Chapter 203 – The Fourth Afterword #02

The port of the academy is inappropriate to simply be called a port.

No wonder. All of the academy’s logistics went in and out of here, and Ammosus, Admiral of the Deep Sea, who was a member of Shi’s family, had targeted the Republic and Academy several times.

It is said that the last battle in which the Demon King’s followers participated was really fierce enough that the academy fell, so the port of the academy could be called the largest, strongest, and most splendid city-state, including other archipelago states around it .

“It’s changed a lot, the lighthouse wasn’t that big when I was in the academy.”

And there was a big difference between knowing those facts and actually seeing them.

Looking at the port, which has changed a lot from what he remembered decades ago, a man whose hair is slowly turning white was chewing on his memories of him.

“Yes! As for that lighthouse, it is said to be one of the protective shields that protect the entire port city! Made by the academy with millions of gold to stop the bombardment of the Admiral of the Deep——!!”
“… I see. Please be quiet, because I get seasick so loud noises give me a headache.”
“Oops, I didn’t notice the Count’s condition… ! Sorry…!”

The middle-aged man’s brow twitched. It was unpleasant to be interrupted from recalling memories of her, but it was also because the man who was constantly flattering her next to her was very annoyed.

‘I understand how you feel, but he’s a frivolous man that I can’t get used to no matter how much I look at him.’

The middle-aged Earl Leonard Wise couldn’t help but feel a crush on Baron Gilbert Ludwig, who had taken himself as a servant during his trip to the academy.

I knew he was this kind of guy from the beginning. Baron Ludwig, who entered school at the same time as himself in his childhood, was always a man who took on the role of his attendant.

Even as a child, of course, I did not like this frivolous attitude, but Baron Ludwig was then and still is quite gifted in mathematics and money.

In addition, the old vassal family, the Ludwig family, could not be dismissed, and in the end, Count Leonard hired the baron for a minor position and kept his distance by not paying attention.

‘It was a bad idea. If I was going to keep my distance, I should have kept it for sure, and if I was going to be close, I should have kept it by my side as much as possible..’

Count Leonard recalled his sigh his, recalling his late eldest son his, Rexton Wise.

Earl Leonard, who had had little contact with his peers before going to the academy, did not want Rexton to grow up alone like himself.

So, he had been interacting with the Weiss family for a long time, and arranged a place for the son of the Felcas family, the goddaughter of the Goddess, and the third son of the Ludwig family to play together.

I deliberately reduced the interference to a minimum for the sake of the children, placed only one knight for security, and hoped that Rexton would become friendly with her children her, but now that I think about it, that too is only a regret.

‘Reduce interference? He must have wanted to turn his attention off to the children because he was under heavy workload.’

In the first place, Baron Ludwig, who was trying to be friendly with the child as an excuse, was also annoying.
Even his son his, who often brought petty fights to himself and hoped for a solution, felt pitiful.
So, at some point, he believed in the words of Baron Ludwig, his son his, and the female knight Shion that everything would work out, and he didn’t care.

‘It was stupid. When he heard that the bright kid had been locked up in his room his, he should have noticed that the nerdy kid was going astray.’

It was a very belated regret.
Artin Ludwig, who was bullied by his own son, has now become a warrior’s companion recognized by the goddess, who is talked about by luxury men.
On the other hand, his son’s loss of face was not enough;

“But there’s nothing to criticize, doesn’t the word ‘dog guardian’ really suit you?”

If she had paid more attention to her children her, if she had listened to them, if she had n’t let that frivolous man’s words spill over her ears, none of this would have happened.

In the end, everything was no different from cause and effect.
In return, Leonard Wise got rid of his son’s mana and deprived him of his heir his, and later he was put in a position to hand over the family to the collateral branch.

But that didn’t solve all the problems. That was just the minimum responsibility, and there is still no apology left for the victims. So it was the whole academy.

“How are you, Count? While you’re here, why don’t you look around the old dormitory and meet my daughters?”
“…Do you think I’m here to play? You look happy.”
“Oh no! It was just, uh, a metaphor for saying that you don’t have to care so much about my bastard over trifles! The official schedule will be finished in two days!”

Write, Count Leonard suppressed his anger with his superhuman patience.
I was very offended by that attitude of proudly speaking as if he could solve all of this. If that was really possible, why did he come to the academy himself in the first place?

Trying to summon an officer of the demon king’s army to the academy was a serious crime of betraying humanity that would never be forgiven in principle. To the extent that if it wasn’t for one of the important members of the kingdom’s aristocratic faction, he would have had to return the family seal.

Even Count Leonard knew that this man was not on good terms with his son. But what am I going to say on behalf of my son that it’s no big deal?

“This case is directly intertwined between the imperial princess and the hero. If you try to deal with it carelessly as usual, I will remove your seal before I step down, so keep that in mind.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind, Count. Let’s get in the carriage and go to the inn.”
“Tsk.”

When Count Leonard finally showed his displeasure and turned around to get on the carriage, Baron Ludwig sent off the Count with a 90 degree bow to the back.

