BFBG 15

Chapter 15

Yodala was sitting on my lap.

“Seriously, the more I look at your face, the more it matches my taste. I think I could stare at it all day and never get tired of it.”

As if treating a lover.

She wrapped both arms around my neck and gazed at me with eyes overflowing with affection.

[Mental EX Rank calms the disturbance.]

I didn’t understand.

Why was Yodala here right now?

‘The executives shouldn’t be able to enter Garam Academy grounds because of the principal.’

The principal of Garam Academy possessed the power to unconditionally perceive anyone with strength above level 80.

Because of that, executives over level 80, including Yodala and Reaper, couldn’t set foot inside the academy.

‘Because the principal is absent? No… being absent doesn’t really mean absent for that person.’

The principal also had the ability to freely cross space.

Even if absent now, one minute later they might not be.

Yodala wouldn’t move like this just because the principal was currently away.

‘Then why…?’

As I continued pondering,—

“The principal won’t be returning for at least three days.”

As if reading my thoughts, Yodala spoke.

“The principal is currently in Endrich’s Sanctuary.”

The laws of time and space collapsed within Endrich’s Sanctuary.

No matter how freely the principal could cross space, they couldn’t transcend it in a place where the laws of space themselves were broken.

‘But why go to Endrich’s Sanctuary?’

With the principal’s personality, they wouldn’t have gone without reason.

There had to be something.

What was it?

As I wondered, I suddenly noticed Yodala’s intense gaze.

Her half-lidded eyes resembled a snake staring at prey.

‘…Is she suspicious of me?’

I didn’t know why, but it felt like she suspected something.

Why all of a sudden?

Was she suspicious because I looked like I didn’t understand the situation?

‘If she’s suspicious because I don’t understand, then conversely… it means I’m supposed to know exactly what’s happening right now.’

Then did that mean this situation was one I had created?

‘The butterfly effect from my own actions.’

I reviewed everything I’d done recently.

What exactly had caused this outcome?

‘I got it.’

The answer came surprisingly quickly.

“So the principal moved exactly as I expected.”

At my words, Yodala’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Then they returned to that honey-dripping gaze from before.

“Of course they moved. The principal loves Garam Academy and its students. There’s no way they’d forgive Endrich for sending Death Knights into Garam Academy and plotting to kill students.”

The principal invading Endrich’s Sanctuary…

That happened because of me.

I carelessly contacted Endrich, and as a result of turning the doppelganger’s corpse into a Death Knight—

This situation was born.

“Using the traitor’s corpse to lure away the principal and create conditions for us to intervene quickly. Such a sexy strategy, worthy of Master.”

Yodala smiled as if genuinely impressed.

Seeing that smile, I sighed inwardly with relief.

‘Did I somehow… get through that safely?’

[Mental EX Rank restores mental fatigue.]

It felt like my lifespan had shortened by about a year.

* * *

“Then, Master. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After that,

Yodala left my room with those words.

The moment she stepped into the hallway, her expression changed completely—turning into that of a cold, emotionless maid.

“Lord Jian Belomata. Then I shall await future contact.”

Students walking through the hallway stared at Yodala in shock.

Most seemed surprised because a maid had suddenly emerged from my room.

But one person looked shocked for a different reason.

“The clothes of the Genec Merchant Guild…?”

The Genec Merchant Guild.

Anyone who played Saga of Heroes would recognize that name.

‘Rosaline’s family.’

One of the world’s three greatest merchant groups.

It was run by Rosaline’s parents.

Though not publicly known, Rosaline was almost completely estranged from the Genec Merchant Guild.

The reason was simple.

Her parents wanted her to become a merchant, but she chose the path of a mage instead.

Her parents declared that a child who wouldn’t inherit their legacy wasn’t their child at all, and cut ties with her.

‘Why is Yodala disguised as a maid from the Genec Merchant Guild?’

I couldn’t imagine it.

What had Jeiraon ordered Yodala to do?

‘If the principal won’t return for at least three days, then the operation starts within two.’

Considering Jeiraon and Black Night’s tendencies, they’d want things handled as safely as possible.

Accounting for the chance the principal might return early, they’d want everything finished within two days.

Meaning—

The operation would begin either tomorrow or the day after.

‘The timing is narrowed down. What remains is figuring out what they plan to do…’

An operation important enough for a top executive to move personally couldn’t be something minor.

‘What the hell are they trying to do…?’

My thoughts were unbearably tangled.

* * *

The next day.

Like yesterday, I headed to school early in the morning.

‘Ah… my head hurts.’

Maybe because I hadn’t slept properly.

My mind felt foggy.

I wasn’t even sure I’d survive classes like this.

I’d probably fall asleep no matter what.

Thinking that, I looked up at the sky.

A bright blue sky without a single cloud.

“The weather’s unnecessarily nice.”

The exact opposite of my clouded mind.

Unlike my gloomy thoughts, the shining sky somehow felt irritating.

My head hurts this much.

Why are you so cheerful?

While entertaining that pointless resentment—

I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“Jian!”

I turned.

Rosaline was running toward me.

Her expression looked serious.

“You. Is it true someone from the Genec Merchant Guild came to see you yesterday?”

