Chapter 4

Because of the prophecy that a hero would emerge from Elysium Academy, the eyes of the entire continent were fixed on the academy.

As for me…

I had quite a few old connections.

Unfortunately, most of them were bad ones.

If someone like me became a professor at Elysium Academy, it would inevitably cause all sorts of problems.

That was why becoming a professor was out of the question.

So I chose a different path.

The academy guard.

Among all the positions at the academy, it was the only one that wasn’t a professor or a student while still allowing me to get involved in academy affairs.

Even so, I still needed a connection to the students.

That connection…

Was Leon.

“What?”

“You want me not to hire a teaching assistant?”

Leon stared at me in disbelief.

I nodded.

“But teaching assistants are practically the Empire’s last remaining legal slaves.”

“They’re a professor’s hands and feet.”

“How can you tell me not to hire one?”

Leon protested hesitantly.

It wasn’t surprising.

Teaching assistants were indispensable to professors.

In the original game, there was a professor who trusted no one.

Convinced that any assistant would steal his research, he refused to hire one.

As a result…

Elysium Academy automatically assigned him a member of the campus guard instead.

“If a professor doesn’t hire an assistant…”

“A guard is assigned in their place.”

That was why I’d told Leon not to hire one.

Of course, I could have explained the details and sworn him to secrecy, but…

“Do I really need to explain?”

Leon’s face instantly turned pale.

He frantically shook his head.

“N-No!”

“I understand!!”

Just then, the train began slowing to a stop.

Elegant buildings appeared beyond the windows.

The capital.

“Then…”

“I’ll see you next time.”

I picked up my luggage and stood.

“Next…?”

Ignoring Leon’s uneasy voice behind me…

I left the train.

* * *

The Imperial Capital was dazzling.

Medieval Gothic architecture blended seamlessly with magical technology, creating a city that felt like a mixture of the Middle Ages and the modern world.

I headed straight toward Mage Tower Street.

In this world, Mage Towers were less like ivory towers of learning…

And more like commercial corporations.

The reason was simple.

Just as knights needed swords…

Mages needed mana stones to cast spells.

The problem was that mana stones were incredibly expensive.

Being a mage required enormous wealth.

That was why the Mage Towers had names resembling giant corporations—

Arcana Group.

Lumen Corporation.

And countless others.

The first things visible upon entering Mage Tower Street were enormous skyscraper-like towers.

The corporate Mage Towers.

Every building was magnificent.

Among them…

One pair stood out.

Twin towers standing side by side.

“Good.”

I nodded with satisfaction.

Because the game had glitched when I raised every stat to Rank S…

I’d transmigrated twelve years before the game’s official beginning.

Even though I’d gained a twelve-year head start, there wasn’t much useful information.

After all…

The game was an academy story.

Still, there had been a few worthwhile opportunities.

The Twin Mage Towers were one of them.

In the game, they would grow into one of the most powerful Mage Towers on the continent.

A future corporate giant.

I had invested a considerable amount of money during their founding days.

Today’s destination, however…

Wasn’t the Twin Towers.

I walked past them and ventured deeper.

Soon, the majestic towers gave way to much shorter buildings.

Small and medium-sized Mage Towers.

Outside them stood robed mages calling out to passersby.

“Potion for thicker hair!”

“It really works!”

“Magius Holdings guarantees honest settlements!”

“We definitely won’t run off with your money!”

I continued farther inward.

Eventually…

The streets turned into something resembling a slum.

My steps finally stopped at the very end.

The building before me looked as though it might collapse at any moment.

Yet it proudly displayed a sign.

Constila Mage Tower

“Found it.”

There was only one reason I remembered this place.

Andy.

The youngest Archmage in history.

“The game said they were dirt poor…”

“I didn’t think it was this bad.”

I clicked my tongue while staring at the ramshackle shack.

Still…

For me, this was excellent news.

A chance to buy low.

A mage’s growth depended heavily on investment.

Even without proper financial backing, Andy had become an Archmage.

So what would happen…

If someone poured endless resources into that talent?

