67 – Agilrem (2)
“….Ugh.”
Feeling as if my whole body was being torn apart by excruciating pain, I struggled to open my eyes.
Even the act of opening my eyes was difficult, and once they were open, my vision was far from clear.
First of all, it was evident that I was indoors, but it was dark, and most importantly, things were blurry and hard to see.
I started to worry if there was something wrong with my eyes, but thankfully, as some time passed, my vision became clearer.
And thus, the indoors that I finally managed to see properly.
It was a place I had never seen before.
‘…What happened?’
Confusion surged within me.
How did I end up here?
‘Surely at the end…’
I had been brutally defeated by the Dark Guild, fallen from a cliff.
After that, I was swept away by the river, luckily reaching land, but I remember losing consciousness unable to endure any longer.
Thinking back now, it was a dangerous situation.
There was a possibility of the Dark Guild pursuing me, as well as others aiming for my life.
Moreover, if I had just stayed still, I would have died without a chance.
Yet here I am, alive.
What on earth happened?
‘Come to think of it…’
At the end, I vaguely remember hearing someone’s footsteps.
In that case, did that person help me?
Judging by the situation, it doesn’t seem like I was captured by the Empire or bounty hunters.
If I were, it would have been hard to stay alive, and even if I did, it wouldn’t have been like this.
‘…I don’t know what happened, but.’
For now, it would be best to assess the situation.
As I made that judgment, I tried to move my body.
“Ugh…!”
Unable to fulfill my intention due to the intense pain coursing through my entire body.
Hastily examining my condition internally, I couldn’t help but sigh.
My body was truly a mess.
No, calling it a mess would be an understatement.
Would “ragged” be a more fitting term?
Organs, muscles, bones, nothing was spared.
“…”
I was shocked by that gruesome state, but upon reflection, it wasn’t surprising.
The injuries I sustained before passing out were so severe that I even doubted if I was truly alive.
Rather, it would be more appropriate to consider surviving in such a wretched state as a miracle.
‘How much time has passed?’
How long had I been unconscious?
And where exactly am I?
To find out, I would need to move my body, but right now, no matter how hard I try, it doesn’t seem like I can move.
“…….”
In the end, I gave up moving and lay still on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
As I sat there blankly, various thoughts brushed through my mind.
The first thing that vividly came to mind was the reason I ended up in this state.
That day, the day I fell into a trap.
***
As I entered the second semester, I found myself busy, continuing to live hectic days even as a second-year student.
No, if anything, I felt even busier as a second-year student.
It was only natural.
Several giants had newly enrolled as first-year students at the academy.
Among them were offspring from prestigious families whose names alone carried weight, but if asked to pick out the most prominent figure among them, most would mention one name.
Hayden La Elverant.
The younger brother of the third-year student council president, Kairen La Elverant, and the prince of Elverant, an empire that only had two existences on the continent.
Even the so-called noble families, and even princes of nations, would pale in comparison to the Elverant name, and naturally, Hayden garnered the most attention among the new first-year students.
However, all the attention he received wasn’t solely due to his noble lineage.
From Noble mtl dot com
His dazzling blonde hair and blue eyes resembling his brother Kairen, the ideal prince-like noble and beautiful appearance that girls fantasized about, exceptional skills in both martial arts and magic, sharpness that excelled in any subject without missing the top ranks, and a gentlemanly demeanor that didn’t falter regardless of the other party’s status.
All these qualities combined, making him the center of attention not just among the first-year students but throughout the academy.
I, too, held an interest in him.
Not in a strange way, but simply because I thought he was in a position easily entangled in incidents.
The Elverant Empire rivaled Rainberg as the most powerful nation on the continent.
In reality, if Elverant were to make a move, the likelihood of a drastic change in the continent’s situation was very high, so I believed there was a considerable chance that those desiring war would target him.
That’s why, out of curiosity, I kept an eye on his movements.
But it was merely observation from a distance, as there was no point of contact between us.
Different grades, different majors, the gap in status was like night and day.
Creating a point of contact between me and Hayden, unless forced, was difficult, and since I had no intention of approaching him, I thought that state would continue, back then.
However, in the end, that thought turned out to be wrong.
Hayden and I ended up encountering each other quite frequently.
At that time, whenever an incident occurred at the academy, I would rush in immediately, and strangely enough, I occasionally ran into Hayden on the scene.
