Damn Academy - Chapter 246



246 – Shadow City (5)

Fraser and his followers hastily vacated the spot. I stood still when Hailey stepped forward, blocking their path. She placed her hands on her hips and shouted confidently.

“Where’s the thousand crowns?”

“….”

Fraser, with a deathly pale face, pulled out a sheet of paper from his bosom.

He scribbled something hastily on it, then took a nearby candle to drip wax onto the paper.

He pressed a seal into the wax and handed it to Hailey. Only after receiving it did she step aside.

Hailey approached me, patting my shoulder as she said,

“Sorry, but I just wanted to try it once. I might change my mind later.”

“Thank you.”

The artifact I won in the bet turned out to be a finer item than I expected, so money didn’t catch my eye. Even setting aside its artifact nature, the craftsmanship alone is undeniably top-notch. An unexpectedly great harvest.

Madame Bastian clutched her chest, breathing heavily as if she had sprinted at full force. It seems she was greatly startled by the beast.

“Fighting a monster with just a dagger? I thought Fraser’s suggestion was absurd. And that strike—if it had missed, you would have been dead. I’ve never seen a man as dangerously daring as you.”

“That’s my style.”

She closed her eyes, taking a moment to breathe calmly before speaking.

“For someone who belittles himself as a novice, you’re quite experienced and skilled. Look there. Do you see that sticky gaze? Your presence seems to have ignited a fire in the hearts of those women who are weary of men.”

“…Perhaps they are easily ignited.”

“It’s no exaggeration. Wealthy women may outwardly value dignity and culture, but inwardly they long for barbaric and dangerous men. You resemble the ideal man they fantasize about. If you wish, you could secure a fortune in patronage from them.”

“But there would be a price to pay.”

“Would you refuse a small effort for a substantial reward?”

“I already have the most beautiful lady by my side. There’s no reason to look elsewhere.”

It was a remark made to avoid wasting time appeasing other noblewomen.

“Ah.”

Madame Bastian uttered a sigh that was almost a lament, then nodded as if realizing something. She gazed intently at Hailey.

Hailey blushed slightly and turned away, twirling her hair.

“Seeing your steadfast inner self makes me trust you even more. Please don’t forget my request.”

Madame Bastian lifted her skirt slightly in a gesture of farewell and left.

Once it was just the two of us, Hailey cleared her throat with a ‘hmm-hmm.’

“You’re bold. Rookie.”

“…Yes?”

Hailey slaps my back with her palm.

“You know better, why pretend you don’t!”

“……”

“Keep this up, and you’ll block my path to marriage. I’m just kindly accepting it because it’s endearing how the newbie admires their senior.”

***

We waited in a corner of the banquet hall for the market’s arrival.

Middle-aged men glance at us from a distance, chattering away.

“It would have been more fun if they’d been devoured!”

“Guardian Saint Snius is superior. His demonstrations were more disciplined and stable.”

“The dagger is just a trick to cover up subpar skills.”

“Is that so? It was an impressive technique I’ve never seen before.”

“No. A true master doesn’t fight like that. I personally know a knight who trained in the empire for fifteen years, and he says…”

Hailey, observing the banquet from the corner, said to me.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“Why should I be?”

“The old skins are desperately trying to belittle you because the women’s attention is on you.”

“If someone I cared about did that, I would’ve taken action, but since they didn’t, it’s fine. I’ve got what I came for.”

It’s laughable to get angry over vulgar words at a vulgar party.

“The more I hear, the more it boils my blood. How can they be so ugly and revolting? They’d wet themselves in front of a demon, yet they spout nonsense as if they’re above everyone else.”

“This isn’t exactly a gathering of the cultured and intellectual socialites, is it?”

From the start, this banquet was not about intellectual discourse or cultured social activities, but created for the pursuit of irresponsible pleasure. One should not expect a sincere and righteous demeanor from nobility met here.

Hearing this, Hailey concedes with resignation.

“Yeah, I fear such gatherings exist in the empire too.”

“I think they do. In such a large country, there must be worse.”