“Andy is a guaranteed investment.”

Saying I was “buying a mage” sounded strange.

But in this world…

It was perfectly normal.

The Mage Tower Association even sold standardized mage employment contracts.

Contract fees were one of the Association’s largest sources of income.

Naturally, they managed them very carefully.

I reached for the door.

Or rather…

I tried to.

The door broke before I could even push it.

THUD.

It fell to the floor.

Inside was an equally shabby workshop.

Among piles of magical devices that looked scavenged from who knew where…

Sat an elderly man with white hair.

Beside him was a small boy.

The two stared blankly at me.

“…Ah.”

“Was it a pull door?”

The old man and the boy exchanged glances.

Then the boy suddenly burst into tears.

“Waaaaah!”

“My mother’s precious keepsake!”

The old man immediately roared.

“You little brat!”

“What have you done?!”

“Do you know how valuable that door was?!”

Andy wailed dramatically.

The old man followed with thunderous outrage.

Their teamwork suggested they’d rehearsed this routine many times.

“My mother personally imported that premium custom-made door from Shearn Island!”

“Waaaaah!”

“You’ve destroyed our Mage Tower’s greatest treasure!”

“How do you plan to compensate us?!”

“Even your life wouldn’t be enough!”

“…We might settle for fifty silver coins.”

Their overacting was almost impressive.

I casually raised a hand.

“You’re Andy?”

“That’s me.”

“Who are you?”

“I’d like to sign an exclusive employment contract.”

“…Exclusive employment?”

“You little—!”

“Our Mage Tower’s treasure—!”

“Grandpa.”

“I think he’s actually a customer.”

“What kind of lunatic would come to our Mage Tower?”

“He’s obviously a scammer.”

“What could anyone possibly scam from us?”

“…Fair point.”

“Let’s at least hear him out.”

“Oh!”

“Please come in, honored guest!”

Andy politely offered me a chair.

I remained standing.

“I’d like to hire you exclusively.”

“Ahem.”

“I’m rather expensive.”

“How much were you planning to offer?”

“How much do you need?”

Instead of answering…

I asked him.

Andy froze.

After exchanging a glance with the old man…

He confidently held up five fingers.

“Five gold coins!”

…

Five gold coins?

It wasn’t a small amount.

An ordinary commoner could live for about four months on that.

But…

Skilled mages were extremely expensive.

A future Archmage…

For only five gold coins?

I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

Apparently misunderstanding my reaction, Andy hurriedly added,

“I really am worth that much!”

“I even got accepted into Elysium Academy!”

“If that’s too much…”

“Four!”

“No!”

“Three!”

“I absolutely can’t go any lower!”

“That’s already dirt cheap!”

His fingers folded down one after another.

I had come here intending to buy low.

That didn’t mean I planned to exploit him.

This was an investment.

I raised one finger.

“One?”

“Even I can’t sign an exclusive contract for one—”

“No.”

“One hundred.”

“One hundred silver coins?”

“Come on!”

“At least make it five hundred—”

“Gold.”

“…Huh?”

I turned my money pouch upside down.

Gold coins poured out in a glittering cascade.

A pleasant clinking echoed through the room as a small golden mountain formed on the floor.

Andy’s mouth hung open.

Then…

His expression became unusually serious.

“…Don’t tell me…”

“You’re into boys?”

He asked carefully.

I frowned.

“What kind of insane nonsense is that?”

“I mean…”

“What’s more believable?”

“Someone investing one hundred gold coins in me…”

“Or some perverted nobleman lusting after a pretty boy?”

“Even the phrase ‘exclusive employment’ sounds suspicious…”

“Let’s sign the contract.”

I placed the Mage Tower Association’s standard contract in front of him.

After carefully reading it…

Andy let out a shrill scream.

“You want me to spend all one hundred gold coins within half a semester?!”

“That’s the condition.”

Andy was a guaranteed winning lottery ticket.

There was no reason to save money.

If anything…

I needed to accelerate his growth by pouring resources into him.

The only issue was Andy’s spending habits.

His timid personality was actually a weakness for a mage.