The baron kept bending over until the carriage with the count disappeared, and only when the carriage was completely out of sight did he straighten his waist while clenching his fists at the same time.

“…That plague bastard…Still no help at all…”

Suddenly, the baron’s face, which had a friendly expression on his face as if he would give up his liver and gallbladder just before, turned red and distorted ugly.

“… No it’s okay. After making Artin bow his head, conversely, make him apologize to the Count and save his face his. If this is done well, the Count will take care of me and our family again.”

If Count Leonard had heard of it, it would have been a story that he would have been unable to contain his anger and would have laughed at, but Baron Ludwig nodded his head, as if convinced that it was the right thing to do.

“First of all, it would be better to meet Artin first and match the words. Cheeky son of a bitch, my father came here because of me, and you dare not even come to meet him?”

He must have been intoxicated by the nonsensical rumors he was hearing these days. Promising that if he met in person, he would pick up his belt after a long time and teach himself ‘property’, and Baron Gilbert Ludwig then took a carriage and headed to the academy.

*

“Shit! Murris, what the hell is this all about? I can’t meet Artin?!”
“Ah, father… Calm down, this is the academy.”
“What do you mean by academy! How can parents stop them from wanting to meet their children!”

The next day, Baron Ludwig, who went to the dormitory to meet Artin, was spurned and kicked out at once.

“Murice, didn’t I send you a letter telling you to get the fool right and bring him out? But what about my appearance!”
“Ha, but Father. Right now, Artin says I can’t approach him carelessly.”
“Noisy! I have to say something that makes sense! Artin What the hell is that wormy guy!”

When Gilbert Ludwig roared, Muris looked around hurriedly and lowered his head.

‘Fuck the kid, what are you saying to me…! I almost died…!’

As for Muris, it wasn’t pleasant that Artin became the main source of rumors. No, he rather spread all sorts of vicious rumors to discredit that reputation.

However, the rumors spread by Muris himself always disappeared before half a day had passed.
No wonder. Who would take offense at the man rumored to be the princess’ fiancé and the warrior’s colleague?

He even tried to discourage Murith by actually meeting him. However, before Muris could even enter her dormitory, she was stopped by the ugly-looking maids of the princess.

-“Sorry. She has been ordered by the princess not to let Miss Muris Ludwig approach Artin.”-
-“Yes? I’m that guy’s older sister…?”-
– “The princess’s orders are absolute. Sorry. Go back.”-

Muris did not dare to speak out against her courtiers her, her princess’ bodyguard, and in the end she did not even meet Artin.
Besides, when she woke up, the letter lying on her bedside her had completely shattered Muris ‘remaining willpower her.

[If you spread malicious rumors about Master Artin one more time, I’ll stick a dagger into your pussy and give it back to you three times, you gal boy.]

A vulgar threat letter, but I couldn’t ignore it.
Even though she is staying in the Bronze Dormitory, how could she ignore the person who broke through the academy’s security system and left a letter?
In the end, Muris failed to respond to all her father’s requests her to leave her affairs her with Artin, and she now had to face her father’s absurd wrath her right away.

“Damn it! Both my son and my daughter ate it up! Isabella said that her father her had come, but she could n’t even see his face his!”
“Uh, sister must be busy with an assignment right now. She has to keep high grades in order to stay in the Silver Dormitory, right?”
“Heh, not like that. Because he looks like me and his brain his is clear.”

Muris laughed at his father her inwardly at those words. Who resembles whom?
Isabella was a woman with a much larger bowl compared to her father her, whose bowl was small even to Muris.
She was also a good person and she had a good distribution so she wouldn’t dump my sister if she became the head of household.

“But still, he is the only one who talked to Artin. Make sure to tell her to shine her face because she needs help!”
“Ah, I see, Father.”
“Hmph, the more important thing now is how to get Artin to bow his head to the Count..”

In Baron Ludwig’s opinion, no matter how you look at it, this must have been that the stupid Artin was afraid of himself and was avoiding it. In order to bring him out, you’ll need something to lure him out.

“Right! Muris, Artin, do you know who his friend is?”
“..Chi, you mean friend?”
“Okay! If you ask your friend to come out, can’t you drag him away? No matter how stupid he is, he must have at least one or two friends.”

At those words, Murith’s face turned blue. By whom? Call Artin?

“I, that… “
“Come on! Surely you don’t know this?!”
“Oh no! That, with Zorba Felkas and Lin Xiaomei, whom I’ve been close with since childhood… “
“Tsk, skip those two. Aren’t they guys what I can do?”

At most, how could a low-ranking baron in the kingdom touch the heir of the Pelcas Merchant or the daughter of a military god?
In the first place, if the two hadn’t maintained their friendship with Artin out of sympathy, they wouldn’t have sent him to the academy.

