I Will Carry as an Academy Veteran

95

Even though his attitude was arrogant enough to make me want to smack him across the forehead right now, his proposal was quite reasonable.

A truce, yes, a truce.

A temporary halt to the mutual restraint until the duty of the “Mazoku,” the blood kin, is fulfilled.

Hmm.

But come to think of it, despite being in a competitive relationship, I hardly ever seem to have clashed with this guy.

Siblings bickering, swinging axes and swords at each other, casting spells – that doesn’t count as a quarrel. It’s just everyday life.

Isn’t it a necessary virtue for an Eastern noble to wrap rice cakes in ramen, prepare tteokbokki, sundae, tempura, and finally tear chicken from fried chicken when their blood kin is supposedly on a diet?

Anyway, he and I are conscious of being each other’s competitors for the successor position, and each other… no, he’s just burning with the desire to defeat me alone.

That’s not really about sending assassins or resorting to matters of life and death to cut off each other’s lifelines.

The reason is simple.

“…We are still students of Salrenium Academy.”

“Why are you suddenly talking about that?”

“And even if we don’t cut off each other’s breath, the power and succession rights of one side will naturally become certain through achievements and factions in this cage, until one graduates superiorly from the academy.”

“What are you talking about? Are you even listening to me?”

And.

To be precise, it’s probably because Repelheight Hujak is still alive.

“Why is he suddenly coming up?!”

Well.

I know about that person.

In the setting and in the story, Repelheight Hujak is definitely not a good guy.

Not a good ‘father’ either.

Looking back, it’s quite fortunate that the point of possession as ‘this body’ was after being driven out of the Hujak position.

“What’s the matter? Lost in your own thoughts…”

“Nothing happened? When you went to the northern engagement ceremony.”

“Oh, that… Hujak just said, ‘What an arrogant guy.’ and that was it. Oh, thinking about it again, it makes me angry. Do you know how much I prepared for that?”

“I see.”

“What do you mean, ‘I see’! You should be grateful! Oh, by the way, Adrian, do you know why Hujak went to the north? You’ve been in the Hujak position longer than me, so you should know better.”

It’s nothing.

“It’s nothing. He’s going to the north for a summer retreat. Isn’t the west hot in the summer? Of course, the north would be cooler. Stupid guy.”

“…That’s not what I meant! I…!”

“Accept the proposal. Make sure to include me in the list of the punitive force.”

“Well, wait a minute. Were you the commander of that ‘punitive force’?”

“Yes, so?”

“Hmm…”

Upon hearing my words, Ebenis’ face turned into that of a deflated balloon.

What’s this?

Is it a face comedy?

* * *

In addition, our party and our colleagues, including everyone, participated.

Moreover, news about the demons had spread widely.

That’s why there were even people coming to find me.

“…What’s this?”

“…Ugh, no. This is, just… You, you’re criticizing me for coming to ask you to put me on the list of the punitive force!”

In front of me, sitting in a room borrowed from the student council, stood a tall woman with red hair.

Why is she acting like this?

“If you want to join the punitive force, speak properly.”

“Pu, punitive… Yes, I will never join the punitive force where you are the commander!”

“Then go back.”

“Ugh!”

I don’t understand what she wants from me.

“Lady Vladir. Let me say one thing. Is your pride so important in front of the fact that you are going to punish demons?”

“…Please put me in the punitive force.”

That’s right.

I even included Lady Vladir, the top student of the 2nd year Knight Department.

Thus, the punitive force, consisting of nearly fifteen people, including the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students, the second-ranked students, my colleagues, and those involved in the student council, was organized.

Now that the overall list is complete, only the submission remains.

“Sit down, Cousin. As I said before, we should talk a little about the North.”

I pushed the documents aside and gestured to her.

“What do you want to say? Let me tell you in advance! The reason I asked you to put me in the punitive force is that I surrendered to you…”

“The North, with its three hundred years of tradition, has numerous forbidden arts sealed in the underground library of the Vladir Ducal House.”

“How do you know about that…?”

In that era, the entire empire was a battlefield, and naturally, the cold North was no exception.

During the Great War, the North captured numerous magical books and forbidden arts from the demons.

After the first emperor saw them, he gathered only the forbidden arts that should never be used and sealed them in the underground library of the Vladir Ducal House with a massive barrier.

However, after several hundred years, the barrier is gradually weakening, and the forbidden arts are secretly spreading out and causing more confusion in the North.

The goal of Lady Vladir is to open the barrier, burn all the magical books, and create a North where people can live happily.

“Why do you know about my goal, which I have never told anyone?”

Isn’t it a good vision? Cooperate with me. If I become Viscount Repelhite, I promise to invest generously in the reconstruction project of the North that you are planning. I will also send talented people from the West.”

“Ugh.”

Lady Vladir chewed on her lips.

“**This seems like a good deal.**”

“S-so. What do I have to give? I-I mean…”

Saying that, the Grand Duchess wrapped her arms around herself and looked this way.