At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but later, I realized it wasn’t.
Whenever something happened at the academy, Hayden voluntarily rushed to the scene.
Then, utilizing all his resources and background, he worked to resolve the incidents and prevent them from escalating, disregarding his noble status, selflessly protecting others.
After witnessing this behavior multiple times, I found myself harboring a humanistic fondness for him.
Seeing someone in such a position, who should naturally prioritize their own safety, displaying such behavior was extremely rare and challenging, given that I was well aware of this.
Of course, there was also personal gratitude.
Thanks to him, there were times when the damage from incidents that should have escalated further was minimized.
And during this process, Hayden began to acknowledge me as well.
I couldn’t ignore him completely, so I responded appropriately, thinking there was still room to observe, but I did view Hayden favorably.
Perhaps, I might have vaguely considered him a colleague.
It was a day like any other.
Hayden called for me.
Although I had a prior commitment with Mary and was somewhat hesitant, I decided to hear him out since I wasn’t pressed for time. I leaned in at his call, curious about what was going on, a mix of curiosity and calculation.
At that time, I was considering whether it would be appropriate to form an official partnership with Hayden, a man I was familiar with.
Having gone through the second semester and becoming a sophomore, I had made several collaborators, but there was a lack of proper connection with Elbrent’s side.
If Hayden, who held the position of a prince, became my collaborator, it would undoubtedly be a great help. I had no doubt about that.
Of course, thorough verification would be necessary, but considering his character and the way he had presented himself thus far, I thought it was safe to trust him.
And so, I set foot into the Elbrent Student Council building, the place he had designated.
As it was getting dark, there was no one inside the building, and I walked through the dim corridor to the room he had pointed out.
Click—
“Welcome.”
As I entered, Hayden, seated at the table, greeted me.
Following his lead, I took a seat, and we began our conversation.
Initially, it was casual talk.
Discussions about rumors circulating within the academy, specific lectures, upcoming events, and so on.
It was mundane, with no hint of what the main topic would be, but I engaged in his conversation, not wanting to disrupt the atmosphere.
As we continued our somewhat cheerful conversation, Hayden’s faint smile, which had been consistent, turned somewhat serious.
Then, he spoke.
“Senior Wade, are you aware that recent events within the academy may not be mere coincidences?”
It was a sudden shift in topic, but I remained unfazed.
In fact, it was a direction I had been anticipating.
I affirmed, and with a contemplative look, Hayden gazed at me before speaking again.
“There are those plotting for war.”
Hayden, speaking calmly, continued, “They are causing chaos within the academy, aiming to incite war. And I want to stop them.”
Senior Wade, what are your thoughts?
…he asked.
I inwardly nodded my head at that moment.
I had long known that the events within the academy were not mere coincidences. I had been uncertain whether Hayden was aware of it, but through our conversation, I realized he was aware.
After all, he had been frequently seen at the scenes of the incidents.
Looking into his clear gaze, pondering for a moment, I eventually came to a decision.
“I share the same thoughts.”
I decided to form a partnership with him.
I revealed my thoughts and intentions to him to a certain extent.
Not all, of course, just up to the point of wanting to prevent war.
Hayden was pleased with my words, and we began to have deeper conversations.
Exchanging information and stories based on cooperation.
As expected, Hayden was good at communication and capable.
I was convinced that cooperating with someone like him would surely be a great help.
With that belief, I smiled inwardly, but a concern surfaced in my mind.
Since the second semester, I had been running tirelessly to the point of sweating profusely, and at some point, I began to think about one possibility.
Those who want to start a war might not just be those blinded by power and wealth.
It was true that such people existed.
However, it felt somewhat awkward to simply dismiss it as just them.
It was a very subtle, difficult to describe feeling of unease, but as I resolved a series of events, I started to suspect the existence of a third party, pushing the continent into war.
A third party wanting to plunge the continent into war.
It was a somewhat far-fetched, conspiratorial thought, but the possibility kept lingering in my mind, and I confided my thoughts to people around me with a sense of doubt.
I had half expected to brush it off with a laugh, but to my surprise, my companions took my words seriously.
And it didn’t end there; Estelle, who had been listening to me with a serious expression all along, added to the conversation.
In the process of pushing the Crown Prince out, evidence was found that he was in contact with an unknown external force.
Her words added some credibility to my suspicions, and I began to investigate the background of the events more carefully.
