl nodded. Her eyes were innocent.


    "The students of Constel are too strong. Especially the first years. I need to take care of them all here."


    "Being strong is a good thing, isn''t it?"


    "Right. If they were on our side. But they''re not."


    It was a remarkably simple dichotomy.


    But Osprey strangely understood and agreed. It seemed that all the forces in the world were in conflict with such a simple dichotomy like this girl. They just added various justifications on top of it.


    And ording to this dichotomy, Osprey had enough reason to be hostile towards the girl because she belonged to "them". It was truly refreshing logic.


    Osprey said,


    "However, blowing up the train wouldn''t be an option."


    "We''ll do it anyway."


    "It would ruin Indus''s image. For a ''revolution,'' you have to know when to hold back."


    The girl''s eyes twitched at Osprey''s coaxing tone. It was brief, but Osprey didn''t miss it.


    Indeed. Indus hadn''t yet considered that the word ''revolution'' could get out.


    Even Osprey himself hadn''t thought of it in such precise terms until he heard it from Frondier.


    ...Perhaps, this could be a way to nt doubt within Indus.


    "It doesn''t matter. We''ll still do it."


    "That''s impossible. Your revolution doesn''t know ''moderation.'' If you aim ''too high,'' you''ll miss your footing. What then of the ''state of the nation''?"


    Osprey emphasized certain words on purpose. It was a very cunning hint. He didn''t specify what he was referring to, but it was enough to nt ''thoughts'' in the girl''s mind.


    "......"


    The girl didn''t show any reaction. Shepletely ignored Osprey''s words. It was a good stance for someone her age.


    "So what are you doing here, grandfather?"


    "Trying to catch a cockroach."


    "......Could it be."


    The girl''s eyes darkened. A murderous intent emerged, evenly spread from her head to her toes.


    "Is that, about us?"


    "Ha-ha-ha. Why so serious, miss?"


    Osprey received the girl''s murderous intent while smilingfortably.


    "Are you calling yourself a cockroach, miss?"


    "......We are not cockroaches."


    "You''ve been saying ''we'' all this while, but you''re alone, aren''t you?"


    The moment Osprey said that, he felt a peculiar sensation.


    At first, it was a tiny sense of awareness, barely noticeable, but soon it grew into an unmistakable feeling of something crawling up from under his feet.


    "Huh."


    Osprey briefly scanned the surroundings. Countless threads spread around the girl, and something wasing from beyond them.


    Things were crawling on the thread from the edge of the cliff. They were spiders. The spiders were smaller than ordinary bugs, about as thin as the thread.


    "We''re not cockroaches."


    The girl said.


    "Well, well. Every word is true."


    Osprey nodded as if convinced.


    "You''re ''us'', but you''re not a ''cockroach''. It is literally true. I apologize. When you get older, you tend to think about the implications of even simple words. Forgive me."


    Osprey raised one hand. The thumb of his horizontally held hand touched his chest. Mana swirled from the point of contact.


    "But, youngdy. Either way, you need a remedy."


    "It''s not us who need to be saved, but you people-!"


    Boom!


    The girl stopped talking. Her mouth didn''t move as she thought. The girl touched her face. No, she couldn''t touch it. Her fingers brushed through the air.


    Half of her head was blown off. Only then did the girl realize that half of her vision was gone.


    ''What is it, magic? What happened? I didn''t see it.''


    The girl copsed. She barely managed to grab onto the previously installed thread. However.


    Boom!


    This time, the hand she was holding onto was blown away. Her body swayed. She knew an attack wasing, but she couldn''t dodge or block it. The girl looked at her blown-off hand. It was clearly the effect of magic.


    The girl''s hair trembled. Soon, every single strand of her hair split countless times and scattered along the thread. All of them were also spiders.


    "Youngdy, I hope you''lle as your ''main body'' next time. Only then can we have a genuine conversation."


    The girl, splitting into countless spiders, looked at Osprey with herst remaining eye.


    She hade to see how strong Osprey was and what the nature of his strength was. She could barely grasp it.


    Thest remaining eye also soon scattered, bing a spider.


    * * *


    From a distance, Indus member Thompson observed the scene.


    He manipted theponents installed in his prosthetic arm, pulling a ring with his fingers. Then, with a click-click sound, a telescope popped out beside the prosthetic. Thompson brought his eye to the telescope.


    "¡­Crazy old man."


    The Indus members were convinced, seeing Osprey waiting at the aerial railway. Constel must have noticed that our Indus was about to make a move!


    To understand Osprey''s power, member Cain sent his dummy to Osprey. Thompson wanted to check how Osprey would fight.


    "Damn, I don''t know?"


    Even from this distance, it was impossible to discern what Osprey had done. Cain, who experienced it firsthand, wouldn''t have understood at all.


    Then his phone rang. Thompson brought the phone to his ear.


    "Hey, couldn''t even move a finger before being taken down."


    -So, what''s his identity? That old man.


    "I have no idea."


    Thompson said shamelessly. A brief silence came from the other end of the call.


    -That''s possible. Thompson is ipetent. It was my mistake in selecting him.


    "This kid knows how to provoke, huh?"


    -More importantly, there''s something else.


    "What?"


    There''s something more important than the nature of Osprey''s power?


    Thompson frowned in confusion but then his expression hardened at Cain''s next words.


    -Osprey knows about the ''revolution''.


    "¡­"


    Thompson''s mouth shut tightly. His yful demeanor vanished.


    "It wasn''t just a coincidence that such a word came up?"


    -No. He knew not only about blowing up the train, but that it was for the ''revolution''. It''s not a coincidence.


    Thompson''s eyes grew cold. Probably, the eyes of Cain, who was on the call, did the same.


    "¡­Then, really, what we were joking aboutst time,"


    -Yeah, seems like it.


    Both had the same thought. Confirming this, Cain said.


    "There''s a traitor within Indus."

 Chapter 133 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thompson remained silent for a while.


    A traitor within Indus.


    It was an issue he was aware of but didn''t take seriously.


    Indus had epted everyone who called themselves Indus until now.


    That made it difficult to measure the size of Indus, and even harder to know who was above him, who the leader was.


    It was fine if some dirty water seeped in at the bottom. They could just filter it out and refill it.


    But what if the dirty water had risen to the top?


    In other words, what if someone in the leadership of Indus was a traitor?


    "Well, then there''s a chance you could be the traitor, right?"Thompson said, feigning bravado.


    [Correct.]


    Cain said tly. She didn''t react much to the provocation.


    Tch, Thompson clicked his tongue as Cain continued speaking.


    [From now on, think with that possibility in mind. You don''t know whomitted the betrayal. If it''s you, me, Kraken, or Skyler, we need to eliminate them immediately.]


    "Whoa, let''s not be so hasty. We don''t know who muddied the waters yet. It could be one of the lower-ranking guys."


    [...Yeah. If I¡¯m going to assume the worst, then there needs to be someone who''s optimistic.]


    "Are you being sarcastic?"


    [I''m serious.]


    It was then.


    Thompson suddenly stopped talking and frowned. He retracted the telescope and slipped it back into his prosthetic arm.


    Cain had continued talking all the while.


    [By the way, when is Krakening? Is he still thinking about what to do with that spare heart?]


    "I don''t know. You should ask him."


    [What, how irresponsible. Kraken needs to finish his business soon so we can proceed here. You should know that,]


    "That''s not it."


    Thompson turned his body and established his stance. He checked the functions of the prosthesis with each of his fingers. While he heard a mechanical whirring, he felt something approaching in the distance.


    "We have a visitor."


    [¡­¡­Constel?]


    "Probably."


    [Sure, I''ll check it out.]


    The call ended.


    As he put his phone away, the identity of the presence Thompson was feeling was revealed.


    She was a woman with a stiff gait and a very stern impression.


    ¡°¡­¡­What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Thompson asked, feigningposure, and the woman responded in a simr manner. However, neither of them let their guard down.


    This is a rocky summit that overlooks the sky train. In other words, it is a rugged hignd with a cliff right behind it.


    This is not a ce where a woman woulde without a reason.


    The woman asked.


    "I am Isamaya, Constel''s teacher. I am here to detain you. Will you cooperate?"


    "Who are you detaining?"


    "You, of course."


    Huh.


    Thompsonughed. His prosthesis made a sound like an engine starting up. Thompson had activated the prosthesis by infusing it with mana.


    "If I run, you won''t be able to detain me, will you?"


    ¡°¡­¡­My.¡±


    Isamaya took out a pair of sses from her bag. Putting them on, her already stern face became even sterner.


    "Indeed. I would have to be careful not to kill you by mistake."


    ¡°¡­¡­This crazy b*tch!"


    Thompson was the first to charge.


    * * *


    Kora was hiding at the bottom of the cliff.


    After a while, someone approached her.


    "Did you wait long? Kora."


    It was Pascal, smiling gently.


    So far, everything was going ording to n.


    "Where did Frondier go?"


    ¡°¡­¡­He moved to carry out the operation."


    "Hmm, I see."


    Pascal nodded.


    Pascal doesn''t know the details of Frondier''s operation, only that Osprey is involved. Everyone trusts Osprey''s word.


    There are a few things he can predict, though.


    Osprey is floating in midair as bait to attract Indus members.


    In fact, a mysterious spider girl did appear. She was a fake, though.


    But Osprey''s real goal is probably to find another Zodiac within Indus, ''Heldre.''


    If Indus really wants a ''revolution,'' Osprey is their most bothersome enemy.


    If Indus really ns to do something on the aerial Railway, Osprey has personally entered the heart of enemy territory to wee them. To lure Heldre out.


    ''Hmm, it''s still too dangerous.''


    Pascal doesn''t know how strong Osprey and Heldre are, but he reasons that between two Zodiacs, the one who attacks first has the advantage.


    ''Surely Frondier isn''t nning to...''


    Is Frondier nning to do something to Heldre after luring him out? That would be the most dangerous, or rather, reckless operation any participant could take part in.


    "...Pascal."


    Kora suddenly spoke in a tense voice.


    Pascal stopped thinking. It seemed like something else needed to be taken care of first.


    "Something''s there. In front of us."


    "I see it."


    Pascal and Kora stand at the bottom of a cliff. There is a vast, empty in ahead.


    There''s nothing blocking their view, and they can''t see anyone.


    But, just like Kora said, something was definitely approaching them.


    Rumble-


    As the invisible thing came closer, the cliff wall suddenly shattered. Huge pieces of rock flew as if they had a will of their own and gathered in front of Kora and Pascal.


    The rocks stuck to each other and assembled themselves into the shape of legs, arms, a helmet, and armor.


    The armor of rock thuspleted, the inside of that helmet was filled with darkness, but of course, it waspletely empty.


    From within it,


    "Greetings."


    Surprisingly, a voice flowed out.


    Kora, looking at that bastard, wrinkled her nose.


    ¡°¡­¡­That thing, doesn''t smell at all."


    "It seems that way."


    Pascal narrowed his eyes.


    ''A type of ghost.''


    Most ghosts remain in reality, their presence blurred because they''ve died once. Most have no memories and wander aimlessly.


    The forms of those kinds of ghosts are blurry even when sensing them with mana. They''ll eventually disappear if left alone.


    However, those that remain with clear resentment, grudges, and killing intent,monly called evil spirits, have clearer forms.


    However, even these, like normal ghosts, often don''t have proper memories after death.


    The vast majority have a grudge for some reason during life, but forget the reason and just move with only the grudge remaining. Harming people unrted to them for no reason. They are the most dangerous fellows to ordinary people.


    ¡°I am called Skyler."


    Skyler makes an ordinary self-introduction. There was no resentment or lingering attachment felt in that voice.


    ¡­¡­If by any chance, a ghost remains not out of resentment, but out of ''conviction.''


    If that conviction was so strong that it keeps that soul persisting even after death,


    This kind of monster before his eyes is born.

 Chapter 133 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Nice to meet you. I''m Pascal, a newbie at Constel."


    Skyler looked at Pascal for a moment before raising a finger. He was pointing at Kora.


    "The little rascal next to you."


    Then he snapped his finger.


    "Hand her over. She''s material worthy of Indus."


    "Hooh?"


    Pascal looked at Kora. Kora was making an arrogant expression and shaking her head.


    Skyler, not caring, said,


    ¡°The White Tiger seal. A pure yet fierce and destructive force,bined with human intellect. It¡¯s perfect. Ideal. Only such a person can be a perfect ¡®soldier¡¯.¡±Skyler genuinely praised Kora. The hand of the armor softly extended, as if to ept Kora.


    Pascal looked at Kora.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to join Indus?¡±


    Kora looked at Pascal with a shocked expression. It was a face that seemed to be asking him what he was talking about. Pascal chuckled.


    ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    Even after Pascal said that, Kora¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. This time, she looked like she wondered how he could make such a joke.


    ¡°How disappointing. It was a joke. I thought you were someone who could understand.¡±


    ¡°Liar. You knew I was joking.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Aren¡¯t you the proud teacher of Constel? I heard that the teachers there are all men of faith and high calling. They wouldn¡¯t just abandon their students.¡±


    This time, Skyler praised Pascal again. There was not a hint of mockery in his tone.


    ¡°But let me say this.¡±


    Skyler rummaged through the armor with his hand. When he took it out again, there was a small pouch in his hand.


    Pascal looked at it with interest.


    ¡®There shouldn¡¯t be anything inside that armor. How can he take something out?¡¯


    Skyler said,


    ¡°If a student bes a monster, shouldn¡¯t they be executed? As a teacher of Constel.¡±


    Whoosh-


    As soon as Skyler finished speaking, he threw the pouch.


    It was the powder that would eliminate Kora¡¯s consciousness. If Pascal tried to deflect it, the powder would still get on Kora, and if he tried to catch it, the pouch would explode as it was.


    ¡®So what will you do, teacher of Constel?¡¯


    Skyler stared at Pascal as if to test him.


    For a brief moment, as the pouch flew, Kora tensed up, while Pascal still had a smile on his face.


    When the pouch was just within reach.


    "Huh?"


    Pascal did nothing. Or so it seemed.


    BAM!


    The pouch exploded in mid-air.


    But none of the powder touched Pascal or Kora. Whenever the powders got close, they''d scatter away in gentle, curved paths.


    ¡°¡­¡­Aura!"


    Skyler realized what it was and gasped in surprise.


    At first, he thought it was a barrier made of magic. But there had been no preparation for that. He didn''t sense any incantations, chants, or trigger words.


    "You spat out aura with your bare hands and used it as a shield!"


    THUD! Skyler pulled out his sword from behind and stabbed it into the ground. Pascal''s eyes lit up with intrigue.


    Then again, from behind his back, where there was nothing, a sword made of steel popped out. It couldn''t be that he created the sword the same way he created armor when he first appeared; there was no steel around.


    "Impressive! I look forward to fighting you!"


    "Haha, I don''t know what to do when I receivepliments from my enemy."


    Pascal also took out his sword. Kora retreated to the back understandingly.


    Pascal pulled his sword backward. Swish! Aura surrounded his sword.


    "Be careful. My sword can cut through ''souls''."


    "That''s what I''ve been waiting for!"


    Though the distance between them was still too far for their swords to reach each other,


    the two swung their swords, and aura shed in mid-air.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, I watched the situation from the cliff on the other side.


    I could see Pascal confronting someone down the cliff.


    ''Skyler.''


    Indus'' team member, Skyler.


    He is a ghost. A high-ranking one at that.


    The ''slevb'' I encountered in the dungeon was also a monster close to this side. However, slevb clearly remembered who she was and what she resented. That''s why she was strong.


    ''Now Skyler has shown himself too.''


    From Constel''s perspective, which needs to respond to Indus''s attack, the most important thing is where the members of Indus are located.


    That''s why Osprey is tantly floating in the air, and Isamaya is confronting Thomson after finding him.


    Now the locations of Thomson and Skyler have been revealed, and Kraken is probably not here. As far as I know, Kraken is implementing ns in apletely different ce right now.


    ''The problem is Cain.''


    In the game, teachers usually deal with Indus. From the yer''s perspective, who ys Aster, it''s an event to check the strength of Constel''s teachers, especially Osprey''s strength.


    Moreover, it''s muchter than now, so the standard strategy is for Aster and hispanions to grow individually and defeat the members of Indus together with the teachers.


    Therefore, it''s not easy for the yer to check all Indus members. While fighting one member, another member is already fighting. There are many cases where you know the face but not the abilities, and sometimes you only know the name without knowing the face at all.


    ''But Cain cannot be missed.''


    Cain is the most troublesome existence in Indus.


    First of all, the fact that she can create dummies that look exactly like her is very troublesome.


    It''s not like dolls but a collection of spiders that cunningly pretend to be humans. People who are not sensitive enough can''t distinguish them from real humans.


    But she must be nearby for sure. To control the dummy and numerous spiders, she must be close.


    ''Good.''


    From now on, it''s not Constel''s operation.


    It''s the start of my operation.

 Chapter 134 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Mop from Ko-fi!</i>


    The battle between Thompson and Isamaya continued, with neither of them able to close the distance between them easily.


    All sorts of mechanical devices stretched from Thompson''s prosthetics and rushed at Isamaya''s neck.


    Watching the mechanical tentacles rush in, Isamaya struck them away with the mace she held.


    The mace Isamaya was holding seemed like a cudgel fit enough to be held with one hand. It was the pointer she used in ss.


    "What is that stick! They say you''re a teacher at Constel, do you do caning?"


    "Sometimes, yes."


    Isamaya held the pointer horizontally, pointing it at Thompson.For a moment, it looked to Thompson like Isamaya was holding a small ball. The length of the pointer waspletely hidden from Thompson''s eyes, causing him to lose his sense of distance.


    Suddenly,


    "....Hah!"


    ng!


    When it seemed that the small ball had suddenly gotten bigger, Thompson hastily stretched out his prosthetic. Isamaya''s pointer hit the prosthetic and bounced off.


    ''Woah, it seemed to have gotten longer, no, it really did get longer!''


    Just like he said.


    Isamaya''s pointer grew longer. Despite the considerable distance between Thompson and Isamaya, it reached right before his eyes in an instant.


    And then, as if to say when did that happen, it became shorter again, and Isamaya twirled it around in her hand. No, maybe it got a little longer than before. The ''original'' length could not be known.


    "This weapon technique was originally designed to hide the length from the enemy. Especially for simple weapons like a baton where there is little distinction between the front and the back, it is easier to hide."


    Isamaya held the pointer horizontally again. It was mysteriously hiddenpletely from Thompson''s sight.


    "But what if a weapon that hides its length actually changes its length? Don''t you think it''s fun that both of those things need to be considered?"


    "....This crazy woman."


    Just as Thompson swore.


    nk, nk, a familiar sound came to the two from afar.


    Isamaya listened to the sound for a while and spoke softly.


    "....It must be the train."


    "Huh."


    The two stopped moving for a moment. As Isamaya said, a train wasing towards them from afar along the railroad tracks.


    Isamaya''s eyes sank.


    "So, did you do something to those railroad tracks? A bomb, perhaps? Or are you nning to target the train itself?"


    Poof, Thompson chuckled.


    "As if. We actually came because of your leader. We can''t just pass by while that old man is floating around in the sky like that, can we?"


    "Oh, you weren''t nning to touch the train."


    "Of course we wouldn''t touch the train. We are Indus. We care about our image. We can''t just blow the train up with the Constel students inside. That would cause a whole different level of issues."


    The train passed by without incident, like Thompson said it would.


    As the sound of the train grew louder, it passed the floating Osprey, and still, nothing happened.


    ''Frondier was right,'' Isamaya thought to herself. ''Their move would happen after we arrived in Cropolis.''


    Now that their members were here, that meant the distribution of the cards was already done. Everything was ying out exactly how Frondier predicted.


    How annoying, Frondier.


    As that thought crossed her mind, tentacles burst out of Thompson''s prosthetic arm, spinning frantically like a fan.


    "Haha, this time will be different!"


    Thompson sent it forward as a shield.


    ng! ng!


    Isamaya took a couple of test jabs with her baton, but the spinning tentacles deflected each one. She let out a small gasp.


    "That''s a very impressive prosthetic hand."


    "Of course it is. It''s a-"


    "Your prosthesis seems more impressive than you are."


    Thompson''s prideful exnation was interrupted. His face hardened, jaw clenched.


    "I''ll rip all four of your useless limbs off."


    "No thanks. I respect my body a little too much."


    "Shut up!"


    Thompson yelled, dashing toward Isamaya. She contracted her baton and watched him approach.


    ''...Let''s see.''


    Isamaya made a snap judgement and swung her baton horizontally.


    Thompson, who was charging toward her with fury, suddenly ducked under the baton.


    There was no anger in his evading eyes. His loss ofposure was an act. Instead, his cold gaze pierced Isamaya.


    "Hmph."


    Thompson''s prosthetic arm shot forward. The palm split open, firing a projectile straight at Isamaya.


    It was a thin needle. It shot toward Isamaya''s face, only to-


    Ting-


    Hit her sses.


    "...Huh?"


    Thompson wasn''t aiming for her sses. Isamaya tilted her head slightly, intentionally using her sses to block it.


    So not only were these sses incredibly durable, but that meant Isamaya had read Thompson''s move.


    "...Damn, that usually pierces right through people''s skulls."


    "I imagine it would."


    Isamaya tightened her grip on her baton again. Thompson''s face contorted.


    "You''re good at pretending to be provoked."


    At first, Isamaya almost fell for it. She thought Thompson was losing hisposure and attacking due to her provocation. But that wasn''t the case. From his expression, it was clear it was Thompson''s trap.


    "Do you think you''re the first one to mock me?"


    Thump, thump, Thompson said, tapping his prosthetic arm.


    "Those who try to provoke don¡¯t realize that they are the ones who be vulnerable. Pretending to be just angry enough makes them stick their necks out right into the lion''s mouth, but you''re a bit different."


    "Well, it''s true I don¡¯t like your attitude."


    Isamaya said coldly with a stern face.


    Hmph, a light snort followed.


    "That''s my personal feeling. It''s not something to be mistaken about."


    "¡­Oh?"


    Isamaya tapped her baton lightly.


    "So, you have no other weapons? If the circus is over, it might be time for you to exit."


    "Still provoking, I see."


    "Sorry, it''s in my nature."


    Every word she said was irritating.


    Thompson grimaced, but there were no significant changes in expression or reaction like before. The act didn¡¯t work, so he gave up.


    ''This woman, good at defense. She manages to maintain a situation where she doesn''t intend to kill me, but I can''t easily attack either.''


    The baton, whose length could be adjusted freely to an unknown maximum. It was confusing enough, but she also hides its length from the opponent¡¯s view.


    Thompson thought his prosthetic arm gave him an advantage in preemptive strikes or long-distance, but it wasn''t. Isamaya''s attack reached him first, and it was retracted before he could even charge.


    ''Can''t help it. The prosthetic will break, but here-''


    Just when Thompson made a decision.


    Woong-


    "Huh?"


    Thompson felt a strange sensation and stiffened. His entire body seemed to pass through a flow of light mana for a moment. This peculiar feeling, Thompson knew it well.


    "A Rune!"


    Thompson blurted out and then looked around. It was somewhat dangerous to do so in front of Isamaya, but depending on the type of Rune, ignoring it could lead to an even more dangerous situation.


    ''What''s with this size? It''s not just the aerial railway; it could swallow both valleys and still have room to spare!''


    Thompson smirked. With a bit of bravado, he said to Isamaya.


    "What are you guys doing! What were you nning to do with a Rune this big? This is too much hospitality!"


    ...And so he tried to get even a bit of information from Isamaya.


    Isamaya''s expression, even more scrunched up than Thompson''s, was ring at him, tensely feeling the presence of the Rune.


    "W-what''s with that look?"


    Did you do this?

 Chapter 134 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Pascal and Skyler also noticed the strangeness.


    However, they couldn''t recklessly look away.


    ng! ng!


    The two swung their swords, shing at each other''s bodies with tremendous force and aura.


    He avoided the stab, but Pascal''s skin was cut, and Skyler''s armor was dented when he dodged the deadly sword.


    That was the sh of auras.


    ''It''s annoying because I can''t see his gaze.''


    Pascal thought.


    There were more disadvantages than he thought when fighting a knight whose insides were simply invisible.Since he had no face, he had no pupils, so he didn''t know where his gaze was directed. Even if his helmet was facing this way, he could be looking in apletely different direction. Skyler himself was probably taking full advantage of that.


    In addition, it was difficult to read the starting point and destination of the attack since he couldn''t see the muscles. He could only respond properly if he saw it through to the end.


    ng! ng! ng!


    After two shes, the des collided, trying to prove each other''s strength.


    The des of their auras, wrapped around each other, sparked as they made contact.


    "What a great achievement at your age!"


    Skyler''s impressed voice remained the same.


    Pascal asked.


    "How old do you think I am?"


    "Well, aren''t you a middle school student?"


    "¡­¡­"


    Veins popped on Pascal''s smiling face.


    ng! Skyler''s de was pushed back by the vigorously radiated aura. With a light exmation of "Whoa?", Skyler stepped back.


    "I''m a teacher. A middle school student?"


    "Haha! I was just kidding. I didn''t know you''d get so angry."


    There was a brief distance between the two. In the meantime, Skyler decided to point out something that bothered him.


    ¡°¡­¡­So, what''s with this Rune now? What''s with this ridiculous size? Did the teachers get together and work all night on this?"


    "Well, I don''t know."


    Pascal said nonchntly, but he really didn''t know.


    What the hell? This Rune. He had never seen such a huge Rune. Maybe it was drawn bigger than the original Rune?


    A Rune will have the same effect whether it''s drawn big or small, but it''s simply more difficult to draw it physicallyrge. The chances of making a mistake also increase.


    Furthermore, this ce was treacherous terrain with an aerial railway crossing two cliffs. Drawing a Rune that epassed all of this while calcting the height difference was possible, but only "when talking." It was theoretically possible, but it wasn''t something a human could do.


    ''Hmm, let me see for a moment.''


    Skyler, trying his best not to move his helmet, searched for the source of the Rune with a sidelong nce. Due to his inability to see, Skyler was able to do this trick.


    ¡®So it is. Something¡¯s standing on the opposite cliff. That bastard must have activated the Rune.¡¯


    As Skyler turned to look at Pascal again,


    ¡®No, wait.¡¯


    He turned his gaze back to the figure.


    ¡®Th-that guy is Frondier!¡¯


    Skyler was shocked. It wasn¡¯t obvious since he was still inside the armor, but his heart was already thumping.


    ¡®What, what the heck? Why is Frondier there? Why isn¡¯t he on the train? Then what was that train that passed us earlier? All the Constel students are on their way to Cropolis, so why would only Frondier be missing?¡¯


    Is that even possible? No, would Constel even ¡®allow¡¯ something like that?


    ¡®¡­Nah, there¡¯s no way. That must be it! It¡¯s a mask!¡¯


    Skyler quickly came to a fast and reasonable conclusion. It wasn¡¯t Frondier, it was someone else. Someone else had disguised their face to look like Frondier.


    Logically, there¡¯s no way Frondier would be in a ce like this. Obviously, he should be peacefully traveling to Cropolis with the other students.


    If not, what would happen to all the hard work Indus did promoting his business cards inside Cropolis and spreading Frondier¡¯s image? All those ns would go down the drain. No way.


    ¡®How dare he deceive us like this!¡¯


    Skyler grew angry and looked at Pascal.


    But Pascal¡¯s expression was priceless.


    ¡°¡­What, uh? What is it?¡±


    Skyler¡¯s mind was still in a state of shock as Pascal spoke.


    He had also discovered Frondier and was muttering to himself, his eyes locked on.


    ¡®What the heck? Why are you shocked too?¡¯


    Was this some sort of trick? A masterful performance? Pascal¡¯s expression was so, so natural, and the incredulity in his eyes was piercing through.


    ¡®What is it! Is it the real one or a fake! That Frondier over there! Which one is it!!¡¯


    Skyler¡¯s head was filled with confusion as he screamed silently, unable to voice his thoughts.

 Chapter 135 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I surveyed the battlefield, waiting for the right moment.


    Ideally, I hoped the original n with Osprey woulde to fruition.


    Right now, Osprey is waiting for Heldre. The original n was to lure Heldre in and, when Osprey had him in hold, I would throw Excalibur to him.


    The method to bind Heldre in the air, the way to control the power of Excalibur. We brainstormed and devised this strategy together with Osprey.


    Of course, all of this was possible thanks to Osprey''s incredible abilities and knowledge.


    Even Heldre would surely die if he faced thebination of Penelope''s fabric and Excalibur head-on. Even if he managed to block it, it''s uncertain if he would survive.


    ''But Heldre hasn''t shown up.''


    This ce, with its aerial railway, isn''t that important, but more significantly, Heldre needs certain conditions to move.


    And Cain is part of those conditions.So, to call him here...


    ''I''m sorry, Principal.''


    We had worked hard together to devise this n, but there are too many ws in it.


    Both capturing Heldre''s movements and controlling Excalibur. The probability of failure is too high, and since Heldre hasn''t shown up, the n can''t be executed.


    I inhaled deeply.


    "Menosorpo."


    A Rune expands with a single utterance.


    Of course, Skyler and Thompson would notice, but that doesn''t matter. Isamaya and Pascal are no easy foes, even if they take their eyes off me for a moment.


    <i>Menosorpo, Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    I held a bow and arrow in my hands.


    When I aimed at the kraken before, I could only fill Khryskatos with aura. My determination to hit it was strong, and time was exceedingly short.


    But this time is different.


    With a swoosh-!


    I pulled the bow, filling both the bow and arrow with aura. As always, this bow doesn''t require strict aiming. My eyes only need to capture Thompson and Skyler.


    This time, I infused both the bow and the arrow with aura.


    With anticipation of what might happen, I released the bowstring.


    * * *


    Thompson and Skyler were in different locations, but their concentration for continuing the battle had already been severed.


    The reason was the intimidating presence of the man on the opposite cliff.


    Despite the considerable distance, a chilling magical power swept under their feet like a wave.


    Fortunately, even Isamaya and Pascal, who were in a standoff, were distracted by the Frondier, losing their focus to him.


    ''What on earth is he trying to do...''


    Thompson was in a position where he could see the Frondier directly in front. It was indeed fortunate.


    But it was equally terrifying. He had to see with his own eyes the fearsome momentum of the Frondier drawing his bow.


    However, the aim was a bit off. The arrow was not directed at Thompson or Skyler.


    If one had to say, it was aimed somewhere in the middle, a bit higher. If shot as it was, it would merely cut through the air.


    ''Hmph. Is he nning to adjust his aim just before firing to attack?''


    Thompson lowered his gaze and waited for the Frondier to shoot the bow. Regardless of when it was shot or how remarkable the arrow was, Thompson was confident he could deflect it in a single attempt.


    However, the Frondier released the bowstring with his aim still set on the empty sky.


    "Huh?"


    Thompson eximed in disbelief as he watched the trajectory of the bow.


    Skyler probably felt simrly. The arrow was flying towards the sky,pletely off target.


    "What the, where is that arrow shooting at-"


    Before Thompson could finish his sentence, the arrow exploded in mid-air. Bang.


    ''...Ah! So that''s the famous ''firework''!''


    Thompson finally recalled a piece of information about the Frondier. Although he had half-listened to it due to its low reliability, he managed to dredge up the faint memory.


    There had been an incident in Constel not long ago, where monsters attacked, and it was said there was a rain of arrows that instantly killed the fleeing monsters. They called it ''fireworks''.


    If that''s the case, he''s not an imposter but truly Frondier.


    "A lunatic. To show his face to us so brazenly!"


    Just block this rain of arrows, and you''re as good as dead. That''s what Thompson thought the moment before.


    Boom-!


    Boom, Bang-!


    Arrows that had exploded once in the air exploded again in the void.


    "¡­What?"


    Like a warm-up, those that asionally exploded in the void.


    Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!


    The initially fragmented arrows all made their sound as they fragmented again in the air. From the first arrow, easily over a hundred split, and that many split again.


    ¡­So how many are there?


    "Wait, no, hold on."


    This doesn''t match the records. There couldn''t have been this many arrows.


    And for a good reason, with that number, a single shot would annihte the monsters and leave plenty to spare. ording to the records, there were fewer arrows, and a few more ''fireworks'' were needed.


    "It''s pitch ck."


    Thompson thought simply, looking up at the sky.


    The sky had turned ck. No, since all the arrows were emitting light, it wasn''t so much ck but rather.


    It was just rain. Made of light.


    The characteristic of Lokhiera, Fireworks.


    <i>"It shall rain."</i>


    "Could it be, for real."


    As Thompson thought, and as befits rain,


    A ck swarm of light precisely crashed towards them.


    "No way! Is it intending to attack its own allies too?"

 Chapter 135 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thompson was astonished at the falling rain. Such a number, it filled the area without a gap to spare. Not only Thompson and Skyler but also Pascal and Isamaya were obviously within its range.


    However, the arrows started to draw a strange curve.


    All of them avoided the Osprey floating higher in the sky, changing their trajectory to rush only towards two points. Directly at Thompson and Skyler.


    "Gasp¡­!"


    Thompson raised his prosthetic arm, with all the installed tendrils springing out. He surrounded himself with an aura for protection, kneeling to minimize his target area.


    It was the best defense posture he could assume at the moment.


    However.


    Boom-!!


    The earth resounded with the noise of a torrent of arrows, but these were no ordinary arrows."Cough! Choke! Argh...!"


    The whirlwind generated by his prosthetic arm couldn''t push away the arrows. The prosthetic itself couldn''t block all the arrows either. Through the gaps, a merciless attack pierced Thompson.


    Thompson crouched down even more, covering his face with his prosthetic arm like a turtle.


    It was a pitiful sight, but he had no energy to think about that. He buried his face in the ground, clenched his teeth, and waited for the pain to stop.


    Blood flowed from between his clenched teeth, staining the ground. The blood he bled smeared his face pressed against the ground.


    ...The barrage of arrows continued for a long time, and after it passed, Thompsony on the ground like a rag.


    His clothes were torn and blood flowed from the attacks that prated his aura.


    "Ugh, Phew, Huff...!"


    Thompson made strange noises. That single attack had almostpletely wiped out his aura. Despite using his prosthetic arm, drawing on all his strength, and his clothes being excellent armor, he was still in this state.


    If that attack came again, then.


    Trembling, Thompson lifted his face. As he expected, Isamaya was unharmed. Miraculously, she didn''t have a single injury within that torrent of arrows.


    "Huff, Huff...!"


    Isamaya must have been convinced by this attack. Those arrows would never target Isamaya. They only aimed at enemies, a skill unfairly biased.


    Thus, within the next torrent of arrows, Isamaya would attack him relentlessly. Thebined attack of the arrows and Isamaya. Thompson had no chance of defending against them.


    ''That''s right, Skyler is...!''


    Thompson spotted Skyler far away, below the cliff.


    Skyler wasn''t much different from what I could make out from this distance. He too was on his knees, unable to move properly. Support from this side was impossible.


    ''No. Like this, the n here has failed. I have to run away. Escape and then, think of the next operation.''


    Thompson thought. An utterly unexpected, yet fatally decisive attack.


    ''Run. Don''t think of anything else. If you misjudge now, you''ll just fall into the enemy''s trap. You''re smart. Be cool. Stay cool.''


    Thompson realized what the enemy, that is, the Frondier, was thinking right now. His n wasn''t just to inflict damage on Skyler and Thompson.


    The bastard surely knows more than what Indus thinks. Whether it''s because of a traitor or something else, right now, there''s something more important.


    ''I have to run!''


    Thompson let out a silent scream.


    ''Cain!!''


    * * *


    "That''s as far as you go."


    As I was preparing the next arrow, an unfamiliar voice sounded. No, perhaps a voice I''ve longed to hear.


    A girl approached me, the one drawing the bowstring.


    She was extending her hand towards me. It was an aggressive stance.


    "If you don''t lower that bow, you''re going to lose your head."


    "You''re scary, Cain."


    I said the girl''s name. Her eyes widened.


    But soon, those eyes settled down and began to show a killing intent.


    "As expected, there''s a leak of information."


    The keyword ''traitor'' seemed to be firmly embedded in Cain''s mind.


    Cain looked at me as if saying ''I''ve found you.''


    But the feeling was mutual.


    "Lower the bow, now."


    Cain warned me.


    I did as she said, slowly lowering the bow. I never intended to kill them anyway. They were incapacitated enough as it was.


    From the start, my n was to make them hostages. Hostages to lure in Cain. Someone among them might have guessed my intention, but at this point, it doesn''t matter.


    Now that Cain hase before me.


    ¡°The cliff¡¯s just behind you. Give it up for now.¡±


    Cain told me. Indeed, she was right, as I could see her arrows pointed at the cliff behind me. I was put in a position where I couldn¡¯t run away for the time being.


    But then why.


    Has Cain not killed me yet?


    It was worth confirming this.


    I looked at Cain and asked her.


    ¡°Do you know Kraken?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t try to trick me like that.¡±


    She knows him.


    ¡°I heard from him that I¡¯m to be a ¡®sacrifice¡¯ for the revolution of Indus.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyebrow flinched. I guess she didn¡¯t like the fact that Kraken told me something like that on his own ord.


    Given Kraken¡¯s arrogant nature, who originally likes to talk nonsense and disparage humans, it was something he would naturally say, but in Cain¡¯s head right now, there was the keyword ¡®traitor¡¯.


    ¡°¡­¡­So? You don¡¯t want to be a sacrifice? You want to make a deal like that?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, no way.¡±


    Kraken is trying to instill ¡®fear¡¯ in me. There¡¯s no doubt about it. People are generally scared when they are called a ¡®sacrifice¡¯, especially after an unidentified being like Krakenes and tells them this.


    But to me, it was just another piece of information.


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°How important I am. How valuable I am as a sacrifice. Can the sacrifice be reced by someone else?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Cain tilted her head.


    She seemed to not understand what I meant.


    That¡¯s good. It means I¡¯m one step ahead of her.


    I smiled at Cain. A sudden smile from the other person briefly halts your train of thought. I learned that from Selena.


    While that happened.


    ¡°W-what are you doing-!¡±


    Ignoring Cain¡¯s shout,


    I threw my body towards the cliff.

 Chapter 136 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Gingerth3gr8 from Ko-fi</i>


    ?During the car ride with Teacher Isamaya a few hours earlier, I opened up about a potential threat.


    "I might be attacked by the Indus."


    "What, what?"


    "It''s more than a possibility; it''s quite likely. When that happens, don''t panic, Teacher."


    "No, no, no, Frondier, what are you talking about? The n was to hide you and have us attack first."


    Isamaya eximed in confusion.


    I said with a stern face, "One of their leaders holds a grudge against me.""So? How does that lead to you being kidnapped?"


    "It''s more than a grudge; I''ve destroyed one of his hearts."


    "One of his hearts... What, is he a monster? Does he have more than one?"


    "Yes. Three."


    Isamaya gasped, her face one of disbelief.


    Of course, I already knew that the Kraken wasn''t on the aerial railway. But it was good material to convince Isamaya.


    "He talked about turning me into a sacrifice."


    "A sacrifice?"


    "Yes. He said it was necessary for the revolution. That''s why he didn''t attack me when we met at the gym."


    I don''t know why Indus wants to use Frondier as a sacrifice. This isn''t the same scenario as the game.


    But if all they needed was my ''life.''


    The Kraken could have attacked me enough at that time. Whether blowing off an arm, a leg, or piercing through my stomach.


    However, the Kraken didn''t do that. Even while threatening me at a speed I couldn''t react to, he didn''t try to properly attack me.


    To say it was just because of carelessness, given his cruel nature, it would have been more fitting for him to try and take at least one of my arms.


    "So, I thought about it. The ''sacrifice'' they talk about must be somewhat intact while still alive."


    "¡­So?"


    "Teacher. If the necessary sacrifice is in the hands of the enemy, how would you use it without killing or harming it?"


    When I asked Isamaya, she furrowed her brows.


    The answer came quickly.


    "¡­Kidnapping?"


    "Correct. Once we arrive in Cropolis and they start their name card operation, they likely nned to kidnap me amidst the chaos of students and teachers."


    Moreover, if they hide among civilians and pretend to be victims of the name card, the students won''t easily attack. Kidnapping would be easy.


    "But you''re here. You''re not going to Cropolis."


    "Yes. So, it would be best if I show myself."


    "...Show yourself? Hey, Frondier, you."


    Isamaya turned her head towards me. It was a dangerous act while driving, but not iprehensible.


    I said, "If I reveal myself, Indus will realize their n has failed. Since I''ll be in their sight, they will immediately try to kidnap me. This way, innocent citizens in Cropolis won''t get involved or hurt. The field trip can proceed without any issues."


    "Are you crazy? Absolutely not. You''re a student at Constel. You expect us to just watch you get kidnapped? Stop talking nonsense."


    "There''s a reason I''m only telling you this."


    I looked at Isamaya.


    Isamaya was furious. A student was offering up their life on a tter.


    It was indeed the right mindset for a teacher at Constel, but not suitable for the current situation.


    "A single student and the entirety of Constel''s students, along with the citizens of Cropolis. You know very well which is more important. You''re the most level-headed person in Constel."


    "¡­!"


    Isamaya''s eyes wavered.


    I smiled.


    "And you don''t like me much, do you? I''ve been a cheeky student to you."


    "That''spletely¡ª!"


    "That''s a matter of personal feelings, not something that should cloud the facts. I know that very well. That''s why I told you."


    I know Isamaya''s character. She never lets personal feelings interfere with her Pro duties. Everyone wants to do that, but it doesn''t always work out. But not her. She can perfectly separate personal from Pro matters.


    "So, if that situation arises, please contact the other teachers immediately. Indus''s operation won''t proceed in Cropolis. They were nning to use me to target the dean, so they might recklessly proceed with their n, maybe even on the aerial railway."


    "¡­So, in other words."


    I nodded.


    "We''re luring in Zodiac ''Heldre''. On the aerial railway."


    * * *


    I had already spread Menosorpo.


    Even if I were to fall, I could fly using Mj?lnir.


    But Cain doesn''t know that.


    Magic capable of flight in this world is extremely difficult. Even the ''levitation'' that barely lifts you a few centimeters off the ground is challenging for first-year Constel students.


    Magic is even more challenging for warriors than for magicians. Even Quinie, hailed as an all-weather jack-of-all-trades, can only use her fan to leap higher and farther.


    The kind of free flight most people imagine is only truly possible for beings like Osprey or Elodie.


    For reference, flying magic is slightly different depending on the school and element, but broadly it''s categorized into floating, wings, flight, and propulsion flight. While ''flight'' has limitations in speed control, ''propulsion flight'' allows the caster to increase speed as much as their capabilities permit.


    "What are you¡ª!"


    As I hurled myself towards the cliff, Cain reflexively reached out. Her hand touched the hem of my clothes with astonishing reaction speed.


    One.


    Fizz!


    Her arm separated, splitting into countless spider forms. I grinned.


    As expected, the Cain before me was a dummy made of spiders.


    While the dummy of Cain is indistinguishable from the real one to the eyes, the story changes when force is applied. Being a dense collection of spiders, it can''t hold together and disperses immediately.


    "Ugh!"


    The dummy that was Cain made such a sound and scattered into spiders in an instant.


    Meanwhile, my feetpletely left the ground, and I was just falling through the air.


    ''What will you do, Cain?''


    Cain is extremely afraid of revealing herself, not just because Thompson and Skyler are both in danger.


    It''s because Cain''s very existence is a massive weakness for Indus.


    ''But in current situation.''


    The dummy can''t stop my fall. Another dummy rushing at me wouldn''t ovee the force of my fall and would just shatter.


    So, what will Cain do now?


    How important the ''sacrifice'' is to you all.


    Now it''s your turn to be tested.

 Chapter 136 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Tatatat¡ª!


    At that moment, something moved quickly through the forest atop the cliff. It soon leaped powerfully towards me.


    It was Cain. It could be another dummy, but this time, perhaps.


    Thud!


    She caught my falling body. Cain''s body neither broke nor scattered.


    "There really are some crazy people in Constel. Not that I''m one to talk."


    Cain said, catching her breath a bit roughly.


    ¡ªFound it. Cain''s real body.


    Cain thinks she caught me, but in reality, I''ve finally caught Cain.I grabbed Cain by the neck. Looking at Cain''s wide-eyed face, I ripped the ne, ck Lotus.


    <i>Weaving, Morion.</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    I clutched Mj?lnir in my left hand and stretched it towards the sky. With the resonance of Mj?lnir and Menosorpo, Cain and I soared high into the sky.


    "?!"


    I could clearly see Cain''s face contorted in shock.


    "Y-you, you can use flying magic...."


    "It''s a bit different."


    No need to exin. If I go out of Menosorpo''s range, all the magic will disappear and I''ll fall, but it''ll take a while to get out of range.


    Cain and I continued to ascend into the sky. It wasn''t as fast as ''propulsion flight'', but it was still quite fast.


    Continuing to ascend, I asked, "Can yound on a ''thread'' from this altitude?"


    "......!"


    Cain''s face turned pale.


    For Cain to stand in the sky, threads needed to be installed on both sides. In other words, there needed to be structures where the threads could be installed.


    Needless to say, there''s no such thing at this altitude.


    I said to Cain, who had turned as white as a sheet, "You guys intended to kidnap me, right?"


    Cain kept a nk face, as if she didn''t have time to answer.


    I grinned. I''d like to say it was a sinister smile, but I think I smiled quite purely.


    With the face of a viin.


    "On the contrary, I wonder what would happen if I kidnapped one of you."


    That''s what I said to Cain.


    But I didn''t mean just any member of Indus.


    I clearly targeted and kidnapped ''Cain''. In order to lure out Heldre. Threatening Cain''s life by bringing her up to the edge of the sky was with this goal.


    ''Well, so far so good.''


    Cain still thinks I''m flying on my own, but in fact, I''m hanging on to Mj?lnir.


    Hanging on to Mj?lnir and flying is inconvenient in many ways. Since I''m using it for the purpose of flight, I can''t wield Mj?lnir itself. Simrly, I can''t use one of my hands.


    ''......Shall I try it?''


    Theoretically it''s possible. I have a way to fly on my own.


    Having made up my mind, I emitted aura all over my body.


    Menosorpo materializes magic within the range of the Rune and allows it to be moved freely.


    If that''s the case with the movement of mana, my body, which is enveloped in aura, should also be able to move.


    Since mana and aura are basically the same thing in the world of Etius.


    "......Alright."


    I have sessfully transferred the sensation of controlling weapons to controlling my own body.


    At first, it felt a bit awkward, but I quickly adapted. It became easier to control my own body than the weapons.


    I canceled Mj?lnir. Now I can fly without Mj?lnir. At least within the Rune of Menosorpo.


    Of course, Cain probably doesn''t understand what has changed.


    "Now, what should I do?"


    I paused in midair. If I let go of Cain now, she will fall from a great height and die. I will install a rope just before she hits the ground to minimize the impact, but I wonder if that will be enough.


    "...If you''re going to kill me, then do it."


    Cain lowered her arm. She released his grip on me and rxed her strength.


    "Haha. Why would I kill you?"


    "You brought me up here to kill me?"


    "No."


    I smiled brightly.


    "I''m trying to lure Heldre."


    "...If you know that much, then you must know what kind of person Heldre is."


    Heldre won''te here. No one in the world knows what kind of person he is.


    Cain said, "Heldre won''te just because one or two Indus members die."


    "That''s right. If it''s just an ''Indus member''."


    "...What?"


    My smile didn''t falter.


    Honestly, I felt really good. Both Cain and Indus were moving as I expected, saying what I expected them to say.


    The constantly changing expression on her face was quite interesting.


    "What I''m holding is his ''granddaughter.''"


    "...!"


    "I don''t even need to drop you here. Right here, right now."


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Excalibur</i>


    I confidently conjured Excalibur with my bare hands.


    Looking at the dazzling Excalibur inside Menosorpo, Cain widened her eyes.


    "...Look at that."


    ¡ª¡ªAnd, as expected.


    I clearly sensed something flying toward me at an astonishing speed and emitting an incredible amount of mana. The speed at which it flew by ''propulsion flight'' was unparalleled.


    Even though my mana control wasn''t perfect, my whole body tingled. Cold sweat ran down my back, but Iughed fearlessly.


    If everything is going as expected, what''s the point of being scared?


    "He¡¯sing."


    ''Zodiac'' Heldre.


    His arrival was imminent.

 Chapter 137 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?Heldre''s approach was already sensed by everyone.


    It wasn''t long before his form began to appear in their sight.


    Heldre was flying in with propulsion, his face set in a grimace.


    "Hmm."


    Osprey was the first to react, being the closest to him.


    However, Heldre''s flight gradually took on an upward curve. He had no business with Osprey. Not at the moment.


    If he didn''t tear out the throat of that vermin threatening his granddaughter''s life from high above¡ª


    "¡­!"


    Boom!But Heldre suddenly twisted his body and stopped. An explosion urred right in front of him in the empty air.


    The manifestation of magic from nowhere. It was obvious who it was. Heldre turned his body to look at Osprey.


    As expected, Osprey had his thumb pressed against his chest. It was thebat stance that Heldre had often seen Osprey in.


    Osprey said,


    "Leaving without a greeting, Heldre?"


    "¡­Osprey."


    Heldre''s eyes shed with bloodshot rage.


    "I don''t have time to talk to you right now. Later."


    Then, whoosh, Heldre flew again towards Frondier.


    ''Hoo.''


    Osprey followed him, literally ''exploding'' the air behind him. Despite this, Heldre dodged through, asionally taking hits, as he continued towards Frondier.


    ''To think That Heldre would ignore being hit first.''


    Was Frondier''s assumption correct?


    Frondier''s actions until just before seemed too sudden and abrupt, but seeing Heldre''s rash momentum, it seemed like a sess.


    And Heldre arrived. In front of Frondier. Since Osprey had flown right behind Heldre, Heldre was now caught between Frondier and Osprey.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Heldre opened his eyes wide.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it, even though he was seeing it with his own eyes. The moment he came face-to-face with the madman grabbing his granddaughter by the neck, Heldreughed. Killing intent lingered in thatughter.


    ¡°Frondier De Roach.¡±


    Heldre uttered that name, exuding chilling killing intent.


    Frondierughed as well. His smile was simr to Heldre¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored that you¡¯d remember my name.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I wouldn¡¯t forget your name?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t meant it that way at the time, though.


    Heldre looked around for a moment.


    He wanted to tear Frondier apart right now, but the situation was too disadvantageous for him.


    His granddaughter, Cain, was being held by Frondier, and Frondier had an ominous sword in his other hand.


    That sword, its aura and appearance clearly indicated what it was.


    ¡°¡­¡­Excalibur. So, the report was true.¡±


    ¡°Because no one believed me, I¡¯ve had it easy.¡±


    Frondier responded brazenly.


    Heldre spoke.


    ¡°That little brat has gotten considerably stronger. Using aura, and he¡¯s even learned to ¡®fly.¡¯ But, his head hasn¡¯t grown as much as his strength. Even if you obtained Excalibur, how dare you bare your fangs at me,¡±


    While Heldre was saying that.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    Frondier lightly cut Cain¡¯s arm. Blood began to flow out of the wound.


    Heldre¡¯s bloodshot eyes were now red enough to burst.


    ¡°What did you say, Heldre?¡±


    ¡°Y, y, you son of a bitch¡­¡­.¡±


    Heldre''s entire body trembled violently. An enormous aura erupted from his whole being.


    Even now, as Frondier was holding Cain hostage, Heldre could kill Frondier if he pushed himself a bit. Cain would not die either.


    However, even if that were possible, the problemy with Osprey.


    For Heldre, dealing with Osprey alone was already quite a challenge, and here was Frondier, wielding unprecedented power and taking hostages as well.


    "¡­I understand."


    Heldre closed his eyes. The trembling stopped. His murderous intent wasn''tpletely hidden, but it was restrained.


    "What do you want? You must have called me here for that."


    Upon hearing Heldre''s response, Osprey, standing behind, lit up his eyes.


    ''As expected, he saw thising.''


    Osprey was genuinely impressed with Frondier.


    Not only for calling Heldre by taking Cain as a hostage but also for incapacitating Thompson and Skyler beforehand, leaving Heldre without properbat support.


    In the end, he had no choice but to willingly enter into negotiations.


    ''If I can get a firm promise to abandon the security of Constel and the revolution©¤''


    That''s what Osprey was thinking.


    However, Frondier slightly opened his hand that held the sword. Something formed between his fingers, and he swallowed it.


    In an instant.


    "!"


    A mighty mana burst forth from Frondier. In terms of sheer quantity, it surpassed both Osprey and Heldre.


    Exuding an intimidating presence, Frondier said,


    "What I want is simple."


    His voice changed. The air around seemed to boil as if it were his voice, and it seemed as if an earthquake was rumbling through Frondier''s voice.


    "Your life, Heldre."


    "¡­Ha."


    Heldre let out an incredulous sound.


    Heldre spat out in disbelief, despite emitting a significant amount of mana and even taking his granddaughter hostage.


    To target Heldre''s own life was crossing the line too far.


    "You''re going to kill me?"


    "Yes."


    Right after speaking, Frondier extended Excalibur.


    Heldre sneered.


    "Hmph, the weapon is quite something, but just that much©¤"


    His thought was abruptly cut off.


    Because Frondier''s overflowing mana began to imbue Excalibur.


    Excalibur, having absorbed the mana, amplified it further, shining several times more brightly.


    "......You."


    It was no bluff.


    Frondier really did have a weapon capable enough to kill Heldre.


    But Heldre was also a member of the Zodiacs, having traversed numerous battlefields.


    Heldre quietly observed Excalibur.


    ''The only way to hit me with that sword is to throw it.''


    He didn''t know how good Frondier''s throwing skills were, but with Heldre''s eyes, dodging it would certainly not be toote.


    Heldre said.


    "No matter how powerful, its essence is still ''a sword'', isn''t it?"


    It''s not a bow. Nor is it a wand. The methods to hit Heldre with that sword were clearly limited.


    "Do you know what will happen if you fail to hit me?"


    Being a sword, if thrown, Frondier would obviously be left unarmed. If Heldre manages to dodge the thrown sword.


    "You will die."

 Chapter 137 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Heldre said it. Without any bluster, he was sincere.


    "Blood will spurt from your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, all your orifices. Your eyeballs will roll around, unable to distinguish heaven from earth. I will make it so."


    A voice filled with murderous intent, a clear warning. Frondier quietly listened to those words and opened his mouth.


    "Chancellor."


    Frondier called for Osprey.


    "What is it?"


    "Step back. That position is dangerous."


    "¡­Are you sure it''s okay?"


    "Yes. And by not getting involved, you can help, can''t you?"After a moment of silence, Osprey stepped aside as Frondier had suggested. Frondier was right.


    To aid Frondier, it was better to be close to him rather than surrounding Heldre.


    "Argh!"


    Frondier, with the sword in his hand, wrapped it around Cain''s neck. That alone intensified Heldre''s murderous intent, but there was nothing he could do about it now.


    With Cain''s neck still in his grasp, Frondier switched the grip of his sword to a reverse grip. He aimed the tip at Heldre.


    ©¤Even then, Heldre, blinded by rage, failed to grasp the true intent behind Frondier''s actions.


    Why did Frondier wrap his hand around Cain''s neck? Why hold the sword in a reverse grip? Such a stance would make throwing impossible.


    Frondier smirked.


    "You said you would dodge."


    Frondier, with his hand around Cain''s neck holding the sword. Naturally, his other hand was empty.


    It should be empty, but.


    The slowly raised empty hand, for some reason, held something like a hammer©¤


    "Try it, ''Zodiac.''"


    With that hammer, Frondier struck the end of Excalibur''s hilt.


    Ka-a-ang!!!


    A massive metallic sound that seemed to tear through the air erupted.


    Instantly, the mana absorbed by Excalibur was released. It was a huge sh of mana in the shape of a sword.


    "What©¤!!"


    The sword aura of Excalibur, having absorbed an enormous amount of mana and then amplified it further before releasing it.


    Of course, the actual sword was not involved, and the condensed mana of Excalibur, when diffused by the impact, was somewhat weakened.


    But does that "somewhat" really matter?


    "Kuh!"


    Heldre concentrated all of his aura into a single point. He abandoned the thought of dodging. This was no longer merely a sword.


    What resembled the shape of a sword, but was asrge as a house, wasunched with the power of an unknown hammer. Its speed and size made evasion impossible.


    Heldre extended his fingers of both hands toward each other and pushed them forward. His aura sharpened like the tip of an arrow.


    That aura collided with the sh of Excalibur.


    Boom©¤!!


    ¡°Ah, ugh, aaaaah©¤!!¡±


    Heldre screamed. The moment they collided, all the joints in his fingers were shattered. He knew this would happen. From the beginning, he had given up on his fingers, no, his hands.


    Yet, despite such a sacrifice,


    Crack, crunch.


    ¡°Ah, ack, eughhhhh¡­¡­!¡±


    His bones screamed. The tips of his fingers were already torn apart, skin ripped open to reveal bone.


    The fingers were barely attached to his hand. Instead, sounds of cracking started from his wrists, elbows, and shoulders.


    Those imbued with the power of Mj?lnir do not easily lose that momentum. It was the same when Renzo first received Mj?lnir.


    At least Renzo had his beloved weapon to sacrifice, but Heldre was barehanded. Moreover, the power of the mana contained in Excalibur already surpassed that of Mj?lnir.


    Had there been sufficient preparation to receive Excalibur, perhaps it would have been different, but the aura hastily drawn out in a desperate defense.


    As a result.


    ¡°Guh, guck¡­¡­, huk, huff¡­¡­!¡±


    Heldre, after taking all of it, was in a pitiable state. His fingers were pointing in all directions, and his entire body was covered with numerous burns and wounds like cuts, from which blood streamed down.


    He lowered his arms. Probably, he won''t be able to lift them for a while.


    ¡°...This, this kind of, unreasonable power¡­¡­!¡±


    ...a strength of this kind, so unreasonable ...!


    No matter how fierce the attack, how violent the magic, in the end, it will destroy one''s arm.


    Heldre looked at Frondier with eyes full of fear.


    ...Excaliber was still in his field of vision.


    In other words,


    "You''ve blocked it."


    Frondier had a calm, yet bored face as he looked at Heldre.


    "Then it is."


    At Frondier''s words, Excaliber emitted light. Its meaning was clear.


    That meaning was called fear.


    "Huh, huh..."


    Heldre took a deep breath. Frondier spoke with a calm face.


    "Put that face away. It''s not convincing."


    "Now, wait a minute. Just give me a moment."


    "Are you a Zodiac?"


    Frondier ignored him and raised his hammer.


    Herees the next one again.


    Just thinking about it, Heldre''s heart felt like it would burst.


    Heldre doesn''t know the maximum amount of mana Frondier possesses.


    Let''s say he miraculously blocked the next attack.


    Then what about the next one? And the one after that?


    Heldre regretted bitterly. If he had been fully prepared, he would have been able to respond to that attack as well. But he came too hastily. And he was too careless.


    ''I''m dying...''


    Dying? Really? ''Zodiac''?


    But one thing was clear, and it rang through his head like a siren.


    Frondier, who pulled the sword back a bit.


    His eyes did not feel like they were filled with any kind of spirit.


    "S, save me! Please! I''ll do anything!"


    Heldre begged for his life.


    It was something he had never done in his life.

 Chapter 138 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to ADXDXDXD boosting our discord server!</i>


    Swoosh, whoosh.


    I silently exhaled and inhaled repeatedly in a volume that couldn¡¯t be heard.


    The most important point in this deception strategy is my remaining mana.


    Penelope¡¯s fabric is certainly a magnificent item that holds immeasurable mana, but it doesn¡¯t mean that I can freely do this kind of ridiculous stuff endlessly.


    I was able to lower Heldre¡¯s guard and deal a fatal blow, but I can¡¯t use this attack again.


    I¡¯m already having a hard time just maintaining the form of Excalibur and Mj?lnir. It seems like my acting is still working for now though.


    By the way,¡°P-please spare me! I beg you! I¡¯ll do anything!¡±


    Heldre is begging.


    It was a new experience for me, but it wasn¡¯t very pleasant.


    Heldre is portrayed as quite a formidable opponent in the game.


    Of course, he is defeated by the faculty members of Constel, so it¡¯s difficult for the main character, Aster Evans, to properly face Heldre. It¡¯s also something that happens muchter on.


    Because of that, Heldre is depicted as a very mysterious character in the game because we don¡¯t see his fall.


    He injures quite a few of Constel¡¯s teachers and apparently resists until the end, so there are even some fans of Heldre.


    And yet, he¡¯s begging for his life. He¡¯s bending the pride of the ¡®Zodiac¡¯.


    ¡°Heldre.¡±


    I called his name and asked him something that was bothering me.


    ¡°What about your Divine Power?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    Heldre lowered his head. I couldn¡¯t see his expression, but his trembling head was expressing fury and humiliation.


    Heldre didn¡¯t use his Divine Power.


    All 12 members of the Zodiac have Divine Power. If you don¡¯t have Divine Power to begin with, you can¡¯t be a Zodiac. There is an insurmountable difference between magic and aura.


    However, Heldre didn¡¯t use Divine Power. Even after both of his arms were blown off.


    Of course, I know the reason why.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been abandoned, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    The will of the gods is fickle.


    Sometimes they don¡¯t give Divine Power to anyone, and sometimes several gods cling to one person.


    Like Heldre, there are cases where power is given and then taken back.


    Of course, I don''t know the reason. In the game, it was said that Heldre resisted until the end, but is that possible without divine power?


    "......I haven''t been abandoned......"


    At that moment, Heldre recited in a voice filled with anger.


    "The gods have not forsaken me. They are still alive by my side."


    "Then why©¤"


    I stopped speaking mid-sentence. Something began to rise around Heldre''s body.


    It''s been a while since I''ve seen it. A characteristic only visible to yers. A purple miasma.


    "......!"


    I see.


    They are indeed by his side.


    Originally, yers thought this purple miasma indicated a character had ''fallen''. Characters usually exhibit entric behaviors when the miasma appears.


    However, I have witnessed something during the golem incident.


    I saw ''Hephaestus'' manifest from the miasma rising around Edwin.


    In other words, the miasma is not evidence of ''corruption'', but rather evidence of a god manifesting.


    In other words,


    [It''s nice to meet you, Frondier de Roach.]


    The time that stopped during the golem incident.


    And the voice that probably only I can hear.


    The miasma took shape, appearing as a woman.


    [Let me greet you.]


    And the woman gracefully bowed her head.


    [My name is Hestia.]


    Hestia.


    The goddess of the hearth, the protector of the home. Considered the most gentle deity in Greek and Roman mythology.


    ...To be honest, she doesn''t match Heldre at all. Just as ''Renzo'', the ''Glutton of Chaos'', has the war god Alex as his divine power, I expected Heldre to have someone simrly matched.


    Perhaps in the world of Etius, the image of the gods I generally know is different.


    [It seems you think I don''t fit in here.]


    Truly a deity. She easily catches onto my inner thoughts.


    "That''s right. I''m curious why you gave Heldre divine power."


    I spoke in the paused time. I couldn''t speak when Hephaestus stopped time, but does this mean Hestia is a higher deity?


    [The reason is simple. I love humanity] Hestia said with her characteristic calm and clear voice.


    Whether that benevolent demeanor was genuine or a fabricated lie, there was still no way to tell.


    "What do you mean?"


    [I believed that helping him was the way to save the most humans.]


    "¡­An invasion of monsters, then."


    Hestia nodded.


    [Gods can roughly know what qualities a human will have when they are born, what destiny they will follow. That''s why I helped Heldre. Because he ys the most significant role in repelling the invasion of monsters.]


    [¡­Before that invasion, Heldre was a vicious criminal, and now, he dreams of revolutionizing the pce.]


    [It''s difficult for me to respond tows and crimes made among humans. There''s only one thing I can say: the number of humans Heldre has saved far exceeds those he has killed, and that number is overwhelmingly greater than anyone else in the present.]


    Hestia, who loves humans.


    Whether they are evil or good, she loves and saves them without discrimination, the more, the better.


    Therefore, she bestowed divine power upon Heldre, who saved the most humans.


    Truly, it''s a god''s way of thinking.


    [But I do not agree with the revolution. That future will only bring a horrific death filled with bloodshed. So, I tried to suppress Heldre as much as I could.]


    Indeed, it''s said that Heldre changed after the barrier was erected.


    From a criminal known only for bloodshed to one possessing kindness and mercy. People say it''s because he became ''Zodiac,'' but perhaps it was Hestia''s influence.


    "Was your suppression in vain then?"


    [I have no intention of forcefully changing his mind. Since he is nothing but a doll of the gods, not a human. That''s why I left him. Right now, I am just using his body. He can no longer borrow divine power from me. I will only grant divine power when and how I choose.]


    Not granting divine power.


    Then does that mean Heldre carried out the revolution without Hestia''s help?


    Are the cowardly actions Heldre is showing now a reaction to losing divine power?


    But in the game, probably Hestia lent him the divine power at the time of the final battle. Although whether the current Hestia would do the same is unknown.


    [We don''t have much time, so let me make this brief.]


    Hestia said.


    It seems like she is about to tell me the real reason she showed herself to me.


    [As the human world is chaotic, it doesn''t mean that things are peaceful here where the gods are.]


    "Not peaceful..."


    At my murmuring, Hestia nodded.


    [I can''t exin the details. If I mention certain keywords, it will call other gods, which will put you in danger too.]


    "Can you tell me at least the gist of it?"


    At my question, Hestia closed her eyes for a moment, seemingly pondering.


    She seemed to be thinking about how to convey her message while avoiding any keywords that might catch the attention of other gods.


    [There was a problem that the gods have not been able to solve for a very long time. The opposing stance for solving that problem has existed since ancient times.]


    "And that has some effect on humans, is that it?"


    Hestia nodded.


    I asked.


    "Then, whose side are you on, Hestia-nim?"


    [Let''s just say that I''m on your side. For now.]


    Hestia, who loves humans, is on my side for now.


    If it''s true that the gods are currently in conflict, this was huge information.


    [But I heard that there might be something you can do in this situation.]


    "Something I can do?"


    I looked at Hestia questioningly.


    At that moment, Hestia and I made eye contact.


    "...Ah."


    A momentary vision filled my eyes, reminiscent of when I had encountered Hephaestus.


    Within the scene was the figure of Hestia, forever repeating the same tasks.


    Her daily life, flickering by like a dream.


    Lighting the forge, watching over the human world with apassionate gaze.


    The eternal me within the forge.


    "Hestia''s Hearth."


    I stored that hearth in the ''workshop''.


    [...Really,]


    Awakening from that vision, I heard Hestia''s murmur.


    Though not clear, it seemed Hestia was surprised.


    [So, you can observe the past through the eyes of a god. Just as Hephaestus mentioned.]


    "......"


    I found myself unable to respond. Not that I didn''t want to, but I too was unaware of how this was possible.


    Artemis''s bow and arrows. These were the weapons I witnessed from Hephaestus''s past.


    The condition must have been meeting a god manifested in purple haze. Yet, having directly observed the past, I felt no sense of having done anything.


    Instead, it felt as though the god''s past was imposing itself upon me.


    [It''s time.]


    Hestia, who suddenly spoke, seemed to lift her head slightly, as if sensing something.


    [Be careful, Frondier. As you know, you have many enemies.]


    "......It''sforting to know that some among the gods are on my side."


    Within the slowly fading haze, she seemed to briefly smile at my words.


    And as the paused time began to flow once more,


    I saw Heldre again.

 Chapter 138 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ''...Alright. It''s a bit hard to get used to.''


    Returning to reality after facing a god felt like being hit by a sudden wave.


    But nothing had changed. Let''s proceed with the n.


    "Mr. Heldre. Then, let me make you an offer."


    I spoke to Heldre, who looked at me with suspicion.


    Even while begging, he must have deemed his chances of survival slim.


    Of course, he wasn''t wrong.


    ¡°All I want is your life. So, making a deal with you is out of the question.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Then what do you suggest?¡±Heldre muttered unpleasantly.


    ¡°I will give you a choice.¡±


    ¡°A choice?¡±


    When Heldre asked, I grabbed Cain by the nape of her neck and lifted her up. Heldre¡¯s gaze turned to Cain.


    ¡°You seem to cherish your granddaughter dearly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hey, wait a minute.¡±


    Heldre guessed what I was going to do.


    And perhaps his guess was correct.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to drop Cain from here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    I spoke calmly. I was trying my best to do so.


    ¡°I will shoot the same thing I shot at you at Cain as she¡¯s falling. Cain probably won¡¯t be able to evade an attack that even you couldn¡¯t evade.¡±


    Heldre¡¯s eyes opened wide. When I looked at Cain, her expression was more or less the same.


    ¡°But you might be able to stop it. After all, you did block it once.¡±


    Of course, his arms were ruined.


    I smiled. I¡¯ve been feeling like a real viin since earlier.


    I¡¯m putting the lives of a granddaughter and her grandfather on the line in front of the grandfather. Well, anyone would think I¡¯m an evil viin.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance.¡±


    At my words, Heldre mped his mouth shut. His jaw jutted out.


    It was an expression of rage, but I couldn¡¯t know what he was thinking.


    ¡°I will be creating an opening between the time I drop Cain and the moment I shoot Excalibur. What you do with that opening, whether you run away or try to save your granddaughter, is your choice. By the way, I don¡¯t rmend attacking me. It would be futile with those hands, and don¡¯t forget about the person next to me.¡±


    At my words, Heldre turned his gaze to Osprey.


    Osprey was already next to me. With his abilities, he could easily protect me from Heldre in his current state.


    Heldre spoke after a brief silence,


    ¡°Does Osprey also agree to this proposal? Will that bastard not interfere with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he will. Isn¡¯t that right, Chancellor?¡±


    I smiled, looking at Osprey.


    Of course, nothing had been agreed upon beforehand. However, if it was Osprey, he would be able to see through my intentions.


    ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t interfere,¡± Osprey said.


    I stretched my arm, which was still holding Cain by the neck, to the side. She was quite heavy, even though she was slender.


    ¡°Then choose.¡±


    I said, and¡­


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    I dropped Cain without hesitation. Cain let out a short sound that could barely be called a scream.


    I pointed the tip of Excalibur, which I was holding in reverse, at Cain. I pulled Mj?lnir back forcefully. It was the same attack stance as before.


    I still haven¡¯t named this attack, but it resembles a hammer striking a nail. I suppose I¡¯ll call it ¡®Nail.¡¯


    ¡°Kuugh¡­!¡±


    Heldre, seeing that¡­


    ©¤©¤ran away. Without even looking back. He was disappearing into the distance with propulsion flight.


    ¡®This is good enough.¡¯


    Naturally, I didn¡¯t have the energy to perform a second ¡®Nail.¡¯ So instead, I said,


    ¡°Chancellor! Please chase after Heldre!¡±


    ¡°Are you going back on our agreement?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to attack him! Just chase him so he doesn¡¯te back here!¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤Very well. I understand.¡±


    Osprey also flew off in the direction Heldre had disappeared, using propulsion flight.


    Then I canceled Excalibur and Mj?lnir. I dropped vertically towards Cain, who was falling.


    It¡¯s terrible to say after dropping her, but¡­


    I was going to save Cain.


    She still has some value as she isn¡¯t quite ready to die.

 Chapter 139 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @frozendeagon and @genero from Ko-fi!</i>


    Cain fell through the air, the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on her. It was difficult to follow her elerating descent.


    As the distance between us lessened, I got a closer look at Cain. Her eyes were tightly shut, as if she had resigned himself to death.


    I shouted towards the falling Cain.


    "Hey! Open your eyes!"


    "......!"


    Cain opened her eyes at the sound of my voice, spotted me, and opened her mouth.


    "What, what are you doing!? What''s your game!?"Cain said, sounding flustered. I suppose it wouldn''t look good for the person who knocked her off to suddenly reach out a helping hand.


    But did that really matter in this situation?


    "Reach out your hand! Do you want to die!?"


    "......!"


    Cain seemed to bristle at my words, but she eventually extended her hand.


    There was still some distance between us, but that was fine. I was properly prepared this time.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Rope</i>


    Following Azier''s advice, I had properly stored some rope in my workshop.


    I grabbed the end of the rope and threw it. It was long enough to reach Cain, and I paused in the air once I confirmed that she had caught it.


    I pulled on the rope, hoisting Cain up. Then, I slowly descended back to the ground with Cain in tow.


    "......What the hell are you thinking?"


    Cain looked at me with a disgruntled expression.


    I ignored her and asked,


    "Can you use portals?"


    "What?"


    "I saw Kraken escape using a portal. Can you all use them?"


    Cain blinked, then seemed to ponder the question before answering.


    "I can. It requires a chant, though."


    "Alright. Then once we get to the ground, escape using a portal."


    Cain''s eyes narrowed at my words.


    "Seriously, what''s your game?"


    "Look down."


    Cain obediently lowered her head. Maybe because I saved her life, she was being surprisingly obedient.


    "Skyler and Thompson have already been apprehended. They won''t be able to escape."


    "......!"


    On the ground, Isamaya and Pascal already had the two of them restrained. Wearing restraints, they wouldn''t be able to escape through the portal.


    "Now, you''re the only member of Indus."


    ¡°¡­¡­And Kraken."


    Right, that''s true.


    "Anyway, if you''re caught, Indus will truly be annihted. There''s a good chance that the guys who received orders from the executives will cause amotion and run wild."


    "So, why are you worried about that? We¡¯re you enemy, aren''t we?"


    As we conversed, the ground drew closer. At this height, Cain would probably be fine even if she fell. She has a rope. Rather, it wouldn''t be bad to devise a n to attack me while I''m flying right now.


    However, Cain didn''t do that. She''s not cunning enough to have such thoughts, and more than anything, Cain is too young. Not simply inexperienced like Pascal, but literally a young girl.


    That''s why the seed of doubt that sprouted in the child''s mind only growsrger.


    "The Empire must change. Just like you said."


    I moderately endorsed her dream. As expected, the eyes that had been looking at me with suspicion softened a little, and Cain looked at me with a bit of interest.


    I looked at Cain with a deliberately serious expression.


    "But, the same goes for Indus."


    ¡°¡­¡­What.¡±


    "You saw Heldre run away on you."


    "You made him do that. And Heldre is more important than me."


    "Is that ''equality''?"


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Among the executives of Indus, Cain is the only one who truly believes in the slogan they''re promoting, ''equality.''


    "G, got no time."


    I deliberately chose a barren cliff with no people andnded.


    There''s still time, but if I dawdle, one of the instructors will witness me intentionally letting Cain go.


    Of course, it was an intentional action, but they won''t believe me even if I exin it.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Cain quietly watched me and took a few steps back. Then, a portal opened behind her.


    That portal will probably only open right above the ground, and vertically like that. It''s impossible for Cain to open a portal while falling to lessen the damage.


    Cain stared at me in silence before pursing her lips.


    "You''ll regret this."


    "You''re the one who''ll regret it."


    It may have just been a verbal fight, but I meant each and every word.


    Cain seemed to realize that, closing her mouth before disappearing beyond the portal.


    With the portal gone, the ce which was once filled with a bloody battle became deathly silent.


    "Whew."


    Lifting my head, I looked up at the sky.


    It was a clear, blue sky.


    A perfect day for a school trip.


    * * *


    At the same time, inside the train.


    After passing the sky rail, the teachers let out a sigh of relief.


    Stepping down from their alert status, they took turns walking around the inside of the carriage.


    After her shift, Malia returned to her seat and checked on the situation through sensory sharing.


    And then,


    "¡­It''s done."


    She clenched her fist.


    A devastating blow had befallen the enemymander and their leaders.


    It was a result far greater than Constel had predicted.


    ''He suddenly went off on his own, and I was worried.''


    Malia watched Frondier''s actions through sensory sharing. The view from Chancellor Osprey''s perspective was the best seat in the house.


    Malia''s heart welled up with joy and pride at Frondier''s steadily improving¡ªno, it was getting to the point where calling it improvement didn''t seem to do it justice¡ªskill.


    But that onlysted a moment. After checking the situation, Malia sent a text to all the teachers.


    [Two of Indus'' leaders have been apprehended. The rest have fled. Report any further developments.]

 Chapter 139 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The teachers, who were keeping a close eye on Indus, all read the message with a sigh of relief. The atmosphere in the train rxed.


    ©¤Elodie noticed that change in the atmosphere.


    ''...Feels like the air''s been let out of a balloon.''


    Elodie had always been exceptionally sensitive to mana. She couldn''t let the air of rxation inside the train escape her notice.


    When the train departed, Elodie had already predicted that something had happened when she witnessed the tense expressions on the teachers'' faces.


    The tension swelled inside the train as if a giant balloon had been stuffed into it, so pervasive that it seemed it might burst at any moment.


    However, the balloon didn''t burst, and instead, the opening was untied, allowing the air to escape back out.


    In other words, the feared event did not ur, and everything was resolved well. That''s one way to think about it.


    "......Teacher."Elodie called out to a nearby teacher as a test.


    "Hmm? What''s up?"


    ...Even without paying much attention, the voice was different. It had be much more rxed and calm as the teacher approached Elodie.


    "How much longer until we arrive?"


    "To our destination? Hmm, about an hour?"


    "Thank you."


    Elodie finished talking with the teacher and looked at Aster.


    By coincidence, Aster was also looking at Elodie with a meaningful gaze.


    For Aster, the tension inside the train was less concerning than the phone screen Lunia showed her when they were on the bus.


    ''Frondier''s information is overly exposed in Cropolis.''


    One would have to visit Cropolis to know for sure, but it''s likely that most of Cropolis''s citizens now recognize Frondier''s face.


    Furthermore, the frequency at which the teachers checked their messages simultaneously was notable, and just earlier, a civilian was reprimanded by a teacher and taken somewhere.


    Above all, Elodie was looking at him now.


    Their thoughts were nearly identical.


    ''There has been an incident at Constel that the students are unaware of, and Frondier is involved.''


    It was still just a suspicion. There was no concrete evidence, so it might be closer to conjecture.


    The way to confirm it was simple.


    To arrive in Cropolis and find Frondier.


    If they couldn''t see Frondier there...


    ''He went off to some dangerous ce without saying anything again, didn''t he?''


    Elodie''s eyes zed with fire.


    Of course, not due to any magical power, but metaphorically speaking.


    * * *


    After arriving in Cropolis, the students were escorted to their amodations to unpack their bags.


    Each ss cheered at the announcement of free time after the teachers had given them their instructions.


    Since the main purpose of Cropolis¡¯s school trip was for students to rx, it was a free period for the most part.


    As long as they didn¡¯t stray too far from the premises, they generally didn¡¯t interfere with what the students did. As long as they arrived back by the time dinner was served, that was all that mattered.


    ¡ªThat¡¯s why helping a friend with his volunteer work could be considered a healthy activity during free time, if anything.


    Thinking that, Elodie looked for Jane, the homeroom teacher for ss Five, and found someone who¡¯d gotten there before her.


    ¡°So, where is he? Mr. Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Well, that is¡­¡±


    It was Aten. Aten¡¯s transparent eyes stared straight at Jane.


    Jane avoided Aten¡¯s gaze. Aten¡¯s expression was hard to read, which made it all the more difficult for Jane.


    ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be here at Cropolis doing volunteer work, but I haven¡¯t seen him at all since we arrived.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Frondier, is it? I heard he got punished for doing something bad at Constel. This was his volunteer work as a punishment.¡±


    ¡°I suppose, but surely you could tell me where he is?¡±


    Aten¡¯s face drew closer, and Jane drew back in response.


    ¡®She nned this from the start, didn¡¯t she?¡¯


    Jane guessed, feeling Aten¡¯s immense force of will. She¡¯d seemed docile enough on the bus and train, but it was clear she¡¯d had this in mind ever since they arrived at Cropolis.


    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s¡­ Ah! Elodie!¡±


    At that moment, Jane spotted Elodie in the distance. Here came her savior!


    ¡°Elodie! Back me up here! Frondier¡¯s currently doing volunteer work as part of his punishment!¡±


    Elodie approached at Jane¡¯s shout.


    Elodie smiled and said to Jane,


    ¡°I¡¯m curious where he is too. Frondier, that is. Since we¡¯re friends, I¡¯d like to help him with his volunteer work.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t a savior; she was enemy reinforcements.


    Jane forced a smile as cold sweat trickled down her back.


    ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t the two of you go y at the beach or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes. After we meet up with Frondier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. After I help Frondier out.¡±


    Their answers didn¡¯t even register with her.


    Suddenly, a humming sound came from afar. Hmm, hmm~ At the familiar tune, Jane turned her head once more.


    This time, she thought it might be their savior, but it was Sybil. It was her unique way of walking, as if she was dancing to a rhythm.


    "I knew that tune sounded familiar!"


    Jane regretted turning her head on her own ord.


    "Ah, Sybil! Here you are!"


    That''s when Elodie called out to her.


    "Hmm?"


    Sybil responded oddly.


    "What''s up?"


    "We''re looking for Frondier. Aren''t you curious where Frondier might be?"


    Elodie knew well that Sybil had a crush on Frondier. They had gone through the cabin incident together; it was impossible not to know.


    At Elodie''s words, Sybil''s eyes sparkled, and she nodded.


    "Yeah, I''m curious! That''s why I''m on my way!"


    "Right... Wait, what did you say?"


    When Elodie asked again, Sybil repeated herself.


    "I''m on my way. To Frondier."


    "Huh?"


    "What?"


    "Hmm?"


    This time, even Jane couldn''t help but make a noise. Aten''s head snapped toward Jane, and Jane quickly turned her head away, pretending to be distracted.


    Elodie asked.


    "Do you know where Frondier is?"


    "No, I don''t."


    Sybil answered as if it were obvious.


    It sounded like her response didn''t make sense. But Sybil''s next words perfectly tied it all together.


    "I just have a feeling that if we go that way, we''ll be able to meet him."


    And Sybil pointed in a certain direction along the coast.


    Elodie and Aten looked at each other.


    Anyone else might think this was nonsense. But since it was Sybil who said it.


    "...Let''s follow her."


    "Me too."


    Elodie and Aten didn''t take long to decide.

 Chapter 140 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Sage, the ascended outer and @Senntrom from Ko-fi!</i>


    Elodie and Aten followed behind Sybil. A little further back, Jane was also in pursuit.


    Jane, unlike Malia, didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened on the sky rail. Therefore, she believed that Frondier, having participated in the operation, wouldn¡¯t have time to be in Cropolis.


    But lightly dismissing that thought,


    "Ah."


    Sybil, with an excited voice, was the first to speak up, pointing her finger somewhere.


    "There he is."


    The beach. Already, many students and citizens were enjoying their leisure time on the sandy shores.Frondier was walking leisurely in front of them.


    "¡­It¡¯s real."


    In a simple uniform, with a hat to block out the sun, and even a whistle around his neck.


    He was unmistakably dressed as a lifeguard.


    Aten looked at Jane.


    ¡°So themunity service was being a lifeguard?¡±


    ¡°Uh? Oh, well, yes.¡±


    Jane answered awkwardly.


    She didn¡¯t know either.


    ¡®So, they really made him domunity service.¡¯


    She had thought it was just an excuse for the Indus extermination operation.


    Then, does this mean that after carrying out the operation with Osprey, Frondier immediately returned to Cropolis to work as a lifeguard?


    ¡­Isn¡¯t that overdoing it?


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t know yet.¡±


    Elodie snorted.


    Everyone here always knew of another possibility. Having seen the mask packs from Quinie.


    That Frondier could also be a fake wearing a mask.


    ¡®Well, since I followed Sybil and found the real Frondier, the chances of him being a fake are slim.¡¯


    But it¡¯s still worth checking.


    When Elodie rolled up her sleeves and slowly approached Frondier,


    "¡­Oh."


    Elodie saw a few women in swimsuits approaching Frondier.


    Conversations like where did youe from? You look young, are you a student? Part-time job? were heard.


    As she got closer, the conversation became clearer.


    "Ah, I know who you are! You¡¯re a Constel student, aren¡¯t you!"


    ¡°Oh my, really?¡±


    ¡°Of course! They said they came to Cropolis for a school trip from Constel today, but he¡¯s the face I¡¯ve seen the most on Wizard View!¡±


    The women approaching Frondier were raising their tension, chattering among themselves.


    Elodie¡¯s face naturally turned towards Frondier.


    Frondier, still with anguid face. It was unclear whether he was listening to the approaching women or not. Fortunately,


    ¡®No, why do I think this is fortunate?¡¯


    Elodie brushed off the thought that had momentarily crossed her mind.


    "Mr. Frondier is quite popr."


    Aten, who was behind,mented.


    Indeed, Frondier''s poprity, orck thereof, wasrgely due to the reputation that spread within Constel. He was perceived as a useless,zy man who relied solely on his family''s power and was immature.


    However, Frondier, having shed that image, was beyond reproach at least in appearance.


    Elodie knew that at her mansion, dressed in a suit, Frondier had caught everyone''s attention.


    Moreover, whether it was the effect of training or something else, Frondier''s body had be muscr. He was at least not unworthy of the title of a warrior.


    "Hmm."


    At that moment, someone smirked amusingly. It was Sybil.


    Sybil flipped her hair and walked past Elodie towards Frondier. By then, Sybil had alreadypleted a certain ''transition''.


    If there were parameters for seductiveness and coquettishness, Sybil was walking with all of them fully charged.


    It was easier and more familiar to her than breathing. Just watching her walk made Elodie''s face inexplicably flush.


    "Frondier~!"


    Sybil called out to Frondier, waving her hand. The faces of the women around Frondier reflected tension and surprise.


    "Ah, Sybil."


    Frondier epting her greeting was the final blow. Confirming that Frondier had called her by name, Sybil''s smile grew even more seductive.


    "Frondier, was your volunteer work being a lifeguard?"


    "Well, yes. Before we set off, I heard about the lifeguard''s code of conduct and such. So, even though I started a bitte, I finished preparing while the Constel guides were going through the instructions."


    Sybil listened to Frondier''s story with a warmly amused smile. Truthfully, she didn''t care about the content. As soon as Frondier finished speaking, Sybil shifted her gaze to the women nearby.


    "Hello. I''m Sybil Forte. Frondier, who are thesedies?"


    Sybil asked very kindly and gently, prompting Frondier to introduce them.


    Ah, Frondier looked at the women around him. They were people he had just met, so even if he wanted to introduce them, it was difficult. Obviously, Sybil knew this when she asked.


    "Um, are you his girlfriend?"


    One of the startled women asked Sybil. With a yful smile, Sybil replied.


    "Yes. We''re friends. We attend Constel together."


    As Sybil spoke, she sensually approached Frondier. When asked if she was his girlfriend, answering, ¡°We¡¯re friends,¡± was quite clever, but a fairly effective method.


    The important thing here was to make it difficult for Frondier to simply deny it.


    "What do you mean by friend."


    However, Frondier was different.


    Frondier tly denied it and ced his hand on Sybil¡¯s head.


    Sybil¡¯s expression turned sour. Even after changing modes (?) after such a long time, the feedback was terrible.


    "No, but what''s the point of saying we''re not friends. Hey, you think it''s easy to be friends with me©¤¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±


    Sybil froze in ce at Frondier¡¯s next words. Aten and Elodie, who were watching from a distance, widened their eyes and dropped their jaws.


    ¡°Oh, I see. You two look good together.¡±


    ¡°Well, then we¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over there. I¡¯m a bit tired.¡±


    ¡°S, sure.¡±


    Thedies greeted us briefly before leaving in a daze.


    Frondier spoke to Sybil, who was still frozen in ce.


    ¡°Thanks, Sybil.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I had a hard time dealing with them. You¡¯re something else, Sybil. It was a great act.¡±


    An act, that¡¯s right.


    It was only then that Sybil realized that Frondier had acted ordingly. To get rid of thedies.


    That¡¯s right, what a relief. Sybil thawed out a bit.


    Of course, it was true that she had feelings for Frondier, but suddenly bing Frondier¡¯s girlfriend felt too sudden, and she wasn¡¯t prepared at all.


    There was a slight sense of disappointment, but she was more relieved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so tiredtely. I survived thanks to your help.¡±


    Frondier said with a sigh.


    Of course, Sybil had only ever seen Frondier¡¯s perpetually sleepy face, so it was hard to tell the difference.

 Chapter 140 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sleepy.


    I¡¯ve lost count of how many times I¡¯ve thought to myself, ¡®I¡¯m going to take a break after finishing this.¡¯ I feel incredibly exhausted.


    However, this is something only I know. I¡¯ve checked in the mirror, and no matter how tired or sleepy I am, my face stays the same.


    My face is sleepy and tired all the time anyway.


    ¡°Whew.¡±


    Thud.


    I returned to my room and sat on the chair after the lifeguards exchanged shifts.


    This was a private room, and the facilities were much better than those for the other Constel students. It was probably a reward for participating in the operation.


    However, even aftering this far, I still couldn¡¯t rest.The reason I must keep going, even now, is that the ''reward'' I am to receive isn''t limited to just a private room.


    "The quest reward hasn''t arrived."


    [Main Quest: Operation Suppress Indus]


    ?Description: Indus''s n has been revealed. Stop the n and suppress Indus members.


    ?Objective: Suppress Indus members and leader.


    ?Rewards: Compensation varies depending on the number of people suppressed.


    ? Failure may result in a state of anarchy.


    The "Operation Suppress Indus" quest.


    Even after the operation in Constel has ended, the quest hasn''t beenpleted.


    I thought we had managed to stop Indus and clear it without anyone getting hurt.


    Meaning, it''s not over yet.


    Caw-


    Just then, the sound of a crow''s cawing reached me from outside the window.


    I checked outside the window. The crow circled in the air and thennded in front of my window.


    [I''ve found you.]


    The crow spoke to me. It was Gregory, as expected.


    Even after capturing Armel, a member of Indus hiding within Constel, Gregory had stayed by my side.


    He followed my orders and continued to act as a crow I had tamed within Constel.


    When I asked why, he said,


    [Prison is just boring and tedious. Watching over you is far more interesting. It seems like trouble follows wherever you go.]


    I''m not sure how to feel about that.


    Anyway, I entrusted Gregory with searching for the Kraken.


    The Kraken lost one life to my arrow. I didn''t see it myself, but I trust in the performance of my Khryskatos.


    The remaining two lives. The Kraken was bound to use one life for the ''revolution.'' The original n was to use both spare lives for the revolution, but that n was thwarted by me.


    So, the problem was which of the two intended uses for its life the Kraken would choose.


    Since there was no way to find out, I told Gregory about two ces and ordered him to find out where the Kraken was headed.


    One of the expected locations is the sea ''Lure.''


    The Kraken, being a monster of the sea, is most likely to dive into the Lure Sea, fighting off monsters beyond human boundaries, to gain Poseidon''s favor and obtain the divine artifact ''Trident.''


    Since the Kraken is originally a sea monster, it also has the highest chance of obtaining the Trident, which currently lies deep within the sea.


    If the Kraken managed to obtain the Trident, it would be game over for the yer. I believe it¡¯s hopeless based on my current criteria.


    The Trident, like Mj?lnir, is ranked ¡®Divine.¡¯ My weapon is only a replica. I haven¡¯t found any difference yet, but the real deal, a genuine divine weapon, might be a different story.


    Above all, the Kraken''s ownbat power is stronger than mine, so the possibility of winning is already slim.


    However, obtaining the Trident is something that even the Kraken, with three lives, would only seed in once in tens of thousands of tries.


    I''ve never actually experienced it while ying the game myself, and I''ve only heard stories from other yers.


    It was treated as an urban legend, but judging from the numerous sightings, it seems that there was definitely such a route. Of course, those sightings were filled with the yers'' rage.


    But the Kraken just lost a life unexpectedly. He probably won¡¯t do something foolish like trying to take the Trident.


    So, probably.


    ¡°The Kraken went to Renzo.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    I nodded at Gregory¡¯s report.


    Renzo is currently being held at the prison ¡®Morion.¡¯


    [T/N: The prison name is actually ¡®Obsidian¡¯, which the previous trantor used for the Liquid Metal, so I¡¯m changing the prison name to Morion, which is another crystal simr to Obsidian. Do share your thoughts on this.]


    ''Morion'' is a ce where no one can escape on their own, and no one can invade the prison from the outside.


    Except for the Kraken.


    He can get Renzo out of Morion without using either of those two methods.


    ¡®Alright, everything¡¯s gone smoothly so far.¡¯


    I messed with the normal flow of this game quite a bit, in order to get a more ideal oue.


    Unexpected things happened during the whole process, and I faced dangerous situations because of them.


    Even so, I will continue to read the game¡¯s grand flow and deal with it ordingly.


    I will strictly examine the things that changed because of me and the things that didn¡¯t.


    ¡®Kraken, I¡¯ll watch until you get your hands on Renzo.¡¯


    I might have been able to interfere with that if I really tried my best.


    But there''s no need to do that.


    Renzo is not a character that anyone can handle.


    If things go the way I think they will, the Kraken is opening the door topletely wiping out Indus with his own hands.


    ¡­If that happens, that¡¯ll finally be the end of my tenacious grudge with Indus.


    I¡¯ll rest after that.


    Let me just do this, just this one thing, and then I¡¯ll rest.

 Chapter 141 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?The next day.


    I continued my work as a lifeguard. Quitting halfway would only raise more suspicions.


    Personally, I preferred this to pretending to enjoy myself at the beach. Even if I were allowed to y, with my current physical condition, I''d just spend the whole day sleeping in bed.


    Whether Elodie or Aten would just watch me do that, I wasn''t sure.


    ''Maybe I''m unknowingly bing like Frondier?''


    It was a chilling thought.


    Anyway, the lifeguard duty surprisingly didn''t have much to do. Especially in situations like now, with Constel students ying around.


    Since Constel students are already trained for emergency situations, they can handle things themselves without me needing to do anything.


    That''s why the annoying part of my job had nothing to do with the main duties of a lifeguard.While walking along the beach, there''s always some girl whoes up to me and asks,


    "When do you get off work?"


    Or hands me their Sage phone saying,


    "You have a phone, right? Write down your number."


    Or tries to build a rapport by saying,


    "Oh, you''re the guy from WizardView! I knew you looked familiar."


    Of course, I politely decline all of them, but even that requires a certain amount of mental energy, which is exhausting.


    Frondier, once leaves Constel, is quite popr. I felt it when I visited Elodie''s mansion, and I''m really feeling it now.


    It''s hard to decide whether I should be happy or not since it''s not really my face or body.


    "Are you working hard?"


    Someone approached me then. It was Sybil.


    Seeing that I had arrived in Cropolis, Sybil seemed relieved and had gone back to her amodation to change into a slightly daring bikini, which suited her well.


    "There''s nothing much to work hard on."


    "Oh, acting all bothered again!"


    "¡­¡­."


    As if all my previousints were just an act, Sybil said.


    Of course, there was some truth to that, but this time, I was genuinely bothered.


    ¡°Anyway, it''s nice to see your face intact.¡±


    ¡°Intact face?¡±


    ¡°Ever since you made a rash move in Tyburn, I''ve decided to keep an eye on you, to make sure you don''t do anything strange, no matter what happens.¡±


    That''s what Sybil said, but unfortunately, I''ve already made a rash move and ended up here.


    Swallowing my slight feeling of guilt, I asked, "How are you going to keep an eye on me?"


    "Just prevent you from getting into trouble. Keep you from getting hurt."


    Sybil smiled at me mischievously. At least, it seemed sincere to me.


    "¡­"


    However, I was still pondering how to treat Sybil.


    Even if Sybil''s smile towards me is sincere without any falsehood. Even if the kindness and goodwill that Sybil, who is adept at fooling men, shows me are real.


    ¡­Sybil is a viin.


    In the game, Sybil has never once ceased to be a viin.


    She was simply a huge obstacle in the game, a hindrance, a swamp that tripped up yers.


    Of course, the present Sybil is the most different from the one I''ve known. Perhaps my character itself yed a big part in changing the course of the game.


    At truly crucial moments, when hardship came, Sybil would abandon everything and run away.


    The tears of betrayal felt by yers who had ced their hopes in Sybil would fill a city.


    But now, I have the opposite question.


    In times of adversity and hardship, even if Sybil doesn''t run away.


    Could I entrust my back to Sybil at that moment?


    Even if Sybil, who betrayed yers at every moment of the game, doesn''t betray them this time, can I believe in that one time?


    "Don''t worry."


    I faintly smiled.


    The smile that Sybil gave me was truly beautiful, just like her.


    As Sybil''s beauty sparkled, I couldn''t help but think of the thorns of a rose.


    * * *


    Morion.


    A facility that brings both fear and relief to the citizens, as it is known as the continent''s top prison.


    A disturbance broke out within.


    The guards were on edge in front of a certain solitary cell.


    The person inside was supposed to remain in solitary confinement until their sentence was up. Given it was a life sentence, it essentially meant rotting away in there until death.


    This was an exceptionally rare urrence even within the teeming criminal poption of Morion. It signified the problematic nature of the individual inside.


    Indeed, a problematic figure, who managed to cause trouble even while locked away.


    "¡­No doubt about it."


    One of the guards re-examined the disy he was holding.


    "The magical device has finished its measurement. His life signs have ceased."


    Upon hearing this, another guard opened the small window of the cell and peered inside.


    The man in the cell was sitting. It was the familiar, arrogantly casual posture he always assumed. Head bowed, yet appearing as if he could stand up at any moment and start an argument.


    "¡­You''re saying he''s dead?"


    The guard found it hard to believe.


    Many die in solitary. Once locked away, most of their life is spent in darkness, with not a single ray of light entering.


    Perfect soundproofing meant no noise from outside; silence. Apart from the brief moments when food was provided, it was a space devoid of light and sound. Enough to drive anyone insane.


    Moreover, the man inside had essentially rented out a solitary cell for life, which was more than enough to lead to death.


    "¡­So, Renzo died like this?"


    Yes. The man inside was not just anymon criminal.


    Renzo, the ''Glutton of Chaos'', considered by the world to be a viin on par with the continent''s ''Zodiac.''


    His suicide within the cell was hard to believe.


    "¡­So, we have to open the door."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    If Renzo truly was dead, then what was inside was simply a corpse. The cell needed to be emptied, and the body disposed of.


    However, none of the guards stepped forward to do it.

 Chapter 141 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "What, what are you scared of? The guy inside is dead, isn''t he?"


    "Scared? It''s usually the one who brings it up that talks about that kind of stuff."


    "Even if he were alive, he''s wearing the restraint, so it wouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    "Alive? What are you talking about? He''s dead, haha."


    "Ah, right. Hahaha."


    There was a brief, dryugh.


    Renzo was dead. The disy of the magical device that checks for vital signs clearly stated so.


    But if the magical device was wrong, and if he were alive.


    Even with the restraint, Renzo is strong even without his aura.Moreover, to dispose of the body, the restraint would have to be removed, and if he were to attack then.


    Someone has to open the door, but no one steps forward willingly.


    It''s like trying to bell the cat.


    "What are you all doing?"


    A single voice broke through their hesitation.


    A woman with purple hair that fell to her waist walked over. Her low-heeled shoes clicked as she moved.


    "Di-, Director."


    "Renzo''s dead, you say?"


    The woman opened the crack of the solitary cell to check inside.


    Hmm, she hummed through her nose and then opened the door.


    Creak-


    "Director Esther. It''s dangerous."


    "Are you idiots? Now you''re scared of a dead man? And you call yourselves guards of Morion?"


    The guards were speechless, unable to say anything.


    Esther was the youngest female guard in Morion. The fact that she was a woman wasn''t particrly unusual. There were many female guards present here.


    What made her unique wasn''t her gender but her youthpared to the other guards.


    Her skills and character yed a big part, but above all, her ability was most suited for the prison known as Morion.


    Esther entered the solitary cell and approached Renzo, who was sitting on the floor. She reached for his neck.


    Her eyes narrowed.


    "He''s dead."


    Esther pulled a small shlight from the inside pocket of her coat. It was small enough to fit in her hand.


    She flipped Renzo''s left eyelid with her thumb and shone the shlight on it.


    "He''s dead."


    Then she checked the neck, chest, and wrist for any pulse.


    "Dead. Definitely."


    Esther brushed herself off and stood up. She threw a nce at the guards behind her.


    "Even after all this confirmation, does anyone still believe he''s alive?"


    "......"


    The guards kept their mouths shut.


    "Clean it up. Prepare the solitary cell and dispose of the body."


    "Yes!"


    As Esther left the solitary cell, the guards entered in turn. Esther watched them for a moment, sighed, and walked away.


    ''Renzo has taken his own life.''


    She too found it hard to believe Renzo was dead.


    She had just performed various examinations in front of the guards to show them Renzo was indeed dead, but she was also curious herself.


    However, she had checked it with her own hands. Renzo was dead.


    ''I thought that solitary cell wouldn''t be usable for decades.''


    She had thought Renzo would never die.


    Even in the madness-inducing solitary cell, she imagined Renzo would remain calm, with that bitter smile on his face.


    ''So he was human after all.''


    The end of a man who had terrorized the continent seemed so futile.


    Esther returned to her office and went through her files. She opened the file where all of Renzo''s records were organized.


    ''Hedonist... If he finds it ''fun'', he''ll just do it. That''s why Renzo has noplete allies or enemies. It''s easier to think of everyone as a potential threat, never knowing when they might cause trouble.''


    Most of the information came from Constel and the royal pce.


    Renzo had crashed a practical exam at Constel and was restrained by the pro ''Eden Hamelot''.


    ''This part is ambiguously described.''


    It clearly states that Eden restrained Renzo.


    But the Renzo who was detained in Morion was missing an arm.


    So, was it Eden who took off that arm? Naturally, this question arises, and one would assume so, but that crucial sentence is missing.


    Bringing down someone of Renzo''s caliber would already be a considerable public achievement. There''s no reason to deny it, nor any need to hide the records.


    Yet, for some reason, Eden Hamelot is evading investigation.


    ''...Constel.''


    A wealth of information burst forth when he infiltrated Constel. It revealed that he was a hedonist and shed light on his way of life.


    ''...Renzo killed himself. Unable to endure the torment of solitary confinement. That seems the most logical conclusion at first nce.''


    But if that''s not the truth.


    If Renzo had something else in mind following his death.


    Then thoroughly verifying that wouldn''t be a loss.


    "Maybe I should visit Constel first."


    Even if Eden was the one to overpower Renzo.


    Someone else must have realized that Renzo''s life was centered around ''fun.'' If Eden had known that, he would have spread the information long ago.


    So, there must be someone else who truly understands what kind of person Renzo was.


    Esther stood in front of a mirror. It was a full-length mirror that showed her from head to toe.


    Her eyes briefly sparkled, and the woman reflected in the mirror, who was Esther''s doppelg?nger, didn''t mimic Esther''s movements but instead stepped ''through'' the mirror.


    The mirror-image of Esther, a reversed figure, said,


    "Lift your right hand."


    Esther raised her right hand at the mirror Esther''smand.


    Mirror Esther nodded.


    "I see. In this world, this is the right side. Are you the original?"


    "Probably."


    Esther turned her back after saying so.


    Her doppelg?nger, emerging from the mirror, always asked simr questions.


    However, Esther herself had never once confused her left and right. She hadn''t trained to adapt to such. Therefore, she was the original.


    In other words, Esther believed she was the original for just that reason alone.


    "I''ll be back in a bit."


    Esther left the office.


    Esther decided to leave the minor tasks to her doppelg?nger, confident that it would perform just aspetently as she does.

 Chapter 142 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Joe Smith and @Jr194 from Ko-fi!</i>


    Morion, being a gathering ce for the most dangerous criminals, naturally experiences frequent incidents and idents.


    Consequently, there are many deaths.


    Bodies found in Morion are transferred by the corpse disposal team. They contact the deceased''s family to inquire about funeral arrangements before proceeding. If there are no family members, cremation is carried out.


    Renzo, having no family, it was decided to have his body cremated within Morion.


    After cleaning up the solitary cell where Renzo had been confined, he was moved to the morgue in preparation for cremation.


    Then.


    "¡­You wish to see him? Renzo?""Yes. I owe him a debt of gratitude."


    There was a visitor looking for Morion.


    A woman wearing an elegant outfit and a wide-brimmed hat that concealed her face.


    As she walked, the click-ck of her high heels was a sound rarely heard in Morion.


    "I''ve always thought I must repay him someday, but then I heard he suddenly died."


    "Umm¡­"


    The receptionist looked troubled.


    Renzo had been ssified as one of the most dangerous criminals within Morion, hence he was locked in solitary confinement.


    He was to remain there until his death. Naturally, visitations and phone calls were prohibited.


    So, if someone wishes to meet Renzo, it would require either his escape or amutation of his life sentence awaiting release. Both are virtually impossible.


    "I''ve been clinging to the slim hope of seeing him again one day. Can I at least see his face?"


    The woman said, her voice breaking. Tears welled up in the captivating eyes visible beneath her hat. She brushed them away with her hand as if to hide them.


    "Excuse me, but what is your rtionship with Renzo?"


    "¡­It¡¯s hard to say he had a good heart. He seemed like someone who just did whatever he wanted."


    That would be urate. A very urate observation.


    "However, it''s because of his do-what-I-want nature that I was saved. Did you know? In the Dustar region, very is still rampant."


    "¡­So, Renzo did."


    The woman nodded as the staff member seemed to shorten their words.


    ¡°He saved me. Of course, to him, it was just something he did in passing, seeing a cmity he couldn¡¯t leave alone. I was just caught up in it. But it¡¯s clear I was saved thanks to him.¡±


    Indeed. The staff member nodded. It was just like Renzo.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the mortuary. Three instructors will apany you. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯d be satisfied if I could just see his face.¡±


    The woman nodded, and the staff member reported the situation over the phone.


    After a short while, three instructors approached the woman and one of them spoke.


    ¡°We will show you the way. This way, please.¡±


    The woman epted the protection and guidance of the three instructors.


    Upon reaching the mortuary, the instructor in the lead opened the door.


    Currently, only one corpse wasid out in the mortuary. The instructor moved the one lying on the wheeled bed to the center.


    The face of the body was covered with a sheet.


    The instructor approached the body¡¯s face.


    ¡°Then, I will remove the sheet.¡±


    As the instructor removed the sheet, Renzoy there, his face already cold.


    ¡°Ah, Lord Renzo¡­¡­¡±


    The woman covered her mouth with both hands and muttered as ifmenting. She approached Renzo with unsteady steps.


    ¡°Oh, what has be of you? Poor Lord Renzo¡­¡­¡±


    The woman¡¯s fingertips touched Renzo¡¯s face. The corners of the instructors¡¯ eyes twitched, but they refrained from stopping her.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    As she said that, the woman extended her hand.


    For a moment, the instructors didn¡¯t know what she meant. Shake hands? A high-five?


    The index, middle, and ring fingers of the woman¡¯s hand pointed at each instructor respectively.


    And then,


    Fwip-


    The instructors¡¯ heads were pierced. In an instant.


    The fingers that had transformed into tentacles retracted, and the woman shook the blood off her fingers.


    ¡°Hmm, my fingers do get a little sore when I don¡¯t use my aura. But thanks to that, they didn¡¯t even notice.¡±


    When humans face each other, the most cautious aspect is the operation of aura or mana.


    A human not using Qi has limitations to their power.


    Therefore, humans tend to let their guard down around those who do not use aura, offering an inadvertent advantage.


    Moreover, if that being isn''t truly human, but merely masquerading as one, the danger bes even more fatal.


    "Shall we begin then, Lord Renzo."


    The woman''s face writhed. Something seemed to crawl up from beneath her neck, squirming until her face transformed without so much as a sound of bone.


    Herpletely changed face was androgynous, identical to that seen in the auditorium of Constel. It was Kraken.


    "This face really is morefortable."


    Being able to freely change from face to entire body, why insist on returning to this form? Kraken questioned its own actions. Perhaps, even in human form, there''s an original appearance.


    "Well, leaving that aside, we have work to do."


    Kraken moved its hand towards Renzo''s chest, who was lying down.


    As expected, the heartbeat hadpletely stopped. The Renzo here was undoubtedly dead.


    To gain a life, one must lose a life.


    A technique only Kraken could perform. No, this was more akin to a taboo than a technique.


    Waaaaaah!!!


    Just then, the mortuary''s rm red loudly. No, perhaps it was an rm ringing throughout all of Morion. They''ve noticed the anomaly here.


    "As expected, they''re quick. But it''s already toote."


    A hole opened in Kraken''s palm. Something twisted inside Kraken''s body rushed forth. It burst out of the open palm and plunged into Renzo''s chest.


    Thump! Thump!


    Kraken''s entire body pulsed. That pulsation traveled down its palm, eventually suffusing Renzo with it.


    Blood trickled from Kraken''s mouth. Yet, Kraken remained smiling, enduring the excruciating pain.


    Eventually, when Kraken removed its hand from Renzo''s chest.


    Renzo''s eyes snapped open.

 Chapter 142 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The third day of the field trip.


    My job is simple. I spend most of my time working as a lifeguard.


    During work, I deliberately move towards areas with many students from Constel Academy, especially those who know me well. People like Aster, Elodie, Aten, Sybil, and so on.


    Because I needed to show that I was truly serving my punishment at Constel.


    After all, it seemed like they suspected me of secretly being up to something else.


    Since their suspicion was actually correct, I had no choice but to work even harder at my volunteer work.


    "Excuse me, sir!"


    In the midst of work, I heard someone shouting.


    A woman seemed to be hurrying towards me from the shoreline."Are you a lifeguard?"


    "Yes, what''s the matter?"


    "My son is missing...! He was swimming just a moment ago, and I only took my eyes off him for a second..."


    I narrowed my eyes.


    Turning my gaze towards the shore, I saw that the beach was already packed with students from Constel and citizens of Cropolis, mixed together.


    Finding a lost child in there was like finding a specific pine tree in a pine forest.


    Just considering him as missing was one thing, but the fact that he was swimming and then disappeared sparks ominous imaginations.


    "...It might cause a bit of amotion."


    There was no choice.


    I quietly chanted.


    "Menosorpo."


    With my voice, a Rune expanded. Ordinary citizens might not notice the change, but all students from Constel felt the mana and looked up.


    An invisible, yet palpable tension settled over the shore. Especially the students sensitive to mana naturally turned their gaze towards me.


    Don''t worry too much. You''ll find out soon enough.


    Within the Menosorpo Rune, I meticulously checked all the manas, especially towards the sea.


    ording to the woman, the most dangerous situation was the child falling into the sea.


    ...And.


    "Damn it."


    There he was. Not yet sunk, but iling helplessly, pushed by the waves.


    I ran to the shore. It was already quite a distance away, barely visible to the naked eye.


    I knew where it was because of the influence of Menosorpo, but those on the shore mixed up in the waves likely had no idea.


    ''It''s fortunate I''ve practiced this.''


    Wrapping aura around my body, I levitated using the technique of control. By then, most of the eyes were on me.


    I flew over the sea at maximum speed. The child had drifted farther than I thought.


    He seemed to have swallowed a lot of water, but his desire to live kept him iling, preventing him from sinking.


    "Hey!"


    I wove a rope and dropped it towards the struggling child.


    "Catch!"


    I had heard that if you jump into the water to save a drowning child, you both end up drowning. In their panic, the terrified child wanting to live would mercilessly push the rescuer under the water.


    Of course, since I was flying, that wouldn''t happen, but this seemed safer in every way.


    ...However.


    ''Damn, he can''t hear.''


    The waves were fierce, and he likely had water in his ears. Plus, he was crying. Thinking he was about to die, he wouldn''t see anything around him.


    This is going to be too shy, but I have no choice.


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    <i>Large Shield</i>


    I created a shield under the struggling child, in the sea. Slowly lifting it backward, the shield supported the child and brought him to the surface.


    Coughing and spluttering, the child still looked like he was about to die. Fortunately, he spat out the water and breathed.


    Inded on the shield.


    "Are you okay?"


    In my life, I''ve hardly ever handled children. Frondier would probably be the same.


    Hmm, what to do. I tried to get closer to check hisplexion.


    Suddenly-


    The child clung to me. As soon as he was in my arms, he cried out loud, even louder than when he was in the water.


    His sobbing was so pitiful that I couldn''t help but smile.


    I looked into the child''s eyes and said,


    "Let''s go to your mom."


    The child sniffled and nodded.


    I held the child in my arms and sat on the shield, returning to the coast.


    The child, who had been crying, was now fascinated by the floating shield, looking around with sparkling eyes.


    Surprisingly, I didn''t find it fun. Maybe because I was floating around on the shield I was controlling.


    It felt like sitting on a long moving walkway in the air.


    ''But the idea of using the shield as a moving tform is good.''


    I can now fly in the sky, but if I use the shield, it seems possible to step on it and jump up or make a sudden turn in the middle. Sudden braking and eleration should also be possible.


    Inded on the coast, released the Menosorpo, and returned to the woman with the child.


    The woman seemed relieved, sat the child down, and shed tears.


    After receiving a word of thanks from the woman, and a bow from the child, and even a promise to y togetherter, I was finally able to leave. Children are indeed selfish.


    "Sigh."


    And then, heaving a sigh, I looked up at the sky.


    The attention of people, especially the Constel students, was too focused, so it was to avoid drawing any attention to myself.


    But I wondered if it was just a coincidence.


    Caw-


    Right where I looked up at the sky, a crow cried out and tore through the sky.


    A crow flying over the coast.


    It was so out of ce that I nodded inwardly.


    A new piece of news had arrived.


    But probably, it would be the news I already knew.

 Chapter 143 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Wordsmith and @taelrak from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Upon the alert from Morion, the guards moved swiftly, led by Esther. Of course, it was the doppelg?nger Esther.


    [Intruder detected, intruder detected, the intruder has killed three guards in the morgue. Respond immediately. Intruder detected©¤]


    Following the announcement, the guards headed towards the morgue. The entrance to the prison had already been sealed off. A blockade was formed from the outside, enclosing the area.


    However.


    Drrrrring-!


    A different sound, not from a manually pressed rm, echoed once again.


    Simultaneously, water sprayed from the sprinklers installed in the ceiling.''A fire?''


    The intruder had set a fire. But why? Esther and the guards pressed on through the pouring streams of water.


    The door to the morgue had automatically locked the moment the rm sounded. Meaning, the intruder was still inside.


    It was hard toprehend the act of setting a fire in an enclosed space, but then again, it was the act of a madman who had breached Morion.


    Beep-


    Click.


    Esther, who was at the forefront, opened the door without dy. It was a lock enchanted with fingerprint recognition.


    Esther had already unleashed her aura. Not only her, but all of Morion''s guards could use aura. It was a basic requirement for a guard.


    "This is..."


    However, the intruder had already disappeared. There was no sign of Renzo''s body either.


    The guards entered and searched the room to no avail. The culprit had already escaped the morgue.


    ''It must be teleportation magic. And of an exceptionally high caliber at that. Probably a portal.''


    Checking the CCTV would confirm it, but it''s almost certain.


    Esther pieced together the escape method from the situation.


    The culprit had entered through the main gate, spouting nonsense about owing Renzo a favor. If their teleportation was of the ''spatial transfer'' caliber, there would have been no need for that.


    Initially, they could have taken him out of his solitary cell even before Renzo''s death.


    Meaning, the culprit''s teleportation was a one-way ''return'' only.


    But that left a question.


    ''Then what''s with the sprinkler?''


    Esther had been focusing on her sense of smell since earlier. The fire was extinguished by the sprinklers, but she caught a faint scent of burning. Clearly, the culprit had set a fire here.


    The reason why someone capable of returning through a portal would deliberately start a fire inside remains elusive.


    ''Perhaps fire or water is needed to create the portal...''


    As Esther was developing her thoughts, the guards were tidying up the morgue and continuing the search throughout the prison.


    ording to Esther''s judgment, the perpetrator would have already escaped the prison, but her thoughts could be wrong, and even if they were correct, it did not justify stopping the search.


    "Ma''am, I have something to report."


    At that moment, one of the guards approached Esther.


    "What is it?"


    "ording to the staff member who triggered the rm, the CCTV in the morgue shows that the perpetrator changed their face."


    "Changed their face?"


    "Yes. When they entered, they appeared as a slender woman, but inside the morgue, their face changed to a more androgynous appearance. It was said their face was malleable, like y."


    "Hmm. So, the perpetrator didn''t know about the CCTV?"


    "No, they were looking directly at the camera. It seems it was deliberately shown. They can change their appearance at any time, and therefore cannot be found. That was the kind of appeal it seemed to be."


    Esther''s eyes grew cold.


    After lightly touching her chin and lips with her fingertips, Esther said,


    "©¤Then, the perpetrator must be a creature from outside."


    "¡­A creature from outside."


    "If they can change their face, in addition to unting their abilities, it''s likely that their existence has never been discovered by the Empire. Hence the dy in response, and theck of knowledge about their identity. Their provocation has that meaning."


    "Indeed. It was the act of a creature from outside."


    The guard nodded as if impressed.


    However, Esther still seemed suspicious.


    ''Even so, provocation alone is insufficient as a reason. I''ve heard that creatures from outside possess high intelligence. Moreover, being surrounded by creatures as powerful as themselves, they be cautious and secretive due to their high intelligence and the need to be wary of each other.''


    If it were just a simple monster, one could see the purpose behind unting its abilities.


    But if it''s a creature from outside, even that unting could have been targeting something.


    ''Renzo''s corpse, portal, transformation, unting¡­''


    Keywords condensed in Esther''s mind one after another.


    ''Fire or perhaps, water is needed.''


    Her eyes soon shone coldly.


    ''©¤A creature from outside.''


    It''s not because of the portal that fire or water is needed.


    Perhaps it''s the creature itself.


    Having reached a conclusion, Esther softly said,


    "Understood."


    "Excuse me?"


    ¡°He showed off his skills. It was a form of self-confidence that we would never find him. But if you look at it differently, what do you see? Youe to the conclusion that only a ¡®monster¡¯ could do such a thing. And it¡¯s an unidentified monster that we¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    ¡°Y, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°In other words, he deliberately let us know that he¡¯s a monster. There¡¯s no reason to take such a risk.¡±


    ¡°Since he¡¯s not human, can¡¯t he do that? Their thoughts are impossible to predict.¡±


    Esther shook her head at the guard¡¯s words.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve never met a monster outside. Their thoughts are impossible to predict? True. But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re stupid. It¡¯s because they¡¯re beyond ourprehension.¡±


    The intelligence of the monsters outside and humans are pretty much the same. Esther knew that. She had actually met a monster outside, and barely survived with her limbs intact.


    However, unlike humans who are greatly influenced in their choices by emotions, logic, beliefs, and values, monsters outside don¡¯t have such things.


    They don¡¯t have anyone to protect or a heart. Their excellent intelligence is only used for their own purpose.


    If you don¡¯t understand that way of thinking.


    "As long as you dismiss the monsters of the Outside as mere monsters, you deserve to be ripped in half."

 Chapter 143 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The guard gulped at Esther¡¯s cold words.


    He slowly asked again.


    ¡°T, then, what do you think he¡¯s nning?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the doing of an ¡®individual¡¯.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°As he showed his powers himself, he¡¯s a monster. That¡¯s for sure. But if we get caught up in that thought, we¡¯ll just be chasing after a monster. That would be a factor that would take us further away from him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­W, what do you mean?¡±


    The guard still didn¡¯t understand what Esther meant.Esther thought that she had been too sparing with her words, so she naturally understood it.


    "He''s in league with humans."


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, the more he acts like a monster, the safer he knows he is. The more we turn our eyes outside, the more he can just go into hiding inside.¡±


    The instructor understood only then. His pupils trembled.


    He was beginning to understand, little by little, what kind of creatures monsters from the outside are.


    Meanwhile, Esther let out a small sigh.


    ¡®I should contact the main body.¡¯


    Since she probably hasn''t arrived at the Constel yet, it¡¯s not toote.


    On that day, Morion''s reputation was deeply tarnished.


    An intruder had stolen Renzo''s corpse.


    A shameful reality, unworthy of the empire''s most prestigious prison.


    This was all the work of a single monster. It was a feat hard to believe was not done by a human, and it caused even greater unease among the empire''s citizens.


    However, the person responsible for this remarkable feat was...


    "¡­Renzo, please listen to me."


    Kraken looked at the man before it with immense tension.


    "Oh, I''m listening?"


    Renzo smiled slyly at Kraken.


    Kraken was also smiling, but its face was unmistakably tense.


    Renzo said,


    "Once, the Empress of this empire told me not to bark. At first, I was furious when I heard it, but then I thought about it and realized that I am indeed a beast. She was absolutely right."


    Renzo fiddled with his ear. It seemed awkward for him to scratch the opposite ear with his left pinky finger.


    "So, I listened very carefully to what you, what was it, you? Anyway, what you just said. Being a beast, I thought I would understand if I heard another beast''s noise."


    However, Renzo''s demeanor changed immediately after he recited those words. His murderous intent shot towards Kraken. It was so intense it could burn one alive. Kraken thought so, at least.


    "What was that you said? That you hold the power over my life and death? Fool. Didn''t you just say that?"


    "¡­Your heart is now reced by my core. If I wish..."


    "Ha. How interesting."


    Renzo shook his head slowly, as if he truly couldn''t understand.


    Indeed, Renzo''s heart had been reced by Kraken''s core. The owner of that core was Kraken, and it was not so much that Kraken could ''if it wished'' stop that core and kill Renzo.


    "So, why don''t you try it? I''m really curious how fast you can ''decide''?"


    "¡­"


    "I, Renzo, have been revived by you giving me your core, and you talk about holding the power over life and death? Fool. You invaded Morion."


    "¡­Morion wasn''t so impressive, was it?"


    At Kraken''s words, Renzo inhaled sharply.


    Then, he burst into a grandughter. "Hahaha!!"


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Not impressive, you say? Indeed. Is that all the information that reaches the monsters outside?"


    "¡­What do you mean?"


    "You seem to think that you have sessfully escaped from ''Morion'' just because you have just escaped from that ''building'', but that''s a big mistake. You have just rung the bell of your life. Do you not know what happens when you get marked by the warden there, why the vicious prisoners inside that prison are silent?"


    Among the sinners of the continent, Renzo undoubtedly knew the most about Morion. The world''s worst criminal naturally had a deep connection with the world''s strongest prison.


    "Are you trying to threaten me, after whining about needing my power and risking your own life? You should have heard what happened to all the guys who tried to mess with me beforeing to me. You ignorant octopus."


    "?!"


    Kraken''s face hardened.


    Octopus. The nickname itself was unpleasant, but the fact that it was mentioned...


    "...how do you know?"


    "What, that you''re an octopus?"


    Renzo chuckled. Kraken felt its momentum was unusual.


    ©¤©¤Perhaps if Kraken had been Frondier, he would have seen it.


    The purple haze emanating from Renzo¡¯s body.


    "He told me. Ares did. He said that if I died, you would definitelye to save me."


    ¡°Ares? No way, you mean the god Ares? You¡¯re saying you met a god?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more like he did all the talking while I just listened.¡±


    Kraken was speechless in response to Renzo¡¯s brazen remark.


    Of course, Kraken wasn¡¯t in a position to be talking back, but even so, calling the god who gave him his powers ¡°talkative.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­So you knew that you would be resurrected, and you pretended to die?¡±


    ¡°Hey, the Ares guy told me.¡±


    A nonchnt tone still came out of Renzo¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°When I die, the octopus head wille and resurrect me, and since my purpose and Ares¡¯s are aligned, he will lend me ¡®proper power¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Your purpose?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±


    A gleam shed in Renzo¡¯s eyes. The mes of his passion were now gurgling likeva as they rose.


    ¡°I will kill Frondier. It¡¯s going to be the most enjoyable event of my life.¡±

 Chapter 144 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Guys, I picked up a new novel: Another World Adventurer''s Forum! 16 Chapters out, check it out and let me know how is it!</i>


    ?In the dead of night, when everyone was asleep, I made my way to the beach and stepped onto the sand. I had something to test.


    "Menosorpo."


    I activated the Rune, making it as small as possible, and chose a secluded spot away from the dormitory in case any students might notice.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Hestia''s Hearth</i>


    I wove Hestia''s Hearth. Given that it was always kept by Hestia''s side, its rank was, unsurprisingly, ''Divine''.Hestia is a goddess not often mentioned in Greek mythology. Despite being one of the twelve Olympians.


    What I know is that she is the goddess of the hearth, always guarding the me of the hearth. True to her symbol, she loves peace and is benevolent, loving humanity as she herself has said.


    Greek mythology seems to be a record of the misdeeds of the gods, and the gentle Hestia rarely makes an appearance.


    Whether this was urately reflected in the game ''Etius'', I''ve never heard ''Hestia'' mentioned within the game.


    Having witnessed the symbol of Hestia, the ''Divine Hearth'', and ced it in the workshop.


    It didn''t seem easy to find an immediate use for something that was neither a weapon nor armor.


    However, there was something I was looking forward to.


    "Wow."


    One of the features I discovered right away.


    From the moment it was Weaving, the hearth was alight with me.


    Even without something like charcoal, a me was burning in the center of the hearth.


    "Is this the me guarded by Hestia."


    [Hestia''s Hearth]


    ?Rank: Divine


    ?Description: The hearth always guarded by Hestia. Her divinity, which ensures the me never goes out, resides within this hearth.


    Ability Details >


    - me of Rest: The me within the hearth does not go out. However, if the me is moved elsewhere, it bes an ordinary me.


    - Touch of the Goddess: The object touched by the me of the hearth receives the blessing of Hestia, elevating its status. The higher the grade of the object, the stronger the effect. This effectsts until the user''s mana ispletely depleted.


    First, the ''me of Rest.'' The me I am looking at right now.


    It does not need a medium and is an unextinguishable me. However, the fire transferred from the hearth loses this property and bes a normal me.


    The reason the me does not extinguish is because of the hearth, not because of the me itself.


    This me cannot arbitrarily increase or decrease in temperature. Just as the me itself is eternal, so will its temperature remain unchanged.


    It truly bes a warm presence within the home.


    Of course, I''m not nning to do anything with the me itself.


    What interests me is the ''Touch of the Goddess.''


    "The higher the grade of the object."


    Since the exnation isid out like this.


    What to test is clear.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Grade - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    I broke the ne ''ck Lotus'' and grasped Mj?lnir.


    I held Mj?lnir over the me in the hearth.


    Then, the edge of Mj?lnir gradually began to shine. The light dispelled the darkness of the night, and then,


    Boom!


    It thundered, trembling. I looked up at the sky. It was a clear sky. Lightning struck from the clear sky, imbuing Mj?lnir.


    Iughed.


    "So this is what happens."


    I brought Mj?lnir in front of me. Currents-like entities brushed past, sparking and making noise. It took a while for it to calm down again.


    After the lightning subsided, Mj?lnir seemed no different than before, but there was a clear change.


    [Mj?lnir]


    ?Grade: Divine


    ?Description: The hammer of the god Thor. One of the few divine objects that can fully withstand Thor''s tremendous strength.


    Ability Details >


    - Recall (Locked): Returns to the hand from any ce. However, Thor has been the only one capable so far. Condition unknown. [T/N: MC uses Menosorpo rune to control it, if anyone forgot]


    - Lightning God''s Grant (Unlocked): The power of the Lightning God is imbued. The user can convert their mana or aura into lightning. The range and power of the lightning increase with the amount bestowed.


    Lightning is originally Thor''s inherent power. The reason Thor wields Mj?lnir is that it is the only thing capable of enduring his strength.


    However, Mj?lnir has always been Thor''s weapon.


    Just as the hearth of Hestia is imbued with the power of a god, Mj?lnir too cannot be untouched by Thor''s hands.


    With the effect of the hearth elevating its status, Mj?lnir has be closer to being the ''Hammer of the Lightning God''.


    "The preparations are almostplete."


    Alright.


    Let''s go for the final preparations.


    * * *


    That morning.


    Selena was walking inside the amodation, along with friends from Constel she had recently be close with.


    Selena felt much more at ease than when she first enrolled in Constel. She had gotten quite adept at socializing among people.


    Frondier had told her to stay in Manggot unless she was escorting, but that would make people at Constel suspect her absence, so making friends and enjoying the field trip was inevitable. It was not something she did willingly.


    ''...Still.''


    It was certainly a more enjoyable andfortable time than when she was in Manggot. Definitely.


    Moreover, Frondier did not point out her not going to Manggot while she was at Constel.


    Perhaps he was permitting it, almost as if understanding Selena''s feelings.


    "Selena."


    "Ah, yes."


    Selena''s thoughts were interrupted by someone calling her.


    One friend made a sullen face.


    "You''re still using formalnguage."


    "I''m sorry. I find it morefortable."


    "Hmm, well, it''s okay. But you''re an escort for Frondier?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    One friend started the conversation in front of a vending machine in the hallway. It wasn''t a secret, so Selena nodded.


    The friends'' expressions gathered in the middle, a sign of displeasure.


    "How could he think of making a girl his age an escort?"


    "Exactly. Isn''t that totally perverted?"


    "Selena, you haven''t been messed with, have you?"


    Selena''s friends all started to mock Frondier together.


    After all, gossiping about a friend''s boss is the most entertaining and harmless topic of conversation.


    Moreover, with Frondier being such a human sloth, there was plenty to criticize.


    "Weird stuff..."


    Selena''s expression turned delicate.


    In fact, since she had actually tempted him to do that weird stuff in the first ce, Selena was in no position to either deny or affirm.


    Especially since she had been rejected.


    However, her friends interpreted Selena''s expression differently.


    "Did you, like, actually get harassed?"


    "Selena. If that''s the case, you should tell a teacher immediately. Teacher Jane will definitely keep it a secret, and there are many more good things than being Frondier¡¯s escort."


    As her friends became serious, Selena quickly shook her head.


    "Oh, no. It''s not like that. Nothing happened."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really."


    Hmm. The friends eyed Selena with suspicion. But since it was the truth, Selena''s expression was honest. It was the truth, though slightly gloomy.

 Chapter 144 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Well, he''s the human sloth, right? He couldn''t possibly have the guts."


    "Yeah. Even if he tried, Selena would have kicked him away."


    "Ahahaha! Right. He hired an escort to protect himself, how could he mess with that escort?"


    Selena rolled her eyes, not knowing how to respond to her friends'' conversation.


    Frondier had silenced her. He had ordered her to be sparing with her words regarding his abilities or strength.


    Therefore, Selena couldn''t casually deny what her friends were saying. They were mocking and underestimating Frondier. And this was exactly what Frondier wanted.


    In other words, to follow Frondier''s orders, she had to agree with her friends, but Frondier was too intimidating for that.


    "Selena, if Frondier crosses the line, don''t hesitate to kick him hard."


    "No, aim for insubordination from now on. It''s no big deal, right? Frondier.""Ah, that, that is, well."


    Frondier being the subject of insubordination?


    Selena''s face turned pale involuntarily at the thought. The cool gaze of Frondier came to mind.


    "©¤©¤Selena."


    "Eek?!"


    Selena screamed upon hearing the all-too-familiar voice.


    Forcing her creaking neck to turn, she saw Frondier standing at the crossroads of the corridor.


    Frondier slightly furrowed his brows and tilted his head, puzzled. It was just a regr call, but Selena''s reaction was too extreme.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Frondier approached Selena.


    Selena was flooded with myriad thoughts. Did he hear the conversation just now? Is he pretending not to know after hearing it? If so, is this a test? A test to check my loyalty? Because I didn''t act properly? Because I didn''t agree with my friends?


    Joining in the mockery of Frondier bes the irony of following Frondier''s orders. Is this a reprimand for not doing it properly?


    "Ah, nothing, nothing''s wrong."


    Selena said, darting her eyes towards her friends for help.


    However, the friends who were backbiting about Frondier suddenly avoided eye contact and acted as if nothing had happened. Yet, Selena could see their dted pupils and stiff faces.


    ''If you''re going to do that, don''t talk behind his back! In truth, everyone''s scared!''


    Frondier''s current image differs from that at the beginning of the semester. His performance in various tests, the rumors, and his recent aplishments make the title of ''human sloth'' seem inappropriate.


    However, Frondier''s appearance has hardly changed, maintaining that image.


    The image of a ''human sloth'' leads to emotional or habitual disregard for him, but intellectually, it''s a warning to the students about the danger.


    In other words, Frondier has now be an enigmatic entity to the students.


    "Hmm."


    Frondier also nced at the other students'' faces and snorted. Selena saw this.


    Indeed, she must have unknowingly held excessive thoughts.


    "Selena. Follow me."


    "Y-Yes?"


    "I have something to discuss in my room. It won''t take much of your time."


    Is it time for my punishment?


    Selena unconsciously swallowed her saliva due to nervousness.


    Frondier had never actually physically punished her, but for some reason, he was so frightening.


    "Or do you have something to prepare? I''ll give you 10 minutes to©¤"


    "N-No! I''ll follow you right now!"


    Selena answered quickly. There was no need to worsen the mood.


    Frondier nodded and walked ahead. Frondier didn''t have his living quarters here, so he headed straight to the entrance.


    Once Frondier and Selena, trailing behind him, disappeared, the remaining students let out a sigh of relief.


    "...... He didn''t hear that, did he?"


    "I don''t know. I still can''t tell what he''s thinking even if you look closely at him."


    "I agree."


    Then, there was a brief silence.


    One of them, who had been hesitating, spoke frankly.


    "...... He''s a little scary."


    "I agree."


    The response was also frank.


    * * *


    "Head to Manggot."


    These were the first words Frondier spoke.


    Selena, who had been very nervous thinking she was going to get scolded, opened her mouth in surprise upon hearing the unexpected statement.


    But soon, her heart ached.


    That''s how it sounded to her: End your life in Constel.


    "...... Can you give me a little time?"


    "Time?"


    "I have things to sort out in Constel. Things I left there, like my uniform, and, well, I have to say goodbye to my friends, and so on."


    Frondier stared at Selena who was speaking earnestly for a while, then his eyes sank. A sigh escaped from his mouth.


    "You have a habit of jumping to the worst-case scenario. Of course, I understand it means you''re being cautious, but try to understand and judge urately. Spection is dangerous."


    "...... What do you mean?"


    "I don''t mean to tell you to leave Constel. I have something to tell Manggot."


    "Ah."


    Selena''s cheeks reddened, and she hung her head.


    Indeed, she had unwittingly indulged in excessive spection.


    Perhaps it was because she truly enjoyed her life in Constel. She feared the loss of this brief existence she didn''t want to let go of.


    "I have made a promise to you," Frondier said then.


    Selena looked up at Frondier in surprise.


    It might have been her imagination, but his tone seemed warmer.


    "I promised to send you back to your family. To restore your life to its original course. Enrolling you in Constel was the first step."


    "..."


    "I will keep my promise. Don''t worry needlessly."


    "¡­Yes."


    Selena closed her mouth and nodded.


    For her now, that level of affirmation was the best. But she felt a dull pain in her heart.


    Selena''s throat throbbed. She tried to swallow something, but it didn''t go down well.


    "So, what should I tell Manggot?"


    "Nothing much. Just as I told you before."


    "Just as you told me¡­?"


    "Tell them I will no longer teach you the ancientnguage."


    Selena''s eyes widened.


    Until now, Selena had been learning the ancientnguage, getting used to its flow. She could roughly guess the ''time when it should no longer be taught to Manggot'' that Frondier mentioned.


    But it was much sooner than she expected.


    "However, today I will teach you an important key to deciphering the ancientnguage. With this, you can interpret 10% of the ancientnguage."


    Frondier said. 10%. For Manggot, it was an incredibly valuable progress, but it was a stretch to interpret the ancientnguage smoothly with just that.


    It was a tantalizing piece of candy, but it only made one crave the next piece more.


    Selena''s mind began to race. The bait thrown to Manggot sooner than expected, the revolution n of Indus rapidly approaching.


    Indus and Manggot.


    Could it be?


    Selena''s eyes widened.


    "Shh."


    Frondier put a finger to his lips, having realized it first.


    "You got it right."

 Chapter 145 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Bear and @Pop from Ko-fi!</i>


    This time, Indus chose a secluded cottage in the middle of a forest as the location for their meeting.


    The cottage is Kraken''s personal property, and its reason for choosing it was simple: its portal was set up there.


    Kraken used the portal to get Renzo from Morion, and the ce beyond that portal was this cottage.


    All that was left for them was to wait for the other members.


    "They''rete."


    Kraken said while looking at its watch.


    Kraken was the only one acting independently while the others carried out the n in Cropolis.Contact should have been made yesterday, or even today at thetest.


    But until now, there has been nothing.


    "Did they all get wiped out?"


    Renzo asked, giggling. Kraken furrowed its brow. That couldn''t be. After all, the ever-vignt Zodiac Heldre was on standby. If there had been a problem, he would have taken care of it on his own.


    It was then. Kraken and Renzo turned their attention to the same ce at the same time. A flicker of relief crossed Kraken''s eyes. Renzo caught a glimpse of it.


    ''Is this guy really a monster?''


    At first, when he heard the whole story from Kraken, Renzo thought that it had temporarily joined forces with an organization called "Indus" for its own purposes.


    A monster could never follow the same path as a human. At most, a temporary alliance might be possible while their goals align. Even Kraken itself must have been aware of that.


    But the brief look it had just given him, an involuntary expression, was it worrying for the members who hadn''t shown up for the meeting that it had just shown?


    ''This is worth testing.''


    Renzo''s lips twisted in the darkness.


    Ding-dong-


    The doorbell of the cottage rang, and Kraken headed to the entrance.


    As Kraken opened the door, it found the members of Indus standing there as it had expected. It was Cain, Thompson, and Skyler.


    "You''re allte. What happened? Those wounds?"


    "..."


    Cain looked rtively unharmed, but Thompson and Skyler were covered in severe wounds.


    Thompson had many small wounds all over his body, and it seemed like he still needed treatment. Bandages could be seen peeking out from underneath his clothes.


    As a ghost, Skyler had no visible wounds, but Kraken could tell how damaged he was. Skyler was also close to being a monster.


    The three of them just stood there with hardened faces, ignoring Kraken''s question. When their gazes turned towards Kraken, they were filled with hostility.


    "...What''s wrong?"


    "Let''s go inside first."


    Thompson spoke first and walked past Kraken into the cottage, followed by the other two.


    Facing Renzo with his arms crossed, the three of them saw Kraken.


    "Is that the man, the one you brought here in exchange for a heart?"


    "Yes, that''s right. Everyone knows who he is, right? He''s going to be a great help to the revolution."


    Kraken responded to Thompson''s words.


    Of course, everyone knows. It''s rare to find someone in the underworld who doesn''t know Renzo.


    An owner of absurd strength. And madness that seems proportional to it.


    "......"


    The tension escted as they looked at Renzo.


    Kraken thought it was natural for them to be wary. It was clear that Renzo was a dangerous individual. However, sharing updates with each other should alleviate the concerns.


    Renzo might be acting tough, but Kraken knew it was in a position to kill him at any moment.


    "Shall we then share updates? Let''s check the progress of the revolution."


    At Kraken''s words, the gaze of the three shifted towards him, just as it had towards Renzo.


    Renzo was one thing, but why did they show hostility towards it as well? Kraken couldn''t understand.


    However, after hearing the entire report, Kraken understood.


    "......Betrayal?"


    Kraken furrowed its brows and asked back.


    "Yes. There''s someone inside Indus leaking information."


    Thompson said.


    "Are you sure?"


    At Kraken''s question, Thompson nodded. The other two did the same.


    "They already knew we wouldn''t blow up the train. Even the word ''revolution.'' Frondier knew everything about me¡ªmy face, name, abilities."


    Cain said.


    Kraken narrowed its eyes.


    Frondier had known the overall n and acted separately from the other students of Constel. The Indus members fell into that trap.


    It''s one thing if minor details of Indus were leaked. But the overall ns of the ''revolution'' and Cain''s information were leaked. Very few people within Indus knew that.


    In reality, excluding Heldre, everyone here was all there was.


    "......I see."


    Kraken concluded.


    "......You suspect me?"


    The three didn''t answer. It was affirmative.


    Thompson scratched his head and sighed.


    "Skyler and I suffered significant injuries from Frondier''s fireworks. We could have died. Cain was threatened with her life by Frondier, and old man Heldre had both his arms shattered. The only one unscathed is you, Kraken, who didn''t participate in the operation from the start."


    "......"


    Kraken kept silent for a moment.


    The smirk that was always on its lips stopped.


    A murderous intent filled its half-open eyes.


    "Isn''t that fortunate?"


    "......What did you say?"


    ¡°I think you are aware that I already died once. For the revolution. I died when you guys just got hurt.¡±


    ¡°You had a spare life. How can you call that death? You monstrous bastard.¡±


    ¡°Monstrous?¡±


    Kraken and Thompson red at each other with murderous intent.


    Kraken hissed, ¡°Do you think that just because I have a spare life, the pain of that death would be any less than yours? Why do you speak so recklessly? You were whining like a baby when you lost that arm, you crippled fool. Do you dare belittle my determination to give my life?¡±


    ¡°How dare you speak of my arm in such a filthy manner, you squid?¡±


    The two shed with such intensity that they seemed ready to fight at any moment.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Skyler''s voice cut through their quarrel like a de.


    Despite the tense situation, his presence within the armor remained calm andposed. This allowed Kraken and Thompson to regain some semnce ofposure.

 Chapter 145 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thompson clicked his tongue and said, ¡°You insisted on going solo, and what do you bring back? Renzo? You bring back a dangerous man like this -¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Renzo interrupted, reacting to his words.


    Renzo slowly approached Thompson.


    ¡°Dangerous, you say. What exactly do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Sir Renzo, stop it!¡± Kraken tried to restrain him, but Renzo paid him no heed. He stepped right up to Thompson''s face, and the two men red at each other.


    Renzo curled his lip in contempt.


    ¡°Tell me. What do you mean by that? What makes me dangerous?¡±


    ¡°Specifics? You''re a madman. Just a deranged lunatic who''s obsessed with his own pleasure. How can we work together with someone who doesn''t understand the meaning of revolution?¡±


    At those words, Renzo fell silent for a moment. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards.Then, ¡°Wait!¡± Kraken shouted.


    But it was toote. Renzo grabbed Thompson by the shoulder. His speed was such that Thompson couldn''t block or evade it. Of course, part of the reason was that Thompson was still injured, but even taking that into ount, it was an incredible feat of speed.


    CRACK!


    ¡°Aaaaargh!¡± Renzo tore off Thompson''s prosthetic arm as if ripping a piece of paper.


    Thompson dropped to his knees in agony. He looked up at Renzo with eyes filled with murderous intent. Blood vessels burst in his eyes.


    Renzo tilted his head, looking down at Thompson with a mocking gaze.


    ¡°For a fake arm, it sure puts up a fight. Kraken was right. You definitely would have been crying like a baby even when you had your real arm.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡±


    Thompson eximed. The vi was already filled with horror due to Renzo''s rampage.


    Skyler shouted.


    "Kraken! Weren''t you supposed to be able to handle Renzo! If you couldn''t handle him, you shouldn''t have taken him out of Morion!"


    "......"


    Kraken bit his lip and couldn''t answer.


    Thompson red with bloodshot eyes.


    "What are you asking such a thing! That the octopus bastard is a traitor! Look at the situation now! That monster doesn''t care about ''revolution'' or anything! I didn''t believe in monsters in the first ce!"


    Despite Thompson''s words, Kraken just clenched its fists and trembled.


    Obviously, Kraken took it out thinking that he could handle Renzo. However.


    "How is it, Kraken. I just ripped off your colleague''s arm. I think that''s enough reason to kill me."


    "......crazy guy."


    "Hahaha!"


    Renzoughed arrogantly even though he was facing Kraken, who was holding his life.


    Renzoughed and said.


    "Let me exin instead. It''s such a waste to kill me now. Kraken can kill me if it wants. I thought I could control it with that. But what is it actually like? Kraken may have a line in his head, but he can''t kill me unless I crosses that line. Because I''m essential to your guys'' n!"


    Renzo is now walking a tightrope over his own life.


    Kraken had never thought that a person could be so insane to that extent.


    As long as Renzo is needed for the n, as long as the benefits outweigh the losses, Kraken will not kill Renzo. No, it won''t be able to kill him.


    Right now, Renzo is gauging that ''line of profit and loss'' in Kraken''s mind. Betting his own life on it.


    ''There''s no doubt. Kraken really thinks of these guys asrades.''


    Kraken may not know it, but Renzo had one more intention. To confirm Kraken''s true intentions.


    Kraken hasn''t killed Renzo yet, but his fury is clearly evident.


    If Kraken removes the core it nted in Renzo and kills him, what kind of ''process'' will that death take? Is it an instant death, like his head flying off?


    No, that can''t be it. Kraken''s core acts as a heart. In other words, even if he can''t avoid death, there is time until he dies. If the conditions are right, there will be enough time to make anyone apanion.


    ''If worstes to worst, I could take these guys hostage.''


    Having finished his thought, Renzo looked down at Thompson, who was still kneeling.


    "Ah, I''m sorry about you. I wasn''t really angry at you. It was just that I wanted this thing."


    Renzo showed the prosthetic arm he had torn off.


    "Hey, you lunatic. Magic prosthetics are custom-made for individuals. Since everyone has different nerves, blood, and bone structures, attaching just any prosthetic will cause a rejection reaction! Especially if it''s a torn prosthetic like the one you''re holding now, the moment you attach it, you''d experience such severe pain that it could kill you!"


    "Oh, is that so?" Renzo''s eyes gleamed as if he had learned something new.


    Whether he understood Thompson''s exnation or not, Renzo tried fitting the prosthetic to his empty arm.


    "That sounds interesting."


    Crack!


    Renzo forcefully inserted the prosthetic under his long-amputated arm. Blood poured out, drenching the prosthetic and dripping onto the floor. Everyone''s mouth dropped open in shock.


    "Huff, ugh!"


    Renzo grimaced and staggered. Cold sweat ran down, and his jaw tensed. He forcefully crammed something not his own arm into ce, forcibly awakening and attaching the nerves. It was like forcibly meshing together parts from entirely different machines.


    The pain was tremendous. Indeed, it was the kind of severe pain that, just as Thompson had said, wouldn''t be surprising if it killed him.


    However.


    "¡­That''s impossible."


    Thompson unwittingly let out a voice. The thumb of the prosthetic moved ever so slightly. It had connected to Renzo''s nerves, which it absolutely shouldn''t have.


    "Ugh! No, not this side! I moved my index finger!"


    Crack!


    Renzomitted an even more grotesque act. He twisted the already inserted prosthetic inside his arm. To properly align it with his nerves, he subjected himself to shock-like pain once again.


    "Thumb, thumb, right. Index finger, good. The wrist, no! That''s not it!"


    Crack, crackle.


    Several more brutal adjustments followed. Inserting it deeper or twisting it, or striking the joint with his fist. Each time, blood poured out, staining the floor. The prosthetic waspletely soaked in dark red.


    Eventually.


    "Hmm, good. That should do it."


    Renzo operated the prosthetic from the thumb to the little finger. Everything moved smoothly, and all the joints were perfect.


    Renzo smiled wickedly. Kraken, watching this, thought.


    ©¤He''s a monster. That''s not human.


    Kraken could smell it from Renzo, more than any monster it had ever encountered outside the domain.


    Renzo, still looking at the shocked Thompson, said.


    "Let''s get along from now on, one-armed man,"

 Chapter 146 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @ConspiracyPizza and @HotJava from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Something flew towards the cottage of the Kraken.


    The members inside knew its identity and waited without much emotion. Cain even furrowed her brow slightly.


    A light impact sound and vibration were felt at the mansion''s door. Soon, someone opened the door and entered.


    "...I''m a bitte, it seems."


    It was Zodiac Heldre.


    He had bandages wrapped around both arms, and they were quite thick.


    Upon entering, Heldre narrowed his eyes when he spotted Renzo."...Renzo."


    "Ah, old man. It''s been a while. What happened to your arms?"


    "...It was Frondier''s doing."


    "What?"


    Renzo''s eyes sparkled at Heldre''s response.


    When Renzo had met Frondier, he was still an underdeveloped kid.


    It''s ironic for him, having lost an arm, to say this, but Renzo initially had no intention of killing Frondier. After all, the former princess Elysia had ordered so.


    However, Heldre had no reason to spare Frondier. And yet, he was bested.


    Frondier must have lured Heldre into letting his guard down, probably attaching several unfavorable conditions for Heldre as well.


    Even so, to inflict such injuries on Zodiac.


    Renzo licked his lips slightly.


    ''As expected, he''s someone worth killing.''


    Meanwhile, Heldre cautiously approached Cain.


    "Cain. My granddaughter. Aboutst time..."


    "It''s okay."


    Cain shook her head.


    Heldre had run away, leaving Cain behindst time. He felt guilty about it.


    But Cain had no intention of being hostile towards Heldre over it. Nor did she intend to act friendly. There was something more important at the moment.


    "All that''s left for us now is the revolution."


    At Cain''s words, everyone except Renzo nodded.


    The n had failed, their leader Heldre was nearly incapacitated from his injuries, and their trust in each other was shattered.


    Yet, they could not stop here. Especially because they had been wounded this much, they had to somehow make the revolution seed.


    They had invested too much time and effort, and above all, ''sins'' had umted. It was toote to turn back.


    "Even in this situation, we still have to do what we must."


    Skyler nodded.


    "What about Frondier, then?"


    At that, everyone fell into thought for a moment.


    Frondier had originally been the target for abduction. However, the n at that time had underestimated Frondier too much. If they were to attempt to abduct Frondier again, the n would need significant revisions.


    "A revolution can be sparked without a ''sacrifice''."


    "Right. Frondier was added to the n midway, wasn''t he? Let''s stick to the original n."


    Skyler and Thompson said.


    Their words carried a certain persuasiveness. Cain seemed to ponder, bowing her head.


    "Wait a minute."


    That''s when Renzo raised his hand.


    As all eyes turned to him, Renzo spoke.


    "Whatever your n is, it doesn''t matter to me. As I said earlier, I''m in a situation where my life is in Kraken''s hands. I have to follow whatever orders I''m given."


    Despite having just extracted Thompson''s prosthetic, Renzo spoke shamelessly.


    Naturally, Cain''s brows furrowed.


    "So?"


    "There''s only one thing I want. I''m going to kill Frondier. Don''t interfere."


    At those words, Thompson''s veins bulged again.


    "You bastard, that''s not up to you."


    "Wait."


    It was Cain who stopped Thompson.


    The thought that shed through her mind. She saw Kraken. To others, it might have seemed like she was trying to persuade Kraken with her gaze, but the reality was different.


    Cain now cast a meaningful look at Kraken. Probably, Kraken was the only one who could read Cain''s thoughts at that moment.


    ''...Aha.''


    Kraken read Cain''s thoughts and harbored a faint smile.


    Cain said.


    "Yeah, that seems like a good idea."


    "What?"


    Thompson frowned.


    "We have to admit it. Frondier is our biggest threat. It''s not just a matter of being strong or weak. We don''t know how much he knows about us, and we''ve all been outmaneuvered by his tactics."


    "If we hadn''t been so careless, that son of a¡ª"


    "Because of our carelessness, we were almost restrained and captured. Just listen to me this time."


    Cain said.


    After Frondier fired the ''fireworks,'' Cain was the one who freed Skyler and Thompson. She was the only one capable of using portals at that time.


    Moreover, although she hadn''t told them, Cain was able to rescue the two because of Frondier. Frondier had saved her life.


    If Frondier hadn''t saved her then, Cain would have been dead or captured. And that would have been the end of Indus.


    Frondier''s intentions for saving her were still unknown, but what if Frondier nned for her to save the two of them as well?


    Frondier''s dangerousness was at its peak. He was someones he couldn''t just ignore and move on.


    However, Thompson, who was unaware of the situation, was still unconvinced.


    "That''s only because the octopus bastard blew everything up!"


    Thompson shouted, pointing at the Kraken. He still suspected the Kraken. No, not only him, but most of the people there considered the Kraken to have a high probability of being a traitor.


    Nevertheless, Cain shook her head.


    "Stop it. Such talk is meaningless now. There''s no time either. The revolution must go on."


    "If we leave Frondier to Renzo, what will our role be?"


    Skyler trailed off. Everyone knew what he meant.


    To confirm it, Ian said,


    "There''s only one thing left to do now. Take the Emperor''s head."


    Bartello Terst.


    Only his death would save Indus.

 Chapter 146 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thest day of the school trip. In other words, the date the Constel students were to return.


    Aten was protesting in front of the train tform.


    "This is strange."


    Aten''s eyes gleamed.


    Aten looked alternately at Frondier and Jane, who were standing awkwardly beside her.


    "Why are you taking a separate train back? The volunteer work has ended."


    Yes.


    Frondier was scheduled to take the train after the Constel students'' train to go back.


    Aten''s suspicious gaze shot at Frondier.Frondier shrugged.


    "I bought a one-way ticket, you see."


    "Why a one-way ticket...?"


    "It''s cheaper. Don''t you guys have round-trip tickets?"


    It was a simple reason. It was a reason that was difficult to argue against because it was so simple.


    Aten''s lips pursed slightly. It seemed it would be impossible to figure out Frondier''s true intentions.


    Aten''s head suddenly turned towards Jane, and Jane''s head suddenly looked away.


    "You''re not nning to do anything strange, are you?"


    "How could we? Like Frondier just said, we have one-way tickets, so we can''t help it."


    "Why are you avoiding my gaze?"


    "Because your gaze is too burdensome."


    Actually, Jane had nothing to feel guilty about in this case.


    Because Frondier really did buy a one-way ticket.


    When he came to Cropolis, he had a lot to hide, so he felt guilty about everything, but now, he was just stating the facts as they were.


    "Alright. But take care, Frondier."


    Aten looked at Frondier again. Her eyes, clear as jewels, shot at Frondier.


    "If I find even a scratch on you next time, I''ll really freeze you."


    "Is that your way of treating me? One should reduce the fever of the wound and stop the bleeding-"


    "Yes. But, If it''s frozen, there''s no fever and no bleeding."


    Aten was serious. Frondier, understanding, lightly raised his hands.


    "Got it. I''m just going to catch the next train back. It was the same when I came here, right? I waste because I was learning about volunteer work, and I actually worked as a lifeguard in Cropolis."


    "That''s true, but..."


    "You''re too suspicious, Aten."


    Frondier ced his hand on Aten''s head. Aten pursed her lips and looked at Frondier for a moment. As Frondier lowered his hand, Aten turned away.


    "See you in Constel."


    "Sure, sure."


    After finally sending Aten off, Jane sighed.


    "Frondier, you''re really loved. By many people."


    "Aten is really angry."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes. We must never get caught."


    Jane tilted her head. To her, Aten''s expression and tone seemed unchanged. Was there something only Frondier knew? If so, was it because of Frondier''s keen perception, or was it Aten?


    "Well, there''s some time until the next train. You should go and rest somewhere too."


    "Okay."


    Frondier answered and then turned to walk away. Jane watched as Frondier''s shoulders rose and then fell slowly. He seemed to be taking a deep breath.


    ''Huh? Why?''


    Was there a reason to take a deep breath now? The job was done.


    Jane''s head tilted.


    * * *


    The next train arrived, and I sat down, looking out the window.


    Most teachers had already left with the other students on an earlier train.


    There weren''t many teachers from Constel here, including Jane. And even then, none in this carriage. It''s because having students and teachers together continuously would be burdensome for the students.


    I''ve had a hard time with the lifeguard job, so it''s a bit of freedom for me.


    ''Perhaps, even if I just stay still, Indus''s revolution will fail.''


    At the point where Indus''s n to target Ospreypletely failed, their n is already halfway fallen.


    Even if they couldn''t kill Osprey, at least causing him an injury, or the sess of their second n to kidnap me, if anything had been done, the revolution might have had a chance of sess.


    But nothing was salvaged, and in the midst of that, the seeds of doubt I had nted could not be ignored at this point.


    Heldre''s injuries won''t heal quickly either. A full recovery might be too much to hope for.


    If he¡¯s really unlucky, he might end up crippled in both arms, but being Heldre, that probably won''t happen.


    "Now all that''s left is to strike at the royal pce."


    True to the name of the revolution, it''s about striking at the neck of Bartello Terst. Then, forcibly ascending to the throne and using the lower members of Indus nted there to sway public opinion in favor of Indus.


    Both are unlikely to go well. It won''t be easy to even get close to Bartello''s neck, let alone kill him, and it''s hard for the citizens to side with Indus even in a state of anarchy unless Bartello was a tyrant.


    So, from here on out, even if I do nothing, the quest I received before will seed on its own. The pce knights will take care of it.


    But this quest is too precious to just leave it at that.


    [Main Quest: Operation Suppress Indus]


    ?Description: Indus''s n has been revealed. Stop the n and suppress Indus members.


    ?Objective: Suppress Indus members and leader.


    ?Rewards: Compensation varies depending on the number of people suppressed.


    ? Failure may result in a state of anarchy.


    The reward for the quest varies depending on the number of people I suppress.


    Even if I do nothing from here, my contribution will be recognized to some extent, but that''s not enough.


    After all, I haven''t suppressed anyone yet. I''ll only receive partial recognition.


    ¡­So.


    When are youing, Renzo?


    "Given Kraken or Renzo''s personality, it should be soon."


    My staring out the window endlessly isn''t because I''m lost in mncholy.


    Literally, I''m just looking out the window.


    And when the train once again begins to tread on the aerial railway.


    "¡­Right."


    Before I saw anything, I felt an immense presence ahead. It seems I''ve also be quite ustomed to sensing an opponent''s presence.


    The one exuding this presence is alone. No need to check.


    "Frondier©¤©¤!!!"


    His voice, filled with aura, resounded throughout the entire train.


    It was a voice I missed terribly, and surprisingly, even a bit wee.


    "Come out! Let''s y once more! There''s no one else! It''s just me!"


    Renzo had apparently confirmed my presence on the train.


    I looked out the window. Renzo was standing in the air. What an assertive pose.


    He might be flying on his own, or he might be standing on the wires with Cain''s help, but it is probably thetter.


    Renzo is incredibly powerful, but he is neither meticulous nor sophisticated. He would not use advanced techniques like ¡®flying.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t need it.


    ¡°The countdown will end before this train passes the skybridge! I¡¯ll blow this whole train up if you don¡¯te out by then! You know I can do it!¡±


    I know.


    I chuckled.


    Everyone must have heard Renzo. The teachers wille to this carriage soon. I have to get out before that.


    I opened the window.


    ¡°No! Stop, Frondier!¡±


    At that moment, Jane¡¯s voice came from behind me. This was a little unexpected. This is much sooner than I thought. Did Jane notice something?


    ¡°I can¡¯t just stand by and watch a student die.¡±


    Jane¡¯s eyes were burning with immense determination. I felt her resolve not to let me go.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t go, not just one, everyone will die.¡±


    Jane bit her lips at my words.


    Osprey isn¡¯t here right now. All those who can stop Renzo have already left on the train ahead.


    Even if Osprey realizes the situation and hurries here, she probably won¡¯t be able to stop the train from falling.


    ¡°Just pretend you didn¡¯t see anything for a while.¡±


    Jane¡¯s eyes wavered at my words.


    "......How can you do that? How can you do that? Everyone judged you only for ipetence andziness. How can you be so indifferent."


    ¡°It¡¯s not indifference.¡±


    I said. A smile formed on my face.


    ¡°It is saving hundreds of lives with just one life. Even an ipetent person can do that.¡±


    Spouting suitable excuses, I jumped out the window. There was no time now.


    I ignored Jane¡¯s shouts from inside the train and climbed onto the roof of the carriage.


    ¡°Frondier!¡±


    Renzo spotted me and shouted. His face was flushed with excitement.


    I stood on the roof of the running train and looked straight at Renzo.


    "If it''s that much, it''s love, Renzo."


    We probably have different meanings in mind.


    Renzo and I wereughing, looking at each other. We wereughing, shing our murderous intent.


    All of that was sincere.

 Chapter 147 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Damoon and @Kabir from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier looked at Renzo¡¯s weapon.


    ¡®¡­¡­A spear.¡¯


    Renzo¡¯s great sword was shattered by Mj?lnir. Instead, he was holding a spear that was longer than his height in his right hand. It heightened Frondier¡¯s tension.


    Renzo¡¯s God, Ares, is the master of all weapons as his name suggests, but he especially excels in spearmanship. He even has a beloved spear among spears called ¡®Enkephalos.¡¯


    If that spear were Enkephalos, then that means Renzo is holding his God¡¯s beloved spear.


    ¡°How long are you going to stay on top of the train? Do you want to blow up with the passengers?¡±


    Renzo deliberately didn¡¯t attack Frondier who was on top of the train. He had no interest in the other passengers. He had no intention of taking them hostage.Renzo just wanted to have a proper fight with Frondier. Passengers were just a hindrance.


    ¡°How kind of you.¡±


    After saying that, Frondier took a breath.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    A huge Rune unfolded along with his words. Renzo let out a chuckle upon seeing the scale of the infinitely spreading Rune. He took a deep breath as if he smelled a pleasant scent.


    ¡°Yeah, now I remember. That Rune, you had that.¡±


    Frondier used his aura to rise up using Menosorpo. Renzo¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡®He¡¯s using aura. I can feel it but I can¡¯t see it with my eyes. An aura of ¡®colorlessness¡¯!¡¯


    Renzo swallowed his exmation and spoke.


    ¡°An aura, and ¡®flight.¡¯ You¡¯ve improved a lot while I was gone, Frondier.¡±


    Frondier, who was watching Renzo chattering away, shifted his gaze to his right arm whether it was in provocation or sincerity.


    It was Renzo¡¯s prosthetic arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I got one. It¡¯s frustrating, but it¡¯s definitely sturdier than my bare arm. You won¡¯t be able to cut it off easily anymore. Of course, that¡¯s only if you manage to pierce through my aura.¡±


    Frondier observed the prosthetic arm equipped on Renzo. The joint. It wasn¡¯t properly done, it was twisted by force. The state of the inside of his arm must be gruesome.


    "......Thompson''s, huh."


    Frondier let out a meaningfulugh.


    "Just like you, Renzo."


    "©¤©¤Kr."


    Renzo''s clothes billowed. Aura wrapped around his body, and a red energy draped over it.


    Aura and the divine power of Ares. Renzo released all of it in an instant. Thecency he had shown when they first met, the constraint that he shouldn''t kill Frondier, all of it disappeared. Thanks to this, Renzo''s face was now lifted in exhration.


    "I won''t hold back anymore. I''ll kill you with all my strength."


    With a refreshing smile, yet with a ferocity that didn''t match, Renzo said, shooting a fierce killing intent towards Frondier.


    Frondier received that smile with a smile of his own.


    "Don''t be too hard."


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Grade - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    Frondier ingested the Dragon Heart he had Weaving. His mana exploded in growth, and the tie he wore shone brightly. The colorless aura was affected and surged greatly.


    "I''m the one who made it the most fun for you, right?"


    Frondier''s fierce aura and fearless words. Renzo looked at them with surprised eyes for a moment, then smiled again.


    "That''s right. Indeed."


    Clunk- Clunk-


    Behind Frondier, the train of the aerial railway was crossing to the other side.


    Both instinctively knew. The moment the trainpletely disappeared would be the start of their battle. Frondier didn''t want to involve the citizens, and Renzo wanted Frondier at full strength. Their desires were aligned.


    Though it was a short time until the train disappeared, Renzo felt his body itching, opening and closing his fist.


    And the moment the trainpletely vanished, Renzo''s smile deepened.


    "Here we go...?"


    Renzo attempted to charge at Frondier but suddenly leaned to one side. His body''s bnce was off.


    Instinctively, he looked to his left. There was a sword floating in mid-air.


    Frondier had cut the thread that was supporting Renzo with that sword. With nothing to support him, Renzo fell through the air.


    ''How did he know!''


    Renzo fell. Looking down at him, Frondier said,


    "What a face, as if asking how I knew."


    Frondier sneered with an evil face. His ruthless act didn''t end there.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    Frondier wove a bow and arrow, aiming at the falling Renzo.


    "Just floating there required Cain''s help, so blocking this while falling must be difficult, right?"


    "©¤©¤This,"


    Before Renzo could say anything,


    The harmony of ''Falling Rain'' and ''Sure Hit'' wasunched.


    Pfffthhhh-!!


    Turning into ''fireworks'', they flew towards Renzo.


    "You cowardly baaaaastard!!!"


    <i>Spear Technique</i>


    <i>Renzo Original</i>


    <i>From left to right</i>


    Even while falling, Renzo extended his spear and swung it. The momentum, filled with divine power and aura, resembled a storm. Many arrows were caught in this wind and blown away.


    This was a technique used in previous battle to drop ''Falling Rain'', but this time, it''s not the same ''Falling Rain''.


    "It''s really like a heavy rain!"


    And all of it was aiming for Renzo. Even after being pushed back once, there were still many arrows left.


    Renzo oncepared ''Falling Rain'' to a hundred archers, but now the arrows had multiplied to ten thousand in an instant.


    If theparison held, now the arrows were in the ''legion'' category.


    Renzo''s hand went behind his back.


    "I didn''t want to show this so soon!"


    What Renzo took out from behind his back was a shield. It wasn''t very big since he could hide it with his back.


    "Ha!"


    ng!


    Renzo shed the spear and shield together once. And the moment he pushed the shield forward.


    Tatatatang!!


    The arrows raining down were deflected. Not only those that hit the shield but also arrows outside the shield''s range began to deflect the moment they got close to Renzo.


    "What''s that?"


    Frondier narrowed his eyes at the scene. That small shield was blocking every iing attack regardless of its area. In this case, being small wasn''t a disadvantage at all.


    "It''s not Renzo''s aura. It''s the power of the shield."


    If he had been as skilled in manipting aura like Pascal, spreading it out like a shield, there wouldn''t have been any need to bring out that shield in the first ce. He was hiding it behind his back as if it was something important.


    "¡­So, how is it?"


    After the noisy hiss of arrows had ceased, Renzo, who had been kneeling on the ground, stood up. There wasn''t a single scratch on his body.


    He had blocked the explosion of fireworks without any damage.


    However, Renzo''s shoulders drooped slightly, and the breath he exhaled was long and deep.


    ''¡­He''s relieved. That means he was tense.''


    Frondier confirmed that. Renzo was terrible at hiding his expressions and had no acting skills.


    ''If he could block it anyway, why was he tense?''


    Maybe that shield, although it appears perfect, isn''t? Is Renzo unscathed now partly due to luck?


    "I can''t let it happen like this!"


    Renzo shouted loudly at that moment.


    "I almost forgot. You''re the type who''s good at using your wits!"


    Renzo jumped on the spot.


    By jumping, he reached the same eye level as the flying Frondier.


    "¡­This crazy bastard."


    "Right, did you call me!"


    ng!


    Frondier quickly drew a short sword, and it collided with Renzo''s spear.


    ''Ugh!''


    Frondier staggered. If it came down to a simple contest of strength, Frondier was at a disadvantage.


    However.


    "Damn it, stop hovering cowardly!"


    Since Renzo had simply jumped up to attack, hecked the support to keep pushing Frondier back. After shing weapons once, he fell back to the ground.


    Frondier looked down at Renzo, thought.


    ''I need to figure out what that shield is. And that spear too.''


    Renzo, holding both a shield and a spear. Frondier felt uneasy looking at that silhouette.


    But how to find out? So far, I''ve focused on understanding the ins and outs of my enemies by using the information I already knew and spending time on it.


    If they were hiding something, I would test various methods and infer from there.


    There''s no way they would tell me if I just asked. All the enemies I''ve met so far have been clever¨C


    ¡®¡­no, wait.¡¯

 Chapter 147 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Hey, Renzo!¡±


    Frondier called out to Renzo.


    ¡°What? You trying to buy some time? If that¡¯s what you¡ª¡°


    ¡°The spear and shield you have, are they ¡®Enkephalos¡¯ and ¡®Lynotoros¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    Renzo¡¯s eyes opened wide. They shook the most violently they had ever shaken.


    He mped his mouth shut for a moment, before quivering his clenched fists for a moment, and then slowly opening his trembling lips.


    ¡°¡­N-no, they¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±Frondier shut his mouth for a moment, after hearing his answer.


    And then, he called out again.


    "I see!"


    "T-That''s right! There''s no way that''s true!"


    Renzo replied, smiling once again.


    Frondier thought.


    ¡®Ares¡¯s divine weapons. He possesses both that spear and shield.¡¯


    A man who possessed the divine power of Ares, holding Ares¡¯s weapons. On top of that, that human himself was one of the strongest.


    In other words, Renzo was currently the human closest to godhood.


    ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t give you time to think!¡±


    Renzo jumped again. Frondier followed suit, ascending higher.


    If Renzo couldn¡¯t fly, Frondier had the overwhelming advantage. All he had to do was fire from outside of his opponent¡¯s range.


    However.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    After jumping up, Renzo red at the even higher Frondier and threw his spear. Frondier flinched and leaned his body back. The spear grazed Frondier¡¯s nk.


    ¡®What¡¯s his game n? Does he intend to fight bare-handed?¡¯


    Frondier looked at Renzo again, and to his surprise.


    Renzo still had his spear in his hand.


    ¡°¡­?!¡±


    ¡°Alright, here I go again!¡±


    Renzo sent his spear flying as he fell. This time, the fact that he was throwing it as he fell made his aim waver, causing it to miss. If he had thrown it properly, it probably would have hit Frondier, who had been momentarily flustered.


    Frondier checked Renzo''s hand again. He still had the spear.


    ''The thrown spear is still in his hand.''


    That''s not recovery. It''s not the spear that was throwning back.


    It''s as if I never threw it in the first ce.


    ¡°Wasn''t your bow ''Sure-Hit''?¡±


    Renzo said. The spear glowed in response. Its momentum was ferocious, and it had an ominous color.


    ¡°My spear is ''Infinite Attempts''. I can make it as if it never missed. I recover all the stamina and mana I used when I threw it, and the speares back to my hand.¡±


    Huh. Frondier let out a hollowugh. It was absurd. Of course, it was because the ability was so outstanding, but it was also because of the ''nature'' of the ability itself.


    ¡°¡­¡­What a selfish spear.¡±


    Could there be a spear that matches its master so well?


    ¡°Hahahaha! That''s right. And this spear flies in a ''straight line''. No matter how high you go, you''re in my range.¡±


    Renzo assumed a throwing stance. It was very tant. The light in his eyes as he aimed the spear shed.


    "Want to feel what it''s like to be a sparrow, Frondier?"


    Swish!


    Renzo nted his feet on the ground and threw the spear. Its power was different from its unstable stance in the air.


    Frondier barely dodged it again. The speed at which the spear was thrown had increased. A spear that recovers magic power and stamina if it misses. Naturally, there was no reason to save energy. Renzo''s throws became more and more intense.


    I could feel his determination not to give me any room to breathe.


    ''This pervert is only aiming for the head!''


    The spear''s target was always Frondier''s head. It was so precise that it seemed to be aiming for the space between his eyebrows.


    It was easy to dodge because he knew where it was aimed, but Renzo intended to hit him anyway.


    ''Good.''


    Frondier stretched out his left hand.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    Mj?lnir was clutched in his hand, and the look in Renzo''s eyes changed when he saw it.


    ¡°Yes, I was waiting for that! Frondier!¡±


    Renzo held the spear and shouted. He assumed a position to aim once more and threw it towards Frondier.


    Frondier tilted his head back just like before.


    However, this time the spear did not aim for his head. It aimed for Frondier¡¯s heart.


    ¡®Do you think I¡¯m going to act like an idiot forever?¡¯


    Renzo smiled triumphantly.


    The ¡®Infinite Attempt¡¯ spear pierced towards Frondier.


    ¡°Kugh!¡±


    Frondier screamed. Renzo let out a small chuckle at that sight. What do you think? I aimed for your heart, but surely you won¡¯t die in one blow, Frondier. I¡¯ll be very disappointed if you do.


    ¡°©¤©¤Renzo.¡±


    At that moment, Frondier¡¯s mouth opened. It was a calm voice considering his body was pierced by a spear.


    He looked to be in pain, but he also had a face that said ¡®I can endure this.¡¯


    ¡°What?¡±


    Then Frondier reached towards his chest. He took something out from inside of it.


    It was a ne. Renzo had seen it before. Frondier always wore that. However, it was not visible until just now. He had been hiding it inside his clothing.


    And Renzo¡¯s spear was embedded in that ne.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Does that mean Frondier predicted it? That I would aim for his heart? So, he intentionally let it hit the ne?


    What is that ne, that it can¡¯t be pierced by a spear?


    No, there¡¯s something more important to worry about right now.


    ¡®My spear¡­¡­!¡¯


    The spear had clearly ¡®hit¡¯ the ne.


    It was not returning to Renzo¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re really an idiot.¡±


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank ? Legendary</i>


    <i>Excalibur</i>


    ck ink-like substance gathered in Frondier¡¯s hand from the broken ne.


    It became a sword and was inversely held in Frondier¡¯s hand. The tip of the sword emitted light and was pointed at Renzo. The inversely held sword, and in his other hand was Mj?lnir, which he had already wove.


    Frondier¡¯s eyes shined dazzlingly.


    <i>Aura emission, Sword of Light</i>


    <i>Frondier Original</i>


    <i>Bombing</i>


    Ka©¤a©¤ang©¤!!


    The giant sword of light that had previously destroyed Heldre¡¯s two arms.


    Descended from the sky to the ground.

 Chapter 148 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Renzo looked up at the light of the de that was attacking him.


    "Is that the sword that took down the arm of Heldre?"


    It was toorge to avoid, and the speed was even faster. Should he use all his strength to block it and bear with it? However, he would be swept away in the explosion that would follow.


    But instead of blocking, it might be a better idea for him toe forward and withstand the damage of the explosion.


    However...


    Renzo raised his shield.


    Renzo''s aura and pressure rose high, before gathering at his shield.


    The pressure of the mana that got stronger the more Renzo''s faced a dangerous situation.


    At this moment, the power Renzo contained had be stronger than before."If I lose here, I am not Renzo."


    Renzo''s eyes shined brightly. His lips were even forming into a smile that was filled with confidence.


    He had blocked Mj?lnir before. Although his great sword was shattered, there was hardly any damage.


    The sword energy this time was iparable to that time, it was truly a testament to Frondier''s growth.


    That''s why he had to do it.


    Resist!


    For the sake of achieving an absolute victory.


    Because it''s fun!


    "That''s right, Frondier!"


    Renzo shouted, and Frondierughed upon hearing his voice.


    "That¡¯s so like you, Renzo."


    Boom!!


    A huge light enveloped Renzo''s shield. It seemed like it was trying to bury the shield along with Renzo, pressing down with violent speed and force. The wind pressure released by the attack severely pushed back the ground around Renzo.


    "Groooan...euaaaahhhh!!"


    The sound of Renzo''s strength gathered in his shield collided with the magic. Sparks and vibrations filled the air.


    Tada!


    In the end, Renzo managed to block the magic. He read the decreasing speed of magic and struck it sideways.


    However, Renzo was filled with a strange feeling.


    ''There''s no way.''


    Frondier was holding back as if he was a thief. The attacks speed was slower than he had imagined. If it had been Heldre, he would''ve been able to block it. Even though he might''ve received some damage, his arm would not have been a problem.


    Renzo looked up and observed Frondier. The look in Frondier''s eyes, the way his head was filled with thoughts of Renzo.


    ''I thought he was trying his hardest.''


    If Frondier put in his all here, if Renzo managed to withstand it... Frondier would have no choice but to run away.


    Renzo determined that Frondier had always used his bare hands even when he had weapons. Whatever it was, be it magic or mana, there had to have been a different kind of consumption.


    That''s why Frondier was saving his strength. To find out the true identity of the shield, "Lynotoros".


    Renzo got the idea after seeing Frondier''s attack gotpletely consumed.


    ''Even so, he moved on the assumption that I would block it.''


    Frondier predicted that Renzo would block even his full strength attack. That judgment of Frondier stirred Renzo''s heart.


    Meanwhile, Frondier was closely observing Renzo''s form.


    He had been conserving his strength to uncover the identity of the Lynotoros. Renzo''s guess was correct.


    ''...That shield, it doesn''t block in all directions.''


    Frondier saw it. The shield lifted towards the sky to block the energy st, but Renzo''s knees below were left with minor injuries.


    Perhaps it was the dust wind and sand, as well as the remnants of the dispersed sword energy, that had grazed below his knees.


    ¡®The shield has the ability to block ''head-on'' attacks in the direction it faces. That''s why Renzo was tense when blocking the ''fireworks.'' He can''t respond to arrowsing from the side or behind.¡¯


    Since the fireworks curve in the trajectory following the targeted opponent, there was clearly a possibility of Renzo being hit from the side or back. Surely, he was lucky.


    "Hey, Frondier!"


    That''s when Renzo shouted. With every word he uttered, his aura surged even more.


    "I''m feeling absolutely fantastic right now!"


    An unbearable fever was boiling up from within Renzo. That fever elerated his divine power. Renzo''s smile deepened, and Frondier saw his face.


    ''That is!''


    Frondier''s eyes wavered. The purple haze blooming behind Renzo.


    It had been called the "haze of corruption" before, but now its true nature was revealed. It was a manifestation of a god.


    ''It doesn''t show its form.''


    However, the haze merely bloomed, without the god appearing in form.


    Previously, the god Hestia of Heldre had known about Frondier looking into the past of gods and replicating their weapons.


    Hephaestus must have warned others. No doubt, Renzo''s god Ares had received the same warning. That''s why he deliberately didn''t show his form.


    "Frondierrrr!!!"


    Renzo leaped into the air again, this time unarmed, having been disarmed of his spear.


    Frondier moved in the air. He couldn''t win in closebat. No matter that Renzo was unarmed, in fact, an unarmed Renzo was even more dangerous. Moreover, with Ares manifesting.


    It was ideal to dodge Renzo''s attack by moving and then snipe Renzo as he fell to the ground.


    But then.


    "I told you! Frondier! I''m feeling absolutely fantastic right now!"


    Uttering iprehensible noises,


    Bang-


    Renzo stepped on the ''air'' once, and leaped towards Frondier.


    "It feels like I can do anything!"


    ¡°W-what the hell¡ª!¡±


    Thud!


    Renzo grabbed Frondier by the cor. His mouth twisted into a long, crooked grin.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Renzo sent Frondier flying. It was like he was flinging wetundry.


    ¡°Augh!¡±


    Frondier flew nearly parallel to the ground. He instinctively looked back.


    ¡®The skyway!¡¯

 Chapter 148 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡®The skyway!¡¯


    Behind him, he saw the tracks of the skyway.


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication:</i>


    <i>Neil Jack¡¯s Dagger, Double</i>


    Frondier shed at the sides of the tracks he was about to crash into.


    ng!


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Frondier crashed into the severed tracks, and the middle of the track was pushed apart by the impact. The skyway was severed.


    The tracks, now without support, swayed wildly beforeing to a stop, hanging from the cliffs on either side.Caw¡ª


    A crow cawed and flew through the air from the forest.


    As for this severed skyway, perhaps the crow would report it to Aten.


    ¡°Hey, Frondier! You severed an important skyway. And you call yourself a student of Constel?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Frondier barely managed to stop his momentum and looked at Renzo.


    Renzo was still in the air. He wasn¡¯t just hovering, though; it was like he had set up invisible trampolines and was bouncing off of them.


    That wasn¡¯t ¡®flight¡¯. But it wasn¡¯t ¡®levitation¡¯ either.


    It was just Renzo doing whatever he wanted, a strategy meant solely to get a hit in on Frondier. Presumably, he was creating tforms out of Aura and using them to jump upwards.


    The difficulty level was absurd, but if it was Frondier, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to do it because he¡¯d feel bad about wasting Aura.


    ¡°¡­Renzo, you could do something like that?¡±


    ¡°Nope. That was my first time.¡±


    Haah.


    A sigh escaped Frondier¡¯s mouth before he realized it.


    ¡°¡­What a pain.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Frondier checked his remaining mana.


    Although he had been conserving his strength, he hadn¡¯t held back his attacks in order to test Renzo¡¯s barrier. That had used up quite a bit of mana. About half of his tie was gone.


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication:</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Spears x12</i>


    Frondier created a multitude of spears around him, aimed at Renzo. Now that Renzo could move freely in the air, he needed toe up with a new strategy.


    ¡°Hoo. They¡¯re all pretty impressive.¡±


    Renzoughed fearlessly. Of course they were impressive. They were high-quality spears, hand-picked from the weapons of the Imperial Armory specifically to take him down.


    ¡°But they¡¯re useless if they don¡¯t hit!¡±


    In an instant, Renzo charged at Frondier again.


    It was a different movement than before. Instead of charging straight at Frondier, Renzo used the tforms in the air to leap in all directions to approach him.


    Frondierunched his spear, but he couldn''t keep up with Renzo''s speed.


    ''I had anticipated it the moment he was in the air with that method.''


    But this is too fast.


    To think that he could utilize a technique he just created to this extent.


    ''No choice then.''


    Just as Renzo had pulled out the shield hidden behind him.


    It was Frondier''s turn to reveal his hidden card.


    "Frondier! With that speed, you can''t stop me!"


    Renzo, drawing erratic trajectories in the air, approached Frondier. His speed was terrifying.


    "I know."


    Frondier lifted Mj?lnir. Grasping the handle tightly, he channeled mana into it.


    "I''ve prepared something even faster."


    <i>Mj?lnir''s ability activated</i>


    <i>Blessing of the Thunder God</i>


    Lightning casually circled around Mj?lnir,


    Boom!


    The huge thunderbolt that was seen before, struck Mj?lnir once again.


    "...Lightning."


    Renzo''s eyes widened. The speed at which he flew using the air tforms was indeed hard for Frondier to follow with his eyes.


    But it didn''t surpass lightning.


    "Ugh!"


    Frondier, with Mj?lnir surrounded by lightning, hit it against the spear he had Weaving in the air. The lightning spread along the nearby spears, extending even to a few spears he had thrown towards Renzo.


    Frondier didn''t throw the spears to hit Renzo in the first ce.


    The spears were merely lightning rods.


    Coming to his senses, Renzo found spears thrown by Frondier all around him.


    "Dodge this, Renzo."


    Just before the spears charged with lightning roared,


    Frondier spoke, and


    Renzo calmly replied.


    "No way. Can''t dodge this."


    Zap-!!


    "Aaagh!"


    Lightning stretched from the spears in all directions. Renzo took the full brunt of it and fell from the air. The lightning piercing from his head to his toes electrified Renzo''s nerves.


    "Argh, ugh!"


    However, Renzo did not fall. Hended properly on the ground, steadying his trembling body.


    ''This much damage is nothing. I can still fight!''


    Renzo''s formidable stamina, aura, and the divine power of Ares. All of these greatly mitigated Renzo''s injuries.


    Thud.


    Frondier alsonded on the ground. Renzo red at Frondier, holding his shield with a trembling body.


    His body, still coursing with electricity, wouldn''t move as he wanted. He was paralyzed. But if he could withstand the next attack too, it would be Renzo''s turn.


    "You''re impressive, Renzo."


    "You''re disgusting, Frondier. How many dirty tricks do you have hidden behind thatzy face?"


    Renzo looked at Frondier with a disgusted expression.


    Frondier smiled.


    "But, Renzo."


    It was the smile that always unnerved his enemies.


    "I have one more dirty trick."


    "...What?"


    Frondier held Mj?lnir and Excalibur. Excalibur shone brightly again.


    ''Is it that technique again? I''ll block it this time too.''


    Frondier''s original sword technique. It was definitely powerful. But Renzo, driven by sheer will, managed to direct his shield towards Frondier, despite his body barely moving.


    Renzo''s judgment was not wrong.


    It was not wrong, but...


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary, Divine</i>


    <i>Excalibur, Mj?lnir</i>


    <i>Identical Replication 3 Pairs</i>


    Behind and to the left and right of Renzo, weapons held by Frondier materialized identically.


    That''s when Renzo knew.


    Ah, this guy really is the worst.


    "This is the strongest technique I possess."


    As he spoke, Frondier lifted Mj?lnir. The replicated Mj?lnirs around moved in unison. As Excalibur''s tip pointed at Renzo, the replicated Excaliburs around did the same.


    With only ''Lynotoros'' to block the front, there definitely wasn''t enough coverage.


    <i>Aura Emission, Sword Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation</i>


    <i>Diagonal Cut</i>


    As Frondier was about to deliver what seemed like a death sentence with his hammer,


    "Sorry."


    A familiar voice came from behind Frondier.


    Realizing something, Frondier momentarily moved, but then stopped.


    His arms, legs, and torso were suddenly tied with threads.


    "Looks like Frondier should indeed be used as a sacrifice."


    It was Cain.


    Suddenly appearing, Cain grabbed Frondier and opened a portal behind him.


    "What, wait-!"


    Renzo eximed in shock, but Cain dragged Frondier through the portal and disappeared.


    In a moment, Renzo was left alone.


    For the first time in a while, he felt his blood boil in reverse.


    "This damn spider, how dare she...!"


    Renzo, usually perceptive,


    Blinded by rage, didn''t catch the moment they disappeared through the portal.


    Frondier was unmistakablyughing wickedly.

 Chapter 149 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Rome, @Bismarck04 and @Joe Mama from Ko-fi!</i>


    As soon as he passed through the portal, Frondier was immediately tied to a chair.


    It was Cain. She wrapped Frondier''s hands and feet tightly with severalyers of rope. His feet were carefully tied to each leg of the chair.


    Frondier tried to exert a little force on his body. It didn''t budge.


    ''This is...''


    Frondier looked around. The chandelier hanging from the high ceiling, the various paintings on the wall. Some of them were from the ''Remuse'' Museum.


    The luxurious interior and artwork were evident at a nce. The furniture suggested wealth.


    Although it was the first time Frondier had been here, he felt like he knew where this was.''Is this Heldre''s mansion?''


    Suddenly, he was dragged into the heart of the enemy''s territory.


    "Hey. How are you feeling?"


    At that moment, a familiar voice was heard. He turned his head and saw Thompson entering through the open door. Kraken and Skyler were with him.


    Skyler was now wearing a te mail. Judging from the expensive armor, it was probably something from this mansion.


    Cain had been tying up Frondier from the start, so the leaders were all gathered here.


    "I owe you a lot this time, don''t I?"


    Thompson, who was walking in front, asked bitterly.


    Frondier looked into Thompson''s bloodthirsty eyes. Obviously, since he had battered his body with fireworks, it was enough to cause a lot of resentment.


    ''However.''


    Frondier checked Thompson''s empty right arm.


    "......It seems like Renzo is worse off than me."


    Frondier said it sincerely, without any hint of mockery.


    This remark was somewhat of a bait.


    Unpleasantness gathered between Thompson''s brows.


    "Let''s not talk about the crazy bastard."


    Thompson took the bait as expected.


    Mad dog. As expected, Renzo is not being well received here in Indus.


    ''If Indus doesn''t trust Renzo, it means Kraken doesn''t trust him either.''


    It was Kraken who rescued Renzo, sacrificing its own life in the process.


    Frondier nced at Kraken without making it obvious. His face looked calm, but he was probably seething inside. After all, he had sacrificed a life to bring Renzo for the revolution, only to be treated as a half-traitor already.


    "You let your guard down, Frondier."


    Another person appeared. It was Heldre.


    He still had thick bandages wrapped around both arms. Frondier ''analyzed'' that.


    ''...As expected, a full recovery is impossible.''


    Probably, it would be difficult for him to fight with those arms now. As a Zodiac, Heldre was already dead. It was fortunate that he hadn''t rotted away.


    "Didn''t I tell you? You''re going to die. Once spoken, it must be upheld."


    Heldre was smiling, but his murderous intent was palpable. Everyone here was like that.


    Frondier smiled back.


    "Have you forgotten? You begged me for your life. And didn''t I save you? That''s rather harsh towards your lifesaver."


    "Nonsense...!"


    "I saw with my own eyes how you desperately fled, even abandoning your granddaughter. Now you stand tall, which is quiteughable."


    Thwack!


    Heldre kicked Frondier in the abdomen. He couldn''t use his arms. Frondier didn''t make a sound and just looked at Heldre.


    ''He didn''t use aura.''


    The fact that Frondier didn''t make a sound meant it hurt, but he could bear it.


    He must have felt a considerable insult, but he didn''t intend to kill Frondier yet. Because he''s a ''sacrifice''.


    Frondier seemed to slowly understand what being a ''sacrifice'' meant.


    ¡®Maybe I should provoke a bit more.¡¯


    With a sardonic smile, Frondier brazenly spoke.


    "And I saved that granddaughter too. There are two people here who owe me their lives. Please help me a bit."


    "Still got a sharp tongue, I see!"


    Heldre''s patience seemed to reach its limit as his aura surged. Frondier sharply observed this. Was it a bluff? Or sincerity? Was he really intending to kill me? Or was it just an act?


    "Grandpa, stop."


    It was Cain who stopped Heldre.


    Heldre''s aura subsided at Cain''s single word.


    Yes, I get it. What a ''sacrifice'' means.


    To effectively reveal this...


    "Hey, Frondier."


    It was then that Thompson called out to Frondier. The timing was appropriate.


    "If you don''t want to die here, answer me. Who are you in league with? How do you know our ns and each of our identities to such an extent?"


    Cain''s brows furrowed at those words. Kraken''s expression was simr.


    Thompson''s question was something every member of Indus was curious about. It was also something they absolutely needed to know.


    However, hearing it from Frondier''s mouth was too risky.


    This question alone had given Frondier too much information.


    Skyler, who was watching, even went as far as to restrain Thompson.


    "What matters now isn''t that. It''s seeding in the revolution. Isn''t that enough?"


    "What do you mean, enough! I need to know. Who among us is the traitor!"


    Thompson was still obliviously arguing.


    Inside, Frondier smiled. As expected, Thompson was the easiest to manipte among them.


    Not because Thompson was stupid, but because he was the most emotionally unstable at the moment.


    An outsider, not even a member, suddenly came in and tore off his own arm. It would be insane not to be furious about it.


    "¡­Thompson."


    "¡­!"


    Thompson was slightly startled upon hearing his name. He had no recollection of introducing himself to Frondier.


    At this moment, Frondier might as well have admitted it. He was acknowledging that he was receiving information from a traitor.


    "Cain, Skyler, Kraken, Heldre."


    Frondier then called out the names of the individuals in front of him in turn.


    One of them was a traitor. Frondier hadid the bait, and Indus had bitten.


    Then, it''s time to y along.


    "¡­Do you know?"


    Frondier said.


    "The ''deal'' hasn''t ended yet."


    "¡­What?"

 Chapter 149 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "The ''deal'' hasn''t ended yet."


    "¡­What?"


    Thompson reacted in a way that was easy to understand. He responded as if he couldn''t believe it, his eyes visibly shaking.


    "The recent information I came across was about the ''sacrifice''."


    "¡­Shut up and answer my question! Who is the traitor?!"


    Thompson shouted. He was beginning to get anxious. Why was Frondier so calm? They were in a desperate situation, yet why wasn''t he scared?


    Frondier, on the contrary, spoke in a lowered voice.


    "Don''t make such a fuss; you''ll understand once you hear everything. We were a good team, weren''t we?"


    "You, snake-like bastard¡­!"Thompson''s eyes narrowed as he trembled with rage. Frondier had cunningly struck a nerve. Even Thompson''s outburst seemed like a nned act in cahoots with Frondier.


    Of course, this alone wouldn''t make anyone immediately believe Thompson was the traitor, but it was enough to make the members of Indus suspicious of each other.


    "Since my partner is getting anxious, to put it briefly."


    Frondier paused and inhaled. He scanned everyone¡¯s faces. Checking to see how they would react to what he was about to say next.


    ¡°The offering¡­ You intend to use it to attract my father, Enfer.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    There was no need to look closely. Thompson in particr was an open book. He would not know if he was the only one acting, but the expressions of the others were simr.


    "If you disguise it as if I were killed by the Emperor, Enfer will not hesitate to kill the Emperor, even if there are some inconsistencies. Enfer would not care."


    This operation seemed crude at first nce, but in fact anyone who knew Enfer¡¯s personality would judge that it was possible.


    The reason this works is not because Enfer loves Frondier.


    Regardless of what happened with his love for Frondier, Enfer hates the Imperial Pce. And to the point that he calls the Zodiac the ¡°Imperialpdogs¡±. So if he had a reason, Enfer would try to kill the emperor at any time. Frondier¡¯s death would be the perfect material for that to happen.


    In other words, the ¡°sacrifice¡± needed to make Enfer an enemy of the Empire. That¡¯s the identity of the sacrifice Indus was talking about.


    Ever since Kraken mentioned the ¡°sacrifice¡± earlier, Frondier had an idea that it was targeting his family, not him.


    And it became clear by the fact that they still hadn¡¯t killed Frondier, even up to this point when they were after the emperor.


    ¡°¡­What does it matter if you know that?¡±


    Thompson asked, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°So who is that guy you¡¯re talking about? I must have asked you several times, but¡­?¡±


    ¡°What? You still don¡¯t know, even after hearing all this? Who the traitor is?¡±


    Frondier tilted his head.


    Thompson¡¯s brows furrowed. What? Where in that statement could he have possibly inferred the traitor¡¯s identity from?


    Frondier tilted his head, opening his mouth as if he was simply making everyday conversation.


    "You¡¯re going to fail."


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    For a moment, everyone was unable to react to his peaceful voice. The content of his words did not align with his tone or expression whatsoever.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to fail, and you won¡¯t even reach the Imperial Pce in the first ce. You won¡¯t be able to kill me. That grand term you call ¡®revolution¡¯ will quietly dissipate without anyone in the Empire ever knowing about it. Just like the petty criminals who are getting caught and dragged off to prison even now within the Empire. That¡¯s the future that awaits you."


    It sounded like a curse, and the content was essentially the same.


    As everyone gradually began to build up their killing intent toward Frondier, there was only one person, Kraken, who was thinking differently.


    ¡®This is strange.¡¯


    Kraken felt a sense of unease. There was one more piece of information about Frondier that he knew that no one else here did.


    ¡®Why hasn¡¯t the child of Manggot shown himself?¡¯


    Frondier was in danger.


    When Heldre had kicked him away with his foot, couldn¡¯t she have simply blocked it?


    It was as if she was waiting for something.


    Frondier was bbering on right now as if he was ¡®buying time¡¯¡ª


    ¡®Ah!¡¯


    Kraken realized it. He quickly stretched out his hand, and his fingers instantly turned into tentacles that shot toward Frondier¡¯s head.


    An ambush that no one could have expected. An attack that wouldpletely ruin their n to use Frondier as a ¡®sacrifice¡¯.


    However, Indus didn¡¯t know this, but it was actually the best possible course of action that they could have taken right now.


    ng!


    However, even that failed.


    ¡°¡­¡­Master Frondier. I¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Someone appeared in front of Frondier. Out of nowhere, without any portal whatsoever.


    She suddenly leaped out from Frondier¡¯s shadow and stood in front of Frondier.


    ¡°You¡¯rete, Selena.¡±


    It was a maid. A maid, dressed more neatly than when Frondier had met her, batted away Kraken''s tentacles.


    "Kill that woman! Quickly!" Kraken barked.


    The judgment was quick, but it was only Kraken''s. The others had their hands full just keeping up with the rapidly developing situation. There was no way they could think ahead and act.


    "So what if there''s one more girl?"


    Thompson''s attempt to sound tough didn''tst long.


    Another one, this time from the maid''s shadow. Another one from the shadow of the man who had emerged, then another, then another. The repeated "transfer" drew people out in an instant.


    The members of Indus naturally stepped back. A different transition from their ''portal.'' They were all familiar with this unique method of transition.


    "...Manggot."


    Heldre muttered. Mysterious people were now filling the room. An unexpected raid.


    Thest one to emerge from the shadow was a face Heldre already knew.


    "...Hagley."


    Hagley, the core member of Manggot who had approached Frondier before Selena.


    Hagley didn''t answer him. His emotionless eyes simply scanned the Indus members around him, then briefly turned to what was behind him. Frondier, sitting in the chair, and Selena, guarding him.


    After a brief look at that, Hagley turned his gaze to the front.


    "I am now issuing an operational order to the ''Yeolgot.''"


    In a calm andposed voice, he said,


    "Protect Frondier."


    He had brought the empire''s disaster upon the mansion.

 Chapter 150 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>1/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Several hours ago, Selena had reported to Hagley.


    "Indeed. This vertical line was a notation for the inversion structure. If you change the word order of a sentence that sounds normal, it would sound strange, so that''s what it was marked for."


    Hagley nodded in admiration.


    The content of the ancientnguage that Selena delivered today was special. They had tried to interpret the ancientnguage based on the content received from Frondier so far but quickly hit a wall.


    However, this lesson broke through that impasse.


    "Indeed, Frondier haspletely finished the interpretation of the ancientnguage."


    Hagley nodded with certainty.The information received from Selena so far had perfectly matched when applied to the actual ancientnguage.


    It couldn''t have been possible with mere sloppy guesses. It might sound usible a few times out of luck, but as the content umtes, its foundation would be revealed. However, Frondier''s knowledge had been perfect so far.


    "If this continues, it won''t be long before we fully understand the ancientnguage."


    Hagley, who rarely shows happiness, did so now.


    In front of him, Selena deeply bowed her head.


    "Lord Hagley, I have something to tell you about that."


    "Hmm? What is it, Jei? Is there more to report?"


    Selena now found it awkward to be called ''Jei.'' That was her original name when she lived in Manggot.


    Without showing it, Selena said,


    "Yes. Frondier will no longer teach us the ancientnguage."


    "Hmm...?"


    Hearing Selena''s words, Hagley''s eyes narrowed. He opened a book. It was a book that contained the lectures on the ancientnguage by Frondier that had been ryed by Selena so far.


    "This is far from enough."


    Even if they had made a breakthrough, it was just a fraction. There''s still a long way to go for aplete interpretation.


    "What sudden change of heart?"


    "I''m not sure."


    "How did Frondier look when he said that?"


    "He had a smug look."


    Selena pulled out the answer she and Frondier had discussed in advance.


    Frondier knew how he would be perceived in Manggot.


    But even so,


    ''He really asked about the expression.''


    Now, Frondier was bing scary.


    "Hmm. The guy must have started to notice the value of the ancientnguage."


    "It''s my fault."


    "No, it''s not. You''ve skillfully extracted the content of the ancientnguage from him, haven''t you? Haven''t I told you? Frondier would quickly fall for you."


    Hagley defended Selena.


    Hagley is stingy with praise, so hismendation is rare. It meant that Hagley highly valued Selena''s achievements.


    However, since it was entirely untrue, Selena couldn''t be happy.


    "Anyway, if Frondier is not willing to teach the ancientnguage anymore, we''ll have to propose new terms."


    Hagley fell into thought for a moment.


    Up to this point, Selena had been extracting knowledge from Frondier using her appearance and acting. The progress had been smooth.


    Interpreting the ancientnguage, which had beenpletely elusive. Finally, someone capable of doing so had appeared, and much had been learned until now. The long-cherished wish of Manggot was about toe true.


    There was no stopping here. Besides Frondier, there was no one else who could interpret the ancientnguage.


    Perhaps someone else would appear someday, but for now, Frondier was alone.


    "Did Frondier perhaps demand something in return?"


    "...... In return......"


    "For example, your emotions."


    For a moment, Selena couldn''t understand Hagley''s words.


    Hagley spoke again.


    "Frondier revealed the ancientnguage to you after being attracted to your body. You must be feeling gratified for a while. But over time, people be desirous. They start wanting things like ''love''."


    "...... I see."


    Speechless, Selena just nodded her head for the time being.


    Hagley knows that Selena had demanded the ancientnguage from Frondier using her body as bait. Because Selena said so. Just following Frondier''s instructions.


    "Most humans don¡¯t know their own ce. It¡¯s even more so for someone as arrogant as Frondier. Perhaps what Frondier wants now is your love. He probably wishes for the person he loves to love him back. That''s generally how humans are."


    "...... I, see."


    Selena bowed her head again.


    ......As if, she hadn¡¯t even given her heart yet.


    "It can''t be helped. It will take some time, but you should start to like Frondier gradually."


    "What should I do?"


    "Act as if you are falling for Frondier until he reveals the next part of the ancientnguage. Until now, you have tempted him, but now, you will act as if you are being tempted by Frondier."


    "......Then, would he teach me the ancientnguage again?"


    "Well, partly because Frondier is suspecting you by not revealing the ancientnguage to you. But if he believes that he is loved, then his suspicions will be alleviated. There is no reason to suspect someone who loves you."


    "Right, acting of loving Frondier......"


    "Yes. Since Frondier is falling for you, it won''t take long."


    It feels like it will take a very long time.


    Selena was momentarily stunned by the unexpected conversation, but it wasn''t over yet. Sheposed herself and spoke again.


    "But Frondier is in quite a dangerous situation."


    "Yeah. You mentioned that he''s been targeted by the Indus."


    Selena nodded.


    "Without knowing the reason, it wouldn''t be strange if he died at any time."


    "I heard that Frondier is using you as a guard. Isn''t it enough for you alone?"


    Selena nodded her head.


    "Yes. But honestly, although Frondier can interpret ancientnguage, I''m not sure if it''s worth risking my life for."


    Hmm. Hagley let out a small sigh at Selena''s words.


    ''It seems that Jei particrly dislikes Frondier.''


    For her to say this, who is so patient. What on earth is this arrogance and inferiorityplex of Frondier''s?


    "Then we will need manpower. However, Jei. Going against Indus means that we will also shed blood."


    "......Yes. I wonder if we won''t be making too many sacrifices just for the sake of Frondier."


    Selena pretended to wish for Frondier''s death. That would earn Hagley''s trust. Frondier had said so.


    Hagley said with a smile.


    "Sacrifice, huh. Then what do you think? Is Frondier worth the sacrifice?"


    ¡°Since he has the ability to interpret the ancientnguage, there is no choice.¡±


    "That''s Manggot way of thinking."


    Hagley shook his head.


    "Jei, what do you think? If Frondier were to fallpletely for you. Would he be a valuable asset?"


    Selena realized Hagley''s intention behind this question.


    Hagley intended to absorb Frondier into Manggot.


    From Manggot point of view, Frondier was a child who had been thrown out of his family. Naturally, he would resent his family, and he would resent himself.


    Manggot had brought in such people until now. In fact, the circumstances of most of Manggot members were simr.


    So Hagley was asking about the potential of Frondier as a person.


    ''...In that case.''


    From Selena''s point of view, not Manggot.


    Was Frondier a necessary asset or not?


    Regardless of Hagley''s intentions, Selena already had the answer to this question.


    "......He is necessary."


    "I see."


    Hagley nodded.


    "I will permit you to seed the Shadow of Yeolgot."


    "Yes."


    "And I shall go too."


    ¡°Lord Hagley as well?¡±


    Selena was surprised by his unexpected words. Hagley nodded.


    "I would like to see a face I miss."

 Chapter 150 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A sudden melee broke out inside Heldre''s mansion.


    The members of Indus looked at those guarding Frondier from the shadows and made a quick judgment. They retreated to put distance between themselves and the attackers.


    For Indus, that was the best possible judgment they could make at the moment. Meanwhile, arge number of people flocked to Heldre''s mansion and fought a bloody battle with Manggot.


    All of these were members of ''Indus,'' and they were strong allies just below the leadership.


    However.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    ¡°Gragh!¡±


    Most of them were ruthlessly subdued by those who had emerged from the shadows.


    The Shadows of Yeolgot.Selena had not brought just anyone from Manggot to provide support.


    Selena was originally the tenth assassin raised in Manggot. That''s why she is called ''J,'' the tenth letter of the alphabet.


    Thinking about the history of Manggot, it¡¯s pretty astounding that Selena was only the tenth member, considering the extreme selection and screening that goes into developing assassins in the first ce.


    That is why Selena¡¯s codename, which is based on the alphabet, is proof of her tremendous talent and skill.


    And Yeolgol is the elite team carefully selected under Selena. Assassination is rarely done alone. Especially ifplete concealment is required.


    In order to deal with the sheer gap between the numbers of the Yeolgot and Indus, it had to be done by brute force.


    ¡°Frondier, I¡¯ll release you right now.¡±


    While the Yeolgot easily dealt with the Indus personnel, Selena went behind Frondier and pulled out a dagger.


    Unintentionally, she checked Frondier¡¯splexion.


    ¡­ Again, it¡¯s hard to tell just by looking at his face.


    As she moved the dagger closer to cut the ropes binding Frondier¡¯s hands behind his back, he spoke.


    ¡ª Don¡¯t release me.


    It was a message he conveyed with his lips, without making a sound.


    Selena had studied lip reading, so she could read his lips. In fact, even without any training, anyone would have been able to tell what he was saying just now.


    ¡ª Why?


    Selena also moved only her lips.


    Frondier opened his mouth again.


    ¡ª I have no mana.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Selena hid her surprise.


    She had just checked hisplexion, but he had no mana. His face really waspletely devoid of any sign of it.


    ¡ª I used it all up when I was fighting Renzo. I pushed myself a little too hard at the end.


    ¡ª Then shouldn¡¯t we release your arms even more? You¡¯re in danger like this.


    ¡ª Right now, they think I¡¯m not fighting because I¡¯m ¡®restrained.¡¯ If they find out I can¡¯t fight properly even when I¡¯m not restrained, the enemy will notice too.


    Selena gulped. To be thinking about something like that in the middle of all this.


    Frondier moved his lips again.


    ¡ª Don¡¯t worry. I have enough mana left to put on a show. But it¡¯s literally just a show. I¡¯ll be more effective if I stay tied to the chair.


    ¡ª Understood.


    Selena stood up. Frondier was tied at his arms and legs. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to cut them right now. The spiderwebs were wrapped thickly, and faint, ominous energy swirled around them.


    He was bound this thoroughly. It seemed like the members of Indus knew about Frondier¡¯s strength as well.


    Selena changed her mind and decided to focus on protecting him. She killed any enemies who approached by widening her reach. The enemies who were hit by her throwing needles copsed where they stood without fail.


    Even though the Yeolgot had the advantage in skill, Indus had overwhelming numbers. In fact, their numbers were slowly starting to take a toll.


    Selena spoke, her tension rising.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll protect your nk. With my life.¡±


    Frondier quietly let out a hollowugh.


    Still, Selena had a fondness for clich¨¦d phrases.

 Chapter 151 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>2/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?During the fight at the mansion.


    Hagley was chasing after Heldre.


    "How far do you intend to run?"


    Heldre had already escaped the mansion. Hagley chased him, cutting across the trees in the forest.


    "Hagley! You! Are you still dreaming of revenge?"


    Heldre shouted at Hagley while running.


    Hagley said,"Everyone in ''Manggot'' has gathered dreaming of revenge. You should know."


    "Foolishness!"


    Crack!


    While running, Heldre turned and kicked a tree.


    With just that, the tree split with a crack, andrge pieces and splinters of the trunk fell on Hagley.


    Hagley lightly brushed them aside or dodged, persistently chasing after Heldre.


    ''His arms really are ruined.''


    Hagley closely observed Heldre''s appearance. The noticeable bandages wrapped around both arms.


    "Heldre, what happened to your arms?"


    "It''s none of your business!"


    It seemed Heldre was desperately running away from Hagley because of his injuries. After all, if he were unharmed, he wouldn''t have turned his back on Hagley.


    Even if Hagley were not an easy opponent, seeing Zodiac ''Heldre'' running away so desperately might be a sight never to be seen again.


    ''...Well, it''s entertaining, at least.''


    Let''s end it here.


    Hagley raised his right hand. With that hand, he formed a unique shape and bent it.


    Suddenly, a massive curtain unfolded in front of Heldre. The curtain was wless, without a single gap or stain.


    "Running into a ce as shadowy as a forest. You''ve lost your judgment, Heldre."


    "...Do you really think you can kill me?"


    Heldre stopped running and turned to face Hagley. His aura surged, pushing away the surrounding leaves and dirt.


    Seeing that significant momentum, Hagley frowned.


    ''That enormous aura. I thought losing his arms was like an old man losing his teeth, but it seems that''s not the case.''


    Then who could have inflicted such a wound on Heldre?


    Hagley gulped in tension. When he was running away, he seemed easy, but even without both arms, Heldre was still Heldre.


    On the other hand, however, this was the perfect opportunity to kill Heldre.


    Even if Hagley has to give both of his arms just like Heldre had done, Heldre should die here.


    ¡°The continent will receive its retribution. You will be the first.¡±


    ¡°Even if the past history of the empire has just a single w, is that enough to justify your crazy revenge! You are just lunatics obsessed with revenge!¡±


    Heldre shouted. Hagleyughed and shook his head.


    ¡°That no longer has any meaning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Who is right and who is wrong, what is just. There is no one in the entire continent who thinks about such things anymore.¡±


    Hagley''s gaze, as he said so, was not just cold, butpletely empty. It contained a void that didn''t even feel the temperature of ''coldness''.


    ¡°Your words are right. We are just murderous maniacs obsessed with revenge. We don¡¯t even know what will happen to us after we set the continent on fire.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I should have killed you all back then.¡±


    ¡°Those are wise words.¡±


    Hagley slowly mustered up his mana. This time, it was both hands. Fingers bent in strange shapes. The wrists of both hands met in a cross.


    The moment the two¡¯s murderous intent grew even stronger and they were about to aim their weapons at each other without holding back,


    ¡°©¤©¤Hey, gramps.¡±


    Swish!


    Bam-


    An eerie sound of air being split horizontally.


    When that sound rang out, Heldre looked at his chest.


    ¡°¡­¡­Cough.¡±


    Blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed.


    A huge spear was stuck in his chest. The heart of Heldre that it had pierced emitted an ominous light.


    ck, ck. Footsteps approached from afar. That leisurely walking pace told him who it was.


    ¡°You dare deceive me?¡±


    Renzo approached, exhaling rough breaths.


    Heldre looked at Renzo with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°How did you, here¡­¡­!¡±


    Heldre was going to die soon. He knew that well. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t stand it, because it was even more strange.


    Why had Renzoe here. How could he havee?


    "Ah, Ares told me. If you ask why I''m so fast, well, I ran hard," he said.


    "¡­!"


    Ares. The god of war.


    It was Renzo''s divine power, but for a god to intervene in human affairs to this extent.


    Moreover, the spear just now. Heldre was caught off guard without sensing any premonition. Despite having lost both arms, suffering from severe mental exhaustion, and having an enemy right in front of him, not noticing at all was unthinkable.


    ''Could it be, could it be... Hestia!''


    Heldre suddenly thought of his own god.


    "Oh, Hestia!"


    Thud.


    Heldre fell to his knees. The end of the spear''s shaft touched the ground. The unstoppable bleeding. Heldre felt his life draining away.


    "Have you abandoned me as well!!!"


    His cry of despair echoed through the forest, unable to sense the qi of such a spear. Hestia must have blinded his eyes and ears. He could think of no other exnation.


    After his vain cry for an answer,


    Heldre died.


    The death of ''Zodiac'' was so vain.


    ''...No. It''s not because of the gods.''


    Hagley, who was watching, swallowed hard.


    ''I didn''t know either. I couldn''t read any signs.''


    It wasn''t just Heldre who didn''t know the spear wasing.


    Hagley also realized it was flying towards them only after it had pierced Heldre''s heart.


    Now, he can feel an enormous amount of mana from that spear. A massive presence presses down on the forest.


    However, its presence was only revealed after Renzo threw it, or rather, after it hit Heldre.


    It wasn''t that it was invisible. It didn''t disappear and then reappear.


    It simply hid its powerful aura until it hit its target. A property that flies ignoring the radar of human mana detection.


    ''What are you trying to be, Renzo?''


    ording to the information Manggot knew, Renzo wasn''t such a character. Certainly, a dangerous and unpredictable person with a strong temperament, but still an individual.


    Moreover, his unpredictable vtility was thought to potentially benefit Manggot cause.


    But now.


    Could Renzo''s impulsiveness truly be controlled by anyone? Hagley couldn''te to a definitive answer.


    "Hey."


    That''s when Renzo spoke up.


    "Where is he?"


    "Who?"


    "Frondier."


    Words Hagley hadn''t been expected to say came flowing out.


    What? Wasn''t he supposed to see Heldre? Why is Frondier''s nameing out of Renzo''s mouth?


    "...He should be at the mansion. Still."


    "I see."


    Hagley answered honestly. Turning Renzo into an enemy now would be foolish. While Frondier''s interpretation skills were important, they weren''t as crucial as Hagley''s own life. That was the view from the Yeolgot''s perspective as well.


    "Fine. I''ll kill him this time. Frondier."


    Renzo walked away with a smirk, seemingly losing interest in Hagley.


    Since he had no intention of hiding his immense aura, Hagley actually felt relieved.


    If he made his presence that obvious, Jei and the Yeolgot would probably run away on their own.


    It''s a shame about Frondier, but it can''t be helped.

 Chapter 151 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The humans at the mansion were almost taken care of.


    Of course, it wasn''t as mild as that phrase might imply.


    Unlike Frondier, the Yeolgot had neither the inclination nor reason to show mercy, so most were brutally killed.


    "Lord Jei. What should we do with these?"


    One of the Yeolgot member spoke to Selena, surrounding unconscious Thompson, Skyler, and Cain. They were more cautious knowing these three could use portals.


    The reason for their unconsciousness was simple.


    ''That woman, no, man? Kraken. It attacked its own allies.''


    Kraken took advantage of the confusion to use these three as human shields for his escape. Caught off guard, they were utterly defeated. Probably, no one could surpass Kraken in speed alone if that was the only measure.


    ''Should it be called cowardice? Or should it be seen as mercy for not killing them?''Kraken could have killed them, but he chose not to. That would have been simpler. The thoughts of a monster are iprehensible.


    Selena said,


    "We have to kill them. Whether they''re Indus or whatever, we are merely a cmity-"


    Selena was about to say that when,


    She raised her head at the tremendous momentum approaching the mansion.


    "...Renzo!"


    Selena shouted, and everyone at the mansion''s entrance tensed up.


    "Lord Jei. Let''s return to Manggot first."


    Someone among them proposed a sensible opinion. Everyone seemed to agree as if it was the obvious choice.


    However.


    Frondier was still here.


    Without realizing it, Selena looked at Frondier, who was still tied to the chair.


    Another person, guessing her thoughts upon seeing this, spoke up.


    "It''s regrettable about the ancientnguage, but it''s not worth risking Lord Jei''s life and ours. Moreover, even if we risked our lives, we wouldn''t be able to save him."


    "¡­!"


    Selena''s eyes wavered. Frondier saw this.


    With his eyes cold as ever, Frondier spoke.


    ©¤Do I have to instruct you on every little thing?


    "!"


    Frondier was hidden behind Selena, close enough that only she could see his lips move.


    It was hard to guess what Frondier was thinking.


    But his words deeply prated Selena''s heart.


    ©¤Get lost.


    If she stayed, Selena would be suspected by Manggot. Of course, she knew that.


    But what was Frondier thinking? Without mana, and while being tied up, did he believe he could oppose Renzo? Or did he believe he could possibly escape?


    Or else, thinking everything was over, did he tell Selena to,


    ©¤Get lost.


    Frondier''s lips moved again.


    Selena clenched her teeth internally and looked back at the people of Yeolgot.


    She managed topose a stern expression and said,


    "Let''s go back."


    "Yes."


    Following Selena''smand, she and Yeolgot disappeared from the mansion.


    Then.


    "Ah, so you were here."


    Renzo entered the mansion with his fearsome aura still intact.


    Swoosh-


    Thud!


    With a single leap, Renzo reached in front of Frondier.


    Frondier, still tied to the chair, looked at Renzo.


    "Hey, Renzo."


    He spoke as if calling a close friend.


    "Sorry about earlier. An intruder came in."


    Renzoughed at Frondier''s words.


    "It was our intruder. The apology shoulde from me. Though it''s odd to say sorry, but I just killed that leader guy."


    "¡­Is that so."


    Frondier responded calmly. Renzo grinned.


    "There will be no more interruptions. Let''s do this again, Frondier. This time I''ll end you,"


    "It''s impossible, Renzo."


    Frondier cut off Renzo''s words. He gave a smallugh.


    "I''m out of mana now."


    "...What?"


    "Aftering through the portal, I felt something strange affecting my body. It seems like my mana has been drained."


    "...Is this Heldre''s doing?"


    "Probably."


    Renzo''s expression turned fierce. Tsk, clicking his tongue, his eyes filled with murderous intent turned towards the mansion''s exterior. Though his gaze was likely aimed at the distant Heldre, disying his killing intent was futile. Heldre was already dead by his hand.


    "Kill me, Renzo."


    "..."


    "Here lies the life you''ve so desperately wanted. Tied to a chair, unable to move a muscle. You can beat, cut, chew, tear, and taste as much as you want."


    At Frondier''s words, Renzo''s clenched fist trembled, and then he turned and walked away.


    Crash!


    Bang! Crash! Crack!


    And he began to smash everything in sight. Expensive artworks and paintings, even the chandeliers on the ceiling, were all destroyed.


    He stomped on the shattered objects until they werepletely obliterated. Not satisfied, he repeatedly smashed the walls and floor as well, until finally, Renzo took a deep breath.


    "I''ll postpone it."


    "...Oh."


    "I''ll postpone our duel. Killing you like this wouldn''t be fun."


    "Fun."


    "Besides, had you not been kidnapped through the portal, I surely would have been in danger."


    Just before Cain kidnapped Frondier, Renzo was destined to be struck by sword energy flying from all directions. The paralysis hadn''t worn off, and he had no defense with just a shield.


    "Well, even so, I would have survived that too!"


    Renzo was making baseless ims.


    "So consider this paying off that debt. Maintain your best condition until we meet again. I''ll kill you with all my strength, after you''ve given your all."


    After saying that, Renzo turned and walked towards the mansion''s door again.


    Frondier watched his somewhat dejected figure for a moment, then said,


    "Hey, Renzo."


    "What is it."


    "As you''re leaving, untie this as well."


    "You figure that out yourself!"

 Chapter 152 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>3/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    After Renzo left, I was the only one left conscious in this mansion.


    Heldre is dead, the Indus personnel were dealt with by Manggot, and the Indus leaders are unconscious.


    It would seem like the most ideal situation for me to take advantage of, but...


    In reality, it''s an extremely difficult situation.


    ''Seriously, not even a single drop of mana left.''


    I tried weaving in order to undo these spiderwebs, but there was nothing I could work with. I wouldn''t be able to cut them with a crude weapon, and the only way to cut through them in one go would be to use void weaving to sever the spiderwebs.


    Void weaving is only possible inside Menosorpo, so that''s naturally out of the question.And more importantly...


    ''...I''m sleepy.''


    My tough schedule after the second semester started, along with the consecutive incidents and idents that kept happening. The consecutive battles and mana depletion from consuming Dragon Heart. And now my current physical state.


    My fatigue had reached its limit.


    I looked ahead. Thompson, Cain, and Skyler are still copsed. They''re still just unconscious, they haven''t been restrained or incapacitated.


    I somehow need to take action before they regain consciousness.


    ''This is bad.''


    My eyelids are heavy.


    My head slowly droops. A sigh escapes my lips, as if my insides arepletely empty.


    In the end, I couldn''t beat the overwhelming sleepiness and fell asleep tied to the chair.


    * * *


    Kraken ran away with all its might.


    It couldn''t escape through the portal, because the portal''s location was set to Heldre''s mansion.


    It ran through the forest crazily. Branches and thorns scratched at its body, but it paid them no mind. It could heal minor wounds like that anytime, and they didn''t matter to it right now.


    "Haa, haa...!"


    Kraken''s breath came in ragged gasps as it ran, its body growing more elongated as she crashed through twigs and stones. At this point, there was hardly anything left of its human figure.


    "Frondier is in control of the entire Manggot!"


    It knew that Frondier was being escorted by one of the Manggot. It met her at Constel''s assembly hall.


    However, it had always thought that it was the Manggot who were using Frondier. It didn''t know what their goal was, but Frondier must''ve had some value to them. Still, it couldn''t be that significant.


    Yet here were so many Manggot members were moving for Frondier!


    It needed to hide for the time being. It would change its face and stay hidden for a long, long time.


    Yes, until there was no one left who remembered it-


    "Halt."


    Suddenly, someone blocked Kraken''s path as it was running at incredible speed.


    Kraken stopped and looked at the woman in front of it.


    "I''ve been looking for you. The culprit."


    "...Culprit?"


    Kraken tilted its head in confusion.


    It didn''t recognize the woman''s face, but it did remember the uniform she was wearing.


    "Ah, you''re from Morion."


    "I''m d you''re quick on the uptake. Put your hands up."


    Esther, the warden of Morion, red at Kraken with cold eyes.


    Kraken let out a chuckle and opened its mouth.


    "How did you know it was me? No, how did you even know I was here in the first ce?"


    Kraken''s question was justified. Kraken couldpletely change its face, making it untraceable. Eyewitnesses were meaningless. So how was Esther standing right there in its path, as if she had been waiting for it?


    "Simple. You''re with Indus. A monster pretending to be human."


    Originally, Esther had traveled to Constel to investigate Renzo''s movements after his death.


    During that time, she received a message from her clone. Someone had infiltrated Morion and fled with Renzo''s corpse.


    Afterwards, Esther set out to find the culprit who had escaped with Renzo. The original reason she was heading to Constel was to find out why Renzo had died, so finding the criminal would expedite matters.


    Above all, her personality was more suited to tracking down criminals.


    ording to the information from her clone, the criminal was a monster, likely hiding within a human organization.


    "A monster infiltrated a human organization. Then, there''s only one ce thates to mind."


    Upon hearing that information, Esther immediately thought of ''Indus.''


    Esther had sensed something sinister about Indus from the start and had embarked on an investigation. While everyone else was oblivious, she alone detected that unpleasant scent.


    Though they had been slipping through the and escaping up until now, Indus had recently left mistakes here and there. Recently, a clear member of Indus was caught.


    Most of those incidents were rted to Constel or its students.


    ''If I follow those traces, it will be clear who is at the center.''


    And Esther found one person.


    ''Frondier de Roach.''


    From Serf to the present. He was always involved in incidents that slowly unveiled the other side of Indus.


    Moreover, Renzo, who seemed unrted to Indus at a nce, also had a connection to Frondier.


    After all, it was Frondier who had reported Renzo''s infiltration into Constel.


    Whether Frondier had cut off Renzo''s arm or not, he must have had some inkling of Elysia''s ns at the time.


    ''And now, Frondier, on his way back from a school trip, was said to have been kidnapped.''


    This is a piece of urgent news that came in from Constel not long ago.


    Frondier, having no choice due to Renzo''s threat, stepped out of the train, and his whereabouts thereafter are unknown.


    "If the monster that rescued Renzo truly belongs to Indus, then it''s natural that Renzo would move with the same purpose as Indus. Though, how long that willst is anyone''s guess."


    Therefore, Esther, who had long sensed that Heldre was a leader of Indus, headed towards Heldre''s mansion.


    As she approached the mansion, she already sensed a massive mana and blocked the only escape route of Kraken, who had almost sessfully fled.


    "In this forest, without even flying, the speed was incredible. It seems like you barely used aura to avoid being tracked, which actually gave me more confidence. It''s impossible for a human to achieve such speed with their bare body."


    "¡­Heh."


    Kraken opened its mouth wide upon hearing Esther''s exnation, not even sure if it was already smiling.


    "The people of Morion, not much of a big deal."

 Chapter 152 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "The people of Morion, not much of a big deal."


    Esther''s eyes narrowed at Kraken''s words.


    From what Esther had heard, Kraken had killed three guards. And this happened after her real body had already left the prison.


    Esther pressed down on her white prison hat firmly.


    "Right. Our kids owe you one."


    At that moment, Kraken extended its hand. There was no point in hiding since it was already exposed as a monster.


    Kraken¡¯s tentacle attack, one of the fastest in Indus, shot out from her fingers towards Esther''s neck without hesitation.


    In that moment, Esther, revealing a cold gaze from beneath her hat, said,


    "Prisoner, state your name."Instantly, Kraken''s hand stopped. The fingers it believed would undoubtedly pierce through Esther''s neck froze in mid-air.


    "¡­Kraken."


    Kraken spoke its name. It wasn''t due to brainwashing or mental maniption. Kraken clearly had its own will.


    It simply couldn''t help but speak out, driven by an overwhelming fear.


    "¡­This feeling, could it be?"


    Kraken looked into Esther''s eyes. They weren''t just cold. Those pupils, emitting light, and the low murmuring voice ¨C it had heard it before.


    "A monster that kills people while pretending to be human, hiding its true identity for a long time, Kraken. Your sins are heavy."


    With each word from Esther, her aura intensified.


    It wasn''t aura. Nor was it mana. But a familiar energy. Kraken smelled it and was horrified. For a monster like Kraken, it was the worst possible opponent.


    "Justice from the gods will scrutinize you. It will take a long time to absolve your sins."


    With those words, Kraken fully realized.


    ''Divine power!''


    Kraken halted its intention to attack and instead turned to flee. Divine power is a rare force. Even more so in Etius, where multiple gods exist.


    But for that reason, it was the worst match for a monster like Kraken.


    ''To die here, of all ces! I, I have things left to do¡­.''


    Kraken moved desperately to escape Esther''s sight.


    However, Esther watched its movements with a dismissive gaze and reached out her hand.


    Catching a glimpse of that movement behind her, Kraken unwittingly opened her mouth.


    "Pl, please-"


    "Divine punishment."


    Boom!!


    Lightning struck from the sky. Unlike ordinary lightning, it shot down in a straight line. The light literally split the air vertically. It was a merciless hammer of judgment, allowing no evasion or defense.


    "Ke, keuk......"


    With a short groan, Kraken fell.


    Esther slowly approached Kraken. She looked down at Kraken for a moment, her expression soon turning into a frown.


    "¡­Alive."


    Shivering from intense pain, Kraken¡¯s human body had already disintegrated, resembling a soft-bodied creature, yet Kraken was unmistakably alive.


    "It''s strange. Humans who havemitted such sins have all without exception died."


    Heavenly punishment brings a penaltymensurate with the sin.


    Was Kraken''s sin insufficient? That couldn''t be. The scale of its sin surely warranted the death penalty without a doubt.


    "¡­This must also be the will of God."


    Esther soon shook her head and took out a restraint from her bosom.


    For a human, handcuffs would suffice, but considering the characteristics of this monster, the method of restraint had to be something very proper.


    * * *


    After restraining Kraken, Esther set foot into Heldre''s mansion.


    Beforeing here, she had confirmed Heldre''s body in the forest. She had been feeling an ominous aura since then.


    "¡­What is this?"


    And now, Esther was lost for words at the catastrophe inside the mansion.


    The mansion was literally rolling with corpses. The walls and floor were soaked with blood, and there seemed to be hardly anyone alive.


    Step by step, Esther slowly moved. The mansion was as silent as if even sounds were killed.


    Could someone who killed so many people be the very person who killed Heldre?


    As Esther walked up to the front of the mansion''s lobby,


    She stopped in her tracks at a certain scene atop the stairs.


    "Who is that."


    A man sitting in a chair entered her view.


    With his limbs tied and head bowed, only his hair was visible. However, he was wearing a school uniform.


    From just the school uniform and hair, Esther guessed his identity.


    ''Frondier de Roach!''


    Upon closer inspection, she noticed his shoulders were moving up and down slightly. Frondier was alive.


    Furthermore, Frondier wasn''t the only one alive.


    Three meny in front of Frondier. They had also merely been knocked unconscious.


    ''Cain, Thompson, Skyler¡­ They''re all leaders of Indus.''


    Esther was shocked when she recognized their faces.


    ''Did this kid do all of this by himself...?''


    He took care of anyone who would get in his way, but in the meantime, he only knocked out Indus'' important figures from whom he needed information? While tied to a chair?


    Esther unconsciously looked around again.


    ''No. That''s impossible. There''s no way.''


    Esther checked the wounds as she looked at the surrounding corpses. Some had been cut or stabbed with sharp weapons, while others had been crushed by blunt objects. They had each been attacked with different weapons.


    ''Right. They were all attacked with different weapons. There''s no way he could''ve taken care of this many people and Heldre all by himself. Especially while tied to a chair.''


    How could he have killed so many people while unable to move his hands or feet? On top of that, the weapons were all different.


    Using all these different weapons without hands or feet is impossible¡ª


    ''¡­Wait. Frondier''s ability.''


    What was it? I heard something. During Constel''s final exam, he did something to defeat his older brother, Azier¡­


    ¡­He created a sword out of thin air and aimed a spear at his neck. It perfectly exins the current situation¡ª


    "Hey."


    A cold voice suddenly rang out. Esther flinched and looked at Frondier.


    Frondier, who had been hanging his head, slowly lifted his emotionless eyes.


    Exactly like the image Esther had heard about, he showed no mercy.


    "Can you untie me?"


    ¡ªnguid yet arrogant.


    He looked down at Esther from the bottom of the stairs.

 Chapter 153 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?I was in a dream.


    But it wasn''t my dream.


    [Azier inherited the bloodline ability of the Roach family.]


    [Right. So, I was hoping Frondier would have inherited the bloodline ability too.]


    This must be Frondier''s dream.


    It''s Frondier''s past, before I possessed him.


    [It seems Frondier didn''t receive divine power or bloodline ability.]


    [It''s okay even if he didn''t. He''s our son, after all.]


    Frondier was listening to his parents'' conversation from the hallway, outside the room.Seeing Frondier through my eyes felt strange, almost like an out-of-body experience.


    The Frondier eavesdropping looked young, perhaps about ten years old.


    A mix of emotions that were easy to read flowed from the child''s eyes¡ªanger, inferiority, injustice.


    Malia and Enfer didn''t notice Frondier listening in. Their senses as mages or warriors are honed for hostility or intent to kill.


    Malia said, almost persuasively,


    [And bloodline abilities don''t always pass down unchanged. Azier inherited your abilities, but they manifested a bit differently.]


    [Either way, if Frondier doesn''t show his own talent, there''s no ce for him in the Roach family.]


    Enfer at that moment seemed even more resolute and colder than now. Malia appeared somewhat wary of his stern demeanor.


    After a moment of contemtion, Malia spoke.


    [Frondier might have inherited my abilities.]


    [Your abilities?]


    Enfer reacted to her words. Frondier also perked up his ears, smoothing out his scrunched face.


    [It''s about when we went to the temple together.]


    [The temple of Hera.]


    Enfer''s words made Malia nod.


    Malia''s original family worshipped Hera, and so naturally, Malia also made regr visits to the temple of Hera. Hera is also the guardian goddess of the family, so Enfer had visited the temple following Hera as well.


    Frondier had seen the statues and paintings in the temple. At that time, Frondier had done something. I felt a familiar sensation.


    "Are you saying that Frondier inherited your bloodline ability, ''Sensory Sharing''?"


    "That''s what I think. Of course, I haven''t felt Frondier using that ability since then, and it seems Frondier himself is unaware of it."


    Upon hearing this conversation, Frondier''s pupils widened, as if he was guessing something.


    ...But for me, this waspletely new information.


    "Frondier inherited Malia''s ability?"


    It was unexpected. If such a thing were true, then Frondier, during his time ying the game, should have already known how to use his bloodline ability. But of course, there was never such a thing, and there was no information about it anywhere on the inte.


    "Does that mean Frondier''s ability requires a condition? Is it rted to Lady Hera?"


    "I''m not sure yet. But that''s what I think too. Since he felt something only in that temple, it''s highly likely rted to Lady Hera."


    I pondered over their conversation.


    The rtionship between Frondier and Hera.


    Honestly, I have no clue. Even if his mother, Malia, worships Hera, it doesn''t necessarily mean Hera has a special affection for her son, Frondier. If that were the case, he would have received divine power.


    Moreover, if what Malia felt from Frondier was the bloodline ability ''Sensory Sharing,'' then it shouldn''t have anything to do with Hera.


    "It''s not Hera who is rted."


    After hearing Malia''s story, I had a guess.


    It reminded me of something Hestia had said before.


    -[So, you can observe the past through the eyes of a god. Just as Hephaestus mentioned.]


    I observe the past through the Eyes of a God. Initially, I stored Artemis''s bow and arrows after seeing Hephaestus''s past and Hestia''s hearth after seeing her past.


    When I first uncovered Hephaestus''s past, I didn''t understand how it was possible.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the transformed ¡®sensory sharing¡¯ inherited from Malia.¡¯


    The condition is not Hera.


    The god itself was the condition.


    ¡®When Frondier, as a child, saw and reacted to the statues and paintings of the gods in the temple, it must have been because the figures retained some of their appearances.¡¯


    But since they weren¡¯t real gods, he obviously couldn¡¯t see their pasts.


    The subsequent dream moved quickly.


    Frondier, firmly believing the words of Enfer and Malia, repeatedly searching for the Temple of Hera and observing the sculptures and paintings.


    Those memories gradually elerated and began to fragment, with parts missing in between.


    Among the fragments passing before his eyes, what stood out was Frondier rapidly growing older and, at the same time, bing more despairing.


    [Why do I, have nothing?]


    [If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll definitely be¡­.]


    [I don¡¯t want to disappoint him. I can¡¯t ruin his expectations. There has to be something, anything.]


    [Frondier!! Why are you like this! Why were you even born! You piece of trash!]


    [Mom, I¡¯m sorry. Mom. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡­.]


    Frondier¡¯s voice reverberated repeatedly as if it was striking the dream¡¯s walls.


    Words that he didn¡¯t know were spoken out loud or were silent, fervent wishes swam through the dream. Despair, fear, self-reproach, and sorrow intermingled and overflowed as if water was spilling over, engulfing the words.


    ¡®Now I understand.¡¯


    Why I¡¯m dreaming about Frondier now.


    Meeting Hestia and seeing her past revived Frondier¡¯s memories.


    To Frondier, who had always believed that he didn¡¯t have any abilities.


    His bloodline ability must have been hisst lingering hope.

 Chapter 153 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I wonder how long I slept.


    When I opened my eyes, I was still staring at the mansion¡¯s ceiling.


    I don¡¯t know how much time passed. But since I¡¯m still tied up and the surroundings are quiet, it doesn¡¯t seem like too much time has passed.


    ¡®I think the dream was longer than the time I was asleep.¡¯


    I just quickly saw Frondier growing in one scene, but after seeing that time, it felt like I had a very long dream.


    ''Those guys...''


    The first thing I checked was the status of Thompson, Skyler, and Cain.


    Fortunately, all three were still unconscious. Just that fact alone told me that not much time had passed since I fell asleep.


    And then I checked downstairs.''...That person.''


    That uniform and hat. The sharp eyes contrast with the slender body line and face.


    ¡®Must be Esther.¡¯


    The warden of the Morion prison, Esther.


    I didn''t know how she had made it this far, but it wasn''t surprising. If she was chasing the Kraken, she would reach here in no time. There was no one as skilled as Esther in tracking down criminals.


    ''What is she doing?''


    Esther, with a serious face, examined the fallen bodies around her. She seemed to be paying attention to the injuries.


    Since there were quite a few victims in the mansion, she must have been trying to figure out what had happened.


    However, this situation was difficult for him.


    But for me, her actions were troublesome.


    "Did you notice that this is the work of Manggot?"


    It''s unlikely that anyone could determine the cause of the wounds and the signs. But it''s Esther we''re talking about, so even if she couldn''t pinpoint it precisely, she might be able to make a rough inference. Especially if she could discern the nature of the mana or aura contained within the wounds rather than just the marks.


    And if that possibility points to Manggot, naturally, even I, who is unharmed here, would be suspected.


    I quickly called out to her.


    "Hey."


    When he called her, she was surprised by him, contrary to what he expected.


    ¡°Can you untie me?¡±


    I made a random request to hold Esther''s gaze. Actually, I do need to untie this rope.


    But Esther, upon hearing my words, kept silent for a moment before speaking.


    "I have one question."


    "What is it?"


    "Did you have something to do with all the dead people nearby?"


    I was about to answer no to Esther''s question, but I closed my mouth.


    After saying no, there was no way to answer the question of who did it. A frank answer that Manggot did it would be foolish here.


    After thinking for a moment, I said, ¡°Well?¡±


    In times like this, ying dumb was the answer. It was best to suggest that there was something going on.


    ¡°You expect me to do all of this, with my own two hands? Is that even possible? Tied to a chair, unable to move?¡±


    I kept a smile on my face as I said this.


    Esther was asking me this, which meant she must have considered the possibility to some extent. She was supposed to be cool-headed, yet she was entertaining ridiculous ideas.


    Esther¡¯s face hardened.


    "Stop kidding around. I am,"


    "The warden of Morion, Esther, aren''t you?"


    Esther¡¯s eyes opened wide.


    She looked like she was thinking, ¡®How did you know that?¡¯


    ¡°That outfit, the hat, the design itself is amon uniform, but you can clearly tell from the wear and tear on the clothing what kind of work you do. Especially your hands and arms; you¡¯ve had a tough time dealing with unsavory characters. The left side of your pants is particrly damaged. It¡¯s probably from where you keep your radio, right? You could be a police officer, but the police around here don¡¯t wear clothes like that, and more than anything, they don¡¯t work alone at a crime scene. Besides, based on the rtionship between the people here and recent incidents, it¡¯s most likely Morion.¡±


    I bbered on as best I could.


    I guess you could say I filled in the gaps between what I already knew and what I could see right in front of me with Esther. Since I knew the answer, people would have to ept it, regardless of how sloppy the exnation was.


    ¡°¡­¡­Even if you found out I was from Morion based on that, how did you know that I¡¯m the warden? And my name, on top of that.¡±


    Thankfully, Esther was believing what I was saying.


    She must¡¯ve done this kind of reasoning and investigation often. Since she had simr experiences, she was more inclined to believe a simr story, rather than an ordinary person would be.


    I said,


    ¡°Of course I know. Because I called you here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You called me?¡±


    That much was slightly true.


    When Kraken extracted Renzo from Morion, I had anticipated Esther''s intervention.


    However, I hadn''t expected her to appear just at the right moment like this.


    "Yes. Right here, right now, where most of the humans of Indus have been annihted, and their leaders are held captive. Because topletely eradicate Indus, we need you, the warden of Morion prison."


    "¡­Wait, are you saying you lured me here? That I came here following your lead?"


    Esther asked incredulously.


    I just smiled at her.


    I didn''t say yes. I simply smiled.


    Esther covered her mouth with her hand.


    "Then, since when¡­? Don''t tell me, you anticipated that I would look into your records? That you''ve foreseen this far since then?"


    "Can you guess?"


    "¡­It''s unbelievable."


    I couldn''t tell what ''that time'' Esther mentioned was, but she deduced it herself, so no further exnation was necessary.


    Sometimes, being too smart means your own intelligence can be your downfall.


    Such a series of coincidences led Esther to think absurdly.


    "Let me say this again."


    I spoke to Esther, who still looked at me with a mixture of suspicion and fear.


    "Will you untie this?"


    At my words, Esther frowned and red at me.


    It must seem suspicious for someone she''s just met to ask her to untie them.


    Given her position as the warden of Morion, her re could indeed be terrifying.


    But I casually brushed it off. I wasn''t tense at all.


    I could entrust my body to her without any worry.


    Because I know that Esther is a good person.


    Since she will eventually be on my side, I can smilefortably.


    At least, this smile of weing Esther was genuinely sincere.

 Chapter 154 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>4/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    ?Esther still seemed dubious as she asked, "If you had the skills to kill everyone here, why didn''t you just escape on your own?"


    If that were possible, I would have done it already.


    ''I probably recovered some mana while I was asleep.''


    Even though not much time had passed since I fell asleep, my mana recovery is faster than others since I frequently deplete it.


    However, my hands werepletely bound, so I needed to use void weaving to cut the thread.


    Which means I''d have to activate Menosorpo.


    ''I might be suspected again for no reason.''If Esther decides not to untie me and leaves, I might try then.


    I should also practice making Menosorpo very small.


    "Besides, how can you trust me enough to turn your back on me?" Esther asked. It was our first meeting today, and we knew nothing about each other. It must seem strange to her that I trust her.


    But to me, it was the most natural thing.


    Esther is not just a protagonist; she is the most faithful person I know.


    She believes in the goddess Justitia and chases criminals as an agent of justice. If this were an oldic, she would definitely be the main character.


    "I told you. I involved you because I trust you."


    "You''re not telling me the reason. I''m asking how that trust came to be."


    "You''re the warden of the Morion Prison. That''s enough."


    Despite my words, Esther still seemed unconvinced, but soon she sighed and approached me.


    Considering the circumstances, it was clear that I had killed these people, or at least, it was clear that I was an enemy of Indus.


    Esther moved behind me. A small metallic sound was heard. Though I couldn''t see it, it seemed she had drawn a knife.


    Scrape, scrape, I heard the sound of Esther cutting through the spider silk. While she was untying my arms, I said, "Speaking of what happened here."


    "You mean how you killed all of Indus?"


    So she''s fully convinced of that now.


    "Yeah, that. Can you keep it hidden if possible?"


    "Hidden? You mean pretend like you didn''t do it?"


    Esther asked. I nodded.


    However, Esther firmly said, "I refuse. I don''t tell meaningless lies."


    "That''s what I mean. It has meaning."


    From Constel''s perspective, I''m currently kidnapped by Renzo, on behalf of the passengers on the train.


    For me to have killed all of Indus and even Heldre while tied up inside Heldre''s mansion? That''s absurd.


    It''s better to be treated as if it never happened than to be suspected and caught by Manggot.


    "I don''t know what you''re thinking, but I have no intention of lying."


    "I''m not asking you to lie. You also don''t know exactly what happened here, right?"


    "tant nonsense."


    Esther''s face crinkled in annoyance. To her eyes, it must seem as though I''ve taken care of everything and am now pretending to be ignorant.


    But in reality, I''ve done nothing ''inside'' the mansion. Being tied to this chair was all there was to it.


    I said,


    "To im that I did it would also be ''false.''"


    "False? But clearly, you¡ª"


    "I''ve answered already. ''Who knows?'' I''ve never once said I did it."


    Judging by Esther''s expression and words, she believes more than half-heartedly that I''m responsible for all this mess.


    If that''s what she thinks, now''s the time to deny it. From here on, it''s rtively easy.


    All I have to do is tell the truth that I''ve done nothing, and since Esther doesn''t believe my truth...


    I spoke again,


    "There''s no need to say that Morion took care of everything. But stop making baseless usations that I did everything. You think I subdued them all and took care of Heldre while tied to a chair? You haven''t seen it yourself. Such ''fake facts'' are for you to keep. Just stay quiet, and the world will know what the truth is."


    Esther''s current misunderstanding about me could be useful depending on the situation. For now, this is enough.


    And Esther knows it too. That she shouldn''t recklessly im I did it. I never admitted to it, and like she said herself, Esther doesn''t lie.


    If Esther refrains from making unnecessary remarks, the public will naturally recognize that ''Morion caught Indus.'' My existence, as well as the existence of ''Manggot,'' tied to me, will vanish from sight.


    "What''s your angle? What''s the point of hiding your merit to such an extent?"


    "It''s not about hiding."


    I said, smiling.


    "I''m just not interested in that sort of thing."


    At my answer, Esther''s eyes seemed to widen a bit.

 Chapter 154 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    My return took longer than expected.


    Securing the culprit was the first priority. Morion''s people, who rushed over at Esther''s call, tied up the unconscious Cain, Thompson, and Skyler with restraints.


    Restraining Skyler proved somewhat troublesome since he was originally a spirit, and thus, binding his outer armor was futile.


    However, there were special restraints for monsters, allowing them to secure Skyler. As a yer, I focused mostly on exterminating monsters, so it was my first time seeing a monster being restrained up close. Unlike humans, who are handcuffed, monsters were put inside a giant spherical ss bead.


    Normally, it''s an artifact in the form of a ring as small as a finger, but when used for restraint, it expands its volume by forming a barrier with mana.


    It seemed quite convenient and useful, but I heard it''s difficult to use in battle. It takes time to expand the barrier, and making just one of those artifacts requires considerable time and funds. I wonder if they''re made of Viper Steel.


    Naturally, my eyes were drawn to that artifact stored in the workshop. Although it''s only effective as long as my mana isn''t depleted¡ªa sort of half-measure¡ªunlike the real thing, it has the advantage of not costing anything to use. It might be useful for temporarily restraining someone.


    ©¤©¤And then.


    "The scenery feels somehow nostalgic."I headed towards Constel in a car.


    From disrupting Indus on the aerial railway, to working as a lifeguard in Cropolis, and then meeting Renzo on my way back, to Heldre''s mansion.


    Though it wasn''t a long time, the variety of experiences made the journey towards Constel feel warmly familiar.


    The drive was provided by an employee of Morion. It seemed Esther was still on-site supervising. Enough time had passed that the mana from Manggot would have dissipated, but it was still too early to rx.


    ¡°Student. Consider yourself lucky. If the director hadn¡¯t been there, something terrible would have happened.¡±


    The driver spoke to me.


    I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, truly, it was a stroke of luck. Perhaps it was the mercy of Justitia.¡±


    ¡°Heh. The director would have been pleased to hear that.¡±


    People from Morion almost entirely credited Esther for what happened in the mansion.


    Of course, Esther herself didn¡¯t im as much, but considering the situation, that was the only possibility they could think of.


    This created a peculiar understanding of the incident at the scene.


    Esther thinks I acted alone, Morion believes Esther handled everything, and once this incident is made public, the general popce will believe Morion caught Indus.


    However, none of those are the truth. As long as these three psychological barriers exist, no one will realize Manggot¡¯s involvement.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After a while, the car stopped.


    I politely thanked the employee and then looked up at the entrance of Constel.


    The reason foring to Constel instead of the Roach mansion was to deliver the news to Jane and the other teachers.


    Jane, who knows I was kidnapped by Renzo. But even so, she wouldn¡¯t have spread the word everywhere. Probably only a few teachers know about it. Spreading it everywhere would only cause confusion.


    Perhaps they are forming a team to retrieve me again. Osprey would be involved in it.


    That¡¯s why I needed to hurry back to Constel to inform them of my safety.


    And intending to go to the staff room at Constel, I changed direction and headed for the principal''s office instead. I didn¡¯t want to involve teachers who were unaware of my situation.


    But when I arrived at the principal''s office, it was empty. Knocking elicited no response, and there was no sign of anyone inside.


    ¡®Ah, perhaps.¡¯


    With that thought, I turned and headed towards the meeting room.


    The very ce where we had meetings with the teachers about capturing Indus.


    In the distance, I heard voicesing from the conference room.


    "Then we should dispatch a small, elite team first¡­."


    "If we move too hastily and are discovered, it would put the student at risk¡­."


    Cautious words were exchanged inside. It was about some kind of ominous operation.


    I guess it must be about me.


    Knock, knock.


    I knocked lightly on the door of the conference room. But no one came out. Rather than ignoring me, it seemed that they were so engrossed in their meeting that they couldn''t hear my voice.


    Hmm.


    There''s nothing I can do about it then.


    Creak.


    I slowly opened the door. Inside, I could see the teachers gathered around arge table. They didn''t pay any attention to me as I entered and continued their meeting.


    Besides me, there must have been many peopleing in and out of the conference room. They must have needed to bring in various materials for the operation. It was the same during thest meeting I attended.


    It felt strange to see so many people concentrating all their efforts on nning an operation to save me.


    "Ahem. I''m back."


    I spoke with a light cough. Then, the teachers nced at me and tried to resume their conversation, but their faces changed strangely and they looked at me again.


    Most of the teachers did something simr.


    "...Frondier?"


    That heavy and somewhat cold voice. Osprey, who was sitting in the back center, widened his eyes as he looked at me. It was the most surprised I had ever seen Osprey look.


    At his mumble, all the teachers who hadn''t noticed me yet turned their attention to me. Jane was among them. I was d I didn''t have to exin things separately.


    I spoke.


    "Yes, Frondier de Roach. I''ve just returned,"


    "Frondier!!"


    Then, someone came running towards me, calling my name. She hugged me tightly and buried her face in my shoulder.


    It was Malia.


    "Frondier! I''m so d, Frondier¡­!"


    Her voice was trembling with emotion. I felt a sense of awkwardness.


    The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice when she saw me off to Elysia''s Tower came back to me.


    Malia smelled like my mother. It was such a cowardly thing to do. Even though she wasn''t my real mother.


    ...But even so.


    I quietly closed my eyes and let out a hushed voice.


    Only now did I feel like I had finally finished something long and arduous.


    "I''m back, Mother."


    * * *


    The teachers of Constel were in an uproar when they found out I had returned alive from Renzo.


    Of course, there were only a few teachers who knew about it, but it was also true that their impression of me had changed.


    Some of them tried to ask me how I had escaped from Renzo''s clutches, but they were always interrupted by Malia and Jane.


    "What are you trying to ask a student who just barely made it back alive!?" The teachers backed down at their murderous tone of voice. It was convenient for me.


    At the mansion, everything remained the same. After all, the people there couldn''t have known that I had participated in the operation or that I''d been kidnapped. When I faced Enfer, he treated me just as he always had. It was truly aforting peace.


    From my perspective, it was good timing. I couldn''t afford any pointless interruptions from now on.


    Inside my room at the Roach mansion, I performed the inspection I''d been waiting so long to do.


    "First, Renzo''s spear and shield."


    The weapons Ares had given Renzo, ''Enkephalos'' and ''Rinotoros''. That was the name of the spear and shield, respectively.


    When Renzo took those two divine items out, I had them stored in the workshop right away, but they weren''t usable at all.


    Because...


    [??]


    ? Grade: ???


    ? Description: ???


    Detailed Abilities >


    - ???


    - ???


    Both the spear and shield were disyed like this. At first, I thought it was an error.


    ''Ares must have hidden them.''


    Ares must have heard about me from Hephaestus and apparently took appropriate action.


    That said, I couldn''t believe he was able to hide not just the item descriptions but their names as well. Was that possible because they were his creations? Of course, he could still use them since he had simply hidden the information about them.


    Their performance was the same as before. The reason he hid the information was probably because there was another characteristic of the two items that I didn''t know about.


    The only thing I could learn about that was that both items had two detailed abilities listed.


    The spear''s ''Infinite Attempts'' and the shield''s ability to block everything in front of it, though I didn''t know its name. Apart from those, each weapon must have had one more ability.


    Was that ability the one Ares was trying to hide?


    "Well, I''ll look into thatter."


    A god had made a decision and hidden it. There was no way I could figure it out at the moment.


    Besides, those two things weren''t my main concern today.


    I opened my smartwatch.


    [Main Quest: Operation Suppress Indus,pleted.]


    [Main Quest: Operation Suppress Indus]


    ?Description: Indus''s n has been revealed. Stop the n and suppress Indus members.


    ?Objective: Suppress Indus members and leader.


    ?Rewards: Compensation varies depending on the number of people suppressed.


    ? Failure may result in a state of anarchy.


    [Check Reward]


    - Anarchy averted.


    - All named characters survived.


    - Subdued Individuals: Heldre, Kraken, Cain, Thompson, Skyler. Sessful subduing of all Indus leaders.


    [The highest grade reward has been determined. The reward will be provided ording to the character''s current level.]


    Following the previous main quest, the second highest grade reward.


    With a sense of anticipation, I checked the following.


    But...


    [Error.]


    [Heldre''s contribution to the death has been confirmed.]


    [The possibility of a character transition for the named character, Renzo, has been suggested.]


    [Recalcting the reward.]


    [Calctionplete.]


    [Transcendental grade reward will be granted.]


    "...Huh?"


    I reread that for a while and then furrowed my brow. A word I''d never heard before while ying the game Etius had appeared.


    "What''s a transcendental grade?"

 Chapter 155 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>5/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    After a short wait,


    The smartwatch notified me of new rewards.


    [Reward Received]


    [The function ''Modification'' of Weaving has been expanded.]


    [Option ''Enhancement'' added.]


    [Enhancement: Grants one ability to an object. The ability can be one of the abilities of the weapons registered in the Workshop.]


    [Caution, enhancement is only possible for ranks below Legendary.][Additionally, the function ''Workshop'' of Weaving has been expanded.]


    [The Workshop is now a target for Replication.]


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I was momentarily stunned by the consecutive notifications. I instinctively raised my hand to my head.


    First, Enhancement.


    Originally, Weaving had a function called ''Modification.''


    When it was first added, Modification could only remove options through ''Degradation,'' so it was only used to remove bad options attached to the weapon itself.


    I used this Degradation to remove the ''Female Only'' option initially attached to the Khryskatos.


    That Modification finally has a new function. ''Enhancement,'' which can be considered the opposite function of Degradation. It adds one option.


    ¡°I''ll know if I try it.¡±


    I replicated the most basic dagger with Weaving. And using ''Enhancement,'' I added the ability ''Lightning God''s Grant'' from Mj?lnir to the dagger.


    Crackle!


    Immediately, the dagger trembled with a strange sound. A chilling spark surrounded it. Sess.


    ¡°¡­¡­Good. It''s good, but.¡±


    The fatigue from just this is no joke. It consumed a considerable amount of Mana to insert the function of a deity into a normal weapon. The efficiency is too poor.


    If I were to face a truly strong enemy, I wouldn''t bother with this; I''d eat a Dragon Heart and create Mj?lnir. It doesn''t seem like a function meant to add abilities to weak weapons.


    ¡­¡­The method I can think of right now is.


    ¡®¡­¡­Neil Jack''s dagger.¡¯


    Among the weapons below Legendary, it''s the most powerful weapon I have. Plus, it''s almost the only weapon I have physically.


    I have no choice but to test various things on this weapon.


    ¡°¡­¡­And, Workshop?¡±


    I tilted my head at the next message.


    I don''t quite understand what it means right now.


    The Workshop is like a warehouse where I register objects to replicate. Inside the Workshop, there are not only weapons and shields but also ropes, the restraints I just registered a while ago, and even the theories and notes from the textbooks I learned at Constel, all stored.


    It''s like an image that only I can see, so it actually looks almost exactly like a warehouse.


    ¡®But I can''t guess the size.¡¯


    The Workshop grew in size every time I stored an object.


    Of course, there''s no change in size when adding small things, but when a certain amount of objects are filled, it expands its area.


    Weapons, shields, and other small things are categorized by type, which I think probably reflects how I organize them in my head.


    I especially noticed that the Workshop grew noticeablyrger when I went to the Imperial Family''s armory and registered all those weapons.


    ¡®That Workshop bes a target for Weaving?¡¯


    In other words, does it mean I can replicate the Workshop in reality?


    ¡°I need to test this right away.¡±


    I got up and left the room. My destination was the open space where Azier and I always train.


    The maids passing by greeted me politely. Recently, The way the servants in the Roach household treat me seems to have changed a bit.


    Of course, the servants of the Roach family are all thorough Pros, so they never ignored or treated me lightly before.


    They always did their duty, buttely, I feel something in the way they look at me, simr to how they treat Azier.


    ¡°Frondier-nim, where are you going?¡±


    Recently, the number of maids who strike up conversations has increased.


    ¡°Ah, I''m going to the open space behind the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Azier-nim hasn''t returned from his outing yet.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. I have something to do alone.¡±


    ¡°I see. Don''t push yourself too hard.¡±


    The maid bowed politely and naturally stepped back.


    Feeling this strangely warm and polite treatment makes me feel awkward.


    Even at Constel, the image of me hasn''t changed yet, so I don''t know why the servants are doing this first. Did they hear something?


    ¡®Anyway, that''s a problem forter.¡¯


    First, the Workshop.

 Chapter 155 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I went to the open space and checked the Workshop.


    Looking at the image again, it''s quiterge. It feels more like it has grown bigger. Since I''ve been putting so many things in it.


    ¡®The size of the Workshop isrger than the open space.¡¯


    Judging by it, it''s already a monstrous size that not only epasses the open space but also encroaches on the mansion and trees next to it.


    But that doesn''t matter right now.


    I''m just doing Weaving without Menosorpo.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>As I reached out and Weaved, the threads of Mana spread wide, revealing its outline.


    It''s been a while since I''ve done pure Weaving without Menosorpo or the Obsidian. Since I''m not using either of them, this Workshop is only visible to me without interfering with reality. It''s exceeding the Roach mansion, but it doesn''t cause any damage to the mansion.


    ¡­¡­That aside.


    ¡®It''s an enormous size.¡¯


    When I replicate weapons with Weaving, I only look at the necessary parts of the Workshop, so I don''t realize it, but seeing the whole thing in front of me is incredible. It''s a Workshop with 3 floors.


    I still don''t know what meaning this Workshop holds, or if it truly has the value to be called ''Transcendental.''


    The entrance to the Workshop is open before me like an illusion. First, I need to enter there,


    ¡°¡­¡­Selena has arrived.¡±


    But a strange intruder appeared.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I looked back.


    Selena was kneeling on one knee with her head bowed.


    ¡­¡­Why did she suddenly appear?


    ¡°I understood your intention and revealed myself because you were in the open space where the eyes of the Roach family don''t reach, and Azier-nim is also absent.¡±


    I didn''t ask, but Selena exined it well on her own.


    I see. So that''s how it looks to Selena. That I came here to call her. She wouldn''t be able to see the Workshop.


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    I said that, but I was a little embarrassed because I didn''t really have anything to say to Selena. Should I be angry that she appeared on her own without me calling her?


    ¡°¡­¡­I will ept any punishment.¡±


    But Selena suddenly said that.


    ¡°What punishment are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I ran away from Frondier-nim. I broke my promise to protect you with my life. I failed to fulfill my duty as an escort, and,¡±


    ¡°Selena.¡±


    I cut her off.


    ¡°You followed my orders. I have nothing to me you for.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­But I,¡±


    ¡°And one more thing.¡±


    I quietly observed Selena''s appearance.


    Selena was trembling slightly. Whether she was angry at herself for failing to protect me, or afraid of the impending punishment, or even if the trembling itself was an act.


    ©¤Whenever moments like thise, Selena bows her head before me.


    That''s why I think.


    That all of Selena''s actions are an act, and behind the scenes, she mocks and belittles me, and ultimately betrays me to join Manggot, that kind of thought.


    I thought I had built up some trust over the long time we spent together, but I end up doubting whether Selena feels the same way at all. Even if it''s a very slim chance. Because I''m not confident that I can see through Selena''s act.


    Our first meeting, when she threatened me with a needle, and now.


    Selena always bows her head deeply whenever she feels she''s done something wrong. She doesn''t show me her expression.


    That''s why.


    ¡°From now on, don''t kneel before me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Don''t bow your head. Whether you make a mistake or a blunder, look me in the eye and speak.¡±


    I said that to see Selena''s expression.


    To gain the certainty that Selena isn''t acting.


    ¡°¡­¡­Bu, but, as an escort, I can''t¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Raise your head.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    At my words, Selena hesitated and slowly raised her head. It was truly like the sun setting.


    Was that slow speed to hide an expression of contempt for me, or to hold backughter?


    The shadow that hid her bowed face slowly lifted, and her hair gently settled on her face.


    The sunlight touched her forehead first. A slightly furrowed brow, sparkling eyes beneath it, a somewhat flushed face, and pursed lips were revealed one by one, bathed in sunlight, scattering vivid colors.


    ¡°¡­¡­I, I ran away from Frondier-nim.¡±


    Selena''srge eyes trembled. Anger was embedded in every syble she spoke.


    ¡°Now stand up.¡±


    ¡°But, Frondier-nim.¡±


    ¡°I said stand up.¡±


    Once again, Selena reluctantly stood up. Still, she seemed to remember my previousmand and was still looking at me.


    ¡­¡­If this face was the one that had been mocking and looking down on me just a moment ago, I probably wouldn''t be able to see through Selena''s act for the rest of my life.


    I smiled.


    ¡°That''s a good face.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Stay like that from now on.¡±


    As expected, even if I saw her face, there was no way I could tell if Selena was acting.


    But it''s better than not being able to see her expression because her head is bowed.


    I turned around again.


    Selena had dyed me a bit, but I had business with the Workshop.


    As I stepped inside, it was exactly the same as the Workshop I knew. Just as I had imagined it in my head.


    ¡®How can this be of any help to me?¡¯


    The Workshop is already fulfilling its role sufficiently. The Workshop is essential for storing items to be replicated. But even if I bring that Workshop into reality, what will change?


    ¡®If this is a reward worthy of the name ''Transcendental,'' there must be a difference between seeing it in my imagination and seeing it in reality.¡¯


    Imagination and reality.


    But if the outward appearance is the same.


    What changes is the perspective of the person.


    ¡°¡­¡­Selena. I have a question.¡±


    I suddenly thought of something and spoke to Selena.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You reach me through teleportation when I''m in a critical situation, or when I call you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you''re watching my every move? Is that how you know I''m in danger ande to me?¡±


    I asked this, but I knew it wasn''t actually true.


    If Selena could always check what I''m doing, she wouldn''t need to be by my side. She could just watch from afar.


    In the first ce, it wouldn''t have been Selena but Hagley who approached me before.


    However, Selena intentionally revealed herself to me, and even now, she''s providing limited information about Manggot.


    That means Selena can''t always check on me, and neither can Manggot.


    Then how can Selena know my situation ande through teleportation?


    ¡°No. I see the backside of Frondier-nim.¡±


    ¡°Backside?¡±


    ¡°You''ve seen how we, Manggot, teleport. Unlike ''portals,'' our teleportation is based on the person. To ordinary people, it would appear as if we emerge from the ''shadow.''¡±


    That''s right. It was hard to tell at first, but I could see it clearly when arge number of Manggot members appearedst time. They rose up from beneath the shadows.


    Selena continued speaking.


    ¡°However, even in a ce where the sun is high and the shadows are very short, I can teleport.


    Shadows are just an attribute; we emerge from the ''backside.'' That''s just where the shadows are located.¡±


    ¡°What is the backside?¡±


    ¡°It''s like the source of life that is invisible to the eye. In terms of an image, it''s close to a me. If that me wavers or trembles, it means the target of teleportation is in danger. And when a real crisises, beyond the shape of the me, the target''s survival instinct is transmitted to me. At that time, the situation they are in, what kind of attack they are receiving, is all drawn for me as an image. That''s why I can teleport into dangerous situations and protect Frondier-nim.¡±


    I pondered for a moment after hearing Selena''s words.


    Backside, backside.


    Selena isn''t watching my situation. She just receives a rough image and emotions. That alone is enough for her to fulfill her role as my escort.


    ¡­¡­If the Workshop is simr to this.


    If what I''m seeing is just a part, and I''m doing ''Weaving'' with just that part.


    ¡®This Workshop that I thought I knew everything about, perhaps.¡¯


    Somewhere, there exists a ''lower floor.''


    That is the backside of the Workshop.

 Chapter 156: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>6/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    First, I sent Selena back.


    Since it''s currently Weaving with Weaving, it''s invisible to Selena, but if I linger here, she''ll naturally find it strange.


    After all, I''d just be waving my hands and feet in an empty space.


    With Selena gone, I slowly looked around the workshop alone, leisurely strolling so that anyone who saw me would think I was simply taking a walk.


    "...Found it."


    And I found it. The entrance leading underground.


    It looks like an ordinary floor, but the blueprint of the workshop reflected by Weaving shows that there''s a path leading down below.However.


    "I can''t enter right now."


    Despite the visible entrance, I can''t go down there.


    Because Weaving is an illusion.


    Even if there''s something down there, this workshop, which cannot interfere with reality, naturally cannot be built by piercing through the actual ground. Therefore, even if I open the entrance here, I''ll only be hitting the real ground.


    ''To enter, I need to either Weaving the workshop in the air using Menosorpo or dig underground by force using Obsidian.''


    Both options would attract considerable attention. The former would involve a building floating in the sky, and thetter would create a tremendous noise while digging underground. Even after releasing Weaving, traces would remain.


    ''Either way, I need to do it somewhere out of sight. For example...''


    For example...


    ...the cabin I visited before.


    I''ve been thinking about using the cabin for some time.


    Even without the workshop, I need to experiment and try various things as I develop my unknown abilities.


    So far, I''ve been doing it in my room or Constel''s personal training room, but I''m starting to reach my limit.


    So, if I renovate the cabin in my own way and use it for experiments and training, and summon the workshop next to it whenever necessary, I canplete my own base.


    ''The problem is the distance.''


    It takes quite a while to get to the cabin from the mansion, so if I need to visit the workshop frequently, I need to reduce that time as well.


    I know the method. The method that came to mind as soon as I had this thought.


    I just don''t know how to do it.


    ''Portal.''


    Indus used portals to move to designated locations. However, it was a one-way trip back to their base.


    But for now, that''s enough. If I can set the cabin as my base and the portal''s destination, and return to the cabin whenever I need to, it will greatly improve convenience.


    ''...Come to think of it, all Indus personnel were able to use portals.''


    Are portals easier than I thought?


    It''s awkward to say this, but neither Thompson nor Skyler were mages, nor did they seem particrly smart.


    Then why could the entire Indus leadership, including them, use portals?


    "Well, the answer is simple."


    Just ask.


    ''To the guy who still has a lot of uses.''


    ***


    A few dayster, at Obsidian.


    Warden Esther heard absurd news from the afternoon.


    "...He came here? Frondier de Roach?"


    -"Do you know him? He''s a shameless brat who came looking for the Warden as soon as he arrived. He spouted nonsense about you knowing him if he gave his name."


    It''s not nonsense. It''s true.


    Esther felt a headacheing on at the voice on the other end of the phone.


    Frondier de Roach. At first, he was just a student who she wanted to get some information from to investigate Renzo''s death. But she ended up not knowing Renzo''s identity, let alone Frondier''s.


    Moreover, Renzo himself didn''t even die, and he''s probably wandering around somewhere on the continent right now! I have no business with Frondier anymore!


    -"What should we do? Should we kick him out?"


    "Ah, no. What''s his business?"


    -"A visit."


    "Whose visit?"


    -"That, Cain, the guy we caught recently, you know?"


    Ah.


    Is he out of his mind?


    -"I naturally said no, but he insisted that you would understand, Warden."


    "...Sigh, I understand. Send him to my office."


    -"Yes? Is that okay?"


    "Yes. I have some business with him anyway."


    -"Huh. Understood."


    The call ended.


    A sigh that she had been holding back in the prison flowed out unconsciously.


    There had never been a time when she had been so reluctant to deal with people.


    Esther, who tracked and arrested criminals, was always in the position of digging into the opponent''s mind. Whether it was a human or a monster, she was the one who pierced through their identity and exposed their sins.


    However, when facing Frondier, the roles seemed reversed. She couldn''t grasp Frondier''s identity at all, and instead, it felt like he was seeing right through her.


    Esther had first met Frondier at Heldre''s mansion, so his reaction was simply puzzling.


    "You want to meet Cain?"


    "Yes. I don''t need the other members. Just meeting Cain is enough."


    Never mind the other members, even meeting Cain is a problem.


    Esther pressed her hand to her forehead.


    Currently, all visits to the Indus leaders were prohibited.


    This was because Indus couldn''t keep track of all their remaining members. There was a concern that they might disguise themselves as parents, siblings, or rtives to visit and exchange new ns in code, so visits were banned.


    Above all, due to the recent incident with the monster stealing Renzo''s body, visits were handled even more strictly.


    ''...Wait a minute.''


    At that moment, Esther realized something and looked at Frondier.


    "Did you just say Cain is enough?"


    "That''s what I said."


    "Not just any Indus member, but only Cain?"


    "Yes."


    Frondier answered with his usual bright smile.


    Esther''s eyes sharpened as if to pierce through his intentions.


    ''Could he possibly know?''


    Among the Indus leaders, Cain had a surprisingly clean criminal record.


    Living within Indus, which dreamed of revolution, naturally led tomitting crimes, big or small. This was even more so for the leadership.


    However, unlike the other members who were all involved in heinous crimes such as murder and assault, Cain had none.


    It was hard to believe that she had avoided such things simply because she was a minor, as even her connection to Indus had been cleanly severed.


    ''It must be Heldre''s doing.''


    The rumors about Heldre cherishing his granddaughter seemed to be true. Cain might not have participated in any crimes himself, but the fact that the records werepletely erased from Indus was astounding.


    Therefore, a visit with Cain was conditionally possible. Of course, outsiders didn''t know this, and it was up to Warden Esther''s judgment, as she had intended to call in the person she would interview directly, but...


    ''Just how much does he know?''


    When they met at the mansion, Frondier said he had led Esther to Constel.


    She was still unsure about that statement, but it was clear that Frondier knew more than others.


    Perhaps Frondier possessed something that surpassed Esther''s specialties of insight and deduction...


    "A full-length mirror."


    Frondier''s meaningful words seemed to interrupt Esther''s thoughts.


    "It''s rare to see a mirror that shows your entire body from head to toe like that."


    "...You."


    "Just curious."


    Frondier smiled as he said that.


    Esther looked at the mirror. Naturally, the reflection in the mirror was her own. The doppelganger wouldn''t appear in the mirror unless she willed it.


    ...There shouldn''t be anything strange in the mirror.


    Why did Frondier bring up the mirror now?


    Was it really just curiosity, as he said? Was this also a coincidence?


    "...If you want a visit..."


    Esther shook her head.


    She also had business with Frondier. That''s why she had asked him toe to her office.


    "Answer my question first."


    "What is it?"


    When Frondier asked back, Esther took a moment to organize her thoughts.


    The conclusion she had reached after much thought and consideration while Frondier was at Constel after leaving the mansion.


    "That ne of yours."


    Esther looked at Frondier''s ne.


    A simple ne with a ck gem.


    ''I heard that Frondier created weapons out of thin air.''


    And not just one, but all kinds of weapons.


    ording to recent information from a witness, that method was probably rted to that ne.


    "Is that ck water inside that ne?"


    "..."


    Frondier''s answer, which had always been straightforward, finally stopped.


    For the first time, Frondier seemed surprised in front of Esther.


    At least, that''s how it appeared to Esther. That''s what she wanted to believe.


    Thinking she had cornered him, Esther added another sentence.


    "The ckke said to be slumbering within the cier beyond the north. Is its true identity a ''Fragment of Helheim''?"


    This time, it was clear. Frondier''s eyes wavered, and his pupils dted slightly.


    Frondier was surprised.


    He was genuinely surprised.


    Esther continued speaking.


    "ording to ancient legends, the Fragment of Helheim is located at the northwestern tip, thest point where Helheim remained in reality after being cut off during Ragnarok. It''s right above Yeranhes, which is ruled by your family, Frondier de Roach. Did you bring it from there?"


    "..."


    "Answer me! Frondier!"


    Esther shouted forcefully, but Frondier remained speechless.


    He was currently overwhelmed by variousplex emotions that were difficult to describe.


    But those could wait.


    For now, Frondier was grateful to Esther.

 Chapter 157 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>7/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi!</i>


    Fragment of Helheim.


    In Norse mythology, there exists a day of destruction called ''Ragnarok''.


    Helheim is a ce ruled by the goddess ''Hel'', and in the game Etius, it is said that during Ragnarok, this continent rose and dyed thend into a world of the dead.


    After Ragnarok, Helheim, the world of the dead, retreated, but due to the rapid recovery of the world, fragments of Helheim remained like shards, unable topletely disappear.


    These are the Fragments of Helheim.


    ''When I first heard that information, I thought the Fragment of Helheim referred tond. The ce where Hel had set foot and left her mark.''


    But if, as Esther said, the Fragment of Helheim is truly a ckke...Then this ''Obsidian'' I possess might truly be a part of the fragment.


    ''I should really thank Esther.''


    Swallowing a chuckle, I asked,


    "Where did you get that information?"


    While ying the game, I never heard about the Fragment of Helheim being ake.


    Most yers weren''t interested in information that didn''t seem immediately helpful for clearing the game, and the character Aster wasn''t free to move around as he pleased.


    "I asked the question first. Moreover, answering my question is the condition for you to meet Cain. I told you just a moment ago, didn''t I?"


    Esther grinned. It seemed like my question had pleased her. Did she think her guess was right?


    Here, it would be better to be honest.


    Honestly, the fact that it''s called the Fragment of Helheim is already a big hint for me, and what''s important now is Cain.


    "It''s true that there''s ck water inside this ne I have, but I don''t know the source of this water."


    "You don''t know the source?"


    "It was discovered by an adventurer party, enshrined in the form of Mistilteinn in a dungeon."


    After that, the adventurer party put it up for auction, and after the auction was cancelled, a noble council was held where I proved that Mistilteinn was a fake.


    The fake that imitated Mistilteinn is the ck water I have, the Obsidian.


    "I haven''t gone further north from Yeranhes. That''s beyond the outside, right? I couldn''t do such a crazy thing. And as for the noble council, all the nobles who participated at the time would know."


    "...Hmm."


    Esther lowered her head and fell deep into thought.


    Esther probably knows about the noble council too. Seeing as she has some understanding of the identity of my ne, it seems she has done quite a bit of research on me, and the noble council at that time was quite famous.


    "Alright. I''ll believe you."


    "Then let me meet Cain."


    "Why on earth did youe all the way here to see Cain?"


    I answered this question honestly as well.


    There was no reason not to.


    "Portals."


    * * *


    "...You''ve got some nerve. The person who captured mees to visit."


    A sigh-filled voice came from the receiver.


    Cain looked at me and spoke in disbelief.


    Cain, who was on the other side of the ss window, didn''t look bad. At least the food and lodging here seemed to be alright.


    "I''m d you understand."


    I said so and examined Cain''s appearance.


    ''She''s really just a young child.''


    In our country, would she be around middle school age? There are many people in this world who look younger than their age, but Cain is truly young.


    It was hard to believe that such a young child was active as a leader of Indus.


    "So, what are you here for? To make fun of me?"


    "I want to know about portals."


    "Portals?"


    Cain frowned. It was probably an unexpected request.


    "You came all the way here for that? To meet your enemy?"


    "...Enemy."


    Iughed at that word. It seemed to have upset Cain.


    "What''s so funny."


    "You said you wouldn''t be here long."


    "That''s right. So when I get out, I''ll kill you first."


    Cain directed a murderous gaze at me. But that murderous intent was scattered, unable to find a proper direction and wavering.


    ording to Esther, Cain has no criminal record. Heldre had thoroughly erased any records rted to her.


    The reason Cain is currently imprisoned in Obsidian is because she was a member of Indus. They are currently reviewing her crimes from various angles, but given Heldre''s personality, she probably won''t get caught.


    Cain herself might havemitted some minor offenses. Maybe she stole someone''s belongings, or snuck in and eavesdropped. She''s a clever girl, so she must have been involved in quite a few crime ns.


    However.


    "Cain. Have you ever killed anyone?"


    "..."


    "How are you going to kill me when you''ve never killed anyone?"


    "You''ll be my first kill."


    Cain has never stained her hands with blood. In that sense, she could be said to be cleaner than me.


    Serf Daniel was as good as killed by me, and I have also injured and driven many other enemies to the brink of death.


    "When you get out of here, why don''t you live a normal life? Like other kids."


    "I can''t. I lived for the revolution. And I will continue to do so."


    "Without killing anyone?"


    "It''s the same as if I killed them. I helped other people who killed."


    Cain''s thoughts seemed firm.


    I asked again,


    "What is this revolution you speak of?"


    "The emperor dying. The unjust persecution of themoners disappearing and everyone bing equal."


    The answer came out immediately, as if it were a prepared response. She must have heard and spoken about what a revolution is many times.


    I lowered my eyes and briefly checked my surroundings. Just like when I met Grobel, there''s a guard here. So I can''t just say anything I want.


    ...Hmm, whatever.


    I opened my mouth.


    "That will happen anyway."


    "What?"


    "Have you ever seen the face of Emperor Bartello Terst?"


    At my question, Cain''s words stopped. She was momentarily dazed, then her brows furrowed, and she tilted her head with a frown. It was a rather cute gesture, though it was a bit awkward to say in this situation.


    "What do you mean?"


    "How long has it been since Bartello entrusted most of the practical work to the Empress, Philly Terst?"


    "..."

 Chapter 157 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Bartello has been frail for a long time."


    This is top secret information of the imperial family.


    It''s so top secret that even if I b about it here, it''s impossible to verify the truth.


    What I''m saying now will soon be dismissed as nonsense.


    "Frail..."


    "Yes. The emperor will die soon anyway. Even if you don''t do anything."


    "...Even if that''s true, when the emperor dies, the next emperor will ascend. The social status will remain the same, and the pain of themoners will remain the same."


    "Right. The next emperor, Sale Terst, will ascend. The first empress of the Empire."


    "See, it''s the same.""That empress will abolish the caste system."


    Cain''s face crumpled even more. Hmm, a child''s face is still cute even when it''s crumpled like that. Is it thanks to Cain''s appearance?


    "Rather than abolishing, it''s more like it will be a trend of abolishment."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It means that the time for humanity to divide sses ising to an end."


    Cain may not know, but looking at the long history of Etius, the rights ofmoners have gradually improved. The very fact that Indus was created under the name of amoner organization means that the caste system in this world is on itsst legs.


    And the signal for the copse of the caste system is ''Aster Evans'', the protagonist of this game.


    Aster, who possesses talent, personality, and potential, will make a significant contribution to humanity''s defense against monsters in the future, and there won''t be many nobles who canpare to him.


    The fact that the number one pro, Eden Hamelot, is also amoner is a sign of this, and Aster will go through various events and y a decisive role in the future. He''s not the protagonist for nothing.


    "What you want is a ''revolution'', right?"


    "..."


    "You don''t want to kill people."


    "..."


    Cain remained silent for a long time at my words. Her eyes darted around, and the way she nced at me seemed to be half doubt and half wanting to believe my words.


    "...Then why did Grandpa go through all that trouble..."


    "You know it too. Heldre wanted to ascend to the throne himself. His revolution is literally a coup. He just wants to overthrow the regime and take power himself."


    Cain is a smart child. She must have roughly figured out what her grandfather, who was closest to her, was thinking. As time goes by, secrets start to crack.


    However, Cain must have believed that it was better that way. She believed that even if Heldre took power, the world would be better than it is now.


    But that Heldre is gone now.


    "To be honest, I''m not really interested in the world you dream of. The Empire has internal problems, but the external problems are more serious. To me, dealing with the monsters that are still swarming outside the territory is more important than the caste system."


    "...Monsters."


    "It would be good if you came out of here and worked to abolish the caste system, or to solve other problems of the Empire. You''re smart. The disappearance of the caste system might be hastened. But I can say this for sure."


    I looked into Cain''s eyes. The murderous intent and hostility towards me had disappeared from Cain''s eyes at some point.


    "I''m not your enemy."


    "..."


    Now that Indus has been disbanded, I have no personal animosity towards Cain.


    She might feel differently because of what I''ve done, but at least I have no reason to hate Cain.


    More than anything, Cain is too young. I hesitate to hurt her carelessly.


    "I''ll go back for today. Think about it slowly. I''lle againter."


    Cain became much less talkative after I started exining. She probably needs time to think.


    There are many other ways to learn about portals. For example, I could ask Professor Binkis. Or maybe I could visit Hitchcock, a famous magic tool manufacturingpany.


    As I was about to take my ear off the receiver and put it down, Cain opened her palm towards me.


    "©¤©¤Portals are Runes."


    "Runes?"


    Looking closely at Cain''s open palm, there was definitely something like a tattoo engraved on it.


    "All the leaders of Indus have this Rune engraved on their palms. With just this, portals can be used. But engraving a Rune on the human body is too dangerous, and to draw it urately on the small area of the palm, you need a skilled technician."


    "..."


    "So, we can use portals as long as we have mana, regardless of whether we have magical talent or not, but as an outsider, you should give up, hey, are you listening?"


    I silently looked at the tattoo engraved on Cain''s open palm.


    Cain told me it would be better to give up, but...


    The moment Cain showed me the Rune, all my problems with portals were solved.


    "...Thank you. That was helpful."


    "Huh? Well, yeah. Anyway, portals are also possible with spell incantations, so find someone else."


    Cain said so, but...


    There was no need to find someone else anymore.


    * * *


    Returning to the mansion, I once again took a car to the cabin.


    The driver dropped me off and returned to the mansion without hesitation. He''s still an unfriendly driver.


    "Now, then first..."


    I opened the ''Portal'' Rune that I had stored in the workshop. The method was the same as with Menosorpo. The portal was much smaller, so it was an easy task.


    As I activated the Rune, the portal opened. It was definitely the same as the one the Indus guys used.


    "If I set this ce as the base point, I can return to this cabin from anywhere else."


    Right now, I can only use it to return to the cabin, but I hope that someday it will grow into a two-way portal. Then it would be more appropriate to call it a ''gate'' rather than a portal.


    And finally...


    I found a suitable empty space near the cabin. Actually, there was no need for arge empty space. As long as it didn''t get in the way, it was fine.


    "Menosorpo."


    I''m going to make this float in the sky.


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    I wove the workshop high in the sky. The massive structure floating in the air was a spectacle in itself.


    There''s no one around here, but it was so magnificent that I wondered if someone might spot it.


    And...


    "As expected, it''s there. The lower floor."


    I smiled as I looked at the size, which was muchrger than what I had Weaving at the mansion.


    The basement of the workshop, which should normally be hidden underground, revealed itself.


    Surprisingly, its size far exceeded my expectations. The basement of the three-story workshop above ground was only one floor, but its height was enormous.


    What could be hidden inside?


    What exactly is the ''Transcendental'' grade reward?


    "Shall we go?"


    I slowly floated up, surrounded by mana, and flew towards the entrance of the workshop.

 Chapter 158 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>8/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nickyname from Ko-fi! This was the first one off donation for AWR, so an extra bonus!</i>


    Stepping into the workshop, I opened the hidden door in the floor.


    Until I opened it, it was just an ordinary floor, impossible to distinguish with the naked eye. But when I pushed the back with force, the seemingly seamless floor split open, revealing a passage to the basement.


    This workshop must be a skill, not reality, for it to be able to hide the floor like this. In reality, even if it were closed, there would be a visible crack on the floor, no matter how well it was made.


    A long staircase leading down to the basement. I slowly descended the steps. There didn''t seem to be any light source, but I could see clearly. Is this also because of the skill?


    ¡®It¡¯s long.¡¯


    The immense height of the basement as seen from the outside. As if to prove it, the descending stairs seemed endlessly long. My footsteps echoed loudly within the vast cavity.


    And at the end of the stairs, a gigantic door stood before me.¡®Is this really a door for people to use?¡¯


    The door was unnecessarily grand and enormous. It literally filled the entire height of the basement.


    I approached the door and ced my hand on it. It wouldn''t budge even with force. Well, considering the size of this door, it must be incredibly heavy, so it''s only natural that it wouldn''t open, but¡­


    ¡®But this is my skill.¡¯


    Does it make sense that the owner of the skill can''t open the door?


    Hiding the entrance to the basement and then cing another door blocking the way even after finding it¡­ It seems they really want to keep what''s inside hidden.


    sh!


    At that moment, the door emitted a light. The light flowed along the wave-like patterns engraved on the door, filling it from the outside in.


    When the light filled all the patterns, they formed a single sentence.


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    Thepleted sentence was written in the ancientnguage.


    [I am the keeper of truth, and the mediator of the world.]


    ¡°¡­This sentence, somewhere¡­¡±


    Right, the first dungeon I went to with Sybil, Aster, Quinie, and Jane. It was what the statue in the sanctuary there said.


    Then, at the end of this sentence¡­


    [Speak the god you believe in.]


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    However, the statue in the sanctuary said, ¡®I will grant you the glory of facing your god¡¯ after that.


    Does the fact that it doesn''t say that here mean that even if I speak the god I believe in, I cannot face them?


    ¡®Is this door the original, perhaps? Did the statue slightly modify it?¡¯


    It was none other than me who cleared that dungeon.


    I didn''t know how to clear it, but it happened by chance.


    But regardless of the clearing, my answer to this question is always the same.


    ¡°I do not believe in god.¡±


    I spoke those words in the ¡®ancientnguage¡¯.


    Immediately after speaking¡­


    Rumble


    The door moved on its own with a heavy sound. As if weing my visit, or perhaps luring me inside.


    ¡®Both in the dungeon and now, this is the answer.¡¯


    I didn''t have time to think about it when I cleared the dungeon, but¡­


    Thinking about it now, that dungeon is very strange.


    That dungeon isn''t the only sanctuary on this continent. Sanctuaries are hidden in various dungeons, ruins, and unexplored areas.


    And sanctuaries give rewards to the first person who encounters them. The reward of facing a god. The yer, Aster Evans, finds a sanctuary, meets Baldur, and receives his help to move forward.


    However, most sanctuaries have nothing to do with clearing dungeons. From a game perspective, they''re like bonus points.


    But uniquely, only that first dungeon I went to had clearing the sanctuary as a condition. And the answer required was to say that you don''t believe in god.


    ¡®The statue can sense a person¡¯s divine power. Lies don¡¯t work.¡¯


    In other words, since the protagonist of this game is Aster, the yer can never solve that dungeon. There''s no way Aster, who has received Baldur''s divine power, would say ¡®I don''t believe in god,¡¯ and even if he did, the statue wouldn''t believe him.


    And as for expecting someone else without divine power to solve it, in this world where gods clearly exist, there''s no one who would say they don''t believe in god.


    Therefore, the only person who could solve the dungeon from the beginning¡­


    ¡®Was me.¡¯


    Someone from another world. Someone like me, from a world where not believing in god isn''t strange.


    The question and answer seemed to acknowledge the existence of another world.


    The contradiction of offering the reward of facing the god you believe in, while the true answer requires rejecting god.


    What is the purpose of this question?


    ¡®Will I find out if I go in?¡¯


    With a mix of anticipation and worry, I slowly stepped inside.


    As I descended the stairs, I expected it, but the inside was a vast cavity. However, something was ced at the end of each wall of the chamber. I walked slowly along the wall.


    ¡°¡­Are these statues?¡±


    As I got closer to the wall, I could see intricately carved statues. Most of the statues were in human form, about my height. In other words, they seemed to be made to the scale of actual humans.


    ¡®These faces seem familiar.¡¯


    The statues weren''t in my memory, but they felt familiar somehow. However, since they were statues and not actual people, it wasn''t easy to recall exactly who they were. Did I see them while looking for game information or something?


    The statues were lined up endlessly, stacked inyers even above. It was a number that justified the need for this vast underground space.


    And¡­


    ¡°¡­What is this.¡±


    I saw it.


    Among the countless statues, past the ones I had simply thought were familiar, I found one statue that I couldn''t ignore and froze in ce.


    I stared at it as if my eyes were nailed to it.


    Slowly, goosebumps rose from my fingertips, and a chilling wind swept past. I couldn''t understand what my emotions, my feelings, were ultimately directed towards.


    I just muttered, as if to confirm the identity of the statue I was looking at, once again.


    ¡°¡­Merlin.¡±


    The Great Mage Merlin.


    He, whom I met in the Sacred Forest of Tyburn, was standing there as a statue.


    I was unsure about the other statues, but I could definitely recognize Merlin, whom I had met in person.


    ¡®Right, Merlin is dead. The Merlin in the forest was an illusion created by a dream.¡¯


    But even so, why is Merlin''s statue here? What is the rtionship between these numerous statues and Merlin¡­


    ¡®No, wait a minute.¡¯


    Only then did I realize something and looked around again. Retracing my steps, I checked the faces of the statues I had passed by casually.


    ¡®¡­There''s no mistake.¡¯

 Chapter 158 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I understood. Why these statues felt familiar, and why I couldn''t recall them immediately despite that familiarity.


    ¡°They¡¯re heroes.¡±


    Heroes from the distant past of Etius, who had built achievements in history and faded away.


    The countless statues I was looking at were all legendary heroes.


    ¡°The Great Mage Merlin, Bellerophon, Sigurd, Rnd¡­¡±


    Once I thought of them all as heroes, I could guess the identity of each one. Of course, I don''t remember all the heroes, but the more famous ones gradually came to mind as I looked at the statues. That''s how detailed the depictions on the statues were.


    ¡°¡­King Arthur.¡±


    And once again, I stopped in my tracks before King Arthur.


    Arthur Pendragon. The legendary king who stood with the Knights of the Round Table.He left a message for Merlin. ¡®For the giant who will topple the gods,¡¯ written in the ancientnguage.


    However, Merlin didn''t know the ancientnguage. So, Arthur''s message probably wasn''t meant for Merlin. He left it for someone who would visit Merlin someday.


    I didn''t understand what it meant, but¡­


    Little by little, I think I''m starting to see its meaning.


    ¡®Most myths have giants.¡¯


    The Titans of Greek mythology, the J?tnar of Norse mythology. Strangely, both of them are in opposition to the gods. The main yers who brought the gods to the brink of downfall, or even caused their downfall.


    If the confrontation between gods and giants also existed in this game¡­


    Then the words that King Arthur left, as if praising the giants, might be¡­


    That heroes are on the side of the giants, or perhaps¡­


    ¡®Giants are another name for heroes.¡¯


    In the long history of Etius, giants and heroes have been distinguished. Giants are ¡®evil¡¯ who try to kill gods, while heroes are ¡®good¡¯ who try to protect humans.


    But what if the two are actually the same?


    ¡°¡­Is this the reward?¡±


    It''s a bit disappointing that it''s not a reward likebat or magic, but¡­


    I feel like I''ve gained something even greater.


    I learned the true nature of Weaving.


    ¡°Right, Weaving wasn''t created for fighting in the first ce.¡±


    It''s obvious when you think about it.


    What Weaving creates is originally an illusion.


    I''ve been using things like the Obsidian and Menosorpo to somehow utilize it inbat, but¡­


    Its original intention was definitely not that.


    The 3 floors above ground, where various weapons, armor, and tools are disyed by type.


    And the vast basement where heroes are stored as statues.


    Weaving wasn''t a skill for making weapons.


    From the beginning, its true nature was¡­ an archive.


    To ensure that it never disappears, no matter what happens, to pass on the truths hidden by history and time to future generations.


    I looked at King Arthur again.


    ¡°¡­I hope we can meet someday.¡±


    The statues of countless heroes slumbering in my workshop.


    Someday, I want to hear their stories.


    They''ve given me many hints, but there''s still so much I don''t know.


    After all, to clear this game, there wille a day when I have to uncover the truths hidden by the world.


    ***


    Heldre is dead, and Indus, which had clung like a leech, has been dismantled.


    Life at Constel since then has been nothing but peaceful for Frondier.


    Originally, ording to the game, the day Indus would stage a revolution was still far off, but it copsed so quickly that it felt like my schedule had be empty, and boring days continued.


    Of course, from Frondier''s perspective, it was an invaluable time to prepare.


    First, I reduced the overly tight daily schedule. It would be a big problem if I fell asleep unexpectedly likest time. I was lucky that time, but if the timing had been off, the Indus members might have woken up first and escaped again.


    The basic guideline was to avoid fatigue while still being able to continue Weaving and training with Azier.


    The other named characters were also incredibly dedicated to training during the second semester. Aster''s growth, in particr, was remarkable.


    ¡®It could just be a rumor, but¡­¡¯


    Aster thought. There was something that caught his attention in the recent rumors.


    The rumor that Frondier was deeply involved in the copse of Indus.


    Having suffered from false rumors before, he decided not to be swayed by such baseless rumors, but the rumors about Frondier were different.


    ¡®Was I right after all?¡¯


    Aster had been suspicious of Frondier from the beginning.


    Frondier, who had been separated from them during the school trip.


    He was supposed to be doing volunteer work, and he actually did work as a lifeguard, but that alone wasn''t enough topletely dispel his suspicions. He hadn''t been seen anywhere except as a lifeguard.


    Above all, the process of Indus''s copse was strange.


    Originally, it seemed like Constel had carried out an operation, but the ce where they were eventually arrested was Heldre''s mansion, the enemy''s base.


    At the time, most of Constel''s teachers were busy escorting students back to Constel from Cropol, so how could they have captured all the Indus members? And even Zodiac Heldre.


    ¡®I can''t fall behind.¡¯


    Frondier destroyed Indus.


    Whether this absurd rumor was true or false didn''t matter. For Aster, it was just fuel to ignite his desire for growth.


    It seemed others had simr thoughts, as the looks in the eyes of Aten, Sybil, and others had changed.


    To not fall behind, to get closer, to protect him.


    Their individual goals were slightly different, but what they had to do was clear.


    To be stronger.


    The passion of the named characters, fueled by the single existence of Frondier, zed like a giant fire.


    ¡ª¡ªTime passed.


    The midterm and final exams of the second semester also passed.


    The process was ordinary. Frondier could secure a perfect score in the written exams thanks to Weaving, and in the practical exams, Frondier was now in a position to determine the rankings to some extent.


    And the final exams of the second semester also meant something else.


    The continent, gradually lowering its temperature with the changing seasons. A massive cold slowly flowed down from the north.


    Winter. The season when the monsters outside be more ferocious and march south to trample on human territory.


    The season when the Empire sends more soldiers to the barrier, the people inside pray every day that the barrier won''t fall, and those who guard the barrier prepare for death.


    When the final exams ended and winter break arrived at Constel as always¡­


    Knock knock


    Frondier knocked on a door.


    Hearing the response from inside, he slowly opened the door and met eyes with the owner of the room.


    Enfer de Roach. The head of the family, he saw Frondier''s peaceful face. They both knew each other''s thoughts. And they knew better than anyone that neither of them would everpromise.


    Facing Enfer''s gaze, as sharp as a lion''s, Frondier spoke.


    ¡°Please take me to the barrier.¡±

 Chapter 159 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ?"No."


    It was an immediate answer.


    Enfer knew exactly what Frondier was going to say, and he had his response ready.


    "It''s too early for you, Frondier."


    Enfer''s tone was firm.


    However, Frondier smiled inwardly.


    ''So now it''s too early, he says.''


    Enfer, who had always said it was impossible, unreasonable.


    Has some changee over his subconscious?"You still can''t even handle your own body."


    Enfer''s words struck a chord with Frondier.


    Indeed, Frondier had not evene close to winning in his sparring sessions with Azier, let alone having a proper duel.


    Of course, he might appear somewhat better than the students of Constel, but he still felt the gap.


    Azier always had a calm face, so it seemed like he didn''t care much, but what about really? He might be astonished at Frondier''s slow pace of growth.


    The battles Frondier had fought so far were possible because of his skill and weapons, intelligence, and reading the psychology for surprise attacks.


    He had quite powerful means against distant opponents, but when the enemy got close, in hand-to-handbat, Frondier was still at a student level. It was natural, since he was a student.


    "That''s why I''m going."


    "To handle your body? You''ll die before then."


    Enfer said, shaking his head.


    His eyes, unusually, were filled with concern.


    "You must have learned something in Tyburn as well. It can''t all be arrogance."


    "..."


    "The reason I allowed you to go to Tyburn was because it was summer."


    Initially, Enfer had not permitted Frondier to go, but after considering Frondier''s serious words and his conversation with Azier, he eventually allowed it. Or rather, he didn''t stop him.


    But this time it''s different.


    "The barrier divides the realm of humans from that of the monsters. Beyond it, one can face the outer monsters which are formidable, yet they are not the truly formidable ones. The deeper you venture into the non-human territories, even within the same ''outside'', creatures of a different ilk emerge. And in winter, such creaturese to break down the barrier."


    Of course, Frondier was aware of this. The difference between summer and winter, the existence of a deeper abyss even among the outer monsters. In Tyburn, one could gauge the difference between the inner and outer monsters based on the boundary. Monsters just a bit beyond the barrier showed how much more powerful and ferocious they be.


    Further inside, the monsters of the outer realms are literally stronger the further out they are. In winter, it is these creatures that invade.


    ''Of course, my current strength will surely be of some help.''


    Targeting the monsters'' vital points with ''Fireworks'' and Excalibur''s ''<i>Bombing</i>'' together with Mj?lnir. No matter how formidable the outer monsters may be, they can''t remain unscathed against the divine and legendary weapons.


    But that''s not the point. It''s merely boasting.


    No matter how impressive it may sound, unlike Tyburn, Yeranhes has never been breached under the ''Iron Wall'' of Enfer.


    Be it Fireworks or Bombing, the surprise is momentary. There''s nothing for Frondier himself to gain, and the same goes for Yeranhes. To Enfer, it would just seem like a foolish son acting out in a childish manner. And that''s the truth.


    That is indeed arrogance. Going to Yeranhes is not for seeking praise from Enfer.


    ''I must verify the fragment of Helheim.''


    The fragment of Helheim, a major clue provided by Warden Esther.


    Slightly north of Yeranhes lies the fragment of Helheim, trapped in a cier. That means it''s beyond the barrier.


    If the fragment of Helheim truly is Obsidian, it must be obtained at all costs.


    But I cannot say that to Enfer.


    ¡°I will not fight at the barrier.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? If you''re not going to fight, why go to the barrier?¡±


    Enfer looked at Frondier with suspicion.


    Frondier said with a gentle face.


    ¡°I just want to see the Roach Knights.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤Oh?¡±


    ¡°I want to understand the true value of the ¡®Iron Wall¡¯ by learning from them.¡±


    Frondier was making excuses, but it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie.


    To obtain the fragment of Helheim, he needed to figure out how to secretly cross the barrier, but he didn¡¯t n to do nothing until then.


    Enfer¡¯s achievement of never allowing a demon beast¡¯s intrusion was not something he could have achieved alone.


    It was possible because the knights he trained were exceptionally well-disciplined.


    If he could learn something from them, he might be able to achieve what Enfer mentioned about ¡®handling oneself.¡¯


    ¡°There is no knight free enough to teach you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t learn. I¡¯ll steal.¡±


    It was a brazen statement, but it sparked interest in Enfer¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I will not allow you to fight at the barrier, especially against demon beasts. Will you still do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After hearing Frondier¡¯s response, Enfer fell into thought for a moment.


    Indeed, this proposal also greatly appealed to Enfer.


    Frondier, unlike at Tyburn, does not arrogantly think of fighting at the barrier but understands his ce and wants to learn.


    Even if the knights do not teach Frondier, by spending time together, he will naturally pick up something.


    As long as Frondier does not approach too close to the barrier, there would be time to respond even if a demon beast invades.


    ¡®Above all, I cannot protect him forever.¡¯


    Enfer saw Frondier¡¯s resolvest summer vacation.


    Frondier has changed. He shed hisziness and worked hard to be a member of Roach.


    That effort certainly bore fruit. Returning from Tyburn without any serious injury was proof of that.


    Enfer had only ever nned to expel Frondier from their house and never truly thought of him as a warrior.


    ''Perhaps that habit still remains.''


    Enfer, who was organizing his thoughts, said to Frondier.


    ¡°The knights of Roach are not as kind as Azier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Yes.¡±


    As kind as Azier, huh.


    He had a lot he wanted to say, but for now, Frondier kept quiet.


    ¡°You will leave in a week. Until then, prepare thoroughly.¡±


    He finally gave his permission.


    Frondier chuckled and bowed deeply.


    Enfer looked at him momentarily with an expression of surprise.


    Frondier would be the only one to smile at the thought of going to the barrier.


    More so, as someone who already went and returned.

 Chapter 159 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The next day, Frondier headed straight to Quinie''s residence.


    Quinie weed Frondier warmly. Frondier tilted his head at Quinie''s gaze, which had grown warmer than before, but he entered the room.


    After listening to Frondier''s exnation, Quinie said softly.


    ¡°¡­¡­ You want to improve the ne.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Frondier nodded his head.


    ¡°I have nothing left to hide from you now, senior.¡±


    Frondier ced the frame he brought onto the table, and on top of the frame, he ced the ne with the ck Lotus.


    After giving it a light tap with force, the ck liquid inside was held within the frame.¡°With this, I can make a weapon. I can make a sword, a spear, anything.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Do you have to tell me that in so much detail?¡±


    ¡°As I said before, I have no more reason or need to hide anything from you.¡±


    Quinie had already seen Frondier use the ck liquid numerous times.


    She would have already estimated his skills, so he didn''t even tell her. Instead, he only mentioned what Quinie already knew.


    ¡°Ri, right. No need to hide it. Hmm.¡±


    Quinie turned her gaze elsewhere as if embarrassed.


    Frondier tilted his head but first exined the situation.


    ¡°I got some information on how to obtain more of this liquid inrge amounts. I''m not sure if it''s true yet.¡±


    "So you want this ne to have a muchrger capacity than before?"


    "Yes."


    "This ne already has an expansion spell fitted to it. Even now, there''s still room to spare, but you need a muchrger capacity?"


    "Yes. I''m afraid it won''t be enough."


    Frondier nodded in response to Quinie''s question.


    Of course, I know the ne has an expansion spell on it. Right now, there''s still more than enough room to fit all the Obsidian.


    However, there''s no way I''m going to fit all the fragments of Helheim into it. Esther didn''t call it a ke'' for nothing, after all.


    "Perhaps there is some kind of higher grade artifact, like a ne with an evenrger capacity?"


    Frondier asked, trying not to get his hopes up, but Quinie shook her head.


    "No, there isn''t. This was a custom order."


    "......I see. Custom order."


    When I initially asked Quinie to do this, it was only our second meeting. There was absolutely no sense of familiarity or trust with Frondier.


    Despite that, she had gone ahead and taken a custom order for the item I had requested.


    "The information you gave me was worth that much, at least."


    Quinie said, reading the look on Frondier''s face.


    "Thanks to that, I''ve saved a lot of people. I''ve stopped them from dying. And I''ve made a connection with you. On the whole, it''s been a very profitable transaction for me."


    "You consider me a connection?"


    "The best connection I could have made."


    Quinie said with a cheerful smile.


    Certainly, her attitude towards me has be much friendlier.


    ''Has my worth just gone up significantly?''


    Frondier thought about this for a moment, before asking another question.


    "So, is it possible to improve the ne?"


    "Hmm, that''s difficult. This is a piece of jewelry, you know. If you try to modify an artifact that''s already beenpleted, you run a high risk of ruining it."


    "That''s troublesome."


    With her arms crossed, Quinie looked down at the ne. With a small sigh, she said,


    "There''s no other way. We''ll have to make a new one."


    "Make a new one?"


    "Right. Last time, we just threw money at it and had it custom-made, but this time, we¡¯re going to carefully select people from each field to create something proper. Specialists from each area."


    "Specialists......"


    As Frondier shortened his speech, Quinie nodded her head.


    She raised one finger.


    "First, a Rune technician."


    "To engrave a Rune inside the gem, I suppose."


    "Yes. In addition to spatial expansion, we¡¯ll make it so that if there¡¯s anything else useful, it can all be engraved."


    Then she raised another finger.


    "Next, a magical engineering expert."


    "To connect it so the Rune functions properly?"


    "Smart. Also, it''s necessary to prepare for any errors when it reverts back after being broken."


    And another finger.


    "A security magic specialist."


    "¡­Security?"


    "I didn¡¯t realize it before, but hearing about it now, the liquid going inside is quite important to you, isn¡¯t it? We need security magic on the ne itself so that no one else can steal or break it, only you can handle or destroy it."


    After listening to Quinie¡¯s exnation, Frondier nodded.


    Obsidian is an important item that will continue to be with him in the future. Then, there will certainly be those who graduallye to value Obsidian highly.


    It¡¯s important to guard against such people from stealing it.


    Frondier thought for a moment.


    A Rune technician, a magical engineering expert, a security magic specialist.


    ¡­Hmm.


    "Um, senior."


    "Yes?"


    "Somehow, I can think of people who fit all those roles."


    At Frondier¡¯s subtly expressive words, Quinie gave a bright smile.


    "Right?"

 Chapter 160 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Bismarck04, @Joe Mama, @Excali and @RainEday from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier headed to Constel with Quinie.


    Since winter break had already begun, there were barely any students around. Many teachers probably weren''ting in either.


    The two were looking for Professor Binkis. Even if today wasn''t one of her workdays, she would likely be in Constel. Her personality was that of a researcher, and Constel was the optimal ce, fully equipped with her research and manufacturing facilities.


    When they found Binkis''sb, it was someone else who greeted them.


    "Oh? Frondier, Senior Quinie."


    Slightly breathless from what seemed like recent work, with darkened hands and face, and beads of sweat.


    Edwin von Behetorio was in Binkis''sb."Senior Edwin."


    "What brings you two here?"


    "Speaking of, what brings you to Professor Binkis''sb...?"


    Frondier tilted his head and asked, to which Edwin replied with a smile.


    "Ah, I was officially hired as an assistant."


    "Assistant? Professor Binkis''s?"


    "Yes. This field oveps a lot with my interests, and Professor Binkis said she needed my help."


    Plus, there''s the favor I owe her. Edwin scratched his cheek awkwardly as he spoke.


    ''...Hephaestus is gone.''


    Frondier briefly observed Edwin. He could no longer sense Hephaestus''s presence in him. This meant that Edwin probably couldn''t use divine power anymore.


    "I''m sorry. Because of me, your divine power..."


    "Ah, so it was you? I wasn''t mistaken. You were the one who removed Hephaestus."


    Oh no. Frondier was momentarily flustered. Edwin hadn''t known that Frondier had made Hephaestus withdraw. It was an uncharacteristic mistake.


    "But it''s okay. I''m rather grateful, in a way."


    "Grateful?"


    "My head feels clearer."


    Edwin''s face was refreshingly clear as he spoke.


    "Before I met you, I was, how should I say, the epitome of despondency. My family was in decline, my family relied solely on me, and Icked the immediate capital to utilize my abilities. I was frustrated and impatient because of the blocked situation where the order wasn''t right. As a result, I even caused harm to you and Ellen."


    "...That was the result of Hephaestus''s intervention,"


    "No."


    Edwin shook his head.


    "That was my doing."


    "......"


    "Well, maybe Hephaestus really did instigate me. He might have fueled my inferiorityplex and impatience to lead me to something. But that was my action. Even if Hephaestus whispered something in my heart, I was the one who decided."


    Edwin looked at his own hands as he spoke.


    "As proof, my hands still tremble when I recall that day. I can''t sleep due to guilt. It''s all the god''s fault. He controlled me. I wanted to escape by thinking that way, but I couldn''t. In truth, I know. It''s not a responsibility I can shift to others. My heart, my trembling hands tell me that."


    Although Edwin seemed self-reproachful, the tone in his voice was truly calm.


    Quinie, who had been listening silently, spoke.


    "...The devil''s whisper."


    "Yes?"


    "The one who ovees it is a hero,


    The one who is tempted is human,


    And the one who entrusts their sins to the devil is also a devil."


    Quinie recited the adage* as if it were a proverb and shrugged.


    [T/N: a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth.]


    "Well, Edwin followed the will of a god, not a devil, so it''s a little different, I guess."


    Looking at Quinie as she spoke, Frondier thought for a moment.


    Perhaps, it''s not that different.


    To Frondier, who had a rough understanding of what the gods in this world were like, the adage Quinie recited had a different meaning.


    Quinie continued speaking.


    "Edwin didn''t run away. Even though he couldn''t ovee the god''s interference, at least he didn''t turn a blind eye to that sin. Well, it''s not my ce to say much, not being directly involved in the incident."


    "That''s right. I also think so. As someone directly involved."


    Hearing Quinie and Frondier''s words, Edwin smiled. It was a smile with a hint of apology and gratitude.


    "Thank you. So, what''s going on? Do you have business with Professor Binkis?"


    "Ah, actually, it''s because of this-"


    Frondier briefly exined the need for a new artifact. Edwin was also someone who had witnessed Frondier using the Obsidian, so there was no need to hide it from him.


    Edwin, lost in thought for a moment, spoke.


    "Indeed. If it''s that, I think the professor could do it. Though I don''t know if she will."


    Edwin smiled bitterly as he said that. Indeed, Binkis''s personality was unpredictable, so it was uncertain whether she would readily create the artifact.


    "And we''ll need to apply security magic too, so it would be great if you could do that, Senior."


    "Huh? Me?"


    As Edwin asked back, seemingly caught off guard, Frondier and Quinie nodded.


    It wasn''t that they were suggesting it because Edwin happened to be there; they had been thinking of him from the beginning. Edwin was a genius in this area. By chance, and with the intervention of a god, he had managed to break through Professor Binkis''s security magic.


    They hadn''t expected to find Edwin when they came to see Binkis, but it was fortunate that they could meet both of them together.


    Edwin said, flustered.


    "First, we should hear what the professor has to say,"


    "I agree."


    Someone cut off Edwin''s words and ced a hand on his head. It was Binkis.


    The timing was so perfect that it made one wonder if she had been secretly listening.


    "I''ll help. That artifact sounds interesting."


