Chapter 111

Leana stared blankly at the entrance of the corridor. Feeling awkward after continuously making eye contact, I decided to tease her a little, glancing at her silk dress. It had a soft texture, like raindrops would just slide off it when wet. The subtle sheen of the fabric highlighted the curves of the dress. She had definitely put some effort into her outfit. “Are you wearing thin armor underneath that?” I asked with a smirk. However, Leana’s brows, which I expected to furrow, remained flat. In fact, her slightly open mouth made it seem like she hadn’t even registered my teasing. She seemed distracted enough to let my remark slip by. “…What style is that dress from?” “The dress?” For a moment, I froze. Now that I thought about it, was this how I entered Leana’s mental world through Rockefeller’s magic? I must have faced her in the same business suit I wore when I was working at the company. Judging by how her attention was drawn to a similar outfit, it seemed she retained memories from that day. Internally, I thanked the designer. If he hadn’t recklessly injected his aesthetics into the design, my excuse might have sounded less convincing. “Since it was rushed, some parts were left out. They said they had no choice but to skip the more time-consuming elements due to the tight deadline.” The accessories on the shirt collar, metal buttons, and the necktie were all things that could be prepared quickly. When I claimed it was hastily made, Leana nodded as if she understood. “But why the interest in the clothes?” I asked, and Leana turned her head away. “I’m not telling you…” Then, she looked straight ahead and walked past me. I glanced at Aslay and Limberton, who had been watching from behind. But then Leana spoke again. “Hersel.” “Hm?” Still facing away, Leana stopped in her tracks and then turned around. With a shy smile, she said, “I know. That you were the one who led the effort to save the children. It’s hard to put into words, but you seem like a better person now.” She added a pointless remark with a satisfied expression. “Honestly, I kind of hope your madness isn’t cured…” I stared blankly at Leana as she clicked her heels down the corridor of the hall. ‘Did she just call me crazy?’ ‘Hersel, that look she gave you seems oddly familiar.’ ‘Yeah, Selly used to look at me like that. I guess she must have heard something from that cheeky brat.’ I’ll make sure to give Selly a good scolding later. What a shame. I was actually thinking of making a wristwatch because I was getting tired of constantly pulling out my pocket watch. Now that Leana has taken an interest in that day’s attire, if I add something as distinct as a wristwatch, I’ll only draw more suspicion. In this world, it’s doubtful that anyone would even be wearing something like that. I turned to the two guys who were still waiting awkwardly. “Let’s go. Food is best when served right away.” I led the way down the corridor. Between the pillars, an indoor garden provided a pleasant view. I was enjoying the scenery when Limberton spoke up. “Somehow, I’m a bit nervous.” “About what?” “I don’t know, it’s just… I don’t have the best memories of balls.” It seemed that Limberton’s trauma from that time had resurfaced. The memory with Silla when she poured stew and scattered chicken feathers. On top of that, whenever he went to a party, he always became the subject of mockery, so it seemed like he wasn’t confident enough to pull off his usual Casanova act. � I offered him some words of encouragement. “Limberton, you know I’m not someone who gives compliments easily, right?” “Yeah, you’re the kind of person who wouldn’t give a compliment even the size of an ant’s eyelash.” Though his remark bothered me a little, I let it slide and continued the warm atmosphere. “Don’t feel down. You look great. Look at your clothes—you don’t look like an idiot for once. So enjoy the moment. It might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Limberton half-closed his eyes and nudged Aslay with his elbow. “Aslay, did you hear that? Even when he compliments someone, he always throws in an insult.” “I’ll take that, Limberton.” After some casual chit-chat, we arrived at the end of the hallway. Beyond the door was the most luxurious place built within the fortress. It was the main hall, only opened to students on special occasions like today. Servants from the Adele Hall’s exclusive dining hall were setting food on the tables. Waiters handed out drinks in straight glasses to passing students, while some, impatient to wait, grinned as they poured entire bottles of wine into their glasses. One girl, already drunk, her face