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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 79
"You... what in the world have you done?"
The dean, visibly flustered as he scanned the contract, was understandably surprised. I had sprung the contract on him with no warning.
However, from the dean's perspective, it wasn't a bad deal at all.
"Please read it. I negotiated skillfully so that you wouldn't be taken advantage of."
"Yes, it's incredible, but..."
The dean pointed to a section of the contract.
His finger rested on the clause stating that he must participate in the war specified in the [Blood Moon Prophecy] and faithfully follow the command center's orders.
"This means you're telling me to participate in the war, right?"
The dean had a hesitant look on his face.
Indeed, would these rewards matter to him now?
It wouldn't make much difference whether he had them or not.
However, I couldn't back down here.
Instead, I spoke confidently.
"Yes, please. Please sign this contract and participate in the war."
"Huh, huh..."
Perhaps it was because of my boldness.
The dean let out a hollow laugh and asked,
"So, Yuhan, there must be a reason why you brought this contract, right?"
"...Yes."
As expected, I couldn't persuade him without explaining the process.
I nodded once and then confessed what had happened.
Starting from receiving the summons at the checkpoint, to almost being confined there, and then dramatically negotiating my way out.
After I revealed everything, Asion Gale's reaction was unexpected.
As a mage, I thought he would listen calmly.
"...What? They threatened you? And a student of our academy at that?"
His face crumpled frighteningly.
Far from being calm, he seemed angrier than I was, the person involved.
It seemed that the rumors about Asion Gale cherishing the members of the academy were true.
"How dare they, those ignorant fools...!"
Shwaaa-.
Along with his angry voice, an eerie magical energy began to swirl around the dean.
As expected of a high-ranking 8th Circle mage, his mana had an overwhelming pressure.
Just being near him made it difficult to breathe.
I could instinctively tell.
'...He's much stronger than Dercion.'
Asion Gale was much stronger than Aldeon's former Magic Tower Head, Dercion.
I was sure of it, even though I had only felt his mana.
It was a moment that made me realize that even within the same Circle, the level of ability varies greatly.
"...I need to see that guy's face."
Chuck.
Asion Gale muttered as he picked up the staff that had been placed nearby.
He seemed ready to storm the war command center right away.
I desperately stopped him.
"You can't go."
"Step aside. Those who cross the line must be made an example of!"
"...Are you thinking of making enemies of the royal family?"
"I wouldn't hesitate to. Lately, the royal family has been underestimating the academic society. They've forgotten how great mages are, thanks to the long period of peace."
"No, even so...!"
"Why, do you think I would lose?"
"..."
Well, I wonder.
An 8th Circle mage single-handedly raiding the war command center.
That Barus guy seemed quite strong, but...
I couldn't imagine Asion Gale losing to him.
Even if someone stronger than Barus came to help.
But that's one thing.
"...This would put me in a difficult position. No, it could even shake the entire Asternon."
"Shake Asternon?"
"Aren't we about to go to war? Now is not the time to be divided internally."
Moreover, if the division arose between the royal family and the academic society... the result was obvious.
I wondered if he didn't know that.
"Those demons can be swept away. Asternon has always endured that way."
It wasn't that he didn't know, but that he simply had no sense of crisis.
Well, he's not wrong.
Indeed, they must have overcome past wars that way.
However.
"This time, the scale is large. There's a reason why they call it the Great War, right? Don't you have any sense of crisis?"
This war is different from those that have occurred before.
Just look at the [Blood Moon Prophecy].
It's a serious matter, enough to be written in the prophecy.
"..."
Was he somewhat persuaded?
Asion Gale was lost in thought for a moment before speaking.
"You're not wrong. It's certainly not a good time."
From what he said, it seemed like he understood to some extent.
I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
If Asion Gale had acted so recklessly, that war command center would surely have been destroyed.
It would have created a huge hole in their forces, which were already lacking.
I spoke once again to drive the point home.
"Please bear with it. I beg you."
I bowed my head politely as I said those words, and I felt his gaze fixed on me.
When I raised my head again, the dean said in a low voice,
"Alright. I'll let it slide for now."
At the same time, the mana that had been pressing down on the surroundings subsided.
It seemed like he had given up on the idea of attacking.
Moreover.
"Contract? Participating in the war? It's all good. If that's what you want, I'll do it."
"Yes?"
"I'm saying I'll do as you wish."
He suddenly accepted my proposal.
"If what you say is true, then there's no other way, is there?"
"...Yes, that's right."
The situation was going suspiciously smoothly.
It was so easy that it made me uneasy.
