18
“Hey, what the hell are these guys doing?! Can’t you put away your swords right now?!”
Hans shouted frantically.
However, tap dancing backward didn’t seem particularly helpful.
‘It’s okay. They’re just bluffing; they can’t kill me. …Right?’
My heart pounded, but as always, the Black Flame Dragon supported my dignity.
The swords pointed at me were met with a casual voice, as if mocking their feeble attempts.
“Put away your swords.”
“Answer first. How did you know the name of the Lord?”
“I told you to put away the sword.”
“!!”
The woman, Rian, glared at me fiercely.
However, my Black Flame Dragon was not to be underestimated.
As I nonchalantly passed off my own life, I bit my lips tightly and flicked my fingers.
Thud!
“That’s it!”
Her subordinates disappeared, and I inwardly sighed in relief.
“Tell me how you know about the Overseer.”
I silently stared at Ryan.
Although I was nervous that she might try to strangle me again, having been through thick and thin, I knew.
Now was the time to assert myself.
“Your tone continues to be arrogant. Are you foolish?”
“…What?”
“I hope you’ve thought about what it means that I, no, that ‘Van Ecclesia,’ knows about the Overseer.”
Ryan’s expression hardened.
I smirked deliberately, creating an air of arrogance.
As if I were the master of this place.
“Your leg seems to be hurting. For now, let’s change our location. Since the conversation might be prolonged, it’s better to entertain ourselves with some tea. However, my taste is picky, so it would be wise to serve a tea that befits my status.”
* * *
We followed Ryan into the slums.
The crumbling buildings extended endlessly like castle walls.
The first fortress of the Saryong Castle.
“Hans, wait here.”
“But!! I must protect Lord Kongja with my life!”
“…It’s not very convincing when you say that while tap dancing backward. Or do you really want to go in together?”
“Ah! As much as I want to go together, I realized we need someone to request rescue in case of a similar situation!! Oh, it’s so unfortunate!!”
I glanced at Hans.
Boasting loudly like that was typical of a sycophant.
‘Well, it’s not that surprising, considering it’s the Saryong Castle.’
I wouldn’t have come here in the first place if it weren’t for that.
‘It’s okay. Ryan can’t harm me at all.’
I reassured myself.
The one in control here is me. I am in control.
“Here’s the tea Lord Kongja requested.”
Tak.
After entering the building, Ryan brought out the tea.
It had a subtle fragrance and looked like a high-quality tea, just as I described, but I couldn’t taste anything due to the tension.
“Now, let’s continue with our previous conversation.”
“You’re being too formal.”
I took a deep breath.
Now was the crucial moment.
Acting as if it were of no consequence, I opened my mouth with the coolest demeanor possible.
“What’s so remarkable about you being the ‘Leader’ among the rebels?”
“!!”
That’s right.
This was the true identity of Liran.
Not just a giant from a humble village, but a leader of the rebels!
“…What in the world.”
Liran’s gaze sank into contemplation, as if debating whether to silence me by killing me here or not.
“Don’t entertain foolish thoughts. Don’t you understand what it means that I know your identity? I’m well aware of the rebels’ caliber.”
“!!”
Liran clenched his fists tightly.
And eventually, he let out a deep sigh.
“I’ve underestimated the Duke of Eclesia too much. Did you really think I knew everything, even that I’m the Leader of the rebels, from the Duke of Eclesia?”
Well, it was a misunderstanding.
The Duke of Eclesia had no idea that she was the Leader.
But, I let her misunderstand.
Because it was more advantageous that way.
“I suppose you know why the Duke of Eclesia is aware of your identity but chooses to leave you be, don’t you?”
“What is it?”
“Because there is utility in it.”
Liran’s face stiffened.
“What do you mean?”
“I know that the true purpose of your rebel army is to stop ‘Ouroboros.'”
“!!”
A shock, incomparable to before, spread.
It couldn’t be helped.
Ouroboros was the clandestine organization of the ‘Hero Academy.’
At this point, no one knew.
‘Actually, Ouroboros is not their real name. Well, Liran wouldn’t know that at this moment.’
Liran stumbled over his words.
“W-why would Ouroboros be involved with the Ecclesia Duchy? Could it be that the Ecclesia Duchy is also hostile to Ouroboros?”
The Ecclesia Duchy was unaware of Ouroboros’s existence, but I silently left her misunderstanding alone.
“Do you know why I wanted to become a professor at the Luminance Academy?”
“…I thought it was just the whim of a trash philosopher, but could it be?”
“Yeah, it’s to drive out the shadow of Ouroboros lurking in the Luminance Academy.”
“!!”
A lie effortlessly escaped.
It was true that Ouroboros’s influence reached the Luminance Academy.
However, I had no intention of getting involved at all.
The turbulent events opposing the shadow of Ouroboros are the concern of those who enter the Rubyne’s Academy.
“Now, do you understand why you should help me?”
Helping me is helping your cause against Ouroboros.
I tried to persuade them in this way, but Ryan brought up something unexpected.
“Could it be that Confucius wants to oppose Duke Lafort, because Duke Lafort is also entangled with the shadow of Ouroboros?”
…No, that’s not it.
But I gave an ambiguous answer.
“Think for yourself.”
I didn’t confirm it, but it seemed like a truthful response!
Indeed, Ryan was completely taken aback.