flushed red, grabbed a nearby male student’s hand and danced to the music performed by the choir on the stage. When I looked up slightly, I saw the faces of the students from the Adele Hall on the second-floor balcony. Portraits of graduates who had accomplished great feats were hung on the walls, and it seemed likely that one of them was Aol’s, as Erucel stood proudly in front of a frame. His voice was so loud that his bragging could be heard over the music. “Hahaha! My father’s portrait isn’t only hung here! Have you heard of the Hall of Fame? I visited out of curiosity, and behold, my father’s statue is standing right next to the Grand Mage’s!” Ah, it’s embarrassing that this obnoxiously laughing guy is my brother. While clicking my tongue in dismay, our eyes met. “Hup!” Erucel widened his eyes in surprise, then forced a smile and waved at me. Since returning from the recent demonic realm training, Erucel’s attitude toward me had changed in an unsettling way. Before, he used to flinch and cower, but now it’s as if…he’s faking politeness, like entertaining a client he dislikes. I averted my gaze from him and focused on putting food on my plate. It was a buffet, so unlimited servings. Aslay piled his plate with whatever caught his eye, and Limberton only picked out the meat dishes. “Hm, I like bread, but I guess I should eat more meat if I want to build muscle, right?” “That’s an excellent choice.” When I agreed, Limberton set down his tongs and scanned the room. “But, why do I feel like people have been staring at us for a while now?” I raised my head slightly as well. Men and women were glancing at us. Their gazes were fixated precisely on my clothes. “Limberton, want to swap clothes with me?” “Don’t be ridiculous. My clothes would rip if you put them on.” “What about my clothes, boss?” “No, your clothes are way too big. And if you wear mine, they’ll burst.” Not that I could just sit here in my underwear either. Ignoring the stares, I sat down and reached for my fork. Then, a sudden thought came to mind, and I stopped reaching for the fork, checking again to make sure the gloves inside my jacket pocket were still there. I also felt the leather holster strapped across my chest. Only after confirming that my magic wand was securely in place did I feel relieved. *** Leana looked down at Hersel from the second-floor railing, overhearing Erucel’s chatter nearby. He was shivering, hugging his arms as if he had caught a chill. “Now that I think about it, it’s terrifying. Every time that guy beat me up, if he had even once been serious, ugh…” Riamon, standing next to him, smirked. “Right? You’re lucky you survived. If you were my little brother, I would’ve hit you for real at least once. You have a knack for provoking a beating.” “Ugh, the way you talk…” Leana shifted her gaze away from the two bickering men and looked back at Hersel. By then, Silla had approached her. “What are you staring at like that?” “I’m just curious why everyone keeps looking at him.” “Hmm. Maybe it’s the clothes? I hate to admit it, but honestly, it looks clean and sharp. The guy’s got a good figure for it, too.” As Silla casually remarked, the conversation of passing men reached their ears. “Where did he get that outfit made?” seaʀᴄh thё novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “I gotta say, I’m jealous. He may be a slacker, but the guy sure has a good sense of style.” Silla took her eyes off them and gulped down a drink. “Hm, seems like the fashion trends among the guys are going to shift a bit.” Leana’s gaze remained fixed. Silla smirked with her eyes half-closed. “But why are you staring so intently? What about that guy you mentioned before?” The man who had saved Leana during the malevolent spirit incident. Though she hadn’t heard the full story—since Rockefeller had insisted on keeping it secret—Leana had vaguely mentioned some details about him. Leana had apparently hoped to track him down, but her search had turned up nothing. Just as Silla was wondering if Leana had given up, Leana spoke in a calm tone. “It’s just that lately, he doesn’t seem as horrible as he used to.” Silla scoffed. “Oh, is it because he saved the kids? That’s just him trying to manage his image now. He’s going to claim all the terrible things he did in the past were just mistakes of youth. Then he’ll do a few good deeds and say he’s reflecting, asking people not to hate him too much as he rises in status. It’s a typical trick used by scoundrels as they age.” Leana nodded. “I think so too. But in the end, if you look at the results, he did a good thing. Even if it was for his own gain.” “Or maybe he was