Episode 36
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“I heard there is a saying that the hero of Lascent is heading to the imperial capital?”
“But is that true? “The hero of Lasent is a disgrace to the magic clan.”
“Nonsense! “The shame of the magic master is lying in the intensive care unit of the magic hospital over there. How can it appear there?”
An inn located in the center of the Imperial Capital, ‘Where the Wind Stays’.
『‘La Cent’s Hero’? Hahaha! I can hear your story up to here. Hero, hero… ! Humans are so excited about that damn hero.』
Mephisto snorted after hearing people’s random conversations.
From when I first entered the imperial capital until I entered this inn. She had to listen to stories about ‘La Cent’s hero’ all the time.
At first, he didn’t think it was a big deal and thought that the young Mervinger he was watching was in the process of becoming famous like his predecessors.
It didn’t end even after time passed, so I was in deep pain.
『If you were actually next to me, I would only be jealous.』
Mephisto hated the word hero to begin with.
Humans are weak. They easily break down simply by instilling fear, and there are many cases where they stab their colleagues in the back in the face of profit.
However, when a hero appears, the story changes.
Even though we were frustrated until yesterday as if the world had collapsed, we stand up with hope, as if it were a lie, when a hero appears.
Because of that, how many times did he and the Demon Lord’s army collapse in battles that they all won?
In the end, it was because of such a ‘hero’ that he was sealed.
In fact, a hero was a concept that demons never had.
The strong take everything. The weak are either eliminated or bow to the strong in order to survive.
For those of them who live by the simple principles of strong self-respect, they could not possibly understand the human habit of placing hope in heroes and projecting oneself.
The problem was that if you followed such heroes well, you would understand them, but there were many cases where people with quite high authority chose to vote for them out of fear that their position would be jeopardized.
‘The first Mervinger was like that too. It was for that reason that the Four Worlds went into seclusion.’
However, most people follow heroes and want to become heroes.
How does young Mervinger feel about becoming a hero?
With that question in mind, I look at Elric.
“… .”
Elric was alone in deep thought with a somber expression on his face.
His face had been like that ever since he saw the body floating in the river.
“why? Do you think it’s all because of you?』
Mephisto laughed lightly, thinking he knew why Elric was doing this.
A laugh full of ridicule.
『If you suddenly feel so guilty, you should have felt the same way from the first time you read those articles in the newspaper. It wasn’t like that back then, but now that you’ve seen it with your own eyes, has your opinion changed?』
Mephisto’s tone was bitter.
“no. Even if it weren’t for you, they are like moths that would have jumped into the fire anyway.』
“… .”
『Whether you are a human, a beast, or a demon, if anyone is blinded by greed, they become unable to distinguish between the front and the back. The guy who died earlier is just one of them.』
Elric closed his eyes tightly without saying a word.
Actually, Mephisto was right.
If it was really serious, you should have felt guilty before.
Maybe this was a psychological self-defense mechanism.
To justify oneself.
Still, even though he knew in advance that Professor Verlux would fail, he only tried to take advantage of it and did not even think about stopping it.
It was completely unexpected that civilians would be harmed in the process.
‘I never thought there would be such a large-scale investment… .’
Of course, it could be difficult to say that people who committed suicide were not guilty.
It was their choice to ‘speculate’ rather than invest, and to waste money to the point where the family collapsed.
Still, I couldn’t help but feel heavy in my heart, wondering if it was right to drive them to their deaths and have fun becoming a hero myself.
『Well, if you’re going to keep shaking Cheongseung, why not keep shaking it?』
Mephisto crossed his arms and snorted.
Elric was about to say something as he felt strangely different from the usual cynical Mephisto.
Then.
“What is this? “After working so hard to come here, you’re only giving me cold food?”
Someone across from me sat down and grumbled.
In an instant, Elric’s expression naturally brightened.
It was difficult to recognize his identity as he was wearing a deep black robe.
He was able to immediately recognize who the other person was just by hearing their voice.
It was Sean.
“The beer is also from Loknife? hey! “I was just jealous and said it wasn’t tasty, but didn’t I go too far?”
Sean pouted his lips and lamented.
“Well, regardless of whether my friend gets hit and run or not, it’s my fault, my fault, for expecting something from a guy who goes out on his own and plays around with love for his own good.”
“Can you order it for me?”
“What have you been hearing from me so far? of course!”
“good. “You do the calculations.”
“This bastard again… .”
Elric called the clerk separately and ordered the things Sean liked to eat, regardless of whether Sean was swearing or not.
“A long time. “Has it been two months?”
A smile appeared on Elric’s lips as he greeted him.
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Even though he must have felt the scent of magic power following him.
And even though there were probably so many questions, Sean didn’t ask any questions about them.
He probably believes that he will tell you when he needs it.
A friend you can trust even if you give up everything.
Looking at him like that, it felt like all the gloom that had been a little while ago disappeared.
Sean didn’t look like that at all.
“Three months, dude?”
“Has it happened already?”
“of course! “Winter is almost over now!”
Elric had a strange feeling at the thought of how quickly time passed.
A lot had happened in the meantime, so it might have felt that way.
“You can just come to the hospital. Why did you ask me to come here? On top of that, they make you do even more troublesome things… !”
The letter Elric sent included a few additional lines.
Since I think we’ll arrive at the Imperial Capital at some point, let’s meet at the place where we often drink.
These were the needs related to the ‘show’ to completely bring down Professor Verlux.
Seeing that he came in person without sending anyone else, it seemed like things had gone smoothly.
“You did it?”
“Would I have done it? of course.”
At that moment, Sean’s frown brightened and he grinned.
“Our Carol did it.”
