Chapter 116. It Really Was a Joke
After checking at the Academy, there seemed to be nothing wrong with Professor Parun’s condition. He was guiding Class M1 students with the same blunt face as always.
‘Then, that means it has something to do with the New Heavenly Origin Art.’
Aster considered two possibilities.
One, Professor Parun’s research part was finished and had to be handed over to Henji. Two, the Dekulan family was once again moving things beneath the surface.
If it was the former, Aster would welcome it. If research on the New Heavenly Origin Art had progressed, it meant that much less time would be needed to catch up with Faheln. But if it was the latter…
Just as Aster was thinking that far, Demian’s voice scattered his thoughts.
“Can’t you go?”
An innocent question. His eyes shone bright as usual. But the atmosphere wasn’t exactly the same as usual. How to put it… it felt transparent, as if he could see through the situation.
‘…Hmm.’
It wasn’t unfamiliar.
He seemed carefree and innocent, but he was still the heir of House Blanco. Even if he looked naive compared to others his age, he wasn’t naive on the inside.
Most likely, unlike other academy students who boasted of their maturity, Demian saw more, and understood more.
No, he probably grasped even more than that. He simply didn’t say that he knew, nor did he state what he saw. Perhaps it was this side of Demian that felt unfamiliar? While Chenbi tilted his head curiously, Aster opened his mouth.
“I’ll have to see to know.”
“When will you know?”
“At the earliest, tonight.”
“Got it.”
Demian’s mood returned right after that.
“During the vacation, I’m going to build Blood, Sweat, and Tears Mark II. So you have to come see it later!”
His voice was deliberately cheerful. Aster nodded, saying, “Sure, then.”
It was still uncertain whether he would be able to go or not, but Demian had already assumed Aster would not be able to.
After that, Demian continued leading the conversation for a while. But the same atmosphere as before did not return.
Because his mood had already dropped. Demian seemed somewhat down, and even Chenbi was worriedly glancing at him. Only Aster remained the same as usual. And so, as the day’s schedule came to an end…
“……”
After parting with Aster and Chenbi, Demian entered his room and stood blankly in the middle of the dark chamber.
The setting sun glowed dimly. Students bustled outside the window, while Demian’s expression sank indifferently.
The bright smile he had worn earlier seemed like a lie. With numb eyes, he gazed out the window for a while. Soon, his lips parted.
“…Boring.”
Before running away from home and entering the Academy, life had been somewhat fun. No, even after coming here, it wasn’t so bad.
Life at the Academy was boring, just as he had expected, but the people around him weren’t bad.
Yet now, it was unbearably boring. Why?
“…”
Flutter! Futter!
Demian’s eyes followed a moth. It crashed into the windowpane as if yearning for freedom. Demian’s fingers pointed at it, and mana bound the moth right after.
Crackle! Snap!
Demian quietly watched as the moth struggled, unable to even flap its wings.
…Boring.
His lips shaped the words without sound.
Creak! Crack!
As the mana shackle tightened, Demian organized his thoughts for a moment.
This was no different from when he had been back at House Blanco.
Not as Demian, but as the heir. As the successor of the family, the legitimate son, trapped inside that stale mold, what difference was there?
Thud! Crunch!
Just as the shackles compressed enough to destroy the moth…
“…Mm.”
Demian released them.
He caught the falling moth in his hand and healed it with a glow of light.
“Sorry.”
The moth, restored with dazzling radiance, fluttered its wings.
Demian opened the window and let it go, watching its fading path.
“Just until graduation.”
He would endure only until then. Surely, somewhere, there was something extremely fun going on. But at his current level, he wasn’t a match.
So, he would endure.
‘If the level doesn’t match, it isn’t fun.’
Therefore, just until graduation.
Only two years of boredom. Thinking of the future two years ahead, Demian smiled. It was his usual innocent smile. But then…
“…What about Chenbi?”
Even after two years, his level would not match. And now that they were friends, it wasn’t like he could abandon him.
Demian rested his chin on his hand, brooding, then suddenly smiled brightly.
“I’ll just let him tag along.”
Even if the level didn’t match, he was still a good friend.
…Of course, Aster and Chenbi’s opinions weren’t considered at all. It was solely Demian’s own resolution.
* * *
Late at night, long after lights-out.
I waited until Paula had fallen asleep, then put on my mask and slipped out of the Academy.
My destination was Parun’s mansion. The building, half-destroyed during the battle with Kalahan, had been fully restored without a trace of damage.
“…You’re late.”
Parun was still working in his study. At my presence, he lifted his head.
“I called you ages ago, and only now you show up.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Would’ve been better to use a communication crystal. I had no way to know if you were dead or alive.”
Perhaps he’d been quite frustrated. It was unlike him to nag. Shrugging, I sprawled into the sofa.
“So, why did you call me? You look fine enough. Did your research hit a wall? Want me to help?”