“Not to that extent. You’re full of bad preconceptions about the empire. If you ever visit, call me. I’ll show you a real noble’s party.”

Amidst the commotion, the banquet hall suddenly fell silent.

Soon after, people’s gazes shifted towards the entrance.

Soldiers clad in armor poured in and lined up in a row.

“The lord of the market has arrived.”

With the cry of an attendant, the banquet hall became still.

“I extend my gratitude to all the distinguished guests who have joined us here today.”

The mayor, with a kind smile at the corner of his mouth, exchanges greetings one by one.

Priscilla shudders again. I hold her hand tightly. I understand the desire to express something, but drawing attention here would do us no good.

After a light banter with the nobles, the mayor looks in my direction and acknowledges me.

“Damian, the famous Damian, isn’t it? Good to see you.”

He approaches me and offers a handshake.

As I accept it, he grips my hand firmly and says,

“At last, we’ve captured a hostage. We now have a means to oppose the great sorcerer Silberin. Haha!”

The advisors following him also laugh, finding something amusing.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“But did I invite you to this party?”

“If the invitation is not a fake, then you were indeed invited here.”

“Oh, there seems to have been some mistake. I called for a different party.”

“Thanks to that, I had an interesting time.”

“What a sight I must have missed. How is your master doing?”

“Regrettably, I’ve lost contact with him for quite some time now. He seems to be very busy.”

“A great sorcerer is a being beyond humans. That’s why I’ve always admired them. Silberin is no different. Do you know the poem the northerners dedicated to Professor Silberin?”

“Are you referring to a legend?”

“If you gaze into the eye of the sun, you will become a mirage.”

“I’m not familiar with it.”

“I quite like that verse… You don’t know it?”

“I don’t.”

“How can you not know? How did you come to know Professor Silberin? What did he show you to become his disciple?”

The nobles prick up their ears and look at me. It seems more than one was curious.

“That’s a secret.”

“Oh, my curiosity got the better of me. That great sorcerer Silberin is such a rare type, you see. Even I, with my excellent dragon magic, have always been perplexed on how to deal with him. It’s a wonder how such a person could have a disciple fall from the sky.”

“…”

“So how do you get along with Professor Silberin?”

“To be honest, we’ve hardly ever mingled. He’s always been distant with me, and even when we occasionally cross paths, he’s cold. And he left for a mission before I even enrolled in Eternia. I’m almost ashamed to claim the title of his disciple, given how little we’ve interacted.”

“It’s the Sylvain I knew. Even to his only disciple, he’s cold-blooded. Now the picture becomes clear.”

“…”

“Does he ignore all your letters too?”

“He must be too busy to reply, same as me.”

“He’s ruthlessly impartial to everyone. If you ask for help, sometimes he’ll extend a hand warmer than anyone else, but once he turns away, he coldly demands compensation.”

“I heard the master stayed here once.”

“Yes, he took the city’s request and drove out the rats.”

“…”

“Ah, the rats throughout the city. It was a great deed no other magician could accomplish. You can’t imagine how much more comfortable the lives of the citizens have become. Truly, it was the best gift.”

“Is that so?”

The mayor’s expression turned grave.

“However… your master demanded a great reward from us. Thirty royal-grade spirit stones and a necklace made from the eyes of a phantom beast. They were pricey, but we thought of it as an investment, not a loss. But a few years ago, the rats started coming back, slowly making their place. Professor Sylvain said the magic circle would last ten years without interference, but it’s having problems in just a few.”

“…”

The mayor paced with his hands behind his back, continuing.

“The city sent urgent letters. It seems we need renovations. There was no reply. We sent pressing letters every month, but no response came. Does he even glance at his mail?”

“The master receives dozens of letters asking for help every week.”

The mayor’s face began to flush.

“That’s not the end of it. What’s worse, he suddenly informed us. For his magic class, send fifteen hundred low-grade magic stones. It was like a decree demanding tribute. Do you know what we did? We gritted our teeth and sent them. What choice do we have when a woman who could turn an entire city to ashes demands it!”

His voice had risen considerably.

“…”

The atmosphere of the banquet hall had completely fallen.