    Binkis''s reaction was unexpectedly positive.


    However, the yful glint in her eyes hadn''t gone anywhere.


    "But, there''s a condition."


    "A condition?"


    "Yes, follow me."


    Saying that, Binkis walked ahead, leaving no room for further exnation.


    Watching Binkis walk briskly, Frondier and Quinie turned their gaze to Edwin. He chuckled and gave a slight nod. It meant ''Don''t worry ande along.'' He seemed to know what the condition Binkis mentioned was.


    The three followed Binkis, and she went straight into the back of theb and stepped onto the stairs leading downstairs.


    Frondier followed behind, and when he saw where Binkis stopped, he finally had a rough idea of what the condition was.


    "Here it is."


    Binkis spread her arms wide and gestured towards the massive figure in front of her as if introducing it.


    "It''s Azier Mk. 3!"


    The metal giant that Binkis introduced with such words was difficult to even call a golem anymore. It had elegant curves and sophisticated patterns engraved on it, and the joints and actuators were so simr and precise that they could almost be called imitations of humans.


    However, it still carried that spear on its back, just like before.


    Huh, Frondier let out a hollowugh at the dramatically improved quality.


    "How long will my brother be used as a model?"

 Chapter 160 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Oh, it''s over with this. From the next model, we''ll attach an original naming!"


    Binkis said, puffing out his chest. She appeared truly confident. Borrowing someone else''s name so lightly was inappropriate. Ah, is this considered safe in this world?


    "It has changed quite elegantly."


    "Right? This golem has be fully autonomous this time."


    "Wasn¡¯t it originally like that?"


    Frondier tilted his head. Even when he fought the golem controlled by Edwin for the first time, and during the midterm exam, the golem seemed quite autonomous.


    Binkis raised her finger and shook her head. It was a subtly annoyed gesture.


    "No, no! The first golem we made only responded to the owner''s will andmands. It didn''t move otherwise."


    Upon hearing that, Frondier recalled the golem from that time. Indeed, even Frondier could sense that the golem was moving ording to a simple program back then. That was why he could win.After that, it moved on its own, but that was possible because Hephaestus was controlling it.


    "The golem I tested during the midterm was one I manipted directly. I had automated it to some extent so that it could control multiple golems at the same time, but it was still a clumsy level."


    "Multiple golems at the same time..."


    Frondier thought for a moment.


    She had managed to move several golems at once. Indeed, that was the feeling during the midterm. The multitude of golems felt threatening, but their movements became simpler. If Frondier didn''t have a brute weapon like ''Gram'' that could smash a golem in one hit, it would have been quite difficult.


    Multiple golems..., simultaneous attack, simplification.


    ...Multiple units.


    "By the way, teacher."


    "Hmm?"


    "Is the method of controlling those multiple golems something like, if you track the golems appearing on the screen in squares, they get selected at the same time, and if you click on a designated enemy with another button, they automatically attack, that kind of mechanism?"


    To help understand, Frondier raised his right hand and drew a diagonal with his fingers, trying to mimic the action of dragging a mouse.


    ...Binkis''s eyes shook so noticeably that it was easy to tell.


    "You, how did you know that? Hacking? Did you hack me?"


    "How could I hack into the teacher''s research materials, given the formidable security that must be in ce?"


    "He did it, though?"


    Binkis pointed at Edwin with his finger. Edwin avoided eye contact, having nothing to say.


    "...I''m not senior Edwin. I just thought it might be more efficient that way."


    "You caught on to that? Are you a genius? A genius even beyond me?"


    No. I just knew because I saw it first.


    Feeling a bit guilty, Frondier slightly changed the subject.


    "So, this new golem isn''t either of those two methods?"


    "Mm-hmm, exactly. It''spletely autonomous! It makes its own decisions to protect its master, annihte enemies, and assist with various chores that the master desires."


    "...So, you don''t have to give it orders?"


    "That''s right! Of course, if you do give it orders, it will prioritize those orders. But if an order puts the master in danger, it might refuse or find a workaround. We''ve got all those bases covered."


    Frondier listened to Binkis''s almost boastful exnation and looked at the golem.


    Thoughts inadvertently spilled out as words.


    "...With this capability, it could easily be my ''weapon,''"


    "Hm? What?"


    "Oh, nothing. It''s a splendid golem. So, what do I need to do?"


    At Frondier''s question, Binkis grinned and walked over to the golem. She pressed a power button connected to the golem, disconnecting it, and the golem''s eyes lit up.


    With each heavy step, Frondier felt a shiver run down his spine. The sound was undoubtedly heavy, yet eerily simr to that of a human.


    "Frondier, you can use ''Falling Edge,'' right?"


    "...Yes."


    How did she know? Frondier''s response seemed to surprise Quinie and Edwin even more.


    "Falling Edge... really? Frondier?"


    "Yes. I can''t use it as freely as my brother, and I need to be prepared."


    "Need to be prepared, you say. Over the past few years, countless spearfighters have tried to replicate that technique developed by Azier."


    At Quinie''s admiration, Frondier gave an awkward smile.


    Honestly, ''Falling Edge'' requires a certain innate talent. For starters, one''s muscles and joints need to be flexible and strong.


    And one must have a certain understanding of aura. Although Frondier''s skill level was far from Azier''s, his body structure was simr due to them being brothers.


    Frondier had seeded more or less by chance, but the first time he tried it was during a life-or-death fight, the duel against Renzo. Also, Frondier had the skill "Weaving," so he had a grasp on the sensation of using his energy. It would be difficult toprehend quickly unless several conditions like these were met.


    "Alright. Then try using that Falling Edge on this golem."


    "Huh?"


    Binkis smiled confidently at Frondier''s surprised question.


    "This golem is designed so that Falling Edge won''t work on it."


    "Ooh."


    Binkis''s words piqued Frondier''s curiosity. If the golem''s design alone could block Falling Edge, then the enemy might be able to block it as well. Knowing this possibility in advance was more important than anything else.


    "Now, the golem will be ready. Use Falling Edge properly. That''s the condition."


    "Very well, let''s test it out."


    Binkis stepped back and the golem took out a spear and readied itself without Frondier having to tell it to. It was in a fearsome stance, as if it were going to thrust its spear at any moment, but it remained still.


    Frondier took out his short sword and lightly touched the tip of the spear''s de.


    ''If it really does block Falling Edge, I''ll need toe up with a countermeasure.''


    With that thought, Frondier performed Falling Edge, and¡ª


    Swish¡ª


    The golem''s spear flew through the air without making a sound.


    "Wha...?"


    Frondier tilted his head at the unexpected sess of Falling Edge.


    He considered the possibility that something else would happen, but the golem remained still even after the spear hit the ground.


    A glitch? A bug? Frondier looked at Binkis with a questioning gaze, expecting her to give him an exnation.


    And Binkis''s supplementary exnation was this.


    "......Huh?"

 Chapter 161 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Zenno and @Greg from Ko-fi!</i>


    Binkis did a few short checks. It was to see if the function of ''Falling Edge'' was missing.


    Despite this, Frondier wlessly executed the Falling Edge technique.


    Binkis''s face fell, etched with dejection.


    Feeling a pang of guilt, Frondier reflected on the Falling Edge technique he had just performed.


    "...Uh, Teacher."


    "What?" Binkis replied, his face still downcast.


    "It did feel a bit heavier than usual.""Oh, really?" Binkis''s eyes instantly lit up with renewed interest.


    Frondier wasn''t lying. He definitely felt some sort of resistance against the Falling Edge technique. A slight pushback the moment he tried to activate it.


    However, the resistance was so minuscule that, if quantified, it wouldn''t have amounted to more than a few grams. It was a faint force he could only perceive because he had repeated the technique multiple times.


    Of course, Frondier kept this detail to himself.


    "The direction seems promising, so how about we keep improving it?"


    "Y-yeah! I wasn''t wrong!" Binkis''s spirit instantly rebounded. The possibility of improvement was a good thing.


    Even if the path to that improvement was long and arduous.


    "Thanks for helping with the test. Now it''s my turn."


    Binkis dered, cing her hands on her hips. Frondier and Quinie nodded in agreement.


    "But, thinking back to what we were discussing earlier..." Binkis tilted his head, seemingly puzzled.


    "ording to your exnation, shouldn''t we avoid breaking the ne? We''re putting in a significant amount of liquid, right?"


    "...Yes, that''s correct."


    As Binkis pointed out, the amount of Obsidian they were going to insert this time would be an enormous amountpared to before.


    Although he hadn''t mentioned it to the three of them here, Esther had described it as a ke''. Even if that was an exaggeration, it was clear what kind of disaster would ur if they recklessly broke the ne.


    "That''s why I''m also concerned about that. Ideally, we''d be able to extract the desired amount of liquid and, if necessary, extract it all at once. Both options should be readily avable."


    Under normal circumstances, extracting a certain amount would suffice, but in a truly urgent situation, all the Obsidian might be required. Moreover, if it were urgent, he wouldn''t have the time to extract it slowly.


    In other words, controlling the liquid output was crucial, but they also couldn''t abandon the method of breaking the ne, as they had done before.


    After listening to Frondier, Binkis pondered for a moment and then spoke.


    "Then we''ll need one more artifact."


    "One more?"


    "Yes. A ne for when we need to extract everything, and another artifact for when we need to control the amount. That ne, you called it ''ck Lotus'', right? It was originally designed to be broken, wasn''t it? Adding a control function while maintaining that functionality is impossible. It''s a jewel, after all."


    "I see. Another artifact..."


    He had thought all the functions would be integrated into the ck Lotus, but that wasn''t the case.


    Somehow, it felt like things were getting more and moreplicated. It had already gone beyond the realm of ''improvement''.


    "Then what kind of artifact would be suitable?"


    "Well, it should be something wearable so it can be used at any time, with enough space to output the liquid, and ideally located close to the ne for Mana linkage."


    Frondier fell into thought at Binkis''s words. He briefly surveyed the workshop, checking the items he had stored there so far.


    But there was no way he would find something that perfectly fit the criteria...


    ''...There is.''


    He found it. The moment he saw it, Frondier''s memory was jogged.


    Elodie''s armband.


    An artifact designed to control Elodie''s overwhelming power. Elodie originally used this armband to prevent the use of Mana beyond a certain limit. The excess Mana generated when using magic was stored in the armband.


    If they could modify the artifact to store Obsidian instead of Mana...


    "I have something in mind."


    "Oh? What is it? What kind of artifact is it?"


    In response to Binkis''s question, Frondier exined about the armband Elodie wore.


    After listening to the exnation, Binkis looked at Edwin.


    "......To handle the metal Viper Steel with that level of quality, it seems like a product of the Hitchcockpany."


    "Seems like it."


    Edwin agreed. And Frondier thought so too.


    The one who gave Elodie the armband was probably her older brother, Revet. As someone who deeply cherished his younger sister, he would have gifted her the best item made with Viper Steel.


    "What do you think? If we could store Obsidian in that armband instead of Mana..."


    "Hmm, the idea isn''t bad, but Hitchcock is heavily guarded with all sorts of security measures. Blueprints and everything."


    Binkis tilted her head, troubled.


    Hitchcock, thepany, was renowned for its strict secrecy, so outsiders had no knowledge of how the technology and designs within thepany were developed. Numerous attempts had been made to leak information, but all had failed.


    Quinie inquired, "Does it have to be that specific product? Now that we have a concept, couldn''t we just create an armband and add the function?"


    "Hmm, that''s true."


    While agreeing with Quinie, Binkis still wore a somewhat dissatisfied expression.


    As Quinie tilted her head with a questioning look, Edwin, who was standing next to her, smiled wryly and said, "Teacher wants to see Hitchcock''s product. She''ll be annoyed if we make something inferior after all this."


    "Annoyed? If we can create a better product, shouldn''t we try? You said it was Elodie''s, right? Can''t we just take a quick look at that armband?"


    "Just looking at the appearance won''t tell us anything. Unless we dissect it."


    "Would she be mad if we promised to reassemble it after dissecting?"


    "Hmm, Elodie is pretty broad-minded, so she wouldn''t get angry, but if we fail to reassemble it..."


    "If we fail?"


    "We might have to deal with Elodie going berserk without the armband to control her output."


    "Gasp."


    Binkis, Edwin, and Quinie conversed amongst themselves, discussing the best course of action.


    Quinie, who advocated for giving up and creating an original design, and Binkis, who couldn''t let go of his fascination with Hitchcock''s product, were presenting their opinions one after another.


    ...Meanwhile.


    Frondier was rolling his eyes, struggling to find the right words to say something he really needed to, something that was quite awkward to bring up.


    "Um, Teacher Binkis."


    Frondier spoke up, sensing a slight lull in the conversation between the three.


    "Yes, what is it?"


    "Hypothetically speaking..."


    "Hypothetically what?"


    "If I were to say that I can draw the schematics of that armband..."


    Three pairs of wide eyes turned towards Frondier as he spoke.


    Seeing their reactions, Frondier gave an embarrassed smile.


    "Would that also be considered technology theft?"

 Chapter 161 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A short time passed.


    "Ta-da! I''m here, Frondier!"


    Sybil, with a bright smile, appeared in the researchb.


    "Hey, you should greet the teacher first."


    "Ah, I apologize. Hello, Teacher Binkis."


    Sybil quickly offered a polite greeting.


    Behind her, her father, Daud Forte, emerged.


    "Hmm, nothing''s changed here."


    Daud, with his usual gruff expression, nced around the researchb.Binkis sighed and said, "Daud, you too, greet people when you arrive."


    "Yo, Binkis. Long time no see."


    Daud gave a casual wave with one hand. It was a gesture that could easily be mistaken for that of a thug. Binkis and Daud seemed to be acquainted.


    Frondier, curious about their rtionship, bowed deeply to Daud first.


    "Sir, it''s been a while."


    "Hmph, you young rascal. Using me as an excuse to meet my daughter, eh? You think I wouldn''t notice..."


    "Dad! I told you it''s not like that!!"


    Daud''s words were cut off by Sybil''s exmation.


    ''If that''s what you think, why did you bring your daughter along?''


    Frondier had only invited Daud. It was Daud who had brought Sybil along.


    "So, what do you need me to do?"


    Daud asked Binkis.


    "We''re about to show you that."


    "What''s that?"


    In response to Daud''s question, Binkis simply walked towards a certain device without answering. She performed a unique gesture in front of it, and the floor in the center lit up with a soft hum.


    "Alright, Frondier. Stand in front of the area where the light is shining."


    Frondier followed Binkis''s instructions and stood on the illuminated floor.


    "In front of you, within that glowing area, you can draw lines using Mana. The lines themselves have no effect and are simply visible. It''s a device for drawing 3D schematics."


    Frondier nodded and experimentally extended his hand, swirling Mana in the air. A strand of Mana, originating from his fingertips, was drawn in the empty space. It remained perfectly suspended, neither falling nor wavering.


    "Erasing is the same as drawing. Just remove the Mana. It might be a bit confusing at first, but you''ll get used to it quickly."


    "Yes."


    "Frondier, are you good at drawing?"


    "...I''m not sure."


    "It''s alright. As long as you can draw the schematics, even if they''re a bit rough, I''ll be able to understand them. I have a grasp of the structure of magic engineering devices."


    Frondier nodded in agreement.


    Sybil, who had been quietly observing, asked, "...So, he''s going to draw a 3D schematic here? Frondier?"


    "Yes."


    "With what blueprint?"


    "It''s in his head."


    Quinie''s reply caused Sybil''s expression to shift into something quite peculiar. But, in truth, most of them wore simr expressions.


    ''Drawing a 3D schematic is difficult even with a blueprint. He can do it just from what''s in his head?''


    Binkis also found it hard to believe.


    Frondier had suggested bringing in a Rune technician to observe as well, so they had agreed, but no matter how he thought about it, it seemed like an overly challenging task.


    If it weren''t for her trust in Frondier and the confidence she saw in that calm expression, she would have stopped this whole thing long ago.


    ''Alright, then.''


    Frondier stretched out his hand.


    His Weaving ability converted objects into images and stored them within his Workshop.


    As Frondier had confirmed in the library before, the images within the Workshop were structurally identical to the real objects. That''s why the replicated weapons possessed the characteristics of the original weapons.


    Naturally, Frondier could see that structure. A perfect X-ray vision of the object.


    He brought forth the X-ray image of the armband Elodie used.


    ''I might not be good at drawing...''


    But this wasn''t drawing.


    It was simply tracing over the visible lines, a task even a child could do.


    Slowly, Frondier''s hand moved.


    "...Unbelievable."


    Binkis let out a gasp as she watched the 3D schematic gradually taking shape within Frondier''s hands.


    It was astonishing enough that he was drawing the schematic without any reference, but what was even more surprising was the way he was doing it.


    ''He''s crazy. Looking at the order he''s drawing in, I get it now. He really does remember it ''perfectly''.''


    Frondier was drawing without following any of the basic principles of schematic design. There was no distinction between the central core and the surrounding areas, no separation between the base te and theponents.


    He would switch from drawing the exterior design to aponent, then abruptly jump to drawing a circuit, and so on.


    It was as if he were simply drawing from memory. Drawing in such a manner would normally lead to the schematic falling apart quickly, with inconsistencies inponent spacing, length, and size appearing somewhere along the way.


    However, there were no such inconsistencies. Despite the chaotic order, the schematic was beingpleted with astonishing uracy.


    "Wow, that''s amazing. Right, Dad? Dad, are you watching?"


    "Yeah, I''m watching."


    Responding to his daughter''s urging, Daud briefly recalled a past event.


    ''...As I thought, that time wasn''t a coincidence.''


    Daud had witnessed something simr before. It was when Frondier was drawing a Rune in the open space in front of his house.


    Back then, Frondier had done the same thing. Hepletely disregarded the order and rules that needed to be followed when drawing a Rune. Yet, the form of the Rune had been wless.


    Now, he was doing something even moreplex: a 3D schematic. Yet, Frondier''s expression revealed no hint of difficulty.


    "...Frondier."


    Edwin, who had been silently observing, called out to him.


    "Yes?"


    "By any chance, is that divine power?"


    There was a yful tone to the question, reminiscent of Edwin''s initial question when they first met, tinged with a hint of inferiority. However, the meaning behind it now was entirely different.


    Therefore, Frondier offered a different response than his usual ''It''s a secret.''


    "No."


    Because Edwin had ovee his feelings of inferiority, Frondier could smile and say,


    "I don''t possess anything like divine power."

 Chapter 162 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "©¤©¤Done."


    Finally, Frondierpleted the three-dimensional blueprint.


    He had meticulously drawn every single line of the workshop''s perspective view, ensuring nothing was missing.


    Binkis approached and carefully examined thepleted blueprint.


    "...You really drew it."


    "Of course."


    Frondier replied as if it were obvious. He was told to draw it, so he did. As if he had simply carried out a natural task.


    However, to Binkis, it wasn''t obvious at all.


    ''It''s perfect. The spacing, the length, the connections between parts, every single element is wless.''And above all, the moment she saw it, Binkis'' intuition told her.


    This artifact is real. It''s definitely usable. Its function will surely be exactly as Frondier described. The structure of the blueprint was already revealing its principles to Binkis'' discerning eyes.


    ''This guy, what is he really?''


    Binkis felt a sense of awe, bordering on fear, towards Frondier.


    The Frondier she met during the final exams, like everyone else at Constel, was clearly a warrior. Powerful skills and strength. And a quick-witted mind. Moreover, he was the owner of the rumored ''fireworks''.


    But the image he was showing today waspletely opposite. He possessed talents more suited for a technician or researcher.


    Can an individual possess such diverse talents, and at such a high level? Binkis had seen many students called geniuses, but none like Frondier.


    Ellen Evans, known as the swordsman of the highest caliber,cked Mana capacity. Elodie, bearing the name ''Inies'', despite being loved by the five gods, was still immature and clumsy with her power control.


    Above all, most of those called geniuses were only so in one specific field.


    Even Aster, clearly destined to be a hero of mankind, was only a genius as a swordsman. All his talents were necessary and exceptional for being a swordsman, which is why Aster was called a genius.


    Binkis had never seen anyone like Frondier, disying talent inpletely different fields, especially those unrted tobat.


    ''...What if, from Frondier''s perspective, it''s all the same field?''


    Binkis pondered for a moment. If the talents of the students she had seen were called such because they were suited for a specific field, could Frondier''s seemingly scattered talents actually be converging towards a single point?


    If so, what would Frondier be at the end of that point?


    "Excuse me, Professor. Could you take a look at this blueprint?"


    "Ah, ah! Right."


    Binkis, who had been silent, seemed surprised as Frondier spoke first. She cleared her thoughts and examined the blueprint.


    "Hmm. So that''s how it works. I thought it would be closer to a faucet, but it actually uses concentration. Mana is invisible before it manifests, but it''s definitely a substance. It uses the concentration as a standard to determine the output of Mana. In other words, the Mana is filtered before the user fully activates the magic."


    Binkis muttered something while looking at the blueprint. Of course,


    Frondier barely understood what she was saying, despite being the one who drew it.


    "Is it possible to modify this bracer to store Obsidian?"


    "We''ll have to try it, but it seems possible. However, since the liquid is naturally heavier than Mana, we''ll need to focus on making it lighter. We''ll also need to increase the length to expand the space. And we''ll need to engrave Runes."


    At Binkis'' words, Daud crossed his arms and snorted.


    "As long as there''s enough space to draw a circle, it''s fine."


    Reassuring words. Binkis smiled faintly and said,


    "Well, shall we begin?"


    * * *


    While Binkis and Daud were modifying the three-dimensional blueprint, Frondier sat facing Edwin.


    Edwin was carefully examining Frondier''s hand, specifically his fingertips.


    "Hmm, this should be enough to use fingerprints."


    "Are there cases where fingerprints can''t be used?"


    "Quite a few. When they''re worn down and too faint, orpletely gone. It''s rare for students, but I see it often at Constel. The family training must have been intense before they even enrolled. I can''t imagine what they do."


    Edwin then picked up the ne Frondier had brought.


    "When you use the ne, remember the back here. Of course, we''ll be making a new ne, but the design won''t change much. From now on, when you break it, press here with your finger."


    "Does it matter which finger I use?"


    "No. I''ll register all ten fingerprints for you."


    Edwin said it so casually that Frondier was momentarily confused. Is that really that easy? Judging by Sybil''s open mouth as she listened quietly beside him, it didn''t seem like it.


    "Fingerprint recognition, that''s amazing."


    Fingerprint recognition felt very modern, so Frondier was genuinely impressed.


    Meanwhile, Edwin was holding a lens-like object against Frondier''s finger and injecting Mana into it. It seemed like he was recording the fingerprint. He wasn''t sure.


    "It''s not that amazing since we use magic to magnify, observe, and record. In terms of principles, it''s simpler than creating a me. The important thing is maneuverability. Even with magic, you need to apply Mana thinly while maintaining a consistent Mana uniformity. It''s more of a skill than magic. That''s why so few people do it."


    Edwin exined while checking and moving on to each of Frondier''s fingers.


    "Now, your left hand."


    "...That''s all it took?"


    "Yes."


    Frondier was speechless at the blunt reply and offered his left hand.


    This person, maybe he never needed to feel inferior in the first ce?


    "...Frondier."


    Still examining his fingers with the lens, Edwin spoke.


    "What do you think about gods?"


    "...Pardon?"


    "You met Hephaestus, right? You even indirectly fought him. I thought your perspective might be different from others."


    It was Sybil, who was listening quietly beside them, who actually perked up at Edwin''s words.


    Sybil remembered what Frondier had said in front of the sanctuary.


    - I don''t believe in gods. Because I don''t believe in fate.


    That had been the turning point that changed Sybil''s values. She felt ashamed of her carefree thought that everything would work out on its own, and realized that her life was entirely hers, even if she received help.


    But what about Frondier himself? What kind of life had he lived, what kind of experiences had he gone through, to make him say that?


    "...I don''t particrly have any thoughts about gods."

 Chapter 162 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "That alone is a problematic statement."


    Edwin chuckled and replied.


    Frondier thought for a moment. Thanatos, who tried to kill him at first, then Hephaestus, who controlled Edwin, Renzo''s divine power Ares, and even Hestia.


    At first, he only felt dislike towards the gods of this world. It was natural. Whether they hated ''Weaving'' or Frondier himself, all the gods seemed to want him dead.


    However, Hestia had said that the gods themselves were currently in conflict. He didn''t know what they were shing over, but Hestia had helped Frondier as if to prove it.


    She had met Frondier knowing that he would store her furnace.


    The conflict of the gods. He didn''t know which side was on his side. It could be neither.


    However, it was enough to change Frondier''s thinking a little.


    "If I had to say,"Frondier finished his thoughts and spoke.


    "The gods are quite...human-like."


    A conflict where their opinions couldn''t be reconciled. He learned from Thanatos that a god could harbor murderous intent towards a single human, and from Hephaestus, he learned about the hatred and anger of gods. From Hestia, he received information and even felt goodwill.


    All of these things made Frondier no longer feel like the gods were gods. Perhaps it was because he never believed in gods in the first ce that he had such an impression.


    "...Keuk."


    Edwin let out a smallugh at those words. He smiled as if genuinely pleased.


    However, his expression turned a little serious as he said,


    "If that''s how you truly feel, be careful of temples and believers from now on."


    "...Temples."


    "For gods to descend upon the human world, several conditions are needed. But temples already fulfill some of those conditions. If a god pushes themselves a little, they can descend upon a temple."


    As Edwin said, gods had actually descended upon temples several times in the past. It was a much more direct and powerful manifestation of power than the appearance of gods in sanctuaries. Thanatos, who appeared to kill Frondier, was the closest example.


    There were several famous temples on the continent. In particr, the ''Parthenon Temple'' remained in a perfect form without any damage or defects.


    "This is just my intuition, but I don''t think you''re only hated by Hephaestus."


    His intuition was too good.


    Frondier felt something strange as he listened and asked,


    "Something I''ve been wondering, Senior Edwin also doesn''t use honorifics for Hephaestus."


    "..."


    "...Don''t tell me, Senior also...like me..."


    Edwin lowered his gaze from Frondier''s fingers and met his eyes. A yful smile spread across his face.


    "It''s a secret."


    * * *


    After Frondier''s fingerprint registration wasplete, Binkis determined the direction of the design and began working.


    However, it seemed like it would take longer than initially expected.


    ''I won''t be able to go to Yeranhes with thepleted artifact.''


    Enfer had mentioned a preparation period of a week, but it seemed like it would take at least two weeks more. Frondier requested that it be sent to Yeranhes as soon as it waspleted.


    He didn''t expect to get Obsidian as soon as he arrived in Yeranhes anyway. The fragment of Helheim was beyond the barrier, and Enfer wouldn''t allow him to go there.


    If it was certain that the artifact would bepleted within this winter break, it would be better to stay quiet within Yeranhes until then. Frondier wasn''t crazy enough to want to die.


    Frondier picked up his phone. Several messages had arrived.


    Unlikest summer break, Frondier had informed most people about going to Yeranhes this time. Of course, he emphasized that he was going to learn under the Roach Knights, not to stop the barrier.


    Most people sent messages of support. It seemed like Sybil and Aten wouldn''t being along this time either.


    However, there was one message that stopped Frondier for a moment.


    [Don''t die.]


    It was Elodie.


    It seemed like a simple message of well-being and support, but another message followed.


    [I know you''ll push yourself.]


    It was sharp, as if predicting Frondier''s actions.


    Frondier tried to respond for now.


    [I won''t push myself.]


    [Don''t lie.]


    An immediate reply.


    And another one. This time, it was a rather puzzling message.


    [And this time, I won''t say anything either.]


    [Huh?]


    He asked back, but no reply came for a while.


    Did something urgente up? Just as he was thinking that, another message arrived.


    [Because I''ll push myself too this time.]


    "..."


    Frondier closed his mouth and fell silent.


    Elodie, who was already overwhelmingly powerful, pushing herself. He couldn''t quite imagine what would happen.


    "I told you, you don''t have to do that."


    Unable to send that in a message, Frondier muttered to himself.


    There was one thing Frondier didn''t know right now. How the current situation differed from when he was ying the game.


    Among the first-year students of Constel, Aster and Elodie were recognized geniuses. They were also already the top of their respective fields in the first year.


    Aster had Robald following him, and Elodie had Lunia and Aten, but there was still a visible gap between them.


    So, although they were both naturally inclined to practice diligently, being the strongest also meant that their motivation was weaker.


    Even though Aster was controlled by the yer, the yer only moved along efficient routes and couldn''t change Aster''s inherent mindset. Therefore, there was a limit to his growth curve.


    However, Frondier''s appearance made them reconsider theircency.


    During the midterm and final exams of the second semester, Frondier intentionally adjusted his ranking. He didn''t need to achieve a higher rank as long as he stayed out of Enfer''s bad books. And those who knew about Frondier also knew that he had intentionally adjusted his ranking.


    To Elodie and Aster, Frondier''s skills were immeasurable. So, they couldn''t afford to be at ease. The title of the top of their respective fields was just an empty formality.


    To surpass Frondier. To stand on equal footing with him.


    The image of Frondier in their minds had already be an insurmountable wall.


    To ovee that wall, they would put in any effort and spare nothing.


    Aster didn''t send a message to Frondier, but his intentions were not much different from Elodie''s. The fact that he didn''t send a message even hinted at his determination.


    "...Alright then."


    Frondier, unaware of this fact, simply took another step, slowly.


    "Let''s go, Yeranhes."


    To change the future of the game, he took another step forward.


    Even in ces he didn''t know, the future was slowly starting to change.

 Chapter 163 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Genki Azuma and @Citino from Ko-fi!</i>


    Before leaving the mansion, I first knocked on the next room.


    "Selena, are you ready?"


    "Yes. I''ll be right out."


    Her voice came immediately. Then, with almost silent footsteps, the door opened.


    "It will be a morefortable journeypared to Tyburn. But don''t let your guard down. We''re going to the border."


    "Of course, I know."


    I briefly examined Selena''s attire. It was better than when we first met, but it was still somewhat revealingpared to other people''s everyday clothes. Her figure was still very much on disy.Noticing my gaze, Selena spoke apologetically.


    "I''m sorry. This is my most modest outfit. However, it''s the most suitable for escorting. It allows me to store arge number of tools without hindering my movement. Really."


    Selena avoided my gaze as she spoke. Her face was slightly flushed, as if she were embarrassed.


    When we first met, she wore even more revealing clothes and had a shameless face, so this was a remarkable improvement.


    "It''s fine."


    "....Yes?"


    "If it''s an outfit that allows you to fulfill your duties, that''s enough. As long as you don''t have any unnecessary intentions like before."


    "Yes, yes...."


    Selena answered, but her eyes rolled as if she didn''t quite understand.


    I suppose it makes sense, since my reaction has changed from before when I threatened to kill her.


    "I wasn''t criticizing your clothes before. Remember? I wasn''t talking about your outfit, but the fact that you tried to change clothes in front of me without considering the ce. That''s why I told you to get out of ''there''."


    "....That''s right."


    I deliberately reced Manggot with "there" because there were ears listening inside the mansion.


    Of course, all the servants in the Roach mansion don''t interfere with the master''s life. If they heard something they shouldn''t have, they didn''t hear it, and if they saw something they shouldn''t have, they didn''t see it. That''s the servants'' rule, and within this prestigious family, they strictly adhere to it.


    But just in case, I''m taking some precautions.


    "Why do you think that is?"


    "....Because my appearance was unpleasant. I was out of line, needlessly trying to expose myself in front of Frondier-nim."


    Selena answered with a somewhat gloomy expression.


    Indeed, I hadn''t thought about it deeply until now, but is that how Selena sees it?


    "No."


    "Yes?"


    "The reason I scolded you was because your words and actions at that time were proof that they were looking down on me in ''there''."


    "....!"


    I''m not asexual, and I couldn''t help but feel something when I saw Selena''s outfit and gestures, which were intended to seduce me.


    However, I''m not so pathetic as to fall for a woman just because of that. But Manggot must have thought that Selena was enough. They thought ''Frondier de Roach'' was that pathetic.


    If it had been Frondier before I possessed him, who was physically and mentally exhausted, he might have fallen for it, but I wasn''t him.


    "I wasn''t offended by your body or your clothes. There''s no need to be so timid. Throw away any thoughts of being out of line or doing something unnecessary."


    "Yes...."


    Selena nodded, somehow lowering her head to hide her face.


    I judged that she understood enough and turned to walk away. From now on, I need to think carefully about Yeranhes,


    "....?"


    But even after walking for a while, there was no sign of her following me. When I turned around to look at Selena again, her face was even redder than before, and her eyes were full of questions.


    What is it? Did she not understand what I said? Was it that difficult of a story?


    "Why aren''t you following?"


    "That, those words."


    "....?"


    "My outfit at the time, well, what should I say...."


    Selena was stammering and hesitating, which was rare for her. The corners of her eyes twitched as she looked at me, and by the time she uttered the next words, her face was not just red, but bright red.


    "Was it, was it effective?"


    "......."


    "No, that''s not it! I''m not saying I''m going to do that again. But, you know, right? What my intentions were at that time. So, I was, I was curious..¡±


    "......."


    I think my expression turned cold without me realizing it. Seeing Selena exining herself so earnestly like that.


    "Follow me."


    "Ah, yes...."


    I confirmed that Selena was walking with her head down and started walking forward again.


    ncing back, Selena was walking with a gloomy expression. However, even in the midst of that, she seemed to want to cover her body, as if her clothes were awkward.


    For some reason, even though her outfit was more modest than before, Selena was feeling shy. Perhaps something changed while she was traveling with Constel? Maybe immersing herself in everyday life made her see her own clothes in a new light.


    ''Hmm, this is troublesome.''


    The fact that Selena is suddenly conscious of her clothes is neither good nor bad, but it''s troublesome if she can''t move properly because she''s worried about it. After all, she''s my escort as far as others are concerned. She needs to do her job properly.


    "Selena."


    "Yes, yes."


    "Let''s go clothes shopping after this trip is over."


    "Yes.... Yes?!"


    "I''ll give you clothes that are a little morefortable to move in and better than what you''re wearing now. And without such excessive exposure. Then you won''t have to worry about anything unnecessary."


    "Ah, no. As an escort, I can''t...."


    Selena answered like that, then, "Ah," and suddenly closed her mouth as if she remembered something.


    And she muttered in a voice so low it was almost inaudible, with her head bowed.


    "....I understand...."


    It was a voice so quiet that I could have sworn it was an ant talking. It''s a wonder I even heard it.

 Chapter 163 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When we left the mansion, the car was already waiting.


    Enfer was talking to the driver about something. Judging by the fact that I couldn''t hear them from this distance, it seemed to be a secret conversation.


    After hearing Enfer''s words, the driver''s eyes twitched for a moment, and he looked at me. His face seemed to say, "Is that really true?" without actually speaking.


    Did he tell him that I wasing to Yeranhes? If that''s the case, why the need to whisper?


    I approached them slowly, without showing any sign of my curiosity.


    Enfer, seeing me, said,


    "Get in."


    "Yes."


    As always, Enfer''s words allowed no refusal or furtherment. I nodded and got into the back seat.Of course, Selena came with me.


    "......."


    "......."


    As expected, there was no conversation in the car as we set off.


    Enfer was taciturn to begin with and had nothing to say to me, and Selena was someone who understood the ce and atmosphere.


    I didn''t realize it, but I wasn''t as ufortable with the silence as I thought I would be. Or maybe it''s not me, but this body that''s used to it. For Frondier, silence with his father must have been a constant thing.


    However.


    "Frondier."


    Surprisingly, Enfer spoke to me first.


    "Yes."


    "I heard about your final exam ranking. You ced 9th?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Surprisingly, it was about Constel.


    Enfer had initiated a conversation with Frondier about school life!


    It''s such a fatherly line that it''s almost creepy.


    I ranked 9th overall in the second semester. It was the result of adjusting both written and practical exams to some extent. If I had truly given it my all, I might have taken 1st ce again.


    However, from the moment I passed Enfer''s quest, Constel''s rankings weren''t something I needed to be too concerned about.


    "Was that the result of your best effort?"


    As if seeing through my thoughts, Enfer asked.


    This question shouldn''t be dwelled on. I answered immediately upon hearing it.


    "No."


    "I see. I would have been very disappointed if you said that was your best."


    Enfer said.


    "I couldn''t attend this exam, but I saw you fight during the first semester final exam."


    "....Yes, that''s right."


    "Judging by what I saw then, 9th ce is far too low. If that''s all you could achieve, I would havemented my eyes and memory."


    I don''t know


    I don''t know if he''s praising me or scolding me.


    "I apologize. In the next exam, I will definitely,"


    "Frondier."


    Enfer interrupted me.


    Sitting in the front seat, I couldn''t see his expression. He just looked straight ahead and said to me,


    "You can hide it a little better."


    "Yes?"


    I asked back involuntarily. But there were no further words.


    As the car fell silent again, I thought.


    ''What was that just now?''


    You can hide it a little better?


    It was as if he wanted me to hide my strength.


    ''Does he know the reason why?''


    Of course, I''ve never spoken to Enfer about anything rted to this.


    There areplex reasons why I don''t reveal all my abilities at Constel, but the only thing Enfer might have noticed is,


    ''...God.''


    When I first materialized Weaving, the trigger activated, and the god, Thanatos, descended before my eyes.


    Just like Thanatos who tried to kill me as soon as we met, perhaps to Enfer as well.


    ''Did a god intervene with my father too?''


    When my thoughts reached that point,


    "....Frondier-nim?"


    Selena, who was next to me, looked at me.


    I could feel my own face hardening in an instant.


    Enfer is not my real father. Just like Malia is not my real mother.


    So whether Enfer is influenced by a god or not has nothing to do with me. Rather, if it interferes with me, then he too is just an obstacle.


    However, just like I felt the scent of a mother from Malia.


    From Enfer''s tone of voice, filled with concern, I,


    ¡®¡­¡­I wonder who it is.¡¯


    Of course, all of this could be excessive spection. What Enfer said might have been meaningless.


    But, if it''s true.


    I''m really curious about the face of the god who dared to visit Enfer.


    * * *


    Yeranhes wasn''t in as dire a situation as Tyburn.


    Yeranhes was mostly handled by the Roach Knights, and since they had sessfully blocked all monster intrusions so far, the local residents were also lively.


    The reason Enfer allowed me toe to Yeranhes was probably because he predicted it would be safe within the barrier.


    I ''analyzed'' the barrier that was visible even from afar.


    ''It''s fine.''


    Of course, it was older and had crackspared to Tyburn after I ''restored'' it, but Yeranhes'' barrier was sturdy enough that it didn''t need restoration.


    What kept this barrier in such a state was, of course, Enfer''s power and,


    "Roach Knights!! Salute!"


    The knights lined up like swords and took their positions at themand.


    They looked like precise gears to me.


    The Roach Knights, unofficially reigning as the strongest on the current continent.


    For reference, officially, there are also the Imperial Knights and the ''Shroud Knights'' to which Sanders, whom I met in Tyburn, belongs, which are quite famous. Some people even consider Shroud to be the best.


    However, from what I know, Shroud has declined significantly. When knights who have gained glory by hunting monsters in the outskirts are transferred to the center, most of them show a simr pattern to Shroud.


    They be ustomed to the sudden peace and safety and forget their original strength.


    However, thanks to Enfer''s stubbornness in staying in the outskirts, systematic training, and charisma, the Roach Knights still possess the spirit and ability they had during the monster war.


    "We greet the Lord."


    The Knight Commander, ''Sylvain Serdo'', bowed his head before Enfer.


    Enfer nodded and pointed at me.


    "Sylvain, this is my son."


    "....He looks younger than I remember. His face is rounder too."


    "It''s not Azier. It''s Frondier, the second son."


    At Enfer''s words, Sylvain nced at me for a moment. His expression seemed to say, "Did the Lord have a second son?"


    Sylvain is a character that yers, that is, Aster Evans, meet quitete in the game. Yeranhes is in the outskirts, and for Aster to reach there means he''s on the verge of bing a Pro after graduation and expanding his boundaries.


    At that time, Sylvain was a man who had lost his left eye and one arm. But the spirit in his eyes remained unchanged.


    Now, his limbs and eyes are intact. I was secretly d to see Sylvain like this.


    "Feel free to use him as you please."


    "The Lord''s son, you say?"


    "He came here of his own volition."


    Enfer nced at me and said,


    "How you use him is up to you. Teach him whatever you want, give him errands, assign him chores, you can work him however you like. If he gets in the way, send him home right away. See how useful he is without any ''tricks''."


    Enfer emphasized the word "tricks." That was directed at me. He meant for me to face things head-on, without the strange abilities I disyed during the first semester final exam.


    Iughed inwardly.


    As expected, Enfer knew exactly what I wanted.

 Chapter 164 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Albaito and @Minh Tam L¨º from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier had resolved to ept any errand or chore. He was prepared to roll around like a dog, if necessary.


    He hadn''t expected to receive instruction from the knights or engage in sparring with them. His n was to mimic their training, steal various weapon techniques with his eyes, and, if needed, use the ''Analysis'' skill to make them his own.


    However.


    "Huff, huff...! Huff!"


    Right now, Frondier was literally rolling around like a dog.


    In the center of the knights'' training ground.


    "Center of gravity. Don''t lean your body forward. The enemy will read your movements."The knight standing before Frondier spoke sternly. Frondier raised his trembling body and barely managed to regain his posture.


    Frondier was currently in the middle of a sparring match. Surrounded by the Roach Knights.


    The knights were watching Frondier''s spar with expressionless faces. There was no admiration for Frondier, nor was there any contempt. Their expressions were simply nk.


    ''How did ite to this?''


    Frondier recalled the situation from just a moment ago.


    Initially, it was something akin to a skill test. Since Enfer had introduced him to the Knight Commander, it was a formality to check his level of skill before assigning him chores. He was sure that was the initial intention.


    But after Frondier exchanged a few blows with a randomly selected knight.


    Knight Commander Sylvain suddenly spoke up.


    - Lord, may I teach your second son for a moment?


    And then, Frondier found himself being beaten up by people using various weapons, one after another.


    "Don''t raise your sword carelessly. It limits your means of attack. Attack, defense, evasion. These three must always begin and end together, swiftly. Maintain the same posture for everything else."


    "When facing a spear with a sword, don''t just parry it. The speed at which they retract the spear is always faster than the speed at which you can close in. Try to stick to the spear instead. It''s safer."


    The knights took turns beating Frondier to a pulp and then added a kind word of advice.


    The other knights watching whispered amongst themselves.


    "How long has it been?"


    "Two hours, and five people."


    "He''ssted a long time."


    All the weapons were wooden, and no aura was used in the sparring.


    Yet, Frondier''s body was already covered in minor wounds.


    To those who didn''t know, it might have seemed pathetic, but to the knights, it was rather strange.


    "Not bad."


    "Indeed. It''s a waste for him to do chores."


    "The fact that his mind doesn''t stop working ismendable. These days, there are many who just swing their weapons around, relying solely on their talent."


    One of the knights who had been talking suddenly spoke as if something hade to mind.


    "Come to think of it, if he''s the Lord''s second son, then he''s Azier''s younger brother, isn''t he?"


    "Then did Azier teach him? That exins his movements."


    "Well, is that guy the type to teach anyone?"


    "I heard he was a temporary teacher at Constel."


    Frondier was too busy dealing with the dizzying attacks to pay attention to the knights'' peaceful conversation.


    ''Still, they are better than Azier.''


    The reason Frondier could still endure despite being beaten so much.


    It was because the sparring he had done with Azier until now was even more brutal.


    Here, the opponent and weapons kept changing, which was confusing, but Azier could confuse people enough without even changing weapons.


    Sparring with so many strong people like this made him realize Azier''s strength even more. Azier presented the most difficult questions for his opponent to deal with.


    Frondier might not have been able to give the perfect answer, but he had learned to avoidpletely wrong answers. That training was paying off here.


    ''This is precious time. I have to absorb it all.''


    And if possible, instead of just answering the questions, he wanted to be able to ask them.


    Remembering what Azier had done, Frondier extended his wooden sword. Finding an opening in the midst of his desperate defense, he presented the knights with the same problems that had troubled him when facing Azier.


    ''Oh?''


    The knights dealt with those problems without much difficulty, but both the sparring partner and the observers changed their expressions. If Frondier had enough strength, speed, and skill proficiency, those problems would have worked.


    Despite his rough breathing, Frondier''s eyes remained sharp. His body was trembling, but his posture remained firm. This sight brought a strange glint to the knights'' eyes.


    However.


    "Stop, that''s enough for today."


    With Commander Sylvain''s deration, the sparring session ended. The knight who had been sparring with Frondier stepped back, and Frondier lowered his sword.


    Suddenly, extreme dizziness and chills swept over his body.


    "Overexertion."


    "...Yes."


    He realized it only after hearing it. Just a moment ago, he thought he could do more, but as soon as he heard the word ''end,'' his body craved rest intensely.


    "You''re good at hiding your expressions. But it''s troublesome if you''re deceiving even yourself."


    In fact, Sylvain was the only one who noticed that Frondier was overexerting himself. Even he was a bitte. This was simr to what happened during the Constel field trip.


    "Yes, I''ll be careful."


    "Rest today, ande back here at the same time tomorrow."


    Frondier''s expression became subtle at Sylvain''s words.


    "...Am I training again next time?"


    "Why, do you dislike it? Do you prefer chores?"


    "No, it''s not that, but I thought I''d be doing chores. I''m not even participating in the barrier battle."


    "Don''t worry. It''s not just for you."


    Saying that, Sylvain looked around at the knights.


    "Our boys need some stimtion too."

 Chapter 164 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Stimtion is needed.


    I didn''t understand the meaning of those words Sylvain said, but if it''s mutually beneficial, it''s good for me.


    The Roach Knights were indeed high level. They seemed even more skilled than the knights I met at the Tyburn.


    The knights at the Tyburn were selected from each knight order to defend the barrier, so even though their cohesion might be low, their individual levels would be outstanding. But the Roach Knights seem like they surpassed even that on an individual level.


    ''If I can train here, I might be able to ovee my weakness in closebat to some extent.''


    It''s only a short period of one month, but it''s a time I''m incredibly grateful for, as I was content with just doing chores.


    Of course, my real goal isn''t this.


    ''Alright then, now I need to n to cross the barrier without Enfer knowing.''


    While returning after taking a bath, I gazed at the barrier visible in the distance.Even from this distance, the barrier was quite high. Unlike the Tyburn, it was clear that it had been reinforced.


    Since they hadpletely protected themselves from monsters, they would have had the time to make the barrier itself sturdier.


    And that sturdiness, conversely, became an obstacle for me to secretly cross.


    ''If necessary, I could use Menosorpo to fly over, but I''d definitely be caught.''


    Ideally, Enfer shouldn''t know even after I''ve gone ande back. But facing the barrier like this, it doesn''t seem easy.


    Thud, thud.


    I decided to head back to my room first. Enfer had prepared a ce for me to stay. I thought he might throw me into a stable and tell me to sleep there, but thankfully, it wasn''t that bad.


    My body was quite exhausted from the unexpected series of training sessions. Let''s go in and rest quickly. It''s alreadyte at night.


    "..."


    As I walked towards my amodation for a while, I stopped in my tracks.


    ''Was my amodation this far?''


    It wasn''t a distance that would take ''a while'' to walk, at least.


    ''...Where is this?''


    When I came to my senses, I was already inside a forest.


    The knights'' barracks and my amodation were right next to each other. After taking a bath and leaving the barracks, I could see my amodation.


    To get to my amodation, I should have been walking while looking at it.


    But I just walked, thinking only about going to my amodation.


    "Damn it."


    I drew my short sword from its sheath.


    I don''t know what kind of trap I fell into. Whether it''s mental magic or a curse, I don''t know.


    But there''s a simpler fact.


    "An enemy."


    This kind of thing couldn''t have been done with good intentions.


    As I held my weapon and cautiously surveyed my surroundings, a mixture of strange cries and footsteps could be heard.


    Growl-


    A short figure emerged from between the trees, exuding hostility. Starting with the leader, simr figures appeared from the surrounding forest, stepping on their own shadows.


    The faces reflected in the moonlight, despite being the first time I''d seen them in this world, were strangely familiar.


    ''Goblins.''


    Come to think of it, I''ve encountered all sorts of creatures sinceing here, but goblins were a first.


    Originally, if I had stayed in Constel during the main quest ''Raid,'' I would have seen these faces until I was sick of them, but I had headed to the tower where Elysia was at that time.


    ''Goblins using magic to lure me into an empty forest and forming a siege to attack.''


    It''s absurd.


    Among goblins, there are asionally intelligent ones who be leaders and lead the pack, but they''re not at the level of casting mental magic on humans.


    "Who instructed you toe here?"


    I asked anyone around me. Looking at their attire and weapons, I couldn''t tell who the leader was. They all looked simr.


    "...And."


    My eyes narrowed. My heart sank as my gaze fell upon their armor and weapons reflecting the moonlight.


    "Where did you get that?"


    They were covered in Obsidian.


    Obsidian couldn''t be aplete weapon or armor. It was smeared on the goblins'' shoddy equipment and bodies as if it had been sshed on. Obsidian clung to the goblins'' bodies like leeches. From here, it looked like the goblins were contaminated by ck water.


    ...No, is it not just a simple metaphor?


    Growl, Kee, Keekeekkeek-


    The goblins let out strange sounds, whether screams orughter, and slowly approached me. It was dark at night, so I couldn''t see their eyes clearly, but somehow, it felt like they weren''t acting on their own will.


    Thud!


    The closest one lunged at me with a club, so,


    sh-


    First, I cut off its head.


    ''I need to avoid the parts stained with Obsidian.''


    I know the hardness and durability of Obsidian well. Even when replicating the God''s weapon, or when applying tremendous shock to that weapon, Obsidian itself never broke. It''s a material that doesn''t have much meaning in being broken in the first ce.


    ''Obsidian is just a liquid if left alone. The fact that it''s maintained like this, stuck to their bodies and equipment, means there''s someone''s magical interference.''


    Whoever is using it seems to have figured out a way to use Obsidian.


    ng! ng! Crack!


    I dodged and blocked the sword strikesing from all directions, swinging my sword at each one. Of course, I couldn''t dodge or block them all.


    Many of the goblins'' weapons themselves were crude, so there were some I could take and endure. Of course, I had to be careful of the ones stained with Obsidian.


    ''First, I shouldn''t use Weaving.''


    They lured me to a deserted ce and made the goblins attack. It''s clear that they''re targeting me specifically among so many people.


    I don''t know how much they know about me or what grudge they have against me.


    They''re intentionally showing me Obsidian and testing my skills with these clumsy goblins. In other words, they''re looking down on me. I don''t want to y along with that, so.


    ''They believe they''re observing me one-sidedly.''


    I''ll do some testing myself.


    I dodged the sword of a goblin swinging wildly and grabbed the back of its neck. I circled behind it and stabbed its side with my sword. It wouldn''t die immediately, but this should incapacitate it. Normally.


    Keeek! Kieeeek!!


    However, the goblin screamed but continued to il its limbs, trying to kill me. Its scream sounded like a roar of rage at not being able to kill me.


    Moving its body so violently would cause a lot of bleeding and pain, but it didn''t seem to care.


    Stab! Stab!


    This time, I plunged my de into its eyes, one after the other. While doing so, I observed the other goblins.


    Usually, when witnessing a gruesome murder right before their eyes, most creatures would be frightened. Goblins are no exception.


    However, these ones didn''t seem to care whether their kin died or not. They still showed hostility towards me, swinging their weapons with all their might.


    ''It''s certain, they''repletely enthralled.''


    Whoever the culprit is, they seem to be quite skilled at interfering with others'' minds.


    I cut off the head of the goblin I was holding and tossed it aside. With the corpse blocking my path, I walked towards another goblin.


    The culprit must be watching what I''m doing from somewhere.


    But I still have a lot of things to test here.


    And above all, they shouldn''t have dragged me into the forest.


    Caw-


    For me, the forest is a ce with more watchful eyes and ears than anywhere else.

 Chapter 165: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As I dealt with the goblins one by one, I scanned my surroundings.


    Despite believing I had honed my senses through sses and training at Constel, it was still impossible for me to pinpoint the culprit''s location.


    I had no choice but to leave it to Gregory.


    ''Speaking of which...''


    I briefly nced at the remaining goblins, their eyes gleaming with a relentless, sinister aura. Only three were left. They didn''t seem to fear death, but they did seem hesitant.


    They seemed to understand that recklessly charging in would lead to certain death.


    ''It''s not like they''vepletely lost their minds.''


    There were things I learned after the golem incident, where Hephaestus interfered with Edwin, and the Serf business card incident.


    Controlling someone isn''t that easy.Edwin mistakenly believed his heart had changed, but there was a clear trigger in the form of me, and the mastermind behind it all was a ''god.''


    Serf''s business card had a definite effect in terms of ''control,'' but it wouldn''t move without amand, and it was obvious at a nce that it was being manipted.


    ''These guys are neither.''


    They weren''t perfectly sane, but they weren''t puppets either. They had a clear murderous intent towards me, and although their focus was blurry, they attacked with their own will. There was no sign of anyone giving them orders.


    Either it was a method of temporarily heightening a single emotion, or...


    ''...Are they drunk?''


    Thud! Thud!


    I pierced the neck and chest of a nearby goblin, killing it, and briefly observed the Obsidian clinging to its body.


    ''Let''s see...''


    Just a little bit, so as not to be noticed.


    I used ''Weaving'' to activate the Obsidian.


    ''...It works.''


    The moment I saw the Obsidian on them move, I quickly canceled the Weaving.


    Seeing my Weaving react perfectly, it was clear that what was on them was indeed Obsidian.


    And, as I had somewhat expected, I felt a slight resistance. Obsidian was originally a liquid, so to use it like this, it needed continuous Mana treatment.


    ''It was easier than I thought.''


    It must have been because I seeded in Weaving through the opponent''s Mana, but the resistance wasn''t that great. It seemed my Weaving was acting with a stronger force.


    I didn''t want to express it like a game, but it felt like a tier advantage.


    "Phew."


    After finishing off the remaining goblins, I let out a sigh.


    For all the trouble of messing with my mind, isting me, and attacking me, it wasn''t that impressive.


    ''I''d like to retrieve the Obsidian right away, but...''


    Let''s postpone it for now.


    I can''t make any reckless moves until I know the identity and purpose of the culprit.


    Anyway, what I''m trying to get is a fragment of Helheim. Considering that, the Obsidian on these goblins is just a handful.


    "Then, the way back is..."


    I gathered my thoughts and recalled the path I had taken here.


    The direction, the location of the lodgings, and even the distance all came to mind. It seemed the mental interference had been lifted.


    I was already in bad shape after being beaten up by the knights one after another, so I guess I''ve grown quite a bit since I managed to catch goblins with just martial arts without Weaving in this state.


    ''...Or are the goblins in this world weaker than in the game? I don''t know since it''s my first time meeting them today.''


    * * *


    "Did you find the culprit?"


    [Of course.]


    The crow spoke confidently.


    What Gregory witnessed was a girl sitting in a tree, secretly observing my battle.


    [She was a woman who hid her presence well. She looked quite young, though.]


    "How young?"


    [She looked about your age.]


    "...Is that young?"


    [How old do you think you are?]


    17 years old.


    Right, I forgot for a moment. Frondier is a first-year student at Constel. Let''s not forget.


    "She didn''t notice your presence, did she?"


    [She saw me. I''m a crow, after all. But she wouldn''t have dreamed she was being watched. My skills have never been detected by anyone. Not even by that ''Inies.'']


    Inies must be referring to Elodie.


    "You got caught. Elodie said she knew."


    [That was because of the gaze! If that Serf guy hadn''t so stubbornly insisted on spying, I could have gotten away with it. And she felt the gaze, not the identity. That''s how good my ability is.]


    Gregory puffed up, seemingly taking immense pride in his abilities. It was both annoying and amusing to see a crow acting like that.


    "What about her clothes?"


    [Nothing special. It was something you could wear anywhere in Yeranhes. But her face, if she wasn''t wearing a mask, you''d recognize her right away. It''s not a face suitable for undercover work.]


    "Why?"


    [Her looks were too exceptional. Not the cheap kind like a prostitute, but a clean and dignified, yet pitiful face that you''d believe belonged to some famous knight. Green eyes and blonde hair. Even an elf from long ago would have nodded in agreement.]


    Exceptionally beautiful.


    I hadn''t seen such a face sinceing to Yeranhes.


    But if her clothes were ordinary, then surely...


    "She must be somewhere around here."


    [Right. And it''s more likely that she wears a mask in her daily life rather than when she''s working. She''s doing the opposite of what ordinary people in the underworld do. Living a daily life with such exceptional looks would get her involved in a lot of troublesome things.]


    Hmm.


    Of course, she wouldn''t have suddenly started wearing a mask when I arrived. She must have been doing that kind of work from the beginning.


    So it''s like someone from the underworld is working in Yeranhes on a mission, and I unexpectedly intruded, right?


    "...Is the target Enfer?"


    [Why?]


    "Even if she blends into daily life, if her main job is crime, she can''t stay in the same ce for long. So, She must try to finish her missions quickly. Mying here just happens to interfere with her ns, but such coincidences don''t happen easily. Her reason foring to Yeranhes probably won''t be far off from what I expect."


    Enferes to the end of this barrier every winter to block the barrier. This is the same whether Ie or not.


    So the meeting between me and her is not a mere coincidence.


    Originally, she started the mission with Enfer as the target, but unexpectedly, I also came to Yeranhes this time, so my presence suddenly became an obstacle. It''s appropriate to think this way.


    [Indeed, that''s possible.]


    "Don''t act ignorant. You were thinking the same way."


    [No way. I was thinking beyond that, that if her target really was Enfer, it wouldn''t be to kill him. First of all, it''s not feasible, and if the purpose was to kill Enfer, it wouldn''t make sense for you, who has almost no connection to him, to be an obstacle. You and I were clearly thinking differently.]


    This guy.


    I was a little irritated, but he was right, so I let it slide. That was Gregory''s way of helping, I guess.


    Another thought came to mind, and I said,


    "And I found out a few things while dealing with the goblins."


    [What is it?]


    "Obsidian is probably not the fragment of Helheim itself."


    [Why do you think so?]


    "If it were, the fragment of Helheim wouldn''t be trapped in a cier."


    [...Oh.]


    This was a question I had beforeing to Yeranhes.


    If, as Warden Esther said, the fragment of Helheim was something like a ''hugeke trapped in a cier''...


    Why was the Obsidian, which was a part of it, found in the dungeon as a fake Mistilteinn and is now in my hands?


    At first, I thought the fragment of Helheim wasn''tpletely trapped and there was an open area somewhere. Or maybe it was literally cracking and leaking out.


    But then Obsidian should have been found more often. In the game, Obsidian only appeared during the ''Noble Meeting.'' Of course, when I yed the game, it was just ''ck water,'' it wasn''t even named Obsidian.


    "What was on the goblins was definitely Obsidian. The fragment of Helheim and Obsidian are definitely rted. But they''re notpletely the same thing. Maybe it''s like... the residue left after doing something with the fragment of Helheim?"


    When I fight, I use Weaving, Obsidian, Menosorpo, and so on, all together. That''s because theypensate for each other''s limitations.


    Conversely, when considered separately, each of these has a very ambiguous use.


    Weaving was originally meant to create illusions, Obsidian, without Weaving, is just a liquid that bes hard when poured mana, an unprocessable metal, and Menosorpo might have been better used by someone other than me.


    I use them as a set, but these three are not actually a set. They are unrted things.


    When considered in that light, Obsidian certainly couldn''t be considered a valuable item.


    An impossibly strange magical characteristic for a metal, being a liquid when still and a hard solid when mana is supplied. Despite having such a bizarre magical characteristic, Obsidian is of low value.


    That is, isn''t there a ''real'' one with the same magical characteristics as Obsidian?


    [Is that the fragment of Helheim?]


    "That''s what I think."


    I took out the ck Lotus ne and looked at it for a moment.


    Since Edwin, Binkis, and Daud are now creating a new ck Lotus from scratch, this ck Lotus wasn''t needed. Thanks to that, I was able to bring it with me.


    The ck water inside, Obsidian. I''ve received a lot of help from this guy so far, but...


    Just like with Weaving in the beginning, I still don''t know anything about Obsidian.


    It''s time to find out.


    "I don''t know why she''s attacking me, or why she bothered to show me that by putting Obsidian on goblins..."


    I don''t like being targeted for no reason.


    If there''s someone targeting me, It''ll just create a reason for me to target them too.


    And that reason was clear to her.


    "She seems to like tests."


    Then, instead of testing others, she should be happy to be tested himself, right?


    I won''t disappoint her.


    * * *


    The next day, I headed to the barracks as usual.


    The fact that she attacked me means, in other words, that she confirmed my appearance somewhere. We might have made eye contact, greeted each other, or passed each other by.


    As Gregory said, if she''s a woman with exceptional looks, she''ll definitely be working while wearing a mask.


    "Sir Sylvain, I have a question."


    "What is it?"


    I tried using the skill ''Analysis'' on Sylvain.


    [Sylvain]


    - Knight Commander of the ''Roach Knights.''


    - An elite who caught Enfer''s eye early on with his excellent skills, poprity, and strong beliefs. His belief in protecting the safety of citizens will break before it bends.


    - He has recently taken an interest in Frondier and wants to teach him. Possibility of recruitment: 15%.


    - He was originally left-handed but was corrected to be right-handed. It happened when he was too young, so he doesn''t remember it. He would achieve greater growth if he held a sword in his left hand.


    "If I hold a sword in both hands, should I designate a hand for blocking?"


    "First of all, I don''t rmend that itself, but if you must, it''s good to designate one. If you have a sword in the hand that should be holding a shield, that sword has to handle both checking and defense. And it shouldn''t interfere with the sword in the other hand."


    Sylvain answered my question sincerely.


    He didn''t seem to notice the ''Analysis.'' It was the same as when I ''analyzed'' Selena. Analysis goes undetected by others.


    I acquired unexpected information during the analysis of Sylvain, but that''s forter.


    ''Now, then.''


    Even if I don''t know who the culprit is...


    Let me introduce you to a simpler way to find out the identity of your opponent.

 Chapter 166 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Kzeither and @Above Zeon from Ko-fi!</i>


    A few eveningster, as the day''s training at the barracks wasing to an end, Laurie continued her usual tasks.


    She was a servant responsible for misceneous chores within the barracks. With brown hair, freckled cheeks, and an unassuming face behind her sses, she diligently tackled any task, making her a valuable asset and earning the respect of many.


    "Hup- Ha!"


    The men of the barracks trained daily, resulting in mountains of sweat-soakedundry. Laurie, with effort, lifted a pile ofundry much taller than herself and headed towards the washing area.


    ''With winter approaching, the knights'' training seems to be getting more intense. I shouldn''t get in their way.''


    As she walked with the heavyundry in her arms, a thought crossed her mind.


    "Let me help you."Suddenly, the weight in her arms lightened as someone took theundry from her.


    "Oh, it''s, it''s alright. It''s my job."


    "It''s fine. I''m alright too."


    A man with a strangely brazen tone stood beside Laurie. She briefly nced at his face. ck hair like the Lord''s, a peaceful and somewhatnguid expression, and an air of elegance and refinement.


    ''Lord Frondier!''


    The second son of the Lord. Though it was their first encounter this winter, she had clearly remembered his face from the first day. With his striking aura and appearance, most people, not just Laurie, would have remembered him.


    "Oh, you mustn''t! For the Young Lord to do such a thing..."


    "I''m not the Young Lord. Father would be furious if he heard you say that."


    Frondier hardened his expression and looked at Laurie. She blinked for a moment.


    "You''re, not?"


    "The title of Young Lord belongs to my brother. I''m just the second son, the youngest, with nothing special."


    Frondier''s eyes, as he spoke, held no trace of inferiority, but rather seemed to sparkle with pride for his brother.


    ''The Lord never brought Lord Frondier here before, so I thought they might not get along, but that doesn''t seem to be the case.''


    Laurie was momentarily speechless. The two walked in silence, carrying theundry.


    Frondier was the first to break the silence.


    "Your name? We met the day I first arrived, right? Your face looks familiar."


    "It''s Laurie."


    "Laurie, right. I''ll remember that."


    He remembered my face.


    That fact alone made her feel strangely ticklish under her arms.


    "Um, why are you being so kind to me?"


    "Ah, actually, I''m cking off."


    "cking off?"


    Frondier grinned. A yful smile that suited hisnguid face well.


    "The training is so intense. I found a good excuse to escape."


    "I, I see. Intense..."


    Her tongue felt strangely stiff as she uttered the word "intense." It was a word Laurie rarely used.


    They arrived at theundry area and ced theundry in the baskets.


    Laurie wiped the sweat from her forehead. Even though they had shared the load, it was still quite heavy. Frondier had definitely been a help.


    "Thank you, Lord Frondier. I''ll take it from here."


    "Sure. But before that..."


    Frondier paused and looked around, seemingly checking if anyone was nearby.


    Ate evening, a man and a woman alone, sudden kindness, and now this behavior.


    It was no wonder that a strange thought crossed Laurie''s mind.


    Swoosh-


    "....!"


    After confirming that no one was around, Frondier took a step closer. Laurie flinched and stepped back in surprise.


    "Who told you to step back?"


    "I, I apologize."


    In this world, the rtionship between servants and masters wasn''t one of absolute obedience. Above all, the power of nobles was no longer absolute.


    However, Frondier''s voice, expression, and the atmosphere he exuded did not allow for refusal.


    ''Th, this is bad...!''


    You let your guard down, Laurie! Fooled by his handsome face and peaceful demeanor!


    This is why Mother said nice men are worse than bad men! I should have listened to her!


    "Laurie."


    Frondier drew closer to Laurie, his lips almost touching her ear.


    To start from there?! Not the cheek, not the lips, but there?!


    Frondier whispered into Laurie''s ear.


    "Don''t answer anything I say from now on. Don''t react at all."


    "....!"


    "I''m gathering information in this barracks, or nearby lodgings and restaurants. You haven''t been working here long, have you? That''s why you perform various tasks without distinction. That makes you perfect. People who move around a lot tend to have a lot of information."


    "...."


    Laurie blinked at his words.


    This was a secret conversation. The reason Frondier had suddenly approached her, the reason he had sought a secluded ce, became clear.


    "Father is in danger."


    "....! Lo, Lord....!"


    "Shh."


    Frondier pulled his face away from her ear and ced a finger on his lips. He had told her not to react. Laurie, in her surprise, had momentarily disobeyed, but there was no anger in Frondier''s eyes.


    Just a calm gaze with a hint of warning, once again conveying hismand to Laurie.


    "There doesn''t seem to be anyone around here, but someone out of sight might be watching or listening. For now, it will look like a frivolous noble hitting on a servant. We need to move while they''re under that misconception."


    ''Fr, frivolous...''


    Frondier had already decided how he would appear.


    So that''s why he approached me like that.


    ...I almost fell for his act of a frivolous noble.


    "What do you think, Laurie? Is there a ce where we can talk without the story getting out? Just nod."


    "...."


    Laurie swallowed and gave a small nod.


    Seeing this, Frondier stepped back and smiled brightly.


    "Then let''s go on a date, Laurie."


    The act continued.


    Laurie briefly rolled her eyes. What should I do? Should I act too?


    "Th, that is, if someone sees us..."


    Laurie blushed as she spoke.


    Frondier opened his eyes slightly. His smile deepened, seemingly pleased with Laurie''s acting.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. I''m the son of the Roach family, who would dare say anything?"


    Frondier put his arm around Laurie''s shoulder and walked. His words and actions were truly light and carefree.


    His acting was so natural that Laurie wondered if this was his true personality.

 Chapter 166 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The only ce Laurie could think of to have a secret conversation was her own house.


    This made it seem like she had really seduced him and brought him here, but there was no other suitable ce.


    With a flushed face, she opened her door and invited Frondier inside.


    "You live alone?"


    "Ye, yes. My parents are in the central region."


    "Hmm, I see."


    Frondier said, looking around the house with curiosity. Then, slowly, he closed the door.


    "©¤©¤Then."


    As the door closed, something in Frondier seemed to close as well. His eyes told her so. "Shall we talk?"


    "...."


    Unable to affirm or deny, Laurie opened her mouth slightly.


    Laurie had always found the members of the Roach family intimidating. Both Lord Enfer and his eldest son, Azier.


    They both exuded a simr charisma. Enfer had a dignity and weight that came with age, while Azier gave off a sharp and cold feeling.


    However, both Enfer and Azier, despite being intimidating, had clear images. If Enfer was a shield, Azier was a single sword. The fear she felt was understandable.


    But Frondier, who stood before her...


    She sensed a sticky darkness within his harmless face. His everyday expression hadn''t changed at all, but his shadow, elongated by the setting sun, stretched endlessly, swallowing Laurie whole.


    What was this? An unknown fear. A fear born from the unknown.


    "First, I want to ask about your daily routine."


    Unaware of Laurie''s feelings, Frondier spoke.


    Laurie nodded and answered honestly.


    After all, she didn''t want to upset Frondier right now.


    ...After a long question and answer session.


    "Hmm. There''s nothing particrly special."


    Frondier put his hand on his chin after hearing her entire story.


    Laurie looked out the window. The sun was already on the verge of ending its descent. In a few minutes, it would disappearpletely beyond the horizon, and a long night would arrive.


    ''...When will this end?''


    Laurie thought nkly.


    She knew Frondier''s purpose was to gather information, but even after bringing him home, a considerable amount of time had passed. Frondier continued to bombard her with endless questions.


    Whether they were all meaningful or meaningless, Laurie couldn''t tell.


    "Then I want to ask about you."


    "...Me?"


    "Yes. How did you end up in Yeranhes? Although it''s said to be imprable, this is still before the barrier, don''t you think it''s dangerous?"


    "...I wanted to be of help to the Roach Knights..."


    "A noble aspiration. But your parents must be worried."


    "My father was a former soldier, so he actually praised me, saying it was a wonderful thing."


    "I see."


    Frondier nodded sincerely at Laurie''s words.


    Well, was that a meaningful question? Laurie looked out the window again.


    It waspletely dark now. When the red glow of the sunset hadpletely faded, a thought crossed Laurie''s mind, and her eyes changed.


    ''...Wait a minute.''


    Why is he asking these questions? Are these really questions to gather information?


    Could he be stalling for time?


    ''Yes, information gathering wouldn''t take this long.''


    If he wanted information, it would be faster to ask several people besides her. It was strange that he would spend his entire precious evening with her.


    ''Could my initial thought be right? He wants my body...!''


    No, it''s worse than my initial thought.


    Frondier''s earlier actions were just a man flirting with a woman, but he lied to enter a woman''s house, waited until nightfall... Whatever he''s nning to do now, it sends shivers down my spine.


    "Then the next question is,"


    "How long is this going to take?"


    Laurie asked Frondier. She intended to ask normally, but her voice came out sharp.


    Frondier looked at her for a moment. Languid eyes, pupils that revealed nothing.


    "...The next question is,"


    "Answer my question."


    "What did you do beforeing here?"


    Thud!


    Crash!!


    Laurie kicked off the ground and jumped out the window. The door was on Frondier''s side, so she couldn''t escape that way. She broke the window, rolled lightly on the ground, then quickly got up and ran with all her might.


    ''I have to escape!''


    But where to?


    A ce to escape. A ce to get away from Frondier, who would be chasing after her.


    ''Yes, I have to go there.''


    Her sprint headed towards one ce without hesitation. The night was deep, and the surroundings were dark, but Laurie''s run didn''t stop.


    I have to hurry. It''s already toote. I, I''m heading towards that ce.


    Laurie ran into the forest. She pushed through the trees, heading towards a deeper and darker ce in the night.


    Even through her sses, her eyes could be seen shining. Like a cat, her irises dted, absorbing the moonlight.


    Thud!


    And at the end of Laurie''s destination...


    "As expected, you came here."


    Frondier was already standing there, one step ahead.


    Laurie trembled in surprise.


    "Ho, how did you get here first...?"


    "You ran here and there to avoid my pursuit, but since I knew your destination, I coulde straight here."


    No, that wasn''t what Laurie was curious about.


    She already knew how he had gotten ahead of her. As Frondier said, she had taken a troublesome route to avoid being tracked.


    What she was curious about wasn''t that, but...


    "How did you know I woulde here...?"


    "I''ve been wondering."


    Thump.


    Frondier took a step closer.


    "How you could act so perfectly. As if you didn''t even know you were the culprit. No matter how much method acting you do, it''s excessive, isn''t it? I observed you for days, and I wondered how you could perfectly maintain that expression, gesture, and demeanor. Even your asional mistakes seemed natural, not like acting. Is that really possible? Not just for a day or two, but until the mission isplete?"


    "Wh, what are you talking about...?"


    "So I''m making a guess."


    Frondier raised his wrist. He checked his watch and spoke.


    "You have a routine, don''t you?"


    "...Routine?"


    "Isn''t it about time? That''s why you came here, right? You subconsciously created a suitable reason toe."


    What is he saying?


    What nonsense is this man spouting?


    I don''t understand. He was the one who tried to attack me!


    "...Itchy..."


    Suddenly, Laurie grimaced at the sudden change in her body.


    "I, itchy..."


    "Hoo."


    Frondier''s expression brightened with interest as he faced the seemingly distressed woman.


    "I see, so this is the final mechanism. Truly impressive. They''ve set up multipleyers to ensure the fake personality follows the routine."


    "Itchy, ugh...!"


    Itchy! Why is this happening! What is that man thinking?! Did he do this to me?


    No, I have to report this. No, itchy. There''s no time to go back. I have to contact the knights, no. To Father, Father will surely...


    Help me, Father...


    "My face is itchy...!"


    Her whimpering voice soon turned harsh and rough as Laurie scratched under her chin.


    Or rather, she thought she was ''scratching''.


    Laurie''s hand grabbed the skin under her chin and ripped off her entire face.


    The ''mask'' was removed.


    "Haa, haa...!"


    The force of removing the mask also pulled off her wig, revealing her shimmering blonde hair.


    Brilliant and radiant golden hair, green eyes. A clean and delicate face. Yet, her eyes and the corners of her mouth held the strength and dignity of a loyal knight.


    "Hello."


    Frondier greeted her as he watched.


    Facing thepletely transformed Laurie, Frondier said,


    "We finally meet, spy."

 Chapter 167 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Nahz75 and @Pop from Ko-fi!</i>


    Laurie, with her long blonde hair flowing, red at me.


    Intense hostility and tension were evident in her hardened expression, her right hand hovering near her waist. It seemed she was ready to draw a weapon at any moment. From my perspective, it was a good stance, concealing the weapon from view.


    "...Frondier de Roach."


    Laurie called my name again, as if to confirm.


    "Yes, Laurie. Or, is that a fake name too?"


    I responded calmly, examining Laurie''s appearance.


    The way Laurie established her personality was intriguing to me in many ways. Her current appearance was no exception.While Laurie lived with a fake personality, what was the state of her real self? Did it feel like she was asleep? If so, when she returned to her original personality, would she remember the time spent as the fake personality?


    Was the reason she just called my name because the ''real'' Laurie was seeing me for the first time at this moment?


    "How did you know? There''s no way my acting could be seen through."


    "Well, that''s because it''s not even acting."


    Earlier, I had asked the fake personality several questions, and the answers were almost wless. Although the surface-level information was shallow, most of her past and rtionships were all set up.


    From the beginning, there would be no chance of being caught unless one was suspicious.


    However, since I had ''Analysis'', the method of concealing her identity through acting wouldn''t work on me.


    ''Laurie isn''t her real name, but she didn''t have a real name to begin with.''


    As I found out through Analysis, the name Laurie was indeed a fake name, but there was no registered real name.


    Selena had simply forgotten, but Selena was definitely her real name, but Laurie wasn''t even that.


    Laurie was different from Selena. Perhaps she was born for this job from the very beginning.


    ''If I analyze a little more about how the fake personality is set up, I think I might be able to find out...''


    Just like when it required a significant amount of mana to find out Selena''s family rtionships, Laurie''s other information also demanded an absurd amount of mana.


    I could have found out if I had eaten a Dragon Heart, but if I ate something like that inside the barracks, I would be caught immediately.


    "What''s your purpose? Why did you target me?"


    When I asked, Laurie snorted and smiled wryly.


    ...Honestly, it didn''t suit her at all.


    "You''re not answering my questions, so why should I answer yours?"


    "...Hmm, your way of speaking is a bit old-fashioned."


    Her speech pattern waspletely different from the fake personality. Was she not affected by it? Then, perhaps the memories weren''t being shared either.


    "Did you just set up the routine of taking off and putting on the mask for the fake personality, and not get involved in the rest...?"


    "...You..."


    Laurie''s face turned grim. Why was she like that? I hadn''t particrly insulted or mocked Laurie.


    I was just thinking to myself because it seemed like she didn''t want to talk.


    Click.


    A sword emerged from Laurie''s waist. It was a one-handed sword of moderate length, about the length of her arm. It seemed she had no intention of hiding her weapon anymore.


    "You know too much. I was just trying to test your skills, but I have no choice. You''ll have to die here."


    "That''s why I said your way of speaking is old-fashioned, it doesn''t suit your appearance. This time, your lines are also outdated."


    "Shut up!"


    Tat!


    Laurie kicked off the ground forcefully and approached me. As expected of someone trained, she was fast and agile.


    Puk!


    "?!"


    However, her steps didn''t go far. Laurie grimaced in pain and bent her knees.


    A wound appeared on her thigh. It wasn''t shallow at all, and blood gushed out from the deeply stabbed area.


    "Wh, what! What did you do!"


    Laurie couldn''t understand the situation.


    Well, I threw a Weaving dagger, so it was invisible. She was stabbed in the thigh while defenseless, so of course it would hurt. Besides, the stabbed thigh only had a deep wound, and the weapon wasn''t visible. It was natural for her to be confused.


    ''It''s been a while since I''ve done ordinary weaving.''


    Weaving nothing had the great advantage of being invisible, but since the opponents I had fought recently were all monsters, I hadn''t been able to use it.


    Crude weapons were all blocked just by protecting the body with aura, and if I weaved powerful weapons, they would disappear after one cut or stab, making the efficiency terrible. Weaving used much more magic power to create than to maintain.


    Moreover, weaving was magic, so people with good senses could feel it even if they couldn''t see it. And if they were careful enough, attacks like the one just now could be avoided with almost no damage by surrounding themselves with aura beforehand.


    Laurie was overly careless about me and rushed in recklessly, so she couldn''t avoid it and got hit.


    "Don''t rush. We still have things to talk about."


    "I said shut up!"


    This time, Laurie took something out of her pocket and shot it at me.


    Honestly, I couldn''t see it well, so I just blocked it with a Weaving shield.


    "...!"


    Laurie was surprised once again. It must have looked like what she threw bounced off in mid-air.


    After blocking it, I saw that it was a throwing weapon resembling a shuriken. It had a strange glint, so it seemed like it was coated with poison.


    "Ugh!"


    Laurie rushed towards me again. Hmm, her thigh must have been hurting a lot, but her speed wasn''t that much slower. If it had been a real dagger, it would have been stuck deeper, which was a shame.


    I threw a few more daggers as a test, but as expected, she wouldn''t fall for it twice, and Laurie surrounded herself with aura beforehand. The daggers bounced off without piercing her body. Laurie probably felt it too. A smile spread across her lips.


    ©¤This is...


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Rare</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Lion''s Shield 1 sheet</i>


    Kaaang!


    "Ugh?!"


    This time, I created a shield with weaving and mmed it into Laurie, who hade close. Fortunately, she blocked it with the dagger she had carelessly raised, reducing the damage by half, but Laurie staggered back.


    No matter how much aura blocked most things, that wasn''t the case. I could use aura too.


    "...At first,"


    I said, watching Laurie as she stepped back and tried to regain her posture. Honestly, she was taking so much time to recover her posture that I could have hit her a few more times.


    "When you used goblins to test me, I felt it."


    "...?"


    While I was speaking, Laurie''s face was filled with questions. Why would I suddenly say such a thing? Why wasn''t I moving when it was a perfect chance to attack? Such questions, I suppose.


    What was this feeling?


    I had a simr feeling when I first met Selena.


    "You know nothing about me, do you?"


    "...!"

 Chapter 167 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Yes, that was it.


    Whether it was Constel or anywhere else, the days I spent training in hiding so as not to reveal all my cards.


    The days I spentpleting my own image, having other enemies fooled by it and making wrong judgments, and clinging to those slight mistakes and carelessness to somehow survive.


    The moment that proved those times weren''t meaningless.


    "...Haha, this is..."


    Iughed, experiencing a strange feeling.


    The opponent I fought right before was Renzo. Renzo, who had stopped being careless about me and equipped himself with everything he could.


    When Renzo, one of the strongest in this world, judged that he had to pour out all his strength to face me, it was respect and pride in itself for me.


    I was worried that the rumors about me might be unnecessarily exaggerated and spread everywhere due to the fight at that time, or when Indus disbanded.But it was a truly futile worry.


    "Facing an enemy who knows nothing about me and hasn''t prepared anything..."


    Even Kraken had at least some defenses.


    I looked at Laurie, who was still hesitating.


    "This is quite amusing, Laurie."


    "©¤Th, that arrogant talk...!"


    "Menosorpo."


    I activated the Rune.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    I swallowed the Dragon Heart and took out Neil Jack''s shortsword. And I surrounded my entire body with aura.


    Until then, Laurie was staring at me nkly. Was she surprised by the sudden increase in my mana? Her judgment was trulycking.


    "Laurie, you may not remember,"


    Thump.


    I took a step towards Laurie. A step towards the closebat she desired. But Laurie retreated just as much.


    "But your eyes as a fake personality held fear of me."


    "...!"


    As I said before, Laurie was intriguing to me in many ways.


    She was a woman I wanted to test out so many things on.


    "If you lose your memory, will you also forget that fear? Or does it affect even the real you, at least emotionally?"


    Thump.


    Another step. And Laurie retreated again by the same amount.


    I spoke in a low voice.


    "I''m curious about that, Laurie."


    Tat!


    As if that was the starting signal, Laurie turned away from me and ran. In other words, she fled.


    I didn''t think she would already be feeling fear, so... well, it must be something like a strategic retreat.


    There was no reason I couldn''t chase after an opponent with one leg injured, but rather than that...


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    I built a workshop in front of the fleeing Laurie.


    "Wh, what?!"


    The sudden appearance of a huge building in front of her. Since it was a forest, there was no easy way to bypass it.


    I chased after Laurie,


    Puk!


    "Ugh?!"


    And kicked her into the workshop.


    "A guest, even though I didn''t invite you."


    I said, looking at Laurie who had entered.


    Well, since I was the one who put her in there, it didn''t make any sense.


    Laurie, enraged, quickly got up toe out, but I closed the workshop door.


    "I don''t usually do things like this."


    This was the northern end of Yeranhes. The barrier that my father guarded.


    I was here not as a student of Constel, but as the son of Enfer, as the youngest of the Roach family.


    So, well, it couldn''t be helped.


    "Chasing out an uninvited guest without any reason wouldn''t be the proper conduct of a noble."


    Let''s give her all the hospitality I could offer.


    While being hospitable, I would think of other ways to be hospitable.


    * * *


    Kwang!


    The door closed before Laurie could leave the workshop. Laurie tried to knock on the door with her fists and kicks, but it wouldn''t open. She instinctively grabbed the doorknob, but...


    ''...What is this?''


    The doorknob didn''t budge. If it was simply locked, the doorknob should at least move even if it didn''t open, but even that wasn''t happening.


    In other words, this wasn''t a handle to open the door. It was just attached here in the shape of one.


    ''There are no seams or hinges on the door. There are no gaps to see outside.''


    Upon confirming that, Laurie realized.


    This was a wall. It was a door when she entered, but the moment it closed, the door disappeared and transformed into a wall. It had merely imitated a door.


    "Damn it."


    Laurie wiped away her cold sweat and gripped her sword. She checked the tools in her pocket.


    There were still enough throwing weapons left to kill the enemy. She had nned to use them secretly in closebat situations since ranged attacks didn''t seem to work, but Frondier didn''t give her the distance to get close.


    ''Calm down. This kind of ridiculous magic can''tst forever.''


    Whatever building Frondier had put her in, it definitely popped out of nowhere.


    She didn''t know the process or principle, but it was definitely magic. It must have used a considerable amount of mana.


    ''But why is it so dark?''


    The workshop, with no light leaking in, was shrouded in darkness. No matter how trained her night vision was, she couldn''t see anything if no light came in.


    ''It can''t be helped, so...''


    Laurie searched her memory for light magic. She slowly chanted the spell. It was a magic to create a light source.


    Proper mages didn''t need incantations or trigger words for something like a light source, but since Laurie only used the minimum amount of magic when necessary, she had to go through all the procedures.


    "...Will-o''-the-wisp."


    The moment she uttered the trigger word, a small me ignited next to her.


    Laurie faced all kinds of weapons with their des pointed at her, filling the space.


    "H, hiiik...!"


    She had enough throwing weapons. She was fully equipped with lethal weapons that could easily take down thirty people.


    However, all of them were meant for dealing with humans and monsters.


    Throwing weapons were useless against weapons simply floating in the air.


    She couldn''t kill the enemy. She couldn''t escape. She couldn''t get out. She couldn''t defend herself.


    "Save, me-"


    Before Laurie could even count the number of weapons, the sharp des rained down all at once.

 Chapter 168 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @GwhoisJ and @NianJKL from Ko-fi!</i>


    I observed Laurie from within the Workshop.


    The Workshop wasn''t Weaving in the traditional sense; it was an image stored within my skill from the beginning. Intruders who entered were easily visible to me.


    ''Seems like Laurie can''t see the inside of the Workshop.''


    When I first entered the Workshop, its interior was clearly visible. I knew it was a ce where not a single ray of light could prate, yet it was bright inside.


    However, that was from my perspective. It seemed different for Laurie, an outsider.


    ¡°The mana consumption¡­ isn''t that different, is it?¡±


    The Workshop was essentially a storage space. To move the objects inside, additional mana was required.However, since everything was already within, it was much faster than weaving in reality.


    More importantly, the enemy couldn''t escape, and I could manipte them from a safe position. It was quite wicked.


    ¡­Though I doubt this was its original purpose.


    ¡°Well then, shall we?¡±


    I opened the Workshop door.


    The door opened smoothly, without even the slightest creak. Perhaps that was only natural for the Workshop.


    And as I slowly walked forward, before me was,


    ¡°Huu, huuuh¡­¡±


    Laurie, repeating faint breaths for some reason.


    She was bound by the weapons I had fired, her limbs unable to move. Most of the weapons were spears, and her arms and legs were each caught in three different directions, rendering her immobile.


    To put it simply, it was like a mannequin hanging out to dry on a clothesline.


    ¡°Hmm, you look unwell.¡±


    Laurie only lifted her head towards me when I spoke. Indeed, this ce must have been too dark for her eyes.


    But her eyes still held a spark. Even though she couldn''t see my exact location, her eyes zed with defiance and hostility towards me.


    Well, that''s how it should be.


    ¡°You''re not hurt, are you? I aimed carefully to avoid hitting you.¡±


    ¡°¡­You let your guard down, Frondier.¡±


    Laurie muttered something. A triumphant smile spread across Laurie¡¯s face as she said she let her guard down.


    The moment our eyes met, her green eyes shone brightly. Her pupils dted, revealing a unique pattern within. Intense magical power surged from her eyes, rushing towards me.


    ¡°Frondier de Roach, release these restraints right now,¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but that won''t work.¡±


    I interrupted Laurie''s confident words. Her expression instantly froze. The change was so drastic that I almost felt sorry for her.


    Laurie''s specialty was ''Hypnosis''. It was different from the emotional maniption Edwin suffered from Hephaestus or Serf''s business card. To put it simply, it was the ability to ''intoxicate'' the opponent.


    It didn''t require special conditions like Hephaestus or Serf, but it also had less coercive power.


    Laurie''s hypnosis was still stronger than othermon types, and when used for self-hypnosis, it was capable of creating new personalities.


    ¡°It doesn''t work well on someone you already know. You need to catch them by surprise, and you failed at that too.¡±


    Laurie might have thought that was a surprise attack, but for me, who already knew, it was nothing of the sort.


    ''¡­But I didn''t expect it to be this ineffective.''


    I was slightly nervous after reading the characteristics of hypnosis. Just in case, I had even activated my aura. I expected the hypnosis to work at least a little and was prepared to break free immediately.


    However, it didn''t work at all. If it had even slightly affected me, Laurie wouldn''t be making that expression.


    ''Is this simply because Laurie''s hypnosis is weaker than I thought?''


    ¡°¡­Kill me, you madman.¡±


    Laurie rxed her body as if giving up. It seemed like that hypnosis was herst resort.


    I briefly examined her body. Hmm, there were some slight cuts on her arms, legs, and sides.


    This wasn''t my fault. She moved recklessly when I fired the weapons. If she had stayed still, she wouldn''t have been hurt. It wasn''t even from trying to dodge; she was already restrained, so there was no exnation other than being startled and moving instinctively.


    ¡°Are you still not going to talk?¡±


    ¡°I said kill me, kyaaaa?!¡±


    I tilted the entire Workshop sideways. Literally, like pushing a rectangr Lego block to its side. The floor became a wall, and the walls became the ceiling and floor. I floated in the air, looking down at Laurie, who was hanging sideways, still bound.


    ¡°Kill me, kill me, for someone who sings that song, you sure scream a lot every time something happens.¡±


    ¡°How, how is this, this kind of thing¡­?¡±


    I said it with the intention of teasing her a bit, but Laurie didn''t get angry; she just mumbled in bewilderment. It seemed she had no time to be angry. From Laurie''s perspective, it must have felt like the world was turning upside down.


    ''Laurie was being careless about me. She wouldn''t have expected this kind of treatment while being restrained.''


    In other words, I had some time.


    Perhaps that was why Laurie''s mental state was so shaken right now. She was captured by an unexpected person at an unexpected time and ce, with no follow-up n.


    ¡°Actually, I have no intention of killing you.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Laurie frowned and looked at me. It was a look that said, "What nonsense are you going to spout now?"


    But it wasn''t nonsense.


    ¡°As you just tested, you can''t escape from here. Right now, you''re restrained and can''t move an inch. If you don''t cooperate properly, I''ll just leave you here.¡±


    Of course, there was some bluffing involved.


    Weaving the Workshop consumed less mana than weaving other weapons, but it still required continuous mana expenditure. The same went for the weapons used to restrain Laurie. So, after a long time, the Workshop would disappear, and Laurie''s restraints would be released.


    However, the consumption was insignificant with my current state after consuming the Dragon Heart.


    Moreover, humans naturally regenerated mana over time, and I, who had repeatedly depleted my mana, regenerated it much faster than others.


    If I didn''t use mana for anything else, considering my body''s natural regeneration and the current consumption, it would take at least a week for this Workshop to disappear.


    ''A week wouldn''t be enough to kill Laurie, but it''s enough to make her believe this Workshop is eternal.''


    I deliberately brought her into the Workshop, restrained her in a shy way, and even tilted the Workshop sideways just now.


    This was a psychological ploy aimed at Laurie. To make her believe that this unknown space was something I could control at will and would exist forever.


    ¡°The next time Ie back here will be in a month.¡±

 Chapter 168 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°A, a month¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you don''t want to talk, think about it deeply for a month. That should be enough time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Fortunately, Laurie didn''t ask about things like water or food tost a month. If she had been that stupid, things would have gotten really tiring.


    ¡°I hope you don''t think I''m lying. It''s tiring to convince you of that too. It''s almost certain that you''re targeting my father. Even if you don''t reveal everything, just restraining you here is enough for me.¡±


    Whether Laurie was acting alone or there was someone above her, it didn''t matter.


    Either way, just having Laurie captured would be a significant loss for the enemy. If Laurie was acting alone, then this was the end of the situation.


    If Laurie''s goal was to assassinate Enfer, I would have washed my hands of the matter. That kind of act wasn''t something an individual or a single organization could aplish.


    Enfer might not belong to the ''Zodiac'', but that was simply his choice. If someone tried to kill Enfer, I would justugh at their stupidity.But both Gregory and I knew that wasn''t Laurie''s goal.


    ¡°So, I''ll ask onest time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What is your purpose? Why did you attack me?¡±


    I didn''t include any hostility or murderous intent in this question.


    It wasn''t actually a threat. I was telling the truth. This was thest question, and if she didn''t answer, I would leave this ce.


    As I told Laurie, I wouldn''t be gone for a month, but even just holding her captive for a week would be quite beneficial.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A look of contemtion appeared in Laurie''s eyes, but her lips remained sealed.


    ''Hmm.''


    That was my impression. Laurie chose not to answer. That information was input into my mind, and I simply acted ordingly.


    I turned around and headed towards the entrance.


    Since I had captured Laurie, I needed to take precautions against someone else approaching Enfer or me. First, I would tell Gregory and then¡­


    ¡°W, wait.¡±


    Laurie''s voice reached me when I had the door half opened. Did she wait until thest moment, hoping against hope? Did the light leaking through the door in the pitch-ck darkness change her mind?


    ¡°Saying ''wait'' won''t do anything.¡±


    ¡°I, I''ll talk. About my purpose, and why I attacked you.¡±


    ¡°It would be better to just spill the information before saying ''I''ll talk''.¡±


    I opened the door wide. Laurie might be trying to buy time. Perhaps she had requested backup through a contact I didn''t know about, so it was best to be swift.


    I stepped outside the Workshop and checked the surroundings. Hmm, nothing within Menosorpo''s range yet.


    But that didn''t change anything. If Laurie''s information was useless, I would just leave like this, but¡­


    ¡°I, I witnessed monster worship beyond the barrier of Yeranhes!¡±


    Halt.


    I stopped there.


    It seemed Laurie possessed more useful information than I expected.


    ¡°I was dispatched to confirm if it was Enfer''s doing, kyaak?!¡±


    I deactivated the Workshop. Laurie, who had been hanging on the wall, plummeted to the ground along with the weapons.


    This released her restraints, but I always kept my end of the bargain. Laurie must have realized she couldn''t escape from me anyway. If she tried to run again, the ''without injury'' condition wouldn''t apply next time.


    ¡°Monster worship? You''re saying humans are worshipping monsters beyond the barrier?¡±


    Were there humans living somewhere out there where monsters swarmed? My heart pounded at the possibility as I asked.


    But Laurie''s answer brought me some disappointment.


    ¡°No, the opposite.¡±


    ¡°The opposite?¡±


    ¡°When I said monster worship, I didn''t mean humans worshipping monsters. The monsters were worshipping something.¡±


    ¡°¡­This brat.¡±


    Daring to confuse me?


    Laurie hurriedly waved her arms upon seeing my expression.


    ¡°I, I didn''t lie! I just summarized it that way because I was in a hurry!¡±


    ¡°That''s a lie, who uses the term ''monster worship'' like that?¡±


    ¡°¡­I, I see. I apologize.¡±


    Laurie apologized as if she were truly sorry.


    She had be somewhat honest after being released from her restraints. Though her strangely stiff way of speaking remained.


    ¡°So what were the monsters worshipping?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know.¡±


    ¡°If you answer like that one more time, I really have a way to make you know nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°It was a giant block of ice! No, a cier! A massive cier that rose like a mountain. I saw them bowing down, shivering in the coldnd where even monsters freeze. The inside of the cier seemed filled with something pitch ck.¡±


    ¡­Obsidian. No, a fragment of Helheim.


    The monsters outside were worshipping a fragment of Helheim.


    ¡°How big was it?¡±


    ¡°The cier? It was enormous. It really was like a mountain.¡±


    Prison Warden Esther had said it was ''a giantke slumbering within the cier''. It seemed her words weren''t an exaggeration.

 Chapter 169 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @n and @drew from Ko-fi!</i>


    Leaving the fuming Laurie behind, I fell into deep thought for a moment.


    If I were to fully believe her words, then Laurie was unrted to the Fragment of Helheim. In fact, she hade to investigate its identity.


    I inquired, ¡°What do you mean by you thought it was your father¡¯s doing?¡±


    ¡°Yeranhes is Enfer¡¯s domain. It''s only natural to suspect the lord of the closest region beyond the barrier, wouldn''t you say?¡±


    When a major incident urs, suspecting the nearest lord is standard procedure.


    Laurie continued, ¡°Moreover, the timing of the monsters starting their worship and Enfer¡¯s return to Yeranhes isn''t that far apart. Of course, it could be a mere coincidence, but Enfer brought his second son, whom he had never brought before.¡±


    ¡°So you suspected that the second son might be involved somehow.¡±Seeing Laurie nod, I had a feeling that this situation was about to getplicated.


    I knew about the existence of the Fragment of Helheim from the original Etius game, but I was unaware of its true nature.


    This was partly because Esther, who provided that information, didn''t have much interaction with Aster, and even if I knew, the area beyond the barrier was vast.


    The extent of my knowledge from the game was limited to the territories within the Empire. Beyond the barrier, I was no different from the inhabitants of this world.


    ¡®Beyond the barrier, everything is unknown to me.¡¯


    This was my first time seeing the Fragment of Helheim, and my first time hearing about monsters worshipping something.


    However, even amidst the unknown, there were things I could specte on.


    ¡®If ck monsters are created from the Fragment of Helheim, and those ck monsters taint other outside monsters with the Obsidian¡­¡¯


    Naturally, those monsters would have mixed with the monsters migrating south during winter.


    However, I had never heard of ¡®ck monsters¡¯ while ying the game.


    In other words, this was an event unique to this world.


    And the trigger was probably me.


    Here, at the northernmost tip, a ce I had never been before, seemingly unrted to me, if some event had urred because of me¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe, but it seems like a god intervened.¡¯


    Considering that Hephaestus had bbed about me to Hestia and Ares, most of the Greek gods would be aware of my existence.


    If other gods shared simr sentiments with Hephaestus, they would probably want me dead.


    However, for a god to descend into this world, several conditions were needed. The first god I met, Thanatos, who attached a trigger to a skill, could serve as an example.


    However, descending in such a way came with various limitations. If it were Thanatos¡¯ full power, he could have killed me instantly without me even having a chance to speak.


    The fact that I could even move my mouth at that moment was proof that Thanatos¡¯ power had weakened significantly.


    ¡®If this really is divine intervention, then it makes sense that the monsters are worshipping the fragment.¡¯


    Another way for a god to descend.


    A multitude of followers, a ce for those followers to gather, and a medium connecting this world to the god.


    With these three, a god could descend. Of course, depending on how many followers there were, how long they prayed, and how close the medium was to the god, the power they could exert would diminish, but it would still be better than the anomaly of using a trigger.


    The mostpact version of this method was the ¡®sanctuary¡¯ I found in the first dungeon. The statue in front of the sanctuary, called the ¡®Guardian of Truth,¡¯ was a medium for all gods and the sole follower of that sanctuary.


    That''s why a god could appear in the sanctuary, even if it was just for a few words and a little bit of help.


    ¡®So, a god led the monsters to worship in order to descend¡­¡¯


    To kill me.


    What a touching disy of affection.


    ¡°So,¡±


    Having finished my thoughts, I spoke,


    ¡°What is your identity?¡±


    ¡°Th-That, I cannot say.¡±


    Laurie stammered and became visibly tense.


    Having just been through an ordeal, she was probably wondering what I would do next.


    But I had no such intentions.


    ¡°Well, I figured as much.¡±


    When I said that, Laurie rxed her expression and blinked.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not going to torture me?¡±


    ¡°I never tortured you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about! You restrained me with weapons, suddenly hung me sideways¡­¡±


    ¡°You call that torture? A Manggot assassin wouldugh at that.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, th-then locking me up for a month¡­!¡±


    ¡°I didn''t lock you up.¡±


    Had that one month already been etched into Laurie''s mind? It must have been quite frightening for her.


    ¡°Anyway, you guys have a clear distinction between information you can and cannot disclose, right? I know it''s a waste of time beyond this point.¡±


    One thing I learned while spending time with Selena was that there were things to be cautious about when trying to extract information from someone in the underworld.


    There was such a thing as information that would never be divulged.


    Information that wouldn''t be revealed even under torture, threats, or even the brink of death. I shouldn''t touch upon such things.


    Of course, as humans, they might open their mouths if subjected to some incredible and novel torture method they hadn''t been trained for.


    But I didn''t know such methods, and attempting them would require considerable time and resources.


    ¡®And regarding her identity, the Analysis skill would be faster than me torturing her.¡¯


    I wasn''t using it now because it consumed a significant amount of mana, but the Analysis skill would provide much more reliable and superior information.


    Of course, I wouldn''t know what information woulde out until I used it, but the Analysis skill had a tendency to focus on the essence of the target.


    ¡®I have a rough idea of her identity anyway.¡¯


    Even though she initially tested my skills using goblins, Laurie wasn''t my enemy. She said she came to investigate the sudden anomaly, so in a way, the current situation arose from a series of misunderstandings.


    However, it was an organization that had to hide its identity and was prepared to oppose me or Enfer if necessary. But if they came to investigate the fragment, they must have been concerned about the barrier.


    ¡®¡­The Empire¡¯s Secret Service.¡¯

 Chapter 169 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The fact that Laurie knew little about me indicated that they weren''t remnants of Manggot or Indus.


    Philly was tight-lipped, so she wouldn''t bring up anything about me unnecessarily, and the Secret Service didn''t take orders from Philly anyway.


    An organization that existed solely for the Emperor and the stability of the Empire. Conversely, it meant they would do anything for that purpose. Things that the citizens of the Empire should never know about. Well, that''s why they were called the Secret Service.


    Philly might know of the Secret Service''s existence but wouldn''t know the specifics of what was happening beneath the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Alright. I''ve heard everything I need to hear. You can go.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re letting me go?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was good information. Thank you.¡±


    I waved my hand in farewell. Laurie backed away cautiously, never turning her back on me. She was still wary, thinking I might do something again. Her eyes seemed to say, ¡®If I turn my back, you¡¯ll stab me in the back, won¡¯t you? You coward!¡¯


    As a considerable distance grew between us and Laurie, feeling relieved, turned around¡­¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! You bastard! You son of a bitch! How dare you mock me? Even if I die, I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°No, just listen as you go. I have something I want to ask.¡±


    ¡°Ah, uh, yes?¡±


    Laurie, who had turned around abruptly, started backing away again. Had my calmness calmed her down a bit?


    ¡°You saw that cier with your own eyes, right? The one beyond the north.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course. I saw it with my own eyes. How could I say such a thing without seeing it?¡±


    Hmm, right. That''s obvious.


    That''s why I asked,


    ¡°How did you cross the Yeranhes barrier?¡±


    * * *


    [That woman was right. There was a portal beyond the barrier.]


    ¡°The portal is one-way, so humans can go outside the barrier, but monsters from the outside can''te in. Clever.¡±


    After hearing Laurie''s information, I had Gregory inspect the barrier.


    Gregory discovered a hidden portal device, and it wasn''t far from the lodging I was currently in.


    Well, it wasn''t farpared to other ces, but it was quite a rough path to walk on foot.


    ¡°Since the portal uses the point of instation as a reference and ¡®returns¡¯ there, they must have secretly crossed the barrier and installed the portal at some point in the past. They¡¯ve got guts.¡±


    As expected of the Empire¡¯s Secret Service.


    Portals were one of the few magic spells that could be used with pure magic, Runes, and magic devices.


    While pure magic, where you create the form, chant, and activation word yourself, could be used for most magic from the beginning, Runes and magic devices had limited applicable magic, and each was different.


    In that sense, portals functioned stably with all three methods. It just required a very high level of skill from the technician who created them.


    [By the way, haven¡¯t you been ordering me around a bit too muchtely?]


    The crow suddenly said something like that.


    I looked into its eyes for a moment and said, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    [Don¡¯t take me for granted, you bastard. I¡¯m only helping you out of goodwill. I can leave this ce whenever I want.]


    ¡°The crow I tamed is defying me? Did the taming work too well?¡±


    [Do you really think I¡¯m tamed? That was just a setting within Constel!]


    The crow pped its wings.


    Well, it was a joke, and I was grateful to Gregory. His abilities were a great help.


    ¡­However.


    ¡°Then when will you be released? Now that Indus has disbanded and Kraken has been arrested. There¡¯s no problem with youing out now, right?¡±


    [¡­Even if Indus has disbanded, my sentence remains. My release is a long way off.]


    ¡°I¡¯ll officially hire you when you get out. Until then, there¡¯s nothing I can do for you.¡±


    There wasn''t much I could do for Gregory while he was in prison. Should I bring him some foodter?


    [Hmph. Well, I just said that because it seemed like you were using me too easily. Don¡¯t forget my value.]


    The crow said, pping its wings. Gregory also had a bit of a tsundere side to him.


    [So, what are you going to do now? Even now, those ck monsters are probably pouring out of the Fragment of Helheim. Not only that, but they¡¯ll also make the outside monsters even stronger. If you don¡¯t do something soon, something terrible could happen during the next southward migration.]


    Gregory¡¯s words were the truth.


    Even with the Roach Knights and Enfer, it wouldn''t be easy to deal with suddenly strengthened monsters.


    While the ones tainted with Obsidian would only be somewhat tougher, we didn''t know how strong the ck monsters themselves were.


    But my worries didn''tst long.


    The answer had been decided from the beginning.


    ¡°Selena. Are you there?¡±


    I called Selena, and she immediately appeared before me.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Selena knelt on one knee before me. Her posture and voice were perfect, but her attire was sleepwear.


    Well, it waste at night, so it was natural.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I briefly examined the sleepwear. It was an improvement from before, but it still emphasized her figure. It was apletely unnecessary design considering the functionality of sleepwear.


    ¡®Next time I buy clothes for Selena, I should get her some sleepwear too.¡¯


    I added one more item to the mental shopping list.


    Ahem, I cleared my throat lightly and spoke to Selena.


    She would already have guessed this first sentence.


    ¡°From now on, I will formte a n to destroy the Fragment of Helheim.¡±

 Chapter 170 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>From now on Navigation links will be included in Ko-fi chapters, please report any broken links!</i>


    Selena bowed deeply at my words. She must have guessed as well.


    ¡°Yes, just as I did at the Tyburn, I am prepared to give my life to protect you.¡±


    Selena spoke with a resolute voice.


    Perhaps it was the change in her tone, or maybe I was just used to it now, but I was slowly bing ustomed to Selena''s formal pronouncements. Was this her n all along?


    However, I shook my head. Selena had a different task this time.


    ¡°No. I have a separate request for you.¡±


    ¡°...A separate request, sir?¡±Selena raised her head and looked at me. I lifted my hand and pointed next to her.


    The Rune, the portal, that I had stored in the workshop. I drew it on the floor and opened the portal.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Selena stared at it with wide eyes.


    I spoke to her, ¡°If you go through this portal, you will see a cabin. You know it, right? It''s the annex of the Roach family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I know it.¡±


    ¡°Go through this portal. Go and bring my mother, Malia, here.¡±


    Selena seemed a bit flustered by my words, but she nodded first. She didn''t ask why. Hmm, a good attitude as an escort.


    ¡°And when youe back, use a horse.¡±


    ¡°...Not a car?¡±


    ¡°Right. But it can''t be just any horse.¡±


    I loosened my tie. Fabric of Penelope. I handed it to Selena.


    ¡°This is...?¡±


    ¡°Constel has facilities for horseback riding. Even though it''s vacation, that area will be managed. Go and show this cloth to the horses. Then one of them wille to you.¡±


    ¡°...Cassian, is it?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    Cassian, the wise steed that had been a great help to me at the Tyburn. Of course, Selena, who rode with me, would also remember him. Naturally, she wouldn''t know what connection this cloth had with Cassian, but it was Selena''s expertise to subtly gloss over such things.


    ¡°However, Frondier-nim. While Cassian is the wisest steed, he is not the fastest. He is slower than a car, and it will be even slower with two people on board. It will take several days to get here from Constel.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright. It''s worth taking those few days.¡±


    Of course, I couldn''t guarantee that the monsters wouldn''t descend during those few days.


    But if Cassian and Malia weren''t here, there was a risk of a bigger problem in case of an emergency.


    If it was the first descent, Enfer and the Knights would hold out.


    And that might be a valuable chance for me to head beyond the barrier, avoiding the eyes of others.


    * * *


    At the time Frondier was giving orders to Selena.


    Enfer was receiving a report from Sylvain.


    ¡°Compared tost year, the monsters will begin their descent within a week.¡±


    ¡°Do the members know?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I told everyone not to let their guard down.¡±


    ¡°Strengthen the perimeter and extend the watch shifts. Increase the number of personnel sufficiently so that the soldiers don''t get fatigued.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Their conversation was no different fromst year.


    They always had simr conversations around this time and then annihted the monsters that soon invaded. They just repeated that. It was a simple but arduous, bothersome, and thorough repetition of inspections. It was this that had eventually earned Enfer and the Knights the title of "Iron Wall."


    However, this year there was a slightly different variable.


    ¡°...When the monsters begin their descent, your son...¡±


    ¡°Of course, he''ll be on standby. I will have him thoroughly monitored so that he absolutely cannot leave his quarters.¡±


    Enfer''s immediate response. Sylvain, who already knew the answer, nodded.


    However, there was a reason for asking even though he knew the answer.


    ¡°Your son has the qualities of a warrior. In sparring, he doesn''t get overly scared of the opponent''s attacks, and he shows the will to keep trying to judge the situation, whether it''s the right answer or not. He truly has the blood of the head of the family flowing through him.¡±


    ¡°I told you to give Frondier any kind of work, right?¡±


    ¡°As you instructed, I had him participate in the knights'' training. He followed along quite well. He seems exhausted afterwards, though.¡±


    Sylvain''s words wereced with a bit of yfulness. Seeing this, Enfer sighed deeply.


    ¡°Stop it. Frondier is a weak child. He has been since he was young. He can''tpare to Azier.¡±


    ¡°...Well, anyone would pale inparison to Azier.¡±


    Is the reason the Lord worries so much about Frondier because hepares him to Azier? Sylvain briefly had such a thought.


    ¡°Frondier has talent. Compared to Azier, he may becking, butpared to ordinary children, he is quite excellent. Is there a reason you call him a weak child? Is it because he has no divine power?¡±


    ¡°Azier doesn''t have divine power either. That''s not Frondier''s problem. It''s just...¡±


    There, unusually, Enfer paused. It wasn''t that he was at a loss for words, but rather that he seemed to be deep in thought.


    Slowly, his heavy mouth opened.


    ¡°Sylvain, do you believe in fate?¡±


    ¡°I don''t quite understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°If you knew in advance when and how you were going to die one day, what would you do? Would you run away, or would you ept it?¡±


    Sylvain couldn''t understand why Enfer was suddenly asking such a question. However, he answered sincerely.


    ¡°I would stand in the very ce where they say I will die and fight with all my might to survive.¡±


    ¡°...Haha, that''s right. Sylvain Serdo. That''s why you''re the Knight Commander.¡±


    Sylvain felt awkward. He believed that Enfer''spliments were so rare that they could be counted on one hand throughout his entire life.


    Since he had just received one, he might as well be prepared to never hear anotherpliment from Enfer for the rest of his life.


    ¡°Then let me ask you differently. What if it wasn''t you, but someone precious to you?¡±

 Chapter 170 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°...Surely not, Lord.¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s just a kind of example.¡±


    As Sylvain himself said, even if his own fate were to be like that, he would strive to ovee it. Even if he couldn''t ovee it, he wouldn''t run away from that fate.


    But what if it wasn''t him, but someone else? What if he knew that someone more precious to him than himself was facing that fate? The situation would be entirely different from if it were happening to him.


    ¡°I chose to run away. That''s all.¡±


    ¡°...Lord.¡±


    ¡°But not everything goes my way. Is that what fate is?¡±


    Unlike Frondier and Azier, Enfer has divine power.


    The god who bestowed divine power upon Enfer was in a position very close to fate.Enfer received something akin to a prophecy from the god a long time ago. However, it wasn''t a prophecy like the example just now, where it was specifically stated that Frondier would die on a certain day and at a certain time.


    However, the prophecy clearly predicted misfortune for Frondier. The prophecy solemnly stated that it would be best for Frondier to remain out of the world''s sight.


    ¡°Until recently, Frondier suffered from considerableziness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard. He was a famous cker even in Constel. He even had a derogatory nickname.¡±


    Sylvain even knew about the nickname "Human Sloth." However, he didn''t say it out loud. Regardless of how Frondier lived in Constel, he thought it was a too harsh nickname.


    ¡°I thought it was Frondier gradually changing. Even in my eyes, Frondier''s inferiorityplex and helplessness were considerable. So I thought it wasn''t unreasonable for him to stop thinking about growing up and fall intoziness. I was secretly relieved. There was a sense of relief that he wouldn''t get into any more dangerous situations.¡±


    ¡°But you''re saying that wasn''t the case?¡±


    ¡°Later, I investigated and found out that before a certain period, Frondier was sleeping face down in every ss. He never listened to a single ss.¡±


    ¡°...That''s really seriousziness.¡±


    ¡°Sylvain, think about it. Do you think that''s really possible? As a human being, there''s a limit to how much you can sleep, and the posture of lying face down on a desk is ufortable in itself. Whether you listen to the ss or not, it''s normal to be awake at some point.¡±


    At Enfer''s words, Sylvain also felt a sense of incongruity.


    If Frondier was living a normal life, he would naturally sleep at night too. Since Enfer had left Frondier alone, there would have been no reason for him to stay up all night.


    Could a human who slept soundly at night spend almost the entire day sleeping?


    ¡°...Then, Lord...¡±


    ¡°There is some kind of intervention in Frondier. It has be even more certain recently.¡±


    At those words, Sylvain''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Could it be, a god...?¡±


    ¡°Whether it''s a god or a demon, I don''t know yet. But thinking about it now, Frondier''sziness was definitely not normal. It was my fault for not noticing it, but now that I know, I can''t just stand by.¡±


    Even if Frondier''sziness wasn''t due to external intervention, there is clearly an indirect influence.


    Perhaps Frondier''sziness was his own mind putting on the brakes.


    It''s a signal telling him that going beyond this point is dangerous, a result of Frondier''s body instinctively reacting to the scent of death.


    Considering all of this, ultimately.


    ¡°Frondier is a weak child.¡±


    ¡°...So that''s what you meant.¡±


    Whether it''s fate, a god, or a demon, Frondier''s future is not bright.


    A child who could die at any moment. There is no other way to describe him than as a "weak child."


    ¡°Are you not going to tell your son?¡±


    ¡°Because humans don''t know their own fate, they can enjoy life, grow, and move forward. Frondier also eventually overcame hisziness and moved forward. In the end, children don''t turn out the way their parents want them to. I realized that by looking at Frondier. If he knew his own fate, he would ultimately just be swayed by it.¡±


    Azier was an excessively good son to Enfer. From a young age, Azier did everything Enfer wanted without a singleint.


    But Frondier is different. Nothing about his talent, his temperament, anything went ording to Enfer''s wishes.


    At first, this was a great source of anxiety for Enfer, but now it''s different.


    ¡°Whatever the cause of hisziness, Frondier overcame it. Thanks to that, my n to remove him from the family also failed. As expected, things don''t go as nned.¡±


    Enferughed.


    ¡°Frondier will live his own life. If he is destined for misfortune, it is my role to protect him from it.¡±


    Sylvain looked at Enfer for a moment.


    He had never seen Enfer like this before. He had never seen himugh while thinking about something, nor had he ever seen him talk so much.


    ...And he didn''t know he was such a doting father.


    Sylvain said,


    ¡°Then, having him participate in this barrier battle as well...¡±


    ¡°That''s apletely different story, Sylvain.¡±


    Seeing Enfer cut him off without room for further discussion, Sylvain chuckled softly.


    * * *


    And a few dayster.


    The soldiers on guard duty at the barrier felt the vibrations through their feet before they saw anything in their field of vision.


    ¡°They''reing.¡±


    Unlike at Tyburn, Yeranhes doesn''t use prisoners. The only ones who will stop the monsters are the Roach Knights and the soldiers thoroughly trained under them.


    ¡°Did you inform the Commander?¡±


    ¡°I did, urgently, as there were signs since dawn. He will arrive soon.¡±


    Hoo, the soldiers who had gathered in advance checked their weapons and took deep breaths.


    The ones gathered here were truly veterans who had crossed the line between life and death countless times. Whether they were knights or soldiers, it made no difference in that regard.


    However, conversely, it meant they could die at any moment.


    Just because the barrier hadn''t been breached didn''t mean there weren''t noble sacrifices stained with blood and screams piled up as high as the barrier itself. It was with that weight and height that the soldiers had been holding back the monsters.


    ¡°...Hey.¡±


    One of the soldiers who had been observing the monsters'' approach with a telescope spoke up.


    ¡°Did you tell the Commander about the appearance of the monsters?¡±


    ¡°No, just that they''reing. We couldn''t identify the approaching ones at dawn. We detected them with mana sensing.¡±


    ¡°Then there''s something I need to tell you right away.¡±


    The man who took his eye off the telescope, as if he had confirmed something bizarre, squinted one eye.


    From the mouth of a man who had been through everything, a rare trembling voice flowed out.


    ¡°There are some pitch-ck things.¡±

 Chapter 171 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Orgoch and others from Ko-fi!</i>


    From atop the barrier, Sylvain surveyed the monsters.


    He didn''t even need his telescope; his eyesight was enough to clearly see the approaching horde.


    "...Those are them. The jet-ck monsters."


    Sylvain observed the ck monsters with narrowed eyes.


    Their color, their appearance¡ªhe had never seen anything like them before. Their ominous aura could be felt even from a distance, but that was the same for the other monsters from the Outside.


    If Sylvain''s intuition was correct, the danger posed by the ck ones and the Outside monsters wouldn''t be that different.


    However.''...What''s that?''


    Among the monsters, there were a few ck ones mixed in. Whenever they touched another monster, the ckness spread across its body.


    It was like pouring ink into the ocean, gradually expanding. As if it were an infection spreading through color.


    ''The ck monsters... Rather than focusing on them individually, we need to pay attention to that infection phenomenon. We need to be cautious until we know what it is.''


    Just as Sylvain finished his thought.


    "Archers, deploymentplete."


    A knight approached and reported to Sylvain.


    Sylvain nodded and looked around the barrier.


    The formation that had always firmly defended this barrier. And the soldiers who had umted experience to match. The monster offensive that was about to begin, and the unexpected appearance of the ck monsters. Despite all this, there was no wavering in the soldiers'' eyes.


    "They''re not moving, sir. I was worried they mighte pouring in before the Commander arrived."


    When a soldier first discovered the ck monsters, the knight was more concerned that the monsters would attack before he could report it to Sylvain.


    But that didn''t happen, and even now, with Sylvain and Enfer''s arrival, the monsters were still just watching from afar.


    He was relieved, but Sylvain shook his head.


    "It would have been better if they had."


    "Sir?"


    "In a siege, if both sides aren''t prepared, the attacking side is overwhelmingly disadvantaged."


    It''s often said that for an attack to seed in a siege, the attacking force needs three times the number of troops as the defending side. And the preparations required are also more than three times greater.


    "...But Commander, even with the barrier, fighting monsters isn''t like a siege."


    "That''s right. Until now, it''s just been a war of attrition. Many monsters and humans have died, but there''s been no change in territory. The Outside monsters have intelligence but no leader. It''s a wild space where they don''t know when they might kill each other. The monsters that swarm towards the barrier are just a temporary alliance driven by their hatred and disgust towards humans."


    After speaking, Sylvain focused his vision to examine the monsters more closely.


    Indeed, there was nothing particrly different that he could see at the moment. Just a few who couldn''t stand still and were stamping their feet or barking.


    "If the monsters had attacked immediately without giving us time to prepare, we would have just had to respond ordingly. That''s how it''s always been. Even if our response was a little slow, the barrier would protect us, and thepleted formation would annihte the monsters in the meantime. But this time, it''s the opposite."


    "...Does that mean they''re also preparing, giving us time to prepare?"


    Sylvain nodded at the knight''s question.


    "Until now, they''ve just been trying to kill humans. As if they''d die for it. Many humans have died because of their viciousness and tenacity. And we''ve killed just as many monsters. Right here, with this barrier between us. But this battle... I have a different feeling."


    Even as he spoke, Sylvain kept his gaze fixed on the front.


    There was no change in what he could see, but he was seeing something beyond what his eyes could perceive.


    Behind the wall of monsters filling his vision, there were even more monsters, unseen but filling the space. There was no doubt about it.


    An overwhelming number of monsters, far greater than what he could see now, were piling up behind them. This strange preparation period was undoubtedly for that purpose.


    "Could it be that this time, they''re trying to ''win''?"


    "We''ll find out by watching."


    At Sylvain''s words, the knight''s face hardened. Sylvain thought for a moment, then turned away from the scene beyond the barrier and started walking back.


    "W-Where are you going?"


    "I need to inform the Lord about this."


    As he walked, Sylvain continued.


    "This battle... It''s probably beyond what I can handle."

 Chapter 171 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Helheim.


    Helheim is the realm ruled by the goddess Hel in Norse mythology. Originally, Helheim was also called "Hel."


    To avoid confusion with the goddess Hel, the name Helheim was addedter, and the game Etius also adopted this setting.


    The word "hell" that wemonly use originates from Helheim, but it''s not actually a ce like the hell we typically imagine, with boilingva or eternal suffering. It''s simply the ce where the dead reside, the afterlife.


    When ites to the afterlife in Norse mythology, "Valha" is famous, but Valha is where warriors who died in battle go, and everyone else goes to Helheim.


    In other words, it''s not specifically a ce for sinners. Therefore, it''s a much more livable ce than the hell we generally imagine, and there''s a separate ce that truly deserves to be called hell.


    [Frondier, I found a fragment of Helheim.]


    "Good work."


    I heard Gregory''s report in my room.By the way, training was on hold. It wasn''t my decision; upon hearing the news that monsters were gathering in front of the barrier, all the knights and soldiers had rushed towards it.


    Naturally, I was confined to my quarters due to Enfer''s house arrest order. Well, it''s not like I couldn''t leave if I really wanted to, but there were so many eyes watching me that it was figuratively true.


    [It was enormous. They weren''t kidding when they called it ake. Can your artifact really hold all of that?]


    "You''ll have to trust the Professor and Edwin on that one."


    And Daud, too.


    But the crow, having finished his report, kept tilting his head in a rare disy of unease. He seemed anxious and restless.


    "What''s wrong, Gregory?"


    [It feels wrong to doubt your father, but while searching for the Helheim fragment, I saw the scale of the enemy forces.]


    Ah, so that''s why.


    "How bad was it?"


    [Honestly, I''m worried whether the barrier will hold.]


    For Gregory to say that, it must be an overwhelming number.


    [The Outside monsters alone are far more dangerous than the monsters within the Empire, and on top of that, ck monsters keep emerging from the fragment. Just considering that, their forces have multiplied several times over. And furthermore,]


    "Furthermore, they''re not just attacking blindly, they''re gathering their forces."


    [That''s right. It''s not something those extremely self-centered monsters would do. They should be rushing towards the barrier impatiently.]


    If the monsters continue to amass their forces without recklessly diminishing their numbers and then charge all at once, it''s clear that the Yeranhes side will suffer immense losses.


    There''s only one thing that could enable the monsters to behave like this.


    "A god is involved, after all."


    [Could it be that they''ve already descended?]


    "No, even if they haven''t fully descended, they could still exert indirect control with the power of worship they''ve umted."


    Even Edwin, a human, was controlled by Hephaestus. If it''s just giving simplemands, a god should be able to control arge number of monsters.


    Back during summer vacation, at the Tyburn, theke witch Nimue did something simr.


    But she merely informed them of the timing; how they attacked was up to the monsters, and in the end, they acted on instinct.


    This time is different. An attack by monsterspletely controlled by a god. And using the ck monsters, no less.


    [Shouldn''t we leave now? With your abilities, even if we''re a littlete, you can still significantly reduce their forces.]


    "Did you forget? I already gave Fabric of Penelope to Selena. Right now, I can only protect myself."


    I can''t do things like throw ''bombs'' with Excalibur or call down lightning with Mj?lnir. Those are only possible with thebination of Dragon Heart and Fabric of Penelope.


    Well, if I were willing to risk my life, I could swallow Dragon Heart and do something simr for a short time, but I''d definitely die afterwards.


    [Even without going that far, can''t you still fight? I know you used various weapons to shoot down the airborne ones.]


    As Gregory said, it''s not like I''mpletely useless right now. I was active at the Tyburn even without Dragon Heart.


    However.


    "It''s okay. I just have to wait."


    [But what if Yeranhes falls before Selena returns...?]


    "Hahaha."


    Iughed at Gregory''s words. But Gregory seemed surprised that Iughed. The crow''s already round eyes widened like full moons.


    [Frondier, is that something tough about,]


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. You just don''t know."


    [I don''t know?]


    "Right."


    Yeranhes falling?


    If I had considered that possibility even 1%, I wouldn''t havee up with this n.


    "You don''t know who Enfer is."


    Those who only stay in the central part of the Empire always have doubts about Enfer.


    Isn''t the Empire being too good to someone who''s not even a Zodiac?


    Enfer, who ignores the Empire''s requests toe to the central region and insults other nobles and knights, does he really have the ability to do so?


    As they question, Enfer is not a Zodiac. And from what I''ve seen, the fact that Enfer is not a Zodiac is proof that he knows himself very well.


    Enfer is not a Zodiac. He''s not someone to be confined to the position of a Zodiac.


    The alias "Iron Wall."


    Once you witness Enfer''s power firsthand, the term "Iron Wall" feels excessively trivial.


    * * *


    At the moment when the sun was at its highest, the monsters began to move.


    It wasn''t like before, when they would start running as soon as the barrier came into view. They formed ranks, maintained their battle lines, and walked forward at a steady pace.


    That alone was enough to make the people on the barrier frown, but.


    "...What is that."


    A more horrifying sight left them speechless.


    "It doesn''t end...!"


    The procession of monsters marching forward in formation.


    Behind the monsters were more monsters, and behind them, even more.


    The massive, long line of them, advancing to ovee the barrier, to ughter humans, showed no signs of ending.


    ''This is the Outside monsters trying to ''win''...!''


    The knight who had heard Sylvain''s story gulped. He was still somewhat less shaken because he had heard about it beforehand. The knights around him had already turned pale.


    "Prepare to fire!"


    Sylvain''s shout, imbued with aura. With a rustling sound, the arrowheads of the archers all aimed at the approaching monsters. Most of these archers weren''t just any amateurs gathered from anywhere.


    Each arrow they shot would pierce through the monsters'' aura and tough hides, straight into their foreheads.


    "......!"


    But the archers'' eyes wavered for a moment.


    There was a change in the monsters'' ranks. The Outside monsters infected by the jet-ck monsters, those stained ck, stepped forward to the front of the formation.


    ''...That ckness, could it be.''


    Everyone had a simr thought. Sylvain was no different.


    But to know for sure, they had to confirm it.


    "©¤©¤Fire!!"


    With Sylvain''s shout, arrows were released all at once, flying towards the monsters.


    If the front line copses, it will affect the lines behind it. It''s not just about slowing down their advance; the formation itself will be disrupted, they''ll obstruct each other''s paths, and they''ll be overly concentrated, making them easy targets for the mages.


    However.


    Thwack! Thwack!


    The arrows, aimed precisely at the monsters, some pierced, some bounced off.


    ''Bounced...!''


    With this, the soldiers and knights were convinced. The ckened parts boasted considerable strength. They had directly faced arrows shot in a straight line, imbued with aura, and bounced them off. Some did pierce through, but that meant their strength was at leastparable.


    "From now on, archers aim for the sky! Don''t let the winged ones cross the barrier!"


    Sylvain immediately changed tactics and issued instructions to the archers.


    There were no airborne creatures visible yet, but even with just their eyes, they could see wyverns and harpies waiting behind the monsters'' procession.


    They were ready to take flight at any moment, waiting for an opportunity. And to create that opportunity, they were still waiting in the back.


    ''The enemy''s forces are too numerous. Rather than being attacked from all sides...''


    Sylvain drew his sword. Seeing that, the eyes of all the Roach knights changed.


    "Knights, follow me!"


    Sylvain, at the forefront, raised the sword in his right hand high. He led his horse towards the entrance of the barrier.


    As he rode, Sylvain inadvertently nced at his right hand.


    - Commander, have you ever tried holding a sword with your left hand?


    He remembered the words the Lord''s son had suddenly spoken a few days ago.


    Sylvain had been startled by those words, and they still lingered in his memory, for reasons unknown.


    "Sylvain."


    At that moment, a voice broke his train of thought.


    "Lord!"


    Enfer, mounted on his horse, came up beside him.


    Enfer had already drawn his sword, Gram.


    "Lead the knights to the right nk. I saw their forces gathering there. Disrupt their formation, and if possible, block their assembly route. Find out where they''reing from."


    "What are you nning to do, Lord?"


    In response to Sylvain''s question, Enfer pulled the reins firmly once.


    The horse''s head turned to the left, opposite to the direction he had instructed Sylvain.


    "I''ll take care of the rest."

 Chapter 172 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @John from Ko-fi!</i>


    Enfer, watching Sylvain charge with the knights, took his position before the barrier.


    The moment their eyesnded on Enfer, the monsters'' gazes sharpened. Their approach noticeably quickened.


    "Hmm, do you wish to kill me?"


    Enfer hadn''t stepped forward merely to show off his strength. He wanted to confirm the existence of an unseenmander.


    If something was truly directing the monsters, it wouldn''t ignore Enfer, the heart of the barrier, standing alone.


    And as he predicted...


    <i>Kieeek!</i><i>Kieeeeek!</i>


    The earth-shaking stomps of the monsters converged on Enfer. It wasn''t a simple attraction. Every monster was clearly, deliberately charging towards him.


    "There''s definitely something giving orders."


    Enfer ced the tip of Gram on the ground.


    As a test, he drew a diagonal line in the air.


    <i>Shwick!</i>


    The head of a leading monster, far in the distance, was severed. The brief ughter ended after cleaving through a few more behind it.


    He didn''t care about the ck liquid staining his de. Enfer''s swordsmanship split everything it touched uniformly.


    He tilted his head.


    "This way, I can''t tell how hard that ck stuff is."


    This time, Enfer raised his sword horizontally and slightly crouched. From there, a horizontal sh erupted.


    And the monsters, still far away, were now separated into upper and lower halves.


    Although it seemed no different from the previous carnage, Enfer nodded.


    "Indeed, the ck parts are cut a little slower."


    Knowing that was enough.


    As if making such a deration, Enfer''s sword swung repeatedly.


    The monsters diligently gathered to kill him. Their speed increased, surging towards Enfer like a wave.


    ...However, closing the distance still seemed a distant prospect.


    "...Sir,"


    Meanwhile, a soldier watching from atop the barrier opened his mouth.


    "Sir, what is that? What is the Lord Commander doing?"


    "What do you mean? He''s cutting down monsters."


    His superior next to him replied nonchntly.


    "C-Cutting..."


    The soldier trailed off and looked back at Enfer. His swinging sword, the monsters being cut down from afar. No mistake, even after rubbing his eyes. His senses weren''t dulled.


    "That''s not aura, is it?"


    If it were aura, if he were cutting down monsters by releasing sword energy, the soldier wouldn''t be this surprised. Of course, he would have marveled at the tremendous level of aura and sword energy that remained powerful enough to cut down even the monsters behind the first, despite the distance.


    But Enfer wasn''t using aura. He simply swung his sword, and monsters at a seemingly irrelevant distance had their heads flying off and bodies split apart.


    ''Besides, if that were aura, there should be a timeg before it reaches them, but there isn''t.''


    As if cutting down monsters right in front of him.


    Enfer''s sword instantly killed them.


    "What, are you a newbie?"


    "N-No, sir. But this is the first time I''ve seen the Lord Commander fight."


    "Well, he hasn''t participated in battles muchtely. He''s been focusing on training the Roach Knights and soldiers."


    At those words, the soldier looked around at the others. Some were as surprised as him, but most were watching Enfer''s fight calmly.


    "We don''t know for sure, but everyone''s guessing it''s divine power."


    "Divine power... Certainly, I''ve never seen a technique like that anywhere."


    Divine power, that would at least be somewhat understandable.


    ...Although he couldn''tprehend which god and what kind of ability would result in something like that.


    "Perhaps the knights know? About the Lord Commander''s technique."


    "Well, the Lord Commander is a man of few words. He talks a bit more with Commander Sylvain, so maybe he knows?"


    The soldier listened to the conversation in a daze, watching Enfer.


    The phrase ''one-man army'' - he always thought it was an exaggeration. In this era, the position capable of killing the most enemies was undoubtedly the mage.


    But even for mages, killing a thousand at once wasn''t easy, and it required sufficient troops to protect them.


    Yet, Enfer was currently single-handedly, without a single scratch, annihting hundreds of enemies.


    Of course, they were monsters, but would it have made much difference if there were humans among them?


    "The Lord Commander''s epithet is ''Iron Wall,'' right? The Roach Knights and we initially disliked it for being too in."


    "...That''s right. Because he never allowed a single intrusion, the Iron Wall."


    "But these days, it seems fitting."


    His superior observed Enfer and his surroundings.


    Enfer standing before the barrier. The monsters pouring in like a tide but unable to close the distance.


    And the countless corpses piling up between them.


    "What must be done to prevent damaging the wall?"


    "...!"


    Prevent the enemy from even reaching the wall.


    Therefore, the Iron Wall.

 Chapter 172 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "As expected of the Lord."


    Sylvain led the knight order and rode to the right, observing the scene.


    There was a moment of concern when the monsters all rushed at Enfer at once, but that was just because it had been too long since he had seen Enfer fight. It was truly needless worry.


    "If it goes like this, it will end without any trouble."


    "No, the enemy''smander won''t just leave it at that."


    Enfer is not an opponent that can be defeated by sheer numbers. At the very least, one would need the toughness to withstand that sword a few times, the ability to move at a very fast speed, or some means of long-range control.


    Then, even if hundreds die in the process, they might manage to swing a sword at Enfer.


    "The monsters currentlyck those means. They will surely unfold a different strategy."


    "What do you mean by a different strategy?""It means giving up on themander."


    Sylvain nodded.


    Before long, themander will abandon the idea of killing Enfer. Instead, they will push the monsters towards the barrier as originally nned. Even Enfer won''t be able to stop them all.


    They are on the ground and also flying in the air. That''s where the real battle begins.


    "Before the barrier suffers too much damage, we need to locate their gathering ce."


    Even considering the sudden appearance of the ck monsters, there are too many of them in this battle. There must have been a ce where they have been gathering for quite some time.


    "Commander, ahead!"


    A knight shouted, looking straight ahead. They had spotted the tail end of the procession that had not yet reached the monster''s front line.


    "Swords! Forward!"


    At Sylvain''s cry, the knights'' swords faced forward.


    nk!


    The monsters btedly noticed the appearance of the knight order. While they were hastily forming ranks, the aura of the knight order enveloped both themselves and their horses.


    As they closed the distance, their auras ovepped, transforming into what seemed like one gigantic aura.


    To the monsters, it was already a massive projectile hurtling towards them at high speed.


    Crash!


    The smaller ones were pulverized by the aura and flung away, while the ones as tall as the cavalry were struck down by the soaring swords.


    Upon collision, the knight order slightly changed direction and cut the throats of the remaining monsters. The monsters were hit one-sidedly and could only watch helplessly as the cavalry moved away.


    "After we get out of their sight, we''ll follow this tail! Circle around!"


    "Yes!"


    The knight order increased their speed even more, running in the opposite direction from which the monsters hade. Not all monsters were heading towards this procession, but a certainly unusual number kept being added from some direction.


    "At this rate, there must be an unbelievable number of them at their stronghold."


    Sylvain intuited. If he could find out where these numbers wereing from, he would need to first confirm the location and then return.


    Above all, this ce was beyond the barrier, in the territory of the monsters outside. The deeper he went, the more overwhelming the creatures that would emerge.


    Sylvain advanced while checking his retreat route. He observed the procession of monsters from higher ground, maintaining a proper distance as he made his way forward.


    "Good, their numbers are increasing. I''m heading in the right direction,"


    That''s when it happened.


    Caw©¤Caw©¤!


    A crow flying above the knights let out a cry.


    Of course, in this forest, the sounds of various animals blended together, but the behavior of this crow was peculiar. Creatures that would normally hide in the forest due to the presence of many humans riding horses were now flying above the cavalry.


    "What''s with this crow?"


    Moreover, upon closer inspection, it had something in its beak.


    "Huh?"


    As Sylvain was wondering what the crow was up to, paying close attention to it, the bird eventuallynded on Sylvain''s shoulder.


    "......A note?"


    The crow that had approached was carrying a small piece of paper in its beak. It was then that Sylvain realized the crow must be tamed by someone.


    Sylvain took the paper from the crow''s beak. Unfolding the crumpled paper took quite some time.


    After all the effort to unfold it, there were only a few words written inside.


    Those few words,


    [Be wary of ambush]


    "......!"


    Reading that, Sylvain''s mind went nk for a moment. Then, feeling chills running down his spine, he quickly shouted.


    "Halt, all forces, halt!!"


    Following hismand, the Roach Knights stopped in their tracks. Although they found the order of theirmander puzzling, their response was immediate.


    Sylvain calmed his suddenly halted horse with a firm hand and surveyed the surroundings.


    ''There''s a path that leads to their stronghold, rtively clear, and the area around is filled with trees.''


    At first, he hadn''t noticed. The path wasn''t a maintained walkway, but rather, a natural trail just wide enough toe and go, formed by repeated treading.


    At first, they thought they had forced their way through the forest somewhat recklessly, but before they knew it, they were treading this natural path, heading towards them.


    ...When did this path be like this?


    "...It''s definitely a good spot for an ambush. No, it seems like a ce made for ambushing."


    The sound of the horses'' neighing ceased, and as their hooves stopped, a deep silence settled over the forest.


    Whish, the sound of the wind brushing through the trees tickled their ears. The other knights understood Sylvain''s intentions and watched the forest intently.


    ...There are no signs of monsters.


    "Captain, I understand your caution, but perhaps it''s a bit too much..."


    A knight beside Sylvain cautiously broached the subject.


    They were currently facing monsters, not humans. If it were humans, they would lure the enemy, set up an ambush, and conceal their energy to remain undetected, but monsters are incapable of doing so.


    Even if hiding their energy was possible, it''s unlikely for many to unite as one and set up an ambush.


    However.


    "...What they''ve shown us today already far surpasses the behavior we''ve known of monsters."


    The Roach Knights were certainly ustomed to fighting the monsters outside. More precisely, to the battles in front of the barriers.


    They were intelligent to some extent but ultimately monsters. They had be familiar with their own strategies for dealing with them, and they could estimate how to make judgments.


    However, today, they should not trust those judgments. Unexpected events had urred since the start of the battle.


    "I''m not sure if there really is an ambush. Even this note might be a trick of the enemy."


    What was clear, however, was that the few words written on this note had awakened something in thex heart of Sylvain.


    "......We''re going back."


    "Captain."


    "We still don''t know enough about them. The lord always said that there are monsters that surpass human intelligence. It wouldn''t be strange to encounter such a creature today."


    "But, if we can confirm the location of their gathering now, we can minimize the damage to the barrier and our soldiers. The battle won''t drag on either."


    Despite the knight''s strong persuasion, Sylvain shook his head firmly.


    "Look at this path."


    "......!"


    "If we were in the midst of war, if we were facing humans, this is a path we would never have taken."


    Upon Sylvain''s words, the knights looked at the long roadid out before them. It was slightly lower than the trees. Somewhat narrow, but a road leading to the enemy''s stronghold that could be traversed without much difficulty.


    The path looked quite natural, but if one raised their gaze just a little, they would see the dense treespletely blocking the surroundings.


    In war, there is no such thing as ''a conveniently ced good situation.''


    "Let''s go back. For now, we''ll join with our forces and conclude the first day of battle."


    "¡­Yes."


    With that, the knights turned back.


    Leaving behind the straight path where an ambush could be present or not.

 Chapter 173 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The first day of battle had ended.


    Although there were casualties on the human side, thanks to Enfer''s involvement from the start, the number was rtively smallpared to the scale of the monsters.


    From a defensive standpoint, it was close to aplete victory, but the faces of the knights were grim.


    "I''m d everyone is safe."


    As the knights, except for the guards, returned to the barracks, Frondier was waiting inside.


    He was handing out water and towels to the returning knights. The meal was already prepared, and Frondier skillfully carried the food trays with the servants.


    It was a sight unbing of a nobleman, especially the son of a lord, but no one stopped him.


    asionally, someone tried to stop Frondier, but he would reply with something like, "Unless Father tells me to stop, I will continue."


    And of course, Enfer said nothing about it. Judging by his expression, it wasn''t exactly approval, but Frondier didn''t seem to care about Enfer''s expression as he helped the knights rest."Lord Frondier."


    At that moment, Sylvain approached Frondier. Frondier smiled and said,


    "Please treat me as you did during training. Honorifics are awkward."


    "...Right."


    Sylvain coughed awkwardly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Then he spoke again.


    "Frondier, I have something to ask."


    "What is it?"


    "By any chance, about the crow..."


    "Yes?"


    Sylvain trailed off.


    No matter how much he thought about it after the battle, that crow was definitely an ally.


    If it were an enemy trap, there would have been no need to awaken Sylvain when he was off guard. Even now, looking back, returning at that point was the best decision.


    Then who was the ally who controlled the crow?


    With everyone busy at the barrier, the only person who came to mind was Frondier.


    "Did you, by any chance, leave the lodging?"


    "No."


    Frondier shook his head. It felt like he didn''t even need to think about it.


    "Due to Father''s concern, I''m under heavy surveince. The servants there will know that I haven''t moved an inch from the lodging."


    "...Hmm, I see."


    Sylvain nodded.


    Even if he tamed a crow, he would need to be nearby to handle it properly. More importantly, he needed to see what was happening to offer any help.


    It was impossible to send a crow to Sylvain''s location while staying inside the lodging.


    ''I''ve heard of such bloodline abilities, but...''


    A piece of information suddenly came to mind, but at least that ability wasn''t Roach''s.


    "We will begin the meeting immediately after the meal."


    Enfer said. There was a meeting room inside the barracks, and the knights would naturally head there after dinner.


    At that moment, Enfer''s eyes turned towards Frondier. Strangely, Frondier was also looking at Enfer at the same time, so their eyes naturally met.


    Enfer looked somewhat displeased, but what he said with his sharp eyes was unexpected.


    "Youe too, Frondier. It''ll be good for you to get used to it. However, don''t say a single word."


    "...Yes."


    Frondier nodded. Everyone looked at Enfer with somewhat surprised expressions.


    Didn''t Enfer initially tell Frondier to take care of ''misceneous tasks''? That''s what their gazes implied.


    Of course, neither Frondier nor Enfer offered any further exnation and simply went about their business.


    ***


    Frondier''s eyes sparkled as he looked at the map prepared in the meeting room.


    The terrain was recorded in much greater detail than what he had seen at the Tyburn.


    ''It''s almost identical to the map Gregory drew based on what he saw. Amazing.''


    Even knights wouldn''t have been able to easily go beyond the barrier, so how could such a detailed map be created?


    "Then first, a report on today''s battle-"


    The meeting began, and the knights listened to the reports and steadily exchanged opinions.


    Meanwhile, as Enfer had instructed, Frondier didn''t move a muscle or utter a word, simply observing the meeting.


    In fact, Frondier didn''t think there would be a turn for him to speak. Enfer wouldn''t allow it.


    As the meeting progressed, someone spoke in a grave voice.


    "As expected, the winged ones didn''t move."


    One of the knights said while checking the map.


    During today''s battle, while fighting at the barrier, the human casualties were minimal.


    Of course, Enfer''s participation yed a significant role, but there was another factor.


    "While a considerable number of monsters were dying, the winged ones just stayed still behind the front lines. Even after the archers, unable to bear it any longer, turned their attention to the ground, they still didn''t move."


    In the battle between humans and monsters, there are two major variables. One is the type of monster, and the other is the quality of the monster.


    The most noticeable among the types of monsters are the ''winged ones,'' that is, those that fly through the air.


    The barrier is meant to stop enemies on the ground. Humans must deal with those that fly over on their own.


    Of course, the Empire has a barrier that covers the entire sky, but it''s unreasonable to expect such facilities in this remote area.


    "We still don''t know their intentions. Should we be relieved that our casualties are low for now, or should we be suspicious of the flying monsters'' non-participation and increase our vignce?"


    "For now, it''s best to observe. The winged ones are inevitably weaker than ground troops. Even if they are covered in that unknown ck substance, let''s hope the archers'' arrows can pierce their enemies."


    Sylvain, who had been quietly listening to the knights'' discussion, suddenly spoke as if something hade to mind.


    "Speaking of not moving, what happened to the ck monsters? Not the ones that were covered, but the ones that were ck from the beginning."


    "...That is, they disappeared at some point after the battle started."


    "Those guys didn''t participate in this battle either. Did they just cover the other monsters in ck and retreat?"


    Because of those ck monsters, even ordinary monsters gained increased durability and ferocity, making the fight more difficult than usual.


    But the ck monsters themselves, along with the winged ones, didn''t participate in the battle. This made the knights uneasy.


    "..."


    "..."


    About an hour after the meeting began, silence fell over the room. Each person was contemting the monsters'' behavior.


    If the next battle was like today, if they fought like they did today, there wouldn''t be a big problem.


    So they needed to prepare for when the battle dynamics changed, but they still weren''t sure of the enemy''s intentions.


    ''...Frondier is.''


    At that moment, Sylvain looked at Frondier unconsciously. He himself wasn''t sure why he did it.


    Was it because he remembered Frondier''s advice to try holding the sword with his left hand, or did he intuitively sense some connection between the crow and Frondier?


    But Frondier, whom he had nced at unconsciously, seemed to have been looking at Sylvain from the very beginning.


    As Sylvain''s gaze turned towards him, Frondier opened his mouth.


    As Enfer had instructed, he didn''t say a single word, but


    - Beware of ambush.


    He mouthed those words.


    "...!"


    Sylvain hadn''t learned lip-reading, but he could clearly understand those mouthed words.


    Sylvain averted his gaze and focused on the meeting again.


    That mouthed message was enough. He understood what Frondier wanted.


    This wasn''t the ce to hear his story.


    Sylvain quietly waited for the meeting to end.

 Chapter 173 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "I''ve been here before, but not many people seem toe here."


    Frondier said, looking around as he arrived at theundry area.


    Sylvain was behind him. He also looked around.


    "However, it''s a public ce. There''s a risk of exposure."


    "It''s alright. I have many ears and eyes, so I''ll know immediately if someone approaches."


    "...Indeed."


    Sylvain nodded.


    "That crow from back then, it was you. Frondier."


    "Yes, that''s right."Frondier smiled and answered readily.


    At first, he had thought about keeping it a secret until the end. But it was difficult to continue providing information using the crow.


    Because from Sylvain''s perspective, he wouldn''t know whether the crow could be trusted or not. At truly crucial moments, information bes sensitive and important.


    In such situations, if he couldn''t trust the crow''s information and instead thought it was an enemy ploy, providing information could actually be dangerous.


    The battle had already begun, and its scale was expanding faster than Frondier had anticipated. He couldn''t afford to becent anymore.


    "I can tame all sorts of small animals. crows are the easiest to handle, so I use them often."


    Of course, it wasn''t taming but Gregory''s ability, but saying he was cooperating with a prisoner would only raise unnecessary suspicion.


    "So you can see the situation outside from within the lodging?"


    "I can''t see it. The crow tells me what it has seen, and I simply confirm the map and the state of the battle based on that."


    "Tells you...?"


    At those words, Sylvain tilted his head, and once again, a cawing sound was heard.


    A crow flew in andnded on Frondier''s shoulder, surprisingly bowing its head towards Sylvain.


    [Greetings. I serve the Master. Please take good care of me in the future.]


    "...Huh."


    The crow spoke. Sylvain''s expression became somewhat nk at that fact.


    "I can train them to speak like this. crows are smart, you see."


    "...Such taming is something that only highly skilled veteran tamers can achieve after a long period of training."


    "I was lucky."


    It wasn''t much of an answer.


    Frondier decided to quickly move past this topic.


    "So, I have something to tell you."


    "Right, that''s why you called me here."


    Sylvain also knew that the current topic was important, so he didn''t bother asking any further.


    Frondier took a light breath.


    "I know the reason."


    "The reason?"


    "The reason why the flying monsters didn''t participate in the battle."


    Sylvain''s eyes lit up. Acquiring that information would surely be a great advantage in future battles.


    "What is it? This reason."


    "To put it simply, they''re testing the waters."


    "...Testing the waters?"


    Frondier''s words, regardless of their elegance, sounded incredibly ominous. The reason why the phrase "testing the waters" didn''t immediately register was because of that ominous feeling.


    "They sent in the monsters to see how thick the barrier is, how strong the soldiers and knights are. That''s why they''re saving the monsters needed for victory. It''s the same for both the flying monsters and the ck monsters."


    "...?"


    Sylvain didn''t quite understand those words.


    "...They sent in monsters to check the strength of humans?"


    "Yes."


    "They sacrificed such arge-scale force of monsters just for that?"


    The battle that took ce today was one of the few in Sylvain''s life that involved a truly massive army.


    It was fortunate that Enfer had killed a significant number of monsters beforehand; otherwise, Yeranhes'' undefeated record might have been broken.


    Sylvain shook his head. It was an unthinkable idea.


    "Frondier, that''s a misconception. No matter how foolish the enemymander is, they wouldn''t suffer such losses."


    "..."


    Frondier didn''t answer immediately and closed his eyes deeply.


    ...As expected, Sylvain knows.


    He knows what Frondier will say next.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t be making that kind of expression.


    "Commander, you just said rge-scale,'' but..."


    However, Frondier had to say it.


    Information isn''t just a collection of facts; what it ultimately means is important.


    "From the enemy''s perspective, those monsters weren''t a rge-scale'' force."


    "...Wh, what..."


    "As I mentioned earlier, I can see beyond the battlefield through the crows. I found the enemy''s base and was able to confirm the route they gather on."


    After saying that, Frondier looked at the crow. It was a sign to speak on his behalf.


    Thankfully, the crow understood Frondier''s intention just from that look and opened its beak.


    [If I may be so bold, there are more than five times the number of monsters that attacked today gathered at the monsters'' assembly point. This is the number excluding the ck monsters, only the monsters outside.]


    "...!"


    [However, there is a bigger problem.]


    A bigger problem?


    At this point, Sylvain wasn''t just feeling emotional; he was starting to get a real headache.


    His chest began to feel tight. It wasn''t just a feeling; it actually became difficult to breathe, so Sylvain pounded his chest once.


    [The ck monsters are multiplying rapidly.]


    Even after pounding a few more times, his rough breathing didn''t calm down.


    [In a few days, they will catch up to the number of monsters outside.]

 Chapter 174 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @raysid25 and @betterdays from Ko-fi!</i>


    ck monsters.


    Sylvain had never fought them before, but justing into contact with them made the monsters outside significantly stronger.


    It¡¯s easy to imagine how strong their main body would be. Would they continue to multiply and follow the monsters outside?


    If that information turned out to be true.


    ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡±


    Would it be possible to block all those enemies at once?


    If flying monsters and ck monsters entered the battle, and on top of that, if more than five times their current forces attacked, tactics would be meaningless against such overwhelming numbers. It might be possible if they prepared for a few days or months, but not right now.


    However, the face of Frondier, who had delivered such shocking news, remained calm. No, there was even a hint of concern on that face.


    He was worried about how Sylvain would take this news.


    Sylvain, since when did you be so weak that you needed to be worried about by a boy like this?


    ¡°Frondier, do you have an idea? A solution to get us out of this situation?¡±


    Frondier nodded slightly at the question. Sylvain couldn¡¯t understand that natural movement at all.


    ¡°¡­You have a solution? How?¡±


    ¡°What I want to do isn¡¯t that different from what you¡¯ve been doing up until now, Commander.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ve been doing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, taking down the enemymander.¡±


    At those words, a thin thread of hope appeared in Sylvain¡¯s eyes.


    That¡¯s right. Initially when he saw thoserge numbers gathering, he predicted that the enemy had amander. Then, as he moved upstream along the path the enemies were taking, he came across the message ¡®Beware of ambush¡¯ that Frondier had sent.


    Such arge number of enemies couldn¡¯t change locations easily. They would still be at the gathering spot.


    ¡°The reason those monsters are gathering is because they have amander. No matter what means they¡¯re using, something is pulling the strings to make those monsters outside move as one. Then we need to get rid of that cause.¡±


    ¡°¡­If one could destroy it.¡±


    "They won''t be gathering, and even if arge number of monsters attack the barrier, we should be able to fend them off. It will take longer thanst winter, though."


    Indeed. The monsters, not having organized themselves into a strategy, can be dealt with by the Roach Knight Order and the soldiers. If all the monsters don''t hit the barrier at once, there''s a chance for victory.


    "Do you know their gathering ce? The reason why they''re gathering?"


    "Yes."


    "Good! Then I and the Roach Knight Order will head there straight away tomorrow."


    Sylvain''s face lit up. Until a moment ago, the situation seemed quite desperate, but now, with Frondier holding significant information, things might be resolved more easily than anticipated.


    However, Frondier shook his head this time.


    "Themander cannot go there. Neither can the entire Knight Order."


    "Why can''t we go?"


    "The enemy would have noticed by now. Didn''t themander and the Knight Order return without reaching the gathering ce?"


    Ah, Sylvain recalled that time. When they were cutting off the tails of the enemy and retracing their route.


    "I don''t know if you''ll believe me, but there really was an ambush waiting there."


    "¡­I see. So, we didn''t fall into the ambush, but our movements were already anticipated."


    "Yes. So, from the next day, they willunch a total offensive. Making it impossible for themander or the Knight Order to act separately."


    Sylvain couldn''t deny it.


    The reason Sylvain and the Knight Order could move separately at that time was because they could gauge the enemy''s strength and the number of monsters based on the power of Enfer.


    If the next wave of enemy troops is as massive as Frondier says, the Roach Knight Order too must exert all their strength to defend the barrier. If the barrier is breached, the enemy''s gathering ce and everything else will be meaningless.


    "If themander and the Knight Order specialized in stealth or were an assassination squad, it might be a different story. But that''s not the case. You are the pirs of this barrier, an imprable iron wall that must never be breached."


    "¡­That''s true."


    ¡°This is it,¡± he said decisively, ¡°if we seed we can save so many more lives.¡±


    They were the elite personnel that would be crucial to the bulwark if they managed to reach the rallying point, but there was no way they¡¯d make it while pretending to be regr folk.


    It was then that Sylvain finally understood what Frondier was trying to say. Why he hade to him in this no-man¡¯snd of a ce and brought this up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    He knew Frondier would say this, but the reality of it all seemed to weigh heavily on him as he heard ite out of his mouth.


    As some sort of good-for-nothing cker, it seemed Frondier¡¯s cking off was something that, like Enfer had guessed, had been some sort of preparation. There was no way the Frondier he had heard rumors of would say something like this otherwise.


    ¡°You want me to help you get outside the barrier?¡±


    ¡°If you could just help me slip past the guards at the inn, that would be enough.¡±


    Sylvain covered his eyes with his hand. He was ovee with darkness. Both physically, and mentally.


    ¡°¡­No can do.¡±


    Sylvain had thought about it long and hard, but his answer was the same regardless.


    Sylvain didn¡¯t know a thing about Frondier. He was the only one who could fight without being a soldier or a knight, who didn¡¯t participate in the battles. That¡¯s about all he knew about him.


    He thought Frondier¡¯s suggestion hade from his position.


    Frondier alone wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the countless enemies who had already gathered at their rally point.


    Even if he could easily take care of the cause of the gathering, there¡¯s no way the enemies would let him do so without a fight.


    Plus, Frondier was the lord¡¯s son.


    Enfer had already told him in no uncertain terms that he wasn¡¯t to participate in the battles, and while Sylvain could see that Frondier had some talent forbat, he was still too green. He wasn¡¯t ready to go out there and fight those monstrosities.


    It would be madness to send him out to go and challenge such arge group of monstrosities all by himself.


    However, even aside from these petty details, the biggest reason was¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re too young.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    No matter how strong Frondier was, no matter that he was the lord¡¯s son.


    In Sylvain¡¯s eyes, Frondier was simply too young.


    Sending a child who wasn¡¯t even an adult out into the field just on some flimsy hope? No knight in their right mind would ever do that.


    "If we seed, we can save many more lives."


    "What¡¯s your point?"


    Sylvain''s voice deepened. He couldn¡¯t just ignore what Frondier had said.


    "To save many by sacrificing one. Such decisions are made by emperors. I didn¡¯t be a knight to make such calctions. I didn¡¯t be the leader of the knights to let a child die, to carry their lives on my shoulders."


    To sacrifice the few for the many. If Sylvain could have epted that, he wouldn¡¯t have be a knight.


    "I became a knight to save children like you. That¡¯s why I can''t send you."

 Chapter 174 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "¡­But many people will die."


    "Only I will die."


    Sylvain''s eyes shone brightly. The light in them was cold.


    "I willy down my life and kill them all."


    That was not just a resolution; it was a statement filled with life. Hearing this, Frondier closed his eyes for a moment.


    This is what it seemed like. Sylvain is too loyal as a knight.


    What¡¯s more frightening is that Sylvain, along with Enfer and the Roach Knights, might actually be able to stop them.


    ©¤©¤However, they would die.


    To save the lives of the citizens, the lives of the Roach Knights would be scattered atop the walls.Enfer might not survive either.


    ''It¡¯s tough.''


    Saving people.


    The more someone¡¯s belief is solidified to their bones, the harder it is to persuade them.


    That¡¯s why there¡¯s no other choice.


    "Then, there¡¯s nothing to be done."


    "Right. Thanks for the information. I¡¯ll inform the knights and the head of the family in advance to prepare thoroughly."


    "I¡¯ll just make my way over the barrier on my own."


    Frondier said so, smiling.


    At those words, Sylvain opened his mouth in surprise.


    "¡­What did you say¡­?"


    "Since you refuse to help me sneak out, there¡¯s no other choice. I¡¯ll just leave the lodging and cross the barrier, even if I get caught."


    "Do you think I would just stand by and watch that?"


    What a predicament he was in. He had said that he would charge in alone if they didn¡¯t help him. Was he so desperate to die that he had gone mad?


    ¡°You can watch if you want. But you¡¯ll be too busy slicing up monsters to pay attention.¡±


    Sylvain looked at Fontier, who was shing a brazen smile.


    Just as Frondier had said, by the time he exited the dormitory, Sylvain would already be at the ramparts. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t allow Frondier to slip off, and Sylvain had no intention of doing so either.


    ¡°¡­Do you really want to die that badly, Frondier?¡±


    Sylvain¡¯s mind was truly boggled as he gazed at Frondier.


    How could Frondier smile like that?


    How could he brazenly smile in the face of Sylvain¡¯s objections and still intend to go beyond the ramparts¡ªbeyond the danger zone?


    ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Within his smile, Frondier concealed his loneliness.


    ¡°I have too much homework left to do to die in a dump like this.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Whew.¡±


    Sylvain found himself lost in thought in his private office.


    ¡ªI am required in order to prevent this situation.


    That¡¯s what Frondier had said. There was neither confidence nor anxiety in his voice. It was as dry as if he were reading lines from a book.


    And though it gave Sylvain a certain degree of trust, because it seemed unintentional¡­


    ¡ªHow do you n to prevent this situation?


    ¡ªI cannot tell you that.


    In the end, Sylvain¡¯s head started to hurt because Frondier refused to give him any detailed information about what he nned to do.


    ¡®Just let me send him away.¡¯


    Currently, Frondier was being held back by Enfer. Even now, several servants were attached to Frondier¡¯s dormitory, ostensibly to care for him.


    Frondier was likely being watched by even more people than he was aware of.


    Of course, if Sylvain were willing, it would be easy for Frondier to leave the dormitory.


    If he moved Frondier¡¯s ¡°temporary lodgings¡± under the pretense of giving him private lessons, the servants would send Frondier off without suspecting a thing. After all, it was the Commander¡¯s order.


    However, Sylvain couldn¡¯t bring himself to do that. Send that child beyond the barrier all alone? How would that be any different from telling him to go die?


    ¡°But he said he¡¯d charge in alone if we didn''t help him. What kind of predicament is this? Is he out of his mind, wanting to die?¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s with his confidence?¡¯


    The confidence Frondier showed went beyond regr confidence.


    It was as if he was dering, ¡®I¡¯m going to sit on the chair right now.¡¯ Did he know what he was saying? It didn¡¯t seem like he did. Was it another kind of madness?


    But what if it wasn¡¯t madness?


    There had to be a clear reason for that calm tone.


    ¡®What on earth is he?¡¯


    Thinking about it, it was strange.


    Even when I heard about Frondier from Enfer, I thought his fate was peculiar. That the gods may have intervened. What would he have done for the gods to hate him so much?


    And that crow. His beast taming skills were excellent. Not only did it fly far out to scout and report, it could speak fluently and was very clever. I would have to test it out to be sure, but just from what I could see, it wasparable to a human.


    He also had a good sense in the mock battle I showed him. On top of that, he had judgment skills where he could put together information ande to a conclusion,posure that allowed him to think clearly, and strange calmness even when expecting death.


    ¡®¡­That¡¯s right.¡¯


    Thinking about it slowly brought back a memory. Frondier said he went to Tyburn during thest summer vacation. I heard he participated in the Rampart Battle there. Even though it was summer, fighting on the ramparts was life-threatening.


    The fact that he came back safely meant he must have shown something there.


    Sylvain took out his phone. He called his oldrade.


    ¡®Did he go back to the capital?¡¯


    It seemed like just yesterday that they boasted about each other¡¯s orders every day.


    -¡­Hello? Sylvain?


    Soon, a nostalgic voice was heard.


    ¡°Sanders.¡±


    The person Sylvain called was Sanders.


    Sanders, themander of the Shroud Knights. The man who was temporarily in charge of the knights when Frondier went to Tyburn.


    -What¡¯s the matter? It¡¯s been a while.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    The two briefly asked about each other''s recent whereabouts. It was a natural flow of conversation since they hadn''t been in touch for a while.


    But that didn''tst long. Sylvain was in a hurry mentally.


    "So, Sanders. When you were in Tyburn, did you by any chance meet a boy named ''Frondier''?"


    Sylvain didn''t expect much as he spoke. Frondier was one of the many people there at the time, so there was no way Sanders would remember him,


    -Of course! You''re talking about Frondier de Roach, right?


    Surprisingly, Sanders remembered him exactly. Moreover, it sounded like he was d to hear the name.


    "¡­Ah? Um. Yeah, that Frondier."


    Sylvain exined the situation to Sanders in moderation. He couldn''t go into too much detail, simply conveying the nuance that Frondier was about to engage in dangerous behavior, that it was a reckless act.


    Sanders, who had been listening quietly, said,


    -Let him do it. Whatever it is.


    "¡­What?"


    Sylvain thought he might have heard wrong.


    "He''s not even an adult yet! He''s walking into danger!"


    Now, Sylvain tried to persuade Sanders instead.


    Let him do it, is that something a knight would say! Sanders.


    -Hahaha.


    But then, Sanders evenughed.


    -I don''t know what Frondier is trying to do, but just leave him be. No, it''d be even better to actively help him.


    "Uh¡­?"


    Has the person changed? Did I dial the wrong number?


    It''s Sanders, Sanders for sure.


    Then Sanders added one more thing.


    -Soon, you''ll be shedding tears of gratitude. To me, and to Frondier.

 Chapter 175 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Avidfan and @Seirra1172 from Ko-fi!</i>


    Selena stood in the Constel stables. As expected of Constel, known for its horsemanship, there was a wide variety of horses.


    For a moment, she worried if she would be able to find Cassian among them, but that concern was also unfounded.


    As Frondier had instructed, the moment she lifted the cloth, a horse approached her. Judging by its appearance, it was undoubtedly Cassian.


    However, Selena couldn''t mount Cassian yet.


    "Why are you doing this!"


    Selena shouted at Cassian in frustration. But Cassian simply turned his head away from her. He still hadn''t allowed her to climb onto his back.


    ''He''s suspicious of me.''Selena broke out in a cold sweat. She understood Cassian''s feelings. She had met Cassian with this cloth as per Frondier''s orders, but there was no way Cassian could know the context.


    Therefore, he was suspicious. He seemed to be looking at Selena with an expression that asked, ''Why do you have that cloth?''


    ''Cassian has a good sense of smell. His superior intelligence means he can discern information obtained through his sense of smell.''


    Selena unconsciously hid her hands behind her back.


    ''...The smell of blood, I couldn''t get it off, could I?''


    Selena had gotten much more blood on her hands than other students her age. And it wasn''t monster blood, but human blood.


    Especially recently, while dealing with Indus''s subordinates, she had killed even more people.


    Selena didn''t particrly feel any guilt for the killings she had done so far.


    Above all, Manggot was a group of vengeful individuals who dreamed of one day swallowing the continent.


    Selena, who was raised in such a ce, had also let go of any sentimentality about killing people a long time ago.


    But if that act was going to be a hindrance now...


    If she couldn''t carry out her master''s orders, who was waiting for her return, for such a trivial reason, Selena wouldn''t be able to bear it.


    "I don''t know what you''re really thinking,"


    Selena said, looking at Cassian. She looked into his eyes, meeting his gaze that seemed to read her identity, shining with an excessive wisdom for a horse.


    "But if we don''t hurry, that person will be in danger."


    Right. Selena didn''t know the situation over there. How the battle at the barrier was going, whether Frondier had joined the fight, or if he had already crossed the barrier. She knew nothing.


    The only thing she knew for sure right now was,


    ''Lord Frondier doesn''t have this cloth right now.''


    Selena tightly gripped the blue cloth she had received.


    Without this, Frondier couldn''t use his full power. Even if she didn''t know its exact nature, from the battles so far, she could tell that this cloth was important to Frondier.


    She had received it. To bring this Cassian.


    She had been entrusted with the lifeline that would protect Frondier.


    "Whether you believe me or not doesn''t matter. Actually, I don''t care about someone like you. I don''t know why that person asked me to bring you here even after giving me this. But I won''t ask. I don''t need to. I just follow orders."


    Selena clenched her teeth. Did Cassian understand her words? No, was he even listening? She couldn''t tell what he was thinking from his eyes and face.


    "Please, help me."


    Nevertheless, Selena spoke.


    To persuade Cassian now, all she could do was use her voice.


    She just believed that her heartfelt voice would get through. That was all.


    "That person is in danger."


    Cassian quietly watched Selena as she murmured those words. She couldn''t read the horse''s thoughts. However, Cassian soon shook his head once and moved his legs closer to Selena, offering his side.


    "...Thank you."


    Selena climbed onto Cassian''s back. She covered his back with the cloth. As if pleased, Cassian tilted his head.


    ''This cloth, when I had it, I didn''t feel cold or hot.''


    So that''s why Frondier was fine wearing light clothes at the Tyburn. She thought he was just being strangely arrogant, but a small mystery had been solved.


    ''...Then he must be very cold now.''


    And her worries increased.


    "Let''s go, Cassian. There''s somewhere we need to stop by."


    Next, to Malia de Roach.


    The Roach mansion, that is...


    ''No, wait. Teacher Malia said she doesn''t stay at the Roach mansion.''


    Malia was Frondier''s mother, but she didn''t reside in the mansion. Whether she had a discord with Enfer or was truly dedicated to her research as rumored, Malia usually resided and worked at Constel.


    ''...Then during the vacation?''


    "Where should I go to meet Teacher Malia, kyaak!"


    Right after she muttered that, Cassian started moving.


    "You, you know where Teacher Malia is?"


    There was no answer from Cassian. Of course not. However, that silent gallop was a sufficient answer for Selena.


    "...Alright."


    Holding the reins tightly, Selena went wherever Cassian was heading.


    ***


    The day after the first barrier battle.


    The monsters were quiet. It seemed there would be no battle today.


    The soldiers were relieved, but the knights, on the other hand, stiffened their faces and became tense. They had also heard information about the monsters from Sylvain.


    If they weren''tunching continuous attacks, then as Frondier had predicted, they were nning to gather a massive army and pierce through the barrier in one fell swoop.


    Sylvain believed Frondier''s prediction was urate. It was a very desperate situation, but it also became an opportunity to ce a sliver of hope on Frondier, who had read the situation.


    However.


    "Unexpected."


    Frondier himself muttered that.


    [What do you mean?]


    "Those guys, it seems they''ll attack tomorrow."


    At Gregory''s words, Frondier spoke while looking at the paper on the desk.


    He had saved the map he saw in the meeting room in the workshop and drew a war situation map on paper while listening to Gregory''s report.


    Looking at it, Frondier''splexion became even more serious.


    "I knew there would be an all-out attack, but I didn''t know it would be this fast. I thought it would take a few more days."


    [It seems they''re gathering their troops in a hurry.]


    In a hurry. Yes, the enemy''s current reinforcement speed felt like that. A movement that seemed to be pushing forward the timing of the all-out attack even a little.


    At this rate, the monsters'' invasion would be faster than Selena riding Cassian and bringing Malia.


    [When will Selena arrive?]


    "Well, even if shees without any dys, it would be after sunset tomorrow."


    Selena had to persuade both Cassian and Malia. Frondier thought both would be difficult.


    Cassian was smart and had a very strong sense of pride, and Malia didn''t readilye to ces where Enfer was.


    Above all, both of them wouldn''t know much about Selena. She would need to appeal to them as someone trustworthy. As someone from Manggot, she wouldn''t have many materials to persuade them with.


    [Then we''ll see some blood tomorrow.]


    "..."


    Gregory said it as if it were a matter of course. Without Fabric of Penelope, Frondier wouldn''t be able to exert even 10% of his currentbat power. Naturally, waiting for Selena was the right thing to do.


    However, Frondier remained silent. That made Gregory uneasy.


    [You, don''t tell me... You''re not nning to go, are you?]

 Chapter 175 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...I''m not nning to cross the barrier."


    At Frondier''s answer, Gregory was somewhat relieved. And at the same time, uneasy. He wasn''t nning to cross the barrier. Then did he have other ns?


    "Gregory."


    [Why are you calling me like that? It''s unsettling.]


    "Sylvain said it before. The judgment to save many with one life is something only an emperor makes."


    [He did. So what?]


    "I thought about it after hearing those words. Could I make such a judgment? The way of sacrificing a minority for the greater good, is that possible for me? Whether such an optiones to mind or not is secondary, but could I even have the heart to do it?"


    Frondier recalled the battles of the past few days. Especially the incident at the Tyburn.


    Most of the other fights were mainly Frondier''s own battles. Of course, there were times when Constel''s teachers and Indus''s executives shed, but he had anticipated it sufficiently and didn''t think the teachers would lose. And indeed, nothing happenedHowever, at the Tyburn, he saw many deaths. He had dered that not a single ''knight'' would die, not ''soldier.''


    Yet, at the time, Frondier was surprisingly calm. Was it because he had fully prepared for the possibility of someone dying, or had he closed his heart to that possibility?


    Either way, Frondier had handled it well. He wasn''t greatly shaken by seeing someone''s death.


    Then, this time...


    Could Frondier even allow himself to drive someone to their death with his own hands? Even if it benefited the whole?


    ''I always thought I had to clear the game. Beforeing to this world, and even now.''


    He had tried everything to clear the game Etius, but he failed.


    He came to this world having failed.


    At that time, Frondier still had the mindset of a gamer. Get what you can, give up on what you can''t without regrets, find the best efficiency, find the optimal route.


    But looking back, in the end...


    Frondier had never sacrificed anything. Like a naive child, he wished for everything to go well as he wanted, and luckily, it had been that way so far.


    But someday, this luck would run out.


    And when that happened, wouldn''t the thing he would discard for efficiency be a human life?


    [Frondier.]


    Gregory called out to him.


    The crow, expressionless like a bird, tilted its head and said,


    [You''re not an emperor, are you?]


    "..."


    A tone that seemed to say he didn''t understand why Frondier was worrying about such things. Gregory couldn''t fully understand Frondier''s concerns because he didn''t know his situation.


    But that...


    "...Heh."


    How muchfort it brought to Frondier.


    "Heh, hehehe. Hahahaha!"


    Frondierughed. Heughed with his mouth wide open. It had been so long since he hadughed like this.


    [This guy has gone crazy.]


    Despite Gregory''s scolding, Frondier''sughter didn''t stop. Heughed as if he were truly amused, his shoulders shaking, even tears welling up in his eyes.


    "Right, that''s right. Kekeke."


    Frondier looked at the window of the room. The sun was bowing its head, stretching its long hair into the sunset. Outside the window, he could see the vigers and knights moving in preparation for tomorrow.


    The kitchen staff busily moving to prepare meals for tomorrow in advance, the servants tidying up the clothes to finish the day, the knights checking their weapons in preparation for tomorrow''s battle, or people praying.


    Taking it all in, Frondier said,


    "I''m not an emperor."


    Not even an emperor, not even a hero.


    I''m nothing.


    ''Discarding something to save something...''


    Sylvain was right.


    Frondier, too, wasn''t the kind of person who could make such a choice.


    ***


    And the next day.


    Around the time the soldiers let out sighs as they saw the seemingly preordained army of monsters.


    The knights, while giving instructions on top of the barrier, kept looking at one ce, passing by, and then looking at another ce again.


    Where the knights'' gazes were focused, Sylvain stood.


    Sylvain was talking with another soldier, and it seemed like a very serious conversation, so the other knights couldn''t approach.


    "...Hey, that guy next to the captain. Isn''t he a soldier?"


    "Yeah, seems like it?"


    "When did the captain be so close with a soldier?"


    "Well, they don''t seem to be talking because they''re close?"


    "Oh really?"


    "The captain''s been looking really angry since earlier. Did that guy mess up or something?"


    They found the sight of Sylvain conversing with the soldier somewhat unfamiliar, but thinking it could be so, they passed by.


    And the soldier...


    "...It''s perfect, right?"


    He muttered in a voice only Sylvain could hear.


    The soldier was Frondier. He had joined the barrier battle with his face hidden by a mask.


    "...Where did you get the mask?"


    "I have quite a few connections."


    Though it hadn''t even been a week since he made these connections.


    Rather than using connections, he had half-threatened and snatched the mask away.


    Laurie''s face, looking angry, surprised, and angry for being frightened at the same time, was still vivid in his mind.


    "Didn''t you ask me to let you cross the barrier?"


    "The n has changed. Because the enemy''s n has changed."


    At those words, Sylvain''s eyes twitched. As expected, the monsters'' attack was faster than Frondier had anticipated.


    "Is it alright?"


    "We have to make it alright. At least for today, we have to hold out here."


    Frondier looked beyond the barrier. The monsters had already filled the vast in and were overflowing.


    Even more monsters than what he could see here would now pour out.


    This time, unlike the first day''s battle, all of them, including the winged ones and the ck ones, would rush in.


    "Originally, I was thinking of secretly raiding their base, but the number of monsters increasing was faster than I expected."


    "Then what are you going to do? It''s impossible toe all the way here and go secretly."


    The moment Sylvain replied like that, one of the soldiers who was looking through a telescope shouted.


    "They''ve started marching!"


    Had they finally gathered? The monsters'' steps were gradually getting closer towards the barrier.


    Especially noticeable were the ones flying at high speed with their wings spread.


    The monsters were no longer waiting for anything. The ones flying at the forefront were proof of that.


    Confirming that, Frondier put on his helmet. It was a helmet thatpletely covered his face.


    If he was going to do that, did he need the mask? When a small doubt arose in Sylvain''s mind.


    "Menosorpo."


    Frondier said something.


    "...!"


    Immediately after, Sylvain felt the air around him change. The flow of mana had changed. This was,


    ''A Rune!''


    When did he set this up? Something thisrge, no, considering the range, it''s already going way beyond the barrier!


    Before his thoughts could be organized, Frondier nced at Sylvain and said,


    "From now on, no matter what happens, you must not show a surprised expression. All of this is happening under your n."


    "...Don''t tell me you''re wearing a helmet because..."


    That''s right. There''s no way a mere soldier could do something like this.


    Frondier was currently with Sylvain. Therefore, he waspletely hiding his face to make it seem as if Sylvain was doing everything.


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>30 spears, numbered 1 to 30 in order.</i>


    And dozens of spears rising above the barrier.


    To Sylvain, who was staring nkly at them, Frondier whispered once more.


    "Remember. You must never, ever be surprised."

 Chapter 176 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The people on the barrier saw it.


    Suddenly, spears appeared from the sky, piercing the approaching monsters. The des did not stop at one monster but skewered them like kebabs until their momentum was exhausted.


    The flying monsters that had been approaching earlier retreated slowly after plummeting from the sky for a while.


    They hade with enough force to overwhelm the humans who were struggling to respond to aerialbat, but...


    <i>Thud, thud, thud-</i>


    As their audacity resulted in a gruesome disy of death, they pped their wings and turned back. Of course, they continued to die even as they retreated.


    "Wh-what... is that...?"


    Soldiers and knights watched the scene speechless. At first, they couldn''t tell if the suddenly appearing spears were allies or enemies. They just believed them to be allies since they were currently ughtering the monsters, but...


    If those spears turned and flew towards the soldiers, it would be a hell more terrifying than the horde of monsters they were facing now."Is that Commander Sylvain''s ability...?"


    The knights soon focused their attention on Sylvain. Certainly, those spears were being created around him. While everyone was surprised, he alone was calmly observing the situation.


    At his reliable andposed demeanor, the knights'' expressions brightened.


    "It''s the Commander''s power! Don''t be afraid, everyone, and hold your positions!"


    Eventually, someone shouted these words to boost the morale of the soldiers, and...


    "Waaaaaaaah!!"


    Just like that, the barrier erupted with tremendous morale, and cheers soared above the battlefield.


    "..."


    However, Sylvain''s calm expression was literally just an expression.


    He couldn''t understand the situation unfolding before his eyes.


    The flying monsters were also colored ck like the other monsters.


    In other words, they would be much tougher than the other monsters outside, and their strength had been clearly felt earlier from the archers'' fire.


    But those spears were killing them one by one as if it were nothing. And as if that wasn''t enough, they rushed at any nearby monster and pierced them again.


    ''Each of those spears isn''t just some roughly made thing. They''re high-quality weapons that would be traded at a high price. To use dozens of them like that, and without a user...''


    "Commander."


    At that moment, Frondier spoke cautiously.


    The flying monsters that had fled and the ground monsters that were advancing.


    The two were aligning their front lines and approaching. In other words, a full-fledged sh was imminent.


    "Give instructions to the archers."


    Only after hearing Frondier''s words did Sylvain grasp the current situation. Until just now, the best he could do was pretend not to be surprised ording to Frondier''s words. Even that wasn''t easy.


    "Archers! Prepare to fire!"


    <i>Click, ck</i>


    At Sylvain''smand, the archers aimed their bows in unison. Their movements were agile and precise, even considering they were experienced soldiers.


    The sortie of the spears that were dropping the flying monsters like sparrows. All of them believed that Sylvain had aplished this miraculous sight.


    Sylvain, who had remained calm and unwavering without panicking or being surprised. The first order from his mouth. The soldiers'' morale could only be at its peak.


    And with such morale, the aura they generated, the power and uracy of their arrowheads were different from before.


    "Fire!!"


    <i>Swish, swish, swish!</i>


    <i>Thud, thud, thud, thud!!!</i>


    The same archers shot the same arrows, but the sight was clearly different from yesterday. The number of arrows bouncing off the ck parts was significantly reduced, and the archers were avoiding the ck parts and urately hitting the monsters'' weak points in the first ce.


    In this world with aura, morale literally changes the quality of soldiers.


    After confirming this, Frondier said,


    "I will continue to target the flying monsters. The ones on the ground, please block them even if it''s difficult."


    Frondier retreated without waiting for a response. Why is he suddenly moving from his position? This location would be good for observing the situation. Such a question arose but was quickly resolved.


    "Sylvain."


    After Frondier disappeared, Enfer approached him.


    "The spear technique flying in the sky, was that really your doing?"


    Enfer looked at Sylvain with suspicion. I see, he left his position because of Enfer. He''s quick-witted, that''s for sure.


    "Sylvain, I once watched the final exams at Constel."


    "..."


    "There, I saw something very simr to the spears flying around now."


    There''s no mistaking it. Enfer had almost figured out that the flying spears were Frondier''s doing. The reason why he was asking Sylvain despite that...


    ''He''s asking if I''m trying to hide Frondier.''


    If Sylvain lied here, there would be no turning back. He would have participated in Frondier''s n and disobeyed Enfer''s orders. Enfer would never tolerate it.


    Then should he just tell the truth? Enfer had almost figured it out anyway, and what would be the point of lying now?


    Frondier wasn''t someone Sylvain absolutely had to protect. More than anything, if he really wanted to protect Frondier, it would be better to inform Enfer right away and have him protected.


    "Sylvain, are those spears your doing?"


    Therefore, Sylvain''s answer to this chilling voice was predetermined.


    -You''ll be crying with gratitude soon. To me, and to Frondier.


    "Yes."


    "...Hoo."


    Sylvain was surprised by his own answer. Why? Why am I trying to hide Frondier? I knew the answer!


    But even though he was surprised, his heart became calm instead. Thanks to that, it didn''t show on his face.


    "Using a Rune, I devised a way to levitate andunch weapons into the air. It''s an application of ''telekinesis''."


    He should be honest now, but Sylvain''s mouth amazingly continued to lie. The lies flowed out very fluently.


    "...The range of this Rune, it extends far beyond the barrier, doesn''t it?"


    "Didn''t we go to the enemy''s base with the Roach Knights? I started working on it then."


    It was nonsense.


    Only two days had passed since the end of that first battle. It was impossible to draw a Rune of this scale in such a short time.


    More than anything, Sylvain had been constantly participating in meetings and training.


    Even while telling lies that were bound to be exposed, Sylvain''s expression remained unwavering.


    Sylvain finally realized his own feelings.


    ''...Frondier is...''


    Needed in this war right now.


    Arge-scale horde of monsters that exceeded expectations.


    To deal with them, they had to minimize the enemy''s variables as much as possible. The only one who could make that possible right now was Frondier, who was instantly eliminating the flying monsters.


    He was the most useful warrior in this battlefield, an excellent watchman who could read the entire situation, and a knight who could implement tactics through individual operations.


    He could not be removed from the battlefield.


    "..."


    Enfer''s eyes pierced through Sylvain. The killing intent, close to hostility, filled Sylvain''s skin from head to toe, and gradually tightened around his entire body. Sylvain just stood still, his face as if it were covered with a rag instead of skin.


    Enfer, who had been watching him silently,


    "...Heh."


    Soon closed his eyes and softened his expression. Sylvain was rather surprised by that face.


    "I see."


    Just those two words.


    Leaving behind a voice that seemed like it could be carried away by a single gust of wind, Enfer turned and walked away from Sylvain.


    Instead of climbing the barrier, he jumped over it and stood in front of it. It was the same position as the first day.


    Sylvain understood his intention. Originally, Enfer was supposed to fight on top of the barrier in this battle. It was in consideration of the flying monsters.


    Until the barrier was breached, the real threaty with the flying monsters, so it was best for Enfer, who could cut down monsters regardless of distance, to fight on top of the barrier.


    However, Enfer went down. It meant only one thing.


    ''He entrusted the flying monsters to Frondier!''


    Sylvain, understanding his meaning, shouted.


    "Archers, aim for the ck monsters! Pierce their filthy hides!"


    Eliminating the ck monsters, the next variable after the flying monsters.


    That was his role.

 Chapter 176 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Huff, huff! Huff..."


    Frondier was engaged in a fierce battle with the monsters on top of the barrier. He had already lost track of time. Judging by the high sun, it must be noon. It wasn''t easy to even raise his head carelessly.


    "Hey! Soldier! Catch your breath! If you''re going to die, die to a monster! Do you want to die alone because you can''t breathe!!"


    Someone next to him yelled at Frondier. Maybe a high-ranking soldier. Frondier didn''t know what rank he looked like right now. He didn''t want to know either.


    He tried to calm his breathing, but it was impossible for Frondier. Frondier''s eyes, which were breathing roughly through his teeth, suddenly shed.


    <i>Swish, swoosh!</i>


    <i>Thud, thud-</i>


    Flying monsters swooped in amidst the chaotic battle, and upon spotting them, Frondierunched aerial spears to crush them.


    Every time he did, mana flew away in chunks, his breathing became rough, and his legs trembled."Wow, Commander Sylvain. That''s amazing. To think you were hiding such a skill. If it weren''t for that, we would have been overwhelmed by those winged bastards and the barrier would have been breached long ago."


    The soldier who had been yelling at Frondier muttered in admiration at the sight. Then he shouted at Frondier again.


    "Hey! Raise your head, you brat! What have you done to be panting like that! If you don''t look ahead, you''ll die!"


    "...Yes, sir."


    Frondier answered curtly and raised his head. Even though his words were a bit harsh, he was right. If he didn''t open his eyes properly and look ahead, he would never be able to open them again.


    "Disgusting bastards..."


    The soldier turned pale as he looked at the scene below the barrier.


    The monsters were foolishly piling their bodies on top of each other, creating a ramp to climb the wall.


    Their overwhelming numbers made it possible. Especially the ck monsters, who were agilely stepping on other monsters and reaching the front of the wall. Most of the ones Frondier was dealing with were also ck monsters.


    However, since their movements weren''t trained, they often copsed on their own while trying to clump together. As if they had no learning ability, they repeated this several times.


    Nevertheless,


    ''They don''t stop...!''


    The soldiers gritted their teeth at their persistent behavior. There were countless monsters dying, crushed by their own kind. Yet, they charged as if possessed, creating a ramp and climbing up, stepping on their own heads.


    As if they didn''t care about death, they threw themselves at the wall as if their lives depended on getting over it.


    ''Corpses are piling up below the wall. Soon, they won''t even need to make a ramp.''


    Whether they died from human attacks or were crushed by their own kind, most of the dead monsters were concentrated in front of the wall.


    As time passed, their numbers umted, and the height of the corpses gradually approached the barrier. At this rate, they would climb over the corpses.


    Perhaps this had been their tactic from the beginning. They had enough numbers to make it possible.


    Of course, the humans wouldn''t just leave this situation alone.


    <i>Swoosh-</i>


    <i>Kaboom!</i>


    Fireballs, rocks, and typhoons cast by the mages on the barrier swept away the mountain of corpses in front of the wall. Each time, the mountain of corpses copsed, and monsters were swept away and killed.


    However, the expressions of the mages were not good.


    ''Those who are already dead...''


    There were still so many monsters they had to fight, but they were using magic to clear away the mountain.


    Mana was not infinite, and it took a considerable amount of mana to blow away the corpses piled up at the barrier. The mental strength and time required for casting were additional burdens.


    Moreover, using magic to clear away the ones in front of the barrier naturally caused damage to the barrier as well. They tried their best to avoid the barrier while attacking, but it was impossible topletely avoid it.


    "You damn bastards!! Don''t let them touch the barrier!"


    "Fuck, you think that''s easy!!"


    Shouts and curses flew across the battlefield. There was no time to mince words. They simply expressed their emotions as they were. Curses or shouts, everything would be forgotten once the war was over. If anyone held even a slight grudge, it could be resolved with a drink.


    But lives would not return. Knowing this, everyone was desperate.


    But then,


    "Wh-what is that guy doing?"


    A change urred among the ck monsters that had been charging ahead, stepping on other monsters. They climbed the mountain of monster corpses that had not yet been cleared away.


    And then, theyy t on top of it and extended their ckness like tree branches. The chunks of corpses they touched stuck together as if chained. The dyed ck color locked them into one mass, regardless of individual bodies.


    "Those crazy bastards..."


    The masses of corpses formed in this way did not easily copse even when directly hit by magic. They had to pierce through the durability of that ckness, but with the power of magic spread over a wide area, it wasn''t easy.


    <i>Kieeek, kieeeek!!</i>


    <i>Grrrr!</i>


    The sounds of the monsters grew closer. They climbed the uncopsed mountain and approached the barrier.


    "Ah, uh, uhh...!"


    One soldier screamed in fear. Fear spread, and the familiar monsters from outside and the unidentified ck monsters began to crawl over the barrier like leeches in sewage.


    At that moment, Frondier saw Enfer guarding the front of the barrier. He was swinging his sword in front of the barrier gate.


    With his attacks, dozens of monsters turned into corpses and flew into the air, but just as many monsters squeezed in, and those with unnecessarilyrge bodies blocked his view.


    If Enfer turned his gaze away, the barrier gate would be smashed to pieces in that instant.


    They couldn''t expect Enfer''s assistance. Nor Sylvain''s.


    <i>Grit-</i>


    Frondier clenched his teeth.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    He crushed the ne, and the ck droplets that gathered in his hand became a bow and arrow.


    Frondier, who couldn''t use Dragon Heart.


    While annihting the flying monsters with aerial weaving, he simultaneously eliminated the monsters climbing the barrier in front of him.


    The mana remaining was already scarce.


    Frondier, who had repeatedly depleted his mana in both training and actualbat, knew the consequences of exceeding his limits better than anyone.


    "...Sleepy."


    Frondier smiled. He could feel his blood burning. All moisture had evaporated, so even sweat wouldn''t flow. His entire body creaked with the small movement of pulling the bowstring.


    But it was okay.


    Even if his body was shattered, even if the hand pulling the bowstring trembled, even if his vision was blurry and he couldn''t see anything,


    This arrow wouldn''t miss its target.


    <i>Swoosh-</i>


    One arrow shot towards the sky and exploded like fireworks.


    The sky shone brightly with light, while simultaneously casting a shadow below.


    A selfish downpour that only soaked the monsters was forecast.

 Chapter 177 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Stainster and @DK from Ko-fi!</i>


    Raindrops, descending from the heavens, arced through the air towards the monsters, each one piercing their lives with deadly precision.


    Khryskatos aimed for the enemy''s vital points, meticulously avoiding the ck substance that the dark monsters had spread. The divine arrows pierced through the weakest parts of the monsters'' bodies, bypassing the areas tainted by the ck matter.


    As long as the monsters hadn''tpletely covered their vital points with the ck substance, it posed no obstacle to Khryskatos.


    ¡®Look straight, look...!¡¯


    Frondier forced his twitching eyes open, tracking the trajectory of the arrows. He paid no attention to the other monsters; his focus was solely on the dark ones.


    Khryskatos targeted their weaknesses. Unlike the other monsters that avoided the ck substance, these creatures were entirely ck, rendering the substance irrelevant.


    Therefore, observing where the arrowsnded revealed the dark monsters'' vulnerabilities.In this moment, it was more efficient than analysis.


    ¡®...The back, the spine, I see.¡¯


    The arrows aimed at the dark monsters didn''t strike their heads or hearts, but their backs. While some pierced their heads, the majority targeted the center of their spines.


    After firmly imprinting this information in his mind,


    ¡°Kaaagh!! Huff, ugh...!¡±


    Frondier screamed, dropping both hands. The bow lost its form, dissolving into a stream of ck water.


    Frondier, who had incorporated Mana depletion into his training, no longer sumbed to unconsciousness from it.


    He had grown ustomed to depletion itself and understood how to draw out Mana beyond that point. His experience of forcefully swallowing the Dragon Heart before Fabric of Penelope aided him as well.


    ...However, there was a reason why humans fainted upon reaching Mana depletion.


    ¡°Ugh, huff...!¡±


    His breathing wouldn''t settle down. Saliva dripped messily from his lips. An unknown substance, perhaps cold sweat, blurred his vision, trickled down his nose, and fell in droplets. Somended on the ground, others on his helmet.


    Using magic with a Mana-depleted body meant converting something else into Mana. Blood and sweat, and if that wasn''t enough, something even more vital.


    Originally, even this method wasn''t permissible for humans, but Frondier''s body, having consumed the Dragon Heart and returned from the brink of death, ¡®remembered¡¯ it. However, it was undoubtedly not the right way.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright...?¡±


    The soldier who had been barking orders moments ago scurried over, examining Frondier''splexion.


    Unless he had vision problems, it was obvious that Frondier was the one who had just fired the arrows.


    He had thought Frondier was just an ordinary soldier wearing a helmet, but he was wrong. Themanding man looked at Frondier nervously.


    ¡°Aim for the back.¡±


    ¡°Wh, what?¡±


    ¡°The back. The center of the spine is their weak point. You don''t need to be precise; just a rough hit will be fatal.¡±


    Indeed, the arrows hadn''t precisely pierced the exact center of the spine. Perhaps the entire area around it was vulnerable. While they were difficult to deal with when the head or chest was assumed to be the weak point, now that the vital point was revealed, killing them would be much easier.


    ¡°Hey, who do you think you are...?¡±


    The man finally came to his senses and was about to yell at Frondier when he shut his mouth.


    Frondier''s gaze, visible through the gap in his helmet, instantly intimidated the man.


    ¡°...Hey! The ck ones'' weakness is their back! Aim for the center of the back!¡±


    The man discreetly moved away and grabbed a soldier who looked easy to handle, shouting the information. The information was so crucial and urgent that it spread rapidly by word of mouth.


    ¡®We''ve managed to hold them off for now, but...¡¯


    The monsters swept away by the ¡®fireworks¡¯. However, even after their elimination, the monster horde continued to advance. They had only gained a temporary respite.


    It was a truly endless legion of monsters. At this point, rather than worrying about the barrier being breached, the concern was whether the soldiers and knights would have enough strength left to wield their swords until they had defeated them all.


    Then, Frondier inadvertently nced at the ck water flowing on the ground. The ne with the restoration magic embedded in it would soon draw up all the ck water, but until then, the Obsidian simply flowed in all directions as ck water.


    And that Obsidian came into contact with the ck substance that the dark monsters had spread, the substance that had bound the corpses of the monsters together.


    It was a trivial consequence of gravity and the flow of liquids, but.


    ¡®...Just a test.¡¯


    Frondier reached out his hand. Towards the ck substance spread by the dark monsters, towards the Obsidian that had touched it.


    Originally, Obsidian wasn''t a substance that Frondier could manipte in mid-air. It wasn''t a weapon made from Menosorpo. Once it left Frondier''s hand, it was just a simple liquid.


    However, when Frondier reached out to the flowing Obsidian, grasped it in his hand, and pulled it back.


    <i>Kugugu-</i>


    ¡°Wh, what? Look at that!¡±


    ¡°The mountain of corpses is copsing!¡±


    The soldier who spotted it first shouted.


    The incline of corpses that had allowed the monsters to climb over the barrier, a single mass of bodies, lost its strength and scattered like swept-away garbage.


    It had lost the force that had bound it together, dispersing naturally under the influence of gravity.


    And the ck substance that had bound those monsters together, the Obsidian, was.


    ¡°...Indeed.¡±


    Now, held within Frondier''s hand.


    He was holding a greater quantity than the Obsidian he originally possessed.


    ¡®Obsidian was in the form of Khryskatos until just now, so a considerable amount of my Mana remains in it.¡¯


    He knew that much. Of course, that Mana would dissipate over time, but he believed that for a brief moment, he would be able to control even the Obsidian that had fallen into his hand.


    But the ck substance that had touched that Obsidian, the substance originally spread by the dark monsters, had also returned to his hand.


    In other words.


    ¡®...There''s Mana remaining in this ck substance too.¡¯


    It definitely wasn''t Frondier''s Mana.


    It was the Mana of the dark monsters, or rather, the fragments of Helheim themselves. But the moment it touched Frondier''s Obsidian, all of that Mana returned to his hand as if he were its owner.


    As if the ownership of the Mana had transferred to Frondier.


    As if to prove it, Frondier hadn''t used any Mana when he ¡®retrieved¡¯ the Obsidian just now.


    ¡°... ¡°


    With a strange expression, Frondier clenched and unclenched the Obsidian in his hand. Hardening into metal whenever he exerted force, the Obsidian disyed dazzling movements, remaining within his grasp.


    And.


    Krurrk?


    One of the dark monsters met Frondier''s gaze.

 Chapter 177 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°... ¡°


    Frondier silently observed the monster for a moment. The dark monster, too, for some reason, didn''t attempt to attack and just stared nkly at Frondier.


    The dark monsters, newly born from the fragments of Helheim, were immature in their thinking. They were filled only with endless malice and bloodlust towards humans.


    The strategy of binding the mountain of corpses into one mass was also due to ¡®orders¡¯ received, not their own thinking.


    Therefore, it was natural that upon facing Frondier, a human, they would be unable to contain their bloodlust and would rush to kill him. But for some reason, they stood rooted to the spot, staring at Frondier.


    ©¤©¤Their instincts as monsters told them.


    If they tried to attack Frondier now, something worse than death awaited them.


    Kr, Krurrk, Kegegeg!!


    Having made its judgment, the dark monster turned its back and fled. It didn''t know what Frondier was nning to do, but the look in his eyes wasn''t that of someone intending to kill a monster.If that were the case, the dark monster would have attacked Frondier long ago.


    The dark monster retraced its steps, flying back over the barrier it had climbed. It didn''t even think about looking back.


    What Frondier''s eyes held wasn''t killing intent. It was©¤


    ¡°Where do you think you''re going.¡±


    Shwiiik-


    Puk!


    Frondier sharpened the Obsidian and plunged it into the dark monster''s back.


    The monster hung suspended in mid-air, impaled. He hadn''t created any specific form of weapon.


    He simply manipted the residual Mana, shaping the Obsidian into a long branch and piercing the monster with it.


    ¡°There''s something I want to try.¡±


    Frondier looked exhausted from the repeated battles and severe Mana depletion. However, a smile yed on his lips. It wasn''t a bluff, nor was he out of his mind. He had shown a simr smile right before using the ¡®fireworks¡¯.


    Did Frondier know what kind of thoughts thatnguid smile evoked in his enemies?


    ¡°Will you help me?¡±


    The dark monster didn''t understand a word Frondier said, but.


    It understood one thing clearly.


    Frondier wasn''t thinking of killing the dark monster.


    He had no interest in the dark monster''s death. Frondier''s eyes, resembled those of a child tearing the wings off a dragonfly.


    Squeeze.


    Just as he had retrieved the ck substance that had covered the monsters, Frondier now pulled on the dark monster itself as if it were Obsidian.


    In that instant.


    Kieeeeek!!


    The dark monster shrieked. It was a scream of terror rather than pain. The sensation of losing oneself, of a newly born life being transformed into something non-living without even the act of killing.


    Literally, Frondier was retrieving the dark monster as ¡®Mana¡¯.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh, urgh...!¡±


    Of course, such a dangerous act wasn''t without its consequences for Frondier. The moment he tried to retrieve the dark monster, the sensation he felt was more of disgust than pain.


    He was attempting to draw Mana from the world of the dead into his own.


    Aplete theft, taking ownership through the medium of Obsidian, from two entirely separate realms that rejected each other. It was a transgression beyond mere killing, a forbidden territory.


    An ordinary person attempting this would have long gone mad, their soul overwhelmed by the screams of the dead, the stench of corpses, and the very image of death.


    But Frondier.


    ¡°Be quiet...!¡±


    With just those words, he dismissed the world of the dead and.


    <i>Shwoo!</i>


    In an instant, he grasped the dark monster in his hand. The monster lost its form, bing nothing more than Obsidian. No, it became a ¡®fragment of Helheim¡¯.


    ¡°Ugh! Uurgh...!¡±


    Frondier barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit. The aftermath of the battle with the dark monster hit him all at once.


    The fact that all of that aftermath amounted to just a few dry heaves was proof that Frondier wasn''t normal. Whether he realized it himself or not.


    ¡°...It''s definitely a bit different.¡±


    Frondier examined the fragment in his hand. Its outward appearance was simr to the Obsidian he always used, but the aura it exuded and the way it moved were fundamentally different.


    ¡®...The monsters born from the fragments.¡¯


    Initially, Frondier had been quite puzzled to hear that dark monsters were born from the fragments of Helheim.


    The creation of something could be dismissed as the work of a god trying to hinder Frondier. If it were a god, they could easily raise a mountain with a mere thought.


    But could a god truly create monsters using only the fragments of Helheim? If the fragments were truly identical to Obsidian, then with just a bit of force, they would simply be metal. How could they produce monsters with their own will from such a simple material?


    Obsidian was the residue left after ¡®something¡¯ had been done to the fragments of Helheim. That was Frondier''s previous assumption.


    And now, he had the answer.


    ¡®The fragments of Helheim possess a will from the very beginning. The god simply extracted that will appropriately.¡¯


    Whether the fragments of Helheim themselves loathed humans, or whether the god instilled that loathing after extracting them.


    Whichever it was, even a god couldn''t create monsters from something that had no will at all. If that were possible, they wouldn''t have used the fragments of Helheim in the first ce.


    ¡®The monsters born from the fragments, the will possessed by the fragments themselves, metal with a will...¡¯


    And, the authority of the owner.


    Frondier had just felt it. The feeling of seizing ownership of the Mana from the dark monster.


    Surprisingly, the sensation wasn''t unfamiliar.


    ¡®Excalibur within theke was the same.¡¯


    In the past, Frondier had entered theke to obtain Excalibur. While he couldn''t pull out that Excalibur, he had held it in his hand.


    The feeling of retrieving the dark monster just now was simr to that experience.


    ¡®I understand now. What the fragments of Helheim are. No, how Helheim has influenced this world.¡¯


    The fragments of Helheim that remained in this world after Ragnarok, notpletely disappearing.


    The history built by humans after that, the footsteps and weapons of heroes.


    And the legends of weapons choosing their own masters, like Excalibur and Gram.


    ¡®The power emanating from Helheim was the prototype of Ego Swords.¡¯


    Ego Swords, weapons with their own will. Tracing their origins led to Excalibur, Gram, and others that chose their own masters.


    If he wanted, what Frondier held now could also potentially be another Ego Sword with enough time and effort to find a way.


    ¡°Well, that''s a story forter.¡±


    Frondier looked at the battlefield with a more rxed expression.


    Thanks to the recent retrieval, his depleted Mana had recovered considerably.


    Perhaps some monsters had witnessed the gruesome sight of the dark monster being sucked in, as surprisingly, a few of them showed signs of fear.


    The retrieval of the fragments, the dark monsters. If Frondier could continue doing this.


    The dark monsters shouldn''t even be here right now.


    An act that required no Mana and instead replenished Frondier''s Mana, the greatest threat on this battlefield.


    The dark monsters that had been painstakingly brought forth to ovee the human barrier.


    ¡°In games, sometimes,¡±


    From this very moment,


    ¡°there are times when I steal the weapons that the enemies have devised to deplete my health.¡±


    They would be Frondier''s offerings.


    ¡°It''s quite amusing, isn''t it.¡±


    To see their sorrowful efforts end up killing their own allies.


    Frondier smiled, incongruously with the content of his words.

 Chapter 178 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Iamdaven and @Eeeeerrr from Ko-fi!</i>


    The battle at the barrier raged on, and the sun, which had been high in the sky, gradually began to tilt towards the horizon.


    The situation on the front lines appeared to be at a stalemate, but the longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for the humans.


    Unlike the monster horde, which could be replenished endlessly even if they perished, the human forces were limited. This was not just a matter of numbers, but also of morale.


    The endless waves of monsters, therades dying one by one, the uncertainty of victory. If these feelings continued to umte, the battle would be lost without even fighting to the end.


    There were three reasons why the soldiers and knights at the barrier could still endure, aside from their umted experience and training.


    Firstly, the presence of Enfer.


    He stood alone, a pir of strength guarding the barrier gate. His overwhelming skill held the center of the barrier, allowing the other troops to withstand the onught.Even when the immediate battle was arduous and desperate, a mere nce towards Enfer revealed a scene of him effortlessly dispatching an ocean of enemies, a sight iparable to their own struggles.


    Secondly, the Roach Knights and their Commander, Sylvain.


    Sylvain issued orders to each knight, who in turn ryed the tactics to the soldiers, directing them with precision.


    They sent exhausted soldiers to the rear, encouraged those who were still strong, and quickly formted andmunicated future strategies to prevent the soldiers from dwelling on unnecessary thoughts.


    The steps to victory were high, long, and arduous, but climbing the single step before them was not difficult.


    And thirdly.


    "...That thing over there. It''s on our side, right?"


    Some of the soldiers who had retreated for a brief respite were observing a particr sight. While fighting, they werepletely focused, but during a moment of rest, the battlefield situation became clearer.


    And what they saw then was vastly different from what they had imagined while wielding their weapons.


    "...It''s killing monsters. It must be on our side."


    "What if it''s just another kind of monster?"


    "..."


    The mere fact that no one could immediately deny that possibility revealed just how strange the sight they were witnessing was.


    There was something ck atop the barrier.


    It resembled the ck monsters that had been tormenting them earlier, but it had a human form, and there was a certain familiarity to the body and face that asionally emerged.


    One.


    Kyaaaak!!


    Whether they were fleeing or charging in madness, the ck monsters all lost their form and were sucked into the man whenever he reached out his hand.


    And that ck liquid, once a threat to humans, transformed into armor, weapons, or even a cloak, lingering around the man.


    The soldiers were speechless at the sight of the ck monsters that had been threatening them just moments ago turning into liquid and attacking other monsters within seconds.


    Enfer, who had been fighting in front of the gate, also nced at the man who had grown enormous from absorbing the ck liquid, but he soon focused on cutting down the iing monsters.


    Meanwhile, Frondier, the true identity of that ck entity.


    ''It''s a waste.''


    Hemented not being able to handle all the fragments he had absorbed.


    It was certain that his mana was being replenished through the ck monsters, but the more fragments he had to control, the more mana he needed, exceeding the amount he was replenishing. Therefore, beyond a certain point, he had no choice but to discard the fragments.


    ''If the new ck Lotus had arrived, I could have devoured them all.''


    However, itspletion would likely take a few more days, even after Selena arrived.


    Being able to absorb the ck monsters today was an unexpected achievement. Today, Frondier had onlye to participate in the barrier battle and save as many people as possible.


    Heading towards the Helheim fragments, which were somewhere beyond this barrier, as numerous as ake, wouldeter.


    ''I need to distribute my mana efficiently.''


    Currently, Frondier''s main attacks were carried out using Obsidian.


    Even without creating any specific weapons, the sheer amount of Obsidian had increased so much that simply shaping it into thorns or des was enough to easily kill monsters.


    Above all, the crucial difference between the other side of the barrier and Frondier was that the monsters were avoiding him.


    Whether they were instinctively triggered by fear or had decided that it was better to attack elsewhere, the monsters kept their distance from Frondier. The ck monsters, in particr, were openly fleeing.


    Thud! sh!


    Of course, since Frondier primarily targeted the ck monsters, most of their escape attempts failed, and they ended up bing his prey, disappearing without a trace.


    He used void weaving to deal with airborne monsters, absorbed the ck monsters, and used the absorbed Obsidian to exterminate the remaining ones.


    With his mana being replenished through the ck monsters, this chain theoretically operated indefinitely.


    ''Ugh... it''s getting worse.''


    However, theory sometimes diverged from reality.


    Frondier was struggling to endure the nausea rising from within his body.


    It was a sensation of epting something otherworldly, something he would likely never experience again in his life.


    Moreover, this feeling came after the mental struggle of seizing mana dominance from the ck monsters, resulting in an immense drain on his mental strength.


    Right now, Frondier was not struggling because of his physical stamina or mana, but because of his mental state. It was the first time he had experienced something like this sinceing to this world.


    ''It feels like I''m umting sins.''


    He didn''t know if such a feeling truly existed, but Frondier was aware that he had crossed a forbidden line.


    He couldn''t predict what kind of butterfly effect this would have or what kind of storm it would bring upon him in the future, but he had no choice but to do it to protect the barrier right now.


    "Huu, I have to endure."


    With a paleplexion, Frondier raised his head and looked into the distance.


    Even after fighting this hard, there was still no end in sight to the monsters.


    And that wasn''t all. Frondier''s eyes narrowed as he observed the forms of monsters approaching from afar.


    "...Cyclops."


    He gritted his teeth upon confirming the shape of the one-eyed giant in the distance.


    The further out the monsters were, the stronger they became. The creatures that emerged from the deep darkness, from the abyss beyond human sight, each brought despair to mankind.


    The monsters directly in front of the barrier, even those from the outer areas, were mostly of the same species as the inner monsters. They might have been more ferocious and stronger due to their origin, but they were still goblins, orcs, and other creatures found within the inner regions.


    However, further out, creatures that existed only in the outer regions began to appear.


    The Cyclops, also known as the one-eyed giant, was one such creature. They were like a signal re, indicating the true nature of the outer monsters.


    Frondier nced around, checking the condition of the soldiers.


    ''The others haven''t noticed yet.''


    Most soldiers were too busy fighting the enemies before them to look far ahead.


    The knights giving orders were no different. Currently, only Frondier and perhaps Sylvain had noticed the appearance of the Cyclops.


    Enfer, who was facing thergest number of monsters, might not have seen it due to his limited field of vision, but his keen senses might have detected it.


    ''It''s better for them not to know right now. If they panic, they won''t even be able to deal with the monsters in front of them.''


    However, that time was just a brief reprieve.


    If that giant approached the barrier, it would be a far more serious problem than several ogres of simr size attacking. Ogres were monsters from folklore, but the Cyclops was a creature from mythology. There was a difference in their level from the start.

 Chapter 178 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "That bastard...!"


    As Frondier expected, Sylvain, who was surveying the battlefield, soon spotted the Cyclops and frowned.


    To take down that thing, the entire Roach Knights would need to form a cavalry formation and attack it simultaneously. Only then could they defeat the Cyclops with minimal damage.


    In this chaotic battlefield, that was obviously impossible. It was already reckless to even consider leading the horses out.


    ''It''s alright. The Lord is standing in front of the gate. The moment that thing approaches the gate, he will cut it down in one stroke...''


    That''s what Sylvain thought, but then.


    Rumble...


    The Cyclops suddenly stopped walking and headed somewhere else. What appeared before it was a massive boulder. The moment Sylvain saw it, his face turned pale.


    The Cyclops lifted the boulder, which was as big as its head. It hoisted it onto its shoulder, its arm muscles bulging. The ground caved in as its giant foot took a step forward. And then.Whooooosh!!


    A boulder so enormous that it was hard to believe it was real flew through the air, crushing the wind with an unimaginable speed.


    ''...Ah.''


    Sylvain stared nkly at the sight, as if it were a dream. If that boulder hit the barrier, it would undoubtedly shatter. At that moment, this battle would cease to be a battle and be a one-sided massacre.


    However, all Sylvain had at that moment was the sword in his hand.


    With this, there was no way he could¡ª


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Spear, Homogeneous Replication x5</i>


    Suddenly, something flew towards the boulder from the air.


    Spears with menacing des shot towards the rock with brute force. The boulder shattered into pieces, and the fragments rained down on the front and top of the barrier.


    "Aaargh!"


    "Kwaaak!"


    Screams erupted from atop the barrier. Although the barrier itself didn''t crumble, the debris from the boulder still inflicted damage, causing casualties among the soldiers.


    ''That was Frondier again, wasn''t it?''


    However, if they hadn''t even been able to break it, this barrier would have been finished at that moment. Sylvain looked at Frondier.


    At that moment, Frondier was also looking at Sylvain.


    "Commander!"


    Frondier called out to him.


    "I''ll take care of the boulders! Please handle the fragments!"


    "...!"


    Only then did Sylvaine to his senses and bite his lip. He naturally gripped his sword tighter, stepping forward towards the front of the barrier.


    Sylvain definitely had no means to break the boulder. He could cut it if it was aimed directly at him, but he had no way to slice through a boulder targeting the barrier.


    A ranged attack with a sword was a secret technique that required extreme aura refinement and talent, something only those like Enfer with divine skills possessed.


    However, dealing with the shattered fragments was something even Sylvain could do.


    What had he been doing just now? He had seen the iing boulder and thought it was the end, letting go of his resolve, which resulted in the fragments injuring the wall and killing soldiers, even though Frondier had managed to break the boulder.


    Just now, even if Frondier had cursed at him, Sylvain would have had no choice but to hang his head in shame.


    "Huu..."


    Sylvain raised his aura. He wouldn''t know exactly where the Cyclops would aim until the moment it threw the boulder. Therefore, he had to lighten his body to be able to move in any direction.


    The Cyclops picked up another boulder from a distance. This time, it was evenrger than before. Perhaps it felt that breaking the previous boulder wasn''t enough after seeing Frondier''s actions.


    Once again, the giant''s footsteps took a step forward.


    Whooooosh!!


    This time, an evenrger boulder flew through the air, cutting through the wind with a more terrifying speed.


    Kaboom!


    The boulder shattered once again against the spears charging through the air, breaking into fragments. This time, Sylvain moved.


    "Hup!"


    As Sylvain swung his sword, the rock fragments lost their momentum and fell. He extended his aura topensate for the sword''s insufficient length and width, neutralizing the force of the debris.


    Even though he couldn''tpletely separate and project his aura, Sylvain possessed sufficient aura mastery for this level of control.


    And his true strengthy not in his aura, but in his swordsmanship itself.


    "Wow..."


    The soldiers were amazed by the sight of the boulder being shattered by the spears in midair, but they were even more impressed by how the fragments scattering in all directions lost their power and fell as soon as Sylvain''s de touched them.


    The subtle art of instantly reading the rotation and speed of the stones and neutralizing their momentum. It was not something that could be achieved with just brute aura force.


    The Cyclops'' boulders flew several more times. It was throwing every boulder it could find in the vicinity.


    However, each time, thebination of Frondier and Sylvain managed to block the boulders without significant damage.


    ''Alright, we can stop this!''


    "Frondier! Well done..."


    Just as Sylvain was about to praise Frondier for his performance.


    "...!"


    Frondier was leaning his hands on his knees, his back trembling.


    "...Frondier?"


    Although his head was lowered, preventing others from seeing his face.


    Frondier felt like he was drowning in the Sanzu River, on the verge of death.


    ''Mana, it''s...''


    Up until now, he had beenpensating with the mana from the ck monsters. However, it wasn''t a surplus. He had been using all that mana to kill monsters, merely allowing him to continue fighting.


    He had already experienced mana depletion once before absorbing the ck monsters. And he had pushed himself a little further since then.


    And now, after enduring without recovering or fainting, it hade again.


    The second mana depletion.


    "Keuk, heuk, huff... heuk...!"


    He couldn''t breathe properly.


    His muscles were constricted, preventing him from inhaling or exhaling. Muscle and internal organ spasms, hyperventtion, rapid heartbeat. Nothing was under control, everything was in chaos.


    It was all a reflex to survive, but his body''s uncontrolled rampage, unable to follow the proper sequence, was pushing Frondier closer to death.


    Sylvain''s voice calling out, "Frondier, Frondier!", felt distant. He had no time to answer, no time to listen, no time to think.


    The winter at the barrier was bitterly cold, but his body felt like it was burning up. No, surely something was burning inside him. Amidst all this, Frondier had only one thought.


    Just before the next boulder arrives, somehow¡ª


    "...Frondier-nim."


    Suddenly.


    The coldness of the barrier vanished. The burning heat resonating within his body subsided.


    He had been in the midst of a desperate struggle for survival, unable to hear anything.


    But a clear voice reached Frondier, and he finally raised his head.


    Before him.


    "I told you, didn''t I?"


    With bloodshot eyes, a face drenched in sweat, and a breath as ragged as his own.


    "That I would protect you with my life."


    The woman he believed would only arrive after sunset.


    "Selena, has arrived."


    She wrapped the cloth she had been tightly holding around Frondier''s neck, smiling with a face that seemed about to cry.

 Chapter 179 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Guys we have a brand new TOC page! Do check it out, now includes Ko-fi links in a well organized manner!</i>


    Frondier was momentarily dazed.


    Selena, smiling at him, felt strangely distant.


    "Lord Frondier. Here''s the tie you were using."


    "...Ah."


    As if she knew, Selena held up Fabric of Penelope that she had wrapped around Frondier. Confirming it, Frondier grasped the cloth.


    "Selena, how did you get here so quickly-"


    At that moment, the monsters targeting them lunged forward. Frondier, whose fighting spirit had waned, and Selena, with her back exposed, were obvious targets.However,


    Flutter.


    Without even looking back, Selena''s needles shot out, effortlessly bringing them all down.


    "Cassian did his best."


    Selena said with her usual smile.


    Frondier looked at that smile, then at her lips.


    He saw her paleplexion, the shadows beneath her eyes, her shoulders and fingertips trembling pitifully.


    There was no way Selena would be like this if she had simply ridden a horse.


    Cassian was not a horse known for its stamina. No matter how fast he was, they wouldn''t arrive until nightfall.


    "...You."


    Did she use Manggot technique?


    Frondier was about to say so, but he stopped himself. It would be strange for him to know about Manggot technique. He almost mentioned information he had learned from the game.


    Selena''s teleportation was basically limited to herself. And if she teleported alone, she could travel a considerable distance. Just like she had gone back and forth between the Tyburn and Manggot in an instant.


    But what if Selena tried to teleport not only herself but also another person and a horse?


    "Lord Frondier."


    Selena called Frondier again. The smile she still wore was pathetic. It was near perfect thanks to her practiced acting skills, but perhaps that smile was the only way she could show that she was okay.


    "I also brought Lady Malia. She will be here soon. Cassian is waiting behind the wall,"


    "Selena."


    Swoosh-


    Selena reported between slightly rough breaths. Frondier ced his hand on her head.


    Selena, who had been diligently moving her lips, stopped.


    "Thank you."


    "..."


    "You don''t have to report. I understand everything."


    At those words, Selena''s lips opened and closed a few times. Only then did she catch her breath. She finally realized how much her body was struggling.


    Then, as if remembering something, Selena spoke again.


    "But there''s still something I need to report."


    "What is it?"


    This time, Selena didn''t answer but showed him with her actions. She took something out of her pocket and showed it to Frondier.


    "This is..."


    A long string. A metal artifact hanging in the middle, with a clear ck jewel embedded in its center.


    Selena nodded.


    "Yes. It''s the ck Lotus."


    "...I heard it would take a few more days."


    ording to Binkis and Edwin at the time, it would have taken a few more days even from today. So he hadn''t even expected it.


    "This is a message from Lady Sybil, from whom I received the ck Lotus."


    "A message?"


    - Frondier is going to go and overdo it, so we need to make it as fast as possible. Everyone worked hard when I said that. Good job, right?


    "That''s what she said."


    "...Haha."


    Frondierughed.


    Sybil must have said it as a joke, but Frondier knew that her words had actually helped shorten the time.


    Selena,posing herself, looked at Frondier and said,


    "What will you do now?"


    "The n has changed."


    "Changed, you say?"


    "Originally, I was going to somehow sessfully conclude this battle, and after a few days, I was going to find an opportunity to raid their base."


    The base, that is, the fragment of Helheim. To reach it, Frondier had found the location of the portal in the barrier. He was going to use the same portal that the empire''s shadow agents like Laurie used.


    But Selena, who he thought would arrive after this battle, was already here.


    "Right here, right now, we will break through them and pass."


    Selena''s eyes widened in surprise at his words. But she wasn''t flustered. She didn''t voice the questions that came to mind.


    "This n is possible because you arrived now."


    Even at the words praising her, she simply bowed her head.


    "Frondier!"


    At that moment, a woman came towards Frondier.


    It was Malia. The knights who recognized her face were surprised and made way for her. At the same time, they were wary of monster attacks.


    "Mother."


    "This child said she needed me, so I came. What''s going on? And why is your face like that?"


    "You came at the right time. I asked Selena."


    "In a battle like this, someone else would be more helpful than me."


    Malia said in a worried voice as she looked at the battlefield situation. The situation was definitely not good. Malia couldn''t think of anything she could do right away.


    "Mother, you only need to do one thing."


    "What is it?"


    "Cast Sensory Sharing on me."


    Malia thought about Frondier''s intention for a moment after hearing his words. The first thing that came to her mind was the previous ''fireworks'' incident.


    The monster attack that swarmed Constel and the retreat. Frondier''s technique of shooting down every single monster that fled. That was definitely possible because of Malia.


    But the fact that they needed that meant,


    "Don''t tell me, Frondier."


    Malia bit her lip and looked at Frondier. Even without saying it out loud, Frondier understood Malia''s thoughts. But he didn''t say anything. Because Malia''s thoughts were correct.


    "No. You''re nning to cross the barrier, aren''t you? I can''t let you go."


    "Mother. This is our chance to drive them out."


    "Look at your state! You''re not in any condition to fight!"


    Malia shouted as she looked at Frondier''s face.


    His pale face drained of blood, his bloodshot eyes, the traces of drool and tears from the pain. His whole body trembling slightly.


    Even if he recovered his Mana right now, the damage he had already taken would still remain.


    "Mom."


    Malia closed her eyes and turned her head at Frondier''s words.


    "If we wait any longer, many people will die."


    She knew in her head that Frondier was right, but no mother would allow her son to go into danger.


    "Please trust me."


    That''s why Frondier said,


    "I''lle back without a scratch. Just like I did during the Constel attack, just like I did during the school trip."


    Malia was one of the people who had seen Frondier''s achievements up close, more than anyone else. That''s why she could understand Frondier. She knew his strength.


    "...It has to be."


    Malia covered Frondier''s eyes with her hand. Her hand glowed brightly, and slowly, she removed her hand.


    Frondier said,


    "Please evacuate to a safe ce now. And always check your phone."


    With that, Malia went down under the barrier, protected by the knights.


    Seeing that, Frondier turned his gaze back beyond the barrier.


    The Cyclops was still there. Unable to find any rocks nearby, it was walking towards them with heavy steps.


    Selena confirmed it and looked at Frondier.


    "Lord Frondier. You don''t look well."


    Ha. Frondier let out a dryugh. Was she saying that while looking at her own face?


    ...Bute to think of it, Frondier didn''t know what his own face looked like either. In the end, they were in the same boat.

 Chapter 179 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    Frondier created and swallowed a Dragon Heart. The Penelope cloth he held glowed.


    His condition didn''t recover immediately, but his body, which had been screaming from Mana depletion, gradually calmed down.


    "You look a little better."


    "How about you?"


    "I''m fine."


    Selena replied calmly. But her face and body didn''t look fine at all. Even if not as much as Frondier, Selena had clearly pushed herself to get here."...Selena. Even if you''re not okay, endure it. I need you. Follow me."


    "Of course."


    It was an immediate answer.


    Selena raised her head and said, her captivating eyes reflecting the sunlight,


    "I will follow you even to the ends of hell."


    Frondierughed again at those words. Was she nning to talk like that forever if he didn''t tell her?


    Frondier opened his mouth, looking at Selena.


    "Selena, I''ve wanted to say this for a while, but,"


    Don''t use such clich¨¦s. He was about to say that when.


    "...?"


    Frondier looked into Selena''s eyes, waiting for his next words.


    He met eyes with Selena, who tilted her head, not knowing what he was going to say.


    "..."


    After looking into those clear eyes for a moment, Frondier turned back to the front.


    "...Hell."


    And a quiet murmur.


    Soon, Frondier epted Selena''s clich¨¦.


    Right. In this kind of battlefield situation, such words were necessary. Then Frondier also had to give a suitable answer.


    "I won''t send you to hell."


    Selena looked at Frondier at his words, facing forward again. Hisnguid face, clear eyes, the gaze that didn''t doubt his words.


    Confirming all of that, Selena gave a small smile. It was a smile that Frondier didn''t see, but it was a very sad smile.


    Frondier took a breath. The Mana filled with the Dragon Heart shone.


    "Cassian!!"


    Frondier''s voice boomed like thunder. It was the manifestation of his Aura.


    Cassian, running swiftly, arrived, and Frondier and Selena climbed onto his back.


    "Selena, do you see the one-eyed giant in front?"


    "Yes, it''s very ugly."


    "Right. There are no other monsters near that ugly one. Because it''s so ugly. It''s the same principle as how no one approaches ugly people in social circles."


    "Monsters and humans are alike."


    Indeed, there were no other monsters near the Cyclops. Of course, it wasn''t because it was ugly, but because the Cyclops'' every movement was huge, so the other monsters were worried about getting swept away.


    "In other words, if we just defeat it, a momentary gap will open up for us to break through that wall of mindless monsters."


    "Indeed. Ugly things be even uglier when they die."


    "Right. I''ll take care of that very ugly one. You take care of the moderately ugly ones that might approach from the surroundings. Rejecting ugly people is an important skill in social circles too. Learn it in advance."


    "Yes."


    Huu.


    Frondier and Selena both exhaled deeply. They gathered their respective Auras.


    Frondier lowered his head and got close to Cassian.


    "Cassian, you must be tired froming all this way, but let''s hold on a little longer. I won''t let you get hurt."


    Cassian nodded. Seeing that, Frondier said,


    "We''re going to break through that wall of monsters. I''ll leave it to you to decide how to move."


    Cassian was a wise steed. There was no need to give him instructions one by one or pull the reins. As long as they had the bnce and lower body strength to endure on the saddle, they could use both hands freely.


    Both Frondier and Selena were capable of that.


    "©¤©¤Let''s go!"


    Immediately after Frondier''s shout.


    Cassian stepped on the mountain of monster corpses and headed beyond the barrier.


    * * *


    And Enfer saw it.


    "...!"


    His eyes shook noticeably.


    He already knew that Frondier had participated in the battle. He also knew that Sylvain had covered for him.


    He was momentarily angry at all of that, but a few secondster, he felt proud instead.


    The fact that Sylvain had hidden Frondier meant that he acknowledged Frondier. It meant that Sylvain had judged that Frondier was absolutely necessary in this battlefield.


    Above all, Enfer, who had seen Frondier fighting, was also feeling a little relieved.


    Frondier was capable of ranged attacks. Anyone would be afraid of dying. Frondier would be the same. He would soon fight from a distance with his specialty, weapon throwing. Then at least he wouldn''t die pointlessly.


    But Frondier, not knowing when to back down, fought at the front, blocked the flying rocks, did reckless things that were clearly overdoing it even from here,


    And now he was riding a horse and crossing the barrier.


    "No! Frondier!"


    Uoooooh!!


    Enfer shouted towards Frondier, but an Ogre blocked his way. Of course, it wasn''t just one. Enfer was in the most dangerous situation here right now.


    The most vicious and ferocious ones in this battlefield were all clinging to Enfer. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to stop him.


    Even the Ogre right now was one that needed to be cut five times to die. The fact that it died after five strikes showed Enfer''s strength, but there were too many, and Enfer couldn''t leave his position.


    ''Frondier...!''


    Meanwhile, Frondier galloped on his horse. Judging by his direction, he was aiming for the Cyclops. However, even though there were no monsters around it, monsters were swarming everywhere else. Before he could even kill the Cyclops, he would obviously be overwhelmed by the pouring monsters.


    "Run away! Frondier, you...!"


    In the midst of the battlefield where even his voice wouldn''t reach, Enfer saw Frondier''s back. He saw the monsters pouring in like a tidal wave.


    And.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    He saw the hammer imbued with lightning, born in his hand.


    Kwarurung!


    First, lightning struck the dry sky, and 16 of them fell over, burnt to death.


    As he swung the hammer, 23 of them were pierced by the lightning that stretched out from it.


    Even those that approached Frondier''s vicinity had their joints twisted grotesquely by the gestures of the woman sitting behind him, 11 of them.


    Frondier cleared the surroundings, and Selena finished off the monsters that tried to take advantage of the gaps.


    Cassian''s speed didn''t decrease. He automatically grasped what was in front of him and moved along the optimal path to advance.


    Frondier, brushing past the blood and flesh of monsters, cutting through the sandstorm rising from the ground, and advancing at high speed. His eyes shone blue due to the influence of Mana, and his flushed face caught Enfer''s eye.


    Enfer saw and felt it at the same time. Frondier''s weapon, the might of his power, and the tremendous Mana he felt.


    And Frondier''s principle of not acting without reason, which he had shown so far.


    "...Frondier."


    Enfer recalled.


    The words of his other son, Azier, who had hisplete trust.


    -At least, he won''te back dead.


    Remembering that, Enfer raised his Mana.


    And then came his huge voice, shaking the entire battlefield.


    "Roachch Knights!!"


    The cry of the head of the family, Enfer.


    This order was an absolutemand that even included the Knight Commander, Sylvain.


    "Open the way for Frondier!!!"

 Chapter 180 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @DK and @Imjusthereforchapters on Ko-fi! P.S. New Tiers: Hestia''s Hearth and World''s Archive: Workshop are out on Ko-fi!</i>


    Immediately following Enfer''s order, the entire Roach Knights, including Commander Sylvain, blew their whistles. A high, long sound reverberated, harmonizing like a series of notes.


    Soon, a herd of horses galloped towards each knight. Mounting their steeds, the knights charged straight towards the barrier.


    There was no time to open the barrier gate. The Lord''smand must be obeyed without a moment''s dy.


    "I will lead the charge! Knights, form a wedge formation, protect Frondier, and pierce through the front!"


    The knights followed Sylvain, who rode ahead, and they all leaped over the barrier, galloping over the monster corpses, just as Cassian had done.


    <i>Thud, thud, thud</i>


    With a sound like a typhoon felling trees, they closely pursued Frondier.Frondier confirmed the presence of the knights following him. Without him needing to say anything, Cassian naturally slowed down.


    "Frondier!" Sylvain shouted as he drew near. He soon overtook Frondier, shielding his front. The knights then surrounded Frondier, crushing any approaching monsters.


    "Commander!"


    "This formation won''tst long! The moment we stop, all that remains is death!" Sylvain said, looking at Frondier.


    Although it appeared that they were easily cutting down monsters and advancing, it was only because the number of surrounding monsters was temporarily low due to the Cyclops in the distance.


    Since the Cyclops wasn''t specifically targeting monsters when throwing rocks or moving forward, there weren''t many monsters around it or in the direct path between it and the barrier.


    Frondier and the knights were able to advance because they took advantage of this gap, but soon the monsters would fill the gap and the knights would be pushed back.


    "Finish it in one go! Failure is not an option!"


    "Yes!"


    An immediate answer, as if it went without saying. A confident voice. Sylvain grinned upon hearing Frondier''s response.


    He looked straight ahead and pointed his sword forward. His rough voice reached the entire knight order.


    "Increase speed! Clear Frondier''s path! Ensure nothing hinders him!"


    "Yes!!"


    The knights surged forward. Monsters were scattered like blood-soaked confetti. Under theplete protection of the knights, Frondier caught his breath.


    Frondier''s objective wasn''t just the Cyclops. Mana conservation was crucial, and in that regard, the knights'' support was incredibly valuable.


    "Commander!" Frondier called out to Sylvain, who was clearing the way.


    "What is it, Frondier!"


    "When we reach it, I will definitely end its life!"


    "If I didn''t believe that, I wouldn''t have done this crazy thing!" Sylvain said, once again cutting down the head of a monster blocking their path. Seeing this, Frondier shouted again.


    "But when that timees, I have a request for you, Commander!"


    "A request?"


    "When we reach it, please cut off its left leg!"


    "Left leg, you say?"


    Sylvain raised his head and looked at the Cyclops. Calling it a left leg was generous; if Sylvain swung his sword horizontally to the right in front of the Cyclops, that would be its left leg. That''s how massive it was.


    "Yes! Its head is too high, and if I jump in alone, it might dodge or block me!"


    "...Alright!"


    Sylvain clenched his sword as he replied.


    He had answered, but Sylvain felt uneasy. This wasn''t his first time facing a Cyclops. He knew all too well how tough its hide was and how hard its bones were.


    The usual strategy for dealing with a Cyclops was for the entire knight order to surround it and umte wounds.


    In other words, instead of delivering a fatal blow at once, they aimed to bring it down through bleeding and muscle fatigue.


    ''¡­Will I be able to cut it?''


    He wasn''t standing on the ground but riding a horse. He could only put power into the sword using his upper body.


    In this unstable posture, even with Aura, would he be able to cut it down?


    ''No. I have to! If not now, when?''


    Sylvain calmed his eyes and steadied his mind. Naturally, his grip on the sword tightened.


    The time for debating possibilities had long passed. Preparation is never perfect.


    He had to do it now. With the next swing, the single strike.


    Soon, the knights reached the vicinity of the Cyclops. Sylvain signaled to the knights with a hand gesture.


    "Now!"


    The moment they reached it, the knights, except for Frondier and Sylvain, spread out like wings and moved to the left and right. The Cyclops'' single eye darted left and right, following the dispersed knights. A brief moment of confusion, unsure of which side to attack.


    In that gap, Sylvain''s de shot out in a straight line.


    <i>ng!</i>


    ''Ugh...!''


    A horizontal sh infused with Aura, carrying the momentum of the galloping horse. However, Sylvain''s sword barely cut the Cyclops'' leg and was stopped.


    The horse carrying Sylvain continued to run, leaving him hanging in the air, clinging to the slightly embedded sword.


    ''No!''


    In the instant the sword stuck in the Cyclops'' leg, a time shorter than a moment, Sylvain used all his strength to push the de in. But it wouldn''t budge. It was impossible to cut it while hanging in the air when he couldn''t even cut it with the horse''s momentum.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Sylvain felt a shadow rise from behind. Frondier leaped into the air. The skill with which he jumped from behind the horse, maintaining his bnce, was impressive, but it was far from reaching the Cyclops'' head.


    ''Frondier! It''s dangerous!''

 Chapter 180 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sylvain was enraged by his own helplessness. Frondier had jumped up, believing that Sylvain would cut it down. But he couldn''t meet that expectation.


    Frondier, who had leaped into the air, and Sylvain, who was hanging. Having lost the mobility of their horses, they were closer to death than anyone else at this moment!


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    The Cyclops'' massive hand swung. Towards Frondier, who had jumped into the air. A merciless hand flew towards him as if swatting a fly.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Frondier created a shield in mid-air and used it as a stepping stone to jump higher. He dodged the Cyclops'' hand by a hair''s breadth, and instead, the shield crumpled like paper and fell to the ground, soon dissolving into ck water.


    Sylvain raised his head and saw it. Frondier soared into the air once more. But the Cyclops'' next attack wasing.


    This time, the giant hand reached up towards the sky. A downward strike. If he dodged, he would never reach the Cyclops'' head; if he didn''t, he would die.


    ''Frondier...!''Sylvain''s hand, trembling from barely cutting the Cyclops'' hide.


    When was thest time he felt this powerless, Sylvain?


    When he experienced Enfer''s power? When he first faced the barrier battle? When he became a knight and realized there were always those stronger?


    Or perhaps, the very moment he first held a sword¡ª


    ¡ªCommander.


    At that moment, Frondier looked at Sylvain. With the Cyclops'' attack looming, he was looking at Sylvain.


    There was no time to open his mouth. He couldn''t even move a finger.


    Frondier simply conveyed with his eyes.


    ¡ªLeft hand, Commander.


    "......!"


    Sylvain''s wrist rotated outward. The sword that had barely cut was pulled out. As he fell through the air, Sylvain''s sword drew a circle in the air, turning to the left.


    Left hand up, right hand down.


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship Basics</i>


    <i>3rd Form</i>


    <i>Diagonal sh</i>


    As if standing on solid ground.


    Even as he fell through the air, Sylvain disyed perfect form.


    A picture-perfect stroke shed down to the lower right.


    <i>Slice-</i>


    The trajectory not only cut the Cyclops'' calf but also severed its tendons and bone joints.


    <i>Krrrrrooooaaarrr!!</i>


    A scream filled with pain. The Cyclops roared, itsrge eye wide open. Unable to stand on one leg, it lost its bnce and copsed.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Frondier''s footnded on its eyeball.


    "I offer my thanks."


    The Cyclops looked at Frondier standing on its eyeball. It was puzzling. Even though it couldn''t speak, the Cyclops was a high-intelligence individual as an external monster.


    Even though it had lost its bnce and copsed, even though Frondier''s jump had brought him to a simr height, there was a difference in distance, not height. This was a problem that couldn''t be solved regardless of whether the Cyclops lowered or raised its body.


    Frondier closed that distance. In mid-air. Without any petty tricks like shields.


    If the Cyclops could speak, it would have shouted.


    -You bastard, you could fly from the beginning!


    <i>Mj?lnir, Excaliburbination</i>


    <i>Frondier Original</i>


    <i>Pile Driving</i>


    Crack!


    Frondier struck the pommel of Excalibur with Mj?lnir. It resembled his original sword technique, ''Bombing'' but this time, he truly drove Excalibur into the Cyclops'' eyeball.


    It would never miss, and since retrieval wasn''t necessary, there was no need to use as much mana as ''Bombing''.


    The Cyclops died instantly from the single blow. To the creature that would never hear him, Frondier whispered quietly.


    "Thanks to you, Sylvain will be even stronger."


    He is absolutely necessary for the future.


    Naturally, the Cyclops, hearing nothing, slowly tilted its body. Frondier, standing on its corpse, fell to the ground with it.


    <i>Boom</i>


    The Cyclops fell with a heavy sound befitting its massive size.


    Frondier, atop the Cyclops'' corpse, looked beyond. The monsters that had kept their distance due to the Cyclops'' reckless movements. The constant stream of monster reinforcements that followed a specific path, avoiding this area.


    "...It''s open."


    The seemingly thick wall of monsters, at this very moment, revealed a path beyond.


    "Lord Frondier!"


    Frondier was about to call Cassian, but Selena was faster. She urged Cassian forward and arrived before Frondier.


    "The path is open!"


    "Yes!"


    Frondier mounted Cassian. Naturally, Selena moved to the back. The entire sequence flowed seamlessly.


    "Frondier!" Sylvain called out to Frondier, who was once again on horseback.


    "Are you nning to break through this front?!"


    "That''s right."


    "Then wait for the knights to return! The knights who spread out to the left and right will regroup soon! It will be easier to break through the monster wall with them!"


    Sylvain made a reasonable judgment, but Frondier shook his head.


    "From here on, I will go alone."


    "...Frondier."


    "No, my escort, me, and Cassian. The three of us will go."


    Frondier smiled yfully.


    His eyes were fixed on a single path leading beyond the monsters, towards their base.


    "Commander, do you remember the message I sent you earlier?"


    "The one that said ''Beware of ambush''?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Back then, Frondier predicted an ambush on the knights'' path. It wasn''t so much a prediction as it was a reality at the time.


    A path to lure humans into a trap, inviting them to their base.


    But now, the monsters were charging towards the barrier.


    A situation where they wouldn''t dream of a single human like Frondierunching a solo attack.


    "At this very moment, that path is the monsters'' weakness."


    Ambushes, traps, and the like were not prepared.


    But the path still remained.


    At this moment, the path prepared for an ambush became an incredibly convenient path for Frondier.


    It was originally a path to invite them to their base, after all.


    "The invitation still stands, so I must ept it."

 Chapter 181 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier safely pierced through the devil''s wall and headed towards the other side.


    Soon, he found a path that was easy to pass through after cutting through the trees and bushes. It was the same path that the previous Roach knights had tracked to find the stronghold.


    "...Frondier."


    While walking along the slightly elevated slopes on both sides of the road, Selena spoke up.


    "Even if the fragments of Helheim were there from the beginning beyond the barrier of Yeranhes, it doesn''t seem like a coincidence that a ck monsters appeared just when you arrived here, Frondier. Not only that, there seems to be a peculiar intention in the devil''s military power in this barrier battle."


    "..."


    "It seems like you predicted that and gave me instructions, Frondier.


    Sharp words from Selena. Frondier did not respond. Maybe she had already noticed, regardless of the answer he would give.


    "The ability to create ck monsterss from the fragments, and the power to control all those tremendous devil forces."Indeed.


    Selena''s calm voice deepened behind Frondier.


    "...The gods have intervened."


    "That''s right."


    "Right now, we are heading towards the fragments of Helheim where the gods have intervened."


    "Yes."


    Frondier''s reply was asposed as Selena''s. After hearing that, Selena remained silent for a while.


    Frondier asked, "Are you afraid?"


    "Pardon?"


    "The fact that I came here and the ck monsters appeared from the fragments at the same time. This is no coincidence. The gods surely are aware of me and have intervened in the fragments of Helheim. Even mying here might be part of the gods'' trap."


    Frondier thought that it had been tough toe this far, but it seemed to have been resolved well.


    Thus, he was concerned about how far the gods had prepared.


    "It''s definitely not aplete descent."


    If any deity had truly seeded in manifesting themselves using the reverence of fragments and demons, they wouldn''t have moved so intricately.


    If Frondier was displeasing, it would be easy to simply kill him then and there.


    However, they haven''t done so. Meaning, although they''ve intervened, they cannot move as freely as they wish.


    What''s important then is what happens after reaching the fragment. Surely, something has been set up there.


    "If I fall into a trap, there''s a chance you could get dragged into it too. No, given that you''re helping me, the deity might n to kill us both. That would be scary, wouldn''t it?"


    Frondier said this, yet he couldn''t understand his own intentions. Why was he saying this to Selena?


    To safely reach the fragment, Selena''s near-perfect closebat skills were absolutely necessary. So, it would have been better to keep quiet and not scare her unnecessarily.


    ...Yet, did he still want to say it?


    <strong>I''m putting you in danger. Even so, will you help me?</strong>


    Did Frondier want to hear a ''yes'' to such a question? There''s a limit to being shameless.


    "......The escort,"


    Just then, Selena, who seemed to be contemting, spoke up.


    "I don''t worry about ''getting dragged into'' the dangers of the person I must protect. It''s part of the job."


    At those words, Frondier bowed his head. He felt something akin to admiration for Selena.


    It''s odd to say now, but Selena is not Frondier''s escort. The escort is merely a formal position Frondier used when introducing Selena.


    Surely, Selena hasn''t forgotten that. She just decided to answer that way now.


    "And my worries arepletely elsewhere."


    "Elsewhere?"


    "Have you forgotten? Mr. Frondier, you said you would let me meet my family. You would let me know my lineage, who I am."


    Selena had not known who she was until she met Frondier. She hadpletely lost her memory.


    Selena de Barnier. Despite everything, the name of the Barnier family''s daughter evoked a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu in her. That''s why she trusted Frondier.


    "That''s right."


    Frondier nodded. He had neither forgotten nor overlooked his promise to Selena.


    However, he couldn''t introduce Selena to the Barnier family just yet.


    Given Selena''s importance to Manggot, it was highly likely that the Barnier family had been tampered with by Manggot as well.


    He could not allow Selena to meet her family under any circumstances.


    In other words, Selena could meet her family only after Manggot was dealt with.


    Of course, he couldn''t tell Selena this. She was, technically, a person of Manggot, and she hadn''t fully decided to side with Frondier.


    "So, it would be problematic if you died. At least before you keep your promise to me. Why else would I protect you, Mr. Frondier?"


    "Indeed."


    "Don''t mistake yourself as being important to me."


    A phrase Selena had once said to Frondier. Although her voice was deliberately cold, just as it had been then, Selena added one more thing.


    "You must not die."


    "Right."


    As Frondier responded, he felt his thoughts rifying.


    This was the appropriate level of rtionship with Selena. Each had something the other wanted, and therefore they cooperated, without the need for unnecessary thoughts or feelings at the moment.


    ...Just.


    ''When can I tell her that?''


    There was something Frondier hadn''t told Selena.


    That Manggot had killed her father.


    Would the daye when Frondier would have to convey this fact himself? That was the only thing left on Frondier''s mind.

 Chapter 181 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier and Selena emerged from the forest onto a narrow path.


    However, they soon had no choice but to stop.


    In front of them was a sheer cliff.


    "It really is a good path for an ambush."


    "Exactly. If the enemy flees due to an ambush, that''s that. If they try to force their way through, we lead them to this cliff."


    Frondier and Selena hade this far riding only a single horse, but normally, like the Roach Knight Order, arge cavalry would be expected. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for the riders to stop immediately upon discovering the cliff.


    If the lead stopped at the cliff, those behind couldn''t stop, resulting in them being pushed off the cliff all at once.


    Even if that didn¡¯t happen, being backed against a cliff meant facing the ambushing monsters would require being prepared for death.


    "But it''s not like we''vee the wrong way. Look over there."Frondier saw a great in at the end of the forest, beyond the cliff.


    Their expressions hardened. Cassian, the horse they were riding, seemed tense too, stomping its hooves on the innocent ground.


    They discovered it.


    A giant cier floating above the in, filled with something ck.


    "That''s a fragment of Helheim."


    This ce, further north than Yeranhes, even if it''s called a in. The ground waspletely frozen, and the forest was full of thorn bushes that could somewhat withstand the winter.


    And filling their view, a massive horde of monsters.


    "It''s tremendous. Not just in number, but the quality of the monsters gathered on that cier is superior."


    "They said they worship it, and it really looks like that."


    Astonishingly, all the monsters were kneeling around the cier, bowing their heads. Whether they stood on two legs or four, it was the same.


    "If all these monsters had participated in the barrier battle, it would have been dangerous."


    ¡°On the contrary, for a god to exert its power in this world, a monster¡¯s offering of that magnitude would be necessary.¡±


    If the monsters were to participate in the battle of the ramparts, the offering would weaken, and the god¡¯smand wouldn¡¯t reach them. Then everything would truly be over.


    Perhaps the enormous horde was the ¡®minimum¡¯ number of followers the god needed to use its powers.


    ¡°But there are no monstersing this way. In fact, I was somewhat prepared for it.¡±


    ¡°I was worried about that too, but it seems like they can¡¯t even if they wanted to. This path may be perfect for ambushes, but it¡¯s not a ce where monsters can move inrge numbers.¡±


    Furthermore, they¡¯d have to scale this cliff, which would be incredibly difficult.


    There¡¯s no such thing as terrain that¡¯s advantageous only to your side. If the situation or the war situation changes, terrain that seemed favorable to your army could suddenly turn against you.


    Unless an ambush had been specifically prepared, monsters would have a hard time getting here.


    ¡°Then what should we do? Even if they¡¯re distracted by the offering, they¡¯re still a formidable force. Can we really get past that horde and reach the fragments?¡±


    ¡°This is a cliff, and we¡¯re at a higher position, so we might as well take advantage of it. If we activate Menosorpo now, we can quickly fly all the way to the fragments.¡±


    ¡°I see flying monsters too. Some of them might be able to attack us from a distance.¡±


    ¡°A monster can¡¯t fly without wings. To deal with a sudden intrusion, it has to p those wings to prepare itself. It¡¯ll be somewhat dangerous, but we¡¯ll have to take that risk.¡±


    Frondier took a deep breath. He seemed tense as his mouth was shut tight. Selena briefly looked at him with a puzzled expression before grabbing Frondier¡¯s sleeve, who was about to move.


    ¡°What is it, Selena?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Surely not.¡±


    ¡°Surely not what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to go alone, are you?¡±


    Frondier looked at Selena upon her words.


    Selena shot a quiet re at Frondier, seemingly genuinely upset.


    ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re too heavy to carry and fly, Selena.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can dismiss me like that. It¡¯s too obvious that you¡¯re trying to go alone.¡±


    Frondier tried to pull his sleeve away gently, but it was no use. Not only was Selena¡¯s strength far greater than his, but she was yanking on it so hard that the clothes were beginning to tear.


    ¡°I¡¯m your escort, yet you don¡¯t trust me at the most crucial moment?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s something flying or something that attacks us from afar, I¡¯ll take care of the small stuff before we reach the fragments.¡±


    Selena¡¯s voice was calm yet firm. Frondier shut his eyes at the sight of it.


    Of course, Selena would be a great help until they reached the fragments. Frondier wasn¡¯t doubting Selena¡¯s ability. He also didn¡¯t think that Selena would be harmed by a beast¡¯s attack.


    However, Frondier felt creeped out by the fragments. He had felt a very unpleasant sensation when absorbing the ck monsters, but this gigantic iceberg was like an even greater concentration of that energy.


    Moreover, he was almost 100% certain that the god had done something there.


    In that case, Frondier wouldn¡¯t be able to guarantee Selena¡¯s safety. It was obvious that she would get swept up in it if she was right beside him.


    What to do? Should he trust Selena and fly there together? Or should he somehow shake her off and charge in alone?


    Frondier¡¯s worry deepened. Then, just at that moment¡ª


    Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!


    Frondier and Selena perked up their ears at the familiar sound.


    From the opposite direction, a group on horseback was seen heading towards the fragment.


    All of them were dressed in jet-ck robes that hid their appearances, but they were unmistakably humans.


    The group of mounted humans was vigorously advancing towards the fragment in Helheim.


    Right now, Sylvain or the Order of Roach, who should be busy with the battle at the barrier, would be unable toe here after confirming Frondier¡¯s intrusion.


    Enfer as well. Not even a single one of them could spare any manpower to spend here.


    In other words, they were not Yeranhes¡¯ troops.


    ¡®¡­That woman.¡¯


    Among the dimly-seen faces through the gaps of their robes, Frondier discovered a familiar visage.


    The woman he had shared a deep connection and conversation with not too long ago entered his sight.


    Laurie. Her bright blonde hair and facial features were too difficult to hide with robes.


    In other words,


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re imperial secret agents.¡±


    Even if he didn¡¯t know what information Laurie had ryed to the secret agents, some of the secret agents had decided to enter the fragment.


    Serena asked, having silently observed them.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to help them?¡±


    Although it was unknown how skilled the secret agents were, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to pierce through the monsters and reach the fragment with their current numbers.


    To begin with, the secret agents were trained to throw away their lives for the empire¡¯s benefit.


    The group currently advancing probably only intended to destroy the fragment by about 30%, and they were fully prepared to die. Their lives could be taken that lightly.


    Knowing this, Frondier replied.


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    ¡°......¡±


    After briefly examining the path the imperial secret agents were taking to the fragment and the entire battlefield, Frondier spoke again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I wouldn¡¯t take advantage of them, though.¡±

 Chapter 182 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Seirra1172, @Mop, @Gingerth3gr8 and others from Ko-fi!!</i>


    With a hardened expression, Laurie advanced. She had anticipated this oue to some extent when delivering her report.


    ¡°Confirm whether the cier is essible and destructible.¡±


    Those were the Empire''s instructions. And under the guise of assistance, they had dispatched personnel from the secret agency.


    In reality, it was no different than sending them to their deaths.


    "There''s no need to destroy it. We just need to attack the cier once and retreat immediately," Laurie said to those riding alongside her, making it sound like a simple task.


    However, she knew the truth. Even if they managed to break through the wall of monsters and strike the cier, the moment they did, every monster would turn on them in unison.


    They couldn''t hope to escape unscathed after venturing so deep into the heart of the enemy."This is what it means to work for the secret agency. You were prepared for this, weren''t you?"


    The leader''s voice was calm. Everyone, including Laurie and the leader, understood the implications of this operation.


    This was the life of the secret agency members. They did whatever it took for the Empire''s benefit. This principle applied not only to enemies but also to allies.


    The secret agency had deemed the cier discovered in the northwest of the continent a top-tier threat and sent them to assess it.


    If Laurie and her team failed, they would simply send another group, and another after that. In essence, they were bait thrown to gauge the danger and strength of the enemy.


    "All for the glory of the Empire."


    "For the glory of the Empire."


    Everyone echoed the leader''s chant. Their voices were not loud. This single phrase was not a battle cry to boost morale but rather a form of self-hypnosis.


    "Laurie, your ability is crucial. Use your hypnosis on any dangerous monsters that detect and approach us. I leave it to your judgment to determine which monsters pose a threat. They don''t necessarily have to be the ck ones."


    "Yes, understood."


    They rode in a circle around the outskirts of the monster horde. A few monsters noticed them, but most were preupied with worshiping the fragment.


    The leader observed the monsters'' positions from the outside, searching for the most likely opening.


    "¡ªFrom here, we turn left. Once we approach the cier, we''ll split into three directions. I''ll give the signal."


    "Yes."


    "Let''s go!"


    With the leader''s deration, the reins of the horses were pulled in unison. They made a sharp left turn and charged towards the cier.


    <i>Grrr-</i>


    <i>Uwaaaaa!!</i>


    Several monsters noticed their approach and naturally moved to block the secret agency''s advance.


    *Tatatat!* The faster ones were the first to converge on them. Personnel on the nks of the unit moved to intercept, wielding swords and thrusting spears at the monsters.


    Meanwhile, Laurie tirelessly scanned her surroundings, searching for targets for her hypnosis.


    Her ability was exceptionally effective, capable of ensnaring almost any monster, but the stronger ones drained her mental energy significantly, especially inrge numbers.


    Therefore, it was better to use it on truly dangerous monsters rather than on


    any random one.


    No matter what, she could hypnotize at least one. There had never been an exception.


    ''...Except for Frondier.''


    Usually, when she hypnotized a powerful opponent, Laurie could gauge their strength based on the amount of mental energy it required.


    However, with Frondier, she felt nothing. So initially, she thought it had worked. She assumed he was a weakling who barely required any mental effort.


    But the reality was the opposite. It hadn''t worked at all. Laurie''s mental energy remained undepleted, and Frondier waspletely unaffected. It was as if the hypnosis had simply ''missed''.


    Could it be that such a thing would happen again, even with a monster? The thought terrified Laurie.


    "Now!"


    The leader shouted, and with that, the secret agency split into three groups, spreading out like wings.


    Not all of them needed to survive. They just needed one person to assess the cier''s strength and return alive.


    From that perspective, Laurie, with her ability to hypnotize, had the highest chance. That''s why the leader and the others were desperately protecting her.


    Laurie, part of the leader''s group, charged towards the cier while the two wings on either side split left and right, drawing the monsters'' attention.


    However, there was something they didn''t know.


    "What...?!"


    Their strategy of dividing into three groups to distract the monsters only worked for a brief moment. The monsters quickly realized their intentions.


    Monsters swarmed towards Laurie''s group, who were heading straight for the cier in a single line.


    The secret agency members had a superficial understanding of the outer monsters.


    They were unaware of the difference between the monsters just beyond the barrier and those deeper within.


    If they employed the same tactics they used against ordinary monsters, they would be the ones falling for a trick. Only tactics capable of deceiving humans could deceive the outer monsters.


    "Co,e back! Come back!"


    The leader shouted urgently. Even without hismand, the scattered groups changed course.


    But that was a mistake. The two wings that had abruptly changed direction were already losing formation.


    At that moment, the monsters, which were supposed to attack only Laurie''s group, pounced on the units that had split to the sides.


    "Ugh, uwaaaak!"


    "Aaack!!"


    The legs of the horses were severed by the teeth of the crawling monsters. Human necks were ripped apart, and torsos were sliced off by those attacking from above.


    Humans swung swords and clubs, but amidst the countless shadows of attacking monsters, they couldn''t distinguish friend from foe.


    If they had fought like madmen, solely focused on their own survival, they might have taken down a few enemies with them.


    But their concern for theirrades prevented them from swinging freely, and they fell to the ground alongside their allies.


    They were trampled by the monsters'' feet, teeth, and clubs, their bones breaking until their skulls were crushed.


    "Ugh...!"


    Laurie''s eyes shed. She couldn''t bear to watch the carnage unfolding on the two wings.


    She selected the strongest-looking monsters among those attacking the humans and hypnotized them. Soon, a bizarre scene unfolded where monsters began devouring each other.


    "Laurie! Conserve your strength!"


    The leader shouted upon witnessing this. However, Laurie kept her lips tightly sealed and didn''t respond.


    "Laurie! Don''t forget, we''re all destined to die! If we fulfill the orders from above, that''s enough!"


    "...Even so! Not everyone wanted to die a meaningless death like this!"


    "If youplete the mission and return, it won''t be a meaningless death! Laurie!"


    Just as they were fiercely shing opinions without an inch ofpromise,


    "Le, leader! It''sing from the right!"


    One of the members on the leader''s right side shouted.


    This time, creatures resembling wild dogs were approaching them. They were faster than the previous monsters and disorienting to the human eye.


    If they were attacked here, Laurie''s main unit would be instantly overwhelmed.


    "Ugh!"


    Laurie stretched out a hand. Her hypnosis reached the dogs, but it wasn''t enough for all of them.


    A few bit into nearby wild dogs and copsed together, but most of them continued their charge without losing speed.

 Chapter 182 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The leader stopped his horse. The others did the same.


    The leader shouted,


    "Laurie! Just look ahead and run!"


    Startled, Laurie btedly pulled on the reins.


    "Leader!"


    "If you stay here now, we''ll die together! If you don''t want a dog''s death, then find a way to escape!"


    Laurie scanned her surroundings. The wings being swallowed by monsters on both sides. The main force being rushed by dog-like creatures.


    They would surely die. The possibility of returning alive was a slender one to begin with, but to die without even properly carrying out the mission.


    It was a worthless death, simply thrown to the monsters as prey.To attach even a few lines of meaning to their deaths, she must live. She must live, confirm the cier, and escape. Of course, even that had a slim chance of survival, but it was better than staying here.


    Run, Laurie. Run.


    Pull the reins in your hand, hurry.


    "...No."


    Laurie extended both arms forward. Along with it, the surrounding monsters fell. The wings got a breath of fresh air, and the approaching dogs also fell, tripping over those in front.


    Drip-


    Blood dripped down Laurie''s lips.


    Laurie couldn''t abandon them.


    She knew it herself. What she was supposed to do as a secret agency member. That this was just a temporary reprieve.


    And she also knew. That her disposition was ill-suited to that of a secret agency member.


    The secret agency would do anything for the Empire''s benefit. The reason Laurie had continued doing the job until now was because the so-called benefit was directly connected to the lives of the Imperial citizens.


    Laurie had done dirty work to save people. She had killed people to save people.


    Escaping alone, running away to save herself in exchange for a few lines of information, even if it was life-saving information, was never in Laurie''s consideration.


    That is to say, she...


    "You want to save everyone, don''t you?"


    "Huh?"


    Laurie let out a small shriek, her hair standing on end.


    That voice, she had heard it somewhere before, and instinctively, her body was filled with ''fear''.


    <i>Rumble---!!</i>


    Something crashed down from above,nding directly onto the oing pack of wild dogs.


    "What?!"


    Laurie could not tell what had fallen because it all happened too quickly for her to see.


    She tilted her head back and squinted her eyes, finally able to see what it was.


    A gigantic building. A three-story tall building had fallen out of the sky onto the tnd where there was nothing just moments ago. The wild dogs were crushed under the weight of the building, writhing in pain.


    "W-what the heck?"


    "Is that a monster too?"


    Laurie nced at her surroundings after hearing voicesing from both of her sides.


    They were the voices of uninjured survivors of the horrific massacre by the monsters. But now, those monsters are gone.


    They were all lying dead around the camp, arrows piercing their heads, chest, and necks.


    ''Did they take care of the monsters on either side of the troop, as well as the wild dogs approaching the main camp, all at the same time?''


    And without harming any humans?


    Laurie knew instantly who had done all this. There was no mistaking it after seeing that giant building. But she couldn''t believe it.


    That the torturer who locked her up for a month without giving her anything to eat or drink, was capable of doing something like this...


    "I''m afraid I don''t have enough strength to save everyone."


    The voice that interrupted her thoughts came again.


    It was still irritating, and she wanted to beat him up if given the chance, but it was equally terrifying.


    "...Frondier."


    Laurie raised her head and red at him.


    Frondier was floating in the air, looking at Laurie with a smile from in front of the building that had fallen from the sky.


    "We don''t have time to talk. Hurry up and take your people inside."


    "...Inside there?"


    Laurie looked at the building that Frondier was pointing at with his thumb. Of course, it was a ce that held no fond memories for Laurie.


    "Do you want to die here?"


    "..."


    Laurie bit her lower lip and looked around. All the monsters in the area were wiped out in an instant.


    It was astonishing, but it also meant that more monsters of the same number would soon being for them. The horses were frightened, and the troop''s morale was dismal.


    "Leader, let''s go into that building."


    "Is this okay?"


    "It''s not okay, but it''s the only way."


    The leader saw Frondier floating in the sky.


    Laurie momentarily forgot, but in this world, the mere fact that a person is floating in the sky is enough to suggest the extent of their power.


    It''s too vast a in to be standing on a thread, and floating at that height isn''t possible with ''levitation'' magic.


    Above all, considering the situation before and after, the monsters being wiped out and that building suddenly appearing must be due to that man.


    "Everyone! Lead the horses and enter the mansion!"


    Following the leader''smand, the members of the dark group hesitantly headed into the building. They were mindlessly riding their horses when suddenly, something made them look back.


    The horrifying scene where they had fought the monsters just moments ago. There were bodies of humans everywhere, and some were still breathing.


    Though the injuries were severe, there were stocked medicines and healers here, so it might be possible to save them if enough time was given.


    ...But this is no ce for such naivety. The monsters will soon attack again, and we must enter that building as quickly as possible.


    "Move all the injured."


    "?!"


    That''s when Frondier spoke. Everyone looked at him in disbelief.


    Frondier scanned the surroundings and said,


    "I''ll give you three minutes. Move everyone by then. After that time, the door will close. I don''t care whether they''re alive or dead."


    Three minutes? With the monsters about to pour in again, how can he give us three minutes?


    How exactly is he going to give us that time,


    Vroom-


    Then, the people saw it. Spears suddenly appeared around him floating in the air, spreading out widely and arranged in a circle.


    Zap!


    And when Frondier swung something like a hammer, lightning surged, running along the spears. The lightning connected all the spears together.


    It was thepletion of a temporary barrier to protect the humans.


    "It''s three minutes."


    The time limit was set again. People snapped to their senses and hurriedly moved. They moved the injured and lined up the horses, quickly getting them inside.


    And among the group trying to sneak into the workshop was Laurie,


    "Laurie."


    Startled.


    Frondier unmistakably called her out.


    Turning her neck like a rusty machine, Laurie saw Frondier looking at her with his usual smile.


    "I guess you''ll have to settle the ounts for their lives."


    <i>...Settle the ounts?</i>


    <i>Why me?</i>


    I don''t have any money. How am I supposed to settle the ounts for all these people''s lives by myself?


    "Don''t worry. You''ll definitely be able to pay it back. And only you can do it."


    Frondier spoke as if to reassure, but Laurie was anything but reassured.


    <i>Even if I don''t know how I''m supposed to pay it back, nothing but ominous thoughts filled my mind.</i>

 Chapter 183 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The workshop doors closed shut as the injured were carried inside and everyone took shelter.


    Amidst the chaos and urgency, it was unclear whether it had truly been just three minutes.


    However, during the time it took for everyone to enter, Frondier had wlessly prevented the monsters from approaching.


    "On behalf of everyone, I express our deepest gratitude."


    As Frondier entered the workshop, the leader bowed his head. The interior was already brightly lit by the orbs of light conjured by the mages.


    "We would all be dead if it weren''t for you."


    Frondier neither affirmed nor denied the statement, simply surveying the people gathered inside.


    "If you truly feel grateful, please make one promise to me."


    "What is it?""It''s not just your promise I need. Everyone here, please listen carefully to what I have to say."


    At Frondier''s words, all eyes turned towards him.


    Frondier spoke, "I know that you are all ''Ambu''."


    "....!"


    Most faces remained unchanged at his words, but not all. The brutal battle, the injuries of theirrades, the sudden rescue, and the mysterious man ¨C it was difficult for everyone to maintainposure amidst the onught of events.


    "Wh-what do you mean...?"


    Someone even attempted such a futile protest, clearly revealing how cornered they felt.


    Ignoring the protest, Frondier continued, "I have seen all of your faces now. You wouldn''t have worn masks while fighting monsters, so I assume these are your true faces. We know each other''s faces well now."


    Frondier pulled at his cheek to show that he wasn''t wearing a mask. He had indeed discarded the mask he used during the barrier incident long ago.


    "Therefore, we haven''t seen each other today. First, you must keep this promise."


    "Haven''t seen...?"


    "Yes. You were not rescued by anyone, you never saw this building in the first ce, and you have sessfully returned from your mission. Nothing happened here, and everything went ording to your n."


    The Ambu members exchanged nces at Frondier''s words.


    In other words, he was asking them to pretend they hadn''t seen him.


    "If you keep this promise, I too will not speak of you or the existence of ''Ambu''."


    They would keep each other''s secrets.


    This proposal wasn''t bad for the Ambu. They knew little about Frondier, and there was no reason to refuse someone who offered to keep their information confidential.


    More importantly, if Frondier hadn''t saved them, they wouldn''t have survived, let alonepleted their mission. This price was incredibly cheap inparison.


    "...Understood."


    "And one more thing. This isn''t a request, but rather advice."


    "What is it?"


    As the leader inquired, Frondier raised his right hand slightly.


    At first, they didn''t understand the meaning of his action, but soon they felt a slight pressure from above.


    This feeling, they had felt it somewhere before. Like when riding an elevator.


    In other words...


    ''Could it be, this building, it''s floating in the air?''


    Just as they suspected.


    Frondier lifted the workshop into the air.


    The Ambu members were stunned, witnessing Frondier effortlessly lift the building with so many people inside with a mere gesture.


    "I''m going to destroy the fragment now."


    Frondier spoke, leaving behind their shocked expressions.


    "So, don''te out of this building."


    * * *


    Frondier opened the workshop door and climbed to the roof.


    The cier floated in the air. The fragment within it continued to spawn ck monsters onto the ground.


    "...It''s amazing how it can create so many monsters without depleting."


    Selena narrowed her eyes beside Frondier.


    Considering the barrier battle, the number of ck monsters was immense. And most of the ck monsters that Frondier killed had be Obsidian, residing within his ne.


    In other words, even after creating so many ck monsters, the fragment still remained that size. Its quantity seemed endless.


    However, Frondier shook his head.


    "It won''t deplete."


    "Huh?"


    "The fragment within that cier will probably never run out."


    "Why, why is that?"


    Frondier opened his mouth as if to answer Selena''s question, but then closed it again, seemingly remembering something. He chuckled and ced his hand on Selena''s head.


    "You''ll find out soon."


    Selena didn''t press further. While Frondier generally exined things well, she had never gotten a proper answer by rushing him. More than that, she didn''t want to.


    "Selena, can you still teleport?"


    Teleportation also consumed Mana, making it impossible to use indefinitely.


    Especially since Selena had pushed herself to teleport quickly, bringing both herself and another person along with a horse, it would be even more difficult now.


    "Of course. It''s enough to stay by Frondier-nim''s side."


    However, Selena answered resolutely.


    Her response should have been satisfactory to Frondier, but for some reason, his expression darkened.


    Selena was puzzled by this, but Frondier turned his head away again.


    "Good. Let''s go destroy the fragment."


    Selena nodded at his words. Her eyes then sank deep with focus. Confirming this, Frondier spread out both hands.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Excalibur</i>


    The shining sword materialized in his hands. Frondier checked Fabric of Penelope. The cloth, which he had hastily tied around his arm forck of time to tie it as a necktie, was now more than half gone.


    "...It seems like there''s a lot more cloth left than before."


    "My total Mana has increased in the meantime, and I''ve been using the fragment''s Mana continuously."


    Frondier had continued to utilize the Mana from the ck monsters even after obtaining Fabric of Penelope.


    Thanks to this, the cloth, which should have almost disappeared by now, still retained about half of its original length.


    "But there''s nothing to hold back when destroying that fragment. I''m going to use all the Mana contained within it. I''m not even sure if it will break even after using all of this."


    "Yes."


    "I''ll reach it first by flying, so follow me by teleporting."


    Selena nodded. Frondier gripped his swords tightly. He took a deep breath, and in that instant, his Mana began to flow into Excalibur.


    Inhale, exhale.


    Afterpleting his usual breathing routine,


    Frondier kicked off the ground and charged towards the cier.

 Chapter 183 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Haaah!"


    His body cut through the air in a straight line towards the cier. Monsters rushed to intercept his attack.


    Frondier ignored everything else, focusing all his energy on a single point on the cier ¨C the Mana-infused des, Menosorpo, and high-speed flight using Aura.


    He didn''t see the winged creatures, the wild dogs, or the massive, house-sized monsters charging towards him. Their scream-like cries didn''t reach his ears.


    Everything that sought to take his life was dealt with by,


    <i>Shhhk! Shhhk! Shhhk!</i>


    Selena''s needles, which shot up from his shadow.


    ''This is... more difficult than I thought...!''


    Selena eliminated the approaching monsters by repeatedly teleporting next to Frondier.Not on the ground, but in mid-air, and at high speed towards a single point ¨C protecting Frondier by repeatedly teleporting and eliminating surrounding monsters was no easy task. Selena''s vision began to blur.


    However, she persevered. Amidst the constantly changing scenery and the disorienting shifts in direction, she managed to fire her needles and bring down the approaching monsters.


    Of course, even Selena couldn''t keep up this kind of response forever, but,


    "Haaaah-!!"


    Frondier''s strike reached the cier first.


    <i>Kwaa-ang-!!</i>


    The moment the sword collided with the cier, a massive shockwave and burst of air nearly sent Selena flying.


    "Huu...!"


    However, she gritted her teeth and anchored herself to the ground with her needles, enduring with her Aura.


    If her weapons were thicker and longer, it would have been easier, but there was no point in dwelling on such things.


    "Ugh, argh...!"


    A groan escaped from between Frondier''s clenched teeth. The cier was harder than he had anticipated.


    He thought he could pierce it in one blow with Excalibur, which had absorbed all of his Mana, but surprisingly, the cier remained unbroken. It was definitely under the protection of a god. Frondier was certain of it.


    However, cracks were forming. No matter how hard it was, this was Excalibur, imbued with immense Mana.


    "Frondier-nim...!"


    Selena called his name. Although Frondier was solely focused on the cier, monsters were still approaching him from all sides.


    They were only being kept at bay by the gale-force winds generated by the sh between the sword and the cier.


    "Frondier-nim! Quickly!"


    Selena''s urgent cry. Hearing her voice, Frondier raised his left hand, which had been gripping the sword, and brought it to the ck Lotus.


    <i>Crack.</i>


    The ne shattered, and all the Obsidian that Frondier had umted poured out. He manipted it, transforming it into sharp thorns that he shot towards the cracks in the cier.


    <i>Crack, crack!</i>


    This proved effective, as the cracks in the cier gradually grew longer, eventually bing fissures.


    However, there was a problem. Unable to control all the released Obsidian, the remaining fragments scattered widely around them.


    The monsters that came into contact with it opened their red eyes and howled. Fortunately, Selena was unaffected, but she was startled by the sight of the surrounding monsters and shouted,


    "Frondier-nim! You don''t need to break that ne anymore! You said you improved it so you could take out just a little!"


    "I don''t know how to take out just a little!!"


    Ah.


    Come to think of it, in their haste, Selena hadn''t heard the instructions on how to use it.


    <i>Crack, crack, crack!</i>


    However, Frondier''s brute force method was having a sufficient effect on the cier.


    The fissures that spread through the cier soon enveloped its entirety, and finally,


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    <i>Kwaa-ang!!</i>


    The cierpletely shattered.


    "Frondier-nim! You did it¡ª!"


    Selena cried out in joy as she witnessed this.


    However, in the very moment the cier broke,


    Frondier nced at Selena once. There was no joy in his eyes. He confirmed her location and braced himself for something.


    ''Huh...?''


    Selena didn''t understand. She didn''t know the difference between the Helheim fragment within the cier and the Obsidian that Frondier possessed.


    She was worried about the wave that might ur after the cier burst. If it was a massive amount of liquid, being swept away by it could be dangerous.


    However, Frondier had considered such a thing to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience from the very beginning.


    What Frondier had intuitively realized while absorbing the ck monsters,


    It was that¡ª


    [The power of Helheim doesn''t only affect monsters, child.]


    A voice echoed. Not in his ears, but directly in his head, with a strange sensation. The weight of the voice threatened to overwhelm him the moment he heard it.


    Selena looked up. Time seemed to stop for a moment, except for her and Frondier.


    The Helheim fragment was originally a ce where the god used monsters for its descent.


    The worship of the monsters over the past few days, although not perfect, had fulfilled the conditions.


    The descent of a god.


    [Even a mere fraction of it is enough to drive humans mad, isn''t it?]


    "...H."


    Frondier uttered the name.


    H. In Norse mythology, the goddess who ruled Helheim, the underworld.


    Just as Helheim''s original name was Hel, her original name was also Hel. In mythology, both the world and the goddess who governed it were called by the same name, "Hel," but to distinguish them, they were given separate names.


    [The other gods were making such a fuss, so I came to see what kind of young brat it was.]


    H''s face was exquisitely beautiful, but itcked any trace of blood, and her body was emaciated. Her skin was so pale that it appeared slightly blue, and to Selena, it looked as if she were draped in winter itself.


    [Is this the extent of human strength and intelligence?]


    A bored, disappointed tone. A gaze that looked upon Frondier as if he were something insignificant.


    [Even though I cannot kill you directly because my descent is iplete, if you reach out to death like this,]


    H''s eyes held a touch of pity, which enraged Selena even more than Frondier.


    [There is nothing I can do about it.]


    As H finished speaking, time began to flow again.


    At that moment, Frondier reached out. He touched the endless stream of Helheim fragments flowing out from the shattered cier.


    ''Frondier-nim...?''


    Selena couldn''tprehend his actions. She didn''t know what it meant to touch those fragments.


    However, the moment the cier burst and the viscous liquid within it was revealed, a sense of foreboding surged within her.


    Humans should note into contact with this liquid. Frondier already knew this.


    Selena had exhausted all her strength to protect Frondier. As she had said, she had used all her teleportation power to protect him, so another teleport was impossible.


    Therefore,


    "Selena."


    Frondier looked at Selena.


    The moment he touched the fragment, Frondier''splexion had already changed.


    "Fro, Fron, dier¡ª"


    Selena stammered, her lips trembling as she uttered his name.


    Despite the pain from the fragment engulfing his entire body, Frondier smiled at Selena like a young boy.


    Instead of the authoritative tone he usually used with her,


    "Thank you."


    <i>Kwaa-aaah-!!</i>


    With those final words,


    He absorbed all the Helheim fragments that had been trapped within the cier, taking them all into his own body.

 Chapter 184 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Geoffrey and @urbanjudge from Ko-fi!!</i>


    H watched Frondier absorb the shard.


    ¡®Stupid fool.¡¯


    That was all she could think.


    H knew about Frondier''s "ck Lotus." She assumed he would use that artifact to absorb the fragment.


    However, the Fragment of Helheim wasn''t just liquid trapped within a cier.


    Helheim itself represented a world, and the fragment was a passage connecting Helheim to this continent.


    As long as the world of Helheim remained intact, the liquid would flow endlessly from the shard.¡®Did he really try to collect the liquid with his own body, knowing that?¡¯


    Even if he did, trying to absorb all that liquid¡­ H frowned at Frondier''s actions.


    He should have already tasted it at the barrier. The effect of absorbing the ck monster''s magic. It wasn''t something a human could withstand.


    Of course, it was strange that Frondier absorbed the ck monster in the first ce, but the Fragment of Helheim was beyond that level.


    If the ck monster was somewhat neutralized to have a monster structure, the shard was the raw essence itself.


    He must have anticipated it. He must have already known the pain.


    And yet he did that again?


    ¡®He''s either more foolish than I imagined, or more insane.¡¯


    H saw the liquid flowing from the cier all rush towards Frondier. It was certainly Frondier''s intention. He wanted it.


    And before Frondier, swallowed by the liquid, Selena cried out, screaming.


    ¡®Was he trying to save that woman?¡¯


    It was strange. From the information she had heard, the man named Frondier had extremely limited interpersonal rtionships. He didn''t seem like the type to sacrifice his life for someone.


    Moreover, the sight of the rescued person crying and calling out Frondier''s name was extremely bizarre.


    The act of people building affection with each other, starting from myths and throughout history, was humanity''s greatest weapon and greatest weakness.


    If Frondier had shown deep love for someone, the gods would have targeted that person first.


    It would be easier for their powers to work on them than on someone like Frondier, who had no faith at all.


    ¡®Well, it''s a meaningless story now.¡¯


    Covered by the shard, Frondier hadpletely disappeared. By now, the souls of all the dead in Helheim would be fighting to possess Frondier''s body. Meanwhile, Frondier''s original soul would have been torn apart and gone.


    Unfortunately, with his soul in that state, Frondier wouldn''t be able toe to this Helheim, let alone Valha. That''s what true death must be like.


    Even H, who ruled the underworld called Hel, didn''t know what awaited after the soul, not the body, was torn apart.


    ¡®Let''s take a quick look.¡¯


    H closed and opened her eyes once.


    As H, who had temporarily borrowed the sight of a human, looked directly with her own eyes, she saw countless souls rushing towards Frondier''s body.


    [As expected, they''re fighting hard.]


    Not all the dead tried to take Frondier''s body just because he was swallowed by the fragment.


    Most of the proper souls were more or less content with their lives in Helheim. Above all, they knew that coveting someone else''s body wouldn''t end well.


    The ones currently rushing to possess Frondier''s body were mere ghosts and wraiths.


    They were just specters who wanted to regain their lives and had no other purpose, decaying souls.


    However, even if they were just ghosts, their numbers had already exceeded tens of thousands and be uncountable. Among them, Frondier''s soul couldn''t even be felt.


    [Still, it seems like a decent body. There is an overwhelming number that is iparable to those who covet other bodies.]


    H was honestly impressed by the number of ghosts pouring in like waves. It was rare to see such a number gathered at once. Even if H herself guided them, it wouldn''t be easy to gather this many.


    The specters bit, scratched, and punched each other, killing each other to possess the body.


    However, if a specter didn''t have proper consciousness, it would lose its form, and ghosts, in particr, had a much stronger tendency for this.


    Some died from each other''s wounds, some mixed and stuck together. From there, monsters that could no longer be considered souls or ghosts were created.


    It was impossible for ghosts to maintain their sanity while being swallowed into each other''s consciousness. The monsters born from sticking together couldn''t be expected to have proper reason or thought.


    Since all consciousnesses were mixed together, they didn''t have consciousness.


    Since all thoughts were all there, they didn''t think.


    Since they tried to act in all directions at once, they didn''t act.


    As a result, the soul that would possess Frondier''s body wouldn''t be able to act like Frondier, let alone do anything human-like, and would be a cripple. The end of a specter.


    [Soon.]


    The ghosts had all mixed together, the fight had stopped, and they were clumped together, expanding and contracting repeatedly. It was like cheese gratin bubbling.


    The collection of ghosts that had be monsters swelled and subsided repeatedly, but ultimately, they were getting smaller. As if adjusting to Frondier''s body.


    H shook her head. It was quite a sight to see, but she quickly got bored. More than anything, it was a sight that H herself had seen many times.


    The number of specters trying to possess Frondier was muchrger than before, but that was all.


    ¡®Baldur warned me so much, so I had a little expectation.¡¯


    What was this?


    She just watched a suicide show.


    Of course, she wanted to say that it was impressive for a human to cross the barrier, reach the shard, and break it, but since H had lured him in that way in the first ce, it was meaningless.


    [Then shall we go back... hmm?]


    H was about to turn her gaze away when she inadvertently discovered something.


    It was Frondier''s workshop.


    ¡®Come to think of it, he gathered people and floated them in the air. So they wouldn''t touch the fragment.¡¯


    H nced at the workshop for a moment.


    Therge building still floating in the air.


    ¡®...Wait a minute.¡¯


    Why was that building still floating?


    No, why did that building still exist in the first ce?


    That was Frondier''s skill, wasn''t it?


    Now that Frondier was dead, why was it still¡ª


    ¡®!¡¯


    With that thought, H looked at Frondier''s body again.


    His body, where souls were tangled together, trying to possess him.


    H still couldn''t feel Frondier, but there was only one thing that exined the current phenomenon.


    ¡®Is he still alive?¡¯


    * * *


    Laurie asked nervously, "A settlement that only I can make?"


    To be honest, Laurie had nothing to give Frondier right now.


    She couldn''t possibly afford to pay for all of these people''s lives.


    ''Surely not.''


    Laurie unconsciously moved her arm forward a little.


    When a man tells a woman that he owes her something, there''s one thing that naturallyes to mind. And Laurie was well aware of her own appearance.


    That''s why she lives her daily life wearing a mask of an ordinary and unremarkable face. Her natural appearance is too striking and memorable.


    "If you''re saying my body is the goal,"


    "No."


    His response was immediate. Frondier spoke as if he had anticipated such a misunderstanding.


    Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Laurie pouted her lips.


    "Then what is it?"


    "I''ll propose two conditions, and if you agree,"


    "¡­I''ll listen before I decide."


    Laurie tried to act tough, half-expecting another intense re from Frondier, but he didn''t press further and simply raised a finger.


    "First, you must answer my questions honestly."


    Laurie frowned. The first condition was already challenging.


    Being a member of the secret agency, she naturally had many secrets that needed to be kept. Spilling them carelessly was worse than dying alone.


    The very existence of their agency could be jeopardized if any information was leaked, considering the value of their lives.


    "¡­No."

 Chapter 184 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "To be more precise, If it''s information you wish to keep hidden, you don''t have to answer. But if you do answer, don''t lie."


    This time, her head tilted. Keep hidden what you want to hide, but don''t lie if you choose to speak.


    "Then, I just need to keep my mouth shut? How would you know whether I''m hiding something or not?"


    A logical question. At that, Frondier smiled.


    "Exactly. That''s all you need to do."


    "¡­?"


    "And the second condition."


    With Laurie still puzzled, Frondier raised another finger.


    "From now on, the conversations between us must remain a secret, even beyond the grave. No, even after death, the secret must be kept."Hearing that condition, Laurie got the hint.


    What Frondier wanted wasn''t information about the secret agency. Whatever he needed to know, it wasn''t for the purpose of digging up information on the secret agency, hence there was no need for Laurie to promise secrecy about secret agency matters.


    Frondier had information that shouldn''t be revealed to others, and he intended to share it with Laurie. In this process, Laurie''s knowledge was irrelevant.


    "¡­Understood."


    Regardless of the difficulty of the conditions, Laurie became curious about the secret Frondier asked to be kept even after his death.


    Upon hearing Laurie''s response, Frondier cleared his throat.


    "Then, let me ask you, about the hypnosisst time."


    "Hypnosis, yes."


    "Was the hypnosis weakly applied to me, or did it not work at all? I really want to know this."


    Laurie''s mouth turned down in annoyance. It was clear she didn''t like the question.


    But after some thought, Laurie answered honestly.


    "It didn''t affect you at all."


    "Has that ever happened before?"


    "No, never. Not even once. There was a time when it didn''t work so well, but this is the first time I''ve felt like it missedpletely."


    At this, Frondier brought his hand up to his chin in thought. Hiszy expression was perfectly suited to his calcting gaze¨Cat least, as far as Laurie was concerned.


    "This is just a hypothetical scenario."


    After some time, Frondier began to speak again, seeming to havee to some kind of conclusion.


    "Let''s say the target''s true identity and physical appearance are different. In that case, would the hypnosis fail?"


    "...? I don''t know what you mean."


    Frondier''s roundabout way of speaking was making it difficult for Laurie to understand what he was saying.


    Frondier let out a bitterugh, apanied by a small, resigned sigh.


    "Let me put it another way. What if the person standing before you right now isn''t actually Frondier?"


    "What...?"


    This time, Frondier had been so direct that Laurie''s brain struggled to catch up. She frowned, as if to say, "What are you talking about?" But as her eyes met Frondier''s, they slowly began to widen.


    "Would your hypnosis fail? Since I''m not Frondier."


    His words sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt goosebumps all over her body.


    Laurie''s fingertips trembled. She felt like she had just caught a glimpse of the mysterious fear that Frondier inspired in her. She tried to hide her expression, but it was difficult.


    "I said it''s a hypothetical situation. If that were the case."


    "Hy, hypothetical..."


    "And the second condition. You haven''t forgotten, have you?"


    Laurie nodded repeatedly, fully aware of the meaning of his words: she was never to speak of their conversation.


    She thought about it for a while. She had to answer his question, but it was such a strange concept that she needed a moment to process it.


    The answer came to her quickly, though.


    "It''s possible."


    "Oh?"


    "I call it hypnosis, but it''s really a form of magic. I manipte my opponent by imnting strong suggestions in their mind. I use the term ''hypnosis'' as a matter of convenience, because the process and application are simr to hypnosis."


    Frondier nodded. He knew that Laurie''s hypnosis was different from the traditional understanding of the term.


    After all, regr hypnosis wouldn''t be so powerful or instantaneous. And most importantly, he could sense the mana emanating from her eyes.


    "My hypnosis reaches the target''s soul. If the soul I''m targeting is actually a different soul, then my hypnosis won''t work."


    "So, is that why I felt it ''missed''?" Laurie suddenly muttered as if she just remembered something. He had mentioned it was a hypothesis, but Laurie alreadypletely trusted what Frondier had said.


    "Is every application of hypnotism possible?"


    "Yes. More urate and definite than hypnotism itself. Creating a fake personality was also one of its applications."


    "In that case."


    Frondier smiled.


    He was about to face a god soon. A being that knows significantly more than humans and can see far into the distance. He must deceive those eyes.


    There is only one thing Frondier can do now.


    Responding with information not even the gods know. Just like when he had faced Thanatos and guessed his name correctly.


    "Do you know about ''astral projection''?"


    * * *


    The liquid fragment that had poured over Frondier spread out widely again.


    Selena flinched and stepped back. She too would die if touched.


    But upon closer inspection, the fragm looked slightly different than before.


    "...This is Obsidian."


    The ck liquid was Obsidian, from which all magical power, will, and numerous unseen evil spirits and souls that Selena couldn''t see had escaped.


    Meaning, all of those things were nowpletely swallowed by Frondier''s body.


    Frondier''s eyes, now visible, were empty. There was no expression on his face. His muscles seemed to havepletely rxed, and his open eyes were merely facing the sky.


    "...Frondier-nim..."


    With a voice choked with sobs, Selena called out to him. It wasn''t just her voice; her eyes were brimming with tears as well.


    Frondier had died to protect her.


    What changes had urred in Frondier''s heart, she did not know. Perhaps the changes in Frondier were even greater than the changes in the emotions Selena herself held.


    That''s why Frondier sacrificed himself. To save Selena. She couldn''t bear the weight of it.


    "I''m sorry, Frondier-nim... I..."


    Unable to hold back any longer, Selena bowed her head. Tears streamed down from her tightly closed eyes.


    Growing up as an assassin in Manggot, she met Frondier as the first man she ever confronted. When she first met him, Frondier was scary, arrogant, and self-centered, but he had the judgment and strength to handle it on his own.


    He had the observational skills to see through Selena''s situation and the great courage to try to exploit Manggot.


    And now, Frondier had given up everything just to save Selena.


    ...while Selena was thinking this.


    [...You. Where have you been?]


    In a world unseen and unheard by Selena.


    H''s eyes widened as she stared at the man before her.


    The man had an undeniably rxed and peaceful face. Having heard from other gods that he was incredibly annoying and unlucky, she now understood why everyone said so.


    "I just took a little nap."


    Frondier said. He nced down at his hand. Feeling like a soul was a bit strange. He wondered if his hand would be translucent enough that he couldn''t see the other side, but it didn''t.


    Frondier looked at his body. A collection of minor spirits. The countless minor spirits had killed each other and clung together to the point that now they were just one. Just one, incapable of anything.


    While the minor spirits fought, Frondier, already not in his body, watched leisurely without receiving any wounds.


    [You were sleeping...?]


    H kept her displeased expression.


    What Frondier had done was a technique called ''astral projection''. A method of separating the soul from the body.


    In this world where Valha, Niflheim, and Hel exist, the existence of a ''soul'' is already clear.


    However, astral projection is not something that can be easily achieved. It''s almost impossible to do alone, and someone assisting needs to urately perceive the soul inside the body.


    And it must be separated in an incredibly meticulous manner, so both the soul and the body can be divided without harm.


    ©¤Unless.


    The soul and body had always been separate from the beginning.


    "If you heard about me from the gods, wouldn''t you normally hear this information first?"


    Frondierughed fearlessly.


    For a soul that had just performed astral projection, it was too clear and precise, possessing a perfect will and self.


    "Because I''m a very, veryzy guy, you see."

 Chapter 185 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡®Well, things have gone smoothly so far.¡¯


    Though Frondier hadughed fearlessly, he was sweating bullets inside.


    He had never even experienced astral projection in a game. It was inevitable that he would be nervous, having left his own body and be a true soul.


    ¡®Laurie did a great job.¡¯


    Just before Frondier was swallowed by the fragments.


    Laurie was on the opposite side of Frondier. While all the monsters'' attention was focused on Frondier, Laurie detoured and moved to a spot where she could meet his eyes, as instructed.


    And at the signal of the fragments pouring down, she pulled Frondier''s soul out.


    The reason this worked out better than expected was because they had practiced it beforehand.


    ¡°But my hypnosis misses you. How are you going to solve that?¡±A few hours ago, Laurie had listened to Frondier''s astral projection n and voiced the first question that came to mind. It was less of a question and more the most crucial problem with the n.


    ¡°You set up a fake personality, right? How did you hypnotize yourself?¡±


    ¡°Well, I look in the mirror and do it. It works on the target I''m looking at with my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then if I can use that magic, I can hypnotize myself too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­? Well, yes, but how are you going to use my magic?¡±


    It was possible.


    Frondier''s Weaving affected even ¡®Skills.¡¯ He just couldn''t put them in the Workshop, so he could only imitate them while the opponent was using the skill.


    Frondier wove a mirror. And he said to Laurie.


    ¡°Use hypnosis on me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­? Well, okay.¡±


    Laurie didn''t understand, but she used hypnosis on Frondier. Her eyes glowed, and mana flowed towards Frondier, drawing a unique pattern.


    As expected, the hypnosis didn''t work on Frondier because the target was wrong, but Frondier wove Laurie''s skill.


    ¡®I know who I am.¡¯


    Frondier looked in the mirror. He wove Laurie''s hypnosis and shot it at the mirror.


    Hypnotizing Frondier.


    Only Frondier in this world could do that.


    ¡®¡­¡­So this is what it feels like.¡¯


    The moment Frondier hypnotized himself, he recognized his own soul for the first time.


    Laurie''s hypnosis affects the mind. He had simply thought of it that way, but in reality, it was a process that touched the soul. That''s why Laurie was able to control even the ck monsters.


    And the moment Frondier recognized his soul through hypnosis,


    He took a step back as a test.


    ¡°Uh, uh?!¡±


    Suddenly, he saw his own body. He saw the back of ¡®Frondier de Roach.¡¯ His body, from which his soul had escaped, lost strength and fell forward. Laurie, startled, supported Frondier''s body.


    ¡®It worked.¡¯


    He could astral project on his own. Confirming that, Frondier clenched his fist.


    And time passed, to the present.


    Frondier seeded in astral projection just before being swallowed by the fragments.


    When the time came, Laurie would hypnotize Frondier, and Frondier would weaving that hypnosis and hypnotize himself to attempt astral projection.


    With thisbo, he seeded in deceiving H''s eyes.


    ¡®Now, the remaining problem is.¡¯


    Frondier looked towards his body with a somewhat tense expression, his flesh still consumed by the lump of evil spirits.


    Even if tens of thousands of evil spirits killed each other and became entangled as one, it was originally the result of a tremendous number of egos colliding.


    Even if it couldn''t act or think properly, it certainly didn''t mean that the existence was easy to deal with.


    Frondier had surrendered his body to tens of thousands of evil spirits and escaped as a soul. So to reim his body, he had to take back control of it. This was a problem that Frondier had to solve himself.


    ¡°H, what do you think? Do you think I can get my body back?¡±


    [¡­¡­How dare you utter such nonsense to a god,]


    ¡°Forget it. I was a fool to ask you.¡±


    H''s veins bulged at Frondier''s words.


    Of course, H couldn''t directly harm Frondier. It wasn''t aplete descent.


    Frondier, of course, knew that and said it, but he had never submitted to a god in the first ce.


    [Do you think someone like you can do it?]


    H uttered words that were like a curse.


    [Do you think you, a mere human, can ovee the gathering of so many wraiths? You too will be torn apart and broken, bing a part of that lump.]


    H spoke as if she were cursing him, and that was indeed what she thought.


    Frondier was not a god. Nor was he a hero who had aplished great feats. Nor was he one of the twelve ¡®Zodiacs¡¯ of the continent. He was just a child who had not yet reached adulthood.


    So far, he had been lucky to survive and make various contributions, but in reality, it was all due to his skills with overwhelming performance. He himself was nothing special. How much more meager would his soul be?


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Frondier gave an answer that was neither an affirmation nor a denial, nor even an acknowledgement of whether he had heard H''s words or not, and then


    He slowly approached his own body.


    And before he touched that body, he first looked at Selena.


    Selena couldn''t see Frondier''s soul, so she didn''t know he was there. She was just shedding tears endlessly.


    Her appearance seemed somehow pitiful, so Frondier gave a faint smile.


    ¡°I''ll be there soon, Selena.¡±


    And Frondier reached out to his own body.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡±


    The first thing he felt were the swirling wraiths within the lump. Intense murderous intent and the smell of death. It was better than when the evil spirits had poured in, but the current situation was still not easy.


    Frondier took a light breath,


    And in one breath, he thrust his soul into his body.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    His vision changed, and Frondier set foot in pitch-ck darkness.


    Before his eyes, something like an omelet made of rotten mud was bubbling.


    ¡°It smells awful.¡±


    Frondier frowned, but his mouth was still smiling.


    He had been wondering why he had been smiling since earlier. Was it because things had gone ording to n? Because he had deceived H?


    But the situation was still difficult for him, and a difficult trial was right before his eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡±


    Soon, Frondier realized why he was smiling. The reason why he could afford to be rxed in the midst of the smell that made him frown and the stinging resentment of those guys that hurt his eyes.


    ¡°Somehow, you don''t seem like much.¡±


    He didn''t know the reason. In his head, he knew it was a very dangerous guy.


    It was a mixture of all sorts of evil spirits, so to put it bluntly, it was like a pot of all sorts of poisons mixed together and boiling. Frondier was about to stick his head into that pot right now.


    But even so.


    Frondier was filled with an intense sense of exhration that he had never felt before.


    It was different from when he had faced the Zodiac Heldre, or Renzo, when he couldn''t be sure of victory and had racked his brains in all sorts of ways.


    The emotion he had now was simply,


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Confidence in himself.


    ¡°This is my body. Get out.¡±


    It was just an iprehensible certainty that he would never lose in this kind of fight.


    Kyaaaaaak!


    The lump of evil spirits screamed in all sorts of bizarre sounds and rushed towards Frondier. The smell, the appearance, and the sound all evoked disgust in humans.


    A gathering of tens of thousands of evil spirits clumped together. That huge volume swallowed Frondier whole like a huge wave rising up.


    [Yes, die like that! Frondier!]


    Just before that, H, seeing Frondier not moving a finger, was convinced of her victory.


    <i>Crunch!</i>


    <i>Zooooooop-!</i>


    Frondier grabbed the lump and pulled it outward.


    With just that one action.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­ uh¡­¡­?¡±


    Selena''s face, a mess of tears, came into Frondier''s view.


    That one insignificant action. In the instant he pulled the lump of evil spirits with his right hand, Frondierpletely regained his physical body.


    He looked at his outstretched right hand. His body was doing the same thing he had done when he was a soul, and his right hand was holding the lump of evil spirits.


    ¡°Fr, Frondier-nim¡­¡­?¡±


    Selena was speechless, surprised by Frondier suddenly stretching out his arm.


    Was what she was seeing right now really Frondier? Was he really alive? Had he gone mad after touching the fragments? Was that why he was suddenly stretching out his arm like that©¤


    ¡°Selena.¡±


    Selena''s thoughts, filled with ominous premonitions, were cut short by a blunt voice.


    Crackle!


    Frondier clenched his right hand. The lump burst like a water balloon. Tens of thousands of evil spirits, the monster that had be their gathering, vanished so powerlessly.


    Frondier looked at his right hand. He scanned his body to see if any other wraiths remained inside.


    But there was nothing like that, and instead, an enormous amount of overflowing mana was swirling around his body.


    Having swallowed all the mana of the fragments and takenplete control of it, he felt mana iparable to before swirling within his body.


    Since he had brought the magic of Helheim, its nature was slightly different from the general mana of the continent, but it was alreadypletely his.


    Confirming that, Frondier looked at Selena again.


    ¡°Sorry, Selena.¡±


    Knowing well what Selena was worried about, Frondier smiled.


    He gave a gentle smile, though he hadn''t practiced it much.


    Having been able to aplish it unexpectedly easily, Frondier was a little surprised himself.


    ¡°I fell asleep for a bit.¡±

 Chapter 185 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Seeing Frondier make a joke that somehow both fit and didn''t fit the situation,


    Selena blinked her surprised eyes, her flowing tears stopped, and then finally,


    ¡°Waaaaaaaaah!!!¡±


    She cried even harder.


    ¡°Hey, Selena.¡±


    ¡°Waah! Uu, Waaaaaaaaah!!¡±


    Selena cried like a child, as if the whole world were ending. Frondier ced his hand on Selena''s head.


    As he stroked her head as usual, while Selena cried, he briefly looked up.


    To Frondier, who had absorbed the ck monster, undergone astral projection, and taken back control from the evil spirits, a whole new world was now visible.He was able to observe not only what was visible to the human eye, but also spiritual and supernatural substances and beings.


    Naturally, this included ¡®gods.¡¯


    [¡­¡­.]


    H looked at Frondier with disbelief in her eyes.


    What was that just now? With one grasp of Frondier''s hand, the gathering of evil spirits had vanished. It was better than the onught of evil spirits when he touched the fragments, but that gathering was no pushover.


    H had predicted Frondier''s defeat, and even if he won, she believed that his soul would be scarred beyond repair. But.


    ©¤H.


    At that moment, Frondier moved his lips.


    ©¤You have lost the fragment and soul to descend with, and right now, we have no way to reach each other, so.


    With a look as if he were soothing a child.


    ©¤How about a draw?


    [¡­¡­!]


    H gritted her teeth. It was a draw in name only; it was Frondier''s clear deration of victory.


    But even with that provocation, H could do nothing for the moment. Now that the cier was broken, there was no immediate medium to gather the faith of the monsters.


    H turned her head, engraving Frondier onest time in her eyes of rage before disappearing.


    Seeing that, Frondier sighed inwardly with relief. Because she was a god, he thought she might be able to do something else.


    The ¡®draw¡¯ statement was also uttered because of that, but it seemed to have provoked the opponent instead.


    ¡°Let''s go back, Selena.¡±


    ¡°Waaah! I, sob, Frondier-nim, you,¡±


    ¡°I said let''s go back.¡±


    ¡°Sob, I thought you were dead, sob, but! Sob sob!¡±


    Though Frondier had achieved all his goals.


    It seemed it would still take some time to return.


    * * *


    The fragments of Helheim, which had be obsidian, were all put into the newly created ck lotus.


    After the fragments, which had served as a focal point, disappeared, the monsters came to their senses.


    Of course, there were those who tried to attack Frondier or Selena due to their inherent hatred of humans, but after Frondier conducted a few ¡®tests¡¯ with his newly acquired mana, they ran away on their own.


    He put down the Workshop, took out the people of the Ambu who were inside, and confirmed their promise to each other once again with the leader.


    They had never met each other, and they were just returning afterpleting their mission. He also spoke to Laurie separately and asked her to do the same. Laurie nodded with a very tense expression.


    And Selena and Frondier, just as they hade here, rode Cassian and headed back towards the barrier.


    On their way back.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier was a little ufortable with Selena''s long silence behind him.


    After crying her heart out, Selena had been hanging her head almost all day, as if lost in thought.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hey, Selena.¡±


    Eventually, Frondier spoke first.


    ¡°Selena, you were a great help today. I''ll definitely repay you somehow,¡±


    ¡°Please forget it.¡±


    Selena suddenly spoke in a voice that trailed off.


    ¡°Forget what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°That you were crying earlier?¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t crying.¡±


    What was this?


    Even if she had shed a single tear after watching a sad movie, she wouldn''t answer so shamelessly.


    ¡°And, Frondier-nim.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Please speak to me as you usually do. It''s awkward.¡±


    ¡°Usually?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Right now, Frondier-nim, your, your tone is too gentle.¡±


    Ah.


    At Selena''s point, Frondier realized his mistake.


    He had deliberately adopted a high-handed attitude to avoid showing weakness to Selena and to make the hierarchy clear.


    He had believed it would always be that way, but now that the tension had eased, somehow that tone wouldn''te out.


    ¡®No, maybe that''s not entirely true.¡¯


    -Selena, thank you.


    The moment he uttered those words to Selena just before being engulfed by the fragments.


    Perhaps something had changed within not only Selena but also Frondier himself.


    ¡°¡­¡­Right.¡±


    But Frondier decided to go back to his usual way of speaking, as Selena had said.


    Sudden changes made rtionships unstable. Even if they were getting closer, Frondier and Selena weren''t in a situation where they could do that yet.


    Going back to the way things were before these events happened. That was beneficial for both Selena and Frondier.


    Selena asking him to forget that she cried must have been out of that thought as well. Selena was also doing her best in her own way.


    ¡­¡­No, it also seemed like she was just embarrassed


    ¡°Selena, return to your usual expression before we arrive.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°And wipe away your tear stains.¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t crying.¡±


    Right, this kind of conversation was appropriate for us. Frondier, swaying with Cassian''s leisurely movements, had leisurely thoughts.


    But feeling somewhat disappointed somewhere.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Since my clothes are also a mess because of this incident,¡±


    Frondier looked back.


    Despite having decided to return to a high-handed and authoritative tone, his face was too warm.


    ¡°When we go to buy your clothes, I should buy mine too.¡±

 Chapter 186 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Kzeither and @Joe Smith from Ko-fi!</i>


    The battle at the barrier raged on.


    When Frondier slew the Cyclops, a long gap opened up on the battlefield, stretching from the barrier to where the Cyclops had fallen.


    The Roach Knights, who had been covering Frondier, seized this opportunity and skillfully lured the monsters that had split to the left and right.


    Sylvain, now wielding his sword in his left hand, fought even morefortably than before the battle began, and the knights'' movements, utilizing their mobility, resembled a hunting party.


    When they had lured the monsters and sometimes caused them to collide with each other, creating a single clump, Enfer''s sword and the mages'' incantations shone brightly.


    And above all.


    ''That Frondier fellow, he meticulously wiped out all the ck monsters.''Sylvain clicked his tongue at Frondier''s thoroughness.


    Though he didn''t know the principle behind it, Frondier was the natural enemy of the ck monsters.


    Before heading alone towards the fragment, he had already eliminated almost all of the ck monsters.


    Of course, he did so because they were a valuable source of mana for him, but Sylvain couldn''t have known that.


    Just like humans, monsters also have morale. While they may not be as significantly affected as humans, monsters still hesitate when theirrades fall beside them, and they even flee when defeat looms before them.


    However, Frondier showed the monsters something worse than death. At least for the ck monsters, they were sucked in and turned into mana.


    At what point in that process did death ur? There was no greater fear for the monsters.


    Frondier, who killed the Cyclops and ran beyond the northern side. The battlefield afterwards seemed simr to the battles that had always taken ce in Yeranhes.


    Of course, there were far more monsters than usual, but Frondier had already killed most of the flying monsters beforehand, eliminated almost all of the ck monsters, and even subjugated the dangerous Cyclops.


    While Frondier was running around like that, Sylvain, the Roach Knights, and Enfer were all still standing, so the battle became more manageable than it had been at the start.


    And so, the long struggle between monsters and humans continued in a stalemate for a long time.


    But at some point...


    "...Isn''t something strange about those guys?"


    It was a soldier''s remark. It was almost a murmur, but it definitely reached the ears of those who were having simr thoughts.


    "They suddenly look elsewhere, stop in the middle of their advance, and look around."


    "Don''t they look like they just woke up?"


    "It''s like they don''t know why they''re here."


    There was a change in the monsters'' movements.


    Of course, they still charged madly when they spotted humans, but overall, the monsters'' organized flow was bing disarrayed.


    Sylvain and Enfer quickly took note of this change.


    Sylvain, who wasmanding the Roach Knights from outside the barrier, caught a glimpse of Enfer in a fleeting moment as the scenery rushed past him on horseback.


    As if he already knew, Enfer was already looking at Sylvain, and they exchanged a brief conversation with their eyes.


    ©¤Frondier did it!


    With that certainty, Sylvain inhaled deeply.


    "Shout! Soldiers of Yeranhes!!"


    Sylvain gathered all of his remaining aura, which had been gradually depleted by the long battle. The knights did the same. It would be a problem after they used up all this aura, but Sylvain was certain.


    There would be no ''after'' this time.


    "Strike fear into their hearts! Amidst the falling rain of arrows and the baptism of fire, make them realize where they are right now!"


    "Don''t spare the arrows! And the mana too! Pour everything you have into them!"


    "It will be tough, but just get through this one time! This is the end! Use all your strength and copse if you must! Even if you fall, you will return home safely!"


    Understanding Sylvain''s intentions, the knights encouraged the soldiers. In response, the soldiers gritted their teeth and roared.


    Without a care for the remaining battles ahead, they shouted, shot arrows, swung their swords, and magic rained down from the sky to the ground.


    "Haaap-!!"


    And as if to spur them on, Enfer''s long, horizontal de cut through the air. The distant wall of monsters began to copse like dominoes.


    The monsters behind them were bewildered as they suddenly found themselves at the forefront. They met eyes with Enfer, who was radiating a terrifying aura from afar.


    ©¤You too will be cut down where you stand.


    A death sentence that needed no words. Enfer had already foretold their demise with just a look.


    Kieeeeek!!


    The monsters werepletely disoriented. They had just woken up, and suddenly arrows were raining down, fire and ice were falling, mounted humans were thrusting spears and swords, and they could see other monsters dying in the distance.


    The first thing that caught their eyes was the barrier. The still thick and tall barrier, and the humans ring down at them with murderous intent.


    It was impossible. They couldn''t ovee that barrier. No, why were they even here in the first ce? What were all those corpses?


    The monsters who were slow to judge died, those who were slow to act even if they judged slowly died, and those who acted but were slow on their feet also died.


    The monsters who came to their senses began to scatter. Of course, the monsters who were already attacking the barrier continued to mindlessly charge at the humans, but they were naturally skewered by the des and spear tips.


    "Uwaaaak! Haak! Huk, huuk!"


    One of the soldiers at the front was swinging his sword like a madman. Of course, it was due to Sylvain''s shouts and the knights'' encouragement, but he was already half-drunk on the scent of war.


    In a life-or-death battle, such people weremon. It was fortunate that he was at the very front, otherwise, he might have swung his sword indiscriminately at both enemies and allies.


    Such a soldier needed to be subdued by several people from behind or disarmed by a much stronger individual to bring him back to his senses.


    But this time, there was no need for that.


    "Uwaak! Haak! Ha... Huh...?"


    The man who had been madly hacking away at the monsters in front of him soon realized the anomaly.


    Whiing~


    His sword awkwardly sliced through the air at some point.


    "Huuk, huuk, huuk... Huh..."


    The soldier finally became aware of his own breathing and slowly lowered his shoulders.


    "They''re gone..."


    There were no monsters.


    He had been swinging his sword mindlessly at the seemingly endless horde of monsters, but once thest one fell, the next one didn''te.


    All he could hear was the pounding of his own heart and his own ragged breaths, like a strong wind brushing through the trees.


    All he could see was the strangely empty space beneath the barrier and the monsters scattering in all directions.


    His ears, which had only heard his own heartbeat and breathing, his eyes, which had only seen what was right in front of him.


    His five senses, which had been focused solely on his immediate surroundings due to the battle, slowly opened up to his surroundings.


    And once they were fully open¡­

 Chapter 186 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Boom!


    "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"


    The immense roar of the battlefield struck his ears.


    The soldier looked around in a daze. People embracing each other and cheering, men with swords copsing and catching their breath with sighs of relief, robed mages kneeling and weeping.


    Thud.


    The man sat down after hearing the cheers and seeing the faces of the people.


    His entire body was heavy with sweat, and his body, covered in dirt and dust, was unpleasantly sticky with a mixture of blood and moisture. His body was wet, but his face was incredibly dry, feeling like paper crumpling whenever the wind brushed against it.


    All the man could see was the clear blue sky. It waste in the day, but the sun was still shining brightly, far from setting.


    The day was so long. There were days that stretched on for so long.With the clear sky and the sunlight that seemed oblivious to its own decline reflected in his eyes, the man muttered briefly.


    "We won..."


    It was an undeniable fact.


    "Oh! Look over there!"


    One of the Roach Knights, who had been checking on the condition of the soldiers, the wounded, and the dead, shouted after spotting something.


