The Next Morning
“Baron Balzac’s territory was devastated by a storm. Do you happen to know anything about it?”
“Hmm… Maybe an S-rank monster passed through?”
After finishing my night walk and returning to the Golden Carriage, I found myself subjected to an interrogation—not quite an accusation, but close enough.
“Phoenix, are you sure you had nothing to do with it?”
“Yeah.”
“I see. Then, I’ll be counting on you from now on as well.”
“Sure.”
It was like playing a rigged game of cards while pretending not to see.
But if that game meant the downfall of someone who had cast unpleasant glances our way—and an opportunity to rake in an enormous amount of money—then there was no choice but to turn a blind eye.
“The ant nest in Baron Balzac’s territory—every single one of them has been taken care of. Not a single one left.”
“I feel like we got stronger from the fight. Yunia and I… To be honest, I think we could take on an A-rank monster one-on-one now.”
“That’s incredible.”
I had always thought it was possible, but unlike Yunia, who had yet to bloom, Evangeline Ercy was different. Since she was from the Di Ercy Empire, I could gauge her growth potential by examining her mana pockets.
But to think that they had gained enough experience to take down A-rank monsters one-on-one in a dungeon that the Four Founders had sealed away—even if it was just a treasure-farming dungeon?
“At this rate, won’t all three of you—Ludmila included—reach S-rank by the time of the Great Martial Tournament?”
“Normally, I’d say ‘Do you think S-rank is something just anyone can achieve?’—but considering myself and the others… we really aren’t just anyone, are we?”
Ludmila tilted her head up proudly.
She had already been improving rapidly, especially with her growing mastery over Turbulence, bringing her closer to pseudo-S-rank.
The once-distant peak of S-rank had now come into sight.
“When I first enrolled, I thought spending a year at the Academy was just a sacrifice for my family’s sake…”
“And now?”
“If I could talk to my past self from six months ago, I’d tell him to listen to everything you say. No questions asked—lie down if you tell me to lie down, strip if you tell me to strip.”
“You mean the coat, right?”
“…”
“You are talking about the coat, aren’t you?”
“Well, I’m not the only one, am I?”
Ludmila flashed a mischievous grin.
“Isn’t that right, Instructor Esta? And Senior Yurha?”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re the perfect comparison. You’ve grown even faster than I have, haven’t you?”
“…”
Esta averted her gaze.
Ludmila had improved at a remarkable rate, but Esta had grown even more, pulling ahead once again.
“If you keep this up, you’ll catch up soon enough.”
“But you never waited for us, did you?”
“That’s just how it is. I’m almost ten years older than you.”
“Khmm.”
“If anything, shouldn’t I be the one upset? A junior nearly ten years younger is catching up with my progress—and not on their own, but with others literally pushing them forward, giving them wings.”
“Well, whether someone can seize an opportunity or not depends on circumstances, doesn’t it?”
Yurha chuckled at Esta’s complaint.
“Ten years ago, maybe we could have seized those opportunities. But back then, there was no Phoenix to make it happen.”
“So are you saying you did seize an opportunity ten years ago, Senior Yurha?”
“Hmm, not quite. But at the very least, I know I can’t let it slip away this time.”
Yurha winked at me, and I raised both hands lightly.
“I’m expecting repayment for all this help eventually. I have my reasons, you know—I’m not just handing out favors for free.”
“Whatever you propose, Phoenix, in the long run, it always benefits both the individual and the group. In the end, isn’t it best to accept your offers? Just look at Baron Balzac’s territory.”
Yurha raised a finger and twirled it in the air.
“A massive storm suddenly struck Baron Balzac’s lands, destroying the gambling den completely. The Baron himself was also seriously injured by the storm.”
“It really was sudden, wasn’t it?”
“When you travel with Phoenix, these ‘coincidences’ tend to happen often. The key is not letting those coincidences go to waste.”
Yes.
Everything was a coincidence.
“A black-haired, jade-eyed gambler appeared right after Phoenix left, completely robbing Baron Balzac blind. Then, right after that person disappeared, a storm just happened to wipe out the gambling den.”
