Chapter 28 - The Gang (1)

A notice came from the academy.

The letter with Vice Chairman Chiron's seal contained several sentences.

About the result of winning the Inter-year Exchange Competition and.

The intention behind wanting to meet the Chairwoman.

'I should go.'

It's a letter sent by none other than the Vice Chairman.

There's no reason to refuse, and especially if I can gain information about the Chairwoman, it's beneficial.

As I was walking towards the Vice Chairman's office located in the lecture building.

"Oh my. Herak."

"Hm?"

A woman with braided black hair.

Berry recognized me as she came out of the same building.

"What brings you here? Do you have business?"

"A little with the Vice Chairman. What about you?"

"Me? Don't even mention it. They're suspecting me for no reason."

Suspicion?

As I looked at her with a questioning gaze, Berry explained slowly.

"They're nitpicking that my skills have improved tremendously recently. Saying things like whether I used dark arts or if I'm doping. All sorts of suspicions."

"...Isn't it similar?"

"No!"

Berry's sudden skill improvement is thanks to the 【Werewolf's Blood】.

She must have almost finished the 【Werewolf Processing】 I entrusted to her.

So she must have extracted and consumed it to raise her stats.

Therefore, in a way, the academy's suspicion is quite accurate, but...

"Isn't it really ridiculous? I just honestly ate a byproduct that came from the item alchemy process, not with any malicious intent..."

"Okay. You can stop talking now."

There's not a hint of shame in her words that come pouring out.

She seems genuinely proud of drinking the 【Werewolf's Blood】.

No, to be precise, it feels like she's proud of the fact that 'I gave her the item'.

'I don't understand why.'

I suddenly feel like her evaluation of me has gone up.

"Anyway, that's why I'm here. I'll be going now."

"Alright. Take care."

"Ah, wait a moment. Now..."

"?"

She starts to say something but suddenly trails off.

Berry puts her hand in her bosom, shakes her head, and then leaves.

"No. It's nothing. See you later."

"Okay."

As I roughly say goodbye and walk towards the Vice Chairman's office.

A thought suddenly occurs to me.

'...See you later?'

How does she know when and where we'll meet?

*

"Welcome."

Vice Chairman Chiron greeted me with a businesslike attitude.

Ice cubes float in the coffee simply placed on the table.

It's early summer, a time when something cool is appealing.

As I sit down and drink the coffee, Chiron begins.

"First, congratulations on winning the Inter-year Exchange Competition. Thanks to that, the crisis of your expulsion has been averted."

"Well, I had to do what was necessary. So now, can no one question my enrollment?"

"That's right. Rather, since you've founded the new concept of Battle Mage, the academy will strive to keep you enrolled."

For the first time, this Battle Mage thing has become favorable.

It's fortunate that I don't have to worry about the risk of dying from expulsion anymore.

Chiron pauses there for a moment, then brings a crystal ball from the desk.

The blue-glowing crystal ball is used for communication.

"And your recent request... I heard from Miss Ruby that you want to meet the Chairwoman. Is this true?"

"Yes."

"May I hear the reason?"

"I heard she admitted me to Olympia. I want to hear the reason directly from her."

"Hmm..."

Chiron swallows.

He puts the crystal ball back and sips his coffee, pondering.

It seems he has something to think about.

"Your admission was already a year ago. I was also very surprised when the Chairwoman admitted you back then."

"Could you tell me the reason?"

"She said you were destined to die if you were outside the academy. What was it, she said your body had no choice but to be that way."

"......"

A clue revealing Herak's background has emerged.

I already know that he dies if he's outside the academy.

It's a setting mentioned in the original work after all.

Then the key point must be the phrase 'his body had no choice but to be that way'.

'It must be related to magic insensitivity.'

Considering that the physical cheat was given along with my possession.

Originally, Herak only had magic insensitivity, so this is the cause of academy exit equals expulsion.

"Can you tell me more in detail?"

"No. You're a student the Chairwoman personally brought in. Even I can't reveal everything. You should ask her directly."

"...I see."

This is as far as it goes.

Still, even this is a big gain.

I should have something to talk about when I meet the Chairwoman.

Chiron, seeming relieved at my acquiescence, scratched his sideburns and muttered.

"I was really surprised. The Chairwoman was busy with construction to obtain the magic stone, so I thought there was an urgent matter with you."

"Hasn't she already obtained the magic stone? There shouldn't be a need to worry that much."

"...Hm? Why do you think that?"

Chiron suddenly stops moving.

His eyes sharply illuminate me.

'Oops.'

The magic stone in Olympia Academy's central tower.

The fact that it has become outdated and the Chairwoman is on a business trip to find a replacement.

And the fact that a replacement has been found at this point.

Is this not yet known to all students?

I inwardly clicked my tongue and quickly made up a reason.

"I heard that the 'Monster Festival' is being held recently. Although festivals have always been held at the end of the first semester, this is the first time cooperating with an external organization that tames monsters."