“I’d sooner grab an undergrad.”
Fair enough, my knowledge of magical studies was limited to what I needed. I had no real depth. Sure, I was better than a student, but to Parun it was much the same. Anyway…
“Did you eat something good?”
“…?”
I was impressed by the aura around him.
He’d always had a solid presence, but now it was different.
At the Academy I hadn’t noticed from afar, but seeing him close like this, the difference was obvious.
Did he gulp down some elixir?
And I don’t mean those mass-produced ones ranked lower, middle, or upper.
I mean a real elixir. A treasure crafted with rare ingredients. For someone like Parun to change so much, it had to be that.
But he shook his head.
“I just resumed training.”
Yeah, right. Could training alone change a person this much? He was completely different from a month ago. He must’ve grasped some enlightenment. The battle with Kalahan, and the ordeal at the Trial Hall, those must’ve shaken him deeply.
Still, that wasn’t what mattered now.
“So why did you call me?”
“Because some information came in.”
“Information?”
Parun rose from his desk and sat on the sofa’s main seat, as if it were natural. Irritating, but I said nothing.
He rubbed his temples tiredly and spoke.
“Have you heard of the Infinite Chain?”
“The Infinite Chain…?”
Yes, I had.
The Infinite Chain. One of the ancient artifacts. Despite the name, it wasn’t a chain but a ball of red thread.
Not an ordinary ball of thread, though.
Though wound tightly, it could never be unraveled, making it useless for knitting.
Still, it was considered valuable. Why?
Absolute Tracking, under certain conditions, it could track any target without fail.
Reading my reaction, Parun asked, “So you know of it?”
“Of course.”
How could I not? In my previous life, I’d suffered hell because of it.
The reckless swordmen of House Lorutel had chased me to the brink of death with that thing.
Without it, how could those idiots have tracked me?
The stab wounds I got then, one here, one there… Anyway, I barely survived.
It was fun, though.
“So, why?”
The Infinite Chain belonged to House Lorutel.
‘Wait, don’t tell me…?’
Had he gone after them too, beyond the Dekulan family? No way.
Lorutel didn’t make many public moves, but among sword clans, their prestige was the highest. They were undervalued only because they didn’t expand territory. Surely, even a madman wouldn’t provoke them after Dekulan.
‘But if he did…?’
Countless thoughts flashed through me.
I was a troubleshooter who valued loyalty. And Parun and I were companions in the same boat.
His danger was mine.
“Information came in. Dekulan approached…”
“I’m out.”
“…?”
“No, never mind. Keep talking about Dekulan.”
“……”
Parun’s eyes turned cold as ice.
I was calm. My life was already full of stains; one more blot wouldn’t matter.
After staring at me coldly, Parun spoke.
“Dekulan contacted Lorutel. They’re negotiating over the Infinite Chain.”
“Damn…”
“You know what that means?”
Of course.
“So right now…”
“Politely speaking, we’re screwed.”
“…”
Not polite at all, but I had no energy to point it out.
Why would Dekulan want the Infinite Chain?
Because of the Heavenly Origin Art research held by Henji and Parun. And beyond that… because of the Scarlet Transformation techniques I possessed.
So yes, as Parun said…
“…We’re screwed.”
Correction…
“…I’m fine, though.”
“…?”
“The Infinite Chain tracks objects, not people. I’ve memorized the Scarlet Transformation secrets.”
“……”
“I’ll just burn them. Kalahan’s subspace might be a bit tricky, but I can abandon it if needed.”
“……”
Back then, Lorutel had hunted me because I’d stolen something from them.
So in short, I was fine. Or rather, only I was fine.
“……”
“……”
The office filled with heavy silence as we glared at each other.
What? What are you looking at?
“You burn yours too.”
“…”
Hadn’t he memorized it yet?
At his level, surely the paper was imprinted in his mind. But he looked at me as if I were some monkey. With a sigh, he scolded.
“You think it’s that simple? What if they target the ‘thesis’? Should we burn the thesis too?”
Ah, right.
The Infinite Chain could track any target absolutely.
If Dekulan used the Heavenly Origin Art thesis as the target, Henji and Parun’s paper would be included.
‘True, they can’t track something they don’t know exists. But if they link it through the Heavenly Origin Art formulas, finding the paper is just a matter of time.’
Variables aside, it was possible. And no matter how brilliant Henji and Parun were, memorizing the entire massive thesis verbatim was impossible. Especially as co-authors, it was nearly unthinkable to remember the full logical structure.
“Now do you realize the seriousness?”
“Hmm…”
I looked grave as I faced Parun.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“…”
“Best of luck.”
“…”
Murderous intent rose from him immediately.
Rumble!
The sheer force shook the office furniture. I had no choice but to add…
“I was joking.”
I was a troubleshooter who valued loyalty. If I ignored a comrade’s peril, I’d feel uneasy for a whole day.
It really was a joke.
Really.