As if to prove my hunch, the dean continued.
"However, it's clear that this is not something that can be simply overlooked. You understand that, right?"
"..."
I had nothing to say to the dean's question.
Because he was right.
Whatever the reason, those guys had done something they shouldn't have, and the dean had to respond.
This was a blatant disregard for the academic society.
As the academic society had always maintained a proper distance and balance with the royal family, they couldn't just sit still.
Seeing me silently acquiesce, the dean spoke again.
"I'll participate in the war and follow their orders. However, those guys will definitely pay the price. After the war, that is. Will you stop me then?"
The dean asked, looking me straight in the eye.
I had no choice but to nod.
"Alright. After the war is over... do as you please, Dean."
I had done what I could.
Those guys should also take responsibility for what they did.
What the dean did after the war, whether he went on a rampage or whatever, was none of my business.
"Good."
With that compromise, Asion Gale signed the contract without hesitation.
And then he suddenly handed the contract to me.
"Deliver it."
From his voice and the forcefully written signature... it seemed like his anger hadn't subsided yet.
For a moment, I felt like he was similar to someone.
Somehow.
'He seems similar to mister...'
He felt strangely similar to Thompson in personality.
And not just his personality.
His large build, muscular physique... now that I see it, they're completely alike.
If Thompson's magic skills improved dramatically to the level of a great mage, wouldn't he become a mage like this?
'...I'll have to keep an eye on him.'
It seemed like I needed to observe how Thompson's Body Transformation magic progressed for the time being.
***
The morning came after a comfortable rest in the dormitory.
It felt refreshing, as if I had finally gotten a proper rest.
Was it the same for Thompson?
"Ah! I slept well!"
Thompson, springing up from bed, stretched with a refreshed look on his face.
Well, he was already asleep when I returned after meeting the dean yesterday.
He had gotten enough sleep, so there was no way his body wouldn't be free from fatigue.
Anyway.
"Huu, huu...!"
'He's lively, lively.'
I was lost in thought as I watched Thompson doing hundreds of push-ups early in the morning.
'The preparations here are all done.'
There were some twists and turns, but anyway, the things I had to do here were almost finished.
I had enrolled Thompson and Kayla in Asion Academy, secured special training sessions with the dean and Professor Ziren, and even finalized a contract between the dean and the war command center.
With this, I could say that the preparations for the war were more or less complete.
Of course, I still had a lot to do separately.
'One by one. One by one.'
First, Barundel.
Now that I had volunteered as a war mercenary at the checkpoint, I had to inform Barundel.
Unlike Kayla and Thompson, Barundel had decided to apply separately.
He had asked me to let him know when it was finalized.
'Well, that's just a matter of visiting him and telling him.'
The really complicated things start after that.
Visiting the black market.
As I had promised Barundel, I needed to visit the black market.
Of course, I wasn't just going to buy his weapon.
Besides Barundel's weapon, I was also planning to buy anything else worthwhile.
It would definitely help me play an active role in the war, even if it was just a little.
Lena's reward should be ready by now, so I should have enough funds.
The problem was...
'...Would the black market even be open?'
Whether the black market was operating.
Hadn't I seen it already?
The shopping district was completely empty after the hunt, with all the shops closed.
With the war approaching, there was a high chance that the black market would also be closed like the shopping district.
Well, I wouldn't know for sure until I went there myself.
Anyway, after visiting the black market...
'It's about time I went.'
I was planning to visit the information center, which I had been putting off for a long time.
I had requested them to find people who were researching 'light magic.'
Apart from things like mana circuits, mana density, and magic handling skills, I currently needed an understanding of the light attribute itself.
If I could just gain that understanding, the possibilities of light magic were endless.
As I grasped the special characteristics, applications, and limits of light, I would be able to use increasingly sophisticated light magic.
Indeed, the elders of Aldeon used light magic in various ways.
For example, illusions, barriers of light, and such.
I wasn't able to handle those yet.
Before the war started, I needed to gather as much information as possible about the light attribute and prepare.
"What? Light magic? Hmm... I wonder if there's anyone left who does that?"
Thompson was skeptical of my plan.
It was understandable, as light was a difficult attribute, and there weren't many mages who learned it.
Moreover, those from the Aldeon academy who had focused on researching light had all been arrested in the previous incident.
To be honest, I didn't have high expectations either.
I was already prepared for the possibility that I would have to research light magic myself to improve my skills and understanding.
But if...
'If I just have a little bit of luck...'
If I could luckily find someone who fully understood light magic...
Perhaps my level could rise even further than it is now.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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