Chapter 218

It was a secluded spot where the steam didn’t reach. A slightly cool place where people didn’t linger long. Dorosian’s gaze on me felt a little unsettling. “When was the last time we had time just for us?” As Dorosian said, it had been rare for the two of us to talk recently. We hadn’t even shared conversations about genre novels we both enjoyed, nor about gourmet food. “I’ve been busy, preparing for everything from student council work to training.” “But you still had some personal time, didn’t you?” Dorosian’s words, laced with a hint of annoyance, made me flinch. It wasn’t because she felt neglected. It was probably because the core topic of preventing destruction hadn’t been discussed. For Dorosian, the survival of the world was her top priority. “Have you enjoyed Berckel Thermes enough?” I tried to steer the conversation away. But Dorosian’s frown deepened. “Not really.” That backfired. I tried to shift into a more conciliatory tone. “Well, it must not have been enough, considering the effort you’ve put into teaching them.” “Considering it’s a benefit everyone enjoys, can you really call it a reward?” As expected, it wasn’t enough. Calling something akin to a school trip a reward felt lacking. There was no choice. It’s better to take a step back. As someone running on the royal road, I could afford some expenditure. “I’ll think about that separately later.” Only then did Dorosian’s frown ease. After a brief silence, I anticipated what she’d say next. Likely something about whether the scenario was going well, where we stood, or the impact of the training results. But what came out of Dorosian’s mouth was completely unexpected. “Can you take off your robe?” “My robe?” I shifted my gaze from the white robe I was wearing to Dorosian. She chuckled, as if catching on to my immediate internal simulation of a harassment report. “Don’t look at me like that. You’ve been training under Rockefeller, right? I’ll do a check-up for you, so take it off.” “Well, if it’s that kind of thing.” Curious, I turned my back and removed only the top part of my robe. I tied the sleeves around my waist, turning the robe into a skirt-like shape. The touch of Dorosian’s hands on my back felt cold. Then mana began to seep deeply into my body. At that moment, I felt Dorosian’s fingers twitch. “…Your body is strange.” Her tone turned slightly serious. I immediately mentioned the possible reason that came to mind. “It’s probably because I’m a unique type.” “I already considered that in my assessment.” “Considered it? How?” “There’s a dissected corpse in my family’s house, after all.” …Oh, right. Her family was a renowned magical household. It wouldn’t be surprising if they kept the rare corpse of a unique-type magician in their mansion. “Explain it to me specifically.” “There are multiple channels. I can also see signs of other senses awakening. But it all looks very unnatural, as if it were artificially created.” The awakening of senses corresponds to the creation of channels. Sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste— I achieved it through Camelo’s experiments, but the results were a failure. Dorosian must be concerned about the traces of those experiments. Worried about becoming the new lab rat for the Grice family, I changed the subject. “So compared to before, how am I doing? Has my magic advanced by another level?” I asked, filled with anticipation. With just a bit more effort, I felt I could awaken my second sense. My growth had been tremendous compared to before. Dorosian’s serious expression made me think my progress had amazed her. After all my effort… “No.” Huh? “Have you been slacking off under Rockefeller?” “What?” Dorosian grabbed my hand and extracted mana. Of course, I could only feel it—it wasn’t visible to my eyes. “…Wait a moment.” Using manifestation magic, Dorosian showed me the shape of the mana. It wriggled, its form far from tidy. In contrast, the mana in her other hand was a perfect sphere. “This bizarre thing is the mana you’re using. It’s inefficient, wildly unstable, and even when you draw magic formulas precisely, it doesn’t function as intended.” I felt wronged. Even though I had spent a whole month meditating on mana under Rockefeller, this was the result. -“Stop training mana altogether.” -“Wow, already reached your peak?” That fraudster. If he gave up on me, he should’ve at least mentioned it. “Not even a little?” Clinging to a