    "Hmm!"


    Sylvain followed the knight''s pointing finger and his eyes lit up.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop, a single horse slowly approached from the north beyond the barrier. A pair of figures, a man and a woman, were seated on its back.


    Upon confirming this, Sylvain felt something swell up from deep within his chest. He shouted in a slightly hoarse voice from all the yelling he had done.


    "Roach Knights! Form ranks!"


    In truth, such amand was rarely given. Usually, they formed ranks automatically when the situation arose, and even if he did give an order, he would typically specify the formation they should take.


    However, the knights instinctively gathered and split into two rows, creating a path with their formation leading up to the barrier.


    They were weing those approaching from afar with the greatest disy of respect they could muster at the moment.


    "We must give a reception befitting the return of heroes! If anyone makes a mistake, I''ll have them dragged off their horse immediately!"


    The knights bit their lips and held back theirughter at Sylvain''s words. Meanwhile, the horse carrying Frondier and Selena slowly approached them.


    "All present! Salute!"


    With a swish, the knights'' swords rose high into the air. They gleamed brightly as they reflected the sunlight, and the path they had created was beautifully adorned with the intersection of their des.


    "Frondier! You did an excellent job!"


    Sylvain approached Frondier. Cassian stopped at the head of the path created by the knights. If it were up to Cassian, he would have proudly walked slowly down the center of the path the knights had made, but he couldn''t. There was a reason.


    "If it weren''t for you, this battle would have truly..."


    Sylvain examined Frondier''s appearance. Frondier was never particrly cheerful or energetic, but he was even quieter than usual today.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    "...What is this."


    Sylvain let out a chuckle. Even the knights at the front of the formation, who had seen Frondier''s state, finally burst intoughter.


    "He''s sleeping."


    Frondier was leaning against Cassian''s neck, fast asleep, and Selena was leaning against Frondier''s back, also asleep.


    It wasn''t that they were nodding off with their heads down, but they were truly sleeping peacefully as if the world were at peace.


    Cassian, who knew his master''s condition through the sensation on his back, rarely let him fall off.


    Cassian closed his eyes and shook his head. That human-like gesture was surprising, but in truth, Cassian had even sighed when he saw the knights forming ranks.


    Cassian, with a feeling of resignation, slowly walked down the path created by the knights.


    Since it hade to this, he might as well reveal his master''s unsightly appearance to the world.


    "Pfft, puhahahahahahaha!!"


    "Ahahahahahahaha!!!"


    As Cassian walked among the knights, they burst intoughter one after another upon seeing Frondier''s state.


    "Haah, this is..."


    Sylvain sighed. He had wanted to rejoice with the knights upon Frondier''s return, as he walked back with a dignified expression.


    However, he couldn''t suddenly wake up the hero who had protected the barrier, so Sylvain simply watched asughter erupted from the knights whenever Frondier passed between them.


    And at the end of the formation created by the knights...


    "...Huk!"


    "Hup."


    The knights quickly shut their mouths. They forced back theughter that was about to erupt and held their breath. Their neck muscles must have been slightly strained from that. That''s how hard they had to suppress theirughter.


    "...Frondier."


    Enfer stood at the end of the formation. He had run up without even mounting a horse and saw Frondier''s state.


    The knights exchanged nces. Enfer''s expression was difficult to read. Was he relieved at Frondier''s return, proud of him, or angry that he was sleeping at such a time and ce?


    Enfer reached out and touched Frondier''s hair, who was sleeping face down.


    Jet-ck hair. The same hair color as his own.


    Peaceful eyelids when asleep. Resembling the shape of his wife, Malia''s, eyes.


    A gentle face contrasting with broad shoulders and strong legs. The symbol of Yeranhes and the Roach family.


    -I know I was an unreliable son to you, Father.


    -I must pay the price for my sloth.


    "...Huhu. So you''re paying the price."


    Enfer smiled. The knights who saw it up close were so surprised they almost pulled on their reins.


    "You still have thatzy face, Frondier."


    He said with a smile. His firm and stoic face bloomed into a wide grin.


    He couldn''t remember thest time he had smiled like that.


    Enfer, when he wore that smile...


    ''...I see.''


    Sylvain understood.


    He had always thought Frondier didn''t quite fit the image of the lord''s son, unlike Azier.


    But with that smile just now, everything made sense.

 Chapter 187 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Albaito and @Grav from Ko-fi!</i>


    [Are you ready?]


    Frondier heard Malia''s voiceing from the other side of the phone.


    "Yes."


    [Then let''s start. You''ve already done it once, so you won''t be surprised, right?]


    Right after Malia''s voice.


    Frondier began to see twondscapes ovepping. Malia''s sensory sharing was starting to show through his eyes.


    "...Okay. Then I''ll hang up for a moment."<i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    The ck Lotus, the armband, and the ne, which had been improved and returned to his hands.


    Frondier was able to control the Obsidian after hearing the exact operation method from Edwin.


    Frondier pulled the string of the bow, creating a bow and arrow from the Obsidian flowing from the armband. Up to this point, it was no different from when he first showed the fireworks in Constel.


    But this time.


    Pheeew-


    Pababababang!!


    Arrows bursting and splitting in the sky.


    However, the arrows, which should have originally headed for one point, split in two and fell.


    The two groups headed topletely different ces. One fell near Frondier, and the other flew beyond the forest and out of sight.


    Frondier picked up the phone again.


    "How was it?"


    [Sess!]


    Malia''s delighted voice was heard. It was also visible in Frondier''s shared vision. Another group of arrows that flew beyond the forest hit the target made of wood exactly.


    Frondier just did one test.


    Malia''s sensory sharing can share vision, and because it is shared, Frondier can also see the vision that Malia is seeing.


    Using Malia''s shared vision, this was the original ''fireworks'' - ultra-long-range shooting with Khryskatos that hits anything he sees.


    What he did this time was not much different, but Frondier came up with another idea, thinking that only ''one of his eyes'' was sharing vision.


    ''Since both eyes are seeing differentndscapes, if I shoot arrows while looking at both sides, wouldn''t it be possible to bombard two points simultaneously?''


    It was a bold and ignorant idea, but Khryskatos actually did it. It was just proven.


    "This way, immediate support is possible when battles ur simultaneously in multiple locations," Selena, who was watching from the side, said with admiration.


    "That''s right. Originally, I was going to use it in this battle."


    Frondier smiled bitterly.


    Frondier was originally nning to leave the barrier ''secretly''.


    When Selena brought Malia, they would share senses, and Frondier, who secretly escaped the barrier, would go to break the fragments.


    And to prepare for the monsters attacking the barrier in the meantime, he would simultaneously shoot at the fragments and the barrier.


    That''s why he asked Selena to bring Malia.


    But this n was only possible if Frondier didn''t participate in the second battle. Because no matter how fast Selena was, he thought she woulde after the second battle.


    However, the actual battlefield does not go as he thinks. It would be nice if the game happened exactly as it is in reality, but the activated Helheim fragments, the ck monsters born from them, and the intervention of the gods were all unforeseen circumstances.


    Frondier pushed himself too hard and was driven to a truly dangerous situation.


    But it''s not just the enemies that don''t go as nned.


    Selena, who returned much faster than he expected, Sylvain''s quick awakening with his left hand, and the sudden appearance of the Imperial secret agents.


    There were also allies who helped him ovee the difficulties.


    ''In the end, looking back, I''ve received so much help that Malia''s sensory sharing wasn''t even necessary.''


    If he had tried to fight alone, Malia would have been indispensable. In fact, after receiving sensory sharing, Frondier headed for the fragments beyond the battlefield while watching the situation at the barrier with shared vision.


    However, the performance of Sylvain, the Roach Knights, and Enfer exceeded Frondier''s expectations.


    Sylvain, in particr, was like a different person after switching his sword to his left hand. Even if he was originally left-handed, it would take time to adjust.


    Seeing their fight, Frondier judged that the situation at the barrier was ''okay''.


    Of course, bringing Malia wasn''t meaningless.


    Even now, he can do tests like this, and if Frondier hadn''t been watching the situation at the barrier when he went to the fragments, he might not have been able to concentrate properly because he was worried about it.


    ©¤You are quite lonely.


    ©¤You seemed to know everything.


    ©¤You always fight alone, Sloth Frondier.


    The sharp advice of Empress Philly, which he had heard once, echoed in his ears.


    "Haha."


    ''It''s going to stick in my ears until I die.''


    Frondier smiled bitterly.


    Even if he engraved that advice deep in his heart, Frondier would probably fight alone again someday.


    Because he is the only human who knows the ending of this world.


    Due to the information and knowledge he possesses alone, there will surelye a time when he is not understood, and a time when no one will tolerate his actions.


    There is only one reason why variables such as Helheim fragments, ck monsters, and divine intervention were created this time.


    The existence of Frondier de Roach.


    Because the character who rarely appeared and disappeared in the original game is starting to raise his head, such dangerous variables are created.


    ''So it''s because of me.''


    No one else would know.


    The reason this battle was harsher than any other attempts in the game was the butterfly effect caused by Frondier.


    ''So I have to stop it no matter what.''


    Frondier moves to prevent the destruction of the world.


    But that''s not heroic psychology.


    It''s just the main quest. He has to conquer this game.


    But if the world he is trying to save bes more dangerous because of his actions, what is the point of it?


    ''So I''ll do it all.''


    While struggling to prevent destruction, he also calms the typhoon caused by that struggle.


    "Selena."


    "Yes."


    "I think I''m too greedy after all."


    "It''s absurd."


    "Hahaha."


    Selena answered without a moment''s hesitation.


    The escort who was watching closest confirmed it. Let''s just ept it instead of trying to deny it.


    [Frondier,e back now. It''s unsettling to watch you there.]


    At Malia''s words, Frondier looked around unconsciously.


    Half of the fireworks he just shot hit the mark where Malia was located, but the remaining halfnded on the nearby monsters.


    Not only that, there were numerous advance obstructions of monsters set up by Frondier and Selena in the vicinity.


    Of course, they were dirty with blood, but if you looked at what they had done, it was already in the realm of art.


    That''s right. Frondier and Selena were once again beyond the barrier.


    "Is this like a final cleaning? Like destroying an anthill?"


    Selena, who was next to him, asked.


    "Um, no. I want to eliminate thest element of anxiety."


    Frondier replied.


    Thest element of anxiety in this battle.


    ''If there are monsters that fly in the sky, there must be the opposite.''


    It is a future monster that does not appear right now. Only Frondier knows about it, so he can''t exin it, but he was worried that if the gods intervened, that monster might pop out too.


    Selena just said anthill, which was a very good expression. Selena herself wouldn''t know.


    ''...But not yet.''


    Frondier felt the surrounding presence sensitively. But neither he nor Selena felt any other presence.


    ©¤©¤That monster has not yet appeared.


    "Okay, let''s go back, Selena."


    "Yes."


    Frondier turned around, and Selena followed.


    Across the barrier, humans grow to expand their territory.


    To ovee the terrifying monsters outside and expand that barrier once more. To someday make this entire continent a human territory again, and to meet another secret that lies beyond the sea.


    But someday, if the ''barrier'' bes meaningless, then humans©¤


    "...It''s a matter forter."


    "Yes?"


    "Ah, no. I mean vacation. It''s a matter forter."


    Frondier gathered the words he had spoken without realizing it. But Selena looked at Frondier with an even stranger face.


    "A matter forter? Frondier-nim."


    "Yes?"


    "Vacation ends tomorrow."


    ...Ah?

 Chapter 187 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The end of winter break.


    That means the end of each grade.


    At the end of the break and the beginning of the new year, graduation ceremonies were held at Constel.


    Constel''s graduation ceremony is much more splendid than other schools, and the students'' enthusiasm


    is high because it is the time when promising third-year students step into the pro world, so their juniors pray sincerely for their well-being.


    Once the graduation ceremony process in the auditorium isplete, the students'' great migration begins in earnest.


    "Senior! I''ll definitely keep in touch!"


    "Let''s have a meal together on the weekend!"


    Popr and talented third-year students receive cheers from many juniors and friends during this time.On the other hand, if you are not noticeable and do not have great skills, there are plenty of cases where you are treated as invisible.


    Therefore, it is natural that poprity explodes during this time,


    "Viet sunbae!"


    "Sunbae! Take this! Don''t forget me!"


    "Me too, it''s a small talisman. I really hope you do well, sunbae..."


    "Here''s a bouquet, sunbae!"


    "Ah, me too!"


    "Me too! I have a present! Clothes are important during the changing seasons!"


    It was Quinie de Viet.


    Students flocked to her like waves, the most popr girl in the third year who was about to graduate.


    Quinie''s feelings on this were.


    "...I can''t see ahead."


    "It looks like it."


    Her friend Anne smiled wryly and helped carry the gifts.


    Quinie, whose face barely peeked out from the mountain of gifts and bouquets, sighed deeply.


    "It''s awkward to receive gifts like this. I''m not even going to be a pro."


    "Whatever you be in the future, your juniors want their seniors to do well. Because they will soon walk that path too."


    "Ha- Ha- I don''t rmend my path to anyone."


    Quinieughed dryly. As if she suddenly remembered something, she looked at the graduation banner hanging in the auditorium.


    "...I''m graduating."


    "Do you want to stay longer?"


    "..."


    "Repeat a grade?"


    "The romance suddenly disappears."


    Quinie sighed and nced at Anne.


    "What about you? Don''t you have any lingering feelings for Constel?"


    "Lingering feelings... Maybe the fact that I couldn''t escape my dad''s embrace after all?"


    "Oh... Then you''re going to take over the family business?"


    "Well, that''s how it turned out."


    Anne nodded calmly, while Quinie was surprised.


    Anne is also quite skilled, although not as much as Quinie. She thought she would definitely walk the path of a pro.


    "Did your father force you to do that?"


    "Ahaha, no. Dad said I could do anything. He readily allowed me to attend Constel and said, ''Try anything you can!'' But as I tried various experiences, I realized where I should return to."


    "Hee..."


    "But you really seem to want to stay longer. As expected, repeating a grade..."


    "I said no!"


    After shouting, Quinie pouted her lips for a moment as if something was bothering her. Then sheughed hollowly and said,


    "Actually, you''re right. Originally, I wanted to stay longer."


    "...I see."


    "You''re not surprised?"


    "Why would I be surprised? If I were you, I would have wanted to stay here forever."


    Anne snorted and said.


    Quinie is not only a student but also a head of household. When she graduates, it will be the time for the Viet family to start moving in earnest.


    Her responsibility as the head of household will be even greater. The checks and bnces from surrounding families will also intensify, and they will also use coercive means.


    "If you''re saying you originally wanted to stay longer, does that mean you don''t anymore?"


    "Now, it''s like... I have a definite goal."


    Quinie''s eyes shone as she said that. Anne was a little surprised by that look. When talking about graduation, Quinie had a bold face, but Anne could see the anxiety within it.


    But not this time. Quinie''s eyes sparkled like those of new students. She had decided on something to challenge.


    "And that goal is something I can never achieve by staying at Constel."


    "...What is it? That goal."


    Anne had a rough idea, but she asked. Just as Quinie was about to answer,


    "Quinie sunbae."


    Someone approached them.


    Is it another junior? Quinie turned her head to see who it was and opened her eyes wide.


    "Congrattions on your graduation."


    The man who gave the calm congrattions was Frondier.


    "...Frondier."


    "I''m sorry I''mte. No, I guess it''s not toote."


    Frondier gave a normal greeting and then said, suddenly remembering something. In fact, he wasn''t particrlyte. Rather, is there such a thing as beingte for a graduation ceremony?


    But Quinie smiled brightly and said,


    "No, you''rete. I was waiting."


    "...I see."


    Anne, who was standing next to her, was surprised by her bright smile and honest voice.


    "Actually, I was wondering what to give you as a graduation gift."


    Saying that, Frondier rummaged through his pocket. Does he even worry about such things? Anne was surprised again.


    "I wanted to give this to you, sunbae."


    Frondier took out an object from his pocket and showed it to Quinie.


    A long string, a neat and elegant decoration, and a ck jewel embedded in the center.


    "...This is what I gave you."


    What Frondier took out was the ck Lotus. Not the newly made one, but the one he first received from Quinie.


    "Yes. Actually, it''s the first time in my life that I''ve received a gift from someone else."


    "...That''s such a sad story, I don''t know how to react."


    Quinie smiled bitterly as she looked at the ck Lotus. This wasn''t a gift, but something she gave him in a deal.


    And she shot Frondier a yful look.


    "Hey, are you throwing this away because you have a new one now? Are you giving it to me because you''re throwing it away?"


    "No, this is, how should I say it... that..."


    It was a joke, but Frondier took it seriously. Scratching his cheek for a moment, Frondier said,


    "It''s a talisman I''m giving you."


    "A talisman?"


    "Thanks to this ne, I''ve saved my life several times."


    The ck Lotus, the only means by which Frondier could carry the Obsidian at the time.


    Because of this, Frondier was able to fight and win. It is an object that has been with him for almost all of his battles.


    "So it will protect you, sunbae, from now on."


    "...Hmm."


    "Well, it''s not so much a rational thought as a superstition, so if you just think of it as having my time and heart in it..."


    "Put it on me."


    Quinie interrupted Frondier and said.


    "Yes?"


    "Can''t you see that I have both hands full right now? I can''t even receive it if you give it to me. So put it on me."


    Saying that, Quinie stuck out her neck. She even closed her eyes as if she had no doubt that he would put it on her.


    Frondier hesitated for a moment at that sight, but eventually put the ck Lotus around her neck.


    Quinie opened her eyes with a sparkle and looked down at the ne around her neck.


    "Hehe, it''s a couple ne."


    "...They look different."


    "Originally, couple items look a little different."


    Is that so? Honestly, I don''t really know.


    Then why are they a couple?


    "Frondier."


    "Yes."


    "I''m going to be a knight."


    Quinie said with sparkling eyes. It was the same look that Anne had seen earlier.


    "I will be a knight and make Viet aplete noble family. Right now, it has just risen again, but I will make it a family that bes a pir of the Empire."


    "..."


    Frondier looked at Quinie for a moment. He wasn''t surprised. So he just said what came to mind.


    "...I knew you would do that, sunbae."


    "So, when I be a knight..."


    Quinie stopped talking and carefully ced the gifts and bouquets she had received next to her.


    What is she going to do? Just as Frondier was thinking that, Quinie suddenly pointed her finger at him.


    "Frondier!!!"


    Her voice, filled with aura, resonated loudly throughout the auditorium. The students'' gazes were all focused on Quinie.


    Even while receiving those gazes, Quinie said boldly,


    "Join my family!!"


    Her voice blew towards Frondier like the wind.


    Since it was almost the same volume as her previous voice, the surrounding students gasped and held their breath.


    Frondier blinked for a moment and said,


    "...Are you telling me to abandon the Roach family?"


    "That''s not it!"


    "I''m joking. You''re telling me to be a knight too, right?"


    "Yes, that''s it."


    Quinie''s eyes sparkled. Frondier closed his eyes and smiled.


    And he thought for a moment. Bing a knight and joining Quinie''s family. In terms of the game, it would be something like a territory development story. Quinie is so capable and smart that he wouldn''t have that much to do.


    Having umted enough strength and skill, it wouldn''t be too difficult to protect her from the surrounding families that were keeping her in check.


    A leisurely life. A peaceful future is easily drawn in his mind.


    However.


    "I''m sorry."


    Frondier said.


    "I have to save the world."


    It was less of a boast and more of a delusional statement.


    But it was Frondier''s unwavering truth, and the biggest reason why he couldn''t ept Quinie''s offer.


    If he hadn''t known the ending of this world.


    He might have be Quinie''s knight.


    After experiencing various events with her, Quinie was still attractive in Frondier''s eyes.


    "...Pfft."


    Hearing Frondier''s words, she burst intoughter as if resigned,


    "Yeah, I knew you would say that."


    Quinie, who smiled and said that, shone so brightly.

 Chapter 188 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The brief period between graduation and the return of spring.


    Even Constel had a spring break. For Constel students who dedicated even their vacations to training and studying, this short spring break was a true respite.


    Frondier also decided to enjoy this period of rest. There was a process of absorbing and digesting what he had learned from the Roach Knights and Azier, but other than that, he had plenty of time to enjoy himself.


    ©¤©¤Of course, just because Frondier was resting,


    It didn''t mean everyone could rest during spring break.


    "Ha, there''s no one here..."


    In the Constel student council room.


    Theo de nc, the former student council president, sighed while holding a stack of papers. The papers he held contained the personal information of several students.


    "I told you to pick a sessor beforehand.""Do you think I didn''t want to?"


    Theo retorted to the treasurer, Byzant, who was nagging him from the side. Then, after thinking for a moment, he looked at Byzant and said,


    "Do you want to do it? Be the student council president."


    "Are you out of your mind? We''re in the same year!"


    "So?"


    "So what?! I''m graduating too!"


    Theo''s eyes widened at Byzant''s words.


    "You... graduating...?"


    "Oh, so you want to redecorate the student council room, huh?"


    As Byzant actually started to gather Mana, Theo waved his hand with augh. However, his eyes soon fell with worry and a sigh.


    "...Listen, I''m clearly the ''former'' student council president, right?"


    "Right."


    "So the student council president position is vacant, right?"


    "Right. You didn''t appoint a sessor, and Constel kept postponing the student council vote until it was eventually cancelled."


    Constel had been extremely busy this year.


    The golem theft incident, the search for the traitor hidden within the school, the defense against the attack, and on top of that, Indus.


    Because of that, the student council vote kept getting postponed. Election campaigns and voting took a long time.


    There was a little time before winter break, but Constel didn''t hold any events at the end of the second semester.


    Somehow, the vote was cancelled, and now they were telling Theo to just pick a sessor.


    "...I didn''t want to say this, but..."


    "Yeah."


    "Constel''s student council is really unpopr."


    Byzant''s gaze shifted at thatint. To the side where Theo''s face wasn''t fully visible.


    When he shifted his gaze there, he saw a mountain far away outside the window. Wow, why is the mountain that was there yesterday still there today? It''s really amazing,


    "Hey! Don''t ignore me!"


    "What can I do! Most of the students who attend Constele here aspiring to be pros! Even during vacation, they''re so focused on their own training, do you think they care how the school is run!"


    As Byzant said, the student council wasn''t popr at Constel. More than anything, the fact that no one cared that the student council president position had been vacant for so long was the biggest proof.


    In fact, the students still thought Theo was the student council president. He was actually still doing the work.


    "You''re the same. You could''ve just quit the student council and note here, why are you holding onto it until graduation?"


    "What can I do when the teacher asks me to? They asked me to stay just a little longer because a sessor woulde soon, so what could I do?"


    "That ''just a little longer'' turned into graduation, though."


    The fact that the student council wasn''t popr meant, in other words, that the number of student council members was small. They couldn''t force students who didn''t want to do it to join the student council.


    Of course, there were first and second-year students in the student council, but none of them wanted to be the student council president. They were intimidated after seeing Theo taking on everything by himself.


    "Even if you appoint a sessor, don''t make them do it like you did. That''s a bad thing."


    "So, you''re saying I''ve been doing a bad thing to myself all this time?"


    "That''s right. Apologize to yourself."


    Byzant''s words contained not a single ounce of consideration. Theo sighed.


    They had to appoint a sessor, no matter what. Until now, even though he was the former student council president, he was still at Constel, so the student council''s lineage had been maintained.


    However, now Theo was graduating. A physically impossible time hade.


    "...Is it really only that kid?"


    "I don''t think she''ll do it."


    "Do you even know who I''m talking about?"


    "You''re choosing from the second-year students, right? Then it''s decided."


    Hearing Byzant''s words, Theo thought, ''That''s true,'' and stopped.


    Ellen Evans.


    The student council president sessor candidate Theo was currently thinking of.


    "Even if you ask, will Ellen do it? She''s not even a student council member."


    "But no one in the current student council wants to be the student council president. The workload is heavy because I''m currently doing what I used to do, but if there''s a new student council president, this burden will also decrease. Ellen is popr and unexpectedly thorough, so I think she''ll do well."


    Byzant pondered for a moment at Theo''s words.


    Ellen Evans. The most shining figure among the second-year students.


    Ellen was already famous at Constel even before her younger brother Aster came here. Not because of her brother, but because of her own pure skills.


    Ellen had a genius sense when it came to wielding a sword, and it was said that she had already reached the level of bing one with the sword. The amount of Mana she possessed was meager, but she made up for it all with her skills.


    She had somnambulism, but it wasn''t a problem in her daily life, and no one had ever been harmed or injured because of it, so it might not even be somnambulism. She always insisted it wasn''t, though.


    The problem was that Ellen was incredibly busy, as much as her skills were.


    She already had a pro internship scheduled, and I heard she was extremely busy because of it even during this break.


    She probably didn''t even know the student council existed, let alone have any interest in it.


    "Still, we have to at least ask."


    "Well, that''s true, but."


    Knock knock-


    At that moment, someone knocked on the student council room door. Theo and Byzant looked at each other.


    It was still spring break, so it was rare for students toe to Constel, and the same went for teachers. Even if they came to Constel, they rarely had business with the student council room.


    "Yes,e in."


    Theo spoke as usual for now.


    The student council room door opened, and the person who entered was.


    "...Huh?"


    Surprisingly, it was Ellen Evans.


    Theo was a little flustered when the person they had just been talking about entered. Did she hear them talking outside?


    No, they wouldn''t have been talking that loudly. No, but with Ellen''s sensitive senses, maybe...


    "Hello, I''m Ellen Evans."


    Ellen bowed politely to Theo. Theo awkwardly epted her greeting.


    "Yes, I''m Theo de nc. What brings you to the student council...?"


    Theo spoke while looking at Ellen''s blinking eyes. He had encountered her in passing before, but she was usually asleep at those times, so this was the first time Theo had seen her eyes so clear.


    "Um..."


    Those slowly opening lips were also too unfamiliar to Theo.


    "I want to be the student council president, what should I do?"

 Chapter 188 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When a new year dawns, some leave, and some enter.


    This wasn''t just the case at Constel.


    In the Empire, there was one problem that had to be solved somehow before winter ended.


    It was the ''Zodiac''.


    With Heldre''s death, a vacancy had urred in the ''Zodiac'', where the 12 seats had to be maintained. These 12 seats had to be absolutely maintained, so inevitably, someone new had toe in.


    Of course, the Empire considered ''Enfer de Roach'' as the top priority. The Iron Wall of the North, leading the Roach Knights, the man most deserving of the title of ''One Man Army''.


    However, Enfer had no intention of joining the Zodiac.


    He had already rejected the Empire''s requests toe to the central region several times. For him, who disliked the Empire, the Zodiac was an outrageous suggestion.


    The Empire had sent invitations to Enfer regarding the Zodiac about six times, but he only replied to the very first one. ''Rejection''. The subsequent invitations were all ignored.Therefore, the Empire had no choice but to look for the next person. Of course, even this wasn''t easy.


    Those who were worth considering for the Zodiac already understood Enfer''s skills well, and they could tell even with their eyes closed that he would have rejected the Empire''s request.


    Then, did they themselves possess skills equal to Enfer''s? The reality of the Zodiac candidates was that they couldn''t easily answer that question.


    Thus, a long time passed from Heldre''s death until the next Zodiac member appeared.


    It was literally the long period of time from Heldre''s death to Constel''s winter break, Frondier''s journey to the northern part of Yeranhes to obtain the fragment, and his return.


    The Empire was worried that this year would pass by like this. The Zodiac was of course important in terms of actual strength, but from the perspective of the nation, its symbolic meaning was significant.


    The Zodiac system had to be solid, and the people within it had to be convincing enough to the citizens of the Empire for them to trust in their safety.


    And so, just as winter was about to passpletely.


    Finally, a man who had been sitting on his heavy backside stood up.


    "Watch the house for a bit. I''ll be back soon."


    The man adjusted his shoulders a few times, seemingly ufortable with the robe he was wearing for the first time in a long while.


    Another man, Hector Dutoit, who had been watching him quietly, sighed.


    Hector the White Lion, the man Frondier met at the barrier of Tyburn. He used the surname Dutoit, but he was actually Ludwig''s son.


    Hector looked at Ludwig with cold eyes.


    "The first thing you say aftering back after so long is..."


    "I''m leaving it to you because it might take a while."


    "Why should I watch your house? Suddenly acting like nothing happened..."


    "Nothing happened."


    Ludwig cut off Hector''s words.


    His tone was the same as ever, but his sunken eyes made Hector flinch.


    "Then what was there between you and me? Whatever it was, it''s nothing now."


    "...Don''t try to gloss over it like that."


    "Hector. You told me, you said you would engrave your name on the entire continent someday."


    Hector closed his mouth at those words but showed his displeasure all over his body. Of course, he still had that thought, but he had said those words to Ludwig when he was very young.


    "If you haven''t changed your mind, it''s best to follow me now. You can''t hide the name Urfa, no matter how hard you try. This territory, this mansion here, the family, and me. Use everything you can."


    Ludwig finished his preparations and walked towards the mansion exit with a small bag.


    At the door, he said,


    "Whether you forgive me or not, whatever you think of what happened back then, I don''t care at all. But the fact that you''re my son doesn''t change. I told you to watch the house, so this house is yours for the time being. The mansion''s servants, the knights temporarily dispatched, the territory, everything is yours."


    "...So what."


    "Nothing much. Just keep it in your head."


    Ludwig said with a slightly lonely face,


    "As I said before, I won''t be able toe here for a while."


    * * *


    The Empire weed the new Zodiac member.


    Ludwig von Urfa.


    A battle-hardened mage who had made remarkable contributions in the war against monsters.


    Of course, among the Zodiac, there was Osprey, the headmaster of Constel, who was closest to being an Archmage, but many mages preferred Ludwig over Osprey.


    Osprey focused on student education and rarely participated in battles, and his school of magic was too difficult to understand.


    On the other hand, Ludwig used most of the well-known magic without being picky, and above all, it was visually spectacr.


    Anyone who saw the lightning bolt from his staff strike the ground in one stroke would be amazed by its magnificence.


    However, Ludwig himself said, "I don''t like shy things."


    ...While the new year dawned and Ludwig adapted to the Zodiac.


    Naturally, Constel also weed the new year.


    The opening ceremony. The first day of school in the new year.


    After seeing off the third-year students, new freshmen arrived.


    The freshmen, like the freshmen of the previous year, walked to school with great expectations for the new environment and the name Constel.


    Of course, they also talked about the big news of the new Zodiac member, but what caught their attention right now was something else.


    "You guys know, right? There''s Aster Evans among the seniors here!"


    "The genius with Baldur''s divine power, he''s been super famous sincest year!"


    "He''s siblings with Ellen Evans. Wow, how can both siblings be so amazing?"


    As always, the freshmen had great admiration for their seniors. There was also admiration for the pros, but the admiration for seniors was more realistic and closer.


    "Elodie senior with the name ''Inies'' and Princess Aten!"


    "So many famous people enrolledst year! Ah, I wish I could meet even one of them!"


    Various names came and went from their mouths. Among them, one student with a slightly cautious expression said,


    "But, do you guys know that story too?"


    "Huh? Which one?"


    "Last year, there was a senior who was even more famous than those seniors. Not in a good way, though."


    At that small voice, the students who were listeningughed as if they understood.


    "Ah, I know. Fron, Frondier? He was super famous. Did they say he was always sleeping?"


    "He would sleep face down during ss, skip outdoor activities, and not join any clubs!"


    "So his nickname was ''Human Sloth''? Wow, that''s too much, even for him."


    They said it was too much, but they were still giggling and snickering.


    However, the male student who had spoken cautiously at first still had a tense expression.


    "B-But that senior, I heard he''s changed a bit. His behavior within the school has changed, and so has his reputation. So they say it would be a big deal if we treat him based on old information?"


    "Big deal?"


    "If we carelessly make fun of that senior or look down on him, we''ll be subtly ostracized within Constel, I heard."


    "What? Ostracized just because one senior doesn''t like us?"


    To the other female student who spoke with a hint of ridicule, the male student said with an even more nervous face


    "No, it''s not that the senior ostracizes us, but the famous seniors we were just talking about? We''ll be ostracized by all of them. If we treat that Frondier senior carelessly or talk about him, they won''t necessarily say anything, but they''ll ignore us and pretend we don''t exist from then on. They do that even to their own ssmates, so what do you think will happen to us as first-year students?"


    "Hul, really? He must have changed a lot."


    "Yeah. So that ''Human Sloth'' nickname has changed a bit too."


    "Changed? To what?"


    "They say it''s ''Sloth''."


    The girl who had been listening quietly furrowed one brow.


    "Sloth...? Don''t tell me, that Sloth?"

 Chapter 189 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @HotJava and @Seirra1172 from Ko-fi!</i>


    I''m called "Sloth" among the students these days.


    No, not just students, it seems like everyone within Constel, including teachers and staff, knows about my nickname.


    From Human Sloth to Sloth... It feels like the meaning is the same, but I guess it''s a better evaluation.


    Therefore, my honest impression of the changed title is¡­


    "It''s so embarrassing, I want to die..."


    My mood rapidly deteriorated because of the whispering voices and stares as I walked to school.


    Somehow, it''s worse than the fame I had in my first year. Back then, I mostly had to endure mocking and contemptuous looks, but now it seems like my image has changed to something more... terrifying....I don''t know if that''s an improvement.


    Senior Quinie and the other third-years have graduated, and I''ve be a second-year. I heard that Senior Ellen is acting as the temporary student council president.


    It was a bit unexpected. In the original game, the student council president election proceeded without any problems. Of course, someone other than Senior Ellen bes the president.


    However, since they barely appeared in the game scenario, they weren''t a named character.


    Honestly, the treatment of the student council and the president wasn''t very good in Constel. Since students don''t focus on school life, the student council naturally bes ineffective.


    But for some reason, Senior Ellen volunteered to be the student council president. I wonder if I''ll be able to see a different side of Constel than the one I knew.


    There are a few things that have changed since bing a second-year, but the most noticeable is...


    "Frondier, hello!"


    "Hello."


    "Yo, Frondier."


    "Frondier-nim."


    Several figures greet me as I enter the ssroom.


    It''s natural that the ss changed since I became a second-year, and I''m in ss 1.


    And this ss 1 is where all the named characters are gathered. Aster, Elodie, Sybil, Lunia, Robald, and so on. Plus, Aten, who was originally in the same ss as me, is also here.


    ''I knew they would all be gathered in one ss, but...''


    I never thought I would be here.


    Moreover, this time, Kora, the beast-human who wasn''t originally a Constel student, and Selena, whom I brought, are also in this ss.


    In the game, Frondier disappears after a while, so I was actually quite curious about which ss I would end up in.


    But ss 1... Is this the pattern set for Frondier if he stays at Constel, or...


    ''Did the Headmaster intervene...''


    No, surely the Headmaster wouldn''t intervene just to put students in one ss. Let''s just think of this as the originally intended fate.


    "Mr. Frondier, we''re seatmates again."


    "I guess so. Nice to be with you again."


    Aten smiled brightly next to me.


    My seat is by the window in the back, not much different from my first year. Aten sitting next to me is the same, and of course, Kora is nearby too.


    However, the fact that the other people I see are different is quite refreshing. Aster and Elodie in the same ssroom... I wondered if I would ever see them studying in a ssroom.


    Moreover,


    "Frondier of Sloth! Hello!"


    "Be quiet."


    Sybil approached me with a grin. Just hearing that one word started to give me a headache.


    "Why, it''s a good nickname! Frondier of Sloth. It''s better than Human Sloth Frondier."


    "I don''t know. These days, it feels like the same thing."


    Aten, who had been listening quietly, asked,


    "''Sloth,'' as in one of the Seven Deadly Sins?"


    "...It''s probably not meant to be that deep."


    The Seven Deadly Sins, the seven vices that are said to be the source of human evil.


    In reality, they are sins defined by the church, but in the game Etius, the image of ''demons'' is much stronger.


    Each of the Seven Deadly Sins has a corresponding demon, and in the case of Sloth, the corresponding demon is ''Belphegor.'' As one of the Seven Great Demons, it is said to possess terrifying power.


    However, none of the Seven Great Demons have ever appeared in Etius.


    Even after searching the entiremunity, no one has ever witnessed them. asionally, some attention-seekers would spread rumors and exaggerations, but they were all lies.


    ''But they still exist as knowledge.''


    If you want to research the Seven Great Demons in this game, you can find information about them easily.


    It''s in the library, bookstores, and even asionally mentioned on Wizard view.


    That''s why gamers at the time often said, "Why would they put information about something that doesn''t exist in the game?" So, the Seven Great Demons were one of the constantly recurring topics.


    Yet, since no one has ever seen even one of the Seven Great Demons, a dead game is still a dead game in the end.


    "Frondier, are you actually Belphegor!"


    Robald, who was next to me, exaggeratedly acted surprised. Thanks to him, all the surrounding students stared at me.


    I covered my face with my hand.


    "Stop it. It''s embarrassing."


    "No wonder! I thought it was strange that a guy who should be fine at home sleeps all day in ss, but if he''s a demon, he could definitely..."


    "Shut up!"


    This jerk, he''s talking loud enough for everyone to hear.


    The surrounding students were whispering to each other and nodding their heads.


    Did they actually believe him?

 Chapter 189 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier himself doesn''t know it, but...


    He is currently considered a person of interest among the second-years.


    In terms of pure attention, he surpasses even Aster.


    The excellent grades and skills he disyed during the midterm and final exams of each semester, his strangely frequent involvement in various incidents, and the subtle atmosphere created by the understanding and consideration shown by promising students and teachers towards him, all contribute to this.


    Most students are particrly interested in Frondier''s theoretical skills.


    Constel divides each exam into written and practical sections, and Frondier always gets perfect scores on the written exams.


    Combat ability and magic are heavily influenced by talent, but theory is not. Theory is designed for everyone to understand, and it is researched to make it universally applicable.


    Therefore, it''s natural that students are more interested in Frondier''s theoretical knowledge than hisbat abilities.


    And the situation where they can glimpse that aspect of him is during ss time. That''s why the students of ss 1, while not showing it, are all waiting for ss to begin.To observe Frondier''s study methods. This is the same for Aster and the other named characters.


    And finally, when ss time arrives...


    ''...What is this?''


    Most students have a simr thought.


    ''He''s not doing anything.''


    As they think, Frondier isn''t doing anything.


    In reality, he''s putting everything the teacher exins and all the materials shown on the screen into his workshop, but of course, to others, it just looks like he''s sitting there watching.


    Only Aten, as if ustomed to this, remains calm in the seat next to him.


    But does that mean he''s ignoring the ss?


    "Frondier,e up and solve this. There are two missing symbols and three incorrect markings in the rune. Correct them all."


    "Yes."


    The teacher instructs Frondier to solve the problem written on the ckboard, and Frondier calmly answers and goes up to solve it.


    It''s a problem based on the content of this ss, so he wouldn''t be able to solve it if he hadn''t been listening.


    And in the next ss too...


    "Student Frondier, when did the first sanctuary appear?"


    And in the next ss...


    "Frondier, Viper steel is a material known as the best metal for making swords. However, Viper steel weapons with engraved runes are very rare. Tell me why."


    And in the next ss, Frondier answers the teachers'' questions without difficulty, and all of them are correct.


    In the process, the students realize something else.


    ''Frondier, you''re getting called on way too much!''


    Every ss, the teachers call on Frondier at least once. The teachers seem used to Frondier not taking notes and don''t seem to mind much.


    And most of the teachers aren''t surprised when Frondier gives the correct answer.


    These aren''t easy questions, but the teachers nod after hearing Frondier''s answers and proceed with the ss as if it''s perfectly natural to use his answers as a basis.


    It''s no longer a matter of whether he gets the answer right or wrong.


    They are using Frondier to help other students understand and to let them know which parts they need to memorize and learn. Because they know he will definitely give the right answer.


    ''What the heck is with him...''


    Having Frondier makes sses much easier for the teachers. Teaching someone often requires appropriate questions and answers, rather than just doing it alone. Frondier perfectly fulfills that role.


    During his first year, Frondier was in ss 5, so the students there became somewhat ustomed to him, but for the second-year students, it''s a fresh shock.


    Of course, this shock is the same for the named characters.


    ''...Frondier, you''re quite smart.''


    Elodie briefly observes him. After the winter break, Frondier seems to have grown a little bigger.


    It''s probably not an illusion but reality. His muscles have grown through intense training, and his body, still in its growth phase, continues to develop its skeletal structure.


    ''...But it doesn''t seem like a change that''s possible with just that.''


    Elodie takes a closer look at Frondier''s body. His body has be fundamentally stronger.


    Elodie wouldn''t know, but Frondier has pushed himself beyond mana exhaustion twice, and in the process, his body was pushed to a dangerous state.


    But for some reason, after recovering, his body became even stronger than before. Frondier learned how not to faint after mana exhaustion, and his body even adapted to that.


    ''And the biggest change is...''


    Elodie turns her gaze from Frondier to Aten and then to Lunia. They are also looking at Frondier with simr expressions.


    As mages, they must have noticed. The explosive growth of Frondier''s mana. He''s trying to manage and hide it well, but the presence of his vast, unfathomable mana is noticeable.


    "Ah, and there''s an announcement for everyone."


    In the afternoon, after ss, during homeroom, teacher Jane says while looking at everyone.


    Jane has be the homeroom teacher for ss 1 of the second-year students. The intention is obvious. She ns to closely observe Frondier and Kora.


    Jane is the only teacher who knows Frondier rtively well.


    "The students I call now, pleasee to the faculty office after school."


    Jane takes out a piece of paper with a list and reads out the names one by one.


    "Aster Evans."


    From the moment the first name is called, the students sense that something unusual is going on.


    "Elodie de Inies Rishae."


    And that feeling turns into certainty.


    "Robald Lief, Lunia Frisel, Aten Terst..."


    As the names are called out, the students'' whispers grow louder.


    Constel is nning something! With such anticipation and curiosity, the students'' exmation marks gradually swell, and then...


    "Frondier de Roach."


    With that name, the exmation marks suddenly turn into question marks and fade away.


    "...Huh?"


    The person called, Frondier himself, tilts his head with one eye squinted, looking puzzled.

 Chapter 189 (3) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "A skill test?"


    It was Robald who spoke up after hearing the exnation in the faculty office.


    Jane nodded.


    "Yes, we''re going to conduct a skill test for the new students who entered Constel this time. You guys have been selected for that test."


    Even as she exins, Jane''s face is filled with worry. The point of her concern is clear. The students who heard the exnation also have simr questions.


    "We didn''t have to do that when we were freshmen, did we?"


    Aster''s question. Jane sighs as if she deeply agrees.


    "Exactly..."


    "Is it being implemented from this year?""Yes. The current student council president is quite enthusiastic."


    At Jane''s words, the students who were called understand what she means. Senior Ellen must have some kind of ulterior motive, right?


    "Aster, isn''t that your sister? Did she say anything?"


    "Well, my sister doesn''t talk much, and I can''t tell what she''s thinking from her expressions or demeanor."


    Aster answers with a troubled expression.


    He said it jokingly, as if it were just her personality, but in fact, Ellen''s poker face is closer to her mindset as a swordsman than her personality.


    Ellen''s swordsmanship, which makes it impossible to know how she will attack until the moment she swings her sword, has permeated her daily life.


    As a result, her younger brother, Aster, has to deal with Ellen''s actions that seem toe out of nowhere, like throwing a water-filled cup horizontally without spilling a drop or throwing a kitchen knife in a straight line as if handing it to him.


    Thanks to this, his reaction speed and agility are improving day by day. Whether that''s a good thing or not is debatable.


    "What should we do?"


    "Hmm, what should I say... We''ll give you instructionster, so there are various things, but in a word..."


    Jane looks up at the ceiling of the faculty office for a moment, thinking, then tilts her head.


    "...Make them feel the difference in power?"


    "Why the question mark?"


    "Personally, I''m worried about students doing this kind of test among themselves. Seniors might try to show off their strength, and juniors might push themselves too hard to win against their seniors, which increases the likelihood of injuries. That''s why we carefully selected students from each ss."


    In other words, seniors who don''t need to show off their strength and whose skills are so overwhelming that juniors can''t possibly win against them.


    That''s how they carefully selected these individuals.


    "...Excuse me."


    At that moment, one person raises their hand.


    It''s Frondier.


    "Why was I chosen?"


    "..."


    "..."


    At Frondier''s question, the other students and Jane look at him with cold eyes.


    Aster sighs.


    "Then who else would they choose besides you?"


    "Huh?"


    Robald says with a confident face.


    "Frondier, that act doesn''t work anymore."


    "Huh?"


    Elodie smiles faintly.


    "Pretending to be weak, you must have worked hard, but we''ve seen through it."


    "Huh?"


    Aten says with a serious expression.


    "The thing to be careful about with Mr. Frondier is power control. Make sure you don''t identally hurt the freshmen. Okay?"


    "What?"


    Frondier''s weakling cosy no longer works.


    Of course, they don''t know the full extent of Frondier''s power. All they''ve seen is his behavior within Constel.


    But at the very least, he has enough skill to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. Aten, in particr, knows a little better than the others. She saw Mj?lnir and participated in the Tyburn''s barrier battle.


    ''This is troublesome. At this rate, they might find out everything.''


    Frondier thinks about his remaining options and contemtes ''power control'' for a moment.


    * * *


    "Ugh, what the heck. Why didn''t they call me?"


    Sybil grumbles.


    Just hearing the names of the people being called, you can immediately tell what kind of list it is.


    But Sybil Forte herself is not on the list. Even though Frondier is.


    Actually, this is natural. Sybil is a possessor of immense talent, but it hasn''t blossomed yet. Or rather, she''s dying her own growth.


    She is fundamentally optimistic and cheerful, so she doesn''t have much passion for self-training. Her ability growth shines in crisis situations.


    In the game, various main events, including raids, torment the students of Constel, highlighting Sybil''s talent. This is also why gamers first fall for Sybil.


    However, here, Frondier often nips any potential incidents in the bud beforehand, which has be a factor in dying Sybil''s growth.


    As a result, this is a better situation for Sybil than in the game, but for now, she falls slightly shortpared to the individuals who were called.


    "Selena must be upset too, right? You are so strong."


    Sybil talks to Selena, who is sitting in the ssroom.


    Sybil recognized Selena''s strength at a nce. In fact, she felt something unusual about her from her gait, but after seeing her take various tests within Constel, she was convinced.


    "I haven''t been at Constel for long."


    As she says, Selena has only recently enrolled, so from Constel''s perspective, there''s not enough data on her. That''s why she was excluded from the list.


    "But aren''t you going? It''s after school."


    Sybil tilts her head. Selena is supposed to be Frondier''s escort, but usually, you wouldn''t even notice.


    They don''t stick close together, and they don''t talk much.


    Selena can protect Frondier at any time using teleportation if he''s in danger, but of course, Sybil wouldn''t know that.


    "Ah, I have a... an appointment."


    "An appointment? With whom?"


    "Ah, Frondier-nim said he woulde back here from the faculty office."


    At those words, Sybil blinks herrge eyes for a moment. Soon, a mischievous glint appears in her eyes as she smiles yfully.


    "What? Is it a date? Selena, are you going on a date with Frondier?"


    Selena blinks at Sybil''s words. She thinks for a moment. What is a date? And what am I doing now? Does what I''m about to do with Frondier fall under the category of "date"?


    After pondering carefully, Selena says,


    "...Well, something like that, yes."


    A single phrase muttered after deep thought.


    Sybil, who was smiling yfully, freezes.


    "...What?"

 Chapter 190 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier, having heard all the exnations in the faculty room, returned to the ssroom.


    It seemed that several preparations were needed to conduct the skill test. The faculty members were dismissed, with the promise of being contacted again in a few days.


    ¡®Then shall I go straight to Selena?¡¯


    As previously promised, Frondier was going to go shopping for clothes with Selena. They would probably visit the Terst Department Store, but he was also willing to look around other ces if necessary.


    ¡®I said I¡¯d buy her clothes, but it¡¯s harder than I thought.¡¯


    The clothes he needed to buy for Selena weren''t just a matter of fashion.


    He needed to find recements for her overly revealing outfits, but if those recements were inferior to her current clothes, it would be better not to buy anything at all.


    Selena''s clothes were basicallybat uniforms.


    ¡®If I just wanted to find good clothes, I could use the workshop and analysis appropriately, but ultimately, they have to fit Selena.¡¯It seemed like it would take longer than he expected.


    Creak-


    Frondier opened the ssroom door.


    ¡°Selena, have you been waiting?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Frondier-nim.¡±


    Frondier approached Selena. Sybil was next to her, giving Frondier a stiff smile.


    ¡°Oh, oh! Frondier! Hi? How have you been?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­We already greeted each other this morning.¡±


    ¡°The more greetings, the better!¡±


    Is that so? Well, if that¡¯s Sybil¡¯s philosophy.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go, Selena.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Following Frondier¡¯s words, Selena stood up.


    Seeing that, Sybil said nkly,


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re really going together¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, I guess Selena told you.¡±


    At Frondier¡¯s words, Selena nodded. Of course, there was a slight difference between what Frondier understood and what Selena had conveyed to Sybil, but Frondier had no way of knowing that.


    ¡°H-hey, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°H-how long do you think you¡¯ll be gone?¡±


    Frondier thought for a moment at Sybil¡¯s question.


    He had been pondering a simr question earlier. So, the answer came quickly.


    ¡°I think it will take quite a while.¡±


    He needed to choose good clothes and see if they fit Selena.


    ¡°A-a long time?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think I¡¯ll spend quite a bit of money too.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t just choose Selena¡¯s clothes carelessly.


    Frondier said so and left, waving his hand. Of course, with Selena. Selena bowed her head to Sybil and followed behind Frondier.


    Flutter, flutter, Sybil nkly waved her hand, seeing Frondier off.


    Then, with a gaze that seemed to spark, she turned her head abruptly.


    Behind Sybil were the students who had just returned from the faculty room.


    Sybil¡¯s burning gaze was directed particrly at Elodie and Aten.


    ¡°You both heard, right?¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡°A date?¡±


    Elodie¡¯s expression naturally furrowed after hearing Sybil¡¯s exnation.


    A date and Frondier. The two most ipatible words in the world.


    ¡°Yes! That Frondier guy is trying to go on a date with his hired bodyguard!¡±


    ¡°Trying to go? They¡¯ve already left.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, r-right.¡±


    Compared to Sybil¡¯s fuss, Elodie was much calmer. After thinking for a moment, Elodie said,


    ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I heard it from Selena.¡±


    ¡°If Selena herself called it a date, then she epted the date request. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with that¡­¡­.¡±


    Sybil pursed her lips at Elodie¡¯s words.


    Sybil wasn¡¯t particrly worried about Frondier causing any trouble. She just felt like she had to do something.


    Aten, who had been listening, tilted her head.


    ¡°Um, a date is, like, when a man and a woman eat together or go shopping, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Like an outing?¡±


    Suddenly, it started to sound quite wholesome.


    Sybil shook her head.


    ¡°No, Aten. A date is something lovers do.¡±


    ¡°Lovers¡­¡­.¡±


    After chewing on the word for a moment, Aten¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Then Mr. Frondier and Ms. Selena are currently lovers¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°W-well, I don¡¯t know about that yet, but a date is something that people who are lovers or are going to be lovers do! It¡¯s to confirm each other¡¯s affection!¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡­.¡±


    Hearing that, Aten thought for a moment.


    Frondier and Selena. The one being protected and the protector. Due to their rtionship, they spent a lot of time together, and without trust in each other, things wouldn''t work out.


    And since Selena had been closest to Frondier among the Constel students during the winter vacation, it was possible that their rtionship could develop into a romantic one.


    ¡­¡­I see. Lovers.


    ¡°So what are you going to do? Follow them?¡±


    Elodie asked in a voice mixed with a sigh. Of course, she wasn''t asking seriously.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Sybil¡¯s answer was cheerful and clear. Ha, Elodie¡¯s exasperation doubled.


    It wasn''t like anything would happen if Sybil followed Frondier, but it certainly wasn''t a very honorable thing to do.


    Elodie couldn''t just stand by and watch her ssmate stalk another ssmate.


    The fact that Frondier and Selena were going on a date was quite bothersome to Elodie as well, but she didn''t particrly want to interfere.


    ¡°Aten, say something too. Following them? That¡¯s a bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aten nodded at Elodie¡¯s words.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Sybil.¡±


    At times like this, it was time for the princess of the Empire, who always kept her public and private life separate, to step up.


    ¡°It must be difficult alone. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    It wasn''t.


    The princess of the Empire waspletely useless.


    ¡°Aten¡­¡­. You¡¯re going to follow them too? Why?¡±


    ¡°I need to confirm if those two are really lovers.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do after confirming?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m not nning on doing anything.¡±


    Aten shook her head. Her white hair flowed smoothly down her shoulders.


    ¡°I just want to confirm.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Sigh.¡±


    Elodie sighed. Her mind was racing.


    The case where Sybil follows them alone.


    This was rather better. Because Sybil ¡®generally had a tendency for things to work out well¡¯.


    This tendency was absurdly strongpared to others, so even if she was following them, Elodie wasn¡¯t too worried.


    At the very least, even if she got caught, she would be able to get out of it without much trouble.


    The problem was Aten.


    Aten seemed like she had never done anything like following someone before, and contrary to her appearance, she was a bit clumsy.


    It wouldn''t be surprising if she identally got caught somehow.


    ¡­¡­It can¡¯t be helped, even though I really don¡¯t want to.


    ¡°Fine. Then I¡¯ll go too.¡±


    Elodie made a decision.


    It wasn''t like they were the type to be stopped by force.


    At the very least, she had to make sure they didn¡¯t get embarrassed.

 Chapter 190 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    On their way to the Terst Department Store, Frondier listened to Selena¡¯s exnation of her personal equipment.


    ¡°As you know, my main weapon is a needle. Of course, it¡¯s a different kind from the needles used for making clothes. It¡¯s long enough to be held with the entire hand, and it¡¯s also very strong.¡±


    Frondier nodded. He had seen Selena¡¯s needles up close. She had even pointed them directly at his neck to threaten him.


    ¡°The needles are stored on my wrists, thighs, left waist, and behind my ankles. The more, the better. Even arge quantity doesn''t significantly affect the weight.¡±


    ¡°The order you just mentioned, can I consider it the order of use?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. However, the ones stored on my wrists are for immediate use in emergencies, and thergest quantity is stored on my thighs and left waist. Depending on the type of clothing, I sometimes don''t wear them on my wrists.¡±


    ¡°Like clothes with no sleeves or extremely narrow sleeves?¡±


    Selena nodded at Frondier¡¯s question.


    After listening to the exnation, another question came to Frondier¡¯s mind.¡°How do you check the remaining quantity? If the battle is prolonged, you¡¯ll keep firing needles, and then at some point, you might run out. Do you have a way to visually confirm the remaining amount?¡±


    ¡°No. I judge it by weight.¡±


    Selena raised her wrist. Inside the long sleeve of her school uniform, under her wrist, was apartment for storing needles.


    ¡°Right now, I have exactly 24 in this wrist.¡±


    ¡°You can sense the weight of a single needle?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why it¡¯s best to have clothes that are as light as possible. To avoid mistaking the weight.¡±


    ¡°Is the Constel uniform okay?¡±


    ¡°This much is no problem. However, I need to make some adjustments to the sleeves and waist. The storage space is insufficient.¡±


    As she spoke, Selena showed Frondier the inside of her uniform sleeve. Indeed, the width of the sleeve was wider than the one Frondier was wearing.


    ¡°I always equip the needles in multiples of four. When I hold them in my hand, exactly four are fired at once.¡±


    ¡°From your thumb to your little finger, you grip them all at once.¡±


    Selena nodded.


    Frondier recalled the first time Selena met Enfer.


    She had stepped back in surprise at Enfer¡¯s murderous intent, and with needles in both hands, she hadpleted herbat stance. He felt like he had discovered one of the secrets behind her swift movements.


    ¡°Then the important thing when choosing clothes is a wide width to conceal the storage of the needles. Additionally, the durability needs to be good. No matter how well you hide them, if the clothes tear, it¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    Thinking back, Selena¡¯s clothes were quite revealing, but the parts where she needed to hide the needles were definitely covered. He just hadn''t noticed because his gaze was drawn to her figure first.


    ¡®If the purpose isn¡¯t to show off her figure, choosing clothes will be easier.¡¯


    Frondier, having made up his mind, said,


    ¡°Okay. First, I¡¯ll choose the clothes, and then you can decide which ones you like.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Lord Frondier will choose the clothes?¡±


    Selena tilted her head. Frondier didn''t seem to have a good eye for clothes.


    But in fact, when it came to ¡®having a good eye¡¯, few could surpass Frondier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll choose the best clothes.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s face was full of confidence as he opened the door to the department store.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­I can¡¯t hear very well.¡±


    Sybil narrowed her eyes and watched Frondier from afar.


    They were talking quite a bit, but she couldn''t quite make out what they were saying.


    ¡°Elodie, can¡¯t we get closer?¡±


    ¡°This is already pushing it.¡±


    Elodie sighed and said.


    The soundproof magic ¡®Whispering Wind¡¯, the barrier of approach prevention, and the perception-impairing magic were all tripleyered in Elodie¡¯s special concealment technique.


    With this much effort, most people wouldn''t even notice if they passed right next to them, but Elodie judged that getting any closer would be difficult.


    ¡®I feel like we¡¯ll get caught.¡¯


    Especially Selena. The Selena that Elodie had seen was the owner of incredible senses. With Selena, it wouldn''t be the magic that was the problem, but her sixth sense that would first detect Elodie¡¯s presence.


    ¡°¡­¡­I can¡¯t hear, but something.¡±


    Aten, who had been watching silently, spoke up.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Were those two always that close?¡±


    Aten checked Frondier¡¯s face.


    As she recalled, Frondier always had a stern expression when looking at Selena. It could even be described as overbearing and authoritative.


    It seemed natural because he was her employer, but it also seemed like a very strange thing.


    It was as if he was showing suspicion, vignce, and even hostility towards the bodyguard he was supposed to build trust with.


    But the Frondier now was different.


    His gaze towards Selena was warm. And Selena¡¯s expression seemed softer as well.


    ¡°Ah, they¡¯re going in. It¡¯s a department store.¡±


    ¡°What are they going to buy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it doesn¡¯t feel like a date at all.¡±


    The conversation between Sybil and Aten might sound a bit silly to a third party, but they weren''t wrong.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to get closer once we¡¯re inside. There are a lot of people and things to hide behind.¡±


    ¡°R-right.¡±


    After a short pause, they slowly opened the door to the department store.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­¡­You really do have a good eye, Lord Frondier.¡±


    ¡°I told you so.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were just going to nce around and pick up whatever.¡±


    ¡°Everyone says that at first.¡±


    Selena was impressed every time she saw the clothes Frondier brought. The material, the design, considering the special requirements of the clothes Selena had to wear, they were all excellent items.


    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble deciding. What should I buy?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it here, just try them on.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Try them on?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way to know, right?¡±


    That was true, but.


    It took a considerable amount of time to change into these clothes. She also had to check the functionality in various ways.


    During that time, she would have to keep Frondier waiting, so Selena wasn''t too keen on it.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Frondier said.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I would spare for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Hearing Frondier¡¯s words, Selena was reminded of something strange.


    ©¤Act as if you¡¯re gradually falling for Frondier.


    Those were Hagley¡¯s words.


    ©¤Until Frondier spits out the contents of the next Ancient Language, pretend to be in love with him. Until now, you¡¯ve been the one seducing him, but now, act as if you¡¯re falling for his seduction.


    ©¤The reason Frondier isn¡¯t telling you the Ancientnguage is because he suspects you. But if he believes you love him, his suspicions will fade. There¡¯s no reason to suspect someone who loves you.


    Selena was practically a double agent between Manggot and Frondier.


    The choice of which side to choose was up to her, and she hadn''t chosen either of them yet.


    However, having been by Frondier¡¯s side until now, Selena¡¯s heart was leaning heavily towards him.


    Therefore, there was no need to follow Hagley¡¯s orders to the letter. It wasn''t like Frondier wouldn''t tell her the Ancientnguage.


    That¡¯s right. That¡¯s true, but.


    ¡®Even if I were to follow that order.¡¯


    Act as if you¡¯re gradually falling for him.


    She realized how difficult it was to do that as an act.

 Chapter 191 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Pop and @Friendly_Noctis from Ko-fi!</i>


    Selena followed my suggestion and went into the changing room to try on the dress.


    It''s strange how she''s been soplianttely, especially in unexpected situations. I still haven''t figured out her criteria. Normally, she''s quite stubborn.


    ¡®Speaking of which.¡¯


    This is quite awkward. Feeling ufortable with where to look, I nced up at the department store ceiling.


    ©¤I noticed them. The ones tailing us.


    Elodie, Sybil, and Aten, huh? I never thought I''d be the first to notice them, even before Selena.


    After I destroyed the Helheim fragment and absorbed all that Mana, I experienced all sorts of things. I think it''s because of that.Right now, I can sense everything supernatural with my five senses.


    At first, I thought I could only see beings from other worlds, like ghosts or gods. But it went beyond that, and now I can see things like auras and the flow of Mana.


    During spring break, I had a really hard time adjusting to this.


    Not because I couldn''t see, but because I could see too well. I could see things even when I didn''t want to. It wasn''t like a game where I could turn the settings on and off.


    I once heard that pigs can''t lift their heads, so they never see the sky unless someone helps them.


    Right now, I''m like a pig that has lifted its head and seen the sky. I''ve already seen it, and since I can see it, it''s hard to look away.


    A pig that has seen the sky. It''s a really easy metaphor to understand.


    ¡®They don''t seem to be nning anything, though.¡¯


    The three of them are just loitering around, not doing anything in particr. However, Elodie''s magic is so thorough that passersby often bump into them without noticing.


    Seeing them just walk away after bumping into them, not knowing what they bumped into, makes me realize how much trouble they''re going through.


    The fact that Elodie is with them means it''s not just a prank. They wouldn''t be so thoroughly concealed if that were the case.


    ¡®It''s because of me, after all.¡¯


    Recently, my nickname has changed a bit to ¡®Sloth¡¯. Now, among the students, I''ve gone from being an object of scorn to an object of fear.


    Maybe that has affected them too. Maybe they''re worried that I''ll do something to Selena.


    When someone who was powerless gains power, you never know what they might do.


    Elodie, who knows Frondier from his childhood, would know this even better.


    Selena and I are in an employer-bodyguard rtionship, so it''s a pretty convincing story that I, the one in the superior position of power, would use that to intimidate Selena. Even though that Frondier is me.


    ¡®Let''s leave them alone.¡¯


    Sybil is like a storm, capable of causing trouble if she sets her mind to it, and Aten can be a bit clueless, which is worrying, but if those two are with Elodie, there''s nothing to worry about.


    Elodie was the character I trusted the most from beginning to end in the game Etius.


    I''m probably not the only one.


    Even though she doesn''t be a party member of the protagonist, Aster, or rather, because of that, the yers have a strong trust in Elodie. In the end, Elodie achieves featsparable to Aster''s party.


    ¡®Besides, I''m not going to do anything.¡¯


    It might take some time to choose Selena''s clothes, but once we''re done, we''ll go straight home. By then, they''ll feel relieved and disband.


    So today will pass as a small incident, not even a minor event.


    ¡°Um, Frondier-nim.¡±


    Then I heard Selena''s voice. It was so quiet that I almost missed it.


    ¡°Ah, Selena. Are you done changing?¡±


    I turned my gaze to Selena.


    And froze for a moment.


    Selena was wearing a white dress. Honestly, it was apletely different style from the clothes she''d been wearing so far. It was loose and flowing, with a pure image rather than a sexy one.


    I was a little worried about whether it would suit Selena, but as expected, it was a needless worry. Instead, another concern came to mind.


    ¡®...It doesn''t seem to hide her figure very well.¡¯


    The exposure was almostpletely gone. The skirt was a bit short, but that was unavoidable due to the way Selena hid weapons on her thighs, and it was actually quite normal.


    However, apart from that, it didn''t do much to hide her figure.


    Instead of her chest or hips, her delicate shoulders and legs stood out. Since she had good proportions to begin with, hiding the exposure only emphasized her overall silhouette.


    Seeing her change into this outfit, I understood even better why Manggot had Selena approach Frondier.


    ¡°H-How is it? I''ve never worn clothes like this before.¡±


    She was clearly very awkward, even without saying it. She kept checking the skirt and sleeves, as if she was worried about whether she was wearing it properly.


    ¡°It looks good on you.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? It seems less embarrassing than the clothes you''ve been wearing so far.¡±


    ¡°...I wasn''t embarrassed before.¡±


    ¡°Don''t lie.¡±


    Of course, Selena was lying.


    The biggest reason I was buying Selena clothes this time was because she had been feeling ufortable with her own clothes since a certain point. For emotional reasons, not functional ones.


    Selena was originally sent to seduce me, so shepletely changed her mindset and approached me.


    She probably didn''t even see me as a man while she was trying to seduce me. It was just a step she had to take to carry out her mission.


    In my terms, I was nothing more or less than a quest NPC.


    But after the seduction failed, or more precisely, after I led Selena in a different direction, things changed.


    She had no intention of seducing me, but after that, all the clothes she had were for seduction.


    I was no longer a quest NPC but another path for her to regain her family and n, a teacher who taught her the Ancient Language, and the person she was protecting.


    It wouldn''t have been easy to keep wearing clothes like before in front of someone like that. But she couldn''t tell Manggot either.


    ¡°You''re just awkward because it''s your first time wearing it, right? Is there anything ufortable?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let''s buy it.¡±


    ¡°There are still a lot of clothes I need to try on.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t feel any problems with the clothes, we''ll buy them. Depending on the situation, we might even buy all the clothes you picked out earlier.¡±


    Selena''s small mouth opened at my words. Only then did she move her body a few times and examine various parts of the clothes thoroughly.


    ¡°Ah, Frondier-nim. Now that I look at it again, the ankle part here...¡±


    ¡°If you''re lying, I''ll burn all the clothes you''ve been wearing so far. Then you''ll have no choice but to buy new clothes.¡±


    Selena immediately shut her mouth at my words. I smiled at her and said,


    ¡°You don''t have to worry about my money. I won''t reduce the money I give you just because I buy a few clothes.¡±


    ¡°T-That''s not why...¡±


    ¡°Whatever the reason, you don''t have to worry about my money.¡±


    I turned my gaze to the employee. Just by looking at my eyes, the employee quickly came over and helped with the payment for the clothes Selena was wearing.


    Since the security at the Terst Department Store was also magic, it was quite convenient to be able to buy the clothes right away without having to change back.


    ¡°Instead of worrying about that, help me by wearing better clothes and getting better equipment.¡±


    ¡°...I understand.¡±


    Only then did Selena nod as if she understood.


    But soon, she rolled her eyes around as if checking something and said,


    ¡°Um, but Frondier-nim.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I mentioned this before, but your way of speaking...¡±


    Ah.


    I guess my tension around Selena has really eased since winter break. I wonder if even this is part of Manggot scheme, but that''s too ridiculous.


    But whatever it is, it''s better to maintain a strict tone with Selena. It''s important for me to keep my mind focused, and it''s also more natural for Manggot to see.


    If Manggot finds out that I''m rxed around Selena and tries to do something weird, it''ll just make things more tiring.


    So I was going to go back to my usual way of speaking, but...


    ¡®...Ah.¡¯


    I remembered that we were being followed.


    They were watching us with suspicion and vignce, wondering if I was going to do something strange to Selena.


    To reassure them it would be better to avoid being too harsh.


    ¡°No, Selena.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I''ll talk to you like this today.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    I smiled at Selena.


    With a kind face, a kind smile, and a kind heart.


    Today, I''m a good man.


    ¡°Let''s just be like this for today.¡±

 Chapter 191 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Inside the cafe in the department store.


    Sybil sipped her coffee with a disgruntled expression. Elodie sighed as she watched her pouty face.


    ¡°Let''s go back now. We''ve seen everything, haven''t we?¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Sybil didn''t answer. Elodie looked at Aten. Aten''s face didn''t show it, but she was clearly feeling down.


    Sigh. Elodie let out a sigh. It couldn''t be helped. She had to say it directly here.


    ¡°You guys saw it too, right?¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    ¡°That''s 100% a proper date.¡±¡°Argh! Don''t say it!¡±


    Sybil lowered her head as if in pain. Seeing that, Elodie looked across the cafe.


    There, Selena and Frondier were talking to each other, facing each other.


    Frondier, who spoke with a gentle look, and Selena, who stuttered and answered shyly. They were a perfect couple, fresh and cute.


    ¡°I knew it was a date... I knew it... .¡±


    Sybil muttered. It seemed like she was the type who had to see it with her own eyes to be satisfied, even if it was painful.


    ¡°That guy, he can talk so sweetly... .¡±


    Sybil looked at Frondier resentfully. Elodie was a little surprised by that. Sybil''s reaction was too easy to read and honest.


    Within Constel''s reputation, Sybil was known as the most ''fox-like'' student.


    Of course, that evaluation was mixed with both good and bad intentions, but it was an undeniable fact that Sybil possessed Constel''s top-notch charm, cuteness, and beauty to match.


    The way Sybil, who had received love and jealousy from many people, was looking at Frondier, with all her image stripped away, was somehow...


    ¡°Sybil.¡±


    While Elodie''s thoughts were flowing, Aten spoke first.


    ¡°Do you like Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Eek.¡±


    Elodie was surprised instead. To say something like that so casually when she was worried about what others would say...!


    ¡°...I think so.¡±


    That was Sybil''s answer. However, her expression was a bit strange. The phrase ''I think so'' didn''t seem toe from embarrassment, but rather from her own uncertainty.


    ¡°Does that mean you might not?¡±


    ¡°No, well. It''s certain that I have feelings for him, but...¡±


    Sybil looked at Frondier.


    Sybil was almost always aware of her own feelings. She knew her own beauty and how to make herself look prettier and cuter, and she knew how to use it.


    In the process, she received love and jealousy from many people. It would be a lie to say that Sybil''s heart never wavered in the process.


    However, Frondier gave her a different feeling from the men she had met so far.


    ©¤Because I don''t believe in fate.


    Those words had be Sybil''s new focal point. It was an undeniable fact that she was receiving the love of fate, but Sybil decided not to rely on it.


    ¡°...Frondier...¡±


    Sybil spoke as if she had made up her mind.


    ¡°He makes me feel embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°... ?¡±


    Aten and Elodie looked at each other.


    ...Did that mean she really disliked Frondier?


    As they tilted their heads, trying to guess the meaning of Sybil''s words,


    ¡°Listen up, all of you!!¡±


    Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the department store.


    The voice was filled with Aura, suggesting that the speaker was quite skilled.


    ¡°I am Manggot third finger, Jacob!¡±


    At that sudden self-introduction, the people around them gasped. Even if they didn''t know the exact identity of Manggot, its notoriety was well-known.


    ¡°I have nted a total of forty-five bombs in this department store! If you don''t want to die, kneel down and put your heads down! If I die, they''ll explode automatically, so don''t even think about doing anything stupid! There are others besides me in this department store!¡±


    Elodie, Aten, and Sybil frowned at the man''s shout. If what he said was true, they had no choice but to obey his orders, regardless of his skill level.


    ¡°Elodie, were there any bombs?¡±


    Sybil whispered. Thanks to ''Whispering Wind'', her voice wouldn''t reach anyone else, but for some reason, her voice became quieter.


    ¡°I don''t know. I didn''t feel any Mana, but there are bombs that don''t use Mana at all.¡±


    A simple bomb made of gunpowder and circuits. In Etius, these were actually rare, but they weren''t nonexistent.


    What should we do? Elodie racked her brain. The Terst Department Store was a ce where high-ranking nobles and even royalty sometimes visited.


    If the criminal was after money, it would be better, but since he said ''Manggot, the chances of that were low.


    ¡°Move it! If you don''t want to be searched...¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Thwack!


    A familiar,nguid sound was heard, followed by something hitting the back of Jacob''s head.


    Jacob, despite his confident face and voice, fell face-first to the floor pathetically. He waspletely unconscious and showed no signs of movement.


    ©¤©¤And nothing happened in the department store.


    ¡°The bad guy has fallen. Wow. It must be divine punishment. I''m so lucky.¡±


    Following that, a monotonous muttering was heard, devoid of emotion, like someone reciting a textbook.


    There was no definitive proof of who knocked Jacob unconscious, but...


    While everyone was slowly kneeling, the only one sitting with his chin resting on his hand was Frondier.

 Chapter 192 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @n and @Bear from Ko-fi!</i>


    Just a few minutes ago.


    Selena and I had been keeping an eye on that suspicious man for a while.


    "Selena, do you feel it? To the right and behind us, in the direction we''re walking, there''s someone radiating hostility."


    "Yes. He has a considerable amount of Internal Energy, but strangely, he doesn''t seem to be able to control it properly."


    Just as Selena said.


    The guy who was making the back of my head tingle had a considerable amount of Internal Energy, as if he could emit a solid aura, but he was leaking hostility that he couldn''t quite conceal.


    At that rate, whatever n he had would end before it even began.''Let''s see, Elodie''s side...''


    Without moving my face or eyes, I checked on Elodie.


    It wasn''t easy to focus on something else while only looking straight ahead, but ever since I started feeling supernatural powers, it felt like I had opened up another sense besides sight.


    It''s inconvenient to exin it as "feeling supernatural powers" every time, so let''s call it "sixth sense" for convenience.


    ''Elodie doesn''t seem to have noticed.''


    Elodie had cast all sorts of barrier magic on herself, Aten, and Sybil for concealment.


    Hiding yourself from the outside world means that it bes difficult to feel interference from the outside world as well. Especially high-performance magic like Elodie''s.


    "To notice that hostility, as expected of Frondier-nim."


    "I don''t need formalpliments."


    "...It wasn''t particrly meant to be one."


    Selena and I naturally kept our distance from the guy while pretending to look around the department store. He didn''t seem to be specifically targeting us.


    After arriving at the cafe, while we were having a casual conversation and keeping an eye on him,


    Jacob suddenly came forward and started babbling about himself.


    I asked Selena.


    "This is just in case, but does Manggot have a rank called ''finger''?"


    Just now, Jacob called himself the ''third finger''. The nuance itself seems usible, but what about in reality?


    Selena answered without hesitation.


    "No."


    I thought so. It''s the first time I''ve heard of it.


    "Then that guy is ultimately,"


    "A fake."


    Selena was looking at Jacob with a bored expression.


    "To impersonate Manggot, he''s ying hacky sack with his liver."


    "Is he just a terrorist? Is it even terrorism? Isn''t the bomb part just a bluff?"


    Selena''s eyes narrowed at my question. Back when she was at the Tyburn, she was sharp enough to detect the Mana of the Sacred Forest from the barrier.


    "...The bomb seems real. He''s hiding it, but he''s holding a detonator in his right hand. He''s putting excessive force on his thumb, which is on the switch. It''s probably to avoid identally pressing it. It''s highly likely that he has nted the bomb."


    "He says the bomb will go off if he dies, what about that?"


    "...I''m not sure. However, to activate such a trigger, you have to use Mana, even if it''s a very small amount. I can''t feel it, but he might have created a trigger with an amount smaller than my detection ability."


    ...A very small amount of Mana.


    To be honest, I didn''t see anything like that in Jacob''s body. If he dies, it detonates, which means such a trigger is imnted in his body, but I couldn''t find it even with my sixth sense.


    "What about him saying he hasrades?"


    "That''s a lie. First of all, I don''t see any suchrades around, and in the first ce, it''s very difficult for a simple terrorist without special training to carry out such an operation."


    "Why?"


    "Saying ''If I get caught, otherrades will help'' assumes that he will be caught. The problem is who will y the role of being caught. It''s like putting a bell on a cat''s neck. No matter how noble a cause terrorists believe they have, they try to find meaning in their actions. They can choose to ''die with the bomb'', but they can''t choose to ''be caught without doing anything''."


    "...Indeed, Selena."


    "I don''t need formalpliments."


    If Selena''s words are true, it means that everything Jacob said except for the bomb is a lie.


    ...Hmm.


    "Even if the ''bomb that goes off when he dies'' is true."


    Knocking him out would be enough.


    <i>ck Lotus Activation</i>


    <i>Dispersion</i>


    I manipted the ck Lotus Bracelet and took out the Obsidian.


    The fine particles of Obsidian, spreading out slowly in small amounts, were invisible to the naked eye of ordinary people.


    The fragment of Helheim that I obtained in the northern part of Yeranhes, its Mana has several different characteristicspared to the Mana of the continent.


    One of them. It may sound obvious, but it has excellent responsiveness with Obsidian. Manipting Obsidian is now almost like using my own limbs.


    The Obsidian, which had spread out as small particles, slowly gathered behind Jacob.


    I''m not particrly imaginative, so there are only a few things thate to mind when ites to knocking someone out.


    "Move quickly! If you don''t want to die..."


    "Wow."


    Interrupting his words, momentarily drawing everyone''s attention to this side.


    Thwack!


    I created a hammer and struck the back of Jacob''s head. As long as he doesn''t die, I don''t really care if he faints or bes disabled.


    "The bad guy has fallen. Wow. It must be divine punishment."


    Spouting some random nonsense and retrieving the Obsidian, and it''s done.


    The scene of a perfect crime. Even though it''s not a crime.


    ''It''s good that I can remotely control it without Menosorpo.''


    What I just did is not much different from the application and effect of the existing Menosorpo, but the fact that it can''t be detected is attractive.


    Menosorpo is a rune, so anyone with even a little bit of Mana knowledge would notice it.


    "Let''s go, Selena. Someone will report it."


    "...Yes."


    Selena seemed a bit surprised to see Jacob suddenly copse, but she soon understood the situation and followed me.


    "Frondier-nim, excuse me, but..."


    "That''s too formal, Selena."


    "...That, the terrorist from earlier, there''s something that bothers me."


    "Right. It''s because of the aura, isn''t it?"


    Selena nodded at my words.


    That guy named Jacob knew how to imbue his voice with aura, and in the first ce, I felt a considerable amount of Internal Energy from him.


    But he himself is a half-wit with obvious bluffs, an imprudent n, and he got knocked out by a single surprise attack from behind.


    Most people acquire aura through blood, sweat, and tears, research, and training, and they develop it in their own way.


    But Jacob was not the kind of person who could do that.


    He has aura despite not having the skills to possess it.


    "But let''s leave it to the police for now. If we get involved now, things will only getplicated."


    Selena readily nodded at my words. The strange appearance of the man named Jacob, if he''s not alone, it will soon reach Constel''s ears as well.


    However, on the way, Selena nced back at the fallen Jacob just once.


    "It''s not the exact expression, but..."


    As if she had something on her mind, Selena muttered with her eyes downcast.


    "It''s like... ''doping''."

 Chapter 192 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten approached the copsed Jacob and checked his physical condition using a healer''s technique.


    "He hit him without mercy."


    Aten''s diagnosis was quick. Concussion due to a strong impact on the back of the head, resulting in unconsciousness. He''s not dead, but there will be quite a few aftereffects.


    "...Did you see it? How he hit him."


    "Just for a moment. Something appeared behind that person."


    It looked like a hammer at a nce. Sybil spoke in an uncertain voice. What she saw was definitely a hammer, but the idea of such a thing appearing in mid-air was too bizarre, and the stereotype of "hit in the back of the head and fainted = hammer" felt like it had created the image.


    "...The Mana flow is strange."


    While Aten was checking his physical condition, Elodie checked Jacob''s Mana. From the moment he imbued his voice with aura, she thought he was quite a strong individual, but upon actually checking, she tilted her head in confusion.


    "The Mana is colliding with each other. To put it simply, it seems like the collision is causing him to emit stronger magical power.""Colliding...? Can you collide your own Mana within your body?"


    Sybil asked. Elodie shook her head.


    "No. It seems like the Mana was forcibly injected. In this case, he would usually rupture or go crazy and die, but somehow he didn''t go that far."


    From Elodie''s perspective, Jacob was somewhat agitated, but his physical condition didn''t seem dangerous. Whoever injected it must be skilled in such maniption.


    "There are traces of bloodshot eyes. Another type of Mana is particrly noticeable. And there''s a small hole-like mark on his forearm."


    "...A small hole, you don''t mean..."


    Feeling a chill, Elodie spoke, and Aten nodded.


    "Yes. It looks like a needle mark."


    "They turned Mana into a liquid and injected it?"


    If that''s true, then this is beyond the realm of magic. It''s the realm of technology and medicine. An inexplicable sense of difort arose, and Elodie and Aten''s expressions turned grim.


    "...But then..."


    Sybil, who had been listening silently, spoke up.


    "This person, he was carrying Mana that wasn''t his own inside his body, right? That''s why he was able to emit such a strong aura."


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "Then the aura he emitted when he shouted earlier, wasn''t it unintentional?"


    "...Ah!"


    Elodie eximed at Sybil''s spection.


    That''s right. He wasn''t capable of possessing such aura, so they injected him with Mana. In other words, it''s highly likely that he had never used aura before.


    So, rather than intentionally using aura to speak, his voice was imbued with aura regardless of what he said.


    "But we didn''t know he had aura inside him until he spoke, right? That''s because he kept his mouth shut until hemitted the crime, which means..."


    Sybil''s reasoning slowly progressed. Elodie and Aten read the conclusion and nodded.


    "...He knew from the beginning what effect it would have if Mana was injected into him."


    "This isn''t the first time someone has had Mana injected into them, and in the first ce, this man named Jacob did it voluntarily."


    This isn''t something an individual or a small group can do.


    The facilities to turn Mana into a liquid, the medical knowledge to inject it into others without side effects, the technology and ability to replicate it.


    "Stop."


    Elodie spoke as if to cut off the ominous train of thought.


    "This is beyond our scope. The police wille, and if it''s a serious issue, it will reach Constel as well. Then, we might have something to do, but not now."


    The two nodded at Elodie''s words.


    However, Aten, the princess, seemed to have something on her mind.


    "...I think I need to have a chat with Mother after a long time."


    Elodie smiled wryly, as it was a matter she couldn''t stop.


    The fact that Frondier and Selena were on a date had already been forgotten by them.


    ***


    A few dayster, at Constel.


    News reached the freshmen who were just starting to adjust to the atmosphere of Constel.


    A test to assess the first-year students'' skills was going to be conducted.


    The test would be conducted by their seniors, the second-year students, and the eyes of the freshmen who heard this news sparkled.


    There are so many famous people among the current second-year students at Constel.


    The second-year students who would conduct the test were carefully selected from each ss, but the number of students per ss was not equal.


    As a result, many students from ss 1 were chosen, which further excited the first-year students.


    ''Aster Evans...! To that Aster!''


    Dier Aiger, a freshman this year, was one of those students.


    After checking the skill test announcement on the school bulletin board, Dier clenched his fists.


    He had heard of Aster''s fame even before entering Constel and had followed in his footsteps with strong admiration. He became a swordsman like him and watched almost all of Aster''s activities at Constel.


    ''...But will I be able to meet him?''


    The skill test is conducted for all first-year students, but the number of second-year students is limited.


    Therefore, it is impossible for all first-year students to meet Aster. If they fail in the previous stages, they will not be able to meet him and the test results will be released.


    Naturally, in a negative way.


    ''I''m envious.''


    Dier turned his gaze to another man looking at the bulletin board.


    This year''s most promising freshman, Piellot, who is said to have talent on par with Aster.


    Dier bit his lip.


    ''Chosen talent.''


    His biggest challenge was not to lose in his heart before even fighting.

 Chapter 193 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The test was conducted simultaneously for all first-year students.


    Therefore, it required a venuerge enough to amodate both the first-year students and the upperssmen who would be conducting the test.


    Constel had just the ce for that.


    "This is Constel''s Field...!"


    "I heard the environment changes freely depending on the situation and needs! I wonder what the principle is?"


    The first-year students chatted excitedly amongst themselves.


    Since Constel''s first-year students typically experienced the Field for the first time after joint training, it was unusual for them to see it so early.


    "I heard this proficiency test is also the first attempt by the current student council president."


    "I heard Constel''s student council rarely takes action, but it seems different this time."As a result, the current first-year students had a fairly high awareness of the student council president. It was the first time the student council had hosted a school event of this scale.


    Surprisingly, the teachers were receptive to the proactive moves of the student council president, Ellen Evans. They also felt that Constel needed a change.


    However, this was still an event led by the student council.


    Therefore, most of the nning and management were left to the student council. The teachers only answered questions and provided minimal assistance, without getting too involved.


    "Greetings."


    Therefore, the person who stood on the podium where the first-year students were gathered today was also...


    "I am Ellen Evans, the acting student council president. Pleased to meet you."


    ...Ellen.


    Seeing her, the first-year students wore surprised expressions, some staring nkly. They shared their thoughts in hushed voices.


    "That''s Senior Ellen..."


    "The swordsmanship genius, they say."


    "I''d love to learn from her if I get the chance."


    Ellen captivated the students with her presence alone.


    Her voice was soft, her tone gentle, but anyone who had entered Constel knew Ellen''s level of skill.


    It was evident in her high level of ability as a swordsman, distinct from Mana and Aura.


    "As mentioned beforehand, you will be taking a test here. The test will consist of several stages, evaluating your skills in various situations. Please note that the results of this test will not be disclosed to others. This test is not intended to instill a sense of inferiority but to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each student for improvement and development."


    Most students were relieved by Ellen''s words, while a few were dissatisfied. The dissatisfied ones were those who believed they would naturally achieve high scores.


    However, regardless of how much their beliefs aligned with their actual skills, this test would shatter those beliefs entirely.


    Ellen said the purpose wasn''t to instill a sense of inferiority, but if there were any arrogant individuals, they would feel enough shame within themselves.


    "As I mentioned earlier, the first test assesses your basic physical strength and movement. Therefore, the test only involves various obstacles. Upperssmen are waiting for you in the next test. Those who are looking forward topeting with upperssmen must first pass this first stage."


    The students nodded with tense faces at Ellen''s words. They couldn''t meet the upperssmen in stage 1.


    Failing here meant they weren''t even qualified to do so. Beyond not meeting the upperssmen, it would be utterly embarrassing.


    "Andstly, one more thing."


    Ellen''s tone remained the same.


    "I don''t know how you will approach this test, but..."


    As always, she spoke with an indifferent tone, looking around at the first-year students.


    "It will be more boring than you think."


    ***


    As Ellen mentioned, the first stage was filled with various obstacles blocking the students'' path.


    The general outline was simple: ovee the obstacles and solve the problems presented by Constel to reach the next stage.


    Specifically, it wasrgely divided intobat and magic categories.


    For thebat category, there was a pool filled with rubber balls, and the students had to walk along a narrow and uneven path, sometimes climbing walls or jumping, while avoiding various obstacles.


    If they identally misstepped or were hit by an obstacle and fell into the pool, they were disqualified. Using magic also resulted in disqualification.


    For the magic category, several walls blocked their path, and solving problems opened the walls, allowing them to proceed. Most problems required Mana maniption, and Constel used this to assess their Mana control, intuition, and pure intelligence in calcting circuits.


    "Ahaha, what is this! It''s like a yground."


    The first-year students in thebat category were initially a bit flustered when they encountered the first stage test.


    There were ball pits below, and the various obstacles, such as flying hammers or walls, were round and stic, designed to prevent children from getting hurt.


    The magic category wasn''t much different. It had a cute design, and there weren''t any particr distractions while solving problems.


    Moreover, the problem guidance voice was overly kind in tone and voice. As a side note, Lunia Fricell, the heroine of the game, participated in the guidance voice.


    It was no wonder they felt like they were in a yground. It was actually designed that way.


    The first stage literally only tested physical strength and functionality, not requiring any particr mental fortitude.


    In other words, itpletely eliminated dangerous situations. Their response to the pressure of injury or even death, and the strength of their mentality, would be sufficiently tested in the next stage.


    However, many students didn''t need to worry about the next test.


    "Uh, uh?"


    "Ugh!"


    Most of thebat category students fell into the ball pit before long, and...


    "Hmm, hmm..."


    "Ugh..."


    ...most of the magic category students were stuck on the first wall, unable to solve the problem.


    Even though it was a test of basic skills, it was conducted in stages, separating those who failed from those who seeded.


    Therefore, even the first stage was designed to have people fail. Underestimating the yground-like design quickly brought tears to their faces.


    "Difficult, woah...!"


    When his turn came and Dier Eiger opened the door to the first stage, his face hardened as soon as he saw the obstacles.


    The cute design didn''t even register. The hammers flying from left and right, the suddenly disappearing floor, and the closing walls were incredibly vicious.


    Still, he managed to get through somehow. He climbed and stepped onto the next, and the next tform. Even without using Qi, he had umted enough training in handling his body movements. He could do this much.


    "Yah!"


    He stepped on thest tform and forcefully opened the door to proceed to the next stage.


    He had passed the first stage.


    "Done... Huh?"

 Chapter 193 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Done... Huh?"


    His relief and joy were short-lived as Dier stopped upon seeing someone in front of him.


    Standing before him was the first-year''s most promising student, Piellot.


    Piellot nced at Dier briefly before losing interest and turning his gaze away.


    Dier looked around.


    Besides Piellot, there were three others inside. One male student from thebat category, and one male and one female student who seemed to be from the magic category.


    Doors that looked simr to the exit of the first stage he just passed through were connected to this room.


    ''Is this a waiting room?''


    As Dier thought, this was a waiting room where those who passed the first stage could stay for a while before moving on to the second stage.Dier looked around and spotted the door leading to the second stage.


    "Why aren''t you going to the next stage?"


    Dier asked Piellot out of the blue. Piellot furrowed his brows and tilted his head slightly. His gaze towards Dier seemed to say, "Do you know me?"


    "...The door is locked."


    It was someone else who answered Dier. He was a bit taller and bulkier than Dier. He had a taciturn impression, but from Dier''s perspective, he was the most talkative among them.


    "It seems like we have to wait until a certain number of people gather. And since you just arrived, it should open soon."


    As soon as the man finished speaking, a beeping rm sounded, followed by the metallic click of a lock. It seemed the door had been unlocked.


    Dier found it fascinating and asked the man,


    "How did you know? That it would open soon."


    "Don''t you know? The most basic teamposition when you be a pro is five people. The minimum is three, but unless it''s a very easy mission or you have considerable confidence in your skills, it''s rare to move with just three."


    "Oh, I see." Dier nodded obediently. The man looked at Dier with pity, as if hecked basic knowledge, but Dier didn''t mind.


    "...Huh! So I was thest one among us!"


    "..."


    The others nced at Dier, who had just realized the obvious fact. Then, they walked on without a word.


    The fact that five people entered together meant there was a high probability of them moving as a team, but no one seemed to have any intention of showing teamwork.


    Piellot walked ahead and opened the door leading to the second stage.


    From here on, upperssmen would greet them. Who would it be? It was the second stage, so it wouldn''t be an incredibly difficult opponent, right?


    Amidst their individual thoughts, the person who weed them was, in a way, unexpected.


    "Oh, you''re here?"


    A ck-haired male student, wearing a ne with a ck gem, his arms with ck armbands hanging down, greeted them while sitting on a ck chair.


    His eyes seemed tired, almost sleepy, and his body slumped on the chair as if he were about to fall asleep in that position.


    They recognized the man at a nce. They had never seen his face directly, but they knew right away. They said you would know just by looking at his eyes and face, and it seemed true.


    Dier muttered unconsciously,


    "...Sloth..."


    "Excuse me, but I have a name. Please don''t call me that."


    The female student from the magic category next to him recited with a stiff expression and overflowing tension,


    "Frondier of Sloth...!"


    At those words, Frondier covered his face with his hands. His already tired expression deepened.


    "Please don''t call me that either?"


    He felt like one of the Four Heavenly Kings from somewhere. It was utterly embarrassing.


    "Are you the examiner for the second stage, senior?"


    "That''s right. It''s the second stage, so don''t be too nervous. The guys waiting in the third and fourth stages are much tougher."


    Saying this made him feel like he had just dered, "I''m the weakest among us."


    "The rules for the second stage are simple."


    Frondier pointed a finger above his head as he spoke.


    "See that key up there?"


    The five of them looked up to see the key. It was hanging on a nail driven into the wall, about two people''s height. It was a height they could easily reach if they used Aura.


    "If you touch it, you pass. You can move on to the next stage."


    "...If we touch it?"


    "Yes. It doesn''t have to be your hand. You can use magic, shoot an arrow, or even throw a weapon you have to hit it. Of course, I won''t touch the key. I won''t move its position either."


    "...?"


    "Ah, and I won''t get up from this chair."


    The five of them grimaced at Frondier''s exnation. The key looked like they could hit it with anything right now.


    Moreover, saying he wouldn''t get up from the chair, how much disregard did he have to conduct a test like this?


    "...You seem quite confident, senior."


    The one who spoke this time was a male student in the magic department. He openly expressed his difort at the thought that Frondier was looking down on him.


    "Don''t misunderstand. I didn''t originally intend to do this."


    Frondier spoke with an indifferent expression.


    "Originally, the condition was not to touch the key, but to drop it on the floor. There was no restriction that I had to sit in the chair."


    "......Why was there a restriction?"


    "The first-year students who came before you, none of them passed. They will test again after all the first-year students take the exam."


    And that''s why I''m tired now. Frondier muttered to himself inaudibly.


    The group''s eyes widened. Dropping the key on the ground. It didn''t seem that difficult. Although Frondier said there was no condition that he had to sit in the chair, such a condition was strange in the first ce.


    "But no one was able to pass."


    "......Senior."


    Then, Pielott opened his mouth.


    The moment he spoke, energy was already boiling inside him.


    "Knocking down the senior doesn''t necessarily mean disqualification, right?"


    At his words, Dier and the others were surprised and looked at Pielott. But Frondier, the actual person in question, was not surprised.


    Frondier looked at Pielott with a cold and low smile, as if he knew it would happen.


    "It''s the most certain solution."

 Chapter 194 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Wordsmith and @Alberto Montes from Ko-fi!</i>


    "- Let them feel the difference in power."


    Jane said this in front of the students of ss 1, Year 2.


    She had expressed her own concerns about the students testing each other, so this instruction likely came from either the student council president, Ellen, or Constel itself.


    Frondier was genuinely relieved to be assigned to the 2nd stage test. It meant that Constel still considered him to be at that level of skill.


    A few days ago, the students of ss 1 had imed to have seen through Frondier''s strength, but it seemed they hadn''t seen through everything yet.


    "Let them feel the difference in power."


    Everyone understood the meaning behind those words. Constel was abatant training school where nobles andmoners from all regions gathered.Many students were intimidated by its reputation, but there were also countless others who became arrogant upon entering, having never seen the wider world outside their family''s education.


    Bing arrogant wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. Whether it was true arrogance or confidence based on sufficient skill was something that could only be determined through experience.


    As they spent time at Constel, their arrogance would naturally adjust based on the difference in skill between themselves and their peers.


    However, it would undoubtedly take time for that adjustment to ur. And during that time, there was a risk of injury. That was what Constel was worried about.


    ''In other words, they want the freshmen to realize their own skills early on.''


    Aten Terst briefly pondered in the 3rd stage testing area.


    Confidence required a basis. Through this test, the students would realize their own positions.


    Even if they were overly discouraged, sessfully passing the test would give them confidence. And if they failed, they would understand their own skills and shed their arrogance.


    So, don''t go easy on them. Only then would the freshmen know their own abilities, and when they overcame the test, they would gain true confidence.


    However.


    "They shouldn''t have said that to Frondier."


    Aten sighed quietly.


    With so many freshmen, there were multiple testing areas.


    Of course, there were far fewer 3rd stage testing areas than 2nd stage ones. The 4th stage had even fewer, and the final 5th stage had only two testing areas. Elodie and Aster were waiting in each of them.


    Students who passed the 2nd stage waited again in the waiting room, and when a suitable number were gathered, they entered one of the vacant 3rd stage testing areas.


    The testers in the 3rd stage could see who the freshmen had passed through in the 2nd stage.


    Since the testers in the next stage needed to be prepared when the freshmen moved on, they could check the waiting room of the previous stage through a wizard view.


    The waiting room was circr, with multiple exits converging into one ce to gather students who had passed the previous stage. So, the testers in the next stage could see which exit the freshmen came out of.


    Therefore, if they knew who the tester at that exit was, they naturally knew who the freshmen had passed through.


    And Frondier''s testing area was the leftmost exit, ording to Aten''s wizard view.


    ...And still, no one hade out of there.


    A few minutes ago, the management quickly realized that Frondier hadn''t sent any freshmen through. During the break time, someone''s voice came through the speakers installed so that all the testers could hear.


    [Frondier, it''s the student council.]


    Ellen, the student council president, spoke directly to Frondier.


    To which, Frondier replied in hisnguid voice.


    [It''s been a while, Ellen sunbae.]


    [Let''s change the rules. Instead of using the key to open the next door, they pass if they touch the key with their hand.]


    Frondier''s test originally required obtaining the key and opening the next door while avoiding his interference.


    In fact, most of the tests, except for Frondier''s, were simr. There was a reason they used keys as the objective.


    Aten had a bad feeling from the moment he heard that conversation.


    And a few minutester, that feeling was proven right.


    [Frondier, let''s change the rules.]


    [Again?]


    [Whether it''s with their hand, an arrow, or anything else, they pass if they just make the key fall.]


    [That won''t be easy.]


    A few minutester.


    [...Frondier.]


    [What is it this time?]


    [I''ll send you a chair, so don''t get up from there.]


    [Is this a test for me and not the freshmen?]


    It was no wonder Aten sighed after hearing that conversation


    Most of the other testers who had been listening probably had simr reactions. Of course, those who didn''t know Frondier wouldn''t even understand what the conversation was about.


    However, Frondier''sst words, "I''ll prepare the chair myself," were a bit concerning. How did he n to prepare it?


    ''I should have noticed when Mr. Robald said, "Hey Frondier! Don''t go easy on the freshmen! Or I won''t forgive you!" and Frondier had that subtle expression on his face.''


    Even Aten didn''t know everything about Frondier.


    But she had seen with her own eyes when Frondier blew off Renzo''s arm.


    Whether it was an ident or not, Frondier was at least capable of doing that.


    Wasn''t it a huge mistake for Constel to entrust the 2nd stage to someone like him?


    ''But still, the next student is that Pielott...''


    Pielott was a hot topic not only among the freshmen but also among the teachers and upperssmen.


    He was considered to have talent that rivaled, or perhaps even surpassed, Aster.


    Unlike the other stages, the 1st and 2nd stages were adjacent, so it was inevitable that Pielott would encounter Frondier from the moment he entered the 1st stage test.


    Considering the time, he would be taking Frondier''s test soon.


    ''...He''lle through this time, right?''


    With a mix of worry and expectation, Aten looked at the wizard view.


    * * *


    Pielott flew through the air.


    His body, performing a dazzling spin in mid-air, stayed aloft for a surprising amount of time before...


    Boom!


    "Ugh!"


    He crashed to the floor.


    The spinning in the air hadn''t been entirely intentional; he had been sent flying by a blow from Frondier.


    "I did say that defeating me was the surest solution."


    Frondier, sitting on the chair with his hair perfectly in ce, spoke.


    "But I didn''t mean for you to attack alone."


    "Ugh...!"


    Pielott gritted his teeth and stood up again. Despite his spectacr crashnding, his face was unscathed.


    That angered Pielott. It was proof that Frondier had been careful not to hurt him, like a child ying with a toy. It was simr to how Azier treated Aster.


    "Hey, stop it already. If we all work together..."


    Whoosh!


    Ignoring Dier''s words, Pielott charged towards Frondier once more. His entire body was enveloped in aura, showcasing a growth rate that was indeed remarkable for a freshman.


    ''Even Aster took half a year after entering Constel to awaken his aura, so I understand the expectations people have for Pielott.''


    Pielott''s sword flew towards Frondier with terrifying speed. The test was already forgotten, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. But Frondier weed it.


    ''This is good. They say practice like it''s the real thing. What a fitting saying.''


    How many people would say that while looking at Pielott''s current state?


    <i>Whack! Thwack!</i>


    "Ugh!"


    Frondier used Obsidian to strike Pielott''s side and the back of his neck. It wasn''t a particrly fast orplex trajectory.


    It was simply that the gaps in Pielott''s movements, driven by his emotions, had be toorge.


    However, this time Pielott didn''t fall. He gritted his teeth and took another step forward. His sword finally entered a range where it could reach Frondier.


    Pielott''s eyes gleamed. He was a pure swordsman. To have a proper fight, he first had to engage in closebat.


    If he couldn''t achieve that, it was all meaningless. So, this moment was his best chance to unleash his power. Moreover, Frondier was sitting on a chair and had the restriction of not being able to get up.


    ''Hmm.''


    Seeing that, Frondier grasped a sword with Obsidian in his right hand. He had replicated it from one of the many weapons in the workshop.


    ng!


    The two des shed.


    ''It wouldn''t be bad to use ''Falling Edge'' here, but...''


    Let''s try a few things.


    Frondier''s brief thought shed by, and their des repeatedly collided, sparks flying.


    "Ugh...!"


    Pielott groaned. He was losing in closebat against an opponent who was sitting down.


    More than anything, he couldn''t understand why he couldn''t push him back with strength.


    His opponent wasn''t even using aura, and since he was sitting, it should be difficult for him to exert proper force.


    However, from Frondier''s perspective, this duel was all too clear.


    ''His swordsmanship is average.''


    From the perspective of Frondier, who had been beaten up by Azier every day, Pielott''s swordsmanship wasn''t bad, but it was just that ¨C average.


    It was rather surprising that he could emit such a strong aura with this level of swordsmanship.


    Having had the concept of ''prediction'' hammered into him by Azier, Frondier could clearly see the starting points of Pielott''s attacks.


    Additionally, with his ''Sixth Sense'' allowing him to see the flow of mana, it became even easier to read him.


    Before Pielott''s attack even began, Frondier would point his de towards the starting point.


    Pielott was blocked before he could fully exert his strength. Frondier wasn''t matching Pielott''s strength; he was simply preventing him from using his full power.


    ''If he just calmed down a little, he''d notice it right away.''


    His outward appearance seemed to be abination ofposure, calmness, and rationality, but when faced with an unexpected situation, he became noticeably shaken.


    As rumored,paring him to Aster was a stretch.

 Chapter 194 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Alright, that''s enough."


    Push-


    "...Huh!"


    Pielott, who had been swinging his sword relentlessly, suddenly found a de pressed against his chest.


    Just as he was about to make a big swing, Frondier''s sword quietly stood before his life.


    "Step back and cool your head."


    "...I''m not done yet...!"


    "This is yourst chance."


    At Frondier''s words, Pielott''s mouth shut. A warning glint resided deep within Frondier''snguid eyes."Since you attacked me, you''ve died a total of six times so far. If it were anyone else, you would have already been disqualified. Why do you think I gave you so many chances?"


    "..."


    Pielott closed his mouth and thought for a moment at Frondier''s words.


    Well, of course, it''s because I''m the most promising among the freshmen¡ª


    "Because your judgment is so idiotic."


    "Ugh...!"


    "You came in with five people from the waiting room, so you should know that you''re a team from the moment you entered here. So, if one person is disqualified, the remaining four are disqualified as well."


    At those words, Pielott''s eyes widened, and he looked back.


    Among the four who had been watching his fight, excluding Dier, the other three were looking at him with sunken eyes. Only Dier shrugged with his usual expression.


    "It would be too pitiful if the remaining four were disqualified without being able to do anything because of one person''s stupid and unteral choice. That''s the reason, you fool. You arrogant fool who thinks he''s the only one who''s good."


    Frondier spoke as he pushed his sword forward. The slowly advancing de didn''t stab or cut Pielott, but it forced him to step back.


    "I said it was yourst chance. Think carefully with your friends over there."


    Pielott bit his lower lip, then, as if he had finallye to his senses, shook his head and his expression became calmer. He turned around and walked towards the four others with heavy steps.


    "..."


    "..."


    There was a brief silence. The others didn''t know what to say to Pielott. Pielott also had no intention of saying anything to them.


    He thought it was right to apologize, but his pride prevented him from speaking.


    "Hey, Pielott."


    It was Dier who broke the silence.


    When Pielott looked at him, Dier spoke with a refreshing smile.


    "You got totally wrecked!"


    "...This guy..."


    "Man, as expected, the second years are amazing. If it were me, I would have been rolling on the floor in 3 seconds."


    Despite his words, Dier''s eyes were sparkling. Pielott couldn''t understand it. What was with this guy? Were those the eyes of someone who admitted to being weak?


    "As I thought,"


    Dier said with those bright, colorful eyes.


    "Coming to Constel was the right choice!"


    "...!"


    At those words, the expressions of everyone, including Pielott, changed. Their eyes widened for a moment, and then their expressions rxed.


    The man who had first told Dier about the waiting room asked.


    "Do you have an idea?"


    "Sort of."


    Dier answered immediately. Pielott frowned and said.


    "You have a way to defeat ''Frondier of Sloth''?"


    "No, I can''t defeat Sloth."


    This was also an immediate answer. From somewhere, a tired voice could be heard saying, "Stop calling me that."


    "But the goal of this test isn''t to defeat the upperssman, right? I think everyone has realized it by now. Why this test seemed so easy when we only heard the exnation."


    Dier spoke while pointing his finger at the key. Pass by touching the key, no matter what method you use. Just hearing the words, it seemed like an easy test that made you wonder why they even bothered.


    "Even if all of usbined our strength and aimed for the key with all our might, it might still be difficult."


    "..."


    "The condition itself was so easy because of that sunbae. He can increase the difficulty all by himself."


    Everyone nodded with determined expressions.


    They had all watched Pielott fight. A mysterious ck water. A liquid whose volume and quantity were unknown, attacking in unpredictable shapes and trajectories.


    The restriction of Frondier having to stay seated no longer felt like a restriction.


    "...That''s not all."


    Pielott said, narrowing his eyes.


    "There are invisible attacks. It might have been hard to notice from behind."


    "...No way. Invisible attacks?"


    "I wasn''t sure at first, but after fighting a few times, I became certain. The attacks of that ck liquid are scary, but in between them, invisible attacks fly in. The damage itself isn''t that great, but it makes you lose your bnce at crucial moments."


    At those words, everyone looked at each other. Could they really deal with both the ck liquid and the invisible attacks?


    "It''s okay. I knew about it."


    "What?"


    Dier spoke at that moment. He wasn''t surprised. When he had been watching Pielott fight, he hadn''t missed anything.


    Pielott asked suspiciously.


    "You knew? Really?"


    "The n takes that into ount, so listen up everyone."


    Dier spoke and gestured for them toe closer. As Frondier had said, the five of them put their heads together and began to discuss.


    After hearing the whole n, everyone nodded. Pielott, although not entirely pleased, acknowledged that Dier''s n was reasonable.


    Meanwhile, the female student who specialized in magic sighed as if she had just remembered something.


    "...Come to think of it, this was the 2nd stage, right?"


    "...It was."


    It was a fact they didn''t want to know, but now that they heard it, their vision went dark.


    "If the 2nd stage is like this, just how strong are the upperssmen in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th stages?"


    They felt a strong sense of awe not only towards Frondier but also towards the upperssmen waiting in the next stages.


    Because they believed that Frondier was the weakest among them.

 Chapter 195 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Honestly speaking, I thought I was being quite lenient with the freshmen.


    My intention was to pass most of them. There''s no benefit in crushing their spirits more than necessary, and it''s unbing to go all out against juniors.


    However, being too obvious about going easy would have the opposite effect. While I need to showcase my strength, it''s also important to take the test seriously.


    Only by showing my best effort can the students who pass the test truly feel a sense of aplishment.


    This isn''t just my thinking; it''s the shared philosophy behind this test throughout Constel.


    That''s why, in addition to the limitations Ellen ced on me, I also imposed some on myself.


    The weapons I replicate with Weaving won''t exceed the Rare grade. This means no Mj?lnir, Excalibur, Gram, or anything from the ''Royal Armory''. All I can use are a few misceneous weapons from the workshop.


    Furthermore, I won''t use the ''Neil Jack'' Shortsword'' I physically possess.


    And no Menosorpo either. In fact, this isn''t so much a restriction as it is me holding back because using it would attract too much unwanted attention.So, I''ve been facing the students with just the maniption of Obsidian itself, pure Weaving''s Instant Strike, and the replication of ordinary weapons.


    If they still can''t pass the test under these conditions, it''s not my fault. It''s the fault of the first years.


    I don''t know the situation of the other Stage 2 tests, but I imagine they''re mostly simr. Not many students will make it to Stage 3.


    ''I had high hopes for this team.''


    I briefly observed the five who were still in discussion.


    The first to catch my eye was Pielott.


    His full name is Pielott von Ribanche. Naturally, he''s a named character I know.


    However, in the game, it takes quite a while before he meets the protagonist, Aster. There were no such skill tests in the game, and the first and second years only properly interact during joint missions.


    And by the time they meet, Pielott is already brimming with arrogance, going all out to defeat Aster the moment he sees him.


    He''s more of a protagonist than an antagonist, but depending on the game''s progress, there''s a potential for him to fall into darkness.


    ''Pielott definitely has the potential to be a high-levelbatant.''


    But he''s not there yet. The expectations that Constel and his family have for him are based on his potential, not his current skills. Pielott mistakenly believes that this potential is his current strength.


    Whether I''m a sloth, a cker, a strong or weak person, from Pielott''s perspective, it was right for all five of them to attack me. There''s no reason not to use his teammates. Every second year I know would have done the same.


    ''It''s better this way.''


    This is actually a good opportunity.


    For Pielott to grow further, to shed his arrogance and quickly build his skills.


    He needs to be put in his ce now.


    I want to pass them like the other freshmen, but that''s only after I change Pielott''s mindset.


    And for that to seed...


    ¡°Alright! Here we go, Sloth!¡±


    Dier, who was leading the discussion, shouted. His refreshing face was almost blinding.


    Yes, Dier. With him here, I feel much less worried.


    In the game Etius, there was once a discussion in themunity.


    If you could choose someone other than Aster as the protagonist, who would be the best?


    In response to this question, Dier was always among the top three characters.


    ...Well, that''s that.


    ¡°Call me ''Sloth'' one more time, and I''ll have you running from a rolling log for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, sir. What kind of terrifying punishment is that? You have quite the imagination, senior.¡±


    Unfortunately, it''s not my imagination.


    * * *


    A little while ago.


    During their discussion, Dier confirmed the abilities and specialties of each team member. Only then did they learn each other''s names.


    ¡°As you may have noticed,¡±


    Dier then cautiously began,


    ¡°The chair that Sloth senior is sitting on isn''t an ordinary object.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It''s probably the same material as the ck liquid that attacked Pielott.¡±


    At Dier''s words, everyone turned to look at Frondier, but they couldn''t.


    ¡°Idiots. He''ll notice if you turn around.¡±


    The girl next to him, Roxy, who specialized in magic, used a simple telekic maniption to stop their heads from turning.


    Dier smiled and continued,


    ¡°I checked several times, and there''s no mistake. That chair is also a limitation. As long as he maintains the chair with the ck liquid, he''ll continue to use Mana, and he won''t be able to use that amount of liquid for attacks.¡±


    ¡°...He''s that strong even with such a restriction?¡±


    The boy who Dier had exined things to earlier, Homas, spoke.


    ¡°So? What''s the point of knowing that?¡±


    Pielott asked, his tone still unpleasant.


    Whether he understood Pielott''s tone or not, Dier continued to smile pleasantly as he answered,


    ¡°Normally, it wouldn''t mean anything. But it does now. Whether senior is intentionally telling us or doesn''t know himself, I''m not sure.¡±


    Dier''s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ¡°That chair, it tells us the direction and timing of his attacks.¡±


    ¡°Direction and timing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. When senior maniptes the ck liquid, the surface of the chair also moves. Very subtly, but it does. That''s why I''m certain it''s the same material.¡±


    At Dier''s words, everyone''s brows furrowed in suspicion. The fact that no one but Dier had noticed meant that the movement was incredibly subtle.


    Would it be possible to discern the timing and direction during a fight?


    ¡°I can see it,¡±


    However, Dier asserted confidently.


    But while his words were self-assured, his expression held a wry smile.


    ¡°The problem is that my body can''t keep up.¡±


    ¡°...Then,¡±


    ¡°We need a signal. Not a physical one, but a magical one. Otherwise, it''ll be toote.¡±


    Hearing that, the other boy who specialized in magic, Nether, spoke up.


    ¡°I can do that. I just need to create a ''Link''.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then Nether, link me and Pielott. So that Pielott can immediately sense what I perceive.¡±


    ¡°...Me?¡±


    Pielott asked, surprised.


    In fact, Pielott hadn''t expected Dier to choose him. It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but Pielott had been the one who had raised the most objections during the discussion so far.


    Dier nodded as if it were obvious.


    ¡°I can see it with my eyes, but I can''t react in time. But you can.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Pielott fell silent, having nothing to say to that. Dier looked around at everyone and nodded.


    ¡°Then shall we begin?¡±


    Dier turned his head to look at Frondier.


    ¡°Alright! Here we go, Sloth!¡±


    Dier faithfully announced the start of the test to Frondier.


    ¡°Call me ''Sloth'' one more time, and I''ll have you running from a rolling log for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, sir. What kind of terrifying punishment is that? You have quite the imagination, senior.¡±


    "It''ll be more horrifying than you can imagine when you see it in reality."


    "Isn''t it just about running away from that log? Like flying or sprinting."


    "Usually, it''s set up so that fire is spewed from above, and carnivorous fish swarm outside."


    "Is that a setup? It seems unnecessarily detailed."


    "That''s thew of hell."

 Chapter 195 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    In the midst of their conversation, suddenly.


    Shushushush!


    Roxy''s ice pick flew towards the key. It wasn''t her unteral decision. It was the strategy from the beginning.


    Although Dier had dered the start, he was actually chatting with Frondier.


    Since Dier had led the strategy meeting, it was a psychological trap that the operation would naturally start from him. Dier had aimed for that.


    "Gasp!"


    At the same time, Homas, who was rushing in from the right. He still couldn''t handle the oar, but hisrge physique and muscles approached Frondier with explosive propulsion.


    A simultaneous attack


    "It''s taking too long."Thud!


    "Ugh?!"


    Frondier lightly hit Homas''s abdomen with another obsidian. It was the exact same spot that Homas had been trying to attack.


    "I''m not exactly one with obsidian. Don''t focus on tearing it apart. You''re just giving your opponent time in the meantime."


    "T-that ck thing, you call it obsidian, right?"


    Even in his pain, Homas managed to answer resolutely.


    "But while I''m trying to tear it apart, this obsidian is holding me back......!"


    Hoo.


    So you were deliberately focusing on Kokusen even though you knew? You were prepared to get hit?


    Homas was right. Frondier couldn''t get up from his chair. That''s why Frondier had to use a certain amount of obsidian to defend against Homas''s attacks. It was just as nerve-wracking for him.


    And in the meantime.


    Crack!


    Once again, Roxy''s magic unfolds. This time, it''s a whirlwind. The ice shards released initially were to detect Frondier''s invisible attacks, and this was the real deal.


    "Could it be... trying to block even the wind in that situation...!"


    Regardless of what the rule is, it''s a sess as long as you touch the key. A simple gust of wind might not be acknowledged, but a whirlwind created by magic would be a close call. Probably!


    It''s a bit cheap, but it can''t be helped!


    Whoosh!


    However, Roxy underestimated Obsidian.


    Obsidian, flying like a stream of water, flew in front of the key. It was not the hard metal as before, but spread out thin like a curtain.


    Obsidian''s curtainpletely embraced Roxy''s whirlwind. Then it fell down, nullifying the whirlwind.


    "...That''s cheating."


    Roxy said, incredulous.


    "If you must say, you did it."


    Thinking of passing by shaking the key with the wind. Even for Frondier, it was a trick worth considering.


    But the operation was not over. Homas was still pushing his fist to break through the front of Frondier, and under Roxy''s attack, this time Pielott charged quickly.


    Again, Obsidian flying, but.


    ''Left!''


    Pielott dodged it easily. Frondier''s forehead narrowed. Although it aimed at a somewhat small range, Pielott''s current movement gave a strange feeling.


    Frondierunched an attack to verify once again.


    Obsidian flying in various directions. Pielott skillfully dodged all of it, hardly losing any speed.


    ''...He''s moving before my attack even starts.''


    Frondier quickly realized this. Dier, who had yet to attack, and another student.


    ''So, Dier''s watching my attacks instead of Pielott. And Nether is assisting him.''


    Frondier still didn''t know how Dier was anticipating his attacks.


    In fact, it was a weakness that wouldn''t have existed if he hadn''t made his chair out of Obsidian or if his opponent hadn''t been Dier.


    However, because he knew what kind of person Dier was, Frondier knew who was responsible for this even if he didn''t know how it worked.


    ''Is he reading my attacks beforehand with his somatic vision? Or do I have some strange habit when I use Obsidian as an attack? I should check it outter.''


    Frondier pondered, but he knew these thoughts wouldn''t be of much help.


    Pielott soon reached Frondier. Right now, Homas was holding Frondier back, and Roxy was preparing her next attack.


    If the timing was right and he moved with Roxy, the odds were in his favor.


    Pielott was the only one among them who could use Aura. A properly manifested Aura could extend the reach of the sword, allowing him to reach the key without jumping.


    Frondier still didn''t know which side Pielott was aiming for. Whether he was aiming for the key, or for him.


    However, Pielott was able to attack both Frondier and the key at the same time with his sword energy. This was a fact that everyone knew from the previous strategy meeting.


    ''You just need to aim for the key and your senior at the same time with a simultaneous attack here!''


    If Frondier tried to protect the key, he would get hurt, and if he cared about his own safety, Pielott''s attack would reach the key. Theoretically, it was perfect.


    ...That''s what Homas thought. Of course, that was the strategy. Everyone looked at Pielott with that thought in mind.


    But in reality, Pielott still had his stubbornness.


    ''This time for sure!''


    Pielott charged at Frondier with a gleam in his eyes. He didn''t care about the key at all. He was blinded by the need to vent his anger on Frondier for what had happened earlier.


    The eyes of the people watching widened.


    Everyone screamed a simr outcry inwardly.


    ''That crazy bastard!!''


    Pielott''s sword flew towards Frondier. A hint of boredom lingered in Frondier''s eyes.


    Ignoring the key and targeting him. Even if he could tolerate that, the trajectory of the sword was too straightforward.


    If he was willing to give up the benefit of getting the key, shouldn''t he think of a strategy and attack? But what''s contained in Pielott''s attack now is just simple stubbornness.


    Frondier intended to respond to most of the attacks with Obsidian, but this time it was different.


    He had to pull out that sword and break it. That''s the only way to make Pielotte to his senses.


    The sword Frondier duplicated touched Pielott''s sword.


    In an instant.


    "©¤©¤I knew you would do that."


    "Heheh!"


    Suddenly, Pielott, who was in front of Frondier, dropped his head forward. There was a foot above his head.


    It was Dier. He stepped on Pielott''s head with his foot.


    "¡­¡­Dier¡­¡­."


    Frondier muttered softly.


    Putting that behind him, Dier kicked Pielott''s head and jumped up.


    Crack!


    Dier snatched the key andnded.


    It was more than enough achievement in the test where the condition was just to touch it.


    He had one more talent besides his amazing dynamic vision.


    Hiding his presencepletely, including mana and aura. He didn''t think much of it himself, but it was one of the abilities that all gamers envied.


    Frondier himself also felt the value of ''hiding'' greatly, so he hid his cards in many situations.


    While Frondier was distracted by other attacks, he hid his appearance behind Pielott''s back and disappeared from Frondier''s sight. There, he suddenly appeared with a leap.


    Dier thought.


    ''Senior had a strong desire to teach Pielott.''


    He felt it for sure as he watched the fight with Pielott.


    ''So he won''t leave him alone if he does something stupid again. There''s no way.''


    Dier clenched his hand with the key and looked at Frondier.


    "......Senior."


    Dier called out to Frondier, voicing the question that had been on his mind from the beginning of this test.


    "Are the seniors of the next stage really stronger than you, senior?"


    Frondier felt a strange sensation.


    Frondier, who had lived as aplete outsider in this world after falling into the game.


    To him, Dier might have been the person who resembled him the most in this ce.


    To him, Dier might have been the person most simr to himself in this ce.

 Chapter 196 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Dier''s team passed Frondier''s test.


    Aten was the first to notice this. She had been keeping an eye on the left exit the whole time.


    ¡®Finally, the first team to pass!¡¯


    She had been worried that Frondier might have injured the students too much, preventing them from passing, but the students who passed didn''t seem to have any serious injuries.


    A few bruises were noticeable, but considering it was a skill test, such injuries were expected regardless of the proctor.


    However, they all seemedpletely exhausted, and all five of them had heavy footsteps. Aten could even see them sighing as they looked at the door to the third stage.


    It was probably a sigh of anxiety, thinking, ¡®The second stage was so difficult, can we even pass the third stage?¡¯


    ¡®Will theye to me?¡¯


    Aten waited for them with a slightly nervous heart.Because Frondier had failed all the students in the second stage, the number of students taking the third stage was smaller than initially expected.


    Therefore, not only Aten but also other third-stage proctors had many people waiting without tests.


    ¡®If theye, I''ll talk to them and ask about Frondier.¡¯


    It wasn''t just the freshmen who didn''t know much about Frondier.


    Even those rtively close to him, like Aten and Sybil, still didn''t know much about him.


    Especially about Frondier''s activities during the winter break, only Selena knew.


    Others were highly interested in Frondier, whose Mana had grown iparablypared to before.


    Winter, which was bing iparably harsher than summer.


    Frondier, who once again headed towards the barrier.


    Elodie, who suddenly refused the Mage Tower''s work and conquered the dungeons in the central continent.


    Aster, who juggled his pro internship with closed-door training.


    What these three had gained during the vacation was already a topic of interest not only among the second-year students but also throughout Constel.


    Perhaps the ones who knew Frondier''s current skills best were the Dier team who had just fought him.


    By asking them, she might be able to grasp the changes in Frondier.


    ...Of course, that was Aten''s wish, but.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Unfortunately, the Dier team headed to a different testing area. Their trudging steps were the backs of those who had already sensed failure.


    ¡°That''s a shame.¡±


    Meanwhile, another team entered Aten''s testing area. Aten got up from the chair she was using during her break and greeted them.


    ¡°Wee to the third stage.¡±


    She would put Frondier''s matter aside forter.


    Now was the time to focus on the task at hand.


    * * *


    ¡°Huh...?¡±


    Dier pressed thest button and turned around. He checked on the other team members.


    A mission where five buttons had to be pressed sequentially, and all five members had to be pressing the buttons.


    All the team members'' hands were urately pressing the buttons.


    Pielott, Homas, Roxy, and Nether were all a bit out of breath, but they were fine. They were all looking at each other with bewildered expressions.


    ¡°Congrattions. You passed the fourth stage. You all did well.¡±


    Lunia, the proctor for the fourth stage test, apuded and praised them.


    ¡°Uh, we passed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Pielott, in particr, has exceptional movement. Just as I heard. It''s also amazing that you''re already using Aura. Many second-yearbat students can''t even do that properly.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    Pielott replied somewhat dryly. It wasn''t that he was ignoring his senior''s words. He had the ambition to prove his true skills in this test, so he was honestly happy with the test proctor''s praise.


    If only he could be honest.


    ¡°Excuse me, senior.¡±


    Roxy, who was next to him, spoke cautiously.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Did the difficulty of the test decrease while we were taking it? Was there a student who got injured?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, nothing like that happened.¡±


    Despite Lunia''s words, the team members still looked unconvinced.


    Lunia tilted her head.


    ¡°Are you perhaps thinking that I went easy on you?¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    ¡°I heard that this year''s freshmen are quite confident. Especially Pielott von Ribanche. Why are you underestimating yourself when you''re not like that at all?¡±


    ¡°Is, is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You guys did well. I did my best, and I didn''t go easy on you or anything, so feel confident in yourselves.¡±


    Lunia patted the team members on their shoulders.


    That''s right. They passed the fourth stage.


    After forcibly passing through Frondier''s second stage, which seemed like an impregnable fortress, they entered the third stage, already intimidated by how difficult the following tests would be.


    After being severely scolded by Frondier, the team members, who had already be ustomed to strategizing with Dier at the center, easily passed the third stage.


    Until then, they thought this:


    ©¤The third stage is a break!


    Since the first and second stages weren''t that far apart, the challenge was to manage the stamina they had consumed in those two tests and clear the rtively easy third stage. As expected, Constel seems to have a cold-hearted side, but they also subtly take care of their students!


    But after passing the fourth stage as well, things felt strange. It was definitely more difficult than the third stage. The upperssman in charge was also skilled.


    However, it was a 5 vs 1 fight from the beginning, and the fact that all five buttons had to be pressed meant that Lunia had to keep an eye on all five buttons.


    Dier quickly caught on to this difficulty and seeded in disrupting Lunia''s focus by throwing off the timing at the end.


    ¡°Alright, next is the fifth stage. Congrattions, Aster and Elodie. You''ll definitely meet one of them.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    Still with unanswered questions in their minds, they left the fourth stage testing area side by side.


    Next was, as expected, the waiting room. There was no one else in the waiting room besides them. This meant that very few people passed the fourth stage.


    ¡°...Right.¡±


    As if suddenly remembering something, Dier spoke up.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Being a team of five people naturally means a 5 vs 1 fight.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s right.¡±


    ¡°So, the mission should be designed to be advantageous for the upperssman.¡±


    The third and fourth stages were like that.


    In the third stage, like a simplified version of the first stage, various obstacles flew in, and the team had to dodge them while advancing.


    Of course, the upperssman''s role was to hinder them. In the fourth stage, they were already at a disadvantage in terms of power because they had to press different buttons.


    ¡°...Naturally, the easier the mission, the more advantageous it is for us. No matter how skilled the upperssman is, it''s a 5 vs 1 fight. It''s not a fight where we risk our lives and injure each other. We just have to clear the mission. Of course, the five of us have a significant advantage.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Only the second stage, the mission was actually advantageous for us.¡±


    At Dier''s words, everyone''s expressions changed.


    The condition of the second stage mission: Touch the key hanging high up. By any means necessary.


    ¡°...Isn''t that because it was the second stage? The missions should gradually get more difficult.¡±


    Nether, who had been listening, said.


    ¡°That''s right, that''s right! The missions got progressively harder! From the second stage to the fourth stage!¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    The others looked puzzled at Dier''s excited voice. Why was he getting so excited?


    Pielott, who had been watching, sighed and said,


    ¡°So, what this guy is saying is that the reason our perceived difficulty is strange is not because of the missions.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We didn''t realize it then because we were giving it our all, but think about it calmly. The mission was to ''touch'' the key hanging on the wall, by any means necessary. Who can''t do that? No matter who''s in front of us, there are five of us.¡±


    ¡°...But it was really hard for us.¡±


    ¡°Right. Because the test proctor was ''Sloth''. There''s no way such a mission would be possible for just anyone. Right after we cleared the second stage, we thought this was the level of Constel, but thinking calmly, that doesn''t make sense. There''s no way a skill level like ''Sloth'' is thatmon.¡±


    Pielott''s inner pride made him resistant to the idea that he could be that weak, but the content itself wasn''t wrong.


    Dier also nodded.


    ¡°...In other words, that mission was only possible for Senior Sloth.¡±


    ¡°...It was a mission just for that senior?¡±


    ¡°It probably wasn''t like that at first, but it ended up that way in the process of adjusting the difficulty level several times.¡±


    Everyone seemed to understand and nodded at Dier''s words.


    And in the meantime, Dier had one more thought that he hadn''t spoken about.


    ¡®If they knew Senior Sloth was that strong, Constel wouldn''t have ced him in the second stage.¡¯


    From Dier''s perspective, he hadn''t reached the fifth stage yet, but the fifth stage would have been entirely possible.


    ¡®When we first met Senior Sloth in the second stage, I wasn''t surprised by that itself. Sloth is famous, but he didn''t have the image of being incredibly strong. In other words, the way Constel as a whole and the freshmen view and evaluate Sloth is almost the same.¡¯


    Constel hadn''t fully assessed Frondier''s level. That''s why they ced him in the second stage.


    Constel evaluates students'' levels through various tests and training.


    So there are plenty of ces and opportunities to show off one''s strength. Yet, Frondier was in the second stage.


    This was undoubtedly intentional on Frondier''s part.


    ¡®If Senior Sloth being ced in the second stage was his own intention, then of course he would have acted ording to his self-assigned role as the ''second stage proctor'' during the test.¡¯


    As Dier''s thoughts progressed, his eyes gradually became clearer. Sparkling thoughts reached his eyes, and his heart pounded with excitement.


    ¡®So, in other words, Senior Sloth didn''t use any of his power at that time, and that was the ''second stage'' he envisioned...!¡¯


    Beep-

 Chapter 196 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Just then, the notification sound calling for the next person rang.


    Dier snapped out of his brief contemtion.


    ¡°...They''re calling us in.¡±


    ¡°They''re telling us toe in.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°No, why me?¡±


    The team members hesitated to step forward.


    There were two doors in front of them. Coincidentally, both were empty, so they could go through either one.


    They didn''t know who was waiting inside each door. Aster and Elodie. One of them was inside the left door, and the other was inside the right door.Thump.


    Then Dier stepped forward.


    From the moment he started this skill test, he had dreamed of meeting Aster.


    He had hoped to see Constel''s top prospect, whose future was bright with talent and skill, and receive some kind of inspiration. A strong admiration had led him to Constel.


    However, things were a bit different now.


    Whether the person beyond the door was Aster or Elodie wasn''t that important to him now.


    Now, he would just clear the fifth stage with his team. Whoever the opponent was, if he did his best, the results would follow.


    ¡°Alright, let''s pass the fifth stage too!¡±


    Dier shouted loudly.


    * * *


    Thud.


    The fifth stage, the final hurdle of the skill test.


    The person they met was Elodie de Inies Rishae.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    Elodie looked down at Dier''s team and spoke calmly.


    ¡°Good work, sen...ior...¡±


    Dier tried to answer politely even though he was sprawled out on the floor, but the words wouldn''te out properly.


    It was aplete defeat. He clearly realized the difference in skill.


    The fifth stage test was simple. A time limit of 5 minutes. Within that time, the team had to touch Elodie''s head or torso. Elodie''s clothes were enchanted with detection magic, so if they touched them, a loud sound would automatically go off.


    But no one could even touch a single hair on Elodie''s head. They didn''t even reach her torso, let alone her fingers.


    ¡®But still.¡¯


    Even in the midst of this crushing defeat, Dier felt a strange sense of exhration rising within him.


    ¡°I''m d.¡±


    That exhration flowed out as a voice.


    ¡°As expected, Constel is strong!¡±


    Everyone heard that voice. The team members, who had been staring at Dier nkly for a moment, soon slumped their shoulders and sighed.


    ¡°That''s why we lost, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°We lost so cleanly that I''m speechless.¡±


    Elodie nced around at the team members who were talking like that.


    By the time they reached this point, many teams had internal conflicts and struggles despite having individual skills, but this team seemed to have blended together quite well.


    Elodie first walked over to Pielott.


    ¡°Pielott von Ribanche.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°Using Aura ismendable, but you shouldn''t move based on momentum. Especially when moving as a team, if you make sudden actions, your teammates will be anxious.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°When you train at your family''s ce, you haven''t been secretly using Aura to get through things easily, have you?¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°cking off is not my concern, but when you ck off, your cking skills improve. You should be careful about that.¡±


    Pielott nodded. In the face of such an overwhelming difference, he couldn''t even make a peep.


    Closebat was fundamentally the domain of swordsmen. For a mage, this room wasn''t that spacious. Yet, Elodie''s movements were unshakeable.


    ¡°And Roxy.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Elodie pointed out each member''s shorings and areas for improvement.


    Her extensive knowledge and insight in both magic andbat allowed her to urately pinpoint their problems, and her exnations were easy to understand.


    Everyone who listened nodded in admiration. This was why she was ced in the fifth stage, and the same went for Aster.


    ¡°And, Dier.¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    Elodie approached Dier, who was still out of breath.


    ¡°You have a good head on your shoulders. And you like to fight with your head.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Dier couldn''t answer and kept his mouth shut.


    Actually, being called ''smart'' wasn''t a pleasant thing for Dier.


    He knew his own weaknesses well. His eyes were good, but his body couldn''t react to what his eyes saw.


    He was good at hiding his presence, but even when he reached his target, hecked the one blow to tear through a monster''s tough hide.


    The fact that he used his head was the result of someone with nothing trying to somehow move forward, and it meant nothing more than that he had nothing else.


    ¡°Why do you think you lost?¡±


    ¡°...Because Senior is strong?¡±


    ¡°Lies.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    ¡°You can answer better than that.¡±


    Elodie crouched down and got closer to Dier''s eyes. Dier raised his sprawled body. He lowered his gaze and said,


    ¡°...I like rock-paper-scissors fights.¡±


    ¡°Heeh.¡±


    ¡°Rock-paper-scissors is obviously a game of probability, but no one throws only rock forever. If they did, they wouldn''t be able to win against anyone. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because everyone would know that they only throw rock.¡±


    Dier nodded at Elodie''s answer.


    ¡°Then it''s not a game of probability anymore. I like to read the opponent''s psychology in the process of knowing their information and tendencies beforehand, and fight like that. But there are cases where that kind of fight itself doesn''t work.¡±


    Rock-paper-scissors, of course, only works within the rules of rock-paper-scissors.


    ¡°If the opponent''s scissors beat not only my scissors but also my rock, how would I fight? That''s why I lost. My strongest card can''t beat Senior Elodie''s weakest card.¡±


    Elodie listened to Dier''s words and looked into his eyes for a moment.


    ...Yeah, as expected.


    This kid is different from Frondier.


    ¡°You''re a bit more kind.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You seem like the kindest among the kids who use their heads.¡±


    What was this? Was this apliment?


    ¡°But you''re wrong. That''s not why you lost.¡±


    ¡°It''s not?¡±


    ¡°Since you just brought up the rock-paper-scissors example, let me tell you, there''s one more condition for winning in rock-paper-scissors. Do you know what it is?¡±


    Dier tilted his head at Elodie''s words. Was there such a method?


    ¡°The opponent not throwing anything.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    ¡°No matter how strong the opponent''s rock-paper-scissors are, what''s the point if they don''t throw anything? If they don''t throw, they obviously lose, and if they throwte, it''s a foul.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, but they usually throw something, right? Naturally.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha. That''s because it''s rock-paper-scissors.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Dier let out a sound as if he had realized something.


    Elodie narrowed her eyes and smiled.


    ©¤He had seen that smile before.


    ¡°Hiding the cards you have, faking numbers, exaggerating or downying effects. Acting like I''m the weakest person in the world, then bluffing like I''m invincible. Sometimes actually doing those things to intimidate the opponent. If you really want to y rock-paper-scissors, you have to do that.¡±


    He had seen that smile before.


    There was a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu in this way of speaking.


    That''s why Dier knew.


    ¡°...Senior.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°That''s not your story, is it?¡±


    At those words, Elodie''s eyes widened slightly. Soon, a smile lingered in her eyes.


    ¡°It was you guys. The ones who passed the second stage on the far left.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You met Frondier, right?¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°You passed the test, but did you feel like you won?¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Dier shook his head.


    Khukh, Elodieughed mischievously. Dier was surprised by that sight.


    ¡°As expected, you''re different from Frondier. He keeps everything to himself and his words and actions arepletely different. He''s so sly.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°Will you learn that too?¡±


    ¡°If it helps me be stronger, yes.¡±


    At those words, Elodie''s hand stroked Dier''s head. Dier''s face flushed with embarrassment and bewilderment.


    ¡°I don''t rmend imitating Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Is, is that so?¡±


    Dier asked back. Elodie, answering him, said with a slightly sad face,


    ¡°It''s not the way a person should go.¡±

 Chapter 197 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @DK from Ko-fi!</i>


    The freshmen skill test has concluded.


    Excluding the faculty, the one who undoubtedly suffered the most during this test was Frondier.


    Due to the frequent rule changes that urred midway, thergest number of students had to retake the test on his stage.


    Needless to say, all that hardship was meaningless.


    ¡°In the end, even after retaking the test, everyone failed...!¡±


    Frondier muttered to himself inment after sending off thest team.


    Only one team passed the second stage, which Frondier was in charge of. It was truly a wall of wailing.[Frondier.]


    At that moment, a voice came from the speaker again. It was Ellen, the student council president.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    [All the students who took your test failed the skill test.]


    ¡°That''s not my fault.¡±


    It was Frondier''s fault.


    If he failed everyone, there would be no way to know about the freshmen''s skills, regardless of the test.


    [So, as a temporary measure, you''ll have to do what Aster and Elodie did.]


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    [I hear you boast quite a memory.]


    He never boasted.


    And it wasn''t memory.


    None of it was true, but Frondier listened in silence for now.


    [Give your own scores to all the students who have taken the test so far.]


    ¡°All of them?¡±


    [Yes. It''s your own doing.]


    ¡°It''s not my doing.¡±


    It was his doing.


    Frondier deactivated the chair he had created with the Obsidian. The ck liquid flowed back into the ck Lotus, and Frondiery sprawled on the floor.


    Despite maintaining the Obsidian for such a long time while simultaneously fighting the students, there was still no burden on his Mana. It was a tremendous improvement.


    Frondiery down and thought about Ellen''s words for a moment. Evaluate all the students who have taken the test so far. Recall them all without missing a single one.


    [Just kidding. We recorded it with Wizard view, so,]


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    [Huh?]


    ¡°I will recall them all and give them scores.¡±


    Just in case, Frondier had analyzed all the students who participated in his test and saved them in the workshop. He had written down specific details in the workshop after each test. In fact, he had already finished scoring.


    [¡­¡­You''re really going to do that?]


    ¡°You asked me to.¡±


    Frondier replied as if it were obvious.


    After a moment of silence, a cautious voice flowed from the speaker.


    [Frondier, do you know? Belphegor, the demon in charge of sloth, kept a subordinate by his side to record all his memories in order to deal with hisziness,]


    ¡°Senior, don''t get swept up in strange rumors. I''m not a demon.¡±


    [Of course you''re not. I was just saying.]


    Her voice sounded quite serious for that.


    Plus, it kind of pissed him off since it felt a bit true.


    * * *


    The freshman ability test was finally over.


    The highest-rated team was Dier''s team. They were the only team that passed Frondier¡¯s second stage and managed to reach the fifth stage.


    However, the member who received the highest evaluation among them was not Dier, but Pielott.


    Frondier and Elodie gave Pielott a slightly stingy score, but generally speaking, the other test administrators gave him a high score.


    While Dier was the one who used the team''s abilities to solve the mission, the administrators saw Pielott, who currently has high ability stats, as excellent.


    The general consensus was that Dier had been able to use his intelligence because he had the strong card such as Pielott.


    Frondier also didn¡¯t think that Pielott¡¯s abilities themselves werecking, so he didn¡¯t feel particrly bothered by such evaluations.


    The only one who was dissatisfied was Pielott himself.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Pielott swore inwardly on his way to the dormitory. He was angry with himself.


    He had entered the academy brimming with confidence, as the most anticipated rising star, and yet he had been defeated by Frondier without being able to properly use his powers.


    He had also lost to ¨¦lodie, but that was fine. He had never thought that he could defeat Constel¡¯s best and brightest from the beginning. Although he was a little resentful that he hadn¡¯t even been able to touch her.


    However, Frondier was different. He wasn¡¯t the strongest individual in Constetion, andpared to Aster or ¨¦lodie, he was far inferior. He was just famous. And that fame wasn¡¯t built on strength.


    ¡®Last year at this time, he was definitely ¡®just a human being¡¯.¡¯


    After being miserably defeated in the ability test, Pielott had looked into Frondier. Up untilst year, Frondier had definitely been just a human being.


    That meant that Frondier had achieved ridiculous growth in just one year.


    ¡®That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no way he could be that strong just by training.¡¯


    Pielott grumbled as he entered his room in the dormitory.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back?¡±


    His roommate waved at him from his bed.


    Coincidentally, Pielott¡¯s roommate was Dier.


    Whether it was a twist of fate or something more than that, Dier had be Pielott¡¯s roommate after the ability test. Pielott took a quick look at Dier, who was calmly reading a book on his bed.


    ¡°......¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? Are you still mad because I stepped on you? I apologized, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Pielott sighed and shook his head.


    In truth, Pielott didn¡¯t feel any particr way about Dier stepping on his head.


    Of course, he had been a little hot-headed at the time, but after some time had passed, he hade to reflect on his actions.


    Dier had predicted that Pielott would do something ¡®stupid.¡¯ That meant that his impatience had been noticeable enough for others to pick up on.


    If anything, he should be grateful to Dier for making him realize that.


    ¡­Of course, due to his pride, he would never say something like that, even if he were dying.


    ¡°Dier.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think Frondier is so strong?¡±


    ¡°What is that? A philosophical question?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a realistic question.¡±


    Dier looked away from his book and gazed at the ceiling for a moment. He didn¡¯t take long to think.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s gotta be that ck stuff.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    The ck liquid that had given them such a hard time throughout the test. They had learned from Homas that it was called ¡®obsidian.¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just that, though.¡±


    ¡°What if he didn¡¯t have obsidian?¡±


    Seeing the ominous aura in Pielott''s words, Dier frowned. His gaze, which had been fixed on the ceiling, turned back to Pielott. That was the light of caution.


    "Hey, what are you thinking?"


    "You are good at hiding your presence. And you''re smart. Haven''t you thought about it? That he could be strong even without the Obsidian."


    "And what does that matter to you?"


    "¡­¡­"


    It''s nothing.


    Pielott just wanted to make sure.


    Can a person be that strong in just a year? Was it really not because of the artifact?


    Pielott always wanted proof of his own strength. That was why he deeply imprinted upon his mind the fact that he was the most promising freshman, why he picked a fight with Frondier, ignoring his other teammates, and why he never broke his stubbornness.


    In other words, he was always anxious without confirmation. Because he was strongly hungry for his own abilities, he also had inferiorityplex.


    He just couldn''t believe that someone other than him had achieved such ridiculous growth in a year.

 Chapter 197 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Don''t do anything useless, no matter what you''re thinking. I have no intention of helping you, whether I hide my presence or not."


    "Huh, alright."


    Pielott shook his head at Dier''s persistent refusal.


    If Dier was thinking along the same lines, asking for his help would be the most appropriate course, but judging from that attitude, it seemed that he wouldn''t be able to borrow his strength.


    ''It can''t be helped.''


    Pielott nced out the window.


    Outside the window, after school, the sun was gradually setting and preparing for sunset.


    ''I am a little hesitant, though.''


    Pielott had another way.Pielott, who was expected to have a talentparable to Aster.


    It was, of course, due to his early awakened Aura and overflowing Mana, but there was a bigger factor.


    Like Aster, who, along with his swordsmanship, mental power, and excellent physique, was loved by the god Baldur.


    Pielott also has divine power.


    It wasn''t as famous a god as Baldur, but he was definitely an old god.


    Above all, this god loved Pielott even more than Baldur loved Aster.


    - Is that alright, Pielott?


    His god whispered quietly.


    - I will move as you wish.


    The god''s voice reached Pielott''s ears, gentle and sweet.


    ''Yes.''


    Pielott thought.


    He''s not trying tomit a major crime.


    He just wanted to borrow something for a while. Of course, he would return it.


    * * *


    At dawn, when everyone was asleep.


    Someone suddenly got up in the Roach Mansion.


    It was Madeline, the maid who always took care of the cleaning and courtyard of the mansion.


    There was no focus in the eyes of her as she got up and walked out of the room.


    As she walked down the hallway, she was still asleep, and as a result, she felt weak and wobbly.


    That is to say, she was now sleepwalking.


    Madeline had never experienced sleepwalking in her life.


    Thus, this was an extremely abnormal situation.


    Creak-


    Madeline walked to Frondier''s room and opened the door. Had she been awake, she would have found it odd that the door was unlocked, given there was a servant specifically assigned to manage the keys.


    The answer was simple. Before Madeline arrived, another person had already been sleepwalking.


    Thud.


    Madeline entered the room. With a vacant look in her eyes, she nced around before walking towards the bed where Frondier was lying.


    As expected, Frondier was asleep.


    He was breathing softly, having recently struggled to sleep due to heightened sensitivities, but now he had finally found deep slumber. This, too, was not a natural urrence.


    ¡°......¡±


    Madeline shifted her gaze from Frondier to a shelf beside him. Opening a drawer, she found the ne and wristband that Frondier always wore.


    Madeline picked up both items and held them close. Then, she turned around and walked out without a hint of relief for having sessfully stolen the items or anxiety about Frondier waking up.


    It was as if she was certain that Frondier would never wake up.


    ©¤Yes, just like that,e out of the mansion, child.


    Following that voice, Madeline walked out of Frondier''s room, down the corridor, descended the stairs, and opened the mansion''s front door. The chilly dawn air of spring brushed against her knees.


    Through Frondier''s eyes, one could see a figure standing next to Madeline, who was standing dazed outside the mansion, holding a staff. It was the god of Pielott, ¡®Hypnos¡¯.


    Hypnos is the god of sleep in Greek mythology, the twin brother of ''Thanatos'' who previously threatened Frondier''s life. Unlike Thanatos, who appeared as a very young boy, this one took the form of an old man.


    However, that was merely an outward appearance, as Hypnos''s posture and gait were no different from those of a robust young man.


    Hypnos''s power grows stronger at night, to be more precise, as more people fall asleep, his power intensifies. Sleep is both his mana and nourishment.


    For him, who governs sleep, controlling sleeping individuals orpletely putting someone to sleep is no difficult task. Without significant prior preparation, it''s impossible to counter his power.


    ©¤Haha, an easy task indeed.


    Hypnos found a suitable ce to hide the items. Even so, making Madeline walk all the way to the Constel dormitory was too much, so hiding them somewhere no one would know, outside the Roach mansion, would suffice. Later, if Pielottes looking, that would be the end of it.


    In truth, there was no need for Pielott toe looking. Pielott merely wanted to see Frondier without the Obsidian.


    ©¤Alright. Let''s leave this ce first.


    Upon Hypnos''s words, Madeline moved her feet without any reaction. Hismand didn''t require affirmation or denial; those who hear it harbor no doubts and will inevitably follow his words.


    But those steps onlysted three paces.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the ck lotus that Madeline was holding started to glow.


    Hypnos was surprised by this and checked it. What is this? He already knew about the ck lotus¡¯s locking mechanism. Hypnos had also received plenty of information about it.


    The ck lotus would not activate without Frondier¡¯s fingerprint. So, unless she nned on using it, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems¡ª


    [Of course, that¡¯s what I would have told Frondier.]


    The light from the ne focused in one direction, creating the figure of a human being on the ground in front of them. It was a magical engineering hologram.


    Hypnos had no idea that the ck lotus had such a function.


    That was to be expected.


    Even the owner, Frondier, didn¡¯t know.


    [I owed Frondier a debt. So I secretly created ¡®a second safety measure¡¯. Frondier doesn¡¯t know about it, so it¡¯s practically bait that I¡¯ve kept hidden for a long time.]


    Thepleted figure of the hologram looked at Hypnos with a fearless smile. The identity of this person was clear.


    [I was wondering who had the nerve to touch my artifact.]


    Edwin von Beheritio.


    Edwin, the genius of security magic and magical engineering, revealed himself before Hypnos.


    [To think that there would be a god who would greet me before Hephaestus.]


    ¡ªHow dare you speak so casually to a god¡­!


    [Hypnos.]


    Under hisposed face, Edwin revealed a faint smile.


    Edwin instantly recognized the true identity of the god. Hypnos was too easy to recognize with his appearance and characteristics. He had a sleepwalking woman next to him, so that pretty much gave it away.


    [If you knew what I had to endure from other gods, as well as the people I almost lost because of it.]


    Although Edwin was a hologram, the real Edwin was not there, so Hypnos had no way of threatening him for now.


    Of course, the same went for Edwin, but the fact that he¡¯d witnessed Hypnos like this was already a huge threat to the god.


    [You wouldn¡¯t be yapping like that if you did.]


    Edwin was once a man whose emotions were controlled by a god. But now, he¡¯d transformed into someonepletely different.


    It was as if he had some sort of immunity to gods.


    [Were you eavesdropping back then? Hypnos, the god of sleep.]


    ¡ªYou¡­!


    This world had never seen his like before.


    A second person who did not believe in gods.

 Chapter 198 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡®Seems like the provocation worked well enough.¡¯


    Cold sweat trickled down Edwin''s back.


    He had abandoned his faith because he was deceived by a god. He harbored such resentment, but fear was still a separate issue.


    ¡®To say such things to a god, Frondier.¡¯


    Edwin smiled, recalling someone''s sleepy face. He remembered what Frondier had said to Hephaestus, his former divine power, during the golem incident.


    ¡®Get lost,¡¯ he had said nonchntly.


    Since that incident, Edwin hade to realize something.


    Gods were quite simr to humans, except for their power, as Frondier had previously stated.


    They had emotions like anger, contempt, joy, and embarrassment, and these emotions could manifest from even the most trivial things. Humans witnessed the unparalleled miracles of gods and created their own images of them, but the gods themselves didn''t necessarily match those elegant images.


    ¡ªEdwin, are you truly trying to insult a god?


    [I already have.]


    Edwin replied and nced at the woman next to him. Probably a servant of the Roach mansion. Judging by her appearance, she was still asleep, so she probably wouldn''t remember this incident.


    ¡®But to think that the first person I would use this function on would be Hypnos.¡¯


    Edwin was a little troubled.


    Everyone knew why Aster Evans, Constel''s top prospect, was a top prospect. Talent, skill, diligence, personality, poprity, and on top of that, the divine power of ¡®Baldur¡¯.


    Therefore, everyone in Constel also knew what the divine power of Pielott, the next promising prospect, was.


    ¡®Pielott, what are you thinking?¡¯


    The real enemy right now wasn''t Hypnos. It was Pielott, who received his divine power.


    ¡ªI may not be able to do anything to you right now, but do you think you''ll be safe forever? Know your ce, Edwin!


    Hypnos growled. Well, being targeted by a god wasn''t exactly a pleasant thing.


    [I was quite scared because of that too.]


    Edwin scratched his cheek. Certainly, being targeted by a god was scary. Not only Edwin, but everyone on this continent feared the ¡®divine punishment¡¯ inflicted by gods.


    [Let me ask you this instead,]


    However, Edwin knew one clear fact right now.


    [Why do the gods just leave Frondier alone?]


    ¡ª¡­¡­!


    Hypnos''s expression changed. Yeah, he knew what that meant.


    [I''ve been wondering about it for a while. When Hephaestus was instigating me, Frondier hadn''t done anything particrly sphemous. Yet, Hephaestus tried to kill Frondier. Whatever the reason, Frondier was targeted by a god long before I met him.]


    But Frondier defeated Hephaestus. Of course, he didn''t face the real Hephaestus. He only borrowed Edwin and the golem''s body.


    Then, naturally, he would try to intervene ¡®directly¡¯. Edwin didn''t know the full extent of Frondier''s power, but he was just an individual. If a god descended, he could have been killed at any time.


    ¡®Either the conditions for a god to descend are more demanding than I thought, or¡­¡¯


    Edwin said.


    [There''s some reason they can''t descend?]


    Edwin tested the waters by voicing it out loud. He wondered if he could get more information out of Hypnos.


    However, Hypnos didn''t budge at this question. Not even a slight tremor in his eyes.


    ¡ªJust because Frondier is still alive doesn''t mean he will be fine in the future. He will meet a terrible end. You too, Edwin.


    Instead, Hypnos spoke as if he hadn''t heard anything.


    Edwinughed bitterly inwardly.


    ¡®That''s a shame. I wanted to bring back some better information.¡¯


    Edwin couldn''t see through Hypnos''s poker face.


    Instead, he said.


    [I''m sure.]


    ¡ªWhat?


    [Gods only manipte humans, they''ve never been on the receiving end.]


    That''s why they couldn''t understand Edwin''s feelings.


    The presence of a god subtly urging him from behind, while it felt like his own will. He never wanted to feel that way again. It was the feeling of losing himself.


    [I''d rather die than feel that way again.]


    ¡ªYour words will reach the ears of all the gods.


    [Let them hear. If you''re done talking, give the ck Lotus back. Unless you want to make Pielott theughing stock of Constel.]


    Having been with Hephaestus, Edwin knew the nature of gods well. It was quite rare for a god to do this much for a single human, even if they were the target of their divine power.


    Usually, they would only lend a little power when a human asked for it, and wouldn''t move on their own. Hypnos must really like Pielott.


    So, he wouldn''t do anything that could harm Pielott.


    ¡ªRemember, Edwin. Your lifespan isn''t long¡­¡­.


    Bzzt!


    Before Hephaestus could finish his sentence, Edwin, who had appeared as a hologram, disappeared.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh.¡±


    Edwin tilted his head, seeing that the hologram had ended in his house.


    Had he been talking for too long? It seemed like the magic power of the hologram device on the ck Lotus had run out.


    ¡°This wasn''t my intention.¡±


    He could almost hear Hypnos grinding his teeth because Edwin had cut him off and disappeared.


    * * *


    The next day.


    Frondier visited Instructor Binkis''s researchb at Edwin''s call.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sigh.¡±


    After hearing everything Edwin had to say, Frondier already had a headache.


    Pielott was a character with a very high probability of turning into a viin if his arrogance was left unchecked. yers called this ¡®falling into darkness¡¯.


    Originally, it was confirmed by a purple haze, but that was actually a sign of divine intervention, not a sign of falling into darkness. It was just that the form ¡®divine intervention = falling into darkness¡¯ had held true so far that even yers were mistaken.


    ¡®To correct that arrogance, I showed him the difference in our skills, and now he''s resorting to crime?¡¯


    What''s the rush, Pielott?


    Everyone acknowledges your talent, and you know it yourself.


    If you take your time and grow steadily, you will truly grow to beparable to Aster, Frondier knew this. He had seen it with his own eyes, the strength of Pielott after he had grown.


    ¡°Thank you, senior Edwin. I really didn''t know you had installed such a device on the ck Lotus. I will definitely repay this debt.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I''m the one who repaid your debt. It''s a security measure that only works if you don''t know about it anyway.¡±


    That was true.


    To be able to directly see the face of the thief who stole it through a hologram appearing from Edwin himself. Frondier hadn''t even considered such a method.


    Thanks to that, he was able to easily retrieve the ck Lotus even after losing it.


    ¡°As expected of the God of Sleep. I really slept soundly.¡±


    ¡°It''s the power of a god, so it''s hard for a human who isn''t prepared to resist. Even if they are prepared, it''s still the same. But you''ll be fine for a while. Now that he knows I''m here, he won''t try the same thing again.¡±


    ¡°What if Hypnos changes his mind and tries to kill me instead?¡±


    Hypnos putting people to sleep was literally the power of a god.


    Frondier had truly slept without even knowing the ck Lotus was being stolen. Thanks to that, he even got rid of the fatigue that had built up in his sensitive body.


    The reason he fell asleep so easily was partly because his body was craving sleep, but would he have been able to prevent it even if he had been prepared?


    He wanted to trust his sixth sense, but the fact that he actually fell asleep made him uneasy.


    ¡°It''s okay. Hypnos''s limitations are clear.¡±


    Edwin said. He had witnessed firsthand the mansion servant being controlled by Hypnos.


    ¡°Hypnos uses sleepwalking to handle people. When I saw it, the person being controlled was limp and powerless. He probably won''t be able to give them that much strength, and if he forces it, they''ll wake up.¡±


    From what Edwin saw, the appearance of the mansion servant was exactly like someone with sleepwalking. Since he used that power, Hypnos''s limitations were clear.


    Hypnos was the God of Sleep. In other words, ¡®sleep¡¯ was his domain, and he was powerful enough to put even Frondier to sleep, but reality wasn''t his domain.


    ¡°So what are you going to do, Frondier? I''ll leave the choice to you, but I don''t think we should leave Pielott alone.¡±


    ¡°We can''t.¡±


    Frondier nodded.


    Regardless of how Pielott thought of Frondier, Pielott was an importantbatant to Frondier.


    Above all, Pielott was strong even without Hypnos. Not right now, but he would definitely be so in the future.


    ¡®And I can''t say this out loud, but¡­¡¯


    Moreover, Frondier had another scheme.


    ¡®Hypnos is the twin brother of Thanatos, right?¡¯


    Thanatos, the first god Frondier met and the one who tried to kill him.


    Frondier had barely survived by calling out Thanatos''s name at the time.


    Thanatos was wary of Frondier, who knew his true identity, and retreated, worried that there might be a god supporting Frondier.


    And now.


    Thanatos still hadn''t shown himself.


    ¡®Hestia mentioned it before. The gods are also currently in conflict.¡¯


    Frondier must be involved in that conflict. And because of that conflict, there was a possibility that Thanatos still believed Frondier''s bluff.


    ¡®If Thanatos truly believes that I am in contact with some god¡­¡¯


    Frondier had made it that way himself.


    ¡®Who would Thanatos guess that god is?¡¯


    If Frondier''s treatment was included in the conflict between the gods, Thanatos would naturally suspect the god on the side that was trying to protect Frondier.


    Conversely, the god that Thanatos suspected was Frondier''s ally.


    ¡®If I use Pielott to coax Hypnos well¡­¡¯


    It seemed like he could even recruit an ally from among the gods.

 Chapter 198 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Meanwhile, Pielott attended sses at Constel with a gut-wrenching feeling.


    He had failed to retrieve the ck Lotus, and Hypnos''s involvement had been exposed. He thought it was impossible to get caught, but since Hypnos himself had said it, it must be true.


    ¡®To think there was such a device.¡¯


    It was Edwin, a 3rd-year senior, not Frondier, who had discovered Pielott''s crime.


    Honestly, he had never heard of him before.


    However, the fact that his full name was Edwin von Behetorio made the ¡®Behetorio family¡¯ name familiar.


    He had heard that they were a prestigious family that had built up a tremendous reputation in the past, but had now fallen.


    A hologram that activated when someone other than the owner obtained the item, was that something a student could make?


    Besides, that wasn''t the main function of the ck Lotus, so he had added such a function as a side feature.¡®Why? Does Sloth have more allies than I thought?¡¯


    Pielott bit his lip.


    Hypnos said that the rumors wouldn''t spread in Constel, but he wondered how it would actually turn out.


    ¡®If it gets out, I''m finished.¡¯


    Pielott walked, feigningposure. He thought he was good at keeping a poker face, but that wasn''t the case. There just hadn''t been any incidents that could shake his heart until now.


    It felt like every student he passed was whispering about him.


    Of course, there was nothing like that in reality, and in fact, the students were still looking at Pielott with interest and favor, but Pielott himself couldn''t notice.


    At that moment.


    Caw¡ª


    Next to the wall he was walking along, a crownded with strange timing and cawed.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Pielott looked at the crow. It wasmon for crows to caw, but it wasn''tmon for a crow to sit right next to him, staring directly at him while cawing.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The crow even flew over andnded on Pielott''s shoulder. Pielott was a little surprised, but then he noticed a note tied to the crow''s leg.


    Someone had used the crow to send him a note.


    Pielott unfolded the note, feeling reluctant.


    The message was short.


    [Come to the individual training room after ss. I have something to tell you.]


    Suddenly, it felt like the world was turning ck.


    It wasn''t written who sent it, but it was obvious who it was.


    That''s why the writer didn''t write their name.


    * * *


    Pielott scanned the individual training rooms.


    As expected, he confirmed the room where Frondier was.


    As Pielott stood in front of the door of the room where Frondier was, the door opened as if he had been waiting.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Frondier''s expression and voice were no different than usual. He didn''t know if he had heard about Hypnos or not.


    Indeed, this must be what a poker face truly meant.


    ¡°You know why I called you, right?¡±


    The door of the individual training room closed, and Frondier immediately got to the point.


    As expected, Frondier had heard the story from Edwin.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you must also know why I specifically called you to the individual training room?¡±


    The individual training room.


    A facility with perfect soundproofing so that those who entered could fully concentrate on their training.


    The reason was obvious.


    ¡°This is yourst chance, Pielott.¡±


    Frondier issued a warning.


    As he said, Frondier was giving Pielott onest chance.


    He had prepared this ce so that their conversation wouldn''t be heard by anyone.


    ¡°To be caught stealing and have rumors spread throughout Constel, you''ll have a more embarrassing time than I did in my first year.¡±


    Frondier''s words weren''t an exaggeration. No matter how bad the rumors of the ¡®Human Sloth¡¯ were, he hadn''tmitted any crimes. At least as far as the Constel students knew.


    But if Pielott, the next promising prospect, were to be caught stealing, the aftermath would be enormous.


    ¡°What were you nning to do with that? It''s not something you can use.¡±


    Frondier wasn''t bragging. ck Lotus wasn''t a material that could be used inbat by anyone other than Frondier.


    Frondier could transform ck Lotus into a weapon because he could directly copy the blueprint in the workshop, but ordinary people would have to create at least a 3D blueprint to even attempt to imitate it.


    The reason Frondier had installed a security device on the ck Lotus was not only to prevent others from using it, but also because if someone other than him activated it, they wouldn''t be able to handle the Obsidian that poured out.


    After all, the current ck Lotus contained the entireke that was once called a fragment of Helheim.


    ¡°¡­¡­I wasn''t nning to use it.¡±


    Pielott knew that too. He had no intention of using the ck Lotus.


    Just.


    Just, from this point on, Pielott began to pour out his honest feelings.


    ¡°I couldn''t believe that senior was so strong. I thought it was definitely the power of that ne. For one person to be so strong in just one year, I couldn''t ept it. That''s why I tried to steal it. I wanted to see if senior was truly strong without Obsidian.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Pielott''s words weren''t pleasant to hear from Frondier''s perspective, but Frondier calmly nodded.


    Well, people''s honest feelings were usually like this. If he was going to say something clean and pure, he would have been honest from the beginning.


    ¡°Then I''ll show you.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Click


    Frondier removed the ne from his neck. He also took off his armband and threw it aside.


    ¡°See for yourself what I''m like without ck Lotus.¡±


    Just because Frondier understood Pielott''s feelings¡­


    ¡­didn''t mean he would let his misconception go uncorrected.

 Chapter 199 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Minh Tam L¨º and @betterdays from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡±


    Frondier picked up a wooden sword from his private room.


    ¡°A bet?¡±


    ¡°You made it to the 5th stage, right? It¡¯s the same as the test there.¡±


    5th stage? Is he talking about the skill test?


    The 5th stage is definitely Elodie sunbae¡¯s...


    ¡°Five-minute time limit. From the pelvis to the shoulders, excluding the limbs. If you can touch me, you win. If the time runs out, I win.¡±Pielott¡¯s expression became serious.


    When he fought Elodie, even with five against one, he couldn''t touch even her fingertips. But this time it¡¯s one on one.


    But the opponent isn''t Elodie sunbae, it¡¯s Frondier sunbae. He even took off his Obsidian, so wouldn''t it be worth a try...?


    ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡±


    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll let the ck Lotus incident slide. And if you want, I¡¯ll even introduce you to my friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Elodie, Aster, Robald, Aten... These are the people I can introduce you to from the skill test.¡±


    At those words, Pielott¡¯s mouth fell open. Each and every one of them was a famous sunbae.


    Is Sloth really close to so many people?


    ¡°...And if I lose?¡±


    Pielott asked with tension in his voice.


    As expected, a witch with poison awaits behind such tempting fruit.


    As expected, Frondierughed lowly and said,


    ¡°If you lose, you¡¯ll be my errand boy for a semester.¡±


    ¡°E-errand boy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Come running when I call, do as I say. No matter what you¡¯re doing at the time, if I call, you stop what you¡¯re doing and run here within ten minutes. Well, I won¡¯t call during ss, but other than that, you have to be ready toe anytime.¡±


    Pielott swallowed hard.


    That¡¯s not an errand boy, that¡¯spletely...


    ¡°Or will you just give up? Of course, the rumor that you¡¯re a thief will spread throughout Constel.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s eyes were wicked as he spoke. Pielott gritted his teeth.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Frondier ced the wooden sword in front of Pielott and put the tip on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll face you with this wooden sword. You can use any weapon. Even a real sword.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Frondier denied it tly.


    His low voice and eyes were chilling.


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll give you a chance to challenge me once a month.¡±


    As if it were a given that Pielott would lose this time, Frondier said.


    Pielott pulled out his beloved bastard sword.


    ¡°I won¡¯t need such an opportunity...!¡±


    With those words, Pielott took his stance. His aura swelled up instantly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no starting signal, soe in when you want.¡±


    Frondier, who said that, still didn¡¯t take a stance. The tip of his sword was touching the ground.


    ¡®He¡¯s making fun of me!¡¯


    Pielott¡¯s eyes shed as he thrust his de forward with a fearsome stab. Frondier, who hadn¡¯t taken a proper stance, was full of openings.


    With the fierce momentum of his aura, Pielott¡¯s sword stabbed towards Frondier¡¯s chest.


    Frondier lightly lifted the wooden sword that had been touching the ground and met Pielott¡¯s de.


    ¡®It¡¯s no use! If I pierce through like this-¡¯


    Swoosh-


    A strange sound came out when Pielott and Frondier¡¯s swords touched each other.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Pielott couldn¡¯t understand the situation for a moment. The hand that had been thrusting the sword was now empty, and he found himself holding nothing in front of Frondier.


    It was ¡®Falling Edge¡¯.


    Thud-


    The tip of Frondier¡¯s wooden sword touched Pielott¡¯s sr plexus.


    ng, a metallic sound came from behind Pielott. He turned around and saw his bastard sword.


    It had slipped from his hand and somehow flown over his head and fallen behind him.


    ¡°...Wh-what is this...¡±


    ¡°You died once.¡±


    Frondier lightly pushed the wooden sword.


    Pielott stepped back without saying a word. As Frondier said, if he had been holding a real sword, Pielott would have been stabbed more than five times.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not my winning condition, so you still have a chance. It hasn¡¯t been five minutes yet.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Hearing those words, Pielott retreated and looked for his sword. He reached out to grab the sword that had fallen to the floor.


    Whack!


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    His hand hit something and bounced back. He couldn¡¯t see it with his eyes. It was the ¡®invisible weapon¡¯ that Frondier had shown before.


    ¡°That was out just now. The enemy is right in front of you, and you not only turn your back but also reach out defenselessly.¡±


    ng! ng! ng!


    This time, Frondier flicked his weaving weapon at Pielott¡¯s bastard sword, bouncing it off repeatedly.


    The bastard sword, which had bounced lightly due to the first hit, danced in the air as it was struck by Frondier¡¯s weaving. It was almost an art form.


    ¡°And you¡¯re doing that even though you already know about this attack.¡±


    ¡°G-give it back! My sword!¡±


    ¡°If there were enemies who would return it just because you said so, the world would be a little more peaceful.¡±


    Ugh, Pielott groaned and reached for his bastard sword again. This time, he pushed his body forward as well.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Whack! Whack!


    ¡°Ugh...!¡±


    Pielott took a few more hits while retrieving his sword. Pielott gripped his sword again and corrected his posture.


    Frondier thought to himself.


    ¡®He has a long way to go.¡¯


    Frondier¡¯s pure weaving only works for a moment and then disappears, but it¡¯s not without lethality.


    The reason Pielott is holding on is simply because he¡¯s being lenient. He¡¯s not weaving proper weapons like knives, he¡¯s just throwing all sorts of junk.


    So, Pielott¡¯s current actions are actually out. If Frondier had been a real enemy, he would have been riddled with holes and dead.


    ¡®He¡¯s throwing a tantrum in a strange ce.¡¯


    Pielott has talent, strength, and above all, thepetitive spirit that is essential for abatant, but he has a loose side somewhere.


    Apart from being stubborn, he sets his own standards, thinking ¡®this much is okay¡¯.


    He probably had that habit because that much was okay until now.


    In the end, what Frondier has to do remains the same.


    He will just fix Pielott from the root.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m going again!¡±


    Even in the midst of all that, Pielott was properly giving his own signal.


    Frondier let out a hollowugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re a bit like Aster in that way.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be happy. It¡¯s not apliment.¡±


    And stop showing it on your face.


    With a slightly flushed face, Pielott charged at Frondier again.

 Chapter 199 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    And the next day.


    ¡°Look at that.¡±


    ¡°Oh my...¡±


    The students in Constel whispered to each other at the strange sight in the ssroom.


    ¡°I-is this right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good job.¡±


    Pielott handed Frondier bread and chocte milk. Then he bowed his head and walked away dejectedly.


    Of course, all the students in ss 1 were watching. Students passing by in the hallway also noticed and were looking back and forth between Frondier and Pielott with bewildered eyes.


    ¡°...Hey, Frondier.¡±¡°Yeah?¡±


    Aster approached.


    ¡°What are you making your junior do?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know this bread? It¡¯s popr at the cafeteria these days, and it tastes amazing with chocte milk,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Meanwhile, Aten, who was sitting next to him, also looked at Frondier.


    She was giving him a rare stern look.


    ¡°Surely, Mr. Frondier, you¡¯re not using violence to force that child or threatening him with some information...¡±


    ¡°No, Aten. It¡¯s a misunderstanding. It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Frondier immediately waved his hand in denial and then paused.


    ¡°...Or is it?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not doing anything you need to worry about.¡±


    Rather, it was Pielott who did the bad thing. It¡¯s like he¡¯s paying for his sins now.


    Hearing those words, Elodie, who was resting her chin on her hand, said,


    ¡°Even if you say it¡¯s not, it seems like all the students are imagining something simr to Aten right now?¡±


    As Elodie said, the students were buzzing with talk about Frondier.


    ©¤Sloth is making Pielott run errands.


    ©¤What? What kind of errands?


    ©¤Making him buy bread, bring newspapers, and sometimes even calling him when there¡¯s nothing to do?


    ©¤Hul, what¡¯s that? Why is Pielott just doing what he¡¯s told?


    ©¤It¡¯s obvious. Sloth has a hold on him. He¡¯s digging up Pielott¡¯s painful past and threatening him.


    ©¤As expected of Sloth...


    By making the top prospect of the freshmen ss his errand boy, Frondier¡¯s reputation had be the worst in just a few days after bing a sophomore.


    His reputation as ¡®Human Sloth¡¯ was also the worst, but this time it was the worst in a different sense.


    Frondier had gone from ipetence to fear.


    As expected of Sloth. This was the current catchphrase for Frondier.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m doing what needs to be done.¡±


    Frondier said as if he didn¡¯t care about those rumors. In fact, he didn¡¯t really care.


    Even in his freshman year, a bad reputation followed Frondier like a tail. Both this and that were bad evaluations.


    ¡°I won¡¯t make him do this anymore.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I just made him do it a few times because I needed a little smokescreen.¡±


    Pielott himself probably expected to receive such orders. That¡¯s why Frondier is deliberately giving Pielott the orders he expects.


    So that when Frondier¡¯s true intentions appear mixed in with those orders, Pielott won¡¯t notice.


    ¡°He¡¯s the top prospect of the freshmen ss. I have to take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°...If it gets too much, I won¡¯t leave it alone.¡±


    Aten gave a light warning.


    Even making him an errand boy seemed to have plenty of room for danger, but Aten didn¡¯t get involved any further. Aster and Elodie also lost interest and returned to their respective seats.


    One way or another, they believed that Frondier wouldn¡¯t do anything that would cause problems.


    And after school.


    When it was time for homeroom, their homeroom teacher, Jane, said,


    ¡°There have been some strange rumors going around Consteltely.¡±


    At those words, the students all looked at Frondier.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not talking about Mr. Frondier.¡±


    At Jane¡¯s words, the students turned their eyes back to Jane. Frondier let out a hollowugh at the synchronized sight.


    ¡°Recently, there has been a lot of recruitment for clubs and societies among the freshmen, and it seems that some people are hiding among them and making strange proposals, so please be careful and don¡¯t be swayed by such stories. Okay?¡±


    At those words, one student raised their hand.


    ¡°Wh-what kind of proposals specifically?¡±


    At those words, Jane¡¯s lips tightened. Certainly, to be careful, one needs to know what kind of proposals they are. But the content was a bit unsettling, so she was hesitant to say it.


    Jane, who seemed to be choosing her words carefully, slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s at the level of rumors, and there¡¯s a lot of false or exaggerated information, so there¡¯s not much I can tell you for sure. But based on the information so far, it seems that the first question from whoeveres to make the proposal is usually simr.¡±


    After hearing that first question.


    The expressions of Frondier, Elodie, Aten, Sybil, and Selena changed.


    * * *


    [Do you want to be stronger?]


    As Dier was walking back to the dormitory after school, he heard a strange voice and stopped.


    He turned around and saw a man smiling and talking to him.


    As soon as he saw his face, Dier realized.


    ¡®A mask.¡¯


    It was hard to notice at a nce, but there was something strange about the way his neck and face were connected, and his skin tone was slightly off.


    It was probably a very cheap product. The difference in qualitypared to the top-notch product that Quinie used was obvious.


    [Dier Eiger. The child of misfortune.]


    ¡°That¡¯s a strange voice.¡±


    Dier said. Just like the mask, his voice was also heavily distorted.


    He probably just avoided the requirements to be banned from Constel as a suspicious person. He could just keep his mouth shut about his voice, and the mask wouldn¡¯t be easily noticeable unless you had eyesight as good as Dier¡¯s.


    ¡®And he knows my name too.¡¯


    Dier quickly thought it over. Low-quality masks could be obtained cheaply if there was a distribution line.


    In other words, the reason for that mask wasn¡¯t because he was short on money, but because he wanted to buy them in bulk. It was highly likely that there were multiple people who approached others like this.


    ¡®Multiple people are approaching Constel students, and they know their names beforehand...¡¯


    Is there some kind of list of students to approach? If there is a list, what criteria is it based on?


    [Dier, your abilities are outstanding.]


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    [But your body and Mana don¡¯t keep up with them.]


    ¡°That¡¯s a painful thing to say.¡±


    Dier moved his right foot back. It was a posture that was good for both running away and approaching.


    Conversely, it was also a posture that made it difficult for the opponent to know what Dier was thinking.


    [Take my hand, Dier. We will fill yourcking Mana.]


    ¡°Hee.¡±


    [Dier, you know it. The despair of seeing and thinking of everything with your head and eyes, but your body not being able to keep up. You wish you hadn¡¯t seen it, that you weren¡¯t so wise. Isn¡¯t it frustrating when those who know nothing have power that surpasses yours and use it foolishly?]


    ¡°...¡±


    Dier¡¯s eyes sank.


    [We will help you. We will give you the body and Mana to catch up with your eyes and head. You will no longer need to give orders to those who are only stupid, we will make it possible for you to do it yourself.]


    The man¡¯s hand was gently extended.


    Dier just stared at it.

 Chapter 200 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Stainster and @LordofWar609 from Ko-fi!</i>


    After hearing the man''s words, Dier fell into thought for a moment.


    "Right, there was a time when I resented that too."


    His exceptional dynamic visionpared to his utterly average physique. He always felt frustrated by his body that couldn''t keep up with his thoughts.


    There were times when he questioned God, wondering why he was given such good eyesight if he was going to have such an ordinary body, only to be left with longing.


    However, God doesn''t care about such things in the first ce. He doesn''t have any specific intentions for each individual.


    "It''s true that I want to be stronger, of course," Dier said with a smile, his face serene. "But if I take your hand, I feel like I''ll be weaker instead."


    [...]The man didn''t have much of a reaction to Dier''s provocative words.


    Dier took a step back. "I''m good. I''ll just ept your sentiment."


    Smiling, Dier turned around.


    He wasn''t exactly keen on showing his back to such a suspicious person, but this was inside Constel. That man wouldn''t act recklessly here.


    If he did anything, he would be caught in an instant.


    [Dier.]


    The man spoke behind Dier''s slowly retreating back.


    [You wille find us soon.]


    "..."


    What a cliche. Dier sighed and kept walking.


    He was incredibly suspicious, anyway. Is that kind of thing trending in Constel these days?


    [You must know Frondier de Roach, right?]


    The man spoke again.


    It was Senior cker again. Although a name that bothered him came up, Dier ignored it. He dismissed it as another useless remark.


    However.


    [He also received our help.]


    Halt¡ª


    Dier''s steps stopped. His expression, always carefree and lively, sank deeply.


    "...What did you say?"


    Seeing Dier turn around again, the man chuckled, uncharacteristically.


    [How could the second son of Roach have gained such immense power? In less than a year, too. There''s a limit to how much a person''s Mana can grow. It takes a very long time to surpass that limit. You would know better than anyone, Dier Eiger.]


    At the man''s words, Dier couldn''t offer any rebuttal and remained silent.


    Honestly, Dier also didn''t know how Frondier had be so strong in such a short period.


    During his days as the Human Sloth, he couldn''t have been that great. If he had sufficient skills, even with hiszy nature, he would have been called by a different nickname. Instead of aplete derogatory term like Human Sloth.


    Not just Dier, but all of Constel was paying attention to Frondier''s rapid growth.


    If it were possible to be strong that quickly, everyone would choose that method. Even the teachers, though they wouldn''t say it, would be curious. If it''s a proper training method, they would need to apply it to the curriculum as soon as possible.


    But for Frondier''s secret to bing strong to actually be the help of this suspicious group?


    "That''s a lie."


    [Then can youe up with another exnation? There''s no need to argue about anything else. Look at Frondier''s overflowing Mana. Do you have any idea how he could have obtained such Mana in such a short time?]


    "..."


    He didn''t.


    Within the methods that Dier knew, such a method didn''t exist.


    But that didn''t mean he had to believe this man''s words. Both options were equally suspicious.


    It was just the timing of this unknown group''s appearance, right after Frondier became strong, that felt off.


    [Let''s head back for today. Think carefully with that clever head of yours. We''ll be waiting.]


    With those words, the man turned and left.


    It was Dier who was going to turn his back and leave first, but somehow the roles had reversed.


    "...Huu."


    Dier ran his hand through his hair.


    "This is a big problem."


    Dier didn''t believe the man''s words.


    This wasn''t necessarily a logical denial of the man''s words, but rather a matter of intuition and his heart.


    Dier was one of the people who had witnessed firsthand, not just heard rumors of, an aspect of Frondier''s strength.


    Dier had noticed that Frondier was going much easier on the freshmen than the conditions of the test required. That was the level of strength that Frondier himself had set as the second stage of the test.


    Theposure and decisiveness that Frondier had shown, the advice he had given to Pielott, and his ability to respond to Dier''s strategies. Those weren''t things that could be shown simply by increasing the amount of Mana.


    That''s why Dier believed in Frondier.


    That''s why, what Dier meant by a big problem was a different issue.


    ''He wouldn''t have just spouted those words to me alone, would he?''


    Even Dier, who held Frondier in high regard and hade to respect him, was momentarily shaken by those words.


    Then what about when others heard them? To students who had only heard rumors about Frondier and hadn''t properly observed him, even if they had taken the skill test.


    ©¤Frondier didn''t actually be strong through his own efforts. He used a shortcut.


    The persuasiveness of this statement wasn''t important. It was just a matter of how believable and desirable it was to believe.


    If the man at the bottom of the school suddenly rose to the top, surpassing many others, and it turned out that it wasn''t actually due to his own abilities.


    ''I don''t know who those guys are, but...''


    They were some of the unluckiest bastards among those who used their heads.


    * * *


    As Dier expected.


    Within a few days, rumors about Frondier spread throughout Constel.


    It was the result of the stories that had been gradually spreading since he became a sophomore, like a chain reaction.


    ©¤Frondier''s strength is due to a shortcut.


    ©¤Frondier is taking drugs.


    ©¤His Mana is a temporary boost from doping.


    Due to the rumors gradually spreading through Constel, an invisible tension formed within the school.


    Depending on the situation, this rumor could be more dangerous than the ones Frondier originally had, based on his ipetence andziness. If the rumors were true, it meant he was involved in a crime.


    But Frondier himself, whether he knew it or not.


    "Alright, again. Your body can definitely react to it."


    He was diligently pushing Pielott on the training ground.


    "Huff! Huff, huff!"


    Pielott breathed like he was about to die.


    It had already been an hour since Frondier called Pielott as a sparring partner.


    Pielott was dodging Frondier''s Weaving by rolling on the ground.


    He was avoiding invisible weapons, only grasping them through Mana detection.


    "Hey, stop pretending to be tired."

 Chapter 200 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Hey, stop pretending to be tired."


    "D-Does this look like an act to you?"


    "Of course. There''s no way you''re already tired with your body."


    Whether he was giving apliment or just saying something appropriate to keep him going.


    Even though Pielott looked like he was dying, Frondier showed no mercy. Pielott had no choice but to keep moving his body.


    "Breathe, breathe! Don''t just think about the word ''breathe,'' actually breathe!"


    "What does that even mean!"


    "Inhale and exhale! It''s something you always pay attention to even when you''re doing simple strength training!"


    "I don''t know! That kind of stuff!""Why don''t you know? You don''t do strength training?"


    "...T-To be honest, I''ve often used Aura to get by."


    Wham!


    "Ugh!"


    Pielott was hit in the ankle by Frondier''s Weaving and went flying. He did a breakfall and rolled around.


    Frondier''s attacks wouldn''t stop even if he fell, so doing a breakfall and rolling had be almost a habit.


    "See, even though you looked like you were dying earlier, you''re moving just fine now."


    "Huff, huff..."


    Pielott was catching his breath, but he didn''t have anything to say. Frondier was right. He felt like he was going to die from exhaustion just a moment ago, but he had calmed down a bit.


    "B-But I really was exhausted a moment ago. It wasn''t an act or anything..."


    "Of course you were. Your body is struggling to the point of exhaustion, so how could you not be tired? You forget to breathe, you don''t raise your head, you run on instinct instead of judgment, so your muscles are shocked, and every time that happens, your breathing gets messed up. Of course you''re tired."


    "Why, why am I doing this? Did I develop some weird habit?"


    At Pielott''s words, Frondier shook his head.


    "No, you''re doing it because you want to quit."


    "..."


    Frondier''s words were unforgiving.


    "As you said yourself, you''ve always used Aura to ovee difficult situations, so first of all, your body isn''t used to hardship, and you don''t know how to adapt to it. Besides, most people would have let it slide. People who use Aura are generally perceived as having undergone significant training, so naturally, they assume you have too. When in reality, you''re someone who mastered Aura before training, with the order reversed."


    Pielott kept his mouth shut.


    Actually, Pielott had already figured it out. Why Frondier kept calling him.


    Frondier, who seemed indifferent and unconcerned about everything, was extremely strict only with him.


    He had felt it during the skill test too, but in a good or bad way, Frondier was paying a lot of attention to Pielott.


    However, until now, no one had given Pielott such harsh words.


    Frondier spoke very strictly, but in fact, Pielott''s current training intensity wasn''t easy. He had far surpassed the level of an ordinary person.


    Butpared to Pielott''s own body, the training intensity was actually low. That''s how good Pielott''s innate physical abilities were.


    To improve further from here, he needed to increase the intensity, but Pielott had never actually done this much before.


    In the end, even though he spoke strictly, Frondier was just stating the facts.


    "...A spoiled brat, I see."


    Pielott caught his breath and stood up.


    "It seems like a very fitting word for me right now."


    Seeing Pielott''s improved gaze, Frondier raised his hand again.


    "I said I''d give you a chance to challenge again once a month, right? A month is too short. If you can''t handle this attack, it''s not even a start."


    "Yes!"


    Pielott answered energetically.


    Just as they were about to continue training in a good mood.


    Caw-!


    A crow cawed.


    It was a crow cawing like any other, but Frondier lowered his hand. Whether this particr crow''s caw was different, Frondier looked up at the sky.


    A crow that had been glidingnded on Frondier''s shoulder. Pielott stared at it nkly.


    ''...He really was taming them.''


    Senior Sloth was not only strong, but he also had many talents.


    "Come to think of it, Senior Sloth, Senior Frondier."


    "That just now was an out. I''ll add extra training timeter."


    Pielott''s heart sank. Still, he had called him, so he conveyed his business.


    "There seem to be some bad rumors going around about you these days, are you okay?"


    "It''s always been bad rumors."


    ...Was that how it was for Frondier?


    But this particr rumor, wouldn''t it be a little different from the previous ones?


    "You mean the talk about me using drugs?"


    "...Yes."


    Pielott honestly nodded.


    When he first heard the rumor, Pielott''s honest impression was that it was quite usible. Aside from whether it made sense or was logical, it was a tempting story.


    "What do you think?"


    "Huh?"


    "Is the reason I''ve grown so much because of drugs? Did I be strong thanks to doping?"


    At Frondier''s words, Pielott thought for a moment.


    For the past few days, he had been diligently rolling around ording to Frondier''s orders. He rolled during the skill test, he rolled in the individual training room, and he rolled like a dog every time Frondier called him to be a sparring partner.


    Even though he was one of the people who had observed Frondier''s strength up close for the longest time.


    "...I don''t know."


    In the end, that was his honest impression.


    "To be honest, I haven''t seen all of Senior Frondier''s strength, have I?"


    "..."


    "If you''re much stronger than this, I can''t help but wonder if you''ve be stronger with some kind of external help."


    Pielott was overly honest.


    Frondier smiled at his words.


    "Well, it doesn''t really matter either way. Even if it''s an unpleasant rumor, a rumor is just a rumor. It''s not something I can control one by one. It was the same in my first year."


    But.


    The expression on Frondier''s face as he spoke the next words.


    Pielott swallowed unconsciously.


    "If that rumor causes harm to someone else, not me."


    That wouldn''t do.


    It wasn''t something to just let slide.


    Especially this rumor, he could sense an unpleasant intention in its flow. It wasn''t just a naturally created rumor, and the one who spread it probably had a separate purpose. Naturally, it wouldn''t end here either.


    And the source of the rumor would obviously be ''the one who actually makes the drugs.''


    ''The incident at the Terst Department Store, it really doesn''t end there, does it?''


    The mysterious terrorist act of the man named Jacob. The abnormal flow of Mana.


    The situation at the time that Selena herself had even described as ''doping.''


    "...Gregory."


    [Yes.]


    Frondier spoke to the crow next to him, and the crow replied.


    With Pielott''s mouth agape, Frondier said,


    "I think it''s better to correct the rumors a bit."


    [What do you mean by that?]


    Gregory, who used respectfulnguage when someone was around.


    Frondier swallowed augh.


    The reason those guys could spread rumors was because the way they injected Mana seemed simr at first nce to Frondier''s suddenly increased Mana.


    Then, it would be enough to prove that it wasn''t simr at all.


    "I think I need to show off a bit at Constel."

 Chapter 201 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Around the time when rumors about Frondier were causing a stir and tension in Constel...


    "...Well, it''s something I had to do eventually."


    Aten made an unknown resolution and made a call from her mansion.


    The dial tone didn''t evenst 3 seconds.


    - Aten~! What''s the matter, calling first?


    It was her mother, Empress Philly, who answered.


    Hearing Philly''s voice filled with joy, Aten felt a little sorry. Should I call first sometimes? No, even so, Mother calls so often, so it doesn''t really matter...


    - Aten? Hello?


    "Ah, yes. Mom. I think the connection was strange for a moment. Are you doing well?"- Of course. I''m doing well. Nothing special at the Imperial Pce either. However...


    Philly stopped mid-sentence. It was rare for her.


    And soon, a voice mixed with a defeatedugh was heard again.


    - Never mind. I''ll talk about itter.


    "What''s with that way of talking? It''s very annoying."


    - Hahaha. You''ll find out soon anyway. So, what''s going on? It can''t be that our daughter just called for no reason.


    Hmm. Aten was dissatisfied that Philly was hiding something, but she had no choice but to change the subject.


    Once Philly makes up her mind, she never changes it. Just like now, she smiles brightly and doesn''t answer.


    "...It''s nothing special."


    Aten told Philly about what happened at the Terst Department Store.


    Jacob''s terrorist act, his strange Mana flow, the wound presumed to be an injection mark, the possibility that Mana injection is being run by a group system rather than an individual.


    And the unidentified offer delivered by homeroom teacher Jane at Constel.


    - Hmm.


    Philly''s impression was short. This is not because Philly is indifferent to the matter, but rather because her reactions are generally like this.


    "It''s just, this kind of thing happened. It''s like a casual chat."


    Aten deliberately said so, thinking that this incident was not much rted to the Imperial Pce.


    It''s just a conversation between a mother and daughter, not something to report to ''Empress Philly''. Of course, her true intention is to let her know about this incident, but she couldn''t say that.


    - The ce where the terrorist was, was it the Terst Department Store?


    "Yes. In front of the cafe."


    - Oh my. That''s quite a coincidence.


    Coincidence?


    Aten was puzzled by Philly''s choice of words. Her doubts grew even stronger when Philly asked someone on the other end of the phone, ''Isn''t that right?''


    - No, we''re actually investigating that case here.


    "Investigation? At the Imperial Pce?"


    Does this mean that this incident wasn''t just a Constel matter?


    - The Mana injection you mentioned, it seems to be indiscriminate.


    "What do you mean?"


    - Whether they''re weak or strong, whether they have a lot of Mana from the beginning or not, it seems to guarantee an effect, right?


    Of course, the downside is that it can''t be hidden and leaks out, Philly added.


    Aten''s expression turned cold.


    Until now, she believed that the target of Mana injection was limited to people who had weak Mana from the beginning. She thought it wouldn''t be effective for sufficiently skilled people.


    But in reality, it''s just that the people who want it are weak, not that it''s limited to anyone in particr.


    Anyone, if they want to, can get an injection and gain even more amplified Mana.


    "...What about the side effects?"


    - There haven''t been any particr ones yet. You saw it yourself, right? Bloodshot eyes, rough breathing, state of excitement and tension, uncontrolled Aura leaking out every time they speak, and so on. Everyone has simr symptoms, but that''s it. So far, no one has died because of it. However...


    "However?"


    - It seems like they have to live like that for the rest of their lives.


    Aten thought for a moment at those words.


    The symptoms Philly just mentioned, it would certainly be strange if a normal person continued like that, but if there was no threat to life, there would be quite a few people who would want to gain Mana even like that.


    The desire to be stronger in this continent is enormous.


    - Actually, if there''s no loss of life, the police won''t get involved. The Imperial Pce is the same. But there are two reasons why we''re investigating this time.


    "What are they?"


    - First, getting an injection is in the realm of medicine. Not magic. I don''t know the principle of the technology that puts Mana into a liquid, but putting someone else''s Mana into someone is not a simple matter. To use a crude method like injection without side effects, the solution needs precise processing from the beginning. There are no side effects now, but that''s just ''now''.


    "...!"


    Aten guessed what Philly was trying to say.


    "...Before that, how many people might have died."


    - That''s right. It''s not a ce that operates normally. We don''t know what steps they took to eliminate the side effects. It would be fortunate if they didn''t hurt anyone in the process, but I think the chances of that are very low.


    Aten thought so too.


    It''s a drug injected into a terrorist in the first ce. It can''t be a proper organization.


    - And the second.


    "What''s the second?"


    - What do you think a person who has been injected once will do afterwards?


    "...Well, wouldn''t they do things they couldn''t do when they were weak?"


    - Aten, people... What do you think they can do when they be strong, that they couldn''t do when they were weak?


    At those words, Aten was about to answer something but closed her mouth.


    She knew what Philly was trying to say.


    Even just imagining it now, it doesn''t bring up good thoughts.


    - And what if that power is not enough? What if they feel they arecking?


    "...Then, of course, they would take the drug again..."


    That''s right.


    There''s no guarantee that someone who has been injected once won''t be injected again.


    But the second injection, would that also be free of side effects?


    - We don''t know yet what effect the second injection has on the human body. It could really cause serious side effects that lead to death, or it could actually eliminate the symptoms mentioned earlier. The problem is, we don''t know.


    After listening to Philly''s words for a while, Aten made a sound, "Ah".


    Something suddenly came to mind.


    The recent rumors circting about Frondier.


    "...Mom. There are rumors going around about Frondier recently."


    - He''s always a bundle of rumors.


    That''s true, but...


    "The rumor that he got a Mana injection."


    This time, Philly''s words stopped. Aten continued speaking.


    "Perhaps their goal is to appeal that the symptoms disappear if you get the injection more than twice? That Frondier is such a person. Frondier''s Mana increased so much that one injection wouldn''t be enough."


    - ...Whatever the intention, it''s good to use it as an excuse to keep injecting people.


    Philly muttered.


    Then she suddenly spoke in a strange voice.


    - So what you''re saying, Aten, is that other students who have seen Frondier''s rapid growth don''t acknowledge the desperate effort, courage, and hardship he has gone through, and believe that he became strong by resorting to shortcuts or crimes close to it? That Frondier is just azy bum who has never put in any effort?


    "...I didn''t say that, but..."


    It''s not wrong.


    But why is she rephrasing it like that?


    "Ah, wait a minute."


    - Then, Aten, I understand. I''ll think about that case too, so be careful at Constel. I don''t think they''ll touch you, but it''s better to be careful. There are always those who don''t know their ce.


    "Mom, wait a minute. That strange way you just talked..."


    - Then goodbye, Aten.


    Philly hung up without giving Aten a chance to speak.


    Aten stared nkly at the phone where the call had ended.


    "Wait a minute. I thought someone was next to her."


    Philly''s yful smile came into clear view.

 Chapter 201 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Imperial Pce, Philly''s personal office.


    "Sigh. Aten too. You can''t just blindly help someone and expect to snatch a man away."


    Well, maybe she doesn''t even have that intention. Philly muttered regretfully as she looked at her phone.


    "Anyway, you heard the story, right?"


    Then she spoke to the man who had been standing quietly in front of her during the call.


    The man let out a small sigh that went unnoticed and said,


    "You spoke in a way that I would hear it."


    ck hair, a trained body. A sharp face reminiscent of a sharpened sword.


    Azier de Roach was there."Eavesdropping on the Empress''s conversation, that''s a serious crime, Azier."


    "...I was about to leave, but..."


    It was Philly herself who stopped him.


    Philly smiled brightly as if she was enjoying it.


    "So how do you feel? It seems like your younger brother is still surrounded by bad rumors at Constel."


    She¡¯d just had to ask that question.


    Azier lowered his eyes.


    "Students like rumors. Even without any sincerity, they always look for, inte, and distort gossip to have conversations and heighten the atmosphere. It''s just that. Frondier won''t mind either. Things that aren''t true can''t shake my brother."


    At Azier''s words, the amusement in Philly''s eyes faded. Well, she had expected him to say something like that. That''s why he¡¯s Azier. It''s not easy to shake this man''s emotions.


    "©¤©¤However."


    But then Azier said.


    "If there are those who can''t just enjoy rumors as rumors and truly believe them. Those who underestimate what Frondier has done and indulge in self-satisfaction, deceived by unreliable information that''s just floating around."


    The sunlight streamed through the tilted clouds through the window of the Imperial Pce. The transmitted sunlight lingered on Azier''s hair, eyes, chin, and shoulders.


    "I will be ashamed to have graduated from Constel."


    Philly blinked and looked at Azier. Soon, a smile lingered around her eyes.


    "You''re strict."


    "Positions and qualifications are made by people. Constel should also be like that."


    "Mr. Azier, you really like words like qualifications and responsibilities."


    Azier didn''t answer that.


    Qualifications and responsibilities. Of course, he doesn''t have any preference for such words. He just thinks that''s how it should be.


    "Will Your Majesty be alright?"


    "About what?"


    "..."


    Azier tried to say something but stopped himself. Saying anything more would cross the line.


    But Philly is so perceptive that even if he hides his words, the conversation flows.


    "About my husband? Why I''m not telling my daughter?"


    "..."


    Philly''s husband. Bartello Terst.


    The current Emperor of the Empire.


    To put it simply, he is not well at the moment. He is not sick, but it will probably be difficult for his body to recover.


    The reason is not that big of a deal. He''s just exhausted, aging.


    "It''s alright. I''ll tell her when the time is right, but it''s not today."


    "..."


    "Aten only knows the Emperor''s face, she doesn''t remember her father''s face."


    Aten has barely seen Bartello''s face. He showed his face briefly when she was very young, but after Aten grew up, Bartello never came to see her.


    Only asional instructions were given. It was literally like an order from the Emperor to his subject.


    In the past, Frondier and Enfer were also quite awkward, but Aten and Bartello were beyond awkward, to the point where one would doubt their father-daughter rtionship.


    "Well, even if Aten wants to see him, my husband wouldn''t show his face now."


    If Aten saw Bartello now, even that calm child would be surprised and open her mouth.


    That''s how much Bartello has aged and withered. That''s why Bartello hid his appearance even more. Now, even Philly can''t easily meet him.


    "Well, let''s talk about thister. We''re going to be busy from now on!"


    p, Philly pped her hands as if to change the atmosphere. Azier understood the meaning and nodded.


    "Even Aten contacted me about this case. Do you know what this means?"


    "Of course."


    The reason Azier came to the Imperial Pce this time is different from thest time.


    Back then, Azier came to fulfill his duty to the Imperial Pce, but now, Azier hase to the Imperial Pce as a ''Pro''.


    It was a coincidence that Azier overheard Aten and Philly''s conversation, but originally, the ce where he was supposed to work this time was not the Imperial Pce.


    "We''ve already received calls from various ces. The details are different, but the overall picture is the same. It''s the ''Mana Injection Incident''."


    <i>Tap</i>.


    Philly lightly snapped her fingers. Azier bowed deeply at that.


    The Imperial Knights immediately gathered and lined up. Looking over them all, Philly said,


    "This enemy isrger than we expected. It''s probably bigger than the previous ''Indus'', maybe even close to Manggot. I hope it''s just a group of mad scientists who haven''te out into the world, but that''s not likely."


    It was a very dangerous and scary statement, but there was no fear on Philly''s face as she spoke. Instead, she had a faint smile and said,


    "This case will be a joint mission involving our Imperial Pce, the Pros, and even Constel."


    Philly said that and looked at Azier. Azier wasn''t making any particr expression, but rarely, he was thinking the same thing as Philly.


    With that same thought, Philly said,


    "It''s been a while."

 Chapter 202 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Tracy Hughes and @Sage, the ascended outer from Ko-fi!</i>


    Rumors about Frondier had now reached almost every student.


    This was partly due to the ripple effect of the rumors themselves, but there was definitely someone driving them.


    Frondier did not respond to any of the rumors surrounding him.


    Hisnguid face and taciturn mouth remained the same, and he continued to summon and work Pielott relentlessly.


    Of course, this only added fuel to the fire, but Frondier himself didn''t seem to care.


    Because Frondier didn''t respond, those around him remained silent as well.


    Therefore, the students wanted to know the truth behind the rumors.Frondier''s consistent silence made it seem like he was either acknowledging the rumors or simply refusing to dignify baseless gossip with a response.


    If it were just him, the students would have quickly believed the rumors and insulted Frondier, but because those around him treated him as usual, the other students were confused.


    ©¤We need to know Frondier''s true strength.


    The students'' thoughts converged on one point. And in fact, this thought was already a major concern for students who knew Frondier before the rumors spread.


    Ultimately, whether they believed the rumors or not, themon thought was curiosity about Frondier''s power.


    As if responding to the students'' hearts, a suitable event arrived at Constel.


    "A joint mission, huh."


    Frondier muttered, looking at the schedule on the ssroom bulletin board.


    "One person from each grade, three people forming a team to carry out a simple mission. We did itst year too, right?"


    Elodie said.


    Inst year''s joint mission, Frondier had worked with Edwin and Quinie. He was now a sophomore, and Quinie had graduated. He would have to meet new freshmen and juniors to carry out the mission.


    "What do you think, Frondier? I think it''s a good opportunity to silence the rumors in Constel."


    "It''s not a problem that can be solved by simply showing off skills."


    Frondier said.


    The main point of contention in the rumors was whether or not Frondier had taken Mana injections.


    Of course, Frondier didn''t show any of the symptoms typical of someone who had taken the injections, but the rumors included the exnation that he had repeatedly taken them and developed a resistance.


    The considerable growth in his Mana capacity was also attributed to this.


    "If I just keep working hard like this, it will only add fuel to the rumors. The interpretation will be that I''m only strong because I took Mana injections."


    "Then what do we do? If we keep ignoring it, the rumors will be uncontroble. You know that too, right? This isn''t something that will just go away if we ignore it."


    Frondier nodded at Elodie''s words.


    The main purpose of these rumors was ultimately the Mana injections.


    Whoever was obtaining and offering them, the more Frondier''s rumors spread, the more people would be interested in the injections.


    ''The case has already been reported to the police, and I heard Aten informed the Imperial Pce. I also heard that Azier participated in a pro mission.''


    Frondier already knew the gist of the outside information.


    Even if he left it alone, the Imperial Pce, the pros, and Constel would cooperate and quickly catch the ringleader and bring them down.


    Frondier''s role was to prevent students from recklessly taking the injections until then. Because it was still unknown whether or not treatment was possible after taking the injections.


    "There''s only one way."


    Frondier''s sigh deepened.


    Elodie tilted her head. She couldn''t think of a good solution, was there really a way?


    "What is it?"


    "I have toplete the mission without using Mana."


    ¡°¡­¡­?!¡±


    Elodie''s mouth fell open at those words.


    What did he just say? Not using Mana in the joint mission?


    "You, you know what that means, right?"


    "And if possible, I need to finish it as quickly as possible. I need to appeal to the students, after all."


    Frondier then said something even more absurd. Elodie repeatedly opened her mouth to say something but stopped.


    Completing the mission without using Mana and quickly enough to appeal to the students. There was no need to exin how difficult that was.


    Moreover, this year''s sophomore ss was packed with Constel''s promising students, including Elodie.


    In their freshman year, they were all learning, so they held back somewhat, but as sophomores, they were in a position to lead and guide the freshmen.


    Surpassing them andpleting the mission quickly without Mana was virtually impossible.


    ...But if it were Frondier.


    When that thought crossed her mind, a smile formed on Elodie''s lips. A challenging smile.


    "I won''t go easy on you."


    Frondier smiled at Elodie''s words.


    "I''d be disappointed if you did."


    He had decided what to do, and now it was time to take the steps to achieve it.


    First, Mana. The restriction of not using Mana was important, but to appeal to the students, he had to hide his Mana even more than simply not using it.


    Frondier didn''t originally have a lot of Mana, and the Helheim Mana he had received this time was controlled like his own limbs and was rtively well-contained, but this alone wasn''t enough.


    Most mages had already figured out how much Mana Frondier had.


    ''I need to hide it better.''


    And if there was someone who could do that...


    ''I hope he believes me honestly.''


    Thinking of that person, Frondier couldn''t help but smile wryly.

 Chapter 202 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "I can''t believe it."


    The man said, looking at Frondier with suspicion.


    "Even if you don''t believe me, I have nothing more to say to convince you. I''m just here to learn."


    "Someone of your leveling to me to learn something? I can''t believe it!"


    The man was Dier Eiger.


    When lunchtime came, Frondier had summoned Pielott and learned that Pielott shared a dorm with Dier.


    So, he hade to meet Dier with Pielott, but...


    "What are you up to? Are you nning to make me your subordinate like Pielott?"


    As Frondier expected, Dier was extremely wary.Dier was a smart man. But he wasn''t asid-back as Frondier.


    If something deviated from his expectations, he would be cautious and suspicious until he found a convincing reason.


    This was, of course, a result of Dier''s sensitive nature, but it also stemmed from his obsession with keeping up with the powerful physiques of others.


    ''From long experience, to convince someone like this...''


    It was better to create a suitable reason to dispel their doubts than to try to convince them of his innocence.


    "Actually, Dier."


    "What?"


    "I n to make Pielott a warrior on par with Aster."


    Dier looked at Pielott in surprise, and Pielott looked at Frondier in surprise.


    Of course, it wasn''t a lie.


    It had nothing to do with the reason he hade to see Dier, but...


    Frondier continued.


    "But as you know, Pielott tends to rely excessively on Aura."


    "That''s right. Pielott has an Aura addiction."


    "Don''t talk about it like it''s some strange disease."


    Pielott growled.


    "So, for now, I''m focusing on training him without using Aura. Pielott knows this well."


    Pielott nodded at Frondier''s words.


    In fact, Pielott had been through a lot as Frondier''s so-called ''practice opponent''.


    And during that time, Aura was forbidden. If he even tried to use it, he would inevitably get hit on the head with a wooden mallet. A weaving one, of course.


    "But there''s a limit to that. Pielott using Aura has be almost a habit. Preventing him from using Aura is actually hindering his training. Of course, as a warrior, it''s desirable to be able to use Aura at any time, but it doesn''t fit the current training."


    ¡°¡­¡­Indeed, so.¡±


    "Yes. I need to learn how topletely hide your Mana and presence."


    Dier excelled at concealing his presence to an extreme degree. Even Frondier had momentarily lost sight of him during the test.


    This meant that Dier hadplete control over the Mana within him. Dier himself took it for granted, but very few people could erase their presence to the extent that Dier could.


    "If Pielott canpletely control the Mana within him, the habitual outburst of Aura will also decrease. That''s why I need you."


    Of course, the truth was that Frondier himself needed it, but he seemed to have chosen a very appropriate excuse.


    ¡°¡­¡­Then what do I get?¡±


    "Ah, of course, that''s prepared."


    Frondier smiled, anticipating Dier''s words.


    "If you teach Pielott well, I''ll introduce you to Aster."


    Frondier was confident that this was a very appropriate deal.


    Both in the game and now, Dier had a strong admiration for Aster.


    People usually admired what theycked, and naturally, Aster was the perfect object of his admiration.


    And if he could learn from Aster, Dier would also grow significantly, so everything was desirable from Frondier''s perspective.


    ¡°¡­¡­No.¡±


    But Dier shook his head.


    He looked at Frondier with his brightly shining eyes.


    "Teach me, Sloth senior."


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    "As you know, senior, I''m only half."


    Dier looked at his hands. The Mana felt from his hands definitely existed, butpared to the other students attending Constel, it was pathetically small.


    "I met someone a while ago. The guy who''s been causing those disturbing rumors in Consteltely. He saw me and asked if I wanted to get stronger."


    Frondier''s eyes twitched. No doubt, it was someone rted to the Mana injections.


    ¡°¡­¡­Honestly, I was tempted. It felt like it was just for me. Like I was chosen."


    It would have been.


    Of course, it was also true that they had induced that feeling, but from their perspective, there was no one more suitable than Dier.


    Outstanding intelligence, calm judgment, a desire to be stronger, and even excellent eyes and senses.


    Dier, who seemed to have everything gathered to be the best warrior, except for Mana and physical abilities.


    It was all too easy to imagine what would happen if he were given enough Mana.


    ¡°¡­¡­You refused.¡±


    "Yes."


    Frondier was inwardly relieved. He believed in Dier''s character, but it would have been too much of a temptation for him.


    "It''s my fault that I''m weak."


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    It wasn''t Frondier who was surprised by Dier''s words, but Pielott.


    Pielott thought to himself. He had often talked with Dier, but Dier had a strange habit.


    Saying, "I''m weak." And then using those words to fuel his determination.


    Dier always had a sparkle in his eyes while doing something Pielott could never do.


    "So, it''s my problem to solve.¡±


    That''s why Dier refused the offer.


    Frondier felt the weight of those words and let out a small breath.


    ©¤©¤I have to pay the price for myziness.


    Did Enfer and Azier, who had once said those words to him, feel this way?


    ¡°¡­¡­So, it''s me.¡±


    "I''m sorry. I don''t know what happened to you, senior. But for me, Sloth senior is the clearest role model."


    Frondier, who had been the icon of ipetence in his freshman year.


    However, his current image was theplete opposite. This was what Dier found so attractive.


    ©¤That''s not the way for a person to go.


    Dier had received a warning, almost a threat, from Elodie some time ago.


    He didn''t think it was a lie. He didn''t think it was an exaggeration or a bluff.


    Knowing that, Dier said,


    "Let me walk the same path."


    Hearing those words, Frondier thought.


    He couldn''t make Dier follow the same path he had taken. If he did, Dier wouldn''t survive.


    The reason Frondier was able to go through such experiences and grow was because he had carefully examined his abilities and believed it was possible. Even if it meant going to hell.


    However, the same path...


    If it meant examining Dier''s abilities and providing him with a hell suitable for him, just like he had done...


    "Then first,"


    Frondier smiled.


    "Let''s make sure the words ''Sloth senior'' nevere out of your mouth again."


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, yes?¡±


    After that, Dier screamed in terror as he underwent Frondier''s training.


    Why he had to feel fear during training, no one knew.

 Chapter 203: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Time passed, and the day of the joint mission arrived.


    The students of Constel gathered in the field.


    This annual joint mission was originally a training exercise for first-year students.


    The freshmen, who had just entered Constel, formed temporary teams and experienced a small-scale version of a pro mission with the advice and help of their seniors.


    Therefore, Frondier, a second-year student, had to guide the freshman he would meet in his team well.


    Of course, Frondier wasn''t too worried about this. He had a lot of experience fighting monsters outside the inner wall, and he could teach them tracking, trap disarming, and other skills without any shorings bybining the theories, workshops, and analyses he had learned at Constel.


    Yes.


    The problem wasn''t with Frondier.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to learn from someone who got stronger through cowardly means!¡±¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The freshman who was teamed up with Frondier pointed at his face as soon as she saw him.


    Her name was Roxy Taylor. She was the mage who had been on the same team as Pielott and Dier during the skill test.


    ¡°There was a time when I respected you! But to think that it was actually through Mana Injection... I''m disappointed, Frondier!¡±


    Roxy shouted boldly with clear eyes and a voice to match. Of course, since the team training hadn''t started yet, everyone around them heard her voice and looked over.


    Frondier thought.


    Dier, while fighting him, thought the rumors about Frondier getting Mana Injections were nonsense, but Roxy, on the other hand, was convinced that the Mana Injections were real after seeing him directly.


    People''s opinions can be so different even when they see the same thing.


    ¡®There¡¯s no point in trying to convince her here.¡¯


    There was no way she would be persuaded, and he couldn''t do anything about the people around them whispering after hearing Roxy''s words.


    Frondier shrugged and said,


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to learn from me. There¡¯s a third-year senior on the team, so you can learn from them. I won¡¯t get involved.¡±


    ¡°I, I wasn¡¯t going to ask you to anyway.¡±


    Roxy lowered her hand slightly and replied.


    It seemed she was embarrassed by the attention from the people around them. Roxy herself probably didn''t know.


    Everyone was pretending not to care, but they were paying close attention to Frondier''s presence.


    So, if Roxy said something like that in a slightly loud voice, naturally, all eyes would be on them.


    ¡°So, who is the third-year senior on our team?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The lottery is over, so we should be able to find them soon.¡±


    The team formation method was the same asst year. People who drew the same alphabet from the lottery were on the same team. Frondier drew ¡®A¡¯ from the lottery.


    Frondier had a bad feeling from the moment he drew ¡®A.¡¯


    Of course, the alphabet itself had no meaning, but somehow, he immediately thought of who the most suitable third-year for the alphabet A was.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    And that person approached the two of them, fluttering the lottery ticket.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ellen Evans.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier looked at Ellen with cold eyes. As always, Ellen had transparent and emotionless eyes.


    ¡°S, Student Council President!¡±


    Roxy''s eyes sparkled as if she were moved. Ellen, as if used to that reaction, smiled slightly at Roxy.


    ¡°Yes. Temporarily, though. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I, I! I respect you, Student Council President! It¡¯s an honor to be on the same team!¡±


    ¡°Respect? I¡¯m not even a mage.¡±


    Ellen was a swordsman. A swordsman who boasted exceptional swordsmanship.


    But Roxy shook her head as if that were absurd.


    ¡°No! It¡¯s not as a mage that I respect you, but your spirit of improvement and attitude, Senior Ellen! To reach that level with pure swordsmanship alone... It¡¯s a mindset that I always keep in my heart to motivate myself and make up my mind...!¡±


    Roxy''s words started to be jumbled as she became overwhelmed with emotion.


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s an honor to be a motivation for a child like you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no! I, I¡¯m truly honored...!¡±


    Ellen patted Roxy''s head. While Roxy looked up at Ellen with sparkling eyes, Ellen shifted her gaze to Frondier.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Senior Ellen.¡±


    ¡°How was the winter barrier?¡±


    ¡°It was cold. How was your pro internship?¡±


    ¡°Tiring.¡±


    Ha, the two of them looked at each other with simr expressions and smiled weakly. It was a look of shared hardship.


    Beep!


    At that moment, a whistle blew, and the teacher on the podium began to speak.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the joint mission now. The important thing in this mission is©¤¡±


    The teacher repeated almost the same words that Frondier had heardst year. In the meantime, Ellen said,


    ¡°The rumors about you haven¡¯t been goodtely, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°The rumors about me are always bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Ellen didn¡¯t say anything more after that.


    Frondier''s nonchnt answer. Hearing that was enough.


    Tug, at that moment, Roxy pulled on Frondier''s sleeve.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act close to the President.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    What a troublesome girl.


    ¡°And there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s different fromst year.¡±


    At that moment, the teacher said something a little different.


    ¡°The stage forst year¡¯s joint mission was the forest. Within it, all the teams moved individually. So, there were some minor idents in ces where the teachers¡¯ eyes couldn¡¯t reach. Of course, pro missions always involve injuries, and sometimes you have to risk your life. However, it¡¯s dangerous to have unexpected variables in training right now.¡±


    Hearing those words, Frondier thought of Edwin. During the joint mission back then, a monster had attacked Edwin when he was momentarily distracted.


    Of course, Frondier and Quinie had helped and resolved the situation safely, but such incidents must not have been limited to Frondier''s team.


    ¡°Therefore, after epting the strong opinion of the Student Council President, we changed the field through a meeting.¡±


    Along with the teacher''s words, arge Wizard view rose above the podium. Soon, the screen turned on.


    ¡°This time, the field is an urban area.¡±


    The screen showed tall andrge buildings densely packed together. Of course, there were no people. The scenery was simr to that of the final exam, but the buildings were much more concentrated.


    ¡®I always think this, but.¡¯


    There was something Frondier had realized ever since he came to this world.


    The ¡®fields¡¯ of Constel were the most ¡®game-like¡¯ among the settings of this game, Etius.


    Despite their enormous scale and freely changing terrain and environment, no one knew the principles or structure of the fields. They didn¡¯t even know who was in charge of them or who designed them.


    Surely someone among the teachers or staff of Constel was doing it, but creating a new map every time that could amodate almost all the grades of Constel was questionable even for a Zodiac Osprey.


    ¡°Bing a pro means not only exterminating monsters but also saving people. If you be pros and work on ¡®ident response,¡¯ the ces you will see the most are urban areas with many citizens. The way you grasp and memorize the map of a city is different from that of nature. You will be able to understand this well through this experience.¡±


    After hearing that exnation, Frondier asked Ellen,


    ¡°Did that really change because you strongly appealed for it, Senior?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡±


    Ellen answered calmly.


    Frondier was a little bothered by her still emotionless eyes.


    * * *


    Even though the field had changed from a forest to an urban area, the mission was the same.


    Track down monsters and exterminate them as quickly as possible. However, this was only for freshman education, so the record wasn¡¯t important.


    Of course, it would be annoying if the monster they were tracking was caught by another team, but they could just track another monster.


    Moreover, unlike the forest, the urban area had a clear view, so they could see the other teams well. Even though there were buildings, if they were heading in the same direction, it was inevitable that the teams would encounter each other.


    However.


    ¡°¡­¡­There are too many.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Frondier and Ellen muttered casually as they walked.


    Roxy tilted her head.


    ¡°What, what are there too many of?¡±


    ¡°Other teams. There are so many around.¡±


    At those words, Roxy nced left and right. Of course, a few teams came into view.


    Of course, a few teams came into view. But it wasn''t as if there were that many.


    ¡°They¡¯re hiding. Inside buildings, behind pirs, on rooftops, or at a very far distance.¡±


    ¡°I, Is that true? President?¡±


    At Frondier''s exnation, Roxy looked at Ellen and asked again. Her determination not to believe a word Frondier said was evident.


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re all following us while pretending not to. The reason, of course, is,¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    Frondier said in a voice mixed with a sigh.


    Everyone wanted to see what kind of skills Frondier would show. Or rather, they wanted to monitor him.


    ¡®It¡¯s better this way. I learned from Dier for this anyway.¡¯


    From the beginning, Frondier intended to show that he had nothing to do with Mana Injections.


    That¡¯s why he tried to fight without Mana, and he learned from Dier how to hide his Mana for that purpose.


    ¡°©¤©¤Hmm.¡±


    While walking for a while, Frondier drew his shortsword.


    ¡°Wh, What is it?¡±


    ¡°A monster, it¡¯s nearby.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Roxy looked around again. There was no monster, not even a cat. Well, it was natural that there were no cats, but.


    More importantly, the other teams weren''t tense at all, yet Frondier was the only one talking about monsters.


    ¡°Ar, Aren¡¯t you mistaken about something? I don¡¯t see any monsters¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good at hiding its presence. It seems to be careful not to leave footprints, and besides, traces are even less noticeable in urban areas than in forests.¡±


    Footprints, traces?


    Roxy frowned even more at Frondier''s words.


    She had never seen anything like that before. Ellen wasn¡¯t saying anything either. And the other teams were still chatting instead of being inbat mode.


    ¡°When did you find footprints?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. About 10 minutes ago.¡±


    Roxy opened her mouth in disbelief.


    ¡°Then you should have told me sooner!¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have believed me if I had said anything.¡±


    ¡­¡­That was true.


    She would have dismissed it as nonsense if she had heard it then.


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier. To be honest, I don¡¯t know either. Is there really a monster nearby?¡±


    Ellen said. Like the other teams, she couldn¡¯t sense the presence of a monster.


    Seeing that, Frondier nodded as if convinced.


    ¡°I see. I think I know what this monster''s intention is, what its model is.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Model?¡±


    When Ellen asked back, Frondier nodded.


    ¡°Senior, do you remember the monster incident outside the wallst year?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­The one where eleven third-year students died?¡±


    One monster that had fallen behind and be isted from the group of monsters outside the wall. It had used obstacles and darkness to hide its appearance and secretly killed students.


    Even though Quinie, who had received information from Frondier, had prepared in advance, that many people had died.


    ¡°This monster is that one. To be precise, it¡¯s a degraded version of that one.¡±


    There was no way the same monster would appear in a simple joint mission.


    Leaving aside the feasibility of it being realized within the field, it was a monster that had even taken the lives of third-year students back then.


    It must have weaker stamina, strength, and speed than that one. In other words, it was simply less dangerous.


    ¡°But.¡±


    Frondier nced around. The still rxed atmosphere, the strange sight of him alone feeling the presence of the monster and raising his tension.


    ¡°Its concealment ability is exactly the same.¡±


    * * *


    Exactly 5 minutester.


    Puk!


    Frondier plunged his shortsword into the monster''s chest.


    The creature, which had been waiting for an opportunity in the darkness created by the ceiling and walls inside the building, lost its escape route due to the walls and ceiling and was instantly killed by Frondier''s surprise attack.


    Krrrk¡­¡­.


    The monster died with barely a whimper.


    When Frondier pulled out his shortsword and moved the monster aside, itsrge, furry body was the first thing that caught the eye.


    Sharp teeth and ws, a long snout, and sharp eyes. It looked like a wolf. Except it stood on two legs.


    ¡°As I thought, it¡¯s this one.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Amazing, uh.¡±


    Roxy muttered to herself without realizing it and then suddenly covered her mouth. She also knew about the Constel incidentst year.


    The news of a walking wolf killing Constel students had been buzzing around for a while.


    The students of Constel were important figures who would be responsible for the country''s security and public order in the future, so their deaths meant anxiety for the citizens.


    Frondier had recognized that wolf in advance, faster than anyone else, and killed it. And he did it without even using Mana.


    ¡°Roxy.¡±


    ¡°Y, Yes.¡±


    When Frondier called her, Roxy answered immediately. Her attitude hadpletely changed after seeing Frondier fight the monster without using Mana.


    ¡°What do you think the other students will think of this?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡­ Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you think they still believe I got Mana Injections?¡±


    At those words, Roxy was momentarily confused, but then she understood. So that''s why he killed the monster without using Mana.


    Frondier''s current method was the most orthodox way to dispel rumors. Realizing that, Roxy thought for a moment.


    Of course, Roxy herself began to doubt the truth of the rumors after seeing Frondier''s movements just now. That was true. However.


    ¡°¡­¡­W, Well?¡±


    Would that really work on all the students who saw this scene? If so, she wasn''t sure. Rumors weren''t really about the truth.


    She had heard that dispelling a rumor was dozens of times harder than starting one.


    So, simply thinking, wouldn''t he have to show the students something like that dozens of times¡­¡­?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Frondier.¡±


    At that moment, Ellen said.


    ¡°I know. That you didn¡¯t get Mana Injections.¡±


    Frondier smiled bitterly at Ellen''s words.


    ¡°I''m d that at least you know, Senior.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Student Council President. If I think the students are in danger, I¡¯ll step in, and I¡¯ll shout out loud that you¡¯re not like that. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Those were very reassuring words. It was also quite an active encouragement, unlike Ellen.


    ¡°¡­¡­Th, Then is the joint mission over?¡±


    Roxy asked.


    ¡°Well, yeah. We caught one monster, so the mission isplete. I hope we¡¯re first.¡±


    ¡°We probably are. This monster, I think its original intention was to see how we would react when attacked first. It probably didn¡¯t expect us to find and kill it first.¡±


    Indeed, this monster was cautious, so it took much longer to decide on its timing.


    Until then, the field was actually quite peaceful, but only Frondier had taken the initiative and dealt with the monster.


    ¡°Wow, then we¡¯re first!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Not that it means much.¡±


    ¡°Of course it does! With a record this fast, the teachers will definitely©¤¡±


    As Roxy was genuinely rejoicing.


    Thump-


    Frondier and Ellen frowned at the sudden surge of intense Mana.


    ¡®This feeling, it¡¯s familiar.¡¯


    It was simr to Jacob''s Mana manifestation that he had seen at the Terst Department Store with Selena a while ago.


    But the problem wasn¡¯t just one ce. Simr rises in Mana were felt from all directions in this field.


    Could it be, all the monsters in the field¡­¡­!


    Ellen shouted.


    ¡°Roxy! Get out of the building quickly!¡±


    ¡°Y, Yes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here. You need to go somewhere with a clear view! Go and join the other teams!¡±


    ¡°J, Join them? What about the mission?¡±


    ¡°This is an emergency! You don¡¯t need to worry about that anymore!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±


    Roxy ran out of the building, listening to Ellen''s words.


    The situation was so urgent that Roxy couldn¡¯t make a proper judgment.


    Why Ellen had sent her out alone.


    Why the two of them were staying inside the building.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡±


    Frondier nced at Roxy as she left and let out a hollowugh.


    And he looked at Ellen. Ellen was also looking at Frondier quietly.


    Frondier tried saying it as a test.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go help too? The other teams.¡±


    It was an obvious thing to say. Roxy alone wouldn''t be enough. Ellen and Frondier, who were skilled, needed to actively step in to inform the other teams of the situation and respond.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    However, Ellen remained silent.


    Frondier closed his eyes. Fatigue washed over him, then gradually subsided with his long exhale.


    And when Frondier opened his eyes, his gaze was shadowed like a cold, empty cave.


    ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Frondier.¡±


    Ellen''s lips parted, and


    Kwaaaaaaaa-!


    A fierce Mana surged from Ellen.


    ¡°Frondier got Mana Injections without side effects or symptoms? That can¡¯t be true. I know better than anyone.¡±


    Ellen, Constel''s top swordsman.


    As if in bacsh, Ellen, who originally had very little Mana.


    From that Ellen, Mana soared like a storm.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s me.¡±

 Chapter 204 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @SeWon Chong and @Timmy_00 from Ko-fi!</i>


    The game Etius has heroes and viins.


    However, that''s not the game''s setting.


    It''s a temporary role that yers have established through exchanging information and interacting within themunity.


    Etius has a vast number of named characters, and it''s incredibly difficult to remember the unique personalities of each one, as they all possessplex traits.


    Therefore, they are initially divided into thergest categories: those who aid in story are heroes, and those who hinder are viins.


    Consequently, characters designated in this way can switch from hero to viin, or vice versa, due to certain variables.


    Of course, yers determine heroes and viins based on repeated ythroughs and vast amounts of information. Only those yers whose roles haven''t changed.However, even so, someone''s role might change in the next ythrough. Something that has never happened before could ur.


    ¡®Senior Ellen... corrupted?¡¯


    Considering the context, it''s not impossible.


    Before Dier''s enrollment, the character known for having low Internal Energy was originally Ellen.


    Ellen decided to focus on improving her pure swordsmanship skills topensate for her low Mana, and thanks to that, she established herself as the most skilled swordsman within Constel.


    Therefore, Ellen''s yearning for Mana would be stronger than anyone else''s.


    Throughout her growth, Mana became a stumbling block, and even now, despite reaching the pinnacle of swordsmanship, countless obstacles would have blocked her path solely due to herck of Mana.


    That thirst might be even greater than Dier''s.


    However, Ellen was someone Frondier believed to be a hero without a doubt.


    But since the protagonist of Etius is actually Aster, Ellen is merely on Aster''s side and could be an enemy to someone else. Even to Frondier.


    Heroes can be viins at any time.


    Even if you''ve never witnessed such a sight before.


    ¡®However.¡¯


    Ellen, now facing Frondier while emitting a powerful aura.


    The sudden Mana amplification of the monsters, Ellen''s instructions to send Roxy away and leave them alone in the building, Ellen''s current words and actions.


    All of it suggests that Ellen has be ''corrupted''.


    "Senior."


    Frondier spoke in a low voice, his tone unchanged.


    "What happened?"


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier treated Ellen before him as usual. Ellen didn''t like that.


    "I hear it a lot too, but."


    As Ellen spoke, she raised her sword and assumed a stance. A clean and elegantbat posture that simultaneously instills immense fear in the opponent.


    "You really can''t read the room, Frondier."


    <i>Evans Family Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Ellen Evans'' Unique Sword Style</i>


    <i>One Strike</i>


    Ellen''s sword, its de held horizontally. Ellen shot towards Frondier along with her de.


    Without any movements like kicking the ground, bending her knees, or crouching to gain momentum.


    She flew towards her opponent, de aimed, just as she was. Like a still frame suddenlying to life.


    A chilling strike where the timing and approach of the attack arepletely invisible to the opponent, her body drawing a single line as she flies and pierces.


    ng!


    Frondier met Ellen''s de with his shortsword, crossing them in a sh.


    "Impressive, Frondier. To block this."


    "Because I know it¡­¡­!"


    Frondier answered, but cold sweat trickled down his back.


    Originally, Ellen rarely used this technique. Only when the opponent showed a clear opening, when they were off guard, or as a resourcefulness to escape danger. Because her inherently low Mana limited its use.


    However, now overflowing with Mana, Ellen used this technique simply for ''approach''.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Frondier blocked the sword Ellen swung repeatedly. But at the same time, he thought.


    Surely, Ellen''s swordsmanship far surpassed the level of a student. Judging solely by the level of skill, it might even rival Azier''s.


    ¡®Closebat is disadvantageous.¡¯


    Frondier manipted Obsidian.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    The Obsidian gathered, transforming into thorns that threatened Ellen. The barrage of thorns, filling every direction without gaps, seemed to perfectly trap Ellen, but,


    ng-


    ng! ng! ng! ng!


    The barrage wasn''t perfectly simultaneous, with the slightest order to it, and Ellen deflected them all ''in order''.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    And once again.


    "Frondier, you."


    ©¤You''re not taking this seriously.


    <i>One Strike</i>


    ng!


    It was toote to raise his sword. Frondier quickly made a decision and raised his arm.


    The armband met Ellen''s sword with a scream. Screeching, the armband thankfully didn''t crack any further.


    "Sturdier than I thought."


    "Let''s talk, Senior Ellen!"


    "No."


    Swish, Ellen withdrew her sword and thrust again. This time, a triple strike. With abundant aura, Ellen seemed to have no reservations.


    He couldn''t block those three thrusts with a sword or armband.


    ''Damn it.''


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Lynotoros</i>


    Kwang!


    Frondier created Ares'' shield to deflect Ellen''s sword.


    Lynotoros, the Divine-rank shield that blocks all frontal attacks. Frondier originally had no intention of weaving Ares'' spear and shield.


    Because the god Ares had manipted them, he couldn''t read their stats or detailed descriptions.


    Weaving and using them like this was possible, but he worried that Ares might have installed some kind of device in the spear or shield if this happened.


    ''¡­¡­There doesn''t seem to be any particr problem right now.¡¯


    Just in case, he undid the shield.


    "That''s a strange shield."


    Ellen, whose sword had slid off the shield, remarked.


    With those words, Ellen once again assumed an attack stance.


    Of course, Frondier couldn''t just stand by and watch.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    He simultaneously wove the god''s bow and arrow, and shot the Obsidian to block Ellen''s escape route. Of course, Ellen skillfully dodged them.


    "Stop."


    It was impossible for her to escape Frondier''s ''sight''.


    "This arrow never misses. You would know if you''ve seen it."

 Chapter 204 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Of course, the condition was that she had to be within Frondier''s sight, but there was no need to mention that.


    "Shoot, Frondier."


    However, Ellen said.


    It wasn''t arrogance from believing she could dodge. Ellen intended to be hit.


    "If you don''t shoot me now, the other kids will be in danger."


    ¡°¡­¡­Was your goal to tie me down from the beginning?¡±


    "Well, something like that."


    As long as Frondier was here, he obviously couldn''t use the ''fireworks'' that would simply wipe out the monsters.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±"What''s wrong? Shoot me, Frondier."


    Ellen even rxed her attack stance and stood still. It was an obvious provocation.


    Frondier, still aiming at Ellen, opened his mouth.


    "Senior, do you remember?"


    "What?"


    "The day we stopped Senior Edwin together, during the golem incident."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    On the day Edwin was misled by Hephaestus and caused the incident, Ellen was the first to stop him before Frondier. To bring her friend, who had gone astray, back.


    "I said back then, that Senior Edwin wouldn''t kill anyone."


    ¡°¡­¡­I don''t remember well.¡±


    "It''s the same for you, Senior."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Ellen stared at Frondier silently, as if piercing through his thoughts.


    But it was the same for Frondier.


    "If I''m tied down? That''s not really important anymore. Constel has many outstanding students besides me, and they all trained during the break with the determination to die."


    Frondier knew Aster Evans.


    When ying as the protagonist, the factor that made Aster the strongest was the appearance of another strong individual.


    In the early stages, it was Robald,ter countless enemies, Zodiac, and the mythical monsters dwelling far beyond.


    Now, Aster had Frondier.


    A man who would never stop here.


    ¡®She can''t not know that.¡¯


    Ellen Evans was Aster''s older sister.


    She would know Aster better than Frondier.


    With the current Aster, and Elodie and the other students, there were no students who would be endangered by the dregs of the outside monsters, even with a slight Mana amplification.


    They would quickly resolve it and move to help other students.


    That''s why Ellen''s actions were even more peculiar to Frondier.


    "Frondier, during that golem incident, I fought Edwinpletely as an enemy. You seem tock that. It''s good to learn how to doubt this time."


    Ellen''s words.


    Frondier''s eyes rapidly turned cold. A memory he had momentarily forgotten slowly surfaced.


    "¡­¡­That kind of thing."


    His voice, slowly uttered, resonated gloomily.


    "I''ve done it countless times already."


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    The game Etius was a world where nothing was certain.


    They didn''t know whaty beyond the human realm, what clearing the game meant, or what the characters'' individual thoughts were.


    It was a natural process for yers to be consumed by suspicion and paranoia due to repeated game overs.


    Starting with the suspicion of ''Isn''t this a game that can''t be cleared?''


    And eventually reaching the suspicion of ''Is the protagonist actually a hero?''


    Frondier had naturally gone through that process, and most people quit the game during that phase.


    Because they couldn''t trust the characters in the game they were ying, they couldn''t trust the content written in the books, and they ended up doubting every word and action of the characters.


    And when you fall into the paranoia of not trusting people, it''s essentially a ''game over'' even if the game doesn''t tell you.


    ''If you can''t trust anything, you can''t move forward.''


    Ultimately, to take even a single step forward in Etius, you had to believe in something.


    There was nothing you could know for sure. Just like in reality, you simply piled up the things you believed to be right.


    Doubt always operates on the foundation of belief.


    What you choose to believe in doesn''t waver, no matter what.


    Frondier, who had yed Etius more than anyone else. For him, belief was the sole foundation and key to progressing through the game''s strategy.


    And Ellen was included in that foundation.


    "Of course, I don''t have unwavering faith in anything."


    Blind faith was like someone who believed rock-paper-scissors was a game of probability and always threw rock.


    Even if Ellen had shown trust in previous ythroughs, it was the same.


    Trust always presupposes reciprocity.


    "You told me to shoot the arrow."


    Frondier''s chilling gaze pierced Ellen.


    "Let me say the opposite."


    With strength in his bowstring, Frondier said.


    "Try taking a single step from there."


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Ellen''s appearance alone was enough to justify considering her corrupted.


    The reason Frondier hadn''t turned her into an enemy yet was simply because she was ''Ellen Evans''.


    But if she crossed the line, Frondier wasn''t naive enough to overlook that.


    "I''ve made enough concessions to you, Senior. You will too. Because my brother came to mind while facing you."


    Just as Frondier had no killing intent towards Ellen, Ellen felt the same.


    Ellen herself justified it as ''to keep you tied down''.


    "Senior Ellen not moving from there is thest line I can concede to you."


    Ellen told Frondier to ''shoot''. As if she knew he wouldn''t.


    But if she was truly certain that Frondier wouldn''t shoot, she could simply move herself. If Frondier didn''t shoot, she would regain the upper hand.


    In other words, Ellen also knew.


    What it meant to break this stalemate.


    "I don''t know what you went through, how you got the Mana injection, or why you''re facing me like this."


    He didn''t know anything, but.


    That too.


    "You also know nothing about me."


    As he spoke, Frondier gradually drew out the ''killing intent'' that he had never shown even once while shing swords with Ellen,


    And informed her with a chilling intensity.


    "I''ll say it again. Try moving. From then on, I''ll do as you wish, Senior Ellen."


    Frondier''s killing intent, now infused in his voice, his gaze, and even the slight tremor of the bowstring as he pulled it, filled the building and stabbed towards Ellen.


    The Obsidian responded, undting like waves and presenting sharp des towards Ellen.


    "As an enemy, I will kill you."

 Chapter 205 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Ellen''s movements ceased.


    As Frondier instructed, she remained still, not even attempting to provoke him further.


    "...I guess I''m no match for you after all."


    A nostalgic hint flickered within her eyes as she chuckled softly.


    ''This is it.''


    Frondier activated ''Analyze'' on Ellen, who had finally lowered her guard. This was the opening he had been waiting for, a momentarypse in her relentless assault.


    "So, what''s going on?" Frondier asked, keeping Ellen engaged while the analysis ran its course.


    It was taking longer than usual, suggesting Ellen possessed information beyond the ordinary.


    "I can''t say." Ellen replied, her gaze averted.It wasn''t defiance, but a genuine inability to answer.


    "It seems you''ve been injected with Mana, haven''t you?"


    "..."


    Ellen''s silence served as confirmation.


    ''If Senior Ellen truly wanted to kill the Constel students, she would have started with Roxy.''


    Before sending Roxy away, she had been closer to Ellen than Frondier. Roxy harbored a strong dislike towards Frondier, tinged with fear.


    At the time, Frondier''splete trust in Ellen had left him vulnerable. She could have easily eliminated Roxy without raising suspicion.


    ''I believe Senior Ellen and I share a simr line of thought.''


    Even if he were restrained here, the students wouldn''t suffer significant harm. The current second-years were far strongerpared tost year. They, along with the third-years, would protect the freshmen.


    Simultaneously, Ellen had a valid reason to keep him upied.


    In other words,


    ''Senior Ellen... it doesn''t seem like she''s acting on her own volition.''


    As Frondier reached this conclusion, ''Analyze'' delivered the answer.


    [Ellen Evans]


    - Older sister of Aster Evans.


    - Constel third-year, temporary student council president.


    - Constel''s top swordsman, surpassing the level of a student.


    - Currently under the influence of a Mana injection.


    - The injection administered to Ellen suppresses symptoms and allows Mana control, but requires an antidote after a certain period. In essence, it''s a poison.


    - The individual who injected Ellen with Mana is¡ª


    The analysis abruptly ended.


    At that moment, Frondier''sposure nearly shattered.


    "...Senior."


    His killing intent, now palpable, vibrated through the air.


    "Who is it?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Ellen tilted her head in confusion, then her expression changed upon seeing his face.


    "...How did you..."


    "Who is it? Who did this to you,"


    Frondier didn''t need to borate.


    Ellen needed an antidote, and she hadn''t willingly taken the injection.


    This meant she was being threatened. He understood why she couldn''t exin further.


    "..."


    Ellen grasped the meaning behind his question but remained silent.


    It was expected. Frondier had anticipated as much.


    "I see. You can''t tell me, can you?"


    Frondier lowered his bow and arrow, transforming them back into Obsidian.


    "Stay right there. I can''t guarantee what I''ll do otherwise."


    Ellen obeyed. Frondier appeared on the verge of exploding.


    "Menosorpo."


    He activated the rune and then,


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    He created and consumed a Dragon Heart.


    Since acquiring the Fragment of Helheim, his reliance on Dragon Hearts had significantly decreased, but this situation called for an exception.


    ''Analyze'' demanded more Mana for crucial information, especially when it involved a tightly guarded secret. The amount required far exceeded even the information Selena had forgotten.


    However,


    Frondier poured the Mana from the Dragon Heart and Helheim into the ''Analyze'' skill.


    The immense surge of Mana was so overwhelming that even Ellen could sense it being directed towards her.


    Finally, Frondier forcibly unveiled Ellen''s secret, a truth that should never have been revealed.


    - The individual who injected Ellen with Mana is the Pro, ''Eden Hamelot''.


    Upon confirming this single sentence,


    Frondier calmed his surging Mana.


    His cold, dark eyes swiftly processed the implications of ''Eden Hamelot''.


    Eden Hamelot, the number one Pro. Like Renzo, he stood among the strongest humans alive.


    During Frondier''s first encounter with Renzo, after severing Renzo''s arm, Ellen had intervened, followed by Eden''s arrival.


    Eden and Renzo were notorious rivals, pr opposites in personality but equal in strength. Renzo''s surrender at the time was solely due to Eden''s presence.


    ''That Eden is threatening Ellen...''


    Like Ellen, Eden was originally a force for good. In the game, he was a tragic character.


    The title of number one Pro was prestigious and dazzling, but it also ced him at the forefront of danger.


    Due to circumstances and his position, he was forced to operate separately from Aster Evans.


    He gradually faded from view after a certain point, and news of his death eventually surfaced.


    ''I had my suspicions...''


    Ellen had been undergoing Pro internship, working alongside Eden. It was an exceptional opportunity for a second-year student like Ellen to be directly involved with a Pro.


    At the time, it was assumed that Eden had recognized Ellen''s talent and brought her on board early, but perhaps he had ulterior motives.


    Furthermore, injecting someone of Ellen''s caliber with Mana implied that he was undoubtedly stronger than her.


    "...Haa..."


    Frondier released a deep, prolonged sigh, exerting all his effort to quell his rage.


    ''Calm down. Focus on what needs to be done, step by step.''


    The priority was the antidote. He didn''t know how much time Ellen had left, but it must be sufficient for her to carry out this mission.


    Locating the antidote wouldn''t be difficult. He could use ''Analyze'' on Eden once they met. Therefore, the most crucial task was to find Eden.


    And Eden would undoubtedly¡ª


    "Senior Ellen. For now, I''llply with your request."


    "...What?"


    "Your objective is to keep me upied, right? I''ll do as you wish. I''ll remain here until the situation is resolved."


    Ellen''s mission, from Eden''s perspective, needed to proceed without any hups. That was the only way she could obtain the antidote immediately.


    As mentioned earlier, Frondier wasn''t overly concerned about the other students'' well-being. Constel wouldn''t crumble without him.


    "However, once this is over, I''ll act on my own ord."


    "...Frondier."


    "Do you remember what I said to you after defeating the golem?"


    Ellen''s eyes widened.


    She recalled her question to Frondier after he had vanquished the golem.


    Why did you save me?


    Frondier''s response had been:


    -Because you''re someone who shouldn''t die.


    Ellen remembered those words vividly.


    She had never forgotten them.


    That''s why she had tried to avoid interacting with Frondier, hoping he would remain oblivious, and if she were to die, she wanted it to be by his hand.


    "I understand that you can''t exin the situation or ask for help."


    But as if to defy all of that,


    Frondier, his usuallynguid face now etched with rare anger, dered,


    "So I''ll save you on my own terms."

 Chapter 205 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The sudden surge of Mana from the monsters, the ominous aura emanating from the wolves that were supposed to conceal their presence, theplete shift in the mission''s objective¡ªthe joint mission was called off.


    As Frondier predicted, the situation was resolved without major casualties among the students. Elodie''s magic, in particr, shone brightly.


    Her ability to imbue Mana bullets with homing properties, taking down wolves one by one, reminded Frondier of his own fireworks disy.


    As the students gathered in the field, Ellen, the student council president, addressed the situation from the podium. Naturally, her confrontation with Frondier was omitted from the exnation.


    She informed them of the unforeseen circumstances that prevented the mission from proceeding, outlined the students'' injuries and the measures being taken, and apologized for theck of thorough preparation.


    Meanwhile, Frondier...


    ©¤Where the hell was he?


    ©¤I don''t know. He just slithered out of the building when it was all over.


    ©¤I told you, he''s involved in that incident, right?Whispers reached his ears. While everyone else was busy handling the aftermath, Frondier had been nowhere to be seen.


    Given the attention focused on him, his absence was quickly noticed.


    Of course, that alone wouldn''t have been enough to spark such widespread spection among the students. Just as rumors of Mana injections had spread, there were individuals deliberately fueling the fire.


    "Hey! You! Sloth!"


    A student approached Frondier, his voice usatory.


    "Where were you and what were you doing?! This incident could have seriously injured the freshmen! If you knew there was trouble, you should have helped the others. What have you been doing all this time,"


    The man abruptly stopped mid-sentence, his voice trailing off as Frondier simply nced at him. An inexplicable fear gripped him, preventing him from uttering another word.


    "...You."


    After observing him for a moment, Frondier spoke.


    "You''re not a Constel student."


    "Wh-what?"


    "Where did you borrow that uniform? Did they give it to you along with the money?"


    The man blinked, his face flushing red as he shouted,


    "This bastard is talking nonsense,"


    Swish,


    Thwack!


    The man''s body was suddenly lifted into the air before being struck from above and mmed onto the ground.


    "Ugh..."


    Frondier had held back, but only to avoid killing him, not to minimize the pain. The man''s body was wracked with agonizing pain, leaving him gasping for breath.


    "Right. Up until now, I''ve kept quiet no matter what nonsense you spewed. The one who hired you expected that, and so did you, didn''t you? You figured you could say whatever you wanted without consequences."


    Frondier slowly approached the man.


    The man attempted to get up and flee.


    Thwack!


    He was struck again and crumpled to the ground.


    "Ugh..."


    "Was getting beat up like this also part of the n? Did they promise topensate you for this? In the unlikely event that you die here, will your family receive life insurance? Did you ept the money knowing that?"


    "Wait! Frondier!"


    Aster stepped in front of him. Regardless of the circumstances, Frondier was currently assaulting a student. He couldn''t stand idly by.


    "Frondier, I know you''re stressed because of the recent incidents, but this isn''t like you. Frondier."


    At those words, Frondier turned to face Aster.


    However, the anger and killing intent that had been present in his eyes had vanished without a trace.


    Instead, Frondier offered Aster a gentle smile.


    "It''s not like that, Aster."


    "What?"


    "I''m doing what needs to be done."


    What needs to be done? Assaulting a student?


    Frondier looked down at the fallen man and said,


    "What will you do? This is yourst chance. You''ve already experienced how lenient I''ve been so far. From the third attack onwards, I''ll..."


    "I-I''m sorry! Please spare me!"


    The man cried out, hastily raising his body with difficulty and kneeling.


    Frondier asked,


    "You''re not a student, are you?"


    "N-no, sir. I was hired as an agitator. Today, I was assigned the role of ''leader,'' which is why I dared to speak so disrespectfully."


    "Who hired you?"


    "Th-that''s..."


    "I know. You can''t say. Fine, get lost."


    At Frondier''smand, the man scrambled to his feet and ran away without looking back.


    Aster watched him go, then turned to Frondier in surprise.


    "...Is it okay to let him go like that? If we don''t know who sent him, more of these annoying guys will show up."


    "It''s alright."


    Frondier replied, trying his best to conceal it, but


    "There''s no need for that anymore."


    His next words carried an undeniable chill.


    "...What?"


    As Aten felt a shiver run down his spine,


    Vroom¡ª


    Two vehicles approached the Constel field.


    The students'' eyes widened in astonishment. Few among them failed to recognize those two cars.


    One belonged to the Imperial family, the other to the Roachch family.


    The vehicles came to a stop side by side.


    First, the window of the back seat in the Imperial car rolled down, revealing


    "Frondier! Long time no see~"


    Empress Philly waved at Frondier with an uncharacteristically casual demeanor.


    The students gaped, their eyes darting between Frondier and Philly.


    First Aten, now the Empress¡ªhow did Frondier have connections with the Imperial family? And for the Empress to call his name with such a weing expression...


    Then, the driver''s door of the Roach family car opened, and someone stepped out. A collective gasp swept through the crowd.


    "Frondier."


    The man walking towards Frondier with steady steps was Azier.


    As always, his gait was so impable that it rendered any criticism impossible.


    Azier stood before Frondier, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed his expression.


    "Frondier, has something happened?"


    "Nothing at all."


    Upon hearing Frondier''s reply, Azier nced around.


    "The atmosphere seems rather chaotic. I saw someone running in the opposite direction a moment ago. Is that the reason?"


    "...Perhaps?"


    Frondier offered a wry smile.


    Azier, seemingly unconcerned, continued,


    "Frondier, you must be aware of the recent Mana injection incidents."


    "Yes, of course."


    The students'' ears perked up at their conversation.


    "Due to the widespread reports of these incidents, the Imperial family, the Pros, and Constel have decided to form a team to investigate. And Her Majesty the Empress has personally designated one individual from Constel to participate. That individual is you, Frondier."


    "Because Frondier is at the center of the rumors about it at Constel!"


    Philly chimed in, leaning out of the car window.


    As if addressing everyone present, she added,


    "Well, rumors are just rumors!"


    At her words, some students lowered their heads, averted their gazes, or bit their lips.


    Observing their reactions, Azier narrowed his eyes and said,


    "Frondier, I trust there have been no issues."


    "No. As I mentioned earlier, nothing has happened."


    "I''m sure of it. This is Constel. It''s not a ce to be swayed by baseless rumors."


    "Indeed."


    Their conversation seemingly concluded, Azier turned to leave. Frondier followed suit.


    ©¤©¤The Imperial family, the Pros, and Constel joining forces.


    This meant that Eden Hamelot would definitely¡ª


    "Frondier."


    At that moment, Azier ced a hand on Frondier''s shoulder.


    Frondier was momentarily startled. Aside from sparring sessions, Azier had never touched him before.


    "Your current emotions... they are likely unfamiliar to you."


    Azier had instantly discerned the anger that Frondier had suppressed and concealed deep within.


    "Whatever has transpired, there is no need to endure it. I do not instruct you to hide it."


    Azier spoke in his usual manner, in his own way.


    "Master it."


    "...Yes, sir."


    "I will not allow my younger brother to be consumed by mere emotions."


    His words were as sharp as a de,


    and to the same extent, Frondier''s resolve hardened like steel.


    "Yes, sir."

 Chapter 206 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Alex and @Mnkeydude from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier settled into the passenger seat while Azier took the wheel.


    ¡°...Don¡¯t you use a driver, brother?¡±


    Frondier asked, recalling Enfer''s chauffeur.


    Having frequently ridden in Enfer and Philly''s vehicles, it seemed strange to him that someone other than a designated driver would be behind the wheel.


    ¡°I used to have one,¡±


    Azier replied, expertly maneuvering the steering wheel.


    ¡°But he died.¡±¡°...Surely not...¡±


    ¡°He died on a mission. My carelessness. I haven''t hired a driver since.¡±


    Hearing this, Frondier thought back to the time he rode in Philly''s car.


    Back then, the driver, controlled by the ''business card,'' had crashed the car into the guardrail. It had been dangerous not only for Frondier but also for Philly.


    That''s how vulnerable drivers are in prestigious families and the Imperial family.


    Usually, prestigious families don''t just choose anyone as a driver, but it would be difficult to keep up with someone like Azier on his missions.


    Azier''s expression remained emotionless as he spoke about the death of his former driver.


    It was impossible to tell whether he was controlling his emotions or if he genuinely felt nothing.


    Perhaps Azier felt more responsibility for not protecting the driver than sadness for the driver himself. He was that kind of person.


    ¡°Where are we going now?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to the headquarters of Phenomenon, one of the pro organizations. The Imperial family is easily entangled in useless politics, and Constel, already distracted, could spread more rumors. It''s not something for students to hear either. The pro headquarters has enough space to amodate the personnel, so it''s appropriate.¡±


    Most Constel students aim to be pros after graduation.


    Naturally, it''s impossible to manage so many people in one ce, so there are various organizations where pros gather, and even now, they are springing up and disappearing like mushrooms after rain.


    These individuals, who havee together to exterminate the outer monsters and expand human territory, are a vital force for the continent, alongside knights and police.


    If the police resolve disputes between people and knights protect their lords andnd, pros literally protect humans from things that are not human.


    In other words, the involvement of pros in this Mana Injection case suggests the involvement of ''monsters.''


    ¡°Are monsters involved? In this case?¡±


    Frondier asked nervously. Azier''s eyes briefly darkened at the question.


    ¡°Based on the investigation so far, it''s more likely the opposite.¡±


    ¡°The opposite...?¡±


    ¡°Frondier, the Mana Injection case is simple, as the name suggests. Someone is getting Mana injections, and their Mana is being amplified. So, a simple question arises: Where is this Manaing from?¡±


    ¡°...Then, is it perhaps monster Mana?¡±


    ¡°That''s a possibility, but it''s not realistic. The more likely scenario, as the pros and the Imperial family suspect, is that humans are coborating with monsters.¡±


    Azier, unusually, shared a lot of information with Frondier. This was to provide Frondier with as much context and information about the current situation as possible.


    ¡°Coboration means that monsters are helping humans in ways other than Mana?¡±


    ¡°Humans have been seeking Mana throughout history. It signifies greater power. Through sacrifices, witches, prayers to gods, astrology, and so on, humans have tried to obtain Mana by any means necessary. Could this be the first time someone hase up with the simple and crude idea of injecting someone else''s Mana into their own body?¡±


    It couldn''t be.


    It''s the first thing anyone who desires Mana would try.


    But there was a clear reason why such cases hadn''t emerged until now.


    ¡°...Rejection.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. When humans inject foreign Mana into their bodies, they experience a tremendous rejection reaction. If the affected area is removed immediately, they can survive, but once the blood circtes throughout the body, it usually leads to death. At best, they be invalids. Even injecting Mana from the same human causes a rejection reaction, so the idea of injecting monster Mana is too risky. It''s more reasonable to manipte Mana from the same human.¡±


    ¡°Then what kind of help are the monsters providing?¡±


    ¡°To develop a Mana injection without side effects, you naturally need test subjects. Test subjects who will continue to receive Mana injections ''until the side effects disappear.''¡±


    ¡°...They must have used humans.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was a chilling story. Azier replied calmly.


    ¡°And that''s where the problem starts. That''s where we started to suspect a connection with monsters.¡±


    ¡°Problem...?¡±


    ¡°As you''ve seen for yourself, people who receive Mana injections show visible symptoms, but they don''t reach the point of death. This means that the rejection reaction has been significantly reduced. To refine Mana to that extent, they must have used a considerable number of test subjects.¡±


    Jacob, whom they had seen at the department store.


    He was still unconscious after Frondier had struck him on the back of the head, but his life wasn''t in danger. In fact, it was because Frondier had hit him so hard that he was unconscious.


    This meant that the rejection reaction had been minimized to the point where it posed little threat to life.


    ¡°However,¡±


    Azier said.


    ¡°It doesn''t show.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Reports of Mana Injection cases keeping in. But for the number of test subjects that must have been used, there has been almost no increase in missing persons or death reports. The test subjects are likely mostly orphans from poor families with no rtives or family ties. But how do they bring them in without being noticed, and what do they do with the bodies afterward?¡±


    ¡°...The monsters?¡±


    Azier nodded at Frondier''s guess.


    ¡°They eat them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Originally, human abduction is more of a monster specialty than a human one. Constel students often imagine mythical monsters as monsters, but most monsters are much more insidious. It was the same inst year''s incident, and it''s the same this time.¡±


    ¡°...Those two-legged wolves might be involved.¡±


    ¡°Right. ¡®The real outer monster pack that hasn''t been culled.¡¯ Humans provide a list of people whose disappearance wouldn''t be noticed, and the monsters kidnap them ording to that information. The wolves eat the discarded bodies after the experiments, and depending on the situation, humans may have given the monsters appropriatepensation.¡±


    Frondier nodded at Azier''s words.


    He understood why Constel couldn''t be the meeting ce. This definitely wasn''t something for children to hear.


    ¡°...Come to think of it, I also...¡±


    ¡°You''re an exception, Frondier.¡±


    There was a brief, lightly dismissed protest.

 Chapter 206 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier, Azier, and Philly, escorted by Imperial knights, entered the Phenomenon headquarters.


    Everyone in the headquarters knelt down to greet Philly upon seeing the Empress.


    ¡°It is an honor for our Phenomenon to wee Your Majesty, the Empress.¡±


    And.


    Seeing the man approaching Philly, Frondier blinked.


    ¡°Eden Hamelot, I greet you as the representative of Phenomenon.¡±


    Eden stood before Philly.


    With the same appearance as a year ago, he greeted Philly with an ordinary face and an ordinary voice.


    ¡°Eden, I told you on the way here, right? No kneeling.¡±¡°However, it is not as easy as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°It won''t work if everyone I meet kneels before me.¡±


    Philly took a deep breath. Her eyes sank deeply.


    ¡°Everyone in the headquarters, listen.¡±


    Her voice wasn''t loud or high-pitched, but it resonated throughout the building.


    It was the manifestation of her aura.


    ¡°From now on, kneeling before me, Philly, is prohibited. Those who vite this will be severely punished. The duration of this order is one week. Please keep track of the days.¡±


    Eden seemed to admire her disy.


    ¡°I''m surprised. I didn''t know Your Majesty could use aura.¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s just raising my voice a little.¡±


    Philly shrugged. Knowing that it wasn''t easy, Eden shook his head.


    ¡°It''s truly remarkable. Now, pleasee inside.¡±


    Eden guided Philly to the meeting room. Azier and Frondier followed behind.


    Eden gave a light greeting to Azier, who wasing from behind, and then his eyes met Frondier''s.


    ¡°...Oh! Frondier!¡±


    Eden smiled brightly, surprised to see Frondier''s face.


    ¡°Yes, the first-year who stopped Renzo''s rampage! Frondier de Roach! It''s good to see you, I''m very grateful for what you did back then.¡±


    Frondier chuckled and gave a slight nod with the same small smile.


    ¡°It''s an honor that you remember me.¡±


    At those words, Azier, who was walking, nced back.


    ¡°Stopped Renzo''s rampage? Frondier, what on earth does that...¡±


    Eden hurriedly interrupted Azier''s question.


    ¡°Ah, no. Frondier discovered Renzo''s intrusion into Constel and reported it. Thanks to him, we were able to prevent a major incident.¡±


    Eden repeated the fake truth that Frondier had told others at the time. Azier nced at Frondier suspiciously and then walked on.


    When Azier was a little further away, Eden sighed and whispered,


    ¡°Sorry, that was close.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright.¡±


    Frondier''s answer was literal this time.


    It meant it was okay for Azier to find out.


    However, Eden took it as a simple formality and smiled yfully.


    ¡°You have a lot of secrets too, Frondier.¡±


    Frondier used all his strength to maintain his poker face.


    ¡°©¤©¤You could say that.¡±


    He replied to Eden with a perfectly ordinary face and voice.


    * * *


    The meeting room was already filled with people chattering amongst themselves.


    Since there were so many eyewitness reports of Mana injections from various regions, each person had different information.


    Just gathering and sorting through this information would take a considerable amount of time.


    They were surprised to see Philly''s face and were about to kneel, but then they remembered Philly''s voice from earlier and gave a light bow instead. Philly smiled contentedly and nodded, "Hmm, hmm."


    ¡°First, we need to consolidate the information.¡±


    ¡°It''s troublesome to have no reports, but too much information is also a headache.¡±


    Philly muttered in a voiceced with a sigh at Eden''s words.


    Meanwhile, Frondier briefly scanned the materials spread out on the desk.


    ¡°...Mr. Eden.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are those dots marked on the map eyewitness reports?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Blue is a simple discovery report, red is an incident with victims, and yellow is a suspicion level. Symptoms of Mana injection include fever, rapid breathing, and red eyes. Since these symptoms can ur in anyone due to various factors, it''s difficult to pinpoint them with certainty.¡±


    ¡°...I see. Is the consolidation about gathering that information?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We need to know where the sightings are most frequent, which eyewitness ounts are true and false, where the discoverers were found and where they moved to, and so on, to identify key points.¡±


    Eden answered Frondier''s questions sincerely.


    It was a bit strange that Frondier suddenly asked him these questions, but they were also things that one might be curious about.


    However.


    ¡°Then how can we determine the north, south, east, and west directions on that map?¡±


    ¡°Is the scale indicated?¡±


    ¡°Are all the materials presented here using the same type of map?¡±


    Frondier asked all sorts of questions. To anyone watching, it would seem like he had a strange obsession with maps.


    Eden answered them all. He, too, found Frondier''s questions odd, but it seemed faster to simply answer them rather than asking why.


    ©¤©¤And Frondier.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    After finishing all his questions, he answered calmly and then picked up the eyewitness maps piled up on the desk one by one.


    It took less than a second to look at each one, and Frondier repeated this endlessly until the meeting began.

 Chapter 207 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The meetingmenced.


    Frondier, seated beside Azier, quietly observed the proceedings.


    This gathering differed vastly from those held at Constel or the barrier. It was arge-scale assembly with significant participation from Constel, the Imperial family, and Pros. A


    mong them, few knew Frondier, and he anticipated having minimal opportunity to speak.


    However, Frondier had much to do, and for now,cking a voice was preferable.


    ¡®As expected, it definitely started in the north. Just as Azier predicted, they made contact with the monsters outside.¡¯


    Frondier condensed information by feeding meeting materials into the workshop. It was less him doing the condensing and more the workshop acting on its own ord.


    Examining the scattered materials one by one would be immensely time-consuming. Moreover, human memory is not infinite, and as the materials piled up, the initially reviewed information would inevitably fade.


    However, Frondier conjured images of the materials before his eyes. It was an application of the ¡®3D blueprints¡¯ he had previously experimented with.The maps he had just fed in ovepped, forming a three-dimensional representation of the surrounding area, with incident locations and movement paths marked by lines and symbols.


    The images constantly before his eyes would neither be forgotten nor omitted.


    While some false information might be mixed in,parisons with other materials gradually eliminated less likely possibilities.


    ¡®Contact with monsters implies the presence of significant intelligence on their side. Naturally, the ones outside are the most likely culprits. The problem lies in the route. Where in this central region are they meeting with those beyond the barrier to distribute the mana injections?¡¯


    As the meeting progressed, Frondier¡¯s 3D map continuously gained detail, with new information adding symbols and lines.


    Like watching a puzzle assemble itself, Frondier meticulously observed the 3D blueprint before him.


    ¡°Sigh, at this rate, we¡¯ll be swallowed by the sea of information.¡±


    One of the Pros muttered in frustration during the meeting. Hearing those words, Frondier smiled faintly. ¡®Sea of information,¡¯ he thought.


    He hadn''t expected to hear such a phrase in this world.


    Unlike Frondier¡¯s map steadily nearingpletion, the meetingcked direction and floundered.


    It was to be expected. Unlike Frondier, the materials within the meeting remained unorganized.


    Furthermore, unaware of the information''s veracity and importance, any opinion presented was easily dismissed by another¡¯s rebuttal.


    Of course, neither those offering opinions nor those refuting them held malicious intent, but deciding which side to prioritize was no easy task.


    Unlike Frondier, who was umting and synthesizing information, they viewed each piece of data with a singr perspective. Whichever material was ced on top seemed the most crucial.


    ¡®Plus, there¡¯s an unnecessary amount of false information.¡¯


    For Frondier, such information naturally fell away as the materials merged, but for them, discarding any data was difficult.


    Therefore, they likely remained unaware that nearly half of it was false.


    This number was excessive, even considering the difficulty of identifying symptoms of mana injection, despite the materials being filtered before reaching the meeting.


    ¡®Someone is increasing the false information. They deliberately introduced it into the meeting to make things difficult.¡¯


    Only one person was capable of such a feat. Of course, Frondier did not directly focus on that man.


    He merely elerated his thoughts further.


    ¡®For false information to work, there needs to be a corresponding amount of genuine eyewitness ounts. It only holds meaning when mixed within numerous pieces of scattered information.¡¯


    In other words, Eden knew from the beginning that the mana injection incident would generate a multitude of eyewitness reports.


    Instead of restricting all the information, he chose to flood it with false data, concealing the truth within.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start by eliminating the most suspicious areas first. That will help condense the information.¡±


    Eden spoke during the meeting, marking regions on the map disyed for all to see with circles.


    ¡°Based on the information so far, these are the locations with the highest number of reported sightings. Let¡¯s first form teams to investigate these ces. It¡¯s meaningful even just for organizing the materials, and if we discover their research facility in one of them, it¡¯ll be a jackpot.¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement with Eden¡¯s words. The sheer volume of sightings made the areas Eden marked excessively scattered, but there was no other method to proceed with the operation at this point.


    Frondier remained silent. No one would lend an ear to anything he might say now.


    In such meetings, rational judgment or facts held little weight in persuading others. What mattered was whether the speaker seemed trustworthy to the attendees.


    In that sense, Eden was a reliable figure to them, while Frondier was just a young boy they were meeting for the first time.


    However.


    ¡°What about you, Frondier?¡±


    Eden was the first to call Frondier¡¯s name.


    ¡°We¡¯re nning to proceed like this, do you have anything to say? You seem to have a dissenting opinion.¡±


    At Eden¡¯s words, everyone turned their gaze towards Frondier.


    Most of them weren¡¯t looking at him directly but rather following Eden¡¯s line of sight, which happened tond on Frondier.


    From Frondier¡¯s perspective, Eden had just given him the floor, and it was the perfect timing to present the information he hadpiled to the meeting.


    However.


    ¡°I have no objections.¡±


    Frondier replied inly, offering no further boration.


    Eden smiled and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re a man of few words.¡±


    ¡°I just know my ce.¡±


    At Frondier¡¯s response, Azier, who was sitting next to him, had a glint in his eyes. It was no wonder, as he recalled the noble meetings he had attended in the past regarding Misstilteinn.


    * * *


    In the end, the meeting concluded without any significant contribution from Frondier.


    The participants decided to form teams as Eden had suggested and begin their investigations. Due to the numerous locations, the teams were kept to a minimum size.


    Typically, when forming teams, the minimum number was understood to be ¡®three people.¡¯


    However, Frondier and Azier were a team of only two. Philly did not participate in the investigation, as she was responsible for managing and overseeing the operation. As the Empress, she couldn''t possibly travel to such ces.


    Despite all other teams having at least three members, neither Frondier nor Azier had anyints about being paired up alone.


    Their thoughts were quite simr.


    ¡®More than enough.¡¯


    ¡°Frondier, I forgot to mention, but your Constel activities are suspended for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I was just about to ask about that, but it seems the procedures have already beenpleted.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Since it was the Empress¡¯s order, there won¡¯t be any negative repercussions for you at Constel.¡±


    Frondier nodded in agreement.


    They got into the car. Frondier unfolded the map and briefly nced at the investigation point they were heading to.


    That was it. He folded the map again and put it away.


    ¡°Frondier, it was a wise decision to hold back your words earlier.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°However, even I could tell that you¡¯re not entirely positive about this operation. You have something on your mind, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Only once they were in the enclosed space of the car did Azier bring it up to Frondier.


    He had noticed that he wasn¡¯t simplycking things to say but was deliberately choosing not to speak.


    ¡°...Of course I do. But it¡¯s not something I can speak of carelessly. I, too, cannot be certain.¡±


    From Frondier¡¯s perspective, Eden Hamelot was the enemy.


    This current alliance was operating under the enemy¡¯s leadership. Naturally, there was nothing good about leaving it be.


    However, Frondier still didn¡¯t know Eden¡¯s goal, whether Eden was the sole enemy, or if there were others among the alliance members, or even if the entire Phenomenon was the enemy.


    It was still too early for him to act rashly.


    ¡°I see. Then let me ask you this.¡±


    Azier changed her question.


    ¡°What do you think of this operation, where we¡¯ve formed numerous small teams to investigate suspicious areas?¡±


    He narrowed the scope of the question to the content of the operation itself, rather than the overall situation.


    Answering this was not difficult.


    Even though the content itself was not exactly favorable.


    ¡°We¡¯ll probably catch a few individuals who have been injected with mana. We might even be able to prevent incidents where they run amok.¡±


    However, Frondier spoke calmly,


    ¡°Nothing else will happen.¡±

 Chapter 207 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A week passed since the alliance began their investigations.


    As Frondier predicted, there were no significant findings. They had apprehended a few people who had been injected with mana, but that was all.


    Most of them didn¡¯t even know what had happened to them, and even those who had something to hide turned out to be insignificant small fries.


    They might have believed themselves to be part of something grand, but in the end, they were just the lowest members of a low-level organization.


    ¡°The investigation isn¡¯t progressing easily, but we are definitely preventing potential threats. The reliability of reports regarding mana injections is also increasing. This is a time for patience.¡±


    Eden encouraged the members during the meeting. While his words were true, considering their initial goal was to eradicate the root of the mana injections, it was clear that they had barely scratched the surface.


    Of course, from Frondier¡¯s perspective, this was to be expected.


    With Eden, the one responsible for the mana injections, leading the charge, they would never get close to the core issue if things continued as they were.


    ¡°Damn it, I thought things would start to clear up, but the paperwork just keeps piling up.¡±Someone grumbled. As he said, the number of eyewitness reports was actually increasing. The same applied to the areas they had investigated as suspicious locations.


    Eden was likely convinced that everything was going ording to n.


    The key yers capable of resolving this incident were all gathered here, and as long as they followed his lead, he would smoothly progress towards his objective.


    However, he wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡®...I understand.¡¯


    Frondier ced a single document on the table. There was a mountain of other materials piled up, but he didn¡¯t reach for the next one.


    It was aplete conclusion to the investigation. There was no need to look any further. With that certainty, Frondier ced his hand on the paper he hadid down.


    ©¤©¤That simple action.


    Just the gesture of putting down the paper he had been silently reading.


    Frondier quelled the scattered atmosphere that had been floating in the meeting.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Everyone in the meeting had unknowingly fallen silent, their eyes fixed on Frondier. They couldn¡¯t quite grasp the meaning of this sudden stillness.


    They only knew one thing for sure.


    This profound silence had been orchestrated by Frondier.


    He hadn¡¯t used his aura, nor had he raised his voice, nor had he made any grand gestures.


    Simply by finishing what he was doing.


    The Pros present instinctively sensed Frondier¡¯s immense presence.


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier?¡±


    Eden called out to him. Frondier lifted his head and met his gaze.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been silent, just staring at documents during every meeting. Are you finally getting bored?¡±


    Eden threw out a lighthearted joke.


    For the past week, Frondier¡¯s behavior in meetings had been consistent.


    He would flip through the mountain of materials one by one, reaching for the next page at a speed that made one doubt he was even reading them.


    Initially, others found it strange, but as Frondier continued without saying a word, they quickly lost interest and focused on the meeting.


    He had imed to know his ce, so they assumed he was just biding his time, not wanting to step out of line. That was the general consensus.


    However, no matter how quietly Frondier moved, no matter how much they tried to ignore him.


    Seeing him flip through the documents like a machine for a whole week, thoughts began to stir within them.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s response surprised Eden slightly. Until now, whenever Eden had made simr remarks, Frondier would simply agree and move on.


    That had been the pattern for the past week, and Eden expected it to continue.


    But it was different this time.


    The time hade to act.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to read any further.¡±


    At Frondier¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s expressions changed.


    They all understood what it meant.


    ¡°What do you mean by that, Frondier?¡±


    Eden inquired.


    Frondier expanded his senses, taking note of the gazes directed at him.


    Their eyes were vastly different from when they had firstid eyes on him.


    A week of stagnant progress, the ever-growing pile of both genuine and false information, the urgency to root out the culprits, and the worry that the damage to the citizens would spread.


    They needed something to shake them out of their subdued mood.


    Normally, to persuade someone, one had to establish themselves as trustworthy.


    This undoubtedly required time and effort, but in this particr situation, Frondier had devised a simpler method.


    The people here still didn¡¯t know who he was.


    But regardless of who he was, they were ready to believe in a new narrative.


    That¡¯s why Frondier had silently waited for a week.


    ¡°Then allow me to exin.¡±


    Frondier rose from his seat. No one tried to stop him. They all desired it.


    Except for Eden, who despite initiating the conversation, had a hardened expression. It wasn¡¯t overly noticeable, but it didn¡¯t escape Frondier¡¯s keen eyes.


    However, he couldn¡¯t stop him now. Eden had been the one continuously giving Frondier the opportunity to speak for the past week.


    ¡°...Go ahead.¡±


    Eden yielded his position to Frondier. As he stepped forward, everyone¡¯s attention was on him.


    Frondier first looked at the map Eden had spread out for everyone to see. Naturally, they assumed he needed it to exin the operation.


    ...That¡¯s what everyone thought, but.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put this away for now.¡±


    Frondier removed the map Eden hadid out, carefully folded it, and ced it to the side.


    It was a polite gesture, but an iprehensible one.


    ¡°...You¡¯re going to exin without a map? Hey student, haven¡¯t you been staring at maps all day, every day for the past week?¡±


    Someone questioned, causing the others to burst intoughter.


    Frondier also chuckled, as if in agreement.


    ¡°Of course not. We need a map.¡±


    He had removed the map, yet imed they needed one?


    Just as everyone was pondering this contradiction, Frondier spoke.


    ¡°Are you familiar with ¡®3D blueprints¡¯?¡±


    He suddenly asked. Some tilted their heads, others shrugged, and a few nodded.


    Did they know what 3D blueprints were? Of course, they did. Was there anyone on this continent who didn¡¯t?


    It was such an obvious question that they didn¡¯t feel the need to explicitly affirm it.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll understand this quickly.¡±


    Frondier grasped the bracer on his other hand with one hand and lightly rotated his wrist.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    As something ck spewed forth from the bracer, everyone instantly tensed up. Some even assumedbat stances.


    Frondier paid them no mind and manipted the Obsidian.


    The ck droplets spread out before him, gradually taking shape as lines and nes.


    The Pros who had reached for their weapons, anticipating some kind of attack, slowly rxed their grips and watched the spectacle unfold.


    They had no clue about the principles behind Frondier¡¯s actions. The identity of the sudden ck liquid was aplete mystery.


    However, they all realized what Frondier was showing them.


    ¡°¡­¡­There we go.¡±


    When the movement of the ck droplets ceased and aplete form was achieved, everyone in the meeting stared at the shape with their mouths agape.


    It was a form they had never seen before.


    Yet, despite its novelty, they all knew what it was.


    As if confirming their thoughts, Frondier spoke.


    ¡°This is a ¡®3D map¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 208 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @taelrak and @Gingerth3gr8 from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier lowered the 3D map he had created so everyone could see it.


    The horizontally floating map depicted all the elevations and terrain, including mountains and valleys.


    Everyone stared at it nkly. Some evenpared it to the materials they were holding.


    Confirming that everyone''s attention was focused, Frondier spoke.


    "Then I''ll exin."


    "No, no, no, no. Wait a minute."


    One of the pros raised his hand and stopped Frondier."Exin that first. What''s that ck stuff?"


    The man pointed to Frondier''s 3D map, the Obsidian.


    Frondier shook his head.


    "It''s not important to the operation."


    "Huh?"


    "Let''s just say it''s my ability. It won''t harm you."


    At those words, another man gave him a suspicious look.


    "Does that mean you can harm us if you want to?"


    "Yes. Just like your swords, magic, and aura."


    "Are you kidding me right now?"


    The man was enraged by Frondier''s words and stood up, but...


    "Hey, that''s enough."


    He was stopped by another man.


    "Do you go around bbering about all your secret tricks? When you''re not sure when the enemy will acquire that information or who among them will be your enemy?"


    "...No, that''s not it, but."


    "At least that child has shown us the ''appearance'' of his hidden weapon so far. To help us with our operation. We should be grateful."


    At his words, the man scratched his head in embarrassment and sat down again.


    No pro reveals all of their tricks or abilities.


    This applies to both enemies and allies. Information can leak out in any way, and leaked information cane back to bite you at any time.


    Therefore, asking about Frondier''s Obsidian was actually crossing the line. They had inadvertently underestimated Frondier because he was a student.


    "Then I''ll exin."


    And Frondier opened his mouth again.


    "First, this is a collection of locations where people have been infused with Mana."


    Frondier waved his hand once, and the Obsidian flew up andnded on the map again.


    Small ck droplets floating on the map indicated the locations. It was easy to understand at a nce.


    "...You''re not saying you remember all the sighting information so far, are you? And you''re controlling this ck liquid one by one based on those memories?"


    Someone else asked a question to Frondier, who was manipting the map without hesitation.


    Frondier tilted his head slightly and said,


    "It''s roughly simr."


    "...Unbelievable. I can''t believe it."


    "Whether you believe it or not is not something I can control. I''m just here to exin."


    Of course, the reason Frondier could umte all this information was because of the power of the ''Workshop''.


    But he couldn''t exin that. The Workshop was also the core of Frondier''s abilities.


    But if he didn''t exin, they wouldn''t believe him. And exnations without trustcked persuasiveness.


    Therefore, Frondier added one more sentence.


    "Many of the materials you have received so far will be false information."


    After saying that, Frondier picked up one of the materials.


    "For example, this. It''s quite detailed information about the victim, but it''s false. This person isn''t even on the victim list, and they were reported to have been seen in the central part of the continent on the morning of the incident. The locations are too far apart for them to have been witnessed and then be a victim. It''s a ce that''s difficult to reach even if you drive in a straight line."


    Saying that, Frondier picked up the victim list and one sighting report and showed them the three sheets.


    The others reviewed the materials as they listened to Frondier''s exnation. As Frondier said, it was definitely fake information.


    "This kind of false information is not simply a mistake or misunderstanding in the report. If it were, the witness and the victim wouldn''t have the same name."


    "Then what does this false information mean?"


    This time, it was Azier who asked. It was a question to help Frondier''s exnation flow smoothly.


    "Someone isbining real information randomly to create fake information. There''s a high probability that they''re among you here."


    "...!"


    The tension in the conference room rose at Frondier''s words.


    Another man asked,


    "No, how can you be sure it''s one of the people in this conference room? We''re not the ones making the reports, are we? We''ve been busy investigating with our respective teams!"


    It was a seemingly usible objection, but Frondier shook his head.


    "This kind of crude data, made bybining random names and ce names, is filtered out by headquarters first. The fact that this kind of data has reached the conference room means only one thing."


    Hearing those words, Philly smiled brightly and pped her hands lightly.


    "They inserted the false data between the time the data was filtered out at headquarters and the time it arrived at the conference room!"


    "Yes. Perhaps when the data was being transferred to the conference room, or after it was transferred. Either way, it''s something that couldn''t be done by anyone other than the people here. One or two could be passed off as a mistake by headquarters, but I''ve already found more than 20."


    Of course, Frondier had found far more false information than that, but there were about 20 that were easy to identify as false in case a pro asked him to verify them.


    "In other words, whether you believe me or not is not my role. You''ve been verifying the authenticity of the data here from the beginning. My exnation is just one of the many pieces of data that have been poured out to you."


    At Frondier''s words, they were all finally ready to listen. They had been a little flustered after seeing the amazing sight of the ''3D map'' right in front of them.


    However, if they thought about it carefully, Frondier wouldn''t think much of the 3D map since he created it, and his exnation might not have much meaning either.


    So let''s not be surprised. There''s no need to be surprised...


    "Now then, I''ll omit the information that has been judged to be false from the sighting information you are looking at."


    "What? How can you..."


    Someone opened their mouth again unconsciously, then quickly closed it when they realized.


    Swoosh-


    When Frondier withdrew his hand, this time the ck droplets on the map decreased. It was a considerable amount at a nce. However, the remaining sighting locations were also significant.


    This meant that this incident was not just false information, but something that was actually happening simultaneously in many areas.


    "...Um, Frondier, was it?"


    The man who had been quietly looking at the map, the one who had defended Frondier earlier, opened his mouth.


    "Yes."


    "To me, even with the false information removed, the overall shape of the main branches seems simr."

 Chapter 208 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The man''s words were true.


    Even with the false information removed, there wasn''t much difference in the areas where sightings were concentrated, meaning the areas where the ck droplets were densely packed. And all of those areas had already been investigated by the pros in teams.


    "Does this mean that our investigation iscking? That there are teams that haven''t investigated properly?"


    At the man''s words, Frondier shook his head again.


    "I don''t think so. Everyone here is a veteran with outstanding skills. I don''t think you''ve gone on an investigation carelessly."


    The expressions of the pros became subtle at Frondier''s words. Until just now, most of them here had been looking at Frondier with suspicious eyes, but now he was praising them. This kid was no ordinary person.


    "The important thing is not the areas where sightings are concentrated. It''s the opposite."


    "The opposite?"


    "This time, I''ll mark only the ''false information'' on the map, not the real information."After saying that, Frondier waved his hand again.


    The Obsidian on the map all retreated outside the map, and then a significantly smaller number of droplets gathered again and were marked on the map.


    The pros watched the scene with admiration. If this method were possible, the level of information gathering and meetings for allbat operations would take a tremendous leap forward.


    "This is a map with only false information marked."


    "Hmm...?"


    The pros all tilted their heads at Frondier''s words.


    Something was strange. Everyone felt it, but it was a strange situation where they couldn''t exin what was strange.


    "...No way. That''s impossible."


    The first to notice was, of course, Philly.


    "Your Majesty, have you realized something?"


    Eden, who was nearby, asked.


    Philly shouted as if it were obvious.


    "They''re the same! The locations pointed to by the false information and the real sighting information!"


    "Hm?"


    "Huh?"


    At those words, the pros looked at the map again.


    The first impression the pros had was that the marked shapes were simr.


    That meant that the locations pointed to by the false information and the real information were not much different.


    But then, what did that...


    ...What did that mean?


    "As I said earlier, most of the false information here is data that someone here has deliberately manipted. In other words, it''s intentional. The false information that the enemy we need to catch is telling us is the same as the actual sighting information. In other words,"


    "...The enemies also want the pros to go to the locations where ordinary citizens were sighted."


    It was Azier who answered Frondier''s words.


    The heads of the pros who still didn''t understand tilted even further.


    "Uh... why? Then they''d be caught. Where their hideout is."


    "It''s the opposite. We thought we could find their hideout by following the sighting information, but they actually made it so that they were sighted in ces where we could never find them. In other words, we were being led. By them."


    Fortunately, the pros who didn''t understand were kindly exined by someone nearby.


    There was a bit ofmotion, but thinking it was necessary time, Frondier remained silent for a moment.


    Meanwhile, Philly''s eyes, which had been brought to her mouth, turned to the lower right.


    "...For that to be possible, it would mean that it takes time for the symptoms of Mana infusion to manifest. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to manipte the sighting locations as they please."


    As expected. Frondier admired inwardly and nodded.


    "That''s right. It''s simr to the incubation period of a virus. Immediately after Mana is infused, there are no abnormal signs, but after a certain amount of time, the symptoms we know well, such as increased body temperature, rough breathing, sweating, and bloodshot eyes, begin to appear."


    "And the enemies would know the time of that incubation period."


    Frondier nodded. And he looked around. The noise in the conference room, which had been a little noisy, gradually subsided, and they focused their attention on Frondier again.


    ©¤©¤Good, good eyes.


    "Hey, Frondier."


    At that moment, another pro spoke up.


    "When did you start to notice this?"


    "I knew the purpose of the false information itself on the day I first came here."


    "Why didn''t you say so right away?"


    At those words, Frondier seemed to choose his words for a moment. And he slowly opened his mouth.


    "There are a few reasons for that. First, I thought no one would believe me at that time. Even now, the level of trust in me is unclear, but back then, I was just an unknown student."


    At those words, the pros had nothing to say. There were quite a few pros who had been looking at Frondier with suspicion until just now.


    "Secondly, I was concerned about the intention of the false information."


    "Intention?"


    "Yes. If they really intended topletely match the sighting information with the false information, they wouldn''t normally flood us with so much false information."


    In the first ce, if they wanted the pros to head towards the sighting information, there was no need to create false information. They could just leave the sighting information as it was.


    The reason they were creating false information, and in suchrge quantities...


    "The enemies wanted to guide the pros to the sighting information by any means necessary. So that not a single team would go to a different location, because the clearer the thing to find was, the less likely they would be to head to a different area."


    "...Does that mean that if we head to a slightly different area, we''re more likely to be caught?"


    "I waited a week to find out. Since I can distinguish between sighting information and false information, false information is the enemy''s intention."


    In fact, what Frondier was doing was absurd.


    These people were listening as if it were nothing because Frondier was speaking as if it were nothing, but in reality, it was almost impossible to distinguish false information from this flood of information.


    In the first ce, it wasn''t easy to distinguish them since they were talking about the same locations as the sighting information.


    But since he was tracking the enemies based on that, naturally, from the enemies'' point of view, Frondier''s distribution work was almost like being unmarked.


    "Through the trends of the past week, I confirmed that they were gradually moving the locations of the false information away from a certain ce. And today, there was a particrlyrge amount of false informationpared to other days."


    ¡°¡­¡­Exactly. Today, not only is there an unusuallyrge amount of false information, but the trend of the information clearly indicates that they¡¯re trying to get us away from a certain ce.¡±


    Azier''s brief summary. The meaning was obvious.


    Frondier nodded.


    "Their operation will probably be carried out today."

 Chapter 209 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Iamdaven and @MelSor from Ko-fi!</i>


    The murmurs in the conference room grew louder at Frondier''s words.


    Unable to contain their impatience, someone shouted, "Then where is it? Where is their real base?!"


    As if waiting for that question, Frondier pointed to the map. "We can determine that by observing where the false reports have been moving away from over the past week."


    Following Frondier''s gesture, water droplets were seen slowly receding from a certain point.


    It was a chronological disy of the origin points of the false reports over the past seven days.


    And all those points were receding from one ce, a nk space on the map.


    Everyone frowned as they looked at it."...Hey, that''s not..."


    Frondier spoke. The fact that the false information was identical to the eyewitness ounts meant that they were trying to prevent the pros from heading to the actual location of the eyewitness ounts.


    In other words, it was a ce that was easy to find.


    "Yes."


    Frondier spoke as if echoing their thoughts.


    They all looked at the map and thought the same thing.


    "It''s Constel."


    It met the conditions.


    "..."


    "..."


    Everyone fell silent for a moment, looking at the map.


    ck water droplets were clearly receding, centered around Constel.


    Of course, the individual false reports were ced in a way that made it difficult to discern any specific intention, but the umted data over the seven days allowed them to sufficiently read the enemy''s intentions.


    Soon, someone spoke up.


    "Constel is a facility for training children to be pros, right? There will be plenty of people who desire power."


    "Moreover, there are enough facilities there for schrs to conduct research. Binkis is also working as a teacher at Constel."


    "Binkis? I was wondering where that summoner went, and she''s working as a teacher?"


    "Well, it seems like she invests most of her work in research."


    Through their conversations, they added credibility to the assumption that the enemy''s research facility and hideout were hidden in Constel. The atmosphere was already somewhat trusting of Frondier''s words.


    "Everyone, please calm down."


    At that moment, Eden spoke up.


    He raised both hands to draw everyone''s attention to himself.


    In a calm tone, Eden began to speak.


    "Everyone, what is the reliability of this hypothesis from Frondier?"


    Reliability?


    At Eden''s words, everyone looked at him suspiciously.


    "This thing you are looking at, Frondier calls it a three-dimensional map."


    Eden pointed to Frondier''s map.


    "We have no way of verifying if this map is real."


    "...!"


    "We cannot rule out the possibility that Frondier is gathering information arbitrarily and showing it to us."


    Frondier remained silent at Eden''s words.


    Of course, there were plenty of ways to prove that his three-dimensional map was real, but he didn''t bother to say it out loud.


    Instead, a chilling voice flowed from elsewhere.


    "Eden Hamelot."


    Everyone tensed up as if their skin had been cut by the icy de-like voice.


    The owner of the voice was Azier.


    "Be careful with your words."


    Eden raised his hands, receiving the killing intent.


    "Of course, I have no intention of ndering student Frondier here. But when gathering and synthesizing data, and thinking and making judgments ordingly, humans make mistakes."


    Saying that, Eden pointed to the piles of materials on the desk.


    "All this data here, even if all of us worked together, we couldn''t properly organize it. It wouldn''t be easy for Frondier alone."


    They naturally didn''t know how Frondier had managed to synthesize all the information.


    Naturally, they would find Frondier''s abilities strange, and that would lead to suspicion. His abilities were simply too outstanding.


    Eden, seeing the expressions of the pros and confirming that his words were having an effect, continued speaking.


    "So, I suggest that the others continue with their operationalmand as before, and only form a few teams, including Frondier, to check the situation..."


    "No."


    It was Frondier who cut him off.


    Eden held back augh. Of course, he wouldn''t dare think of going with a small number of people...


    "I''ll go alone."


    Frondier''s words overturned that expectation.


    Everyone was surprised and looked at Frondier again.


    Frondier spoke as if it were nothing special.


    "That was my intention from the beginning. I only gave this exnation because I wanted to get permission to investigate on my own. I didn''t expect all of you to believe my story."


    At Frondier''s words, everyone in the conference room looked at each other.


    They didn''t know Frondier''sbat abilities. In fact, most of them thought Frondier was here because of the three-dimensional map he had just shown. They hadn''t even considered his capabilities as abatant.


    He was just a second-year student at Constel. One missing person wouldn''t cause much disruption to the investigation.


    If that was the case, there was no reason not to grant permission.


    "No, Frondier."


    Azier refused.


    "If what you say is true, you''re walking into the most dangerous area alone. If you go, I''ll go with you."


    "That cannot be permitted."

 Chapter 209 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    It was Eden who spoke.


    "Mr. Azier is our key asset. Until we know the extent of the enemy''s strength, Mr. Azier cannot leave here."


    "What nonsense..."


    Azier''s killing intent grew more intense. Eden did not back down and confronted him. Here, the justification was much stronger for Eden than for Azier. Even Azier could not move recklessly.


    "It''s okay, brother."


    "Frondier."


    Frondier looked at Azier.


    He was smiling, not justfortably, but peacefully.


    "It''s okay.""..."


    Azier seemed to read something in that gaze, closed his eyes, and sighed.


    "If that is your will."


    Azier allowed Frondier''s departure.


    In other words, from this moment on, Frondier''s course of action was decided.


    "...Then, let''s have Frondier investigate Constel, and we''ll continue as we have been, dividing into teams and selecting areas to move to."


    Eden spoke as if concluding the matter.


    The pros felt a bit uneasy, but soon they each moved. As Eden said, Frondier''s abilities were surprising, but there was still insufficient evidence to trust him.


    They just asionally nced sideways at Frondier, who was strangely quiet as he packed his things and moved.


    ©¤©¤Of course, the pros'' disbelief in Frondier''s words was just their perspective.


    Frondier himself was absolutely not like that.


    He was convinced that the hideout and research facility where the mana injections were being administered were hidden within Constel.


    ''Senior Ellen received an injection that had no symptoms.''


    He didn''t know how she had received the injection.


    But if she had known that an antidote was needed, she wouldn''t have taken it willingly.


    These were the guys who would give such a dangerous injection even to Ellen. They wouldn''t hesitate with others.


    ''In other words, they''re using the injections selectively.''


    In ces where they could mix in eyewitness ounts and false information, they would inject the type of mana with visible symptoms.


    And in ces where they couldn''t afford to be discovered, they would inject the type without symptoms but requiring an antidote.


    Moreover, if there really was a ce in Constel where they were researching mana injections, Eden wouldn''t leave Frondier alone.


    The subtle interference during the meeting also proved that.


    But he wouldn''t be able to stop Frondier from going alone. That''s why Eden would definitely make a move.


    Frondier boarded the vehicle provided by the headquarters and quietly headed towards Constel. The driver was also provided by the headquarters.


    Whether the driver was on Eden''s side or not wasn''t important right now.


    Because nothing would happen until Frondier arrived at Constel.


    Completely ignoring the driver who asionally checked Frondier''s appearance in the rearview mirror, Frondier looked out the window with an unreadable expression.


    * * *


    Even though it was an educational facility, Constel was incredibly vast. It was a gathering ce for all students aspiring to be pros.


    Even if the mana injection research facility was hidden somewhere within this vast area, it wouldn''t be easy to find it.


    More importantly, since he didn''t know what the facility looked like, even if he found it, he wouldn''t be able to tell if it was the ce where they were researching mana injections.


    Therefore, Frondier didn''t bother searching for such things.


    As if he were just casually looking around, Frondier continued walking at a leisurely pace.


    Some students recognized Frondier''s face upon his return and looked surprised, but they soon disappeared as if fleeing.


    The recent Frondier was someone who was difficult to approach casually from any perspective.


    "Hmm."


    After walking for a while, Frondier soon turned his gaze towards the field.


    The field was still in the same terrain as during the joint mission. An urban area densely packed with buildings. Of course, the monsters were gone, but the buildings and terrain remained.


    Frondier soon headed there. Constel''s field was vast, so the research facility might be hidden somewhere within it. Or perhaps their hideout.


    ©¤©¤Of course, this assumption was overly unlikely.


    After walking for a while, Frondier soon entered a building in front of him. It seemed like he had randomly chosen any ce and stepped inside.


    And then.


    "You''re too unguarded, Frondier."


    A voice echoed within the empty field where he should have been alone.


    Standing in the center of the empty building, Frondier raised his head.


    Those who had been hiding in the shadows, walls, and pirs of the building began to reveal themselves one by one. It was a mystery how such arge number of people had managed to hide so well.


    "Even if it''s just a test investigation, you should have taken minimal precautions."


    "Is that Pro Eden?"


    The voice that responded to Frondier''s words did not answer.


    The voice was disguised, but Frondier was certain it was Eden. However, it seemed he had no intention of revealing himself.


    "Frondier, you''re too much of an eyesore."


    The building was filled with the killing intent of those who had surrounded him.


    A vast, empty field, inside a building invisible from the outside. And Frondier had entered alone.


    If they wanted to kill Frondier without anyone knowing, this was the perfect opportunity.


    "Frondier, I heard you were quite a cautious person, but was that just a rumor?"


    Frondierughed at those words.


    A cautious person, huh? It wasn''t entirely wrong.


    In fact, just for this time, Frondier had taken every precaution he could.


    "So, there really is a mana injection facility somewhere in this Constel."


    "Who knows?"


    Frondier expanded his senses to their maximum.


    Having obtained the mana of Helheim and gained the sixth sense, everything around him felt clear to Frondier.


    That''s right.


    Frondier had known about them from the beginning.


    Frondier, who had figured out the location of the mana facility too quickly.


    Frondier, who hade to Constel alone and walked into this ce despite knowing the location.


    Frondier, who had perfectly fulfilled Eden''s desire to iste him.


    That''s right.


    Frondier had been desperately hoping for this.


    "You touched Senior Ellen, didn''t you?"


    "There''s no need for you, a dying man, to know that."


    "...It seems I need to reflect on myself."


    Frondier smiled.


    It was a peaceful smile.


    Within that smile, he muttered softly.


    "This is what happens when I try to be subtle."


    "...What?"


    "I can''tpletely hide my strength, nor can I fully reveal it."


    Frondier''s voice gradually sank.


    As if sinking deep into a sea of ink, all his presence submerged deeply.


    "You dare touch my people."


    "What nonsense..."


    <i>sh-</i>


    Before the disguised voice could finish speaking.


    One of those surrounding Frondier was cut down.


    Frondier didn''t care who it was or what their face looked like.


    "You fools who don''t know your ce."

 Chapter 210 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Thomas and @Angels2Demons from Ko-fi!</i>


    As one of them fell, his torso severed from his lower body, the surrounding Pros widened their eyes in shock.


    ¡®He pierced through the aura...!¡¯


    It wasn''t as if they were unprepared. In fact, mobilizing this many Pros against a single student was overkill.


    Considering the possibility that Frondier had deliberately lured them into the building, they had been prepared to react at any moment. The aura was just one of their defenses.


    They saw what had sliced through theirrade''s body. A ck de that suddenly materialized from thin air. Despite the surprise attack, they reacted, attempting to block it with their auras.


    Yet, the body fortified by the aura was severed in an instant.


    ¡®That de, something''s strange about it!¡¯The Pros quickly made a judgment and formed a defensive circle, covering each other''s backs while maintaining a wide field of vision. Of course, they didn''t neglect tracking Frondier''s location.


    <i>Swish! Swish! Swish!</i>


    This time, ck liquid spewed from Frondier''s surroundings, flying towards them. What was clearly liquid suddenly transformed into sharp thorns, raining down upon them.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The Pros used their respective defensive techniques to block the thorns. As they did so, they became certain.


    Those ck droplets were different from ordinary weapons. While not entirely impervious to auras, they clearly pierced through them much more easily than other weapons.


    ¡°You arrogant brat!¡±


    One of the Pros, unable to contain his anger, charged forward as Frondier''s attack ceased.


    ¡°How dare a mere student!¡±


    The man swung his prized bastard sword vertically towards Frondier.


    <i>ng!</i>


    The sword was blocked by a de conjured by Frondier.


    The man initially thought it was another de formed from the ck droplets, but upon closer inspection, it was a real sword.


    ¡°You have a lot of tricks! Do you think you can defeat a Pro just by using slightly different weapons!¡±


    ¡°You have a poor eye for detail.¡±


    Eye for detail?


    The Pro, pushing against Frondier''s sword, furrowed his brow. He felt a strong sense of unease from Frondier''s choice of words.


    ¡°...What is this sword?¡±


    And then he realized.


    What kind of sword Frondier was currently wielding.


    ¡®This, this is my sword...!¡¯


    Frondier was holding a de identical to the one the man held.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    Before his thoughts could progress further, Frondier''s utterance transformed the surrounding area.


    Everyone present felt Frondier''s immense mana and the magical circle filling the space around them.


    ¡®When did he even set up the rune!¡¯


    They were all trapped within his rune. The implication was clear.


    This ce was already Frondier''s domain.


    ¡°Different weapons, you say...?¡±


    Frondier muttered with a sneer.


    Immediately after,


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void weaving, simultaneous replication</i>


    <i>3 units of the same weapon</i>


    <i>Rank - Rare</i>


    <i>Bastard Sword</i>


    Three swords materialized around Frondier, each identical to the one held by the man.


    ¡°It''s not the weapon that''s different, you fool.¡±


    <i>Swish! Swish! Swish!</i>


    ¡°This, this is impossible...!¡±


    The man barely managed to deflect the swords while letting out a cry. As expected of a Pro, he skillfully blocked the three swords.


    However.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Following Frondier''sment, two more swords flew towards him. A total of five.


    ¡°Huff, huff...!¡±


    He somehow managed to block those as well, but then came seven, then ten.


    No matter how skilled his swordsmanship was, he clearlycked the hands to deal with them all.


    ¡°Ugh! Argh! Gah!¡±


    The flurry of des attacked the man in unpredictable trajectories. Even if he managed to deflect one, it would immediately return to strike him again. The sword wind generated by his aura wasn''t very effective either.


    For every five he deflected, five more sliced into his body. His arms, shoulders, sides, calves ¨C wounds umted all over his body as time passed.


    ¡°Attack together!¡±


    The watching Pros, realizing the dire situation, charged towards Frondier simultaneously.


    Frondier nced at them once.


    ¡®They''ll be good test subjects.¡¯


    He manipted his armband. A muchrger amount of Obsidian than before swirled into the air.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Undetermined</i>


    <i>Azier MK. 3</i>


    The abundant Obsidian converged, forming the shape of armor and appearing around Frondier.


    These were fully autonomous golems, the third iteration refined by Binkis. Frondier''s weaving, which replicated all structures perfectly, had replicated even their modules.


    ¡°What, what is this!¡±


    ¡°Golems? No, these intricate mechanisms, is it mechanical engineering!¡±


    While they were taken aback and retreated, Frondier equipped each golem with a weapon. As the man had experienced earlier, the weapons were identical to those wielded by the opposing Pros.


    ¡°Fight them as you see fit. As a hint, they''re modeled after my brother.¡±


    ¡°...You ignorant fool, you think you can imitate Azier''s skills?¡±


    Well, I didn''t make them myself, but...


    Frondier swallowed those words, keeping them to himself.


    Azier''s primary weapon was, of course, the spear, but he was originally proficient in all sorts of weaponry. These golems, refined twice by Binkis from the prototype, must have also acquired a considerable level of skill.


    Just how high is their proficiency?


    There were no better guinea pigs than these individuals to test that.


    ¡°Now then.¡±


    Frondier shifted his gaze to the man he had been dealing with earlier, his body covered in cuts and bleeding profusely.


    ¡°...W-wait.¡±


    The man instinctively stepped back.


    Seeing this, the other Pros rushed towards Frondier.


    ¡°How dare you! As if these things could stop us,¡±


    <i>ng!</i>


    His words were cut short. The man, who had ignored the golem and charged towards Frondier, was forced to raise his sword in response to the golem''s swift strike.


    The sensation of shing against a weapon identical to his own was both unpleasant and eerie.


    ¡°Ugh, these, these things...!¡±


    The golems faced off against the Pros Frondier had assigned them to, resulting in identical weapons shing against each other.


    However, the golems'' movements were based on Azier''s, so naturally, theirbat styles differed.


    Could these individuals surpass the imitation of Azier created by Binkis?


    It was an intriguing question, but Frondier decided to finish what he had started first.


    ¡°Let''s continue our fight then, now that the distractions are gone.¡±


    Frondier took a step towards the man, whose body was riddled with bleeding wounds.


    ¡°W-wait! Hold on, I was just...¡±


    <i>Stab!</i>


    ¡°Gaaaaah!¡±


    The tip of the de pierced the man''s shoulder. He had attempted to defend with his sword, but it was simply a matter of numbers.


    Moreover, the swords floating in the air would stop and resume their attacks at will, making it impossible to deal with the unpredictable chain of attacks.


    ¡°Ugh, argh, huff...!¡±


    ¡°There''s no time to scream. Let''s move on to the next.¡±

 Chapter 210 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaargh!!!¡±


    This time it was his thigh. Even deflecting a few des wouldn''t change the oue.


    The man clutched his trembling leg and looked at Frondier. His eyes were already filled with the color of defeat.


    ¡°P-please, spare me. I beg you. I was just following orders...¡±


    <i>Slice¡ª</i>


    The man''s words were cut off again. He looked at his left hand. Or rather, where his left hand used to be.


    ¡°¡­¡­!!¡±This time, no scream came out. The excruciatingly sharp de had cleanly severed his left hand, leaving him with despair and emptiness instead of pain.


    ¡°That''s the job of a Pro. To follow orders. You''re doing your job admirably.¡±


    ¡°S-s-spare, spare me...¡±


    ¡°That''s not the job of a Pro. Begging for your life from the enemy. You went through rigorous training and examinations to be a Pro, didn''t you? You shouldn''t be showing such a pathetic sight to a mere Constel student.¡±


    Frondier''s voice was devoid of any inflection.


    It was the same voice they had heard during the meeting.


    ¡°You''re right-handed, aren''t you? You can still do more.¡±


    ¡°...W-what...?¡±


    Frondier''s words had only one meaning.


    He had deliberately cut off the man''s left hand because he was right-handed.


    Upon realizing this, something within the man, something that had kept him going as a human, snapped.


    ¡°S-s-spare me! Aaaaagh! Aaaaaaaa¡ª¡ª¡ª!!!¡±


    The man screamed and ran away. His cries echoed throughout the building


    <i>Slice</i>


    ¡°Aaargh!¡±


    The man''s left ankle was severed. He lost his bnce and copsed. Having lost both his left hand and left foot, he couldn''t regain his bnce even if he tried to stand up.


    In the first ce, it was impossible for the mentally broken man to stand on one leg.


    Frondier''s neat footsteps followed the man as he crawled away, desperately.


    Feeling those leisurely footsteps approaching from behind, the man crawled with all his might.


    He turned his back and fled without thinking, but luckily, he was headed in the right direction. He was heading towards the building''s exit.


    ¡°That''s not the way.¡±


    Hearing Frondier''s voice, the man gritted his teeth.


    Crazy bastard! How could anyone deal with such a deranged lunatic!


    He still had some aura left.


    If he could use all his remaining strength to escape this building while Frondier was off guard, he might somehow survive. Even if this was a remote part of the field, the probability of someone being nearby wasn''t zero.


    Believing in that faint possibility, the man crawled with all his might.


    Yes!


    As he reached a distance where he could dash straight to the exit, the man raised his head.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    But something was strange about the exit.


    The door leading outside, which he had been looking at just moments ago, was gradually bing distorted, eventually losing its shape and copsing onto the floor.


    This is strange. I clearly saw the exit over there when I ran this way. The door I could escape through was right here until just now.


    Why is that, why is that melting, no, why is it turning into liquid,


    ¡®Ah...¡¯


    In that instant, the man felt no emotion, just a brief thought.


    So it wasn''t that I was lucky enough to find the exit in the direction I ran...


    There was no such luck from the beginning...


    ¡°I told you.¡±


    The same voice,ced with boredom and weariness, reached his ears.


    ¡°That''s not the way.¡±


    ***


    Only then did they realize how terribly wrong things had gone.


    Frondier,pletely ignoring the Pros and toying with a single man. The Pros, unable to approach him despite their numbers.


    Each of them was struggling immensely just to deal with a single golem.


    ¡®These things are strong...!¡¯


    The golems, with their superior algorithms for fully autonomous operation, prevented anyone from approaching Frondier without him needing to issue anymands.


    As they fought the golems, the Pros heard the despairing screams of the man Frondier was toying with.


    They witnessed with their own eyes as his entire body was shed, stabbed, and his hands and feet were cut off. Yet, none of them could even get close to Frondier.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A momentter, as they barely managed to hold their own against the golems, Frondier voiced a question.


    He had been observing the battle between the golems and the Pros for a while, and then, as if he had just realized something, he spoke.


    ¡°Ah, you''re just defending to protect me.¡±


    As if he had just grasped the golems'' characteristics, Frondier continued.


    ¡°There''s no need for that. Kill them all.¡±


    That order, given to the golems, was enough to shatter the Pros'' spirits.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    The moment the golems switched to offense, their movements changed drastically.


    They had been perfectly blocking all the Pros'' attacks until now, but now they were effortlessly deflecting or twisting them away, closing the distance.


    <i>Whoosh¡ª</i>


    <i>Thud!</i>


    One of the Pros was struck by a blunt weapon and sent flying. He crashed into the wall and rolled on the floor, remaining motionless.


    ¡°¡ª¡ªEveryone!¡±


    Just then, the distorted voice that had been threatening Frondier earlier was heard again.


    ¡°Run away! Run away!¡±


    It was no longer an order but a scream of desperation.


    The Pros retreated while maintaining their stances. Even retreating wasn''t easy. In the process, several of them lost their weapons, were sent flying, or were cut down.


    ¡®...That, that!¡¯


    As they retreated, they nced at the exit and their eyes widened.


    The door they needed to escape through was covered in ck. It was undoubtedly the same ck liquid that Frondier had been using.


    ¡°B-break through! Someone!¡±


    Someone shouted, but no one moved towards the door.


    It was understandable. Each of them was facing off against their own golem. Even simply retreating was causing some of them to be struck and cut down. Turning their backs was absolutely impossible.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    At that moment, someone who had been hiding in the shadows until now emerged. Since no one else could open the door, he had stepped forward.


    He wore a long robe and a mask to conceal his appearance, but Frondier recognized him and smiled faintly.


    ¡ª¡ªThere you are, Eden Hamelot.

 Chapter 211 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Eden raised his sword, an aura far exceeding any other Pro''s encasing his body. This wasn''t the effect of the Mana Injection; Eden''s inherent aura was already this powerful.


    Frondier had matched the golems one-on-one with each Pro, so there were none left to stop the hidden Eden.


    "Haa!"


    With a shout, his swung sword easily sliced through the ck curtain blocking the door.


    "It''s open! This way!"


    It went without saying. The Pros, upon seeing Eden open the door, rushed in. Already close by, they had no hesitation.


    "W-Wait! Slowly!"


    Eden, pushed by the Pros as they crammed themselves towards the exit, was swept outside with them.


    And then,<i>Click!</i>


    The door closed, and they were plunged into darkness.


    "Wh-What? Is it night?"


    "No. No matter how dark it gets, it can''t be this bad, where you can''t see an inch ahead..."


    They murmured in confusion.


    They had clearly opened the door of the building and exited. So they should be outside. Normally.


    But why, aftering outside, were they trapped in pitch-ck darkness?


    As if they had stepped into something else...


    <i>Creak-</i>


    Just then, light seeped in.


    The door of whatever had swallowed them opened, and Frondier appeared.


    As light entered the previously imprable darkness, they realized what they were inside. It was the interior of another building, filled with all sorts of weapons and misceneous items.


    "Wee. This is my workshop."


    At Frondier''s words, they all realized they hadn''t actually escaped.


    But how? Even after opening the door and going outside, why were they still inside something?


    "I know what you''re wondering. To put it simply, I attached this workshop of mine to the exit you went through. The exit of the building you left was actually the entrance to this workshop."


    Attached? How could he attach a building to the side of another building?


    "N-Nonsense. A building this huge moving around on its own..."


    As if that statement had been perfectly timed, Frondier smiled.


    <i>Rumble-</i>


    "W-Woah!"


    "Uwaah?!"


    They panicked at the sudden tilting of the floor. That sensation was fleeting, and soon they were thrown into the air, plummeting downwards.


    The floor became a wall, and the wall became a floor. In other words, the building had id down''. Standing on what had been a wall, they could only fall towards the floor.


    <i>Thud! Thump! Thud!</i>


    Of course, as seasoned Pros, they were able tond safely using their respective auras and breakfall techniques, but their faces were etched with dismay.


    It really moved. This massive building.


    That thought was short-lived.


    "Damn it! Again!"


    This time, the building ''stood up'' as if returning to its original position. Those who were preparednded safely again, and Frondier reappeared before them on the other side of the door.


    "That was a good observation."


    "Y-You bastard..."


    The Pros exuded killing intent.


    However, they couldn''t recklessly attack Frondier.


    If this building truly moved ording to Frondier''s will, then rushing at him now would only cause the building to move again.


    Reaching that exit would be impossible.


    More importantly, even if this workshop didn''t move, going out through the exit here would only lead them back into the previous building. The building filled with those terrifying golems. What would be the point of that?


    There was only one way to ovee this situation.


    They had to find another exit besides the door Frondier had opened.


    "Well then, I''ll be going. Have a pleasant time."


    "Wh-What?"


    "Since you walked in here yourselves, there''s nothing I can do."


    Saying that as if to leave, Frondier closed the door.


    As soon as he did, the Pros rushed over and checked the doorknob.


    "...It''s locked."


    "No, it''s not locked. This is..."


    "Yeah. It''s just a wall."


    Confirming that the door Frondier had just closed would no longer open, the Pros sighed.