…The rumor already reached second-years?

Wasn’t that way too fast?

“Why aren’t you answering? I asked if it’s true.”

“Ah, yes. It’s true.”

Rosaline’s face twisted immediately.

“What did they say? That they’d support your living expenses as some kind of scholarship?”

I couldn’t answer.

No actual proposal had been made.

“Jian. Usually being tight-lipped is good, okay? But this time, it’d be better if you talked. I’m saying this for your sake. Because the Genec Merchant Guild only sees magic as a means to make money—”

“My lady.”

Yodala appeared at that exact moment.

“…Leah. So you were the person who came yesterday.”

“It’s been a long time.”

Apparently Rosaline knew the identity Yodala was disguised as.

Her name was Leah.

“My lady, I have a message from the Guild Master. Could you spare some time?”

“That old man? For me?”

Rosaline frowned even deeper.

“What nonsense is he trying to say this time…”

She muttered quietly, clicked her tongue, then glanced at me.

“If it doesn’t matter being said here, then I’ll say it now…”

After that, as if she had no choice, she clicked her tongue again.

Then turned to Leah.

“Fine. I’ll go with you. Jian, sorry. Let’s talk later.”

Rosaline said that to me and walked toward Leah.

“Then, Lord Jian Belomata. I’ll see you again later.”

Leah bowed politely.

Then the two of them walked away and disappeared.

‘…No, what is this?’

My already complicated thoughts became even more tangled.

* * *

Fortunately, I didn’t fall asleep during class.

Today’s lesson was “Monster Suppression Training,” a practical combat exercise.

Not the kind of class where you could doze off.

“You don’t need to be so nervous. Even though you’ll be facing monsters, they’re weakened specimens with their vital functions disabled.”

Inside a colosseum-like training ground for monster combat,

the instructor overseeing the exercise smiled gently, matching their soft appearance.

“And at most, you’ll be facing goblins or orcs with severed tendons. There’s absolutely no need to worry.”

The instructor clapped lightly.

The entrance gate opened.

Two goblins and one orc appeared.

Neither carried weapons.

Even the orc limped, as if one tendon had been ruined.

“They’re even unarmed?”

“At that level…”

Most students looked relieved upon hearing goblins and orcs.

“Goblins? Mere trash unworthy of my abilities.”

“Exactly. At least trolls would make things interesting.”

A few students complained instead.

They were students who had performed well in yesterday’s magic demonstration.

“Oh my. Would you like to fight a troll?”

The instructor’s eyes lit up.

“Don’t worry. We have trolls secured for training purposes too.”

The instructor smiled brightly at the student who had mentioned trolls.

“How about it? Want to fight one?”

The student’s face turned pale.

“N-No! I only said it casually! Goblins and orcs are fine…!”

Saying ‘it should at least be a troll’ was one thing.

Actually fighting one was another.

“I only said it…”

The male student lowered his head in embarrassment.

“A mage’s words are worth gold. I hope this teaches you not to speak carelessly.”

“…Yes. I’ll remember that.”

The instructor smiled softly at him.

“Oh, and I’m serious about bringing out a troll. Anyone interested can ask.”

The instructor’s gaze landed precisely on me.

As if saying:

You’re not satisfied with goblins and orcs, are you?

‘Hmm…’

I thought for a moment.

Even if it was a subdued training troll—

A troll was still a troll.

Killing one would give considerable experience.

‘Might be worth trying.’

Even if I failed, the instructor would intervene.

Definitely worth attempting.

“Then I’ll request a troll.”

“Excellent. I expected you to say that, Jian.”

The instructor smiled with clear satisfaction.

“Then we’ll finish the mock battles with the other students first, and afterward call in the troll—”

KIIIIIIEEEEK!

GRRRRRRRAAAAH!

At that exact moment,

the goblins and orc suddenly began screaming.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

At the same time, explosive booms echoed repeatedly from deep inside the colosseum.

RUMBLEEEEE—!

The ground began shaking violently.

“What?”

“This can’t be… right?”

Students cried out anxiously.

“This is…”

Even the instructor immediately realized something was terribly wrong.

“Everyone! Evacuate immediately! Hurry—!”

The instructor shouted for everyone to run.

Then drew out a staff and prepared magic.

And right then—

KWAAAAAAAANG!!

The colosseum entrance exploded apart.

Fragments scattered everywhere.

SKREEEEEE!

MOOOOOOO!

Through the debris,

countless monsters appeared.

“No way… did the monsters escape their prison?!”

“Run!”

Everyone fled with pale faces.

Only I remained standing, staring at the monsters.

‘This…’

Every one of them emitted a familiar energy.

[The Aura of Delusion spreads through the surroundings.]

[Mental EX Rank nullifies “Fear Contagion.”]

Using fear contagion and hallucinatory energy,

the monsters were healed, strengthened, and driven berserk.

Then those rampaging monsters were released throughout the academy as a diversion.

I knew this scenario.

I’d seen it countless times while playing the game.

‘Main Story, Act 2, Chapter 7.’

…Right.

So that was it.

‘Now I finally understand.’

What Yodala had been trying to do.

I understood perfectly now.