“Ohoho. It’s astonishing. Could it be that Confucius, once known as Banregi, was hiding such intentions? Please forgive the impudence I showed you today, Master Confucius.”
Perfect!
“With Ryan’s help, achieving my plan will be a piece of cake!”
While hiding my elation, I explained the plan.
“Tell me what you need to do. First, mobilize people…”
However, Ryan’s reaction to the explanation was strange.
Something seemed a bit awkward.
“Why is that? Isn’t it a simple matter to use your subordinates?”
“Well, that’s true, but there’s a problem. I can’t mobilize my subordinates right now.”
From Noble mtl dot com
I wore a puzzled expression.
‘What problem could there be with the rebels? Isn’t it the wrong time?’
The proper scenario hasn’t even begun yet.
“What’s going on?”
Rian hesitated before speaking.
“Do you know about the Devil’s Flower?”
I was taken aback.
“…How do you know about the Devil’s Flower?”
It was a disease.
A cursed flower growing from the body.
Under the influence of the Devil’s Flower, one gradually transforms into a demon.
‘Wasn’t this a disease that spread only in the latter half of the scenario? Why now?’
Suddenly, my heart sank.
Even at this point, there was someone suffering from the Devil’s Flower.
Someone crucial to the scenario.
“The Saint of our rebel group has started to show signs of the Devil’s Flower. Everyone in the organization is currently moving to find a way to cure the Saint.”
“!!”
My vision blurred.
The Saint of the rebel group.
I knew who it was.
One of the 16 playable protagonists and also one of the four main ones, was Johannes, known as the ‘Devil’s Saint.’
* * *
‘Why is Johannes already undergoing demonization?’
As explained earlier, all 16 protagonists have different classes.
Johannes is a protagonist belonging to the ‘Support Class’ as a ‘Healer.’
‘A saint character that appears everywhere without fail.’
However, there was a problem.
Johannes was simultaneously blessed by the saint and cursed by the devil.
‘Normally, demonization should start appearing around the end of the first year?’
I felt uneasy.
‘The demonization appearing on Johannes’ body is qualitatively different from the demonization epidemic that becomes popular in the later stages of the scenario. It’s much more severe.’
I asked in a serious tone.
“How much has the demonization progressed? Stem? Leaves?”
“It’s right before the flower bud blooms.”
I made a dizzying expression.
‘If the flower blooms now, Johannes will die!’
Later, when his power grows a bit more, he might withstand a few blossoms, but at this point, Johannes’ power is at a tiny level.
‘Absolutely not!!’
In fact, to clear the ‘Hero Academy,’ all 16 protagonists are not necessary.
Some protagonists may become enemies as the scenario unfolds.
However, there are four essential individuals.
Among them was Joheun, the devil saint, one of the four main characters.
‘Without Joheun, we cannot prevent the final catastrophe.’
This was not a situation to passively accept.
“What about the medicine master? If it’s the medicine master, they might be able to suppress the progression of demonization, right?”
Demonization is not a magical curse; it’s an illness.
It could be restrained through medicine and treatment.
The problem was the extremely difficult level, making only the medicine master capable.
“We’ve already exhausted all the organization’s resources to inquire about the medicine master, but we can’t find any traces. They might have gone to the North Sea.”
My eyes darkened.
It would take at least half a year to return.
At that moment, an unexpected message came to mind.
＜The discernment of the victory and defeat master will manifest in front of a pitiful patient!＞
– Success probability of curing the obsessed saint: 83.5%
‘…What is this?’
I blinked my eyes.
‘How can I cure demonization? My ability is ‘Master of Magic,’ not ‘Genius Healer!’
At that moment, a single thought suddenly crossed my mind.
No, it wasn’t.
I had another ability.
“Could it be?”
– The characteristic of ‘thousand changes and all-around versatility’ is released!
– Displays competence regardless of the field!
I had forgotten, but it was the latent ability that came out along with the Grand Magus of Magic when I first opened my latent ability.
“Even if you’re competent, there should be a limit. Is it at the level of a prodigy?”
An additional message popped up as if explaining to me.
– Possesses ‘unprecedented talent’ regardless of the field!
“…….”
I fell silent for a moment.
It was something I had been thinking about for a while,
“…My purpose is to quietly live off the benefits, isn’t this ability too excessive?”
Anyway, it wasn’t the time to just sit idly.
There was an 83% chance that it was possible.
However, there was a problem that needed to be addressed beforehand.
“I have a way to treat your saint.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, but there’s a condition. A very important condition. You must promise to comply in order for me to treat.”
“…Please tell us.”
My serious expression made Ryan’s face serious as well.
“Will your saint be attending the academy?”
“Yes, originally, she intended to take the entrance exam this time.”
“Make sure she never goes to Rubiness Academy.”
“…What?”
“If possible, Peridot Academy, the farthest from Rubiness Academy, would be ideal. Or Sapphire Academy is fine too. Anyway, ensure that your saint has nothing to do with Rubiness Academy.”
…”
Rian’s expression became subtle.
Why? It was an odd gaze, but I was serious.
While the protagonist Catherine attracted aggro, I couldn’t let it happen even to the devil’s saint.
“And the fact that I healed her is an absolute secret to your saint. Don’t even mention it.”
…”
“Absolutely, unquestionably.”
I had to avoid the devil’s saint’s obsession at all costs.