    In fact, if they had been a little calmer, they wouldn''t have stepped into the exit that opened in the workshop earlier. If it was too dark outside the door, they would have thought something was wrong.


    But their minds were frozen with fear, and they couldn''t think of that. They just moved their bodies with the single desire to get out of the building


    They walked in on their own. Frondier''s words weren''t entirely wrong.


    "What do we do now?"


    "We have no choice but to find another exit."


    They took out their Sagephones and turned on the shlights. The absence of a Mage to prevent a bigmotion was a bit inconvenient in this situation.


    No, considering the previous situation, it was rather fortunate that there was no Mage. There was little a Mage could do in such a hellish battlefield. They would have had to face the golems one-on-one.


    "How big is this building anyway?"


    "I don''t know. We didn''te in after checking its size from the outside."


    "For now, we have no choice but to split up and search."


    The initial number of people gathered had already been halved. Still, they had enough personnel to carry out the operation. They decided to form groups of three, the minimum number for a team.


    However, as people had died from unexpected enemy attacks, the number of people wasn''t exactly a multiple of three.


    There was exactly one person left, Eden Hamelot.


    "..."


    "Eden, would you like to switch with me if you''d like? You''re the leader, so it would be safer..."


    "No. I''ll move alone. This is the best position."


    Indeed, among them, Eden was the most skilled, and if anyone had to act alone, he would be the best suited for it.


    However, in a situation with no preparation, in an unfamiliar space, it was uncertain whether suchmon sense would apply.


    "Alright. Then let''s start the investigation. I''ll take the lead."


    The Pro who had spoken to Eden stepped forward confidently.


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    And then he copsed after being struck by something. His face was unrecognizable, no longer a human head.


    "Wh-What, a trap?!"


    "Be careful! Keep an eye on your surroundings as you move!"


    At the sudden death of theirrade, they panicked and became wary of their surroundings. They diligently shone their shlights around, but the range was far from satisfactory.


    In moderate darkness, the human eye adapts to small amounts of light. Even if you can''t see at first, as time passes, you gradually be able to distinguish surrounding objects.


    However, this ce wasplete darkness, with no light whatsoever. No matter how much time passed, nothing was visible. They could only rely on their shlights.


    "Th-This... maybe we shouldn''t split up..."


    Someone said fearfully.


    "Idiot! The only light we can rely on now is the Sagephone''s shlight! If we all hesitate without knowing how big this building is, we''re as good as dead!"


    It might be safer to move together rather than splitting up, but in a situation where they didn''t know where the traps were, it was the height of inefficiency.


    The Sagephone, being the epitome of Magitechnology, used Mana stored within it. If that Mana was depleted, the power would go out, and then they would have no means of illuminating the darkness.


    They had no other choice. The divided teams had to move separately and find the exit as quickly as possible.


    ''What kind of trap is it?''


    Meanwhile, Eden narrowed his eyes and surveyed the surroundings. Of course, he couldn''t see anything beyond the reach of the Sagephone''s shlight, but he could still sense presences.


    These were all veteran Pros, skilled individuals personally selected by Eden.


    Yet, just now, one of them had been struck in the face and killed. Completely defenseless.


    ''The way this trap works is fundamentally different from what I know. I need to figure that out first.''


    Eden''s thoughts were simr to everyone else''s.


    They took slow, cautious steps, expanding their senses and constantly observing their surroundings.


    "©¤©¤©¤©¤Found it."


    After a long period of silent observation, Eden spoke up, having discovered something.


    All the Pros, who had been eagerly awaiting those words, looked at Eden.


    "Found it? The trap''s trigger?"


    "Yeah. Probably."


    Eden shone his shlight on a particr spot.


    "...?"


    However, there was nothing where Eden was pointing. The Pros all frowned.


    "What? What''s there?"


    "Look closely. The middle of the floor near where I''m shining the light."


    At those words, the Pros'' gazes became more focused.


    And they soon found


    "...What''s that, dust-like thing?"


    Someone muttered a brief observation.


    Hearing that, another person seemed to realize something and said,


    "...This is... that ck liquid that Frondier was using."


    "What?"


    At those words, the Pros were surprised and looked again.


    Where Eden was shining the light, there was a tiny droplet, barely visible to the naked eye, floating slightly above the floor.


    It was so small that even a slightpse in concentration would cause them to miss it. It was so small that it was hard to see even while looking directly at it.


    "...I''ll check it out."


    Eden said in a tense voice, raising his sword. At that action, everyone gulped and raised their guard to the maximum.


    And the moment Eden lightly touched the ck droplet,


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    This time, it was a spear. Eden barely managed to block the attack that came rushing at him with terrifying speed. The hand he used to block it trembled.


    This wasn''t because the spear was powerful, but because the speed was so fast that he couldn''t properly position himself.


    "...Everyone saw that, right?"


    "..."


    Everyone fell silent.


    They had never seen a trap device like this before.


    There were two types of traps. One waspletely analog, not using Mana. A ssic trap that activated when someone stepped on it or touched it.


    It was very old but stillmonly used, as untrained people were easily caught by it.


    The other type was a Magitech device that used Mana. This was much easier to activate than a conventional trap. Simple actions like passing through a certain space or making a sound could trigger the trap.


    While it was much trickier than a ssic trap, it was actually safer for those who were sensitive to Mana.


    That''s why traps were usually used by mixing these two types, but...


    ''It''s close to a Magitech trap, but I can barely feel any Mana.''


    It was partly luck that Eden had discovered it. Even looking at it like this, he could barely sense any Mana in that spot. Especially with so many veteran Pros around, it was even more difficult.


    Eden didn''t say it out loud, but a desperate question crossed his mind.


    Could they find the exit within this building?


    Could they survive until they found the exit?

 Chapter 211 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Of course, it goes without saying, there''s no such thing as an exit in a workshop. Even if there were, it would only be something that Frondier could create.


    The workshop expands in size just as much as the weapons and materials Frondier has collected.


    Through countless experiences, Frondier has stored many weapons, and the workshop has grown in size ordingly.


    It''s nearly impossible for the people inside to avoid all the traps and search the entire building. Anyway, there''s no exit, so it''s meaningless.


    "The traps are better than I thought."


    Frondier satfortably and observed the inside of the workshop.


    Frondier understood the principles of trap mechanisms through the prior knowledge he had from games and the experience of clearing dungeons.


    The traps currently inside the workshop are applications of that. Since the workshop itself is originally his skill, the traps made of mana are not difficult to implement.


    "It''s surprising that Eden discovered it so quickly, but it doesn''t change much."If he wanted, Frondier could kill everyone inside the workshop in less than 10 seconds.


    The space of the workshop is excessively advantageous for Frondier. From the perspective of an enemy, the workshop itself is already a trap. Not entering here in the first ce is the most perfect precaution.


    The reason Frondier has bothered to create traps now is merely to experiment with various things on the pros.


    "Even after discovering the trigger, they eventually fall for it. It must be because the inside of the workshop ispletely dark, but if done well, it might be usable outside too."


    Frondier indifferently spoke as he watched people inside the workshop die one by one.


    He watched as pros detected, handled, or were unable to handle the traps; then he thought of a way to improve them, one by one.


    ...... Several hours had passed in this way.


    Frondier dusted his hands off and stood up.


    He walked at a leisurely pace and opened the door of the workshop. He went up the stairs to the first floor, the second floor, and the third floor, where he approached a man standing still in the center.


    Of course, the trap didn¡¯t go off even when Frondier pulled the trigger.


    The trigger was Frondier¡¯s dark power, and he was the owner of this workshop.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Fron, dear¡­¡­.¡±


    The man standing in the center looked at Frondier with a ragged breath, as if he were dying. Corpses were strewn all around him.


    They all died before they could even reach the third floor, and only one was left.


    ¡°I see that the rumors were true. Mister Eden.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Eden Hamelot. He was the only one among so many others who survived.


    Of course, even he wasn¡¯t in the best condition. While he narrowly avoided the traps, he became exhausted, and countless wounds were carved into him.


    ¡°¡­¡­ Are they all dead?¡±


    Since the pros split up into several teams, Eden didn¡¯t know about the others. Frondier nodded.


    ¡°They are.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­ Therades I believed in died in an instant. They screamed and wailed for their lives, or sometimes they didn¡¯t even do that¡ªthey just died in an instant. They all died like that, Frondier.¡±


    Eden¡¯s voice trembled slightly, filled with boundless fury. With killing intent zing his entire body, he looked at Frondier.


    After listening to Eden¡¯s strained voice, Frondier said,


    ¡°©¤©¤Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Y, you son of a bXXch!!!¡±


    Eden pulled out all of his remaining aura and charged at Frondier. He didn¡¯t care about the traps or anything else. Even if they were activated, he was prepared to take them on.


    Frondier raised one hand. With that, the weapons in the workshop began to move and swarmed toward Eden.


    ¡°Grrroooooooar!!¡±


    Eden Hamelot emitted a fearsome aura, systematically destroying the weapons one by one.


    With his chillingly well-trained swordsmanship, agility, and aura, Eden had the trifecta that justified calling him the number one pro.


    However, this was Frondier''s workshop.


    Creak-


    "Gasp!"


    The entire workshop lightly shook. Eden lost his bnce. However, he quickly recovered and this time, he levitated his entire body. It was a kind of floating.


    Frondier''s weapons flew at him again. Eden countered them with his aura and swordsmanship.


    The weapons were smashed by Eden''s swordsmanship and rolled on the ground. And while Eden wasn''t looking, they disappeared, only to return to their original ce, waiting for their turn again.


    Swoosh!


    This time from behind. The weapons that had been shooting at Eden''s front under Frondier''smand were nowing at him from all directions.


    "Ugh!"


    Eden spun his body, dealing with the weapons. His aura mixed in, creating a whirlwind.


    The fierce wind subdued the weapons flying at him from all sides. However, the ones he couldn''t destroy were lifted again and shot at him.


    In addition to that.


    Boom!


    "?!"


    At one moment, Eden realized he was smashed against a wall. It wasn''t that he had gone towards the wall; the wall had flown towards him, forcefully smashing into him.


    As if the shaking of the workshop wasn''t enough, the entire ce moved so that the walls and the floor attacked Eden.


    "Cough, cough, ugh!"


    The stamina and aura he had spent, the floating he had used to maintain bnce, the spinning to deal with attacks from all sides, and now, dealing with the walls and the floor as well. Eden was already pushed to his limits.


    Thump! Thud!


    When he came to, Eden was pinned against the wall, his body bound by all sorts of weapons that Frondier had shot.


    While he was frantically swinging his sword, Frondier stood in his spot, not moving an inch, watching Eden.


    "Cr, ugh! Frondier! Frondieeeer!!!"


    Eden screamed with resentment and rage. Frondier calmly walked towards Eden, step by step.


    "You must have felt it yourself."


    Frondier told Eden the truth that he had been averting his eyes from.


    "If you hade at me from the start, it would have been quite a fight."


    "......!"


    The piercing voice stopped for a moment.


    Eden is a strong man on par with Renzo. Of course, Renzo has now acquired the Divine Spear and Shield, so I don''t know how it is now, but he is not an opponent that Frondier can easily defeat to this extent.


    "Because you tried to hide your appearance and solve things by just giving orders, you ended up like this."


    The reason is simple.


    Because he looked down on Frondier.


    Because he thought that a mere student wouldn''t be able to handle the attacks of the pros.


    Frondier sighed.


    "I was careless. Because I showed my strength carelessly, people like you don''t know their ce, try to use me, and mess with my surroundings."


    "Frondier, do you think you can get away with this? The entire Phenomenon headquarters wille after you to kill you."


    Even though he was tied up, Eden growled without losing his spirit.


    Frondier, who had been watching him for a while, said.


    "So, where is it? The hideout where you''re researching the mana injection?"


    "I don''t know anything about that."


    Eden looked at Frondier with sharp eyes and said.


    Frondier smiled at him.


    "Fortunately."


    "......What?"


    "There is an order to things. As expected, even Eden-ssi knows it well."


    Bam!


    "Kyaaah!!"


    Frondier took out his dagger and stabbed Eden''s shoulder before pulling it out in one go. It was a dry movement, as if he were wringing a pig''s neck.


    "That''s right. This is the right order. It''s not easy to open your mouth. It''s a good thing that Eden-ssi is a strong person."


    "Y-you crazy bastard...!"


    To Eden, Frondier''s words sounded as if he wanted to torture him.


    In fact, that was true. Frondier could not let Eden, who was hailed as the number one pro, get away with killing people for experiments and, above all, using Ellen.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    Frondier swallowed something he called the Dragon Heart. Of course, Eden had no way of knowing what Frondier had just ingested.


    All Eden knew was that Frondier''s mana, already seemingly limitless, surged in an instant, and the tie he wore emitted light while a tremendous fear overtook him.


    "......I see."


    Frondier''s voice seemed to boil with some change in his body.


    With a calm smile, Frondier said,


    "Mr. Eden, you have a younger sibling. Five years your junior."


    "......What?"


    "You live quite far from your family. To keep them safe from the monsters outside, you''ve ced them in ''Entobus,'' known for its good public order even in the center of the continent. You''re a filial son who treasures his parents."


    "......How, how did you......"


    Eden, unable to bluff, uttered his words with a trembling voice. Frondier''s words were too precise to be mere guesses.


    "People have their own purposes in life. For most, their own well-being is paramount, but some carry something more important in their hearts. Physical torture doesn''t work well on such people."


    Frondier picked up a dagger.


    The de that had just pierced Eden''s shoulder was smeared with blood, and the blood slowly dripping down the de soaked Frondier''s hand.


    "Finding what truly matters to those people is the correct sequence for proper torture."


    "How, how could you, you......"


    To Eden, his family was far more precious than any research on mana injections or the like. It was a secret he would not disclose to anyone.


    Having the title of the top pro meant Eden had many rivals, and ordingly, many enemies.


    To keep them at bay, Eden had sent his family to the safest ce and never spoke of their rtionship to anyone.


    Yet, Frondier had figured it out in an instant. There was only one possibility.


    ''A skill! It''s a skill! Frondier used a skill with something he just ate!''


    A guess almost close to the answer.


    However, this correct answer only brought despair to Eden.


    Because if Frondier''s skill could really reveal the opponent''s ''secrets'',


    For Eden, the location of the Mana Injection Research Institute would be much easier to find than his family.


    If so, Frondier already knows the location of the institute, so there is no need to torture Eden.


    "F, Frondier! I got it! I''ll tell you the information! The location of the institute is, pfft!"


    Realizing something eerie, Eden tried to spit out the information, but Frondier was faster.


    Frondier''s ck mist filled Eden''s mouth. He could breathe, but he couldn''t speak.


    "You shouldn''t be like that from the start."


    Frondier''s sunken eyes were unfathomable.


    Eden had never seen such gloomy and chilling eyes before.


    Eden tried to tell him the information about the institute, but Frondier wouldn''t let him.


    Frondier turned the dagger in his arm. Meanwhile, at Frondier''s will, the weapons in the workshop lined up around Eden.


    It was an array of weapons not suitable forbat at all, but only for torture.


    "Like I said before."


    Frondier said, choosing the torture tools with indifferent eyes.


    "There is an order. In everything. You, your parents, your younger sibling."


    "Keuk! Pfft! Keueok! Keueok!!"


    Eden''s voice couldn''t form words no matter how much he tried to spit them out. Watching him with tears and mucus running down his face, Frondier picked up one of the nearby tools.

 Chapter 212 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @stormking and @Broke_reader_addict from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier dropped thest tool from his hand. A nging metallic sound echoed on the floor.


    Most of the tools here were barely used. As Frondier was using them for the first time, he was merely checking how each one worked.


    Of course, he had injured Eden in the process, but it was insignificantpared to the wounds he had sustained in the battles so far, and the pain would be much less.


    "Hmm, so this is it."


    Frondier muttered as if he was bored.


    At first, the sensation of using torture tools for the first time was quite intriguing, but after examining them all, he quickly grew tired of it.


    Of course, he could have used them to torture Eden, but it was no longer necessary."..."


    Eden, with his eyes out of focus, repeated shallow breaths.


    He had already crumbled.


    The grief of losing hisrades, his own fate standing before death, and above all, the fact that his family stood before Frondier''s de, he couldn''t bear it.


    More than anything, it was his own karma, achieved through harming people, not through the right process, so he was crushed by immense guilt.


    Swoosh-


    Thud.


    The weapon that bound Eden disappeared, and he fell from the wall and copsed onto the floor.


    All restraints were gone, but he didn''t get up. He already knew it was impossible to escape from here, and above all, he had no will to do so.


    "Eden Hamelot."


    Frondier looked down at Eden. Eden didn''t respond even when called.


    Wham!


    Frondier kicked Eden. It wasn''t infused with aura, but it wasn''t lenient either.


    Only then did Eden look at Frondier.


    Frondier lowered his posture and met Eden''s eyes.


    "Eden Hamelot, look at me."


    "..."


    A chilling gaze. Eden involuntarily nodded at Frondier''s words.


    "When you leave this ce, make everything that happened today unrted to me. I''ll leave the method to you."


    "...Unrted..."


    "Yes. I didn''t kill them. Say it."


    "...Frondier didn''t kill them..."


    Frondier nodded.


    "Remember my face clearly."


    "..."


    "If even a speck of dust affects me because of this incident, you and I will meet again. Remember what I know about you. If you don''t want to see this face again, it''s best to be cautious."


    Eden swallowed hard.


    Frondier, thinking that Eden understood enough, turned around.


    There was no need to ask for the location of the researchb. As Eden expected, Frondier had already extracted the information through the ''Analysis'' skill.


    "I''ll leave my workshop for the next hour. Take care of the bodies and equipment during that time. Of course, if you don''t want to clean up, you can do that too. All I want is the fact that I wasn''t here."


    At Frondier''s words, Eden stared nkly at him for a moment.


    "...Are you letting me live?"


    Soon, Eden asked Frondier, who was walking away.


    Frondier replied as he walked.


    "You will live, no matter what you do from now on."


    Frondier spoke as if he cared for Eden.


    However.


    "Just like today."


    With those words, Eden realized the full meaning and lowered his head.


    ***


    "Why is Eden sote!"


    The underground researchb of Constel.


    Suddenly, a roar erupted from a room that was still lit upte at night.


    "I''m sorry. He hasn''t been reachable since we received the news that he wasing to Constel..."


    "Damn it, how long do we have to be stopped?"


    Angus Mason, the leader of the research team, bit his nails in frustration.


    If Eden was in charge of negotiations with monsters, human samples, and coordination with the pros, Angus Mason was the key figure in researching the mana injection itself.


    They had recently seeded in suppressing the symptoms of the mana injection, but as a trade-off, it had turned into a deadly poison for the human body, hindering research progress.


    ''And that injection had to be given to Ellen...''


    Ellen was a Constel student whom Eden had brought in a long time ago, saying she was a talent who would be a pro.


    At that time, this research hadn''t reached the dangerous level it was at now.


    Of course, Eden and Angus knew that the research would eventually reach this stage, but Ellen had no idea.


    The research at that time was limited to containing mana in liquid form, so Eden diligently exined the effects and usefulness of liquid mana to Ellen, and Ellen, trusting Eden''s reputation and skills, believed him and agreed.


    The reason Eden brought Ellen back then was clear.


    The mana injection was more effective and had fewer side effects for those with less mana.


    Of course, it was effective for people with a lot of mana, but before the mortality rate was lowered to the current level, it was quite dangerous.


    On the other hand, people who had little mana from the beginning didn''t have as much of a reaction, so the side effects weren''t that severe.


    From that perspective, Ellen was the best material. She had the best swordsmanship in Constel, but she had too little mana. She was the most suitable person for this research.


    And just in time.


    "I''m back."


    The door to the researchb opened, and a familiar face appeared before Angus.


    "Oh, Ellen. The guy I mentioned?"


    "Here."


    Ellen pushed the back of the restrained man towards Angus.


    Angus grinned.


    "Ellen, you''re finally listening to me."


    "I have no choice."


    Ellen closed her eyes tightly.


    "Wow, amazing."


    Meanwhile, the restrained man made a voice that didn''t fit the atmosphere.


    He was Dier Eiger.


    "I was honored to be called by the student council president, but I was caught in an instant, and when I arrived, I found myself in a strange researchb full of ss tubes. It''s a long life and you see everything, don''t you?"


    Dier looked around and spoke in admiration. Even though his hands were tied and he couldn''t move, his face was quite cheerful.


    "Dier Eiger, wee to this ce."


    Angus smiled pleasantly and raised both arms. Of course, it was questionable what meaning it would have since Dier was restrained, but Dier''s smile was also shining brightly.


    "Yes, nice to meet you. You know me?"


    "Of course. You''re the best candidate for our research."


    The best candidate.


    As he said, Dier was the most suitable person for this research after Ellen.


    Of course, he didn''t possess swordsmanship as outstanding as Ellen''s, but he was wise, had good judgment, and had good eyes.


    And he had even less mana than Ellen. Maybe the side effects would be less than Ellen''s.


    "I see. The best candidate, I''m honored."


    "Yes, yes. Then would you please stand up there and wait for a moment? I have something to prepare."


    "Sure."


    Dier obediently followed Angus''s words and stepped onto the metal te. It was an object simr to the equipment used in hospitals to scan the human body, analyze itsposition, and check mana.


    "But Dier, do you know what this ce is?"

 Chapter 212 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Angus saw Dier''s innocent smile as a sign that he didn''t fully grasp the situation.


    He must have thought that since the student council president brought him here, even if he was restrained, there wouldn''t be much danger.


    But Dier said.


    "Of course I know."


    "You know?"


    "Yes. It''s a ce where they research mana injections, right?"


    A clear and cool answer. Angus''s eyes widened at those words.


    "...How did you know?"


    "There are a lot of rumors circting about Consteltely. Plus, there was someone who came to scout me a while ago. They called me the ''best candidate''."Angus blinked in surprise at Dier''s exnation and then asked again.


    "Then why do you look so happy? Don''t you feel it''s dangerous?"


    "Dangerous? Why?"


    Dier tilted his head as if he didn''t understand.


    "If I get a mana injection, my mana will increase, right?"


    "...Of course."


    "There''s no one who would refuse to be stronger!"


    "You refused when they scouted you?"


    "At that time, I couldn''t understand how they were going to make me stronger, but if there''s such a clear answer, it''s a different story."


    At those words, Angus stared at Dier for a moment and then burst intoughter.


    "Yes, that''s right! That''s it! You''re really wise and excellent at the same time. Hahaha!"


    Angus walked towards the device for scanning Dier. As he pressed the button, the te Dier was stepping on emitted light.


    "Please wait a moment. The scan takes some time."


    "Yes."


    Dier answered like a loyal subordinate and then leisurely looked around.


    He looked at Ellen.


    "If I knew it would be like this, you wouldn''t have needed to restrain me, senior."


    "...I didn''t know you''d react like that."


    Ellen said to Dier as if she was dumbfounded.


    Ellen had heard quite a bit about Dier. In fact, more than his wisdom, it was hispetitive spirit and kindness that shone within that wisdom that caught her attention.


    But Dier now didn''t have that appearance. He just looked like one of the many fools who wanted to get a mana injection to be stronger. Did she see him wrong?


    ''Well, I''m not one to talk.''


    Ellen let out a small sigh.


    ©¤©¤It had been quite some time since Ellen received the antidote.


    Since receiving the wrong mana injection, Ellen had been going through days of alternately receiving the injection and the antidote.


    She herself didn''t know where the mana injection and the antidote were located. She just followed orders, received the antidote, and immediately after, received the mana injection to threaten her.


    However, Ellen at least didn''t receive orders to harm people. She would rather choose death than receive such orders.


    Even when she fought Frondier, she had no intention of killing him, and she predicted that even without him, there wouldn''t be much damage to the students. Just like Frondier had done.


    Above all, she had wanted to die by Frondier''s hand at that time.


    But kidnapping Dier clearly crossed the line. It was an order that Ellen would never follow. If it were a normal day.


    ''What are you thinking, Frondier.''


    Today, a crow delivered a note to Ellen. It was a note from Frondier.


    The content was simple.


    I hope you will follow any orders today without resistance. I will take care of it, a statement that was either irresponsible or overflowing with responsibility, she couldn''t tell.


    ''So when I came here, I thought Frondier would arrive first.''


    Ellen narrowed her eyes slightly. Gradually, she could feel her body temperature dropping. The moment she needed the antidote was approaching.


    "©¤©¤Senior."


    At the sound of a voice, Ellen looked at Dier.


    "You look tired."


    "..."


    Dier''s words seemed to pierce through Ellen''s physical condition. Dier smiled and said.


    "I''ve always wondered. Why did you be the student council president, senior? I don''t think it suits you."


    "..."


    Ellen didn''t answer him.


    Angus also listened for a moment but soon ignored it. He felt like Dier was just spouting nonsense.


    "You were originally famous for sleepwalking, right? To recharge your stamina while walking, you made it so you could sleep while moving when it wasn''t an emergency. I couldn''t understand why someone who values their stamina management so much would do something other than swordsmanship. Especially being the student council president, which is a very tiring job."


    "...So?"


    Ellen started to be somewhat wary of Dier. She couldn''t predict what Dier would say next.


    But Dier dropped the bomb without fail.


    "That was a signal, right? Your SOS signal."


    "..."


    "Even though you look fine on the outside, you were telling everyone around you that your current situation is very bad, right? If you were just an ordinary Constel student, you could somehow hide it even if you died, but if you''re the student council president of Constel, attention would be drawn to you if something happened. It was the minimum safety device to avoid death."


    "Hey, you..."


    "You bastard, what are you talking about!"


    Angus interrupted Ellen and became indignant. Even a fool could understand the meaning of Dier''s words.


    "Ellen senior."


    Dierpletely ignored Angus and said.


    "You look more and more tired."


    "!"


    "This guy, I thought he was reasonable, but he''s just crazy! Guys, shut him up!"


    At Angus''s order, the men who were on standby jumped out.


    Since this ce wasn''t conducting legitimate experiments in the first ce, there were alwaysbat personnel on standby in case of sudden situations.


    These people weren''t as good as the pros led by Eden, but they were still quite skilled.


    They slowly approached the bound Dier. Dier, restrained and not particrly skilled in purebat power to begin with, seemed to have no chance of winning.


    But.


    Crack, snap!


    The handcuffs that were restraining Dier''s arms from behind were easily broken. It was something that couldn''t be done with ordinary strength.


    His mana burst forth with explosive power.


    "Wh-What, you!"


    Dier''s appearance was almost identical to Ellen''s.


    Dier pulled something out of his pocket.


    It was a syringe filled with liquid.


    "You, when did you get that!"


    At Angus''s shout, Dier looked at the syringe with amusement and said.


    "Hahaha, I was so curious about this."


    Thud!


    In an instant, Dier moved at an unbelievable speed.


    As Dier took a step, thebat personnel who were approaching him moved as well.


    Even though Dier''s mana had grown, these people were also experienced veterans. Surrounding him from all sides, theypletely encircled Dier.


    However.


    "Huh?"


    "What?"


    Dier perfectly grasped the gaps between their approaching hands and feet and slipped through them.


    Now, Dier''s body could finally keep up with his eyes. And from his dynamic vision, the movements of thebat personnel were too slow.


    Dier wasn''t faster than them. He was simply moving with maximum efficiency in the shortest amount of time.


    "H-Hiik!"


    Dier grabbed Angus. Angus tried to escape somehow, but Dier''s eyes clearly saw where he was trying to go, so Angus easily gave Dier his back.


    And the needle of the syringe entered his neck.


    "How about it, Mr. Angus? Do you want to be stronger too?"


    "Gasp, gasp!"


    Angus wasn''t abat personnel in the first ce. Even if his mana increased here, he wouldn''t know how to use it properly.


    In other words, the mana injection Dier was holding was nothing but poison to Angus.


    "Well, answer me, Mr. Angus."


    Dier scattered a chilling murderous intent along with his rising mana.


    "Where is it? The antidote."

 Chapter 213 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Hi Guys, I have picked up another promising Academy novel I Became the Narrow-Eyed Character in the Little Prince Game. Do check it out!</i>


    Dier pulled Angus back, stepping away.


    Watching the agents approaching from all sides, Dierughed bitterly to himself.


    ¡®Mana injections, something people would want.¡¯


    Before, even if he could see with his eyes, his body wouldn''t follow, so he always had to find other ways. But now, Dier could choose a simpler method. He could move exactly as he saw.


    Of course, not many people saw the usefulness of the mana injection as much as Dier did, but even without that, this thing was definitely something to covet.


    ¡°Ellen! Do something about this guy!¡±


    Angus yelled. Dier brought the tip of the syringe closer.¡°Are you stupid? No matter how fast Ms. Ellen¡¯s swordsmanship is, it¡¯s slower than me injecting you.¡±


    ¡°Kugh¡­¡­!¡±


    Angus struggled to somehow escape from Dier. Of course, with his body as a pure researcher, he couldn''t escape Dier''s grasp.


    However, that action itself was giving Dier a lot of clues.


    ¡®This man, although weak, his struggling spirit is real.¡¯


    Angus was truly trying to escape from Dier. Even though he knew he could be stabbed by the syringe.


    ¡®He looks troubled, but strangely calm. But it doesn''t feel like he''s faking his panic. He just doesn''t feel as threatened as I think he should.¡¯


    Then why?


    As Dier had experienced himself, this injection was real. It must surely be poison or something to Angus.


    ¡®This injection definitely doesn''t kill you right away. I''m fine, and Senior Ellen looks bad, but she''ll be okay for now.¡¯


    Dier didn''t know the time limit yet. But looking at Ellen''s condition, she wouldn''t die suddenly. She was able to check her own body.


    ¡®This man, Angus, must know the time limit. Is he confident that he can get the antidote within the time limit? Is that why he''s struggling so fearlessly?¡¯


    But if he was really confident that he would be okay even if he got the injection, why was he so flustered?


    This wasn''t the kind of panic you show when a needle is pointed at your neck. If that were the case, he wouldn''t be struggling so much without caring about his life.


    Angus was putting all his effort into escaping from Dier.


    That is.


    ¡°¡­¡­Mr. Angus.¡±


    Dier spoke up, just in case.


    ¡°The antidote, do you happen to have it right now?¡±


    Upon hearing those words.


    The moment his tense shoulders, hardened face, and eyes looking straight ahead momentarily turned to the right where Dier was.


    Thud!


    Dier tripped Angus''s feet, causing him to fall.


    ¡°Y-you bastard! What nonsense are you talking about! Ellen, kill this guy! Elleeeeen!¡±


    Angus shouted, his face smashed against the floor. Dier ignored him and searched Angus''s body.


    Ellen slowly approached him.


    Ellen raised her sword and pointed it at Dier.


    ¡°You didn''t think I would attack, did you?¡±


    To that, Dier replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As if he didn''t even need to see the tip of Ellen''s sword.


    ¡°I didn''t think so at all.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I tricked you and brought you here?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to that, I was able to find this hideout.¡±


    Dier didn''t find anything significant on Angus''s back and turned him over. Angus, rolling around on the floor like a cushion, was humiliated by that alone.


    ¡°I had a message from Senior Sloth.¡±


    ¡°Senior Sloth?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I''m talking about Senior Frondier de Roach. Don''t tell Senior Frondier that I called him Senior Sloth. He treats people as alive as long as they''re not dead.¡±


    It seemed like an obvious statement, but I understood what she wanted to say.


    By the way, Frondier.


    You also heard from Frondier.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°That a helper woulde.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°If you really want to find their hideout, he said to wait for the helper.¡±


    Ellen heard those words and remembered.


    The note Frondier had sent her.


    Follow any orders from the hideout.


    Ellen trusted Frondier''s words and brought Dier here.


    Because Frondier knew that the mana injection research team wanted Dier.


    So, naturally, the ''helper'' that Dier mentioned was.


    ¡®Me.¡¯


    Ellen lowered her sword. Angus saw that and red.


    ¡°Ellen! Are you okay without the antidote? Your body won''tst long! You should know that yourself!¡±


    ¡°Since my body became like this, I''ve been looking for a ce to die anyway.¡±


    Hearing Ellen¡¯s words, Angus gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Hey! Kill these two bastards!¡±


    Hearing Angus''s words, thebat agents who were waiting rushed in. They thought Ellen would take care of it, but the situation had reversed.


    <i>One Strike</i>.


    Swish¡ª


    Ellen cing the tip of her sword on the ground wasn''t simply a sign of giving up the fight.


    With the ground as a makeshift support, Ellen''s sword strike extended, drawing a graceful curve and wrapping around the surroundings.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Thebatants fell, hit by the strike. They weren''t seriously injured as they were hit with the t of the de, but their vital points were precisely struck, so they wouldn''t be able to get up for a while.


    ¡°You''re still saving lives in the midst of all this.¡±


    ¡°This is Constel, and I''m the student council president.¡±


    At those words, Dier grinned.


    Finally, Dier found the antidote in Angus''s pocket.


    However, he soon frowned.


    ¡°¡­¡­You.¡±

 Chapter 213 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Ha! What did you expect, you idiot!¡±


    The antidote Dier found was already stuck in Angus''s body.


    It was a device that automatically injected the antidote in case someone injected him with the mana serum.


    The antidote in this device could never be opened without knowing the password.


    ¡°Hahaha! Did you think I would have a spare antidote? I predicted that bastards like you would threaten me with that kind of mana injection and prepared the antidote in advance! Even if I die, my mission will continue! Hahahahaha!!¡±


    At Angus''s madughter, Dier''s eyes twitched.


    Indeed, Dier had no answer to what to do with the mana injections that had already been spread. The important thing right now was to detoxify Ellen and himself, but there must be many more people who had been injected with this serum.


    Distribute the antidote to all of them andpletely stop the research on mana injections here.


    Would that be possible?¡°And if I''m going to die anyway!¡±


    Angus shouted and spread his palm. His hand was strange. A small button-like thing was embedded in the center of his palm.


    It was a button just as it looked.


    As Angus pressed the button on his palm with his thumb, a loud emergency rm rang throughout theboratory.


    ¡°Aaaaagh!!¡±


    ¡°T-the guy escaped! The d-door! Ugh!¡±


    Suddenly, screams echoed through theboratory. Hearing those screams, Ellen and Dier''s expressions hardened.


    ¡°¡­¡­That mana, it''s not normal.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Dier nodded at Ellen''s words.


    They now felt a tremendous amount of mana from a short distance away. It wasn''t just a matter of quantity. An amount of mana that couldn''t possibly be contained within one person was mixing and swelling up uncontrobly.


    ¡°¡­¡­The prototype.¡±


    ¡°Prototype?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The test subject who has been continuously injected with the serum full of side effects since the beginning of this research. A guinea pig who has been repeatedly injected, treated, and injected again. I almost became like that.¡±


    Ellen spoke calmly, but Dier knew how terrifying that was.


    But there was no more time to talk.


    It wasn''t just the prototype who had opened the door.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Kugh¡­¡­¡±


    People with awkward gaits appeared from all sides.


    All of them had bloodshot eyes, rough breathing, flushed faces, and seemed to be in a state of excitement.


    ¡°¡­¡­These people were also imprisoned.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seems they''ve been imprisoned for a long time because of the side effects. They would have been destined to be eaten by monsters if left like this.¡±


    As Ellen said, these were the people who had suffered when the side effects of the mana injection were still severe.


    The symptoms were more severe than the current mana injection, and most of them were dangerous individuals with little consciousness and only the desire to unleash uncontroble mana.


    ¡°¡­¡­Senior Ellen.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Can you kill these people?¡±


    Dier asked the most concerning question, and Ellen flinched as if her secret had been discovered.


    ¡°¡­¡­It will be difficult.¡±


    The people with a tremendous amount of mana in their bodies were slowly approaching them.


    Moreover, it was impossible for Ellen to kill victims, not even criminals. It was the same for Dier.


    ¡°They seem to want to kill us.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­That''s right.¡±


    ¡°But you still can''t kill them?¡±


    ¡°Can you kill them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It was a meaningless question and answer.


    Meanwhile, the shadow of death gradually closed in around them.


    Dier and Ellen stood back to back and scanned their surroundings.


    ¡°We need to knock them unconscious, minimizing injuries as much as possible.¡±


    The moment Dier uttered those desperate words, the people injected with the mana serum simultaneously attacked them.


    They couldn''t push them back with the clumsy force modtion of trying to knock them unconscious. The moment Ellen and Dier made some kind of resolve.


    Bang!


    A ck wall pushed them away, surrounding Ellen and Dier.


    Ellen and Dier immediately recognized the owner of this ck wall.


    ¡°Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Sloth, Senior Frondier!¡±


    Thump!


    Frondier punched Dier on the head.


    ¡°Sorry. It was deeper than I thought.¡±


    Frondier, after hitting him on the head, spoke to Ellen without a word to Dier.


    Dier held his head and trembled.


    ¡°Why couldn''t I dodge it with my dynamic vision¡­¡­¡±


    He just muttered to himself.


    ¡°Frondier, are you going to kill those people?¡±


    ¡°If there''s no other solution, I will.¡±


    Frondier said.


    ¡°¡ª¡ªThat side effect, it''s caused by different types of mana colliding, right?¡±


    Frondier, saying that, was somehow eerie.


    ¡°Then there''s something I want to try.¡±

 Chapter 214 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Kzeither and @Albaito from Ko-fi!</i>


    Frondier extended a hand. He had always been curious. How did they manage to turn Mana into a liquid?


    No matter how concentrated Mana became, it wouldn''t turn into a liquid. It simply wasn''t that kind of substance.


    Therefore, Frondier''s reasoning was this: "Thisb didn''t develop a technology to turn Mana into a liquid. They developed a technology to insert Mana into a pre-existing liquid."


    Whatever that liquid was, it would be a substance harmless to the human body, like saline solution. After all, they chose injections as a means to insert Mana into others.


    And whether it was harmless or harmful, Frondier already knew of a liquid that inherently possessed Mana.


    Obsidian.


    "Absorbing it is probably impossible," Frondier muttered, raising his hand.<i>Shhh!</i>


    His Obsidian extended in all directions, attaching itself to the people behind the ck wall.


    "But I think I can detach it."


    Frondier''s sixth sense reacted vividly. Within each person, a foreign Mana shed with their own inherent Mana.


    ''Human Manaes in various colors. But the injected Mana, at most... no, there are still five types. They''ve been conducting quite a reckless experiment.''


    Five types of Mana injected into them. This meant that theb had modified the Mana injections at least five times, using humans as test subjects.


    Just like when he absorbed the ck monster, Frondier brought Obsidian''s Mana into contact with the Mana inside the humans'' bodies.


    "Ms. Ellen, and Dier," he called out to them just before attempting it.


    "Be prepared. This is my first time too. These people could die."


    "......!"


    Their expressions hardened at his words, but they didn''t stop him.


    They didn''t know what Frondier was trying to do, but just before he arrived to help, Dier and Ellen had also resolved to kill these people. If there was another way, they had no choice but to try it.


    After confirming their resolve in their eyes, Frondier pulled on Obsidian.


    "Kuuuurgh!!"


    "Kugh......"


    Some screamed, some groaned in pain, but their subsequent actions were the same. They copsed like deted balloons.


    Ellen rushed over to examine them. Her hardened expression while diagnosing their condition softened a momentter.


    "...They''re alive. The symptoms are gone too."


    Hearing that, Dier let out a sigh of relief. But then, surprised, he looked at Frondier.


    ''Just who is this guy?''


    Through the cause of the side effects and what Frondier had just shown, Dier understood that Frondier had removed the Mana that had been injected into them.


    But that was as far as his understanding went. He couldn''t fathom how Frondier was able to extract another person''s Mana, even if it was injected Mana.


    ''...He''s definitely changed, Frondier.''


    Meanwhile, Ellen was tense because of Frondier''s aura.


    His expression and voice were the same as usual, but today''s Frondier had an unexinable eeriness about him.


    Compared to when they had confronted each other, something fundamental seemed to have changed, or rather, something seemed to have been discarded.


    "Then the rest..."


    Frondier raised his head and looked into the distance. There, a massive lump of Mana that had awakened before the others was rampaging.


    The prototype, the first to be experimented on, far before those who had just copsed.


    Many researchers had already been swept away by it, and it was slowly walking towards Frondier.


    "Frondier, be careful. It has immense Mana."


    "...Yes, it certainly does," Frondier replied to Ellen''s tense voice.


    In the meantime, the prototype revealed itself. Its body was abnormally swollen, likely due to the injections.


    Its eyes were far more bloodshot than the others, its veins bulged all over its body, and the excessive heat of its body caused a mist-like substance to rise around it.


    <i>Thump, thump.</i>


    It made heavy sounds with each step it took.


    "Ms. Ellen, Dier. Step back."


    They retreated as Frondier instructed. Both were stronger than before thanks to the Mana injections, but Ellen''s condition had worsened due to the side effects after some time, and Dier wasn''t yet proficient in handling Mana itself.


    And above all, even after receiving the Mana injections, Frondier still seemed much stronger.


    "K, Kuhahaha!!"


    At that moment, Angus''s unhingedughter, oblivious to the atmosphere, echoed through the air.


    "Behold! That tremendous Mana! A human body still alive and moving despite being injected with such Mana! This is medicine! I dreamt of creating human weapons, starting with that prototype, to reim humanity''s territory! I have been fighting for humanity all this time!"


    No one responded to him. However, it was an extremely unpleasant statement.


    Was that a justification for creating human weapons? Or was it sincere? Either way, Angus was now filled with self-righteousness.


    Since this Mana injection had spread throughout the world, the number of people saying things simr to Angus would increase.


    Even in a somewhat moderate way, opinions like ''Isn''t the Mana injection necessary depending on the situation?'' could easily arise.


    "It''sing."


    But that wasn''t the problem to worry about right now. Frondier drew up his Mana and sharpened Obsidian, assuming a stance ready to attack the prototype at any moment.


    Frondier''s eyes met the prototype''s. Their movements stopped, with the ck wall between them.


    "Hahahaha! Die! Die with me here, everyone! See the power of the prototype!!"


    As Angus said, it seemed like their sh would begin at any moment, but...


    "©¤©¤No."


    Frondier saw something in the prototype''s eyes. He actually released his battle stance and deactivated the ck wall, returning it to Obsidian.


    "Frondier?"


    Ellen called out to him in surprise, but Frondier didn''t answer, simply observing the prototype silently.


    As the ck wall disappeared, the prototype approached Frondier with heavy steps,


    <i>thump, thump, thump</i>


    and then...


    *Thud.*


    It knelt on both knees.


    Ellen and Dier''s eyes widened.


    Of course, the most surprised was Angus.


    "Wh, what are you doing! Prototype! Kill him! What do you think you exist for!"


    ording to Angus''s exnation, the prototype should have lost consciousness due to being subjected to all sorts of Mana injection experiments.


    So, all that would remain would be the impulse to unleash Mana, without listening to anyone''smands.


    Therefore, it naturally wouldn''t listen to Angus either, but the prototype''s current actions were so unexpected that Angus screamed his lungs out.


    "Why! Why are you! You, who should be a human weapon!!"


    Ignoring Angus''s harsh words, the prototype spoke.


    "...Kill me."


    "......!"


    Those words.


    When the opponent he considered an enemy mentioned death themselves, Frondier''s eyes widened.


    His hands trembled like never before. For Frondier, who was always adept at hiding his emotions, it was a significant change.


    He clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.


    And then, his eyes opened again. Ellen saw them.


    ''...He''s back.''


    Seeing that, Ellen finally felt like Frondier had returned, even slightly, to the Frondier she knew.

 Chapter 214 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "What do you mean, kill you?" Frondier asked.


    The prototype trembled its head and shoulders as it spoke.


    "I''ve lost and regained consciousness countless times. I don''t know when I''ll lose my mind again. So before that, kill me. Before I harm anyone."


    "Have you killed anyone?"


    "...I don''t know. I don''t remember. But I probably, definitely..."


    As the man spoke, his voice gradually trembled, and tears streamed down his face.


    "My dream was to protect people. But why, why, during the times I lost consciousness, I don''t know what I did. I don''t know who to apologize to, but I know I have to someday, I have to bow my head to the families of the people I killed and atone for the rest of my life, I held onto that, but damn it, now! Sob, sob..."


    The man''s body gradually tilted, and he ced both fists on the ground. He just kept repeating words like "I''m sorry," and "I apologize," without knowing who they were directed at.


    Seeing this, Frondier knelt on one knee to meet the man''s eye level."Then you must live. You have to live and tell the world what happened to you. If you truly killed people, you must atone for it. It''s not over yet."


    "Bu, but I''m already, I''ve already been experimented on so much that it''s irreversible. Now I don''t even know when I''ll lose consciousness..."


    "No."


    Frondier''s Mana surged. He analyzed and examined the man''s body. As the man himself had said, his insides were a mess due to the numerous experiments.


    However, if the mixed Mana was removed, the immediate side effects would disappear. Frondier was neither a doctor nor a healer, but if he could just stop the deterioration, the rest would somehow work out.


    And above all,


    "You endured, didn''t you?"


    "......!"


    Angus was convinced that this man had lost consciousness. Anyone would probably think the same.


    Many people who received the Mana injections muchter than this man had all lost their minds and tried to attack Dier and Ellen.


    But this man endured. Even after all those experiments, he held onto himself with the single-minded determination to atone.


    "So it''s possible."


    "You, you can heal me?"


    "Somewhat."


    Frondier extended Obsidian to touch the man''s body. He couldn''t simply extract the Mana like he did with the others. It required delicate maniption because it was so weaving.


    And more importantly, the man''s own will was crucial.


    "It might be more painful than the experiments you''ve endured so far."


    Of course, Frondier didn''t actually know which was more painful. But the people earlier had screamed when their Mana was extracted.


    There must have been considerable pain. For this man who had already undergone so many experiments, the pain would likely be even more severe.


    "...I don''t care. If I can return to normal."


    "I thought you''d say that."


    Frondier smiled and moved Obsidian with needle-like precision.


    * * *


    Once all the injected Mana was extracted, the man, relieved of tension, lost consciousness. His face, breathing softly, seemed to have fallen into a peaceful sleep for the first time in a long while.


    His body and blood vessels, swollen from the experiments, remained the same, but that was beyond Frondier''s domain.


    "Whew."


    Frondier let out a long sigh after finishing the maniption. He had never used Obsidian for such delicate work before. Moreover, the burden of knowing that someone''s life was at stake weighed heavily on him.


    ''My fingertips are trembling.''


    Frondier looked at his hands. They weren''t shaking violently, but a subtle tremor wouldn''t stop. Come to think of it, he had gone through a lot today. Both his body and mind were worn out.


    "Well then."


    But there was still work to be done, so Frondier turned his head and looked in a certain direction.


    "That guy is left."


    Frondier walked steadily towards Angus.


    "Hey, mister."


    Frondier spoke to Angus, but Angus just stared at him nkly. Instead of answering, he asked a question.


    "...Did you just, extract the Mana?"


    "......"


    "You extracted the Mana and removed the side effects, didn''t you?"


    Angus looked at Frondier in disbelief. Frondier remained silent, but a spark gradually returned to Angus''s eyes.


    "Pe, perfect! You''re the perfect talent to help with my experiment! If wepletely remove the Mana that people originally have and then inject them with the Mana injection, we can create the ultimate human weapon without any side effects!"


    Angus raised his trembling hands. Despite the considerable pain from the fragments of the antidote, shattered by Dier, embedded deep within his body, he forced himself up and reached out to Frondier.


    "He, help me. With your ability, even a perfect human weapon is not a dream. If that happens, we can finally take a step closer to reiming territory, the dream of all humanity...!"


    <i>Grab</i>


    Angus''s hands finally grasped Frondier''s shoulders. He looked at Frondier with pleading eyes.


    Dier and Ellen, who were watching, were speechless and simply observed Angus''s pathetic state.


    Frondier looked into Angus''s pleading eyes for a moment and then smiled.


    "...You''re right."


    As if he had something in mind, Frondier nodded.


    "Injecting Mana into humans to make them stronger, pushing back the monsters outside, and reiming human territory. It truly is a grand dream. If that really happens, everyone will hail you as a hero."


    "Th, that''s right! No! At that time, not only me but you too will be heroes. Your ability is the most necessary power for that n! You can be a hero! With that ability, we won''t need to lose any more people, and..."


    "That''s the problem."


    <i>Swish!</i>


    "Kugh!"


    Obsidian flew in and bound Angus''s arms and legs to the floor. He was ttened against the ground like a frog about to be dissected.


    "While creating a harmless Mana injection for humans and giving birth to the dream human weapon," Frondier''s cold eyes looked down at Angus, "how many people did you kill?"

 Chapter 215 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Pop and @drew from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Angus fell silent. Frondier leaned closer.


    ¡°Can you count?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Those were unavoidable sacrifices. It''s a rather old saying, but to achieve a grand dream, sacrifices are necessary. Don''t you know that yet, with all your abilities?¡±


    Angus''s shameless reply.


    Ellen, watching from behind, looked at Frondier''s hand.


    Faintly, but undeniably trembling fingertips.¡®He¡¯s enduring it.¡¯


    It wouldn''t be visible from Angus''s perspective, which is why Angus could act so arrogantly.


    Right now, Frondier was controlling his anger with superhuman patience.


    Ellen felt like she knew what he was enduring.


    Frondier soon controlled his angerpletely and spoke with a bold smile.


    ¡°Of course, I know. I just wanted to confirm.¡±


    ¡°Confirm?¡±


    At Angus''s question, Frondier''s smile deepened.


    He raised his right hand.


    As if performing a magic trick, he repeatedly clenched and opened his right hand, and then...


    ¡°¡­¡­?!¡±


    At some point, a syringe appeared in his right hand.


    It was a syringe filled with the final version of the Mana liquid that Angus had created after all his experiments and research. At least, that''s what it looked like to Angus.


    ¡°If you truly don''t mind sacrificing for that grand mission.¡±


    While Frondier spoke, the Mana syringe in his hand multiplied to two, three, and then four at once.


    ¡°Even if you yourself are sacrificed, you wouldn''t have anyints, right?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about? That''s my¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter whose it is? If this research progresses, it will take you one step closer to your grand mission.¡±


    At Frondier''s words, Angus''s eyes widened.


    ¡°D-don''t talk nonsense! That''s my achievement! It''s the crystallization of my knowledge that I''ve built up over a long time and research! It''s not something a brat like you can just take away,¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that, I''ve already taken it. As you can see, this is my ability. I will put the research you''ve done to good use. Mr. Angus, please restfortably now. Inside the prison.¡±


    Angus felt like his insides were turning upside down at Frondier''s words. He had to hand over all his research to this young boy?


    No, that''s absurd. But the syringes Frondier had created werepletely identical to his final versions.


    How on earth did he steal those things, and if he didn''t steal them, then Frondier really©¤©¤


    ¡°Ugh, argh! Unbelievable! I can''t give it to you! It''s mine!¡±


    ¡°So, why is that so important? I''llplete your research for you. Then humans will be stronger and push back the monsters outside, reiming their territory and fulfilling your dream. This is what you call a win-win strategy. Ah, do you know what win-win means?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! The human weapon is a huge business! The legalization of weapons must be driven by capital! It only makes sense if you use the appropriate side effects and addiction symptoms to make theme back for my Mana injections! You idiot!¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤So the restoration of the human territory and all that was just an excuse?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I invested this much for something like that!¡±


    Angus thrashed about, struggling desperately to break free from the Obsidian that bound him.


    Frondier watched him for a moment and then scratched his face.


    ¡°I was just asking in case you didn''t know what win-win means.¡±


    Frondier took out his phone.


    ¡°Do you know what ¡®recording¡¯ means?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    * * *


    After restraining Angus, Frondier found the antidote and gave it to Dier and Ellen.


    There was no need to threaten Angus. He had already seen all the information through analysis.


    ¡°Sob, sob. My power is fading away.¡±


    Dier muttered in a joking tone. After receiving the antidote, his Mana gradually disappeared.


    Frondier chuckled and said,


    ¡°I can give it back to you if you want.¡±


    ¡°Huh? How?¡±


    ¡°Angus said it earlier, didn''t he? If you extract all the existing Mana from a person and inject this Mana, they can increase their Mana without side effects. Since it''s the same Mana anyway, you can keep injecting the Mana.¡±


    Of course, regardless of the side effects, you should only inject as much Mana as the body can handle. Frondier added that.


    After hearing that, Dier thought carefully and shook his head.


    ¡°I don''t want that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because my Mana is mine.¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Frondier nodded at Dier''s seemingly simple answer.


    But in reality, it wouldn''t be that simple.


    ¡®A person''s Mana doesn''t just exist to use power.¡¯


    Every living being on this continent, big or small, possesses Mana. If it were simply for using powerful abilities, then creatures that don''t need such power wouldn''t have Mana in the first ce.


    Therefore, Mana is essential for living beings. Dier must instinctively know that losing all of it would be extremely dangerous.


    Ellen, who was listening, suddenly asked as if something hade to mind.


    ¡°By the way, Dier, how did you get the first Mana injection?¡±


    After being captured by Ellen and brought here, Dier received the same injection as Ellen.


    Thanks to that, he was able to break free from his restraints and corner Angus, but Ellen couldn''t understand how he had obtained it.


    Dier replied as if it were nothing special.


    ¡°Ah, I stole it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Stole it?¡±


    ¡°It''s kind of embarrassing to say, but I''m good at hiding.¡±


    Dier had heard from Frondier that an ally woulde. Of course, that ally was Ellen.


    Dier didn''t know that the ally was Ellen, but when he heard that, he thought:


    There must be aboratory somewhere in Constel.


    ¡°My movement patterns are simple. I just go back and forth between the dormitory and the ssroom. I don''t have any club activities yet. Frondier said I would meet an ally in that short time, and Ellen actually came to me, which means the enemies also know that I''m easy to take, right?¡±


    Then the answer is simple.


    Theboratory is not far from Constel, and it''s even more likely that it''s within Constel.


    There are no other ces around here with facilities as good as Constel''s.


    ¡°So, I came here a few days ago.¡±

 Chapter 215 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°You came here?¡±


    Ellen asked back in a bewildered voice.


    Dier shrugged.


    ¡°Well, I didn''t juste here. I didn''t know which researchb it was. So I went around to all the usible researchbs in Constel. Under the pretext of a tour. A legitimate researchb wouldn''t be able to just block a Constel student.¡±


    And in the meantime, he lowered his presence and stole the syringe from theb.


    Of course, Dier didn''t just steal the syringe. He didn''t know whichb was the right one, so he stole anything suspicious from eachb.


    ¡°It''s just luck that one of them worked.¡±


    Dier smiled wryly. Even though he had prepared in advance, he still had to rely on luck in the end, which made him feel pathetic.


    But Ellen''s doubts deepened after hearing that.She asked Frondier,


    ¡°Then you weren''t the one who made Dier get the syringe?¡±


    ¡°No. I never thought Dier would inject himself.¡±


    ¡°Then how could you say I was the ally? If he hadn''t injected himself, Dier would have remained restrained there.¡±


    At that, Frondier tilted his head as if asking what she meant.


    ¡°Well, of course, you would have saved him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier looked at Ellen with innocent eyes.


    Ellen honestly wasn''t sure. If Dier hadn''t used the injection to be stronger and turn the situation around, would she have saved him?


    Frondier believed she would have, but Ellen herself wasn''t sure.


    ¡°Then let''s go back now. I''m tired.¡±


    Frondier said that and walked straight out. There was no hesitation in his steps, and he didn''t look back.


    ¡°Frondier is always so cool.¡±


    Dier said, watching him.


    ¡°¡­¡­No, I think.¡±


    But Ellen had a slightly different thought.


    Frondier''s back didn''t look cool, but rather, just incredibly exhausted.


    * * *


    As night deepened, I climbed up to the roof of the Constel building. There was no particr reason, I just wanted to get some air.


    I had told Ellen and Dier that things were settled for now.


    But in reality, I still had a task left.


    ¡®I haven''t found the monsters yet.¡¯


    Of course, I had learned the location of the monsters by analyzing Eden Hamelot and Angus Mason. The monsters that humans traded with to dispose of corpses.


    But if I stirred things up now, they would just run away. They still didn''t know that theb had been destroyed, so they would show up at the usual meeting ce. That would be the opportunity to attack the monsters.


    ...But.


    Why am I so tired?


    ¡®Even when I fell asleep after taking down Indus, I didn''t feel this exhausted.¡¯


    Back then, the fatigue from continuous battles and work had been building up. Eventually, it led to the situation where I fell asleep while tied to a chair.


    Compared to that, the most I''ve done this time is just today. Yet, the fatigue I feel now is iparable to back then.


    The fatigue from Indus led me to sleep.


    But the fatigue now is trying to break me down.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    I turned around at the voiceing from behind me. Ellen was standing there.


    ¡°¡­¡­Senior.¡±


    ¡°You said you were tired, but you didn''t go home.¡±


    Ellen''s light voice, trying to brighten the mood.


    ¡°¡­¡­That''s true.¡±


    I tried to smile in response, but it didn''t work well.


    Ellen didn''t say anything for a while after that. She just stood next to me, seemingly enjoying the breeze with her gaze fixed on the empty air. I liked that. I still needed time to talk to Ellen.


    And how much time passed?


    Was my heart ready, or did Ellen''s waite to an end?


    At some point, when I wasn''t sure which it was, Ellen''s words flew cautiously towards me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Why did you save me?¡±


    It was a familiar question. This time, a genuine smile came out. Ellen was asking me the same question from the Golem incident.


    ¡°Senior is someone who shouldn''t die.¡±


    Therefore, I could only give her the same answer.


    Ellen''s lips pursed slightly.


    ¡°You know that''s not an answer, right? I thought the same thingst time.¡±


    ¡°I also saidst time that you''re like a child left by the water. There aren''t many people I worry about.¡±


    Ellen had nothing to say. She had actually caused trouble.


    I chuckled at her silence and let out a sigh.


    Somewhere at the end of that sigh, I realized that my voice was trembling slightly.


    ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Today, I...¡±


    I raised one hand and covered my eyes. It wasn''t because I wanted to hide. I just wanted to close my eyes.


    ¡°©¤Do you know what I did?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Ellen didn''t answer that question.


    My excessive reaction to the word ¡®death¡¯ that I identally let slip today, the anger I desperately suppressed in front of Angus.


    Ellen would understand what I was asking.


    But she didn''t answer, and she didn''t ask further.


    Whether she thought it would make things harder for me, or because she knew the reason better than anyone else.


    ¡°I did something very cruel. Something far more outrageous than anything I''ve done before.¡±


    I said.


    Something I had been holding back inside slowly started to flow out.


    I lowered my hand and looked straight at Ellen.


    I finally let out the words I had been holding back.


    ¡°It''s all your fault.¡±


    Ellen''s eyes widened slightly.


    Then she lowered her gaze and replied with a faint smile.


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Because you''re in danger, I end up doing things like that.¡±


    Ellen''s smile slowly faded, and her eyes began to tremble.


    With tearful eyes, she spoke to me in the most sincere voice I had ever heard from her.


    ¡°Yes. I''m sorry.¡±


    I turned my head away after hearing Ellen''s apology.


    I could see the students still remaining below the rooftop.


    At that moment, a strange thought came to mind.


    ¡°Don''t ever secretly bottle things up and suffer alone, trying to die by yourself again. If anything happens,e straight to me.¡±


    The enemies underestimate me, so they target the people around me.


    Myrades don''t trust me, so they don''t ask for my help.


    So, to solve all of that, I killed, threatened, and deceived.


    Covered in all that filth, I spoke in a dark voice.


    ¡°I will take care of everything.¡±


    I don''t know what kind of expression Ellen made after hearing those words. She might be dumbfounded, or she might be bewildered.


    But whatever her reaction, it didn''t matter.


    This was my decision.


    This is what will happen next.

 Chapter 216 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few dayster, in an abandoned building in the central continent.


    As noon passed, wolves walking on two legs appeared.


    They twitched their noses, unfamiliar with the strangely quiet ce today. It was rare for them to arrive at the meeting point first.


    Since it wasn''t good for humans and monsters to be together for a long time, the usual order was to receive the human corpses and leave immediately...


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Tatatang!


    A sudden shout. Someone among the hidden humans yelled, and at the same time, the door of the abandoned building closed.


    ¡°Kieeek!!¡±


    The wolves instinctively turned back and fled. When they ran at full speed, they galloped on all fours, looking like wolves without a doubt.This building was built a very long time ago and was just as old, so there were gaps where they could escape even if it wasn''t through the door.


    However.


    sh!


    ¡°Don''t miss a single one!!¡±


    Even those gaps were filled with the des of humans who had been waiting in advance, flying like mobiles.


    Even if these were monsters from the outside, they specialized in concealment. In this situation where they werepletely exposed and trapped, they had no way to withstand the attacks of skilled veteran Pros.


    A one-sided massacre took ce, and after a while.


    ¡°They''ve all been dealt with.¡±


    The wolves had now be corpses, rolling on the floor.


    ¡°Just as Mr. Eden said. You are truly amazing.¡±


    The Pros approached Eden, who had led this ce.


    ¡°To track down the discovery areas of those who received the Mana injections and find the meeting point, I can''t even grasp the direction.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I was lucky. I had several other ces in mind besides here, and fortunately, I got it right on the first try.¡±


    Eden humbly downyed his own contribution, but his expression was somehow stiff.


    ¡°Mr. Eden, is something wrong? You don''t look well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. That can''t be. I think I''m just relieved that things worked out well. Fatigue must be catching up to me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. I understand. We''ve been chasing these bastards for a long time.¡±


    As Eden said, this incident could be considered almost over.


    ¡°In the end, that kid was right. They really were using Constel¡¯sboratory.¡±


    ¡°Frondier and Mr. Eden yed a big role in this operation. Thanks to the efforts of both of you, we were able toplete the operation safely without major damage.¡±


    ¡°But that Frondier guy, he''s not participating in themunication operation after all. As other Pros predicted, he seems to prefer strategy. I don''t think we can expect him to be a frontline fighter.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. Don''t you think so, Mr. Eden?¡±


    ¡°Th, that''s right. Frondier''s contribution was certainly great.¡±


    Eden''s face stiffened as soon as he heard Frondier''s name. He even stuttered, which was definitely not like him. His answer was slightly off too.


    Eden put his hand on his head and shook his head.


    ¡°Hmm, I should withdraw now. I''m really tired today.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You definitely seem tired. Please get some rest.¡±


    Eden walked to his vehicle, escorted by his colleagues.


    As soon as he got into the car, his phone rang.


    He looked at the screen and saw that a message had arrived.


    [Good work.]


    That short sentence.


    It wasn''t even a big deal, but Eden''s hands trembled.


    ¡®He was watching¡­.¡¯


    He couldn''t read Frondier with his Internal Energy. Whether he was nearby or using something else to observe him.


    Eden couldn''t feel Frondier, and just sat still in the car for a while, gripped by the fear that he was watching him from somewhere.


    * * *


    After the joint operation was over, the Roach family had a family dinner for the first time in a long time.


    It was to celebrate Frondier¡¯s first experience as a Pro.


    On the surface, it looked simr to when Frondier took first ce in the final exams, but there were two differences.


    First, it was a dinner out back then, but this time, the meal was held at the mansion. This was at Azier¡¯s request.


    And secondly.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, I, well¡­¡­.¡±


    Selena, who was sitting next to Frondier, was busily rolling her eyes.


    Selena couldn''t understand why she was here now, even though it was a family dinner.


    And what was this silent atmosphere? It''s a celebratory family dinner, but no one has spoken since earlier.


    What is it, is everyone angry? Because of me? Because it''s presumptuous for me, a non-family member, to be at the dinner table?


    That''s why I said I wouldn''te!


    ¡°It''s okay, Selena.¡±


    Frondier said.


    ¡°You don''t have to force yourself to make conversation. Our family is originally taciturn.¡±


    ¡°I, is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''s not like the atmosphere is stiff and heavy because of you.¡±


    Is it just human psychology that makes it feel even more like that when you say it so specifically?


    ¡°Azier.¡±


    Enfer called Azier.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Frondier participated where the Pros were, how did you see it?¡±


    Azier answered without hesitation.


    ¡°He wascking nothing.¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤Hmm. I see.¡±


    And silence again.


    Selena rolled her eyes, wondering if this was really it, but she was the only one who found the silence awkward.


    Malia, who was watching it quietly, opened her mouth.


    ¡°You''re Selena, right?¡±


    ¡°Hot! Yes!¡±


    ¡°I heard my son hired you as a bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! That''s right. I am Frondier-nim¡¯s bodyguard.¡±


    Malia smiled and asked, looking at Selena, who was answering like a parrot.


    ¡°Doesn''t Frondier give you a hard time? He doesn''t seem like it, but he''s a bit mischievous.¡±


    A bit?


    Selena almost asked back like that, but she held it in with all her soul.


    ¡°It''s, it''s okay. Frondier-nim treats me well.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but the way I see it.¡±


    Malia trailed off and looked at Selena quietly.


    Then she turned her gaze to Frondier.


    ¡°No matter how I look at it, it seems like you chose her based on her looks. Frondier?¡±


    Malia''s words were half-joking, but half-serious. There was a suspicious look in her eyes amidst theughter.


    ¡°When I contacted them for hiring, Selena was the one who came. I was also surprised.¡±


    Frondier said.


    Selena became more nervous at that answer.


    Being surprised meant, that is, Frondier also immediately©¤


    ¡°So you think she''s pretty too?¡±


    Malia asked exactly what Selena was thinking.


    Frondier said.


    ¡°Well, I have eyes too.¡±

 Chapter 216 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    It was Frondier and Malia who were talking, but Selena''s face next to them was getting redder and redder.


    ¡°But to protect our son, you need more than ordinary skills.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m keenly aware of that.¡±


    Selena bowed her head deeply. Frondier was someone who didn''t value his own life.


    But since absorbing the Mana of Helheim, Frondier had be almost invincible in closebat.


    Of course, when he met a strong person like Ellen, he tended to be at a disadvantage, but most people couldn''t even get close to Frondier in the first ce, so.


    ¡­Wait, I''m. It seems like I''m bing less and less necessary for Frondier¡­¡­.


    ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Enfer who defended Selena at that moment.¡°I checked brieflyst time. She has that much skill.¡±


    Enfer remembered the first time he saw Selena.


    At first, he also thought Frondier was just using the excuse of wanting a woman by his side to talk about bodyguards, but Selena immediately reacted to the murderous intent he shot out and entered abat stance.


    The distance she instantly created, the speed at which she switched to abat stance, and her posture. It was a conclusion he reached after evaluating everything.


    ¡°Oh my. You''re giving outpliments. Is she really that skilled?¡±


    ¡°She''s qualified as a bodyguard. That''s all I said.¡±


    Enfer spoke as if correcting her, but just those words showed how much recognition he had given. Knowing this, Selena bowed her head deeply.


    ¡°Th, thank you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hmm.¡±


    Enfer epted her thanks without saying anything.


    Just then, a small cough was heard.


    ¡°¡­¡­Father.¡±


    Azier spoke up.


    At his voice, Frondier, Enfer, and Malia were surprised and focused their attention on him.


    Because they felt a hint of hesitation in Azier''s voice.


    Azier was hesitating! A sight that could only be seen a few times a year.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to tell you the reason why I created this gathering.¡±


    As Azier said, it was he who first mentioned this gathering. It was also he who suggested having a meal inside the mansion.


    Of course, the reason was to celebrate Frondier''s first experience as a Pro, but for Azier personally, that was just a superficial reason.


    ¡°Reason?¡±


    ¡°Our operation was a coboration between the Imperial Pce, the Pros, and Constel. Constel included Frondier and a few teachers, and there were also knights from the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And Her Majesty the Empress also participated. At her own active request.¡±


    ¡°I know that too.¡±


    What Azier was saying was already known information.


    That''s why they all couldn''t understand why Azier was bringing up these things. Frondier was the same.


    ¡°Her Majesty the Empress strongly emphasized that Frondier''s contribution was very significant to the sessfulpletion of this joint operation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Strongly emphasized? To whom?¡±


    Malia asked. Azier didn''t show it, but a sigh naturally mixed into his voice.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?!¡±


    ¡°So, he''s sending letters tomend the key personnel of this operation. It hasn''t arrived yet, but probably to Frondier as well.¡±


    In other words, Frondier would be heading to the Imperial Pce to meet the Emperor. Of course, there was no way he could refuse.


    At Azier''s words, silence fell over the dinner table.


    The quiet meal until just now was just because everyone wasn''t talking, but this time, there were really no wordsing out. Even Enfer''s expression hardened.


    ¡°This is my personal opinion, but I believe the Empress''s participation in this operation was also to create an excuse for Frondier to meet His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty, Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don''t know the reason, but Her Majesty has a close rtionship with Frondier and was showing it off.¡±


    Of course, Azier didn''t say that Frondier called the Empress ¡®Philly¡¯ or something like that.


    He didn''t want to kill his younger brother.


    ¡®¡­¡­But is this really something to be this serious about?¡¯


    Frondier narrowed his eyes as he observed the atmosphere around him. Of course, meeting the Emperor was burdensome, but from the family''s point of view, it would be an unparalleled honor. Moreover, with the Empress''s active rmendation, even more so.


    "Frondier. Do you remember what I told youst time?"


    That''s when Malia asked Frondier.


    Frondier was inwardly tense. This was undoubtedly a question for Frondier before the possession. Information that the current Frondier didn''t know at all.


    "The day you were born, when I held you and faced His Majesty in the name of our family."


    If it was a prestigious family like Roach, there were often exchanges with the emperor. Enfer was not fond of it, but he couldn''t refuse all the summons from the imperial pce.


    "Then, His Majesty pointed at you and called you ''the devil''s child''."


    "......Yes?"


    "Don''t you remember me telling you this? So, your father was very angry at that time. He said, ''Are you cursing my wife and child?'' Since then, whenever your father, who already disliked the imperial pce, heard something like ''Zodiac'', he would frown fiercely."


    "It''s only natural. The guy who says such things is the emperor. Unless Bartello kneels before me, my mind will not change."


    Enfer mentioned the emperor''s name.


    Selena was surprised and opened her mouth at his remark, but it was not a big deal for Enfer, who had a close rtionship with him before Bartello ascended the throne due to the war with the monsters.


    There was a more important issue for Frondier.


    ''The devil''s child......?''


    Would the emperor usually say such a thing when he first sees a baby? Especially a baby from a prestigious family. Although Frondier, before he was possessed, was evaluated as ipetent andzy, it wasn''t from his infancy, was it?


    "Frondier. If you happen to go to the pce."


    Azier spoke.


    "Stay as far away from the emperor as possible. Don''t make eye contact with him, just live as if you don''t exist. For some reason, His Majesty dislikes you very much."


    "......Brother. The empress rmended me, can I just let it pass?"


    At the question of Frondier, the sigh that Azier had been holding back finally slipped out.


    "That''s the problem."


    Frondier felt like sighing in unison.


    Before the possession, Frondier believed he had shaken off everything from the past.


    But it seemed that Frondier was still burdened with the ¡®price ofziness.¡¯

 Chapter 217 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Grav and @Geoffrey from Ko-fi!</i>


    The Empire had its shadows.


    The individuals Frondier had encountered before still operated under the Empire''s veil.


    "...Frondier de Roach?"


    Among them, Laurie, whose rank had risen due to sessful missionpletions, questioned her subordinate''s report.


    Laurie had achieved significant merit bypleting the previous mission to investigate the Helheim fragment.


    Even the fragment''s destruction was attributed to their aplishments.


    As a member of the shadows, she regretted not uncovering its true nature before its destruction. However, it was only natural to acknowledge their contribution to the Empire''s safety and peace.Thanks to this, Laurie, who was once just a discarded name, now had subordinates and received reports.


    "Yes. I heard he''s participating in the event at the Imperial Pce to celebrate the sess of the joint operation. I''ve confirmed the list."


    Laurie lowered her eyes at her subordinate''s words and pondered deeply.


    Frondier was a figure shrouded in as much secrecy as the shadows. And he was extremely reluctant to reveal himself.


    For such a person to head to the Imperial Pce...


    Just what kind of change of heart could have urred¡ª


    "It seems Her Majesty the Empress actively supported it."


    "Ugh."


    Laurie''s thoughts werepletely thrown off. Well, with the Empress''s support, there was no way Frondier could refuse.


    Then why would the Empress show that much interest in Frondier...?


    "Please be careful, Lady Laurie. While it''s good to continue monitoring Frondier, there are quite a few in the upper ranks who are suspicious of you."


    "...Hmm."


    "The shadows consider Frondier the biggest opening to draw Enfer into the center. They support you knowing that."


    "I know."


    Although Laurie answered that way, she was aware that the shadows were wrong this time.


    Frondier wasn''t some gap in Enfer. He might have been in the past, but not now.


    She understood why the upper echelons of the shadows were salivating at Frondier''s visit to the Imperial Pce this time, but it probably wouldn''t be as easy as they thought.


    "But it''s unexpected that His Majesty allowed it."


    "...I think so too."


    Seeing her subordinate nod, Laurie thought.


    ''I heard Frondier has never been to the Imperial Pce except as a baby. Emperor Bartello vehemently opposed it.''


    Of course, Philly had secretly brought him to the pce, but that wasn''t an official visit, and Laurie didn''t know about it.


    "Even with Her Majesty''s support, it''s strange that His Majesty, who would normally have strongly opposed it, agreed."


    No one in the Imperial Pce knew why Bartello disliked Frondier.


    However, many nobles had witnessed him yelling at the infant Frondier in the throne room.


    After the angered Enfer left with his wife and child, Frondier hadn''t set foot in the Imperial Pce until now.


    "With so much time passed, perhaps His Majesty''s anger has subsided."


    Her subordinate spoke cautiously.


    They didn''t even know why he was angry in the first ce.


    "...Well, that could be it."


    "Then I''ll conclude the report. I''ll take my leave¡ª"


    "Wait."


    Laurie spoke to her subordinate, who was bowing deeply and stepping back.


    "There should be something left to report, right?"


    "..."


    "About the Mana Injection. What happened? If there''s no progress, you need to exin the situation."


    At Laurie''s words, her subordinate, still bowing deeply, slowly opened her mouth.


    "During the investigation, I received instructions from the upper ranks."


    "...As expected, regarding the Mana Injection..."


    "They said to stop all interest in it."


    Laurie''s eyes narrowed at those words.


    ''As expected, the Mana Injection is the shadows''...''


    She had been concerned about the shadows'' strange silence regarding the Mana Injection, which directly harmed the citizens of the Empire.


    Just because Laurie belonged to the shadows didn''t mean she knew everything about them.


    In fact, there was much more she didn''t know. That''s how it usually was with those who didn''t care about the means and methods.


    ''Human weapons. Depending on who hears it, it''s a very pleasing term for the shadows.''


    Whoever in the shadows gave the order, if the Mana Injection were trulypleted, it would be a joyous asion for them.


    Given the shadows'' perspective, which took the sacrifice of a few for granted, the Mana Injection was far too consistent with their way of thinking, their beliefs.


    ''But that n is also ruined because of Frondier. Well, it''s not just Frondier''s problem, of course.''


    Of course, if the shadows were determined, they could bring someone else in, set up a researchb, and continue research on the injection.


    But since things had already been stirred up significantly, they would have to hold back for a while to avoid getting caught.


    ''...But the fact that Frondier ising to the Imperial Pce...''


    Laurie had heard that Frondier yed a significant role in the joint operation. His strategy in reading the enemy''s n and catching their tail was particrly noteworthy.


    His visit to the Imperial Pce meant that the person most likely to step on the shadows'' tail was approaching them.


    ''Could it be that Frondier is doing this on purpose?''


    No way, surely not.


    Laurie only made this connection because she belonged to the shadows. There was no way Frondier could have noticed the connection to the shadows from that incident.


    Besides, it was the Empress who invited Frondier. It wasn''t Frondier''s own will.


    ...Let''s believe that.

 Chapter 217 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Sigh."


    Aten let out a sigh.


    She was going to the Imperial Pce. To see her father.


    "Oh my, Lady Aten. Why the sigh? On such a joyous day."


    One of the servants who were helping her with her clothes and makeup spoke up.


    "Ah, sorry. I must be a little tired."


    "Did you not sleep wellst night?"


    "Yes. Maybe that''s it."


    "Hehe. It''s understandable to be nervous. It''s been a while since you''ve been to the Imperial Pce. Especially for such a public event."Aten was kind to those around her despite her appearance, so many servants spoke to her informally when no one was looking. Aten herself wanted that as well.


    Listening to the excited voices of the servants, Aten fell into thought again.


    ''Something about Mom''s voice was serious...''


    Philly, who had rarely used such a tone in her entire life, had asked Aten toe to the Imperial Pce.


    Of course, since she had heard about the celebration at the Imperial Pce for the sess of the joint operation, Aten had nned to attend as the princess anyway.


    However, Philly had asked Aten to see her father separately.


    ''Is something wrong with Dad?''


    Dad, Father.


    To Aten, it was awkward to say either way.


    She had barely spoken to Bartello, and thus, had no reason to talk about her father. She had hardly ever uttered the words "Dad" or "Father."


    ''To suddenly ask to meet...''


    Aten felt like she was being introduced to a stranger.


    Moreover, if there were others around, she would have to act affectionate with this stranger.


    "There, how is it, Lady Aten?"


    As Aten''s clothes and makeup werepleted, one of the servants moved a full-length mirror to reflect her image.


    A pure white dress that matched the snow-white Aten. Aten''s beautiful face, elegantly made up. The beauty that enveloped her graceful form seemed to flow down from her exposed shoulders, drenching her entire body.


    "Oh my... Lady Aten, you truly seem to have been born to shine."


    "There you go again. Exaggerating."


    "Exaggerating? Not at all!"


    Aten had no particr feelings about her whiteness. She didn''t feel burdened by people''s gazes or anything like that. Half of it was thanks to Philly''s upbringing.


    ''Those people, you know, if your hair were yellow, they would make a fuss about it being sprinkled with gold. So you don''t have to worry about it,'' she had been told every day as she grew up.


    However, she was aware that cases like hers, with white hair, white eyes, and white skin, were extremely rare.


    Therefore, when she was dressed in a pure white dress like today, all her colors reflected the sunlight, literally emitting light.


    Even Aten herself felt the same impression when she looked at herself: ''Pure white.''


    "...That, Frondier..."


    "Yes?"


    "Besides me, isn''t there one more Constel student participating in the event?"


    "Ah, that boy in ck? Frondier de Roach."


    In ck.


    The servant spoke without any positive or negative connotation, but the image was undoubtedly urate.


    ck hair, ck eyes, and Constel''s uniform, which was originally ck. Even the weapons he used were now armed in ck.


    "Has that boy already left?"


    "Hmm, I think so? He needs to be there early and wait. You probably won''t be able to meet him during the event."


    "...I see."


    Aten replied in a monotone voice.


    However, the servant noticed the subtle downturn of her eyes that followed.


    "Lady Aten, did you know? At weddings..."


    "Wed, weddings?"


    Aten flinched at the single word and looked at the servant in surprise.


    And then, as if realizing something, she pursed her lips.


    "Ah, yes, weddings."


    "Yes. Do you know why the bride''s dress is pure white and the groom''s suit is ck at weddings?"


    "...Why is that?"


    "Originally, the bride''s dress was adorned with all sorts of colors and gold bands, making it dazzling. But one noblewoman chose a pure white dress to abandon luxury and vanity. That became a huge trend, leading to the current pure white color."


    "...Why is the suit ck?"


    "So that the bride''s dress shines even brighter."


    Hearing those words, Aten blinked for a moment. She turned her eyes to the servant who had spoken.


    "You didn''t just make that up, did you?"


    "Of course not. Absolutely not. Well, it''s something I heard in passing."


    "What, it was just something you heard."


    At Aten''s disappointed voice, the servant chuckled and said,


    "But even without that background knowledge, they match, don''t they? White and ck. Don''t you think so?"


    "...Well."


    Aten nodded as if acknowledging that part.


    "Well, there''s no guarantee that boy will wear ck clothes when he goes to the Imperial Pce."


    "Right."


    Aten replied unconsciously, then¡ª


    "Wait, what am I saying?"


    She raised her voice in an uncharacteristic manner, with an unfitting tone.


    * * *


    Many prestigious families gathered at the Imperial Pce.


    The arriving vehicles stopped one after another, and servants took over to park them.


    Those who arrived earlier observed the vehicles and identified the families that would disembark next.


    For them, the arrival of the next prestigious family was an interesting topic for gossip and a good way to heighten the atmosphere.


    Of course, they weren''t openly staring, but it had be a natural thing for everyone to pay attention to who woulde next while conversing with each other.


    "Hamelot, it''s Hamelot."


    "There are few names that draw everyone''s attention like that, even without being nobles."


    "He was also the leader in this joint operation."


    Even when Eden Hamelot arrived, the whispers among the nobles were lively.


    Today, they weren''t looking for nobles. They were here to observe the promising next generation, the pros who would protect the Empire, and even potential future Zodiacs. Therefore, the gazes directed at Eden were filled with admiration and aspiration, despite him being amoner.


    Eden quietly disappeared from sight today. The nobles found it a bit strange, but their attention was soon drawn elsewhere.


    A luxury sedan approached from afar. As soon as they saw the front of the car, they knew who it was at a nce.


    ''Roach!''


    Some nobles stopped their conversations and watched the vehicle approach.


    No one found it pathetic. There were hardly any nobles here who carried a name greater than Roach.


    The vehicle stopped, and both the front and rear doors opened.


    "It''s been a while since we came together, hasn''t it, dear?"


    "The air here is still unpleasant."


    "There you go again. Hmm, maybe it''s because it''s been so long, but the color of the door seems a bit faded."


    Enfer and Malia emerged from the back doors. In front of everyone, they openly expressed their opinions about the Imperial Pce. The surrounding nobles didn''t seem to mind.


    Their eldest son, Azier, got out of the driver''s seat.


    "Good job driving, son."


    "It was nothing."


    Azier responded to Malia with a slight nod and turned to the passenger seat.


    "Frondier, do as we discussed on the way here."


    "Yes."


    And the man who stepped out of the passenger seat.


    The appearance of Frondier de Roach widened the eyes of the nobles.


    ''The second son of the Roach family!''


    ''I heard he wasing to the Imperial Pce this time, so the rumors were true!''


    Firstly, they were surprised that Frondier, who was rumored to be disliked by Bartello, had actuallye to the Imperial Pce.


    Secondly, it was because of Frondier''s attire.


    Frondier was dressed in ck from head to toe. The shade was even deeper than that of a typical suit.


    This was a measure taken beforehand to make Frondier as inconspicuous as possible, but unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.


    Frondier''snguid and peaceful eyes, his sophisticated face, and the ck suit designed with such elegance drew people''s attention as if the space around him had a different gravity.


    Apart from being a member of the Roach family, Frondier in ck seemed excessively fitting for the Imperial Pce today.


    ''The atmosphere is incredible...''


    ''He''s soposed despite setting foot in the Imperial Pce for the first time at such a young age.''


    ''His posture and gaze are impressive. He has a presence that wouldn''t falter in most situations.''


    Frondier, meanwhile, frowned slightly and adjusted his tie. Even his slightly furrowed brow was captivating.


    However, the voice that came out of him was¡ª


    "This suit is damn ufortable."


    It was a mutter that no one could hear.

 Chapter 218 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The celebratory event at the Imperial Pce was fundamentally simr to a noble''s banquet.


    Attendees enjoyed the food and drinks prepared in the hall, fostering rtionships with others while harboring their own thoughts.


    Introductions of those who performed well in the joint operation would follow, but solidifying existing connections took precedence.


    In that sense, Frondier had no immediate difficulties.


    Because he had no connections with anyone here.


    He had thought that perhaps Elodie''s family, House Rishae, might be present, but upon looking around, they seemed absent.


    ¡®Elodie has seemed busytely.¡¯


    Since bing a second-year student, Frondier hadn''t had much interaction with Elodie. It wasn''t that they had grown distant, but rather that Elodie had be noticeably busier.


    However, as Elodie''s face was full of life, he wasn''t particrly worried. She was probably finishing up what she hadn''t managed toplete during the vacation.¡®With Elodie not here, there''s nothing for me to do.¡¯


    Frondier stood quietly in a corner of the banquet hall.


    The decision of the entire House of Roach: Frondier should keep a low profile as much as possible.


    His attire today and his current position in the corner were all for this purpose.


    However.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Lord Frondier de Roach?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes?¡±


    Someone approached Frondier. A youngdy with an air of elegance, her teardrop mole particrly noticeable.


    ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you. I am Ameline von Ellis.¡±


    Ameline introduced herself and offered a graceful bow.


    Frondier returned the greeting with due courtesy. Honestly, he wasn''t sure if this was the right way to do it.


    ¡°I heard about your achievements in the joint operation. I''ve been wanting to meet you for a while now, and I''m so happy to finally do so.¡±


    Ameline said with a shy smile.


    ¡®Lies.¡¯


    Frondier inwardly smiled wryly at Ameline''s obvious lie.


    He didn''t know if Ameline currently had any favorable feelings towards him, but it was a lie to say that she had wanted to meet him before the joint operation.


    The name "Frondier" would be virtually unknown in the central continent, including the Imperial Pce. They had even forgotten that Enfer had a second son.


    Well, it wouldn''t be entirely wrong to say that she wanted the connections of the Roach family.


    ¡®Whatever the case, my actions remain unchanged.¡¯


    In times like these, it was better to be polite than to try to avoid them. Courtesy was originally based on formal and boring exchanges.


    More importantly, since he was here not as an individual but as the son of House Roach, all of Frondier''s actions had to be calm, gentle, and befitting the name of House Roach.


    In such situations, it was best to utilize the "smile" he had learned from Selena.


    ¡°©¤It''s a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Ameline.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Good, perfect. A response that didn''t cause any difort to the other party, didn''t particrly cut off the conversation, but didn''t leave room for further discussion either.


    They had simply exchanged greetings, so it was a perfectly natural flow to part ways and go about their respective business.


    As Frondier expected, Ameline, after receiving his greeting, stared at him nkly for a moment with her mouth slightly open, then bowed her head and began to leave©¤


    ¡°Ah, um! I may not look it, but I''m quite interested in cooking¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, is that so?¡±


    ©¤She didn''t.


    Ameline forced an unrted topic and tried to keep the conversation going.


    ¡°I''ve been diligently learning recently. But I haven''t had a proper evaluation yet, so if you wouldn''t mind, Lord Frondier, perhaps next time we meet, you could try some¡­¡­¡±


    Next time?


    That''s odd. Wasn''t the flow supposed to be just getting to know each other and parting ways?


    And just as Frondier was about to reply.


    ¡°Lord Frondier, it''s a pleasure. I am Hughes von Ferry.¡±


    ¡°I''m Joshua. I hope to see you often from now on.¡±


    More nobles approached Frondier and introduced themselves.


    Frondier greeted them all with the same courtesy as he had shown Ameline, while breaking out in a cold sweat behind his back.


    ¡®How did this happen?¡¯


    Before he knew it, Frondier was surrounded by a group of nobles. And although they seemed to be conversing well with each other, the center of the conversation was entirely focused on Frondier.


    It was the scene of his n to remain inconspicuous being utterly shattered.


    Frondier unconsciously nced to the side. Azier was there.


    Azier, upon seeing Frondier''s situation, closed his eyes deeply, as if epting the inevitable.


    Malia, who was next to him, smiled warmly but quickly straightened her expression as if remembering herself.


    In the end, while Frondier was doing his best to act like a noble,


    <i>Dong-</i>


    The lights in the hall dimmed. Naturally, the attendees stopped their conversations and turned towards a particr spot.


    As the spotlight naturally brightened, illuminating a specific area, a gentleman in a neat suit stepped forward.


    ¡°Distinguished guests who havee to the Imperial Pce to celebrate the sess of the joint operation, I sincerely wee you.¡±


    His voice, strong and dignified without a hint of age, resonated throughout the hall.


    ¡°Her Highness, Sale Terst, and Her Highness, Aten Terst, will now enter.¡±


    At his words, everyone turned towards the door from which the gentleman had emerged. After a brief moment ofmotion, a quiet silence descended.


    Then, the sound of heels clicking rhythmically echoed through the hall as two figures appeared.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°My, both of them.¡±


    Those in the hall were awestruck by the sight of Aten and Sale. Especially Aten, whose pure white appearance bloomed even more beautifully and elegantly under the spotlight.


    In contrast, Sale, although adorned in a luxurious blue dress, was dressed much more modestly.


    Aten, who received the admiration and envious gazes of everyone, nced at Sale with a hint of dissatisfaction.


    She couldn''t say anything directly in this setting, but her eyes conveyed everything.


    -Sister, you dressed like that on purpose, didn''t you?


    Understanding her meaning, Sale smiled faintly.


    -You look beautiful, that''s all.


    Aten sighed at Sale''s reply, which wasn''t an answer at all.


    Turning back to face the front, Aten slowly scanned the crowd. Her eyes naturally sought out a certain individual.


    ¡®...Oh my.¡¯


    And Aten''s gaze remained fixed.


    -Well, there''s no guarantee that the boy will wear ck when hees to the Imperial Pce.


    The voice of the servant who had spoken to her came to mind.


    Frondier was dressed in apletely ck suit. Men''s suits were generally ck, but Frondier''s was even darker. It was as if his hair and his attire had finally found perfect harmony.


    White and ck. The contrast of ck and white stood at a slight distance, observing each other.


    As Frondier looked at Aten, who shone brightly, he thought,


    ¡®...Please don''t look for too long.¡¯


    He understood that she was happy to see her ssmate, but if Aten''s gaze lingered for too long, the attention of others would naturally shift towards him.


    Just as he feared, the nobles'' gazes began to follow Aten''s, but she seemed to realize and quickly averted her eyes.


    Frondier let out a silent sigh of relief.

 Chapter 218 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°...Mr. Frondier.¡±


    After Sale and Aten''s entrance, the hall once again filled with the sound of conversations.


    The two princesses showed themselves to the other nobles and promising young talents, exchanging greetings and demonstrating their exemry manners as members of the Imperial family.


    This was both a duty and a necessity for the princesses, who had rtively limited opportunities to interact with other nobles.


    After greeting several nobles, Aten naturally arrived in front of Frondier. At least, that''s what she believed.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness Aten Terst.¡±


    Frondier bowed deeply. He had initially considered kneeling, but as none of the other nobles did so, he opted for a simple bow.


    If Aten had approached him first, he might have been embarrassed.


    ¡°Hmm. So you call me that, after all.¡±Aten said with a hint of disappointment. Since he wasn''t in Constel, Frondier had to show Aten due respect. Naturally, using casual titles or speech was out of the question.


    Of course, Aten understood this and couldn''tin, but it was still disappointing.


    Understanding her feelings, Frondier smiled and said,


    ¡°It''s difficult for me as well, Your Highness.¡±


    The most Frondier could convey. That alone seemed to satisfy Aten, as her expression softened.


    As the two met, the surrounding gazes naturally gathered. Of course, Aten''s every move attracted attention, but thebination of the two was bound to draw everyone''s eyes.


    Aten, bathed in light and radiating brilliance, and Frondier, seemingly enveloped in shadows and carrying a different weight. Their proximity alone created a captivating scene.


    ¡°...Ah, Mr. Frondier, have you heard about that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°You know, marriage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, marriage.¡±


    ¡°The bride wears a dress, and the groom wears a suit, and they meet.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes. That''s right.¡±


    As Frondier nodded inly, Aten stared nkly for a moment.


    Soon, both of their heads tilted in unison.


    ¡°...That wasn''t what I meant.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Their conversation wasn''t as elegant as it appeared.


    <i>Doong-</i>


    The lights dimmed once again.


    This time, everyone knew what wasing next.


    ¡°His Highness, Philly Terst, and His Majesty, Bartello Terst, will now enter!¡±


    The same gentleman announced in a louder, more solemn and formal tone.


    This time, everyone in the hall except for Aten and Sale knelt on one knee. Frondier quickly followed suit.


    I see. So we only kneel for the Empress and the Emperor. I''ll remember that.


    Philly often appeared before the people, but Bartello did not.


    Having the opportunity to see the Emperor after a long time, everyone in the hall awaited his appearance with anticipation.


    And a momentter,


    Bartello, supported by Philly and a servant, slowly revealed himself.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    A heavy silence fell upon the hall. The sight of Philly diligently supporting Bartello, who could barely stand, and helping him to his seat. Even though it wasn''t a short amount of time, no one dared to make a sound.


    Was that truly Bartello?


    The symbol of the Empire, the one who stood at the pinnacle of all power, how could Bartello have be¡­


    ¡°Ah, ahem.¡±


    Bartello remained silent after being seated, and instead, Philly spoke in her characteristically cheerful voice.


    ¡°Well then, what a wonderful day! I won''t keep the greetings long! Let''s enjoy the banquet! The introductions of the key yers in the joint operation will be postponed for a moment!¡±


    Philly''s words aimed to lighten the mood, and those who understood her intentions diligently pped and cheered.


    Meanwhile, Frondier looked at Aten. He was curious if she had been aware of Bartello''s condition.


    And Aten''s expression spoke volumes.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Aten, who had been radiating a bright light, now had a hardened expression, emanating a chilling coldness. She was in greater shock than anyone else present.


    She had beenpletely unaware of Bartello''s physical state. Whether knowing would have changed anything or allowed her to see Bartello sooner was uncertain, but


    The current Bartello was far too different from the one Aten remembered.


    ¡®...It''s unfortunate for Aten, but¡¯


    Frondier felt a slight sense of relief. As he recalled, Bartello''s energy had indeed declined significantly, but he wasn''t at death''s door just yet.


    He couldn''t rejoice at the sight of his friend''s father in a weakened state, but in that condition, Bartello wouldn''t likely pay any attention to Frondier.


    If the event ended like this, Frondier could simply leave as he hade,


    ¡°Frondier de Roach.¡±


    A heavy voice tore through the air, shattering the atmosphere of the banquet that had just begun to recover.


    The Emperor''s deeply somber voice, carried by his aura, flowed throughout the hall.


    The barely rekindled atmosphere plummeted as if thrown to the ground, and the hall was instantly filled with tension.


    Bartello''s voice.


    A powerful voice, unbelievable for its age, resonated within the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Is Frondier de Roach present?¡±


    The Emperor''s voice rang out once more. Azier and Enfer''s expressions hardened.


    ¡°Step forward to the center. Come and show me your face.¡±


    A directmand from the Emperor to a mere individual. Refusal, let alone hesitation, was not permitted.


    Frondier, in ordance with his hair, his eyes, his attire,


    With all his presence cloaked in darkness, took a step forward.

 Chapter 219 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @RETIGGA and @amineben from Ko-fi!</i>


    With each step Frondier took, people retreated from the center. Arge space formed, and Frondier stood directly in the middle.


    ¡°I am Frondier de Roach. I havee forward at Your Majesty''smand.¡±


    Frondier contemted kneeling but opted for a polite bow instead. He thought about how bothersome and tiring it would be if everyone had to kneel every time. More importantly, his intuition told him kneeling wasn''t necessary.


    ¡°...Frondier.¡±


    Bartello looked down at Frondier standing in the center.


    The Emperor''s gaze seemed unfamiliar, or perhaps too familiar. His narrowed eyes held a different kind of pressure than hostility or animosity.


    ¡°It''s been a long time.¡±¡°...That''s right,¡±


    ¡°Devil''s child.¡±


    Bartello cut Frondier off.


    Devil''s child.


    At the Emperor''s repeated utterance, gasps could be heard around them.


    It wasmon knowledge that Bartello had called Frondier the "devil''s child" when he was just a baby.


    Of course, those who heard the story back then didn''t know that the devil''s child was Frondier, but now they would know for sure.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I am not the devil''s child. My family is here too.¡±


    Frondier said yfully. He didn''t want this nonsense about being the devil''s child to spread and be talked about.


    ¡°No, you are the devil''s child.¡±


    However, Bartello had no intention of letting it go like Frondier.


    ¡°You just don''t know it yourself.¡±


    Naturally, Frondier''s eyes sank at this.


    Frondier himself was a problem, but at this point, he was worried about Enfer. He began to think that an enraged Enfer might just turn the entire pce upside down.


    Of course, it was an exaggeration, but Frondier probably wasn''t the only one worried about it. Everyone was pretending not to, but they were all watching Enfer''s reaction.


    ¡°... .¡±


    As they expected, Enfer was looking at Bartello with considerable displeasure, but he showed no sign of stepping forward immediately.


    Frondier was a baby back then, but not now. He had grown into a fine young man, standing proudly in the center, facing the Emperor.


    If Enfer stepped in here, it would be a humiliation for Frondier.


    ¡°...But.¡±


    Bartello spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°You''ve subdued it. The devil.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°That dreadful aura that surrounded you as a child has receded. Whether you overcame it or evaded it, I didn''t think it was possible. What did you do, Frondier?¡±


    ¡°...I apologize, but I cannot understand Your Majesty''s words.¡±


    Frondier spoke honestly. Whether he was the devil''s child, or the dreadful aura, or that he had ovee something.


    He didn''t even know if it was true or just the ramblings of a senile emperor.


    But if he had to guess, it was probably because of the possession. If the original Frondier truly had such an aura, perhaps it disappeared because his soul was reced due to the possession.


    ¡°...Haha. Is that so?¡±


    Bartelloughed. It was a gentle smile. Frondier wasn''t the only one surprised.


    ¡°It wouldn''t have been easy. It''s amazing. You''ve been through a lot at such a young age.¡±


    ...He had been through a lot.


    Frondier didn''t know if the hardships he had endured were what Bartello meant.


    ¡°Go back. I''ve made the atmosphere heavy. I need to rest for a while.¡±


    Bartello said so and sank deep into his chair.


    Frondier stood there in a daze, then bowed and retreated. He returned to his seat and thought.


    ¡®...Devil.¡¯


    In the game, Etius, the existence of devils was somewhat unfamiliar. In this world, the only opponents humans had to confront were monsters.


    Whether it was a mischievous fairy disturbing a farm or a colossal monster from mythology, humans collectively referred to all their harmful enemies as "monsters."


    Therefore, devils shouldn''t exist in the first ce. Whatever it was, humans would call it all monsters.


    However, devils clearly existed as knowledge. Otherwise, no one in this world would have mentioned the word "devil" in the first ce, and it wouldn''t have been so easily found in books.


    And the most famous among those devils were the Seven Deadly Sins.


    ¡®...The dreadful aura that surrounded Frondier.¡¯


    The aura he had since he was a baby had receded and was now gone.


    From the days of the sloth, to now, Sloth.


    ¡®Could it be, really?¡¯


    Frondier felt a headacheing on.


    Devil, dreadful aura,ziness, Sloth.


    All of it led Frondier to hypothesize in one direction.


    The Devil of Sloth, Belphegor.


    The story that had been passed around as a joke in Constel was beginning to unfold before his eyes as reality.


    * * *


    Afterwards, it was time to introduce those who had participated in the joint operation and achieved outstanding results, the protagonists of today''s event.


    Naturally, Frondier was included among them, and Eden Hamelot stood beside him.


    Eden''s body waspletely stiff throughout the introduction, thanks to being ced next to Frondier.


    ¡°Next, Eden Hamelot!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Eden responded in an awkward voice when his name was called.


    Philly smiled broadly at him.


    ¡°Mr. Eden is the leader of ''Phenomenon,'' the headquarters of this joint operation. That alone qualifies him to be present here!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, he sessfully fulfilled his duties as a leader and, at the same time, predicted the meeting point between humans and monsters, leading to their immediate annihtion. He yed a significant role inpleting the operation.¡±


    At Philly''s words, the surrounding nobles murmured in admiration and chatted amongst themselves.


    In truth, the specific details Philly mentioned weren''t important to them. What mattered was Philly''s way of expressing it.


    Phrases like "sufficient qualifications," "sessfully fulfilled," and "significant role" were the materials used to judge how great a person''s achievements were and how much attention they would receive from the Empire in the future.


    And currently, Eden was receiving a much higher evaluation than anyone Philly had introduced so far.


    Moreover, as Eden was already famous as the top Pro, it was only natural that the nobles'' interest would increase.


    ¡°But Mr. Eden.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I also attended the meeting and heard a little bit about it.¡±


    Philly said with a shy smile. She scratched her cheek as if embarrassed.


    ¡°Actually, even after hearing the exnation at the meeting, I couldn''t understand how Mr. Eden figured out the meeting point.¡±


    ¡°...Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°Could you briefly exin it here?¡±


    Philly''s polite demeanor didn''t quite suit her as an Empress. Her embarrassed appearance while admitting her own shorings was also unusual.


    However, it suited ''Philly'' herself perfectly.


    Because it contained a cunningness that most people could hardly discern.


    ¡®Answer well, Eden.¡¯


    Knowing the true nature behind Philly''s act, Frondier thought without a change in expression.


    Please don''t let your guard down.

 Chapter 219 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Then I will briefly exin. First of all...¡±


    Eden diligently exined what he had investigated, as requested by the Empress.


    Of course, the content was fabricated by Eden. It was Frondier who had informed him of the meeting point.


    Frondier provided the location, and Eden simply pieced together the context to make it sound convincing.


    It was like solving a problem after already knowing the answer and having a mountain of information. That''s why Eden''s exnation seemed usible at first nce.


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    Philly''s smile deepened.


    Eden''s exnation was certainly usible at first nce, but...


    It wasn''t enough to fool Philly.¡°That''s a much better exnation than what I heard back then.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t understand it then, but I do now. It''s as if the exnation has been ''improved.'' It''s more eloquent and clear than before. Amazing, Mr. Eden.¡±


    Philly''s words sounded like praise to others, but...


    Not to Eden. He felt as if the sharp de hidden within Philly''s smile had grazed his skin.


    Indeed, the exnation Eden had given back then and the current one were slightly different.


    To reach the meeting point designated by Frondier as quickly as possible, his exnation had been somewhatcking.


    Moreover, there were inconsistencies. These had been corrected over time, leading to the current exnation.


    ¡®C-Could she have noticed?¡¯


    Eden tried to discern Philly''s intentions through her smile, but it was beyond his capabilities.


    Philly had merely tested Eden, but her subdued smile and the way she evaluated his exnation as if she knew everything flustered him.


    And the fleeting nce of his eyes, unconsciously moving towards Frondier on his right.


    Seeing that movement of his pupils, Philly smiled.


    Meanwhile, Frondier closed his eyes andmented


    ¡®Damn it. I knew this would happen.¡¯


    Philly had probably suspected Eden for a while. If it were her, she would have immediately noticed the inconsistencies in Eden''s exnation about the meeting point.


    But she had remained silent at the time. Whether it was because she trusted Eden or, on the contrary, because she was certain he was an enemy, he didn''t know.


    However, monsters were indeed present at the meeting point traced through Eden''s inconsistent exnation.


    This changed Philly''s thinking. Eden''s iplete logic. Yet, he had arrived at the correct answer.


    Someone must have informed Eden of the meeting point''s location. That''s why the exnation was vague, and to align the logic with the answer, the inconsistencies were resolved, and the exnation was ''improved.''


    If she lightly pointed this out, the fake who didn''t possess the true knowledge would instinctively seek help from the real one.


    Just like Eden had done a moment ago.


    Just like how his eyes had unconsciously moved towards Frondier.


    ¡®Still, even after a long time, Her Majesty the Empress is terrifying.¡¯


    Philly smiled as if she had heard enough and shifted her gaze.


    The next person was Frondier de Roach.


    ¡°Then, Mr. Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Frondier identified the locations of those injected with the Mana Injection and filtered out false information to pinpoint the location of the Mana Injection research facility. This was a crucial role in the operation, and I believe you have made a significant contribution.¡±


    Philly''s evaluation of Frondier was somewhat in. Phrases like "crucial role" and "significant contribution" could be said to anyone. Therefore, the reactions of the people around them were also lukewarm.


    Of course, this was Philly''s intention.


    ¡°But it would be difficult to exin here how Mr. Frondier learned the location of the research facility.¡±


    ¡°...That''s correct.¡±


    Frondier replied.


    Of course, he could pull out the 3D map anytime and show it to her, but he couldn''t say no here.


    Philly smiled brightly and said,


    ¡°So, I''m personally very curious about how you found the location of the research facility, so let''s meet separately in the reception roomter.¡±


    This time, the surroundings became a bit more boisterous.


    It wasn''tmon for the Empress to summon an individual separately.


    But it could be genuine intellectual curiosity, or perhaps, like she had mentioned to Eden, there might be something suspicious in Frondier''s exnation that needed confirmation.


    Therefore, the people around them each came to their own understanding.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Of course, Frondier understood the meaning of this summons.


    At least, he knew very well that she wasn''t curious about something like a 3D map.


    ¡°Oh, Aten. Youe too. It''s good to see your face after a long time.¡±


    Philly called Aten. As Aten nodded, Philly looked back and forth between Aten and Frondier.


    ¡°Come to think of it, you were both Constel students.¡±


    ''Come to think of it,'' my foot.


    Aten and Frondier''s expressions became subtle at Philly''s shameless act of pretending as if she had just realized this.


    Philly looked at both of them again and nodded.


    ¡°Uh-huh. You two look good together.¡±


    ¡°...Mom.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, don''t be so stiff. I was just saying it lightly.¡±


    Philly put her finger on her lower lip. Then, she grinned.


    At that moment, Frondier knew. It was a signal that only he could recognize.


    This was a code.


    ¡°You two standing side by side, you look like light and shadow.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    Frondier nodded calmly.


    ¡°Light and shadow are everywhere. Even here in the Imperial Pce. That''s why you two look good together.¡±


    ¡°Mom...!¡±


    Aten''s face flushed even more as he tried to stop Philly.


    At that moment, Frondier had a different thought.


    Philly wanting to see Frondier separately. The words that came out of her mouth.


    Light and shadow are everywhere.


    Even in this Imperial Pce.


    The light of the Imperial Pce, the shadow of the Imperial Pce.


    ...The Shadow Unit.


    ¡°Don''t you think so, Frondier?¡±


    Philly asked.


    Frondier nodded and replied.


    ¡°You''re right.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Frondier?!¡±


    Aten''s face turned even redder.


    Unfortunately, Frondier couldn''t afford to pay attention to the surface-level conversation.

 Chapter 220 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As the party continued,


    Frondier headed to the drawing-room with Philly. Aten was also with them.


    However, Bartello did not move an inch from the chair he had initially sat in. Philly didn''t seem to mind him either.


    "Don''t worry about him," Philly said as Frondier nced back at the hall while heading towards the drawing-room.


    "He''s just a little tired. He trusts me with all his duties."


    "...I see."


    In fact, Philly has been taking care of most of the Emperor''s worktely.


    It''s gotten a little better because her daughter, Sale, who will be the next Empress, is helping her, but it''s not an easy job.


    There are quite a few people who are dissatisfied with the Empress taking over the Emperor''s work."Politics is really difficult," Philly said.


    "When I was young, I believed that it would be enough to prove my qualifications. That if I made such achievements, the way people looked at me would change. But those who have already made up their minds to be my enemies cannot change their minds that way. The better I do, the more they burn with animosity."


    The voice of Philly, who was walking ahead, was calm, but Frondier could only see her back, so he couldn''t tell her expression.


    "The war should have ended a long time ago," she muttered, her expression still invisible.


    But soon Philly returned with a lively face and grinned at Frondier behind her.


    "I suddenly started talking about personal things. That''s not why I called Frondier."


    "¡­It''s fine."


    Frondier shook his head.


    Frondier knows how much Philly has been through.


    Bartello''s aging was expected, and Philly had been involved in politics since before that.


    Philly is someone who can be either a protagonist or an antagonist depending on the situation. yers always describe Philly as "grey," as Frondier did.


    But whether protagonist or antagonist, Philly always moves for the sake of the Empire. Because the safest ce for her daughters is the Imperial Pce.


    In other words, Philly bing an antagonist means, from the yer''s point of view, that the Empire has turned into an enemy.


    ''What about Philly now?''


    Frondier thought as he looked at Philly''s back as she walked again.


    Frondier thinks Philly has be quite close to being a protagonist. None of her daughters died, and he even went on missions with Philly.


    It''s not something to brag about, but Frondier thinks he''s built up quite a bit of intimacy with Philly.


    The only problem is that it was originally something Aster was supposed to do.


    ''Aster is growing steadily. Aster''s driving force for growth is someone even stronger than him. Originally, there was no talent or skill in Constel that surpassed Aster, so his growth was bound to be slow, but now he''s overestimating my skills, so his growth will be on fire.''


    However, even so, it is difficult for Aster to grow beyond what the yers were leading him to.


    In the first ce, in this world that hasn''t been conquered, yers moved Aster to maximize his growth efficiency.


    Where to go at what time, who to meet, and what to learn were all circting in variousmunities, and they exchanged information with each other to create the optimal path.


    Naturally, it will be difficult for Aster to be stronger than that now.


    Above all, Aster hasn''t met Philly in this world yet.


    ''I don''t know if Aster has to meet Philly. But in most cases, Aster and Philly meet quickly. The link between them, Aten, was originally in Aster''s party.''


    But here, Aten is not by Aster''s side. She follows Frondier.


    Therefore, Aster hasn''t met Philly yet either.


    It is unknown what this butterfly effect will cause. It is also unknown whether it will be better or worse.


    There is only one thing Frondier can know.


    That he himself caused this situation.


    ''If this situation ever brings about a huge storm,''


    Frondier knew well that it was his responsibility to solve it.


    ***


    "It''s been a while since we talked like this."


    In the drawing-room, Frondier and Philly faced each other.


    They were clearly on the same side and had met to solve a problem, but a strange tension flowed between them.


    It was always like this when meeting Philly.


    "Then shall we get straight to the point? Both Frondier and I prefer that."


    "Alright."


    Aten, who was listening, tilted her head. For some reason, it felt like they were going to have apletely different conversation than the ''three-dimensional map''.


    "There is a group called the ''Shadow Unit'' within the Imperial Pce," Philly said.


    The one who was surprised was Aten.


    "...Mom."


    The Shadow Unit. Aten also knows about their existence. She couldn''t not know as a princess, and Philly had told Aten about them as if they were important.


    - Aten, the Empire must always exist as the Empire.


    When she was young, Aten couldn''t understand Philly''s words.


    - If the Empire shines a brilliant light, wouldn''t that create a shadow? The Empire must also be able to embrace that shadow.


    Since Aten was young, Philly had subtly hinted at the existence of the Shadow Unit.


    She didn''t need to know the exact truth. She was a child. But a princess had to wake up to reality a little earlier than other children her age.


    So that the shock wouldn''t be too great, Philly gradually showed Aten the other side of reality without her even realizing it. So that Aten could prepare herself subconsciously.


    Aten, who had grown up enough to attend Constel. Now she understands what the Shadow Unit is and what Philly''s words meant.


    Therefore, she also understands that their existence should not be revealed outside the Imperial Pce.


    That''s why she was surprised. Above all, Philly, who valued secrecy so much, was openly revealing the existence of the Shadow Unit.


    But Frondier''s answer surprised Aten even more.


    "I know."


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 220 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Huh?"


    When Aten asked back, Frondier smiled vaguely.


    "Rather than knowing, I met them. The people of the Shadow Unit."


    Frondier thought of Laurie.


    Of course, when he saved the Shadow Unit people in front of the Fragment, they promised to pretend they hadn''t seen each other, but Laurie was different.


    Laurie was someone who had infiltrated the Yeranhes barracks long before that.


    ''From what I saw, she didn''t seem to agree with turning people into weapons.''


    Right before Frondier saved the Shadow Unit people, Laurie gave up her own life and used her power to save more people.


    The reason why Laurie was working for the Shadow Unit was obvious.She was born and raised there, and the Shadow Unit basically moves to protect the citizens of the Empire. They just hid it from the citizens because they didn''t care about the means.


    But turning humans into weapons, even to drive out the monsters outside, was way over the line.


    ''The Empire''s Shadow Unit is huge. Laurie was used as a discard back then, so her position probably isn''t that high yet. Laurie probably won''t agree with the Shadow Unit''s Mana Injection Project.''


    Then conversely, Laurie is highly likely to cooperate with Frondier now.


    Since she''s a member of the Shadow Unit, she could give Frondier meaningful information.


    The problem is where and how to meet her.


    "Mr. Eden Hamelot''s exnation makes sense, but it''s not inevitable," Philly said.


    "There are no inconsistencies in the information, but moving ording to Mr. Eden''s exnation to find the meeting ce relies too much on luck. It''s also a gamble with quite low odds. Nevertheless, Mr. Eden found the meeting ce in one try and deployed arge number of people there as if he was certain of it."


    Philly spoke as if she was piercing through Frondier''s eyes.


    It was as if she was looking into Frondier''s mind, but there was no need for that.


    "Besides, it''s subtly different from the exnation I heardst time. It''s been modified. When I pointed that out, Mr. Eden''s eyes, the way he looked..."


    "I was there," Frondier answered readily.


    There was no need for Philly to pierce through Frondier''s mind.


    "I provided Eden with the information."


    Frondier had intended to be honest from the beginning.


    At Frondier''s words, Philly opened her eyes wide in surprise for a moment, but soon grinned.


    "Where did you get that information?"


    "Angus, the leader of the research institute, spilled the beans."


    Of course, in reality, he found out through the Analysis skill, but the result was the same.


    Philly said, "...Angus was detained and underwent considerable interrogation by the police, but he didn''t answer any questions and just rambled nonsense all day long."


    "Is that so?"


    "He wouldn''t open his mouth with some half-assed torture, would he?"


    There was nothing to say to that.


    Since there was nothing to say, Frondier simply answered, "But I made him open it."


    Gulp, Aten, who was listening, swallowed hard. She was imagining the most brutal torture she could think of.


    Philly asked, "Then do you know why I''m bringing up the Shadow Unit?"


    "...Yes."


    The Analysis skill that Frondier possesses cannot pick and choose the information it can obtain.


    When using the Analysis skill, it is impossible to want to know only his name or only his family rtionships.


    Even Frondier himself cannot predict what category the information from the Analysis skill falls into.


    The biggest reason why Frondier obtained useful information through analysis in the Mana Injection incident was because he poured in a tremendous amount of Mana with the intention of uncovering the enemy''s bottom line.


    Therefore, naturally, Frondier knows.


    "The Shadow Unit was behind the Mana Injection Project."


    At Frondier''s words, Aten held her breath.


    From here on, it really wasn''t something to talk about carelessly anywhere.


    Of course, the ce where Philly was receiving guests was thoroughly protected with soundproofing and security magic, but Aten couldn''t help but feel a shiver down her spine.


    ''Not the entire Shadow Unit, but...''


    Frondier knows not only that the Shadow Unit did it but also who did it.


    But it''s too difficult to exin how he found out even that.


    Philly nodded.


    "Yes. The problem is that the Shadow Unit is on the Empire''s side. And I am the Empress of the Empire."


    "It must be painful to punish them."


    This time, Philly shook her head.


    "It means it''s a loss to overturn everything."


    "...Indeed, I see."


    Frondier understood what Philly meant.


    "Then, you want to weed out only the minimum number of people who led the Mana Injection. Is that what you mean?"


    "Yes. I''ve been letting them betely, and it seems they''ve crossed the line. That''s why they''re even thinking ofing up with such a n. I hope this will be a good example."


    Philly said that she didn''t like the fact that they even thought of sacrificing citizens more than the fact that they carried out the n.


    So that they wouldn''t even think of such a thing in the future.


    So that they wouldn''t dare to even conceive, let alone execute.


    "The Empire''s Shadow Unit is a double-edged sword. They are non-existent from the perspective of those outside the Empire, so they don''t need to worry about the means and methods. They have the freedom to do anything, and at the same time, they don''t take responsibility for it. Instead, they have another price to pay. What is it?"


    "Because they are non-existent, no one cares even if they die."


    Philly smiled in satisfaction at Frondier''s answer.


    "Frondier, will you help me? I''llpensate you sufficiently."


    [Sub-quest has been created]


    [Sub-quest: Weeding Out]


    ? Description: The group that nned the Mana Injection belongs to the Shadow Unit. Eliminate them as per Philly''s order.


    ? Objective: Eliminate the ringleaders and coborators of the project.


    ? Reward: Separate payment depending on the quest performance. Reward decreases if some ringleaders or coborators are missed or other members of the Shadow Unit are eliminated, failure if someone who is not a member of the Shadow Unit is killed.


    ? Failure results in losing Philly''s trust.


    It''s been a long time since a quest like this appeared.


    ''When I was running around trying to solve the Mana Injection Project at first, no quest appeared.''


    Frondier smiled wryly.


    Actually, he knew why the quest didn''t appear. It wasn''t his time to step in.


    At that time, it was a joint operation, so even the Imperial Pce and Constel were involved, and the research institute would have been discovered eventually even without Frondier.


    Attacking Eden and his colleagues and capturing Angus from the research institute were solely Frondier''s own actions. It was a movepletely unrted to the quest.


    But this time, it was a proper quest. Frondier felt like things were finally going right for once.


    "Alright."


    "Yes, yes. As expected, I like how straightforward Frondier is."


    "However, there is something I want to ask Your Majesty."


    "I don''t like the title."


    "...How did Your Majesty know that the Shadow Unit was behind this incident..."


    "I can''t hear you well. It''s strange. Maybe I can''t hear you because it doesn''t seem like you''re calling me."


    Philly closed her eyes with her head tilted. It seemed like she wouldn''t even listen if he didn''t change the title. She probably wouldn''t even respond.


    "...Philly."


    Frondier hesitated and said, having no other choice.


    Aten, who couldn''t believe it, turned to Frondier with wide eyes.


    "...Frondier, even if you don''t know your ce, that''s..."


    "Sorry. It''s my karma."


    Regarding this title, Frondier had almost nothing to say in his defense.

 Chapter 221 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Seirra1172 and @Friendly_Noctis from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°Uh-huh, okay. So, what was the question again?¡±


    ¡°...How did Ms. Philly know there was a Shadow Unit behind it all?¡±


    Frondier spoke, now half-resigned.


    The title "Ms. Philly," which he originally used, was a warning to Philly when he first met her.


    At that time, Philly clearly underestimated Frondier and threatened him by holding her dagger to him. And it wasn''t even abat dagger, but an ornamental dagger.


    Of course, Frondier had no intention of defying the Empress, but he wanted to gain the upper hand at the time.


    Philly desperately wanted information about the Dragon Heart, and Frondier wasn''t going to just hand it over.But to think it woulde back like this, for Philly to use it to tease him. The Empress not being overly authoritarian was also something to consider.


    ¡°...Are you going to keep calling mom like that?¡±


    The one who couldn''t adapt the most was Aten.


    Philly smiled brightly.


    ¡°Of course, Aten. Who else would call this mother like that?¡±


    Frondier asked the question, but Philly answered.


    ¡°Ah, right. You were talking about noticing the Shadow Unit.¡±


    Philly said that and then gave an awkward smile.


    ¡°Actually, it''s kind of embarrassing to say... ¡±


    Philly scratched her head as if embarrassed.


    Of course, even if Philly showed such a gesture, Frondier couldn''t know if she truly felt that way.


    The rule when dealing with Philly: Don''t believe that the expressions and actions she shows are the truth. Perhaps the number of people who can see through her true intentions can be counted on one hand in this entire continent.


    ¡°I haven''t used the Dragon Heart yet.¡±


    ¡°...Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Frondier told me how to use it, right? But I haven''t been able to touch it since then.¡±


    At those words, Frondier recalled the past. Come to think of it, he hadn''t heard any news about the Dragon Heart sleeping within the Imperial Pce being used.


    Of course, the Dragon Heart itself is a secret of the Imperial Family, so there''s no way for Frondier, who is outside, to know what happened to it, but if something like that were used, there should be some kind of result.


    ¡°It seems like almost a year has passed since then, and you still haven''t used it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. My aides are making such a fuss.¡±


    Philly sighed.


    ¡°The way Frondier told me, I have to break the Dragon Heart in the end, right? They can''t seem to ept that. What if we end up with nothing and just lose the Heart? Where did you even hear such suspicious information? Ugh, it''s frustrating. If you let something you can''t use rot away, it''s just trash rolling around.¡±


    Frondier smiled bitterly at Philly''sment.


    Come to think of it, it was something he hadn''t paid attention to, but the Dragon Heart is a treasure of the Imperial Family.


    Of course, not many people know of its existence, but if it were to disappear, someone would surely notice. The aides Philly mentioned must be among them.


    ¡®...Probably, if I had to guess, it''s Sir Robert, Philly''s direct knight.¡¯


    He is close enough to Philly to know about the Dragon Heart''s existence, and judging by the imitation Philly just did, there''s a high probability it''s Robert.


    ¡°More than anything, creating a barrier to prevent the mana from the destroyed Dragon Heart from escaping is more difficult than I thought.¡±


    Frondier nodded. He already knew about that. In fact, he had guessed that if it took a long time to use the Dragon Heart, it would probably be for that reason.


    When Frondier yed as the protagonist Aster, he seeded in absorbing the Dragon Heart into his body. That''s why he knows how to use the Dragon Heart.


    But as Philly said, trapping all the mana of a once-destroyed Dragon Heart within a barrier was quite difficult.


    The barrier must be perfect, without even the slightest leak, and one must have excellent mana control to withstand the power of the Dragon Heart.


    ¡®The only one who could do that was Lunia Fricell.¡¯


    Lunia Fricell, close to being the official heroine of the game "Etius".


    Lunia is almost the opposite of Elodie. While Elodie, with her tremendousbination of magic and divine power, unleashes ridiculous destructive power but is poor at controlling her strength, Lunia, while not capable of suchrge-scale magic, is near perfect in mana maniption and control.


    Lunia''s delicate maniption is almost an innate talent, so if she were just hear the method, she could probably create a barrier to trap the Dragon Heart right now.


    ¡®The problem is that the current me has almost no connection with Lunia.¡¯


    When ying as Aster, Lunia was the most familiar character in this game, but ironically, she is the most unfamiliar person to the current Frondier. Even though they became ssmates in the second year, they hardly ever talked.


    And even if Lunia agreed to help, there''s no way Philly or anyone else would allow her to be brought into the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°So, I often talked to my aides in front of the Dragon Heart, and that''s when I discovered it.¡±


    ¡°Discovered what?¡±


    ¡°Traces of intrusion. My aides and I always follow a certain routine when we go to see the Dragon Heart. So, we can identify any other traces.¡±


    At those words, Frondier and Aten''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Coming to see the Dragon Heart without my permission takes guts, but there aren''t many people who can do that in the first ce. Someone who knows about the Dragon Heart, someone who needs it, and someone who has to sneak in because they have something to hide. Within the Imperial Pce, all those circumstances can only point in one direction.¡±


    ¡°...Indeed, that''s true.¡±


    Frondier nodded.


    The Dragon Heart, such an easy-to-understand goal.


    ¡°The Shadow Unit intends to use the Dragon Heart''s mana to create mana injections.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But they still don''t know how to use the Dragon Heart, so it seems they just checked the location and returned.¡±


    Frondier knows the power of the Dragon Heart better than anyone.


    Even when Frondier was still inexperienced, he used that power to cut off one of Renzo''s arms. Even now, with his mana full, he still uses the Dragon Heart asionally.


    The Dragon Heart was always necessary for him to achieve something beyond his own mana.


    Injecting that power into humans through injections. If that truly is the goal of the Shadow Unit, if they seed, it will be something beyond a mere weapon.


    ¡®Mana injections collide with the mana the injected person originally possessed, drawing out even greater power. It''s apletely different concept from when I, as Aster, absorbed the Dragon Heart''s mana.¡¯


    An explosive power iparable to that will be created, and the injected person will surely be unable to control it.


    The Shadow Unit wants to somehow inject humans with the Dragon Heart''s injection to create immense power, but the runaway of overflowing magic power is not a weapon, it''s just a disaster.


    If there''s any use for it, it would be to drop the human created in that way into the middle of the monsters beyond the barrier. That kind of mutually assured destruction could be attempted.


    ¡°I want to use the Dragon Heart before the Shadow Unit takes it first, but as I said, it''s not an easy problem.¡±


    Philly''s tone was unusually grumbling.


    ¡®...Should I make a suggestion?¡¯


    Lunia''s participation. That''s the only way to increase the possibility of using the Dragon Heart right now. In the current situation, Philly will somehow persuade her aides.


    If consuming the Dragon Heart is somehow necessary for Philly, it also bes a matter of concern for Frondier.


    Philly always acts for the Empire. If it''s a n grand enough to require the Dragon Heart, it will ultimately benefit Frondier as well.


    ¡°...May I ask.¡±


    Therefore, Frondier cautiously opened his mouth.


    ¡°Does Ms. Philly absolutely need the Dragon Heart?¡±

 Chapter 221 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Previously, Philly said she would use the Dragon Heart to maximize her precognitive abilities.


    That''s not a lie. In the game, Philly actually uses the Dragon Heart to enhance her precognition.


    Of course, not now, but muchter. In the game, Philly still doesn''t know how to use the Dragon Heart at this time.


    There are two things yers have seen so far. Either Philly uses the Dragon Heart to further enhance her precognitive abilities, or she fails to use it until the game over.


    But yers dislike both cases. They don''t like it when she can''t use the Dragon Heart because it''s obviously a loss, and in the case of enhancing her precognitive abilities...


    ¡®Philly bes almost like a machine after that.¡¯


    Even though the current Philly is someone whose inner thoughts are unknown, she still possesses humanity. From the yer''s perspective, she may be infinitely gray, but in reality, people are all gray. They can''t always be good or evil.


    In that sense, Philly was rather a familiar character to the yers. In the end, she dedicates herself to the Empire, so there are quite a few who favor Philly as a character.


    However, Philly with developed precognitive abilities makes all her thoughts and decisions based on precognition afterwards. There''s no will of Philly herself, no will of her daughters like Aten or Sale, not even the will of the Empire, just pure rational thought and decisions.yers want Philly to be a good character, not to step out of her role.


    ¡®What about the current Philly?¡¯


    Frondier is also naturally one of them. He wants Philly to be a good character.


    To that end, he helped Philly, gave her information, and above all, saved her eldest daughter Elysia.


    He could have easily killed her, and it would have been the right thing to do to avoid future trouble, but he didn''t kill Elysia to prevent Philly from going astray.


    ¡°...I...¡±


    Philly, blinking for a moment at Frondier''s question, opened her mouth.


    Depending on her next words, Frondier''s resolve will be newly determined.


    Whether to use the Dragon Heart or not, that is the question. Frondier cannot stop Philly from enhancing her precognitive abilities.


    He has no justification for doing so, and from the perspective of humanity as a whole, it is beneficial. Philly''s decisions after gainingplete precognition are always rational.


    However, Philly will be closer to a machine as a result. Frondier must be prepared to ept that.


    ¡°I definitely need the Dragon Heart.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡±


    So that''s how it is.


    Frondier pulled himself together, feeling a bit downcast.


    He felt a simr feeling to when he heard Philly''s precognition in the past.


    Even though Frondier has tried this hard, the tragic future of Etius still progresses as he knew it.


    Even in this world, can he not prevent Philly from bing a machine?


    ¡°I need to save my husband.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    Frondier asked back. He heard something unexpected.


    Philly, on the other hand, tilted her head as if asking why he was surprised.


    ¡°Didn''t you see my husband earlier? He''s so weak that he needs help just to take a few steps. As his wife, I want to help him. The doctor said it''s due to chronic mana deficiency.¡±


    Frondier blinked nkly at Philly''s exnation.


    The Dragon Heart to save Bartello? It was something he had never even considered.


    ¡°Th-then, what about the precognition...?¡±


    ¡°©¤©¤Aha. So that''s why you were surprised, Frondier.¡±


    Philly raised her voice as if she had finally understood andughed.


    ¡°Ahaha, Frondier. Don''t you remember? I told you.¡±


    Philly raised her finger. Pointing at Frondier and Aten alternately, she said,


    ¡°When the two of you are together, I don''t get a bad feeling.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Frondier''s eyes widened at Philly''s words.


    That''s right. Philly felt an ominous premonition about Aster and Aten being together, so she cast a suggestion spell on Aten to keep them apart.


    In the original game, that suggestion eventually breaks, and Aten ends up with Aster.


    So, Philly can''t help but continue to feel that ominous premonition.


    ¡°Huh? Wh-what are you talking about?¡±


    Of course, Aten, who hadn''t heard this story, was overly concerned about Philly''s words.


    ¡°The reason I wanted to enhance my precognitive abilities back then was because the ominous feeling wouldn''t end. But now Aten is by your side, right? So there''s no need to enhance my precognition.¡±


    That''s right.


    Philly always acts for her daughters. The safety of the Empire is the safety of her daughters. That''s why she dedicates herself wholeheartedly to the Empire.


    Originally, Aster and Aten were always a team.


    That''s why Philly''s precognition is always on edge.


    That''s why Philly wants to further enhance her precognitive abilities.


    Philly, who feels precognition sensually, would intuitively know what would happen to her after enhancing her precognitive abilities. But even knowing that, Philly was trying to use the Dragon Heart to enhance her precognition.


    But the current Philly doesn''t do that. Because she doesn''t think it''s necessary.


    ¡°Right now, my husband''s well-being is more important to me than precognition. Sale is still young, and the citizens of the Empire still need Bartello.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Hearing those words,


    Frondier couldn''t tell what the emotion rising within him was.


    ¡°Frondier?¡±


    Even when Aten called his name worriedly after seeing his face, Frondier didn''t answer.


    ¡®...Always.¡¯


    He didn''t know what kind of expression he was making. What kind of face he had, whether he wasughing or crying.


    ¡®I wanted to know if what I was doing was right.¡¯


    Frondier fell into the world of the game.


    A world he had never cleared, a world no one had ever cleared.


    A world where all the means he had tried failed to work.


    Dropped into this ce with only memories of failure, he lived as a character who wasn''t even the protagonist.


    It was a world with a predetermined death.


    Frondier doesn''t know how the ending of Etius will unfold. It was different every time he yed.


    He only knows one thing.


    That all the endings were tragic deaths.


    So, since he fell into this world, Frondier would also meet that death.


    In a world where, if he did nothing, all of humanity would surely meet a tragic end in the distant future.


    ¡®Just because I struggle doesn''t guarantee things will work out.¡¯


    Even if he seeded in something.


    Even if he somehow overcame adversity and hardship.


    He was afraid that it would be just a tiny ripple,pletely unrted to the tragedy of this world.


    Or perhaps a ridiculous y performed before an even more tragic disaster.


    ¡°Ha...!¡±


    Frondier lowered his head. A deep breath escaped his lips.


    Philly won''t be a machine.


    Because she doesn''t need precognition.


    Because Aten is by Frondier''s side, and her ominous premonition has disappeared.


    A world where Philly bes a better person, and the aging Bartello regains his strength and can live on, opens up as a possibility.


    ©¤©¤The butterfly effect doesn''t always cause a typhoon.


    ¡®Haha, damn it, this cursed game...!¡¯


    Even as Frondier cursed inwardly, a smile he wasn''t aware of spread across his lips.


    ¡°Thank goodness... .¡±


    Gaining the certainty that he was still on the right path,


    Knowing that his existence had meaning here,


    Frondier quietly muttered words that Aten and Philly couldn''t understand yet.

 Chapter 222 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After hearing the whole story, Frondier left the drawing-room.


    Aten had called him, saying Philly had something to discuss separately. As expected, it would be about Bartello.


    When Frondier returned to the hall, the atmosphere inside was more lively. Men and women were dancing in pairs to the music.


    ¡®To actually see such a sight.¡¯


    Frondier inwardly marveled and walked along the wall so as not to disturb them. He looked for Azier and Enfer, and then he saw something unbelievable.


    ¡®...Enfer is.¡¯


    Enfer was nowhere to be found where he originally was, so Frondier searched for him and found him waltzing with Malia in the center of the hall.


    The way they looked at each other and their elegant movements matched wonderfully.


    Frondier approached Azier, who was standing by the wall like him.¡°I¡¯m back, brother.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It must not have been easy dealing with Her Majesty the Empress. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    It really wasn''t easy. In many ways.


    ¡°...Father is dancing too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rare sight. He seemed to be in a good mood today.¡±


    Azier said. However, it was difficult for Frondier to nod immediately.


    ¡°...Is that so?¡±


    Enfer''s face was hard to read, in a different sense than Philly''s. Did he seem to be in a good mood? With that stiff face, nothing could be discerned. Could Azier see it with his eyes?


    ¡°After you left with Her Majesty the Empress, His Majesty called for Father. And then the two had a rather long conversation. I couldn''t hear it, but it was probably about you.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    ¡°It seems he cleared up the past misunderstanding of you being called the devil''s child. Didn''t His Majesty say it to you directly, that you had a hard time at a young age?¡±


    He did. Bartello lightly defended Frondier in front of everyone.


    The content of the words itself wasn''t that great, but it was the utmost apology from the Emperor''s point of view, delivered directly to Frondier in front of many nobles.


    Enfer must have been happy to see and hear that.


    Seeing Frondier finally realize it, Azier let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I shouldn''t say this, but you''re quite dull, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°...That''s exactly right.¡±


    He had nothing to say.


    Azier changed the subject.


    ¡°What did Her Majesty the Empress say?¡±


    ¡°...There was no special mention, but she was very interested in the three-dimensional map.¡±


    Frondier was a littlete in answering because he hadn''t prepared his words. But it wasn''t that strange. The original reason Philly called Frondier was because of the three-dimensional map.


    ¡°The three-dimensional map.¡±


    Azier nodded.


    ¡°I was surprised at that time too. Compared to the existing maps, which could only mark mountains, foothills, and city buildings with symbols, the three-dimensional map itself was meaningful. Frondier, I see you in a new light every time.¡±


    Azier praised Frondier. When Frondier looked at Azier in surprise, something even more surprising came out.


    Azier closed his eyes and smiled. Then, with his eyes slightly open, he quietly muttered.


    ¡°I''m a little relieved.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Frondier had nothing to say to that.


    He guessed that Azier''s murmur held more weight than he knew.


    ¡®...Well, then.¡¯


    He had finished reporting to Azier.


    He had to do his job.


    ¡®The most important thing is to find out who the Shadow is.¡¯


    In fact, Frondier already knew. He had used the ¡®Analysis¡¯ skill to pry into the information Angus had.


    The problem was that the Analysis skill always conveys information in ¡®sentences¡¯.


    The Shadow figure who led the Mana Injection n, his name is ¡®Joseph von Wexler¡¯. Wexler is a noble family from the East. The upper echelons of the Shadow cannot solely dedicate themselves to the Shadow''s work.


    Most of them are the ones who created the Shadow, not those raised within it like Laurie.


    Naturally, they live their daily lives doing their own jobs. Which one is the disguise is not a question that needs to be asked by the Shadow.


    ¡®But I don''t know who this Joseph is.¡¯


    He already knows the identity of the mastermind through analysis.


    He just doesn''t know who that identity corresponds to. Moreover, since he had infiltrated the ce where the Dragon Heart was, his actions would have be even more cautious.


    ¡®Should I start by looking into the people here one by one using analysis?¡¯


    But the probability of him being here is not high. Unless his guts have spilled out, would he show his face here where the Empress is sure to appear?


    He would have sent someone else to deliver the information on his behalf. Of course, Frondier doesn''t know who that someone is yet.


    ¡®...It can''t be helped.¡¯


    Frondier sank his body. He gently closed his eyes, and in the coldly reopened pupils, pitch-ck irises took their ce.


    The sixth sense he gained by killing the soul mass of Helheim. He slowly expanded the range of that sense, which he had been keeping closed for a while.


    If he kept his sixth sense open all the time, it would be too noisy and sensitive, making it difficult to live a daily life, so he learned how to reduce the range when it wasn''t needed.


    So that it would only react to danger and killing intent directed at him.


    ¡®If the bastard sent someone under him to grasp the Empress''s movements, that bastard''s presence will definitely be different from ordinary people.¡¯


    Even though the Shadow''s goal is Mana Injection, that''s a thing of the past from the current point of view.


    Now that their tail has been stepped on, it''s hard to say for sure what the Shadow is thinking.


    Whether they believe they won''t be caught and push through with Mana Injection, or whether they worry about their own safety and withdraw from this n.


    Frondier saw thetter as more likely. Since the Shadow''s existence is not meant to be revealed to the world in the first ce, they could be wiped out with just one order from Philly.


    Philly still judges that the Shadow is needed, so she wants to eliminate only the minimum number of people.


    ¡®So today, they will be listening intently to Philly or Bartello''s words. There''s a possibility they''ve used magic or tricks to eavesdrop.¡¯


    Just as Frondier was about to try to find the eavesdropping line through Mana Detection,


    ¡°...What?¡±

 Chapter 222 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier felt displeasure at somethingpletely different being caught by his sixth sense.


    He raised his head and looked at Bartello. Sitting on the chair, he still had a tired and exhausted face.


    It seemed like he was suffering from the chronic Mana deficiency that Philly mentioned.


    ¡®No. That''s strange.¡¯


    Frondier thought so at first too. That Bartello was just old, that he was tired because he had used up all his strength.


    That''s how the original game was, so that''s how the current Emperor would be.


    But the Mana that Frondier was feeling from Bartello right now, the rate at which his Mana was being depleted was too fast to simply be attributed to old age.


    ¡®Is this a peculiarity of this world, or was Bartello actually in that state even when I was ying the game?¡¯


    In the game, Bartello''s quick abdication of the throne was always nned.The yers didn''t think deeply about it. Even though Bartello stepped down, he didn''t die. They just thought it was because he was old.


    But now Frondier''s sixth sense tells him. A person couldn''t be like that just by getting old.


    ¡®Someone intentionally made Bartello weak quickly.¡¯


    Bartello isn''t being robbed of Mana right now. He''s just losing it. It''s hard to call it a disease, but it''s a power that definitely weakens the opponent.


    ©¤©¤A curse.


    ¡°...Brother.¡±


    Frondier called Azier. He had to tell someone about this emergency. And it had to be someone Frondier could trust.


    However, since he couldn''t tell the whole story, Frondier softened his expression a little.


    ¡°His Majesty looks very tired.¡±


    Following that, Azier''s gaze fell on Bartello. His sharp eyes scanned Bartello for a moment, and his brow furrowed. It was as if an unpleasant memory hade to mind.


    ¡°...Indeed. It''s like,¡±


    The next words were something Frondier hadn''t expected.


    ¡°Seeing you in the past.¡±


    ¡°...Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The past you, who couldn''t oveeziness and annoyance and slept all day.¡±


    Frondier thought Azier was joking. Comparing the Emperor''s appearance to Frondier''s pastziness, even as a joke, it required tremendous boldness.


    But Azier''s expression wasn''t one of joking at all. Rather, it was as if he had realized something by looking at Bartello, and thus, he added one more sentence with displeasure.


    ¡°Frondier, I didn''t tell you this, but Father once said that something intervened with you.¡±


    ¡°...Intervened? With me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Literally something. Whether it was a god or a demon, I don''t know, but yourziness wasn''t normal enough to simply be dismissed as your personality.¡±


    But neither Azier nor Enfer made a fuss about it.


    They weren''t sure if something had intervened, and whether it was a god or a demon, it wouldn''t be good for them.


    If a god had intervened, it would be sphemy, and if they discussed the intervention of a demon, the entire family and lineage would be tainted with the name of a demon.


    Not to mention, the family''s image would plummet to the ground.


    ¡°He looks like you did back then.¡±


    Frondier swallowed his surprise at Azier''s words and looked at Bartello again.


    Could Bartello''s current state be the same as Frondier''s past state? He had thought it was a curse, but if it was a curse cast by a god or a demon...


    What did he want from Bartello?


    Before that, what did he want from Frondier?


    ¡®It''s obvious what he wanted from Frondier. Any yer who has yed the game would know.¡¯


    Whether it was a god or a demon, even if the identity was unknown, if it was the same person who cast the same curse on Bartello and Frondier...


    The yers of Etius all know what happened to Frondier.


    Frondier de Roach simply disappeared quietly.


    Not dying, not vanishing, but literally losing everyone''s interest and fading from memory.


    From the yers'' perspective, he became apletely insignificant character in this game, and from the world''s perspective, he became apletely useless ordinary person, leaving his family and living an ordinary life somewhere in a corner.


    Death attracts people''s attention, and disappearance remains an eternal mystery.


    He couldn''t allow either, so he wanted Frondier to literally exit the stage. So that no one could pay any attention to him. Like a wildflower withering away without anyone noticing.


    ¡®Is he trying to do the same thing to Bartello?¡¯


    Just as Frondier gulped,


    His sixth sense sounded another rm.


    This time, it was a clearer detection, the sense that Frondier''s sixth sense reported to him with top priority.


    ¡®Killing intent¡¯.


    The moment Frondier felt it, he kicked off the ground. With one leap and his aura d around him, he instantly closed the distance to Bartello.


    Swoosh-


    The short sword Frondier drew grazed past Bartello''s face,


    ng!


    The sword collided with something''s ws, producing a violent metallic sound.


    He had blocked something''s ws that were about to attack Bartello just in time.


    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±


    ¡°Huh, huhh!¡±


    The nobles who were dancing screamed and made frightened noises at the sudden sight.


    Bartello, surprised while sitting on the chair, the area around Bartello in disarray due to Frondier''s leap, people frozen in shock.


    Screech, screech-


    Frondier''s short sword and the creature''s ws engaged in a power struggle, making a noise. In the midst of a great silence, that sound alone relentlessly heightened the tension within the hall.


    Everyone''s frozen gaze gathered on Frondier,


    And Frondier confirmed the appearance of the creature he had blocked with his sword.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    The thing that attacked Bartello wasn''t human. It wasn''t a beast either. If anything, it would be a monster, but he couldn''t be sure.


    Frondier had never seen anything like this in all his numerous ythroughs.


    It was transparent. No, it was slightly cloudy. It was also soft, almost like a liquid, and had a crude torso and limbs that seemed to barely mimic a human.


    However, only the hand that tried to harm Bartello had ws that were sharp and hard.


    If anything, it was like konjac or something awkwardly imitating a person.


    And that awkward head wriggled and shuffled around,


    ¡°Baa.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    It formed a human face and opened its mouth as it looked at Frondier. He couldn''t tell if it wasughing or crying.


    ¡®What is this...!¡¯


    It''s not a member of the Shadow. Nor is it the god or demon he had been specting about just now.


    Somethingpletely unexpected, literally ¡®something¡¯ had intruded.


    He thought that destroying the Mana Injection n and cleaning up the Shadow as the final step would be the end,


    But Frondier had a hunch that aplex war he himself didn''t even know about was unfolding beneath the surface.


    A giant wheel was turning, something that couldn''t be seen in its entirety from the perspective of just one person.

 Chapter 223 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @n and @Wordsmith from Ko-fi!</i>


    The gtinous monster''s face, an imitation of a human''s, was crude.


    Its features, unable to find their proper ce ¨C or rather, unaware of where they belonged ¨C floated about its face, shifting positions.


    "Hmph!"


    ng! ng! ng!


    Despite its bizarre appearance, itsbat sense and murderous intent were undeniable. It expertly parried Frondier''s flurry of blows, its eyes fixated on Bartello the entire time.


    ''Can it truly see Bartello with those eyes?''


    When the creature initially attacked, itcked a face. Frondier had assumed its current features were merely a superficial mimicry, but its gaze remained locked on Bartello.''Could those fake-looking eyes actually be functional? Then how did it target Bartello before it formed a face?''


    ''Let''s test it.''


    Frondier manipted his bracer. Obsidian gathered behind the monster, forming a sharp dagger.


    Swish¡ª


    ng!


    Despite the attacking from a perfect blind spot, the gtinous monster extended a w to block it, its eyes never leaving Bartello.


    ''It doesn''t perceive its surroundings through sight. Hearing... or perhaps touch?''


    It effortlessly blocked a surprise attack from behind, its eyes unwavering.


    Though its eyes seemed to be watching Bartello, they likely served as a secondary sensory organ for the creature.


    "You beast!"


    As the standoff continued, Imperial knights, weapons drawn, charged towards the gtinous monster.


    "Buu¡ª"


    The creature let out another strange sound and retreated. Its movements were as swift as its attacks, but they were far from human.


    "Chase it!"


    At someone''smand, the knights surged forward, intent on ying the monster.


    Swish!


    The monster leaped into the air, soaring through the sky, before¡ª


    "What, what?!"


    "It vanished!"


    It literally disappeared into thin air.


    This was no illusion or a case of it moving too fast for the eye to follow. It had simply be invisible.


    ''Invisibility!''


    The murderous aura that had been so thick moments ago vanished entirely, along with any trace of mana or sound.


    Azier, who had been observing, narrowed his eyes.


    ''This isn''t magic. There''s not even the faintest scent of mana. Is this the monster''s own ability?''


    It hadn''t used invisibility magic; it had truly be transparent. Furthermore, with its mana and killing intent concealed, this was closer toplete concealment than mere invisibility.


    ''This ability is how it got close to the Emperor.''


    Tracking the creature under these circumstances would be impossible. The Emperor''s safety was the priority.


    Seemingly sharing the same thought, one of the knights addressed Frondier.


    "We are deeply grateful for your assistance. From now on, we will¡ª"


    The knight''s words were cut short.


    Thud!


    Frondier, who had been scanning the surroundings with his peculiar eyes, suddenly leaped from the ground.


    Swish!


    Thwack!


    His sword shed through the air, and the vanished monster reappeared in that exact spot.


    It crashed to the ground, Frondier''s de embedded in its back, his body pinning it down.


    "Did you think you could escape after pulling such a stunt, you half-baked freak?"


    Everyone stared in astonishment. Enfer, Azier, all of them.


    The same thought ran through their minds.


    ''How did he find it?''


    Even Azier, unable to detect the monster''s perfect concealment, had prioritized the Emperor''s safety. The knights who had been pursuing the creature moments ago had also sensed nothing.


    Everyone had deemed it the optimal decision to abandon the pursuit and protect the Emperor.


    Of all the people present, only Frondier had located the creature.


    While they marveled at his detection ability, Frondier, still pinning the monster down, pondered.


    ''Even if it turns invisible, it bes visible again when attacked.''


    The principle behind it was unclear, but the monster''s invisibility was dispelled upon taking damage.


    Moreover, the blow he had justnded on its back had been met with little resistance, despite the creature''s previous defensive prowess.


    ''It seems maintaining its invisibility requires its full concentration.''


    It was an ability that concealed its form, killing intent, and mana. If it could attack while invisible, it wouldn''t have revealed itself in the first ce.


    "Br, brb, brrr...."


    The monster remained still for a few seconds after being pinned down by Frondier, as if unable toprehend its situation.


    And now, it was squirming, attempting to break free from Frondier''s grasp.


    ''Does this thing not feel pain?''


    The monster currently had Frondier''s sword piercing through its back, the de pinning it to the ground.


    It should be physically impossible for it to escape without removing the sword. In fact, a normal person would be in too much pain to even move.


    ''There''s no blood either, so it doesn''t even feel real that I stabbed it.''


    True to its gtinous appearance, not a single drop of blood oozed from its pierced back. Did itsck of blood mean it alsocked the ability to feel pain? Was that why it could still struggle and try to break free in this state?


    ''...No, then why did it block my attacks? If it doesn''t feel pain or bleed, it could have ignored them and gone straight for Bartello¡ª''


    As if swallowing Frondier''s rising question,


    "¡ªKee,"


    The creature, with a mouth that barely resembled one, let out a scream.


    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡ª!!!"


    Several seconds after Frondier''s de had pierced its back.


    ''What is this? A sound-based attack? Some kind of curse?''


    Frondier tensed, but he felt no ill effects. ncing around, he saw people covering their ears from the shriek, but no one seemed particrly affected.


    In other words, it was just a scream.


    ''What the hell is this thing?''


    Meanwhile, the Imperial knights approached him.


    Judging that Frondier had sessfully subdued the creature, they brought out a monster restraint device.


    "We will restrain it."


    "Yes."


    Frondier stepped back, and the knights expertly subdued the monster with practiced movements, rendering it immobile.


    Frondier watched as the creature was confined within the restraint device. It was the first time he had encountered this type of monster, so there was a chance it could resist even the restraint.


    ...However, the creature was trapped without much resistance.


    After observing it for a while, Frondier slowly deactivated his weapon.


    "Frondier."


    Azier approached him.


    "How did you know where it was?"


    Azier''s question was one that everyone present was curious about. How had he managed to locate thepletely concealed monster so quickly and urately?


    Frondier bit his lip slightly at his question.


    "...As I suspected."


    His eyes darted to the lower right, as if contemting something.


    "That creature cannot be detected by normal means."


    "What do you mean, Frondier?"


    Frondier had located the monster using his sixth sense.


    His power, which allowed him to sense all things supernatural, had pinpointed the location of the concealed creature.


    He had initially considered this sixth sense to be simr to the detection abilities possessed by other skilled individuals. And indeed, it wasn''t that different under normal circumstances.


    However, if neither Azier nor Enfer could detect the monster, and only Frondier could...


    There was only one conclusion he could draw.


    "That monster is a being from another world."


    Frondier, who had acquired the mana of Helheim.


    If he was the only one who could sense it, then the creature couldn''t be a monster of this world.

 Chapter 223 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Bartello Terst.


    The current emperor of the Terst Empire.


    In the past, Bartello, following the orders of his father, the then emperor Edward, participated in the war against the monsters and stood shoulder to shoulder with the current Zodiacs.


    His military power may not match the Zodiacs, but his excellent tactics drove the monsters away and built a barrier to stop their attacks. For this, Bartello is worthy of the title of a great general.


    Edward, the emperor at the time, worked hard to restore the honor of the previous emperor Edesion, who had been branded as an ipetent king.


    He actively promoted people like Enfer, who were only famous in the north and whose abilities had not been verified at the time, and did not hesitate to use people like Heldre, who had a problem with their character, for the fight against the monsters.


    Thanks to this, humans were ultimately sessful in stopping the invasion of the monsters.


    Of course, contrary to Edward''s intentions, there was no restoration of Edesion''s honor. Only Edward himself was elevated.


    Bartello can be considered a good emperor who overcame the weight of his highly praised father and grew on his own.''Compared to that, his exit from the game was quite quiet.''


    As Bartello aged and weakened, he gave up his position to the next generation a little earlier than other emperors. Most likely to Elysia, the first princess.


    In this world, Elysia is exposed as the mastermind behind the monster attacks due to Frondier, and is stripped of her princess status, but originally, she is the rightful next empress. Now, however, Sale is expected to be the empress.


    Therefore, Bartello exerts considerable influence while he is the emperor in the game, but his exit is quite quiet and mundane.


    Since he stepped down from the emperor''s position on his own, no one can say anything, and it''s not surprising since his body has indeed weakened a lot.


    Just like how all the yers don''t even remember, let alone find it strange, when Frondier exits.


    If the emperor''s seemingly natural abdication was actually something intended.


    Then it wouldn''t be irrelevant that an unidentified monster is trying to kill Bartello now.


    ''Has it be difficult to naturally dismiss Bartello as in the game?''


    The enemy wants to get rid of Bartello by any means. They originally wanted to end it quietly, but if that''s not possible, they even use strange monsters to kill Bartello. That''s how important Bartello must be.


    However, killing Bartello would not be easy. His death would herald a huge imbnce on either side. That was the nature of the Emperor¡¯s position.


    Dealing with the issue of someone¡¯s life and death was unlike anything Frondier had ever experienced before.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Am I the first one here?¡±


    The first of those waves.


    In presence of the Emperor, the Imperial Knights, and Frondier, Ludwig von Urfa appeared.


    ¡°Long time no see, Lord Urfa.¡±


    Frondier greeted him with a smile and a nod.


    ¡°Tch, I rushed here right after I received the news, but why am I the only one here? What are the others doing?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be here shortly.¡±


    Frondierughed bitterly at Ludwig''s description of ''the others''. Only Ludwig could speak in such a way.


    The ''others'' Ludwig was referring to were the ''Zodiacs''.


    Today, a summons order for all the Zodiacs had been dropped at this ce.


    "So, you''re the only one who can find that strange monster? Are you staying by the emperor''s side in case those bastardse again?"


    "Yes, for now, that''s the case."


    "And because it''s insecure to protect the emperor with just you, all the other Zodiacs have been called too?"


    "Roughly, yes."


    At Frondier''s answer, Ludwig scratched his head. Ludwig took a quick look around at the pce knights.


    Those who would protect the emperor until the Zodiacs arrived were tense, even though the enemy had not yet arrived.


    Seeing this, Ludwig clicked his tongue and looked at Frondier.


    [Frondier, I heard something.]


    His voice reached Frondier without even moving his lips. It was Ludwig''s magic that would not be eavesdropped on by anyone.


    [You know well how others would react to the fact that only you can see the monster, right? You''re a clever one.]


    At those words, Frondier lowered his head. To others, it was just a gesture of lowering his gaze, but of course, it was a ''confirmation'' directed at Ludwig.


    [You''ve already risen as a prominent figure in the pce. The fact that you''re the only one who can see the monster, it''s not a matter that can be simply nodded at.]


    Because Frondier is the only one who can confirm and respond to the monster, Frondier stays by the emperor''s side.


    If only things could flow as simply as that, but the situation is not that simple.


    [You are currently under suspicion.]


    Ludwig''s voice continued.


    [You''re suspected of colluding with that monster. If you can be by the emperor''s side, you''ve secured the best position to kill the emperor.]


    Frondier also felt it.


    The pce knights are on high alert, and that''s why. They fear that Frondier might suddenly change his stance and attack the emperor. Even if they try not to show it, it''s obvious.


    [Be careful. The same order would have been given to all of the Zodiac.]


    ©¤Currently, only Frondier can find the monster that attacked the Emperor. Cooperate with him as much as possible.


    ©¤However, if Frondier even slightly attempts to harm the Emperor, do not hesitate to cut his throat.

 Chapter 224 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I took a deep breath, repeating the action silently in my mind.


    A full Zodiac assembly. It was only natural given the gravity of the situation, but the significance of it weighed heavily on me.


    ¡®People on par with, or even surpassing, Heldre are gathered here.¡¯


    When I faced Heldre, I was able to oppose him because I had drawn him into my strategic domain.


    I had gained the upper hand by striking from behind with information he didn''t possess, exploiting his blind spots.


    Besides, Renzo had dealt the final blow, so it wasn''t entirely urate to say that I had defeated Heldre.


    ¡®I believe I''ve grown a lot since then.¡¯


    Through the training I''ve undergone, my closebat skills have improved considerably, and above all, I''ve gained a lot from the Yeranhes barrier.


    The amount of Obsidian has increased iparably, the chronic Mana shortage has been resolved thanks to Helheim''s Mana, and I''ve even acquired ''Sixth Sense.''However, I couldn''t objectively assess my current abilities. Even when I confronted Eden, it wasn''t a proper fight.


    ¡®How do Ipare to the Zodiac now?¡¯


    I''ll find out soon enough.


    Thud.


    As if reading my thoughts, the sound of footsteps began to echo from afar.


    What initially felt like a single set of footsteps gradually multiplied.


    ¡°See, I told you this was the right ce, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°You also thought it was the conference room at first, didn''t you?¡±


    ¡°That''s because you spoke with such conviction! Because of you, the entire Zodiac was standing around cluelessly in the conference room!¡±


    ¡°Not the entire Zodiac. Ludwig wasn''t there.¡±


    ¡°Don''t even¡ª.¡±


    A pair of men and women bickered lightheartedly as they walked at the front of the group.


    ¡°Is His Majesty alright? It''s difficult to suppress my impatience.¡±


    ¡°How many times are you going to ask? A Constel student managed to stop it, didn''t he?¡±


    ¡°I won''t believe it until I see it with my own eyes!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    Behind them, a man brimming with enthusiasm and another dismissing his words.


    ¡°The male student who stopped the surprise attack, I heard he''s quite handsome?¡±


    ¡°Give it a rest, Lily. He''s Enfer''s son.¡±


    ¡°Ew. No way. Wasn''t his name Azier or something?¡±


    ¡°This is the second son. What was it again? Frondier or something.¡±


    ¡°Frondier, Frondier.¡±


    A somewhat seductive voice and a slightly rough voice trying to restrain it. And another voice adding ament.


    Each engaged in their own conversations as they approached.


    ¡®Heavy.¡¯


    I had felt it before at the mansion during the noble gathering, but prestigious nobles and Zodiacs exuded an overwhelming presence. Back then, my body felt heavy under that formidable pressure, and this time, it was the entire Zodiac.


    Eleven of them, excluding Ludwig, stood before me.


    Although they seemed to be trying to manage their presence, the inherent aura of the strong didn''t seem to be concealed at all, nor did they seem to have any intention of hiding it, as it reverberated throughout the room.


    ¡°So, this is the guy?¡±


    The woman who had been at the front of the pair spoke, looking at me. Naturally, all the Zodiacs'' gazes converged on me.


    With each breath I took, their auras seemed to mix and pierce my lungs.


    Enduring that immense pressure, I smiled.


    ¡°¡ª¡ªGreetings.¡±


    Their expressions changed slightly, perhaps in response to my demeanor and voice. However, I didn''t mind.


    I had fought Renzo, defeated Heldre, and achievedplete victory against Eden.


    Unlike when I first arrived in this world, I was now far too ustomed to the atmosphere of the strong.


    ¡°I am Frondier de Roach.¡±


    * * *


    The ce where Bartello, the Zodiacs, and Frondier had gathered was the Emperor''s bedroom.


    Normally, when the Zodiacs were summoned, they would assemble in the Imperial Pce conference room, but since this incident directly targeted the Emperor''s life, the location had been changed.


    The Emperor''s bedroom was the safest ce in the entire pce.


    Bartelloy on his bed, undergoing a meticulous examination by a physician. Even though Frondier had sessfully defended him, there was a possibility that they might have missed some hidden attack.


    The Zodiacs and Frondier sat around a long table, having cleared away all the ornaments and brought in chairs.


    After all the Zodiacs had arrived, the Imperial Knights had withdrawn, leaving only the Zodiacs, Frondier, and a single attendant to exin the situation to them.


    Philly had wanted to participate as well, but since the enemies targeting the Emperor were unlikely to spare the Empress, she had also been moved to a safe location.


    ¡°So.¡±


    After hearing the full exnation, one of the male Zodiacs spoke up.


    ¡°Only this, Frondier, can detect the monster?¡±


    It was Ludovic de Fabre, the man who had been bickering at the front earlier.


    Some Zodiacs, like Heldre and Ludwig, were quite old, but there were also quite a few younger members.


    The Zodiacs were twelvebat weapons designated to protect the Empire.


    This number ''twelve'' was strictly maintained, so if one of the Zodiacs died, someone else would fill their position within a certain period. Just like Ludwig had filled Heldre''s position after his death.


    Therefore, as long as one possessed both skill and a reputation that the citizens of the Empire acknowledged, they could be a Zodiac even if they were young, like Ludovic.


    ¡®Ludovic, the number one pro before Eden, but he became a Zodiac and head of a household.¡¯


    Ludovic was currently the head of a household guarding the barrier on the coast of Babia, a region in the southern part of the Empire. In other words, he did a simr job to Ludwig and Enfer.


    Babia wasn''t a region like Yeranhes where monsters appeared frequently and inrge numbers, but the creatures that crawled out of the depths of the sea were asionally absurdly terrifying.


    Therefore, Babia was optimized for responding to a single, massive, and threatening monster rather than exterminatingrge numbers of them.


    Ludovic himself also specialized in taking down single monsters rather than multiple ones.


    ¡°How exactly do you detect this monster?¡±


    Ludovic asked, looking at me as if I were some strange creature.


    I thought for a moment before answering.


    ¡°¡­¡­By intuition.¡±

 Chapter 224 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­By intuition.¡±


    It wasn''t exactly a lie, but Ludovic''s eyebrows twitched immediately.


    ¡°Are you trying to joke with me?¡±


    ¡°It''s not a joke. I myself don''t understand why I''m the only one who can detect it.¡±


    I refrained from mentioning that the konjac monster was from another world.


    Enfer and Azier had a rough idea of what I had done in Yeranhes, so they understood, but it wasn''t something I could share with others.


    ¡°You don''t understand the reason¡­¡­.¡±


    This time, another person spoke up. It was the woman who had been bickering with Ludovic. Her name was Daisy Foster, one of the two women currently in the Zodiac.


    ¡°Then there might be someone among us who can also sense the monster, right?¡±¡°¡­¡­Yes. I hope so too.¡±


    I answered that way, but I knew the chances were slim to none. I could sense the monster because I had Helheim''s Mana within me.


    ¡°Hey, kid.¡±


    Then, another woman spoke to me in a sweet, almost cloying voice.


    ¡°You''re the only one who''s properly fought that monster, right? Did you find out anything?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I didn''t answer immediately and looked at the woman for a moment.


    To be honest, I didn''t want to be on this woman''s radar.


    Her name was Ria Lis. yers simply called her ''Lily,'' and some people in this world did too.


    Lily, as if intentionally named that way, brought to mind the demon ''Lilith.'' She had a very seductive face and figure, and her voice and expressions were all beautifully crafted, as if she were constantly putting on an act.


    To put it bluntly, if Selena''s ''acting'' when she tried to seduce me became her true nature, she would be Lily. She was a mysterious woman whose age remained unknown.


    Unlike Selena, Lily genuinely enjoyed men and was attracted to them. In fact, since her own abilities were outstanding, she didn''t care about a man''s abilities and only looked at their appearance.


    If I were to get on this woman''s good or bad side, things would be very tiringter on. So, I wanted to avoid catching her eye as much as possible, but...


    ¡°Hmm? What do you think? More information would be helpful.¡±


    At Lily''s persistent question, I sighed inwardly.


    Anyway, sharing information was necessary. It wasn''t something I could simply brush off with "I don''t know." It was best to know as much as possible about the monster.


    ¡°From what I experienced fighting it, the monster seemed like it had just been born.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Just been born? You mean it couldn''t control its body properly?¡±


    I shook my head at the question from another man.


    ¡°I realized this when I stabbed it in the back.¡±


    At that time, the konjac monster had fallen to the ground after I stabbed it in the back. My sword had pierced through it and into the floor, almostpletely immobilizing its body.


    However, for a brief moment, it struggled to escape as if it didn''t feel any pain, and then...


    ¡°¡­¡­It screamed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wondered if the scream itself might have been some kind of curse with an effect, but that wasn''t the case. Everyone present at the time was fine.¡±


    ¡°Then it was just a simple scream?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The puzzling thing is why the scream came out sote.¡±


    From there, I had made one deduction.


    Perhaps the monster was imitating everything about humans, one by one.


    ¡°The monster didn''t have a face when it first tried to attack His Majesty. Only after I blocked it did a face pop out, and it tried to imitate eyes, a nose, and a mouth. I remember those eyes were focused on His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s not just simple imitation. It''s actually copying those functions.¡±


    ¡°Yes. At that time, it couldn''t make proper sounds with its mouth. The reason it screamed so long after I stabbed it in the back was that it had just learned how to ''scream.''¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­A monster that learns its surroundings at a rapid pace.¡±


    When I nodded in agreement, the others fell into their own thoughts.


    A creature capable of imitating eyes, a mouth, and even making sounds. Regardless of its internal structure, it was safe to assume that it could mimic almost anything.


    I said,


    ¡°I''ve never seen anything with a simr mechanism of movement, so I can''t say for sure, but learning usually presupposes a high level of intelligence.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Does it possess that much intelligence?¡±


    ¡°It''s a possibility. And if that intelligence isparable to or surpasses that of humans...¡±


    Ever since I realized that possibility, I had been thinking about it.


    If I were that monster, what would I do with that learning and mimicking ability?


    The answer came quickly.


    ¡°It might imitate my appearance.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    From the moment it appeared, the monster had created a head, eyes, a nose, and a mouth.


    It was clearly trying to imitate humans.


    And I was the one closest to the Emperor because I could detect it.


    If its mimicry became indistinguishable from an ordinary human, it would likely try to copy me.


    ¡°What if that''s true?¡±


    Lily asked me.


    For some reason, the glint in her eyes seemed to intensify as she looked at me, but I ignored it for now.


    ¡°Nothing will change.¡±


    ¡°Nothing will change?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If the monster imitates me and bes indistinguishable from the real me, it will naturally try to target His Majesty. In that case, please do not hesitate to eliminate it. If it''s a fake, it will simply die.¡±


    The Zodiacs listening to me fell silent for a moment. Then, as they all realized the meaning of my words, they looked at me with incredulous expressions.


    I had just said that if it were a fake, it would simply die.


    In other words, the opposite was also true.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Lily''s eyes sparkled as she spoke.


    ¡°So you''re saying that the real you won''t be harmed?¡±

 Chapter 225 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I offered a clumsy smile at Lily''s words, a forced expression, of course.


    "I''ll try to hold out for a while," I said.


    Since acquiring the mana of Helheim, I''ve grown quite confident in my defense, as evidenced during the freshmen''s skill tests.


    While I wouldn''t be able to handle all of the Zodiacs attacking me at once, if I''m prepared, I should be able to manage.


    Besides, there''s no reason for me to attack Bartello in the first ce.


    ¡®Imitate me and approach Bartello¡­?¡¯


    I said it in a rather scared way.


    But Bartello''s safety will likely be guaranteed.


    The entire Zodiac is gathered here, not just me. The monster always reveals itself when it attacks.In other words, if I can handle the first attack, the Zodiac will take care of the rest. Even if it means keeping an eye on me, the Zodiac''s primary mission right now is to protect the emperor.


    Therefore, it''s not Bartello I''m worried about right now.


    ''My hands are tied.''


    I''m the only one who can find the monster, and the monster is targeting the emperor.


    As long as these premises hold, I have to stay by Bartello''s side. At least until I''m certain that another monster like that won''t appear.


    ''The Imperial family must be investigating.''


    As of now, we don''t know the identity or origin of that monster.


    Enfer and Azier know it''s a monster from another world, so they''re better off than others, but will that make much of a difference?


    Knock, knock¡ª


    At that moment, someone knocked on the door.


    "Excuse me. I have something to tell the Zodiac members."


    A light and somewhat disrespectful tone.


    I slightly furrowed my brow at the familiar voice.


    "Who are you?"


    After Ludovic''s question, a light chuckle was heard before the answer came.


    "I am Pascal Schlitz, a knight of the Imperial family."


    Pascal Schlitz.


    Pascal, who had stepped down as a temporary teacher for Azier and was newly appointed as a teacher for Constel.


    The one the yers call ''The Mischevious'' hade.


    "If you have something to say, say it outside the door."


    Ludovic''s sharp tone. However, in this emergency situation where the emperor was in danger, it was only natural.


    Pascal spoke from outside the door as instructed.


    "The monster that the Frondier student... no, that Roach captured..."


    Pascal''s title still seemed awkward, as if he still had the habits of a teacher.


    "What about that monster?"


    "Its appearance has changed. It''s bing more and more human-like. It''s currently inside the prison, and its physique is simr to that of the guard in charge. It seems to be mimicking the appearance of whoever it sees."


    At Pascal''s words, everyone turned their eyes to me.


    Their gazes seemed to say, ''Not bad, huh?''


    "How fast is the mimicry?"


    "Quite fast. If I go back to the prison and check again now, I think I''d be surprised myself. It will probablypletely replicate the guard''s appearance within three hours."


    Even if the monster takes on the exact same appearance as the guard right now, nothing will change. It''s still restrained.


    "Would a few of you inside please follow me? It would be best to see it for yourselves. Since you''re Zodiac members, you might be able to distinguish it from an ordinary human."


    At those words, the Zodiac members looked at each other.


    "I''ll go."


    The first to speak was Daisy Foster, who had been bickering with Ludovic.


    "Our mission is to just stay here and wait until the enemy attacks, right? I can''t stand being bored like this."


    "Daisy."


    "While I''m gone, decide on a recement. It''s ridiculous for all twelve Zodiac members to stay here forever."


    Daisy spoke to Ludovic as she headed for the door.


    As she said, it''s not realistic for all the Zodiac members to stay here forever. As humans, we need rest, and if there are people guarding, there should also be people searching for the enemy''s location.


    Because it was the emperor who was in danger, not just anyone else, everyone hesitated to speak up, but Daisy said what they needed to hear.


    Creak¡ª


    The door opened, and Daisy saw Pascal smiling brightly.


    "...Anything good happen?"


    "No. I always have this kind of face."


    I made a subtle expression at those words.


    "I greet His Majesty."


    Pascal took a step inside the open door and bowed before the emperor. Bartello, lying down, showed no particr reaction.


    Pascal, raising his head again, spotted me and waved his hand.


    "Ah! Frondier, how have you been?"


    "...Yes."


    "Ahaha. Still concise, I see. We have a lot to catch up on, but we''re busy now, so let''s do it leisurelyter."


    ...I don''t think I have anything to catch up on with Pascal.


    While we were having that conversation, another person stood up.


    "I''ll go too."


    This time, it was Monty Morgan, the most taciturn man among the Zodiac.


    Monty belongs to the Pros, but his work is closer to that of a mercenary.


    If the amount offered in a request is to his liking, he takes the job; if not, he doesn''t.


    Since the work of the Pros is ultimately for the public good, Monty ends up helping the people of the empire, but he himself seems to have no interest in anything other than money.


    Due to this nature, Monty has a bad reputation among the Pros, and at the same time, he has the highest price tag.


    "There''s something I want to check."


    At Monty''s words, Pascal nodded without any further questions.


    "So, just the two of you?"


    Pascal looked around the room and asked, but the others remained silent. Of course, I naturally stayed still.


    "Let''s go."


    And so, Pascal left with Daisy and Monty.


    After a brief silence, Ludovic looked around at everyone and spoke.


    "Then, as Daisy suggested, let''s set a rotation. Let''s form teams of three and take turns guarding this ce."


    No one objected to Ludovic''s words.


    For this mission where we might have to wait indefinitely, conserving stamina is essential.


    However, there''s one problem with this situation.


    It''s me.

 Chapter 225 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...What will you do?"


    "Of course, I''ll stay here."


    Ludovic asked me with a slightly worried look, and I gave the obvious answer.


    I can''t leave this ce. There''s no one to rece me.


    Even if others use their aura or magic to perfectly protect the emperor, if I leave this ce once ande back, the others will inevitably suspect me.


    Because there''s a possibility that the monster might have imitated me and entered during that time.


    "If the mission takes a long time and I need to get some sleep, please have at least one person protect His Majesty by my side. It would be even better if you could block him with an imprable barrier."


    "Can''t you sense the monster''s approach even while you''re sleeping?"


    "I can."My sixth sense is always active, even while I''m sleeping. In fact, that''s why I used to have trouble sleeping. My senses became too sensitive.


    When Hypnos, the god of sleep, put me to sleep, I slept without knowing he was taking the ck Lotus, but that was the power of a god.


    "But you''ll be uneasy. There''s no way for me to convince you that I can sense the enemy''s approach even while I''m sleeping."


    At my words, the Zodiac members thought for a moment, then shrugged at each other.


    "You''re right. We''ll try our best to amodate you. It must be agonizing to keep waiting here."


    I smiled and nodded at Ludovic''s consideration.


    However, my mind was still not at ease.


    ''The moment he suggested the possibility of the monster imitating me, I knew this would happen. That I would bepletely tied down here.''


    But I couldn''t not say it. That would be much more dangerous.


    However, the entire Zodiac is gathered here.


    No matter how great the enemy is, is it possible for them to break through all of them and assassinate the emperor? They must have known this would happen when they tried to harm the emperor.


    ''Did that monster believe its surprise attack would definitely seed?''


    If not...


    If it had predicted that the entire Zodiac would be gathered and that I would join them here...


    ...If my being stuck here was the enemy''s intention from the beginning...


    ''...Is the emperor really what the monster is after?''


    ***


    When Pascal arrived at the prison with Daisy and Monty, the three of them were speechless. Even Pascal, who had already witnessed the monster''s mimicry, had no words for the sight inside the prison.


    "...It has already perfectly replicated him."


    "Indeed."


    Daisy''s reply.


    As she said, what was inside the prison was no longer some konjac monster.


    The guard was imprisoned inside the cell. Of course, a guard who looked exactly like him was staring at his own face from outside the cell.


    "...How is it? Can you tell them apart?"


    Pascal asked the two Zodiac members.


    Daisy frowned and looked back and forth between the guard inside the cell and the guard outside.


    "...It''s going to be difficult."


    Monty shared the same sentiment.


    "The breathing pattern, gait, even the flow of mana are all the same. At this point, it''s not mimicry. It has be that person from the inside out. Mimicry is generally for deceiving others, but this has no such purpose. It''s closer to the result of trying its best to be that person."


    While Monty was exining, the monster inside the cell, with the guard''s face, muttered quietly.


    "Hoh, mana... chest... my... ne... mo, momo, mo, objective."


    Daisy frowned at the sight.


    "...After appearance, is itnguage next?"


    "Frondier said this thing ''learns''. It feels like watching a child growing at high speed."


    "A child that tries to kill the emperor, though."


    Pascal added the final words.


    At that moment, the monster''s eyes turned towards Pascal.


    And then it blinked a few times.


    Blink, blink.


    Then suddenly,


    Blinkblinkblinkblinkblinkblinkblinkblink¡ª


    Its eyelids lifted and closed repeatedly at a speed impossible for a human. Not only the speed but also the grotesque movement was definitely not something a human could imitate.


    "...It''s clear that the one inside is the monster. I was wondering if they might have switched ces while I was gone."


    "Please don''t say such scary things."


    The guard said with a pale face.


    Daisy tilted her head.


    "What is it doing?"


    The monster blinked dozens of times in a second. Then, at some point, its entire body melted like ink.


    For a brief moment, it was definitely in the form of the konjac monster.


    But immediately after...


    "...!"


    It had be Pascal Schlitz.


    "...What the..."


    By that point, those watching the prison began to feel a surge of instinctive disgust and fear.


    "How long did it take to change just now?"


    "...About three seconds? Counting is meaningless at this point."


    "Right."


    Pascal''s smile faded for the first time in a while.


    He wasn''t surprised that the konjac monster had turned into him. There was something more chilling than its speed.


    ¡°¡­¡­That sword.¡±


    Pascal opened his mouth.


    ¡°It copied my sword. It even copied the clothes that I¡¯m wearing right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Daisy and Monty nodded.


    The monster that was changing its appearance inside the prison every second wasn¡¯t naked, even when it was a prison guard or Pascal. It was wearing clothes.


    That meant that the clothes and weapons weren¡¯t real either. The monster had copied them.


    ¡°You said earlier that it can imitate the flow of human mana.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, it can.¡±


    ¡°If it really can imitate things perfectly, then right now, that sword probably has the same sharpness and strength as the sword that I¡¯m holding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very possible.¡±


    ¡°Then.¡±


    Pascal looked at Daisy and Monty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it might be able to imitate something more than just that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Like, for example, the incantation, ¡®Come forth.¡¯¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Daisy and Monty¡¯s faces instantly hardened at his words.


    Pascal continued.


    ¡°If the monster¡¯s imitation is really ¡®learning¡¯ at a high speed, just like Frondier said.¡±


    First, its physical appearance, then its voice, thennguage.


    If that¡¯s the case, then next©¤


    ¡°What will happen after it learns everything that humans are capable of?¡±

 Chapter 226 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Alberto Montes and @glo_ from Ko-fi!</i>


    Pascal''s words caused Monty to bite his lip.


    "What I wanted to test was its fighting ability. I don''t know how skilled Frondier is, but he said they fought hand-to-hand, and I wanted to see what the basis of its movements was. But after hearing that, I can''t confirm it."


    "Whatever you try, it will learn it."


    "Let''s retreat for now. I don''t want to give that monster any more learning material."


    Following Pascal''s words, the three retreated from the prison, moving out of the monster''s sight.


    "A-Are you leaving?"


    The remaining guard asked in a frightened voice.Indeed, it was impossible to remain calm after witnessing continuous changes in appearance and learning abilities.


    Monty reassured him.


    "It''s alright. It won''t be able to escape the prison with what it has learned so far."


    "We''ll go back and report the situation to the other Zodiacs. Pascal, was it? What will you do?"


    Daisy asked, and Pascal replied after a moment of thought.


    "I should contact the students first. They mighte to the Imperial Pce without knowing the situation here."


    "Students...? Ah, I see."


    Daisy nodded, recalling that Pascal was both an Imperial Knight and a Constel instructor.


    "Is Frondier the only Constel student here at the moment?"


    "No. Princess Aten is also a Constel student."


    "Then just those two?"


    Monty asked again.


    "Yes, that''s right, but...?"


    What is it? Monty shook his head at Pascal''s words, which omitted the following question.


    "No, it''s nothing."


    Despite saying so, Monty''s suspicious gaze still lingered.


    "It''s just a strange coincidence, that''s all."


    ***


    Daisy and Monty returned to the Emperor''s bedroom and informed the Zodiacs and Frondier of the situation.


    A monster with learning abilities that exceeded expectations. The Zodiacs'' faces hardened upon hearing this.


    "...Hey, Frondier."


    Ludovic spoke up.


    "Yes."


    "The reason we''re guarding this ce is to prepare for a second attack from the enemy who sent that monster, right?"


    "That''s correct."


    "Are there really more of those ridiculous monsters?"


    Frondier answered Ludovic''s question.


    "I don''t know. However, from my perspective in dealing with that monster, it had too many weaknesses to be considered the sole method of assassinating His Majesty."


    Only Frondier had detected and blocked the monster just before it attacked the Emperor.


    However, even if he hadn''t stopped it, the monster''s attack was clumsy in many ways.


    "At the time, it was awkward even controlling its own body. It had barely learned anything, and creating ws from its hands was its only means of attack. Even if I hadn''t stopped it, it would have been difficult to harm His Majesty."


    Of course, the initial w attack might have reached the Emperor, but there was no guarantee it would have been fatal.


    They wouldn''t take such a gamble on an attack that revealed all their cards.


    "In other words, the enemy still has more cards to y. One possibility is that there might be another monster like that."


    Whether or not there was a second jelly monster was unknown.


    However, the enemy would have known the possibility of the jelly monster being a "discard." Therefore, it was highly likely that they had other cards of equal or greater effectiveness.


    "But you know..."


    At that moment, someone raised their hand.


    Ria Lis, Lily, spoke in a gentle tone.


    "Even if they expected the attack to fail, wouldn''t they have not expected it to be captured?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, look. Only Frondier can detect that monster, right? So if Frondier wasn''t here, even if the operation failed, escape would have been almost certain, right?"


    Lily spoke as if she held Frondier in high regard. The tone made Frondier slightly ufortable, but her words weren''t wrong, so he remained silent.


    "Nobody knew that Frondier had such detection abilities, but the enemy did? That''s strange."


    "...They expected failure, but being captured wasn''t their intention?"


    "That''s what I think."


    Lily said it all and then took a step back at the end. Whether good or bad, making decisions wasn''t her style.


    "What do you think? Frondier? That''s a pretty good insight, isn''t it?"


    Instead, Lily looked at Frondier and asked in a sweet voice. It was almost as if she was spoon-feeding him the right to speak


    Frondier smiled wryly and said,


    "Indeed. I hadn''t thought of that."


    "Right, right?"


    Of course, Frondier had considered that point, but he said that for now.


    As Frondier wished, Lily nodded with a satisfied smile.


    Frondier''s gaze lowered.


    "I''m concerned that the monster was ''iplete.''"


    "Iplete?"


    "As you two reported, if the creature is capable of ''high-speed learning,'' I wouldn''t have used it this way if I were the enemy."


    "...Ah, I see!"


    Ludwig, who had been listening, eximed.


    "Right, they would have made it learn first before sending it on a surprise attack!"


    "Exactly. They wouldn''t have sent it in a state where it could barely control its own body."


    "But the enemy sent that monster in an iplete state. That means,"


    Ludwig, excited, continued speaking, then tilted his head, muttering, "That means...?" It seemed he couldn''t organize his thoughts any further.


    "There must have been a reason why they had to do that. Either the monster has a fatal weakness, or it doesn''t obey orders."


    "...Or,"


    Frondier said,


    "Just like us, the enemy might be in a very difficult situation right now."

 Chapter 226 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Time passed, and it becamete at night.


    No one was allowed to approach the bars that confined the monster.


    The guard on watch was also positioned so that he could observe from a window in the inner room, and everyone was careful not to enter the monster''s field of vision.


    A monster that learns everything it sees. This was the countermeasure against it. Thanks to this, the monster was currently just standing there nkly with the face and body of Pascal, thest person it had imitated.


    "...Aura, mimicry, learning..."


    However, the pronunciation of its quiet muttering gradually became clearer and more distinct. The monster diligentlybined the insufficient information it had heard so far to understand the meaning and usage of words.


    "...I..."


    A quiet voice wandered through the darkness.


    "What am I?"A question that wouldn''t reach anyone dispersed into thete-night chill.


    Or so it should have been.


    Thump-


    "You are a disaster."


    Someone''s leisurely footsteps echoed within the prison.


    It was a tall man. His hair was as long as his height, and his skin was pale. His handsome features were particrly noticeable for his sharp nose.


    Staring nkly at the man, the monster muttered,


    "...Disaster."


    "Yes. That''s what you should have been."


    Hearing that voice, the guard rushed out.


    "Who are you!"


    The guard drew his sword and faced the suddenly appearing stranger.


    "This ce is under a lockdown order! No one is allowed to enter!"


    "...Tsk."


    The stranger clicked his tongue and waved his hand towards the guard.


    Following the diagonal trajectory he drew, Aura shot out, charging towards the guard.


    "How dare you apply the rules of this ce to me... Huh?"


    The man, after shooting the Aura, didn''t even nce at the guard, but something was strange.


    The guard, who should have been sliced apart in the shape of the Aura, was standing there perfectly fine.


    There wasn''t even a scratch, let alone being cut into pieces.


    "...The rules of this ce."


    The guard, with a sudden change in demeanor, brought his hand to his face.


    The skin of his face peeled off like a mask, revealing apletely different person wearing the guard''s uniform.


    "That sounds like you''re not from here."


    "...!"


    The man who had been disguised as the guard was Azier.


    Azier briefly looked at the mask he had removed.


    "...That guy, he''s well-prepared."


    At his muttering, the man frowned.


    "Who are you?"


    Swish!


    This time, Azier''s sword extended. It was a sword wind imbued with Aura.


    ng!


    The man spread his palm and blocked the Aura. Seeing this, Azier''s eyes narrowed.


    ''He blocked Aura with his bare hands without using Aura. He''s not human.''


    Both the acrobatics of shooting Aura with his fingers without any weapons and the toughness of his body that could block a sword wind of Aura with his palm were feats impossible for humans.


    "I should be asking. Where did youe from?"


    At Azier''s words, the man let out a scoff.


    "I personally blocked it with my bare hands to make you feel the difference in our levels, yet you still utter such insolent words after seeing this. A mere human."


    "Indeed."


    Azier lowered his sword. The tip of the sword, emanating a faint Aura, touched the ground.


    "I am a mongrel, not a human. You sure take your time saying it."


    "How dare you!"


    The man shouted and spread both hands, shooting out Aura. He had no other weapons on his body. It seemed his hands themselves were his weapons.


    ''You might have dodged by chance earlier, but not this time.''


    The man confirmed that the Aura des created from his ten fingers filled Azier''s surroundings.


    The man didn''t know.


    Just as there had been a loud sound when he blocked the Aura, there should have been some sound when his Aura reached Azier.


    Why was it so silent?


    ''They said it was a learning monster.''


    Even as the high-speed Aura flew towards him, Azier momentarily rolled his eyes to look at the monster.


    ''It''s better to end this quickly.''


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Azier Original</i>


    <i>Falling Edge</i>


    The moment Azier raised the tip of his sword and touched the dozens of Auras,


    The Auras lost all their energy, plummeted, and vanished.


    "Huh...?"


    How he neutralized all those Auras, in what order he touched them, it was all tooplex for the man to understand.


    "The difference in our levels."


    Azier, as always, looked at the man with his characteristic expression.


    "Shall we see thatter? I''m busy right now."


    "...You insolent bastard!"


    The man''s Aura exploded. He rampaged without any consideration for being discovered within the Imperial Pce.


    The amount of his Aura clearly surpassed Azier''s by arge margin. It was probably a massive amount of Aura, exceeding even Enfer''s.


    However, there wasn''t a single flicker of disturbance in Azier''s expression.


    "You have quite a lot of Aura."


    Azier simply took his stance, not even taking out his beloved spear, and still holding his sword, he looked at the enraged man indifferently.


    "It would be a good match for my younger brother."

 Chapter 227 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The man raised a hand, gathering swirling aura within it. The concentrated mana alone was more than double what Azier had currently mustered.


    "Die!"


    He fired the aura directly at Azier. Once again, as Azier extended his de, the man''s aura lost its power upon contact and plummeted to the ground.


    <i>Kwang!</i>


    However, this time, it wasn''tpletely neutralized, merely deflected, causing the ground behind Azier to shatter with a loud crash.


    ''He fires aura without any special techniques or weapons.''


    Azier''s cold eyes observed the scene. For humans, mastering aura alone required considerable training. Among them, only a very small number could go beyond mastery and actually project it.


    And even those individuals needed to use weapons or unique techniques.


    However, this man used aura as easily as his own limbs. He seemed to have no difficulty releasing the aura within his body.He was definitely a being far more familiar with aura and mana than humans.


    ''A monster from the abyss beyond the realm... or a devil?''


    As Azier deduced the enemy''s identity, the man spoke, both annoyed and curious that all his attacks had missed.


    "You use strange techniques."


    There were many techniques to deflect an opponent''s attack. However, they all required fairlyplex movements.


    Most relied on rotations, demanding twists of the sword or the entire body. Many left themselves vulnerable to the next attack, focusing solely on deflection.


    However, Azier''s technique was different. To the man, it seemed like Azier simply extended his de, causing the aura to lose power and twist away, avoiding him. It would probably be the same for other attacks as well.


    "There''s no need to worry," Azier said.


    "I only have one technique that could be called such."


    "...Hmph. Are you saying you have nothing else?"


    "That''s right," Azier admitted calmly.


    "The rest is just the ''basics''."


    Unlike Enfer or Frondier, Azier didn''t have any special tricks. He couldn''t cut down distant enemies without aura like Enfer, nor could he unleash firepower with a formidable weapon like Frondier.


    All of Azier''s power stemmed from thoroughly mastered fundamentals. That''s why he wasn''t shy, but calm and serene.


    His temperament and beliefs were all embodied in one single technique:


    ''Falling edge''.


    He had nothing else special, Azier told himself.


    "Then I''ll make sure you can''t use that kind of technique!"


    <i>Tat!</i>


    The man charged. Since he couldn''t inflict damage by firing aura from a distance, he intended to gain an advantage in closebat.


    As the man''s right hand reached out and Azier raised his sword in response, the man moved sideways at high speed, using his aura to elerate and his own physical strength for theteral movement.


    This kind of unreasonable movement was only possible because he wasn''t human.


    However,


    <i>Puk!</i>


    "?!"


    The moment he moved sideways, the man was stabbed in the abdomen. He stumbled back in sudden pain, blood flowing from the wound and staining his clothes.


    "You, how..."


    The man clutched his stomach, seemingly more shocked by the fact that he was stabbed than by the damage itself.


    "How did you do that?"


    "I don''t understand the meaning of your question."


    "How did you stab me when I moved to your blind spot?!"


    "Blind spot...?"


    Azier tilted his head.


    "You moved back, so I simply stabbed with my sword, following your movement."


    He spoke as if he had done something obvious. Azier genuinely seemed confused as he looked at the man.


    "I''m more curious as to why you didn''t block it."


    "...Why didn''t I block it...?"


    Didn''t block it?


    No, that wasn''t it. The man hadn''t anticipated an attack from Azier in that situation. So, he hadn''t even thought about blocking. There was no reason to block an attack that wasn''ting.


    But Azier knew the man would move back. He knew it, so he stabbed with his sword ordingly. That was all.


    ''This is the basics?''


    Azier definitely hadn''t used any special technique. He just aimed for the man''s body and thrust his sword.


    However, seeing this one move, the man realized the level of Azier''s ''basics''.


    ''...Good.''


    The man smiled inwardly.


    ''There''s no better material than this.''


    The battle between Azier and the man was being watched by the monster inside the prison. The monster, still with Pascal''s face, observed their fight, continuously learning.


    It had surely witnessed the ''Falling edge'' technique that Azier had just demonstrated.


    ''If the Disaster can fully master this guy''s techniques, no one in this Imperial Pce will be able to oppose it!''


    Finishing his thought, the man asked,


    "What''s your name?"


    Until now, he hadn''t even bothered to answer when asked about his identity, but now that he knew his opponent''s skills, it was different.


    The man decided he needed to hear Azier''s name.


    "It''s Azier de Roach."


    "...I see."


    The man paused for a moment, as if trying to remember the name, then said,


    "My name is Mizonas. Heir of Wrath and the first-ranked devil in the hierarchy of Wrath. Remember it! The will of the almighty Satan shall spread throughout thisnd!"


    * * *


    As the devil Mizonas had thought, the monster inside the prison silently watched their fight.


    ''...Disaster.''


    The monster thought.


    No, it wasn''t thinking, but rather, it was like a recorder repeating what it had heard in its head.


    The first question it had ever asked upon being born into this world: What am I?


    It had heard the answer ''Disaster''.


    ''I am Disaster.''


    Without even knowing the meaning of Disaster, the monster inputted that simple algorithm into its mind.


    ''Then who is that?''


    And now, a high-level battle was unfolding before the monster''s eyes.


    Mizonas, who actively used his powerful, abundant, and freely controlled aura, and Azier, who deflected and neutralized all of his attacks.


    The underground prison, which should have copsed long ago under Mizonas'' power, remained intact thanks to Azier''s near-divine techniques.


    The monster''s eyes were fixed on Azier. Its superior brain and exceptional learning ability stole Azier''s power and techniques in real-time.


    Up to that point, everything was going ording to Mizonas'' n.


    However,


    ''...?''


    As the Disaster monster watched Azier''s fight, it gradually transformed its body to resemble Azier.


    Its outward appearance was already identical to Azier''s. Azier had noticed it during the fight, but he didn''t seem particrly bothered.


    And then, the monster began to replicate Azier''s internal structure: his bones, muscles, nerves, and so on.


    But at some point, the replication stopped.


    ''...What is that?''


    The monster observed the technique Azier was disying, Falling edge. And every time, the replication stopped.


    ''I don''t understand.''


    The monster hadn''t yet learned swordsmanship or weapons. Therefore, it couldn''t immediatelyprehend Azier''s near-pinnacle technique.


    Normally, in this case, the Disaster monster would start by replicating what it could. It had no preference in its mimicry. Its imitation was simply copying what it saw, like a mirror.


    Therefore, the monster''s body began to move internally to mimic other things besides Falling edge, but...


    ''...No.''


    The imitation was soon stopped again.


    An unprecedented situation that even the monster itself couldn''t understand.


    It wasn''t that it couldn¡¯t mimic. The monster itself had stopped.


    It had stopped the mindless mimicry that it had been performing endlessly like a machine, by its own will.


    The monster couldn''t understand its own thoughts yet.


    Yes, the monster had begun to incorporate its own thoughts into its replication.


    ''This isn''t it.''


    The monsterpletely stopped the replication it had been trying to restart and used all its intelligence to understand Azier''s Falling edge.


    Originally, replication wasn''t something the monster could choose. As it had been doing until now, mimicking what it saw was the shortest path for the monster to be stronger, and that''s how the Disaster was designed.


    Stopping the replication by itself was nothing more than hindering its own growth.


    Nevertheless,


    ''It''s not all the same.''


    The monster abandoned what it had to do to understand Falling edge.


    It still didn''t understand its own heart, but...


    The Disaster was now yearning for Azier''s Falling edge.


    <i>Squeak, squeak-</i>


    In the darkness, small red eyes watching the scene crawled on the floor.


    What''s said during the day is heard by the ck bird, what''s said at night is heard by the ck rat. [T/N: A Korean idiom simr to ¡®Walls have ears.¡¯]


    For someone, those words were undoubtedly true.

 Chapter 227 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When Mizonas released his aura, the Zodiacs and Frondier naturally sensed it. The location was clearly the underground prison. Something had definitely happened there, where the konjac monster was held.


    Some of the Zodiacs had already headed towards the underground prison.


    However, Frondier''s expression was quite calm.


    "...Hey, Frondier," Monty spoke up, having been silently observing him.


    "Yes."


    "Is it true that Azier is already in the underground prison?"


    "Yes, it is. I requested it in advance."


    Frondier recalled what Lily had said.


    - Even if they expected the attack to fail, they wouldn''t have expected it to be captured, right?Frondier hade to a simr conclusion, so Lily''s words were quite convincing.


    If the enemies hadn''t anticipated the monster being captured, then it would be absolutely necessary for their n.


    In that case, they would show up at the prison.


    Of course, there was no guarantee, but the ce that needed the most defense was still the underground prison.


    "Then isn''t that even more dangerous?" Daisy asked this time.


    "That monster copies everything it sees. If they''re fighting in there, it''ll just copy all of Azier''sbat techniques."


    Daisy''s concern was understandable. She had witnessed the monster''s incredible replication ability firsthand.


    After mimicking its appearance once, the monster sessfully replicated it again in less than 3 seconds. Not only its replication ability but also its proficiency when repeating it was tremendous.


    "It''s alright," Frondier said nheless.


    "That''s what I''m hoping for."


    It was such an absurd statement that Daisy hadn''t expected at all.


    "Uh, what?"


    "From what I''ve heard, it managed to mimic appearances quickly, but it hasn''t mastered speech yet."


    "...Ah, well, that''s true. It was only able to utter a few words."


    "That means it can''t mimic everything indiscriminately. The more it has to use its head, the longer it will probably take."


    Of course, even that was still incredibly fast.


    Compared to babies who take years to start speaking, it was amazing that a newborn monster could utter words so quickly.


    But it definitely took longer than mimicking appearances. Unlike copying what it saw, speech required the ability to infer through conversation and context, and the monster''s current knowledge ofnguage was still extremely limited.


    "From that perspective, my brother''s techniques are close to the highest difficulty level for it to mimic."


    "...What, are you bragging about your brother?"


    "I''m simply stating a fact."


    Frondier knew exactly what kind of person Azier was.


    Azier had reached an incredible level in even just swinging a weapon once.


    While most strong individuals excelled in their specialties and were rtively weak in other areas, Azier was consistently outstanding in all aspects.


    ''It would have been more helpful for the monster to watch Renzo fight.''


    Renzo often swung his sword carelessly, and even that was effective against his opponents. From the monster''s perspective, it would be much easier to copy and also effective.


    However, Azier never did anything carelessly. Every action was a perfectbination of his theory, practice, and thoroughly instilled experience.


    It was impossible for the monster in its current state to understand all of that individually.


    "...So, showing the monster Azier''sbat is actually a way to stop its replication ability?"


    "That''s right. It''s just a deduction, though."


    "And if that deduction is wrong?"


    "The monster will perfectly replicate Azier and absorb hisbat techniques."


    "...Hey."


    Since Frondier didn''t know the current situation in thebat prison, he had no way of knowing the monster''s current state.


    He had asked Gregory to find out about the situation in the underground prison, but the report hadn''te back yet.


    "But even if it somehow manages to mimic Azier to some extent, there''s one thing it will never be able to replicate."


    "What''s that?"


    "Falling edge."


    At those words, Daisy tilted her head once more. She didn''t even know what ''Falling edge'' was in the first ce.


    Monty, who was next to her, exined instead.


    "It''s one of Azier''s techniques. If you touch his weapon, you''ll lose your own."


    "...Anyone can do that, right? Just hit the opponent''s weapon with mine."


    "It''s not hitting. He uses no strength or speed. ording to those who have experienced it, no matter how their weaponse into contact, they end up dropping their swords. And unless you''re a skilled fighter, you won''t even realize you''ve dropped your weapon."


    "...What the heck is that?"


    While the two were talking, Frondier recalled something.


    When Binkis, the Constel teacher, was creating golems, had devised an algorithm to defend against Falling edge. However, the algorithm crumbled instantly when Frondier used Falling edge.


    Later, when he heard Binkis'' exnation of the algorithm, he learned that it was designed to respond to a few specific movements of Falling edge.


    In other words, if the actual Falling edge were performed exactly as Binkis had inputted, the golem would be able to defend against it.


    However, Frondier knew that such a method would never be able to stop Falling edge.


    ''I know because I''ve tried it.''


    Falling edge showedpletely different movements each time it was used.


    This was only natural, as the opponent''s weapon was different each time, and the kind of attack they would make was also different each time.


    While most techniques had some variations, they ultimately converged on a certain pattern. Falling edge had no such pattern.


    If ordinary techniques produced results through a process, Falling edge created countless methods to achieve the result of making the opponent drop their weapon.


    Therefore, Falling edge couldn''t be learned by observation and imitation.


    Because it showed different movements every time.


    ''The enemy sent the monster to assassinate the Emperor without sufficient training.''


    Even though a sufficiently trained monster would have a higher chance of sess...


    ''Perhaps that''s because the learning stops at some point.''


    Whether it was due to the difficulty level or the monster''s own choice...


    Even a monster that could mimic everything couldn''t mimic everything ''simultaneously''.


    The fact that there was a disturbance in the underground prison meant that, as Frondier had thought, the monster''s capture was an unexpected situation for the enemies.


    And if a ''second'' unexpected situation urred where the monster couldn''t grow sufficiently...


    The enemies, already in a difficult situation, would lose their patience and reveal themselves.


    <i>Caw-</i>


    At that moment, a crow cawed outside the bedroom window.


    "What is it?"


    "Ah, it''s a crow I tamed. May I open the window?"


    "Be careful. There might still be other enemies targeting us."


    Frondier nodded and opened the window. The crow flew in and perched on his shoulder.


    ''Well-trained,'' the Zodiacs thought, then turned their heads back to their own directions. But then,


    [Reporting.]


    They all whipped their heads back to the crow at the sudden voice.


    [The enemy confronting Azier has been identified as a devil.]


    Everyone''s jaws dropped at the eloquent speech.


    A crow that could speak so well? What kind of training had it gone through?


    "What''s the devil''s name?"


    Of course, Frondier asked the next question as if it were natural.


    [Mizonas. It seems to be a subordinate of a devil named Satan.]


    Frondier''s eyes twitched at those words.


    Satan, Satan... He never thought he would hear that ridiculously famous name here.


    [Also,]


    And the crow delivered the report Frondier had been waiting for.


    [The monster''s transformation has stopped.]

 Chapter 228 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Aguir665 and @betterdays from Ko-fi!</i>


    The monster continued to watch Azier''s fight.


    With its superior intelligence and adaptability, it did everything it could to absorb Azier''s Falling edge technique.


    In a sense, it was akin to a swordsman entering a state of deep meditation.


    Skipping all the fundamentals and basics it should have learned first, its entire body moved in an attempt to reach the single technique of Falling edge.


    However.


    ''It''s not enough.''


    It still hadn''t reached a full understanding.To perfectly mimic that technique, it needed realbat experience.


    ''I need to get out of here.''


    The monster scanned the surroundings of the prison.


    It had tried to escape earlier, but this prison was designed to prevent entities with Mana from leaving.


    ''The one who first captured me did the same.''


    To be honest, its memories of the time it was born were unclear.


    Back then, there was only endless killing intent.


    As soon as it started to ''think,'' there was someone it had to kill right in front of it, and so it tried to kill them, but was stopped.


    It looked down at his hands.


    Its hands, which could transform into metal-like ws at will.


    The cloaking ability that allowed it to hide its body and escape from others'' sight at any time.


    Where did it get such things?


    Did it have them from the beginning, or were they just another unconscious mimicry?


    ''I am a disaster.''


    It didn''t know what ''disaster'' meant.


    It didn''t even know if it was a word that answered the question of what it was.


    However, there was no basis for it to know who it was right now.


    It could transform into any form and steal any ability.


    Therefore, it couldn''t know his true form.


    ''But that technique is different.''


    If it could just mimic that technique.


    At least it would escape from somethingmon that everyone had.


    Even if it couldn''t be the only one, it could be the second one.


    ''I have to get out.''


    The monster grabbed the bars of the prison.


    Crackle!!


    The prison bars reacted to the monster''s Mana, emitting a terrifying electric shock.


    This was not just a simple lightning bolt; it was a vicious attack that directly targeted the Mana it touched.


    The bars didn''t just touch, they attacked everything that passed between them. This was the reason why even small or flexible monsters couldn''t escape.


    ''It hurts.''


    The monster felt pain. It learned that it could feel pain when the ck-haired man stabbed it in the back.


    The monster didn''t know what to do after feeling pain, and as it struggled to escape the pain, it eventually screamed.


    That scream was not a mimicry of anyone. It was the first andst act it had learned on his own. It was an act it had chosen himself.


    Therefore, it found himself only in pain.


    Sss-


    The monster''s body gradually faded. However, since it was only cloaking himself, the electric shock from the bars continued to crush its Mana. Its body screamed in response.


    ''What am I?''


    Yet, it continued to maintain his cloak. It becamepletely transparent.


    It could transform into anything, learn anything, and imitate anything.


    Therefore.


    ''I am nothing.''


    Crackle-


    And.


    The electric shock from the bars stopped.


    Aplete separation from the world beyond cloaking.


    And it walked out between the bars. The volume of its body that was blocked by the bars was separated by that much, and then rejoined as it passed through the bars.


    ''¡­¡­!''


    Azier witnessed the monster turning invisible. Of course, so did Mizonus.


    "Hmph, I guess you gave up on using your cloaking to escape! You fool!"


    Mizonus said with disgust. At that sight, Azier''s eyes twitched.


    ''Is that so?''


    Azier couldn''t tell if the konjac monster had sessfully escaped or not.


    The monster could make its bodypletely transparent, and the only one who could detect that cloaking was currently Frondier.


    The electric shock from the bars pierced the cloaked monster, and after some time, the electric shock stopped. Thinking logically, it was correct, as Mizonus said, that the monster had given up and returned inside the prison.


    However.


    "I don''t understand why you''re so upset."


    Azier said to Mizonus.


    Wasn''t the disaster a monster sent by the devils? If the monster escaped the prison on his own, they should be weing it. In the first ce, didn''t they invade this prison to get that monster out?


    "Hmph, what a misconception!"


    Shhh!


    ng! Caaang!


    Azier''s sword and Mizonus'' ws shed incessantly. In terms of pure skill, Azier had the upper hand, but Mizonus'' ten ws were all simr in strength to Azier''s sword. Simply put, he had more weapons.


    Furthermore, Mizonus could fire Aura even in the midst of battle, so if Azier let his guard down for even a moment, his head would be pierced by a blow from the ws.


    "We sent that thing here to destroy it!"


    "To destroy it?"


    "That''s right! Monsters from other worlds are originally©¤"


    Mizonus'' mouth, which had been chattering away, suddenly stopped. His face turned pale in an instant, and his eyes were filled with fear.


    Thwack!


    Azier saw an opening in Mizonus'' defense and almost reflexively kicked him in the stomach.


    Mizonus stumbled back from the impact.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    However, Mizonus seemed to still be in more fear than pain, as he stood there dazed for a moment even after being hit.


    ¡°¡­¡­No.¡±


    Mizonus, who had suddenly changed his expression as if he had seen and heard something, said,


    "It wasn''t something I should have told the likes of you."


    ¡°¡­¡­Did some kind of gag ordere down?¡±


    "Shut up!"


    Mizonus'' ws swung again. The Aura from the ws, which crossed and descended, spread out like a grid pattern and rushed towards Azier.


    If it had been an ordinary human, they would have given up on life at that sight and waited for their fate to be dismembered alive, but.


    "Aren''t you tired of this?"


    For Azier, it was one of the easiest ways to deal with it.


    Thump-


    Thud-


    His de pierced between the intersection points of the Aura and swung down once.


    As if Mizonus'' thread had been cut, it ripped apart and split like a wave to both sides of Azier.


    All of it carved terrible marks on the floor and walls, but Azier in the center remainedpletely unharmed.


    ¡°¡­¡­You.¡±


    Seeing that, Mizonus hardened his face.


    "You''re deliberately buying time."

 Chapter 228 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "You''re deliberately buying time."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    "That opening I gave you a moment ago, there''s no way someone of your skill would miss it. But you stopped at a mere kick. And the same goes for your attack just now. At first, I thought you were focusing on defense to avoid spreading damage to this underground prison."


    As Mizonus spoke, his Aura surged more and more.


    At first, he had made a fairly calm andposed deduction, but as he spoke, anger welled up inside him.


    "How dare you conserve your strength and buy time against me!!"


    ¡°¡­¡­This is something else.¡±


    Azier shook his head as he received the intense aura of anger.


    "You''re right. So there''s no need to be angry. Or is it that all the disciples of ''Wrath'' are always angry?""Wrath is our strength! It is the source of the footsteps that Mara advances upon!" [T/N: Seems like a word which means demons, not sure. Will update when I have enough info.]


    ¡°¡­¡­I didn''t expect you to admit it.¡±


    Azier had a brief thought as he faced Mizonus'' momentum.


    By now, most of the skilled individuals would have realized that something unusual had happened in this underground prison.


    Since that Mizonus was revealing his absurd Mana without hesitation.


    That wasn''t just a reckless disy of killing intent.


    Mizonus knew he would be discovered when he expressed his Aura in front of Azier. He knew it, and yet he fueled his anger to increase his strength.


    In other words, Mizonus had chosen to be ''angry.''


    ''The thoughts of devils are difficult to understand.''


    For Azier, who always acted based onposure, the idea of choosing anger itself had never existed.


    But since that anger seemed to be the actual strength of devils, he couldn''t justugh it off.


    ''The problem is not him.''


    Mizonus was definitely a strong opponent. If he tried to kill him, Azier would also suffer considerable damage.


    But if he focused on defense like this, Mizonus wouldn''t be able to break through Azier''s wall.


    Anger, after all, had the aspect of simplifying one''s thinking and actions, making defense even easier.


    ''Is that monster still inside that prison?''


    Azier was concerned about the monster, which logically should still be inside.


    He couldn''t sense the monster''s presence at all now. It was natural since he was using his cloaking ability, but.


    Then, why was he still maintaining his cloak even after realizing that it was impossible to leave the prison?


    Azier had been warned by his younger brother beforehand.


    - He might escape the prison on his own.


    As soon as he heard those words, Azier said it was impossible. Yet, Frondier''s opinion remained unchanged.


    - He is a monster from another world. The restraints created by the Empire do not take other worlds into ount.


    When he heard those words, Azier remained skeptical. Of course, Frondier himself had no proof of that, so Azier''s stance was correct.


    Frondier knew that too. They had no information about the newly appeared konjac monster.


    Therefore, from Frondier''s perspective, he had to be prepared to deal with both possibilities, no matter which way the situation unfolded.


    - If he escapes the prison, please do not chase after him. If you are in the middle of some ''work,'' please just continue with it.


    Frondier said.


    Ignore the monster.


    - I will take care of him.


    * * *


    [Report.]


    The second crow arrived.


    [The monster inside the prison is nowhere to be seen.]


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Everyone tensed up at those words. But the tension quickly subsided.


    Lily said,


    "He''s just cloaked. No one can find him like that, right?"


    That''s right. No monster could escape the monster prison. Knowing that, everyone rxed.


    "More specifically."


    Frondier said.


    [When the monster''s hand touched the bars, an electric shock urred. Then, the monster gradually became transparent, and the electric shock continued. And after a while, the electric shock stopped.]


    "So, he gave up."


    Daisy nodded as if she understood the situation after hearing it.


    "He realized he couldn''t get out and went back inside."


    Everyone was thinking along the same lines, but Frondier asked again,


    "But he''s still not visible inside the prison, right?"


    [Yes. From what we observed, for at least five minutes, the monster was not visible inside the prison.]


    That was a bit strange.


    If he had given up on escaping, there was no reason to continue cloaking.


    However, he was still not visible inside the prison.


    "©¤©¤Your Majesty."


    After much deliberation, Frondier spoke.


    "I will be leaving for a while."


    "What?"


    "Hey, you!"


    The Zodiacs shouted in surprise at those words.


    "There is a possibility that the monster has escaped."


    "What are you talking about! No monster can escape that prison!"


    "He is a monster beyondmon sense. No one has ever seen anything like him. Something beyond our expectations could happen."


    Frondier didn''t explicitly say that he was a monster from another world. It would take much more time to exin that. And he wasn''t sure if they would believe him even if he did.


    "Even if that''s the case! Why are you leaving here!"


    "Yeah! He''s going toe here anyway! If something unexpected happens, it could happen here too!"


    The fundamental premise for Frondier to stay in this ce.


    Because that monster, or something like him, could target the Emperor at any time.


    However, Frondier said,


    "He is not targeting the Emperor."


    ¡°¡­¡­What?"


    "To be more precise, he is not targeting anything. And the fact that the monster is not targeting anything is what our enemy desires."


    Frondier continued with iprehensible words.


    However, as if that was all he had to say, Frondier looked at Bartello.


    "Your Majesty, we must stop him. Please allow me to leave."


    Swish!


    At that moment, three figures moved like lightning.


    Ludovic, Daisy, and Monty.


    They surrounded Frondier and aimed their weapons at him.


    "Don''t be ridiculous, Frondier."


    Daisy said.


    "Our top priority is to protect His Majesty, Frondier."


    Ludovic said.


    Frondier looked at Ludovic.


    "The longer we dy, the more people will die."


    ¡°¡­¡­Minor sacrifices are inevitable. Another Zodiac will go to assess the situation


    ¡°¡­¡­Minor sacrifices are inevitable. Another Zodiac will go to assess the situation, so,¡±


    "Minor sacrifices."


    Frondier interrupted Ludovic''s words.


    Ludovic''s eyes flickered for a moment at the dark emotions emanating from his voice.


    "I apologize, but I cannot make such a decision."


    "What¡­¡­?"


    "Such decisions are for the Emperor to make."


    Frondier said so.


    That it was the Emperor''s ce to make minor sacrifices.


    In front of the Zodiacs, in front of Bartello.


    "You bastard, how dare you say such a thing in front of His©¤!"


    "Of course, I am not the Emperor."


    Frondier continued speaking, calmly epting Ludovic''s anger.


    "I am nothing."

 Chapter 229 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The tension in the room reached its peak.


    The Zodiacs, trying to stop Frondier.


    Frondier, whose life was at stake against the three Zodiacs, did not yield an inch.


    ''What is with this guy?''


    Daisy was bewildered by Frondier''s demeanor in front of her.


    Even she, a Zodiac herself, would be tense if surrounded by three other Zodiacs. This was partly due to their equal skills, but also because the stronger one was, the less vulnerable they became.


    However, Frondier''s expression showed no such tension. No, it was a face difficult to read emotions from in the first ce.


    Would this be the expression of someone who had just stepped out of their house for a casual stroll?


    "Whatever you say, the decision has been made. You must stay here.""Frondier, we don''t want to fight you. You have an important role to y in protecting His Majesty. You know that better than anyone."


    From the Zodiacs'' perspective, there was nothing to gain from antagonizing Frondier.


    He was the only one who could find the monster. Though they were currently threatening him, it was difficult to actually harm him.


    ''Frondier must know that too. But even so, can he be this calm?''


    Even without harming him, there were many ways to restrain him. The Zodiacs, with their level of skill, could easily immobilize ordinary people without a scratch.


    A Constel student was no different from an ordinary person to them.


    However. Precisely because they were Zodiacs with such skill.


    They couldn''t help but be wary of the strange presence emanating from Frondier.


    ''At first, I thought he was just some insignificant guy with weak Internal Energy, but now that we''re facing each other this close, I get it. He''s thoroughly concealing his Mana.''


    This method went beyond simply controlling his Mana, making it undetectable to others. It was a way to make himself appear as a ''pushover''.


    ''Either he has a natural talent for hiding it, or he trained under a good teacher.''


    Ordinary students wouldn''t do this. Especially not Constel students.


    Aiming to be pros after graduation, they needed to make their strength known to the world.


    They usually learned to control their Mana to a certain extent to avoid unnecessary conflicts, but hiding it so thoroughly like this meant he had other intentions.


    ''And he''s doing it in front of us.''


    Monty watched Frondier with a hardened expression, but inwardly, he was somewhat impressed.


    A mediocre youngster showing off their power wouldn''t impress the Zodiacs. From what he had observed so far, Frondier was a clever guy. He would surely understand that.


    Yet, knowing that, even in this situation, he was thoroughly hiding his power.


    The reason was obvious. He didn''t want them to perceive his power as a ''threat''.


    ''I''d like to fight him one day.''


    Right now, they were confronting him for the purpose of restraint, but Monty''s fighting spirit was burning.


    "Frondier."


    At that moment, a voice that seemed to cut through the tension reached them.


    Emperor Bartello. He had somehow raised his upper body from the bed.


    He looked at Frondier and spoke in a low voice.


    "Go."


    "Yo, Your Majesty!"


    "It''s already unpleasant enough to be protected by a snot-nosed brat who hasn''t even fully grown, not knowing when the enemy mighte."


    Bartello met Frondier''s eyes.


    For the first time in a long time, Bartello''s firm and clear gaze was revived.


    "Go and y that bastard."


    It was a rough statement, hard to believe it came from the Emperor. However, upon hearing those words, Ludovic felt a nostalgic sense of tion welling up within him.


    Ludovic, the Zodiac with the highest loyalty to the Emperor. That''s why Ludovic remembered the days when Bartello was full of spirit.


    It felt like those memories had returned for a brief moment.


    "Understood."


    Frondier spoke as if that was a matter of course.


    It was the Emperor''s order. Monty and Daisy reluctantly released their hold on Frondier.


    Frondier gave a light bow and walked towards the door.


    "...Wait."


    Ludovic, who had been watching his back, spoke up.


    "That monster has observed Azier''s battle. Even if absorption is difficult, it must have stolen a glimpse of his fragments. It''s a much stronger monster than when you subdued it."


    "You are correct."


    "Furthermore, if your battle with it drags on, it will steal your techniques as well. Then your chances of winning will be even slimmer."


    "That''s right."


    Frondier didn''t particrly object. It wasn''t wrong in the first ce.


    And Frondier also knew that what Ludovic wanted wasn''t to capture him.


    "So prove it here."


    "...Proof, you say?"


    "Show us that you have the power to finish that monster in one fell swoop."


    "Then will you let me go?"


    Ludovic nodded.


    "I just hope a young child like you doesn''t die."


    Frondier was going to face the invisible monster.


    Since Frondier was the only one who could find it, he was also the only one who could confront it. Moreover, since the enemy wasn''t just one monster, the Zodiacs couldn''t move recklessly.


    Frondier, heading out alone. Could he truly subdue the konjac monster?


    "...Understood."


    Frondier closed his eyes for a moment.


    Yes, at some point, he couldn''t just keep hiding it forever.


    Frondier had a premonition about this battle.


    A not-so-pleasant premonition that he might have to pull out all his weapons if things went wrong.


    Therefore, one of them.


    He would prepare something decent enough to demonstrate his power.


    "©¤©¤Menosorpo."

 Chapter 229 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The monster simply wandered aimlessly through the pce corridors.


    In a state ofplete concealment, he could move around without being noticed by anyone.


    However, after a while, he realized it was meaningless.


    ''...I can''t test that technique while hiding.''


    Using Mana or aura would break the monster''s concealment. High-level techniques like the "falling edge" were even more so.


    If he tried it on just anyone, he would be exposed and forced back into a life of being hunted.


    ''I need to change. My appearance. Into a human.''


    The monster entered an empty room and deactivated his concealment.


    What form would be good? He didn''t need to think long."...Good."


    The monster transformed into Azier, nodding his head as he spoke in Azier''s exact voice.


    The best body to test the falling edge was naturally Azier''s.


    And since Azier seemed to be on his side from what he had observed, he could easily deceive someone who didn''t know the situation.


    The monster''s murderous intent towards the Emperor and his survival instincts had faded at this point.


    He could imitate anything, and as a result, he imitated and learned everything indiscriminately.


    For the first time, he chose what to imitate on his own. Even though the result would still be a mere imitation of something, the choice itself was his own will.


    He strongly desired and clung to that very fact.


    "Azier, Azier de Roach."


    He recalled Azier revealing his name to the demon Mizonas.


    This is my name, the monster repeated the words several times.


    This repetition wasn''t for the sake of saying his own name. He still couldn''t speak humannguage fluently. If he engaged in conversation, he would be exposed immediately.


    So, at the very least, he had to react as naturally as possible when someone called this name, preferably without opening his mouth.


    ''...I hope this Azier isn''t originally a talkative person.''


    The monster himself didn''t know, but.


    He was transforming into a person perfectly suited to that hope.


    "Mr. Azier, hello."


    "Is your brother alright?"


    Whenever someone spotted him transformed as Azier, they offered a light greeting.


    Most of them were knights on patrol. The monster simply nodded or gave short replies like "yes" each time. That was enough. No one found it strange and went their own way.


    ''This should be enough.''


    The monster drew his sword. Of course, drawing a weapon unless in a dangerous situation was clearly out of line, but the monster didn''t have suchmon sense yet.


    And surprisingly, no one pointed it out as he walked with his sword drawn. Some didn''t even notice he had drawn his sword, and most just passed by, thinking, ''It must be for a reason since it''s Azier.''


    "Oh my, Mr. Azier."


    However, there was someone who stopped the monster''s walk after a while.


    The monster lowered his gaze slightly. The person was shorter than the humans he had seen so far. White hair and red eyes.


    Philly Terst was waving at him, of course, with pce knights guarding her


    "...Yes."


    For now, the monster responded as he had been doing. It had worked well so far.


    "You''re working hard on patrol. I''m doing some different investigations right now, but it''s surprisingly difficult to find anything."


    Philly sighed as if she were tired.


    While others were investigating the background of the suddenly appeared monster, Philly continued with what she originally intended to do.


    That is, investigating the Shadow Unit.


    ''My gut feeling tells me that this monster attack and the Shadow Unit are not unrted.''


    Since Philly hadn''t returned to the hall at the time and was with Aten, she had only heard reports about the attacking monster and barely knew what it looked like or how it moved.


    "I want to meet your brother, but it seems like they don''t want to let him go from my husband even for a moment."


    Philly was postponing meeting Frondier due to the earnest requests of the vassals.


    But the investigation wouldn''t progress that way, so she was out investigating alone, apanied by knights.


    "...Yes."


    "You''re even more taciturn than usual today, Mr. Azier. And with your weapon drawn."


    Philly tilted her head.


    Philly was originally perceptive and intelligent, but the monster in front of her now was undeniably Azier in her eyes.


    When it came to people in disguise, the first thing Philly suspected was a ''mask'', so she had developed an eye for distinguishing between ordinary human faces and ''masks''.


    However, the monster was nowpletely transformed into Azier, so it wasn''t a ''mask''. This fact, ironically, lowered her guard.


    Swoosh-


    At that moment, the monster slightly raised the sword he had drawn. It was about the height of his knee.


    "...Weapon."


    "Yes?"


    "Weapon. For a moment."


    The monster had no murderous intent right now. He was simply left with a childlike desire to try out the technique he had just learned.


    What would happen after the test was already beyond his concern.


    So, he wanted to ask the pce knights in front of him to ''draw their weapons'', but he wasn''t sure how naturally he could say that in humannguage.


    That''s why his words became short, and while not exposed, they naturally didn''t convey his meaning.


    "..."


    However, at that moment, Philly noticed Azier''s strange state, albeit a littlete.


    Since her sense of smell and sight recognized himpletely as Azier, it was almost like an intuition.


    The movement of his eyes, the broken context of his words, even for the taciturn Azier.


    She thought it was because he was hesitant to say something, but no.


    For Azier, ''hesitation'' was something that happened maybe once a year.


    ©¤Caution.


    Philly moved her left hand behind her back and sent a simple signal to the knights. Upon confirming the signal, the knights raised their guard against the Azier in front of them.


    And the man who was closest to Azier among the knights was naturally the most tense.


    He instinctively ced his hand on the hilt of his sword.


    In an instant.


    ''Ah.''


    The monster''s thought was simple.


    Even if the sword was still in its sheath, the hand was gripping it.


    Then©¤


    Thud-


    The monster, like a child approaching a toy, ced his sword against the knight''s scabbard.


    ''If I do what I saw earlier like this©¤''


    "Huh?"


    The knight was startled by the sudden sense of incongruity from his scabbard. He felt the sword trying to slip out of his hand. Naturally, his grip on the hilt tightened, and


    Crack!


    At that moment, the monster''s arm twisted strangely.


    "Kyaaaaaaaagh!"


    The monster screamed in sudden pain. It was the same voice as when he was first attacked by Frondier. A voicepletely different from Azier''s.


    "Everyone, prepare for battle."


    Upon confirming this, Philly immediately gave the order and stepped back.


    "Ugh...!"


    One of the knights, the one who had been subjected to the monster''s iplete falling edge technique, clutched his wrist.


    He hadn''t lost his weapon like in a proper falling edge, but there was some damage to his wrist.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Yes, it''s nothing serious."


    The knight said so and drew his sword. It wasn''t a bluff, as his wrist seemed fine without any major injuries.


    "Kee, keeek, keugh..."


    The monster looked at his mangled right arm.


    What was this? He had clearly imitated what he saw, so why was his arm broken? And to such an absurd degree.


    ''But it was a little sessful!''


    The monster saw the man he had tried the technique on clutching his wrist. There was definitely an effect. It wasn''t certain, but it was the only thing the monster could rely on.


    ''One more time, just one more time!''


    "You''ll never manage it that way."


    Anguid voice interrupted the monster''s thoughts.


    Footsteps approaching leisurely from behind him. Philly tilted her head, then leaned back further to see the man approaching. Her eyes seemed to say, ''Why is he here?''


    "I see. With no survival instinct, there''s no brake on your body getting damaged. You haven''t learned the concept of ''preemptively'' avoiding pain even while feeling it."


    The man was Frondier. He walked slowly and created a sword with Obsidian.


    It was a sword identical to the one the Azier-turned-monster was holding.


    "His Majesty told me to y you."


    Frondier looked at the monster with eyes that shone not with murderous intent, but rather with curiosity.


    "But I''m extremely interested in you."


    Frondier felt that whoever was behind this monster was excessively trying to tie him to the Emperor.


    The fact that only Frondier could see the monster''s concealment, and the fact that the monster was toying with the Emperor,bined to mean that Frondier naturally had to stay by the Emperor''s side.


    At first, he thought they just wanted to restrict Frondier''s range of movement, but.


    After receiving Gregory''s report and observing the situation so far, the sudden appearance of this monster felt like an ''unexpected ident'' not only for them but also for the enemy.


    Then.


    "It seems like they really didn''t want you and me to meet."


    "...Who are you."


    The monster frowned.


    He was terribly bothered by the sword Frondier had just created.


    It felt like he was seeing something exactly like his own ability right before his eyes.


    Moreover, unlike himself,


    "I am Frondier."


    Frondier had a name.


    "Frondier de Roach."


    Unlike the monster who imitated everything and didn''t even know what he was.


    Frondier had a clear ''self''.


    "Your teacher."


    "...Teacher?"


    Frondier held out the sword. It was a simr motion to what the monster had done earlier.


    "I will teach you the falling edge."

 Chapter 230 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Sage, the ascended outer and @Tracy Hughes from Ko-fi!</i>


    After Frondier exited the room.


    "Did everyone see that?"


    Lily spoke, her eyes sparkling as she nced around.


    "I kind of liked him from the first time I saw him, but now I''m sure."


    Lily dered with those words.


    "He''s mine!"


    "Lily. As I said before, that man is Enfer''s son."The man who advised Lily was Medart de Thebes, the oldest of the current Zodiacs. Medart was around the same age as Heldre, who was now deceased.


    "That doesn''t matter anymore. I''m going to have him. Don''t anyone try to stop me!"


    Lily seemed determined. The surrounding Zodiacs sighed and shook their heads.


    However, among them, one person.


    "No, you can''t."


    Monty stepped forward and spoke to Lily.


    "I''m going to raise him."


    "What?"


    "He''s a promising young man. He''s not scared at all even in front of us, and he''s smart."


    "You''re kidding! Raise him? I''m taking him, I said!"


    "He''s a second-year student, right? As soon as he graduates... No, that''s a waste of time. Working under me will be more beneficial for his future than some educational institution. I need to get started right away."


    "Hey! Are you listening!"


    He wasn''t.


    Monty was already thinking about how to develop Frondier, regardless of Lily''s deration.


    Of course, neither of them considered Frondier''s opinion at all.


    "...It was an amazing technique."


    "Right."


    Daisy and Ludovic, who were watching the two argue, spoke up.


    "If my eyes aren''t mistaken, what Frondier manifested was definitely a ''rune''."


    "Frondier was here as soon as the incident happened. He had to protect the Emperor. So he didn''t have time to draw a rune. It makes even less sense that he drew it beforehand knowing the incident would ur."


    "In other words, he manifested the rune ''without drawing'' it."


    Ludovic sighed at Daisy''s summary.


    "What an absurd guy."


    "And after manifesting that rune, he created a pencil and paper in the air. He showed us writing his name on the paper floating in the air without lifting a finger."


    "That was a kind of warning. A warning like, ''If I wanted to, I could create a weapon behind your back and stab you at any time''."


    "Ahaha. That seems a bit excessive. Well, it wouldn''t be impossible."


    Daisyughed first, and Ludovic followed with a rxed expression, but their tension still lingered.


    The reason was clear.


    "That''s not all that''s surprising."


    Medart, who had given advice to Lily, spoke.


    "Look at this."


    The spot where Medart pointed his finger.


    There, invisible to the naked eye, a mana cylinder stretched vertically from floor to ceiling. Its size wasrge enough for one person tofortably fit inside.


    Its identity was obvious.


    "He ''shrunk'' the rune he created and left it here."


    "...He doesn''t need to draw it, and he can adjust its size after creating it. What an absurd idea."


    "Look at the symbols and arrangement, it''s so dense I can''t even tell what''s what. Lines this detailed and thin can''t be drawn by a human. These arepletely pure mana lines."


    The Zodiacs observed the ''Menosorpo'' rune that Frondier had left behind. The symbols were only recognizable by those with exceptional mana sensitivity, but that wasn''t a problem for the Zodiacs.


    "The fact that he left this here, small like this..."


    "Means he''ll use itter. If he made it big, the enemy would know he manifested the rune, so he confined it to this size."


    "In other words, it''s because of Ludovic."


    "Ugh."


    Ludovic groaned at Daisy''s painful words.


    Certainly, if Ludovic hadn''t said ''prove it'', Frondier wouldn''t have needed to unfold this rune in advance.


    "...Or maybe this has meaning too."


    Lily muttered.


    "If he wanted to prove his strength, there were plenty of other ways. Since he''s such a smart kid, there might be a reason why he chose this method!"


    "...It''s a bit of a biased analysis, but it''s not impossible."


    Monty shook his head, looking at Lily, who seemed to have bepletely on Frondier''s side.


    "Well, the way I see it, it didn''t take that long for him to manifest this rune. If he didn''t want the enemy to know anyway, he could have just used itter. Is there any need to shrink it and then expand it again?"


    "He was muttering something earlier, something about sorpo... Maybe it needs a trigger word?"


    "Even if that''s the case, I don''t think the enemy would be able to silence Frondier first without knowing this information."


    Hmm, everyone fell into thought.


    Before they knew it, the Zodiacs were racking their brains as if the rune Frondier had left behind was some kind of ''riddle''.


    They were unconsciously following the trail of that cheeky little brat.

 Chapter 230 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Teach me?"


    "Yeah, you want to copy that technique, right? By the way, it''s called ''Falling edge''."


    The monster looked at Frondier with suspicion at his answer.


    And for good reason. The monster was certain of one thing. Azier''s ''Falling edge'' was something no one could imitate. Even it, who could perfectly replicate anything, had its right arm broken trying.


    But to think there was a second person who could use that technique.


    "Here, use it on me."


    Saying so, Frondier held out his sword. He ced the de in a perfect position for the monster to execute Falling edge.


    "..."


    The monster was skeptical but cautiously extended its de. After all, the desire to learn Falling edge was the monster''s sole desire."...Frondier."


    Philly called out to Frondier. A light tone of warning was embedded in his voice.


    Judging by the situation, that monster was the one who tried to kill Bartello.


    If Frondier was ying around with such a monster out of curiosity, it wasn''t something he could simply overlook.


    Frondier briefly nced at Philly.


    And reading the meaning in those eyes, Philly rxed her stern expression.


    Frondier doesn''t do meaningless things. Philly already knew that. She just wanted to know if that mindset still persisted, and the look he had just shown was enough.


    Swoosh-


    In the meantime, the monster''s de and Frondier''s de touched. The sight of two identical weapons crossing was a bit bizarre. Moreover, they were brothers in appearance.


    "Go ahead, do it."


    "...!"


    Needless to say, the monster immediately performed Falling edge.


    Thud-


    Rattatatatat!!


    Their des shed noisily. The vibration-like movement was clearly different from Falling edge.


    Even with a slightck of proficiency, the original Falling edge would only produce a slight sound of dry firewood at most, which was a stark difference.


    Above all.


    "Failure."


    Even after all that noise, Frondier was still holding his sword. Of course, so was the monster.


    "But your arm is fine. Did you ''learn'' that too?"


    "...Keugh!"


    As the monster, feeling frustrated, tried to attempt Falling edge again, this time Frondier was faster.


    Whew!


    This time, there was no sound at all. However, the monster''s sword flew through the air, while Frondier still held his own.


    "How about that?"


    "...!"


    The monster stared nkly at its empty hand, then turned its gaze to where the sword had fallen with a metallic ng. Its eyes darted back and forth between the sword and Frondier, unsure of what to do.


    "You can pick it up. I won''t do anything."


    "..."


    "And don''t look so flustered with my brother''s face. It doesn''t suit you."


    The monster, understanding the words to some extent, scrambled to pick up the sword. Frondier sighed, muttering, "I told you not to do that."


    "Do you understand a little now?"


    "..."


    The monster said nothing and pointed its de again.


    The high-speed learning had definitely absorbed Frondier''s recent movement. And it had the memories of all the Falling edge it had seen so far.


    Combining those would surely lead to the correct action. With its ''high-speed learning'', it was bound to happen.


    And when the monster brought its sword close.


    Thud-


    The swords shed.


    "...?!"


    The monster was confused by the unfamiliar sensation it had never felt before. It only had the intention of pulling the sword from its hand, but it didn''t understand the principle of this force that seemed to pull the two swords together as if they were stuck.


    Of course, this was Falling edge performed by Frondier. However, although he was performing Falling edge, he had omitted the result of pulling the sword out.


    "Focus! I''m giving you a lot of hints!"


    "...!"


    At Frondier''s shout, the monster gritted its teeth. All its concentration was directed towards the swords that were stuck together.


    It instinctively knew. What Frondier was doing now was the most helpful teaching for the monster. That''s why it was immersed in it as if being drawn in.


    "Okay, next question!"


    "?!"


    "What were you doing before you came here!"


    "..."


    It couldn''t remember. When it woke up, it was already in the Imperial Pce, filled with the sole desire to kill someone called the ''Emperor''. Now, that desire had faintly disappeared.


    "You were already using high-speed learning when you came here! That''s your innate ability that was functioning even before that! There''s no way you can''t remember!"


    "...!"


    "Tell me! What were you before you came here? How did you get your ws and invisibility ability? Learning means remembering! You''re not human! All those memories must be within you!"


    A monster that could be anything, gain anything, and learn anything.


    Then all the data it had absorbed must be dwelling within it. There was no way it could use skills while ''forgetting'' them.


    "Keugh, ugh, uhh...!"


    The monster''s face contorted. As it tried to stir up the suppressed memories, its head started to ache.


    Was it because it was currently in a human body that its head hurt, or did it have a ''head'' somewhere in its body even if it wasn''t?


    However, there was one thing it was sure of.


    This headache wasn''t unfamiliar.


    "Tell me! Who sent you here?"


    "Keugh, ugh...!"


    "Who are you? You remember other people''s names, but you don''t know your own?"


    "Na, me...!"


    Name. It already knew the meaning of that word before it came here.


    That''s why it remembered Azier''s name and reacted to it after transforming into him.


    Because it knew that was a ''name''.


    [From now on, your name will be-]


    An unfamiliar yet familiar voice messed with its head.


    "I, am...! I am!!"


    Whew!


    The two swords flew through the air. Both Frondier''s and the monster''s swords soared equally into the air. One stuck into the wall, and the other fell to the floor.


    Even amidst that, Frondier''s unwavering eyes watched the monster.


    "...I am a cmity."


    The monster spoke.


    "I am a created experimental subject. The cmity of Metamorph."

 Chapter 231 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As Azier and Mizonas continued their battle...


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Mizonas suddenly flinched and raised his head towards the ceiling.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Azier¡¯s sword momentarily paused. He could have taken advantage of this opening, but it was so obvious that it seemed like a deliberate trap.


    ¡°....So you¡¯ve met!¡±


    Mizonas eximed through gritted teeth. Azier couldn''t understand his words at that moment.


    ¡°You actually escaped that prison!¡±


    However, those words alone were enough for him to guess.The very thing Azier had been worried about. The monster had truly escaped its prison.


    Frondier had told him to ignore it even if the monster escaped. He would handle it himself.


    So, what Mizonas just meant by ¡®you¡¯ve met¡¯ was...


    ¡°...Did it encounter Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Mizonas stepped back. Not only that, hepletely turned his body around. He was trying to escape.


    ¡°I have no more business with the likes of you. Right away...¡±


    Swish!


    Mizonas¡¯s words were cut short.


    A chillingly powerful aura and bloodlust converged and surged towards Mizonas.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Mizonas barely managed to pull his body back, dodging the sword path.


    Kwaaaang!


    The sword strike,pletely blocking Mizonas''s path, left a clear mark on the ground around him.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    Azier¡¯s voice lowered, sending a chill down Mizonas''s spine.


    ¡®What''s with this guy? The atmosphere is different from before.¡¯


    Mizonas had originally intended to escape while dodging Azier¡¯s attacks. ording to his calctions, it was possible.


    His evasion abilities definitely surpassed Azier''s attacks, so if he focused on escaping, he could definitely get out of here.


    The reason Mizonas¡¯s calctions were wrong was simple.


    He had only seen Azier¡¯s ¡®defense¡¯ until now.


    ¡°You dare, a mere insect like you.¡±


    Azier''s momentum swelled like a wave, engulfing the ground beneath Mizonas''s feet.


    When he fought to defeat him, Azier felt like an imprable fortress, but now, Azier felt like a massivendslide falling from a high mountain.


    ¡°To harbor thoughts of harming my brother?¡±


    A voice filled with bloodlust, and even a provocative tone. Mizonas wanted to retort as he had done before, but it wasn''t easy.


    The battle with Azier was no longer like solving a difficult puzzle. Mizonas btedly began to realize that he might actually die.


    ¡®He¡¯s preventing me from advancing or retreating from this position...!¡¯


    Mizonas gritted his teeth.


    He had to admit it for sure. Azier had already surpassed his skills by arge margin.


    The reason Mizonas was still alive was due to Azier''s cautious nature. He was wary of what might be behind this ¡®demon,¡¯ a being he had never seen before, which made it seem like their skills were simr.


    ¡®He ordered me to never let the Cmity and Frondier meet...!¡¯


    Mizonas didn''t know the reason for this. He received an order, so he had to carry it out even if it cost him his life.


    ¡®It can''t be helped. Even if I can¡¯t leave this ce!¡¯


    Crunch!


    At that moment, Mizonas did a strange thing.


    He bit his own forearm. Red blood flowed from the bitten forearm, dripping down. It was clearly not a light wound.


    ¡®...Red blood.¡¯


    Seeing that, Azier recalled a fact that seemed both obvious and not.


    Even these beings called demons had red blood. It was a new realization.


    ¡°All the power of a demon is bound by a contract.¡±


    Mizonas spoke. The sight of his blood-stained lips turning redder with each word was a little gruesome.


    ¡°The blood I shed myself summons my minions through a contract.¡±


    With those words...


    Azier felt sinister energies approaching from the depths of the underground. Their numbers swelled beyond immediate count, spreading a tingling sensation of bloodlust throughout the Imperial Pce.


    ¡®...Underground.¡¯


    That location, that direction, was a bit strange.


    Come to think of it, if this guy was really a demon, someone from another world...


    What method did he use, and where did hee from?


    ¡°Now, my countless minions will lead your brother to his death!¡±


    Mizonas said with a smile.


    The reason he was so openly bragging about his n was because, given the situation, it would be best for Azier to leave this ce.


    Instead of fighting here alone, it would be much better for Mizonas to attack Frondier with his subordinates. Inside the Imperial Pce, there were many humans with far less skill than Azier, so using them was also an option.


    ¡°...You said your minions.¡±


    However, Azier¡¯s face became more rxed than before. It was a bit strange, but Mizonas proudly dered anyway.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! My powerful allies, too numerous to count, will...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Azier still didn''t rx his posture. He had no intention of moving from this ce.


    As Frondier had said, he would keep this guy here. He was convinced that this was the best strategy.


    ¡°If they¡¯re your minions, they must be weaker than you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Summon a legion of such insignificant beings.¡±


    Azier¡¯s de pointed towards Mizonas.


    Even after being threatened with his brother¡¯s life, the tip of his sword remained steady and clean as always.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see what happens when insects meet insecticide.¡±


    * * *


    I had a thought about what the ¡®Cmity of Metamorph¡¯ had said.


    ¡®Test subject.¡¯


    Certainly, the appearance of this monster when I first encountered it was quite bizarre.


    At first, I thought it was because he was from another world, but ording to Gregory''s report, the guy named Mizonas who was fighting Azier looked very simr to a human.


    Was this guy so different because he was a test subject?


    Experiments from another world...


    ¡°Ugh, uh, uhhh...!¡±


    The monster was still writhing in pain. It seemed the bacsh was severe as he tried to force open his closed memories.


    However, after realizing that his memories were closed, he wouldn''t be able to bear it without opening them.


    ¡®Did they learn how to seal memories during the experiment, or is it some kind of demonic ability?¡¯


    Whichever it was, the memory seal ced on it seemed to have worked well until just before. It wasn''t even aware that it had lost its memory.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh... Wings. ck wings...!¡±


    I didn''t ask the monster anything. Nevertheless, it was spitting out what it was recalling from his memory. It was an act of self-defense to avoid losing its memories.


    Of course, from the enemy¡¯s perspective, it was close to ¡®information leakage.¡¯


    ¡°ck, bird wings, red eyes...!¡±


    I could guess immediately from that description.


    ¡®Satan.¡¯


    In the game Etius, among the demons corresponding to the Seven Deadly Sins, Satan had the most prominent physical description.


    He had one major difference from other demons, which was that his wings resembled those of a bird. The wings of other demons were all simr to bat wings.


    This was based on the setting that Satan was originally a ¡®fallen angel¡¯ and not a demon, but well, Satan in reality is depicted with bat-like wings like other demons, so it should be considered a unique setting of Etius.


    ¡°And in front of him, several humans...¡±

 Chapter 231 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°And in front of him, several humans...¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    When I opened my eyes wide at the monster¡¯s next words...


    Rumble, rumble-


    A tremor came from the underground of the Imperial Pce. The movement, almost like an earthquake, instantly raised the tension.


    And then, the foul smell and bloodlust that I felt immediately. The unique mana that my ¡®sixth sense¡¯ conveyed.


    ¡®Demons?¡¯


    I realized it right away and looked down at my feet.


    The one who summoned the demons right now wouldn''t know, but this gave me a huge hint.When the beings from another world first appeared, my thoughts were simple.


    ©¤How on earth?


    Probably most people would have thought the same.


    I couldn''t help but think that something connecting the other world and this one had been activated. Whether it was a gate, a portal, or some kind of magic or mystery that I didn''t know about yet.


    And just now, demons rising from the underground of the Imperial Pce.


    I looked at Philly. Philly was already looking at me.


    What was in this underground was obvious.


    ¡®Dragon Heart.¡¯


    Did they use that to summon the demons?


    Swish, swish, swish!


    In an instant, countless demons flew past the window at high speed.


    ck figures filled the once quiet outside of the pce, passing through the sky like waves.


    ¡°Found it!¡±


    One of them, no, should I say one, stopped passing the window and looked at us and shouted.


    I was surprised by that sight.


    ¡°You guys, you speak humannguage.¡±


    Of course, the sound didn''t reach him.


    ¡°Here it is! That¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°The two have already met! Drop it!¡±


    ¡°Drop it! Drop it!¡±


    Soon, the number of demons looking at us from beyond the pce windows increased rapidly.


    The ck clouds that had been pouring down like waves stopped for a moment. Their de-like gazes were fixed on me.


    ¡°Drop it! Drop it!¡±


    ¡°Dropping it is difficult! Kill him! Kill him!¡±


    ¡°Killing is easy!¡±


    ¡°Kill him! Kill him!¡±


    The demons¡¯ words were bing increasingly harsh. As expected of demons. As expected of demons of wrath.


    I grinned in satisfaction.


    ¡°I have to fulfill my duty.¡±


    ¡°...I understand. I believe you won''t do anything reckless. Because it¡¯s you.¡±


    Philly said that and left with the knights.


    I looked at the monster next to me.


    ¡°They seem to really dislike the fact that you and I are together.¡±


    ¡°Ugh...?¡±


    The monster tilted its head as if it didn''t understand.


    Of course, it was natural. I still didn''t know why they didn''t want this guy and me to meet.


    So until I knew, this guy would have to stay by my side.


    ¡°Come on, take my hand.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    The monster took my hand without any suspicion. Like the automatic reflex of a trained dog.


    To fully reward that trust...


    Squeeze©¤


    I grabbed his hand tightly,


    ¡°Ugh, uwaaaah?!¡±


    And threw him towards the window.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Imperial Pce Armory</i>


    <i>Rank - Rare</i>


    <i>Spear, 10 copies of the same type</i>


    I shot spears in the direction I threw the monster, shattering all the walls. Through the gap, the monster flew high into the sky. I had poured in a considerable amount of my aura, so he soared well into the sky.


    ¡°?!¡±


    ¡°He, he fell! He fell before we could drop him!¡±


    ¡°Catch the flying one! Retrieve him!¡±


    The demons panicked and flew towards the Metamorph. Their flight speed was quite fast.


    It was partly because they had wings, but there was probably a principle simr to the ¡®flight¡¯ that humans used.


    However, I was faster.


    I reached out my hand. I engraved the weaving of the workshop in the direction the Metamorph was flying. However, that weaving was just weaving, so it was still just an illusion.


    Normally, to put something into the workshop, the order was to create it first and then open the entrance to let it in.


    Whether it was Menosorpo or Obsidian, once created, they would have physical force. Things within the range of the workshop would be pushed out.


    But just for this time...


    The workshop would be born while engulfing the Metamorph.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Expansion Open</i>


    My rune, which was currently in Bartello''s bedroom, expanded in an instant.


    To the size that Menosorpo was originally supposed to have. That size filled and overflowed the entire Imperial Pce.


    The spreading Menosorpo. The illusory workshop that had already taken the Metamorph inside.


    Reaching the range of Menosorpo, the workshop spread along with the rune, turning the illusion into reality.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    <i>Net</i>


    The workshop,pleted from a part to the whole, held the Metamorph inside and,


    Kaboom!


    Crashed to the ground.


    ¡°Kyaaaak!¡±


    ¡°Kraak!¡±


    Several demons who couldn''t avoid the speed of the fall were crushed on the ground and screamed.


    ¡°Wh, what is that!¡±


    ¡°Destroy that! Get the test subject out of there!¡±


    While they were frantically attacking the workshop, I went outside the Imperial Pce.


    With Menosorpo already activated, flying through the air was easy.


    ¡°You guys can¡¯t do it with your strength.¡±


    The workshop was my concept.


    A ¡®Transcendental¡¯ grade reward materialized in reality.


    It wasn''t a Transcendental that could be broken by those guys.


    ¡°He¡¯s out! Kill him! If you kill him, that strange building will disappear too...¡±


    Stab


    I pierced the mouth of the one who was carelessly chattering with a spear.


    Hmm, the weapon I just used was of ¡®Unique¡¯ grade, but it pierced through with this much.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    The ck swarm filled the sky. They almost looked like a flock of bats.


    And unfortunately for them, my abilities were still optimized for ¡®multiple¡¯ opponents. I was more afraid of a powerful individual than a number called an army.


    ¡°Actually...¡±


    That¡¯s why...


    I was feeling a bit cheerful right now.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t used my full strength since then.¡±


    After retrieving the fragments of Helheim...


    I hadn¡¯t used my full strength.


    Not even for skill tests, and even when dealing with Eden, I only used traps and situations.


    ¡°So I¡¯m quite looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°What, what iprehensible things are you...¡±


    sh-


    I first cut down the ones who were running their mouths off carelessly.


    Of course, it wasn''t a story they could understand, but...


    ¡°His Majesty ordered me to ¡®beat them to death.¡¯¡±


    Of course, that order wasn''t directed at them, but...


    ¡°So.¡±


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Pce Armory</i>


    <i>Full Open</i>


    I lined up tens of thousands of weapons and aimed them at each of their heads.


    ¡°I can¡¯t just kill you.¡±

 Chapter 232 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Huy Le and @Rave from Ko-fi!</i>


    "The weapons I''m replicating still can''t handle all of these demons."


    "But one weapon doesn''t necessarily need to kill just one."


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    <i>Thud thud thud¡ª</i>


    My weapons dispersed like shrapnel, each one piercing a demon''s head, then another''s heart, and then another from top to bottom.


    "Spears are quite effective when dealing with this many enemies. Once you pierce one, you can just keep stabbing the next until the momentum dies."


    ¡°Kuaagh!¡±¡°Aaargh!¡±


    The ones that were ambushed first fell, and even those who couldn''t see the weapons due to the others blocking their view had their necks and heads pierced.


    ¡°Wh-what''s going on?!¡±


    ¡°He''s using some weird technique!¡±


    ¡°Raise your weapons and defend!¡±


    ¡°The attacks themselves are nothing special! Use your aura! You can block them!¡±


    The demons only started shouting after the number of dead had well exceeded double digits.


    ¡®Nothing special, huh.¡¯


    He wasn''t wrong. I was just making and shooting weapons.


    The attack power relied on the performance of the weapons themselves. Even though I had pulled out the entire Imperial Armory, only about half of them could easily kill the demons.


    The remaining half were doing some damage, but they couldn''t kill them instantly.


    ¡°...Well, even so, it''s not a problem.¡±


    I just need to use the half that kills easily.


    ¡®Besides, the Zodiacs will be here soon if I just hold out a little longer.¡¯


    My sixth sense already tells me that the Zodiacs are dealing with demons in other directions.


    The demon fighting Azier, Mizonas, was it? His n was probably to use these demons to separate me and Metamorph, but the moment Metamorph was trapped in my workshop, his n was already shattered.


    ¡®In the meantime, shall we do some testing?¡¯


    I manipted the bracer and released Obsidian.


    Obsidian spread out like ck fog and unfolded around me.


    After obtaining the mana of Helheim, I had been training to handle Obsidian thinner and finer, and thanks to that, each individual droplet of Obsidian had be so small that it was almost invisible to the naked eye.


    These tiny ck Obsidian particles surrounded me, making it look like fog.


    ¡°He''s doing something weird again!¡±


    The demons seemed to have bepletely wary of me, and they were watching my every move even as they were being hit by weapons flying from all directions.


    Since there were so many of them, some were even flying straight at me, prepared to die.


    Perfect timing.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª!</i>


    First, I shot the weapons I had weaving in the air at the demons flying straight at me. As if they had expected it, they emitted their auras even more vividly and deflected most of the weapons. Of course, some of them failed to defend and were hit, falling to the ground.


    ¡®As expected, all demons can use aura.¡¯


    Whether they defended or not, all the demons here were using aura. They were using something that humans took years of training to acquire so naturally. It was probably innate.


    ¡®Helheim''s mana can prate aura more easily than normal mana.¡¯


    This was something I learned while dealing with Eden and his subordinates.


    Perhaps because Helheim''s mana itself was of a different nature, it could prate the opponent''s aura more easily.


    Of course, it wasn''t something that could bepletely ignored.


    Then, in this case...


    What if the enemy was also a monster from another world?


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    I replicated the spears from the Imperial Armory that were slightly less effective against the demons using Obsidian. I matched the number exactly to the number of demons flying towards me.


    Experiments are basically about minimizing variables under control.


    ¡°Here, take this.¡±


    For once, I even gave them a signal before shooting.


    To their eyes, they would probably look like simr weapons.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    As expected, they were once again thinking of blocking. Some held their weapons, some reduced their surface area by spreading their arms and legs, intending to dodge, and some emitted their auras even more, intending to endure with their bodies.


    All of them.


    <i>Thud thud thud!!</i>


    Obsidian crushed them all.


    ¡°Kwaaak!¡±


    ¡°Gurk!¡±


    The demons'' screams were very human-like.


    They spoke humannguage, their vital points were in the same locations as humans, and they were more simr to humans than I had thought.


    ¡®Hmm. It easily pierces the demons'' auras as well. I guess not all other worlds are the same.¡¯


    Well, it''s not like these demons came from Helheim. It''s clearly mana from a different world.


    Even if it were the same world, Obsidian seems to have the effect of easily piercing through the opponent''s aura.


    ¡®For now, I''ve learned that Obsidian is more effective, so next time...¡¯


    I looked around. I checked my remaining mana and assessed the situation.


    Actually, now that I''ve confirmed the effectiveness of Obsidian, it''s possible to kill these demons more easily.


    In fact, even without using Obsidian, if I push myself a little, I could probably ughter most of these demons.


    But I didn''t.


    Because it would be a waste.


    ¡®This time, shall we see the difference between weapons of the same Unique rank?¡¯


    I still have a lot to test against these guys.

 Chapter 232 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Only three of the Zodiacs remained in Bartello''s chamber, and all the rest went out.


    The number of demons pouring out from outside the pce was an extraordinary sight. More than anything, right after they appeared, the rune set up in the Frondier chamber suddenly expanded.


    The Zodiacs sensed it. The demons were targeting Frondier!


    "No! Frondier! I''ll save you, just hold on a little longer!"


    The first one to rush out was Lily. Lily acted as if she had known Frondier for a long time.


    The expressions of the people around became subtle at her behavior, but they all acted together nheless.


    As Frondier said, targeting the emperor seemed to have been a simple fake. If the three Zodiacs were here, there was no big worry. Above all, Ludovic was among the three.


    "......There''s a hell of a lot."


    The Zodiacs frowned as soon as they stepped outside the pce. At first, they wondered why a flock of bats was flying around. Upon closer inspection, they were demons in the distance. The ck wings that filled the sky flew around making a noisy sound.


    "We''ll be attacked if we try to approach Frondier like this."


    Monty said with a stern face. He had a strong desire to protect Frondier as much as Lily.


    However, neither Monty nor Lily could think of a way to reach Frondier in one breath. It''s not a difficult task to deal with these many demons, but it''s not something that can be done in a short time.


    At that time.


    "Do you want to go to Frondier?"


    A dialect from an unknown source could be heard.


    Crack! Crackling!


    A sharp lightning bolt spewed blue light and raced across the sky. The lightning struck the clustered bats, extending to all the nearby bats, connecting them with its blue stem.


    The chain reaction continued endlessly, illuminating the sky for a long time.


    "Ludwig!"


    Lily, who immediately recognized the nature of the magic, shouted.


    "Thank you! The title of Archmage is not for nothing!"


    "I''m not a Archmage, what are you talking about."


    "You''re a Archmage if you''re Ludwig, what''s with you!"


    "...If you say that to another mage, you could really be in big trouble."


    The Grand Mage is not such a title.


    Like the Zodiac, the strongest 12 on the continent, it''s not a title that can be achieved by ranking.


    Magic is armed with theory and order, and theory evolves and changes over time, moving towards a new path.


    A Archmage is a title only given to those who have brought about a reform in the concept of such magic, or added a new concept.


    "Of course, Lily knows that.¡± She said with a bright smile.


    "It will be soon. Archmage."


    "......Anyway, if you want to go to Frondier, move quickly. I''ll take care of things here."


    "Yes! I''ll go save Frondier quickly ande back!"


    With that said, a red aura swirled around Lily''s entire body. Monty''s aura next to her also red up.


    Until a while ago, if they had headed to Frondier as they were, they would have been surrounded by demons and wasted more time, but now, arge gap had opened in the direction towards Frondier due to Ludwig''s magic.


    "But wait a minute."


    That''s when Ludwig spoke.


    "You guys, are you going to save Frondier?"


    "Yes. Of course! If we don''t save him as soon as possible, he''s in danger! It seems like all the demons here are targeting Frondier."


    At that, Ludwig scratched his head.


    "......I see. Well, do as you please."


    "......? Well, anyway, we''re going!"


    Lily and Monty set off like that.


    Daisy, who had been watching, spoke.


    "I can''t stand it. I should go too..."


    "You can''t."


    "What! You seem to underestimate me because you don''t know my power yet,"


    "It''s not that I can''t see your power and underestimate the Zodiac. That''s not it."


    "Then, what is it?"


    To Daisy, who tilted her head, Ludwig spoke with cold eyes.


    "It''s called overinvestment."


    "......Over......investment?"


    "Overinvestment, I mean. It means to invest excessively. Investment is, you know, using certain goods first to get what you want......"


    "I know that!"


    "I''m d you know. The remaining Zodiacs just need to stay here and defeat the demons. Then we should be able to handle this sudden situation without much trouble."


    Daisy tilted her head a little at Ludwig''s words, but she thought he had a point.


    The demons visible in the sky now are countless. It would be urgent to deal with them right away. The Frondier side is headed by two Zodiacs, so it should be okay.


    However, if the Frondier has already been captured by the demons, the demons can take the Frondier as a hostage. In that case, it might be a bit difficult for the two Zodiacs. Wouldn''t it be okay to have one more person who can take away the sight?


    There was such a vague sense of unease, but Daisy decided to follow Ludwig''s words for now, as his expression was too gloomy.


    "Then let''s each take a zone and defeat the demons! I''ll head northwest!"


    With that, Daisy ran off.


    * * *


    ¡ª¡ªWell, do as you please.


    Lily and Monty didn''t take long to understand why Ludwig had said that, why he had made such a face while saying it.


    "¡­¡­What''s that."


    Lily muttered nkly.


    She headed straight for where she suspected Frondier was.


    She felt the mana of Frondier and arrived exactly there.


    But exactly where Frondier should be located.


    "Hmm. Not all des are effective. There are a few blunt weapons that are useful. They have lethal power even if they don''t aim for the vital points, and even if they don''t die, the surrounding enemies are swept away."


    There was a devil. [T/N: Lmao]


    A devil wrapped in ck mist instead of wings, was quietly looking in, holding the demon''s neck in his right hand.


    "Except for the bat wings, it''s almost identical to a human from head to toe. The blood is red too. It''s just that it gives off an unpleasant feeling."


    "Ugh...! Stop talking nonsense and kill me!"


    "Wait a minute. I''m still thinking."


    Thwack! Thwack!


    The devil shrouded in fog hit the demon in its grasp several more times as it babbled on. The thing in its hand looked like a hammer, but the head was quite thickpared to the short handle.


    "Does it hurt less if you hit it gently with a divine weapon?"


    "......"


    There was no answer this time. The demon seemed to havepletely fainted. Confirming this, the devil of the ck mist lost interest and threw it away. Like throwing trash on the street.


    "......F, Frondier?"


    Lily said in a tense voice. Hearing that, the devil turned its head.


    It wasn''t a devil. It was Frondier.


    She flew in the direction where Frondier should be and called out Frondier''s name to something that should be Frondier. Then, the thing that looked back looked exactly like Frondier. Of course, it was Frondier.


    ording to this inevitable development, the man in front of her eyes had to be Frondier, and he was indeed Frondier. For some reason, she couldn''t ept it right away.


    Thud, thump!


    While she was nkly watching Frondier, something else fell from the sky. When she turned her gaze, there were demons. Things with holes in their heads or bodies, things that were separated from top to bottom, each fell and rolled around like stuffed dolls.


    "¡­¡­"


    "¡­¡­"


    Lily and Monty looked up at the sky nkly. The demons were being yed with and injured by weapons of unknown origin before they died and fell.


    Trying to respond to the weapons that flew back even after being thrown, they failed to read the situation and got their backs pierced, or simply lost their limbs due to being outnumbered, and fell again screaming.


    "You''re here."


    Frondier said with a grin, in between the falling corpses of the demons.


    "I almost got caught. Thanks to you, I survived."

 Chapter 233 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°...You almost got done in?¡±


    Monty echoed my words, his voiceced with disbelief. His expression was as if I had just told a joke.


    Well, considering the state of the battlefield, it might seem like I had the upper hand against the enemies, and that wouldn''t be entirely wrong.


    Of course, I was prepared to handle this number of demons. I even conducted tests against them while being mindful of my remaining mana.


    However, I still couldn''t shake the feeling that this wouldn''t be the end.


    ¡®Mizonas probably doesn''t know about this situation.¡¯


    The demon currently fighting Azier must have been confident that his subordinates would quickly emerge and either eliminate the Metamorph or kill me. He''d be eagerly awaiting that report.


    But then, the question arises, how did Mizonas even know that the Metamorph and I had met in the first ce?


    Would he have the leisure to keep an eye on the entire pce while being busy fighting Azier?¡®...No way.¡¯


    In other words, there''s someone else behind the scenes observing this fight. The demon Mizonas mentioned serving, Satan. He''s probably the one watching this situation unfold.


    ¡°I''ll withdraw from here. I''m reaching my limit.¡±


    ¡°...Your limit?¡±


    Lily questioned, mirroring Monty''s expression.


    I shook my head with a weary look.


    ¡°Yes. These guys are endless. I''m almostpletely exhausted. I trust that the rest will be handled by the Zodiacs.¡±


    With that, I turned and walked back towards the pce.


    ¡°Hey, wait! You! You just ughtered a mountain of demons and you''re saying you''re exhausted?!¡±


    Lily''s incredulous voice reached me from behind.


    ¡°Of course I''m exhausted after killing so many. I''m just a student of Constel!¡±


    I said, quickening my pace as I left the scene.


    Naturally, I couldn''t maintain the pretense of exhaustion while escaping.


    ¡®First, I need to meet Philly.¡¯


    Whether it''s truly Satan who is giving orders to Mizonas and observing the situation, I don''t know.


    But if my prediction is correct, he can''t see the entire picture.


    If Satan could see every detail within the pce, he wouldn¡¯t have fallen for Azier¡¯s prison guard disguise trick. Pitting Azier against his own subordinate was an incredibly foolish choice.


    ¡®There''s probably a trigger. Like when I first met Thanatos.¡¯


    Just like how Thanatos appeared when I sessfully materialized Weaving, there must be some kind of trigger here as well.


    Perhaps the condition is ¡®the Metamorph and I making contact.¡¯


    If so, then amidst the chaos of the battlefield with demons appearing in droves and Mizonas fighting Azier, this is the most opportune time to deceive the demon''s eyes.


    ¡®Now the picture is starting to be clearer.¡¯


    I felt the previously blurry pieces gradually connecting with each other through the progress made so far.


    ¡°©¤©¤Alright.¡±


    I arrived at Bartello''s bedroom. Philly would probably be here.


    Knock knock-


    ¡°It''s Frondier. I''m back.¡±


    I spoke through the door after a light knock.


    From inside the room, the emperor''s voice granted permission to enter.


    As I opened the door,


    ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    The three Zodiacs waiting in the bedroom all pointed their swords at me. Of course, Ludovic was there too.


    ¡°Frondier, you must have expected this to happen since you left the room, right?¡±


    Ludovic spoke in a tense voice.


    ¡°Prove that you are Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I pondered Ludovic''s words for a moment.


    They were suspecting that I might be a fake. I was the one who brought up the possibility of the Metamorph transforming into me and returning here.


    Before I could do anything, Ludovic added,


    ¡°Just in case, I''m telling you that proving yourself with abilities or strength won''t work. We don''t know the limits of the monster''s learning capabilities. It might have even copied your skills.¡±


    He was right. That monster would likely be able to replicate most powers.


    ...Well, it hasn''t learned Falling edge yet, but even if I showed them that, they wouldn''t believe me.


    ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯


    Proving myself without using my abilities. It was more difficult than I thought. I hadn''t considered it when I left, but I realized anew how hard it was to prove my identity to these people I had only recently met.


    ¡®...Ah.¡¯


    Just as I was internally struggling, my gaze fell upon Philly.


    Philly was looking at me with a beaming smile. yfulness overflowed from that smile.


    ''Do you know what I''m about to do?'' Philly''s eyes seemed to say, and then her lips parted gently.


    Oh, no way.


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    As I responded, Philly''s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°He''s a fake. Kill him.¡± [T/N: Those who didn¡¯t get it on first try (like me), he¡¯s a fake since he didn¡¯t call her Philly.]


    Ludovic''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Is that true?!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    This damn...


    Even I wouldn''t have the guts to go that far.


    Not only Philly but also the Zodiacs were here, and above all, above all else, Emperor Bartello was lying there. And he wasn''t even asleep; his head was tilted to the side, watching me.


    Here?


    Seriously?


    ¡°Frondier, Ludovic just said it. Prove yourself. I''m giving you a chance.¡±


    Philly''s tone and voice were stern, but her eyes were still holding backughter.


    I had juste back from fighting demons, and there was a little devil in the room, smiling menacingly.


    Sigh. I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath to calm myself.


    And then I inhaled again, hesitated to speak, hesitated again, and then finally,


    ¡°©¤©¤Philly.¡±


    I ended up saying it.


    In front of the Zodiacs.


    In front of the emperor.


    ¡°¡­¡­Wha, what. You, Fron, you just, what, what did you say¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°He''s real. Come in, Frondier.¡±


    Ignoring Ludovic, who was so surprised he was stuttering, Philly approached with a bright smile. She even took my hand and led me inside.


    ¡°Mmm. As expected, when I meet Frondier, I have to hear that once. It makes me feel young again.¡±


    Is that so.


    I feel like I''m aging right now.


    ¡°Ha, have you lost your mind? Frondier?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It seems that way.¡±


    Ludovic''s words, barely regaining hisposure, were quite urate.


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier.¡±


    And then a heavy voice pierced me.


    I looked at Emperor Bartello, feeling incredibly tense.


    ¡°I feel like I just received justification to execute you on the spot whenever I want. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I have nothing to say.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t want to be executed, you''ll naturally work hard for the Empire, right?¡±


    ¡°I will dedicate my body and soul to being of service to this country.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that''s how it should be. That''s how it absolutely should be.¡±


    What is this.


    A couple''s scam?

 Chapter 233 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°So, what''s going on? Frondier? It seems like demons are still running rampant outside.¡±


    Philly asked. She must be curious why I came back, leaving the demons outside.


    ¡°I have something to tell Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Can''t we talk here?¡±


    ¡°No. We need to move.¡±


    What I''m about to say concerns the ¡®Dragon Heart¡¯ and the Shadow Unit.


    Both are matters of utmost secrecy, even their existence within the pce.


    Philly would naturally anticipate what I was going to say. She readily nodded.


    ¡°Alright. Let''s talk as we go.¡±¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty.¡±


    Ludovic opened his mouth with a worried expression, but Philly waved her hand dismissively.


    ¡°It''s fine. The Frondier here is undeniably the real one, and with the real Frondier by my side, there''s nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. I guaranteeplete safety.¡±


    Philly defended me almost like a threat. This was the first time I had received such a heavypliment.


    ¡°Come on, let''s go.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    I hid a deep sigh and left the room with Philly.


    Despite all the progress I had made, Philly was still a formidable opponent.


    ¡°Alright. Where are we going?¡±


    At Philly''s question, I replied,


    ¡°The basement.¡±


    ¡°As expected. We''re going to see the Dragon Heart, aren''t we?¡±


    I was about to nod at her words, but I tilted my head slightly instead.


    ¡°¡­¡­We might not be able to see it.¡±


    ***


    I navigated theplex path and opened the door leading to the pce basement with Philly.


    No onees here. We slowly descended the long staircase.


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this way?¡±


    Philly looked at me suspiciously.


    ¡°When I guided you herest time, I clearly blindfolded you, spun you around to disorient you, and the route here was already soplicated? Yet...¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Now that she mentioned it, that was true.


    Philly had made the route here confusing to prevent me from memorizing the way.


    However, I already knew the entireyout of the pce before evening here. It was part of the game''s information.


    I couldn''t exin that, so my words trailed off for a moment.


    Philly sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°Sigh. At this rate, Frondier will soon know all the secrets of the pce.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I have nothing to say to that.¡±


    Moreover, I actually did know almost all the secrets.


    ¡°At this rate, the only option left is to officially bring Frondier into the pce.¡±


    ¡°Please don''t say such scary things.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is Aten that bad?¡±


    ¡°Please, really, don''t say such scary things.¡±


    It was terrifying that she spoke her intentions so directly and that they were actually feasible.


    I forcibly changed the subject.


    ¡°¡­¡­It all started with the Mana Injection.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. Although on the surface, they appear to be separate incidents.¡±


    Thankfully, Philly followed my lead.


    ¡°The Mana Injection is, as the name suggests, an injection that increases mana. As Your Majesty has seen, the side effects are somewhat noticeable, but they have minimized them to the point where they don''t pose a threat to life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, after countless human experiments.¡±


    Those human experiments eventually led to the discovery of the hiddenboratory in Constel, and along with the evidence I had recorded, theboratory was shut down.


    But that was as far as it went. We didn''t reach the tail of the Shadow Unit.


    ¡°The Shadow Unit must have been dissatisfied with that.¡±


    ¡°With what? That there are still side effects remaining?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unlike Angus, theboratory director, who desired money, the Shadow Unit genuinely wanted humans to evolve to the next level.¡±


    ¡°So they tried to find a new method without any side effects?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But with theboratory closed, they needed new power and knowledge.¡±


    The Shadow Unit was on the Empire''s side.


    They were on the Empire''s side, but not on the side of the Empire''s citizens. The Shadow Unit would do anything to make the Empire strong and prosperous. Their loyalty was misced, their loyalty had gone mad.


    ¡°As Your Majesty has seen, the pce is currently swarming with demons. How did they get here? If they coulde here, why haven''t they done so until now?¡±


    Whatever the demons wanted, if they desired to fight humans, there were many more advantageous times.


    Even if you exclude me, it would have made more sense to strike when Enfer and Azier were absent.


    Philly pondered my question for a moment and then said,


    ¡°Based on the intent of your question, you''re suggesting that the demons didn''t choose the timing toe here, but rather, they couldn''te until now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As expected, Philly, Your Majesty has excellent insight,¡±


    ¡°We''re alone now, so what does it matter what you call me.¡±


    I had just been sweating bullets because of that title, but Her Majesty was shameless.


    ¡°Anyway, my thought is this. It wasn''t easy for the demons toe here in the first ce, and they needed a certain condition to do so.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­And the Shadow Unit is involved in that condition?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°The demons didn''t force their way into this world. Someone opened the door for them. Humans opened the door for demons toe here. Doesn''t a certain methode to mind?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    At that moment, as if a realization dawned on her, Philly let out a sound.


    There were indeed many types of demons, but most of their stories converged on one particr method.


    I spoke,


    ¡°The Shadow Unit made a contract with the demons.¡±

 Chapter 234 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Hoboli and @UltraEx159 from Ko-fi!</i>


    ---I will grant your wish. In return,


    Countless fables, legends, and myths begin like this.


    And behind them, there always lurks a demon.


    "It seems the Shadow Unit made a deal with a demon. I don''t know what method they used, but they seem to have seeded in summoning a demon."


    "So, the demon demanded a price from the Shadow Unit, and in return, the Shadow Unit received knowledge and power about mana injections?"


    "...That''s what the Shadow Unit must have thought."


    "Yes?"I don''t know which demonish book the Shadow Unit read to do such a crazy thing.


    They have a misunderstanding about demons.


    "demons don''t keep their contracts properly in the first ce. They just use the name ''contract'' to deceive people."


    "You mean, even if a human pays the price the demon wants, the demon doesn''t give the human what they want?"


    "On the surface, it seems like they do. A contract with a demon is not solely fulfilled by the demon''s power. The ritual that summoned the demon, the human''s desire, the price and exchange of conditions offered in the form of a contract. All these powerse together to manifest as the power of the wish."


    That''s why demons can grant human wishes.


    Even if they themselvesck the knowledge or ability, the power of the summoning, the price offered by the human, and the power of the contract''s establishment all work together to fulfill the wish.


    "But in the end, humans realize that it leads to absurd results."


    When demons make contracts with humans, they usually want things like the soul of the person making the wish. Many books in the game Etius tell us this.


    Of course, the person from the Shadow Unit would have been prepared for that. They would have had the heart to sell their soul toplete the mana injection and strengthen humanity.


    But no matter how much resolve they had,


    No matter how noble a sacrifice they made by putting even their own soul on the scale,


    The demon has no interest in such things.


    "People are afraid that the demon will take their souls in a contract with a demon, but that''s not what they should really be afraid of. They should be afraid of the cruelty of not even keeping the contract properly, even though they take the soul."


    demons are well aware of human psychology, especially the reward psychology.


    The naive belief that a contract worth selling your soul for will be rewarded with honesty and fairness.


    "In this case, what the Shadow Unit wanted was probably the knowledge to create mana injections without side effects."


    "So, the demon didn''t give them that knowledge?"


    "They probably did. They have to fulfill the contract. But there''s always a trap in contracts like this."


    "A trap?"


    "Knowledge only has meaning when it''s used. And knowledge and the things created with that knowledge are two different things."


    At my words, Philly made a sound like, "Ah," as if she understood.


    "...The demon was after the ''thing'' created using that knowledge."


    "Yes. They probably intercepted it during the experiment. They gave the knowledge, the contract was fulfilled, so anything after that is irrelevant to the contract."


    However, it''s unusual for a demon, who is fundamentally indifferent to human desires, to be interested in that thing.


    Usually, they exploit loopholes in wishes or intentionally distort them to fulfill them but lead to even greater misfortune, like the ''Monkey''s Paw''.


    In short, they y with humans.


    For a demon to be interested in a human experiment and steal it, they must have been quite intrigued.


    "Then, what was born from that experiment..."


    "Yes. The monster that targeted the Emperor."


    The Cmity of Metamorph.


    That creature has the ability to perfectly mimic the person it sees.


    Not only the appearance but also the internal structure and the flow of mana.


    "Originally, it would have been a solution to eliminate the side effects of mana injections. If you could create mana that is exactly the same as the target, there would be no side effects even if it was injected."


    "It wouldn''t have been a self-aware monster like it is now. There would have been no need for that."


    "Yes. The demon probably made it that way."


    The Cmity of Metamorph, which should have originally been a mana injection.


    We don''t know what ability the demons were after when they turned the human experiment into a monster.


    Well, it''s trapped in my workshop now, so I''ll have to figure it outter.


    "We''ve arrived while we were talking."


    Philly and I descended all the stairs to the basement.


    It''s been a while since I''ve been here, but the scene I saw waspletely different.


    First of all, the door to the room where the Dragon Heart was kept was already smashed, and the remnants of an alien mana lingered. Probably the demons''.


    And above all, the smell of blood.


    "The demon interfered with the human experiment. When humans make contracts with demons, a kind of gate is formed in the ritual so they can meet. They probably used the ''Dragon Heart'' as a medium for that. It''s a very suitable mana crystal for summoning demons."


    "So that''s why there were signs of intrusion here. It''s amazing. They weren''t trying to use the Dragon Heart itself as a mana injection, but to summon a demon with it."


    "The demon summoning might have already taken ce at that time. The Dragon Heart is just a medium and wouldn''t be destroyed, and after making a contract with the summoned demon, the demon would have returned and the gate closed again. Then all that would be left would be minor traces of intrusion."


    However, as long as the Dragon Heart remained in its ce, the demon could open the gate again ande back here.


    Hiding the Dragon Heart to keep it safe actually became a foothold for the demon to return.


    "...Let''s check inside."


    "Yes."


    We slowly moved our steps and entered the room where the Dragon Heart was.


    And we found blood sttered everywhere. It was as if a gruesome massacre had taken ce, but there were no bodies to be seen. Only blood filled the space.


    Moreover, my ''sixth sense'' tells me that this blood is definitely,


    "Not from one person."


    "How many could it be?"


    "Quite a few. It''s been too long to count, though."


    If it were just to kill someone, depending on the case, there wouldn''t be that much blood. Naturally. It''s not like they were trying to draw blood.


    Besides, I predict that this blood wasn''t caused by ''murder''.


    "It seems the contract has beenpleted."


    "...Then the owner of this blood is,"


    "Yes. The Shadow Unit."


    [Sub-questpleted.]


    [Sub-quest: Weeding Out]


    ? Description: The group that nned the Mana Injection belongs to the Shadow Unit. Eliminate them as per Philly''s order.


    ? Objective: Eliminate the ringleaders and coborators of the project.


    ? Reward: Separate payment depending on the quest performance. Reward decreases if some ringleaders or coborators are missed or other members of the Shadow Unit are eliminated, failure if someone who is not a member of the Shadow Unit is killed.


    ? Failure results in losing Philly''s trust.


    [Reward Confirmation]


    - The mastermind of the n was killed by the demon.


    - The coborators of the n were killed by the demon.


    [Reward has been withheld. Currently under review.]

 Chapter 234 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I smiled wryly at the notification on my smartwatch.


    This quest was solved without me doing anything. Since it''s a third oue that the quest didn''t specify, I wonder if there''s some confusion.


    A more troublesome thing has appeared instead of the Shadow Unit, though.


    "The Dragon Heart is still there. It seems to have consumed a lot of mana."


    Philly narrowed her eyes as she looked at the Dragon Heart. As she said, the triangr ring had lost much of its brilliant light and be faint.


    It''s understandable that its vast mana would be depleted after the demon summoning, the contract, and the numerous demons that poured through the gate here at Mizonas''s call.


    ''...Something''s strange.''


    But I felt a different presence within the Dragon Heart.


    The Shadow Unit used this Dragon Heart to summon a demon and make a contract. Probably with Satan.That Satan''s direct subordinate, Mizonas, is currently fighting Azier.


    Although Azier has the upper hand in terms of skill, the fact that a confrontation is even possible shows the extent of Mizonas''s power.


    On top of that, the horde of demons that poured through the gate opened by this Dragon Heart.


    ''...Shouldn''t the Dragon Heart have already exceeded its limit?''


    I''ve swallowed the Dragon Heart myself and handled it. Even if it''s not exact, I can roughly estimate the magnitude of its power.


    ording to my intuition, the Dragon Heart should have already beenpletely consumed and disappeared.


    Then how is the Dragon Heart still maintaining its form?


    "So what do we do now?"


    Philly''s question snapped me out of my deep contemtion.


    "It''s a bit of a waste, but let''s destroy it."


    "The Dragon Heart?"


    "Yes. Then the connection between here and the other world will disappear, and the demons won''te anymore."


    The demons that have already appeared will be taken care of by the Zodiacs, and Mizonas can be left to Azier to handle somehow.


    If we destroy this heart, the immediate incident will be settled for now.


    "...Alright. It seems like it''s so depleted that it wouldn''t be of any use to my husband anyway."


    Philly nodded with a slightly heavy expression.


    I slowly reached out my hand towards the Dragon Heart.


    At that moment.


    [Before that, just a moment.]


    An unfamiliar, and equally gloomy, voice struck my ears.


    [I apologize for the interruption, but please excuse me for a moment. Forgive my rudeness.]


    An overly polite voice. And then, a figure slowly formed above the Dragon Heart.


    Philly and I raised our heads to see the figure.


    The man with pale skin was handsome, but what caught our attention first were the wings that spread wide open.


    And I knew right away.


    Not bat wings, but bird wings.


    Reminiscent of an angel, yet so deep and dark ck.


    Among the Seven Deadly Sins demons, there was only one with ck bird wings.


    "...Satan."


    [Greetings, Frondier. There seems to have been a lot of misunderstanding between us regarding this matter.]


    Satan spoke to me.


    His overly gentlemanly gestures and tone only heightened my wariness.


    "Misunderstanding?"


    [Indeed. I deeply apologize for the harm caused to the human king and the threats my subordinates posed to humans. This was not originally my intention.]


    "Yet, that Mizonas fellow is still causing trouble, and a swarm of bats is flying around the Imperial Pce?"


    [Of course. That''s why I personally came here.]


    Saying that, Satan stretched out one hand.


    Suddenly.


    <i>Swoosh!!</i>


    A sound like air being sucked in echoed from the Dragon Heart, and then,


    "Kyaaaak!!"


    "Aaaak!"


    A gate opened in front of Satan, and ck things from all directions were sucked into the gate.


    They were the demons, losing their physical bodies here and having their souls transferred to the other world.


    ''Even though he borrowed the Dragon Heart to open the gate, forcing the demons back is solely his power.''


    Moreover, judging by the screams of the demons, it seems like he''s forcibly sucking them in.


    To drag all those demons back to his world with a single gesture.


    Andstly, after all the demons were sucked in.


    "Ugh! Keuk! L-Lord Satan...!"


    In Satan''s right hand, Mizonas''s neck was gripped.


    [There, I have made all the demons retreat. Will you ept my apology?]


    Saying that, Satan threw Mizonas beyond the gate. From the beginning, the act of grabbing him with his own hand was just to appeal to me.


    "...Quite courteous for the demon of Wrath."


    I said. It was more of a question.


    Satan briefly widened his eyes at my words and thenughed out loud.


    [Hahaha. Isn''t that natural?]


    "Natural?"


    [The one who embodies wrath wouldn''t be consumed by wrath, would they?]


    Those words.


    Spoken as if it were the mostmon sense, those words gave me a clue to the question I had been pondering.


    ''That''s right. Of course. The one who embodies wrath wouldn''t be overwhelmed by wrath. That would be being dominated, not dominating.''


    The demons who embody sins are the ones furthest from those sins. demons are not consumed by sin.


    [I simply like wrath. The emotion of wrath is my nourishment. I prefer those who are wrathful and pursue situations that evoke wrath. Enjoying that is the role of demons who carry sin.]


    "...I see."


    Then, by the same logic.


    The demon of Sloth, ''Belphegor,'' wouldn''t be a demon swallowed by sloth either. They would be the one who bestows sloth.


    ''Let''s leave that forter.''


    I gathered my thoughts and asked Satan.


    "So, did the demon of Wrath, Satan, personallye all the way here to apologize?"


    [Of course. This whole incident was entirely my fault, and it''s only right that I apologize. That was the biggest reason.]


    ...The biggest reason, huh.


    "Then would you mind leaving? I need to destroy this Dragon Heart now. I''m too nervous with a demon watching."


    I said with a smile.


    In short, it was telling him to get lost.


    [Ah, before that.]


    Satan shook his head.


    [I have a proposal, what do you think?]


    As if it were nothing special, Satan spoke.


    He ims that apologizing was the biggest reason, but


    I knew all too well that the story he was about to tell was the true reason for his personal visit here.


    "A proposal?"


    [Yes. To put it bluntly.]


    Satan lowered his eyes and looked at me.


    [The monster you have imprisoned.]


    Almost exactly as expected.


    [Return that cmity. It''s not something you should have.]


    It''s not something I should have.


    That''s quite a statement, considering how wary he was of me encountering that creature.


    I asked with an unwavering smile.


    "You said proposal. If I return that creature, I should get something in return, shouldn''t I?"


    [Of course, of course. Naturally. Why wouldn''t I understand that?]


    Satan nodded as if he understood deeply.


    And then he said.


    [Your life will be spared.]


    He spoke in an overly polite voice.


    [Not only yours, but all the citizens of the Empire, no, all of humanity will not die by my hand. I could crush that heart at any moment, but I won''t. I''ve decided not to.]


    He said, spreading his hands in a gentlemanly gesture.


    [In other words, I have saved all of humanity. Isn''t it alright to receive that monster in return as a reward for saving humanity?]


    The demon of Wrath said that.


    With a face devoid of any trace of wrath.

 Chapter 235 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Sorry for the release gap guys.., been sick past few days, will make up</i>


    ¡°A reward for saving all of humanity.¡±


    Iughed. Of course, it was augh of sheer disbelief.


    So even someone like Satan resorts to such tant and pathetic deals.


    ¡®Give me the monster, and I will not attack humans. Since I did not attack, I have saved humanity.¡¯


    Those words were clearlyced with mockery and contempt for humans. But Satan wasn''t just spouting such nonsense out of arrogance.


    He wanted me to be enraged by his provocation. When people are angry, their minds don''t function properly.


    Anger doesn''t make people stronger. This isn''t someic book.While anger can give you the courage to act, the results are rarely better than if you had kept your cool.


    Behind these shamelessly arrogant wordsy Satan''s own disy of power and threat.


    If I were to be angered by these words, I would be forced into two choices: to give in to anger and reject the offer, or to suppress my anger and ept it.


    Satan is not the demon of pride. He is the demon of wrath. That''s why he knows how to use anger.


    ¡°Indeed, that''s true.¡±


    I nodded at his words.


    Despite finally agreeing with Satan, his eyes turned cold.


    [You are having pointless thoughts.]


    ¡°Pointless? It''s a perfectly reasonable thought.¡±


    Does Satan even realize how many hints he''s giving me right now?


    He came out in front of me, trying to look impressive, but I can''t ignore the sense of dissonance it creates.


    ¡°Your offer basically means this.¡±


    I raised a finger.


    ¡°The monster I currently possess is powerful enough to make you, a demon, consider waging war against humanity.¡±


    [¡­¡­War? Don''t be ridiculous. To me, humans are nothing but...]


    ¡°Second.¡±


    I cut off Satan''s words and raised a second finger.


    ¡°You have no way to retrieve the monster except for me handing it over directly.¡±


    Despite recalling all the demons gathered here and holding Mizonas''s head in his hand, despite boasting about his power, he still offers me a ¡®deal¡¯.


    It''s not important that Satan made a mocking offer. What matters is that he made an offer at all. It''s as good as admitting that he has no other choice.


    ¡°Furthermore, third.¡±


    To Satan, who suddenly fell silent, I raised a third finger.


    ¡°You yourself cannote here.¡±


    If the Metamorph is so important, Satan could havee and taken it himself. The gate is open, so why send other demons instead ofing himself?


    Satan just recalled tens of thousands of demons in an instant, and in the process, even grabbed Mizonas''s head in his hand.


    That was to show off his abilities and power, but it was also meant to create a certain illusion.


    The illusion that Satan himself can intervene in this world. He retrieved the demons in this world with his own hands, so he could also attack this world, or so he wants us to think.


    However, once you see through his intentions, the information that falls into my hands is entirely different from what he intended.


    ¡°The Seven Deadly Sins are simr to the gods in that regard.¡±


    [¡­¡­!]


    Satan''s eyes widened. Well, that''s a pretty scary line for a human in this world to say.


    ¡°You guys also need conditions for ¡®descent¡¯.¡±


    Just like how the gods need a considerable amount of energy from worship and wishes toe to this world.


    Even the Seven Deadly Sins cannot enter this world through a simple demonic contract.


    ¡®Come to think of it, that makes sense. Methods for making contracts with demons can be found in books, and that''s how the Shadow Unit made their contracts. But in this world, despite encountering demons throughout history, the Seven Deadly Sins have never appeared.¡¯


    The answer is simple.


    The Seven Deadly Sins, like Satan of Wrath and Belphegor of Sloth, are not beings that can be met through demonic contracts.


    ¡°That''s why you make such a pathetic offer. You ignorant coward. A fool who can''t control his own mouth and spills information. A decrepit and ugly old man who abandons his subordinates to hide his own mistakes. You''re not worthy of the name Satan.¡±


    At my outburst, Philly nced at me nervously instead of Satan.


    Philly probably came to a simr conclusion as me through Satan''s appearance, but for Philly, it''s just one of several possibilities.


    [¡­¡­.]


    Satan listened to my words silently and closed his eyes.


    [It''s been a long time.]


    The voice that came out was like a well-honed de, filled with murderous intent. As expected of the Seven Deadly Sins, even their murderous intent is refined and sharp.


    [It''s been a long time since a human dared to speak to me like that.]


    ¡°Seeing you in this state, any human would mock you.¡±


    [Haha. Is that so.]


    Satanughed. He smiled and let out a chuckle. The more he did so, the more intense and ferocious his murderous intent became.


    [You have just dered war on all demons by yourself. Disregarding the lives of humanity. I may not be able to go there right now, but whenever your home is ravaged by the ws of demons, then you will realize your mistake,]


    ¡°You spout nonsense after bing a demon. Did you learn how to bark?¡±


    I said. I could feel the murderous intent infused in every syble I spoke.


    I didn''t know if it was more intense than the demon''s, or if it could even stand against his immense power. But I couldn''t just ignore the words that demon just uttered.


    ¡°If demons invade and defile human territory, is it the humans'' fault? No. It''s the fault of the stupid demons who dared to stick their heads in where they don''t belong. If theymit such atrocities, they''ll have no right toin even if they get their heads chopped off on the guillotine in the order they came in.¡±


    Satan looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. I couldn''t tell if he was surprised by my words or my momentum.


    ¡°Satan. Oh, Satan, who acts like he knows everything about anger. Humanity doesn''t have the time or the luxury to spare for the likes of you. Say that kind of thing again. Just once more, and on the day your minions'' foul stench reaches thisnd, I will crush your world. I will smash the heads of the horned ones with a hammer. I will tear the winged ones apart with my sword and discard them like toys. I will pull out all your fingernails and toenails and burn you from your fingertips in a furnace. On that day, endless lightning will strike your sky, and arrows will rain down like a storm.¡±


    The Seven Deadly Sins, demons who exist haughtily at the highest positions, Satan.


    These words I speak to him may sound like mere bluffs. He may not even hear my warnings and threats.


    But I am delivering this as a prophecy.


    ¡°When that timees, will you, as you yourself said, deeply regret your own fault and repent for your mistakes? No. You, driven mad by anger, will resent me and scream even as your limbs are torn apart. No matter how much you want to look down on me, Satan, I can see your ugly form all too clearly. So stop your dog-like barking. A deration of war? If you like those words so much, then go ahead and say them. If you think this continent, the Imperial Pce, Zodiac, and my family and I are a joke, then go ahead and try. You coward who speaks of war but wants to shift the me onto others. How can you hold your head up high when your words are so weak and pathetic? Know your ce, you ugly thing.¡±


    The world of the game, Etius, was originally destined for destruction someday. Though not because of demons.


    To me, who knows this future, howughable it is to be threatened with the fear of destruction.


    I have long been prepared for it since the moment I came to this world.


    Does Satan think the destruction of humanity is truly far away? Is that why he speaks so lightly of its weight? To me, it''s just pathetic.


    [©¤©¤Fine.]


    After hearing all that, Satan spoke quietly.


    [I will remember all your words. And you should too. You will soon face the future,]


    Crack-


    I didn''t listen any further and crushed the Dragon Heart. I used the technique of holding the Obsidian within my hand to crush it together.


    Satan''s image, along with the Dragon Heart and the open gate, vanished.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    I briefly looked at the empty space where Satan had been and let out a long breath.


    For now, it''s over. The demons are all gone and can''t return. The monster is currently inside my workshop. I don''t know if it will resist me or not, but...


    ¡°Well, that''s the end of it. I''m d there doesn''t seem to be much damage to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    I said with a smile, looking at Philly.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    For some reason, Philly didn''t answer my words and just stared at me silently.


    It was like the way one would look at a monster.

 Chapter 235 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After the situation was resolved, the Zodiacs and the Imperial Knights conducted a thorough investigation of the surroundings before returning.


    As the Zodiacs left, each of them greeted me. Their gazes towards me had definitely changedpared to when we first met.


    Among them, the ones who changed the most were Lily and Monty.


    ¡°Frondier, let''s have tea together sometime? Or maybe even some drinks!¡±


    ¡°Come to my mansion anytime. I''ll give you valuable skills and strength that you can''t even learn at Constel!¡±


    They said their goodbyes with those words.


    It''s probably just a polite gesture. But it''s still nice to be treated favorably.


    Afterwards, I used the portal to send the Metamorph, who had been inside the workshop, to Roach''s cottage.


    Fortunately, it followed obediently, so there was no problem putting it back into the workshop from the cottage.The Metamorph is officially deceased. I can''t just leave such a dangerous object lying around, so I''ll have to keep it under observation in my workshop for the time being. I can check the inside of the workshop anytime.


    Why did the demons want to separate me and the Metamorph? What was the ¡®mistake¡¯ they made?


    I was curious about those things, but there was something I had to do first.


    ¡°Without the Dragon Heart, Bartello will remain weakened, right?¡±


    The Dragon Heart, originally enshrined within the Imperial Pce, was supposed to be used to restore the Emperor''s vitality. Of course, I only found out about that recently.


    But the Dragon Heart was used for a demonic contract, a gate, and Satan''s appearance, so its mana was depleted. More importantly, I ended up destroying it.


    Since I was the one who destroyed the Dragon Heart, I have some responsibility. That''s why I''m here, contemting Bartello''s recovery©¤


    ¡°¡­¡­No, that''s not right.¡±


    ©¤That''s actually an excuse. There''s something I want to try.


    ¡°If this works, it''ll be helpful for you too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    I said, looking at the Metamorph.


    The Metamorph was no longer Azier, Pascal, or anyone else. It had be something that didn''t resemble anyone and was just sitting on the floor.


    Actually, I don''t even know if it''s sitting or not. It hadpletely lost its form and be a semi-spherical blob, just squirming around asionally.


    ...Simply put, it looked exactly like a ¡®slime¡¯ from other games.


    ¡°Maybe that''s your true form?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The slime-like Metamorph hasn''t said anything since earlier. It seems to have stopped talking after it stopped mimicking. Or maybe it can''t speak unless it''s in human form.


    ¡°Well, anyway.¡±


    This isn''t what I need to do right now.


    Click.


    I manipted my bracer and scattered the Obsidian.


    The Obsidian scattered and formed a certain shape. The image of Satan, the Dragon Heart, and the open gate.


    It was a perfect reproduction of my memory at that time.


    ¡°¡­¡­Right, the Dragon Heart definitely ran out of mana.¡±


    I muttered as I looked at the scene recreated by the Obsidian.


    From the demonic contract to Satan''s appearance. It''s hard to believe that the Dragon Heart''s mana alone could have aplished all of that, given its limited capacity.


    Then how did the Dragon Heart manage to endure?


    When I had that question, I discovered the unusual mana within the Dragon Heart.


    ¡®The Dragon Heart was the medium for the demonic contract.¡¯


    In other words, the Dragon Heart was probably the only object in this world that demons could directly interact with.


    Then, the reason the Dragon Heart could endure must be because its mana was replenished before it waspletely depleted.


    And that other source of mana is, needless to say, Satan.


    To maintain the gate and utilize its power, Satan sustained the Dragon Heart.


    That means, in other words...


    ¡°I could do it too, right?¡±


    I obtained the mana of Helheim and gained ess to a much richer and more potent mana than others.


    Of course, it may notpare to Satan''s, but ording to Azier, my mana wasparable to that of the demon ¡®Mizonas¡¯.


    Although that was just Azier''s spection, since I never showed him all of my mana.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Dragon Heart</i>


    I wove a Dragon Heart in front of me.


    Until now, I had used the Dragon Heart as a form of doping.


    Since the Dragon Heart is created with my mana, consuming it would increase my mana while requiring me topensate for the deficit with something else. So far, Fabric of Penelope had served that purpose.


    But this time, I''m reversing the process.


    Instead of consuming the Dragon Heart and then replenishing my mana,


    I will fill the empty mana capacity of the Dragon Heart with my own mana.


    ¡°The Dragon Heart was a ¡®mana crystal¡¯.¡±


    Everything I''ve created so far has been nothing but a fake.


    But when ites to the Dragon Heart, I might be able to create the ¡®real thing¡¯.

 Chapter 236 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Let¡¯s start simple.¡±


    I channeled Mana into the Dragon Heart I had weaving.


    What I had just weaving was a simple illusion, using neither the Obsidian nor Menosorpo.


    But if I injected Mana into this design structure, then surely a Dragon Heart made of my Mana would¡­


    <i>Poof.</i>


    ¡­Not appear.


    The Dragon Heart, which had been absorbing my Mana, seemed to be progressing well, but soon it lost its form and scattered.


    ¡°Was it too simple to think that just because it¡¯s a Mana crystal, I could just fill it with Mana?¡±


    Well, if this kind of production method were possible, anyone who knew the structure of the Dragon Heart could mass-produce them.I don''t know if there are people who know the structure, but if Philly had set her mind to it, she would have used the Imperial manpower to somehow create it.


    The fact that it didn''t work means that simply filling it with Mana is not enough.


    ¡°Satan just replenished Mana to an already-made Dragon Heart, so it''s a different concept from creating one from scratch.¡±


    But I got the idea.


    The Dragon Heart itself is a vessel. I saw Satan filling that vessel with his own Mana.


    In other words, as long as the vessel itself isplete, it should be possible to fill it even if it''s not Dragon Mana.


    ¡®The Dragon Heart is definitely a Mana crystal. That means the vessel itself is also made of Mana. However, during the crystallization process, it changes into a structure different from what I know.¡¯


    Just like water and ice are the same substance but havepletely different forms.


    Mana and Mana crystals also have very different structures.


    The structure of the Dragon Heart is already inside the workshop, and that''s what I''m looking at right now.


    But if I can''t figure out how to crystallize Mana myself, even if I pour Mana into this structure, it won''t solidify and will just disperse on its own. Just like it did a moment ago.


    ¡°The problem is that there''s probably no one who knows such a method.¡±


    If such a method existed, it would have already been recorded in the continent as a great discovery.


    I sighed. This is a level of difficulty that can be easily imagined by thinking about how long it took to invent a way to turn water into ice, that is, for humans to artificially lower the temperature.


    A way to turn water into ice. Put it in the refrigerator. Then how do you make a refrigerator?


    Create a device that lowers the temperature. In other words, a ¡®refrigerant¡¯ is needed. A way to turn gas into liquid ¡®without lowering the temperature¡¯. For that¡­


    ¡°...Somehow, it seems like a more brute-force method, though.¡±


    I came out of the workshop. I needed a wider space to test what I had in mind. No, I needed an open space.


    This is Roach''s cottage, so there are no people around, but there is a risk of being caught, but in this case, let''s just ept it to some extent.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I felt a presence and turned around to see the Metamorph squirming and following me.


    ¡°Want to watch?¡±


    I don''t know because it''s a slime, but it seemed to nod its head.


    ¡°Okay. You liked to learn. Transform into me and observe.¡±


    At my words, the Metamorph stopped squirming and soon swelled its volume greatly.


    It took less than 2 seconds to transform into me. It felt like the transformation speed was getting faster and faster.


    ¡®This is a strange feeling.¡¯


    It''s strange that a kid who looks exactly like me is looking at me, but it''s even stranger considering the fact that Frondier is not really me.


    In a way, it looks exactly like me, and in a way, it lookspletely different.


    ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    But the Metamorph suddenly asked a strange question.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Me copying you. Is it okay?¡±


    In the meantime, its speech had be quite fluent. Of course, it wasn''t a perfectly polite sentence, but I roughly understood the meaning.


    ¡°There''s no reason why it wouldn''t be okay. Transformation is your power.¡±


    ¡°...Everyone hated it.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay with it? I kidnapped you, and I''m the one who fought you.¡±


    ¡°...I don''t know.¡±


    The Metamorph lowered its eyes slightly and said. Is that appearance also an imitation of a person, or is it a manifestation of the Metamorph''s own emotions? Thinking about that is both creepy and intriguing.


    ¡°Not all of it, but I remembered. I hate that ce. I don''t want to go back.¡±


    The ce the Metamorph mentioned must be theboratory. Probably theboratory in the other world where the demons are active.


    ¡°You made me remember, and you stopped me from going there. That''s not kidnapping. I know that much.¡±


    ¡°...So you''re being quiet? Because you have no intention of being hostile to me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Metamorph is not stupid in the first ce. There''s no way it could be stupid with its high-speed learning ability.


    However, it''s not just a monster with superior intelligence; the Metamorph is excessively obsessed with its own ego.


    That must have been the reason why it was obsessed with Azier''s falling edge. It tries to find itself by doing something that no one else can do.


    ¡°But people are afraid.¡±


    The Metamorph said.


    ¡°They''re afraid of what will happen after I learn everything I see. And I don''t know what the result will be either. So I thought that''s why you locked me in that house. To prevent me from seeing anything.¡±


    You mean locking me in the workshop?


    That was simply a measure to prevent the demon from taking the Metamorph, but from the Metamorph''s perspective, that''s how it looks.


    ¡°But this time, you didn''t say anything when I followed you out, and you even told me to observe.¡±


    The Metamorph''s eyes turned towards me.


    With Frondier''s face, it looked at me with those pitch-ck eyes.


    ¡®...Is this how people feel when they face me?¡¯


    It''s a really annoyinglynguid face. I don''t know what it''s thinking. The effect is maximized because the Metamorph''s emotions are still faint.


    ¡°Aren''t you scared?¡±


    The Metamorph asked. Aren''t you scared of what will happen after I learn everything?


    My answer was already decided.


    ¡°I am scared.¡±


    ¡°...Then why? Curiosity?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Well, of course, the mechanism of the Metamorph, which is not human, is fascinating every time I see it, but¡­


    That''s not the important thing.


    ¡°There''s no point in being scared.¡±


    ¡°...No point?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I''m not going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Why? Other people, the eyes of the people who looked at me were definitely¡­¡±


    The Metamorph stopped talking. It must know very well what the eyes and expressions of the people it observed in the prison meant.


    ¡°You didn''t attack the Emperor of your own will. It was the demon''s trick.¡±


    It wasn''t that it wasn''t its will, but rather that the Metamorph had no will of its own at the time.


    ¡°...Maybe not.¡±


    ¡°You haven''t had any intention of attacking anyone since then. You just wandered around trying to test one skill.¡±


    Moreover, I pierced the Metamorph''s back when it tried to attack the Emperor.


    From my perspective, as someone who is not a resident of this world, the Metamorph''s actions, whether towards the Emperor or a passing citizen, are simply ¡®attempted murder¡¯. And it wasn''t even of its own will.


    ¡°You said you wanted to know who you are, right?¡±


    The process of the Metamorph finding its ego. That''s different from finding the memories of its birth.


    It wants to know what it should do, what it was born and lives for, in thisnd where it was born.


    Seeing that, I came to a certain conviction.


    ¡°That''s not strange.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I''m the only one like this.¡±


    ¡°Of course you are.¡±


    The Metamorph I''m looking at is not a monster, but¡­


    ¡°You were just born.¡±


    ¡­Looks like a child.


    ¡°Everyone goes through the same process as you.¡±


    Everyone stops at some point to figure out who they are.


    The Metamorph is the same. I don''t know what will happen to this guy in the future. Whether it can really learn everything. And if so, what will happen after that. Whether it will be helpful or harmful to humanity.


    There''s nothing I can know now, but¡­


    ¡°I wouldn''t kill a child.¡±

 Chapter 236 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°I wouldn''t kill a child.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    The Metamorph was silent after that.


    Even if it didn''t understand everything I said, it seemed to being to its own understanding.


    ¡°And there''s something you need to do first to know who you are.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Give yourself a name.¡±


    ¡°I have a name. They called me ¡®Cmity of Metamorph¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That''s not a name. Even if it is, it''sme. You should change it.¡±¡°...What are you going to change it to?¡±


    At those words, I fell into thought for a moment.


    ...Honestly, it reminds me of a certain monster from a certain work that''s famous both as a game and an anime. It also starts with ¡®Meta¡¯.


    But I couldn''t bring up that name after saying that ¡®Cmity of Metamorph¡¯ is ame name, so¡­


    ¡°...Let''s go with Mei.¡±


    With no particr meaning, I just came up with a short name with the first letter.


    The Metamorph tilted its head for a moment and then said.


    ¡°...Okay.¡±


    ¡°Good. From now on, you''re Mei.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    A in answer that I couldn''t tell whether it liked it or not.


    Now that I''ve even decided on this guy''s name, I should finish what I was doing.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    I spread out the rune. To the maximum size. I couldn''t know how big it needed to be.


    ¡°Watch carefully from there.¡±


    I told Mei and then went up into the sky. This was the biggest reason I spread out Menosorpo.


    Because within this, I can fly freely in the sky.


    Like the principle of the refrigerator I mentioned earlier, pression¡¯ is necessary to turn gas into liquid.


    It won''t be solved that easily, but I have a slight advantage over others in handling Mana. It''s because I don''t use special forms or trigger words to handle Mana.


    That''s why I can do something as brute-force as this.


    ¡®First, Obsidian.¡¯


    I manipte the bracer to surround the Obsidian, creating a giant spherical ball. It doesn''t need to be that sturdy at first.


    The important thing is the size. A generous size that can hold all my Mana even if I release it all.


    As a result, the Obsidian spread out widely, and what I saw in front of me was a ck, slightly transparent spherical membrane.


    ¡®Next, Mana.¡¯


    The Mana I originally had, and the Mana I had endlessly grown. And the Mana of Helheim that I had absorbed by breaking the fragments.


    I take it all out without reservation. Originally, Mana is consumed for using magic, so I can''t take out Mana if there''s no magic, but Weaving is an exception.


    The Dragon Heart itself is a Mana crystal. Toplete this, that is, toplete the Weaving, I can take out Mana without reservation.


    I created an illusion of the Dragon Heart inside the giant ball made of Obsidian, and slowly poured Mana into it.


    The speed was slow, but it was endless.


    ¡°...What is this?¡±


    Actually, it was the first time I saw the amount of all the Mana I had with my own eyes, so¡­


    Even as I watched my Mana filling the giant ball in front of me, I was a little overwhelmed.


    It''s a bit funny that I''m overwhelmed by my own Mana, but¡­


    I nced down at Mei.


    Mei was staring up at me nkly from the ground.


    ...I told it to observe and learn, but I wonder if Mei can even copy this?


    ¡®Well, it''ll figure it out if it keeps watching!¡¯


    I trapped most of my Mana inside the ball, and¡­


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    ¡­Clenched my fist, causing the giant ball of Obsidian to forcefully shrink its size.


    ¡°Keugh, ugh, ugh¡­!¡±


    The Mana inside the ball struggled to escape. A tremendous pressure swirled within the ball.


    Oveing that, the ball of Obsidian further shrunk its size into the shape of a small Dragon Heart crystal.


    To turn Mana into a Mana crystal, I literallypress it with force.


    There''s no other way as brute-force as this, but I''m the only one who can do it.


    <i>Crack! Crackle!</i>


    Sparks flew inside the ball of Obsidian. Not lightning magic or anything, but ruptures caused by Mana colliding with each other, unable to escape the pressure.


    ¡®It''s okay for now. It''s not important to have aplete Mana form!¡¯


    Rather, that form needs to be broken. In order to be a crystal, the structure needs to fundamentally change.


    However¡­


    ¡®...I don''t have enough strength...!¡¯


    I''m justpressing my own Mana.


    I''m keenly aware of how much control is needed to actually do this simple one-liner.


    I can already wield Obsidian like my limbs. The me, who has taken in the Mana of Helheim hasplete control over its subtle movements.


    But it''s a different problem from the control of Mana itself.


    I''m just using Obsidian to forcibly prevent Mana from leaking out.


    Since I can''t adjust or control it, I''m resorting to a brute-force method. Lunia Fricell, the genius of Mana control, would be speechless if she saw this.


    ¡®It''s going toe undone like this!¡¯


    When the premonition of failure came, I had to make a choice.


    Should I keep doing this, or should I give up here?


    If I push through and seed, that''s fine, but if I fail, I won''t have the strength to handle all this Mana I''ve poured out.


    I can''t even imagine what would happen if I released all this Mana that I''ve gathered up to this point in an instant.


    So, if it''s not going to work, I need to slowly release it here in advance.


    ¡®It can''t be helped. This isn''t my only chance.¡¯


    I eventually decided to give up. It''s not a task that needs to be aplished right now. Of course, I''m worried about Bartello''s weakness, but it''s not like he''s stepping down right away¡­


    The idea itself wasn''t bad, so if Ie up with another method and supplement it¡ª


    ¡°That''s amazing. This.¡±


    Just as I was thinking that, Mei was in front of me.


    ¡°...How are you floating?¡±


    ¡°The same way you are.¡±


    ...This cheat-like bastard.


    ¡°Can you copy this too?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s impossible.¡±


    Mei shook its head.


    ¡°I don''t have this much ridiculous Mana.¡±


    Mei can learn all skills, abilities, and magic at a fast pace, but it can''t create something out of nothing.


    It can''t imitate something beyond the Mana it possesses. Even if it could, it would do it on a smaller scale.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Mei reached out towards the slowly shrinking ball of Obsidian.


    ¡°I know what to do.¡±


    In an instant, the fiercely raging momentum felt inside the spherical ball subsided. It''s not that Mana is escaping.


    Along with my pushing with Obsidian, the Mana is being controlled from within.


    ¡°...How did you¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn''t just learn from you. This is a woman''s technique.¡±


    ...Zodiac Daisy, I guess. I met her when I went down to the prison.


    Did it steal that in that short time?


    ¡°Okay. Then let''s keep shrinking it like this.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Smaller than a finger.¡±


    ¡°That''s really brute-force.¡±


    After saying that¡­


    ¡­We bothpressed the Mana ording to our respective roles.


    The Mana sparked, shattered, and reduced in size. Within the Obsidian that perfectly enveloped it, preventing any leaks, the Mana further thickened its concentration and became more organized.


    And at some point, the irregr movementpletely stopped, and¡­


    <i>Boom!</i>


    ¡­The Mana instantly shrunk in size and settled entirely within the structure of the Dragon Heart.


    A pitch-ck Dragon Heart covered in Obsidian floated in front of me.

 Chapter 237 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...There."


    Even afterpletely releasing the pressure applied with Obsidian, I was certain as I observed the unchanged Dragon Heart.


    Mei had already stopped controlling the mana. In other words, what was before my eyes was a perfect mana crystal.


    "Now, shall we remove Obsidian?"


    I spread my hand and pulled Obsidian towards me. Obsidian had also been considerablypressed to contain all the immense mana, but like my own limbs, it was absorbed into my bracers and ne without much difficulty.


    And what remained was a clear crystal of light.


    "A Dragon Heart with not a single speck of dragon mana."


    It had a shape like a thin ring bent into a triangle. It was amazing that this thin stick could contain such a tremendous amount of mana.


    "...Is that a Dragon Heart?"Mei, who had been watching, asked.


    Come to think of it, this must be the first time Mei has seen this. No, even in this world, few people have witnessed a Dragon Heart. It''s hard to even see a dragon in the first ce.


    "It''s actually inside a dragon''s body, but I think the structure is the same."


    Although it seemed to bepressed in a simple and crude way, it was still made while maintaining the blueprint of Weaving. The function and properties should be almost the same.


    "What are you going to do with it?"


    "If I hand it over to the Imperial Pce, Philly will use it to solve the Emperor''s weakness."


    "Philly... Philly... Ah, that person."


    Mei nodded as if she had recalled her memory.


    And she asked another question.


    "How are you going to send it?"


    "...Huh?"


    "Youpressed that much mana, and you''re just going to carry it around?"


    "..."


    At Mei''s words, I looked at the Dragon Heart silently.


    Unlike me, this immense mana is not hidden at all in the Dragon Heart.


    Even more so because Ipressed all the overflowing mana into this small thing and stuffed it in.


    The room where the Dragon Heart was stored was specially treated with magic, so the mana was concealed, but this one in front of me waspletely different.


    If I take this to the Imperial Pce as it is, I have nothing to say even if I am mistaken for a bomb terrorist.


    "...You''re right?"


    "..."


    Mei''s cold eyes looked at me.


    * * *


    The next day, I went to Constel Academy as usual.


    There was only one way for me to send the Dragon Heart to the Imperial Pce now. To hand it over to Aten.


    However, I couldn''t bring the Dragon Heart to Constel, so I had to tell Aten the meeting ce in advance.


    "It feels like it''s been a while."


    From the mana injection incident to meeting Satan, my attendance at Constel Academy under the orders of the Imperial Pce had been indefinitely suspended, so it had been a long time since Ist attended school.


    "I heard the midterms areing soon."


    I remember how I struggled to get into the rankings around this timest year. It was a desperate struggle to avoid expulsion.


