On a nicely paved road.
Clippity-clop, clippity-clop—
The wind felt refreshingly cool atop the vigorously galloping horse.
However,
『How do you make me say that?』
Mephisto, unlike Elric, had a frown on his face.
"What do you mean?"
『Someday, I will immerse you in the sulfuric fire of hell!』
"What about it? This guy here recognizes you like a ghost."
『Darn it...!』
The horse that Elric had nicknamed 'Speckles' fell silent the moment Mephisto came close.
While the market owner marveled, "Indeed, you are Ice Magician!" seeing the creature behave so obediently for the first time,
The horse was busy sweating as it glanced at where Mephisto was.
Anyway,
Elric was able to ride on after that, heading straight for the Imperial Capital.
"But the more I see him, the stranger he seems."
『Why?』
"It's like he's not just sensing you, but actually seeing you, Mephi."
『What? Ha! Do you think that's possible? Even if a mere animal like him has sharp senses enough to detect this king, it's only to the level of feeling an earthquake before it strikes...!』
Mephisto added various explanations while letting out a snort.
Although it was hard to understand half of it, if seeing was indeed believing, it meant that one born with the 'ghost eyes' is a 'real' spiritual creature.
[T/L: 귀안 (鬼眼) literally translates to "ghost eyes" in English. However, in the context of the conversation, it seems to refer to a heightened ability to perceive or see things, similar to what one might associate with supernatural or ghostly sight. It suggests that the horse possesses some extraordinary ability to perceive or detect things beyond the ordinary senses, akin to seeing things with the clarity and acuity that ghosts might possess in folklore. Essentially, it implies a heightened level of perception or insight.]
"It's true. He keeps glancing at you, Mephisto."
『....Hmm?』
Mephisto finally turned to look.
In that moment, the horse and Mephisto met eyes, and the horse, startled, quickly averted its gaze forward.
It wasn't just sensing; it was actually seeing Mephisto!
『This is unbelievable...!』
Was this mere fellow brought in from the market truly born with the 'character' of a spiritual creature that comes around once in a thousand years?
Since ancient times, spiritual creatures cannot be obtained even if you pay a thousand gold coins.
They choose their own masters and once chosen, they live solely for their masters for the rest of their lives.
That holds true whether it's this era or the time when Mephisto was active. Even the past demon kings would blink in disbelief when they heard of a spiritual creature.
In simpler terms, they're like prodigies in the animal kingdom.
『To think there's another prodigy next to a prodigy. Are they sold as a set?』
Mephisto muttered as if astounded.
But Elric didn't mind.
After all, there was no owner who wouldn't appreciate that their first pet turned out to be extraordinary.
"Our dean is eagerly awaiting my return. Let's hurry."
Heeheehee!
Speckles neighed loudly in response to Elric's words, galloping even more vigorously.
* * *
Bam!
"So you're telling me to at least bring back the damn excavation rights!"
Professor Berex roared, sweeping everything off his desk in a fit of anger.
Standing before him, Rivern could only bow his head deeply.
After the expedition, which had started with great expectations and cheers, ended in failure, Professor Berex's popularity, which had soared to the skies, quickly plummeted.
More expectations had been placed on him than he had anticipated, so the fall was all the more dramatic.
Thanks to the image he had built up beforehand as the ‘true mentor who silently aided in the great discovery of the prestigious magic family,’ he managed to avoid a complete downfall.
However, precisely because of that, Professor Berex found himself even more desperate to secure the excavation rights for Elric's nest.
But it wasn't an easy task.
After all, there was a certain amount of ownership held by the Nerester family over Elric's nest.
Thus, the battle between the academy and the Nerester family over the excavation rights was gradually tilting in Nerester's favor, and Professor Berex's position within the academy was shrinking even further.
‘Damn Sean Nerester...! How dare he stab his mentor in the back like this? Just wait and see! I'll make sure you never set foot in academia again!’
Even as he ground his teeth in determination for revenge, if he couldn't mitigate this crisis, he had no future ahead of him.
"Find a way to get them back, no matter what! Mobilize the media, bribe the higher-ups, do whatever it takes!"
Getting the excavation rights back was the only thing that mattered.
With that, he could still win the headmaster election, and with time, public opinion would quiet down.