“But still, that magician has never once… to Clariodium…”

When the aide came to calm him, he finally regained his composure.

“Mayor.”

“Oh, ah, my apologies, I got carried away.”

He belatedly became aware of the gazes and pulled out a handkerchief to dab his forehead.

I don’t know if I’m observing too closely, but there’s a strange dissonance in him wiping sweat that isn’t there.

Is he acting now?

The audience’s hearts are with the mayor. Sylvain has been made a villain by these unsubstantiated statements.

It’s unpleasant. Not only does he call me here to deny his actions, but he also dares to provoke my master right in front of me.

I’d like to grab the market by the scruff of the neck, but now’s not the time. I can’t tie up all the loose ends, but I can’t stand by and let public opinion worsen.

“…Would you give me the chance to erase the remaining stain on my master’s name?”

“Repay? What do you plan to do? Tinker with the magic circle?”

“I could solve other troublesome matters as well.”

“Hmm, I like your audacity, but do you have the capability? The problem of Claridium is already enough for us to handle.”

“How about hunting down a troublesome beast that was released in an accident but remains uncaught? What do you say?”

The market’s gaze pierces through me coldly.

“I can’t permit it for two reasons. First, the unleashed beast doesn’t exist in Claridium. Second, if a character like the market forces young students who came to enjoy culture to hunt beasts, it would lead to scandal. I want to summon a great mage, not an angry one.”

“There was a scoundrel who, until just a moment ago, demanded that I catch a beast with a single dagger. Fraser, I believe, a friend the market holds dear.”

That’s the guy the market has been covering for. He pretended not to hear my sarcasm.

“Well… a dangerous mission like beast hunting is out of the question, but I suppose I could give you some homework.”

The market gestures for the aide to come over. Then they consult in hushed tones.

“…How about the assembly area?”

“No, there’s too much work there.”

“Then… the transport department…”

“No, it’s complicated. Something easier and safer.”

After whispering back and forth a few times, the aide is sent away.

“I understand your intention. I’d like you to take on a few chronic problems plaguing the city. I’ll leave a request at the Guardian Assembly for you to pick up when you have time.”

“Understood.”

It doesn’t seem like he intends to give me a proper mission.

But that’s fine. I had no intention of fulfilling this mission responsibly either. All I want is one of the market’s request certificates. With that, I can easily gain access anywhere, which will make the investigation of the missing persons much smoother.

***

By the time we arrived in front of the lodging, the crescent moon was already high in the sky.

After Hailey got off the carriage and the coachman left, she asked me.

“Rookie, about the mission the market mentioned.”

“Yes.”

“Do we really need to do it? That person, it seemed like he just wanted to disgrace Professor Silberin and his disciple.”

“I had no intention of doing it properly either. With the market’s request certificate, I can gain access anywhere. I plan to use that to investigate the missing persons.”

“…Rookie. We’re not here to work. You’re under no obligation to fulfill Mrs. Bastian’s request.”

“It’s out of my own curiosity. There’s something I strongly suspect.”

From noble mtl dot come

“…Really? Whatever you do, make sure it’s finished by the day after tomorrow.”

“Is this an early return?”

Hailey nodded.

“It might be better to just enjoy and leave. Right, what are you going to do with that money?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure.”

I stood there, dumbfounded, clutching the box containing a thousand crowns to my side. Even if I buy a few souvenirs for Luna and Trisha, there will be plenty of money left. I could buy a painting or acquire some precious artifact only available here. But nothing appeals to me.

When I was young, there was only one thing I wanted with money. Just to eat to my heart’s content. Regrettably, I haven’t changed since then.

“Well, let’s go inside and think about it.”

“….”

I didn’t move an inch. A thought clung to my mind like a leech, anchoring my feet.

“Newcomer?”

“May I go out for a bit?”

“What? At this hour? You know it’s dangerous here, newcomer.”

“I know.”

“Where are you going?”

“To a place to relieve my guilt.”

Hailey narrowed her eyes and said,

“Are you going to the temple for confession? Do you really have to speak in such a roundabout way?”