    I don''t need to do that anymore, but I still need to get some decent grades so as not to embarrass Enfer or Azier.


    Hmm, I guess I''ve gotten used to being a child of the Roach family.


    When I entered the school gate after a long time.


    Halt-


    "..."


    I took exactly one step and stopped.


    I looked around. Except for me, all the students were passing through the gate normally and continuing on.


    I raised my arm.


    Caw-


    A crow that was nearby flew andnded on my arm.


    [Why are you suddenly striking such a pose, Master?]


    Gregory asked in a yful tone. I guess it was too conspicuous in a ce with so many people.


    But there was something I had to check.


    I lowered my voice.


    "Gregory, did anything happen at Constel while I was away? You can just tell me normally."


    [...? Nothing in particr. Of course, watching you cause trouble here and there was my main source of amusement. But I haven''t neglected observing Constel. If there were any abnormalities that you could sense, all the students here would have felt them too.]


    "...I guess I was a little sensitive."


    In the scenery I see now, everyone except me is immersed in a peaceful daily life.


    In fact, even I don''t know what I felt and why I''m doing this. It''s not like I felt any particr malice, murderous intent, or even mana.


    It just felt like something was off with my ''sixth sense'', but now I don''t feel anything in particr, enough to call it my imagination.


    "Um, thanks. I''ll ask you againter."


    [Anytime.]


    The crow said that and flew away again.


    I swallowed my slightly uneasy feeling and walked towards the ssroom.


    * * *


    "...Hmm."


    Even when I reached the ssroom door, nothing had changed. Maybe I was just being too sensitive.


    I opened the ssroom door and stepped inside.


    "Oh, Frondier!"


    The first to greet me noticeably was Robald Lief.


    "You, you joined the pros and yed a key role in the mission, right? Thanks to that, you even went to the Imperial Pce. I''m envious, envious."


    "...Actually, you''re not really envious, are you?"


    "Of course! The Imperial Pce is just a hassle!"


    That''s so like Robald.


    "But there''s something I am envious of."


    "Huh?"


    "Your future is set."


    "Huh?"


    Robald said something I didn''t understand and then patted me on the shoulder and turned around.


    I felt like it was awkward to grab him, so I let him go.


    ''Set?''


    I didn''t understand what he meant, but I first greeted everyone who weed me.


    Then I found Aten, and since we had met at the Imperial Pce, I greeted her more casually than the others.


    "I''m sorry. I wanted to help, but I was practically confined to the mansion."


    "That was the right thing to do."


    There''s no way they would leave the princess alone after that incident. In Philly''s case, it''s the opposite because she''s in a position to handle power.


    I briefly observed Aten''s appearance. Aten was naturally wearing a school uniform. Aten, all dressed up at the Imperial Pce, was truly stunning, but I still prefer thisfortable feeling.


    "Aten, I have something to talk to you aboutter."


    "Is it something we can''t talk about here?"


    "Yeah. Not at Constel, somewhere where there''s no one around."


    "...Somewhere where there''s no one around...?"


    "Yeah. I have something to give you."


    "Something to give me...?"


    I nodded. Aten''s face hardened upon hearing my words. She seemed quite serious, so I added a word in case she misunderstood.


    "Ah, it''s not a serious matter. It''s actually good news. The thing I''m giving you is small enough to fit in one hand, so there''s no need to worry."


    It''s about restoring Bartello, Aten''s father. It would be truly joyful news for Aten.


    But Aten, upon hearing my words, opened her mouth slightly, then closed it, her Adam''s apple bobbing.


    "...How do you know beforehand whether it''s good news or not? How do you know what I''ll say? I might not like it..."


    "...Huh?"


    There''s no way. Of course she''ll be happy. In this case, there''s no need to judge whether it''s good or bad.


    "Don''t worry. It''s definitely good news."


    "...I see."


    Aten nodded as if she had made a deep resolution. Her white hair swayed.

 Chapter 237 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Frondier, hello. It''s been a while."


    Then a familiar voice was heard. It was Elodie.


    I turned my head at the wee voice to greet her back,


    "...Wait, what''s wrong with your face?"


    I couldn''t finish my sentence.


    Elodie''splexion was visibly pale and haggard.


    "What are you talking about? It''s the same as usual."


    "No, your eyes are bloodshot, you have dark circles, your skin is super dry, and your face is overall dark."


    I had never seen Elodie de Ines Rishae in such poor condition.No, I didn''t even know she was a character capable of being in low spirits.


    Elodie is the epitome of perfection in the game Etius. Of course, that''s not about her personality, but about her stats.


    She didn''t join the protagonist Aster''s party, but if you were to choose the best among the named characters, she would definitely be among the top two, and the remaining finger would be Aster, the protagonist.


    The general consensus was that ''she''s too perfect to be in the protagonist''s party''.


    Elodie sighed and replied.


    "That''s what I said."


    "What?"


    "It''s the same as usual."


    So, this level of poor condition has been going on for a while.


    What happened while I was away?


    "I''m not the only one like this."


    Elodie said, pointing somewhere with her finger.


    Following her gaze, I saw Aster there.


    "...Aster?"


    "...Ah, yes. You''re here. Frondier. I should have greeted you first, I''m sorry."


    Aster spoke in a dying voice. He looked even worse than Elodie.


    The fact that he was apologizing to me even though he was in bad shape himself was very Aster-like, but this state itself was not like Aster at all.


    "What? What''s wrong with you too?"


    "...Well, just, a little."


    Aster seemed to be holding back his words.


    Could it be that the reason these two are in bad shape is the same?


    "Are you sick? Or is it an enemy? Are you stressed because there''s a tough opponent that''s hard to deal with right now? I might not be much help, but should I join in? I might be able tond a hit or two."


    If there''s an opponent that the current Elodie and Aster can''t handle, I shouldn''t be underestimated either.


    Moreover, if it''s an enemy they haven''t been able to deal with for a long time, all the more so. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to assume it''s a ''Zodiac'' level threat.


    A formidable enemy that''s giving these two a hard time? For the future of this world, I need to step in and assess the situation right away,


    "Hey, Frondier."


    Just as I was thinking that, a dumbfounded voice came.


    Sybil was looking at me with her eyes half-open.


    "Are you nning to p yourself in the face?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "They''re like that because of you, aren''t they?"


    "...Me?"


    What is she talking about?


    I''ve never fought with these two. Would I be crazy enough to harm these precious friends?


    "They''re pushing themselves because you''re ahead of them. Both of them have a lot of pride."


    "...Ahead?"


    I didn''t understand what she meant, so I looked at Elodie and Aster.


    "That''s not it."


    "Right. Of course not."


    Elodie and Aster each spoke.


    I looked at Sybil again.


    "They say it''s not."


    "Would they say it is?"


    Well, I couldn''t expect to hear an honest answer.


    But it didn''t make sense. Honestly, I''m confident that I could win even if I fought Aster or Elodie right now. They haven''t finished growing yet.


    But that''s just my thought, I haven''t shown them all of my abilities.


    Even at the beginning of the second semester, when they had some idea of my strength, Aster and Elodie weren''t this broken down.


    After that, I fought in Constel''s fields and the Imperial Pce, cespletely unrted to them. Their image of me wouldn''t have changed that much unless they witnessed that.


    "...Frondier, you. Didn''t you hear the news? No, shouldn''t you be the first to hear it?"


    Lunia, who had been quietly watching my confused expression, spoke up.


    "News?"


    "A few days ago, we got a call from Constel. Ah, you were probably still at the Imperial Pce cleaning up the aftermath."


    Is it about what happened after sending Satan back? It''s true that I stayed at the Imperial Pce for a while after the incident ended.


    The deaths of some Shadow Unit members, the scene of blood indicating it, the destruction of the Dragon Heart. I had to coordinate with Philly to cover it all up.


    It was supposed to be something only Philly and I knew, but we couldn''t leave the scene as it was.


    More than anything, I didn''t know what the other Shadow Unit members would smell and approach me with, so I shared the same lie as Philly.


    The information they asked me and the information they asked Philly had to match so they wouldn''t be suspicious.


    Basically, I was in the position of apletely unrted party, and based on that, Philly adjusted the information about the Shadow Unit situation and the loss of the Dragon Heart.


    But what happened in the meantime?


    "I heard two Zodiacs have their eyes on you?"


    "...What?"


    "They said they would provide you with unsparing support if youe to their side after graduation, and they even came all the way to Constel to ask us to tell you that. The rumor spread, and now everyone knows except you. Now you know too."


    "...If it''s two Zodiacs, are you talking about Lily and Monty?"


    When I asked with a light guess, Lunia''s eyes changed. Not just hers.


    Most of the students in the ssroom, who seemed to be half-listening, looked at me with fire in their eyes. They swarmed towards me in an instant.


    "You, you were pretending not to know!"


    "What! What did you talk about with those two!"


    "How can you get on the good side of two Zodiacs?"


    "It''s because of the pro experience, right? What did you do there? You must have talked about that!"


    I waspletely overwhelmed by the sudden barrage of questions. I tried to say something like, "Hey, wait, that''s..." but it didn''t work at all, and I was pushed back by their mor.


    You guys, why are you asking questions if you''re not even going to listen!


    "Ha, I''m envious. You met the Zodiacs. All twelve of them."


    "I''d have no regrets if I could see even one person."


    Following that,mentations continued one after another.


    I was dumbfounded and retorted,


    "What are you talking about? You guys can see the Zodiacs too if you want."


    "What? Are you kidding me? Where and how can we see the Zodiacs?"


    "Well, that''s..."


    Just as I was about to open my mouth.


    Just as I was about to exin...


    ...at that moment.


    I finally understood the true nature of the difort I felt when I entered the school gate today.


    That difort had now transformed into immense fear, permeating through my entire pores.


    I tried to disguise it with a yful expression and blurted out some random words.


    "...Well, if you''re lucky?"


    "This guy!"


    I made a light joke andughed appropriately. After a briefmotion, things calmed down a bit, and I returned to my seat.


    ''...Right, I can''t believe I didn''t realize it until now.''


    The attempted assassination of the Emperor.


    Mei''s act of attacking the Emperor under the control of her will was a horrific act that should never have happened in this Empire.


    The Emperor''s life takes precedence over any other situation in the Empire, and regardless of the level of the actual threat, the Empire takes the utmost precautions.


    That''s why all the Zodiacs were summoned.


    The 12 Zodiacs. If someone dies or retires, their vacancy is always filled by someone else. The people may change, but the number remains the same. The number 12 is always, invariably maintained.


    ...And.


    There is also a Zodiac at Constel.


    ''Headmaster Osprey.''


    Osprey is undoubtedly a Zodiac. He is said to be the closest person to a Archmage on this continent.


    I received a lot of help from him, and we cooperated with each other when we brought down the organization ''Indus''.


    ''That Osprey.''


    He didn''te to the Imperial Pce.


    In that situation where all the Zodiacs were summoned.


    Even though Osprey wasn''t there, the number of 12 people was maintained.


    ''One of them was a fake, and no one noticed?''


    Moreover, it wasn''t that someone impersonated Osprey, but the perception that the number was filled was there from the beginning, even though he wasn''t there.


    The reactions of the students around me just now. Their words as if it was natural to feel that meeting a ''Zodiac'' was impossible.


    What I felt when I entered the school gate wasn''t that I sensed something.


    It was the confusion I felt because something that should have been sensed wasn''t. No matter how much you try to find something that doesn''t exist, you obviously can''t find it.


    Neither my mana detection nor my sixth sense reacted. They can''t react to something that doesn''t exist.


    Everything is clear.


    ''Osprey has disappeared.''


    Not dead, not missing.


    He vanished as if he never existed in the first ce.

 Chapter 238 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Rheymarc and @David Alfredo nco from Ko-fi!</i>


    After ss, I headed straight to the Headmaster''s office.


    There were a few things I needed to confirm before understanding the situation.


    First, whether the entity known as "Osprey" had truly vanished, or if the person existed but wasn''t a Zodiac, and if so, who the current Headmaster of Constel was.


    With that in mind, I headed towards the Headmaster''s office where I had previously met Osprey.


    "...Hmm."


    There was no response even after knocking on the door of the Headmaster''s office.


    Whether the Headmaster had gone out, whether they actually existed, or if this office was just a facade.Until I opened the door to the Headmaster''s office, the possibility of the Headmaster being inside and not being inside existed simultaneously,


    "No, what am I talking about."


    Actually, even without such Schr?dinger-like nonsense, there was no one inside. My sixth sense told me so.


    "If there was originally no one inside, then who is making the final decisions at Constel right now?"


    If there wasn''t even such a person, and Constel was in a state where various documents and decisions were indefinitely on hold.


    This kind of hole-ridden situation couldn''tst long.


    Let alone the students, even among the teachers, people would naturally start to find this situation strange. An organization without a final decision-maker couldn''t function.


    The problem was the sheer scale of this phenomenon.


    "Even when I was at the Imperial Pce, no one found it strange that Osprey was missing. Not just me, but all the Zodiacs, including the Emperor."


    Perhaps Osprey''s existence had been concealed from the entire world. It wouldn''t make sense otherwise.


    "...To be a non-existent person..."


    To be honest, I had a hunch.


    Because I had experienced it before.


    The divine power of Armel de Viet, Quinie''s biological father and the one who threatened her, Lethe.


    The power of Lethe, which governs memory, was almost identical to this current phenomenon.


    However, Armel was already imprisoned, and the power of Lethe could only be used through him.


    In the first ce, topletely erase the existence of a person, there was the prerequisite of killing them, so it was difficult to imagine that Osprey had been murdered by Armel.


    "Lethe abandoned Armel and attached itself to someone else... Is that even possible?"


    The perception of gods that the yers of the game Etius and I currently had was quite different.


    To the yers, gods were grateful and valuable beings who granted additional skills to characters.


    Even if the character itself was unimpressive, if they had a good god attached to them, they would consider recruiting them to their party. There was no reason to dislike gods in the first ce.


    On the other hand, most gods were hostile towards me and tried to kill me, so I couldn''t feel good about them.


    From there, the fundamental question of "Are gods really allies?" arose in my mind, but I had almost no information on that matter.


    Even in the game, the existence of gods was too hidden and ambiguous.


    However, there was something I knew from experience.


    Gods never left one person and became the divine power of another. Even if they abandoned a human, they wouldn''t attach themselves to another.


    Whether it was pride or impossibility, I didn''t know. That''s why Hephaestus, who left Edwin, didn''t reappear to kill me.


    "Besides, there''s a crucial difference between this current phenomenon and Lethe''s power to erase existence."


    I sighed.


    The difference between the current phenomenon and Lethe''s erasure of existence.


    It was me.


    The fact that I had realized Osprey''s absence. Unlike theplete deletion of the records of the beastman "Kora" in the game Etius, in this world, I had noticed that Osprey was gone.


    I didn''t know if I was the only one who could notice it, or if I was just the first. However, it was hard to believe that a power that could be detected by someone like me through a minor event was the power of a god.


    "Well, I can''t be sure which one it is."


    Let''s go in for now.


    There was no one in the Headmaster''s office right now, but maybe Osprey had left something behind, anticipating this situation.


    It was hard to imagine how he could have predicted such an absurd situation, but since it was Osprey, it was possible.


    Just as I grasped the doorknob of the Headmaster''s office.


    "Oh my, student Frondier."


    I shifted my gaze at the familiar voice.


    There stood Teacher Jane.


    She looked at me with surprised eyes and said,


    "You shouldn''t enter the Headmaster''s office without permission."


    Jane spoke to me as if giving a warning.


    "..."


    "Frondier?"


    ©¤©¤To be honest.


    Whoever appeared at this timing was the prime suspect.


    Jane hesitated because she was sure I was a good guy, but if some random person had shown up at this timing, I would have instantly recognized them as the mastermind and eliminated them.


    But the person in front of me was Jane.


    So, a few confirmations.


    "...Teacher."


    "Yes?"


    "Why did you think I was entering without permission?"


    "Huh? Well, that''s because..."


    Jane, as if it were obvious, tried to say something but froze.


    Jane had just arrived here. It was possible that Osprey had summoned me, or that I had knocked before she arrived.


    Jane had just said something that was only possible if she already knew that all those possibilities were non-existent.


    "You know there''s no one inside."


    "...Ahaha. The Headmaster is currently on a business trip, so of course there''s no one inside."


    Oh, on a business trip, huh?


    That could be true.


    "Then, teacher."


    "Why do you keep calling me that? It''s kind of scary,"


    "What was the Headmaster''s name again?"


    At my question, Jane''s expression became even more awkward.


    I found that look even stranger. If Jane was involved in this situation, she would either show hostility towards me, who had figured it out, or do something else. Honestly, I was prepared for that.


    But Jane just looked troubled and embarrassed, with no hostility or murderous intent towards me. Could it be that her acting skills were so good that they even bypassed my sixth sense, surpassing even Selena?


    "Why would you ask that? Frondier..."


    "Just curiosity. I suddenly couldn''t remember."


    "...I see. Just curiosity."


    Repeating my words, Janeughed awkwardly to herself, sighed, scratched her head, and then said to me,


    "Can''t you just let it go? Frondier."

 Chapter 238 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Can''t you just let it go? Frondier."


    ©¤©¤That was practically a deration of war to me.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Imperial Pce Armory</i>


    <i>Spear, Simultaneous Replication 10 units</i>


    That statement was enough for me to instantly switch tobat mode by manipting my gauntlet.


    "Huh? What? Fr, Frondier! Wait a minute!"


    Jane waved her hands in a fluster, as if she hadn''t meant it.


    "...If you want me to stop, please answer my question."What is the name of the current Headmaster of Constel?


    Whatever Jane answered, I would gain enough information.


    If she said Osprey, I would ask other people about Osprey''s existence for cross-verification, and if a different name came up, I would consider the source of the name itself. It would likely be the name of the mastermind.


    More importantly, either way, it would be appropriate to interrogate Jane.


    I waited for Jane''s answer as she was deep in thought. Considering that she couldn''t urately grasp the current situation, I was showing considerable patience, even if I did say so myself.


    And the answer that finally came from Jane, who was hesitating, was,


    "I can''t tell you that!"


    "..."


    This teacher, really.


    Swoosh!!


    I shot the spear. And Jane reflexively stretched out both hands, stopping all the spears I had thrown in mid-air.


    ...Was this "telekinesis"? As expected of Jane.


    Jane could use one spell per finger. Simply put, she could manifest up to 10 spellspletely independently and simultaneously. There was a reason why she was Constel''s magic teacher.


    During the final exam, she had used this power to give Aster and Elodie''s party a hard time. Jane could create all the magic that Elodie wielded at a faster speed, and with just one finger.


    Of course, she couldn''t replicate something like the "Storm Poetry" created by Elodie''s divine powerbination, but the final exam at that time had a hostage situation setting, so such an attack would naturally be out of the question.


    Of course, I had no intention of hitting Jane, and Jane would know that too. This situation was a kind of power struggle.


    "Fr, Frondier! Th, this is th, threatening! You''re threatening a teacher! Frondier is a student and I''m a teacher!"


    "I asked for the name of Constel''s Headmaster, and your response is to exercise your right to remain silent. There''s a limit to being suspicious, teacher."


    "There are circumstances behind this! If you just give me a little time, everything will return to normal without any problems!"


    "...Oh?"


    "Ah! Anyway, I can''t say anything more than that!"


    It was certain that Jane was deeply involved in this situation.


    But what was truly troublesome was Jane''s reaction.


    ''I''d be grateful if she just showed hostility.''


    Jane had suddenly appeared in the midst of this situation where Osprey had disappeared, which was clearly an emergency at first nce.


    It was clear that she was involved, but she was trying to persuade me instead. Without telling me anything.


    ''I''ve never fought just to subdue someone, so it''s hard to control my strength.''


    If it were like this, my brother Azier or Aster would be much better at it. No, maybe I was the weakest in this area? I only had memories of always trying my best to kill my opponent.


    ''Should I just lock her in the workshop? No, this building will bepletely destroyed.''


    Actually, the destruction of the Constel building wasn''t that big of a deal, but the problem was that if Osprey had taken some measures in the Headmaster''s office, damaging the building itself could interfere with the magic he had set up.


    Did Jane even calcte this and was using this stalling tactic? Truly formidable, Constel''s magic teacher.


    ''Besides, Jane has no intention of attacking me, so I''m hesitant to drag this into a fight,''


    Just as I thought that.


    My sixth sense reacted and Obsidian covered my back.


    Thwack!


    Turning my gaze, I saw a piece of ice that had flown towards the back of my head fall to the ground after hitting Obsidian. If I hadn''t known, it would have hit me directly on the back of my head.


    "..."


    "Ah."


    I looked at Jane again with sunken eyes.


    Jane hurriedly waved her hands.


    "I, I was just trying to knock you out! I never intended to harm you, student Frondier."


    "I see. I understand perfectly."


    I observed the ice chunk that had just flown at me.


    It wasn''t sharp, so as Jane said, it seemed like her intention was to knock me out, but if it had hit me wrong, it could have been very dangerous.


    Moreover, since she had aimed for the back of my head, it was possible that it wouldn''t have ended with just unconsciousness.


    But that was mymon sense up until now.


    Jane had just taught me that mymon sense was wrong.


    "A blunt weapon with that much weight and speed hitting me wouldn''t kill me, but only knock me out, is that it?"


    "...Ah?"


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    <i>Wooden hammer, Simultaneous Replication 50 units.</i>


    I pulled out one of the most basic weapons that had been in Frondier''s workshop from the very beginning, even before I came to this world.


    This was actually more of a tool than a weapon.


    "I was worried, but it worked out well."


    "Fr, Frondier?"


    "I was worried that even a weapon like this could be dangerous if it hit someone wrong, but I realize that my knowledge is limited. I still have a long way to go."


    While maintaining the 10 spears threatening Jane, I adjusted the angles of the wooden hammers and aimed them individually.


    Jane''s telekinesis wasn''t limited to a single object. The reason Jane was currently using all her fingers was because she didn''t know the exact power of the spears I was shooting.


    If she wanted to, she could use telekinesis on all 10 of my spears with just one finger.


    So.


    I had no reason to be considerate of Jane.


    "Since you have no intention of talking, teacher, I will do as I please. I''ll hear the storyter."


    "Fr, Frondier? Wait a minute! Just a moment! Hey! Wait!"


    "Don''t worry too much. I just learned something from a teacher I respect."


    And so, I said,


    Of course, without any resentment or desire for revenge, with a clear and transparent heart.


    "Even if a wooden hammer like this hits you on the back of the head, teacher, you''ll only faint."

 Chapter 239 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Jane jumped out the window before I could evenunch my weapons.


    It was a good call. Since I couldn''t destroy this building, I couldn''t aim for her through the walls.


    "Menosorpo."


    I manifested the rune and followed after her.


    Jane, who was escaping using ''Flight,'' looked back at me and widened her eyes.


    "Fr, Frondier! When did you learn flight magic?"


    "......"


    Come to think of it, Jane doesn''t know that I can fly. It seems she thought she could just escape through the window if things went south.


    "Teacher! If you''re not the Headmaster''s enemy, please exin the situation! I''ll help too!""That''s just it! This isn''t something you can just help with!"


    "Then at least tell me what''s going on! I don''t want to fight you, Teacher!"


    "You say that while bringing dozens of weapons with you!"


    Hmm. I have nothing to say to that. It''s been a while since I''ve been speechless.


    "How did you even notice in the first ce! Frondier!"


    "......I just happened to know."


    Perhaps the start of the discrepancy was thanks to ''Sixth Sense.'' It was a discrepancy that disappeared in an instant, though.


    Still, thanks to that, I noticed the inconsistency at some point while talking with my ssmates.


    If I hadn''t paid attention to that feeling when entering the school gate, even I would have continued to forget about Osprey''s existence.


    "......Just happened to know, the highest level of magic so easily......"


    "So it was magic after all!"


    "Ah! You used leading questions! Frondier!"


    ......Did I?


    Should I say yes?


    ''At this rate, we''ll just be ying tag endlessly.''


    Me, chasing without any intention of attacking seriously, and Jane, running away with the same feeling.


    It may look like I''m overpowering Jane because of the chase, but that''s not the case.


    If Jane were to respond seriously, even I wouldn''t be able to remain unscathed.


    My flight isn''t the same magic as Jane''s; it''s just me controlling my body like I would control an object weaving within the Menosorpo domain.


    Therefore, there''s a slight difference depending on control, but I''m not faster than Jane.


    ''Jane has no intention of running awaypletely. If she did, I would go back to the Headmaster''s office and continue what I was doing.''


    Whatever is in the Headmaster''s office, it''s clear that Jane was trying to stop me from going in. Or maybe it''s okay to go into the Headmaster''s office, but I shouldn''t try anything inside.


    So Jane can''tpletely get away from me either. She''s in a difficult situation just like me. Especially since neither of us wants to hurt each other.


    ''But.''


    I know about Jane, and Jane doesn''t know much about me.


    At this moment, I have more information than Jane.


    ''I can spread it at this distance.''


    I narrowed the range of Menosorpo around me. My flight stopped for a moment as I couldn''t escape outside of this.


    "Di, Did you give up? Frondier?"


    Jane looked back at me and slightly misunderstood.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Expansion Open</i>


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Offensive and defensive</i>


    <i>Net</i>


    Just like how I caught Mei, I reached out and expanded Menosorpo again. At the same time, the offensive and defensive formations spread out gradually ording to the range.


    "......!"


    Jane''s eyes widened as she entered the range where the formation was being created.


    The formation instantly engulfed Jane©¤


    <i>Spatial magic 1st form</i>


    <i>Instantaneous</i>


    <i>Chant 1 sentence</i>


    ''I am the one who takes the first step.''


    <i>Techniqueplete</i>


    <i>Blink</i>


    Jane''s mouth twitched, and she pointed her finger to the right. In that instant, she moved to the right,pletely out of the range of the formation.


    It wasn''t that she flew quickly or leaped; she literally transcended space and arrived there.


    "......!"


    I watched the scene with my mouth open. I couldn''t help but be surprised.


    Boom!


    While the airborne formation fell and made a heavy sound on the floor, I stared nkly at Jane.


    Jane used spatial magic. And she did it with just one finger.


    In this world, the difficulty of magic is determined by how far it is from human understanding.


    Things like fire, water, and wind, which are easily seen and felt in everyday life, are that much easier to create with magic.


    On the other hand, even basic lightning is a little more difficult because it''s not something you see easily.


    By the same principle, something like teleporting from one ce to another in an instant boasts an enormous difficulty, no matter how short the distance.


    That''s because it''s beyond the scope of ordinary people''s understanding.


    There''s a reason why the transfer method of Manggot, where Selena is, or the conditions of Indus'' portal are soplicated.


    Manggot has opened a path that can be reached in advance to transfer, and even that can only be done one way.


    Indus'' portal can also only go to pre-set areas, and even that uses a very precisely crafted rune.


    Since it''s engraved as a tattoo on the palm of your hand, it''s almost impossible to draw it impromptu.


    In other words, whether it''s Manggot or Indus, the reason they can use spatial movement is because they''ve changed the way spatial movement works to make it easier to understand.


    The portal is something that forcibly attaches the coordinates here to the coordinates there, and Manggot''s transfer is like moving through a hotline connected to one individual.


    If magic like the spatial movement that Jane just showed, where you can move anywhere you want at will, wasmonce, things like portals, gates, or Manggot''s unique transfer method would all bepletely useless.


    "What was that? Frondier. You surprised me!"


    I looked at Jane, who was still flustered, and realized that it wasn''t an act at all.


    No matter how skilled a mage Jane is, there''s no way the Jane I know could do this kind of magic. And with just one finger and one line of chanting.


    "......Teacher, are you really Teacher Jane?"


    I asked, raising my guard. I looked at Jane with hostility close to killing intent.


    Acting that surpasses my Sixth Sense. I joked about it, but I started to think it might really be the case.


    The level of martial prowess Jane just showed is close to the Zodiacs. No, she would easily surpass some of them.


    "Oh my, you''re really trying to see me as an enemy."


    Jane hardened her expression as if saddened. I thought we had been treating each other half-jokingly until now.


    But if I''m being yed by somethingpletely different that just looks like Jane, I might already be in the enemy''s hands.


    As I slowly raised my mana with that tension, Jane shook her head.


    "Okay. Stop it. I''ll tell you everything. It''s really hard to convey sincerity. At this rate, one of us will die."


    Saying that, Jane calmed her mana. She slowly descended to the ground as if to release even the flight magic.


    ......There must be a reason for her to be so defenseless. I also descended to the ground. Wepletely dispelled our mana and looked at each other.


    Jane let out a small sigh and then said to me,


    "Osprey."


    "......!"


    "You wanted to hear that name, right?"


    "......So, was it Teacher who made him disappear?"


    "No. No way. I don''t even know who he is."


    She doesn''t know who he is?


    Does that mean Jane is also within the influence of Osprey''s disappearance?


    I thought Jane was someone who knew about this anomaly like me, but am I still the only one who noticed it?


    "......Then how do you know that name? The name of someone you don''t know."


    "......Because, you see."


    Jane lowered her eyes as if she really didn''t like it.


    "There was a letter in my room. A letter written by someone named Osprey."


    "......A letter?"


    Osprey left a letter in Jane''s room. Then it seems Osprey did predict this situation would happen.


    "It seems Teacher Jane had unexpectedly gained a lot of trust from the Headmaster."


    "......Ah, really. Conversation with someone who doesn''t understand is so difficult."


    Jane muttered something iprehensible at my words.


    "I''ll exin again, Frondier. I don''t know who Osprey is. So even if he trusted me, I don''t know if that''s true or not. Him sending a letter to my room doesn''t mean that. He naturally left the letter where he needed to leave it, and it just so happened that I was theowner of that room."


    "......?"


    I tilted my head, not understanding what Jane was saying.


    Rather than not understanding what she was saying, I felt like she was repeating the obvious.


    ''Osprey left the letter where he needed to leave it, and it just so happened that Jane is the owner of that room?''


    The ce where Osprey needed to leave the letter.


    If he didn''t specifically send the letter to Jane, where would he have left it? A ce where anyone could check it in case something happened to him.


    ......Ah.


    "......I see. So that''s how it happened."


    Jane smiled bitterly at my words.


    "Right."


    And Jane recited the same conclusion I had reached.


    "Osprey left the letter in the Headmaster''s office. And I checked it."


    That is,


    "The current Headmaster of Constel is me."


    And then, as if she couldn''t quite believe it herself, she tilted her head.


    "That''s how it''s set up, I guess."

 Chapter 239 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    [Congrattions on bing the Headmaster of Constel. I don''t know who you are yet, but let me introduce myself in advance.]


    The first sentence of the letter in the Headmaster''s office began like that.


    [The Headmaster of Constel, in my absence, will be reced by someone else. We can''t create a new person out of thin air, you see. I think the most likely candidate is Miss Jane. If you have be the Headmaster, I can rest assured. If the person reading this letter is someone other than Jane, I apologize in advance. Just consider it the ramblings of an old man. You are fully qualified to be the Headmaster.]


    Osprey seems to understand the structure of this situation. He knew that after he disappeared, someone else would take over as Headmaster.


    It seems that it was spection that it would be Jane, but even that was correct, so.


    [But unfortunately, this magic isn''t perfect yet. It changes people''s perceptions and fills the vacancy, but soon, serious inconsistencies will be discovered, and the magic will be destroyed. But don''t worry too much. It will just return to the way it was. All I want is for the world''s daily life to flow naturally until then. During the short days before the magic is destroyed.]


    "......Just by reading what''s written, it seems like the Headmaster himself removed himself from the world."


    "That''s right. But I''m the Headmaster now, so please don''t confuse things."


    Jane red at me. The sight of Jane fully believing herself to be the Headmaster was quite refreshing.[As the Headmaster, you will probably be able to use very high-level magic. I don''t know if you perceive it as your own magic, but I''d like you to know that I had a little help with that power. Of course, it''s okay if you don''t. It''spletely your power now.]


    "Head... Are you saying Headmaster is borrowing Osprey''s power?"


    "That''s how it feels. I have to honestly admit this. I''ve be able to use magic that doesn''t align with the order of the magic I''ve learned so far. Naturally, I thought it was mine, but something felt off, and after reading this letter, I''m sure of it."


    Jane, at least while recognizing herself as the Headmaster, also recognizes that this situation is abnormal.


    Perhaps this is why Osprey considers this magic iplete. Small inconsistencies pile up due to the haphazardly weaving settings.


    [The reason I''m doing this troublesome thing is simple.]


    The letter continued.


    [There is someone targeting me.]


    The content from then on had a different atmosphere.


    [There''s no way for me to escape from him anywhere in this world, so I had no choice but to fall out of the world for a while. It''s ironic. If I didn''t have a high aptitude for magic, I wouldn''t be targeted by him. Even this is just a simple way to buy time, but I hope there''s a solution within the time I''ve earned.]


    Someone is chasing Osprey?


    The Osprey who is said to be closest to the Archmage?


    ''Besides, if there''s no way to escape from him anywhere in the world, only one thinges to mind for me.''


    ......God.


    Is there one of them, targeting Osprey?


    Judging from the fact that he wouldn''t be targeted if he didn''t have an aptitude for magic, the current Osprey seems to have trulye close to bing an Archmage. If he reaches that position, the hand of God will reach him.


    [So, as the Headmaster, you just need to live as usual. Do the Headmaster''s work at Constel as you always have, research magic, or perhaps hone yourbat skills. It would be good if you lived as if you hadn''t seen this letter.]


    It seems to be saying that his magic will never harm other people.


    [But the reason I''m leaving this letter is because there are two things I''d like you to keep in mind.]


    I frowned at the ominous feeling I got as soon as I saw that sentence.


    When I turned my gaze to Jane, she sighed as if to show me.


    [First, don''t let Frondier de Roach find out.]


    I was out right away.


    [He''s the one I find most difficult to judge in all of Constel. I''m convinced he''s an ally, but his power is truly unprecedented. The thing you should fear most when dealing with him isn''t magic or skill, but knowledge. I don''t know how much he knows. I''d like you to think the same way.]


    It seems that Osprey saw me as someone to be wary of. Although he calls me an ally.


    It seems like it means that something will happen if I find out, rather than something definitely happening.


    [And secondly, the magic I''m currently using is close to Arch-magic. Although it''s iplete.]


    I know that without you having to say it. This absurdlyrge-scale change in perception could truly be called Arch-magic.


    [Magic of this scale is weaving with a very precise structure. I think I''ve taken enough precautions, but if a force beyond the norm is applied, an unexpected situation could ur.]


    At that moment,


    Knock, knock, came a knocking sound from the door.


    [So, someone like you, who hasn''t been assigned a role, but is still judged to be the most likely to unconsciously interfere with this Arch-magic©¤]


    "Excuse me, Headmaster. It''s Elodie. I came to discuss something."


    Jane and I fell silent at the same time and stared at the door where the knocking came from.


    [©¤Don''t let Inies find out. This is even more important than not letting Frondier find out.]

 Chapter 240 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The moment I heard the knock, I thought:


    Should I hide, or not?


    It''s a little strange for me to be in the headmaster''s office, but it''s not exactly an earth-shattering event.


    If Ie up with a suitable excuse, even if they suspect something, it should be possible to smooth things over.


    Besides, if I use Mana to escape, I feel like I''ll get caught by Elodie''s Mana sense, and if I hide somewhere here, the situation will be even moreplicated if I get caught.


    So, I was prepared to be suspected a little.


    <i>Swoosh-</i>


    The moment Jane waved her hand, a translucent circle appeared, enveloping me. Is it some kind of concealment magic?


    "Frondier, go to the wall."As if she understood my thoughts, Jane whispered in a low voice. For now, I followed her words and went back to the wall.


    "Come in."


    Finally, at Jane''s voice directed towards the door, it was indeed Elodie who entered.


    "Thank you for making time for me despite your busy schedule, Headmaster. Then, let''s get straight to the point... Huh?"


    Elodie politely bowed her head and began to speak, but then narrowed her eyes.


    "Is there someone else besides the Headmaster?"


    "...There''s no way, right?"


    Despite Jane''s reply, Elodie''s suspicion didn''t seem to fade. She soon looked around and slightly lifted the tip of her nose as if sniffing. As if you can tell by smell.


    "...I smell Frondier."


    Huh?


    "Maybe that student uses the same perfume as me?"


    At Jane''s second bluff, Elodie shook her head.


    "No, it''s not the actual smell, but the color of Mana or something..."


    What, it wasn''t the smell?


    Then why were you sniffing with your nose?


    "It must be your imagination. If they came, they would havee while I was away."


    "Hmm, that could be true."


    Elodie nodded, seemingly barely convinced.


    It seems Jane doesn''t want Elodie to know that she met me.


    Actually, I feel the same way. It''s almost a gut feeling, but it seems like it''s best not to have any interaction with Elodie here. Both of the key figures Osprey mentioned are here right now.


    "Please sit down for now. I''m d that Elodie came to me for advice."


    "Ah, thank you."


    At Jane''s gesture, Elodie sat down on the guest chair.


    Jane seemed genuinely happy that Elodie, an exceptional genius mage, hade to her for advice.


    Hmm, it''s not something I should say, but I think it''s an opportunity she got because she''s the headmaster.


    ''Do I have to stay here?''


    How long does this concealment magicst? I hope it''s not like in aic where the duration suddenly ends and I appear with a poof.


    It would have been easy if Jane had sent Elodie away, but she seemed happy to receive advice, so she actually sat Elodie down.


    I wonder if I''ve already been forgotten from her memory. If I stay like this, will I disappear from the world''s memory like Osprey?


    ''...''


    Actually, to be honest, it''s a little fun. It feels like I''m eavesdropping. Well, it''s not just a feeling, it''s actually happening.


    "So, what''s the matter you want to discuss?"


    "...Well."


    Elodie hesitated for quite a long time, unlike her usual self. Looking at her expression, I could tell it was something serious.


    "I don''t know if you''ll believe me, Headmaster, but..."


    "I''ll believe anything Elodie says."


    As if gaining strength from Jane''s kind words, Elodie nodded slightly and said,


    "I think I can perform a four-elementbination."


    "..."


    She said something incredibly shocking.


    Indeed, Jane, as if she couldn''t believe it, gaped at Elodie for a moment.


    "...Uh, is that some kind of ng among students these days? I don''t really understand what students say."


    Elodie''s lips puckered.


    "You said you''d believe me."


    "You''re not kidding...?"


    At Elodie''s serious gaze, Jane''s throat bobbed.


    I also looked at Elodie again, wondering if I had heard correctly.


    ''Four-elementbination.''


    In this world, exceptional mages can perform something called elementbination. As the name suggests, it''s a magic technique thatbines two different elements to create synergy. Most of the original magic used by mages today is born from this elementbination.


    A prime example is Elodie''s ''Vermilion Bird Ascension.'' It''s her original magic created bybining ''Storm Poetry,'' the highest level of wind magic, and ''Hellfire,'' the highest level of fire magic.


    During the ''Raid'' event, one-third of the monsters that invaded were wiped out with this one shot.


    She already used that incredibly destructive spell freely in her first year, so her genius was beyond the realm of humans from the beginning.


    ''I heard that she seeded in a three-elementbination during summer vacation.''


    It was one of the rumors that circted during the second semester of the first year. The story of Elodie seeding in a three-elementbination was quite famous among the various rumors at the time.


    And I knew it was true. In the game, Elodie also seeds in a three-elementbination at some point. It was a little early, but I thought it was possible.


    A three-elementbination is extremely rare even among pros. If you seed, you can literally choose where you want to go, get the sry you want, and work only on the days you want. It''s a literal expression without any exaggeration.


    But now, after winter vacation, not long after bing a second year...


    ''Four-elementbination''?


    ''If that''s true, she''s surpassed not only pros but even the Zodiac. She''ll bepeting with Osprey on the path to bing an Archmage.''


    "Ha, have you tried it?"


    "...No."


    Elodie shook her head at Jane''s words. Jane''s shoulders slumped as if she was a little relieved.


    "But I think I can do it if I want to."


    "..."


    I''m not a mage, so I don''t know much, but such expressions from mages are generally not bluffs.


    Due to the nature of mages who need both intuition and theory, when they break through a wall, it is said that the realization in their mindes first. Executionester.


    Therefore, Elodie must have already performed the four-elementbination in her mind.


    Of course, there would be a difference from reality, but even if she fails, she would havee close to sess to some extent.


    "Why haven''t you tried it? You could havee to me after confirming it."


    "..."


    That''s right. The problem is why she''s not doing it even though she can. She didn''te because she failed, she came for advice because she might seed.


    This is where Elodie''s real worries begin.


    "...If I seed in the four-elementbination..."


    Elodie lowered her eyes deeply and muttered.


    "I won''t be able to stay in Constel, right?"


    "..."


    Jane couldn''t say that it wasn''t true.


    It''s almost a certainty.


    The Empire wouldn''t leave a talent capable of a four-elementbination alone.


    They would take her to the Magic Tower or the Imperial Pce and turn Elodie''s surroundings into a ce just for her, providing maximum support for her magic research.


    For some, it''s a life they dream of. But it seems that''s not the case for Elodie.


    "Do you want to spend more time as a student?"


    Elodie silently shook her head at Jane''s question.


    Jane tilted her head and asked again.


    "Then do you dislike being alone? How about joining a party? The Empire won''t stop you from doing that."

 Chapter 240 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Magic research is important, but subjugating monsters is even more important.


    If a talent like Elodie steps up to expand the human territory, they would roll out the red carpet for her.


    "There''s an excellent talent named Aster Evans who is the same age as you right now. If you wait a few years until he graduates, it would be good to join his party."


    ''Oh.''


    I listened to Jane''s words.


    Since Elodie is a valuable talent, all yers wondered why she didn''t join Aster''s party.


    Her talent and skills areparable to Aster''s, and her sense of justice is not inferior either. And she''s not on bad terms with Aster.


    I''ll be able to find out the reason through Elodie''s answer.


    "...I..."Elodie''s eyes tilted diagonally, and after a long hesitation, she opened her mouth.


    "I made a promise."


    "A promise? What kind of promise?"


    "That''s..."


    Jane asked with a tilted head.


    Elodie was about to answer but then checked Jane''s face again and narrowed her eyes.


    "...Headmaster."


    "Yes?"


    "...Teacher Jane?"


    "..."


    Two titles. Elodie, who had uttered both of them herself, gradually furrowed her brow.


    Ah, could it be...


    "Why is Teacher Jane the Headmaster...?"


    <i>Thump!</i>


    Almost simultaneously with her internal conclusion, Elodie jumped up from her chair. It was an agile movement that was hard to believe for a mage.


    Elodie, who instantly distanced herself from Jane. The armband she was wearing glowed blue.


    "...I see. That''s why Frondier''s expression was strange back then."


    And as if she understood something, she nodded and lowered her eyes.


    Without even having the Sixth Sense, without getting any hints from conversations with her ssmates like me, she figured it out on her own.


    It seems like Elodie would have noticed the magic right away, no matter when or where.


    "...Haah."


    A long sigh escaped Jane''s mouth. The thought of having to do the same thing she did to me again must have made her feel bleak.


    Moreover, since she was about to be caught by both of the people Osprey told her not to let find out, she must feel even more hopeless.


    ''...Honestly, I think they''re the two easiest to figure it out.''


    Of course, I can''t help but think that way.


    Me, with the ''Sixth Sense,'' and Elodie, who is already beyond the norm as a student. The probability of us noticing this iplete magic is the highest.


    "What''s going on? Where did Osprey-nim go?"


    Elodie, who was already in full guard mode, red at Jane. Jane, who seemed like she wanted to cry, said,


    "...Well, I don''t know who Osprey is..."


    "...?"


    At those words, Elodie blinked. Soon, she muttered to herself, "Ah, is that so?" and brought her hand to her chin as if she was thinking about something.


    As expected of Elodie. With just those words, she roughly guessed the situation. At least, she immediately realized that Jane was also under the influence of this magic.


    "...Then, is Teacher Jane the Headmaster? Right now?"


    "That expression is very unpleasant! I''ve always been the Headmaster!"


    At Jane''s strong appeal, Elodie seemed a little apologetic and pulled her lips in, looking away.


    It''s unfortunate for Jane, but Osprey''s presence must be too strong in Elodie''s perception.


    ''Teacher Jane seems to want to hide the letter itself.''


    Since Elodie had somewhat noticed the magic, Jane seemed to have changed her mind and decided to act as if she didn''t understand the situation at all.


    In other words, she''s trying not to show her rtionship with Osprey or the letter. Since she doesn''t know to what extent ''being caught'' means as Osprey said, it''s the best choice for now.


    "...Then, Headmaster. Excuse me for a moment."


    Saying that, Elodie put her hands together and chanted some kind of spell. The light from her armband shone even brighter. No, it was beyond just getting brighter, sparks were flying.


    ...That armband is originally worn as a restraint to control Elodie''s power.


    And it''s screaming. What kind of brute force are you using, Elodie?


    "...Found it!"


    And soon, Elodie''s eyes sparkled, and her finger pointed at me. No, to be precise, she pointed at the translucent barrier that was hiding me.


    Jane''s concealment magic was discovered.


    "Headmaster, I''m sorry, but can I investigate over there for a bit? I just detected a strange magic in this room."


    "...Ah, about that, Elodie..."


    Jane put on a troubled smile and opened her mouth for now. I could see her brain working at an incredible speed in that short time.


    "Actually, it''s a magic that I set up."


    "...You, Headmaster?"


    "Yes. There''s something I can''t show to just anyone. I''m hiding it."


    If I hadn''t been turned into an object, it would have been almost an honest statement.


    "...Wouldn''t it be better to hide it in a more secluded ce? Or you could put it in a bookshelf or drawer."


    "From experience, the more you hide things in such ces, the easier it is to get caught. Rather, ces that make you think, ''Would it really be here?'' are safer."


    It was almost sophistry, but the words ''teacher'' and ''experience'' seemed to have some effect. Elodie seemed convinced as she thought for a moment and nodded.


    "...Alright. I apologize for causing a disturbance."


    Seeing that, I let out a silent sigh. It almost turned into a big deal.


    After that, Elodie exchanged a few more words with Jane before leaving. In the end, I couldn''t hear what the ''promise'' Elodie mentioned was.


    "...Come out now."


    After sensing that Elodie''s presence hadpletely disappeared, Jane released the concealment magic.


    "Thankfully, nothing happened."


    "Indeed."


    I was worried that the ''unexpected situation'' Osprey mentioned might ur when Elodie noticed the magic, but it seems like it was just a concern.


    "Then, Frondier should go back too. For the time being, let''s live as usual. If what that Osprey person said is true, this magic will naturally break soon."


    I nodded at her words.


    It seemed like there was nothing for me to do in this situation. My attempt to antagonize Jane was also due to excessive vignce.


    Thinking that I should observe the situation for now, I returned to the mansion.


    ...However, the next day, I immediately realized.


    The ''unexpected situation'' that Osprey mentioned had already begun.


    "..."


    As soon as I entered the ssroom, I frowned.


    At first nce, it was a scene no different from usual, but I soon realized that a huge problem had urred.


    Elodie was absent.


    "..."


    I looked around. No one mentioned Elodie''s absence, and there was no sign of worry.


    More than anything, another student was sitting in the chair that would have been Elodie''s seat.


    I took a deep breath and, with great determination, spoke to Aten, who was nearby.


    "...Aten. Is Elodie absent?"


    "...Yes?"


    And seeing Aten tilting her head at me...


    Blinking her eyes and soon making a troubled face...


    "Um, I''m sorry."


    I didn''t need to hear her next words to realize what had happened.


    "I guess I haven''t memorized everyone''s names yet."

 Chapter 241 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Chris and @GwhoisJ from Ko-fi!</i>


    Unable to stand idly by in the face of this obvious anomaly, I left Constel right after ss.


    My destination was already decided.


    "...You show up out of the blue and spout nonsense."


    Elodie''s older brother, Revett, said with a face even stiffer than usual.


    "What rubbish. If you''re going to talk nonsense, get out of my sight."


    And so, I was kicked out of the Rishae mansion without even setting foot inside.


    Damn it. Whether Elodie is here or not, it seems Revett''s animosity towards Frondier remains unchanged."Even her family has forgotten Elodie. It''s only natural, I guess."


    I sighed.


    Elodie has vanished.


    Osprey left this world on his own, but Elodie probably didn''t.


    I have no idea where Elodie is now, or if she even exists somewhere.


    ''This is the first time I''ve been so clueless.''


    I don''t understand the principles or structure of this magic.


    Whether I should even touch it, and what I should do if I do.


    Will Elodie return with Osprey when this magic is undone? Should I just wait?


    An ominous feeling gnaws at my heart, preventing me from dismissing it so easily.


    Osprey had asked not to let Elodie know about him, and the current situation seems to be nothing but the result of that.


    ''But if I do something clumsy, they might both be in danger.''


    I don''t even know what to do in the first ce.


    Leaving the Rishae mansion, I walked aimlessly until I came to a sudden halt.


    A voice from the distant past reached my ears.


    ©¤You are quite lonely, aren''t you?


    ©¤Always fighting alone, human sloth Frondier.


    "...Ha."


    Iughed as I remembered Philly''s words.


    Right, I forgot again. I thought I had gained a little more power than in the past and discarded my tadpole days.


    It was a lesson I shouldn''t forget, no matter what position I hold or what path I walk in the future.


    ''I know nothing about this magic. I need to find someone who does.''


    Osprey, the most knowledgeable about magic, is gone. Jane also barely understands this magic.


    Her current abilities are just borrowing some of Osprey''s power.


    A magician I can ask for help, someone other than Osprey or Jane.


    "...I didn''t expect to contact you again so soon."


    I pulled out my phone from my pocket.


    * * *


    "I never thought you''d contact me."


    I contacted Ludwig von Urfa. He''s the most aplished magician I know, even though he doesn''t look like it.


    Ludwig had left his northern territory and was staying in a mansion near the Imperial Pce.


    His son, Hector, was probably in charge of the family now. They act like they''re not, but they''re father and son after all.


    "So? What''s the matter? You wouldn''t have called me without a reason."


    Ludwig''s tone was gruff, but his expression and voice were gentle. Perhaps thanks to our past battles together, he seemed to have some goodwill towards me.


    "...Before that."


    But that''s that.


    There was something I needed to address first.


    "Why are these two here...?"


    I looked at the two who were sitting next to Ludwig as if it were natural.


    Lily and Monty.


    These two, who now seemed toe as a set, were here even though I hadn''t called for them.


    Lily looked offended.


    "Frondier! You said to contact you if I needed help!"


    "You don''t need to contact Lily, but why didn''t you even talk to me, Frondier?"


    And the two bickered.


    It was as if they thought it was natural for me to contact them if I was in trouble. Even though it hadn''t even been a day since west saw each other.


    "We couldn''t help but talk about you while coordinating schedules. Don''t mind them."


    Ludwig said. Ignore the two Zodiacs.


    "...Alright. Then,"


    Of course, I could do that.


    "Do you have any idea about the name ''Osprey''?"


    I asked just to be sure. If he had any memory of it, the exnation would be much easier.


    "What''s that? A person''s name?"


    Of course, that wasn''t going to happen. Looking at Lily and Monty, they didn''t seem to know either.


    "...No, it was just a side note. Let''s get to the point."


    I spoke with a slightly nervous voice. Of course, I was actually nervous, but I also wanted these three to focus more.


    It was fortunate that Lily and Monty were here. I could hear the story from a new perspective, not just Ludwig''s.


    "Do you know anything about magic that makes people disappear?"


    "Disappear? You mean like going missing?"


    "No. Magic that makes them disappear from everyone''s memory, as if they never existed in the first ce."


    "...?"


    Ludwig''s brow furrowed.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t understand my words, but rather that he looked suspicious of what I was thinking.


    The source of this suspicion was obvious. Lily said with a bright smile.


    "Frondier, are you nning the perfect crime?"


    "...No."


    Right. That''s the first thing thates to mind when you hear about this magic.


    I had no choice but to add a little more exnation. I briefly exined the situation I was facing.


    Of course, I omitted Elodie and Osprey''s names and excluded any specific elements. Just the feeling that someone had disappeared and only I had their memory.


    "...Hmm, so that''s the story."


    Ludwig stroked his chin after hearing the whole story. I couldn''t tell from his expression whether he had any idea about this magic or not.


    "It''s definitely in the realm of grand magic."


    "What do you think? If this magic is currently active, can I interfere with it?"


    I spoke to Ludwig with some hope. Even if Ludwig couldn''t use the same magic, I thought that if he could understand the principle, he might be able to figure out a way.


    "I don''t think so."


    But my hopes were dashed.


    He didn''t say he didn''t know, but rather that it wouldn''t work.


    "If what you''re saying is true, then the guy who did something like grand magic is now separated from this world, right? Whether he crossed over to another world or fell into some gap. He''s bought himself some time until he returns."


    "...That''s what the letter said."


    "Then that means there''s no source of the magic, and the person who cast it is gone. So it''s impossible. Even if there''s another magic to undo it, where would you use it? Are you going to scour the entire continent and chant the undoing spell?"


    That''s absurd.


    Despair clouded my vision.


    Come to think of it, Osprey doesn''t want this magic to be undone in the first ce. I heard he''s being chased by something, whether it''s a god or something else, so I''m not really worried about Osprey but Elodie.


    I bowed my head and fell into thought again. So, is waiting for the magic to wear off the answer?


    Will Elodie return to normal along with Osprey? No, considering that Osprey is being chased by someone, there''s no guarantee that it will be safe even if this magic is undone...


    "But that magician is also strange."


    Monty spoke while I was lost in thought.


    "Strange? What do you mean?"


    Lily asked back.


    "If he''s going to run away, he should just run away."


    "What, didn''t you hear? He can''t run away within this world because he''ll get caught, so he escaped outside the world altogether."


    "That''s what I mean. If he can escape, he should just escape. I don''t know how to escape outside the world, but..."


    I stopped thinking and looked up at Monty.


    I felt something strange in his words.


    "...What do you mean by just escaping?"


    "Well, I don''t know much about magic, but... If I were being chased by someone, I would spread rumors around town. That is, if it''s an enemy stronger than me. Running away means that, right?"


    "...That''s right."


    "So, that''s what I mean."


    Monty shrugged.


    "Why did he bother using magic to erase his existence?"


    "..."


    "..."


    I stared at Monty nkly at his words.


    The reason Osprey erased himself from everyone''s memory? I don''t know. I might be able to hear the answer when he returns.


    But now, Monty''s words brought up a new possibility.


    Ludwig, who had the same thought as me, narrowed his eyes.


    "...Going outside the world and erasing his existence are two separate things?"


    "Huh? Haven''t we been talking like that all this time?"


    Monty asked back as if it were obvious.


    That''s right. Until now, because of Osprey''s ''disappearance,'' I thought his departure from the world and his erasure from memory were a set.


    But what if Osprey actually used those two in different ways?


    "...Then, Frondier. The second girl you mentioned who disappeared."


    Monty said, having finished his spection.


    "There''s a possibility that she''s still in this world."


    "...!"


    "Left behind, she vanished from everyone''s memory. She might be wandering around in a state simr to a ghost, unseen and unheard, and treated as non-existent."


    Thud!


    As soon as I heard those words, I stood up from my seat.


    Elodie is still in this world. When that possibility was presented, my heart pounded with urgency.


    "Thank you. You''ve given me a clue. I apologize for the rudeness, but I think I need to go right away."


    "Alright. Go find her."


    Ludwig waved his hand dismissively.


    "...Can you find her? That girl."


    Lily looked at me with a somewhat sullen expression.


    "...Maybe, perhaps."


    I answered with words I wasn''t even sure of myself. Lily narrowed her eyes and asked in a suggestive tone.


    "What, how are you going to find a ghost? Are you going to find her with the power of love?"


    I said as I walked towards the mansion door.


    "Something like that."

 Chapter 241 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    If Elodie is still in this world.


    She would have realized her state right away. As a magician, she would have immediately sensed that she was in a simr state to Osprey.


    But knowing doesn''t mean there''s a solution. She''s probably waiting for Osprey''s magic to be undone.


    Where would Elodie go when her body undergoes such a change?


    I can''t be sure, but there''s only one ce I can think of.


    "So, we''re back to this ce after all."


    I opened a portal and crossed over to the front of the cabin. The same ce where I made the Dragon Heart with Mei just a few days ago.


    This ce is filled with memories of the past Frondier and Elodie. Of course, since Frondier''s heart was quite twisted back then, they wouldn''t be good memories for him, but it''s an undeniable fact that the two of them spent a long time here.


    Whenever I was attacked by Indus at the cabin, Elodie would fly straight here with Sybil. Both Elodie and I remember that.So, if Elodie experienced this change and is trying to ask me for help now, there''s a chance she came here.


    ...I don''t know how high this chance is. I don''t know Elodie''s heart.


    "...Where are you, Elodie."


    I couldn''t understand why I was so anxious.


    Elodie is a much more proper and perfect character than me. She''s the woman I worry about the least in this world.


    This kind of anomaly, it wouldn''t be a big deal for Elodie.


    "Huh? Frondier?"


    "...!"


    I turned around in surprise at the voice.


    There stood Mei. Still in my form. I let out a breath in disappointment and embarrassment at myself.


    The voice I just heard was exactly like mine. If I had been a little calmer, I would have known it was Mei, and even if I hadn''t, it wasn''t Elodie''s voice in the first ce.


    What''s the rush, Frondier.


    "Mei, did anyonee here by any chance?"


    "...Hmm, I don''t know."


    Mei gave an ambiguous answer. Neither a denial nor an affirmation.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I thought something came, but I couldn''t see it. So I thought it was just my imagination. But maybe it wasn''t."


    "...!"


    Is Mei sensing Elodie''s presence to some extent?


    Why?


    ''...Because she''s a being from another world?''


    [T/N: Using female pronoun for Mei from now on, though not confirmed.]


    "Mei. Do you know where that something went? Even if it was just your imagination."


    "...Hmm. I think it went inside the cabin."


    I followed Mei''s words and moved.


    Creak-


    Even after opening the cabin door and stepping inside, there was no sign of anyone, no presence.


    ''...Use your sixth sense.''


    Mei felt Elodie who came here. If that''s really because Mei is a being from another world, then the ''sixth sense'' I have might work too.


    I''ve never tried to enhance my sixth sense further. I gained it by absorbing the soul of Helheim, but I focused on controlling it, not making it more sensitive.


    I thought it was enough without needing to do that, and it actually was enough until now.


    But that was until now, and now it''s not enough at all.


    "Elodie, where are you."


    I drew up the mana of Helheim. If what Mei felt was Elodie, if she really came to this cabin, then this is definitely a signal to me, asking for help.


    My sixth sense scanned the entire cabin. The mana of Helheim elerated to sharpen my senses.


    Like chasing a faint scent by enhancing my sense of smell, like narrowing my eyes to see something far away, I poured mana in that way.


    Honestly, it felt like more mana was being wasted than actually helping my sixth sense, but for now, it was enough.


    ©¤©¤Finally, barely feeling something like a thread, I looked down.


    "...The basement."


    I immediately opened the door leading to the basement and went down.


    Still can''t see anything. Can''t hear anything.


    But there''s something in front of me. I focused all my senses on the space before me.


    And finally, as if peeling back the veil of reality, someone who was invisible until just a moment ago slowly came into my view.


    "...Elodie?"


    That someone was lying still on the basement floor, curled up as if scared.


    I went closer to confirm their appearance.


    "...Elodie, why."


    It was indeed Elodie before my eyes.


    It was her, but a little different.


    "Why are you so small."


    Elodie''s appearance was different from now.


    Elodie had be a young girl, the same age as when she used to y with the past Frondier in this cabin.


    She was sleeping soundly in the basement of the cabin.

 Chapter 242 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Timmy_00 and @Alex from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°Elodie! Wake up! Elodie!¡±


    I shook and tapped Elodie, but there was no sign of her waking up.


    Her breath was steady and her face peaceful, as if she would wake up any moment, but she kept her eyes tightly shut, unresponsive.


    ¡®It¡¯s like she¡¯s trapped in sleep.¡¯


    I examined Elodie¡¯s appearance.


    It was definitely the first time I had seen her like this. yers couldn''t see her childhood form.


    But somehow, it didn''t feel unfamiliar. Perhaps it was because the girl''s features resembled Elodie''s.¡®¡­Is this Frondier¡¯s memory?¡¯


    Meibe my body instinctively remembers Elodie.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    As I observed Elodie, I noticed something strange.


    Her fingertips seemed to have shrunk ever so slightly.


    It might be my imagination, but her body seemed smaller than before. It was a very subtle difference, though.


    ¡®Is she still in the process of getting younger?¡¯


    If she continues to get younger, I can''t just stand by and watch. There''s no telling when it will stop.


    Is this what it means to disappear from the world?


    But what should I do? Elodie shows no sign of waking up. If she were awake, I could get her advice on how to resolve this situation.


    There''s no telling when she''ll wake up, and judging by her state, this isn''t ordinary sleep. Simply trying to wake her up won''t work.


    ¡®I have no choice.¡¯


    I used the ''Analyze'' skill on Elodie.


    [Elodie de Inies Rishae]


    - A child loved by the five gods.


    - Second-year student at Constel.


    - Currently in self-induced ''Eternal Slumber''.


    - To awaken her from her sleep¡ª


    The analysis stopped there. Is even all the Mana I have now insufficient?


    I was about to weaving a Dragon Heart to replenish my Mana when I stopped.


    ¡­Until now, when I used Dragon Heart for analysis, either no more Mana was needed, or the analysis itself was more important.


    But what if even after consuming Dragon Heart, I couldn''t get a proper analysis, or even if I did, my remaining Mana would be depleted?


    ¡®I can¡¯t recklessly use Mana in a situation where I don¡¯t know how to respond in the future.¡¯


    After finishing my thought, I shouted.


    ¡°Mei!!¡±


    My voice, lightly imbued with Aura, echoed throughout the basement and reached outside.


    Soon, I heard light footsteps, and a face peeked out from the door leading down to the basement from the upper floor.


    ¡°Did you call?¡±


    ¡­Of course, Mei looks like Frondier right now, so that kind of behavior is a bit¡­


    ¡°Come here and observe this child.¡±


    Mei tilted her head at my words and then came down to the basement.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Here, this child, her name is Elodie.¡±


    Mei narrowed her eyes and red in Elodie¡¯s direction, but¡­


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Right. Only I can see Elodie right now. She''s under the influence of Osprey¡¯s magic.


    It can''t be helped. There''s another way, at least for Mei.


    ¡°¡­I have a power called ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Sixth Sense?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the power to sense everything supernatural. Mana, spirits, gods, whatever it is.¡±


    Mei is mimicking me right now.


    If perfect imitation is possible, she should be able to master ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯ as well. Even without Helheim¡¯s Mana, it¡¯s almost the same as Mana, so the method should be the same.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Mei narrowed her eyes and looked at me.


    I was using all my Sixth Sense to see Elodie, so if she observed me carefully, she would be able to confirm that my Sixth Sense was active.


    ¡°¡­Is it like this?¡±


    Mei, as if she had realized something, hardened her expression and drew up Mana.


    I silently watched Mei. I couldn''t tell if she was going in the right direction, but it seemed like my intervention wouldn''t lead to a good result right now.


    And after a brief moment,


    ¡°©¤©¤Found her.¡±


    Mei¡¯s gaze soon focused precisely on where Elodie was.


    ¡°This is difficult.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    She dismissed what I had achieved by gaining Helheim¡¯s Mana and almost dying with a single word, ¡°difficult.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Now that you¡¯ve confirmed it, observe Elodie and tell me if you find anything. I¡¯m trying to find a way to wake her up from her sleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I felt a bit nervous as I watched Mei respond calmly.


    ¡­To be honest, showing Elodie to Mei was a huge risk. It meant teaching her the immense talent, magical skills, and knowledge that Elodie possessed.


    But I decided to trust Mei. Learning and imitation were her strengths, her identity. It wasn''t my ce to decide what she would choose to do with the power she gained.


    ¡°¡­Magic.¡±


    The words Mei finally uttered were very short.


    ¡°She cast a spell. On herself.¡±


    The analysis said the same thing. She had entered ''Eternal Slumber''.


    I asked,


    ¡°Why would Elodie do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But this magic is dangerous. She might never wake up.¡±


    Just the name gave off an ominous feeling.


    As soon as I heard the words ''Eternal Slumber'', ''Avici Hell'' came to mind.


    In other words, Elodie was driven to the edge to use such dangerous magic.


    ¡°She probably can¡¯t undo the magic herself.¡±


    That is, it''s a magic that assumes external intervention.


    Elodie came down to the cabin basement and cast this spell. Believing that someone would undo her magic.


    ¡­No, that¡¯s not it.


    It wasn¡¯t just anyone, Elodie entrusted this to Frondier.


    I¡¯m the only one who woulde to this ce.


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    ¡°You have to sleep.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This magic forces you to sleep. You keep dreaming. We have to escape together in that dream.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can we escape?¡±


    ¡°If the person who cast the spell wanted to wake up, we can escape.¡±


    Then we can get out.


    Elodie wouldn¡¯t have wanted to sleep here forever.


    ¡°If I sleep here now, can I enter Elodie¡¯s dream?¡±


    ¡°No. You have to use the same magic.¡±


    ¡°¡­The same magic.¡±


    Mei raised her hand.


    ¡°I can cast it for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    But Mei, who had been acting calmly until then, suddenly hesitated.


    I thought she would cast the spell right away.


    ¡°Mei?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. Sorry. I¡¯ll cast it.¡±


    However, Mei soon closed her eyes for a moment, opened them, and light emanated from the hand she extended towards me.


    ©¤©¤It didn¡¯t take long for me to fall asleep.


    No feeling of losing strength, my body copsing, orying my head on the floor.


    At some point, without even realizing it, I fell asleep.

 Chapter 242 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    It is said that when people dream, they often don¡¯t realize they are dreaming, even if a pink whale is flying in the sky.


    Originally, dreams are the thoughts of the sleeping person manifested through the five senses, so it¡¯s difficult for the creator themselves to recognize the inconsistencies.


    However, there is one thing. People living in the real world can recognize that they are dreaming if the situation in the dream is too unrealistic or doesn¡¯t make sense.


    Even that, it¡¯s not clearly known what triggers this awareness, but the further removed from reality, the more likely a dream is to be exposed as a dream.


    Then, for people who live in a world already filled with magic and monsters, where a pink whale flying in the sky wouldn¡¯t be too strange,


    What is unreal?


    ¡®¡­What is this.¡¯


    The scene before my eyes was close to the fantasy that people living in a fantasy world would imagine.


    The sun and moon popped out of the sky at high speed and then went over to the other side, and yet the sky remained clear and bright without getting dark. The Milky Way flowed continuously to the left in the clear blue sky.


    ¡®Elodie, does she not realize this is a dream while picturing such a world?¡¯


    As expected, for a mage beyond the norm, this is the level of dream they have.


    The scale of the dreams I had in the past, like flying in the sky or encountering a giant monster, seems insignificant.


    First, it¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯m clearly aware that this is a dream. It would be a big problem if even I didn¡¯t know this was a dream and just wandered around absentmindedly.


    Meibe because this isn¡¯t my dream, I immediately knew it was a dream.


    ¡®First, I need to find Elodie.¡¯


    I was in a forest with lush green trees. I couldn¡¯t see my surroundings because the view was blocked


    If the ce I entered the dream from wasn''t here, I would have been able to observe the absurd scale of this dream more closely, but so far, the only thing that feels dreamlike is the ridiculous state of the sky.


    That alone is enough, though.


    ¡°But where should I go?¡±


    There¡¯s no path to be seen around here. If anything, it¡¯s rather suspicious that only this spot is an open space in this dense forest.


    It can¡¯t be helped. I have no choice but to fly.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    I spread the rune and used Aura to lift my body into the air¡ª


    ¡ªI couldn¡¯t do any of the things I just said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Menosorpo wouldn¡¯t activate. No, it wasn¡¯t just activation, the rune itself wouldn¡¯t even form. Weaving waspletely out of order.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, this is¡­¡±


    I gulped. Only then did I examine my body.


    ¡­There was literally only a speck of Mana within my body. Weaving didn¡¯t exist in the first ce, so all the Offense and Defense, Menosorpo, and all kinds of weapons derived from it were gone.


    And above all,


    ¡°¡­Small.¡±


    My hands were small.


    I looked at both my hands. They were small. No, let me rephrase that. These were the hands of a child.


    There¡¯s no way my body is fine and only my hands are like this.


    I¡¯ve be a child. Probably around the same age as the Elodie I saw in the cabin.


    ¡®Did I go back to the past too?¡¯


    Did I get affected by Osprey¡¯s magic while entering Elodie¡¯s dream?


    ¡­No, that doesn¡¯t make sense.


    Weaving is Frondier¡¯s unique skill. He probably had it from birth. I understand having low Mana, but not having the Weaving skill itself is iprehensible.


    Frondier at this age would have been able to weaving, regardless of anything else.


    ¡®What on earth happened to my body?¡¯


    The moment my head was filled with such questions,


    ¡°Fron~~!¡±


    A voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, cheerful and cute, echoed through the forest trees.


    At the same time, there was a light pitter-patter of footsteps and the sound of bushes rustling.


    With movements too agile for a child¡¯s body,


    ¡°Found you!¡±


    A small figure popped out from between the trees.


    It was, needless to say, Elodie.


    Elodie was looking at me with a bright smile.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Fron, why are you just standing there?¡±


    I found myself staring nkly at Elodie.


    Lake-like blue eyes. Elodie¡¯s face, as a child, sparkled with innocence.


    Above all, her dazzlingly bright smile stole my mind.


    At that moment, a simple fact came to mind.


    ¡®¡­I¡¯ve never seen Elodie smile.¡¯


    Others might have seen her smile a little, but the face I had seen from Elodie in the past didn¡¯t have even a trace of a smile.


    ¡°Come on! Fron, don¡¯t just stand there,e here. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡±


    Elodie walked briskly and pulled my hand. The series of actions felt very natural.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    I asked. I realized only then that my voice sounded childish.


    ¡°Where else, the cabin.¡±


    Elodie replied as if it were obvious.


    I didn¡¯t even know the way out of this forest, but Elodie walked slowly as if she was sure of the direction.


    It wasn¡¯t very noticeable, but the bushes and branches around us subtly moved out of the way as Elodie walked.


    ¡®¡­Ah, this is probably¡­¡¯


    The open space in the forest where I appeared.


    Elodie, who knew my location exactly and didn¡¯t find it strange at all that I suddenly entered the dream.


    ¡®Even I¡¯m included as an element of this dream.¡¯


    Right now, I¡¯m the Frondier of Elodie¡¯s imagination. The Frondier of that time who found everything bothersome,zy, and ipetent.


    Exactly as Elodie saw him. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t even have the Weaving skill. Elodie doesn¡¯t know about it at all.


    As if to prove it, I started to feel out of breath after just a few steps following Elodie.


    It was clear how weak Elodie perceived Frondier to be.


    ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯


    The me created from Elodie¡¯s memories was truly ipetent. I was probably even weaker than the actual Frondier of that time.


    Moreover, this was Elodie¡¯s dream. Anything could happen. Yet, I was almost incapable of responding.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As if reading my mind, Elodie said with her shining eyes,


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    As she said those words, I could feel her grip on my hand tighten.


    ¡°Because I promised.¡±

 Chapter 243 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Promise.


    The word carried a different weight, a different tensionpared to other words.


    Perhaps it was due to the weight Elodie herself felt behind the word.


    ''A promise, huh.''


    A promise between Frondier and Elodie from their childhood, one that I couldn''t recall.


    "Come on! Just follow me and don''t worry!"


    Elodie spoke confidently. Holding her small hand, the girl and boy walked side by side.


    Despite having no memory of it, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me. Under the blue sky, with the endless Milky Way flowing above, I felt a nostalgia for a world that didn''t exist.


    At the same time, hostility and disgust towards Elodie slowly rose within me.''It was like this when I first came to the cabin.''


    When I arrived at the cabin, was stabbed, and passed out, Frondier''s memories flooded into me.


    Along with them, I tasted the emotions Frondier originally held.


    Now, I still retain some of Frondier''s past memories, mostly knowledge of the ancientnguage.


    Since Frondier''s time studying the ancientnguage couldn''t bepletely separated from Elodie, I also had some of Elodie''s memories along with the knowledge.


    ...However, among those memories, there was nothing like the ''promise'' Elodie mentioned.


    Perhaps it was a memory from a different time than when Frondier learned the ancientnguage, or maybe it was a promise Frondier himself hadpletely forgotten.


    ''You''re still bothering me, Frondier.''


    There was no reason for me to reject Elodie now. In fact, I believed we had built some trust in each other.


    That''s why the hostility and disgust I was feeling now were unpleasant. It felt like my emotions were being manipted against my will.


    "Here we are."


    As Elodie said, we had arrived in front of the cabin. It truly felt like we had arrived ''in no time''.


    It wasn''t so much that we walked a certain distance towards the cabin, but rather that we had arrived at the cabin because we had walked a certain distance. That''s how it felt.


    "It''s safe here."


    Elodie said so and let go of my hand. I looked around. As expected, there was nothing but the cabin.


    In the first ce, there was no way this cabin, which belonged to Roach''s vi, could be in such a strange location. Thinking about the geography of the original world wouldn''t make any sense.


    Ultimately, leaving this dream would require going through Elodie, and she would also know the way out.


    "Elodie."


    "Yes?"


    I called out to Elodie. Even now, she must be getting smaller and smaller.


    There was a science fiction-like setting where reality flows slower than dream time, but I didn''t know if it was the same here.


    Therefore, the priority was to get Elodie toe to her senses and get out of here as soon as possible.


    But.


    "..."


    "What? You called me."


    I was hesitating.


    I felt a strong sense of danger in telling Elodie, "This is a dream, let''s get out," right now. I didn''t know the exact reason, but somehow it felt like something I shouldn''t say.


    "...No, just... I was wondering how you found me so quickly."


    So I took a different approach. I wanted to make Elodie realize the inconsistencies of this dream herself.


    The fact that I was here, that Elodie had found me without any help. If she questioned those things, she might realize that this was a dream.


    "Ahaha. I can find you wherever you are."


    "...How?"


    "Just because. I can definitely find you."


    It was a nonsensical answer, but Elodie''s eyes were clear, as if she had no doubts about her own words.


    It seemed like this wasn''t the way to wake Elodie up.


    "Now, sit down, Fron."


    "Sit down, here?"


    "Yes, on that chair."


    As soon as Elodie said the word "chair," a chair appeared.


    To my eyes, it looked like it had just been created, but from Elodie''s perspective, did it feel like the chair had been there all along?


    ...Let''s not dwell on these things one by one. It would be endless.


    I sat down on the chair as Elodie instructed.


    "So, what are we going to do?"


    "Hehe. Fron, watch carefully from there."


    Elodie took a few steps back from me, who was sitting on the chair. She raised one hand, closed her eyes, and muttered something.


    It was probably an incantation. Soon, a me was born on her hand.


    Judging by Elodie''s current appearance, it was a level of magic that was hard to believe for an ordinary girl of this age, but Elodie was no ordinary girl.


    Maintaining the me in that hand, she raised her other hand, chanted another spell, and then,


    "Look! Fron! What do you think? Amazing, right!"


    With a me in one hand and ice in the other, she showed them to me with an excited face.


    ''...That''s right.''


    It was also written in Frondier''s diary. Elodie would show off her magic and divine power to Frondier whenever she had the chance.


    And that triggered Frondier''s inferiorityplex and jealousy. To Frondier, who had nothing, the abilities Elodie showed him were nothing but mockery.


    "Huhu, amazing, right? Of course, I got a little help from Indra, but if I grow up a little more, I''ll be able to control it with my own will without relying on him,"


    "It''s amazing."


    I spoke honestly.


    The technique Elodie just showed, dual chanting. Even among the second-year students at Constel, there were few mages who could do it.


    It was natural for her to be amazing, having achieved it at this age. This was a dream, but it was probably the same in the past.


    "...Huh?"


    But Elodie was surprised by my answer and her expression froze.


    I answered "amazing" to the question "amazing, right?", and she was surprised by that.


    "...Oh, ahaha. Yeah! Ehem, it''s amazing."


    But soon, she smiled again and shrugged her shoulders with a proud look.


    "Look, look? This time it''s something different. I heard about these spells called Storm Poetry and me Poetry from Dad©¤"


    Elodie was excitedly chattering about another magic.


    It didn''t seem like it would end anytime soon. I came here to take Elodie out of this dream.


    The stories Elodie was telling now didn''t seem like they would be a clue to escape.


    "...So, even though I''m loved by the five gods, only three of them answer me when I talk to them, and the remaining two... Ah."


    After talking for a while, Elodie suddenly nced at me.


    "Ah, this is boring, right? Ahaha. It was a boring story after all."


    "No."


    I said.


    "It''s fun."


    A story that wouldn''t help Elodie get out at all.


    A story that a young Elodie told a young Frondier.


    Elodie''s words that might just be a waste of time.


    "So, what happened to the remaining two? Tell me more."


    I decided to listen.


    Looking at Elodie''s sparkling eyes and blooming smile.


    Thinking that this might be the first andst time I see that smile.


    "©¤©¤Yes!"


    To Elodie''s brightly blooming reply, I smiled back.

 Chapter 243 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The sky was always blue, with the flow of the sun and moonpletely unknown to the passage of time.


    This ce was in eternal daylight.


    Elodie talked without knowing the time was passing, and perhaps she truly didn''t know. That''s the kind of world this was.


    And while Elodie was busy chattering, I thought.


    ''...It''s more fun than I expected.''


    To be honest, I was prepared for boredom.


    But Elodie, unlike her appearance, was quite the storyteller. Was it because she had talked to Frondier so much?


    Her cute little face would smile this way and frown that way, the pitch of her voice moving stically, and her little fingertips and toes stretching out.


    It made meugh, and I was getting immersed in the child''s storytelling skills."So, Merlin became a great wizard. As King Arthur''s aide, he created magic for the first time with the pure power of humans without the help of God, to guide the king on the right path! The origin of all magic that mages use without divine power today is Merlin!"


    "Ooooo."


    p p p-


    Another story came to an end, and I gave a generous apuse to the performer.


    It was quite interesting to see the legend of King Arthurpletely from Merlin''s perspective. It must be because Elodie was a mage.


    ''But it''s not just full of self-praise like Frondier''s diary.''


    I thought Elodie would brag about magic all day long, but that ended early on, and the rest was her telling the stories she knew in a fun way.


    Did Frondier find even these stories of Elodie''s annoying?


    "Ehehe. Fron is strange today."


    Elodie said, scratching her cheek.


    "Strange?"


    "You always seemed to be half-listening. It looked like it was bothering you to even listen."


    That''s what the original Frondier would have been like.


    In fact, he was hiding even more disgust than that under the guise of annoyance.


    Since he was inherentlyzy, he intentionally showed his annoyance, so the mask hiding his disgust wasn''t easily noticed.


    ...But it must have hurt Elodie.


    "Hey, Fron."


    Elodie spoke at that moment.


    "I''m going to be a great wizard."


    "Like Merlin?"


    "Yes! So, I''m going to be a really strong wizard and create a peaceful world where we don''t have to worry about monsters."


    What a grand ambition.


    It was a huge dream, hard to believe that this little girl held it.


    But Elodie''s words continued as if it wasn''t over yet.


    "So, that''s why."


    "That''s why?"


    "When that kind of worldes, Fron."


    "Yes?"


    "When a worldes where things like divine power and talent don''t matter, Fron too...."


    Thump-


    At that moment, when Elodie uttered those words in a shrinking voice.


    At that moment, when I understood what Elodie was trying to say.


    A huge pulse resonated deep within my body.


    ''What is this?''


    This wasn''t my pulse. Could it be that Frondier''s body was reacting to Elodie''s words? No, it wasn''t like I was feeling emotions like disgust or hatred.


    Where did this pulse within my body originate from,


    "Ah, no! Fron! I said it wrong! I didn''t mean it like that!"


    Elodie hurriedly approached me. She grabbed my hand, then caressed my face, and hugged me.


    "No, that''s not it. I didn''t mean it like that. I''m sorry. I''m not good with words. I wanted to convey it well. I didn''t want to upset you."


    While Elodie spoke so urgently, I was momentarily frozen, unable to understand the situation.


    Then I realized.


    The pulse I was feeling now was Elodie''s heart.


    The pulse that thought Frondier would be hurt by her words was transmitted to me. Because the Frondier Elodie was thinking of was me now.


    ''Upset?''


    Those words just now.


    The heart that wanted to make the world peaceful so that Frondier''s ipetence wouldn''t be seen as ipetence.


    Just because she mentioned the fact that Frondier had no divine power and talent. Because that alone would hurt Frondier.


    ''All those words that Frondier had considered Elodie''s bragging all this time were actually...''


    I looked at Elodie hugging me, unable to say anything.


    I didn''t know where this feeling of Elodie''s came from. Wasn''t this current state even more diseased than Frondier''s inferiorityplex?


    ...A perfect character.


    A character with abilities and personality so perfect that I didn''t worry about her the most.


    The character I paid the least attention to.


    My expression hardened, and anger rose from deep within my body.


    ''...You stupid idiot.''


    Whether those words were directed at the past Frondier or myself, I didn''t even know.


    Kuoong!


    At that moment, a huge tremor shook the ground, lifting my feet slightly. I looked up at the sound.


    ''...What is that monster?''


    A monster I had never seen before looked down at us, as if the sky were a joke, with its enormous size.


    If I had to describe it, it was in the shape of a giant, but its whole body was ck and its form was distorted like waves, as if it were iplete.


    The eyes near its head blinked a couple of times, and then suddenly,


    Fwoosh!


    Hundreds of eyes that had been hidden all over its body opened, and the whole thing looked at us.


    Then, wings unfolded from its back, it held a spear as tall as itself in its hand, and mes erupted all over its body.


    As if that wasn''t enough, countless tentacles stretched out from its body, as if every pore had opened.


    ...I had never seen such a monster, such an absurd size, such a ridiculous body structure, a monster that seemed to ignore all natural phenomena. There was no way such a thing could exist in reality.


    Hot, Elodie turned around as if she had realized something. She pursed her lips as if she already knew the being.


    She confirmed the giant monster with her eyes, then turned back to me and said,


    "Go inside the cabin. I''ll finish it quickly ande back."


    "...Finish it quickly ande back?"


    "Yes. It''s a guy who visits asionally."


    ...In other words, it was a monster that Elodie herself had created in this dream. That''s why it appeared in such an absurd form.


    But usually, monsters that appear in dreams are not that big of a deal. They may look ferocious on the outside, but they wouldn''t actually harm the owner of the dream.


    However, no matter how I looked at it, that monster felt like a huge threat to Elodie.


    "I''ve never won, but it''s something I have to do."


    "You''ve never won?"


    "It''s okay. Don''t worry and go inside."


    Elodie pushed me away. Since I had no abilities right now, it was better to run away as she said. Unlike Elodie, the owner of the dream, I could actually die.


    Yet, I couldn''t easily take a step.


    ...Creating a monster that she couldn''t defeat, fighting it herself, getting hurt, and suffering.


    It was as if...


    "Elodie, wait."


    "Don''t worry, Fron."


    Elodie smiled.


    It was a smile that caused me, not her, pain.


    "I won''t let ity a finger on you."

 Chapter 244 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @andrewaustin and @Skelx762 from Ko-fi!</i>


    Before Elodie could respond to my words,


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    My body involuntarily lifted and flew backward.


    nk!


    The door of the cabin behind me swung open, and as soon as I was pulled inside, it mmed shut with force.


    ¡°Elodie! Elodie!!¡±


    I tried with all my might to open the cabin door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.Is this how the people trapped in my workshop felt? Of course, unlike the door of my workshop, this is a real door, and it¡¯s just locked.


    But as a child now, it was impossible for me to open it with force.


    ¡°Elodie!¡±


    I moved to the window. Through the ss, I saw Elodie confronting a gigantic monster.


    Elodie slowly rose into the air and, as she had shown me earlier, summoned two spells in each hand. It was certainly a high level of skill, butpared to the monster she was facing, she looked so small.


    Swoosh!!


    The monster¡¯s tentacles moved first. Honestly, there were too many tentacles to count, each one hardened like a sharp spear, aiming for Elodie.


    Boom! Boom!


    They collided with the magical barrier Elodie had erected at a distance, and the remaining ones surged forward again.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    The tentacles burned in Elodie''s left hand and froze in her right. Elodie''s magic seemed effective, butpared to the ones she was taking down one by one, there were far more remaining tentacles, and they were even faster.


    Whizz!


    Elodie flew around, dodging the tentacles. She created distance and simultaneously eliminated the attacking tentacles one by one. It was a rather familiar movement.


    ¡®¡­Certainly, her skills are better than they were back then.¡¯


    This is Elodie''s dream. No matter how young Elodie has be, her power now is considerable.


    It must be the result of magic and imaginationbined. Elodie is using the best power she can imagine, the best power she believes she can achieve.


    But at that moment.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡±


    I let out a hollowugh that resembled a sigh of disbelief.


    The hundreds of eyes on the monster''s body suddenly opened wide, and the pupils slowly began to glow.


    Kwaa¡ªaa¡ªaa¡ª!


    As I feared, the glowing pupils shot beams in all directions, closing the distance towards Elodie like a snare.


    No matter how quickly Elodie moved, there was no way to escape the ces where there was no room to move.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Elodie wrapped her arms around herself. She surrounded herself with the magical barrier she had created at a distance,yering it two and three times.


    And that,


    Crackle!!


    The monster''s beams tore through it like paper, delivering a merciless blow to her young body.


    Kwaaak! Kwaaaak!


    Elodie crashed to the ground, struck by the beams, and as if that wasn''t enough, the monster continued to pour the beams from its eyes onto Elodie, who was lying t on the ground.


    ¡°Elodie! Elodie!!!¡±


    ¡­ I am watching this, quite peacefully, from inside the cabin.


    Because I''m a child, because I can''t get out of here, because Elodie pushed me in here and locked the door.


    I am enjoying the perfectly set alibi.


    Grab!


    One of the monster''s tentacles spread out like a hand and grabbed Elodie''s leg. And then it lifted her up.


    Elodie, seemingly having lost the strength to resist, hung limply in the air.


    Swish, swish


    The monster tossed Elodie around. It wasn''t attacking, nor was it trying to kill her. It wasn''t even checking to see if she was unconscious.


    It was just ying with her. With Elodie.


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Then, as if it had lost interest, it dropped her to the ground, and Elodie rolled over, her face turned towards me.


    Elodie looked up at the cabin window, met my gaze, and


    As if relieved to see me safe and sound there, she smiled faintly and then dropped her head.


    Crunch


    And at that moment, my reason snapped.


    Boom!


    The Obsidian, which hadn''t been there before, took hold of my body. With almost the same speed as it returned to me, the Obsidian blew the cabin door away.


    I stepped out of the cabin and walked towards the monster without hesitation.


    ¡°Menosorpo!!¡±


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, simultaneous replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Full open</i>


    I shouted without thinking, and the rune spread to its maximum size.


    Weapons engraved their existence in the void, shimmering in the light of the sun, moon and Milky Way stretching far into the sky.


    Zing¡ª


    The monster''s eyes turned towards me. Hundreds of eyes focused on me. Numerous tentacles turned their heads towards me and trembled.


    ¡°This mongrel dares to¡­¡­!¡±


    My weapons aimed at the monster, matching my anger.


    I''ll take this opportunity to count how many tentacles you have stered all over your body¡ª


    ¡°¡­¡­Eh? Fr, Frondier!¡±


    At that moment, Elodie, who seemed to have lost consciousness for a moment, raised her head and looked at me.


    And then.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡­?¡±


    All the weapons I had created vanished. Menosorpo, Obsidian, all gone.


    At the same time, the gigantic monster that was ring at me as if it were about to kill me also disappeared.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    I copsed, my strength drained.


    I thought my mana had returned, but suddenly I was back in the body of a powerless boy. My head was dizzy with the vertigo of mana suddenly disappearing.


    ¡°Fr, Fron! Are you okay?¡±


    Elodie approached me. Despite her own injuries, she was diligently walking towards me.


    ¡®¡­They¡¯re healing.¡¯


    That thought was fleeting as the wounds on Elodie''s body gradually disappeared. Rather than healing, they vanished as if erased with an eraser. It seemed like there were no serious injuries to begin with.


    ¡®I see. Even the wounds are only as injured as young Elodie can imagine.¡¯


    In fact,e to think of it, it''s surprising that she only lost consciousness for a moment after being hit by such an absurd attack. I saw with my own eyes the magical barrier being shattered.


    ¡®So, the reason I regained my mana.¡¯


    Was it because Elodie lost consciousness for a moment? It doesn''t make much sense to lose consciousness in a dream, but at that time, Elodie was momentarily outside my awareness.


    In other words, the role assigned to me disappeared.


    And perhaps, within Elodie''s mind, it wasn''t intended for me and that monster to fight. That''s why the monster that confronted me also vanished.


    It was a monster solely for her to fight and for her to lose to.


    She resists with all her might, but still loses due to the overwhelming difference in power, and even after that, she experiences more pain, and in the end, she is tossed around like a ything and discarded on the ground.


    That whole process.


    ¡®Is it really impossible to win?¡¯


    She can''t win against a monster she imagined. I couldn''t understand it. But it actually happened.


    In other words, that monster is not Elodie''s ¡®imagination.¡¯ It''s something slightly different. Something that Elodie cannot resist or avoid, something that burrows into her.


    ¡®¡­Trauma.¡¯


    I bit my lip.


    ¡®That monster is Elodie''s trauma.¡¯


    Even though Elodie herself created it.


    Now, she can neither eliminate it, nor cope with it, nor stop imagining it.


    It is the natural enemy of the young Elodie.


    And perhaps, defeating that monster is the way out of this dream.

 Chapter 244 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Elodie and I entered the cabin.


    Elodie fussed over me, checking if I was hurt anywhere.


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m sorry.¡±


    Finally, Elodie''s words, uttered with her head bowed, were those.


    So different from reality, in the dream, Elodie''s words were always ¡®I''m sorry.¡¯


    ¡°I didn''t know the cabin door would break. I thought it would be more sturdy.¡±


    I broke it.


    Elodie seemed to think the monster had opened the cabin door to attack me.


    But.¡°¡­¡­Elodie.¡±


    ¡°Fron, the inside of the cabin is absolutely safe. Even if the door is open, you shouldn''te out.¡±


    ¡°Elodie.¡±


    ¡°That monster will retreat on its own after it defeats me, so if you just wait a little longer¡ª.¡±


    ¡°Elodie.¡±


    I took Elodie''s hands and held them up in front of me. Only then did Elodie''s small head rise and look at me.


    ¡°You saw it too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Whoever opened the cabin door, whether you saw it or not, the countless weapons floating in the sky.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I, I.¡±


    ¡°You''re not going to say you didn''t see them.¡±


    The reason my weaving and abilities disappeared was because Elodie thought ¡®that can¡¯t be.¡¯


    In other words, they disappeared because she witnessed them.


    ¡°That''s my ability.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Elodie''s eyes darted around ufortably at my words.


    Telling the current Elodie this wouldn''t make her understand. Anyway, I can''t use my abilities unless she believes in them.


    Therefore, I decided to tell Elodie a lie that would be easier for her to ept.


    ¡°It''s an ability I''ll gain in the future.¡±


    ¡°The future?¡±


    Elodie''s eyes widened at my words.


    ¡°Yes. It was my first time using it, but it seems like it''s a future ability. It felt like I was borrowing the power I''ll useter in advance.¡±


    This is Elodie''s dream.


    No matter how absurd the words are, as long as Elodie epts them, it''s possible.


    There happens to be a suitable excuse here.


    ¡°That''s why it disappeared after a few seconds. You saw it too, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, that''s why¡­¡­. I see.¡±


    Of course, Elodie erased them herself, but she doesn''t know she''s in a dream and adds to her imagination.


    The weapons I created suddenly disappearing and the monster vanishing as if canceled must be one of the contradictions of the dream.


    Since I''m directly resolving the contradictions for her, Elodie will easily ept it.


    ¡°See, Elodie. I have abilities too.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Elodie nodded, seemingly relieved by my words.


    However.


    ¡°So let''s kill that monster together.¡±


    To these words of mine.


    Her face instantly turned pale, and she shook her head and waved her hands.


    ¡°Th, that''s not okay!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It''s, it''s too dangerous. Frondier. That monster is strong. No matter how hard I try, I couldn''t even touch it!¡±


    ¡°That''s why we have to fight together.¡±


    ¡°N, no. It''s not okay. If you get hurt, I¡­¡­.¡±


    I felt a strange sensation at that sight.


    Elodie is overprotective of Frondier. I understand that feeling.


    I realized she instinctively sensed Frondier''s inferiority and jealousy and was filled with guilt about it.


    ¡­But, all of that.


    ¡®Elodie back then didn''t know about it.¡¯


    Even though the Elodie in front of me now is in the form of a young girl.


    The real Elodie hasn''t gone back to the past.


    At first, seeing the young Elodie in reality, I momentarily mistook it for that. But I realized it while watching Elodie apologize.


    This Elodie, shuddering with guilt, is not the girl from back then. It''s the current Elodie herself.


    It''s obvious. The young Elodie back then didn''t know. About Frondier''s envy, jealousy, inferiority, and hatred towards Elodie.


    That''s why Elodie proudly showed off to Frondier and diligently told him the stories she knew.


    ¡­This dream is Elodie''s apology to Frondier. It''s the manifestation of her guilt.


    ¡ªI didn''t mean it like that. I''m sorry. I''m not good with words. I wanted to convey it well. I didn''t want to make you feel bad.


    Elodie is practicing how to better convey her feelings to Frondier. Towards the role of Frondier that she created.


    Words that she can''t say to the current Frondier. Words that would be meaningless even if she said them.


    That''s why the young Elodie is apologizing to the young Frondier.


    Even though it''s in a dream.


    Even though it''s a fake created by Elodie.


    ¡®¡­Fake.¡¯


    A bitter smile spread across my lips at that thought.


    These actions that Elodie is taking in the dream might seem truly worthless to someone.


    But in the end, I finally witnessed it.


    Elodie''s apology.


    I saw and heard her endlessly repeating apologies that didn''t need to be made.


    Not Frondier, but me.


    The fake me.


    ¡°¡­¡­Elodie.¡±


    Perhaps I ammitting a sin.


    Pretending to hear the apology that the real Frondier never heard.


    ¡°I''m sorry.¡±


    I convey the apology that Frondier never made, in his ce.


    ¡°For a very long time, I''ve been jealous of you.¡±

 Chapter 245: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Uh...?"


    Elodie, upon hearing my words, froze like a stone, speechless.


    Herrge,ke-like eyes trembled.


    Would someone call this a lie?


    Because it wasn''t my heart, because it wasn''t Frondier but me, pretending to be Frondier, who uttered those words.


    Would they call all of this fake?


    "Ah, no. Ahaha. What''s gotten into you all of a sudden,"


    Elodieughed awkwardly, hesitated as if to say something, then closed her mouth and lowered her head.


    "What, what is it."The young child spoke with a clumsy smile, but it was full of tears.


    ¡°What is it, you fool.¡±


    With a thud.


    The casual remark, as if it was nothing, resembled the Elodie I had known from the beginning, not the girl.


    But with that as the start.


    "Silly, hey..."


    That habitual word, uttered as if it were nothing, eventually,


    "Uh, uh, sob..."


    Broke down the tears Elodie had been holding back.


    "Sob, uh, uh, sob..."


    Elodie slowly sank to the ground.


    She lowered her head, covered her face with both hands, and cried silently.


    ...Even crying was difficult for Elodie.


    As if it should never be seen, she covered her face, as if it should never be heard, she choked back her sobs, and only her small shoulders trembled.


    I approached Elodie, lowered myself, and spoke to her once more.


    "I''m sorry."


    "Sob, sob, sob..."


    "I had bad intentions."


    "Don''t, don''t say that...!"


    Elodie embraced me tightly.


    "It was my fault, I was wrong, why are you, to me...!"


    Elodie cried out, sobbing. The hand that held me tightly against her chest tightened.


    "You did nothing wrong."


    Wrong.


    Hurting Frondier''s heart would have been wrong.


    Regardless of Elodie''s good intentions, it didn''t feel that way to Frondier.


    But I know.


    I saw through the diary and memories what Frondier was trying to do to Elodie.


    Is even that evil deed Elodie''s fault? Even if Elodie''s boasting wasn''t out of good intentions, are all of Frondier''s attempts to drag Elodie down to the depths all Elodie''s fault?


    Should Elodie continue to suffer alone like this just because she knew Frondier''s heart?


    "I''m sorry."


    "Fron..."


    "I''m sorry. It''s my fault."


    That''s why I say it.


    The fake me says it.


    "I was jealous of you, not understanding your heart."


    Even if Frondier can''t forgive Elodie, I forgive her.


    Even if all these words I say are fake.


    "But it''s okay now."


    Only I canfort this girl now.


    I''m the only one, you see.


    "I don''t hate you."


    "...Fron."


    "We promised."


    I said.


    A promise between Frondier and Elodie that I don''t remember, but must be true.


    "That you would protect me."


    "...Fron... Fron, Fron..."


    Elodie muttered my name a few times with trembling lips,


    "Sob, waaah, waaaaaaah!"


    And then, finally leaning fully into my arms, she cried out loud.


    It wasn''t just sadness that Elodie had been trying to hold back.


    The tears of Elodie, who had finally begun to cry like a child, flowed for a long time.


    * * *


    We left the cabin.


    Elodie seemed to have calmed down a bit, but she followed with her head down.


    "Elodie, are you okay?"


    "...I''m embarrassed."


    She mumbled, burying her head further.


    "This is the first time I''ve cried my eyes out like this since I was a baby."


    How many years has it been since then?


    "When is that monstering?"


    "I don''t know exactly. But I have a feeling it wille."


    If that monster is Elodie''s trauma, then the ''feeling'' Elodie mentioned is probably when her negative emotions are stimted.


    ''That''s for sure. That monster is the key to escaping this dream.''


    It would have been nice if the trauma had been resolved through Elodie''s tears and emotional release, but the human heart is not that simple.


    Beingforted is one thing, but it takes time for trauma to fully heal.


    Of course, this event could be seen as the beginning of that healing, but we don''t have that much time to wait.


    "Hey, Frondier."


    "Yes?"


    "Are you really going to fight too?"


    "Of course."


    I answered immediately. It''s impossible for Elodie to ovee that monster alone. It''s a monster designed that way from the start.


    From what I''ve observed, that monster is the natural enemy of all mages. Generally, mages are wary of masters of closebat who quickly close the distance, but that''s not what they truly fear.


    What they truly fear is being toyed with at a distance, where they can best disy their magical prowess. Because then, a mage loses their value.


    ''Tentacles that are destroyed by magic but render its meaning meaningless, eyes that shoot beams, limiting the mage''s entire range of evasion.''


    If it were abat type, it might have been a manageable fight. It wouldn''t be easy to approach, but Elodie''s flight magic could still evade the tentacles to some extent.


    Warriors who are more agile would try to close the distance, unlike Elodie, and it would be difficult for the eyes to attack them as well.


    It takes quite some time for the eyes to glow and shoot, and an attack that converges on a wide area is not a technique that can be used on a warrior who reaches right in front of them in the meantime. It would hurt themselves.


    ''It''s Elodie''s trauma in the first ce. Imagining that she can''t win, of course she can''t win.''


    On the other hand, I can.


    Because it''s Elodie''s trauma, I can fight that thing.


    The only problem is that ultimately, Elodie has to defeat it.


    ''Even if I defeat it now, it will only appear again someday and torment Elodie.''


    A monster born from Elodie''s heart.


    Unless Elodie ovees herself, the trauma will continue to haunt her.


    I fight to help Elodie.


    Elodie seems to have shaken off a lot of emotions after crying her heart out, but


    There is still something left.


    "...It''sing."


    Elodie''s head lifts, and she casts her gaze into the distance.


    Soon, at the end of her gaze, there it was, slowly approaching, still ridiculouslyrge.


    ''...Did it get a little smaller?''


    It''s hard to tell unless you look closely, but it seems like it''s gotten a bit smaller thanst time. Maybe.


    It means Elodie is oveing her trauma to some extent.


    "Ugh..."


    But as soon as Elodie saw the monster, she became restless and looked back and forth between me and the monster.


    ...Ah, this.


    "It''s no use after all! Frondier, I''ll put you inside the cabin right now,"


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian.</i>


    <i>Rank - Rare</i>


    <i>Long spear, 10 identical copies</i>


    Kwaaaaaaaaang!!


    Faster than Elodie, I shot the spear and blew up the cabin. Good, it allows this level of ability now.


    I had a feeling, but Elodie''s overprotectiveness hasn''t subsided yet.


    "Fr, Frondier?!"


    "Look ahead, Elodie!"


    At my shout, Elodie turned her gaze back to the front.


    I also looked directly at the monster and said,


    "There''s no such thing as a cabin!"


    "...!"


    "I won''t let that thing keep tormenting you, leaving, anding back again and again!"


    Elodie''s trauma stems from guilt. She had epted to some extent that she couldn''t defeat the monster. As if it were natural to be punished.


    But since I have forgiven Elodie, there is nothing to punish her for.


    "We''ll defeat it here and now! So it can nevere back!"


    "...Yes!"


    Elodie bit her lip. She slowly floated up and gathered her magic in each hand.


    Phew, in the meantime, I exhaled a long breath and slowly chanted.


    "Menosorpo."


    A giant rune is drawn in an instant, dyeing the entire surrounding area as its own territory.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Pce Armory</i>


    <i>Full Open</i>


    Along with that, I floated numerous weapons in the air.


    ''...Elodie has witnessed this much.''


    Since Elodie has already seen my ability once, I can manage this much. I added the setting that I''m ''borrowing the power of the future to use this''. The current Frondier is capable of this much.


    "Fron! How long can you use that?"


    "I''ll try my best!"


    I gave Elodie a vague answer to her question. I just want to mention a very long time, but if I do that, Elodie won''t believe me and it will all be for nothing, and if I say too short a time, a time limit will be set on its own. It''s better to answer like this.


    ''I probably won''t be able to weaving high-rank weapons.''


    I can''t use techniques that Elodie hasn''t seen. Unless Elodie loses consciousness, that is. It''s not like I want that anyway.


    In other words, these weapons I''ve brought out are the maximum I can handle within this dream. With this, I can subdue most things.


    The only problem is,


    "It''sing!"


    The monster''s tentacles stretch out, and my weapons are shot towards them.


    The speed wasn''t too bad, but the power of the weapons cutting the tentacles is quite weak.


    ''Even this is ording to Elodie''s imagination.''


    This is the problem.


    Because I haven''t shown Elodie the power of these weapons, the power itself is downgraded from its original level.


    This is Elodie''s imagination, so I wish some things would be upgraded, but Elodie was always terribly realistic. Even after bing a child like this.


    "Haaat!"


    Meanwhile, Elodie unleashes mes. From the child''s hands, mes, like red curtains, engulf and burn the tentacles.


    It was a spectacr sight on the surface, but my brows furrowed.


    ''...It''s weakened.''


    Elodie''s power has weakened. Her trauma has also weakened, but so has Elodie''s power.


    This is Elodie''s dream. The fact that her magic, which should be ording to her imagination, is weakening is not a problem of mana or technique. It''s a problem of the heart.


    "Haat! Hup! Ah, kyaak?!"


    Thanks to that, the tentacle, which would normally have burned and copsed, wasn''tpletely dead and attacked Elodie again.


    I shot weapons to block the tentacles, but more tentacles rushed towards Elodie.


    Normally, Elodie would have been able to deal with the remaining ones, but for some reason, she couldn''t move as she wanted.


    ...Actually, I had somewhat predicted this scene, so.


    "Ah! Frondier!"


    Towards the ce where Elodie was retreating and sinking to the ground, I had already arrived.


    "Elodie."


    I looked at Elodie and lowered my eyes.


    "Stay there."


    "What?"


    "Do nothing and watch what I do."


    I left Elodie behind me and checked the tentacles rushing toward me.


    And all of that,


    Kwak! Kwagwagkwak!


    Obsidian blocked it.


    Obsidian grabbed, blocked, and repelled the tentacles ording to my will, preventing them from approaching Elodie.


    "¡­!"


    Elodie was watching the scene in surprise.


    Obsidian is a substance that Elodie has seen, but she has no idea of its power and purpose. But since she has seen it, she must know that it''s one of my abilities.


    Therefore, Obsidian''s utility is higher now than Menosorpo, who has shown the ability to create weapons.


    From Elodie''s perspective, it''s an unknown substance with unknown power, just as I knew it.


    "As I said before,"


    I said to Elodie, blocking the attacking tentacles one by one.


    "I''ve be stronger, and I will continue to get stronger."


    "¡­!"


    Elodie let out a slight gasp at my words.


    It''s not a purely happy expression. I know the reason.


    ''¡­The Archmage.''


    Elodie wants to be stronger. To be the Archmage.


    To be the Archmage, to create a peaceful world, and to erase the stigma of "ineptitude" in Frondier.


    However, now Frondier is not ipetent.


    Elodie doesn''t wish for Frondier to be ipetent, but it''s a fact that as Frondier bes stronger, her motivation diminishes. That''s probably why Elodie''s power is weak right now.


    "Still."


    But even if I, as Frondier, were to no longer be ''ipetent,''


    "Still, I still need you."


    "...Ah."


    Her dream does not be worthless.


    A world that will eventually perish.


    If this world truly faces great disasters and hardships, it will no longer be just Frondier''s or Elodie''s problem.


    Even if it''s for Elodie to paint the scenery she desires, her power is definitely necessary.


    And to that extent,


    "And to that extent, you need me."


    Elodie''s promise to protect Frondier. Elodie, who has constantly strived to be stronger because of that promise.


    None of it was wrong.


    But the promise she has carried has made her too burdened.


    This promise needs to be followed by a caveat.


    "So, I will protect you. As long as you protect me."


    "......!"


    I never thought of passing all the burden to Elodie, but the same goes for the opposite.


    From the beginning, that was how the rtionship between Elodie and I should be.


    "Unleash the most powerful magic you can. Leave the rest to me."


    "......Okay."


    Elodie is a mage.


    She is destined to be the strongest mage in humanity.


    For a mage, it''s only natural to need a sword and shield to protect herself.


    And I am more than enough as her sword and shield.


    "Individual spell deployment."


    The moment Elodie uttered those words,


    I felt her voice change and the atmosphere around us shift, so I turned my gaze back to her.


    Behind me stood Elodie de Inies Rishae.


    She proudly sparkled her blue eyes and conjured mana that seemed to absorb thendscape of this dream.


    <i>Individual spell deployment</i>


    <i>Fire magic, 4th form</i>


    <i>Elemental resistance, projectile activation, diffusion, mana substitution... named ''Inferno''</i>


    <i>Wind magic, 4th form</i>


    <i>Increased range, disengagement trigger, high-speed rotation, updraft... named ''Tempest''</i>


    <i>......Additional.</i>


    <i>Lightning Magic 2nd Form</i>


    <i>Stacking, Chain... Named, ''Chain Lightning''</i>


    <i>Spell Fusion, Concentration</i>


    <i>Tri-Elemental Combination</i>


    <i>Elodie Original, ''Phoenix Rise - Nether Hell''</i>


    The magic she unfolded was contained on Elodie''s index finger like small water droplets,


    And the moment she lightly threw the water droplet and it touched the nearest tentacle,


    Kwaaaaah-!!!


    "......!"


    The storm of mes she boasted about ''chained'' along the tentacles.


    The numerous tentacles became an even better target for spreading, and the storm engulfed all the tentacles and zed.


    The monsters, unable to escape from their own tentacles in the first ce, were engulfed by the approaching storm of mes from all directions, and all eyes shed open and burned painfully.


    I stared nkly at the tremendous spectacle, then turned my gaze back to Elodie.


    Elodie stood with a cool face.


    Always confident, full of herself, with a face that seemed wless in every way.


    It was the 2nd year Elodie of Consteil that I originally knew,


    "Ah."


    I, too, stood there as my original self, not as a child.


    Elodie looked at me with a faint smile for a moment, then our eyes met.


    Heehee, sheughed with a somewhat mischievous face.


    "Hello, Fron."


    That''s what she said.

 Chapter 246 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Caw Caw and @Mnkeydude from Ko-fi!</i>


    "...Hello, Elodie."


    I returned her greeting.


    It felt like it had been a long time since I''d said those words.


    The monster burned, its form gradually copsing. This was a testament to Elodie''s strong magic and, more importantly, proof that she had ovee her trauma.


    "Hey, Frondier."


    Elodie spoke to me.


    "When you said you were sorry, when you mentioned the ''promise''."She was referring to our conversation before leaving the cabin.


    The moment, not long ago, when Elodie shed many tears.


    "At that moment, I realized this was a dream."


    "...!"


    Elodie pursed her lips, seemingly embarrassed.


    "It wasn''t a certainty, but... I had this feeling. Like, ''Frondier wouldn''t say something like that to me''."


    Ahaha, Iughed out loud.


    Watching her, I thought.


    "...I see."


    For Elodie, hearing those words from Frondier was more surreal than the sun and moon rapidly orbiting, more surreal than the Milky Way flowing across the azure sky.


    "I knew it when I heard you say that."


    Elodie, still speaking in a calm voice, continued as if wondering what I was thinking as I remained silent.


    "I realized I wanted to be forgiven by you."


    "...Elodie."


    "Even in a dream, I created you to hear those words from you."


    Elodie looked at me with a hint of loneliness.


    She realized this was a dream and had ovee her trauma, but...


    She believed that I, standing before her now, was also a fake she had created.


    "What do you think, Frondier?"


    Elodie turned her anxious eyes towards me.


    Within that anxiety, there was a small glimmer of hope.


    "Are you, standing before me now, really you?"


    "..."


    "In this world where everyone has forgotten me, did you alone recognize me ande to save me?"


    For a moment, I was speechless.


    It wouldn''t be difficult to be honest. If it meant fulfilling Elodie''s wish, I would do it without hesitation.


    ...However.


    "That''s right, Elodie."


    No matter how sincerely I answered.


    "I came into this dream to save you."


    No matter how true these words were.


    "...Haha."


    Elodie eventually let out a bitterugh and murmured,


    "Right, you''d say that either way. Because that''s what I want to hear."


    Here, within Elodie''s dream, it was solely up to her to decide whether I was real or fake.


    The more I acted and spoke ording to her desires, the less she would believe in my existence.


    ''Elodie fell asleep in the cabin to call for my help.''


    It was the best choice she could have made.


    A ce connected to me, where her Mana wouldn''t be disturbed by anyone else. The fact that I was here now meant her choice was excellent.


    But regardless, there were many mountains to climb if I truly wanted to be here.


    First of all, I had to be the only one to realize Elodie had disappeared from the world.


    I had toe to this cabin she chose, and somehow find Elodie, who was neither visible nor audible. And I had to be able to interfere with the ''Eternal Slumber'' spell.


    All these conditions were impossible for the Frondier that Elodie knew.


    Because she was so wise, she must have realized it herself.


    That the possibility of me not being a figment of her imagination was incredibly slim, despite wanting to believe otherwise.


    "...Elodie, it''s time to wake up."


    I said.


    There was no need to prove that I was the real me.


    Elodie had unraveled the knot in her heart. She had ovee her trauma.


    Trying to convince her of my authenticity was meaningless now.


    Elodie was okay now.


    "Yes, you''re right."


    Knowing this, Elodie smiled brightly. Her gaze shifted to the empty space where the monster had disappeared.


    A door had formed there.


    "If we go through there, we''ll wake up from the dream."


    I nodded. I also knew that the monster was the escape route for Elodie to wake up.


    That''s why I asked her,


    "Elodie, why did you use a spell like ''Eternal Slumber''? It must have been dangerous."


    Wouldn''t it have been better if she had just waited in the cabin, in a world where no one knew of her existence, so she could receive help when I arrived?


    That''s what I thought, but Elodie shook her head.


    "It would have been more dangerous to stay still in that world," Elodie continued.


    "Osprey''s magic makes it so that after he leaves the world, it bes as if he never existed. That''s why Osprey wasn''t worried about the dangers of this spell. He was already outside the world."


    "Dangers?"


    "Yes. But if someone still within the world gets caught in his magic, the world starts to adjust causality to fit the spell. I exist within the world, but I''m treated as non-existent, so it tries to change things to match that."


    And when magic maniptes causality, it always chooses the smaller, simpler solution.


    Erasing Elodie was easier than making the entire world recognize her existence again.


    "I realized this after being affected by the magic, but a person can slip out of everyone''s perception even with just a one-second deviation."


    "One second?"


    "Yes. Simply put, it''s like my body alone travels back in time."


    Elodie said that at the time the magic was activated, she wasn''t much different from her usual self.


    She wasn''t in the form of a young girl like now, but as a second-year student at Etius. Yet, people didn''t recognize her.


    And as time passed, she visibly became younger, and realizing it wouldn''t stop...


    "The reason the magic is making me younger is to erase me. So, I had to choose the method that conserved the most Mana."


    "...That was ''Eternal Slumber''."


    "From a magical perspective, it minimizes Mana loss and slows down the de-aging process. From a delusional perspective, I was hoping that since I was sleeping alone in a ce with no one around, the world might just leave me be."


    Whether it was truly delusional or not, Elodie''s idea seemed to have worked. There wasn''t much difference between her body right before entering slumber and now.


    "Then, if we leave like this, won''t you start getting younger again?"


    "I think that''ll be okay."


    "Why?"


    "Because you recognized me."


    I blinked at her words.


    Elodie smiled awkwardly.


    "I don''t know if you''re the real you right now, but I can''t escape this magic alone. Someone from the outside has to wake me up. The fact that this door appeared before us is proof that you''re at the cabin in reality. Since there''s someone else in that world who knows me, I should be fine for now."


    "...I see."


    "Of course, there''s the reckless method of using the same magic to enter this dream and escape together, but that''s too dangerous."


    Ahaha, Elodieughed and muttered, "Thinking about it that way, I guess you really are just a figment of my imagination."


    ...Wait a minute.


    "Was there another way besides that method?"

 Chapter 246 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Huh? Every spell has a way to undo it. You just have to perform the magic in reverse. No matter howplex and tightly tangled a knot is, there''s no such thing as a knot that can''t be untied, right? Of course, ''Eternal Slumber'' is a prettyplex knot, but it''s still better than trying to enter the dream together, which is reckless."


    ...That Mei, she did that on purpose. Because it''s difficult to undo the spell, and who knows how long it would take even if she tried.


    Was that the hesitation she showed right before I entered? It seems she was debating whether to tell me that or not. It would be worse to try and fail to undo the spell than not trying at all.


    ''That''s a bit surprising.''


    Mei isn''t human. The time I''ve spent with her is so short that we don''t even have a close friendship.


    So she probably doesn''t understand why she even hesitated. Whether I make a dangerous choice or not is of no concern to Mei, who wasn''t originally human.


    But Mei tried to stop me. Because it was dangerous for me.


    "How did you get caught up in the magic?"


    "Hmm, that''s the problem. I think realizing that Osprey had disappeared from reality was the trigger, but you seem to have realized that too."That''s right. If that''s why Elodie got caught in the magic, then I should have been caught too.


    But Elodie, with a refreshed expression, said, "Well, there''s no point in worrying about it here. Let''s just go!"


    "Right."


    We walked side by side.


    At first, I thought about opening the door, but I decided it was Elodie''s role.


    As Elodie opened the door, a pure white light poured in. I instinctively knew that passing through this door would wake us from the dream.


    I felt a simr sense of tion to what I usually felt right before waking up from sleep.


    "...Let''s go, Frondier."


    Elodie said, taking a step forward, and I followed suit.


    Within the pure white light, with the slowly rising sense of tion, I heard Elodie''s voice.


    "Fron."


    Elodie called me ''Fron''.


    The same nickname she used to call me when we were young.


    So many emotions were packed into that single word that I couldn''t tell how much of each there was.


    "Someday, to the real you, in reality..."


    I couldn''t respond to those words. There was no time.


    "I want to be forgiven."


    That voice faded away, absorbed by the pure white light, and...


    I slowly closed my eyes.


    ***


    I thought I would wake up like that, but...


    [Before you go.]


    I opened my eyes in darkness, a stark contrast to the pure white light.


    [I wanted to meet you. Frondier de Roach.]


    Before me stood a colossal man.


    I was floating in the air, and this man, like a mountain, stood above me, looking down.


    It was an understatement to simply call him big. My entire body, from head to toe, might only be the length of his palm. This giant of a man was observing me, positioned around his chest level.


    [This incident was a bit unexpected.]


    I didn''t know who he was. But I had a slight inkling.


    Me, who was about to wake up from Elodie''s dream. This giant man I encountered in the process.


    "...One of the Five?"


    [Ahaha! As expected. I like how quick on the uptake you are, Frondier.]


    This man was one of the Five Gods.


    The Five Gods who loved Elodie: Indra, Agni, Rudra, Chandra, and Vishnu.


    He must be one of them.


    [You don''t have to rack your brain trying to guess who I am, Frondier.]


    The man said, then bowed deeply towards me.


    Even this simple action from such a massive being exuded an overwhelming presence.


    [I am Rudra. Among the Five, I''m the one who has talked to Elodie the most. Really.]


    ...Rudra. The God of Storms.


    Elodie''s signature spell, ''Storm Poetry'', was heavily imbued with Rudra''s power.


    The fact that she used it so confidently was also due to her close rtionship with Rudra.


    "...I see. Rudra."


    [It''s refreshing to have a human not speak to me formally.]


    "The Gods never spoke formally to anyone."


    [Hahaha! Right, that''s Frondier de Roach for you.]


    It seemed my fame had spread even to the Gods of apletely different world. Beyond Greece and Northern Europe, now India.


    At this point, I was starting to worry if all the Gods knew my name.


    [But Frondier, as smart as you are, why did you do that?]


    "...What do you mean?"


    [I thought you wanted to save this continent. I don''t know how you figured it out, but you realized that the future of this continent isn''t so bright, right? Seeing you struggle so desperately to be stronger, that''s the only way it looks.]


    Rudra tilted his head.


    I, on the other hand, was confused. That desire hadn''t changed even now. I had to save the continent to survive.


    But Rudra''s words made it sound like I had abandoned that desire.


    "I''m still going to save the continent. I''ll drive out the monsters and save humanity."


    [...Hmm. Then I understand even less.]


    Rudra seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.


    [Then why did you erase Elodie''s trauma?]


    "...What?"


    [Elodie became stronger because of it. You should know that best. Even with the help of Gods, our assistance is useless unless Elodie manifests magic and learns skills herself. Elodie''s strength came from that trauma.]


    I quietly observed Rudra''s expression as he spoke.


    ...This guy didn''t have any hostility towards Elodie. Nor did he have any towards me.


    Rudra was genuinely racking his brain, trying to understand my intentions.


    [Even if Elodie had the trauma, it wouldn''t have actually killed or injured her. If she wanted to leave the dream, she would have had to defeat that monster with her own hands. Then, Elodie''s trauma would eventually create the monster again, and she would be even stronger to ovee it.]


    Rudra spoke as if seeking the optimal solution, as if trying to urately read my intentions.


    [To save the continent, Elodie''s trauma was absolutely necessary. It was the strongest force driving her growth. By eliminating her trauma, you also weakened her motivation.]


    Rudra looked at me as he said that.


    [Until now, you''ve consistently made excellent judgments. I''ve been impressed countless times while observing you. To save humanity and to be stronger yourself, you acted recklessly yet boldly, and ultimately gained power. That''s why I''m confused. You''re so wise, yet this one thing ispletely beyond my understanding.]


    Rudra praised my past actions, stating that he had observed me and judged me to be ''wise'', and then asked me:


    Why did you save Elodie?

 Chapter 247 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    [Why did I save Elodie?]


    Before I could answer, there was something I needed to know first.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you love Elodie?¡±


    It was a question I had to ask.


    Why would Rudra, who imed to love Elodie, want to leave her with trauma?


    Rudra nodded at my words.


    [Of course I love her.]


    Rudra said with a gentle smile.


    [I love Elodie¡¯s soaring talent. I love her intense magic and skill, strong enough to potentially surpass even the gods. I would do anything to make her stronger. Even if Elodie truly reaches godhood as a result, I would be satisfied.]¡°Is that an opinion you five all agree on?¡±


    [Well, yes.]


    I closed my eyes for a moment after hearing those words.


    But in the end, I couldn''t help butugh.


    ¡°Keuk, keuheuheu. Huhu.¡±


    [What? Why are youughing?]


    ¡°I see. I understand.¡±


    I always wondered.


    The beings I''ve met so far who call themselves gods always seemed to miss the point of the conversation somehow.


    At first, I thought it was just because of their hostility towards me, but Rudra''s words made me realize something.


    ¡°You guys don''t know humans at all.¡±


    Until now, I considered the gods of Etius to be very simr to humans.


    Their personalities and values were almost identical to humans, just individuals with very strong powers.


    But they are not human. I clearly understood that difference.


    ¡°Whether Elodie bes strong or not is up to Elodie.¡±


    Whether it''s trauma, nightmares, or whatever.


    Elodie is not a girl who needs to use such things.


    [Even if Elodie''s power bes insufficient as a result? If you want to save the continent, you will have to actively utilize her power, right?]


    ¡°What do you think I am?¡±


    It is true that Elodie''s power is essential to save the continent. That is an undeniable fact.


    But Elodie is not the only one I need.


    I also need the power of Aster Evans, the protagonist of this game. I also need the power of Aten, who will save many lives.


    I need the power of Selena by my side. I need the power of countless named characters, and I also need the active help of the Imperial Pce. I need the power of my brother, father, and mother.


    Even so, do I intend to use them all?


    No.


    I can''t do that.


    ¡°I am not an emperor. Let alone a god. You can see that, right?¡±


    One day, this continent will be swallowed up by an overwhelming horde of monsters.


    What I''ve been doing so far is preparing to ovee that.


    But all of that is not for me to treat the people around me like pawns.


    I am not one who stands above others.


    I am not one who chooses the life and death of others.


    ¡°I am nothing.¡±


    [¡­¡­.]


    Rudra took a deep breath and raised his head after hearing my words. His head, which seemed to be thinking about something, eventually tilted.


    [Hmm, I still don''t understand. As you said, I don''t know much about humans. I thought you would be able to handle them well.]


    ¡°I have no intention of doing that. And I''m not happy to hear such words aspliments.¡±


    [Then you''re saying you already have another way to make up for Elodie''sck of power?]


    I grinned at those words.


    ¡°No. Elodie will be strong.¡±


    [Huh?]


    ¡°Elodie will be even stronger in the future than using such trauma.¡±


    That''s what I''m saying, Rudra.


    You don''t know humans at all.


    ¡°I can assure you, Elodie will rewrite the history of the Archmage.¡±


    * * *


    I could barely open my eyes.


    Elodie''s dream, and the encounter with Rudra.


    It had been a long time since I returned to reality.


    ¡°¡­¡­Good. I seem to have returned properly.¡±


    I confirmed that I could see the ceiling of the cabin and raised my body.


    And,


    ¡°¡­¡­What are you doing?¡±


    I saw Elodie staring at somewhere with a tense face.


    ¡°Fr, FrFrFron! You finally woke up?¡±


    Elodie spoke to me while still fixing her gaze somewhere. She still calls me ''Fron''.


    Did I wake up a littleter than Elodie because I met Rudra in the middle? Still, it wouldn''t be much different.


    The conversation with Rudra wasn''t long, and dreams usually flow slower than reality, right?


    ¡°Why are you so flustered?¡±


    ¡°Th, ThThat kid! Do you know them?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    At Elodie¡¯s words, I followed her gaze and turned my head.


    There,


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    There was a young boy, no, a girl? No, looking again, a boy¡­ who looked like a girl, standing there.


    It was a face so androgynous that it was very difficult to judge one way or the other. Let''s call it a girl for now.


    The girl looked at me and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    It was a voice I had never heard before, but the way she spoke, the tone of her voice, and the somewhat dry and emotionless atmosphere felt familiar.


    And considering the context, there was only one possible identity for this girl.


    ¡°¡­¡­Mei?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''m d you both woke up.¡±


    Except for the appearance, Mei spoke in the same way I knew. She shook her head as if her long hair was a little bothersome.


    ¡°Fron, do you know them?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I know them if I know them.¡±


    But I¡¯ve never seen Mei like this before. Long brown hair flowed down, and dark blue eyes like the deep sea blinked.


    Didn¡¯t Mei just copy what she saw? I don''t know anyone who looks like this, so where did she see this person and copy them?


    But even though I''ve never seen this character before, the face is somehow familiar.


    It was strange, and as I looked at Mei for a long time, something came to mind.


    ¡°¡­¡­They look alike.¡±


    Mei''s face right now looks like me.


    And it looks like Elodie.


    To be precise, it resembles the childhood appearances of Frondier and Elodie.


    ¡°Th, That¡¯s right! Fron? It wasn''t just me, right?¡±


    Elodie seemed to understand perfectly what I was muttering and shouted in a fluster.


    Ah, so that''s why Elodie was so scared as soon as I woke up. Well, it''s understandable to be wary if a stranger looks like you.


    ¡°Ah, don''t worry, Elodie. I don''t know why they look like this either, but they''re not dangerous.¡±


    ¡­¡­No, actually, is she dangerous?

 Chapter 247 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡­¡­No, actually, is she dangerous?


    But it''s dangerous for Elodie to do anything right now, so it''s better not to provoke her.


    But Mei''s face is quite amazing and exquisite once you realize it.


    ¡°It''s strange though. It''s like you took my face and Elodie''s face and mixed them exactly in half.¡±


    I never thought Frondier''s face and Elodie''s face were that simr, but looking at Mei like this, it doesn''t feel like they''re that far off.


    But Elodie''s face turned bright red at my words.


    ¡°Fr, Fron. I don''t know who they are, but saying they''re half me and half you is like¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s nothing.¡±Elodie closed her mouth with a face that seemed to have a lot to say. In a way, that''s impressive.


    ¡°¡­¡­Is their name Mei?¡±


    Elodie asked with a face that seemed to have given up on something.


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you name them?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    I couldn''t call them the Cmity of Metamorph, so I took the first letter.


    But Elodie rolled her eyes diligently and, as if it was very difficult to say, she parted her lips with difficulty and asked,


    ¡°¡­¡­Is it by any chance the meaning of ¡®may¡¯?¡± [T/N: Elodie is referring to the calendar month may, which might have special meaning to her, not sure if it was exined earlier.]


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    Come to think of it, Mei also had that meaning. I hadn''t thought of it, but suddenly it had meaning.


    What should I do? I didn''t put any special meaning into it.


    But my worries weren''t long, and I said,


    ¡°Yes, that''s what it means.¡±


    It sounds better than saying I named them Mei because they''re a Metamorph. Elodie gave it a good meaning.


    ¡°¡­¡­Why.¡±


    But Elodie, who had guessed the meaning, lowered her head and trembled.


    ¡°Why, is that the name¡­¡­.¡±


    It was a clich¨¦ expression, but Elodie''s face, which she muttered in a dying voice, was really red, as if it were about to ripen.


    * * *


    I exined Mei to Elodie.


    At first, I thought about hiding some information as I usually did with others, but I soon stopped.


    I gave as detailed an exnation as possible. Where Mei came from, what her identity was, and what abilities she had.


    Normally, I would have worried about the danger of revealing everything, but I decided that I didn''t need to do that with Elodie anymore.


    More than anything, Mei is a being whose identity I still don''t fully understand. I needed the opinion of someone like Elodie who had excellent magical knowledge.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Elodie nodded as if she understood after hearing the exnation.


    At the same time, she looked at Mei as if she didn''t understand and said,


    ¡°But why do they look like this? Didn''t they just copy what they saw?¡±


    ¡°I wonder. I''m curious about that too.¡±


    Why does Mei look like this?


    Mei raised her finger to exin.


    ¡­¡­That gesture of raising her index finger, she resembles Elodie.


    ¡°That''s because you two entered the same dream, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Well, yes.¡±


    ¡°So, I sent Frondier into ¡®Eternal Slumber¡¯ and observed you two sharing the same world. So, I tried to copy the whole thing, and that''s how it turned out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­So, normally you can only see one person at a time, but in that world, since we were together, you could see us both at the same time?¡±


    ¡°It''s not so much that I saw you both at the same time, but from my perspective, you two were already mixed within one world.¡±


    Elodie''s eyes narrowed at those words.


    ¡°Could you please not use the expression ¡®mixed¡¯? It''s a very misleading phrase.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­? I see. Okay.¡±


    Mei didn''t seem to understand Elodie''s words, but she didn''t ask any further. She seemed to have decided to just let it go.


    ¡­¡­That look in her eyes that avoids trouble, she resembles Frondier.


    ¡°But I''m relieved. It''s just that they look like both of us because they simply copied us together.¡±


    Elodie breathed a sigh of relief.


    In my opinion, she seems too deeply relieved, but well, I guess everyone has different feelings.


    ¡°So, from now on, if you meet someone else, you''ll copy that person, right? This appearance is just temporary, right?¡±


    Elodie asked Mei.


    Mei looked at Elodie quietly and then said,


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I won''t be copying appearances anymore.¡±


    Elodie''s mouth fell open at those words. She opened and closed her lips repeatedly as if flustered.


    ¡­¡­In my opinion, she seems too flustered.


    ¡°Why, why, why?¡±


    ¡°Because then I''ll just be something that looks exactly like someone else.¡±


    Mei raised both arms to appeal to herself.


    ¡°But only I look like this right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Mei has been obsessed with finding her own identity ever since she was born.


    Even if she resembles someone somewhat, she has her own unique appearance, and she can''t easily give that up.


    ¡°And it''s bothersome.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I wonder if this is because she resembles my personality.


    Or was Mei''s copying always influenced by personality as well?


    ¡°Ah, no, no, Mei. Would you like to think about it again? You need to learn more, don''t you?¡±


    ¡­¡­Elodie is saying strange things.


    Mei tilted her head and said,


    ¡°I can learn without changing my appearance.¡±


    ¡°No, no! The more perfectly you can copy your appearance, the higher the degree of freedom you have in using your abilities, and only then can you be a true disaster©¤!¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are you talking about!¡±


    What are you going to do by making her a real disaster?


    ¡°Just leave it alone. She likes her own appearance. Having an appearance that''s not the same as others is important to Mei.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­.¡±


    Elodie became dejected at my persuasion and nodded.


    It seems that Elodie is very ufortable with the fact that someone resembles her appearance.


    ¡°So it''s okay. If this child makes a mistake or does something wrong, I''ll stop her. You''re here too.¡±


    Elodie said that and then,


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah, no! This doesn''t have any special meaning! I''m just saying because you and I are here right now!¡±


    She hurriedly shouted as if she had realized something.


    ¡°Hmm? Yes, that''s right.¡±


    She said exactly the right thing, so I have nothing to argue with.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Mei, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke.


    ¡°I want to go there.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°The ce Frondier always goes.¡±


    Mei said, looking at me.


    The ce I always go, of course.


    ¡°Constel?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This time, Elodie turnedpletely pale. Her whole body trembled, and her eyes shook like an earthquake.


    With a face that seemed to have seen more fear than when she faced her own trauma, Elodie shouted,


    ¡°N, No way!!¡±

 Chapter 248 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Forgotten and @Iamdaven from Ko-fi!</i>


    Elodie was strongly opposed, but I also agreed to take Mei to Constel.


    Someday, Mei would have to enter the world. I couldn''t keep her locked up in my workshop forever.


    As long as Mei kept her appearance fixed and didn''t try to change into someone else again, there wouldn''t be any worries about being caught.


    Since Mei''s current appearance is very young, enrolling is obviously impossible, but a one-day visit should be fine.


    Elodie tried to persuade me that Mei shouldn''t go to Constel for all sorts of reasons, but honestly, they weren''t reasonable at all, unlike Elodie, so they were all dismissed.


    "...Fine then."


    Elodie looked at me sullenly with half-open eyes."How are you going to exin that?"


    "That?"


    "That she resembles you and me."


    At that, I looked at Mei. Definitely, she resembled both me and Elodie. Perhaps that''s why Mei''s appearance is so outstanding. It''s so androgynous that it feels unreal.


    I tilted my head and said,


    "...By coincidence?"


    "Rejected!!"


    "Sometimes in life, you meet people who look like you."


    "We''re taking her to Constel, and you think it''s going to pass as a coincidence that she resembles us?"


    Come to think of it, it does seem awkward.


    Hmm, I rested my chin on my hand and thought for a moment.


    Anyway, to take Mei to Constel, we need a proper reason.


    My reputation at Constel isn''t good to begin with, so I need to make some excuse to clear the teachers'' suspicions.


    "...For now, let''s say she''s my rtive."


    "That''s fine. So, let''s say she resembles you, but what about me?"


    "That''s a coincidence."


    "Hey!"


    "Or do you want me to say she''s your rtive? I''m okay with being a coincidental resemnce."


    "That''s not the point!"


    ...Wasn''t it?


    Elodie seemed to dislike that Mei resembled her face.


    Elodie trembled as she stared at me, not understanding. Then, she soon sighed as if giving up on something and slumped her shoulders.


    "...Fine. Whatever happens, I don''t care. Then what about during ss?"


    "It''s okay. There''s someone to be with her."


    "Really?"


    Yes.


    The crow will be there with her.


    "Then the remaining problem is..."


    "Common sense."


    Mei doesn''t know about this world. It''s not that she doesn''t know about the world, but rather that she doesn''t know much about people and society.


    "We need to teach her about that too."


    "Right."


    After hearing Elodie''s agreement, I looked at her. Mei was also looking at Elodie.


    Mei bowed her head.


    "Please take good care of me."


    "Sure... Huh?!"


    Elodie, who was absentmindedly answering, raised her head in surprise.


    "Me, me?"


    "Yes. I have to go back to Constel starting tomorrow."


    "I have to go too, right?"


    "You can''t go yet. Osprey hasn''t returned."


    Ah, Elodie let out a short sound. It seems she had forgotten for a moment.


    Elodie is still lost in this world. Only Mei and I can see her right now.


    "I don''t know how long it will take for Osprey to return, but there''s nothing we can do right now. It was a big deal just to wake you up."


    I knew the power of this magic from Elodie''s disappearance.


    And since even Elodie, who is attempting the Four-Element Combination, couldn''t undo the magic and went into hibernation herself, it''s best if I don''t even dream of trying to do anything about this magic.


    "Hmm, that''s true, but..."


    Elodie looked at Mei with an uneasy face.


    "I''m not good with kids. I always made them cry."


    "Mei is smart, so it''ll be okay."


    It''s not just that she''s smart.


    In fact, there''s not much that Elodie needs to teach. Greeting people, buying things, using vending machines - all these actions will be perfectly learned once shown.


    What I''m worried about right now is actually Elodie, not Mei.


    ''If Mei can always see Elodie, then Elodie won''t disappear again.''


    Of course, I''m always aware of Elodie''s existence, but since I haven''t fully grasped this magic, no matter how much I prepare, it won''t be enough.


    If there''s a proper reason to teach Meimon sense, then Elodie won''t be so lonely either.


    "...Okay. It''s just as well. Since others can''t see me, it''ll be easier to teach Mei."


    Since Mei will appear to be alone to others, we can make various arrangements. That''s Elodie-like thinking.


    I looked outside.


    In the reality we returned to after waking Elodie from her sleep, the sun had long since disappeared beyond the horizon. The dark night was faintly illuminated by moonlight.


    There are no light sources like street lights around here, so thentern illuminating the cabin is the only light.


    I got up from my seat.


    "Then I''ll get going. It''ste."


    "Y-You''re leaving?"


    "There''s a bed on the first floor. Sleep there. Mei... can sleep on her own, right?"


    Mei nodded.


    I spoke to Elodie again.


    "I''lle here every day after ss from now on. At least until Osprey returns."


    "...Do you know when he''ll return? It might take years, no, decades?"


    Elodie asked, looking at me with a dissatisfied face.


    I tilted my head.


    "That''s possible."


    "...Huh?"


    "Well then, good night, Elodie. Mei."


    With those words, I went up from the basement and left the cabin.


    Since I had already set up a portal toe here in advance, it wasn''t difficult.


    "Originally, it was a portal I set up to have a workshop next to the cabin."


    The cabin had somehow be a ce to meet Elodie and Mei.


    * * *


    "...He should have finished what he was saying."


    Elodie muttered with a dissatisfied face.


    It might take decades.


    The answer to that was ''That''s possible''.


    "What? Does that mean he''lle here every day after ss for that long? After graduating from Constel, there''s no such thing as after ss. Idiot."


    Elodie grumbled without even knowing why she was grumbling.


    Then, a long timeter, she quietly looked at Mei next to her.


    "...I couldn''t ask after all."


    Elodie muttered.


    Mei currently has a mixed appearance of Elodie and Frondier.


    Because she observed Elodie and Frondier together in the dream.


    In other words, Frondier entered Elodie''s Eternal Slumber. To save Elodie.


    The Frondier in front of Elodie''s eyes wasn''t a fake created by a dream. It was really Frondier.


    Mei is proof of that.


    That''s why Elodie wanted to ask.


    ''...Did he really forgive me?''


    Frondier is smart. He would have known exactly what method to use to save her, who was trapped in trauma.


    So, did Frondier say something he didn''t mean?


    Did he just throw out words that Elodie wanted to hear to get out of the dream?


    In fact, Frondier might still resents and loath Elodie, but he''s just hiding it.


    "..."


    Naturally, Mei just looked at Elodie with innocent eyes at her muttering.


    Elodie chuckled and shook her head.


    "No, Mei. I wasn''t talking to you,"


    "Do you think the Frondier in the dream lied?"


    "?!"


    Elodie raised her head in surprise. There were a lot of surprising things today.


    "How, how did you?"


    "I said I observed the dream."


    "I, I know that, but how did youe to that conclusion from what I just said?"


    Elodie just said she couldn''t ask.


    Mei said,


    "I thought that''s what you would be worried about."


    "..."


    The current Mei seems to be imitating some of Frondier and Elodie''s habits. Did shee to understand Frondier and Elodie better while imitating them?


    "Don''t worry too much."


    "...It''s a bit pathetic to beforted by a child."


    "Frondier risked his life to save you."


    "......!"


    Mei spoke with pure eyes, as if saying something obvious.


    "There''s no way Frondier would hate Elodie."


    When she said that, somehow, she resembled Frondier again.


    "...Yeah."


    Elodie had somehow brought her knees together and buried her face in them.


    "Right?"


    The voice muttering softly trembled like a leaf, and the smile that bloomed was red.

 Chapter 248 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I don''t know when Osprey will return.


    Until then, I decided to interfere as little as possible in this world.


    Elodie and I have already broken all the rules set out in the letter that Osprey gave to the current Principal, Jane.


    I told Elodie that she was forgotten by everyone due to the influence of the magic, and Elodie epted it, but...


    That''s not all there is to it.


    ''...If I say this, other people will think I''m crazy, but...''


    Elodie has too many gods.


    From my experience living in this world so far, having a god by your side doesn''t always mean good things. In fact, it''s often the opposite.


    The best example is Edwin, who was mentally manipted by his god, Hephaestus. This ultimately led to a great sense of guilt for Edwin, and he no longer believes in gods.''There''s a possibility that Elodie being caught in Osprey''s magic was the work of a god.''


    It doesn''t have to be Rudra. Elodie has five gods.


    From my conversation with Rudra, gods have apletely different perspective from humans. The way they care for and love humans may be fundamentally different from what humans think.


    ''They say that the owners of a human''s divine power are proof that they love that human, but...''


    Love isn''t always good. Even the love of a god.


    It wouldn''t be strange for one of the five gods to have a misguided love. From my point of view, Rudra is strange enough as it is.


    Anyway, having a god doesn''t necessarily bring good results for humans.


    As proof of that,


    "Ugh!"


    Even now, Pielott is rolling on the ground in front of me because his god, Hypnos, was caught trying to steal my things.


    The rumor that Pielott, the most promising freshman of the year, is being bullied by the worst sophomore is still rife at Constel.


    That rumor will never die down.


    Because it''s a clear and undeniable fact.


    "...Hmm."


    Pielott is tested by me once a month.


    It''s not so much a test as a bet on whether I''ll turn a blind eye to his criminal acts or not, which, from Pielott''s perspective, is a gamble on his future life.


    If he touches my body within 5 minutes, Pielott wins, but...


    "Kugh!"


    Looking at Pielott rolling on the ground after being hit by my Instantaneous Weaving once again, I feel a little bit sorry for him.


    ''...What should I do.''


    I pondered for a bit.


    Honestly, I have no intention of reporting Pielott. Whether I win or lose. This test has already gone beyond that point. It was like that from the beginning, and Pielott probably knows it too.


    Therefore, I need to readjust my state to match Pielott''s current level.


    If I continue like this, it will really be nothing more than bullying.


    ''Thebination of Obsidian and Instantaneous Weaving that I have works even on demons.''


    Of course, the demons summoned by that Mizonaus guy were just numerous, not particrly strong. That would have been the limit with the gate forcibly opened using the Dragon Heart.


    However, considering the characteristic of demons being able to use Aura as easily as breathing, it''s clear that they have a significant head startpared to humans.


    Pielott, who has a natural aptitude for Aura, has already mastered it before even acquiring proper swordsmanship. The title of the most promising freshmanes from that aptitude.


    In other words, Pielott''s talent starts at almost the same level as most demons. That alone is a tremendous talent.


    ''So, I did various experiments back then...''


    Knowing that, I tried various experiments while I had the time to deal with the demons.


    What''s the difference between Obsidian''s weaving and Menosorpo''s weaving, can I handle them with Obsidian alone, how much can demons withstand the weapons of the gods, and how much of a gap is there between them and Constel freshmen.


    ...The fact I found out through those various experiments is that thebination of Obsidian and Instantaneous Weaving alone makes the opponent feel extremely difficult.


    So difficult that there were countless cases of them dying while trying to cope. It means it''s difficult enough to die.


    ''It was natural for the freshmen to have a hard time passing my test back then. I was wrong.''


    From that perspective, Pielott is currently facing an opponent who ispletely out of his league.


    It''s not that I''m strong, but rather that thebination I''m using now is excessively difficult. It was abination that could handle dozens of demons attacking at once.


    ''But if I lower my skill level, Pielott''s bad habits wille out again...''


    The reason I''m continuing this bullying-like match is that I can''t see into Pielott''s heart.


    Is Pielott ready to grow now? Will he return to his arrogant self like before? Will he forget again that the basics are just as important as Aura?


    "I, I''m still far from it!"


    "There''s still time left."


    I spoke coldly in response to Pielott''s cry. I quietly observe Pielott as he charges at me with gritted teeth.


    ...He doesn''t rush in recklessly like before. He''s fully thinking and preparing. It''s also because he''s gotten used to my attacks, but his response has be faster, and he doesn''t easily show any openings.


    ''Is this enough?''


    Thwack!


    "Ugh!"


    Even if he gets hit somewhere, he doesn''t panic or lose his bnce. The option of getting hit was clearly imprinted in his mind.


    However, there''s something, a certain frustration that''s different from the Pielott I''ve seen so far. It doesn''t feel like he''s giving it his all.


    This is something I can''t easily overlook.


    Did Pielott notice that I wouldn''t report him and is now fighting half-heartedly? My attitude towards Pielott bes increasingly cold because of that suspicion.


    ...But as time passes, and I realize that Pielott''s serious attitude isn''t an act, I be even more puzzled. Is there another reason why he''s not giving it his all?


    "Pielott."


    In the end, I decided to ask directly.


    "Why aren''t you giving it your all?"


    "Th-That''s not true!"


    Pielott eximed in surprise. But from what I see, he''s definitely not giving it his all.


    "I''m not ming you. Of course, I was thinking of doing so at first, but it seems like there''s some reason I don''t know."


    "Th-That''s..."


    "If this continues, your pride as a warrior will be hurt before you''re even reported for a crime."


    At my words, Pielott bit his lip tightly.


    After a deep sigh, Pielott said,


    "...Do you remember the freshman skill test?"


    "Of course I do."


    "Back then, I ignored the strategy that Dier came up with and tried to attack you, senior."


    At that time, Pielott had two choices: attack me or attack the key.


    By choosing this binary option first, he could have gained an advantage over me, but Pielott was only looking at me,pletely ignoring the key.


    "At that time, because of my stubbornness, I ruined the strategy. It was a strategy that Dier was certain would guarantee our team''s victory."


    "...Guarantee victory?"


    That''s surprising. Just because you present the binary option first doesn''t mean you''ll definitely win.


    "How could you guarantee victory? In that situation?"


    At my question, Pielott hesitated and then said,


    "...I can separate Aura and the actual sword and attack different targets simultaneously."


    "......!"


    I looked at Pielott in surprise at those words.


    "...Back then, you could have struck me and the key at the same time?"


    "Yes."


    That''s definitely a 100% winning strategy. Especially since I didn''t know he had such a skill.


    But then...


    "Then you could use that skill even now when fighting me, so why aren''t you doing that?"


    If Pielott can attack simultaneously in two different trajectories, it wouldn''t be easy for even me to handle.


    As expected of Pielott, whose talent in Aura is different from others, he can even use such a high-level skill.


    However, Pielott hesitated and then turned his eyes to the side as if embarrassed.


    "Th-That skill has a fatal w."


    "What is it?"


    "...Well, how should I put it..."


    Pielott pursed his lips, which didn''t suit him at all, and then mumbled in a voice that was barely audible,


    "...I have to sheathe the sword."


    "...Huh?"


    "In other words, it''s ''Iaijutsu''." [T/N: A quick-draw sword technique]


    Sheathe the sword.


    That means, before using the skill, he has to perform a dangerous action of sheathing the sword, which is neither offensive nor defensive.


    ''Iaijutsu'', while its image is cool, realistically speaking...


    "...Why?"


    Is the question that inevitablyes up.


    Pielott''s face turned red, and he muttered in a voice that trailed off,


    "...When I was young, I thought drawing the sword looked cool."


    "Cool?"


    "I practiced it so much that I can only do it that way now."


    "..."


    I was about to say something, but in the end, I just closed my mouth.


    The worries of Constel''s most promising freshman were indeed extraordinary.

 Chapter 249 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Laijutsu.</i>


    Most people understand thismon knowledge, but the act of drawing a sword is originally suited for assassination or surprise attacks.


    It''s about taking advantage of the opponent''s carelessness and psychological gap created by the sword being sheathed, and cutting them down at the same moment the sword is drawn.


    Drawing a sword doesn''t make you faster or stronger. In most cases, it makes you weaker.


    Swordsmanship that utilizes drawing is a technique that acknowledges the inherent weakness of drawingpared to simply swinging a sword, and aims to minimize that gap. It''s unreasonable to expect it to be more powerful than fighting with a sword already drawn.


    ¡®I thought the perception of drawing a sword being cool was only prevalent in the world I came from.¡¯


    To think there''s someone obsessed with drawing swords here too... I guess human emotions are simr everywhere.


    ¡®So that''s how Dier figured it out. Because he didn''t sheathe his sword.¡¯


    During the proficiency test, Dier knew Pielott would ruin the n. Even if he predicted it beforehand, it would have been difficult to be certain, but it turns out there was this secret hidden within.Anyway, there''s only one thing I can say to Pielott right now.


    ¡°Then show me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    ¡°You can use simultaneous attacks with your swordsmanship, right? I won''t interfere, so show me.¡±


    Going through the steps of drawing a sword in the middle of a fight is overly dangerous. Pielott knows this, so he didn''t use it during our sparring.


    However, the ability to simultaneously unleash sword strikes with different trajectories is a huge advantage. It''s a shame not to be able to use it for this reason.


    ¡°Ah, I understand.¡±


    Pielott took a light breath and stepped back.


    He slowly sheathed his sword, lowered his stance, and pulled his shoulders back.


    ¡­Honestly, it is cool. The entire motion of sheathing the sword is clean, and it''s not a posture he''s only done once or twice.


    His toes lightly tensed, and the aura that gradually rose up wrapped around Pielott and seeped between the scabbard and the de. At that moment,


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The de that Pielott drew upwards from below, and the vertical aura that struck downwards from above in the exact opposite direction. The two met and crossed in midair, splitting the air.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The moment I saw it, I envisioned it in my head. Could I have dealt with that attack if I hadn''t known about it?


    ¡®¡­No, the timing is in my favor when he sheathes the sword, so it''s a meaningless assumption.¡¯


    But if I somehow offset that timing and Pielott managed to unleash that technique on me, his sword might have reached me, as I wouldn''t have expected the different trajectory.


    I can''t guarantee that Obsidian''s reaction would be faster than that.


    ¡°H-how was it?¡±


    I nodded at Pielott, who was looking at me with an anxious face.


    ¡°It''s a good technique.¡±


    ¡°R-right?!¡±


    ¡°If you didn''t need to draw your sword, that is.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­.¡±


    Pielott''s face became downcast.


    I smiled inwardly, a mixture of amusement and pity.


    ¡®Pielott used to be spoiled.¡¯


    The tendency to overestimate himself, the belief that his surroundings would support him. When I first met Pielott, he had a certain childishness.


    Simply put, it''s the expectation that the world will subtly conform to his liking.


    This tendency is theplete opposite of Dier. Dier is more self-deprecating than he appears.


    Both have a desire to improve, but Dier, who always assumes the worst in actualbat, is more stable. That''s why Elodie and I rate Dier higher than Pielott.


    ¡®But if you think about it, that childishness led to the creation of this technique, so it''s not just something to criticize.¡¯


    There are still many areas for improvement, but the technique itself is excellent. The concept of the technique is simple, so there are many ways to apply it.


    The process of sheathing the sword has probably be a ¡®routine¡¯ for Pielott by now. It''s solidified as an action he must do first in order to use that technique.


    The fact that a routine is needed itself suggests the difficulty of the technique.


    ¡®To achieve this level of results just because it looked cool... Dier would have despaired if he saw this.¡¯


    This pure talent alone would be one of the best in the entire Constel.


    ¡°Can''t you use that technique with your sword drawn?¡±


    ¡°No¡­. It feels like the act of sheathing the sword has be the beginning of the technique.¡±


    Hmm. As expected, a routine has been established. The act of sheathing the sword is a serious drawback.


    But at the same time, there was something strange.


    Several of the usual drawbacks of drawing a sword were not present.


    ¡°First, I have a few questions.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°Are the sword and scabbard alright?¡±


    Drawing a sword is a technique that begins with pulling the de out of the scabbard.


    Naturally, the de and scabbard generate enormous friction. So usually, either the de or the scabbard is easily damaged.


    ¡°Ah, they''re fine.¡±


    Pielott held up his sword.


    ¡°When I sheathe the sword, I protect the de and scabbard with aura, so both are fine.¡±


    ¡°Including that, the act of sheathing is the beginning of the technique.¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    ¡°Then why isn''t the speed reduced?¡±


    To draw a sword, you have to wear the scabbard at your waist. This means the trajectory of the draw must be an upward sh from below. Naturally, itcks the speed and power of a downward sh.


    But just now, the downward strike with the aura and the upward sh with the de intersected exactly in the center. The power also seemed almost identical.


    ¡°That''s¡­ I don''t know.¡±


    ¡°You don''t know?¡±


    ¡°At first, the timing wasn''t right, but somehow it became like this as I practiced.¡±


    I tilted my head at Pielott''s words.


    ¡®¡­Could it be that the aura stored when the sword is sheathed is helping with eleration?¡¯


    Pielott wanted to make drawing a sword a technique for head-on confrontation, not a surprise attack. It started from the simple reason of ¡®looking cool¡¯, but Pielott isn''t stupid.


    He must have already noticed or known from the beginning the drawbacks that arise in the process of practicing the technique.


    Did the purity of the technique increase in the process of improving it? Did it transform into a technique that absolutely requires a scabbard?


    ¡®He started with the desire to catch two rabbits, but he missed one and identally caught a sparrow as well.¡¯


    After thinking it over, I said,


    ¡°Let''s develop that technique. I think it''s worth trying.¡±


    ¡°I-I thought so too, so I practiced without the scabbard, but I couldn''t¡­¡±


    ¡°No. Let''s perfect it as a drawing technique.¡±


    Pielott''s mouth dropped open at my words.


    I continued,


    ¡°From what I see, the scabbard is significant in your technique. Even if the act of sheathing the sword is unnecessary, it''s worth doing.¡±


    The effect of the aura generated within the scabbard, which even Pielott himself is probably unaware of.


    If that can truly produce power exceeding a normal downward strike, I have no reason to stop it.


    Pielott, who heard my words, blinked and then furrowed his brows as if he didn''t understand.


    ¡°¡­I-is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Isn''t that what you want?¡±


    ¡°T-that''s right, but¡­.¡±


    Pielott''s voice grew quieter, his eyes looking elsewhere, and he said,


    ¡°¡­Everyone told me never to do this¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°They said everything else was fine, but to give up on this¡­¡±


    I listened to those words and stayed silent, thinking for a moment about what that meant.


    ¡°¡­Pfft.¡±


    I burst outughing.


    ¡°Pfft, pffft, hahaha.¡±

 Chapter 249 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°D-don''tugh!¡±


    ¡°Haha, so that technique is the first andst one you''ve ever been rejected for?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±


    Pielott, who had only ever received praise and adoration from everyone around him.


    The only thing he had ever been denied in terms of swordsmanship was the ¡®drawing technique¡¯ he just showed. So, from Pielott''s perspective, it must have felt like a technique he should never use.


    ¡°¡­Haah, you''re strange, senior.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°You''re strict about everything I''ve been praised for, but you''re telling me to try this technique.¡±


    ¡°Because it looks useful.¡±¡°¡­You''re saying the same thing as Dier.¡±


    He must be talking about the proficiency test.


    Of course, Dier would have said that. At the time, the drawing technique Pielott possessed was the perfect skill to pass the test.


    ¡°But how can we make this useful? Can I sheathe my sword duringbat?¡±


    Pielott said worriedly.


    That''s right. Even if putting it back in the scabbard has actual significance, it doesn''t offset the fatal w it inherently possesses.


    But I had a slightly different thought.


    ¡°Well, how about reversing the idea entirely?¡±


    ¡°Reversing?¡±


    ¡°If it''s difficult to sheathe the sword duringbat, then from the very beginning¡ª¡±


    Just as I was about to exin to Pielott,


    <i>Rumble¡ª</i>


    It was as if I heard such a sound.


    However, it was a misconception, and it was the heavy pressure of a massive magical presence.


    I immediately identified its location.


    ©¤©¤The moment I confirmed that the Headmaster''s office was in that direction, I grinned.


    ¡°W-what was that just now?¡±


    I asked Pielott, who was also tense after feeling the same thing.


    ¡°Pielott, about that proficiency test.¡±


    ¡°P-proficiency test, yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to remember who you met in the final test?¡±


    ¡°Of course. How could I forget? The one person guarding the 5th stage. The one you''re guaranteed to meet if you reach the 5th stage, Aster Evan¡­¡±


    Pielott spoke as if it were obvious, but then,


    ¡°¡­W-what.¡±


    He muttered, his expression changing instantly.


    I smiled at that and asked again,


    ¡°Was it Aster Evans?¡±


    ¡°No. No, the person I metst was¡­¡±


    Pielott looked at me with a frozen voice and an expression as if he had tasted fear on his tongue and spat it out.


    Of course, I knew the reason, so I could look at him with a smile.


    ¡°¡­Senior Elodie.¡±


    Pielott wouldn''t know how long I had waited for that simple, short answer.


    ¡°Senior Elodie, why, until now, uh¡­?¡±


    It seems Pielott is feeling confused. It''s only natural. Someone he didn''t even know existed until just now suddenly appeared in his memory.


    ¡°It''s okay. It''s fine now that you remember.¡±


    ¡°Did you know, senior? From the beginning?¡±


    My answer to that question was predetermined.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Lying was familiar.


    * * *


    Osprey returned.


    As soon as I confirmed that, the ce I headed to was naturally the Headmaster''s office.


    Actually, I was supposed to help Dier with his training after Pielott, but I exined the situation and postponed it.


    ¡°Hopefully, I won''t have to fight a teacher again because something went wrong.¡±


    I sighed in front of the Headmaster''s office. I don''t want to go through that experience again.


    After taking a deep breath, I knocked.


    ¡°It''s Frondier. Can Ie in?¡±


    I expected to hear Osprey''s voice, but there was no response.


    At that moment, my tension reached its peak.


    ¡°I can''t waste any more time.¡±


    I grabbed the doorknob of the Headmaster''s office and roughly opened the door.


    I was prepared for the door to be locked, but it opened surprisingly easily.


    ¡°Headmaster! Are you alri¡ª¡±


    Inside the Headmaster''s office I entered,


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Teacher Jane was bowing repeatedly to Osprey.


    ¡°I-I, to dare take the position of Headmaster, I truly have no words¡­!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. As expected, the one who became Headmaster was you, Jane. I knew it would be you.¡±


    Osprey was smiling good-naturedly, and Jane was flustered in front of him.


    ¡®¡­Ah, I see.¡¯


    Jane had no doubt that she was the original Headmaster.


    The moment Osprey returned, she must have realized what she had been doing all this time.


    ¡°¡­Ha, Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Jane and Osprey soon noticed me.


    I bowed my head.


    ¡°¡­You''re back, Headmaster.¡±


    ¡°Student Frondier.¡±


    Osprey stiffened his expression at my greeting and approached me.


    And then,


    ¡°I''ve caused you a great deal of trouble. I''m truly sorry.¡±


    He deeply bowed his head.


    The sight of Osprey lowering his head in apology was beyond unfamiliar; it was something I had never seen before.


    Teacher Jane, who was standing next to him, also gaped in surprise.


    ¡°I didn''t think someone would be put in danger by the magic I created. I told you to be careful of you and Miss Elodie, but I didn''t expect such a serious situation to ur. I thought the possibility of being caught up in the magic was very slim, but I should have prepared for it.¡±


    Osprey apologized to me with a sincere voice.


    For Osprey, who had ascended to the position of Headmaster and Zodiac, to bow his head and apologize to a Constel student like me was no ordinary matter.


    ¡­However, even so.


    ¡°If you truly want to apologize,¡±


    I wasn''t ready to ept that apology honestly yet.


    ¡°Please apologize to Elodie.¡±


    ¡°F-Frondier.¡±


    Jane, who was next to me, looked at me. But I couldn''t just ept Osprey''s apology with a good heart. I''m not that broad-minded.


    ¡°Elodie was truly in danger. She made a very dangerous choice to protect herself from your magic.¡±


    The pitiful image of young Elodie still lingered in my mind.


    As a result of Osprey''s magic, it''s true that I realized Elodie''s long-standing pain and struggled to resolve it, but the fact that Elodie almostpletely disappeared doesn''t change.


    ¡°If I had been even a littlete and Elodie had vanished from the world,¡±


    I said, looking directly into Osprey''s eyes.


    ¡°Your next enemy would have been me.¡±


    I had made this deration before, to Hagley, who was in charge of Manggot''s core.


    If there''s an enemy threatening Elodie, that enemy is mine. Her power is needed to save the world, and even if it weren''t, I can''t let Elodie die.


    ¡°From your perspective, Headmaster, even if I became your enemy, it might not seem like a big deal, but,¡±


    ¡°F-Frondier. Frondier. That''s not it.¡±


    Jane interrupted me.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°N-no. Rather than saying it''s not it, it''s more like¡­ there''s no need for that, or you don''t have to go that far¡­?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I tilted my head, looking at Jane, who was muttering with overly ambiguous words.


    While Jane was rolling her eyes around as if searching for a ce to look,


    ¡°¡­Sorry.¡±


    Two people suddenly popped out of the wall, where there should have been nothing.


    ¡°We were hiding.¡±


    It was Elodie. Mei was next to her.


    Elodie emerged from the empty wall, removing a curtain-like barrier. Her face was bright red.


    ¡®¡­That''s, that¡¯s it.¡¯


    The magic that Jane cast on Elodie to hide her appearance when I came herest time.


    I had been subjected to the same thing in the same ce, in reverse. How could I be so stupid?


    ¡°Hahaha, Student Frondier. I already apologized to Miss Elodie. And I received her forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    At Osprey''s nonchnt words, I realized what I had been saying until just now.


    ¡°But you have a point. It was you who saved Elodie, so it''s only right to apologize to her in front of you. I apologize once again, I''m sorry, Miss Elodie. I put you in danger. I promise to pay for that sin for the rest of my life. Even though I don''t have much life left. Hahaha.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No. Your words alone are an honor.¡±


    Elodie muttered, her face still red.


    Osprey then looked at me and said,


    ¡°How about it? Will you not be my enemy now? Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m sorry.¡±


    I covered my eyes with my hand. My vision felt dark. Both my heart and my actual vision. Like Elodie, I felt the heat in my face.


    I tasted shame after a long time.

 Chapter 250 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Hua Yang and @Thomas from Ko-fi!</i>


    We gathered around and settled into chairs, ready for a proper conversation.


    ¡°...So, Headmaster, about what happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Osprey cut me off.


    ¡°I apologize, but I cannot discuss that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°It''s not something a student should hear. I''m sorry.¡±Osprey smiled apologetically, his expression leaving no room for argument.


    I sighed.


    ¡®Alright, we have plenty of time to investigate.¡¯


    If all else fails, I could always use Analyze. Though I''m unsure how effective it would be on Osprey.


    ¡°...Then, why are Elodie and Mei here?¡±


    I changed the subject.


    ¡°Ah, that''s¡ª¡±


    Jane took over the exnation.


    Apparently, Elodie had arrived quite early,ing here with Mei even before Osprey''s return.


    Jane, despite being affected by Osprey''s magic, still had some grasp of the situation. So even without her memories of Elodie, she could still be of help.


    ¡°So, what were you discussing?¡±


    ¡°About Mei.¡±


    Elodie pointed to Mei, who was sitting next to her.


    ¡°After hearing she wanted to visit Constel, I thought for a bit¡­¡±


    As Elodie spoke, Osprey observed Mei with a curious gaze.


    Could someone of Osprey''s caliber see through Mei''s true nature at a nce? Even if not, would he at least notice she wasn''t human?


    ¡°Since things turned out this way, I thought it might be better to help her adapt to human society.¡±


    ¡°Mei?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''s a shame for her to keep living in that cabin.¡±


    Elodie naturally stroked Mei''s hair. Mei remained still, her expression giving no hint of whether she liked it or not. Well, considering she wasn''t resisting, it probably wasn''t unpleasant.


    ¡®A shame, huh.¡¯


    While I didn''t disagree with the sentiment, it did pique my curiosity.


    Elodie first encountered Mei in her current form, as a young child.


    I wondered what she would think if she knew Mei''s initial appearance had been that of a liquid monster.


    ¡­No, Elodie wouldn''t judge someone based on appearances or preconceptions. Regardless of Mei''s form, Elodie would have felt sympathy andpassion for her situation.


    That''s how she is.


    ¡°But obviously, our house is out of the question, and the same goes for Fron''s. I thought the Constel dorms would be the most suitable option. But then, the problem bes the roommate situation¡­¡±


    As Elodie pondered aloud, lost in thought, Jane blinked and looked between Elodie and me before asking,


    ¡°Um, Elodie?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°By Fron, do you mean Frondier?¡±


    Elodie blinked, confused by the question, before her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her shoulders shot up as she practically levitated from her seat.


    ¡°D-Did I say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did just now. You said Fron.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ahaha! I misspoke! It''s difficult to say Frondier''s entire name! Haha, I guess I just blurted out a word I''ve never said before, ahahaha!¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so? I thought it was a nickname?¡±


    ¡°A nickname? Why would I call Frondier by a nickname!¡±


    Elodie''s denial was emphatic.


    ¡­There''s no ce for me in this conversation. I''ll just stay quiet.


    ¡°A-Anyway! I think the dorms are the best option! As long as it''s okay for her to have a single room!¡±


    Elodie forcefully steered the conversation back on track.


    Osprey shook his head.


    ¡°That wouldn''t do, Elodie.¡±


    ¡°H-Headmaster.¡±


    ¡°Constel''s rules are not meant to be bent ording to individual circumstances. And more importantly,¡±


    Osprey looked at Mei.


    ¡°Having such a young child stay in a room alone would raise even more suspicion.¡±


    ¡°...T-That''s true¡­¡±


    Elodie deted. Meanwhile, I pondered the situation.


    ...As Elodie said, it wouldn''t be ideal for Mei to remain in the cabin indefinitely. Putting aside the issue of pity, my initial intention was to expose Mei to various learning experiences.


    The devil Satan had expressed great concern about me being with Mei, but so far, there haven''t been any signs of change or anything unusual due to ourpanionship.


    We''ve conducted numerous tests together, such as having Mei assume my appearance and experiment with various skills, engaging in light sparring, and even using all my Mana to analyze her. However, we haven''t discovered anything significant.


    Therefore, my next step is to observe how Mei changes as she sees, hears, and learns more about the world. In that sense, Elodie and I were on the same page.


    ¡°If you want to leave her at the dorms, how about you move out of the mansion and live in the dorms too, Elodie? You could be Mei''s roommate. It seems perfect.¡±


    Elodie sighed at Jane''s suggestion.


    ¡°...I would love to, but, my brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Your brother? Revet?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He absolutely forbids me from living in the dorms.¡±


    Revet de Rishae. Elodie''s brother, Revet, is renowned for his extreme love for his sister.


    Far from being jealous of his sister''s exceptional talent, he actively promotes and praises her.


    While it''s endearingpared to harboring animosity towards Elodie, his overprotectiveness surpasses even the typical parent-child rtionship.


    ¡°Is he that opposed to it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He even resorts to threats.¡±


    ¡°...I doubt threats would work on Elodie...? Does he say things like he''ll kill you?¡±


    ¡°No. He threatens to kill himself.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Surprisingly, this threat is incredibly effective.


    Because Revet seems like he would actually do it.


    ¡°There are two things my brother hates. One is me being away from him. And the other is,¡±


    Elodie nced at me apologetically as she spoke.


    I answered for her.


    ¡°Me being near Elodie.¡±


    ¡°...The dorms fulfill both of those conditions.¡±


    That''s the problem.


    Hmm. As I contemted the situation, Elodie and Jane''s gazesnded on me.


    ¡°...What about Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Dorm life. You also travel back and forth from the mansion. The distance must be considerable.¡±


    It certainly is. I have a car and a chauffeur who takes care of the driving, so it''s not overly tiring, but...


    ¡°How about taking this opportunity to move into the dorms?¡±


    ¡°Ah, just like Elodie, I¡­¡±


    I was about to say it wouldn''t be possible, but¡­


    ¡®...Wait a minute.¡¯


    On second thought, there might not be a reason why I couldn''t.


    Originally, Enfer had strictly forbidden the previous Frondier from venturing anywhere outside of Constel.


    Dorm life was also prohibited. Enfer feared that the alreadyzy Frondier would bepletely unmanageable.


    Whether it was love or something else, Enfer''s overprotectiveness was immense.


    But now¡­


    Would Enfer still think the same way about me?


    ¡°...I''ll ask.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that''s one potential solution then.¡±


    ¡°It''s not certain yet.¡±


    ¡°Still.¡±


    Jane smiled brightly. Elodie, on the other hand, looked at me with slight surprise.


    ¡°You, you''re considering living in the dorms?¡±


    ¡°It''s not impossible.¡±


    ¡°Do you even know how to do housework like cooking and cleaning? If Mei is your roommate, you''ll have to do it all yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well, I''ll manage.¡±


    It''s the previous Frondier who wouldn''t know how, not me. I can simply live like I''m in a studio apartment.


    ¡°Then the remaining issue is¡­¡±


    Osprey spoke up.


    ¡°That child''s appearance.¡±


    ...His words came out of left field.


    ¡°Appearance?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Anyone can see it.¡±


    I looked at Mei.


    She''s adorable. Yes, with a mix of Frondier and Elodie''s features.


    ¡°Anyone would think she''s your child.¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    At his words, I looked up at Elodie.


    She was ring at me with a sulky expression. After a moment of thought, I said,


    ¡°Ah, they might think that, huh?¡±


    ¡°Everyone will think that!!¡±

 Chapter 250 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Since I needed to get permission from the mansion first, the discussion about Mei''s living arrangements was postponed.


    There''s no point in considering other options before my dorm situation is settled.


    Around the time the conversation reached a natural conclusion, Elodie and I stood up.


    ¡°Then we''ll be on our way.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions on your return, Headmaster.¡±


    We each offered our farewells and left the headmaster''s office.


    I couldn''t help but feel bothered by the conversation about Mei.


    Hmm, and moreover, with Elodie, Mei, and me walking side by side like this, it truly did look like¡­


    ¡°Fron, you''re not having any strange thoughts, are you?¡±¡°...Calling me Fron again, I see.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever. Just here.¡±


    Elodie replied, sounding both coy and grumpy.


    I looked at her and asked,


    ¡°What are you going to do now? Everyone must be quite confused.¡±


    ¡°First, I need to go home. Just thinking about calming my brother down is already giving me a headache.¡±


    Elodie sighed and muttered to herself.


    Revet was probably already crying, overwhelmed with guilt for forgetting Elodie. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say he was in despair.


    ¡°Then Mei will have to go back to the cabin for now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Mei. It might be a bit lonely, but I''ll be back soon, okay?¡±


    Elodie crouched down to meet Mei''s eye level. Mei silently nodded.


    Elodie smiled brightly.


    ¡°See you tomorrow then! Don''t forget to tell me about the dorm situation!¡±


    Elodie waved goodbye as she descended the stairs in the hallway.


    I waved back at Elodie and let out a light breath before resuming my walk.


    With this, the incident has mostly been resolved for now.


    I''m curious about how Osprey ended up casting that spell and venturing outside the world, but since he said it''s not something a student should hear, I''ll put it aside for now. I need some rest too.


    Relieved that the world had returned to normal, I walked down the hallway and opened the ssroom door.


    And,


    ¡°Wee back, Frondier.¡±


    Osprey was there, along with Jane.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    With the ssroom door still open, I took a step back and looked up at the namete.


    ¡®Headmaster''s Office¡¯.


    ...I clearly left this ce, walked down the hallway, and opened the ssroom door, yet I ended up back in the headmaster''s office.


    I had a rough idea of what was going on and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.


    ¡°Did you use spatial magic just to call me here?¡±


    ¡°Our conversation isn''t over yet.¡±


    ¡°...But you said it wasn''t something a student should hear.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. That''s why I sent the student away.¡±


    Did he mean Elodie when he said "student"?


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I''m a student too.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Ospreyughed at my words. Is this funny?


    ¡°Before me stands arade who fought alongside me. A man who eradicated the Indus and defeated their leader.¡±


    Osprey''s eyes shone with such intelligence that it was as if I was seeing him in his prime.


    ¡°Such a man cannot be a student. Let''s not joke around.¡±


    ¡°...I suppose I did want to hear it. What exactly happened.¡±


    I gave in and replied, half-resigned.


    Who was Osprey running from? No, who could possibly exist that would force Osprey to flee?


    I assumed it must have been the intervention of one of the gods.


    The fact that Osprey could be found anywhere on the continent, coupled with his need to escape beyond the world, all pointed towards the involvement of a deity.


    ¡°As you might have guessed, there is a god who seeks me.¡±


    As I thought.


    I nodded, understanding the gravity of his words.


    A god targeting Osprey meant that he was either very close to bing an Archmage or had already achieved that status.


    An Archmage signifies the elevation of a human''s rank in this world. Ironically, this is precisely why a god could directly intervene.


    However, what he said next was unexpected.


    ¡°But I have not yet be an Archmage.¡±


    ¡°...Excuse me? Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. The hand of a god cannot reach me yet.¡±


    A god is targeting Osprey, but their reach hasn''t extended to him yet?


    Yet, Osprey left the world. There shouldn''t be any reason for that.


    ¡°In this world, gods can only influence humans through divine power. During my magic training, I sensed that I was nearing the level of an Archmage. However, at the same time, I felt apletely new presence and its murderous intent. The moment I realized this, I stopped my training.¡±


    ¡°...That was the god.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But there was a problem.¡±


    ¡°What was the problem?¡±


    ¡°The murderous intent wasn''t directed solely at me. It was aimed at all of humanity. It was an uncontrobly swelling killing intent that felt like it would burst if I dyed even slightly.¡±


    With that, I understood.


    The reason why Osprey left the world.


    ¡°...Headmaster, you didn''t run away. You went to observe. To uncover the identity of the killing intent targeting all of humanity.¡±


    ¡°As sharp as ever.¡±


    Osprey chuckled and nodded.


    ¡°As you said, I ventured outside the world to identify the exact nature of the killing intent. It''s somewhatical, but to escape the god and observe the entire world simultaneously, I had no choice but to descend to the world below.¡±


    ¡°The world below¡­¡±


    Osprey smiled wryly at my murmur.


    ¡°A ce called Nastrond. There are no gods there.¡±


    ¡°...That ce is¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s Hell.¡±


    In Norse mythology, there''s a ce called Helheim. The ce where the Mana I currently possess originally belonged, thend of the dead, the afterlife ruled by Hel.


    However, contrary to the origin of the word "Hell" signifying an infernal realm, Helheim isn''t exactly hellish.


    It''s simply where the deceased go. It''s a bit chilly, but it''s said to be a livable ce. At least, that''s what''s recorded in the in-game literature.


    The true "Hell" in Norse mythology, the ce deserving of that title, is Nastrond. It''s where those whomit grave sins go after death.


    There, one can encounter the infamous dragon Nidhogg. Not that anyone would want to.


    ¡°...You managed to survive.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remained hidden, barely setting foot in that world. If the wolves there had caught me, it would have been disastrous.¡±


    Ospreyughed heartily, like a young man.


    ¡°And I discovered it. The identity of the god and the human with divine power who harbor killing intent towards all of humanity.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Care to guess?¡±


    Osprey countered with a question. I thought he was joking, but he looked at me with a serious expression.


    Is he testing me, or is the answer to this question unexpectedly simple?


    ¡®...Killing intent aimed at all of humanity.¡¯


    That single clue.


    ...And if that''s enough to arrive at the correct answer¡­


    I bit my lip.


    ¡°...Manggot, is it?¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Your wisdom is more befitting of the title ''sage''.¡±


    Osprey''s exaggerated praise. However, his eyes weren''t smiling.


    He couldn''t bring himself to smile while facing the truth he had uncovered and speaking of it.


    ¡°It took a long time, but the time hase.¡±


    ¡°This is not something that can be resolved within Constel.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. This is a matter that concerns the survival of all humanity on the continent.¡±


    If it were possible to postpone it, I would have wanted to dy it indefinitely.


    Even after reiming all the territories lost to the monsters would have been fine.


    No, if that meant clearing the game, I would have been satisfied.


    ¡°Frondier de Roach.¡±


    However, Osprey''s heavy tone signaled that the time had arrived.


    ¡°The sins umted by the Empire will soon erupt into mes.¡±


    We have long referred to it as¡­


    Inferno.

 Chapter 251 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I sat back down with Osprey and Jane. This wasn''t going to be a short conversation.


    Osprey took a sip from his teacup and said, ¡°As you said, we alone are not enough to extinguish that me.¡±


    As he said, it wasn''t realistic to resolve Manggot''s attack within Constel.


    I said, ¡°It''s a threat to all of humanity, so all of humanity must join forces.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. The problem is how to unite that strength.¡±


    Jane, who heard those words, said, ¡°By now, everyone must have realized that the Headmaster has returned. They must be sensing that there is a great cause.¡±


    Osprey is a Zodiac. And he is the closest to being an Archmage.


    By now, the entire Empire would be on edge due to Osprey''s return after disappearing from the world.


    A person who had beenpletely forgotten had returned to memory, and it was none other than Osprey.Something must have happened. Everyone would be aware of that.


    But that wasn''t enough.


    I said to Jane, ¡°Everyone will suspect that Manggot will attack. If the Headmaster informs the Imperial Pce, and the Imperial Pce announces it to the entire Empire, they will know even if they don''t want to.¡±


    ¡°Then can''t we join forces?¡±


    ¡°Yes, on the surface.¡±


    Jane tilted her head at my words. She wouldn''t understand why I used the expression ''on the surface''.


    ¡°I said this to Teacher Isamaya before.¡±


    I recalled a conversation I had with Teacher Isamaya. The time when I got into her car and headed to the ce where the air train was, to stop Indus.


    ¡°At that time, Indus underestimated Manggot.¡±


    Even Osprey wouldn''t be able to gauge the full scale and strength of Manggot.


    But Osprey had just confirmed in another world who the god targeting him was.


    In the process, he must have roughly figured out how dangerous Manggot was.


    ¡°Even Indus, who gathered information from here and there, underestimated Manggot. Ordinary citizens would be even more so. The Pros and the Imperial Pce will be the same.¡±


    That was the problem.


    Even if they believed that Manggot''s attack wasing, how much would the continent invest to stop it?


    ¡°...Frondier thinks that the support from the Imperial Pce and the Pros will be far from enough.¡±


    ¡°I think the Headmaster feels the same way.¡±


    Osprey nodded at my words.


    ¡°It''s not a matter of investment.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is a matter of sacrifice. How much blood will be shed to extinguish Manggot''s fire. That''s the problem.¡±


    Jane opened her mouth at my words.


    Perhaps the only person who agrees with this statement right now is Osprey. Most people don''t know the danger of Manggot.


    Manggot is a group that citizens learn about little by little through word of mouth.


    Most people don''t know, and even those who do, don''t know properly. In other words, to the citizens, Manggot is close to an ''unknown fear''. Like ghosts or demons.


    As if the threat could be reduced depending on their mindset, they treat Manggot with a loose fear.


    ¡°I will try my best to appeal, but even if they understand my words, I''m worried whether the Imperial Pce will provide as much support as I want.¡±


    Osprey said in anguish.


    I thought for a moment and then sighed.


    Yes, I knew it woulde to this. I had been preparing for this future that woulde someday, because I was so afraid of it.


    ¡°I will negotiate with the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    Osprey looked at me with surprised eyes. But soon he said as if he had remembered something, ¡°Right. I heard there was a Zodiac summoning while I was away. You made friends with the Imperial Pce and the Zodiac at that time. Is that what you mean, Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are exactly right. However.¡±


    Even after making the decision, I put my fingers together, still with traces of worry.


    ¡°Negotiations are not done with friendship.¡±


    * * *


    Manggot wasn''t going to attack tomorrow.


    After discussing what to do next with Osprey, I went outside. This time, I wouldn''t be caught again.


    I left the Constel building and headed for the mansion.


    Before negotiating with the Imperial Pce, I had something to do first.


    ¡°...Phew.¡±


    Aftering out to the open space, I confirmed that there was no one around through my ''sixth sense''.


    I took a deep breath. At that moment, it felt like some kind of resolve flowed into my body.


    "Selena."


    I called out her name after a long time.


    Her figure, which always appeared as soon as I called, was nowhere to be seen.


    But I didn''t bother calling again.


    I wouldn''t rush Selena. Whether she woulde to me or return to Manggot, that was for Selena to decide. This was a promise I had made with Selena from the beginning.


    So if she didn''t answer this call, that was fine.


    An unavoidable farewell,


    "...I''m a littlete. I''m sorry."


    "..."


    I was about to say, but Selena arrived behind me.


    "It''s been a while, Selena."


    "...Haven''t we seen each other every day in the ssroom? And I''m also staying in this mansion."


    There was a discrepancy in those words.


    Since solving the drug case, meeting Mei at the Imperial Pce, defeating the devils, rescuing the lost Elodie, and until now.


    I had barely been able to pay attention to Constel. And during that time, Selena had avoided interacting with me excessively.


    Thinking about it now, Manggot''s change must have already started from then.


    "You must know the situation, Selena."


    "...Yes."


    "I wanted to give you more time, but I can''t."


    I looked at Selena. Selena, still kneeling before me, bowing her head deeply.


    ...That sight was so familiar, it made me feel ufortable.


    Selena spoke in a t voice, "I don''t understand what you mean."


    Selena said so.


    "From the beginning, I am Manggot''s body. You know that very well, Frondier-nim."


    She spoke in a voice devoid of any emotion.


    "I came to say goodbye today. Because I think that''s the least I can do."

 Chapter 251 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Is that so."


    I closed my eyes deeply upon hearing those words from Selena.


    At the word ''farewell'' that Selena spoke, memories of the past I spent with Selena shed through my mind.


    From Selena''s shameless acting when we first met, to the time we both fought with all our might to break the fragments of Helheim, everything.


    I took a deep breath.


    "Has Manggotpleted the interpretation of the ancientnguage?"


    "...It''s no longer something Frondier-nim should worry about."


    "Or have you realized that you cannotplete the interpretation with what I have taught you?"


    "...That''s also something Frondier-nim doesn''t need to worry about."Still, a dry voice. A cold tone with no emotion.


    As expected.


    Realizing something so obvious,


    I chuckled.


    "It''s impossible after all."


    "...What do you mean?"


    "I can''t see through your acting."


    Something I had known for a very long time.


    I didn''t know Selena''s true feelings. I kept that fact engraved in my mind.


    I couldn''t carelessly read the words and actions of Selena, who had been thoroughly trained in acting by Manggot. I knew it was dangerous to judge anything by them.


    This was the first time I had told her that I couldn''t read her acting, though.


    Rather, that''s why there was only one thing I could say to her.


    "Raise your head, Selena."


    "..."


    "I told you before, didn''t I? You don''t need to bow your head to me."


    "...No. I''mfortable with this."


    Selena refused my words and didn''t raise her head.


    "The order I received at that time was also very ufortable. For me, bowing my head is much morefortable, and,"


    "Selena."


    I said to Selena.


    Now, there was no more bluff or authority left to show her.


    It was only natural.


    "It''s goodbye now, isn''t it?"


    "...!"


    "Thank you for following my whims all this time. I''m grateful for your consideration in epting my insignificant act of strength."


    At my words, Selena was silent this time.


    I had already abandoned all suspicion towards Selena. It had be meaningless.


    But was Selena still wary of me?


    "Raise your head, Selena. Let''s at least say goodbye while looking at each other''s faces."


    "...No, don''t,"


    "Selena, I¡ª"


    "Please don''t!!"


    Selena''s emotionless voice suddenly turned into a loud cry.


    "Don''t, don''t say that. It''s not like you, Frondier-nim. Just throw me away as if you''re abandoning me. That''s the rtionship between me and Frondier-nim, and."


    "What are you talking about, Selena."


    I stopped Selena''s absurd words.


    "Our rtionship isn''t like that."


    "No, I, I, I was originally,"


    "You''re my benefactor, Selena."


    "...!"


    Selena was my escort.


    Of course, that wasn''t Selena''s original role. Selena''s role was to monitor me and to win me over to deliver the ancientnguage to Manggot. The escort was just a fake role to show to others.


    But that didn''t mean,


    "How can I forget that, Selena."


    Could I forget the time she saved my life?


    How could I forget the time she wrapped a cloth around my neck in front of the barrier?


    Even if she was ultimately my enemy.


    Even if she returned as a member of Manggot.


    Even if everything towards me was truly, all of it was just acting.


    My life was saved by that acting.


    "Selena, goodbye means,"


    I looked at Selena, who was still not budging.


    However, I could see her shoulders trembling slightly. I could feel her mana wavering.


    "It means we end the roles we''ve created here."


    I could see her body flinching at my words.


    "So you''re no longer my escort."


    "..."


    "Raise your head, Selena."


    "..."


    "Don''t worry."


    I smiled.


    Although I learned to smile from Selena, for once, I didn''t need to think about it, and a smile formed naturally.


    "I can''t discern your acting."


    I''m no longer trying to read you.


    I just want to say goodbye.


    Just as Selena wants it, so do I.


    "...Frondier-nim..."


    Selena slowly raised her trembling body. She stood on two feet, but her head was still bowed.


    But soon, as if she had made up her mind, her eyes slowly lifted,


    "...Is that so...?"


    Stained with moisture, tears flowed down from beneath her wet eyes.


    A sadly smiling face turned towards me.


    "I am quite good at acting."


    She spoke awkwardly, as if trying to be yful with a trembling voice, but failing.


    I looked at that face.


    For a moment, I stared nkly, unable to think of anything.


    But soon I knew what to do. It was what I had intended to do from the beginning.


    "Selena."


    "Yes."


    "I won''t question any lies you''ve told so far. I promised that, but could you grant me one request?"


    "What is it?"


    I took a step closer to Selena.


    "You can still lie to me,"


    For the first time, I, who couldn''t read her expression,


    "But I will try to believe whatever you say."


    "...!"


    "So just one word."


    Trying to see through Selena''s ''acting''.


    "Do you have anything to say to me?"


    Perhaps even if I set my mind like this, I wouldn''t know. Selena''s true feelings.


    But either way, it didn''t matter.


    From the moment I first met her.


    Selena''s lies and truths were determined within my heart.


    I decided that.


    "...Frondier-nim."


    Selena slowly opened her trembling lips with wet eyes and said,


    "...Please save me."


    Immediately after those words.


    Selena disappeared. Without even hearing my answer.


    I was leftpletely alone in the open space, and only the cold wind brushed past me a few times.


    "...Is that so."


    I raised my head and looked up at the sky as if chasing her figure that was no longer there.


    "Is that so."

 Chapter 252 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @JimH, @Broke_reader_addict from Ko-fi!</i>


    Phenomenon''s Headquarters, Eden Hamelot''s Private Office.


    Eden Hamelot, the top-ranked Pro, was enjoying the peace that had finally arrived.


    ¡®No contact since then.¡¯


    He had mourned his fallenrades, reported their deaths as casualties in the battle against monsters, visited his hometown to see his parents and younger sister, and now, today¡­


    Eden finally felt like the gears of his life were turning again.


    Phenomenon, the headquarters where Eden was the leader, had seen its stock price soar after the Mana Injection incident, and its image in the Imperial Pce had also improved.


    Of course, Eden himself, who had gone directly to the Imperial Pce and received high praise from Empress Philly, was no exception.¡°I thought Her Majesty the Empress would have found out back then, but it seems that¡¯s not the case since nothing has happened.¡±


    If it had been revealed that Frondier was involved in that incident, his family would have been killed immediately. By Frondier''s hand.


    From Eden''s perspective, where he believed Frondier held all the information, he had no way to stop Frondier from killing his family.


    Of course, he could target Frondier directly, but the fear of Frondier was already deeply ingrained in Eden''s mind.


    It was a fight where the oue was uncertain unless it was within Frondier''s workshop, so he ended up hesitating.


    ¡®Well, thanks to him hiding it, Phenomenon will grow even bigger, and so will I. As long as that bastard doesn''t do anything unnecessary¡­¡¯


    As if Frondier had been waiting for Eden to think that.


    <i>Buzz</i>, his phone vibrated.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Eden looked at the phone screen with a frown.


    Should he say it was expected, or as he guessed? Or rather, should he say it was unexpected because the timing was too perfect?


    He got a text from that guy.


    [Please prepare.]


    What the hell is this bastard talking about?


    Does he see me as his subordinate now? And what kind of preparation is he talking about, without any context?


    But the next text¡­


    [Manggot ising.]


    Eden''s expression turned cold.


    The messages continued.


    [All of Phenomenon''s forces are needed.]


    [This is not a threat.]


    [The lives of all the citizens of the Empire are at stake.]


    ¡°¡­¡­Damn it.¡±


    Eden clicked his tongue.


    He also knew about Manggot. And the fact that its existence was a clear threat.


    Frondier was someone Eden wanted to tear apart right now, but he also knew that he was a thorough and cautious type. There was no way Frondier would have sent such a message as a joke.


    Whether it was a threat or not, Eden''s course of action was clear.


    He pressed a button on his Sagephone and held it to his ear.


    "Yeah, it''s me."


    Eden didn''t trust Frondier anyway. And it was the same for Frondier.


    But that didn''t matter.


    Eden had to follow Frondier''s orders anyway, and Frondier would just throw out suitable excuses beforehand to make Eden obey.


    "We need to hold an emergency meeting."


    If the lives of all the citizens of the Empire were at stake, of course Phenomenon had to step up.


    * * *


    Frondier headed to the Imperial Pce.


    His family wasn''t with him, and he didn''t bring a driver either. There was no need for that.


    He had already exined the situation to Aten, and Philly, who had received the message, immediately sent someone to bring Frondier over.


    Frondier arrived at the Imperial Pce in a luxurious car, receiving unprecedented escort and courtesy.


    However, while the process of bringing Frondier was courteous, it wasn''t shy. It wasn''t something that needed to attract attention.


    "Mr. Frondier, you look grim."


    Aten, who hade with him from Constel in the car, looked at him with concern.


    "Is something bothering you?"


    "No. I''m just a little nervous."


    Frondier smiled and shook his head. Or rather, he shook his head as if he was shaking off something else instead of dust, like someone with dust on their hair.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Aten didn''t believe Frondier''s words. She knew well enough that he wouldn''t be nervous about something like this anymore.


    But she also knew that she wouldn''t get a proper answer even if she pressed him.


    "Wee! Frondier."


    Empress Philly greeted him.


    She guessed why Frondier hade again.


    Frondier bowed his head and, guided by Philly, headed to the reception room.


    Philly had Aten and Frondier sit down and ordered that no one else should enter the reception room.


    "I''m sorry. I waste because I was thoroughly investigating to see if any of the Shadow Unit members involved in the Mana Injection incident were still around. There was a reward for Mr. Frondier, right? Is there anything you want? I''ll grant you anything within my power."


    Philly thought Frondier hade for this reward.


    As the Empress, she had and could handle anything, whether it was money or power.


    Even though she limited it to within her power, it was almost meaningless. Especially since Philly wasn''t someone who lied easily, her statement held even greater weight.


    Previously, when Philly had entrusted Frondier with the Mana Potion investigation, he had received a quest at the same time.


    [Sub-quest: Weeding Out]


    ? Description: The group that nned the Mana Injection belongs to the Shadow Unit. Eliminate them as per Philly''s order.


    ? Objective: Eliminate the ringleaders and coborators of the project.


    ? Reward: Separate payment depending on the quest performance. Reward decreases if some ringleaders or coborators are missed or other members of the Shadow Unit are eliminated, failure if someone who is not a member of the Shadow Unit is killed.


    ? Failure results in losing Philly''s trust.


    However, this quest wasn''t perfectly sessful.


    They were all killed by the devils before Frondier could eliminate them. The quest reward was still pending.


    But this was the quest reward, and what Philly was giving was separate. From Philly''s perspective, the credit for this incident naturally belonged to Frondier, and she had to give him a reward that reflected that.


    ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty, before that, for a moment.¡±


    "Ah, that title again."


    "I apologize. Please forgive me just this once."


    Frondier''s voice had a different tone than usual.


    Philly''s eyes narrowed with interest.


    "Hmm. So, what is it? Frondier."


    "Please take a look at this."


    Frondier took something out of his pocket.


    A small object, preciously wrapped in a fine cloth.


    As soon as Philly saw its size, nestled in Frondier''s palm, she guessed what it was. But it was hard to believe, so her eyes naturally widened.


    ¡°¡­¡­Mr. Frondier, don''t tell me that''s¡­¡±


    Aten, who was sitting next to her, also widened her eyes.


    "Yes."


    Frondier unwrapped the cloth, revealing its identity.


    "It''s a Dragonheart."


    A thin triangr ring. A massive flow of mana emanating from within it.


    This wasn''t an illusion created by Frondier''s Replication. Nor was it a real one extracted from a dragon''s body.


    It was an original, jointly created by Frondier and Mei. A fake, yet a crystal of mana that could rival the genuine article.


    The brilliantly shining Dragonheart radiated a transparent and elegant beauty, as if even the sound of a melody could be heard. Philly, who was looking at it, asked,


    ¡°¡­¡­Is this really a Dragonheart?¡±


    "It''s not exactly the same material. But you will be able to achieve the effect you desire, Your Majesty."


    The effect Philly desired. In other words, curing Bartello''s weakening condition.


    With this Dragonheart, it could be done.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Philly stared at the Dragonheart for a moment, frozen even with Frondier''s assertion.


    She wasn''t doubting Frondier''s words. Nor was she giving up on the Dragonheart.


    After Frondier had destroyed the Dragonheart to eliminate the gate with the devils, Philly had been gathering information again to find another Dragonheart.


    Dragonhearts were rare, but they weren''t one of a kind. Even without the dangerous act of targeting a dragon directly, Dragonhearts were sometimes found in their corpses.


    Of course, the probability was low. But that wasn''t a reason to give up, so Philly had been putting her efforts into researching materials and dispatching people overnight, desperately hoping to find a Dragonheart.


    ¡­¡­That''s why.


    ¡°¡­¡­Frondier.¡±


    That''s why Philly, who knew its value all too well¡­


    "What is the reason you''re showing this to me?"


    ¡­fell into her habit.


    Regardless of her trust in Frondier, she ''doubted'' the situation itself, the fact that it had arrived before her.


    The danger when something someone desperately desires appears right in front of them.


    Since most of them were like the scent emitted by insectivorous nts, Philly couldn''t reach out.


    "......Your Majesty."


    Frondier ced the Dragonheart on the table with a heavy voice. It was located between Frondier and Philly.


    "I am about to say something to you that is more rude and reckless than anything else. I know all too well that no matter how I sugarcoat my words, you will not fail to read between the lines."


    "......You''re not answering, Frondier. I thought you were someone who wouldn''t be scared of such things."


    Even though Philly said so, he was somewhat nervous.


    The Dragonheart was ced on the table, and Frondier was afraid of what he was about to say. Frondier, who is not easily scared, was also stiffened by Aten''s gaze.


    Frondier took a deep breath and finally said,


    "I want to make a deal with you."


    "......Is this the item that''s up for the deal?"


    "In addition to this, the deal is to give up all the rewards you promised to give me."


    Philly''s eyes became even sharper.


    "......Let''s hear it. What do you want? Something worth risking everything for."


    "I need troops."


    At Frondier''s words, Philly tilted his head slightly. Aten''s tension eased a bit.


    Troops? That''s something she could provide. Frondier was risking enough for that. Giving troops might require several steps, but it wasn''t impossible. If necessary, she could even make Frondier a royal pce knight.


    But then the next words.


    "I need all the troops of the royal pce."


    At those words, Philly''s mouth, which was about to respond lightly, stopped.


    If it had been anyone else, she would have sent soldiers to drive them out the moment they uttered such words.


    No, it would be appropriate to charge them with a crime and punish them. Aten would have said something before Philly stepped forward.


    But Philly became more serious. Because the person who said those words was Frondier.


    "......Something is happening."


    Frondier nodded deeply.


    Clearly, at the same time, with cold, shining eyes, Frondier looked at Philly.


    "The Manggot ising."

 Chapter 252 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    That single word.


    A single word that seemed to exin everyone''s gloomy expression weighed heavily on the room.


    "......Frondier, if Manggot reallyes, the Imperial Pce will handle it on its own. Even if you don''t make a ''deal''. It''s not a matter that you need to stake everything on and tell me."


    Philly said. Manggot is the enemy of the empire. It''s a well-known fact. It''s not an item that Frondier can trade. Just as Frondier wants, the empire will move.


    However, Frondier shook his head.


    "When Manggot attacks, the empire will recruit knights and troops to prepare. I know that. What I''m dealing with is whates after that."


    "Whates after?"


    "I think the troops that the Imperial Pce will prepare are not sufficient at all."


    "......Can you assert that without knowing how much to prepare?""Yes."


    Frondier nodded.


    Of course, he doesn''t know the exact number of troops the empire will prepare.


    However, what Frondier wants to say is not such a concept.


    "After the empire has prepared its forces, please consider that the additional forces I want from there are worth everything I have now."


    "......"


    Philly looked at Frondier with a low gaze at those words.


    Frondier''s worth. The Dragon Heart and rewards that Philly had promised.


    Rewards are not important. Especially if it''s limited to what Philly can give. Besides, it''s meaningless unless they decide whatpensation to give in the first ce.


    What''s important is the Dragon Heart. Even if it''s only valued in terms of price, it''s not that high.


    Of course, they can sell it for a considerable amount, but it''s too much to mention the entire force that Frondier is talking about.


    That''s right.


    What Frondier has put up for trade now is not the Dragon Heart.


    "......I see. Frondier."


    Indeed, it''s truly a reckless statement.


    From Philly''s perspective, the Dragon Heart she needs ''right now''.


    She doesn''t know how Bartello''s weakness will develop or what further risks it will create. It''s at this very moment that Frondier shows the Dragon Heart.


    His intention is clear.


    "You''ve weighed my husband''s life on a scale."


    "......"


    Frondier remains silent at her words.


    Frondier knows that Bartello''s weakness will not lead him to death.


    He will just step down from the throne, and his second daughter, Sale, will be the emperor.


    However, there is no way to convince Philly of this. And because Philly is considering Bartello''s death, the value of this Dragon Heart shines.


    ...Yes. That''s why it''s a morepelling deal.


    Frondier did weigh Bartello''s life on a scale.


    "Move all the troops instead of saving the emperor''s life. There''s no reason for the bnce to be off."


    Philly''s voice was cold.


    Frondier spoke with steady eyes.


    "......Manggot is the greatest threat to the empire."


    "Is that so? What about the man in front of me right now? I think he''s the biggest threat right now."


    The temperature in the room drops, and Philly''s magic swells.


    "Having beaten most of the guards so they can''t hear the conversation, only you, me, and Aten are in this reception room. With your skills, it would be difficult to win even if Aten and I attacked at the same time. Especially at this distance, it''s the worst for a wizard."


    The words of Philly, murmuring like a whisper, are shot at Frondier.


    "Additional troops worth the value of the emperor''s life after the forces prepared for the Manggot''s attack? There''s no such thing in the empire. So what you want to say is this. ''Total forces'' means not all the forces currently in the empire, but mobilizing all the forces that can be gathered with the power of the empire, right? Pros, mercenaries, police, and even Constel. It''s literally the total forces of the entire empire. That''s what the emperor''s life is worth."


    If what Frondier is after is really Bartello''s life, then ''total forces'' should mean just that.


    "Whether it''s money or power, just gathering forces like that will cause the empire to shed a lot of blood. But if the power of Manggot is not that much, no, if your words about Manggot''s attack itself are false. If you have another trick up your sleeve in gathering the total forces."


    Pa-a-at!


    Ice flowers blooming around Philly in an instant. The sharp thorns that stretch out from the center of the flower. They aim at Frondier as if they will shoot at any moment.


    "......What should I do with you, Frondier?"


    The words of Philly now and the ice thorns blooming around her.


    All of it is threatening, but in fact, she has no intention to kill.


    ''......As expected, it doesn''t work.''


    Philly was still facing Frondier, who was looking straight at her.


    Most people can be shaken by such a threat, but it doesn''t work on Frondier.


    ''Did Frondier really make that judgment?''


    The principle of action that exists in Philly''s foundation, always doubting everything.


    Philly has done many things with Frondier, and by receiving his help, she has built trust in Frondier.


    However, because of this, Philly is in trouble now.


    The situation now where she has to doubt again the person she trusts, who is not much.


    Does Frondier really have another secret? Was all the sincerity he has shown so far groundwork for this deal? What is that Dragonheart? Where is it from? Did Frondier have the Dragonheart from the beginning? Is he offering this when Philly needs it the most, while possessing it?


    ...However, to do that, he had to save Aten, save himself from her first daughter Elysia, and even protect the life of Emperor Bartello. Was all of that groundwork for realizing this deal now?


    ''...No. That''s impossible.''


    It''s impossible.


    Frondier is not that kind of person. No, it''s something that no one can do.


    Frondier was never safe in any situation. He risked his life.


    That''s why Philly trusted him, and that''s why Philly is confused now.


    ''To stop Manggot, be prepared for the empire to copse.''


    But Frondier''s words are too unrealistic to believe.


    Manggot is a clear threat, but it doesn''t seem like something the entire empire should stop at all costs.


    If Manggot''s power had grown to that extent, they would have attacked the empire long ago.


    However, if Manggot was waiting for that moment topletely destroy the empire.


    ©¤The spark of Manggot will not go out.


    ©¤The day that me goes out, everything in the empire will turn to ashes, and Manggot itself will perish in the me.


    The words of the past echoed in Philly''s ears.


    Little by little, her head began to ache.


    "Mr. Frondier."


    A clear voice came then.


    The pure white eyes that seemed to wash away the awkward emotions between Frondier and Philly.


    "If webine all the power of the empire, can we stop Manggot?"


    Aten asked.


    It was like a fairy tale. A line that woulde out of a story that children would love.


    Frondier, who was momentarily stunned by the question, eventually answered.


    "I think it''s the most likely."


    "Then."


    This time, Aten looked at Philly.


    "The empire needs to unite its power. Mom."


    "......Aten. It''s not that simple. If the pce tries to gather all the troops with its money and power, the empire will surely tilt, and whether Frondier''s words are true in the first ce......"


    "Is it a lie?"


    Aten asked Frondier.


    "......No."


    Frondier answered, wondering if there was any meaning in this response.


    Conversations with Aten were always like this.


    Even though it seemed like they weremunicating, they always missed the point.


    Why was that?


    "No, Mom."


    Was it because Aten was a princess, ignorant of society, or immature?


    "......Aten, of course, Frondier would answer like that. How can you believe that?"


    Or,


    "Then who does Mom want to believe?"


    "......Aten."


    "Faith is what you reach by building a foundation of doubt. Mom told me. Politically, and in reality, in a world where enemies lurk, in a world of the pce where no one can be trusted, who do you want to believe?"


    "......"


    Or was it only she who knew the answer from the beginning?


    "The royal family stands above to protect the citizens."


    Aten said. In her expression, which did not feel heavy, only the white color remained.


    Pure white is easy to tarnish.


    Aten''s pure white always washes itself pure.


    "We have to save them."


    Aten, as if all the conversations between Frondier and Philly were meaningless.


    As if to ask why they are dragging out such an obvious answer.


    She speaks so bluntly.


    "That''s what we have to do."

 Chapter 253 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten''s clear eyes.


    Philly stared at them for a moment before sighing.


    "Haah, I see."


    The ice flowers that had bloomed beside her disappeared, and the temperature in the reception room returned to normal.


    "If Frondier''s words are true, there''s no time to hesitate."


    Philly finally decided to believe Frondier.


    To be precise, she decided to trust Aten, who trusted Frondier. Aten was Philly''s top priority.


    "But Frondier, persuading me alone doesn''t mean gathering troops will be easy."


    "You''re right."Frondier nodded.


    Of course, to mobilize the scale of troops that Frondier desired, the consent of Empress Philly and even Emperor Bartello was essential, but they were just the starting line.


    The nobles of the Empire, especially those from prestigious families, guarded their own territories and possessed their own troops.


    The Roach Knights of the Roach family and the Shroud Knights led by Sanders were examples of this.


    In exchange for money, honor, and power, they had a duty to protect their territories.


    In other words, their status was built upon the risk of their own lives.


    Therefore, they wouldn''t move for matters outside their territory unless there was sufficient justification and reward.


    From Frondier''s perspective, the Manggot, who were about to invade, were the greatest threat to the Empire, but these nobles were unaware of the situation. They couldn''t be moved by the mere mention of an "unprecedented threat."


    Something else was needed to move them.


    "The most important factor is the Zodiacs."


    "...Yes, that''s right."


    The Zodiacs, the Empire''s greatest weapons.


    Most of them were nobles, and naturally, they had territories and troops.


    Currently, the only families that could rival the individual strength and forces of these individuals, who were not Zodiacs, were the Roach family and the Rishae family, to which Elodie belonged.


    Originally, in terms of individual strength, Ludwig von Urfa was not far behind, but he had also be a Zodiac and entrusted his family to his son.


    "The only reason we were able to summon all the Zodiacsst time was because the Emperor was in danger. Without something like that, it will be impossible to move them."


    At those words, Frondier raised his head. His gaze, looking up at the ceiling, seemed to be looking at something else as his eyes moved slightly.


    ''There''s no need for all the troops to gather on the very first day of the battle. That''s impossible anyway.''


    As the fight with the Manggot continued, eventually, all the Empire''s troops would be mobilized. It was a matter directly rted to the existence of the Empire itself.


    What Frondier hoped for was that the timing wouldn''t be toote. It would be toote for the Imperial Pce to move in a hurry after already suffering significant damage.


    The important thing was the first battle. The minimum number of troops needed to defend with minimal casualties had to be prepared for that fight.


    "...Three of them."


    After thinking for a moment, Frondier


    spoke quietly.


    "Yes?"


    "Three of the twelve Zodiacs. I''ll try to persuade them somehow."


    At those words, Aten and Philly looked at each other.


    Persuading even one Zodiac was not easy. To persuade three of them, who wouldn''t move unless something significant happened?


    "If you can really persuade three of them, it would be enough to serve as a signal."


    Three Zodiacs moving. That alone would be enough to show the continent that there was a major movement, even before any justification. It would also be a good way to gather the Imperial Pce troops.


    "But is it really possible? Frondier, you''re still a student. You wouldn''t have had time to build rtionships with the Zodiacs."


    "...Honestly, I think so too."


    Of course, there was almost no time, but.


    In life, time wasn''t always the answer to building rtionships.


    "The Zodiacs are unique."


    ***


    After his conversation with Philly, Frondier headed straight to Ludwig''s mansion.


    Among the Zodiacs, Ludwig was the only one Frondier had a proper rtionship with.


    He nned to meet the Zodiacs one by one, starting with those he thought had the most potential, but...


    "...We''re gathered like this again."


    He had a hunch, and it was true. When he went to meet Ludwig, both Lily and Monty were there.


    Seeing the three of them waiting for him at the round table, Frondier sighed.


    As Frondier sat down, Ludwig spoke.


    "This is your fault too, Frondier."


    What?


    Frondier looked at Ludwig, who was responding shamelessly.


    Ludwig shrugged as if it were obvious.


    "It was true that Osprey had disappeared. You were the only one who sensed it. After realizing that, these two also wanted to meet you."


    "That''s right! Right! How did you find out? And what did that Osprey guy do? Did he really be an Archmage?"


    Lily picked up where Ludwig left off.


    She mmed the table and leaned her face towards Frondier.


    Her captivating eyes stared directly at Frondier, and Lily''s charm offensive was exquisitely intentional, or perhaps not.


    ...To be precise, it was definitely intentional.


    "He said he hasn''t be one yet."


    "What? Can you tell if you''re an Archmage yourself? It''s not something the Empire designates?"


    Lily''s question was natural. She thought that the Archmage, like the Zodiacs, was a designated position.


    The reason the position of Archmage was currently vacant was because there was no overwhelmingly powerful mage worthy of filling the single seat.


    However, the Archmage was different from the Zodiacs. It signified an elevation as a human being.


    "That''s what he said. I was surprised too."


    Of course, Frondier didn''t bother exining and pretended as if he didn''t know the person either.


    "Then how did you find out? That Osprey had disappeared from the world. Even if it was an iplete spell, you were the first to notice it, and the only one. Moreover, when another girl disappeared, you realized it right away."


    Monty said, and


    "Right! That''s also what I''m curious about! Frondier, what are you? Are you an Archmage too?"


    Lily echoed, mming the table again.


    How did Osprey''s magic not work on him?


    In fact, Frondier had experienced simr situations a few times in the past.


    When Armel''s God Lethe''s divine power, memory maniption, didn''t work.


    When the shadow agent Laurie''s hypnosis missed.


    Mental magic directed at ''Frondier de Roach'' didn''t work on him. It didn''t work, or rather, it missed.


    ''I knew it from the beginning.''


    Frondier was aware that he still had one foot halfway outside the world. He was an outsider in this world. That''s what possession was all about.


    "Constel, where Master Osprey, our Principal, resides, has more inconsistencies. Since it''s the area where the Principal is most active, if he were to disappear, arge gap would open up. Even if it were filled with magic, there would be shorings. I just noticed that."


    "Hmm. Even so, to be the only one to realize it while others were unaware..."


    "He''s hiding something, I''m telling you. There''s definitely something."


    Lily vehemently insisted to Monty.


    It was so true that Frondier averted his eyes slightly.


    "Anyway, that''s not why I came here today."


    "Right. I knew you wouldn''te here just to make such a report. You should be busy trying to appeal to the Zodiacs and build rtionships, tsk tsk."


    Ludwig clicked his tongue. He looked at Frondier with a pitying expression.


    If he were Frondier, he would have made various appeals to increase his intimacy and solidify his position from the moment he met the Zodiacs, but Frondier''sck of action frustrated him.


    And in reality, the current Frondier also strongly agreed with Ludwig''s words.


    He should have met the Zodiacs a little more. Then the conversation would have been easier.


    "...Then I''ll tell you."

 Chapter 253 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    And Frondier brought up the story of the Manggot.


    The details were slightly different, but the overall content was almost the same as what he had told Philly.


    The difference was that the current Frondier had nothing to offer in exchange.


    The Manggot areing, and the threat will be the Empire''s greatest crisis,parable to the past war with the monsters. All the Empire''s forces are needed.


    After hearing this exnation, the three fell silent for a moment.


    Then,


    "Ahahaha."


    Lilyughed first.


    "It''s not realistic, Frondier."Her eyes curved like crescent moons. It was a smile, but it was terrifyingly chilling.


    "Frondier, if you had said such things to other Zodiacs, you would have been beheaded for trying to deceive the Empire. Right now. Actually, you know what? We''re showing you quite a bit of consideration right now? Every second that we don''t kill you, our consideration for you deepens."


    Monty and Ludwig remained silent at her words. Although her words were a bit harsh, they both agreed with Lily.


    To them, Frondier''s words were too much to be a joke, and if they were serious, he must be out of his mind.


    "The story that we need to pour in all the forces of the Imperial Pce, involve all the Zodiacs, and even bring out the troops of the prestigious nobles to barely save the Empire, who would believe it? Frondier, who are you underestimating? The Imperial Pce? The Zodiacs? The nobles? What''s so funny, our Frondier?"


    Lily''s words now carried a murderous intent. Her fingernails turned red. Her gaze sharpened like a knifepoint, as if she were about to tear Frondier apart.


    "...Lily, calm down. Frondier is still young. There could be mistakes in his judgment or words,"


    "Ria Lis-nim, if you believe me."


    Monty tried to stop Lily, but it was Frondier who interrupted him.


    Lily''s smile deepened.


    "If I believe you?"


    "On the day the Manggot attack the Empire and we defeat them all."


    "On that day?"


    "I will be your knight. For a month."


    "Knight... Huh?"


    Lily''s smile faltered awkwardly. Along with it, the murderous intent dissipated vaguely.


    "Huh, wait, what?"


    "For a month, I will follow any order. If you tell me to be a dog, I will be a dog, and if you tell me to die, I will die."


    Frondier looked at Lily with a straightforward gaze.


    Lilypletely withdrew her murderous intent and rolled her eyes quickly. Her thoughts began to spin in a different direction in an instant.


    Ludwig, who had been listening, hurriedly nced between Frondier and Lily.


    "W-Wait a minute. Lad. Do you even know what it means to be Lily''s knight..."


    "Okay! Deal!"


    Ludwig tried to stop Frondier, but Lily shouted even faster.


    "W-Wait a second! Ria Lis!"


    "No! The deal is done! There''s no waiting, canceling, or changing! It''s over! Verbal agreement, two witnesses, you proposed it first! Frondier!"


    "Yes."


    As Frondier nodded, Lily clenched her fists and trembled with excitement for some reason. Her face, with her eyes tightly shut as if trying to contain her joy, looked incredibly happy.


    "Lily-nim seems to have agreed, what about the remaining two?"


    Frondier looked at Ludwig and Monty. Ludwig let out a sound of disbelief, and Monty shook his head and sighed.


    Ludwig spoke.


    "Frondier, you do understand exactly what the statement you just made means, right?"


    "Of course."


    "With that much resolve, and with confidence in your own judgment, you said that?"


    "Otherwise, I wouldn''t be here with three Zodiacs, telling this story."


    Hearing that, Monty opened his mouth this time.


    "Frondier, I have a condition too."


    "What is it?"


    "Be my disciple."


    "..."


    Frondier fell silent for a moment at those words, and Lily immediately growled.


    "Ah! What! Frondier is going to be my knight from now on!"


    "Lily, it''s not from now on. It''s after this whole thing is settled, right? And it''s only for a month."


    "Hmph. In that one month, Frondier will have no thoughts of bing your disciple."


    "...Anyway, Frondier, you will be my disciple. What do you say?"


    At Monty''s words, Frondier took a deep breath.


    This offer obviously had no time limit like one month. There couldn''t be such a limit for a disciple.


    But Frondier said,


    "Alright."


    "Hoho."


    "I think I''ll need my father''s consent though."


    "Hahaha! Of course! Enfer will also be pleased if you be my disciple!"


    Montyughed heartily.


    Normally, Frondier would have thought the same. If he became Monty''s disciple, it would be a happy event for the Roach family. Enfer and Azier would also be satisfied.


    ...But why did he feel like that wouldn''t necessarily be the case recently?


    "What about Ludwig-nim?"


    "I don''t want anything from you. Just answer one question."


    "What is it?"


    "Give me one reason why we need to pour in all the Empire''s forces. I won''t ask about the source or credibility of that reason. Just one word will do."


    Ludwig said.


    In his eyes, Frondier was a man who harbored all sorts of schemes behind hisnguid face.


    A shady guy who used the expression of being bothered by everything andzy as a mask while umting all sorts of information and judgments like a deep sea in his mind. There was no point in questioning him, as he wouldn''t get a proper answer anyway.


    But if Frondier was truly sincere, he should be able to answer this one question properly. Right now, Ludwig needed certainty.


    "...They have a god."


    "Divine power, you mean? Most Zodiacs have that. Some of the students in your Constel probably have it too."


    "It''s not divine power."


    Frondier''s face became the most serious it had ever been.


    "They are on the verge of their god''s descent. A god who desires theplete annihtion of humanity exists."


    "...A god who desires the annihtion of humanity?"


    The three Zodiacs momentarily fell silent at Frondier''s words.


    In a way, it was an even more absurd statement than the story about the Manggot that Frondier had told them earlier. Ordinary citizens of the Empire would have scoffed and ridiculed it.


    But they were Zodiacs.


    "You all must know. The battles over the past few years, and what you have felt as you rose to the position of Zodiac."


    "..."


    The three remained silent at Frondier''s words. He continued,


    "A god is just a god."


    Even at Frondier''s near-sphemous words, the three remained silent.


    "The belief that a god will naturally protect humans is human arrogance."


    "...Alright. Stop it, it''s suffocating."


    Hearing that, Ludwig shook his head.


    "Yeah, if that''s true, then the Zodiacs must move with desperation. That''s right."


    Having obtained Ludwig''s final consent, Frondier let out a sigh of relief.


    He had originally nned to visit them one by one, but he had seeded in persuading three of them at once. It was a rather risky method, but it had worked.


    ...The conditions he had to fulfill to achieve that were heavy, but it couldn''t be helped.


    But it wasn''t over yet.


    "Lily-nim."


    "Yes? Why?"


    Lily looked at Frondier with a much brighter and warmer face than before.


    "Lily-nim, you have one of the best information guilds in the Empire, right?"


    "One of the best? We''re the best."


    Lily was active in an information guild in addition to being a Zodiac.


    Given her specialty of seducing men, gathering and managing information was, in a sense, a very suitable upation for her.


    If women lived on vanity, men lived on bravado. It was overwhelmingly easier to get men to talk than women.


    "There''s one thing I''d like to ask you. It''s not an easy task."


    "Sure, sure. What''s with that kind of talk now? I''ll do anything for you."


    Frondier pursed his lips for a moment at Lily''s overly kind demeanor, but then he spoke.


    "Please find out where Renzo is right now."

 Chapter 254 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @drew and @Kzeither from Ko-fi!</i>


    ¡°¡ªRenzo is currently working as a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°¡ªIt seems he¡¯ll do anything as long as it pays. It''s not just about the money, but big eventse with big money. He has a nose for that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you''re thinking of meeting Renzo alone? Don''t even think you''ll survive a fight with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already fought him twice.¡±


    I muttered to myself after checking the message.


    Right now, I''m standing on a cliff in a canyon.


    This is the vast wastnd that appears northeast of Constel, in the center of the continent. It¡¯s not anyone''s territory, so it doesn''t have a special name, but peoplemonly call it the ¡®Red Land¡¯.Literally, the terrain here is red, as if bathed in the sunset. The temperature isn''t that high, but the overly dry air sweeps across thend, and only tough weeds asionally take root in the barren ground.


    ¡°Typical Renzo. Living in a ce like this.¡±


    Renzo has already escaped from Obsidian Prison once. However, the details are a bitplicated. The citizens of the Empire still believe Renzo is ¡®dead¡¯.


    At the time, Kraken infiltrated Obsidian Prison and escaped with Renzo''s corpse.


    It became big news, spreading throughout the Empire. And the citizens of the Empire felt uneasy about the fact that Obsidian, which they believed to be an impregnable fortress, had been breached.


    So, Esther, the warden of Obsidian, hid the fact that Renzo had been resurrected. Or rather, she hasn''t confirmed it yet.


    The only ones who witnessed Renzo''s resurrection were me, Kraken, Heldre, Manggot''s Hagley, and other members of Indus.


    Heldre died here, Hagley is not someone Esther can meet, and Kraken and the Indus members are all captured in the prison, so they are not reliable.


    In fact, for Esther to confirm whether Renzo is truly resurrected, she needs to meet me, but it seems like she doesn''t trust me either.


    ¡®The reason Renzo has been quiet for so long must be because he was waiting for an opportunity. It''s literally a new life. If I were Renzo, I wouldn''t show my face to the Empire carelessly right now.¡¯


    Even Renzo, who seems to have nothing to fear in the world, is wary of someone. That''s Esther, the prison warden.


    From Renzo''s perspective, Esther seems to be the ¡®woman who would jump off a cliff at the end of hell with him and handcuff him¡¯. Besides, Renzo escaped Obsidian, so Esther must be searching for him with fire in her eyes.


    ¡°So even if Ie here, I don''t know if I''ll be able to meet Renzo.¡±


    I grumbled. I don''t doubt Lily''s information gathering skills, but even if it''s certain that Renzo is around here, if he has good senses, he''ll notice right away and run away or hide.


    My ¡®sixth sense¡¯ is precise, but its range isn''t that wide, so if he gets out of my perception range, there''s no way to find him.


    ¡­


    ¡­Or so I thought.


    ¡°©¤©¤!¡±


    Far away, I hear something that sounds like shouting.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    I turn my gaze and see dust rising in the distance below the canyon.


    ¡°©¤©¤©¤©¤!!¡±


    I don''t know what it is, but the voice is definitely louder than before.


    Soon, the dust cloud that was approaching me noisily sucks in all the surrounding air and shoots upwards.


    A long dust cloud rising from the ground, starting there and leading to a small figure visible in the sky.


    ¡®¡­No way, you''re kidding, right?¡¯


    From what I can see, it looks like someone was running and then jumped up, but I''m on top of the canyon cliff, and they''re below. Moreover, they''re only the size of an ant from here,


    ¡°Fro©¤©¤n©¤©¤!¡±


    The ant-sized figure quickly approaches and reveals its form.


    Boom!


    And right in front of me, theynd perfectly like a hero and raise their head.


    ¡°Dier!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yo, Renzo.¡±


    Is this guy the Hulk or something? Does it make sense to jump once from down there ande all the way here? Think about why mages work hard to learn flight magic.


    Renzo has a spear on his back. It''s wrapped tightly in cloth to conceal its appearance, but it''s definitely Ares'' divine weapon, ¡®Enkephalos¡¯. He''s probably also carrying the shield, ¡®Lynotoros¡¯.


    ¡°Frondier! You came to this Red Land on your own feet. This is an area not protected by the Empire.¡±


    ¡°¡­I was looking for you. Actually, I thought I wouldn''t find you if you kept hiding.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Did you think I''d turn tail and run after seeing you? Your jokes have gotten better!¡±


    ¡­Actually, I really did think so. Of course, it wouldn''t be because he¡¯s scared.


    Renzo''s tone is cheerful, but every syble is filled with murderous intent. If I provoke him now, my face might get smashed by a random swing of his fist.


    I thought for a moment and then asked.


    ¡°¡­Hey, weren''t you avoiding Esther''s surveince?¡±


    ¡°Of course I was!¡±


    Renzo proudly replied with his arms crossed.


    ¡­No, that answer shouldn''t end there?


    Fortunately, Renzo pointed at me and added one more thing.


    ¡°But you came!¡±


    ¡°That still doesn''t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°I''ve been waiting to kill you someday. I was waiting for the day I could beat you up while avoiding Esther''s surveince. But you, the smart one, came to me first. You deliberately stepped into a sure threat like me and came looking for me, you! You know what this means, right!¡±


    Boom!


    The ground where Renzo is standing caves in. It''s the pressure of his aura.


    ¡°It means a more interesting event ising! That''s the only reason you woulde to me! I don''t have time to worry about Esther!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    I was speechless for a moment at Renzo''s bold deration.


    No matter how his thoughts unfolded, Renzo eventually arrived at the correct answer.


    ¡°I don''t know if you''re smart or stupid.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seems you really came here to die. I always wee such wrong answers.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. You''re right. I came here because I have something to tell you.¡±


    If I''m not careful, I might end up in another bloody battle before I even get my message across. I quickly raised my hand.


    ¡°To put it simply, Manggot ising.¡±


    ¡°Huh, Manggot?¡±


    ¡°It will be the biggest battle in the Empire since the Monster War. You know what this means, right?¡±


    At my words, Renzo lowered his head for a moment with his arms crossed. It''s obvious what he''s thinking. He''s looking for the part that would be the most fun for him.


    ¡°¡­Frondier, I have just one question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Don''t tell me you came here to ask for my help?¡±


    I closed my mouth for a moment at that.


    Soon, Renzo''s bored gaze scanned me.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, Frondier. You''re kidding, right? Are you trying to mess with me?¡±


    "So you won''t grant such a request?"


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    Swish!


    I barely dodged the fist Renzo swung by lowering my body. I felt a stinging pain in the back of my neck. I dodged the fist, but not the aura.


    Tap, as I jumped back to create distance, Renzo red at me with murderous eyes.


    ¡°Frondier, you thought you knew me well.¡±


    Renzo raised his left hand. It was a much more sophisticated and luxurious device than the prosthetic hand I had seen before.


    The prosthetic hand made a clicking sound, and the center opened, revealing a sword stored inside. Renzo grabbed the sword and pointed the tip at me.


    ¡°Why would I help the Empire? If I side with Manggot, I can fight the best warriors of the Empire, and most importantly, I can kill you. Frondier, would fighting Manggot be more fun than that?¡±

 Chapter 254 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    That''s right. The biggest reason it''s difficult to persuade Renzo.


    Renzo is not interested in the Empire''s downfall.


    It''s not that he disregards his own life, but rather that he''s confident that he''ll survive even if the entire continent is engulfed in mes.


    From Renzo''s perspective, fighting the Empire would be much more fun than fighting Manggot.


    More than anything, he wants to kill me so badly, so naturally, if he had to choose sides, he would choose Manggot''s.


    ¡°You''re smarter than me, Frondier. You didn''te here without thinking, did you? No, you wouldn''t be that naive. You wouldn''te here to this barrennd with no connections to get your head chopped off. Frondier, stop beating around the bush and tell me what you''re thinking. Otherwise, I''ll cut off your limbs right here. That wouldn''t be very pleasant. It would be after I''m disappointed in you.¡±


    Renzo''s de gleamed with a sharp light. The sword, infused with his aura, became even more ferocious than before.


    ¡°Renzo, don''t you want to fight a god?¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±A strange light appeared in Renzo''s eyes.


    ¡°From the way you''re talking, you don''t mean divine power, do you?¡±


    ¡°Manggot is on the verge of a god''s descent. It''s not something that can be stopped. The god''s goal is the destruction of humanity. It perfectly aligns with Manggot''s goal.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s quite an arrogant goal.¡±


    Renzo, who said that,


    ¡°Hey Ares! Is that true?¡±


    He shouted into the empty air on his right.


    Needless to say, that sight sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡®He''s talking to the god who gave him divine power?¡¯


    Just because someone has divine power doesn''t mean theirmunication with their god is the same. In the worst case, they can be mentally controlled like Edwin, leading to bad results.


    The only person I know who can talk to their god is Elodie. Even the protagonist, Aster Evans, has to use a sanctuary to meet his god, Baldur.


    Moreover, the way he looks, it''s not just that he''s having a conversation, but it seems like Renzo can see Ares. This means that Ares is fully supporting Renzo.


    ¡°¡­Huh, this is something.¡±


    Renzo shook his head after hearing something from Ares.


    ¡°Hey Frondier. Fighting a god is interesting, but for now, I need to take care of my god first.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ares is eager to kill you. Our goals align. He keeps making a fuss, saying why am I just standing here when the prey is right in front of me, so noisy!!¡±


    Renzo shouted at something again. I narrowed my eyes and observed him.


    ¡®¡­I can see a little.¡¯


    Thanks to focusing my sixth sense, I can see something moving around Renzo. But the shape is still iplete.


    I can''t tell if it''s because my intuition iscking or if Ares is actually floating around in that iplete form. But his irritable movements definitely caught my eye.


    ¡°Anyway, that''s how it is. Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­How it is?¡±


    ¡°It can''t be helped.¡±


    ¡°Can''t be helped?¡±


    Renzo takes a stance towards me with his sword.


    ¡°My god wants to kill you. I need to convince him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Does that convincing mean proving that I won''t die here? Or showing him that you might be in danger before you kill me?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! As expected of you. Not many words are needed.¡±


    Renzo''s eyes shine, and a red energy rises from his body. It''s Ares'' divine power.


    The cliff where Renzo and I are standing starts to tremble slightly just from that energy. Stone dust scatters away from him as if fleeing, and the air trembles as if swallowing fear.


    ¡°You won''t die, will you? Frondier. It''s just a game. This isn''t the stage for us to fight properly. Look, I haven''t even taken out Enkephalos or Lynotoros.¡±


    As Renzo said, the divine spear and shield are still dormant behind his back.


    ¡°Don''t worry. I''m not asking you to limit yourself like this. Take out whatever you''re proud of, whether it''s the divine bow or the hammer. That way, the bnce will be a bit better.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±


    Iughed at Renzo''s confident words.


    It''s strange.


    When I face other enemies, the emotions I feel don''t go beyond disgust and anger.


    ¡°You''re arrogant, Renzo!!¡±


    Click!


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Full Open</i>


    I manipte the bracelet and unleash Obsidian, filling it entirely with weapons.


    I wonder why.


    When I fight Renzo, as if I''m infected by him, excitement boils within me.


    I said with the same kind of smile as Renzo.


    ¡°Renzo, you remember our track record, right? You''ve already lost to me twice.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense. You were the one tied to a chair begging for your life.¡±


    Swish!


    Kwaaaaaaaaang!!


    A greatsword created in the air flies towards Renzo and shes violently with his sword.


    ¡°Have you gone senile, Renzo? Who was begging for their life?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! It''s true that I saved your life, isn''t it? Back then, you would have died if I had just stabbed you in the chest.¡±


    ¡°Before that, you were the one who almost died after getting hit by my sword energy from all sides, barely surviving thanks to Cain.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn''t have died from getting hit by that, you bastard!¡±


    <i>Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Renzo Original</i>


    <i>Left to Right</i>


    Renzo''s sword swings from left to right, and his sword energy, now close to a typhoon, sweeps across the entire area in front of him. Several of Obsidian''s weapons are caught in the typhoon and fall.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    I spread Obsidian and block the sword energy.


    ¡°Hahaha! Weak, weak! Why did you even float them in the air if you were going to drop them all, Frondier? Are you nning to make a mobile, huh!¡±


    Swish!


    ng!


    Of course, Obsidian, evolved with Helheim''s mana, doesn''t drop everything. Renzo gasps and swings his sword at the weapons I shoot out, oveing the typhoon. It''s annoying how cleanly he blocks them despite being surprised.


    I said,


    ¡°Who said I was going to drop them all.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Don''t be stubborn and take out your divine weapon. No one will say anything. I want to see that hammer that kept you alive again.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, really?¡±


    I grinned and opened my right hand. Obsidian is sucked into it and takes the form of a hammer in my hand.


    Renzo''s eyes sparkle with delight at the sight, but¡­


    What I''m holding is a wooden hammer.


    ¡°I''ll beat you with this until your head breaks.¡±


    ¡°¡­This bastard has really gone crazy!¡±


    Immediately after.


    The rush of my Obsidian and weapons collides with the storm Renzo creates.

 Chapter 255: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    My weapons were swept away by Renzo''s storm-like aura, but I endured and fired my spears and swords again.


    Even while defending against dozens of des, Renzo approached me and swung his sword with terrifying force.


    "Menosorpo!"


    ng!


    I unfolded a rune to disperse Obsidian.


    Obsidian attacked Renzo in its unformed state, switching to void weaving.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The short sword I drew collided with Renzo''s sword, bounced back, closed the distance between us, and grazed each other.


    In a simple close-range fight, I could never beat Renzo, but Obsidian and the weapon ejection covered for that."What is this ck thing! Every time I see you, you''re carrying around something strange!"


    "If you think it''s strange, why don''t you get hit by it once!"


    "Hahaha! No way! It looks perfect for piercing through aura!"


    You can tell just by ''looking at it''?


    Kwaaang!!


    "Ugh!"


    Once again, Renzo''s strike pierced through the barrage of my weapons and mmed down from above.


    I converted Helheim''s mana into aura and blocked it.


    ''It feels like a rock fell on me!''


    Although I must be iparably stronger than when I first met him, Renzo''s sword still feels heavy.


    No, is it growth that I can endure it just being heavy? At first, even if I blocked it with a shield, it would tear through in an instant.


    "Hahaha! Amazing, Frondier! To be able to fight me at this distance! Even some of the Zodiacs struggle. Among the pros, Eden Hamelot is the only one! Hahahahaha!!"


    "I don''t understand why you''reughing at all!"


    This guy says the enemy is getting stronger, but why is heughing? If I were in Renzo''s shoes, I''d be feeling sick to my stomach right now.


    Enhanced aura, swordsmanship I learned while rolling around with Azier and the knights, Obsidian that I wield like my own limbs, and weapons weaving in all directions.


    All of this is attacking Renzo, and our powers are ''equal''.


    ''The current Renzo is stronger than Eden! He''s the only one who doesn''t know it!''


    I fought Eden too. Of course, I won with the ridiculous advantage of being inside the workshop, but within that, I was able to see Eden''s full power.


    If it were inside the workshop, I could have gained the upper hand against Renzo as well, but I instinctively knew it would have been much more difficult than facing Eden.


    "Take this too!"


    <i>Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Renzo Original</i>


    <i>Top to Bottom</i>


    Renzo strikes vertically, almost exactly like before.


    But when it bes a ''technique'', the situation ispletely different, and I can see a chilling aura seeping into the de like blood.


    But I actually had something I wanted to say to Renzo for a long time.


    "That''s your technique?!!"


    Kwaaang!


    I created a shield between Renzo and me to dy the blow slightly, then raised my sword to block it again.


    "What are you talking about? Countless humans have died by this."


    "Of course they would!"


    "The simpler a technique is, the better! A strike starts from a single line, a single point. Everything else is just an application of that!"


    Alright. Then


    I''ll show you something else.


    A technique that is neither a line nor a point.


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Azier Original</i>


    <i>Falling edge</i>


    I unfolded a Falling edge to knock away Renzo''s sword, which was shing with mine.


    However.


    "Huh!"


    ¡°¡­¡­?!¡±


    Renzo''s sword didn''t fly away.


    It stuck to my de, and neither side moved towards a bnce, but instead, they shed.


    "Keu, heh, I was waiting for this. So this is how you block it!"


    Renzo''s face was dripping with sweat, but he was still smiling.


    This method is simr to when I taught Mei the Falling edge.


    If the opponent also unfolds a Falling edge, the Falling edge cannot make them drop their sword. Their swords stick together like mas and enter a power struggle.


    But Renzo couldn''t have learned the Falling edge. He wouldn''t even try to learn such a thing in the first ce.


    The reason Renzo can block this is simple.


    "This, crazy bastard¡­¡­!"


    With only the single thought of not letting go of the sword, he is instinctively performing the movement to block the Falling edge.


    His body will probably suffer some damage in the process, but he probably doesn''t care about such things.


    "Eura!"


    Whiik!


    Kwaak!


    Renzo, in that state, swung his fist at me with his remaining free hand. I instinctively raised my arm to block it. I poured in twice the amount of aura I usually use.


    ''...Damn, did a sledgehammer hit me?''


    It hurts like hell. My arm, which I used to block, is tingling all the way to my fingertips. If I keep blocking like this, I''ll be pushed back.


    "Haha! How about it, Frondier! As expected, you can''t beat me in strength! No matter how much you struggle, in this state¡ªPuhak!"


    I smacked Renzo''s head, which was chattering away noisily.


    It was a wooden hammer I had weaving in the air. Right now, hitting Renzo with a hammer or a sword, even something flimsy, wouldn''t do much damage, but it would be unexpected pain.


    Renzo''s strength momentarily faltered, and I pulled back the hand holding the sword.


    <i>Azier Spearmanship Basic</i>


    <i>Frondier Style Swordsmanship Variation</i>


    <i>Diagonal sh</i>


    Renzo would love this.


    So,


    "Die from this!!!"


    Kwaaang!!


    I mmed Renzo with the short sword.


    Why does it sound like I hit a lump of metal instead of cutting into flesh? My arm is numb from the attack.


    Whiing~


    Renzo was sent flying by my attack. Thanks to the good aura momentum, he flew high like a baseball hit by a bat. He crashed down and sprawled out, remaining still in that state.


    Did I finish him off?


    "Ugh, you monster."


    I trudged over and checked on Renzo.


    Renzo was sprawled out but not unconscious. He was staring at the sky with clear eyes.


    Thwack.


    I raised the wooden hammer and hit Renzo on the head.


    "Hey, this is, huff, the third time. Huff, you lost to me. Huff, huff¡­¡­."


    I spoke diligently without even catching my breath.


    Why is this guy who copsed breathing so normally? I''m not feeling very good about this.


    "Hey, Frondier."


    "What?"


    Thwack.


    I diligently smacked Renzo with the wooden hammer as I answered.


    "Why did you choose to fight like that?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Thwack.


    "No matter how I think about it, your advantage is in mid-range. Besides, you can fly, can''t you? That ck thing also seemed to have a decent range. Even if you didn''t use the God''s weapon, you could have fought more advantageously."


    "The loser talks too much."


    Thwack.


    "Frondier, a blow like that won''t hurt me. The diagonal sh just now was the same. Closebat like that isn''t your territory to fight in."


    That''s true.


    I can fight from a distance, and that''s definitely more advantageous for me.


    Actually, I didn''t win this situation. Renzo was certain. That my current method couldn''t injure his body. It would have been more likely to injure Renzo if I had used Obsidian to create a sword and fought.


    Well, that''s that and this is this.


    Thwack.


    My wooden hammer swings are sincere.


    "Can I speak frankly?"


    I asked.


    "Judging by the way you''re speaking, it must be very unpleasant."


    Surprisingly, Renzo deduced urately.


    "You and I, without the weapons of the gods. In this situation, the weapons I can pull out for you are ''Gram'' and ''Excalibur''."


    These two weapons are not the weapons of the gods. They are the weapons of heroes.


    Gram has a record of blowing off Renzo''s left arm, and Excalibur destroyed Heldre with its power.


    "Now I can use those two without any burden. It''s not unlimited use, though."


    "......Hoo, does that mean you''ve been holding back because you might die if you use it?"


    "No. I know well that I won''t die. Even if I use that, I can''t be sure of my victory."


    Thud.


    "But you''ll definitely get hurt."


    "......"


    "You should be in your best condition when you fight with Manggot."


    "Are you saying you held back your power so that I could fight Manggot freely? You could die doing that?"


    "Hahaha."


    Thud.


    Iughed dryly.


    "So, I almost died."


    "......Crazy bastard, you really are a crazy bastard."


    Thud.


    "So when will your head break, you blockhead."


    "It breaks the next time."


    "What?"


    Crack.


    It broke. The wooden hammer.


    The wooden hammer that had been hitting Renzo''s head couldn''t bear it and fell apart.


    Of course, it might be due to the aura, but how could there be not a single bruise on Renzo''s head?


    While I was nkly looking at the shattered wooden hammer, Renzo spoke.


    "There''s a condition."


    "What is it."


    "Don''t put me where the imperial guys are. I can''t distinguish between enemy and ally. I don''t even intend to. I will kill everything I see."


    "That was my n anyway. I''m going to leave you alone in the most dangerous area of Manggot."


    At my words, Renzoughs heartily while lying down.


    "We''re on the same page."


    Are we on the same page? This psychopath.


    * * *


    The living conditions in Manggot are far from good.


    Those who left the empire and drifted to the southern continent, to the end of the sea, are basically self-sufficient. Of course, there are cases where they sneak into the empire to supplement money and food, but that''s not enough.


    Thend of Manggot where they live is extremely barren. As a result, there are no monsters, but to secure food, they must eventually head towards the territory of the animals and nts, that is, the territory of the outer monsters.


    Therefore, the people of Manggot are more familiar with the outer monsters than any other human.


    Unlike the empire that blocks monsters with a barrier, they hide from monsters using numerous caves located under cliffs and inside waterfalls.


    Even the people of Manggot find it difficult to fully understand this blessed cave geography.


    Only one person.


    Only the direct superior who Hagley serves holds all this terrain in his head.


    "Hagley."


    "Yes."


    Hagley bowed his head, looking at a man who was almost lying in his chair.


    "I''m sleepy. You handle the rest of the work."


    "......I can''t do that."


    "Ipetent."


    The man looked over each of the messy documents piled on his desk and put them down.


    His bored eyes, seemingly not even reading, scanned the paper a few times, and then put it down on either the left or right side.


    Each time, his gray hair covered his eyes, then revealed them again.


    "How far has the advente?"


    "It seems to be ending soon."


    "Why is God so dull? Isn''t hezier than me?"


    "That can''t be."


    Of course, it can''t be. A faint smile blooms on the man''snguid face.


    "Should we encourage the believers a bit more?"


    "No, it''s enough. The believers'' faith is deep, that''s why we could endure."


    The man looked up at the ceiling, speaking as if the wind was being drained from his body.


    "The reason we could endure, living a life close to primitive in this hellish environment, was thanks to faith. The faithful hearts and vengeful spirits of the believers brought us here."


    "......"


    Those who had left the empire and gathered at the edge of the world needed a center.


    For them, who had lived a life closer to death in a much harsher environment than the citizens of the empire, that center was a god.


    "Hagley. Isn''t it ridiculous?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    "The devil brings forth the advent of a god."


    There was a strange chill in the man''s words, spoken like a sigh.


    "You can''t gather people under the name of a devil. That''s why the name of a god was needed. It''s truly ridiculous that humans long for a god who desires their destruction."


    "......Is that so?"


    "It''s a joke. I understand humans. Don''t look at me like that."


    The man spoke as if tofort Hagley, whose face had stiffened a bit. Hagley just bowed his head deeper.


    "It''s time for the meeting."


    "Help me move."


    "......Please stand up."


    "I''ve been asking for a long time to have my chair made into a wheelchair."


    "A wheelchair for someone without a single ailment?"


    At Hagley''s words, the man let out a sigh, not knowing how many times he had done so. His eyes slowly sank as he rose from his seat.


    It wasn''t that it wasn''t, but his body felt heavy as if he had put gravity on himself.


    The man walked past Hagley and took the lead. Hagley quietly followed him from behind and then spoke softly.


    "Lord Belphegor."


    "Why."


    "Why are you with Manggot?"


    At that, the man stopped.


    Belphegor, his head tilted towards Hagley.


    "What''s with the question?"


    "......Lord Belphegor, you have nothing to do with the empire''s business, why are you with us?"


    "Hahaha. Isn''t it obvious? I n to feast on souls while watching humans kill each other."


    It was a seemingly evil statement.


    If Manggot really ns to annihte all of humanity, Belphegor would be cutting the belly of the goose thatys the golden eggs.


    ''Just once, to dry up the seeds of future humans in order to devour numerous souls. It doesn''t make sense. Lord Belphegor, you wouldn''t make such a foolish choice,''


    "This is right."


    "......!"


    Belphegor seemed to have noticed Hagley''s thoughts.


    However, he did not reveal anything more. Belphegor looked at Hagley, threw a small smile at his bored gaze, and walked again.


    "Let''s go."


    As if not allowing any further questions, Belphegor''s voice was unwaveringly firm.


    "We need to decide where the mes will bloom."


    T/N: So is it Sloth vs Sloth lol

 Chapter 256: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Belphegor entered the vast chamber. Upon his arrival, he found the key members of Manggot already gathered, awaiting his presence.


    Their eyes turned towards Belphegor as if on cue, and he, without much reaction, took his seat at the grand round table.


    "Let the meetingmence," Belphegor dered, Hagley standing silently behind him.


    "Reporting," began the woman seated opposite Belphegor. "The descent is expected to bepleted within a week. The followers are all in good condition, and thebatants have all followed the shadows as previously assigned."


    "A week... How leisurely our God is," the demon remarked sarcastically. With no clear hierarchy established, there was no one present who could challenge Belphegor''s words.


    "What of the movements within the Imperial Pce?"


    "No particrly suspicious activity has been reported."


    "Hmm," Belphegor''s gaze briefly fell downwards. "Osprey must have seen through us. Thisck of movement is unsettling."


    "Perhaps they are conducting their operations discreetly to avoid causing unrest among the Imperial citizens.""Naive. Still so soft. As expected, the Empire underestimates Manggot."


    A smirk yed upon Belphegor''s lips.


    "Indus has be a rather good precedent. Thanks to their swift downfall, the Empire now underestimates our strength as well. Revenge and fury will be appropriately painted."


    This time, everyone nodded in agreement.


    "Have you confirmed the Emperor''s status?"


    Another question. However, the woman who had been promptly reporting paused for a moment.


    "That is... he hasn''t been seen recently."


    "Does that mean the debilitation I ced is taking effect?"


    "Until just a few days ago, he was showing himself to the nobles, albeit in a weakened state, to demonstrate his well-being. However, recently, he seems to have suddenly hidden within the Imperial Pce and has not been seen."


    At that report, Belphegor''s expression turned grim.


    A muscr, well-built man beside him spoke up.


    "Isn''t it possible that Lord Belphegor''s debilitation is working so well that he can''t evene out?"


    "No. My curse neither worsens nor improves. I cast a curse just strong enough to keep track of the Emperor''s condition at all times. If he showed himself yesterday, the day before, and the day before that, he should show himself today as well. The fact that he hasn''t means there''s a variable at y."


    "Could they be trying to cure the debilitation?"


    "That''s a possibility."


    Belphegor crossed his arms and fell into thought for a moment.


    ''The Dragon Heart, said to be dormant within the Imperial Pce. That''s the only way to ovee my curse.''


    But that Dragon Heart was supposed to be used for the demon summoning. The fact that Satan ultimately did not descend means that the gate opened to the other world was closed, which in turn means the Dragon Heart was destroyed.


    The biggest reason Belphegor and Manggot decided to act this time was because they were certain the Dragon Heart had been destroyed.


    ''Satan, that bastard, how did he handle things?''


    Sigh, Belphegor''s sigh deepened.


    "For now, closely observe the Emperor''s movements. Invest a little more manpower and time in that direction. It''s alright even if we get caught. They''re the ones who will be a step behind anyway."


    "Yes," the reporting woman nodded.


    After she sat down, the man next to her stood up as if waiting his turn.


    "We have confirmed that a few Zodiacs have mobilized their knights. Whether they received a request or are taking defensive measures for the barrier is unclear. They may have predicted our movements."


    "They have predicted correctly. Osprey must have informed them. But even so, it will be a passive defense. Osprey alone cannot move the Empire. Unless he has be an Archmage."


    Osprey is on the verge of bing an Archmage.


    However, as Belphegor predicts, Osprey has deliberately stopped just short of that. Bing an Archmage means reaching the hand of God. Additionally, it also means the hand of the devil can reach him.


    In other words, Osprey is essentially at a crossroads. To persuade the Empire, he must be an Archmage, but at that moment, he will be in a position where persuasion is impossible.


    "What are Osprey''s movements?"


    "As usual. He is still working at the educational institution. He seems busy cleaning up the mess created by the disappearance magic he cast."


    "...Educational institution, was it Constel?"


    "Yes, that''s correct."


    Osprey is the most mage-like mage among the Zodiacs.


    ''If there were a parameter called ''wisdom,'' Osprey would surpass everyone else.''


    Everyone was initially puzzled by the fact that such a person established Constel, but now everyone understands its significance.


    The system where talents produced by Constel be pros and stop monsters and eliminate enemies of humanity. Surprisingly, it is making a significant contribution to protecting humanity today.


    "Cohen."


    "Yes."


    The man seated closer to Belphegor responded.


    "Keep an eye on Constel. If you see any signs of them doing anything other than their usual school duties, report immediately."


    "...Are you saying we should monitor the students?"


    "Do you have a problem with that?"


    "N-no, not at all."


    Cohen quickly shook his head as Belphegor questioned him back.


    "We have gathered here to take advantage of the Empire''scency and burn them down. The ce where we are most likely to becent is Constel. It''s a crazy ce where the talents who will be the pirs of humanity in the future are gathered in a narrow building. It''s the future national power."


    "I apologize. I misspoke."


    As Cohen bowed deeply, Belphegor cast his gaze behind him.


    "Hagley."


    "Yes."


    "You are well aware of the ones to watch out for at Constel, right?"


    "I receive regr reports."


    "Tsk, such pointless humility. Don''t beat around the bush and answer directly. Who are the individuals of interest at Constel? These guys here need to get their heads straight again."


    At Belphegor''s words, Hagley sighed inwardly.


    From Belphegor''s perspective, they might be subordinates, but to Hagley, they were superiors of immense stature, second only to Belphegor himself.


    The fact that Hagley is the core of Manggot means that he takes on most of the work as a middle manager here.


    For Hagley, who values friendship and coordination, this kind of situation is quite burdensome.


    "...First and foremost, there is Aster Evans, whom everyone knows."


    At Hagley''s words, the individuals seated at the round table nodded as if it were obvious.


    "Introduction alone is not enough."


    However, Belphegor did not let it pass.


    "Gauge that guy''s strength and tell me how hepares to these guys here."


    "..."


    "If you try to downy his strength out of consideration, I''ll put you to sleep forever."


    Hagley''s mouth went dry.


    If he had known it woulde to this, he wouldn''t have brought up Aster in the first ce.


    "...In a one-on-one battle..."


    "In a battle?"


    "Aster Evans can currently take on everyone present at this round table. I believe the odds would be roughly even."


    At those words, everyone at the round table widened their eyes. Not a Zodiac, not a pro, not even an adult, but a mere student capable of suchbat prowess?


    "Did you hear that? It''s not a ce for you guys to look down on."


    "......Even so, isn''t that too exaggerated? If you say that, what''s the difference between him and a Zodiac?"


    When someone else spoke with a dissatisfied voice, Belphegor pointed at Hagley with a chin gesture, as if there was no need to answer.


    Then Hagley said.


    "There is no difference."


    "What?"


    "Aster Evans is currently on par with the Zodiacs."


    This time, everyone''s mouth fell open.


    Hagley continued speaking.


    "And Elodie de Ines Rishae. She is also on par with Zodiac."


    "Hey, Hagley. Is the name Zodiac funny? Does anyone be on par just by saying so?"


    "It''s just these two. These two are exceptional cases even in the past history of Constel."


    Hmph, the man snorted as if he didn''t like Hagley''s words.


    Even after that, Hagley''s introduction of Constel''s characters continued in a row. Most of them were names known to those sitting at the round table. Constel was a ce of interest for the entire continent, so it was natural for every detail to be heard throughout the empire.


    However, ording to Hagley, they were still insufficient to fight against the characters at the round table. At his words, their faces rxed a bit.


    And finally.


    "......Frondier de Roach."


    Hagley''s expression crumpled as if he had chewed shit while speaking.


    Belphegor looked at him with a leisurely gaze.


    "Why did you stop talking? Compare them with those here and tell us how they are."


    "......I''m not sure."


    "What?"


    "He''s definitely one of the strongest in Constel. However, he rarely fights in public, and even when he does, it''s either in a dreadful foreignnd or for a short period of time. The sporadic information we receive is so full of lies and exaggerations that it''s hard to tell what''s true. The only consistent information is that he uses a ''weaponunching attack style in the air'' and is ''a type who is good at cunning tactics''."


    At these words, Belphegor''s head tilted more than ever before.


    It wasn''t because of Hagley''s vague statement. Of course, that was part of it, but what Belphegor was concerned about was something else.


    "......How did Frondier break the curse of weakness?"


    Belphegor, whose body was tilting as if he might lose bnce and fall, was half-watched by Hagley. He had actually fallen like that before. He just fell asleep.


    Before Belphegor cursed the Emperor with weakness, he had already cursed Frondier.


    Since then, Manggot has been coaxing Frondier to learn ancientnguages. He received a report that the process of sending a woman to fluently speak the ancientnguage was going well.


    "Hagley, what''s the name of the woman sent to Frondier?"


    "...She is called Jei. I have now forbidden her from going to Frondier. I have also cut off the shadow."


    "Why?"


    "Jei is the most skilled assassin among the ten hells. She is a necessary personnel when carrying out operations."


    Upon hearing this, Belphegor nodded his head.


    "If she''s with Frondier, she would know more about Frondier than anyone else, what does that woman say?"


    "It''s not much different from the reports. If anything, it feels like he''s been underestimated. Reports of hiszy face all day, sleepy eyes, and leisurely speech keeping in."


    Hmm. Belphegor strokes his chin.


    So, does that mean the weakness is still functioning? Is he managing to live while tied to the weakness? It makes sense when put that way.


    "Call this woman named Jei."


    There is a need to be more certain.


    If he is an unknown character, that means he is the most important person.

 Chapter 257 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Seirra1172 and @Albaito from Ko-fi!</i>


    Selena entered the conference room upon being summoned, her expression clear and serene.


    As an assassin of the "Ten Assassins" under Hagley''smand, she disyed no sign of nervousness or tension despite being a neer to this gathering.


    Kneeling on one knee, she lowered her posture as usual. "Jei reporting. You called for me?"


    "Yes," Belphegor replied, observing Selena intently.


    She was dressed in the same attire she wore during her first encounter with Frondier¡ªan outfit designed to entice men, its revealing nature emphasizing her figure. Some seated at the round table even momentarily averted their gazes.


    Belphegor, scrutinizing Selena as if appreciating a work of art, finally spoke. "You have a fine physique."


    "...Thank you," Selena responded."I heard you approached Frondier de Roach. Is that correct?"


    "Yes, it is."


    Her answer was businesslike, devoid of emotion, causing a flicker of interest in Belphegor''s eyes.


    "How do you assess that man?"


    "He''s not worth assessing," Selena replied without hesitation.


    The meaning was clear, yet Belphegor pressed further. "borate. That one sentence doesn''t suffice as an answer."


    "I apologize," Selena said, bowing her head slightly before continuing. "Frondier is a useless man."


    "Oh?"


    "Although he possesses some unique skills, his fundamental nature is wed, leading to incorrigibleziness. He tires easily and falls asleep, neglecting everything except for the mandatory activities at Constel."


    "I heard he was at the top of his ss?" Belphegor probed, testing Selena.


    Unfazed, she responded, "Yes, that was before I approached him. To be honest, I had some expectations because of that, but he was below par. I simply question how he ever achieved the top rank. He must have resorted to bribery or cheating."


    "Hmm."


    ording to the information Belphegor received from Hagley, Frondier had initially lingered at the bottom of his ss at Constel but had suddenly improved his grades. Investigations suggested it was to avoid expulsion.


    ''Hagley said he didn''t share this information with Selena. He didn''t want to identally provoke Frondier, who is riddled with inferiorityplex, by bringing up his past.''


    Therefore, Selena''s response was expected. She was unaware of why Frondier was once ranked first and why he disyed such pathetic behavior despite his past achievements. Her statements were consistent.


    Hagley, standing slightly behind Belphegor, briefly nced at him.


    The usual Belphegor would have grown tired of this conversation by now. The Demon of Sloth enjoyed his sloth. With no significant gains from Selena''s answers, it was time to dismiss her.


    However, Belphegor spoke once more. "...One more question."


    "Yes."


    "Your initial intention in seducing Frondier was to steal the Ancient Language from him, correct?"


    "That''s right."


    "And how about that? Does Frondier truly possess that talent?"


    This question wasn''t particrly relevant to the current operation. By now, it was almost certain: Belphegor was suspicious of Selena.


    ''What will her answer be this time?''


    The interpretation of the Ancient Language was considered the most crucial mission of the Manggot.


    Although it wasn''t of much interest to Belphegor as a demon, the concept of an undecipherablenguage itself intrigued him.


    Anguage that neither demons nor gods could decode, a cipher system created by the ancients solely formunication amongst themselves¡ªanguage said to be the pinnacle of human wisdom.


    Even among the gods, there were those who had seriously attempted to decipher the Ancient Language.


    Frondier''s talent for interpretation was still of uncertain value, but Belphegor had heard that the Manggot understanding of the Ancient Language had progressed significantly thanks to the knowledge Selena had ryed from him.


    ''However, I heard that the interpretation of the Ancient Language had stalled at some point.''


    Was this Frondier''s intention or not?


    If Frondier was trying to conceal the Ancient Language, was Selena involved?


    To uncover the truth, Belphegor inquired, his gaze sharpening and his magical power heating up as if trying to pierce through Selena''s facade.


    Yet, Selena responded with no change in tone.


    "I doubt Frondier has even properly mastered the Ancient Language."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The words he taught me started to be mere repetitions."


    "Repetitions?"


    "After I conveyed Frondier''s knowledge, even the Manggot interpretation specialists expressed their concerns."


    That was to be expected. Belphegor had asked knowing full well.


    ''She''s taking the bait I was going to subtly reveal and presenting it herself...?''


    Selena had brought up the stagnation of the Ancient Language interpretation on her own. This suggested that, in her opinion, Frondier hadn''t mastered thenguage properly.


    Naturally, this implied Selena had no knowledge of Frondier''s true intentions, wasn''t involved, and raised the possibility that Frondier hadn''t fully grasped the Ancient Language in the first ce.


    "Do you truly believe that? That Frondier hasn''t fully learned the Ancient Language?"


    "He was filled with inferiorityplex and bravado. Since my seduction worked as intended, he could have easily put on such a charade to win my favor."


    Selena''s response was an application of Hagley''s words. Hagley firmly believed that Frondier waspletely smitten with Selena.


    If Hagley thought so, then everyone involved in this Manggot operation probably shared the same sentiment.


    However, Belphegor still seemed displeased.


    "Did you give him your body?"


    "...One night for one word of the Ancient Language. It was a tacit agreement."


    "Raise your head."


    Following Belphegor''smand, Selena slowly lifted her head.


    The gazes of those at the round table who had previously avoided her revealing attire now focused on her face.


    "Jei, this is the final question."


    "Yes."


    "Did you give him your heart?"


    Belphegor''s voice,ced with aura, pricked Selena''s skin. His sharp gaze coldly scrutinized her.


    Yet, Selena endured it all and responded with the same unwavering breath as before.


    "No."


    With clear eyes devoid of even a speck of emotion, she stated tly, "He''s not worthy of that."


    "..."


    Belphegor remained silent, observing Selena intently.


    Before and after her answer, throughout the long silence that followed, Selena remained unchanged, just as she had been upon entering the room.


    ''...Her expression is wless.''


    Belphegor didn''t possess the ability to read people''s inner thoughts. That wasn''t his forte as a demon.


    However, he could usually detect lies based on facial expressions, but piercing through Selena''s performance proved impossible.


    Her overly pristine expression was suspicious, but perhaps that was simply her demeanor in any situation.


    ''There''s nothing wrong with any of her answers. Even her excessive underestimation of Frondier could be attributed to personal dislike. However...''


    However, for some reason, Belphegor felt that Selena''s answers were a little too perfect.


    To summarize her responses:


    Frondier couldn''t shake off hisziness, meaning Belphegor''s curse was working effectively.


    Frondier had achieved the top rank through dishonest means, implying he wasn''t a significant threat to the Manggot.


    Frondier was a half-baked individual who hadn''t fully mastered the Ancient Language, suggesting the slow progress in deciphering it was a minor issue.


    ''She''s giving the Manggot exactly the answers they desire.''


    Regardless of the truth, humans find it difficult to doubt an answer that aligns with their wishes, especially when it appears logical and reasonable at first nce.


    Could this woman be telling the truth? Or was he being overly suspicious?


    ©¤©¤Ah.


    This was bing tiresome.


    "Hagley."


    "Yes."


    "Imprison that woman."


    Startled, Hagley looked at Belphegor.


    "W-Why? Selena is a crucialbat asset for the Manggot."


    "I cannot allow her to leave the Manggot."


    Belphegor waved his hand dismissively, as if brushing off dust.


    "Lock her up and keep her out of my sight."

 Chapter 257 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I personally sought out those I could persuade, one by one.


    To my surprise, the ones I thought would be the most difficult¡ªmy own family, the Enfers and the Aziers, including Malia¡ªreadily believed me.


    This was partly due to their increased trust in me, but also because they had anticipated the danger posed by the Manggot from the beginning.


    ©¤The Empire has hidden within its walls, while the Manggot stand outside. It''s obvious who holds the greater power.


    Enfer''s concise summary of the situation between the Empire and the Manggot was typical of him.


    Student Council President Ellen also nodded in agreement. She was no longer the "interim President" but officially held the position, having garnered the support of the vast majority of Constel students.


    Ellen promised her full cooperation, and I requested her to instruct the Constel students.


    Honestly, Constel was too valuable a force to simply abandon, except for the fact that they were still underage. So, I wanted to entrust that decision to Ellen.


    She listened to me and retorted, "Aren''t you the same age?" I had no rebuttal.I also contacted Sanders, the captain of the Shroud Knights, whom I had been indebted to during summer vacation at the Tyburn.


    While he didn''t fully believe my words, he agreed that the Shroud Knights had be toox. The Shroud Knights would likely take action once the Zodiacs started moving.


    And finally, now...


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    I stood amidst a heavy silence.

 Chapter 257 (3) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Initially, I had believed persuading these individuals would be the easiest. Or rather, that''s what my mind had told me.


    But the fact that I had unconsciously postponed convincing them until the very end revealed that I had known it would be the most challenging.


    "Frondier, I have a rough idea," Lunia Fricell spoke first, her face etched with discontent.


    "You gathered us here because of Selena''s sudden disappearance, right?"


    Everyone in the ssroom nodded in agreement with her statement.


    I had summoned a few people to the ssroom after school: Aster Evans, the current third-year Ellen Evans, Edwin von Behetorio, my self-proimed disciples Dier Aigar and Pielott von Ribanche, and Aten, whom I had informed of the situation beforehand as he needed to be present for this discussion¡ªall prominent figures within the academy.


    In the original game, these would have been thepanions joining the protagonist, Aster, to ovee trials and tribtions together.


    "My father''s workload has also suddenly increased. An unprecedented number of orders havee in," Sybil Forte mentioned.


    "Same here. Even our old geezer, who usually makes a fuss over nothing, has been unusually quiet. Or rather, busy. He doesn''t answer when I ask what''s going on," Robald Lieff added."All the security instations I wasmissioned for are undergoing re-inspection. Not because any problems were found, but simply for ''routine checks,''" Edwin von Behetorio stated.


    They had already sensed the unusual atmosphere within Constel.


    "Frondier."


    Andstly, Aster Evans looked at me with an incredibly serious expression.


    He briefly nced at Ellen before speaking, "My sister told me."


    "Right."


    Ellen would have naturally informed Aster. That was what I had hoped for.


    "The Manggot areing, right?"


    "Yes."


    "And you''re gathering the Empire''s forces by informing people to prevent it."


    "...Yes."


    At Aster''s words, the others exchanged surprised nces. For those who were unaware, this information must have been quite shocking.


    Aster sighed. "Come to think of it, I know nothing about you."


    I chuckled at his words.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    "Neither do I."


    Because those were my words to say.


    Aster Evans.


    The protagonist of the game, Etius.


    The one I had directly controlled, yed countless times, and believed I knew better than anyone else.


    Ironically, Aster Evans, outside the context of the game, was aplete stranger to me.


    The Aster Evans who knew the future and avoided wrong choices due to being a game character didn''t exist.


    The Aster who followed the optimized route built upon countless retries and information sharing from numerous yers was no more.


    Even with dozens of miracles, Aster wouldn''t follow that path.


    Because Aster was now solely Aster Evans.


    ''That''s why I''ve been unconsciously avoiding Aster.''


    The day I first met him.


    When I watched from the fork in the road to see which direction he would choose.


    The moment I saw him walk to the right instead of the left, where he was supposed to go.


    It was despair for me back then, but it was also the moment I realized that Aster wasn''t just a character who moved ording tomands.


    Aster''s strength was absolutely necessary. Therefore, I couldn''t allow his power to diminish or fall short. I would build my strength and gather allies away from his path.


    I followed the trajectory of the main quest, but it always remained a story behind the main stage.


    To avoid hindering his growth, I kept my distance unless absolutely necessary. However, a sense of unease always lingered within me.


    Could Aster truly be strong without following the optimal route that yers had established?


    My initial concern of whether I could keep up with him had transformed into anxiety about whether he could achieve such power on his own.


    Yet, now...


    "Frondier, ever since I arrived at the sanctuary..."


    Aster drew his sword.


    His aura immediately enveloped the de, emitting a vibrant blue light.


    The brilliance of its color and intensity, the fierce momentum¡ªit undoubtedly surpassed the Aster I had nurtured through the optimal route at this stage.


    Aten, who had been silent until now, rose from his seat, but I stopped him with a gesture.


    Aster continued, "Baldur kept whispering to me."


    "What?"


    "To be wary of you."


    The tip of Aster''s sword pointed towards me, his aura flowing throughout his entire body.


    Yet, it didn''t leak out; instead, all his mana seemed to be condensed, swirling around him.


    Unlike the many powerhouses who exuded their aura outwards, Aster''s strengthy in the perfectly contained waves of his aura.


    "Since then, I''ve been cautious of you. And now, you''re casually saying things that could shake the very foundation of the Empire."


    I smiled at his words.


    Aster seemed displeased by my reaction.


    "What''s so funny? You should be angry."


    "Because you''ve be stronger thanks to that. Because you considered me a threat."


    Aster was unaware of my exact strength.


    In such situations, it would be normal for people to underestimate based on their own assumptions, but Aster, due to his nature, would inte the perceived threat to an unparalleled degree.


    He would then set his sights on that exaggerated obstacle, worrying that it might one day be a real danger, and strive to surpass it. That was the kind of person he was.


    Aster, would you ever know?


    Freed from the constraints of the game, you became the protagonist I had always dreamed of.


    You were far stronger and more radiant than the character Aster Evans who moved ording to mymands and pursued perfect efficiency.


    Would you ever know how deeply relieved I was to witness that?


    "...Are you saying you anticipated Baldur telling me that back then?"


    "No, I only started to specte muchter. Back then, I was too preupied with saving Sybil."


    However, while the gods were trying to kill me, perceiving me as a threat, I couldn''t help but wonder.


    What about Baldur, one of the strongest gods in Etius? Was he also hostile towards me?


    If so, he would have definitely done something at the sanctuary where he could contact Aster.


    "Aster, you are strong and righteous, but youck cunning. It shows on your face. I could see that you were trying to distance yourself from me after that."


    "..."


    Aster averted his gaze, seemingly speechless


    "So, I granted your wish. Because the you who saw me as an enemy would be that much stronger."


    "...Did you use not only me but Baldur as well?"


    "Well, if you put it that way, then yes."


    "Aren''t you afraid of the gods?"


    I paused for a moment at his genuine question.


    It had been a long time since I had heard that question. Yet, for the people of this world, it was always a natural inquiry.


    Let''s see, how did I answer this question before?


    "Those things..."


    Then, a sweet voice, mimicking my own yet entirely different, flowed through the air.


    Elodie, with yful eyes like a young girl and a hint of a smile, raised a finger and dered,


    "have never been something to fear."

 Chapter 258 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Elodie''s yful remark hung in the air, leaving the entire ssroom wide-eyed.


    For people who constantly felt the presence of Gods, received divine power, and admired those blessed with it, her words were quite shocking.


    More than anything, they were bewildered that it was Elodie, not Frondier, who uttered such a statement.


    "Uh, Elodie. You''re an Inies, right?" Lunia asked, surprised.


    Elodie pouted at her words.


    "I told you not to call me that."


    "No, I mean¡­ you''re loved by the five Gods, aren''t you?"


    Elodie nodded lightly at Lunia''s question.


    "That doesn''t mean I''m scared of Rudra or Indra.""¡­"


    "They''re my friends."


    Lunia, about to retort, closed her mouth. What could she say when Elodie herself, the owner of the divine power, said so?


    "Besides, humanity is in danger right now. This isn''t the time to be worrying about the Gods."


    "¡­That sounds like sophistry¡­"


    Lunia pursed her lips, her expression dubious.


    Aten, who was listening, spoke up.


    "Regardless of how the Gods view the current situation, I''ve decided to trust Mr. Frondier. The Imperial Pce will act. So will the Zodiac."


    "¡­Did His Majesty say that?"


    Sybil, who was listening, inquired.


    "I haven''t heard it yet, but Dad always listens to Mom. He delegated most of the authority to her anyway."


    "¡­Then, what about Her Majesty, the Empress?"


    Frondier answered again.


    "Her Majesty, the Empress, always listens to Aten."


    "¡­Isn''t the hierarchy strange?"


    The conversation seemed to veer off on a tangent for a moment.


    Listening to the surrounding chatter, Aster Evans quietly raised his head towards the ceiling.


    "¡­I see."


    He intended to speak quietly to himself, and he did, but that small murmur drew attention.


    "Manggot ising."


    Aster''s presence naturally made those around him listen to his words.


    The innate talent of a leader, the qualities of a hero who would lead hisrades and raise the banner of victory.


    While everyone paused for a moment at his murmur, a p echoed through the ssroom.


    Robald Lieff spoke in a cheerful and light voice.


    "Then it can''t be helped! If the Imperial Pce and the Zodiac are moving, we can''t just stand still!"


    His voice had the power to ignite the passion of those around him.


    While everyone outwardly sighed, they were all inwardly contemting their own roles and how they would proceed.


    "¡­Aten, can I talk to you for a moment?"


    After a brief pause, Lunia spoke to Aten.


    "Edwin, about the security system¡­"


    "Yes."


    Ellen and Edwin stepped aside and began their conversation.


    Assuming arge-scale attack from Manggot, they each developed their own thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Frondier took a step towards Aster.


    He spoke to Aster in a low voice.


    "Aster, I have a favor to ask."


    "What is it?"


    "You know it, but you''re the only one who can lead them."


    "Don''t burden me. They''ll do well on their own even without me,"


    "Aster."


    Frondier said, looking at Aster who was humbly shaking his head.


    His eyes were more serious than ever, and the usualnguidness around him had disappeared.


    "Please."


    "¡­If you need a leader, you can do it too."


    "I haven''t been there for them when it mattered. When Constel was attacked, and during the field trip. I was too caught up in my own desires to look around."


    "¡­"


    "It''s too much for me."


    Aster was about to refute but closed his mouth.


    He had many things to say, but seeing Frondier''s expression, he understood his intention.


    "¡­Alright. If you say so."


    "Thank you."


    Frondier''s voice sounded relieved. Aster shook his head at his words.


    Sybil was watching this scene.


    While everyone was busy discussing their thoughts with each other, Sybil looked at Aster and Frondier with a slightly dazed expression.


    ''¡­Never been afraid¡­.''


    ©¤I don''t believe in God.


    ©¤Because I don''t believe in fate.


    The words that first came to Sybil''s mind. Now, Sybil engraved these sentences deep within her heart.


    Soon, she turned her gaze to the window.


    "As expected, I have a good eye for men."


    That''s also thanks to my good luck.


    Because I''m a child loved by fate.


    ''I used to think it was just an overly exaggerated, ridiculous story.''


    Sybil realized her own talent.


    Apletely different kind from Aster, who received powerful divine power, or Elodie, who was loved by the five Gods.


    ''I thought I received divine power.''


    Not only Sybil but everyone who saw her thought so.


    Her shining talent stemmed from the power of God.


    However, unlike everyone else who knew who their God was, Sybil didn''t.


    ''Am I loved by a shy God? Or am I really just lucky?''


    Or, if not that.


    If Sybil''s power wasn''t the work of some God in charge of fate.


    ''¡­Or, am I¡­''


    Am I a devil?


    Her sunken eyes turned towards the window.


    ''If I wish for all the people of Manggot to die here and now¡­''


    Would it happen? Would my fate move to help me?


    And if things worked out a little better, and by chance everyone found out it was all thanks to me.


    Everyone would like me, the crisis in the world would disappear, peace woulde, and all of humanity would have a peaceful andfortable happy ending.


    ''¡­Pfft. What am I talking about.''


    She knew.


    Her luck was limited to herself. As long as there was no direct harm to Sybil herself, her luck wouldn''t activate.


    ''Besides, that luck didn''t work on the monsters outside. No, was it ultimately lucky because Frondier was there?''


    Either way.


    While Sybil relied on her luck and acted like a tomboy, she almost died and Frondier was injured.


    Sybil realized then.


    Her luck was created by the sacrifice of someone else.


    After Frondier''s harsh words, as Sybil began to examine her life, she realized.


    Sybil''s gain meant someone else''s loss, and when she ced a few grams of happiness on her scale, she realized that those few grams were taken from someone else.


    ''¡­Sigh.''


    She wanted to run away.


    She was afraid to fight.


    She was afraid herrades would get hurt and die instead of her.


    She was afraid of being the only one alive when everyone else was dead.


    She was afraid of being a problem just by being alive.


    Creak, creak.


    The sound of fate turning.


    The sound of it being tailored to fit her.


    Even though she knew it was a hallucination, it was a sound that made her feel good.


    ¡­It had been longer than she thought since Sybil suffered from insomnia.

 Chapter 258 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Belphegor stood on the cliff of Manggot, gazing at the sea.


    Hisnguid eyes seemed as if they would fall asleep at any moment, but somehow those thin eyes continued to follow the movement of the waves.


    "There you are."


    Soon, Hagley stood behind him.


    Hagley, searching for Belphegor who had disappeared along the way, came herest, really just in case.


    It had been a while since his superior had shown his face outside of Manggot.


    "Hagley, are the preparationsplete?"


    "Yes. Everyone is waiting for the signal."


    "Good."Belphegor''s eyes still followed the waves.


    "Hagley. Can you predict what shape the next wave will take?"


    "¡­No. It''s impossible."


    "Right. It''s impossible. No one tries to predict it. Why do you think that is?"


    "¡­Because it''s meaningless."


    "Kuku, you''re no fun because you always give the answer I want."


    The waves were all different, with no rules, so it was impossible to predict them, but.


    The sea always receded and always came in. The waves changed shape, but they always wet the sand and then retreated.


    It was a sight where small irregrities were actually wandering within a vast rule. Belphegor liked that.


    "I don''t predict the entirety of the waves. That would be foolish. What we need to anticipate is the next low tide and the next high tide. We will be a tsunami and engulf the Empire. A tsunami of fire, of course. Kukuku."


    "¡­"


    Hagley remained silent.


    When his superior spoke like this, it meant he was suspicious of the opposite. Nodding along mindlessly would only lead to trouble.


    "¡­So, we shouldn''t pay attention to the irregrities of the waves. Everything within them is a random movement, and it wouldn''t be special even if I focused on one of them."


    Therefore, Belphegor''s words meant that he was concerned about the irregrities of the waves.


    And Hagley knew the answer.


    "¡­Are you concerned about Frondier?"


    "¡­You really are no fun."


    Belphegor''s head tilted slightly.


    "I know the Empire''s power, and I''ve set the time and ce for them to burn most easily. The only thing I don''t know the identity of is Frondier."


    "¡­As you say, Belphegor-nim, that existence is nothing more than an unpredictable wave."


    "Right. I think so too. I just happened to witness that one guy among countless others like him."


    Belphegor agreed with Hagley''s words, but his voice didn''t sound like it at all.


    "¡­But what if he''s not a wave?"


    "Belphegor-nim."


    "If that one irregrity stops the wave, and beyond that, stops the tsunami, then this entire operation is wrong from the premise."


    "A mere human cannot stop a disaster."


    "Hahaha. You''re a human, yet you look down on humans more than I do. Humans can stop disasters."


    Humans in the past had far more disasters than they do now.


    They couldn''t withstand droughts, pests, or attacks from wild animals.


    "Humans have grown while oveing disasters. They just haven''t been able to stop a tsunami yet. Not yet. But next time, someday, if humanity can stop the next disaster¡­"


    "Do you think Frondier can stop the tsunami, Belphegor-nim?"


    "It''s a matter of possibility. A slim possibility. A devil''s intuition is sharp."


    But nothing could be changed now.


    The mes of Manggot had grown toorge, and even Belphegor couldn''t dy the timing or change the operation at this point. If he forced it, the mes would simply extinguish immediately. Without burning anything.


    "¡­Well, even if this Frondier guy has power beyond our expectations, he won''t be fighting me."


    "That''s right."


    "Among the pirs of the Empire, the wisest is Osprey, right?"


    "Yes. As he is on the verge of bing an Archmage, I believe he will be a key figure in the strategy."


    Belphegor let out a sigh, or perhaps it was just an exhale, as he spoke.


    "Then he will be my opponent."


    * * *


    The Imperial Pce conference room.


    Never before had so many people gathered in this ce.


    The Emperor, Empress, and Princess were present.


    All members of the Zodiac, including Osprey, were present.


    Arge number of members from the Roach, Rishae, and other prominent noble families of the Empire were present.


    Several instructors from the Constel Institute, and student council president Ellen Evans as the student representative, were present.


    Representatives of the Imperial Knights and the Shroud Knights were present.


    The vast conference room of the Imperial Pce, prepared for meetings of any scale, was filled with people.


    And all of them, with half curiosity and half doubt in their eyes, looked towards the front of the room.


    ©¤Why is it not Osprey standing there?


    Most harbored such doubts, but.


    ©¤It is the Emperor''s order.


    ©¤His words are the will of the Imperial Pce, the will of the Empire.


    The attendees had been informed in advance, so some had faces full of discontent.


    However, a few others sent looks of trust towards the front, as if they had expected this.


    "¡­Then."


    The man at the center slowly opened his mouth.


    With a faint smile and dressed in a ck suit he had once worn.


    Without a hint of subservience or arrogance.


    Justnguidness and pitch-ck darkness resided within him.


    "Let''s begin."


    The Imperial meeting.


    Frondier de Roach present.

 Chapter 259 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier stood before the gathering of the Empire''s most powerful figures.


    Among them were some familiar faces, but most were strangers.


    The mere fact that such formidable individuals were casting suspicious nces at him sent shivers down his spine.


    <i>Click.</i>


    Yet, Frondier did not hesitate. He manipted his bracer, dispersing ck mana.


    There was no time to persuade each of them now. Besides, he had no intention of doing so.


    He would simply show them.


    That he was the one they needed most.


    "What you see before you is a three-dimensional map."Frondier once again brought out the three-dimensional map he had previously used at the Phenomenon headquarters.


    Of course, it was apletely different map this time. The one Frondier presented was a map of the entire Empire.


    "Her Majesty the Empress will vouch for the reliability of this map."


    "I do."


    Philly responded immediately, as if there was nothing to consider.


    At her confirmation, Frondier erged the map for all to see.


    "Oh, this is..."


    "I''ve heard about it from the Phenomenon pro. It''s amazing to see it in person."


    A three-dimensional map that could instantly change its size and angle without the need to join papers or adjust scales.


    Currently, Frondier was the only one who could create it using ck mana, but he had heard that the magic artifactpany Hitchcock was also working on its production based on this idea.


    Since they could create three-dimensional blueprints, it wouldn''t take long for them to achieve it.


    "As you all know, the Manggot live outside the Empire. Their exact location has been unknown until now. However, the prevailing view was that they likely resided in a very harsh and barren terrain. To survive without the protection of the wall, the environment would have to be one that even the outer monsters would avoid."


    That''s why the ''Red Land,'' where Renzo was currently located, was also one of the candidates for the Manggot''s original location.


    One of the noble family heads who was listening spoke up.


    "That''s strangely in the past tense."


    "Yes. We now know where they are located."


    At those words, everyone murmured. Knowing the Manggot''s location was considered the biggest challenge, and it had already been solved?


    "Lord Osprey witnessed it."


    Frondier extended his hand as if to wee him, and Osprey stepped forward.


    "Greetings to all."


    Osprey nced at everyone once before speaking.


    "How did it feel to forget about me for a moment?"


    Osprey''s joke was hard tough at. Everyone made ambiguous expressions before realizing.


    "That''s right! When you went outside the world!"


    Osprey nodded at the guess.


    "At that time, I saw the killing intent directed towards me. While observing from outside the world, I discovered the location of the Manggot. I don''t know the exact location, but I can pinpoint the direction and region."


    "Oooooh!" Cheers erupted from the crowd. Even with just that much information, with this many people searching, they would find it quickly.


    Frondier observed the murmuring crowd for a moment.


    In fact, Frondier knew where the Manggot were. It was one of the prerequisites.


    And he also knew that knowing it wouldn''t make things any better.


    Frondier spoke.


    "Everyone, the reason the Manggot are causing trouble this time is because Osprey discovered their dwelling ce."


    Of course, there were other reasons as well, but Osprey''s sighting was definitely the trigger.


    "In other words, they already know that the location of their base has been exposed. Yet, they intend to wage war."


    At those words, the others nodded.


    "So they''re also fully prepared."


    "Moreover, to reach the Manggot, we must first ovee the outer monsters. That''s where the difficulty lies."


    Frondier nodded at their words.


    "And no matter what method we use, we cannot attack them first. At least not in the first battle."


    "...?"


    This time, everyone tilted their heads in confusion.


    "What does that mean?"


    Ludwig spoke up.


    "We know the location, and you''ve been running around day and night gathering people and preparing everything, right? It''s not like they''re attacking the Empire''s walls right now, so why can''t we attack first? It''s not like we don''t want to."


    "I will exin."


    Frondier waved his hand.


    ck mana gathered and emphasized the locations of the Manggot and the Empire, clearly revealing the terrain and movement paths.


    "First, I have something to tell you."


    As Frondier spoke, ck mana piled up above the Manggot and the Empire.


    "This is just my personal opinion, but if the Manggot and the Empire were to engage in an all-out war, the strength of both sides would be like this."


    The heights of the ck mana towers created for both the Manggot and the Empire...


    The Manggot, led by devils and gods, had raised assassins andbat personnel in a harsh environment.


    While everyone was unable to predict their full strength, the Manggot''s power as estimated by Frondier was...


    "...Hmm?"


    "Huh?"


    Clearly lower than the Empire''s.


    At least, the ck mana tower built for the Manggot was shorter than the Empire''s.


    Everyone in the Imperial Pce fell silent for a moment, looking at the heights of both sides. It was difficult to react. The atmosphere had been building up to something extremely serious, but the Empire was stronger?


    "It''s exactly as you think. The Manggot are weaker than the Empire."


    "...Well, I guess that makes sense..."


    Ludwig''s voice was somewhat deted.


    Seeing that, Frondier said,


    "If there''s such a difference in power, in a head-on confrontation, the victory of the stronger side is guaranteed, and the damage will be minimal. The inferno that the Manggot desire wouldn''t even spread, it would be trampled."


    This was themonly known Lanchester''s Law. Of course, the people here wouldn''t know the name Lanchester, so Frondier exined it in detail.


    "However, the Manggot still intend to attack. They are confident that they will set the Empire aze. What options do they have?"


    At Frondier''s question, everyone looked at the map for a moment.


    The corner of Sanders'', the Shroud Knight Commander''s, eye twitched.


    "...Chaos?"

 Chapter 259 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "The first correct answer."


    Frondier said.


    "Chaos? How?"


    "The Manggot have a unique method of movement called ''Shadow Transfer.'' It''s a technique that allows them to reach the vicinity of a designated target. While excessively long distances are impossible, they can instantly appear next to someone."


    Saying that, Frondier scanned the crowd.


    "Someone among you here may be connected to the Manggot''s shadow."


    "Wh-what?"


    "Who is it!"


    The people in the meeting room unconsciously looked behind them or checked their shadows, but no one discovered anything unusual."There''s no way to know."


    In fact, even Frondier couldn''t predict Selena''s transfer. Even with his ''sixth sense.''


    That''s probably why Selena severed her own shadow. If she remained connected to Frondier''s shadow, it would be possible for another Manggot to target him.


    "However, they don''t know the current state or location of the target they will transfer to. If I were the Manggot, I wouldn''t jump into such a dangerous situation. If they''re not careful, the lives of everyone connected to the shadow could be lost. That''s not the problem."


    Frondier raised one finger.


    "Just one person."


    He was smiling, but notughing.


    "If even one member of the Manggot can cross the Empire''s barrier, that one person will instantly multiply into more than a hundred."


    "...And that''s where the chaos begins."


    "Exactly."


    The Empire''s barrier was built to defend against monsters, not humans.


    It was strong against simple brute force attacks, but it was vulnerable to magic, technology, or stealth infiltration used by humans. It wasn''t designed for that.


    "Frondier."


    The voice that came then belonged to the Emperor.


    "Tell us the second reason. It''s hard to be patient."


    "..."


    Frondier had just referred to Sanders'' answer as the ''first correct answer.'' Meaning there was a second one.


    In the meantime, Frondier briefly examined the Emperor''s face.


    ''...He''s back.''


    He had goodplexion and no lethargy.


    Bartello sat on the throne as the perfect image of an Emperor.


    Deeply relieved by that, Frondier spoke.


    "The second answer is also simple. It''s amon tactic used by the weak when fighting the strong, just asmon as chaos."


    "A method asmon as chaos?"


    "Alliance."


    Frondier''s answer raised even more question marks in the meeting room.


    However, among the many people,


    "...Ah."


    Philly let out a sound.


    Her face instantly paled as she looked at Frondier. The brief eye contact with Frondier confirmed that Philly''s prediction was urate.


    At the same time, Osprey closed his eyes with a sunken expression. These two were the ones who understood Frondier''s meaning exactly.


    "What are you talking about? What alliance does the Manggot have?"


    Ludwig voiced the same question that most people had.


    Frondier looked at Ludwig.


    "The Urfa family head already knows where the alliance is."


    "What?"


    "You fought them togetherst summer."


    After hearing Frondier''s words...


    Ludwig, who had been furrowing his brows in confusion for a while even after hearing it...


    "...Are you saying, right now."


    His face contorted into an expression befitting the word ''horror'' as he stammered.


    As if to show that thought, Frondier waved his hand again, and the map moved.


    The map that had been showing the Empire and the Manggot changed to show a more distant location, revealing the entire continent beyond the Empire''s barrier.


    "The Manggot live without the protection of the wall. No matter how much they hide in a ce without outer monsters, they have to head to ces with abundant resources for self-sufficiency. In other words, they have to go to ces where the outer monsters are."


    If there were ces where the outer monsters didn''t go, naturally, it would be difficult for humans to live there as well.


    To survive in such a ce, they would eventually have to move from a ce with nothing to a ce with something to eat.


    "They know more about the outer monsters than anyone else. Their habits, their aggression towards humans, the differences from the monsters within the wall, and even the abyssal monsters that should never be approached."


    Frondier''s ck mana scattered beyond the continental barrier. Along with it, towers were built up in all directions, just like the ones built above the Manggot and the Empire.


    "They know when the outer monsters will attack the Empire. And they can adjust that timing to some extent."


    That''s right.


    The reason why Frondier considered the Manggot so dangerous and why he constantly emphasized the need for the Empire''s entire army...


    It wasn''t because he feared their unmeasurable power like devils or gods.


    The truth was simple.


    "Outer monsters will swarm from all directions of the Empire. The ones that used to attack the barrier sequentially and periodically will alle at once, from all directions, north, south, east, and west, to break the barrier with their bodies."


    No one responded to Frondier''s words. Not even a breath could be heard.


    The once noisy meeting room was so quiet at this moment.


    "We cannot attack them first."


    They just listened nkly to Frondier''s words like convicts sentenced to death.


    "Because they are more numerous than us."

 Chapter 260 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @RETIGGA and @Pop from Ko-fi!</i>


    After finishing his speech, Frondier looked around at the crowd.


    He hadn''t said these things to frighten them. Everything he had said was a clear fact.


    And perhaps all of them knew it. The words Frondier uttered were overflowing with possibility. It was the way Manggot would surely choose.


    Therefore, if despair was all that remained after hearing these words, there would be no fight to begin with.


    "Frondier."


    It was Enfer, the head of the Roach family, who broke the silence.


    "The barrier will hold."Although it was directed at Frondier, it was a message meant for everyone in the conference room.


    "Whether theye one after another or march together to their deaths, nothing will change."


    With each word, each syble from Enfer, the expressions of the people gradually changed.


    "A dog''s death suits wild dogs. It will be the same this time."


    He hadn''t used his aura, nor had he infused his voice with any particr momentum. It was simply the unwavering voice of Enfer himself.


    That alone was enough to shift the atmosphere, and more than enough for the eyes of the strong to shine once again.


    Frondier, seeing Enfer''s bold appearance, closed his eyes slightly and smiled.


    ©¤©¤This is Enfer. The same Enfer everyone knows.


    Confirming the change in the atmosphere, Frondier slowly opened his mouth.


    "...As the head of the Roach family said, if we prepare thoroughly, the barrier will hold. Just as Manggot has its advantages, we also have things that put us ahead of Manggot."


    "Ahead?"


    When someone asked, Frondier nodded.


    "First, the enemy doesn''t know yet that we are prepared. They might have caught a scent, but it''s toote for them to cancel their operation now."


    Manggot is a burning me.


    Once it''s lit, it''s not easy to extinguish. This is true for the Empire, but also for Manggot itself.


    Having started to spread like wildfire, Manggot can no longer be stopped by anyone''s will.


    Hearing this, Osprey muttered.


    "So even if we can''t attack first, we can defend first..."


    "That''s right. Manggot''s original n was based on the Empire beingpletely off guard. Manggot desperately wanted the Empire to underestimate them. But that won''t happen now."


    Needless to say, Frondier had already exposed Manggot''s n.


    Manggot still doesn''t know that the Empire is aware of their n.


    "An enemy who expects their opponent to be careless bes insensitive to their own carelessness."


    Therefore, if they could prepare fully, they would be able to minimize the damage and exploit Manggot''s weaknesses.


    "But Frondier, how can we prepare fully?"


    This time it was Monty, one of the Zodiacs, who asked.


    As he said, the Empire is vast. Excessively vast. No matter how tightly they try to fill the gaps, weak points are bound to appear, and it is impossible to block all the monsters attacking at the same time. And even more so if Manggot joins the fray.


    This isn''t a matter of strength or weakness. It''s a matter of numbers and scope.


    To this, Frondier said.


    "The second thing that puts us ahead of Manggot is individual strength."


    "Strength?"


    "Monsters are generally stronger than humans, and the members of Manggot who have lived outside are also stronger than most citizens of the Empire. However, the Zodiacs here, those withparable strength, and a few other individuals in the Empire can wield power far exceeding theirs."


    Although their numbers may not berge, there are individuals within the Empire who can take on the outside monsters one against a hundred. The 12 Zodiacs, the heads of the Roach and Rishae families. Aster Evans and Elodie de Inies Rishae of Constel. And, although silent, Frondier himself is also included among them.


    "Just by cing these individuals in the right ces, the momentum of the monsters will be suppressed to the greatest extent."


    "The right ces..."


    This time, Sanders spoke in an anxious voice. It was understandable, as it sounded usible, but if they knew the right ces, they wouldn''t be going through all this trouble.


    Who couldn''t say, ''ce excellent individuals in the right ces to prepare for the attack''?


    "...Frondier,"


    Empress Philly, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.


    "Do you know the right ces?"


    "...I have some predictions. However."


    Frondier''s words stopped there.


    His hand, which was about to point to the map and give instructions, also stopped. A look of contemtion appeared on his face.


    From here on, it would be a story of Frondier assigning the Empire''s talented individuals. It was beyond the authority he had been granted.


    Frondier wasn''t amander, nor even a staff officer. He was here solely because he had personally gone around persuading various people, and to convey the reasons for persuading them and his predictions for the future.


    In short, Frondier was now in a simr position to when he was exining the situation to the pros in the Phenomenon headquarters conference room.


    He could report and predict, but he didn''t have the authority to order anyone to do anything.


    "...Speaking purely as my personal opinion."


    Therefore, Frondier slightly changed his wording. He couldn''t give orders, but he could offer his opinion.


    If the Emperor felt his selection was reasonable, he would at least listen to his words. Frondier could only hope that there wouldn''t be any major changes to the arrangement he had devised.


    But then.


    "Your Majesty."


    Someone quietly spoke up.


    The voice was so familiar, yet the title so unfamiliar that everyone looked in one direction.


    It was Enfer.


    Enfer spoke while looking at Emperor Bartello.


    Everyone stared at him in surprise.


    ¡®Enfer spoke to the Emperor!¡¯


    Since the Emperor had cast out Frondier as a baby, Enfer had never spoken to the Emperor.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t, but if he had, the Roach family would have instantly be a fearsome enemy of the Empire. Surely Enfer wouldn''t have addressed Bartello of that time with an honorific.


    So, the reason Enfer didn''t go near the Emperor or the Imperial Pce was not only because he was hostile to the Emperor, but also because it was the utmost courtesy he could show the Emperor. As long as there was no interaction, he wouldn''t be disrespectful.


    "I am deeply sorry to say this,"


    With that formal preface, people''s mouths gaped open. It was an extreme level of respect that was unthinkable for Enfer.


    "Please grant Frondier the authority to deploy troops."


    "..."


    Bartello''s gaze fell on Enfer. The two looked at each other with expressions that were difficult for anyone to decipher.


    The sh of gazes between the two, who had once acted like sworn enemies who hated to face each other, was an unbearable pressure for those around them.


    "If that is unreasonable, then at least his words should be heeded. Not because Frondier is my son. If you re-examine the achievements Frondier has made in the past, you will see that his opinions have sufficient validity,"


    "Enfer, that request is meaningless."


    The Emperor cut him off. Enfer closed his mouth at that, but a chilling me ignited in his eyes.


    "What do you think of me?"


    The Emperor turned his gaze to Frondier.


    "I told everyone here in advance. Do you remember?"


    "...!"


    Enfer''s eyes widened slightly at those words, and Philly, who was by Bartello''s side, quietly uttered.


    "...His words are the will of the Imperial Pce."


    "The will of the Empire."


    The Emperor finished the sentence.


    Shaking his head as if he was tired of saying it again, Bartello said.


    "It makes no difference whether I give Frondier authority or not. I will deploy them exactly as he said. Enfer, don''t use such excessive respect with me. It''s truly unpleasant to see and hear."


    Enfer''s face became difficult to read. It was a rare expression for him, making it interesting to watch.


    When Bartello saw that and gave a truly faint smile, he said.


    "Weren''t we all once the Empire''s watchdogs?"


    Enfer seemed to have returned to the distant past.


    Osprey, hearing those words, gave a smile simr to the Emperor''s. All the Zodiacs, as if recalling the past, momentarily fell silent.


    The Emperor turned his head and looked at Frondier again.


    "Frondier, continue. Let''s see you use everyone here like pawns, as you said. If any of them grumble, I''ll make them walk on all fours with my own hands."


    It was a rather harsh statementing from the Emperor, but that was also Bartello.


    Frondier, feeling a different kind of pressure than he had expected, said.


    "...Then first, Tyburn."

 Chapter 260 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Meetings in Manggot always take ce at a round table.


    Although there is no particr limit to the number of attendees, this meeting is alwaysposed of the highest-ranking members of Manggot.


    The only one who can attend the meeting without being summoned, despite not being a member of the top tier, is Hagley.


    Those seated at the round table call themselves ''Shepherds of the Round Table''. Naturally, it''s an imitation of the Arthurian legend ''Knights of the Round Table''.


    However, they have no chivalry, and nond to protect. They simply lead thembs, the young believers of Manggot. Hence, shepherds.


    Of course, not everyone likes this title.


    Notker, the man who spoke the most in the round table discussions besides Belphegor, particrly disliked it.


    "What kind of shepherd throws all the sheep into a pit of fire?"


    Notker was lying in wait in the forest with his subordinate troops.His location was Tyburn. In fact, the best ce to observe Tyburn from outside the barrier was the area known as the ''Sacred Forest'', which was densely packed with trees, but Belphegor had strictly forbidden them from entering, so they were concealed in the forest further west.


    He had no intention of opposing this operation. His loyalty to Belphegor also remained unchanged.


    He just didn''t want to call himself a ''shepherd''. The people of Manggot all intended to burn themselves up, using their own lives as fuel. He wasn''t the one sending the sheep. He would jump in with them.


    "Even if it''s the same pit of fire, you must not burn up here. Be careful."


    His deputymander spoke up. Notker chuckled.


    "Right. Getting swept away by the monsters would be meaningless. Our attack will take ce amidst the chaos caused by the monster invasion."


    Frondier had called it an ''alliance'', but the monsters and Manggot weren''t exactly on the same side.


    Monsters don''t make such distinctions anyway. Manggot was simply taking advantage of the monsters'' continuous assaults on the barrier.


    In other words, the alliance between Manggot and the monsters couldn''t use any tactics other than a ''mass attack''. But that alone was enough.


    "Right, this ce was originally guarded by Ludwig Urfa."


    "Now, a man named Hector is the head of the family. It''s said he''s filling in for Ludwig, who left to be a Zodiac. Rumor has it he''s Ludwig''s hidden son."


    Notker, who had good eyesight, was the first to examine the top of the barrier. If the Empire bastards were really prepared, they would be sticking their heads out from the top of the barrier.


    Even Ludwig, who rarely participated in barrier battles, would be different this time.


    "If I could just catch a glimpse of that bastard''s face here.... Huh?"


    At that moment, Notker''s expression changed. As his subordinate had said, Hector was on top of the barrier. He had seen his face in a photo beforehand, so there was no mistake.


    But next to him, there was a man he couldn''t simply ignore.


    "...Hey, isn''t that Aster Evans?"


    "Sir?"


    His subordinate, whose eyesight wasn''t as good, created a magic telescope to examine the barrier.


    It was a slightly troublesome spell that wasn''t used often, but most of the personnel in charge of scouting knew how to use it.


    "...You''re right. It''s Aster Evans."


    Blonde hair, neat appearance. Clear blue eyes looking down at the bottom of the barrier. It was unmistakably Aster Evans.


    "...Kekeke."


    Notker, who had been watching silently, suddenlyughed.


    "This is good. I was just bothered by the nonsense about a brat who hasn''t even reached adulthood being Zodiac level."


    "...Sir Notker. It''s not time yet."


    "I know, I know. Do you think I''m going to charge in recklessly without thinking?"


    "I apologize."


    "Well, but when the timees."


    A chilling murderous intent filled Notker''s eyes.


    "I''ll take care of that guy. No, even the expression ''take care of'' doesn''t sit right with me. I''ll bring you his head within 30 minutes."


    "...Yes, by all means."


    His subordinate stopped any furtherments and nodded.


    When Notker was like this, it was best to just leave him alone. Then, surprisingly, things would work out well.


    ...And meanwhile.


    Hector briefly nced at Aster, who was standing next to him on top of the barrier.


    "...Hey. You''re from Constel, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "Then you must know about Frondier too?"


    "You know Frondier? He''s a ssmate of mine."


    Indeed, so it seems.


    Just like Frondier, this guy also has an unusual aura around him. Hector felt it right away.


    Hector had heard about the Empire''s designated barrier deployment through Ludwig.


    Since it was an order from the Empire, Hector would follow it withoutint, but one thing Ludwig had said when sending this man named Aster here strangely stuck in his memory.


    ©¤©¤A hero needs a sword, you get what I''m sayin''?


    ¡®A hero?¡¯


    Thinking about that, Hector looked at Aster again. Indeed, his appearance and atmosphere alone were worthy of being called a hero, no, rather, if you were to turn the word ''hero'' into a person, wouldn''t it look like this?


    Then, Hector unconsciously cast his gaze towards the Sacred Forest.


    ¡®...If he''s talking about a sword?¡¯


    The legendary sword that was said to be slumbering in the Sacred Forest, the one whose existence was unknown¡ª


    Shaking his head at the thought that had crossed his mind, Hector thought.


    If they really ced him here with that kind of thought, then the person who came up with this n must be out of their mind.

 Chapter 261 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "To properly deploy personnel, we must first distinguish how each individual can best contribute in different situations."


    Frondier spoke, manipting the Obsidian.


    On the three-dimensional map disying Tyburn''s barrier, a name was inscribed: Aster Evans.


    "We will send Aster Evans to Tyburn first. With Hector Dutoit already guarding the area, the force should be sufficient."


    The people in the meeting room tilted their heads at the unfamiliar name, then spoke as if they had just remembered.


    "Aster... Isn''t that the student from Constel?"


    "The kid rumored to have Baldur''s divine powers?"


    As expected, everyone here knew who Aster Evans was, even if he wasn''t present in the meeting room.


    Frondier nodded and said, "Aster is a versatile swordsman who can perform well in any situation. He''s probably the most suitable person for Tyburn, where we expect the most variables.""...But he''s just a student."


    "I assure you, his skills are on par with everyone here. Osprey, the headmaster of Constel, can vouch for that."


    "I can." Osprey testified, as if continuing Frondier''s words.


    The worried looks from everyone weren''tpletely dispelled, but there were no further objections.


    Of course, there''s another important reason for sending Aster to Tyburn.


    Though unspoken, Aster needs to acquire Excalibur.


    Frondier had already informed Aster about this. He told him to head to the ''Sacred Forest'' if the opportunity arose.


    Of course, Aster, upon hearing this, said with an anxious face,


    "©¤©¤I''ll try if I can, but will there be time?"


    Regardless, Aster will fulfill the request.


    Then someone spoke up.


    "Tyburn is a harsh ce where we send criminals who havemitted serious offenses. Don''t we need more personnel?"


    Frondier shook his head at that.


    "I believe it''s enough, and that''s not the only reason I''m sending Aster. No matter where you look at the barrier, we will be short on personnel."


    Everyone fell silent at the chilling statement. It was true. As a simple matter of numbers, the Empire''s personnel were severelycking.


    This was evident considering the Empire''s past, where they would call upon knights and mercenaries to patch things up whenever the barrier was in danger.


    "However, it''s difficult to find someone as versatile and strong as Aster. Everyone here has preferred situations and easier opponents. It''s difficult to distinguish them all, so let''s first divide them into two main categories."


    With that, Frondier raised two fingers.


    "Those strong against monsters, and those strong against humans."


    Everyone easily understood what he meant. Frondier shifted his gaze to Enfer and Azier.


    "For example, my father, the head of the Roach family, is ustomed to fighting monsters. Brother Azier is much more advantageous in fighting humans."


    For reference, the Roach family''s swordsmanship was originally created to counter monsters.


    Only Azier had built his own unique swordsmanship, adapting it for humanbat.


    "Wherever you are positioned on the barrier, those strong against humans and those strong against monsters must be paired together. I will initially arrange the deployment like this, but please remember this in case of unexpected situations or developments. While you''re fighting monsters, a hidden human''s dagger could stab you in the back, and while you''re preupied with Manggot, monsters could break down the barrier."


    With the addition of a more realistic description, everyone''s tension rose further.


    "And here, we divide them again."


    "Again?"


    "Depending on where the barrier is located, I may divide them into four groups. This is the criteria for that scenario."


    Frondier raised two fingers of his other hand.


    "Those strong against many, and those strong against few."


    "...?"


    Several people tilted their heads at his words. The question came naturally.


    "Who''s strong against many? Of course, it''s better to be against few."


    "There''s a slight omission in that statement. Simply put, a hundred goblins versus one ogre. Assuming you''re fighting them alone, which would you be morefortable with?"


    Several people unconsciously opened their mouths at his words.


    "Of course, the ogre would be,"


    "No, the goblins would be,"


    They stopped mid-sentence and looked at each other. This disagreement wasn''t just a matter of mages versus warriors, but rather individual differences. Frondier smiled.


    "As you can see, it''s quite different."


    "...Indeed."


    These individuals had a lot ofbat experience, but they had always fought based on their own standards, so their assumptions about situations were tailored to themselves.


    Of course, there were strong individuals who could handle both situations, but when it came to preference, it differed quite a bit.


    "Since the battlefield will inevitably involve fighting many, this distinctiones after the previous one. However, Manggot has strong individualsparable to the Zodiac. Someone must be assigned to fight them first."


    Everyone nodded in understanding at Frondier''s words.


    Confirming this, Frondier waved his hand once more. This time, arger amount of Obsidian gathered from all directions, inscribing names on the barrier.


    "Then this is the configuration I''ve divided ording to the criteria. Please check the map."


    With that, everyone checked the map, confirming where they would be going.


    Osprey, who was also checking the map, furrowed his brow. He discreetly approached Frondier and spoke, using a magical voice instead of his actual voice.


    [Frondier, at first nce, it seems like there are many empty spots on the barrier.]


    [That''s correct.]


    Frondier replied using the same skill. As long as the other person was using a skill, Frondier could replicate it.


    Of course, Osprey''s eyes widened, unaware of the inner workings. However, his eyes soon softened.


    [Do you believe this is the best personnel deployment for the barrier?]


    It seemed like he had postponed his question about how Frondier used magic. Or perhaps he hade to his own understanding.


    Frondier paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully, then spoke again.


    [Manggot has a desire.]


    [A desire?]


    [The desire to burn down the entire Empire.]


    Manggot''s powerful mes were a great fear for the Empire. The fear was even greater because they didn''t know Manggot''s full strength, identity, or whaty at the end.


    Therefore, from the Empire''s perspective, Manggot''s n seemed to stem from a terrifying desire for revenge, but even that couldn''t be achieved solely through revenge.


    [Can you call that a desire?]


    [They are prepared to make sacrifices, but they fear those sacrifices bing meaningless. Ironically, the willingness to sacrifice and the fear of it coexist.]


    The words Selena had spoken in the past echoed in Frondier''s ears.


    ©¤Terrorists, no matter how noble their intentions may be, seek meaning in their actions.


    ©¤They cannot choose the option of ''doing nothing and suffering''.


    While Manggot wasn''t simply a terrorist, these words were still applicable.


    To think he was learning from Selena''s words even in her absence.


    [Therefore, they won''t do anything reckless. They will definitely choose a n that can inflict significant damage on the Empire. So, conversely, we can also make rough inferences.]


    Just as Frondier was saying this to Osprey,


    "Hey, Frondier."


    Someone''s voice flew in.


    It was one of the Zodiac, Ludovic de Fabre.


    "I don''t see my name on the map."


    Among the Zodiac, Ludovic''s fighting style was most simr to Aster''s. In other words, he was an all-rounder. He was the most bnced powerhouse among the Zodiac and had exceptional loyalty to the Empire.


    Therefore, Frondier said,


    "Lord Ludovic will not be going to the barrier."


    "What?"


    "Please guard the Imperial Pce."


    Ludovic blinked his eyes for a moment at those words. Then he quickly realized what Frondier was saying.


    "...Are you saying the Imperial Pce is in danger?"


    "If I were Manggot, I would explore every possible way to directly target the Emperor. Especially with ''Shadow Transfer'' avable."


    At those words, Ludovic closed his mouth as if holding back many words.


    Ludovic was more loyal to the Empire than any other member of the Zodiac. Knowing this, Frondier ced him in charge of guarding the Imperial Pce.


    The loss of the Zodiac''s power from the barrier was painful, but with him at the Imperial Pce, Frondier could worry less about it.

 Chapter 261 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    And in the meantime,


    ''...Ludovic isn''t the only one whose name is missing from the map.''


    Philly''s sunken eyes scanned the map once and then looked around the room.


    Except for Ludovic, no one had anyints about the deployment Frondier had designated.


    In fact, they couldn''t, as everyone knew they were short on manpower. It wasn''t enough to say that everyone would do their best wherever they were ced.


    However, there was one fact that everyone knew but no one spoke of.


    ''Frondier''s name is also missing.''


    Frondier''s name was nowhere to be found on the map.


    Frondier had excluded himself from the personnel deployment.But no one voiced anyints about this. This was the difference between Philly''s perception of Frondier and the perception of others.


    Most people here didn''t know who Frondier was. However, based on his exnations so far, the Emperor''s trust in him, and the appropriate personnel deployment, most hade to a simr conclusion.


    ©¤Frondier is not abatant.


    Frondier wasn''t someone who could fight. He was here as an advisor or strategist. Naturally, he would stay in the Imperial Pce and continue tomand operations while observing the war situation from within.


    This was everyone''smon thought, and that''s why it was natural for Frondier''s name to be missing from the map.


    ...However, for the few who knew what kind of person Frondier was,


    Their eyes, which had been looking at the map, slowly turned towards Frondier.


    Empress Philly and Princess Aten.


    Enfer and Azier of the Roach family.


    The Zodiac members who had witnessed Frondier''s power with their own eyes: Lily, Monty, Osprey, and Ludwig.


    Shroud''s leader, Sanders.


    To them, the absence of Frondier''s name was extremely suspicious.


    "......."


    Of course, Frondier simply remained silent.


    In times like these, Frondier''s shamelessness and nonchnce shone even brighter.


    * * *


    After the meeting ended, Frondier cautiously left the meeting room and walked away.


    Thinking he had escaped quite naturally, he opened the exit leading outside the Imperial Pce, and


    ''...Again.''


    Apletely unrted room appeared before his eyes.


    It was the spatial transfer that Osprey had used before.


    It was probably an empty room somewhere in the Imperial Pce, but there were already several people inside.


    They were the ones who had sensed Frondier''s suspicious behavior.


    "Mr. Frondier."


    Aten was the first to approach Frondier.


    She took his hand and said,


    "Tell me you''re running away."


    "......."


    Frondier''s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected words.


    Aten looked at him with a face that seemed to be swallowing pain as if she had been cut by a de.


    "The reason why your name isn''t on the map."


    "......."


    "Tell me you''re running away because you''re scared of the war."


    While Aten was speaking, everyone in the room was looking at Frondier with darkened faces.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll help you in any way I can."


    Aten''s hand, which was speaking to Frondier, trembled.


    "Please..."


    "Aten."


    "I''ll help you get to the safest ce..."


    "You know it too."


    Frondier''s cold voice cut off Aten''s words.


    "Why my name isn''t on the map."


    "......."


    Philly, who had been watching silently, opened her mouth.


    "From the meeting until now, Frondier''s direction has been consistent. Minimizing the Empire''s damage from Manggot''s attack."


    Frondier''s personnel deployment was, in a way, full of ambition.


    He was thinking of blocking everything without abandoning any area. From a strategist''s perspective, it wasn''t a good approach.


    If the enemy''s attack exceeded what the allies could handle, they had to consider abandoning some areas.


    However, Frondier didn''t do that. He deployed personnel to important locations on the barrier, and while it seemed like he was abandoning some areas, he ultimately abandoned none.


    As a result, every area was slightly short on personnel. It was a situation where the entire Empire''s barrier could copse.


    "To minimize damage, defense alone isn''t enough. When war breaks out, no one wants to be the fool who only fights on their ownnd."


    At Philly''s words, Osprey let out a deep sigh. Slowly opening his eyes, heavy and low, Osprey said,


    "...Are you going, Frondier? To the enemy''s territory."


    "Yes."


    An immediate answer without a single second of hesitation. Aten''s body flinched at that.


    Ludwig spoke up.


    "That bastard did the same thing in Tyburn. The knights all called him crazy, so I wondered if he really was."


    "I heard from Sylvain that he did the same in Yeranhes."


    Sanders followed Ludwig''s words, and Enfer nodded.


    Philly spoke as if thinking, her eyes momentarily ncing to the side.


    "While everyone else holds out on the barrier, a single spear piercing the enemy''s base... Ideally, it''s perfect, normally it''s reckless, and at worst..."