"Ah, understood!"
Rivern bowed and hurriedly left the office. He, too, was now bound to Professor Berex's fate.
With only three days left until the headmaster election, they had to find a solution by then.
Slumping into his chair, Professor Berex sat there, feeling utterly powerless.
The furrowed brow showed no sign of easing.
"All these people, none of them I like! They're all just trying to take advantage of me! None of them have any grand vision; they're all just pigs!"
As he grumbled to himself, the door to his office suddenly swung open.
"What? I clearly said nobody comes in without my permission...!"
"Are you finally willing to join forces with us?"
Despite Professor Berex's irritated remarks, a young man entered with a calm demeanor.
With a pale, almost ethereal face and lips as red as blood, he could have been mistaken for a woman if he hadn't been wearing a well-tailored suit.
He approached Professor Berex casually, surveying the broken items strewn across the floor and the stacks of books reaching the ceiling.
"You...!"
"I'm Lazuli from 'Siesta,' as we've met before. I believe I've given you enough time to consider... Have you made a decision?"
Shortly after the excavation, which had been pinned with hopes for over a month, was deemed a complete failure, a mysterious man visited Professor Berex.
Identifying themselves as a newly-formed civic group, they left a business card, suggesting they could assist in making Professor Berex the headmaster if needed.
But amidst the chaos that followed, Professor Berex had forgotten about them entirely.
It took some effort for Professor Berex to recall buried memories.
He remembered a somewhat eerie impression due to the man's overly pale complexion, but nothing significant beyond that.
"You'll make me headmaster? And you'll help me secure the excavation rights?"
But Professor Berex could only snort in response.
If only it were that easy, he thought, then why had he been struggling so much?
But...
"If we provide that for you?"
"What?"
"If we secure the excavation rights for you, what will you do? Will you join us?"
"...!"
Professor Berex's eyes gleamed with interest.
Lazuli's smile widened.
"Well then, let's do this. Since it seems you're not entirely pleased with us, we'll secure the excavation rights first and offer them to you, Professor. Whether you decide to join us or not will be up to you afterwards. How does that sound?"
"...Is that really possible?"
"There's no trace of any contract between you and us, Professor. Whether you believe it or not, you have nothing to lose, do you?"
Professor Berex clenched his jaw shut.
Despite staring at Lazuli for a long time, he couldn't read anything.
In the end, it was Professor Berex who broke the silence.
He was the one backed into a corner.
"...Fine. What do I need to do?"
"Finally back, huh?"
As Elric and Ilde entered theImperial Capital, Elric felt a strange excitement wash over him.
The Seine River runs through the heart of Imperial Capital and the grid-like sections along its banks.
Stalls glistening in the bright sunlight and beautifully landscaped residential areas caught his eye.
Just a few months ago, all he could think about was getting stronger as soon as possible and returning.
But now that he was here, he noticed many things he hadn't seen before.
People bustling about, nobles mingling with commoners without regard for status. Everyone simply lived their lives as best they could.
He could hear many stories about the people living here.
"Have you heard about that?"
"What?"
"You know about that city, Lacente or something? The Blue Lion family caused quite a stir there not long ago."
"Those Blue Lion bastards causing trouble for us commoners, isn't that just a normal day?"
"No, this time it was different, apparently."
"So?"
"I have a relative living in Lacente... According to him, several sectors were completely destroyed. Many people died, and a lot of houses burned down. It was because of the internal conflict in the Weyl family."
"Ugh, those bastards!"
"But, when chaos erupted, guess who showed up...!"
Rumors spread quickly.
As long as trade continued, rumors would inevitably circulate among the bustling crowds.
Especially when it was related to a newly emerged hero...!
"So this ice magician swept in and saved the day, even neutralizing the situation!"
"Neutralizing? You mean, the former crown princess?"
"Yeah, the Blue Lion family’s heiress."
"Wow!"
Isabelle the Unscented Flower, the former crown princess, was mocked in high society but had a favorable reputation among the common people.
Unlike other noble ladies, she often visited orphanages and poor villages to volunteer, earning her much praise.
So when rumors of her breakup from the crown prince spread, it was the common people who felt most disappointed.
They believed she would have been a great queen mother if she had become the crown princess.
