289 – Wisdom (1)

Jane and I looked around, and even after going our separate ways, we continued to wander around.

It would be good to map out the terrain and figure out if the devil is hiding in there. But she soon realized that it was impossible.

‘There are so many, how can I find them?’

More people came than expected. Usually the anniversary is celebrated in Byzantine, and the Academy is close to Byzantine.

If it comes on the day of the festival, there will be less people. However, it is now at a crowded level, so it is better to give up.

It would have been much better to train during this time. However, training is also vague and cannot be done for a long time to preserve physical strength.

Eventually, when training is over, walking around is my daily routine. Time is approaching, but there is less to do.

‘I didn’t even think about preserving physical strength.’

I thought so while buying a chicken skewer on the way.

I am confident in my physical strength, but that does not mean it is infinite. This is Rize’s advice.

Moreover, he told me to stay quiet because the moment I catch a cold, I will be in trouble.

‘Other people are also very busy.’

I was so bored that I looked around to see what other people were doing.

Kara is busy talking with a messenger from her hometown, namely Hector.

Ellie is mass-producing her potions because she is worried that people will get hurt when the academy collapses.

Grace is also the daughter of a duke, so she has a lot of people to meet.

‘The only people worth seeing are vague…’

Lee Yeon-ju is not close enough to meet her separately, and it is obvious that Ye-rin will only be filled with suspicion.

The moment you openly walk around outside, even Grace will be suspicious. Even Dan Yerin wouldn’t want it.

In the end, it was too much work for her to wander around alone and return to the dormitory.

“Hey!”

“?”

She was sitting on a bench in the square and chewing on chicken skewers. I heard a voice in my ear.

She turned her head at this and couldn’t help but widen her eyes. Because there were completely unexpected yet familiar faces.

“You were here?”

“It’s been a while since I last saw you. How have you been?”

It was Rex and his group his his his. The people who helped me when I briefly stopped by the next village, Unity Village.

Contrary to their harsh and bloody appearance, they were people who helped in various ways. I didn’t expect to meet you here.

“Hello. What’s going on?”

“Somehow, I got hired.”

“They said it was an anniversary and they were looking for manpower. So I came.”

Rex and his group are a group of adventurers who are quite famous in Unity Village. That’s why they sometimes send people to the academy.

I couldn’t help but feel anxious for a moment. I wonder if it will last until the day the Academy collapses.

These people are not weak, but if they are not careful, they can suffer great damage.

“How long will it last?”

“I will go back before the anniversary. There is also a festival in Unity Village.”

If you’re lucky, you’re lucky. If we were not careful, the damage would have increased.

While I was internally relieved, Rex grinned and asked slyly.

“Why? “Do you wish we were here?”

“No.”

“That’s cruel. Anyway, where’s her girlfriend? That blonde haired girl.”

Blonde hair? I blinked and then realized who he was talking about.

You probably mean Luna, who followed me when I left the yard. I don’t know where she is either.

“I don’t know. It’s probably somewhere.”

“Have you ever had a fight?”

“No?”

“We fought. Since ancient times, women…”

I think about it all the time, but you have a wide scope.

When Rex explained ‘how to make your girlfriend feel better,’ I listened with one ear and let it go with the other.

I can’t say anything bad about it because I was able to subdue the devil thanks to that idiot. Just think of him as a kind person.

“Hey, let’s go. If I said that, would you understand? They should solve it among themselves.”

“Wait a minute. Just tell me this…”

“If you give women just a little something to eat, everything will go away. So hurry up and go. We have work to do too.”

Fortunately, one of the party members was quick to stop it and it was quickly resolved.

I waved my hand and did the same to the group walking away. It’s a truly unique party.

How great it would be if there were only people like that in the world. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are many people who are worse than animals.

“Tsk.”

“?”

It was about time to finish off all the remaining chicken skewers. Someone sat next to me.

When I turned my head, I saw an old man with a somewhat shabby appearance, and unusually, he was wearing a wide-brimmed hat.

Thanks to this, although I could see the chin, I couldn’t see the eyes above it. He also had a bushy beard, giving him the aura of a wise man.

‘No. Rather than a wise man…’

A hunched back and a worn-out cane. These two characteristics combined make one closer to a beggar.

It’s a bit weird to call an elderly person a beggar, but that’s just how he behaves.

Because it was winter, I wore thick clothes, but I had a strong impression that they were shabby.

“Hmm…”

“··· ···”

The old man stroked his beard and looked around the square. I sat quietly next to him.

Why, isn’t there something like that? I feel like I will make the other person feel bad if I leave the room for no reason.

It’s like missing the so-called timing. In the end, I had no choice but to sit on the bench and look around the square.