    "It''s irrelevant. Frondier."


    Enfer spoke.


    "Frondier, after seeing the battle of Yeranhes, I decided to acknowledge you. But that doesn''t mean you can walk into a death trap."


    To that, Frondier said,


    "Right now, I am the least guarded person in Manggot''s eyes. I can strike them from outside their field of vision."


    "...Frondier, it''s too much of a gamble with low odds."


    This time, it was Azier who spoke.


    Frondier looked at Enfer and Azier for a moment.


    Seeing these two worrying about him and trying to stop him felt unfamiliar and heartbreaking every time.


    However, Frondier took a deep breath. He forced himself to be heartless and said,


    "...Even if I fail."


    It felt like biting his tongue.


    "Is there any reason not to carry out this operation?"


    "Frondier...!"


    Azier''s voice became more agitated than ever before.


    Ignoring him, Frondier continued,


    "This operation is aplete no-risk, high-return for the Empire. Even if it fails, there''s no loss, and if it seeds, it will bring the Empire''splete victory."


    Frondier said this while looking at Philly. Her face turned pale at his gaze. Understanding what his gaze meant, her lips parted slightly.


    ''...Asking for my agreement? To say that?''


    If he failed, Frondier would die. It was obvious.


    But that wouldn''t be a loss for the Empire?


    From the grand perspective of the Empire, the death of one person was insignificant?


    Asking her to say that?


    ''Frondier, Frondier!''


    That look in Frondier''s eyes was too cruel.


    The belief that she would always judge things calmly and rationally was heavy.


    Because she was Philly Terst.


    Frondier believed that she would say it.


    "......"


    However.


    Philly couldn''t speak.


    Her mouth wouldn''t open. Philly was shocked at her own hesitation. Frondier seemed slightly surprised to see that, but quickly changed his expression.


    "Don''t worry."


    Frondier said, looking at Enfer.


    "I am my father''s son."

 Chapter 262 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sanders led the Shroud knights towards the southern barrier, the location Frondier had assigned them.


    "¡­¡­Haa."


    Sanders let out a silent sigh and nced behind him for a moment.


    ...The Shroud knights.


    The strongest knight order, boasting the greatest reputation, fame, and achievements in the Empire.


    However, these titles did not belong to the current Shroud.


    Their past glory, when they stood at the forefront of the war against monsters, fearlessly beheading their enemies, was a distant memory.


    All the praise for the Shroud remained in the past.


    But the citizens of the Empire didn''t know.How much the Shroud of today had changedpared to the Shroud of that time.


    "Ha, what a mess. A sudden war."


    "The good times are over."


    Whispers ofints passed among them.


    The mission to protect the Empire had already faded in their hearts.


    ©¤The knights are now busy hiding in the center. The glory that once frightened even the monsters outside has long since faded.


    In the past, Sanders had told Ludwig that the Shroud knights had be old dogs instead of tigers.


    The Empire had provided safety and benefits to the Shroud for their contributions in the monster war.


    Their relocation to the center, to be closer to the Imperial family, was one of them.


    But without a doubt, that reward was a clear failure.


    Too much time had passed since the monster war. Enough time for Sanders, who was a rookie in the Shroud knights at the time, to be the captain of the knight order.


    Sanders was the only one who had used the experience of that war as a stepping stone for growth. Most of them were struggling to maintain their daily lives due to extreme fear and stress disorders.


    People grow through pain, but that''s only possible when they have the will to grow.


    The veterans with war experience had long since retired, and Sanders'' peers were either scared of the war and gave up being knights early on, or they were the ones who used all sorts of tricks to avoid heading to the barriers.


    Most of the knights who joined after them came only to seek the sweet fruits of the Shroud, and most of them learned the same tricks from their seniors, so the future was bleak.


    ''There''s nothing wrong with the skills of the knights. But theyck practical experience overwhelmingly.''


    The Shroud knights went through tremendouspetition to join. It was natural since they were called the strongest knight order in the Empire. The problem was that this strongest knight order waszing around in the safest ce in the Empire.


    Would they be able to maintain their morale when they saw the monsters charging towards the barrier? And the number would be far greater than what had ever attacked the barrier before.


    "Captain, Captain."


    "¡­¡­Ah."


    Sanders was awakened from his thoughts by a gentle voice next to him.


    A face unfamiliar to him, too young and too beautiful, was stained with worry.


    "Are you alright? You don''t look well."


    "¡­¡­I''m fine."


    Sanders replied in a somewhat heartless tone.


    ''...Is this child the one, Inies?''


    Elodie de Inies Rishae. She was the one assigned with Sanders.


    Of course, the Constel student did not attend the meeting, so Sanders was able to see Elodie''s face for the first time only after arriving at this barrier.


    "You seem fine."


    As Sanders said, Elodie''s face did not show that much worry.


    Even the knights much older than her were scared stiff behind them, but the expression of the child who carried the heavy burden of Inies on her shoulders was rather serene. She was smiling but not excited, her posture was rxed but not loose.


    ''...Such a young child.''


    A girl of the exact same age as Frondier. When Sanders saw Frondier at the Tyburn, he felt like he had left a child by the riverside, but this time it was even worse. He felt like putting her in a car and sending her home right away.


    Contrary to his heart, Sanders did not rx his stern gaze towards Elodie.


    "Be fully prepared. No one will save you here. If you smile and get caught by their ws, you won''t even find your corpse."


    It was a harsh word for a child, but it was also the truth. Sanders knew well the childishness that remained like a seed in children of this age.


    The naive thought that someone like their parents would appear and save them in a crisis. That was settled in the hearts of children, regardless of their strength or weakness.


    Sanders always worried about that and treated children of this age strictly. It was the same with Frondier, and


    it was the same now.


    "I''m relieved."


    Elodie said in a quiet voice.


    "The knights behind you don''t seem ready yet."


    ¡°¡­¡­!"


    "Your preparations, Captain, are sufficient."


    Sanders'' eyes widened at Elodie''s words. This girl had already gone beyond managing herself and was observing the situation around her.


    "I''ve always wondered why the Shroud, known as the strongest knight order in the Empire, never went to the Tyburn or Yeranhes."


    ¡°¡­¡­You."


    Elodie nced behind her.


    Several knights who met her eyes stared at her nkly, mesmerized by her appearance. A few others scanned Elodie''s body and whispered something among themselves, giggling.


    "Indeed, it''s just as I heard. No, it''s worse."


    Elodie''s eyes grew colder. There was almost no change in her expression, but the Shroud knights felt a sudden chill and tightened their grip.


    Elodie looked forward again and calmed her eyes.


    She muttered in a voice barely audible.


    "I heard it was a tiger with missing teeth, but it''s a dog with rotten gums."


    Sanders heard that and momentarily wondered if he should scold her. But it was actually barely audible, and even Sanders, with his good hearing, could barely hear it. It was not good to react to something so trivial.


    More than anything, it was a statement that Sanders himself could not help but agree with.


    "Captain."


    Elodie looked at Sanders again and asked.


    "At the Tyburn, I heard that Frondier raised the morale of the knights."


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah."


    "How did Frondier do it?"


    Hearing that, Sanders recalled.


    The knights at the Tyburn were in a bad state, in a different sense than here. They had seen frequent battles and countless deaths, and their mentalities were severely worn down.


    Frondier definitely yed a big role in boosting the morale of those knights.


    How did he do that...?


    "¡­¡­I heard it from the knights at the time, so I''m not sure."


    "Yes."


    "I heard they made a bet."


    "A bet?"


    "They were making ridiculous jokes about who would die next, and Frondier bet that ''no one would die''."


    Hearing that, Elodie blinked for a moment. She seemed to guess the content and nodded.


    "¡­¡­And really, no one died."


    "That''s right."


    Elodie, who heard Sanders'' words, raised her head slightly. A sigh that resembled annoyance somehow flowed from her mouth.


    "¡­¡­A bet, not bad."


    Why did Sanders feel chills run down his spine at that enigmatic murmur?


    Sanders, who briefly felt the emotions umting in her eyes, opened his mouth.


    "¡­¡­Do you perhaps know where Frondier is now,"


    "I know."


    Elodie said as if she had read Sanders'' thoughts.


    "He''s heading to Manggot."

 Chapter 262 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­Where did you hear that?"


    "Directly, from Frondier."


    Elodie, after hearing that from Frondier.


    She was sad, angry, but somehow convinced herself.


    She had expected it too. Everyone knew where Frondier would go in this situation, what would be most effective.


    "Are you worried about Frondier?"


    "¡­¡­I know Frondier is strong. However, even if Frondier is less noticeable to the enemy''s eyes, I''m not sure if he canpletely avoid surveince."


    Elodie didn''t know much about Manggot. She didn''t even know who was at the very top.


    But with this much preparation, someone who was determined to overturn the Empire would surely be a cautious type.Elodie was anxious because she didn''t know if they were being as careless about him as Frondier hoped, or if they weren''t being careless at all.


    That was when.


    "Reporting!"


    A soldier came running urgently. Sanders'' eyes quickly turned fierce.


    "Reporting? There''s no reason to receive such a thing. It''s not even the time for a regr report."


    "I, it''s urgent, so I hurried!"


    The soldier said, catching his breath.


    Sanders closed his mouth. A report flying in just before the start of this war. An ominous feeling crept in.


    "Then report it quickly. If a problem has arisen, we must respond immediately."


    "N, no! It''s not a problem! It''s rather good news!"


    "Good news?"


    "It''s good news, but when I heard it, I couldn''t believe it right away."


    The soldier was strangely rambling. Sanders tilted his head, bewildered.


    The soldier who came to report was one that Sanders knew well. He was used to this kind of thing and wouldn''t usually be flustered.


    "The eastern barrier, ''Krasmere''!"


    As soon as the barrier was mentioned, Sanders tensed up, and Elodie''s eyes widened next to him.


    "It has been rebuilt!"


    ¡°¡­¡­What?"


    Sanders involuntarily asked back at the soldier''s iprehensible words.


    "Rebuild? What do you mean?"


    "To be precise, it''s not a rebuild, but it''s back to its original state, that is, the appearance of the past barrier..."


    Hearing that, Sanders'' mouth fell open. He unconsciously shouted.


    "Restoration!"


    "Th, that''s right! The barrier has been restored!"


    The image of the Tyburn''s barrier naturally came to Sanders'' mind. He had witnessed firsthand the sight of the barrier, which seemed about to copse at any moment, being restored as if rewinding. He also knew who had done it.


    ''...No, wait.''


    Sanders had attended the Imperial meeting a few days ago. He had seen Frondier there, sensed his suspiciousness, and heard his n.


    Frondier had nned to secretly infiltrate Manggot''s headquarters, taking advantage of the fact that he was less noticeable to Manggot''s eyes than other famous people.


    If Sanders'' thoughts were correct, he would probably be heading towards Manggot secretly even now.


    But.


    ''...Krasmere is theplete opposite.''


    News of the barrier''s restoration came from a cepletely opposite to Manggot''s location. It wasn''t like Frondier had gone to Krasmere. If he had, that report would have alreadye in.


    Although he hadn''t told everyone, in the war against Manggot, where Frondier was now and how far he had reached Manggot was more important than anything else.


    In other words, Frondier was not in Krasmere, but ''restoration'' had been carried out in Krasmere.


    ''Then who on earth fixed the barrier...''


    "¡­¡­Ah!"


    It was Elodie who made the sound.


    Elodie knew who had done the restoration as soon as she heard the report. Mei. Only Mei could imitate Frondier''s skill.


    But the intention was not immediately understood. Mei wouldn''t have moved like that on her own, so Frondier must have given the order.


    Although restoring the barrier was an important issue, it seemed like a waste of time for Mei to go to such a ce.


    Besides, Krasmere was a ce where monster invasions were less frequent than in the north, like Tyburn or Yeranhes. There would be more important ces.


    ''Could it be.''


    A thought shed through her mind at that moment.


    Only Elodie, who knew of Mei''s existence, could read Frondier''s thoughts.


    "Yes, that''s it!"


    Elodie''s eyes sparkled.


    "Whether the enemy is careless or not."


    There was no need to worry about either way,


    Frondier intended to create carelessness himself.


    * * *


    Frondier''s skill, ''Restoration''.


    The rumor that Frondier had restored the Tyburn''s barrier was quite famous, although its authenticity was unclear.


    Indeed, the Tyburn''s barrier now stood as strong as it had in its past glory.


    Naturally, Selena, who had been watching from the side at the time, knew about it, and so did Manggot.


    "Reporting."


    A report was delivered to Belphegor.


    "The Empire''s barriers are being restored one after another, starting from the east, southeast, and south."


    Ad, the woman who had given the first report at the round table, spoke to Belphegor.


    Belphegor asked.


    "So, you''re saying the restoration is being done clockwise?"


    "Judging by the order of movement, it''s almost certain, isn''t it?"


    "Hmm."


    Belphegor''s hand went to his chin.


    Ad spoke to him as if he were in deep contemtion.


    "It must be Frondier''s doing."


    ¡°¡­¡­."


    "As Belphegor-nim predicted, Frondier has done something strange."


    Belphegor remained silent at Ad''s words.


    Frondier had always been in Belphegor''s sight. Even if everyone else ignored him, Belphegor alone had kept Frondier in mind, like an annoying ant in the corner of his vision.


    And finally, he had moved. He had chosen a rather novel method, barrier restoration.


    Belphegor also agreed with Ad''s words more than 90%.


    However, the remaining 10%.


    The fact that the restoration had started in Krasmere, which was located at theplete opposite side of Manggot, bothered him a little.


    "Ad."


    "Yes."


    "Go and see the process of the barrier restoration with your own eyes."


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes?"


    "Go and confirm if Frondier is really there."


    Belphegor had never heard of the skill ''Restoration'' even in his long life as a devil. It must be a unique skill that Frondier possessed.


    However, if the skill was possible even from a considerable distance, the possibility that Frondier was in apletely different location could not be ruled out.


    "Be, Belphegor-nim. That''s an excessive thought."


    "Are you refusing my order?"


    "No! That''s not it! It''s just that, shouldn''t every single one of us, including myself, be contributing to Manggot''s effort to break through the barrier...?"


    At that, Belphegor''snguid gaze fell upon Ad. Ad momentarily avoided his gaze and lowered her head.


    "Ad."


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes."


    "Prioritize the order I am giving you now. It is more important than anything else."


    ¡°¡­¡­."


    "If Frondier is there, that''s good. Just confirm that. I will give you a reward that will not disappoint you."


    ¡°¡­¡­Really?"


    "Of course."


    At that, Ad nodded deeply.


    Belphegor threw his voice once more at Ad, who was turning around and walking away.


    "Don''t get caught."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 263 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Bonus chapter thanks to @Geoffrey and @Friendly_Noctis from Ko-fi!</i>


    There was another advantage to restoring the barrier in a clockwise direction.


    It was to bait Manggot''s timing.


    The moment it became clear that the barrier was being restored clockwise, Manggot wouldn''t just stand by and watch.


    They would rush to hasten the attack of the outer monsters.


    "...Hmm."


    And that sight,


    "So that''s how it''s done."Frondier confirmed.


    He was heading directly towards Manggot, but he was still not far from the barrier.


    He could have gone faster, but there was something he wanted to confirm.


    If Manggot could really control the timing of the monsters, how exactly did they do it?


    As a yer, Aster, due to the nature of his character, couldn''t leave the stage, so he couldn''t confirm the method.


    Frondier''s ''sixth sense'' was more precise than any detection ability on the continent.


    And with the Mana concealment technique he learned from Dier Aigar, he seeded in hiding, and currently, Frondier had already discovered the vanguard of Manggot.


    ''Is it like the monster version of what Gregory uses to control small animals?''


    Frondier saw one of the monsters making a strange movement.


    It whispered something to the surrounding monsters, and the whispers spread, soon bing murmurs, and in no time, violent shouts that shook the ground.


    Frondier took out his phone.


    "...Yes, Mother. I''ve confirmed it."


    [All the barriers are in the same situation.]


    Malia''s voice was heard.


    She was currently sharing her vision with everyone who had attended the Imperial Pce meeting, just like during the school trip.


    Her ability was absolutely necessary to prepare for the possibility of one of the Manggot secretly crossing the barrier.


    Frondier nodded at Malia''s answer.


    "Then it''s certain."


    As Frondier answered and put his phone back in,


    "What''s that guy doing?"


    Renzo, who had been standing still next to him, cluelessly interjected.


    Renzo had no detection ability, but his concealment was excellent. It was enough to see how he had passed through all surveince and arrived in front of Frondier and Aten during Constel''s midterm exam.


    "They''re exchanging attack signals with each other. The small monster that gave the instructions first is spreading the word. Probably most of the monsters surrounding the barrier are in a simr situation right now."


    "What? How do the monsters know the situation on the other side and do it simultaneously?"


    "One of the Manggot is seeing the whole picture and leaking information to the monsters."


    The ability to control other living things increases in range the weaker the target is.


    The reason Gregory could help Frondier even while imprisoned was because his ability was limited to small animals.


    The most he could control on the ground was a rat, and thergest thing he could control in the sky was a crow.


    ''I guess that ability is simr. A low-level monster, almost useless in battle, is rying information.''


    The monster Frondier saw was like that, and the informationing from Malia was the same. The monsters'' information ry started with the weakest one in the group.


    "How are the other monsters believing the story of a low-level monster?"


    "No, they probably already know that humans are controlling the low-level monsters."


    "What?"


    "The outer monsters aren''t fools. They''ll understand that the human side is using them."


    And even though they knew they were being used, they were following along.


    Because they knew that a simultaneous attack was the way to deal the biggest blow to the Empire''s barrier.


    From the monsters'' point of view, whether it was Manggot or the Empire, they were enemies that needed to be killed anyway. As long as the information Manggot provided was useful, they would do as Manggot wanted. That was what the monsters wanted too.


    "In that sense, the two are definitely ''allied''."


    "Indeed."


    Leaving Renzo nodding behind, Frondier reached out his hand.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Normal</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    Frondier created a shield in front of Renzo''s eyes.


    "What is this? I have a shield too. It''s a divine shield called ''Lynotoros'' that''s iparable to this kind of junk."


    "This shield isn''t for defense."


    "What?"


    Frondierid the shield horizontally.


    "Get on here."


    "Huh?"


    "You can''t fly, can you?"


    Renzo blinked at Frondier''s words and soon understood what he meant, grinning widely.


    From Frondier''s point of view, it was a terrifyingly joyful expression.


    "Do you remember what I said? I''m going to drop you at the most dangerous spot on the battlefield."


    "Of course! I remember!"


    "If I show you on the map,"


    "No need for that! You''ll drop me where you want anyway!"


    "...Right."


    Having nothing more to say, Frondier shook his head.


    "Do the most mboyant thing you can. Make everything around you want to kill you."


    "I was going to do that anyway."


    "Good."


    As Renzo climbed onto the shield, the shield floated up with a whoosh.


    Renzo, who could conceal his own Mana, and the normal-rank shield, which was almost meaningless in terms of Mana. It was impossible for the enemies to notice him first, as he was out of sight of both the monsters and Manggot.


    As the shield rose so high that it was even out of his own sight, Frondier took out his phone again.


    "How is it?"


    [It seems like they''re about to rush in any moment now. They look like they''re gauging each other''s timing.]


    "Then it''s perfect."


    Frondier could feel where the Obsidian was without even looking at it. Therefore, he could defend and attack in all directions, as if it were an extension of his limbs.


    The shield carrying Renzo flew to the end of the sky and arrived at a certain point.


    The empty space between Manggot, who were keeping their distance to avoid unnecessary fights with the outer monsters, and the outer monsters themselves. Renzo was right above that space.

 Chapter 263 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Phew, Frondier exhaled deeply.


    The monsters'' shouts that shook the air, the stomping of their feet that made the ground tremble. The murderous intent of the outer monsters gathered and piled up, swirling towards the barrier.


    Everyone defending the barrier must be feeling this enormous tension.


    He remembered the times in Tyburn and Yeranhes. Back then, many soldiers were trembling in fear.


    The knights constantly encouraged them, and themander looked around and gave instructions to the knights.


    And.


    Now.


    [©¤©¤©¤©¤They''reing.]


    Malia''s low voice.Thump, thump!


    The first footsteps were heavier than anything else, and as if it were a signal, all the monsters started moving towards the barrier.


    The vibrations of the ground became an earthquake without any metaphor, making the feet of everyone standing on it tremble.


    Dust clouds weaving, chasing after the monsters, enveloping them, and blending together as they advanced towards the humans.


    Murderous intent from all directions, from everything.


    A relentless wave of attacks covering the entire front of the Empire.


    A tsunami.


    "Ah, ah...!"


    The faces of the soldiers on the barrier turned pale.


    They were veterans who had repelled the outer monsters many times, but they sensed that this monster attack was different from usual.


    The outer monsters were confident of victory in this attack.


    An attack from all directions where humans couldn''t concentrate on any one ce. The barrier would definitely be breached. The outer monsters had that conviction, and that conviction became morale, and morale became an aura.


    The aura finally bared its teeth as a clear murderous intent directed towards humans.


    This was the barrier closest to Manggot. Naturally, breaking through here would be the most beneficial for Manggot, so their attack was also somewhat concentrated here.


    Even if the monster forces were the same, Manggot''s forces were not.


    Therefore.


    "...Now."


    Frondier chose this ce.


    Monsters covered in dust clouds, running madly towards the barrier.


    ''Behind'' them.


    Manggot''s forces, watching the monsters trying to break the barrier, waiting to join the attack as soon as a gap appeared.


    ''In front'' of them.


    A single spear filled that void,


    Kwaaang!!!


    Falling like a meteor, it shook the area violently.


    For a moment, the gazes of the monsters and Manggot gathered towards the fallen spear. Some of the running monsters looked back, and the eyes of the waiting Manggot widened.


    It was a moment so short that it could hardly be called silence, but


    There was definitely a moment when no one could make a sound.


    "Yo."


    With the spear and shield of a god.


    Humanity''s worst viin stood there, his red aura swirling around him.


    "The weather is niceee!!!"


    His shout, filled with aura and tinglingly resonant, pierced the air. A few more of the monsters that were still running towards the barrier stopped their charge.


    "...That,"


    One of the Manggot members, seeing this, shouted.


    He was one of the Shepherds of the Round Table in charge of this attack.


    "Kill him!! It''s Renzo!!!"


    That order was urate, wise, and the quickest order he could give in the current situation, but.


    The fact that it was the ''current situation'' was already toote.


    Thump!


    Renzo mmed his shield down in front of him.


    <i>Lynotoros</i>


    <i>Horizon Shield</i>


    The moment the shield revealed itself, it inscribedws unrted to its size, with Renzo at the center.


    Manggot''s arrows and magic poured towards Renzo at once, but


    Tatatatata!!


    All attacks aimed at Renzo couldn''t get past Lynotoros. All attacksing from the ''front'' were blocked by Lynotoros. The size of the shield didn''t matter at this moment.


    Renzopletely ignored the noisy barrage aimed at him and turned his back, looking at the monsters still charging towards the barrier.


    <i>Enkephalos</i>


    <i>Spear of Infinite Attempts</i>


    The muscles in his arm holding the spear bulged, and the divine power of Ares and his aura were infused into the spearhead, swelling it up.


    "You said not to break the barrier."


    Frondier''s one request.


    The difficulty of that one request was so great that Renzo had spent days and nights agonizing over it after hearing it.


    How could he possibly throw a spear at the monsters without breaking the barrier? It was obvious that even Osprey, called the Sage, wouldn''t be able to find the answer.


    However, there was a sh of inspiration in Renzo''s mind. It was a supreme idea that no one would dare to think of.


    As expected, I''m a genius.


    "I just have to stick it in the ground!!!"


    Swish!


    Kwaaang©¤©¤!!


    Renzo''s spear shot forward, ughtering all the monsters that were even slightly grazed by the trajectory around the spearhead, let alone those directly hit, and created a huge crater in the ground ahead.


    Of course, no monster survived within that radius.


    He aimed at the monsters but threw it at the ground, deliberately ''missing''.


    Because he didn''t hit them.


    Chuck-


    The Spear of Infinite Attempts returned to him.


    "Ahahahaha!! How''s that, Frondier! You can''t call me a blockhead anymore!!"


    Renzo shouted Frondier''s name even though he wouldn''t be able to hear the answer.


    And from afar, Frondier, who clearly heard that voice,


    "...Well done, blockhead."


    He watched with a dumbfounded expression.


    Now that all eyes were on Renzo.


    Frondier spoke into the phone.


    "Mother, please."


    [...It''ll be a heavy burden.]


    "Everyone is feeling the burden."


    At Frondier¡¯s answer, Malia sighed.


    [You can''t drag it out too long.]


    Right after those words.


    Frondier''s vision changed.


    To all of the dozens of visions that Malia shared.


    Just like when he saw Constel from Malia''s point of view at Elysia''s Tower.


    This idea was theoretically possible, but reversing the vision of Malia, who was sharing dozens of viewpoints, was very risky.


    Since this ability wasn''t Frondier''s, it was like forcing a puzzle piece that didn''t fit.


    "...My eyes sting a bit."


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Khryskatos, Lokhiera</i>


    Frondier saw the entirety of the shared vision and confirmed that each one was witnessing the monsters rushing from the barrier with their own eyes. Then.


    ©¤©¤It will surely hit the aimed enemy,


    ©¤©¤It will be rain.


    He shot dark clouds towards the clear sky.


    A forecast delivered to the entire Empire.


    "Even if we can''t attack first, we can defend first."


    This was humanity''s first defense.

 Chapter 264: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When the monsters began their simultaneous advance, most of those atop the barriers prepared for death. It was only natural.


    Even if they won the war, there was no guarantee they would survive.


    Neither the Imperial Pce, the knights, the pros, nor even the Constel students.


    They each exhaled deeply, somehow trying to clear the smell of death from their nostrils.


    <i>Kugugugu¡ª</i>


    The fear of the humans spread as the monsters invaded.


    The first to shake off that fear was, of course, the western barrier where Renzo had fallen from the sky.


    When the outside monsters were pulverized by Renzo''s immense martial prowess, people finally came to their senses.


    They knew that Renzo was also an enemy of humanity, but for now, he was a wee presence who was destroying the monsters.And more importantly, they witnessed that it was possible to sufficiently kill the outside monsters.


    "Hold your positions! The monsters are still aiming for us!"


    The outside monsters split into two groups. One attacking Renzo, and the other still rushing towards the barrier. Even so, there were still a significant number, but those on the barrier gripped their weapons tightly.


    The knights'' encouragement, which had fallen on deaf ears, was now clearly audible. Renzo had interrupted the flow of monsters. That much was clear.


    However, this was only a small portion of the entire Empire''s barriers.


    No matter how strong Renzo was, he couldn''t deal with monsters outside his field of vision, and he had no obligation to do so.


    The southern barrier of the Empire,pletely unaware of Renzo''s intervention.


    The Shroud Knights had yet to escape their fear.


    "...Will it be alright?"


    Malia unconsciously spoke out.


    A fact Malia hadn''t told Frondier.


    Several barriers had nearly copsed in fear before the monsters even approached.


    The Shroud Knights, in particr, were in a dire state.


    From Sanders'' perspective, which Malia was sharing, it was impossible to even consider fighting.


    Sanders was trying his best to encourage them, but it wasn''t working, and with the knights responsible for the soldiers'' morale in such a state, the soldiers naturally crumbled alongside them.


    Elodie, next to Sanders, was quiet and subdued, lost in thought.


    "Archers! Prepare to fire!!"


    Sanders shouted. There was no time to bolster the knights'' mental state. The monsters were surging in like a tide, and the battle had begun. Then the knights would show their strength.


    And at that moment.


    "...?"


    Sanders felt the surroundings brighten slightly. It had been a clear sky from the beginning, so it wasn''t that the clouds had cleared. He absentmindedly looked up.


    "...Ah."


    His admiration was brief.


    The sight above him in the sky was familiar to him.


    It was also a sight he had longed for.


    Countless arrows of light soaring through the sky. That swarm, even more massive than he remembered, tens of thousands of arrows splitting the heavens.


    ''Frondier...!''


    He didn''t know where he was now. The trajectory of the arrows was so high that he couldn''t even tell where they had been shot from.


    Rain was falling.


    Rain that would surely pierce the hearts of their enemies.


    Sanders knew this clearly, but there was still something he didn''t know.


    This rain wasn''t falling only in the south.


    "It''s been a while."


    Hector in Tyburn grinned and said, and Aster nodded.


    "...Beautiful."


    "Hmm."


    Lunia of Krasmere marveled, and Zodiac Monty, her pair, made a short sound.


    Frondier''s arrows were a vivid sight that anyone who had seen them once would not easily forget.


    Constel, Tyburn, Yeranhes.


    Wherever it was in the past, these streaks of light had brought them the wind of victory.


    Therefore, the arrows of light pouring down at this moment, as the war began,


    Revived in a clear image, piercing through the monsters without fail.


    More powerful, massive, and urate.


    Those who didn''t know these arrows rejoiced at the death of the monsters,


    And those who did, bathed in the colors of the past, took a deep breath.


    "...Frondier."


    Someone quietly uttered the name.


    And a weight slowly settled upon them all.


    "Wow, wow...!"


    And back at the southern barrier.


    One of the Shroud Knights spoke in a voice drained of energy.


    "With that much, we could kill all the monsters, right?"


    "We might not even need to fight..."


    Their tension eased, and ax atmosphere flowed.


    Frondier''s arrows were on a considerable scale, but it was clear at a nce that they wouldn''t be enough to deal with all the monsters.


    They were having petty thoughts.


    Baseless expectations that another volley of arrows woulde.


    ''...Sigh.''


    Elodie sighed.


    Frondier''s arrows provided a solid foundation of trust and responsibility for most of the barriers. But that wasn''t the case everywhere.


    For rotten dogs, even that was useless.


    What would save them wasn''t Frondier''s arrows.


    It wasn''t Elodie''s magic.


    "¡ª¡ªNow."


    Elodie, who had been silent, opened her mouth.


    As if she had been waiting for those arrows to fly.


    As if she had known it from the beginning.


    Watching the arrows pierce the monsters on the battlefield, Elodie spoke in a low voice, infused with mana.


    "Shroud Knights."


    "...?"


    The gazes of the knights, who had been staring nkly at the battlefield, turned to Elodie.


    "Let''s make a bet."


    "A bet...?"


    Elodie thought about Frondier''s actions that Sanders had told her about.


    She decided to follow Frondier''s lead.


    Frondier had used a bet to encourage the exhausted knights. But it didn''t fit the current situation.


    Elodie stated coldly,


    "I bet that all of you here,"


    Elodie''s gaze, subtly sent backwards, reached each and every one of them.


    "Will all die."


    "What...!"


    "Not only you, but if you die, the monsters that cross this barrier will kill your families, friends, everyone without exception. I am certain of that future."


    Elodie''s words made their eyes tremble.


    There was no next after escaping from this barrier.


    This war wasn''t a simple fight for territory like the Empire had with other regions. Defeat meant the annihtion of the Empire. None of their families would survive.


    There wasn''t a single fool among the knights here who didn''t know that. That''s why, even with their fallen morale, they stood before this barrier instead of running away.


    "I''ll bet ten million quirs per knight on this bet."


    Ten million quirs.


    It was roughly the same price as the ''Viper steel Sword'' that Elodie had obtained earlier.


    To Elodie, the price of each Shroud Knight she saw before her was about that much.


    "If by any chance you survive, I''ll give it to you."


    The current Shroud Knights were too weak.


    It wasn''t a matter of skill or technique, but a matter of spirit.


    If the bet that Frondier had offered in Tyburn had given them hope and dreams,


    Elodie would give these dispirited individuals the reality of despair and anger.


    Elodie de Inies Rias.


    She wasn''t cheerful like Sybil, nor kind like Aten. She didn''t have the talent to understand people''s hearts and gain poprity like Quinie.


    However.


    "...Who."


    A seething voice, as if rising from deep within her body.


    "Who says we''re dying here!!"


    "Uwaaaaah!!"


    The aura of the Shroud Knights surged. Just like in the days of their past glory.


    The Shroud Knights of then and now were vastly different in theirposition, but they had received the same training and education as their long tradition.


    Their origins, who had longed for the glorious path of the past, were no different from their leader, Sanders.


    Elodie wasn''t bright, kind, or merciful.


    But right now, the Shroud needed Elodie more than anyone else.


    "...Hmm."


    Elodie also felt the fierce spirit of the Shroud Knights, but she maintained her cold eyes and turned her head back to the front.


    "Each of you knows your own soldiers, right? They''re worth 10,000 quirs per life."


    "Shut up! We''ll take care of them without that bullshit!"


    "I''ll really give it to you."


    Elodie''s eyes were still dry and stern.


    "Because anyway, this current fervor is just a momentary intoxication. I have to dangle money like a carrot."


    "...This bitch, I''ve had enough!"


    When one of the knights, his eyes bloodshot, lunged at her,


    "Stop!"


    Sanders stopped him.


    Sanders gave an order to everyone.


    "The rain of arrows will stop soon! Prepare for the second wave!"


    At that, the knights checked beyond the barrier. The momentum of their anger was directed straight at the monsters outside.


    The knights shouted to the soldiers at their designated positions.


    "Kill all those approaching bastards!!"


    "They''re worthless things that fall with a single arrow!"


    While they were boosting the morale of the soldiers, Sanders approached Elodie.


    "You''re taking on the role of the viin."


    "Anyone would have done the same."


    Elodie said calmly.


    Sanders had doubts about that answer, wondering if that was really the case. Taking on the role of the hated one was not an easy task at all.


    "I used to be afraid of being hated too,"


    Elodie''s eyes briefly fell into reminiscence.


    "But it''s okay now."


    Elodie muttered quietly and raised her right hand.


    An unusual flow of mana was born from that hand.


    "Even if countless people who have nothing to do with me hate me,"


    As she murmured, the magic in Elodie''s right handyered and bloomed powerfully.


    Sanders watched in awe.


    ''This child, she''s casting magic while talking...!''


    Magic was abination of intuition and theory. To perfectly control mana for the theoretical framework of a spell, immense concentration was required.


    The theory behind extracting magic was extremely precise, but the mages who had to handle it were not, so they used chants to infuse their mana into the precise theory.


    That''s why silent casting was more difficult than chanting, and of course, casting magic while speaking unrted words was extremely difficult. There were no mages who even attempted such a thing.


    But.


    "Just one person is enough."


    As if that were her chant.


    "If that person forgave me."


    Elodie''s outstretched right hand was perfectly aligned with precision, aiming at the pouring monsters.


    One of the five gods, Rudra.


    An arrow of storm born with the power of God.


    Elodie''s specialty, ''Storm Arrow''.


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    Elodie threw the Storm Arrow towards the monsters in front of her as if it were someone else''s business, and


    "Being hated is whatever."


    *Kwaaaaaaaaah!!*


    Before the storm that seemed to change the terrain, she murmured calmly.


    * * *


    "Aster! Head to the right! Move on the barrier and block the vulnerable areas!"


    "Yes!"


    Tyburn had experienced more harsh battles with monsters than other ces, and the scale of the monsters was correspondinglyrger.


    For Tyburn, which had almost been on the verge of copse, monsters were both a tiresome nemesis and a source of fear.


    That''s why, even after being hit by Frondier''s arrows, the waves of monsters that followed were quick, and Hector and Aster were already in a fierce battle.


    Hector, although he hadn''t been inmand for long, showed a talent for leading knights. This was thanks to the countless experiences he had shoulder to shoulder with other knights after abandoning his position as Ludwig''s son.


    ''...Aster.''


    Hector constantly gave instructions and killed monsters himself, checking on Aster whenever he had a chance.


    He was worried about Aster, a student with overwhelmingly less experience in fighting outside monsters, but he also had high expectations.


    Just how strong was the student that the entire Constel was paying attention to?


    How powerful was Baldur''s divine power?


    ''He fights well, but...''


    Contrary to Hector''s worries, Aster was fighting well. He wasn''t flustered or confused, and he adapted quickly to the situation, understanding the implications of Hector''s shortmands.


    Hector found that very unfamiliar.


    He had been worried that Aster wouldn''t be able to control his immense power and would run wild, but now he was worried about the opposite.


    ''...He''s like a pro.''


    Aster wasn''t using his divine power yet. Even so, he wasn''t having much trouble.


    In other words, he didn''t show the passion or enthusiasm that students usually disyed, but rather the demeanor of a seasoned veteran who had seen it all.


    But anyone could be like that with enough experience.


    It was surprising that Aster, at his young age, was showing such a level, but that wasn''t what they expected from Aster.


    No one on the continent would have expected this from Aster.


    A spectacle of brilliantly annihting and ughtering monsters. The heroes Hector knew all showed such aspects. The ''Zodiacs'', of course, and Elodie, who was probably as famous as Aster, wouldn''t she be the same?


    To say that it was because he hadn''t yet unleashed Baldur''s power, that movement, what was it?


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    At that moment,


    Aster, who had been running tirelessly on top of the barrier, stopped abruptly.


    His right hand went up to his shoulder and grasped something.


    It was a huge spear, about Aster''s height.


    ''Ambush!''


    Hector was surprised. From somewhere beyond the barrier, a spear was shot at Aster with precise aim, almost in a straight line.


    Only then did he feel the tremendous killing intent directed at Aster.


    Aster looked down from the barrier.


    His excellent eyesight found someone hiding in the forest.


    One of the Shepherds of Manggot, Notker.


    While those murderous eyes were smiling darkly at him, Aster met his gaze, holding the spear.


    With a still ordinary face, ordinarily.

 Chapter 265 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Lord Notker!¡±


    The Manggot¡¯s deputymander shouted in bewilderment.


    The Manggot''s attack was nned forter. The monster offensive was still ongoing, and with time, the barrier would surely crumble.


    Their original strategy wasn''t to directly target Aster. The n was for Notker to target Aster amidst the chaos after the Manggot entered the battlefield.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early! At least wait until the monsters have battered the barrier¡­!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Notker spoke without taking his eyes off Aster on the barrier.


    ¡°As long as that guy is there, this stalemate won¡¯t break.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±¡°That bastard is doing this on purpose.¡±


    Notker carefully observed Aster¡¯s actions.


    Initially, he had the same thoughts as Hector, who had been watching Aster from nearby. He fought well, but it was ordinary, and there was no sense of power that could wipe out the monsters. Above all, his fighting style was excessively neat.


    Hagley had called Aster "a skilled individualparable to the Zodiac," but Notker couldn''t even feel a shred of that.


    However, at some point¡­


    ¡°Berengar, how long has it been since the monster attack started?¡±


    ¡°About 30 minutes¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, normally, the corpses of monsters would have started piling up in front of the barrier by now.¡±


    Monsters push forward with sheer numbers, piling up corpses in front of the barrier to use as stepping stones to climb over.


    Lower-level monsters have lower intelligence than higher-level ones, and the outer monsters have a particrlyrge gap. This tactic was also seen in the past at Yeranhes.


    ¡°But the front of the barrier is still clear. Most of the monsters are dying before they even get close.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why? The barrier troops don¡¯t seem that numerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of that Aster guy. He¡¯s using a simple, yet absurd method.¡±


    The monsters¡¯ advance, the archers firing to stop them, the weapons on the barrier.


    The changing flow of monsters caused by being hit, falling, and sometimes dodging.


    At the point where those flows intersect.


    Swish!


    Aster¡¯s sword moved slightly.


    Thud! Crash! Bang!


    The leading monster suddenly falls. Right at the point where the scattered monsters, avoiding arrows and stones, were regrouping.


    Naturally, the monsters behind them follow suit, and a rain of arrows pours down on those who have lost their mobility.


    ¡°Did you see that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Aura?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A fingernail-sized sword energy cut the monster¡¯s ankle. At a nce, it¡¯s indistinguishable from those hit by arrows.¡±


    War is usually not as grand or majestic as it is imagined when it actually unfolds.


    Even if it''s a moment of chilling murderous intent shing from afar, up close, it¡¯s a series of ridiculous scenes. Except for the fact that death lurks behind it.


    Soldiers tripping over their own feet. Starting with theirrades next to them getting hit by weapons swung with their eyes tightly closed.


    Panicking and abandoning all theirrades to flee, thoserades all die, and they survive alone, ultimately bing the ¡®right choice¡¯.


    Stories of demoralized soldiers flowing one by one into the enemy camp, eventually leaving no one in their own camp, resulting in a bloodless entry, are quitemon.


    Situations too ugly, trivial, and shameful to be recorded.


    A ckedy that is not funny at all.


    ¡°That guy is doing that kind of thing. He¡¯s ying with the monsters. He¡¯s turning the image of war that people vaguely imagine into a child¡¯s y all by himself.¡±


    It¡¯s not just tripping them up.


    The winged monsters that humansmonly call ¡®birds¡¯ suddenly have one of their wings ripped in mid-air, falling on top of their own monsters, crushing them all and blocking the path.


    The bigger ones suddenly drop the huge weapons they are holding, and the weapons fall on top of the four-legged dogs below. The big guy roars, looking for his weapon with a question mark above his head, then sees that his wrist is also missing.


    The sight of the monsters raising their voices as if they are hindering each other instead of advancing for the sake of humans.


    It¡¯s truly a third-rate gag.


    Humor that isn¡¯t funny at all.


    ¡°If we leave him alone, there will be no turn for the Manggot to take action.¡±


    The Manggot¡¯s basic strategy is a joint attack with the monsters. If the barrier remains this organized, the Manggot will be the ones pressed for time.


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°You stay here.¡±


    Notker raised his sword. It was a greatsword as big as his stature.


    Aster, while dealing with the advancing monsters, was still paying attention to Notker. He still held the spear Notker had thrown in one hand. He was truly at ease.


    ¡°To ensure the operation goes smoothly, we need to stop that guy. You know the timing, right?¡±


    ¡°Lord Notker!¡±


    Despite his subordinate Berengar¡¯s words, Notker only deepened his smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you a proper war.¡±


    Thud!


    Notker emerged from the forest with his greatsword.


    He fully reveals himself, drawing the attention of the humans on the barrier.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!!¡±


    A giant voice filled with aura.


    The people on the barrier momentarily turn their gaze to the undeniably loud volume.


    ¡°Ma, Manggot!¡±


    Hector also red at Notker.


    ¡°Archers! Firing positions,¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    However, Aster interrupts Hector¡¯s additional orders.


    ¡°The bnce with the monsters is appropriate now. It wouldn¡¯t be good to disrupt it carelessly.¡±


    ¡°But we have to stop the Manggot too! Look at that momentum. He¡¯s definitely not ordinary.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Aster¡¯s eyes turn to Notker.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve created enough obstacles on the battlefield. There should be a little leeway in time.¡±


    With those words.


    Aster jumped over the barrier.

 Chapter 265 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°He, hey!!¡±


    Hector shouted in surprise.


    He didn''t know where to start pointing out Aster¡¯s actions, so he couldn''t point out anything.


    It was already difficult enough to confront the monsters on the barrier, but to go beyond the barrier? And to face a man who seems to be a high-ranking member of the Manggot alone?


    There¡¯s no guarantee that the monsters won¡¯t interfere, and even if Aster is stronger than that Manggot man, the Manggot hiding in the forest wouldn¡¯t just stand by.


    Did he jump over the barrier without thinking about all that?


    No, more than that.


    ¡®Is it okay to jump from this height! He¡¯s not even a magician!¡¯


    The most immediate concern came first, but.Tap-


    Asternded on the ground calmly, as if it were unbelievable that he had jumped from such a height.


    ¡°Hoo.¡±


    Notker saw that. He must have used an aura technique, but there was no deceleration as he fell until his feet touched the ground. Perfect movement and aura control.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Aster Evans.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I heard you¡¯re a very arrogant brat. The talk about beingparable to the Zodiac.¡±


    At those words, Aster frowned.


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°Hoo, so you do know your ce?¡±


    ¡°Of course. My strength is far too weakpared to the Zodiac.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re a boring guy.¡±


    Thud!


    Notker mmed his greatsword into the ground. The tip of the sword lightly embedded itself in the ground, and he spoke.


    ¡°My name is Notker! One of the shepherds of the Manggot! I¡¯vee to set fire to the Empire!¡±


    ¡°Are you announcing arson?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s right. All of the Manggot are arsonists. That¡¯s right.¡±


    Aster briefly nodded at Notker¡¯s bold promation.


    With an expression that showed no hint of what he was thinking, Aster, as if he had forgotten something.


    ¡°Oh, right, this.¡±


    Flick


    He returned the spear that Notker had thrown back to him.


    Notker instinctively received the spear with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it back.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Notker stared at Aster¡¯s face for a long time, wondering what he was doing.


    Aster tilted his head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it yours?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh.¡±


    The spear that Notker threw.


    The spear thrown with all his might to pierce Aster¡¯s head.


    Aster returned it, saying it was his.


    As if he were handing over a lost wallet.


    ¡°¡­¡­I heard Constel is full of crazy people.¡±


    Notker¡¯s aura swelled. Aster drew his sword at the sight of the greatsword and the aura that seemed to be burning.


    Aster¡¯s posture was nothing special, just a middle stance with his sword held in both hands.


    Notker exhaled as if burning the air.


    ¡°You must be the pinnacle, Aster Evans.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I have a normal personality.¡±


    Thud!


    As if he didn¡¯t need to hear any more, Notker closed the distance. His aura-d feet kicked off the ground, and the cracks in the split earth followed him.


    ng!


    Notker¡¯s strike descends with the wind. Aster raises his sword to block it.


    ¡®What is this clumsy defense!¡¯


    Notker had actually anticipated that Aster would deflect the attack. The stronger the force, the more the opponent tries to subdue it with a gentle wave. Especially the more skilled they are.


    In fact, Ludovic, who is also a swordsman and a Zodiac, would have deflected it.


    Notker specializes in taking advantage of that deflection, but if he blocks it head-on like this, there¡¯s nothing he can do with his specialty.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die if you keep blocking like that.¡±


    Notker growled. Even while their swords were crossed, he didn¡¯t like Aster¡¯s in face. He was clearly using his strength, frowning, and looking at Notker seriously, but something wasn¡¯t satisfying.


    He had always made all those who underestimated him since he was young pay the price, but Aster didn¡¯t seem like that type.


    ¡°¡­¡­Then.¡±


    Aster¡¯s aura, which had been blocking the sword, gradually filled up.


    ¡°Here I go, Mr. Notker.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    What is this guy doing? Now of all times.


    Why is he defending awkwardly, why is he raising his aura now, why is he suddenly mentioning my name¡­


    Why is everything one beatte?


    ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Notker asked with a feeling of disbelief.


    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re going to attack now? Is that a signal to start the duel?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Aster¡¯s eyes shifted slightly to the side.


    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve been doing it since I was young.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Notker¡¯s mind went nk for a moment.


    But he soon realized why he had been so irritated.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I think I need to tear apart your handsome face to calm down!!¡±


    ng! nk! ng!


    After that, Notker¡¯s indiscriminate attacks began, and Aster blocked them one by one.


    Every time their swords shed, Aster¡¯s sword was pushed back slightly, though faintly. As proof, Aster had stepped back half a step from where he started.


    ¡°Aster, our leader¡­¡±


    During a brief standoff, Notker spoke.


    ¡°He has already checked thepatibility between the Empire¡¯s strong ones and us.¡±


    Saying that, Notker grinned.


    ¡°And the ideal matchup for the Manggot at that time was you and me.¡±


    Notker was convinced by their recent exchange.


    Aster was weaker than him.


    Aster, the all-around, all-purpose swordsman.


    There was only one way to defeat someone without any outstanding weaknesses.


    To be purely stronger than them.


    ¡°You will die here, Aster.¡±


    A warning close to a curse. And Notker¡¯s aura and killing intent seemed to prove it.


    Taking it all in, Aster blinked for a moment.


    And with a heavy mouth, Aster said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really handsome.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Notker nodded as if he understood something.


    ¡°Just die, you son of a bitch!!¡±

 Chapter 266 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While fighting, Notker felt a sense of strangeness.


    The fight with Aster was neck and neck. Their sword strikes barely grazed the tips of each other''s skin, tearing their cors.


    They dodged and blocked each other by a hair''s breadth, and sometimes they boldly aimed for a counterattack and stabbed.


    He didn''t know how many moves they had exchanged, but the bnce of power was even.


    That''s why he knew something.


    ''...What is it?''


    He hadn''t noticed it in the ongoing neck-and-neck fight.


    Soon, Notker came to a chilling thought.


    ''Why has the fight been equal from the beginning until now?''Notker initially responded lightly to gauge Aster''s skills. Aster blocked it with a clumsy defense.


    Then, at Aster''s provocation, he raised his aura and entered with his true skills.


    From the time he fought with his strength out to the time he was giving it his all.


    It was all strangely ''even''.


    ''What is it? No, it doesn''t make sense. That can''t be!''


    Notker was a manparable to the Zodiac. He was a recognized powerhouse in Manggot. Not only that, but they, called the Shepherds of the Round Table, were never inferior to the Zodiac in individual strength.


    Swish! Swish!


    ng!!


    His sword grazed Aster''s cheek. It cut his hair. Their swords shed, and he countered Aster''s counterattack.


    ...All of that in an instant.


    It felt like the harmony of actors on a stage.


    ''What is this, what am I fighting...?''


    Aster''s face was serious, and as much as he was facing the battle, a heavy air flowed.


    But that serious attitude was like.


    "Ugh, this, this bastard!!!"


    Notker''s sword was raised. A lightning-fast strike, a speed that Aster hadn''t been able to avoid so far. He intended to force a power struggle.


    However.


    Thud


    "There''s nothing below."


    Along with Aster''s short whisper.


    Thud!


    Notker fell forward. Aster had tripped him.


    At that moment, Notker felt like he had be one of the monsters in front of the barrier he had been watching. He remembered the ridiculous sight of monsters colliding and copsing with just one of Aster''s auras.


    "Your movements have be bigger due to impatience."


    "What, did you say...?"


    Notker stood up. It was hard to ignore those words.


    His movements got bigger? Of course, he knew that. But the speed Notker disyed after that, Aster had responded by blocking it all so far. He knew that, so he was able to make big movements.


    Until a moment ago, it was all speed that he had been defending against, but now he was counterattacking because his movements had be bigger.


    What this meant was clear.


    ''...This bastard, he''s adjusting to me...!''


    Aster wasn''t failing to keep up with Notker''s speed.


    He was matching his speed.


    "You, dare, use that kind of fighting style on me...!"


    Notker''s hands trembled. He had never felt such humiliation.


    In Manggot, where he was born and raised, all kinds of murderous intent swarmed. Not to mention the monsters, the people of Manggot weren''t that naive. If they saw even the slightest gap, they would take everything from each other.


    But all of them, even if they were foolish enough to die in vain at Notker''s hands, had the desperate will to survive and kill their enemies.


    Notker remembered the faces of lives facing death.


    That''s why he knew.


    That''s why he didn''t like Aster''s face.


    "Aster Evans...! You have no desperation!"


    Aster didn''t smell of death.


    Notker''s aura concentrated on his sword. The aura flowing through the greatsword now extended beyond the de, increasing its thickness and length.


    It was the same technique that Frondier used to extend the de of his small sword with aura. However, while Frondier used it as a ''trick'' to momentarily adjust the length of the de, Notker deployed it constantly.


    "Give it your all! Aster!!"


    Notker yelled. Naturally, the voice tinged with aura resonated loudly throughout the area.


    As if it were just a little noisy, Aster''s expression frowned slightly.


    "You''re saying the same thing."


    "The same thing?"


    "Everyone I fight tells me that. To give it my all."


    What was that supposed to mean?


    Did that mean he had treated all the enemies he had fought so far in this way?


    "I am giving it my all."


    "Don''t talk nonsense...!"


    "As proof, I can see your hidden strength."


    "......!"


    At that, Notker''s words stopped.


    Aster still looked at Notker with serious eyes.


    "What does it mean to give it your all? Is it giving it your all to attack without thinking, with strength and speed that surpasses yours? If I had done that, I would have lost my life in panic at your aura right now."


    Aster''s aura swelled. But his de didn''t lengthen like Notker''s. It only became clearer, harder.


    "One of the biggest things I realized in Constel was that I know nothing about others."


    It wasn''t that Aster had never been arrogant.


    He received divine power far stronger than others, possessed physical abilities that surpassed others.


    He grew up receiving hellish training from his older sister, who had reached the peak with just swordsmanship.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that he had received the expectations of not only Constel but the entire continent. As his God ''Baldur'' had said, he was the ''hope of humanity'', and he was aware of it himself.


    However.


    A certain girl had mastered aura much earlier than him,


    A rival-like boy had already shown exceptional talent in fighting,


    And his ssmate, as a magician, walked with the same expectations as him.


    ''...There''s no one as pathetic as you, Aster.''


    He mocked himself.


    ¡ªI couldn''t be there for them when it mattered. When Constel was attacked, and during the school trip. I couldn''t look around because of my own greed.


    The voice of a pitch-ck guy, whose insides he still couldn''t understand, echoed in his ears.


    He believed he had seen others without prejudice. That he would believe only what he saw and judge for himself. That he wouldn''t be swayed by other people''s rumors or gossip.


    But even Aster himself, after hearing Baldur''s warning, after learning that the target was called ''Sloth''.


    ¡ªThat''s how you got stronger. Because you saw me as a threat.


    What did he do?


    What were you looking at, Aster?


    "No matter what you say, my way is the same."


    "......Still hiding your strength?"


    "You must also have some strength left."


    At those words, Notker felt an inexplicable chill.


    He knew exactly what it was.


    "I will fight until all your resources are exhausted."


    "This, this guy...!"


    The reason he didn''t like Aster''s face.


    From the moment they first met until now, Aster hadn''t been looking at Notker properly.


    His serious and cautious gaze was directed elsewhere.


    "If you could read someonepletely with desperation, it would be quite simple."


    Aster''s cold gaze was still.


    From the moment he was fighting Notker, to whenever he fought anyone in the past.


    He was facing the shadow of just one person.

 Chapter 266 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While Aster was fighting Notker under the barrier.


    Hector was starting to feel dizzy.


    "Put down the quivers! Archers! Even if it''ste, pull the bowstring all the way!"


    While shouting at the soldiers on the wall, checking the condition of the knights, filling Aster''s void, and at the same time keeping an eye on when Manggot woulde.


    And also the situation of the confrontation between Aster and Notker.


    It would be nice to have one more body, but even one more wouldn''t be enough.


    ''Aster! Look at the situation! Something''s strange!''


    Hector moved more diligently than anyone else, encouraging the soldiers, but he himself was overwhelmed by a huge sense of anxiety.


    ''The quality of the monsters is low. Monsters that are weak for outside monsters are constantlying.''If he didn''t know the situation of this barrier, Hector''s thoughts might seem like good news, but


    The outside monsters always attacked the barrier in the same way.


    As time passed, the level of monsters attacking the barrier increased.


    This was to deplete the human''s ranged means first, as the higher-level monsters wouldn''t take damage from arrows or catapults.


    So the fact that so many low-level monsters were stilling meant that there would be that many more high-level monsters.


    ''We might run out of arrows if we''re not careful.''


    Of course, there were also magicians stationed at the Tyburn barrier. However, their magic wasn''t being used yet. It was only used asionally to wipe outrge groups, but it was still too early to give it their all.


    This was something that both humans and monsters knew.


    Right now, it looked like the monsters were dying, but it was only natural that humans had the advantage in this engagement, and the real war hadn''t started yet.


    Kkiaaaak!


    Birds that screamed like they were crying flew over the wall, and each time, the wall became crowded.


    Those that were difficult to hit with arrows and out of reach of swords were easiest to target when they approached to attack humans. And that meant that if they failed, the life of one soldier would disappear just like that.


    The increasing number of these monstrous birds was a signal that the monsters were ''upgrading''.


    The next ones flying in, there were at least ten of them.


    Crunch.


    Hector gritted his teeth.


    His right hand unfolded, and mana gathered in it.


    [This hand will be a spear that strikes down like a torrent.]


    [The spear will reach the enemy and aim for the next.]


    Kwarurung!


    Hector''s hand stretched out, and in an instant, a crackling lightning bolt flew towards the monstrous birds and pierced them.


    The lightning spread around, burning the air before disappearing, and more than ten monstrous birds died at once and fell onto the battlefield.


    "Hoo, hoo... I didn''t want to use this magic."


    Hector wrapped his trembling right hand after using the magic.


    His father, Ludwig''s specialty magic, ''Chain Lightning''.


    Since Ludwig was originally talented in lightning magic, his son, Hector, also had some talent in magic.


    Of course, unlike Ludwig, it required chanting and had a slow casting speed, and its power was also inferior to Ludwig''s, but considering that he wasn''t a magician in the first ce, it was a great magic.


    "Captain! Are you alright!"


    "Yeah. I''m just a little dizzy."


    The reason Hector didn''t use this magic was because of mana consumption. Of course, there was also the fact that he didn''t want to acknowledge Ludwig, whom he didn''t even want to recognize as his father, but he wasn''t stupid enough to hesitate to use it in war just because of that.


    Hector, who was a warrior from the beginning, didn''t have a lot of absolute mana. The aura that warriors used was definitely the same substance as mana, but the way they were used waspletely different.


    If the fuel tank was important to a magician, the engine was important to a warrior. If a magician used the stored mana all at once, a warrior elerated the cirction speed of the aura.


    "But with this, the ''birds'' will be scared and watch the situation for a while..."


    Hector said that and looked at the battlefield.


    His mouth stopped just like that.


    The battlefield was still full of only low-level monsters. They were still foolishly throwing themselves at the barrier. As if dying in front of it was their role.


    Compared to the human side where arrows, magic, and catapults were flying, the monsters'' attack methods were truly simple.


    Monsters, even those with high intelligence, usually didn''t use siege weapons. This was for two main reasons.


    The first was that monsters couldn''t form alliances like humans. It was the nature of the individual. The more intelligent a monster was, the more individualistic it became, and it wasn''t easy for such individuals to gather and create siege weapons.


    They needed materials, knowledge, and technology, and above all, the group had to be maintained in that ce to create them.


    And the second reason was.


    "...What is that."


    Monsters from the abyss that surpassed the outside monsters.


    When they appeared, siege weapons became worthless.


    Sss-


    Swoosh-


    From afar on the battlefield, a huge group walked.


    They didn''t scream like other monsters. The sound of their next step led by their massive bodies was too faint.


    They approached quietly.


    "...Mi...!"


    Of course, Hector wasn''t the only one who saw it.


    When someone''s mouth opened, Hector hesitated whether he should stop them, but.


    "It''s a Minotaur!!!!"


    He realized it was meaningless.


    Everyone on the wall momentarily looked up and saw the distance.


    They saw the faces of cows on the necks of the giants, and they couldn''t make any expression.


    "Huh, huh...!"


    Hector was a strong man with excellent senses. He felt the power of the Minotaur in the distance as if it had reached right in front of him.


    ...Even one of the dozens of monsters lurking in that group, Hector couldn''t leave a single scratch on.


    Naturally, his gaze turned beyond the barrier.


    "Aster!!!"


    Hector shouted. He didn''t know what meaning it had. Aster would have noticed the appearance of that group too. But he had to shout. Otherwise, his heart wouldn''t calm down.


    "......."


    Aster just silently watched the Minotaur approaching from afar.


    Notker, who was confronting him, was also surprised.


    "A Minotaur...?"


    For such a monster to charge already.


    Even Manggot didn''t know where or how the monsters would break the barrier. They were just trying to use that power.


    Notker''s head spun quickly for a moment.


    ''If I stay here and fight this guy, I''m dead.''


    Facing a Minotaur was more reckless than facing the Zodiac. It might be possible for a magician, but it was unthinkable for him, a warrior.


    "Aster! We''ll postpone the fight! It would be good for you to take shelter inside the barrier too!"


    Notker left those words and ran away from Aster. Those words weren''t exactly for Aster''s sake, but rather, he just said what Aster should do.


    But Aster.


    "...Somehow."


    He muttered something iprehensible and just watched the Minotaur on the battlefield.


    "That monster, I think that''s why Frondier said that."


    ¡ª¡ªA few days ago.


    Frondier had told Aster his deployment location in advance.


    At that time, Aster nodded without much thought.


    Tyburn was a harsh area, but there was no ce that wasn''t. Besides, Aster naturally had to go to the most difficult ce. Aster himself knew that better than anyone.


    But.


    "...I''m sorry."


    Frondier said.


    His hand pointing at the map trembled.


    Aster was surprised because he had never even thought that Frondier would be scared of something.


    "What are you sorry for? I was expecting it anyway."


    At first, Aster thought it was because he had sent him to Tyburn, but.


    "I''m sorry. No matter how much I racked my brain, this was the best I could do."


    "......?"


    Frondier''s trembling hand soon clenched into a fist, but the trembling still didn''t stop.


    He clenched his fist so tightly that drops of blood fell from between them.


    "Hey, hey."


    "This was as far as I could go. Even after using all kinds of methods and doing all sorts of dirty things in the name of efficiency."


    "......What?"


    "Even knowing that, knowing that I''ve never gone beyond this, I have no choice but to send you here."


    Frondier muttered iprehensible words.


    "You''re an Aster Evans that I don''t know."


    "So, what are you talking about?"


    "That''s why I had no choice but to ce a terrible expectation on you."


    Aster tilted his head.


    He still didn''t understand what he was saying, but he knew one thing.


    This wasn''t something Frondier was saying to Aster. Frondier was muttering something like atonement or repentance that came down from somewhere.


    "...Aster."


    "Why?"


    "Show me that the past me was just ipetent."


    ...And now.


    Aster didn''t understand what Frondier was saying back then, and he still didn''t understand it at all now, but.


    At this moment, facing the Minotaur, for some reason, Frondier''s words echoed in his ears.


    "That guy really can see the future or something."


    ¡ªThis was as far as I could go.


    ¡ªI''ve never gone beyond this.


    Recalling Frondier''s voice, Aster muttered in a low voice.


    "So this is, this moment right now is what Frondier predicted."


    ¡ª¡ªMy grave.


    The Minotaur finally spotted Aster as he exhaled deeply.


    And the bull.


    The bull, with the eyes of a bull, looked at him.

 Chapter 267 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Minotaurs.


    If the world of Etius were a typical fantasy game, that name would be insignificant.


    In most games, Minotaurs rarely appear, and even when they do, they are nothing more than grotesque-looking, slightly strong grunts.


    However, in this world where Gods exist, the Minotaurs, whose names are clearly engraved in myths, hold a different status.


    Hybrids born between cows and humans created by the Gods, their cursed bodies, while not quite demigods, are close to it.


    Just one of them would be an overwhelming challenge, but there were many. A number befitting to bring despair to humanity.


    "Aster!! Get inside the barrier!"


    Hector''s voice came from atop the barrier.


    "Those things are too dangerous! We need to use the barrier and fight back!"Hearing Hector''s words, Aster narrowed his eyes and watched the Minotaurs slowly approaching.


    "...No."


    Aster, who had descended beneath the barrier, was feeling the full force of the Minotaurs'' power throughout his body.


    The moment he retreated behind the barrier, the Minotaurs would break through.


    He didn''t know the specific method.


    But whatever it was, those cows would easily break through the barrier.


    Aster did not move from his spot. As soon as he understood Aster''s intention, Hector shouted towards the left.


    "Magic unit!! Move! Construct a magic barrier and prepare to fire!!"


    The mages, who had been storing their power, all began chanting at once. They had been waiting for such monsters. It was their turn.


    However, cold sweat was dripping from those who were chanting.


    ''Those things...''


    It was true that they had been waiting for strong monsters, but they had not expected such absurd creatures.


    Monsters of the abyss that they only saw in textbooks. Moreover, not just one, but many. They had heard the news of a Cyclops appearing in Yeranhesst winter, but this was too much.


    "Fire!"


    At Hector''s shout, the mages'' magic rained down all at once. The most effective single-target attack magic was poured onto the Minotaurs.


    The pouring magic created a thick cloud of dust. It was a magical attack that would leave no trace of any ordinary monster.


    "...Phew."


    Seeing that, Aster let out a long sigh.


    He looked at his sword once and checked his equipment. He examined his condition with sunken eyes.


    Soldiers, knights, mages.


    No one expected anything after the dust cloud rose.


    Swoosh-


    The dust cleared, and the cows revealed themselves.


    Perhaps a little soot-stained, the Minotaurs were excessively unharmed.


    And yet, their leisurely pace remained the same.


    Neither faster nor slower.


    The mages'' simultaneous firing not only failed to inflict a single scratch on the Minotaurs,


    It didn''t even provoke a moment''s annoyance.


    "..."


    Everyone watched the cows'' advance in silence.


    There were no shouts, no screams, no cries of despair.


    Even Hector was speechless, his mouth frozen shut.


    What should they do with them?


    How could they stop them even a single step?


    "...Ah."


    But the cows didn''t even give them time to despair.


    As they walked leisurely, their eyes nced down.


    The corpses of the winged creatures that Aster had dropped to block the monsters'' advance.


    One of the cows looked at it for a moment, then,


    Thwack-


    With a light foot movement, it kicked it,


    Shwaaaack!!


    The pile of corpses split the air with a sonic boom.


    "Huh!"


    ng!!


    The corpses crashed into something in front of the barrier and fell.


    It was a magic barrier that the mages had set up beforehand.


    But it was all broken by that one attack. They couldn''t stop the next one.


    The cows continued to advance.


    In front of them were the next monster corpses.


    Just one attack from one of them had broken all the magic barriers.


    That attack, simultaneously,


    Whiiiish!


    Flew towards the barrier.


    The corpses of the monsters rained down on the barrier in an instant. The soldiers on the barrier nkly watched the approaching mountain of corpses.


    This time, Aster''s sword stretched out.


    <i>Slice</i>


    Most of the corpses floating in the air were cut in half almost silently. Aster used his aura to perfectly cut through all the flying monsters.


    However,


    Thud! Kaboom!


    A few, whose momentum was not dead, crashed into the barrier or swept away the soldiers on it.


    "Kwaaack!"


    "Aaack!!"


    Screams rang out from atop the barrier, and the soldiers btedly realized their despair. Soldiers who hadn''t been hit by the recent attack also screamed in panic.


    "Get a hold of yourselves! Hold your positions!"


    Hector issued instructions to the knights on the barrier, and the knights'' voices echoed everywhere. However, it was not easy to calm the soldiers who had once panicked.


    Aster''s brow furrowed beneath the barrier.


    Aster was a swordsman. If the barrier was damaged even though he had cut through everything, he had no further means of response.


    There was only one way.


    "Stop."


    His voice reached out and touched everywhere.


    It didn''t seem like he had raised his aura much, but his voice clearly reached the entire barrier and the ears of the Minotaurs.


    "My name is Aster Evans."


    Aster spoke politely even to the monsters.


    "Defeat me first."


    At that, the cows'' eyes turned towards Aster. Boredom could be seen in their eyes.


    A mere human was spouting nonsense. They hade to break the barrier. They hade to break the barrier and send monsters to ravage all the humans.


    No matter how strong that one human was, what reason was there to ept such a fight? The cowspletely ignored Aster''s words and looked for another corpse. If there were no corpses, they nned to throw a living monster.


    "...As expected."


    Aster took his stance. Still, the middle stance with a sword in each hand. A basic stance that even seemed clumsy.


    "Are you cows so you can''t understand human speech?"


    They didn''t hear that murmur, but Hector realized that Aster''s aura was expanding even further.


    ''He can use an even stronger aura than that!''


    Hector looked at Aster below the barrier. In the current situation, Aster was the only one they could hope for.


    Aster, who had shown equal or better strength against the Shepherd of Manggot.


    ''Aster hasn''t used his divine power yet! If he borrows the power of ''Baldur'', he might be able to kill those monsters!''


    It was a reasonable expectation. Aster''s greatest talent was being loved by Baldur.


    However.


    "...Aster?"


    Even as Aster further amplified his aura, there was still no sign of him using divine power.


    In an attack stance, with time running out before the Minotaurs threw another pile of corpses.


    There was no sign of Baldur''s appearance.


    "No way, no way... No way, Aster!"


    A chilling guess crossed Hector''s mind, and he unconsciously shouted.


    Aster briefly lowered his head. He looked at the sword he held in both hands.


    The vertically raised de reflected the sunlight.


    "Lord Baldur."


    Aster called his name.


    The God who loved him.


    The name of long-standing grace that had helped him whenever he faced hardships and adversity.


    After reciting that name, Aster chuckled.


    "Abandon me."


    Immediately after those words,


    The aura that had been swirling around Aster vanishedpletely.

 Chapter 267 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few days ago, when Frondier had gathered everyone in the ssroom.


    Edwin was talking to Ellen. It was a conversation about Edwin''s security device.


    "The students will have a hard time responding to this situation. Can''t we make it so that it sounds an rm in the vicinity when a dangerous situation arises, to let people know what''s happening?"


    "It''s not impossible to make such an artifact, but mass production is difficult. Given the tight schedule, it should only be given to important figures."


    Ellen was the student council president. Therefore, it was her responsibility to decide the direction of the students in such an emergency.


    Of course, she would discuss the overall flow with the teachers, but it was Ellen who had to give detailed instructions in the actual situation.


    "To be honest, I don''t want to involve the students in the battle."


    "I agree."


    Except for a few, Constel students did not stand on the barrier. They were designed to cooperate with pros and the police to respond to problems within the Empire. In other words, they were in a much safer position than those who defended the barrier.However, it was inevitable to feel uneasy. For Ellen, the perception of Frondier or Asterpared to other students was as different as heaven and earth.


    "If Manggot can reallyunch a surprise attack, the students might be in even more danger."


    They had already heard about shadow teleportation from Frondier. That''s why Ellen was worried about the other students now.


    If that shadow attacked the students from behind, no matter how muchbat training the students had received, they wouldn''t be able to deal with the surprise attack of Manggot''s assassins.


    "That won''t happen. Sis."


    At that moment, Aster, who had finished talking with Frondier, approached.


    "Aster."


    "Since Manggot is using a pincer attack of both frontal assault and surprise attack, shadow teleportation won''t be possible for all of Manggot. If it were a simple technique that everyone could use, there would be no need for a pincer attack in the first ce."


    If all of Manggot could use shadow teleportation, the Empire would have already copsed.


    There must be a limit to the number of people who could do it, or some kind of condition.


    "So, if Manggot uses shadow teleportation, it will be when they are aiming for the most severe blow to the Empire. If they try to teleport to just anyone and attack, they will all die on the spot. Constel students are safe for now."


    "...Right."


    Ellen nodded.


    Of course, there was a possibility, however small. The possibility that Manggot would teleport near Constel students was certainly not zero.


    But they couldn''t fight while preparing for every possibility. That''s what war was like.


    "Senior Edwin."


    "Yes?"


    Aster this time spoke to Edwin, who was next to him.


    "...That, I heard that Hephaestus..."


    "Ah, that guy."


    When Edwin said "that guy," Ellen and Aster tensed up at the same time.


    "He''s gone. I have no divine power now."


    Edwin spread his hands and shrugged. His face looked rather relieved.


    "Is it because of the golem incident the other day?"


    "Well, that incident was the trigger. But looking back..."


    Edwin put his hands on his hips and raised his head.


    "It seems like that bastard has been doing whatever he wanted for a very long time."


    "...That, Hephaestus, you mean?"


    Aster, who was still awkward speaking casually about Gods. Edwinughed at him.


    "Haha, you can call him whatever you want. I''m the weird one, not you."


    "...No one is weird."


    "Right, that''s a very Aster-like answer. But when you feel like Hephaestus was controlling me, and you realize that it''s possible..."


    Phew, Edwin sighed.


    "I wonder when he started doing that."


    "...!"


    "During the golem incident, he revealed his power so strongly that it was obvious, but think about it. He could have been doing it little by little, secretly, even before that, right? Small enough that I wouldn''t feel any sense of incongruity or strangeness, but consistently. As long as he''s by my side, I can''t know when he started controlling me, and when he''ll do it again."


    "...That''s right."


    Aster could only nod at Edwin''s words.


    Edwin''s distrust of Hephaestus was a perfectly rational judgment.


    Then what about Aster?


    He who was loved by Baldur.


    ©¤I''ve never been afraid of such a thing.


    That one sentence Elodie had said. He knew very well that it was originally Frondier''s words.


    He had said it during the fake Mistilteinn meeting.


    At that time, everyone had thought those words were just bravado, but now no one thought so.


    "...Gods."


    Aster muttered quietly.


    "They''re really scary to me."


    That small remark.


    Ellen and Edwin, who heard it, didn''t think much of it.


    But Frondier, who was a little further away, was different.


    He stood tall and looked at Aster. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened in surprise, a rare urrence.


    Frondier looked at Aster as if he couldn''t believe those words hade from him.


    His nkly staring eyes, as if contemting something, silently nodded while no one was looking.


    Frondier''s n for the barrier cement was fully decided at this moment, by that one remark Aster muttered.


    * * *


    Aster slowly raised his sword.


    A simple movement that made it hard to imagine anything other than vertically cutting through the air.


    ''It took me the entire vacation to learn this one technique from my sister.''


    Feeling a little embarrassed about that, Aster hadn''t told anyone else.


    He, who had been so confident that he hadpletely mastered aura during summer vacation, had only managed to learn one technique during winter vacation.


    ''But well.''


    It wasn''t just about learning.


    He stood tall.


    The cows that were about to throw corpses and the ones that were about to kick them all stopped at the same time. They instantly focused their attention on Aster, whom they hadpletely ignored.


    They themselves didn''t know the reason. They didn''t feel any great aura from Aster. There was not a speck of divine power.


    However.


    Aster was originally, ''a swordsman who doesn''t emit aura.''


    "Here Ie."


    <i>Evans Family Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Ellen Evans'' Unique Sword Style</i>


    <i>One Strike</i>


    Originally, Aster would have flown towards the cow''s head with the power of Baldur.


    But he simply raised his sword in a neat stance,


    <i>Aster Evans-style Variation</i>


    <i>One sh</i>.


    The moment he lowered his sword,


    His body was behind the cows.


    "...?"


    One cow, unable to follow his speed with its eyes, tried to turn its head,


    But its body could only turn halfway.


    Kwoong!!


    Aster''s sword, which originally could only barely scratch the Minotaur even with Baldur''s power.


    That one strike split the Minotaur in half from the top of its head to its groin,


    And even that, the cow only noticedter, half of its body crashing to the ground while the other half stood on the ground for a moment.


    "!!"


    The remaining cows then turned their heads towards Aster, who had taken their rear.


    Aster was in the same, terribly familiar stance.


    A sword held in both hands, a clumsy and orthodox middle stance, the archetype of a swordsman.


    A lightly exhaled breath, even that contained aura, making the air tingle.


    He, ordinarily and inly.


    "One."


    Recited precisely.

 Chapter 268 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The minotaurs turned from the barrier and fixed their gaze upon Aster.


    Their interest in the barrier vanished entirely. It was only natural; if left unchecked, it was unclear who would be split in half next.


    <i>Boom! Crash!</i>


    The beasts'' weapons swung down from above, their hooves kicking out. They moved relentlessly to eliminate the sudden threat that was Aster.


    Despite their massive bodies, their movements were agile. Each stomp shook the ground, and cracks spiderwebbed across the earth under the force of their blows.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    Aster dodged between their legs, shing with his sword.


    The de dealt more significant damage than in the game, but it couldn''t sever the minotaurs'' legs like his previous technique.


    They realized something.<i>He can''t unleash that kind of power without the proper stance!</i>


    <i>Stop him from taking his stance!</i>


    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>


    The minotaurs'' attacks surged relentlessly.


    "Ugh!"


    Aster''s bnce faltered as he evaded the barrage, but he somehow managed to move his body and swing his de. Instead of creating distance between himself and the beasts, he danced within their reach.


    <i>Swish! Slice!</i>


    Even without a proper technique, every time Aster''s aura cut them, massive gashes appeared.


    These were not light wounds, and the pain must have been excruciating. Yet, the minotaurs'' eyes burned brighter as they moved to capture Aster.


    The minotaurs, too, were desperate to kill a single human.


    "Ha, ha, ha!"


    His breath grew ragged, murderous intent radiated from all sides, and dust rose into the air.


    The world spun, the ground trembled, and within the lost bnce, he found a more delicate equilibrium and pressed forward.


    <i>ROOOOAR!!</i>


    Suddenly, one of the minotaurs roared.


    It was the first bellow the beasts had uttered since being witnessed by humans.


    In an instant, the creature''s leg rose high, and


    <i>KRAAAASH!!</i>


    The powerful kick mmed into the ground, its aura spreading outwards like a wave, pushing away everything it touched.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    If he were hit by that, he''d be immobilized. Knowing this, Aster leaped into the air.


    The minotaurs'' eyes gleamed. It was difficult to chase him on the ground, but with him in the air, it would be much easier to catch him.


    Aster had thrown himself into greater danger to avoid a momentary risk.


    <i>Foolish human, we''ll smash you to the ground like a fly,</i>


    <i>sh.</i>


    Before the minotaurs could finish their thought, their bodies moved faster than their minds, each raising their weapons towards the sky.


    Aster, in mid-air, once again took the ''middle stance''.


    <i>One sh.</i>


    <i>Slice-</i>


    Aster passed through their ranks once more, and


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Another one of them nted itself firmly into the ground.


    ¡°?!¡±


    The minotaurs were startled, looking at the corpse that had just been standing beside them.


    Asternded gently on the ground and looked back at them.


    "I learned this technique from the continent''s greatest swordsmanship genius."


    Aster''s One sh technique was his own adaptation of Ellen''s ''One Strike''.


    This technique, which could be extended in a straight line from anywhere, could naturally also be used in the air.


    "Do you think such a clumsy trick will work?"


    While the minotaurs'' movements were momentarily halted, Aster took the middle stance again.


    This time, understanding his intention, the minotaurs raised their weapons above their heads. They instinctively prepared their aura to block the sword strikeing from above.


    "Naive."


    <i>Slice-</i>


    Once again, Aster passed through them, and this time, one of them was split in two, upper and lower body separated.


    "If there''s a vertical sh, there''s obviously a horizontal one too."


    The starting point of One sh was Aster''s basic middle stance. From there, countless movements could theoretically be applied to One sh.


    ...Of course, this was just theoretical.


    For now, Aster could only use two variations of One sh: the vertical sh and the horizontal sh.


    Of course, even those two were threatening enough, and the fear that the minotaurs might have more moves was sufficiently effective.


    <i>I''ve never used bluffing before, so I don''t know if it''s working.</i>


    Aster briefly thought as he watched the minotaurs rush to block his next attack.


    One sh was not a simple technique. Ellen, the originator of the technique, only used ''One Strike'' once or twice in a battle.


    This was partly due to Ellen''sck of total aura, but even for others, the amount of aura consumed was burdensome.


    Aster put strength into his sword. He felt like his hand would tremble if he didn''t.


    When he had seen his ck-haired colleague bluffing, he had merely found it amusing.


    But doing it himself was absolute torture.


    * * *


    While Aster was locked in a bloody battle with the minotaurs.


    Notker, who had hidden back in the forest, observed the situation at the barrier.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Notker waspletely absorbed in Aster''s fight. Forgetting that he was the enemy, he watched Aster''s movements as if entranced.


    Aster''s techniques were so fast that even from this distance, they were difficult to follow with the naked eye.


    When he had first witnessed them, he had wondered: <i>Could I block that? Could I even react?</i>


    If he had known in advance, perhaps he could have interfered and prevented the technique from being used. If he had been toote and the technique had been activated, with luck, his weapon and aura might have blocked it.


    As he thought about it, Notker realized.


    <i>I can''t win.</i>


    Techniques were inherently inseparable from the strength of their user.


    The power was what allowed the technique to manifest.


    In his fight with Aster, he had felt unbearable humiliation. The feeling that Aster was matching his level, going easy on him, had never left him throughout the battle.


    Aster had said it was because he was wary of Notker''s full potential, but


    No. His intuition was right.


    Regardless of Aster''s beliefs, there was an insurmountable gap between Notker and Aster.


    "Lord Notker."


    A voice interrupted his thoughts.


    It was Berengar, his deputymander.


    "It''s an opportunity."


    "Opportunity?"


    "Look at the ones on the barrier."


    Notker raised his head.


    Just as he had been, the soldiers on the barrier were captivated by Aster''s fierce battle.


    They stared at him nkly, as if witnessing a hero, forgetting the current situation.


    "We can breach the barrier now."


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Notker hesitated for a moment at Berengar''s words.


    Berengar''s judgment was excellent. The monsters outside had only retreated momentarily to avoid being caught in the minotaurs'' movements.


    If Aster''s fight with the minotaurs dragged on, they would attack the barrier again. Moreover, the barrier had been damaged by the minotaur corpses thrown earlier, and casualties and confusion had ensued.


    If Manggot joined the monsters'' attack and breached the barrier, there would be some losses, but it was certainly possible.


    More importantly, if they missed this opportunity, it would be even more difficult if, by some chance, Aster managed to defeat the minotaurs.


    ¡®...Ugh¡¯


    But Notker hesitated.


    His pride as a warrior held him back. If they carried out the operation now, regardless of the oue, he would probably never be able to fight Aster again. He would carry this humiliation on his back until the moment he died.


    But he was neither a mercenary nor a warrior.


    "...Alright, let''s go!"


    He was a shepherd.


    A shepherd who would lead his sheep into the mes.

 Chapter 268 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Notker''s shout reached the Manggot members, and they concealed themselves even more thoroughly within the forest. Those who lived in the dangerous region outside the barrier were all experts at concealment.


    "Once we leave this forest, we will never meet again."


    They nodded with determined expressions at his words.


    Manggot had note to win the war. They would perish alongside the Empire.


    "Alright, without further ado, head towards the barrier,"


    Notker tried to lead the charge, but


    "What, what is this?"


    His feet wouldn''t leave the ground.


    This wasn''t a figurative expression of hesitation or anxiety. His feet were literally bound.He looked down at his feet.


    Some kind of vine-like thing was wrapped around them.


    "What is this! When did this happen!"


    "Lord Notker! Our feet are bound!"


    "It''s the enemy''s trap!"


    It wasn''t just him. The feet of all the Manggot members hidden in the forest were bound.


    ¡®A trap? Who could have set a trap!¡¯


    Did the ones on the barrier anticipate that we would ambush them here?


    No, it was impossible for them to know our path in this vast forest in advance.


    Moreover, when Notker himself had appeared before the barrier, even Hector had been surprised. The surprised looks on the faces of the soldiers on the barrier were definitely not an act.


    That''s when it happened.


    <i>Flutter-</i>


    A butterfly flew among the Manggot members.


    A blue butterfly with beautiful ck markings fluttered around them with a unique wing pattern.


    Notker watched the butterfly for a moment.


    A strange silence fell. For some reason, everyone was captivated by the insignificant butterfly.


    Notker soon understood why.


    ¡®...Have I ever seen a butterfly like that?¡¯


    Manggot, ustomed to life outside the barrier, had the natural environment etched into their minds.


    And yet, the beautiful butterfly passing by them, with its stunning patterns that were hard to forget, waspletely unfamiliar and strange.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Suddenly, Notker looked around.


    He realized that the forest had subtly changed, starting from somewhere, sometime.


    ¡®What is that tree, those leaves, and those flowers over there! I don''t recognize any of them!¡¯


    It was more than just unfamiliar; it was an eerily well-manicured nature.


    They had somehow entered a fairytale-likendscape, with colors more saturated than a real forest.


    [It''s inconvenient for you to go out now.]


    At that moment, a voice reached them.


    Manggot looked around in confusion.


    Whether he had been there from the beginning or had arrived the moment they saw him, an old man emerged from behind a tree.


    "Wh-who are you!"


    "Who are you!"


    Manggot shouted threateningly, but their feet were still unable to move an inch.


    [I don''t have a name worth mentioning to an old man like me.]


    The elderly man waved his hand once.


    [But I can''t just leave things as they are.]


    <i>Squeeze-</i>


    The tree trunks grew thicker, binding the Manggot members'' entire bodies.


    [I can''t let the moment of a hero''s birth be tainted.]


    No matter how skilled Manggot was at concealment,


    they couldn''t hide in this forest.


    This was already his domain,


    his dream.


    * * *


    Aster believed this battle would ultimatelye down to stamina.


    More precisely, when his energy ran out, he would lose.


    Even though he couldn''t use One sh easily, if he just held back, he would be crushed by the minotaurs'' attacks.


    Just as Aster could kill them in an instant, he too would be finished if he were hit even once by their attacks.


    Therefore, his only path to victory was to avoid their attacks entirely and defeat them all before his aura and stamina were depleted.


    But then.


    <i>ng©¤</i>


    The unexpected happened.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Aster''s sword broke.


    Aster''s strength and technique were sufficient to cut through the minotaurs'' tough hides and sturdy flesh, but the sword was not.


    He had used the mostplete stances and the cleanest swordsmanship to minimize the strain on the sword, but


    it had only served to extend its lifespan slightly.


    <i>ROOOOAR!</i>


    The minotaurs roared once more.


    Aster ran with all his might to avoid the attacks raining down from above.


    Knowing that his weapon was broken, the minotaurs attacked without hesitation. Aster rolled and jumped to evade the relentless bombing.


    <i>Woosh-</i>


    Aster''s aura surged again. It condensed, filling the void left by the broken sword.


    Aster tried to use it to cut the minotaurs'' hides, but


    <i>Shhk-</i>


    He managed to cut them, but he couldn''t inflict any significant wounds.


    "Ugh!"


    As soon as Aster realized this, he ran. He couldn''t inflict damage with aura that had no de. The minotaurs realized this too, and they immediately gave chase.


    <i>Boom! Crash!</i>


    The minotaurs rampaged with glee. The little human''s attacks had be pathetic. They weren''t quite ticklish, but the previous threat of his de was gone.


    They could kill him soon. As if to engrave that fact into their eyes, the minotaurs'' eyes turned red.


    "Ugh!"


    Aster, trying to escape quickly, lost his bnce due to the tremors caused by the minotaurs. Their hands reached out.


    Aster rolled on the ground to dodge them,


    <i>Thud!</i>


    He stabbed the broken sword into the ground and used it as a lever tounch himself into the air.


    Soaring through the air, Aster barely managed to distance himself from the beasts, but he was now empty-handed, having lost even the broken sword.


    "Hoo."


    Aster stood up again.


    He had no sword. He couldn''t kill them with aura that had no de.


    The people at the barrier couldn''t damage the minotaurs more than Aster could, and he had no other options.


    Death approached. It took shape, became a de, and strode towards him.


    Aster looked straight at it, maintaining the same expression he always had.


    "I haven''t fallen yet."


    He spoke to the beasts.


    "I said you have to knock me down to get past."


    This time, it was a truly absurd provocation. The minotaurs strode towards him. They no longer had any trace of leisure in their demeanor.


    Aster''s entire body was enveloped in aura.


    How many seconds could he hold out? Did the people at the barrier realize the situation?


    If they abandoned Tyburn and focused on defense again, could they save even a few more people©¤


    <i>Water Magic 3rd Form</i>


    <i>Growth, Rejection, Fairy''s Call</i>


    <i>Wave</i>


    At that moment.


    A faint sound came from near Aster''s feet.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    At first, Aster couldn''t tell what the sound was, but when he realized it was the sound of water droplets falling,


    the droplets in front of his feet rolled, as if advancing towards the minotaurs.


    And in an instant, they swelled, bing like a stream, ake, a river.


    Soon, it grew as vast as the sea,


    "Swallow them."


    As if obeying someone''s soft voice,


    it surged towards the minotaurs as a wave that towered over their heads.


    "Haa, this is really something."


    Someone spoke in a somewhat dissatisfied tone, and Aster turned around.


    "He said you''de to the Sacred Forest, but you made mee all the way here."


    No matter who says it, prophecies and the like are unreliable. The woman grumbled.


    Of course, Aster had no idea who she was, so he just tilted his head in confusion.


    "You''re the one, aren''t you?"


    "...The one who is what?"


    "The one who Frondier said woulde to the Sacred Forest someday. The one that man said was more fitting than himself."


    "...Man?"


    "Did youe here without hearing anything? From Frondier."


    At those words, Aster was momentarily stunned


    .


    Aster took a moment to process the situation.


    "...That bastard."


    He soon let out a sigh and smiled, a mixture of unknown emotions welling up within him.


    "As you know, you can''t defeat them with just a wave. It will only stop them for a moment."


    "Then what should we do?"


    "...You really dide without hearing anything, didn''t you? No sense, no understanding of the situation."


    Aster pursed his lips.


    It was quite rude for someone he had just met to speak to him like that, but it was an evaluation he had heard too many times from those around him, so he had nothing to say.


    "Here."


    The woman then extended what she had been hiding behind her back towards Aster.


    "It''s time to keep the promise."


    What the woman held out was a sword.


    "It''s time for the hero to appear."


    It was the second Excalibur,


    the one Frondier had entrusted to them.

 Chapter 269 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aster stared for a moment at the sword revealed before him.


    Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, known among users as the Lake Witch, wore a proud expression.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be surprised. Frondier didn¡¯t mention your name directly.¡±


    Frondier hadn¡¯t directly mentioned Aster¡¯s name to Nimue and Merlin. He simply said they would know when they saw him.


    He had intentionally concealed Aster¡¯s name. He wanted their eyes to determine if Aster was worthy.


    ¡°And you¡¯ve proven yourself.¡±


    Nimue said.


    ¡°When everyone was trembling in fear, you showed strong will with your own strength. A hero is a being who inspires hope in humans. You have that qualification.¡±


    Whether he was listening to Nimue or not, Aster silently looked at the sword.Nimue was satisfied with his appearance, even though he didn¡¯t seem to be listening to her words.


    ¡®Hehe, his gaze ispletely captivated by the sword.¡¯


    The ultimate treasure that all swordsmen in the Falind continent yearn for.


    What Nimue handed over was worth that much.Excalibur?Beta


    ? Rank: Legendary


    ? Description: The second sword King Arthur received from the Lady of the Lake. If the sword stuck in the rock determines the qualities of a hero, this sword proves that the hero isplete. It is the closest weapon to divinity among the hero''s weapons.


    Detailed Abilities >


    - Lake''s Legacy: By giving this sword to King Arthur, the Lady of the Lake dered him a hero. The wielder of this sword shares Mana with theke. As long as theke does not dry up, the wielder''s Mana will never run out.


    ¡°Consider it an honor. You may be thest to wield this sword again.¡±


    Aster epted Excalibur and stared at it nkly.


    He checked the horizontal bnce, examined the de, and gripped the hilt.


    And then he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good sword.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    Nimue asked back awkwardly at his words.


    Aster¡¯s all too obvious statement caused a moment of anxiety to wash over Nimue.


    ¡°It looks very sturdy. The de is very sharp.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait, hold on.¡±


    Something felt off about Aster¡¯s words.


    Meanwhile, the minotaurs swept away by the waves reappeared. They had been pushed back by Nimue¡¯s magic, but they didn¡¯t seem to have taken much damage.


    Aster confirmed this and passed Nimue to face the minotaurs.


    ¡°If it¡¯s a sword this good¡­¡±


    Aster raised the sword and took a middle stance.


    Seeing this, Nimue spoke in disbelief.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what this sword is¡­¡±


    <i>Shhh!</i>


    In an instant, Aster cut through the midst of the minotaurs.


    The bulls, thinking Aster would unleash ¡®One sh¡¯, raised their weapons and solidified their defenses.


    However, despite reaching them at such speed, the blow was not delivered.


    The minotaurs¡¯ greatest fear at the moment was ¡®One sh¡¯.


    Knowing this better than anyone, Aster deliberately refrained from using it.


    ...More than anything, Aster didn¡¯t even know what this sword was, so he was worried about his remaining Mana.


    In the brief moment the bulls¡¯ bodies stiffened, Aster widened the de horizontally from their center.


    ¡®Earlier, I was nervous about the sword breaking with every swing.¡¯


    When he had cut down one bull with the first ¡®One sh¡¯, Aster felt that their bodies were quite tough.


    Carelessly swung blows would only damage the de.


    Even with such care, the sword eventually broke.


    But this sword was clearly a masterpiece at first nce.


    Therefore.


    ¡°Even if I swing it a little roughly¡­¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t break, right?


    <i>Evans Family Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Rotating sh</i>


    Aster used his foot as an axis and swung the sword in a full circle.


    No matter how well this technique was executed, it was impossible to maintain a firm center, so a perfectly clean sword path could not be drawn.


    However.


    <i>Slice¡ª</i>


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The minotaurs¡¯ legs were severed. The sword seemed to pass through all the obstacles blocking its path.


    Calves and shins, muscle tendons were severed or bones were broken, and one unlucky one had a whole leg blown off.


    Aster, who had used the technique, was surprised.


    <i>Uwaaaaah!!</i>


    The bulls rampaged. When his original sword passed beneath them, it had been painful but bearable.


    But not this time. As much as the sword passed through, it was all cut off. Those who had lost their legs entirely, as well as those whose tendons were severed, lost their posture and fell to their knees.


    The bulls¡¯ heads lowered to the height where Aster¡¯s sword could reach.


    And once again, a Rotating sh.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    <i>Thump!</i>


    This time, necks and faces were blown off, and the minotaurs¡¯ terrifying heads fell, separated from their bodies.


    With just two sword strikes, exactly five minotaurs were dead.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Aster let out a dry exmation. He looked at Nimue.


    ¡®This sword really is a good sword!¡¯ Aster was shouting with his eyes.


    Nimue read his meaning exactly and¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed into a very displeased expression.


    ***


    Belphegor was still seated in his chair, receiving reports.


    The war situation was not good. The barriers were not being breached as easily as expected. No one from Manggot had yet crossed the barriers.


    The Tyburn side, in particr, had inflicted almost no damage on the Empire.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to infiltrate personnel even if it means forcing it? If even one person crosses the barrier, we can soon invade from that side using Shadow Transfer.¡±


    Hagley offered his advice. Belphegor sighed in response.


    ¡°I would do so if I could.¡±


    ¡°Why not¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t assume all the Manggot folks are as rational as you. This war may seem like it¡¯s fueled by Manggot¡¯s thirst for revenge, but greed fills its undercurrent.¡±


    ¡°...Does that mean Manggot won¡¯t cross just any barrier?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. At least all the Shepherds think so.¡±


    Manggot¡¯s Shadow Transfer wasn¡¯t something everyone could use.


    To be precise, most could use the transfer itself, but connecting with each other to utilize it was difficult.


    Since not just anyone could make that connection, important decisions ultimately fell to the few who could.


    It was literally a small number, with only the Shepherds of Manggot and Hagley, leaving few others. At least among Hagley¡¯s sessors, Selena was the only one.


    Even Selena had to get Hagley¡¯s permission to connect a new shadow.


    ¡®I was prepared for death, but not a dog¡¯s death¡­¡¯


    Manggot was the Empire¡¯s inferno.


    This was both a fear for the Empire and a shackle for Manggot.


    Manggot had to be an inferno.


    An inferno that would destroy the Empire¡¯s most critical foundation and burn the entire Empire.


    Everyone in Manggot wanted their death to be like that.


    ¡®And someone is reading that intention.¡¯


    The current barrier deployment situation could only be seen that way.


    The Empire wasn¡¯t blocking all the barriers. They were boldly abandoning what needed to be abandoned, even while knowing the threat of Manggot¡¯s Shadow Transfer.


    In other words, someone who had set up this deployment had seen through Manggot¡¯s ¡®greed¡¯.


    ¡°The preparation is excessively thorough.¡±


    Belphegor muttered quietly.


    Was this truly Osprey¡¯s intention?


    Could the wisdom of a human called a sage really see this far?


    As if he had known something from the beginning.


    ¡°The Shepherds will understand the intention. Let¡¯s contact them now and¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Belphegor shook his head at Hagley¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to bend the Shepherds¡¯ will now. That would break their morale and lose the original purpose of being an ¡®inferno¡¯. I don¡¯t want to miss the big picture by trying to gain small benefits.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Right now, the Empire¡¯s morale seems high. That¡¯s how ¡®sieges¡¯ are. The side trying to break through the walls starts from a disadvantageous position.¡±


    Belphegor leaned back in his chair as if lying down.


    ¡°But the Empire is vast.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Unlike the Empire, which has to defend all the barriers, we only need to break through one.¡±


    The Empire¡¯s personnel deployment, as Belphegor had confirmed, was quite exquisite and appropriate, but overall, it was slightlycking in manpower.


    In other words, just like Manggot, the Empire also had greed. The greed of not wanting to give up any territory. Belphegor read that in the Empire¡¯s personnel deployment.


    ¡°No matter how high the morale is, reality alone is not enough.¡±


    No matter how much one dreamed of ideals, it was not realistic to defend the entire Empire.


    ¡°What will you do when that timees? Strategist of the Empire.¡±

 Chapter 269 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Thump!</i>


    A figure copsed on top of the barrier.


    One of the Zodiacs, Medart de Thebes.


    Despite his old age, he was still as vigorous as in his prime, but¡­


    Age was definitely taking its toll on his body.


    ¡°Phew, that stubborn old man.¡±


    Cohen, the Shepherd of Manggot, caught his ragged breath.


    Unlike the situation at other barriers, Cohen had charged in with his troops from the very beginning. He judged that the initial attack from apletely different direction than the monsters outside would inflict the greatest damage.


    And that judgment had worked so far.¡°Wielding a warhammer like chopsticks at such an old age.¡±


    Cohen lightly brushed off the saw-like des in both hands. Each time, the blood umted on the des scattered.


    His body wasn¡¯t in good shape either. His left shoulder had taken a direct hit and copsed, and his entire body was covered in bruises. He tried not to show it, but his body was slowly trembling.


    However, it was he who had emerged victorious. Cohen wasn¡¯t one to enjoy battles, but he honestly admired Medart¡¯s fierce momentum.


    After aging as much as Medart, could he still disy such prowess? Cohen couldn¡¯t answer that, and that silence gave birth to caution.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Cohen looked to his left.


    ¡°What the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Sybil stood there, drenched in cold sweat, gripping her rapier. She had been by Medart¡¯s side, assisting him. The fact that Cohen had struggled so much in his fight with Medart was definitely due to Sybil¡¯s contribution.


    However, the most peculiar thing was¡­


    ¡°Why are youpletely fine without a single scratch?¡±


    Cohen looked at Sybil with a gaze that was more unpleasant than wary.


    It wasn¡¯t that Cohen had neglected Sybil. In fact, he had initially decided to eliminate her first. Medart alone was tough enough, and having a girl interfering was simply unbearable.


    But in the end, Sybil was still standing, and it was the Zodiac, Medart, who had fallen first.


    ¡°Your skills don¡¯t seem that great, but you somehow manage to evade every time I think I¡¯ve got you for sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Sybil didn¡¯t answer, simply staring at Cohen.


    Cohen¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Those Constel bastards are all an eyesore.¡±


    Cohen had previously monitored Constel students under Belphegor¡¯s orders. To investigate students who could pose a threat to Manggot, excluding those Hagley and Belphegor already knew about.


    The most noticeable name on that list was Sybil.


    But it wasn¡¯t because Sybil was strong.


    ¡°I heard you were also one of Constel¡¯s shining talents or whatever.¡±


    Cohen tilted his head.


    ¡°Whether during the investigation or now, I just don¡¯t see it.¡±


    Cohen nced at Sybil¡¯s weapon.


    It was the first time he had seen someone bring a rapier to the battlefield. Moreover, using aura for a shing-based style rather than thrusting. It was unique, but whether it was effective¡­ well.


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know. How can someone so weak be so famous? Is it because of that face? Or maybe, if that talent was real¡­¡±


    A smirk spread across Cohen¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the nickname ¡®Human Sloth¡¯ have suited you better? Sybil Forte.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Sybil¡¯s eyes widened at that.


    In an instant, Cohen¡¯s twin swords came shing at her from both sides. Cohen wasn¡¯t provoking Sybil out of arrogance. He had just been talking to create an opening.


    <i>Shhh!</i>


    Sybil swiftly leaned back, avoiding the sword strikesing from both sides. Following that, a de came shing down from above.


    Sybil¡¯s rapier deflected it, and amidst the loud metallic ng, she slid back, extending her left foot.


    *ng!*


    The rapier aimed for Cohen¡¯s ankle, but he blocked it lightly and extended his leg. His kick was threatening even without a weapon.


    <i>ng!</i>


    Sybil extended her free hand, blocking the kick andunching herself into the air. Cohen¡¯s strength sent her flying.


    Cohen¡¯s twin swords swung again, aiming for her, but Sybil parried them all with her rapier as she fell,nding gracefully.


    ¡®It¡¯s like fighting a white cloth.¡¯


    Cohen¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Whether he shed, stabbed, or kicked, the white cloth just fluttered in response. Just as a clumsy sword couldn¡¯t cut through cloth, Cohen¡¯s swords failed to inflict any substantial damage.


    ¡°Sigh. There¡¯s a way for times like this too.¡±


    Cohen muttered and then¡­


    <i>Dash!</i>


    He suddenly charged towards Sybil.


    ¡°Huh!¡±


    Sybil extended her rapier to stop Cohen, but¡­


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Cohen blocked the rapier with his forearm and continued his charge.


    ¡®?!¡¯


    A long line of blood appeared on his arm, but Cohen pushed even deeper. He had judged Sybil¡¯s attacks as non-threatening and boldly taken this approach.


    <i>Swish! Kaboom!</i>


    Having secured the perfect distance, Cohen shed his twin swords down from above.


    Sybil¡¯s thin rapier blocked the swords.


    ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! If you dodge so much, I¡¯ll just tear you apart!¡±


    Cohen forced a power struggle. Sybil¡¯s hands trembled as she struggled to hold back the descending des.


    ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t a battlefield for a brat like you. You should have run away long before you got here!¡±


    <i>Screech!</i>


    Their swords screeched against each other, and Sybil¡¯s posture gradually lowered as she struggled to hold on.


    ¡°...Run away.¡±


    And finally, her lips, which had been silent for so long, opened.


    ¡®That was the right thing to do.¡¯


    Sybil had been repeating that word endlessly in her head.


    Run away.


    With her good luck, she could have safely escaped the battlefield and somehow survived.


    Even if Manggot burned the Empire, she would somehow, in some way she didn¡¯t know herself, survive well.


    ¡®That was the right thing to do, but why¡­¡¯


    Sybil was a viin.


    At the time of humanity¡¯s greatest crisis, she would betray everyone¡¯s expectations and run away, or deceive the Empire and secure her own safety, disappearing without a trace.


    Due to Sybil¡¯s sudden disappearance, the Empire would have to make huge sacrifices to fill the void, and that would shed more blood than some clumsy murderer killing one or two people.


    A viin who didn¡¯t even know she was bing a viin, so beautiful and shameless on her own, the epitome of selfishness.


    ¡®That was the right thing to do, but¡­¡¯


    Sybil was a viin.


    A viin who received the love of fate.


    A viin who would survive alone, even if it meant killing someone around her to do so.


    ¡°...I understand now.¡±


    Sybil¡¯s eyes sank deep.


    Cohen felt a chill at her intensity.


    Sybil¡¯s aura hadn¡¯t be stronger, nor had her power intensified, but¡­


    Cohen felt that he had to eliminate Sybil right now, at this very moment.


    ¡®Now!¡¯


    One of Cohen¡¯s twin swords broke away from the power struggle and attacked Sybil from the right.


    With only a single rapier, Sybil had no means to defend against that attack.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t want someone to die in my ce¡­¡±


    I just need to be at the forefront more than anyone else.


    <i>ng!</i>


    ¡°!?¡±


    Cohen, about to cut Sybil, was startled and jumped back.


    ...The sword he had been using in the power struggle with Sybil had broken. There had been no sign of it whatsoever.


    Cohen looked at the cross-section of the broken sword.


    After confirming it, his eyes widened as if he had seen something unbelievable, and he looked back at Sybil.


    ¡®...This girl, she¡¯s dangerous.¡¯


    Cohen shouted.


    ¡°6th Unit! Assemble before me immediately!¡±


    Without giving the Manggot troops a chance to question, Cohen continued.


    ¡°We¡¯re killing Sybil Forte here! She¡¯s the greatest threat to Manggot!¡±

 Chapter 270 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Cohen and his Manggot subordinates surrounded Sybil.


    It was an iprehensible action for him, who had the upper hand in the confrontation just a moment ago.


    ¡°Lord Cohen. The Manggot personnel can cross the barrier. Let''s advance as it is.¡±


    Cohen''s subordinate spoke from beside him.


    Cohen, without taking his eyes off Sybil, said,


    ¡°We need to kill that bitch first.¡±


    The subordinate couldn''t understand, but didn''t ask further. All the Manggot personnel who participated in this war trust the Shepherds.


    Moreover, all the Shepherds brought their own direct subordinates, so it was even more so.


    ¡°That bitch, she''s using some strange trickery.¡±Cohen gritted his teeth. The anger of losing one of his cherished swords was great, but first, he had to figure out why the sword suddenly split in two.


    ¡®When I investigated, I heard that she receives the love of fate, was this what it meant?¡¯


    When Cohen heard that information, he initially thought it was a metaphor for talent. As with most people called geniuses, Sybil, that woman, also had a strange modifier attached to her.


    But if it wasn''t a metaphor, but just the literal meaning of the words¡­


    ¡°I guess you''ve survived this long thanks to luck.¡±


    Cohen scoffed. It was a provocation, like before, to try to draw out Sybil''s weakness.


    Sybil chuckled.


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Her rapier rose.


    ¡°You all might, unfortunately, die here.¡±


    ¡°You insolent bitch!¡±


    As if it were a signal, the Manggot troops all rushed towards Sybil at once.


    Although Cohen''s intention to provoke had instead turned into the soldiers being provoked, Cohen watched silently.


    If other soldiers all ended up in a strange state like his de breaking, it wasn''t a matter of luck. The Manggot came to fight the humans of the Empire, not to wander around with some unknown ghost-like thing.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The Manggot des flew in, and Sybil swung her rapier as if to block them all.


    Reckless, the moment Cohen thought that.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Kaagh!¡±


    All the soldiers who touched Sybil''s sword screamed and retreated. Some even dropped their swords.


    ¡°What, what did you do!¡±


    ¡°I wonder.¡±


    Sybil''s calm answer. Seeing his subordinates clutching their hands, Cohen''s eyes widened.


    ¡®Really, really receiving the love of fate?¡¯


    Not even receiving the love of some god, but fate itself standing by to save this woman? For that one thing, all his soldiers couldn''t even touch their swords and were in pain?


    Did that really make sense? Could such a thing be allowed?


    ¡°¡­¡­No.¡±


    Cohen''s aura swelled. He poured aura into a single sword.


    If it was just simple luck, he could ept it. He could tolerate Sybil avoiding, blocking, and surviving attacks due to some strange coincidence. However.


    He witnessed an iprehensible, inexplicable phenomenon that wasn''t even a coincidence. If it were good luck, at least his soldiers should have all tripped on stones and caused aedy.


    Even such an absurd event would be hard to ept, but just touching the sword caused pain?


    ¡°That''s not eptable.¡±


    Such a thing. He couldn''t acknowledge it. Not just Manggot. No swordsman could acknowledge Sybil''s current behavior.


    What have we sacrificed our time for? What have we bled and broken our bones to achieve?


    ¡°I will kill you.¡±


    Thud, Cohen took a step forward.


    ¡°Even if fate is truly on your side, even if God hates me because of it, even if I have to receive divine punishment, I will kill you and leave.¡±


    At those words, Sybil let out a low sigh.


    ¡°Whether you kill me or not, you won''t receive divine punishment. Don''t worry.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ng!


    Cohen''s and Sybil''s des shed in the air.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    In an instant, Cohen grimaced at the pain that pierced through his entire body from his hand. Indeed, was it because of this pain that his soldiers all screamed? It was certainly no small pain.


    ¡®However, this kind of thing, it can''t kill me!¡¯


    Cohen gritted his teeth and attempted a series of attacks. Sybil responded calmly and fought back. Her elegant defense remained unchanged.


    The Manggot soldiers watching their fight. Their faces were also filled with bewilderment.


    ¡®What the hell was that?¡¯


    Unlike Cohen, these soldiers hadn''t heard the story about Sybil being the ¡®woman loved by fate¡¯. Therefore, the phenomenon just now was excessively bizarre.


    Just touching the sword caused pain, and some couldn''t bear the pain and dropped their weapons. At this rate, fighting or anything else was impossible.


    Cohen was currently enraged. At Sybil, who seemed to be walking an easy path under the name of fate.


    The soldiers were confused. Fate or whatever, they were trying to understand the situation that had befallen them.


    Therefore, at this moment alone.


    The Manggot soldiers were a bit moreposed than Cohen, who knew Sybil''s information.


    ¡®This pain, somewhere¡­¡­.¡¯


    One of the soldiers recalled a past memory.


    He, of course, had never received any divine punishment. He hadn''t experienced any strange resistance from fate or whatever.


    Nevertheless, the pain he felt when Sybil''s de touched him just now had a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    So he reminisced about the countless times he had crossed des in the past. Since it was pain caused by shing des, he thought maybe something woulde to mind from those fights.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    But what came to mind wasn''t a memory of a fight.


    It had nothing to do with that. He knew the identity of this pain. It wasn''t the first time he had felt it.


    ¡­¡­But then.


    How could that be from a ¡®de¡¯¡­¡­?


    ¡°Lo, Lord Cohen!!¡±


    The soldier shouted.


    He realized a fact that was more direct and chilling than fate intervening or whatever.


    * * *


    ¡°Send me to the barrier.¡±


    Sybil said to Frondier.


    It was when Frondier was checking the structure of the barrier on the three-dimensional map.


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°When you''re deploying personnel, send me to the barrier.¡±


    At her voice, which somehow seemed filled with determination, Frondier blinked for a moment.


    He scratched his head and said,


    ¡°Most Constel students will be stationed within the city to maintain order and prepare for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°That''s most, not all.¡±


    As Sybil said, it wasn''t all. Those with skillsparable to the Zodiac, like Aster and Elodie, were heading to the barrier.


    ¡°¡­¡­There''s no guarantee it''ll happen just because I suggest it. I''m just proposing this at the meeting.¡±


    ¡°That''s fine.¡±


    Sybil nodded.


    At her unwavering gaze, Frondier made a troubled expression.


    His head tilted, and he checked the map again.


    ¡°Hmm, I''ll consider it.¡±


    In Frondier''s voice, Sybil read his true feelings.


    Frondier had no intention of sending Sybil to the barrier.


    Sigh, Sybil took a light breath and then spoke what she had been thinking in her head.


    ¡°Do you think I''m going to die?¡±


    At that, Frondier''s eyes stopped. He raised his head again and looked at Sybil.


    ¡°¡­¡­I can at least worry about a ssmate.¡±


    ¡°Or do you think someone else will die because of me?¡±


    ¡°Don''t talk nonsense.¡±


    Frondier''s expression changed.


    At the sudden sharp face and chilling voice, Sybil was a little scared, but she spoke firmly.


    ¡°I actually heard it, you know.¡±


    ¡°Heard what?¡±


    ¡°When we went to the dungeon. When you carried me on your back and headed to the sanctuary.¡±

 Chapter 270 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Frondier''s eyes widened as if he remembered.


    ¡°That you don''t believe in God.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Because you don''t believe in fate.¡±


    The time when Frondier spoke to the sanctuary.


    Sybil felt ¡®shame¡¯ for the first time in her life.


    She had taken the luck and blessings given to her for granted. She had tried to use them. Perhaps, in the near future, she might have even tried to bring misfortune to someone for her own benefit.


    However, Sybil had changed.When she was saved by Frondier and heard his answer.


    ¡°¡­¡­But I still.¡±


    But regardless of whether Frondier believed in fate or not.


    ¡°I hear the sound of gears.¡±


    The fact that Sybil received the love of fate was an undeniable truth.


    Click, click, click, as.


    Sybil still lived, receiving the service of fate for her.


    ¡°By any chance, Frondier.¡±


    With a voice that had be shaky at some point, Sybil spoke to Frondier.


    ¡°¡­¡­The reason you''ve been avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    For a long time, Sybil had wanted to ask.


    Nevertheless, she had been putting it off and hesitating because she was so afraid to hear the answer.


    But she couldn''t do that anymore.


    In this war, for her resolve to be firm, she had reached the point where she could no longer postpone it.


    ¡°Is it because I rely on fate?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Because you don''t believe in fate, you don''t believe in me either?¡±


    As Sybil asked, she felt so cowardly.


    With a trembling voice, an anxious face, and a heart that pleaded with him not to say that.


    She did all of that and expected to hear his true feelings.


    She couldn''t control her voice or expression.


    That''s why.


    ¡°That''s not it.¡±


    When Frondier denied it, Sybil regretted it.


    She felt like Frondier was giving an answer he didn''t want to give, for her sake.


    She should have asked more normally. Then, she could have naturally heard Frondier''s inner thoughts.


    ¡°The reason I''ve been avoiding you is,¡±


    Meanwhile, Frondier''s words continued.


    ¡°Because to me, you weren''t a mage or a warrior, but just a girl.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Huh?¡±


    For a moment, Sybil asked back at the iprehensible words.


    Frondier, despite appearances, was quite sincere.


    The reason Frondier avoided Sybil was clear.


    Because Sybil was a viin.


    Because Sybil, who received the love of fate and spread her wings with outstanding talent, eventually betrayed the Empire and ran away.


    Countless yers were angry at Sybil, and Frondier was once the same.


    But now, Frondier had memories with Sybil.


    ¡®I had simr worries during the school trip.¡¯


    When he was working as a lifeguard for volunteer work, Frondier thought while looking at Sybil.


    It would be important for Sybil not to be a viin.


    But when the time came, would he be able to believe that Sybil had changed?


    ¡®I realized it then.¡¯


    When that thought crossed his mind, Frondier realized one thing.


    The fact that he was worried about whether he could trust Sybil meant that he was already aware of Sybil''s change.


    ¡®Sybil received such great love from fate that she grew up without any hardships.¡¯


    Because she grew up without obstacles, she stumbled over even small pebbles.


    That was why Sybil eventually betrayed the yers.


    If it were just a numbers game in the game, Sybil''s stats would be superior to anyone else''s, but.


    ¡­¡­It didn''t work that way.


    Frondier finally understood that.


    ¡°I''m just worried about you.¡±


    If you remove theyers ofbels like love of fate, viin, and betrayal.


    Sybil was just a young girl.


    A child who hadn''t even had the opportunity to grow through hardship, adversity, and trials was always pushed to the most dangerous ces by the Empire''s hand.


    That''s why Sybil ran away. That''s why she became a viin.


    ¡®I can''t say that anymore.¡¯


    In the dungeon, she was stabbed by Slevb''s sword, in the cabin, she was surrounded by Indus guys and shot arrows at Frondier, and in the Tyburn, she built ice walls with Aten until their eyes were bloodshot.


    When she was with Frondier, Sybil always went through all sorts of hardships.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sybil. Do you remember what I said?¡±


    Remembering all of that.


    Knowing that Sybil wasn''t a girl who relied on fate.


    Frondier said,


    ¡°Fate is beneath your feet.¡±


    Frondier sent Sybil to the barrier.


    Just like when he once believed in Sybil.


    Just like before he knew that Sybil was a viin.


    * * *


    ¡°Lord Cohen!! Dodge!¡±


    Cohen heard the soldier''s voice suddenly flying in.


    Dodge? What nonsense was this all of a sudden? He was starting to get used to the pain he felt every time their des shed.


    He was ahead in swordsmanship, so in a few moves, he would be able to cut off that bitch''s head.


    However, the next shout.


    ¡°It''s lightning!¡±


    He couldn''t just ignore those words.


    ¡°That woman! She''s using lightning!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    One of Cohen''s eyes twitched. What did he just say? Lightning?


    Why was such nonsense suddenlying out? Weren''t they fighting with swords right now?


    How could something like lightning suddenly appear in the middle of it?


    ¡°You caught me.¡±


    But Sybil tilted her head and said that.


    ¡°The love of fate, it''s quite funny.¡±


    She muttered strange words.


    And Sybil''s eyes sank again. A strangely low gaze.


    When she cut Cohen''s sword in half, Sybil had the same look in her eyes.


    ©¤©¤You know, Elodie?


    When I found out you were Frondier''s childhood friend, I was envious.


    While I was ignoring Frondier as a human sloth, you must have been talking to him.


    When you seeded in the three-elementbination, I was actually very envious.


    I noticed that Frondier doesn''t worry about you.


    You can stand proudly next to Frondier.


    I can''t even imagine that for myself.


    Because I can only do what I imagine.


    <i>Sybil Forte Original</i>


    <i>©¤©¤Aura?Mana Combination</i>


    <i>Petal</i>


    <i>Red</i>


    <i>me-</i>


    The rapier that descended.


    Without any metaphor, it zed red.


    Cohen watched the scene speechless.


    Indescribable fear swept over him, and he stood there nkly, unable to make any movement.


    A sword d in aura. mes rose from that sword.


    The exnation was quite simple.


    Quite simply, she just used ¡®aura¡¯ and ¡®magic¡¯ at the same time.


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s a lie.¡±


    Cohen was witnessing a sight that he would never see again in human history.


    ¡°Such a thing shouldn''t exist.¡±


    Whether she heard those words or not, Sybil said, holding the burning sword.


    ¡°I don''t believe in fate.¡±


    It was what Frondier had said, and the line that had changed her beliefs for a long time, but.


    Now, her belief was slightly different from Frondier''s.


    ¡°Give that crap to the dogs.¡±

 Chapter 271 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Thebination of magic and aura.


    It was an idea anyone could conceive; the concept wasn''t difficult. And on this continent, there were countless individuals who romanticized such power.


    Yet, until now, no one had ever truly achieved it.


    Mana and aura, though fundamentally the same substance, couldn''t be operated simultaneously.


    Magic, drawing the unreal into reality through forms, incantations, andplex mana circuits, demanded a considerable amount of mana. Mages trained relentlessly to umte mana within their bodies.


    Aura, on the other hand, amplified the user''s strength and speed, turning their very Internal Energy into a sword aimed at their opponent. Therefore, aura prioritized the rapid cirction of Internal Energy, both internal and external, rather than umtion.


    If mana was the fuel tank, aura was the engine.


    Using both at the same time was akin to turning the fuel tank into an engine and praying it wouldn''t explode.


    Thus, in the Falind Continent, a "Magic Swordsman" traditionally referred to a versatile individual capable of wielding aura and, separately, magic.A prime example was Hector, son of Ludwig. He possessed both the fuel tank and the engine, and his flexibility allowed him to utilize both appropriately depending on the situation.


    Hector could even leverage the fuel tank to further elerate the engine, amplifying his aura.


    However, no one would ever wish for the fuel tank to function as the engine, nor attempt to extract fuel from within the engine.


    Controlling such a thing wasn''t within the realm of mana maniption.


    No, it was beyond the realm of "control" altogether.


    "..."


    Cohen stared at the spectacle, dumbfounded.


    A sword enveloped in aura, burning with mes. Sybil, who should have been reduced to a cripple by such a technique, wore a serene expression.


    "How long do you intend to stand there?"


    Sybil was the first to break the silence.


    "You said you would kill me, even if it meant incurring the wrath of God."


    "...Ugh!"


    Cohen tightened his grip on his sword. Sybil was right. No matter what she did, he had to kill her. There was no other choice. For Manggot, and for himself, who had walked the path of the swordsman.


    Yet, his feet wouldn''t move.


    One of the Manggot soldiers watching from the side shouted, "Lord Cohen! It''s just a sword on fire! There''s no substance behind such a trick!"


    But Cohen remained silent. He would have retorted under normal circumstances, but he was speechless, his eyes fixated on Sybil.


    The Manggot soldiers exchanged nces.


    To them, Cohen seemed overly cautious of Sybil''s power. It was likely due to witnessing such power for the first time.


    Cohen was known for his prudence, even using his sarcastic tone as a facade to bait opponents. Additionally, as the Shepherd, he led the members of Manggot.


    It was understandable for him to be wary of an unknown power.


    The Manggot soldiers nodded, reaching a swift decision.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    "We''ll take care of her!"


    The Manggot soldiers once again surged from all directions.


    However, there was one difference.


    "N-No! Stop!!"


    Cohen shouted, trying to stop them.


    Meanwhile, Sybil raised her rapier to shoulder height.


    "Just a sword on fire."


    She echoed the soldier''s words.


    "Slightly different, but well..."


    With that, Sybil drew a horizontal arc with her sword towards the enemies rushing from the front. mes spread along its trajectory.


    "Hmph!"


    As if anticipating this, most of the soldiers coated their swords in aura and raised them in defense.


    The mes Sybil unleashed touched their des.


    <i>Whoosh-</i>


    In an instant, their entire bodies were engulfed in mes.


    "Ugh, uwaaaaah!!"


    Their raised swords offered no protection; they had merely be moths diving into a fire.


    "Aaah, aaahk, kuaaahk!!"


    Screams erupted from all sides. des began to melt, and the aura protecting their bodies had long since dissipated.


    The screams soon subsided, and those who had attacked Sybil copsed, ckened and emitting smoke.


    "These, these fools..."


    Cohen gritted his teeth. He hadn''t expected his subordinates to act first. They hadn''t felt the same fear he did.


    Manggot failed toprehend the level of power Sybil was demonstrating.


    "It''s not the sword that''s burning. It''s the aura that''s aze..."


    Cohen let out a btedment, gazing at his subordinates who had be charred corpses.


    "What will you do?"


    Sybil asked Cohen. The meaning was clear: fight or flight.


    "Heh, heh heh."


    Cohen let out an enigmatic chuckle.


    "Manggot is a congration. It merely burns, literally."


    "...Very well."


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Cohen''s feet finally moved. Instead of charging towards Sybil, he moved to her left.


    His high-speed movement made him difficult to track with the naked eye.


    If he couldn''t block Sybil''s sword, he wouldpletely escape its range and attack from behind. That was Cohen''s judgment.


    ''This woman, her swordsmanship is still immature. If I exploit that gap, somehow!''


    As Cohen thought, Sybil''s swordsmanship wasn''t yet on par with his. The spacing between their weapons, the shifting of their centers of gravity to obscure vision, the responses after defense or evasion ¨C all werecking.


    As long as he avoided contact with that sword and its mes, victory was within Cohen''s grasp.


    <i>Flicker!</i>


    Sybil''s eyes, which had been tracking Cohen''s movements, momentarily lost sight of him due to his sudden change in direction. For a brief moment, Sybil lost track of his movements.


    ''Got it!''


    The moment Cohen lunged at Sybil with conviction.


    <i>Sybil Forte Original</i>


    <i>Aura-Mana Combination</i>


    <i>Petal</i>


    <i>White</i>


    The mes engulfing Sybil''s sword were instantly extinguished.


    <i>Crackle, crackle, crackle!!</i>


    The de was enveloped in lightning, raining down from the ground to the air, tearing through the sky like paper.


    Cohen, aiming for Sybil''s back, saw her gaze, sharp and gleaming, directed at him from beyond her back.


    ''This woman, could it be...''

 Chapter 271 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sybil''s swordsmanship was still immature. She knew this better than anyone.


    She knew that Cohen would target her most vulnerable position.


    If she had used ''Petal'' from the beginning, the fight would have been much more advantageous.


    But Sybil deliberately showed Cohen the immaturity of her swordsmanship.


    Sybil didn''t believe in fate.


    It wasn''t that she denied its influence; she simply chose not to dwell on it.


    No matter how much fate aided her,


    no matter how much it impacted her life in the future,


    ''That''s why Frondier must have said that.''At this moment,


    fate trulyy at Sybil''s feet.


    At that moment, Cohen realized his defeat before the oue.


    ''...Was it me who relied on luck from the beginning?''


    <i>ng©¤!</i>


    Just as the crimson petal ignited the aura,


    the white petal shattered it.


    "Ugh..."


    Cohen''s body, pierced by lightning like a lightning rod,


    <i>Thud.</i>


    copsed forward as if he had fainted.


    Unlike his subordinates, he didn''t scream, nor did his body show any fatal wounds.


    But his unconsciousness would never be broken.


    "...Kha!"


    Sybil deactivated ''Petal'' and copsed.


    She had pretended to be fine, but the strain on her body was immense.


    "...I killed someone."


    Sybil wrapped her arms around her shoulders, her hands trembling.


    She couldn''t yet tell whether the tremors were from the aftereffects of using ''Petal'' or from the guilt of taking a life.


    "...Is this..."


    However, there was one thing Sybil knew for certain.


    "Is this war?"


    Her eyes looked beyond the barrier.


    She had in the Shepherd of Manggot and his followers, but monsters still surged forward like waves.


    Medart, the Zodiac, was either dead or unconscious, but definitely incapacitated. Sybil herself had nearly exhausted her strength in the recent battle.


    The knights and soldiers atop the barrier were still desperately defending it.


    Sybil''s victory was undoubtedly a significant achievement, but the war still cast a dark shadow beneath her feet.


    "...Hurry."


    Hurry, Frondier.


    The countdown is nearing its end.


    * * *


    While everyone on the Empire''s barrier was desperately defending,


    "...Finally."


    Frondier stood on the hillside.


    Going any further would lead to the western edge.


    There, one could see the vast horizon. Literally, reaching the sea. Something the people of the Empire within the walls might never see in their lifetime.


    Manggot resided in the caves beneath that cliff.


    "Mother. What''s the situation?"


    Frondier asked into his phone.


    [...We''re barely holding on.]


    "Have any Manggot forces breached the barrier yet?"


    [It''s difficult to keep track of everything with the chaos, but it seems that way. Even if they did breach, I doubt they would use shadow transfer immediately unless they could inflict significant damage.]


    The Empire was currently protected by a dual surveince system.


    One was Malia''s sensory sharing. She shared the vision of key personnel, and information from all parts of the barrier flowed to her.


    Malia instantly ryed the situation to the Imperial Pce and Frondier, allowing the pce to implement detailed strategies.


    The other was a rune led by Osprey and other mages. Osprey, having reached the realm of spatial magic, couldn''t see everything simultaneously like Malia, but he constantly monitored the area within the rune.


    This significantly reduced the barrier''s defensive power, but unlike the barrier, where the timing of its copse could be roughly predicted, Manggot''s invasion could happen at any moment. The mages involved in constructing this rune included Lunia Fricell.


    "Where is Mei now?"


    [Mei? Hmm, I think she''s at the northwestern barrier.]


    Frondier nodded upon hearing this. Of course, Malia couldn''t see him, so it was a gesture of affirmation to himself.


    "Understood. I''ll contact you again."


    [...Frondier. It''s hard to say this, but the barrier has reached its limit.]


    "Yes, it''s surprising it''s held up this long."


    [You have a n, right?]


    "Yes."


    A concise and brief answer.


    Seemingly satisfied, Malia ended the call after reminding him to be careful.


    Frondier''s gaze reached far into the distance.


    "This should be within range."


    He still needed to walk a bit further to infiltrate Manggot, but


    "Menosorpo."


    For some reason, Frondier activated a rune from his current location.


    His massive rune caused a huge anomaly within its range. Naturally, Manggot would notice it.


    That''s right.


    Frondier had no intention of ''infiltrating'' Manggot from the beginning.


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Legendary</i>


    <i>Excalibur</i>


    He held a sword and a hammer in each hand.


    Contrary to the information known by the Empire, and contrary to Belphegor''s expectations,


    Frondier knew the ''exact location'' of Manggot.


    "I have no intention of fighting on enemy territory."


    With those words,


    <i>Aura Release, Sword Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier Original</i>


    <i>Nail</i>


    <i>Kaaaaang!!</i>


    Frondier struck the pommel of Excalibur with Mj?lnir.


    Excalibur, imbued with Frondier''s mana, fired a sword ki that retained the shape of the sword itself.


    <i>Kwaaang!!!</i>


    Excalibur''s sword ki shattered the cliff where Manggot was hiding below, raising a massive cloud of dust.


    This single blow wouldn''t destroy Manggot, but it was more than enough to shake them up.


    "Come out."


    Frondier''s eyes gleamed menacingly, and he spoke in a low voice, confident that it would be heard clearly.


    "I''ve wanted to kill you for a very long time."

 Chapter 272 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When Frondier''s sword aura struck the top of Manggot''s cliff, a massive earthquake shook the entire fortress. While not enough to destroy Manggot, everyone knew something unusual was happening.


    "...What was that?" Belphegor frowned, his eyes narrowing.


    Hagley''s gaze darkened as well. "...It wasn''t a monster from outside. It''s an unusual surge of Mana... a rune."


    "A rune? When did they have the time to set that up here?"


    Both struggled toprehend the situation. Runes, as they knew, were drawn on the ground. This particr circle epassed Manggot, meaning the caster had somehow inscribed it within the fortress itself.


    ¡®But when?¡¯


    ¡®And if that was possible, why attack from outside?¡¯


    "They''re trying to lure me out," Belphegor concluded.


    "Could it be the Empire''s shadow unit?" Hagley suggested."Perhaps..." Belphegor tilted his head, unsure.


    Manggot hadn''t deployed all its forces in this war; a minimal number remained for defense, mostly individuals specialized in detection.


    ''No matter how much humans try to conceal their Internal Energy, they can''t reduce it to zero. All living beings possess Internal Energy; it''s impossible to eliminate it without dying. And even if they manage to suppress it to that extent, any organized movement by arge group will be noticeable.''


    Even with the best concealment, a trace of Internal Energy, akin to that of a herbivore, would remain.


    Hiding one''s Internal Energy was like disguising oneself as a harmless creature. It wasn''t aboutpletely evading detection, but rather diminishing it to an insignificant level.


    However, when arge number of individuals with suppressed Internal Energy moved towards Manggot, the movement itself would raise suspicion.


    Yet, someone had infiltrated Manggot''s defenses undetected, reaching a distance suitable for an attack. This meant...


    ''Could it be that someone came here alone?''


    "Hagley."


    "Yes?"


    "Do you think Osprey is capable of remotely drawing a rune?"


    Hagley looked at Belphegor in surprise. "Are you suggesting that Osprey is the one attacking us?"


    "I don''t know. But I can''t think of anyone else capable of such a feat."


    To Belphegor''s knowledge, Osprey was a master of spatial magic. Given his expertise in teleportation and movement, it wasn''t impossible for him to create a rune from a distance.


    "Well, there''s no use just specting." Belphegor rose to his feet.


    Hagley was taken aback. Not only was it surprising to see Belphegor stand up on his own, but his intention was also unclear.


    "Is there a need to y into the enemy''s hands? It would be more effective to draw them into our territory."


    "You''re only thinking that because you haven''t fully grasped the nature of that attack," Belphegor countered, grabbing his staff from the wall.


    It was an unassuming staff, almost too crude in appearance. It looked like a thick tree branch, roughly cut and minimally modified with a handle and a base for support.


    "That strike... he deliberately missed." Belphegor examined his staff as he spoke.


    "If he had hit us directly, Manggot would have crumbled."


    "...!" Hagley gasped.


    "That attack possessed such power?"


    "Well, not everyone would have perished. Some would have survived and escaped. That''s not what he wants. He intends topletely eliminate the core of Manggot. Me, or perhaps you."


    "...I am no core of anything," Hagley muttered.


    "Hahaha. Your humility sometimes worries me, Hagley. I fear you might actually believe that."


    Belphegor finished inspecting his staff and ced its end on the floor.


    "I''ll be back shortly. If I dy any longer, a direct hit mighte our way."


    "I shall apany you."


    "No." Belphegor refused curtly.


    "Examine the interior of Manggot. It could be a diversion."


    "...Understood." Hagley nodded.


    In truth, Hagley shared Belphegor''s sentiment. His offer to follow was partly a formality.


    He knew he wouldn''t be of much help in a battle between Belphegor and Osprey; avoiding interference would be an aplishment in itself.


    More importantly, worrying about Belphegor was pointless.


    * * *


    As Frondier''s sword aura shook Manggot, the guard stationed at the prison within the fortress felt a surge of anxiety.


    "Wh-what was that?" He looked up at the ceiling nervously.


    Despite the massive tremor, nothing further happened.


    "Whew, I thought a monster had gotten in."


    ¡®Well, even if that were the case, the higher-ups would handle it. There''s no way anything could reach this deep.¡¯ This prison was located at the very bottom of Manggot.


    "Speaking of which, that girl..."


    Relieved, the guard sat back down and peered into one of the cells.


    "Is she trying to kill herself?"


    Insidey a woman, far too alluring to be a mere prisoner.


    "Hey, Jei."


    The prisoner called out, but Selena, as always, remained silent.


    It had been four days since she was transferred here. During that time, Selena hadn''t touched any food or even a drop of water.


    Considering the meager meals she had received since returning to Manggot, going without sustenance for four days was extremely dangerous for someone already malnourished.


    "..."


    The guard silently observed Selena, copsed on her side.


    She was still wearing the same clothes from the meeting, the attire designed to entice men, revealing her figure perfectly. Despite four days of fasting, her body remained as captivating as ever.


    <i>Gulp</i>


    The guard swallowed unconsciously, then shook his head and forced his gaze elsewhere, only to sneak another peek into the cell momentster.


    "Hey, Jei. Stop being stubborn and drink some water. Trying to die over one failed mission is foolish."


    Within Manggot, Selena was known to have failed her mission. She herself had dered it.


    She was supposed to extract all the Ancientnguages before the war with Manggot broke out, but she hadn''t seeded. That much was true.


    However, the war had started earlier than anticipated, and her n had a low probability of sess from the beginning. Acquiring knowledge of the Ancientnguages was fraught with uncertainty, regardless of Selena''s skills.


    "Jei, at least say something."


    Selena remained silent.


    As the guard watched, a strange sense of unease crept over him.


    ¡®Isn''t she being a little too unresponsive?¡¯


    He couldn''t recall how long she had been lying in that same position.


    Initially, her shoulders had moved slightly up and down as she breathed, but now even a single strand of her disheveled hair was still. It was as if...


    "H-hey, Jei?"

 Chapter 272 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Anxiety rising, the guard stood up.


    Just then, a faint voice reached his ears.


    "...Water..."


    It was barely audible, a whisper he could only discern with focused attention.


    ¡®Could she have been muttering that word this whole time? Was Jei actually asking for help, and he simply hadn''t heard?¡¯


    "Hey, Jei! The water is right there in front of you!"


    A water container had already been ced inside Selena''s cell. The purpose of imprisoning her was simply to restrain her, not to torture her.


    If she could just muster the strength to sit up and reach out, she could grab the container.


    Yet, Selena continued to repeat the word "water" like a madwoman.¡®...Could it be that she''s lost even the strength to lift her body?¡¯


    The guard stood up and looked into the cell.


    Up close, Selena''s condition appeared even more dire. Four days without food or water had taken their toll.


    "Jei! Jei! Snap out of it! The water is right there!"


    "...Water..."


    ¡®Damn it!¡¯


    The guard retrieved his keys and unlocked the cell door.


    Selena''s hands were already bound with restraining cuffs designed to prevent the use of Aura, magic, and Shadow Transference. It was a necessary precaution; if transference were possible, the prison would be meaningless.


    "Jei! Here''s the water. Come on, pull yourself together and..."


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The guard thought he had taken about three steps forward, carrying the water container.


    But in the next instant, he found himself staring at the ceiling of the cell. Selena was straddling his body.


    It was the same technique she had used to subdue Frondier.


    "...Huh?"


    The guard, still disoriented, let out a bewildered sound.


    In the dim darkness, Selena appeared almost like a silhouette. Her long hair cascaded down.


    Looking down at the man, she slowly reached out and grabbed the water container he had brought. Her head tilted slightly as she drank, and a few drops of water trickled down her delicate chin.


    After four days, the water tasted incredibly sweet, and Selena drank it with a captivating, almost chilling allure.


    "H-how... how did you... the restraints..."


    Seeing that Selena''s hands were free, the man stammered in shock.


    The restraining cuffs, which had appeared to be secured, were actually undone. No, the very idea of worrying about the cuffsing loose was absurd.


    "As a thank you for your help, I''ll exin."


    Selena''s free hand, the one not holding the water container, came into view. Between her index and middle fingers, she held a needle.


    "I used this to unlock them. It''s a simple trick that requires neither Mana nor Aura."


    "...B-but how? Any such weapons should have been confiscated before you entered the prison."


    The man was well aware of the design of Selena''s clothing. The personnel who had searched her knew exactly where she could hide needles and how many she carried.


    "Because I modified it. Just enough space to insert one, between the fabric at my waist."


    "Modified? When did you..."


    "I went to a department store."


    ¡®A department store?¡¯


    An unexpected word popped out.


    When would someone from Manggot have the opportunity to visit a department store?


    "...Frondier took you there, didn''t he?"


    "Yes. You''re quite perceptive."


    "I heard that fool waspletely smitten with you. It seems to be true."


    Selena didn''t respond to that. Her gaze briefly shifted to the side.


    "Even so, how could you unlock the restraining cuffs with just a needle? They''re not ordinary handcuffs."


    If the cuffs could be opened with a simple lockpicking technique, then any petty thief who could pick locks would be able to escape. These were not so easily defeated.


    Yet, Selena had managed to unlock them.


    The answer was surprisingly simple.


    "Because I know the structure of these cuffs. I practiced a bit, too."


    "...You know the structure?"


    The restraining cuffs were a product of magic engineering. In other words, they were ultimately a piece of technology.


    If someone thoroughly understood their design, and possessed Selena''s exceptional skill with needles, unlocking them would be possible.


    However, the premise itself should have been impossible.


    "How did you figure out the design? How could you even see their structure! And what do you mean by ''practice''..."


    "Unfortunately," Selena interrupted, her voice low.


    <i>Prick.</i>


    The needle in her hand gently pierced the back of the man''s neck.


    She hadn''t killed him, but he wouldn''t wake up for at least half a day unless someone threw him into the ocean.


    "That''s a secret."


    Selena tucked the needle away and stood up.


    "I apologize. But at least you won''t die sleeping here. And no one will me you."


    She offered a brief apology, then looked up towards the ceiling, towards the cliff face of Manggot.


    <i>¡®...This rune.¡¯</i>


    Its immense size, the familiar scent of Mana...


    It was so unmistakable and clear.


    The moment Selena first felt this Mana, she almost broke her act of exhaustion.


    Frondier hade.


    He had reached the ce where she was held captive.


    Even though she knew this wasn''t solely for her sake, Selena struggled to contain the surge of emotions within her.


    "...He really came to save me."


    Selena had asked Frondier to rescue her.


    While Belphegor believed Frondier had deliberately missed to ensure Manggot''splete annihtion, Selena knew the truth.


    ''Belphegor must have gone out to confront Frondier. He''s not inside Manggot right now.''


    If her only goal was to escape this prison, Selena could have done so at any time.


    However, with Belphegor lurking within Manggot, it would have been pointless. Escaping a small prison would only leave her trapped within arger one.


    But at this moment...


    Frondier had signaled her escape from Belphegor''s surveince using the rune.


    "He truly saved me..."


    Frondier had already kept his promise to Selena.


    That alone was enough for her.


    "Now then."


    Selena took a deep breath and exhaled.


    Shadows seemed to approach her as if entranced, and she sank deeper into the darkness.


    "I have to do my part."


    As much as she wanted to use transference immediately, she couldn''t.


    Transference meant arriving beside someone.


    With her shadow connection to Frondier severed, the only ces Selena could transfer to were the locations of other Manggot members.


    Using transference in that way would instantly reveal her escape from the prison.


    "Right, first things first."


    Selena examined herself, specifically her attire.


    The clothes Manggot had given her, one of the many outfits intended to seduce Frondier.


    <i>©¤You even wore that ridiculous outfit from there? Couldn''t you find a ce to change?</i>


    <i>©¤Next time, wear something normal, whatever it is.</i>


    <i>©¤After this trip is over, we''ll go shopping for clothes.</i>


    <i>©¤When we go shopping for your clothes, I should buy some new ones too.</i>


    "Yes, let''s change clothes first."


    She had brought several better options than this trashy outfit.


    "Time to return to my usual attire."

 Chapter 273 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier hovered in the air, waiting for the master of Manggot to emerge.


    If they didn''te out after a while, he''d give them another taste of ''Nail'', but surely the leader wouldn''t be that foolish.


    ''Did Selena make a move?''


    Although he could use the sword energy ''Nail'' inbination with the Obsidian, Frondier deliberately created Menosorpo.


    The first reason was to attract Manggot''s attention with the enormous rune, and the second was to send a signal to Selena.


    ''Based on the information I heard from Malia, Selena didn''t participate in the battle. She''s probably inside Manggot.''


    Of course, Malia''s view doesn''t epass the entire battlefield.


    But even for Manggot, there wouldn''t be that many skilled individuals like Selena. Even if she wasn''t among the top ranks they called Shepherds, she would be in a key position.


    And with Selena''s level of skill, she would have been able to easily cross the barrier in this chaotic situation where monsters were swarming the barrier.However, there was no report of that yet. That''s why Frondier believed Selena was still inside Manggot.


    More than anything, even if he was the leader of Manggot, he wouldn''t have sent Selena out.


    ''In other words, Selena is under suspicion from Manggot.''


    Whether it was the intention of the entire Manggot or the leader''s personal intention, he didn''t know.


    Selena wouldn''t be able to move so freely within Manggot. She might have been grounded, or worse, imprisoned.


    Sending a signal to Selena using Menosorpo was based on trust.


    The belief that Selena would understand the intention of this signal.


    The belief that she would read it and free herself from the constraints ced upon her.


    And above all, the belief that Selena, once free, would be on Frondier''s side.


    ''...Everyone did well.''


    Frondier had been receiving reports from Malia continuously until he reached Manggot.


    He had made somewhat unreasonable deployments because he wanted every single one of them to hold their ground.


    As vast as the barrier was, there was a shortage of talented individuals. Nevertheless, he had made what he believed to be the best possible arrangements.


    He was particrly surprised when he received reports from Aster and Sybil. Both of their progress was something Frondier could never have predicted.


    "So now,"


    Frondier''s gaze lowered slightly.


    In the distance, he sensed a hidden, ominous presence slowly approaching.


    "It''s my turn."


    Gray hair, a left hand holding a crude staff. The somewhat rxed and leisurely demeanor resembled his own.


    ''Does the enemy think I''m Osprey?''


    If his obsessive concealment of the battles he had fought so far had worked, the enemy leader wouldn''t know Frondier''s abilities yet.


    Frondier, too, was still unaware that the master of Manggot was Belphegor.


    <i>Thump-</i>


    At that moment, Belphegor lightly tapped the ground with his staff.


    Using the recoil to propel himself upwards, Belphegor smoothlynded in front of Frondier.


    At this moment, they confirmed each other''s identities for the first time.


    "..."


    Belphegor''s gaze fell upon Frondier''s face.


    As if he were walking through time in slow motion, his expression gradually shifted into one of suspicion.


    "...Who are you?"


    The words that finally came out of his mouth were a simple question.


    With that one sentence, Frondier knew that his thoughts had been correct, and yet something was wrong.


    "...You don''t know who I am?"


    "Yes. Who are you? Why is it you instead of Osprey?"


    Yes, Osprey.


    Belphegor believed the person who had arrived here was Osprey.


    Frondier''s prediction had been urate.


    However.


    ''It''s strange that he doesn''t know me.''


    "Aren''t you Belphegor?"


    "That I am."


    Belphegor, that was correct too.


    Frondier had deduced the presence of a devil in Manggot through his conversation with Osprey.


    Since Manggot was waging war at this very moment, he had naturally assumed that the Dragon Heart was involved.


    ''Only a very few know that the Dragon Heart of the Imperial Pce was used for devil summoning. There''s no way that information could have reached Manggot, which exists on theplete opposite side of the Empire, so quickly.''


    There was only one way Manggot could have known that. There was a devil in Manggot as well.


    He couldn''t know who that devil was, but Frondier had guessed it was Belphegor based on the fact that the Emperor and his past self were experiencing the same symptoms. Even that had been correct, but.


    "I am Frondier de Roach."


    Since he himself was Frondier, it didn''t make sense for Belphegor not to recognize him.


    "...You''re Frondier?"


    Belphegor''s words, asking once again, were difficult even for Frondier to understand.


    Belphegor tilted his head, his lowered gaze scanning Frondier. He red at Frondier with a look of displeasure.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. You''re not Frondier."


    "...You''re the one who..."


    <i>Swish!</i>


    <i>Kwaaang!!</i>


    Belphegor swung his staff as if to cut off Frondier''s words, and Frondier''s Obsidian blocked it.


    ''...Oneyer shattered.''


    With a single swing of the staff, ayer of Obsidian shattered, and the Obsidian that filled the space within barely managed to block it.


    A simple swing had this much power. A cold sweat ran down Frondier''s back.


    "When I cursed Frondier in the past, he didn''t look like you."


    "...Look?"


    That strange choice of words triggered Frondier''s intuition.


    "Yes, the shape of the soul."


    With those words, Frondier finally understood the situation.


    Belphegor wasn''t lying or mistaken. Frondier''s assumptions so far weren''t wrong either.


    Belphegor was simply stating the facts. From his perspective, at least.


    "Devils don''t distinguish humans by their faces. It''s like how you humans don''t individually distinguish cows or pigs."


    Belphegor''s words reminded Frondier of the incident where countless devils had invaded the Imperial Pce some time ago.


    Looking back now, he couldn''t recall any distinctive features in their faces. Only Satan and the Belphegor before him had faces that were distinguishable; the lower-ranking devils all looked simr.


    Therefore, Belphegor was right.


    "You''re not Frondier. Who are you? Why are you pretending to be Frondier and siding with the Empire?"


    Frondier was a possessed human. He wasn''t from this world.


    Of course, there was no way to tell him that.


    "Unfortunately,"


    <i>Swish!</i>


    <i>Taang!</i>


    This time, it was Frondier''s Obsidian that extended. It was blocked by Belphegor''s Mana Barrier.


    Their weapons shed in a perfect stalemate, each pushing to end the other''s life.


    Within the tremendous sh of waves, both Belphegor''s and Frondier''s faces remained calm.


    "I am Frondier."


    "...Whatever."


    Belphegor shook his head as if he had given up on uncovering Frondier''s true identity, or perhaps he had simply grown tired of it.


    "I was hoping to fight Osprey, but some random trash showed up instead."


    Belphegor clenched his fist with the hand that wasn''t holding the staff,


    and with a light thrust,


    <i>Kwaaang!</i>


    "Ugh!"


    Frondier was struck by the blow and sent flying.

 Chapter 273 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Thud! Boom! Thud!</i>


    He fell to the ground, bouncing several times before finallying to a stop.


    "Kheuk, huk!"


    He had blocked it with Obsidian and aura, but the remaining damage was still significant.


    Frondier hurriedly raised his head.


    High in the sky, Belphegor''s empty hand rose once more. The hand that had seemed powerless clenched into a fist, and as it opened again,


    "...!"


    A giant fireball formed above it, zing fiercely.


    "Burn to death, fake."<i>Fwoosh!</i>


    Belphegor lightly tossed the fireball, and Frondier blocked it with his aura-infused Obsidian.


    "Hmph!"


    It wasn''t just pure heat but also explosive force, causing Frondier to frown. He was defending to the best of his ability, but he was still taking damage.


    Belphegor''s bored eyes observed Frondier''s Obsidian.


    "...Helheim, is it?"


    "!"


    Belphegor recognized it at a nce. This time, he raised a finger.


    "You''ve brought something strange from a faraway ce. Is that what you''re relying on?"


    In less than a second, electricity crackled from his finger.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    As Belphegor extended his hand, lightning shot towards Frondier.


    No matter how fast Obsidian was, it couldn''t surpass the speed of lightning.


    Therefore, the lightning that should have struck Frondier directly,


    <i>Pop!</i>


    "...Phew."


    Simply vanished without a trace, and Frondier let out a light sigh.


    "...?"


    Belphegor tilted his head, unable toprehend what had happened.


    The lightning had struck directly, yet there wasn''t a single scratch. No, there wasn''t even a reaction as if he had been hit at all.


    "I see. Devils can use aura immediately without needing to learn it. Is it the same for magic?"


    Frondier honestly admired it.


    The power he had just witnessed, both fire and lightning, could be achieved by ordinary human mages, but it would take them some time.


    But Belphegor was different. He could manipte mana as if it were his own limbs, so the time it took to create magic was also extremely short.


    And the punch he had thrown before unleashing those spells. Frondier was more afraid of that single blow than any other magic.


    "...How are you unscathed after being struck by lightning?"


    "Because I wasn''t hit."


    Frondier replied with a refreshing expression, as if he had given an obvious answer, and pointed a finger above his head.


    Belphegor''s gaze followed.


    Above them, a short-handled hammer hovered in the air.


    Crackling with lightning, it trembled as if about to unleash its power.


    "That guy is greedy, you see."


    "...That weapon, don''t tell me..."


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Pce Armory</i>


    <i>Spear, Homologous Replication 10 Units</i>


    Frondier created 10 Spears around Belphegor, encircling him in a ring.


    Belphegor''s eyes widened.


    "...Weaving!"


    "What, you knew?"


    Frondier raised his finger towards the sky. As if responding, Mj?lnir shone even brighter.


    "Helheim isn''t what I''m relying on."


    Frondier said, looking directly into Belphegor''s eyes.


    "The fact that I''m a ''fake'' is my belief."


    Immediately after, his finger swiped towards Belphegor as if delivering a judgment,


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Still infused with Belphegor''s lightning, Mj?lnir shot lightning at the spears, connecting them with electric currents and amplifying their energy.


    "...Hmph."


    Belphegor raised his staff. Just before the electric current could engulf him, his Mana Barrier thickened, protecting him.


    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    The lightning dealt significant damage to Belphegor''s barrier, but Belphegor himself remained unharmed inside.


    While the lightning continued to damage the Mana Barrier, Belphegor pondered.


    ''Could it be, truly Mj?lnir?''


    The hammer that had absorbed the lightning he had shot at Frondier. It couldn''t have simply acted as a lightning rod; it wouldn''t have been able to draw in the lightning that had flown directly at Frondier to its current position.


    As Frondier himself had said, it was as if the hammer itself had a greed for lightning and had devoured it.


    ''As long as that hammer is there, I shouldn''t use lightning magic recklessly...''


    Just as Belphegor reached that conclusion,


    "Let''s see how strong your Mana Barrier really is."


    He saw Frondier, who had somehow closed the distance between them.


    Frondier, who had been on the ground, had reached him with a single leap and flight.


    "...!"


    Frondier held swords in both hands, and within those swords pulsed an immense amount of mana that a single person shouldn''t be able to wield, exploding with power.


    A sword of light that devoured the user''s mana and amplified it, creating an unbelievable synergy that erupted in a burst of power.


    With no other special abilities, its sheer power alone challenged the realm of gods. This legendary sword now descended upon Belphegor.


    <i>Kwaaang!!</i>


    "Ugh!"


    Belphegor''s Mana Barrier shattered instantly, and he narrowly dodged the chilling blow.


    He had immediately realized that his barrier wouldn''t be able to withstand it at all. That''s why he was barely able to evade.


    "This, guy...!"


    Closebat once again, Belphegor''s fists rained down in rapid session. Frondier''s Obsidian responded to each attack.


    <i>Kwang! ng! Kaaang!</i>


    Frondier narrowly countered Belphegor''s terrifying attacks. Obsidian blocked, his swords parried, and he poured all his strength into deflecting and dodging.


    "...!"


    Belphegor''s eyes widened. Frondier, who had fallen to the ground in a miserable state from the previous blow, was now countering his attacks.


    Frondier''s strength wasn''t greater than Belphegor''s. Nor was his speed. For his sword to reach Belphegor, all of Frondier''s stats had to be a level below Belphegor''s.


    However.


    <i>©¤That is the ''foundation'' ofbat.</i>


    <i>©¤The foundation ofbat is a battle of prediction. It''s about inferring what kind of move the opponent is trying to make based on the movement of their shoulders, waist, and center of gravity.</i>


    Frondier had, for a long time,


    More so than the major events of awakening Weaving, obtaining Obsidian, acquiring Menosorpo, and gaining the mana of Helheim,


    He had been tossed around by a certain man for hundreds of times longer.


    <i>©¤What I''m teaching you isbat that is specifically designed for monsters. The reason you don''t understand this is simple.</i>


    <i>©¤You''ve only ever fought against stupid monsters.</i>


    Frondier closed the distance. The weaker, slower Frondier, still countering Belphegor, was now finding openings in Belphegor''s defenses.


    "...Don''t be ridiculous!"


    Belphegor''s staff swung to repel him.


    The air itself trembled, infused with aura, making even a clumsy dodge impossible.


    At that moment, the sword Frondier had hidden in his bosom shone brightly.


    <i>Azier''s Unique Spear Technique</i>


    <i>Frondier-style Swordsmanship Variation</i>


    <i>Falling Edge</i>


    Belphegor''s staff collided with the sword and was sent flying into the air.


    In his right hand, the swirling Excalibur.


    In his left hand, Neil Jack'' short sword, with the Falling edge technique deployed.


    Dual swords.

 Chapter 274: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The moment Belphegor dropped his staff and Frondier drew swords in both hands.


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship Basics</i>


    <i>Frondier-style Variation</i>


    <i>Diagonal sh, Cross Dual Swords</i>


    It was evident that Frondier''s des were radiating light.


    Frondier crossed his arms, then spread them out in a crisscross motion.


    "Kugh...!"


    Belphegor''s head spun for a moment.


    The one thing he absolutely had to avoid was Excalibur. Being struck by that Mana-infused de would be dangerous.On the other hand, the short sword Frondier held in his other hand was short in length, and since he had already dropped his weapon, the previous technique was meaningless.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    Belphegor dodged the trajectory of Excalibur and dove deep into the side of the shorter sword.


    It was the best judgment he could make in that brief moment. Thanks to it, he was able to avoid Excalibur.


    His choice was not wrong, but...


    <i>Stab!</i>


    "?!"


    He had to endure a greater wound than he had anticipated.


    The de of the short sword cut deep into his chest.


    ''The aura of the short sword...!''


    In the midst of confusion and chaos, it was difficult to see clearly.


    The characteristic of Frondier''s aura, ''colorless''.


    His aura, which extended the length of the de, sliced through the unguarded devil''s chest.


    "Kugh, ugh...!"


    Belphegor stumbled back in pain. It wasn''t a fatal wound, but it wasn''t a shallow one either. An ordinary human would have died instantly from that blow, but he endured it with his innate, powerful aura.


    "...As expected of a devil."


    Frondier''s sunken eyes scanned the retreating Belphegor.


    "To receive only that much damage from that blow."


    "...You."


    Belphegor''s eyes turned red.


    "How dare you..."


    He was enraged, despite bearing the name of Sloth.


    Belphegor was more furious about Frondier wielding swords in both hands before him than the fact that he had dropped his weapon or the wound on his chest.


    "How dare you, wield dual swords before me...!"


    <i>©¤Dual swordsmanship is more powerful in illusion than in reality.</i>


    Throughout history, the idea of holding two swords in each hand wouldn''t have been that difficult.


    However, the number of people who actually use dual swords is countable.


    This is because dual swordsmanship is not actually more effective.


    Generally, dual swordsmanship is more difficult to handle than wielding one sword. Each de interferes with the trajectory of the other, and unlike a one-handed sword that can be gripped with both hands if necessary, it is easy to drop the weapon.


    Furthermore, as most shing motions rely on the arms, it is impossible to put more power into a single strike.


    That''s why Belphegor thought Frondier was acting arrogantly, but...


    "Don''t get too angry, Belphegor."


    Frondier''s eyes were infinitely cold.


    "I simply devised the most appropriate method to deal with you."


    "...!"


    Frondier still hadn''t released his dual sword stance.


    In the renewed confrontation, Belphegor soon realized Frondier''s intention.


    ''...Indeed, those swords are what make dual swordsmanship possible.''


    Frondier''s dual swordsmanship, at this very moment, was different from the usual.


    Excalibur, still imbued with his Mana, was a de that could not be blocked, let alone struck.


    Additionally, the short sword in his left hand had performed a single disarm, making him hesitate to let the weapons touch each other.


    Excalibur, which had to be avoided at all costs, and the short sword, which could not be blocked with a weapon.


    In Belphegor''s situation, where he had to dodge and find an opening, the weaknesses of dual swords lost much of their significance.


    ''I hope he''s conscious of the Falling Edge.''


    And on top of that, Frondier''s bluff.


    Frondier couldn''t yet use Falling Edge as freely as Azier. At least a skilled warrior would be able to distinguish between when Frondier was using Falling Edge and when he wasn''t.


    However, after seeing the Falling Edge for the first time, disarming his opponent''s weapon so perfectly, Belphegor couldn''t help but be wary.


    "Zakon!"


    Belphegor extended his arm, and the staff that had fallen due to the disarm trembled and flew towards him.


    <i>Crackle!</i>


    "You think that will happen?"


    Of course, Frondier''s Obsidian intervened, seizing the staff.


    Belphegor''s expression crumpled once more, but soon he tilted his head slightly as if a thought had urred to him.


    "...How curious."


    With the anger seemingly gone from his face, he looked at Frondier.


    "The technique you use is undoubtedly Weaving. The technique that the gods mutually agreed upon and made a pact to prevent from existing in this world. It is definitely a skill unique to Frondier de Roach. So that must mean you are Frondier."


    "..."


    Frondier pretended to be calm, but his mind was racing.


    Weaving is a technique that the gods made a pact to prevent from existing?


    Then was Thanatos'' descent when the technique was activated also included in the gods'' ''pact''?


    "However, the amount of Helheim''s Mana you possess is not something a mere human can gather."


    Belphegor pointed to Frondier''s Obsidian.


    If Frondier''s Mana included that of Helheim, it would surpass the time he had consumed the Dragon Heart. It was the reward for defeating countless souls in the fragments of Helheim.


    "While alive, humans have almost the same soul quality. To ovee someone''s soul requires a desperate struggle. Even warding off a mere imp is difficult for a human, but you devoured the power of rtivelyplete souls, close to tens of thousands, from Helheim? That''s not something a human can do. Even devils wouldn''t do something so reckless. What are you?"


    Frondier remained silent at Belphegor''s words.


    In fact, it was something he himself questioned.


    What he had faced was a massive clump of condensed souls. Though their numbers had decreased somewhat due to devouring each other, and their wills had lost direction, were they truly such easy opponents?


    However, Frondier had shattered that clump. With just a single grab of his right hand. And at that moment, Frondier was certain he could win. Without any basis.


    "Hoo."


    Belphegor read Frondier''s expression, unable to answer. Hisnguid gaze fell upon Frondier.


    "You still don''t know what you are, do you? Outsider."


    "..."


    "Living in Frondier''s body, imitating him, deceiving everyone around him, yet you don''t even know what you are. Indeed, that''s why you''re a fake."


    Belphegor extended a finger.


    Frondier stiffened his posture in response.


    However.


    "I wouldn''t normally use the power of the Deadly Sins on a human."


    Frondier''s mind went hazy for a moment, overwhelmed by a sudden, intense feeling of helplessness.


    "But it''s alright for you. Consider it my way of acknowledging you. Be grateful."


    Frondier lowered the swords in his hands. His grip trembled.


    Belphegor''s slow voice sounded distant.


    "People don''t fear Sloth."


    Frondier''s hands holding the swords felt heavy, and all he could do was barely lift his eyes to look at Belphegor.


    "Because they believe they can always break free from it with their own will. It''s funny, they fear anger, lust, gluttony so much, yet they act as if they can shake offziness at any time."


    As Frondier listened to Belphegor''s voice, he struggled to stand up somehow.


    What he was experiencing wasn''t just drowsiness or lethargy. It felt like being thrown into a swamp of existential helplessness, a sense of worthlessness in being alive.


    He could probably stab himself in the heart right now and die without any pain. The sensation Frondier was feeling now was close to suicidal urges.


    ''What kind of power is this? Even my sixth sense didn''t react.''


    A power he didn''t know where or how it came from. It wasn''t simply a matter of being invisible or not.


    "That''s how humans die, Frondier. I''ve taken more human lives than any other devil."


    Is this what a Deadly Sin is?


    "It''s trivial. Human death is like that. It''s not war, famine, disease, or disaster. The fact that humans are so easily distracted by such obvious things is proof that the design of humans is slothful."


    Is this the devil of Sloth, Belphegor?


    * * *


    Selena returned to her house in Manggot and changed her clothes.


    Having grasped the geography of Manggot to some extent, and being an assassin originally, returning to her house was quite simple for her.


    Her house seemed undisturbed, as all her clothes were intact. The embedded needles were also fine.


    ''...?''


    However, she, who could perfectly sense the number of each needle, felt something strange.


    The number of needles was different.


    It wasn''tcking. There was exactly one more.


    ''What is it?''


    But now, there was no time to take out all the needles and check them one by one to see what was wrong. Selenapleted the rest of her checks and stepped outside.


    ''To get out...''


    Selena moved cautiously, maintaining maximum stealth.


    ''Yeolgot'', the assassin group raised by Manggot, and Selena, itsst member, had absorbed all the essence of assassination, stealth, and acting that Manggot had developed over the years.


    If she decided to hide, there were very few people within Manggot who could find her.


    ''...That''s.''


    Selena, carefully walking through the cave, stopped for a moment.


    Manggot''s personnel were gathered in one ce, forming a circle. The continuous sound of prayers and songs. The powerful aura of Mana emanating.


    A ritual to summon a god.


    ''Dangerous.''


    Selena didn''t know exactly when the god would descend, but she knew that the amount of Mana gathered there was dangerous at a nce.


    It was close to descent, almost instinctively, Selena felt it.


    The reason Frondier came alone to Manggot was also for this god''s descent. The Empire''s Spear had flown here to pierce that altar.


    However.


    ''...Can he defeat Belphegor?''


    Selena bit her lip in worry for Frondier.


    She had seen enough of Frondier''s strength, but Belphegor was a devil of the Seven Deadly Sins. Frondier was practically facing a god.


    A devil of that level was no different from being in the position of a god.


    ''No, I have to trust him now.''


    Selena shook her head. Even if she intervened in their fight now, there would be nothing she could do.


    From the moment she asked Frondier for help until now, Selena always had the same thought.


    She would just do what she could.


    <i>Swoosh-</i>


    As Selena slowly made her way towards the exit.


    With near-perfect stealth and the map of Manggot in her head.


    There was no problem reaching the exit with thebination of those two, but...


    "..."


    If someone was standing at the exit she needed to leave from, that wouldn''t be a problem with stealth.


    "Selena. Go back."


    The man waiting at the exit spoke with a heavy voice as Selena approached.


    Seeing him say her name,


    Selena red at him with cold eyes, as if trying to pierce him.


    "...My name."


    Releasing her stealth, Selena stood before him.


    "You knew my name, Hagley."


    Hagley simply stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Selena with a benevolent expression, as if looking at a child.


    "Of course, Selena."


    Hagley extended one hand towards Selena.


    As if giving her onest chance, Hagley''s eyes softened, and he spoke as if it were nothing significant.


    "It was I who brought you from the family."

 Chapter 275 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena gripped the needles in both hands, the ¡®loading¡¯ alreadyplete.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you brought me from my family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the House of Vanier,¡± Hagley replied. ¡°Selena, your name is ¡®Selena de Vanier¡¯. It was a fairly well-known family at the time.¡±


    Hagley¡¯s voice was as usual, which Selena found strange. He had taught her everything she needed as an assassin, including ¡®acting¡¯. Therefore, Hagley¡¯s facial expressions were excellent, and Selena couldn¡¯t see through his act.


    ¡°¡­¡­You speak so readily.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Why would I hide it?¡± Hagley shrugged.


    ¡°You say there was no reason to hide it?¡±


    ¡°There was no need to speak of it. It¡¯s an awkward story to tell.¡±


    Awkward to tell? Is that because he hid the fact that she was a noble?¡°Why do you think I brought you from your family?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­To raise me as an assassin, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s after I brought you here. Why do you think I brought you, out of all the children in the Empire?¡±


    Selena was speechless. She had already heard her full name from Frondier, but she knew nothing else.


    ¡°Selena, you were banished from your family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Selena¡¯s eyes widened at Hagley¡¯s words.


    Hagley continued calmly, ¡°I brought you here and raised you after you were banished from the House of Vanier, Selena. Manggot is a haven for the exiled. You know that well enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Lies.¡±


    Hagley closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°I knew you would react like that. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Lies! That I was banished, that can¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°Selena, your family didn¡¯t want you. Your parents didn¡¯t either. They needed a way to get rid of you, someone they didn¡¯t need. A clumsy assassination would only tarnish the family¡¯s image, so they needed a proper way to make you disappear. Manggot was chosen, and I was the one who carried it out.¡±


    ¡°Why, why would the House of Vanier, me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that either. I just carried out my mission.¡±


    Selena¡¯s hands trembled. She had believed that she would be able to return to her family someday.


    Her heart, which had greatly leaned towards Frondier, would have been swayed depending on the oue of the war between Manggot and the Empire.


    She wanted to know what kind of ce the House of Vanier was, where she was born, who her parents were, and who ¡®Selena de Vanier¡¯ was.


    ¡°Did you want to know who you are?¡±


    Hagley was still holding out his hand to Selena.


    ¡°I saved you, Selena, after your family abandoned you.¡±


    As if still giving Selena a chance, Hagley was simply calm andposed.


    ¡°The truth is simple. Would you leave Manggot just to know this much?¡±


    Selena¡¯s eyes darted left and right. If Hagley¡¯s words were true, then Frondier¡¯s words about taking her back to her family were false.


    No, even if it wasn¡¯t a lie, it wouldn¡¯t be the oue Selena desired. Perhaps Frondier didn¡¯t know the whole story. He might have just been trying to help her, knowing only her full name.


    ¡®¡­¡­How did Frondier know my name?¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know where or how Frondier had obtained information about her. At the time, Selena was too shocked to hear her real name to wonder about it, and even if she had been curious, she couldn¡¯t have asked Frondier.


    Hagley¡¯s words, directly rted to the House of Vanier, were more credible than Frondier, who had nothing to do with Selena¡¯s past.


    ¡°¡­¡­This is¡­¡±


    Seeing Selena still not rxing her posture, Hagley sighed.


    ¡°Frondier must have done something.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°That bastard must have lied to you, Selena.¡±


    ¡°No, no! No, Frondier! He!¡±


    Selena¡¯s voice became agitated, and her eyes shook even more.


    Hagley confirmed this and continued, ¡°What did he say? Did he tell you that you were being deceived? Did he ramble on about what kind of ce the House of Vanier is and how you grew up? Did he promise you safety and benefits if you sided with him? Selena, Frondier¡¯s words are all lies. Believe me. I¡¯ve watched over you longer than anyone.¡±


    Selena slowly stepped back. It seemed less like


    It seemed more like an attempt to avoid the truth rather than being cautious of Hagley.


    Hagley didn¡¯t bother approaching her. Closing the distance now would only raise her guard.


    Selena was already shaken. She was wise, so she would soon realize which side was more persuasive. She just couldn¡¯t ept the fact right now.


    ¡®Well, just because it¡¯s persuasive doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true.¡¯


    Hagley hid his true feelings and waited quietly for Selena to calm down. His acting was perfect.


    Along with his usual demeanor of teaching Selena, he added a touch ofpassion and warmth to his eyes and gestures.


    After a brief moment, Selena¡¯s gaze, which had been wandering with nowhere to go,nded on Hagley.


    As if she had figured out who to trust, her gaze was clear yet distant.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go back. Rest in your room. We¡¯re at war now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    Finally, Selena¡¯s guard lowered, and her arms dropped. Her head also hung low.


    In that instant, a ck thorn extending from Hagley¡¯s shadow lunged towards Selena¡¯s heart, and,


    Selena vanished before Hagley¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 275 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Hagley¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, and he hurriedly filled the shadow behind him with a curtain.


    Kwaak!


    Selena emerged from behind Hagley. Using ¡®Shadow Transfer¡¯ in a surprise attack, she pierced Hagley¡¯s curtain with her needles.


    Her eyes were cold, chilling to the bone. The look of confusion that had been writhing in her moments ago was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Hagley pushed away the curtain and knocked Selena away.


    Selena lightly retreated, gripped the needles in both hands again, and looked at Hagley.


    Hagley¡¯s expression hardened in disbelief.¡°You, how¡­¡±


    How did she know? There was no reason for her to know it was a lie.


    To that question-filled voice,


    ¡°¡­¡­You really¡­¡±


    Selena¡¯s cold gaze met Hagley¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You believe you can see through my acting.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Selena, who learned acting from Hagley.


    Just as Selena couldn¡¯t read Hagley¡¯s true intentions,


    Hagley also couldn¡¯t see through Selena¡¯s acting.


    ¡°Hagley, whatever you¡¯re imagining, Frondier didn¡¯t say anything to me.¡±


    Frondier didn¡¯t persuade or entice Selena to join him.


    He simply gave her a choice.


    Frondier said he wouldn¡¯t interfere whether Selena stayed in Manggot or came to him.


    When she asked how Frondier would know which side she chose, he answered, ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯. He said he wouldn¡¯t hold her responsible for whichever side she chose.


    Perhaps Hagley, who had raised the assassin named Jei ording to his own tastes for all these years, would never understand.


    How muchfort she received from Frondier saying, ¡®Do as you please¡¯.


    <i>©¤It¡¯s impossible after all.</i>


    <i>©¤I can¡¯t see through your acting.</i>


    Frondier didn¡¯t try to read Selena recklessly. He didn¡¯t easily judge what kind of person she was.


    Because he didn¡¯t know.


    Because that was natural.


    As Jei, the assassin of Manggot, she had been nothing more than a monochrome background, but


    As Selena, Frondier¡¯s escort,


    ¡°Surprised?¡±


    Selena¡¯s eyes shone with a light that Hagley had never seen in all the years he had raised her.


    ¡°I am quite good at acting.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Selena¡­¡­!¡±


    Hagley¡¯s shadow zed like mes.


    Hagley, whose specialty was shadow magic, was in hisplete home ground within the caves of Manggot. A look of tension appeared on Selena¡¯s face.


    ¡°Do you think you can defeat me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Even as she gave that answer, Selena¡¯s expression was serene.


    ¡°While serving as his escort, I don¡¯t have time to think about such things.¡±


    * * *


    While Frondier was suffering from the power of sloth, Belphegor watched him for a while.


    ¡®Amazing. He¡¯s still resisting.¡¯


    An ordinary person would have already fallen asleep, or in severe cases, chosen death themselves.


    It wasn¡¯t so much that they wanted to die, but rather that they felt it would be okay to die. The more weary of life a person was, the more likely they were to make such a choice.


    ¡®I could just kill him like this, but¡­¡¯


    Belphegor lightly shot an aura as a test.


    Puk!


    However, Frondier¡¯s Obsidian flew in and blocked the aura.


    Unless Obsidian had a will of its own, that too was Frondier¡¯s will.


    ¡®As expected, he¡¯s not an ordinary human.¡¯


    The longer Frondier resisted, the more Belphegor¡¯s displeasure grew.


    Belphegor, who was responsible for one of the Seven Deadly Sins, had used his own sin, ¡®Sloth¡¯. The fact that this alone wasn¡¯t enough to solve the problem was not just a blow to his pride, but a wound to his very core.


    If rumors of this spread to other devils, it wouldn¡¯t just be humiliating, but would actually lower his status.


    It wouldn¡¯t threaten his position as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but it would at least cause him to fall in rank within them.


    ¡®Well, he won¡¯t be able to hold out forever.¡¯


    Belphegor was rxed.


    He just needed to stall for time.


    The fact that this war, that Frondier, this spear, had flown all the way here, meant that the Empire¡¯s defenses wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    The barrier would eventually crumble, and monsters and Manggot would flood in, turning the Empire into a wastnd.


    Frondier hade all the way here to prevent that. To minimize damage by eliminating the enemy¡¯s source within the time limit.


    The fact that he hadunched such a reckless operation without hesitation meant that he had probably done something simr before.


    Moreover, Manggot was also on the verge of God¡¯s descent. That reason alone was enough to stall for time.


    ¡®While this guy is doing this, that time limit is approaching.¡¯


    Just watch what kind of tragedy your arrogance of blocking all the barriers will bring.


    The moment Belphegor thought that,


    <i>Void weaving, simultaneous replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i>


    <i>Full Open</i>


    Belphegor witnessed weapons shing all around him.


    ¡°Oh, can you still resist?¡±


    Belphegor looked around in admiration. All the weapons with gleaming des were extraordinary.


    Soon, those weapons were fired towards Belphegor.


    ¡°Alright, a little entertainment for a while. I¡¯ll y with you.¡±


    Belphegor easily dodged their terrifying speed, sometimes dropping them, sometimes breaking them.


    Weapons continued to be created in mid-air, but none of them reached Belphegor, instead being smashed to pieces.


    It seemed impossible to win in a simple battle of mana reserves, and on top of that, Frondier was being consumed by sloth.


    The end of this long confrontation was clear. Frondier had no chance of winning.


    Belphegor, as if ying, roamed the air, smashing weapons.


    Meanwhile, Frondier, seemingly suffering from the power of sloth, bowed his head.


    ¡­¡­Suu-


    ¡­¡­Huu¡­¡­.


    Repeating his breaths from some time ago, he hid his cold eyes.

 Chapter 276 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The power of ''Sloth'' was formidable.


    Belphegor saw through Frondier''s facade at a nce. Naturally, the power of Sloth he inflicted also directly impacted Frondier.


    Most mental attacks against him thus far had been deflected, but this time was different. A significant amount of Sloth was weighing down Frondier''s body.


    However.


    "...Not yet."


    Even as Sloth consumed him, Frondier waited for a specific moment.


    If Belphegor''s Sloth had been a sensation he had never felt before, he wouldn''t have been able to endure it.


    However, Frondier remembered theziness that had seeped into his body when he was possessed. Belphegor''s curse definitely had an effect on the current Frondier as well.


    But knowing full well how the world would end if he lived a life ofziness like the original Frondier...That''s why he had searched for every means to be stronger, rolled around while being beaten, returned from the brink of death, and walked into danger with his own two feet.


    ¡®After going through all those experiences, after struggling so pathetically to change the future of destruction¡­¡¯


    Frondier knew the price of Sloth all too well to crumble under it.


    He calmly analyzed the situation.


    Since Belphegor used the power of the Deadly Sin, he hadn''tunched any other attacks. Even though he had ample opportunity to do so.


    He couldn''t pinpoint the exact reason, but it was a good thing for Frondier. It was probably a limitation or condition unique to the demons of the Seven Deadly Sins. Belphegor was trying to defeat Frondier with the power of Sloth alone.


    ¡®It seems he sees my creation of weapons as nothing more than a desperate struggle, and he has no intention of making the first move.¡¯


    This confirmed one thing.


    Belphegor was simply waiting for time to pass. With the descent of the Gods and the destruction of the barrier, Manggot''s victory would be assured.


    So he wouldn''t even dream...


    ...that Frondier was also dragging out the time.


    The best way to shake off this Sloth would be to fight Belphegor with all his might.


    The continuous erosion, whetherrge or small, wouldn''t do him any good.


    But Belphegor assumed that Frondier was putting up a difficult resistance, having been deprived of even the strength to do that.


    He didn''t understand how much willpower it took for Frondier to fight with the ''Imperial Armory'' fully open.


    ¡®So the Gods'' contract prevented him from using ''Weaving,'' but Belphegor himself doesn''t seem to know what this skill is.¡¯


    Perhaps the Gods were the same?


    Did they forbid Weaving simply because he could replicate their weapons?


    Did Thanatos try to kill Frondier just because he was an eyesore?


    Sss-


    Huu...


    Frondier didn''t know how long this confrontation would continue. There were several variables. Belphegor himself might simply change his mind, or he might notice Frondier''s act, or some external factor irrelevant to both of them might ur.


    He didn''t know when it would be, but until then, Frondier would continue this fight.


    ¡®Belphegor, I said I''d y with you.¡¯


    Thank you, Sloth.


    I thought it would be quite difficult to hear those words from you.


    Just as you have something to wait for, I have something to wait for as well.


    Let''s y until then.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, as the battle at the barrier continued...


    Mei had traveled clockwise around the barrier, using ''Restoration,'' and finally reached the north.


    This was the midpoint between Yeranhes and Tyburn. In a way, it was the safest ce, and in another, it was where the most intense bloodbath took ce.


    It was safe because it was the intersection of two regions ustomed to the outside monsters, and conversely, it was where the most blood was shed because of the sheer number of monsters pouring in.


    Only after reaching this barrier did Mei rummage through her pocket and unfold a map.


    "...So, east, west, south, north. This is north. Yes, that''s right."


    She counted one by one using the directions she had recently learned and double-checked how far she hade.


    She hade exactly as Frondier had instructed. She probably wasn''t wrong.


    The strategy he had told her came to Mei''s mind.


    <i>©¤Clockwise?</i>


    <i>©¤Yes, ah, first I need to teach you about clocks. And directions too. Anyway, you start from the east and go like this.</i>


    At the time, Frondier had shown her a map, pointed his finger at the eastern barrier, and traced a circle around it. Onlyter did she learn that it meant ''clockwise.''


    <i>©¤Then you reach the north.</i>


    <i>©¤North? Not east?</i>


    Since she had started from the east, wouldn''t she arrive back at the east after going around once?


    At those words, Frondier had opened his mouth in surprise and then patted Mei''s head.


    As expected, Mei is smart, he said, and the way he patted her head felt somehow simr to Elodie.


    <i>©¤But this time it''s the north. When you get to the north, don''t use Restoration right away, just wait for a moment.</i>


    Frondier had said that.


    Mei didn''t know the situation of the Empire, so she had just epted it at the time, but thinking about it now, it was strange.


    Why did Frondier send Mei to the east first? Tyburn, where Frondier had alreadypleted the restoration, was understandable, but Yeranhes was the ce that needed to be taken care of before anywhere else.


    Although Enfer''s ''Iron Wall'' was known to be sturdy, the barrier of Yeranhes wasn''t an iron wall.


    Because Yeranhes was where even more monsters poured in than Tyburn. The damage had already umted, and it had worsened with the addition of the ''ck Monsters'' that had invadedst winter.


    But if she started from the east and went clockwise, the northern barrier would be thest. It was a difficult-to-understand method of restoring the ce that needed the most urgent attentionst.


    Moreover, he told her to wait for a moment when she got here, so naturally, Mei''s head tilted in confusion.


    <i>©¤And one thing you must absolutely keep in mind.</i>


    Still not understanding Frondier''s words, Mei just tilted her head.


    <i>©¤Move in my form.</i>


    Standing in the form of ''Frondier de Roach,'' she racked her brain to figure out what he meant.


    ...And that scene.


    "Found you."


    Ad, the Shepherd of Manggot, confirmed it.

 Chapter 276 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Dispatched by Belphegor''s orders to check the progress of the barrier restoration, Ad finally witnessed Frondier standing atop the barrier.


    ''He''s moving in a very precise order.''


    After confirming that the barrier was being restored clockwise, she had run straight to the north, considering the time it would take to arrive.


    As expected, or perhaps unexpectedly due to his honesty, Ad had found Frondier.


    ''As I thought, Frondier is here.''


    Belphegor''s order was to confirm whether Frondier was truly restoring the barrier.


    If she returned and reported this, her mission would beplete.


    Unlike Malia or Frondier, Ad couldn''t see the overall situation of the battlefield. She didn''t know that Frondier was already fighting Belphegor.


    However, even if Ad returned like this, it wouldn''t upset Belphegor, and he would give her the promised reward.No one would have expected Frondier to single-handedly invade Manggot.


    So it would have been good if she had turned around and returned to Manggot right now, but...


    ''...That barrier.''


    Ad''s gaze turned towards the barrier where monsters were pouring in.


    This barrier hadn''t been restored yet. Come to think of it, since the restoration had started from the east, this northern barrier had been umting damage for a long time, making it the Empire''s biggest weakness at this point.


    It had held up well so far, but if things continued like this, this barrier would be the first to break.


    However, if Mei used Restoration now, this barrier would be repaired, the morale of the Imperial troops would soar, and the morale of the monsters would drop significantly. Monsters weren''t fools, especially the ones outside.


    "That can''t happen."


    The barrier hadn''t been restored yet. She didn''t know the exact reason, but Frondier probably just arrived. So he would start the restoration soon.


    Ad drew two daggers from her waist. She held them in a reverse grip, with the curved des facing inward, and slipped the rings at the end of the handles onto her fingers.


    Among the Shepherds of Manggot, she was the closest to an assassin. Excelling in stealth, poison, and closebat, she specialized in solo actions, unlike other Shepherds who led troops.


    ording to Hagley, Frondier was a fairly strong guy, but ultimately just a student of Constel. He wasn''t Aster or Elodie.


    Moreover, most rumors were baseless exaggerations and distortions. At best, he was a guy with a unique talent called ''Restoration.''


    ''Your performance ends here!''


    Ad perfectly concealed herself and approached the barrier, using her aura to walk vertically up the wall, performing an amazing feat.


    Of course, she could have crossed the barrier by jumping or flying, but that would obviously be noticed by the soldiers on top.


    Using her familiar method, she leaped onto the barrier with perfect stealth and...


    "Who are you?"


    Mei, in Frondier''s form, looked at her with an innocent expression, causing Ad to freeze for a moment.


    "Wh-what...?"


    Unfortunately for Ad.


    Mei also had a ''sixth sense.''


    Swish!


    Though momentarily flustered, Ad swung her daggers, aiming for Mei''s neck. She was surprised to be discovered, but it didn''t matter since she was going to kill her anyway.


    Mei dodged Ad''s attack and briefly observed her appearance.


    For Mei, with her exceptional memory and learning ability despite being born not long ago, ''a person she had never seen before'' was a very clear signal.


    "...Aha."


    Mei, who had been focusing on dodging, soon spoke as if she understood.


    "The reason Frondier asked me to stay in his form was because of you?"


    "Wh-what?"


    Ad''s mind went nk for a moment at Mei''s words.


    ''Frondier,'' ''stay in his form,'' ''asked?''


    It was the first time in her life that she couldn''t understand a single word of a sentence.


    The person in front of her was Frondier, but she was mentioning Frondier. So, this person wasn''t Frondier?


    Moreover, asking her to stay in his form meant she was currently transformed into Frondier?


    "Then let''s see."


    Mei created distance from Ad with light footwork.


    The current Mei had already observed Frondier and Elodie extensively. She onlycked absolute mana capacity and physical ability; in terms of ''technique,'' she wascking nothing.


    "Let''s take a look."


    Ad tensed up as Mei took a stance as if she was about to attempt something, but...


    ...for a few seconds, Mei just stood there in that position.


    "...You, what the hell are you..."


    Ad, feeling deceived, was about to attack again when...


    "...Th-this..."


    Ad witnessed a scene that would appear in her nightmares every night for the rest of her life.


    Rustle-


    The Frondier in front of Ad suddenly blurred and wriggled, and...


    ...in an instant, she was standing there, transformed into Ad''s exact likeness.


    "Hmm, I''m not used to handling weapons like this."


    Then, she twirled the same weapons Ad held in the air.


    ...Strange, my weapons are custom-made. There can''t be another one exactly the same...


    And those aerial maneuvers, she''s doing them in the exact same order and with the same habits as me...


    Uh... uh...


    "Aha."


    And after blinking a few times, Mei...


    "Indeed, I see. Now I understand everything. As expected of Frondier. I can''t imitate something like that."


    The fog in her head, which had been trying to grasp the meaning of Frondier''s words, cleared, and her expression became refreshed.


    Looking at Ad, who was still frozen and unable to move a muscle,


    "Sorry, whoever you are."


    Mei offered an apology, unsure if it was appropriate.


    "I''ll borrow this for a bit."


    And then she disappeared before Ad''s eyes.


    It was Shadow Transfer.


    "...?"


    The battle at the barrier continued, with screams and shouts of desperation filling the air.


    Monsters surged forward to break the barrier, while the citizens of the Empire fought to defend it.


    Manggot''s forces waited for an opening in the barrier or had already leaped over it and were charging forward.


    Amidst the noise and barrage...


    ...like a void...


    Ad just stood there nkly...


    "...Ah,"


    Without any attack, magic, spell, or curse...


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"


    ...she tasted fear.

 Chapter 277 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena''s needles cut through the air, while Hagley''s shadows shot from all directions.


    Their movements intersected, seeking openings and exploiting gaps, each acutely aware of the other''s attempts to gain the upper hand through Shadow Transference.


    ¡°You''re used to fighting with Transference, Selena!¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you!¡±


    Not really thanks to Hagley, but rather, thanks to Frondier. To keep up with his fighting style, she had no choice but to utilize Transference.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Hagley''s shadows only harmed living beings, and Selena''s needles were useless against inanimate objects.


    Thus, their battle was silent. Only the asional sound of their feet hitting the ground broke the stillness; they made no unnecessary noise. Even when not on an assassination mission, the battles of assassins were soundless, as if it were the very trajectory of their lives.


    ¡°I raised you! I know all your fighting techniques!¡±


    ¡°I''ve also observed a thing or two!¡±


    Selena and Hagley''s fight seemed evenly matched. Although Hagley had trained Selena, he couldn''t replicate her skill with needles, just as Selena couldn''t replicate his shadow magic.


    Unlike Hagley, Selena wasn''t particrly talented in magic. To be more precise, among the assassins of the "Yeolgot," Selena, the youngest, was the least adept at magic.


    However, her exceptional appearance and talent for closebat made her more suited to be an assassin than anyone else.


    Shepensated for herck of magical ability with physical techniques and herck of strength as a woman by mastering needles.


    ¡®Handling needles was Selena''s innate talent.¡¯


    Selena had an eye for reading the flow of mana within living beings. Her excellence in closebat stemmed from her understanding of anatomy and her ability to apply it. Most living beings couldn''t withstand her needles and would crumble.


    It wasn''t that their bones or joints were dislocated, but rather that the needles disrupted the natural flow of mana within their bodies.


    The twisting of limbs or death were merely consequences.


    ¡°I shouldn''t have taught you about such weapons!¡±


    ¡°Regret is always toote!¡±


    Hagley extended both hands and then brought them together, aiming at Selena. Recognizing this, Selena immediately leaped into the air.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    Shadows shot out from all corners of the cave, their des surpassing the sharpness of any ordinary weapon. It seemed like there was no escape for Selena, but...


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    With astonishing flexibility, Selena squeezed her body through the gaps between the shadow des and hovered in the air.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Hagley''s eyes widened. Not only was Selena''s evasion skill impressive, but her clothes also surprised him.


    He hadn''t expected tond a direct hit with his shadows from the beginning, knowing Selena''s abilities. However, he thought he could at least graze her, hoping to induce bleeding.


    Yet, the des that brushed against Selena failed to cut her skin.


    ¡°¡­¡­You''re wearing good clothes.¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Landing back on the ground, Selena stood upright and looked at Hagley.


    ¡°Though they''re not enough to seduce a man.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Did Frondier give them to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he did.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it seems that bastard ispletely smitten with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Selena had nothing to say to that. Both Belphegor and Hagley were certain that Frondier was deeply infatuated with her.


    Honestly, from Selena''s perspective, it seemed like he was simply reviewing his escort''s equipment. Of course, some level of closeness and trust had developed, but...


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    She tried to appearposed, but the truth was, Selena was at a disadvantage. As Hagley himself had said, he knew almost all of her attack patterns.


    Although she had made some improvements while spending time with Frondier, the core wouldn''t have changed much.


    Due to the nature of Selena''s weapon being "needles," theirunch was barely visible to the naked eye, especially in a ce like a cave with unreliable light sources.


    However, for Hagley, who manipted shadows, darkness was his battlefield, and he experienced almost no penalties from it.


    On the other hand, while Selena had observed Hagley, she didn''t know everything about him, and even if she did...


    ¡®I''m running out of needles.¡¯


    The fact that this fight was even close only made Selena''s defeat more likely.


    With her delicate senses, Selena could tell the number of remaining needles based on their weight. And to avoid miscalcting that weight, this outfit contained the same number of needles as the ones she usually wore.


    ¡°Why the hesitation, Selena?¡±


    And inevitably,


    ¡°You should hurry, shouldn''t you?¡±


    Hagley also knew.


    Selena was on high alert. She had known from the beginning that she couldn''t waste her needles. Every single shot that pierced through Hagley''s shadows was precious.


    ¡°Selena, finding a way out is important, but...¡±


    Meanwhile, Hagley raised one hand.


    ¡°I can also y tricks like this.¡±


    With those words, Hagley created a curtain of shadows in front of him,rge enough topletely conceal his figure.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    Selena stood there for a moment, not understanding his intention.


    ¡°!¡±


    <i>Swish!</i>


    But in a split second, Selena realized his n and twisted her body in mid-air.


    <i>Yeolgot Secret Art</i>


    <i>Hidden Weapon Throwing Technique</i>


    <i>Octagon</i>


    A technique that simultaneouslyunched needles in eight directions. Naturally, it used up all the needles loaded in her hand.


    Originally intended for situations where she was surrounded or to eliminate a group of enemies, this time it was different.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Hagley, who appeared behind Selena, blocked the needles with his shadows.


    ¡°Now do you understand, Selena?¡±


    At his words, Selena pressed her lips together tightly.


    With his shadow curtain concealing his form, Selena couldn''t determine whether Hagley would use Shadow Transfer or not. If she carelessly looked behind her, she would be exposed to Hagley if he hadn''t used Transfer.


    Therefore, scattering needles in all directions like she just did was the safest option, but...


    Naturally, it consumed eight needles at once.


    ¡°I already know how many needles you have left. You have twenty-four left. Can you hit me with them before they run out?¡±


    <i>Swish!</i>


    Hagley didn''t rest. He continued to shoot shadows, pushing Selena into a corner.


    Selena desperately dodged and moved using Transfer, but within the cave, it was difficult to handle all of Hagley''s attacks. As a result, her needles were wasted on defense.


    Hagley knew that this offensive approach was the safest way to deal with Selena. Once she used up all her needles, victory would be his.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    And with thest four remaining needles, as Selena grasped them in her right hand...


    Hagley extended arge shadow to eliminate even those.


    From the floor, it sprung up like a devil''s hand, and from the walls and ceiling, waves of shark fin-like des surged towards Selena.


    Using ¡®Octagon¡¯ was impossible with only four needles.


    In this desperate situation...


    ¡°¡­¡­I finally...¡±


    Selena spoke softly.


    ¡°I finally see it.¡±


    <i>Yeolgot Secret Art</i>


    <i>Selena Original</i>


    <i>Spirit Sealing Needle</i>


    Selena ran straight ahead. A hand reached out to grab her. Selena threw the first needle.


    Hit by the needle, the shadow hand crumbled powerlessly.


    ¡®¡­¡­!¡¯


    Witnessing this, Hagley''s eyes widened.


    ¡®She erased the magic with a needle.¡¯

 Chapter 277 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena''s needles severed the flow of mana within living beings. Until now, her techniques were solely meant to directly target her opponents.


    Because the needles directly targeted the enemy, they couldn''t recklessly use magic or ranged attacks, effectively serving as a deterrent.


    But just now, the magic itself was struck by a needle and vanished, just like every living being that had been hit by Selena''s needles before.


    ¡®Could it be, the flow of mana...!¡¯


    Did she read the flow of mana from the magic her opponent cast? In this short amount of time?


    As if to confirm his thoughts, this time a needle shot towards the ceiling, piercing through all the shadow des and making them disappear.


    ¡®Frondier was almost devoured by countless evil spirits.¡¯


    Back when they destroyed the Fragment of Helheim.


    Selena remembered the feeling of helplessness she felt then. Standing beside Frondier as he took the brunt of the liquid from the Fragment of Helheim, she couldn''t do anything.As his supposed escort, that moment remained a source of immense guilt and humiliation for her.


    If only she could have interfered with the souls, or even touched their mana...


    She wouldn''t have cried like a helpless child.


    ¡®I can''t show such pathetic behavior again.¡¯


    Now.


    Two needles left.


    <i>Tap!</i>


    Selena jumped up and kicked off the wall. Reversing her body mid-air, Selena...


    Sheunched a needle towards the ceiling. The shadow magic copsed, and the cave ceiling became safe.


    Her foot touched the ceiling.


    Of course, Selena didn''t have the ability to stick to the ceiling. Her foot only made contact for a brief moment.


    But in that instant, Selena bnced her body and exerted strength into her muscles.


    One needle left.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Her aura-infused foot kicked off the ceiling, and Selena''s figure flew towards Hagley.


    With thest remaining needle in hand, she drew a line aiming for the enemy''s neck.


    ¡°Foolish!¡±


    Hagley used Shadow Transfer. There was nothing at the spot where Selena was about tond.


    However, Selena knew Hagley.


    Hagley would definitely...


    ¡®Now.¡¯


    He would target this moment when she was in mid-air.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    Selena turned her body and extended the needle towards her back.


    Hagley would arrive there. He had to.


    ©¤©¤However.


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    Even though all her predictions were correct...


    ¡°That was dangerous.¡±


    Hagley blocked Selena''s needle.


    He had read that she would reach behind him through Shadow Transfer, but anticipating her movement, Hagley deflected thest needle with his shadow.


    Just as Selena knew Hagley...


    Hagley also knew Selena.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Selena fell from mid-air. Hagley stood above her.


    ¡°You''ve grown, Selena.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°But that''s all there is to it. You couldn''t surpass my expectations.¡±


    Hagley''s shadow twisted, splitting into multiple strands and extending outwards. Like tentacles, they formed thorns aimed at Selena.


    Selena nkly stared at the sight.


    She couldn''t predict what would happen next. That''s why she tried to settle things with the remaining four needles.


    But she failed. Her best efforts and strategies crumbled.


    Therefore, Selena...


    ¡®¡­¡­What the...¡¯


    The needles, which she always held four in one hand, should have been loaded in multiples of four.


    ¡®What is this remaining needle!¡¯


    She loaded thest needle inexplicably embedded in her clothes and shot it at Hagley.


    She didn''t know where this needle came from.


    She didn''t know what would happen if she used it.


    Whether it would help her, or lead to something even more terrible, or if it was something else disguised as a needle...


    She didn''t want to use it because she didn''t know.


    But...


    The needle Selena threw was, unlike the others, pitch ck.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Hagley''s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of Selena''s needle.


    However, even that...


    <i>Swish©¤</i>


    Hagley barely dodged it by tilting his head back. It grazed his skin, but the flow of his mana remained unaffected.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hmph, you''re still doing pointless things.¡±


    Hagley said, breaking out in a cold sweat inwardly. He pretended to have expected it, but he hadn''t.


    If there had been onest needle, they wouldn''t have been driven into such a dangerous situation.


    It truly was thest remaining needle. Selena rxed her body, drained of strength.


    ¡®She''s finally given up.¡¯


    Confirming this, Hagley aimed his shadow thorns at Selena.


    And just like that,


    <i>Thump!</i>


    He copsed sideways.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°??¡±


    Both Hagley and Selena were momentarily stunned, unsure of what had just happened.


    Hagley tried to exert strength into his hands to raise his fallen body. However, his body wouldn''t budge. No, he couldn''t even exert strength into his hands in the first ce.


    Hagley had fallen beside Selena. Slowly, she rose and distanced herself from him.


    Selena couldn''t understand what kind of trick this was; it seemed as if Hagley was ying some absurd deception.


    ¡°Sel-, what did you do to me...!¡±


    But Hagley''s face was filled with bewilderment. His outstretched hand towards Selena was definitely not an act. There was no point in him putting on such an act, and she could see through it anyway.


    And above all...


    ¡°¡­¡­No way.¡±


    Selena had seen that look on Hagley''s face once before.


    <i>©¤Is he dead?</i>


    <i>©¤Not yet.</i>


    It was when she and Frondier entered the Sacred Forest.


    After hitting the bat with a dagger, Frondier had said those words.


    ¡®Could it be... Could it be...!¡¯


    <i>©¤There are exactly 24 needles in this wrist right now.</i>


    Selena had exined about her attire.


    About the structure of the needles sheunched.


    <i>©¤Some adjustments need to be made to the sleeves and waist. There''s not enough storage space.</i>


    <i>©¤The needles are always loaded in multiples of four. When I hold them in my hand, exactly four areunched at once.</i>


    Frondier, who knew that Selena judged the remaining number of needles by their weight and always loaded them in multiples of four...


    He knew that if he ced just one needle in her clothes, Selena would sense it.


    A single needle that even Selena herself was unaware of, a single needle that Hagley could never suspect.


    A single needle made of ''Obsidian,'' imbued with the poison of the Slevb.


    <i>©¤It''s alright.</i>


    Selena''s eyes trembled.


    For some time now, she had experienced moments when an unknown emotion would well up inside her.


    It would sometimes overflow, uncontrobly dyeing her, a former assassin, in various colors.


    She didn''t know what it was.


    No, she tried not to know.


    <i>©¤You have nothing to cherish.</i>


    ¡°¡­¡­Huu, uhuk¡­¡­.¡±


    Selena covered her face with both hands.


    She wanted to hide the tears that flowed, the distorted expression on her face...


    And above all, she wanted to conceal the overwhelming emotions that poured out, dyeing her in colors she couldn''t handle.


    Selena had tried for so long to ignore the emotions that colored her, but...


    In truth, she knew clearly.


    From the very first moment they touched her, a long, long time ago.

 Chapter 278 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Selena wiped away her tears. She still had things to do, things that couldn''t wait while she cried.


    She approached Hagley.


    "Hagley."


    "..."


    Hagley simply red at her in silence. The paralysis had spread throughout his body, leaving him unable to move even a finger. Though it hadn''t reached his organs yet, using any other tricks was out of the question.


    "Excuse me for a moment."


    Selena ced her hand on Hagley''s shoulder.


    "Wh-what are you... nning..."


    Speaking had be a struggle. His mouth was stiff, his tongue numb, and his pronunciation slurred. Even this was humiliating for Hagley."You are the core of Manggot."


    "...!"


    Hagley felt it. Selena was exploring the path of the shadow connected to him.


    "Being the core of Manggot means that all the key members of Manggot are connected to you."


    "Even if you know that, what can you..."


    Shadow Transfer required a pre-established connection. Normally, the shadows connected to Hagley would have nothing to do with Selena.


    However.


    "There was a time I pushed myself too far," Selena suddenly said. "It was a dangerous act, transferring myself, another person, and a horse all at once."


    Hagley''s eyes widened at her words.


    Selena, when she had taken Malia and the steed Cassian to Yeranhes, had reached the barrier of Yeranhes with them.


    It was a forbidden technique of Manggot. Because it transferred unconnected individuals, the burden on the caster was immense.


    That single act had left Selena''s physical condition simr to Frondier''s after two Mana Depletions.


    And since she had used Transfer relentlessly afterwards for her coordinated attack with Frondier, she waspletely exhausted after the fight.


    "But thanks to almost dying like that," Selena''s Mana fluctuated. Her sunken eyes seemed to see beyond Hagley, distant and far away. "My understanding of Transfer broadened."


    Selena, who had seeded in transferring with those unconnected to her shadow, was now able to interfere with other shadows not connected to her own.


    ''...Even so, it wasn''t until recently that I was confident I could do it.''


    When Selena entered the Round Table meeting, she wasn''t happy with her attire, but it had given her one advantage. While bowing her head and listening to Belphegor, she had examined the shadows of the Shepherds seated at the surrounding tables.


    If they had been paying close attention, they might have noticed, but Selena moved with utmost caution, and more importantly, she only observed the shadows of the Shepherds who were preupied with their own bodies.


    And for that to be possible, there was naturally one more hurdle to ovee.


    "Y-you¡­ ...me..."


    Meeting Hagley.


    Just as Hagley had waited for Selena, Selena had also been searching for him.


    "...I''ll go, Hagley."


    Her hand, resting on Hagley''s shoulder.


    Selena''s gaze, looking down calmly, seemed somehow sad.


    "I wanted to believe in you."


    "..."


    "I don''t care what happens to the Empire. So I believed in the power of Manggot, called the Inferno."


    "..."


    "But I can''t do that anymore."


    Hagley tried to say something at those words, but his paralyzed mouth couldn''t even pronounce a single syble properly.


    And then Selena vanished.


    Just before she did, Hagley saw a chilling murderous intent sh in her eyes.


    * * *


    Arrows soared through the sky, des and ws shed amidst the sh of two forces, massive rocks and spells rained down from the air to the ground.


    The northern barrier. The battle was beyond grand, it was deafening.


    "Kill them! Kill them all!"


    "Don''t let a single one get close!"


    "Uwaaaak! I''ll smash your heads in!!"


    Roars and curses filled the air, a time when nothing mattered but one''s own life and the victory of the war.


    Enfer, in charge of deployment, stood atop the barrier. His swordsmanship was far more effective than arrows or magic for taking down the ''birds''.


    His Divine Skill, which cut down enemies regardless of distance, was the most suitable for bringing down the birds. However, in exchange for abandoning the defense of the barrier, damage continued to umte on it.


    The north, where the most monsters from the Empire poured in.


    Yeranhes, which had suffered particrly severe damage during the past winter.


    Mei, who had left without using Restoration.


    The result of all these factorsbined.


    "...As expected."


    Enfer''s eyes, which had been on the barrier, shifted to the right. His gaze sank heavily.


    "Has the timee?"


    Boom! Kaboom!


    Monsters surged in like a tidal wave. Gradually, creatures of different calibers crawled out from deeper within, clinging to the barrier.


    Crack!


    And then, finally, from the perspective of the monsters and Manggot, atst.


    "Ah, ah... Aaaaaah!!"


    "N-no! Stop it, we have to stop..."


    Amidst the screams and despair of the soldiers, the barrier crumbled.


    "Block the wall!!"


    One of the knights shouted, and even faster, the mages began their chants.


    Crackle!


    A massive ice wall formed, filling the gap in the broken barrier.


    "Ugh!"


    However, the hastily created ice wall was far too weakpared to the original barrier. It had no chance of withstanding the renewed onught of the monsters. The mages continued to pour Mana into it, adding more ice, but it was crumbling at a much faster rate.


    "L-Lord! The wall has been breached!"


    A knight approached Enfer and shouted.


    "Yes, I see."


    "Please give us orders!"


    However, Enfer shook his head at those words.


    "I''m not the one to give orders."


    "What? What do you mean!"


    Enfer was receiving periodic reports.


    The status of the barriers throughout the Empire, where the most critical point was at the moment.


    And based on the reports andmunications from the soldiers, the critical point was right here, in the north.


    Since it was a barrier without ''Restoration'', this oue was almost inevitable.


    Therefore.


    "My wife will give the orders."


    Enfer would simply move ''as nned''.


    * * *


    "The best thing would be if the barrier doesn''t copse. But the probability of that is not high."


    Frondier spoke inside the room that Osprey had brought him into.


    "As Her Majesty the Empress said, if I am a single spear aiming for the heart of Manggot."


    Frondier used the obsidian to depict the location of the empire''s barrier and Manggot, and then drew an arrow. It was too simplified to be called a map, a temporary symbol.


    "We must prepare for the possibility of failure."


    "......"


    At those words, everyone''s faces became gloomy.


    However, Frondier shook his head.


    "Failure doesn''t necessarily mean I have to die."


    "......Then?"


    "Simply put, the barrier copses before the spear reaches the enemy''s heart. This is also a failure of this operation."

 Chapter 278 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier''s n had a countdown.


    A countdown before the barrier copses.


    If this ends, even if Frondier pierces the heart of Manggot, it cannot be considered aplete sess.


    "From the Empire''s point of view, we must think that Mr. Frondier never existed from the beginning."


    Aten spoke, and Frondier nodded.


    "That''s right, I don''t actually exist. My n cannot be the entire Empire''s n."


    "Frondier, what are you trying to say? Are you suggesting that we abandon the empire''s territory and narrow the barrier even now?"


    If we don''t consider Frondier''s strategy, this war would be a sess for the empire if they could defend all the monsters and the entire area with their power.


    That''s not realistic with the current barrier cement.Then Frondier looked around at everyone.


    "......I have a proposal."


    Everyone''s eyes were on him at his words.


    "If you ept this strategy of mine as the ''Empire''s Strategy''."


    "......!"


    Philly, who first understood the meaning of his words, widened her eyes.


    In other words, the entire empire will cooperate to pierce a single window called Frondier. That''s what Frondier meant.


    "There is a way to dy the countdown and effectively deal with the enemy."


    "What is it?"


    "We assume that the barrier will break from the beginning."


    At his words, everyone tilted their heads, and Frondier pointed to the barrier he had created.


    "I have a magic called ''Restoration''. If you''ve seen it with me in Tyburn, you''ll know, Lord Ludwig."


    At those words, Ludwig nodded his head. The amazing sight of the barrier being restored as if rewinding was still vivid in his eyes.


    "And actually, I''ve built that magic into a rune."


    "What, what did you say!"


    The one who was surprised by that was Osprey.


    A rune cannot be created for all magic. Especially for magic where intuition is important, the efficiency of the rune is even lower.


    For example, in the case of the ''Chain Lightning'' used by Ludwig, the power and uniformity of the magic vary depending on his condition, the rity of his mind, and a bit of probability.


    It is difficult to create such magic with a rune in the first ce, and even if it is created, the power is inevitably lower than using the magic directly.


    But he created a rune for the great magic of restoration? And he''s already installed it?


    However, Frondier nodded his head calmly and spoke again.


    "I will activate the rune from the east in order, and stop it in the north. There are three effects of this. One is to make the enemy mistakenly think that I am in the barrier, and the other is to lure the enemies to the north."


    Of course, the real second effect was to draw in the members of Manggot who could shadow transition to Mei.


    "And the third is, we can decide which barrier will break first."


    "......Ah!"


    At that, everyone nodded as if they understood.


    In a situation where all barriers are restored, only the northern barrier, which has suffered the most severe damage, is not repaired. It''s obvious which one will copse first.


    "The enemies will witness the barriers being repaired clockwise. Manggot is in the west, and realistically, they will aim for the north rather than the east, where they have to go in the exact opposite direction. Their gaze will naturally be drawn to the north."


    And if the barrier breaks, their gaze will be focused on the north in an instant.


    "Manggot will use the shadow transfer to secure victory. Even if it''s not the entire force, it will be a substantial number."


    The key to this war is how Manggot attacks.


    We need to watch their movements more than the monsters that simply push with force.


    "Seizing that opportunity."


    The eyes of Frondier shine sharply.


    * * *


    As Frondier predicted, the shadow transfer of Manggot begins.


    The members of Manggot gathering to the north. The astonishing travel distance of the shadow transition blows them to the north in an instant.


    However.


    The blowing up is just an illusion, they have just gathered.


    ©¤ The first to appear will be, two arrows that I shoot.


    The northern barrier where the members of Manggot hurriedly gathered.


    Towards that point.


    Swoosh-


    Two very quiet lines rush across the ground.


    One starts from the barrier, and the other starts from Manggot.


    Swoosh-


    Thud, thump!


    At each point they touch, they cut off one life, and move on to the next shadow, and the next shadow. Instinctively heading towards where there are the most shadows.


    Result.


    Pop!


    Mei and Selena appear simultaneously to the shadows in the north.


    "......?"


    "??"


    The two froze for a moment when they faced each other.


    They looked at each other with a ''who?'' gaze.


    They were merely ying their roles.


    "Argh, Ahhhhh!"


    "Kraaaak!"


    Blood stters and limbs roll around between the Manggot.


    Screams breed more screams, and the Manggot who arrived through the shadow transition are thrown into chaos.


    No one thinks that the moment of shadow transition to their allies would be the most dangerous.


    A massacre scene born out ofpletecency.


    Selena, who has reached the pinnacle as an assassin, and Mei, who has learned all sorts of skills through training, mercilessly cut them down.


    However, they cannot cut down all the Manggot.


    After the effect of the surprise attack disappears, it is difficult for the two of them to face the Manggot familiar with the outside monsters in a full-scale battle.


    Therefore.


    ©¤What follows is.


    From the beginning, across the barrier,


    Those who did not participate in the battle were holding their breath and waiting for the moment.


    "......Yes, confirmed."


    A man at the forefront picks up someone''s call and puts it down again.


    "Orders from Lady Malia havee down."


    ©¤The strongest knight order of the empire is needed.


    Sharp auras emitting quiet gazes in the forest.


    They were forbidden to participate in the barrier battle, and with all their strength, they endured and watched the deaths of the soldiers and knights.


    His anger had already reached its peak.


    "We will be the me of the empire."


    As he spoke, Commander Sylvain drew his sword.


    It was his left hand.


    "Roach Knight Order©¤©¤!!!"


    With a swift motion!!


    All at once, they drew their swords, and the knights'' gazes gathered beyond, charging towards Manggot.


    Just their sheer existence, it was so immense that it seemed enough to kill a person.


    "Sweep them away!!!"


    Waiting for thete hour, the empire''s strongest knight order finallyunched.


    Their ws began to scrape the ground.


    Towards Manggot.


    Towards the mes, bing the mes.

 Chapter 279 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 279 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    The Roach knights'' hooves pounded the ground, shaking the earth as they charged forward.


    Uncharacteristically, their formation was slightly disarrayed, and their pace betrayed a sense of urgency. However, Commander Sylvain paid it no mind. None of the knights bothered to correct their ranks.


    The truth was, no one cared about such trivial matters at this moment.


    <i>Thud, thud, thud-!!</i>


    Instead, the knights'' horses picked up speed, as if sensing the burning intent of their riders, pushing forward with even greater force and momentum.


    They reached the Manggot in the blink of an eye.


    The faces of the Manggot came into view.


    Those who dared to wage war against the Empire.


    Those despicable wretches who sought to coborate with the outside monsters.Those wretched dogs who had destroyed the barrier and in soldiers and knights alike.


    As their faces became clear, the knights'' patience, led by Sylvain, finally snapped.


    "Kill them all-!!!!"


    It was a cry that was neither knightly nor particrly Sylvain-like, but...


    As if it were a perfectly clearmand.


    "Uwaaaaah!!"


    The knights charged forward with the sole intent to kill,


    <i>Crunch, crunch!</i>


    <i>Crackle, crackle!!</i>


    They spurred their horses onward, crushing those who were slow to react into a pulp on the ground.


    "Ugh... Hrk, aaakkk!!"


    "It''s the Roach Knights! Roach Kni, gahk!"


    Amidst the chaos caused by Mei and Selena''s surprise attack, the Roach knights mmed into the right nk of the group.


    Those who were trampled by the horses had no chance of survival, and even those who managed to evade were cut down by the knights'' precise swordsmanship.


    "Ugh...!"


    Meanwhile, Mei and Selena had retreated upon seeing the knights'' arrival, but they worried about being swept away by their overwhelming momentum.


    Just then, a riderless horse galloped towards them from afar.


    Selena recognized the horse at once.


    "Cassian!"


    Cassiannded precisely beside Selena, and she gently ced her hand on its body.


    "...Did Lord Frondier send you too?"


    Cassian simply looked at Selena in response to her question. It was unclear whether the horse understood or not.


    To Selena, that silence was an answer in itself. A faint smile graced her lips.


    "...Let''s go!"


    Selena mounted Cassian''s back and extended a hand to Mei.


    "Get on, whoever you are!"


    "...!"


    Mei was momentarily startled.


    She currently wore the face of Ad, one of the Manggot''s shepherds, whom she had replicated. Selena would naturally recognize that face.


    Of course, Mei didn''t know Selena and had no idea if she was acquainted with Ad, but Selena''s act of offering her hand to aplete stranger was undeniably strange.


    "Hurry!"


    At Selena''s urging, Mei took her hand and climbed onto the horse behind her.


    Cassian gracefully retreated from the battlefield. Once they had a moment to breathe, Selena asked Mei,


    "So, who are you? Why were you wearing a mask and charging into such a dangerous ce?"


    "...A mask? What are you talking about?"


    Mei''s innocent reply caused Selena to turn her head back to look at her. Cassian was practically self-driving, so there was no need for Selena to keep her eyes fixed forward.


    "Your face... I know it. But that person is from Manggot, so I assumed someone was wearing a mask to impersonate them. Am I wrong?"


    "...I don''t know what you mean by a mask, but..."


    Mei hesitated for a moment before saying,


    "I am impersonating someone, yes."


    As she spoke, she transformed back into her true form.


    With chestnut hair and a face resembling Frondier and Elodie, just like back then.


    "...!"


    Selena''s jaw dropped in astonishment. If Mei had transformed instantly without hesitation, she might have screamed.


    In the past, while the Manggot War loomed, Selena had barely any ess to Frondier. As a result, she knew nothing about the devil incident at the Imperial Pce or about Mei.


    "Is that your real face?"


    "Yes."


    Although she had only recently regained her true face, Mei answered curtly.


    Looking at her face, Selena thought,


    ''...She resembles Frondier.''


    Mei''s resemnce to Frondier wasn''t just a vague simrity; it was, to put it simply, a logical resemnce.


    Since Frondier and Elodie''s features were blended in her, she looked even more like them than a parent and child, and the aura she exuded was simr as well.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Mei."


    "Mei, I''m Selena."


    Mei gave a brief nod at the introduction, then suddenly spoke as if something had urred to her.


    "Ah, Selena... Frondier..."


    Selena''s eyes widened at those words.


    "Y-You know Lord Frondier?"


    "Yes, I''m learning various things from him."


    Learning? Learning what?


    What could Frondier possibly be teaching a child like this?


    Was it not just a coincidence that she resembled him?


    "I heard about you from Frondier."


    Mei''s quiet words.


    That single sentence cleared away all of Selena''s thoughts, her attention now focused on what Mei had said.


    "W-What did he say?"


    "Hmm, he said you were his escort."


    It was a simple statement, and a fact, at that.


    Selena felt a slight pang of disappointment.


    "So, actually, he said he lied."


    "...What?"


    ©¤Selena is still my escort, so I guess I lied.


    "That''s what he said. He said it to himself, but I couldn''t understand, so I kept remembering it."


    "..."


    "Do you know what he meant?"


    Frondier''s puzzling words that he had uttered to Mei.


    Just like Mei''s perplexed expression, Selena tilted her head in confusion, then...


    Suddenly, herst conversation with Frondier came to mind.


    <i>©¤Selena, farewell means...</i>


    <i>©¤That we are severing the roles we have yed together.</i>


    <i>©¤So, you are no longer my escort.</i>


    Frondier had said those words just before parting ways with Selena.


    It was to hear Selena''s honest feelings. Free from their roles and formalities, he had asked her to raise her head.


    And so, Selena had raised her head and met Frondier''s gaze. Her true feelings were reflected in her expression and tears.


    But Frondier had told Mei that it was a lie to say she wasn''t his escort.


    In other words,


    ''He still considers me... his escort...''


    Selena blinked for a moment.


    Although Frondier had mostly been authoritative and strict in front of her, as time passed, Selena remembered his face gradually softening.


    When they first met, he had simply been frightening.


    But as she got to know him little by little, Frondier sometimes seemed like just an ordinary boy of his age.


    Despite how natural that was.


    That natural face surfaced in Selena''s mind, and she tilted her head slightly.


    His voice echoed in her ears like the wind.


    ©¤I said farewell, so I guess I have to hire her again if I want her as my escort. No, I haven''t even fired her yet. Can''t I just say it was a lie?


    It was undoubtedly just her imagination, but...


    It felt like something Frondier would seriously contemte.


    Something that would


    leave Selena, who naturally considered herself his escort, momentarily speechless.


    "...Pfft."


    Augh finally escaped Selena''s lips.


    Seeing this, Mei asked,


    "Did you figure it out? What did Frondier lie about?"


    In response to Mei''s question, Selena gently shook her head.


    "No."


    Her eyes, gazing ahead, were clear as if they had washed away all the dust of the battlefield.


    "There were no lies."

 Chapter 279 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 279 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Andika, one of the Manggot''s shepherds, was seething with rage.


    As soon as the Manggot forces had gathered, two women had started a fight within their ranks, and then, out of the blue, the knights had stormed in and turned most of them into mush.


    "Those... damned... bastards...!"


    Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, his sword zed red. His surging killing intent, transformed into aura, targeted the knights.


    Most of the Roach knights sensed his bloodlust and nced his way, but their priorityy with the other knights around them and, above all, the enemies before them.


    "I''ll kill those bastards right now!"


    Just as Andika was about to charge forward in his fury, someone grabbed him.


    "Calm down!"


    It was Beso, another shepherd."Calm down?! You want me to just leave those half-baked tin cans alone?!"


    "Look over there!"


    Beso pointed towards the barrier.


    The very reason why the Manggot had gathered in this ce. The northern barrier had already been breached, and the hasty ice repairs wouldn''t hold for long. It was already on the verge of copse due to the monsters.


    "Even though we were lured here by those bastards, the fact remains that the barrier is broken! Most of the shepherds are gathered here right now! We have to cross the barrier!"


    "...Leave the Manggot''s flock here and just cross the barrier ourselves?"


    Andika''s voice was filled with displeasure. If the shepherds left, the remaining Manggot forces would all perish at the hands of the Roach knights.


    However, in response to his words, Beso grabbed him by the cor and shouted,


    "Yes!! Aren''t we the Wildfire!!"


    "..."


    Andika gritted his teeth and looked around at those words.


    Many other shepherds had already arrived besides the two of them.


    Looking at it objectively, Beso was right. The monsters were currently swarming towards the broken barrier. Naturally, the soldiers and knights would also be drawn there.


    Even with just this number of people remaining, they could easily break through the gaps in the Imperial forces. Although they had suffered significant casualties, none of the shepherds were injured.


    "...Indeed, I wascking in resolve. Let''s go!"


    Andika wasn''t particrly a leader among the shepherds, but his change of heart served as the starting signal.


    They all ran towards the barrier. For shepherds of their caliber, a barrier of this height was easily surmountable.


    Under normal circumstances, they would have faced considerable resistance from the knights, but as expected, the broken barrier left them no time for that, allowing the shepherds to reach the top of the barrier with ease.


    "There''s no time to hesitate!"


    The Imperial soldiers btedly noticed them, but the shepherds ignored most of them and leaped over the barrier.


    Finally, the Manggot had crossed the barrier.


    ''I can''t use Shadow Transfer yet!''


    Now that they were across, he wanted to gather all the Manggot forces, but it wasn''t possible yet.


    They had only just crossed the barrier; there was still a long way to go before they could bring down the Empire.


    First, they needed to escape to an uninhabited area and scatter all at once topletely erase any traces of their movements.


    "It is said that the Empire has someone who can share the vision of key individuals! Don''t let even a single one of us be tracked!"


    "Right!"


    The shepherds advanced rapidly.


    Right in front of their path, as luck would have it, a lone man was standing there.


    The shepherds'' eyes met quickly.


    In this situation, there was no need to distinguish between enemies, whether they were knights, soldiers, or ordinary citizens.


    Just one person. They could kill him in an instant and move on.


    The shepherds decided on the order to eliminate the obstacle and drew their weapons as they ran.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    The shepherds shed at the man blocking their path as they passed by.


    It was a bit strange that they felt no resistance, but as long as he wasn''t in their way, it was fine. They just had to keep moving forward. They had no time to spare.


    However.


    "...?"


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Azier Original</i>


    <i>Falling edge</i>


    No matter how urgent their situation was, no matter how prepared they were to sacrifice their lives for the Wildfire.


    <i>ng!!</i>


    With all of them dropping their weapons to the ground, things were not going to go as nned.


    "!!"


    The shepherds turned back to look at the man they had passed.


    All of them had dropped their weapons on the ground around him, even though they had run quite a distance.


    Just as they had mentioned earlier, ''without feeling anything''.


    "The Manggot, I see."


    The man who had stopped them, or rather, forced them to stop, was...


    He extended his long spear to the side and gently ced it on the ground.


    "I heard they wereparable to the Empire''s Zodiac."


    His sharp eyes scanned each of the shepherds one by one.


    That appearance, that skill... the shepherds knew exactly who he was.


    ''Azier de Roach!''


    The mystical technique that caused opponents to drop their weapons, the Drop.


    They had heard of it, but they never imagined it would be such a silent technique.


    A pinnacle of skill that made those who were affected unaware of what had happened.


    As they btedly raised their guard against Azier, he spoke with a dissatisfied tone,


    "Are you all stronger with your bare hands?"


    It was a perfect provocation, but Azier waspletely serious.

 Chapter 280 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 280 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    At Azier''s words, Shepherd Andika''s veins bulged.


    The technique of disarming itself was impressive, but for those who could freely manipte aura like them, retrieving their weapons from afar was a simple task.


    No matter how skilled he was, to stand alone before the Shepherds¡­


    "Can I kill him?"


    Andika spoke in a seething voice.


    "He''s obstructing our path. You''re not going to tell me to ignore him too, are you?"


    "Of course not."


    It was Beso who answered.


    He, too, seemed to have his pride wounded, emanating a menacing aura towards Azier."He''s a key force of the Empire. It''s right to kill him here."


    Satisfied with the response, Andika grinned.


    "I was waiting for you to say that."


    Andika infused his aura and shouted towards Azier.


    "Hey, Azier! You overestimate your own strength!"


    At that signal, the Shepherds leaped simultaneously. Even without weapons, they were plenty strong. If they attacked at the same time, even Azier wouldn''t be able to handle it.


    Above all, their primary objective was to retrieve their own weapons. Unless Azier had ten hands, he couldn''t stop them all.


    "I didn''t overestimate my strength,"


    Azier raised his spear high, its tip pointing straight towards the sky.


    "I was disappointed."


    <i>Thud!</i>


    He lightly tapped the ground with the end of the spear shaft, and the scattered weapons around him rose into the air.


    <i>ng!</i>


    He deflected them all and shot them towards the charging Shepherds. The Shepherds'' eyes widened, and they each evaded the weapons that were swung at them like baseball bats.


    "This, insolent bastard!"


    The Manggot aura red, and they decided to kill Azier before retrieving their weapons.


    <i>Boom!*</i>


    However, at that moment, from the left side,pletely unrted to Azier, magic bullets were fired towards them.


    "Wh-What?!"


    As if drawing a line between Azier and them, the magic bullets seemed to be fired recklessly, yet they urately targeted the Shepherds. The Shepherds responded to the magic bullets in their own ways and retreated.


    "There''s a mage!"


    "This guy, he''s not alone!"


    The Shepherds shouted one after another. Azier''s cold gaze seemed to say, ''Isn''t that obvious?''


    "Mr. Azier, provocation is fine, but don''t be too reckless."


    From atop the building to the left, where Azier and the Shepherds were facing off, a woman appeared.


    "Frondier was right. The Manggot Shepherds are weak in one-on-onebat."


    With both hands outstretched, magic forms embedded in each fingertip, Instructor Jane spoke.


    Azier let out a sigh.


    "I didn''t expect them all to drop their weapons."


    "Mr. Azier is still too strict with himself and others. Even a Zodiac wouldn''t be able to handle that technique the first time they encountered it."


    "That''s impossible."


    Azier shook his head as if it were absurd.


    "It never worked on my father, not even once."


    "..."


    At those words, Jane''s eyes darted to the side. Feeling fear towards the entire Roach family with just that one sentence, Jane wasn''t the only one.


    ''The head of the Enfer family not entering the Zodiac might be a good thing for the Empire, in a way.''


    Jane couldn''t help but think that.


    "Oh, there you are!"


    And this time, from the right, a man appeared.


    "The strategy of dispersing to appropriate locations in case we didn''t know which way they would go worked!"


    It was Pascal Schlitz, a pce knight and instructor.


    His still youthful face was filled with excitement, whether it was yfulness or battle lust.


    "That strategy was also suggested by Frondier."


    Instructor Isamaya appeared, refuting his words. Appearing with a pointer in hand, she looked like a teacher in a ssroom even amidst this battlefield.


    And as if gradually gathering at this location, Constel instructors appeared from their respective directions.


    The Shepherds, who had thought they were facing off against Azier, were now surrounded. Their numbers were already significantly smaller


    "Each one of them isparable to a Zodiac, right?"


    "That''s what the Headmaster said."


    The instructors exchanged light conversation with each other, then turned towards the Shepherds, emanating palpable tension and murderous intent.


    Jane''s arms extended to both sides.


    Around her, at ten points where her fingers extended, ten different spells unfolded simultaneously.


    "It''s time to prove the power of Constel."


    One spell per finger.


    Jane, who had once gained the position of Headmaster and knowledge due to Osprey''s grand magic, had her level as a mage elevated even after Osprey''s return, due to the lingering effects.


    "Hmph, even if you lot try to overwhelm us with numbers, do you think you can stop us!"


    Shepherd Andika shouted. Along with him, the other Shepherds alsopleted their battle stances.


    "The citizens of the Empire that you so desperately want to protect, the Manggot''s mes will burn them all!!"


    Andika''s words roared like a beast.


    In response, a dark smile and immense murderous intent appeared on Jane''s lips.


    "We''re not protecting the citizens of the Empire,"


    <i>Simultaneous Magic Casting</i>


    <i>Tenfold Incantation</i>


    <i>Jane Original</i>


    <i>Butterfly Dream</i>


    Jane''spleted ten spells spread out like wings,pletely filling the space around her and emitting colorful lights.


    Each one emanated a distinct, chilling aura that couldn''t be taken lightly.


    "We''re protecting the children."


    Finally, Jane''s magic was unleashed, pouring down like a bombing.

 Chapter 280 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 280 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    The Imperial Pce conference room.


    This ce was bustling with personnel giving operational instructions based on the war situation.


    "How are the other Zodiacs doing?"


    Philly asked, and Malia''s eyes momentarily scanned the surroundings. Then, Malia spoke.


    "There are no problems. Most of the barriers have been restored and are holding strong, and the Zodiacs are able to handle the Manggot''s upper ranks without difficulty."


    "I was worried that some of the Zodiacs might be defeated, but that''s a relief."


    If the Manggot had individualsparable to the Zodiacs, it wouldn''t be surprising if one of them defeated a Zodiac and breached the barrier.


    However, there hadn''t been such a case yet.


    One of the Zodiacs, Medart, had been defeated, but Sybil had handled the situation well."There are still many enemies hiding and waiting for the right moment. They''re waiting for us to be exhausted by the monsters outside."


    "So we can''t let our guard down yet."


    If time passed indefinitely, the Empire would gradually be more vulnerable.


    The Empire already had several time-outs in ce.


    But before that, they were also waiting for something.


    Hoping that their wait would be quicker than the time-outs, they endured with anxious hearts.


    Suddenly,


    Malia''s gaze changed.


    "The engagement between Constel and the Manggot has begun."


    "....!"


    Hearing those words, Empress Philly nodded.


    "A significant number of the Manggot have gathered in one ce and are facing off against Constel. They can no longer recklessly use Shadow Transfer."


    "Yes. The two arrows that Frondier mentioned."


    The two arrows, Mei and Selena.


    Their surprise attack was crucial in eliminating the Manggot personnel immediately, but more importantly, it served as a warning to the Manggot.


    They had been ambushed immediately after using Shadow Transfer.


    They couldn''t guarantee that such a thing wouldn''t happen again.


    Of course, there was no guarantee that Selena and Mei would seed in another surprise attack, and considering the risks, they probably wouldn''t try it again.


    But the same was true for the Manggot.


    From the moment the arrows of Mei and Selena hit their mark, they would hesitate to use Shadow Transference.


    "Then now,"


    Philly''s gaze turned to the woman standing in the center of the conference room.


    "You''ve waited long enough."


    "Yes. Indeed I have, Your Majesty."


    The woman smiled and unfolded a ck fan, covering her mouth.


    Philly spoke to the woman.


    "Topletely end the war, we absolutely need your help. But this operation is predicated on the spear that is Frondier piercing the enemy''s stronghold."


    "Of course."


    "Are you confident he will seed?"


    At Philly''s question, Quinie de Viet lowered her fan and revealed unwavering eyes.


    "Frondier declined my offer to be my knight, saying that he had to save the world."


    Quinie''s attire was still ck, but the emblem symbolizing her knighthood was emzoned on her shoulder.


    Quinie smiled as if without a shred of doubt.


    "He wouldn''t say such things just to stop here. That''s the kind of man Frondier is."


    At those words, Philly closed her eyes gently.


    Opening her eyes slowly again, Philly said,


    "Then let''s begin."


    * * *


    The moment Selena shot the needle made of Obsidian,


    "....!"


    Frondier sensed the movement.


    If the needle he had nted beforehand worked as intended, Selena would use Shadow Transfer.


    Mei, who had moved to lure someone from the Manggot, and Selena, who had given the Manggot a chance to escape.


    Frondier didn''t know which one would seed. He simply believed.


    ''Then, the time hase.''


    Frondier lifted his body, which had been sumbing to sloth. An overwhelming sense of powerlessness, far beyond mere fatigue, washed over him, but he shook it off by raising his head.


    "....!"


    Belphegor witnessed this.


    At this point, not much time had passed since Belphegor''s Deadly Sin had activated.


    However, it was extremely strange for Frondier, who should have been gradually sumbing, to raise his body.


    ''If he could resist, he would have done so long ago. It''s strange that he''s able to resist now.''


    His Deadly Sin wasn''t something one could get used to or adapt to. If that were the case, the Emperor of the Empire would have also risen from his weakened state. Once a curse was set, it wouldn''t worsen, but conversely, it wouldn''t weaken either.


    If even a mere curse was like that, what he had inflicted upon Frondier was his power itself.


    "You bastard....!"


    Belphegor''s anger red as he dealt with Frondier''s numerous weapons.


    He was enraged not just because Frondier had ovee his Deadly Sin.


    "You were waiting, even while receiving my power!"


    The fact that Frondier had endured and bided his time,


    That he had used his ability for stalling and bluffing, was the ultimate humiliation for Belphegor.


    "How did you ovee my power! I saw your soul directly. It shouldn''t have missed like other mental magic!"


    "Yes, it was incredibly lethargic. It still is."


    Frondier reached out his hand. One of the countless weapons in the air flew into his grasp.


    "I didn''t ovee or conquer it."


    As he infused aura into the weapon, the de trembled as if responding to Frondier''s aura.


    "As you wished, I am slothful andzy. I want to lie down right now."


    But because he had experienced that sensation for so long,


    Because he had walked on all fours, dragging his body,


    "I will kill you just like this. Slothfully."


    He muttered such brazen words to the Demon of Sloth.


    "After receiving my Deadly Sin, with such a pathetic de, you dare to utter such nonsense!"


    Belphegor''s new form shot towards Frondier.


    Looking straight at him, Frondier said,


    "You seem to have forgotten, Demon of Sloth."


    The moment Frondier uttered those words, a thought shed through Belphegor''s mind.


    Why did Frondier bring down a single sword from the air and grip it in his hand?


    Why were his hands ''empty''?


    "....!"


    Belphegor realized his mistake and stopped.


    However, stopping was, in itself, a fatal mistake for him.


    The sword and hammer were already prepared around Belphegor.


    While Belphegor was destroying the weapons, Frondier had released the sword and hammer from his hands.


    Excalibur, still holding back its mes, imbued with his mana.


    Mj?lnir, positioned beside it like apanion.


    <i>Aura Release, Sword Ki</i>


    <i>Frondier Original</i>


    <i>Nail, Diagonal Cut</i>


    The outrageously powerful technique that hadn''t been fully unleashed against Renzo.


    From front, back, left, and right, the tips of Excalibur pointed towards Belphegor.


    "Didn''t I tell you, I''m a fake."


    With Frondier''s deration,


    The hammer struck the pommel of the aura-infused de.


    <i>KWA-A-ANG-!!!</i>


    Without any exaggeration,


    Thebination of God and Hero descended upon Belphegor.

 Chapter 281 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A massive sword-shaped aura shot forward.


    It was toote to dodge, and with the crossfire literally pressing in from all sides, blocking was impossible.


    Belphegor had only one choice.


    "Hmph!"


    He channeled his aura throughout his body, armoring himself like a suit of steel.


    The armor forged from the aura of a Seven Deadly Sins devil surpassed the strength of ordinary steel with ease, but...


    <i>KWAAAAAAA-!!</i>


    "Ugh, kugh, AAAAAARGH!!"


    His opponent wielded the hammer of a god and a legendary sword.Even in the hands of a human, they were not to bepared with mere steel.


    Yet, Belphegor endured. Gritting his teeth, he ignited his aura andyered it upon himself.


    The Devil of Sloth stood at the opposite end of perseverance. While the other Deadly Sins flitted about, inflicting their respective sins, he simply remained in ce.


    For that was sloth.


    Slothparable to death meant sinking into oneself until the very moment of demise.


    ''...In the end.''


    As Belphegor withstood the onught of sword aura from all directions, Frondier''s hand fell heavily.


    The weapons embroidered in the air vanished, and the rune of Menosorpo gradually faded.


    ''Exhausted, huh.''


    The true value of Excalibury in its ability to amplify the user''s mana.


    Even such a simple ability, when its effect became so immense, deserved the title of legend.


    Frondier had defeated countless formidable foes with Excalibur: Heldre, the rampaging Kora, and even fragments of Helheim.


    The stronger the enemy he faced, the more mana was consumed.


    Excalibur ? Alpha was a monster that devoured the user''s mana.


    It offered rewardsmensurate with the mana it received, but that was precisely why there was no reason to conserve mana against Belphegor.


    ...Therefore.


    If Belphegor could withstand this blow...


    "Kugh, ugh... Kuuugh..."


    If the name of the Seven Deadly Sins remained untarnished even after enduring the crossfire of the sword aura ''Nail''...


    "Frondier..."


    "..."


    The power of the sword aura dissipated, leaving Belphegor''s body smoking, his clothes stained with wounds and blood.


    But Belphegor did not crumble.


    "I have no choice but to acknowledge it."


    "..."


    "You are the strongest human I have ever seen."


    As if bothered by the flowing blood, Belphegor brushed his arm.


    "And the most irritating one."


    At those words, Frondier smiled.


    Unlike other times, the smile was half a bluff.


    ''Thanks for the acknowledgment, but...''


    What now?


    Frondier wasn''t like Azier or Ellen, who had reached the pinnacle of technique, nor was he like Elodie, who excelled in the art of magic.


    He was the type who relied on his wits to wield weapons beyond his replicating abilities and ensure their uracy.


    So, most of his battles were determined by whether his attacksnded or not.


    But if the fight didn''t end even afternding a hit...


    "...Hoo."


    Belphegor''s eyes gleamed.


    "Seems like you''re empty."


    "...!"


    Belphegor instantly realized. In fact, it was hard not to notice.


    The weapons and runes that had been flying around had all disappeared, and their owner, Frondier, was barely keeping his eyes open with a dying look. Once he noticed, even Frondier''s slowly trembling fingertips became visible.


    "Frondier, killing you now would be an easy task for me."


    "..."


    Frondier remained silent.


    "But before that."


    However, Belphegor''s murderous intent gradually subsided.


    "To you, who still haven''t figured out what you are, I''ll ask you once more."


    "What is it?"


    "Why do you side with the Empire?"


    As he asked, Belphegor reached out his hand. His staff, no longer restrained by the Obsidian, returned to his grasp.


    "Why ask something so obvious? Manggot is my enemy, and the Empire is my foundation. I will stop anyone who threatens it."


    "That''s not an answer, Frondier. If you were a human who simply wanted to save his own life, you wouldn''t ask such questions."


    Belphegor extended his staff towards Frondier.


    "You came to thisnd alone. To the most dangerous ce, you walked into the jaws of death. For the sake of the Empire. That''s something only someone who doesn''t value their own life would do. The reason you conserved your strength and bought time against me was to wait for all the Shepherds of Manggot to be confirmed within the Empire''s sight, wasn''t it?"


    What Frondier had been waiting for, even enduring the sin of Sloth...


    It was to confirm the locations of all the Shepherds of Manggot. And above all, it was best for the human who shared vision with Malia to be the one to confirm it.


    That''s why Frondier waited. For the time of the sh between Zodiac, Aster and Sybil, Selena and Mei, the Roach Knights, Manggot, and Constel.


    "When ying chess, the loneliest piece is not the pawn, but the one who controls them."


    Belphegor spoke as if piercing through Frondier''s inner thoughts.


    "You moved for the Empire''s victory. To minimize the damage, you made a dangerous gamble. Why?"


    "...?"


    Frondier''s eyes momentarily wavered.


    He found the question difficult to understand. Frondier was on the Empire''s side. As a member of the Empire, he acted for its victory. To achieve that, sometimes dangerous gambles were necessary.


    What was wrong with this line of reasoning? Why did Belphegor question it?


    "If you can''t understand this question, I''ll ask again."


    Belphegor shook his head once.


    "Why don''t you choose the side where ''the most humans survive''?"


    "...What?"


    "Why do you want to perpetuate the tragedy of humanity?"


    At those words, Frondier''s eyes slowly widened.


    This reaction, in turn, caused Belphegor''s brow to furrow.


    "Frondier, with your level of intellect, having reached a position where you can even keep the gods in check..."


    Belphegor''s gaze turned cold.


    "Just ying dumb and averting your eyes won''t make it go away."


    "...!"


    "I am Sloth. A devil of the Seven Deadly Sins, one who stands in opposition to God."


    Belphegor was the Devil of Sloth.


    Naturally, devils opposed God.


    Therefore, devils wouldn''t do as God wished.


    "Even if you don''t know for sure, you must have guessed. No matter what path you''ve walked, once you reach your level, you can''t help but know."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "It''s getting boring to pretend you don''t know, Frondier."


    Belphegor sighed and briefly closed his eyes before opening them again.


    "The truth of this world."


    "...!"


    "I am a devil. As a devil, I only have malice. Annihting humanity is just an evil act for me. I will feed on the souls umted from countless corpses. I have no intention of denying that."


    Belphegor spoke of devouring souls, yet his eyes held a strangeck of interest in the act.


    "But for you, it could be an ''act of good,'' couldn''t it? Frondier, yes, I won''t ask if you''re the real Frondier or not. But you should know. You should have seen through how this world works. You should have observed the deeds God has inflicted upon humanity."


    Belphegor''s words were filled with omissions and leaps in logic, making them difficult to understand.


    ...Or so they should be.


    For some reason, Frondier had already begun toprehend Belphegor''s words, and as if to prove it, his eyes trembled endlessly.


    "Frondier, do you wish for humanity to continue living?"


    This moment, as Belphegor posed this question to Frondier, was...


    Far more unbearable than when he had bestowed the sin of Sloth.


    "Do you truly believe that is humanity''s happiness?"

 Chapter 281 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aster Evans beheaded thest Minotaur.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Stepping on the body of the headless bull, he took a deep breath and calmed his ragged breathing.


    "...Right! The barrier...!"


    He had been almost in a trance while facing the Minotaur, so he hadn''t had time to worry about the barrier.


    Since the Minotaur had drawn all the attention, he didn''t think the barrier would have been breached already, but...


    "Huh?"


    Beyond that, the barrier was excessively intact.


    The number of monsters outside had significantly decreased, and even those remaining couldn''t even touch the barrier, dying from arrows and stones."With the Minotaur dead, do you think the monsters would want to attack the barrier?"


    In the meantime, Nimue approached him.


    "How''s the sword?"


    "Ah, thank you. It was a truly excellent sword. I''ll return it..."


    "Huh? Wait a minute!"


    Aster lifted Excalibur with both hands and respectfully offered it to Nimue.


    As soon as Nimue received it, Aster''s legs gave way, and he copsed.


    "Oh, uh?"


    "You idiot! That''s what happens when you carelessly let go of the sword!"


    Nimue quickly returned the sword to Aster.


    "Excalibur makes the user''s mana nearly infinite, but it doesn''t replenish stamina or mental strength. Thanks to the inexhaustible mana, it''s easy to mistake your condition for being at its peak, but your body is already sufficiently exhausted. If you let go of Excalibur now, the bacsh from your depleted body will suddenly hit you."


    Only then did Aster realize that his hands, no, his entire body was trembling.


    "I, I see."


    "And since I gave you Excalibur, don''t even think about returning it."


    "..."


    At those words, Aster stared at the Excalibur he had received again for a moment.


    "...This was Excalibur?"


    "You really just figured that out now!"


    Aster, now sitting, looked at Excalibur with curiosity, his eyes sparkling like a child''s.


    Sighing, Nimue waved her hand lightly.


    "Whoa?"


    Aster felt his body gently lift while still seated.


    Looking down, he saw a mass of water that had risen beneath him, guiding him like a wave in a certain direction.


    Unconsciously, he touched his clothes where they came into contact with the water, but they weren''t wet. It was a strange phenomenon.


    "Stay like that for a while. Excalibur also helps the user recover their own mana. Just wait a bit, and your mana will return to normal, and then your body will feel better too."


    "Th, thank you."


    "Express your gratitude to the person you''re about to meet. I''m just doing what they asked."


    "The person I''m about to meet?"


    As Nimue guided Aster with the wave, she directed her gaze towards the forest ahead.


    "Yes, the Archmage also has something to tell you."


    * * *


    Since Aster hadn''t recognized Excalibur, naturally, he didn''t recognize Merlin either.


    Of course, after hearing Nimue''s exnation and realizing it was Merlin, his eyes widened once again.


    For some reason, he seemed even more surprised than when he found out about Excalibur, which made Nimue feel a bit smug.


    "Then, these people..."


    Aster looked around.


    The Manggot personnel were bound by tree branches. Among them, Aster saw Notker, whom he had fought before the Minotaur.


    "They are being detained. Deciding their fate is not my responsibility."


    "I see."


    "There''s a more important matter at hand than what to do with them right now."


    Merlin''s aged eyes turned towards Aster.


    There was neither warmth nor coldness in them, making Aster feel a bit chills.


    "Aster Evans, the one who will be humanity''s hero. You must have known your role for a long time, haven''t you?"


    "...That was arrogance. Now, I believe my friend, Frondier, is more..."


    "No."


    Merlin shook his head.


    "Frondier is not a hero. He cannot be one."


    "...Why? If this war is won, Frondier will have yed the biggest role."


    "Of course, that''s true. I''m not denying his strength or character. Frondier de Roach is strong. And he is just. I''m not saying otherwise."


    However, Merlin began to speak as he spread his hand. Mana gathered on his palm, swelling like mist and floating above them like a balloon.


    "A hero is someone who leads the most people."


    The balloon Merlin created depicted a single figure. It was a blond man, standing bravely and righteously with a sword in hand. He resembled Aster Evans in some ways.


    "Remember. This is the image of King Arthur."


    "...!"


    "King Arthur strove to walk the righteous path more than anyone, but more importantly, countless people followed him. A hero''s influence in garnering the support of the vast majority is more crucial than their individual abilities. They must lead the immense current that will change the fate of humanity to be called a hero."


    The word ''hero'' that Aster had heard since childhood.


    Many people praised him for having the qualities of a hero, but...


    In reality, being a hero was a painful thing.


    Carrying the weight of many people on his back, walking a path where no one could offer a definitive answer.


    So, while most people praised Aster, encouraged him, and sang songs as if he were already a hero, most of it was pushing him forward and shirking responsibility.


    In this continent where elements of destruction were scattered everywhere, the existence of a ''hero'' was absolutely necessary, but no one wanted to be one.


    The idea of Aster bing a hero was more of a ''hope'' than a ''belief.''


    However, in that space, only Frondier...


    Frondier believed more than anyone else that Aster Evans had the qualifications to be a hero.


    "Frondier helped you be a hero."


    "...!"


    He distanced himself from Aster to allow him to grow, using their distance as an opportunity for growth without interference.


    He encountered Excalibur before Aster and arranged for Merlin to guide him.


    Aster now understood all of these steps.


    "Do you know chess?"


    "Ch, chess?"


    "In chess, there is a piece called a ''pawn.''"


    "Th, that''s right."


    "And when a pawn reaches the end of the enemy''s territory, something interesting happens."


    At those words, Aster''s eyes widened.


    Promotion.


    When a pawn reaches the end of the enemy''s territory, it can be promoted to any piece except a king or another pawn.


    "He is not a hero, but rather a pawn that raises heroes. He is simply the strongest pawn in the world."


    Frondier was literally at the end of the enemy''s territory.


    It was time for someone to be a hero.


    "Now it''s your turn to help Frondier."


    "...Me, now?"


    "Frondier is currently fighting a devil. He will face a great crisis. He will be thrown into a question that he must ovee on his own, without anyone''s help. The fight against a devil is not a contest of strength. It is a confrontation of existence."


    "...If it''s a question he must ovee on his own, how can I help Frondier?"


    "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you the method."


    Merlin''s words, which could be seen as irresponsible.


    However, Aster didn''t question them and instead thought deeply.


    Merlin had already conveyed everything he could. Aster knew that.


    <i>©¤©¤The hints are all within him...</i>


    <i>©¤Aster, I have a favor to ask.</i>


    <i>©¤You''re the only one who can lead them.</i>


    <i>©¤I couldn''t be there for them when it mattered. When Constel was attacked, and during the field trip. I was too caught up in my own desires to look around me.</i>


    <i>©¤I can''t do it.</i>


    "...!"


    Aster raised his head.


    When he arrived at the barrier after hearing those words from Frondier, he was puzzled.


    With everyone separated, who was he supposed to lead?


    In this scattered situation, what meaning did the title of leader hold?


    Now, Aster understood why Frondier had said those things.


    "...I can''t do it alone."


    Seeing the conviction in Aster''s eyes after hearing his murmur, Merlin smiled gently.


    "Let''s go to the north side of the barrier. It''s not far from here."


    "But you said you couldn''t tell me the method!"


    "Oh my, did I say that? Please forget it."


    Merlin''s nonchnt words.


    Aster smiled and, after greeting him and Nimue, started running.


    Despite the battle having just ended, he ran at an astonishing speed. Even with Excalibur, it was a remarkable recovery.


    Watching his back, Merlin, as if having aplished everything, wore a relieved expression.


    "Don''t worry."


    He sent a quiet word of encouragement to Aster, who still had the body of a boy.


    "Frondier is already calling for you."

 Chapter 282 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier remained silent in the face of Belphegor''s question.


    Belphegor soon let out a sigh.


    "Well, your answer doesn''t matter now."


    <i>Snap!</i>


    He lightly snapped his fingers.


    <i>Rumble...</i>


    His chilling Mana spread throughout the surroundings in an instant, and soon the wind around them began to change.


    "You challenged me, so you already knew, didn''t you?"


    Along with Belphegor''s voice, something approached them from all directions.They were souls. Countless lives that had perished in the past.


    They weren''t just humans. The souls of all kinds of monsters also approached Belphegor.


    Thend of Manggot was fraught with countless deaths.


    And death became the blood and nourishment of Belphegor.


    Belphegor''s Mana swelled, swallowing souls and growing once more.


    "No matter how much you strategize and block all of Manggot''s attacks,"


    Belphegor''s eyes opened, cold and gloomy.


    "If you can''t stop me, it''s all for naught."


    The ground cracked and something crawled up.


    Corpses. They crawled up from the ground, just as they had died, and their numbers grew.


    It wasn''t just humans who rose. The corpses of all kinds of monsters also stirred as if they had regained life, crawling out from the ground. Instead of roars, they let out eerie screams.


    Their numbers were already surpassing the scope of an army.


    The power wielded by Belphegor alone created a legion that shook the very earth.


    "Frondier, unlike you who have already exhausted your Mana, in the context of ''war,'' the gap between you and me is this vast."


    The army of corpses did not head towards Frondier. They all moved in one direction.


    There was no formation, they just moved at the maximum speed they could muster. There was no limit to their stamina, a horde driven by the power of Mana.


    Where they were heading was the Empire. The footsteps of the corpses made no proper sound.


    The countless hordes seemed to be dragged along like half-melted scrap metal.


    "Look at them. Bodies without souls are like puppets dangling on strings."


    Despite having created them himself, Belphegor looked at the army of corpses with displeasure.


    "The citizens of the Empire are the same. Puppets who are manipted without knowing the truth."


    "...Nonsense."


    Frondier muttered quietly.


    Belphegor''s lips twisted as he looked at Frondier.


    "It''s pointless to talk back to me. If the lives of those Empire bastards are so precious, go and stop that army now. Can you do it? You, who have not even a single grain of Mana left."


    "...Why are you doing this?"


    "Oh, this?"


    "With the ability tomand an army of that size, why are you still keeping me alive? You could have killed me long ago."


    At Frondier''s words, Belphegor blinked for a moment, then smiled.


    "You need to see it."


    "..."


    "How insignificant your struggles were, what it meant for a mere human to challenge a Devil of the Seven Deadly Sins."


    The army of corpses advanced, leaving the two behind. Frondier, with his exhausted body, could not stop them.


    Belphegor, looking into Frondier''s eyes, brought his hands forward.


    "Frondier, I''m just waiting for it to get boring."


    Belphegor''s gaze was filled with sadistic pleasure, as if waiting for it to cool down on its own was truly delightful.


    * * *


    To the north, to the north of the barrier.


    For Aster, who was at the Tyburn, the north of the barrier meant practically running west. The Tyburn was located in the northeast of the Empire.


    Aster borrowed a horse and galloped. No one tried to stop him. The soldiers seemed disappointed that they couldn''t give him a better horse.


    "Faster, a little faster...!"


    The flow of the sky had been strange for a while now. Aster smelled the scent of deathing from somewhere far away.


    The north of the barrier, though a short distance from the Tyburn, was only so from the perspective of the entire Empire. For Aster, it was agonizing to reach there.


    Frondier was in danger, fighting a devil. Time was of the essence. Moreover, Aster still didn''t know what was at the northern barrier. He was just heading there, trusting Merlin.


    "Ugh, the horse I rode when I was chasing monsters in Constel was better!"


    Aster reminisced about the time he rode the famous horse, Cassian, and shed at monsters. There was no point in longing for Cassian, who Selena was riding now.


    However.


    "...?"


    In the distance, someone was galloping towards him on a horse. It seemed like they weren''ting towards Aster, but just running in the opposite direction.


    Looking closer, there were two people on one horse.


    Looking even closer, the person on the horse was a woman.


    Reaching close enough to see.


    "Oh!"


    "Oh??"


    The person on the horse was a face Aster knew.


    "Selena!"


    "Mr. Aster!"


    Selena, a ssmate, and the one who had disappeared a few days ago before the war. Seeing her, Aster was both happy and curious.


    "How are you here? And who''s the child behind you?"


    Mei, who was riding behind Selena, peeked her head out.


    "I live with Frondier."


    "Ah, yes...?"


    Aster tilted his head. Now that he heard it, she did resemble Frondier.


    And who else did she resemble...?


    "Living together, at the Roach mansion?"


    "No, the dormitory."


    "Huh?"


    "Scheduled."


    It was a string of excessively short words, but Aster roughly understood. He looked back at Selena.


    "Selena, where have you been? How are you here?"


    "Well, there was something Mr. Frondier asked me to do a while back, so I had to hurry..."


    Selena tried to make an excuse somehow.


    There was one rule she had learned while being by Frondier''s side.


    When you need a quick lie, using Frondier''s name somehow makes it believable. In a good way or a bad way.


    "...That guy, as always."


    Aster smiled as if he couldn''t help it.


    As expected. Selena hid her expression and clenched her fists. This rule had been undefeated so far.


    "So where are you going now?"


    "Well, I don''t know."


    "Huh?"


    "Cassian seems to be heading somewhere, so I''ve been leaving it to him."


    Only then did Aster look at the horse Selena was riding.


    It was definitely Cassian. The very same famous horse Aster had once ridden to cut down monsters.


    Cassian continued to run after taking Selena and Mei. As if he had a destination.


    And after meeting Aster, Cassian naturally stopped. At first, it seemed like it was because Selena and Aster had reacted to each other, but.


    "Did youe to meet me?"


    When Aster asked, Cassian looked at Aster once, then at Selena.


    Seeing that, Selena said,


    "...I think he wanted to bring us together."

 Chapter 282 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    This was the instruction Frondier had given Cassian.


    When Selena reached the north of the barrier, he was to take her and meet Aster at the Tyburn.


    However, Frondier hadn''t anticipated that Merlin would advise Aster. Naturally, Aster headed west, and Selena east.


    And now they had met.


    "...Then, was Merlin''s advice to meet you?"


    Aster looked at Selena.


    Aster didn''t know what abilities Selena had. Of course, he didn''t know about ''Shadow Transfer''.


    "...We have to meet everyone."


    "!"Despite that, Aster spoke. What he needed now, what he had to do.


    "Frondier is in danger right now. But I can''t do it alone. Can you help?"


    At Aster''s sincere words, Selena''s mouth opened slightly and then closed.


    It wasn''t impossible.


    If they used Selena''s Shadow Transfer.


    But transferring someone else along with her put a severe strain on Selena. When returning to Yeranhes, Selena''s body was left in tatters from a single leap.


    However, as Aster said, if Frondier was in danger now.


    ''But just trying recklessly is too reckless. I''ll copse before we even meet everyone.''


    Selena, who was thinking for a moment, met Mei''s gaze.


    "...That''s right."


    Selena didn''t fully know Mei''s identity yet, but she knew that she could also use Shadow Transfer.


    The two of them were currently sharing almost the same shadow. They could match the destination point.


    Selena took Mei''s hand.


    "We can do it together."


    "Huh?"


    "You can do Shadow Transfer, right?"


    "Ah, that thing from earlier? I can do it, but."


    Selena nodded at that.


    ''The reason the transfer is difficult is because I have to force open a door that was meant for one person.''


    As Selena held Mei''s hand, their shadows naturally connected.


    "If there are two of us, we might be able to maintain that passage. If we can maintain it, there''s no need to widen it."


    "...Have you ever done it before?"


    Mei''s question was only natural.


    To a natural question, a natural answer,


    "No."


    Selena shook her head.


    "But we have to do it now. Mei, please help me."


    "I''m just following along."


    "That''s enough."


    Mei nodded at Selena''s words.


    Aster, who was watching them, opened his mouth.


    "Hey, what does that mean..."


    <i>Tap-</i>


    In the middle of Aster''s words, Selena ced her hand on his shoulder.


    "Let''s go."


    Before Aster could even finish his sentence,


    The two horses and three people.


    Vanished from the spot.


    * * *


    Shadow Movement was originally meant to be used individually.


    The idea of reaching the same ce together didn''t exist. There was no reason for it.


    However, Selena had already attempted a transfer with multiple people before, and she knew why it was dangerous.


    A shadow was given to one person, in the amount of one person.


    Using it as a passage for transfer was reckless from the start, let alone using it for more than one person.


    But if there were two, while one person was transferring, the other could keep the passage open.


    If the transfer passage didn''t close, even if everyone couldn''t transfer at once.


    "...Did it work?"


    Mei, thest one in the Shadow Movement, popped her head out to check the situation.


    "...Yes."


    They had seeded.


    This was the ce where one of the shepherds, Cohen, was.


    Selena could check the status of the person connected to her shadow.


    Cohen was dead, and the connection with a deceased shadow naturally broke once the residual Mana in the body disappearedpletely.


    But it wasn''t yet, so they were able to emerge onto Cohen''s shadow.


    Therefore, naturally.


    "Huh? What? Aster! Selena!"


    Sybil, who was regaining her bnce, recognized them.


    "Wow! How did you get here, ow ow, it''s good to see you all!"


    Sybil got up and greeted them.


    Although the damage from the fight still lingered, her cheerful voice made them forget for a moment that this was a battlefield.


    "Sybil!"


    Aster shouted as soon as he saw her.


    "Let''s meet everyone!"


    "...!"


    Aster didn''t know how Selena and Mei had gotten here.


    But he didn''t ask about it one by one.


    The ''fact that they had arrived'' was enough.


    He had to move forward. Before worrying about trivial things, he had to make choices and walk ahead of anyone else.


    Aster himself didn''t realize it, but that was his quality.


    "Let''s meet everyone and go to Frondier!"


    "...Yes!"


    As if there was nothing more to hear, Sybil nodded vigorously.


    Selena and Mei''s transfer continued, and one by one, those who had sessfully defended the barrier battle gathered.


    Thus, Elodie and Aten joined, and all preparations wereplete.


    However, a problem remained.


    "...Hagley."


    Selena''s eyes narrowed.


    "He cut off his shadow connection with me."


    For Selena to return to Manggot now, she had no choice but to move through Hagley''s shadow.


    But Hagley had severed the connected shadow. With his paralyzed body, unable to even use magic. It was tremendous willpower.


    "Then what do we do?"


    "Let''s just ride our horses! There''s no time to hesitate!"


    "Those who can fly, let''s all fly! Once the vanguard arrives, Selena''s transfer will work!"


    "I can take a few people."


    The gathered people spoke their minds, and they moved to take precise action, but.


    "Wait a moment."


    As if he had been waiting for them all to gather.


    The door of a building opened, and someone they all knew appeared.


    "Isn''t that toote?"


    Everyone''s mouths dropped open at his appearance.


    "H-Headmaster!"


    Someone shouted, and Osprey smiled.


    Aten muttered in surprise,


    "During the deployment, I heard you were inside the Imperial Pce to build the rune..."


    "That''s right. We didn''t know who from Manggot might secretly infiltrate."


    Osprey''s role was to create a giant rune in the Empire and observe its interior.


    So he couldn''t move until the war was over. Everyone thought so.


    "But there''s no need for that now, is there?"


    "No need for that?"


    "All of Manggot''s shepherds have revealed themselves."


    At those words, some of them let out an "Ah".


    Since the head-on collision between the teachers of Manggot and Constel, all of Manggot''s shepherds had been marked.


    "The moment all of Manggot''s shepherds were observed, I was to be released from the role of the rune and move. It was nned from the beginning."


    Everyone admired Osprey after hearing those words.


    However, some of them had slightly different thoughts, and


    Aster Evans, who was among those few, decided to ask Osprey directly.


    "Who made that n?"


    At those words, Osprey looked at Aster for a moment and smiled.


    "Of course, Frondier de Roach. My closerade in arms."


    "...!"


    This was truly what Frondier had been waiting for until the very end.


    The reason why he had stalled time in the fight with Belphegor, why he had waited for the arrows of Selena and Mei to be shot, and for Manggot and Constel to sh.


    To enable Zodiac Osprey to move.


    "As you may have just seen."


    Osprey pointed to the door he had just opened.


    "I can use doors to cross over to distant locations. It''s a kind of spatial magic. Of course, the doors need to be connected beforehand."


    "Oh, oh...!"


    Everyone cheered in admiration.


    Selena, who had blinked for a moment after hearing those words, said,


    "E-Excuse me, but there''s no door at the entrance of Manggot."


    Even at those words, Osprey replied as if he didn''t care.


    "Don''t worry about that."


    His gentle smile instilled trust and reassurance, especially at times like this.


    " ''The door'' is also prepared for Frondier."

 Chapter 283: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The army of corpses created by Belphegor, though slow, marched relentlessly forward. Belphegor watched their advance with amusement.


    "...Slow," Frondier muttered, his eyes trembling as he observed the approaching horde.


    Most of the iplete bodies stumbled and shuffled, while the four-legged monsters moved with slightly more speed.


    "No matter how slow they are, they will reach the barrier," Belphegor dered.


    If this army reached the barrier, it would undoubtedly crumble under thebined assault of the monsters, already weakened by their relentless attacks.


    "That won''t happen," Frondier countered. Belphegor''s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized him.


    "Still all talk, I see. You said you would stop them."


    "I won''t be the one to stop them."


    Belphegor''s brow furrowed in confusion."...Then who will? The Empire is a long way from here. Even if someone were toe, these creatures would reach the barrier long before them. And even if they did arrive in time, they wouldn''t be able to stop them all."


    Belphegor carefully considered his deductions, finding no ws in his logic. Frondier''s Mana was nearly depleted, and the distance from the Empire to Manggot was vast. Moreover, only a handful of individuals knew the way here.


    Yet, Frondier smiled. From Belphegor''s perspective, everything seemed to be in order.


    "Belphegor, there are three things wrong with your assumptions."


    From Frondier''s point of view, however, Belphegor''s n was riddled with problems.


    "Wrong assumptions?"


    "Firstly, as I said, they won''t reach the barrier."


    "What trickery are you attempting now? You''re a husk of your former self."


    "It''s true that my Mana is nearly depleted. However..."


    Frondier raised his right hand, a faint glimmer of Mana gathering within it.


    Belphegor''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "...You don''t faint even after exhausting your Mana. You truly are insane."


    Belphegor immediately understood the source of Frondier''s renewed Mana. Through his past experiences, Frondier had learned to remain conscious even after depleting his Mana reserves.


    He had also discovered a "shortcut" to draw out additional Mana.


    "But what can you possibly achieve with such a meager amount of Mana? Your boasted rune, the weapons weaving from the fragments of Helheim... none of them will function properly."


    As Belphegor stated, the Mana Frondier could muster was insignificant. Until now, he had merely supplemented his original Mana reserves. The amount he could extract in his current state was negligible.


    "Indeed, I cannot create a rune or weapons with this," Frondier admitted, extending his hand.


    His hand pointed towards a location far ahead, beyond the path of the advancing corpse army.


    "But I can still manipte what has already been created."


    The moment he uttered those words, Belphegor sensed a surge of magical energy emanating from the distance.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Expansion: Open</i>


    It was a rune. The ''Menosorpo'' rune, previously dormant, was expanding its reach from afar.


    "...What?"


    Belphegor stared in disbelief, momentarily stunned by the unexpected development.


    Frondier''s Mana was already at its limit. Even by forcibly extracting his life force, he shouldn''t be able to generate enough Mana to activate such arge-scale rune.


    "...I see! You had a smaller rune prepared from the beginning!"


    "Correct."


    This was one of the tricks Frondier had experimented with during the previous devil incident.


    Just as he had expanded the Menosorpo pre-installed in the Emperor''s bedroom, he had now employed the same tactic.


    "But what good is a rune alone! It won''t be enough to deal with all of them!"


    "That brings us to the second point," Frondier continued.


    "The distance from the Empire here is not ''far''."


    As the Menosorpo rune continued to expand, a structure began to materialize within its domain.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    Frondier''s workshop emerged into view, leaving Belphegor speechless.


    "...Where did thate from? I neither saw nor sensed a building of that size!"


    The workshop had grown considerably, having absorbed numerous weapons and equipment in the past. Now revealed by the Menosorpo rune, it exuded an imposing presence.


    Frondier clearlycked the Mana to create such a structure from scratch. Like the rune, this building must have been prepared beforehand.


    ''He had a magic unrted tobat active all this time! Against me!''


    The fact that he, a devil closer to the realm of Mana than any human, had failed to detect it was unbelievable.


    "Belphegor, there''s no need to be surprised," Frondier said calmly, observing his reaction.


    "You are well-versed in Weaving, are you not? Surely you haven''t forgotten."


    "...Weaving."


    "Indeed."


    It was initially invisible because it was an illusion.


    "You bastard!"


    Belphegor lunged forward, his fist aimed at Frondier. His judgment was urate. Whether it was the workshop or the rune, they would vanish if Frondier, the caster, were to die.


    His fist, imbued with Mana, was the same attack that had sent Frondier crashing to the ground earlier.


    ''Not a single moment can be missed,'' Frondier thought, his eyes gleaming with determination. He extended both arms to meet Belphegor''s attack.


    Weaving was the magic of replicating objects stored in the workshop as illusions. Magic was not a physical substance but a phenomenon that influenced reality.


    A sword represented the ''phenomenon of cutting.''


    A shield represented the ''phenomenon of blocking.''


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop Item No. 3</i>


    <i>Rank - Common</i>


    <i>Iron Shield</i>


    His invisible shield met Belphegor''s fist head-on. Though unseen, the shield materialized at the perfect moment, intercepting the blow.


    <i>Kwaaang!</i>


    The shield deflected Belphegor''s fist for a split second before shattering like paper.


    "Kwaaak!"


    Frondier was sent flying, absorbing the impact that the shield couldn''t fully negate. His parry was wless, but it wasn''t enough.


    The force of Belphegor''s punch, having pierced through the shield, broke both of Frondier''s arms.


    <i>Thud, Crash!</i>


    He crashed to the ground once more, rolling several times. With his Mana depleted, his body was unable to withstand the impact.


    Excruciating pain ripped through him, leaving him gasping for breath on the ground.


    Despite the devastating blow, he was still alive. That alone was a blessing.


    <i>Keeek!!</i>


    However, hisnding spot was unfortunate. Whether by Belphegor''s design or sheer bad luck, he had fallen right in front of the advancing corpse army.


    The reanimated corpses harbored hatred for all living beings. Naturally, Frondier, with his lingering life force, became their immediate target.


    The shuffling of feet, the grotesque moans that resembled screams, drew closer as the corpses surrounded Frondier.


    Lying prone, Frondier endured the pain, his eyes fixed on the workshop.


    ''¡ªThis is the signal.''


    <i>Kwaang!</i>


    At that moment, the doors of Frondier''s workshop burst open.


    And from within, a small, droplet-like object emerged, floating gracefully through the air.


    "...?"


    The corpses, momentarily distracted from their prey, turned their attention to the approaching droplet. It was so small that it was barely visible, yet they were inexplicably drawn to it, their senses fixated on its presence.


    And as the droplet reached the nearest corpse¡ª


    *Kwaaoooooooooooo¡ª!!!*


    The droplet transformed into a raging inferno, engulfing the surrounding corpses in a chain reaction of fiery destruction.


    <i>Phoenix Rise - Nether Hell</i>


    The crudely reanimated bodies were incinerated without a trace, their close proximity only serving to fuel the mes that consumed them.


    "...!"


    Witnessing this spectacle, Frondier shifted his gaze back to the workshop.


    From the open doorway, a young woman stepped forward, taking the lead.


    With hair the color of the setting sun and eyes like azurekes, her mere presence painted a breathtaking scene. Yet, within those eyes burned an intense fury.


    "How dare you," she dered, her voice resonating with power as she confronted the army of corpses.


    "You filthy creatures darey a hand on him!!!"


    Elodie''s voice echoed through the battlefield, her presence alone rivaling the might of the entire corpse army. The divine powers at hermand shimmered around her, each one radiating its unique aura.


    "...Inies!"


    Belphegor, recognizing the girl, uttered her name with a hint of apprehension. He had heard plenty about Elodie, the one blessed by the Five Gods, and had taken precautions. In his prime, he was confident in his ability to defeat her. However, he had taken the full brunt of Frondier''s attack.


    Despite appearing unharmed due to the nature of Sloth, Belphegor had sustained significant damage.


    However, as far as he knew, Elodie was primarily a magic user. Considering Frondier''s current state, Belphegor believed he could gain the upper hand by engaging her in closebat.


    "The third point," Frondier''s voice, though faint from afar, reached Belphegor''s keen ears with chilling rity, interrupting his thoughts.


    "It''s not just ''one'' who ising."


    And as if in response to his words¡ª


    <i>Thud</i>


    One by one, individuals emerged from the workshop, answering Frondier''s call.


    Aster, Sybil, Selena, Mei, Aten. Starting with them, the students of Constel had crossed the Empire''s borders and arrived at this battlefield.


    And finally, Osprey appeared, his eyes falling upon the sight of the injured Frondier and Belphegor.


    ''...He inflicted such wounds on a Sin of Sloth...''


    Osprey realized the extent of Frondier''sbat prowess and silently concealed his astonishment.


    "Fron!"


    "Frondier!"


    Elodie and the others cried out in rm upon seeing Frondier''s condition.


    His body was covered in blood, his arms broken, as hey on the ground, barely breathing.


    "...Haa!"


    He forced himself to sit up, using only his core and lower body to lift his torso since his arms were useless. He couldn''t greet his long-awaitedrades in such a pathetic state.


    "Everyone."


    Frondier spoke slowly, his gaze scanning the faces of those who had arrived.


    The weight of his decisions regarding the barrier''s personnel deployment, implemented without any modifications from the Empire, bore heavily on him. He had pushed hisrades to their limits, knowing that he couldn''t afford to lose a single one of them.


    And so, upon seeing their faces, the words slipped from his lips involuntarily.


    "Is everyone alright?"

 Chapter 284 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 284 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Frondier''s words left everyone momentarily speechless.


    His body was near exhaustion due to mana depletion, his face pale, both arms broken, and blood flowing all over his body.


    They hesitated, unsure whether to object or get angry.


    "Stay still."


    Someone flew to Frondier''s side in an instant and embraced him from behind.


    "Please stay still."


    She, who had flown in like a white bird, seemed to stain herself with his color as she spread over Frondier.


    "... Aten."


    "What happened to you?"As Aten spoke, she poured her mana into him. Her cold breath reached Frondier, enveloping his entire body.


    "... This is, could it be..."


    "It''s not perfect yet."


    Although Aten said so, Frondier felt his body slowly healing. The pain subsided, and the weight of his heavy body gradually lessened.


    "Is it ''Reversion'' magic?"


    "It''s just simple healing. I mixed in the principles of Reversion, but..."


    Previously, Aten had saved Frondier, who was dying from the side effects of consuming the Dragon Heart, with her magic, Reversion.


    However, that was just Aten imitating the future she had seen for a brief moment. The future her could do it, but it was still too much for her current self.


    It was a method close to a miracle, born from chance upon chance, so Aten couldn''t use it freely yet.


    ''In the game, Aten was only able to use Reversion after bing a pro. Originally, her specialty was ice magic.''


    The Manggot''s attack also happened muchter in the game. Here, various events ovepped, causing the Manggot''s attack to be moved up. As much as the Empire and Constel were less prepared, the Manggot was also hasty in their actions.


    ''... But something''s strange.''


    Aten was hugging Frondier from behind, supposedly to heal him, but when he thought about it, it was a bit strange.


    Last time, when she used Reversion, she seemed to have just touched him with her hand.


    Besides, this time it wasn''t even Reversion, but just healing.


    "Do you really have to hug me like this to heal?"


    "No."


    "..."


    "But please stay still."


    Aten held Frondier tightly as he silently tried to escape. Sensing a strange will and strength, Frondier stayed still.


    "... Does it work better this way?"


    Frondier asked once more, just in case.


    "No."


    Of course, Aten did not meet his expectations.


    "But please stay still."


    "... You still don''tmunicate well."


    While the two of them were having a nd conversation...


    "Frondier."


    Aster stood next to Frondier. He spoke to Frondier while looking straight ahead.


    "I brought everyone."


    "Thank you."


    Frondier raised his hand and ced it on Aster''s shoulder.


    "Then I''ll leave the instructions to you."


    Aster seemed to ponder for a moment at Frondier''s words before asking.


    "... Shouldn''t you be the one to do it?"


    "There you go again."


    Frondier tilted his head past Aster.


    People lined up next to them, one by one. Frondier looked at each of them and said,


    "You brought them all here."


    "You made me bring them."


    "No."


    Frondier shook his head.


    "I never said that. You did it on your own, with your own will."


    In fact, Frondier had never asked for all of them to be brought here.


    The only thing Frondier had asked for was one thing.


    To be the leader. That was all.


    "... You coward."


    Aster gave a light rebuke and drew his sword. Excalibur Beta. Frondier briefly observed its splendid appearance.


    "You brought it."


    "You made me bring this. Don''t even try to argue."


    "That''s true."


    Huhu, Frondierughed. He had personally gone to the Sacred Forest to get Aster that sword. He couldn''t deny that.


    "... Aster, give the instructions."


    Frondier looked straight ahead.


    Even though Elodie''s magic had devastated the surroundings, the army of corpses was still numerous. They slowly filled the void Elodie had created and approached them.


    Chak!


    Aster''s sword soared high into the sky. The radiance of Excalibur shone brightly, illuminating the area.


    "Constel!"


    Aster shouted. Frondier thought to himself that it was a very appropriate designation. As expected, Aster had the qualities of a leader.


    As if they had been waiting for that shout, the people who had lined up around them waited for instructions with excited expressions, their weapons and magic fully charged.


    "We will end this war!!"


    With that, the sh of forces began. The students exerted their individual powers to eliminate the hordes before them.


    The most noticeable were, of course, the three who had grown significantly in this war: Aster, Sybil, and Elodie. Selena, although not shy, was quietly taking the lives of enemies, her speedparable to the three in front, even if it wasn''t visible.


    Mei also used the materials she had learned to defeat the enemies. It was almost like an experiment to try out what she had learned.


    "Hmm, in this case, I have no choice but to target that devil."


    Osprey''s head turned towards the sky.


    Belphegor, who was calmly looking down at the battlefield from the sky. Despite the unfavorable situation, his gaze remained cold. His eyes met Osprey''s, and he cast down a haughty look as if to say, "Come if you dare."


    "Headmaster!!"


    However, at that moment, Frondier''s voice interrupted their exchange of nces.


    Frondier looked at Osprey and moved only his lips without making a sound.


    ''Come here.''


    That simple request was easy enough to read even without sound, so Osprey flew slowly towards him with a single leap.


    Osprey waved his arm, casting the soundproof magic ''Wind Whisper'' around them.


    "What is it?"


    "You must not approach Belphegor. It''s his intention to lure you in, Headmaster."


    Frondier spoke in a low voice.


    "Belphegor can use the power of the Seven Deadly Sins. He inflicts powerful mental attacks regardless of the opponent''s resistance."


    "... Is he, by any chance, directly bestowing ''Sloth''?"


    Osprey''s guess was correct. Frondier nodded.


    "Headmaster, please go to Manggot."


    "Inside Manggot?"


    "Yes. Somewhere inside, the believers are trying to summon their God."


    Another countdown in this war.


    Manggot was trying to summon their God, and that moment was not far off.


    "That power has now swelled to the point where stopping it carelessly will cause it to explode immediately."


    "... I must control it."


    "Yes. Only you can do it, Headmaster."

 Chapter 284 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 284 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Elodie was also quite skilled as a mage, but as a destruction mage who had grown up with the purpose of eliminating enemies, she was still inexperienced in control. There was a reason she wore those bracers.


    "Then what about that devil? The power of the Seven Deadly Sins is for anyone..."


    As Osprey was saying that, Frondier held out his hand.


    "... What is that, in your hand?"


    "Please give it to me, now."


    "..."


    "You were the only one who could hide it, so you took care of it."


    Osprey closed his mouth at Frondier''s words. His face is filled with worry at Frondier''s serious gaze.


    "......Are you really okay?""Even if something goes wrong,"


    Frondier nced at Aten, who he was still holding.


    "......Aten will save me."


    "What?"


    Aten, who doesn''t understand what he''s talking about. Osprey sighs deeply.


    "I don''t know what''s going to happen."


    Osprey raised one hand and spun it in the air.


    And then, a small object that hadn''t been there a moment ago was ced on his palm.


    Aten, who had been watching from behind, recognized it and was surprised.


    "Dragon Heart...!"


    A crystal with a thin ring shaped like a triangle.


    An enormous concentration of mana that hadn''t been felt until a moment ago was entirely contained in it.


    And of course, Belphegor also noticed it.


    ''How on earth did he gather so much mana...?''


    The question was brief, and he immediately knew. Osprey had hidden it using spatial magic.


    Osprey, who had himself been outside the world, hiding an object would be a simple task.


    ''A Dragon Heart, the one in the pce must have been shattered. There has never been another dragon appearance on this continent since then!''


    Belphegor closely examined the Dragon Heart ced on Osprey''s palm.


    "...No."


    His intuition tells him.


    "That''s not a Dragon Heart."


    As Belphegor spected, the object in Osprey''s hand is not a Dragon Heart.


    This is a coboration between Frondier and Mei.


    It''s Frondier''s original creation, made to cure Emperor Bartello''s weakness. It''s correct to simply call it the ''Frondier Heart'' since it''s a magic crystal of Frondier, but Frondier himself refused because it sounded too cheesy.


    Frondier epted the mana crystal from Osprey.


    ''...The second one.''


    In theory, this mana crystal can be created continuously. The mana within the human body naturally recovers over time, and once it''s recovered, Mei can create this crystal again with Frondier.


    Therefore, considering efficiency and effectiveness, there was no reason for Frondier not to attempt it.


    However, one problem urred in an unexpected ce.


    <i>¡ªThe crystal doesn''t maintain itself.</i>


    <i>¡ªThe mana crystal you created is based on the design of the ''Dragon Heart'', isn''t it? Perhaps human mana doesn''t quite fit that design. So, it maintains its form for a while, but as time passes, it disperses and disappears.</i>


    Frondier''s original mana crystal cannot be maintained semi-permanently like the Dragon Heart.


    ording to Osprey''s advice, that period could not exceed a fortnight at most. Knowing that they couldn''t increase the quantity, Frondier gave up on creating mana crystals. Except for this one thing, created in preparation for this war.


    <i>¡ªAre you thinking of swallowing that?</i>


    <i>¡ªSwallowing a dragon heart as it is, is a very dangerous act. It would be no different from your own dragon heart. It might even be more dangerous.</i>


    The reason Frondier was able to amplify mana with a dragon heart until now was because what he created was a ''fake''.


    Since he didn''t eat a real dragon heart, the dragon heart only gave the ''effect'' of mana amplification, and it gnawed at Frondier''s blood and flesh to create that effect. That''s why he has been using ''Fabric of Penelope'' to rece it.


    However, the ''real'' one does not trigger Fabric of Penelope. There''s no need for a dummy to take mana instead.


    Frondier thought it would be okay to just eat his own mana crystal, but ording to Osprey, that was a very naive and dangerous thought.


    If the Dragon Heart ruins the body of the person who consumes it due to its original violent nature, the original Mana Crystal of Frondier would be ''too''patible with Frondier''s body.


    There''s no doubt that the Mana will increase, and the synergy of that nature would be difficult to measure.


    However, whether a human body can withstand it is apletely different issue.


    "Aten, step back."


    Frondier said.


    There was no hesitation in him.


    He didn''t know what would happen. Such talk was even tiresome by now.


    He had walked the path of not knowing what would happen, and he had always continued to make that choice.


    He is still standing here now.


    "¡­Promise me just one thing."


    Aten still held onto Frondier''s body and spoke.


    "When you leave somewhere, when you part with me, when you fight someone or something and get hurt."


    Aten''s face, buried in Frondier''s back, couldn''t be seen, but her voice trembled pitifully.


    "Pleasee back to me."


    "¡­Aten."


    "Don''t forget."


    Strength entered the hands that held him.


    "I will always follow you."


    "......"


    "But sometimes, I feel like I might lose you."


    Frondier felt Aten''s body trembling.


    "......Because I''m weak."


    "Aten."


    "I may not be able to be your will like others."


    "Aten."


    "Juste back, I will."


    Swoosh


    Frondier gently released Aten''s arm.


    Aten, who was nkly staring at Frondier, he smiled as he touched her white hair.


    "Save me."


    "......"


    "Because I entrusted my life to you."


    At those words, Aten momentarily clenched her trembling lips and simply nodded without a word.


    As she slowly stepped back, Frondier took a deep breath and held the mana crystal.


    Feeling Aten''s worried gaze, Frondierughed inwardly.


    ''It reminds me of the old days.''


    When he fought with Renzo to protect Aten.


    Even then, Frondier swallowed the dragon heart in front of Aten.


    He walked that path without knowing what result it would bring.


    In the end, that choice had driven Frondier to the brink of death.


    But looking back now.


    ''Yes, Aten. From then until now, it''s been like that between you and me.''


    Just as Frondier saved Aten from Renzo''s hand.


    Just as Aten had saved Frondier.


    Not as a princess.


    Not as a noble from a prestigious family.


    Aten Terst, and Frondier de Roach.


    "......I''m going."


    Believing that he would be saved,


    Frondier swallowed the mana crystal.

 Chapter 285 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The moment Frondier consumed the mana crystal, he felt it.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    Initially, it felt like a single water droplet settling within his body, but it quickly flooded and spread like a tidal wave.


    The crystal, originally his own mana, didn''t leave him with a sense of loss like the Dragon Heart did when he reabsorbed it.


    Instead...


    ¡°Aten! Back away!¡±


    Frondier shouted.


    Even though Aten had already retreated, the distance wasn''t enough. She was still at risk of getting caught in the st.


    Crackle! Crackle, crackle!Frondier stretched out his hand. Before him, the explosively growing mana sparked as it extended beyond his body.


    ¡®Not here.¡¯


    Making a quick decision, Frondier leaped into the sky.


    ¡°Headmaster! Please proceed as nned!¡±


    He didn''t forget to instruct Osprey in the meantime. Osprey nodded and moved as well.


    <i>Woosh!</i>


    Frondier ascended to a height simr to Belphegor''s.


    The mana crystal was far more effective than he had anticipated, settling in as if it were originally his own mana and growing endlessly.


    The problem was that Frondier''s vessel wasn''t prepared to contain such a volume. Just as water overflows from a cup, the mana exceeding Frondier''s capacity sparked, scorching the surrounding air.


    The issue was that what was overflowing wasn''t just water, but mana.


    ¡®If this continues, the mana will cause a massive explosion.¡¯


    To self-destruct without aplishing anything after devising a strategy to defeat the enemy? Unthinkable.


    Since he couldn''t expand his capacity immediately, he had to somehow utilize the overflowing mana.


    ¡®But I can''t just consume the overflowing mana recklessly. To defeat him¡­!¡¯


    Indiscriminate mana consumption was dangerous against Belphegor. Belphegor would surely exploit such an opening.


    Moreover...


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Belphegor''s gaze fell upon Frondier.


    ¡°Did you think I would wait forever?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The moment Frondier met Belphegor''s eyes, he felt it.


    Sloth, the Sin.


    Its power once again eroded his body.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Your resistance is impressive, but my Sin didn''t leave you unscathed.¡±


    Belphegor''s cold gaze looked down on Frondier.


    ¡°Let''s see if you can control that absurd mana while enduring my Sin.¡±


    ¡°So that''s why you waited¡­!¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Because you were bound to do something foolish.¡±


    Even as they spoke, the weight of Sloth intensified. Frondier gritted his teeth.


    The power of Sloth affected not only the mind but also the body directly. Just as the Emperor''s frailty wasn''t merely a matter of will, muscles and nerves actually stiffened, and thoughts became sluggish.


    ¡®Damn it, this mana is even more absurd than I thought.¡¯


    The mana surged at a rate iparable to when Frondier gathered his own mana. Was this synergy? He expected it to exceed a simple addition, but it far surpassed his expectations.


    He had anticipated Belphegor''s interference, but to fail to foresee the effects of the mana crystal he himself created ¨C what a disgrace.


    <i>Crackle! Crackle, crackle!</i>


    The sparks intensified. Belphegor only applied the Sin, not approaching Frondier.


    It was partly due to the pride of using the Sin, but in this situation, it was more likely a concern for the mana explosion.


    Approaching Frondier now and getting caught in the st would be dangerous for Belphegor as well. He had already sustained considerable damage.


    ¡®Lazy bastard¡­!¡¯


    Just enduring it was difficult enough, but he had to control the mana while doing so.


    His body, consumed by Sloth, craved a death resembling slumber.


    ¡°¡­¡­Haha¡­.¡±


    At that moment, a strangeugh escaped Frondier''s lips.


    Having already experienced Frondier''s antics to a sickening degree, Belphegor felt a surge of displeasure at thatughter.


    ¡°What''s so funny again?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s just¡­¡±


    <i>¡ªYou must pay the price for your Sloth.</i>


    I thought it was quite simr.


    Frondier''s life after possession was exactly like that.


    A world he knew was doomed. Frondier, who was called The Human Sloth.


    If he didn''t keep moving forward, he would die. If he didn''t grow even a little, collect quests and events, and upgrade his weapons and skills.


    Sloth literally meant death. Frondier lived his life running towards the approaching cliff under the mask of Sloth.


    At first, he thought he was paying for the sins of the Frondier before possession, but...


    Perhaps no matter who he possessed, he would have moved the same way. Even if he possessed Aster, the protagonist of the game, he would have run tirelessly.


    That''s why, after all this time, Frondier realized one thing about himself.


    Anyone could have run in Frondier''s ce, but...


    The struggle to save the doomed world didn''t have to be Frondier de Roach, but...


    ¡°¡­¡­I''m.¡±


    d it was Frondier.


    <i>¡ªYou always fight alone, Sloth Frondier.</i>


    <i>¡ªI told you, I will protect you with my life.</i>


    <i>¡ªRoach Knights! Open the way for Frondier!</i>


    <i>¡ªFrondier! Join my family!</i>


    <i>¡ªI wanted to be forgiven by you. Even in my dreams, I created you to hear those words from you.</i>


    <i>¡ªBecause I don''t believe in fate, I don''t believe in myself either?</i>


    <i>¡ªDon''t forget. I will always follow you.</i>


    He remembered the moment he entered this world.


    The time when he was called Frondier and racked his brain trying to figure out who that was.


    The time when he realized his identity and despaired at being an ipetent character called Sloth.


    But after all this time...


    Looking back at what Frondier had, what possibilities he could be, and who was around him...


    In the end, because it was Frondier, because he was able to stand in this ce...


    <i>¡ªControl it.</i>


    <i>¡ªI won''t allow my brother to be swept away by mere emotions.</i>


    "Sloth, too, is the same."


    There''s no younger sibling who canpare to the older one.

 Chapter 285 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier gripped the ck Lotus.


    He had always manipted the bracelet to control the Obsidian, but...


    ¡°There''s no time for adjustments.¡±


    <i>Crack!</i>


    With a somewhat nostalgic feeling, Frondier crushed the Obsidian in his grip.


    <i>Kwaaaaaaaaaaa¡ª¡ª!!</i>


    The Obsidian poured out like a river bursting through a dam. The fragment of Helheim was practically ake, so it wasn''t far off.


    Frondier poured the overflowing mana into the entirety of the Obsidian.


    In an instant, his overwhelming mana threatened to engulf the entire Obsidian, causing the Obsidian, which originally operated on ''Helheim''s mana,'' to transform into a strange shape.¡°¡­¡­What is that.¡±


    Belphegor''s low voice echoed at the sight.


    Frondier''s own mana and the absorbed Helheim mana were in a fierce confrontation. Frondier wrapped the entire Obsidian around his body.


    It covered his body, and the endlessly growing mana behind his back stretched out to the sides, transforming into wings.


    ¡°Weaving was forbidden, you said.¡±


    After speaking, Frondier extended his right hand.


    ¡°Then do the Gods foresee this as well?¡±


    <i>Weaving</i>


    <i>Obsidian</i>


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Simultaneous Replication</i>


    Helheim''s mana drives the Obsidian, and Frondier''s mana activates Menosorpo.


    <i>Rank - Legend</i>


    <i>Excalibur?Alpha</i>


    The Obsidian, a material that shapes the form of a design, and Menosorpo, which manifests the illusion of mana into reality.


    Frondier grasped the sword created by their union in one hand.


    Kwaaaaaaaaaa¡ª!!


    Just gripping it caused a typhoon-like wind to surge.


    Frondier pointed the Excalibur''s vivid colors towards Belphegor.


    ¡°Can you tell the difference?¡±


    Belphegor was speechless at Frondier''s question.


    The difference?


    The only thing that remained the same was its appearance.


    ¡®¡­¡­That sword, it''s the sword the hero King Arthur wielded.¡¯


    Now, that Excalibur wasn''t just an independent weapon.


    Legendary, Divine weapons were powerful in their own right, but their influence varied depending on who wielded them and what stories they forged.


    The sword Frondier held now existed with all of its narratives absorbed. It was truly the plete Excalibur'' as described in the dictionary.


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s too much for you to handle.¡±


    Belphegor''s eyes narrowed.


    Perhaps King Arthur could manage, but Frondier''s swordsmanship wasn''t at that level.


    Belphegor spoke.


    ¡°It''s useless if you can''t reach me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Is that so.¡±


    But Frondier wasn''t a swordsman to begin with.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    Mj?lnir was reborn in Frondier''s left hand. Belphegor looked at the sight with a horrified expression.


    ¡°Try dodging this, Demon of Sloth.¡±


    Frondier, wielding absurd weapons in both hands. Moreover, his mana had be even more powerful than before.


    And...


    ¡®¡­¡­He''s poured all that absurd mana into that Excalibur.¡¯


    Frondier seemed to be betting everything on this one strike, channeling most of his increased mana into Excalibur.


    It was a sword that grew explosively powerful as it absorbed mana, but with that much mana, Belphegor wondered if even Excalibur''s vessel would shatter.


    Frondier knew. He knew his own strength was no match for Belphegor''s.


    No matter how great a weapon, be it a Divine weapon or a Legendary weapon, it was nothing more than a fancy ornament if the wielder was ipetent.


    That''s why Frondier always forced Belphegor to make a choice. Just like before, but this time, the concept was entirely different.


    He absolutely couldn''t get hit by that Excalibur. Mj?lnir was the same, of course, but Excalibur meant instant death upon contact. It wasn''t just a matter of power; Excalibur, the ''hero''s'' sword, was fatal to Belphegor, a ''demon''.


    When Frondier asked if he could tell the difference, it was both a provocation and a threat. It was clearly different from the Excalibur before.


    ¡®¡­¡­The thing to watch out for is that mana sword energy from before.¡¯


    Belphegor tensed up.


    Frondier''s sword energy that rained down from all directions. He had to be wary of the sword energy fired with thebination of Mj?lnir and Excalibur. Any careless movement would make it impossible to avoid the high-speed projectiles.


    More importantly, Frondier could create weapons and fire sword energy from locations unrted to himself, so his vision had to epass everything.


    ¡®¡­¡­If it were this guy, he could be humanity''s next hero and¡­.¡¯


    A thought momentarily crossed Belphegor''s mind, but...


    ¡®¡­¡­No, it''s a pointless thought. Even if Frondier were a true hero.¡¯


    He quickly dismissed the thought.


    ¡°Alright! I''ll take you on! If you can''t stop me, all resistance is meaningless!¡±


    Belphegor poured mana into both hands. Magic instantly materialized, with blue mes in one hand and his aura infused in the other.


    Even if he couldn''tbine them like Sybil''s ''petals'', Belphegor could still utilize them simultaneously.


    ¡°Try to kill me! Frondier!!¡±


    His mes were the embodiment of his magical power. Even if Frondier fired sword energy, he could sacrifice an arm and let it pass. It would be a severe injury, but his remaining hand would im Frondier''s life.


    ¡°¡­¡­Hup!¡±


    And towards Belphegor, who was wary of Frondier''s sword energy,


    Frondier charged with weapons in both hands.


    There was no sword energy, just a ridiculously straightforward physical assault.


    ¡®What is this! Is he nning to use weapons in the air to keep me at bay like before!¡¯


    Belphegor thought for a moment, but there was nothing in the air.


    Instead, Frondier seemed to have poured all the mana he could have used for creating weapons into Excalibur, which approached him with an almost irrational amount of concentrated power.


    The meaning was clear.


    ¡®¡­¡­This.¡¯


    Frondier was gambling with Belphegor until the veryst moment.


    Mj?lnir in his left hand, Excalibur in his right.


    Now then.


    Which one would it be this time?


    ¡°You filthy bastard!!¡±


    Belphegor shouted the perfect expression.


    Frondier was no hero.

 Chapter 286 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After Quinie left for her mission, the Imperial Pce meeting room became a whirlwind of activity.


    Reports poured in from all sides, painting a chaotic picture of the barrier''s situation. Battles against monsters, Manggot attempting to breach the barrier, confrontations between the Manggot Shepherd and Constel teachers, and Osprey and Constel students crossing over to the Manggot side ¨C the situation was so chaotic that it felt like the entire empire was being sucked into a giant vortex.


    Meanwhile, Philly quietly approached Malia. Her previously stiff expression softened as she offered Malia a friendly smile.


    ¡°Malia, the transfer?¡±


    Philly¡¯s tone was rxed, as if she were addressing a friend. In fact, they had been friends for a long time.


    While they kept this fact hidden in public, their shared experiences with their husbands, Bartello and Enfer, fostered a sense of camaraderie that quickly brought them closer.


    Although Philly was always happy to see Malia, Malia found it awkward whenever Philly disyed such familiarity within Constel.


    In response to Philly¡¯s question, Malia briefly averted her gaze before replying, ¡°¡­It waspleted sessfully.¡±


    ¡°Still using honorifics? That hurts my feelings.¡±¡°This is the Imperial Pce, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°True enough.¡± Philly chuckled.


    Malia confirmed that the Constel group, led by Osprey¡¯s spatial magic, had crossed the gate. The rapidly growing students disyed valiant efforts, refusing to back down in the face of the army of corpses.


    Of course, this wasrgely due to the exceptional performance of a few individuals, but Constel¡¯s overall level was much higher than Malia had anticipated.


    ¡°Ms. Quinie has departed for her mission, and now all that remains is Frondier.¡±


    This entire operation was devised by Frondier, Philly, Malia, Osprey, and others. However, the premise of the entire n ultimately hinged on Frondier¡¯s victory. If the Manggot leader wasn''t defeated, the war couldn''t be considered over.


    ¡°Malia, you look pale.¡±


    Philly observed Malia¡¯s face with concern. Indeed, Malia had turned pale. Her breathing was slightly erratic, and despite her attempts to appearposed, her expression remained rigid.


    ¡°You''re worried about Frondier, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Malia responded immediately, dropping the honorifics and fixing her gaze directly on Philly. ¡°My son is fighting a devil.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Philly nodded gently.


    Malia spoke quietly, ¡°I think Frondier knew who he was going to face.¡±


    ¡°You mean he knew he would encounter Belphegor?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know if he was certain it was Belphegor, but I believe he was prepared to meet a devil. That¡¯s why he went himself.¡±


    Frondier wasn''t the strongest person in the empire. However, he was undoubtedly the strongest among those the Manggot hadn''t ounted for. That¡¯s why Frondier held significance as the spearunched by the empire.


    However¡­


    ¡°¡­But a devil¡­¡±


    Malia shared Frondier¡¯s vision, so she saw who he encountered.


    The Devil of Sloth, Belphegor.


    Upon realizing this, Malia wanted to contact Frondier immediately and tell him toe back. But she couldn''t. Frondier would never listen to her, and if he truly retreated, the entire operation would copse.


    ¡°But Frondier is holding his own, isn¡¯t he?¡± Philly asked. Malia briefly checked on Frondier through Osprey¡¯s vision, who was by his side.


    ¡°¡­He''s be a monster.¡±


    Frondier, with all of Obsidian wrapped around his body and spread out like wings throughout the air, was indeed a sight to behold, worthy of being called a monster.


    ¡°To defeat a devil, one must be a monster.¡±


    ¡°¡­I think he¡¯s deliberately leading it into a high-risk psychological battle. In case he fails this time.¡± Malia bit her lip.


    Just as Philly was about to add something to reassure her, someone urgently entered the meeting room.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    The soldier knelt on one knee before Bartello. Emperor Bartello had been listening to Philly¡¯s summary of the reports and making final decisions while observing the war situation.


    Before the war broke out, Bartello had instructed that any urgent reports be delivered directly to him, as there was no time to go through intermediaries.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Bartellomanded the soldier, who hurriedly reported, ¡°It¡¯s a disaster! In the Imperial Pce armory¡­!¡±


    His report, of course, reached Malia and Philly''s ears as well. Their eyes slowly but surely widened.


    ***


    Both weapons held in Frondier¡¯s hands were incredibly dangerous.


    ¡®You filthy bastard¡­!¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t something a devil should say, but Belphegor was furious. He had anticipated that crossfire. It was the ¡®safest¡¯ way for Frondier to strike him, and its power was formidable.


    Therefore, Belphegor had prepared magic in both hands to counter it. ¡®me¡¯ would act as a shield to block Frondier¡¯s sword energy, while his aura would pierce his heart like a spear.


    Frondier¡¯s Nail was extremely powerful, but it required arge movement of striking the sword hilt with the hammer. The immense mana drain was an added burden.


    Belphegor had clearly identified that massive opening. That¡¯s why he was confident that while his me would deflect Frondier¡¯s sword energy and he would lose an arm, his remaining hand would kill Frondier.


    However, Frondier charged at Belphegor with both weapons in hand.


    There was no time to cancel the magic. He would be sliced by that sword in the process.


    ¡®Here.¡¯


    Choose.


    Excalibur and Mj?lnir.


    Which one should the devil¡¯s me deflect?


    Logically, the obvious choice was Excalibur.


    Although Mj?lnir was the hammer of the gods, Frondier had poured almost all of his mana, which had surged after consuming the mana crystal, into Excalibur. In terms of a single strike, Excalibur¡¯s current state posed a threat not just to Belphegor but to the entire ¡®continent¡¯.


    While Mj?lnir¡¯s strike would also inflict significant damage, it couldn¡¯tpare to Excalibur.


    Therefore¡­


    ¡®If it¡¯s you!¡¯


    Swish!


    Belphegor swung his me, aiming for Mj?lnir.


    Excalibur, with all its power concentrated into a single point. But that¡¯s why Belphegor believed Frondier would swing Mj?lnir. Excalibur was a bluff to conceal Mj?lnir.


    And¡­


    ¡°Kuaagh!¡±


    That thought proved urate.


    Frondier swung Mj?lnir instead of Excalibur, and it was deflected by Belphegor¡¯s me, slipping from his hand. Belphegor¡¯s blue me wasn¡¯t just fire but a concentration of energy.


    Using the flow of countless mes, he could deflect most things. Moreover, the blue me would relentlessly consume any opponent it touched.

 Chapter 286 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Mj?lnir missed, and Frondier lost his grip, his left hand burning with the attached me. Frondier also endured using the mana of Helheim and his own aura, but the devil¡¯s me was no joke.


    ¡®Now, next!¡¯


    Frondier¡¯s posture crumbled. He still held Excalibur, but it wasn¡¯t in a position to cut Belphegor.


    Belphegor¡¯s gaze shifted to Excalibur. His aura exuded a chilling killing intent. Should he behead Frondier now? No, this guy might even be aiming for mutual destruction.


    Cut off that arm. Beheadinges after!


    Belphegor sharpened his hand like a de. Its sharpness alone surpassed that of any ordinary sword.


    Just as his hand was about to sever Frondier¡¯s arm¡­


    ng!!


    ¡°?!¡±Belphegor¡¯s mind went nk. His vision momentarily turned white. The pain assaulting his head came afterward.


    He gritted his teeth and assessed the situation through his flickering vision.


    What happened? Right, Frondier did something. He must have been weaving something behind his back and struck his head at the veryst moment.


    How dare he¡­


    Belphegor¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot. The timing was slightly off, but it didn¡¯t matter. With only Excalibur as his remaining option, Frondier had no way to defeat him.


    ¡®All his mana is in Excalibur. I just need to avoid that!¡¯


    When Belphegor confirmed Frondier¡¯s form¡­


    ck-


    ¡°¡­What.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s left hand still¡­


    Held Mj?lnir.


    ¡®What, that¡¯s impossible¡­¡¯


    He shouldn¡¯t have the mana to recreate Mj?lnir.


    Even if he did, weaving would take time.


    ¡°¡­You, that is¡­¡±


    <i>Crackle, crackle, crackle!</i>


    As if swallowing Belphegor¡¯s voice, a sudden surge of lightning paralyzed him.


    Rumble!!!


    A bolt of lightning suddenly struck from the sky.


    Mj?lnir absorbed all the lightning, surging through the wings of Obsidian that Frondier had spread, and roared once more.


    <i>¡ª¡ªTo control Mj?lnir means to have earned its recognition.</i>


    ¡®That¡¯s, real.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t Obsidian, Menosorpo, or theirbination.


    ¡®Mj?lnir¡¯ was in Frondier¡¯s hand.


    <i>Whir, whir, whir!</i>


    The wings of Obsidian scattered and soared. The ck waves imbued with the power of lightning gathered in Frondier¡¯s right hand, Excalibur.


    ¡°¡­What are you?¡±


    The paralyzed Belphegor could only utter those words.


    Why are you enduring with your left hand that was struck by the blue me?


    Why do you hold Mj?lnir in that hand instead of weaving it?


    Why does Mj?lnir follow the likes of you?


    You, who are not a hero.


    You should be nothing!


    ¡°What the hell are you!!¡±


    Frondier¡¯s cold gaze looked down at Belphegor, with electricity and mes before his eyes.


    Even if he knew what Belphegor was asking,


    Frondier had no reason to tell the truth.


    ***


    ¡°Hmm, this will do.¡±


    Quinie de Viet ascended a tall spire near the Imperial Pce.


    Although the view was vast, she couldn¡¯t see any part of the barrier from here. Quinie hadn¡¯t climbed this high to check on the barrier.


    She had a mission that only she could aplish.


    ¡°It cost a lot of money, but¡­¡±


    Despite being a knight, Quinie was originally a merchant who dealt with money. She had rebuilt her family through insight and connections.


    The Viet family had grown not only to its former glory but to a point where it threatened the magic artifactpany ¡®Hitchcock¡¯.


    As seen during the Constel raid, Quinie had numerous reliable connections.


    ¡°Now, are they ready?¡±


    Quinie picked up her phone and contacted Malia to receive a signal.


    ¡°¡­Oh my, really? Now?¡±


    After hearing something from Malia, Quinie¡¯s face lit up as she asked back.


    Ending the call, Quinie pressed a button on the remote control she took out of her pocket with a look of anticipation.


    Then¡­


    Bzzzt!


    A giant hologram appeared in the sky above the empire.


    This was an application of ¡®Wizard view¡¯, connecting Malia¡¯s vision sharing through mana.


    It was a magic engineering feat that divided the views of each individual Malia was observing into separate channels.


    Currently, it could only disy one channel at a time, but with further technological advancements, that would improve.


    ¡°We can¡¯t continue this foolish fighting even after the war is over.¡±


    Frondier was currently headed to a ce where the empire couldn¡¯t grasp the situation.


    If he defeated the Manggot leader, the war had to end. Any further sacrifices would be meaningless.


    ¡­However, this wasn¡¯t something she had conveyed to Frondier.


    Quinie, unfolding her fan, smiled devilishly.


    ¡°But we need to inform everyone of the end of this fight.¡±


    You won¡¯t be angry, will you, Frondier?


    <i>Snap!</i>


    Soon, Frondier¡¯s figure appeared on the hologram.


    Quinie, like a captivated audience member, looked up at the sky with sparkling eyes.


    This channel was already installed throughout the barrier, allowing everyone fighting there to see this image.


    [What are you?]


    The first voice to be heard was that of the gray-haired devil.


    Belphegor¡¯s enraged voice echoed throughout the empire.


    [What the hell are you!!]


    And Frondier, holding an immense concentration of mana that Wizard view couldn¡¯t fully capture, raised Mj?lnir high in the sky.


    [Still don¡¯t understand!!]


    ck waves engulfed his Excalibur.


    Lightning coursed through the waves, raining down before his eyes.


    Even Frondier¡¯s shouting voice, resonating with his aura, seemed to burn the air.


    [I am¡ª]


    The hammer of the gods struck the hilt of the hero¡¯s sword, and¡­


    [Frondier de Roach¡ª!!]


    Kwaaang!!!


    The sword energy fired, dyed ck by Obsidian¡­


    Struck the devil¡¯s chest directly, sending him plummeting from the heavens to the earth.


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡±


    Immediately afterward, the Wizard view screen went dark.


    Perhaps the magic artifact still needed some work, or maybe the immense mana explosion had caused a malfunction.


    ¡°¡­Well, whatever.¡±


    Quinie, cing her hands on her hips, nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°This is the empire¡¯s deration.¡±

 Chapter 287 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier and Belphegor''s sh.


    As Quinie nned, everyone within the barrier witnessed the scene through the Wizard view.


    The Roach Knights were no exception.


    After eliminating most of the Manggot troops who had lost their shepherd, they raised their eyes to the hologram.


    Belphegor''s question and Frondier''s answer.


    All the silver knights d in armor heard those voices.


    Commander Sylvain.


    After the Wizard view was turned off, he spoke in a heavy voice.


    ¡°Did everyone hear that?¡±A short question directed at all the knights.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They spoke as if they had heavy weights in their bodies.


    ¡°Did we see who we must protect?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    This time, their voices were a little louder.


    They understood the meaning behind Sylvain''s question. They answered with a firm resolve etched in their hearts.


    Sylvain nodded. His shoulders were as heavy as the knights watching him.


    ¡°We must never fall behind.¡±


    The Roach Knights.


    They exist to protect the Roach family and their territory.


    And they saw how fiercely the second son of the Roach family was fighting.


    ¡°If we stop for even a moment, we won''t even see his back.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The Roach Knights.


    Known as the best knights in the Empire, they sharpened the swords in their hearts to protect their master who was leading the way.


    * * *


    Frondier''s sword energy struck Belphegor''s chest directly.


    Belphegor plummeted to the ground.


    Belphegor, who had fallen with tremendous momentum, created a massive crater where he collided with the ground, raising thick smoke.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­.¡±


    Frondier released the weaving as he breathed heavily. Rather than releasing it, he no longer had the strength to maintain it.


    He soon looked at his left hand.


    ¡®The me is gone.¡¯


    The blue me that Belphegor created, the me that tried to devour Frondier''s left hand, had disappeared. The horribly damaged left hand barely maintained its shape and trembled.


    ¡®If I had been even a littlete.¡¯


    A shiver ran down Frondier''s spine. After all, if both hands weren''t intact, he wouldn''t even be able to attempt the sword energy ''Nail''. Moreover, the pain was so excruciating that he almost dropped the hammer.


    ¡®By the way, this Mj?lnir.¡¯


    Frondier lifted the Mj?lnir he was holding.


    ¡®Did it fly all the way here from the Imperial Pce?¡¯


    Right before fighting Belphegor, Frondier sensed the presence of this Mj?lnir. Rather than sensing it, it felt like Mj?lnir was calling him.


    However, he wasn''t sure. He wanted to solve it within his own means as much as possible. He hoped that wielding the Mj?lnir weaving with Excalibur''s bluffing would be enough.


    But of course, it wasn''t enough, and Belphegor read his intentions. If it weren''t for this Mj?lnir, it would have been Frondier himself who crashed to the ground.


    ¡®I heard that no one but Thor can control Mj?lnir.¡¯


    Throwing Mj?lnir and having it return ording to his will. Only Thor could do that. At least, that''s what the game''s literature and information said.


    Frondier controlling the Mj?lnir he weaved was only within Menosorpo. In other words, he just controlled Mj?lnir like he controlled other weapons.


    But this time was different. From the Imperial Pce to here, Mj?lnir flew at high speed to reach his hand.


    ¡°¡­¡­Thank you.¡±


    Whether Mj?lnir really had a self or not, Frondier couldn''t help but say those words.


    As Belphegor fell, changes urred not only for Frondier but also on the ground.


    ¡°Uh, uh! They!¡±


    Starting with someone shouting like that, it became visible to everyone.


    The army of corpses was disappearing. No, they started to crumble in ce as if that was what they were supposed to do.


    The blue me that was burning Frondier''s left hand and the army of corpses disappeared.


    The meaning was clear.


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    Frondier descended to the ground and approached the ce where Belphegor had crashed.


    Thump, Frondier''s steps were quite cautious.


    ¡®Is he really dead?¡¯


    Of course, he struck with the intention to kill.


    Excalibur, filled with all the mana of Helheim in the mana crystal, the real Mj?lnir, if he were alive after being hit by thatbination, it wouldn''t make sense.


    And in the first ce, if this n didn''t work, Frondier wouldn''t even be able to fight Belphegor.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    As the smoke cleared, Belphegor''s gruesome appearance was revealed.


    There was a huge hole in his chest, and blood flowed from countless deep wounds all over his body. If he were human, he would have died from excessive bleeding before the hole in his chest.


    ...But he was a devil.


    A devil of the Seven Sins, so just in case,


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    Belphegor made a sound.


    With his chest pierced and his entire body covered in horrific wounds.


    ¡°You monstrous bastard.¡±


    Belphegor spat out insults and turned hisnguid gaze to Frondier.


    But it seemed like he couldn''t move any further.


    Frondier said.


    ¡°I thought you were going to get up again.¡±


    ¡°No way. This body is going to die soon.¡±


    This body?


    Frondier''s brow furrowed at the somehow unpleasant choice of words.


    ¡°¡­¡­As expected, the reason you can exist in this world.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. This is a borrowed body. I will return to the Demon Realm. I''ve grown quite attached to this body, though.¡±


    Frondier clenched his fist.


    He had fought a life-or-death battle, but his opponent hadn''t even risked his life in the first ce.


    ¡°Don''t make that face. For me now, it''s better to die than to return to the Demon Realm.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It means stepping down from the seat of Sloth.¡±


    Frondier''s eyes widened at those words. Belphegor continued.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? Your Empire does something simr. Isn''t that ''Zodiac''? They always maintain the number 12. The Seven Sins are the same. A demon whose authority has fallen steps down from their position, and another demon takes the seat of ''Sloth''. They maintain the Seven Sins.¡±


    ¡°Then what happens to you?¡±


    ¡°I fall to the bottom of the Demon Realm and get imprisoned.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­With your level of power, you should be able to resist.¡±


    ¡°It''s not something you can resist. It''s different from your human prisons. Just like you can''t avoid falling into hell because you don''t want to.¡±


    Belphegor mixed in another insult in the meantime.