When such a figure like Isabelle was in trouble, and an unknown magician heroically saved her, it naturally drew the interest and curiosity of the people.
Everyone cheers for a new hero.
Already, there were poems celebrating the ‘Hero of Lacente’ circulating in the area around Lacente.
"Well, you certainly managed to spread the rumors quite effectively."
Elric shrugged unconsciously, scratching his nose.
In truth, Isabelle's skill played a role in how quickly the rumors spread.
-I'll be the first to keep this event circulating in people's mouths.
-You're trying to shape public opinion.
-Yes. Originally, I tried to keep it as quiet as possible for the family's reputation, but... now, I'm exposing it so that my uncle can't move recklessly anymore.
-That's a good plan.
-So, what I'm saying is...
-...?
-Would it be alright if we made you, Elric, into a hero?
-What...?
-We haven't had anything to create positive public opinion, just stories of heroes opposing villains.
Making Paul Weyl the villain and turning Elric and Isabelle into heroes.
As someone who needed to gain reputation, Elric reluctantly agreed to the proposal. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort from the overt admiration towards himself in the contents. It was somewhat embarrassing yet gratifying.
『Here, the foolish commoners present, once they realize that the hero they admire is actually obsessed with money and completely morally bankrupt, what will happen, tsk!』
It would be better if there weren't those aristocrats grinning and wagging their tongues beside him.
However, there was one slightly awkward point.
"But then, are the hero and Isabelle dating? What's going on?"
"Hmm! Wouldn't it be like that?"
"Hehe. There are rumors that the prince still hasn't given up on Isabelle. Could this be turning into a love triangle?"
What was supposed to be a simple heroic tale genre turned into a romance?
Although Isabelle was beautiful, Elric, who hadn't felt any particular emotions towards her, found himself in a strange mood at that moment.
"Oh, look! A, a corpse!"
A body was seen floating along the Seine River.
"Oh no, not again...!"
"Is this another person who invested in the expedition? How many people throw themselves in each day? Sigh!"
Amidst the sounds of people gossiping,
"...."
At that moment,
Elric had to stare silently at the corpse with a stiff face.
On a nicely paved road.
Clippity-clop, clippity-clop—
The wind felt refreshingly cool atop the vigorously galloping horse.
However,
『How do you make me say that?』
Mephisto, unlike Elric, had a frown on his face.
"What do you mean?"
『Someday, I will immerse you in the sulfuric fire of hell!』
"What about it? This guy here recognizes you like a ghost."
『Darn it...!』
The horse that Elric had nicknamed 'Speckles' fell silent the moment Mephisto came close.
While the market owner marveled, "Indeed, you are Ice Magician!" seeing the creature behave so obediently for the first time,
The horse was busy sweating as it glanced at where Mephisto was.
Anyway,
Elric was able to ride on after that, heading straight for the Imperial Capital.
"But the more I see him, the stranger he seems."
『Why?』
"It's like he's not just sensing you, but actually seeing you, Mephi."
『What? Ha! Do you think that's possible? Even if a mere animal like him has sharp senses enough to detect this king, it's only to the level of feeling an earthquake before it strikes...!』
Mephisto added various explanations while letting out a snort.
Although it was hard to understand half of it, if seeing was indeed believing, it meant that one born with the 'ghost eyes' is a 'real' spiritual creature.
[T/L: 귀안 (鬼眼) literally translates to "ghost eyes" in English. However, in the context of the conversation, it seems to refer to a heightened ability to perceive or see things, similar to what one might associate with supernatural or ghostly sight. It suggests that the horse possesses some extraordinary ability to perceive or detect things beyond the ordinary senses, akin to seeing things with the clarity and acuity that ghosts might possess in folklore. Essentially, it implies a heightened level of perception or insight.]
"It's true. He keeps glancing at you, Mephisto."
『....Hmm?』
Mephisto finally turned to look.
In that moment, the horse and Mephisto met eyes, and the horse, startled, quickly averted its gaze forward.
It wasn't just sensing; it was actually seeing Mephisto!
『This is unbelievable...!』
Was this mere fellow brought in from the market truly born with the 'character' of a spiritual creature that comes around once in a thousand years?
Since ancient times, spiritual creatures cannot be obtained even if you pay a thousand gold coins.