“Heulheul. It’s nice to see.”

“··· ···”

“Look, young fellow. What is your name?”

Hmm. I think it was caught incorrectly.

I rolled my eyes and quietly opened my mouth.

“Shibaryo.”

“Shibarra… That’s an unusual name. Are you a student at the academy?”

“Yes. What about grandfather?”

“Call me Warden.”

If it’s ordinary, it’s an ordinary name. I kept glancing at Warden.

From the outside, you can’t really feel anything, it’s a shabby, shabby appearance.

Even walking seemed difficult, seeing as he even had a cane. Why on earth did this person come to the academy?

“Can’t old people come to the academy? Have you seen this noble guy?”

“······Yes?”

“It’s written on your face.”

Are you a mind reader? I blinked and looked at the old man.

The old man clearly revealed his feelings by waving his cane.

However, looking at the smile that cannot be hidden even with a thick beard, it seems that he is not in a bad mood or anything like that.

“·······Sorry?”

“Yes. I have to apologize. Proper manners are instilled in me.”

“··· ···”

The Warden nodded and showed a satisfied response. It seemed like I got caught by an eccentric person by mistake.

I feel like I want to leave. But as I just said, I can’t measure the timing.

A situation where you have no choice but to become a companion. My heart is not strong enough to callously leave a bored old man behind.

“It’s already like this, so please be the old man’s companion. I came to see my friend’s child, but I couldn’t see him at all.”

“A friend?”

“Yes. I heard that you came to the academy. But the paths may have crossed, so I can’t see anything.”

If that’s the case, I understand. The Academy is not a specific country, but a gathering place for talented people from all over the world.

Even commoners can enroll if they have the ability. However, it is difficult to find parents of not only commoners but also nobles.

‘Because the distance is long.’

There are no airplanes or cars here. They say you should only use horse-drawn carriages and on foot.

Right now, Ellie can’t bring herself to return to her hometown. Did she say it would take at least a month?

It would have been better if the parents had come to visit, but it is virtually impossible for a student to go back to their hometown.

Even if your parents come to visit you, you will lose a lot of money. Nevertheless, there are many people who come to visit like old people.

Just as children want to see their parents, parents also want to see their children. We can’t help but worry about each other.

‘It must have been very difficult.’

Thinking like that made me sad. I’ve walked that long way, but there’s no one I really want to find.

There would be plenty of time, so I decided to help Warden. Since there was nothing to do, it seemed okay.

“Can I help you?”

“It’s okay. I’m not weak enough to receive help from a young man.”

“Your back is bent?”

“This is convenient.”

If so, you will figure it out. Considering that he walked such a long way to get to the academy, he must have excellent physical strength.

“I’ve been to the academy a few times in the past. It’s always refreshing to see how much has changed each time.”

“When did you come?”

“I don’t know. I don’t even remember. Anyway, I’ve been here before.”

Worden began to tell old stories. She said that she was very strong in the past, that she made a name for herself in her childhood, etc.

Also, it got a little boring when combined with the old people’s characteristic ‘That was back in my day~’.

Still, he was quite chatty, so the time passed easily. There were some interesting stories along the way.

“Kids these days are extremely rude. They’re too busy looking out for their own interests.”

“There are many good people.”

“Do you feel that way?”

“Yes.”

“Then everything…”

It was before Warden could finish speaking. I opened my mouth casually.

“Bad people. I beat them all.”

“You hit me?”

“Yes. People who are worse than animals. I hit them.”

“··· ···”

Warden’s mouth, which had been talkative, fell shut. It looks like he was taken aback by the unexpected answer.

Her wide-brimmed hat made it difficult to see her facial expression. But there is something called atmosphere.

Then he turned his head and looked in front of him and let out his bright smile her.

“Heulheul. I don’t know who it was, but he was very good at educating people. Since ancient times, sticks have been medicine for animals.”

The response is that it is satisfactory. I felt like I was really old.

It may be the times, but people in the past often glorified violence.

As civilization develops and fights become more common with words rather than violence, people tend to feel frustrated.

Perhaps old people are similar to this. Even though it was a barbaric era, the level of violence would have weakened.

“Look. What is your dream?”

“A dream?”

“Yes. A dream. Since you came to the academy, you have a dream, right?”

“Um…”

The Warden suddenly asks about the dream. I was worried after hearing that.

In fact, even if it were a dream, the only thing I could do was return home. It is the ultimate goal and true purpose.

In order to do so, it is necessary to progress the story, and it is good to establish good relationships with people around you.

‘The problem is that we’re too close…’

We will consider this issue later. If I can accept it even after knowing my secret, I will gladly accept it.