sliver of hope, I asked again, but the answer was far from satisfying. “Hmmm, compared to when you harvested magic stones, maybe like an ant’s antenna?” “That can’t be. Check it again.” “Anytime.” Dorosian smiled slyly and rubbed my back with both hands. Her touch was a little free-spirited, but it didn’t bother me. Hoping for a mistaken evaluation, I waited for her response. “Oh my.” “See, Dorosian? You must have misread—” “No, it’s the same.” I felt the strength drain from my face. As I looked at her with a hollow gaze, Dorosian’s smug smile suddenly faded. “Is this a serious situation?” From my perspective, it was certainly serious. “Were you really planning to enter the competition relying only on this?” I couldn’t deny it. The confidence I had shown up to now was rooted in my growth. “So, it’s already a guaranteed loss? Just asking, but does it really matter in the long run if you lose?” Fortunately, I had the habit of preparing backup plans. “A guaranteed loss? Don’t make me laugh, Dorosian.” “Hm?” “I’m glad I came prepared.” I grinned, recalling the contents of a bag tucked away in my inventory. “What is it?” Ignoring Dorosian’s curious tone, I got up from my seat. I figured there was no harm in showing her. “Wait a moment.” Out of her sight, I retrieved the bag and opened it in front of her. Click! The potions inside the bottles sparkled. Dorosian chuckled, apparently recognizing the contents right away—true to her mischievous nature. “This is one of those potions you often use for pranks, isn’t it?” She held up a pink potion, one that temporarily infatuates the drinker with the first person they see. The others were of a similar nature. Her reaction was predictable. “You’re planning to use this in a duel?” “Well, everything has its use when applied properly.” I closed the bag and prepared to stow it back in my inventory. But Dorosian’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Suddenly, I’m feeling thirsty. Care to join me for some iced tea?” “That sounds good.” “I’ll take a quick dip in the cold pool and meet you after. You handle the tea.” After tidying up my bag, I visited a teahouse within the Berckel Thermes. I arrived at the meeting room with iced lemon tea made from mage-crafted ice. Dorosian took a refreshing sip and frowned. “It’s a bit bland.” “Really?” Mine didn’t taste bland at all. *** The Berckel Thermes wasn’t all about heat. There were cool rooms designed for rest after enduring the heat. But in a room not designed for it, icicles hung from the ceiling. “Otor, what brings you here?” Arkandric glared at Scarlett’s principal with fierce eyes. Otor scowled and raised his voice. “I should be asking you that. You conniving bastard. Do you think I don’t see through your schemes?” “Exercising patience not to hit you, I’ll ask: what schemes do you think I have?” “Hah, as if you don’t know. This is Scarlett’s domain. To reach the duel arena, one must pass through here.” Arkandric instantly caught on to the implication behind Otor’s words. “Surely you don’t think I came here to kill your students? Don’t be ridiculous, Otor.” “Oh, really? It’s always the most desperate who are the most dangerous.” Arkandric clenched his fist. He was tempted to rip out Otor’s infuriating ponytail but restrained himself for the students’ sake. “No, causing a scene here would undo all their hard work.” “Hah, it’s good I came. Your fist might’ve reached my dear students otherwise.” Misinterpreting the situation, Otor planted himself firmly, as if to monitor Arkandric. Sighing, Arkandric dispelled the cold energy. “I would never stoop to such dishonorable tactics, Otor.” “If it were just the students, perhaps. But seeing you here makes that hard to believe.” “Worry about Ianse instead of me. Don’t ruin this rare moment of peace.” Even mentioning Ianse, Scarlett’s rival and Ever Blaze’s principal, didn’t dissuade Otor. “He’s already at the duel arena, I hear.” “Then worry about assassins instead.” “That’s for the students and professors to handle.” Tiring of Otor’s stubbornness, Arkandric shook his head in exasperation. A moment of silence passed. “Anyway, I’m bored.” “Good, then get lost, Otor.” “Don’t be like that. Let’s kill time with some conversation.” It seemed Otor was eager to break the monotony and initiated a topic of discussion. “There’s no one around.” “Still, you never know.” Otor surveyed the area with cautious eyes before continuing. “Guillaume Deisin