They choose their own masters and once chosen, they live solely for their masters for the rest of their lives.
That holds true whether it's this era or the time when Mephisto was active. Even the past demon kings would blink in disbelief when they heard of a spiritual creature.
In simpler terms, they're like prodigies in the animal kingdom.
『To think there's another prodigy next to a prodigy. Are they sold as a set?』
Mephisto muttered as if astounded.
But Elric didn't mind.
After all, there was no owner who wouldn't appreciate that their first pet turned out to be extraordinary.
"Our dean is eagerly awaiting my return. Let's hurry."
Heeheehee!
Speckles neighed loudly in response to Elric's words, galloping even more vigorously.
* * *
Bam!
"So you're telling me to at least bring back the damn excavation rights!"
Professor Berex roared, sweeping everything off his desk in a fit of anger.
Standing before him, Rivern could only bow his head deeply.
After the expedition, which had started with great expectations and cheers, ended in failure, Professor Berex's popularity, which had soared to the skies, quickly plummeted.
More expectations had been placed on him than he had anticipated, so the fall was all the more dramatic.
Thanks to the image he had built up beforehand as the ‘true mentor who silently aided in the great discovery of the prestigious magic family,’ he managed to avoid a complete downfall.
However, precisely because of that, Professor Berex found himself even more desperate to secure the excavation rights for Elric's nest.
But it wasn't an easy task.
After all, there was a certain amount of ownership held by the Nerester family over Elric's nest.
Thus, the battle between the academy and the Nerester family over the excavation rights was gradually tilting in Nerester's favor, and Professor Berex's position within the academy was shrinking even further.
‘Damn Sean Nerester...! How dare he stab his mentor in the back like this? Just wait and see! I'll make sure you never set foot in academia again!’
Even as he ground his teeth in determination for revenge, if he couldn't mitigate this crisis, he had no future ahead of him.
"Find a way to get them back, no matter what! Mobilize the media, bribe the higher-ups, do whatever it takes!"
Getting the excavation rights back was the only thing that mattered.
With that, he could still win the headmaster election, and with time, public opinion would quiet down.
"Ah, understood!"
Rivern bowed and hurriedly left the office. He, too, was now bound to Professor Berex's fate.
With only three days left until the headmaster election, they had to find a solution by then.
Slumping into his chair, Professor Berex sat there, feeling utterly powerless.
The furrowed brow showed no sign of easing.
"All these people, none of them I like! They're all just trying to take advantage of me! None of them have any grand vision; they're all just pigs!"
As he grumbled to himself, the door to his office suddenly swung open.
"What? I clearly said nobody comes in without my permission...!"
"Are you finally willing to join forces with us?"
Despite Professor Berex's irritated remarks, a young man entered with a calm demeanor.
With a pale, almost ethereal face and lips as red as blood, he could have been mistaken for a woman if he hadn't been wearing a well-tailored suit.
He approached Professor Berex casually, surveying the broken items strewn across the floor and the stacks of books reaching the ceiling.
"You...!"
"I'm Lazuli from 'Siesta,' as we've met before. I believe I've given you enough time to consider... Have you made a decision?"
Shortly after the excavation, which had been pinned with hopes for over a month, was deemed a complete failure, a mysterious man visited Professor Berex.
Identifying themselves as a newly-formed civic group, they left a business card, suggesting they could assist in making Professor Berex the headmaster if needed.
But amidst the chaos that followed, Professor Berex had forgotten about them entirely.
It took some effort for Professor Berex to recall buried memories.
He remembered a somewhat eerie impression due to the man's overly pale complexion, but nothing significant beyond that.
"You'll make me headmaster? And you'll help me secure the excavation rights?"
But Professor Berex could only snort in response.
If only it were that easy, he thought, then why had he been struggling so much?
But...
"If we provide that for you?"
"What?"
"If we secure the excavation rights for you, what will you do? Will you join us?"
"...!"
Professor Berex's eyes gleamed with interest.
Lazuli's smile widened.
"Well then, let's do this. Since it seems you're not entirely pleased with us, we'll secure the excavation rights first and offer them to you, Professor. Whether you decide to join us or not will be up to you afterwards. How does that sound?"
"...Is that really possible?"