After thinking about it for a while, I answered in my characteristic calm voice.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Yes.”

Warden doesn’t know my situation. No matter how famous I become, it is only at the Academy.

Outsiders may not know that I am a wild person or that I am famous. So, I provided comprehensive information.

Anyway, telling outsiders wouldn’t be of any help. They say they keep company, but that’s it.

“I don’t know… Do you have parents?”

“Nothing.”

“It’s not like you’re inheriting the family business. Then why did you come to the academy?”

“What happened?”

“Tsk, tsk. For the driving force of life, you can’t have a goal.”

The Warden clicked his tongue and expressed his sincere regret. You’re probably saying things like that because you don’t know my situation.

I can be confident that my driving force in life is second to none. I would do anything if I could go back.

Of course, I will never do anything that crosses the line. Especially if it is related to someone I know.

“Could you please hold out your hand for a moment?”

“Yes?”

“There is a very outstanding technology in the East. It’s called Prime Minister, and it’s an ability that can predict your future luck.”

“······?”

What is an award? I tilted my head and expressed doubt.

The old man opened his palm and pointed to his palm.

“It’s called reading palms. You can predict the future with this.”

“Ah.”

That’s it. I think I know roughly what you’re talking about.

As this world is a fantasy, there are many cases where various superstitions come true, and palmistry is one of them.

In addition, astrologers, tarot cards, etc. In fact, there are many cases where things similar to prophecies come true.

‘This is a world where God exists.’

What’s more interesting is that these things are not handled by the Guyana Gulag. Only Chaos is in charge.

Astrology and tarot cards are open to various interpretations. It can be said to be suitable for chaos.

The same goes for palmistry. Palmistry varies greatly from person to person, and there are many possibilities for interpretation.

Maybe this grandfather is also a believer in chaos. I thought so and held out my hand.

“Hmm…”

Warden looked at my palm carefully. I had never looked at my palms before, so I waited quietly.

Afterwards, he played with my hand and then traced his palm with his fingernail. It indeed showed suspicious behavior.

It is also difficult to say whether he is a fraudster. They do it for free, but they just do it for fun.

“This is so…Embarrassing.”

After a moment, Warden spoke. The reaction is that it is a bit perplexing.

I didn’t expect much since it was just for fun.

“What is it?”

“The palmistry related to marriage is long, but it is too long. Moreover, it is divided into several branches.”

The Warden stroked his beard and pondered, then he asked me.

“Are you by any chance a playboy? There are only so many people out there who are playboys.”

“No?”

You are not an amateur, but a talented person. But when I actually denied it, I couldn’t help but feel pricked by my conscience.

The Warden tilted his head as if he was surprised by my answer. I quickly moved on.

“Anything else?”

“The life line is also unique. The line itself is long, but it is really faint. It looks like the child was born with great difficulty.”

“··· ···”

“Next is wealth luck, and this one is also quite long. There is no need to worry about money.”

You are truly amazing. How can every word be correct?

Because of this, my trust grew more and more. I waited for the next words.

“Next is gold related to fate… Um…”

Warden looked like he was wondering whether he should say this. Thanks to this, he couldn’t help but become more curious.

What kind of evil was involved in my fate that made me worry so much? I have the confidence to listen even if it’s a bad story.

“What is it? Please tell me.”

“You may be disappointed.”

“It’s okay.”

“I don’t know what your goal is, but your goal will never come true.”

A very disappointing story came out of the Warden’s mouth. Still, it didn’t matter.

Even if everything else is right, one thing can be wrong. So I was thinking of being humble.

“A different fate has crossed that line.”

“Yes?”

“A different destiny has taken over your original destiny. Your goal will never be achieved.”

“··· ···”

“What’s even weirder is that the original fate line was longer, but now it’s shortened again. I don’t know what this means.”

Stories that were completely incomprehensible came out one after another. I can’t understand anything that’s being said.

‘Did I hear that for no reason?’

If I hadn’t heard it, I wouldn’t have felt sad. I poured out my lips.

The original goal cannot be achieved. I wondered if the collapse of the Academy was happening sequentially.

Or maybe all my efforts go in vain and things take a turn for the worst. It seems quite difficult.

“Shivar!”

“Huh?”

While I was feeling disappointed inside. I heard a familiar voice.

When she turned her head, she saw a woman with a striking appearance and body coming towards her from afar.

Ellie approaches this way with sparkling golden eyes. She came running with a bright smile, showing how happy she was.

Thanks to this, I was able to enjoy the overwhelming shaking of the chest in real time. It is a bountiful and beautiful heart whenever you look at it.

“Hey. Look at the shaking.”

“··· ···”

For a moment she thought about plucking out her eyes.