“Y-you mean… my body?”

“I want you to share the state of the boundary of the alchemy storage location with me every month.”

“Such audacity! …What?”

She blinked for a moment, then asked with a deeply flushed face.

“…I have one question. Adrian. Why are you curious about the state of the boundary of the alchemy storage location?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Adrian, I’ll warn you in advance, the alchemy in that place…”

“I know. I have no intention of meddling. I can’t even if I wanted to. I just want to know the state.”

“Well, if that’s the case… I understand. It’s not difficult to share the state of the boundary. But the promise must be kept.”

“Understood. Promise.”

The Grand Duchess stared at me for quite a while, then took a deep breath.

“You showed a trustworthy attitude in the previous test, so I will place my trust in you.”

“Thank you. Now that my name is also on the list for the punitive force, I can leave.”

“Uh, um… understood.”

Even as he turned to leave, he held the door handle and continued to glance back this way.

“D-do you really…”

“I won’t.”

Why would I meddle with that?

* * *

Finally, it was him.

“…Hello, senior.”

Bowing with a heavy expression, the young man came in and took a seat.

“Erhan, are you still troubled by what happened back then?”

“I’m sorry. You told me that it’s best not to worry, but I just can’t seem to erase it from my mind…”

The young man muttered with a dark expression.

Well, now must be the toughest time for him.

We often heard him soliloquize during Act 3.

“Yet, you’re still standing here.”

“…Yes?”

“Erhan, you came to this punitive force of your own accord. Others might have run away.”

“Senior Lien Freitria applied to the punitive force…”

“That’s a different story. Erhan, do you know? There aren’t many people in this world who would sacrifice themselves to save others.”

“I know.”

He said, bowing his head.

“Many people have called me strange, peculiar.”

So, do you think that was wrong?”

He shook his head.

“No, I don’t think it was a mistake at all. No matter how many times I go back to the past, I would make the same choice as I did now.”

“Then, walk that path.”

Let’s see.

This guy, whenever he’s struggling, always had a soliloquy murmuring.

Gosh, I never knew taking care of his mental state would be this annoying.

“No matter how hard it gets, how tormenting it is, I won’t give up. That, too, is a skill.”

“Ah.”

“Feeling a bit better now?”

“Yes, thank you. I feel like I can move forward without regrets now.”

With a slightly brighter expression, he clenched his fist.

Finally.

Now he’s a bit more like a protagonist.

* * *

I gathered the list and took it to the president’s office.

“Is this the list of the punitive force you’ve gathered? Alright, this time, I’ll trust you.”

Canaria lightly stamped the document.

“Do you no longer doubt me?”

“Hmph, at least, someone who has proven themselves repeatedly with results, even if their intentions are unclear, I won’t doubt.”

She said that and gestured with her chin, where Daisy von Schkross stood politely.

“Schkross, my dear.”

“Thank you. Sincerely, thank you. I heard from Wolfgang, my lord. As soon as he heard that I had disappeared, he hurriedly grabbed his coat and set off, thinking of me in that way…”

The guy blushing at the tips of his ears, bowing his head.

What misunderstanding is he having?

“It’s not you.”

“Yes?”

“For Reyna’s sake, and for mine, you acted.”

Even if I did, I didn’t want to see Reyna cry, and it’s a butterfly effect caused by my actions that I need to deal with.

“That’s all. Don’t misunderstand.”

“Oh, I see. Is that so? hehehe, a resolute rejection is rather…”

Leaving the murmuring guy behind, Canaria and I resumed our conversation.

“Have you found the location?”

“The ancient castle in the resting place of the deceased. It seems they have hidden there.”

“Truly, they’ve gone to a troublesome place. …We can’t avoid a face-to-face confrontation.”

“Don’t worry. Student President. Isn’t my lineage Repelheit?”

“…”

“I will strike the neck of the demons without a single casualty. Think about what reward we may receive.”

“I’ll trust you, Adrian.”

I nodded and, accompanied by Daisy von Schkross who had been waiting, we left the president’s office.

Pulling out my staff, I followed her guidance to the courtyard behind the student council building.

There, the fifteen elite warriors I had summoned in advance were each holding their weapons, facing our way.

Initially, I expected them to be in their twenties, but as I scrutinized their specs, it turned out that fifteen was the limit.

Greatswords, swords, wands, staves, spears, shields…

They were an unmatched group.

“Greetings, comrades.”

I climbed up to the makeshift platform in front and stood before them.

“You all will adorn the first chapter of the saga to be used in Salenium today, and your exploits will be passed down to future generations without missing a detail.”

Their eyes sparkled.

“Our destination is the resting place of the dead, Elivelt Fortress. I assure you, under my command, no one will die, and we will cut the throats of the demons, carrying their supplies.”

Now.

“We depart.”

[“Act 3 of ‘Adrian’ begins!”]

[“Defeat ‘Demon Bellanio’! (0/1)”]

The essence of party RPGs.

Let’s commence the demon raid.