"There's no trace of any contract between you and us, Professor. Whether you believe it or not, you have nothing to lose, do you?"
Professor Berex clenched his jaw shut.
Despite staring at Lazuli for a long time, he couldn't read anything.
In the end, it was Professor Berex who broke the silence.
He was the one backed into a corner.
"...Fine. What do I need to do?"
"Finally back, huh?"
As Elric and Ilde entered theImperial Capital, Elric felt a strange excitement wash over him.
The Seine River runs through the heart of Imperial Capital and the grid-like sections along its banks.
Stalls glistening in the bright sunlight and beautifully landscaped residential areas caught his eye.
Just a few months ago, all he could think about was getting stronger as soon as possible and returning.
But now that he was here, he noticed many things he hadn't seen before.
People bustling about, nobles mingling with commoners without regard for status. Everyone simply lived their lives as best they could.
He could hear many stories about the people living here.
"Have you heard about that?"
"What?"
"You know about that city, Lacente or something? The Blue Lion family caused quite a stir there not long ago."
"Those Blue Lion bastards causing trouble for us commoners, isn't that just a normal day?"
"No, this time it was different, apparently."
"So?"
"I have a relative living in Lacente... According to him, several sectors were completely destroyed. Many people died, and a lot of houses burned down. It was because of the internal conflict in the Weyl family."
"Ugh, those bastards!"
"But, when chaos erupted, guess who showed up...!"
Rumors spread quickly.
As long as trade continued, rumors would inevitably circulate among the bustling crowds.
Especially when it was related to a newly emerged hero...!
"So this ice magician swept in and saved the day, even neutralizing the situation!"
"Neutralizing? You mean, the former crown princess?"
"Yeah, the Blue Lion family’s heiress."
"Wow!"
Isabelle the Unscented Flower, the former crown princess, was mocked in high society but had a favorable reputation among the common people.
Unlike other noble ladies, she often visited orphanages and poor villages to volunteer, earning her much praise.
So when rumors of her breakup from the crown prince spread, it was the common people who felt most disappointed.
They believed she would have been a great queen mother if she had become the crown princess.
When such a figure like Isabelle was in trouble, and an unknown magician heroically saved her, it naturally drew the interest and curiosity of the people.
Everyone cheers for a new hero.
Already, there were poems celebrating the ‘Hero of Lacente’ circulating in the area around Lacente.
"Well, you certainly managed to spread the rumors quite effectively."
Elric shrugged unconsciously, scratching his nose.
In truth, Isabelle's skill played a role in how quickly the rumors spread.
-I'll be the first to keep this event circulating in people's mouths.
-You're trying to shape public opinion.
-Yes. Originally, I tried to keep it as quiet as possible for the family's reputation, but... now, I'm exposing it so that my uncle can't move recklessly anymore.
-That's a good plan.
-So, what I'm saying is...
-...?
-Would it be alright if we made you, Elric, into a hero?
-What...?
-We haven't had anything to create positive public opinion, just stories of heroes opposing villains.
Making Paul Weyl the villain and turning Elric and Isabelle into heroes.
As someone who needed to gain reputation, Elric reluctantly agreed to the proposal. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort from the overt admiration towards himself in the contents. It was somewhat embarrassing yet gratifying.
『Here, the foolish commoners present, once they realize that the hero they admire is actually obsessed with money and completely morally bankrupt, what will happen, tsk!』
It would be better if there weren't those aristocrats grinning and wagging their tongues beside him.
However, there was one slightly awkward point.
"But then, are the hero and Isabelle dating? What's going on?"
"Hmm! Wouldn't it be like that?"
"Hehe. There are rumors that the prince still hasn't given up on Isabelle. Could this be turning into a love triangle?"
What was supposed to be a simple heroic tale genre turned into a romance?
Although Isabelle was beautiful, Elric, who hadn't felt any particular emotions towards her, found himself in a strange mood at that moment.
"Oh, look! A, a corpse!"
A body was seen floating along the Seine River.
"Oh no, not again...!"
"Is this another person who invested in the expedition? How many people throw themselves in each day? Sigh!"
Amidst the sounds of people gossiping,
"...."
At that moment,
Elric had to stare silently at the corpse with a stiff face.