“I see. Whoever it was, maybe they just couldn’t stand the Baron’s actions and decided to obliterate him with magic?”
“They couldn’t stand it?”
“If they were just a pure gambler, they might’ve left after a ‘good game.’ But if they resorted to force, then they must have had a reason, right?”
“Oh my, was that the reason?”
“If I had been in their shoes, I probably would’ve done the same. But more importantly, how long are we going to keep doing this?”
I pressed my index finger against my lips and smiled.
“Rather than interrogating someone, isn’t it more important to take advantage of the situation? That’s the Silverstar’s way, isn’t it?”
“Silverstar has already begun moving—through Marchioness Ludvecia.”
“That was fast.”
“We already had a few things in place. I just didn’t expect it to play out this way.”
Yurha moved her hand as if swallowing something whole.
“People will come from the Marquisate of Ludvecia. Since Baron Balzac is too ruined to continue ruling, the marquisate will ‘generously’ provide support for the territory’s people. And of course, Silverstar Trading Company will assist with that goodwill.”
“So in the end, the Marquisate of Ludvecia’s lands will expand. Is that really okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine. Fortunately, Baron Balzac’s territory has been a quiet place for a long time. There are no known valuable resources hidden there.”
Right.
Officially, Baron Balzac’s territory was a wasteland.
“So if there are any minerals or gemstones buried underground, it’ll take quite some time before anyone even thinks about digging them up. For now, both you and I need to focus on growth.”
“Or, once we’ve grown enough, we’ll reveal those resources when we’re ready to handle them.”
Esta lightly tapped the sword at her waist.
“Or if things get so urgent that we need to extract those resources immediately, you’ll give us a little hint, won’t you?”
“Well… yes, that’s how it would go.”
The gazes of my companions carried all sorts of meanings, but in the end, there was only one thing I could say.
“When the time comes, someone will ask me to bring it out. Until then, we’ll establish facilities in Baron Balzac’s territory, set up a correctional bureau, and provide services and aid to the territory’s people—helping the Blue Fire Squad reform themselves, to an extent.”
“And once you filter out those who can truly become part of the squad, you’ll take them underground to mine the resources?”
“That’s the plan.”
Once Baron Balzac was out of the way, things moved smoothly—almost too smoothly.
“Um, I have a question.”
“What is it, Evangeline?”
“What if Baron Balzac hadn’t been a gambler or a criminal? What if he had been a decent and respectable lord?”
“In that case, we’d work together. I would’ve proposed joining forces and encouraged him to engage in fair trade. Ah, and of course, if he had refused, I wouldn’t have just summoned a storm to deal with him. Not that I could summon one anyway.”
That’s just how it was.
“There are all kinds of people in the world. You can’t divide everyone strictly into good and evil, but it’s surprisingly easy to tell who is white and who is black.”
“But you’re not planning to surround yourself with only the ‘white’ ones, are you?”
“Of course not. The world needs black too. The key is distinguishing between pure black and murky black—the kind that’s mixed with filth.”
“Hmm.”
Yurha let out a low laugh.
“Then what about me?”
“Some shades of black shine brightest when paired with gold. And the purer the black, the more it makes the gold stand out.”
“Good to know I pass your standards. So, what now? Vacation is…”
“It’s too late to go anywhere else, so I suggest we return to the Academy.”
I mimed opening a storybook, and the special Class members nodded heavily.
“Yeah. We’ve cleared our heads, and it’s time to think about our next challenge.”
“Challenge…?”
“Uh, Phoenix.”
Yunia was the first to raise her hand.
“How about Senior Yurha also try challenging herself in advance? You’ll be entering the Old School Building sooner or later anyway.”
“Oh? Do you have some kind of hidden treasure there?”
“Not exactly a treasure, but… the Four Founders did leave behind 49 special trials for their descendants.”
“…?”
“Ah, technically, it’s not quite 49.”
The excursion was over.
“Let’s head back. To the Academy.”
It was time to prepare for the second semester.