    Frondier shook his head.


    ¡°¡­¡­Belphegor, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you were a devil itself, not borrowing a human body, would you be stronger than you are now?¡±

 Chapter 287 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°If you were a devil itself, not borrowing a human body, would you be stronger than you are now?¡±


    Frondier had only just defeated one of the devils of the Seven Sins. Moreover, the number of the Seven Sins wouldn''t decrease.


    But if Belphegor was actually even more powerful than this...


    Thinking about the possibility of Frondier facing God someday, the future seemed bleak.


    ¡°¡­¡­Well, it''s hard to exin. The human body is constricting, but I can use all the techniques I can use. The fight with you was a critical hit for both of us, so that''s even more so. The devil''s body is a little more solid, but it wouldn''t be able to withstand the sword energy you just used.¡±


    Belphegor''s words were somewhat reassuring to Frondier, but as if telling him not to let his guard down, Belphegor''s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Well, it wouldn''t make much difference, but this isn''t my home ground.¡±


    At those words, Frondier''s mouth closed.


    Right, more important than the body was the fact that this wasn''t the Demon Realm.Frondier thought he was fighting in Manggot, apletely hostile territory.


    But was it the same for the devil Belphegor, who was also in hostile territory?


    ¡°Frondier.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you''ve decided to save humanity, see it through to the end.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    As Frondier tilted his head, Belphegor said.


    ¡°That way, I cane backter to eat souls again.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­This guy.¡±


    Frondier took a step closer to Belphegor.


    Belphegor continued to speak sarcastically to him,


    ¡°So be sure to.¡±


    <i>Swoosh</i>


    In the meantime, the focus in Belphegor''s pupils disappeared. His shoulders, which had been moving gently, and his breathing could no longer be heard.


    ¡°¡­¡­What is this guy.¡±


    Belphegor was dead. To be precise, his body died, and Belphegor''s soul returned to the Demon Realm.


    ¡°He''s not likable until the very end.¡±


    Frondier sighed and looked around.


    The army of corpses had disappeared, and it seemed like there were no seriously injured people.


    Belphegor was gone, and Osprey headed to stop the descent of God.


    He was worried about the barrier, but he figured strong people like Zodiac and Enfer would be able to block it sufficiently. The shepherds of Manggot and the teachers of Constel would handle it well. Above all, with Azier there, worrying was a luxury.


    ¡°¡­¡­Now.¡±


    Frondier''s gaze turned towards the sky.


    Even in the midst of all this, Frondier continued to think.


    Was there anything left, anything he had missed? Was there still a gap he hadn''t noticed?


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    And then he remembered.


    ¡°First, I need to go to Aten.¡±


    Frondier moved.


    To fulfill the closest promise.


    * * *


    Osprey entered Manggot with Selena.


    Selena didn''t know all the geography, but before she left here, she witnessed the believers reciting prayers.


    By the time they arrived, the mana gathering from their faith had be uncontroble.


    ¡°Oh my! We need to hurry. Please subdue them!¡±


    She spoke to Osprey and Selena, and Selena moved.


    Selena didn''t want to kill those who hadn''t gone to war. During her long life in Manggot, she had be acquainted with some of the believers here.


    <i>Thwack! Thwack!</i>


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    For Selena, who knew the human body well, it was easy to knock out unarmed believers. Of course, it was a bit rough because she was in such a hurry.


    <i>Woong¡ª</i>


    Meanwhile, Osprey recalled his body and approached the huge flow of mana located in the center of the believers.


    He spread his hands and mana filled them.


    There was no clear form for the descent of God through faith, but what he had to do now was simply disperse the mana.


    It was important to prevent the descent of God, but if he made a mistake and caused an explosion while spreading the mana, considering the cave-like geography of Manggot, everyone inside would be buried and die.


    ¡°Hmm! That was really close!¡±


    Cold sweat ran down Osprey''s back.


    Indeed, the descent of God was truly imminent. Having traveled to many ces over the long years, he smelled something simr to a sanctuary in this mana concentration.


    Even in a sanctuary, one could meet God, have a brief conversation, or receive help, but the concentrated mana here was hundreds of times greater than that.


    Moreover.


    [Hmm.]


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Something slowly revealed itself within that concentration of mana.


    [This won''t be enough.]


    Osprey opened his eyes wide and looked at it. His hands, which had been slowly dismantling the mana, trembled slightly.


    [The one before my eyes, is it Osprey?]


    ¡°¡­¡­That''s right.¡±


    The opponent recognized Osprey. However, Osprey didn''t know who had just appeared. Only a silhouette could barely be seen within the brilliant light.


    But fortunately, the opponent introduced himself first.


    [My name is Prometheus. Do you know me, Osprey?]


    ¡°¡­¡­Prometheus. I believed you loved humans.¡±


    Prometheus was worshipped in this continent for protecting ancient humans and giving them fire. This part coincided with actual mythology.


    Prometheus nodded at Osprey''s question. Of course, it wasn''t clearly visible because of the silhouette.


    [Of course, I love humans. That''s why I came to help them, but.]


    ¡°You came to help?¡±


    [That''s right.]


    Prometheus'' voice was calm.


    [Didn''t humans want to be destroyed?]


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    [That expression, I see. This was also a war. You don''t want humanity to be destroyed.]


    Osprey''s eyes twitched.


    There was no way humans would want their own destruction.


    Osprey naturally thought so, but Prometheus didn''t.


    [Humans will walk a difficult path once again.]


    Prometheus'' gaze sank as if he were sad. Osprey asked.


    ¡°What does that mean? Wanting destruction. How can it make sense for humans to want their own destruction? Why is it a difficult path to reject that!¡±


    [To ask such a question¡­]


    Prometheus'' silhouette blurred. The concentrated mana began to disperse. This wasn''t Osprey''s doing but Prometheus'' own will.


    [It''s toote, Archmage.]


    And.


    [But let me congratte you first. This time, it''s your victory.]


    <i>Swoosh¡ª</i>


    Prometheus disappeared.


    Not only that, but the massive lump of mana gathered by faith also vanished in an instant.


    This was Prometheus'' power, and there was no risk of being swept away by the mana current or of an explosion.


    Everything went as Osprey wished, but.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    His agony only deepened at this moment.

 Chapter 288 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As Prometheus departed and the demonic energy within Manggot dissipated, Frondier, who was sitting down and resting, raised his head.


    Aten, who was healing Frondier, did the same.


    ¡°...Lord Frondier.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The gazes of the Constel students naturally turned towards Frondier. Even those who weren¡¯t particrly adept at sensing Mana could feel the change in the wind.


    They all waited for Frondier to speak.


    Although Aster was the leader, this deration was not his to make.


    ¡°We won.¡±


    A single, low murmur.A dry tone, devoid of any embellishment, hung in the air.


    ¡°Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡±


    A roar erupted, soaring towards the heavens.


    Just then, someone emerged from within Manggot.


    It was Osprey, gliding through the air as if swimming.


    ¡°Headmaster!¡±


    Frondier called out, and Osprey approached.


    Frondier spoke with relief.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seeded.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no longer any need to worry about the God¡¯s descent.¡±


    Osprey delivered the answer Frondier had longed to hear. However, his expression was grim.


    ¡°...Something happened in there.¡±


    Frondier noticed his expression and spoke, to which Osprey nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to tell you. Not now, butter.¡±


    Frondier nodded in understanding.


    Honestly, he wanted to postpone anything that could be postponed. Fatigue and exhaustion were piled high, leaving him with no desire to do anything.


    First and foremost, they had won the war, and that was enough. Now was the time to savor the feeling of victory¡ª


    ¡°...No.¡±


    Mid-thought, Frondier came to his senses.


    He gently pushed away Aten¡¯s hand, which was casting healing magic, and stood up.


    ¡°Lord Frondier?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    Frondier¡¯s face hardened with determination. Seeing his expression, Aten asked,


    ¡°...Don''t tell me, the barrier¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It might be fine here, but the Manggot Shepherds and the monsters outside are still attacking there.¡±


    Frondier looked around. Most of the students didn¡¯t seem to have any serious injuries.


    ¡®But these arerades who have already fought at the barrier and then fought another battle here. I can''t force them to go.¡¯


    ¡°Headmaster, could you connect us to the barrier with a gate? I¡¯ll create another workshop.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of going to help the soldiers?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    At his words, Osprey stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.


    He wasn¡¯t worried about Frondier, but rather seemed to be concealing something he wanted to say.


    ¡°...I see. So you really were keeping itpletely secret.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Anyway, I agree with going back.¡±


    As Osprey spoke, Frondier, as if waiting for his cue, extended his hand and erected the workshop once more.


    Several students, upon seeing this, let out gasps of admiration.


    ¡®It¡¯ll be difficult to hide it all now.¡¯


    As he created the workshop, Frondier sighed inwardly.


    He had revealed his power to everyone here. During the battle with Belphegor, he had poured out everything beyond his usual limits.


    No matter how preupied they were with fighting the army of corpses, there was no way they could have missed the absurd Mana de he had created.


    In a war of this magnitude, it was impossible to conceal his power from the entire Empire, even if he tried. There was never any point where hiding his power would have been feasible.


    ¡®Still, we fought in Manggot, where the Empire''s eyes couldn¡¯t reach, and the only ones who saw were a handful from Constel, so¡­¡¯


    Compared to the entire Empire, this number of people was minuscule. Rumors were bound to be distorted and exaggerated. Like before, it would all be mixed with nonsense and exaggeration, eventually fading away.


    ¡°Oh, Aster!¡±


    Frondier called out, searching for Aster. Aster turned his head and looked at Frondier.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go help the people at the barrier!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    Despite his words, Aster approached Frondier, his light steps indicating that his condition was perfectly fine.


    Frondier pointed towards the workshop gate with his gaze.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I wish I could take everyone here, but they must all be exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I look tired to you?¡±


    ¡°Not really?¡±


    Half of Frondier¡¯s words were sincere. Aster genuinely seemed to have recovered, showing no signs of fatigue. His recovery ability was truly befitting of the protagonist.


    ¡®Right. The protagonist should be at the forefront.¡¯


    Frondier walked towards the workshop but deliberately slowed his pace, following behind Aster.


    He didn¡¯t want to be the first one to emerge from the gate and attract attention. It was better to let Aster draw the attention and then discreetly shift positions. That was Frondier¡¯s n.


    ¡°Hey, are you two going alone?¡±


    Just then, Elodie, who had grasped the situation, flew over with a light leap. A smirk yed on her lips, suggesting she still had the energy to fight.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡°If there¡¯s still work to be done, we must see it through.¡±


    Sybil approached and spoke.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you leave me behind.¡±


    Aten also stood behind Frondier.


    Frondier looked at them, his gaze filled with concern, making sure no one was pushing themselves too hard.


    ¡°Frondier, are you their mother?¡±


    At that moment, Robald Lieff walked up to them, his voiceced with amusement.


    ¡°They can all take care of themselves.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re right.¡±


    Frondier nodded in agreement.


    With that, Osprey moved his hand, creating a spatial magic formation on the workshop gate. Everyone stared at the gate, their faces etched with determination.


    ¡°This time, let¡¯s end the war for good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With Aster in the lead, they strode forward and opened the gate.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!¡±


    They were met with the sight of soldiers cheering triumphantly at the barrier.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Stepping back through the gate, they all blinked in unison, their faces nk with confusion.


    Everywhere they looked, all they saw and heard were cries of joy, with no enemies in sight.


    ¡°...It¡¯s over?¡±


    Elodie, the first to regain herposure, asked in a daze.


    Just then, one of the soldiers spotted them emerging from the gate.


    ¡°Hey! Look over there!¡±


    ¡°Uh oh¡­¡±


    Frondier quickly tried to discreetly step aside.


    It seemed word of his exploits had spread quickly, thanks to his friends¡¯ enthusiastic reports from the barrier. After all, news of victory in war had a knack for traveling fast.


    Fortunately, he had Aster and his other friends here to shield him.


    ¡®But how did the war end so quickly?¡¯


    He could understand the monsters outside, but eliminating all the Manggot Shepherds shouldn¡¯t have been easy.


    As Frondier pondered this small question, attempting to slip away unnoticed¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s Frondier! Frondier¡¯s over there!!¡±


    An unexpected shout stopped him in his tracks.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Frondier¡¯s face contorted in bewilderment at the sound of his name. Why was his name being called out in this situation? It should have been Aster, Elodie, or Sybil receiving the cheers.


    Besides, did they even know him?


    ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s really him! It¡¯s Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Over there! Wow, Frondier!¡±


    ¡°Frondier de Roach!¡±


    ¡°Frondieeeeeer!!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just one person.


    Upon hearing the initial shout, everyone¡¯s attention turned towards Frondier.


    The voices of countless individuals atop the barrier merged into a single, thunderous roar. Those who had spotted him were beaming, waving their hands enthusiastically in his direction.


    Soon, the scattered cries coalesced into a unified chant, echoing Frondier¡¯s name. The sound reverberated through the air, filling the entire battlefield.


    ¡°Wh-What is going on?¡±


    Truly, genuinely, and utterly bewildered, Frondier looked around.


    What was this? He hadn''t done anything. Well, he had done a lot, but there was no way these people could know about it.


    It was as if he was being mistaken for the key figure responsible for the war¡¯s victory. This was a highly undesirable situation for him.


    A mischievous grin spread across the faces of everyone in Frondier''s group, except for Frondier himself, who stood frozen in the spotlight.


    Whoosh!


    ¡°Wh-What the¡­!¡±


    It started with Aster.


    He swiftly scooped Frondier up from behind. Or rather, he practically tossed him into the air.


    Elodie then used her magic to keep Frondier afloat. Naturally, he had no control over his own levitation.


    Aten joined in, conjuring ice from the ground to encase Frondier. To onlookers, it might have appeared as a dazzling magical disy, but to Frondier, it felt like being trapped in a morous prison.


    Sybil then drew her rapier, igniting its de with mes before shing through the air. The fiery trail left behind by her movements spelled out the name ¡®Frondier de Roach¡¯ inrge, zing letters across the sky.


    ¡®What in the world¡­!¡¯


    His friends were just messing around, riding the wave of cheers directed at him. He could understand that. However, the immense roar from the crowd was undeniably genuine.


    All these people knew his name, and they were chanting it in unison with heartfelt enthusiasm.


    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me!¡¯


    At that moment, the memory of Osprey¡¯s enigmatic expression shed through Frondier¡¯s mind. He whipped his head around to look at the Headmaster, only to find Osprey quickly averting his gaze.


    ¡°Headmaster! You knew about this, didn¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll exin everything. Not now, butter.¡±


    ¡°You should have told me sooner!¡±

 Chapter 288 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°You should have told me sooner!¡±


    Frondier cried out in exasperation.


    But in that instant, something even more astonishing caught his eye.


    A massive hologram,rge enough to fill his entire field of vision, flickered to life above the barrier wall. It was a live feed, disying his own image as if reflected in a mirror.


    ¡°...What is that?¡±


    Buzz!


    Right on cue, his Sagephone vibrated in his pocket.


    Frondier raised the phone to his ear, a familiar voice greeting him from the other side.


    ¡°Hey Frondier, I finally managed to fix it.¡±¡°...Senior Quinie?¡±


    ¡°Yep, yep. Ah, it¡¯s good to hear your voice. I¡¯ve been wanting to see and hear you, and now half of that wish is fulfilled.¡±


    Quinie¡¯s voice held her usual cool and collected tone.


    Frondier felt a surge of relief at hearing her voice, but right now, exnations took priority.


    ¡°So, what is that thing? My face is stered across the sky, and it¡¯s quite unsettling.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Let me show you.¡±


    ¡°Show me what?¡±


    Quinie didn¡¯t answer. Or rather, she didn¡¯t need to.


    The image on the hologram changed.


    [What in the world are you?!]


    Belphegor''s enraged face suddenly filled the screen, his voice booming across the battlefield.


    And then it dawned on Frondier.


    He understood everything.


    Overwhelmed by a wave of embarrassment and despair, Frondier covered his face with his free hand.


    The sky was dark, and the world felt just as bleak.


    Was this truly the world that awaited him after achieving victory in war?


    ¡°Wow, that turned out great! How about it, Frondier? They say it was all thanks to this footage that Manggot lost their morale and the war ended. The angles, the timing, everything was perfect!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Frondier couldn''t even bring himself to respond.


    Instead, his past self, still battling valiantly within the hologram, continued his impassioned speech, oblivious to the present situation.


    [Don¡¯t you understand yet?!]


    His voice echoed unnecessarily loud, amplified by the surrounding magic.


    [I am¡ª]


    Frondier de Roach!


    De Roach!


    Roach!


    Roach¡­


    ***


    Following the war''s end, the demoralized Manggot Shepherds were apprehended and taken into custody. Some had perished in the conflict, while others had tragically taken their own lives.


    However, the Empire had gone to great lengths to capture as many Shepherds as possible.


    As a result, a long line of kneeling Shepherds now found themselves before the Emperor within the Imperial Pce.


    Surrounded by nobles and the Emperor himself, the defeated Shepherds hung their heads, consumed by shame and resentment.


    ¡°...The audacity of these individuals to initiate a war without even a formal deration is appalling¡ª¡±


    ¡°Silence! Just kill them already!¡±


    Notker¡¯s voice cut through the Imperial official¡¯s words.


    ¡°Why bother with such prattle? Has the Imperial Pce be so bored that it finds amusement in toying with condemned souls?¡±


    His words ignited a spark of fury in the eyes of most nobles present.


    Amusement? How dare he utter such a preposterous notion! How dare the very perpetrators who had set the Empire aze speak with such insolence!


    ¡°Notker.¡±


    A heavy voice,den with authority, silenced the murmurs of outrage. It was Emperor Bartello.


    ¡°What is it, Bartello?¡±


    ¡°You dare address His Majesty with such disrespect?!¡±


    Finally, the nobles'' patience wore thin at Notker¡¯s tant disregard for decorum. However, Bartello raised a hand, silencing their protests.


    With a slow, deliberate motion, Bartello rose from his throne. He then proceeded to step down from the dais, approaching the line of kneeling Shepherds.


    His actions sent a ripple of shock and unease throughthe room.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty! This is dangerous!¡±


    ¡°What danger? They are all bound and powerless.¡±


    Bartello dismissed their concerns with a hint of annoyance. Cowards, the lot of them. For some reason, the Emperor appeared to be in a foul mood.


    He lowered himself slightly, meeting Notker¡¯s gaze at eye level.


    ¡°Shepherd of Manggot.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you wage war?¡±


    It was a natural question, the most obvious one to ask under the circumstances.


    However, from Manggot¡¯s perspective, it wasn¡¯t so straightforward.


    For them, war was an inevitability, a consequence they themselves had set in motion.


    But they had failed.


    Notker¡¯s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding audibly.


    ¡°You abandoned us! Emperor!!¡±


    His words were a defiant roar. Though his Aura was suppressed by the restraints, the raw, visceral pain in his voice was impossible to ignore.


    ¡°...You speak of the past.¡±


    Emperor Bartello¡¯s grandfather, Edesion.


    He had been the ruler when the monsters first emerged, a time when the Empire was caughtpletely unprepared, ill-equipped to handle the sudden onught. Countless lives had been lost as the monsters advanced relentlessly, forcing the Empire into a desperate retreat.


    Silchester, the current Imperial capital, was already the third city to hold that title. The previous two had fallen to the relentless tide of monsters.


    ¡­And before that, Manggot had been within the Empire¡¯s borders.


    ¡°To divert the monsters'' attention, you used your own citizens as shields! The Empire abandoned us! We ced our trust in the Empire, believing that you would protect us! That knights woulde, that soldiers would arrive to defend us! That¡¯s what you promised!! Why did you note?! If you never intended to help us, why did you leave us there?! Why did you lie to us, binding us with false hope, only to cast us aside as monster fodder?!¡±


    Bartello¡¯s eyes darkened at Notker¡¯s words.


    Notker was too young to have experienced those events firsthand. He hadn''t lived through that era. His knowledge likely came from survivors who had escaped Manggot and passed down their stories.


    This was Manggot¡¯s truth.


    The truth as they knew it, from their perspective.


    ¡°That scoundrel! The eastern and western fronts were already on the verge of copse¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Bartello cut off the outburst from another noble, his voiceced with weariness.


    Knowing all the facts didn¡¯t change people¡¯s hearts.


    Knowing all the facts didn¡¯t determine right from wrong.


    ¡°...I wanted to embrace Manggot in the Empire¡¯s arms. Regardless of the past, I knew that to soothe Manggot''s anger, they needed forgiveness more than exnations. But I underestimated that task.¡±


    Bartello¡¯s gaze settled back on Notker.


    ¡°...?!¡±


    At that moment, Notker sensed something peculiar in Bartello¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t vitality or resolve. It was a profound fear, difficult to define but impossible to ignore.


    There was something amiss in Bartello¡¯s gaze. It wasn¡¯t a figure of speech or an exaggeration; it was a tangible, unsettling abnormality.


    ¡°The past will haunt me. All your sins will burn me.¡±


    Bartello said, his voice devoid of its usualmanding tone.


    Momentarily stunned by the Emperor¡¯s words, Notker could only sputter in disbelief.


    ¡°How dare you¡­ spew such nonsense¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it nonsense?¡±


    Bartello¡¯s voice remained eerily calm, his gaze fixed on Notker.


    ¡°I know myself well. These are not mere words. This ¡®eye¡¯ tells me so.¡±


    As he spoke, Bartello¡¯s demeanor shifted, taking on an almost prophetic quality.


    ¡°Just as Manggot wished, the Emperor of the Empire will burn in sin.¡±


    ***


    Manggot had fallen.


    The Empire had emerged victorious.


    The assault on Manggot had urred far earlier than in the original game. Typically, it wouldn''t have transpired until after the protagonist, Aster, had graduated.


    As a result, numerous events that should have unfolded had been bypassed. Whether these events would resurface in the future remained uncertain.


    ¡­Indeed.


    With the triumphant conclusion of the war against Manggot, I had sessfully navigated a hurdle I had never encountered in the game before.


    ¡°I wish this had been the end.¡±


    A sigh escaped my lips, heavy with a mixture of relief and apprehension.


    I stood alone near the barrier, having politely excused myself from the celebratory atmosphere that permeated the air. The stench of blood lingered, a grim reminder of the recent conflict.


    A part of me had hoped thatpleting this main quest would trigger the game''s ending. I had dared to dream that it might pave the way for my return to my own world.


    ...However, I remained trapped here.


    ¡°This game is truly broken.¡±


    When would this ordeal finally reach its conclusion?


    Would finishing the game truly grant me my freedom?


    In fact¡­ was there even an ending to this game in the first ce?


    ¡°...No, I¡¯ve been asking the wrong questions all along.¡±


    A stark realization washed over me, a truth I had been desperately trying to ignore.


    It was an obvious fact, yet I had shied away from it, fearing that acknowledging it would shatter my resolve entirely.


    ¡°...This isn¡¯t a game.¡±


    The words felt heavy on my tongue, a truth I had been struggling to confront.


    Countless times, faced with injustice, inconsistencies, and trials that defied logic, I had muttered those words under my breath.


    This game is broken.


    It was ament born of frustration, a desperate attempt to rationalize the absurdity of my situation by clinging to the notion that it was all just a game.


    But this was reality.


    And reality was inherently unfair, ironic, and filled with contradictions.


    The key to my return wasn''tpleting the game. It was unraveling the mystery of my arrival, identifying those responsible, and determining if their methods could be replicated.


    Beep!


    At that moment, after what felt like an eternity of silence, my smartwatch sprang to life.


    I nced at the screen, reading the iing message.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A surge of frustration welled up inside me, lodging itself in my throat like a bitter pill.


    ¡°Scratch that. This game is definitely broken.¡±


    With a resigned sigh, I turned away from the barrier, my steps heavy as I made my way back towards the others.


    The war may have ended, but the stench of blood lingered.


    And the winter here¡­ it felt like it wouldst forever.


    ***


    [World Quest Update]


    [¡®Etius¡¯pleted.]

 Chapter 289 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The Demon Realm is vibrant with color.


    Demons, more closely connected to Mana than humans, exude their own distinct colors based on their individual magical power.


    The Demon Realm is neither dark nor dirty.


    It''s just that the colors are more ''intense'' than in the human world.


    This intensity bes more vivid as one''s rank rises, and in extreme cases, the surroundings can even be dyed with their color while they remain in one ce.


    Therefore, it goes without saying that when a demon reaches the level of the ''Seven Sins'', the color of their seat spreads to the point where it bes their ''domain''.


    "Belphegor."


    Within a massive dome-shaped building, Belphegor sat in the center of a slightly lowered open space. And on the stairs that surrounded him in a circle, six demons looked down at him.


    Although the structure resembles a small colosseum, this building is indeed a demon court.Among the six demons, the one who summoned Belphegor was Satan, with the wings of a ck angel.


    "What is it?"


    Belphegor''s gaze in response was undeniablynguid, and he sat calmly as if unaware of his situation.


    However, he knew. He knew better than anyone.


    "Do you have anything you want to say?"


    "Please finish it quickly if possible. You guys aren''t as idle as I am."


    Satan asks, and Belphegor answers.


    "Belphegor, you were the demon I acknowledged the most, so why did you fall...!"


    Lucifer, the demon of pride, spat out his displeasure. Unlike Satan with his ck bird wings, Lucifer, with his devilish and mboyant bat wings, the most demon-like among them, shed his crimson eyes.


    Belphegor chuckled, calmly receiving that gaze.


    "That''s right. I fell from that position, so if you''re going to send me to hell, do it quickly. I don''t want to drag out an obvious trial."


    Belphegor, defeated in his fight with Frondier.


    Even though he had borrowed a human body and the stage wasn''t the Demon Realm, Belphegor had used the power of the Seven Sins.


    Yet, he lost. It was an expected course of action for Belphegor to step down from the position of Sloth.


    And when a demon of the Seven Sins steps down from their position, they are inevitably sent to hell. They descend to the lowest rank among demons, where pain and humiliation await as punishment.


    "Speaking of which, Belphegor."


    This time, Beelzebub, the demon of gluttony, spoke up. Beelzebub, whose name signifies gluttony, was neither fat norrge, contrary to his reputation. However, his exceptionally long hair was noticeable.


    "You will not go to hell."


    "Oh?"


    "You will go to ''Nastrond''."


    At that, Belphegor''s eyes twitched and moved.


    Nastrond is a ce in Niflheim. The hell of ''that world'' where the dragon Nidhogg resides.


    "...It was an unspoken rule that we wouldn''t interfere with each other."


    Nastrond is apletely different world from the Demon Realm where the Seven Sins reside.


    In the world Frondier originally belonged to, Niflheim with Nastrond is a story from Norse mythology, while the Seven Sins are from Christianity.


    The starting points that form the foundation of the worlds are different in the first ce.


    Of course, in this world, ce names like ''Northern Europe'' don''t even appear and no one knows about them, but it''s clear that the distance between the two worlds is iparably vast.


    "Belphegor, it''s one of the consequences of your defeat in that war."


    This time, Mammon, the demon of greed, spoke up. Mammon had the appearance of a young boy, and true to his name, his entire body was adorned with dazzling ornaments, jewels, and gold.


    "Consequences?"


    "Yes. It seems the humans of the Empire will be looking across the sea."


    The Empire won the war against the Manggot.


    In other words, the possibility arose for the ce where the Manggot were to develop into a new safe zone for the Empire.


    The Manggot lived within the numerous caves of the coastal cliffs, and devoid of resources where even monsters wouldn''t dwell, meaning the sea was right before their eyes.


    If the Empire expands its territory and begins to yearn for what lies beyond the sea, naturally, both gods and demons will have to make their moves.


    "Well, if humans from different realms meet, then the exchange between the gods who govern those different realms bes inevitable. We demons, too, have no choice but to join forces for the sake of maintaining the bnce of power."


    At Mammon''s words, Belphegor''s thoughts elerate.


    ''...They needed a suitable excuse.''


    In Belphegor''s judgment, the possibility of gods from different worlds joining forces is close to zero.


    Gods, in the first ce, are not beings who act with reason and rationality. Even gods within the same world engage in fights and conflicts, so how much more so would it be with gods from different worlds?


    Therefore, the im that demons are turning their attention to the realm of Nastrond to counter the cooperation of gods is nothing more than a flimsy excuse.


    ''They wanted to involve Nastrond from the beginning. Their target is either Niflheim as a whole or Hel from Helheim.''


    It seems that while Belphegor was possessing a human, a rather strange atmosphere had been flowing in the Demon Realm without his knowledge.


    ''Well, it''s none of my business anymore.''


    Anyway, Belphegor had stepped down from his position as one of the Seven Sins, and whether it be hell or Nastrond, the fact that he had fallen remained unchanged.


    The bnce of the Demon Realm, demons, or gods was no longer his concern.


    In fact, even while he held the position of one of the Seven Sins, it wasn''t particrly his concern.


    "And Belphegor, here is your sessor."


    Lucifer spoke again, and as if waiting for those words, someone walked over from afar.


    A man with a tall stature, a neat uniform, and sses that made his already stern impression even more prickly appeared.


    Belphegor watched him with cold eyes.


    "...Astaroth..."


    Astaroth, in stark contrast to Belphegor''s rxed demeanor, gave a stiff bow with angr movements.


    "I am Astaroth. From today onwards, I will be in charge of ''Sloth''. Please ensure there are no misunderstandings in the future."

 Chapter 289 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "I am Astaroth. From today onwards, I will be in charge of ''Sloth''. Please ensure there are no misunderstandings in the future."


    "Misunderstandings or whatever, we won''t be seeing each other anymore."


    Belphegor, who would be confined to Nastrond, and Astaroth, who had taken the seat of one of the Seven Sins. It was physically impossible for them to meet.


    After hearing Belphegor''s words, Astaroth adjusted his sses once.


    "Well, that''s true. Belphegor. The position of ''Sloth'' never suited you in the first ce."


    A clear provocation. However, Belphegor merely sighed as if bored.


    "Yeah, yeah. ''The posture of ruling''. I''ve heard it ad nauseam*." [T/N: heard it to the point it is annoying]


    "The one in charge of sloth, drowning in sloth, what a contradiction! The one who governs a sin must be free from that sin."


    Astaroth spoke loudly as if giving a passionate lecture. Belphegor''s gaze shifted slightly at those words."...Like Satan over there?"


    At that remark, Satan simply tilted his head once and shrugged.


    "...Hmm. I haven''t said a word about Lord Satan."


    "Lord Satan, huh."


    As Belphegor mentioned the title again, Astaroth''s eyes narrowed.


    "I''m still new to the position of one of the Seven Sins. I''m just showing due respect."


    "Hahahaha."


    Belphegorughed. He threw his head back, letting his gray hair flow, andughed out loud.


    Belphegor, whoseughter somehow made people feel sluggish, opened his narrow eyes behind thatughter and said,


    "You''re done for. You. You don''t fit."


    "...! Just because I''m not ''slothful'' doesn''t mean I can''t be in charge of Sloth...!"


    "It''s not a matter of the type of sin."


    This time, Belphegor lowered his head deeply.


    He had fallen from the position of one of the Seven Sins, his status, authority, and power diminished, yet an aura that made all seven, including Astaroth, tense flowed from his body.


    "That ''height'' doesn''t suit you. You''re precarious, Astaroth. One who stands above should stand firmly on both feet, not twist their entire body and perform acrobatics on an unstable bnce."


    "...You''re saying I''m unstable?"


    "For a while, the people around you will p their hands, saying you''re amazing. Acrobatics are more impressive the longer you do them. But no one will follow someone who struggles just to hold on to a precarious pole."


    "...Hmph. Now that you''re a fallen demon, your words have no persuasive power."


    "Well, that''s true."


    Belphegor readily admitted it.


    As Astaroth said, he no longer had the qualifications. His words held no authority or power, and therefore, the one who was right now was not Belphegor but Astaroth.


    Yes, that''s why this was just an old man''s concern.


    Advice from Belphegor, who had held the position of one of the Seven Sins before Astaroth, who had held the position ''longer than anyone else'' here.


    "As you said, there''s no need to be slothful just because you''re in charge of Sloth, but..."


    Belphegor''s half-closed eyes scanned Astaroth. Astaroth, standing stiffly upright. After confirming that posture, which seemed impervious to lethargy orziness,


    "...Learn how to ''sit'' in that position."


    "What does that...!"


    As Astaroth raised his voice in displeasure, it was Lucifer who stopped him.


    "Hey, Belphegor. That''s enough. You''re the one who said to finish it quickly, yet you talk the most."


    "I apologize. An unexpected sessor appeared."


    "We''ve conveyed everything we needed to, and this is just a personal question of mine, but..."


    Lucifer''s eyes turned to Belphegor.


    "Why did you lose to a human?"


    "..."


    Belphegor closed his mouth for a moment.


    The seven demons here basically had no interest in humans. No, they had a lot of interest in the human species itself, but not in individuals.


    The scene of Belphegor and Frondier fighting could be easily confirmed with a little investigation.


    Above all, their subordinates would have prepared the materials for them. Ignoring even that, they were asking Belphegor.


    ''Seriously, who are the truly slothful ones here.''


    Belphegor sighed inwardly.


    "Hmph, there''s nothing to be wary of. It''s just that Belphegor was weak enough to be unfit for the Seven Sins."


    Astaroth clicked his tongue and spoke.


    At that, Lucifer''s gaze turned to Astaroth.


    "Hey, Astaroth."


    "Yes."


    "Be careful with your words. You don''t know Belphegor."


    "...But, it''s the truth, isn''t it?"


    Astaroth''s words, which were about to protest, stopped.


    His eyes and lips trembled, and his face turned pale as he looked around, trembling.


    At the end of his gaze, Satan was smiling.


    "It''s better to listen to Lucifer''s words quietly. Rookie."


    The ''anger'' that Satan emitted was like a thin thread.


    Astaroth was instantly overwhelmed by the teeth that shed faintly within that smile.


    "...Yes."


    He barely managed to utter those words and lowered his head. He struggled to hide his cold sweat.


    Lucifer snorted.


    "...Hmph, it wasn''t your ce to step in, Satan."


    "But I agree. It''s not just Lucifer who''s curious about how Belphegor lost to a mere human."


    At those words, Belphegor looked at Satan. He tilted his head and cast a suspicious nce at him.


    "Hey, Satan."


    "Yes?"


    "You met Frondier too, didn''t you? Before asking how I lost, wouldn''t you have some idea yourself?"


    Satan, who had met Frondier before Belphegor.


    Belphegor didn''t know the details of the circumstances, but considering the context, it was almost certain that Satan had met Frondier.


    Regardless of what kind of encounter they had, Satan would have witnessed a glimpse of the power Frondier possessed.


    It wasn''t something Satan would miss.


    However.


    "...I wonder?"


    Satan shamelessly tilted his head.


    "I don''t tend to remember every single human."


    "...Oh?"


    Belphegor''s gaze sharpened. As if trying to read Satan''s intentions, the gaze of ''Sloth'' scanned Satan''s eyes.


    "©¤©¤That look, it''s unpleasant."


    This time, it was clear and distinct anger emanating from Satan.


    A definite and fierce torrent, iparable to what he had briefly shown Astaroth, surged, and in an instant, the atmosphere in the room was filled with murderous intent.


    While everyone focused their gazes on Satan with caution, Belphegor''s heart, the one receiving the anger, remained calm and tranquil.


    That''s what sloth is.


    ''...Satan.''


    You''re up to something.


    The connection with Nastrond. The sessor of the Seven Sins who addresses him with the honorific ''Lord''. The humans of the Empire who will soon look beyond the sea. And the way he''s hiding Frondier, who is currently the one to be most wary of.


    ''You intend to use them.''


    Nastrond, and the gods.


    And above all, Frondier de Roach, you n to y with them on your chessboard.


    "...Heh."


    Belphegor averted his gaze. He lowered his head to hide his expression, forcing down a rising smile.


    Use Frondier?


    "...Keke, hehe."


    He couldn''t hold it back, and a smallugh escaped.


    Ah, Nastrond. It truly is hell.


    To think I won''t be able to see the faces of the Seven Sins who will meet Frondier in the future. To think I have to leave it to my imagination how their faces will be painted with astonishment.


    ''Yes, Satan. I wish you the best of luck.''


    Try using Frondier.


    I really want to see that sight.

 Chapter 290 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A week had passed since the war ended.


    I was troubled.


    It was a level of anguishparable to, or perhaps even exceeding, the time I had devised a n for the war against Manggot.


    ''...What should I do with Selena?''


    Yes, my concern was Selena''s treatment.


    Since I had said goodbye to Selena, our employment rtionship had been terminated. Selena had also epted this.


    Although Selena had asked me to "save her" right before we parted, that was just a request, and it didn''t necessarily define our rtionship.


    Of course, I would keep my promise to Selena. I would find her family, ''Vanier'', and take her there. Now that Manggot had fallen, I could start working on that.


    However, or rather because of that, perhaps it was right to part ways with Selena at that time.Wouldn''t it be right for Selena to be Selena de Vanier and live as a noble from now on?


    Selena was beautiful and wise. Moreover, she was a master of closebat who could be a pro or a knight. As long as she hid her habit of assassinating well, she could do anything excellently. If she wanted, she could now live a life unrted to fighting.


    ...It would be a waste to keep her as my escort. Above all, would Selena even want that?


    "And yet, you ended uping here anyway."


    I stopped in the open space behind the mansion and sighed.


    This was where Selena and I met and talked. This was also the ce where we parted ways in the end.


    As expected, I needed Selena. I was overwhelminglycking in experience in closebat, and I couldn''t predict every situation.


    If a sudden attack urred, it would be very reassuring to have Selena. This was especially true now that this world had entered a phase I didn''t know about.


    But Selena wouldn''t need me anymore. There was no need to act as a double spy anymore, and naturally, there was no need to learn the ancientnguage.


    I quietly opened my mouth in the empty space.


    "...What should I do with you, Sele-"


    Swoosh-


    "You called?"


    "..."


    Before I could even finish her name, a person popped out. It was Selena, of course.


    I stared nkly at Selena, who appeared behind me.


    Selena''s outfit was one of the clothes I had given her.


    "...Selena."


    "Yes."


    "When did you reconnect your shadow?"


    "..."


    Selena''s eyes slowly shifted to the side.


    "Perhaps, was it at the end of that war, then?"


    "...Yes."


    Thebination of my workshop and Osprey''s spatial magic that urred during the battle with Belphegor.


    Many Constel students, including Selena, moved from the Empire to Manggot through the workshop door.


    I was busy fighting Belphegor, but that was probably when Selena was closest to me.


    So it was the perfect time to reconnect the shadow, and I wasn''t dissatisfied with the fact that Selena was reconnected to my shadow.


    ...Just.


    "...Selena, it''s been a week since that war ended."


    "Yes, it has."


    "If you had connected the shadow, you should havee sooner."


    That''s right. If I had known she had already connected the shadow, my worries wouldn''t have been so deep. It wouldn''t have taken a week in the first ce.


    This concern was not only about my intentions but also about Selena''s intentions.


    If she set her mind to it, it would be very difficult for me to find her. The Empire was vast, as long as she didn''te to Constel.


    But Selena looked up at me and tilted her head as if to ask, "What do you mean?"


    "Since Frondier-nim didn''t call me, I naturally didn''t show myself."


    "...Huh?"


    "We''ve always been like this, haven''t we?"


    I looked at Selena quietly.


    I looked at her face, which seemed to have no shame as she looked up at the sky, for a long time.


    ''...This shameless girl.''


    Selena was going beyond whether or not to be an escort again, and was acting as if she had been the original escort from the beginning.


    As if we had never parted ways.


    Moreover, with her improved acting skills, the way she looked at me slyly made me wonder if she had really forgotten everything.


    "...Then why didn''t you show yourself even at the mansion?"


    "I returned from my dispatch to Manggot."


    ...Dispatch. What a ridiculous setting.


    ''Okay. If that''s what Selena wants.''


    I weed it. If she acted like nothing had happened, there was no reason for me to not ept it.


    "Selena, then let me ask you one thing."


    "Yes."


    "Are you hurt anywhere from Manggot?"


    "..."


    "It might have been unnecessary meddling, but in the outfit you''re wearing now, I took some precautions..."


    I had inserted a needle containing uv''s poison. Selena would have noticed it.


    I thought I would be somewhat proud if it had helped, and when I looked at her again.


    "...Ah."


    Selena''s eyes suddenly welled up, and tears streamed down her face.


    "Ah, uh."


    As if she had only just realized she was crying, Selena lowered her head and wiped her eyes in a fluster.


    Of course, I was also flustered.


    Was this acting too? I had given up on seeing through Selena''s acting, so I was even more confused at times like this.


    Selena muttered while sniffling.


    "...As much as possible."


    "As much as possible?"


    "I was trying to forget as much as possible."


    Forget?


    Was my arrangement that bad? I thought it was a decent device.


    I didn''t know how Selena fought inside Manggot, but the needle I gave her didn''t seem to have any effect.


    ...Judging by her reaction, it might have hindered her rather than helped.


    ''Come to think of it, I only know about the structure of attaching and injecting needles, I don''t know what kind of abnormalities ur when only one is inserted.''


    Since I always insert needles in multiples of four, could it be that there was a problem when only one was inserted? My consideration wascking.


    "...Ahem. Anyway, it''s a good thing. I have something to tell you."


    I pushed aside my slightly hurt feelings and changed the subject.


    "What is it?"


    "It''s a vacation for the time being. You''ve made a great contribution in this war, so think of it as part of the reward. You can go somewhere fun, or stay at the mansion. You can go to Constel when sses start again. I rmend that. Everyone wanted to see you."


    "What''s going on? If you''re going somewhere, I''ll follow you."


    "I am going somewhere, but I don''t want to show it to you."


    I sighed.


    If Selena''s treatment was my concern, this matter was my hardship.


    "You don''t want to show it to me? Where are you going? Is it that dangerous?"


    "Yes. It''s a very dangerous ce. I didn''t tell you. You were in Manggot."


    I had met several conditions to minimize the damage of the war with Manggot.


    And to fulfill those conditions, I had also made a few promises.


    Now it was time to fulfill those promises.


    "...Where are you going, what are you going to do? I''ve told you many times, but I will follow you to the ends of hell and protect Frondier-nim."


    Selena''s expression hardened. In an instant, I could see the determination in her eyes.


    I was swept away by her momentum and spoke without realizing it.


    "...I''m going to sell my soul to the devil."


    "Yes?!"


    "Sorry, it''s a figurative expression. I didn''t mean it literally."


    I said that to reassure Selena.


    But while I was speaking, something bothered me.


    "...The metaphor might be right."


    "Yes?!"


    I just had to add that unnecessary remark.

 Chapter 290 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After the war ended, the Empire became extremely busy.


    Although the damage was much less than expected, that was only because the expectation was such a devastating blow.


    In reality, many people had died, and the restored barrier was not without its scars.


    Above all, at this point where the path to Manggot was somewhat open.


    The Empire embarked on its first territorial expansion since the monster war.


    They hadn''t pushed back the monsters outside or defeated the monsters of the abyss, but the path was definitely open.


    The monsters that had been attacking the barrier from all sides retreated, and now was the time when the number of monsters between the Empire and Manggot was at its lowest.


    The Empire announced that it would develop the path to Manggot, and it was no wonder that the hearts of the Empire''s citizens were excited.


    ...So, the Empire first spread easy-to-understand and good news to the public, and convened a meeting once again to resolve the issues that were difficult to deal with right away."...Retirement?"


    Medart nodded at Empress Philly''s question for reconfirmation.


    "Yes. I realized it clearly in this war. I am already an old body. It is not appropriate for me to be in the seat of the Zodiac."


    Medart de Thebes.


    The oldest among the Zodiacs, he paired with Sybil during the Manggot War and defended the barrier.


    And he was fatally wounded by one of Manggot''s Shepherds, barely escaping with his life.


    In fact, Medart''s defeat was one of the unexpected situations for Frondier, and Frondier was also greatly surprised when he heard about itter.


    He believed that Sybil had changed, but even Frondier didn''t know what form that change would ultimately take.


    "...The Imperial Pce does not prevent you from stepping down from the Zodiac. Medart-nim, you have fulfilled your role sufficiently, and it is not strange to think about retirement at your age."


    Philly began with a dark expression, her words suggesting that a "however" would follow.


    "However, if possible, could you please postpone it a little?"


    "Postpone...? Why?"


    When Medart asked, another Zodiac who was next to him, Lily, shook her head.


    "Ah, right. Medart was unconscious, so he doesn''t know the current atmosphere of the Empire."


    "What do you mean?"


    "If Medart retires now..."


    Lily raised her finger with a yful expression.


    "Frondier de Roach might suddenly be a Zodiac."


    "...!"


    Medart''s eyes widened. He couldn''t believe Lily''s words and looked around the conference room.


    However, Medart was the only one surprised; the people around him seemed to agree with Lily''s words. Some even nodded their heads.


    "...Frondier, that young boy?"


    "Yes. He made a tremendous contribution. Besides, the citizens of the Empire have seen his skills."


    Of course, what the citizens of the Empire saw was a very short scene, but at least in terms of destructive power, it was clearly demonstrated that Frondier possessed overwhelming strength.


    "...Huh, that''s surprising. Even so, at that age..."


    "Yes, that''s the problem."


    As Lily nodded, there was someone who crossed their arms and tilted their head.


    "Is that a problem?"


    It was Zodiac Ludovic.


    "If Frondier is qualified to be a Zodiac, it is only natural that he should ascend to the position of Zodiac. His young age is not an issue."


    "...That''s unexpected. I thought Ludovic disliked Frondier."


    "Me? No way. I first met Frondier during the devil incident, but I highly value hisposure and judgment. At that time, it was just a situation where suspicion was inevitable."


    Ludovic said so and nodded his head, saying, "Hmm, but to think he had that kind of power..."


    Empress Philly let out a long sigh at that.


    "His young age is a huge problem. Frondier hasn''t even graduated from Constel yet. Hecks experience as a pro or a knight, and he hasn''t aplished anything worthy of bing a Zodiac."


    "He aplished something a week ago, didn''t he?"


    "...Well, that''s... true, but."


    Rarely, Philly was at a loss for words.


    Of course, it wasn''t that Philly disliked Frondier. Rather, she deeply trusted Frondier, so she needed to be cautious about this matter.


    Make Frondier a Zodiac now?


    Of course, the citizens of the Empire would be ecstatic. It had only been a week since his splendid side was witnessed on that giant screen.


    Soon, people would also learn that what he defeated was not just anyone, but the head of Manggot. Such things couldn''t be hidden even if they tried.


    But Frondier was young. So young that both his brother and father were candidates for Zodiac.


    His father, Enfer, had refused, and even his eldest brother, Azier, hesitated at the offer due to Enfer''s refusal and his own young age. But to skip both his father and eldest brother and make Frondier a Zodiac?


    This was to the extent that it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the Roach family wasn''t just backed by the Imperial Pce, but the Imperial Pce was trying to crawl under the Roach family''s feet.


    ''I can''t push that child into this dirty political arena.''


    Ultimately, it was politics.


    The Zodiac was a symbol of power, but once they reached that position, it was nearly impossible to be uninvolved in politics. If that were the case, Enfer wouldn''t have refused bing a Zodiac so vehemently.


    In other words, even Enfer couldn''t avoid politics if he became a Zodiac, so he chose not to.


    Knowing this all too well, Philly didn''t want to make Frondier a Zodiac.


    She wanted to let him enjoy his life at Constel for now. She wanted him to experience things that anyone could try, like bing a pro or a knight, just like other people.


    It had be a very difficult thing to say now, but it wasn''t impossible yet.


    Yes, like Aten.


    "Right. Frondier being a Zodiac? Nonsense."


    And fortunately, Philly had a few helpers.


    One of them, Zodiac Monty.


    He shook his head deeply with a stern expression.


    "Frondier is going to be my disciple. We made a blood oath. Frondier agreed, and I agree, so this is a done deal."


    Ludovic was surprised at that.


    "What, really?"


    "...I don''t know about a blood oath, but there was such talk."


    Zodiac Ludwig, who had been watching silently, muttered with his characteristic strange dialect mixed with a sigh.


    Lily mmed the table and raised her head.


    "What are you talking about! Before that, Frondier promised to be my knight! We made a soul oath!"


    "What, really?"


    "...I don''t know about a soul oath, but there was such talk too."


    Monty shook his head.


    "Lily. I told youst time, that was just for a month. When that period is over, naturally..."


    "Huhuhu, Monty. Do you really think Frondier wille to you after a month?"


    "..."


    Lily''s confident smile.


    Common sense dictated that Frondier had made promises to both Lily and Monty.


    To Lily, he promised to be her knight for a month, and to Monty, he promised to be his disciple.


    So, when the one-month period was over, Frondier would naturally go to Monty. That was the promise they made.


    Even though that wasmon sense.


    "Hey, Ludwig. Is that true? Frondier bing Lily''s knight? Did Frondier really agree to that?"


    Ludovic asked Ludwig again with a serious expression.


    "He didn''t just agree, Frondier was the one who suggested it."


    "...Oh my god."


    Ludovic, with a devastated expression as if watching the world end, bit his lip.


    "Frondier, what have you done..."


    "Hey! I can hear you!"


    The conference room fell silent, everyone except Lily wearing a gloomy expression.

 Chapter 291 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    I stood before a mansion, d in a ck suit.


    Naturally, I arrived in a Roach family car, apanied by a chauffeur as usual.


    However, the chauffeur who brought me here stepped out of the car and bowed deeply.


    "I wish you luck, Frondier-nim."


    "..."


    This chauffeur is someone my father, Enfer, hired. He''s usually a taciturn driver who leaves without a word, no matter where he takes me.


    "Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"


    "I think you''ll need it. Luck."


    "More than when I went to the Tyburn or Yeranhes?"<i>Nod</i>


    The chauffeur nodded without hesitation.


    "Then I will take my leave. Please return alive, Frondier-nim."


    With another bow, the chauffeur got back into the car and departed.


    It was the most courteous exchange I''d ever witnessed from him.


    "...Anyway, this is it."


    Lily''s mansion, huh?


    I took a deep breath, taking in the imposing grandeur of the mansion, which wasrger than I expected.


    While the Roach family mansion is alsorge, it exudes an air of elegance and simplicity. Lily''s mansion, on the other hand, is excessively opulent.


    Not just the mansion itself, but the path leading up to it and the surrounding gardens. This level of extravagance suggests a purpose beyond mere personal preference.


    ''For the next month, I will live here as a knight.''


    I came here to fulfill my promise to Lily.


    Of course, I was the one who proposed it, but the image of Lily''s joy upon hearing my offer remains vivid.


    ...In truth, everyone reacts to the idea of bing Lily''s knight as if it were some kind of horror story, but hardly anyone knows what Lily''s knights actually do. Only Lily and her knights know.


    The reason people fear bing Lily''s knight is that all who have entered her service end up pledging their unwavering loyalty to her within a few days, bing true ''Lily''s knights''.


    It''s as if they transform into different people, willing toy down their lives for Lily, and no one knows what she does to them.


    ''There are no traces of magic, no drugs, no use of money or women...''


    People fear the sudden transformation of these loyal knights. However, since Lily hasn''tmitted any illegal acts and hides nothing from the Imperial Pce or the police investigations, there''s no way to stop her.


    More importantly, there''s no justification to prevent the knights from willingly following Lily.


    "Well then, shall I try the doorbell?"


    I had already informed them of my arrival today.


    But since no one seems to be waiting at the main gate, I press the doorbell.


    <i>Click</i>


    "...?"


    I definitely pressed it, and the button depressed, but no sound came out.


    <i>Click</i>


    Despite that, the sound of the main gate unlocking echoed, and the gate opened automatically.


    A silent doorbell. I guess with magic, there''s no need for it to make a sound. How extravagant.


    <i>Thud Thud</i>


    I slowly walked inside.


    As I leisurely strolled down the neatly manicured path leading to the mansion, my ''Sixth Sense'' detected several people inside.


    ''I''m not being weed at all.''


    While not quite murderous intent, it was a level of vignce close to it. The number of people I sensed was considerable.


    "Halt."


    And some of the knights I sensed finally approached me.


    He was a remarkably handsome man. Not just him, but all the knights who came towards me possessed exceptional looks.


    The man directly in front of me was reminiscent of Aster Evans. In my opinion, he fell slightly short, though.


    "Who are you? This mansion does not permit visits from outsiders."


    The man in front of me spoke, his hands already on the swords at his waist.


    "I am Frondier de Roach. From today, I will be serving as Lady Ria Lis'' knight for a month."


    "A knight...? Someone as young as you?"


    The man in front remained skeptical of my words, but another knight beside him reacted differently.


    "...You, Frondier?"


    Perhaps my name had be more famous than my face and image, as one of them recognized me.


    "I don''t know which Frondier you''re referring to, but my name is indeed Frondier."


    "Hmph. A feeble attempt at humility. The ck-haired boy who defeated the Manggot''s leader. That''s you, isn''t it?"


    The man correctly identified me, yet he showed no intention of rxing his hostile stance.


    "If you are aware, then please step aside. I have no intention of fighting you."


    "The story of someone like you bing Lady Ria Lis'' knight is unheard of."


    Unheard of, huh?


    They should have been notified beforehand.


    ''They still want to fight me even after hearing that I defeated the Manggot''s leader. Are they disregarding the Manggot''s leader, or do they think the story is a lie? Or perhaps...''


    Is it simply their fanatical loyalty to Lily that drives them to act this way?


    "Prove it. Do you truly have the qualifications..."


    One of the knights uttered those words and reached for his sword, but he couldn''t draw it.


    My Obsidian blocked it, firmly stuck between the scabbard and the de.


    "What, this...!"


    The knight struggled to pull out his sword, but he couldn''t ovee the strength of my Obsidian. Admittedly, it''s difficult to exert force when drawing a sword from its scabbard. It''s not an action that typically requires strength.


    Seeing this, the other knights also attempted to draw their weapons, but my Obsidian was already faster.


    "I told you, I have no desire to fight you."


    "This, ugh...!"


    It is said that Ria Lis, with her exceptional abilities, only desires good looks from her knights.


    It seems that statement holds true, as their skills do not match their appearances.


    "It seems you are mistaken. Myck of desire to fight means that you are incapable of fighting me."


    They failed to notice my Obsidian clinging to their swords andcked the strength to draw them in that state. Without their weapons, they couldn''t even contemte fighting.


    "Even if you demand proof from me, I have no particr inclination to provide it."


    I walked past them, retrieving my Obsidian as I went.


    Well, I''ve demonstrated a certain level of difference in our abilities, so even if I take back my Obsidian, there shouldn''t be any idiots who would draw their swords and attack me.


    "...This damn brat!"


    Surprisingly, there was. An idiot.

 Chapter 291 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The idiot drew his sword and attempted to strike me from behind. It was an outrageous act for a knight, and even as an ordinary person, it was a tant transgression against someone who wasn''t even an enemy.


    ''...They''re definitely not normal.''


    <i>Whack!</i>


    "Ugh!"


    I swung my Obsidian like a club, striking the back of his ankle. His body briefly lifted into the air, and I followed up with more blows.


    <i>Thwack! Whack!</i>


    I continued to strike him with my Obsidian, hitting him all over his body. With each upward strike, he danced awkwardly in the air, taking the blows.


    "Ugh! Argh! Ack! Hmph!"


    I wasn''t using aura, but I wasn''t holding back either. With each hit, he let out strange cries. He resembled a tissue dancing in the air ¨C like the game where you blow air to keep a tissue afloat. Of course, instead of air, I was using my Obsidian to keep him airborne.


    "This bastard!"


    Unable to bear it any longer, the surrounding knights also drew their swords and charged at me.


    In that brief moment, my eyes narrowed, and I let out a small sigh.


    ¡ª¡ªAre you still noting out? Ria Lis.


    "Stop! That''s enough!"


    As I expected, a sharp voice rang out from the main gate.


    Upon hearing that voice, the knights who were attacking me instantly dropped to their knees and bowed their heads deeply.


    <i>Thud</i>


    "Ugh, ugh..."


    The knight I had been hitting also crashed to the ground and, despite his pain, managed to kneel.


    "Sorry, Frondier. I forgot to inform the knights about you."


    Lily apologized with an awkward smile.


    Her words were probably only half true.


    She did fail to inform them about me, but it wasn''t due to forgetfulness.


    Lily wanted to see it for herself. Whether the prowess I disyed during the devil incident at the Imperial Pce was genuine, and how Ipared to back then.


    ...However, these knights are too weak to reveal my true abilities.


    Perhaps what Lily truly wanted to see wasn''t my strength but my ''choice''.


    What choice would I make when the knights provoked me? In other words, she wanted to know ''what kind of person'' I am.


    "I see. It seems there was a misunderstanding."


    I replied with a smile.


    "So, starting today, you''ll be my knight for a month, right? Frondier?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "You said you''d be a dog if I told you to and die if I ordered it, right?"


    "Of course."


    Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Lily grinned and nodded.


    "Then, Frondier, please take your position before me. Just like the other knights here."


    Lily said, spreading her arms wide.


    Just like the other knights ¨C meaning I should kneel on one knee and show her my loyalty.


    Without hesitation, I knelt on one knee and lowered my head, just like them.


    At that moment, I felt strangely like I had be Selena. Selena, who had bowed her head before me.


    I understand how Selena must have felt.


    ''It doesn''t feel like anything in particr.''


    Selena, too, probably felt nothing at all.


    * * *


    I received a tour of the mansion guided by Lily and was shown the room I would be staying in.


    The room was very clean and spacious. Although it wasn''t as big as my room in the Roach Mansion, it was more than enough for a mere knight.


    "Then take a break for now. Your first day''s mission is to get used to this ce. Since there was an awkward situation as soon as you arrived, they probably won''t call you today."


    "Thank you."


    As I nodded my head in appreciation of Lily''s consideration, she smiled and left the room.


    I continued my thoughts while organizing the luggage and clothes I had brought.


    There was one thing I was sure of after listening to Lily''s exnation and looking around the mansion.


    I knew it from the beginning, but as expected, Lily has no family.


    It''s the biggest factor that makes it hard to guess Lily''s age.


    If you look around at the families and rtives, you can roughly guess Lily''s age, but Lily is wandering around therge mansion all alone.


    No, to be precise, with her knights.


    ''Lily''s full name is Ria Lis, but there''s a high chance that she made up the surname ''Lis'' herself.''


    There are a few families or ns called Lis, but none of them have anything to do with Ria Lis.


    In other words, Lily ispletely alone on this continent. Without any exaggeration.


    ''In that sense, she''s like me.''


    ''Frondier de Roach'' has a family and a n in this world, but that''s not me. I, who came from another world, am an outsider. In this respect, I guess I''m simr to Lily.


    Well, if you want to check if Lily really has no family or rtives, you can use the ''Analysis'' skill.


    But the analysis surprisingly consumes a lot of mana. Especially if you want to look at someone like Lily who is at the Zodiac level. If I use that much mana, I''ll obviously get caught.


    "Age unknown, a face without a wrinkle no matter how much time passes. The probability of the name being a pseudonym is high, and she is perfectly alone, without rtives or family. The only ones around her are the knights who follow her."


    Listing all this information, there is only one thought thates to my mind.


    ''...Is Lily really human?''


    When I yed the game, I just felt that she was a very ''game-like character''. There wasn''t much information to know, and the brief description of ''a face whose age cannot be known'' gave off such an atmosphere.


    However, when I enter this world and face reality, Lily is an overly suspicious character.


    Now that I know that the ''Seven Deadly Sins Demon'' actually exists, it''s even more so.


    The nickname ''Lily'', her outstanding appearance, the knights who liked men and spent time with her, transform into people who swear loyalty to her in just a few days.


    All these elements remind me of a certain character.


    ...The demon, Lilith.


    Given the precedent of Belphegor, it''s not possible to think that Lily is just a human.


    ''Lily must be certain. That I will also be her knight.''


    That''s why she was so happy when I mentioned the ''one month'' period. A month was more than enough for her, no matter what method she used.


    ''And considering she didn''t tell the knights about me today.''


    Lily is also doubting me. At least she senses that I didn''te without any thoughts.


    So, this one-month period, which seems like a promise between Lily and me, is actually closer to a confrontation between us.


    Will I fall for Lily''s unknown trick and swear loyalty to her?


    Or, will I reveal Lily''s identity before that?


    "......To be honest, I wish she was just an ordinary human."


    It''s not yet determined that Lily is a demon. The transformation of the knights is not necessarily because Lily did something to their minds. The fact that there is no physical resemnce or blood rtion is also not impossible in this world where magic exists.


    I sincerely hope that Lily is a human.


    Because I don''t want to kill her.

 Chapter 292 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As soon as the next morning arrived, I was summoned by Lily.


    "Here, this is what you''ll be doing today."


    Lily handed me a piece of paper.


    On the paper was a simple map and a picture of a middle-aged woman. Below it was a brief description.


    "...Escorting?"


    I read it through and tilted my head.


    Lily smiled brightly and said,


    "Yes. A high-ranking noble has business at the Imperial Pce. Please escort her safely."


    "...From Arkre to the Imperial Pce?"In the center of the continent, there is a city called Arkre. The auction house where I obtained Penelope''s Cloth and Elodie acquired the Viper steel is located in this very city.


    Arkre is not far from the capital, Silvester. If you travel by car, you can arrive in about three hours.


    In other words, it''s a location that doesn''t require an escort.


    "We''ll be traveling by carriage. It will take about two days to arrive."


    "Excuse me?"


    Both using a carriage instead of a car and taking two days to arrive are things I don''t understand.


    "The carriage will take a detour instead of going straight."


    "Why do such an inefficient thing? It will take longer, and above all, it''s dangerous."


    If it takes two days to arrive on a road that normally takes about three hours, it must be outside the city limits. In that case, even if it''s within the barrier, it won''t be safe from monsters.


    Lily raised one finger and shook it from side to side.


    "We''re going that way because it takes longer and is more dangerous."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Because that''s why we need an escort, right?"


    In order to call for an escort, they had to take a dangerous and time-consuming route, so they deliberately chose a dangerous path instead of a safe one.


    It was a clear case of putting the cart before the horse.


    But somehow, only then did I feel like I finally understood the purpose of this escort.


    "...The escort itself isn''t important, is it?"


    "Right. You know what kind of knights my knights are. What could they possibly want from us?"


    Lily''s knights, who are known for being incredibly handsome. Lily only looks at a man''s appearance, so the knights gathered are those with poor skills as knights.


    In other words, Lily''s knights are not much different from ordinary people dressed in knight''s attire. They''re just handsome.


    "Are you disappointed?"


    Lily asked, tilting her head slightly.


    I shook my head.


    "No. It''s a hundred times better than being in danger."


    "Right? By the way, the picture on the paper is the client''s face, but the person you''ll be escorting is someone else."


    "Someone else?"


    "Yes. Her daughter, Miss Ameline von Ellis."


    Ameline von Ellis.


    A name that sounds familiar. But I can''t quite recall it.


    Then Lily said,


    "Remember when all the Zodiacs were called because of the devil incidentst time? Before that, Her Majesty the Empress held a party for the pros, including you. Miss Ameline was at that party. You might have met her there?"


    "...Ah."


    That''s where it clicked. The youngdy I met in the hall. The teardrop mole is what I remember.


    "That youngdy personally requested you."


    "How did she know I became a knight of Ria Lis?"


    "These days, it''s rarer to find someone who doesn''t know your every move."


    ...Have I be that famous?


    "Then I''ll leave it to you. Ah, the Ellis family is quite a prestigious family, so don''t do anything rude. Got it?"


    "More prestigious than Roach?"


    "Not that, but right now, you''re not de Roach, but Lily''s knight, Frondier."


    She''s right. I nodded.


    "I''ve been assigned the escort mission, so I''ll only do the escorting."


    Lily smiled as if she couldn''t ask for more.


    "Yes, that''s all you need to do."


    She said with a clear smile.


    * * *


    As I had guessed from the route of the escort mission, the Ellis family was located in Arkre. Not only were they located there, but a part of Arkre''s territory belonged to the Ellis family.


    Considering that they own a part of Arkre, which boasts the continent''s best auction house and shopping district, it''s easy to guess the status of the Ellis family.


    "Please wait here for a moment."


    A man who looked like a butler had me wait next to the carriage.


    In this world where passenger cars exist, carriages are rather a luxury item. Even though it''s just a carriage, it''s equipped with devices that would normally be found in a car, making the interiorfortable and free from shaking.


    Additionally, it requires both horses and people to operate, so nobles can''t easily give up carriages as a way to show off their wealth and power.


    If you equip it with high-quality horses here, for example, the luxury of being pulled by a famous horse like Cassian easily surpasses the performance of a mediocre car.


    "Hello."


    I spoke to one of the horses that was being prepared to pull the carriage next to me. I wondered if this horse also possessed intelligenceparable to Cassian''s.


    <i>Snort-</i>


    But unfortunately, this horse did not. It didn''t even look at me for a few seconds before turning its head away and making a meaningless sound.


    It seems like it didn''t even recognize my words as a "greeting" in the first ce. Well, that''s natural. Cassian is just exceptionally smart.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry to have kept you waiting!"


    Soon the mansion door opened, and a woman in a beautiful dress hurriedly approached me.


    Again, a familiar face. It was Ameline von Ellis, whom I had met at the party. Even then, she was wearing quite elegant clothes, but this time, it was as if she had put in all her effort, leaving no part untouched from head to toe.


    "I am Frondier de Roach, the one in charge of this escort mission."


    I bowed lightly to her. Ameline checked my face and nodded with a broad smile on her face, as if she were relieved that I was truly Frondier.


    ''...This is a subtle feeling.''


    I already knew that Frondier''s appearance was outstanding. Immediately after possessing Frondier, it wasrgely thanks to his appearance that I was able to barely recall who the character Frondier was.


    So, I inwardly understood why Lily liked Frondier and why she was happy when I said I would be a knight.


    However, since I am not the real Frondier, and therefore this face is not my real face, I can''t simply be happy about being handsome.


    It''s ironic that Elodie, who initially disliked me, and Selena, who approached me as an enemy, are now more trustworthy.


    "Please, get in. It''s a long way, so we must hurry."


    "A long way, yes! That''s right! It''s very far!"


    Ameline repeated the fact that the destination was far away, as if she were happy about it, and got into the carriage. When I followed her in, the coachman started moving the carriage on his own.


    ''...To think I''d be assigned a mission like this.''


    I was worried that bing Lily''s knight would transform me into someone loyal to her, and that she might do something to me, but instead of doing anything, I ended up not even being able to meet her.


    Is this also evidence that Lily is wary of me? Or is it not the right time yet?


    ''I heard that Lily wants to recruit men with outstanding looks as knights, and that''s actually the case, but does she have no intention of monopolizing them after recruiting them?''


    As I learned when Lily exined this escort mission, Lily''s knights are probably all doing simr things to what I''m doing now.


    Using their looks to please women, chat with them, and so on. They''re fulfilling the image of a "handsome knight."


    But then I think Lily, who has gathered all these handsome men, wouldn''t be happy about it, but she doesn''t seem bothered at all and is even encouraging it.


    "Do you remember what I saidst time?"


    Ameline asked me cautiously.


    As I nced at her, she smiled awkwardly.


    "Ah, ahaha. Of course you wouldn''t remember. Actually, I..."


    "You said you liked cooking."


    Ameline''s mouth fell open in surprise at my words.


    I added one more thing.


    "I promised that if I had time, I would try it and give you my evaluation."


    "Th, that''s right."


    "Of course I remember."


    I smiled. My gaze fell on the bundle she was holding preciously in her arms.


    "Is that today, by any chance?"


    "Yes, yes! If it''s okay with you..."


    "Just a moment."


    I quickly stopped Ameline, who was about to open the bundle.


    "Wh, why?"


    I soothed Ameline, who had be crestfallen in an instant.


    "It''s not even lunchtime yet."


    "...Ah."


    I maintained a kind smile towards Ameline, whose face was turning red.


    "That''s a good thing. There''s no need to rush."


    "...No need to rush..."


    "It means we have plenty of time."


    Ameline slightly opened her mouth at my words and stared at me nkly. Then she smiled brightly and nodded.


    "Yes! That''s right! The journey has just begun!"


    ...A journey.


    A strange journey that stretched the distance that could be covered in three hours by car into two days.


    There''s no way Ameline doesn''t know about this bizarre travel route. And she wouldn''t think that I, the escort, wouldn''t find it strange.


    Simply put, this is Ameline''s amusement. She wants to enjoy the mood, even though she knows it''s a fake journey.


    Being escorted by a knight, traveling a long distance by carriage, spending a night somewhere other than a luxurious amodation. All of these things must have been the romantic fantasies of a young girl.


    So, well, since the mission has been given like this, what I have to do is set.


    I''m more familiar with ''fakes'' than anyone else.


    Something that suits a rich youngdy''s mood... I can do that much.

 Chapter 292 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The carriage left the city, left the outskirts, and eventually headed towards a forest path.


    Even that would have been enough, but the carriage even started climbing a mountain that didn''t need to be crossed on the way to the Imperial Pce.


    ''...This seems a bit excessive.''


    After climbing for a while, I saw a cliff stretching out to the right, where a single misstep could send you plummeting down, and the left side waspletely blocked by the dense trees and stone walls of the mountain.


    If this carriage had been a supply carriage during wartime, they would never have chosen this kind of path.


    "Wow! Look over there, Sir Knight! From here, you can see the whole view of the city and the forest at a nce!"


    Ameline was excited, looking in the direction of the cliff. The way she addressed me had changed to ''Sir Knight'' at some point.


    It seems Ameline ispletely unaware of the danger of a single carriage passing through this path. Especially in a ce like this, outside the city center, just as the sun begins to set.


    "Miss, it''s dangerous to lean out too much.""But look! It''s so beautiful!"


    While I moderately yed along with Ameline, I spread my senses. It was to prepare for any unexpected attacks.


    ...But there was no need for that.


    ''...They''re waiting openly.''


    The carriage stopped abruptly. Since this carriage has apletely enclosed passengerpartment, I can''t see the situation ahead from here.


    Instead, the coachman''s tense tone informs me of the situation.


    "...Men with weapons are blocking the way."


    Ameline''s eyes widen at that. To my eyes, it was a look of curiosity rather than fear.


    Of course, if Ameline possessed acting skills like Selena''s, this judgment would bepletely wrong, but there would be no reason for her to act like that in the first ce.


    "Hey!!"


    And a loud shout from outside the carriage.


    "Where are you going alone in such a fancy carriage!"


    It was a very stereotypical provocation, but I wholeheartedly agreed with the content itself.


    "Who''s inside! Just hand over what we want and we''ll let you go!"


    And then came the sound of gigglingughter.


    It was a textbook-like progression, almost like a script.


    "Wh, what should we do?"


    Ameline spoke in a frightened voice. But in her eyes, there was still curiosity and a somewhat excited look.


    ''Are those guys part of the ''amusement'' too?''


    "I''ll go out and see."


    I finished my thought and opened the carriage door. When I stepped out and checked the front, there were indeed several people dressed like bandits standing in front of the carriage.


    ''...No, something''s strange.''


    Their gigglingughter, their arrogant faces that seemed to look down on me, their swaggering postures.


    But amidst all that, I could sense an unusual aura from them.


    It didn''t take long to realize. These guys aren''t ordinary bandits. Their carefree expressions are also an act.


    "...What do you want?"


    "Didn''t you hear me? Just leave everything in the carriage and we''ll let you go."


    "Unfortunately, this carriage is carrying nothing."


    "Really? Then why don''t you take off all your clothes and go?"


    Buahahaha! The bandits burst intoughter at the words of the man who seemed to be the leader.


    ...Even whileughing so heartily, they didn''t show any openings.


    ''If I were the knight I dealt with today...''


    He would have been dead in less than 10 seconds against these guys. Even I''m breaking out in a cold sweat facing such formidable opponents. I honestly don''t have the confidence to subdue them all without killing them.


    ''They''re too dangerous for a mere amusement.''


    Even while thinking that, I put on a confident smile.


    "How ridiculous. You think you can stop me with your numbers? Consider yourselves unlucky to have met me today."


    The image I''m portraying now is that of a naive, newly appointed knight who thinks he''s stronger than he actually is. I think I did a pretty good job acting.


    "Hahaha! That''s funny! You think you can handle all of us alone?"


    The bandit leader approached me with a swaggering gait.


    And then, in an instant,


    Tat!


    He closed the distance between us in a sh and swung his curved sword down from above.


    ''...!''


    His movement to close the distance so quickly, and the aura flowing from the de as he swung it down.


    He had already far surpassed the category of a bandit.


    ng!


    I blocked his sword with Obsidian. But he wasn''t surprised and instead retrieved his sword to attack again from a different direction.


    He wasn''t surprised by Obsidian. He definitely knows who I am.


    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    Theughter of all the bandits, who had been roaring withughter, had disappeared.


    No, they weren''tughing in the first ce. There was no emotion in theirughter.


    Step-


    The bandit leader seemed to have judged that he couldn''t break through like this and created some distance.


    "Hey, we''ve been found out. This guy saw through our act."


    I scratched my head.


    Frondier''s appearance isn''t that distinctive. If anything, it''s his handsome face and jet-ck hair, but thatbination isn''t umon on the continent.


    Even though the scene of me defeating the devil was briefly shown throughout the Empire, it was just a fleeting moment. Unless someone deliberately tried to remember my face, it would be difficult to recognize me at a nce.


    In other words, these guys already received information about me. Or rather, they must have received information about this escort mission.


    ''...There must have been a request to act like bandits threatening Ameline. Whether these guys were the ones who received that request, or whether the information leaked from somewhere, I don''t know yet.''


    Just by looking at Ameline''s face, which showed curiosity and excitement even after the bandits appeared, it''s clear that their appearance was a situation anticipated by the Ellis family.


    However, even if the situation is simr, these guys have no intention of stopping at ''acting''.


    "Who are you guys, and what''s your purpose? I knew you were pretending to be bandits, but you seem different from what the Ellis family expected."


    "Yeah. Sorry about that. Whether you take off your clothes or not, we have no intention of letting this carriage pass."


    Aura flows from the bandits'' postures. That alone already puts them beyond the category of bandits. Moreover, their stances are unusual.


    "You will die here. And so will the youngdy inside."


    "...I see. So you know who''s inside."


    I sighed.


    It seems some strange noise has interfered with the youngdy''s amusement.


    "You guys aren''t part of the youngdy''s ''amusement'' package, are you? You were just pretending to be."


    I slowly activated my aura. Obsidian responded by ring up and enveloping me.


    "In other words..."


    These guys became even more wary of my appearance. Every single one of them revealed their aura, and their killing intent was also extraordinary.


    However, from my perspective, that''s still not enough.


    "You''re things I can kill without any problem."

 Chapter 293 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Amelie held her breath in the carriage, awaiting Frondier''s return.


    She swallowed her pounding heart and buried her face in her knees.


    As Frondier had read, excitement rather than fear dominated Amelie''s emotions.


    Amelie didn''t know the exact details of the n''s flow. Knowing everything would spoil the fun. The overall scheme was orchestrated by her family, a light amusement for their daughter.


    Therefore, even without precise knowledge, Amelie anticipated that the bandit group that had appeared was also a staged performance prepared by her family.


    However, a tiny sliver of fear lingered due to the uncertainty, the possibility that they might be real bandits after all. This fear served as fuel, further amplifying her excitement.


    <i>Bang! Boom! Crack!</i>


    Loud noises resonated from beyond the carriage. Listening to them, Amelie''s imagination soared, picturing Frondier elegantly defeating their enemies.


    What weapon would Frondier use? A sword, perhaps? How skilled was he? He could surely take down mere bandits without a scratch, right? What was the secret technique he used to defeat the Manggot leader?Amelie lifted her head. Imagination bred curiosity, and curiosity spurred action.


    Until now, she had been a little scared, and more than anything, staying still here gave her the feeling of being a ''protecteddy,'' preventing her from moving. However, her curiosity about how Frondier fought surpassed that feeling.


    Just as Amelie approached the carriage wall and discreetly tried to open the door...


    <i>Creak.</i>


    "I''m back, mydy."


    Frondier opened the carriage door and entered before she could.


    "Ah! Oh, you''re back."


    Amelie awkwardly retracted her outstretched hand and spoke. Frondier briefly nced at her gesture.


    A shiver ran down her spine.


    Amelie felt an inexplicable chill from the brief glimpse of Frondier''s eyes. There was neither murderous intent nor hostility in his gaze. His expression remained the same as before he left the carriage.


    Yes, Frondier returned exactly as he had left, without a single change.


    ''Not even a scratch, not a speck of dust...!''


    As Amelie marveled at this fact,


    "...Phew."


    With a short sigh and a smile, Frondier took Amelie''s outstretched hand and gently lowered it.


    "Don''t look. It''s not a sight for your eyes, mydy."


    "Ah, yes, yes. I''m sorry."


    The carriage started moving again after Frondier entered. They both resumed their positions as before the bandits appeared.


    As before, Amelie would speak to Frondier, and he would respond appropriately, keeping her spirits high.


    Nothing seemed different from before, except...


    The temperature in Frondier''s eyes had undoubtedly dropped several degrees.


    * * *


    Empress Philly paused while reading a document.


    "Sir Robert."


    She called the name of the knight guarding her side.


    Robert, who had returned to the Imperial Pce after a long time, bowed his head.


    "Yes."


    "Did Frondier agree to be Lily''s knight?"


    "Yes, a report has been submitted. It states that he was immediately assigned to the mission today."


    Rarely did Philly frown, but she did so at his words.


    "Didn''t I say that all reports rted to Frondier should be delivered directly to me for the time being?"


    "...There were so many trivial reports that a mistake was made during the sorting process©¤"


    "Robert."


    Philly interrupted him. Robert immediately knelt on one knee.


    "Sir Robert has a bad habit. As I mentioned before, please don''t try to interpret the ''implications'' of my orders."


    "...Yes."


    "I said to deliver ''all'' reports to me. Did I say that I would sort them myself, whether they were important or not?"


    "No. It was my presumption."


    "I''ll forgive you this once. It''s because I trust Sir Robert. From now on, please deliver all documents and messages rted to Frondier to me without fail."


    "..."


    As Robert remained silent, Philly''s expression grew more displeased.


    "You''re not answering. Robert."


    "Forgive me, Your Majesty. If Your Majesty takes an interest in a particr individual, it alone will cause unnecessary noise within the Imperial Pce."


    Robert wasn''t defying Philly''s order.


    He simply judged the situation to be dangerous.


    Frondier''s name was already frequently mentioned among people these days. If word got out that Philly was paying attention to his every move, who knows what kind of nonsense those gossipmongers would spread.


    "Haah," Philly sighed deeply.


    "That''s what it was. Sir Robert, I appreciate your loyalty and taciturnity, but it seems you''ve gone too far. Don''t worry about such things."


    "...However, Your Majesty."


    "I wasn''t clear enough. I meant it when I said it was okay. I''m not saying I''ll endure it or put up with it, I''m literally saying it''s alright."


    "...?"


    Confusion spread across Robert''s face at Philly''s words.


    Philly continued, "My interest in all reports rted to Frondier isn''t solely about him."


    Her eyes briefly shifted to the side.


    "In time, everyone in the Imperial Pce will understand why."


    * * *


    Bandits weren''t the only ones disrupting Amelie''s journey.


    As the carriage traveled, strange cries echoed repeatedly, and loud noises, likelyndslides, came crashing down from the cliffs to the left.


    However, except for the initial encounter with the bandits, Frondier didn''t leave the carriage. In fact, the carriage didn''t even stop.


    The sounds would fade away after a while. The strange cries, thendslides, the falling rocks¡ªthey were only perceived as sounds, having no impact on the carriage.


    If it weren''t for those sounds, Amelie would have thought nothing was happening.


    "..."


    "..."


    At this point, Amelie also realized that the situation was unfolding differently than she had anticipated.


    The soundsing from outside were too ominous for her to simply enjoy them as amusement. Although her fear didn''t escte because the sounds disappeared despite Frondier remaining seated, hisck of reaction was strange in itself.


    It was as if he was erasing all the surrounding events.


    While Amelie began to observe Frondier cautiously,


    ''...They knew who I was.''


    Frondier was thinking about the fake bandits he had encountered.


    Of course, the sounds Amelie heard afterward were exactly as she had guessed. Flying monsters attacked,ndslides urred above, and boulders tumbled down.


    However, Frondier had used the Obsidian to block them all beforehand. With his sixth sense, he was able to handle everything from within the carriage.


    ''They knew who I was and still attacked. Knowing full well they couldn''t win.''


    Frondier wasn''t arrogant about his abilities, but it was true that the attackers were far inferior to him.


    If they knew that Frondier was the one who killed the Manggot leader, they should have brought arger force or stronger individuals, or better yet, not attempted it at all.


    ''...To understand this situation, they knew I was Amelie''s escort, but they couldn''t stop the operation.''


    In other words, they had to kill Amelie no matter what.


    To the enemy, Amelie was either incredibly important or incredibly urgent.


    But why Amelie? She wasn''t a powerful figure or someone in a high political position. Sure, her family was wealthy, but attacking Frondier for that reason didn''t make sense.

 Chapter 293 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Excuse me, Sir Knight."


    As Frondier''s thoughts progressed, Amelie cautiously spoke up.


    "Yes. What is it?"


    "It''s quite... noisy around us, isn''t it? Ahaha."


    Amelie let out a dryugh as she spoke. Frondier smiled gently in response, as always.


    However, his next words were unexpected.


    "Mydy."


    "Yes?"


    "Do you remember when we first met?"Amelie''s mouth momentarily froze.


    Taken on its own, the line was quite romantic. It was something an old lover who had built trust with each other would ask.


    However, the current situation wasn''t exactly romantic, so Amelie replied with a slightly tense voice, "O-of course I do. We met at the Imperial Pce, didn''t we?"


    "Yes. You approached me and greeted me. It was my first time experiencing an Imperial banquet, so I was truly grateful that you were the first to reach out."


    "Oh, it was nothing..."


    Amelie''s face flushed slightly. She was happy to hear that he was grateful, but she was also a little embarrassed that she had been the one to approach him.


    "But as time passed, I started to find it a little strange."


    "Strange?"


    "I wondered why you, of all people, were the first to approach someone like me. At the time, I was nothing special."


    Amelie blinked at Frondier''s words. His face held a self-deprecating smile. Seeing that expression, Amelie was convinced. Frondier was being sincere. He was genuinely curious.


    "But, I told you when we first met, didn''t I? I had wanted to meet you for a while, and I had heard about your aplishments in the joint operation..."


    Frondier shook his head.


    "You don''t have to lie about that anymore."


    "...Sir Knight..."


    "Before the joint operation, I was literally a nobody. There''s no way you could have known me. And as for the joint operation, there were other promising individuals who performed much better than I did."


    There was Eden Hamelrot, the top Pro 1st Year student, in that party. He was the one who officially made the greatest contribution. In fact, everyone else greeted Eden and those who had performed simrly first, and Frondier came after.


    Only Amelie sought out Frondier first, before anyone else. That''s why she was a step ahead of everyone else who greeted him.


    "Mydy. I believe that through this journey, we have built a greater level of trust."


    "I-I think so too."


    "I''m not trying to me you for lying. I''m simply curious. You didn''t approach me with any ill intentions, did you?"


    "O-of course not!"


    Amelie nodded vigorously, as if it were obvious, and clenched her fists. Frondier asked again,


    "What was the reason you sought me out first? I''m just purely curious."


    "Ah, that''s... I..."


    As Frondier said, Amelie didn''t approach him with any bad intentions.


    However, the reason itself was so trivial to her that she couldn''t recall it immediately after so much time had passed.


    "Did you perhaps hear about me from someone?"


    "Oh, ah! That''s right!"


    "...For example, from ''Joseph von Wexler'' or perhaps..."


    <i>p!</i>


    Amelie pped her hands together.


    As soon as Frondier mentioned that name, her face lit up with delight.


    "That''s right! My uncle told me about you!"


    "...Your uncle, Joseph is your uncle."


    "Yes! He said it would be wonderful to be acquainted with Sir Frondier, that you were the hidden gem of this Empire!"


    Amelie''s face beamed with satisfaction as she recalled the memory.


    In contrast, Frondier''s smile gradually stiffened, and his head slowly lowered.


    ''...Joseph von Wexler.''


    Frondier knew that name for a specific reason.


    ...He was one of the masterminds behind the ''Mana Injection'' incident.


    He was among the Shadow Agency personnel who had made a pact with a devil for the Mana Injection and lost their lives as a result.


    He was the very person Frondier had intended to find himself at Philly''s request, but the sudden attack by Mei, the Cmity of Metamorph at the time, had caused the matter to be left unresolved.


    "...Did your uncle mention anything else?"


    "Hmm, he said that if things worked out with Sir Frondier, humanity would make great progress. He called it a solution that would change the very foundation of humanity."


    "...Perhaps something about Mana?"


    "Yes, that''s right! So Sir Frondier has also spoken with my uncle!"


    Still oblivious to Frondier''s frozen smile, Amelie''s face remained filled with joy.


    "He said that humanity''s Mana would experience a significant and dramatic increase. A technology that allows Mana to be introduced into the body without any harm to humans."


    "Have you ever mentioned this to anyone else?"


    "Huh? No. My uncle specifically told me to keep it a secret... Ah! But I just said it! But, it''s okay, right? Sir Frondier already knows about it. Right?"


    "...Of course. I already know about it."


    He already knew about it.


    And it was a story he thought no one else knew except for him and Empress Philly.


    In other words...


    "...You are the only one, mydy."


    "Huh? What? What do you mean the only one?"


    She knew the Shadow Agency''s secret.


    She didn''t even realize how important that secret was.


    And there was a high possibility that the Shadow Agency had discovered that she possessed their secret.


    ''...Lily.''


    The image of Lily''s smiling face as she assigned him today''s mission came to mind.


    If he got caught up in Amelie''s situation, he could be dragged into the Imperial Pce''s affairs. If he wasn''t careful, Frondier might even be an enemy of the Imperial Pce.


    That would be no different from bing an enemy of the entire Empire.


    Frondier had stopped the Shadow Agency''s n alongside Philly, but it wasn''t the entire agency''s n. He had merely blocked the actions of an overly radical faction.


    Philly acknowledged the existence of the Shadow Agency. She knew that the Empire needed them.


    Therefore, he had to prevent a situation where the very existence of the Shadow Agency was exposed.


    He absolutely couldn''t allow the disgrace of their secrets being revealed by a loose-lipped youngdy.


    ''Lily, you''ve yed an interesting trick on me.''


    The best course of action for Frondier right now was to withdraw from this situation.


    Then, whether it was the Shadow Agency or the Imperial Pce, they would deal with Amelie themselves.


    ...However.


    Frondier finally began to see through Lily''s intentions.


    ©¤They say Frondier shows no mercy to his enemies, but for his allies, he goes all out without regard for his own well-being.


    ©¤So, what about this time? It''s not exactly an enemy or an ally, but someone who means you no harm and even holds favorable feelings towards you. However, it''s a ticking time bomb that will inevitably drag you into trouble if you stay with her.


    ©¤Will you be an enemy of the Empire to save a girl you barely know? Or will you turn a blind eye to the death of a single girl?


    ©¤Frondier, as you know, I''m not your enemy. You already know how to avoid getting hurt, don''t you?


    ©¤I simply want to know. What kind of person you are.

 Chapter 294 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As the carriage continued to climb the mountain, the sun set and the surroundings grew dark.


    Of course, no viges could be seen from this position.


    ¡°I apologize. The horses are tired sooner than I expected. It seems we will have to camp outdoors tonight.¡±


    ¡°Ca, camp outdoors?¡±


    Ameline asked back, surprised by the coachman''s words. But her questioning face sparkled with bright eyes.


    Is this youngdy experiencing camping for the first time too?


    ¡°Yes. I apologize. I will prepare a ce to sleep right away.¡±


    ¡°I will help too.¡±


    I stepped out of the carriage.Looking around, I found an open space perfect for spending the night.


    It didn''t feel like a ce we had stumbled upon by chance. Is this camping part of the package too?


    ¡°If we gather branches in the center and light a fire, and set up a tent, we should be able to spend the night.¡±


    ¡°That''s good, I''m relieved.¡±


    ¡°It is fortunate. It''s difficult to find a suitable tnd on a mountain road like this.¡±


    ¡°That''s fortunate, but...¡±


    I approached the coachman a little closer.


    ¡°It''s fortunate that you are staying quiet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°I hope that the dagger you carry will not be revealed during this trip.¡±


    Seeing the frozen face of the coachman, I smiled slightly.


    ¡°If there are enemies attacking the youngdy, I will handle them all, so there is no need for you to step forward. It is truly admirable that even the coachman is fully armed to protect the youngdy, the Ellis family.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°I hope you understand what I''m saying. I''m terrible at driving. The carriage I drive will be ufortable for the youngdy.¡±


    Whether he fully understood my words or not, the coachman nodded with his mouth shut tight.


    ¡°Good. Ah, and by the way, the path we are taking is slightly different from what I heard beforehand. It seems I haven''t received any information about the change. Could you tell me which route we are taking to the Imperial Pce?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, yes.¡±


    The coachman rummaged through and pulled out a map, drawing a line on it with his finger.


    ...It''s a bit of a detourpared to what I know, but it''s still heading towards the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°I see. There won''t be any changes in the route this time, right?¡±


    ¡°Of, of course.¡±


    I stored the map the coachman showed me and the route he indicated with his finger in the workshop. And I looked up at the sky.


    ¡®I don''t know what Lily wants from me.¡¯


    Whether she wants me to step back, or protect Ameline.


    Or if she really just wants to see the choice itself


    I don''t know anything. I don''t have the ability to read Lily''s inner thoughts, and besides, even if I knew, it doesn''t suit my temperament to move ording to her wishes.


    I am Lily''s knight.


    If Lily tells me to be a dog, I will be a dog, and if she tells me to die, I will die. I clearly told Lily that.


    So, as long as Lily has given me the mission to ''escort Ameline''.


    I intend to carry out this mission more perfectly than anyone else.


    Even if that''s not what Lily wants.


    Caw-


    The cry of a crowing from somewhere in the forest.


    Lily may not know, but I am not unrted to the Shadow Unit either.


    * * *


    Laurie, the hypnotist of the Shadow Unit, has been very busytely.


    After investigating the fragments of Helheim in Yeranhes, her rank went up, and it jumped up again not long after that. It was an exceptional promotion even for the Shadow Unit.


    The reason for that had little to do with Laurie herself.


    Many of the top executives of the Shadow Unit suddenly went missing. They couldn''t find their bodies, so they were listed as missing, but it was practically the same as being dered dead.


    To fill the vacancies, the ranks of people like Laurie rose slightly, and at the same time, the amount of work increased significantly. If there is a shortage of people, you can just give more work to the people who are avable. The behavior was the same in any organization.


    ¡®It was because of the mana injection after all.¡¯


    Laurie, who was investigating the mana injection separately from the Shadow Unit. There was an order from the upper management not to get involved in it, but with Laurie''s personality, she couldn''tpletely let it go.


    Moreover, since most of the upper management who told her not to get involved went missing, there was nothing to stop her.


    Therefore, Laurie soon found out. That some of the Shadow Unit members in the Imperial Pce had messed with demons. And that she should never tell anyone about it.


    She was rather fortunate that she belonged to the Shadow Unit at this time. As some of the upper management went missing and the talk about the mana injection faded, Laurie also withdrew her hand.


    She had started investigating because of the potential dangers and uncertainties of the mana injection, not because she wanted to get involved with anything rted to demons.


    ¡°Then I''ll send all these documents directly.¡±


    ¡°Okay. The Empress specifically asked, so don''t forget.¡±


    Laurie''s daily life still revolves around her second personality created through self-hypnosis. However, she lowered the level of hypnosis a bitpared to the time in Yeranhes.


    After being severely treated by Frondier, she learned that deep hypnosis could actually put her in a corner when facing a human who had fully grasped her identity.


    Although Laurie is currently in her second personality, she is vaguely aware that she is the original Laurie. Her current role is a clerk in the Imperial Pce. Her job is to deliver all documents rted to Frondier to the upper management.


    ¡®Why is Her Majesty the Empress interested in Frondier...?¡¯


    This second personality wears sses like the previous one, but has no freckles. A more intellectual feeling, but still maintaining a modest appearance.


    The second personality doesn''t have any particr thoughts. She just processes the work she receives and carries out her daily routine.


    Therefore, even if Laurie''s deep psychology raises questions, her actions are quick to perform the given tasks.


    It''s like a very brief awareness of a dream while dreaming.


    However.


    ¡°¡­¡­?¡±


    While walking down the hallway of the Imperial Pce with documents in her hand, Laurie looked towards the window on the left to rest her eyes, and.


    Caw-


    She met a crow.


    She made eye contact with the crow.


    The crow.


    [Laurie. A message from Lord Frondier.]


    At the moment it uttered human words.


    ¡°©¤©¤Eeek.¡±


    Laurie wakes up from the dream.


    [Tell me everything you know about Ameline von Ellis and Ria Lis.]


    ¡°Ah, Ameline¡­¡­?¡±


    [Now is not a good time or ce. I will visit you again at night.]


    At night?


    After the second personality disappears?


    Wait, but did that crow just say it woulde back? Not because Frondier ordered it, but because it decided to do so on its own?


    ¡°You, you, what the hell are you¡­¡­.¡±


    [I''m just a crow.]


    The crow ps its wings and speaks.


    [Lord Frondier just took me in.]

 Chapter 294 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The next morning, the carriage started moving again.


    I didn''t sleep a wink and stayed up all night. Frondier''s body is ustomed to sleep, and at the same time, I have a lot of experience oveing fatigue.


    It was impossible for Ameline to keep watch, and I couldn''t trust the coachman, so it was a natural thing. Of course, Ameline thought I was taking turns sleeping.


    Moreover, there was no boredom during the night.


    ''They''re attacking a lot.''


    Whether the secret Ameline holds is dangerous or not, all sorts of guys attacked during the night.


    However, most of them were monsters. I wonder if they were lured here by magic, or if they were trained.


    I had killed all the monsters, and used a blunt weapon to knock out any humans who attacked. Of course, I couldn''t be sure that I hadn''t killed anyone. I just did my best.


    "Miss."The carriage continued to move forward, and it was about time to calcte when we would arrive at the Imperial Pce.


    I spoke to Ameline, who had a tense face inside the carriage.


    "Yes, yes."


    Ameline answered, a little surprised.


    At first, Ameline was excited about being escorted by a knight, but by now, she couldn''t help but notice what was going on.


    Ameline hadn''t seen the monsters or bandits herself, but she could hear the sounds.


    The threatening sounds that kepting from around the carriage.


    Even now, I was using the Obsidian to eliminate all the things that were rushing towards the carriage. As long as they couldn''t break through my senses, they couldn''t touch the carriage.


    I looked at Ameline and smiled.


    "You must have been bored. I''m not much of a talker."


    "No, no! That''s not true. I had a lot of fun!"


    Ameline said that with a sincere face, but her eyes still trembled at the eerie sound that asionally reached her ears.


    "Um, excuse me, Sir Knight. I haven''t been able to say this because I was scared, but maybe..."


    "Still, it was a peaceful journey."


    "Yes...?"


    "I''m d that it was a safe journey, except for the initial bandits."


    At my words, Ameline blinked her eyes.


    "...A safe journey..."


    "Yes. As a knight, I can be relieved that there was nothing harmful to you."


    ...Please notice, Ameline.


    The meaning behind my words.


    Why I didn''t let you see the countless enemies until now.


    Why I didn''t stop the carriage and removed all the threats from within it.


    "...Yes, that''s right."


    Soon, Ameline smiled.


    "I''m really d that nothing happened."


    I smiled contentedly at her words.


    "That''s right. Peace is the best."


    And so, the carriage moved on.


    The carriage, which had taken a long detour to the Imperial Pce, arrived without any injuries.


    Without any special events, it was peaceful.


    * * *


    "......Nothing happened......"


    Late at night, Lily is reading a report on Frondier''s current mission.


    While Frondier was escorting Ameline, they investigated the assassins targeting her.


    If they could identify the attackers or the types of traps used against the carriage, they could also confirm who the assassin targeting Ameline was.


    However, by the time Frondier and Ameline arrived at the pce, Ameline said it was a ''peaceful journey''. She said she saw no bandits, monsters, or traps. In fact, the carriage was almost as intact as when it set off.


    That story must have reached the ears of the assassins.


    Frondier neither abandoned Ameline nor publicly announced the attack of the assassins.


    ...In other words,


    "So, this is another way to threaten."


    Frondier gave the assassins a chance.


    They knew Ameline''s secret was dangerous, but Ameline had not yet spoken.


    So, Frondier proposed a line to the assassins.


    The danger of killing a civilian who does not disclose secrets, and the risk of Frondier escorting Ameline himself.


    Beyond all that, is it necessary to silence the mouth of a single child?


    For thest time, Frondier gave the opportunity to reconsider that to the Shadow Unit.


    The Shadow Unit might not have answered yet, but Lily had a rough idea of what the answer would be.


    "¡­You''ve worked hard."


    Lily''s expression, muttering to herself, was not very good.


    Lily forced Frondier to make one of two choices.


    To protect Ameline, or to side with the Imperial Pce.


    No matter which side she chose, Lily had a n.


    But Frondier did neither.


    "¡­In other words, the opportunity Frondier gave was not only to the Shadow Unit,"


    "It''s also an opportunity for you, Lily."


    "!"


    Surprised, Lily turned her head. Frondier was at the window. Lily''s room was on the 3rd floor of the building, so Frondier was floating in the air.


    "You, you came quickly?"


    Lily tried to ask calmly, but the question itself was already strange.


    Ignoring the questionpletely, Frondier said,


    "The fact that Miss Ameline is in danger means that you, Lily, are also in danger."


    Lily turned away, her face unreadable.


    It was no coincidence that Lily had assigned me to this escort mission.


    Lily had anticipated that Ameline would be in danger, meaning she also knew that Ameline held the secret of the Shadow Unit.


    In other words, Lily also knew the secret of the Shadow Unit.


    ''How did Lily know that?''


    Ameline, who had brought up the story about her uncle in front of Frondier. Just by looking at her, one could tell that she wasn''t tight-lipped.


    But Ameline said she hadn''t talked about her uncle to anyone other than Frondier. That probably wasn''t a lie. She, who didn''t know how important this secret was, had no reason to lie.


    So, Lily had learned that the Shadow Unit had summoned a demon, not through Ameline''s mouth, but through another route.


    "......Lady Ria Lis."


    "Why?"


    "There''s something I want to ask."


    "What is it?"


    The way for Lily to find out about the demon summoning, not through Ameline, but through another route.


    As far as I know, there''s only one way.


    "Is Lady Ria Lis a demon?"


    "......"


    Frondier knew that Belphegor, the demon ofziness he had fought, was summoned from the pce of Satan. He knew this without moving a step from Manggot, the far end of the west.


    He didn''t know exactly how it was done, but if Belphegor could sense it, and if Lily could also sense it, then she must have figured out that it was the work of the dark department.


    Lily opened her eyes wide at Frondier''s words, and then asked with a stiff face.


    "What if that''s the case? What are you going to do?"


    "I don''t particrly have any ns."


    "Liar. There''s no way a kid like you would ask such a question for no reason. Normally, you wouldn''t ask at all, but dig around until you''re sure."


    Frondier didn''t particrly refute that statement.


    Probably because it''s true. If Frondier was just suspecting that Lily was a demon, he wouldn''t do such a foolish thing as to ask her directly. He would have asked when he first came here.


    "......Are you going to tell the pce about this?"


    "I told you, didn''t I? I''m giving you a chance."


    Frondier looked at Lily with infinitely cold eyes, contrary to the content of his words.


    "You must have been curious about what kind of person I am."


    "......!"


    "I feel the same. I''m very curious about what kind of woman Ria Lis is."


    Zodiac, Ria Lis.


    Lily, who is called one of the best experts on the continent, faced a greater threat than ever before.


    "I don''t particrly like the fact that you tested me with such a prank, but considering the situation, it seems like you also wanted to save Ameline."


    Frondier''s obsidian seeps out like fog. It surrounds Frondier.


    "I want to hear it from your mouth."


    Frondier asks Zodiac Ria Lis.


    "Do I have to kill you?"

 Chapter 295 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Lily, raising the tension yet wearing a bold smile, looked at Frondier.


    ¡°You¡¯ll kill me?¡±


    ¡°If necessary, yes.¡±


    An arrogant statement, as if Frondier held the power of life and death over Lily. However, Frondier''s emotionless eyes spoke that it was no bluff.


    This wasn''t because Frondier was overwhelmingly stronger than Lily. Lily was a Zodiac, and Frondier needed certain conditions to exert his full strength.


    However, if Frondier decided to kill Lily, he would do whatever it took to make it happen. His eyes said as much.


    ¡®...No.¡¯


    Lily felt a chilling fear loom before her, but even so...


    She had a certain conviction that Frondier wouldn''t harm her.While Frondier was unhesitant with enemies, he became quite cautious if he wasn''t sure whether the opponent was an enemy or not.


    Frondier knew the importance ofrades. Moreover, Lily had fully sided with the Empire, believing Frondier''s words about Manggot''s arrival. Of course, with the condition that Frondier would be her knight.


    ¡°Why did you entrust me with Ameline¡¯s escort? Do you want to protect Ameline? Or do you want to eliminate her? Why did you make me choose?¡±


    Frondier asked Lily as he slowly approached.


    As expected, Frondier gave no leeway. He seemednguid, but there were no openings. Approaching her was a means to pressure her, both physically and mentally.


    He had likely already figured out that Lily was racking her brain right now.


    ¡°Or...¡±


    Frondier continued, leisurely, as if telling her to think hard.


    ¡°Were you simply curious about what choice I would make, and Ameline¡¯s life didn''t matter?¡±


    The moment Frondier asked this question, his obsidian spread out in all directions, scattering killing intent and targeting Lily.


    Not in the form of a weapon, but as sharp thorns with pointed tips. It wasn''t any kind of armor, so it didn''t have any special characteristics, but it was abination of Frondier¡¯s aura and anticipation. It wasn''t an attack to be ignored.


    ¡®...With this question, he intends to decide.¡¯


    Whether Ria Lis was Frondier''s enemy or not.


    In other words, how Lily viewed Ameline''s life was an important matter to Frondier.


    Ameline, unknowingly holding the secrets of the Shadow Unit. That alone was dangerous, so the Shadow Unit had thought of killing Ameline.


    Lily, who noticed this, sent Frondier as Ameline''s escort.


    At this point, the Shadow Unit couldn''t help but suspect not only Ameline but also Lily.


    Out of all the missions, why entrust Frondier with the task of escorting Ameline? It was too much to be a coincidence.


    In other words, Lily seemed to be trying to protect Ameline. At least regarding the Shadow Unit''s secrets, they were on the same side.


    This fact was the reason why Frondier''s de had not yet reached Lily.


    Lily slowly opened her mouth to speak.


    ¡°...No, it was the opposite for me.¡±


    ¡°The opposite?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would abandon the Empire.¡±


    At that, Frondier''s eyes twitched slightly.


    ¡°...Be hostile to the Empire to save Ameline. You thought I would make that choice?¡±


    ¡°Right now, you¡¯re actually prepared to antagonize a Zodiac over the issue of how to treat her life, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Lily judged that she shouldn''t get fully involved in this matter. It didn''t make sense for a Zodiac, who existed as a weapon of the Empire, to be hostile towards the Empire''s Shadow Unit.


    However, Frondier was different. He was currently receiving considerable attention from the Empire, and although his power was unknown, he still held no position, let alone that of a Zodiac.


    If she entrusted him with Ameline''s escort, Frondier would surely fulfill that duty. If things went well, it could be passed off as a fluke, albeit a forced one, that Frondier happened to be the escort when the Shadow Unit tried to kill Ameline.


    Above all, since it was Frondier who interfered, while the attention was focused on him, Lily could also be free from the Shadow Unit''s surveince for a while.


    But there was a problem.


    ¡®Frondier figured it out too quickly.¡¯


    Frondier felt a sense of dissonance as soon as he encountered the bandits, and through his conversation with Ameline, he understood the situation he was in.


    ¡°...I wished you didn''t know anything.¡±


    Lily spoke with a sincere voice. Whether it truly contained sincerity or not was secondary.


    Frondier didn''t want to abandon Ameline nor be an enemy of the Empire, so he made it all ''never happened''.


    Even Lily couldn''t do that. To remove all traces of the Shadow Unit''s attacks without leaving a single scratch on the carriage and without showing Ameline anything.


    She didn''t know such a thing was possible, which was why they were in this situation.


    Lily rxed her guard. She lowered her body, full of openings, in front of the hostile Frondier.


    At first nce, it was an extremely dangerous act, but it was the most ''amicable'' way to resolve the situation.


    ¡°If you hadn''t dug so deep, you would have justpleted your escort mission and been unrted to this incident.¡±


    Lily spoke earnestly to Frondier with a pleading expression and voice.


    At the same time, she deployed her power, ''Charm''.


    As Frondier expected, Lily was indeed a devil.


    Not one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but she could use power close to theirs. The power of a devil, undetectable by mana or aura.


    ¡°I wanted to protect you, Frondier. That''s why I didn''t tell you.¡±


    Apletely defenseless posture, a pleading look in her innocent appearance, and the devil''s power emanating simultaneously.


    Like invisible fog, her power filled the room, surrounding Frondier.


    ¡°But you''re much stronger than I thought. I didn''t know.¡±


    ¡°...Lily.¡±


    Frondier''s voice changed, as if Lily''s power was taking effect. He looked at Lily with a somewhat sad, yet pitiful expression.


    Encouraged, Lily took a small step forward.


    ¡°If I had known you had such ability, I would have exined this situation to you sooner...¡±


    Swish!


    Kwaaak!


    Something grazed Lily''s face.


    A de with a terrifying speed, cutting through the air, embedded itself in the wall.


    Drip, Lily froze for a moment at the sensation of blood flowing down her cheek.


    To persuade Frondier, or rather, to make him her ally, she had truly been pletely defenseless''.


    If the aim had been even slightly off, the de would have pierced Lily''s head.


    ¡°...Frondier...?¡±


    Lily couldn''tprehend the situation.


    If her ability had been blocked beforehand, she would have understood. Or if Frondier had been on guard. Or if he had cast a protective spell or something to resist her power.


    But without any of that, Frondier had just taken a direct hit from Lily''s charm.


    For Lily, it was impossible for this result to ur in that situation.


    ¡°Is that your answer...?¡±

 Chapter 295 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°...!¡±


    The hand with which Frondier aimed the de. Its tip was trembling. Trembling with anger and sadness.


    Frondier looked at Lily with a sad expression. It wasn''t an act. Lily believed she had him under her power, but it was the exact opposite.


    Even if her power couldn''t be sensed by aura or mana,


    It couldn''t escape Frondier''s senses.


    ¡°I asked if I should kill you.¡±


    Frondier''s voice trembled. His emotions were out of control and showing outwardly.


    Frondier, who was alwaysnguid and easygoing, whose face would only sink further even when threatened.


    He felt such anger that he failed to control his emotions, and¡°But for you to try to use the devil''s power on me.¡±


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    Lily faced it.


    She desperately drew up her aura. It was an act triggered by fear rather than judgment.


    Run away, get out of here, where''s the exit? The window is blocked by Frondier. Go out the door, quickly, don''t just stand there, hurry, move, move your feet, Ria Lis!


    There was no need to listen to Frondier''s every word. Her only, albeit slim, chance was to move while he couldn''t control his emotions.


    The moment Ria Lis made up her mind and put strength into her feet.


    She met Frondier''s eyes.


    ¡°Is that your answer, Ria Lis.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Ria Lis thought.


    A human could have such eyes.


    ...Ah, I need to run away...


    ¡°©¤©¤Huh!¡±


    Ria Lis forced her unmoving feet to move and ran out the door.


    It seemed far toote, but fortunately, she managed to escape.


    If she just ran down the hallway and went out another window or the front door, she could escape.


    She didn''t know the extent of Frondier''s flight ability, but when it came to flying, Lily was quite confident.


    ¡®...What''s that?¡¯


    However, while running, Lily spotted something unfamiliar straight ahead.


    At first, she thought it was light leaking through a gap in the floor. But the vertically extending light was too artificial to be considered a leak.


    However, since this was the only way to escape right now, Lily went a little closer, and


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    After confirming that it was a small pir of light, she tried to stop urgently, but.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving</i>


    <i>Workshop</i>


    <i>Net</i>


    The pir of light spread out in an instant, and the rune''s territory captured her.


    Simultaneously, structures of ck walls formed, surrounding Lily.


    The workshop, it wasn''t just created now.


    It had been here from the beginning.


    Kwaduk, Kwadudduk!


    Kwajijijik!


    Kwaaang!!


    The workshop appeared in reality, pushing, breaking, and crushing Lily''s mansion into its territory.


    Originally, Frondier had intended to quietly settle things with Lily, but


    There was no reason for him to care about such things now.


    ¡°...Ah.¡±


    When she realized it, Lily was already inside Frondier''s workshop.


    Lily had seen this workshop once before. When it was used to capture the Metamorph''s disaster at the Imperial Pce.


    Lily was trapped in almost the same way.


    ¡°...Hoo... .¡±


    Lily felt cold sweat dripping as she looked around.


    She had heard the sound of her mansion being smashed, but once the workshop wasplete, no sound could be heard.


    Complete silence, stillness.


    Lily''s sweat dripped down her chin, falling to the ground.


    Plop-


    The silence was so deep that even the sound of it hitting the ground could be heard.


    ¡®It''s not just ack of light, there''s no light at all.¡¯


    Even with the eyes of a devil, she couldn''t see the inside of this room at all. An airtightness impossible in reality.


    If this workshop was created by Frondier, she was alreadypletely captured within his domain.


    Like a fish swallowed by a whale, waiting to be dissolved by stomach acid.


    ¡°...Will-o''-the-wisp.¡±


    Lily used a simple light magic spell and was finally able to see her surroundings.


    ¡°...An armory...? No, a collection...?¡±


    Sparkling weapons surrounded her. Each one was extraordinary, and the scale itself was immense.


    A procession of weapons that stretched endlessly, even on this single floor.


    ¡°Fr, Frondier. Calm down. This is a slight misunderstanding.¡±


    Thump.


    As she said that and tried to take a step forward.


    Shishishishik!!


    The disyed weapons flew towards Lily, rushing at her.


    ¡°Ah, ugh.¡±


    Before Lily could even scream, the weapons ced their des against her neck, shoulders, waist, everywhere.


    If she moved even slightly here, some part of Lily''s body would disappear. She couldn''t move any part, not even her fingertips.


    ¡®...Right, I was arrogant.¡¯


    Lily believed that Frondier wouldn''t harm her.


    While believing so, she used the devil''s power to draw him to her.


    ¡°...Fr, Frondier.¡±


    Lily barely managed to speak with her bodypletely unable to move.


    ¡°I''m sorry. I was presumptuous.¡±


    Lily said this time truly, sincerely.


    But that ''sincerity'' had the exact same tone as the ''sincere voice'' from before, which made Lily uneasy.


    ¡®...No, but if I talk to him again, surely...¡¯


    Lily thought so and waited for Frondier.


    ...One minute passed, five minutes passed,


    When fifteen minutes had passed.


    ¡°...No way.¡±


    Lily still couldn''t move a single finger.


    ¡°He doesn''t intend toe?¡±


    That possibility reared its head, and her body flinched at the fear that seeped into her spine.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    And precisely as much as she moved, her body was cut by the des, and blood dripped down.


    But the fear didn''t stop, and her gradually trembling body injured her, and her body reacting to the pain caused further injury.


    In that repetition, repetition, repeating, even as her eyes slowly trembled.


    Lily waited for a door that didn''t exist anywhere in the workshop to open, but.


    ©¤©¤Frondier still didn''te.

 Chapter 296 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When the workshop swallowed Lily, her mansion was left in a devastated state, as if bitten by a dragon.


    Lily''s mansion had no servants, and the knights did not reside there.


    The reason Frondier visited Lily at thiste hour was precisely because there would be no one else around.


    However, with the mansion in such a state...


    "Ugh, you... you dare...!"


    Naturally, Lily''s knights stormed in, swinging their des at Frondier.


    It was also natural that Frondier subdued them all.


    "How dare you do this to Lady Ria Lis''s mansion...! We should never have let you in!"


    As Frondier fought them, he became certain of one thing.Lily''s knights were too weak. Perhaps even weaker than the first-year students at Constel.


    Therefore, he was able to subdue thisrge number with just the Obsidian. He appreciated their willingness to throw themselves into danger for Lily, but it was still easy.


    Conversely, it was because it was so easy that he was able to subdue them without killing them.


    "..."


    However, even after subduing them all, Frondier did not move.


    Lily felt the long time she was trapped as torture, and in fact, that was Frondier''s intention. But in reality, Frondier was also dying his own decision.


    Lily deceived me.


    Lily was indeed a devil.


    Then my course of action is clear.


    Caw¡ª


    As Frondier was processing his thoughts, the cry of a crow came from afar.


    The crownded on his shoulder.


    [Frondier, it''s a report.]


    "...Gregory."


    [I roughly understand the situation, but listen first and then decide.]


    "Yeah... that''s right."


    He had always fought based on information and circumstances, using all means avable.


    It wouldn''t be any different now.


    As Frondier nodded, the crow''s mouth opened.


    [ording to Laurie, most of the knights belonging to Ria Lis are criminals.]


    "Criminals?"


    [Yes. To be precise, they are low-ranking members of criminal organizations. If they leave Lily''s side, they will return to their groups andmit crimes again. Besides, they have nowhere else to go.]


    Knights who swear loyalty to Lily. But even if the knights swore loyalty, their families wouldn''t necessarily be loyal to Lily.


    He wondered why there was no friction between the knights'' families and Lily, but it turned out that they didn''t have families in the first ce.


    [Lily has a deeper connection with the Shadow Unit than other Zodiacs. Every time Lily brings men under hermand, the Shadow Unit covers up their criminal records. But they don''t delete them. Because they don''t know when they might leave Lily''s side.]


    "Why does the Shadow Unit help Lily? There''s no benefit to it."


    [As you know, the Shadow Unit works for the Empire. Lily''s knights are all under ''Charm'', but they haven''t lost consciousness or had their memories erased. Their personalities haven''t changed either. So they have their own information and knowledge about their organizations. It''s nothing major since they''re low-ranking, but when that many of them gather, it bes quite useful information.]


    "Lily''s knights are loyal to Lily, so there''s no need to hide that information, and Lily hands over their information to the Shadow Unit. In return, the Shadow Unit hides Lily''s knights."


    [Yes, that''s the deal. The Shadow Unit is a group that the Empire turns a blind eye to. They cause problems because they don''t care about their methods, but the benefits they bring to the Empire are so great that they are tolerated. You''ve had some friction with them, haven''t you?]


    Frondier knew that too.


    More than anything else, Frondier didn''tpletely exclude the Shadow Unit because of a person named ''Laurie''.


    He had seen how Laurie felt and moved within the Shadow Unit, how she was prepared to give her life in front of the fragment of Helheim in Yeranhes.


    "...What about Ameline? Did you ask about her?"


    [I asked, but Laurie didn''t have any specific information. Just the same information that ordinary people know. It doesn''t seem like Ameline is connected to the Shadow Unit.]


    "Then Ameline really is just an ordinary person who got caught up in this."


    [Yes. It''s true that Lily tried to save her. Even at the risk of antagonizing the Shadow Unit, with whom she has a close rtionship. I don''t know why.]


    Frondier sighed at those words. His eyes drooped sadly.


    "...Did youe to stop me, Gregory?"


    [Why would I? I just came to report. You ordered me to.]


    "You seem to be defending Lily."


    [That''s a misunderstanding.]


    "Lily is using Charm to control them, but is the fact that she took them from criminal organizations an excuse?"


    [Well, that''s none of my business. And Lily probably isn''t using the knights thinking about excuses either.]


    There are countless other ways to have your own knights or rehabilitate criminals. It would be even easier for someone like Lily.


    Lily was just doing what she wanted to do.


    [Lily is a devil, Frondier. You know that, right?]


    "So?"


    [You''ve met a few devils, so you know, don''t try to judge their way of thinking from a human perspective. It''s not just devils. Monsters and Gods are the same. They''re not human.]


    Frondier recalled the non-human beings he had met so far.


    They were fundamentally impossible tomunicate with. The monster Kraken, who was hostile from the start, and the God Rudra, who imed to love Elodie, were no different.


    [If you say you''re going to kill Lily, I''ll tell you to do it. Lily is a devil. That alone is enough reason to kill her. Plus, didn''t she try to use you? ''Charm'' is a dangerous power. If you had been charmed, I don''t know what she would have done to you. At the very least, you would have actedpletely differently from the ''Frondier de Roach'' I knew.]


    Gregory said. There are enough reasons for Lily to die. And all of those reasons were the reasons Frondier had thought of. As expected, their thoughts were aligned.


    [But.]


    However, the crow tilted its head there.


    [Why are you asking me, Frondier?]


    "...!"


    [I had no intention of doing so, but did Ie to stop you? Why are you looking for excuses for Lily''s actions? The reason I reported to you was because I didn''t want you to make a ''wrong judgment'' due tock of information. If you still think Lily deserves to die after hearing me out, then do it. I think it''s justified too.]


    "Gregory..."


    [I won''t interfere with whatever you do.]


    Frondier''s eyes met the crow''s eyes.


    [But if the reason you asked me is because you''re hesitant.]


    He sees Gregory''s eyes, still somewhere in a prison, quietly watching him beyond the crow''s eyes.


    [Your face right now doesn''t suit you.]


    "..."


    Frondier closes his mouth once again. He sighs more often than usual today, and eventually lets out another sigh.


    With that sigh, a calm gaze permeates.


    Confirming that, the crow said.


    [Have you decided?]


    "Not yet. There''s something I need to confirm."


    Frondier said that and approached one of Lily''s knights.


    It was the very man who had fought at the forefront against Frondier and had picked a fight with him a few days ago.


    "Hey."


    "What, if you''re going to kill me, do it quickly."


    "I have a question."


    "I''m not going to answer any of your questions,"


    "If Lily dies."


    At Frondier''s words, the knight''s eyes zed. His body, bound by Frondier''s Obsidian, trembled, and his muscles bulged as if trying to tear the Obsidian apart with force.


    Seeing that, Frondier continued.


    "What will you do?"


    "...I will kill you. I will tear your limbs apart and hang them in the za. I will reveal your ridiculous appearance to the countless people who believe you are a hero."


    A curse-filled statement. Frondier''s eyes close for a moment at that.


    And so Frondier said.


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    "...What?"


    "Kill me, tear my limbs apart, hang them in the za, and then."


    There was no momentum in Frondier''s eyes when he opened them again. To the threat of killing him, Frondier looked at the man without any murderous intent, nor any mockery or ridicule.


    "What will you do next? After you have achieved justice by killing me, what will you do next?"


    "..."


    "Will you be a criminal again?"


    Frondier''s question made the man''s eyes widen.


    With Lily gone, the man would lose the person he swore loyalty to. He would have nowhere to go.


    So, would he return to his original ce, the criminal organization, to live?


    Understanding the meaning, the man clenched his teeth and said.


    "...I will be a knight."


    "Even without Lily?"


    "Lady Ria Lis took me in, even though I am insignificant now, but I will be a proper knight. I will not return to that kind of criminal den."


    Hearing those words, Frondier looked up.


    He checked the faces of the other knights who had been listening to their conversation.


    After confirming their gazes, expressions, and the determination lingering within them...


    "...Is that so."


    Frondier stood up.


    He turned around and walked away, towards the workshop.


    Surprised, the man shouted.


    "Fr, Frondier! Wait! You, damn it! Let go of this! Aaargh!"


    The man struggled, but with his body still unable to properly wield aura, he couldn''t ovee the Obsidian. The other knights were the same.


    ncing at them, Frondier said.


    "If you really want to be a knight, improve your skills a little more."


    With that, Frondier opened the workshop door and entered.


    * * *


    When Frondier entered and saw Lily, she had quite a few cuts from des all over her body, and blood was flowing.


    Swoosh¡ª


    As Frondier removed the des that had touched Lily''s body, she copsed as if her strength had left her.


    Lily''s voluptuous figure, her daring outfit, the wounds all over her body with blood flowing, and her blood-soaked clothes clinging to her body.


    In a chilling yet alluring appearance, Lily breathed shallowly.


    "...I''m a littlete."


    Frondier literally said that because his contemtion had been longer than he had originally intended. But Lily probably wouldn''t hear it that way.


    "...Heh, hehe. Ahahaha."


    Lily, with her head down, let out augh with an unknown emotion. Frondier''s approaching steps stopped at that.


    He had done such a thing to a Zodiac. Was it already toote to decide what to do with Lily? Would he have to engage in a fight with Lily where they tried to kill each other?


    "You really..."


    Lily''s voice trembled. And Frondier''s vignce rose ordingly. As if responding to Lily''s voice, Frondier''s Obsidian vibrated.


    And Lily suddenly raised her head and said.


    "You''re strong!"


    "...Yes?"


    "Ah, really! I didn''t expect you to exceed my expectations this much! These weapons, I couldn''t move at all! I tried to escape using aura as much as possible, but every time I did, the angles of the weapons changed strangely, so if I tried to escape, I would have to be prepared for fatal wounds. It was really amazing!"


    Lily''s eyes sparkled like a child chattering about their impressions after riding an amusement park attraction.


    "You solved Ameline''s escort mission in a way I never imagined, and Charm didn''t work on you either! And the look in your eyes when you were angry! Wow, it''s been a while since I felt my heart shrink like that against a human! No, wait, you can get angry? That''s not amon thing, is it? Only I must have seen that expression, right? Even your close friends and colleagues wouldn''t have seen that face!"


    ...What the hell is going on?


    Frondier quickly racked his brain as he saw the sparkle in Lily''s eyes.


    Is she acting? Is she waiting for a chance to escape or counterattack while acting like that? But even if that were the case, this is the workshop, Frondier''s domain. He detects all abnormalities within it.


    The workshop is too calm for any plotting. There is no murderous intent in Lily''s appearance.


    "...I expected you to be burning with the intention to kill me, or trembling in fear, but you''re showing apletely different side."


    "Intention to kill? Why would I? Ah, I was scared, though. I still am. My whole body is trembling."


    Lily seemed to be taking the fear that Frondier was trying to instill as a thrill like a horror movie, as there was pleasure on her


    Lily seemed to be taking the fear that Frondier was trying to instill as a thrill like a horror movie, as there was pleasure on her face as she said she was scared.


    "You gave me what I wanted."


    "What I wanted?"


    "I wanted to know who you are. What kind of person you are. What kind of disposition you have, what kind of values you hold, what choices you make at important crossroads."


    Lily had always been like that since meeting Frondier. As Frondier knew.


    Lily kept testing Frondier, curious about his reactions, and observing his choices.


    "...Was that so important? To the point of risking your life?"


    "Well, I didn''t want to lose my life, and I didn''t think I would, but if I were to put those two on a scale..."


    Lily tilted her head for a moment.


    Without even taking the time to think about it...


    "Well, that''s right. It''s more important for me to know what I want to know."


    She said.


    ¡ªDon''t try to judge their way of thinking from a human perspective.


    It was no wonder that Gregory''s words from just before echoed in Frondier''s ears.


    "So, well, since I saw your ''angry face'' that you wouldn''t casually show to others, I''m quite satisfied, I guess?"


    Saying that, Lily raised both arms. Like a believer waiting for God''s grace.


    "Now, kill me."


    "..."


    "..."


    And Frondier just watched her silently.

 Chapter 296 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Um, Frondier?"


    "..."


    "My arms hurt..."


    "Be quiet."


    At Frondier''s words, Lily closed her mouth again.


    Now that things hade to this, Frondier had be rapidly calm.


    Indeed, don''t look at her from a human perspective. Those were truly the right words. Frondier felt like he was starting to get a grasp on how to treat Lily.


    ''Lily doesn''t prioritize her own life. I don''t know if all devils are like that, but if I can understand her, she could be more useful than a human.''


    Meanwhile, Lily slowly opened her eyes. Frondier hadn''t told her to close them.Lily saw Frondier''s eyes.


    The same eyes she had seen in the Emperor''s bedroom, in Ludwig''s mansion, in the Imperial Pce conference room.


    The very eyes that had used even Frondier himself as a pawn,pletely excluding his temporary emotions and desires.


    ''...Ah, as expected, it''s a shame to die like this.''


    When Lily thought that...


    "Lady Ria Lis, I have a question."


    "...Can I put my arms down?"


    "If you think it''s okay to put them down, then put them down."


    With an answer like that, there was no way she could put them down.


    To Lily, who was keeping her arms raised, Frondier said.


    "Why did you try to protect Ameline? She''s someone who has nothing to do with you."


    "That child, she''s quite isted within her family. She was close to her uncle, but he suddenly went missing, so she''s in a situation where she can''t easily trust anyone, including her family. Her obsession with the knight fantasy is probably because of that."


    "...So, what does that have to do with you?"


    To Frondier''s question, Lily said.


    "I don''t like that."


    "Don''t like what?"


    "Being alone."


    Frondier''s words stopped at that.


    ...Indeed, is that Lily''s motivation?


    "Lily, you were alone too."


    "That''s right. You see, I have almost no memories of the Demon Realm. When I came to my senses, I was on this continent. And I have no intention of going back to the Demon Realm now, so I''m staying here."


    "So, you can''t leave someone who''s alone? Is that the same with the knights? Because they''re people from criminal organizations without parents?"


    "It''s not that I can''t leave them alone, it''s that I want to have them. I''m not saving everyone. The important thing is their appearance, their appearance."


    That part was devilish.


    Lily, who brought low-ranking members of criminal organizations under hermand.


    It wasn''t righteousness to save people from crime, norpassion to protect those who were alone.


    Lily only moved for herself.


    "...I see. That''s not morality but..."


    "It''s desire, Frondier."


    Lily said.


    "Devils don''t move by morality. It''s hard to understand such things in the first ce. The reason I live in this world is not because I''m adjusting to human society. It''s just that the ''desire'' I have happens to be somewhat tolerated here."


    In other words, even though Lily was good at thinking things through, her starting point was simple.


    Unlike humans, who took a long time to figure out what they wanted and what they should decide, Lily''s overly simple motivation meant that her mind was already made up, and she was the type to use her head to achieve that.


    ''If her motivation is simple, it will be easy to mutually benefit from each other. There''s no need to worry about whether she''s a good guy or a bad guy. She''s a devil, after all.''


    If only he could continuously draw out Lily''s desires, it wouldn''t be difficult to make her aplete ally.


    If he couldn''t trust Lily, then he wouldn''t need to trust her in the first ce. He would just lead her desires as he wished.


    Frondier, can you do that?


    While Frondier was briefly lost in thought, Lily suddenly spoke as if something hade to mind.


    "Actually, you were the same, Frondier."


    "...I have family and friends."


    "Yeah, that''s right. I knew that, but somehow..."


    Lily tilted her head as she said that.


    "I wonder why? I thought you were simr to me."


    Frondier was startled by that, but he didn''t show it.


    He had thought something simr.


    Frondier, who had suddenly entered this world, and Lily, who lived in the human world knowing she was a devil. Lily must have felt somewhere that they were fundamentally alone, just like Frondier had.


    "...Put your arms down."


    "You''re not going to kill me?"


    "It''s true that you saved Ameline, and I''m pissed that you used me in the process, but in the end, things went well because of it."


    "...Even though I used Charm on you?"


    "It didn''t work, so it''s fine."


    Lily put her arms down.


    Then, rolling her eyes around, she slowly opened her mouth as if it were something difficult to say.


    "...I''m a devil, you know?"


    Devils shouldn''t exist on this continent.


    There was no need to study how the humans of the continent treated devils. Living on this continent naturally led to a hatred of devils.


    Humans could be good or evil.


    But devils were all evil, without exception. That''s why they were devils.


    On this continent, it was impossible for an Imperial citizen not to have this thought. Even the wisest sage.


    However, Frondier was different.


    For him, the continent''s hatred of devils was nothing more than ''knowledge''.


    "What does it matter if you''re a devil?"


    Only Frondier could say that.


    "..."


    At that moment, Lily couldn''t help but recall the desire she had tried to forget.


    The desire to know Frondier.


    How he could think beyond Lily''s options, how he could be so strong, how Charm didn''t work on him.


    How he could say that at this very moment.


    While Lily stared at Frondier nkly, he said.


    "More than anything, the period hasn''t ended yet."


    "Period?"


    "The one month I agreed to be your knight."


    Ah. Lily let out a sound as if she had forgotten.


    "So, let me say it again, Ria Lis."


    "Yes?"


    "If you tell me to be a dog, I will be a dog."


    Ria Lis opened her mouth.


    "If you tell me to die, I will die."


    You''re saying that in this situation? Seriously?


    Because Lily was a devil, she was a bit more lenient than others when it came to the standards of ''weird people''.


    But Frondier was really, truly weird!


    "So, never again, no matter what happens..."


    But Frondier''s words didn''t end there.


    With a face that was hard to tell


    "So, never again, no matter what happens..."


    But Frondier''s words didn''t end there.


    With a face that was hard to tell whether he was angry, sad, or feeling nothing at all...


    "Don''t lie to me."


    "...If I refuse and ask you to tell me how you weren''t affected by Charm in exchange for killing me, will you do it?"


    "No. Think about it yourself."


    Lily''s eyes wavered at that. She stared at Frondier silently, unable to say anything.


    But Frondier didn''t wait for her answer and...


    "La, Lady Ria Lis!"


    "Lady Ria Lis!"


    He deactivated the workshop, and the fallen knights shouted upon finding Lily.


    Frondier, unseen by anyone, turned his back and let out a quiet sigh.


    ...The words Gregory had spoken just before entering the workshop came to mind.


    ¡ªFrondier, when you fought Belphegor, you endured the power of Sloth, but it wasn''t ineffective.


    ¡ªSo be careful.


    ¡ªEven if it''s not as strong as the power of the Seven Sins...


    ¡ªYou might have been affected by ''Charm'' without even knowing it.


    "For one month, I''ll definitely find out about that too."

 Chapter 297 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The remaining month of Frondier''s service as Lily''s knight passed peacefully.


    The Shadow Unit would still be keeping an eye on Ameline, as she was alive and there was always a risk of the Shadow Unit''s secrets spilling from her lips.


    However, since Frondier had already given them an invisible warning regarding their assassination attempt, they would likely observe the situation for the time being.


    Above all, it would be difficult for the Shadow Unit to move while Frondier was serving as ''Lily''s knight''.


    Ameline would also be careful with every move she made from now on. She wasn''t a fool.


    Even though there was no direct threat, she had heard several rming sounds around her during the trip, and Frondier had asked Ameline enough ''meaningful questions''.


    Even if she didn''t know the exact details, she would have figured out that her uncle was involved in this incident. So, she wouldn''t do anything dangerous like talking about it to someone else.


    Therefore, Frondier no longer had to worry about getting caught up in dangerous incidents like the one with Ameline for the time being. He now spent his days receiving simr missions as other knights.


    However, in Frondier''s case, these missions were more troublesome."Wow, this is the, Frondier de Roach-nim..."


    "Oh my, he''s my ''Sir Frondier'' now."


    "Ah, right. I apologize, Madame."


    A noble''s mansion.


    Whenever there was a social gathering of high-ranking nobles, Frondier was almost always summoned by one of them. In this case, the summoner could be either male or female.


    Of course, in the case of men, it wasn''t because they had homosexual tendencies, but because having someone of Frondier''s stature as a temporary knight properly boosted their prestige.


    The summoner this time was a woman, but the purpose was simr. Frondier was good to have around as a knight, a counterpart, and an ornament for the family.


    That''s why the woman who hired Frondier, Sophie von Meyer, would point out whenever other nobles deliberately mentioned the name ''Roach'', but there was no displeasure on her face. It was precisely because she had hired the son of Roach as her knight.


    In other words, this conversation, whether pointing out or being pointed out, could be seen as a predetermined sequence in a way.


    ''...But.''


    Sophie nced at Frondier, who was standing quietly beside her.


    ''He''s really handsome.''


    Sophie admired Frondier''s face as he calmly held his position. In fact, it was closer to taking in his overall atmosphere rather than just admiring his face.


    Sophie came up with the simple expression ''handsome'', but she actually felt Frondier''s luxurious aura more intensely than his appearance.


    ''To think that this kid was once called a ''human sloth''.''


    The nickname ''human sloth'' that Frondier had was only a nickname within Constel. Everyone in Constel knew it, but outside of Constel, few people even knew who Frondier was.


    Nevertheless, ''human sloth'' represented an entire period of Frondier''s life, so after he shed that nickname, those past images were being re-examined.


    "By the way, it would be nice if you could smile a little instead of standing there so stiffly."


    Sophie said. In fact, Frondier wasn''t stiff and was actually in afortable position, but she didn''t have anything else to say, so she just said whatever came to mind.


    Of course, Frondier was currently Sophie''s temporary knight, so.


    ©¤©¤He had learned to smile.


    "Yes, it wouldn''t be good if the mood became gloomy because of me."


    Frondier said, forming a smile on his face, and


    "Oh my."


    That alone was enough to elicit admiration from Sophie and the surrounding nobles.


    ''Rather than smiling, it''s a headache to have toe up with lines every time.''


    Frondier thought in the meantime.


    He could smile when told to smile, follow when told to follow, and stay put when told to stay put.


    There was no problem with receiving orders, but the looks and subtle words that expected him to do something on his own were what perplexed Frondier.


    Not too fast or too slow, not too light or too heavy to kill the mood, not too smooth or too stiff in his tone.


    Certainly, it was a bit different from what a knight usually did.


    ''Well, it''s about time anyway.''


    Frondier listened to Sophie and the other nobles'' conversations, sometimes responding appropriately, and briefly scanned the inside of the banquet hall.


    Frondier had received several simr missions since bing Lily''s knight, but this one was a little different.


    No, rather, he had set up simr missions beforehand as a smokescreen for this one.


    * * *


    "How did you get here, Lily-nim?"


    "Huh?"


    In Lily''s room, after a minor(?) conflict with her.


    Frondier brought up a question he had been harboring for a long time.


    "Belphegor and Satan each used their own methods to cross over to this world. Satan used contracts with humans, and Belphegor possessed a human body."


    Moreover, considering Belphegor''s situation at the time, it seemed that the possession wasn''t that free. He had been possessing the body until the moment he was defeated in the war.


    "Aha, so that''s what you''re talking about."


    "Yes. I think you would need a simr method to cross over to this world, Lily-nim."


    "No, no, I''m the opposite."


    Lily shook her head.


    "The opposite?"


    "I told you. I don''t have any memories of when I was in the Demon Realm. When I came to my senses, I was here. So, my situation is the opposite of those devils."


    "...Aha, so you''re saying that you can be here, but you can''t go back to the Demon Realm?"


    "That''s right. Unless I use the kind of method you just mentioned."


    At those words, Frondier''s hand touched his mouth.


    ''Then, as expected, it''s not important whether the demons are in the Demon Realm or the human world, but it''s difficult to cross worlds.''


    Considering there was a case like Lily, it didn''t seem like there was a problem with demons staying in the human world for a long time.


    In other words, demons didn''t necessarily have to be in the Demon Realm. It was just difficult to cross worlds.


    ''...Conversely, it means that there''s a low probability of humans having problems staying in the Demon Realm.''


    He had vaguely worried that the Demon Realm might have air that humans shouldn''t breathe or be toxic, but that might not necessarily be the case.


    "...This is just spection, but when I talked to you, Lily-nim, you said you had ''no intention of going back''."


    "Ah, did I?"


    "Does that mean you think the ce you originally belonged to is the ''Demon Realm''?"


    The expression ''go back'' meant that Lily''s original ce was the Demon Realm. Even though Lily didn''t remember it.


    So, even though she didn''t have memories, her instincts remained, and she ended up using that expression?


    But it was still spection. Such expressions coulde out unconsciously while talking. That''s why it was best to ask Lily directly.

 Chapter 297 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Oh my."


    But when Lily heard those words, her eyes sparkled, and


    "Wow! That''s right! You can think of it that way! Wow, as expected of Frondier!"


    She was excited and amazed with the same expression she had shown in the workshop.


    "...It wasn''t a particrly well-founded question."


    "Still! It''s amazing that you came up with that idea!"


    Somehow, it seemed like the threshold for Lily''s admiration had lowered. Frondier thought so and had a subtle look in his eyes.


    "So, what do you think?"


    "Hmm, now that I hear it? It''s more natural for me to think of going to the Demon Realm as ''going back'' rather than ''going''. I guess the ce I originally belonged to was the Demon Realm.""How credible does that feel?"


    "If I had to put it in numbers, about 60%."


    60%, a number worth considering.


    "If that''s true, then there''s a way to send a demon in apletely intact state to the human world from the Demon Realm, without using ''possession'' or ''contracts''."


    "...Ah! That''s right! I''m doing that!"


    Satan opened a gate through a contract with a human but couldn''t cross over himself. Once they reached the position of the Seven Deadly Sins, they needed conditions for ''descent'' like the Gods.


    Belphegor crossed over to this world, but that was actually just possessing


    a human body, not his true forming over.


    But what about Lily?


    It was unlikely that Lily had used a contract to cross over to the human world, as she had no memory of making one with anyone.


    Lily was a powerful being in this world, holding the position of ''Zodiac'', even if she wasn''t one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It would have required a considerable price for a human to summon her.


    A mediumparable to a Dragon Heart would be needed, and even with a contract, there was no guarantee that a gate would be created.


    Considering various factors, the probability of Lily using a contract to cross over to the human world was slim.


    In other words, it was something else.


    A way for a demon to cross over to the human world that I didn''t know yet.


    ''...Whatever the method is, they would have used it right away if they could. Especially Belphegor, that guy seemed to be very interested in humans and the human world. So, the conditions must be demanding, or dangerous, or perhaps...''


    Even the demons might not know exactly what this method is.


    "But Frondier, I''m just asking in case."


    "What is it?"


    "When you said you wanted to be my knight, were you suspecting that I was a demon from the beginning and wanted to confirm it?"


    "Of course."


    In the game ''Etius'', the theory that Lily was a ''demon'' was very strong.


    However, it was difficult to meet Lily as the protagonist Aster, and since it was revealed in the veryte stages of the game at the time of the game over, there was no time to confirm it.


    But at Frondier''s immediate answer, Lily''s jaw dropped.


    "You''re, you''re so mean!"


    "Yes?"


    "So, you were trying to use me from the beginning, saying you wanted to be my knight, and suspecting me...!"


    "Using sounds unpleasant. I needed cooperation and knowledge."


    "But you had ulterior motives while saying you wanted to be my knight! The condition was to participate in the war!"


    "I''m doing my job as a knight properly, aren''t I?"


    At Frondier''s justified response, Lily''s eyes darted around before her lips pouted.


    "...I, I lost confidence in myself."


    "Why? You''re a Zodiac."


    "Not that, I thought Frondier sincerely wanted to be my knight."


    ...Aha. Only then did Frondier understand why Lily was upset.


    Lily had expected Frondier to have feelings for her.


    Lily muttered dejectedly,


    "Charm doesn''t work either."


    "That''s still unknown."


    At those words, Lily''s face brightened as she quickly raised her head.


    "R, really?"


    "Don''t be happy. What''s so boastful about using the power of a demon?"


    "But it might have worked! The talent that is wasted on the title of the current Empire''s most promising prospect might be mine?"


    "You''re quite bold to say that in front of me."


    Frondier sighed.


    "Again, it''s still unknown."


    "...You''re doing that on purpose, right? To make me wonder if you''re under the charm or not? You''re trying to stimte my curiosity and induce desire?"


    "That''s right."


    "You''re so shameless!"


    They were two people who did things that pricked their consciences without any qualms.


    "But why are you suddenly asking that? Frondier, do you want to go to the Demon Realm?"


    "...When I defeated Belphegor."


    Lily tensed slightly as Frondier spoke. Frondier defeated Belphegor. That undeniable fact reminded her once again of what kind of being Frondier was.


    "He said he would fall from the seat of Sloth and be imprisoned at the bottom of the Demon Realm."


    "Ah, since he lost in the possessed body. Why?"


    Lily tilted her head.


    "...But I was curious about the corpse he possessed, so I asked for an investigation."


    "Yes."


    "We couldn''t identify the body."


    "...Yes?"


    "In other words, we couldn''t find out anything about his bloodline, family, or where he was born, and his racial characteristics were minimal. He was someone who had never existed in the Empire''s long history. Well, the police are still investigating."


    At those words, Lily blinked for a moment.


    But it was literally just a moment, and soon her eyes widened.


    "...Wait, Frondier."


    "He resembled someone. Someone who wasn''t connected to anyone."


    That''s right.


    The corpse resembled Lily.


    In other words, Frondier was specting that the corpse Belphegor possessed was a ''demon''.


    If that were the case,


    "Lily-nim, demons bleed red blood."


    "..."


    "Without spreading their wings, demons are indistinguishable from humans. I learned this for sure when I met a demon at the Imperial Pce. My brother Azier only realized that Mizonas wasn''t human after fighting him."


    The characteristics of demons were their wings and innate aura. Both could be easily hidden by demons.


    "That''s why I''m asking, Ria Lis-nim."


    "..."


    "If there are demons on thisnd who have been hiding among humans for a long time, like Belphegor and the demon he possessed."


    Lily knew what words woulde out of Frondier''s mouth next.


    And after hearing those words, Lily''s answer was set.


    "Can you distinguish them, Lily-nim?"


    Lily''s answer was silence.

 Chapter 298: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Lily pondered Frondier''s words. Despite being a devil herself, her encounters with other devils during her time in the human world were limited. Her experiences stemmed primarily from her position as a Zodiac and her significantly longer lifespanpared to Frondier.


    In the silence, Lily reminisced about her past encounters with devils, most of which weren''t pleasant. As a Zodiac, she was naturally opposed to them.


    "I can''t distinguish them immediately," Lily finally admitted.


    Just as humans couldn''t differentiate between humans and devils at a nce, the same held true for devils. This was precisely why Lily could engage inbat with them. If devils could recognize her as one of their own upon sight, she would have been exposed long ago.


    "Does that mean you can tell if you take your time?"


    "It''s not about time, but rather the conditions," Lily rified, raising a finger.


    "As you know, the most significant differences between devils and humans are their ''wings'' and ''aura.'' So, if I can see either of those, I can confirm whether they are a devil or not."


    "...Both are difficult, unless it''s abat situation."


    "Exactly. Especially with wings, anyone, not just me, would recognize them as a devil. Naturally, devils would never reveal their wings.""Then that leaves the aura. If you see their aura, can you tell if they''re a devil?"


    Lily tilted her head at the question.


    "...I think I could."


    "That''s reassuring."


    "Auras vary greatly even among humans! Findingmon ground among devils amidst that diversity isn''t easy, you know?"


    Indeed, human auras were far from uniform. This was what made identifying devils so challenging. Frondier himself could sense auras and mana within his range using his ''sixth sense,'' and he could identify individuals he knew to a certain extent.


    Someone like Elodie, with a mana level that was on an entirely different scale, was even easier to recognize.


    Therefore, the difficultyy not in distinguishing individuals but rather in grouping them. It was about finding the unique characteristics of ''devils'' among the diverse colors and sensations of individual auras.


    ''If Lily had known that beforehand, I thought it might have helped my sixth sense as well.''


    Judging by her reaction, it seemed Lily didn''t have a clear understanding either.


    "Anyway, you''re saying that if their aura or mana manifests, you can confirm whether they''re a devil?"


    "Yes. Probably."


    "Can you please stop adding that uncertainty to the end of your sentences?"


    "Because I''m not sure! You''ve encountered hundreds of devils in the Imperial Pce! Did you manage to grasp the unique characteristics of ''humans'' among them?"


    "...Now that you mention it, no."


    Frondier nodded in agreement with Lily''s sound logic. Then, he suddenly sensed something odd and asked,


    "...Hundreds?"


    "Huh?"


    "Lily, you referred to them as hundreds of ''animals,'' not hundreds of ''people.''"


    From Frondier''s perspective, they were absolute enemies, and honestly, no different from beasts. So, whether he called them people or animals didn''t matter. But could Lily do the same?


    Lily chuckled and said, "Ah, Frondier, it seems your battles with Satan and Belphegor have confused you a bit."


    "What?"


    "Don''t you remember what those hundreds of devils looked like or how intelligent they were?"


    Recalling the past, Frondier remembered the countless devils he faced in the Imperial Pce. They mostly uttered things like:


    ©¤There he is! That''s the one!


    ©¤Throw him down! Throw him down!


    ©¤Throwing him down is hard! Kill him! Kill him!


    ©¤Killing is easy!


    ©¤Kill him! Kill him!


    "...Indeed, they didn''t seem very intelligent."


    Compared to Satan and Belphegor, their words were excessively simple and repetitive. It was a stark contrast to the rtively small variations in intelligence among humans.


    "They were low-ranking devils. Devils of that level are practically monsters. Their faces, physiques, and thought patterns are almost identical. To human eyes, cows and pigs all look alike, right? It''s simr."


    "There''s that much difference even among devils?"


    "To be precise, they''re not ''the same kind of devil.''"


    Frondier pondered this for a moment.


    "...Then the devils hiding among humans must be high-ranking ones to avoid being discovered."


    "Exactly. Otherwise, their intelligence would give them away, and they all look alike anyway."


    "As devils, they each have their own ''desires.'' What happens if they can''t fulfill them?"


    From Frondier''s perspective, Ria Lis''s ''desire'' was akin to ''possessiveness.'' Bringing in handsome men was one thing, but her unusual fixation on Frondier among so many men seemed to stem from a longing for something she couldn''t have.


    Ria Lis maintained a precarious bnce with human society, although Frondier thought she had crossed the line a bit. Still, she somehow managed to fulfill her desires.


    But how did devils whose desires were ipatible with human society endure? What happened if they continued to suppress them?


    Lily thought for a moment before answering, "Nothing happens if they can''t fulfill them. They don''t die. Well, there might be some physical issues, but it''sparable to human sexual desire."


    "...Ah, is that so?"


    Just as Frondier was about to feel relieved, Lily added,


    "But they wouldn''t even consider not fulfilling them, right? As I said, their sense of morality is weak. For devils, contemting ''can I do it?'' takes precedence over ''should I do it?'' So if they can do it, they will."


    As she spoke, Lily''s expression turned grim. After all, she hadn''t considered the possibility of numerous devils, besides herself, hiding in the human world. As she explored this idea further, a sense of foreboding crept in.


    "There must be devils with desires that would be considered criminal by human standards."


    "Unfortunately, those devils are far moremon. My desires aren''t exactly noble either, you know?"


    Lily stated herck of noble desires with a sense of righteousness.


    "Hiding in human society, wanting to fulfill their desires, but also not wanting to be discovered..."


    Frondier continued his train of thought. Previously, he had acted based on a wealth of existing information or clear clues from past experiences. However, this time, information was scarce.


    Therefore, he gathered the fragmented pieces, as thin as threads.


    "...They would need money."


    "Indeed. That much is certain."


    "And a lot of it."


    "Absolutely. There''s no room for argument there."


    Lily''s agreement bolstered Frondier''s confidence in his deduction.


    "...They would need a lot of money, a space to hide their secrets, and coborators who understand their situation. In other words, someone with their own wealth, their ownnd, and an organization they belong to."


    "...Aha."


    At that moment, Lily understood Frondier''s point.


    "A low-ranking noble wouldn''t suffice."


    * * *


    And now.


    Frondier was currently carrying out knightly duties that allowed him to attend gatherings of nobles as much as possible. The higher the noble''s rank, the better, and if they had something to hide, even better.


    Of course, Lily was the one who arranged these opportunities, but Frondier had mentioned to her that connections to the ''Imperial Pce'' would be particrly beneficial.


    Lily assumed this was because it would bring him closer to high-ranking nobles, but Frondier had another thought in mind.


    ''...Satan.''


    Frondier harbored a suspicion that he hadn''t yet shared with Lily, as it was still unclear.


    ''I don''t think that guy just left like that.''


    The countless devils that appeared in the Imperial Pce.


    Frondier, who had faced them head-on, found them utterly pathetic.


    Among the Seven Deadly Sins, Satan was the epitome of devils. Even from a human perspective, his notoriety rivaled ''Lucifer.''


    Yet, the devils Satan unleashed upon the Imperial Pce were easily handled by Frondier with minimal effort.


    Initially, he attributed this to the limitations of the gate. However, the appearance of Mizonas, who had fought against Azier, seemed peculiar.


    Moreover, Satan had instantly sent Mizonas back to the demon realm using his own power. Would a being with such extraordinary power onlymand low-ranking devils, even if they were numerous?


    ''...Back then, Satan ostentatiously retrieved those devils in front of me, including Mizonas.''


    Satan had proimed it as an act of apology and a preliminary step towards a deal with Frondier, making it sound usible.


    ...But what if that wasn''t the case?


    ''What if Satan didn''t retrieve ''all'' of them?''


    What if the devils summoned through the gate weren''t just low-ranking ones, and devils of Mizonas'' level or even higher had already crossed over?


    What if they weren''t retrieved and remained here even after the gate closed?


    ''He might have initiated some kind of n from that moment.''


    Frondier, while guarding his charge, Sophie, discreetly surveyed the banquet hall with a keen eye.


    Today''s gathering was attended by high-ranking nobles and members of the royal family. Moreover, it was a celebration of the victory against Manggot.


    Of course, there had been simr banquets immediately after the war ended, but this particr social event was merely a pretext for the war victory and was exclusive to high-ranking nobles and royalty.


    ''If I were Satan, and if I had nted my devils in advance, I would consider this the perfect timing, with Belphegor''s defeat.''


    As Frondier scanned the room with this thought in mind, he spotted someonepletely unexpected.


    "...Ah."


    He uttered a soft exmation.


    Her orange hair was neatly and elegantly tied, and herke-like eyes opened and closednguidly, as if trying to conceal boredom.


    Among the many beautiful women gathered in one ce, the girl''s presence stood out distinctly.


    Upon seeing her, Frondier simply thought,


    ''...Come to think of it, that''s right.''


    The girl''s bored gaze lit up with a smile whenever she encountered approaching men, but the boredom remained.


    Her eyes, as if seeking an escape,nded on...


    "...Frondier."


    She had found him.


    Frondier, with a sense of inevitability, raised his hand in greeting.


    ©¤Hello, Elodie.


    The words remained unspoken, his lips moving silently.


    Frondier couldn''t leave his post. He was Sophie''s knight for the day. Unless he discovered a devil right now, he had to stay put.


    Therefore, it was both natural and surprising when Elodie strode towards him and stopped right in front of him.


    As she approached, Elodie assessed the surroundings and then directly addressed Sophie.


    "It''s an honor to meet you, Sophie von Meyer. I am Elodie de Rishae."


    "...Oh my!"


    Sophie was about to respond reflexively when she recognized Elodie and eximed in surprise, her face beaming with delight.


    Elodie had omitted the word ''Inies'' from her introduction. Including it would havepleted her full name and been more polite, but she disliked it.


    However, during her brief greeting to Sophie, her fleeting nce at Frondier conveyed a mix of concern and nosiness, characteristic of Elodie.


    ©¤What are you doing?


    ©¤You''re not up to something dangerous again, are you?

 Chapter 299 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 299 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Sophie spoke, looking at Elodie.


    ¡°Oh my! Lady Elodie, it''s a pleasure to see you! I didn''t expect to run into you here!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s an honor to meet you as well, Lady Sophie.¡±


    Sophie recognized Elodie immediately. It was only natural.


    Until the Frondier became a hot topic due to the recent Manggot War, Elodie was the most famous person in their age group.


    In fact, her fame among the nobles surpassed even Aster Evans. Unlike Aster, Elodie was born into a prestigious noble family.


    Furthermore, unlike Aster, who was closely watched by Constel''s teachers and experts for his growth rate and potential rather than his current skills, Elodie possessed a readily apparent brilliance.


    ¡°Did youe alone, Lady Elodie? Where is the Lord?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Father has been busytely. He''s been traveling around with my brother.¡±Elodie gave a suitable answer. She wasn''t lying, but she didn''t want to go into detail.


    More importantly, Sophie wasn''t the reason Elodie came here.


    ¡°...But this knight here, he seems familiar.¡±


    Only after exchanging formal greetings with Sophie could Elodie bring up the topic of Frondier.


    Hearing Elodie''s words, Sophie looked back and forth between Frondier and Elodie.


    ¡°Oh my, are you perhaps ssmates?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then you two must be quite close?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes?¡±


    ¡°The Roach and Rishae families have had a deep connection since the past, and on top of that, you''re ssmates. Come to think of it, you''re both promising figures of the Empire, aren''t you? My, what a well-matched pair.¡±


    Sophie sped her hands together as she looked at Elodie and Frondier.


    From the beginning, Sophie had hired Frondier to enhance her family''s prestige. While many people contacted Lily''s knight with personal feelings, Sophie''s case was different.


    Meanwhile, Frondier and Elodie awkwardly looked at each other.


    The embarrassment of being called a "well-matched pair" cameter.


    ...Are we close?


    That fundamental question arose first.


    ¡°Then, Frondier, I''ll give you a short break.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I heard you haven''t been to Constel for a while due to your knightly duties? You must have a lot to talk about with your friend, so go ahead. Get some fresh air too. I can''t tell from your expression if you''re tired or not.¡±


    In reality, Frondier wasn''t that tired, but it was a wee suggestion to have time to talk to Elodie. He needed to exin the situation.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don''t mention it. Just put in a good word for me with your father next time.¡±


    Sophie waved her hand and sent Frondier off.


    Just as she had treated Elodie, she was a woman with considerable ambition towards high-ranking nobles.


    ¡°...Then, Elodie.¡±


    Frondier looked at Elodie. He met her eyes.


    The eyes that had been wandering around out of boredom before meeting Frondier now focused solely on him.


    ¡°Shall we get some fresh air?¡±


    * * *


    The two headed towards the mansion''s veranda.


    The outside, which had begun to darken when Frondier entered the mansion, was now a pitch-ck night adorned with starlight.


    ¡°...It''s been a while. Since the war.¡±


    ¡°It has.¡±


    This was the first time Frondier had met Elodie since the war ended.


    In fact, not just Elodie, Frondier had barely met anyone except Selena.


    Especially the students of Constel, who had a few days of vacation after the war before returning to school, most of them he hadn''t seen.


    But Elodie spoke with a sullen expression.


    ¡°But I could have met you.¡±


    That''s right. Elodie was different.


    The rtionship between the Rishae and Roach families was special, and now there was no reason for Frondier and Elodie to avoid each other.


    ¡°You''re right.¡±


    Frondier readily admitted it. It wasn''t like he had absolutely no time to see Elodie.


    However, even though the war with Manggot was over, there were still so many things ongoing in Frondier''s mind.


    ¡®The smartwatch said it. The World Quest is over.¡¯


    Moreover, the name of that World Quest was ''Etius''. The name of the game was actually just one big quest.


    He hadn''t even considered the possibility of a quest bigger than the Main Quest.


    ¡®...Well, it''s not necessarily that the World Quest is bigger than the Main Quest. There will still be Main Quests that need to bepleted.¡¯


    There was no notification for the next Main Quest yet, but Frondier had a hunch that this ''game'' would continue. Regardless of whether he remained in this world or not.


    What would the Empire do after Manggot''s victory, what would the next quest be, his promise with Ria Lis and her secrets, and so on. Having ovee the game over moment, Frondier now had many unknowns.


    With his mind so preupied, he didn''t have the leisure to meet anyone.


    But Elodie, unaware of the circumstances, might be upset.


    ¡°Sorry. I should havee to see you.¡±


    Therefore, Frondier apologized, and Elodie chuckled.


    ¡°No, that''s just like us.¡±


    Just like us.


    There was no reason for Frondier de Roach toe to the mansion to see Elodie de Inies Rishae now.


    Elodie thought it was natural, and so did Frondier. For now.


    The lump in Elodie''s heart had dissolved. But how convenient and wonderful would it be if they could return to being childhood friends just like that?


    However, humans don''t work that way.


    Despite having no reason not to be close again, their distance remained the same.


    Yes, for no particr reason.


    ¡°Everyone at Constel is looking for you. Especially on the first day back at school, it was insane. People flooded our ssroom, asking where Frondier was, it was chaos.¡±


    Elodie let out a deep sigh, but a small smile formed on her face as if it had been amusing.


    ¡°Not to mention other people, even our ssmates were worried about you. They were saying things like, ''Maybe he has some unknown injuries from the war'', and around that time, Aten''s face turned white as a sheet. I was worried she might actually freeze, considering she was already pale.¡±


    Elodieined as if venting her frustration at Frondier''s absence.


    ¡®...You''re kind, Elodie.¡¯


    She was telling Frondier about the situation at school.


    Just as everyone was curious about Frondier''s well-being, Frondier was also curious about what was happening at Constel.


    ¡°When you see Selena next time, buy her something delicious. Selena was the only one who knew anything about you, so she was bombarded with questions, not just a barrage. It was both pitiful and admirable to see a shy girl trying her best to exin your situation.¡±


    ¡°...I''m sorry about that.¡±


    Come to think of it, it was Frondier who told Selena to attend Constel. It was just a suggestion, though.


    Frondier sincerely rmended a vacation for Selena, and Constel was one of the options. However, from Selena''s perspective, it might have sounded like an order.


    ¡°So, how are things at Constel these days?¡±


    When Frondier asked, Elodie shrugged and said,


    ¡°Same old, same old.¡±


    ¡°Same old?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, peopleing to the ssroom, everyone asking where you are, teachers asking during ss, staff asking at the cafeteria.¡±


    ¡°...Still?¡±


    ¡°The way you ask, it seems like you had a rough idea.¡±


    Of course he did.


    That''s why he deliberately moved up his appointment with Lily. To avoid unnecessary attention at Constel.


    Of course, it was irreversible now, but he could expect the interest to die down over time.


    ¡°So what''s going on?¡±


    Elodie''s hair danced in the night breeze as she asked.


    ¡°You''re noting to Constel, and I assumed you must have something going on, but suddenly you''re standing next to Madam Meyer. It seems like you''ve taken on a bodyguard role. Are you already a knight?¡±


    Frondier exined the situation to Elodie in response to her question.

 Chapter 299 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 299 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    He had promised to be Lily''s knight for a month, and he was currently keeping that promise. Of course, he kept the fact that Lily was a devil and that they were currently searching for devils a secret.


    ¡°...Lily''s knight?¡±


    And as Frondier expected, Elodie immediately furrowed her brow.


    Frondier spoke.


    ¡°You know about the rumors too, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course. They say that once you be a knight of Zodiac Lily, you immediately swear eternal loyalty...¡±


    Saying that, Elodie scanned Frondier. She was looking for any changes from the Frondier she knew.


    However, Frondier still had a peaceful atmosphere and anguid expression. His tone and personality towards her were all the same.


    ¡°... .¡±¡°... .¡±


    Elodie scanned Frondier like that, and before she knew it, their eyes met.


    Frondier simply remained silent, knowing her intentions, but Elodie realized she had gotten too close without realizing it.


    ¡°...Ah! Ahem, ahem.¡±


    Elodie hurriedly distanced herself again.


    He didn''t seem to have changed just by looking at him, but Elodie asked for confirmation.


    ¡°By any chance, did anything happen to you?¡±


    ¡°It did.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess it''s not surprising that someone of Zodiac level would do something like that... Huh?¡±


    Frondier''s answer waspletely different from what Elodie had expected. Her thoughts stopped for a moment.


    Elodie looked at Frondier again.


    At Frondier''s face, which was too calm for someone who said he had been ''affected''.


    And then she asked again.


    ¡°Bu, but looking at you now, it seems like it didn''t work?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know yet.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    This time, it was something she couldn''t just let slide, so Elodie''s voice grew louder.


    Frondier thought.


    He wanted to hide the fact that Lily was a devil. As long as she was helping him, he didn''t want to cause her trouble by revealing her identity as a devil to others. It was also quite dangerous.


    However, the case of ''Charm'' was different.


    ¡®As Gregory said, I might already be under the effect of ''Charm''.¡¯


    He had ovee Belphegor''s Seven Sins, but it wasn''t as if it had missed or anything like other mental magic.


    Belphegor said that devils distinguish humans by their soul form. If that wasn''t just Belphegor''s own im, then Lily would also distinguish Frondier by his soul.


    In other words, it was safe to assume that her Charm hadn''t missed either.


    ¡®Just like I overcame Belphegor''s Sloth, I probably have more resistance to it than others. But that doesn''t mean I can let my guard down.¡¯


    Having been affected once, he couldn''t afford to be careless.


    He might gradually fall for Lily without even realizing it, reaching a point of no return.


    ¡°So, Elodie.¡±


    ¡°Ye, yes?¡±


    Therefore, even if he hid it from everyone else.


    ¡°If by any chance, I make the wrong choice.¡±


    Elodie de Inies Rishae.


    Let her be the only one he told.


    ¡°Stop me.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    Elodie''s mouth hung open for a moment at Frondier''s words.


    Then her face turned cold, and blue mes flickered in herke-like eyes.


    ¡°...If it''s something Lily did, we just need to deal with Lily, right?¡±


    Those blue mes were directed at the Zodiac.


    As if to say that if they were enemies, there was no reason to hesitate, even if it was a Zodiac.


    Frondier was surprised by that look, but soon smiled.


    ¡°That''s not it. As I said before, I don''t know yet if it''s working. I''m talking about the future.¡±


    ¡°The future?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can''t assume that Lily is the only one who can control me.¡±


    Frondier had learned from Philly.


    His habit of always trying to fight and solve things alone, and its limitations.


    Now, those words applied not only when cooperation was needed but also in the opposite situation.


    Frondier had be strong. Strong enough to bepared to a Zodiac.


    Of course, since his pure skill in weapons and magic wasn''t that high, there was always a risk of defeat, but at least within his domain, he could even threaten a Zodiac.


    ¡®Until I met Belphegor, I barely prepared for mental attacks.¡¯


    It was only natural. They never hit him anyway.


    Frondier had evaded most things like memory loss or hypnosis. One of the advantages he gained from the peculiarity of possession.


    However, even that didn''t work against the Seven Sins devils. Devils who could perceive souls directly could target Frondier urately.


    In the future, he might encounter enemies on par with Belphegor, or even surpassing him.


    If that enemy had mental interference abilities exceeding Belphegor''s.


    ¡®Then the ''strength'' I possess would be a de aimed at humanity.¡¯


    The current Frondier could still be stopped by several people. The Zodiacs were there. Especially Osprey, it wouldn''t be difficult for him.


    But Frondier would continue to grow stronger. He had to, in order to keep moving forward in this world.


    ¡®When I was ying the game, I wanted to be an overpowered character that no one could touch.¡¯


    It was natural. It was just a character.


    Whether it was a mental attack or anything else, it was the character who would suffer, not the yer.


    However, it was different when it became reality.


    When he crumbled, when he broke, when he changed, there had to be someone to stop him.


    And as far as Frondier could see, there were only two people who could do that even in the future: Elodie and Aster.


    He wouldn''t need to say this to Aster. He would stop Frondier.


    But for some reason, he felt like he had to tell Elodie.


    ¡®If I tell Elodie in advance like this, she won''t panic and will be able to control me if I make a mistake.¡¯


    That''s what Frondier thought.


    He believed Elodie would nod.


    She would ept his resolve carried by the wind.


    ¡°...No.¡±


    However, Elodie shook her head.


    ¡°You''re telling me to attack you.¡±


    ¡°...Well, it would be better if you could subdue me without doing that.¡±


    But that would probably be difficult.


    ¡°No, it''s impossible.¡±


    ¡°...Elodie?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry. I, I can''t...¡±


    When Elodie raised her head to say something to Frondier.


    Swish-


    Frondier''s ''Sixth Sense'' and Elodie''s ''Mana Detection'' reacted simultaneously.


    ¡°This, this feeling, could it be...¡±


    They both looked up at the sky outside the veranda at the same time.


    ©¤©¤The stars that filled the sky had disappeared.


    The sky waspletely ck. No stars, no moon.


    The sky wasn''t the sky.


    Shwiiih!!


    From far away, ck wings filled the sky.


    ck clouds, like a swarm of bats, poured down,


    obscuring the stars and moon.


    ©¤You''ve seen hundreds of devils at the Imperial Pce too! Did you notice any characteristics unique to ''humans'' in that chaos?


    ¡®...I see...!¡¯


    Whatever the remaining devil''s purpose in the Empire was, if it could control low-ranking devils.


    ¡®It canpletely hide its appearance and attack...!¡¯


    ¡°...Elodie.¡±


    ¡°15 seconds.¡±


    Frondier called Elodie, and she immediately responded.


    ¡°Just hold on for 15 seconds.¡±


    ¡°You''re saying not to let even one of them inside the mansion for 15 seconds?¡±


    Don''t let even one of those things pouring down like clouds inside.


    What kind of absurd request was that?


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Frondier''s Obsidian moved.

 Chapter 300 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Obsidian extended like mist, scattering around Frondier and the devils that swarmed like a ck dust cloud.


    To a third party, it would simply appear as a battle between devils.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    Frondier spoke, simultaneously sharpening the edges of his Obsidian.


    There were simply too many. He couldn''t handle them all with just Obsidian.


    The task was clear.


    <i>Menosorpo</i>


    <i>Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication</i>


    <i>Imperial Armory</i><i>Full Open</i>


    Weapons materialized in the air, instantly extending towards the devils.


    Three seconds had passed.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    ¡°Kwaaak!¡±


    ¡°Enemies!¡±


    des pierced through the devils, spears skewered them into clumps, and swords severed limbs and heads with every swing.


    Meanwhile, Frondier furrowed his brow slightly.


    ¡®Enemies?¡¯


    The words uttered by a devil reached his ears.


    ¡®They weren''t targeting us?¡¯


    The strongest forces in this mansion were currently Frondier and Elodie. If someone controlling these devils knew of their presence, they would surely have been cautious.


    ¡®Then why are all these devilsing here?¡¯


    The question lingered, but there was no time.


    Regardless, the devils could not be allowed inside the mansion.


    Elodie had mentioned 15 seconds.


    And 5 seconds had already passed.


    <i>Menosorpo, Void weaving</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    A hammer materialized in his hand, and the sky rumbled in response.


    Crackle!


    Mj?lnir''s head devoured the lightning.


    The devils drew near, and Frondier examined their features.


    ¡®¡­They look simr to the ones I saw at the Imperial Pce.¡¯


    In that case.


    Frondier made his decision and swung Mj?lnir.


    Lightning shot out, crushing the closest devil and then arcing towards others, spreading in all directions.


    10 seconds.


    ¡°Kyaaaak!!¡±


    The devils'' screams filled the air, and the sky shed with the silhouettes of devils burning in the lightning.


    The mansion became noisy. People who discovered the devils screamed and copsed in fear.


    Knights like Frondier, who were escorting the nobles, and the soldiers within the mansion tried to calm them down, but they too were gripped by fear.


    The people inside had no idea what was happening. Who was fighting outside, why the sky was shing. Only the sight of the pouring devils was vivid.


    Meanwhile, Frondier observed the devils falling from the lightning strikes.


    ¡®¡­They seem a bit stronger.¡¯


    Some fell, struck by lightning, but others still held on in the sky. Even when struck by the Imperial weapons, the devils seemed to be resisting slightly better than before.


    But ultimately, it made little difference. Frondier continued his one-sided ughter.


    ¡°Scatter! Scatter!¡±


    ¡°Go!!¡±


    Then, a change urred among the devils.


    Frondier had expected them to focus on him after being attacked, but instead, they began to scatter, avoiding him.


    ¡°Damn it¡­!¡±


    Frondier panicked and hurriedly extended Obsidian. The devils he thought woulde at him were dispersing. No matter how wide the range of Obsidian and Menosorpo, he couldn''t eliminate them all at once.


    However.


    ¡°©¤©¤It''s okay.¡±


    Even if it was impossible for him.


    At this moment, there was a spell that Inies had invested 15 seconds into.


    <i>Divine Power Unleashed</i>


    <i>Chandra</i>


    <i>Form Deployment</i>


    <i>Spatial Magic 3rd Form</i>


    <i>Range, Remote Activation, Coordinate Binding</i>


    <i>Chant 1 Verse</i>


    <i>¡®Be trapped in the eternal exit.¡¯</i>


    <i>Form Completion</i>


    <i>za</i>


    Elodie extended her hand, and a vast, invisible domain was drawn. It was a giant sphere suspended in the air, epassing all the scattering devils.


    The devils, unaware of it, continued their escape.


    When they reached the end of Elodie''s transparent sphere.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    The devil that crossed the sphere reappeared at the exact opposite point within the sphere.


    ¡®If they leave the sphere''s domain, they re-enter at the opposite point!¡¯


    The devils, desperately trying to escape Frondier''s attacks, couldn''tprehend this strange phenomenon for a while. They believed they were continuously moving forward.


    Meanwhile, the sphere created by Elodie slowly shrunk. The devils believed they were advancing, but they were simply trapped within Elodie''s sphere.


    ¡°What, what is this!¡±


    At some point, the devils realized. They, who had decided to scatter, were instead getting closer to each other. By the time they noticed, their surroundings were filled with their own kind.


    ¡°Ugh, everyone get out! Get out!¡±


    They realized they had been caught, trapped.


    But they couldn''t escape. They didn''t even know the extent of the trapped area.


    They kept moving forward, getting closer to each other.


    There were no visible barriers, no sensation of being blocked. They continued to advance, bing more and more cramped.


    As they fled, fled, and fled.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, keuk!¡±


    They became a massive cluster, packed so tightly they could barely breathe.


    Ultimately, without being confined, they had trapped themselves.


    ¡°¡­¡­Amazing.¡±


    Frondier stared at the scene in a daze. If they had been trapped by a simple barrier, they would have tried to break it.


    However, this kind of prison was impossible to decipher without aplete understanding of magic. Moreover, they wouldn''t even realize they were trapped for a while.

 Chapter 300 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°This is the first time I''ve seen you use spatial magic.¡±


    Frondier said to Elodie.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s really difficult. But I learned a little when I was caught in the Headmaster''s magicst time. I also got some hints while I was in the dream with ''Eternal Slumber''.¡±


    When Osprey went outside the world, Elodie was caught up in it.


    Indeed, even when Inies suffers, she doesn''t simply suffer.


    ¡°And at that time, Professor Jane was briefly the Headmaster, right? So even after Osprey returned, the memories and senses of spatial magic remained. So I received some advice.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s also the first time I''ve seen you summon Chandra.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s true. She''s a bit prickly.¡±


    Chandra. The moon god from Hindu mythology.The power of the moon god is actually quite vague in its description. However, from a yer''s perspective, the power of the moon feels like a force that acts continuously.


    In other words, it can be used in various ways, not just for spatial magic. To keep a fire from going out, or conversely, to maintain ice.


    The power of the moon ultimately signifies ''eternity''. Whether it''s actually possible to reach that point is another matter.


    ¡°So, what should we do? We can keep narrowing it down and suffocate them like this.¡±


    ¡°That''s fine, but I''d like to hear some information.¡±


    ¡°From them?¡±


    Elodie tilted her head. It was a natural question. They clearly weren''t as intelligent as high-ranking devils. Putting aside their hostility, would they even be able to hold a conversation?


    ¡°How long can you maintain this magic? I just want to talk until then.¡±


    ¡°Not that long. The mana consumption is enormous. Hmm, I don''t know the exact time. I''ll let you know if it gets dangerous.¡±


    Elodie said this with apletely nonchnt expression. Just by looking at her face, it seemed like she could maintain it for a long time.


    But since she said it wouldn''tst long, I hurriedly flew towards the cluster of devils.


    ¡°You, you bastard! How dare you! Us!¡±


    Frondier approached one of the devils that was rtively close. Naturally, the devil growled as soon as it saw his face.


    But there was a problem.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    The devil, which had been trying to attack Frondier, suddenly disappeared.


    For a moment, he wondered what had happened, but it had been sent to the opposite side of the sphere due to the effect of Elodie''s magic.


    This made it impossible to have a conversation.


    ¡°Elodie! This magic, what happens if you enter from the outside?¡±


    ¡°Entering is free. But leaving is not. It''s impossible to extract individuals separately while maintaining the rules of this magic.¡±


    Of course, that would be the case.


    But he knew that entry from the outside was possible.


    ¡°Then there''s no need.¡±


    For me to go in.


    <i>Click</i>.


    Frondier manipted his armlet. Obsidian entered the magic sphere and captured one of the devils.


    It was the one with the most abundant and clear mana, ording to Frondier''s sixth sense.


    ¡°L-let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I can''t talk to you otherwise.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of speaking with the likes of you!¡±


    Oh, at least this one is more eloquent than the previous ones.


    ¡°Why did you attack this ce? No, rather, how are you even here?¡±


    The devils had swarmed in like a dust cloud. It was impossible to believe that a group of this size had been hiding within the Empire.


    To say they came from the Demon Realm would require a gate, but could they create gates without a Dragon Heart?


    ¡°Heh, heh.¡±


    The devil suddenly let out augh.


    ¡°Indeed. Humans know nothing. They know nothing! And yet they did such a thing! Hahaha!¡±


    The devil roared withughter. It wasn''t a bluff or a forcedugh, but a genuinely amusedugh.


    Frondier felt more uneasy than offended.


    ¡°¡­¡­What do you mean by ''such a thing''?¡±


    ¡°Human! Where do you think we came from? I have no interest in the likes of you! Humans should not interfere!¡±


    ¡­Humans should not interfere?


    ¡®Aren''t these guys here to attack humans?¡¯


    ¡°Alright. Where did youe from? You''re saying you didn''te from the Demon Realm?¡±


    ¡°The Demon Realm? The Demon Realm? Hahaha! You think we came from the ce that abandoned us! So much time has passed. So much!¡±


    They didn''te from the Demon Realm.


    They were abandoned by the Demon Realm.


    Time has passed. So it was a long time ago.


    The fragmented information was so scarce that it was difficult to even grasp its direction.


    But the answer was simple.


    The devil spoke with its own mouth.


    ¡°We came from the West!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­The West? There''s nothing there now.¡±


    Nothing.


    To the west of the Empire lies the Manggot. With the Manggot copsed, there''s nothing left.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡±


    ¡°Humans! You don''t know what you''ve done! You, more than anyone, should have known!¡±


    To the west of the Empire lies the Manggot.


    The Manggot has copsed. These beings didn''te from the Manggot.


    Between the Empire and the Manggot, there''s only the outer monsters and barrennd.


    So, further west than that.


    Beyond the sea of the Manggot.


    ¡°You guys defeated Belphegor!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Frondier''s eyes widened.


    ¡°I don''t know who that is, but thank you. We simply stayed silent ording to Belphegor''s warning! But now he''s gone! He has returned to the Demon Realm! There''s nothing to stop us!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You''re not from this continent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you finally understand! You fool!¡±


    Frondier finally understood.


    Belphegor of the Manggot, the most potent threat to overthrow the Empire,


    ¡­was a troublesome being whose threat persisted even after being defeated.


    The devil of ''Sloth'' went beyond just staying still.


    Even though he wasn''t here, he cast evil upon the Empire.


    ¡°We are the devils of ''Agoris¡¯!!¡±


    The devil, with vivid and horrifying eyes, screamed with malice towards the momentarily frozen Frondier.


    ¡°We have returned to thisnd to curse and take revenge on everything that abandoned us!!¡±

 Chapter 301 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Agoris.


    The name was unfamiliar to Frondier.


    However, judging from what the devil was saying, he could make a guess.


    ¡°...Is that the name of the western continent?¡±


    ¡°Kuh-huh, that''s right. This ce was ''Falind,'' wasn''t it?¡±


    As the devil said, the name of the continent Frondier had lived on so far was Falind.


    Since the outer monsters had attacked and many areas were lost, leaving only the Terst Empire in actuality, the two were often not distinguished, but there was a separate name for the continent.


    However, many yers tilted their heads when they yed the game Etius.


    This was because they had never seen or heard the word ''Etius'' anywhere in the game.Therefore, yers only thought that the word Etius was a word with arger scope than a country or continent.


    And the word Etius, which appeared for the first time on Frondier''s smart watch a while ago.


    Since he first saw Etius in the message that he hadpleted the World Quest, Frondier was convinced that Etius was the word that meant this world.


    But.


    ¡®They said Ipleted the quest, but incidents and idents keep happening.¡¯


    If the World Quest was over, shouldn''t he be moving on to the next ¡®world¡¯? But Frondier was still here.


    Whether the smart watch was malfunctioning, or there was still homework to be done even though it was over, or he misunderstood the word World Quest and Etius.


    Or maybe it was just a bad game.


    ¡°Anyway, untie this! I have no business with humans!¡±


    While Frondier was thinking for a moment, the devil was still struggling. But with that much strength, Obsidian wouldn''t budge.


    In the first ce, even if he untied Obsidian, it was meaningless because he couldn''t undo Elodie''s magic.


    ¡°If you have no business with humans, what is the reason you came here?¡±


    Why would devils with no business with humans, and not just one or two but a huge army, attack the mansion?


    ¡°Of course, it''s to repay an old debt!¡±


    The devil shouted. His mouth curved up as if he was boiling with sadistic pleasure.


    ¡°We came to kill devils!¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    An answer that could only be questioned.


    Devils came to kill devils?


    ¡°We know that the devils of the demon realm have entered the human world! We have business with them!¡±


    Devils of the demon realm. Definitely Satan.


    The devils who crossed over through the gate at that time. As Frondier expected, it seemed that there were still some left who had not returned.


    ¡®But are the devils living in the human world and the devils of the demon realm on bad terms with each other?¡¯


    It seemed they were more than just on bad terms, they were hostile to each other.


    Besides, they said they were ¡®abandoned¡¯ and used the word ¡®betrayal¡¯.


    ¡®Maybe these guys were originally supposed to be in the demon realm?¡¯


    If they were staying in the human world for some reason.


    Frondier, who had organized his thoughts, asked again.


    ¡°What do you mean by Belphegor''s warning?¡±


    ¡°Originally, we were going to punish the devils of the demon realm right away, but Belphegor blocked us.¡±


    ¡°Blocked you?¡±


    ¡°That''s right. He said we ¡®broke the promise¡¯. He said the Falind continent was his. Ha! Why should we listen to such nonsense!¡±


    The devil shouted arrogantly, but Frondier couldn''t help but twitch his lips.


    ¡®You were listening to that nonsense faithfully. Until Belphegor disappeared.¡¯


    They were just watching his eyes while Belphegor was there, but as soon as he disappeared, they immediately attacked. It was shameless, or perhaps it was just like a devil.


    ¡®Did Belphegor not want the intervention of other devils as much as he wanted to bring down the empire himself?¡¯


    Or maybe he purely just wanted the destruction of mankind.


    ¡®But wait, the fact that the guys who came to kill devils charged into this mansion...¡¯


    Frondier asked.


    ¡°Can you distinguish devils hidden among humans?¡±


    To that, the devil immediately replied.


    ¡°Of course! Why do you think we came here!¡±


    Indeed, if they didn''t know that there was a devil hiding here, they wouldn''t have targeted this mansion in the first ce.


    ¡°How on earth,¡±


    The moment Frondier said that.


    Swish-


    Pabababak!!


    A hole was pierced through the head of the devil who was diligently talking to Frondier.


    Not


    Not only that one, but all the devils trapped in Elodie''s magic had holes pierced through their bodies.


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Considering the characteristics of Elodie''s magic, it was advantageous to annihte the guys inside, but it was definitely quite powerful.


    ¡°Phew, that was close!¡±


    And then a voice came from behind Frondier.


    A man with gentle eyes approached with quick steps.


    ¡°You are Mr. Frondier, right? I sincerely thank you for stopping the devils.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes, and you are?¡±


    Frondier tilted his head at the appearance of the unfamiliar person.


    Of course, the ¡®timing¡¯ of the unfamiliar person''s appearance was also questionable.


    ¡®It seems like he was trying to shut the devil''s mouth just now.¡¯


    The moment Frondier was about to ask the most important thing, all the devils died.


    If this man in front of him was a devil, he would know it himself. That he had done something very noticeable.


    Did that mean the information the devil was about to spit out was that dangerous?


    ¡°I am Jeremy de Hitchcock.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I''m embarrassed because you seem to know, but I''m Frondier de Roach.¡±


    Frondier smiled and introduced himself.


    For now, the man was very suspicious, but he would just have to wait and see unless there was any confirmation.


    ¡®¡­¡­Hitchcock.¡¯


    Frondier had heard that name before.


    Hitchcock was the name of a family, but it was also the name of apany. The Hitchcockpany was famous for making the highest quality magic engineering products in the empire.


    The armband that Elodie made to control her magic output was a Hitchcock product, and Frondier''s armband was an imitation of the design of that product.


    Jeremy spread his arms and looked alternately at Frondier and Elodie who was approaching from afar.


    ¡°As expected of Mr. Frondier and Ms. Elodie. Your skills are admirable. To subdue such devils in an instant.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You too, Mr. Jeremy. That was the first time I''ve seen such a powerful and fast continuous attack. Is it an application of wind magic?¡±


    Elodie asked Jeremy.


    Meanwhile, Frondier examined Jeremy''s face.


    ¡®¡­¡­Assuming he''s a devil, of course.¡¯


    He really couldn''t be distinguished from a human.


    Unlike the low-ranking devils who looked simr and could be roughly judged by their appearance, Jeremy showed no difference from humans.


    ¡®Judging from the fact that he has his own appearance, he would be a high-ranking devil, but even that information is scarce. How high is high-ranking? Is it lower than Lily?¡¯


    While Frondier was thinking, Jeremy held out his hand.


    ¡°It''s not magic that I use, but a magic engineering product.¡±


    Saying that, he showed the cylindrical device worn under his palm.


    ¡°It''s an item that can aim and fire high-pressurepressed air at an opponent using mana. The attractive thing is that it can be used even if the user''s own magic power or magic skills are not excellent. Above all, it shows excellent power.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s amazing.¡±


    Frondier also checked the item Jeremy showed him.


    ¡®To be honest, a gunes to mind first, but it''s amazing that the wind itself bes an attack without using bullets. As he introduced, it seems like it can be used indefinitely as long as there is magic power.¡¯


    Perhaps the magic form was engraved in that item from the structural stage. In other words, it was virtually magic. It''s just that he couldn''t lower or increase the power there.


    ¡°Mr. Frondier, if I had known you were attending the banquet today, I would have greeted you sooner.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­To me?¡±


    Frondier asked back.


    Of course, he had never met Jeremy before, and although the Hitchcockpany was famous, it didn''t have any particr connection with the Roach family.


    ¡°Of course. You know my family, Hitchcock, right? We run apany, but we''ve been interested in Mr. Frondier for a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Frondier simply replied, having nothing to say. To be honest, he didn''t believe it half the time.

 Chapter 301 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°If it''s okay with you, would you like to visit ourpanyter? We''ll send a car if you wish.¡±


    However, it was strange that the other person was rmending it to this extent.


    Above all, if Jeremy was really a devil.


    ¡®If Hitchcock is the devils'' hideout itself, I won''t be able to trust thepany anymore.¡¯


    Of course, it could be unrted to thepany. Jeremy might be the only devil.


    Or maybe Jeremy wasn''t a devil either, and he just appeared at a strange timing and killed the devil, or maybe Frondier was misunderstanding.


    Either way, there was a possibility. Regardless of the probability, the possibility itself existed.


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    Therefore, Frondier asked.Whether the purpose was simply to lure him to Hitchcock, his own hideout, or if thepany was really interested in Frondier.


    ¡°The most representative reason is because of Mr. Frondier''s ¡®three-dimensional map¡¯. Since Mr. Frondier showed it at the strategy meeting, manypanies have been struggling to make devices with simr performance. Ourpany is no different.¡±


    Three-dimensional map.


    The technology Frondier used to integrate the maps in the workshop and show them to people using Obsidian. At the time, Frondier said he applied the three-dimensional blueprint, but that was just because he needed a proper excuse.


    It was probably not very rted to the structure of the three-dimensional blueprint.


    ¡°So we''re very curious about how Mr. Frondier creates the three-dimensional map, so I''m asking you this, despite the rudeness.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Three-dimensional map. It was usible as a reason to invite Frondier. He was the only one who could do that right now.


    Then Jeremy said with a slightly subtle expression.


    ¡°¡­¡­And actually, there''s also a reason that''s not very honorable. I can''t tell you here, though.¡±


    ¡®Hoo.¡¯


    Frondier became curious at those words.


    A devil was trying to tell Frondier something dishonorable? This was definitely intriguing.


    Frondier thought for a moment.


    ¡®The most suspicious thing right now is this man, Jeremy. If I can pinpoint one person, Lily might be able to figure something out too.¡¯


    If Hitchcock was the devils'' hideout itself, as Frondier was worried about, it would rather reduce the effort of searching.


    ¡°¡­¡­Alright. I''ll see you soon.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thank you!¡±


    At Frondier''s words, the man beamed and waved his hand.


    Meanwhile, Elodie looked at Frondier with worried eyes.


    ©¤©¤Are you okay?


    With a natural concern, Elodie conveyed her meaning with her mouth.


    Frondier also moved his mouth in the same way.


    ©¤©¤No.


    * * *


    The fact that the devils had attacked the mansion became a hot topic as soon as the next day arrived.


    There was no actual damage to the mansion, but the fact that such devils had attacked was definitely a major incident.


    In the first ce, even if just one devil appeared, it would be a big deal, but there were so many that they couldn''t be counted.


    The citizens of the empire were trembling with anxiety and worry about where these guys came from and whether more would appear in the future.


    There were also many people who had witnessed the guys passing by in the sky like a ck dust cloud before they came to the mansion.


    Elodie and Frondier, who had stopped the devils, once again caught the attention of the citizens.


    However, in Frondier''s case, Lily suffered more than he did. This was because Frondier had dumped everything on her just because he was Lily''s knight.


    No matter who asked what, Frondier would say,


    ©¤It was Lady Ria Lis''s order.


    ©¤It was thanks to Lady Ria Lis''s excellent judgment.


    ©¤I just assisted, I think it was Lady Ria Lis who actually defeated the devils.


    In this way, he pretended to defend Ria Lis and slipped away on his own.


    It was a skillful evasive maneuver that could never be thought of as something he had only done once or twice.


    Of course, Lily was dying, having to repair the broken mansion, think about how to deal with the devils, and take on all the troublesome things Frondier had passed on to her in the meantime.


    ¡°Lady Ria Lis.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Why.¡±


    And Frondier appeared, still at ease. Lily''s half-open eyes red at Frondier.


    ¡°¡­¡­You look a little thinner?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    In the end, Lily''s anger exploded.


    ¡°Do you think everything is okay just because you say what you want? I didn''t have anything to do with defeating the devils! Because of you, I''m going to have to make up stories! No, I''m doing it right now! Come to think of it, it''s your fault the mansion is broken too! It''s your fault I''m doing this devil search that doesn''t suit me! It''s all your fault!!¡±


    Lily pounded on the desk, stomped her feet, and screamed as much as she could.


    Frondier blinked and watched her for a moment.


    ¡°¡­¡­Lady Ria Lis.¡±


    ¡°Why!¡±


    ¡°I need to go to Hitchcock for a moment, may I have your permission?¡±


    ¡°This, crazy bastard!!¡±


    * * *


    Frondier walked directly to Hitchcock.


    Jeremy had offered to take him by car, but he refused. He didn''t like the idea of having hime to Lily''s mansion, and there was no need to use a car anyway.


    ¡°It''s enormous.¡±


    As soon as he arrived, Frondier gaped at the buildings in front of him.


    The buildings weren''t incredibly tall, but Hitchcock used an entire lot, so the scale was enormous.


    ¡°You''re here, Mr. Frondier!¡±


    Jeremy, who had been waiting, greeted him with hurried steps.


    ¡°Then pleasee this way.¡±


    They walked together under Jeremy''s guidance, and Frondier passed through the entrance of Hitchcock for the first time and entered inside.


    ¡®Magic engineering is ultimately an artifact.¡¯


    Frondier was curious about Jeremy''s intentions, but he was also interested in the Hitchcockpany itself.


    After all, considering the characteristics of Frondier''s skill, which copied weapons to exert power, he couldn''t help but be interested in high-performance magic engineering products.


    The weapons he used were literally ¡®heroes¡¯. The traces and narratives of their use were recorded, making them that much more powerful.


    And such weapons were overflowing with destructive power, but as they were literally weapons of the past, they didn''t have various uses.


    ¡®At first, I was just focused on defeating strong enemies, but as time goes by, the number of people I need to protect increases.¡¯


    At first, there was no need to protect anyone. He was busy taking care of himself.


    But after bing stronger, there were bound to be people weaker than him. And just because someone was weaker than Frondier didn''t mean they were ipetent.


    There were many people Frondier absolutely needed, and in the first ce, Frondier didn''t like it when people who weren''t his enemies died.


    ¡®In such situations, magic engineering products would be more useful than Excalibur.¡¯


    Sometimes, items that could be used organically in various situations were more necessary than weapons that he was worried about sweeping away both enemies and allies.


    ¡°Mr. Frondier, do you know much about magic engineering?¡±


    Jeremy asked on the way.


    ¡°No, I''m ignorant.¡±


    Frondier answered honestly. He had never learned it at all. They didn''t teach it at Constel either.


    But at those words, Jeremy looked a little surprised.


    ¡°¡­¡­You don''t know magic engineering¡­¡­. I see.¡±


    As if it was unexpected that Frondier didn''t know magic engineering, Jeremy put his hand to his chin.


    ¡°Is there something wrong with


    That?


    ¡°Ah, no, no. It''s not a problem, it''s just hard to believe.¡±


    Jeremy said that and shifted his gaze.


    Towards the armband Frondier was wearing.


    ¡°Actually, I told you that there was a reason I wasn''t very honorablest time. That product you''re wearing right now, Mr. Frondier...¡±


    ¡®¡­¡­Ah.¡¯


    There, Frondier understood.


    Why Jeremy wanted to take Frondier to thepany.


    And why it wasn''t entirely for pleasant reasons.


    ¡°It''s quite simr to ourpany''s products.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Of course, I''m not suspecting Mr. Frondier. You just acquired it. However, ourpany is worried that the blueprint might have been leaked.¡±


    While Jeremy was speaking, Frondier just listened calmly.


    ¡®Oh, damn it.¡¯


    However, inwardly, he thought that what was bound toe had finallye.


    ¡°Just in case, Mr. Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember where you got that armband?¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 302 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier''s bracer wasn''t something he bought.


    It was created with the help of many people.


    Teacher Binkis from Constel, senior Edwin, and even Sybil''s father, Daud. Of course, Sybil herself must have been a great help too, given her personality.


    However, the reason they were able to create this bracer was entirely due to Frondier''s 3D blueprint.


    A 3D blueprint that replicated Elodie''s bracer exactly.


    ¡®From Hitchcock''s perspective, this is no different from a blueprint leak.¡¯


    He didn''t breach security and steal it, nor did he copy it by cing the product next to him.


    However, that blueprint was already inside Frondier''s workshop.


    Hitchcock would never have imagined this scenario.Because Frondier''s Weaving skill was a ''Unique'' skill.


    "...This bracer."


    After a moment of thought, Frondier opened his mouth.


    "I cannot reveal its source."


    Frondier said so.


    He couldn''t reveal his Weaving skill, nor did he want to involve Teacher Binkis or others.


    If he said he didn''t know, his words could be used against himter, leading to a more difficult situation.


    Therefore, Frondier''s decision was this.


    "...You can''t reveal it?"


    "Yes, it''s a secret."


    It was better to focus Hitchcock''s suspicion on him alone. This way, he could prevent the people around him from getting involved.


    More importantly, even if he suspected, Hitchcock wouldn''t be able to uncover Frondier''s secret right away.


    "...I understand. The original purpose was about the 3D map anyway. Come this way."


    Jeremy, regardless of his thoughts on the answer, simply nodded and continued the tour.


    Even if Frondier didn''t reveal the source of the bracer, he was still worth bringing to thepany. He seemed to have judged so.


    "If you go through the hallway that connects from here, you will reach the 1st Research Institute."


    As they walked, they came to a wide space with passages leading to various buildings. Jeremy led the way towards one of the passages.


    "Since it''s a research institute, I assume you pay a lot of attention to security. Have you taken any precautions?"


    "Of course, we have. We have already taken appropriate measures for Mr. Frondier as well. Thispany has security magic installed at regr intervals. It automatically determines and records who entered, when, whether they were invited, and whether they are qualified to enter the building."


    Indeed, Frondier''s sixth sense also read the presence of mana in each space. But it was so faint that it was simr to the level of small animals like birds.


    The security magic must have put considerable effort into magical engineering. By utilizing magical engineering, the same amount of mana could be used more efficiently. It''s just that its purpose would be limited.


    As they passed through the hallway, the atmosphere changed noticeably. Above all, the employees'' attire changed. It seemed like a ce where only researchers stayed.


    "Here we are."


    Following Jeremy''s guidance, they entered a researchb. Inside, several people were already waiting as if they had been expecting them, and an empty space upied the center.


    Upon confirming Frondier''s face, one of the people inside approached.


    "Wee. I am Paul, the head of the 1st Research Institute."


    Paul offered a handshake to Frondier, and Frondier epted it.


    "I''m Frondier."


    "Did Jeremy exin things to you?"


    "Well, all I know is that it''s rted to the 3D map."


    "That''s enough."


    Paul turned around and approached the panel in front of the empty space within the researchb.


    "We are currently researching themercialization of the 3D map you showed us, Mr. Frondier."


    "Commercialization... you mean making it into a product?"


    "Of course. Maps aren''t just needed during wartime."


    That was certainly true. Maps were used at all times. Especially in this world with monsters and limited human territory.


    "If the 3D map ispleted, citizens will be able to check the elevation of unfamiliar paths. Particrly in the case of forests or valleys, t maps are easily misread when traversing them. Until now, we have essentially relied on the feet of those who have already been there. That''s why, even with a map, it''s not entirely reliable."


    "It will allow for morefortable and safe travel."


    "Yes, and we will make a lot of money using that as demand."


    Paulughed, throwing in a lighthearted joke.


    "First, would you like to take a look?"


    "I''m not sure if my looking will be helpful."


    Naturally, Frondier didn''t create the 3D map using the concepts of machinery or engineering. It would undoubtedly be apletely different concept from the products Hitchcock was making.


    "Haha, don''t feel pressured. We just want to get help from various perspectives."


    Saying that, Paul operated the panel. Then, lights illuminated the empty space from all sides.


    ¡®...This is a hologram.¡¯


    Frondier recognized it at a nce. He couldn''t not know. He still vividly remembered Quinie''s ''prank''.


    When the scene of him defeating Belphegor was revealed to all the citizens of the Empire, his vision went dark.


    The hologram he saw then. What unfolded before Frondier''s eyes bore a simr resemnce. It was definitely the method that would firste to mind when thinking of the word ''3D''.


    The hologram created buildings, trees, mountains, and rivers on the floor. The quality was quite high. It was iparable to Frondier''s 3D map, which inevitably used only ck symbols due to the use of the Obsidian.


    ¡®It''s not created too close, and at this size, it can be sufficiently utilized as a map.¡¯


    Frondier nodded and said.


    "It''s excellent. Isn''t it usable as it is?"


    Frondier couldn''t see any particr problems. He created his map with just the Obsidian, while this was a culmination of all sorts of technology. It was much easier to see.


    "That''s right. There''s no major inconvenience in viewing this one."


    "Then what''s the problem?"


    "How big do you think this map actually is?"


    At that question, Frondier examined the 3D map again.


    Maps naturally had to be viewed more broadly than reality, so everything was smaller than in real life.


    By looking at how much smaller the forests, buildings, etc., were, one could roughly estimate the size of the area represented by the map.


    "...Roughly, it seems to cover about the size of a small vige."


    "That''s right. It took us over a year to implement this one vige as a hologram. We recorded and verified everything one by one, striving to make it as simr as possible."


    From there, Frondier guessed what Paul was trying to say.


    "...It takes too long. To make the entire Empire this size, we would need over a thousand sheets."


    "That''s right. But if we make the scale too small, it bes no better than a t map. Furthermore, in urgent situations like war, troop deployment and routes need to be reflected immediately, and there''s not enough time to prepare for that."


    Frondier nodded.


    This hologram, while nice to look at, was hard to consider a typical map. At best, it could be used as a guide map for a specific region.


    It would be helpful for theme parks or famous tourist spots, but it was unreasonable to cover the entire Empire.


    "Moreover, after the Empire''s victory in the war against Manggot, it is moving to expand its territory to include that area. Expanding this map to match that n is nearly impossible."


    "...Structures that have changed due to the war would also be a variable."


    "That''s right. Although the damage is minor, there are copsed barriers and damaged viges, and there will be a process of rebuilding roads."


    Hitchcock wanted the 3D map they created to be reflected in real-time.


    Just like the one Frondier had shown at the Imperial Council meeting.


    "What do you think, Mr. Frondier? About this 3D map."

 Chapter 302 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...It''s excellent. I can''t say anything else. If I had to choose between the map I made and this one, I would choose this hologram map every time."


    Even though he didn''t know exactly where this map was pointing, if he knew the location, Frondier could quickly create it as well.


    Since Frondier would create the map by gathering thetest information, his map would be slightly more urate in minor details.


    However, for ordinary people,fort was more important than such minor differences. In that regard, it had a clear advantage.


    But.


    "...However, it''s not realistic."


    "Is that so?"


    "If Hitchcock wants to use this map in war as well, there''s another problem."


    "What is it?""War can break out anywhere, but if it''s this Empire, it will usually be in the outer regions. In other words, a war with outer monsters. In that case, it will be an area that Hitchcock, focused on creating maps within the Empire, knows nothing about."


    "...Yes, that''s right. That''s why if war breaks out, we would have to rush to map that area... Ah."


    Paul, while providing his own answer, realized the problem that arose from it.


    Frondier said.


    "Who will create it? During the war, who among the people of Hitchcockpany would go to the area where outer monsters roam and record distances or locations?"


    "...I see. That was a blind spot."


    Simply put, it was like putting a bell on a cat''s neck. A solution with excessively high riskpared to its effectiveness couldn''t be chosen.


    Paul listened to Frondier''s words and nodded, jotting them down in his notebook.


    Seeing that, Frondier turned his attention back to the hologram device.


    ¡®...I''m really sorry to say this, but.¡¯


    This device was actually more suitable for Frondier to use.


    If he could just understand the principles of how it was implemented, he had enough information to disy anything as a hologram.


    He was really sorry, but he had already put the blueprint in his workshop.


    "..."


    Meanwhile, Paul and the other researchers fell into a long silence.


    Several problems had already been discovered, and Frondier''s words had brought them to a new one.


    They had hoped for a solution from a new perspective, but the new perspective only revealed more problems.


    ¡®...It can''t be helped.¡¯


    Feeling a slight pang of conscience, Frondier slowly opened his mouth.


    "Would you like to see my 3D map?"


    "...! Really?! Please, by all means!"


    Paul responded with a brightened face. Jeremy, who was watching from the side, widened his eyes in surprise.


    Jeremy asked.


    "Is it okay to show that so casually?"


    "It''s not like I''m hiding it that much in the first ce."


    Frondier had already revealed this 3D map twice, once at the Pro Organization Phenomenon and once in the Imperial Pce conference room.


    Since the rumors had spread everywhere, there was no point in hiding it btedly.


    The 3D map was just an application of the Obsidian, and the 3D map itself wasn''t that important.


    Click.


    Frondier manipted the bracer. Seeing that, Paul and the other researchers'' eyes sparkled with curiosity.


    Perhaps they were thinking how simr it was to their own stuff.


    Swoosh-


    The Obsidian spread out and flew towards the space where the hologram had been. Seeing that, Paul hurriedly operated the panel to shut down the hologram.


    "I don''t have many maps to show you, but..."


    Frondier first created a map around Constel.


    He had acquired a vast amount of maps at the Phenomenon headquarters, so he could reproduce most of the surrounding area.


    "It''s like this."


    Frondier''spleted 3D map. As expected, it was much cruder than Hitchcock''s hologram. After all, it was just ck droplets indicating things.


    Nevertheless, Paul admired thepleted map and carefully looked around.


    "What''s the scale of this map right now?"


    "...Ah, there''s no particr scale, but if you want to see it closer..."


    Frondier, guessing what Paul wanted, zoomed in on the map a little. As it zoomed in, more detailed details were added. Smaller trees, ces with water, and so on.


    Paul''s eyes widened at that small movement.


    "Y-You can zoom in?!"


    His voice was so surprised that Frondier was also a little startled.


    "Yes, yes. I used this method when exining operations as well."


    "H-How! How is that possible? To create it in 3D and then rearrange it...!"


    Ah. That''s where Frondier''s thoughts reached.


    Because he created itpletely differently from their 3D map, they were surprised by his actions.


    "...Ibine maps to create it."


    "Combine?"


    "Yes. It doesn''t really matter how detailed I make it, and as you can see, I can''t reproduce colors. What I''m focusing on are the coordinates."


    Frondier gave a brief exnation.


    He had put a considerable amount of maps into his workshop, and those maps were organized ording to his thoughts.


    Maps with simr scales, maps indicating the same area, and most maps with elevation markings were aligned. Even if the numbers differed from reality, the more maps there were, the more urate they became.


    ...Of course, he couldn''t exin all of this, so he only exined the concept ofbining.


    "This way, there''s no need to go directly and measure or record numbers. The existing maps do that for me."


    Paul wrote down Frondier''s words as he spoke.


    However, even as he exined, Frondier had a slightlyplicated expression on his face.


    ¡®...I said it like that, but is this method even possible with holograms?¡¯


    What Frondier was doing was simply ovepping coordinates. By integrating multiple maps, even if they weren''t perfectly identical, a value close to it would emerge, and the Obsidian would disy that value as it was.


    This was possible because the Obsidian, as a medium, moved like Frondier''s own limbs.


    Wouldn''t it be difficult with holograms?


    "Hmm, I see!"


    At that moment, Paul spoke energetically as if he had organized his thoughts.


    "We need to scrap this project!"


    His eyes, as he spoke, sparkled with hope, but the content was brutal.


    "...Yes?"


    "I think everyone must have felt it. That this research couldn''t progress any further. But we hade too far, so no one could give up. But now that we know a new method, we will discard this and start over."


    "...Is that okay?"


    "Of course. It''s research that won''t be a product anyway."


    Saying that, Paul extended his hand to Frondier once more.


    "Thanks to you, Mr. Frondier. I sincerely thank you."


    "...Ah, yes."


    It was the first time he had been thanked for ruining a project, so Frondier awkwardly shook his hand again.


    "As a token of our gratitude, we would like to introduce you to one of ourpany''s products that suits you, Mr. Frondier. How about it?"


    "...Sounds good. Can I choose?"


    "Of course. Take a look and touch the products yourself and choose."


    Frondier hid a wry smile inwardly.


    This was just like when he went to the Imperial Pce armory.


    It didn''t matter what he chose.


    He just needed to ''see'' it.

 Chapter 303 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier followed Paul''s lead, moving to a new location with Jeremy. He had expected to be led back to thepany to choose a product, but instead, they ventured deeper into the facility. As if sensing his concern, Jeremy spoke first.


    ¡°The products we''re about to show you are not yet avable to the public. However, their performance is guaranteed. They are all safe products that have undergone thorough testing.¡±


    ¡°You mean they haven''t been released yet?¡±


    Paul answered the question.


    ¡°Yes. Aside from ourpany personnel, you, Frondier, will be the first to see them.¡±


    Frondier felt a surge of anticipation at those words, but at the same time, a chilling apprehension crept down his spine.


    ¡®It''s only natural, but we''re going deeper and deeper into thepany.¡¯


    If Frondier''s suspicions were correct, and Jeremy was a devil, then it was highly likely that he had orchestrated this entire situation. Of course, it was Frondier who had provided the hint about the 3D map, but even without that, it wouldn''t have been difficult for Jeremy to lure him here.


    Even the mere act of providing the idea for the 3D map would have been enough.If Jeremy is a devil, and Hitchcock is a devil''sir¡­


    Going deeper into thepany, it''s like sticking your head into a lion''s mouth.


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    Paul''s voice interrupted Frondier''s thoughts, and he peered into the room Paul had led him to.


    ¡°¡­¡­Wow.¡±


    A small exmation escaped his lips. Of course, the quality and design of the countless items arranged inside were excellent.


    But more than that, it stemmed from a pang of conscience, questioning whether he should be ¡®seeing¡¯ so many items.


    However, conscience aside, Frondier''s eyes quickly scanned the items on disy. In an instant, new items filled the list in his Workshop.


    ¡°Please take your time and look around.¡±


    Paul said, and Frondier followed his suggestion, walking slowly as he examined the disyed items.


    He had been impressed when he saw the Imperial Armory, but the items disyed here were astonishing in a different way.


    There were objects that resembled guns, others that looked like Wizard view or smart watches, and even more whose functions werepletely beyond hisprehension.


    Of course, it wasn''t a big problem since the Workshop would provide a rough exnation when he stored them.


    ¡°By the way, Frondier, excuse my rudeness, but¡­¡±


    Paul''s cautious voice came from behind Frondier as he was looking around.


    ¡°The bracer you''re wearing now looks very simr to our products.¡±


    ¡°Ah, this? Jeremy mentioned that too.¡±


    Frondier raised his arm to show the bracer. It was so thin that it was hidden under his clothes and barely visible, but he wasn''t particrly trying to hide it, so it asionally peeked out from under his sleeve.


    In fact, Paul probably already knew about Frondier''s bracer.


    ¡°It''s amazing how you''ve applied an item designed to control Mana in such a way.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier said nothing and looked at Paul.


    He immediately understood the meaning behind the statement.


    So, Frondier smiled faintly and opened his mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡­Is that so?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    From Frondier''s perspective, it was a very obvious leading question.


    Frondier hadn''t revealed the origin of the bracer he used. But agreeing with the question would be admitting that this bracer was an application of a Hitchcock product.


    ¡°As I mentioned before, I know nothing about Magitech.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Paul bowed his head. Frondier chuckled and started walking again.


    And then he stopped in front of a certain artifact.


    ¡®¡­This bracelet.¡¯


    In front of him was a luxurious-looking bracelet. It was ced without any special distinction, and in reality, it wasn''t a particrly outstanding artifact.


    However, what caught Frondier''s eye was after he stored the artifact in his Workshop.Bracelet of Mental Resistance


    * Rank: Rare


    * Description: Slightly resists all forces acting on the wearer''s mind. Resistance does not discriminate between the caster and the type. In other words, it also resists forces that are beneficial to the wearer. As the range of resistance is wide, the resistance itself is weakened.


    As the description suggests, it was a bracelet that reacted to the mind.


    Currently, Frondier was suspicious of whether he was under Lily''s charm. He wasn''t devotedly loyal like the other knights, but it was hard to shake off the worry that it might be subtly affecting him.


    More than anything, Frondier had forgiven Lily.


    What if that forgiveness was due to ¡®charm¡¯?


    Would Frondier have normally executed Lily?


    In other words, was this situation the result of not making the right choice?


    ¡®Even if it''s just a slight resistance, if I feel something after wearing this¡­¡¯


    Whether this bracelet was actually helpful wasn''t important.


    The fact that there was an ¡®effect¡¯ itself would be proof that he was under a charm.


    Of course, Lily''s power might be something this bracelet couldn''t block, but it was better to try.


    ¡°Can I try this on for a moment?¡±


    Frondier asked, pointing to the bracelet.


    Of course, Paul readily nodded.


    ¡°Of course. As I said, please wear it yourself and choose it while checking its effects.¡±


    Frondier nodded and picked up the bracelet, putting it on his left arm. He could definitely feel a different kind of Mana enveloping his bodypared to ordinary bracelets.


    ¡®¡­It doesn''t seem much different.¡¯


    But just as he was tilting his head, wondering if it had any effect on his mind.


    <i>Wheeing-</i>


    Suddenly, a light came on from the disy stand where he had taken the bracelet.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The light scanned Frondier thoroughly, as if examining him.


    At that moment.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Frondier stumbled, feeling a strong dizziness, and grabbed the disy stand with his hand.


    ¡®This is¡­!¡¯


    For a moment, he thought it might be another mental magic attack, but it wasn''t. To begin with, a clumsy mental attack wouldn''t even hit Frondier.


    The reason Frondier felt dizzy wasn''t a direct effect. It was a side effect.


    What Frondier was actually experiencing was,


    ¡®My Mana was stolen!¡¯


    That''s right. The Mana inside his body was rapidly disappearing.


    It was probably a security measure to prevent intruders from stealing the artifacts here.


    But the fact that the device was still operating while Frondier was looking around meant¡­


    ¡°This is unfortunate.¡±


    Paul, whose expression had changed, looked at Frondier coldly.


    ¡°You always keep your mouth shut on important matters, so we have no choice but to use a little rough method.¡±


    ¡°A little rough method¡­?¡±


    Frondierughed in disbelief.


    If a person''s Mana was rapidly drained in an instant, they could even die.


    It was only because Frondier''s Mana was so vast that he was able to endure it; if it had been an ordinary person, they would have died from shock. It was no different from someone losing all their blood at once.


    And it wouldn''t end there; the device would probably continue to operate even after the Mana depletion. It was clearly a device designed to effectively kill people.


    ¡°Answer my question before you die.¡±


    Paul walked towards him. It seemed the security device had no effect on him. The same went for Jeremy, who was behind him.


    Was this security device designed to target only intruders, or¡­


    ¡®¡­Is it an effect that only applies to humans?¡¯


    If it was thetter, it was truly intriguing. A machine that could distinguish between humans and devils.

 Chapter 303 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Why did you attend that banquet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What¡­?¡±


    Frondier frowned. He thought they would ask about the bracer, but suddenly they were talking about the banquet?


    Paul shook his head and waved his hand in the air. Frondier''s Mana depletion stopped, as if giving him a temporary reprieve.


    ¡°Don''t y dumb. You''re clearly looking for devils. Where did you get that information?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What are you talking about? The only devils I met there were the ones that swarmed in like a dust cloud,¡±


    <i>Wham!</i>


    Paul kicked Frondier in the face. Frondier was crouching due to the Mana depletion, so the kicknded squarely.


    ¡°ying dumb again. Jeremy heard you talking to the devils of Agoris. You were trying to learn how to distinguish between humans and devils, weren''t you?¡±Frondier scoffed. As expected, that Jeremy bastard was listening.


    ¡°Are you on the side of the western devils? Are you working with them to catch the devils hiding in the Empire?¡±


    ¡­Oh, I see.


    Frondier started to understand the situation.


    Back when Elodie had trapped them with magic and Frondier was talking to one of the devils¡­


    Frondier, who would normally have killed all the devils immediately, had a rather long conversation with one devil. At that time, Jeremy started to have strange suspicions.


    Was Frondier actually on the side of the western devils? Did he stop them because there was a misunderstanding in their information?


    The moment he had that suspicion, he approached Frondier, and sure enough, Frondier asked about the method of distinguishing between devils and humans.


    ¡°Answer me. Frondier de Roach. You already know too much, and you''re trying to know even more. But we still know nothing about you, so it''s not a fair deal, is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­I have nothing to say.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you understand the question? You''re going to die next. You''ll be a miserable mummy with all your Mana drained.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you understand what I said?¡±


    Frondier raised his head. His ck eyes, shining brightly, pierced through Paul.


    ¡°I have nothing to say to the likes of you, bat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Very well.¡±


    Paul waved his hand again.


    <i>Wheeing-</i>


    The device activated, and Frondier''s Mana rapidly disappeared.


    ¡°Frondier de Roach, the hero who won the war and even defeated Belphegor, one of the infamous Seven Sins.¡±


    Paul spoke as if reading a character''s resume.


    ¡°But humans can''t do anything without Mana. The weaving you boast of, that ck thing, you can''t use any of it.¡±


    Even as Paul spoke, Frondier''s Mana continued to vanish. Once even the slightest bit of Mana disappeared, Frondier''s body would scream from the symptoms of Mana depletion.


    Since Frondier had experienced it several times, he would endure for a while, but that time wouldn''t exceed 5 minutes at most.


    ¡°You''ve be too strong for your own good, haven''t you?¡±


    Paul said mockingly.


    Jeremy approached from behind him.


    ¡°¡­¡­Director, if we kill Frondier like this, we won''t be able to find out where he got his information.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. The western devils won''t be able to find us anyway. Their way of finding devils is utterly crude.¡±


    While the two were having that conversation.


    ¡°¡­¡­Heh.¡±


    Finally,


    ¡°Heh, hehe.¡±


    With great effort, holding back for a long, long time,


    ¡°Hehehe, hahahahahahaha!!¡±


    Frondier burst intoughter.


    Paul and Jeremy were speechless at the sight.


    They weren''t angry, nor were they amused. They were simply surprised.


    A human who had lost all his Mana,ughing like that? It was an impossible story, even as a bluff.


    ¡°Ah, thank goodness.¡±


    Frondier said that and raised his head.


    ¡°What¡­?!¡±


    A cry of shock escaped Paul''s lips.


    There was no trace of the effects of Mana depletion on Frondier''s face. There was no sign of fatigue, his face was almost the same as before he came here.


    ¡°Actually,¡±


    Frondier took off the bracelet. He calmly ced it back where it belonged.


    Paul and Jeremy simply watched all his actions. The scene before their eyes waspletely iprehensible to them.


    They were scientists before they were devils. When something went beyond the theories and systems they had learned,


    they were momentarily unable toe to their senses.


    ¡°I was worried that I was the only bad guy. I thought the devils knew about my skills to some extent, but they were ying dumb withpletely clueless faces. I was really wondering what to do,¡±


    Saying that, Frondier raised his right hand.


    Obsidian gathered on his hand, transforming into a certain shape.


    Thepleted form was the very first item Frondier had seen among the items disyed here.


    ¡°¡­¡­What, no, how¡­¡±


    Jeremy stammered, unable toprehend.


    As if to elerate the shock, the Obsidian on Frondier''s right hand changed its shape one after another, into the next item, and the next.


    ¡°Thank goodness you guys are the bad guys. You''re really devils.¡±


    The slight guilt that had remained in Frondier''s heartpletely disappeared.


    For the childish reason that they were the bad guys too.


    ¡°¡­¡­It''s impossible!¡±


    Finally, Paul''s cry of denial burst out.


    ¡°A human who has lost all his Mana can''t be that fine! No, he''s using skills! Even if he''s using bio-energy, he shouldn''t be that rxed!¡±


    Paul''s words were true.


    Without Mana, neither magic nor skills could be used. That was the fundamental premise of this world, the very foundation itself.


    ¡°You said it yourself.¡±


    But Frondier said leisurely, still changing the artifact on his right hand,


    Then he created ¡®Neil Jack''s Short Sword¡¯ and held it in his hand.


    ¡°You guys know nothing about me.¡±


    Frondier''s Mana had indeed vanished.


    But that was only limited to the Mana of this world.


    <i>Kwaaang-</i>


    Frondier, as if having nothing more to hide, fully unleashed his Mana.


    It was the ¡®Mana of Helheim¡¯.


    Paul and Jeremy stepped back. They spread their wings, which they had hidden behind their backs, but they seemed to be solely for escape,cking any sense of fighting spirit.


    ¡°It''s, impossible. How can a human, after losing Mana, how!¡±


    Naturally, to the two who didn''t know the circumstances, Frondier''s sight was nothing but terror.


    That sight was so amusing, so delightful.


    ¡°Devils.¡±


    Frondierughed.


    Having lost all his human Mana,


    He was filled with the Mana of Helheim.


    ¡°How do you distinguish between humans and devils?¡±

 Chapter 304: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 304: The Academys Weapon Replicator


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Paul and Jeremy deployed their auras and gripped their respective weapons.


    Demons were inherently more familiar with aura than humans. Unlike humans, they could utilize aura from birth.


    ¡®It¡¯s okay. He¡¯s human. It won¡¯t bepletely ineffective!¡¯


    Paul broke out in a cold sweat observing Frondier, but he made a rational judgment.


    Frondier had just felt dizzy and lost his bnce. If it hadn¡¯t affected him at all, he wouldn¡¯t have shown such a reaction.


    Whatever trick he used, he must be suffering from the effects of Mana depletion. There was no doubt about it.


    ¡°How dare you, a mere human!¡±


    However, it was Jeremy who acted first.Unfurling his wings, Jeremy shot towards Frondier.


    Demons could conceal their wings, which meant they could also use them to channel their aura.


    Wings imbued with aura could navigate the air faster and more freely.


    Just like now, wings were effective when charging towards an enemy.


    ¡°Die!"


    The weapon Jeremy swung down from above was a curved sword.


    Frondier meticulously observed the weapon until the very moment Jeremy drew the sword and struck.


    ng!


    Jeremy''s de was blocked by the Obsidian. Frondier''s gaze remained unwavering.


    ¡°...It''s not an Artifact.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Frondier muttered quietly, sending a chill down Jeremy''s spine as he hurriedly retrieved his sword.


    Sensing genuine curiosity, Frondier asked,


    ¡°Where¡¯s that air gun you showed me earlier?¡±


    ¡°...Air gun?¡±


    ¡°The weapon you attached under your palm that shot wind.¡±


    The item Elodie used to annihte the demons she had bound with magic. That was what Frondier called the air gun.


    ¡°...This sword is enough for you.¡±


    Jeremy avoided answering. Frondier tilted his head.


    ¡°Hmm, alright.¡±


    He raised his right hand, and


    Fwoosh!


    Instantly, he created the ¡®air gun¡¯ that Jeremy had been using.


    ¡°I''ll see for myself.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡­?!¡±


    Tang!


    Frondier attached the air gun to his left hand and fired without hesitation. Jeremy, anticipating the shot, dodged urgently, but the speed was truly formidable.


    Tang! Tang! Tang!


    Frondier indiscriminately fired at the two without proper aim.


    ¡°Ugh, this, this madman¡­¡­!¡±


    Every time Paul and Jeremy dodged the shots, the walls, floor, and ceiling behind them began to shatter.


    The building must have been originally designed to be imprable, but the destructive power was indeed formidable.


    ¡®Air gun¡¯ was just a name Frondier had arbitrarily given it. The actual structure waspletely different from a real air gun. This air gun truly shot pressed air¡¯.


    Therefore, believing it had near-infinite ammunition, Frondier fired relentlessly, but


    Click.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Click, click.


    He tilted his head, noticing that it stopped firing at some point.


    Frondier lifted the attached air gun.


    ¡°...What is this? It has a magazine.¡±


    Frondier examined the air gun''s magazine with a cold gaze. A magazine meant there were bullets. Literally pressed air¡¯ would be inside.


    Frondier thought it was a weapon that sucked in external air,pressed it instantly, and fired it, but it turned out it wasn''t a weapon with infinite shots.


    Perhaps it could save on the materials to make bullets, if anything. Even that was uncertain as he didn''t know how thepression worked.


    ¡°...A failure?¡±


    Crack.


    Jeremy and Paul''s jaw muscles bulged at those words.


    ¡°How dare you say such a thing¡­¡­!¡±


    Jeremy roared in anger, but Frondier''s response was cold.


    ¡°Seeing as you had weapons, it seems you were prepared for me, but the fact that you didn''t bring this air gun means it wasn''t charged yet. Even though a day has passed, and this is Hitchcock. That makes it a failure.¡±


    ¡°I told you! This sword is enough!¡±


    Jeremy raised his curved sword. Indeed, it seemed to be his original weapon, as he held it quite naturally.


    ¡°Hmm, is that so.¡±


    Frondier nodded at his words and then extended his hand forward.


    Sssst, unlike before, a considerable amount of Obsidian gathered in front of him.


    ¡°Then I''ll show you this.¡±


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Undetermined</i>


    <i>Azier MK. 3</i>


    A golem appeared before Frondier. It was a metallic knight, too borate and delicate to be called a golem, standing with a spear in hand.


    ¡°A, a golem?¡±


    Paul and Jeremy were astonished at the sight.


    Frondier recalled showing this to Eden and his subordinates. Compared to their reaction, these two were much more surprised. Perhaps, being scientists, they recognized the level of this golem.


    ¡°The person who made this golem held yourpany in very high regard.¡±


    Upon hearing the exnation about Elodie''s armband, Binkis immediately guessed it was a Hitchcock product and wanted to see it in person. She even contemted disassembling it.


    That was because Hitchcock was considered the best in the field, and Binkis also believed so.


    ¡®Hitchcock is a productpany. Whatever they make, mass production has to be considered.¡¯


    No matter how advanced the technology, if the quantity is extremely limited or excessively expensive, it''s useless to the average person.


    Conversely, Hitchcock earned its current reputation due to its exceptional ability tomercialize technology.


    ¡®But Teacher Binkis wasn''t interested in such things. She just wanted to create excellent golems.¡¯


    Binkis had no intention of selling this golem from the outset. She just continued to pursue development and improvement. Making it stronger and more superior.


    It was truly the culmination of Binkis''s best technology, where she invested her time and money without reservation. It was the crystallization of all the Magitech he could achieve.


    ¡°You take care of Jeremy. The guy with the curved sword over there.¡±


    At Frondier''s words, the golem''s gaze turned to Jeremy. Jeremy, who had been momentarily stunned, gulped as he saw it.


    ¡°And I''ll...¡±


    As Frondier spoke and shifted his gaze,


    ¡°©¤©¤Tch!¡±


    Paul made a quick judgment and turned around. He spread his wings and fled.


    Naturally, Frondier moved to chase after him, ignoring Jeremy blocking the entrance.


    ¡°T, this bastard!¡±


    Jeremy panicked and tried to stop Frondier, but


    ng!


    He struggled just to block the golem''s lightning-fast strike.


    ¡°If you defeat that golem, I''ll fight you then.¡±


    Frondier brushed past Jeremy, leaving those words behind.


    ¡°Ugh! Frondieeeeeeeer!!¡±


    Jeremy''s scream echoed behind him as he ran.


    As Frondier ran, he thought,


    ¡®Well, if he can defeat that golem, it means I''d lose in closebat.¡¯


    The golem was modeled after Azier. It wasn''t just mimicking simple and limited techniques like the early versions; it now replicated Azier''s skills quite closely.


    Despite being tormented by Azier for so long, Frondier had never once defeated him. He might have a chance against this golem, but Frondier would still be at a disadvantage.


    ¡°Menosorpo.¡±


    Frondier deployed a rune.


    Naturally, most of the employees in thispany would detect mana, but there was no point in hiding it now.


    Frondier initiated flight and chased after Paul.


    ¡°Paul! Give up! I just want information!¡±


    Frondier shouted towards the flying Paul, but Paul paid no attention. He even increased his speed.


    ¡®...This is troublesome.¡¯


    Paul was currently flying through the hallway. It would be faster to go outside, but he knew that going outside would be more dangerous against Frondier.


    In fact, it was proving effective now. A demon with spread wings was indeed fast. The distance was gradually widening.


    ¡®I could engulf it like I did with Lily''s workshop, but then this whole building would be destroyed.¡¯


    Lily''s mansion was a secluded ce where no one came except knights. It was a suitable ce for Lily, who was hiding her identity, but it was also an environment where Frondier could run wild.


    More importantly, he had lost his reason to anger at the time and used a slightly rough method.


    But this was right in the middle of the city. If the famous Hitchcockpany building was destroyed, it would instantly attract attention.


    Unless there was evidence to reveal to the world that they were demons, public opinion would be against Frondier if external forces intervened.


    ¡®I envy those who can use spatial magic at times like this.¡¯


    Osprey, Elodie, and Jane, who had briefly held the position of Headmaster. Their spatial magic was incredibly useful and powerful at the same time.


    But Frondier would probably never be able to use it in his lifetime. That''s the kind of magic it was.


    ¡®Thinking about what I can''t use now is pointless. At this rate, I''ll lose him.¡¯


    Frondier racked his brain as he chased Paul. The distance between them was increasing as Paul kept turning corners. He couldn''t tell if Paul was running away or leading him on, but it would be best to catch him before reaching that point.


    ¡®...Let''s think simply.¡¯


    The difference in speed between Frondier and Paul was due to the wings. Aura-imbued wings provided further eleration in flight.


    As a human, Frondier naturally didn''t have wings.


    But there was a time when he did.


    ¡®Haha. I didn''t want to remember that.¡¯


    Frondier had seen a hologram of himself defeating Belphegor.


    Just before that, he had wings on his back.


    Wings made of Obsidian.


    ¡®How did I do it?¡¯


    He clearly poured the mana that had swelled from consuming the Dragon Heart into all of the Obsidian. Following his will to control all of the Obsidian, it transformed into the shape of wings.


    But there was no need for that now. He only needed wings.


    ¡®It''s not about creating the shape of wings. If I infuse the necessary amount of Obsidian with mana and move it with my will...¡¯


    ¡°©¤©¤Hup!¡±


    Frondier let out a light shout and poured mana into the Obsidian.


    Fwoosh!


    With that, the Obsidian extended outward, wrapping around him and stretching into the shape of wings behind his back.


    ¡®And if I use aura for eleration here...!¡¯


    Following that thought,


    Whoosh©¤!


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    Frondier saw Paul''s ¡®face¡¯.


    ¡°What, you¡­¡­!¡±


    He had overtaken Paul in an instant and turned to look at him.


    Grab!


    He almost missed him due to the speed, but Frondier managed to grab Paul by the cor.


    m!


    ¡°Kuaaack!¡±


    He mmed him onto the floor, and


    Screeeech!!


    Frondier''s tremendous eleration left a deep and long trail on the floor. He literally used Paul as a brake. If it had been a human without aura, there wouldn''t have been any form left.


    ¡°Phew, gotcha.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Frondier spoke as if he were ying tag, but


    Paul, smashed into the floor, showed no particr reaction, only his fingertips and shoulders twitching with convulsions.


    ¡°¡­¡­Ugh, ugh, cough, ugh¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Hey.¡±


    Only then, feeling that something was wrong, Frondier examined Paul''s appearance.


    Paul''s wings gradually shrank and then disappeared.


    ¡°You''re alive, right?¡±


    Of course, Paul couldn''t answer and continued to convulse with his twitching body.


    He was nodding, at least.

 Chapter 305 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A brief moment passed.


    ¡°Ugh¡­.¡±


    When Paul opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark room.


    ¡°Where¡­ Ugh, cough, cough!¡±


    As soon as he awoke, pain surged through his entire body. It was as if his very being was screaming.


    ¡°That bastard¡­.¡±


    Paul¡¯sst memory was of Frondier suddenly overtaking him and grabbing him by the cor. He had no recollection of what Frondier did after that.


    ¡®Did he knock me out and then mess up my body to prevent me from escaping? He really did a thorough job of making a mess of me.¡¯


    Unable to remember why he had fainted, Paul perceived the injuries throughout his body as separate incidents.He never even considered the possibility that Frondier had used his body as a brake by mming him onto the floor.


    It was only thanks to Paul being a devil and simultaneously having his aura deployed that he still had a semnce of form; otherwise, he would have been obliterated.


    In the midst of all this, Paul even admired Frondier¡¯s skill (?) in inflicting injuries while ensuring he remained unconscious.


    ¡°He even restrained me. After putting my body in this state.¡±


    As Paul mentioned, he was currently bound to a chair. The material used for the restraint was, of course, Obsidian.


    Paul clicked his tongue at Frondier¡¯s meticulous nature, but in reality, Frondier had simply tied him up without realizing the extent of Paul¡¯s injuries.


    Paul simply resigned himself and rxed his body. The Obsidian restraints were incredibly strong, and escaping from Frondier in his current condition was impossible anyway.


    ¡®The fact that he didn¡¯t kill me and went to such lengths to immobilize me means he still has a reason to keep me alive.¡¯


    Negotiating with him would probably be his best chance of survival.


    ¡®But where is this ce?¡¯


    Paul wanted to know his location, but it was so dark that he could barely see. Instead, he tapped his foot. In the silence, the sound of his foot tapping, ¡°Thump,¡± echoed.


    ¡®¡­This feeling and sound seem like theboratory. I¡¯m still inside Hitchcock.¡¯


    There was a possibility that Frondier had dragged him outside, but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Focusing a little more, he could detect the metallic and chemical scents characteristic of theboratory, despite the overwhelming smell of his own blood.


    ¡®Does Frondier still have business with thepany?¡¯


    If Paul were in Frondier¡¯s shoes, he would have taken the unconscious him and left thispany. And he would have imprisoned him in a ce where no one would ever find him.


    However, the fact that Frondier hadn''t done so meant that he still had a reason to stay here?


    Thud.


    At that moment, footsteps could be heard from outside the door. Leisurely but heavy steps.


    The footsteps soon reached the door where Paul was, and


    Click.


    The door slowly opened.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Paul turned his head away, blinded by the light streaming in. Just the light from outside was blinding him. How long had he been in this darkness?


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Paul heard a familiar, yet hateful voice and looked towards it. His eyes widened.


    ¡°Je, Jeremy!¡±


    Frondier had Jeremy slung over one shoulder. Jeremy was motionless, either dead or unconscious.


    Thud.


    Frondier tossed Jeremy next to Paul and flipped a switch, illuminating the room.


    As soon as he could see, Paul checked on Jeremy. Jeremy was covered in bruises and wounds, but he could see his chest rising and falling shallowly. He didn''t seem to be dead.


    ¡°What did you do to Jeremy?¡±


    ¡°Just a few simple tests.¡±


    ¡°Tests?¡±


    Frondier entered the room and closed the door. Thump, thump, he walked around theboratory as if it were his own room. As if he were someone familiar with thispany.


    The way he walked over and poured water into a cup was just like the owner of the house.


    ¡°After you fainted, I moved here and went to check on Jeremy, and surprisingly, he was putting up a good fight. He was already covered in wounds at that point, but he hadn''t lost his will to fight.¡±


    And so, Frondier took a sip of water and set the cup down as he spoke.


    ¡°I just lowered his performance a bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The golem I showed you has a previous version. So I switched him to the older version of the golem, and he managed to hold out for a while. But he seemed to be struggling with the umted injuries and fatigue.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­You¡­¡±


    ¡°So I switched him to the even older version of the golem, and he somehow managed to endure that too. Then, I removed the golem and faced him with just Obsidian. He seemed to struggle with that as well, so next, I personally took up a weapon and fought him. However, by then, he seemed to be having trouble even holding his own weapon. He couldn''t even block my attacks, so I stopped attacking and focused on defense. That¡¯s when he somehow managed to swing his sword again.¡±


    ¡°It got pretty boring from there.¡± Frondier didn''t hide his bored expression as he spoke.

 Chapter 305 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°I have a technique to make opponents drop their weapons, so I practiced it repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Practice¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Even when Paul questioned him with anger, Frondier simply answered calmly.


    ¡°So, he kept dropping his weapon, picking it up, dropping it, picking it up¡­ and after I realized he wouldn''t attack while I went to pick up the weapon, I gradually slowed down my picking up speed, and eventually¡­¡±


    Frondier sighed. As if he were truly disappointed in Jeremy.


    ¡°He stopped picking up the weapon.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°I was curious about the stamina and tenacity of devils, but it was far worse than I expected.¡±Listening to Frondier¡¯s words, Paul could almost picture what Jeremy had gone through.


    Completely toyed with by his opponent, yet desperately clinging to a sliver of hope, struggling with all his might.


    Frondier had no intention of defeating Jeremy. His goal was to make him lose his will to fight and surrender on his own.


    And as intended, Jeremy crumbled. Both his mind and body.


    ¡°Thanks to that, it took me a while to get back here. But since Mr. Paul woke up in the meantime, I guess I saved myself some troublesome effort.¡±


    Screech.


    Frondier pulled over an empty chair from theboratory. He then ced the chair in front of Paul and sat down.


    Frondier¡¯s gaze towards Paul was still devoid of emotion.


    ¡°Mr. Paul, we weren¡¯t meant to be like this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Paul averted his eyes, finding those words absurd. Bullshit. Paul was a devil, and Frondier was a human. There was already an insurmountable gap between them.


    ¡°I just wanted to know how to distinguish between humans and devils. But Jeremy interfered with that, and now Mr. Paul is interfering.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯d tell a human that. If you knew, you¡¯d try to kill all the devils hiding in this Empire!¡±


    Frondier blinked at those words. He tilted his head for a moment, as if in thought, and then spoke.


    ¡°That could be the case. Or it might not be.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about!¡±


    ¡°I hear that devils are driven by ¡®desire.¡¯ We shouldn''t expect humanw or morality from them. The reason devils who have infiltrated the Empire can remain hidden is either because their desires are tolerated within human society, or because they havemitted intolerable acts and are hiding them.¡±


    Frondier brought up what he had heard from Lily. As he tried to understand Lily¡¯s way of thinking, he was starting to get a sense of how he should approach it.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s thetter that I want to find. If all the devils hiding in the Empire are thetter, I will kill them all. If that¡¯s what you think, then you¡¯re right. But if they¡¯re all the former, I won¡¯t touch them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­How can you tell the difference between the two? Will you decide who lives and who dies based on your own feelings?¡±


    ¡°No. If they¡¯re thetter, I¡¯ll have to see how they¡¯re hiding their crimes. I¡¯m not the one who distinguishes them. They distinguish themselves. The severity of their crimes will vary depending on what they¡¯ve hidden. I¡¯ll be able to track down what kind of crimes they¡¯vemitted.¡±


    At Frondier¡¯s words, Paul lowered his head and clenched his teeth. He clenched them so tightly that blood began to flow, and his body trembled.


    Paul spoke in a voice filled with anger and anguish.


    ¡°¡­¡­Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? You killed Belphegor, so you should be content with ying hero for a while. That¡¯s what humans do.¡±


    Paul had said the same thing when he set the Mana Depletion trap for Frondier. Frondier, the hero who saved them from Belphegor. He believed that Frondier would naturally be enjoying the peace that everyone felt after the war.


    ¡°Every human I¡¯ve ever seen, even the Zodiacs, had a time of celebration after their sess. But what about you? You don¡¯t take money, you don¡¯t take women, you don¡¯t even enjoy praise or apuse.¡±


    A week after the war ended, Frondier went to fulfill his promise to Lily.


    During that time, he simply stayed at the mansion. He needed to sort out the chaotic situation after the war and had time to think about the information he received from his smartwatch.


    Frondier, who yed the most crucial role in the war against Manggot. Everyone in the Empire knew this, yet Frondier acted as if he had nothing to do with the war.


    He simply moved on to his next task.


    ¡°Why are you looking for devils again after such a big event? Do you have some kind of devil phobia? You never even realized they existed before, but now that you know, you can¡¯t stand not catching them, ¡°


    ¡°Hey, Paul.¡±


    At that moment, Frondier interrupted him.


    The honorifics towards Paul had disappeared, but his voice didn¡¯t sound particrly angry.


    When Paul looked at Frondier, he spoke as if genuinely puzzled.


    ¡°What I¡¯m looking for is a criminal organization. I¡¯m looking for bastards who infiltrate high-ranking nobles andmit crimes without anyone knowing.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would have treated them differently if they were human?¡±


    Paul wouldn¡¯t know, but Frondier had dealt with humans far more often.


    He had met all sorts of people, and there were times when he was truly angry, pained, and even saddened.


    ¡°Especially you and Jeremy, who tried to kill me with Mana Depletion. If I intended to kill all devils, one of you would be dead by now. Don¡¯t you think so? One mouth is enough to extract information.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­This guy.¡±


    ¡°Be grateful that I¡¯m still keeping both of you alive. And,¡±


    Frondier lowered his posture. Naturally, the distance between him and Paul narrowed slightly.


    At that moment, Paul read an emotion in Frondier¡¯s eyes for the first time.


    It was ¡®concern.¡¯


    ¡°You guys fear Belphegor, but are you not afraid of Satan?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You know about the devil incident at the Imperial Pce, right? There¡¯s a possibility that Satan had high-ranking devils released into this Empire beforehand. I¡¯m looking into that possibility.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Paul was about to instinctively refute Frondier¡¯s words, but then he realized that it was entirely possible, and his face went pale.


    ¡°The devils from the west trying to invade as soon as Belphegor retreated from thisnd, you guys who were hiding in the Empire from the beginning, Satan¡¯s subordinates scattered like seeds beforehand. The chaos unfolding here is what Satan is aiming for.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Do you still see me as your biggest threat?¡±


    Paul fell silent at Frondier¡¯s words.


    Seeing that, Frondier simply asked a serious question, genuinely seeking an answer.


    ¡°A war between devils is on the horizon, so why are you protecting devils just because they¡¯re devils?¡±

 Chapter 306 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 306 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    The arrangement of Satan as Frondier mentioned.


    The possibility that when he appeared in the Empire and summoned devils, high-ranking devils might still remain in thisnd.


    This was just an unverified hypothesis.


    ¡®But it will work on Paul.¡¯


    It couldn''t be said for sure that Satan''s devil would appear. Paul also knew that this was merely a suspicion.


    However, even suspicion was dangerous for devils who had been hiding in the Empire for a long time.


    ¡®Throughout the long history of the Empire, devils have perfectly hidden themselves. They merely imitated humans, and even if their crimes were discovered and they were caught, they would have been punished as ¡®humans.¡¯''


    Most of them would be in a simr situation to Lily. Like Lily, many of them wouldn''t even remember why they were in the Empire instead of the Demon Realm.


    ¡®There''s only one reason why they haven''t been caught for such a long time.¡¯It was fear.


    They couldn''t return to the Demon Realm, nor could they live as devils in the Empire.


    They had to live thoroughly as humans, restraining their desires and sometimes releasing them in unseen ces. Even if they didn''t understand morality, they had to thoroughly embed it in their minds and hide within society.


    If there was even the slightest suspicion, they would immediately withdraw, move locations, and exchange such information with other devils.


    ¡®So, this possibility doesn''t need to be confirmed.¡¯


    As Frondier thought, Paul''s eyes were shaking violently now.


    Devils like Paul would definitely feel this situation more acutely than Frondier.


    A considerable amount of time had passed since the incident where a devil appeared in the Imperial Pce. And in the meantime, there was the war with Manggot.


    The time difference between the devil incident and Manggot''s war wasn''t that great. In other words, if there hadn''t been a war, Satan''s devils might have been running rampant.


    Assuming Frondier''s spection was correct, they had already been hiding in the Empire for quite some time and would have reached the limit of their patience.


    After the victory of the war, the Empire would undoubtedly be off guard, and with Belphegor gone, the devils of the West would be grinding their teeth to find the devils hidden in the Empire.


    This was a clear threat.


    Frondier added fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Even if there are no devils of Satan, the devils of the West remain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Elodie and I blocked their first attack. But of course, that''s not all. The next, and the next attack wille from the West like a dust cloud. I don''t know when. It could being right now.¡±


    The first attack could only be exined as pure luck.


    Elodie and Frondier, who were easily among the top five in the Empire in terms of subduingrge numbers, were there.


    ¡°If that attack is repeated, the Empire will be exhausted. And if the Empire starts negotiations with the devils of the West, what do you think will happen to you and other devils?¡±


    ¡°Ne, Negotiations?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In exchange for handing over devils like you who are hiding in the Empire, the devils of the West will retreat. If I were the Emperor, I wouldn''t hesitate to make this choice.¡±


    Devils fight devils. But since the battlefield is where humans live, the homes of humans who have nothing to do with it are turned upside down.


    Emperor Bartello is a wise emperor. As wise as he is, he is decisive and unforgiving.


    ¡°He didn''t even know that devils were hiding in the Empire, and because of those devils, the Empire is in a mess? But if the devils of the West aren''t interested in humans, why should the Emperor protect you?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡±


    Frondier''s words were the truth. Frondier was the only one in the Empire who was free from the prejudice against devils. Even Frondier himself had the misconception that devils and humans would be simr.


    If Frondier, who had only learned about devils through knowledge, was like that, what about the prejudices of the humans living in thisnd?


    To be honest, Frondier wasn''t confident in eliminating other people''s prejudices. He didn''t know how to do it, and above all, it was somewhat true.


    The desires that devils had often crossed the line of human society. That was the fact that Lily testified to.


    ¡°I understand that you don''t want to take the risk of being discovered by the Empire by providing information to humans, who are already nervous about the devils of the West.¡±


    But even so.


    Frondier still didn''t intend to eliminate all devils just because they were ¡®devils¡¯.


    ¡°I''m the only one who can help you now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­How can I trust you and take your hand?¡±


    ¡°There''s no reason to trust me. Humans hate devils. It''s a story that everyone in the Empire knows as a matter of course.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you''re the same.¡±


    ¡°Even if I say I''m not, it won''t be convincing. But why do you think I''m talking so long?¡±


    Frondier looked into Paul''s eyes. He still seemed to be half-believing and half-doubting.


    ¡°Just in case you didn''t know, I defeated Beelzebub.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Are you guys stronger than Beelzebub?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°If not, think about why I''m not making the ¡®easy choice¡¯. The choice that everyone in the Empire would be happy with, the ¡®things worthy of apuse¡¯ that you just mentioned. I''m sitting in front of you now, enduring all of that.¡±


    Paul was so heated up by the current situation that he hadn''t thought about it, but objectively, if the Empire had seen Frondier''s current appearance, it would have been very suspicious.


    If he had found a devil, and if he had the ability, he should have killed it right away. Why was he talking so long and taking the long way around?


    Especially when he had tried to kill the opponent by depleting their Mana.


    ¡°Whether you''re a human or a devil, I had enough reason to kill you. The reason I didn''t is because you were the most likely to have the information I needed. Hostility? Prejudice? Are you still saying those things in front of me now?¡±


    Prejudice against devils, the achievement and reward of killing devils, sufficient force to make it possible, self-defense for trying to kill him first.


    Frondier was enduring all of that and sitting there.


    ¡°I''m not trying to gain your trust, Paul. You''re a researcher at Hitchcock. You must be much wiser than me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Make a judgment.¡±


    At those words, Paul''s eyes finally closed slowly. He took a deep breath and exhaled.


    As much as he exhaled, he seemed to have inhaled some kind of resolve, and his eyes that opened again were clearer than before.


    He said.


    ¡°¡­¡­You know about the desires of devils, right?¡±

 Chapter 306 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 306 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    ¡°Roughly.¡±


    ¡°There are many kinds of desires of devils, but there aren''t countless ones. Most desires are simr. If the desires are like possessiveness or a thirst for knowledge, it wouldn''t be a big problem in human society, but if the desires are like theft or arson, it''s troublesome. Anyway, the desires of devils aren''t that new and fresh. And they always have the characteristic of being for oneself. There''s no desire to help or save someone.¡±


    Frondier nodded.


    Lily also brought criminals into her knights and let them out into the world, but she only saved men with appearances that she liked.


    As a result, they were living better lives, but they were already under Lily''s charm. And it wouldn''t be fair either.


    Paul continued speaking.


    ¡°And devils are more sensitive to things rted to their desires. Simply put, they have a good sense of smell. If someone has a desire for wealth, they have an extraordinary eye for the value of things, and if they have a thirst for knowledge, they are good at finding ways to obtain the knowledge they need.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hey, don''t tell me.¡±


    Frondier began to gradually guess what would follow. Naturally, his eyes narrowed.¡°So, to find humans, you just need a devil with a desire rted to humans. The deeper the connection, the better they can find them. What do you think is the closest desire?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Murder?¡±


    Frondier came up with a somewhat usible answer, but Paul chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°Unfortunately, you''re wrong. It''s cannibalism.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Devils with a desire for cannibalism can urately find humans. Then whates next is simple. Those who look exactly like humans but have no desires, they are devils.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Then the devils of the West that came swarming in back then,¡±


    ¡°Yes. One of them must have had a desire for cannibalism. Or most of them.¡±


    ¡°Is the desire for cannibalism thatmon?¡±


    ¡°It''s hard to see as you go higher in rank, but it''smon among low-ranking devils. Those with simple ways of thinking have simple desires. Things close to appetite, sexual desire, and sleepiness be their desires.¡±


    Certainly, Lily''s case also remained at a thirst for knowledge about humans. Especially men.


    Possessing men also felt like an extension of that thirst for knowledge. Paul probably wouldn''t be that different. He would be craving knowledge about Magitechnology.


    ¡®So Lily also had a hunch that she could recognize devils. It wasn''t a desire unrted to humans. But it was difficult to find them because it wasn''t that close.¡¯


    However, Lily didn''t know the information that the desire for cannibalism could find people.


    But Paul knew.


    This difference.


    Frondier asked.


    ¡°Then among the devils you know, is there one with a desire for cannibalism?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­There is.¡±


    Paul answered hesitantly. Naturally, Frondier''s expression hardened.


    ¡°¡­¡­Did they eat people?¡±


    ¡°You know about the drug incident, right? The incident where you and Pro found the culprit who made the Mana injection.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Don''t tell me, at that time.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The people who died from the Mana injection experiment. It was a devil who disposed of them.¡±


    ¡°I understand that monsters ate the bodies at the time.¡±


    ¡°There''s no way they would eat together with monsters. They sent fresh, high-quality corpses separately and ate them with the formality of a ¡®meal¡¯. Thanks to that, they weren''t caught when the monsters were rounded up. They never went to such a ce in the first ce.¡±


    They sorted the corpses separately and ate them with the formality of a ¡®meal¡¯?


    Frondier''s eyes sank.


    ¡°¡­¡­That guy, they''re in Hitchcock.¡±


    There weren''t many ces where that was possible. A ce where corpses could be transported without anyone noticing, where they could have a leisurely meal, and where the aftermath could be cleanly taken care of.


    ¡°Who is it? I need to meet them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­They''re not doing that anymore. They only ate people who were already dead, they didn''t kill,¡±


    ¡°That''s a devil''s way of thinking.¡±


    Frondier cut off Paul''s words.


    ¡°Humans have friends and family. There are people who are still desperately searching for and waiting for them, who have disappeared as missing persons. Without even knowing if they are alive or dead. Can you say the same thing to them? Even if you don''t know morality, you must have learned it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Who is it? I need to meet them even if it''s just for a hint to distinguish between humans and devils.¡±


    At Frondier''s words, Paul bit his lip. As if it was too awkward to say.


    Of course, Frondier had no reason to wait for every single gesture like that.


    ¡°If you''re not going to say it, I''ll withdraw all my statements so far and burn down thispany from the bottom of the basement to the entire rooftop. Thepany employees who die are a bonus.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡­! There are not only devils here! You humans are also researching and making products together!¡±


    ¡°That delusion hasn''t gone away since earlier, Paul.¡±


    Frondier''s head tilted.


    ¡°What does it matter if there are humans here? Just like I don''t kill devils indiscriminately, I don''t forgive everyone just because they''re human.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°I''m the one who was in charge of personnel cement in the Manggot War. It''s because I judged that those were the ¡®positions where I could kill the Manggot bastards the best¡¯. I killed all those people.¡±


    Just as he didn''t exclude devils indiscriminately, he didn''t defend humans.


    For Frondier, individuals were just individuals. What race they were was a muchter issue.


    ¡°So why should I spare apany that''s doing cannibalism somewhere?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No. You''re lying, Frondier.¡±


    There, Paul raised the corners of his mouth. It was a half-forced smile, but it wasn''t without any basis.


    ¡°You don''t touch innocent people.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Even if it''s true that you don''t distinguish between humans and devils, you just punish them. You even try to save innocent people. I''ve been watching you.¡±


    Frondier stared at Paul for a moment. Paul seemed determined not to speak.


    Paul thought he was ying a psychological game with Frondier right now.


    Frondier wouldn''t harm people who had done nothing wrong. People who knew nothing and just worked for thepany. There were plenty of them at Hitchcock too. He wouldn''t let them get swept up in this. Never.


    ...However, Frondier


    was thinking somethingpletely different.


    ¡°©¤©¤So that''s what you were hiding so much.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The possibility of me destroying thispany wasn''t exactly zero. That''s the kind of person you want to protect even with that much bluff. Or maybe it''s someone you have to protect.¡±


    At that moment, Paul''s mouth slightly opened, and the corners of his mouth drooped. His eyes widened, and the skin from his eyes to his ears stretched.


    Confirming the change in his expression, Frondier asked.


    ¡°Where is the CEO''s office in thispany?¡±

 Chapter 307 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier left theboratory and headed towards the main office.


    Since Paul wouldn''t tell him the location of the chairman''s office, he kept him bound with Obsidian, floating beside him.


    Naturally, Hitchcock Company was already in chaos by then.


    "D-Director!"


    "What are you doing, you bastard!"


    The renowned Frondier was walking somewhere with Hitchcock''s First Laboratory Director bound. The employees were shocked at the sight, shouting and protesting towards Frondier.


    Of course, ordinary employees couldn''t stop Frondier. They couldn''t even slow him down.


    "Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!"


    Paul''s entire mouth was covered with Obsidian, so he couldn''t speak. Still, he was desperately shouting at the employees.But it wasn''t a cry for help.


    ''Please, don''t do anything unnecessary and go back!''


    After hearing about the cannibalistic desires, Frondier''s appearance as he left theboratory was excessively eerie.


    Frondier, who was talking while keeping him tied up, was scary enough, but the current Frondier was on a whole other level.


    If they identally provoked him, thepany called Hitchcock might really be finished within the day.


    "This bastard."


    One of the employees, seemingly enraged by Frondier''splete disregard, ran towards him.


    "Do you really want to die, you son of a..."


    And as he was about to throw a punch, he gulped at Frondier''s gaze and stopped momentarily.


    Even without Paul saying anything, he felt in his body what would happen if he attacked Frondier now.


    At that moment, Frondier shifted his gaze to the floating Paul.


    He didn''t say anything specifically, but conveyed his message with his eyes.


    ''y it smart.''


    "....?"


    Of course, Paul wasn''t a mind reader, so he didn''t know the specific meaning behind the gaze.


    Squeeze.


    Paul immediately understood when Frondier ever so slightly tightened his body with Obsidian.


    "Kugh! Kugh!!"


    Paul screamed very dramatically. In reality, the slight tightening didn''t hurt, and the ces he had already been hit hurt more, but Paul acted as if he was in great pain. ?


    "Y-You cowardly bastard...!"


    The employees,pletely fooled, stayed around Frondier but didn''t approach further. Frondier then released the pressure, and Paul let out a sigh of relief disguised as a gasp.


    ''I can''t tell if this guy is violent or polite.''


    Paul thought. The hostage act just now, Frondier could have done it much more simply. He could have just tightened it for real. Then Paul would have let out a truly genuine scream.


    But Frondier purposely made Paul act. In reality, Paul''s body was already significantly injured. Tightening his body in this state could be dangerous.


    However, judging by the look in Frondier''s eyes as he walked, Paul couldn''t tell if it was out of ''mercy''.


    It was as if he was saying, ''There''s no need to cause injury if it has the same effect.''


    "You, a pro will be here soon! You won''t be able to hold your head up high for long!"


    One of the employees shouted confidently, as if they had already reported the incident.


    Usually, for small disputes and crimes between people, they would call the police, but since the opponent was Frondier, it seemed they called a pro.


    "...A pro, huh."


    Frondier finally opened his mouth for the first time.


    He seemed to be thinking about something for a moment, then nodded slightly.


    "That works out well."


    "W-What?"


    "Tell them toe as soon as possible. I''m going to the chairman''s office."


    Frondier said so and climbed the emergency stairs. The employees, dumbfounded, just nkly watched him go.


    Even if he didn''t know where the chairman''s office was, it would be on the top floor, so it wouldn''t be difficult to find.


    No employees followed him up the emergency stairs. They probably used the elevator to go up first. The reason Frondier didn''t use the elevator was surely because he would obviously get stuck inside.


    Of course, he could just break it, but he was trying not to.


    Once everyone was gone, the Obsidian covering Paul''s mouth disappeared. Of course, his body was still bound.


    "Y-You bastard. What are you going to do by making things so big?"


    "I didn''t make things big."


    Frondier was trying to let it go quietly. At least, that was his intention when he came here. If there were no problems with these people, even if they were devils, he wanted to have a calm conversation and gather information on how to distinguish devils from humans. If they were innocent.


    But aboratory director who tried to kill Frondier himself, and apany where someone was practicing cannibalism? And thatpany being Hitchcock? It was a problem he couldn''t just overlook.


    Paul chattered incessantly at Frondier as he walked up the stairs.


    "Do you know how big thispany is? The pro will arrive before you even find it."


    "Yeah. I get that the chairman is a cannibal."


    He had known that since Paul refused to tell him the location of the chairman''s office.


    Frondier added one more thing.


    "Even if I don''t know, the employees will tell me."


    "What?"


    "I told the employees I was going to the ''chairman''s office''. The employees will gather to stop me. So the ce with the most employees gathered will be the chairman''s office."


    Paul was speechless. Indeed, only Paul knew that Frondier didn''t know the location of the chairman''s office in the current situation.


    At that time, Paul''s mouth was covered, so he couldn''t reveal that fact. He couldn''t even think of saying it in the first ce.


    "....! So that''s why you staged a hostage situation!"


    Paul eximed as he realized.


    Once it was clear that Paul was Frondier''s hostage, the employees would have been convinced as they saw Frondier leisurely walking upstairs.


    They would have thought that Paul had confessed the location of the chairman''s office.


    "Yes. So they will gather at the chairman''s office without hesitation. They are the ones telling me."


    Frondier said so and opened the emergency door, having already reached the top floor.


    It was indeed argepany, a maze-like ce where he couldn''t tell where he was.


    But the voices and bustle of people could be heard from afar, and he could feel mana. It was a location that could be identified even without Frondier''s sixth sense.


    "Hmm."

 Chapter 307 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When Frondier arrived at the ce where the people were.


    "As expected, it''s okay to be caught here."


    Only devils with their wings spread, seemingly ready for battle, were there.


    "If someone cane up to this floor, they must be quite high-ranking. Are all such people devils?"


    "Nonsense! We are here because we are the most suitable to kill you! Hitchcock does not discriminate between devils and humans!"


    Ha.


    Frondier felt like he was going to burst outughing, so he raised his head.


    All day today, the words he had spoken to Paul were simr.


    Yet they were protecting a chairman who practiced cannibalism."Is that so."


    "There''s no need to hide since you''vee this far! I''ll pierce your neck!"


    One of the devils thrust out a long spear. The sight of a man with devil wings holding a long spear was quite fitting.


    "Loven! No! You guys, mmm! Mmm!"


    Paul hurriedly shouted something, but Obsidian covered his mouth again.


    Instead, Frondier said with a smirk.


    "Is that so. From there on, it will be self-defense."


    He took a step forward as he said that.


    Swish!


    The spear de pierced the space where Frondier had been.


    As expected, the devil didn''t hesitate at those words. He immediately charged and thrust his spear at Frondier.


    Frondier twisted his body to dodge, but inwardly admired the move.


    "He really aimed for the neck. He''s honest for a devil."


    Click.


    Frondier adjusted his gauntlet. He needed a little more.


    Kwaaaaaaaa©¤!


    A ck wave poured out around Frondier. It filled the narrow hallway and approached the devils like a wave.


    To be honest, the scene didn''t look like a fight between a human and devils.


    "It''s good that you attacked first. It''s refreshing. It reduces the need to worry."


    "Ugh...!"


    As Frondier''s Obsidian slowly flowed towards them, the devils naturally retreated.


    This was Hitchcock, a devil''s field in a good way, or a devil''s sanctuary in a bad way. It was the devils who would suffer if this ce was destroyed.


    Although the hallways of thispany were wide, they were still not as wide as the outdoors, and the advantage of numbers was diminished in such a space.


    Moreover, their opponent was Frondier, who was considered the best in terms of skill when dealing with multiple opponents.


    "Since you announced you were aiming for the neck earlier, I''ll also give you a warning."


    Frondier stretched out his hand for more precise aiming.


    "The five in front of me right now, I''ll aim for your shoulders. I''ll shoot them all simultaneously."


    "Wh-What are you talking about,"


    Swish!


    Thud-!


    As he warned.


    The flowing Obsidian extended into thorns and pierced the shoulders of two devils. The remaining three barely dodged.


    "Kugh, argh...!"


    The two who were hit grimaced and retreated.


    Obsidian pierced their shoulders but didn''t prate thempletely. Whether it was blocked by their aura or Frondier had shown mercy, they couldn''t tell.


    The pain was bearable, but the devils'' tension was extremely high.


    ''...He warned us, but we couldn''t dodge...!''


    A devil''s dynamic vision and reflexes were innately superior to those of humans.


    This was not so much due to differences in physical structure, but rather because being familiar with aura meant they could operate their bodies at a faster rate. A faster engine resulted in better performance.


    Yet, two of them were hit by Obsidian. The speed was a factor, but theck of preparation for Obsidian''s thorns was significant.


    When a normal human thrust a spear, there were many signals that alerted the opponent, such as the pulling back motion, the muscles exerting force, and the eyes moving for aiming.


    However, Obsidian simply approached quietly like water and then suddenly extended into thorns.


    "Hmm, that''s strange. Jeremy earlier and now these devils can''t seem to react to Obsidian. Pielott managed to dodge it quite well. I thought Pielott''s starting point was on the same level as a devil, but was he actually ahead?"


    Frondier muttered something the devils couldn''t understand.


    "...I trained him every day using attacks that devils find difficult to deal with, so maybe I did something a bit unfair."


    However, the devils seemed relieved that this ''Pielott'' guy, whoever he was, was alive.


    "Alright, next warning."


    "....! This arrogant bastard!"


    The devils hurriedly counterattacked, as they could clearly see what Frondier was going to do. They decided to push through the Obsidian that was approaching like a wave.


    "Mmm! Mmm!!!"


    Paul''s eyes widened as he saw this.


    Surprisingly, Paul understood the situation as urately as Frondier.


    ''...They''ll die if they do that.''


    Frondier thought in that moment.


    The moment the devils tried to push away the Obsidian, it would extend to the walls, floor, and ceiling, simultaneously enveloping them. Of course, Obsidian wouldn''t move on its own; this was the most ideal situation from Frondier''s perspective.


    ...In other words, since it was ideal from Frondier''s point of view, he hesitated.


    ©¤©¤If he went through with it, they would be annihted.


    "Stop."


    At that moment, a voice caused the devils'' movements to cease.


    "!"


    Frondier was genuinely surprised. The devils, who had been charging with their wings spread, suddenly stopped.


    To stop such speed in an instant, Frondier would have to be prepared to injure them. He would have to erect a thick wall in front of them or pull them back from behind. Either way, they wouldn''t just stop like that.


    Yet, they had literally just ''stopped''. Their tremendous speed hadpletely vanished.


    "Don''t be reckless."


    The voice came from inside a room.


    It wasn''t a voice with any dignity or solemnity, but rather one that seemed to be addressing a friend.


    "Let him in. Everyone''s going to die at this rate."


    "C-Chairman!"


    Someone blurted out, then their expression changed as if they had made a mistake.


    However, given the flow of the situation, the identity of the voice was too obvious.


    "Then I won''t refuse."


    Frondier walked, retrieving the Obsidian as he went.


    The devils red at him with eyes burning with anger, but Frondier ignored them all.


    ''The chairman of Hitchcock, huh.''


    Although he had never met him in person.


    He owed Hitchcock a lot and was familiar with them.


    ''I''m curious what kind of excuse he has prepared.''


    Frondier slowly opened the door.

 Chapter 308 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A man sat in a chair before an antique desk in the spacious room, a typical CEO''s office. A namete rested on the desk: ''Chairman Arald Lemer''.


    The man, Arald, had neatly trimmed brown hair and wore sses, giving him an intellectual air. He was quite handsome and, above all, young ¨C unbelievably so for the chairman of arge corporation like Hitchcock.


    He was slicing something on a te with a silver knife.


    "I apologize. I was in the middle of a meal."


    "..."


    As Frondier stepped closer, he saw that it was a steak on the te.


    Chairman Hitchcock, Arald, calmly stabbed a piece of steak with a fork and brought it to his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.


    "...You eat here? Without even going to the dining room."


    "Yes."Arald replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin before looking at Frondier.


    "I prefer to eat alone."


    "..."


    Frondier''s eyes narrowed coldly. Where thepany chairman ate was of no interest to him. However, considering Paul''s story and Arald''s current meal, suspicion naturally arose in Frondier''s mind.


    "Is that human flesh?"


    Frondier asked without hesitation.


    Arald''s cheeks bulged as he was in the middle of chewing another piece of meat. He chewed a few more times before speaking.


    "This one is not."


    Swish!


    Frondier''s Obsidian shot out like an arrow. The des, transformed from the Obsidian, grazed Arald''s body and embedded themselves in the wall.


    Any slight movement would result in bloodshed. It was simr to what he had done to Lily.


    Naturally, Arald''s movements stopped.


    "Do you want to y games with me?"


    Frondier walked towards him, causing Arald''s gaze to naturally rise.


    "You know why I''m here. Yet you speak so shamelessly. ''This one is not.''"


    Frondier nced at the steak.


    It was indeed ordinary beef, as confirmed in the workshop. But there was a clear intention behind Arald eating steak in front of Frondier and giving such an ambiguous answer. ?


    "You are a devil who eats human flesh, and you have no intention of making excuses for it. So you are my enemy. Is it okay to understand it this way?"


    "...Excuse me. That was not my intention."


    Arald raised his hand as if to apologize. Naturally, Frondier''s Obsidian cut him, causing blood to flow. Ignoring it, he continued.


    "I cannot hide the fact that I have eaten human flesh in the past. You must already know that. So I answered that ''this'' is not human flesh. I am not good at human speech, so please forgive me."


    "..."


    Arald''s expression remained calm despite the blood flowing from his hand. Rather than being calm, he seemed insensitive to pain. It seemed that it wasn''t just his speech that was awkward.


    Swish, Frondier retracted the Obsidian. Arald briefly looked at his injured hand and then turned his gaze back to Frondier.


    "Mr. Frondier must havee here with some certainty."


    "At least I heard that thispany is teeming with devils, and that there is someone with a cannibalistic desire among them."


    Of course, that devil with a cannibalistic desire was Arald. Until just now, however, it was only a suspicion for Frondier. A suspicion close to certainty, but still a suspicion.


    Arald asked.


    "Why are you looking for cannibalistic desires?"


    "To find the devils."


    Arald nodded at Frondier''s answer, seeming to have expected it to some extent.


    "Then, it seems like a deal with me is possible."


    Arald said that and picked up the knife and fork again. Blood dripped from his right hand, staining the te and mixing with the blood from the steak. He cut the meat again with a knife and ate it.


    Watching this, Frondier asked.


    "A deal. You think I will make a deal with you?"


    "Of course."


    "How are you so sure?"


    "If not, I would be dead by now."


    Arald said, chewing the steak.


    Frondier looked at him for a moment, dumbfounded.


    Sinceing to this world, Frondier had met someone more shameless than himself for the first time.


    "You are calm. Talking about your own death."


    "Hmm. Devils also fear death, but not as much as humans. This tendency bes stronger as the rank increases. I thought you already knew that. Devils are actually more afraid of living. A life that continues without desire is the greatest fear."


    At those words, Frondier briefly recalled the past.


    Beelphegor, whom he had defeated himself, and Lily, whom he had imprisoned in the workshop. Both of them certainly didn''t care about death itself.


    Beelphegor was indifferent, even though he would suffer more than death, and Lily even offered her hand, asking him to kill her.


    "Living is fear."


    "Yes. Please keep that in mind the next time you threaten a devil. It will work well."


    Arald put down his knife there. It seemed he had finally finished the steak.


    He looked at Frondier and said.


    "We, Hitchcock, promise full support and assistance to Mr. Frondier."


    "...That''s a rather favorable statement considering your shameless answers so far."


    "Shameless... I see. I apologize. That was also a misunderstanding."


    Arald''s expression remained unchanged even while apologizing. Wearing sses made it even harder to see the changes in his face.


    "What specifically do you mean by support?"


    "We will cooperate with Mr. Frondier''s search for devils. We have also been in a difficult situation recently."


    A difficult situation?


    When Frondier tilted his head at those words, Arald spoke again.


    "Recently, the crimes of devils hiding in the Empire have be increasingly bold, so as a fellow devil, I needed to eliminate them as quickly as possible. If the Empire starts to stir up all the devils within the Empire because of them, I am also in danger."


    "...You speak well for someone who eats human flesh."


    "That''s true, but I made an effort not to get caught. If it weren''t for you, no one would have known."


    "Do you ignore the families of the dead with that logic? The people who are still looking for someone you ate?"


    Arald tilted his head at Frondier''s words.


    "The humans I ate were originally meant to be eaten by the outer monsters. No matter who ate them, there was no way for their families to find out. Is there a difference between the two?"


    "...You."


    "Besides, I don''t eat human flesh anymore. I realized it was too dangerous, no matter how I acquired it. In the end, it came back to bite me, so even though my judgment was correct, it was toote."


    Arald shook his head.


    Frondier, seeing that, momentarily considered cutting off Arald''s head right there. It probably wouldn''t be too difficult. Arald was currently unarmed, and even though he was a devil, his aura was barely noticeable at the moment.


    But killing Arald here wouldplicate things too much, and above all, it would be of no benefit.


    Arald was in a position to have eaten the corpses from the mana injection incident, so he had no connection to the murders. If anything, he was guilty of inaction.

 Chapter 308 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ''...At that time, the Empire''s shadow forces were behind the mana injection. From Arald''s perspective, it would have been easier to act. The shadow forces would have weed him taking care of the corpses under the guise of helping the Empire. From the way he talks, it seems he feels no guilt whatsoever. He probably even thought it was a win-win situation, helping the Empire.''


    Frondier couldn''t kill Arald now. To be precise, he wouldn''t make that choice. Arald himself probably knew that better.


    Of course, the fact that he could be so shameless even though he knew it certainly made his mental state questionable.


    "You said the crimes have be bolder, but what specifically are the devils doing now?"


    "Various things. Murder, rape, theft, fraud, and so on. There are plenty of easy-to-understand crimes. Of course, the devils who get caught don''t even utter a word about being devils, but with the increase in crimes like this, the Empire will try to uncover the ''criminal organization''. Then, even if they weren''t intending to find devils, there''s a good chance they will end up finding them."


    "...The devils know that danger better than anyone, so why are theymitting crimes now? Have they reached their limit in suppressing their desires?"


    Wasn''t it the devils'' neurotic caution that kept them from being discovered by the Empire until now? Why were they suddenly doing such dangerous things?


    "They are probably sensing it instinctively. The devils from the West."


    "...That they will eventually find them?""Yes. Devils naturally know how to distinguish between devils and humans. ''Cannibalistic desire'' is not that umon. If the western devilse again next time, the devils hiding in the Empire will have no way to escape. It was just a stroke of luck that Mr. Frondier was there during the first attack."


    "...So, the devils in the Empire are now in a state of mind where they might as well satisfy their desires since they will be found out anyway?"


    Arald nodded at Frondier''s guess.


    "As I said, devils don''t prioritize living that highly. Most of them have simr priorities to their own desires. It''smon for desires to take precedence."


    "In other words, they''ve be a mess, giving up on life and doing whatever they want."


    "Not all devils are like that, but most of the onesmitting crimes now are probably like that."


    Frondier sighed.


    It hadn''t been long since the war ended. The Empire was busy just with restoration, and in the meantime, devils weremitting crimes here and there.


    On top of that, there was the almost certain attack from the western devils.


    Next time they came, it would definitely be a war. A war between the western devils trying to kill the devils hiding in the Empire and the Empire misunderstanding their intentions.


    Frondier looked at Arald again. His eyes slowly narrowed.


    ''...No matter how I think about it, wouldn''t it be most reasonable to hand these guys over to the western devils?''


    If that happened, the West wouldn''t touch the Empire, and the devils would disappear from the Empire. It was a win-win strategy that could make everyone happy.


    But if that happened, all the devils hiding in the Empire would die. All of them, including Lily.


    ''Lily said she didn''t know why she was here.''


    Why were devils, who should be in the demon realm, in the human world? Lily also had that question.


    And probably for most devils, that question didn''t end as just a question.


    Just because the ce they lived was wrong, they hid their existence and lived. Even if it was a desire allowed in the human world, like Lily or Paul, they could never answer that they were devils.


    However, even if there was no evidence right now, the number of people who suspected would increase. The lifespan of a devil was much longer than that of a human. Lily was an easy example of that.


    ''...The easiest way is often the cruelest.''


    And even if he wanted to hand over the devils hiding in the Empire to the western devils, how could Frondier, a human, find them? The order was wrong.


    ''Besides, there are also Satan''s devils. In the end, Satan''s goal must be to ruin the Empire with the devils hiding in the Empire, the western devils, and the devils he has scattered.''


    In the end, even after distinguishing between devils and humans, there was still a problem.


    Frondier had no intention of killing ''innocent devils''. If he did, Lily would have been dead long ago.


    So even after distinguishing between devils and humans, he needed to know what the distinguished devils had done wrong.


    Of course, with enough time and Frondier''s ''analysis'', it might be possible, but right now, it was unknown when the western devils would invade. There was no time to analyze them one by one.


    That''s when Arald spoke.


    "I think the biggest variable in this matter is the devils that Satan has scattered."


    "...You knew about Satan''s devils?"


    "I would have known about them much earlier than you."


    Arald sped his hands together.


    "For devils, hierarchy is power. As Mr. Frondier has seen for himself, low-ranking devils are fundamentally different from high-ranking devils."


    As he said, no matter what the low-ranking devils Frondier had seen did, he thought it would be impossible for them to rise to a high rank. They werepletely different creatures.


    "That''s why devils absolutely obey those of higher rank than themselves. The devils hiding in the Empire are not low-ranking devils, but they will still follow devils of higher rank. However, that''s only limited to coborators."


    "...So, the devils in the Empire will follow the highest-ranking one among them, and this is the same for the western devils?"


    "Yes, and also for Satan''s devils. Not all of them will be of the same rank. They will need someone to lead them."


    In other words, if they could find those leaders, there was no need to find all the devils.


    "Here''s a suggestion."


    Arald said.


    "I will find them for you. I can tell who the ''high-ranking'' devils are."


    "...How? The cannibalistic desire only distinguishes between devils and humans."


    "Did you know? Cannibalistic desire usually appears in low-ranking devils. The higher the rank, the fewer devils have cannibalistic desires. Of course, it''s not that there are none."


    "...Mr. Arald, you don''t have a cannibalistic desire?"


    Arald nodded.


    "The desire I have is the desire for ''gourmet''."


    "...Gourmet."


    "Yes. I have a desire to eat beings of high existential rank. Humans are quite high-ranking. That''s why I preferred them, but now it''s time to stop."


    "So, you can recognize high-ranking beings right away?"


    "Yes. They smell different."


    "Then do you also eat devils? From your perspective, that would be fratricide."


    It was a natural question for Frondier, but Arald asked back as if the question itself was a question.


    "I don''t see the difference."


    "...Alright. Then I''ll leave it to you. The devils hiding in the Empire, who is leading them."


    "Yes. But I have a condition."


    "Do you think you''re in a position to set conditions for me?"


    "It''s not so much a condition as a request. It''s something you need too."


    After saying that, Arald spoke with the same expression as before.


    "Please be the king of devils."

 Chapter 309 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier''s brow furrowed at Arald''s words.


    ''The King of Devils?''


    The first thing that came to Frondier''s mind upon hearing those words was, of course, the Seven Deadly Sins.


    The seven devils at the very top of the hierarchy.


    However, unlike the world Frondier originally came from, these beings had no connection to the Bible. They just happened to share the roles and names of the sins.


    "Are you asking me to be one of the Seven Deadly Sins?"


    "That would be good too. The devil currently upying the seat of Sloth is ''Astaroth.'' He''s a devil who has coveted the seat of Sloth for a long time, but frankly, he''s no match for Belphegor."


    "You seem to know a lot. That''s a matter of the demon world, isn''t it?"


    "The head of apany is also sensitive to information."That was all Arald said. It seemed he had his own sources of information.


    Frondier steered the conversation back on track.


    "So, you said that would be good too, which means that wasn''t your original intention."


    "It''s not entirely different. Ascending to the seat of the Seven Deadly Sins could be a step towards achieving what I''m asking of you."


    "...A step?"


    The seat of the Seven Deadly Sins as a ''step''?


    Only then did Frondier realize just how absurd Arald''s words were.


    "I''m asking you to be the King of Devils. There''s no reason for the Seven Deadly Sins to be excluded."


    "...You want me to have Satan, Lucifer, Astaroth, and the like under mymand?"


    "That would be worthy of the title King of Devils."


    Huh. Frondier was momentarily speechless.


    He thought he was the one who uttered the most preposterous things in this world, but someone even more outrageous had appeared.


    "Why are you suddenly saying such things? What does this have to do with finding devils?"


    Frondier asked.


    Now was the time to somehow resolve the Devil''s War. Asking Frondier to be the King of Devils, regardless of the possibility, seemed like a rather irrelevant topic.


    To that, Arald replied.


    "To give you a realistic and immediate reason, it''s because the devils of the Empire currently need a leader."


    "A leader... wasn''t there one originally?"


    "There was a mediator who catered to the desires of the devils and concealed and managed their activities. But hecks the power to confront the Western devils or Satan. The devils of the Empire have been hiding for too long, and some of them have so little desire or cause no problems in human society that they have forgotten they are even devils." ?


    They forgot they were devils. That''s how simr humans and devils are, as long as their desires are tolerated by society.


    Arald continued.


    "Mr. Frondier, you don''t want the Empire to be threatened. For that to happen, you need to lead the devils hidden within the Empire and confront the Western devils. The deeper they hide within the Empire, the more blood will be spilled within the Empire."


    His words made sense. If Frondier could truly lead the devils of the Empire, they could fight the Western devils outside the Empire.


    That would, at least for now, reduce the possibility of the Empire being harmed. Although Satan''s devils remained, their original goal was for the three divided devil factions to cause chaos within the Empire, so they wouldn''t move easily.


    "If that''s the realistic and immediate reason, is there also an unrealistic and distant reason?"


    Even if his words sounded usible, ''King of Devils'' was a bit of a stretch. There was no reason for Frondier to have Satan under hismand.


    When Frondier asked, Arald''s expression changed for the first time. He exhaled and slightly raised the corners of his mouth. It was a self-deprecating smile.


    "It''s a simple story. The devils really need a king right now."


    "...But there are already the Seven Deadly Sins, the ones who sit at the highest positions, right?"


    "The problem is that there are seven of them."


    The Seven Deadly Sins.


    The seven devils who rule the demon world and embody the sins have no one above them.


    "Devils of the level of the Seven Deadly Sins surpass the power of most gods. Considering the power structure, the power of the demon world is not inferior to Asgard or Olympus. But the Seven Deadly Sins avoid direct confrontation with them."


    "...Because they have no king?"


    "Yes. Because they have no Odin, no Zeus."


    The seven devils, with their strong individual personalities, find it extremely difficult to unite their opinions.


    Devils are inherently driven by their desires. Uniting them, each focused on their own sin, is no easy feat.


    "This is what Satan feared the most. He must have already known that the demon world would need a king someday. And he probably thinks he should be that king."


    "...So this whole mess that''s happening now is a stepping stone for that."


    "When the war with the Western devils breaks out, Satan''s high-ranking devils will start to move, and they will leave Satan''s name within the Empire. Until now, only gods have existed in the Empire''s history, but if that happens, the name of the devil will also be etched in."


    "Is leaving a name that important?"


    "Whether it''s a god or a devil, if they exist outside of human perception, they cannot exert influence. The reason gods bestow divine power upon humans is also because humans know the names of the gods."


    A being that exists outside of human perception cannot influence humans. Even if they truly exist, if their influence cannot be felt, then that influence bes nonexistent.


    "...In a way, that''s also a kind of ''faith''."


    "Exactly."


    "But from your perspective, wouldn''t it be the same whether I be king or Satan bes king? If you want to increase the power of the demon world, it shouldn''t matter who it is."


    "Well, that''s true, but I don''t really like Satan."


    Arald shrugged.


    Of course, he wouldn''t try to change the King of the demon world just because of a simple difference in preference. There must be something significant implied in his words, "I don''t like him."


    ''If the power of the demon world is weaker than the other gods'' forces, that''s not good news for me either. Based on my experiences so far, I need a way to keep the gods in check. If the demon world can y that role, it doesn''t matter if they''re devils. It''s not like gods are all pure and innocent anyway.''


    Far from being pure and innocent, from Frondier''s perspective, they were the main culprits behind human tragedies.


    Frondier thought for a moment and then said,


    "...It''s a bitte to say this after hearing all that, but how can I lead the devils? I''m not a devil."


    "It''s not necessary for you to be a devil. Anyway, devils can''t distinguish other devils unless they have the ''cannibalism'' desire."


    "...Come to think of it, then how do they recognize devils of higher rank than themselves and submit to them?"


    If they can''t recognize them, how can they submit?


    To that, Arald replied.


    "They use the power of the devil. You must have experienced it. ''Sloth.'' The ''Seven Sins'' are the highest-ranking among the powers of the devil."


    "...Indeed. I see."


    Devils cannot recognize other devils, but if a devil reveals themselves, the story changes.


    The power of the devil, which is a powerful curse or mental attack to humans, bes a power that proves hierarchy among devils.


    "...But then isn''t it the same? I can''t use the power of the devil."

 Chapter 309 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    That was obvious. Since he wasn''t a devil, he couldn''t use the power of the devil.


    Arald tilted his head at that. It was a reaction that Frondier found difficult to understand.


    "...I see. You can''t use the power of the devil..."


    "Of course not, right?"


    "Right. It would normally be obvious, but I was kind of hoping..."


    Hoping?


    To Frondier, who was questioning that, Arald said,


    "As you already know, I have my own informationwork. And I gathered information about you early on. Probably most organizations in the Empire know about it."


    "...What information are you talking about?"Of course, Frondier was a hero of the war, and most people already knew about him.


    Arald said,


    "The mana of Helheim."


    "...!"


    "That''s something you can never obtain through conventional methods. No, in fact, it''s impossible no matter what bizarre methods you use. It''s mana from another world. Helheim is where the dead reside, and while there are some peaceful ones, there are countless wandering spirits and evil spirits whose souls are iplete."


    That''s right. Tens of thousands of wandering spirits and evil spirits. No one knew that better than Frondier.


    "I don''t even know how to absorb mana from another world, but even if you do, it will have a significant impact on your mind. And on top of that, it''s Helheim. Just being from another world is overwhelming enough, but you''re walking around perfectly fine with mana filled with the stench of death in your body."


    When Frondier first absorbed the mana of Helheim, he felt ''disgust.'' Every time he used the Obsidian to absorb the ck monsters, the ck substance merged with the Obsidian, and the mana was absorbed into his body.


    And in the end, he defeated the mass of tens of thousands of evil spirits and absorbed all the mana that came out of it.


    It would be a lie to say there were no effects, but he hadn''t prepared to die either.


    "Devils mostly identify beings by the shape of their souls rather than their appearance."


    Frondier knew that too. That''s why Belphegor, who knew his soul from when he was young, recognized his identity.


    "Frondier-nim, I don''t know how you killed the souls of Helheim."


    There was a slight curiosity in Arald''s eyes.


    "The ''power of the devil'' won''t be much different from that."


    * * *


    Bang!


    A few dayster, a loud noise came from the basement of a certain Tyburn.


    "Ugh!"


    The man, while running away, was finally hit in the abdomen and crashed into the wall. A man with ck hair walked towards him with heavy steps.


    "That took a long time."


    Frondier spoke to the man who was already covered in wounds.


    The man red at Frondier with anger. Of course, his gaze had been like that since earlier, so it had no effect.


    "You bastard! How did you find me!"


    "Do you need to know that?"


    This man was the manager Arald mentioned, the one who catered to the desires of the devils and covered up their crimes.


    Arald kept his promise. He used his ''gourmet'' desire to filter out high-ranking devils, and Frondier investigated this man who frequently participated in parties.


    The current situation was the result.


    "Damn it! One of the devils betrayed me! A devil with the ''cannibalism'' desire! How dare a lowlife like that...!"


    The mediator, Olivier, felt a slight sense of dissonance as he spoke.


    Devils with the cannibalism desire were generally low-ranking. That was certainly true, but how could such a lowlife escape his control?


    Frondier looked around.


    This basement was Olivier''s secret hideout. It was filled with evidence and traces of all sorts of crimes. Of course, it wasn''t that there was no resistance on the way here, but as expected, most of the devils who blocked Frondier were weaker than Olivier.


    Frondier drew up his mana. ''Analysis'' consumed a considerable amount of mana, so it would be easily detected, but he could use it here.


    "...Corpse disposal, crime concealment, and you yourself are a rapist... It seems your desire lies in that direction. You kidnap humans, rape them, and then hand them over to other devils with different desires. It''s a despicable and cruel act."


    "...Kuh, yes. Kill me. There''s nothing I can do if you know that much."


    Olivier said. As expected, it seemed that devils didn''t value their lives very much.


    ''...To threaten a devil, offer them a life more painful than death...''


    Frondier recalled what Arald had said.


    But there was no need to threaten him now. Instead, Frondier approached Arald.


    "This Tyburn is frequented by humans, but you managed to avoid getting caught."


    "...Heh, of course. Humans aren''t my enemies."


    "What?"


    "It doesn''t matter if they''re human or devil. Are devils the only ones who want to fulfill their desires!"


    Olivier shouted. His words made Frondier''s eyes grow colder.


    "...I see. You''re right."


    Fulfilling desires wasn''t necessarily limited to devils. He had learned something quite valuable.


    "But you know, Olivier."


    Frondier ced his hand on Olivier''s shoulder.


    "Will you submit to me? I''m currently in the process of recruiting the devils of the Empire."


    "...Huh? What nonsense is a human spouting! Stop talking and kill me!"


    Olivier spat out, looking dumbfounded. Of course, he would react that way. A devil submitting to a human was something unimaginable for Olivier.


    "...I guess that''s how it is."


    Frondier nodded.


    It worked out well.


    Frondier needed a subject to experiment on.


    ''How did you kill the souls of Helheim...''


    At that time, Frondier was also a soul. He had astral projected with the help of Laurie, an assassin of the Empire.


    Although Laurie wasn''t here now, he remembered the sensation of defeating the mass of wandering spirits in his soul form.


    The power of the devil.


    The Seven Sins.


    Frankly, Frondier couldn''t understand how desires or sins could be manifested as power.


    So he simply repeated what he did back then when he defeated the wandering spirits.


    "...The Seven Sins, the power of the devil."


    "What are you muttering about all of a sudden! Just kill me..."


    How could he possibly draw out ''sin'' as power?


    ©¤©¤I am nothing.


    Thump!


    Suddenly.


    Olivier''s body immediately fell to the side, copsing as if his strings had been cut, and his head hit the ground.


    "...What?"


    Frondier watched the scene for a moment. Olivier, lying on his side, seemed to have fainted for a moment, but that wasn''t the case.


    His eyes were wide open, as if they were about to tear at the corners, bloodshot and red, his mouth agape, his expression frozen in terror.


    As if hell itself had been carved out and shoved into his face, Olivier remained motionless with that expression, unable to move a muscle.


    Frondier stared at him for a long time before uttering the obvious.


    "He''s dead."

 Chapter 310 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier stood up after confirming that Olivier waspletely dead.


    ¡®This is troublesome.¡¯


    Of course, Frondier had no intention of killing Olivier. His goal was to control him, after all.


    Olivier had close connections with most of the hidden devils in the Empire, especially those involved in criminal activities. If he could be subdued, the next steps would be easier.


    But he ended up killing him. Unintentionally, of course.


    ¡®What exactly is this ¡®power of the devil¡¯?¡¯


    The sensation he just felt was simr to when he defeated the lump of evil spirits.


    In other words, Frondier''s soul touched the opponent''s soul.


    ¡®They say devils recognize others by the shape of their souls. The power of the devil is ultimately an attack on the soul.¡¯That''s why the power of the devil appears as a ¡®mental attack¡¯ on the surface. Just like Belphegor''s ¡®Sloth¡¯ or Lilith¡¯s ¡®Charm¡¯.


    Since it''s a force applied to the soul, it''s separate from the physical body.


    ¡®If I really used the power of the devil just now, wouldn''t other humans be able to use it too?¡¯


    Theoretically, it would be possible. It is an undeniable fact that Frondier is human. In other words, other humans, strong or weak, might also be able to use the power of the devil.


    However, Frondier has experience with Laurie''s astral projection, epting mana from another world, and defeating a lump of evil spirits and absorbing mana. Therefore, he has a clear understanding of his own soul.


    ¡®Humans haven''t been able to use this power so far because the conditions weren''t met. Devils were able to use it, so they did. If that''s why it''s called the ¡®power of the devil¡¯¡­¡¯


    This power might have been wrongly called the ¡®power of the devil¡¯ from the beginning.


    ¡°Anyway.¡±


    Frondier, who had organized his thoughts, sighed.


    Since Olivier was dead, he had to find the next highest-ranking devil.


    ¡°Can I control the strength of this?¡±


    He was having a concern that no devil had ever had before.


    * * *


    Empress Philly was feeling truly rxed for the first time in a while.


    Of course, the Empire was still busy with post-war recovery, but the burden on Philly''s own shoulders had been greatly reduced.


    The biggest reason for this was, of course, Emperor Bartello''s recovery.


    Bartello, freed from the curse of sloth, had regained his health almost to the level of his prime, and naturally, he was able to faithfully carry out his duties.


    Originally, Philly''s power was strong because she was taking on the tasks that Bartello should have been doing, so she was surrounded by heavy responsibilities as much as she had strong influence.


    ¡°If this continues, my daughter Sale¡¯s ascension to the throne will be dyed a bit.¡±


    Therefore, Philly was able to leisurely stroll through the Imperial Pce during her free time and even contemte new concerns.


    Originally, the Empire was preparing to wee Sale, the new Empress.


    Bartello''s weakness showed no signs of improvement, and there was a limit to Philly taking on all the duties alone.


    But now Bartello was back on his feet, and Sale wasn''t particrly interested in the throne.


    Bartello didn''t oppose Sale bing Empress, but he thought it was still too early.


    ¡°Maybe I should have a family gathering after a long time. If I bring Aten and have a leisurely chat, I think the order will be decided.¡±


    Philly, who was trying to resolve the issue of session to the throne through a family gathering. As expected, her way of thinking was different from ordinary people. ??


    As Philly strolled through the Imperial Pce, admiring the outside scenery,


    A man dressed as a servant slowly approached and bowed to her.


    ¡°...Your Majesty, I have something to report.¡±


    Philly frowned deeply at the sight.


    ¡°You''re crossing the line, aren''t you? You and I are not supposed to know each other officially. You should know that well.¡±


    ¡°I apologize. It''s a truly important report.¡±


    The man spoke in a trembling voice. He seemed to know that he was crossing the line, but he had something to convey no matter what.


    Meanwhile, Philly scanned the man with cold eyes.


    ¡®...He managed to reach me without being noticed by anyone on his way here.¡¯


    Naturally, the ce where Philly was walking was a space within the Imperial Pce with sufficient security. No one could enter, and if they did, they would be immediately caught by the Imperial Knights and punished.


    ¡®The Shadow Unit''s stealth skills have improved. To the point where they could aim for my neck if they changed their minds.¡¯


    As Philly thought, the person who approached her was a direct descendant of the Shadow Unit. The current leader of the Shadow Unit was dead.


    He was one of those caught up in Satan''s contract. And with the war breaking out shortly after, the Shadow Unit was still in disarray.


    ¡°Alright. This isn''t the ce to talk, is it?¡±


    The man silently nodded at her words. Philly walked ahead.


    She opened the door to the reception room and sat down, and the man spoke while standing.


    ¡°I apologize for speaking out of turn. I will report immediately.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I prefer that too.¡±


    ¡°First, a report on Frondier de Roach.¡±


    Philly tilted her head. Frondier? She didn''t remember ordering an investigation on him.


    ¡°There have been many suspicious aspects to his behavior since thest incident.¡±


    ¡°...Hmm.¡±


    A smile naturally spread across Philly''s lips. As if to say, ¡®Go on, tell me more,¡¯ sheughed.


    ¡°What''s suspicious? Are you talking about the incident regarding Lady Ameline''s escort?¡±


    ¡°...Yes. Since then, Frondier has been attending aristocratic banquets while taking on the role of Lilith''s knight.¡±


    ¡°Is that strange? That''s what Lilith always has her knights do.¡±


    ¡°Unlike other knights, Frondier only participates in banquets. And it seems like he chooses to attend only the banquets of high-ranking nobles.¡±


    Philly was indifferent to that as well. Honestly, she thought, ¡®Well, that could be the case.¡¯


    Lilith''s knights are often treated like props to boost the egos of nobles or as hosts for youngdies.


    Naturally, there are many such tasks, and for someone like Frondier, requests from high-ranking nobles could be pouring in.


    There wasn''t anything particrly strange about it, but the Shadow Unit seemed to have judged it as suspicious and acted ordingly, so it was only natural that Philly found it absurd.


    ¡°So, is there something wrong with that movement?¡±


    ¡°Just a few days ago, there was an incident where arge number of devils flocked to a banquet hall.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. I heard Frondier and Lady Elodie took care of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That''s why our Shadow Unit investigated the concern that Frondier might be colluding with the devils...¡±


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The man''s words were cut off by an ice de slicing through the air. Needless to say, it was Philly''s magic.


    The ice de grazed the man''s cheek and embedded itself in the wall, followed by Philly''s voice, sharper than the de.

 Chapter 310 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°...E, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°E. Should I remember your name? Do you want me to?¡±


    E lowered his head, unable to answer Philly''s words.


    ¡°I am well aware that the Shadow Unit has often been at odds with Frondier. The recent incident was also the case. Of course, from my perspective, it seems Frondier handled it very well.¡±


    ¡°...Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I have tolerated the Shadow Unit so far. Because I believed it was a group that benefited the Empire. But.¡±Philly''s voice was as white as her hair and as red as her eyes.


    ¡°If you don''t know your ce and act out, I will kill you.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    ¡°If I had to choose between Frondier and the Shadow Unit, the one that benefits the Empire, I would choose Frondier without hesitation. Who dares to suspect, worry about, and investigate whom? Do you believe the Empire will protect a group that threatens Frondier?¡±


    At that, E bit his lip and stood there, not knowing what to do, until...


    He eventually knelt down and prostrated himself.


    Indeed, it was unexpected, causing Philly''s eyes to widen slightly.


    ¡°Please listen, Your Majesty. I want to make it clear that this is not an attempt to nder Frondier.¡±


    ¡°...Oh? You start with suspicion based on something absurd and then im it''s not nder.¡±


    ¡°Of, of course. It is true that our Shadow Unit began this with animosity towards Frondier. The Shadow Unit is a huge voice. In these chaotic times, a mere member like myself simply follows orders.¡±


    ¡°...So?¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, there is something I must report! Please believe me, Your Majesty!¡±


    Philly looked at E, who was prostrating himself before her, with a cold gaze.


    She didn''t know how much sincerity was hidden within that posture, but it seemed like he had made some kind of resolve.


    ¡°Frondier went to the Hitchcock Company just a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Did you investigate that too?¡±


    ¡°One of the individuals involved with the Shadow Unit''s mana injection is Arald Lemer, the chairman of Hitchcock. When we went there due to that connection, the Hitchcock Company was already in a state of chaos with Pros and police!¡± ??


    Philly had heard about that too.


    Frondier entered the Hitchcock Company, initially weed, but faced immense vignce and resistance upon leaving.


    However, Chairman Arald stepped forward to defend and support Frondier, so the matter was settled without escting further. In fact, it could be said that things had already escted as far as they could go when the Pros stormed in.


    The leader of the attacking Pros, the No. 1 Pro, Eden Hamelot, himself said,


    ©¤©¤If the chairman of Hitchcock says so, then that must be the case. Let''s go back, everyone.


    He personally stepped forward to send the Pros back and left himself, so it ended rather anticlimactically.


    ¡°After that, corpses were found at every banquet Frondier attended!¡±


    ¡°...Corpses?¡±


    ¡°Devil corpses, Your Majesty!¡±


    Philly was surprised and frowned at the same time.


    ¡°How did you know they were devils? It''s difficult for humans to distinguish high-ranking devils.¡±


    ¡°There was a note left on the corpses. ¡®This person is a devil. Investigate their blood rtions. You will find that they are not connected to anyone.¡¯ Upon hearing that, we actually investigated, and they werepletely alone!¡±


    ¡°...That condition is enough to suspect them as a devil.¡±


    At that point, E slowly raised his head.


    ¡°Frondier is connected to devils, Your Majesty. However, whether he is hostile to them or on their side has not been revealed.¡±


    ¡°... .¡±


    ¡°But if he is hostile, why wouldn''t he report it to the Empire? Frondier is favored by Your Majesty, isn''t he? That''s why the Shadow Unit is concerned and worried.¡±


    Philly pondered for a moment at his words.


    Honestly, she didn''t think Frondier was on the devils'' side at all.


    If Frondier were on the devils'' side, why would he risk his life fighting against the Seven Deadly Sins, the supposed top of the devils?


    However, the reason for not reporting to the Empire, that definitely bothered her. What bothered her was whether Frondier''s bad habit of trying to do things alone had surfaced again.


    ¡®...It seems like he''s trying to do something alone again, Frondier.¡¯


    As Philly was thinking, E, sensing that his words were having some effect, spoke again.


    ¡°And one more thing. The former 1st Princess Elysia, who we were keeping an eye on, has not been seen recently. The fact that she has been quiet since being spotted near the banquet hall where Frondier was present, perhaps Elysia is also involved with Frondier...¡±


    <i>Thwack!</i>


    This time, he was hit. By the teacup Philly threw.


    Philly shouted with a bewildered expression.


    ¡°You should have reported that first! You idiot!!¡±

 Chapter 311 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A shabby inn.


    A woman with a rag covering her face up to her eyes hurried inside.


    Seemingly having paid several days'' worth of fees already, she went straight up the stairs, and the innkeeper didn''t stop her.


    "Huff, huff..."


    Although she hadn''t run, her breath was ragged as if she had been walking quickly for a long time.


    The woman entered her room, took out arge bag, spread it wide, and began to pack her clothes first. Then wigs, then masks.


    "Why all of a sudden..."


    The woman bit her lip. Even as she packed, her resentment burst forth.


    A little while ago.The woman passed by a banquet hall where high-ranking nobles were said to be attending. It was far from where she lived.


    She had no intention of entering the banquet hall. She just wanted to see the music, the lights, and the faces of people blooming withughter inside the luxurious mansion.


    ...In the past, if it had been her, everyone would have bowed their heads. Recalling those times made her feel even more miserable, but still, she couldn''t forget that dream.


    Elysia lived like that. Under the Empire''s surveince, she lived the life of amoner. The knowledge of alchemy and monsters she had learned helped her work in the market.


    However, she couldn''t work anywhere for very long. Neither the wigs nor the masks were of high quality. If she worked for a long time, she would be discovered.


    If she had known this would happen, she should have corrected her habit of going out of the Imperial Pce so often when she was a princess. Regret alwayses toote.


    And if she were to regret, it would be natural to regret all the crimes she hadmitted.


    But when she turned away from the banquet hall and went home, an incident urred.


    "Aren''t you going in?"


    Someone approached and spoke to her, perhaps having seen her loitering around the banquet hall.


    The voice was gentle, and the man, although not particrly handsome, had a kind impression.


    "Ah... I, well, I''m not that kind of person..."


    Not knowing what to say in such a situation, Elysia gave a slightly awkward answer.


    "I''m not that kind of person." Even as she said it, it felt pathetic.


    "Haha, it''s alright. Come on in."


    At that moment, the man took Elysia''s hand and led her.


    "Ah."


    Elysia let out a short sound. The man moved leisurely but with an air of confidence.


    Elysia was currently wearing cheap clothes, a wig, and a mask. She was nothing more than an ordinary, poormoner woman.


    He must know that someone like her couldn''t even set foot in such a banquet.


    ''...Well, whatever.''


    Elysia still didn''t shake his hand off.


    Perhaps it was an attitude stemming from the arrogance typical of nobles. A fleeting dream shown to amoner, a toy to y with.


    Or maybe he was just looking for an easy woman to spend the night with.


    Elysia didn''t care either way. It had been over a year since she had fallen from the life of a princess to the life of amoner.


    But Elysia still couldn''t forget the time when she was at her most splendid and radiant.


    Even if it was half of that, even if it was just an illusion, if she could just feel it.


    "Come this way."


    The man entered the hall with Elysia. Among everyone dressed in fancy dresses and suits, Elysia''s attire was too shabby and stood out.


    People passing by nced at the man and Elysia but soon turned back to their own conversations as if they weren''t interested.


    If this had been a gathering of low-ranking nobles, there would have been an uproar as soon as they saw Elysia''s appearance.


    However, this was a gathering of such high-ranking nobles that they had more than enough room to ept a singlemoner.


    It was even possible for them not to even notice her in the first ce. More than anything, the man, a noble, was holding Elysia''s hand and leading her, so there was even less need to pay attention. ?


    However, there was one person.


    There was someone who followed Elysia with their eyes for a little longer.


    ''...?''


    Elysia felt that gaze and turned her head.


    At first, she didn''t recognize who it was. The first thing that caught her eye was the suit.


    ©¤©¤A jet-ck suit, seemingly hidden in the darkness, yet making its presence known more than anyone else.


    Raising her gaze slightly, she saw hair and eyes as dark as the suit.


    His face was partially obscured by a ss, as if he had been drinking, but...


    The moment he lowered it.


    ''...Frondier!''


    Elysia barely managed to hold back a gasp. She quickly averted her eyes.


    Elysia recognized Frondier, but of course, he wouldn''t know who she was. She hadpletely concealed her appearance with a wig and a mask. He probably nced at Elysia because of her attire.


    ''Why is that man here!''


    Elysia blinked in surprise. Come to think of it, Roach was a prestigious family among prestigious families. It wasn''t strange for him to participate in such a party.


    However, as far as Elysia knew, Frondier wouldn''t attend such events.


    The information Elysia could obtain after bing amoner was too meager.


    She had only heard rumors that Frondier had made great achievements in the war, but she hadn''t even seen the scene on Weegiew.


    In other words, Elysia''s perception of Frondier wasn''t much different from when he defeated the Chimera.


    ''I never thought I''d meet him in a ce like this.''


    Elysia sneaked another nce at Frondier. Frondier seemed to have lost interest in Elysia quickly and was conversing with someone else nearby.


    ''...Frondier.''


    Elysia hid herplex emotions. From her perspective, Frondier was like a sworn enemy. He had ruined her ns and made her into what she was now.


    But in retrospect, it was easy to see that it was Frondier who had ultimately saved Elysia. Her original actions didn''t warrant such a light punishment.


    Thinking that way made her feel like it was all her own fault, and ultimately, she felt guilt for trying to kill Philly and Aten herself.


    ''He has nothing to do with me anymore.''


    While Elysia was sorting out her thoughts, the man led her through the hall, up the stairs, and towards one of the mansion''s rooms.


    ''He''s in a hurry.''


    Elysia watched him with cold eyes.


    She had thought she might be able to enjoy the atmosphere of the banquet and the food for a while since he had acted like he was inviting her to the banquet, but the man was eager to get to the main point, which was purely masculine.


    ''Huh...?''


    However, when he opened the door, let Elysia in, locked the door, walked to the wardrobe, opened the wardrobe door, and then opened another hidden door behind the wardrobe, Elysia finally felt something was strange.


    ''A secret door? A secret passage? There''s a hidden room here?''


    When Elysia was a princess, she had often attended banquets at this mansion. But she had never imagined there would be such a device.


    "Come inside. I''ll show you something interesting."


    Elysia asked cautiously, a little wary of the man''s tone, which had lost its politeness.


    "...Something interesting?"

 Chapter 311 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "...Something interesting?"


    "Yeah. I was bored with the party."


    With that, the man simply held out his hand.


    Elysia hesitated for a moment. It was a little different from what she had imagined. If his goal was to spend the night, there would be no need to take her to such a passage. The room Elysia was in right now was a bedroom.


    But on the other hand, if that wasn''t his goal, was it a good thing? Maybe the noble had a secret collection that he didn''t show to others. He might want to show it off to amoner.


    ''...Maybe that''s better.''


    In the end, Elysia took the man''s hand. She was tired of her poor life, she missed the days when she was royalty, and she felt like whatever happened, happened.


    Whoosh!


    "Kyaa?!"But as soon as she took his hand, the man roughly pulled Elysia into his arms and dragged her into the secret door.


    "Haa, haak...! Haak!!"


    The friendly expression he had just a moment ago was gone, and Elysia could hear the man''s chilling breathing in her ear. And gradually, she could feel mana. This was definitely not a normal situation.


    ''Wha, what is this! This man!''


    Elysia struggled, but it was no use. The man''s arms were as hard as if she were hitting a rock. They were definitely not the muscles of an ordinary human.


    The man continued to drag Elysia through the secret passage. Just as Elysia was about to give up because she couldn''t do anything with her strength, they reached a wider space.


    It wasn''t very bright, but smallmps around them served as light sources.


    And there was already another man inside. He seemed to have been waiting for the man who brought Elysia, as he opened his arms upon seeing them.


    "Wee. You weren''t caught, were you?"


    "Ah, I wasn''t caught! Can we do it now? I can''t hold it in any longer!"


    "Yeah, yeah. I''ll take care of everythingter."


    The man who brought Elysia threw her down as soon as they arrived.


    Elysia couldn''t understand the exact meaning of their words, but she felt that she had truly gotten into trouble. It would have been better if he just wanted to force himself on her, but it didn''t seem like it would end there.


    "Wha, what are you doing...!?"


    Elysia was about to raise her voice but stopped.


    She saw wings behind the man''s back. His eyes were bloodshot, and even the whites of his eyes were dyed red.


    Elysia knew exactly what to call such a being.


    "...Devil..."


    "Kuh, kuhuhuhu. Woman, it''s been a long time since I''ve had someone as easy as you. Thank God. Though I don''t believe in God. Kyahahaha!"


    "Wha, what are you going to do?"


    "You want to know? That might make it even more painful."


    The man grinned, revealing his teeth. They didn''t look much different from those of an ordinary human, but his gums seemed unusually red.


    "My desire is ''bloodsucking''."


    "De, desire?"


    "You just have to stay still. It won''t hurt that much. You''ll just fall into a sleep you won''t wake up from. Kuhuhu."


    Bloodsucking? Sucking blood? Desire? What is that! Are all devils like this? Do they all try to suck people''s blood? Like mosquitoes?


    Elysia''s head spun with panic.


    Meanwhile, the man''s mouth opened wide and approached Elysia''s neck. Elysia squeezed her eyes shut.


    ©¤©¤Thud.


    At that moment, the man''s movement stopped. He closed his open mouth and looked straight ahead.


    From the secret passage where Elysia had been brought in, a sound could be heard in the distance.


    The man spoke.


    "Hey, Bart. Just now."


    "...Yeah, I heard it too."


    The man called Bart hardened his expression.


    "Kagris, didn''t you say we weren''t caught?"


    "Yeah. No one suspected anything on the way here. There was no reason to. There was no tail either. I checked everything."


    Thud, thud.


    Even as they talked, the sound was getting closer.


    The sound of human footsteps. There was no mistaking it. This secret room wasn''t used only by the two of them, but Bart was definitely the manager. Unless he had another appointment, there was no way someone else woulde to this secret room.


    In other words, somehow, this ce had been discovered. Most likely by a human.


    "...Then, could it be that guy from the rumors?"


    "Maybe."


    However, the two of them spoke as if they had a guess about who was approaching. Yet, their expressions didn''t improve but became even more serious.


    Kagris stepped away from Elysia and slowly stood up. He didn''t have the luxury of sucking the woman''s blood right now.


    Elysia raised her upper body. She also looked towards the passage. The sound of footsteps was definitely getting closer.


    And finally, the person who had been walking appeared.


    "Is bloodsucking a desire befitting a high-ranking devil?"


    The ck-haired man tilted his head, saying such an out-of-ce thing.


    "I thought high-ranking devils had rather sophisticated desires, but I guess that''s not always the case."


    "...Who are you?"


    Kagris asked Frondier, who had entered.


    Without giving him a chance to answer, Bart continued.


    "Are you the one who killed Olivier?"


    "Yes. You''re the manager after Olivier, right? It took me a long time to find you."


    Frondier readily admitted it.


    He was already quite famous among devils. Of course, it wasn''t the name Frondier itself that was famous, but rather the rumor among devils that there was someone who killed devils.


    Bart and Kagris exuded killing intent.


    "You bastard, do you have any idea where you are? Do you think you can kill both of us alone?"


    Bart and Kagris manifested their auras almost simultaneously. Seeing their surging mana, Elysia gulped.


    ''Th, this is bad.''


    As expected, the power of high-ranking devils was tremendous. Elysia naturally became frightened and backed away.


    Meanwhile, Frondier said,


    "No, I have no intention of killing you."


    "How dare you say that after killing Olivier!"


    "Sorry. I didn''t mean to kill him either. Really."


    Frondier shook his head as he spoke. As if a minor mistake from his childhood had been discovered, hisnguid eyes and a sigh mixed with a sense of helplessness. He suddenly asked as if he had just thought of something,


    "But if bloodsucking is a desire, can you, like, control the person you sucked blood from as your subordinate or something? Or do you have the ability to transform into a bat? Or maybe you have a hard time with garlic?"


    "...What nonsense are you talking about!"


    "Hmm. I guess not."


    A hint of disappointment appeared in Frondier''s eyes. He slowly raised his hand.


    "I won''t kill you this time. I''ve been practicing hard. Controlling a power I''ve never used before wasn''t easy at first."


    "You insolent bastard!"


    Kagris was the first to attack. He was already at the peak of impatience and anger at missing the opportunity to fulfill his bloodsucking desire right in front of him. Naturally, he rushed towards Frondier without fear.


    Seeing that, Elysia shouted involuntarily,


    "Fr, Frondier!"


    The powerful aura emanating from the devil. Elysia thought Frondier would die on the spot without a doubt. He would just copse with a thud, without any resistance


    Thud.


    But Kagris copsed before he could even reach Frondier.


    "Huh...?"


    Elysia let out a sound. Bart, who was watching from behind, also widened his eyes.


    Frondier silently approached the fallen Kagris. Heid him down, lifted his eyelids to look at his eyes, and checked his pulse.


    "...Hmm."


    Then, Frondier stood up. This time, he looked at Bart.


    "That was a mistake. The next one is for real."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 312 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 312 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Philly, enraged for the first time in a while, yelled at E.


    He shouted, saying things like, "Are you kidding me?", "Don''t you even know what to report first?", and "Go find her right now!"


    Only after E retreated as if fleeing, did Philly let out a deep sigh.


    Philly''s arm naturally rose, his elbow resting on the desk and his hand on his head.


    "...Elysia..."


    Elysia.


    Former First Princess Elysia Terst.


    Needless to say, she was Philly''s first daughter and originally the most likely candidate to ascend to the throne as the next Emperor.


    ...Of course, that was on the surface, but the reality was unknown. Elysia herself doubted it and nned the crime, and now that it has failed, she is no longer a princess.Elysia, who tried to eliminate Aten and Roderick to be the undisputed Empress. Although it was an attempted crime, many people were injured and died due to the "attack." The crime was so severe that the Imperial Pce could no longer protect Elysia.


    Rather, the public''s voice was loud that Elysia should die, so simply being expelled from the Imperial Pce was an excessively light punishment.


    ''...Originally, I was going to send her into exile.''


    But Elysia is still within the Empire. She wasn''t even imprisoned for that long. She''s just living as amoner, hiding her name.


    She changes her hair color and wears a mask. Under Philly''s orders, she is under the Empire''s surveince.


    It''s a rather painful life, but it''s true that she''s receiving a lukewarm punishmentpared to the crime shemitted.


    Being monitored also means being protected, and as long as she''s not caught, there''s no major inconvenience in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. She can even work and earn money to some extent.


    Originally, Philly didn''t intend to give Elysia such a light punishment. Even though she was her daughter, Philly knew she had to be strict because of that. So, she actually tried to send her into exile, but...