I needed to force him to spend.

“If you use up all one hundred gold coins…”

“I’ll invest another two hundred six months later.”

“…You’re insane.”

Andy muttered the curse under his breath.

His face had turned completely white.

“W-Why are you doing this for me?”

He looked genuinely frightened.

I quietly met his clear eyes.

There were many things I could have said.

Soon…

Hell itself would descend upon this world.

Outer Gods would burn and tear the continent apart.

To stop them…

Even pouring mountains of gold into a guaranteed future Archmage wouldn’t be enough.

But…

That explanation would take far too long.

So instead…

“If you don’t want it…”

“Forget it.”

I slowly pulled the contract back.

Andy immediately grabbed it.

The old man, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

“Andy.”

“Exclusive contracts aren’t something to sign lightly.”

“They’re shackles for life—”

“Huh?”

“What, Grandpa?”

Andy had already signed it.

The old man narrowed his eyes at me.

A chilling sensation brushed across my neck.

I casually tapped my sword hilt with a finger.

Just then…

Andy suddenly grinned mischievously.

“So…”

“You really aren’t into boys, right?”

“I should probably prepare myself mentally just in case—”

I frowned again.

Why did he keep bringing that up?

Especially when…

He wasn’t even a boy.

Still…

Pointing that out might provoke the old man.

So I simply ignored it.

“Say that one more time…”

“And I’ll cancel the contract.”

“Joke!”

“Juuuuust kidding!”

“Hahaha!”

“Please!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Grandpa, hurry up and apologize too!”

Andy immediately dropped to his knees and clung to me.

At Andy’s insistence…

The old man also knelt.

Their acting skills were remarkably polished.

Satisfied…

I tucked the contract away.

I’d just acquired the youngest future Archmage on the continent.

For only one hundred gold coins.

It was, without exaggeration…

A steal.

“Get ready.”

“We have somewhere to stop first.”

“Huh?”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m introducing you to a friend.”

“A friend?”

Tilting his head in confusion…

Andy gave me an awkward salute.

“I’ll be right out, Boss!”

“Sir, yes sir!!”

* * *

“Grave?”

The old man quietly read the name written on the contract.

The man had appeared out of nowhere…

And invested one hundred gold coins in Andy.

Andy’s talent shouldn’t have been known yet.

“Did he discover who I really am?”

No.

If he knew the old man’s true identity…

He wouldn’t have dared behave so casually.

Besides…

If word of the old man’s identity had leaked even a little…

The major corporations would have arrived long before this mysterious man.

“I’m rich!”

“Filthy rich!”

“Grandpa!”

“Close the shop!”

“We’re done for today!”

“We’re eating premium meat pies!”

Andy’s cheerful shouting interrupted his thoughts.

The old man looked at him seriously.

“Andy.”

“Never remove your transformation magic.”

“Got it.”

“Sigh…”

“Being too beautiful really is troublesome.”

“If you don’t put a fence around a flower…”

“The insects will gather.”

“Be careful.”

“And then be even more careful.”

“I know.”

“I’ll remember.”

“Seriously…”

“Why did Mom have to make me so pretty?”

Andy grumbled sincerely.

The old man smiled gently and patted his head.

“It couldn’t be helped.”

“Your mother was incredibly beautiful.”

Andy giggled.

“I wonder who that guy really is.”

“What kind of incredible person casually throws around a hundred gold coins like that?”

“Who knows.”

“A high-ranking noble?”

“He had that sort of elegant atmosphere.”

“I don’t think he’s a noble.”

“Why not?”

Because he smells of blood.

A horrifying amount of blood.

The old man swallowed those words.

“Hahaha!”

“You thought I couldn’t spend a mere hundred gold coins?!”

“You underestimated me!”

“Starting today…”

“I’m eating three meat pies every meal!”

“And two cakes for dessert!”

“Hehehe…”

Andy shook his pouch of gold coins with an evil grin.

“Hmm…”

“Perhaps I raised him a little too frugally…”

For an entirely different reason…

The old man suddenly found himself worrying about Andy.