"......"

"They are originally an organization that focuses on entertainment like circuses, far from Olympia's educational policy. Yet the fact that they were deliberately invited means..."

"...That there are circumstances that require cooperation with them. You've guessed well. Impressive."

Chiron sighed.

And as he sipped his coffee, he seemed to have a lot on his mind.

"Yes. The Chairwoman also inquired around but couldn't find anything. It's difficult to obtain a magic stone capable of dominating the entire academy area."

"......"

"But the organization hosting the Monster Festival, 'Monsties', made a preemptive offer. They said they'd sell it at this price if we let them hold the festival."

This is a setting mentioned in <Song of Sword and Magic> as well.

The Monster Festival, an event that occurs at the end of Act 1.

These circumstances are intertwined in its background.

"However, it's troublesome because in return, they ask to borrow the academy grounds for the festival, or to send the instructors on vacation so they don't interfere... Well, this isn't something to discuss with you."

Chiron cut off his words there and stood up from his seat.

It probably means I should leave now.

Just as I was about to open the door and leave, Chiron suddenly spoke as if he had just remembered something.

"...Come to think of it. I heard you're going to duel with Apollon."

"Yes."

"Are you confident?"

"......"

Chiron's eyes were quite serious as he said this.

How many student duels must he have watched over the years?

He must have experienced plenty of dirty methods used in the process.

"It's not simply a fight between the two of you. The pride of the departments is at stake, so it's common for other students to intervene. You..."

"Don't worry."

I open the door, cutting off his words.

Chiron's concern is meaningless.

Would I, who played the original work for 10,000 hours, not know that?

"I know everything."

I've judged that I have a chance of winning even considering all that.

*

────────────────

【Herak Leonhardt】

Gender: Male

Age: 21

Status: Olympia Academy 2nd Year Student

※ Status

Strength: 2.28

Stamina: 2.31

Agility: 2.26

Mana Capacity: 10

Mana Efficiency: 10

Mana Sensitivity: 0

※ Unique

【Ultimate Physique】

【Twelve Star Cloud Fist】

────────────────

My strength, stamina, and agility keep rising.

Although it's still a bit far from reaching 3, at this rate, it will soon get there.

If I can just make it about 2.5 before the duel with Apollon, it should be enough to handle physical combat.

Until then, I should focus on exercising for 'Element Infusion' in my spare time─

"......"

Thud, thud.

The main building, devoid of students, was quite quiet.

I focus on my surroundings as I walk down the corridor where only the sound of my footsteps can be heard.

"...Tsk."

Even with enhanced vision, it's not easily visible.

But hearing is different.

My eardrums, extremely sensitized by consciousness, hammer the objects inside the building into my mind.

'Two on the left, two on the right, one straight ahead around the corner.'

There are quite a few.

There's no need to ask who they are.

Compared to magicians, they have larger builds, and who else would be waiting for me gathered in a gang like this?

"Can't you wait until then before pulling tricks?"

I speak loudly as if for them to hear.

After finishing my words and waiting silently, they gradually revealed themselves from beyond the corridor.

Knight Department students.

Apollon's gang.

"Isn't this too much? You're interfering like this before the duel has even started?"

"It's unavoidable. If Apollon wants it, we just follow."

"That's quite some loyalty."

The student who answered seems quite strong.

His name was Civil, if I remember correctly.

Ranked 4th in the 2nd year Knight Department, it wouldn't be easy to deal with just him.

With his lackeys gathered too, this has become quite troublesome.

Crack─

They crack their fingers.

As if to threaten, or perhaps to warm up.

I clicked my tongue watching them approach me.

"Are you prepared for the consequences? Although such methods are common, if you commit something this big, you won't be able to handle it."

"It doesn't matter. The main thing is Apollon's victory anyway. We who get punished are not important."

"......"

In other words, they're sacrificial pawns for Apollon's victory.

The fact that they're so nonchalant while knowing this is probably because they've resigned themselves.

Whether for grades.

Or because Apollon has leverage over them.

They carry out the orders because they can't resist.

In a way, they're pitiful guys.

'But that's no reason to go easy on them.'

Public is public, private is private.

Even if they unwillingly entered the battlefield, the moment we face each other, they're enemies.

Regardless of their circumstances, the fact that they're a threat to me doesn't change.

Clench.

I clench my fist.

The guys holding wooden swords form a semicircle around me.

I calculate their strength as I make eye contact with each one.

They're upper-ranked students starting from 4th place.

Although some are weaker compared to Jackson, if they swarm together and charge desperately, I won't be able to win without a scratch.

In fact, I can tell just by looking at their eyes.

Their fierce gazes show the determination to break at least one of my limbs even if their own arms and legs break.

So if I think calmly, it might be a good strategy to avoid this place.

It would be difficult to engage here and now and win perfectly without affecting the duel.

However.

"Come."

It seemed doable.