    It was none other than Frondier who stopped it.


    When Elysia''s own n failed, she should have died there. At the point where Philly and Frondier discovered the whole truth of the crime, and all means to silence them had failed.


    Philly knew that too, so she tried to kill Elysia with her own hands. Borrowing Frondier''s dagger.


    Philly still vividly remembers the feeling. The moment she realized she had killed her own daughter with her own hands.


    But Elysia didn''t die. Frondier said the dagger she handed over had "extreme poison," but it was a kind of pun. It was a deadly poison, but there was enough time and means to treat it.


    ''Thinking about it now, Frondier was watching my choice.''


    When she realized she had been deceived by Frondier, she was initially flustered and angry, butter relieved, and as time passed, she now has other thoughts.


    What Frondier gave Philly was a dagger. A very sharp knife.


    In other words, if Philly had reallynintended to kill Elysia, she could have done so without the poison. If she had stabbed Elysia''s heart, she would have died without any need for poison.


    But all Philly did was stab her less than 1 centimeter deep. The poison was enough for that, but it was a treatable poison.


    How much regret Philly felt at that time. She had made up her mind to kill her daughter and did it, but it didn''t help her ept her daughter''s death at all.


    ''After that, I couldn''t even think of killing Elysia again. Frondier saw that.''


    Strangely enough, Frondier, who had interfered the most with Elysia''s crime, was the one who most effectively prevented Elysia''s death. She had changed Philly''s mind, who had to do it and could do it most easily.


    And Frondier even opposed exiling Elysia.


    It''s a bit of an old story, but it''s vivid for Philly.


    ***


    The day Frondier was exhausted from using the fireworks for the first time and Philly was supporting him.


    Frondier said,


    "If you exile her, Elysia will die. Her magic and skills are not suitable for survival."


    That''s right. Elysia spent most of her time on monster research and alchemy. Since she was originally a princess, she was desperately unskilled in areas that didn''t interest her.


    The further you go out, the more terrifying monsters lurk in the Empire. Exile to Frondier is practically a death sentence. Even besides Elysia, only a few people survive.


    But still, there was a sliver of a chance of survivalpared to actual execution. Philly thought that sliver was the maximum concession, but Frondier shook his head.


    "Only you and I know the full extent of Elysia''s crime. So we can downy it to some extent."


    "...That seems difficult. The Constel teachers have already noticed the rune thanks to you, and they know that Elysia was the mastermind."


    "Yes, the teachers do. But they only received my opinion. There are many possibilities. That I was mistaken, or that Elysia was also a victim of the real mastermind."


    Philly frowned as she understood the intention of Frondier''s words.


    "...Are you saying that we should falsely announce the whole truth of Elysia''s crime?"


    "We don''t need to tell everything. The important thing is that very few people know the truth."


    Philly rolled her eyes at those words.


    It''s not impossible. In fact, only the two of them saw and heard the Chimera and Elysia directly.


    Even Philly wasn''t sure about Elysia''s acting for a while.


    However, Philly felt that this situation was somehow strange.


    "...But I didn''t know Frondier wanted to help Elysia that much. It feels like it''s the other way around."


    That''s right. The mother, Philly, is trying to exile Elysia, and Frondier is stopping her.


    "Did you have some personal affection for Elysia? Then I feel sorry for our Aten."


    Frondier shook his head at those words.


    He said, avoiding her gaze a little, as if he still had some secret he couldn''t tell.


    "Saving Elysia is not for Elysia."


    "...Yes?"


    "To be precise, it''s for you, Philly."


    At that time, she didn''t understand these words exactly, but...


    Thinking about it now, it was rather a simple statement.


    What kind of person Philly would be after killing Elysia. Even Philly herself shuddered at the thought.


    Frondier then said again,


    "And as for affection..."


    The way he started speaking.


    Philly, even then, and even now, after a long time has passed since that day...


    "That''s right. Elysia is a necessary person."


    ...couldn''t forget that expression of Frondier''s.

 Chapter 312 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 312 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Bart gaped in shock at Frondier''s words.


    "Wh, wh, a mistake...?"


    "Yeah. It happens sometimes."


    "This crazy bastard! You just killed Kagris!"


    Bart shouted.


    He wasn''t that close to Kagris, but he was a good business partner. If Bart provided a ce to satisfy his desires, Kagris would give him the corresponding money. In his own way, he was quite fond of the guy.


    But he just died. Just like that, with a thud.


    "Do you think you can get away with calling that a mistake!"


    Frondier tilted his head at those words. He seemed to be seriously considering Bart''s outburst as his eyes narrowed for a moment before he said,"Why not?"


    "Wh, what?"


    "This Kagris guy, he kills people in the process of satisfying his ''bloodsucking'' desires, right?"


    Thud


    Frondier lightly kicked the already dead Kagris''s head.


    "Your desires are just sexual, right? It''s not impossible to endure, and this guy could have satisfied his desires in the first ce. Even if it''s a bitplicated, it''s not that difficult to get human blood in the Empire. Without having to kill anyone."


    There are hospitals in the Empire, and if it''s just for drinking blood, you can inquire at those institutions. Even if the hospital refuses for some reason, at worst, it would only be a ''theft'' of blood.


    "He didn''t want to ask such institutions and risk being exposed as a devil, and he didn''t want to keep the blood-sucked humans alive here and risk being exposed again. For that pathetic reason, this guy killed 16 people."


    Squish.


    This time, Frondier pressed Kagris''s head with his foot.


    His eyes were not just emotionless, but as if he were looking at a piece of trash on the side of the road.


    "So what''s the problem with identally killing such a guy? Besides, he''s a devil."


    "...Th, this crazy bastard..."


    "You''re the crazy one, devil."


    Saying that, Frondier reached out again. It was clear what he was going to do.


    "Heu, heuaaaaaaaaak!!"


    Bart let out a scream, or perhaps a shout, and lunged at Frondier. To be precise, he was heading towards the secret passage behind Frondier, as there was nowhere else to go anyway.


    Swoosh!


    However, before using the devil''s power, Frondier first used the Obsidian to bind Bart''s body.


    "Keu, euh, euaaaaaaaaak!"


    Bart released his aura, trying to tear his body free from the Obsidian. A tremendous force surged, and indeed, some of the Obsidian couldn''t withstand it and broke.


    Whether this was Bart''s original power or his survival instinct kicking in, it was unknown.


    "Hold on. I won''t make a mistake this time."


    Frondier continued to use the Obsidian to restrain Bart''s body. The amount of new Obsidian rushing in was greater than what he was tearing apart.


    Still, Bart didn''t give up and writhed, yelling to get out.


    He had just seen Kagris die. He had no idea what had been done to him. Of course, he had reason to be scared.


    Frondier, with deeply sunken eyes, focused on Bart and took a deep breath.


    "¡ª¡ªHuh!"


    Suddenly, Bart''s pupils dted and his body trembled as if electrocuted. Soon, he slumped down like Kagris. Of course, he was still caught in the Obsidian.


    "...Another failure?"


    Frondier muttered and released the Obsidian.


    Bart copsed to the floor. Frondier made a slightly troubled expression at the sight, but then...


    "...Ugh."


    Bart trembled and let out a small sound.


    His body trembled very quietly, and unlike the screaming and yelling he had been doing earlier, this time even his breathing was quiet.


    However, his expression was nk and unconscious, as if he werepletely consumed by fear and about to drown.


    "Sess. It was a bit close."


    Frondier approached Bart. As he crouched down to meet the eyes of the fallen man, Bart slowly raised his head.


    Frondier said,


    "How was it? My devil''s power. You devils use this to determine your hierarchy and find someone to submit to, right?"


    "...That was your..."


    Bart''s tone changed. He called Frondier "you" and his voice became polite.


    "...But how? You''re not a devil..."


    "It''s called the devil''s power, but it''s actually the power of the soul. If you know how to use it, you can use it."


    Bart didn''t seem to have any intention of arguing with those words and lowered his eyes again.


    Looking at him, Frondier said,


    "How about it?


    Will youe under me?"


    "...You''re not going to kill me?"


    "I told you, it was a mistake. Actually, I want to kill all the devils hiding in the Empire, especially those whomit heinous crimes, but I need devils right now."


    "Because of the devils in the west?"


    "That''s right. You guys will only walk the path of self-destruction if you stay like this."


    Although the devils of the Empire have joined hands to form their ownmunity, that kind of bond will soon break.


    The western devils will find them, and if Satan''s devils get involved, they have no way to survive.


    "So I''m giving you onest chance. This is the only way you have any chance of survival."


    "..."


    At Frondier''s words, Bart put his hands on the floor and exerted strength. He knelt on one knee and bowed deeply towards Frondier.


    "...I will work for you from now on, Frondier de Roach."


    "Good."


    Frondier nodded and stood up.


    "You were Olivier''s sessor, right? So you must be connected to most of the devils hiding in the Empire, especially those whomit crimes."


    "That''s right."


    "Call them all soon. Since you guys can''t unite on your own, I''ll unite you."


    "Yes."


    Bart, who suddenly transformed into a loyal servant. Frondier felt unfamiliar with that appearance, but he epted it, thinking that this was how devils were. It felt rather clean, with the logic of power applied so clearly.


    Hmm, Frondier let out a snort, satisfied with having cleared one task for now. Then he turned around.


    "Now, shall we talk about us, Elysi... Huh?"


    He had been looking for Elysia, but she was nowhere to be seen where she had been.


    He had been so focused on controlling the devil''s power that he hadn''t paid attention to his senses.


    "...If you''re talking about that woman, she escaped through the secret passage a while ago."


    "Escaped? Why? I saved her."


    "...She didn''t seem to think so."


    Frondier tilted his head, unable to understand at all.


    Why did she run away? It''s safe here now. One devil is dead and the other is now obedient to me.


    "She''s a strange one. There''s nothing to be afraid of anymore."


    Seeing Frondier seriously pondering, Bart held back many words.

 Chapter 313 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Even as Elysia packed her belongings, her hands trembled, causing her to repeatedly drop things. Every single movement felt clumsy.


    "That, that madman, what the hell was that...!"


    While Frondier was distracted by the devils, Elysia crawled through the secret passage. Literally crawling. It wasn''t intentional, but her legs had given way, leaving her unable to stand.


    However, once she had passed through the secret passage and emerged from the wardrobe into her bedroom, she felt a sense of returning to her original ce.


    This renewed her energy, and she used all of it to escape.


    "I, I have to run away..."


    Whether Frondier hade for her or for the devils, Elysia didn''t know, and frankly, she didn''t care.


    She didn''t want to be involved with devils anymore. Being involved with Frondier was even worse. So, she needed to get away from that wretched mansion as quickly and as far as possible. Forget about parties or banquets.


    This is the punishment God is giving me for not forgetting the glory of my days as royalty....Which God is in charge of giving out such punishments? Anyway.


    Thud, thud.


    Just as she had almost finished packing, Elysia turned her gaze towards the window as a familiar sound reached her ears.


    The outside, already shrouded in darkness, was difficult to see, but it was definitely the sound of rain.


    No way, not rain. Rain at a time when she needed to escape as quickly as possible!


    Elysia briefly hoped that it might be a passing shower, but...


    Boom!


    As the window began to sh, that small hope crumbled mercilessly.


    "...Ugh!"


    Elysia came to her senses and stood up. For a moment, she considered waiting until the rain stopped, but she couldn''t.


    Judging from the conversation between Frondier and the devils, the devils had no idea that Frondier wasing and hadn''t anticipated it at all.


    In other words, the secret room wasn''tmon knowledge, just as Elysia had thought.


    The probability that Frondier knew the location of the secret room from the beginning andunched a surprise attack, and the probability that he had approached Elysia from the outset. From Elysia''s perspective, thetter was obviously more likely.


    Therefore, there was a high possibility that he had already investigated the inn where she was staying. Very high.


    "Okay, that''s actually better. If I hide myself in the rain, it''ll be harder to find me."


    Boom¡ª!


    As Elysia turned towards the door, thunder roared behind her back, as if to intimidate her.


    Honestly, she didn''t want to go out. To walk through this pouring rain and lightning, on a muddy path.


    How far would she have to go to reach the paved road from here? Come to think of it, there was a hill. If she climbed it wrong and slipped on the rain-soaked slope, even her few remaining clothes would be ruined. ???


    But the more Elysia hesitated, the heavier the rain became, and the thunder grew more frequent, as if approaching her.


    It was hard to tell whether the sound of the rain or the thunder was louder. The wind pushed against her back, and raindrops touched her feet and calves.


    ''...Wind? Rain?''


    Why was the winding in? Why the raindrops?


    The window was definitely closed.


    Elysia, her expression lost at some point, very slowly turned her head. Towards the window that had been showing her the thunder and rain.


    And there,


    Over the window that had been opened at some point, with his feet on the windowsill,


    A man stood, ck as night.


    sh!


    Crackle¡ª!


    Lightning struck behind the man. His hair and nape, which had been as dark as shadows, were briefly illuminated and then disappeared. In the continuing darkness, with each sh of lightning, his mouth, his curved eyes,


    All of them smiled whitely.


    "Hello."


    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa©¤©¤!!!"


    Elysia dashed towards the door. She roughly opened it and ran out. She could hear him saying something behind her.


    Ignore it. Ignore it!


    Thump, tter, rattle, the bag clutched in her hand. The things inside the bag collided and screamed, the bag screamed as it hit the floor and walls, and Elysia, wanting to scream, clenched her teeth and ran down the stairs.


    The innkeeper on the first floor asked what was wrong, but Elysia just kept running. The bag still rattled, and Elysia''s body rattled as she opened the inn door.


    Whoosh¡ª!!


    Before she even stepped out the door, she felt the touch of the raindrops. Elysia ran straight ahead. Pitter-patter, every time a raindrop touched her shoulder, it roared in her ears like an earthquake.


    The dirt road was already getting wet from the rain, no, it was now melting, gently grabbing Elysia''s feet, but Elysia kept running.


    "Ha! Ha! Huff! Huff!!"


    With each stride, the wind and rain mixed together, making her lungs ache. The bag she was holding bothered her.


    She wished she could throw it away, but she couldn''t let go of the bag. She held onto the bag. No, the bag held onto her, the bag grabbed her and dragged her down.


    Into the rain, into the thunder, into the darkness, into even deeper darkness. Hide yourself in the ckness. ck as night!


    Elysia ran along the path lined with trees. The sound of rain hitting the branches was now deafening.


    The trees concealed even the sound of Elysia''s running, even the sound of her panting breath.


    How much further? Was this the right way? The rough paths Elysia had memorized in her head. Now the rain and the night, the darkness spread like waves, making it impossible to distinguish.


    But it must be right. If she kept going down this narrow path, she woulde to a hill. When she reached the hill, she would see people. People.


    "...Huh?"


    But something was strange.


    ''The rain...''


    The rain had stopped. No, she could still hear the sound of rain. It was just that the feeling of the rain touching her had disappeared.


    The rain was falling, but it wasn''t reaching her.


    "Uh..."


    Elysia finally stopped running.


    Not just because she wasn''t getting rained on.


    ''I can''t see the path.''


    She couldn''t see the path. No, she couldn''t see anything. In the pitch-ck darkness. Elysia had wanted to hide in the darkness, and now she was truly in darkness with not a single speck of light.


    Whoosh©¤©¤


    The rain was falling. She could hear the sound of the rain falling. Elysia raised her head.


    ...Pitch ck. She couldn''t see the stars, the moon, or the rain. She couldn''t see the night.


    Yes. Something darker than the night was above her head.


    "Elysia."


    A voice reached her ears. A voice calling her name. A cursed voice.


    Thud-


    Something fell from the air andnded on the ground in front of her, where she couldn''t see anything.


    Something invisible was making footsteps, the sound of stepping on mud, the sound of brushing against branches,


    "Elysia."


    The voice calling her name was getting closer.


    Even though she couldn''t see, she knew it was right in front of her. Three steps, two steps, one step.


    Only then did she see a very faint shadow, tilting its head.


    "Why are you running away, Elysia?"


    At that moment.


    Elysia lost consciousness.

 Chapter 313 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Whoa."


    Frondier quickly caught Elysia, who was falling to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.


    Elysia''s behavior today waspletely iprehensible to Frondier.


    "Why on earth are you fainting? And why do you keep running away in the first ce?"


    He didn''t even expect gratitude for saving her from the demons. There''s no way Elysia would owe Frondier a favor in the first ce.


    But that doesn''t mean she has to run away. If Elysia had any hostility, she would have been better off attacking. If Elysia had tried to attack Frondier, things would have been easier.


    But while Frondier wasn''t looking, she secretly ran away, and even when he chased her to the inn and greeted her, she ran away, and now she''s fainted when he finally caught up with her.


    Upon finding Elysia, I haven''t been able to properly speak to her for this long time.


    "You greeted me so kindly at the inn, and I was worried because you were running in the rain, so I even blocked the rain for you."Have I ever attacked her since I met Elysia after a long time? Absolutely not. Have I even threatened her? I couldn''t even speak properly.


    But it was frustrating as a Frondier because the other party wouldn''t listen and just ran away.


    Whisk.


    Frondier slightly reduced the amount of obsidian spread out in the sky with his hand. Until a while ago, Elysia was running around without her senses, so he increased the size, but now there is no need to do so.


    He created a suitable umbre shape and blocked the rain.


    "......This girl, she won''t catch a cold, will she?"


    Frondier looked at Elysia with a grimace.


    I heard that she has been living hard in her own way since she became amoner, but no matter what, she was a princess living just a year ago.


    It wouldn''t have been such a leisurely andfortable daily life. The reason she lingered in the banquet hall would be because of that.


    Looking at her face, it was clear she had been through a lot. Her haggard face and damaged hair were probably due to malnutrition and frequent use of low-quality masks and wigs.


    Elysia herself undervalued her appearancepared to Aten, but they were sisters after all.


    Seeing her beautiful face in such a state, it was true that Frondier felt a bit of sympathy.


    Well, it was her own doing.


    "Let''s take her first."


    Frondier picked up Elysia. There was a way to move into the Obsidian, but it was more difficult to block the rain in that way.


    And the Obsidian is a cold substance. It''s perfect for Elysia, who has weakened, to catch a cold.


    Frondier walked with Elysia in his arms. Ironically, it was the same direction Elysia had been running away.


    If he continued to walk this way, as Elysia expected, a paved road would appear, and a little further from there, he could find a better amodation.


    ''Now the remaining task is how to capture Elysia.''


    While walking, Frondier thought.


    There are two major obstacles to bringing Elysia as an ally.


    Elysia and Frondier, no matter how nicely put, were once enemies.


    Elysia put the entire Constel, including Frondier, in danger, and Frondier was the main culprit who caused Elysia herself to fall from the princess''s position.


    Even if Frondier asks for help, the chances of Elysia listening to it are slim.


    Now, Elysia has no responsibilities or obligations to protect anyone but herself. How persuasive would the news of the devil''s invasion be to Elysia?


    And another thing is Elysia''s own disposition.


    ''Elysia was always the viin in the game. She wasn''t a character to worry about like Philly.''


    Unlike Philly, who was endlessly gray, Elysia was clearly ck.


    This was quite a schematic setting. Philly''s three sisters, Elysia, Sale, and Aten, each resembled one of Philly''s many characteristics. Elysia resembled Philly''s coldness and ruthlessness, the calction and selfishness that did not choose means and methods for the result, and Aten resembled the morality and responsibility to protect the people as a royal family, and ultimately the mercy and goodness to save people.


    If you were to say that the second child, Sale, resembled Philly the most, Sale was rather in a position of a spectator who stepped back with a lighter disposition.


    Elysia was definitely a viin that made Constel dangerous. Therefore, just as Elysia didn''t trust Frondier, it was difficult for Frondier to trust Elysia.


    ''But it''s not always like that.''


    Just because it didn''t work, there was a precedent called Sybil for Frondier. When he gave trust to Sybil, who was believed to be a viin, Sybil responded to Frondier''s faith more than anyone else.


    ...Of course, Elysia and Sybil arepletely different characters, and there is a huge difference in the perspective of being a viin.


    "Well, I have to try it anyway."


    Frondier folded his thoughts.


    You can''t make a decision without trying.


    It might be resolved unexpectedly easily. It''s not like there hasn''t been such a case.


    * * *


    "Cough, cough! Achoo!"


    Looking at the result alone.


    All of Frondier''s efforts to prevent Elysia from catching a cold were in vain.


    The day afterying Elysia in bed at the rented amodation, Elysia woke up coughing and sneezing as if to show off, her head spinning with a high fever.


    Frondier had rarely sneezed and coughed at the same time in his life, so it was as if he was watching a rather rare scene.


    Moreover, as soon as she saw Frondier''s face, she was startled and trembling, so it was unclear whether she was shaking because of the fever or because she was scared. Probably both.


    After confirming that Elysia was notpletely unable to control her body, Frondier changed her towel and moved to another room to spend time.


    Anyway, there was no point in starting a conversation because she was trembling with fear. He had given money to the innkeeper and left her there, so she would be fine for a while.


    And in the evening, upon hearing that Elysia''s fever had subsided, Frondier entered through the door.


    "......!"


    Elysia was still tense when she saw Frondier, but she was not trembling with fear as before. It seemed that she was able to have a conversation.


    "Elysia."


    Frondier called Elysia''s name, and finally, Elysia faced Frondier.


    It took quite a long time to get here, being so bothersome. They had to choose their words carefully not to go around in circles again.


    At the end of their thoughts, Frondier spoke.


    "Tell me everything you know."


    "What?!"


    "Ah, sorry, I misspoke. I''m just a little annoyed."


    "Annoyed?!"


    It seemed like he had buttoned the first button wrong.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 314 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier cleared his throat once before speaking again, not forgetting to smile.


    ¡°Did you sleep well, Elysia? You seemed to have caught a cold.¡±


    ¡°Are you a psychopath?!¡±


    However, the response he received was merciless as usual. Elysia, face flushed red, fumed.


    Frondier tilted his head.


    ¡°Are you alright? Your face is red. It seems you still have a fever.¡±


    ¡°You think this is because of a fever!!¡±


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    <i>Thump.</i>Elysia threw a pillow, hitting Frondier squarely in the face. It was a rather fluffy pillow, sticking to his face even after the impact.


    Elysia shouted at Frondier, who had be a pillow-man.


    ¡°Hey! I caught a cold because of you in the first ce! <i>cough</i> Who was it that made me get rained on! <i>cough cough</i>!¡±


    <i>Thud.</i>


    Frondier slowly received the pillow as it slid off his face.


    Then he asked.


    ¡°...Me?¡±


    ¡°Then who else would it be!¡±


    ¡°Well, you ran away in the first ce. I didn''t kick you out of the house, you left on your own and ran around in the rain. That''s what you call reaping what you sow.¡±


    ¡°Reaping what I sow? Reaping, <i>cough</i>, what I sow?!¡±


    Elysia¡¯s eyes glowed blue. Not figuratively, but literally. It was the manifestation of Mana.


    However, no matter how angry she was, she couldn¡¯t use magic. Just because Frondier epted the pillow doesn''t mean he¡¯d ept magic too.


    Instead, Elysia shouted with all her might.


    ¡°When a stranger opens the window and enters a person''s sleeping quarters, who would just stay still?!¡±


    ¡°Stranger? We know each other''s faces. Besides, I''m the one who saved you. You should be thanking me.¡±


    ¡°Tha, thanking you?¡±


    Elysia asked back, dumbfounded.


    Saved me? When? Did Frondier ever save me?


    ¡°I saved you when you were about to be killed by the devils. If you had stayed there, you would have been sucked dry of your blood and died.¡±


    ¡°That''s right! But one of them suddenly died, and the other suddenly knelt before you! In that situation, how could I possibly think of you as an ally!¡± ??


    At those words, Frondier brought his hand to his mouth, going "Hmm."


    He thought she would have seen the devil Kagris die. But she even saw him subjugate Bart. Elysia had been there longer than Frondier had thought.


    After a moment of thought, with his hand still at his mouth, Frondier spoke.


    ¡°...You saw?¡±


    ¡°Y, y, you! Get out! You''re scary! You''re really a psychopath, what the...¡±


    ¡°Just kidding. I have no intention of harming you anyway. If I did, I would have done it the night you fainted. Why would I bring you all the way to this inn and ask for someone to take care of you?¡±


    At those words, Elysia rolled her eyes for a moment and pulled the nket. Seeing that she seemed dissatisfied with what she was hugging, Frondier handed her the pillow he had received.


    Elysia snatched the pillow and pulled it into her embrace.


    ¡°...So? What''s your purpose?¡±


    Finally ready to listen, Elysia waited. Frondier nodded and briefly exined the situation so far.


    The three-way war between the devils of each faction. The threat approaching.


    ¡°...Devils? You''re saying there''s going to be a war?¡±


    ¡°That''s right. In the human territory.¡±


    Elysia''s jaw dropped. It was a difficult story for her to ept. Except for the devil she had just met, Elysia had never seen a devil before.


    But to hear that devils were actually hidden in the Empire in significant numbers, and that their war was imminent...


    ¡°Is that story for sure?¡±


    ¡°The devils from the west have alreadyunched a group attack on this side once. Elodie and I stopped them. Even if Satan''s devils are just a possibility, the western devils are a definite threat. A very close threat, too.¡±


    That''s why Frondier, after the western devils'' attack, informed Elodie and Lily of the situation.


    Of course, even if he hadn''t said anything, they already knew that their second and third attacks were inevitable.


    Hitchcock''s chairman, Arald, was the same. He would be able to detect the devils'' attacks much earlier than the previous incident.


    ¡°...I understand the story, but what do I have to do?¡±


    Elysia spoke with a slightly anxious face. The scale of the situation was more serious than she had expected, making it difficult for her to guess why Frondier had sought her out.


    She couldn''t be a powerful force like other magicians. Herbat magic was far behind Aten''s.


    ¡°Elysia, alchemy was your specialty, right? And the magic that applies it.¡±


    ¡°...Well, yes, but I don''t think it can be used in war.¡±


    Elysia started to get worried at Frondier''s words. Did he have overly romanticized ideas about alchemy because he didn''t know much about it? She was afraid he would ask her to turn wood into iron or something like that.


    Alchemy in this era was one of the major branches of magic. It involved extracting andbining the magically effective ''parts'' from materials obtained from animals, nts, metals, monsters, and so on.


    Therefore, it was impossible topletely transform a material into a different material. This was a tiresome question for Elysia.


    ¡°What I''m interested in is the magic you used.¡±


    But Frondier talked about something else.


    ¡°Magic?¡±


    ¡°Yes. ''Rafflesia''.¡±


    Rafflesia. Elysia''s expression darkened at the word.


    It was the magic Elysia had installed in Constel to induce the monster attack. A giant rune that lured monsters.


    Naturally, it was not a good memory for Elysia. It wouldn''t be for anyone.


    ¡°Why that? I won''t use it anymore, so you don''t have to worry.¡±


    Elysia''s tone naturally became blunt. To which Frondier replied.


    ¡°That''s a problem. I want you to use it.¡±


    ¡°...Rafflesia?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''s a rune that lures, right?¡±


    At those words, Elysia blinked and then opened her mouth wide.


    ¡°...Y, y-you don''t mean... the devils?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Frondier smiled.


    Elysia, flustered, said,


    ¡°That kind of thing won''t work on devils. It''s magic for monsters!¡±


    ¡°Low-ranking devils are practically no different from monsters. A high-ranking devil told me that himself.¡±


    ¡°Th, that''s just a saying, it doesn''t mean they''re the same, right?¡±


    ¡°Even so, it''s worth a try. War is ultimately a brawl involving many people. In other words, if there aren''t enough numbers, there can''t be a war. No matter how powerful an individual is, if the number of enemies is small, the fight will end small and quietly.¡±


    War, if described in a crude and simplistic manner, is simply a brawl. Not all wars have grand reasons behind them.


    It''s just a hundred or a thousand people gathering for a fight, perhaps with reasons as trivial as kids squabbling. Conversely, if there aren''t enough numbers, regardless of reasons or justifications, that cannot be called a war.


    ¡°Satan has left capable high-ranking devils in thisnd. It''s easy for them to hide among humans, and their power will overwhelm most humans.¡±


    Frondier predicted that the devils Satan had nted in the Empire would be much stronger than the devils currently hiding within the Empire. They would probably be on par with Mizonas, who had fought against his brother Azier.


    However, war is not waged by individuals.


    ¡°War is created by the masses. If you want to wreak havoc in the Empire, you have to unleash the dogs.¡±


    Ultimately, the biggest weight in this war lies with the western devils. They have a justification, an opportunity, and the signal to start the war.


    But if most of them, the low-ranking devils, could be lured to apletely different location...


    ¡°If the dogs start to disobey, I wonder which side will be the mess.¡±

 Chapter 314 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The Empire''s current work wasrgely divided into two categories.


    One was reconstruction. Repairing the damage caused by the war.


    Compared to the desperate situation, the damage was minor, but that was only inparison to the entire Empire. The absolute number of deaths and injuries was by no means small.


    While they were busy recovering from the damage within the Empire, such as transporting and collecting corpses and contacting bereaved families, the area that immediately consumed a lot of resources was, of course, the barrier.


    Despite Frondier''s use of Restoration, most of the barriers had suffered considerable damage from the bloody battles with the monsters.


    In other words, if Frondier hadn''t used Restoration, some barriers would have undoubtedly copsed.


    And the other task was to advance to the copsed Manggot.


    Originally, the Empire had built barriers to protect itself from the monsters outside.


    However, Manggot had survived for a long time without any barriers and had even grown strong enough to wage war against the Empire. This was due to the natural terrain of Manggot.Being at the end of the sea, there was no possibility of monsters invading from one direction, and in the other direction, theck of resources onnd meant that monsters wouldn''t approach.


    Of course, resources were also scarce from a human perspective, but Manggot could go hunting and gathering in the way they wanted, when they wanted.


    Naturally, there were many sacrifices in the process, but with those sacrifices, they had now acquired a considerable amount of knowledge about the outside monsters.


    The Empire now had the opportunity to gain a rtively safe area like Manggot and knowledge about the outside monsters.


    If they could build a road connecting the Empire to Manggot, they would have a chance to rewrite the history of mankind, whose territory had been endlessly shrinking.


    However, that was just an ideal story, and...


    ¡°...Are we still on standby?¡±


    For the people who were actually trying to do the work, it was just a ''continuation'' of the war.


    Expanding the territory to Manggot. To achieve this, two knight orders were moving.


    The Shroud Knight Order and the Roach Knight Order. The two most reliable pirs of the Empire.


    However, that was from the Empire''s perspective. The two knight orders were quite ufortable with each other. This was because the citizens had been vaguely aware of the gap between the two knight orders.


    The Shroud Knight Order, which had been hiding within the Empire and declining day by day, and the Roach Knight Order, which still firmly defended the barrier at the northernmost front. It was clear which side they would support.


    Of course, the Shroud Knight Order wasn''t without its arguments. It was the Imperial Pce that had summoned them, and even though they were doing rtively safe work, they weren''t failing to carry out their duties.


    Were they being criticized just because they weren''t guarding the barrier? Did that mean all knight orders should voluntarily go to the barrier to die?


    ©¤©¤Imagine if the Roach Knight Order didn''t have Lord Enfer. They would all scramble to retreat to the inner part of the Empire.


    Eventually, such rumors began to circte. Whether it was the Shroud Knight Order that started it or not was unknown.


    This might have been the Shroud Knight Order''s best defense, but it scratched at the Roach Knight Order''s pride.


    Even though the war was over, the rift between the two knight orders was not mended.


    And now, at present.


    The biggest disagreement ever between the two knightmanders, Sanders and Sylvain, was taking ce.


    "How long are we supposed to wait? In this ce without any barriers, the knight division is already at its limit due to fatigue and stress."


    Sanders said. Although he was a long-time friend with Sylvain, his tone was formal and stiff because it was a meeting room.


    And even if this wasn''t a meeting room, he would still disagree with Sylvain.


    Sylvain, with his arms crossed, said,


    "It''s an order. It''s a time when patience is needed."


    "...It''s been over a week since we arrived here. Even if we have managed so far, we don''t know when the monsters outside will target this ce and attack."


    In fact, the two knight divisions had already arrived at Manggot.


    Not only Manggot, but also the monsters had suffered a great deal of damage in the war. It was natural for them, who had intelligence, to protect themselves and hide since the simultaneous offensive had ended in failure.


    Taking advantage of this gap, the knight divisions arrived at Manggot rtively safely, but the problem was what happened afterwards.


    "The temporary barrier won''tst long. If we really want to conduct a proper investigation, we need to call for more troops. Otherwise, it''s right for us to retreat. It''s too much for the knights alone to stay here."


    "Soon the next order will be given, so please wait a little longer,"


    "It''s not the Emperor''smand! That damned devil or whatever! In such an uncertain situation!"


    Sanders couldn''t help but shout in agitation. At his words, Sylvain, who had been calm all along, red at Sanders.


    Sanders said,


    "¡­Where is Lord Roach right now? Who did the Lord receive information from and issue such an order?"


    "Commander Sanders."


    "I need to see him now."


    "Sanders! Calm down, we''ve already considered the time,"


    "I can''t let my knights die like dogs!!"


    Sanders shouted and left the conference room.

 Chapter 315 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As Sanders exited the meeting room, which was a makeshift tent, the Knights of Shroud turned their gaze towards him.


    Though they tried to hide it, anxiety flickered in their eyes.


    One of the knights approached Sanders.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to meet with Lord Enfer now.¡±


    In other words, it didn''t go well.


    The knight''s face grew worried.


    ¡°Will you be alright? I''ve heard that the Lord of Roach does not tolerate any objections. He imposes severe punishments in such cases.¡±


    ¡°It''s better than all of us dying here.¡±Although Sanders spoke with a semnce of confidence, fear crept up within him.


    Enfer, the Lord of Roach.


    Known as the Iron Wall, he was admired by countless citizens and knights, but he wasn''t perfect.


    His most obvious w was his stubbornness.


    Enfer rarely withdrew or changed his opinions.


    During the Knight Order''s strategy meetings, he mostly left things to Sylvain, but when Enfer spoke, no one dared to object.


    Of course, this was partly due to Enfer''s personality, but it was also necessary to maintain the absolute vertical hierarchy of military discipline required to protect Yeranhes.


    He couldn''t waver, he couldn''t make wrong decisions, and even if he did, the knights under hismand had to trust him and follow his orders.


    However, it was true that there were excessive aspects to his leadership. Azier and Frondier had borne the brunt of it.


    Thump, thump.


    Sanders headed towards the tent where Enfer was staying. Reaching the entrance, he raised his hand and then lowered it.


    He had intended to knock, but of course, that was out of the question. This alone made him realize how nervous he was.


    ¡°...Lord of Roach. It''s Sanders.¡±


    And for a brief moment, silence descended. In that short span, Sanders felt as if he couldn''t breathe.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Enfer''s voice came from inside. Sanders, feeling his sides naturally tense up, spoke.


    ¡°I apologize, but I have some doubts about the standby order and came to see you. The knights'' anxiety is growing.¡±


    It was a rather direct statement, but with Enfer, beating around the bush would only make things worse.


    Still feeling uneasy, Sanders continued. He had a feeling he would be turned away at the door.


    ¡°...If you could give me a little time to exin, I''ll try to persuade them...¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Enfer interrupted Sanders. However, the content was the opposite of what Sanders had expected.


    ¡°Y-you want me toe in...?¡±


    ¡°Is there another meaning to it? Didn''t you say you wanted an exnation?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡±


    Sanders hesitantly lifted the tent p and stepped inside.


    Enfer was alone, looking at arge map hanging on the wall.


    He spoke.


    ¡°The knights are anxious?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡±


    In truth, Sanders was the most anxious among them, but even so, he couldn''t say that.


    Instead, Sanders first exined the reason for their anxiety.


    ¡°It''s been over a week since the standby order was issued. This ce ispletely isted from the Empire. We''re not protected by the barrier, and if wee this far out, there''s a risk of encountering abyssal monsters.¡± ???


    Abyssal monsters.


    The Cyclops that Frondier had in, the Minotaur hordes that Aster had defeated.


    Manggot was the westernmost tip of the continent. Havinge this deep, there was no guarantee that such creatures wouldn''t appear again.


    To this, Enfer replied.


    ¡°As you know, this is Manggot. There''s a reason why the people who lived here survived for so long. In fact, we''ve already secured escape routes into the caves of Manggot in case of any problems. Isn''t that right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir. But I don''t understand why. The knights are increasingly questioning why we''re on standby for such a long time, even with such preparations in ce.¡±


    Of course, Sanders knew the general reason.


    It was because of the predicted attack by the ''devil''.


    However, this was only what he had heard from Sylvain, and it was too absurd a story to reveal to the knights, so he kept it a secret.


    When he asked Sylvain about the source of the information, Sylvain said he had heard it from Enfer, and he didn''t know how Enfer had received the information.


    This was what made Sanders uneasy.


    ¡°Lord, the appearance of a devil on thisnd is an extremely rare urrence. Why are we concerned about devils here, beyond the Empire''s territory, at the western edge?¡±


    ¡°Precisely because this is the western edge.¡±


    After speaking, Enfer pointed his finger at a part of the map. It was the Manggot where they were staying.


    ¡°Soon, the Empire''s schrs were nning to thoroughly investigate the interior of the Manggot caves. There are a considerable amount of research materials and traces of something being investigated here, and the aim was to find out what they were looking for. Originally, the work should have already begun. But new information reached my ears.¡±


    Saying so, Enfer''s finger moved further west, towards the sea.


    ¡°There is a new continent besides this one. And the story is that devils are flying from there.¡±


    ¡°...Devils exist on a western continent we haven''t seen yet?¡±


    ¡°The Empire''s original intention to expand its territory to Manggot was also to sail across the distant sea. The Empire doesn''t yet know what lies beyond the sea. There''s no guarantee that there isn''t anotherndmass of this size.¡±


    ¡°But thatnd is thend of devils? Aren''t they supposed to be in the Demon Realm?¡±


    ¡°That''s what everyone thought. That all devils were in the Demon Realm.¡±


    As Enfer spoke, his eyes gradually narrowed.


    ¡°But if that were the case, the people of Manggot should have also originally been in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±

 Chapter 315 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°For those of us who know the history of Manggot, we naturally cannot ignore the possibility of ''abandoned devils''.¡±


    At those words, Sanders fell silent.


    If there really was another continent to the west, and devils lived there, it might be reasonable for the Empire''s strongest Knight Order to be stationed here.


    As if to support that thought, Enfer continued.


    ¡°Recently, numerous bodies of unknown origin have been discovered within the Empire. They''re not even hiding their faces, and people with no blood rtions are appearing one after another. Even among the nobles. A note is left with these bodies, saying that the deceased is a devil.¡±


    ¡°...There was such news? It''s been a while since I left the Empire, so I haven''t received recent reports.¡±


    Sanders was so far away from the Empire now that he didn''t know the Empire''s news. Even the Sage Phone didn''t work. This was the same for Sylvain.


    But Enfer knew. Why? While Sanders was wondering about this, Enfer spoke.


    ¡°We waged war with Manggot. And the leader of Manggot was a devil. A devil bearing the name of one of the Seven Deadly Sins. After his death, the keyword ''devil'' is appearing everywhere. I don''t believe this is a coincidence. Most devils are born with the ability to use aura and fly using their wings. Ordinary soldiers are no match for them.¡±¡°...Could it be, Lord... the person who conveyed the information about the western devils attacking...¡±


    Only then did Sanders have a guess.


    Why Enfer was so secretive about devils, why he didn''t reveal the source of the information.


    It was because the information wasn''t very credible, and yet, Enfer believed it.


    There were very few people who could instill such trust in Enfer.


    ¡°If the knights are afraid of death, that''s something toment. It means their spirit to protect the Empire has rotted. But if they fear a meaningless death, don''t worry. That will never happen.¡±


    ¡°Lord...¡±


    ¡°Sanders, we need to be here. Trust me.¡±


    Just like the knights, Enfer knew that this ce was dangerous. But it wasn''t because of the monsters outside. There was a potentially more dangerous being that could attack this ce at any time.


    They would be the first to witness the devil''s attack, the first to respond, and while they held the line, the Empire would be aware of the devil''s assault.


    ¡®...I''m surprised. Honestly, I didn''t expect him to tell me the story.¡¯


    Sanders had gone to Enfer prepared to be scolded. If it ended with just a scolding, it would be fortunate, but he was afraid of what kind of severe punishment might be imposed. ?


    But now, Enfer was showing a sidepletely different from what Sanders had expected.


    ¡°...Lord, you seem to have changed a bit...¡±


    Sanders was startled by the words that came out of his mouth unconsciously. Good heavens, even if he was relieved, how could he say such a thing to Enfer!


    Did he have a death wish?


    ¡°Changed...¡±


    However, Enfer calmly epted even these words, and then...


    ¡°I should. That''s what I''m trying to do.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Sanders was even more surprised than before. It was surprising enough that Enfer would say such a thing, but more than that, he saw a hint of regret in his eyes.


    It could be Sanders''s imagination, but it was definitely different from the face Enfer usually showed.


    ...Enfer had a voice that had been echoing in his ears ever since that day.


    ©¤I know I was an unreliable son to you.


    His son''s voice.


    His second son, Frondier, was weak and powerlesspared to his brother, and therefore, he never held any expectations.


    That''s why Enfer had long been prepared to be hated by him.


    The burden of Roach was too heavy for that weak child. But he couldn''t make an exception for Roach. It would be unfair to Azier and the Knights of Roach.


    That''s why he distanced himself from Frondier, even prepared to banish him. He believed that leaving Roach would make his son happy.


    Therefore, it was okay to be hated. It had to be that way. Frondier''s resentment and anger, starting from there, would burn away hisziness.


    But...


    ©¤I have to pay the price for myziness.


    Frondier didn''t resent him.


    He said it was all his own fault and understood Enfer.


    Even Frondier''sziness was ultimately nothing more than a devil''s curse.


    He had lived with the curse of the highest-ranking devils, the Seven Deadly Sins, all by himself.


    He said that all thatziness was his own fault.


    Enfer, who tried to banish him, Malia, who remained silent, Azier, who gave up on his brother.


    He had been ridiculed and mocked by all of Constel,beled with the derogatory nickname ''Human Sloth''.


    He said that all of it was his own fault.


    ¡°Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes?¡±


    Enfer called out to Sanders.


    His voice was so unfamiliar that Sanders stammered even in his reply.


    ¡°Have you ever apologized to someone?¡±


    ¡°...Ah, yes. If I made a mistake or did something wrong, I apologized. Of course, there were times when the other person forgave me and times when they didn''t.¡±


    ¡°Then, what if...¡±


    Starting like that, Enfer hesitated for a brief moment. In that short pause, his sigh escaped.


    ¡°What if the other person had already forgiven you before you even apologized?¡±


    And at his next words, Sanders was left speechless.


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ***


    There was one thing Frondier had overlooked.


    Elysia, who had stepped down from her royal status and was struggling to live each day, was almostpletely unaware of the Empire''s overall situation.


    Especially regarding Frondier.


    ¡°©¤©¤So, I''m going to gather the hidden devils and move them to a different location. I want to avoid the Imperial Pce being affected as much as possible. If I get His Majesty''s permission first, and the Zodiacs help out, moving them shouldn''t be too difficult. The western devils will be discovered by the Knight Order first, so that''s where I need your help...¡±


    ¡°W-w-wait a minute.¡±


    Elysia interrupted Frondier''s exnation.


    ¡°W-who''s going to get Dad''s permission?¡±


    ¡°Well, I will.¡±


    ¡°And who''s going to ask for the Zodiacs'' help?¡±


    ¡°Well, I will.¡±


    ¡°...How?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The conversation wasn''t connecting. As Frondier tilted his head in confusion, Elysia continued.


    ¡°I-I mean, why would Dad, the Zodiacs, help you? You''re just a student at Constel. Aren''t you getting a bit too ahead of yourself just because you did well in thest war?¡±


    Elysia looked at Frondier with a sullen expression.


    That''s all Elysia knew. Frondier had made a contribution in the war. That was it.


    Understanding this, Frondier let out a short, ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°What happened was...¡±


    Frondier started to exin, raising his finger, then lowering it again.


    Pulling his lips into a line, Frondier said,


    ¡°...It seems like exining this will take even longer.¡±


    He sighed. He wasn''t even sure if she would believe him even if he exined everything diligently.


    Frondier changed his mind. In this case, action was faster than exnation.


    ¡°Let''s go to the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I was nning to go anyway, so it''s faster to see it for yourself.¡±

 Chapter 316 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Philly received a letter first, informing her of Frondier''s visit to the Imperial Pce.


    It was sent by none other than Frondier himself.


    Additionally, it included a kind note mentioning that Elysia would be apanying him.


    "......So, what excuse will you make now?"


    "......"


    Philly red at E, who was bowing his head before her. E remained silent, avoiding her gaze.


    "The Shadow Unit suspected that Frondier might be in some sort of cooperative rtionship with the devils. On top of that, they said my daughter Elysia''s disappearance was also due to Frondier. They definitely said that. My memory is not mistaken."


    "......It was merely mentioned as a possibility,"


    "Oh, a possibility. How about I punish you because you seem to have the potential to nder the Empress right now?""......I apologize!"


    E bowed deeply and apologized. It was a disgrace unbing of the Shadow Unit.


    But E was filled with resentment.


    ''Damn it! I told you it was unreasonable!''


    E acts as a bridge between the Shadow Unit and the Empress, cing him in an awkward position within the Shadow Unit.


    Regardless of E''s individual stance, the Shadow Unit recently viewed Frondier as a significant thorn in their side.


    He was aware of the Shadow Unit''s Mana injection n and had the audacity to warn the entire Shadow Unit about it.


    But that was the will of the Shadow Unit, not E''s.


    There is a ''possibility'' that Frondier might be colluding with the devils. Convey that to the Empress.


    The moment E heard that from the Shadow Unit''s upper echelons, his vision went dark. How on earth was he supposed to deliver this message? If he didn''t, the Shadow Unit would kill him, and if he did, Philly would kill him.


    Ultimately, E was still alive, so conveying the Shadow Unit''s message to Philly was the correct answer.


    Philly wouldn''t kill an individual out of anger.


    It would only cause the trust and favorability towards the entire Shadow Unit to plummet endlessly.


    ''Sigh, what should I do?''


    Philly fell into contemtion.


    The Shadow Unit suspected that Frondier and the devils were colluding. While this stemmed from their desire to eliminate Frondier, it wasn''t entirely baseless.


    Above all, Philly needed to keep an eye on that possibility for the Shadow Unit''s desired oue to unfold.


    In other words, the Shadow Unit investigated Frondier and must have witnessed him conversing with or being in thepany of devils during the process. That much was obvious.


    ......But, would Frondier be unaware that he was being investigated by the Shadow Unit?


    From this point onwards, things be far from obvious.


    ''When he tried to save Miss Ameline, Frondier warned the Shadow Unit. Even though the Shadow Unit attempted a direct attack on the carriage, he made it all ''disappear''.''


    That was a kind of negotiation Frondier offered to the Shadow Unit.


    Causing a stir within the entire Shadow Unit would be dangerous for Frondier himself, and it would likely harm those around him as well.


    However, it wouldn''t be easy for the Shadow Unit to eliminate Frondier, who was protecting Ameline.


    So, ignore Ameline. As long as she doesn''t go around bbing about the Mana injections, don''t threaten her.


    Frondier drew this line.


    It was both a negotiation and a warning.


    ''The Shadow Unit suspected Frondier was responsible for Elysia''s disappearance, but Frondier is actually bringing Elysia here himself.''


    Could this be taken at face value?


    Was it just a lucky coincidence that in this vast Empire, Frondier happened to find Elysia and bring her to the Imperial Pce,pletely unaware of the Shadow Unit''s suspicions?


    In Ameline''s case, Frondier had given a clear warning to the Shadow Unit. Yet, the Shadow Unit had transgressed again.


    So, wasn''t Frondiering to this Imperial Pce to show them what a ''second'' warning meant?


    "E, do you remember what I said?"


    "What, words......?"


    "When choosing between Frondier and the Shadow Unit, the Empire will always choose Frondier."


    "Yes, yes! I remember it clearly."


    "......Then, prepare yourself for today."


    "Yes, yes?"


    Philly let out a sigh.


    Frondier didn''t want to be the Empire''s enemy.


    That was the reason why the Shadow Unit was still intact.


    However, Empress Philly also didn''t want to be Frondier''s enemy.


    Even if it meant abandoning the Shadow Unit.


    ''......Why don''t they understand that they''re only alive because Frondier doesn''t know that. Shadow Unit.''


    Ironically,


    Every moment Philly kept this trivial truth to herself, she was protecting the Shadow Unit.

 Chapter 316 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The Roach family''s carriage headed towards the Imperial Pce.


    The driver, who was usually indifferent towards Frondier, kept ncing at the back seat today.


    It was because of Elysia sitting next to Frondier.


    As expected of someone from the Roach family, even the driver had discerning eyes and recognized Elysia''s face.


    Of course, Frondier paid no attention.


    Instead, he said to Elysia,


    "You''re my servant for today."


    "Wh, what?"


    "There''s no other way. It''s difficult formoners to enter the Imperial Pce. But it''s no problem if you im to be part of my family."Elysia, with a face full of suppressed dissatisfaction, kept her mouth shut. More than being called a servant, she was angry that he was treating her as amoner, which she was.


    "Or do you want to be a maid? It might be easier to deceive people."


    "Forget it! You don''t even have a maid outfit!"


    "I do. A maid outfit."


    "......You do? A maid outfit? Right now?"


    "Yes. In the car trunk."


    "......Why do you have something like that."


    Because he actually had a maid by his side. Selena had several outfits that Frondier had bought for her, and some of them were stored in the trunk.


    Frondier used the car tomute to Constel. Selena''s original job was as a bodyguard, so it was a spare in case of emergency.


    Then Frondier suddenly remembered something and said,


    "Ah, but the size might not fit."


    "Is the person who wears it tall?"


    "Her height is simr."


    "Then is it because I''m too skinny? I haven''t been eating welltely."


    "......She''s probably simr in terms of being skinny too."


    "Then why wouldn''t the size fit?"


    Frondier remained silent at that. Elysia blinked and her face flushed red.


    "Hey, hey you! Don''t tell me!"


    "I don''t know much about women''s clothes, but wouldn''t the size not fit in that case too?"


    "It wouldn''t fit! You don''t even know that?! And don''t talk about that! Don''t even bring up that topic from the start!"


    "......I was just answering your question."


    Meanwhile, the diligently moving car arrived in front of the Imperial Pce.


    Only then did Elysia be tense and look ahead.


    "Uh, am I, am I getting out?"


    "You have to. The car can''t enter from here. You know that, right?"


    "But, I''m still scared."


    Elysia''s face turned pale, showing that she wasn''t just saying it.


    Elysia was a criminal. If it wasn''t Philly or Frondier, they wouldn''t know the details, but at least everyone knew that Elysia had stepped down from the throne. R


    There were familiar faces in the Imperial Pce that Elysia often saw. She was afraid to see them again.


    "Hmm. I see."


    Frondier nodded as if he understood.


    Then he said,


    "Get out."


    "......Huh?"


    "Get out ande back to this door and open the door of the car I''m in. Don''t look straight ahead."


    When Elysia blinked in confusion, Frondier''s eyes turned cold.


    "Get out. Now."


    "......"


    Elysia nodded at his words and opened the car door. As Frondier instructed, she walked with her head down, looking only at the ground. When she opened the door to the back seat where Frondier was, he stepped out.


    "Don''t walk in front of me or next to me. Stay behind me at all times, and stop the moment I stop. Don''t raise your head, shift your gaze, or look away while we''re walking."


    "......Okay."


    "Use honorifics."


    "Th, that doesn''t matter, right?"


    Elysia spoke as if protesting. Frondier smiled faintly.


    "Right. Just kidding."


    "Uh......?"


    "Let''s go."


    Frondier walked ahead, and Elysia followed closely behind.


    Frondier had changed Elysia''s clothes. The clothes that were soaked in the rain were all ruined, and the clothes Elysia had brought in the trunk were of too poor quality.


    He gave Elysia clothes from the mansion, so she was actually wearing the clothes of one of the mansion''s servants.


    Elysia whispered in a voice as small as an ant from behind.


    "B, but you, even if you''re from a prestigious family, is it okay to juste and go from the Imperial Pce as you please?"


    "Come and go as I please? I have important business."


    "That''s not what I mean, I''m saying aren''t you relying too much on your family''s name? I''m not one to talk, but your image isn''t that great either,"


    When Frondier reached the main gate of the Imperial Pce,


    Elysia''s words naturally trailed off.


    The Imperial Pce knights were lined up, and as if to wee them, they raised their swords high.


    It was simr to how the Roach Knights had weed Frondier when he returned after destroying the Helheim fragment.


    Of course, Frondier hadn''t seen it at all back then because he was sprawled out asleep on his horse.


    "W, wow......"


    Elysia let out a voice filled with admiration.


    At the same time, she had this thought. Could it be that Dad or Mom are weing me back?


    "Bow your head."


    As if topletely dispel that thought, Frondier warned in a quiet voice.


    "There are many people here who know you. It''s you, not me, who will be in trouble if your face is seen."


    "B, but with this kind of wee, there''s no need to worry about that,"


    Elysia said in a voice still filled with hope, but


    "Frondier~! You''vee!"


    This time, someone else interrupted her.


    A voice Elysia could never forget. A voice she resented and longed for even in her dreams.


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    As Frondier greeted her respectfully, Elysia also bowed her head involuntarily.


    "Come,e in. You must be tired from your journey."


    Philly greeted Frondier with a bright smile on her face. She didn''t say a word to Elysia. No, it was as if she couldn''t even see Elysia.


    ''......Then all this wee from the knights and Moming out to the main gate to wait, it''s all because of Frondier......?''


    Elysia was shocked by this realization. She couldn''t understand why she wasn''t included at all in the reason for this wee.


    As she slowly raised her head,


    "......!"


    She met Philly''s icy gaze and quickly lowered her head again.


    ''Fr, Frondier! What on earth have you been doing all this time!''


    Elysia gritted her teeth and was confused.


    ©¤©¤However, there was actually a bit more to this wee than that.


    While weing Frondier, Philly was constantly thinking.


    ''If the Shadow Unit is Frondier''s target, I need to create some room for conversation first.''


    From Philly''s perspective, the Shadow Unit was still useful. The people who attempted the Mana injection n had all been killed by the devils, so there had been an unintentional reshuffling, and that much room for improvement remained.


    Of course, if Frondier didn''t care about any of that and came with the intention of killing all the Shadow Unit, it might be better for Philly to personally deliver the Shadow Unit to him. But she couldn''t yet discern Frondier''s true intentions.


    Therefore, the wee should be extravagant, as courteous as receiving a war hero, and as friendly to each other as they always had been.


    Since Frondier''s reputation in the Empire was skyrocketing anyway, there was no burden in preparing this much. They could have made it even more magnificent and grand.


    But that would only arouse Frondier''s suspicion. Philly and Frondier knew too much about each other.


    "I''m humbled by your generous hospitality."


    "Not at all, there''s no need for that. You''re the hero who saved the Empire."


    Frondier and Philly smiled warmly at each other.


    Elysia was shocked and confused by this sight.


    However, in the meantime,


    From the moment they first met until now,


    The smiles of Frondier and Philly were always busy reading each other''s thoughts.

 Chapter 317 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier followed Philly''s lead, strolling through the Imperial Pce.


    He realized this was his first time entering the pce since the war. Despite theck of people, there was a sense of busyness in the air. They were probably upied with the restoration and processing after the war.


    ¡®¡­As expected, I can''t let another war break out here.¡¯


    The Empire wasn''t prepared for another war. Due to the unique nature of the Empire, with Manggot being the only potential enemy on the continent, their sense of preparedness for such a situation was weak.


    Frondier had informed his father, Enfer, about the devils in the west. Worried that his words alone mightck credibility, he had also asked Elodie, a fellow witness, to do the same.


    Even so, he wasn''t sure how much Enfer would believe him, but as long as he kept it in mind, the Roach and Shroud Knight Orders would act as guardians while they were in Manggot.


    ¡®Philly must have already received information about the devils, is this somewhat boisterous wee because of that?¡¯


    Frondier had built a considerable amount of trust with Philly. Of all the characters he had met so far, they were the ones who had doubted each other the most, but perhaps because of that, their current trust was strong.


    This trust wasn''t a belief that Philly was a good person, but rather an understanding of what kind of person Philly was.¡®Does Philly want something from me? Information, or perhaps simple support.¡¯


    It wouldn''t be strange to think that Philly was waiting for him and preparing to wee him for that reason.


    ¡®¡­Is there another purpose?¡¯


    As Frondier followed Philly''s back, his thoughts elerated.


    Following Frondier''s back, Elysia struggled to quell the confusion that spread like ripples through her heart.


    ¡®Wow, everyone passing by is greeting Frondier. So politely¡­.¡¯


    Elysia was lost in thought, marveling in Frondier''s stead as he wasn''t paying attention to his surroundings.


    It was as if Frondier was now receiving the treatment she had received when she was royalty. No, perhaps even better.


    ¡®Both Frondier and mother are taking it for granted. Frondier must have done something during the war¡­.¡¯


    The only thing Elysia knew about Frondier recently was the one line that he had achieved great feats during the war.


    Even if it was a great achievement, there was a limit to what Elysia could imagine.


    At best, she imagined that he had stopped the monster attacks pouring out of Constel in the middle, just like what she had experienced.


    Of course, that was also a great achievement. Something no one else could do.


    Yet, even so, Frondier was still the ¡®human sloth¡¯ afterwards.


    Therefore, the current change in situation didn''t feel real to Elysia at all. It felt like a dream. A dream where she would wake up and wonder for a long time whether it was a nightmare or not.


    It was then.


    ¡°¡­¡­Your Majesty.¡±


    Frondier suddenly stopped walking and spoke.


    ¡°Have you brought a guard?¡±


    ¡°A guard¡­¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    Philly asked, looking back at Frondier.


    Frondier narrowed his eyes and said.


    ¡°¡­¡­Someone is watching us. If it''s someone Your Majesty doesn''t know, I''ll take care of it.¡±


    At those words, Philly blinked for a moment.


    Then, as if realizing something, she widened her eyes, a rare urrence.


    ¡®E~~!!¡¯


    There was no doubt. He was talking about the shadow agent, E. He was watching them using stealth.


    ¡®I told him not to approach like that!¡¯


    She knew E''s stealth was excellent. It wasn''t that she trusted her own senses, but the fact that he had reached her without being detected by anyone in the pce was certainly impressive.


    However, Philly had warned E. She told him not to evene near them while Frondier was around if he didn''t want to see something unpleasant.


    Philly didn''t know how good Frondier''s senses were, but the risk was too great if E was caught.


    E must have been confident. Confident that no one in the pce would notice him, and that Frondier would be the same.


    But that confidence turned into nothing more than arrogance at this moment.


    ¡°Ah, right. It''s my guard. The entire pce has been busytely, so it''s inevitable that the defenses are neglected. Just in case, I''ve assigned a guard.¡±


    Philly changed her expression and said with a smile. Both her expression and excuse were quite usible considering they were made up on the spot. As expected, the Empress''s skills shone even at this moment.


    ¡°I see. As expected of Your Majesty.¡±


    Frondier nodded as if convinced. However, in Frondier''s case, it was impossible for others to be sure if he was truly convinced, so Philly simply believed that he was.


    Walking forward again, Philly felt her face flush. She clenched her teeth.


    She had believed that there was room for improvement in the shadow agents, but instead of improvement, hadn''t their level dropped even lower than when they were purged by the devils?


    Meanwhile, Frondier thought.


    ¡®¡­He seems to be using stealth.¡¯


    In Frondier''s case, he had a ¡®sixth sense¡¯ that made stealth techniques ineffective. It was a sense that could even pierce through Elodie''s magic. It was almost impossible to surprise him.


    However, the only problem was that the sixth sense was so good that he couldn''t gauge the opponent''s level.


    ¡®I don''t know if he''s hiding well or not.¡¯


    Right now, Frondier could pinpoint E''s location. He was no different from anyone else.


    Therefore, even if E was hiding using all sorts of stealth techniques, Frondier couldn''t tell whether it was a bination of all sorts of stealth techniques¡¯ or ¡®just that¡¯.


    However, there was one other thing he could tell with his sixth sense.


    This ability, which he had originally obtained by devouring the soul of Helheim, was extremely sensitive to ¡®killing intent¡¯.


    ¡®He seems to think of me as an enemy. Does he know me?¡¯


    Frondier felt E''s killing intent. It wasn''t that strong, but E was clearly trying to kill him. However, the killing intent was so weak that it felt clumsy.


    ¡®It''s not like a personal grudge, he''s just trying to kill me because he has to.¡¯


    Was this also because he was Philly''s guard? Because Frondier was behind Philly''s back?


    But Philly was the Empress, and she inevitably walked ahead of everyone else. Was he saying that every time this happened, Philly''s guard would reveal their killing intent?


    Within the pce, someone who wanted to kill Frondier but was protected by Philly.


    Frondier let out a sound unconsciously after finishing his thoughts.


    To Philly, it sounded like he had grasped the situation.


    And unfortunately,


    ¡®I get it.¡¯


    Frondier roughly understood,


    ¡®He knows.¡¯


    Philly realized that Frondier roughly understood.

 Chapter 317 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Philly guided Frondier to the reception room. It was the same ce where they always had their conversations.


    However, this time it was different because of Elysia''s presence.


    ¡°¡­¡­Have you employed a servant?¡±


    Philly asked Frondier, without even ncing at Elysia.


    Whether it was disregard for Elysia or consideration that it would be better not to look at her.


    Either way, Elysia thought, ¡®That''s so like mother.¡¯


    ¡°Yes. I didn''t really need one while attending Constel, but it became necessary as I moved from ce to ce.¡±


    Frondier replied casually. They were talking about Elysia anyway. They both roughly understood the situation. They were just matching their words.


    However, Frondier was a little surprised.¡®She''s leaving Elysia''s treatment to me.¡¯


    Frondier remembered the regret Philly had shown when she had slightly stabbed Elysia with a knife, when she thought he had killed Elysia.


    Philly''s feelings for her daughters were special. Although Aten''s rank was the highest, her heart for Elysia and Sale was also immense.


    However, after Elysia became amoner, Philly had treated herpletely like a stranger.


    ¡°Come to think of it, Frondier, you became a knight of Lady Zodiac Ria Lis.¡±


    ¡°Yes. For a month. Come to think of it, that month is almost over.¡±


    At Frondier''s answer, Philly tilted her head slightly and looked at him.


    ¡­¡­There was no particr change in Frondier''s appearance.


    ¡°Frondier, don''t you feel like you''ve changed somehow?¡±


    All of Ria Lis''s knights swore allegiance to her over time.


    It was already a well-known story among the nobles and upper ss, so Philly asked without hiding anything.


    Frondier smiled bitterly at that.


    ¡°I''m also trying to figure that out right now. Whether I, as a person, have changed or not.¡±


    As expected, Frondier''s answer was strange, as if he was conscious of it as well.


    ¡°¡­¡­To my eyes, I can''t really tell if you''ve changed.¡±


    ¡°I''m relieved to hear Your Majesty say that. Truly.¡±


    Frondier was genuinely relieved by Philly''s answer. It was Philly''s eyes, not anyone else''s. It wasn''t confirmation, but it was enough to beforting. ???


    ¡°Did you find out why everyone bes loyal to Lady Ria Lis after actually going there?¡±


    Philly, of course, didn''t know that Ria Lis was a devil. So, naturally, she was very interested in the secret of loyalty.


    If she knew the secret and could do it herself, as the Empress, everything would be much easier.


    ¡°¡­¡­I don''t know exactly what kind of feelings other knights have, but in my case.¡±


    As Frondier started to speak, Philly waited for his next words with a bit of anticipation.


    Frondier said.


    ¡°The work isfortable.¡±


    ¡°Although I was called a knight, except for the first task, I just followed a certain noble around. I stood when told to stand, smiled when told to smile, and poured drinks when told to pour drinks.¡±


    At those words, Philly thought for a moment.


    Honestly, the content of his words was no different from that of a host, but considering Frondier''s personality, he wouldn''t have done all those things subserviently.


    He would have moved with his uniquenguid atmosphere, as the son of Roach, as a nobleman. Wearing his signature ck suit.


    As a result of imagining that.


    ¡°¡­¡­You must have been popr, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°I did keep receiving assignments.¡±


    Those were appointments, not assignments. She almost said those words but held back.


    Frondier smiled and said nonchntly.


    ¡°That''s only if you exclude the first task, of course.¡±


    Philly thought, it''s finally here.


    Bringing a servant, asking about them, needing a servant because he became Lily''s knight, and therefore bringing up the story of the ¡®shadow agent¡¯, the first task after bing a knight, if that was the case.


    Even Philly was getting tired of that natural leading.


    Philly smiled bitterly and said.


    ¡°It''s always nice to see you, Mr. Frondier, but it''s a shame that we always meet with bad news.¡±


    ¡°It''s truly a shame, but that''s the case this time as well.¡±


    As expected, Frondier showed no mercy at all.


    However, despite holding the reins of the conversation, Frondier was quite troubled.


    ¡®I don''t like the shadow agent, but Philly is an important person to me.¡¯


    In terms of ability or trust, Frondier had no reason to be hostile towards Philly.


    Therefore, even holding Philly''s weakness right now was, ironically, a bit troublesome for Frondier.


    ¡®Information about the devils, even if I hide it from everyone else, Philly needs to know. Bartello has returned, but Philly''s influence is still stronger for now. Philly is the one who can make the Empire move the fastest.¡¯


    However, to Philly, devils were the enemies of humanity. There were no exceptions.


    Not only Philly, but everyone in the Empire thought that way. Frondier couldn''t change this prejudice.


    Naturally, it would also be difficult for Philly to ept that Frondier was using devils as his subordinates.


    But for the smooth operation, he had to tell Philly this fact.


    ¡®¡­I have no choice. I''ve never used this method on anyone else, but.¡¯


    There was one way he could do it because he trusted Philly.


    ¡°Philly.¡±


    Frondier called Philly by that name for the first time in a long time.


    Needless to say, Elysia''s mouth fell open.


    On the other hand, Philly''s expression softened as if she was relieved.


    ¡°What is it? Mr. Frondier.¡±


    ¡°I came today for some advice.¡±


    Advice? Suddenly, what for?


    When Philly tilted her head instead of asking, Frondier said.


    ¡°This is a secret, but I''m trying to use devils. I''m controlling devils, making them my subordinates.¡±


    Philly was surprised.


    The shadow agent suspected that Frondier was involved with devils. Whether it was in a good or bad way, it wasn''t something Frondier would want others to know.


    Moreover, E was listening right now. Frondier would know that too.


    In other words, Frondier had revealed his own weakness on purpose.


    ¡®¡­I see!¡¯


    Philly quickly understood what he meant.


    ¡®This is Frondier''s second negotiation!¡¯

 Chapter 318 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Philly could sense that Frondier was aware of the Shadow Unit''s involvement.


    Aware that the Shadow Unit suspected a connection between Frondier and the devils, and had ryed that information to Philly. Even if he didn''t know that, he must have realized that E, who had just been hiding, was from the Shadow Unit.


    This was a clear weakness for Philly. Especially when dealing with the current Frondier, whose power could no longer be easily suppressed even by the Imperial Pce, unlike in the past.


    If Frondier used that weakness as leverage in their conversation, it would be much easier to gain an advantage, but then it wouldn''t be a proper dialogue.


    That''s why Frondier decided to speak up himself.


    That he was connected to the devils.


    That this was his current weakness.


    "...You control devils?"


    However, Philly still found it difficult to ept and asked again.A human controlling a devil? She had never even imagined it. In the first ce, in this Empire where the actual appearance of devils could be counted on one hand, such an idea was too far ahead of its time.


    "Yes. It turns out devils have a strict hierarchy. They obey those stronger than themselves and despise the weak."


    Frondier spoke, concealing the story about the ''power of devils''. Exining it now would be difficult to understand, and Philly might suspect that Frondier himself was a devil.


    Philly''s expression became subtle as she listened to Frondier''s words.


    "...So, Mr. Frondier, are you saying you''re going to have a ''hierarchy sorting'' with the devils?"


    "Not that I''m going to, but I already have. In the process, there were some...unfortunate incidents."


    "Unfortunate incidents?"


    "...I failed to control my strength."


    At Frondier''s words, Philly narrowed her eyes, then soon wore a dumbfounded expression and said,


    "The people who were recently found dead, the notes left there. It was all Mr. Frondier''s doing."


    Ha, a sigh naturally escaped Philly. Still, it was somewhat relieving to know who the unidentified indiscriminate killer was.


    Moreover, she had been worried that the murdered people might actually all be humans, but if Frondier did it, they must all be devils.


    "Ms. Philly, you must already be feeling it. The devils are slowly revealing themselves, and therge-scale devil attack that happened a while ago, it''s no coincidence."


    "...The smell of war."


    Frondier nodded. As expected, Philly had a good sense.


    "It''s a fight between devils. There''s no need for the battlefield to be the Empire. I will lead the devils and change the location."


    "Can Mr. Frondier handle that number alone?"


    "Not now, but I will soon."


    Although, in reality, he could only control one devil right now.


    That one would gather all the devils in the Empire.


    "Then what does Mr. Frondier want from me, no, from the Imperial Pce? It seems you''ve already made sufficient preparations. Troops? Supplies? If you need support, we will fully join you." ??


    Philly said. Devils fighting on the Empire''s territory? Naturally, Philly couldn''t allow that either. There was no reason not to support Frondier, who had prepared for it in advance.


    But Frondier shook his head.


    "Rather than support from this side, please strengthen surveince within the Empire."


    "...Surveince? If Mr. Frondier can move the battlefield, is surveince within the Empire necessary?"


    Philly asked. The fight would take ce outside the Empire, so why monitor the inside?


    To this, Frondier brought his face a little closer.


    "Ms. Philly, do you remember when the devils popped out of the Imperial Pce? When you and I went to see the Dragon Heart and met Satan."


    "Of course I remember. Naturally."


    "At that time, we thought Satan had re-summoned all his devils. He even grabbed his subordinate''s neck with his own hand and proudly dered that he had retrieved them all."


    "...But that wasn''t all of them?"


    "Yes. I don''t believe Satan left just like that."


    In other words, currently within the Empire, there were devils originally hiding and high-ranking devils recently left behind by Satan.


    These high-ranking devils would be iparably stronger than the ones originally hiding.


    "Satan''s original goal was, of course, for the three divided groups of devils to fight each other on the Empire''s territory and destroy it all. But if things don''t go his way, he''ll try to do something, even if it''s just with his subordinates."


    "While the devils fight outside the Empire, there''s a possibility that the high-ranking devils originally nted inside will run rampant."


    "Yes. In the first ce, they are powerful enough for Satan to leave behind. They alone would be sufficiently threatening."


    Of course, he didn''t know how strong they were.


    However, in the case of Mizonas, who fought Azier, although Azier had the upper hand, the two remained in a stalemate until Satan retrieved them.


    That''s how strong Azier was, and he couldn''t finish the fight.


    He didn''t know how strong the remaining devils were, but in the worst-case scenario, they would beparable to him.


    Philly fell into thought for a moment. As if speaking while thinking, her mouth slowly opened.


    "Then where will they target? The Empire is vast. Even with surveince, we can''t see everything."


    "The criteria are simr to the war with Manggot. They will target the ces that would suffer the most damage in the current Empire. At the same time, the ces that are the most robust. One of those ces is this Imperial Pce, and another is,"


    At that moment, a voice interrupted Frondier''s words.


    "©¤©¤Constel!"


    It was Elysia. She cried out involuntarily and then covered her mouth in surprise. She was merely Frondier''s servant now, so it wasn''t right for her to speak up in this situation.


    However, the content of that answer was too significant, and Elysia was originally royalty.


    Frondier nodded and looked back at Philly.


    "...That''s right."

 Chapter 318 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    In an open space somewhere in Constel.


    First-year prospect, Pielott von Ribanche, stood still, holding the scabbard at his waist.


    He wasn''t drawing his sword and swinging it, nor was he resting. He just stood straight and breathed deeply. As if that were training.


    ''...Senior Frondier said it would take some time for him to return.''


    Fortunately or unfortunately for Pielott, while everyone had returned to Constel, Frondier alone was not attending school due to personal reasons.


    It seemed like the headmaster already knew about Frondier''s situation, so there was nothing to worry about.


    Naturally, Pielott''s training, where he was beaten up every day, was also temporarily suspended. At first, he was happy to finally get some rest, but after a few days, he ended up walking back to this training ground where he used to get beaten up every day.


    It wasn''t that he missed getting beaten up, but the growth he could clearly feel during training hade to a halt.


    ''I couldn''t do much during the war.''And above all, Pielott''s pride wouldn''t allow him to just rest.


    He had be somewhat humble after being constantly defeated by Frondier, but Pielott was originally a man whose pride knew no bounds.


    If it were a game, he would have immediately challenged Aster and gotten beaten up, bing a slightly twisted hero if he were lucky, or a viin if he were unlucky.


    Through training with Frondier, Pielott felt that he had be clearly stronger than before.


    He could somewhat cope with Frondier''s attacks, and his stamina had increased enough that he no longer got tired easily.


    However, even so, Frondier didn''t include Pielott in the barrier.


    In fact, not only Pielott but also very few Constel students were assigned to the barrier fight. Naturally, there were none among the first-years.


    ''...I''m stillcking.''


    However, even so, Pielott wished that he would be an exception.


    Pielott already had the perception that he was Frondier''s disciple. Now that the war was over and the evaluation of Frondier had reversed, he even wanted to brag about it everywhere.


    Therefore, he had expected Frondier to entrust him with something, but that didn''t happen.


    "...Huu."


    As Pielott sighed deeply enough to make the ground sink, one of his friends who used to roll around (?) with him approached.


    "So when are you going to draw your sword?"


    It was Dier. The man who was originally rated higher than Pielott by Frondier.


    Currently, they were both learning from Frondier about their respective shorings. Pielott mainly focused on the mental aspects, while Dier, on the contrary, focused on the physical aspects.


    "I''m not drawing it."


    Pielott replied. Dier tilted his head.


    "What, then are you just going to keep standing like that?"


    "Yeah, that''s the training."


    Dier didn''t quite understand Pielott''s words, but he nodded for now.


    Come to think of it, Senior Frondier seemed to have given Pielott simr training before going to war.


    "When will Senior Frondiere back? What if hees back next year?"


    "That could happen. Then we''ll have juniors too."


    Indeed, the time of this year had passed quickly. When they returned, it was already around the time when autumn was slowly transitioning.


    From there, Frondier said he would stay for another month, so if something went wrong and he was dyed further, he might reallye back next year.


    "Among the next first-years, will another prospect appear who surpasses you?"


    "...I don''t even know if I''m a prospect anymore."


    "Haha, after being trained by Senior Frondier, you wouldn''t think that..."


    Dier, who was speaking with a smile, stopped talking. He closed his mouth on his own, not because of anyone else.


    Thud!


    Kicking off the ground, aura rising almost simultaneously. His body cutting through the air as he dashed, he drew the short sword he carried and held it in reverse grip, charging towards Pielott''s right side. ??


    Wheek!


    ng-!


    "Ugh!"


    The short sword, swung with all his might, blocked something, no, Dier''s body spun half a turn, overwhelmed by the force. The something that was still extending strangely bent its trajectory and charged towards Pielott.


    "...!"


    Kwaaak!


    Pielott swung his sword down and mmed the flying something into the ground. A transparent bead, about the size of a fingernail, he wouldn''t have been able to block it if it weren''t for Dier''s ''eyes''.


    ''Thread...?''


    Looking closely, the bead was attached to a thread, and the strange trajectory from earlier seemed to be due to its influence.


    Wheek!


    "Ugh!"


    The bead quickly flew back in the direction it came from.


    And from afar, the original owner of the bead, a man, walked towards them step by step.


    "To block my bead in mid-air! Amazing eyesight!"


    The man said in admiration. If his hands weren''t empty, he would have pped. He was clenching both fists, probably holding the thread. Although it wasn''t clearly visible.


    "But your strength isckingpared to your good eyes! Focus on simpler exercises for now! Ah, but does that even matter now? You''ll both die here today! Hahahaha!!"


    The manughed cheerfully, as if he had just made a joke. Strangely, both vitality and murderous intent overflowed in his eyes.


    "...Enemy?"


    Pielott said, dumbfounded by the sight.


    "An attack that would have killed us if we hadn''t blocked it, and even after changing its trajectory once, he changed it again. He justmitted attempted murder twice."


    Dier replied.


    Even while speaking, Dier was still clenching and unclenching his fist, as if his hand was still numb.


    "It was incredibly brute force. For such a small bead."


    "...For me, it''s not the strength that''s the problem, but that I can''t see it well in the first ce."


    The man, who had been silently listening to their conversation, started spinning the bead using the thread in his hand.


    Flick, flick, flick, a circr shape with rising aura appeared, and the man approached them as if performing acrobatics.


    "My name is Adolf! Heir of Wrath, the fifth-ranked devil! Remember it! No, you don''t have to!"


    "...Devil?"


    "Sorry! You probably don''t understand what I''m saying, right? But self-introduction is a rule for devils! Remember this too! No, you don''t have to©¤"


    Adolf continued to chatter excitedly on his own.


    Dier and Pielott took their stances with tense faces.


    "If it''s a devil, Belphegor was also a devil."


    "He''s probably weaker than that."


    "Senior Frondier defeated that Belphegor alone, they say."


    "But there are two of us."


    Just as Adolf was chattering excitedly on his own, these two also only talked amongst themselves,pletely ignoring what Adolf was saying.


    Theirpatibility was unbelievably perfect.


    "What would Senior Frondier say if we lose? In front of our graves."


    "Wouldn''t he look down at us with those cold eyes and say ''How pathetic''?"


    Their eyes lit up simultaneously.


    "That absolutely cannot happen."

 Chapter 319 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Within minutes, the training ground was marred with craters as if bombarded.


    Every time Adolf''s orbs struck the floor or walls, a terrifying sound echoed.


    If an ordinary person were hit, a 50cm radius around the point of impact would simply vanish. In other words, any strike to the upper body would be fatal.


    <i>Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!</i>


    <i>Whoosh- Boom!!</i>


    Loud noises and flying stone fragments followed wherever Pielott and Dier stood. Dust and sand billowed, stinging their noses; this ce was already a battlefield.


    Adolf hadn''tnded a hit on either of them yet. Despite the surrounding chaos, their bodies remained unscathed, only their clothes were soiled with sand.


    However, they were unable to approach Adolf either, so the fight had reached a stalemate.


    ¡®Hmm! I thought I''d finish this quickly!¡¯Even Adolf''s inner thoughts wereced with admiration.


    These two, though simr in appearance, were quite different. Both were decent at dodging, though.


    One had exceptionally good eyesight. Very few humans could directly face his high-speed, transparent orbs with the naked eye.


    But that guy dodged while looking straight at them. His physical abilities, apart from his eyesight, were average. So his movements to evade the orbs were minimal, only what was necessary.


    It was surprising, but that ''minimum'' was probably his ''maximum''. Judging by how he staggered when he first blocked the attack, he probablycked strength. He intended to dodge everything instead of blocking.


    The other one covered most of the attacks with aura and physical ability. He, like other humans, couldn''t see Adolf''s orbs clearly.


    He seemed to roughly gauge the direction and then just run or swing his arms to block. But his athletic ability was strangely good, so even though it looked close, he ultimately avoided getting hit by the orbs.


    "Hahaha, oh dear! How long are you going to keep running away? You won''t have any stamina left!"


    Adolf briefly stopped his orbs, ced his fists on his hips, and shouted at the two.


    It was an obvious provocation, but it wasn''t wrong either. Pielott was actually having the same thought.


    Thoroughly trained by Frondier, he didn''t easily get impatient, but he was worried.


    ¡®He''s just swinging those orbs around, while we''re busy moving our entire bodies to dodge. And if we make even one mistake and get hit, it''s a critical hit.¡¯


    One side was unterally attacking, and the other side was unterally dodging. The oue of this situation seemed obvious at first nce.


    Pielott nced at Dier. He was about to say, "We need to attack soon," when...


    Pielott stopped mid-sentence, surprised by Dier''s action.


    Dier raised his hand, fist clenched.


    The meaning was simple.


    ¡®Wait.¡¯


    ©¤You two should decide on hand signals.


    ...That was the code Frondier taught them.


    "When we need to move quietly or don''t have time to talk, let''s learn a few simple hand signals. Basically, Dier will give instructions, and Pielott will follow."


    Frondier had said that when they were deciding on these hand signals.


    Naturally, Dier had been mindful of Pielott''s feelings. He thought the proud Pielott might be offended.


    "Understood."


    But Pielott had replied calmly.


    "So if things get tough, I just leave it all to this guy. If something goes wrong, it''s all his fault."


    "Yeah, that''s it."


    Whether that meant he had truly swallowed his pride or not, Pielott had followed Frondier''s suggestion.


    A raised fist meant ''wait''. It was a simple hand signal.


    While everyone in Frondier''s original world would know this hand signal, the people of this world didn''t.


    Let alone the devils.


    ¡®Huh...?¡¯


    So, for Adolf, Dier''s raised fist and Pielott''s surprised face were something he couldn''t ignore.


    ¡®What are they trying to do?¡¯


    Dier moved after Adolf''s provocation. The act of raising his fist created the illusion that Dier was about to take some action.


    As a result, Adolf''s body stiffened for a brief moment.


    In that time, Dier elerated his thought process within two breaths.


    ¡®Thin threads, transparent orbs, all methods to make them invisible to the enemy. Pielott is actually struggling because of that right now.¡¯


    Because Dier could see them clearly with his own eyes, he could see how cleverly the orbs were being manipted.


    ¡®But while he''s spinning them, he uses aura. His aura isn''t colorless. Then the aura should be visible while he''s shooting them too. That would defeat the purpose.¡¯


    He used transparent orbs to hide them, but using aura would make them visible. That would render all his preparations useless.


    But at the moment of firing, they became invisible to Pielott''s eyes. Even for Dier, the orbs were flying so fast that he couldn''t see them perfectly.


    ¡®So, he doesn''t use aura at the moment of firing.¡¯


    He increased the speed while rotating them with aura, and then released the aura at the moment of firing to make them invisible.


    ¡®So, that manic chatter, expressions, and arrogant gestures are all bluffing to hide the act of spinning the orbs.¡¯


    While his original personality might be like that, Adolf''s strangely excited speech and movements made it seem like spinning the orbs was just an extension of those movements.


    But that wasn''t the case. For the orbs to have that much power, the act of imbuing them with aura and rotating them was absolutely necessary.


    ¡®If I can stop that rotation, the power will disappear, and if Adolf pushes himself to generate power, the aura will be visible.¡¯


    It wasn''t important for Dier to see it.


    What mattered was for Pielott to see it.


    "Hmm! If you''re not going to do anything, I''ming at you!"


    Seeing that Dier wasn''t nning to do anything in particr, Adolf resumed his attack. Once again, the orbs spun in the air and flew around, and Dier and Pielott moved their bodies to dodge the fired attacks.


    Even in the midst of this, Pielott nced at Dier asionally. His eyes also held a hint of protest, asking when they were going to attack.


    But Dier, while dodging, still kept one fist clenched.


    They hadn''t decided on a hand signal like this, but the meaning was obvious.


    ¡®Keep waiting.¡¯


    Pielott continued to focus on evasion, worrying about whether his stamina would run out before Dier came up with a n.


    But Dier''s thoughts were a little different.


    ¡®He removes the aura every time he throws an orb, and puts it in while he''s spinning them. Even for a devil, it can''t be easy to turn aura on and off like a switch.¡¯


    Dier had heard a rough exnation about devils from Frondier.


    Pielott''s most notable talent was his understanding and application of aura. And most devils possessed something simr to this talent.


    Dier thought that alone was amazing. Pielott had known how to use aura long before he entered Constel.


    It wasn''t something he had learned right before entering Constel. It was as familiar andfortable as something he had held in his hand from the very beginning, for a very long time.


    But the fact that all devils were born with a simr talent made Dier, who was already feeling sorry for himself due to hisck of talent, feel even worse.


    But even so, Dier thought:


    The devils were probably inferior to Pielott.


    Being able to use aura from the beginning was a racial trait of devils. But what Pielott had was a clear talent.


    Unlike devils, who had a fixed range of ability, Pielott''s upper limit had not yet been measured.


    ¡®Understanding of aura...¡¯


    While training with Pielott, Dier hade to know him better than anyone else except Pielott himself. No, he might even know him better than Pielott himself.


    ¡®Pielott will show him his ce.¡¯


    Dier felt sorry for his inferior talent.


    But it was Dier, not anyone else, who was handling Pielott right now.

 Chapter 319 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The devil''s attack targeting Dier and Pielott.


    This incident within Constel was not something to be taken lightly.


    It was an uneptable disgrace for Constel, which had already allowed enemy intrusion in the past.


    However, in this case, there was a reason why they had to allow the devil''s attack.


    "...It''s not just you, is it?"


    The Headmaster, Osprey, had encountered a devil.


    It had been about 5 minutes since their encounter. The devil was bound in mid-air, unable to move an inch.


    Osprey stood still in his characteristic battle stance, thumb pressed against the center of his chest, his body and clothes spotless.


    Although the devil was one of the most skilled among Satan''s devils, challenging Osprey was a fool''s errand."Keuk, Keuhehe..."


    Yet, the devilughed. As if he knew he would fail, that challenging Osprey was a reckless act.


    "A devil as insignificant as you has reached me, the Headmaster. This is quite a situation, easy to understand even without seeing or hearing."


    Osprey looked at the devil with cold eyes.


    "Keuhehe, that''s right. This ce has already be our devils'' stage. No matter how great you are, you won''t be able to stop them all!"


    The devil openly shouted. Perhaps because he was a devil of ''Wrath'', or perhaps because he knew Osprey would read his thoughts anyway, he showed no hesitation.


    "I don''t need to stop them. The teachers and students will take care of it themselves. However..."


    <i>Squeeze-</i>


    "Keuk!"


    The devil suddenly gasped, his voice cut short. From the devil''s perspective, Osprey hadn''t moved. He still stood motionless, thumb pressed against his chest.


    "I have a lot to hear from you. That will help improve the current situation."


    Although Osprey wasn''t choking the devil, the devil felt a pressure on his throat that was even worse than being choked, and struggled.


    ¡®He''s even worse than I heard! This crazy old man!¡¯


    Osprey was a veteran of past wars. From then until now, he had never wavered in his position as a Zodiac. Of course, the Zodiacs respected each other and were equal, but Osprey was different.


    Most people who witnessed Osprey''s battles said the same thing.


    He would simply stand there, and the enemy would be set aze, frozen, struck by lightning, or dismembered.


    While all magicians conjured magic from their own vicinity, Osprey was different.


    Magic was born right where the enemy stood.


    "You said it yourself. You''re Satan''s subordinate. That''s a rule the devils of Wrath must follow."


    "Keuk, Ugh..."


    Osprey continued to speak without releasing his grip on the devil''s throat. He wasn''t expecting an answer anyway.


    "So, Satan''s devils wouldn''t reveal themselves before humans unless it was important. Because they have to introduce themselves. But if they suddenly attacked Constel, does that mean the time hase?"


    Osprey had grasped the general situation as soon as the devil introduced himself.


    He had heard that a devil had appeared in the Imperial Pce while he was away. ording to Frondier, it was Satan, and the gate disappeared when they destroyed the Dragon Heart.


    Thinking back, it seemed like Satan had taken advantage of Osprey''s absence.


    ¡®The possibility of Satan''s subordinates remaining. Frondier was right.¡¯


    But Osprey had one question.


    It was a thought that only Osprey, with his experience of traversing worlds, could reach, something even Frondier hadn''t considered.


    ¡®How does Satan give them orders?¡¯


    If Satan could send orders from the Demon Realm to the human world, then the most opportune time for him, whose goal was the destruction of the Empire, would naturally be during the during the war.


    The Empire, already in disarray due to Manggot and the external monsters, would have been utterly crushed if Satan''s devils had run rampant. Especially since Frondier hadn''t considered that possibility at the time.


    But Satan hadn''t done that. No, he couldn''t.


    He couldn''t send orders from the Demon Realm to his devils remaining here. So the devils who were absolutely loyal to Satan naturally remained hidden even during the war. Because Satan hadn''t ordered them to move.


    ¡®Belphegor started a war as soon as Satan returned. Even though the Dragon Heart was destroyed, I thought he was a bit hasty, but there must be something in their rtionship.¡¯


    Anyway, the devils who hadn''t moved then were moving now. Even though Satan hadn''t descended.


    There was only one answer.


    "Satan already gave you orders before he came here."


    "...!"


    The devil''s eyes widened despite barely being able to breathe.


    Whether human or devil, it was extremely difficult to maintainposure while feeling threatened with death.


    Osprey, judging his guess to be correct, continued his train of thought.


    The main point of the order was probably ''Attack Constel''.


    But the timing? If it were just that order, they would have already carried it out. Even if a specific time was designated, it wasn''t a special date or period.


    There was a condition. A condition for them to move.


    ''...The difference between Constel then and now...''


    "...Frondier. Is it because he''s not here now?"


    Osprey muttered in a low voice. The devil''s reaction was honest once again. He tried to hide it somehow, but the devil of Wrath didn''t know how to do that.


    Frondier had been absent from Consteltely, saying he was serving as Lily''s knight.


    But the devils would have received that informationte. And even if they found out about it somewhere, they wouldn''t know when he would return.


    Frondier bing Lily''s knight, and the one month period. The time it took them to be convinced that it was Frondier who was killing the devils.


    Was that around now?


    ¡®But that''s strange. Frondier wasn''t at Constel during the war either. He invaded Manggot''s base.¡¯


    But judging by the reaction the devil had just shown, it wasn''t a wrong guess.


    There was another condition besides Frondier.


    "What''s the other condition?"


    <i>Squeeze!</i>


    "Gah! Keughh!"


    The devil let out a sound as if he were about to die. Even if he wanted to answer, he couldn''t in this situation.


    "Keuk! Cough, cough, cough!"


    Osprey released his grip just before the devil truly suffocated. The devil, who had finally managed to breathe, coughed repeatedly and red at Osprey.


    "Do you think I''ll talk! Cough, cough! That bastard Frondier deserves to suffer even more than this!"


    "...You act like you won''t talk, but you''re doing a good job of telling me."


    "What?"


    "So the goal was Frondier after all. To inflict pain on Frondier. To attack Constel when Frondier is absent..."


    A way to inflict pain on Frondier while he was away.


    "...Indeed."


    <i>sh-</i>


    The devil''s head in front of Osprey was severed. Of course, it was Osprey''s doing.


    He didn''t even look at the devil copsing on the ground and turned his back to leave. He had no more business with this devil.


    However.


    "Excuse me."


    The devil''s wings, no longer attempting to hide, appeared before him.


    Another devil hade to him.


    "Please don''t think about escaping using the space magic ''Gate''. I''ve already set traps on all the gates nearby."


    "...Can someone like you stop me?"


    "Of course not. I will die too."


    The devil bowed his head politely and cleanly.


    "My mission is just to buy some time, even if it''s just a few minutes, or even a few seconds. When I die, the next, and the next devil will be waiting."


    The devil exined everything kindly. The purpose of the traps wasn''t to hurt Osprey, but to hold him back.


    "...I see. You guys never intended to destroy Constel from the beginning."


    "Yes, of course. How could we possibly destroy this ce with you here?"


    "Are you nning to take Frondier''s hostage?"


    "Yes. Choosing the weakest human among those he cherishes the most."


    "...The weakest human."


    The devil nodded.


    "Aten Terst."


    "...!"


    "She''s here, isn''t she?"


    The devil spoke, greedily observing the ''wrath'' on Osprey''s face.


    Satan''s orders were extremely simple.


    Bind the feet of all the strong ones.


    It didn''t matter if they weren''t winning overall.


    Just one person was enough.


    Because Frondier was strong against his own pain and suffering, but sensitive to the pain of those around him.


    Aten Terst.


    When Frondier was absent from Constel, and Aten was present.


    Capture her.

 Chapter 320 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 320 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    As Osprey had predicted, Constel''s key personnel were currently facing off against devils, each on their own. This included both teachers and students.


    Since most devils had a human-like appearance, they could approach to a certain extent without being noticed by other students. They only revealed their true identities when they engaged inbat with their intended targets.


    However, unlike Osprey, others hadn''t yet realized the devils'' objective. Inevitably, they became cautious of the attacks from these unidentified enemies. Most assumed that enemies targeting Constel had simply appeared.


    However, one person was the first to sense something amiss.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    "Huu, what are these things?"


    After splitting a devil''s body in two, Aster Evans looked around. Among all the personnel at Constel, Aster was the fastest at eliminating devils. Naturally, he began to notice the devils'' strange behavior.


    Having already killed several devils, he was certain of one thing: the devils were appearing one at a time, as if taking turns.


    The devils he had faced so far were quite troublesome, requiring Aster to maintain a high level of focus while dealing with them.That''s why their actions seemed even more bizarre. With their level of skill, they couldn''t be stupid.


    It would be more difficult for Aster if they attacked all at once, but for some reason, the devils only appeared one at a time, blocking Aster''s path as if they wanted to die.


    "...Again."


    And before he could walk much further, another one appeared.


    ''It''s a hassle without Baldur.''


    Unlike Frondier''s ''Sixth Sense'' or Elodie''s ''Mana Detection,'' Aster didn''t possess such abilities. He generally relied on his divine power for such minor things.


    Baldur didn''t talk much to Aster, but he was helpful in various ways.


    Now that he was gone, Aster had to start from scratch in several areas.


    Detecting faint, distant presences was one of them. He was still in the early stages.


    "...I am Bartranon. Heir of Wrath, without rank."


    "Is that so."


    The devil held a long spear and looked at Aster with a tense expression. The devils who had introduced themselves earlier had mostly boasted confidently, but this devil was quite polite.


    Just a moment ago, two devils had spouted their introductions in a simr fashion and then immediately met their demise.


    Of course, Aster had given his usual "here I go" signal beforehand, but it was unclear if they had heard it.


    "Why do you alle out one at a time? That puts you at a disadvantage. Do you have some other motive?"


    Aster had a rough idea of their intentions.


    At the very least, he knew they were trying to buy time.


    However, since he didn''t know much about devils, he questioned whether this method of stalling would actually work.


    ''Whatever their purpose is, they''re throwing their lives away just to buy a few minutes.''


    Could that even be possible? Whether it was due to strong loyalty or sumbing to fear, could throwing away one''s life be part of their strategy?


    Devils, whose priority on life was lower than that of humans. Because he didn''t know this fact, Aster could specte but not fullyprehend.


    The devil smirked at Aster''s question.


    "Like I''d tell you."


    Watching him for a moment, Aster nodded.


    "I suppose so."


    "...What?"


    "Here I go."


    As always, Aster gave his signal. The devil tightened his grip on his spear.


    The devil said,


    "Come on then."


    <i>Swish!</i>


    And his head flew off.


    While the devil''s head fell through the air, Aster brushed the blood off his sword.


    "I need to go to the Headmaster. He might know something."


    Aster changed his direction. Until now, he had been wandering around, unsure when the devils might attack, but now that he knew the devils of Wrath would definitely introduce themselves and only attack one at a time, he changed his course.


    Just then, another devil blocked his path.


    "Stop!"


    The devil shouted, and Aster tilted his head, observing him.


    Unlike the devils he had encountered so far, this one already had his wings spread and was slightly out of breath. He had clearly flown here in a hurry.


    ''Unlike the devils who appeared in order, this one seems stronger.''


    A clear change. The reason was undoubtedly Aster''s change in direction.


    Aster said,


    "...Hello. But, Mr. Devil,"


    "What!"


    "Aren''t you going to introduce yourself?"


    "...! Ah, I am!"


    "Ah, it''s alright. You were in such a hurry to get here that you forgot, right? You noticed where I was going."


    It seemed they didn''t want him to meet with the Headmaster.


    "But human psychology is such that the more you try to stop someone, the more they want to go. As a devil, you might not understand that."


    Aster held his sword vertically. He tilted the tip of the sword, aligning it with his line of sight.


    Middle stance.


    ''I should have brought Excalibur with me.''


    The legendary sword Excalibur was currently being kept safe by Aster. It was a sword with excessively high performance for Constel, and its nature hardly contributed to Aster''s aura development.


    Therefore, he had asked his sister, Ellen, to keep it separately. She said she had entrusted it to the vault of a cksmith she knew well, so he could rest assured for the time being.


    Aster raised his sword. More than anyone else, the next move would be a vertical downward strike.


    ''Are devils of this caliber going to keep blocking my way to the Headmaster''s office?''


    But that''s okay.


    From here to the Headmaster''s office,


    The path is a ''straight line'' for the time being.


    <i>©¤©¤One sh</i>

 Chapter 320 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Chapter 320 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator


    Elodie, a magician said to have skillsparable to Aster, surprisingly struggled.


    It wasn''t that a particrly strong devil was attached to Elodie. It wasn''t that Elodie''s power was weak.


    The problem was the location.


    ''Why today of all days! Doing self-study in the ssroom, of all ces!''


    <i>Crash!</i>


    The axe swung by the devil was blocked by Elodie''s magic barrier.


    A considerablyrge axe was swung down with weight, but the barrier didn''t even budge. However, Elodie''s expression was pure agony.


    "Haha! Your barrier seems quite sturdy, but looking at your face, it seems like you''ve reached your limit!"


    The devil smirked triumphantly.This barrier, no matter how much it''s hit, doesn''t even get a scratch, but looking at the woman''s face, she seems to be getting tired.


    There was no doubt about it. He had already lost count of how many times he had struck. Was it possible that he couldn''t break a single barrier of a mere magician after shing head-on like this?


    No way. Yes, that''s right!


    "Die with this!"


    The devil imbued all the aura he possessed into the de of his axe. It seemed that this woman, for some unknown reason, only used mana barriers. Since she was pouring all her mana into it, it was naturally strong.


    However, he was a devil. A body more familiar with aura than humans. He could never ept being pushed back in a battle of energy.


    "Uwaaah!"


    <i>Kwaaaaaang©¤!!</i>


    The devil¡¯s strike, with all his might, collided with the barrier, creating a tremendous noise. The shockwave caused the objects around the ssroom to tremble and spread out from the center of the two.


    In the meantime, Elodie shifted her gaze and her pupils trembled intensely.


    The devil saw it.


    ''Kuh, ugh. Is it still not enough? But looking at that expression, it''s clear that she''s reached her limit. Next time. Next time for sure!''


    And during that time, Elodie thought.


    ''No! That''s Selena''s desk! The aura of the devil is damaging the desk!''


    <i>Thud</i>.


    Elodie gritted her teeth.


    If she left the ssroom as it was, she didn''t know how this ignorant devil would chase her.


    He mighte breaking everything, desks and walls. That''s why she had been only blocking him so far, but there was a limit to her patience.


    If she just kept blocking, it was obvious that the surrounding objects would be swept away.


    This time, the devil swung his axe horizontally. Again, the strong aura flowed excessively, sweeping the surroundings. As the ckboard started to get damaged, Elodie felt sick to her stomach.


    How much does Teacher Jane cherish that ckboard! Although most of the sses these days are conducted through Wizard view, Jane insisted on using the ckboard, saying it didn''t suit her teaching method.


    The pace and rhythm of Jane''s exnation and the content written on the ckboard matched, and Elodie liked it very much. Jane was very pleased when Elodie told her directly.


    ''But dare you! You of all people!''


    <i>Screech...!</i>


    Smoke rose from Elodie''s gauntlet. During the war, there was no need to control her strength, so she took it off, but not here.


    Now is the time when power control is needed.


    "Block this too! This time it''s bigger!"


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The devil raised his axe high. Of course, it was to strike down.


    However, there was no next move.


    "Huh?"


    The moment the devil held the axe, Elodie pointed her finger in front of both hands of the devil holding the axe. But the devil was unable to lower his arm as if he was blocked by a wall.


    The perfectly exposed chest of the devil. Elodie''s finger, no, the tip of her nail touches his vital point.


    ''It won''t work with a finger. I''m going to blow up this ssroom wall.''


    <i>Screech!!</i>


    Elodie''s artifact screams. It''s to handle her mana.


    Although it''s an artifact created to help Elodie control her power.


    Somehow, it seems that Elodie started to give up power control more and more because of this artifact.


    <i>Divine Power Release</i>


    <i>Agni</i>


    <i>Spell Deployment</i>


    <i>Fire Magic 1, Application 1</i>


    <i>Rapid, Ultra-Dense Concentration</i>


    <i>Elodie Original, ''Zubarana''.</i>


    Vroom-


    From the tip of Elodie''s nail, a thin light that prates the devil and stretches beyond the ssroom window.


    It was light, so it made no sound.


    The devil lowered his arm. He also dropped the axe.


    Elodie left the devil alone and quickly ran behind him to check the window.


    "......This much, well. It should be okay, right?"


    Elodie stared at the window with her eyes slightly open, and found a small hole. It was so small that only someone like Elodie herself would notice it.


    In the meantime, the devil''s body, which had finally lost its bnce, slowly tilted and fell with a thud.


    Elodie didn''t even nce at him and left the ssroom.


    "Let''s move quickly. Something in the ssroom might get damaged at this rate."


    Unlike Aster, Elodie''s mana detection recognizes the devils that are already spread out in all directions.


    Of course, she didn''t know they were devils until she fought them, but now they were unting their aura.


    "What the hell? They all came together."


    Elodie unfolded a triple concealment magic. It was the magic she used during the date of Frondier and Selenast time. Of course, Frondier noticed it, but it''s not so shoddy that it would be noticed by the devils.


    Elodie, unaware, had been discovered by the Frondier.


    ''...There are traps set up near the principal''s office. They''ve nted quite a lot.''


    She looked in the direction of Osprey''s office with her eyes. She focused her mana detection more finely.


    Then, the exact locations of the traps became visible. Most of them were installed on the doors.


    ''...The principal can use spatial magic through doors, so this must be a countermeasure against that. Then, going to the principal is indeed the right answer.''


    ...But wait.


    The enemies know that the principal can use spatial magic, so they set up traps on the doors as a countermeasure.


    Then why don''t they do it to me?


    Elodie pulled out her phone. She turned it on just in case, but as expected, neither texts nor calls were working.


    Since the Sagephone is connected through magic, it can''t be used while mana interference is urring. In other words, the devils don''t want information to be exchanged.


    Even after doing all that.


    "They don''t take precautions against me?"


    Elodie was a little upset. Elodie, too, had recently mastered a part of spatial magic.


    Of course, she can''t do something as incredible as connecting two spaces with a single door like Osprey.


    At the very least, she can convey my voice to someone at this distance. Beyond mana interference.


    [Director.]


    [Oh, it''s Elodie.]


    Osprey''s weing voice. Judging by the tone, Osprey seemed to be perfectly fine. She wasn''t worried in the first ce.


    [Elodie, I''m sorry, but I have something to tell you right away.]


    [I''ve been waiting for you to say that.]


    [Could you go to Aten Terst? The devils are targeting her. It seems they''re trying to pick the weakest person among the Frondier''s associates.]


    [...I see. That''s what it is.]


    Elodie understood the general situation with that one sentence.


    As she was about to move to find Aten ording to Osprey''s words, she paused for a moment.


    There was another question.


    ''...They''re looking for the weakest person among Frondier''s associates?''


    That makes sense.


    The enemies'' goal would be a hostage from the Frondier, so it would be easier to capture someone much weaker.


    But why Aten?


    "......Ah, I see."


    Elodieughed softly.


    She had figured out the identity of the subtle difort she had been feeling.


    While being wary of Osprey''s spatial magic, they were not wary of Elodie.


    They were looking for the weakest person among the Frondier''s associates, and that person was Aten Terst.


    The conclusion that ties these two together.


    "The update is slow."

 Chapter 321 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Constel had now transformed into a massive incident scene.


    Several minutes had passed since the hidden devils shed to hinder the targeted humans, and students and teachers began to notice the abnormality and evacuate.


    The teachers, in particr, moved swiftly to protect the students.


    While the skills of Frondier and his associates were exceptional, most ordinary students, whether warriors or mages, had yet to master aura orcked closebat capabilities.


    Fortunately, the devils seemed to have little interest in the other students.


    Of course, they might harm students who got in their way, but their initial objectivey elsewhere.


    Taking hostages was also an option, but capturing a student would immediately attract the attention of other students and teachers.


    They would end up hindering themselves while trying to impede their targets.


    The devils here were personally selected by Satan from among his subordinates. Therefore, most of them were exceptionally strong.Of course, there were also some mediocre ones who didn''t even rank in the hierarchy, but even considering that, they were not to be underestimated.


    The problem was that their numbers weren''t thatrge. Originally, even Mizonas, the first in Satan''s hierarchy, fell behind Azier.


    Those below him were, at best, on par with Mizonas, and most were weaker. Beingparable to Azier was a testament to their skills, but it didn''t mean they could handle the numerous teachers and students of Constel.


    Therefore, while powerful strength was crucial for them, it was even more important not to waste too much time.


    As Constel became chaotic and the students began to evacuate,


    "...I see."


    Aten also started to grasp the enemies'' intentions.


    Initially, Aten''s situation was simr to others. Considerably powerful devils appeared one by one, giving her a hard time.


    If Aster was the fastest at eliminating devils, Aten was the slowest. Until then, the devils believed their n was working well.


    "Ugh...!"


    The first devil who confronted Aten. He slowly approached her, his entire body covered in frost.


    It wasn''t to instill fear; he simply couldn''t move any faster.


    "Aaaaagh!!"


    The devil roared, infusing his body with aura. Only then did his frozen body begin to move somewhat.


    However, aura didn''t have healing properties or generate heat.


    He was just forcing his body to move. The damage remained, and the strain only deepened his wounds.


    "Damn you, I''ll kill you!"


    The devil lunged at Aten, and she retreated a good distance. As a mage, Aten''s evasive abilities weren''t exceptional, so she kept her distance and moved back.


    Under normal circumstances, the devil would have easily caught up to her at that speed, but...


    <i>Crackle, crack.</i>


    This hallway was already filled with a white mist.


    Aten''s domain.


    "Ugh...!"


    Soon, the devil stopped, groaning in pain. This time, the cold had entered his lungs. It was more serious than his feet freezing.


    "You, you bitch... This level of coldness would be fatal to humans. Do you want to kill the students?"


    The devil made a clumsy threat. It was questionable how she could create such a chilling temperature, but it was strange that Aten seemed unconcerned about harming other students.


    The devils who invaded Constel appeared as ordinary humans until the battle began.


    Therefore, it was only after the fight started that the students recognized them, and except for those engaged inbat, most Constel students were diligently evacuating. There was no guarantee they wouldn''t be exposed to the cold generated by Aten.


    To this, Aten replied,


    "It''s alright. I''m a healer."


    "...What does that..."


    Just then, a student who hadn''t managed to join the other students came into view.


    It would be ideal to take them hostage, but unfortunately, the devil couldn''t reach them in his current state.


    However, the student also entered the domain of coldness. Their body would freeze just like his. He was a devil, so he could endure it, but an ordinary human would immediately...


    "Aten! Are you okay?"


    The student, spotting Aten from afar, shouted while taking a deep breath within the domain of coldness.


    "I''m fine. You should escape quickly."


    "Come here, Aten! Let''s escape together!"


    "I can''t. If I go with you, you''ll get caught up in this."


    The two conversed with the devil right in front of them. The devil was enraged by this fact itself, but he couldn''t believe what he was witnessing.


    "...Why is that guy alright? He inhaled your cold air, didn''t he?"


    "I told you, I''m a healer. It wouldn''t make sense for a healer to hurt people."


    Aten wasn''t originally a healer.


    She was a mage specializing in ice magic. She had never considered bing a healer.


    Only one person knew she would be a healer: Frondier, through his knowledge of the game.


    When Frondier first met and fought Renzo, overexerting himself, Aten barely managed to save his life. Even then, she didn''t know basic healing magic.


    However, after saving Frondier, Aten started learning recovery magic, which was actually a very early start based on the game''s timeline.


    This was because, in the game, the reason Aten eventually became a healer was due to Aster.


    After the curse Philly ced on Aten, causing her to feel disgust towards Aster, was lifted, she started learning recovery magic to be of help to him.


    In other words, from the yer''s perspective, for Aten to be able to use recovery magic, Aster had to first meet her, umte enough goodwill to dispel her disgust, and Aten had to discover her talent for recovery magic.


    However, the current Aten had skipped all these steps and delved into recovery magic much earlier.


    As a result,


    "I''ve be able to perform ''Mana Care'' even from a distance."


    "...What?"


    "So, I can differentiate. Between those I should attack and those I shouldn''t."

 Chapter 321 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The devil blinked, trying toprehend her words.


    Mana Care was a technique used by healers to understand a person''s physical condition by permeating their body with mana.


    In this world, people suffered from internal injuries as much as external ones. To heal someone, it was essential to know where they were injured, making Mana Care the most fundamental skill.


    However, Mana Care was something done through contact with the target. Whether it was the shoulder, hand, or any other part, contact was necessary to permeate mana and understand the injuries.


    Aten had just said she could perform Mana Care from a distance.


    She also said she could distinguish between those she should attack and those she shouldn''t.


    ''...That''s.''


    That meant, in other words,


    "...You.""Yes?"


    "Can you distinguish between devils and humans?"


    The devil asked, his lips and fingertips trembling.


    Aten''s coldness was unbearable. That had to be the reason. There couldn''t be any other exnation.


    Aten tilted her head slightly, her snow-white hair cascading down.


    "...I wonder."


    The devil''s face went cold. He trembled as if he were having a seizure.


    If his prediction was correct.


    Aten was the only human who could differentiate between devils and humans.


    Aten had probably encountered devils for the first time today. So, it was also the first time she had distinguished them.


    Did she realize how dangerous her ability was?


    ''This, this bitch... I have to kill her...!''


    Satan''s order was to capture her alive. Killing Aten would be pointless in manipting Frondier.


    Of course, the devil knew he couldn''t kill Aten. He was just a sacrificialmb sent to gauge her strength.


    He attacked Aten knowing this. Originally, ording to their prediction, Aten''s strength should have been simr to his, and he wasn''t afraid of death anyway.


    Devils were a collective. A group with a leader, moving as one. Therefore, individual death was irrelevant. If it benefited the collective, his death would have meaning.


    However, now, he heard the sound of an rm bell ringing for all devils. This wasn''t just about one of them dying.


    ''I have to tell someone, anyone among us!''


    The devil turned his head. The n to capture Aten alive was already forgotten. There was something more important.


    But,


    "As expected, you''re going that way."


    <i>Crackle, crackle!</i>


    Ice rose from the floor, encasing his feet. She intended to freeze his feet again to immobilize him.


    ''I have to escape somehow,''


    ng!


    Before the devil could even finish the thought.


    Thud!


    He fell, face-nting on the ground.


    "...?"


    The devil couldn''t understand.


    His feet were frozen. So, falling should have been impossible. He hadn''t been able to move in the first ce.


    There was only one possibility.


    The devil looked at his feet.


    "Gasp!"


    His feet were still standing on the ground, frozen.


    His body had fallen with them, precisely up to his ankles.


    Aten hadn''t frozen his feet to restrain him. This was on apletely different level from the coldness the devil had experienced so far.


    ''In that short moment, shepletely froze and separated my feet?''


    The devil was horrified. He still felt nothing below his ankles. There was no pain from his feet being severed, and now he couldn''t even feel the cold. ?


    "You had no intention of killing me, did you?"


    "...!"


    Meanwhile, Aten brushed her white hair aside and looked down at the fallen devil with her white eyes.


    "Your words were harsh, and your expression looked like you were about to kill me, but your attacks were somehow clumsy. Above all, I could barely sense any killing intent."


    "Since when... did you..."


    "Since you introduced yourself."


    From the very beginning.


    "You''re trying to drain my strength, right? You have more enemies than just yourself."


    "Then, knowing that, you deliberately...?"


    "Yes. I learned something. Enemies don''t suspect their opponent''s intentions when things go their way. Even though I learned it, I wondered if I could even imitate that person."


    "...Ugh!"


    The devil spread his wings.


    <i>Crackle, crackle!</i>


    <i>ng!</i>


    And, he lost his wings.


    "Gasp, gasp!"


    "So, I''ll y along with your intentions. You don''t want to kill me, and you want to drain my strength. You want to capture me alive. Please do so."


    If Aster was the fastest at eliminating devils, Aten was the slowest.


    Truly, terribly, excruciatingly slow.


    "I won''t kill you."


    "This, crazy, bitch...!"


    "It would be absurd to do so when you have no intention of killing me."


    While fighting the devil for a long time,


    Aten lowered the temperature of her domain created by the cold, endlessly and limitlessly.


    Unlike the magic that froze opponents instantly, lowering the temperature of this domain took quite some time.


    However, the devils had already given her ample time.


    Now, it was difficult for any devil to enter this domain.


    "Since the devil tempts me,"


    Aten started, as if offering a prayer to God,


    "I suppose it''s only fair if I tempt the devil in return."


    She finished the sentence with a tone simr to someone else''s.

 Chapter 322 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Aten watched the freezing devil and thought,


    ¡®Is it just me that the devils are after?¡¯


    Through the recent battle with the devil, she realized that he wasn''t trying to kill her. His goal was likely to drain her strength, in other words, capture her alive.


    However, Aten couldn''t fathom the reason behind it.


    ¡®¡­¡­Something simr has happened before.¡¯


    Aten''s ability to quickly grasp the situation despite the devil''s appearance wasrgely due to her past experiences.


    Her status as a princess had always exposed Aten to potential dangers, the most prominent threat being Renzo.


    In Renzo''s case, the reason for capturing Aten alive was due to Elysia''s request, who aimed to ascend to the position of Empress. Elysia believed Aten had a higher chance of bing Empress than herself.


    While Elysia''s case was somewhat unique, the underlying motive of exploiting Aten''s rights as a princess was no different from the countless threats Aten had faced before.¡®But what do the devils gain by capturing me?¡¯


    Do the devils want the Empire''s wealth? Do they intend to be nobles of the Empire? Nothing made sense.


    Moreover, if Aten were to be kidnapped, the Imperial family would take action. Regardless of the devil''s desires, the Imperial family would never grant them.


    Even if it meant Aten''s death, the Imperial family would pursue the kidnappers with the intent to capture and kill them all.


    Aten knew this fact even when she was almost kidnapped by Renzo. That''s why she told Frondier that her ransom wouldn''t be high.


    Aten knew that the Emperor, her father, would definitely act in this way.


    Ironically, although the current Emperor Bartello had changed in many ways since his return, the awkward distance between him and Aten hadn''t narrowed at all.


    Bartello would probably be closer to Frondier than to her.


    ¡°That


    Even as the devil clenched his teeth, the sound of them chattering could be heard. He couldn''t control his trembling body.


    He was already on the verge of death. No exaggeration. If someone were toe and kick him, his entire body would shatter.


    Aten maintained that precarious gap.


    Of course, as she told the devil, Aten was also buying time, but in reality, she was hesitant to kill him.


    Despite the opponent being a devil and attempting to kidnap her, her hesitation was typical of Aten.


    Naturally, this hesitation made the devil experience a living hell, but he wasn''t truly sent to hell.


    ¡®No, this is dangerous! It''s been way past the scheduled time!¡¯


    The devil thought as he froze from the cold.


    Even though devils sacrificed their lives to hold back the others, they weren''t infinite.


    They had to quickly capture Aten alive and escape while she was alone.


    But to think Aten was this strong. Moreover, she was actually buying time. This waspletely unexpected for the devils.


    ¡®I have to tell them! This fact, to the otherrades! To the superiors!¡¯


    The devil forced his barely-moving arm to rise. Every time he did, the ice attached to his arm cracked with a ''crack'' sound.


    While the ice appeared fragile, in reality, the devil''s arm was also cracking along with it.


    Aura bloomed on the devil''s arm. Aten became somewhat tense at the sight, but the aura was so weak that it was almost meaningless.


    ¡®Notice it!¡¯


    And then, the devil,


    <i>ng!</i>


    Struck his own neck with his hand.


    Thud!


    The already shattered neck was severed by that single blow, and the devil''s head fell first, rolling away. His lifeless eyes stared into the void.


    ¡®Suicide?¡¯


    For a moment, Aten wondered if it was a magical trigger, but nothing happened afterwards.


    In other words, he had killed himself.


    Aten narrowed her eyes as she looked at the corpse of the dead devil.


    ¡®This devil tried to escape a while ago.¡¯


    At first, she thought it was because he was afraid of dying. Anyone would think so seeing that sight.


    But this devil had just killed itself. To call the next devil.


    That contradiction.


    ¡®¡­¡­The attempt to escape wasn''t to survive.¡¯


    Right before he tried to escape, the devil asked Aten a question.


    Whether she could distinguish between devils and humans.


    If escaping wasn''t for survival, then that question was the reason for the escape.


    ¡®Distinguishing between devils and humans. Is that important to devils? So, he tried to escape to inform other devils of that fact?¡¯


    That means other devils don''t know this yet.


    Realizing this, Aten immediately moved. She herself didn''t know the value of this information, but it must be valuable enough for the devil to disobey his original orders and act. She had to tell others. Osprey would be the best choice. ?


    However.


    ¡°I thought it was taking longer than expected.¡±


    An unpleasant voice reached Aten''s ears.


    Aten turned around. Her domain, still filled with chills. Someone was walking steadily within it.


    Of course, that didn''t mean Aten''s chills were easy to handle, as the person red at Aten with a contorted face.


    It was a tall man. He had a well-groomed beard and covered his nose and mouth with a gloved hand, as if trying to inhale as little of the cold air as possible.


    ¡°A domain of this size, even mediocre devils wouldn''t dare touch it.¡±


    The devil pushed back Aten''s chill with aura surrounding its entire body. However, even if the chill was pushed back, the already lowered temperature wouldn''t change. Frost began to form on his body as well.


    ¡°¡­¡­Who are you?¡±


    Aten asked. The first devil she encountered had obsessively introduced itself. If her judgment was correct, this devil would probably do the same.


    ¡°Huu, it''s a painful rule in this situation.¡±


    The devil sighed and said,


    ¡°My name is Marchosias, the second-ranked devil of Wrath.¡±


    ¡®Second!¡¯


    Aten''s tension heightened at those words.

 Chapter 322 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    As a princess, Aten had naturally heard about the incident of devils pouring out of the Imperial Pce from her mother, Philly. Including Satan retrieving his first-ranked subordinate, ''Mizonas,'' back to the Demon Realm.


    With Mizonas returned to the Demon Realm by Satan''s hand, Marchosias, who stood before her now, was the highest-ranking among Satan''s devils.


    ¡°Bringing you back is the only order Satan-nim has entrusted to us. No matter what happens, we must seed. It''s only natural that I''m here.¡±


    Marchosias spoke while igniting a me on his fingertip. However, it was quickly extinguished due to the cold.


    Clicking his tongue, he approached Aten again. His body continued to freeze further.


    ¡°My role was to prevent Osprey or other strong individuals froming to your aid while we captured you alive, but since things have turned out this way, it can''t be helped. I''ll have to do it myself.¡±


    Aten silently watched the approaching devil and suddenly asked,


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡±¡°That the situation had turned out this way.¡±


    The devil whomitted suicide in front of Aten had attempted to escape just before. To deliver information to other devils.


    In other words, other devils hadn''t heard their conversation.


    Yet, despite that, this devil named Marchosias had grasped the situation and stood in Aten''s way.


    Of course, Marchosias didn''t answer, but Aten quickly realized.


    ¡°¡­


    At the word Aten uttered, Marchosias''s eyes flickered.


    ¡°Devils can sense each other''s deaths. That''s why hemitted suicide.¡±


    Even if he couldn''t conveyplete information, it was to inform other devils that the situation had changed.


    That''s why the previous devil had killed itself.


    ¡°¡­¡­S


    On the other hand, Marchosias frowned at Aten''s words and looked at the devil with its severed head.


    ¡°You didn''t kill him, this childmitted suicide? Is there that much of a skill difference between you?¡±


    ¡®Child.¡¯ A strange choice of words.


    However, Aten didn''t feel obligated to answer, so she simply stood still.


    Marchosias shook his head.


    ¡°Just how outdated is the information? Satan-nim''s trust in his subordinates is sometimes his downfall.¡±


    Aten felt an immense sense of strangeness at his behavior.


    ¡®¡­¡­Can he speak that way to the Seven Deadly Sins devils? A direct subordinate?¡¯


    Of course, Satan wasn''t present at the moment, but judging from the actions of other devils, they pledged absolute loyalty to Satan, even at the cost of their lives.


    But this devil was different. Did something change when one reached the second rank? But then, Mizonas didn''t seem like that either. To think he would badmouth his own leader, even if it was a joke.


    And above all.


    ¡®Marchosias. I feel like I''ve heard that name somewhere before¡­¡­.¡¯


    Suddenly.


    <i>Swish!</i>


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    Aten''s breath was cut off as her throat was suddenly choked. He had closed the distance in an instant and grabbed her neck.


    Aten''s domain grew colder the closer one got to her. Especially if it was contact with Aten herself.


    Indeed, Marchosias''s fingertips, which were gripping Aten''s neck, were rapidly freezing.


    ¡°What a terrifying magic. My fingers will be snapped off.¡±


    Marchosias spoke, but his movements remained almost unchanged from before.


    Aten''s magic wasn''t ineffective, and the pained expression on his face seemed genuine, but the speed at which he had approached her was phenomenal.


    ¡°No need to be so surprised. It''s calledpatibility.¡±


    ¡°Com, patibility¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I already knew you were an ice-specialized mage. But unfortunately for you, I am,¡±


    <i>sh-!</i>


    Something sliced through his wrist along with Marchosias''s words.


    Aten copsed to the ground and finally gasped for breath.


    ¡°Hmm. Who is it?¡±


    Marchosias simply tilted his head despite his wrist being severed.


    The next moment, Aten realized why Marchosias was so nonchnt.


    ¡®¡­¡­Hi


    A hand began to grow from the severed wrist. The speed was not something that could be called recovery. It was simr to the speed of ''Reversion'' that Aten had only managed to achieve once.


    ¡°Hey! You!!¡±


    Meanwhile.


    A woman''s sharp voice flew towards them.


    She walked confidently into Aten''s domain. Aten''s domain was harmless to humans. And Aten had already known who she was before she even got this close.


    ¡°¡­¡­S


    Whooooosh!


    With a ming sword.


    And eyes burning with just as much heat, Sybil Forte approached.


    ¡°


    Marchosias''s eyes gleamed with interest as he saw Sybil''s sword.


    ¡°Simultaneous manifestation of mana and aura? To think a human capable of such a thing exists.¡±


    Marchosias finally raised his gaze to Sybil''s face. He had seen the sword first before her face.


    ¡°Who are you guys!¡±


    Sybil raised her sword.


    She shouted in a voice full of indignation.


    ¡°Why didn''t anyonee to me!¡±


    ¡°You guys are only targeting the strong people from Constel right now! Why didn''t anyonee to me! So I killed them all myself on my way here!¡±


    Sybil huffed and puffed, seemingly deeply offended.


    Marchosias stared at her face for a long time before speaking.


    ¡°¡­¡­Sybil Forte?¡±


    ¡°That''s right! You knew! And you left me unmarked? You''re all dead!¡±


    Huh, Marchosias let out a sigh.


    Indeed, Sybil had been left unmarked. They had judged that there was no need to deal with her specifically.


    But was the Sybil standing before Marchosias''s eyes now truly the Sybil they knew from their information?


    ¡°¡­¡­This is something.¡±


    Marchosias turned his gaze to Aten and faced Sybil.


    Sybil''s words might sound like a childish tantrum at first nce, but in reality, they weren''t at all.


    She was right.


    They had left someone they should never have left unmarked, unmarked.


    ¡®¡­


    Aten realized as she observed the situation.


    The devil that tried to capture her alive was excessively weak, and Sybil wasn''t even considered.


    She had found it strange, but now she understood.


    ¡®Their information is stuck before the Manggot War.¡¯


    Exactly as it sounded.


    Marchosias spoke with a more tired expression.


    ¡°The information is truly outdated.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 323 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Sybil, brimming with confidence in contrast to Marchosias''s darkened expression, was actually troubled within.


    "A devil with regenerative abilities..."


    The hand Sybil had just severed regrew in mere seconds.


    She had found it strange that he remained unfazed even while his entire body froze from Aten''s coldness. It seemed he cared less about his own flesh than others.


    "Aten, stay away. No, go somewhere else entirely. Go to the Headmaster."


    At Sybil''s words, Marchosias''s expression hardened slightly.


    "You think you can escape me,"


    <i>sh-!</i>


    Sybil sliced through Marchosias''s lips, removing the upper lip above the lower one.However, it seemed even that was futile as Marchosias regenerated his entire head.


    "You''ve already lost."


    As Sybil said, Aten had already fled while he was regenerating.


    Although Aten didn''t quite understand why, Marchosias seemed resistant to her ice even without his regeneration.


    Meanwhile, the ck mes surrounding Aten extinguished upon contact with Marchosias, due to Aten''s own coldness.


    She judged that she would only hinder the fight further and her decision was spot on.


    "...Sigh, this is truly... The word ''irrational'' seems inadequate."


    "Same goes for your regenerative abilities."


    Sybil had imbued her aura with magic, not just the de itself. Most enemies'' aura couldn''t withstand her attacks.


    While the Helheim Mana possessed by Frondier also pierced through opponents'' aura more easily, Sybilpletely ignored it. In that sense, she was a perfect superior.


    "The target escaped, and I''m struggling against an unmarked enemy. I suppose the operation has already failed miserably."


    Marchosias scratched his head, mes erupting from his fingertips with each scratch. It seemed as if he intended to burn his own hair, but that didn''t happen.


    Sybil observed this.


    "...Is he emitting mes unconsciously? This devil..."


    Question turned into suspicion, and Sybil asked,


    "Hey devil, what''s your name? All the devils I''ve met unt their names around."


    "...Tsk."


    Marchosias clicked his tongue. It seemed this moment was more unpleasant for him than having his wrist or head cut off by Sybil.


    And he quietly muttered,


    "...Stupid rules..."


    "What?"


    "No, it''s nothing. My name is Marchosias. The second rank of wrath."


    At those words, Sybil blinked.


    Marchosias observed her expression. Aten had also furrowed her brow upon hearing his name, as if she recognized it.


    And unfortunately for Marchosias,


    Sybil knew more about devils than Aten did.


    "...The 72 devils?"


    "...Why do you know that? That knowledge should be obsolete in this Empire."


    Marchosias''s expression changed.


    With a mix of tension and a bold smile, Sybil said,


    "There was a time when I was obsessed with devils."


    Sybil had once doubted herself.


    When she received the love of fate, and that fate resulted in harm to those around her.


    She wondered if she was actually a devil.


    Therefore, Sybil had searched for a devil with simr characteristics to her own.


    It wasn''t that she hoped such a devil didn''t exist.


    If such a devil did exist, she wanted to know how they dealt with their traits.


    "...And in the process, I ended up memorizing almost all of Solomon''s 72 devils."


    Marchosias was one of the 72 devils. Sybil remembered clearly.


    His ability to control mes and his strangely magnificent beard were all consistent with the records.


    However, that raised a question.


    "Why did the 72 devils fall under Satan''smand? They have nothing to do with the Seven Sins, do they?"


    The Seven Sins were undoubtedly the highest rank of devils, but the 72 devils were a separate matter. They were devils from different worlds.


    This was as strange as saying Hercules was under Odin''smand.


    Marchosias''s expression became the most severe it had been so far.


    "You already know too much. That question itself proves it."


    "You''re not going to tell me anything more?"


    "I didn''t want to tell you anything from the beginning, but yes, that''s right."


    And then, Marchosias''s murderous intent, aura, and mes red up.


    As if he had been consuming them all along, mes began to spew out with each breath he exhaled.


    "I considered fleeing since the operation failed, but now I have a reason to silence you."


    "Your mouth seems useful. Want to work under my dad? He''s beeniningtely about the fire not lighting."


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Marchosias''s new form shot forward. The incredible speed that Aten couldn''t even track with her eyes. The same technique he used to grab Aten''s neck in an instant.


    However, that was because Aten was a mage.


    <i>Sybil Forte Original</i>


    <i>Aura-Mana Combination</i>


    <i>Petal</i>


    <i>White</i>


    Crackle!!


    Sybil''s eyes locked onto Marchosias.


    "Are you faster than lightning?"


    With a provocative remark, she swung her sword, crackling with bursts of energy.

 Chapter 323 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Adolf''s expression gradually hardened as he faced the two.


    It was none other than Dier who sent chills down his spine.


    ''This bastard...''


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    <i>Kaboom!</i>


    His orbs remained powerful, with nothing to criticize in terms of both power and speed.


    However, the distance between him and Dier was slowly closing.


    It wasn''t that Dier was surpassing the speed of the orbs. Nor had he be able to deflect them.


    Yet, Dier was gradually getting closer. Moreover, as if to provoke him, he stood before him with his sword drawn in abat stance, as if it was time to attack.''Why! Why is this guy getting closer!''


    Of course, the reason Dier could approach him was simple.


    His eyesight and judgment surpassed what Adolf had anticipated.


    Adolf believed Dier was simply dodging the iing orbs with his dynamic vision while simultaneously approaching.


    But as a devil, and with orbs being his greatest strength, Adolf couldn''tprehend it. To simply see and dodge, while also approaching him? Such a human shouldn''t exist. It was impossible.


    He was the fifth rank of Satan. He wasn''t in that position just because he could throw orbs that could be dodged with the naked eye.


    However, that impossible situation was actually happening, and his mind was reeling.


    He couldn''t ept the fact that his orbs could be dodged by a human with the naked eye, allowing him to approach.


    In reality, Adolf was right.


    Dier wasn''t simply approaching while dodging the orbs with his eyesight.


    ''This devil has a strange habit.''


    Dier wasn''t relying solely on dynamic vision to dodge.


    Adolf used his aura like a switch to conceal his orbs. Initially, it wasn''t noticeable, but as time passed and his aura depleted, Adolf developed a peculiar habit.


    ''The moment he throws the orb, his rotation speed slows down. His body stiffens to throw it harder. So, contrary to his intention, the rotational force decreases, reducing the power, and topensate for that, he throws it even harder. He''s exposing his own weakness.''


    As his opponent continued to evade, he became impatient.


    Impatience manifested as a desire to attack faster and stronger.


    That desire caused his muscles to contract excessively, ultimately slowing down the force of his rotation.


    Topensate for theck of power, his movements becamerger, making it increasingly easier to distinguish between when he was attacking and when he wasn''t.


    Once it became that obvious, Dier''s eyes could capture it all.


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    Whoosh!!!


    The sound of the orbs colliding with the ground gradually disappeared. Adolf was retrieving them before they even touched the floor.


    It was a sign of his desperation. The faster he tried to throw, the more he tried to end it in one go, the easier it became for Dier.


    And above all, this fight right now.


    It was the perfect fight for Dier to recall the memories of his past when his entire body ached.


    ©¤You thought I was getting impatient, right? That''s why you showed an opening.


    He was hearing that voice again, the one he had grown tired of.


    Back then, Dier, sprawled on the floor after being beaten, cried out to his ck-haired senior in frustration.


    "Your movements got bigger! I clearly saw it with my eyes!"


    "You can''t judge based on that. How can you tell if the movements got bigger or if I made them bigger on purpose?"


    "Then how do I know if the opponent is getting impatient? I''ve always fought by targeting that."


    Dier, whose physical abilities were ordinary except for his eyesight, was the type to focus on breaking down his opponent, using psychology, bluffing, or whatever it took.


    In fact, during the test, it even worked on Frondier, allowing him to advance to the next stage.


    Frondier approached him with a smile.


    "You think the weapons you possess arecking, so you try to drag things into your head and use psychology. That''s why you''re sensitive to your opponent''s reactions. Your good eyesight elerates that even more. It might have worked so far, but it will be difficult in the future. The more you encounter opponents like me who create intentional openings, the more confused you''ll be."


    "Wh, what should I do?"


    "You need to look at your own heart, not the enemy''s."


    ...My heart?


    Was he suddenly telling him to meditate or something?


    Looking at Dier''s contemtive face, Frondier said,


    "See if you''re getting impatient, not the enemy."


    "...!"


    "If the opponent gets impatient, you''ll inevitably be rxed. You need to realize that. If the opponent is truly falling for your bluff, if it''s working, your mind will be clearer than ever. You''re a smart guy. You''ll figure it out quickly."


    Those words plunged Dier into deep thought.


    Afterward, Frondier shouted at the equally sprawled-out Pielott to get up, and Pielott protested that it was unfair and discriminatory that he was being treated that way, but Dier''s ears barely registered it.


    Adolf''s two orbs and Frondier''s Obsidian.


    There was no training more familiar to Dier and Pielott in terms of closing the distance.


    And now.


    "Pielott! He''s slowing down! Just hold on a little longer!"


    Dier shouted.


    His words were directed at Pielott, but they were meant for Adolf to hear.


    "...!"


    As intended, Adolf exerted even more force. The speed increased slightly, but the timing became easier to read, and above all, the attacks became increasingly linear.


    ''Now, is he making his movements bigger, or is he intentionally showing an opening?''


    What is my heart like now?


    Impatient? Rxed?


    ©¤©¤I can confidently say it''s as calm as still water.


    As Adolf''s attacks became simpler, Dier''s movements became smaller.


    Dodging with a 1-meter gap became 50 centimeters, 30 centimeters, 10 centimeters.


    The thickness of a sheet of paper.


    "This bastard!"


    And Adolf''s next attack.


    When the rotation stopped, the aura disappeared, and it shot towards Dier.


    Dier predicted it all, and it all came true.


    He watched the orb approaching him,


    Watched it with his head tilted back,


    Watched it cut through the empty air behind him.


    In that moment, a long trajectory of light shed across Dier''s eyes.


    ©¤There''s one more condition to win at rock-paper-scissors.


    Just as Adolf''s attacks became familiar to him,


    Adolf also became ustomed to Dier''s small movements.


    Dier knew that familiarity.


    Thump.


    Aura surged and settled at the tips of Dier''s feet.


    Adolf retrieved the thrown orb,


    <i>ck!</i>


    "Ugh!"


    Dier was right in front of Adolf.


    At the exact same speed that he retrieved the orb, Dier reached him.


    Dier, who had never moved at such a speed before. A charge that Adolf couldn''t even anticipate.


    Objectively speaking, it wasn''t a speed that couldn''t be tracked with the eyes. Adolf could move even faster than this.


    All the cards Dier possessed were weaker than Adolf''s weakest card.


    However, right now.


    ©¤It''s when the opponent doesn''t throw anything at all.


    Adolf wasn''t in a situation where he could y rock-paper-scissors.


    <i>Imperial Swordsmanship Basics</i>


    <i>Dier-style Conditional Activation, Perfect Stance</i>


    <i>Condition Sessful</i>


    <i>Horizontal sh, Masterpiece</i>


    The single step taken during the charge.


    The force that reached the ground traveled up his legs,bining with the rotation of his waist and torso into Dier''s de.


    The aura-infused de executed a textbook horizontal sh.


    "Haa!"


    <i>ng!</i>


    However, even though Dier had made such a prediction,


    His horizontal sh was barely blocked by Adolf''s thread.


    Adolf had desperately converted his aura to manipte the thread and block his attack.


    But.


    ''...What is this.''


    Adolf''s insides twisted from the recoil of abruptly changing his aura.


    But a situation that twisted his insides even more urred.


    Dier''s attack wasn''t powerful at all. It was weak enough that he could have taken it with his bare body.


    ''...Ah!''


    By the time Adolf realized and looked up,


    <i>sh-!</i>


    A single, long trajectory that grazed his neck.


    Pielott, who had flown in with his sword still sheathed.


    He had cut Adolf''s neck, yet mysteriously, his sword remained sheathed.


    Meanwhile, he clicked his tongue and spoke to Dier, who was iming credit for himself.


    "You''re crazy, Dier."


    Dier grinned.


    "That''s apliment, right?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 324 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Dier and Pielott stared for a moment at the fallen Adolf.


    Adolf''s severed head rolled on the ground. His eyes were vacant, his expression nk. He was utterly dead.


    Pielott was the first to speak.


    ¡°You said this guy was the fifth, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The fifth devil in Satan¡¯s hierarchy.¡±


    ¡°Are we getting that strong?¡±


    ¡°...Well, we were lucky. He got flustered and left himself open.¡±


    Dier kept his answer vague, sparing his words. He nced at Pielott.


    ¡®Even if he was open, to cut off a devil¡¯s head in one strike...¡¯Of course, it was Dier who had led Adolf to expose thatrge opening.


    Dier knew that his turn to attack would likely note during the fight with Adolf.


    In fact, even though he hadpletely predicted Adolf''s attack, disrupted his rhythm, and reached right before him, Adolf still managed to block Dier''s sword.


    His defense after the feint was faster than Dier''s attack. Dier was frustrated, but he knew it would be like this from the beginning. That''s why he only put on a show and didn''t put any power into the attack.


    ¡®If our auras sh, it¡¯ll cause a shockwave. That would interfere with Pielott, who was aiming for his neck from behind.¡¯


    Dier chose to leave it to Pielott rather than attempt an attack that he wasn''t sure would work.


    But even so, he didn''t expect Pielott to so easily slice off the devil''s head.


    What was most surprising was that even with Dier''s dynamic vision, he couldn''t follow the moment Pielott swung his sword.


    ¡®Can a human unsheathe and sheathe a sword that fast?¡¯


    If Dier had been an ordinary person, he might not have questioned it. He might have just epted that Pielott''s strike was too fast for him to see.


    But Dier prided himself on his exceptional eyesight. Yet, even his eyes couldn''t capture Pielott''s strike.


    ¡®This guy hasn''t been drawing his sword from its sheath for a while now. What the hell did he learn?¡¯


    Dier already knew about Pielott''s secret technique. He had heard about it during the skill test.


    A dual simultaneous attack. An aura technique where a sword made of aura and a real sword attack in different trajectories. The problem was that it could only be done with a drawing technique.


    But in fact, Dier understood that drawback when he heard it.


    Such an absurd technique should have a handicap like that. That''s what Dier thought.


    ¡®So instead of doing the dangerous act of putting the sword back in its sheath during a fight, he decided to keep it sheathed from the beginning and settle the fight with the first move?¡¯


    Practice for that.


    Thanks to that, he was able to cut off the devil''s head in one strike.


    The fifth-ranked devil of Satan.


    ¡®I don''t know how strong this Adolf devil is. But at least his attacks were at a level that I could see and avoid, so maybe we didn''t need to be as scared as we thought. However...¡¯


    When Dier''s de and the thread Adolf had attached to the bead collided,


    Even though he wasn''t putting much force into it, he realized that he could never cut this thread.


    ¡®...Maybe.¡¯


    Dier walked over to Adolf''s severed head, feeling a hunch. He knelt down and examined it closely.


    ¡°Why are you looking at it so closely?¡±


    Pielott frowned as if it were disgusting, but Dier examined the cross-section of Adolf''s head with his usual cool eyes.


    ¡®...There it is. The thread.¡¯


    Dier guessed that with the strength of this thread, it would have been used elsewhere for both offense and defense, and his guess was right.


    Adolf had actually wrapped his entire body with his thread. Although it wasn''t visible, Adolf had no part of his body exposed.


    Since it was impossible for Dier to cut this thread, theoretically, he was a devil that Dier could never kill.


    ¡®...Then Pielott,¡¯


    Just how far has Pielott''s swordsmanship reached?


    Dier looked at Pielott involuntarily. Pielott, not knowing the reason, just tilted his head.


    Dier had once received a stern warning from Frondier.


    Never praise Pielott.


    No matter how much talent he shows, don''t show it. Even if it exceeds Dier''s expectations, never.


    ¡®At first, I didn''t really care. I knew I was less talented than Dier.¡¯


    Dier was probably one of the people who rated Pielott''s talent the highest within Constel. He knew his own shorings, which made him appreciate Pielott even more.


    But what if even that was an underestimation?


    Dier stood up again and spoke to Pielott.


    ¡°I would have struck from above. The fact that this devil raised his head towards you and exposed his neck was pure coincidence. If he had kept his head down, your sword would have been blocked by his skull, right?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don''t talk nonsense! How can you swing your sword down while charging at that speed! And I would have cut through his skull or whatever!¡±


    Pielott retorted to Dier''s nagging. "Damn, everyone''s dying to give me a piece of their mind," he grumbled. Dier watched him for a moment and sighed inwardly.


    ...How long can he deceive Pielott with this kind of bluff? He realized that Frondier''s advice was more difficult than he thought.


    ¡°Anyway, let''s move. While we were fighting, I heard noises from all over the ce. And since devils are walking around inside Constel so brazenly, the teachers must have been attacked too. I don''t think they''ve been defeated, but they''re probably tied up.¡±


    ¡°Right. But where should we go?¡±


    ¡°Let''s go to the Headmaster first. He might know the purpose of these devils.¡±


    These two still didn''t know the devils'' purpose. But they believed the Headmaster would know something. They had no basis for that belief, but they were sure of it.


    Of course, that thought was correct, but.


    ¡°You killed Lord Adolf! You bastards!¡±

 Chapter 324 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    This time, two devils spread their wings and flew towards Pielott and Dier. They didn''t even bother pretending to be human anymore.


    Pielott, who had been watching them with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, asked,


    ¡°...Those guys, they could have just teamed up with that Adolf guy from the beginning, right? Then we would have been in danger, wouldn''t we?¡±


    ¡°Either they were being overly careless, or there''s some weird rule in the devil world that says lower-ranking devils can''t help when a higher-ranking one is fighting, or.¡±


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°...Or maybe buying a few more seconds or minutes is more important than one devil dying.¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible? To use lives like that?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know. But they''re devils. They might be a little different from humans.¡±


    Dier answered half-jokingly, and Pielott took it as a joke. It was infinitely close to the truth, though.They watched the two devils pping their wings.


    ¡°...Dier. Did you learn flight magic?¡±


    ¡°No. Even wizards take 2 years to learn that. Just floating takes a year.¡±


    ¡°Then did you learn aura projection? You know, where the aura flies along the path of the sword swing.¡±


    ¡°No. Only people who have reached the peak of aura can use that. Among the people we know, only Professor Pascal can use it.¡±


    Imperial Knight, Pascal Schlitz. He was still working as a teacher at Constel.


    Dier and Pielott looked up at the pping devils with troubled faces.


    ¡°...We have no way to deal with flying things, do we?¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    While the two were talking like that,


    The devil on the left, still with an angry face, thrust out his spear and said,


    ¡°You ignorant humans! I am the one who serves wrath, even though I have no rank. My name is,¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Boom!


    Before he could finish introducing himself, a sudden explosion engulfed him.


    A sudden explosion from behind. The devil on the right turned around in surprise.


    ¡°You, what are you,¡±


    Boom!


    ¡°I said shut up! I''m busy!¡±


    Pushing through the smoke from the explosion, a woman approached Dier and Pielott.


    It was Elodie.


    ¡°Senior Elodie!¡±


    The two greeted Elodie with bright faces, and Elodie checked their faces first.


    ¡°What, you''re both safe.¡±


    Then, as if relieved, Elodie lowered her shoulders, looking somewhat disappointed.


    Meanwhile, Pielott raised his head. He narrowed his eyes towards the sky, still thick with smoke.


    ¡°They''re not attacking. I thought they would be angry and rush at Senior Elodie after getting hit.¡±


    Dier answered him.


    ¡°No, they''re,¡±


    <i>Whoooosh-</i>


    <i>Thud! Thump!</i>


    Two figures fell from the smoke-filled sky.


    ¡°Dead.¡±


    As Dier said, they were killed instantly by Elodie''s magic.


    ¡°...No way.¡±


    Even if they were rankless devils, they were still high-ranking devils.


    Pielott was speechless, dumbfounded.


    ¡°But why did youe to us? Is there a reason?¡±


    Dier asked. He actually thought all the students involved in this incident would head to Headmaster Osprey. He was the person who could most clearly understand the situation. ??


    Elodie nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. I got a message from the Headmaster first. The devils seem to be attacking people rted to Frondier. They said if they take even one of them hostage, it''s a sess.¡±


    ¡°...Aha.¡±


    Dier and Pielott understood immediately at Elodie''s exnation.


    While Frondier was away, they attacked Constel and kidnapped one of his associates to threaten Frondier with a hostage.


    It was the most effective way to deal with Frondier''s enemy.


    ...That''s true, but.


    ¡°They''re pushing their luck.¡±


    Pielott said with a pale face. Fear seeped into him as if he could handle Frondier''s anger himself.


    ¡°So the first target is Aten, they said. They think she''s the weakest among Frondier''s associates.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Pielott frowned, as if it were absurd. Dier, seeming to have a hunch, pursed his lips. He was thinking almost the same thing as Elodie. That the information was outdated.


    ¡°So I thought you guys might be a likely target among those who the devils might misunderstand, so I came here, but it seems you guys handled it well too.¡±


    Elodie looked at Adolf''s head rolling around somewhere. Devils basically resembled humans too much, so she felt an instinctive aversion to corpses.


    Still, she was a little more used to it, having dealt with devils before.


    Elodie suddenly remembered something and said to Pielott,


    ¡°Oh, don''t get me wrong. I didn''t mean you guys are weak. But the devils will want to seed in this operation somehow. I thought they might target you first among the first-year students who have a deep rtionship with Frondier.¡±


    ¡°But well, it''s true.¡±


    It was Pielott who answered.


    He nodded as if it were nothing strange and said,


    ¡°We are the weakest. Among the people Senior Frondier knows.¡±


    Elodie was surprised by his words. It waspletely different from the Pielott who used to be full of pride and self-importance, resembling Pride.


    ¡®...Frondier. Did you try to rehabilitate the kid and end up remodeling him instead?¡¯


    While Elodie was feelingplicated emotions, feeling both proud and worried about Pielott,


    Dier lowered his eyes and began to think deeply.


    Something was bothering him.


    When Dier''s mind started to work, Elodie and Pielott, who noticed it, fell silent almost simultaneously. So as not to disturb his concentration.


    ¡®If the enemy''s information is outdated, why is that? And how old is the information?¡¯


    Outdated information meant that it hadn''t been updated. In other words, the transmission had been cut off.


    Dier didn''t know the situation in the demon world or other worlds. He didn''t know that Satan couldn''t give orders to his devils in the human world right now.


    However, judging from the fact that they were targeting Aten, he could roughly guess what time period the information was from.


    ¡®...Even if it''s recent, it''s before the war. Senior Aten doesn''t reveal her skills much, so people outside Constel might not know.¡¯


    That''s why the enemies made a mistake. They believed Aten was someone they could handle.


    No matter who Aten''s opponent was, if they were of a simr level to the one Dier and Pielott had just fought, Dier wouldn''t be that worried. Especially since the condition of ¡®capture alive¡¯ was attached to the enemy.


    ¡®...But something doesn''t feel right.¡¯


    The information the enemies had was outdated. This itself was definitely an advantage, but.


    The enemies had nned this operation based on that information. So, if there was something that remained the same as the ¡®outdated information¡¯, the enemies'' chances of winning might be higher for that something.


    ...Something that remained the same as the outdated information, simr to before the war...


    ¡°...Senior Elodie.¡±


    Dier, who had finished his thoughts, spoke.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn''t be looking for the weakest person.¡±


    We might need to find someone who hasn''t grown.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 325 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A few minutes after Sybil started fighting Marchosias.


    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­! How¡¯s it going, Marco¡­!¡±


    Sybil was gasping for breath.


    The simultaneous operation of Mana and Aura. This inherently dangerous method was literally a technique only allowed for Sybil. However, even for Sybil, it wasn''t without its burden.


    Aside from the simple problem of consuming more than twice the amount of Mana she had, Sybil herself knew she was overheating.


    It was simr to overclocking. Of course, the fact that overclocking was the only technique that didn''t leave other humans asplete wrecks was amazing in itself.


    Meanwhile, Marchosias, also known as Marco, whom Sybil was facing, was¡­


    ¡°¡­¡­Huhu. As expected, you''re amazing.¡±


    Marco once again made acent and arrogant remark towards Sybil.However, he had already been reduced to a rolling head for quite some time.


    ¡°Hey! Even a skeleton would be dead by now!¡±


    Sybil looked down at Marco as if she were disgusted.


    It was impossible for Marco to block Sybil''s attacks.


    The de ignored the opponent''s Aura and reached their body directly. Even for a devil, it was impossible to block both Aura and magic with their physical body.


    And if he tried to dodge, he was slower than Sybil''s ¡®White¡¯.


    In other words, Sybil wasn''t just superior here, her victory was already decided.


    Except for Marco''s regeneration ability.


    ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯


    She tried burning him with fire and electrocuting him with lightning. Not to mention, she had dismembered his entire body in various ways.


    Yet, Marco was still alive. Although he was now just a head.


    His regeneration speed was quite fast, but Sybil''s strikes were much faster, so she already had an absolute advantage.


    Until all of her Mana was depleted.


    ¡®Did the devil Marchosias have a regeneration ability?¡¯


    Sybil didn''t know much about the devil Marchosias. She had only briefly looked into him while researching devils simr to her own characteristics. In her memories, Marchosias had nothing to do with regeneration abilities. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sybil was currently using both magic and Aura simultaneously. In other words, the enemy was being hit by both magic and Aura at the same time. At this point, even the most unique monsters would reveal their weaknesses.


    There were many monsters with regeneration abilities, but most of them weren''t perfect.


    They couldn''t regenerate if burned by fire, or they could be defeated by destroying the core that regenerated them, or if they were undead, they could be dealt with by borrowing the power of divine power.


    Sybil couldn''t use divine power, so excluding that, she had already tried everything she could.


    At this point, Marco''s regeneration ability could be considered close to immortality.


    ¡®Is his core hidden somewhere else like a Lich?¡¯


    The core of a Lich, also known as a Life Vessel. Liches, who possessed the characteristic of immortality until their core was destroyed, hid their core somewhere safe.


    However, that was literally something only a Lich could do. A Lich was a being that had even ced their own body into their magical object.


    The body wasn''t the main body, but the Life Vessel was, and the body was merely being controlled by the Life Vessel. Naturally, it wasn''t something a devil could imitate.


    ¡®Besides, if it''s that kind of regeneration, why would he bother ¡®dodging¡¯? He could just ignore any attack.¡¯


    The reason Sybil currently had the upper hand wasrgely due to Marco trying to avoid her attacks.


    Monsters with regeneration abilities usually utilized their regeneration abilities. They would make reckless charges, deliberately get hit by the opponent''s weapon to bind them, or even throw their own limbs around like crazy.


    But Marco was different. If he hadpletely ignored her attacks, Sybil could have been in danger. Since he couldn''t avoid lightning, if he got hit, it would be Marco''s turn for a moment anyway.


    However, Marco tried to dodge, and this was the result. Although Sybil''s Mana continued to deplete, it was by no means a good situation for Marco.


    Marco wasn''t utilizing his regeneration ability. An ability that was as close to perfect as it could be.


    Considering that¡­


    ¡®¡­¡­Did he obtain the regeneration ability recently?¡¯


    While Sybil was making her own assumptions¡­


    ¡°This is really¡­ I have no choice but to escape.¡±


    Marco sighed. It was unclear where a guy with only a head had a ce to breathe and do such a thing.


    ¡°Who said I''d let you escape?¡±


    ¡°Don''t push yourself. You won''t have much Mana left either. But I wasn''t originally after you, and I need to get away before other reinforcements arrive. We''re both pressed for time.¡±


    Marco originally intended to capture Aten.


    Since Sybil had arrived and Aten had escaped, at this point, Marco had already failed his mission.


    Sybil tightened her grip on the rapier.


    ¡®¡­¡­He''s right. At this rate, all my Mana will be depleted. Then I''ll be the one in danger.¡¯


    Aten had moved at a speed that Sybil couldn''t follow with her eyes. Sybil could somewhat cope, but without Mana, she wouldn''tst long either.


    But she couldn''t just let him go like this. Right now, Sybil had the absolute advantage, and if she could just buy a little more time, reinforcements would surely arrive. Elodie or Osprey might be able toe up with a solution to deal with this guy.


    ¡°Hoo!¡±


    ¡°Kyaa?!¡±


    Just as Sybil''s worries deepened, Marco suddenly breathed fire from his mouth. While Sybil stepped back in surprise, Marco''s mes swept across the area in front of him.


    ¡®The front is!¡¯


    Sybil raised her empty hand and chanted a spell. Of course, she could imbue her sword with magic, but that wasn''t appropriate in this situation.


    After bing able to use Aura and magic simultaneously, Sybil had invested a little more time in magic.


    She had shown glimpses of her talent for it since she learned magic from Aten at Tyburn.


    Thanks to that, Sybil now had to invest more than twice the amount of time in studyingpared to ordinary students. Swordsmanship and magic, she couldn''t abandon either.


    <i>Kwaaaa!</i>


    A gust of wind blew from Sybil''s hand, sweeping away the mes in front of her. It wasn''t easy to extinguish the mes, but Marco hadn''t breathed fire in perfect condition either.


    After Sybil had extinguished all the mes¡­


    ¡°Hmm, it seems I couldn''t fully recover. Your judgment is quick, Sybil Forte.¡±


    In the meantime, Marco, who had regenerated his body to some extent, stood before her. However, he was missing one arm and one leg. Of course, those were currently regenerating as well.


    ¡°Sybil, I have one question.¡±

 Chapter 325 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°Sybil, I have one question.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Trying to recover in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°You don''t seem to understand the situation. You can''t kill me. On the other hand, your Mana is constantly decreasing. You know very well which of us will die when that Mana runs out, right? You should be grateful that I''m trying to end this with a conversation.¡±


    Sybil stared at Marco silently.


    Indeed, Marco had alreadypletely deactivated his Aura. Of course, he was still regenerating, but there was no point in continuing to cut a guy who wouldn''t die anyway


    . In fact, as Marco said, she was also worried about her remaining Mana.


    ¡°¡­¡­Fine. What is it?¡±


    ¡°You''re showing apletely different appearance from the information I received. I don''t think the information could be that outdated, even if it is. There''s only a difference of a few months at most. You''ve grown tremendously in that short period.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om¡°You said you had a question. That''s not a question.¡±


    ¡°That growth¡­¡±


    Marco raised his regenerating arm. As if he had intended to do so, he stroked his beard once the regeneration wasplete.


    ¡°Was there any involvement from Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Is the reason you''re so strong now because of Frondier?¡±


    This question.


    Sybil knew what it meant.


    ¡®The devils didn''t have me on their radar. They might have judged my skills based on old standards, but they probably thought I didn''t have much to do with Frondier.¡¯


    In reality, Sybil and Frondier didn''t have that deep of an exchange. Frondier hadn''t told her, but Sybil was originally a viin, and thus, Frondier had avoided her.


    So Marco was reconfirming. About the rtionship between Sybil and Frondier.


    The answer she should give was already decided.


    ¡®If he bes certain that I have a connection with Frondier, I''ll be a target for the devils too. That''s dangerous.¡¯


    So she had to pretend not to know.


    Although not as good as Selena, Sybil could act quite well. She was originally someone who used her looks and charm to get what she wanted.


    ¡­However.


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Sybil said with a smirk.


    ¡°Thanks to Frondier, I''m here now.¡±


    Sybil didn''t lie. She couldn''t.


    For her own safety, she absolutely had to lie, but¡­


    In the end, she couldn''t say that the power she had now had nothing to do with Frondier.


    ¡°¡­¡­Is that so.¡±


    For some reason, Marco frowned as if Sybil''s answer was unpleasant.


    ¡°Humans who don''t lie are disgusting.¡±


    ¡°It''s better than a regenerating devil. So what? Did you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was just going to run away, but if you have that much connection with Frondier, I can''t leave you behind.¡±


    Slowly, Marco reactivated his Aura. In response, Sybil also took her stance again.


    <i>Sybil Forte Original</i>


    <i>Aura?Mana Combination</i>


    <i>Petal</i>


    <i>Crimson</i>


    Sybil''s de once again zed with mes.


    As if finding it strange, Marco tilted his head.


    ¡°Hoo, mes? If it''s not lightning, you won''t be able to keep up with my speed.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be ridiculous. It''s better to burn a bastard like you.¡±


    Sybil said with a provocative smile, but in fact, Marco was right.


    To cut Marco down, lightning was better. It was the fastest magic Sybil possessed, and the only strike that Marco couldn''t dodge.


    However, lightning consumed much more Mana than mes.


    ¡®He''s a guy who won''t die anyway. It''s not about gaining the upper hand, but about dying my Mana depletion as much as possible.¡¯


    If she could just buy some time for someone else toe as backup, that would be the best.


    ¡­However, Sybil didn''t have high hopes for that possibility. Most of them would be in a simr situation to her. Above all, the possibility itself that someone woulde to help her among so many people was low. ??


    Yet, Sybil still put on a provocative smile. Even though cold sweat was running down her back, her gaze towards Marco was defiant and fierce.


    ¡®¡­¡­It''s okay.¡¯


    Sybil thought.


    ¡®Even if I be a hostage, Frondier won''t move because of me alone. He''ll make a much colder judgment than if Aten were captured.¡¯


    Sybil had strong feelings for Frondier, and she clearly recognized them as affection. It had been that way for a long time.


    But during that long time, Frondier had never looked at her.


    Sybil envied Elodie. Because she was Frondier''s childhood friend. Even though their rtionship didn''t seem that close, she knew that Frondier trusted Elodie when it really mattered.


    She envied Aten. The beautiful pure white beauty, and a princess at that, Aten always followed Frondier, and Frondier always took it for granted that Aten would follow behind him.


    She envied Selena. As Frondier''s escort, she wasn''t usually around, but she was by his side when it mattered. How dejected she had been when Frondier went on a date with Selena to buy her clothes.


    ¡­So it''s okay.


    To Frondier, I''m not worth bing a hostage for.


    ¡°¡­¡­Come. Mongrel.¡±


    Sybil provoked him. Marco''s eyes twitched. Marchosias originally resembled a ¡®wolf¡¯. Sybil knew that too, and that''s why she could make such a fitting provocation.


    [T/N: Mongrel is a mixed/unknown breed dog, so kind of a racial slur to a Wolf ig].


    ¡°Indeed, I can''t leave you behind.¡±


    Marco raised his hand. From their fight so far, she was certain that Marco didn''t have a weapon. Whether it was because he was confident in his Aura or if he was actually hiding a weapon, she didn''t know.


    Just as their tension reached its peak and they were about to sh¡­


    A devil flew up behind Marco. The devil bowed its head before Marco and then reported something. Its mouth moved, but Sybil couldn''t hear the words.


    ¡®Whisper of the Wind!¡¯


    Sybil realized that the opponent had activated a soundproofing spell and created a form to pierce through it.


    However, his report must have been short, because after the spell was deactivated, Marco simply¡­


    ¡°


    ¡­uttered a disbelieving question.


    Marco closed his mouth and looked at Sybil. A moment of contemtion shed across his face, and then he spoke to Sybil again.


    ¡°Really, the timing is the worst in many ways today.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hee. You''re going to leave me behind?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But I''ll remember your courage. That answer, it was impressive.¡±


    With those words, Marco spread his wings and flew away with the devil that hade to report to him.


    Sybil considered giving him a parting blow, but ultimately realized it was pointless and rxed her stance.


    ¡°¡­


    As she deactivated ¡®Petal¡¯, extreme fatigue washed over her. After the war, she had trained to get used to this technique, but it was still a burden. She could use it for a much longer time than back then, though.


    ¡®Why did he suddenly run away?¡¯


    She wasn''t sure if it could be called running away, but the situation had definitely changed.


    Sybil bit her lip as a sense of unease washed over her.


    Right after she deactivated Whisper of the Wind, she had faintly heard it.


    The devil seemed to have uttered the word ¡®sess¡¯.

 Chapter 326 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Dier, Pielott, and Elodie split into two teams and began their search.


    Of course, Dier and Pielott were a team. It was still dangerous for them to face devils alone, and Dier, in particr, had many uncertainties.


    Elodie headed towards Aster''s older sister, Ellen Evans, while Dier and Pielott went to find Edwin von Behetorio.


    Both decisions were made based on their growth potential rather than their current level of skill.


    Ellen had few rivals when it came to swordsmanship, but shecked Mana.


    This was a problem that couldn''t be easily solved unless she resorted to desperate measures like Frondier, risking her life.


    In fact, the only way for Frondier to increase his Mana capacity until then was to repeatedly deplete and replenish it, little by little.


    In Edwin''s case, he had grown significantly after the golem incident, but he had lost his divine power in the process. More importantly, he wasn''t abatant. It was unreasonable to expect a magitech genius to also excel in battle.


    If Dier''s thinking was correct, considering the devils were acting based on previous information, these two were likely to struggle.Edwin had been a great help in creating Frondier''s new ne, the ck Lotus, and Ellen was the one who got caught up in the Mana injection incident. Both of them had also assisted Frondier during the Manggot War.


    Therefore, it wouldn''t be strange for the devils to target them. Even if not as much as Aten, they were still worthwhile targets.


    Up to that point, Dier''s thinking was urate.


    "...."


    And when Dier and Pielott found Edwin...


    "Oh, hey guys. You came to help."


    Edwin had already taken down several devils. [T/N: Lol, not even devils, even these guys have outdated info]


    He revealed strange Mana lines from his neck to his toes, which upon closer inspection by Dier, turned out to be runes.


    "...Senior, did you put runes on your uniform?"


    When Dier asked, Edwin smiled awkwardly.


    "Ah, yeah. While helping make Frondier''s ne, I got to know Mr. Daud. You know him, right? Daud Forte. I heard about how to engrave runes from him, and I got an idea."


    "How many did you engrave? It doesn''t seem like you just put one in."


    "Hmm, I engraved one on each shoulder, below the elbows, chest, abdomen, back, thighs, knees, and ankles."


    A total of 13.


    Dier and Pielott''s jaws dropped.


    Pielott asked in surprise,


    "B-But wouldn''t that cause Mana interference?"


    The biggest advantage of runes was that anyone could benefit from their effects, as long as they had enough Mana.


    But if that was the only advantage, everyone would have stered their equipment with runes.


    Of course, the price would skyrocket, but in this world, no one would hesitate to spend money to be stronger.


    However, it wasn''t as easy as it sounded.


    Runes engraved on equipment needed to have an effect on the wearer. In other words, regardless of the location of the runes, the magic was bestowed upon the wearer.


    Even if the runes didn''t ovep, their effects would interfere with each other. This could lead to unexpected situations.


    It could cause problems with the equipment engraved with runes, or even endanger the wearer in severe cases.


    "Yeah. So, during the engraving process, I made some adjustments."


    "Adjustments?"


    "Yes. I like security magic. The basics of security are to activate when an external intrusion is detected. To notice someone trying to intrude from the outside and prevent them from entering any further. It''s also good to identify and eliminate the intruder if possible."


    "...So you''re saying you applied that to detect and prevent Mana interference?"


    "Exactly! Wow, you''re smart. Are you interested in magitech?"


    Edwin praised Dier.


    And Dier was speechless as he looked at Edwin.


    There were various types of geniuses in the world. This was the moment he truly realized it.


    Then, something suddenly came to mind, and Dier asked,


    "Then can you engrave that on other uniforms? Can I do it too?"


    "Hmm, this doesn''t really have much effect on strong people in the first ce."


    It didn''t have much effect on strong people.


    Conversely, it had enough effect for someone like Edwin to deal with devils.


    Then it would naturally apply to Dier as well.


    "I-I want to engrave runes too!"


    Dier said with sparkling eyes. Edwin scratched his head as if in trouble.


    "This one is modified to work overall, assuming the Mana circuit doesn''t overheat, so mass production is impossible. It''s also customized for me. It''s like there''s no blueprint."


    Dier became a little discouraged at those words. He didn''t understand everything Edwin was saying, but he got the gist that it wasn''t possible.


    Seeing that, Edwin smiled wryly and said,


    "Then how about we try it as a custom-made piece? It will take a long time and there''s a risk of it breaking. But I''ll prioritize your safety first."


    "...! Please!"


    Dier bowed his head. His heart swelled with the expectation of being able to cover hiscking abilities.


    Pielott, who was watching, said,


    "By the way, it''s a relief that you''re safe too, senior. Now, if only senior Ellen is safe, can we consider the devils'' operation a failure?"


    "Ah."


    Dier made a sound. He had momentarily forgotten what he had to do, surprised by Edwin''s abilities.


    "What do you mean?"


    Edwin asked, tilting his head. Dier gave him a brief exnation of the situation.


    "...Among the people rted to Frondier, those with low growth rates..."


    "Yes. So we decided to look for Senior Edwin, who focuses on engineering rather thanbat, and Senior Ellen, whocks Mana. Senior Elodie has already gone that way, so as long as we''re not toote, there''s no need to worry..."


    Edwin nodded in agreement, then suddenly frowned.


    "From what you''re saying, it seems like the enemies are now just trying to catch anyone, since their prediction about Aten was wrong."


    "...Ah, right. Just trying to catch anyone..."


    Dier realized that Edwin had a cooler personality than he thought.


    Strange. He had heard that Edwin von Behetorio was timid and introverted.


    But his words gave him something new to think about. Dier always moved based on calctions and judgments, so he assumed others would do the same.


    However, the devils wouldn''t be like that anymore. That was the blind spot.


    "...Tsk."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Then Edwin''s expression crumpled. When he was smiling, he gave off the impression of a friendly and kind senior, but the moment his expression crumpled, he looked like a different person.


    "I have a bad feeling. We need to gather everyone."


    "Everyone?"


    "Yes. Everyone rted to Frondier. Anyone even remotely rted."


    "...Wouldn''t that be too many?"


    Even remotely rted. What was the criteria?


    Dier and Pielott were first-years, so they thought Frondier, a second-year, would have made friends with many people over the past year.


    But that was a misconception.


    Edwin said,


    "It won''t increase that much. More importantly, there''s something that bothers me."


    He picked up his phone and started operating it. His phone hadn''t been working properly since earlier. It must have been the effect of Mana interference.


    But the devils wouldn''t be able to interfere forever. If he sent out messages in advance, his messages would reach everyone once the interference ended.


    "...I think we might need to worry about the other side."


    Edwin uttered ominous words as he operated his phone.


    * * *


    When Elodie found Ellen, she was also safe. However, as Dier had predicted, Ellen had struggled more than others.


    As if targeting her specifically, a walking Mana tank-like devil had attacked Ellen.


    The devil''s downfall was underestimating Ellen''s swordsmanship. It was convinced that a decking Aura wouldn''t be able to cut it.


    Seizing the opportunity, Ellen pierced the enemy''s neck with "Ilsa," a technique she could only use a few times a day, and barely managed to defeat the devil. Elodie arrived at Ellen''s location right after that.


    "Thanks foring. That was close."


    "...You defeated it, so what''s the problem?"


    "If another devil hade, I would have been done for."


    Ellen sighed.


    Since the Mana injection incident, she had be increasingly aware of herck of Mana.


    Especially when her overly talented younger brother learned techniques from her and recreated them into incredible skills that suited him, she was genuinely annoyed. He was a younger brother with no cuteness at all.


    With both Ellen and Edwin safe, a short timeter, messages arrived on their phones from Edwin.


    "...He says to gather at the auditorium."


    "That''s a good idea. The auditorium is good for dealing with devils and securing escape routes."


    However, from the moment their phones started working again, it was safe to assume the devils had fled.


    But their expressions didn''t brighten.


    Whether the devils had retreated due to a failed operation or ended their operation because they had seeded was still unknown.


    "...Let''s go."


    "Yes."

 Chapter 326 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    When the two of them arrived at the auditorium after moving quickly...


    Most people were already there. Although Edwin had been the first to suggest gathering, Osprey had designated the location. That''s why they were able to gather earlier.


    Those gathered checked each other''s faces. Almost no one was seriously injured, and only Ellen and Sybil were close to Mana exhaustion, putting them at risk.


    However, there was one person.


    A man with a deep wound was receiving treatment.


    "...Robald!"


    Elodie confirmed his appearance and rushed over. Aster was already nearby.


    Robald Lieff.


    The former top troublemaker within Constel, a genius ofbat.Originally, he was one of Aster''s rivals, contrasting in personality.


    "I got a little hurt. Sorry."


    Robald had a deep wound on his abdomen and was being treated by Aten.


    Robald couldn''t defeat the devil.


    In a dangerous situation, he was saved by Aten who had moved locations. Robald hade under Aten''s surveince, who could perform Mana care from a distance. It was a stroke of luck.


    ''...I see. Robald is more connected to Aster than Frondier.''


    If Aster chased after Frondier, Robald chased after Aster.


    Therefore, to keep up with Aster, who had grown stronger by following Frondier, he was one step behindpared to those who kept pace with Frondier directly.


    That one step had made the difference here.


    "...Wait, could it be..."


    And Elodie realized a chilling fact. She was startled and looked at Aster.


    "...L-Lunia?"


    "...."


    To Elodie''s question, Aster responded with an expression he had never shown before.


    "She''s gone."


    A short and sufficient answer.


    Lunia had been kidnapped.


    At that fact, everyone gathered in the auditorium looked at Aster.


    Lunia Fricell.


    Aster''s childhood friend and a mage. In game terms, she was the closest to a female protagonist.


    Of course, the game Etius didn''t have a specific female protagonist. In the first ce, no one had seen the ending of the game.


    However, as yers progressed through the game, they usually ended up choosing between Aten and Lunia. That''s how important she was in the game.


    That''s right. Because the protagonist of Etius was Aster.


    A character''s importance in the game meant that they upied a corresponding amount of space in Aster''s heart.


    "...I was careless."


    Aster said.


    "I was trying to grasp the situation and forgot something important. Those guys are still too much for Lunia, and I didn''t realize it."


    Aster had experienced rapid growth during this time.


    However, that was only from the perspective of those around him; Aster himself wouldn''t think that way. His goal was Frondier, whose strength he had never even fathomed. ?


    Aster didn''t know exactly how strong Frondier was. He just kept building up an impossibly high wall in his imagination and putting all his effort into oveing it.


    Aster had gauged the strength of the enemies while facing the devils. He had judged the level of danger they posed.


    From his standards, it was somewhat reassuring, but his standards were far too high.


    "...We need to contact Frondier."


    "Aster."


    "The enemies'' goal was Frondier from the beginning. So they''ll try to threaten Frondier using Lunia. That''s why..."


    Aster''s words stopped there.


    What should he say to Frondier?


    That Lunia had been kidnapped, so he should follow the devils'' orders?


    ...Aster, what are you thinking?


    "Aster Evans."


    Then someone spoke to him. It was Headmaster Osprey.


    "Regardless of your thoughts, let''s contact Frondier first and then decide. He needs to know the current situation."


    "...Yes."


    Aster picked up his phone and contacted Frondier.


    He didn''t know where Frondier was right now. He might be somewhere out of reach.


    With such anxiety, a few seconds passed.


    -Hello?


    Frondier answered.


    "...Frondier, hey."


    Aster smiled bitterly. It was close to self-deprecation. The situation was serious, and that''s why it was difficult to speak.


    The greeting he always used came out of his mouth without him realizing it. As if he was trying to prepare himself before delivering bad news.


    But.


    -What''s going on?


    Frondier asked about the situation as if he had already heard everything just from that greeting.


    Aster closed his eyes and sighed. He slowly but clearly exined the situation. The devil''s attack and Lunia''s kidnapping.


    The expressions of those around him who were watching also darkened.


    After hearing Aster''s exnation, Frondier said,


    -Aster, can you make my voice heard by everyone right now? I have something to say.


    "Ah, yes."


    Frondier had actually imagined something like a ''speakerphone,'' but this phone didn''t have such a function. Instead, Osprey used magic to amplify the sound.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    -It''s been a while, everyone.


    Frondier''s voice reached everyone.


    Except for Elodie, it had been a long time since they had heard his voice. Many of them hadn''t seen Frondier since before the war began, after he had asked everyone for a favor.


    Frondier''s voice was asnguid as ever. He hadn''t changed. That alone made them feel the worries that had settled in their hearts dissipate.


    Frondier said,


    -I can''t help you guys right now.


    At those words, everyone closed their eyes. It was a very Frondier-like thing to say. He was probably preparing for something bigger than this right now.


    But there was something they didn''t know.


    -But I''m thinking of listening to the devils'' offer.


    "What?"


    Elodie asked in surprise.


    -The reason they invaded Constel in the first ce was because of me. Everyone has suffered because of me, so I have to pay the price.


    Everyone''s mouths fell open at those words.


    Osprey''s face became serious as he spoke,


    "Frondier, are you saying you''llply with the enemy''s threats? You have a n, right?"


    Osprey had actually anticipated Frondier''s response.


    When Frondier had nned the operation at the Imperial Pce, he had formed a strategy to protect the entire barrier.


    Frondier might seem cold-hearted, but he didn''t make ns that involved abandoning something. In other words, he couldn''t use strategies that sacrificed the few for the many.


    No, to be precise, he did sacrifice the few, but those few were always Frondier himself.


    So he assumed this time would be simr. That Frondier was thinking of sacrificing himself again. That this was a n based on that premise.


    But Frondier said,


    -There''s no such thing as a n.


    "...Frondier. Isn''t that too reckless?"


    Even for Frondier,plying with the enemy''s threats without a n was too dangerous, and more importantly, unlike him.


    Then Frondier spoke again,


    -To be precise, there''s no need for a n. I don''t have much to do.


    "What do you mean?"


    When Osprey asked, next...


    Frondier''s voice grew slightly louder.


    -Aster.


    When Frondier called out to Aster, Aster opened his eyes slightly wider and raised his head.


    -Sorry to bother you while you''re worried, but please save Lunia.


    "....!"


    -As expected, I''m just azy and ipetent sloth, so I have no choice but to give in to the enemy''s threats.


    Frondier''s voice was yful and nonchnt.


    With those words, Aster understood everything.


    No, everyone in the auditorium understood what he meant.


    -But you know...


    Frondier would follow the devils'' orders.


    -I think those guys made a huge mistake, don''t you?


    In other words, as long as Frondier followed the devils'' orders, Lunia would be safe.


    So, Aster. Come here.


    Teach those guys exactly what they''ve done.


    "You''re right."


    Aster said.


    Lunia had been kidnapped. She was more connected to Aster than to Frondier.


    What Aster had to do was crystal clear.


    "It was a simple story."


    Aster''s eyes filled with a killing intent he had never shown before.

 Chapter 327 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    After ending the call, Frondier spoke to Philly.


    "For now, it seems Aten is safe."


    Philly and Elysia both looked relieved at the news.


    Frondier briefly observed Elysia''s expression.


    ''...It doesn''t seem like she''s acting. But...''


    Elysia originally intended to ascend the throne before Aten. Whether she nned to kill Aten in the process was unknown.


    Therefore, Frondier couldn''t simply take Elysia''s relief at face value.


    More importantly, given the precedent of Selena, whose acting Frondier could never discern, he had stopped judging people''s expressions with his own eyes.


    "However, Lunia has been captured."Frondier spoke again, causing Elysia and Philly to tilt their heads in confusion.


    "Who''s that?"


    Naturally, they didn''t know the person.


    "...Hmm. There are many ways to describe her,"


    Frondier pondered for a moment before continuing.


    "She is a precious person to Aster Evans."


    At Frondier''s words, their expressions tightened. They looked as tense as if they had kidnapped Lunia themselves.


    Philly spoke up.


    "...That''s a terrible thing they''ve done. Even for devils."


    "I agree."


    Frondier genuinely agreed.


    It seemed the devils, unable to execute their n as intended, had resorted to taking Lunia. He wasn''t sure if that was the right choice from their perspective. ?


    "Anyway, the devils have moved faster than I expected, so I should get moving too."


    Frondier stood up, and Philly looked up at him.


    "Will you be alright?"


    "After hearing about the situation at Constel, I''m certain. The devils haven''t received Satan''s orders. They''re simply following pre-establishedmands."


    That''s why they attacked Constel without fully understanding their strength. The resulting losses were significant.


    It also provided Frondier with many clues.


    "In any case, the devils'' target is me. They want to threaten me, so they''ll contact me somehow. I just don''t know how yet."


    "Certainly, it''s hard to imagine them using phones."


    Frondier nodded and smiled at that remark.


    "I''m rather curious how they''ll approach me."


    * * *


    After leaving the Imperial Pce, Frondier headed towards a certain noble''s mansion.


    It was the same ce where Elysia almost died at the hands of the Devil of Bloodlust.


    "Ugh."


    Naturally, Elysia, who was following him, had a look of despair on her face.


    "Did we really have toe here?"


    "Of course. Bart said he would summon the devils here."


    Besides, there was no other ce suitable for gathering devils. Doing it anywhere else would be too conspicuous.


    Hitchcock Corporation could be an option, but he hadn''t built enough trust with Chairman Arald yet.


    "Don''t worry. We don''t need to go into that secret space. This mansion itself belongs to Bart, so the summoned devils will probably all be waiting in the hall."


    "I, I don''t need to go, do I? I won''t be of any help."


    Elysia protested in a voice that trailed off.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, it was a plea that fell on deaf ears.


    Frondier replied in an emotionless voice.


    "Whether you''re helpful or not, stop your nonsense and stay by my side."


    In the end, Elysia slumped her shoulders and followed behind Frondier.


    ''Why do I have to listen to this guy?''


    That was what bothered Elysia the most.


    Since their first meeting at the mansion, Frondier had been dragging her around as if she were his actual servant, iming to be her savior.


    But from Elysia''s perspective, Frondier was far from a savior; he was more like a thug. He hid his violence behind his back and used her as he pleased.


    ''He probably took me to the Imperial Pce for that reason too. To show me directly that Mother wouldn''t take my side. That jerk.''


    It was pathetic to think that way, but Elysia truly had no one on her side. Only Frondier, who imed to be her ally.


    But ultimately, she obeyed Frondier. She was scared, if nothing else.


    <i>Creak-</i>


    Frondier opened the mansion door.


    As soon as he did, a strange smell stung his nose. The scent of Mana. Since there were beings inside with no intention of hiding their power, the smell naturally wafted out. Elysia also scrunched up her face.


    "..."


    It seemed all the devils had already gathered, as they all focused their attention on Frondier.


    The devils, gathered like a swarm within the hall, and Frondier, standing before them at the entrance.


    Bart, spotting Frondier, approached first.


    "You''ve arrived."


    "Yes. Are these all of them?"


    "Yes. I''ve gathered all the devils who were involved in the same business as me."


    Business, huh.


    Frondier scanned the devils.


    Therge mansion was filled with them. Their number was several times greater than Frondier had anticipated.


    Frondier wanted to retort, ''You call covering up each other''s criminal acts business?'', but the time and ce were not appropriate.


    Instead, he smiled at them.


    "Nice to meet you all. I''m Frondier de Roach."


    Most of the devils showed little reaction to Frondier''s greeting.


    However, they didn''t disy as much hostility as he had expected. They just looked incredibly suspicious.


    One of them asked Bart,


    "Lord Bart, what you told us is true, right?"


    "Of course."


    Bart answered immediately. However, Frondier tilted his head in confusion.


    What he told them? What did Bart say to these devils?

 Chapter 327 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The devil who spoke to Bart then turned his gaze to Frondier.


    "...You, Frondier de Roach. Are you truly a devil?"


    The devil asked with a face full of doubt.


    ''...Aha.''


    Frondier smiled faintly. He roughly understood the situation.


    It seemed Bart had hinted that Frondier was a devil to make it easier to summon them.


    The devils of the Empire were currently afraid of the western devils. To be precise, they were afraid of being exposed as devils because of them. The situation was already dire.


    But if Frondier, the most famous person in the Empire, was a devil, he might act on their behalf. They had all gathered with that hope.


    ''It''s not entirely wrong, so as long as the results are good, it''s all good, right?''Frondier finished his thought and spoke.


    "Yes. Pleased to meet you. I''ve summoned you all to help. Thank you foring despite your busy schedules."


    Frondier wasn''t lying.


    If left alone, these devils were destined to be defeated by the western devils. The difference in power wasn''t even a factor; the sheer number was overwhelmingly against them.


    If they just acted ording to Frondier''s goals, they would have a chance to survive.


    "...No. I still can''t believe it."


    This time, another devil stepped forward.


    "Bart! We''ve been doing well for a long time, so I trust you, but don''t you find this situation strange? All the hidden devils of the Empire gathered here in one ce! What if this is Frondier''s trap? What will you do?"


    "...That won''t happen. Please be at ease."


    Bart tried to calm him down, but the suspicion seemed to fuel the fire. Other devils murmured amongst themselves.


    "What should we do? Should we escape now? There are still windows..."


    "Where would we escape to? The western devils will be attacking soon."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "This is our only chance."


    "But what if that Frondier fellow approached us with this opportunity in mind?"


    The murmuring voices swirled with worry and anxiety. Bart looked around at them with a troubled expression, trying to say something, but he couldn''t quell themotion.


    p!


    At that moment, Frondier lightly pped his hands. The sound resonated through the mansion as his aura-d hands collided.


    "Calm down. I am indeed a devil."


    It was a lie, of course, but Frondier felt strangely embarrassed to call himself a devil.


    "You, you''re the second son of Roach! How can the son of a prestigious family be a devil!"


    "I''m not of the Roach bloodline. I was just a child taken in."


    The lies flowed smoothly from his mouth.


    "Nonsense! We''ve never heard such a thing...!"


    The devil, about to say ''heard'', closed his mouth.


    That''s right.


    He couldn''t say they hadn''t heard it.


    "You''ve all heard it a lot, haven''t you? The story that the second son of the Roach family was adopted."


    Before Frondier''s possession, when he was still a human sloth and closer to a viin.


    The rumor that Frondier wasn''t of the Roach bloodline was widespread.


    "You might have also heard that I was going to be emunicated."


    "Th, that''s..."


    The devils whispered amongst themselves again at his words.


    Looking at the Frondier before them, it was hard to believe he had such a past, but he had indeed been neglected by his family at one point.


    So were those rumors actually true?


    Frondier put an end to their thoughts by saying,


    "Look at me."


    He raised both his arms, as if to literally show them himself.


    "...?"


    The devils tilted their heads, not understanding what he meant.


    "I don''t look much like my father or brother, do I?"


    "...!"


    The devils'' eyes widened at his words.


    It was a flimsy piece of evidence for not being blood-rted, but Frondier did indeed have a very different image from Enfer or Azier. It wasn''t about appearance, but rather their aura.


    Enfer, with the Form of the Armament and the title ''Iron Wall'', and Azier, like a sharpened de, exuded a somewhat simr atmosphere, but Frondier waspletely different.


    This was partly due to the influence of Sloth and partly because apletely different person resided within him, but the devils werepletely unaware of both facts.


    "...That''s not enough!"


    The devil who had protested first shouted.


    "Don''t think we''ll be convinced by that, Frondier! You''re one of the heroes who led the war to victory. We can''t believe you''re a devil now!"


    "...If you can''t believe me, then what?"


    "Show us proof! Frondier!"


    The devil spoke as if it were a line he had to say, as if it were a natural demand.


    But that line...


    "...I see."


    Frondier had been waiting for it.


    He smiled. A silent smile. His lips parted and stretched wide, like a smile drawn in a picture. Elysia turned pale as if she had seen that face in a nightmare. Frondier smiled with a simr paleness.


    "You have a point."


    "What?"


    "I''ll show you proof. Right now."


    The moment he said that.


    Elysia, who had been standing right behind him, took a step back. As if that wasn''t enough, she took two more steps back.


    Bart, who had been standing in front to persuade the devils, quickly retreated out of Frondier''s sight.


    "...?"


    Both of them wanted to retreat naturally, but they moved so simultaneously and urgently that it looked strange to anyone watching.


    Of course, the devils didn''t know the reason and simply watched their actions with puzzled expressions.


    Frondier closed his eyes.


    ...In Bart''s case, it had worked. He got the feeling from that.


    Yes, of course.


    "Here I go."


    Frondier mimicked the catchphrase of his trustedrade and opened his eyes.


    <i>Thump!</i>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Countless devils of the Empire.


    About half of them fainted and copsed.


    Among the remaining, about half fell to their knees.


    The rest knelt on both knees.


    "...! Huff, huff...!"


    All the devils who hadn''t fainted stared at Frondier with wide eyes, as if they couldn''t believe it.


    Almost all of them shouted simr words.


    "The power of a devil...!"


    Meanwhile, Frondier looked around at them with a rxed expression, but in reality, he was busy scanning the fallen devils with his eyes.


    ''...They''re not dead this time, are they?''


    Cold sweat was dripping down his face.

 Chapter 328 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    A colossal wave of terror instantly swept through the mansion.


    Not a single soul remained standing. The mere fact that they hadn''t fainted wasmendable.


    Half of them were already unconscious. Thankfully, it seemed no devils had perished.


    The devils, either copsed or kneeling, trembled as they looked up at Frondier. Still unable to rise.


    It wasn''t that Frondier was continuously using the devil''s power or suppressing them with his aura. They could stand up if they wanted to.


    It was simply that they were paralyzed by the question: "Are we allowed to stand up?"


    "I might have overdone it a bit," Frondier said, ncing at the unconscious devils.


    The devils couldn''t decipher the emotions behind his gaze. Ever since their first encounter with Frondier, they had been unable to read his emotions, just like everyone else.


    His face appearednguid and peaceful. With that same expression, he had just rendered half of the devils unconscious. His expression before and after remained unchanged.The devils simply thought:


    <i>It''s a relief we didn''t faint.</i>


    <i>It''s a relief we weren''t singled out by Frondier''s gaze, which seemed to memorize the faces of the unconscious devils one by one.</i>


    ...


    The devils'' hierarchical consciousness was truly remarkable.


    After Frondier disyed the devil''s power, they swore their allegiance on the spot. Of course, no one doubted whether Frondier was a devil anymore.


    To them, the devil''s power was exclusive to devils. As long as he could wield it, no matter how suspicious Frondier seemed, he was a devil.


    Even if a devil with the desire to "consume" felt that desire towards Frondier, they couldn''t utter a word unless they wanted to die.


    It was difficult to distinguish between humans and devils. While this made it hard for humans to identify devils, it naturally applied the other way around as well.


    ''In that sense, Arald''s insight is impressive.''


    Arald, the chairman of Hitchcock, had witnessed Frondier using the Obsidian, the mana of Helheim, and suggested the possibility that he could wield the devil''s power.


    In other words, he knew the true nature of the Obsidian from the beginning, and he also understood the fundamental essence of the devil''s power.


    ''I need to be careful with that guy.''


    Like it or not, Frondier had no choice but to use the devil''s power for now. It was currently the most rational solution. So, he was essentially ying into Arald''s hands.


    However, whether Arald''s request for him to be the "King of Devils" was truly sincere remained unknown.


    "Lord Frondier, what should we do?" Bart approached Frondier and asked after everyone had regained theirposure and the surroundings were settled.


    "It would be good to give you orders, but first..." Frondier surveyed the surroundings once more.


    The current situation, where his power was imprinted on them, was too precious to waste.


    "Everyone," Frondier raised his voice slightly. The devils reacted instantly. Their gazes focused on Frondier like before, but the meaning was entirely different. ?


    "As you know, the devils from the west wille. It''s a stroke of luck that they haven''t arrived yet."


    The Knights at Manggot were the first to discover the western devils. There was no contact from them yet.


    Frondier had heard from Arald about the estimated time of the next attack from the western devils.


    Burning with vengeance after their devastating defeat in the first raid, they would also be more cautious. Not a single devil had returned alive.


    In this case, the western devils had two options: uncover the cause of their annihtion orunch a second attack on such a massive scale that annihtion would be impossible.


    Arald had predicted thetter.


    "Why? That would be a reckless choice," Frondier had asked.


    Arald had shrugged and replied, "Theyck patience."


    It was a simple answer.


    But in retrospect, that answer exined almost everything.


    The western devils were driven by the keyword "revenge." They had a score to settle with the devils from the Demon Realm. They were probably Satan''s devils.


    They had nurtured their thirst for vengeance for a very long time, and the moment the restraint named Belphegor disappeared, they began their invasion of the Empire. So, their patience had already burned out.


    Devils who valued their lives less than humans. Their choice was clear.


    Frondier addressed the devils again, "We probably have no more than three days left at most."


    "..."


    The devils remained silent, but their expressions grew heavy with worry.


    "You may want to run away, but for those of us hiding in the Empire, there''s nowhere left to escape. If we make a mistake, both the western devils and the entire Empire will be our enemies."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Frondier used the term "we." It was an appeal that he was also a devil, and this term worked quite effectively.


    "So, we must fight. Fighting is our only way out."


    "... Lord Frondier."


    At that moment, a devil cautiously spoke up.


    Their voice was hesitant and stammering, yet...


    To the other devils, it was an act of immense courage.


    "If we fight, can we survive?"


    "I can''t guarantee that everyone will survive."


    His words were cold but reasonable.


    "I could die too, just like all of you."


    "Our numbers are few. The western devils have made that continent their own territory. It will be difficult to defeat them."


    Another devil, perhaps gaining some courage, spoke cautiously.


    Frondier shook his head.


    "It won''t be a battle of numbers."


    "... Yes?"


    The devils tilted their heads in confusion.


    The fearsome aspect of the western devilsy in their overwhelming numbers. The western continent was inhabited by low-ranking devils.


    Moreover, there were likely enough high-ranking devils as well, so there was a significant gap in power from the outset.


    But it wouldn''t be a battle of numbers?


    Frondier exined, "Low-ranking devils are close to monsters."


    "... That''s true. But what does that...?"


    To the still-questioning devils, Frondier smiled.


    "I intend to test just how close they are."

 Chapter 328 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    And as time passed...


    "Ugh, ugh..."


    Elysia began drawing something on the ground with trembling hands.


    Frondier, who had been watching her indifferently, spoke up.


    "Hurry up and draw. The sun will set."


    "Stop just watching and help me!!"


    "Even if I wanted to help, I need to know what the rune looks like."


    Frondier''s voice was nonchnt. Elysia felt like tears were about to well up. Not out of sadness, but out of sheer frustration. And more than anything, she was cold.


    They were outside the Empire, 10 kilometers away from Manggot.It was a location chosen for the rune''s effects to be maximized.


    Of course, since it was chosen solely with that in mind, it was otherwise a terrible ce.


    <i>Uwaaaah-!!</i>


    "Eek!"


    As Elysia drew the rune, she asionally heard monstrous roars that were impossible to ignore.


    <i>Thwack! Thud!</i>


    And then, after a few strange metallic sounds and impacts, silence would fall.


    This bizarre situation repeated itself. From Elysia''s perspective, it was simply an inexplicable horror.


    "Your hand stopped."


    "Ah, alright!"


    At least Frondier''s nagging helped her stay sane; otherwise, she would have already panicked.


    Right now, Elysia was focusing all her energy on the ground. In other words, she absolutely refused to raise her head. She was literally clenching her teeth and not looking.


    And honestly, it was a wise decision.


    ''... Hmm.''


    Meanwhile, Frondier surveyed the surroundings.


    The corpses of monstersy scattered around. The monsters outside were indeed formidable. Just the Obsidian wasn''t enough, so he had to bring proper weapons to intercept them. ?


    ''I still have a long way to go. If these things keeping at me, it''ll be dangerous.''


    While Frondier was thinking that...


    <i>Swish!</i>


    <i>Thwack! Thud!</i>


    The monsters around him continued to turn into corpses on their way towards him. Their numbers only increased.


    "By the way, the rune is really big."


    Frondiermented while watching Elysia create the rune.


    Unlike Frondier, Elysia drew the rune in a precise order, so he could tell its size from the moment she drew thergest circle at the beginning.


    Typical runes gradually moved towards the center as they were drawn, and Elysia was currently near the center of the circle. This meant that thepletion of the rune was approaching.


    "I''m making it big because I can''t afford to make mistakes. Who would want to do this on purpose?"


    Elysia grumbled. There was no real reason toin, but her mood was sour, so her words weren''t kind either.


    "There, it''s done."


    Elysia stood up.


    "Now, all I have to do is check if I made any mistakes, and then¡ª Eek?!"


    Elysia screamed in surprise at the sight around her.


    Unfamiliar, eerie-looking monstersy sprawled around, bleeding and dead. They were clearly freshly killed.


    "Th-Those strange sounds I heard earlier...!"


    "Yeah, it was these guys."


    "You killed them all? Without even moving?"


    "No, they tripped over something like a rock on their way here. They must havended badly because they all died."


    "... You expect me to believe that?"


    "Then do you really think I killed them all?"


    Elysia was annoyed by Frondier''s nonchnt expression. It was a question she wouldn''t answer truthfully even if a knife were held to her throat. He knew that, and he was doing it on purpose. The jerk.


    "... Fine, whatever. I''ll just do my own thing."


    She slowly walked around, inspecting the rune she had drawn.


    Frondier watched her.


    ''... So that''s how you draw a rune.''


    Although Frondier had used runes countless times, he had rarely drawn them himself, so Elysia''s actions were a novelty to him.


    Elysia used a separate wand for drawing the rune, which automatically ensured that the mana used was evenly distributed.


    Moreover, it wouldn''t be disrupted even if stepped on. That''s why Elysia could freely walk on her own rune.


    "Alright, so now all we have to do is activate this ''Rafflesia'' when the devilse, right?"


    "Yeah. I brought all the materials to lure the low-ranking devils."


    Frondier ced a prepared box on the rune. It mostly contained the hair of devils.


    "Bringing parts of high-ranking devils to lure low-ranking devils. Is that really okay?"


    "If we were going to use materials from low-ranking devils, we would have had to bring body parts. Like fingers or internal organs. We can get away with hair because they''re high-ranking devils."


    Elysia exined.


    Honestly, as Frondier listened, he thought: ¡®What''s the difference?¡¯


    "Alright, now send me back. I¡¯ve helped you enough, haven''t you? I want to go home."


    Elysia approached Frondier, her body shivering.


    Frondier smiled gently at her trembling form.


    <i>Squeeze!</i>


    And then, Elysia felt a sensation as if her shoulders were being embraced.


    ''What the...''


    For a moment, she thought Frondier had hugged her. After making her work so hard, he must have felt a little sorry for her.


    She thought that for about a second, but Frondier''s hands were free.


    "Huh?"


    It wasn''t Frondier''s arms that had wrapped around Elysia''s shoulders.


    It was the Obsidian.


    <i>Squeeze-</i>


    "Wh-What!"


    Elysia realized that her arms, legs, and torso were all bound by the Obsidian. She waspletely immobilized.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hey! Frondier! Let go of this! What are you doing?!"


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t know how to activate Rafflesia."


    "Liar! It''s apleted rune! You just have to pour mana into it!"


    "I''m not a mage, you know."


    "That''s such bullshit!!!"


    Elysia struggled with all her might.


    So he wanted her to wait until the horde of devils arrived and activate it herself?


    Absolutely not! She''d rather live a miserable life as amoner! Even rolling in a dung heap would be better than this reality.


    Besides, this ce was already a dung heap!


    "And it''s already toote."


    "Huh?"


    Elysia was momentarily stunned by Frondier''s words. And then, she quickly understood their meaning.


    Frondier looked into the distance, his eyes filled with a mncholic longing as if someone dear to him were in that direction.


    "They''reing."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    "... Kyaaaaaaaa! Let me go! I''m leaving! No! Uwaaa! Help me! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!"


    Their expressions were vastly different for people standing in the same ce.

 Chapter 329 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While Elysia was screaming and struggling, Frondier looked into the distance, where the devils would approach, and thought.


    ¡®The western devils aren''t aiming for me. They won''te here unless I activate Rafflesia.¡¯


    Frondier''s location ispletely different from the direction the devils are heading towards the Empire. Of course, this is natural as he intends to lure them in with Rafflesia.


    It was obviously a joke that he told Elysia he didn''t know how to use the rune; he could activate it anytime.


    The problem is timing.


    ¡®There will be quite a few devils who want to see me.¡¯


    Right now, Frondier isn''t interested in the western devils.


    He''s interested in Satan''s devils.


    He''s curious to see what those reckless fools who kidnapped Lunia will do.¡®They were targeting me from the beginning. It''s almost certain if you look at who the devils attacked first. But Lunia wouldn''t have been in their original n.¡¯


    Frondier had already received a rough report from Aster.


    It''s clear just by the fact that the second-ranked devil approached Aten. Lunia would have been excluded from their priority list.


    However, they have no choice but to threaten Frondier. That''s the order they received.


    Regardless of the rtionship between Lunia and Frondier, they wille looking for him.


    ¡®It''s funny that the devils call my phone, they''lle directly.¡¯


    Frondier is currently beyond the borders of the Empire, in a perilous state where he might encounter outer monsters and even abyssal monsters.


    The devils'' information is outdated. In other words, Frondier''s information is also outdated.


    Of course, they might have witnessed Frondier delivering the final blow to Belphegor through the Wizard view, but the information update would be minimal.


    While the information about other individuals is outdated but still factual, the information about Frondier is almost nonexistent. Even Manggot couldn''t fully grasp Frondier''s power.


    Therefore, Frondier''s current location is the perfect situation for Satan''s devils to approach, and it''s also the most urgent situation.


    "Come quickly. Before I die like this."


    Frondier let out his voice with anguid breath.


    "What, what?"


    Of course, for Elysia, it was not something she could simply ignore.


    "Hey! Are you really trying to die? But why are you dragging me into this! Did you hate me so much that I didn''t get kicked out of the Empire and lived as amoner! You didn''t have to do this!" ?


    Elysia shouted at Frondier. Her eyes were filled with resentment.


    "...."


    Frondier looked at Elysia without a word.


    He actually had a lot to say to Elysia. And all those words were things he couldn''t say now.


    "Elysia."


    "What! Why!"


    "I''ll tell you the timing. When I give you the signal, activate the rune immediately."


    "Are you even listening to me?!"


    "It''s important."


    Frondier looked at Elysia with a somewhat serious face. Of course, Elysia, being bound by Obsidian, had no choice but to meet his gaze.


    "....You''re not nning to kill me, are you?"


    "If I kill you, I''ll die at Philly''s hands too."


    "Why do you keep calling my mom like that?"


    Elysia growled. Even though her mother was the one who made her amoner, she didn''t like Frondier''s way of addressing her.


    Then, as if something came to mind, Elysia lowered her gaze.


    "....And whether I die or not, my mom wouldn''t care anymore."


    Elysia remembered the cold look Philly gave her when she visited the Imperial Pce after a long time.


    Is that how you look at your daughter? And after that, she treated her like aplete stranger. Like she was looking at one of Frondier''s new servants.


    ¡®Even so, there''s no need to look at me like that! I haven''t done anything wrong since then! I didn''t even want to go to the Imperial Pce!¡¯


    After bing amoner, Elysia lived a very ordinary life. She didn''t want to brag, but she thought she adapted quite well for someone who used to sit at the highest position in the Imperial Pce.


    Of course, she developed a habit of stopping and watching whenever there was a banquet at some mansion, but it wasn''t just her; ordinary youngdies often did the same. Although the reasons might be slightly different


    "....Just acknowledging me once wouldn''t hurt. It''s not like I''m..."


    Asking for forgiveness.


    She muttered to herself unintentionally. But she swallowed the rest of the words.


    Frondier, who was watching her, sighed.


    "....This is why both you and Philly are making things difficult for yourselves."


    "What?"


    "No, it''s nothing. Anyway, if you want to live, listen to me. Just activate the rune when I give you the signal. It''s not that hard, is it?"


    Elysia nced at Frondier.


    Come to think of it, Frondier is also in danger. If this rune is activated, devils will immediately pour towards them like a wave. Honestly, it''s a meaningless act other than being the number one way to die spectacrly.


    But Elysia has seen glimpses of Frondier''s power.


    The way he cut down her chimera in one strike, the devilish power he showed the other day, and even the outer monsters lying dead around them now.


    Elysia still doesn''t know much about Frondier. But as a result of being semi-forcibly dragged around with him, she seemed to have a rough idea of what Frondier was trying to do.


    Besides, since she can''t escape being tied up anyway, Elysia has only one thing to rely on.


    Eventually, Elysia asked with her lips pouted.


    "What''s the signal?"


    "Menosorpo."


    Naturally, Elysia tilted her head.


    "....What does that mean?"


    "You don''t need to know. Just activate ''Rafflesia'' when I say those words. That''s all."


    Elysia, still with her lips sticking out three feet. Why couldn''t he just tell her while asking her to do something? Why are there so many people worried about things going wrong these days?


    Meanwhile, Frondier raised his head. It was a different direction from before.


    "....As expected."


    Frondier grinned.


    Just as he thought, devils don''t have much patience.


    Something is approaching Frondier and Elysia, both of them. From the distant sky, only one.


    While Frondier leisurely waited for it,


    ''....What, what is that?''


    Elysia''s face suddenly went pale.


    She also realized it soon. Something was flying towards them. It had no intention of hiding its aura at all, so naturally, Elysia also sensed it.


    ''What is this aura? Is this even possible? He''s going to fight that thing?''


    Elysia lowered her head and clenched her teeth. At this moment, she was thankful that she was bound by Obsidian. At least she could avoid the embarrassment of copsing with her legs giving out. Additionally, the trembling of her body was also somewhat suppressed thanks to Obsidian.


    Meanwhile, a single ck wing finally reached Frondier.


    "Greetings."


    The devilnded gracefully and bowed his head towards Frondier.


    "I am Marchosias, the second-ranked of Wrath."


    Marco, who had fought Aten and Sybil, appeared before Frondier.


    This was something Frondier had expected to some extent. Marco is currently the strongest of Satan''s devils remaining in the Empire.


    Moreover, ording to Sybil and Aten, he has tremendous regenerative abilities, making him the best devil to respond to unexpected situations.


    And of course, Frondier,


    ''....Solomon''s 72 devils.''


    He knows more about Marchosias than Sybil.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The legends of him transforming into a wolf and breathing fire are also famous, but there''s one piece of information that interests Frondier.


    ¡®He''s said to never lie.¡¯


    He doesn''t know how much of the information from the game applies to reality, but in the game''s setting, Marchosias never lies.


    He would rather keep his mouth shut than tell a lie. Marchosias, as a devil, is far from being ''honest''.


    The reason Marchosias doesn''t lie is because he knows that a slightly twisted truth is easier to deceive someone with than a clumsy lie.


    In other words, it stems from personal know-how, not some kind of restriction.


    That''s why Marco wees those who have a superficial understanding of his information. He uses the belief that he doesn''t lie to his advantage.

 Chapter 329 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "Hello, I''m Frondier de Roach."


    Frondier greeted him first, as if he were a friendly neighbor. Seeing that,


    Marchosias nced at Elysia next to him.


    "....Who is that?"


    "Ah, she''s my servant. She wouldn''t listen, so I tied her up for a bit."


    Elysia wanted to shout, ''Who''s your servant!'', but she couldn''t do that, no matter what. In this situation, if she wasn''t Frondier''s servant, she might die right away.


    "So, what brings you here? A servant of Satan."


    Frondier asked with an innocent face. Marco, seeing that, narrowed his eyes slightly.


    ¡®He''s going to y dumb?¡¯There''s no way Frondier doesn''t understand the situation. He''s not that naive. The reason Frondier is in this ce is definitely to lure the devils. Marco, of course, knew that. He doesn''t underestimate Frondier.


    However, even knowing Frondier''s intentions, Marco has no choice but to move ording to his wishes for now.


    The western devils are approaching, and Frondier is currently wandering in a more dangerous ce than anywhere else.


    ¡®It can''t be helped. Time is short, so let''s get to the point.¡¯


    Marco made up his mind and spoke.


    "You know your acquaintance, Lunia Fricell, right?"


    "Of course."


    "We are currently protecting that child. You understand what that means, right? If you don''t want that woman to die, you mustply with our demands."


    It was a truly cliche line, but there''s nothing better to quickly make someone understand the situation.


    Hearing those words, Frondierughed.


    "Sure, do as you please."


    Marco''s eyes twitched at that.


    "....Are you saying you don''t care if Lunia dies?"


    "No, I said I''llply with your demands, right? So do as you please."


    Frondier spread his arms lightly.


    "So, what do I need to do? What are your demands?"


    "...."


    Marco was speechless.


    Of course, Marco also thought that Frondier would eventuallyply with their demands. But that''s just the oue.


    From what Marco heard, Frondier is the type who uses his head well. He thought he would use all sorts of bluffs and provocations to try and get what he wanted as much as possible. ?


    But to ept it so readily like this.


    While Marco was speechless, behind Frondier''s innocent smile, a cold glint hid in his eyes.


    ¡®Almost all of Solomon''s 72 devils are highly intelligent. Especially their skills in deceiving humans are amazing.¡¯


    Marco must have also toyed with many humans. Humans who stained their souls with greed, ignorance, and recklessness would have be his sacrifices.


    So Marco himself knows very well. That his head works well.


    ¡®Such guys hate it when things go too smoothly.¡¯


    Marco is ustomed to the sight of humans trying to ovee crises by using their heads somehow. He''s a devil who makes a living by exploiting that.


    "....You''re giving up quite easily. I was hoping you might have set a trap."


    "There''s nothing like that. Lunia is precious to me."


    "Enough to throw away your life? If there had been such information, we wouldn''t have needed to worry."


    Marco probes Frondier''s inner thoughts.


    Frondier still smiles and says.


    "You''re right."


    An extremely brief and deting answer.


    ¡®Just as humans don''t trust devils, devils don''t trust humans.¡¯


    He doesn''t believe the words that he''llply with the demands.


    He doesn''t believe the words that there''s no trap.


    He looks at each of Frondier''s eyes and fingertips, trying to find even the slightest gap.


    However, from Frondier''s perspective, all the observations Marco is doing seem like a degraded version of Philly.


    ¡®Even though Philly is full of suspicion, she never reveals that she''s suspicious. She knows how to clearly distinguish between stumbling blocks and benefits.¡¯


    If Philly were in front of Frondier right now, she would have already stated her demands while examining Frondier''s intentions.


    Suspecting Frondier is one thing, but there''s no need to waste time to achieve her goals.


    At least she should be at that level. To move the Empire.


    Frondier is someone who has dealt with such a Philly.


    ¡®Now, Marco. Do you have that kind of time?¡¯


    While Marco tries to see through Frondier''s intentions, the clock doesn''t stop ticking.


    Tick-tock, time flows relentlessly.


    Marco finally speaks.


    "....Alright. Then first, disarm yourselfpletely. You won''t be able to leave our hideout until this is over..."


    <i>Buzz©¤</i>n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At that moment, Frondier''s Sage Phone rings.


    "Ah, sorry, just a moment."


    Frondier leisurely checks the phone screen.


    [ck clouds spotted west of Manggot.]


    It was the report he had been waiting for, but the wording bothered him.


    Reports are supposed to be concise and urate. There''s no need for any rhetoric or figurative expressions.


    So the meaning of this report is clear.


    Frondier raises his head and focuses his eyes on the distant west of Manggot.


    "....Indeed."


    Frondier takes in something that starts to faintly appear and is convinced.


    The ck clouds are not a metaphor.


    To Frondier''s eyes, they clearly look like ck clouds.


    Frondier says to Marco.


    "I got a call."


    "....What is it?"


    "They spotted ck clouds in the western sea. It''s probably the western devils."


    Marco smiles inwardly at those words.


    Fortunately, they managed to contact Frondier before those guys. Once Frondier is gone, the devils hiding in the Empire or the members of Constel won''t be able to move easily.


    The Empire will soon be a battlefield. That alone will achieve Satan''s first goal.


    But Frondier adds one more thing.


    "But it seems like they''re flying this way."


    "....What do you mean?"


    "I killed a lot of those devils at once before. I guess I earned some resentment."


    Marco frowns at those words.


    He killed the western devils? Even if that''s true, they won''t attack Frondier.


    Their thirst for revenge is much greater than that. They''ve endured all that time to capture the devils hiding in the Empire, so there''s no way their attention would be focused on just one Frondier.


    ¡®It''s a lie. A ridiculous bluff.¡¯


    Marco is certain. There''s no way the western devils woulde here. They''re not that stupid.


    But even so, Frondier says.


    "So I have to fight back."


    "Stop bluffing. There''s no way the western devils woulde here."


    At those words, Frondier takes a light breath.


    And,


    "Menosorpo."


    The moment he utters those words,


    "....!"


    A giant rune activates,pletely covering their surroundings.


    ¡®This is...!¡¯


    Marco immediately takes a stance. He knows about this rune. They say that whenever Frondier creates weapons in the air, they always sense the energy of a rune.


    As if to prove it, weapons are being created around Frondier.


    "....Do you not care what happens to Lunia?"


    Marco believes Frondier has changed


    his mind. He intends to oppose Marco. In the end, his own life is important.


    "What are you talking about?"


    However, Frondier aims the summoned weapons not at Marco, but at a different, distant direction.


    "Those guys areing here, I told you."


    "You''re still spouting such nonsense...!"


    Even as he says that,


    Marco soon realizes.


    A cloud of tremendous size. Bundles of auras swirling within it.


    It slowly turns its direction towards them.


    "Whatever you guys are demanding of me,"


    Meanwhile, Frondier speaks.


    "I can''t fulfill your demands while dead, can I?"


    Marco, while doubting it, has a headache from the situation that makes no sense logically.


    So really, just because Frondier killed some western devils, their entire war force is flying towards him?


    "....Those idiots!!"


    Marco unleashes his aura and faces the approaching swarm of clouds.

 Chapter 330 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The moment Frondier uttered "Menosorpo" Elysia activated "Rafflesia."


    A dual rune formed by Frondier and Elysia.


    However, Marco, unaware of the situation, believed only Frondier''s rune was active.


    Consequently, he didn''t understand why the devils were flocking towards Frondier.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    mes erupted from Marco''s hands. Unlike the spells of human mages, these mes materialized with almost no dy.


    With a sweeping motion of his hands, heunched a volley of fire arrows towards the distant ck cloud.


    "Kwaaak!"


    "Aaack!!"As the devils swarmed in like a thick cloud, the mes spread among them. They writhed in agony as their wings caught fire.


    ''It''s working well.''


    Frondier assessed the situation.


    Rafflesia seemed to be doing its job.


    The devils drawn to Rafflesia were all low-ranking.


    Low-ranking devils were closer to monsters. The current situation was a perfect demonstration of that fact.


    ''He''s fighting hard, Marco.''


    Marco was too preupied to observe Frondier.


    Of course, he assumed Frondier was in the same boat.


    However, the current situation itself was providing Frondier with valuable clues.


    ''They intend to threaten me, but they don''t want me dead.''


    If Marco didn''t care about Frondier''s fate, or if the kidnapping of Lunia was intended to kill Frondier from the beginning, the current devil attack would be a perfect opportunity for Marco.


    Marco had no particr animosity towards the western devils. If he escaped this ce, his safety would be guaranteed, leaving only Frondier and Elysia in danger.


    However, it was Marco who was currently fighting with all his might, burning the devils.


    "Marco! Thanks for the help! I didn''t know you were such a good guy!"


    Frondier shouted with augh.


    Of course, it was such nonsense that Marco''s temples bulged with irritation.


    "You don''t have time to be so rxed! You don''t want to die here either..."


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Divine</i>


    <i>Mj?lnir</i>


    A hammer materialized in Frondier''s right hand, leaving Marco speechless.


    ''That hammer...''


    A handle disproportionately shortpared to the body. A perfectly symmetrical metal hammer.


    And above all,


    <i>Rumble!</i>


    Lightning struck from the sky, piercing the iing devils and imbuing the hammer with the power of thunder.


    Frondier channeled his aura into the hammer and hurled it towards the devils.


    <i>Crack, Crackle!</i>


    Those struck by the hammer had the impacted area cleanly obliterated. Those hit in the face became headless devils, and those hit in the arms became armless devils, copsing to the ground. ?


    The hammer flew endlessly in a straight line, and the lightning it carried branched out, striking the devils in all directions.


    shes like tree branches pierced the enemies. Devils with sunken eyes fell powerlessly.


    ''So it was true.''


    Witnessing that sight, Marco realized he had topletely revise his assessment of Frondier.


    ''It was true that he wields a God''s weapon.''


    <i>Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh</i>


    Mj?lnir spun at high speed in the air and returned to Frondier like a boomerang.


    Of course, it was under Frondier''s control within the Menosorpo''s domain, but its destructive power alone was sufficient. Even as it returned, it was turning devils into mush.


    "Fr, Frondier!"


    A shrill cry came. Frondier turned around to see Elysia struggling to release the Obsidian.


    Although the devils hadn''t reached her yet, it was natural for her to be scared in her defenseless state.


    Frondier extended his hand. The Obsidian flew around Elysia, forming a circle around her and enclosing her from above.


    "Wh, what is this?"


    "Stay inside for a moment."


    The result was a small dome. Filled with the Obsidian, it would be safe for a while. He had also weaving in some breathing holes.


    "You''re quite rxed, Frondier."


    "So are you."


    "I have regenerative abilities. You don''t, do you?"


    Even with Frondier''s immense destructive power, the number of devils was overwhelming. Initially, they had been mistaken for a cloud.


    For now, they were still far away, allowing Frondier to take down the devils with preemptive strikes, but the moment they got closer, a simple power struggle would be meaningless.


    "Well, I''ll do my best."


    Frondier''s words seemed to offer no clear solution. Marco frowned in displeasure.


    ''They have Lunia as a hostage. If I make any reckless moves, they''ll harm her immediately.''


    Of course, they wouldn''t kill her. The moment she died, her value as a hostage would vanish, and their means of controlling Frondier would disappear.


    But they could easily cut off a finger or two as an example. It would be nothing to the devils.


    ''But I can''t let Lunia get hurt.''


    If he did, there was no telling what Aster would do. The current Aster was someone even Frondier would have to face with the determination to die.


    Well, even before considering that, he had no intention of harming Lunia in the slightest.


    ''However, as long as the reckless move doesn''t originate from me, Satan''s devils can''t act.''


    Frondier couldn''t predict that Marco would help him. He considered the odds to be fifty-fifty. Marco might have thought it was enough if Frondier died.


    But even if Marco didn''t help Frondier, Frondier would naturally fight to defeat the western devils.


    He would fight to survive, which was perfectly reasonable. So, during that time, they couldn''t demand anything from Frondier, nor could they harm Lunia.


    What use was a threat when Frondier himself was on the verge of death?


    Moreover, it seemed that Satan''s devils didn''t want Frondier dead, considering Marco''s participation in the battle.


    ''If I use the devil''s power, I could finish this more easily. But...''


    Frondier deliberately avoided using the devil''s power.


    It wasn''t because he didn''t want to be exposed. It was to buy time.


    While Frondier was dealing with the western devils...


    Somewhere else, someone else was moving differently than him.


    ''It''s a bit risky, but...''


    "I''ll have to find a way."


    Frondier gazed at the approaching cloud, his eyes glowing blue.

 Chapter 330 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Where were Satan''s devils?


    To truly end this troublesome war, they had to be found.


    A while ago, when Frondier met Philly, he said:


    "They''ll probably move simrly to the devils originally hidden in the Empire. They''ll pretend to be their allies."


    "I think so too. Since devils can''t distinguish between devils anyway, the devils hidden in the Empire will want as many allies as possible. They can''t even conceive of the possibility of Satan''s devils."


    The fact that the Shadow Unit summoned Satan, and that Satan had scattered his devils throughout the Empire, was known only to a very small number of people.


    It was a story that the devils originally hidden in the Empire had never imagined.


    Of course, there had been amotion in the Imperial Pce due to the devil incident, but except for Frondier, everyone assumed that all the devils had returned.


    "Satan''s devils won''t be without desires. And there''s no reason for them to suppress them. So, they''ll be sharing information with the devils originally in the Empire about how to satisfy their desires.""Wouldn''t the Empire''s devils be suspicious of them? The number of hidden devils is limited. I think they would be wary of unfamiliar devils approaching them."


    "Of course, they will be suspicious and cautious. But they will share information."


    "Why?"


    "Because as long as they are devils, that''s the only way they can survive hidden within the Empire."


    Philly nodded in understanding, saying, "Ah."


    Satan''s devils would approach the Empire''s devils and ask for ways to smoothly satisfy their desires.


    The Empire''s devils would be suspicious of Satan''s devils, but since they knew each other were devils, they already held a weakness that threatened both sides.


    Rather than risk being exposed as devils, it was better to share information.


    "However, suspicion and caution won''t disappear, so the Empire''s devils will take their own measures."


    "For example?"


    "Eavesdropping, tailing, investigating... I don''t know exactly what they''ll do, but the Empire''s devils won''t simply leave the newly arrived devils alone. They are devils who have been cautious enough to avoid detection in the Empire for the past few hundred years."


    Although they were currently in a desperate situation with nowhere to run, the Empire''s devils were originally incredibly cautious.


    Philly nodded and said, "Then, the ones who would know best where Satan''s devils are... are ultimately the devils hidden within the Empire."


    "That''s right. But that alone won''t tell us everything. Satan''s devils will naturally know they''ll be suspected, so they''ll create various false information around them. And one more thing..."


    Frondier manipted the Obsidian, creating a makeshift symbol and showing it to Philly.


    Philly observed it expressionlessly, but Elysia''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "As we just received word, Satan''s devils have attacked Constel."


    A part of the Obsidian formed a symbol resembling Constel''s emblem. And arrows pointing towards it, representing Satan''s devils.


    "And I''m going to gather the devils hidden within the Empire."


    Another symbol appeared, this time resembling a devil. A symbol representing the Empire''s devils.


    "Right now, Satan''s devils will be busy reporting on the situation after infiltrating Constel, checking on the injured, and discussing how to handle and deal with the kidnapped Lunia. They absolutely have to gather. It''s the most crucial moment for them right now." ?


    "That''s right. They seeded in kidnapping the most important hostage. Besides, things turned out a bit differently than their original objective, so they definitely need to make adjustments ordingly."


    "The Empire''s devils gather towards me, and the western devils gather for their meeting. It''s the moment when the two groups of devils, who were naturally mixed within the Empire, bepletely separated."


    "...In other words, when Mr. Frondier gathers the devils in one ce, the Empire''s devils will be able to urately identify the foreign elements mixed among them."


    Frondier nodded.


    The reason why he could have such a natural conversation with Philly was probably because Philly had gradually guessed what Frondier was trying to say long before she gave this answer.


    Her exceptional understanding and judgment were truly impressive.


    "However, there''s a minor problem here."


    Frondier smiled wryly.


    Although the n was perfect in theory, there was one remaining obstacle that he anticipated would be quite difficult in practice.


    "What is it?"


    When Philly asked, Frondier replied,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Aster will now go to rescue Lunia. I''m going to buy time until then. I probably won''t have the chance to meet Aster."


    "...Ah."


    Frondier nned to gather the devils, establish a hierarchy, and then immediately cross the barrier with Elysia. There could be no dy.


    So, it wouldn''t be Frondier who would tell Aster where Satan''s devils were.


    As time passed and Frondier crossed the barrier...


    Aster arrived at the mansion that Frondier had mentioned.


    "Are all of you devils?"


    For better or worse, Frondier''s prediction was spot on.


    Led by Aster, the prominent figures of Constel gathered to confront the devils.


    Except for Frondier, there was no one in this Empire who would ept devils.


    Aster Evans was one of the people whom the devils absolutely should not have been exposed to.


    Frondier had brought the Empire''s devils face to face with that very Aster.


    "Where are Satan''s devils?"


    Aster asked the devils, his eyes filled with hostility, inquiring about the whereabouts of other devils.


    As the devils gulped and exchanged nces, Aster added one more sentence.


    "My patience is wearing thin."

 Chapter 331: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    **Chapter 98: Proof (5)**


    The students of Constel, including Aster, were on high alert against the devils before them.


    The only reason they hadn''t attacked yet was Frondier''s single word.


    ©¤Try not to fight.


    Frondier was currently using the devils, and most of them had already submitted to him.


    He nned to use them to stop the Devil''s War, but his statement about ''saving'' them wasn''t a lie.


    However, if he conveyed the nuance of protecting the devils to the Constel students now, they would doubt him.


    Devils were the enemies of humans. A human who sought to protect devils was one who had been bewitched by them.


    The whispers of devils.Those who ovee them are heroes, those who are bewitched are humans, and those who entrust their sins to devils are also devils.


    For the people of the Empire who epted these words asmon knowledge, Frondier couldn''t easily say to cooperate with devils.


    Therefore, he only conveyed a subtle nuance.


    As if not fighting the devils was simply a matter of calction and reason. This short word was quite effective for those who knew how Frondier had fought in thest war.


    The best solution would be for Frondier to personally try to persuade them, as in Philly''s case.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The talented individuals of Constel gathered here might be able to understand. However, Frondier didn''t have the time for that now.


    And neither did Aster.


    "Can''t you hear me?"


    Aster''s grip on the sword tightened. The more hostility he burned, the more his aura gradually disappeared.


    However, there wasn''t a single devil who couldugh at that sight.


    Aster''s aura wasn''t weakening. He was meticulously gathering and condensing it within his body.


    To the point where it couldn''t be felt until it touched his body. This was simr to his appearance right before he used the one-sword technique on the Minotaur.


    Even if his aura couldn''t be felt, there was a fear in Aster that couldn''t be simply understood by such things.


    "Aster Evans-nim."


    It was Bart who finally opened his mouth. Aster looked at him.


    "Who are you?"


    "...There are a few ces where Satan''s devils are presumed to be gathering."


    Just as Aster had heard from Frondier, the devils of the Empire also had things to convey that they had heard from Frondier.


    Of course, unlike Aster''s case, Frondier''s words to them weren''t very kind.


    ©¤My friend will being here soon, looking for Satan''s devils. Cooperate actively.


    ©¤Don''t talk about the rtionship between you and me. You''ve only done a little business with me.


    ©¤Even if my friend seems a bit harsh or impatient, never be hostile. He''s someone you can''t win against anyway.


    ording to those words, Bart was simply acting as instructed.


    He just wanted to get this over with and send them all away.


    "A few ces..."


    Aster looked at Bart as if he didn''t like the words themselves.


    Aster was feeling the greatest impatience of his life right now.


    Lunia was a problem, and so was Frondier.


    ''That guy Frondier said he''d listen to the devils'' demands.''


    And Aster''s goal was to rescue Lunia while Frondier was acting ording to the devils'' demands.


    Aster couldn''t even guess what the devils would ask Frondier to do. Only ominous imaginations swirled in his head. Crippling one of his limbs, his eyes or tongue...


    ''Calm down. There''s no guarantee they''ll do that. And there''s still time.''


    The most frightening thing was that Frondier seemed like he would actually act ording to their demands. That guy was abnormally insensitive to his own body getting hurt.


    "I''ll exin with a map."


    Bart spread a map on the table he had prepared in advance. He didn''t even introduce himself to Aster, nor did he ask why there were so many of them.


    Aster also didn''t ask what Bart''s rtionship with Frondier was, or for what purpose he was acting under Frondier''s instructions.


    This meeting was extremely ufortable. Both sides just wanted to finish things quickly and get out.


    "We are extremely wary of unfamiliar devils. Even if we share information, we continue to investigate them. So far, there hasn''t been much progress in those investigations, but just recently, we confirmed multiple ovepping pieces of information among the false information."


    The cause was clear. It was because Satan''s devils had been summoned.


    It was too much to hope that their gathering wouldn


    wouldn''t be noticed by the Imperial devils who had been following them.


    Aster asked.


    "Then you should be able to pinpoint one location, why are there multiple suspected locations?"


    "We can''t keep following them forever. It''s also important that we don''t get caught. We tracked the ces they went and selected a few suitable gathering spots nearby."


    Bart marked the locations on the map. Indeed, all the marked locations weren''t far from each other. They must have investigated up to that point.


    "...It''s not far from here."


    "We''ve been sharing information periodically, so we couldn''t have done that from a long distance."


    Moreover, Satan''s devils were in a hurry right now. Gathering itself was the priority, and the location was secondary.


    Elodie, who was checking the map with Aster, asked.


    "What should we do? Should we split up and search?"


    Since there were many ces to go, dividing the personnel would save time.


    But Aster shook his head.


    "No, let''s all go together like this. It''s not far anyway. It could be dangerous if we split up carelessly. And most importantly,"


    Aster had already started moving as he spoke the next words.


    "There won''t be much difference in time."


    * * *


    Menosorpo


    Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication


    Imperial Pce Armory


    Rank - Rare


    Spear, Homologous Replication 10 units


    Tatatatang!!


    Spears engraved in the void drew a circle and? stuck into the ground.


    Kwarurung-!


    Soon after, as if responding to the hammer swung by Frondier, lightning struck the spears. The lightning then flowed along the spears, creating a circle, and shot out at the approaching devils, burning them.


    Menosorpo


    Void Weaving, Simultaneous Replication


    Imperial Pce Armory


    Full Open


    Immediately after establishing the surrounding defenses, Frondier began to pour out weapons from the void. Spears, swords, and axes alike smashed the devils'' heads and split their bodies.


    Lightning cleaving through the ck clouds. Frondier was currently clearing the weather.


    ''...Amazing.''


    Marco, who was participating in the battle from the side, admired the sight. It really seemed like he could eliminate all these cloud-like devils by himself.


    ''If he has enough mana, that is.''


    Marco examined Frondier''splexion but couldn''t see any signs of fatigue.


    But Marco was also starting to realize that it was impossible to gauge Frondier''s condition by his facial expressions. He would probably keep that face even until right before his mana was depleted.


    ''Even so, would a single human have enough mana to wipe out all these devils?''


    No matter how low-ranking they were, devils were still devils. They possessed the basic characteristic of devils, aura. In other words, the mere fact that they could use aura put them on a different level from ordinary monsters.


    Devils who d themselves in aura were much harder to injure than monsters. If such a swarm of them rushed in, even the famous powerhouses of the continent would feel their vision go dark.


    However, Frondier''s attacks, as Marco observed, seemed to pierce through aura easily.


    Especially those attacks that started with the ck liquid. It could simply be overwhelming power piercing through aura, but the momentum was simr to his other attacks.


    ''...Though not as much as that woman named Sybil.''


    Sybil, whom Marco had fought before. Her attacks, abination of aura and mana,pletely ignored the opponent''s aura.


    ''Petals,'' was it? He understood why she called it that. The enemy''s aura was dyed with her own. Whether it was red or white, it didn''t matter.


    Frondier''s attacks, while not as potent as Sybil''s, seemed to somewhat diminish the effects of the opponent''s aura. The principle was probablypletely different, though.


    "Marco! Your hands have stopped!"


    "Nonsense!"


    Frondier shouted at Marco, who had momentarily fallen into thought, and Marco pretended not to hear and resumed his attack.


    Anyway, now was the time for Marco to fully cooperate. If Frondier died here, it would all be meaningless.


    Of course, Frondier didn''t want Marco to have any ''thoughts''.


    ''It''s important to control my strength, and it''s also important that he doesn''t notice me doing it. Quite difficult.''


    Frondier''s goal wasn''t to annihte all these devils.


    If that were the case, he would have used the ''Devil''s Power'' long ago.


    His goal was to buy time.


    Until Aster found where Satan''s devils were gathered and rescued Lunia, he had to keep up a kind of act.


    Of course, this strength control didn''t mean fighting weakly. He wasn''t holding back on mana. If he did that, Marco would notice immediately.


    The important thing was what kind of power he used.


    He was saving not only the Devil''s Power but also thebination of ''Falling Rain'' and ''Sure Hit'', which was best for dealing with multiple opponents.


    He was using the lightning barrier he had spread like a final defense wall and the weapon replication he had always used for all purposes.


    To others, it might seem like he was effectively annihting the devils, but from Frondier''s perspective, it was the epitome of inefficiency. He was continuously consuming mana in a way that wasn''t the best.


    ''In the worst-case scenario, I might have to swallow the Dragon Heart.''


    The lightning curtain Frondier had created was still functioning effectively, but the devils spread across the sky were still overwhelming.


    In the end, Frondier was stepping into danger himself. The remaining amount of mana he had, the number of remaining devils, and the time it would take for Aster to rescue Lunia.


    ''If things continue like this, it seems like I can buy enough time.''


    Frondier still had a few things to rely on. The Dragon Heart would somehow take care of anyck of mana, and even if he eliminated these devils too quickly, he could still buy time.


    Judging by Marco''s actions, the devils weren''t trying to kill Frondier. Time would still flow while he was fulfilling their demands.


    However,


    There was a reason why Frondier kept repeating ''shitty game'' as a habit.


    Whiiiik-!!


    Something flew from Frondier''s location towards the distance.


    With Menosorpo deployed, Frondier had already recognized what it was. The area covered by his Menosorpo was wider than his ''sixth sense''. Frondier''s face hardened slightly.


    "As expected, it''s not that easy."


    Frondier had a guess as to what was flying towards him.


    And that guess was correct.


    "I saw my subordinates flying in a strange direction, so I checked it out."


    The person who flew in spoke while observing Frondier''s situation.


    "What is this situation? What have you done to my children! Human!!"


    The man''s voice, filled with aura, roared.


    Frondier couldn''t identify who he was yet, but his identity was clear.


    ''A high


    -ranking devil from the West.''


    Just like the hidden devils of the Empire and the devils of Satan, the West naturally had high-ranking devils. They were the ones whomanded all these countless devils.


    ''That guy isn''t the only high-ranking devil. The remaining devils must be heading towards the Empire.''


    However, high-ranking devils alone wouldn''t make a war. As mentioned before, it wasn''t a matter of strength but a matter of numbers.


    Frondier shouted at the devil who had flown in with a clueless expression.


    "Hey! Are you the boss? Do something about these guys!"


    The reason why the low-ranking devils were drawn here was because of ''Rafflesia'', but of course, Frondier didn''t mention that at all.


    He was acting like someone who had been subjected to an iprehensible assault, asking the devil for help.

 Chapter 332 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "You fools! Our goal isn''t here! Stop wasting time and follow me!!"


    The high-ranking devil yelled, but the low-ranking devils continued their attack on Frondier as if they hadn''t heard.


    Frondier''s hammer, crackling with lightning, swung repeatedly, scattering sparks and metal through the air.


    "These things..."


    The high-ranking devil''s eyes shed, their pupils turning red.


    ''That''s...!''


    Frondier sensed something and looked at the high-ranking devil.


    <i>Kwoong-</i>


    A pressure weighed down the atmosphere. As if struck by lightning, the low-ranking devils came to an abrupt halt.The ck horde that filled the sky stopped all at once, a magnificent sight in itself.


    "You''ve lost your minds."


    "....!"


    The low-ranking devils, regaining their senses, stammered under the fierce gaze.


    "N-no! Why, why are we here, I don''t even..."


    <i>Pow!</i>


    One of the devils, about to speak, was struck by the high-ranking devil''s fist and sent flying. A loud sound ripped through the air, followed by a gruesome crunch as the devil collided with a rock on the ground.


    "Shut up. All of you, follow me. Our business is with the Empire. We''ll find all the devils hiding there, like picking out lice."


    The high-ranking devil said, ncing briefly at Frondier. For a moment, a strange glint appeared in his eyes, but with the urgency of the situation, he turned away again.


    The low-ranking devils followed him with terrified faces. Of course, the effects of Rafflesia were still in effect.


    ''That devil''s power surpasses Rafflesia''s!''


    Moreover, Rafflesia''s effect seemed to bepletely nullified. Perhaps the devil''s power was stronger than Frondier had anticipated.


    ''This is troublesome. I won''t be able to stall for time like this. And those devils reaching the Empire is also a problem.''


    He had been worried that the high-ranking devil''s power might surpass Rafflesia''s. He had believed it would have some effect, but if they were moving as if it werepletely nullified, then Frondier''s assumptions werepletely wrong.


    ''What should I do?''


    There was only one solution that came to mind immediately.


    He had to use the devil''s power himself.


    However, while that would stop the Empire''s war for the time being, Lunia would be in danger.


    Marco would immediately question Frondier if he used the devil''s power.


    ''Why didn''t you use it from the beginning?''


    When he realized that all of this was just Frondier''s act, Marco wouldn''t hesitate for a moment.


    ''...Wait.''


    At that moment, a strange thought crossed Frondier''s mind, and he looked at Marco.


    From the moment the high-ranking devil arrived, Marco had be noticeably quiet.


    Especially now that Frondier''s safety was secured, it wouldn''t be strange for Marco to approach him and speak. No, that would be normal.


    But Marco continued to watch the high-ranking devil leave.


    ©¤©¤At that moment.


    A brilliant idea struck Frondier, and he shouted at Marco.


    "Alright, shall we continue our conversation? ''Marchosias''."


    A natural thing to say to Marco. Neither too loud nor too soft. The timing was perfect, following a brief silencen/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was a statement from Frondier that seemingly held no hidden agenda.


    Except for one thing, the fact that he called Marco ''Marchosias''.


    "....Marchosias?"


    Then.


    The high-ranking devil, who seemed like he wouldn''t turn back, stopped abruptly.


    He turned around and shifted his gaze to Marco, who was standing near Frondier.


    "....You....!"


    The high-ranking devil''s eyes widened as he recognized Marco''s face.


    <i>Tsk</i>, Marco clicked his tongue.


    "Marchosias! You''re here!"


    Frondier shouted as he watched the approaching high-ranking devil, trying to identify his face.


    From Marco''s behavior, it was clear that the two knew each other.


    Then how did they know each other? The answer could be found in the high-ranking devil''s expression.


    ''...He''s happy.''


    His face was filled with joy, as if he had met a long-lost family member. The high-ranking devilpletely forgot about Frondier and descended until he was right in front of Marco.


    Of course, the low-ranking devils, confused by the sudden change in their leader''s behavior, simply hovered in the air and watched.


    "You''re alive! Marchosias!"


    "....Ah, that''s right."


    "We all thought you were dead. Why didn''t youe sooner? Ah, were you perhaps seriously injured?"


    "....No, not really."


    Marco averted his gaze. Both his avoidance of eye contact and hisck of honorifics were things Frondier had never seen before.


    "Did this man hurt you?"


    The high-ranking devil red at Frondier, radiating killing intent. It seemed like he would immediately behead Frondier if Marco nodded.


    "No, it''s not like that."


    "Marchosias. If something happened, tell me. We will all protect you. You know that, right?"


    "....So it''s not like that. This man is someone I will ''use''."


    Marchosias emphasized the word ''use''. A word that devils seemed to particrly enjoy.


    "Hmm, is that so?"


    As expected, the high-ranking devil nodded in approval of Marco''s words.


    "No, this isn''t the time. Marco, I''d like to catch up, but let''s do itter. Let''s go together!"

 Chapter 332 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "......."


    The high-ranking devil extended his hand to Marco.


    Marco looked at the hand with a truly troubled expression.


    "Don''t you understand yet? The time has finallye for us to take action! Belphegor has left the west coast, and we have the opportunity to eliminate all the disgusting devils hiding in the Empire! We have enough devils with the ''cannibalistic'' desire. It''ll be a piece of cake to catch them all."


    The high-ranking devil spoke to Marco with an excited face.


    Of course, Marco already knew all of this.


    The problem was that Marco wasn''t on the side of the western devils anymore.


    ''Marco was originally on the same side as that devil. But now he has be Satan''s devil. I don''t know the process, but I understand the situation roughly.''


    Right now, Marco must be racking his brain at an incredible speed.It seemed that the high-ranking devil didn''t know about Marco''s situation, so if he yed his cards right, it might be possible to escape without the high-ranking devil noticing. Naturally, he would be thinking hard.


    "....I''ll goter. I have something to finish with this man."


    "What? We''re going to fulfill the long-cherished desire of the western devils. I don''t know what you''ll do with this human, but it''s a trivial matter!"


    It wasn''t a trivial matter.


    Marco looked at Frondier.


    As Marco had unhappily predicted, Frondier was smiling coldly.


    "....It''ll be over soon. It won''t take long. You know, right? I don''t lie."


    Marco said. His ''not lying'' trait was useful even in situations like this. It could give him trust without needing many words.


    But that depended on the situation.


    "Hey, devil."


    Frondier finally spoke. At that moment, Marco''s face contorted.


    "....Huh?"


    Of course, killing intent also appeared on the high-ranking devil''s face. He wouldn''t tolerate Frondier treating him like a passing dog.


    "Since I''ve kept you alive for a while, you seem to have forgotten your ce, human."


    "The one who doesn''t know their ce is you, devil. As Marco said, he still has business with me. If you''re going to leave, leave by yourself."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, if this high-ranking devil really left, Frondier would be in a very, very serious predicament.


    But knowing that wouldn''t happen, Frondier provoked the devil with all his might.


    "Your subordinates. You should have seen them attacking me. They all died like flies. You''ll know if you look at the corpses here."


    Frondier spread his arms as if to show the surroundings. The high-ranking devil''s killing intent grew thicker.


    "Seeing the state of your subordinates, I can tell what level their superior is at."


    "Frondier, do you really want to die?"


    Marco reacted first. He spoke through gritted teeth.


    In truth, Frondier was currently walking a dangerous tightrope. Not only was his own safety threatened, but there was also the risk of his stalling tactics being exposed. ?


    But before he could think further, Frondier took the initiative.


    "You, you''re one of the 72 devils, right?"


    "....!"


    The high-ranking devil was surprised by Frondier''s words. His eyes filled with the question of how he knew, and then, as if realizing the answer, he immediately turned his gaze to Marco.


    "....Marchosias. Even for a human, haven''t you said too much unnecessary things?"


    "....I did."


    Frondierughed at that.


    It was a truly triumphant smile, and in a way, it was also the most dangerous choice.


    "Saying too much? That''s not it, right? Marco."


    "....What do you mean?"


    Marco feigned ignorance, but his fingertips were already tinged with aura.


    Frondier said while watching that.


    "That wasn''t what you wanted, was it? Marco. Saying your name was unavoidable..."


    It was Satan''s rule, he was about to say.


    <i>Tat!</i>


    In an instant, Marco was right in front of Frondier. With both hands engulfed in mes, he reached Frondier with a speed that he couldn''t even follow with his eyes.


    In that fleeting moment, there was no time for conversation.


    Marco simply spoke with his eyes. A murderous voice seemed to echo in Frondier''s ears.


    ©¤©¤Shut your mouth. Before I kill you.


    Of course, Frondier responded with a leisurely smile.


    ©¤©¤Kill me?


    <i>ng!</i>


    Frondier raised his short sword to block Marco''s right hand, while Obsidian blocked the other.


    <i>Keeek, keeek...!</i>


    Marco''s me-d hands weren''t just mes, but also his powerful aura condensed into pure force. It was already far beyond the strength of an ordinary de.


    It was fortunate that the short sword Frondier was holding was an exceptionally good one, otherwise it would have melted or shattered in the mes.


    A power struggle where neither side backed down.


    Of course, there was no reason for these two to engage in such a battle of pride.


    Their intentions were clear to each other.


    "What are you nning?"


    Marco spoke in a voice that was barely audible.


    Frondier replied.


    "You''re the key to understanding the devils'' situation the most, aren''t you?"


    Marco''s eyes twitched ever so slightly at Frondier''s words.


    Based on that, Frondier continued speaking.


    "The Seven Sins and the 72 Devils. The two arergely unrted, but it seems that''s not the case for you. You''ve been going back and forth between both sides. Did Satan approach you first?"


    "......."


    Silence.


    A response typical of Marco, who doesn''t lie.


    "And you, you seem to be trying to avoid saying that high-ranking devil''s name no matter what."


    "....!"


    Marco''s eyes widened slightly.


    Frondier subtly checked the high-ranking devil''s appearance.


    "I haven''t memorized all of the 72 devils, and there''s no significant meaning to it. But you''re trying to avoid saying that devil''s name at all costs."


    The reason was clear.


    Because Frondier was here.


    And because he didn''t want Frondier to know the name of that high-ranking devil.


    "The 72 Devils and the subordinates of the Seven Sins. You, who are ambiguously involved with both sides, and the name of the 72 Devil that you''re trying to hide."


    Frondier didn''t think all of his deductions were correct.


    There were various possibilities.


    But there was no cost to ''testing the waters''.


    And Frondier, observing Marco''s reaction, was bing more certain of his guess.


    "Is that guy Baal?"


    "....!"


    Baal, one of the 72 Devils, known as the King of Hell.


    However, Baal''s other name was ''Beelzebub''.


    "If that''s true, then why are Beelzebub of the Seven Sins and Baal of the 72 Devils different devils?"

 Chapter 333 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The Seven Deadly Sins never appeared in the game ''Etius.''


    Frondier had grasped at the slightest possibility when he started being called by the strange nickname ''Sloth.''


    The Seven Deadly Sins, existing in knowledge but never actually appearing.


    However, Frondier had already met two of the Seven Deadly Sins, and even managed to defeat one of them.


    Therefore, the knowledge Frondier currently possessed was not so much from the game as from the previous world.


    The game Etius shared a significant amount of information with the previous world, so he believed that knowledge about Baal would also carry over.


    Marchosias, a subordinate of Satan, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and also belonging to the 72 Demons.


    Seeing Marchosias with a foot in both camps, Frondier''s initial thought was Baal. Baal was the name that belonged to both sides.


    The demon whose name Marco deliberately avoided mentioning. He believed there was a high probability it was Baal.However, upon hearing Frondier''s words, Marco,


    "..."


    Simply remained silent, not responding to Frondier''s words.


    Marco, who did not lie. That silence also meant that Frondier''s guess was ''correct.''


    But above all, there was deep anger on his face.


    Seeing that, Frondier realized.


    ''He''s angry. That those two are separate beings. I don''t know why, but Marco is also dissatisfied with that.''


    <i>ng!</i>


    Frondier parried Marco''s two hands and stepped back. It was a somewhat nned action. If they continued shing, Baal would notice them whispering to each other.


    ''Baal and Beelzebub exist separately. What does this mean?''


    Originally, Baal and Beelzebub were just two different names that referred to the same being.


    But here, they were clearly different beings with different positions. Then, where did the difference between the twoe from?


    And what was Marco''s rtionship with these two?


    ''...Let''s think about itter. There''s something more urgent now.''


    Frondier nced at Baal. In any case, he couldn''t let Baal leave here.


    If he went alone, it wouldn''t matter, but he would take all the tens of thousands of demons here with him. That wasn''t what Frondier wanted.


    Meanwhile, Baal spoke to Marco.


    "Marchosias, what do you n to do with that human? I''ve been leaving him alone since you said you''d use him, but if you want to kill him, I can finish it quickly."


    Marco''s attack just now. Frondier had blocked it, but to Baal, it seemed like a clumsy response.


    Of course, Frondier and Marco had approached each other to exchange a few words, but to a third party, it clearly wouldn''t have looked like a proper response.


    The act of crossing swords with each other rarely happened in actualbat. In Baal''s eyes, it appeared ''clumsy.''


    Frondier, thinking he had found the perfect opportunity, said,


    "Good, Baal. Finish it quickly."


    Baal''s eyes twitched at that. He looked at Marco.


    "...Did you tell him my name?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "No."


    Marco''s immediate answer. In fact, Frondier had figured it out himself, so it wasn''t a lie. And since he didn''t lie, Baal nodded.


    "Alright. A brat who doesn''t know his ce is acting up."


    Baal took a step forward. Marco looked at him with a tense expression.


    He wanted to keep Frondier alive as per Satan''s orders, but Frondier, as if he had truly gone mad, kept provoking Baal.


    In any case, even if he tried to stop Baal now, Frondier would continue to get under his skin. Baal wouldn''t change his decision, and then Marco would just be wasting time.


    ''...Frondier.''


    Marco nced at Frondier.


    ...It seemed Frondier wanted to buy time somehow.


    There had been signs of that from the beginning, but it was the possibility that Marco had initially denied.


    Because the actions he was taking to buy time were too risky.


    Normally, even if the scales of a n weren''t perfectly bnced, at least both sides of the scale should be off the ground.


    The fact that numerous low-ranking demons hade here was an unforeseen ident, but it was true that Frondier had escaped the Empire''s territory almost alone.


    And that too, to the depths where demons of the abyss might exist.


    This was clearly an act to summon demons of Satan like Marco.


    Frondier knew that since Lunia had been captured, there would be demands, and he had even said he would meet all those demands. It was clearly a situation where his life was in danger.


    In other words, Frondier had ced his own life on one side of the scale.


    But if there was only ''buying time'' on the other side of the scale, wouldn''t the bnce be too off?


    ''Frondier keeps buying time under the pretext of self-defense. And it''s true. It''s impossible for us to take Frondier to where we are while avoiding all those demons.''


    Threats obviously wouldn''t work on Frondier, who was being attacked by demons.


    He wasn''t in a position to care about Lunia.


    But the situation had changed.


    Frondier had now started more obvious provocations. Provoking Baal was clearly not self-defense, no matter how you looked at it.


    In other words, Frondier hadpletely realized it.


    That Satan''s demons wouldn''t kill him. And he had probably already figured out that it was Satan''s order.


    ''...Damn bastard.''


    The moment he realized that, Frondier''s actions changed. From self-defense that seemed like mere coincidence, he was now tantly showing Marco that he was deliberately putting himself in danger.


    No matter how Frondier got into danger, Marco would be in a difficult position.


    "Alright, I''ll kill you."


    Baal stepped forward. As he extended his right hand, aura condensed within it and stretched out. Soon, it took the shape of a de, and Baal grasped it.


    The Technique that Pascal, the former Imperial Pce Knight and teacher, had shown. The weaponization of aura, something that only those who had reached the peak of aura could use.


    Frondier smiled, but cold sweat ran down his back.


    ''With the title of King of Hell, he must be able to do that much.''


    But that wasn''t the problem.


    Originally, in mythology, Baal was often mentioned as a master swordsman.


    And for Frondier, the most difficult opponents to deal with were those who had trained one skill to the extreme.


    Frondier preferred multiple mediocre opponents over one strong individual. He found a single powerful entity more frightening than numerous low-ranking demons.


    Frondier had once struggled against Ellen. Of course, it was because he couldn''t determine if Ellen was truly an enemy, but even considering that, Ellen''s skill was threatening.


    Despite the fact that Frondier had an overwhelming advantage in mana quantity.


    ''Simply put, a demon with swordsmanshipparable to Senior Ellen''s, and sufficient aura...''


    Summarizing it like that made the threat feel real. Frondier''s grip on the small sword tightened.

 Chapter 333 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    <i>Swish!</i>


    Baal shed his sword diagonally. That movement, which seemed like a simple swing,


    ng!


    "Ugh!"


    Turned into aura and flew towards Frondier, shing with his small sword and scattering.


    "You have a good sword. Doesn''t suit you."


    Baal spoke with a cold gaze.


    Frondier thought it was an extremely urate statement.


    Including the small sword, he had many things that didn''t suit him.''Azier also used a simr attack when facing Mizonas.''


    Mizonas had used his ws tounch aura, and Baal''s sword itself was aura. The principles were probably simr.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>Rank - Unique</i>


    <i>Neil Jack''s dagger</i>


    Frondier replicated the small sword and held it in his left hand. He intended to use the dual swords he had used against Belphegor again.


    "Oh?"


    Baal made a sound as if intrigued.


    A sword had appeared in Frondier''s empty hand, which had nothing before. And it was the same sword. It didn''t seem to be made of aura either.


    "Let''s see."


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Baal''s body shot towards Frondier. His speed was simr to Marco''s.


    <i>ng! ng!</i>


    Then came a barrage of attacks. Frondier swung both hands to meet the attacks.


    ''Ugh...!''


    But Frondier was being pushed back.


    Frondier, whose swordsmanship had improved while being beaten by Azier. His defensive skills had now reached the level of a master.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, his offense wasn''t quite there yet. He was used to dealing with Azier''s attacks, but his own offensive skills were developing more slowly.


    Baal realized this after a few shes of swords. Now that he knew Frondier wasn''t as good at attacking as he was at defending, his attacks became more daring, and Frondier found it even harder to cope.


    ''In terms of swordsmanship alone, he''s better than Belphegor...!''


    As expected of the King of Hell. The number 1 of the 72 Demons was more skilled than Frondier had anticipated. Of course, number 1 was just an order, not a ranking.


    Moreover, since he shared a name with one of the Seven Deadly Sins, his martial prowess wouldn''t bepletely unrted.


    <i>ng! ng!!</i>


    The rhythm of Baal''s barrage changed. The relentless momentum that had been trying to overwhelm Frondier''s speed now seemed to have a breathing pattern, as if searching for an opening.


    The sword that was about to strike down stopped mid-way and changed its trajectory, and between the shing motions, he mixed in shoulder and footwork to make the timing difficult to grasp.


    Frondier, sweating profusely, somehow managed to respond to the attacks, but he was clearly on the defensive.


    However, Marco, who was watching the scene, naturally had a question.


    ''Why is he only fighting with swords?''


    Marco had seen Frondier''s skills until just now.


    The enormous amount of Obsidian, and the weapons that were created and fired from all directions. Naturally, Frondier''s formidable power came from there.


    Frondier, who could single-handedly draw out powerparable to an army.


    Even if he was facing Baal as an individual, it wasn''t as if he couldn''t use those attacks. On the contrary, he could probably deal with Baal more easily.


    ''...Something''s strange. He''s aiming for something.''


    But Marco couldn''t speak up now. Adding anything to Baal had never resulted in a good oue.


    Baal was the most prideful among the 72 Demons. Whether it was because he was number 1 or because of his title as the King of Hell.


    Moreover, they were in the middle of a high-speed exchange. If Marco gave some clumsy advice, it could actually be dangerous.


    As Marco was pondering,


    <i>ng!!</i>


    "Kugh!"


    One of Frondier''s swords was knocked away. Baal, having read the trajectory of Frondier''s defense, had twisted his own sword to deflect it.


    Disappointment filled Baal''s eyes. He had decent swordsmanship, but he couldn''t even read such a simple feint.


    Since Frondier had lost his sword, there was naturally an opening from his shoulder to his chest, starting from his empty hand.


    Baal, without hesitation, thrust his sword towards that spot.


    And Frondier hurriedly brought the sword in his remaining hand to meet Baal''s sword,


    ©¤©¤Because there was no way he couldn''t read such a simple feint.


    <i>Roach Swordsmanship</i>


    <i>Azier Original</i>


    <i>Falling edge</i>


    The aura sword Baal was holding fell from his hand.


    "...!"


    Falling edge could be used at any time.


    However, since he couldn''t use it as perfectly as Azier, Frondier needed time to execute Falling edge.


    And even if he seeded, Falling edge often sent the opponent''s sword flying, giving the opponent onest chance.


    A chance to catch the sword that was floating in the air. In fact, Frondier had used that aspect of Falling edge to defeat the golem.


    However, Baal was confident in his victory, and he had thrust his sword deeply.


    If you used Falling edge by bringing your sword down on a thrusting sword, the sword that should fly up would be blocked by Frondier''s de,


    <i>ng!</i>


    And fall powerlessly to the ground.


    ''What?''


    Baal''s eyes widened.


    Then did he drop his sword on purpose? Did he anticipate that I would twist my sword to deflect it from the beginning?


    ''Ridiculous!''


    Baal gritted his teeth. He covered his entire body with aura.


    Of course, he didn''t have time to create another aura sword, but he had time to defend.


    Even if there was an opening, he wouldn''t be able to easily pierce his aura.


    Baal, unlike Marco, was seeing Frondier for the first time.


    He knew nothing.


    Who he was facing right now.


    <i>Weaving, Obsidian</i>


    <i>ting, Target ''Neil Jack''s Dagger''</i>


    <i>Great Demon''s Dagger</i>


    The Obsidian coated the small sword Frondier was holding.


    Just like when the monsters in Yeranhes had been stained ck.


    Just like back then, when it had blocked almost all arrows and terrified the seasoned veterans who had seen it all with the monsters bing even more ferocious.


    The mana of Helheim cut through the opponent''s aura.


    "Are you a regenerative creature too?"


    <i>sh!</i>


    Frondier severed Baal''s wrist. The very hand that Baal had dropped his sword from.


    "Kuaaagh!!"


    Baal screamed and retreated.


    Marco watched the scene unfold.


    ''He saved all his offensive means to lure out that carelessness?''


    Marco''s certainty grew stronger.


    Frondier was out of his mind. Not just by human standards, but even by demon standards.


    Even from the perspective of demons, whose lives were valued far less than humans, no one would do something like that.


    Moreover, there was still a question that remained.


    ''Why the wrist, of all ces?''


    Frondier could have dealt a much more fatal blow at that moment.


    Severing one hand wouldn''t stop Baal. Especially if it was cut off so cleanly, a severed hand would reattach quickly.


    Even without Marco''s level of regenerative ability, it was possible with enough time.


    "You!! How dare you!!!"


    Baal shouted. A power different from aura began to emanate from his body.


    Seeing that, Marco shouted in surprise.


    He had decided not to give Baal any advice, but this time, he felt an incredibly ominous premonition.


    "W-Wait! Baal! Something''s wrong!!"


    But of course, Baal wouldn''t listen to him.


    "Die!"


    A sinister and foul aura dwelled in his eyes before shooting towards Frondier.


    Demonic power.


    The demonic power unleashed by the King of Hell.


    "..."


    Frondier watched the scene unfold.


    His smile disappeared.


    The cold sweat that had been running down his back vanished.


    Everything had gone ording to n, so Frondier decided to drop the facade that didn''t suit him.


    Unlike Baal''s murderous gaze, only indolence remained in Frondier''s eyes.


    ©¤©¤Be the King of Devils.


    Frondier closed his eyes, then opened them again.

 Chapter 334 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "©¤©¤The devils call it ''Pandemonium''. Once you experience it, you''ll understand why."


    Arald, the chairman of Hitchcock, said.


    When the devil''s powers sh against each other, it''s called Pandemonium.


    The nature of ''devil''s power'' varies from devil to devil.


    Just as Belphegor, the devil of sloth, bestows ''sloth'', and Ria Lis bestows ''charm''.


    As such, the devil''s power is not inherently meant to kill enemies.


    This is also true for Frondier, who still doesn''t know the true nature of his own devil''s power.


    And it''s the same for Baal, who burns with murderous intent.


    ''This will show him his ce.''Baal believes in his own devil''s power.


    His power is ''fear''.


    Known as the King of Hell, he literally instills fear into his opponents. It is the most appropriate power for a ruler.


    No devil has ever resisted his power, and that''s how he was able to build a massive army of devils in the West.


    The moment he locked eyes with Frondier with such strong conviction.


    ''...Huh...?''


    Baal felt a strange power in Frondier''s eyes.


    He thought it was a mistake for a moment, but it was unmistakable.


    Devil''s power.


    Frondier was also using the devil''s power.


    ''How can a human...!''


    Baal was shaken, but he quickly regained hisposure.


    Even if the human could use the devil''s power, nothing would change. His power had always been absolute.


    Among devils, the devil''s power is a proof of submission.


    Naturally, devils who want to rise above otherspete with each other''s power.


    When devil''s powers sh, it would be ideal if the stronger power simply wins, but since the types of powers are different from the beginning, it doesn''t work that way. ?


    There is a certain degree ofpatibility, both sides may withstand each other''s power, or neither may withstand it.


    In other words, the sh of devil''s powers is not simply a collision of energies, but the intangible powers themselves engage in another battle.


    It is at this moment that devils truly ''confront'' each other''s power.


    <i>Rumble-</i>


    The ground beneath their feet began to crack slowly.


    Hotva flowed like a bursting spring, and a heat wave that dried all sweat and moisture rose upwards.


    Screams of the dead pouring down from the sky, or perhaps mockery and contempt aimed at Frondier.


    Baal''s power, ''fear''. This is the illusion it creates.


    It''s too realistic to simply call it an illusion; the pain suffered within the illusion is felt as real.


    In the process, those with weak minds may even die from shock.


    That''s why Baal shouted for him to die. There''s no way a mere human could withstand the illusion he shows.


    When only one side uses the devil''s power, it only inflicts its effects on the opponent, but when both sides'' devil''s powers sh, the very root of that power reveals itself like this. Because it''s a battle of origin that must never be lost.


    "I am Baal, the King of Hell."


    Standing on the hellishndscape he created, Baal red at Frondier with unwavering murderous intent.


    "Do you think you can withstand my power?"


    Lava began to flow over Frondier''s feet. Hordes of grim reapers with giant scythes approached from all sides.


    Creak, something reached out from theva. Raising a body that was melting away in theva, slowly towards Frondier.


    They made sounds that were neither screams norughter. No, it wasn''t that they were making sounds, but that sounds were being made on their own.


    <i>Whiiish-</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    Just as they were slowly approaching, a giant de fell from the air and sliced off Frondier''s right wrist. As if to avenge Frondier cutting off Baal''s wrist.


    Frondier winced silently and looked at his severed arm. Indeed, even if it was an illusion, the pain was real.


    ''This is Pandemonium...''


    The devil''s power is the power of the soul. It is the weaponization of one''s soul to pierce the opponent.


    He finally understood what it meant. It was literally pandemonium, everything he saw.


    Frondier knew that when devil''s powers sh, their forms would be revealed. That''s why he led Baal to use his devil''s power on him.


    Theva had already begun to engulf his feet, and the breath of the grim reapers grazed his shoulders.


    In the midst of it all, Frondier asked Baal.


    "Hey, Baal."


    "What."


    "Where is this?"


    Huh? Baal frowned at Frondier''s unexpected question.


    Where is this? What nonsense is this human spouting? Does he really think this illusion is reality?


    "You''re supposed to be the King of Hell."


    But Frondier continued.


    "Then this must be thendscape of that hell. Isn''t that right? Where is the hell you rule as king?"


    "......"


    Baal finally understood what Frondier was saying.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, he had no answer.


    <i>Sizzle!</i>


    Theva that had engulfed Frondier''s feet now burned his skin.


    <i>Thud! Crack!</i>


    The grim reapers'' scythes pierced his shoulders, sides, and thighs. It was a deliberate act of torture, not to kill him.


    But even in a situation where he should have been screaming and dying from shock, Frondier continued to question Baal.


    "Where is this hell? Nastrond? Or Tartarus?"


    Baal was speechless at Frondier''s bizarre state.


    It was shocking enough that Frondier was calmly enduring all the fear he possessed, but


    In reality, Baal had no answer to Frondier''s question.


    "...I see."


    Frondier nodded as if he understood, seeing Baal''s silence.


    "This is nowhere. Of course,va and grim reapers, noisy ghosts, guillotine-like falling des, corpses crawling out ofva. Hell couldn''t be this chaotic."

 Chapter 334 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    "You...!"


    Baal gritted his teeth at Frondier''s insult.


    Why is this human unharmed? Why doesn''t he sumb to my power? Does he not feel pain? Is he not afraid of hell?


    While Baal couldn''t believe the reality before his eyes, Frondier continued to think calmly.


    ''I thought I''d get a chance to see hell since he''s the King of Hell, but it was a failure.''


    Frondier had heard that Osprey had gone beyond the world to ''Nastrond'', and seeing Baal, the King of Hell, he recalled that ce. He thought it wouldn''t hurt to see it for himself, even if it was just an illusion, as he might go there someday.


    This was the first reason he had engaged in a devil''s power confrontation with Baal, but it had missed the mark spectacrly.


    ''...Well, it''s greedy to expect my guesses to always be right, and I''ve just been lucky so far.''


    But instead, he learned something.<i>Crunch! Crunch!</i>


    The grim reapers'' scythes dug deeper into Frondier, theva melting his body. The zombie-like creatures crawling out of theva and grabbing onto him.


    Looking at each and every one of them, Frondier''s eyes slowly sank.


    Except for the wrist that was initially cut off, Frondier no longer felt any pain.


    The legs that seemed to be melting were not melting, and the body that seemed to be pierced by scythes was not bleeding.


    "Baal."


    Frondier gave Baal a dull look.


    "You''ve never heard the voices of the dead."


    "......!"


    The ghosts that had been chattering around him since earlier.


    Of course, they were meant to instill fear in the enemy, but from Frondier''s perspective, they were just annoying.


    He had actually heard the voices of the dead.


    Not just one or two, but countless ghosts that he didn''t even attempt to count. He had eradicated that entire mass.


    To him, the voices of the ghosts chattering around him now were not even remotely simr.


    "A guy who''s never heard the screams of the dead, calls himself the ''King of Hell''."


    Perhaps this devil called Baal is fundamentally different from ''Beelzebub''.


    "...Shut up, shut up! Even if that''s true, you can''t escape this illusion! What did you do! How did a human like you block my power with some kind of trick!" ??


    "I''m not blocking it."


    Frondier grabbed the grim reaper''s scythe that was deeply embedded in his body.


    Even though it was an illusion, the grim reaper seemed to be flustered.


    He shouldn''t be able to grab this?


    <i>ng!</i>


    The next moment, as Frondier lightly clenched his hand, the scythe and the entire grim reaper shattered like ss.


    A grim reaper wouldn''t disappear like that, even if it were to vanish. The illusion was breaking apart.


    "I can see them. The absurd sights you''ve created. There''s no meaning to what a baseless guy who doesn''t know hell has made."


    Frondier, who possesses Weaving.


    His eyes can discern everything created as an illusion.


    Just as even the Great Wizard Merlin''s dream didn''t work on him.


    "Baal. Are you trying to defeat me with a ''fake'' fight?"


    Frondier picked up his severed hand. He reattached it roughly and moved his fingers, and it returned to its original state on its own.


    "Y-you...! Even if you endure it, I''m the only one who can win in this space! Don''t you know that your devil''s power is far inferior to mine!"


    Baal shouted, as if possessed by evil.


    ''Pandemonium'' had been created, so Frondier had undoubtedly shed with Baal using devil''s power.


    However, Frondier''s devil''s power had not yet shown even a fragment of itself.


    The reason was simple.


    Frondier was curious about the hell that Baal showed him. But he was disappointed. It was neither Nastrond nor Tartarus.


    Frondier was curious about Pandemonium. And he had mostly figured it out. Although it was called a battle of souls, in Baal''s case, he relied too heavily on the illusions he created.


    Perhaps if he had truly been the King of Hell, the hells here would have been more realisticallyplete, and in that case, Frondier might have been in danger.


    And the final reason Frondier created Pandemonium.


    Frondier was curious about his ''own'' devil''s power.


    "Then let''s do it, Baal."


    Frondier pointed his finger at Baal, forming a gun shape.


    It was a meaningless gesture. He was just trying to aim mentally, as he wasn''t used to the devil''s power.


    "...What are you doing."


    "What do you mean? ''Pandemonium''."


    Baal had only shown Frondier illusions. A fake, not the real hell.


    "Let''s have a ''fake'' fight."


    And when Frondier unleashed his devil''s power.


    <i>Click-</i>


    The sound that reached Baal''s ears at that moment was like a Wizard view being turned off.


    It wasn''t just a sound.


    The screen of the world clicked off as if the power had gone out.


    The noisy dead, the shaking ground, the zingva, all gone.


    "...What is this,"


    Baal was about to say, ''What is this pathetic thing''.


    But the words after that all disappeared.


    Baal hadn''t closed his mouth. He opened his mouth, vibrated his vocal cords, and exhaled, but it didn''t be sound.


    "......, ......!"


    Baal looked around. No, he believed he did. The feeling in his feet had disappeared at some point. Even if he turned his body, there was no feeling of wind brushing against him, so he didn''t even know if he had turned.


    He couldn''t see, hear, or feel his own body even when he touched it.


    If he had cut off his ankle like the de he had created, his foot would be gone, but the remaining senses would still react.


    Pain is proof of existence.


    But now Baal had lost his body without any pain.


    No, he didn''t know if he had lost his body or if it was still intact.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''...This is.''


    Fake.


    It''s fake.


    Pandemonium is a battle of souls. It''s not a material thing that exists in reality, but it definitely exists, and they fight over each other''s existence.


    In fact, a devil with a stronger soul can ovee the opponent''s power by believing it to be an illusion. It''s one of the strategies.


    ...But to call it fake just because of that.


    ''...Ah, ah. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!''


    Baal screamed. But only the thought that he had screamed remained.


    But if he didn''t even do that, Baal would even doubt his own thoughts.


    Everything he tried to do didn''t happen in reality. That alone was enough to make his soul crumble.


    Frondier had said it was a fake fight.


    But can you distinguish between what is fake and what is not when there is nothing?


    Frondier isn''t just epting himself as fake.


    It''s not about skills or abilities.


    The Pandemonium he created spreads fakeness.


    Baal''s hands, feet, voice, body, thoughts, existence all be fake.


    <i>Thump-!</i>


    A faint sound brushed past Baal''s ears.


    Baal raised his head. He believed his hearing had returned.


    But this world still banished Baal.


    The body deprived of all senses was instead giving Baal auditory hallucinations.


    Frondier doesn''t attack his enemies with illusions.


    The enemy creates illusions themselves and crumbles on their own.


    When Baal raised his head, he saw it.


    Those eyes looking down at him apathetically from high above.


    ''...Ba... al...''


    The cold something, the voice, that he was looking up at struck him coolly from above.


    ©¤©¤Did you think your death would have any meaning?

 Chapter 335 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier swept his arm as if drawing back a curtain.


    Pandemonium was released.


    Thud.


    With it, Baal copsed like a y doll. Frondier approached quickly to check on him.


    He ced his hand on Baal''s neck, opened his eyelids to check his pupils.


    ''...He''s alive.''


    A faint but definite pulse. Consciousness, too, remained, however hazy.


    If Frondier had been even a littlete, Baal would have died.


    "......"Despite his victory, Frondier''s face contorted.


    ''That''s my demonic power?''


    The power of a demon interferes with the soul of its opponent. Just like when Frondier fought the wraiths in Yeranhes.


    Therefore, the demonic power unleashed by Pandemonium is not unrted to the shape of their respective souls.


    Frondier, seeing his demonic power for the first time, was shocked, though not as much as Baal.


    In fact, he had anticipated it to some extent. The mindset he had when he first activated his demonic power, the dangerous power that, unlike other demonic powers, could kill the demon if not careful.


    He had guessed it wouldn''t be ordinary, but...


    ''Such nothingness, such emptiness.''


    Emptiness, void. Whatever you call it, there was nothing there. No, beyond that, it tries to erase everything that enters it.


    Frondier, the owner of the power, could see Baal going mad.


    Frondier''s mind wasplex in many ways.


    It was surprising that his demonic power was like that, but it was also surprising that he was unaffected by such power.


    It could be said that it was natural because Frondier was the owner of the power, but he had never thought that he had such a huge power within him.


    <i>Whoooosh-</i>


    At that moment, a strange wind sound came from the sky.


    When Frondier looked up, he saw...


    "...Gasp."


    The low-ranking demons that had been flying in the sky until just now began to fall, unconscious.


    It was the effect of being swept away by the demonic power. Perhaps some of them weren''t just unconscious, but already dead.


    <i>Thud! Thump!</i>


    "Ah, ugh!"


    As countless demons fell from the sky, Frondier diligently dodged them.


    ''Wait, if this happens, it''ll be difficult to stall for time.''


    Frondier had originally intended to slowly kill the demons and stall for time.


    Unintentionally, they were all swept away by the demonic power and lost consciousness, so that n was alreadypletely overturned.


    ''No. I need toe up with a proper excuse for Marco...!''


    When Frondier found Marco in that state,


    "Huh?"


    Frondier made a sound.


    Marco was kneeling on both knees. His whole body was bent over, his face buried in the ground.


    Even when Frondier watched him for a while, Marco didn''t move.


    When there was no response even when he approached, Frondier nudged his shoulder.


    Thud.


    Marco fell sideways in that same position.


    He had fainted.


    "......"


    <i>Thud, thump!!</i>


    Standing amidst the strange phenomenon of demons still falling from the sky to the ground, Frondier scratched his cheek.


    "...What should I do?"


    Whether this situation was good or bad for Frondier.


    Even he himself found it difficult to judge yet.


    <i>Bang! Thump! Kaboom!</i>


    Around him, still pondering, the corpses of demons continued to fall and roll.


    * * *


    [...Now that it''se to this, they might do something unexpected.]


    Aster nodded his head after receiving a report from Frondier over the phone.


    It was after he and his colleagues had destroyed two suspected locations of the western demons.


    "Understood."


    [I''m sorry. I wanted to buy time and rescue Lunia as safely as possible.]


    Frondier''s disheartened voice came through the phone.


    Aster chuckled lightly.


    "I''m actually relieved."


    [What do you mean?]


    "It''s nothing. Anyway, I''ll handle things here."


    [Alright. I''m counting on you.]


    With those words, it seemed the call with Frondier was over, but then Frondier seemed to remember something and added one more thing.


    [By the way, is Selena there with you?]


    "...Huh? Selena?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Aster tilted his head in confusion.


    Why would he be looking for Selena here? She''s supposed to be his escort.


    "I''m not sure,"


    Aster began to say but then his voice trailed off.


    Someone rose above his shadow.


    Needless to say, it was Selena.


    "......Yeah, no, she''s here."


    [Really? Then I''ll leave her to you. I didn''t call her because it''s too dangerous here.]


    "What? No, wait©¤"


    The call was cut off there.


    An awkward silence suddenly arrived.


    Aster raised his hand, looking at the appeared Selena.


    "......Hello, Selena."


    "......Hello."


    With a face that was not at all well, Selena responded.


    Anyone could see that she was very angry, her face boiling with rage.


    Elodie, who was next to her, cautiously asked.


    "......Are you angry?"


    "Yes, very."


    Selena didn''t deny it.


    She didn''t even have the heart to keep up appearances.


    But everyone understood Selena''s feelings well enough. Everyone had simr faces.


    "......You didn''t call me."


    Selena spoke in a frosty voice.


    "Even when stepping outside the barrier, even when luring the devil into danger, Mr. Frondier did not call me. Do you know why?"


    Suddenly, Selena looked at Elodie.


    Elodie flinched unknowingly as Selena stared at her with a terrifying gaze.


    "......Because, it''s dangerous?"


    "Exactly! How could that be possible?"


    Elodie gave the correct answer, but Selena''s anger didn''t seem to cool down.


    With a voice suppressing her feelings of injustice and sorrow, Selena grumbled.


    "......Because it''s dangerous, not having your own guard by your side, who does that......"


    Of course, it''s a behavior that doesn''t make sense logically, but since it happened to Selena, the remaining people had nothing to say.


    It''s not that theypletely don''t understand Frondier.

 Chapter 335 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    While Selena was standing with a dumbfounded expression, Sybil, who was busily rolling her eyes, approached and spoke.


    "Well, right? Selena? Selena''s power is really needed by us. So, Frondier probably thought it would be better if Selena was with us......"


    Sybil said so, then paused, as if she had a thought.


    Initially, she brought up the topic to soothe Selena, but as she spoke, it seemed usible, so usible that she ended up considering the idea that it might have been the truth from the beginning.


    And that was the truth.


    "......Yes."


    And the real reason Selena was angry was because of that.


    "I wish Lord Frondier had told me that."


    "......Ah.""Lord Frondier, you''ve changed. You used to give me anymand without hesitation, acted very cold, telling me where to go, to follow, to wait here. You treated me like your pet dog, but at some point, your tone became warmer, you started buying me clothes, and after the war, you hardly gave anymands. You told me to do as I please during my ''vacation'', and there was no order to return."


    Everyone who heard Selena''s tantrum had the same thought.


    ''Isn''t that a good thing?''


    "Lord Frondier must have decided that it''s better for me to be here. That''s why he didn''t give me any orders. So that I can make a choice. Always leaving a way for me to escape. So that I can leave him at any time."


    From the time Selena started acting as Frondier''s surveince.


    From the time Frondier made Selena a double agent.


    Frondier said.


    <i>©¤I will not doubt you.</i>


    <i>©¤Whether you tell me the truth or a lie, I won''t even care about that.</i>


    At that time, Selena couldn''t understand Frondier''s intentions.


    However, looking back now, Frondier wanted Selena to turn her back on Manggot and join his side by her own will.


    Frondier can''t see through Selena''s act. Selena heard what he said, but she didn''t know that he had given up on trying to see through her act.


    That''s why, when Selena joined his side, the only way for Frondier to fully trust her was to do that.


    Selena is grateful for his consideration, but now that consideration is just a disappointment.


    To Selena now, Frondier''s words, ''It''s okay to leave anytime,'' are nothing but a wound.


    "......Hmm, Selena. But Frondier is,"


    When Aster tried to say something to Selena.


    "©¤©¤Really! That guy!"


    Elodie interrupted in the middle.


    Elodie held Selena''s hands and burned her eyes as if she strongly agreed.


    It seemed as if she had been waiting for someone other than herself to say that.


    "He usually keeps everything to himself! Moreover, he always has a poker face so others can''t even notice!"


    "That''s right! Absolutely!"


    "And in the end, he just shakes it off by himself? At least, shouldn''t he give the other person time to apologize?"


    "That''s right! It''s selfish! Pretending not to be hurt and then really not being hurt by himself!"


    Aster thought, ''Is that selfish?'' but kept his mouth shut.


    Instead, he spoke while looking at Aten.


    "It seems like everyone has a lot of pent-up feelings about Frondier. He''s a good guy."


    "...If we put aside whether Mr. Frondier is a good person or not."


    But Aten also seemed to have something on her mind, her expression was not good.


    "I also strongly agree with what the two of you said. Mr. Frondier mostly tries to endure everything by himself. Recently, he has started to ask for help from people around him, but in the end, he thinks all the pain is his share. He''s a very cowardly person." ?


    Aster thought, ''Is that cowardly?'' but held back again this time.


    This patience twice was indeed a wisdom worthy of being called the hope of the world.


    "¡­Anyway."


    Aster spoke, looking around at hispanions.


    "Frondier''s n was halted midway. It seems that the demon who tried to threaten him has fainted."


    "¡­I see."


    Elodie nodded at his words.


    "In other words, Frondier''s suicidal-like behavior will also stop for a while."


    "That''s right."


    Aster nodded.


    Meanwhile, Sybil seemed to think for a moment and then spoke.


    "But what should we do then? If something happens to Frondier, the enemies might put Lunia in danger."


    Aten shook his head at that.


    "I don''t think that will happen."


    "Why?"


    "The enemies kidnapped Lunia, risking significant sacrifices. In other words, Lunia has that much value to them, and perhaps it might be the only way to threaten Frondier."


    The one who continued the conversation was Elodie.


    "Lunia is thest fortress for the enemies. Unlike us, the demons are not fullymunicating. Although the enemy''s leader is unconscious, the enemies probably don''t know the specific situation. It''s absurd to try to kill Lunia in such a situation."


    Then Aster spoke again.


    "I just heard this from Frondier, but it seems like the enemies are not trying to kill Frondier. It looks like they were trying to use Frondier as a means."


    The one who responded was Selena.


    "Usually, criminals who have taken hostages rarely demand lives. A person''s life is the most important. No matter how valuable the hostage is, it''s useless if the trade doesn''t work. So, killing Frondier was not the top priority from the beginning."


    Trading lives to get a hostage is a story thates out in movies, and there are very few people who actually respond to such trades.


    However, Aten''s eyes dimmed a bit after hearing that.


    "......Of course, that''s the general case, but for Mr. Frondier, that deal might have actually worked out. After all, he''s the type to recklessly gamble with his own life."


    "It''s unusually harshing from you, Aten."


    "It''s the truth."


    Aten seemed to have various emotions about Frondier surface after the previous conversation, as her usually pale face now had her lips pointed sharply.


    After a moment of thought, Selena spoke.


    "......I didn''t connect shadows with Ms. Lunia. I also didn''t consider the possibility of Ms. Lunia being in danger, and there are those who dislike the very idea of connecting shadows."


    "Why would they dislike it?"


    Aster asked out of pure curiosity, and Elodie answered.


    "Having someone who could pop up beside you at any moment. Even if they''re on our side, it''s not something you can always wee."


    "......I see."


    Aster understood immediately. Looking at him, Selena spoke again.


    "However, once you connect shadows even just once, you could use shadow transfer tounch a surprise attack. If timed right, it could ensure safety."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At this moment, there is another person who can shadow transition like Selena, but Mei is not here.


    This was the decision made after Elodie and Frondier had a discussion.


    Mei is not on the side of humans right now. She is just pure.


    It''s too early to decide whether that will be evil or good.


    That''s why Frondier is thinking of going around Constel with Mei.


    So, they decided not to involve Mei in the battle as much as possible. Because they don''t know what will happen. The unexpected situation when Mei is involved is immeasurable even in scale.


    That''s why they minimized Mei''s participation in the war. Even then, Frondier hoped that Mei would only use restoration magic.


    Anyway, because of that, Selena can''t escape with Lunia through shadow transition now.


    Because she can only transition her own body. However, if she can somehow shadow once, a surprise attack with the people here can be sessful.


    "Okay."


    Aster nodded his head.


    "First of all, safety is the top priority. If there is a route that Selena can approach secretly, let''s prioritize that. If Lunia and the shadow are connected, Selena can be closer to Lunia than anyone else, and Selena can protect Lunia for a sufficient amount of time."


    "Anytime."


    Selena spoke with confidence.


    Somehow, it seemed like she was trying topletely resolve the resentment that had arisen towards Frondier at this opportunity.


    "Then after that, everyone,"


    And the currently most fiercely burning Aster.


    Hismand was simple and clear.


    "Do as you please."

 Chapter 336: The Academys Weapon Replicator

    The gathering ce of Satan''s devils was a deserted, abandoned vige southwest of the mansion where Aster had met Bart. It was the innermost location among those Bart had designated.


    This ce bore the scars of the war against monsters from long ago.


    Many residents had died or fled when monsters attacked the vige, and it remained a dangerous zone ever since, a ghost town that citizens of the Empire avoided.


    Unlike the devils of the Empire, Satan''s devils only needed a ce to gather away from human eyes, so a proper dwelling wasn''t necessary.


    They exploited the expectation that they would gather in a decent mansion like the Empire''s devils, and so far, it had worked well.


    Of course, that meant it wasn''t a suitable ce for a long stay, and naturally, the same went for the hostage.


    "...This is embarrassing."


    Lunia muttered to herself like aint, confined within a room. Her hands were bound with magic-suppressing cuffs in the form of bracelets.


    These cuffs were fastened tightly around the wearer''s wrists, making them impossible to remove with one''s own strength.Of course, if pure physical strength exceeding the cuffs'' durability were applied, it might be possible, but that was an absurd assumption for Lunia.


    However, since the cuffs weren''t connected like handcuffs, Lunia had free limbs except for the inability to use magic.


    It was decent treatment, considering it was done by devils. Lunia experimentally kicked the door of the confined room, but it was futile. The entire room was reinforced with magic.


    ''They lock me up in this shabby abandoned house, but they''ve done everything they need to.''


    She was experiencing the worst feeling since entering Constel.


    The sudden attack of devils on Constel.


    While others managed to cope somehow, Lunia''s situation wasn''t good. Above all, it was a matter ofpatibility.


    The more one was influenced by Frondier, the more they resembled Frondier''s habit of ''trying to solve things alone.''


    Whether that was a good thing or not was another matter, but most of those who tried to follow Frondier also practiced preparing for all kinds of situations.


    That was a separate issue from the training and sses conducted at Constel.


    ''The fact that I''m the only one here means I''m the only one taken hostage, right?''


    Unlike them, Lunia wasn''t particrly interested in Frondier. Rather, the person she was interested in was Aster.


    As Aster grew as a swordsman, Lunia grew as a magician.


    Even among magicians, Aten, who spread the domain of ice topensate for hercking physical abilities, and Elodie, who could exert sufficient power with fast and simple ritual magic, were different. Lunia was just a ''pure magician.'' £Ò


    The higher her ability as a magician, the more essential it was for Lunia to have a vanguard to protect her.


    The devils targeted situations where the students they wanted from Constel were separated, and that''s why Lunia was at the greatest disadvantage.


    Of course, from Lunia''s perspective, such words wouldn''t be convincing.


    "Ah, this is embarrassing. Embarrassing! Everyone else handled it well, but I''m stuck like this!"


    Lunia paced around the room, her voice echoing with each step as the old floor creaked.


    "Hey! Be quiet!"


    The devil guarding Lunia from outside the room shouted. Lunia red at him through the small gap in the door.


    "Give me water!"


    "...Huh?"


    "Give me water! I''m thirsty!"


    A considerable amount of time had passed since Lunia had been tied up here.


    Of course, that didn''t mean she was suffering from hunger or thirst. She hadn''t eaten, but she wasn''t hungry yet, and the devils provided water when the time came.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lunia drank the water the devils gave her without any suspicion. Of course, it wasn''t because she was careless, but because she had a near-certain thought.


    "You bitch, don''t you understand the situation you''re in?"


    The devil''s eyes shed with murderous intent.


    Lunia''s response was immediate, without a moment''s hesitation.


    "Shut up! Just give me water!"


    It was a threat that wouldn''t work on her.


    ''I''m the only hostage anyway. If several people had been captured, it might be different, but if they went to such lengths to capture just me, they can''t treat a valuable hostage carelessly.''


    Moreover, from what Lunia had observed, these devils didn''t know much about humans.


    How different they were, how much water they needed to drink, whether they ate the same things, whether they were vulnerable to illness or fatigue.


    It was evidence that they hadn''t encountered humans for long.


    If Lunia were toe to harm, even by ident, Satan''s devils would lose their only bargaining chip.


    The Constel abduction operation had already deviated significantly from their expectations, resulting in considerable losses. As a result, they had no choice but to treat Lunia with care.


    So, the choice Lunia could make now was simple.


    To conserve as much stamina as possible. She still had no clue what these guys were trying to do with her, but if she couldn''t use her strength when the crucial moment came, then there would be no excuse.


    "Water!! Quickly!!!"


    "Ah, alright! Humans drink water like hippos."


    Soon, the devil at the door shoved a water bottle into the room through the small gap. Lunia took it.


    Of course, she wasn''t thirsty.


    ''Even if I can''t use mana, there are things a magician can do.''


    First, Lunia turned her back and drank the water. The devil could see her at any time, and the blind spot in his vision was too narrow.


    First, she hid the water bottle with her body and spilled a little as she drank. The water she lightly caught with her hand flowed down, making almost no sound when it reached the ground.


    asionally, the sound of water droplets could be heard, but it wasn''t strange since Lunia was drinking water anyway.


    Drip, drip. Once enough water had flowed onto the floor, Lunia closed the water bottle and ced it next to the door.


    Even if the devil could look around inside, he couldn''t see the water bottle ced right under the door.


    The water bottle the devil carelessly handed over still contained the water Lunia hadn''t finished drinking.


    Thump, thump.


    Lunia paced around irritably, as she had been doing.


    Annoying, depressing, embarrassing, and so on. She grumbled to herself, ignoring whatever the devil said.


    The water trampled by her shoes was erased by her voice, absorbed deeply into the ground, and tap, tap, as Lunia tapped the ground with her shoe heels, it was etched even deeper.


    ''...Thispletes the pir.''


    Lunia was currently engraving a mark.


    She had a natural talent for mana maniption. Being able to perform more delicate maniptions than others allowed her to handle moreplex and difficult rituals, and naturally, she was rtively free with higher-difficulty magicpared to others.


    In other words, she was far ahead of others in her ability toplete rituals and magic.


    This ability was particrly well-suited for runes. Even if the rune was drawn somewhat incorrectly or symbols were omitted, as long as it was perfectly formed in Lunia''s mind, she could activate the rune while ''correcting'' it.


    ''What is dropped is a dot, what is drawn is a line, what is tapped is a symbol.''


    Right now, without any mana, there were just countless faint marks on the floor. It was simply covered in meaningless traces.


    However, within her seemingly aimless footsteps, she had already engraved a rune.


    A rune that could be activated with even a single ounce of mana.


    None of the lines, dots, or symbols were properly drawn, and Lunia had never activated such a messy rune before, but...


    The structure andponents of the rune were already in ce.


    ''Everyone has grown tremendously in that short period of time.''


    And above all,


    ''There''s nothing I can''t do either.''


    Her pride had been deeply wounded.


    * * *


    When Aster arrived at the abandoned vige where Lunia was captured...


    "...I see."


    Aster felt a strong conviction as soon as he arrived. It wasn''t just Aster. All hispanions felt the same way.


    Satan''s devils were somewhere here. Lunia was being held captive.


    "They''re somewhere in this abandoned vige."


    "They might not be staying in just one house. This ce has been abandoned for a long time, so there are hardly any people who know theyout of the vige."


    Even though it was abandoned, it was still a vige. It had its own size.


    "If possible, it would be good if Selena could approach before they know we''re here."


    Aster said, looking around. He was looking for an easy infiltration route.


    Selena also narrowed her eyes slightly and surveyed the entire vige.


    And before Aster could say anything else,


    "Then I''ll go first."


    "Huh? Are you sure?"


    "Yes. I have good eyesight. And good senses."


    It wasn''t just good; in fact, before Frondier gained his ''sixth sense,'' Selena''s senses were the most outstanding among hispanions.


    Even now, she was the undisputed number one when it came to the five senses. She could even detect the weight of a single needle.


    Selena, who had been trained and raised as an assassin. This kind of experience was something Aster couldn''t possibly catch up to.


    "Then I''ll leave it to you."


    Aster readily entrusted the task to Selena because he knew that.


    Aster and Frondier were at opposite extremes when it came to trust.


    One who tended to trust and one who tended to doubt. This was the fundamental difference in their approaches.


    Even after they hade to understand each other, the reason Aster moved with others while Frondier acted alone was ultimately due to the unavoidable difference in their personalities.


    Selena went in first. They agreed that she would give a signal when the time came.


    In the meantime, Aster and the others held their breath and checked the situation once more.


    "Since Frondier defeated the leader of these devils, the devils here must have noticed something strange."


    "They probably don''t know exactly what''s going on."


    The only information the devils probably had right now was that ''Marco hasn''t returned by the appointed time'' and ''Marco is out of contact.''


    It was certainly an unsettling situation for them, but they couldn''t do anything about Lunia either. They probably thought someone had gone to the ce where Marco was supposed to meet Frondier.


    "The devils'' n had more ws than we thought."


    Elodie said.


    Looking at it this way, they had relied almost entirely on Marco. Originally, it was he who was supposed to kidnap Aten, negotiate with Frondier, and bring him back.


    "Hmm, I think it was wless in theory."


    But Sybil tilted her head and said.


    "Huh? Why?"


    "They wouldn''t have considered the possibility of ''not hearing back from Marco.''"


    Elodie tilted her head at those words, then realized.


    "...That''s right. He was an immortal devil."


    Aten nodded in agreement.


    "We don''t know if he was truly immortal, but he had incredible regenerative abilities. Even if they weren''t sure that Marco was stronger than Mr. Frondier, they would have believed that he would contact them immediately if something went wrong. He didn''t hesitate to cut off his own body parts, so it was difficult to restrain him. And even if he was restrained, he could still convey some information as long as he had a magical trigger set."


    Marco regenerated even if his head was blown off or he was cut into pieces.


    If he''s an immortal demon, he typically wouldn''t faint.


    In reality, Marco is more insensitive to pain than others. He probably has never fainted even once. So, he doesn''t prepare for such things.


    "......I didn''t ask because no one would know, and I was too scared to ask."


    Aster, who had been quietly listening, opened his mouth.


    "Frondier, what did he do to that demon?"


    "......"


    "......"


    Of course, everyone was silent, as there was no way they could know.

 Chapter 337 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Lunia stopped drawing the symbol with her foot and raised her head.


    For some reason, it was noisy outside.


    Hurried footsteps, devils gathering busily and heading somewhere.


    Something unusual had happened among the devils.


    ¡®Did Aster or the otherse?¡¯


    Lunia''s thoughts naturally went there.


    But if that were true, it wouldn''t be a good sign.


    She was happy that they came to save her, but their busyness meant they had been discovered. They might have gone to attack Aster, or perhaps they were discussing how to deal with Lunia as a hostage.


    Of course, the reason they were busy was that they had lost contact with Marco, their current leader. They still didn''t know how the situation was unfolding.After a while, as if the discussion was over, a few devils entered the house where Lunia was.


    Among them, the devil who was originally guarding Lunia opened the locked door.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What.¡±


    Lunia replied curtly. She was a little worried about the water bottle she had left by the door, but fortunately, they didn''t seem to notice it.


    ¡°We''re moving. Follow me.¡±


    ¡°What if I don''t want to?¡±


    When Lunia said that with a provocative smile, the devil clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡±


    At that moment, the bracelets that were restraining Lunia began to pull towards each other like mas. Unable to resist the force, Lunia''s wrists were bound together. They had be handcuffs.


    ¡°Should I drag you by your hair?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Alright. I''ll follow you.¡±


    In this state, even a little resistance was impossible. Lunia, although she didn''t like it, decided to move as they wished.


    ¡®Well, fine. The temporary rune isplete, and I can activate it even if the distance is a bit far.¡¯


    Of course, the lines and dots were all rough, and the symbols weren''t properly aligned, but Lunia was confident she could activate it.


    Just as even the worst handwriting could be read by the person who wrote it, Lunia intuitively knew how to make that iplete rune work.


    <i>Thump, thump.</i>


    As Lunia followed the devil in front, one by one, devils began to fill the space around her. From a distance, it might look like they were protecting her, but it was just a way to prevent the hostage from being taken away.


    ¡®¡­¡­They¡¯re moving locations and increasing the number of guards¡­¡­. These guys aren''t sure of anything either. Something I don''t know must have happened.¡¯


    If they had discovered that Aster hade, it wouldn''t be this quiet. It seemed they were just being more cautious. Perhaps the devils were also trying to figure out the situation.


    Most of theirrades, including Aster, could blow up a shabby house like this.


    If they could pinpoint Lunia''s location, they could break down the back wall where she was imprisoned. Reinforcement magic would hardly be an obstacle for them.


    So instead of imprisoning her, they were creating eyes all around.


    A slum like this was perfect for hiding something, but once discovered, it wasn''t a good ce to defend.


    There weren''t many ces that satisfied both concealment and defense. This was especially true for those who were pressed for time, like Satan''s devils.


    Creak.


    The devils carefully checked their surroundings, making sure no one was approaching, and opened the door to arge building.


    ¡®¡­¡­A building like this still exists.¡¯


    Lunia was inwardly impressed by the quite spacious interior as she entered. There was a building of this size in this slum. It wasn''t luxurious, but the size wasparable to a mansion.


    ¡®The vige hall¡­¡­ maybe?¡¯


    That thought was brief. One of the devils brought a chair and ced it in the center of the room.


    And then he pulled Lunia.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡±


    Lunia screamed at the rough touch. He wasn''t deliberately being rough with her, but rather, he was moving quickly due to his urgency. Naturally, there was no consideration, and Lunia was roughly seated on the chair.


    <i>Woong¡ª</i>


    Click!


    Her restraints separated again, and this time, they sent her arms behind the back of the chair and reattached them.


    ¡°¡­¡­That''s a really damn good bracelet.¡±


    When Lunia said sarcastically, the devil in front of her grinned.


    ¡°Right? Got a good one from Hitchcock.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Hitchcock?¡±


    Was he talking about the famous magic toolpany, Hitchcock?


    The devil next to him frowned.


    ¡°Don''t talk nonsense. You''re being too loose-lipped.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡±


    They talked without much thought, but Lunia''s mind raced.


    She was more interested in the fact that they warned him about the statement than the fact that they were using Hitchcock products.


    ¡®Is there a devil in Hitchcock too? Are they on the same side as these guys?¡¯


    Lunia''s guess was only half right.


    Hitchcock, rather than being on the same side, tended to sell to anyone who could buy. Moreover, since their chairman was a devil, they would deal with anyone who wanted their products, whether they were devils or humans.


    ¡°By the way, what happened to Marco?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 337 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°I don''t know. He was supposed to bring her by the appointed time, but we can''t reach him.¡±


    ¡°Did he die or something?¡±


    ¡°No way. You saw his regeneration ability. He''s impossible to kill.¡±


    Lunia listened intently to the devils'' conversation.


    Since Lunia couldn''t resist at all, they talked freely without much thought.


    Anyway, Lunia was a hostage. They had no intention of letting her go unharmed. Especially since she was their only bargaining chip with Aster or Frondier.


    Right now, Lunia had almost no information. She had always been a model student, diligently attending Constel and focusing on improving her skills. Now, every little piece of information was precious.


    ¡°We lost more than expected at Constel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I didn''t know they''d be that strong. Plus, we couldn''t catch the one we were originally after.¡±The devils talked lightly about the death of theirrade. It hadn''t been long since the Constel intrusion incident, but they reacted as if they were talking about something that happened a long time ago.


    Devils took death lightly. For Lunia, who didn''t know that, it was a very strange conversation.


    ¡®There was someone else they were originally trying to catch.¡¯


    Hearing that made her more certain.


    She hated to admit it, but it seemed she was behind in terms of growth at Constel. Of course, she was far superior to other ordinary students, but that was only in terms of theory, exams, and assignments. Luniacked actualbat experience.


    ¡®¡­¡­Because of that, I''m causing trouble for my friends. Great job, Lunia Fricell.¡¯


    Lunia was self-deprecating.


    Meanwhile, the devils'' conversation continued.


    ¡°But isn''t this dangerous? What if theye when Marco is still out of contact?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean what if? We just do as nned. We exchange this woman for that guy, Frondier.¡±


    At that, Lunia raised her head.


    ¡°Frondier?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We were going to tell you anyway, but your life is going to be exchanged for that man''s.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lunia was a little surprised.


    Frondier? Not Aster?


    Lunia had been sure they kidnapped her to use her against Aster.


    From her point of view, it was natural. After all, Lunia wasn''t that close to Frondier. Maybe Aten or Elodie, but Lunia had always been with Aster, and they were childhood friends.


    But the person they mentioned was, out of the blue, Frondier.


    Knowing or not knowing that, the devil pointed his finger at Lunia''s restraints.


    ¡°That''s good stuff, right? No matter how great someone is, with that, they can''t use mana at all. The cheap ones can be forced open, but that one can''t be.¡±


    Lunia was experiencing that firsthand.


    When she was bound by these restraints, of course, she also tried to use magic somehow.


    The result was aplete failure. She couldn''t even draw out a single ounce of mana.


    ¡°Whether it''s Frondier or Aster, whoeveres here first, we''ll offer the exchange. And put the restraints on them. They''ll do as we say if they don''t want to see your head roll.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­What is your purpose?¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, who knows.¡±


    The devil kept his mouth shut as if it were some great secret.


    It was a great secret, but it was one that Frondier already knew. To make the Empire the battlefield for the war the devils would start.


    Of course, if Lunia heard it, it would be quite a fresh story.


    ¡®¡­¡­What is Aster going to do?¡¯


    Lunia was worried about Aster.


    In a hostage situation, she couldn''t imagine Aster abandoning the hostage.


    It wasn''t because the hostage was Lunia. Aster would try to save anyone. There would probably be no difference for Lunia.


    That made Lunia a little sad, but it was because of that that she was by his side.


    ¡®With them keeping such a close watch from all sides, I don''t think Aster will be able to save me,¡¯


    Just as Lunia raised her face full of worry towards the ceiling.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    She saw it.


    A woman clinging to the ceiling of the building like a spider.


    The woman soon took out a long needle-like object she was holding and fixed it between the cracks in the ceiling, then descended silently.


    She hung a thread on the needle, hung herself on the thread, and gently descended like a spider lowering its height.


    ¡®¡­¡­What is that.¡¯


    Lunia was speechless at the absurd sight.


    Right now, the devils were on guard against Aster or anyone else approaching from all sides, so there were no eyes on Lunia herself.


    They were only watching the outside, not looking up.


    But that was only until now. Because Selena was still up there on the high ceiling.


    If Selena really tried toe down like that and save Lunia, she would definitely be caught. Expecting not to be noticed until then was something that would only happen in novels.


    As expected, Selena stopped her descent midway. She wasn''t going to do something as reckless asing down like that.


    Instead, Selena rummaged through her pocket in midair and took something out.


    ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯


    She took it out, but Lunia couldn''t see it well. It was something too thin. Selena held it with her fingertips and slowly lowered it towards Lunia.


    ¡®Thread?¡¯


    Selena hade down with a thread tied to a needle, so it wasn''t strange for her to be holding a thread.


    But what was she going to do by lowering it? Lunia''s hands were tied. It wasn''t logical for her to grab the thread and climb up.


    Surely she wasn''t asking her to bite it with her mouth?


    ¡®Wait, if I look closely.¡¯


    As Selena gradually lowered the thread, Lunia began to see it little by little.


    The thread didn''t seem to be long in the first ce, as knots were visible. It was tied together to make a short thread longer.


    Moreover, it wasn''t colorless and transparent, but had a faint color.


    ¡®Uh, this.¡¯


    ¡­¡­It was the same color as Selena''s hair.


    Then was this hair?


    The moment Lunia reached that thought, Selena''s long hair lightly brushed her cheek.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    At that moment, Selena disappeared without a trace.


    It was amazing how she disappeared, but Lunia was flustered by how she vanished so unceremoniously.


    As if she hade for that brief moment.


    As if she had aplished her goal, Selena disappeared.

 Chapter 338 (1) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    Frondier first headed towards Elysia, leaving the copsed Baal and Marco behind.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Elysia was inside a protective barrier weaving with Obsidian.


    As Frondier lightly waved her hand, Obsidian smoothly retreated from Elysia''s surroundings and returned to Frondier.


    ¡°¡­¡­Huff, huff¡­¡­.¡±


    Elysia breathed a sigh of relief.


    Her eyes were a little hollow, perhaps due to the prolonged darkness, but she seemed otherwise unharmed.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah. Is it¡­ over¡­¡­?¡±


    Elysia froze mid-sentence, her mouth agape.Looking around, she saw devils everywhere. It was only natural, considering countless devils had fallen from the sky.


    It was fortunate that Baal had moved slightly to amodate their arrival; otherwise, the rune would have been overflowing with devils, leaving no room to stand.


    Indeed, where Elysia was looking, just outside the rune, devils were piled up like a heap of trash.


    ¡°¡­¡­Are they all dead?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know. I can''t check every single one of them, and I don''t want to.¡±


    Frondier''s answer was even more horrifying. If she didn''t even know if they were dead or not, it meant she had no intention of killing them.


    ¡°What are you going to do now? Are we going back? Will you send me back to the dorm?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Elysia asked with a sliver of hope, but was denied once again. Her lips pouted slightly, but it was a response she had half expected.


    ¡°These guys, one is the leader of Satan''s devils, and the other is the leader of the western devils. It''s too much of a waste to just leave them.¡±


    Frondier thought for a moment.


    With these two, could they achieve a grand unification of the devils? The devils hidden within the Empire were already following Frondier.


    ¡®¡­¡­No, there''s no way that couldst forever.¡¯


    Hostages were merely a temporary means of negotiation, nothing more. A peace treaty through threats ¨C there was no deal more hollow than that.


    But for now, it was safe to say that the devil war was off the table.


    Tens of thousands of devilsy dead here. All that remained were the high-ranking devils of each faction. Even if they waged an all-out war, it wouldn''t be a real war.


    ¡®But I need to talk to the western devils. Their thirst for revenge is no joke. They''ll try something like this again someday. It''s absurd to keep stopping them every time.¡¯


    Frondier, too, wanted to resolve things through dialogue and negotiation, but the western devils wouldn''t listen.


    No, they seemed to consider humans as outsiders from the start. Their goal was to find the devils hidden within the Empire, so their basic position was that humans should not interfere.


    ¡®If they just wouldn''t do that in my own backyard, I''d leave them alone.¡¯


    But as things stood, Frondier had be another enemy to the western devils. Whether that outweighed their original thirst for revenge, she didn''t know.


    ¡®First, I need to know. What exactly are they trying to avenge, and why are they in the west?¡¯


    ording to the first western devil she met, they too should have originally been in the Demon Realm.


    It wasn''t just the western devils. The Empire''s devils and even Lily were the same. It was strange for them to be in the human world in the first ce.


    As far as Frondier knew, there was only one way for a devil to be summoned into the human world: to form a soul contract with a devil, like the Empire''s Shadow Unit had done. To open a gate using a medium like Dragonheart and summon them.


    Even Satan himself couldn''t handle Dragonheart and couldn''t cross over. He had only sent his subordinates.


    ¡®¡­¡­Satan used that gate to nt his devils in advance. To destroy the Empire.¡¯


    And when the gate closed, Satan''s devils, unable to receive further information ormands, acted on their existing orders. As a result, outdated information put them at a disadvantage.


    Satan wouldn''t have wanted to kill his own subordinates on purpose. Especially not when the n was failing.


    In other words, even Satan didn''t know. A way to send devils to the human world other than the gate.


    ¡®Ms. Lily said she didn''t know why she was in the Empire. She had been in thisnd since she gained consciousness. I thought most cases would be like that.¡¯


    At least for the devils hidden within the Empire, many situations would be simr to Lily''s.


    The Empire was not a good ce for devils to live. If they knew how to cross from the Demon Realm to the human world, they could use the same method to return. Even if it was difficult, they would at least try.


    But neither the devils encountered in Hitchcock nor all the devils gathered within the Empire knew how to return.


    The western devils, however, were different.


    They had a clear intent to kill and sought out the Empire''s devils. They even directly mentioned the word ¡®revenge.¡¯


    Ultimately, the western devils held the clue.


    ¡°¡­¡­So, I''d really like it if you woke up soon, Baal.¡±


    Saying that, Frondier nced at Baal, but there was no sign of him waking up.


    He had checked his pulse earlier, so he was definitely alive, but he was worried that he might have suffered more damage than he thought.


    Perhaps he was simply ¡®barely alive.¡¯


    ¡°Hey, Frondier.¡±


    At that moment, Elysia spoke up.


    She seemed to have been thinking about something, her face etched with worry.


    ¡°Why are you keeping me here?¡±


    Frondier tilted her head in confusion.

 Chapter 338 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator

    ¡°I told you. I don''t know how to activate the rune.¡±


    Elysia shook her head.


    ¡°That''s a lie. When you said the password ¡®Menosorpo,¡¯ I felt a different rune unfold than mine. I know because I drew the rune myself. At that moment, two runes definitely unfolded.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°That was just an excuse, right? To keep me here. But that makes it even stranger. You could activate the rune, yet you kept me here. And you even protected me with that ck liquid. Things would have been much easier without me.¡±


    Elysia initially thought Frondier would kill her. That''s why she had been brought to this remote location, to prevent her escape. Once the rune wasplete, Frondier would dispose of her like a used pawn.


    But that didn''t happen. Frondier had safely protected Elysia.


    Then why was Elysia kept here? She had only been a hindrance in battle.


    ¡°You''ve be quite talkative, Elysia.¡±At that moment, Frondier lightly unleashed the power of a devil.


    She had finally gained control after experiencing Pandemonium. She should be able to instill a slight amount of fear.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡±


    Elysia gasped and broke out in a cold sweat at the sight.


    But she gritted her teeth and shook her head.


    ¡°It''s no use, Frondier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Elysia was sweating and looking at Frondier with a pained expression, but she definitely didn''t seem to be sumbing to fear.


    In fact, she had been more scared when Frondier was chasing her.


    An opponent whose intentions were unknown, who she believed hated her, chasing her and trapping her with iprehensible techniques.


    But now she knew. Frondier was not her enemy. At least, Frondier hadn''t thought so from the beginning.


    ¡°There''s no murderous intent in your eyes. No, more importantly, there''s no ¡®malice.¡¯¡±


    Elysia knew.


    What kind of eyes a person with malice had. What kind of face they made.


    It was a simple matter.


    She had only seen her own face in the mirror.


    ¡°I know better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Elysia spoke of the sins she hadmitted.


    Sins she had believed she could never atone for, even if she spent her entire life doing so, after falling to the status of amoner.


    It was truly a simple matter.


    Since she could never atone for them, she was still a viin.


    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡±


    Frondier closed her eyes. Not knowing about malice ¨C it was definitely a point that hit home.


    She wondered if she could even be the Devil King like this.


    ¡°Well, since everything''s over, I suppose I can tell you. It''s something I have to say anyway. We need to get our stories straight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Get our stories straight?¡±


    Elysia asked back.


    Get their stories straight? About what? And for whom?


    ¡°Listen carefully, Elysia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°You can''t go back to the dorm.¡±


    ¡°I know. You said that earlier.¡±


    ¡°So, even after a few days, you still won''t be able to return to the dorm you were staying in.¡±


    Elysia''s eyes blinked at those words.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She couldn''t immediately understand what Frondier was saying.


    Frondier looked into Elysia''s eyes and said,


    ¡°Be the Empress, Elysia.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Return to the ce where you belong.¡±


    Elysia froze, her mouth agape at Frondier''s words.


    Looking at her, Frondier exined,


    ¡°See all these devils here?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Y-Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why are they here?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Uh, well, that''s.¡±


    ¡°Because of the rune, right?¡±


    ¡°That''s, right¡­¡­?¡±


    ¡°Because of the rune you drew, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    Elysia realized what Frondier was trying to say.


    Naturally, she raised her voice at Frondier.


    ¡°That, that''s! You told me to do it¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°I don''t remember that.¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    ¡°Why would I even tell you to do something like that? And why would you listen to me? Did I threaten you? Do I have something on you?¡±


    Elysia tried to say something but stopped, then tried again and stopped once more.


    She felt like she had been threatened.


    She felt like she had been caught with a weakness.


    But Frondier had never said anything like that to her.


    There, Elysia realized something.


    ¡°¡­¡­Then the reason you made me draw that rune, and made me activate it.¡±


    ¡°The rune leaves traces of the activator. I don''t want to take credit for someone else''s work.¡±


    To change the direction where the devils were headed. To make it solely Elysia''s achievement.


    Frondier said,


    ¡°Now you understand, Elysia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­No, I.¡±


    ¡°You saved the Empire. No matter how you look at it, that''s the truth.¡±


    ¡°So that''s,¡±


    ¡°Let''s say it was because of me. Then why did you follow my words? You had plenty of chances to escape. No, you could have at least tried to defy me. At least if you wanted to im that I threatened you.¡±


    But Elysia hadn''t. She had never said she wouldn''t do it.


    Without even knowing how strong Frondier was, or if she could protect her.


    In a situation where she knew that outside the barrier, external monsters were lurking, and devils would swarm the rune.


    ¡®¡­¡­Why did I do that?¡¯


    Now, Elysia questioned her own actions.


    Because she was afraid of Frondier? Of course she was. She was terrified. Terrified enough to faint.


    But was it enough to risk her life?


    Or was it just a convenient excuse, that she obeyed orders because she was scared?


    Why?


    What did she intend to do with that excuse?


    ¡°Elysia.¡±


    As if knowing the answer.


    Frondier smiled faintly.


    ¡°You wanted to be the Empress. There was a time when you acted solely for that reason.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­!¡±


    ¡°Why was that? What is the Emperor to you?¡±


    The moment Frondier said those words.


    A voice, both affectionate and resentful, echoed in Elysia''s ears.


    The voice was younger than hers, yet mature, with benevolence within its coldness, and thorough calctions ultimately based on sacrifice for her daughter.


    The woman who wielded the greatest influence in the Empire and was also her mother.


    ¡ªYou will be the Empress one day.


    ¡ªWhen that timees, remember these words, Elysia. Never forget them.


    ¡°¡­¡­The Emperor is,¡±


    The teachings her mother had imparted to her for so long.


    The countless wealth and power she had received, and the numerous lessons based on them, what were they all for?


    Her mother always said.


    After all the education and teachings she gave her daughters, she always ended with.


    ¡°The one who stands above to protect the people.¡±


    Those words.


    Elysia spoke them.


    The look in Elysia''s eyes at that moment was something Frondier had never seen before.


    ¡®¡­¡­She resembles Bartello.¡¯


    Frondier thought as she saw that look.


    A look she had never seen in Aten, her sister.


    If Philly was described as an endless gray, Elysia had taken the ck from it, and Aten the white.


    When Elysia was a viin, that was truly the case. She was like a misguided Philly.


    So this was Elysia''s essence, something even Frondier had


    never witnessed.


    ¡°Elysia.¡±


    Frondier confirmed it and said,


    ¡°I can''t send you back to the dorm.¡±


    Whether Elysia would be the Emperor or not, Frondier couldn''t decide that.


    But Elysia couldn''t stay like this forever.


    For herself, and for Philly.


    ¡°Go home.¡±


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