“Except for those two… Those…Princess Agnes, Princess Marianne, Violet Purple Crow, Cayenne Silversword…”
“What? Doesn’t it sound strange because the voice is small! How dare you call the princess wrong now! You really are insane!”
“Oh, no, Father! You heard me right! Princess Marianne or Princess Agnes! The Archwitch’s granddaughter, Violet Purple Crow, and the hero, Cayenne Silversword!”

When Baron Ludwig tapped her belt, Muris, recalling her childhood nightmares of her, exclaimed urgently with her contemplative face of her.

However, upon hearing the story, the baron’s expression seemed to have increased in anger.

“What? Are you insane! Artin Who does that idiot dare to hang out with?”
“Yes, it is true Father! You just came out of the Gold Dormitory! The current Artin is not the Artin we used to know!”
“…What? The place I just heard about is called the Gold Dormitory? Not Bronze?”

The baron doubted his ears. Wasn’t the gold dormitory given only to geniuses or influential nobles who would be counted in the academy?

“I, Artin, received the highest grade in the midterm exam a while ago and moved to the gold dormitory this time. I got close to perfect marks in all subjects…”
“What? Do you think that makes sense? That idiot who barely used 1st circle magic?”
“But it is true! Moreover, according to the rumors that have been heard lately, it is almost certain that Princess Agnes and Artine are engaged. Even the crown prince acknowledged it…”
“…What? Really, are you saying that’s not some fucking nonsense?”

Looking at Baron Ludwig’s dumbfounded expression, Muris gnashed his teeth inwardly.
No matter how much I remember Artin as an idiot, does it make sense to be so indifferent to my son, who is now a hot potato in the society and society?

“That, then. How am I supposed to meet Artin? Count Leonard is waiting for you!”
“I don’t know about that… I don’t think I’ll hear anything good if I approach it carelessly…”

It was only then, upon hearing Murith’s gloomy words, that Baron Ludwig realized that something was seriously wrong.

Of course, it was a belated realization, but what can I do? That the world is not kind to fools.

***

The Undercity was a place where the lights did not go out as a land of pleasure and entertainment, putting the nickname of the city where the light does not shine.

However, even in such an undercity, there are places where the sun does not shine.
On the streets where shabby entertainment establishments were built on the outskirts of the Undercity, the frail light from the broken street lamp was the only light source.
People who stay in the Undercity call this street the Undercity Night. This street has always been as dark and gloomy as night.

At one of the window guards located at night in the Undercity, a person quietly came out wearing a black cloak.

“Sister, where are you secretly going alone again… ?”
“… You haven’t slept yet? Jennie?”

What stopped them was the voice of a young girl who seemed to have just begun puberty.

“Yeah, every time I wake up, my sister isn’t by my side… “
“Are there any other kids around? If she does n’t have a sister, she can sleep with Henna next to her sister her.”
“No, Henna-sister grinds her teeth a lot every time, so it’s noisy! And it doesn’t even smell as good as Lucy’s!”

At that, the woman called Lucy laughed bitterly. The fact that she still smelled good to her sounded like a very funny joke.
She wasn’t supposed to show off, though, so Lucy went over to Jenny and stroked her hair her, giving her a sweet smile.

“Jenny, I’m sorry. But her sister also has very important things to do.”
“Work…? What happened…? Did Lucy start her brothel like her other sisters her did? So is she keeping it a secret from us?”
“No, it’s not like that. It’s because she has work to do. So, let’s sleep with Henna today. Understand?”
“…Yea, I got it.”
“Yeah, not nice. Do you want to go to sleep? My sister will be back in a little while.”

As Lucy left her shop with the sweetest smile she could, the woman who had been observing the conversation in the dark approached Jesse.

“Did Lucy go out again today?”
“Yeah, I was told not to go… But they said I had to… “
“Jenny, if you don’t listen to me, I will never tell you.”

Henna, the prostitute who hugged Jenny, sighed.
She knew how dangerous it was for a woman to walk alone at night in the Undercity, so she wanted to dissuade Lucy, but Lucy wasn’t in a normal state these days, so she couldn’t speak to her.

“Sheesh, it all started after the letter arrived. What on earth did that letter change like this..”

Lucy was one of the few people who could be kind and selfless even on these dark and hopeless streets. Lucy changed after reading the letter that arrived a few days ago.

‘There was no content. It was just a letter with one name written on it. But why did it change like that?’

I didn’t know. What the hell is the name Artin Ludwig?
Seeing that name, why did Lucy put on such a scary and sorrowful expression?
What has Lucy been doing every night since that day?

“…But since he’s a smart kid, it won’t be a big deal. Do you want to go in and sleep?”

But it was also funny that Henna was worried about her Lucy her.
Isn’t it Lucy who takes over and manages several of her prostitutes her on this street, and at the same time she takes care of everything so that the prostitutes who work in her shop can live like human beings?

Hena, who could n’t even write her own name her, compared to herself, she was a much smarter child, so it might be right for her to just support her.

‘…It should be okay.’

But somehow the woman’s intuition kept whispering. Lucy is now in a very dangerous state.
Every night, when she returns, the smell of her cloak her smells very similar to the smell of her own blood her.