Still, I was not entirely certain, and I hesitated whether it was okay to share such thoughts with Hayden.
But in the end, I cautiously confided in him about it.
After hearing me out, Hayden’s eyes widened for a moment, then he quickly broke into a bright smile.
Then he spoke.
“So, you indeed are the ‘variable’.”
“…?”
I didn’t understand what he meant by that sudden statement.
However, Hayden continued without even paying attention to my reaction.
“I had suspected that you were the ‘variable’ for some time… I wasn’t in a position to act on it, but confirmation is needed to see if you are truly the ‘variable,’ and even if you are, I wasn’t sure how much interference it would cause, so I was planning to observe for a while… But now, there seems to be no need for that.”
With clear eyes, Hayden stared straight at me.
And with a bright smile, he said.
“I should just kill you now.”
With that chilling declaration.
Thud─
A strange and eerie energy began to emanate from Hayden.
It felt so alien and ominous to be considered human energy.
I stood up abruptly.
My intuition warned me.
It’s dangerous.
That, it’s terribly dangerous.
Deciding so, I instinctively moved my body.
For the purpose of restraint, I swung a sword that was not yet drawn.
It was all for the purpose of restraint.
To buy time so that Hayden couldn’t play his tricks.
However.
Swiftly!
My black sword easily pierced Hayden’s body.
“What…?”
In this unexpected situation, I looked at Hayden with confusion.
And then Hayden, blood dripping from his mouth, smiled.
Before I could even grasp his intention behind that smile.
Clang!
The door to the room swung open.
“The, the Prince…! The Prince has been attacked…!!”
The guards who seemed to rush in, looked around in shock.
“Capture him! Capture that scoundrel…!”
It was only then that I understood.
All of this was Hayden’s plan.
“Such impatience.”
Even in a dying situation, Hayden whispered calmly.
Watching him with trembling eyes, I immediately sprang up and fled.
And just like that, I became a fugitive.
***
“……”
Judging from the situation, it’s clear that Hayden is part of the ‘third force’… tentatively called an ‘organization.’
His active involvement in the events was probably to establish contact with me.
However, judging by his reactions, it didn’t seem like he had planned this from the beginning.
Perhaps his original goal was to create a cooperative relationship with me to strengthen the bond.
And by watching over me, he sought ‘certainty.’
But he gained that ‘certainty’ through our conversation, and then promptly altered his plans to trap me.
From the moment he called for me, he probably had all possibilities in mind, ready to modify his plans at any time.
My defeat was sealed from the point where I didn’t suspect him in the first place.
The only question is why he tried to eliminate me indirectly, without doing it himself.
His presence was formidable, to the point where I reflexively wielded my sword.
Considering the power of the ‘organization,’ even without resorting to such methods, he could have easily eliminated me, yet he chose this indirect approach.
Perhaps he too had some constraints.
Constraints that prevented him from using force recklessly.
“……”
Who is he really, and why is the ‘organization’ trying to start a war?
Questions about these aspects kept surfacing, but I forced them deep down, knowing that I wouldn’t find answers just by pondering alone.
Then, the next thing that came to mind was worry about the people around me.
Acquaintances like Mary, Rachel, Aila, and Estelle from the academy, as well as people from my hometown and the acquaintances of the writer Blunoa.
Regardless of the truth, in the eyes of the public, I am the one who assassinated the prince and fled.
It would be nice if that influence only affected me, but that’s not how the world works.
The figures from the academy weren’t much of a concern, but the people from my hometown were deeply worried.
Since the writer Blunoa doesn’t come from a powerful family.
If the Elvrent Empire, who holds a grudge against me or has a vendetta, decides to act, they could easily cause trouble.
That’s why I found it hard to calm my troubled mind.
However.
“…I have no choice but to believe.”
In the end, I have no choice but to trust my comrades.
Fortunately, I had already informed my comrades of the suspicion that there might be an existence called ‘organization,’ so even if they don’t know all the details of my predicament, they will likely guess that someone had a hand in it.
With the strength of my comrades, especially Estelle’s strength, they should be able to protect the people from my hometown sufficiently.
Therefore, I had no choice but to trust them.
As of now, there’s nothing else I can do.
For now, dealing with my own affairs should take precedence.
That’s how I organized my thoughts.
*Click*—
The latch screamed.
The door opened.