and Bamal have made contact.” “That’s an odd pairing.” “Exactly. Two people with no overlap meeting in the same place—it’s suspicious.” Arkandric nodded, understanding Otor’s unease. The meeting between Guillaume, who had steadily gained control over the imperial family, and Bamal, the principal of Valient, was unsettling. Given the timing, with the Emperor’s health deteriorating, it was natural to feel uneasy. “Of all times, just as His Majesty’s days seem numbered.” “Is his condition that poor?” “Outwardly, he looks fine, but internally, he’s deteriorating. That brings me to a question, Arkandric: whose side will you take?” Arkandric closed his eyes, considering. Otor’s words referred to choosing between Guillaume, who aimed to make his nephew Emperor, and the Emperor’s eldest son, the designated heir. However, Arkandric found such considerations meaningless. He smirked coldly. “It seems power is clouding your judgment.” “What do you mean by that?” “Simply that, as far as I know, Bamal has no interest in such things.” “Are you sure? He’s a deceitful man—he could be hiding something sinister. Are you letting sentiment cloud your judgment?” “That’s not what I meant, Otor.” Arkandric’s smile disappeared as he spoke with a chilling tone. “Bamal is an empty shell. I believe he’s merely acting as a human. Whatever his purpose, I highly doubt it’s power.” Wisdom grows with age. Even if Bamal’s kindly smile and natural demeanor blended into any situation, it couldn’t entirely deceive seasoned elders. The only difference lay in their interpretations. Otor, slightly miffed at the contradictory view, replied, “Well, time will tell soon enough.” Still, they both agreed on one thing: a sense of foreboding. *** After freshening up at Berckel Thermes, I headed toward the marketplace to check on the Scarlett students. The group marched into town in a straight line, drawing whispers from onlookers. “Did they walk all the way here?” “They must have, considering there’s no carriage in sight.” “Look at their state. Do they even bathe?” The Frost Heart students, known for their ragged lifestyle, couldn’t help but feel superior seeing Scarlett’s poor condition. Worn-out clothes, dusty skin, and some with sunken cheeks from hunger—it was a pitiful sight. Carrying a basket brimming with food, I approached familiar faces. The president of Scarlett’s student council sniffed the air, locking eyes with me. “Hersel Ben Tenest! Is that our reward, by chance?” “Ah, come to think of it, I did owe you for those dried fruits.” Repaying kindness is a basic virtue, so I handed out the food, reserving only one portion for myself as a tease. The Scarlett elite stuffed their faces, ignoring the resentful stares from their hungry peers, like politicians hoarding for themselves while neglecting their people. Watching my gesture, Donatan seemed moved. ‘You’re sowing division.’ ‘What do you mean? What gain could I possibly have?’ ‘The entire student body, not just the elite, participates in the duel. The discontent from your gesture weakens their unity.’ A perceptive one, as always. “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll make sure to take care of you.” I said this openly in front of the Scarlett students, then turned on my heel. On my way back to Berckel Thermes, a suspicious group surrounded not just me but also the trailing Frost Heart students. Their masked faces heightened the tension among the students. “Who are they? Assassins trying to disrupt the competition?” “Hersel, you’ll handle this, right? We didn’t even bring weapons.” The students looked at me expectantly. I shrugged, rummaged through my pocket, and pulled out a folded document. Unfolding it, I addressed the assassins. “We are from Frost Heart.” The assassins blinked in confusion. “Ahem, you may pass.” We straightened our backs and walked through with confidence. Thus, our restful days continued undisturbed. Eventually, the carriage came to a halt before the massive arena where the Integrated Tournament would commence. To read Chapters ahead ???? CH 216-220 (Integrated Academy Tournament) $3 CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3 CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3 CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3 CH 236-240 (I want to lose) $3 CH 241-245 (Finals) $3 CH 246-250 (Vs Valient) $3 Prev I TOC I Next Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Like Loading...