Elric shook his head.
“Ugh!”
Sean was furious.
“why? what? Is there a problem?”
“With character… . Look at him making you do it because he doesn’t want to do it himself. “Don’t you feel sorry for Carol, who is messing around with you?”
Sean made a bewildered face.
“Is your conscience okay?”
“Do you want to do it?”
“shit.”
“why?”
“I’m a little annoyed hearing things like that from you.”
“I have a great personality, don’t I?”
“You must have great character.”
“anyway.”
“… “I shouldn’t say anything.”
Sean felt that if he tried to talk more with Elric, he would just get angry again, so he decided to just ignore the topic.
I took a swig of the beer that just came out and got to the point. Perhaps because I’ve been under a lot of stress, the beer tasted particularly refreshing today.
“anyway. Carol had a bit of a hard time. “The excavation rights are being handed over little by little without the family’s knowledge.”
The identity of the person named Lazuli who visited Professor Verrux was none other than Sean’s servant, Karl Doenitz.
In the meantime, it was Carol who not only took care of the two people’s affairs, but also secretly took care of the Neresta family’s ‘behind-the-scenes affairs’.
He used his talents to the fullest and succeeded in completely deceiving Professor Verrux.
It was a sketch for Elric’s ‘show’.
When Sean first received a message a few days before the presidential election telling him to ‘naturally’ hand over the excavation rights to Professor Verux, he suspected that Elric had gone crazy or that the letter had been changed midway.
That was because Professor Verlux had been pushed almost to the edge of a cliff, and the mere sight of Elric was bound to cause him to completely collapse.
But the moment I saw the added comment, I clicked my tongue and thought, ‘That’s what this guy is like.’
-Our dean still has a life to live, but we can help you have a sweet dream, even if it’s just for a moment, right? Of course, you will go crazy after waking up from the dream. Hehehe.
“When the dean, who has miraculously gained the right to excavate and is in high spirits again, is on the verge of becoming president, he shows up and starts a fuss… “Wow, it’s a painting that’s truly yours.”
Of course, Elric never conspired like this simply with the intention of harassing Professor Verlux.
People instinctively like stories.
Moreover, if it is a heroic story full of interest, I am enthusiastic.
Elric was just trying to use what he learned from Isabelle.
‘There is no picture more enthusiastic than the fact that Lasent’s hero is the shame of a magic master who overcame a desperate constitution and is the owner of a dragon’s nest.’
Professor Verlux is reduced to a villain who interfered with such a hero.
“If you go up for a while and then fall, it hurts that much, right?”
“Anyway. “You vicious bastard.”
If Carol, disguised as Lazuli, gives him the right to excavate, Professor Verlux will have no choice but to cling even more to the virtual civic group called Siesta.
And Elric really planned to hang Professor Verlux himself.
“How many days are left until the presidential election?”
“Two days.”
“The wind has been cool these days. “It’s the perfect weather to die in.”
“Ah really… “You must be crazy.”
Sean shook his head.
After all, it was right not to be enemies with that guy.
* * *
[An unexpected and important announcement from the Neresta family!]
[Sudden declaration of abandonment of excavation rights. What is the hidden story?]
[It is cautiously predicted that this is due to pressure from other six star families who were concerned about the Neresta family’s monopoly.]
[Dean Verlux, who regained his excavation rights, gains wings again!]
[The academy’s presidential election is becoming more and more interesting.]
“Do you see these newspapers? ha ha ha! I was just wondering. “I never thought I could do this!”
Professor Verrux burst into laughter as he looked at the newspapers, which had begun to publish favorable articles about him again.
I never thought that places that were so hateful and cursed in the past few days would look so pretty now!
“The secretaries were passing out a survey this afternoon. “The approval rating will rise again, so there will be nothing to worry about for the president’s position.”
Despite Professor Verlux’s praise, Lazuli… No, Carol just smiled calmly.
In those eyes, there was a lot of mockery toward the person who was willing to die without knowing anything.
He was already blinded by his lust for power and couldn’t notice it at all.
“What on earth did you do? “Did you really encourage other six-mangsungsung as shown in this newspaper?”
“It’s a trade secret. Anyway, congratulations on becoming president.”
“ha ha ha! “It’s not even done yet, but they’re serving me too much soup!”
“Wasn’t it already clear? So, there is no harm in calling you that way a few days in advance.”
“Oh, is that so? Hahaha!”
Professor Verlux burst into laughter and then grabbed Carol’s hand.
Thick hands. Carol flinched for a moment, but Professor Verlux paid him no mind and asked with maddened eyes.
“Did you say siesta? okay! What do you want? Is there any business you would like to pursue? Or do you want to build a bridge to the political world? “If you need a lobby, I can arrange a space for you.”
The position of president of Woosden Academy was not just a position.
It is an honorable position to be a descendant of the ‘Star Mage’ and become the best teacher of magicians.
In terms of rank, he is equivalent to a marquess, and he dominates academia and has great influence in politics.
It is the highest position on par with the six tower owners of the Six Towers, the head of the magic clan, the Imperial Magic Knight Chief, and the Minister of the Magic Province.
“First of all, can you focus on the upcoming presidential election, and then gradually tell us what we want to do?”
“is it? “If it makes you feel comfortable, go ahead and do it!”
Professor Verlux had a momentary question, but thought it was no big deal and patted Carol on the shoulder.
Anyway, once you become the president of the academy, you will be able to trample on Siesta without much difficulty even if he makes unreasonable demands.
Looking at Professor Verlux laughing like that.
Carol also smiled silently.
Somehow.
It was a smile that felt very sharp, like a well-honed blade.
Wizard who swallowed talent