just insane.” “Exactly.” Leana finally turned away from Hersel, intending to enjoy her meal. As Silla was about to follow her, she caught sight of a girl approaching Hersel. “Hey, there’s a fox heading towards your husband.” “He’s not my husband. I’m tired of even replying to that.” Without even glancing back, Leana took a step forward. Despite this, Silla remained frozen in place, her mouth slightly open, staring wide-eyed as if she had seen something unbelievable. “Silla?” “Well, I’ll be damned, I’ve seen everything now.” “Hm?” The girl who had seemed to be approaching Hersel was actually talking to Limberton. “Oh, it’s Limberton. Now that you mention it, I’ve heard rumors about him lately, that he’s changed.” “Changed? Look at him grinning just because he caught some leader. He’s still a fool, and that girl’s just blind.” Silla clicked her tongue and abruptly turned her back. Then, with a sharp look in her eyes, she glanced at the grandfather clock. “Seriously, why are the professors taking so long to get here?” It was already past the time. Just as she was about to grab another drink, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed through the room. Curious, she looked over and saw a servant running in. But his expression was alarming. His face was pale, drenched with sweat to the point where beads of it dripped down his jawline. The servant anxiously glanced at the entrance door. Then, in a rush, he slammed the doors shut, and someone asked, “What’s going on?” The servant’s teeth chattered as he shouted, “We have to close the doors immediately! There are monsters outside!!” At that moment, a dull, heavy thud sounded from the door, as if something had slammed into it with full force. Thud! And then, faintly, came a raspy voice. Gwoooor— There was no doubt—it was the undead. Bang! Bang! Bang! And not just one or two… but dozens of them. *** While everyone’s attention was on the servant, I had already slipped away to a quiet waiting room next to the stage. Thanks to countless practice sessions, I had managed to reduce the time it took to draw the inventory spell from five minutes to just three. Once the inventory opened, I pulled out the new sword I had received and Limberton’s weapons. Three quivers filled with arrows, paired with a high-tension bow. With everything gathered, I stepped into the main hall and heard Luon’s voice. – Ah, you might be surprised since it’s not Rockefeller speaking. It sounded like he was biting into a piece of fruit, as there were occasional crunching sounds. I listened carefully to his calm words, recalling what was about to unfold. – Currently, the dormitories, the faculty building, and even the floors and stairs of the fortress are all sealed off. Don’t expect help from the students and professors trapped within the barrier. Frostheart was equipped with protective barriers on each floor and in every room. Now that Luon had taken over the headmaster’s office, he controlled the entire facility. This meant that we couldn’t rely on the help of any students or professors, except for the first years. – I understand if you can’t make sense of the situation right now. I’ll keep it simple. This is a game. The rules will make things more straightforward. So listen carefully while I explain. The next thing he mentioned was the penalty. – My new friend will cast a very entertaining spell. I don’t know much about it, but it’s called the ‘Crimson Grimoire,’ right? With just that, they can sacrifice everyone here. Once the spell activates, it’s your defeat. It was a forbidden spell, one that would inscribe a massive ritual across the surface and drain the life from all living things. – But don’t worry too much. Like I said, this is a game. Winning unfairly all the time is boring. I’ve made sure there’s a way for you to win, but you’ll have to figure it out on your own. If you manage to find a way to cut off my head, you’ll win. Our task was clear: raid the armory, fight our way through the undead, find the key to break the barrier, and reach Luon. – The time limit is three hours. The invitation is in the servant’s breast pocket, so check it carefully. Of course, the participants were the playable characters and a few important supporting roles. “A-actually, I was sent here to deliver the invitation, so, ahem, if the following names are called, please come forward. Riamon Sel Rebeqtura. Erucel Ben Tenest. Aslay Torta Mactura. Limberton Vel Delcy. Ricks Don Orion. Silla En Lionheart. Bellman Toll Gers…” And finally, the extra who had received a special invitation. “Hersel Ben Tenest.” Thus, the battle to take down Luon had begun. Prev I TOC I Next